The subway has always been a preferred method for traversing New York City. And now making your way from one city attraction to another has gotten significantly easier.
Swipe or Tap
Plastic, rechargeable MetroCards replaced tokens over 20 years ago. Today, city subway and bus passengers can use an even more hi-tech contactless alternative: Omny (One Metro New York).
Riders can tap their way into a selection of subway stations
and buses through contactless bankcards or payment platforms on mobile or
wearable devices. The innovative system was unveiled in May 2019 in a number of
stations on the 4,5, 6 lines between Grand Central-42 Street and Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center, as
well as all Staten Island
buses.
By 2023, OMNY will be the only payment option in
all New York City subways. Until then, most stations offer a variety of
options.
It is busy, it is bustling, it is even a bit brassy, but New York City winter is also irresistible. Here are some tips to have the best time in New York City this (and every) winter season.
Come Prepared: The previous tip notwithstanding, expect long lines and crowded attractions. Dress in layers and bundle up warmly. It can get mighty cold outside as you visit many of the outdoor attractions, especially those that are prettiest at night.
Make a List: Check it Twice: New York’s winter markets are charming venues worth exploring. They are filled with local artists and designers selling gifts and trinkets that you and your family will adore. Grand Central Terminal holds a unique Holiday Fair, in the stunning Vanderbilt Hall, focusing on socially responsible business and handmade craft gifts.
The wind-down of every calendar year is an exciting time in New York City. Come enjoy the post-Thanksgiving magical air; see the city transformed into a singing, dancing, sparkling Tinseltown.
New York City is full of noteworthy places to take fun and beautiful pictures. With so many quaint corners and iconic buildings, it is no wonder that Big Apple has so many Instagram-worthy spots for any visitor. Try these top picks:
#1: #GrandCentral— Not all train stations are created equal. Grand Central Terminal is an international architectural beauty known for its glorious façade and remarkable main lobby.
#2: #FlatIronBuilding—the
building, shaped like a common household appliance, was designed in 1902 by
architect Daniel Burnham and remains one of Manhattan’s most memorable
landmarks to this day.
#3: #DUMBO—an acronym for the Down Under
Manhattan Bridge Overpass (DUMBO), this history-filled ex-warehouse neighborhood
is now home to art galleries and artisanal coffee shops.
#4: #TheOculus—standing
where the 9/11 attacks occurred, The Oculus is a transport hub and the new
World Trade Center. Designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, the building is
an impressive and significant site for Insta stories.
#5: #WallStreet – get up close and personal with the legendary Charging Bull or just walk around the cobblestone streets.
#6: #NYPublicLibrary—continuing on the animal-sightings, come snap a picture with the celebrated Library Lions standing guard outside the third largest library in the world.
Between photo shoots, whether you are looking for a place to sleep or a place to eat, you should check out any of the Triumph Hotels or Hotel Chandler in Manhattan. Luxurious amenities alongside personalized service make them the perfect option on an instagramable tour of New York. Chic, trendy, and tasteful, these hotels are great for tourists or veteran New Yorkers.
New York is bursting with gorgeous fall colors. The trees are alight with deep reds, bright oranges, warm yellows, and strong greens.
New
York City’s Department of Parks and Recreation has launched “Fall for NYC,”
a festival of Fall with events throughout October across the five boroughs. You
can enjoy hiking trails, foliage tours, and exciting activities for the whole
family.
Fall 2019, in particular, is slated to be one of the most spectacular fall seasons ever. The wet summer days soaked the city’s trees, setting them up for fantastic foliage displays in October and November. The forecast for cool, clear nights throughout these months also means that the trees will continue to display their spectacular rainbow of beauty straight up to winter.
Nearly 67 million people came to New York City in the summer months of 2019. That is close to two million more visitors than in 2018. It is also the 10th consecutive year of rising tourism according to Fred Dixon, the chief executive of NYC & Company, the city’s tourism marketing agency.
The surge in New York tourism is likely due to several high profile events, including the NYC Film Festival, WorldPride celebration, City Farm Summer, and others. The reopening of the Museum of Modern Art this month will also draw visitors to the city, Mr. Dixon said.
Those visiting the city are looking to have a good time. They want top-tier accommodations, prime experiences, and reasonable prices. As New York continues to offer a wide range of exciting opportunities, from the culinary to the cultural, the fashion to the fun, hotels like the Edison in Times Square, or the Washington Jefferson Hotel in the theater district and the Iroquois in Midtown offer ideal hospitality close to all the action. Hotel owner Shimmie Horn works hard to ensure that all guests enjoy all that New York City has to offer.
The crisp, autumn weather in New York offers visitors the chance to enjoy colorful fall foliage. Use these suggestions to experience the beauty of NY’s changing seasons:
Stop by the New York Botanical Gardens, the largest botanical garden in the United States. The New York Botanical Gardens has an amazing array of collections, gardens and exhibits.
Visit the Storm King Art Center, a 500-acre outdoor sculpture park and museum that blends art and nature in NY’s Hudson Valley.
Take a bike tour of the city: Combine exercise and nature by biking through NY with Bike NY. Biking tours are available to bikers of different skill levels.
Whichever destination you choose, enjoy the inspiration of autumn’s changing colors.
A Leonardo Da Vinci painting has just broken the record for a work of art sold at an auction, at a final price of $450.3 million with fees.
The painting, “Salvator Mundi”, surpassed the 2015 sale of Picasso’s “Women of Algiers” for $179.4 million, which also took place at Christie’ Rockefeller Center HQ. The crowd was shocked by the 19-minute duel, and the winning buyer was not disclosed immediately.
Christie’s had been actively marketing the works from this year’s auction, having hired an external agency to advertise for the first time in the auction house’s history.
“It’s been a brilliant marketing campaign,” said Pyms Gallery director Alan Hobart. “This is going to be the future.”
Others are more critical of the way this campaign played out.
“This was a thumping epic triumph of branding and desire over connoisseurship and reality,” New York art adviser Todd Levin said.
The New York Times shared footage of the last moments of the bidding war:
New York City is replacing the MetroCard in an effort to modernize the transit system and minimize waits at ticket lines.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority committee recently approved a $573 million contract to install a new payment system at more than 500 subway turnstiles and 600 buses throughout the city, some of which will be ready for use as soon as next year. The entire city will be switched over the the new system by 2020.
Chairman of the transit authority Joseph J. Lhota explained: “It’s the next step in bringing us into the 21st century, which we need to do. It’s going to be transformative.”
“The millennial generation, those who are more prone to new technology, will be our greatest users in the early stages,” he continuing, adding that card users will surely “want to be a part of it when they realize that 5.8 to 6 million people in NYC are getting on the subway every day.”
Riders Alliance executive director John Raskin said: “First things first: moving to a modern fare system is a convenience for riders. It allows them to benefit from the extraordinary innovations the private sector is undertaking these days.”
If you’re visiting NYC, you’re surely planning trips to popular spots such as the Statue of Liberty, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and of course a Broadway show.
But have you heard of the pink doors of Sel Rrose restaurant on the Lower East Side? Or Metrograph, a small cinema and restaurant in Manhattan? Or While We Were Young in the West Village? Maybe not, but some people are traveling to New York just to snap photos as these “grammable” locations.
A new trend is sweeping through the streets of NY as Instagram users hop around the city visiting photo-shoot worthy locations, choosing settings that offer vibrant backdrops or moody, romantic atmosphere for their Insta accounts.
New York local Kate Lumpkin says the new insta-culture has both benefits and drawbacks. While some tourists don’t get an in-depth experience of the city, others use Instagram trends to explore and enjoy some of the lesser-known spots throughout NY.
Sel Rrose owner Kristin Vincent agrees, and says she painted the restaurant doors with social media in mind. “It’s a New Yorker’s way of seeing the city. It’s not just the pink doors,” she explained.
A new book published by the University of Illinois Press sheds light on riveting NYC architecture and more. Authored by Professor Wallace, “Media Capital: Architecture and Communications in New York City,” examines the few remaining landmarks in the area constructed by media moguls for the express purpose of validating their dominance. This book might be of interest to those with a fascination for New York City, its buildings, architecture and how things have changed. Indeed, for those who frequent modern, luxurious places such as Shimmie Horn’s Cosmopolitan Hotel – Tribeca, the book provides an interesting comparison to what was then versus what is now. Wallace points out in the book how architecture “has served in no small capacity to shore up legitimacy in moments of doubt.” She also believes that the pattern is coming full circle – near the old Newspaper Row, in downtown New York, there is now a resurgence with moves by The Daily News and Condé Nast along with new media in old media space.
