"You've just gotta love this city!" New York City by Beth75NJ

I grew up and now live in NJ right on the other side of the George Washington Bridge. Day trips to NYC were frequent to take in all the city has to offer. Then the teenage years of wandering around 'the village' and going to Laser Light Shows at the Museum of Natural History. Now I work in Manhatten every day in the diamond district right next to Roch Center.

I tend to stay away from the tourist-y areas and spend most of my personal NYC time down in the Village, East Village, NoHo, NoLiTo areas...

My restaraunt tips will be for almost all cheap delicious finds.

I'm not sure how many pix I have of NYC since I grew up around here, it never seemed like I should take pix of my outtings. I'm sure I have some somewhere though.

I will give you more of an insiders tip then tips about the tourist attractions of NYC (but then again, isn't that what this site is all about??)

enjoy your stay in this fantastic city!

my sister just turned me onto this link:
a great place for cheap tips on NYC

http://www.nyc.gov/html/nyctv/html/shows/999_venues.shtml#999_episode5

also this. enter where you are and where you want to go and it will map out your subway ride
http://www.hopstop.com

okay, so i'm on the hunt for some really good italian places in mid town or the village.... contrary to popular belief, little italy isn't the best italian, ut it's worth a walk through with some gelato in hand... so anyway... here's some places my friend and my sis recommended with their comments. i didn't offically list them yet because i haven't tried 'em yet but i trust these girls and they haven't steered me wrong yet! so enjoy!

My pick for downtown Italian is Malatesta’s – love that place, great food, great setting, well-priced, real Italian waitstaff, (often hotties), and real Italian food. It’s on the corner of Washington and Christopher.

Piccolo Angolo is also supposed to be very good – on Hudson and I’m not sure what – has a good reputation but is small, so hard to get a seat – hence the reason I’ve never been. Both of these are wine/beer bars only, fyi.

There is also DaSilvano downtown where all the celebs go, but this is bound to be pricey AND hard to get a reservation…

In my hood,(hell's kitchen, mid town west) my pick is La Locanda dei Vini – basically for the same reasons as Malatesta’s! This is full bar, plus they serve a yummy olive oil/lentils/olives combo with the bread that I simply adore. Between 51st and 52nd on 9th – sadly next to McDonalds, but it doesn’t kill the mood, thank goodness! :)

I also like Cascina on 9th and 46th, complete with a large Italian man beckoning you in – good food and ambiance, decent prices.

Orzo on Restaurant Row is supposed to be good but I’ve never been.

One other – Vice Versa on 52nd between 8th and 9th is very good, a little more on the modern/fancy looking side, though fairly similarly priced. Good food, plus a little outdoor seating garden in the back, if you can get it and the weather’s nice! Impossible for pre-theater-time dining, though.

and from my sis...
the east village has so many delicious italian spots:

-lil' frankie's pizza on first ave b/w first and second street
-franks - 2nd ave at 5th street
-supper -2nd st b/w ave a and ave b. (all of these are owned by the same guy, supper has more space and it's delicious)
-perbacco-delicious with lots of small plates as well as appetizers. i think 4th street b/c ave a and ave b
-gnocco (anna loves this place) 10th street b/w ave a and ave b

if you want to bring them for pizza lombardis or arturos in soho are great

• Pros:Tons of culture, adventures and excitement to be had!
• Cons:depending on what neighborhood and what time of year, it can be VERY crowded
• In a nutshell:A must see and experience city