[Shananigans] in the City

This is my first summer spent away from NYC since I was about 10. When I was young my mom would send me down South to be with my great-grandparents but I always got to spend some part of the summer at home. And to me, nothing is better than New York in the summertime. Some people complain about the humidity, the over-powering scent of heat and people but still I love it. So I thought I'd post,
The Places I'd Be If I Was In NY:

1. The Meatpacking District
Pop Burger (58-60 Ninth Avenue) is one of my favorite after/between club spots. Since it's a club and a burger stand in one you can listen to music while you eat or go inside and have a drink. There's also APT (419 W 13th St.). It's set up like someone's (very swank) apartment and it's a great place to meet for pre-outing drinks.

2. Broadway-SoHo/Union Square
I spent many a summer walking from Canal St. to Union Square via Broadway. There's so much to see and it's perfect for shopping. Some of my favorite stops along the way are Pearl River Mart (477 Broadway) as well as big retailers such as Armani Exchange, H&M and Zara's. You can veer off at Prince St. for high-end retailers like Chanel and Barney's Co-op. And don't forget the hundreds of street sellers along the way. There's also movies at the Angelika (18 West Houston). Right before you hit Union Square there's Forbidden Planet (840 Broadway) the comic book shop. And once you reach the park, there's a farmer's market that's great to wander around.

3. 5th Avenue
5th Ave. is one of those places I came to appreciate after I worked there. Plus with the tourists crowding up 42nd street, it's much better to walk east. I love the lower level of Rockefeller Center with its restaurants like Cucina & Co. Also if you walk towards the park you'll pass all the famous NY landmarks like Tiffany's and at the very end is the amazing 5th Avenue-Apple Store, which is an architectural marvel on the edge of Central Park.

4. The Village
What can I say about the Village? There's something new every time I go. I like to start at the W4th stop on the A/B/C/D trains and walk from there. Basically, take your time and just wander. I enjoy Harry's Burritos (76 West 3rd) and also Negril (70 West 3rd) for after work/pre-party drinks. And the IFC Film Center has interesting films and special events like the Buffy Sing-Along.

5. Brooklyn
Brooklyn is where I'm from so I'm pretty biased when I say it's the best place in NY ... but it's still true. Some of my favorite places to visit are the Cobble Hill Cinema (265 Court Street) and Prospect Park (450 Flatbush Avenue). There's the ever-classic Coney Island (last stop on the D, Q, N, or F trains). Coney Island has everything: The original Nathan's, rides, nightly fireworks and enough hot dogs, burgers and cotton candy to make anyone sickly happy.

Those are pretty much the places you can find me during a New York summer. I also have to mention the Water Taxi Beach (Vernon Blvd/Jackson Ave. stop on the 7 train), which is the best place to go and watch the sunset over the city.

Tomorrow, I'll talk about the wonderful places that I've found out here in the Bay Area that have made my first summer away from NY bearable.