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Among so many other things New York City is known as the American hub of shopping and nightlife.
Shopping in New York
You have to ask yourself two potentially tough questions when you come to New York: Did you come here to see the sights, like the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty? Or did you really come here to hit the stores and explore all the city's amazing shopping possibilities, in essence, to give your credit card a major workout? Only you know the answer to those questions. But if your answers involve your credit card, when it comes to shopping, you can't do better than New York.
Best Store: Saks Fifth Avenue. Not as overwhelming as other department stores, Saks is consistently good. And don't miss those window displays at Christmas.
Best Clothes Store: Barneys. This store is the pinnacle with prices to match.
Best Bookstore: Coliseum Books. This book-lover's paradise is a mini-superstore (if there is such a thing) with the heart of an independent.
Best Shopping Zone: SoHo, NoHo, and NoLita. All three neighborhoods are within easy walking distance of one another and feature the newest, trendiest boutiques.
Going out in Gotham – Culture and nightclubs
And whether it's live jazz, rock, comedy, or cabaret; or if it's sweating on a dance floor, sipping a martini while lounging on a plush couch, or just people-watching in a neighborhood pub, New York has plenty of choices for your evening's entertainment.
To find out what's happening and where, check out these print and online sources. The Village Voice is a weekly free newspaper that has a very good calendar with listings of weekly entertainment. Rivaling the Voice in its listings is the weekly magazine, Time Out New York.
Best Performance Space: Carnegie Hall. You can find few greater performance spaces in the world than this one. Visually and acoustically brilliant, Carnegie Hall regularly attracts an amazing array of talent.
Best Free Cultural Event: Shakespeare in the Park. Imagine Shakespeare performed by stars, under the stars, in Central Park. No wonder it has become a New York institution.
Best Children's Theater: Paper Bag Players. For children ages 4 to 9, this group performs in the winter only and offers tales told in imaginative and original ways.
Best Jazz Club: Village Vanguard. The acoustics and sight lines aren't great, but you can't do better for finding consistent, good-quality jazz.
Best Rock Club: Mercury Lounge. This venue is intimate, but not obscure. The Merc is the best for hard-edged rock and roll.
Best Comedy Club: Gotham Comedy Club. Comfortable and sophisticated, this is where the best come to hone their acts.
Best Pub: Ear Inn. Located in an old hanger-on in chic SoHo, it continues to survive amongst the lush lounges that surround it.
Best Dive Bar: Subway Inn. Sure, you came to New York to go to a dive bar. Enter the Subway Inn, and it's as if you stepped into a 1940s moody film noir — minus the cigarette smoke, of course.
Best Bar with a View: Rise Bar, in the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park Hotel. With views of Lady Liberty, New York Harbor, and incredible sunsets, this bar is worth seeking out even if you're not staying at the hotel.
Best Bar for Cocktails: Pegu Club. Owned by former Bemelman's master mixologist, Audrey Saunders, the creative cocktails, whether, shaken, stirred, or poured, are always perfect
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