This week, in City, we are featuring our Ultimate Guide to the City. We want to help those of you who are new to New York (as well as those who have been basking in the sun and drinking margaritas for too long this summer) get (re)aquainted with the basics of living in New York. On Tuesday we will present Food and Getting Around, on Wednesday, Things to See, on Thursday, Online Resources, and on Friday, Nightlife.

There are some sights in New York that are on the “Required” list, that probably your friends and relatives have urged you to check out once you get to NYU.  This is not that list. After all, Times Square gets excruciatingly tired after two tries; the Washington Square arch only looks so romantic when it is surrounded by Sextonian concrete; and the Natural History Museum becomes a little disenchanting after you’ve had 50 screaming children trample over your toes (on that note, I recommend you go during the weekends when schools are less inclined to bring their classes).

This list is better.  Not only is everything on this list a train ride away, they are also free (except for one- sorry.)  So all you need is your MTA card, a comfortable pair of shoes, and some free time.

The Graffiti Hall of Fame

On the corner of 106^th and Park Ave, there is the most brilliant smattering of color and shapes.  The Graffiti Hall of Fame is the chosen spot for the art of TATS Cru, a group of Bronx-based graffiti artists.  The first thing you will probably see is a pre-dominantly red-and-blue wall that encloses an area that seems connected to a school.  I went once in the wintertime and had to squeeze between a couple metal gates in order to see the main canvas.  Once you are in, the most impressive works of TATS Cru will blow your mind.  It is incredible, what can be done with talent and an aerosol can.  Even if you are not a fan of graffiti, you should still take a hike up there to get a taste of the best of New York street art,and maybe change your mind.

New York Waterfalls

Typically, Manhattan is devoid of any natural phenomenon.  However, until October 13, we can pretend!  Since this summer, there have been towers of waterfalls affixed to various points of the city. Created by Olafur Eliasson and supported by the Public Art Fund, these installations are a beauty to behold.  It can be especially surprising to see water streaming from underneath the Brooklyn Bridge when you take the train across.  Just grab the BDFV, JMZ, or NQRW- those all go above ground.  Bonus points if you see it during sunset. 

Sheep’s Meadow

I know summer is officially over, but the weather is still unbelievable beautiful.  Hop on over to the west side of Central park, between 66^th to 69^th street, and relax on the meticulously maintained lawn of Sheep’s Meadow.  You will feel like you are floating on your own little green island.  Buildings will peek out around the edges of the park, and, if you are so inclined, you might be reminded of the Sixth Borough in Jonathan Safran Foer’s “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.” 

West Village

Since the NYU campus is located in the West Village, it is fairly easy to think that we know that area inside and out.  However, if you try veering off of Bleecker and Macdougal, you might be able to find some spots that are not so well-known.  

Located on Grove Street near 7^th Ave, there is Marie’s Crisis, a piano bar that brings you back in time as you take in the wood stools and period decorations.  My absolute favorite factoid about this homey joint is that it is the death place of Thomas Paine, English revolutionary and writer of “The Crisis Papers.”

Another great Village hangout is the White Horse Tavern, and it’s pretty deep into the West, on Hudson Street and 11^th Street.  The restaurant has a rich, dark wood interior, and white horse emblems cover every nook of the restaurant.  This was also rumored to be famous Welsh poet Dylan Thomas’ favorite drinking spot, where he, allegedly (and the bartenders will definitely play this up), drank himself to death.

A Yankees (or Mets) game

This year will be the last year of the Yankee stadium and the Mets Shea stadium.  Before these two famous New York spots are gone forever, snag a couple tickets from NYU’s Tickets Central, where tickets are cheaper. The first baseball game I ever attended was at Yankee Stadium, and even though the seats were very far up, it was still such an incredible view.  Go with a bunch of friends, because baseball games tend to run for about three hours.  But no worries: they sell booze in the stadium.

Coney Island

The scene at Coney Island is a shit show to behold.  There are a ton of hotdog stands everywhere (please don’t eat the vending machine hotdogs, and wait in line for a Nathan’s hot dog instead), everyone is buzzing with excitement, the street performers show off their best and their worst, and the rollercoaster rides promise to be chill-seekingly rickety.  Also, Astroland, the amusement park by the boardwalk, is threatening to close this Sunday, due to real estate complications. So this week might be your last chance to ride on the historic Cylone rollercoaster.

Williamsburg

I debated putting this on the list, because it is rising in the ranks of notoriety, and I will just grossly generalize an area where many NYU students live (and love.) Also, there is a sort of hilarious irony in bringing attention to this hub of hipsters when their main motto is to “Be Different.”

Well then, with that disclaimer aside: gentrification has finished its deed in this part of Brooklyn, which is a mere stop off the L-Train.  There is now a vibrant music scene there if you are into indie-rock and underground electronic music; the bookstores are substantive, and the bakeries are organic and vegan.  The streets around the North numbers (N. 4^th, N. 5^th, N. 6^th, etc.) are also full of cute restaurants and trendy second-hand clothes stores.  Now, all we are waiting for is a Whole Foods to pop up.  

Photo by Dean Stattmann