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New York City |OT| GAF's Guide to the Greatest City in the World - Meetup on 18th

T

Tashi

343i Lead Esports Producer
Hahaha my brother went to Vinyl like every Thursday.

Correction:

Centro fly thursdays
Vinly fridays
Sound Factory saturdays

Lol
 
J

Jharp

Member
I was born, raised, and currently work and live in Los Angeles. I went to NYC in 8th grade, which was 2003. I remember two things: eating hotdogs in the rain before seeing Lion King on Broadway, and touring the giant hole in the ground at ground zero.

Both were fairly profound experiences.
 
H

Houston3000

Member
Skel1ingt0n said:
I don't feel like going on; I know I'm already pretty OT as it is. My apologies. But, I just didn't get the hoopla. It's UNIQUE... I'll give it that. I've lived all over the country, and been to more than half the states; and I gotta say, I've never been anywhere like NYC. There's always something to do, there's always somewhere to go, and it really is a place that is so much bigger and more crazy than any one person could get used to. There are a lot of neat things there, and traditions that only NYC could partake in.

But man, I don't think I'd ever *choose* to live there.
Click to expand...
People that live here don't hang out in Times Square, they don't chill out in Rockefeller Plaza, they don't go to the Nintendo World Store, they don't drink at bars on Times Square, they only see the WTC site because they work next to it, etc... You have to realize none of what you experienced is anything people who live here do regularly. Going to Times Square for me is equals getting off the subway stop at 42nd and maybe running into Toys R Us for one of their video game sales then immediately getting the fuck out of there. It's like going to London and then saying it doesn't seem like a nice place to live because Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey were underwhelming and then complaining because the pub I went to in Piccadilly Circus was crowded and overpriced.

No way you can tell what a place is like to live if all you did was go for one day and check out the most popular tourist attractions. Especially a place a large and dense as New York City.
 
N

nitewulf

Member
my wife worked near 37th street and 7th avenue...and i hated meeting her after work...sooooo crowded, you can barely walk, so many people all day, every day. you have to understand, NYC-ers do not really do the tourist thing day to day, our lives are drastically different, and we hang out in very different locales.

its hard to get a taste of ny if you come here for a day or two and just visit the tourist attractions (some of which, i have never been to, honestly). because they are crowded, stale and overpriced. the city is giant, and mysterious, you have to explore her, venture out, find things on your own, discovers sights, smells, tastes and sounds. you have to live here.

cities like Montreal, LA, Miami are a lot more impressive right off the bat, they are more shiny, pretty etc.

though i have to say, NYC in summer is possibly the best place to be, but have to stay away from time square etc. Time square is great to walk through at night, because its almost as bright as during the day and it looks fantastic, but there's not much you can actually do/experience there of the real NYC.
 
C

cooljeanius

Member
In Brooklyn right now waiting for the rest of my family to show up... don't really want to go out and do anything without the rest of us being here so I'm just posting on GAF to fill the time.
 
B

bob page

Member
Thank you Barcade, for one again providing an amazing time. Oh yes, and bratwurst wrapped in pretzel w/ sauerkraut at Radegast is amazing drinking food.

nitewulf said:
my wife worked near 37th street and 7th avenue...and i hated meeting her after work...sooooo crowded, you can barely walk, so many people all day, every day. you have to understand, NYC-ers do not really do the tourist thing day to day, our lives are drastically different, and we hang out in very different locales.

its hard to get a taste of ny if you come here for a day or two and just visit the tourist attractions (some of which, i have never been to, honestly). because they are crowded, stale and overpriced. the city is giant, and mysterious, you have to explore her, venture out, find things on your own, discovers sights, smells, tastes and sounds. you have to live here.

cities like Montreal, LA, Miami are a lot more impressive right off the bat, they are more shiny, pretty etc.

though i have to say, NYC in summer is possibly the best place to be, but have to stay away from time square etc. Time square is great to walk through at night, because its almost as bright as during the day and it looks fantastic, but there's not much you can actually do/experience there of the real NYC.
Click to expand...
Miami and LA are only good if you enjoy clubbing.
 
D

Davidion

Member
Tashi0106 said:
Hahaha my brother went to Vinyl like every Thursday.

Correction:

Centro fly thursdays
Vinly fridays
Sound Factory saturdays

Lol
Click to expand...

Ahhh memories...

The nightclub scene in the city basically transitioned to a bottle-service centric industry about 4-5 years back. Lots of the more musically oriented parties(and also read: large dark rooms with soundsystems) jumped ship to Brooklyn.

Scene's not the same, but there's still good shit to be found. In many ways it's more fragmented demographically, and everyone is more cynical in general. The culture really took a hit, which is what a lot of people complain about.
 
S

Stackboy

Member
I'm an Australian coming to visit your city for about a week after easter. Where is a good place to stay, average price.
 
N

nel e nel

Member
ShinobiFist said:
Bowery Ballroom doesn't allow anyone like they use to. The only place that keeps it solid, and true. Is SOB's and BB King's.....Divebars, lol. Go to cheapshots and call it a day. Divebars are trying to be clubs now with their serato DJ's that can't beatmatch for shit. Fuck New York nightlife, that shit is dead and corporate(Look at williamsburg and meatpacking district).NYC is turning into what happen to Vegas after the mob got taken out of the biz. No soul...Don't get me wrong, I still have fun, but the mayhem is gone..:(
Click to expand...


So when you said 'live music' you meant 'live hip-hop and club DJs'. That I'll agree with, but there's still live music venues.
 
D

djtiesto

is beloved, despite what anyone might say
Clubber's Guide to NYC
(pretty incomplete, and mostly focuses on electronic music, but it gives you an idea)

Clubs:

Pacha http://www.pachanyc.com
NYC's main superclub, gets all the big name DJs but at the same time very crowded. Very touristy and filled with an excess of eurotrash, LI/NJ guidos, and creepy old Asian men.

Webster Hall http://www.websterhall.com
Used to be really big back in the day, looking at it now it seems like more of a concert venue than a club.

Roseland Ballroom http://www.roselandballroom.com/
Huge venue where the top-tier mainstream DJs play. Guetta, Skrillex, A&B, etc. Haven't been yet.

Terminal 5 http://www.terminal5nyc.com
Usually has big-name live bands but some DJs have played here (Deadmau5 and Skrillex in particular).

Le Poisson Rouge http://www.lepoissonrouge.com
Medium-sized club in the Village. Gets a lot of offbeat electronic artists (Joy Orbison, Tensnake, Jody Wisternoff), crowd is mainly college students and EDM fans. Great venue.
*** EDITOR'S PICK ***

Sullivan Room www.sullivanroom.com
A pretty underground club which gets a lot of lesser-known DJs (usually techno or deep house). Great vibe, not very crowded (especially after its reopening), but fairly old and divey inside.
*** EDITOR'S PICK ***

District 36 http://www.d36nyc.com
I've heard mixed things about the place, but haven't been here yet. It seems like it fulfills a niche in NYC - progressive and tribal house (what NYC used to be known for back in the day), sort of a successor to defunct places like Arc, Twilo and the Sound Factory. Maybe I'll check out that Hernan Cattaneo party they have next month and report back.

Cielo http://www.cieloclub.com/
Another club I have yet to check out, it's in the Meatpacking district so it's a bit more "bridge and tunnel", but it's played host to Francois K's legendary residency for years. Too bad that's on a Monday night :(

Promoters:

Blkmarket Membership http://www.blkmarketmembership.com
The most famous techno parties in the city.

Mister Saturday Night http://www.mistersaturdaynight.com
Disco, funk, re-edits, deep house parties. I've yet to go to one but I've heard good things. Caters mostly to a gay crowd.

Basic NYC http://www.basicnyc.com/wp/?cat=20.com
Another big name promotional company around the city, I've been to a lot of their parties (and have met the heads of it, Sleepy and Boo) and they're always good. Progressive, techno and house are their specialties. (Jeff Mills, Jody Wisternoff, Tom Middleton, John Digweed to name some people who have played Basic parties).

Verboten http://www.verbotennewyork.com/
Throws lots of deep and tech house oriented parties... Jamie Jones, Lee Foss, Guti, Maya Jane Coles... basically the stuff right up my alley.
*** EDITOR'S PICK ***

More Party Info:

Resident Advisor Events (have to search for NY)

Tranceaddict NY Forums

ShinobiFist said:
Dude, I DJ, lol. Been in the nightlife industry since 1997, but grew up with it. Family full of bouncers and bartenders. Shit is dead. Mayhem is gone. You don't have insane spots like the Tunnel, Limelight, SoundFactory(Best sounding Club till this day, even worldwide Dj's agree)EXIT, Speed, ROXY, Batcave, Carbon, Spirit, NYC Club, Flamingo, Palladium, Barcode and so on. And the 70's and 80's had it even better with fucking Plato's retreat. Guiliani started the clean up, and Bloomberg killed it. All this corporate spots are bullshit(Meat Packing District). Can't even enjoy a good line of coke in the bathroom while getting head form some barley legal college chick anymore. The shit that went down at Limelight was on some roman shit. Lotus(RIP) was the last club of the late 2K's that got down.
Click to expand...

Tsk, tsk, can't believe you forgot to mention the best club in NYC history...
Twilo
 
M

MrOogieBoogie

BioShock Infinite is like playing some homeless guy's vivid imagination
What are some easy, cheap day or weekend hikes outside of NYC?

I don't have a car, so I'd have to rely on public transportation. What are my cheapest and most convenient options? The farther away from the city the better. I don't mind going by bus or train, any which direction--just somewhere far away and beautiful.
 
L

lil smoke

Banned
Stackboy said:
Well it's probably going to be only for a couple of days. Happy to stay in the heart and pay good money for a few nights.
Click to expand...

The problem is that people that live here don't generally use hotels. But if you've got the dough, just stay in midtown around 34th street near Madison Ave. If you don't have $ stay in North Jersey and take a cheap pre-prepared commute like everyone else.
 
C

captmcblack

Member
The top section of the OP is for Manhattan, but there's places to visit in the Bronx and/or other boroughs in it.

Break it up by borough - and get some Queens in there too, OP. There are a ton of excellent places to visit in Queens!
 
B

bob page

Member
captmcblack said:
The top section of the OP is for Manhattan, but there's places to visit in the Bronx and/or other boroughs in it.

Break it up by borough - and get some Queens in there too, OP. There are a ton of excellent places to visit in Queens!
Click to expand...

You guys are going to have to give me stuff for those- I don't really go to those boroughs much.
 
H

Host Samurai

Member
Speaking of clubs it was DJ Tiesto's birthday last night at Lavo. Shit was off the hook. Maybe I will start taking pictures of my nights out and post them.
 
V

Vivalaraza

Member
How long do you need to see a decent amount of New York? Is 3-4 days a sufficient amount of time to see and do enough as a tourist?

It is a dream of mine to go to NYC! Might be coming true this Easter!!!
 
C

crustikid

Member
MrOogieBoogie said:
What are some easy, cheap day or weekend hikes outside of NYC?

I don't have a car, so I'd have to rely on public transportation. What are my cheapest and most convenient options? The farther away from the city the better. I don't mind going by bus or train, any which direction--just somewhere far away and beautiful.
Click to expand...

Breakneck Ridge which one can get to via MetroNorth to Cold Spring. Beautiful, challenging hike. They sell maps at the outfitter store in Cold Spring. I've done the hike about 3 times.
 
T

TxdoHawk

Member
Go Go Curry should really be added to the Japanese section of the OP. It's near Times Square, so I know all you NYC snobs never go, but the thread is basically set up for tourists anyway.

djtiesto said:
"bridge and tunnel"
Click to expand...

This reminds me...considering how many of you work and play in our state now, us Jersey folk need a generalized, demeaning term for NY-ers along these lines. "Clowns that can't drive to save their life if they're not herded into a grid system" doesn't quite roll off the tongue. ;)
 
K

Ken Masters

Banned
djtiesto said:
Clubber's Guide to NYC
(pretty incomplete, and mostly focuses on electronic music, but it gives you an idea)

Clubs:

Pacha http://www.pachanyc.com
NYC's main superclub, gets all the big name DJs but at the same time very crowded. Very touristy and filled with an excess of eurotrash, LI/NJ guidos, and creepy old Asian men.

Webster Hall http://www.websterhall.com
Used to be really big back in the day, looking at it now it seems like more of a concert venue than a club.

Roseland Ballroom http://www.roselandballroom.com/
Huge venue where the top-tier mainstream DJs play. Guetta, Skrillex, A&B, etc. Haven't been yet.

Terminal 5 http://www.terminal5nyc.com
Usually has big-name live bands but some DJs have played here (Deadmau5 and Skrillex in particular).

Le Poisson Rouge http://www.lepoissonrouge.com
Medium-sized club in the Village. Gets a lot of offbeat electronic artists (Joy Orbison, Tensnake, Jody Wisternoff), crowd is mainly college students and EDM fans. Great venue.
*** EDITOR'S PICK ***

Sullivan Room www.sullivanroom.com
A pretty underground club which gets a lot of lesser-known DJs (usually techno or deep house). Great vibe, not very crowded (especially after its reopening), but fairly old and divey inside.
*** EDITOR'S PICK ***

District 36 http://www.d36nyc.com
I've heard mixed things about the place, but haven't been here yet. It seems like it fulfills a niche in NYC - progressive and tribal house (what NYC used to be known for back in the day), sort of a successor to defunct places like Arc, Twilo and the Sound Factory. Maybe I'll check out that Hernan Cattaneo party they have next month and report back.

Cielo http://www.cieloclub.com/
Another club I have yet to check out, it's in the Meatpacking district so it's a bit more "bridge and tunnel", but it's played host to Francois K's legendary residency for years. Too bad that's on a Monday night :(

Promoters:

Blkmarket Membership http://www.blkmarketmembership.com
The most famous techno parties in the city.

Mister Saturday Night http://www.mistersaturdaynight.com
Disco, funk, re-edits, deep house parties. I've yet to go to one but I've heard good things. Caters mostly to a gay crowd.

Basic NYC http://www.basicnyc.com/wp/?cat=20.com
Another big name promotional company around the city, I've been to a lot of their parties (and have met the heads of it, Sleepy and Boo) and they're always good. Progressive, techno and house are their specialties. (Jeff Mills, Jody Wisternoff, Tom Middleton, John Digweed to name some people who have played Basic parties).

Verboten http://www.verbotennewyork.com/
Throws lots of deep and tech house oriented parties... Jamie Jones, Lee Foss, Guti, Maya Jane Coles... basically the stuff right up my alley.
*** EDITOR'S PICK ***

More Party Info:

Resident Advisor Events (have to search for NY)

Tranceaddict NY Forums



Tsk, tsk, can't believe you forgot to mention the best club in NYC history...
Twilo
Click to expand...


Pacha is the ultimate TOURIST club, don't think any self respecting local would go there
 
B

bob page

Member
TxdoHawk said:
Go Go Curry should really be added to the Japanese section of the OP. It's near Times Square, so I know all you NYC snobs never go, but the thread is basically set up for tourists anyway.



This reminds me...considering how many of you work and play in our state now, us Jersey folk need a generalized, demeaning term for NY-ers along these lines. "Clowns that can't drive to save their life if they're not herded into a grid system" doesn't quite roll off the tongue. ;)
Click to expand...

It's already on there under fast food ;)

Vivalaraza said:
How long do you need to see a decent amount of New York? Is 3-4 days a sufficient amount of time to see and do enough as a tourist?

It is a dream of mine to go to NYC! Might be coming true this Easter!!!
Click to expand...
If you want to only do the main, generic tourist spots, then yes. Otherwise, plan for a week.
 
H

Host Samurai

Member
Clubs like Pacha and Webster Hall are tacky as shit. I am happy with the more lounge y places like RDV, Lavo and 1 Oak. The girls are way hotter and the crowd is 100x better.
 
B

Barrett2

Member
As a married dude, I can't even remember the last time I went to a club.

I read that NYC is a gold mine for dudes because there is an over-abundance of single women relative to many other large cities. Any truth to that?
 
H

Host Samurai

Member
lawblob said:
As a married dude, I can't even remember the last time I went to a club.

I read that NYC is a gold mine for dudes because there is an over-abundance of single women relative to many other large cities. Any truth to that?
Click to expand...

Yes and no. The women in the NYC nightlife scene are hot as hell but extremely pretentious. Most women are social climbers. If you want to be successful with the chicks here (hot ones in the nightlife scene) prepare to spend lots of dough on some girls with the possibility of not even getting laid. Girls in this city are very flaky and move very fast.

I have had many flings with girls that I liked but that was it. Quick flings that would last for a few weeks until no more interest is shown. (or moving on to the next thing). Just don't get too attached to a girl that goes out all the time here.
 
A

aorange999

Member
Host Samurai said:
Clubs like Pacha and Webster Hall are tacky as shit. I am happy with the more lounge y places like RDV, Lavo and 1 Oak. The girls are way hotter and the crowd is 100x better.
Click to expand...

Agreed but this is where I have to agree with the old timers in the thread. I hit all these new places with some homies but it's always going to be a $200+night and a crap fest getting in unless you're 'on the list'. In the old days $15 got you into Twilo and you partied till the sun came up with awesome people who just wanted to dance and lose their minds. The new school places are way way to sceney unless you happen to catch a magic night.

Pacha and all that are pretty bad though so these days I hang out in bars Brooklyn and cook at home with the wife most weekends lol.

Best chill bar in the city on a Wednesday is Sunny's in Red Hook by the way I hadn't been in about 2 years and went a couple of weeks ago and it was still magical.
 
H

Host Samurai

Member
aorange999 said:
Agreed but this is where I have to agree with the old timers in the thread. I hit all these new places with some homies but it's always going to be a $200+night and a crap fest getting in unless you're 'on the list'. In the old days $15 got you into Twilo and you partied till the sun came up with awesome people who just wanted to dance and lose their minds. The new school places are way way to sceney unless you happen to catch a magic night.
Click to expand...

This is the only downside. You always gotta know somebody or be prepared to spend dough or have lots of girls with you. If you know the right people and in with the right crowd than there is no better time.
 
T

tino

Banned
MrOogieBoogie said:
What are some easy, cheap day or weekend hikes outside of NYC?

I don't have a car, so I'd have to rely on public transportation. What are my cheapest and most convenient options? The farther away from the city the better. I don't mind going by bus or train, any which direction--just somewhere far away and beautiful.
Click to expand...

My favorites are

Take LIRR and ferry to Fire Island in the summer. You can hike it all year around but in summer LIRR sell a round trip package.

West side of Hudson river past GWB, this hike is kind of lonely.

The best is probably Sleepy Hollow in the Fall, but its hard to plan the bus ride. I have been to it a few times but I had a car at the time. If you take bus or train there is a decent distance you need to walk to the park.

Bear Mountain is good if you can find a way to get there.

There is a new park open in Staten Island, you may want to consider that.

Let me know if you want more detail. I usually plan the trip on google map before I go on a hike.
 
S

ShinobiFist

Banned
Host Samurai said:
This is the only downside. You always gotta know somebody or be prepared to spend dough or have lots of girls with you. If you know the right people and in with the right crowd than there is no better time.
Click to expand...

Yup, if you're not rolling deep with females, chances are, you're going to be in that line for a minute.
 
D

djtiesto

is beloved, despite what anyone might say
aorange999 said:
Agreed but this is where I have to agree with the old timers in the thread. I hit all these new places with some homies but it's always going to be a $200+night and a crap fest getting in unless you're 'on the list'. In the old days $15 got you into Twilo and you partied till the sun came up with awesome people who just wanted to dance and lose their minds. The new school places are way way to sceney unless you happen to catch a magic night.

Pacha and all that are pretty bad though so these days I hang out in bars Brooklyn and cook at home with the wife most weekends lol.

Best chill bar in the city on a Wednesday is Sunny's in Red Hook by the way I hadn't been in about 2 years and went a couple of weeks ago and it was still magical.
Click to expand...

That's why I prefer the smaller clubs and I stay out of Pacha! Usually $20-30, not much of a wait to get in, reasonably (relatively speaking) priced drinks... Aeroplane coming Feb 11 to Le Poisson Rouge, SO going to that!!!

though I can get comp entry pretty easily for a lot of places from talking with the promoters and opening DJs via Tranceaddict or Facebook
 
P

Plasmid

Member
Where's the cheapest part of NYC to live in? I'm wanting to work there after my master's program in a few years.

Can anyone give me an estimate of a 1 br 1 bath?

Not that i'm looking for real estate agents on gaf. lol. i just wouldn't know where to look around on google.
 
B

bob page

Member
Plasmid said:
Where's the cheapest part of NYC to live in? I'm wanting to work there after my master's program in a few years.

Can anyone give me an estimate of a 1 br 1 bath?

Not that i'm looking for real estate agents on gaf. lol. i just wouldn't know where to look around on google.
Click to expand...

Harlem & the Bronx are the cheapest, but I can't tell if you really mean Manhattan or NYC in general.

Just a reminder- the meetup is THIS SATURDAY at THE GAF (time to be determined):
http://www.yelp.com/biz/gaf-west-new-york

If it sucks, we can relocated to Pony Bar later in the evening.
 
J

jasonng

Member
My friend moved his birthday dinner to this Saturday in Brooklyn. I definitely can't bail on that but let me know if you guys are still chilling afterwards. I'll try to sneak out afterwards. Keep me posted.
 
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