Re: MS Trip advisor
I like taking visitors to [URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSKLeo6Mb3k"]Keens[/URL] for steak in NY.
You can't skip MoMA or the Met (even if they're the obvious choices) for museums, I easily spend up to 4 hours every visit. Guggenheim is a nice building but really depends on what they're showing. Go to museums on week days and early if you can. The [URL="http://www.newmuseum.org/"]New Museum[/URL] and [URL="http://www.madmuseum.org/"]Museum of Arts and Design[/URL] are often overlooked.
Output is probably the only club I would consider going to. I like the acts that [URL="http://www.residentadvisor.net/promoter.aspx?id=1521"]Blkmarket[/URL] brings in. [URL="http://www.timeout.com/newyork/clubs/mister-sunday"]Mister Sunday[/URL] seems to be a popular day party, as is [URL="http://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?603242"]All Day I Dream[/URL].
There's PS1 which Kamal mentioned in another thread. Every Saturday in Summer is [URL="http://momaps1.org/warmup/"]Warm Up[/URL]. PS 1 is about two stops from Manhattan in Long Island City.
Also during Summer, usually free concerts called [URL="http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage/"]Summer Stage in Central Park[/URL] like [URL="http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/centralpark/events/2014/07/13/summerstage-bonobo-cibo-matto"]Bonobo on July 13[/URL].
There're too many bars here. [URL="http://www.yelp.com/biz/raines-law-room-new-york"]Raines Law Room[/URL] if you want something cosy and comfortable, only takes reservations as everyone is seated, no standing room. [URL="http://www.yelp.com/biz/little-branch-new-york"]Little Branch[/URL] if you're hip, like armpits and aren't claustrophobic. I always go back to [URL="http://www.yelp.com/biz/sake-bar-decibel-new-york"]Decibel[/URL], a small casual sake bar. There's also [URL="http://www.yelp.com/biz/please-dont-tell-new-york-2"]PDT[/URL], a bit of a tourist destination I think.
I've not seen any of these but theatrical stuff, Book of Mormon and Sleep No More has been on the hype machine forever. I've heard polarising reports on Book of Mormon, but [URL="http://sleepnomorenyc.com/"]Sleep No More [/URL]is highly recommended by everyone who's been. If you're going to Sleep No More your might want to check out its restaurant counterpart, the [URL="http://ny.eater.com/archives/2013/12/the_heath_sleep_no_mores_restaurant_counterpart.php"]Heath[/URL].
I always look forward to walking the [URL="http://www.thehighline.org/"]Highline[/URL] with visitors cos I really like the idea of it. The Highline is near West Village so you could have breakfast or brunch in West Village, walk the Highline which goes through the Meat Packing District and Chelsea. Get off anywhere to check out those places.
Chelsea Market is another tourist destination and there's a stall in the middle that serves seafood. Every. Single. Time I walk past, I see people on tables devouring lobsters.
If I'm not wrong Thursday evenings in Chelsea are gallery opening nights in Chelsea so you can wander around, check out art, drink free cheap wines.
I haven't been to Katz myself but a Sydney friend who went recently reported the hype is well deserved. Just across from Katz is [URL="http://www.yelp.com/biz/il-laboratorio-del-gelato-new-york"]l laboratorio del gelato[/URL] very good gelato.
Areas of note:
East Village for dive bars, bars, Momofuku (there's Momofuku Milk Bar, Momofuku noodle bar, Momofuku san—I personally think Momofuku is overrated), Mighty Quinn for BBQ, Minca for ramen, one of my favourites. (Probably spend the later half of the day here so it ends with food and drinks in the area)
West Village is quaint and very walkable. People actually slow down and stroll. Bleecker St has high-end shopping. You can walk right up to and walk along the Hudson River. (I think you can easily spend the whole day walking and exploring West Village/Highline/Chelsea/Meat Packing.)
Lower East Side is a maze of stuff, from streetwear to food to dive bars to nightlife, I think there's always been a scene there. (I think you can spend half a day or a whole day exploring and walking to Chinatown too).
Soho is where you'll find most shopping. I like the smaller back streets of Soho, no patience for the gawking crowds on Broadway, it's one big clusterfuck. And on that note, Times Square is one big clusterfuck too. [URL="http://www.yelp.com/biz/public-new-york?osq=public"]Public[/URL] is a nice restaurant in Soho. [URL="http://www.yelp.com/biz/balthazar-restaurant-new-york"]Balthazar[/URL] is a French stalwart on Spring St but a tourist trap and overrated IMO. [URL="http://www.yelp.com/biz/freemans-restaurant-new-york?osq=freeman+restaurant"]Freemans[/URL] is also quite nice down a small alley you'd miss. [URL="http://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-habana-new-york-4?osq=mexican+soho"]Cafe Habana[/URL] on Prince St has nice Mexican.
If you're up for it you can walk from Chinatown to Lower East Side to Soho to East Village.
Brooklyn, your first point of contact will probably be Williamsburg. There're flea markets and stuff on weekends. From Williamsburg you can walk up to Greenpoint. I personally don't care much for Williamsburg. If you have a destination in mind, like a restaurant, then it's fun to head deeper in like Prospect Park, Park Slope, Bushwick, etc. [URL="http://www.yelp.com/biz/robertas-brooklyn-2"]Roberta's[/URL] in Bushwick supposedly serves really good pizza but it's always packed. I go to [URL="http://www.yelp.com/biz/gruppo-new-york"]Gruppo[/URL] near East Village for my pizza.
Clothes-shopping really depends on what you're into, you can pretty much get anything here (at a price). Barneys, Barneys Co-Op, Odin, OAK, 3x1, Opening Ceremony, Niketown. NSW (recently rebranded to Nike Lab), Surface 2 Air, Flight Club, Supreme, Comme des Garcon, Dover St Market, CDG Black—this is the capital of consumerism. Anything you can't find a store for, you can get online.