Question for the New Yorkers out there

frijolero01 · Franchise Player Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 13324

I ask a lot of questions eh?? anyway, just got back from san francisco. lovely, lovely place. My next stop hopefully, will be one of my life long dreams, New York City. now, people who don't know better hear "new york" and think lots and lots of crime. I know thats not true. I wanna take my girlfriend but she wants to stay "not at a scary part of new york". I insisted that its probably a lot nicer now. So, for people who live in nyc, what are some..i guess..."not so scary" towns to stay in where you're in the center of almost everything? Manhattan? Queens?...etc. thanks!
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LaLakers999 · Star Player Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 1103

Compton is the murder capitol of the world so i picture manhattan and queens not so bad.... just dont go to Newark New jersey

frijolero01 · Franchise Player Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 13324

seriously, when my gf. said that i said "uhh...do you know where we live??". L.A. is the gang capital of the world.
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angrypuppy · Retired Number Joined: 13 Apr 2001 Posts: 32757

New York is pretty safe, as long as you don't go through select neighborhoods of the South Bronx or Brooklyn late night.

Manhattan (aka "The City) is the best borough in terms of restaurants and night life. Outside of Staten Island, it's overall the safest too... but then again, who goes to Staten Island? (answer: ferries).

I like downtown best, as I used to live in the Union Square/Grammercy Park area. If you're ever in doubt of where to go, look through the windows. As a New Yorker, you know never to trust a restaurant that isn't busy... same with the club and bar scene.

Upper West Side is fun in terms of places clubs and bars. The restaurants tend to be gimmicky and below average.

Upper East Side is residential, stay away.

Village (West) is very quirky but fun. Ditto with East Villiage, but there's more places to see in West Villiage.

Midtown West: Rockefeller Center and Saks. More of a daytime experience, though you can always do the Rainbow Room.

Midtown East: More of a dinner experience, especially if you're into steak. Smith & Wollensky's, Palm (I recommend Palm 1 not 2 if you're into old-time 1950s circa atmosphere), Pen & Quill... and Sparks (where mafia kingpen "Big Paul" Castellano fell on some bullets, tragic, I'm sure John Gotti wasn't involved).

smokestack · Starting Rotation Joined: 24 Jul 2001 Posts: 560

well. i'm serious when i say that i feel 5x safer in manhattan than i do in, say, in old town pasadena at 2am in the morning.

the trains are 24/7 and there are people everywhere, particularly in the summer. the city at night is full of tourists frequenting shows and restaurants, bar-hoppers, and cafe loungers. early morning rolls around and the delis, grocers, and street vendors are opening shop. you are safe in new york as long as you don't make stupid judgment errors such as wandering into morningside park at three in the morning.

LA is totally scary if you don't have a car: quiet, empty subways; walking across huge parking lots and parking structures devoid of people; long ass city blocks that consist mostly of shuttered shops that shut down at 10pm. walking around the lapl before or after business hours (esp. after 5pm) is plain freaky. at least in new york, if you feel unsafe you can hail a cab anytime.

not hating on LA. its my hometown and i love it. but cars are essential if only because they automatically lock and can get you out of an unsavory neighborhood at a 50mph clip if necessary.

the conclusion to my long post is that tell your gf that nyc is safe and fun. for maximum comfort get a hotel roughly from 72-34nd and close to broadway (the Empire Hotel is pretty cheap). once youve exhausted the possibilities of midtown, you should def. head down to soho, greenwich and the east village. just avoid wandering way uptown (above 116th, theres not many touristy things to do above 72nd anyways) or way downtown (battery park).

recommendation that will get you mad props from your gf is "cafe lalo" on 83rd and broadway (appeared in 'you've got mail'). great atmosphere for brunch or a late-late night run (open til 4am) for sweet cakes and tarts with dessert wine!

frijolero01 · Franchise Player Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 13324

thanks! she's really excited about going. she's just a lil worried, you know women. i know nyc couldn't be as scary as downtown l.a. at midnight. very good point about hopping on a taxi anytime we feel unsafe. i figured manhattan would be nice place to stay. thanks guys
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thedude1977 · Star Player Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 1914

Having lived in 4 out of 5 boroughs I can assure you that NY is way safer than LA. Well, maybe Staten Island is crazier than I assume, I don't know, I've never been there. But I lived in Harlem for a year and never had any problems, neither did my female roommate, and she didn't keep exactly 'respectable' hours.

Other posters have pointed this out, but NYC is alive at all hours, so there's people around all the time, and the subway runs 24 hours, so it's not like you're going to be stranded in some desolate stretch of urban hell like I have been in LA on multiple occasions. I mean, I guess this could happen in NY too, but you'd kind of have to go out of your way to find yourself in desolation there. All of the people aren't whizzing by on a freeway overhead, they're walking around and taking the public limo just like you.

KOBE 2.0 · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 12:20 am Post subject:

Vegas is a crime place, but really if you want to see real crime go to Europe.

STiG909 · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 1:24 am Post subject:

Check out Little Italy if you get a chance. If you go in September, be sure to check out the San Gennaro parade and feast(it was featured on the Sopranos this season). Remember, Little Italy is on Mulberry and Canal, it's pretty easy to find, it's north of the brooklyn bridge and south of East Village.