2014 Pinstripe Bowl: Things to Do in New York City
By Joe Micik
Jan 30, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Andre Riano dressed as the statue waits to pose with visitors to Times Square for Super Bowl weekend. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
Things to Do in New York City:
Times Square
Location: Intersection of Broadway and 7th Avenue, between 42nd and 49th Streets
I am going to offer a limited endorsement to Times Square. At night when it is lit up, man, does it ever make you feel alive. The lights, the sights, and the sounds still overwhelm me when I visit and I’m from that state. For someone who has never experienced it, it is an unforgettable experience.
Yet, it is not one you should prolong. While Times Square is a bustling, happening place, you will be accosted by people in Elmo costumes who want to take your picture, weirdos on stilts, fringe group cultists trying to hand you literature, “missionaries” pressuring you to buy jewelry for the starving orphans, and every agitated kook living within the boundaries of the City of New York.
If you must go through Times Square, try not to pause too long and do not make eye contact with anybody. For God’s sake, don’t talk to anyone, either, unless they look like a hapless tourist, in which case you might have a comrade in arms. You have to have some street smarts.
Things to Do in New York City:
Heartland Brewery and Chophouse
Location: 127 West 43rd Street, between 6th and 7th Avenue; about a block from the heart of Times Square
Now this place I can endorse with less hesitation. This is one of my favorite restaurants to frequent in New York City, in that the food is good and the prices are more reasonable than some of the more upscale places you will find. It is not an upscale place itself, but they draw a decent crowd.
The best part of what they do is the brewery after which it is named. They brew their beers and some of their sodas on-premises, offering a variety of different choices. A nice Christmasy beer might be their Old Red Nose Ale, while non-drinkers will love their homemade root beer or orange cream soda.
It’s touristy and not where you would want to go if you’re looking for class, but you can do way worse, trust me.