The Shy Travelers' Guide to Manhattan

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Out of the glare of Times Square, some non-tourist-ridden spots for New Yorkers and visitors alike to seek refuge in and secretly have a ball.

Very Fond of Tea?

With three locations on the Upper East and West sides of Manhattan, Alice’s Tea Cup has become a very popular choice for late lunches and delicious hot beverages in the City. I’m still partial to the original location on West 73rd Street (Chapter I), only because I’m a West Side kinda gal, and I remember how excited I was when I saw that it was opening.

Also, there are two amazing shops within one block of Alice’s Chapter I: Verve, a bag and jewelry store, and A Tempo, a boutique filled with unusual dresses and tops.

I will say this about Alice’s: it’s a hub for mommas and babies, fairy princesses on play dates, and gabbing girls. Guys? Rare and must very comfortable with delicate portions and the color pink. The only exception I’d make is if the guy is really into tea…or Lewis Carroll.  I highly recommend their symphony tea and pumpkin scones.

 

Bard and a Bench

One of my favorite places in the City is Shakespeare Garden in Central Park. It’s located closer to a westerly entrance, just by the Delacorte Theater where Shakespeare in the Park is performed each summer. 

With most of the park players picnicking in Sheep’s Meadow or walking loops around the perimeter, Shakespeare Garden is just far enough removed from it all to stop and think or read without getting hit by a Frisbee. I’ve spent many an afternoon on one of the Garden’s wooden benches admiring the flowers (all straight from Shakespeare’s plays) and doing some scribbling of my own.

Visitors can stop in Shakespeare Garden after perusing some of the new shops on Columbus Avenue, (don’t waste your time with the Shops at Columbus Circle – it’s like a giant Canadian mall), and then head East through the park to the other side of town.

The Museum You've Never Even Heard Of

The Cloisters is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum, located in Fort Tryon Park in one of Manhattan’s northernmost neighborhoods, Washington Heights.  It houses medieval art: coats of armor, architecture, relics, and notably, The Unicorn Tapestries.

Because of its more remote location, this is a museum you can generally enjoy without too much competition.  Even a taxi ride from midtown (Why do you have to stay in midtown? You don’t!) is well worth a trip to The Cloisters.  In the midst of more greenery than all of downtown Manhattan combined and with a darn good view of the Historic Hudson River, this is one spot not to be missed by the shy traveler.  Also, if you visit on a warm, sunny day, you may have company in the form of butterflies.

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Discussions

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by snitch  04/24/2008  Reply

thank you for the hummels. wah. wah.

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by aliciak  04/19/2008  Reply

I love all of these places. They really do make you feel like you’ve stepped out of the daily grind of urbanity and into a peaceful sanctuary in a matter of seconds. New York is funny and special like that!

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by mitch_kocen  04/06/2008  Reply

Wow, this is a great guide. I’ve only been to New York once, and it was a bit overwhelming. The next time I go, I’ll check these places out.

About The Author

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aubree_munar Rss 

Sunnyside
The name's Aubree. I'm a New England-Yorker, writer/editor, and a day trip enthusiast. In my humble opinion, the best "bang-for-your-buck" day trip in the metro NYC area is a train trip to Sleepy Hollow. (In the Fall, of course.) -@

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