Business trip NYC [Midtown] - what would Patrick Bateman love?!

Regional Dining Discussions New York City
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Oh yes, I should have been more specific: happy to jump in a cab and explore other areas of Manhattan. I chose the UWS for my hotel because I don’t know that area well, plus I got a good deal on what seems to be an excellent hotel.

In previous visits to NYC I stayed on Bleecker Str (2 weeks), and near Bowery (1 week). I did a lot of downtown exploring, including the lower east side.

Really psyched about the visit, just got news I will be seeing the Knicks playing in MSG on the Friday! Now contemplating spending 300 dollars on La Traviata in the Met… But it seems there is still a mask requirement, which kind of puts me off to be honest.

So, two questions. Are masks still required for a lot of public areas? And what is the taxi situation like, e.g. uber or other alternatives? Thanks.

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There are ubers everywhere, but you’ll have no problem finding a cab, either. Get a Metrocard if you’re not averse to taking trains.

No masks were required at Chelsea Market (a ginormous indoor food place I highly recommend visiting) when I was there in the spring. Bring one just in case?

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Not necessarily. Midtown East (mostly, just a bit in TS area) is where a lot of the big banks have the bulk of their people. There are still firms in the financial district, but many have huge offices in the area between 47th-52nd, centered around Park Ave.

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I think you can see I mention midtown earlier in the thread.
You won’t find too many finance bros north of 72nd st in my limited experience. That’s my point.

They’re more likely to be found at restaurants and bars attracting their attention, within walking distance of office buildings and commuter train stations.

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In terms of a “scene” and after-dinner drinks,

I was out at a new place on the LES last week and they did last call for food and drinks at 9pm on a weeknight, just for reference.

The UWS is a residential neighborhood, so there’s neighborhood crowd not the transient bar crowd of midtown or elsewhere. Here’s a list that covers a range. There’s a bar stretch on Amsterdam in the 80s (near Prohibition & Gin Mill) which has always been and will always be bro-ish and runs young.

Restaurant bars get busy. Maison Pickle does good cocktails and is usually well-populated, then there’s Red Farm, Serafina, and Elea. Wine bars tend to stay busy all evening.

Places near Lincoln center are very busy earlier in the evening, thin out, then repopulate. Bar Boulud, Boulud Sud, The Smith, PJ Clarke’s, Rosa Mexicano (the bars at the last two are always busy). A few blocks down is what used to be Time Warner Center (variable in bar crowd), Blue Ribbon (busy), and Marea.

Everywhere is busy early evening, it’s later that all of it thins out, irrespective of whether uptown, midtown, or downtown these days. Although I’d say that neighborhood places can sometimes be busier than others on a weeknight, because people do actually live here, rather than commute in and out.

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Except that many of them live there.

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Maybe they didn’t 25 years ago? I know nabes’ makeup can change over time, certainly over a couple of decades.

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They always did

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Masks are required for Broadway and Lincoln Center.

They’re recommended elsewhere. I’d say maybe half the people on the subway and bus are wearing masks, about half the cabbies too, but there they can close the divider and crack windows.

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I figured most Finance Bros want to escape the sceney stuff once they go home, but who knows what people choose to do in their own neighborhood. I’m a 49 yo who is not a Finance Bro, who generally avoids the places where the Finance Bros (as well as some BigLaw associates) of Toronto do dinner and drinks after work.

The beauty of a place like Manhattan is that you have dozens of neighborhoods to choose from, and it’s all relatively close.

I’ve only used the UWS as a base once, and it was because of a cheaper hotel during an expensive hotel week. Nice place to live. I probably wouldn’t stay North of 72nd street again unless it was a 4 star hotel that was half-price. Not because I couldn’t take a taxi, but because I like walking everywhere, and if I’m staying in the West 70s or 80s, it’ll take me an hour or 2 to walk to the neighborhoods where I spend most of my time.

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While you are correct about Lincoln Center requiring masks for all performances, for Broadway shows, masks are optional. However, some shows have started offering a few designated performances where masks are required.

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It may vary by show, or have changed since I went over the summer when they specifically made announcements for mask wearing.

I assumed it would last longer there given the age profile, which is likely why Lincoln Center is requiring them.

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Regardless of the mask requirement, for the fall cast, I wouldn’t pay $300. Plenty of cheaper seats available and sound is excellent in Family Circle.

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Finance bro and sis for that matter live uptown, downtown, east side and west side. Younger ones are found everywhere that you find young professionals. Older more established types are found in pretty much every high end 'hood in the city. When they go out where they live, you probably wouldn’t be able to spot them unless you listened in to their conversations or knew your clothes labels really well. But as a very general matter, any of the nicer more expensive spots in any neighborhood are likely to draw those in the area in as cost is not an issue.

I used to live in that area. I thought is was a great place to be for the variety of things going on. Lincoln Center on the south end with all its has to offer. Used to go to Mostly Mozart a lot. Museum of Natural History, Central Park and Riverside Park where I used to run all the time. The boat basin at 79th where a friend kept a boat. Zabar’s, all the restaurants on Columbus. Its such a walkable area. Probably better for living than for tourists which is fine. It does have a more residential feel than most neighborhoods. I miss it. But my girlfriend who became my wife was a downtown girl and she refused to move uptown.

This hasn’t been the case for many years. The only bulge bracket firm still downtown is GS. Everyone else has headed to midtown. Most of the HFs and other asset managers are in midtown too. Financial district is pretty much financial in name only these days. Many of the buildings that used to house the industry now house people. 1 Wall is a condo. Anyone remember who used to be located there? A once storied name that most wouldn’t even recognize now.

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The plot thickens! A good friend of mine, living in my home town, is also in NYC right now, so we can meet up, with his friends. He is very much not a ‘finance bro’, but a theater maker and former musician.

He is also vegetarian, so that brings me to the following question: what is a good and authentic Indian place in the UWS, or within a 15 min cab ride?

Second question: he is going to a concert in Brooklyn this Monday (‘Viagra boys’!) and has invited me along, but I think the time difference is going to hit me on that first day. So, I’ll probably opt for a solo diner instead, and was thinking of Marea. They have a bar and the food looks good, raw fish and pasta. Good choice? Any other recs for a solo diner at the bar? Light meal preferably.

By the way, found a nice cocktail bar, Nubeluz at the Ritz Nomad. Made reservations.

@BKeats : I had to look it up… Bony? But that’s still a household name, so you probably mean the original tenants Irving Trust… Saw it on wikipedia.

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For nice Indian, I like Tamarind but its all the way downtown. I will let others chime in on Indian though as there are others here that known it well and I rarely have it.

Marea is great. Some of the best pasta I have ever eaten was there but that was pre-covid and so its been a few years since I have been. If they have the uni and lardo crostini, get it. Crazy amount of uni/ricci. Desserts are good too. They also make an excellent dry aged steak.

Winner winner chicken dinner. Used to be called the Irving Trust building.

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Indian Accent is not your average Indian restaurant. We’ve had a number of superb meals there. It’s in Midtown, on W. 56th St., so a short ride from the UWS.

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Neither are my crowd nor my scene, so I honestly wouldn’t know.

I was merely giving the benefit of the doubt that things might not have changed in 25 years.

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Baazi on the UWS - I haven’t been since they revamped but it’s previous incarnation (same team) was among the best indian in the city.

If you want something totally different (and completely vegetarian), take a cab to Vatan, which is a multi-course prix fixe regional indian meal that’s delicious and authentic, unlikely to be found elsewhere (outside india).

Given where you’re coming from, I’d skip Marea and go to Momofuku noodle bar at Columbus circle. They have plenty of bar seating (one side facing the open kitchen, the other the bar, depends on what you want to watch), the food is great, and more interesting. Second choice would be Blue Ribbon right there as well — busy bar, get some sushi and then the fried chicken.

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