The Intern’s Guide to NYC

June 17, 2010 2:00 pm     Posted in Internships, Reality  Sara C - Fordham g+ page

[You got a big, bad internship this summer? Living in a big, bad city? Not a clue what to do? CollegeCandy's got you covered. We've got ladies in all pockets of the U.S.A. and we're gonna be your private guides to the biggest internship destination cities around: New York, Chicago, D.C. and Los Angeles. If you're looking for the best place for a deal, the best weekend excursion, or best bars to drink (with a fake), stick with us.]


By Sara C

Welcome to New York City! Whether you’re here to intern, take summer classes, or escape with friends, you are undoubtedly excited to rock your chicest fashions, crank “Empire State of Mind,” and take advantage of everything we have to offer in the greatest city in the world.

The New York Bucket Lists of many out-of-towners often consist of doing things/going to places popularized in the media (i.e. chilling on the steps of the Met, getting into a tussle with Detective Stabler), which are obviously all musts. BUT, if you wanna navigate the city like a native and score some amazing deals, check out this handy guide!

Best Brunch: Regional (98th and Broadway, take the 1, 2, or 3 trains to 96th st). The food is gourmet but at diner prices, unlimited mimosas or bloody Marys from 11-3 on Sat and Sun!
Runner Up: The Sunburnt Calf (79th and Broadway, take the 1 to 79th). Pricier, but every waiter there is hot and Australian!

Best Groceries: Fairway or West Side Market (multiple locations). Whole Foods is shiny, Trader Joes has epic lines (No joke – you gotta wait in line down the block!); save yourself the hassle and extra $ by going to Fairway or West Side.

Best China Wine: Sunny (3rd Ave btw 80th and 81st, take the 6 to 77th St). Everyone goes to Pearl or Silk Road for indulgent Chinese food and all the free wine you can stomach, but Sunny doesn’t card, there’s no 3+ hour wait, and you’ll skip the crowds of rowdy, obnoxious bros. Just drink tons of water to stave off that massive hangover!

Best Cupcakes: Crumbs beats Magnolia’s. Every. Time. Also, the cupcake truck has some tasty treats and it pops up all over the city!

Best Late Night Food: Big Daddy Diner (19th and Park Ave., take the 4, 5 or 6 to Union Square). It’s like your neighborhood greasy spoon on steroids. Whether you’re looking for a so-thick-you-can’t-suck-it-down milkshake, a juicy burger or some walk of shame pancakes (try the Granola Pancakes – to. die. for.), this place has it all.

Best Museum: The Rubin Museum (17th and 7th Ave, take the 1 to 18th St). Totally underrated museum of Buddhist and Tibetan Art, with an amaaaaazing eat-in cafe and gift shop. Sweet student discount of just $2 with valid student ID!

Best Neighborhood for Finding Good Eats: Hell’s Kitchen, specifically 9th Ave between 43rd and 57th. Walk along this stretch. Your mouth will water. Your wallet will thank you.

Best Chance of Bar Hopping Without a Fake: While it would be highly illegal of me to name bars that serve the underage, I can tell you that scoping out events, like Trivia Night, bolster your chances of avoiding the dreaded bouncer.  These events usually start early, around 8 or 9, so bars pull in more customers for the length of the evening. Look for dive-y bars and pubs, especially in collegiate neighborhoods near Columbia or downtown in Murray Hill or St. Marks. Added bonus? It’s a great way to assemble a group of new friends and network with other interns in the city!

Best Events for Free: Another reason we’re the greatest city in the world? Lots of free stuff to do in the summer! Check out Shakespeare in the Park where Al Pacino will be performing The Merchant of Venice this season. The River to River Festival boasts free concerts, dance performances, and exhibitions in locations all over lower Manhattan throughout the summer. And if you’re a film junkie, the awesometastic Rooftop Films series, which showcases underground films on (you guessed it) rooftops throughout the city, occasionally offers free screenings. Schwing!

Best Gym Alternatives (Also for Free): Ever wonder how Tory Burch and Kyra Sedgwick keep in such great shape? They’re fanatics about SoulCycle, a series of spinning studios scattered across greater New York that blend ass-kicking (no, really. I couldn’t walk for two days after my first class) spinning routines with inspirational instructors and a pulsing soundtrack.  Though classes usually run for $30+, the West 72nd location is offering free classes on Fridays at 1pm. And if you’re the outdoorsy type, the Downtown Boathouse offers free kayaking in the Hudson every weekend and holiday from 10am till 5pm through October. (Both locations: 1, 2, or 3 trains to 72nd St)

General Tips: Don’t buy a monthly Metrocard unless you’re using it more than 3 or 4 times a day. ALWAYS check the signs in the station before you swipe, because the MTA is on crack and changes service at the last minute sometimes. Seriously try not to text-and-walk, especially at night, because people do get hit by cars. Always carry your purse over your shoulder, or better yet across your body (rather than in the crook of your arm) because you’ll be less likely to be mugged. If someone comes up to you and asks you what time it is, DO NOT pull out your cellphone to check (this is how a lot of peoples’ cell phones get stolen). Just say you don’t have a watch and move on. (I know these tips sound weird but I know people who’ve been affected by all of them!) Most of all, enjoy every moment in the city, there is so much to do!

Bottom Line: WALK as much as you can! New York is a terrific city to walk, and chances are you’ll encounter your own best-kept secrets on your travels. I’ve lived here for years and I’m still discovering new things to do, so in a few short weeks you might be writing one of these posts on your own!

26 Comments on "The Intern’s Guide to NYC"

  1. natty says:
    Thu, 17th Jun 201010:49 am 

    i'm traveling to new york for the first time this september…does anyone have any other tips or cool places to check out while i'm there?? i'm going to do all the tourist-y type things but also want to experience some cool bars/clubs and some nice restaurants! i'll be on 45th street between 5th and 6th avenues….also, what's the weather like then?!? just a girl from southern cali that doesn't know too much…there's soo much to see and look at and i can't do it all in 8 days! just want to get my stay's worth :)

  2. Jess says:
    Thu, 17th Jun 20102:56 pm 

    Good tips.

    Pam Real (It's on 49th) is in Hell's Kitchen and is the best Thai I have ever had, so I'm glad you mentioned that area.

    As for free events, people should join the InternBar group on fbook as well as subscribe to MyOpenBar.

    Another free thing I'd suggest to (female) interns who are part-time, sign up for a dating site. OkCupid is free and has normal guys, and you can use search options to weed out guys you don't want by age, education, etc. Why? Men buy women dinner and drinks. If you're on a ramen and Diet Coke diet like I was last summer, you will be amazed at what guys will buy just to meet you. I was taken to a Yankees game, fun bars, and nice restaurants and because I screened heavily beforehand, I never had a scary experience. Not once. There are so many people in the city and it's a fact of life that normal guys in NYC often date online due to time constraints and the fact they'd never meet girls otherwise because of the nature of the city. And I found that men were very eager to get to show an intern the parts of the city they thought were cool. I definitely got to experience more of the fun bars that locals enjoy, and I made some friends along the way.

  3. Jess says:
    Thu, 17th Jun 20103:10 pm 

    oh, and Big Daddy IS delicious. Lived in the SVA dorm on Gramercy. Amazing. But very expensive. You're better off keeping the ingredients to drunk food in your apt and coming back and cooking a quesadilla or something.

  4. Amy says:
    Thu, 17th Jun 20104:58 pm 

    Jess, I find that highly unethical, and in poor form. Using men for free meals? I'd rather keep my Ramen than lose my dignity.

  5. B says:
    Thu, 17th Jun 20106:29 pm 

    As a year-round new yorker, I thought this list was awesome, but I gotta disagree about the Crumbs. Try Butter Lane in the East Village. 11th st, I think? Between 2nd and 1st aves. Magnolia isn't as great as they say when talking about the cupcakes, but the banana cream pudding is to. die. for.

    And the Brooklyn concert series in Prospect Park has some great ones this year, and they're all $3.

    If you're dying to get out of the city, you can take the train to Long Beach in Long Island, which is a nicer one, but costs $10 a head.

    As for bars, walk around the East and West village areas (in the middle there's nothing), and just walk into whatever looks interesting. there are too many to effectively recommend a couple.

    And natty, the biggest advice I have is to get out of the Times Sq area! And please don't go to Serendipity. The lines are hours long and you can get amazing desserts all over the city. Don't eat where you tour, unless you're grabbing a quick lunch. And use yelp.com. A lot. Also, timeoutnewyork.com is great.

  6. Rachael- University says:
    Thu, 17th Jun 20107:21 pm 

    Love this list! As a native New Yorker (well, Long Island, but I spend as much time in the city as possible), I'm glad to see tips that are less touristy and more about New York itself. I'd also suggest a trip over to Chelsea Pier- the West Village is incredible, and a lot more mellow than most of the City- plus the view from the Pier is beautiful.

    Also, to follow-up B's tip on Long Beach, the LIRR does go directly there for about $15.50 round trip, but Long Beach raises its rates each summer- it's $12 this summer (about the same as a movie ticket, but it pays for life guards and such).

  7. Kat says:
    Thu, 17th Jun 201011:28 pm 

    Sugar Sweet Sunshine totally owns Magnolia's and Crumbs, btw.

    For gym alternatives, I'd also add Yoga to the People. It's a donation based class (I usually give $1 or maybe $2). There's one at 23rd street I believe, one on St. Mark's in the East Village, and they just opened one in Williamsburg.

  8. natty says:
    Fri, 18th Jun 201010:01 am 

    thanks for the tips, B! i've tried to yelp but it's just soo overwhelming because there's a million options. i don't want to cab it too much because i want to save my money for other things so buses and subways are the way to go for me…i just don't want to travel too far just to eat. i am staing in the times square area but do want to experience new york elsewhere. also, what's the weather like in september?

  9. wendy says:
    Sat, 19th Jun 20102:20 pm 

    It's funny but I'm born and raised in NYC and haven't done half of the things on the list. It's very touristy and I'm pretty sure true born n breed new yorkers won't do half of these things. I'm hoping I will be a tourist in my city this summer. Thanks for the article!

  10. Sarah says:
    Mon, 5th Jul 20105:05 pm 

    I can vouch for The Sunburnt Calf, but your subway advice is completely wrong.

    You break even on the unlimited monthly metrocard ($89) if you use it 10 times a week–that's 5 times a week, twice a day, or commuting Monday-Friday. It was designed for New Yorkers who commute to work within the city. Any extra times (going out on the evenings and/or weekends) pay for themselves, and not having to worry about whether you have enough money on your metrocard is fantastic. I wish I took the subway frequently enough during the school year to warrant an unlimited metrocard…

    Do make sure to check the MTA's website (www.mta.info) for service updates, because they do a lot of construction on the subways during the summer, when there are fewer people in town.

    And–most importantly–have fun!

  11. LP says:
    Wed, 8th Jun 201111:14 pm 

    I hope I get an internship in New York sometime in the near future haha.
    Question: If someone was to move to New York for the summer to intern, what/where are the best housing options??

  12. Susanna says:
    Sun, 12th Jun 20111:50 am 

    actually if you use your metrocard twice a day every day it costs about 25 dollars more then the unlimited monthly. so, its best to get the monthly. just saying.

    monthly is 104 dollars
    2 times a day for 30 days is $127, and thats if the prices are still $2.25, some stations are already at the $2.50 tolls, which comes out to $135

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