New York

When I moved to New York, a native friend whispered in my ear: “Be careful. They charge you to breathe here.”

While that’s not entirely true (except maybe in Staten Island), it’s still true that living in the Big Apple can cost a pretty penny. But there are still a bevy of free (and nearly free) entertainments and amenities to be had—each of them more of a steal than what the Dutch paid for Manhattan in 1626. Below, you’ll find a list of common lamentations I’ve heard (or had myself) over the years, with hints and recommendations that can prevent a person from losing their paycheck—and their mind!—to this harsh, unfair, beautiful, one-of-a-kind city.

After all, finding a Moment of Zen shouldn’t require a day at the spa or a week in the Hamptons; and you don’t have to be a Madison Avenue matron to experience great art and culture all the time. It’s true: despite real estate inflation, the price of Yankees tickets, and our mayor’s net worth, it is possible to survive in—nay, thrive in—New York on a budget.

photo: Krista Apple

Scenario #1: I’m in Midtown and I need to relax! But I’m broke.
I know. I sympathize. You’re between interviews, auditions, classes, part-time shifts, or a combination of all of them. Or you’re working a stressful corporate job (read: crappy temp job) and you’d love to relax on your lunch break. Whatever the reason, you’re stuck in midtown and there’s no way out. Your aching feet need a rest. Take heart.

Marriott Marquis Hotel • 1535 Broadway (b/w 45th & 46th Sts)
Smack dab in the middle of the Times Square circus, the Marriott also the home to the best public restrooms in Midtown. Take the elevators to the Eighth floor, where you’ll find the swankiest lounges and restrooms you’ll never pay for. There’s also a HUGE cocktail lounge with delicious plush furniture and, until the bar opens at 4:00, you can idle away to your heart’s content.

Trump Towers Atrium • 725 Fifth Ave (b/w 56th & 57th Sts)
Behind the dizzying glare of Trump Towers lies a huge, sunlit, quiet respite, full of tables and chairs and quiet people drinking quiet coffee. The tourists don’t know about it, and the shoppers don’t care. If you detest The Donald, there are side entrances that bypass Trump Plaza on 56th & 57th streets.

Park Avenue Atrium • 237 Park Ave (b/w 45th & 46th Sts)
While a tad stiff and formal, the Park Avenue Atrium is one of the calmest indoor spots I’ve discovered in all of New York. And it sure beats getting kicked off the steps of the Grand Central Concourse.

photo: Krista Apple

Scenario #2: I’m being invaded by well-intentioned visitors who are crashing on my couch and insist on being shown the sights. But I’m broke.
Let them do the Empire State Building and the Circle Line Tour on their own. On your day off, take them downtown, where you can wow them with a fabulous skyline and the Statue of Liberty (waaaay over there, in the distance!) with a free trip on the Staten Island Ferry. Then take them to the South Street Seaport (Fulton St & Water St), where the cobblestone streets and maritime museum are sure to sweep them up into the city’s historical milieu. (They can also satisfy their historic shopping urges with all those oldey-timey stores like Ann Taylor and Ye Olde Body Shop…)

photo: Krista Apple

Scenario #3: I want to hear good music. But I’m broke.
The amount of free music in New York’s summer months is inspiring…and overwhelming. So, here’s a list. Enjoy. (For helpful overviews, see Cathleen Cueto II’s July NFT tract, “Slummer in the City.”)

Celebrate Brooklyn • www.celebratebrooklyn.org
River to River Festival • www.rivertorivernyc.org
Lincoln Center Out Of Doors • www.lincolncenter.org/programs/outofdoors_home.asp
Central Park Summerstage • www.summerstage.org
South Street Seaport Music Festival • www.seaportmusicfestival.com
Siren Music Festival • www.villagevoice.com/siren

“But,” I hear you say, “Summer months are winding to a close. Crisp October winds will soon drive us indoors.” ‘Tis true. That means it’s time for:

Piano Bars in the Village…
Bypass the Duplex; it’s become too overrun with in-towners and out-of-towners both, thanks to its (well-deserved) popularity. Instead, head across the street to Marie’s Crisis (59 Grove St; 212-243-9323). Officially a piano bar, and unofficially the home to musical theatre actors when they’re not on tour, you can sidle up to the bar any night of the week at Marie’s and hear the piano man pounding out vintage tunes. The clientele will usually join in, and they will always be in key. It’s the most impressive impromptu cabaret outside of Berlin. You can also try Rose’s Turn (55 Grove St; 212-366-5438).

New Sounds of the LES…
The Living Room (154 Ludlow Street; 212-533-7235) boasts the best of the eclectic, sometimes acoustic indie rockers and songwriters. There’s no cover, just a 1-drink minimum. For rock and punk, check out Arlene’s Grocery (95 Stanton St; 212-995-1652) early in the week for No-Cover Mondays.

Future Classical Stars…
Regularly check the websites of New York’s premier music schools and find out when their students, choirs, and orchestras are holding recitals and performances. Pre-ticketing often happens, though said tickets are usually free.

Juilliard • http://www.juilliard.edu/asp/calendar/calendar.asp
NYU Center for Music Performance • http://www.nyu.edu/cmp/
Manhattan School of Music • http://www.msmnyc.edu/

photo: Krista Apple

Scenario #4: I’m taking someone on a date and I want to impress them. But I’m broke.
Alright, alright, two out of these three aren’t free free. But, come on…

First Night @ The Brooklyn Museum • 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn • www.brooklynmuseum.org
It’s the best free singles and/or dating event, hands down. Chat up the guy/gal/person admiring the Egyptian art next to you, buy them a glass of wine (or not), then sidle up to them on the dance floor as you’re kicking it to the DJ’d Latino beats (or 80’s punk, depending on the night’s theme—check the website if you like to be in-the-know).

Starry Nights Live Jazz
American Museum of Natural History • 79th St @ Central Park West • www.amnh.org
Perfect for a post-work, pre-weekend rendezvous when you need to impress. Admission—erm, excuse
me, suggested donation—to the museum is $14. But the Rose Center for Earth & Space stays open until 8:45 pm every Friday. And First Fridays boast live jazz and tapas to be sampled therein.

The Blue Note • 131 W 3rd St • www.bluenote.net
The preeminent jazz locale of New York, the Blue Note’s late night sets on Fridays and Saturdays (12:30 AM) have a minimal cover ($5-$8) or are often free if you’re willing to stand at the bar. Table reservations, if you want to live large, are $8-$10 per person (as opposed to $30-$50 for headlining acts). The late night sets are the up-and-comers—young, hot, ready to play for hours. Arrive early—there’s usually a line down the street to get in. Understandably.

photo: Krista Apple

Scenario #5: I’m an artist and I need supplies for my latest project. But I’m broke.
Materials for the Arts • 718-729-3001 • www.mfta.org
Materials for the Arts is at once a cultural, environmental, educational wunderkind. Here’s how it works: individuals and corporations and organizations don’t need a bunch of stuff anymore. Maybe some office furniture, or a pile of books, or a can of paint. But they don’t want to send it to the landfill. So they call up Materials for the Arts and make a tax-deductible donation. Along comes a poor artist (you). You’re a member of a cultural organization, or maybe you have non-profit status as an individual artist. And you need some raw materials for your latest installation, your world premiere performance, or your brand new office. But you don’t know where to go. So you call Materials for the Arts and make an appointment to “go shopping.” And you find…unused fabric from last season’s Gap patterns…buttons, ribbon, string…a jewel-covered birdbath…scrap metal…

The purpose of Materials for the Arts, it should be clear, is not just to provide supplies. If you need twelve charcoal #9 pencils, go buy them. But if you’re looking for inspiration and raw material, and you have non-profit status or are affiliated with an organization that does, get thee to Materials for the Arts. Your art will prosper, and you’ll be helping to save over 700 tons of material from New York’s landfills.

Scenario #6: I live in New York and I Want To See Great Art, Damn It. But I’m broke.
Simple solution: gallery hopping in Chelsea. Up-and-coming visual artists and photographers are brewing their aesthetic right under your nose. (If you find the prospect of gallery hopping as daunting as I do, check out a handy-dandy website just for us: www.galleryhopper.org.) Also, many of our favorite NYC museums hold weekly and/or monthly free hours. Here are just a few:

Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) • Fridays, free admission 4 pm-8 pm
Jewish Museum • Thursdays, free admission 4 pm-9 pm
Cooper Hewitt, National Design Museum • Tuesdays, free admission 4 pm-9 pm
Brooklyn Museum of Art • First Saturday of each month, free admission 5 pm-11 pm
Metropolitan Museum of Art • Always a suggested donation. We recommend $1.

This is, of course, by no means an exhaustive list. This doesn’t even begin to include places to find cheap stores, free furniture (cruise around wealthy neighborhoods on garbage night), or trustworthy health care. All of which are also at your fingertips, if you care to dig for them. But the moral of the story is that, whatever your scenario or your wallet size, this city is still accessible. I wish you luck in your extensive and (hopefully) inexpensive excursions!