A Traveler’s Guide: 12 Hours in New York City

Image via Complex Original

To have enough energy for a non-stop day around the city, you need to fuel up early and often. One of the best places to do that is Sweet Chick in Williamsburg and Lower East Side. The new NYC staple offers a southern comfort menu that includes a variety of fried chicken plates, grits, and thick and fluffy waffles that come with an assortment of flavored butter to take it to the next level. Sliders—ranging from duck to BBQ pork—are available as well, that is, if you’re not opposed to going H.A.M. early in the day.

From vintage clothing and antique furniture to rare books and vinyl, the Brooklyn Flea, which takes place every Saturday at East River Park, is packed with treasures. Don’t waste your day thrift-store-hopping in the East Village or spending your entire budget at SoHo’s expensive boutiques—the Brooklyn Flea offers everything you’re looking for, with the added bonus of the cool East River breeze and the gorgeous New York City skyline in the distance.

We know what you’re thinking: why waste your day in a movie theater? Nitehawk, based in Williamsburg, isn’t just any old multiplex. It’s essentially an art house/restaurant/bar hybrid where you can enjoy a limited-release indie gem or a cult classic—with a cold beer in hand. If you’re feeling hungry, the cinema offers a full menu, with attentive waiters at your beck and call. On any given day, the filmmakers or stars of the movie you’re about to enjoy stop by for a quick Q&A, turning your regular movie experience into a cultural event.

You’d be remiss to skip out on Momofuku Milk Bar, a trendy NYC institution that’ll tingle your taste buds with addictive flavors you never knew were possible. From its curiously sweet and salty compost cookie (which tastes better than it sounds) to its Cereal Milk Ice Cream soft serve, a sweet treat that tastes just like the bottom of your corn flakes bowl, Momofuku Milk Bar will re-energize your day.

It’s all that anyone is talking about, so join the conversation. Designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano, the new Whitney Museum of American Art sits in a prime spot in NYC: between the Hudson River and the High Line. Originally a smaller space on Madison and 75th (which closed in October 2014), the new Whitney now spans 50,000 square feet, with an additional 13,000 square feet of outdoor space. Prepare for the line—or better yet, reserve your ticket days before—because the new Whitney, teeming with an unmatched collection of modern and contemporary American art, is NYC’s hottest attraction since Kara Walker’s “A Subtlety” exhibit at the Domino Sugar Factory last year.

Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Patti Smith, The Ramones—all of these legendary artists roamed the streets in the West Village back in the day. From jamming out at Washington Square Park to playing Cafe Wha? and The Bitter End, these artists are responsible for building West Village’s reputation as a music landmark. To this day, the energy that these artists left behind is still palpable, to the point where even seeing the signs of their old haunts make you nostalgic for a time you never even lived through. If you want to feel the beating heart of NYC, take a minute to stroll through the neighborhood.

The Meatball Shop is the epitome of trendy, affordable NY dining. Owned by childhood BFFs chef Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow, whose friendship-turned-business partnership recently inspired an upcoming, untitled CBS sitcom, The Meatball Shop is a no-frills establishment that allows you to customize your own bowls or sliders with simple and delicious options. If you want to keep it casual but cool, this restaurant is a must.

How can you go to NYC without catching a comedy show? It’s almost like going to L.A. without picking up some In-N-Out—it’s essential to the experience. Now, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, because there’s no better place to do so than Upright Citizens Brigade. Founded by Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, and Ian Roberts, UCB is responsible for introducing us to all of our current obsessions: Aubrey Plaza, Donald Glover, Ellie Kemper, the women of Broad City, and more. Although the theater has expanded to three more locations (one in the East Village and two in Hollywood), UCB Chelsea is the O.G. spot. Kick back on one of the theater’s dingy, repurposed seats with a can of beer or a plastic cup of wine and laugh your ass off for an hour.

Anyone who’s spent time in NYC knows that it truly comes to life in the nighttime. While the city is crawling with rooftop bars, you can’t go wrong with Gallow Green. Its earthy decor counters NYC’s grit, encouraging you to relax with a fancy cocktail while overlooking the concrete jungle. What’s more is that it’s the perfect (i.e. most convenient) spot to pregame before what will certainly be the highlight of your trip…

If you never paid attention in English class and simply learned about Shakespeare’s Macbeth via SparkNotes, go and read it right this second—especially if you’ve got a trip to the city coming up soon. The off-Broadway interactive production is unlike any you’ve witnessed before. For a little under a hundred bucks, curious Sleep No More viewers enter The McKittrick Hotel and are given birdlike masks, transforming them into shadows, or ghosts if you will. Then, they’re led up an elevator to a random floor of the darkened five-story hotel, where an early 20th century, noir-like live-action adaptation of Macbeth is literally taking place.

Unlike a regular hotel, The McKittrick holds various rooms: loony bins, doctor’s offices, children’s bedrooms, padded cells, a taxidermy museum, a cemetery, etc. The New York Times said it best: Through this, the diverse cast “leads its audience on a merry, macabre chase up and down stairs, and through minimally illuminated, furniture-cluttered rooms and corridors.” Words simply cannot do the immersive play justice. All you need to know is that it’s an experience that will stay with you forever—and isn’t that what visiting NYC is all about?