New York City is an awesome town. There's a million & one things to do, sites to see, places to visit, food to eat...it's like a giant playground for both NYC natives & tourists alike. However, experiencing all that this city has to offer can really put a dent in your wallet. And, since we're in the midst of a recession, money's pretty tight these days.

So, you live in NYC (or visiting), the city that never sleeps, and you want to explore what this fabulous city has to offer....but you're strapped for cash? Well, never fear. I've compiled a short list of inexpensive ways you can enjoy this town ON A BUDGET. All it takes is being "in the know"...and you'll be having fun in no time!

#1. Ice skating in Bryant Park

The Lowdown: Admission to the skating rink is absolutely FREE. If you've got your own skates, great. If not, you can rent skates for $12. There are lockers available for you to place your shoes & valuables. Locks are available for $9. (HINT: Bring your own lock!) It'll cost you between $7-10 to check any large bags you may have. (HINT: Go shopping AFTER you skate!) Bryant Park is located on 42nd Street & 6th Avenue, easily accessible by taking the F train to the Bryant Park stop. For more info, head over to www.thepondatbryantpark.com.

#2. You've been cutting waaaaay back on going out so you can save some money, but you are seriously B-O-R-E-D, desperately need to go somewhere fun & don't want to end up a pauper. Well, CLUB FREE TIME may be your answer. For a tiny subscription fee ($2.95 for one month or $1.95 for one week), you can have full access to daily free & low-priced events all around NYC: tours, movie screenings, book readings, free concerts, etc. You'll never be bored again.

#3. Jump on the C train to Brooklyn, get off on Lafayette Avenue & head on over to the BAM Cafe. It's free to the public on Friday & Saturday nights. You can expect to hear a variety of artists & musical styles. Also check out the calendar to check out the free art exhibitions. Have fun!

#4. If you happen to be in Brooklyn on the FIRST Saturday of the month, definitely make your way over to the Brooklyn Museum. It's free to the public from 5-11 pm. Some exhibits may require tickets due to limited capacities, so definitely plan accordingly. There's also a dance party on the 4th floor from 9-11 pm. (I went once & had a blast. The crowd was a great mix of people & the music was awesome. I definitely recommend it!) If you're taking public transportation, you can take the 2 or 3 train to the Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum stop (see the subway map to plan your trip. If driving, directions are available. Also, after 5 pm, parking is a fabulously low $4, flat rate. (All other Saturdays, the Museum closes down at 6 pm.)

#5. This one is for the tourists (you will thank me & so will your pockets). The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a HUGE collection of art that spans 5,000 years & is simply breathtaking. I think admission is like $22 or something (hey, prices are rising everyday, you know). But it's a SUGGESTED donation...meaning you can pay whatever you want! Each time I go, I pay $1.00. (I've heard of people going as low as $0.25.) I suggest going early in the day so that you can see as many exhibits as possible, because The Met is tremendously huge. Take the 4, 5 or 6 train to 86th Street & walk west till you get to 5th Avenue. Oh, & wear comfortable walking shoes. (Trust me, you'll need them!)

#6. Did you know that the South Street Seaport Museum is FREE on the third Friday of every month? You can stop in after work or doing other "touristy" things from 6-8:45 pm. Pretty cool.

#7. While you're in downtown Manhattan, you may as well take a free boat trip across the boroughs if you want to snap pictures of the Statue of Liberty for free. Plenty of folks know about the Staten Island Ferry (easily accessible from the 1 train at South Ferry), but do you know about the Ikea Water Taxi? Located at Pier 11, it's an easy 20 minute ride to Red Hook, Brooklyn. Feel free to spend a couple of hours wandering around Ikea as well (it's a lot more fun than flipping through the catalog).

#8. Now, I know we're nearing winter, but save this one for warmer weather next year - Bryant Park has free concerts & movies during the summer months. This past summer they showcased young talented musicians from Juilliard (as well as other classical jazz ensembles) on Mondays, Tuesday & Wednesdays. To catch the movie, you'd need to bring a blanket & arrive around 5 pm to get a good seat on the grass. (Or you could just sit on one of the many chairs circling the park) Also keep an eye & ear out for free Broadway performances as well.

#9. Just because it's cold out doesn't mean you can't still head out to the Bronx Zoo. Admission is free on Wednesdays & there are many exhibits for you to pick from. HINT: Many people tend to go to the zoo on Wednesdays since it's free, so I'd suggest taking public transportation as opposed to driving, so that you're not stuck driving around looking for parking. Take the 2 or 5 train to E Tremont Av/Westfarm Sq. You can also catch the Q44 bus, it goes straight to the Zoo.

#10. Want to indulge in a little technology? Then definitely head over to the Sony Wonder Technology Lab, located at 56th Street & Madison Avenue. Engage yourself in certain Playstation 3 games, create your own movie trailer & watch it play back onscreen, or explore the process of making music.

By now, your calendar ought to be packed with fun & inexpensive activities for you to do for weeks to come. Don't let the recession get you down - go out there & have some fun!

Cost

Considering London is divided up into zones and depending on which zone you are traveling to will cost you more money, the subway in NYC is a dream. It's $2, plus transfers from the subway to bus or bus to subway are free as long as it's within a two hour period. Hands down, NYC wins this one.

NYC 1 London 0

Oystercard vs. Metrocard

Excluding the fact that the new Oystercards have IKEA written all over them, I think the overall look of the Oystercard has a simple yet efficient design and is a lot more professional looking. Forgetting the fact that no one knows why it's called an "oystercard" (besides the obvious lame excuse of "london is your oyster") I think the Big Smoke wins this category. Metrocards look a bit outdated even though the name makes the most sense.

NYC 1 London 1

Appearance

I've always taken the look of the subway for granted. After all it's underground why wouldn't it look like a deep dark cavernous post-apocalyptic garbage dump? However after having it pointed out to me that NYC city subways look "unfinished" and as if they just stopped building when they felt like it, I think London's clean, eye pleasing, relatively sleek interiors (underground station and actual train cars) are aesthetically more pleasing, even though every given space (as mentioned with Oystercards) is filled with advertisements and free newspapers strewn everywhere.

NYC 1 London 2

Efficiency

Ha. This is tough. Seriously. I think this is open to a bit of interpretation, seeing as in both cities it will always depend which line you live on. I happen to live on the Piccadilly line and will not even begin the rant which is brewing in my mind right now. But perhaps the real test of underground systems is the weekends. In London most lines seem to be closed or partially closed on weekends for "refurbishment". In NYC, the same happens but albeit less frequently (probably why they get low marks for appearance!), however I do remember a time in the summer when it was near impossible to get any subway line going downtown. But if push comes to shove, I'd have to go with NYC subway getting the gold star for efficiency. Hear, that MTA?

NYC 2 London 2

Ease of Deciphering Map/Signs

Even though the tube maps looks like a lump of multi-colored spaghetti, it wins in my book. The NYC subway is pretty easy to decipher, as long as it's during the day. Sure there are express and local trains on the same line, with tiny transfers and directions written on the map. But once it hits midnight local can run on express track and all kinds of chaos takes over. Try to read this on the map or even signs on the platforms and you can end up in Brooklyn instead of downtown Manhattan. So for this I say London's spaghetti map wins. However only slightly since NYC may have trains issues after dark, but at least there are trains after dark!!! So I may have to give NYC an extra point just because it is a 24-hour service.

NYC 3 London 3

Annoyances/Entertainment

In NYC it's beggars on the trains, in London it's buskers in the stations. Granted we do have some pretty talented beggars. I've seen kids do acrobatics on moving trains (and I would say that the train ride is a bit rougher and more bumpy than the Tube) and been wowed by singers, percussionists and rappers. However being broke, it's a bit hard when these people are asking for money, or more likely homeless people begging for it. So in this case I would have to go with London, as there are minimal beggars on the train and buskers throughout the stations who are playing for fun and whatever cash they can rake in.

NYC 3 London 4

Weather

Now I'm not sure whether (haha) to divide this into two categories- weather inside the stations/subway cars and weather outside effecting the service (you know I'm talking to you London Underground). I think the combination should be alright for now. I'm going to go for NYC for this one. It maybe be as hot as hell in the stations but at least the subway cars have AC. Plus the actual subway lines are hardly ever effected by outside weather (unless extreme, or the station becomes flooded). So all in all NYC deals with its weather pretty well. Whereas London gets a bit of snow or it can be a few degrees too hot and the whole process slows down or shuts down completely. They don't get weather in one extreme or the other too frequently so maybe they should get a bit more credit or slack, but some lines are always unbearably not matter what the weather- Victoria and Central lines, I'm looking at you.

NYC 4 London 4

So by my count, that's a tie. Obvioulsly it's all a matter of personal opinion but regardless of which city wins, we all know that whatever the transport- London Tube or NYC Subway- all of us city dwellers can't live without either system.

Heidelberg Restaurant

The Heidelberg restaurant has been in business since 1936. They offer excellent German food and great beer. Enjoy Octoberfest specials such as Filet Stroganoff with rice and red cabbage or Sauerkraut Goulash, all year long.

Brunch is served between 12 and 4pm with Potato pancake and smoked Salmon-sour cream and capers as one of the choices. Lunch specials, soup and sandwiches and entrees are available Monday thru Saturday 11:30am to 3:30 pm. For dinner enjoy an appetizer of baked Camembert cheese, the soup of the day, followed by a delicious entrée of Bratwurst, Potato pancakes or Schweineshaxe (roasted pork shank with sauerkraut and boiled potato), to name a few.

Finish off with a desert and your favorite non alcoholic beverage or German beer. Expect to spend between $10 to $20 dollars per entrée. Take out is also available.

Heidelberg Restaurant is located at 1648 2 nd Ave., New York, NY. 10028. (212) 628-2332.

Silver Swan

The Silver Swan is open daily between 12pm and 11pm. Appetizers include Ochsenmaul salad, Mushroom toast and duck plate with truffles, each for a price of $8.95. Enjoy a warm soup bowl of lentil, Pea or Barley soup, Goulash or Chicken Consomme with dumplings. Each priced between $4 and $7 dollars a bowl.

Cucumber, German potato and pickled red beets, are a few of the available salads. Sausages include Jagerwurst and Weisswurst, among others. Have Muscoy duck or roast chicken or turkey.

There are many entrée's to choose from including Roast pork, German meatloaf, Sauerbraten and much more. Entrée's range between $14 and $25 dollars each. Enjoy a Schnitzel plate of Paprika Schnitzel or Rahmschnitzel to name a few. Apple Strudel, cheesecake and Rote Grutze with vanilla sauce are a few desserts to pick from. Don't forget about the old world bar and very large beer selection.

The Silver Swan is located at 41 E. 20 th Street, New York, NY. 10003. (212) 254-3611

Hallo Berlin

Hallo Berlin has a full at of imported German draft and bottled beers and special imported beer such as Schneider Weiss beer and October Fest beer. Along with beer, all kinds of soda and beverages are available.

Enjoy appetizers such as Roll mops (stuffed marinated herring), cucumber and string bean salad and a jumbo German pretzel. Have fresh soup of Split Pea, Lentil, Deal potato, White bean, Cauliflower and chicken vegetable. All soups are made daily.

There are many choices of sausages, sandwiches, lunch specials, German fish dishes and lunch and dinner plates, as well as dessert. Try a plate of Two Roll Mops (vegetable stuffed marinated herring), Koenigsberge Klopse (white meatballs with mashed potatoes, caper sauce, red cabbage and wine sauerkraut or Jaeger schnitzel (huntersteak with spaetzle). For desert have a slice of German cheesecake, Black Forest cake or Apfelstrudel with a scoop of ice cream. Expect to spend around $20 dollars per entrée.

Hallo Berlin is located at 626 Tenth Ave., New York, NY. 10036. (212) 977-1944

New York is filled with lots of activities, and outdoor performances, and let's do mention many lights! In fact, it should be called the city of lights, like Paris, although Paris has many great lights as well. One can be walking in Time Square in the middle of the night and mistake it for daytime. I know that has happened to me, no jokes.

I've been to New York plenty of times not to know its greatest, most grandeur attractions. One of such, which I think would make it at the top of the list, is the Statue of Liberties. Although it can be seen from New Jersey's State Park, it is part of the New York skyline. One must indeed visit this monument, and go even for the torch, if possible. It's quite an adventure!

Before 2001, another great attraction would have been the Twin Towers. Those buildings stretched as far as anyone could imagine, and dominated the New York skyline. It was indeed a marvel that is no longer there. However, you can still get the best out of New York. For instance, central park has been a welcome mat for lovers of nature, not only tourists but also New York residents who want to escape the urban noise and stressing factors. It's quite magnificent and picturesque. There are mainly four bodies of water, the Reservoir, the Lake, Harlem Meer, and the Pond, in that order from largest to smallest. Among the many things that are in Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum makes a pretty good impression, and has a tourist magnet of its own.

New York City alone doesn't sum up the magnificence of the States. There are indeed many other great places to visit, such as North Carolina, a personal favorite of mine, New England, and many coastal states such as Florida, if one has a weakness for the beach! Next Stop, Europe!

Paris

The city of lights is indeed awesome! Well, it might as well be the center of Europe, but I think it's famous enough for its position as Fashion Capital of the World. Aside from the States, France welcomes the most tourists a year than anywhere else. The most popular French destination of course is Paris.

Not exactly my hometown, but I think I can be an advocate. It is breathtaking, and not many can resist Paris, but one of the things that Paris is famous for, besides culture, is the Eiffel Tower. It seems with national monuments these days, sky is the limit. However, in Paris, you don't see too many skyscrapers, like in New York, but that's really nothing to sneeze at.

Now, everyone should be familiar with Moulin Rouge. It's the red windmill with lots of lights, hence the name, Moulin Rouge, which means red windmill. This cabaret, a restaurant or nightclub featuring a stage for performance, will offer you one of the best times of your life! Did I mention that the food was excellent? But that's no poor man's menu! There is no wonder it's located in the “red-light” district. Aside from the Moulin Rouge, there are many more attractions, and a trip to Paris is like a trip to Paradise!

Ever wonder how the Parisians spent their summers? Well, the ones that chose to stay in Paris over the summer, at least. The beach is always a good idea. Yes. I said beach. The Seine River is unlike any other in the world. It has many things in contrast to other rivers. It's green, to name one. By the way, that sounds disgusting, but since it's in Paris (well, it runs through Paris), the impossible is always possible. During summers, many Parisians, as well as tourists, bring their beach chairs and strip to their underwear. And to make it more convincing, they even add Palm trees, or Palmettos along the quays, and they soak up the sun. How imaginative!

But make sure to visit the Louvre and the Versailles palace before your next stop to London, Paris's brother city. However, London and Paris is not the only tourist attractions in Europe. In that list, there is Marseille, Milan, Rome, Berlin, Amsterdam, and many more cities that tourists cannot resist. Together they make Europe what she is today.

Its time to take advantage of NYC Restaurant Week. New York City is known for it's many, many restaurants. If you can crave it, you can eat it. Some restaurants are known for their trendy clientele, some for their famous chefs, some for their budget breaking prices, etc., etc... There is a restaurant for every one's taste, but some aren't a fit for every one's budget. Restaurant Week helps expand our choices by offering a wonderful deal.

Those of us lucky enough to score a reservation for one of the participating restaurants of Restaurant Week will benefit greatly. Restaurant Week enables us to dine at some of the most popular restaurants in NYC at a fraction of what it normally would cost. You get to try food from places you might not normally be able to afford. You get to dine in places that are well known, trendy, have great food, and for only $35.

What is the Deal?

Restaurant week is January 21 - 25 and January 28 - February 1. The deal for dinner is a three course dinner for $35. The deal for lunch is a three course lunch for $24.07. Of course, this price does not include drinks, tax, or tip.

 

Where Should you Eat?

You can find participating restaurants and make reservations for meals at them on Opentable.com. I use opentable.com often and have found it to be a good site. Some participating restaurants include 21 Club, Bobby Van's Steakhouse, Café Centro, Cafe des Artistes, Delmonico's, Fig & Olive, Marseille, Rosa Mexicano, The Water Club, Vong, and many, many more. It is worth taking a look.