My daughter is anxious for any New Yorkers to give her a little advice?

Visit the meat packing district. Just do it.

I think that is for new years morning- you know, ideas for breakfast.

You’re probably right @faye. I missed the Canadian girl on the OP. My bad.

Ask @JonnyCeltics, he lives there and might have some good ideas.

There are several Heartland Breweries in Manhattan. They are casual pubs that attract a youngish crowd. Music is rock but not super loud. They probably don’t take reservations but she could call them or check them out on the Net for New Year’s Eve program. Birdland is a jazz club in the 40s. Hanging out in Greenwich Village would probably be a lot of fun, and there is always the Time’s Square New Year’s Eve gathering. As far as eating, going in early and/or trying some of the smaller, ethnic places would probably be successful; if they want somewhere fancy, they should reserve. The NY Times will start having ads from restaurants about New Year’s Eve in December.

I live about an hour from NYC and go there all the time. Don’t do Times Square= you’re stuck in one place all day, and can’t leave to go to the bathroom or anything. If you do leave you’re not getting back in past the police barriers. There are so many places to see and eat, just wing it is right. Just walk around the Village, Soho, go down to Canal Street (great stuff, like knockoff bags, souvenir crap, etc). Village has all kinds of ethnic eateries, all prices. Canal Street and Chinatown has Chinese places, Vietnamese places, Thai places. Little Italy is just above Canal Street, and there are all kinds of Italian places. I would not lock myself into one place, or making reservations, I would just go down and see what you feel like. She might be so caught up in the excitement she may not want to be in a place, she may want to just hang around and walk all over. NYC is the most exciting, refreshing, festive, vibrant place in the holiday season.

I second avoiding Times Square. I’ve spent every New Year’s for the last ~15 years in NYC, and I’ve never gone to Times Square. Too cold, too many people, too much security, etc.

My friends and I have a ritual. We always start off in Chinatown for a nice dinner with dumplings and cheap wine. Then it’s off to Little Italy for pastries at Ferrara’s. Then we go back to someone’s apartment and play cheesy board games until 5 a.m. :-)

They will be staying in a hostel near Little Italy. I’ll tell her about Ferrara’s. She does love pastries! So did you have to reserv a place in Chinatown? They don’t want Times Square either.

I think we did make reservations for the Chinese, but only because we’re generally a party of 20! One or two people shouldn’t have trouble just walking into a restaurant.

Here’s a link to Ferrara’s. Feast your eyes! :-)

If they like Indian food, ther are a number of cheap Indian restaurants on 6th Street off of 1st and 2nd Avenues. Ferrara’s is great and another Italian pastry shop on 11th St. – Venierio’s – is also good.

@janbb Ooh, I love Veniero’s, too! Good choice.

I miss living in NYC.

We should have an Italian pastry meet-up some day.

Oh My God Ferrara’s is the best. I got baba rum once and told them to put on extra rum, and i got drunk. if i were your daughter, i would not go to Ferrara’s to sit, but get a box with a bunch of pastries in it and walk around and eat it. just bring napkins or wipes. the best!!

Thanks everyone. I just told her about the pastries and that she needn’t worry about finding supper and fun there. She’s most excited about the pastries!

@janbb I’d go for that. Chocolate covered cannolis on me!