Best From Expats

      Imagine stunning beaches, huge forests, a ski mountain over a gorgeous alpine lake, great wineries… This is California! One of my favorite places in the world!
  In this post I'll share my impressions and tips about a recent trip I've made. Unfortunately I didn't go to famous parks as Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon and Death Valley… You should rent a car and drive south along the Pacific Coast (Highway 1). I'll start in San Francisco, as it has the biggest airport in the northern California.

Reserve one night to explore the French district, the area between Belden Place and Claude Lane, and have dinner at Gitane, an amazing Spanish restaurant (order the jamón iberico de bellota, La Serena cheese and the duck, you won't regret!).
Have breakfast at Mama's- in North Beach, the Italian district. It is known as the best breakfast in town. But it is really crowded, no reservations, so arrive before 9am if you don't wanna spend 2 hours in line…
In another day have brunch at Brenda's French Soul Food (Harry's tip)
Cable car (Powell- Hyde) to Fisherman's Wharf, passing by the iconic Lombard Street (originally constructed in 1922 to reduce the hill's natural grade). Carolina Grinberg rented bikes at the wharf and crossed the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito (it's all downhill to go, so she advises to take the ferry back). Take a look at the picture of Alcatraz and the cable car going up the hill. It was taken in the corner of Hyde x Lombard!
Pier 39 and Ghirardelli Square. A famous sightseeing point, with lots of tourists, chocolate shops, nice restaurants, always crowded.
Alcatraz- Civil War fortress, infamous federal prison, bird sanctuary, first lighthouse on the West Coast, and the birthplace of the American Indian Red Power movement are a few of the stories of the Rock.
Coit Tower- the 210-foot tower was completed in 1933 to honor San Francisco's volunteer firemen, offers spectacular panoramic views of the city.
SOMA (South of Market St)- is a new district. Harry recommends walking from Pier 40 to Ferry Building. You can rent bikes at Pier 40 as well. His favorite restaurant is The Slanter Door, a Vietnamese and French Fusion cuisine.
Hayes Valley - fashionable district with cute shops between Gough and Laguna Streets. Close to San Francisco Opera.
Haight Ashbury - counterculture home
Mission District - a picturesque neighborhood, filled with murals (Precita Eyes Muralists offers a walking tour) and the best bakery in town, Tartine Bakery. Valencia Street is the heart of San Francisco nightlife.
Conservatory of Flowers - at the Golden Gate Park (a nice park to go on Sundays), it is the oldest wood and glass conservatory in North America. Don't miss it if you enjoy gardening. But be prepared to ruin your hair inside it!
Crissy Field - the northwestern tip is home to the national park Fort Point and the most fantastic view of Golden Gate Bridge.
Chinatown - Sorry, I didn't go…. every big city has one and it is always a mess! Not a big fan!

Half-Day trip to Sausalito - a charming waterside village. Just after you cross the Golden Gate Bridge pull over on the right at Vista Point, a scenic viewpoint. Then head to Marin Headlands to be amazed by the views of the bay and Golden Gate Bridge. Enjoy Rodeo Beach. Have lunch at the phenomenal Japanese Sushi Ran (the best glazed black cod followed by the best green tea / ginger ice cream I've ever had) or a sangria at Bocce, a lovely restaurant with a fireplace with water view (Harry's tip).

Half-Day trip to Berkeley - the city of the University of California is also famous for its "Gourmet Ghetto" in Shattuck Avenue (Chez Panisse initiated the California cuisine 40 years ago).

Harry's favorite spots in San Francisco: SPQR restaurant, Gitane, Flower & Water, L folie bar, Limon Rotisserie, Tadichd grill & Bar Tartines (Mission)

Here are some helpful tips to guide your preparation for emergency situations such as hurricanes:

VEHICLE/Evacuation routes – Be prepared if you need to evacuate

-Fill up your car with gas and inspect it (tires, lights, windshield wipers, etc.) in case you need to evacuate.  Once the power is out many gas stations won’t be open or the lines will be too long!

-Know your evacuation routes.

-Pre-determine your evacuation location – Friends, family, a hotel and communicate to others where you will be.

-Start watching your local news for evacuation route recommendations and updates on the storm.  This will be your best source for information.

-Place important items in your car (documents, laptops, etc.) ahead of time to be prepared.

Preparedness Kits – Emergency Supplies to have at home

-Water – 1 gallon per day per person.  Also, fill up your bath tub and/or sinks for water to wash with or to use to flush.

-Food – 3 days worth of non-perishable food.  You may not be able to heat soups and other canned goods.  Don’t forget a manual can opener!  Don’t forget your pets!

-Blankets, jackets, etc. to keep you warm.

-Cash – go to the ATM.  When the power is out credit cards and ATM machines will not work.

-Radio and batteries to listen for information from the authorities.

-Flashlight and batteries.

-FA kit and medications.

-Hand sanitizer and wipes.

-Cups/plates/silverware.

-Toiletries (toothbrushes/toothpaste, TP, other).

-Candles/matches – flashlights are better and safer but to have some candles as a back-up is a good idea.

-Infant needs – diapers, formula, etc.

-Games/books for older kids.

-Rain gear.

Other Preparation Items

-Map of where your utility shut-off valves are and tools to turn them on/off (Gas, Water, Electric).

-Charge cell phones and other similar devices.

-Identify a safe zone in your home away from windows and potential flooding and if possible exterior walls.

-If you have a generator, test it.  Make sure you have enough gas.  Do NOT operate it indoors!

-Secure outdoor items so they won’t blow around or through your windows.

-Make lists of important phone numbers.

-Communicate to family and friends where you will be if you are going to evacuate.

Moving to NYC or renovating your home? 

Decorating your home in NYC is a pleasant but challenging task… 

-Pros: you'll find plenty of options from all over the world at a great price and can buy everything online (hassle-free returns at most times). Your future home will already come with a full kitchen, so you won't have to worry about it.

-Cons: as the square foot in Manhattan is outrageous usually the stores are small and don't carry all the merchandise they offer online. Generally you can't pick up a furniture in the store and the shipping can take up to 20 weeks (!)…

Here are some of my favorite stores:

Kitchen/ Bed/ Bath:

-Sleepy's: http://www.sleepys.com

Open Table

Forget about having a decent meal in NYC without reservation… And be on time because they take it very seriously…

The fabulous (and free) Open Table allows users to search for restaurants and reservations based on parameters including times, dates, cuisine and price range. Users can also receive OpenTable rewards points after dining that can be redeemed for discounts at member restaurants.

Tip: The company also has a great mobile application available for free. It's a must-have!

Urban Spoon
A website/ app similar to Open Table. You will need this one too.

Restaurants and Bars Reviews

Need help to choose a restaurant or bar? Try out these websites (most of them have mobile apps): 

Urban Daddy - a really funny and free app! I highly recommend it!

NY Mag / free mobile app

Time Out / free mobile app

NY Times / free mobile app

Zagat 

Eater

Food Trucks

For those who aren't familiar, there are trucks that drive around and park in the city serving food, desserts and drinks. They have gained in popularity due to the fun of scouting them out and great food! You would be surprised to see the huge lines and the variety of food served (organic, gluten-free, gourmet, desserts, waffles, ice cream, cupcakes, desserts, hot dog, burgers, pizza…). Check the best rated ones (usually the most crowded too, meaning the food will have a good turnover).
Tweat it - free app
Zagat Food Truck finder
Yelp

Food Trucker - paid app

Trux Map - free app

Delivery

Don't feel like going out?

Seamless - online and free app 

GrubHub - online and free app

Bon Appetit!

The Upper West Side neighborhood lies between Central Park (East), the Hudson River (West), West 59th Street (South) and West 110th Street (North). Two subway lines serve it: Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line (1 2 3 trains) and the Eighth Avenue Line (A B C D trains). 
Starting from the South, here are the Points of Interest:

Columbus Circle (southwest corner of Central Park):
- Time Warner Building: The complex hosts The Shops at Columbus Circle (great restaurants, shops and Whole Foods) and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel (Asiate restaurant is located on the 35th floor and has a great brunch and a floor-to-ceiling view over Central Park. I also recommend MoBar for drinks, and the afternoon tea at Lobby Lounge). It also has the Jazz at Lincoln Center, the world headquarters of the Time Warner corporation and the New York City studio headquarters of CNN.

- Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) is a small museum with a lovely gift shop and the Robert Restaurant. 

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
New York City’s premiere performing arts facility. It is the home of 12 organizations (including the Metropolitan Opera, the NYC Ballet, the NY Philharmonic, the Julliard School, and the NY Public Library for the Performing Arts). It also hosts the NY Fashion Week. Lincoln Center has been featured in several classic New York movies, including Black Swan, Ghostbusters, Moonstruck, The Producers… Lincoln Ristorante is a great option before and after the concerts.
Tip: If you are 21-35 years old you can buy discount tickets at LCT. 



The Dakota
Most famous for being the building where John Lennon was gunned down in 1980, the Dakota is a luxury apartment building overlooking Central Park at 72nd Street. Famous residents of the building have included John Lennon and Yoko Ono (still lives there), Lauren Bacall, Leonard Bernstein, Judy Garland, just to name a few. The Dakota was also prominently featured in the Roman Polanski thriller Rosemary’s Baby. 



American Museum of Natural History
Located at Central Park West x 79th Street, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world. It became even more popular after "Night at the Museum" film. 



Riverside Park 
It's a narrow 4- mile strip of land along the Hudson River, from 72nd to 158th Streets. More info: Riverside Park

Movies

Here are some famous people who live in the UWS:

Al Pacino
Bono
Steven Spielberg
Sting
Woody Allen
Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith 
Donald Trump
Tina Fey
Denzel Washington
Cyndi Lauper
Glenn Close
Bill Murray
Matt Damon
Mary J. Blige
Michael J. Fox
Nora Ephron
Steve Martin
Yoko Ono
Diane Keaton
Barbara Streisand
Better Midler
Anna Paquin
Mia Farrow
Jerry Seinfeld

And here is a map with my favorite spots in UWS:

An enthusiastic Brooklyn friend introduced us to a food fest of the local best restaurants, with live music and waterfront views: Taste Williamsburg.

You buy a ticket and get 6 food tastes and 4 drinks. Each restaurant has a booth and serves small portions of their specialty (pasta, seafood, meat, ice cream…). Cafe Morgador, Fabbrica, Dumont & Dressler, The Bedford, The Meatball Shop were awesome!

Enter Taste Williamsburg and subscribe their mailing list.

Here is a video of last year's edition: Taste W 2011

Cheers!

There are two main hidden costs when visiting or living in NYC: 

- Sales Taxes (8.875%, not shown in the product's labels, being the City's tax 4.5% + State tax of 4% + the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District surcharge of 0.375%). 

- The other one is Tipping. Tourists and newcomers are always alarmed by the abusive amount of money to be given… But quite often the tip is the only source of income for service people, so it's important to know when tipping is expected and how much to properly tip:

Bars and Restaurants: 

- Service: 15- 20%. The locals usually pay 2 times the Tax shown in the bill (2 x 8,875%) = 17.75% (see picture above).

- Bartender: $1/ drink

- Bathroom Attendants: $1

- Coat person: $1

- Catering Halls: weddings and other events: 15%

Taxis: 15 - 20%

Beauty Salon: 15% (and they get mad if you tip in coins…)

Hotels:

- shuttle bus driver: $1

- Bellhop: $1 per bag

- Maid: $1/ night

- Room Service: $15%

Holiday Tipping (be prepared to spend $$$, Ho Ho Ho…):

- Apartment Building Superintendent: $100 - $200 (less if you tip throughout the year).

- Apartment Doorman/Concierge: $75-$150 each. Those who serve you more should get a bigger tip.

- Apartment Building Handyman And Porters: $20 - $30 each (broad range: $10 - $75)

- Apartment Building Elevator Operators: $15-40 each

- Parking attendants: $40 each

- Cleaning lady / Housekeeper: 1 or 2 weeks pay

- Full time nanny: 1 or 2 weeks pay

- Regular babysitter: $25 - 50

- Regular dog walker: 1 week pay

citidex.com, examiner.com