This question comes up all the time. Just search on this board for celebrities and you'll probably find lots of posts.

To be honest, I live in NYC, but I rarely see any. Even when something is being filmed, I rarely see actors or for that matter, much 'action'.

My daughter, on the other hand, is a good "spotter". She sees people all the time (usually actors I'm not familiar with). She's seen them in restaurants, Starbuck's, and just walking down the street usually in the afternoon when she's walking home from school.

Weekends are "amateur nights" in NYC, particularly in the summer months, so it's rare to see "celebrities" out and about.

On most weeknights, however, at least one or two famous people eat dinner at Da Silvano or Bar Pitti next door.

For the most part, however, celeb encounters are random -- if you try, you'll fail.

And, please, don't bother anyone while they're eating. I hope that goes without saying.

Joe Allen's on restaurant row often gets celebs for a late dinner (after the theater around 10 pm)

Here's one of many web pages with more info
http://www.littleviews.com/home/newyork/celeb_hunt.cfm?KW=&date_range=

(do a search for celeb hangouts in nyc)

I see celebs all the time, most often walking on the street. Madison Ave. in the 60s (near Barney's) is usually full of them. But as MFNYC says, you have to have good spotting skills.

I would read a few entries on gawker.com under their "gawker stalker" celebrity sightings. Honestly, pick a place in the W. Village with outdoors seating, sit down, and wait. You may or may not see anyone, but that probably has the highest concentration of celebs. I've also had quite a few sightings in Central Park.

You can select the day to see where spottings occured, but most of them are downtown (below 14th street).

http://www.gawker.com/stalker/

I've walked by those 2 restaurants a million times (they have outdoor seating) and never saw a celeb. But, my daughter has (alway in the afternoon and during the school year).

And I agree, please don't bother them while they are eating.

I've seen many celebrities on Madison & 5th Avenues (above 55 St.); and also in the little restaurants on Columbus Ave.

Most of the time I see celebs just walking down the street. I've never seen any at a bar or restaurant...but then when you're trying you never see anyone usually!

I've seen lots of celebrities in NYC - but it's soooo random, as others have said. I've seen them walking on the street, jogging, in the park, at Starbucks, walking dogs, etc. Uptown, downtown, midtown, everywhere. I've never seen any celebrities in tourist areas, though!

I've heard that Nobu is good for celebrity-spotting (friends have seen plenty there, I haven't, though), as is Bar Pitti (already mentioned). I'd imagine the more expensive restaurants are where you'd be most likely to spot someone famous.

It just depends where you are and when. I met Robert Goulet and his wife in the bar at the Helmsley NY late one night. I met Ivana Trump in Davidoff's Humidore room. We have seen Charles Bronson, Ray Charles, Anthony Quinn and several other celebities in hotel lobby's, bars, etc. I sat next to Tommy Lee Jones at breakfast in the Meridian Hotel once. We met Robert Nourie in Cafe De Artiste after a play one night and he invited us back state later to meet Julie Andrews on Victor Victoria. Nice guy but I had given him a Cuban cigar at dinner which helped. Robert Goulet sent an autographed picture to our room.

I think that's Michael Nourie, at least the one who was in Victor, Victoria.

I usually spot celebs at Saks and Bergdorf's. But, I really couldn't care less about them. I agree with Gekko, don't approach them. I once witnessed a soap star ask the manager of a grocery store to call the police because someone approached her. I also witnessed a BIG (original cast) Saturday Nite Live star read a tourist the riot act when she asked him for his autograph near the Plaza Hotel.

And all New Yorkers knew what would happen if anyone DARED to approach the late Katherine Hepburn or Jackie Onassis in a public place!!!!!!!!

Of all the celebrities I've seen, I've only ever seen one be approached by a fan or tourist. Usually everyone sort of discretely tries to get a look without staring, and sometimes you hear whispers like "Is that really so-and-so?"

We saw Ted Danson at Chelsea Market when we were in NYC in late June. We were both shopping for wine in the wine market

Oh, and forgot to add another place: The lobby of the Mercer Hotel. I've seen at least 4 or 5 celebrities just hanging out on the couches in the lobby.

When we lived in NYC years ago we always saw several celebrities at the local greenmarket on Saturday mornings. It was the one place we always saw actors.

Celebrities eat lunch and dinner in all sorts of places. It depends on what type of celebrity you are looking for.

You are most likely to see them in the most expensive and trendy restaurants. but you will rarely see them on Fri or Sat - esp during the summer - since they're all in the Hamptons then. Also - you will see them late - celebs don;t eat dinner at 8pm.

As for clubs - I can give you some names but it's not likely you can get in - and even if you can they won;t let you into the VIP room where the celebs are.

Your best chance is to see them when they are working (theater or early AM live TV, or perhaps a premiere) or in their own neighborhoods - just doing errands and stuff.

I have seen many celebrities in NYC and only one in a restaurant - but many in supermarkets, Tower record, Barnes and noble, just walking on the street etc.

If you give us an idea of who you want to see someone may have a reco.

Best areas: Village, meat packing district, upper west side.

I didn't read this whole thread so I'll suggest that you just stroll around the West Village and Tribeca and you're bound to run into someone "famous".

If you go looking for celebrities you probably won't find or even recognize them. As Gekko stated such sightings are random: I have seen people such as Uma Thurman and Susan Saradon on the street in the West Village; sat next to Anne Bancroft and in front of Stacey Keach at the theatre; seen Glenn Close having lunch at Cafe des Artiste; and seen Amy Irving on Central Park West. Most "celebrities" who live in NYC do so because they are not interested in being "seen" .

I saw many celebrities when I lived in NYC for 30 years. It is all very serendipitous where they may be found. Henry Fonda was walking east on 57th Street, Hugh Downs was in a cigar shop, Dustin Hoffman was running up the street near Lincoln Center. Keep your eyes open, but don't be disappointed if you don't spot one.

I've lived and worked in the city for nearly 25 years and only occasionally see - or notice - celebrities.

Some years ago Robert Redford was right next to me at a fruit stand - we were both buying peaches. I didn't realize who he was at first but just noticed this really good looking guy next to me and I was kinda' giving him the eye.
When he felt me looking at him he turned and faced me (then I recognized him). He looked me right in the eye as if to say, "Please, please don't say anything to me".
I wouldn't have said anything anyway and wouldn't even had flirted if I'd recognized him at first, but his look was so desperate I just went back to picking peaches!

" wouldn't even had flirted".

Oops. "wouldn't even have flirted".

My favorite celebrity sighting was John Waters in the vacuum cleaner store on 14th Street.

In June I was walking by the playground at Houston and 6th and there was Mario Batali playing football with his kid and 6 other boys . . .

I've seen De Niro lunching at Da Silvano several times . . . Gywneth Paltrow hailing a cab on 7th Avenue South . . . Susan Sarandon walking to the gym by 15th and 6th . . . . Julianne Moore in Chelsea Market . . . Mike Myers on West Broadway . . .. so I guess downtown is the answer.

Loved the scene in this past week's repeated episode of The Office (Valentine's Day ep.) Michael is in NYC, and he pesters someone who he mistakes for Tina Fey. He finds out it's not her, and while pouting about it, totally misses Conan O'Brien walking past.

Our son's school was on 84th between Park and Madison. When my nursery school-age daughter and I would pick him up we would often head over to Central Park via 84th and then up Fifth. We often saw Jackie Onassis walking along this route, too, in the opposite direction, as she was headed towards St. Ignatius Loyola RC church. She was always gracious, giving the children a hello and a smile. We never spoke to her, of course, but once when we had the baby in his carriage covered with mosquito netting she peeked in to see him. She was a very lovely lady.

Well the OP hasn't been back. And I have a sneaking suspicion that the celebs they're looking for are Britney and her gigolo hubbie or Paris Hilton or someone - people who don;t really live in NYC anyway.

You can see them anywhere - yesterday I found out I share a vet with Kevin Kline - but they may not consider him a celeb.

Too true, NYtraveler.

So I guess most of them live in LA? OK, thanks!

A number of celebrities shop in the Whole Foods Market in Chelsea

Unfortunately, if you're that obsessed pick up the most recent issue of New York magazine -- there's a "Map 'O Stars" a la L.A. So sad; so cheesy.

They go where they won't be pestered.

For lunch I would go to Freds in Barney's Department Store or Michael's in Midtown.

For dinner, I think the best bets would be Da Silvano, Nobu, Babbo, and maybe Mr. Chow downtown. The lobby of the Mercer Hotel is also a good place for celeb spotting.

As people say, it is random, but these are the places that I myself have seen the most celebs (eating at least).

in today's USA today, go to this link and click to the last page of the article for a map! http://nymetro.com/news/people/18842/

joelst -

Most celebs have more than one residence - where depending on what type of celeb they are - movie, TV, theater, music, etc. But - if you're looking for the Britney/Paris type - no typically they don;t live in NYC.

You have still given us no info on who you're looking for.

If they're the people I;ve named - you can see them on TV - or in the supermarket rags - or possibly if you spend weeks hanging out in hotel lobbies in NYC (for a 30-second glimpse - through the bodyguards). Is that what you're looking for?

Purely in jest, so don't get your drawers in a knot, but do you ever read some of these thread titles, and say "who really cares?" For me, this one applies to that category.

Britney Spears became a international pop culture Icon immediately after launching her recording career. Rolling Stone magazine wrote: "One of the most controversial and successful female vocalists of the 21st century," http://how-much-does-britney-spears-weigh.com In reality, artists who have won the award have gone on to further success at least as often as not. Those who have had successful careers after winning the award include

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This is a 2006 post.

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This is a 2006 post.>>>

Even if it was a 2009 post......????

Yeah, you definitely have a point, sf7307. That post is really out of left field!!!