My round the world backpacking adventure starts in New York City soon. I've read all the Lonely Planet guides but was just wondering if there are any local tips about where to go, socialising and stuff like that? I've been to NYC before...for a long weekend and had a very good time, but I found some of the bars a bit pretentious (Armani suits and cocktails etc). I'll be staying in the hostels near Chelsea and just want to meet down-to-earth-easy-going people who don't like olives in their drinks...

Any hints or tips would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Pete

If you want to avoid the corporate, yuppie crowd, stay away from the Upper East Side and Upper West Side night spots. Concentrate on the East Village. If you walk East on St. Marks Place (Eighth Street) to Avenue A and then walk South on Avenue A, there are a ton of restaurants and bars, many of which are lots of fun. Also, check out who's playing at the Kitchen. Tickets are often cheap and the crowd is very "downtown".

Good luck!

- Jeremy

Hi, Pete. I can't guess your age and how you like to socialize but there are great places for different people in NYC. I do like olives in my martini but like you don't like pseudo riche places. Try Greenwich Village, Soho, and Tribeca for some down to earth good times. You'll find midtown and uptown that the further you get east or west of Park Avenue the more relaxed and "local" the bars and restaurants are. Have fun!

Jeremy/Beverly
Thanks for your advice !

Beverly, sorry I was just being facetious about olives in drinks... I just remember being in a bar surrounded by lots of Vodka/Martini drinking people and I was the only person drinking beer and felt like the odd-one-out !

As I will be an 'Englishman in New York' what is a 'downtown crowd' as Jeremy puts it ?

From what I understand, "downtown" refers to the southern areas of manhattan (Tribeca, Soho, East/West Village, etc.) Compared to Midtown to the north, the buildings are smaller and less imposing and it has much more of a neighborhood feel. It's a bit scruffier (esp in the East Village), but has much fewer tourists and things are less expensive (though still plan on paying $5 for a pint). Midtown is the area where the corporate expense accounts dominate and is where restaurants and bars will seem the most "pretentious". Downtown bars will be filled largely with people who live in the neighborhood, and are probably more what you're looking for.
When my wife and I are in town, we spend most of our time downtown.
Some bars you may like are Chumley's (in the West Village - very hard to find, just ask someone where it is), XR Bar on Houston, and Bar 6 (more of a cafe) on 6th Ave near 12th Street. There are a million other places in these neighborhoods.
Have a great time!

Brian hit the nail on the head, so to speak. The "downtown" crowd is more relaxed, sometimes artsy or even funky, less showy than the heart of midtown. While there are some great restaurants in the midtown area, after work during the week corporate entertaining is big business and there is a lot of posturing and deal making. If you are young and like funky, the East Village and Greenwich Village are the places to go for smaller bars/restaurants and music. The residential areas of Upper West Side and Upper East Side (uptown) have good places to eat, too, and a more affluent, professional crowd - without the suits. Wherever you go in the city, there should be something interesting. When you are in town, pick up the "New York Magazine" for a good restaurant and club guide and current happenings in the city. Feel free to e-mail me if you need more info and welcome, Englishman, to New York!