A question for Manhattonites:
For many years now I have heard about what a tome the NYT is on sundays. A newspaper lover's smorgasboard! Being a media person I knew, if I was ever going to make it to NY I would spend half a sunday pouring over that paper.

Now the time has come, more precisely it will on Oct 5. My question to you is: Where would you spend a couple of hours with the NYT given a) the weather was good enough to be outside or b) it was not. I'm really curious to hear about your favourites. Thank you!

Hendrik

Bryant park (behind the NYPL) is great for people watching and has tables and chairs and kiosks for buying coffee or snacks.

Most people read the Sunday NYT in the privacy of their pajamas or underwear. It is usually not an outdoor sport nor an activity with brunch in a restaurant.

What is more imortant to NY'ers is what are going to eat with the Sunday Times.

That said, if I were read the paper outdoors I would head for the periphery, such as a bench or pocket park by one of the rivers. There are juggers but it is quieter. There are also pocket parks here and there which are quiet. I would avoid the usual outdoor spots such as Washington Square or Central Park simply because they are usually filled with people on the weekends, even there are quiet spots in Central Park.

>>...in the privacy of their pajamas or underwear.

Granted. But having heard horror stories about the size of NY hotel rooms, maybe we'd rather be out of it.

>>What is more imortant to NY'ers is what are going to eat with the Sunday Times.
So? Food's always good, so what are you having?

>>there are quiet spots in Central Park.
Would you like to point one out?

Thanks Hendrik

If the weather is decent anyplace in Central Park - there are thousands of benches.

If it isn't at any coffee shop or diner (you'll see may of the people there reading the Times while brunching).

We do it in bed - since our Times is delivered. (In NYC you can get anything delivered - never mind just the newspaper.)

And if you're truly desperate you can get most of it Saturday night (except the news naturally) since most is printed in advance - and distributed for those who 1) either can;t wait or 2) want to real estate section to be first on line for apartments.

Starbucks, seems to be the place we go to read the paper on Sunday, and you will see lots of people doing that. There are Starbucks on most street corners these days.

I spent my Sunday am in NYC, last November at Ess-a-Bagel at their 3rd ave. mid-town East location reading the NYT. The bagels and coffee were great also. http://www.ess-a-bagel.com/

a) The Conservatory Garden in Central Park, entrance on 104 st. & Fifth Ave. Stop for coffee and bagel first to bring with. Where are you staying?

b) Cafe Sabarsky (opens at 9)

>>Where are you staying?
The Millenium Broadway on TS.

Conservatory Garden is at the northern end, isn't it?

Hendrik

Yes, the Conservatory Garden is at the far northern end, near Fifth Avenue. Frankly, you're probably better-off spreading it out on your bed in the hotel room and ordering room service. Or pick a section or two to take to a park for an outing.

Sorry Hendrik. You should NOT read your NYT that particular Sunday. Read it when you get home!

You will be in NY during an incredible time - that weekend is Open House NY - which happens once a year when many sites related to architecture and design (modern and very old) are open to the public.
It's a great event whether you visit a famous building, church, townhouse, etc., or someone's home - it's a terrific weekend. See site below. Soon all the listings will be online and you can plan where you want to visit. A few require advance reservation, but the majority do not.

http://www.ohny.org/weekend/listings.cfm

I am a volunteer for OHNY. Last year I visited Cooper Hewitt and toured it as Andrew Carnegie's home. I visited an old cemetery in the East Village (that is always closed to the public). I toured the mansion on 79th and 5th that is now the Ukranian Art Center, but the tour was the building as a private home - everything in it is original.
These are a very few examples of what there is to see.

So, my Times will be delivered early, but I'll be out the door for OHNY. Last year, my volunteer shift was at an incredible Greek church in upper Manhattan - the mosaics and icons were beautiful - don't know where I'm assigned yet for this year, but I'm sure it will be wonderful!!

I've been reading the Sunday Times online for awhile now, around Saturday, midnight - the Sunday edition is pretty much posted then, some sections already available days before. I also download to my iPhone parts to catch up on during the week. Real paper is so late 90s .

Starbucks is convenient, but I'd try and find an independent cafe, with sofas and a coffee table I can put my feet up on where the music selection is less predictable.

Park is nice, but the paper edition does not react well to wind. Or dogs. Or out of control kids.

Shake Shack Madison Square Park.

Thin

It really depends on where your starting point is. I like the Bryant Park idea but I'm not traveling out of my way to read the paper there.

If going to Central Park, I might suggest you start somewhere first for brunch and a section or two. Maybe somewhere like Orsay or Payard on the Upper East Side. From there, stroll over to the park. I'd look for a spot behind the Met near the Obelisk.

Remember, too, if it's breezy, the Times will be a nightmare to read outside. I've tried. And lost....

If you go the late Saturday pm of reading the paper, Esperanto Cafe on MacDougal would be a pleasant enough place to read it...it's open around the clock last I checked.

Personally, I've read the paper many times sitting in Brooklyn Bridge Park, a small park situated between the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges on the Brooklyn side.

Of course, I'm not sure I'd recommend the trek...especially with CentralParkGirl's warning of the day's available open house but I thought I'd throw the idea out anyway. Thanks for the heads up CPG!

I agree with others, I either sit in my hotel bed with the paper spread around, great coffee and a bag of bagels or muffins -- OR -- I read it at home after my trip. At home, I have the NYTimes delivered on Sunday and take the whole week to read it.

Katie - I just saw an ad on a train that said October 5th is a big bike race. It didn't specify the route, but it implied some areas would only be open to bikes.

What do you know of this?

Your hotel is two blocks from Bryant Park so I agree with that suggestion. I hope it isn't windy! Sounds relaxing though.

Thanks for the multiple input, vibrant as usual I hasten to add. I've made a mental note of Bryant Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park - I actually intend to see Conservatory Gdn anyway, but maybe on a different occasion. The advice about wind, dogs and kids is plausible. Anyway, it looks as if centralparkgirl has finished the NYT idea for good, it looks as if OHNY is just the thing! We just had "Day of the open Monument" literally translated here in Germany and it's always nice to dicover things you may have walked past unknowingly for years, have a guided tour in a slightly extra-ordinary place. Just my kind of thing, thanks.

@centralparkgirl: Where's the Greek church exactly, please? Why don't you post where you're on duty and all available Fodorites will pop in to see you
@Proenza_Preschooler: Would you care to expand on the Shake thing, I don't have the slightest.
@Ryan: A little more detail on the whereabouts of Orsay or Payard?

Hendrik