New York

New York City: Densely packed, infinitely interesting
Famous for their good-natured cockiness, New Yorkers come by it honestly. They live in the largest and arguably most interesting city in the country, if not the world, and are justifiably proud. This powerhouse city has become the country's unofficial capital for the same reasons its residents love it: diversity, glamour, and plenty of excitement.

Five is the Magic Number
Although most people think Manhattan and New York City are synonymous, that's only one-fifth of the story. New York City actually is a network of five boroughs (the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island) connected by bridges and tunnels. Within those boroughs, there are seemingly endless neighborhoods, each with its own individual flavor. And due to the limited space they have at their disposal, distinct neighborhoods co-exist practically right on top of each other. In fact, it's not uncommon to be in an upscale neighborhood, then walk only a block and find yourself in an area with a much more economically depressed profile.

In spite of the fact that it only covers 22.7 square miles, and is a mere 0.8 miles wide at its narrowest point, Manhattan is often thought of as the heart of New York City. The bulk of the area's attractions are here, along with a robust theatre district (38 Broadway theatres, 125 off-Broadway theatres, and 150 experimental off-off-Broadway theatres), countless restaurants, and many of the country's largest businesses. Some of Manhattan's attractions, such as Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and Central Park, are icons. Their names are so tattooed on our collective consciousness that just hearing them immediately invokes the feeling of this dynamic city. Less flashy, but more important to everyday life, is the fact that Manhattan is home to some of the country's most prestigious healthcare facilities. Nine of Manhattan's hospitals are on U.S. News and World Report's America's Best Hospitals 2006 list, and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital made the publication's honor roll.

Borough-ing In
Even though almost 2 million residents commonly regard Manhattan as "The City," 6 million New Yorkers choose to live in the other four boroughs-some because they prefer the quieter lifestyle in these communities, others because they simply can't afford the astronomical price tag that comes with Manhattan living. But thanks to smart planning by transportation officials, outer-borough residents still can work in Manhattan by using the many transportation options available to them. The ferries, bridges, trains, and tunnels of the New York City area are an effective means of transportation, especially if you're savvy about their use. Experienced New York drivers who commute know to listen to bridge- and tunnel-traffic radio updates before they leave each day so they can determine the least-crowded route. This is especially true when inclement weather hits, as is often the case in the winter.

Although they're generally not as glitzy as Manhattan, the other boroughs definitely have their own appeal. The Bronx is the only borough that isn't on an island, and in contrast to its sometimes-rough image, boasts almost 6,000 acres of lush parkland. It's also home to Yankee Stadium, and Riverdale, one of New York's most beautiful residential communities. Brooklyn personifies the term "bedroom community," with its tree-lined residential streets and its noticeable lack of tall buildings. It's home to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, Coney Island, and of course, the Brooklyn Bridge, which celebrated its 120th anniversary on May 24, 2003. The city's largest borough is Queens. It has the reputation of being the most ethnically diverse county in the country; with Italians, Irish, Japanese, Colombians, Indians, Puerto Ricans, Israelis, Maltese, Greeks, and Peruvians all having their own distinct presence in the community. It's also the site of two World's Fairs (1939 and 1964), and the USTA National Tennis Center, which hosts the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament every year. Last, but not least, little Staten Island is a diverse community that lays claim to 57 miles of waterfront property. Historically known for the Staten Island Ferry, it has a new, but tragic, claim to fame: Its Fresh Kills landfill is where the remains of the World Trade Center went to be sorted and archived.

Expensive-But Worth It
There's no doubt that living in New York City is an expensive proposition. It has some of the highest property and state income taxes in the country. It also has hefty sales and local commuter taxes, and its housing costs are among the highest in the United States. But New Yorkers take it all in stride. They obviously feel it's the price they have to pay to live in what some might consider America's premiere city.

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New York City Attractions

For a city with such a high cost of living, New York City offers an extraordinary amount of free activities. Explore the Rockefeller Center on a self-guided tour. Relax amid the 840 acres of Central Park. Join the audience of such taped TV shows as Saturday Night Live and Late Show with David Letterman. Attend a concert at the Julliard School of Music. Visit a museum on its no-charge or pay-what-you-will weekday. Take in the grandeur of Saint Patrick's Cathedral. Ride the Staten Island Ferry past Lady Liberty (yep, the ride's free).

But for those determined to pay for the New York experience, the classic attractions are worth their price. Options range from the views atop the Empire State Building and the thrills on Coney Island's roller coaster, to the entertainment at Madison Square Garden and the species encounters in the Bronx Zoo.

Bronx
Bronx Zoo
Edgar Allen Poe Cottage
Little Italy in the Bronx
New York Botanical Garden
Wave Hill

Brooklyn
Astroland Amusement Park
Bargemusic
Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts
Brooklyn Children's Museum
Brooklyn Historical Society Library and Museum
Brooklyn Museum of Art
New York Aquarium
New York Transit Museum
Prospect Park
Waterfront Museum and Showboat Barge

Manhattan
American Museum of Natural History
Carnegie Hall
Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
Central Park
Central Park Zoo
Chelsea Piers Sports and Entertainment Complex
Children's Museum of Manhattan
Chinatown
Ellis Island
Empire State Building
Grand Central Terminal
Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Little Italy
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum
Madison Square Garden
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Morgan Library
Museum of Jewish Heritage
Museum of Modern Art
Museum of Television & Radio
Museum of the City of New York
National Academy of Design
National Museum of the American Indian
New Museum of Contemporary Art
New York Public Library
NY Waterway ferry rides and sightseeing cruises
Radio City Music Hall
Rockefeller Center
Saint Patrick's Cathedral
Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
South Street Seaport
Statue of Liberty
Times Square Visitors Center
United Nations
Whitney Museum of American Art
World Financial Center

Queens
Alley Pond Environmental Center
Kupferberg Center of Visual and Performing Arts
New York Hall of Science
Queens Botanical Garden
Queens County Farm Museum
Queens Museum of Art

Staten Island
Noble Maritime Collection museum and study center
Snug Harbor Cultural Center
Staten Island Botanical Garden
Staten Island Ferry
Staten Island Zoo

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New York City Shopping

While a few traditional malls exist in the Big Apple, much of the shopping action occurs in celebrated commercial districts, mammoth stores, and teeny specialty shops. You can find everything here-it's just a little more spread out than in other cities.

Visit family-friendly Times Square for souvenirs, SoHo for pricey boutiques, the East Village for more affordable designer wear, and the Diamond District for jewelry bargains. Must-see institutions like F.A.O. Schwartz and Tiffany & Co. have made Fifth Avenue candy-bar famous. The daddy of all department stores, Macy's, takes up a full city block. For killer deals, watch local publications for sample sales and close-out sales. But about those ubiquitous street vendors... the buyer should beware. Streetside wares may be counterfeit, stolen, or substandard.

Brooklyn
Kings Plaza Shopping

Manhattan
Bloomingdale's
Fortunoff
IKEA
Lord and Taylor
Macy's
Manhattan Mall
Saks Fifth Avenue
South Street Seaport

Queens
Queens Center

Staten Island
Staten Island Mall

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New York City Nightlife

New York holds up to its reputation... this truly is the city that never sleeps. Bars, clubs and lounges stay open until four in the morning and if you're looking to keep going at that point you can have your pick of after-hour joints. There's only one issue with the night scene in the city - it's impossible to keep track of the hot spots. What's all the rage today will be long forgotten about by tomorrow. The best way to stay current is to hit websites that can point you in the right direction. The list below contains a few great places to go to get the party started quickly:

Timeout
Promony
Sheckys
New York City Search
Village Voice
New York Nightlife
New York Times: Travel Guides

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New York Healthcare Facilities

The distinction of being America's most populous city is a double-edged sword. The combined assets of New York City's population amplify its potential for greatness. At the same time, the sheer volume of that population means there are more healthcare needs related to aging, poverty, crime, drug addiction, and accidents. New York City also has the country's highest number of AIDS cases and the largest homeless population. Fortunately, New York City is home to scores of healthcare institutions, many of them prestigious.

Major healthcare facilities in New York City include:

Bronx
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University
Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center
Calvary Hospital
Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center
Montefiore Medical Center
North Central Bronx Hospital
St. Barnabas Hospital

Brooklyn
Beth Israel Medical Center - Kings Highway Division
Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center
Brooklyn Hospital Center
Brooklyn Campus of the VA NY Harbor Healthcare System
Coney Island Hospital
Interfaith Medical Center
Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center
Kings County Hospital Center
Lutheran Medical Center
Maimonides Medical Center
Wyckoff Heights Medical Center

Manhattan
Bellevue Hospital Center
Beth Israel Medical Center - Petrie Division
Beth Israel Medical Center - Singer Division
Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian
Coler-Goldwater Specialty Care and Nursing Facility
Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center
Gouverneur Healthcare Services
Harlem Hospital Center
Hospital for Special Surgery
Lenox Hill Hospital
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Metropolitan Hospital Center
Mount Sinai Medical Center
NY Eye & Ear Infirmary
NYU Downtown Hospital
NYU Medical Center
Rockefeller University Hospital
St. Clare's Hospital and Health Center
St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center
St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan
Weill Medical Center of Cornell University

Queens
Elmhurst Hospital Center
Flushing Hospital Medical Center
Mary Immaculate Hospital
Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens
New York Hospital Queens
Queens Hospital Center
St. John's Queens Hospital
St. Joseph's Hospital

Staten Island
Bayley Seton Hospital, Staten Island
Staten Island University Hospital (north and south campuses)
St. Vincent's Hospital Staten Island

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New York Nursing Resources

Greater New York Hospital Association
New York State Association of School Nurses
New York State Board of Nursing (License Renewals)
New York State Department of Health
New York State Education Department Office of the Professions
New York State Nurses Association
The Nurse Practitioner Association New York State

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New York City Weather

You'd expect a concrete jungle to be hot and muggy, right? You won't be disappointed in New York City. Summer temperatures actually don't get too hot-the average July high is 85 degrees-but high humidity raises the damp-shirt factor. Luckily, summers also bring about four inches of rain monthly to relieve sweltering pedestrians and cool the "fry eggs on it" pavement.

Winters blanket the metropolis with about 25 inches of snow annually, along with chill-to-the-bone icy winds. Temps in January, the coldest month, average in the upper 30s during the day and in the mid-20s at night. During the spring and autumn, residents and visitors are treated to pleasant temperatures, comfortable humidity, and vibrant park colors.

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