New York City Archives - Pilots + Cabin Crew

4 Parks You Should Visit in New York City

Pilots + Cabin Crew on January 16, 2022

New York City is not just about skyscrapers and busy streets. The city has a wonderful selection of parks in all shapes and sizes, and even in Manhattan, you are rarely more than a couple of blocks away from a green spot. Here are some of the most popular parks in the city:

Central Park

Central Park is a green oasis in the middle of Manhattan’s concrete jungle, and it is a wonderful place to visit. It often gets crowded around the southern entrances to the park, but just a few blocks further north, it is easy to find your own, secluded spot.

When the weather is nice, this is also the place to have a picnic in the city. Or why not go for a jog around Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, which is the big lake in the northern part of the park?

The park is huge, so if you want to see more than just a tiny corner, renting a bike or hiring a pedicab is strongly recommended.

A picnic in Central Park (Mitzie Mee Blog>>

Central Park in a pedicab (Mitzie Mee Blog) >>

The High Line

This 1.45-mile-long park runs through Chelsea along an elevated railroad track, providing a unique escape from the city’s hustle and bustle. During the summer months, food and drinks can be purchased from vendors in the area between 15th & 17th street, and a variety of activities take place in the park during the week.

The High Line Park attracts a lot of visitors, and it can get crowded at times, especially on weekends, so go there in the morning or be prepared to share the park with the rest of New York.

The high Line on a cold December day (Mitzie Mee Blog) >>

Sockerbit and The High Line (Mitzie Mee Blog) >>

Bryant Park

Compared to Central Park and The High Line, Bryant Park may seem somewhat less interesting, but the park is very popular among New Yorkers. In the summer, you can hang around on the big lawn, and in the winter, there is a free ice skating rink on the park premises.

There are plenty of public café tables lining the park, so grab something to go from one of the nearby outlets, and sit down at one of the cafe tables provided. Lady M is just across the street, and their milles crêpe cakes are to die for. Bryant Park is sometimes used for movie screenings, tai chi lessons and other events, so keep an eye on the calendar at the Bryant Park website.

Bryant Park Café – Summer in the city (Mitzie Mee Blog)>>

Madison Square Park

Madison Square Park is cozy, but it isn’t really a place, where you hang out. I’ve added Madison Square Park to this list anyway, and that’s because the park is also home to the original location of Shake Shack. If you haven’t tried a Shake Shack burger yet, then this is your reason to visit Madison Square Park.

Shake Shack in Madison Square Park (Mitzie Mee Blog) >>

NYC: Guide to Korean Restaurants

Pilots + Cabin Crew on July 2, 2021

Korean food has been trending in NYC for quite a while, but which restaurants are the best? Local expert April shares her favorite Korean restaurants in the city:

Rib No. 7

Rib No. 7 is a new Korean BBQ restaurant known for excellent marinated beef. I usually prefer un-marinated meat for bbq, but the Dressed up Oodae Galbi (marinated prime aged rib) at Rib No. 7 is delicious. In Korea, we have fried rice after the barbecue, and at Rib. No. 7 you can order fried rice prepared at your table with the grease from the barbecue, so remember to save some appetite for that.

Rib No. 7, 32W 33rd Street (between Broadway and 5th Ave), Koreatown, New York

Yoon

The original branch is located in Busan in Korea, and it is highly popular and known throughout the country. My dad used to work in Busan, so I have been with him to Yoon on several occasions. I was therefore delighted to find out that the youngest of the 3 sons of the founder had decided to open a Yoon branch in New York City.

The signature dish at Yoon is the non-marinated galbi, which is divine. Another dish that I often order, and that you don’t find at many other Korean restaurants is the Octopus over rice, which is also very good.

Yoon, 8 West 36th Street, Midtown West, New York

Samwon Garden Korean BBQ

Koreatown is smack in the middle of Manhattan, so the area is easily accessible and very popular among tourists. Though the food in Koreatown is often westernized and not very authentic, but there are some exceptions. One of them is Samwon Garden Korean BBQ, which is a Korean restaurant from Seoul. It recently opened in NYC, and it is very popular among Koreans. In spite of the name, Samwon Garden Korean BBQ also serves regular Korean food, not just barbecue, and their lunch specials are very good too.

Samwon Garden Korean BBQ, 37 W 32nd St, Koreatown, New York

Her name is Han

The food at Her Name Is Han is very authentic Korean but the ambience is really cool and stylish, more like a typical NYC restaurant, and the food is really good.

Her name is Han, 17 E 31st St, Midtown, New York

Take 31

Take 31 is a Korean-style izakaya located right next to Her Name Is Han, and and the two spots have the same owner. Koreans like to eat something when they are drinking and Take 31 serves the kind of food you would want along with your beer/soju/makgeolli. And talking about makgeolli, Take 31is known for their fruit-flavored version of this traditional Korean rice wine.

Take 31, 15 E 31st St, Midtown, New York

Atoboy

This is Korean fusion food when it is best. Maybe it is just me, but I think they are just getting better and better over time? The prix fixe menu consists of 5 dishes for 75USD (July 2021) and includes gratuity. Atoboy also has a 2 Michelin star (2021) sister restaurant, Atomix. I haven’t been there yet, as it is impossible to get a table, but I’ve heard it is supposed to be very good.

Atoboy, 43 E 28th St, NoMad, New York

Oiji

Oiji is a modern Korean restaurant in East Village. It is extremely popular right now, so no matter when you go, it always seems to be jam-packed. Try their honey butter chips, this is the dessert everybody is talking about:)

Oiji, 119 1st Avenue, East Village, New York

Jua

This Korean fine dining restaurant opened during the pandemic, and it is such a nice place. The food is very different from the spiciness and heavy marinades that people usually associate with Korean food. The flavors are natural and somewhat light and subtle, with some fusion elements mixed into the modern Korean dishes.

The tasting menu consists of 7 courses and costs 120USD (July 2021).

Jua, 36E 22nd Street, Flatiron, New York

So I know this was supposed to be about Korean food in Manhattan, but I just want you to know that you find the most authentic Korean food out in Murray Hill in Flushing. It is difficult to visit the restaurants out there if you do not speak Korean, as most menus are Korean only and the staff only speaks very little English, but the food is very good and much cheaper than in Manhattan.

April – NYC Local Expert

April is originally from Seoul in Korea, but she has been living in New York City for 19 years, so she is a real New Yorker now. Though she has not forgotten her love for Korean food, and if there is anyone who knows the Korean restaurant scene in NYC, it is April.

Follow April on Instagram >>

NYC: Barney Greengrass

Pilots + Cabin Crew on July 1, 2021

Barney Greengrass also goes under the name “The Sturgeon King” and for smoked fish, there’s no better place than Barney’s on the Upper West Side.

Barney Greengrass has been around since 1908 (at the current location since 1929), but for reasons unknown, it has never turned into the same tourist magnet as Russ & Daughters on the Lower East Side. Though Barney Greengrass has a large local fan base and the tiny cafeteria inside the deli is almost always packed.

The service is NYC-style, so forget about warm welcomes and polite phrases. The bill will most likely appear before you have thought about asking for it, when the staff has decided that you have been sitting around for long enough, but they mean well, so see it as a part of a very authentic New York experience.

What to order? The sturgeon is excellent, but the different kinds of lox are also very good.

Barney Greengrass, 541 Amsterdam Avenue (between 86th & 87th Street), Upper West Side, New York

NYC: Jeju Noodle Bar

Pilots + Cabin Crew on June 1, 2021

Trendy Korean noodle bar in West Village. Korean noodles, ramyun, is the Korean equivalent to Japanese ramen, and Koreans love their noodles just as much as the Japanese do, so it is in fact strange that there are not more Korean noodle restaurants around. In addition to noodles, the restaurant also serves a selection of modern Korean dishes as well as hwe, the Korean version of sashimi. Before covid, Jeju Noodle Bar did not take reservations, but these days, you will need a reservation to dine in. It’s a popular spot, so make sure you book well in advance.

What to order? Since it is a noodle bar, it would be silly not to order one of the noodle bowls. Add 1-2 appetizers to make sure you do not leave hungry.

Good for: Late dinner with foodie friends before a night out.

Jeju Noodle Bar, 679 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10014