#25 Okay, you want to go to NYC, but where will you go and what will you do?

    Living in the Big Apple affords us endless wonderful experiences. It's been more than a year since my wife started working in NYC, and us living on the Upper West Side, but every time we get out of our apartment, new experiences await us. Here are some things we discovered you can see or do during summer if you visit the "city that never sleeps."

Watch a drive-in movie.

The Manhattan skyline during the movie drive-in. 

    If you love going to the movies, you can enhance the experience by watching a film through a drive-in cinema. Whether you drive in with a vehicle or motorcycle or walk in (chairs are provided), the experience is much different from watching a movie in an enclosed theater. The full moon, stars, and gorgeously lit Manhattan cityscapes join you as you enjoy the company of your loved ones watching the latest movie. As you approach midnight, bonus fireworks display on the right side of the Manhattan skyline. We recommend you try Skyline Drive-In NYC along the East River.

Dance at the largest outdoor dance floor.

    On weekend nights during summer, you will find New York City's largest dance floor, The Oasis, at the Josie Robertson Plaza in the Lincoln Center. One of the exciting social dance events is the silent disco. After a security check, you enter the dance floor, pick up a headphone, then start dancing to the beat of crisp music. People smiling, laughing, and dancing from the street view. You start wondering what are these people doing? They are in a disco, but you cannot hear the music. It is so much fun—no time restrictions. The 10-foot disco ball in the middle of the dance floor adds to the excitement. As the night unfolds, headphones light up with different colors making the sight a spectacle to curious passersby. The dance floor is cushioned, and nobody cares how you move. Express yourself with the beat of swing, hip hop, disco, salsa, Afrobeats, and more!

Dine in at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery.

    A Starbucks Roastery is like a seven-star hotel among Starbucks cafes. Only six locations in the world have a roastery - Seattle, Chicago, New York City, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Milano. The Roastery at 9th Avenue in New York City has three floors with four cafes specializing in different menus. For example, the Princi Bar serves hand-crafted Italian pizzas and salads. There is also a bar for pastries, a bar for coffees mixed with spirits, and a bar for flavored lattes and expressos. One of the attractions in the Roastery, besides their one-of-a-kind coffees, is a huge roasting machine where you will see winding tubes from the ceiling down to the first floor where coffee beans pass through and are roasted. The Roastery serves rare coffee flavors not available in regular Starbucks cafes. For example, the cold-brew whiskey barrel-aged coffee is aromatic and the ultimate coffee-drinking experience. It is an alcohol-free coffee despite its name.

Food shop at Chelsea Market.

    The Chelsea Market on 9th Avenue is a haven if you're a foodie. As you enter, rows and rows of food stalls of different cuisines welcome you. There are so many to choose from, whatever your taste - Chinese, Italian, Indian, American, Jamaican, Korean, Mexican, Cambodian, and more. Try Los Tacos' tacos, maybe New York City's best, Mokbar's bibimbap or bulgogi, or hand-pressed Chinese noodles at Very Fresh Noodles. There are also many desserts like gelatos, chocolates, pastries, donuts, smoothies, bubble teas, and many more. Try the delicious variety of chocolates at Lilac or the Italian ice cream flavors at Le'Arte de Gelatos. After you eat, there are also local merchandise stores where you can buy pieces of jewelry, apparel, artwork, and various decorations.

Explore Chinatown and Little Italy

    There are so many things to do in Chinatown on Canal Street. Savor authentic Chinese cuisines like Wonton Noodle Garden's wonton noodle soup with roasted duck. We also love Mei Lah Wah's baked or steamed buns (called siopao among Filipinos), especially the chicken buns. Finally, eating ice cream at the area's most famous ice cream parlor, the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, is a must after a sumptuous meal. You must try their durian and ube flavors and mango or coconut. Their ice cream is neither sweet nor creamy, reminding us of typical homemade Filipino ice cream flavors. Other than the food, you can also shop around for souvenirs or do your groceries. We always come here for sweet fruits, fresh vegetables, and affordable seafood products. However, Chinatown is always crowded, and traffic is always heavy. Also, bring cash when you come here because most business establishments like restaurants, shops, and vendors only accept cash.

Entrance to the Little Italy neighborhood

    Across Chinatown is Little Italy. So, what is the deal with Little Italy? Some people find it a romantic place, but we have not seen it. If you could do only one thing when you visit the neighborhood, eat authentic pasta dishes, especially in restaurants along Mulberry Street. If you are craving cannoli and gelatos, you can find these Italian desserts in quaint cafes in the area. In September every year, Little Italy celebrates the Feast of San Gennaro (Italian martyr) for 11 days. There is music, a cannoli-eating contest, a bazaar, and much more these days. The place is crowded with both local and international tourists during the celebration.

Other activities you can try.

• Walk around the city.
• See how people make money at Central Park.
• Hunt for some of the greatest paintings at The Met.
• Explore Little Island.
• Watch a Broadway show.
• Experience an opera for the first time.
• Take a picture of the Charging Bull.
• Commemorate the victims of the 911 attacks.
• Journey to Medieval Europe at the Cloisters.
• Eat in one of the ristorante Italiano at Little Italy.
• Take a boat ride to Liberty and Ellis Islands.
• Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge or the High Line Park.
• Take a photo of the Manhattan Bridge as your background from Washington Street.
• Visit the Bronx Zoo or New York Botanical Garden.
• Shop along 5th Avenue, Hudson Yard, or The Shops at Columbus Circle.
• Watch Sleeping Beauty ballet at the David H Kock Theater.
• Experience the excellent acoustic of the Stern Auditorium by watching a philharmonic orchestra at Carnegie Hall.
• Run in NYRR races.

The list goes on and on. There is so much to do and see. If you love adventures and experiences, New York City is one of the best cities, if not the best city in the world.