Cappuccino Thoughts 119: On How to Spend a Wonderful Weekend in New York for Under $250
Without depriving yourself
Cappuccino Thoughts is a weekly newsletter about culture and creativity in New York.
A common refrain among New Yorkers is just how expensive this city is. And it’s true. It sometimes feels like you can’t walk out of your house without spending $50. But there’s also an amazing amount to do here that’s free or costs very little. So, whether you live here or you’re planning your next trip here, this is how I spend a great weekend in New York for under $250.
Friday night:
It’s Friday night, go see a show! There are a couple of really great options to find affordable tickets. The New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theater both have $30 tickets for people under 30. You do need to be a little flexible since you can only purchase them the week of. $30. Before or after the show, walk from Lincoln Center to dinner at Brooklyn Diner, a classic NYC diner on 57th Street with great noodle kugel and absolutely massive burgers. Hamburger: $19.95 + tax and tip. Subway to and from: $2.90x2.
Alternatively, you could get rush tickets to a Broadway show. You can use the TKTS app or go to the booth in Times Square. You will spend around $50. Alternative: $50.
Or, you can go to the Met for one of its date nights. On Fridays, the museum is open until 9pm and it often has live music. Pay as you wish for New York residents. Alternative: $0.
Daily total: $62.80
Saturday:
Take the subway to Chelsea. $2.90. Fuel up for the day at Fabrique Artisan Bakery with a cardamom bun and cappuccino. $13.50.
Visit the PACE Gallery. It is five floors of rotating exhibitions that are free to visit. On Thursdays in Chelsea, you can find many gallery openings that are free and sometimes offer complimentary refreshments. $0.
Go shopping at the new MUJI market in Chelsea Market. It has a fun selection of little surprise-and-delight items, like toothpaste tablets and under-eye masks. Spend perhaps $20. Walk around the rest of Chelsea Market to peruse the other shops.
Grab some noodles for lunch at Xi’an Famous Foods, a mainstay for Chinese cuisine. $12.65 + tax and tip.
Walk up the West Side Highway and admire all the people and dogs running around, as well as the amazing views of the Hudson. $0.
Stop at Little Island and see if there are any free exhibits or concerts. $0.
Hop on the subway and take the L to the 6 and get off at the Roosevelt Island Tramway. $2.90.
Grab a quick coffee at Black Press. $6.60 for a cold brew with oat milk.
Hop on the tram to Roosevelt Island (you can pay with your metro card!) and enjoy the views of the East River. $2.90.
Walk around Roosevelt Island, admire the 360 degree water views and visit the Four Freedoms Park designed by Louis Kahn. You could even take a little picnic and spread out for a snack in the park. This is such a quick and easy city escape. You’ll feel like you’re away from it all. $0.
At this point, you might be ready to call it a day. But if you still have the energy (city that never sleeps, baby!), hop back on the subway and head to Brooklyn. Go to Nene’s Taqueria. You can get the Birria combo, which includes three birria tacos and a cup of consomme, for $14.99 + tax and tip.
Walk over to Elsewhere to go dancing. You can get in free before 7pm, or pay about $7 at a later hour. It has live music most nights and the rooftop ambience is fun. $7.
Time to head home! Hop back on the subway. $2.90.
Daily total: $69.94
Sunday:
Get an early start to the day! I live here because I love all the hubbub, but it’s also such a treat when the city is quiet. Visit the Flower District on 28th Street between 6th and 8th Avenues. Get first pick of the day’s flowers, sold at wholesale prices. $10.99.
Get a coffee at Seven Grams, the best cappuccino in New York. Eye the cookies, but say no today in the name of health $7.20.
Enjoy your cappuccino in Madison Square Park. As a bonus, watch the small dogs run around the aptly named Small Dog Run. There’s often a public art installation on the field. $0.
Walk into the National Arts Club, a private club, but which has free art exhibits open to the public. $0.
Pop down to Chinatown on the subway. $2.90. Grab lunch at Bo Ky, a hybrid Chinese and Vietnamese restaurant. Enjoy some dumplings or a bowl of pho. $15. After a long weekend of walking, treat yourself to a 30-minute foot massage at Yan May Spa. $25.
If you want to soak up the last of your weekend, take the 5 train ($2.90) up to the Bronx Botanical Garden. It’s $15 for New York residents for an all-access grounds pass. Stop and smell the roses at the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, enjoy the gorgeous oversized rhododendrons, and take a trip around the world through the desert and orchid gardens.
Start making your way back downtown on the subway. $2.90. Stop off at 145th street to go to Charles Pan-Fried Chicken. It’s the best deal in New York—$10 for 2 pieces of fried chicken and a side (think collard greens or mac and cheese) + corn bread.
Take the subway back to Manhattan. $2.90. Grab a pint of ice cream at Van Leeuwen’s as a little treat (and a lot more cost-effective than two cones). $10.99.
Sit on your couch and reflect on a weekend full of entertainment, great food, flora and fauna, and three New York City boroughs!
Daily total: $105.78
Weekend total: $234.52
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I used to do a lot of freelance writing on the side of my corporate career — everything from brand voice and website copy to naming businesses and launching Substacks.
I’ve been feeling the itch again and have some time to take on one freelance project. If you or your brand could use a fresh perspective, sharper positioning, or help putting words to what you’re building, I’d love to hear from you. Email me at claire@claireakkan.com.
I just uploaded a few new bags to the storefront! This fan favorite, pink-linked bag, which sold out twice, is back in a limited edition. See it here!
I loved this chic couple and wanted to know where they were going on an early Saturday morning! The fellow is sporting a pleated black jacket that I can only assume is Issey Miyake, with gray trousers and a black leather bag. (I have major respect for men who use bags. It is not cute to overstuff your pockets!) The gal is wearing some kind of white tunic halter top with a a black sort of tuxedo jacket with a cut-out and black sheer skirt. I do wish I had been able to see her from the front, because I’m very curious how this look came together and if it really looked like she was missing pants? Either way, she definitely caught my eye!
This week I read Korea: A New History of South & North by Victor D. Cha and Ramon Pacheco Pardo. I’m completely fascinated by North Korea and have read a number of books about the country (Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick is the best). But I had yet to read a book about the history of Korea, how the country was split, and how and why the resulting two countries diverged. Korea had been occupied by the Japanese during WWII. At the end of the war, Korea was liberated from Japanese occupation and the Americans and Russians drew a temporary border through the middle of the country as part of the peace agreement with the Japanese. Unfortunately, that border still exists 80 years later. At first, the North was far more developed and the international community was much more concerned about the progress of the South. Of course, opposite leaning regimes flipped that on its head. It’s a fascinating history. I thought the most interesting part of the book was the last few chapters, where the authors examined what reunification of the two Koreas could look like, and what the many challenges would be, ranging from practical considerations like healthcare systems and currency integration, to broader questions about identity and how to build trust between the two now very different countries. Give it a read if you’re interested in this topic. 4/5 stars.
This week, I am seeing the spring blooms at the Bronx Botanical Garden 🌸.
All my best,
