Now that I have moved back to New York, a city that I have explored quite a bit over the last few years, I am constantly coming upon shops and restaurants that I frequent often. Unlike my experiences in Argentina, I have old standards. which I go to again and again while I wait for whatever particular obligations that I have.

Such was the case this morning, when I got up, went biking throughout Prospect Park, and generally relaxed in my new Park Slope digs. I truly love the apartment I am in and will be sad to see it go in a few months, so I spent the morning just taking in the paintings around Brownstone, many of which are probably famous and I just don’t know it. Currently, my job of part-time teaching is spoiling me. I have so much time on my hands on a given Wednesday that I ended up not leaving my house until 2:30 PM. I hopped on the Subway in search of a movie near where I am taking classes on w. 13th St. in Manhattan. However, finding no movie theaters with available showtimes, I ended up going to a few restaurants and coffee shops and bars to pass my time between searching. So, that all being said, I thought I would start a new section of this blog, named above that would provide a venue for restaurants, places of interest and other recommendations based on my wanderings in a particular area.

Here are today’s recommendations:

Better Burger (178 Eighth Ave. at 19th St.) Part of an NYC chain, this burger joint used to serve, among other things, ostrich, which gives you an idea of the high quality of the burgers here. Still good for those who want something akin to ultra chic fastfood. And the food is pretty cheap.

0603091749a

Bar Six (502 Sixth Ave. at 14th St.) Great place if you want a classic NYC cafe. There’s a little bit of everything for everybody and strikes me as a place for New School students, professors and travelers into the village.

Spain Restaurant & Bar (113 W. 13th St. at Sixth Ave.) By all means one of the best local hangouts I have found thisarea. Spain provides just about everything that you want to hangout with your friends. Head immediately to the bar for cheap drinks and to be plied mini-appetizers, all on the house, for hours and hours and hours.

Cinema Village

Cinema Village (22 E. 12th St. image care of warsze flickr) A great local film center with adorably small theaters. It’s a classic place for indie flicks of all sorts and often shows at least one highly recommended movie each week.