Ah, audition season! Every October through December, singers make their annual pilgrimage to Audition Mecca, also known as New York City. For many, it is a business trip, but you shouldn't let the work outweigh the enjoyment. While you are indeed here to audition, work with that big-name coach, network, and take advantage of every career-advancing opportunity, it's also important to take full advantage of what this city has to offer. After all, you spent the money to get here, so make the most of it. 

Be a Tourist

Seriously, go do all the touristy things locals crinkle their noses at. More than likely, your New Yorker friend will end up going with you and have a blast! Unless, of course, it's Times Square. Now is the time for you to go see all the sites and images you've seen in movies and T.V. These experiences wil be lasting memories.

Our Recommendations:

1. The Statue of Liberty- you've seen the images, now see it in person
2. The 9/11 Memorial- a reverential must-do for any American
3. The Empire State Building- the view is worth it 

Yes, people take photos just like this in Times Square.

Museums, Museums, Museums!

Museums can be a great, quite place to save our voices. You can walk around in silence at your own pace, and bask in the art and culture. With four of the worlds largest and most prominent museums, you will get your artistic fill. However, you don't just have to visit the large museums. If you're interested in quaint and intimate experiences, there are countless small galleries throughout the city featuring artists from across the world.

Our Recommendations:

1. Museum of Modern Art- avant-gard at its finest
2. The Whitney Museum- chic-American art
3. The Metropolitan Museum of Art- the greats throughout history
4. The Krause Gallery- contemporary art with an intimate feel

We realize Ferris Beuller is in Chicago, but you get the point.

See a Show

The Met is right in the middle of their season, and will always have something exciting and new to see. Plus, you’ve got Broadway, Off-Broadway, Carnegie Hall, regional theaters and comedy clubs. You’re a working performer in a city filled with performances. You simply have to go see something while you’re here!

Our Recommendations for affordable tickets:

1. Online rush for the Met, or go straight to the box office
2. Download Todaytix for discount Broadway and Off-Broadway shows
3. Broadwayforbrokepeople gives you info on rush and lottery tickets

The line for Hamilton is NEVER this short!

Eat Pizza

Would you come to NYC and not indulge in their signature dish? One cannot fathom! Pizza is literally on every corner. If you're gluten or dairy free, do not worry one bit; this city has you covered. A simple Google search will turn up a dietary restriction-friendly location close to you. For those with acid reflux, well, that’s what prayer and Zantac are for, right?

Our Recommendatons:

1. Bleecker Street Pizza- quintessential corner shop with excellent pizza
2. Koronet Pizza-the picture below explains it all
3. Lombardi's- coined as the oldest pie in the city

You can get a slice bigger than your face.

Explore the Neighborhoods

NYC is so much more than just skyscrapers, sirens, traffic, and crowds. Some neighborhoods are perfect for an afternoon stroll, free of the hustle and bustle. Some are excellent for people watching and experiencing the oddities of the city.  Many neighborhoods are great for authentic dining, such as excellent dim sum in Chinatown or homestyle Ukranian food in East Village. The further you go, the more you will see and the more you will experience.

Our Recommendations:

1. West Village has beautiful streets for exploring
2. Lower East Side- gritty, artistic, and historic
3. Bushwick/Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn: a taste of bohemian Brooklyn
4. Astoria in Queens has faboulous Greek food

Admit it, you want to come here and sing the FRIENDS theme song.

Coffee and Tea

This city is crawling with great independent coffee shops. Many places have their own roasters in Brooklyn or New Jersey, so their product is very fresh. Baristas here are in top form and you will never have a more beautiful rosetta on your cappuccino. If you prefer tea or bubble tea, you will be in luck just about anywhere you go.

Our Recommendations:

1. Joe Coffee- There are numerous locations throughout the city
2. Kobrick Coffee- one of the greatest coffee houses
3. Ninth Street Espresso- simple coffee made to perfection
4. Argo Tea- they have a large variety of teas

NYC baristas will take good care of you.

Cheap Eats

You’ve heard of that thing called a “bodega,” right? Basically, think of it as a convenience store that will always have toilet paper, Kinder Buenos, and sandwiches! Yes, you can go into these places and order a deli sandwich. Some of them are cash-only or have a credit card minimum. Of course, there are always Halal carts where you can get a mouthwatering gyro. TIP: When ordering a gyro in NYC, it's pronounced jai-roh as opposed to hee-roh or your-oh, because if you pronounce any other way, you'll end up with lamb on a hero sandwich.

Our Recommendations:

1. Pret-a-Manger- they're everywhere!
2. Xi'an Famous Foods- fast Asian cuisine
3. Dos Torros Taqueria- NYC's answer to Chipotle

That's a real sandwich!

See Your Friends

Everyone is here. Now’s the time to catch up with that friend you met at a summer program or your best friend you haven't seen in a year. See your friends that live in the city as well; they are excited you are here. Don’t cloister yourself away; find a great hang-out and enjoy this city and the people in it.

Our Recommendations:

1. 7B Horseshoe aka Vazacs- charming dive bar in the East Village
2. Stone Street has numerous bars to choose from with an old-world feel
3. Rategast is an excellent German bier hall in Williamsburg
4. Sky Room- ellegance at 34 stories in Midtown

CHEERS!

NYC is an exciting place to be. Even if you have no interest in moving here, it can be so much fun to visit. You’ve spent the money to get here and you’re doing the work you came here to do, so treat yourself! Make the most of your time and enjoy what this city has to offer. You’ll walk away with fond memories and fun experiences.