Will be going to NYC in mid-July. Will catch the Soto / Cooper show at Jonathan Levine and drop by Toy Tokyo, Giant Robot and myplasticheart.
Was wondering what other galleries you'd recommend and if there are interesting events at that time...
Is the aquarium worth it? Heard stories both ways...
Thanks!

If you're going to Coney Island anyway, skip the aquarium and go on the Cyclone!

hoo boy. I'd avoid coney island if you could. Long, long haul and frankly over-rated.

If you're seeing the Levine gallery, on the second floor of that building is BitForms, which is well worth checking out.

I also love Last Rites Gallery for their dark art.

Naturally Alex Grey is a must-see.

Lit Lounge has a gallery / punk shows / dive bar that's a few blocks from Toy Tokyo. GREAT watering hole.

you mean right next door now;) You don't have to go far to wet your whistle.

If you're going to be in the East Village (for Toy Tokyo), I highly recommend Mamoun's Falafel.

http://mamouns.com/

Thanks all! I should have mentioned we'll have four kids (19 months, 3, 10 and 13) with us... Watering holes, punk shows and crazy roller coasters (which I assume the Cyclone to be?) will probably have to be avoided.

Have seen Last Rites ads for a while, didn't realize it was in NYC. Will check it out.

Hmm, well St Mark's Comics is also in the East Village.

http://www.stmarkscomics.com/

Also some organic vegetarian restaurants, plus a nice park. (From what I can gather, the place New Yorker's go to hang out in the sun.)

Be warned, if you go to Central Park, 5th Ave, MOMA, or any of the major museums, you will be in a swarm of tourists, and you will pay out the nose. It's not even funny anymore. Well, the aves and parks are free, but you will pay the price of ingesting unholy body odors and having to fight the tourist swarms.

Well, I -am- a tourist! Won't be my first time going to NYC, but the first time with my baby + nephews and nieces, who apparently want to do the touristy stuff. We'll try and avoid what we can (including all museums - I never go where I live, so why go elsewhere?), but we'll go to the Central Park Zoo for sure!
Are there other Kaiju stuff besides those I mentioned? Does Zakka carry anything interesting? Yoya?

if you go to the park, the northern section is less overrun. never been to the zoo, though, so not sure about that

If you're bringing the kids then a trip to FAO Schwartz is probably in order. Hit up the Disney store on 5th a few blocks away and then the park. Musueum of Natural History is good for them as well.

I haven't been to Zakka in a couple of years but I just sent a friend of mine there who was visiting from Spain. He said he got a few kaiju things there. In case you didn't know, they moved to DUMBO in Brookyln a few years ago and last time I was there, I don't think the owner was buying any new kaiju merch but was instead selling off existing stock and parts of his own collection.

If you like beautiful art and design books, you probably already know that Zakka has an incredible collection. PowerHouse books is also close by and if you hit their semi-annual $5.00 sale, you can get some amazing deals.

Have fun!

Thanks again for the info+suggestions!

I think the last (and only) time I went to Zakka was 10 years ago... On Canal St.? I was sick as hell, don't remember much...

Yup, it used to be on Grand Street, near Canal.

try to avoid this lady...

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/quee ... pgE1XTldAK

Only things worth going to in NYC:

- Toy Tokyo
- Crif Dogs
- Zakka
- Dumpling Man
- Mishka
- Sucklord's secret laboratory
- Gotham Girls Roller Derby (game on July 10th)