The Juilliard School, now in its 103rd year, is located within Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, whose other institutions include the Metropolitan Opera, Avery Fisher Hall (home of the New York Philharmonic), the New York State Theater (home of the New York City Ballet and City Opera), the Vivian Beaumont Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.  Located in Manhattan’s Upper West Side—a neighborhood known for its many good restaurants, food shops, and museums—Lincoln Center is near Central Park, the Hudson River Greenway, the Columbus Circle shopping area, and the Theater District.  A walk or short bus ride across Central Park brings you to Manhattan’s famous Museum Mile, which includes the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, the Whitney Museum, and the Frick Collection.  Neighborhoods like Greenwich Village, Chelsea, SOHO, and Harlem are all only a short subway ride away.  

Some General things to keep in mind for your visit:

Planning: Begin your planning as soon as possible, in particular with regard to hotels and flights, which fill quickly at this time of year and become more expensive as June approaches.

Weather: Weather in New York in early June can be ecstatically beautiful or wet, cold, and dreary.  But you’ll have a wonderful time regardless if you are dressed right.  Please check the latest weather reports before packing for your trip or before heading out for the day.  Spring rain in New York can come on unexpectedly and torrentially, so umbrellas are a good idea any day.

Telephone: When contacting Manhattan’s 212 locations by telephone, you need to dial 1 plus the 212 area code EVEN IF YOU ARE WITHIN the 212 area code (but, when dialing from a cell phone, the 1 is not required).

Driving: Having a car in New York is expensive and burdensome.  Not only is driving complicated, harrowing, and traffic-ridden, but street parking within walking distance of Lincoln Center is nearly impossible, and is primarily metered and tightly time-limited.  Some hotels will have parking, but their rates will not be much better than the rates at parking garages.  The day rates at Lincoln Center ($15) and Juilliard ($13) require one to be in before 10:00 am and out by 6:00 pm (after which higher hourly rates begin to accrue).  Street-parking mistakes are easy to make and cost dearly, with towing and exorbitant fines.  And although New York is now a low-crime city, car theft and break-ins still occur.  For most people, there is no need to drive in New York.  This is a wonderful walking town, with excellent and safe public transit.  Taxis are abundant, drivers are professional (if occasionally wacky) and know the city well, and rip-off reports are very rare.  Being car-free in New York will save you considerable money and headaches, so consider being a car-less and carefree New Yorker.

Tipping is customary in many situations in New York, and is generally not included in the bill (some restaurants add tip to the bill for parties of 6 or more, and will make this clear on the menu and the bill).  Standard amounts include: in waiter-service restaurants, and taxicabs (15-20%), bartenders (10-15%), bellhops ($1-$2 per bag), chambermaids ($2-$5 per night) parking attendants ($1-$2).  Tip amounts are calculated from the before-tax portion of your bill.  More information on tipping can be found at: http://www.theinsider.com/nyc/survive/016tipp.htm.

Enjoying the City: Program facilitator Ray Lustig is a native New Yorker and knows the city well. He’ll be happy to help you get the most out of your New York visit, so pull him aside for some help in finding just the right spot for your off hours: the best bagels and lox, cheap eats or high-end treats, vegetarian delights, healthy specialties, kosher pizza, a good sushi bar, a mellow café, a cozy pub or chic bar, a nice Italian or Moroccan place, a good spot for a beer, good milkshakes, a late night hangout, just the right neighborhood for your evening walk, etc.  Ray may be reached by e-mail at: RJL@juilliard.edu.