March 2016

23 Mar 2016

Neighborhood Guide – The West Village

When deciding which NYC apartment to choose, there are many factors to consider: How close is the subway? What are your neighbors like? What is the rent? And most importantly, what is the character of the neighborhood. We gave you an awesome guide to the East Village, but there are more neighborhoods to get to know! If you’re thinking of renting a NoFee apartment in Greenwich Village, this guide is for you.

A bit of history to give you your bearings: Greenwich Village is generally known as an important landmark on the map of American bohemian culture. The neighborhood is known for its color and alternative culture. Due in part to the progressive attitudes of many of its residents, the Village has traditionally been a focal point of new movements and ideas.

Insiders tip: When wearing heels in Greenwich Village, be mindful of where you step, as most of the side streets are still cobblestone. If you don’t watch your step, you, along with your belongings (RIP phone screen) will go falling!

Now that you’re acquainted with the neighborhood, we’re going to take you to some of the best spots.

Coffee

Stumptown: New York is filled with coffee shops and there is literally a Starbucks on every corner. Stumptown is as great as NYC coffee gets. Be sure to try a Large Nitro Cold Brew.

Located at 30 W 8^th Street

Breakfast

Buvette: Eggs and bacon are a dime a dozen in NYC, Buvette offers a delicious French twist on our classic. Nestled away in Greenwich Village, this breakfast spot is sooooo worth it. My favorite menu item is the steamed eggs.

Located at 42 Grove Street

Lunch

Alidoro: This tiny Italian sandwich shop creates a variety of delicious sandwiches and is a favorite of many locals. Don’t forget to bring some dollars! This place is cash only.

Located at 105 Sullivan Street

Study/Work Break

Garden at the Church of Saint Luke in the Fields: Behind the walls of this West Village garden you can find some much needed quiet. Hang with friends or your favorite book and enjoy the formal, well-tended design and brick pathways.

Located at 487 Hudson Street

Happy Hour

The Mermaid Oyster Bar: The cool sister of one of my favorite places The Mermaid Inn as this oyster bar’s happy hour packs a serious punch. With $1 oysters, the Mermaid Oyster Bar also extends their happy hour specials throughout the entire restaurant (not just at the bar). Oh, and on Monday’s, happy hour specials last all night.

Located at 79 MacDougal Street

Dinner

Corner Bistro: Hands down my favorite restaurant in New York City. No, you do not get swanky ambiance and, no, the menu is not extensive. It is, however, the last bohemian bar in New York. With amazing burgers, great beers and unbeatable prices, Corner Bistro is the perfect place for a date, a night out with friends, or just go by yourself with a book. (My dad used to do this!) Note: this place is cash only.

Located at 331 West 4^th Street

Night Out

Fat Cat: You’ll find rows of ping pong, pool and shuffleboard tables, and even scrabble!? Say no more, Fat Cat, I am so there. In addition, there is surprisingly good live jazz music. This place is a great time for anyone that is 21+.

Located at 75 Christopher Street

Looking for an apartment in the West Village? We’ve got you covered. From multi-bedroom shares, to furnished apartments, No Fee Rentals has it all. To check out some of our awesome apartments in the West Village, click here: http://www.nofeerentals.com/apartments.aspx

16 Mar 2016

Maximizing the Space in Your Small New York City Apartment

New York City apartments are small. Even the most luxurious apartments in New York City aren’t accommodating for multiple roommates. Maybe your apartment has one closet, or maybe your bathroom is the same size as that one closet. The good news is that there are TONS of space-saving tricks to help maximize your tiny New York City apartment.

Get Rid of Junk!

This is seriously the best place to start. Begin by tossing (or donating) all the junk you’ll never use (baby blue cowboy hat we’re looking at you). Then, take all of your seasonal or rarely used items and pack them away in cute storage bins!

Shelves.

Use your walls for more than just tapestries and cute prints! Sleek shelving that extends up to the ceiling adds awesome storage space for your books, lamps and also a great place to add some decorative pieces like a terrarium!

Raise your bed.

There are lots of products that can raise your bed up for extra under-bed storage.

Organize EVERYTHING and label.

One of the biggest challenges for me, is keeping my personal belongings organized. Check this how-to guide out that helped me tremendously.

Keep your bathroom organized.

Living with multiple roommates, or a significant other in a small apartment creates a WAR over the medicine cabinet. If you’re like most people you have enough products of your own to fill it up, but there’s at least one other person you have to share with! Check out these ideas for organizing a small bathroom. I’m currently working on mine and will share before/after pics later!

If you’re looking for a new apartment, NoFee rentals has so many great spaces listed. They have apartments with lofts, apartments with fireplaces, and apartments with amaaaaazing outdoor spaces. Contact them today to find your dream NYC apartment, and then get to organizing!!!

9 Mar 2016

Making Friends in New York City

In 2012, I graduated from college and moved to an awesome New York City apartment. A dream I shared with many post-grads, I started an internship in the music industry and moved in with my childhood best friend.

I started at the new company and quickly discovered that I was the youngest person by about 10 years. I struggled to meet new people. My roommates both worked in sales at companies where everyone was a twenty-something, attractive, and always looking to party after work. I would tag along to their happy hours, but I always felt like I was hanging out with their friends, and never my own. In a city of millions, it is so easy to feel completely isolated—somehow, it seems, earbuds are a silent way of saying, “don’t talk to me”. Everyone is constantly texting, snapchatting or instagramming when out with friends, seemingly communicating with unseen masses of friends you don’t have. You’re not alone if you’re feeling like this, and it’s not the end of the world. Now, we have to actively make an effort to break through our phone screens and meet new people.

My mother lived in the city for over 20 years, so I would approach her regularly about my feelings of frustration. She would always say, “Just talk to people in the grocery store!” Maybe ideally, romantically, this could work. You know, you catch the eye of someone in the next aisle, flash a coy smile and then you’re on your first date! (Or is that just the movies?)

Let’s think about it realistically: imagine if I saw someone in the grocery store buying an avocado. What would my mother expect me to do? “Hey, you like avocados? I LOVE avocados, we should go out sometime!” This avocado-loving person would think that I was legitimately insane. I already get strange looks from people just for smiling when I walk past them (that or they think I’m hitting on them). I’m from the country! We smile at strangers! Weird right?

The biggest piece of advice I can offer anyone to meet new people in New York City is to not be consumed by your loneliness, and go explore. Foster your relationship with yourself—learn to genuinely love and enjoy your own company. Your own happiness will attract new friends and when you do, other people will be so attracted to your happiness you won’t be able to get them away from you.

Find reasons to get up and out of your NYC apartment. If you work remotely or are a student, find a cute coffee shop in which to study. Bond with someone through sarcasm and apathetic disinterest. Instead of ordering take-out, find a quiet restaurant and treat yourself to a meal. Hang out in a park. Take yourself shopping. Check out galleries in Chelsea or Brooklyn, maybe try the Brooklyn Flea or find Art Walks, where you can go look at galleries at night.

Expand your horizons and take a class. Whether it be a cooking class, an art class, a yoga class or lightsaber fighting class (yes, this is real) you’ll be around a group of potential new friends with a shared interest. And a shared interest is your first step to friendship. New York City has innumerable classes to offer—find some here.

MeetUp.com is another valuable online resource that can help you to find like-minded individuals! Maybe you’ve just moved to New York from another country and you’re looking for a little piece of home, maybe you love hiking, or perhaps you simply want to hit the best happy hours in the city with fun people! Everyone on MeetUp is looking to meet new people and make friends! Check it out here.

Another great way to make a connection is through a four-legged pal. Besides the fact that you’ll never be alone in your apartment again, having a dog in New York City makes it easier to meet people. Also, you’ve got your love for dogs in common with all those strangers! Luckily for you, NoFee Rentals are pet-friendly. If you’re looking for more information about our pet-policy and great things to do with your dog in New York City, click here.

The only way to make new friends is really just to start talking to people, and to keep an open mind. Don’t rule out your neighbors, either. Friends come in all shapes, sizes and ages. I have been going to a knitting class that my 84 year old neighbor has at her store, and I’ll tell you, old ladies? They’re hilarious… more on that later though.

So once you’ve settled into your new NoFee Rentals apartment in your hot new NYC neighborhood, get out and make some new friends to fill your living room! If you haven’t found an apartment yet, you can definitely find one here.

Until next time!

XO,

Steph

2 Mar 2016

Having A Dog In NYC

As animal lovers, it’s easy to see how much having a dog can nourish your life. Aside from the social benefits (girls go crazy for dogs in the park), having a dog can actually make you happier and less lonely. But finding a landlord that feels the same is hard to come by. No Fee Rental apartments are pet friendly, and have an easy process that allows you to have/keep a pet!

Looking to make some new friends for you and your pup? Let your dog run free and check out one of these off-leash dog parks!

Carl Schurz Dog Park: Carl Schurz Park has two off-leash dog runs where dogs can mingle, and the promenade is a lovely place to stroll along the East River.

Robert Moses Dog Park: You and your dog will love the opportunity to run and play off-leash at this fenced in Dog Park! Check it out: 42^nd Street & 1^st Ave.

Stuyvesant Dog Park: Dogs & humans of all shapes and sizes can get out and enjoy this dog run. Get out of your normal après-work walk routine and meet some new friends! Located at 2^nd Avenue & 17^th Street.

With an increased popularity of having a dog in the city, many restaurants and bars have become “pooch-friendly”. Here is a list of a few great spots where you won’t have to leave your furry companion at home!

Sidewalk Café: A dog friendly restaurant in Alphabet City, Sidewalk Café offers a contemporary mixed menu. Check them out for a great brunch deal – free margarita with your meal… Second one is only a dollar! Located at 94 Avenue A

DBA: Looking for some post-dog park cocktails? Look no further than DBA. With an awesome back garden and great service, DBA has a great beer selection and everything is priced at around six-eight dollars. Great place to come and sit with your pups! Located at 41 1^st Avenue.

79^th Street Boat Basin: An outdoor restaurant offering some great American cuisine that both you and your pup can enjoy! Bring your friends, a hot date, or just your favorite four-legged roomie! Located at 79^th Street and Riverside Drive.

Need to get some new doggie sweaters? Check out these fashion-forward stores to be the hottest dog in the park.

The New York Dog Shop: This shop has been keeping dogs fashion forward since 2006. Located on the swanky Upper West Side, The New York Dog Shop brings a great variety of sweaters, monogrammed hoodies and utilitarian coats for your pup. Located at 46 West 73^rd Street.

The Barking Zoo: Great selection of cable knit sweaters, striped, argyle and Fair Isle patterns, this Chelsea shop brings it. Located at 172 Ninth Avenue.

The Salty Paw: If you’re all about supporting local businesses, the Salty Paw features NYC based companies such as Sam & Tasha, Yarn Dog, Chilly Dog, and the in-house Black Dog Farms. Located at 38 Peck Slip.

If you’re a dog lover like me, be sure to check out the Dog Film Festival in NYC on October 15^th at Symphony Space, unfortunately you can’t bring your dog, but you can watch lots of awesome videos featuring other dogs!! Also, if you don’t have a dog and want one, or would like to volunteer with other dogs, check out Mayor’s Alliance.

With your awesome new No Fee Apartment rental, fun and social dog runs, the best spots for dining with your bff, and the hippest dog fashion spots, you are all set for having the BEST time with your dog in NYC. So while he keeps you happy by wagging his tail and greeting you when you come home for the day, return the favor by treating him!

XO

Steph 10432944_550180498447716_6005268813891612612_n

Monthly Archives

Neighborhood Guide – The West Village

Maximizing the Space in Your Small New York City Apartment

Making Friends in New York City

In 2012, I graduated from college and moved to an awesome New York City apartment. A dream I shared with many post-grads, I started an internship in the music industry and moved in with my childhood best friend.

Having A Dog In NYC

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