Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Zagat Report on Nightlife in New York City
Aired August 22, 2001 - 09:38 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: When it comes to night life, New York City certainly lives up to its nickname, the city that never sleeps. If you are planning a late-summer trip to the big apple, we have the ultimate party guide for you.
The popular "Zagat Survey" has just published a brand new guide to New York City night life. Here are three top night spots, hot spots: Asia De Cuba, it's located in the Murray Hill section of Manhattan; Blue Water Grill in the Flat Iron district; and Balthazar in downtown, towards SoHo.
With more on the hippest and most happening joints in New York, Ted Zagat from the "Zagat Survey" joins us live.
Ted, good to see you.
TED ZAGAT, ZAGAT SURVEY: Good to see you, too.
KAGAN: So your dad wasn't hip enough to do this? They needed to send somebody who...
ZAGAT: He doesn't get up this early.
KAGAN: Or probably stay up as late, as you had to, to look at some of these places.
ZAGAT: Exactly.
KAGAN: Let's get right to some of the hot places according to your survey.
Did you put the survey together like they do the restaurants, where you're actually asking people who read the survey to write in and they do the voting?
ZAGAT: Exactly. We uses the same consumer generated content methodology that we do for all of our guides. We ask regular people what they think, and then we really just act as a voice piece for them.
KAGAN: So these are the people that are out there.
Best bar: What did they vote for in New York City? ZAGAT: APT. APT is a hot new place in West Chelsea. It's an intimate lounge, which is styled after the Beverly Hills Hotel. And the theme is that you're really in a hotel. So, there's a concierge that can do everything for you from making the reservations at restaurants to arranging helicopter flights.
KAGAN: OK.
ZAGAT: Unusual, might not be that typical, but they'll do it for you.
KAGAN: All right. Best dance club?
ZAGAT: The top club this year is Vinyl. If you really want to go out and have a head-banging, loud time and dance the night away, that's a great place to do it.
KAGAN: We thought it was interesting that it said there's no alcohol at this dance club?
ZAGAT: Well, occasionally -- as you may know, the Giuliani's administration has been cracking down on a lot of the more frenetic activities in the club scene in New York. So, some of the places have really cut back on the alcohol policy.
KAGAN: But it just must be a really happening dance club, that they can be the best dance club and still have no booze there.
ZAGAT: You can tell, they are overcompensating.
KAGAN: Absolutely. And onto best jazz club, if you want to kind of take it down a notch after you've been out dancing.
ZAGAT: Exactly. The best jazz club, rather, is a place called Smalls, which is a really intimate place for some great music, if you're looking for that type of entertainment.
KAGAN: What about money? Do you have to spend big money in New York City to go out and have a good time?
ZAGAT: New York is the most expensive market in the United States, based on our surveys. And prices can really get up there, in particular, we have one list of bottle service establishments where you have to pay for a bottle ahead time at a price of $200 to $400 a bottle.
KAGAN: Wow!
ZAGAT: But overall, there are 1100 -- more than 1100 spots in our latest nightlife survey. So, you can find anything you want at any price range in the city.
KAGAN: OK. And now for a fuddy-duddy question, me being the fuddy-duddy: Do you have to stay out late in New Cork City to have a good time? Because some of us have a very early bedtime and don't make it up that late. ZAGAT: Well, one of the other nice things about our nightlife guide is that we've covered everything from bars, clubs and lounges at one end of the spectrum, to places that are just nice for a coffee or a late dessert. So you really don't need to stay out until the wee hours to enjoy yourself in the city that never sleeps.
KAGAN: That's good, because an idea of a good time for me is about tea at 4:00 in the afternoon.
Ted Zagat, thanks so much, and don't stay out too late. OK?
ZAGAT: Thank you. Thanks, Daryn.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
