Geoffrey from New York

About me I travel to discover how people elsewhere live, how they manage living with low incomes in expensive cities, how they grapple with hard times and failing economies, how they deal with ageing or crumbling families and how they themselves age and adapt. Knowing and loving New York comes from having lived through many of its manifestations while witnessing its changes....
Aug 28, 2025

Professional Baseball New York

April 4 opener 2025

"Games of Professional Baseball in New York doesn't just mean watching the Yankees play and paying 100s of dollars: watch a Class A game for much cheaper!"

You can spend hundreds of dollars to watch the Yankees or the Mets play baseball.

But if the game is more important to you than the players who play it, you can invest in your own time by watching the future stars play, and you can do that for around $25—sometimes only $10—per ticket in Brooklyn. For games like these, where you sit is just not that important.

The Cyclones are a Class A farm team for the New York Mets. To get to their stadium—right on the Atlantic Ocean—any Coney Island subway train will do. The league that includes the Cyclones is the Pennsylvania League (‘Penn League’) playing a ‘short’ season from mid-April to early September.

Maimonides Park is fairly new amongst the building of MLB (pro baseball’s governing organization) stadia and the views from it excite: beyond the Cyclones’ fence is the 1930s Amusement Park’s Parachute Drop, far away from the foreground gateway statue (pictured) capturing that illustrious moment when, by shaking Jackie Robinson’s hand, Pee Wee Reese—the Brooklyn Dodgers’ shortstop—demonstrated to all who followed baseball that integration within the major leagues had begun.

Maimonides Park concession stands are infamous for supplying fans with classic American prepared junk food (I’m thinking of nachos and pizza), dolled up to present as something benign. And beer.

That, combined with the inning interval entertainers (including one who dresses as a UPS Delivery driver), make baseball events here as important and necessary to American culture as driving Route 66.

002-building
Art & culture
017-plant-1
Relaxing

This week 25% off

with the code fall25

*on our yearly membership

About this spot

1904 Surf Ave

1 ticket:

US$

25

7183725596

Our New York City Guide

Find your way with 308 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters

Discover hidden gems and all our locals’ favourites! Get full access to our New York guide.

Join as a Spotter?

Loved this Spot? And love your city? Join your local team. Share your favs and become part of our international community!

Nice place right!? There’s so much more to discover:

Discover all other hidden gems in New York

Johannes Vermeer

At the Met & Frick

You can see eight of the thirty-six paintings by "Johannes Vermeer" in New York City. There's a ninth one, but it's behind closed doors...

002-building
Art & culture

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 19, 2025

35 Times, Toby Buonagurio

Subway art 10

"35 Times - Toby Buonagurio" in New York are small artworks in the Times Square subway station, maybe even 16 inches square, lit on the inside. Jazzy!

002-building
Art & culture

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 17, 2025

The Pythian Temple

R&R Shrine

"The Pythian Temple" in NYC was designed in 1927 for the movie 'The Knights of Pythias'; today, it's remarkable for much more than its beauty...

002-building
Art & culture

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 16, 2025

A Gathering, 2001 - Muñoz & Martin

Subway art 13

"A Gathering, 2001" by Muñoz & Martin in the Canal Street train station in NYC 'enlivens the space & provides respite from the busy commercialism above'...

002-building
Art & culture

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 16, 2025

Saiguette

Vietnamese counter/takeout

I first returned to the Vietnamese restaurant "Saiguette" in NYC for its light, rich, rejuvenating soups, but I also recommend the pork shoulder sandwich.

021-spoon-and-fork-1
Restaurants

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 16, 2025

Rucker Park

NBA caliber street basketball

"Rucker Park" in New York City is where big men and children come to play basketball, strut, defy, dominate make a name for themselves. You have to see it.

002-building
Art & culture
017-plant-1
Relaxing

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 16, 2025

Whirls and Twirls (MTA), Sol LeWitt

Subway art 3

The Subway Art in Columbus Circle New York City by Sol LeWitt is one of the pieces that make me feel I need to stop to take it all in...

002-building
Art & culture

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 16, 2025

Subway Portraits, Chuck Close

Subway art 1

I took the Q train in New York and reached the 86th Street station, where twelve Chuck Close mosaic mesmerizing portraits adorn the walls...

002-building
Art & culture

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 16, 2025

Music Inn

Instruments, custom & stock

"Music Inn" in New York City is run by musician, instrument designer & inventor Jeff Slatnick. There are musical instruments just everywhere in the shop...

026-thrift-shop-1
Shopping

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 16, 2025

The Return of Spring, Jack Beal

Subway art 7

"The Return of Spring - Jack Beal" in New York is a mosaic mural in the Times Square station in the IRT West Side Lin mezzanine. Is it really Wayne Gretzky?

002-building
Art & culture

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 16, 2025

Di Fara, Brooklyn

Pizza 1

"Di Fara" in New York is the best pizza pilgrimage one can go on. This local favorite makes a time-capsulized pizza restaurant. Its crust sets it apart...

021-spoon-and-fork-1
Restaurants

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 16, 2025

Sal & Carmine's, Upper West Side

Pizza 2

"Sal & Carmine's" makes real New York pizza. It's a small place, the pizza boxes are stacked 15 high, the lineup look like locals - all good signs.

021-spoon-and-fork-1
Restaurants

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 16, 2025

Heading to New York?

308 Insider Tips from our local Spotters

Authentic Stories by Real People

Escape the Crowd & Travel Slow 🐌

... for just €9.99

New York app Home
New York app Home
New York app Map
New York app Home

Heading to New York?

0 Insider Tips from our local Spotters

308 Insider Tips

✓ Escape the Crowds

✓ Find Spots nearby

✓ Authentic Stories

... for just €9.99

City guides by those who know the city in and out!

Our Locals' Favorite Art & culture

Our team loves New York

Get to know our other Spotters from New York

As featured on:

New-York-Times
the-guardian
mashable
the-sunday-times
[paywall_activator]
false
0
false
63
Made with the 💚 of 500 Spotters.
Filters