WE GOT YOU! Here is Weedmap's Guide to New York City. We've put together top tens, some entertainment and some fun to help you beat the Brooklyn blues until weed is legal in NY. Sit tight, grab a friend and hit the streets Ginsberg style, angel-headed hipsters burning for that ancient heavenly connection in the machinery of the night.
In Central Park, you're not looking at New York City--you're immersed in New York City. You're looking at the people and animals of New York City. When the weather heats up and the snow melts, many New Yorkers head to Central Park with a giant sack of weed (and maybe a 6-pack or two) just to hang out with their friends or get blazed and read a book. It's a New York past-time, and on most days, people will be playing softball, soccer, or throwing a frisbee around in the massive park. If you're stoned enough and can deal little kids and families, the Central Park Zoo is always an option.
How else would Knicks fans make it through games at the Garden these days without a vaporizer pen? The landmark (if a little run down) venue in New York City has played host to concerts ranging from Phish to Jay Z to LCD Soundsystem. At all these shows, smoke simply flows through the air like well, weed at any non-Jonas Brother concert. No, smoking marijuana definitely isn't technically legal in New York City. But you won't get kicked out of the aptly named "Garden" (of dreams) for lighting up a joint at a concert: they actually frown and look for cigarettes more aggressively than weed. If you're going to the Garden for a family-oriented sports game, show some respect and opt for the Vape pen.
Arguably Manhattan's hottest night-life spot and celebrity-sighting hotel, the rooftop at Le Bain gives you a view of the entire city coupled with a chic milieu and, well, quite attractive people. During its well-known night-time parties, smoke fills the air, as New York's nouveau-riche let loose till the sun comes up.
For the paranoid smokers out there. Sometimes, the hustle and bustle of New York City can be overwhelming, and being stoned (especially off a heady Sativa) can result in racing thoughts and a bout of anxiety. Nobody wants that. If it's a dreary day, rush hour in NYC (note: always), or you just don't feel like dealing with the city, a couch and a date with Netflix can hit the spot.
Getting high while you're high. The Williamsburg bridge is the best bridge in any borough, with astounding views of Manhattan from Brooklyn--without having to wait in line for the Empire State Building. Just watch out for those bike-riders.
Yankee Stadium: How else does one make it through nine innings and four hours of baseball without the aid of medicine? Of course, no sports fan can visit New York City in the summertime without taking a trip to the Bronx Bombers' home. Beers run about 10 dollars a pop, so we suggest taking the cheaper--and healthier route--by bringing a vaporizer or a sleek one-hitter to the stadium. The new Stadium might not be as gritty and historical as the old, but it's immense and filled with areas to discreetly get lifted (see: the bleachers). If there's no game in town while you're in the city, take a walk through Monument Park and honor Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Joe Dimaggio.
It may be indoors, but it's a music venue in Brooklyn. And that means two things: hipsters and hemp. The famed Brooklyn Bowl plays regular host to some of New York's finest up-and-coming acts, along with the legendary Questlove from The Roots, who's a regular on the 1's and 2's. If you toke an Indica and don't feel like dancing, don't worry: there are bowling alleys here. If you're lucky, you might just bump into Olivia Wilde, who frequents this joint on occasion.
On a nice day in NYC, walking down the Pier smoking a joint and looking at...New Jersey is an option--and actually a nice one. Afterwards, you can hop into the massive sports facility there and play some hoops or take some swings in the batting cages.
You'll need both a vape pen and discretion for this endeavor. Tight with security and lines to get up to the top, it's not quite the chillest smoke spot in the city, but it's the most well-known. And literally the highest. In the end, it's worth the story to say "yeah, I got high in the Empire State Building. What'd you do today?"
Music festivals (notably Governor's Ball) regularly take place on New York's nicest off-city island (Randall's Island pales in comparison), making it automatically a hot smoke spot. Tucked away nicely between Manhattan and Brooklyn, it's a serene, beautiful area with views of both boroughs and boats. When the weather becomes
Sure, it's easy to find something, or shall we say, anything entertaining while stoned. But we have put together a killer High in NY themed mix, featuring artists and songs that glorify the great city of New York. Plus, a couple of Top Lists to really bring the Big Apple life through the Big Screen.
Stoners have a natural infatuation with gangster, drug-related films. And filmmakers love using New York City as the setting for these films for obvious reasons: drugs, violence, and chaos reign supreme. As does one other common thread: most of these films rarely make mention of or remotely focus on weed as the "dangerous drug" or scourge to society. No, that kind of Dope remains on the outskirts of these films, for the most part. But offers proof that prohibition in New York causes more issues than it solves--and weed is the least of these issues. So here are the dopest films set in New York about dope. That you should watch while on the right kind of dope:
Starring a scary-yet-badass as hell Christopher Walken as the drug Kingpin of New York and a young Larry (Lawrence) Fishburne as his enforcer, King of New York is flush with New York City's cornerstones: drugs, violence, and sex. As Walken exits jail and regains control of the city, we witness a man whose thirst for power is only outweighed by one goal: to go to war with equally corrupt cops. It's impossible not to love Walken's evil, evil character. And it broaches a larger issue: just because people deal drugs, doesn't mean they're necessarily bad people. They're just capitalists.
Oh, to think what New York City crime dramas would be without Robert DeNiro's frank stare and ruffled brow. Luckily we don't have to: this Sergio Leone classic portrayal of New York centers around DeNiro as a Prohibition-era Jewish gangster who returns home to find a city no longer dry--but no longer the same. This film truly shows the effect prohibition in New York (either kind) can have on an individual's life. This flicks got romance, bromance, love, loss, greed and betrayal, all paying out against the idyllic backdrop of the Manhattan's skyline. Smoke some sativa (this movie is loonnnngg) and get ready to fall in love with this dysfunctional city all over again.
Every New York stoner has their own Sampson. Arguably the greatest stoner film of all time, no film set in New York City accurately (and hilariously) better depicts the city's delivery service weed industry. From Dave Chappelle Jon Stewart to Snoop Dogg to Willie Nelson, a star-studded lineup of celebrities provide casual cameos smoking weed in New York City--and this was over 10 years ago. Beneath the stoner shenanigans lies an underlying, satirical truth: weed is everywhere in New York City.
Without weed, your average, cab-driving New Yorker might just lose his mind. So it goes for Travis Bickle (played by Robert DeNiro) in this Martin Scorsese tour de force that highlights what New York City's derelict nature can do to a delicate mind. De Niro--playing this lonely, depressed Vietnam veteran--goes off the deep-end, spiraling into a violent rage. One can only wonder: would a nice relaxing Indica or some CBD heavy medication have aided his PTSD and curbed his violence?
Alright, so it barely takes place in New York. But this film is super green. Spaceships, aliens, heavy weapons AND Mila Jovovich wearing next to nothing the entire time. It's got a killer score, and who doesn't love Bruce Willis playing an ex-cop/military type kicking ass and taking names?
Just how long has dis-organized crime been a part of New York's culture? Since forever. This 1863 portrayal of the city may take place in a time before headies (or even schwag) existed in the city, but it's emblematic of the city's chaotic nature, caused by corrupt cops and immoral gangsters. Gangs have ran New York's black market for as long as it's existed. Legalization probably wouldn't immediately eradicate the black market--but maybe it would turn some bad into good.
Nino Brown. Need us say more? Wesley Snipes plays the vicious-yet-liberating drug lord in one of our favorite cult gangster films. Snipes exchanges counter-punches with a (pre Law and Order) badged Ice Cube, while Chris Rock lingers in the foreground as a junkie. While weed doesn't play a prominent role, the violence surrounding this crack-dealing film underscores a larger point: wouldn't it be easier for cops to take care of real crime like this rather than wasting thousands of hours a year on pot offenders?
Talk about highdeas. We won't insult you with a synopsis here. We'll only say that this movies sweet hilarity is only amplified by a vape full of Sour Diesel... Oh yeah, there is no Dana only Zuul.
Yes, Spike Lee's crowned jewel centers around racism in Brooklyn (Bedford-Stuyvestant). But the modern core of Brooklyn's racism can be directly tied to cannabis--where blacks are nine times as likely to be arrested for minor marijuana possession than whites. As most things Spike Lee, the film is raw, gritty, and, at times, brutal. Weed only plays a mere ancillary role, overshadowed by the Bed-Stuy core which violently and suddenly erupts. If weed were legal in Spike's Brooklyn, would anyone even want to fight?
The quintessential New York City film may not have any dope in it, but it features and was written by arguably New York's biggest dope of all time: Woody Allen. This film presents the flight of the schlubby, nebbishy Jew at its finest: you know, the kind we wish would just shut up and smoke a bow .If you've never seen Manhattan (the East Coast Annie Hall), you're not really a New Yorker. And if you're visiting New York, there's no better film that presents the city's ironic, chaotic, and sometimes hilarious nature.
UNLIMITED OPTIONS. When it comes to food; New York has the most diverse selection of things to put in your mouth on the East Coast, and a lot of it is available 24 hours a day. Whether in you're into pizza or perogies, falafel or franks; New York City has got it all. You don't even have to go into a restraunt. Street vendors make it easy to grab a bite to go with your bud.
In the culinary world, New York is known as the mecca of all the good stuff. It's a munchie haven of extreme cultural diversity and hence, variety. New York is known for its bagels--damn good bagels--thanks to its water. And some of the best (at least most) Chinese food not found in China. But above all, New York is known for the best slice (and some would say, the only) of pizza in America. Known for its simplicity--thin-crust with a crispy texture--it's the munchie you can't walk down a block without seeing. While you can take your chances with a walk-in, one dollar slice, you'd be doing your high a disservice. Here are some choice picks for the foodie stoners:
It's Jay-Z and Beyonce's pizza parlor of choice, so there is no reasonable doubt that Lucali creates one of the best pizza pies you will ever eat in your life. A hand-crafted, brick-oven pizza with a slightly charred and coarse texture, every bite contains a different, sensational flavor--kind of like a hybrid strain like Headband. But their pizza might not even be their best offering: the Calzone's are so special that not even George Steinbrenner (portrayed by Larry David) could find a flaw in them. You may have to wait an hour. Or two. Or three. Just to get a table. But it's worth the wait, and the off-chance you'll bump into Brooklyn's power couple.
Spiderman's (circa Toby Maguire) Pizza Parlor of choice, West Village staple Joe's provides arguably the best bang for your buck if you're looking for a plain-yet-dank slice. Huge, thin-crust signature New York Pizza at a cheap price, Joe's is the on-the-go choice for pizza connoisseurs. Its flagship location's proximity to New York's high concentration of headshops makes it an easy place to find.
Arguably the largest slice in the Big Apple, East Village heartthrob Artichoke has a reputation for long lines and badass pizza. Their signature slice is, as their name suggests, an Artichoke-centric pizza. And it's freaking huge! One slice will fill you up, and you may need a mid-munchie bowl before you go in on a second slice. If you're looking for something more traditional, Artichoke's Sicilian Basil is absolutely on point. ARtichoke now has three locations scattered throughout New York's hippest hoods.
The first true pizzeria in the United State, these cool cats brought the Neapolitan pie to New York in 1905. Need we say more? Tucked away in the chic Nolita, Lombardi's boasts a quintessential New York pie and many artisan choices to feed your munchies. Like Sour Diesel, it's hard to leave New York without saying you tried the spot where the pizza craze in America began.
Joe's West Village rival, John's provides an equally dank slice with slightly less fanfare and shorter lines than its nearby nemesis. Offering a comparable, New York-ian thin slice with a crispy shell, John's might not be spectacular, but it's always reliable and definitely provides a true taste of New York.
Proof that not all prime New York pizza exists in the confines of Brooklyn and the Village, Patsy's will hook you up with a hearty slice of coal-oven pizza in the heart of Spanish Harlem. Founded in 1933, Patsy's claim to fame is a simple yet brilliant one: the first pizza parlor to sell it by the slice. So stoners can thank this establishment for allowing them to save some munchie money on a sack of nug. There are now three locations scattered across New York.
When Patsy's was sold to employees in 1991, the nephew of the original Patsy--a Patsy Grimaldi--decided he'd take matters into his own hands, and opened what's become New York's most common, high-class slice. Zagat's consistent top slice in New York, Patsy's offers up a lush Neapolitan slice. Now, there's Grimaldi's not only all over New York, but in New Jersey, Las Vegas, and Arizona. It's the one slice on this list you don't have to eat in New York to taste New York.
Found in Brooklyn's hippest and stoniest hood--Williamsburg--Roberta's wood-burning ovens match its wooden decor and tables. A casual, typically loud Brooklyn heartthrob, Roberta's is the type of hip, welcoming joint that you will want to hit right after hitting a joint.
Proof that the Bronx can get down with pizza too, if you're heading to Yankee stadium, hit the Bronx early and make your way to this New York Staple. One of New York's hidden pizza gems by sheer location, this thin, crispy, and Kushy slice is a home run.
Not all New York pizza need be thin crust, thankfully. If you like your pizza like your bong rips--fat and milky--than Spumoni's Sicilian will cure your case of the dry mouth. A casual Brooklyn staple, it may not be your typical New York pizza, but it's definitely that good stuff.
From your Friends. In a city with a massive population like New York, it's easy to get lost in the crowd. But there are a few stand out New Yorkers who definitely have a friend in weed. If you know one of these high-minded individuals, chances are you're well aware of their taste for the "Good Stuff".
While most New Yorkers -- both famous and ordinary -- remain relatively closeted about both their cannabis use and support for changing marijuana laws, a growing number are stepping up to bat and showing their support for green. Whether legislators paving the way for legalization in the Empire State or celebrities smoking up in their hoods, more and more New Yorkers continue to offer their support and show love for weed on a daily basis.
New York and its weed has helped many of America's most famous celebrities reach their current heights of success. From comedians to musicians to athletes, many famous New Yorkers show and discuss their love of all things marijuana on a daily basis. We hope that these New Yorkers continue to do just that. Here are some of our favorites:
The chef-turned-rapper has become a cult phenomenon amongst both die-hard stoners and rap fans -- particularly in the emerging dab scene. Right now, there's perhaps no more outspoken or staunch supporter of cannabis in the rap game than the Queens-bred Action Bronson. Whether he's reviewing dabs or simply sharing his love of the herb on Instagram and in lyrics, Action is always seeing green and doing New York's scene proud with that loud.
It's appropriate that the hometown star for of the (floundering) New York Knicks has likely been smoking weed silently throughout his career (and while growing up in New York). In 2004, Melo (then a Nugget) was nipped at Denver International Airport for a dime bag in his backpack. A friend took the hit for the weed, claiming possession -- but then in 2006 another friend was pulled over in New York with pot...in Melo's car. While always seemingly at an arms length from the flower, Melo -- who was born in Red Hook and earned a championship for Syracuse -- has the smoking profile of many New York stoners: closeted.
Born in New York City (but raised in Washington, DC), Olivia Wilde is the heir apparent to Susan Sarandon when it comes to progressive thought wrapped up in a stunning, superstar actress. Wilde, a star in stoner-friendly flicks like Tron and Year One, has issued her support to the weed movement in the past and is known to light up from time to time. Now pregnant, Wilde isn't an active cannabis smoker -- but her and Jason Sudeikis are known to frequent Brooklyn's stoner and music hotspot The Brooklyn Bowl, to both bowl and check out Questlove's weekly DJ sets.
In an interview with Global Grind, Wilde mentioned drug policy reform as the single most important issue Obama needs to address: "There's too many people in person for breaking laws that shouldn't exist. We shouldn't be overcrowding prisons because of marijuana. Possession of marijuana should not put you in prison. States are slowly waking up to that. We've seen them open up to recreational use. There's an opportunity to really transform the way people view drug policy." - (source)
The Hollywood star has called Manhattan her home since birth and even made an appearance on Sesame Street at the age of 15. Dawson has appeared in many films that take place in New York, and likewise, films that tackle deep societal issues. The most hard-gripping of those being KIDS, a film that tackles the AIDS epidemic in the early 90s and in which marijuana plays a peripheral (if omnipresent) role. The female counterpart to Jesus Shuttelsworth in New York basketball gem He Got Game, Dawson has been a long-time liberal supporter of charitable causes and cannabis progression. In an interview with CNN, Dawson issued her staunch support for marijuana, suggesting (if not admitting) that it's something she believes should be a freedom New Yorkers deserve.
"I'm for the legalization of marijuana, absolutely... We've got a lot of things that we need to be putting our focus and attention on and it'd be really great to take it off of joints." - (source)
Louis C.K. got his first break in entertainment when he wrote the now classic stoner film Pootietang. Really. While he was born in Washington D.C., C.K. has been living in New York and become a true New Yorker in the mold of a Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, sardonic-comedian type of way. Only he's outspoken about his own cannabis use. C.K. frequently rehashes his whimsical trials and tribulations with marijuana, always resulting in an innocuous, irreverent punch line. Most recently, Louis C.K. used his appearance on Jerry Seinfeld's "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" to wax poetic about his love of weed.
"So I'm standing in a parking lot with these kids like 20 years old and we're smoking a joint and I'm taking huge hits cause I had no idea, I didn't know that they have been working on this shit, like it's the cure for cancer." - (source)
Founding the greatest Hip Hop label of all time doesn't come without its fair share of run-ins with joints. Def Jam Records alone plays (and has played) host to New York's finest, weed-puffing rappers (from Nas to Method Man), and has never shied away from the cannabis enthusiast artist. The Queens-bred Simmons, who may no longer smoke weed himself, has still become one of the music and celebrity world's loudest opponents of the Drug War. Most recently, in an interview with Arsenio Hall, Russell Simmons went so far as to call Tylenol more dangerous than pot -- and for this, we applaud him.
"I'm particularly concerned about how the war on drugs has destroyed the fabric of the black community in America... [T]he prison-industrial complex is robbing us -- robbing us of money that we could be putting into education and sorting out the community and jobs and infrastructure... We've got to start a revolution, and that's what I'm trying to do right now." - (source)
Jay Z might not be a big toker these days, but (arguably) New York's most potent and influential rapper got his game started with dime bags. Literally. Growing up in the heart of Brooklyn, Jay-Z began working the corners with green and, as his biography notes, smoking it throughout his early years. From Reasonable Doubt to American Gangster, cannabis played a noted role in Jay-Z's formidable rap years. Now a father and entrepreneur, marijuana doesn't seem to be on Jay-Z's mind too much -- but his own daughter Blue Ivy had a strain named after her upon her birth.
"I smoked some weed, and that's how I finished 'Izzo."
The Academy Award-Winning Sarandon (Best Actress for Dead Man Walking) was born in Queens, grew up in New Jersey, and calls the city her main home. The Bull Durham head-turner hasn't been shy to admit she's a full-fledged supporter of marijuana -- and that there's a little stoner in her. Late in 2013, Sarandon confessed she's been to almost every Awards Show stoned (source). Aside from the Oscars, Sarandon also called the legendary psychedelic-psychologist and writer Timothy Leary a close friend, and generally holds progressive stances. Moreover, in for her 1998 role in Stepmom, Sarandon played a suffering chemotherapy patient -- and personally demanded that her character smoke cannabis toc cope with the treatment. She's not only one of the best actresses alive -- she's arguably the most forward thinking one as well.
She lent her support for California's Prop 19 in 2010, a ballot initiative that would have legalized weed in the Golden State (source), a bill to tax medical marijuana (it failed)
The most celebrated and controversial radio host had humble beginnings in Jackson Heights, Queens. More the Sativa personality, Stern has never been a regular user of cannabis -- in 1997 he said he tried it once in the last 20 years -- but he's consistently been a liberal, pro-pot proponent (as you'd expect). Treating cannabis issues with both a sense of humor and reality, Stern has made it clear he believes in legalization. Stern never shies away from important issues, and since returning from stints in radio markets to his home city in 1982 (with WNBC), has remained close to the pulse of New York, with homes in both the Upper West Side and the Hamptons.
"[Legalizing marijuana] would cut down on crime, it would cut down on the cartels and Mexican drug importation and all that stuff... It seems to make sense to me." - (source)
Before becoming arguably New York's most influential voice of the people, Jon Stewart got his start as the "Enhancement Smoker" in the cult stoner film Half Baked. New York's master of wit was born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz, Stewart was born in New York City and raised in New Jersey. Before heading back to New York City, Stewart, as most stoners can relate to, held a variety of odd jobs from bartending to puppeteerings (really). Likewise, throughout his years as an up-and-coming comedian trying to make it, Stewart found comfort in cannabis. Now a family man and a political beacon, Stewart no longer shows up in cult-stoner comedies. But he hasn't stopped supported buds: recently, he went in on Bill O'Reilly's marijuana ignorance (source). Stewart continues to offer mix in his witticism with his positive outlook on pot The Daily Show.
"Do you know how many movies I wrote when I was high?"