Questions for the NYC experts

I’m going to RWA Nationals in two weeks. Yay!
The workshops are excruciatingly generic. There are only two I’d care to attend. Boo.
But that means more time for New York! Three cheers and a couple huzzahs!
So, ladies and gentlemen of the Empire State, what sights and events would you recommend? Thanks to a wonderful round of parties and commitments (including a reception at the Algonquin!) my evenings are not my own, but any other time of day is wide open. I’m an experienced Metro rider, so subways don’t scare me, and I have no problem traveling to the Bronx, for example, in search of spectacular southern Italian food. (I’m southern Italian. Fettucini Alfredo is death to me, no matter how well-prepared, and danged if all the top Italian restaurants in the DC area don’t dote on northern-style, milk and butter heavy food. *sigh*)
I should probably add that I’ve done the Metropolitan Museum of Art almost as many times as I’ve toured the Smithsonian, so unless there’s a can’t-miss special exhibit, consider MMA as a given. Also, shopping counts as both an event and a sport, so feel free to share any suggestions in that area. Specialty shops, like Pearl River, earn extra points. 😉
Thanks in advance!