RNR wrote:

but I'm not too proud to admit that I'm a little
intimidated about talking to those rapid-fire New York controllers.

Get over this, and talk to them. They're people too, you know, and
typically as helpful as circumstances permit. I was once overflying
Manhattan (VFR, showing off to a "tourist") with an LGA controller working
only me.

One option for you involves staying low and flying one of the "corridors".
There's an official exclusion zone which you can take up the Hudson and
never be speaking to anyone (which I see you've flown before). That's an
option for you heading to the north.

There's an unofficial corridor at 1000 and below along the Garden State
Parkway. I've been told that this is because of traffic reporters, but I
don't know. I've used this a few times to cut through. Of course, you do
need to be speaking to them (you'll actually be speaking to EWR) for this.

You can fly north to, and then over, CDW at something like 3500 (or perhaps
above). I've done that a few times too.

Or you can sneak under the shelf south of JFK, and then overfly LI and the
LI Sound. That's not my favorite idea, however.

Watching on RADAR, I see a lot of traffic heading up the Hudson w/in the
class B. You could try to request that at some reasonable altitude, for
another option.

Or, you could just overfly while getting advisories.

It doesn't hurt to ask, and to try different options if one isn't available.
And several of these options aren't even something you'd have to request at
all. But I do recommend talking to ATC. I do that whenever I can, even if
just out for some chandelles and such. An extra pair of eyes is never a
bad thing. And the more you do this, the easier it'll get.

- Andrew