$7 isn't bad going for a beer in the US these days (mind you, $3.50 'hardhat specials' in the bar around the corner from the mothership and they don't seem to enforce the hardhat requirement – yeah, yeah, I know, take it to the helmet thread).
As you've probably learned, it's probably best not to fight with the LIR schedules and take the E, it takes longer but it's generally less hassle.
Go catch the Manhattan skyline from Gantry Plaza State Park in Queens or the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, especially at sunset, it's cool to watch the sun go down and the buildings light up.