Find things to do when you feel hungover or romantic

There are probably close to 1000 sites that list “things to do”, but most of them list the same boring stuff (OK, so I admit that I made that number up).

Thankfully, every now and then someone has a neat idea, and puts it into reality by building a web site around it.

“I Feel” is a “things to do” site that currently covers 3 big cities (New York, Toronto and London) and lets you find stuff to do when you are feeling naughty, energetic, hungover or one of 6 other moods.

Want to find somewhere to go in London when you are feeling broke? How about a nice discount shoe shop, or a cheap trip on the London Clipper!

The site is currently in “beta mode”, but invites are being sent out which should allow you to add your own submissions to the maps. No invite or account is needed to search through the tips. I browsed London for some of the ideas and have to say that there are some real gems listed. The results include anything from food to nightclubs.

All the locations are overlaid upon a Google map, so you’ll be able to do all the cool things their maps can do, as well as print or email your results, plus you can link to other reviews of the locations using Google local.

Sites: I Feel London, I Feel Toronto and I Feel New York

Shakespeare in the Park: It’s Free

One of my most favorite experiences in New York City was when my brother and I went to a Shakespeare in the Park production of “Pirates of Penzance.” We packed a picnic lunch and headed to Central Park to stake out our spot in line for our free tickets. Yes, free. It’s stunning to think of it. Kevin Kline and Linda Ronstadt played the leads. Yes, yes, this was eons ago, but the thing is, Shakespeare in the Park is still free. The process for getting tickets is streamlined it seems, but it still takes a bit of work and planning ahead.

Here’s how to get them. Even though the Delcorte Theater starts passing out tickets at 1 p.m. on the day of the show and the Public Theater passes them out between 1 and 3 p.m. I’d get there earlier than that. That’s what we did when we brought our picnic. We went about 11:00. [The photo of the line posted on Flickr by petitsoeur on July 5 says underneath it “even the early birds don’t score a ticket. . .”] Maybe these days you need to get there even earlier. The crowd can be interesting so waiting around can be an experience on its own. The Shakespeare in the Park folks monitor the lines starting at 10 a.m.

The good thing is, since the tickets are given out only on the day of the show, this is an equal opportunity venture. No one gets to call ahead or have someone save them a spot. Also, each person can only get two tickets so no one can hoard. I like that.

If you’re planning on being in New York City anytime between August 7 and September 9, put this on your to do list. This is when the next play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is being performed.

Bargain Day at the Bronx Zoo

If you’re thinking about a trip to the Bronx Zoo as part of a New York City vacation, go on a Wednesday. This is the day when the admission cost is what you choose to donate. The place was packed, but not terribly so considering we went on the 4th of July.

We started our trip there at Union Square on 14th Street and 2nd Avenue. The 5 subway went within two blocks of the zoo’s entrance. I think the subway is a special thing to do in itself. Once the train crosses to the The Bronx, the train travels above ground so it’s a chance to get a top of the buildings view and glimpses of neighborhoods.

The Bronx Zoo is lush, expansive place with loads of trees that are as much a focus as the animals. On a hot day, this would be perfect. The trees kept us from getting wet when it started to rain. I’d also head to the zoo in the fall. I bet it’s gorgeous when the leaves turn colors.

Of all the exhibits, the World of Birds was my favorite. The exhibits are on two levels. The first floor gives you the bottom of the forest version of the birds’ habitat and the second floor is a top of the trees view.

One of my son’s favorite activities was the carousel. Instead of horses, the zoo’s version has gigantiic insects. My son chose a grasshopper.

Another thing I liked about The Bronx Zoo is it’s focus on environmentalism. There are several exhibits set up by the Wildlife Conservation Society that show the impact of humans on the environment and what people can do to help alter the course of destruction. Considering the zoo is in a part of the United States that has had to wrestle with this reality on a daily basis.

The most wonderful aspect of the zoo, however, was the people. Sure you can see exotic animals, but the variety of people here is perhaps unrivaled. There seemed to be families from all parts of the world enjoying the day along with us. It was terrific to think we could gather here on the 4th of July without spending a fortune to do it.