Best Beer Garden in New York

by Iva Skoch on

I admit that by being Czech, I am slightly biased when proclaiming that The Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden has the best outdoor garden of any bar in New York…but really, it does.

First of all, it is huge (big asset in New York.) Secondly, it has real Czech beer (and authentic food, which I realize could be a drawback to some). Thirdly, they host all kinds of events in the summer, from movie screenings to jazz concerts.

To many Manhattanites, the Bohemian Hall is way too far, which is another reason it has remained authentic. After all, you do have to cross a bridge to get there. It is in Astoria, Queens but only a few subway stops from Midtown Manhattan. Not that this place is ready for an influx of “tourists” but when you get sick of those $14 cocktails in SoHo, this might be a good change of scenery…

The Best U.S. Cities for Singles

by Justin Glow on

You may recognize this “Singles” map from the February 2007 issue of National Geographic. It ranks the number of single women versus the number of single men in metropolitan areas, and you may be surprised at some of the results.

Girls, looking to travel to a bachelor-heavy area? The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana metro area, for instance, has the highest population of single males, with 40,000 more than single women. On the flip side, guys, the New York-Newark urban area has 185,000 more single women than men.

What I find particularly interesting is Texas. Dallas, Austin, and Houston all have more single men than women, while San Antonio has more single women. With the influx of military personnel in San Antonio, I would have figured the opposite.

One for the Road: Moon Metro NYC

by Kelly Amabile on

This week’s One for the Road suggestions start and end with mentions of Moon guides. Today it’s another NYC guide, since this is my home-base (and where I usually try out different guidebooks when friends come to visit.) This week my pal Eszter, from Hungary, is visiting NYC (and the US!) for the very first time. Upon her arrival earlier this week I gave her several guidebooks as reference, since I wasn’t going to be able to show her around that much.

Of all the NYC guides I’ve looked at recently, I recommended the Moon Metro NYC guide as my favorite choice for Eszter’s sightseeing needs. The flip-out map feature of this guidebook series is what really sets it apart from the rest. The first half of the book contains a series of ten glossy fold-out maps that cut Manhattan into size-able chunks. Descriptions of sights, along with some tips and basic historical background, make up the second half of the book.

Different guides serve different purposes, and Eszter agreed that this one would work best for her quick four-day jaunt through NYC. She already had a good idea of what she wanted to see and do, so she wasn’t really looking for ideas. But what she did need was a good navigator, and Moon’s “Unfold the City” guide helped her do just that.

One for the Road: The Slow Food Guide to NYC

by Kelly Amabile on

We haven’t really talked much about the Slow Food movement here at Gadling — we leave that to the experts, our friends over at Slashfood. But it’s worth a mention, especially now, while I’ve got this great Slow Food Guide to NYC in my hands!

Founded in Italy in 1986, Slow Food is an international movement dedicated to preserving regional cuisine and products from around the world, while also advocating for sustainability and biodiversity in the food supply. The NYC guide is organized first by “cuisines”, then by “special foods & nightlife” and finally by “food shops, markets and producers.” The listings in each section highlight establishments throughout the city that serve food in line with the Slow Food mission. My mouth is watering with slow food goodness…ya gotta love a book with special “tribute” sections devoted to delectables like pickles, tamales, smoked fish and New York Cheesecake!

Other books in this series are Slow Food Guides to Chicago and San Francisco. None of these guidebooks are brand new, so you may run into some outdated info. But they’re still plenty useful for travelers looking to savor slowness while eating their way through these cities. Bon Appetite!

One for the Road: Lonely Planet Encounters

by Kelly Amabile on

I’ve got a friend visiting New York this week for the very first time, and in advance of her visit, I road-tested a few guides to see which might work best to use during her short stay. For the rest of this week, I’ll feature the NYC versions of several guidebook series. Consider this part-two of my previous I Love NY mini-book reviews.

First up is New York Encounter, the Big Apple edition of Lonely Planet’s new series of pocket guides that were launched in May. Geared for “urban adventurers seeking unique experiences” the books are for travelers who want to “rapidly immerse themselves in a city.” They were created in collaboration with travelers who seek info from locals in the know. Some short Q&A’s throughout the book showcase the diversity of personality and place that characterizes these guides: there are interviews with the guys behind the High Line, a pedicab driver originally from the Ukraine, a Brooklyn bodega owner and a curatorial assistant at MoMA.

The focus is on experience. There are limited accommodation suggestions, since the emphasis is on what you can do, and in a city like NYC, sleeping doesn’t really count for much. Organized by neighborhood, each section has maps that show places to eat, shop, drink, see and play. There’s a free pull-out map in the rear too, for when you don’t mind looking like a tourist as you plunge deeper into your encounter with the city.