New York City Hostel Scene Heats Up

by Kelly Amabile on

Business mag Crain’s New York recently took a look at the number of new hostel beds popping up around Manhattan. A portion of the 2,000 plus beds in the city belong to the expanding Jazz Hostels chain, which now boasts five locations in NYC. They operate four hostels on the Upper West Side and in Harlem (between 95th and 129th Streets), including the original Jazz Hostel at W. 106th Street and a fifth on E. 14th. Although the original location has been open since 1998, three of these hostels have opened in the past year, charging $15- $35 per night.

Hard to find that kind of room rate in New York these days, which is why the trend seems to indicate that more budget accommodations are on their way. Let’s just hope legally, though — as the Crain’s article notes, some real estate developers may be operating under false pretenses. Another new arrival, Broadway Hotel and Hostel on W. 101st St., has received accusations to this effect, but is in the midst of a $3 million renovation.

Travelers looking to save a bunch when visiting NYC should check the reviews at Hostels.com or Hostelworld to see what folks are saying about these newest entries in the growing hostel market.

On the Inside: An Insider’s Guide to NYC

by Willy Volk on

On the Inside calls itself a “personality-driven Insiders city guide.” Covering New York City, the site showcases movers-n-shakers from the Big Apple — including filmmakers, actors, designers, writers, models, artists, and musicians — who share their favorite spots to eat, drink, shop, and relax in the City.

Allowing uses to search by Insider, neighborhood, or category of destination, On the Inside helps visitors (as well as the congenitally non-hip) learn about some off-the-beaten-track destinations. For example, actor/comedian Will Forte suggests having cocktails at Professor Thom’s — a split personality of a bar — while filmmaker Salvatore Stabile suggests heading to the Brandy Library for a quiet drink and some good conversation.

If you’re heading to the City and you don’t know exactly what you’re going to do, swing by, poke around, and I bet you’ll come away with several cool ideas.

[Thanks, Laurie!]

Garden in Transit: New York City in Full Bloom

by Justin Glow on

New York City, get ready for some color.

Garden in Transit is a city art project organized to paint colorful flowers on weatherproof panels that will be placed on tops of approximately 12,000 taxis in the New York City area.

Non-profit organization Portraits for Hope are organizing this “groundbreaking motivational art, education, and creative therapy project” which will use the artistic talents of kids in the pediatrics department at America’s oldest hospital, Bellevue. “Beginning in September 2007 and until year’s end, New York City will be visually transformed, as the ubiquitous yellow icon becomes a mobile artistic canvas.”

This is all being done in conjunction with Taxi ’07, celebrating 100 years of metered taxi service in New York City, which Gadling covered last month. More photos after the jump.

One for the Road: Take a Hike New York City

by Kelly Amabile on

Of all the books I’ve mentioned during this week’s I Love New York series, this is the one I’ve enjoyed using the most, but not nearly as much as I’d like to. There’s really no good excuse, but I’ll blame it on winter weather.

All the suggested hikes featured in Moon’s Take a Hike New York City are located within two hours of Manhattan by bus, train or car. Skip Card has gathered a great selection of hiking options that stretch out in all directions: Fire Island’s Otis Pike Wilderness, the Staten Island Blue Trail, the Shawangunks in Ulster County, and thirteen sections of the New York Appalachian Trail. There are also 15 New Jersey hikes and suggested walks in Central Park, the Botanical Garden’s Native Forest and Jamaica Bay’s Wildlife Refuge.

The handy cross-reference section highlights the best hikes for kids and those with interests like bird-watching, geology and history. I used this book to navigate four hikes last fall — two near Ringwood in western New Jersey, and two in the western Hudson region. I agree with Card’s pick of the Norvin Green Crest Loop as one of the best for variety and high peaks. His description of the Ringwood Manor Loop provides a nice overview of the estate’s history. And all the other entries offer more of the same, including clear directions for finding trail heads and those all-important hints for picking the best lunchtime pit-stops.

GADLING’S TAKE FIVE: Week of April 29

by Adrienne Wilson on

Not sure about all of you out there, but I’ve got summer on my mind – BAD. Every read here seems to translate to summer for me and that is only speaking for me, myself and I. If you are as ready as I am you will easy find how to work these recent blog topics, suggestions and tales into a summer adventure of your own.

5. 10 Worst Cities to Visit/10 Best Cities to Visit:
Save time this summer by skipping some of the duds found on the worst list and heading to the best. Or if you’re like me you’ll let all the others cramp and crowd what’s considered the best to make the most out of what’s considered the worst by checking it out on your own. You dig?

4. Finding the Right Place to Workout While on the Road:
Don’t leave the body you’ve been chiseling up for the summer at home. Take it out on the road and keep it fit while you go. If you’re finding it hard to workout on the road perhaps this one will help ignite whatever it is you need to get you started.

3. New York: Bowl at the Bus Station:
Here’s a fun one if you’re out in NY looking for activities aside from the club and bar scene on a late weekend night or any night at that. Bowling at the bus station can be done during the day as well while waiting for your bus to carry you back home. It is recommended you order a $50 Tower of Beer to cool you off between strikes.

2. A Canadian In Beijing: Steamy Bathhouse in Shanghai:
There is never a dull moment in Ember’s Beijing world. In one of her latest she tells all from her hot and steamy Shanghai bathhouse visit. Okay, it isn’t that steamy… Maybe.

1. How to Insult Someone Using British Sign Language:
As the temperature begins to rise don’t let your attitude, but if it does and you feel as though you should and you must insult someone using British sign language start learning how by visiting the tutorial as discovered by Justin. Just be sure you learn the good stuff too and by that I mean ‘nice’ gestures.