Seinfeld Via Google Maps

by Erik Olsen on

It pains me to think that there will come a time when people think of Seinfeld the way I now think of, say I Love Lucy. Already, you watch some of those older episodes and the pictures a bit faded, the styles dated and even some of the jokes a bit worn. I don’t want Seinfeld to get any older. I want to show to range in my thoughts as fresh as the bread I buy at the local bakery. Having lived in New York for the last (almost) eight years, I feel like Seinfeld and New York are one, and to see the show get old kind of makes me feel old.

All of that is a long preamble to a nice little Google mash up I saw over at Gothamist that refreshes the Seinfeld allure, if just for a moment. The map shows many of the spots in Manhattan where various scenes and episodes took place. Take, for example, Jerry’s apartment on 81st and Columbus, where, the map tells us, Jerry actually DID live while here doing stand up. And, of course, the location in mid-town of the infamous Soup Nazi, who has made quite a little business keeping that character alive. So, good stuff for Seinfeld fans and New Yorkers alike.

Floating Swimming Pool Spotted in Brooklyn

by Justin Glow on

Is Germany too far away to swim in a floating pool? Turns out there’s one in Brooklyn, NY.

The “Floating Pool Lady” is located at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy on an old barge — very similar to the one in Berlin. However, Germany’s pool is stationary, while Brooklyn’s is free-roaming, with plans to swim to “pool-deprived Williamsburg or South Bronx, so residents there can take a dip,” according to the Brooklyn Paper.

What: The Floating Pool Lady
Where?: Brooklyn, NY — Between Piers 4 and 5 (near Furman and Joralemon Streets), two blocks north of Atlantic Avenue. (For now.)
Cost: Free!

(Thanks, cooketravel!)

Eating with Strangers in New York City

by Neil Woodburn on

One of the cool things I discovered on my first trip to Europe was that restaurants sat you at empty seats, not at empty tables.

In other words, if a table with four seats already has two people sitting there, the waiter will sit you and your buddy alongside of them–even if it is a couple enjoying a nice romantic evening that your presence will shortly ruin. The reality, however, is that the strangers you are placed next to usually prove to be wonderful company for the evening.

A slight twist on this idea–the communal dining table–is now becoming the hot new dining trend in New York, according to Time Magazine.

In restaurants like Buddakan, for example, a 30 foot table dominates the main dining room. On any given night, there is room here for 18 people. But, only a few actually know each other. The idea is that complete strangers come here to sit next to each other and enjoy a communal meal together.

I love this! What a great way to reintroduce civility and camaraderie back into the sometimes cold heart of New York City–unless, of course you get stuck next to a colossal bore. Then it kinda sucks.

(NY Times review of Buddakan here)

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.

Heron Tours: Embracing the Wildlife of New York City

by Neil Woodburn on

I don’t get to New York very often and as a result, tend to have a rather urban feeling towards this massive concrete jungle. And yet, every time I visit I am pleasantly re-surprised at the amount of nature which has stubbornly existed alongside all the skyscrapers and roadways.

Take, for example, the heron and egret population.

Huh?

Yes indeed. This time of year, New York is home to thousands of majestic water fowl nesting on islands throughout the harbor. I’m not normally a birder myself, but the heron and egret are rather spectacular birds to see soaring by. And now, thanks to the local Audubon Society, they are even easier to enjoy.

On Saturday evenings at 7:30 throughout the summer, an Audubon water taxi will leave Pier 17 and piddle out to the nesting grounds to get up close and personal with the birds. It’s $25 a person, but for those New Yorkers too caught up in the Big City to stop for a moment and take in the joy of a soaring bird, it’s priceless.

And if you are indeed too busy to enjoy this simple pleasure in life, click here to experience it through the Heron Web Cam.