First Skating, Now Golfing

by Iva Skoch on

Spring is desperately trying to come to NYC…once this weekend’s record water (7.81 inches of rain through this morning in Central Park) drains away, that is.

The folks at the Rockefeller Center ice rink are planning on it happening. That’s why they’re putting in a golf green. That’s right, they’re making a one-quarter-scale replica of the famous 17th hole island green from TPC Sawgrass (see pic at right), right there at the Center, from May 4-13.

It’s part of an exhibit for The Players Championship in Florida. They’re shipping in 1 mile of railroad ties, 40,000 pounds of fill dirt, and 3,500 square feet of sod.

Travel to NYC With Grand Theft Auto?

by Jonathon Morgan on

The upcoming version of Grand Theft Auto (GTA) — the popular video game known for it’s morally ambiguous stance on violence — will be set in New York City.

Not surprisingly, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is a little upset — particularly because you can earn points in the game by killing police officers.

While the new GTA technically takes place in the fictional “Liberty City,” you’ll recognize plenty of famous landmarks and tourist destinations — including the Statue of Liberty, Coney Island’s Cyclone and the Brooklyn Bridge.

GTA supporters point out that countless violent movies are set in the city, including those that feature the gritty reality of murderers, prostitutes, organized crime — even corrupt police officers. They don’t see the difference between these films, and the game — which they call an art form.

I actually haven’t played GTA since the very first version came out years ago, and didn’t realize the game’s fantasy environments were based on real locations. Who knows — it might be a fun way to get a feel for the city without leaving your house.

That is, if you don’t mind stealing cars and shooting people in the process.

Seventh Annual Bicycle Film Festival

by Adrienne Wilson on

Calling all fat tire, skinny tire, single tire and bicycle fans across the planet… It looks as if the 7th Annual Bicycle Film Festival is preparing to kick off between May 16-20 in NYC and they are still accepting submissions for films with a strong theme or character for bicycles. Submissions are being accepted until March 1, 2007. All mediums and styles are being selected so if you’ve got any well-cut footage of the time you pulled dare-devil like stunts over the Great Wall or spent a summer slowly cycling across the Australian outback, this may be a great opportunity to put it to use, show and tell and further more to attend a really gnarly film festival.

Festival days will go beyond throwing back popcorn in a dark dimly lit theater watching film. There will be a bike parade, street party, rocks shows as well as an art show featuring works by Michel Gondry, Swoon, Shepard Fairey, and Peter Sutherland. Surely this news must have rocked your socks off or your pedal, bike chain or whatever!!! While I don’t have any films to submit myself if I find myself anywhere in and around the NYC area during the May dates I’ll be there. The Bicycle Film Festival also takes place in LA, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Chicago, London, Sydney and Tokyo and many others. See the website for additional details.

Lonely Planet’s New New York Guide

by Erik Olsen on

It’s one thing to buy a new travel guide when you head to a far off destination like, say, Vanuatu. You NEED that guide to help you find your way around. The guide book is generally an indispensable component of your travel experience. I mean, how would you know where to eat, where to stay, what to see without a decent guidebook? Not to mention, of course, how the guidebook has become something of a beacon for travelers to identify each other, strike up conversations and find partners on the road. Happens all the time. Has happened to me.

But then, what about the question of having a guidebook for your own city? Does it do any good to heft one of those weighty tomes around in the place you call home? Well, I suppose it depends on where you live, but for me, having lived in an intense, bustling, complex city now for over seven years, the answer is, absolutely.

And I can’t tell you how pleased I was to get my hands on the newest edition of the Lonely Planet New York City guide. Released just a few months ago, the book is a major upgrade to the previous edition, with gobs of new information on sites and restaurants and hotels. The new edition was much needed and much anticipated by New York transplants and born-n-breds alike who enjoy having the LP guides (among numerous others) on the shelf when a quiet Sunday rolls around and you’re in need of some direction on what to do. I was very pleased to see the new guide nails all my favorite spots, like the Spotted Pig and Sapphire and the Abingdon Guest House (yes, I’m partial to the Village), but also takes on the thriving out door scene in the city with hefty mentions of biking (i.e. along the River and to the Hudson Bridge) as well as kayaking (I always recommend you come and paddle in Manhattan and check out the Manhattan Kayak Company. You will never regret this…unless you are crushed by a cruise ship, of course, then you might regret it…but htat almost never happens ;-)).

Another great feature of the new guide is the lovely and detailed pull-out map. If I have one gripe with travel guides it’s that the maps inside are usually lousy, and LP too a much-needed step by including great maps. If you’ve never been to Manhattan or don’t come often, you NEED a good map.

I could go on, but suffice to say that the new edition of Lonely Planet’s New York City guide is a must have for both visitors and locals.

Ocean 1, New York City 0

by Dave Luna on


No, this isn’t a scene from Waterworld 2. (Thank goodness.) This image is an artist’s rendition of how Manhattan would look if it lost the fight against rising sea levels. Vanity Fair chose this picture for its 2006: Year in Photos collection.

The depiction is meant to be shocking, but I see it as Venice II. I imagine little vaporettos ferrying people down Fifth Avenue, circling Central Park, and stopping by the new Piazza San Marco: Times Square.

(Thanks, Mike!)