Video: New York Dogs And Their Thoughts

by Elizabeth Seward on

New York dogs are one of my favorite things about New York, seriously. Sure, plenty of other New York things come before the dogs of New York for me, but the dogs do make the list. And even though I love dogs of all nationalities, so to speak, New Yorker dogs are especially … diverse. Much like New Yorker humans, the dogs of this city are often pampered, neurotic, resourceful and/or everything in between. Dog parks are a great place to see New Yorkers let their notorious guards down and this video, created by ANIMAL, is also a great place to see New Yorkers let their guards down. When faced with the question “What do you think your dog is thinking,” these New Yorkers and their dogs took the opportunity to self-express (and project).

[Thanks, ANIMAL]

Yelp Maps Show Where To Find Hipsters, Cheap Eats

by Libby Zay on

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Yelp, the go-to place for restaurant reviews, is now mapping trending topics in major cities. By pulling frequently used keywords from reviews, data visualizations show where the dim sum hotspots are in San Francisco and where hipsters congregate in New York (Williamsburg is a big red cluster, go figure!).

At first the maps seem to do little besides confirming stereotypes. But for travelers exploring new cities, the tool could come in handy. Filter locations by “cheap” and find hotbeds of budget dining in Los Angeles. Or use “view” and “romantic” to locate a neighborhood with some ambiance in Philly. Other helpful keywords include “kosher,” “brunch” and “espresso.” Yelp’s World Map site currently covers 16 cities, mostly in the U.S.

[via Gizmodo]

New York City Installs Pedestrian Maps (Finally)

by Libby Zay on

New York is introducing wayfinding map kiosks throughout the city, a godsend for anyone who has ever emerged from a subway exit disoriented (don’t be ashamed, that’s pretty much everyone who has set foot in the city). The maps are not only helpful, but also match the graphic language established in the 1960s for the subway system, as Michael Bierut from design team Pentagram explains to Wired:

“All of this was deliberately echoing the way the subways look… We wanted people to be able to ride the subway, come out and orient themselves.”

The new monolith-style kiosks display two maps, a zoomed-in glimpse of what’s within a five-minute radius, and an overview of the location in relation to a larger patch of the city. The first kiosk was installed last week in Chinatown, with more to follow soon. In a city where an estimated 30 percent of all trips are made by foot, we can’t be the only ones excited this subway improvement is here. With the recent addition of free solar-powered cellphone charging stations, the city seems to be getting more tourist-friendly every day.

Avoid New York City Traffic With MotoShare

by Chris Owen on

Travelers come to New York City from all over the world, for business or pleasure, and they all need to go from place to place. Sometimes they get out of the city too, exploring the Hamptons, Upstate New York, Connecticut and the Jersey Shore. They might be on a tour, with a local friend or on their own via public transportation or a rental car. Becoming more popular all the time: renting a motorcycle.

Anyone who lives in or has visited New York City and been in a cab knows that traffic can burn up a lot of time. Locals accept it as part of daily life. They walk or are able to plan ahead, knowing how long it takes to get somewhere. But travelers visiting New York know they are using up limited time stuck in traffic. For locals and visitors alike, Jupiter Motorcycle Rentals has an answer.

Visiting New York City, daily or weekly rentals are available and allow riders to “experience the brilliance of riding a premium BMW motorcycle for at least two days of unforgettable riding and the potential of an adventure day-by-day,” says the Jupiter website. Two-day rental packages start at $214 plus tax, inclusive of insurance.

Great for those who live in New York City too, Jupiter’s exclusive MotoShare program is an exclusive motorcycle club. Like ZipCar for motorcycles, the MotoShare program offers all the benefits of owning a motorbike without the hassle. Members pay $200 per year to belong, $80 per month, and can try a variety of motorcycles.Hiring a motorcycle for the weekend to get out of the city or taking a bike to see New York City in a whole new way, Jupiter Motorcycle Rentals has a variety of programs available. Offering a full fleet of European motorcycles including BMW, Triumph and Ducati, Jupiter caters to experienced motorcycle riders as well as first-timers.

For riders who are renting with Jupiter for the first time, the First-Time Rider package features 10 percent off motorcycle rental, plus complimentary helmet and gear rental ($70 value).

A full selection of gear rental is also available on-site at their retail location, steps from the subway in Gowanus, Brooklyn, and a 40-minute subway ride from Manhattan.

See Jupiter Motorcycle Rentals or call 718-788-2585

Need a little inspiration? Check this video:

Mexican Park Offers Fake Border Crossing Attraction

by Libby Zay on


From sewer tours in France to “ghetto tours” in New York, there’s no shortage of strange excursions out there. An amusement park in Mexico, however, may have the most unusual outing yet: Parque EcoAlberto is bringing in tourist dollars – and teaching Mexican youth a lesson – by simulating the experience of fleeing across the U.S.-Mexico border.

According to PBS, the nighttime-only attraction aims to dissuade immigration by teaching Mexican citizens that attempting to cross the border is no walk in the park. For three hours, events unfold as realistically as possible, with masked guides shouting for participants to “get Moving” and a fake border patrol chasing them with flashlights and dogs.

The park, which also has hot springs and offers ziplining, is about 800 miles from the real U.S.-Mexico border in part of the indigenous HñaHñu community. According to the news outlet, the community has lost about 80 percent of its population to the U.S., mainly to Arizona and Nevada.

“We try to help people so that they won’t leave,” a park employee who acts as a “coyote,” or person paid to smuggle people across the border, tells PBS. “It’s time to create some employment, to work with our own and regenerate everything, or at least what we can, even though it might be slow going.”