Bronx Zoo cobra on the loose takes Manhattan…and Twitter

by Meg Nesterov on

On Friday, an adolescent Egyptian cobra escaped from New York’s Bronx Zoo.

The reptile house closed immediately after her escape, and zookeepers are saying she could take weeks to come out of hiding. While we can’t vouch for the authenticity of the snake taking Manhattan, you can follow her adventures on Twitter, where @bronxzooscobra has been chronicling the travels of the errant snake with over 25,000 followers and counting. So where does a young snakess on the town go?

She first mused over a Broadway show, then taunted followers with her location in front of “the original” Ray’s Pizza (good luck checking all 46 locations claiming to be the first). After taking in the other wildlife at American Museum of Natural His(s)tory, she went downtown for a workout at Equinox Gym and a slither atop the High Line park. The Bronx Zoo cobra then tweeted about getting tickets for Jimmy Fallon before spotting Tina Fey at Rockefeller Center and heading back downtown to Wall Street. Despite asking for a vegan restaurant near Union Square, she ended up way uptown at Tom’s Restaurant from Seinfeld, where she may have found a hiding spot for the night in an unsuspecting apartment. Where will she go today?

Any New York travel tips for the cobress? Have you spotted any snakes, tweeting or just taking in the sights? While she is just 20 inches long, she is venomous, so watch your ankles!

VIDEO: Take a stop-motion trip to 1983 New York City

by Meg Nesterov on

In just under six minutes, you can take a (mostly) stop-motion trip to 1983 New York City in this short film called “N.Y.C. (No York City)” by Rick Liss with music by Laurie Anderson. The video follows a dizzying path through Manhattan, past familiar landmarks like the World Trade Center, the subway, and Central Park (check out the roller skaters!). While the clothes and cars may seem dated, in many ways, it’s not much different than 2011 New York City, except with more mimes.

Nomading Film Festival announces NY venue

by Stephen Greenwood on

If you’re a New Yorker, a film enthusiast, a traveler that loves good storytelling, or combination of all three; clear your calendar for June 18th and set your sights on the West Village’s massive Hostelling International-New York.

The Brooklyn-based Nomading Film Festival has announced that they’ll be holding their big night of screenings in the biggest hostel in North America – an environment that falls right in line with their overall theme. The idea behind the Nomading Film Festival is simple. The fest’s creators “believe that stories caught on film, while traveling, are some of the most entertaining, educating, beautiful, and authentic. These are stories which should be shared, acknowledged, and awarded.“

Don’t have any video experience? Not to worry – NoFF encourages people of all experience levels with video to submit so long as it’s under 15 minutes, non-fiction, and uploaded before April 30th (upload here). The festival has changed their grand prize from a trip to Egypt, to a 10-day trip to India, courtesy of Intrepid Travel. So grab your camera, phone, or webcam and hit the road!


Head on over to the Nomading Film Festival homepage for more information.

Free condoms in New York City? Safe sex is only an app away, so tap that app today!

by Sean McLachlan on

The New York City Health Department is serious about safe sex. So serious, in fact, that it gives away a staggering three million free condoms every month. Now they want to make sure everyone knows where to find these little packets of joy. They’ve come out with an app for the iPhone and Android phones that shows you exactly where the five closest distribution points are. And with more than a thousand locations all over the city, you won’t have to go far to ensure a lower risk of pregnancy and STDs.

The NYC Condom Finder not only tells you where the distributions points are, but also their hours of operation, and what other safe sex products are available there. To get it, users of Android or Apple mobile phones should search for “NYC Condom” in the Android Market or the iPhone App Store.

Despite the title of this post, safe sex is serious business. HIV is still a deadly problem, as are numerous other STDs. Consistent use of a condom seriously reduces the risk of catching these infections.

New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley says, “Using a condom every time you have sex protects you and your partner from contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Condoms also prevent unintended pregnancy.“

Well said, Dr. Farley. So if you’re going to play, please play carefully.

Coney Island’s Scream Zone to boast two thrilling roller coasters

by Joel Bullock on


Coney Island is about to get a much needed boost in the thrills department. Once home to cutting edge amusement rides and the World’s fastest roller coaster in the famed Coney Island Cyclone, the area has closed rides and had few roller coasters of note. Scream Zone looks to change that with two new roller coasters.

Steeplechase Horses Coaster might be considered the headliner for the new park. While launch coasters have been around for years, they still freeze onlookers in their tracks. Many are still used to seeing traditional lift hills versus a coaster rocketing out of the station. After boarding horse-shaped seats, Steeplechase will launch riders to 40 mph. As launch coasters go, that’s a benign launch, but it will still impress your average park guests and offer a fun family-friendly ride. Steeplechase should be similar to Knotts Berry Farm’s Pony Express (pictured above).

Flying roller coaster Soaring Eagle will put riders in a face-down flying position. Similar to Playland Park’s Super Flight, it will feature a spiral lift hill and two loops. The ride has just made a cross-country trip from Denver’s Elitch Gardens where it was known as Flying Coaster.

Both roller coasters are compact and don’t come anywhere near record speeds or heights, but they’re a step in the right direction. If Scream Zone does well, then bigger attractions could be around the corner. When I visited Coney Island a few years ago, I got to experience the iconic Cyclone, but after that I left the area. Tourists and locals looking for more thrills on the boardwalk should be excited. Sign up for updates about Scream Zone’s opening at their website.

[Image credit: Flickr user – Magic Madzik]