Free NYC Dessert Fest

Back in February, Annie mentioned a “recessional special” for a New York City dessert tour, and then in April, Jeremy broke down the cool dessert spots for New York City dwellers. It seems the Big Apple isn’t short on shopping its sweets, and there are plenty of sweets to be had in Manhattan even though summer is coming to a close.

If you’re looking for a cool activity to satisfy your sweet tooth, you’ll be happy to learn that the Free NYC Dessert Fest is still taking place each month. It is a free walking tour, centered solely on succulent desserts. Purchase of desserts are optional & additional.
This month will mark the tour’s 10th consecutive monthly tour of the city’s neighborhood sweet spots. The walk explores the Upper West Side, which has 5 delicious eateries where you can sample everything from cookies and cupcakes to hand-made French chocolates. Or if fruitier fare is more your palatable, mouth-watering apple tart or cheesecake might just satisfy that stomach of yours.

To help support the good work of Food Bank For New York City, a non-profit helping to feed the hungry, Walking Tours Manhattan asks for a $5.00 donation per person. 100% of all donations go to charity. Since December 2008 tour donations have helped feed 39 New Yorkers for a month.

Meet our tour guide with the red ball cap saying Walking Tours Manhattan on Sunday August 23, 2009 at 11:00am at Magnolia Bakery, 200 Columbus Avenue at 69th Street. The dessert tour lasts 1.5 hours, and expect to walk a little over 1 mile.

For additional neighborhood dessert tours, visit http://walkingtoursmanhattan.com

Undiscovered New York: Strolling “Brownstone Brooklyn”

Welcome back to Undiscovered New York. It’s often said that New York is a city made for walking. Between one of the world’s largest subway systems and an increasingly pedestrian-friendly city government, walking is typically the easiest (and most enjoyable) way to get around town.

In fact, walking isn’t just a practical way to get around. One of the great pleasures for any New Yorker is the leisurely stroll of his/her chosen neighborhood of residence. Within any given block you’re likely to encounter the sights, sounds and smells that give New York its particular personality – the bright green awnings of the neighborhood bodega, the thwack of rubber against concrete at the local handball court, or the gently wafting scent of fresh-baked loaves of bread.

Although just about all of the city of New York is a great place for walking, it’s only in Brooklyn that walking reaches its purest form. Don’t get us wrong, Manhattan’s got plenty of accessible pavement, and Queens and the Bronx are sidewalk friendly too. But there’s just something about Brooklyn and its stately rows of elegant old Brownstone houses, placid parks and tiny storefronts that has particular appeal.

This week at Undiscovered New York, we’re taking you on a leisurely tour of one of Brooklyn’s most famous old Brownstone neighborhoods: Brooklyn Heights. And we’re doing it the way Brooklyn was meant to be seen – by foot. Interested in walking one of New York’s most beautiful old neighborhoods? Curious to see where authors like Tom Wolfe and rocker Bob Dylan once lived? How about an interesting look inside Middle Eastern culture in New York City? Let’s take a stroll through “Brownstone Brooklyn…”
A Walk Through Brooklyn Heights
As the settlement of New York began to grow rapidly in the early 1800’s, a new “commuter town” appeared along the banks of the East River opposite downtown New York. This new neighborhood, now known as Brooklyn Heights, became home to street after street of grandiose mansions, tall, shady trees and stately Brownstones. If you’ve heard of the beauty of Manhattan’s West Village, imagine an area just as beautiful – except minus all the gawking tourists.

Brooklyn Heights is one of the easiest, most beautiful and interesting spots to kick off your Brooklyn walking tour. Take a stroll along beautiful Pierrepont Street, stopping at the ornate building that houses the Brooklyn Historical Society. In addition to being a beautiful building, the site is filled with exhibits on the Borough’s history.

Just a block south is the commercial strip of Montague Street, lined with cafes and restaurants. Rock legend Bob Dylan claimed to have lived along this historic strip in his song Tangled Up in Blue. Then make your way south along Hicks Street, pausing to admire the majestic 19th Century facades. Book-lovers might also want to check out 5 Montague Terrace, once home to novelist Thomas Wolfe in the 1930’s.

Down Atlantic Avenue
Just south of Brooklyn Heights is Atlantic Avenue, one of Brooklyn’s most prominent East-West thoroughfares. A walk along this interesting and rapidly changing strip of Brooklyn will take you through the heart of some of the Borough’s more interesting businesses and landmarks. Between Clinton and Court Streets lies a strip of Middle Eastern restaurants, groceries and bakeries. Neighborhood favorite Sahadi’s stocks a wide variety of dry fruits and nuts as well as Middle Eastern specialty food products. Stop into nearby Damascus Bakery for a piece of Baklava or some of their famous pita bread.

Just a little further east, near the corner of Atlantic and Hoyt, you begin to enter one of Brooklyn’s more famous antique districts. The area’s biggest hub for antique and vintage furniture of all kinds is Horseman Antiques. Covering over three floors, Horseman stocks everything from vintage sofas to stained glass. For something a bit more modern, keep going just down the street to artez’n, a quirky shop specializing in locally produced artwork and gifts.

Budget Travel: San Francisco



Summary:
Frequently at the top of the best US cities lists, San Francisco is many visitors’ favorite, but might not be the first on the mind for cheap travel. But this easy-natured, west coast city, known for its counterculture, sourdough bread, and colorful Victorian homes, boasts just as many quaint neighborhoods and other understated gems as it does tourist landmarks. Easy on the eyes, easy on the heart-strings–now consider it easy on the budget.

Getting in: All of the major airlines fly into SFO, including JetBlue and Southwest. You should find ample options from United, since the airport is one of the airline’s hubs. If you’re staying outside of the city proper, consider the two other airports in the area: Oakland (OAK) and San Jose (SJC).

From SFO, the local commuter train (BART: Bay Area Rapid Transit) is your best bet to your hotel or hostel. It can drop you off at eight stations within the city itself. A one-way trip to one of the downtown stops is $5.35. Otherwise, a door-to-door shuttle (such as QuakeCity or SuperShuttle) costs $15–17.

If a slower pace is more your style, catch a Greyhound bus and disembark right in downtown San Francisco. Amtrak also stops nearby, but you’ll need to make your way ten miles from the closest stations in Oakland and Emeryville, in the East Bay.

%Gallery-15480%



Where to stay: Hostelling International offers reliably inexpensive options with their downtown and Fisherman’s Wharf hostels. Downtown is all about the location–just a block from Union Square, it’s in the heart of the city that’s renowned for capturing ours. The Fisherman’s Wharf location is more peaceful and removed–housed in the historic buildings of park-like Fort Mason. (It’s a bit of a misnomer: walking to Fisherman’s Wharf will take about 15 minutes.) Both come with free wi-fi and breakfast, and free or low-cost tours. But it depends on what you’re looking for–stores and nightlife outside your doorstep, or sprawling lawns and views of the Golden Gate Bridge? Either way, at about $25-27 for a dorm, and $69-75 for a private room, the price is right.

At hotel price, but still relatively reasonable is Good Hotel. It’s a new addition to the City by the Bay, and a new premise to the hotel world–it’s been billed as “the first hotel with a conscience.” What does that mean? Their decor is made of recycled goods, amenities are made of sustainable materials, and the hotel can link guests with philanthropic “voluntouring” events while they’re in town. Prices seem to range from $76–230, but they’re offering a winter sale right now–20% off a 3-night stay through March 5, 2009.

What to see: There’s only one reason to head toward Fisherman’s Wharf–to take the ferry to Alcatraz. The infamous jail-island is one landmark that lives up to its reputation. Self-guided audio tours lead you through the prison cells (and back in time) with stories of inmates like Al “Scarface” Capone and the “Birdman” Robert Stroud. As an extra bonus to the $26 cost, the ferry ride also makes for excellent bridge- and skyline-viewing.

Don’t let the hills fool you–San Francisco is a walkable city. If you’re up for an urban hike, you can join a free walking tour by San Francisco City Guides, or embark on your own. Choose the natural setting of Golden Gate Park, or ramble through any of the neighborhoods for distinctly different walks. A walk through North Beach (the Italian district) could include everything from perusing poetry at City Lights Bookstore and taking a cappuccino at Caffe Trieste to watching the wild parrots circle overhead at Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill. See what sights, sounds, or people pull your interest to linger or change your plans. At the very worst, hop on a cable car or one of the vintage street cars to bring you back where you started.

Who says all of the good things have a big price tag? The Saturday farmer’s market at the Ferry Building is as bustling as any other event in the city, and it’s ripe with the season’s best produce–grown on local, organic farms. Sampling is encouraged!

Just as exhibitions rotate in and out of the city’s museums, so do free days. Once a month, the admission fee is waived for many of the city’s art and cultural museums. That means the first Tuesday of every month at the de Young, which greets you in the entry courtyard with an Andy Goldsworthy sculptural installation. Then again, you can always enter the observation tower for free–you’ll get a great 360° birdseye view of the city. Or else, be one of the first to visit the new California Academy of Sciences, which reopened in September 2008 and features a four-story rainforest, planetarium, and a living roof that grows native plants. Stop by on the museum’s free day–the third Wednesday of every month.

If you find yourself needing to indulge a bit after all of the walking and skimping, consider Kabuki Springs and Spa for a relatively cheap afternoon ($22-25) at the communal bath and sauna, Japanese style. Just be sure to check the calendar before you go: the baths are designated solely to men or women on alternating days, and Tuesday is the only co-ed day. Or for a big (in all ways: hats, costumes, voices, fun) San Francisco experience, splurge on a ticket to Beach Blanket Babylon, a music review that spoofs the latest in pop culture–now in its 34th year.

Santa Barbara pueblo hopping with J. Peterman

When things calm down in California, let’s hope you’ll still be able to consider this unique walking tour in Santa Barbara. The Conference and Visitors Bureau has created a Red Tile Walking Tour of the city’s original pueblo district, and are promoting it with a brand new video podcast. Before embarking on a trip to the American Riviera, travelers can first watch Beyond the Rooftops to get a preview of the historic adobes and distinct architectural style that characterizes Santa Barbara.

The 16-minute video gives an overview of the actual self-guided 12-block tour and is narrated by none other than John O’Hurley, best known for his role as J. Peterman on Seinfeld. The historic Santa Barbara County Courthouse serves as starting point for the tour, which includes 17 stops and 22 homes dating from the late 1700s through the 1800s. Other historic landmarks along the way include the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and the Lobero Theater.

Haunted Tours for Halloween Fun: West Coast Edition

Want more haunted tour ideas? As promised, we’ve got some! Hop on your broomstick and fly with us to the western US, where we’ve uncovered eight more haunted tours to scare you silly this Halloween season:

Denver, CO: Morrison is a short distance from downtown Denver, but this Colorado Haunted History Tour sounds like it’s worth the trip out of town. Learn about the Hatchet Lady of Red Rocks and the Lecherous Indian Chief.

Hollywood, CA: Take a tour of the historic Hollywood Forever Cemetery with Karie Bible and visit the burial sites of famous dead celebrities.

Las Vegas, NV: We all know Sin City can be a scary place. But Haunted Vegas Tours explores the creepiest secrets of the city that never sleeps. Tours runs several nights each week, beginning at 9 pm.

Portland, OR: The Portland Haunted Tour is a 2.5 hour shuttle tour of 13 locations historically connected to secrets from the city’s chilling past.

Salt Lake City, UT: Ghost Tours of Salt Lake City and Ogden run every weekend and on Halloween, led by a professional storyteller with a skill for spooking!

San Diego, CA: Haunted San Diego urges you to call and reserve your plot (um, they mean seat) today for this tour of documented haunted locales.

San Francisco, CA: The Haunted Haight Walking Tour begins most evenings at 7 pm at a coffee shop, and ends at a haunted pub, where you never quite know what’s on tap.

Seattle, WA: Market Ghost Tours runs tours through the Pike Place Market. And don’t miss the Paranormal Pub Crawl on Halloween, complete with a Houdini seance at the end!

Not hitting either coast for Halloween this year? Then be sure to check out this list of the Top Ten Haunted Ghost Tours in America for frightful tours in in Chicago, New Orleans, Galveston and other parts of America’s haunted heartland — Happy Halloween!