Matador Network's Blog, page 1231

Eurostar announces new route

Despite the fact that Amsterdam is sick of tourists, the very popular destination is about to get even easier to access. Earlier this year, European train company Eurostar launched a new route from London to Amsterdam, and it was in such high demand that it decided to add a third train, running daily between the British and Dutch cities. Since the initial London-Amsterdam route was introduced, Eurostar has transported over 130,000 additional customers by rail.

The route’s new addition will open in July 2019, and Eurostar plans to double the service in the near future. First, however, it will try to make the journey itself more efficient. Currently, the train from Amsterdam to London requires a stop in Brussels for passport checks, which often causes delays. Passengers will be happy to know that a direct route is in the works, with no passport stop needed.

According to the new schedule, the first train will leave London at 7:16 AM, arriving in Amsterdam at 12:11 PM; the second train at 11:04 AM, to arrive at 4:11 PM; and the third at 5:16 PM, to arrive at 10:11 PM. To plan your journey, visit Eurostar’s website.

H/T: Lonely Planet

More like this: The 7 most glamorous sleeper trains in Europe

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Signs it’s winter in Wisconsin

Wisconsin winters are notoriously frigid. With snow on the ground from October to March and temperatures regularly sitting far below zero, every Wisconsinite must prepare themselves for winter. Here are nine ways you can tell winter is coming in Wisconsin.

1. It’s the first week in October and it’s snowing.

Fall has barely officially started, and last weekend, it was 65 degrees and sunny. Today, though, snow flurries dust the town in white. It melts quickly, but we all know it’s a harbinger of the months to come.

2. You wear two pairs of pants and three jackets to walk to the bar.

Below-freezing temperatures won’t keep a Wisconsinite away from the bar. With layers of long underwear beneath your pants and two winter coats over your fleece, you’ll be ready to trudge through any amount of snow and ice to get to the local pub.

3. It’s football season.

A Wisconsinite’s favorite aspect of winter is football season. After all, if you haven’t frozen your butt off at a Packers game at Lambeau Field, is it even really winter?

4. It’s time to get the ice fishing shack ready.

A good ice fishing shack needs a heater, a TV, and plenty of space for beer.

5. You make plans for the opening weekend of hunting season.

Regardless if you hunt or don’t hunt, you’ll likely have some sort of hunting-related activity planned. Whether it’s setting up a tree to spot deer or attending the oh-so-glamorous Hunter’s Ball, hunting talk is a surefire sign that winter is right around the corner.

6. It’s September and you just turned the heat on in your home.

It’s already cold outside, so you’ve kicked on the furnace. And you won’t turn it off until April.

7. The salt marks on your boots remind you to waterproof them before it’s too late.

No one likes walking down a snow-covered street only to find their shoes stained white with salt. Better use some waterproof spray on them now before winter really arrives.

8. You’ve picked out a weather-appropriate Halloween costume.

There’s no such thing as a “sexy nurse” costume in Wisconsin.

9. It seems like the cornfields went from green to gone in a weekend.

Winter comes overnight in Wisconsin. You better be ready, because once the corn is gone, there’s no turning back.


More like this: 14 signs you’re back home in Wisconsin

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Things millennials would give up

Scrolling through Instagram, one thing is clear: Millennials love dogs, the beach, and are obsessed with traveling. A new study by travel company Contiki shows that people between the ages of 18 and 35 rate travel among their highest priorities, and would give up some pretty surprising things to do it.

Over 1,500 participants were surveyed, and they left little doubt about their commitment to adventure. In exchange for a chance to travel anywhere in the world, free of charge, 77 percent said they would happily give up coffee, 73 percent said they would give up alcohol, 60 percent said they’d stop eating carbs, 80 percent said they’d give up Netflix, and 57 percent volunteered to give up sex.

Before you applaud millennials too much for their restraint, keep in mind that only 41 percent said they would give up their cell phones in exchange for a free trip. While that’s still a relatively sizeable number, it shows how truly reliant millennials can be on their phones, with 49 percent admitting to spending eight to 10 hours on their phone per day.

Perhaps the most revealing statistic, however, is that 73 percent said they often regret missed opportunities. While coffee, carbs, sex, and alcohol are certainly enjoyable, millennials clearly view travel as a special experience — so special that it’s worth sacrificing a Netflix subscription.

H/T: Thrillist

More like this: 7 things you need to know about the woman who travels solo

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Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia fined

Under construction since 1882 with no end in sight, the Sagrada Familia’s prospects were already pretty bleak, so a $41 million fine is not going to make things easier for the basilica. Barcelona’s famously unfinished church is being hit with a multi-million dollar fine for lacking a valid building permit.

The fine will be paid to the city by the cathedral’s trustees, and will be reinvested into the city’s infrastructure. According to Colau, the mayor of Barcelona, $25 million will be earmarked for improving Barcelona’s public transportation; $8 million will be put toward improving metro system accessibility; $4.5 million for local street redevelopment; and $3.5 million for maintenance, cleaning, and security. While it might be a hefty chunk of change, the cathedral’s trustees can rest easy now, as they will finally receive a formal planning permit for the building.

Since Antoni Gaudí died in 1926, having only completed a quarter of the building, there is still uncertainty and controversy about whether the current design align with his vision. A series of other architects have tried to complete his work, but as the original drawings and models were lost in the Spanish Civil War, the feat has proven difficult. Right now, the cathedral is slated to be finished in 2026 for the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death, although hitting that deadline would prove very out-of-character for this famously belated landmark.

H/T: Insider

More like this: 7 of the world’s coolest-looking churches you didn’t know existed

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How to insult a Philadelphian

We Philadelphians are very proud of our city. Criticize the things we dislike and you’ll get on our bad side. Strike at the heart of who we are and what we love and you’ll be sure to get some of that infamous Philly attitude. Here are 11 ways to insult a Philadelphian.

1. Criticize our sports teams.

Don’t do it. If you have an opinion that is incorrect, that is to say anything other than an undying affection for our professional teams regardless of the agita they put us through, we’d advise you to keep it to yourself.

2. Question Wawa’s greatness.

Don’t go around the city claiming that 7-Eleven or Sheetz is just as good as Wawa. If you know not of what you speak, do not speak it. So sayeth Philadelphia.

3. Compare us to another city.

We’re not New York and we don’t want to be. We don’t aspire to be DC or Boston. We are proud of who we are and where we live because Philly is a remarkable city.

4. Be a Cowboys fan.

The team you root for is so odious that your very fandom is an insult to us all. Be gone with you.

5. Insist that Pat’s and Geno’s have the best steaks in the city.

Pat’s and Geno’s will always be a thorn in our side. Yes, there will be the friends and relatives who beg to go there. And then there are those who, with zero knowledge of great cheesesteaks, insist that Pat’s and Geno’s serve the best steaks in the city. It would be funny if it weren’t so sacrilegious.

6. Suggest that Hostess snack cakes are better than Tastykakes.

It’s unclear why this inferior brand is even sold in Philly. Anyone who has bitten into a Butterscotch Krimpet or Tandy Kake knows that they are beyond comparison.

7. Insist that the proper name for water ice is Italian ice.

Sure, the full chain name is Rita’s Italian Ice. But don’t you call it Italian ice in these parts. Wooder ice it is!

8. Have an inability to parallel park.

Our streets are narrow and parking is at a premium anywhere you go in the city; therefore, wise parking decisions at all times are critical. Your car must take up as little room as possible so that others can get by and park near you. Don’t park a mile from the curb. Don’t leave a mile between your car and the car in front of you. If you can’t maneuver your car, find a parking garage or take SEPTA.

9. Speak ill of soft pretzels.

This one is theoretical because who on this planet has something bad to say about a soft pretzel? But if you dare try it, it won’t go well for you.

10. Come for Gritty.

Fine. We didn’t love him at first. But then youse guys said you didn’t like him. So we banded together to protect our own.

11. Have a house with a garage.

Your garage means that you have rendered a perfectly good parking spot invalid, which is an insult to our way of life. Go live in the suburbs where you belong.


More like this: You know you’re in Philadelphia when…

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5 mistakes people make on ski trips

It’s an intimidating prospect, this whole idea of driving, or even flying, to a very cold place to take part in your first ski trip. You’ll pile on layers of clothing and sit on an automated moving bench suspended dozens of feet in the air, only to find yourself deposited at the top of a mountain with the cruel task of figuring out how the hell to get back down. Fortunately, many have made the journey before you, and a few have come up with solid ways to make the whole process a lot more enjoyable. Follow these guidelines to avoid the common mistakes newbie skiers and boarders make on their first ski trip — and you may find that you actually have a great time.

Mistake 1: Not taking a lesson.

Photo: DisobeyArt/Shutterstock

Let’s get straight to it: You need a lesson. For real. If there is one mistake to absolutely avoid, this is it. It’s been said that nothing ruins a relationship faster than jealousy — but whoever first said that never tried to teach their significant other how to ski. “But my boyfriend/sister/friend from Colorado is going to teach me,” you say. This plan is an embarrassing public spat and potentially even a breakup just waiting to happen. The first run, and probably the entire first day, is going to be frustratingly difficult. You’re going to fall, curse, and swear you’ll never do this again.

The experience will be made even worse when your partner can’t properly explain how to make a pizza with your skis and, as a result, you tumble face first into the snow five times in a row. Worse yet is thinking you can go it alone just because you watched a few YouTube videos on the plane. A lesson costs more than airplane WiFi, but if you want to actually enjoy skiing or snowboarding, leave it to the professionals to guide your skills in the right direction.

Mistake 2: Not having the proper setup.

Photo: Yakov Filimonov/Shutterstock

Having fun on the hill is about comfort above all. If you’ve skied a few times and have a pair of skis and boots that you’re comfortable in, it’s typically worth the hassle to bring them along. If not, take the time to properly equip yourself through renting or buying decent gear before getting on the hill. You’ll thank yourself when you aren’t freezing and miserable after two runs.

Whether pre- or post-arrival at your destination, follow three key factors when shopping for gear: It should be fitted to you, it should be comfortable, and it should be specifically designed for skiing or snowboarding. As warm as that Chicago Bears hoodie might be, it’s not going to keep you dry in a blizzard any more than that pair of sunglasses will keep the snow out of your eyes when you take a digger.

When dressing, think layers. It’s much easier to shed an underlayer — say by tying it around your waist — than to go back to your hotel to grab one. You need a parka or ski jacket, goggles, helmet or beanie, waterproof gloves that cover your wrists, and ski pants. Given the choice, choose a helmet over a wool cap. It’ll keep you drier and, obviously, safer. Either way, don’t be the gaper wearing blue jeans and a cowboy hat.

The three pieces of gear that cause the most issues with comfort and performance — and are thus the most important to fit you and your setup — are boots, gloves, and bindings:

Gloves: Wrist protection is key. Keeping your wrists warm and dry is a plus, but the main reason for a longer glove is to keep snow from getting inside the glove and freezing your fingers.
Boots: Boots are the source of more complaints than any other piece of ski gear. You’ll break them in over a few runs but should be able to slide your feet in and out easily from the get-go. While you want the fit around your ankles and heel to be snug, so you can control your skis or board, be sure there is space around your toes. Being able to move your toes is key to keeping them warm. (And if it’s really cold out, you’ll be able to fit some disposable toe warmers into your boots.)
Bindings: Equally important and worth asking about in the rental or buying process is bindings. Because bindings are the bridge between your boots and your skis or snowboard, they should be durable, flexible, and strap down nicely. Snowboard bindings should also hug your feet in a way that allows for optimal movement. Check out this breakdown of modern snowboarding bindings from NOW Snowboarding and this guide for ski bindings from REI.

Mistake 3: Taking whatever rental gear is handed to you.

Photo: Dmytro Vietrov/Shutterstock

Even if you have gear, traveling with it isn’t always possible. This means you’ll have to rent, but not all rental gear is created equal. Think stuff mass-produced for quick ski vacations vs. gear crafted for long-term use. It’s easy to show up at the hill, walk into the rental shop at the base village, and take whatever gear they assign to you. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing to do, there’s a lesser-known secret to renting gear that can ensure a more enjoyable, high-performance day on the hill: demoing.

Demo gear is essentially a rental version of a particular brand’s mainline gear, meaning it’s higher quality than mass-produced rental skis and boots. Because demoing is intended to get the word out on a product, it doesn’t cost too much more than general rentals. Some shops keep demo gear in stock throughout the season while others do it less frequently, and some don’t have it at all. Some demo skis but not boots. Thing is, you generally have to know to ask for it.

Mistake 4: Buying single-day lift tickets at the resort ticket window.

Photo: Tatiana Popova/Shutterstock

Skiing is expensive. Aside from getting into the backcountry or going pro, throwing down on lift tickets is an unavoidable expense if you want to hit the slopes. That said, a few steps can save you some serious dough. First, head over to Liftopia, whose sole point of existence is to peddle discounted lift tickets. If you won’t be skiing enough to justify a season pass, many resorts offer what is known as a four-pack — a pass valid for four days throughout the season at a steep discount from window rates.

Other common places to find discounted lift tickets include ski shops, gas stations, and grocery stores in mountain towns. If you do find yourself at a ticket window, ask about special deals. If you’re skiing for more than one day, for example, many resorts offer tickets valid from two to seven days in a set time period that are cheaper than buying a new pass each day. Buying lodging through the resort’s web page often lands you a day or two of cheap skiing as well. While the ticket window might display a $150 price tag, the bottom line is that ski areas want you on the mountain, and their marketing teams are hard at work finding new ways lure you in. A few minutes of web research can save you big bucks.

Mistake 5: Taking it too seriously.

Photo: Lucky Business/Shutterstock

No matter your experience level, humility is key on the ski slopes. You’re going to look a lot more like Jennnifer Lawrence at the Oscars than Lindsey Vonn or Shaun White, so there’s no sense in being hard on yourself. The whole idea of organizing a ski trip was to get away from the grind for a few days. The bar at the base opens early for a reason, and ski town nightlife has its own term — après ski — and typically kicks off no later than 2:00 PM. Shed a layer and have a beer on the patio while laughing at the photos of you and your friends awkwardly stumbling down the mountain. Once you learn to laugh instead of swearing, your experience will be infinitely more positive. On your first ski trip, after all the falling, soreness, and second-guessing of your vacation plans, you’ll realize you are actually having fun.


More like this: 3 awesome ski vacations you should be planning now

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Where to go in Asia without crowds

While it may be difficult to get to Asia from the United States, cramping up on a 17-hour-long flight is a worthy trade-off for its dramatic landscapes, vibrant cultures, and crazy cheap, mouth-watering cuisine. These long flights drop you off with no sense of what day it is, and that disorientation combined with fast-paced languages and dizzying street traffic can leave you feeling as if you’ve entered a different world.

That is until you walk down the street and run into tour group after tour group dressed in t-shirts and fanny packs. Until the serene temple you’d read about has an hour-long line to get inside, and the chaotic streets you’d expected to be filled with locals are instead packed with spring breakers, bachelor parties, and broke backpackers. The good news is that Asia is the largest continent in the world, and if you want to find a true escape from your reality back home, it’s still wholly possible.

We chatted with Darshika Jones, the Director of North American Travel for the Intrepid Group. Her company specializes in curating tours to destinations where you can really delve into a culture and avoid the masses. As a native to Sri Lanka and longtime resident of the region, she picked out the spots she thinks are most subject to over-tourism and offered up some solid alternative suggestions.

Instead of Maya Bay… go to the Similan Islands.

Photo: Kosin Sukhum/Shutterstock

In an almost unprecedented move, the Thai government responded to the maddening over-tourism of the beach Leo made famous by literally shutting it down this past summer. So even if you wanted to deal with the throngs of humanity to see the place where The Beach was filmed, you couldn’t. Kudos to the government for some controversial natural preservation, but that leaves a lot of visitors with a big hole in their Thai island itinerary.

We suggest the Simian Islands where you’ll still have access to the stunning Andaman Sea, blinding white sands, and fascinating limestone formations. Tourists still come here, but in far fewer numbers than they did in Maya Bay. The diving is also among the best in the world, with manta rays and reef sharks in abundance underwater. It hasn’t seen near the degradation that other Thai beaches have and, for now, gives you all the Thai beach fantasy without the stress of crowds.

Instead of Ubud… go to Komodo.

Photo: GUDKOV ANDREY/Shutterstock

Bali has become the poster child for Asian over-tourism, a place Baby Boomers who went in the ‘70s tell you was so much nicer 30 years ago before Bali became Bali. This center for spiritual healing has now become a big ball of stress as the local infrastructure can’t keep up with the waves of day-trippers coming up from the beaches further south.

“I hate to say it, but Australians are probably responsible for most of the over-tourism in Ubud,” says Jones. “It’s so accessible, you can get direct flights, and it’s very cheap.”

For those not afraid of a little boat ride through the tropical islands of Indonesia, head instead to Komodo, where you can hike through rainforest valleys, visiting ancient tribes who still maintain their traditions. Komodo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and if you’re a diver, it might be the most underrated spot in southeast Asia. Because of the currents, the diving here is similar to what you’d find in Thailand with almost identical marine life teeming with sharks and rays. It’s also home to the bizarre yet beautiful Komodo dragon, which you’re sure to spot on most hikes through the park.

Instead of Angkor Wat… go to Bukhara.

Photo: kav38/Shutterstock

Angkor Wat might be the most photographed temple in the world, and it’s likely the only Cambodian tourist attraction many Americans can name. So it stands to reason that when one gets to Cambodia, their first day is spent making a pilgrimage to this 4,000-year-old temple. It’s a spectacular structure, a mixture of Hindu and Buddhist cultures, that might look a little like corn cobs sticking up into the sky, but it’s still the most popular in the country.

As Central Asia is primed to be the next huge tourism destination, Bukhara in Uzbekistan is positioning itself as the city for historic sites. Uzbekistan’s fifth largest metro is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with 5,000 years of human history. The old city center is jammed with historical buildings, including the Po-i-Kalyan Mosque, which survived an assault from Genghis Khan, plus over 140 monuments to explore.

“Bukhara is a quite different experience than Angkor Wat,” Jones admits. “But it does provide an alternative in terms of the silk road and the stan culture. It’s got the same level of historic significance without the crowds.”

Instead of Mt. Everest… go to Ladakh.

Photo: Chris Piason/Shutterstock

Let’s be honest… unless you’re going to summit Mt. Everest, making the trek up to base camp is basically a long, oxygen-deprived mountain hike through litter and other Whittaker wannabes. Not that it’s not scenic and challenging, but since climbing Everest has become a bucket-list item for the super-wealthy, the trip to base camp has become the affordable alternative for the masses — leaving the trail subject to “a lot of crowds, and a lot of rubbish,” as Jones succinctly puts it.

Hiking through the Indian Himalayas in Ladakh, India, gives you the same breathtaking mountain scenery you’d get in Nepal in a region often overlooked by mountain travelers. It also offers river rafting, remote villages, monasteries, and historic religious sites if you feel like doing something other than trekking. And with its proximity to Delhi, if you feel like experiencing the beautiful chaos of an Indian city, you can do that before and after your trip.

Instead of Osaka… go to Naoshima.

Photo: Kenneth Dedeu/Shutterstock

Did it seem like you knew an exorbitant number of people who went to Japan this past year? That’s because tourism has exploded there this year, and Intrepid noted a 32 percent increase in its travelers from North America to the land of the rising sun. While most people are drawn to the hyper-futuristic cities like Tokyo and Osaka, Japan has a wealth of diversity that many people don’t bother exploring.

“I was there for 10 days, and I feel like I visited three different countries,” says Jones. “And travelers never seem to visit the south islands, an area we call ‘Lost Japan.’”

Because so few people visit the southern islands, you can delve deep into Japanese culture in Naoshima without encountering a ton of other visitors. It transformed itself from a sleepy fishing village into a world-class art destination where you can bicycle from the Chichu Art Museum to the Lee Ufan Museum to the modern art at the Benesse House. Most of Naoshima’s public buildings were designed by modern architect Ishii Kazuhiro, and every three years, it’s also home to one of the largest art fairs in the world, the Setouchi Triennale art festival. Though it’s not the high-tech Blade Runner metropolis some come to Japan to see, it’s an art and culture destination you won’t find anywhere else in the world.

Instead of Borneo… go to Sumatra.

Photo: Don Mammoser/Shutterstock

Once upon a time, the word “Borneo” was used as a stand-in for anywhere that was painfully far away. Like, “Man I had to go all the way out to the suburbs for that meeting, might as well have been Borneo.” Perhaps through that repetition, people began to head there in droves, and while you can still find some peace and isolation in the jungles of Borneo, it’s not as remote as it used to be. Wildlife along the Kinabatangan River isn’t as easy to spot as it once was with tour groups armed with binoculars scaring animals away. And treks through the rainforest in Sarawak, which don’t require permits or guides, rarely have empty trails.

If you’re hellbent on seeing orangutans in the wild, though, Sumatra in Indonesia is a far less popular alternative. Sumatra was dealt a bit of a setback this year with the eruption of Mount Sinabung, but the thermal activity has died down and left an island almost devoid of tourists. Gunung Leuser National Park boasts one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, full of endangered species like tigers, rhinos, elephants, and, of course, orangutans. And though you might not see all of them on one trip, you also won’t see too many other people.

Instead of Agra… go to Sri Lanka.

Photo: Nuwan Liyanage/Shutterstock

“India tends to have some crowds at the moment,” Jones says in the grandest understatement of 2018. Even without tourists, cities, beaches, trains, and temples in India are clogged with people. Going to the Taj Mahal in Agra — the number one bucket list item for most tourists going to India — will leave you craning your neck to get a selfie without 14 families and a dozen little kids photobombing you. Jones suggests heading to her native Sri Lanka instead.

“It is similar, culturally speaking, and has a lot more UNESCO World Heritage sites,” she says. “It’s a lot more off the beaten track, and if you want a more immersive experience, it’s where I’d go.”

There are dozens of architectural wonders in Sri Lanka that are just as impressive as the Taj Mahal. From the Temple of the Tooth to the Dambulla cave temple to the Ruwanwelisaya stupa — Sri Lanka does not disappoint visually, and there will be few crowds sharing these spiritual places with you. Furthermore, Sri Lanka is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, like Trincomalee and Batticaloa. The Tamil cuisine is similar to South Indian, so you’ll be getting all the colorful, fragrant meals you would crave in India. With newfound political stability, the country’s northern region with its stunning architecture and marvelous coastline is now open for business.


More like this: The 7 most overlooked destinations in Southeast Asia you need to visit

The post These crowded Asian destinations are over. Here’s where to go instead. appeared first on Matador Network.

The best restaurant views in NYC

New York City has one of the best skylines in the world, and you can view it from many different places. Whether it’s from Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Staten Island Ferry, or across the Hudson in Jersey, you’ll still see a sight for sore eyes that’ll leave you with hundreds of shots in your camera roll. But a view is best accompanied by a good meal, and luckily, there are plenty of eateries in the five boroughs that provide exactly that. Here’s our list of the seven best restaurants in NYC with incredible views.

1. Alma

Photo: Alma Restaurant/B61 Bar/Facebook

After spending the day wandering through Brooklyn, Alma is the perfect waterfront dining destination that’ll allow you to unwind with a good meal. It’s a rooftop restaurant with open-air dining, but when it’s cold or raining, it covers the spot to keep the bad weather out, so diners get to see the downtown NYC skyline no matter what. Alma itself serves up Mexican fare such as tacos, enchiladas, rice, and meat with an extensive tequila menu to match, though there are also other cocktails available.

Where: 187 Columbia St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

2. The View

Photo: The View Restaurant & Lounge/Facebook

It might be a bit on the pricey side, but The View is worth spending those extra dollars. Located on the 48th floor of the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square, you’ll be in the heart of all the action with — as the name suggests — a breathtaking view to match. Even more amazing is the fact that it’s actually NYC’s only revolving rooftop restaurant, and every hour, the floor makes a complete 360-degree turn, so you’ll get to see the city from all sides in the space of one meal.

Where: 1535 Broadway, New York, NY 10036

3. Robert

Photo: Robert NYC

The most famous shot of New York City is probably the one from above where all of Central Park can be seen, seemingly enclosed by all the buildings surrounding it. That particular view is hard to experience unless you have access to a high-rise along the park’s outskirts or visit the Met’s rooftop when it happens to be open. That said, right in Columbus Circle is the Robert restaurant. Atop the great Museum of Arts and Design, the modern American restaurant lets you see that same view of Central Park with Manhattan’s buildings around it. The bonuses here are that you also get to see Columbus Circle in action, and you don’t have to fall prey to the elements — it’s all indoors.

Where: 2 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019

4. Luna Asian Bistro

Photo: Luna Asian Bistro and Japanese Rooftop Restaurant/Facebook

Queens is known for its abundance of different Asian cuisines, but that experience can be enhanced with a view. Luna Asian Bistro is a Japanese-fusion restaurant with views of Astoria and Manhattan in the distance. The vista is particularly awe-inspiring in the evening when you can see all the bright lights. The menu consists of a sushi bar, sushi and sashimi a la carte, and hand rolls.

Where: 32-72 Steinway St 6th floor, Astoria, NY 11103

5. Refinery Rooftop

Photo: Refinery Rooftop/Facebook

The Empire State Building is one of the most iconic buildings in NYC, and it’s also one of the hardest buildings to get a good shot of. From the street, you’d have to bend your body like a pretzel to get all of it in the frame, and from other buildings, it’s either too far away or obstructed. Luckily, Refinery Rooftop takes care of that for you and serves up some classic food and drink while it’s at it. Brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert are served in an industrial-style room with a retractable glass roof that allows for both indoor and outdoor seating, as well as an up-close and personal shot of the ESB and some of Midtown.

Where: 63 W 38th St, New York, NY 10018

6. il Fornetto

Photo: il Fornetto/Facebook

Waterfront views and sailboats from your table at il Fornetto will transport you to a seaside town in Italy, making you forget that you’re actually in Brooklyn. Dishes such as oysters, truffled pizza, burrata, penne fornetto, and Tuscan lemon chicken certainly won’t take away from that vibe either. Located right on Sheepshead Bay, il Fornetto is close to Coney Island, Manhattan and Brighton Beach, and North Forty Natural Park.

Where: 2902 Emmons Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11235

7. Johnny’s Reef

Photo: Johnny’s Reef

City Island is a small island in the Bronx that’s known for its variety of seafood and water activities. The available cuisine ranges from American to Italian to Japanese, so there’ll be something for you no matter what you’re craving. We recommend Johnny’s Reef, right on the southernmost point of City Island. Not only does it serve up some of the best seafood on the island — there’s also other options like burgers, chicken, and fries — but its no-frills attitude and design allows visitors to have a stress-free experience. Be sure to sit outside where you’ll be provided with some great views of the water, other small islands, and Throgs Neck Bridge. If that’s not enough to entice you, it’s also cheap, at no cost of quality.

Where: 2 City Island Ave, Bronx, NY 10464


More like this: 10 experiences you have to have in NYC before you die

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BrewDog launching a beer flight

BrewDog, a Scottish craft brewery, is chartering a plane to create what it’s calling the world’s first “craft beer airline.” Departing on February 21, 2019, and returning on February 25, the plane will fly from London to Columbus, Ohio.

While not exactly a true airline with regular flights, the one-time chartered flight will be an experience. The BrewDog-sponsored Boeing 767 will host the highest ever beer tasting, featuring new beer designed to taste better at higher altitudes. You’ll also be treated to Lone Wolf canned cocktails and food paired with BrewDog beers. For the entertainment, the plane has the BrewDog Network, a video library filled with episodes on brewing and mixology.

Photo: BrewDog/Facebook

The experience isn’t over when the plane lands. Riders can take a behind-the-scenes tour of the BrewDog Columbus hotel; bar hop at local bars, restaurants, and breweries; and take a day trip to Cincinnati to experience the city’s breweries.

The flight is available for any of BrewDog’s Equity Punks, which are essentially its shareholders. To join, you have to invest in the company. A single ticket costs $1,603 and includes all flights, excursions, and a private room at a hotel in downtown Columbus. You can stay in BrewDog’s new Columbus brewery hotel for an extra fee. To book, you’ll need to register here with BrewDog.


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Why you should visit South Dakota

Some states get all the glory. That’s all well and good — California and Colorado are great places to visit, especially if you’re into waves and powder. It’s impossible to deny the cultural magnet of New York or the legendary music and smoked meats in Tennessee. It’s much less common, however, to talk about a landlocked state whose only claim to fame is Mount Rushmore. Unless you ride a Harley, South Dakota has flown under the radar for so long that it’s almost criminal. Most of the state is skipped over by cross-country road trippers and domestic vacationers. And it’s high time to change that. Epic mountains, rolling hills, robust wild west and Native American history, and fried meat cubes await as the reward.

Sioux Falls is a city — without certain things the word “city” usually entails.

Photo: Steven Frame/Shutterstock

With a population under 300,000, Sioux Falls isn’t a huge city. Traffic doesn’t even exist here, at least not in the way that residents of the coasts define it. Nor are you going to find $15 cocktails or hour-long waits to get a table. It’s big enough, however, to serve as a regional hub and toss a bit of city life into your journey up north, and there’s never been a better time to visit. Downtown Sioux Falls is experiencing a revival of sorts with growing craft beer and live music scenes forming a base for the best nightlife in the Dakotas. Public art displays are commonplace nowadays with the added bonus of being cheap and often even free, as is the case of art installations such as the sculpture walk and the city’s film and music events. Even as Sioux Falls becomes a growing cultural haven, the hipsters that have flooded cities like Portland, Nashville, and Austin and turned them from regional metropolises into bastions of transplant douchebaggery haven’t found it yet — which means you have a prime opportunity to get up there before a latte costs $9 and 45 minutes of your time.

The state is home to Bad(ass)lands National Park.

Photo: EQRoy/Shutterstock

Badlands National Park makes you feel like you’re on the moon, especially if you’re there at sunrise or sunset. The namesake Badlands formations appear as rolling dunes and towering, castle-like rock formations dotting an otherwise prairie landscape — certain inspire a few “WTF is THAT?” lines. There’s nowhere else like it, hence the reason for its national park status, and because this is South Dakota and not California, you’re not dealing with Yosemite-level crowds. Badlands sees just over 20 percent of the five million annual visitors that hit Yosemite National Park each year. After stopping by the visitors center, kick your Badlands experience off by cruising the Badlands Loop, and bring lunch with you because you can’t say you’ve seen Badlands if you don’t hike Notch Trail. The hike takes fewer than two hours, enough time to see some prairie dogs and snap some photos but not necessarily a strenuous workout. There are plenty of options for rock climbing, bouldering, and longer hikes to further push your physical limits if that’s your thing.

Your life will never be the same after eating chislic.

Photo: CK Ma/Shutterstock

South Dakota doesn’t have the culinary chops of Paris, New York, or even Denver. But it does have one thing going for it in the food department that no one else does: a crazy concoction of deep-fried meat squares called chislic. Depending on where you’re at in the state, the dish put in front of you might contain crispy cubed morsels of elk, mutton, beef, buffalo, or some crazy amalgamation of each, but one thing is consistent across the board: It’s greasy, delicious, and if ever there were the perfect dish to pair with a cold Bud Light, this is it.

You’ll finally learn what those Wall Drug bumper stickers are all about.

Photo: Frank Romeo/Shutterstock

They’re everywhere in this country, and South Dakota is the culprit. This legendary stop near the town of Wall is much more tourist trap than practical drug store, but it’s totally worth pulling off I-90 to check out. You’ll notice from a few miles away as every car on the highway moves into the right lane and prepares to exit. Come hungry and with a few bucks to spend because no matter what it is that you collect, the South Dakota version of it is sold here. As it’s a drug store, there is a pharmacy on site in case your Ibuprofen supply is running low, along with plenty of food and drink options and enough nick nacks to satisfy your Christmas shopping list for the next 10 years. And those bumper stickers, of course.

The Black Hills and their epic carvings are awe-inspiring.

Photo: Crazy Horse Memorial/Facebook

Mountains are mountains, you say. Au contraire. Faces are carved into stone in the mountains of South Dakota, and we’re not just talking about former US presidents. Crazy Horse Memorial is a yet-to-be-completed carving of Sioux warrior Crazy Horse galloping triumphantly into the hills on horseback. Work on the monument began in 1948 and is currently under construction. While there is no set completion date, you can still check it out and visit the Indian Museum of North America on site along with an entire campus of informative and engaging stuff to check out. Plus, the monument is only a 30-minute drive from Mt. Rushmore, which… sure, you might as well.

Entire structures are built completely out of corn.

Photo: Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock

From a distance, the Corn Palace in Mitchell looks like any other building. Then you walk closer and are blown away by the realization that, indeed, the place is made entirely of corn. The walls, ceilings, doors, literally everything, are made of corn and constantly being remade and altered. The facility hosts a rotating schedule of events, too, so if you’re looking for a unique place for a party, search no more. If staring at a pot of water until it boils is an activity that gets you stoked, check out this live feed of the Corn Palace to keep round-the-clock tabs on the goings-on of the place.

The town of Deadwood is the real Wild West.

Photo: Jess Kraft/Shutterstock

Some places claim to offer a taste of the Wild West when all you’re actually getting is a group of dudes dressed in chaps and a buffalo bacon burger. Don’t fall for those cheeseball places, and instead head to Deadwood, which was and is the real deal. The town hosted some of the most famous cowboys through the 1800s. These days you can check out the Days of ‘76 Museum and the Adams House Museum, both tributes to the town’s days as a cowboy haven. You should also light a cigar and drop a few bucks on a poker table just for good measure. Deadwood is where South Dakota goes to slip into the abyss for a few days, which could (and probably does) turn into a few years for many of them. Maybe that’s enough to lure you in, but even if not, the town is also the perfect beer stop between Rapid City and Spearfish.


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