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Best coffee in NYC

We New Yorkers have so many options for our daily cup of joe (Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, street carts, bodegas, etc.) that it’s sometimes overwhelming for us to make a decision and stick to it. So, to help you feed your addiction, here are 15 suggestions for delicious coffee made by independent shops and small chains that we believe are the best in New York City — and are sure to satisfy your caffeine cravings.

1. Prince Coffee House

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Housed in the Bronx’s very own Little Italy, Prince Coffee House is a great place to settle down and people watch. A byproduct of the vibrant neighborhood, you’ll see all manner of customers and people walking about. The inside decor is where hip meets old-world charm, with tons of copper cups hanging from the ceiling and more copper tableware that will make you feel like you’re in Istanbul. Weather permitting, there’s outdoor seating, and the doors separating the inside from the outside are opened wide to provide customers with a beautiful, open space. Pair your coffee with one of the many Italian pastries, like a cannoli cupcake or coconut sponge cake, and you’ll be all set.

Where: 2306 Arthur Ave, Bronx, NY 10458

2. Hi-Collar

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A Western-inspired Japanese cafe by day and sake bar by night, Hi-Collar is a popular spot in the East Village. There’s traditional Japanese fare on the menu, such as omurice, hot cakes, and delicious parfaits, but the drinks are what you’ll really want to pay attention to. Hot coffee gets the special treatment here, as visitors have two steps they have to follow before getting their drink. First, they have to choose a method — pour over, aeropress, or siphon; second, they need to pick their coffee beans — be sure to ask the barista for recommendations if you’re unsure of what to try. Hi-Collar’s siphon coffee will make you feel like royalty since the coffee costs an eye-watering seven dollars and the cup in which it’s served is worth over $700. There are only 11 seats in the entire place, so arrive early or be prepared to wait.

Where: 214 E 10th St, New York, NY 10003

3. Bluestone Lane

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Aussie-inspired Bluestone Lane is a chain that’s made its way all over the US, but we recommend visiting the Brooklyn location as it’s the perfect place to kick back after walking the Brooklyn Bridge or exploring DUMBO. With flamingo wallpaper, marble tabletops, and perfectly designed avocado toast, it’s easy to see why Bluestone Lane has been repeatedly voted one of the most Instagrammable cafes in the five boroughs.

Where: 55 Prospect St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

4. Coffee Project

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Coffee Project, founded in 2015, is home to the deconstructed latte. On a wooden tray, three glasses traditionally used to serve alcohol are instead filled with espresso, milk, and a fully-finished latte. Tasting each component on its own provides a better understanding and appreciation of what goes into making this drink. Coffee Project also serves the must-try Happy Drink, which consists of whip cream, coffee, and tonic water.

Where: 239 E 5th St, New York, NY 10003

5. Cafe Lalo

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It may be located inside a quintessential New York City brownstone, but once you make it past the front door, it’s Parisian through and through — there are floor-to-ceiling windows, marble tiles, and exposed brick walls that are covered in French art. Cafe Lalo has been in business for about 30 years and is famous for its cameo in Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks’ 1998 film You’ve Got Mail. The best part of all is that there are over 100 different types of desserts and 20 varieties of coffee for you to try.

Where: 201 W 83rd St, New York, NY 10024

6. ATLA

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ATLA serves typical Mexican fare, like huevos rancheros and pan dulce, but many of its menu options take a healthy twist, such as the flax seed chilaquiles and egg-white omelettes with zucchini and cheese. No lattes or frappes here — it’s all about the café con leche (strong coffee mixed with hot milk in a one-to-one ratio) and café de olla (Mexican coffee prepared in a clay pot to give the beverage an earthy flavor). At ATLA, you can either have cow milk, coconut milk, or pecan milk.

Where: 372 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012

7. COFFEED

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Charity-driven and community-minded, COFFEED is the place to go to drink something that’ll make you — and other people — feel good. COFFEED follows several guiding principles, all to support the community. Each location donates up to 10 percent of its gross revenue to local charities, such as the New York Restoration Project, which supports underfunded public spaces, and New York Foundling, created to help children, families, and adults with developmental disabilities. Ingredients for the coffee and food alike are locally sourced, and everything is reasonably priced. The flagship location is in Long Island City at Hunters Point South. The waterfront park is set against the Manhattan skyline, so you’ll have a drink with a view.

Where: Various locations in Queens and Manhattan

8. Stumptown Coffee Roasters

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Oregon-based Stumptown Coffee has several locations, but we recommend the one in Manhattan that shares space with the lobby of the Ace Hotel. The combination alone is worth a visit as the Ace Hotel is a hub for artists and techies. The Ace Hotel location has a full espresso bar, drip coffee, and cold brews, as well as pastries from places like the Doughnut Plant and Milk Bar. At Stumptown’s training lab on 8th Street, every Tuesday at 10:00 AM there are free public tastings that last from an hour to an hour and a half.

Where: 18 W 29th St, New York, NY 10001

9. The Roost

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When you first walk in The Roost, it looks like any typical subway-tiled coffee shop where you can post up to work on your laptop or chat with a friend. But if you head to the back, behind barn doors, there’s a speakeasy with leather sofas and a fake fireplace. Hide out and nurse a drink while paying homage to a bygone era — but keep in mind, the bar doesn’t open until 4:00 PM.

Where: 222 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009

10. Sweetleaf

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Sweetleaf was founded by Queens native Rich Nieto to make coffee that “reflects New York City: diverse, sophisticated, and decidedly unique.” The classic drink menu includes items ranging from nitro cold brews to espressos and lattes, but it’s the signature drink menu that really catches the eye. There’s the Rocket Fuel, cold brew coffee with chicory, Vermont maple, and milk; the Voodoo Child, a cold brew with condensed milk and sweet cream; and the Maple Leaf latte, which is just a latte with maple syrup and nutmeg. The Queens location has a record room with a turntable and a large vinyl collection, as well as a laptop room where you can work on its computers.

Where: 10-93 Jackson Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101

11. Everything Goes Book Cafe

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There’s nothing better than being surrounded by books while you sip on a cup of coffee, and at Everything Goes Book Cafe, you can do just that. This coffee shop moonlights as a used books store, record and DVD store, and an art gallery. The food here is healthy with plenty of options for vegans and vegetarians. All coffee and teas are organic and fair trade, supplied by Equal Exchange, a worker’s cooperative that empowers both sides of a partnership and fosters trade.

Where: 208 Bay St, Staten Island, NY 10301

12. Tea Plus Cafe

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Asian-influenced Tea Plus Cafe is where you can give into matcha and coffee cravings. Matcha-inspired drinks are popping up all over the city, but Tea Plus Cafe really makes it into something of its own by creating the Matchapresso. As the name suggests, the drink is partly matcha-based and part espresso, but you can also add on unusual toppings like red beans.

Where: 37-10 31st Ave, Astoria, NY 11103

13. Boogie Down Grind Café

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The Boogie Down Grind Café was created by Bronx natives Majora Carter and Sulma Arzu-Brown after analyzing results from surveys asking locals what kind of business they felt their neighborhood was lacking. The cafe serves espresso, lattes, frappes, and teas among other drinks, and its prices are on par with any large chain. While a location has recently opened in Chelsea, Manhattan, the original one in Hunts Point is where you should go to get a real feel for a local business in the “Boogie Down Bronx.”

Where: 866 Hunts Point Ave, Bronx, NY 10474

14. Laughing Man

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Inspired by a coffee farmer named Dukale while in Ethiopia, actor Hugh Jackman opened the Laughing Man cafe featuring Dukale’s coffee beans. The signature drink is a flat white, a double shot of espresso topped with microfoam. If you enjoyed the coffee and want to take some home with you, coffee beans are available to purchase in-store (and online) — all proceeds are donated to charity.

Where: 184 Duane St, New York, NY 10013

15. Chillhouse

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There’s no better way to treat yourself than by visiting Chillhouse, part coffee shop and part spa. Start the day with any one of Chillhouse’s wellness-based drinks, such as the Give Me Life latte (cacao, ginger, honey, and cayenne) or the Make Me Glow latte (ube and ginger). If you were out partying the night before, book the Hangover Cure massage service to help your body recover; if you need to de-stress, book the Chill Pill massage. You can even get your nails done, with a number of design options to choose from.

Where: 149 Essex St, New York, NY 10002


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This cottage is made up of chocolate

Hansel and Gretel may have made you suspicious of cottages built out of sweet treats, but it’s time to put the German fairytale PTSD behind you. French master chocolate sculptor Jean-Luc Decluzeau (who definitely isn’t a wicked witch trying to cook you for supper) built the Chocolate Cottage, a chalet-like accommodation built entirely of chocolate — walls, roof, wardrobe, clock, mugs, books, etc — and you can sleep in it.

Photo: Booking.com

Photo: Booking.com

Located in Sèvres, just 30 minutes from Paris, it took 1.5 tonnes of chocolate to complete, which makes sense, considering that there’s even a small chocolate lake right outside the front door.

If you want to spend the night in the world’s only chocolate house, Booking.com is offering an exclusive stay in the cottage, along with a workshop with Decluzeau, who will teach you how to make your own mini-chocolate chalet as a souvenir.

Booking dates are extremely limited, however. The Chocolate Cottage can only be booked on September 26th, for the night of October 6th. And in a potentially devastating dealbreaker, guests are warned that they “must not damage (or eat) the accommodation.”

H/T: Lonely Planet

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The best Christmas markets in Europe

Christmas is already around the corner. You may be in denial because your tan lines have yet to fade, but summer is waning and it’s high time to start planning your holiday travels. Between the mulled wine, carols, and delicious sweet treats, organizing a trip to a Christkindelsmärik in Europe is a surefire way to make you want to skip fall altogether and head straight into December. So, this year, plan for a perfectly wintry holiday experience at one of these seven amazing Christmas markets in Europe.

1. Leipzig, Germany

Photo: Leipzig Travel/Facebook

Dating back to 1458, Leipzig’s market is one of the oldest in Germany, as well as one of the largest, with attractions ranging from a fairytale forest to a 65-foot Christmas tree. More than 250 stalls — including a medieval market, one of the main attractions — are spread across six locations in the historical city center.

The magic of a Leipzig Christmas is found in the simple pleasures, like nibbling on local Pulsnitz gingerbread as traditional trombonists perform their nightly routine on the balcony of the Old Town Hall. Don’t leave without finding a Feuerzangenbowle stand; the traditional German alcoholic drink involves setting a rum-soaked sugarloaf on fire and allowing it to drip into mulled wine. Leipzig’s market takes place from November 27th until December 23rd.

2. Kaysersberg, France

Photo: La Vallée de Kaysersberg/Facebook

The Kaysersberg Christmas market festivities take place along the town’s historic ramparts — including a watchtower that was once part of the Château de Kaysersberg. Craftsmen’s huts at the market include floral art, pottery, and Christmas decorations produced from blown glass, wood, fabrics, and other artisan specialities. Save room for must-try Christmas treats like bredeles (a traditional biscuit from the area), gingerbread, malt beers, and mulled wine. The town, fully decked out in thousands of lights, also puts on a series of Christmas concerts and recitals to ring in the Advent season. Kaysersberg’s Christmas market only takes place on the four weekends between November 30th and December 23rd.

3. Vienna, Austria

Photo: S.Broisov/Shutterstock

Shop for handcrafted goods between visits to punch and chestnut stands at the Viennese Christmas markets — and make sure to indulge in freshly baked vanillekipferl, a nutty, buttery, crescent-shaped traditional biscuit dusted with vanilla sugar. Vienna’s Christmas market tradition dates back to 1298, when Albrecht I granted citizens the right to hold a Krippenmarkt, or December market. Today, over 20 official Christmas villages are held all across Vienna. On the weekends, you can also listen to international choirs caroling at City Hall. Vienna hosts one of the longest running Christmas markets in Europe, lasting from November 15th until December 26th.

4. Colmar, France

Photo: Alsace/Facebook

Each of the five mini villages making up La Magie de Noël à Colmar, which takes place from November 23rd to December 30th, have distinct charms. Colmar’s Christmas market is comprised of 180 stalls spread throughout Old Colmar, providing a fairytale setting for all your sugarplum dreams. This French town shares a border with Germany and Switzerland, and the Alsace influence is most evident in the market’s gourmet goodies: expect to find local producers selling everything from foie gras (duck or goose liver) to cheese, meats, honey, gingerbread, cakes, and more.

5. Montreux, Switzerland

Photo: Montreux Noël

Switzerland’s Montreux Noël takes place along the shores of Lake Geneva, with live music, light shows, and 160 illuminated chalet stalls creating a warm ambiance for visitors as they stroll and enjoy the ritzy resort town in the wintertime. Look out for Santa Claus on his flying sleigh between Lumberjack Village and Place du Marché, and don’t miss the chance to try a cup of lumberjack tea from La Cabane des Bûcherons or fondue-based specialities from Chalet Heidi. Montreux Noël is set for November 22nd through December 24th.

6. Strasbourg, France

Photo: MarinaDa/Shutterstock

For a true holiday extravaganza, head to the oldest Christmas market in France (and one of the oldest in all of Europe), sometimes referred to as “the capital of Christmas.” The Strasbourg Christmas market dates all the way back to 1570, and this year’s market is scheduled for November 23rd through December 30th. Located in the Grande-Île, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Strasbourg’s Christmas market is made up of 300 stalls spread throughout the historic city center. Much of it takes place near the Cathédral Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, an intricate 15th-century Gothic-style cathedral. The fragrance of mulled wine and fresh spiced pastries like kougelhopf brioches and pain d’epice drift through the cold streets, enticing visitors to indulge.

7. Dresden, Germany

Photo: Feel good studio/Shutterstock

The Dresden Striezelmarkt is the oldest Christmas market in Germany. The name is derived from the city’s traditional braided yeast pastry, now known as the Dresdner Christstollen. On opening day of the market, the Mayor of Dresden cuts into a six-foot Dresdner Christstollen, which is then distributed to attendees of an ecumenical service at the Church of the Holy Cross. Afterward, visitors can enjoy Saxon treats from any of the 11 markets as they watch Father Christmas and his elves open the day’s window in the Advent calendar. Dresden’s Christmas market lasts from November 28th until December 24th.


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Museum Day is this Saturday

If there was ever a time to become a museum person, it’s this Saturday. As part of Museum Day, an initiative by Smithsonian Magazine, over 1,500 museums across the United States will be free for one day only.

No matter which state you live in, you’ll be able to find museums participating in the special event. And if you happen to live in Florida, you might have a pretty full weekend ahead of you, as there will be 104 free museum options — more than any other state.

To take part in this event, it’s pretty simple. Just visit Museum Day’s official website, choose where you’d like to go, enter your email address, and they’ll send you a downloadable ticket for you and a guest.

If you’re worried you won’t be able to find a museum that suits your specific interests, have no fear. Museums range from history exhibitions to art galleries to botanical gardens. If you want to check out something a little less conventional, you can visit Knowlton’s Ice Museum of North America, in Port Huron, Michigan, dedicated completely to the forgotten industry of ice harvesting. For some good, old-fashioned southern charm, you could visit the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans, with a cafe full of comfort food.

To browse participating museums near you, just visit the website and enter your zip code.

H/T: Lonely Planet

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Harry Potter wands light up London

It’s only been two years since the release of the latest movie in the Harry Potter universe, but for fans, it feels like a lifetime. To reward them for their patience, and to celebrate the upcoming November 16th release of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, London is lighting up the night with giant wand installations.

These aren’t the typical wands you’d find at Ollivanders in Diagon Alley; they’ll be 15 feet tall, and located between the Millennium Bridge and St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Photo: Warner Bros.

In addition to celebrating the movie’s release, the wands are meant to draw attention to J.K. Rowling’s foundation, Lumos, which strives to rescue children from institutions and reunite them with loving families.

The installation will also mark the start of Wizarding Wednesdays during the course of the next month. Taking place every Wednesday in London, the event will feature a variety of wizarding activities, including a live military band performance of music from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films.

The wands will be on display from October 18th to November 12th, lighting up at 6:45 PM each evening.

H/T: Secret London

More like this: https://matadornetwork.com/read/19-real-life-places-every-harry-potter-fan-needs-visit/

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Best bookstores in South America

Mention South America and people might think of hiking in the Andes or dancing at Carnaval. Perusing the titles at an urbane bookstore may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But in South America’s big cities, bookstores aren’t just pretty; they’re downright stunning. From a breathtakingly grand emporium in Buenos Aires to a sleek architectural bookshop in Bogotá, here are the loveliest bookstores in South America.

1. Librería Lerner — Bogotá, Colombia

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It should be no surprise that the country that gave us one of Latin America’s most famous writers, Gabriel Garcia Marquez — author of One Hundred Years of Solitude and Nobel Laureate — is going to take its bookstores seriously. The 9,300-square-foot Librería Lerner shop in Bogotá’s north zone made a splash in local architecture magazines when it opened a few years ago.

Its location in a sleek black building with double-height ceilings inside, cozy reading nooks furnished with brightly hued chairs, and striking mid-century lamps has made it a favored location for area locals. The space is so welcoming that it also hosts evening speakers and even musicians. Add a café and a collection of almost 65,000 titles, as well as daily opening hours until 7:00 PM (later, when it hosts events), and you can see why locals can’t resist stopping in to peruse a book or two in this attractive retreat.

2. Librería Más Puro Verso — Montevideo, Uruguay

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The quirky buildings of Montevideo’s Ciudad Vieja, or Old Town, date back to the colonial era and the decades after Uruguay declared its independence in 1825. One of the more recent buildings in the neighborhood was erected over a century ago: a striking 1917 structure in the Art Nouveau style. Originally designed for an optometrist, the elegant structure became the home of the Más Puro Verso bookstore in 2008.

The flamboyant glass front gives way to an elegant interior with soaring ceilings and a sweeping marble staircase, backed by an ornate stained-glass window and large oblong clock. Books are spread across the store’s two floors, and a swank restaurant occupies the street-facing windows of the second floor. As if the view inside weren’t enough, from the restaurant you can look out onto Montevideo’s over-the-top Palacio Salvo building and the gates to the Old Town.

3. El Ateneo Grand Splendid — Buenos Aires, Argentina

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When it was inaugurated in 1919, the Grand Splendid Theater was a center for tango in a country that was, at the time, one of the wealthiest nations in the world. Later, Radio Splendid broadcast tango music from this site, and later still, the ornate auditorium became the first cinema in Argentina to play movies with sound. Today, the Grand Splendid calls itself an ateneo, which comes from the Greek term for a place of learning. The aristocratic setting evidently called for a more sophisticated term than just librería, or bookstore.

The 22,000-square-foot place now sells three-quarters of a million books a year. The lofty stage framed by heavy red curtains, where the world’s most celebrated tango performers used to dance with passionate intensity, now houses a chic café serving an excellent cortado (an espresso with a dash of steamed milk, and the most popular way to drink coffee in Argentina). The English book section is pretty sparse, but the Ateneo is still one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world and a must-visit on your next Buenos Aires sojourn.

4. Livraria da Vila — São Paulo, Brazil

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The Livraria da Vila chain of booksellers has several stores in Brazil, which can be admired for their sharp, modern designs. One has black shelves that curve like waves against a white interior. Another has a glass exterior wall that doubles as a bookshelf, so from the outside you can look upon books decorated by tropical plants dangling from above.

Our favorite da Vila bookstore is located in São Paulo’s upscale Jardim Paulista neighborhood. The building is a squarish concrete construction whose base level is literally a wall of stark black bookcases. Those five black bookcases pivot on their middle axes, turning sideways to become doors and essentially open the entire bottom level of the store onto the street. Inside, a high ceiling and stylish interior create an appealing place to check out the assortment of books — most of them in Portuguese, though there’s a decent selection of books in English, Spanish, and other languages.

5. Librería Eterna Cadencia — Buenos Aires, Argentina

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The Libería Eterna Cadencia occupies a quaint building on a leafy stretch of Buenos Aires’s Palermo Hollywood, an area filled with restaurants and bars. Inside the petite bookseller, polished wood floors, dark oak shelves, and an ornate chandelier create a warm, welcoming aura. Photographs celebrate Argentine authors, among them literary giant Jorge Luis Borges. You’ll find a few classics and several travel books in English.

While the book area is romantically cozy and cramped, the adjacent cafe has an airy double-height ceiling and playful hanging lamps. Should you visit Buenos Aires in July or August, its chilliest winter months, the Librería Eterna Cadencia and its cafe are a perfect place to warm up with a cafe con leche and a good book.

6. Librería El Virrey — Lima, Peru

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Lima’s Miraflores neighborhood is set by the sea, allowing you to stand atop the cliffs and look down at the Pacific Ocean below. Once the location of summer villas, Miraflores is now where many wealthier Peruvians live and even work. The expansive summer homes were long ago converted to banks, restaurants, shops, and, in this case, the Librería El Virrey.

With writers like Mario Vargas Llosa, winner of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature and a onetime presidential candidate, Peru has plenty to offer anyone interested in getting to know local literature. The bookstore has a decent selection of works in English, as well. El Virrey’s interior doesn’t have the grandeur of a century-old theater, but it does have boldly colored walls, a tall ceiling, and a cafe serving excellent coffee and pastries.


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Northern Ireland outdoor adventures

Mention outdoor adventures in Northern Ireland and most think of one thing: The Giant’s Causeway. While the Causeway is a mesmerizing natural feature, and an absolute must-visit, it’s far from the only outdoor activity worth trying in the green isle. In fact, this tiny corner of the UK is one of the most underrated hubs for outdoor adventures in all of Europe. From hitting gnarly waves to traversing through awe-inspiring caves and alluring forests, here are eight activities you never thought about doing in Northern Ireland.




1

Rock climb the cliffs of the Causeway Coast.

The Causeway Coast is known as one of the world’s most scenic drives, but these cliffs are also perfect for rock climbing and abseiling. Runkerry, seen here, is a great spot for beginners; the cliffs are about 50 feet high - just high enough to get your heart pounding without scaring you away from the sport entirely. It’s also just a stone’s throw away from The Giant’s Causeway, so you can knock that off your bucket list while you’re there. Climb NI can help with providing equipment and qualified instructors. More experienced climbers who have their own equipment can find more challenging spots all along the coast.

2

Explore Castlewellan by mountain bike.

Castlewellan is a village in the eastern part of Northern Ireland, home to Castlewellan Forest Park. It has miles and miles of mountain bike tracks that you can ride. There are trails for all levels of experience, from wide roads to single tracks. The Life Adventure Centre can hook you up with a mountain bike, helmet, trail map, and local advice. It even has electric mountain bikes that are super fun to ride and really help with climbing up to some of the steeper lookout points. For some added fun at the end of your ride, check out Castlewellan’s Peace Maze, one of the world’s largest permanent hedge mazes where visitors attempt to reach the center and ring the Peace Bell.

3

Try out sailing on land.

You’d think that you’d at least need water to go sailing, but not in Northern Ireland. It’s called blokarting -- basically a cross between sailing and go-karting – and it’s a fun as it sounds. Benone Beach along the northern coast is one of the best places to try it out. The beach is seven miles long, and when the tide is out, what’s left is a large area of firm sand, perfect for blokarting. The folks at Blokart World run lessons pretty much any day that the wind and beach conditions cooperate. It’s a bit tricky at first, learning to both steer and control the sail, but once you get the hang of it, you’re flying!

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4

Go caving through the Marble Arch Caves.

Below Fermanagh lies an extensive cave system known as the Marble Arch Caves. Take a guided tour through the caves and you’ll find some impressive stalactites and stalagmites that have taken tens of thousands of years to form. A few times a year, they also hold wild caving tours. You strap on a helmet, headlamp, coveralls, and boots, and climb down through narrow passages in pitch-black darkness.

5

Sleep in a bubble.

Imagine spending a night here, under the cover of forest and starlight. There are 14 of these bubble rooms in the Finn Lough Resort, and you should definitely book yourself in for at least a night (but make sure to do so well in advance). It’s such a surreal experience, and on a clear night the stars are absolutely breathtaking. Finn Lough also has plenty of activities to keep you busy during the day, from mountain biking to gin tasting.

6

Catch some waves.

Northern Ireland may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of surfing, but it’s actually got some of the best surf spots on the entire island. The water is cold year-round, but it’s really not a problem once you’ve got a wetsuit on. Portrush is one of the main surf beaches. If you’re a beginner, head to West Strand where you’ll find the Alive Surf School, which will provide equipment rental and lessons for newbies. The instructors are super helpful and determined to have you standing after your first lesson.

7

Longboard through the streets of Londonderry.

Londonderry was the site of many important events in Northern Ireland’s conflicted past. Instead of zoning out on a walking tour, take in the history while remaining alert and having a bit (ok, a lot) of fun. Far and Wild Tours runs a Boom Boarding Tour, where you’ll learn about the area’s history while cruising the city on a longboard. If you’ve never given it a go, have no fear as the tour starts with a lesson, and it’s not as difficult as it looks. The tour ends at the Walled City Brewery, where you can sample a pint of a local craft beer called Boom, hence the name of the tour.

8

Canoe your heart out.

Northern Ireland may be known for its coastline, but there is just as much to be seen inland. If you take a look at a map, you’ll notice Lough Neagh right in the middle. It’s the country’s largest lake with six rivers flowing into it and one river flowing out. It’s teeming with wildlife, including many species of birds, such as whooper swans and tufted duck. Lough Neagh Tours can help get you in a canoe and show you around. You’ll most likely find that you have the river all to yourself, making it a serene way to wrap up an adrenaline-packed week.

More like this: The 12 best things to do on road trip around Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way

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Halloween in Transylvania, Romania

The time of year to get spooky is upon us, and there’s no better place in the world to spend Halloween than Transylvania, a region of Romania that’s home to centuries of vampire lore. While sinister stories about creatures of the night, prone to feasting on the blood or flesh of others, exist throughout the world, vampires have the strongest cultural significance in Romania, thanks to Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Stoker (who, ironically, never visited Transylvania) wrote Dracula in 1897, having been inspired by the regional folklore and the historical Romanian figure Vlad the Impaler — a 15th-century noble (real name: Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia) with a thirst for blood, in the tyrannical sense. Despite not actually being a vampire, Vlad the Impaler’s grisly association with blood and gore seemed to stick to Transylvania, and associations with Dracula took hold.

These days, a trip to Transylvania is more likely to result in a visit to a peaceful village or the countryside than an encounter with a shapeshifter. However, if you’re keen on a bit of a scare, you can have the most ghoulish experience by visiting on Halloween, when many vampire-themed events and tours are on offer in Transylvania. From visiting Vlad the Impaler’s birthplace to seeing the castle that inspired Dracula’s, here is how to have the ultimate vampiric Halloween in Transylvania.

Visit the birthplace of the original vampire poster boy.

Photo: Cristian Balate/Shutterstock

If you want to get back to where it all began, a trip to Sighisoara, located in central Romania, will allow you to visit the purported birthplace of Vlad the Impaler. The house where he lived as a child, Cositarilor Street no. 5, is decidedly not spooky — but still a cool place to check out. Sighisoara also hosts a beautiful old town, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

See the spot where Vlad the Impaler’s son was murdered.

Photo: Boerescu/Shutterstock

The medieval village of Sibiu is home to the beautiful Evangelical Church where Vlad the Impaler’s son, Prince Mihnea the Evil, was killed on the stairs outside the church in 1510. With a name followed by “the Evil,” you know he had to be into some sinister stuff. He certainly seemed to like cutting off people’s noses.

Eat at the vampire-inspired restaurants of Transylvania.

Photo: Radu Dumitrescu/Shutterstock

You won’t be feasting on the blood of fellow diners, but these kitsch little restaurants offer a pretty unique dining experience. With predictably meat-heavy menus, there are a number of restaurants located throughout Transylvania that offer vampire-inspired dinners — sometimes with a show. While it’s certainly touristy, you can have a full-on Dracula experience at Restaurant Casa Vlad Dracula, located in the aforementioned house in Sighisoara.

Check out the (supposed) tomb of Vlad the Impaler.

Photo: Ionut Petrea/Shutterstock

It wouldn’t be a spooky Halloween round-up without a visit to some sort of burial ground. Snagov Monastery is supposedly the site of Vlad the Impaler’s tomb — but it seems no one can quite agree on whether that’s true or not. Regardless, you can see the tomb towards the back of this beautiful little church, which is well worth a visit — even if we aren’t sure that it actually contains the famous Vlad.

Visit the ruins of Poenari Castle.

Photo: Porojnicu Stelian/Shutterstock

The ruins mark the former site of Poenari Castle, a castle that Vlad the Impaler loved and eventually converted into a main residence. Situated on the top of a cliff, it was also where his first wife, Jusztina Szilagyi of Moldavia, committed suicide during a siege. If you feel particularly adventurous, climb the 1,400 or so steps to the top and enjoy the amazing views of the surrounding area.

See Bran Castle, home of the fictional Count Dracula.

Photo: Cristian Balate/Shutterstock

The most popular vampire-related site in all of Transylvania, Bran Castle needs little introduction. Ironically, though, this is not a castle that Vlad the Impaler actually held. It gained its popularity because of Bram Stoker’s Dracula since the author based the descriptions of his castle on this site. Built in the 1300s, it holds special events around Halloween that are sure to tempt those looking for a scare. Regardless, its many passages and creaky atmosphere are spooky enough for most. The castle hosts its own Halloween party, as well.

Spend Halloween night at Corvin Castle.

Photo: alpinetrail/Shutterstock

If you want an excuse to get out your best costume, this six-day tour by Transilvania Travel includes a ticket to a massive Halloween bash at Corvin Castle, where Dracula himself was once imprisoned. You’ll be invited into the castle by Dracula himself, and as the story goes, you can’t decline his invitation. Okay, it all might be a little cheesy, but if you like a good, silly scare, this one’s for you. The tour also travels throughout the Romanian countryside to a range of other fascinating vampire-centric sites.


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Where to learn new hobbies in the US

Scattered across the United States are a handful of cities dedicated to the pursuit of perfecting the art of various hobbies. From beekeeping to microbrewing, the US is leading the charge by offering both amateur and professional hobbyists opportunities to improve their art, skill, and knowledge of local pastimes. If you’re interested in taking up a new hobby this fall, here’s a selection of places around the US where you can sink your teeth into a new passion.

1. Astronomy — Catron County, New Mexico

Photo: onsuda/Shutterstock

If stargazing sounds like a relaxing decompression from busy city life, study up on some stargazing basics, pack a telescope and camera, and spend a couple of nights in the dark at the Cosmic Campground in New Mexico.

The Cosmic Campground is designated as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary, with the closest artificial light being 40 miles away from its perimeter. Since the smallest amount of artificial light nearby affects star visibility, this is an ideal location for astronomy beginners and night sky photography. Even if you have little to no knowledge about stargazing, this is an ideal place to kickstart your hobby as the conditions make it a perfect place to get to grips with basic equipment and put your interest into practice before investing further.

The site is located in the Gila National Forest where there is free, unreserved camping. It’s important to keep in mind that certain days of the year will be more crowded at the campsite depending on the weather conditions and visibility. To choose a night of clear sky, use this sky chart which forecasts the range of visibility each night.

2. Beekeeping — Asheville, North Carolina

Photo: Wild Mountain Bees/Facebook

If you’re just starting to explore beekeeping as a hobby, consider heading to Asheville,, North Carolina, for a super introduction. Proud of its culture of homegrown, sustainable living, Asheville has been protecting honey bees long before their importance became a global hot topic.

If you have an interest in beekeeping, it won’t come as a shock to know that one-third of the food we consume on a daily basis relies on pollination of bees. Due to a myriad of threats such as habitat loss, climate change, toxic pesticides, and disease, more than 4,000 species of native bees in North America and Hawaii are declining in numbers.

Asheville is an active chapter of Bee City USA, a nonprofit that aims to spread awareness in cities and towns interested in supporting honey bees. In Asheville, the nonprofit hosts community gatherings, children’s workshops, and other events that spread awareness about the pollinators and their important purpose in the ecosystem.

Also, just outside of Asheville, local farm Wehrloom Honey offers a variety of bee activities from hive tours to beginner beekeeper classes. And if you travel a little north of Asheville, you’ll find the Honey and the Hive, another educational outlet that offers a two-day workshop that’ll teach you everything you need to know about how to start your own hive. Priced at $75, the workshop includes classroom lectures and hands-on activities in warm weather months.

3. Coffee roasting — Tempe, Arizona

Photo: Coffee & Tea Crafters in Arizona/Facebook

For many of us, coffee is the morning essential. Yet we tend to reach for a Starbucks, an instant coffee, or whatever happens to be in the office pot, with little thought as to where it came from. The diversity of coffee, however, is expansive, vibrant, and quite complex. Coffee farmers, roasters, and baristas spend their careers perfecting the art of brewing a great cup, and you can gain a little insight into their world through a crash course in Tempe, Arizona.

The International Barista Coffee Academy offers a range of classes from beginner level to professional certifications. There’s even a class designed around home coffee brewing called the Home Enthusiast. The school is open year-round, and the schedule of available classes can be found on the course calendar.

To help refine your palate outside of the school, Tempe has a ton of great coffee shops in its downtown area. If you’re looking for a more informal educational setting, Infusion Coffee serves a variety of blends and offers a range of classes and events. Also, head to Cortez Coffee, a family-owned shop that specializes in ethically sourced Costa Rican coffee blends. Cortez Coffee even has a subscription service where you can try its blends from home.

4. Microbrewing — Portland, Maine

Photo: Goodfire Brewing Co./Facebook

Visiting breweries and tasting rooms is gaining interest in the US — there are over 6,000 breweries operating in the country. Breweries are separated into categories based on the volume of beer they produce. For instance, craft breweries can produce millions of barrels a year while a microbrewery is limited to producing a maximum of 15,000 barrels.

Because of the intimacy of production, visitors can expect to gain a more in-depth understanding of how the beers are produced, as well as the process that goes into each flavor profile. Small-batch brewing operations focus on quality, flavor, and technique above the quantity of production. For the beer aficionado, this quality control is the main reason you’ll want to visit microbreweries.

Portland, in Maine, has an impressive number of microbreweries, claiming 17 within its city limits. D.L. Geary Brewing Company was founded in 1986, and the company styles itself as the first New England microbrewery. In the tasting room, visitors can sample the staple beers, as well as limited batches of rotating taps. The brewery also offers guided tours of its production facility, which detail the production process.

Goodfire Brewing is a petite brewery in north Portland specializing in small batches of canned beer. These guys are relatively new to the scene and are producing an innovative and exciting selection of IPAs. They also often host local food trucks, so you can get a dose of education and relax with food and a cold brew.

Also, if you’re in Portland during November, be sure to check out the Portland Beer Week. The festival has a ton of events for the budding beer aficionado.

5. Disc golf — Houston, Texas

Photo: Jari Hindstroem/Shutterstock

Disc golf is a perfect sport for those looking for a laid-back, inclusive new weekend hobby. While it’s played much like traditional golf in terms of rules, scoring, and etiquette, disc golf differs by throwing a plastic disc off a tee and eventually putting it into a chain-catching metal basket. The sport is relatively easy to learn and only requires a few discs to play casually.

Houston is home to over 50 disc golf courses. The Houston Disc Golf Directory lists the number of baskets of each course, course access, and course contact details. For those already familiar with the sport who want to compete, Texas also hosts several tournaments throughout the year. For supplies in town, Rick’s Darts and Games offers an array of discs, and the knowledgeable staff can help you pick out a starter set if you’re a newbie.

6. Caving — Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

Photo: Doug Meek/Shutterstock

All outdoor sports offer a degree of exploration, yet unlike climbing, mountaineering, diving, and canyoneering — where you more or less have an idea about what you’re about to get yourself into — literally anything is possible with caving.

Traditionally known as spelunking, caving requires some training and equipment before delving deep underground. But if you’re new to the sport and looking for somewhere to try it out, Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico is a great place to start. There are over a hundred caves, a handful of which you can explore yourself. The park also offers guided tours, which take you a little deeper into the structures as well as unique guided educational workshops like the Bat Flight Program, where visitors witness the daily migration of the bats and learn about their special role in cave ecology.

If you plan on visiting more than one caving site in US National Parks in a year, the annual park pass is definitely the most cost-effective option available for entry.

7. Ballroom dancing — Columbus, Ohio

Photo: Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Ballroom dancing is fun, playful, and a great way to meet people. It’s also an impressive skill to charm your plus one during next year’s wedding season.

There are classes held throughout the US, but the art of ballroom dancing finds a permanent home every year in Columbus, Ohio, where the world’s largest dance competition, the Ohio Star Ball is held. This November, thousands of dancers, from amateurs to professionals, will come to the city to compete. If you have an interest in taking up this hobby, it’s worth getting a ticket as the event showcases the country’s best dancers. It also hosts a dance camp on the weekend of the event, just in case you want to brush up on your moves.


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People can now try beer ramen

After years of dominating the twentysomething hipster scene, and turning previously unknown cities into havens for beer connoisseurs, the craft beer movement has finally gone too far. Yuu Japanese Tapas, a restaurant in Richmond, a suburb of Vancouver, recently unveiled the newest addition to its menu — a beer mug filled with ramen noodles. Julia Kubotani, the restaurant’s owner, came up with the idea when she found herself craving some ramen and a cold beer. Naturally, she thought, “Why not combine the two?”

Photo: Yuu Japanese Tapas

It’s not actually a bunch of noodles drowning in a pint of beer. It’s a bowl of ramen in a cold fish broth, served in a large beer mug. Customers are invited to add condiments like green onion, wasabi, nori, and pickles, and dive in with chopsticks. The mug simply acts as an innovative vessel for the ramen. The meal also comes with mixed vegetable tempura or deep-fried chicken.

H/T: Lonely Planet

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