Why You Need to Visit Coney Island Brewery

When I think of summer in New York City, I inevitably dream about Coney Island. Umbrella lounge chairs dot the long stretches of sand; the smell of sizzling hot dogs wafts in the air; and high-pitched shrieks abound as people whiz by on roller coasters and other amusement park rides. But I didn’t realize until a few weeks ago that Coney Island is home to its very own brewery, named — you guessed it — Coney Island Brewery.

The brewery’s tap room may be smaller than some, but what it lacks in space, it more than makes up for with its tasty beers. Here’s why you need to take the ride down to the southern end of Brooklyn and visit Coney Island Brewery.

Even though it’s possible to live three lifetimes in New York City and still not get to everything the metropolis has to offer, sometimes even diehard New Yorkers need a change of scenery. We’re going to let you in on a little secret: Beacon is one of the coolest day trips from New York City, and after reading about all of the cool things to do in Beacon, NY, we wouldn’t be surprised if you hop on the next train going upstate!

Despite devouring the multitude of cuisines that New York City has to offer over the past six years, Indian cuisine has been conspicuously absent from my restaurant repertoire. (Nothing personal; I just eat way too much cacio e pepe and xiao long bao.) So when Mary, the blogger behind Mary in Mahattan, invited a group of us to dine at Imli, an Indian restaurant in New York’s Upper East Side neighborhood, I jumped at the chance.

What happens when a group of eight bloggers descends on one of New York’s tastiest Indian restaurants? A lot of laughs, cocktails, and completely full stomachs, that’s what. Here’s why your next meal should be at Imli.

In the “Drinking Buddies” series, I ask fellow travel bloggers to share their favorite bar experience from their travels. In today’s edition, Jen of Jen on a Jet Plane gives you the inside scoop on drinking at The Broken Shaker in Miami.

Spring is finally in the air, which means that — if you live in a normal part of the world where you aren’t hit by four snowstorms in the span of three weeks and moping about in your dusty apartment — the birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing, and tulips are blooming all over the land. And there’s no better place to be right now to get into the spring of things than Keukenhof, one of the world’s largest flower gardens.

If you’re feeling like frolicking around in some flowers this year, you’re not alone: over one million visitors flow through Keukenhof’s gates annually. But what makes Keukenhof so awesome? How do you get there? And what does Keukenhof actually mean? Here’s why you need to visit Keukenhof, Holland’s tulip paradise.

Editor’s note: Let the record reflect that Whalebone Bay is an interesting snorkeling spot if you’re staying on St. George’s Island in Bermuda, and I highly encourage everyone to go. I’m just a complete scaredy-cat when it comes to slippery aquatic creatures of the night. Also, watch this awesome video that explains the correct plural form(s) of the word ‘octopus.’

I slowly shied away from the tank, my eyes darting back and forth.

“What’s wrong, huh?” my brother teased, though he already knew. The little rascal—well, big rascal, as he was younger but taller than me—had nonchalantly remarked that an octopus can climb from one tank to another, a fact I wished I could unlearn as quickly as I heard it.

Let’s face it: Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays you love or you loathe. It’s either a chance to celebrate your epic, undying love for one another — complete with roses, candles, and Jacques Torres chocolates, of course — or it’s like having a severe case of déjà vu as you encounter slobbery, sappy, stupid couples everywhere.

But whether you’re with someone, think you’re with someone, or just plain don’t care, February 14 is a great excuse to let New York City’s bars work their magic. Take it from us, the NYC Cocktail Bar Yentes: we’re damn good matchmakers when it comes to hooking you up with a bar you’ll love.

So open your minds, your hearts, and your wallets, folks. Here are five romantic NYC bars that are perfect for Valentine’s Day.

We couldn’t stop laughing. Mr. Five O’Clock and I had just ripped open our holiday gifts and discovered that we’d given each other similar bitters-related presents. He had selected spices and herbs to create bitters for me; I had purchased a bitters-making kit from Hella Cocktail Co. (formerly known as Hella Bitters) for him. This was true love at its finest, we grinned conspiratorially.

Those gifts we exchanged in December 2014 started our lifelong love affair with bitters. (I know this because I combed through my e-mails to verify the date, as fact-checking is key here. When Mr. Five O’Clock gets home, I can tell him I won our bet.)

We’ve been huge fans of Hella Cocktail Co.’s products from the moment we unwrapped those gifts three years ago. We’re practically thisclose to being the OG fans of the company, so you know our fondness for their bottles is legit.

So when we met Eddie, one of the company’s co-founders, through Honeymoon Israel last year, it was like the stars aligned. And when Eddie ~~the cocktail Santa~~ sent us some Hella Cocktail Co. syrups, mixers, and bitters to check out for the 2017 holiday season, it was some seriously magical Hella holiday déjà vu all over again.

So how did the Hella Great Gift Opening Session of 2017 go down? What kind of cocktails can you make with these goodies? What does “hella” even mean? And what are bitters, anyway? Don’t worry: we’ve got you covered.

Let’s get this out of the way early: yes, the Park Hyatt Tokyo hotel will be forever linked to Sofia Coppola’s 2003 film, “Lost in Translation.” Yes, you may have originally clicked on this post because you want to pretend you’re Scarlett Johansson sipping on cocktails with Bill Murray at Park Hyatt Tokyo’s New York Bar.

The iconic hotel bar may have looked stunning in Coppola’s film, but is it really that classy and sophisticated in real life? Are the drinks any good? And, most importantly, is it worth a detour in your precious Tokyo itinerary?

The answer, it turns out, is a resounding yes. In other words, for good times, you’ll want to make it ~~Suntory~~ New York Bar time. Here’s why.

It’s been a mere week since Mr. Five O’Clock and I returned to NYC from visiting Japan, and in some ways, it feels like we’re waking up from the best dream of lives. (Oh, wait, I did just wake up… and it’s 3 AM. Curse you, jet lag!)

Plenty of things surprised us throughout our two weeks in Japan, from the kindness of the Japanese people to those freakin’ cool ramen-eating booths. Perhaps what surprised me most of all, however, was how much I grew to love this country that had originally not even been on my radar.

In putting our jet lag to good use, we’ve got our first post about Japan all ready! Here are 10 things that surprised us while visiting Japan.

Category: Destinations

Why You Need to Visit Coney Island Brewery

5 Best Things to Do in Beacon, NY: Your Perfect Day Trip from NYC

Imli: NYC’s Upper East Side Indian Restaurant You Need to Know

Drinking Buddies: The Broken Shaker in Miami, Florida

Why You Need To Visit Keukenhof, Holland’s Tulip Paradise

The Truth About Snorkeling in Bermuda’s Whalebone Bay (Or: Why I’m Eternally Terrified of Octopuses)

5 Romantic NYC Bars That Are Perfect for Valentine’s Day

“Hella” Awesome: Why Hella Cocktail Co. Is A Name You Need to Know

Drinks in Translation: Visiting New York Bar at the Park Hyatt Tokyo

10 Things That Surprised Us While Visiting Japan