Travel Destinations and Memories !!!

Travel is one of our favorite things! From time to time, we might want to ask others about what they recommend when visiting their part of the world (or places they have visited on their own trips). This includes special sights to see, places to eat, and so on...

We also have memories of our favorite trips (including for competitions and camps). Let's share them whenever you feel like it...

:bouncy:

New York City

There are many DF members from the Northeast, so many of you live in or near New York City; or have visited.

I have visited New York City only once--for one of the past Manhattan Dancesport competitions. I took some time to enjoy the area, but obviously could have spent much more time in such an exciting place! I hit some of the major things, like Broadway, Times Square, and Central Park. And also crossed a few of the bridges while cruising around in a rental car, to get some sense of life there.

Next time, I want to see more!

Any recommendations of any kind? Such as, is there a preferred airport to fly into? (Last time, I used Newark.) Or, do you have some favorite eateries around the Boroughs?

Thanks!

Ray Sison said:

There are many DF members from the Northeast, so many of you live in or near New York City; or have visited.

I have visited New York City only once--for one of the past Manhattan Dancesport competitions. I took some time to enjoy the area, but obviously could have spent much more time in such an exciting place! I hit some of the major things, like Broadway, Times Square, and Central Park. And also crossed a few of the bridges while cruising around in a rental car, to get some sense of life there.

Next time, I want to see more!

Any recommendations of any kind? Such as, is there a preferred airport to fly into? (Last time, I used Newark.) Or, do you have some favorite eateries around the Boroughs?

Thanks!

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if you want to explore outside the city...DOC Wine Bar in Brooklyn (Williamsburg). It's on the corner or N. 7th and Wythe, I think. I sublet for a summer essentially right next door. It was fabulous. Rustic, cozy...I could sit there and drink wine for hours with friends.

Be warned...it used to be cash only (not sure if it still is because I haven't been there in years).

Brooklyn / Wine Bars / Teresa's Restaurant !!!

jjs914 said:

if you want to explore outside the city...DOC Wine Bar in Brooklyn (Williamsburg). It's on the corner or N. 7th and Wythe, I think. I sublet for a summer essentially right next door. It was fabulous. Rustic, cozy...I could sit there and drink wine for hours with friends.

Be warned...it used to be cash only (not sure if it still is because I haven't been there in years).

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JJS914: Thanks for that tip. I love wine bars. And I do plan to check out Brooklyn, too, when I visit New York City (possibly as soon as this coming summer).

For the Manhattan Dancesport, I stayed at the Marriot New York at the Brooklyn Bridge. For breakfast one day during that comp, I walked over to Montague Street at Brooklyn Heights. I loved the view of the harbor from there!

I then had breakfast at Teresa's. Yum! Anyone out there ever been to it? It's Eastern European food, including pierogis to die for!

I found this treasure just by stumbling into it during my morning walk. Here's a New York Magazine restaurant review of the place:

http:// nymag.com /listings/restaurant/teresas01/


Photo by Jonathan Bourland

Ray, If you enjoy Polish food and are interested in exploring more of Brooklyn, you may enjoy a visit to Greenpoint, which is changing, but still a predominantly Polish community. In additional to more (good & inexpensive) Polish diners, there are also great bakeries and other food stores.

I will be spending a few days in Vancouver and then on to an inside passage Alaska cruise with my family later this year and would welcome suggestions from any DFers who live in or have visited these areas.

Vancouver / Brooklyn

New in NY said:

Ray, If you enjoy Polish food and are interested in exploring more of Brooklyn, you may enjoy a visit to Greenpoint, which is changing, but still a predominantly Polish community. In additional to more (good & inexpensive) Polish diners, there are also great bakeries and other food stores.

I will be spending a few days in Vancouver and then on to an inside passage Alaska cruise with my family later this year and would welcome suggestions from any DFers who live in or have visited these areas.

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New in NY: Thanks so much for the Brooklyn and Polish food tips!

As for Vancouver, it is one of my all-time favorite travel destinations. I will be sure to make a more detailed posting (within the next couple of days) about memories of visiting the place, and some recommendations!

If you are ever in New England (especially in the summer) there are a lot of beautiful outdoor things to do.

1.) Fenway tour and Bleacher bar. Even if you are not a sox fan, the experience is truly fun... bleacher bar you can hit up afterward. It is a bar literally inside the stadium where you can see the games live without a ticket. The atmosphere is awesome.
2.) Kennebunkport, Maine. Evereything about this place is gorgeous.
3.) York, Maine. Stop by Cape Neddick and see the most beautiful lighthouse - Nubble Light. They also have great lobster and make salt water taffey for you to watch.
4.) JFK Library
5.) Portsmouth, NH or Newburyport, MA. Both places are very similar I think. Beautiful seaside towns with a lot of cafes, chocolate shops, wine bars, and pubs. The cobblestoned streets are not exactly great for my high heels, but beautiful nonetheless

I'll let ya know of more places when I think of them.

New England

Eliska, thank you sooo very much! I do plan to visit New England one day also! And thanks for the tips beyond Boston--though I want to see the Boston area, too, after seeing the lovely 1998 indie movie Next Stop Wonderland...

:bouncy:

Eliska said:

If you are ever in New England (especially in the summer) there are a lot of beautiful outdoor things to do.

1.) Fenway tour and Bleacher bar. Even if you are not a sox fan, the experience is truly fun... bleacher bar you can hit up afterward. It is a bar literally inside the stadium where you can see the games live without a ticket. The atmosphere is awesome.
2.) Kennebunkport, Maine. Evereything about this place is gorgeous.
3.) York, Maine. Stop by Cape Neddick and see the most beautiful lighthouse - Nubble Light. They also have great lobster and make salt water taffey for you to watch.
4.) JFK Library
5.) Portsmouth, NH or Newburyport, MA. Both places are very similar I think. Beautiful seaside towns with a lot of cafes, chocolate shops, wine bars, and pubs. The cobblestoned streets are not exactly great for my high heels, but beautiful nonetheless

I'll let ya know of more places when I think of them.

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My best guy friend is moving to Manhattan soon and I will surely go visit him sometime. We love Pittsburgh, and most people don't agree, but it really does have everything you could want in a city but less/smaller/fewer. hehe. I think he will like NY, he's visited and liked it, I have too... He's one of few people I like barhopping with, we did it in Fell's Point Baltimore, which is also a really cool area if you've never been.

I don't know if it's really on topic, but if anyone knows of any kinda hipster/dive bars in Manhattan let me know. haha

Manhattan / Pittsburgh

wonderwoman said:

My best guy friend is moving to Manhattan soon and I will surely go visit him sometime. We love Pittsburgh, and most people don't agree, but it really does have everything you could want in a city but less/smaller/fewer. hehe. I think he will like NY, he's visited and liked it, I have too... He's one of few people I like barhopping with, we did it in Fell's Point Baltimore, which is also a really cool area if you've never been.

I don't know if it's really on topic, but if anyone knows of any kinda hipster/dive bars in Manhattan let me know. haha

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WW, that's definitely on-topic! Here's the place to ask for any kinds of tips of where to go when visiting another place! Right on!

And how can you not like the home of the "Stillers"--and the place where NFL legend Dan Marino (as a Pitt Panther) had such a great college career?!

wonderwoman said:

My best guy friend is moving to Manhattan soon and I will surely go visit him sometime. We love Pittsburgh, and most people don't agree, but it really does have everything you could want in a city but less/smaller/fewer. hehe. I think he will like NY, he's visited and liked it, I have too... He's one of few people I like barhopping with, we did it in Fell's Point Baltimore, which is also a really cool area if you've never been.

I don't know if it's really on topic, but if anyone knows of any kinda hipster/dive bars in Manhattan let me know. haha

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It's been a while since I've had that kind of outing, but Mars Bar and Max Fish come to mind.

I did not know that!
Not a huge sports fan in general.. I'd go see a baseball game in the summer just to hang out and drink beer really, not because we have a good team lol
I wish I had more pride in our amazing NFL and NHL teams, just can't get excited about them. I skipped out on all the partying/going nuts that went along with our last two Super Bowls.. I didn't even know if we were winning or not until I started getting texts about how I shoulda been here or there participating in the crazyness. lol

Vancouver Trip Memories!

New in NY said:

I will be spending a few days in Vancouver and then on to an inside passage Alaska cruise with my family later this year and would welcome suggestions from any DFers who live in or have visited these areas.

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New in NY. Here are highlights from a trip that I took in the 2000's to unforgettable Vancouver, Canada--for many people, the most beautiful city in North America and always on the top of the lists for most "livable" cities.

1. Day 1. Flew into Seattle (Sea-Tac Airport), another beautiful city, just across the border from Vancouver. Driving from green Washington State.
2. Sammy Peppers Bar & Grill on Granville Island, by the marina--the "heart and soul" of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. What a setting! The Pacific Ocean. The view of the mountains. (Shades of both San Francisco and Denver, but with its own unique, romantic charm.)
3. Westin Bayshore Resort and Marina. An incomparable hotel, with a harbor view!
4. Day 2. Stanley Park to see the beautiful Rose Garden and Vancouver Aquarium.
5. Tsawassen, waiting for ferry Queen of Esquimalt to the capital of Victoria, on Vancouver Island. "If you like Vancouver, you'll love Victoria."
6. The ferry ride with a view like something out of King Arthur is like a mini-cruise, with romantic British Columbia just washing over me, as we go between islands in the strait!
7. Landed at Swartz Bay. Took 17 South through Sidney.
8. At Sidney by the Sea, had Greek food as Odyssia Steak House.
9. Day 3. The Butterfly Garden in Brentwood Bay. Wow: birds, big moths, and baby quails! And lots of butterflies...
10. One of the must-sees: the famous, otherworldly Butchard Gardens that help make this place "The City of Flowers".
11. Victoria, which has a very English Parliament Building.
12. More Greek food at Periklis Greek Restaurant.
13. Day 4. Back to Swartz Bay, to take the ferry back to mainland Vancouver.
14. Drove back to Seattle, about 200 km away. (Not too long a drive.) Goodbye, for now, fair Canada!

Vancouver Panorama!

Good photo:



From www. dacamericas.org / images / Vancouver-1.jpg

Chicago is better than Pittsburgh.