The New York Theatre Workshop is an intimate performing arts theatre noted for its quality production of new works by several now well-known playwrights and located on funky East 4th Street.
Jonathan Larson’s Rent was developed and first performed here. It’s part of Downtown’s Theater Row and offers neighbourhood and cultural events throughout the year. The theatre is an excellent opportunity to see raw talent at its best or you may even be lucky enough to see a real celebrity honing their craft. James Bond’s Daniel Craig appeared in Othello at the NYTW to rave reviews.
NYTW also has an impressive selection of masterclasses, workshops, artist residencies and fellowships. You could do a lot worse than attending an artists’ summer residency in NYC.
Located on the hip Lower East Side that’s bustling with bars and restaurants it would make perfect sense to have a bite before a show or finish with a nightcap.
Don’t let the name fool you – there’s no way you’ll be smiling once this headache-inducing contraption is done with you. The Smiler is the world’s first 14-loop roller coaster, and while it may not be the tallest (its highest point is 30 metres) it does manage to reach a maximum speed of 85 kilometres an hour. Now that’s uncomfortably fast, especially when The Smiler lasts for a torturous three minutes. But the terror doesn’t just begin the moment the over-shoulder restraints lock into place. Oh no. While lining up in the queue, which begins outside and moves into a darkened room, riders are subjected to projections, special effects, strobe lighting and optical illusions specifically designed to play tricks on your eyes and mind. It’s certainly disorientating enough to make you feel queasy about what’s to come. Located at Alton Towers, the largest theme park in the UK, The Smiler has got enough sneaky tricks and loop-the-loops up its sleeve to guarantee you’ll be left sufficiently shaken. altontowers.com
Swings are for kids, right? Not this one. The Giant Canyon Swing at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is big enough and mean enough to strike fear into the hearts of seasoned adrenaline junkies. Perched precariously on the edge of a frighteningly sheer cliff, 400 metres above the Colorado River, the Giant Canyon Swing is not your average piece of playground equipment. For just on 60 seconds it hurtles four passengers at a time, back and forth, to a near vertical angle. It also rockets to a top speed of 80 kilometres an hour, which is enough to create negative G-forces. That’s kinda like having butterflies in your tummy, only a hundred times worse, and with the added fear of vomiting or passing out. Or both. It’s so scary, riders must sign a liability waiver, and anyone under the age of 18 must have a parent’s or guardian’s signature. Even owner Steve Beckley has only ever ridden the Giant Canyon Swing once. Now if that’s not an indicator of how petrifying the experience is, we’re not sure what is. glenwoodcaverns.com
You’ve got to question the state of mind of whoever conjured up the nightmarish, stomach-churning situation that is Insanity the Ride. Positioned atop the tallest structure in Las Vegas, The STRAT Hotel, Casino and Skypod, this terrifying centrifuge ride uses an enormous mechanical arm to dangle passengers 265 metres in the air. As if that wasn’t enough to have you murmuring a couple of Hail Marys under your breath, all trapped thrill-seekers are then tilted to an angle of 70 degrees (in other words: you’re staring directly at the ground below) and spun around at speeds of up to 64 kilometres an hour. Apparently Insanity is also programmable with various different motion sequences, which means no two rides feel the same. We want to suggest downing a couple of strong, oversized, Vegas-style cocktails before allowing yourself to be strapped into this sky-high monstrosity, but that could end badly for everyone involved. Instead, all you can really do is sit back, admire the view and hope your seatbelt is done up. thestrat.com
There are normal roller coasters, then there’s the X2. This mechanical beast, which you can find by following the howl of deathly screams all the way to California’s Six Flags Magic Mountain, is in a league of its own – so much so, it’s considered the very first 4D coaster. That means riders are placed in extra-wide 360-degree rotating seats that twist and flip independent of how the main train navigates the tracks. It also runs on four rails, instead of the usual two. Sound distressing? That’s not the end of it. While you’re spiralling through the air headfirst and facedown, the X2 is also accelerating to speeds of 122 kilometres an hour and climbing to an elevation of 60 metres. Oh, and your feet are dangling weightlessly in the air too, which any frequent ride-goer will know is a truly awful sensation. Chuck in a couple of inversions (corkscrew-like manoeuvres), two ultra-rare raven turns (half loops that turn into sheer drops), a backflip and the added drama of a pair of flamethrowers, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a heart-thumping ride. sixflags.com
When it comes to roller coaster construction, surely the general rule of thumb is that the track should be fully complete – with no obvious gaps – before it gets the green light for real-life human passengers? Apparently not, according to the crazy people behind the Gravity Max at Taiwan’s Lihpao Land theme park. The thrill (if you can even call it that) of this ride is that it ascends dizzyingly fast to the very edge of a seemingly track-less horizontal platform, before tilting forward to a 90-degree angle – pausing for dramatic effect and maximum scares, of course – and magically reconnecting to the downward track. It then proceeds to shoot through a pitch-black tunnel and straight into a 360-degree vertical loop, reaching a max speed of 90 kilometres an hour and 3.5 Gs of force. The Gravity Max is the world’s only tilting roller coaster, is the first with a true 90-degree drop, and it goes for a blood-curdling two minutes and 26 seconds. Ride at your own peril. lihpaoresort.com
It’s easy to find superb food in Canada’s coolest city, but eating like a Montrealer is another experience altogether. Local pals Danny and Anne-Marie have stitched together a small-group tour of their favourite tastes in Little Italy and the up-and-coming Mile-Ex neighbourhood. At Marché Jean-Talon you’ll wander aisles of lovingly arranged produce and meet owners of artisan dairy stalls and creative charcuteries who will ply you with ice cream and cured meats.
Your guides will share the history of the region over fresh coffee, brief you on the influence of immigration as you pile pickles onto Salvadoran pupusas (thick savoury pancakes packed with fillings) and introduce you to sour beer at a craft brewery decked out in blush tones, wood and marble. The final touch is a picnic in a park, where old men play cards beneath the trees. We won’t divulge the complete menu, but it’s a finger-licking affair. Make Montreal home, at least for a day.
With a tagline that reads ‘welcome to your cool uncle’s basement’, it’s pretty clear from the get-go that Jack and Fanny’s isn’t your typical Upper East Side bar. The 70s-inspired wood panels and brickwork that adorn the walls give off some serious retro vibes, while the cosy leather couches and bar stools invite patrons to grab a couple of beers, get comfortable and settle in for the night.
The Italian-style menu is full of delicious bites, including wings, calamari, burgers and an epic cheese and charcuterie board, ready to line your belly. Oh, Jack and Fanny’s also has an indoor bocce court, the only one in Manhattan. Games are free, and after one (or many) of the 14 draft cocktails, there’s bound to be a few laughs.
Tropicana meets goth meets Polynesian noir. These are the vibes we get from San Francisco’s Last Rites, a drinking den that takes the ‘more is more’ approach. No exaggeration – it’s like a plane crash in the jungle. The bar has been built using the body of an actual aircraft. Then there are the plane seats turned into bar stools, and a parachute dangling from the roof. Veering from the aeronautical theme are three-metre-tall stone skull statues and giant banyan tree roots.
The cocktails don’t stray from the dark jungle theme, with fruity, rum-based concoctions boasting names like Valley of the Shadow and Avian Evolution filling the list. It’s kind of like being in an episode of Lost, but with tastier drinks and a better plot twist.
At a glance you might not think much of the Chicago Athletic Hotel, but little do you know that hidden away on its second floor is Milk Room. What was once a speakeasy during America’s infamous Prohibition has now appropriately been transformed into an unsuspecting eight-seat micro bar. Specialising in hard-to-find ingredients, Milk Bar takes it back to classic cocktails featuring rare and vintage spirits.
Adorned with stained glass windows, candles and iron light fittings, the dimly lit interior sets an intimate ambience for your evening visit. The bar also offers a finely crafted menu of share plates, so you won’t go hungry. Milk Room, however, is not for the faint of wallet, although its rare spirits served in a piece of delicious history is worth the dosh if you’re splashing out.
Concealed inside the walls of a historic 1911 building that was originally a pool hall, you’ll find a nine-room boutique hotel and restaurant with a secret. For most visiting the mountain-town of Revelstoke, the delicious smoky smells of the acclaimed Quartermaster restaurant that waft through its big industrial doors are enough to lure you in. But it’s the secret little boiler room that really captures us.
Tucked away beneath the restaurant, this speakeasy bar (boiler room) offers an intimate setting for those wishing to enjoy a curated selection of whisky, spirits and cocktails, all while marvelling at a 100-year-old coal-fired boiler. It’s moody and mysterious – just the way we like our hidden bars to be. If you need us, you’ll know where we’ll be!
What’s better than spending a whole day at a brewery? Staying there overnight. You can now do just that at the DogHouse, a 32-room hotel on the site of Scottish company BrewDog’s Columbus, Ohio, beer factory. The rooms, not entirely surprisingly, have a masculine vibe – some like the Brewmaster Suite (pictured) overlook the sour beer works – with plenty of suds on offer throughout the stay. It starts at check-in with the lobby bartender ensuring guests enjoy a welcoming ale, while two fridges – one in the room and the other in the shower – are loaded up with the company’s best-known craft beers and seasonal specials.
Oh, there’s an in-room tap, too, that can be hooked up to a growler of whatever bevvy your tastebuds desire. Of course, while you’re here, it would be churlish not to do a tour of the facilities and the huge interactive craft beer museum. We’ll raise a glass to that.
A visit to the Hudson Yards is like visiting a city within a city. This Vatican of Manhattan is the newest cathedral of commerce to grace the underdeveloped west side, where posh pilgrims can find one of the most lavish shopping malls, event spaces, and public work of art the city has to offer.
High end shopping like Fendi and Cartier and fine restaurants like Milos and Belcampo first are just the beginning. The first Equinox Fitness Hotel, as well as a state of the art concert hall complete with a retractable roof. Don’t forget to check out The Vessel, where intrepid guest can climb the over 150 intertwined open air staircases for views of the city found no where else.
Yellow sand, salty water and summer beach vibes don’t exactly spring to mind when we think of New York City, but The Ramones were on to something when they decided to “hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach.” Nestled into the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens,this arty-vibe beach is growing in popularity, which makes a nibble and drinks at the Rockaway Beach Surf Club even more appealing. What started as a place for surfers to store their boards is now a beach club with a difference. Rockaway Beach Surf Club embraces the destination’s chilled-out urban beach vibe.
Welcomed by the phrase “Live. Surf. Die”, the club is devoted to the local neighbourhood and hosts a number of cultural and art events within its on-site gallery. Visitors to the club can chow down on some tacos with a side of chips (obviously!), while sipping a fresh watermelon juice or a delicious cocktail or two. It might not be quite the luxury poolside hangout you’d except of the term “beach club” but we’d be happy hitching the next ride to this NYC beachside hangout.
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