f13.net

I will be in the US from february 19th to 28th. I'll be in NYC, then move down to Virginia and up again to Buffalo before going back to Roma.

Now this post could seem pointless but I am not the usual tourist. I could easily find info about what to see and I would probably stay away from those places anyway. What I would like to know is something unusual, something I can't find on guides, or just something that is cool and I should see/attend/eat/drink/buy/experience before flying back.

I will be limited to New York City, Buffalo and Chesapeake/Norfolk (VA), so that rules out lots of suggestion, but what I am looking for is just a bunch of ideas about something interesting and or unusual to do in those few days. It's my first time in the US and it could easily be the last one. I would love to have some authentic f13 tips.

P.S: Suggestions to a cheap place to sleep for two nights in New York are welcome (hygiene is not an issue, safety is) but I failed to see the Tourist Guide sign when I logged in to f13, so don't take this too seriously.

Oh, tough one....even though I'm from the US...there's nowhere in particular I'd want to visit. :|

Wow, who did you piss off?

I have no real advice to give other than, bring some warm clothes and shoes that will not get destroyed by salt.

Is it that cold?
And should I move by greyhound or amtrak?

I'd say Amtrak from NYC to Virginia, Greyhound from Norfolk to Buffalo and Amtrak again from there to NYC, if that's where you're flying out of. Buy that's just guessing on the Norfolk to Buffalo route. If it were me I'd Amtrak all of it. No idea if it's faster of cheaper but there always seeks to be more legroom, each seat has a power outlet, and some lines have wifi now. But it has been decades since ive a bus too.

Are you looking for family touristy stuff, singles-scene cool guy stuff, historical or naval/military things?

I stayed at the New Yorker when I was in Manhattan a few years ago. It had a great location and I never felt unsafe at all staying there. Halls were kind of dreary but some floors looked great and the rooms were small but clean. Looks to be around $149/night now, I think I payed $179 or something. It wasn't the cheapest place I could find but it was close, very satisfied.

Wow. Fuck. I deleted my own post by accident.

I won't last a second in the streets.

If you wind up in East Village area, eat here:  http://www.lapalapa.com/

I dream about the meal I had there... I'd even consider taking a trip back just to eat that meal again. 

 
My mouth waters again for it.... :awesome_for_real:

Buffalo?  Really?  I'm a native of the state, and I think I've been to Buffalo maybe once.  Can't trust those Western New Yorkers (/squints at Sky).

I have friends here and there. I would visit you too people but you wouldn't like me.

I live in Chesapeake, VA.  :P

Really not much to see down here beyond normal tourist stuff.  Plus it will be cold.  Very, very cold.   :awesome_for_real:

Amtrak is better than Greyhound if you like to pay a huge premium and still be late...

Two good places to see in NYC that aren't really touristy are Mulberry Street (mobster-esque restaurants, go at night only) and Canal Street (Chinatown). Both are easy subway rides.  Chinatwon might be in full Chinese New Year mode still. One museum that most people don't go to is The Cloisters at the northern end of Manhattan: monastery and religious artwork in a period environment.

Don't be silly.  Everyone here would love you to bits!  How could they not?

But, Cheddar is probably right.  It'll be very cold.  We've had odd weather lately, though.  We've had days where it's in the 20s with days in the 60s stuck in between.  It's probably the Russians mucking about with our weather again.  Maybe you'll get some of the good weather for your trip.

As for buses and trains - I've been on plenty of trains and they're okay.  I've even contemplated taking a scenic train vacation from time to time but have never actually got around to it.  Strange but I don't think I've ever been on a bus! 

Weather is unpredictable for late February, pack so you can dress for 60F to 0F. Layers is good. If you don't want to do touristy museum type stuff, it's not the best time of year to wander NYC. Cold and gray. And you can't spit off the Empire State anymore. I haven't lived there in long enough anyplace neat I could send you is either gone or changed. I know nothing about Buffalo in Feb other than it's usually covered in lake-effect snow.

I've been on both Greyhound buses and Amtrak trains. Both will be late and with limited departure times, the train will be more expensive but much more comfortable. Unless you get a sleeper, in which case you may as well fly first class. Don't make the mistake of thinking of Amtrak as a national train service, it's more a limited destination boondoggle of massive proportions. Americans drive or fly everywhere. Anything else is horrible, slow, depressing, and to a large degree non-existant. Greyhound buses are like a traveling mental institution.

At least it's not Canada, where you might get your head cut off!

I dunno, I've only been to the Buffalo burbs, got some family in East Aurora. Probably should hit up the Anchor Bar (http://www.buffalowings.com/), home of buffalo wings. NYC...gah I hate that place almost as much as LA.

Don't let these people scare you with Buffalo weather. It's splendid. *


* I love frigid temps, high winds and massive snow.

I live just up the way from it, like 2 city's over, however.... I can't think of a single thing to do there.

There is a little secret in the big north eastern cities that I'll clue you in on.

Greyhound sucks so much that the industrious Chinese immigrants have created bus lines to get from Chinatown to Chinatown.  They are generally clean, on time and extremely cheap (often they have specials as low as $1).

Here is a list someone compiled: http://www.staticleap.com/chinatownbus/

I'm sure you can Google around and find others as I am aware that there are a few other commercial ventures trying to pick up the Greyhound/Amtrak slack (such as http://www.limoliner.com/).

Falc, you better take lots and lots of pics!  Let me know if you wanna hook up and grab a drink.

Hampton Roads gets lots of tourists (especially Virginia Beach) but honestly I cannot think of a single thing to do around here.  Then again, I hate people.

There is nowhere actually cheap to stay in the heart of NYC, no matter how unfussy you are. Shitty little holes of hotels cost $100 and up unless you're prepared to use a shared bathroom, and even private rooms in hostels will cost $75 or more so you may as well spend a little bit more and get somewhere decent, because it can be done if you book ahead.

NYC has some of the best, and certainly some of the most varied restaurants in the world. Try something you haven't tried before, because all the world's cuisine comes to NYC.

The best thing to do in NYC is just experience the place. Go to the places with character and just walk the streets and take in the sights. If you want to see Manhattan from high up, don't bother with the Empire State Building (which is better to look at than look from) - go to the Rockefeller Center. (http://www.topoftherocknyc.com/welcome/default.aspx)

Fuck Broadway, if you want culture, go to The Lincoln Center (http://www.lincolncenter.org/). If you want some contemporary art, head to the galleries of Chelsea (http://www.westchelseaarts.com/). Check out some undiscovered local rock music at Arlene's Grocery (http://www.arlenesgrocery.net/main.html) or some up and coming bands at The Mercury Lounge (http://www.mercuryloungenyc.com/). Rent a horse (http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/facilities/af_horseback_riding.html) and ride one of the parks.

What do you enjoy doing? Chances are you can probably do it in NYC.

First of all, let me say I collect coincidences. And Cheddar living in Chesapeake is quite uncanny. Not because someone from f13 lives there, but because Cheddar does. Long story, I am sure he forgot it by now. But wow. I raise: Cheddar, do you know Jackmove?

That said, a drink would be more than great! But the reasons I am coming to Virginia are so bizarre I really don't know - a) if I'll end up doing it - b) what time I'll arrive and what time I'll leave. It'll be a 24 hours stay anyway - c) what will happen to me once there. I'll give the police your name should I get arrested somewhere between Norfolk and Virginia beach though. You are in charge of letting my son know  :awesome_for_real:

To everyone else: thank you all so much for the suggestions, I am writing them down. While I usually just stroll around and experience places as Righ said, I think a few tips can't hurt. Oh, now that I am there: ever heard of a place called the Lucky Cat in Brooklyn? Arlene's Grocery looks cool by the way. I'll try to find my way there. For a bed, never hoped to find anything cheap so I guess I'll look for something online with a cute name. Or I could rely to couchsurfing.com. It works so well when I host people, maybe it's time I try to other way around.

What else? I hope you don't mind if I'll occasionally post new questions here necroing this thread until takeoff day. And yeah, silly photos will follow to seal it.

Late addition to Signe: yesterday I watched a swedish movie about a commune during the 70s, it's called "Together" by Lukas Moodysson. One of the girls is called Signe. Now you have her face forever to me. And I still mean it: You wouldn't like me (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G832VZv8k64). I wouldn't like me if I met me.  :pedobear:

I is not Swedish, I is Norwegian.  And I tell you that you're wrong.  You are likable.  I liked you from the start.  Even if you are a bit of a girl.  (http://www.realitybbqforums.com/images/smilies/tease.gif)

Dammit! That was supposed to be my secret! Who told you?! :drillf:

I assume you mean this band (http://www.myspace.com/jackmovevabeach)???

I am not familiar with that band, but ironically enough know one of the guys in it.  Or knew (High school).  I am sure others in the band know me; for some reason people remember me (usually in a good way).  Aaaaand, wtf.  Why the mystery?  VA for 24 hours?

QFT. It's like being on a mobile edition of the Jerry Springer show.

I booked two nights at the Manhattan hotel (http://www.hotelscombined.com/Hotel/Manhattan_Broadway_Hotel_New_York.htm). The one with the worst reviews and ratings of the lot but close to Penn Station, with a cool name and lots of potential. 170 euros for two nights. Private bathroom. I expect giggles.

About Virginia, Cheddar, can't even think of making all the way down there and not meeting you. The mystery, though, can't be lifted as the nature of my virginian detour is so delicate I could jinx it, break it, burst it or just hurt it. And I'm not even sure I am taking up that quest anyway. I guess I'll decide when in New York, based on mood, weather and a d20.

Oh, and yeah that Jackmove. Would you please tell me which member you were in highschool with, exactly?   :ye_gods:

I will PM you on the side - posting openly is revealing a bit too much of my personal life on the intardnet!

What don't we know about you?  You live in VA.  You have many children, all exceptionally cute.  You have have a lot of different wives who are mostly pregnant.  You are unusually mild-mannered for a ginger.  You are loved and revered by your fellow Amish people.  And you shout at me when I tell fibs about you.  There's more but I don't want to be shouted at yet this morning.

Do not take Greyhound. Just don't. Unless you want to ride on a bus with a malfunctioning that smells like piss, have the bus driver turn off the heat in the middle of winter so that warm air doesn't increase the piss smell, and ride for hours in a freezing bus that smells like piss.

If you like that sort of thing then by all means take Greyhound.

If you like spacious seats, a little eatery car with beer and other passengers that don't all look like escaped cons then Amtrak is the better option.

Haha hoho!


HAHAHAHA HOHOHOHO!

I am made of snow. I always get disappointed by what people call "cold". Even Finland failed me.

And what's so funny about buses and trains?

Buses and trains in the US are not like buses and trains in Europe.

If money is an issue, try flying Southwest to get from place to place in the US.

How to put this? If they were the same they are in Europe I wouldn't consider them. I am looking for something completely different which is still totally mundane. A plane wouldn't do.
No matter how bad it can be, it's just a week of my life. And I'll have something to write about if I survive it.


EDIT: I am not looking for bad. I am accepting it.

Doesn't that only work if you're Northeast of the place you want to go to though?

No, but anything else takes longer.

Oh, looking for life experience?  Then by all means, use American mass transit as much as possible.  I also suggest, in NYC, getting on that one subway car which has no passengers.  In Buffalo, eat a handful of local wings and run outside wearing only your underwear.

As I said, I am not looking for "experiences". I am just ready to accept them. And stay assured I am not looking for 8 days of sightseeing and museums, or tattoing and lapdancing.
What can I say? Planes are boring. When you visit a new "zone" for the very first time, instant traveling spoils the fun.

 :awesome_for_real:

Enjoy your trip!

I once travelled from north carolina all the way to north dakota by greyhound. Its not really the 'slice of life' experience that I think may be being romanticised there. Unless, of course, the company of unkempt odiferous people of questionable conversational appeal is the desired experience.

To be fair, I met two people in the 4 day ride that helped pass the time. They were not, by any means, conversationally agile, but they weren't drooling idiots either.

I understand this - in fact I think that cycling is about as fast as you want to travel if you want to really connect with the place you are visiting. The problem I have with buses is that you don't gain enough from the time lost. I would rather get closer to the places I want to explore faster and spend more time exploring them. If you soak up half your time riding around on buses on mundane highways you'll get a better 'appreciation' for the experience of riding a bus than you will of what is passing by your window, and you'll lose time that could be spend walking or cycling around places that have more to offer, and connecting with the people who live there rather than merely irritable and tired bus travelers.

If you really want to travel at the speed of bus, rent a car. The bus route is going to be along some pretty mundane highways, especially for the NYC to Chesapeake portion of the trip which will go down I95 near Baltimore & DC rather than through the more scenic and interesting (and more direct) Delmarva Peninsula. Drive and you get to stop whenever you see something interesting. Even with frequent stops, you probably wont take a lot longer than the Greyhound on its highway routes bereft of attractions.

Righ, you nailed it.
My original plan was to rent a car, but I don't feel comfortable with the problems that may arise especially being alone on the trip. What if it breaks in the middle of nowhere? I know it's pretty unlikely but not unlikely enough. Still, I thought it would have been definitely too expensive. Is it? What rental service would you suggest me? More, are there highway fees or you can drive freely wherever you want as long as you have gas in your tank?

And what's the price of fuel right now? In Italy is 1,1 euros (1.4 dollars) per liter. You need 3.8 gallons to make a liter. And seems to me gasoline is roughly 1.4-1.5$ per gallon in the US. If that is even remotely correct:

1 liter in Italy = 1.4$
1 gallon in Italy = 0.3$

1 liter in US = 5.7$
1 gallon in US = 1.5$

I really hope I got something wrong as it really feels like I am powering a car with Moët & Chandon. 


EDIT:  :why_so_serious:

There are 3.8 litres to a gallon not the other way around. That's why US fuel seems crazy expensive to you.

 :awesome_for_real:

That's nice. Very.

So:

1 liter in Italy = 1.4$
1 gallon in Italy = 5.3$

1 liter in US = 0.4$
1 gallon in US = 1.5$

This?

Yes.

Yep.  Driving from NYC to VA will take about 2 tanks of gas (~$40 USD) and another $30-$40 in tolls.   Amtrak will cost more, but it's nicely civilized and the beer selection included Yeungling last time I took it, so that worked out just fine.

Yes, rent a car.

If you are worried about breaking down in the middle of no where, get a prepaid phone from Verizon or ATT.  The areas you are driving through have good coverage.  

Get a car from a name brand agency, I prefer Hertz.  I find that the airport rentals, while more expensive, have a better selection of cars than the, cheaper, off airport location.

I doubt you will break down; even if you do, you will be smack dab in the middle of civilization.  I-95 is extremely well travelled and maintained. 

DO NOT SPEED IN VIRGINIA.  Not sure how it is on the north side of our fair state, but coming from North Carolina they line up and tag speeders left and right.  Emporia is infamous for doing this; other routes do the same (17, I-85, etc).  Taking Greyhound should NOT be an option for you - train, plane, or car would be in your best interest.   :grin:

Don't be afraid, Falconeer.  If you break down, call us and we'll talk you through it until Cheddar comes to pick you up! 

Its true about Virginia traffic cops. I've driven throughout the continental US, passing through nearly every southern state, most of the northern ones, and I got tickets in Virginia alone. I've lived in Washington state for 15 years and I have yet to get more tickets here than in the 8 hours I have spent driving through Virginia.

Pick up a cheap throwaway cel phone at the airport when you land that you can refill the minutes on as need be.  When you get the rental car, make sure they have road side assistance.  They'll give you a number to call if you have any problems.  Generally, though, it's no charge and part of the contract.

Also, and this is important:  MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT GET CHARGED ANY EXTRA FEES IF YOU CROSS STATE LINES.  There was something in the news a year or two ago about some poor fellow that drove his rental car across the state line and back.  The rental company then charged him something like 300 dollars because of this.

Of course, you could rent one of those cars with the something or other Star onboard.  If anything happens, a nice lady will calm you down while good looking young men will rescue you.  Could be worth the additional expense if you are lonely.

Gotta generate the revenue.  They're seriously crazy about it though.   http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/18/1818.asp

Wife's boss at work got a $1000 speeding ticket in Virginia about six months ago.  Crazy shit.  What costs more?  $1000 or driving 500 miles to defend it in court?  Twice, because you've got to appear for the arraignment and then at your trial date. 

Screw the tolls. You can avoid most of them if you choose not to take I95 which is dull, dull, dull anyhow. As I mentioned earlier, go across the Delmarva Peninsula. At the southern end of the peninsula, you'll have some minor tolls to cross the 15 miles of bridges (and two miles of tunnels) to get to Norfolk/Chesapeake. Its quite scenic.

Search online for deals for Hertz or Avis before booking a car, because there are always special codes. Even a travel agency in Rome will probably get a better deal on the major car rental places than you will using their web site without a code. Don't bother with their GPS-equipped vehicles for a week or more of rental, just buy your own US GPS. Our money isn't worth shit anyhow, so it'll cost you very little. A Garmin Nuvi 260 with complete US street maps is around $150 on Amazon at the moment. Thats about 110 Euro. When you head home, have one of your American friends sell it on eBay for you (because its cheaper to buy a Euro map version of the Nuvi than buy a new map set, stupidly). You'll probably end up spending no more than the equivalent a couple of days of renting a GPS. Or you could print out maps if you're a luddite. A pre-paid phone is a good idea - but if you have a cellphone already, you can "roam" on US GPS networks - its expensive to call that way, but if you only plan on using it in case of emergency its no hardship.

I approve of the car rental idea, it's not like a Greyhound never breaks down, just get a calling card and Signe's phone number.

Virginia sucks.

I'm just wondering how you can maintain an entire LLP that deals ONLY with traffic court....

I mean, FFS, I've only been to traffic court once, and without a lawyer I got all my points and such dropped to a simple $100 ticket. Under what conditions would you even want to consider hiring a traffic lawyer?

And then, I never understood how they magically get the charges reduced.

It's not magic, just most people don't know you can do it by asking nicely.  You can definitely run a business off of the ignorance of others.  Also, it's possible that people in NJ don't know how to ask nicely.

I was at Arlene's last Monday, sang Ace of Spades.

Righ had some great suggestions. I probably would too if I hadn't become so goddamned domesticated.

NJ Traffic courts at least used to be staffed by crusty old judges who would refuse to let defendants speak except to answer questions. I had to got to traffic court twice, both times was lucky enough to know a lawyer I could pay off with lunch, and got the tickets dismissed. And watch everyone else in court have to pay their tickets, plus the court fee.
There are some things I miss about NJ, the traffic laws/courts are not among them.

Though if you're driving from NYC to Chesapeake, the Cape May-Lewes ferry is a nice route. Dunno how much it costs, was about $25 each way with a car last time I took it, but it cuts having to drive through/around Philly, runs every couple hours, and lets you see the nice part of New Jersey. And you get to meet some weird people.

If you have to be in Buffalo, it's definitely worth the 15 minute drive up to Niagara Falls.  Not much else to do here except drink. (and go to a decent college for cheap)

I want to point out that, you really should only use this attitude anywhere but the East Coast of the US.  In fact the farther west you take this attitude the happier you will be.

That said I just got back from my first visit to NYC proper a week ago, so I give you advice.

1.  Stay the fuck off Broadway, and far away from Times Square, in fact Grand Central is the only reason to be near there and while it is huge its so spread out that its hard to take in the size.  So unless you need to xfer buses there skip Grand Central also. 

2.  The subway is your friend, while in Manhattan (which is what everyone means by new york btw) whenever you start to get bored or what to move North > South just start looking for a subway as you wander.  Once down below follow signs and you will quickly get wherever you want to go.

3.  Do not show fear, doubt or confusion, don't ask for directions, don't stop anywhere without getting out of the main pedestrian flow.  Esp if you want to consult a map, you should get a map, order this (http://www.amazon.com/New-York-EYEWITNESS-TRAVEL-GUIDE/dp/075661533X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231696091&sr=8-1) or something like it.  It has little fold out maps and a bunch of info you wont read.  Mostly the maps are good.

4.  Don't drop into a bar for a double of Maker's, some brandy or even a beer.  Fuck NYC's drink prices.  FUCK THEM.

5.  Do check out the churches and all the buildings along and off 5th Ave and Central Park West.  The architecture is the best part.  But coming from the EU it might be really boring because its basically the one city with lots of buildings that are inspired by the EU...  Sucks for you.  If you do come across a statue of Archangel Michael with giraffes defeating lucifer can you take a pic for me since I lost the ones I took?

6.  The park is pretty lame when its cold, it smells like horse shit because of those stupid carriages in a bunch of places and it looks like shit.  Or it did when it was full of dirty snow and dirty frozen lakes and horse shit.  YMMV.

7.  Do visit Harlem (north of central park) and Greenwich Village/Soho/Noho/Chinatown (downtown, way south).  Also check out the Brooklyn Bridge, maybe even walk across it if your bored because the architecture does nothing for you and the rest is basically too many americans, stupid$$$ drinks and fucking lame shopping.

8.  The Statue of Liberty is harder to get around to seeing then you might think.

9.  There is nothing in Queens or Staten Island, the Bronx is where you should go if you really want to be silly and test the whole life experience thing (at least its not Philly/Detroit or Baltimore amirite?).  Brooklyn has some nice parts and if you cross the bridge you can wander a little I'm told.

10.  Might as well check out Ground Zero, so you can say you've seen it.

Hey, the Olde City part of Philadelphia is fine.

But really, I'll never really understand what people come to the US to see.

Sure, but driving through Philly? Terrible.

I had to spend far too much time in Philly a few years ago, if it wasn't for Moriarty's close to where my dad was going through chemo I'd have killed someone.

I hate Philadelphia.  Every bit of it.  Even Ben Franklin's privy pit.

1. Don't listen to Hoax. He sounds like a frightened pussy from an Amish village.

Eh?  The US is actually a pretty unique place, something I guess we don't really realize since we live here.  Just got back from Paris and once people heard I was from California/bay area, I got mobbed for information about it by everybody (met a lot of hot french chicks that way).  Everybody there wants to go to SF (and to be fair, its a really cool/unique city).  All along the east coast the cities are pretty damn cool (from my experience), and US cities in general very different from most the rest of the world, which is why foreigners are so interested.  Then that's not even counting the insane amount of natural beauty there is spread across the country (Grand Canyon, Arches National park, Grand Tetons, etc.).  Our national park system alone is worth traveling thousands of miles to see.

I try to travel around, and I try to split my trips between going abroad and going to new places in the US.  Their is still so much left for me to see in the US it makes me sad, though a bit proud as well.  As mentioned I just did 2 weeks in France, so I guess I need to plan for somewhere else cool in the US next, heh.


Also, yeah, Hoax, your descriptions seem a bit skiddish....

Your going to have to justify your drink price remark as well.  I know you live in SF, and I get really pissed at the ass raping prices every time I go into 'The City' to drink or eat (you can always find exceptions obviously, but by and large, jesus fuck).

There really are a ton of things to see and do in the US.  You could make a list that's pages and pages and pages.  I might dislike Philadelphia but I have to admit there are loads of things to do.  Philadelphia has some great museums and historical sites.  Oh, don't bother paying to see the Narnia exhibit at the Franklin Institute, though.  Evidently it's 99% Disney.  My sister was given a freebie and said she would have been pissed off if she had paid.   I'm not a Narnia fan but just in case someone here is - Don't Bother!  It's CRAP!  Her words, not mine.  PA has some interesting areas outside Philadelphia, too.  Go here (http://www.offroaders.com/album/centralia/centralia.htm).  It's WEIRD!  Speaking of weird - if anyone ever has to go to NJ and wants a look-around, pick up a copy of Weird N.J. magazine (http://www.weirdnj.com/) first.  NJ seems to have enough strangeness to have kept this magazine alive for years and years. 

Pfft, who would drive around that dump?  :awesome_for_real:

I try to take public transportation whenever I have to go over, though I've only ever used the PATCO Speedline...I still drive to get to hockey games.



And yeah, overlooked the whole parks etc thing. I guess I got spoiled somewhat as a kid, as I've been to more than half the states. Not exactly a huge achievement, but anyway....I guess I'm not the outdoorsy type - I'd rather screw around in an AC casino than go to a park or something. Not that I gamble much....  :drill:

Without dissing the US in any way, this is applicable to pretty much everywhere in the world. I've only been to a couple of other major Australian cities for brief stays, and I've been here and there in my own state, but I've spent like 4 months (in 4 chunks) exploring New Zealand. I can pretty comfortably say that I've seen more of NZ then most New Zealanders.

By the same token, there are countless travellers and backpackers that have seen more of Australia than I ever will, even though I know my home city - my own little bit of it - very well... like I have little interest in seeing Sydney - just another Aussie city to me for the most part, but a city in almost any other country, well there's something interesting.  :awesome_for_real:

Nobody knows much about Australia, because apart from half a dozen coastal cities, the rest of the place consists of a wasteland populated by tattooed mutants driving jerry-built Holdens in auto-duels, boxing kangaroos, crocodile hunters, stoned flying doctors and a fucking big lump of sandstone.

The one thing I will give the people of the US is, that they are among the nicer and more helpful lot in the world. All you hear from friends going over there is that most of the guys they met, they were very friendly and never hesistated to help out on whatever occassion.
Which for some people is a bit surprising giving the arrogance that some associate with "american".

I blame it on the mindset that seems to go with you. It's a mix of "fuck it" and "jesus loves me" I always thought.

That said, I heard the same things from all the Americans I met or still have contact to, coming over to Austria - so I basically think Azazel is right in that foreign=awesome.

I haven't been to Australia but I'd like to visit sometime.  It's like the opposite of everything.  It seems to be surrounded by a soft, creamy centre with a hard crusty outside in the middle. 

It really varies depending on where you got within a country. As a general rule, the denser the urban area, the less helpful people are. My example is Germany. In small towns I found myself sleeping on the sofa of complete strangers after meeting them that day. Not hippy types. Established middle class proper Teutons who saw no harm in letting a random tourist spend the night and have a bite of dinner. On the other hand, Berlin's west side was filled with the most snide ungracious assholes west of Paris.

Ohhh you got me there!!  I'm so terrified of the big bad east coast...

Yer such an internet tough guy Righ, it never fails to impress me.


Um ok, for real, I failed to find a drink under $15 (think it was $18) in 3 tries in NYC.  I wasn't even ordering drinks, it was scotch on rocks, double of makers and shit I forget the third drink but I didn't even dare order a martini or something that might require the bartender to actually make a drink.  In SF, you have to go out of your goddamn way, or be a Marina hipster to spend over $10 a drink.  So honestly wtf are you talking about?

Then stop telling a guy who lives in Rome to not show fear, doubt or confusion when he goes to NYC. Anywhere he's planning on going is not analogous to the back streets of Mogadishu. Get a fucking grip.

Well, to be fair, when I was in Rome, our coordinators told us not to worry about going anywhere in the city, at any time.

There are PLENTY of place in Philadelphia or NYC that I would NEVER go, even in broad daylight, in a car.

 :roll:

Sure, there are places in Philadelphia that you can get yourself into a lot of trouble just walking through, but Rome isn't the safest place on earth either.  Most big cities have their dangerous areas.  I think the thing that made me widen my eyes a bit was the advice to be afraid of everyone and, yet, take the subway.  Geez.  If you're too afraid to even look someone in the eyes, take a fucking taxi.  NYC makes it easy to take taxis everywhere anyway.  Also, there is no reason not to go to Times Square.  It's an interesting bit of NYC.  You can stare at the NASDAQ sign or stand in line at the Hard Rock Cafe and pretend you'll get in for a super over-priced burger. This, though, this is what really made me blink:


Good Grief.  It's not a fucking war zone.  Evil aliens haven't landed to implant you with their babies.  It's not Camden, New Jersey, ffs!  If you are this afraid, why go anywhere?  Ever?  You will only ever be safe in your basement, under the door frame.  And even then, there's those peple - you know - the ones under the stairs.  (http://www.tipsyturtle.net/forum/images/smilies/new4/nailbite.gif)

Also,  too many Americans?  It's a fucking American city.  If you don't want to be bumping into Americans, go to Liberia or something.

I think you're pretty much safe anywhere as long as you don't buy weed from strangers, and don't park in alley ways or unpopulated areas.

Well, yeah, but maybe not Camden.  You know, if the bad guys don't knock you over and take your pinky ring, the sheer concrete ugliness and nasty smell will change you forever.

Liberians are American-Africans.

]
I'm telling him not to act like a fucking tourist and get in everyone's way more then anything...  But yeah I get it your such a billy badass you go to Queensbridge to snag cheap threads.  Fuck off



I'm American and yeah, that was my impression, there are too many fucking americans there.  This was aggravated by the fact that most of them were from New Jersey, Philly or New York and they were in some kind of competition to prove who is the most callous.  Honestly it didn't effect me beyond almost getting into a fight with some guy who came close to hitting me making a right turn in his F-900 penile implant truck.  But the whole east coast hardass shit is pretty meh and you have to hear it in every bar or even while walking around.  I stick by my too many americans statement.

It is a mythical place where all our celebration fake money comes from! 

Ok.  I suppose I just don't get it.  Maybe it's too subtle for me.  Or too blatant?  It just sounds as if you're saying NYC is filled with too many people from NY.  I guess by that same argument, San Fransisco is filled with too many people from California?   Maybe it's the accent that puts you off or something.  Maybe it's because yesterday was Monday.

I didn't know Righ was an internet tough guy though. This offends me. There can only be one.

When you find him, let us know!

Wait, it's a good thing now? Damn.

Hey!  I'm a tough guy too, you  know.  Really, I am. 

Honest.

Yes, the pink hair and fangs gave it away.

Yes, zombies can be very tough. Need to be brined or marinated.

I dug up this old documentary to help you in your visit Falconeer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_from_New_York (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_from_New_York)

Mogadishu ain't got shit on Detroit.  Scariest place I've ever been to, hands down.  The stories are true. 

 :roll:

Why does everyone diss on Baltimore?

Go Ravens.

San Francisco is filled with too many people from the Midwest, IMO.

I got a better idea.

f13 cyni-con 2009. NYC, Saturday, February 21.

This way I get company AND you save me from my brutal and certain doom in the streets of the Big Evil Apple. f13 to the rescue!!  :drill: :drillf:

Too cold. And with my luck, I'll crash in the Hudson trying to get there.

Too cold? Let's move it to Buffalo then  :why_so_serious:

I could potentially make that.

Hmmm.

I would love to if it wasn't a Saturday during tax season.  Have to work at least 6 hours on Saturdays to keep my hours up.   :cry:

I have no desire to go to New York, freeze, and meet internet people.  Washington State, Oregon, Florida, American South West would be a LOT more interesting (and fun).

I made up my mind and I'll rent a car when leaving New York City. Seems affordable (hertz.com) and the ability to stop when you feel like is priceless.

One thing: someone mentioned here that I should definitely get a rent deal BEFORE going to NYC, while a friend told me the opposite, that you get better offers if you just get to the counter and ask for an instant car. Now I'm torn, what should I do? Rentcar expert anyone?

From $30 a day off a major rental company at the airport if you go through a clearance agent like Hotwire. You might get deals at the desk if they have a lot of cars unrented, but if you turn up and they are short on cars, you may be standing with your thumb up your ass while they call up another location to source a car for you, and then you'll pay more than the standard desk price too. If they have lots of unbooked cars, brokers such as Hotwire will give you as good a deal. So check up there, then go to you local travel agent and see if they can beat that price.

I used to reserve a full size car on hertz.com, and then negotiated an upgrade at the desk.  Hertz usually had a very wide selection of cars.  Not sure how their inventory is doing during the depression.  Very important though, if you do not like the car or it feels odd as you are driving off the lot, turn around and return it immediately.  Odds are, you will get an even bigger upgrade for free because of the inconvenience. 

Very good advices, as usual. Thank you.
13 days to launch date.

It's time! 24 hours to take off! I am nervous! Any last minute advice?  :ye_gods:

Oh, for example. Since I'll rent a car, I plan on sleeping in it 1 or 2 nights (I am good at sleeping in cars). Is it something you better do in parking lots, or on a highway, or in some city's downtown, or a complete no no no (as in danger!, or illegal) everywhere? That would be somewhere between NYC and Norfolk, and then between Norfolk and Buffalo.

There's rest stops.  That's where the truck drivers go to sleep.  I wouldn't suggest sleeping on the street in residential areas.  Someone would probably call the police.  It might not be safe to sleep on a city street.  Campgrounds, though you usually have to pay something. 

Ya, not really a big advocate of sleeping in cars in the NY/NJ area.

Typing in "murder" + "rest stop" in google, for example, yields 193 thousand links.

You shouldn't need to sleep between NYC and Norfolk. Norfolk and Buffalo perhaps. A service station rest stop is indeed the best place. Many of them have cheap motels too if you fancy sleeping on a bed.

Googling "murder" + "rest stop" is finding lots of nice stories about murderers caught at rest stops, and people killed there for not buying religious CDs in the store building. Perhaps "murdered" + "sleeping in car" might be better if you want to freak him out.

Sleeping in a car in the US is a big no no.

At just about every Highway exit for about 49 dollars or so you can sleep in a room that has a bed, a shower and a toilet! 


Seriously though, what the fuck are you planning on doing in Buffalo, NYC and Norfolk?  Some sort of killing spree?

Welcome to the land of the free! Pay up, bitch!

Don't stop and sleep at any of those abandoned campgrounds or summer camps.  There are ALWAYS murderers hanging about.

Pretty sure it's below freezing every night in NY right now, so sleeping in the car might be extremely uncomfortable. I'd recommend somewhere with heat, personally.

Shh, you're no fun. We're still breaking him into the whole idea of getting nickel and dimed to death. Freezing to death is next week.

Nice.  You're going to tell him about freezing to death after he's done doing it!   :ye_gods:

If I'm staying in NYC for a week in early April, should I start looking for a place to stay now if I want it to be moderately nice and not get completely ripped off?

Also, if that's the case, suggestions?

Plane in 1 hour.

Thanks everyone.

Bye!

Don't die in your car. The rest will be a success.

Landing at LaGuardia. I shat my pants. It-s like falling over a sea of lights and buildings. Fucking crazy WWII pilot.
And cappuccino is too hot everywhere.

Remember to sue someone if you scald yourself with the coffee.

He's gotta spill it in his lap first, and I recommend against that.

Done.


And done! Fuck!

:sad:

Welcome to mad money from a lawsuit though!  Now you can come visit all of us.

Hey, at least you didn't end up in the Hudson!

Seriously? In Italy they would laugh at you and throw another boiling hot cup at your face just out of  :why_so_serious:.

Anyway, yesterday night thanks to Righ I did Arlene`s Grocery. It didn`t disappoint. Awesome.
Today I`m off to Virginia. Rest stop murderers rejoice!

There was a case against McDonalds several years ago.  McDonalds had a tendancy to super-heat their coffee and when the cup collapsed the lady got severe burns.  Justified in my opinion from the details I know of it, but it's pop culture and used for a lot of jokes about how Americans are lawsuit happy.  That's why we keep referencing it.

Have fun, supposed to rain this weekend!

Wait until he gets to enjoy the joys of lake effect snow in upstate NY. We got about a two feet on the ground over the weekend. I love it, but apparently I'm in a dire minority.

Don't speed in Virginia, the're Nazi's about it.

I do not think Italy shares points with VA.

There is no such thing - you will get ripped off. NYC housing (and, by extension, hotel) costs are insane compared to anywhere but Tokyo and London.

Better to reserve early though so you have a guaranteed seat at the screwage table.

Me, I've heard decent things about the SoHo Grand, but they charge a Kidney Per Person Per Night. When you run out of kidneys, they just take whatever else looks like one.

Well I went to Tokyo last year, and London in 06, so at least I'm prepared. Guess I will start looking now, thanks for the response.

Yeah, but $1500 ($3500 max) speeding tickets for 10mph over is pretty damn crappy. 

The above posts undersell how dreadful traffic laws are in Virginia. For 20mph over it becomes a class one misdemeanor in Virginia, and they can send you to prison for a year even if you're from Italy. Sure, you can elect to leave before the trial date and not return, but it sucks to have to have fugitive status in other countries. The reality is that once nabbed by the long arm of the law in Virginia, you're in for a financial gang rape by every local government department that's playing. You basically have to play their tricks, including paying the local council sponsored service station who will calibrate your speedometer and find you to have been going slower than 20 MPH over the limit for a bribe service fee.

Its so comforting to have the ole Dukes of Hazard south so close to the nation's capitol :)

NY should stiffen it's penalties. Good revenue.

Don't speed btw. Traffic fatalities are kind of widespread. Heck, I wish cell phone usage were at least a misdemeanor with huge stiff penalties. Maybe states wouldn't be quite so broke.

Speeding aggravates damage and injuries in crashes, but speeding itself is not the cause of most accidents.

I would type more, but there is a turn in the highway ahead and I need to focus.

Alive and kicking, from Buffalo.

I am made of snow, I know, but this place is nowhere near as cold as I was hoping. Next time, it`ll be North Dakota, or Canada. Or Alaska. Winter keeps disappointing me.

Traveling 1000 miles by car was a pain due to your ridiculous speed limits. Thanks to the supernew Mazda 3 they gave me and cruise control (something I never heard of before, in Europe) it went pretty cool.

So far so good. Coffe keeps sucking but waffles are sweet.

American coffee and America bread pretty much suck no matter where you go. There are rare exceptions, but generally I've found that in my visits to Europe and my European relatives, both those things are 10x better over there.

yes, but there's something perrenial about texaco coffee at 2 am on the highway. if you haven't done it, you're not quite american through and through yet

edit: or suicidal

You did just miss the snow, and it's a bit late at this latitude and altitude for serious winter. You might find what you're looking for up Mount Washington. Easy drive.

Looks like snow is in the forecast for Buffalo on Sunday.  You literally just missed the fun.

You hit during our warm streak. It's been above freezing for days, the longest streak since December, I think. And only a dusting of snow, I'm pretty disappointed with the turn in the weather.

It's over.

I survived. But I am sad now  :uhrr:

What's wrong, strange boy?

Glad you survived America.

You should be sad - you never got a beer with me. 

Cheddar, I feel dirty for "skipping" you.

But seriously, those 32 hours in Virginia were pretty emo. You really wouldn't have liked me at all. And I well, had to.. cram so many things into 32 hours. Something, of course, I didn't even get close to achieve.

And what's wrong, Signe? I am back here in Crapland! The only good thing left to this parody of a nation is the landscape, and I saw it all. Feck!
(Plus, I am back to work actually. But that's beyond the point...)

Was teasing.  I still lub you!

You know what's funny? Somehow in those 30 hours we've been "sent" to fetch some weed in Virginia beach for a glorious old lady you couldn't say no to.
And I don't even smoke!

It'll be ok.  (http://www.sheknows.com/graphics/emoticons/comfort.gif)

Of course it will. And you know why? Cause I'll keep coming back!

Actually, it's a shame no one here can read my 6-chaptered travel chronicles (they are in Italian). I guess it could be mildly amusing to read my  :why_so_serious: take on the U. S. of A.

wait, what?

Translate, add the pictures, and show us!  I am begging you!

Just run it through a machine translation, it'll be even more  :awesome_for_real: and  :uhrr:

You could at least provide a summary.  Still love your pics though.

Edit to add while rubbing temples: It's easier to read the Italian than Babelfish's English, and I speak none. :uhrr:

Haha! Sounds fun. Here are the first few lines. Let's see how this pans out:


The U. S. of A. - Chapter 1

20 february 2009 - 16:10

Rise in flight from Philadelphia in the evening made me realize how ambitious and unstoppable threat is human. Not one inch without light, several millimeters so 'full of light to illuminate my face even from up here'. In all directions, and for every one hundred kilometers separate two huge should City '. But not separate. Connected by thick cables enlightened as blood or shit show me after a fact of jostling and gomitate.

Heh, awesome  :awesome_for_real:.

You really should post us a summary of your log, would be interesting to read.  Or at least post it all online so I can run it through the fun online translator in my spare time :p

And man, if that was your impression flying into Philadelphia, your going to be floored if you ever fly into LA.  THAT is the scariest clusterfuck of light creep you'll ever see.  The whole mass of city is litterally hundreds of miles.

Wait, you flew to the US and then drove to Virginia from New York just to get weed?

It's so nice of you to lend Signe a hand like that.

Not at all.
But in the middle of my Virginia time that happened too. It was quick, and I was just an observer of the whole thing.

Anyway, translating the chronicles in full is not an option. They are LONG, and the language is poetic enough that I wouldn't even know where to start translating.
I could do a English only redux of it eventually, and I was thinking about it just to make you all laugh (as I probably would by reading yours after just 9 days in Rome).

Here's a teaser of the photos though.

Since I am taking off again tomorrow, destination USA (again, but different), I thought the most "me" thing to do would be posting pictures of my February expedition. Upcoming trip's pictures will evetually be delayed until 2010, when I'll be flying to Japan, or Canada.


*Beware, they are a lot and incredibly dull to the untrained eye. Hah!*



Next airplane in 18 hours. Whoa.

I see you were deeply impressed with our eating habits  :awesome_for_real:

Where are you going to this time?

Ann Arbor. And yes I really love food... :pedobear:

Is that a Baconator I see?  Oh yeah, USA! USA! USA!

Oh yes, the baconator  :awesome_for_real:

Funny thing is, even now, whenever my february trip comes up you can see my friends giggling "teehee baconator teehee". That's pretty much the only thing they remember.

Its the greatest invention of our generation.

Which one is the baconator? I see several candidates. Awsome pics, Falc. You have a great eye for 'flavor' photos.

Kind of sad that the only food that looks edible is from Wendy's.

This was awesome.
(http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2450/142/11/521427293/n521427293_1401804_4007879.jpg)


And this is the baconator.
(http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2450/142/11/521427293/n521427293_1402005_1497299.jpg)

Great shots Falconeer, really great, made me feel proud to be an American (no lie) and I'm not just talking about the food.

What is that white thing on top of what I assume is an omelet?

I think thats a burrito with a white cheese sauce.

Sour cream?

Oh thank god, for a second I thought it was mayonnaise, in which case Falc would need to die, preferably in a car fire.

Where did you end up going to a hockey game, in Buffalo?


Also, nice shot of that Mustang.

It's nachos. You people are blind.

You mean the other picture. Heh. Whoops.

Yes, that was in Buffalo

(http://b.pca1.fubar.com/94/11/2551149/3434904262.jpg)

 :why_so_serious:

Funny thing, I've been a die hard Bills fan since forever (yes, yes, Scott Norwood and all) , but didn't like the Sabres too much until recently.

Thanks everyone for the compliments. I don't thin they are good pictures, but yes, they really bring me back there everytime I look at them so I guess they served their purpose.

Congrats on Waffle House, one of my favorites.  Also: how's your cholesterol?

My cholesterol is fine, we don-t eat like that everyday in Italy. Actually, never. So I can go over the line as much as I like when aborad.

Speaking of which, I am in NYC right now (stupid internet cafe on 37th and 8th) and I just had another ridiculosuly fat brunch. I am sure you`ll all love the picture  :why_so_serious:

Leaving with AMtrak for Buffalo in an hour. I really like traveling across USA.

Sadly their training camp is in NY, but you could always try to sneak out and visit it

Buffalo Bills    St. John Fisher College    Pittsford, N.Y.    July 25    Aug. 19    buffalo

Welcome back!  When are you coming to Texas? :-)

Lantyssa, you have no idea how much I-d love to spend a good six months in this country. Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Austin, Chicago, Minneapolis, New Orleans, DC... so many places I would want to be for a while. And I have friends everywhere and I keep neglecting them, sigh.

When am I coming there, I don`t know. But I won-t stop until I do.

You were extremely close to me.

I-ll be there again next week, Mr.!

And thanks JWIV for the Bills headup, there-s a real chance we are going to Rochester (isn-t St. Fisher-s there? Thats-s what they say here)to see them today! That woud beat the other all american proposal which would be going to Watkins Glen for Nascar, hah!

Speaking of Nascar, yesterday night I-vr been in the most awesome house with a tavernin the basement with all kinds of Buffalo sport memorabilia, huge TV, car models collection and a real bar where I took picture like a Japanese tourist and I-ve been served some very, very alcoholic drink in a Nascar glass. Duh!

Oh awesome.  Hopefully it works out for you guys!

:D

Hey Falc, enjoyed your pics, especially the train at night!  Not to derail (heh), but can you tell me your opinion about Naples Italy?  Would an American civilian working for the U.S. Navy enjoy living there? I'm pondering an opportunity there. 

Naples is a shithole!

(seriously)

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=is+naples+a+shithole%3F&l=1

Hey Falc, if you're ever around DC after mid-Sept, let me know and I'll bring you out for a drink or something.

Same for me in Atlanta, I'll show you a college football tailgate. You'd be shocked.

Same for San Francisco.  I'll take you out drinking in the Castro, the best place to drink in the bay area!   :why_so_serious:

Bring a sweater if you go to SF in the summer. Mark Twain and I agree it's the coldest winter you'll ever spend.

:awesome_for_real:

We should just grab everyone in the DC/NOVA/MD area and take over a bar.

Did Twain ever go to upstate NY? Summer Frisco is my perfect weather.
:ye_gods:

Hey, everyone is too nice in this tread. Thanks!

Small updates: hate cajun last night and loved it. Smoked sirloin tips, cicken gumbo or whateverwas the name, sigh, food heaven. I couldn-t even get close to the bucket of shrimps my friends had but I took pictures, heh. Then I spent the day strolling Buffalo downtown, and I was shocked. My idea of downtown, even in the smallest italian village, is a place bustling with life and stores and all, while Buffalo looks to me like a post-atomic city with survivors walking around the empty streets of the city with lots of closed stores and nothing to buy, or sell. Shock went out of scale when I started asking around for a bookstore and everyone went from amazed to scared in tellingmetat no there aren-t bookstores in downtown. There-s aBArnes & Nobles somewhere, butI need a care and 20 good minutes drivingto get there. Seriously? I-ve been told Buffalo used to be a much more populated area and the crisis is making stores close everyday, and people now only buy stuff in malls or online. Well, I definitely wasn-t expecting that. It has been instructive and of course a bit destabilizing.

Today, Rochester and the Buffalo Bills. Tonight, bus going west, to Ann Arbor. I-ll keep you posted on my ot-so-special adventures.
.
P.S: Forgive me for the typos and the brokenest (!) English, I am alwaystyping in a rush, most of the times from my phone.
P.P.S: Tannhauser, hard to tell about Naples. Definitely a challenging city for so many reasons, but ot so tragic as they picture it. I mean, believe me, many of the things you read there are just Italy from Firenze and south of it (While you have a completely kindof Italy from Bologna and up). Roma is a piece of shit too. And while Naples is hardcore you can definitely have a great time there FOR A WHILE. I wouldn-t live there, and I suggest you or everyone approaching it with a very open mind, with your wallet tight, and without expecting any kind of service to work. In the end, you-ll be surprised but to lower your expectations about quality of life is the first step to enjoy the city, and tobepositively surprised about it.

Falc, most cities in the US have a dead urban middle, its not just Buffalo. Since the 80s, most US cities have moved to the 'strip mall' model of development, where retail is moved to the suburbs in the form of box stores, shopping malls and the like. To give an example, Seattle, a technological capital of the world, doesn't have any computer stores anywhere near the center. You have to drive 20 minutes to NorthGate Mall to find a BestBuy, which as a good a selection of stuff as you'd otherwise find in Bumfuck Anywhere USA. There are exceptions, of course, like NY City, but by and large, most urban centers are dead as doornails.

Yeah, walmart and the big boxes building on urban fringe rather than in downtown has decimated traditional american city layouts. Special is the city that maintains one.

Too bad you're on such a city-based jaunt, you passed over the cool finger lakes region, with the glens and great hiking and boating. Some nice parks in there, my favorite non-adirondack part of the state.

I'd join you guys and buy round 2, as would several other bay area folk I'm sure.  Castro is awesome though I go once every month or so, usually to The Mix, Bar or Cafe and honestly if you aren't afraid of dancing you can usually have some fun with the women there since competition is limited.

To be fair, I don't even drink, or go to bars normally.

Buffalo has been a post-apocalyptic fun land since the eighties.  If you want shopping there are stores as far as the eye can see in Tonawanda and Cheektowaga just outside the rusting remains of the downtown core.

You really do choose some of the worst parts of the US for your trips.

Ok so why no one ever told me before HOW FUCKING AWESOME ANN ARBOR IS?!!?

:headscratch:

Er, it's a college town?  I guess it's awesome... for Michigan.  Maybe Buffalo broke your spirt.

What's awesome about it?

No it's not just a college town. It's a hippie town with tons of bookstores, record stores, cafes, very expensive european food grocery stores, punks, and alive as hell. Have anyone of you ever been there? I haven't seen enough America to judge, but this place is beautiful.

You missed the annual Hash Bash (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hash_Bash).

That would be a college town. Try any of them along the eastern seaboard. Hell, try Athens GA where I went.

Well you aren't likely to find something like Zingerman's in a typical university town the size of Ann Arbor but otherwise, yeah.

Yeah, there's a lot of places like that around the US, glad to hear you like it.  Probably more a shock for you considering some of the random ass towns your visiting, but there is so much more to see.  One nice thing about the country, no matter what anybody says, is the insane diversity we have from town to town, and region to region.  Even with things like the downtown situation people mentioned before.  There are many places with totally dead downtown, but the next town over will have a thriving fun downtown.  It's pretty much impossible to generalize anything across the whole of the US.

QFT. Buffalo and Rochester are complete shitholes and have been for decades. Why anyone would voluntarily visit them is beyond me. Especially when you could instead go to Ithaca, Watkins Glenn, etc.


Visit Cambridge, your head will explode.

Heh! My friend here WORKS at Zingerman, got huge discount and she's an awesome cook! I am having an amazing time.
Also, I met this guy yesterday from Athens, GA, and he was saying that's nothing like AA and that's why he moved.

These 'renaissance' towns go through boom and bust periods. Seattle -used- to be this awsome mecca of free thought, indie music, community activity, etc. During the 90s. After 2000, it pretty much stalled and has yet to really recover the spirit. Everything is technically still there, but the music is blander, the cafes are a bit more empty, and folks have stopped moving here.

I imagine the same happend with Athen GA. Back in the late 80s, it was an awsome place for culture and music in the south. REM comes from there, as does Pylon and other musical goodness. After that happened, like everything, it got overhyped, burned out and probably went back to being what it was before. A sleepy college town in the south.

Also, I missed hashbash but Punk Week is coming in three days  :awesome_for_real:

Now that's tempting.  Way too long a drive though.

Pretty much. The hippies totally took over in this decade and decided to make nothing but shitty jam bands. The last decent band to come out of Athens is Widespread Panic. Also, the Georgia Theatre burned to the ground this year, which totally sucks. Most of downtown Athens is now completely overrun with bars that pack in 18 year-olds to the walls.

However, it's still has many excellent features if you know what you're doing. The Globe is a bar that's been around for 20 years, and it combines the comforts of a European pub with the classical art and style of an old Southern tavern. Almost 100 types of beers, 50 different single malts, a solid wine list and a full bar. It's all good. Also, right across from downtown is North Campus, which (having been to Harvard) is eerily similar to Harvard Yard. You'd have to see pictures to understand why, but they were designed within about 30 years of each other.

The Mayflower in Athens is probably the best southern breakfast joint in the state. It's been run by the same family for 60 years, and the biscuits&gravy will melt your face it's so good. For lunch, the Grit is one of the cooler joints in the town. It's a fully vegetarian restaurant that does no-meat substitutes for regular things like burgers and sandwiches, but they also do indian, italian, mexican, and middle eastern creations. I love meat, but this place amazes me each time I go. For dinner, Last Resort Grill is always featured in Southern Living as one of the best in the state. The style is an upscale Southern grill that uses local ingredients to make dishes like pecan-encrusted trout, salmon and grits, slow-cooked beef short ribs, and hangar steak.

Also, gameday tailgating at UGA is among the best in the country. Thousands of RVs, converted trucks, massive tents, full smokers, open air BBQ pits, full liquor bars, HOT southern girls wandering around in their favorite tight red and black outfits. It's a riot. I've been to Boston College, I've been to Arizona State, I've been to Texas-OU, and I've been all across the Southeastern Conference. The only thing that comes close to it is the crazy-ass Cajuns during a night game in LSU.

Boston College, Arizona State and Texas-OU.

One of these things is not like the other.

Please to be explaining how "HOT southern girls" are differentiated from "HOT girls" to someone who normally tries their damnedest to stay out of the region.

Nothing personal towards Southern people necessarily, but your weather sucks. And there's no skiing.

Apples In Stereo, Of Montreal, Elf Power? None of them are jam bands.  :grin:


Punk week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps0_j2UP6hw

They have hot girls in the north? I haven't noticed yet.  :grin:

Also, the weather sucks in the South? Apparently you haven't been to Georgia where it's 88 degrees in the summer, and maybe 45 in the winter.

If you mean Texas-OU, you're right. The game starts at 11 so there's no tailgating period. Compared to Georgia-Florida, it's an absolute shame.

I was referring to BC and hot girl quotient.

They're hot because your weather sucks. All the cool girls are in the north.  :why_so_serious:

Or much further south.

I just drove a few miles in a brand new 2009 Camaro SS :awesome_for_real: :awesome_for_real: :awesome_for_real:

Sitting in the driver's seat while the car was being towed to the nearest repair shop does not mean you were actually driving.

88 degree's with humidity which makes it feel like 120.  100 degree's in California feels better than 88 degree's in Georgia.

Degrees.

Yo'u ca'n hav'e m'y apostrophe's whe'n yo'u pr'y the'm fro'm m'y col'd dea'd hand's!

Never mind that 88 degrees is too fucking hot even if it's a dry heat.

I've been to FL in summer. It's gross down there.

Pretty much all of the Gulf Coast is like that.  It gets a little better inland, but not much.

I am in Williamsport, huh, Maryland?

Now that I am here, what do you guys think of Rockville?

I think it's one of the many towns I was happily ready to leave behind. Same goes for Bethesda, DC and College Park. What the FUCK are you doing in Maryland?

Begging for a job at Zenimax?

Neh, just trying to get to Washington after a day ruined by Avis' incompetence...

If you make it into DC go to Rockland's BBQ on Wisconsin Ave in NW. Also the Brickskeller over by Dupont Circle.

Rockville is strip mall hell coupled with the suburbanite mentality that Fridays is the pinnacle of restaurants.   

We got an Appleby's a couple years ago, and the 20-30s all go there. The sad thing is we have some really great restaurants here and most are cheaper with better food and service. Most people are drones. Luckily, there are enough older folks with taste to keep the other places open.

A word of advice: never go to Brookpark, Ohio. Never.

I'd stay out of Ohio in general. Except Cincy which doesn't totally suck.

Columbus is nice, as is certain parts of Cleveland. Everything else is either farmland or rust belt decay.

And Falc if you want real winter come up to Fairbanks in a few months. When it gets to -50 I can show you our boiling water freezing in mid-air trick.

Sucks to be back.

Pictures will follow at some point in the future.

Meh.

Half of us will trade with you in a hot second.

Don't you ever bitch about leaving the east goddamn coast and ending up back in ROME, MAN.

Mmm well, if you put it like that...