5 comments about Not for Tourists 2006 Guide to New York City (Not for Tourists).

1. This small book is very comprehensive. I feel very overwhelmed with all of the information that's covered in this book. I haven't moved to NYC yet. That's the only reason for the 4 out of 5 stars. I don't think I will really know how good this book is until I'm there. But, with this book in hand, I can't imagine getting lost in Manhattan.



2. This book saved my life when I was visting a friend in New York. The subway system can be complicated, but this book does a great job of breaking down the city as well as offering locations of restaurants, theatres, museums, and more. Includes a mini subway/bus map that is really helpful. As long as you know where you want to go, this book can get you there. The best way to use the book is for planning for a day ahead and figuring out routes, etc. Worth every penny.



3. My brother-in-law, who lives on Manhattan's upper West side, pulled out his NFT when we met for lunch in the Financial District. Immediately, I leafed through the whole thing, looking for info that I needed for my 5-day stay in NYC. It had everything - subway & bus routes, restaurants, bike paths, a decent map of Central Park - in a small profile, easily fitting into a jacket or outside pocket. One of the things I disliked about travelling in NYC is having to pull out a map when trying to navigate. This, to me, simply announces "I'm a TOURIST," which in certain areas may be considered undesirable. But the small profile of the NFT makes it easy (and quick) to focus in on the part of town your are in, as well as the part of town where you want to go.
   
   Right after lunch, I found one in a bookstore - but in the future will think ahead to order off Amazon and save a couple of $$.
   
   My only complaints are pathetically minor. One, the market and restaurant listings did not include a phone number, requiring access to a phone book or another call to directory assistance. Two, it wasn't always clear exactly where the subway stops were located. The 1-2-3 at 72nd Street is pretty obvious, the 3 at 110th was not.
   
   Grab the NFT and travel swiftly and safely.



4. This book is amazing. If you actrully use it, you will find it indespensible. The good points.
   The subway map in the back is crucial. Especially once you see the ones the ground transportation people will give you. The map has stops and transfer points.
   The detailed maps in the begining have tones of info and are repeated with diffrent info as to not clutter them. The bus routes and landmarks are key here.
   The plethora of other information in the rest of the books is interesting and helpful. It's divided nicely and has information that could prove useful in a jam.
   The bad
   Not having a detailed map of the huge maze like central park. Is needed. Wait. My bad there is one in the "parks and Places" section. Nevermind.
   Mostly the city is shown to great detail. The outer bouroghs like queens, broklyn, the bronx ect. go un-noticed. If you are spending a great deal of time out there, maybe something else is best for you. but if your in the city this is great.
   Resturants are great to show you the diverse flavor of the city. But, if your on a budget and looking for a Mcd's then your out of luck. By the way if you are going to the met and hope there's fast food close by. nope. Not close at all. The nearist fast food is six blocks away. Of course like the book says there are plenty of street vendors.
   
   Well thats it. For the bad should not stop you from getting this book. It's easy to carry around and very useful. Before you go to NY you should look this book over and read the many sections in it. It would only help you more that way. I spent a week in new york and this was indespencible. I used it every day and took it everywhere. The only time I felt lost was when I exited a subway and had no ideal which way I was facing and which direction to walk in.



5. NFT is a fantastic resource for anyone planning a trip to NYC. The book is not a traditional tour guide. There are no "top 5" or "must lists" on this book. Instead, you get a book full of detailed maps of NYC along with a listing of restaurants, shops, pharmacies, newsagents, coffee shops, tourist sites, museums, etc. etc. etc. During our trip, my husband was amazed that I knew exactly where to find the nearest Starbucks, or where to go to pickup the subway to Times Square, or where the closest bookstore was, little knowing that I had this handy little book. It also has maps of some of the most popular venues, museums and sights, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Yankees Stadium, and the like. What particularly amused me was that as we were walking around the campus of NYU, we popped into a local newspaper shop that catered to students and found that this book was the only New York tour guide/map for sale.
   
   I highly recommend this little black book to anyone contemplating a trip to NYC. I am big planner so I load myself with tour guides to help me plan our trip. And even with all the planning, I knew that I only needed one book to take to our trip and NFT was it. As the saying goes, "don't leave home without it."

2 comments about Guns Over the Champlain Valley: A Guide to Historic Military Sites and Battlefields.

1. I didn't read this book per se, but did look at the illustrations which were very good. Relied on what Amazon said about it. Knew it was good and belonged in our Special Collections unit at the local college. They were very pleased to get it.



2. a must book for history buffs living in new england. there were things happening in places outside of the mass. during the founding of our country. an excellent travel guide!

No comments about A New York City Subway Diary.

1 comments about Hagstrom Westchester County Street Atlas & Metropolitan New York Road Atlas: Large Scale (Hagstrom Westchester County Atlas Large Scale Edition).

1. This map is very helpful, and easy to read. Keep this in your vehicle and never get lost again !!

No comments about Weekend Escape: New York (World Travel Guides Series).

5 comments about Michelin Red Guide 2006 New York City: Hotels & Restaurants (Michelin Red Guides).

1. This book is really excellent for tourists and New Yorkers. Although, I believe it still needs a lot of improving in the "no stars" restaurant category.
   I have been using Michelin guides in my travels to Europe for over 20 years now and I almost never had a complaint. I have been eating in NYC for 25 years and I can assure you that the restaurant that got their stars got what they deserve.
   Unlike other reviewers on amazon.com I don't think Peter Luger is the best steak house in the world (How can you even say that). I have had better steaks in Argentina, South of France, Spain and even in Israel (for a much better price). It is the same kind of people that think that our subway is the best metro system in the world with out trying any other systems(I can name 3 big cities that have far better transportation systems than NY).
   The book is excellent for tourists who have had it with the crappy restaurant they always fall into because of other guides, such as Zagat or Lonely Planet, which give amazing reviews to horrible places in the city.
   So if you are a tourist and want to know where you can get good food and not take too many chances this is the book for you. If you are a New Yorker, like me, that wishes to find which are the best eateries in the city from an UNBIASED SOURCE, then you should definitely get this book.
   For all the French conspiracy theories out there. This guide has over 100 years of reputation to maintain. It is not rating restaurant owned by France or any other European country. The owners of most of the French restaurant in NYC are Americans who pay their taxes to the USA and not to the European Community or Michelin. There is no interest what so ever to give bad reviews to American restaurant. In fact I know that the ones that got most offended buy the reviews where some french chefs in the city (i.e., Daniel).



2. Color Pictures. Reviews that are mostly fluff. Glossy pages. Recipes, recipes for goodness sake! How the mighty have fallen. My Red Guide to Italy saved me from a ho-hum meal several times - in Verona, Venice and Florence. And I keep it near my passport whenever the inspiration calls for a trip to You-Rip. This guide is a pale imposter of the famed Red Guides that have given restaurant owners and chefs ulcers for decades. This book is written for out-of-towners and a real New Yorker would probably deem it shelf-ware.
   
   I looked for two of my favorites - Café Des Artiste, Le Refuge and they are not there. Especially surprising since Le Refuge has been in New York Magazine's Top 100 restaurants many times and recent visits confirm consistent quality.
   
   Zagat's and Time Out New York are better, more useful guides. My opinion - This book is barely enough information for an occasional visitor and warm beer for a local.
   
   This guide could have been so much better. I hope they keep working at it. Please, get with the program!



3. The Michelin Red Guide to New York sticks with their usual European format in some respects and deviates from that format in others. The deviations are not good.
   
   Strengths:
   1. It lists only restaurants that are worth listing. Most restaurants in New York are not listed; that is a good thing because most restaurants in New York are acceptable but do not deserve any specific recommendation.
   2. Restaurants that are awarded one or more stars are about 50. That is also a good thing. That way you actually know which are the 50 restaurants in New York that are actually worth spending your money on.
   
   Weaknesses:
   1. There is even less description of the food itself than in the European guides. Now, if Michelin's guide to Italy had a weakness is that the description of the food is too short. The food description in the New York guide is even shorter! I would like to have a better idea of what I am going to eat if I go to certain restaurant.
   2. Each restaurant has a lengthy description of the decor. That in my opinion is overdone.



4. Clearly one of the best available guides for NYC. I prefer it to Zagat because it has Star restaurant's recepies. Also, as opposed to Zagat, the restaurants are listed by area, which also helps alot.



5. for those who have seen the information packed Michelin red guides for Europe, this NYC Michelin guide seems like a dumbed down picture book that simply reviews the most commonly known places and adds nothing new. If you have a Zagat guide, why ever would you want this book? Aside from the different rankings that some restaurants receive (which you could summarize in a 20 entry list) in comparison with other guides, there is nothing particularly worthwhile about the book.
   
   Just imagine how much more useful these editors could have made their guide, with tons of short reviews of many local high quality restaurants, to sample the richness of the NYC food offerings. Everyone already knows the top 100 restaurants in the city -- what they would benefit from is an unfamiliar name down the street or in a different neighborhood that is worth trying. The editors could have reviewed 3 or 4x the number of places in a book this size. Instead, here we have one restaurant per page with a silly 1/3 of a page photo of the restaurant interior, and recipes on the facing pages. Is that what anyone bought the book for? It seems that they didn't have enough restaurants reviewed, so they had to add content with recipes (again, with pictures, a colossal waste of space).
   
   Color maps are good, as other reviewers have said, but that was available in the traditional, information-dense format anyway. My suggestion to the editors -- make it a really useful resource by doing the legwork to research more restaurants, cut down the wasteful listing size and present it like the respected versions of the Europe guides. If the book is unacceptably thin as a result, then that speaks for itself and they need to do more work. NYC is not lacking for good restaurants to research. People read the Michelin guide for the rankings, *extensive lists* (only 25 restaurant listings in Brooklyn? 13 in Queens, are you kidding!), and short synopses. Not for rambling reviews and pictures (are we 5th graders?) in cases where it's clear what the situation already is (how is it that Zagat and even the other Michelin guides succeed with just 3 sentences of description?).
   
   In summary, poor choices on the editors' part with regard to usage of page space and design, and an attempt to write a guide (and expand a publishing series' market?) beforegs the listinhave reached a respectable size and quality. Not worth the money once you take a quick look inside for yourself at your local bookstore.

1 comments about Wineries of the Finger Lakes Region: The Heart of New York State.

1. I purchased this book used and it was a great take-along on our wine tour of the Finger Lakes. The edition I had was a little dated, but still a great reference to learn about the various wineries. Pick up a copy!

2 comments about Stepping Out: Nine Walks Through New York City's Gay and Lesbian Past.

1. With Disney changing the face of Midtown Manhattan, "Stepping Out" is a wonderful look back at a rich and compelling history of New York City. Mr. Hurewitz's observations will appeal to any lover of New York - straight or gay. His witty prose, unique sense of humor, and detailed maps and photographs will force you to don a pair of comfortable shoes, "grab a cheese sandwich" and take to the streets. If only all travel books could be this good.



2. I'm not even through the first tour of Stepping Out, and I'm already addicted. From page one, I was hooked. Daniel writes with a humor and an appreciation for Gay History that we can all appreciate and love. The information is detailed, without being boring or stuffy. The descriptions make you feel like you're there, even if you're just loungeing in bed scanning through it. From the riots at Stonewall Inn, to strolling down Christopher Street, it's like you're there. He includes the details that matter, such as witty quotes out of some of our favorite, and even a few unknown, GLBT historical figures. I can't wait to go to New York and actually visit the places he speaks about! This is a must for anyone who is interested in GLBT history and culture.

2 comments about Travels with the Evil Inclination: A Rabble-Rousing Renegade Rabbi's Story.

1. First off, Gershon Winkler is funny, very funny. At times, extremely funny.

   But the thing is.... This is the story of an irresponsible man.

   Winkler leaves his wife and young daughter's to find himself.
   He turns his back on his family, and leaves his wife and daughters to fend for themselves in Brooklyn, while he has a middle age crisis of sorts in Los Angeles.

   He says that he needs to get away from it all, but ends up remarrying and having another daughter.

   No matter how funny Winkler may be, it can't detract from his irresponsible nature.




2. I hesitated to write this review because this book made me so sad.
   
   Rabbi Winkler's earliest books (e.g., Soul of the Matter, Dybbuk, Golem) reflected a high level of Jewish scholarship and dedication to truth. If you followed up the sources cited in the footnotes of Rabbi Winkler's early books, you'd have ended up with a pretty broad and deep grounding in Jewish spiritual subjects. Back then Rabbi Winkler had that breadth and depth of knowledge. He perhaps had the potential to be on the level of Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan z"l, one of the finer American-Jewish scholars of the last fifty years, who succeeded, with integrity, in making previously closed subjects available to a much wider audience.
   
   And then Rabbi Winkler lost his way.
   
   This book is the work of someone who seems seriously confused about what Judaism is. He rejects the core of Jewish practice (like performing work/m'lah-kha on Shabbat) in favor of libertine-ism, behaving more like a New Age neo-pagan than a Jew.
   
   Like one of the four who entered "Paradise" (of the four only Rabbi Akiva entered in peace and left in peace), he has "uprooted his plantings", effectively undoing much of the good that he accomplished earlier in his life.
   
   If I had to distill his argument, I'd say that his main gripe is that over the last two-thousand years Judaism has grown too narrow and constraining, restricting the average Jew from polygamy, sex before marriage, sex outside of marriage, shamanism, witchcraft and earth magic. While he wants to understand how the Torah masters of previous generations were able to perform miracles, instead of following in their footsteps by living as they did according to Halakha (the Jewish legal system) and investigating from within their system, he rejects their teachings & methods and sets out on his own peculiar path.
   
   Perhaps the Jewish community would have paid more attention to him and his opinions had he made the effort to rise to the level of one of the rabbinic leaders of our generation. Instead, he left the community and wrote a book like this.
   
   Oy Gershon, Gershon, Gershon...

No comments about Zagatsurvey 1995 New York City Restaurants.