The Big Adventure is friggin' fascinated by this: http://www.welostourgold.com. Friend-of-The-Big-Adventure-Stephanie brought this to our attention last month. Now that the quest is about to begin, It seems to be a true-to-life scavenger hunt for $10,000 worth of one dollar coins buried below the surface somewhere in The Big Apple. The people behind the site aren't saying who they are or why they are doing this, but it seems legit . And there are puppets involved. And the treasure is not in Central Park.And there is a ninja...because everything is more awesome with ninjas.


The hunting starts today Sunday, August 1st. Very strange and very cool. So....can we borrow your shovel?


:http://bit.ly/cZT10z

A preview of what to expect on our Next Big Adventure...

The Big Adventure Recommends: Brunch at the Central Park Boathouse (enter on the 72nd Street Entrance)

So,sometimes every New Yorker wants to find that restaurant that is the perfect combination of excellent location, delicious food and, yes, the ...chance to escape like a confused tourist. The Boathouse delivers and then some. Snuggled away in the middle of Central Park,The Boat Basin is hardly a secret locale. But it is well worth the visit...especially for a weekend brunch. The Big Adventure has several strong reasons for recommending this venue:

Oh-So-Scenic Views: The setting is picturesque, peaceful and pleasant. In recent years, the Central Park staff has always done a great job on keeping the park in tip-top shape from 59th street to 110th street.Same can be said for the boathouse. Right on the water full of people… well…boating…with big windows, a large dining area and cooling ceiling fans. It is one of those places where you would never think that you're in the middle of NYC. Quality Food and a Full Bar: For brunch, the menu rivals some of the more famous places in the city complete with generous pours for your Mimosa, Cape Cod, Screwdriver or, our favorite, Greyhound.

Value: delicious dishes at a reasonable price. Aside from a built in 15% gratuity for all, the food is moderately priced with none of that famed Times Square-esque surcharge. Full meals for under twenty bones.

And, lastly, admit it, as much as you mock the family from Stockholm in their matching paper thin "I Heart NY" T-shirts that are so cheap you can see all of their nipples, its fun to be a tourist in your own city sometimes. To occasionally look around with awe and wonder. Go on a sunny weekend day in the future…you won’t be sorry..

http://www.thecentralparkboathouse.com/

Farewell To The W Line....Really

Farewell To The W Line....Really

Well, a little over a year ago The Big Adventure accurately predicted the demise of this beloved NYC Subway Line, just not the timing, Since today is the very last day that New Yorkers can hop aboard a W line train from Wall Street to Astoria, The Big Adventure thought we would get a little sentimental and revisit one of our favorite Big Adventures when we set Buenos Noches to the train line just over a year ago with some pictures and links:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/83027654@N00/sets/72157621953522792/

http://brookeandphilsbigadventure.blogspot.com/2009/05/final-itinerary-for-salute-to-w-line.htmll

We might have been commiserating a bit early, but we had a fond farewell nonetheless.

On a related note, The stupid MTA is also getting rid of our favorite super-secret V Subway Line.....yargh.

The Big Adventure recommends: The Glass Bar at Hotel Indigo

The Big Adventure Recommends: The Glass Bar at Hotel Indigo on 28th Street between 6th Ave and 7th Ave in Manhattan, NY.

So, now is the time of year when you may want to do some of your drinking outside. Incredibly long days with lots of sun, but easy on the humidity. However, finding a quality roof top bar or outdoor patio bar can be a challenge for a thousand and one reasons. That's where Hotel Indigo's brand new 20th Floor roof top bar on and you will meet at the corner or Tasty Drinks Blvd and Low Hassle Court.

Opened just six weeks ago, the word has yet to get out on this somewhat secret Midtown locale. Amazing views, small, easy going crowd (a bit older; a bit preppier), friendly service and a fantastic setting. The glass themed outdoor décor becomes even more impressive at sunset. As expected, you pay a bit of a premium for the view but the prices are still reasonable, comparable to other bars in the area and, as a nice bonus, we’ve had some amazing service there so far.

But the time of grabbing a seat and relaxing in mixed company may be drawing to a close as the word gets out : Time Out New York is set to publish a rave review on Hotel Indigo’s bar and the proverbial Ass Hats of Summer are scouting out locations just like this one so we suggest making a visit sooner rather than later.

http://www.indigochelsea.com/dining.php

Another Successful Big Adventure is in the books!

Thanks to everyone for coming out yesterday to the Belmont Stakes and Delicous Steaks Big Adventure!

The Big Adventure had an absolute blast - one of our best days yet. Excellent times were had from Hell's Kitchen to Belmont to The Village. This was also one of our most well attended Big Adventures. We'll have photos of the day up soon (feel free to post your own pics to our site). In the meantime mark you calendars for our next Big Adventure on Saturday, August 28th!

Trigger, No! That beer isn't for you! Bad wooden pony! Bad Trigger!

Belmont Stakes and Delicious Steaks Big Adventure

For the photo gallery from this Big Adventure click here! 

Information from The Belmont Stakes and Delicious Steaks Big Adventure on Saturday, June 5th, 2010 in New York City

On the first Saturday in June, The Big Adventure took to the races and ran with the ponies at the 142nd Running of The Belmont Stakes in Elmont, Long Island.

Most of the day was spent wagering on the horses and sipping Belmont Breezes at Belmont Park on the biggest race day of the year in New York City, but thanks to express LIRR service, we also hit up some of best equine themed bars and locales in Manhattan.

Stops included our new favorite beer bar in the city, Pony Bar; the home of the classic cheese steak, Wogie's; and the century-old Whitehorse Inn Tavern. With one of our biggest crowds yet and beloved wooden pony Trigger in tow, it was the odds-on-favorite as our best Big Adventure to date.

  

Here is a look at our detailed plans for the day along with the info on where we planned to hoof it around town and list of our mane stops. Okay, that’s the end of horse puns. Promise. This Big Adventure started and ended a bit earlier than usual and will consist of only four stops with our trek out to Belmont Raceway. We’ve been looking forward to this one for over a year. And enjoyed the participants dressed in there best race day outfit (or not…for Big Adventures, you are always encouraged to dress however you like)

The Pony Bar – Noonish– 637 10th Ave.- Between 45^th and 46^th. www.theponybar.com/ - Getting the day started at a wonderful bar in Hell’s Kitchen that’s known for it’s easy going vibe and huge selection of American Craft Beers. We’re going to kick off the day with a few surprises to get you in the race day mood.

The 142^nd Belmont Stakes – Belmont Park, Elmontm NY. http://www.belmontstakes.com The big attraction of the day! and plan to arrive in the afternoon for race day excitement. We will invade the track and set up a spot in the back area near the horse’s walk area. We’ll be staying through the big race and plan to leave at 6:45 PM sharp so we can beat all the train traffic back. Round trip train tickets are $12 and entrance to the park is $10. An amazing deal. However, any gambling debts you incur are between you and guys named Rocco and Big Ted.

Wogies Bar & Grill- 8:00 PM - 39 Greenwich Avenue - www.wogies.com – Voted time and time again as having the best Cheesesteaks in New York City. This is where the great steaks come in, people! We relax in the post race glow over food from the grille, drinks and more at this West Village staple with the funky name. Our goal is to play nothing by Horse Racing themed songs on the juke box.

White Horse Tavern- 9:45 PM - http://www.yelp.com/biz/white-horse-tavern-new-york -567 Hudson near 11th. – From Wogie’s, it’s a short walk to this classic tavern where Dylan Thomas is rumored to have died. This watering hole is known for being the home to famous musician, noted authors, cheap drinks and being close to a great view on the Hudson River. As we wind down the evening, we’ll have a few surprises here as well.