Most of the food here is meant to be eaten family-style with everyone sharing all the dishes on the table. Most of these dishes are best when accompanied by rice: Northern and Northeastern Thai dishes with sticky rice, Central and Southern Thai with jasmine rice. In Thailand, only a spoon and fork are used: the spoon to eat with and the fork to push food onto the spoon. We encourage you to try this method as it is the easiest way to eat many of these dishes. Some things are traditionally eaten with the hands such as grilled meat and sticky rice. Please ask your server for guidance if you wish. Chopsticks are normally used only when eating noodles, Vietnamese or Chinese food (they will be supplied if appropriate with a certain dish), however chopsticks are available upon request.

My second-favorite outdoor-place in Manhattan. The abandoned 1.6 km rail tracks running above Chelsea down to the Meatpacking district were turned into an above-ground park. Perfectly nice place for sitting in the sun, reading, relaxing, having lunch in some green spot in the city. Nice views at the Hudson River, New Jersey, the Statue of Liberty (little small from there but still visible) and the architecture around Chelsea.

Bowling, beer, and pool - what more could a girl ask for? I'd like to start a bowling league here in the fall. Some possible league names include The Crystal Bowls, Disembowled, and Ebowlo Virus. I'm open to suggestions.

The oldest still-operating restaurant in New York City, still in the family of the original founders. At Christmastime, it's decorated to the nines. Go with a big group: portions are large and the wine flows liberally. Look for the little buttons on the walls: in the old days, the mafia would hang out in the back room, and if diners saw the cops come in, they'd press the buttons so the mafia guys could run out the back.

Going here feels like traveling. I usually go for lunch or brunch and never leave hungry. Finish with a Cuban Cortadito.