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It’s always a party in Williamsburg

It’s a Saturday or Sunday, and you wake up magically devoid of a hangover, having done all your laundry, grocery shopping, and other boring adult things for the week. (Ok, so the beginning of this article is hypothetical. But the rest isn’t!) Suddenly instilled with a desire to discover the best that Williamsburg has to offer, you decide to make a day – and night – of it.

Everyone will have their own opinion, some of them snarky, on what is worth doing if you only have twelve paltry hours to soak up the cultural deliciousness that is Williamsburg. However, I firmly believe everything below is a knock-out, guaranteed fantastic time. Unless you don’t like fun. In which case, I can’t help you. (more…)

Stopping for a nosh at the 2011 Century Bike Tour. Via FB.

The NYC Century Bike Tour on Sept. 9 offers plenty of company as you wind your way through routes starting at 15 miles and going up to 100 miles. Beyond just the victory of touring the city on bike, it’s added another incentive this year: Bikes & Bites, where riders can stop at local businesses along their route and get discounts and freebies at places like Nathan’s, Brooklyn Label and Rockaway Taco. Apart from the obvious refueling perk, this program also allows you to see places you might not normally ride by or visit, and thus brings new customers to businesses and new haunts to you! Deals on offer include lavender (and regular) lemonade, hot dogs, pizza, health juices, lemon ice, knishes, sandwiches, and more from various local vendors in Brooklyn, The Bronx and Queens. (more…)

Should you worry about Greece? Find out at Khan Academy.

More than a few times, I’ve wished that I had taken every single class that interested me in college (Pottery and Abnormal Psychology, I still mourn you). Of course, requirements for majors, minors, and you know, graduating, got in the way, as did having a kick-ass time. While I would never trade some of those fun memories for anything, I wouldn’t mind another chance to continue learning, and in some cases re-learn what I missed the first time.

In the past few years, there’s been a movement to bring free or low-cost education to the masses, from iTunes U podcasts and videos to Khan Academy’s seemingly impenetrable number (3,200+) of free instructional video links, Coursera’s free but intensive (from 4 to 12 hours of work) array of courses taught by professors from some of the country’s most esteemed universities, and new start-ups like Voxy, which teaches foreign language in a contextualized format. In essence, the Internet is your educational oyster. Here’s how to crack that baby open:  (more…)

Etsy-ish photos courtesy of Etsy.

I keep telling myself I need to spend more time in DUMBO, but I never get around to planning the get-there, do-this type of day (or night). In a fantastic turn of events in which I have to plan nothing, on Tuesday, June 26, Etsy is presenting a free evening of crafting called Hands On: DUMBO.  (more…)

See you there. Flickr photo courtesy of http2007.

If you’re not fleeing with the masses on summer weekends, why not hop on a free ferry to a grassy, culture-filled haven where you don’t have to share your picnic grass? Ladies and gents, the best part of a NYC summer (in my non-humble opinion) is now open for gallivanting! Governors Island opened Friday for the season, and will be open every Saturday, Sunday, and holiday Monday from 10 – 7 until September 30. (more…)

Why didn't the movie Hackers inspire more female hackers?

Attention all you girls who daydream of a place to hack the interwebs in peace: you’re going to love this. Marc Hedlund, Etsy’s VP of Engineering, announced on their site that due to the deplorable lack of females in the field of engineering, and particularly in companies like the Dumbo-based Etsy, they’ll be sponsoring $50,000 in need-based grants for summer study at The Hacker School in NYC. The founders of the school describe it as “a three-month, immersive school for becoming a better programmer. It’s like a writers’ retreat for hackers.” And Etsy is making it free to attend, including housing and meals! (more…)

Last year's winning design by Melissa Schmechel.

Do you have rampant enthusiasm for the “cornerstone beverage of civilization” throughout the ages? Put more simply, do you love beer? Sixpoint Brewery is now accepting submissions for their popular (now third annual) “Beer is Culture” art contest and has upped the ante by offering free art museum memberships to the finalists, through which you can express your admiration for beer and its place in our world. Create any sort of art that captures the theme “Beer is Culture,” submit it to their Facebook page before April 30, and watch as fans vote on their favorites. Finalists, announced May 1, receive “unique prizes” from the brewery, as well as an annual membership to the art museum of their choice. The grand winner also gets his or her artwork splashed across the Sixpoint Facebook page for the next whole year. So take this opportunity to practice your art, let someone else promote you, and plan a few beer-soaked cultural Saturdays at your favorite museum.

Beastanetics in action.

If you’ve finally realized that winter didn’t come at all, but you still ate and sat around sluggishly like it was winter, you’re not alone. (The group meeting’s over here!)

We all know the best way to burn serious calories is by paying an instructor to force you, through shame or otherwise. Starting next Monday, broke people can get hot and fit (hotter and fitter?) too. Tim Haft, creator of Punk Rope — which has its roots at the Greenpoint YMCA –  is offering boot camp classes he calls “Beastanetics.” And since I’m writing about it, it’s obviously free. (more…)

Roberto Gonzalez, photo courtesy of TimeOutNY.

Like all New Yorkers, I daydream about how different my life would be if I didn’t have to fork over obscene amounts to my landlord for the privilege of living in the world’s greatest city. Roberto Gonzalez was one of us once too, but claims he’s learned to work the ins and outs of the real estate market to his benefit. He offers to share his secrets with you through a hugely popular Skillshare class “Life Hack: how to Live Rent-Free in NYC.” And, according to his former students, he delivers on his promise to inform and advise, starting the class with a tip that will save you at least $300 but up to $1000. (more…)