Eugene, Oregon: We have a scale model of the solar system. It is centered in a park, and the planets are spread out along a bike trail. Pluto is the farthest from the sun, 3 1/2 miles away! The sun is a 4’ ball, and the earth is 1/2 inch. It’s a great attraction that not many people know about!

Hrm, well, I just moved… but I was recently at this Irish Pub called New Deck (located 34th and Sansom in Philadelphia, PA) that was really fun. The staff is all Irish, and they pour a mean Guinness!

The Anchor Grill in Covington, Kentucky… this is an amazing late night diner across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. You can get biscuits and gravy and a live concert performed by antique barbie and ken dolls 24 hours a day!

There is a little toy store in Indianapolis, IN called Mass Ave Toys that has everything you would ever need to raise a cool artsy kid! So many fun and creative toys. I picked up a miniature Marcel Breuer Wassily Chair that adorns my “random stuff” shelf by my desk! Amazing place to find fun gifts and inspiring items!

Crazy Hook in Korea Town. One of my favorite bars in Korea town.

Its a pirate themed Korean bar! nuff’ said.

oh and dont worry, they are non Korean friendly :)

http://www.yelp.com/biz/crazy-hook-los-angeles

I live in casablanca (Morocco) , there’s not a lot of “spots” here but i know a small hidden beach near “sidi abderahman” i never met anyone there, the perfect place for outdoor pleas …. *hum*

When in Tallahassee FL, be sure to visit the Mission San Luis. It’s a rather large Spanish settlement, but it’s almost hidden in this college town! A beautiful park to take the dogs, go on a picnic, or just enjoy the atmosphere of the period actors!

Check out 32 Mott Street in Chinatown, New York City. The oldest (general) store in Chinatown.

I live in Atlanta and really dig the downtown skyline as seen from atop the parking decks on Emory’s campus.

People have gotta go to Devil’s Marbleyard. It’s an amazing geological feature in my area.

CYBER ZONE!!!! It’s in Koreatown in LA. (3377 Wilshire Blvd Ste 104
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 380-1216)

They have karaoke, those really fun photo booths with sticky pics, both old-school and new arcade games. It’s seriously so awesome and you can walk to boba and yummy korean BBQ places in the area.

oh my!

not only would this be lifesaver for work (as an illustrator reference and large format files make my little apple hard drive sputter like a 1983 Yugo on an incline) but it would make an awesome addition as well to my “homestar” planetarium that i use to illuminate the room at night.

very exciting!

How about all of the “Big Things” in Indianapolis, such as an over-sized Man called “Mr. Bendo” that sells Mufflers (I pass him everyday on the way to work), A giant arrow or chicken?

When in Indianapolis, be sure to visit beautiful…

http://www.commonplacebook.com/photos/big_things/indianapolis/

(link goes to pics and locations of “Big Things”)

I just moved from San Jose to Portland but every time I visit, the place I make sure to see before I come back is the San Jose History Museum. I always thought it was strange when I would talk to my friends and they had never known we have a history museum in town.

This isn’t so much a must see as a must eat. In Chicago, IL. is a little restaurant called Sticky Rice that has the most amazing and inexpensive Thai food and its never that busy. Amazing!

Belmont Plateau in Fairmount park to see a good view of Philadelphia’s skyline.

In New York City, there’s a little place uptown called Serendipity 3 that serves a goblet of $1,000 23-karat gold plated ice cream. It’s also where John Cusack and that English chick ate in the synonymous movie.

There is the deYoung Museum in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. In certain months, the museum is open at night from 6-9pm on Fridays with a wine bar in the middle of the museum and music and arts+crafts. So you can get buzzed and talk about what a certain artpiece really means.

Charlotte, NC
Q-Shack - bbq joint. Yeah, NC sees a lot of BBQ restaurants. Most are quite sloppy, kinda dirty, smoky places. Not Q Shack. This place is clean, the meat is fresh carved in front of you, and the ingredients are top notch. The best thing on the menu may just be the $.25 jalapeno deviled eggs though. Trust me. For $2 you can eat your fill of awesome eggy goodness.

There’s also a Q Shack in Durham, NC.

The Q Cobb salad is also quite awesome. Try the smoked turkey breast. Serious quality.

In Riverside California no trip is complete without a stop first at the tiny amusement part, Castle Park. If not for the half amusing rides, then for the teenagers sulking around as employment.

my basement.

;)

Well, coming from Baraboo, Wisconsin most people know about the Ringling Brothers Circus and its history there. BUT, what they don’t know is that my grandparents live in one of the Ringling Family’s old summer houses. The interesting part? Circus elephants are buried next to their barn, an elephant graveyard! How very Lion King :)

i love the docks behind the institute of contemporary art here in boston… right on the ocean, too!

The “Hollywood Sign Dog Park” in the Hollywood Hills. Technically it’s not a legal dog park, but there are always a bunch of dogs running around on the grass in the shadow of this iconic landmark.

In Hibbing, Minnesota, my favorite little-visited spot is Old/i> Hibbing, where the town was originally founded, and later moved from. What remains is an eerie collection of empty foundations, listing light poles from the 1890’s, grass-reclaimed curbs, and it has a fantastic sunset view!

I live in San Diego….a must see is Pacific Beach…you’ll love it!!!

Come to Boston. Skip the Freedom Trail.

Avoid Sam Adams (brewed in Ohio) and hit up A Harpoon at TC’s. Super Dive right off Mass Ave.

Then go to Bobby’s from Boston. Sweetest vintage clothing store of all time. http://www.yelp.com/biz/bobby-from-boston-boston

Gilroy, CA. There’s a garlic festival every year

well … I live in Wylie, Texas … I would say you must see … somewhere else, we got nuthin’

Spindle. 14th & O. Lincoln, NE. For a college town, this place is surprisingly lacking in things to do/places to go. Spindle is a great record store/video rental that stocks rare and hard to find movies… such as the entire Criterion Collection.

Blacks Beach in San Diego is one of the most beautiful beaches in Southern California. You have to go down a real steep slope that will take you about 15-20 minutes to get down to the beach. Don’t worry about bringing excess things to Blacks Beach, it’s clothing optional.

The sun feels so good on your buns.

Blacks Beach, San Diego, California, USA.

http://surf.transworld.net/files/2008/07/31/san_diego_blacks_beach.jpg

My hometown is Louisville, KY. If you visit the Derby City, make sure you check out Lynn’s Paradise Cafe! It’s an amazing diner with eclectic food and off-the-wall decorations! It’s a real treat for breakfast or dinner!

In Dallas there’s two great antique stores on Industrial Blvd named Lost & Found (as in one building is Lost, the other Found). So much fun to wander around and Lost has a great collection of European motorcycles on display. Highly recommend it..

Fairly well known among the college students, the Woody’s Pizza in down town Golden Colorado is a required visit (Along with the free beer at the Coors brewery). It is part of a chain of a few Woody’s in Colorado, however I’m fairly certain this one isn’t owned by the big corporate entity, because it has a much more local feel (Hand drawn menus, different pricing and hours, etc.) Get the BBQ chicken and bacon pizza there. By far my favorite pizza on earth.

In Wilmette, IL there’s a real live stargate. It’s at the intersection of Wilmette and Lake.

ummmm… **drooooooooool**

I live in Dallas and when you come here you should go to a Texas Rangers Game. There you will find a man who sells hot dogs by screaming the words “HOT DOGS” in the most individual and memorable way. Seriously. Everyone in Dallas knows who he is.

the wave organ in san francisco. it is located near the yacht club in the marina. unusual pipes that come out of stones that let you listen to the sounds of bay.

The Largo at the Coronet Theater is where I always point the tourists. Big musicians and comedians playing the relatively small crowds. It used to be at a small cafe, but all good things must pass.

Denver: Izakaya Den for incredible sushi and tapas, mmmmmmmm: http://www.izakayaden.net/

San Diego, California: If you’re into skateboarding, you have to go to Willys Workshop. It is the best skateboard shop in San Diego!

2018 1st Ave, Downtown Seattle… at this address, ABOVE the Vain store, my mother is currently working on an art installation in a small, hidden room, which you would never suspect to even look for if you didn’t know it was there. She’s transformed the inside of this 8 by 10 foot room into a needle felted wool landscape, complete with trees, vines, leaves and flowers covering the walls, which have themselves been padded with polar fleece and covered with felted wool. Populating this squishy soft forest will be lots of her strange felted creatures. It should be an impressively magical little room… if anyone finds it. It opens in mid-January for two weeks, but there isn’t much promotion planned for it. Once I’m out of school I’ll probably dedicate some time to some promotional pieces for the show.

I live in a small town called Alfred in New York. There is one stoplight in the town and if you turn left you’re at my school Alfred University, if you turn right, you’re at Alfred State… Now you’d think that a town with two colleges couldn’t possibly be small, and you’d be wrong. Other than the schools we have a Chinese place and a Coffee shop and that’s about it… But my favorite place is up the road a bit… It starts to look like the middle of now where (because it is) then all of a sudden… there they are… Wooly Cows. They’re my favorite. They’re Scottish Highland Cows and they’re very very furry. All the cows have horns and they’re very vocal. It’s best to go in the winter because they stay pretty close to the road. I like to go to the coffee shop, grab a cappuccino, drive up there and sit in my car mooing to the furry cows. They’re fantastic, and great company.

In Pittsfield, MA, there’s this diner-type place on Elm St. called Joanne’s. They make your typical diner-type food, but for some reason two-eggs-over-light-white-toast-and-homefries tastes better there than anywhere else in the world. You can sit at the bar with all these retired old men usually, and it’s so good and so much fun, particularly with your best friend.

This is a pretty good tourist town. However, I’d recommend Helen Hunt Falls. It’s a beautiful place to hike and wander around to enjoy Colorado.

In Kansas City MO, there is an amazing sandwich place called Grinders at 18th and Locust. They have the best Philly cheesesteak in the midwest - partly because they get their bread shipped in from Philadelphia.

In Granada (Spain) there´s a street in the Albaicin called the kiss street because there was a very ill girl, people thought she was dead, but a young boy kiss her, and she wake up as she was coming to life again; I use to have troubles to find it, it’s an amazing place were you can see the alhambra from a different point of view…And there ins’t many people who know it.

Vin de Set in St. Louis, MO. Every time I can, I come up with an excuse to go. Amazing food, great wine, lovely atmosphere. Plus, they have rooftop patio with a pretty nice view.

I’m passionate about neighborhoods in my hometown (Los Angeles). My favorite of these off-the-beaten path neighborhoods is Hightower in Hollywood, although it is (ironically) located near to famous tourists sites the the Hollywood Bowl and the Walk of Fame. A community of pedestrian streets, you need to park your car at the bottom of the hill (Camrose works well) and walk up a large flight of stairs to get there. The neighborhood is quiet and serene, and the view is to die for.

there are other enchanting communities in LA—I even live in one (Carthay)—-but Hightower is my favorite.

ooo in center city philly theres a spot that is an oasis. Right near 13th and chesnut theres a zen garden that I love to sit and relax in between classes. Its a treasure the busy bees of philly pass by without noticing!

Salt Lake City, Utah……..Most people in Salt Lake don’t know about Hobbitville. Thats right, Hobbitville. It is a town right across the street from Westminster (one of the more reputable colleges in the U.S.). Hobbits live their and DO NOT come out of their house. Not that it is cool to go in and party around like its your town, okay well it kind of is…but the view is great. Salt Lake City Sunsets are amazing from the roofs of small houses!

so many to choose from…well, in chicago off the red line train stop on brynmawr street, if you walk east towards the lake (i know, lots of directions so far) you will have to walk through an underpass which has this awesome glass mosaic mural that was done by local youth under the direction of the Chicago Public Art Group. its really awesome and relatively new.

Cannon Air Force Base, NM
The one thing I love about NM is the sunsets and when the planes take off from the runway. We have a road that goes around the edges of the base to include the edge of the field runways and watching all the different types of aircraft take off and come down is a very humbling expeience because they are so loud, big and they shake you and everything around you. The sunsets are great because of all the crazy colors and textures in the sky and the stars are crazy bright out here. its a small base but the little things make it a great place to live.

Arlington, Texas: The largest city in the U.S. without public transportation. Booooo!!!

I live in Gainesville, FL and last weekend discovered the most amazing place on Earth. Down a long dirt road and to the middle of no where, there is a family that lives there. They own the property and are professional glass blowers. There are 3 factory-like huts (no walls, just a roof) with some serious machinery, a huge stage for concerts, and a dome-shaped house that they live in. This is all over a great sized area, with trails lighted with Christmas lights and other small workshop buildings. I found this place when my roommate was invited to play there with his reggae band for a secret event. There was campfires with trees laid down. The best thing about this place is that it’s so hidden and away from the city that you can see ALL the stars at night!

Tempest Bar in San Francisco’s SOMA district (on Natoma between 5th & 6th). Classic hole in the wall in SF where you can smoke inside the bar. Good for smokers, not so much for non-smokers. Hook it up!:)

New York City: (The legendary) Grand Central Oyster Bar. Sluuurp, done. http://www.oysterbarny.com/oysterbar/html/index2.htm

Ann Arbor, Michigan, Zingerman’s. the best sandwiches and coffee.

Coming from Melbourne, Australia. You can either hit up the Rose st Artists Market held every couple of weeks at the back of Brunswick St Fitzroy. There are some great unique designer items at budget prices. Or if you’re hungry, you can head to The New Kum Den. Which is a great Chinese restaurant tucked away in an alley in the CBD. It’s got great food, great size servings, is BYO(beer & wine) and if it’s your birthday, you’re in for a treat.

There is no shortage of amazing views of the Bay Area. My favorite is Old St. Hilary’s Historic Preserve in Tiburon, north of San Francisco. Great views in all directions - from Mt. Tamalpais to Mt. Diablo to the Golden Gate and the City itself. Simple walks, big hikes, and historic St. Hilary’s church at the base. Nice for dogs too.

http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=HGS061-J02

One must see spot is my tight thighs, and most people don’t know about their toned glory. But give me a call and that will change. 1-508-596-9246

ahh, austin, texas. the oasis in the wasteland….I mean, desert. I mean, red state nightmare…oh, bother.

there are many unique places in austin, but my “must see” would be the historic paramount theater. during the summer, they have a film series that shows classic movies that would curl your toes.

that, and dan’s hamburgers. because they are the best, EVER. :)

but I am a simple man. with simple tastes.

Downtown Los Angeles - St. Vincents Court. An alleyway with in the middle of the jewelry district filled with mostly persian restaurants. The architecture is pretty charming and distinctly different than anything else you’ll find in Downtown.

It’s not that unknown, but there are a few blocks of canals in Venice, California, that are beautiful at night.

Detroit! All of it! It has many many abandoned and crumbling amazing art deco buildings. There is also a giant 80ft Uniroyal tire that used to have a Ferris wheel in it. (Detroit, Michigan)

seattle, wa:
it’s not totally obscure, but it was surprisingly cooler than it sounds… the science fiction museum (which is part of, and attached to the experience music project) was awesome. when i went for the first time last month, they had a private collector’s toy robot exhibit… awesome. plus, actual star trek uniforms and star wars props, if you’re into that sort of thing…

http://www.empsfm.org/

b&a restaurant in baltimore is great, the people there are sooo nice. In my first 5 years of living here I never heard about this place. The Gravy fries are AMAZING. I discovered it while there for the weekend. It’s not in a “student” part of baltimore. so it is filled with locals and not all the college students. It’s truly a hidden gem. but it’s been around for 81 years, seriously. Baltimore B&A Gravy Fries. Coney Dogs. and really good burgers. Also the ice in the sodas is that awesome totally crushed ice, so it’s like getting a free snow cone.

I live in San Francisco, which is a city of many beautiful, not-to-miss sights. But hidden away on the south end is McLaren park, where a new football/soccer complex has just been finished. What’s beautiful about this park is not the city vistas, the sprawling forest and brush landscape, but the people who play in the soccer fields. They’re average people who work a long hard day at multiple jobs, but who make time every day to meet up and play a fun, competitive game of soccer. It’s truly beautiful to see people getting along and enjoying the simple fun of a sport in the midst of job loss, failing economy and low spirits.

The lovely city of Calgary, Alberta is located between the Gopher Hole Museum featuring stuffed dead gophers in a variety of historically inaccurate dioramas, the Big Moutain Creation Science museum where one can learn of the dinosaurs that travelled on Noah’s Ark, and Vulcan, a town founded by Trekkies.

Well here in Ithaca most people dont know about Fall Creek (for the purposes of trout fishing) because they are students and they dont have time/care to fish. But even the fishermen tend to to think its only good when the salmon and browns run up in winter. In fact, there is a native brown and rainbow population, and the fishing is good all year ;)

SLC — Gilgal Gardens. Visionary self-taught artist/super-religious mormon dude… made large scale sculptures of the most bizarre sort. My particular fave is a self-portrait in brick pants and a stone coat. A quote from the sculptor: “I know it is egotistical,” he wrote, “but in my travels, which include Europe, I have never seen a better looking or more interesting coat.” My artist friends giggle through the whole place.

Helsinki, Finland: Beerhouse Pikkulintu, officially the best one in finland. It is in a small and dirty mall where you wouldnt except to find tidy and comfortable bar. But there it is and it is the only place in Helsinki where you can buy a pint of Imperial Stout Siperia, the best beer in the World.

The Mars Hill Cafe.
Its a church that every once in a while gets swapped into a cafe and local artists play, poets read, and you get food and coffe ALL FOR DONATION and all of the money goes towards charities.

In Champaign, IL, there is a beautiful place on my desk, that most people don’t know about, where this hard drive would sit if it were mine. You should see it! Perrrrty!

Maybe not a “see spot”, but definitely an “eat spot” is this place called Dandelions. It’s a old house that was converted into this little cafe. Everything is vegan (unless you ask for their organic cheese), and HEAVENLY. I could really use some of their chili right now.

Hi,
I’m from Munich Germany. And one must see place/ building is the “Sammlung Geotz”. It is one of the first buildungs designed by Herzog & DeMeuron.
http://www.sammlung-goetz.de/

ys

In East Amherst, NY (Buffalo) there is a restaurant called Grover’s. The story goes that the building was actually Grover Cleavland’s hunting lodge. They make great burgers and awesome Fish Fry’s.

http://www.roadfood.com/photos/6918.jpg

Forget Santana Row, I’ll take a trip to the Winchester Mystery House any day! A monument to insane architecture, paranoia, and the number 13, and it’s only a few blocks away from my apartment…

Here in mexico city in the neighbourhood of San Angel there’s a little park called “Plaza San Jacinto” where alot of painters get together to show their work on weekends.
Well, just around the corner from that plaza there’s a little church (i think is san jacinto’s church).
It’s a very old church, from when mexico was occupied by the spanish. And it has this little garden which is one of the most peaceful places i’ve ever been.
It’s really quiet, it feels as if there’s nothing else in the world but that garden.
I remember going on a late summer day, and there were some children with their parents and people attending mass but their voices seemed so distant, almost non existent.

I don’t know if the contest applies to places outside the US, but that little garden it’s really a beautiful place in a city where it’s really hard to find quiet places.

Oh, here’s a picture i took of the church’s tower, i don’t know the direct link but enter here www.lomohomes.com/jose_jgc, which is my profile page and it’s the big one in the front.

:D

The Paeroia Finley Park Animal Blind. Most people don’t know it exists because they just go to pick berries and never walk around the corner. It’s a great place to watch Nutria, Beavers, Ducks, Wild Songbirds, Fish, and Turtles during the fall and early summer.

Just watch out for the bird nests in the blind, the parents will poop on you in a feat of protection!

Corvallis, Oregon by the way.

Not a must see for most, but designers and photographers might want to seek out one of two remaining wooden-brick alleys in Chicago. One by the Cardinal’s mansion, and the other just south of Webster off Hudson St. in Lincoln Park. Really great photographic opportunities. And each little brick has it’s own pattern of grain and cracks that make for excellent photoshop textures.

which town? i’ve lived in a few, and they’ve all had gems… ;)

am currently in a small town. there’s probably not much of this place that people don’t know about — you know how it is in small towns, the people seem to know everything about everything.

i walk most places and there is an alley in particular that i am fond of for its ghost advertisement.

Kuma’s Corner in Chicago is THE best place to get a really tasty gourmet burger IF you can handle the deafening death metal playing while you eat/drink.

Houston, TX is surprisingly boring for how big it is. But if you want to see something you don’t see every day, go to Super Happy Fun Land. It’s a must see for those who aren’t easily surprised.

Dallas, Texas: The Lakewood Theater. An awesome art deco theater outside of downtown Dallas. Music, Comedy, and Film - they show it all! The Arcade Bar is also a ton of fun.

http://www.lakewoodtheater.com/

I navigate by restaurant, and Durham, North Carolina is full of them. You start with breakfast at Elmo’s, lunch at The Q Shack, afternoon basketball in Cameron Stadium (one of the best stadiums for college basketball fans who want to feel like they’re part of the action), dinner at Watt’s Grocery, then dessert at Francesca’s. Get to know the college part of this Southern town.

When you’re in Philly (PA, USA) see if you can check out the Reading Viaduct. Its an abandoned elevated railroad track around the intersection of Noble and Ridge Streets. Very interesting to see such a huge track section leading to nothing very close to the heart of the city. Just be careful, I’m not sure tourism is ‘encouraged’ on the tracks themselves.

Self Realization Fellowship Temple in Encinitas, CA. Great place to mellow out http://photos.igougo.com/images/p48675-Encinitas_CA-Koi_Pond.jpg

Since I’m a music fan, you have to check out Good Records in Dallas. A great indie record stored owned in part by Tim DeLaughter of Polyphonic Spree. In this day of digital music, it’s a lesser-known gem.

There is a street in South Dallas, TX that was transformed into a replica of a street in Baghdad. It was done for a movie in 2003 and then left the way it was. If you search Baghdad Dallas on Flickr several results will come up.

In the middle of Houston, Texas, one of the most concrete, polluted, and disconnected major cities from nature in the states, there is an Arboretum just inside the major freeway loop 610… if you walk about 1/2 mile along a winding trail you come across a small lake with tons of lily’s. From this spot you can hear none of the cars screaming across the freeway just hundreds of feet away.
Although this sounds like a small feet, it is actually one of the rarest things to encounter in inner city Houston, and is unknown to the majority of it’s population.

(Aside from this small meeting with nature, there is a music venue/Mexican restaurant called Last Concert Cafe that explodes at night with a very devote crowd of baby boomer hippies and Grateful Dead-esque bands that will throw you into a twilight zone - again, making you ask yourself, “Am I really in Houston?”)

Come to Denmark!

- Bellahøj Badet is a great outdoor public pool that I enjoy every summer!

- There’s a spot in Frederiksberg Have where you can look straight into the zoo and watch the elephants.. Great spot for a picnic..

Kentfield, Ca

Behind the pump station are our dirt jumps, we have been working there for 7 years, every jump is built by hand. perfectly manicured, square edges, steep transitions, not to mention our flour garden, wild roses, Wild Mariposa lily,

In Atlanta near the heart of bulkhead is the Atlanta fish market, which has a huge 3 story tall fish sculpture sticking out of the ground at the front, and across the street is a historic library with slate tiles covering it like fish scales.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum’s(Boston,MA) missing paintings on my wall.

San Francisco: A lunchtime restaurant on Bryant near 9th has recently changed ownership. It was called Korso Cafe, but now goes by Sunrise Cafe. They served sandwiches and salads, pretty normal lunch food. The new family that purchased it is Vietnamese, and instead of turning it into something the locals didn’t recognize, they kept all the same menu items and then added all their Vietnamese specials onto brightly colors stars off to the side. It’s all family run, with the older generation in the kitchen and a younger guy running the register. Nice people and now I’m hooked on Pho!

In Vancouver, British Columbia, the Vancouver Public Library is a must see!
I know your going to say “A library?, BORING!” but seriously, a library modelled after the Colosseum in Rome, the third largest library in Canada and appearances in television shows like Smallville & Battlestar Galactica, that’s something to check out. You can never find the end to this library, I know I’ve never. With over 3 stories and 1.5 million books, periodicals and everything in between, this place would definitely be considered heaven by any book lover out there.

Oh! and there’s also a restaurant and a secret rooftop garden in it too, cool eh?

In the town where I went to undergrad (Bowling Green, Ohio) there is an old house, that is horribly painted called The Painted Lady. Today, college students rent it out, but it use to be the residence of “Ladies of the Evening” and located in the basement is an underground tunnel stretching across the street to the City Hall building. Truth.

gimmie that. i needs it pretty bad.

now now

Manchester, NH. There is a old fire tower up on a hill, it’s stone, 80ft high off of a hill that already overlooks the city and the view from the top is amazing.

The Amsterdam Historical Museum, Netherlands. It’s located in the middle of the busy city centre, but walk through that archway coming off the Kalverstraat and suddenly you’re in this strangely-proportioned courtyard, which is usually pretty empty. All sounds from the shopping public are filtered out.

It’s a small moment of bliss :)

Hey Cupcake! in Austin, Texas now has TWO locations. One out of an airstream trailer down south (1600 south congress) and the new store front up north. (5530 burnet road) They have the yummiest treats in town and both have a huge spinning cupcake on top, you can’t miss it!

Austin, TX - During the hustle and bustle of a busy night on 6th street, I like retreating to Casino el Camino down by Red River. It’s got great bar food and an artsy-but-not-pretentious atmosphere that’s like a pawn shop from hell. The crowd varies widely in age and personalities, a very “Austin” bar.

So if you like chili dives, which i’m assuming everyone who is cool does, then Port Chester, NY is a requirement. On the boston post road, wedged between a laundromat and some other thing that is closed, is Pat’s Hubba Hubba, or simply Hubba’s, depending on how long you’ve been around. This place is pure local and runs 23 hours a day with the spiciest chili this side of the mississippi.

The whole ‘restaurant’, kitchen included, is about the size of a bowling lane - yes one lane - and the walls and ceiling around the barstools are wallpapered with autographed dollar bills.

At any given hour during the week you’ll find the place packed with locals, truckers, stoners, businessmen, and kids back home from school who MUST have their chili-cheese-meatball wedge for the 5th time this week (me).

Hubba’s has been going for over 100 years, changing names but staying in the family and in the tradition of kick-ass spicy as all hell late night texas-style chili. Basically if you haven’t had hubba’s large chili cheese fries and their famous free “Hubba Water” (dont ask) at 3am next to a 12 drunk high-schoolers, a homeless guy, and a club-rat from across the street… then, my friend, you haven’t really had chili at all.

I leave in Dallas, TX and there is the best dumplings restaurant right outside the city that most people don’t know about. It’s called Jeng Chi and their dumplings, pot stickers and hot and sour soups are the best ever.

In my city of Plattsburgh New York, some of the best place to visit is possibly just the college campus or the pond at CVPH hospital. The scenery is amazing and quiet for work.

When you are in Nashville, you have to hit up Crema. www.crema-coffee.com

Caldwell,NJ - The Abandoned sanitarium on top of town, secrete tunnels and buildings that have so much history in them. Its amazing

Sufjan Steven’s song Jacksonville is about my hometown. Everything in the song actually exists. Also if you’re into creepy tunnels i know that there are a few downtown that run from one theater to another. I believe it was used for underground railroad activity.

Mega-supermarket Pomegranate in Midwood, Brooklyn, makes delectable chocolate babka. Mmmmm

The Atlanta Botanical Gardens, on a bench with trees and plants in front of skyscrapers at night.

Newark, NJ We have a nice little diner called Tops Diner a few blocks away. They serve the best disco fries in the world, hands down! My brothers and I always go to fix our hangovers with some delicious fries after a good night at the fraternity.

Fu Rai Bo on Sawtelle. Best Dragon Wings in the US!

Whittier, California: The spot you MUST check out if you are ever in town is the Friendly Hills Country Club. If you love golf or tennis it is so cool. A lot of people don’t know but the public can play the course they just have to pay a fee. And you cant walk through and tour if you want. Its so cool and old Whittier. I’d defiantly recomend seeing it.

Luv,
ARM€N

Just south of San Francisco in Daly City, there’s a cool look out point at Thornton State Beach. It’s a cool spot to park and unwind.

the malcolm x park in washington, dc is rarely visited by visitors and residents alike. beautitful fountains, expansive green space, and just a nice respite in the middle of the surrounding urban jungle.

When you come to Hawaii, on the island of Oahu, go to Jackass Ginger.
It’s an awesome little spot tucked away in the back roads where you can take a nice dip during the hot summer weather.
And or the more adventurous, it has a rope swing!
i hardly ever see much locals when i go.

Phils BBQ in San Diego. http://www.philsbbq.net/
It is unfortunate that the rib meat falls off the bone, and that you get rich gooey delicious bbq sauce all over your fingers and face, but other than that, its the BEST RIBS eh-ver :]

There is always a big line, not necessarily because it is so well known, but because all the locals go there whenever they have a spare $20 ($18.95 for a full rack and 2 sides, u MUST get the french fries which they put under the ribs and cover in BBQ sauce)

i’ll give you a money back guarantee. try it, and if you dont like, i’ll give you your money back! LoL

ahh.. i’ve talked about it so much, i think i’ll go there for dinner tonight.

Oh, btw it is closed on mondays.

Bergamo (Italy) - Piazza pontida :)

Haunted Trails in Burbank, IL, outside of Chicago is an amusement center with go karts, batting cages, an arcade a haunted house theme, and a haunted house near Halloween. They have a handful of well-maintained newer Stern pinball machines but I heard (and I hope this is not true) that they took them out, leaving no reason for me to go back. Still a fun theme though.

Well not too many people even know about the town I live in so its all pretty much rarely seen. However, when you’re driving down the back roads at 2:30 in the morning there is a great spot near my friends house in a small cul du sac where the stars just open up, its very beautiful.

1000 GBs that’s inthinkable!

The Tech Museum in San Jose, it’s really interesting and offers an opportunity to catch an imax movie. It’s also close to all the good eats in downtown San Jose, including a little mexican joint called la vic’s.

Tacoma, Washington. In our relatively new and beautiful Tacoma Art Museum there is a light leak in one of the galleries. During daylight hours, a small pinhole sized beam of light projects a tiny image of the outside world onto a gallery wall. You’ll never see it if you aren’t looking for it.

In Seattle, right down town in Pioneer Square is a waterfall. It’s in a cool little courtyard where you can sit and have coffee. I think its part of a firefighter memorial.

Ithaca NY is named one of he best places to live, and no doubt i think so too.
There’s so many parks and gorges, and waterfalls here. In Treman State park, there’s a huge waterfall and if you jump over some fences and get a litle dirty, you can find yourself on top of that waterfall looking down and there’s a cave under the waterfall you could crawl into and it is just so beautiful.

Charlotte, NC. Price’s Chicken Coop. Easily the best fried chicken in the fried-chicken-eating world.

If you are ever in Baltimore, you’ve got to stop by Atomic Books/Pop in Hampden. The best place for comics, toys, the bizarre and weird.

I would have mentioned the Urban Cactus in Rotterdam, but that project ain’t finished yet. It is note-worthy in your must-see list if you ever visit the Netherlands though.

Minneapolis, MN - Make sure you check out the Ice Bar at Chambers. 12,000 Lbs of Ice for a killer drink. That and it is right downtown, though many miss it.

PATH in Toronto. It’s an entire underground walkway/shopping mall that spans like most of the central downtown core. You can literally spend an entire day exploring this underground labyrinth. Most tourists don’t even know that it exists and unless you are a Torontonian working in the buildings that links you straight to the PATH subway entrances, you’ll probably miss it. I’ve spent a substantial amount of my childhood-teenhood days downtown just exploring and only found out about it like last year…It’s horrible to get lost in it though.

I’m not going to say, it would ruin the surprise!

there is a cave system under gellert hill in the heart of budapest. the water in some parts of the cavement is actually a partial water supply for the city too.

NYC, NY. Spend a very cold winter’s day pre-Christmas running around the city, doing anything, as long as there’s a large crowd around, which, in New York, there always will be.
Anyway, as the sun goes down, make your way to Central Park. Once it’s completely dark, enter the park in the 80s on the West or East side, it doesn’t matter.
Walk to the center of the great lawn and stand there. Thanks to the cold and the dark (watch for ne’er do wells) you should now be completely alone for maybe 100 yards in every direction in the center of one of the busiest cities in the world.

There is a place near my house in the city of Asheville, but tucked behind some farms called Animal Haven. It is gently pastoral and dotted with little red barns that have been carefully designed and decorated with animal appropriate art and signage. The non-profit, volunteer-run site is dedicated to rescuing abused and neglected farm animals. You can either visit their cute thrift shop (co-run by some friendly cats) where all money goes to the animals, or wander the grounds and make friends with the residents. In the right season, you can even purchase eggs laid by the rescued broiler chickens. They have goats, sheep, hogs (some VERY big!), rabbits, cats, dogs, geese, turkeys, chickens, ducks, and whatever else happens to need help. If you stop by, make sure to say ‘hello’ to Wilbur, official Greeter Pig!

In NYC, you must eat at Super Taste on Eldridge St. Best spicy beef handpulled noodle soup!

Red Rock Canyon, 15 minutes from the Las Vegas strip. Next time you are in sin city and need a daytime break from the smoke and sounds of the casino, head out to this relatively unknown natural sanctuary. Beautiful rock formations, miles of hiking trails and a scenic drive that will take your breath away. Take the 215 to Charleston Blvd. and head out past the city limits for a few miles, you can’t miss the sign.

The only problem is that I have taken so many amazing photographs out there that my hard drive is filling up…

The Cruise Room in Denver, CO. A few people know about it, but I find it’s one of those fabuloust places tucked away into the Oxford Hotel, so you kind of have to know where it is to know about it. It’s modeled after the Queen Mary, and was the first bar in Denver to open after the Prohibition was lifted. It’s got great art deco style, charismatic bartenders, and great martinis!

I live in a big town (Actually, biggest in the country) called Framingham in Massachusetts.

If you follow one of the aqueducts near my house for about half a mile, it becomes a huge hill that is great for sledding on when there is fresh untouched snow.

Loco Tapas (Easton, MA) is a little restaurant south of Boston in the burbs. The atmosphere is great (like you’d find in a swanky city eatery) and the food is even better. If you don’t wanna dine at a table you can share a comfy couch with a group of your friends. I highly recommend Loco if your in the area, get the scallops.

The Old Number 6 Book Depot in Henniker, NH. It was once a barn, but the owners converted it into a giant used book store. When I say giant, I mean giant; two floors, ten-foot shelves from floor to ceiling arranged in such ways that getting lost is not difficult, containing books on any subject one could want. There’s a fat old tabby cat that walks around. The only source of heat is one wood stove, so if you go there during the winter the whole building is deathly cold. It is unlike anywhere I have ever seen, and it is my favorite place in the world.

In NYC, check out Minca Ramen Factory, 536 E. 5th St.. Best damn fatty pork ramen everz.

I currently live in Philadelphia PA so the place that most people don’t know about is the Reading Terminal Market on 11th and Market. It’s in center city, but honestly not a lot of people actually know about it.

Here’s an image = http://www.gophila.com/assets/dmt/images/62.Reading%20Terminal-lrG.jpg

I think beauty can be in almost any spot; with the right lighting, breeze, and attitude, that is. :)

Off the bike trail that runs around the city there’s a spot by the creek right outside of the 5 senses gardens, secluded yet in the city and beautiful. I soak my feet in the cool water in the middle of my hot summer bike rides!

Near my city of Amarillo Texas is Palo Duro Canyon State Park-it is the second largest canyon in the United States after The Grand Canyon. It is a really beautiful place to visit and hike. It’s earliest inhabitants were thought to have settled there 10,000-15,000 years ago and it has been continuously inhabited from then to present day.

Thank you for the chance to win! It would take me years to fill that space up!! Good luck everyone, Jeff

there is a fire pit, overlooking the hudson river, on a cliff in red hook new york. it is technically on the property of Bard College, but mostly locals know about it.

Edmonton, Alberta: The Artery is a great small venue combining live music and art. It is on the edge of downtown in a pretty dark sketchy area. Look for the unmarked red door at the back of the building.

is teh huge! i want one, bute i feel like im begging, jeeze

When in Sheffield, England, go to the top of Crookes next to the radio tower on Heavygate Road. Here you will see a beautiful view over the city

Tallahassee, FL

Lake Ella, so pretty

One of my favorite places to take guests who come to San Francisco is the Seward Street Slides. They’re located in a small park built for kids but the slides are so dangerously slippery they could launch a child across the street.

Seattle, WA
my favorite must-see spot in Seattle right now is the Seattle Center at night time. Go sit in the basin of the large fountain (they play some weird music usually…), lay down at the base of the Space Needle and stare up, go to McCaw Hall when they have color-changing lights projected on various screens. Oh that place is just too much fun at night time!

p.s. holy moses, 1TB is a lot of storage space!!! I want it!

Momoyama in Redondo Beach. Sushi restaurant. Unassuming on the outside, but when you are inside, you see a little bridge over water…and a neat (and a bit cheesey) lit night time stars on the roof.

new brunswick, nj. gotta go to i’s cafe for some awesome bubble tea. but not too often cause you know us college kids are poor. =[

I’d recommend visiting the graffiti graveyard in Duluth MN. It is nearly a mile of graffiti covering the underside of a four lane highway. Perhaps one of the most interesting places I’ve been here, though you should probably be careful that you don’t get stabbed.

I just moved here, to LA but so far a nice secret place is right next to me under my big pink comforter!

Richmond, VA. The monument on Church Hill on a windy day. If the weather is just right, it’s a zen moment overlooking the James River and downtown Richmond.

I recently moved to LA, so I only know the well-known spots, but in my hometown of Santa Rosa, CA, I suggest Stout Brothers authentic Irish pub downtown. One of those places I walked by a bunch and finally tried and the food is amazing!

And if you’re ever in Santa Cruz, CA (where I just left after graduating college), head to 99 Bottles on Wednesday nights for trivia night and order the British burger for me. There’s a near-perfect evening in my opinion. :-D

moved semi-recently, so i’ll give you two. how’s that!

murfreesboro tn - it’s a small college town (that’s quickly becoming un-small), but there’s still a few must-see spots. marina’s on the square has some great italian eats, grand palace records (i’m actually wearing their tshirt right now) has all the obscure vinyl you need, and sugaree’s has great vintage clothes.

brooklyn, ny - i’m not even going to pretend to think i know awesome cool stuff nobody else does (are there even any “secret” places to be had in nyc?), but i do love going to the waterfront in dumbo during the summer and eating lunch. a gorgeous view with a great breeze.

When visiting Charlottesville, Va., most people drive to see Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, but the most scenic (and underused) way to get there is to walk the 2-mile Thomas Jefferson Parkway trail, which features serpentine wooden boardwalks that wind through the woods. From the trail, there are beautiful vistas looking through the trees toward the Blue Ridge Mountains. And if you’re a runner, the give of the boardwalks is great under your knees (just a little bit of spring).

Charleston SC


Here, definitely the “power house” for the old navy base. Its an early 20th century building filled with heavy machinery from the 70’s 80’s and completely abandoned.

Excellent for photography.

Fort Morgan Colorado- I’m going to reccomend our cemetery- I know a bit quirky but it’s beautiful and full of interesting local history- The original portion was laid out in the shape of a flower by our founder’s sister.

Well. I’m sitting in the library right now. At Dalhousie university. In Halifax. In Canada. On the world. This spot though? It is indeed wonderfully special.
I am sitting in the music resource room. I am surrounded by 80 year old carpentry and awful concrete walls. But that’s by no means why I love it here. This library is “interesting” in and of itself. It was designed by some silly man who decided that the light of day wasn’t particularly important to the studious educate. He decided that all windows should face into the overbearing atrium that rises like a 10 story column in the center of this building, leading to a glass roof that was, as can be seen by its construction, a definite afterthought. My mother went to Dalhousie as well, and one of the most memorable stories was her recollection of how because of this giant , central, vertical chasm the wind would blow up from the small entrance during the winter and all the snow would slowly drift upwards. It would actually snow Up. A wonderful thought I think, but not even the most important part of this monolith of a concrete structure.
This resource room is one of the only windowed rooms in the library, making it a sanctuary for all those who know about its location. It also faces westwards over a small water inlet, called the arm, with wooded hills beyond that. Every evening this room is filled with a warm glowing light, cast over the hill, from the drowsy setting sun. We sit and bask in all the glory it has to offer, while filling our already overflowing noggins with information that we will likely never use again. This though? Still not the most impressive part of this most impressive room. What does set this room apart from any other are the roughly 15000 vinyl records, the 900 odd CDs and about 89 tapes. These are here, beside me, to fill my very soul with song and music. These numberless stacks are filled with every type of lyrical and musical wonder that a mere student could ever even dream of. Countless folk and banjo albums that likely exist nowhere else, limitless operas that I will never have the pleasure of seeing and insurmountable collections of classical composers, who without the aid of this Oasis of a room, would otherwise go unheard by my still exploratory auditory pallet. Given a lifetime devoted solely to this one room in this tiny city, I would likely never be able to hear it all. Once even wouldn’t do composers like Mahler and Strauss justice! Holst would be underappreciated and Verdi would feel unloved. Their quietly turning records calming the minds of overworked students for years past and many more to come. If you look hard you can find records cast from ceramic, heavy and cold. Totally foreign to anything that someone living in my generation has ever seen. You imagine the flamenco guitarist’s fingers dancing across the strings as he serenades a woman in the most silken of languages. As her cheeks blush from his advances he plucks a tune to woo her even further. There is a lost romanticism with the music of today. There is heart in some of the more independent bands, but the mainstream has left its soul behind. Salivating at the prospect of riches and fame. This room feels none of that. there are images of violins and Glen Gould. There are pictures of opera houses to keep you company on your trip through education. There are original Oscar Wilde texts in a locked case in the corner. The faint smell of molding paper and a brilliant orange carpet are all throwbacks from a time that no longer exists. Smells and sights that one would have to spend millions trying to emulate, while it only took collection and time to accomplish it here.
This room is irreproducible. This room is a haven. This room is free for all those bold enough to explore the further reaches of the library. This room is a closely guarded secret that lies in plain sight. If people weren’t so blinded by their daily lives, they would realize it too. They would be the better for it, but I suppose I don’t do too much to help this cause. I tell friends who would appreciate the wonderment of it all, but I do not advertise. The discovery of this room is adventure enough in itself. Ill leave it up to the rest to find it for themselves.
When they do, I’m sure they will love it as much as I have over these past years. Here I sit, wholly regretting my departure from this secret musical garden.
Goodbye old Friend.
I’ll come visit, I promise.

Frisco, TX. If you ever find yourself in Frisco, TX (20min north of Dallas) during the summer, the Snowcone Lady is a must. She has a gazillion delicious flavors (even sugar free) and they’re cheap.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=358248747

In St.Paul,MN you have to go up to Mounds Park at night and see the amazing view of downtown from the bluffs on the Mississippi River! It is amazing.

the only must see spot in my town is the sign saying “now leaving puyallup wa” but everyone knows that one.

If ever in Copenhagen, Denmark please visit the old cemetery Assistens Kierkegaard. It is a beautiful and peaceful garden where many famous Danes has been put to rest. H.C: Andersen, Kierkegaard and N. Bohr just to name a few. Bring a cup of coffee and an interesting book and get recreated in a couple of hours. Recommended indeed.

We have one of the most luxurious malls in my city. And for that I am truly grateful. But the place that people never get to see is a place we call “The Matrix” located in the center of the mall. The little maintenance corridors and wide expanses of open air concrete areas are always filled with the strangest items: a barrel of lemons, “Happy 50th” balloons, or an old broken clock. But most interesting are the people. The people who have to escape from the absolute madness and fakeness of my town and its residents and just have a cigarette in silence. These are the realest people that remind you that you aren’t living in a video game, that there are some people who feel like you. Someone like that’s always in the Matrix, and they never mind talking. We call it the Matrix because it’s the real world jammed right in the corners of our fake cubic-zirconium world.

The nest place to go in Ionia is Bertha Brock Park, it’s about 5 acres of pristine woods. and a lodge with two huge stone fireplaces built in the 1940s.
it’s the best place to be!

I live in san diego, CA, there is this rad spot in the middle of the down town, the hotel st james. you usually have to sneak to the top. but once you are up at the top there it is amazing. its in the center of the city. the sounds of the hustle and bustle bellow resonates up to the top the 10 story building. At the top there are tables and chars, an old light up sign for the hotel from the 40’s, and old style lamp posts lighting the deck. the night time is the most epic but the day time is serene too. just pure 360 views of san diego stright for the heart of it.

Pat.

ps to sneak in… pretending to be on a cell phone call and v lining it past the concierge and right up the stairs, then on the second floor i usually wait for the elevator. once you get to the tenth floor there is a set of stairs that you can go up but the door is usually looked, so you go out the fire escape up the ladder and on to the roof.

In Apopka, FL, there’s an awesome canoe run that takes about three hours, and is the best spot around! There’s always tons of wildlife, otters, alligators, birds, and some of the most fantastic scenery in Florida. Best place, especially in summer, when it’s too hot to breathe.

Just outside of Cleveland there’s a bar/burger joint in Richfield called “Whiteys” that makes amazing burgers and chili.

broke design student and my lacie on the verge of death, this prize looks AWESOME anyways

back in Princeton, NJ my favorite ice cream place is Bent Spoon in the Palmer Square. They have such exotic flavors last time I went, I can’t get over them!

Corydon, Indiana (the first state capital) has site of the only Civil War battle fought on Northern soil aside from Gettysburg. Most people don’t know there were any battles in Indiana. Fascinating!

i would put 100000 hires images of toast on this…

My favorite spot in Chicago, IL isn’t one that is unfamiliar to most Chicagoans but I usually go there late at night when almost no one else is there. I love to walk or drive down Michigan Ave. after peak hours, seeing the buildings lit the by streetlight is one of the coolest sights in the city. But it is especially lovely around this time of year when Christmas wreaths and lights hang from bus stops and lights poles. It makes the freezing temps a bit more bearable.

Riverside, CA
Around the corner from the world’s largest paper cup, there’s a backyard of a house that’s been decorated with life-sized dinosaurs! I like to drive past, but the poor apatasaurus needs a new head.

In LA, there’s a street taco lady on the side of Jons Market on 3rd and Kenmore.. there’s sometimes a few other vendors but don’t get confused.. go to THE TACO LADY. She cooks the perfectly marinated carne asada over a real charcoal grill. $2 per taco but these are more like the size of 3 regular tacos… I think I’m going there tonight.

los angeles, ca. the hannah carter japanese garden. it’s in bel aire and you’d never know it was there unless you went looking specifically for it. it’s open 3 days a week (tu, we, fr) from 10am-3pm and there are only 2 parking spots. you have to make reservations to go and admission is for 2/50 minutes. and it’s free! http://www.japanesegarden.ucla.edu/

If you’re ever near State College PA for a football game or Arts Fest, go out to the military history museum in Boalsburg. They have a few tanks on the property that you can climb around on, and they can make for some awesome (or hilarious) pictures.

pageant book and print shop, nyc. great prints! some are very expensive, but they have a good selection of prints for sale at $5 each too…

If you’re ever in Columbus OH, I recommend hanging out in the parking garages around the city after they’ve closed. bring a skateboard.

Well, over here in Orlando there is a lot more to see besides “Mickey Mouse and Universal Studios.” We actually have an ice bar. Imagine getting a drink surrounded by ice while the temprature is below 30 degrees Fahrenheit… It’s one experience you don’t want to miss…

http://www.icebarorlando.com/

There is a series of waterfalls surrounded by Native American legends off a little side street not a lot of people know about. There are train tracks nearby with a beautiful rusty old railroad bridge that begs to have its photo taken.

saratoga springs is a pretty touristy place in the summer but i’ll bet not one of them go out to the edge of fish creek, by the broken bridge where it becomes more of a stream than a creek. i’d suggest going around october 15th at just about 6:30 when the sun is rising and you’ll see the most beautiful shades of rusty reeds mixed with the pure pale blue of the sky. if only i had a hard drive to hold my pictures, i’d show you.

In Goshen, IN, there’s a wooden pier that extends out over a marsh way in the back of a local nature preserve. On hot, moonless nights in July and August the whole marsh explodes with fireflies lighting just about the cattails and tall grasses.

Brown Sugar is the best Thai restaurant in Boston! They have 3 locations, but one is closing

I’m in NYC, so there’s not many little known places. But the one place I recommend highly is Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. They have really good burgers and shakes. Plus, it’s a great place to people watch. I like to sit there eating my burger and draw people.

I am from Asheville, NC, which over the years has grown in popularity with tourists. there is one spot that you can always go to and not have to worry about being bothered by non locals, The Bird Sanctuary. it is a small park that has been cultivated to be welcoming for birds that overlooks a large lake just outside of the city. it is a good place to go and watch the sunset.

burlington vermont, the 76 foot cliff at redrocks, that you can jump off of into lake champlain, if you don’t have the fear…

In Edmonton, it’s the Godzilla-fountain that a nearby neighbour puts out in summer - in our part of the city, Old Strathcona.

Representin’ for the D…

Every self-respecting lover of Halloween and all of its trappings must see Theatre Bizarre whether or not they’re ever near Detroit. It’s worth the trip. It is truly the most wonderful place on earth. Don’t believe me? Search flickr, or myspace or go directly to theatrebizarre.com.

There is a sculpture behind Birrarung marr, I don’t know if it is a must MUST see, but it’s pretty cool

Studio City, CA—my bedroom. ‘Nuff said.

LA: a small windy dirt road off of highway 2 near la canada going up towards the Mt. Wilson Observatory. Amazing views of LA best seen between 2-6am.

It may not look like much, but everyone who visits has to see where I used to live. Sure, it’s just a company house in a really large, sparse lot, but it’s also an elephant’s grave.

Yup. Elephant cemetery. In Wisconsin.

Back in the early 1900’s, a circus came to town and one of the elephants was killed by lighting. In the day, my old house didn’t exist, so they buried it there. I put a small elephant statue in the yard (which the new tenants neatly removed, the heathens).

the Big Chicken! it’s literally a large chicken built in front of an old KFC. it’s beak and eyes move. the news anchors on television will often say things like “the traffic down by the Big Chicken is horrendous today…”

In lovely Austin, TX, most design enthusiasts pass up Battle Hall, the Architecture Library at UT. The AIA named it one of their 150 Favorite American Buildings and it deserves that recognition. I dare you to pass through Charles Moore’s moose order columns and step into the reading room without getting chills. Collegiate architecture at its best. Oh, and the collection’s incredible.

a mustsee in Dodgeville, Wisconsin? Feel free to skip the FIRST courthouse in the Wisconsin Territory (and the oldest still in use today), don’t bother hitting up the nearby Cobb, Wisconsin annual corn boil or the National Mustard Day festivities in Mt. Horeb Wisconsin (home to Mt. Horeb Mustard Museum and Mustard Flavored frozen custard), drive right by the birth place of Frank Lloyd Wright in Spring Green, Wisconsin - no need to tour two of his buildings…. why see any of THESE things when you could experience for yourself the glamour and history the Don-Q-Inn has to offer with a gigantic dilapidated Boeing 377 parked out front, why is it historical must see you ask? Well, once in the 1970’s Farrah Fassett graced Dville (as the locals call it) and risked her life climbing into the plane for a photo opportunitiy. Kinda makes you want to visit Dodgeville eh?

The coolest thing I’ve ever seen in Seattle was the Hiroshima memorial at Greenlake park, last spring. They fill the lake with hundreds of paper lanterns and everyone’s silent and they play traditional Japanese instruments.
Amazing.

Called The Mattress Factory, it used to (obviously) be an old mattress factory, that is now turned into a contemporary art museum. It displays room-sized installations of in-resident artists, and all are designed for Mattress Factory itself. What’s really nice is that all of the installations are visitor-interactive.

I remember one installation was a room filled with a gigantic blue tarp. And every minutes, a large fan in the back of the room would start up and the tarp would fly up for people to duck under for several seconds, before halting and collapsing the tarp on the people inside. I raced with one of my sisters to reach the other side of the long room under the tarp, be we only managed to make it halfway when we were caught underneath.

Surprisingly, not many of my friends visit it often, although they may know about it. It is sort of out of the way, hidden among a group of city neighborhood homes. But that’s just part of the excitement.

Whenever I’m back at home in Cupertino, my friends and I love to drive up to the Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton — the highest peak in Santa Clara County! You have to take a very adventurous and curvy route up the mountain and it makes us feel like Initial D drivers as we make our way up to the top. :) If you walk behind the Lick Observatory, you can see all the way from San Francisco Bay (on your left) to the edges of South Bay (on your right). The view is especially beautiful during sunset: http://www.flickr.com/photos/snipeslikelightning/426443386/in/set-72157600333779030/ :)

The longhorns still run the streets twice a day every day.

I live in Atlanta, just south of where Deliverance was filmed, in the Tallulah Gorge near Toccoa, Georgia and on the Chattooga River, dividing the states of Georgia and South Carolina. Bet you little piggies didn’t know that, huh?

Brooklyn, New York. There is a little place called Monkey town, which has amazing food and shows films for free in the back with your dinner. Its a great little place that is almost always empty, which is probably one of the things that makes it great. But check it out, http://www.monkeytownhq.com

Huntington Beach, CA: Santa Ana River Bed. Peaceful place to walk, run, or ride your bike to the beach :]

pukekura park in New plymoth taranaki is well known for its lakes and fountain and waterfall and botanic collection, what most people dont know is if you go there at night some of the paths are all lit up with glow worms, they are so cool, like little leds.

In Tulsa, OK there is a very small private airport and at night you can drive through the back gates and sit on the landing strip and the planes will fly over the top of you. It is a very neat experience that most people have no clue about.

We have a secret swing. Go away. I’m not telling you where :)

So just outside Kyoto is this pedal-yourself roller coaster. It’s fun and healthy and there are never any line, go figure, plus the views are great.

In Gaithersburg, MD between Clifftop Drive and Pensacola Drive there is a little playground that’s hidden between trees. Down a gravel path onto the grass, peek between a grouping of pine trees and there is a shiny playground consisting of two long swings and a small jungle gym with a slide. It’s the best place to relax and imagine you’re the only one in the woods…on a swing. ;)

El Gavillan 6216 S Main St best place to get tortas a mexican sandwhich have not found any other place that comes even close it almost shut down but just moved from a lunch truck to a building but the tortas are still good

In Pacifica, CA there’s a small hidden beach in the southern part of town that has been “closed off” to the public for years, but the views and intimacy of the ocean far exceed those of any west coast beach. A perfect romantic hideaway just minutes from beautiful San Francisco, that very few people know about.

Barton Springs…a natural spring to swim in in Austin, TX. It’s great and not enough people take advantage of it its beauty.

In Edmonton. Since it’s a fairly large building, but few people know what it’s about and even fewer go there. The Muttart Conservatory. The building is basically four large glass pyramids, each pyramid contains its own eco-system.

How about taking a visit to SE AZ….where you’ll run in to THE THING! It’s attached to a Dairy Queen and terrible to say the least, but it’s right next to one of the most amazing rock formations (totally beautiful) i’ve ever seen. I’m not sure how many people actually stop by THE THING, but it’s touted as “an alien conspiracy”, here, i’ll save you the trip, it’s a mummy. HAHA! But once you walk out of the building (totally bummed for wasting your cash on a mummy peep-show and a DQ Blizzard, you will be blown away by mother nature! Seriously!

Commmmment.

In Salt Lake City, you would have to check out Squatter’s Brew Pub, some of the best locally brewed beer in the state!

I live in Akron, OH… there are a lot of little gems here, but a lot of the locals who i hang around with know about them… so it makes me wonder if they are places that “most people” don’t know about… However, I do know of an awesome party that happens once a year in a re-vamped old bread factory. (this is where i make a shameless plug for an agency that has recently given me an internship… perhaps they will see this and give me a cookie or a high five?) On April 27th of each year at 4:27pm 427 Design holds an open house - complete with live music, food and drinks. Let me tell you, this is one party any creative out-of-towner wouldn’t want to miss… not to mention that afterward, if you were still hungry, we could stop by the famous Luigi’s pizza that’s only a few blocks away (and open until 2am or later)! So let me know if you’d like to attend and we’ll get you on the VIP list… As an added bonus, I would be happy to give you a full length driving tour of the city including seeing where our famous blimps are held when not flying high above our fair city!

Thang Thang, a korean bar in San Diego. Great food and great soju. YUM

Being a Cape Town girl new to Auckland, I have made it my mission to explore as much as possible. Auckland has heaps of mini parks & protected areas called domains - many of them being old crater cones offering beautiful 360 degree views of the city & ocean, with lush green grass & massive old trees. All of them virtually people free & full of special memories of picnics, cold wine & long conversations.

In Manhattan on the upper east side there is a pedestrian bridge that runs from 102nd across to Wards Island. A great place to see fireworks and escape from the busy city. Also Wards Island has a running and bike trail which is always never crowded. Perfect city escape.

Three words: Dangerous Dan’s Diner

Best soul-food in Toronto. Killer decor—you ever see 1991 Grey Aerostar bucket/bench seats used as seating in a restuarant?? Killer staff—these boys take pride in their food. The Coronary Clogger (2 8oz Patties, 4 Slices of Bacon, 2 Slices of Cheddar and a Fried Egg on top. Served w/ Fries and Gravy) is so damn big the line-chef brings it personally to your table and actually has to hand you the thing while repeating “Take it!” If you don’t grab the top the burger falls apart.

Deep fried cheese cake also.

I recommend once a month especially if you’re akin to other vices.

If you’re in town we gotta go!

I live in NYC. The whole city is full of unique spots. My fave is a small soul-food joint on 9th & 1st called Birdies. Great atmosphere, cozy and amazing food. Get the lemonade, you won’t regret it.

Lafayette indiana - we have a great free zoo. It’s a small town, and when we moved here and saw that it had a zoo, we were skeptical at what it would have. But it’s impressive. Lynx, spider monkeys, lemurs, otters, prairie dogs, porcupines, llamas, ponies, goats pigs, armadillo, the list goes on. Oh and bald eagles you are literally so close to you could reach in and touch them, i doubt you would have any fingers left though…but if you wanted to try…

Omaha, NE - Down in the Gene Leahy mall there’s a large set of slides that are a must-see. Gentle curves and function merged together, and they’re super fast in winter.

back home in Iowa City IA there is a pedestrian bridge across the river by the art museum. they used to have a lot of sculptures (still have some) on exhibit there, but most have fallen to disrpair. the few that are left are out in the open lawn, except one that is under one of the handicapped ramps from the bridge. the bridge is built of stone and feels a bit like a castle, and this one sculpture has been completely forgotten. it is metal, and it is a realistic suit on a hanger that is laying on the ground grown over with grass. whenever i visit home i take someone there and cut the weeds and grass off of it because the museum caretakers dont realize its there and dont take care of it. it always felt like my little secret prize for climbing around on bridges as a kid.

I live in Olympia, Wa one must see, locals only spot, is in a parking lot behind a crazy punk rock club and a outdoors store; it’s a natural aquifer. the water just comes bubbling up from the ground. do you remember how on Olympia Beer cans it says ‘It’s the Water’? Well, this is the water and it’s the best water I’ve ever had. Locals come from all over to fill gallons and gallons. Any time of day (or night) you can go, meet people, get a drink or enjoy the soothing sound of water. It’s one of the best spots in the world, and a unique land feature.

My house. It’s pretty sweet, I live there. Most people don’t know about it.

New York, New York, Katz’s Delicatessen. You haven’t been to New York unless you’ve experienced a REAL New York delicatessen. Katz’s is the oldest, albeit, scummiest delicatessen in the city. Don’t let it’s looks deter you, only god could make a better pastrami on rye.

“A wonderful Lower East Side artifact and originator of the World War II slogan, “Send a salami to your boy in the Army.” It is one of the very few New York City delis that still carves pastrami and corned beef by hand, which makes for delicious sandwiches.”
-The New York Times

Well since someone mentioned Icebar already, I’ll mention the top of Expedition Everest @ Disney’s Animal Kingdom. If you are lucky(?) enough to get stuck at the very top, its quite the view of the area.

Carbondale, IL. - there is a place called Little Grand Canyon, the hiking there is unreal, it can go from novice to expert in a very short time. The best part is a small path off of the main trail that leads you on the side of a cliff that over looks what seems to be the entire Illinois flood plain. good times.

Every girl knows how important it is to keep your eyebrows groomed. But there is this one salon in Columbus, Ohio called StyleIndia that threads eyebrows. A unique way to shape eyebrows and it comes from India. I always get them done there and you get amazing results that lasts for weeks. I ALWAYS get complements on them.

definitely the very steep streets in my neighborhood of los angeles. it’s like a rollercoaster ride in echo park.

In Mar del Plata, Argentina, we have more than one spot that you must see and most people don’t know about. The first one is “la casa del puente” (the bridge house) designed by Amancio Williams in the mid 40’s, beautiful house builded in a very beautiful and natural place. -> http://www.noticiasarquitectura.info/especiales/casa_sobre_el_arroyo.htm
The second one is right here :) -> http://www.flickr.com/photos/tabletas/3063641368/
And finally see the sunset and hear the silence (or the music…) of the waves in summer, at the beaches in the south part of the city. -> http://www.flickr.com/photos/tabletas/3064191255/in/photostream/

In Marquette, the largest town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (itself a geographical region most people aren’t even aware exists), you can find a summer theatre group performing musicals & plays down on the shores of Lake Superior, in an actual boathouse. The producers of the theatre own the building, and once their large yacht is put in the water for the summer, volunteer actors & staff convert the large garage-like space into a theater with a raked (slanted) stage, catwalk and balconies. It seats approximately 120 patrons and is a really unique experience. The ticket booth is a miniature lighthouse situated in the harbor park.

My absolute FAVORITE new thing in Charlottesville, VA is The Garage. It’s a one car garage across the street from a park just off the pedestrian mall downtown. Some weekends a band might perform in the garage, and you can sit on the hill across the street and listen as cars drive by between you, looking very confused. Or sometimes the Garage, itself an art piece of sorts, has a gallery set up inside of it. This Friday they’re having an exhibit of 100 lit up glass jars hanging from the inside of the garage, and the next night a Sufjan Stevens christmas song sing-a-long. It’s just so interesting and fun and has the power to completely brighten up a hum-drum week.

Eltham, Melbourne, Australia -

There’s an artist community hidden away in our suburb, at the end of a dirt road behind a wall of huge pine trees. It’s designed in the style of a picturesque medieval village - and this is no Disneyland treatment, it’s a beautiful set of stone and mudbrick buildings, from an ornate Great Hall, to tiny studios with handcut tile roofs. It is honestly like travelling to another world, and exploring the place (visitors can roam around wherever they like) makes me feel like a little kid again.

The only people that might know about this are the Canadians who come down as snowbirds every year. One of my favorite spots in the Miami area is the Flea Market at the Mardi Gras Racetrack in Hallandale. I go there to people watch (very interesting characters shop their on weekends as well as the interesting vendors)and take pictures of them and the things sold in the market. One of my favorite things to do on an early morning Sunday in winter time when the sky is super saturated blue as all the objects pop to life.

There’s an awesome place called Burger Cafe, a small mom and pop resturuant, that has the best homemade fries in the world.

Slovenia, Ljubljana, the little pyramid on Emona wall at night.

San Diego, CA: Gelato Vero Caffe! They have the best pistachio gelato. No joke. Come down here and try it for yourself. :)

Cawthra Park Estates in Mississauga, Ontario. No matter what the time of year, a nature lover can find something interesting to survey in the park. In the fall the forest turns to an ocean of reds and yellows. In the spring, masses of trilliums pop up in the cool forest floor. Along the meadow sides in the summer a host of oft unseen bird species can be picked out. I often enjoy taking a trip with my camera. :)

Amazing - Seagate rocks. I’ve got a smaller capacity Seagate and am in desperate need of more storage

Everybody visits Manhattan when they visit NYC, but come to Staten Island for a one two punch of really good pizza (denino’s) and italian ices (ralph’s ices)!!

A little antique store called ‘Fancy That’ in Belmont, MA. They have great vintage and new handmade jewelry for reasonable prices, and no one hip knows about this store ;)

Singapore, the little red dot

The Norwegian Seaman’s Mission in Singapore perched on Pasir Panjang hill.
Great coffee, Norwegian brown cheese (it tastes like peanut butter!) and nobody to break your 30min of solitude :)

In Columbus, Ohio, get into the understage area in the Southern Theatre. It’s clearly haunted, and if you get lost you’re stuck in 4 feet wide tunnels with hewn stone walls and hard corners for all the turns. If you’re lucky, when you find your way out you’ll end up on the stage of a dark theatre, fall into the orchestra pit, and have to go back through the catacombs again!

Dallas, TX: My apartment — where I make the best tacos of all time.

A must see here in Attleboro is discovering the hidden history the city by visiting the monuments, especially in Capron Park.

Everybody visits Manhattan when they visit NYC, but come to Staten Island for a one two punch of really good pizza (denino’s) and italian ices (ralph’s ices)!!

Waterloo, ON: There is a place called Bechtel Park. If you go behind it and follow some trails, there is a little clearing in the middle of a marshland, and it is the most beautiful place. If you stand at the edge of the clearing and look into the sea of grass, it is one of the most inspiring things; a little pocket of wilderness in the middle of a concrete jungle.

Albuqueruqe, NM. My parents recently spent a lot of money to make our back patio took really nice and you can watch the sunset on a little love seet in the rain or snow and it is just the best. New Mexico sunsets are the best period, but watching them curled up with you favorite person while it pours around you, there isn’t anything like it.

OOOOH lovely. The lighted pattern reminds me much of bright lights the game! I could certainly put this amount of memory to excellent use.

Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University

The must see spot in my city is an abandoned farm property quite close to my house. It’s up on a hill and one of the buildings suffered a fire (causing the abandonment), but the rest of it still stands still in time. It’s beautiful in the summer to just sit on the edge of the hill and watch the sun set over the former bean field…just don’t get caught doing it!

James Isl., SC — at the end of Fort Johnson road is the CofC (College of Charleston) Grice Marine Laboratory: The lawn next to the pier is the best spot around to view the goings-on in Charleston Harbor, and a fantastic spot to sit and watch as many as 5 area fireworks displays across the water on July 4th.

How about Cafe Chloe in San Diego. It’s a downtown little french bistro with some of the best food in town!

Queens, Ny nice surburban area, with not much to offer with hotspots to go to. But I must say there is an open field in which the planes coming in to laguardia airport pass through all the time. Whenever im looking for something i would just lay on the field and gaze at what is a low incoming plane. Odd to say but its a getaway spot whenever i want to just release myself from everything.

Atlanta:

There’s an amazing, old coffeeshop in downtown ATL called Café Intermezzo. The place itself is absolutely incredible, and is the home of nearly every one of my life’s significant memories. But even more dear to my heart is a small alcove behind the restaurant. If you go there at night when it’s dark, sit on the small bench where all the Intermezzo staff go to breathe during a shift, you see only two things: the top of the most beautiful atlanta skyscrapers, and a single red door that’s lit all night long across the street from the café. It’s captivatingly simple and solid. You should definitely go there sometime! (Intermezzo also has the best cheesecake and turkish coffee you’ll ever eat).

Best secret spot in Boston? The outside deck at the top of the Boston University law school. It’s a hideous building from outside but the view from the top is insane. You can see the whole skyline, Fenway, MIT over in Cambridge, lots of pretty trees to the north, and (for fellow geology nerds) the edge of the boston basin. We’re in the bottom of a rift valley, you know! The Charles River is right below you and it reflects everything in this super gorgeous way. And if you lean your head upside-down over the edge it looks kinda like there’s a city in the sky or aliens invading like in Independence Day or something. Go at sunset and then go again at night. Or I guess just wait for sunset to turn into night, that would get it all done in one trip. I don’t know if anyone is technically supposed to go up there but no one has ever stopped or bothered me. Just try to look like a law student.

Jakarta, Indonesia
Ragusa Ice Cream, located in the ‘old quarter’ of Batavia (Jakarta’s old name). This is probably the oldest ice cream parlor in Indonesia.
They have Spaghetti ice cream and other great ice cream choice.
This is where my parents used to date… (WOW~ I didn’t know they used to DATE)

atlanta: Gladys and Rons’ Chicken & Waffles. busy all times of the day. the ‘midnight train’ is a must!

fourth and idaho in boise idaho. our office is crazy. 5 full-time employees that are a riot and we have had a slew of temps and part-time people in and out. anyone who could observe us would find themselves highly amused and rewarded for the experience.

Well, I’m originally from Jakarta, Indonesia but I have been living in Hong Kong for a while now. For people who love crafting, I’d recommend Shamsuipo where you can find an amazing arrays of shops selling materials to make jewelry, bags, etc. They are wholesalers but you can purchase in small amounts and they are still cheaper.

For those collecting vintage toys, there is this little toy shop in Tai Yuen Street in Wanchai where you can find replicas of old tin toys, winding toys and the likes at affordable pricing. You can find some contemporary toys there too - at lower cost than most toy shops. There are many toy shops there, but the best one is “Hing Fai” - the 3rd shop on the left hand side if you come from the MTR (subway) direction.

And for those relishing spicy dish (I am one!), head to Xi San Lu (was Man Jiang Hong until recently) at Mc Donald Rd., Central for their super spicy Sechuan diced- fried chicken. The flavor is so rich and no other restaurant can match theirs (I’ve done my research).

So there, take your pick :)

Costa Rica… there are tons of must see places in here, but I really like the beaches, especially one, known as Playa Prieta, located at the northern part of the country in the Pacific Ocean side, it’s close to tourist resorts so getting there is easy but far enough so it isn’t spoiled. Very few Costa Ricans know it, and tourists haven’t found it.

It has a beautiful view to the sunset and a couple small islands in the horizon, pristine clear water and some dry tropical forest around, because there are almost no buildings in it. Even though it is a small beach, it has a beatiful spot, a single tree on top of a relatively small rock that you can climb and have one of your most peaceful moments ever.

Alberto from Costa Rica.

I’d love to win this hard drive! The one spot in my town of Walla Walla, WA that most people don’t know about is the waterway which travels underneath the downtown area… very interesting!

Bolton Hill- Baltimore, MD
There is this sandwich shop on the first floor of the Sutton Place Apartment’s highrise where the sandwiches are to die for!
It’s located on Howard St. across from the Maryland Institute College of Art on Mt. Royal Ave.

The Celery Bog Nature Center in West Lafayette, IN is a must see, especially if you are needing an escape from the commotion of the city! Nestled away from the crazy college life that surrounds Purdue University, Celery Bog is a place that only the locals seem to know exists. The flora and fauna in this area are absolutely breathtaking! A definite place to go for reflection, learning and appreciation of the simple things in life!

I’m from San Francisco, but in San Rafael in Marin County there’s a darn good Puerto Rican restaurant called Sol Food that you should check out.

We’ve made the trip up there specifically for it a few times.

Denver: The Vance Kirkland Museum is awesome. It features some of the best examples of furniture design in the country!

Santa Cruz, CA. The rugby pitch at UCSC is absolutely gorgeous, on a mountain overlooking the bay. The fact that UCSC has an amazing women’s rugby team helps a lot too.

Arthur’s in Hyde Park Cincinnatti. By far the worlds best fried cheese and some insanely good burgers

Erie County, New York: There’s a lovely, quaint llama farm nearby filled with the most inquisitive, charming, entertaining creatures imaginable. Their owner frequently takes them to schools and nursing homes to spread the love, and they remain quite mannerly on these visits.

In Vancouver, BC, there’s an old bear cave (man made for bears that were kept as part of an exhibit that no longer exists) in the forests of the main city park. Not a lot of people know about it, it’s hard to find with vegetation growing around it, but it is very cool once you do find it!

hmmm, plenty of spot in NYC to choose from but one that i’m quite fond of is the halal food stand at 53rd and 6th. its not that well-known to most ppl but those who love halal definitely know that the place to be. you can put as much white sauce on it as you want and even though the line may sometimes have 30 ppl at 1 am, i’d still go.

If you are ever in NYC, you have to check out this amazing halal cart. It is THE best street food from a cart you will ever have. Their white sauce is probably what makes them so good compared to others. They have two seperate carts that are owned by brothers. One is on the southeast corner from like noon till midnightish and the other is on the southwest corner open from 7 at night till 5 in the morning. That is usually the cart that has longer lines. Dont kno why though.

san francisco. behind dolores park where the train goes underground. there is a skybridge that overlooks downtown

There is a restaurant in the Wudaokou district here in Beijing that is called “The Bridge”. It is fairly popular and the food and drinks are great. But if you go there on Friday evenings check the upper storey, cause there will be live Piano Jazz and sometimes more. Only few people actually appreciate that kind of music over here.
But I think it is one of the best places to be on a Friday in Beijing.

There’s this house in the Coconut Grove area of Miami (FL). You can’t see what’s inside it because it’s covered by trees but what makes it the greatest secret of Miami is that it’s guarded by Golden Dinosaurs. all kinds of dinos: Triceratops…saurolophuses…parasaurolophuses… t-rexs… apatosauruses. My family and friends having a) an obsession with dinosaurs, b) a thrill for petty theft, and c) a love of interacting with strangers, have stolen several dinosaurs. Feeling the need to re-pay them and grasping at the chance to pay homage to these amazing people who put the dinos up in the first place, we spray painted My Little Ponies on surfboards silver and placed them where the missing dinos were supposed to be. Recently, the silver ponies have been taken off in favor of golden extinct animals along with the addition of a large golden cat. It’s still a secret to us who lives inside THE Golden Dino House, why golden dinosaurs, and what lingers beyond their front door…but i’m content with just imagining the possible answers.

In New Orleans; before, and after “the storm” there is a stretch of Marconi Dr. on the backside of City Park with oak trees on both sides. The extraordinary part of that simple fact, is that each tree, on each side, reaches across four lanes to touch the tree on the other side. It is awesome to behold.

When in Niagara Falls, NY you got to check out the Love Canal area…Not exactly tourist fare, but the eerily empty streets and houses are a stark reminder of a urban planning disaster, not to mention an urbex playground.

When in Washington, DC, head up to Adams Morgan and grab some food to from Napoleon, a wonderful French bistro. Grab a blanket and walk down the hill half a block to Kalorama Park. It’s a quiet park with great sunlight, fun neighbors and just a 10 minute walk from Dupont Circle!

I live in Costa Mesa, CA, right in the heart of Orange County. Every monday and tuesday night is free music night at the Detroit Bar, one of the best indie rock venues in the county. It’s a small little joint in the back corner of a mostly Hispanic shopping center, but you walk inside and it’s retro 60s decor and some killer tunes. It’s the best!

Here in oklahoma city, there is a sailing beach called hobie point located on lake hefner. Here you can sit and watch all the beautiful sailboats on the lake. The sunsets are beautiful, bring a picnic blanket and a couple sandwiches and its a great place to spend some time on a nice evening.

Not in my town, but not too far from my house is an abandoned mental hospital. It was for the “feeble minded” which at the time meant mentally handicapped and troubled youth. Patients were beaten, raped, experimented upon, etc. Upon closing, bodies were discovered and pulled from the sewer.

Ive been a few times and some of the buildings had openings. Other times, weve pulled boards off and opened doors. The whole place is extremely creepy. Water dripping through all the floors, wallpaper peeling off, beds piled up in the corners of giant rooms, strange medical equipment…

My hair stands up just thinking about it.

Baltimore, MD: Maybe not obscure but The Wine Source in Hampden is a great place to get wine (they also have some specialty cheeses and food). They have a large selection of spirits and helpful employees situated in a very welcoming building.

the “fly” in new orleans is a great spot to relax with friends any day of the week. youll find plenty of people there kicking back and enjoying a fine new orleans afternoon with friends and spirits.

Ólavsøka 29. July a national holiday held in Tórshavn the capital of the Faroe Islands. A little group of islands located in the middle of the norwegian sea and the north atlantic ocean. Where thousands of people gather early to dance the traditional chaindance passed down by our viking ancestors. And of course the conserts and parties are great.

Johannesburg, South Africa - Just outside Jozi, about 20 minutes from town is the Cradle of Humankind. In a little dip on the way to the Cradle is a small place called Toadbury Hall. Toad Hall is pretty popular wedding venue, but what many people don’t know is that behind the venue is the most breathtakingly green forest glade on the banks of the river. Straight out of an Enid Blyton fairy tale or The Shire itself, a picnic under the oak trees next to the river is one of the most peaceful, beautiful days a person could ever have. The stream bubbles past lush green grass that makes a perfect cushion to lie on as I read my books or just sip some vino with my wifey. A definite must-see if you ever come out to Mzansi, but keep it secret, we don’t want too many people finding out about it!

I stay in Cape Town, South Africa… possibly the most beautiful place on earth. If you get up really early, before daybreak, and drive up Signal Hill, there is a spot where you can look out over the city, Table Mountain, Table Bay and Robben Island as the sun rises… There’s nothing more breathtaking than that.

Just where I live (London, UK) there’s a tiny green garden called Sutherland Square, hidden a couple of rows behind a main road. Only the residents know about it and have access to it, probably the best miniature park in London.

Budapest, Hungary: we have our fascinating christmas sale bazaar at the center of the city, with lots and lots of christmas trees…

While all the sites of Vegas are well known & documented, there are some awesome places just outside of the city that I love. One of them is Red Rock Canyon. The first turn-off on the canyon circle road drops you off at the tip of the rock structures. Most people stop at the lookout & take a few pics but don’t walk further. If you climb down the gully & up the other side you can find the most incredible labyrinth of rock caves & a climber’s heaven. I can lose a whole day there.

if there is one spot, this is it. in my town there is an old street called sky view and all of san antonio can be seen from this vantage. gorgeous just like this gift!

I can recomend a little something from my home town, AArhus in denmark, but you can not come and see it yet you have to wait a few months. But in early spring you can enjoy an interactive game, play in a beautiful nature setting - just dont forget your mobile phone,if you come.

In Austin, Texas there is a carnival that shows up randomly next to the shopping center on Ben White and I-35. On most days it is an empty lot but on certain nights you can see a giant ferris wheel light up from across the highway. There is cotton candy and typical fair games and rides. The people that work there seem very jaded and it’s fun to think up stories about how they got there and why the carnival only shows up on certain days. My current theory is that it’s haunted and that’s why it only shows up at night. There is also a “freak show” where you can pay $2 to see the world’s smallest horse and the chupacabra among other amazing attractions. I myself have yet to see it but I imagine you would get your money’s worth.

Church Brew Works is a church turned brewery/restaurant in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It’s quite a sight to see several truck-sized steel and copper tanks of beer sitting upon the altar. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”

There is one spot in my town that I guess most people here don’t know about: http://www.evoluon.org/. This one is definitely taking you into another dimension!!

Ljubljana, Slovenia: A 10 min kayak boat trip up the small river from the center of this Central European capital, takes you straight into the lush vegetation of once long gone swamp lands. Makes you feel like you arrived in a tropical landscape in the summer. And all this from a capital that has the view of the Alps, and a 40 min drive to the Adriatic sea coast.

There’s this little Venezuelan cafe in Beverly Hills called Coupa Café that has amazing coffee that is grown by the owners in Venezuela and they tons of authentic foods such as arepas (goat cheese and sun dried tomato is amazing!), amazing pork pabellon, empanadas, awesome pastries and gourmet chocolates! The place is reasonably priced and def one of my favorite spots!! I also really need a new external hdd, so this would just be an amazing win! Happy Holidays!

If you ever come to Richland, WA you have to check out our Spudnut shop. They’re donuts that are made from potato flour, and they are great. You’ll miss out if you come here and don’t have one.

St. Canices Cathedral in Kilkenny. There is a round Tower that you can go to the top of and see a total view of the city of Kilkenny. There is no high rise in the city so the views are amazing (assuming its no raining like it it 80% of the time in Ireland!)

In Ithaca, NY there’s an abandoned gun factory at the top of a hill. It was used to make guns from 1880-1986, but since then has become dusty and heavily laden with graffiti and other art. It’s illegal to go inside, but surprisingly easy to get in without getting caught. It’s the place to go for an adventure. Sadly, I heard that there are plans in the make to finally tear it down.

Johannesburg, south africa - In town there are some sweet run down sites that are cool for tons of stuff - photos, events - very very cool

‘Bakklandet’ in Trondheim, Norway.
An idyllic neighbourhood on the east side of the Nidelva river features old timber buildings, originally the homes of the working class. The houses have been restored, and there are plenty pubs, coffees and restaurants around. Yet another hallmark of the city ‘the wooden old town bridge’ crosses the Nidelva river and leads into this area of city Trondheim.

There’s a lot of amazing spots here in Glasgow, Scotland. Here’s one nobody knows about yet though—because it’s only opening tonight. GOOD-D, a tiny design/interiors store hidden away on James Morrison Street. Right behind my house. I’ll be at their launch tonight enjoying some wine and mince pies, whilst checking out their stock. 20% off everything at the party, I’m told. They have stuff from Droog, Designfenzider, Established & Sons, Muuto, and a load more.

I live in the netherlands.. in a town called Leerdam and its the nationl glass city of the netherlands.. a whole bunch of glass are exported from leerdam towards a whole lots of countries worldwide.. in Leerdam we have a glassfactory but we also have an glass museum thats worth checking out. there is usually a glassblower to demonstrate his or her skills of glassblowing

San Francisco: free summer concerts outdoors in Stern Grove, Sundays.

In London town,
England, UK.
Right in the centre,
on a special day,
Trafalger Square,
Outside the gallery,
every now and then,
if you’re lucky,
you’ll see a man,
who might be mistaken,
for Micheal Jackson.
Over and over,
headphones in,
song on repeat,
he performs Thriller,
with not a care in the world,
dancing, singing, like nobodys there,
and very occasionaly,
if you’re particuarlly lucky,
he’ll be really in character,
and be wearing one glove,
this urban myth,
mysterious man,
MJ imposter,
in london town,
England, UK.

Hey, im from Belgrade, Serbia .. and without a doubt the MUST SEE spot in Belgrade is Karim Rashid’s caffe called “Majik” .. you can visit the official website below

http://www.majikcafe.com/

Geneva, Switzerland: La buvette des Cropettes, aka Squat Bar, behind the main train station. Known only to locals this little place always feels like home to any newcomers. Old furniture, board games and some of the cheapest (and best) drinks in town don’t hurt either. The nicest squatted bar in the world.

Latvia, Līgatne. Bunker built for our countries most important people. It was built in 1990`s (even earlier, don’t remember). It was TOP SECRET till 2003. Everything is untouched exept russians took out some spy technologies.

The bunker is under pension (old people rest-house). It is underground bunker. Most of things work right now too. For example, if electricity will go off, there is 2 tank engines, that will generate electricity in 30 minutes.

I live in Paris, and while everyone knows the top 5 (Eiffel Tower, Le Louvre, Versailles, l’Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame), there are many hidden gems that give you a nice insight to life in this city. One of my favorites is the gallery space at the top of the Louis Vuitton store on the Champs Elysées.
There are two ways to access it: 1) via un unmarked elevator at the center of the store, where you need to ask for access; 2) from an outside entrance adjacent to the main store entrance. This gives you access to a ride in the dark (artist “installation” experience) narrated usually by a receptionist with a particularly attractive voice, ultimately leading you to the top of this iconic building with an exceptional views on the Champs and usually a fabulous exhibit to boot.

in kalamazoo (battle creek), MI at Western Michigan University we have the worlds largest glider. Northwest Airlines donated a retired 747 to the school of aviation, without the engines. It just sits there, huge as can be. Pretty amazing this to see, though kind of pointless.

I´m actually from São Paulo, Brazil, and turistic spots apart, there´s a place in the very center of that crazy mass that is downtown, called Galeria Oriente (Oriental Gallery). Aside from the cacofony of about two or three different languages, the visual pollution of several ranges of products hanging from the walls, from electronics to shoes, the arquitecture of the place is bizarre, almost Escher-esque, there are a lot of stairways and corridors, and in the center of the pavillion (which is three or four stories high) there are two escalators going in different directions, whose sides are covered in mirror. There´s no way you go there for shopping and don´t feel dizzy. I find it incredible, but watch your wallet.

Ottawa, Ontario. If you are in Ottawa in winter, everyone goes to Dow’s Lake which is frozen over and is used as an ice rink. But the lake is even more pretty on autumn evenings, when ducks come to the side to be fed and the sun is setting. Every once in a while you see turtles the size of dinner plates and huge oily black fish.

I guess this spot is popular, but people seem to forget it exists when it is not -30 Celcius.

Ho Chi Minh City: You got to see Thu Thiem bridge, you can have a very good view of cityscape there. Good place to see both sunset and sunrise. So peaceful, and romantic.

I second Beverly’s recommendation for Church Brew Works.

Another recommendation for Pittsburgh, PA is Oh Yeah. A vegan & environmentally friendly coffee shop. The food is delicious (I’m an omnivore) and the cafe has many personal touches. It feels like real people who live up the street are making it work.

I guess you didnt like what I said about my lovely town. Because it so lovely, and everything and everyone in it are so lovely. Lovely crime. Lovely section 8 people. Lovely education system. Lovely shopping centers. Lovely Walmarts. Lovely delicious fast food. Lovely forclosures. Its all lovely….

….whats not lovely are the sunsets, the one sushi place thats next to the ballet studio, and the fresh air.

Well living up next to the Blue Ridge give me a ton of places to choose from. The best one I have found is a very out of the way waterfall. It takes an hour hike to get to but it’s pretty tame of a walk. I believe the name of the place is Crystal Falls and it’s magnificent. A nice deep pool below it for swiming and a good tiered falls.

Wow, this is one very lust-worthy giveaway. That sleek exterior, the lure of 1Tb of crazy storage, AND an ambient light show… my heart sings at the thought. LOL

As for the must see spot in my tiny little town of Sterling, NY; it has to be the Sterling Nature Center.

Living in Sterling is all about the peace and quiet of the countryside. Here is where I have found my peace & constant creative inspiration from the woods surrounding me. McIntyre Bluffs has a beautiful view of Lake Ontario and was also where I was married, so I MIGHT be slightly biased. ;)

Hey NotCot! You need to come over to Newport, RI in the middle of the summer around July, and we’ll head down to the 40 Steps along the cliff walk. The 40 steps overlooks the 2nd Beach and you are surrounded by some of the most historic mansions in the United States (The Breakers, Rosecliff, etc.). Whats even better is that you can jump down on to the rocks put out some blankets, eat lunch, catch some UV, and take a dip in the water. If your ever in Newport, RI send me an email.

Lexington, KY - honestly, unless you are into horses or UK Wildcats there isn’t all that much. If you visited my city I would invite you to attend my church, Quest Community Church and have a latte at our coffee shop…I’d treat.

There is in Brick, NJ a small house, literally about 1/8th the size of a normal house, made of brick, on its own lot, fully furnished. It even has an alarm system.

In Tempe AZ, there is a small (out of the way) vegetarian spot called “Plaid”. Awesome decor, and would make satisfy even the most carnivorous appitite. - It is wonderful.

in raleigh, NC … the rose garden behind the Ralegh Little theater behind NC State Campus… one of my favorite places!

Zeta Janes in Charlotte, NC. Hands down the best breakfast in town… and quite possibly the best chicken sandwich as well. It’s in the up-and-coming Central Ave. arts district and all of their food is organic or free range.

My favorite rental spot, “A Video Store Named Desire” on Santa Monica and Barry. It’s a small mom&pop shop that has a huge selection of movies for only a buck a day. Mike(the owner) has always been really cool and knowledgeable, and it’s not often you can make requests for movies if they’re not there. For any locals, it’s definitely a place to check out.

easton, pa. most people come to take in the views of the delaware off of 611. if you travel to the top tiers of college hill, theres a national forest trail that leads to the most tranquil spot on the top of the mountains with a full view of the best the land that the lehigh valley has to offer!

Morgantown, WV:

There is a little known, old-timey pool hall called the Met downstairs below the Metropolitan Theater (where it gets its name, obviously). People walk by it every day and have no idea it exists. It’s ran by this old couple and has lots of tables, a great beer selection, and an ancient Tetris arcade machine! It’s definitely a hidden gem…just remember not to play on the first table unless your playing for keeps!

i live in the northern region of Abitibi, in Québec, Canada, the world’s largest concentration of smiling people !

One of the best places to visit is the Parc national d’Aiguebelle, a place to surround yourself with pine trees, hillside trails, fresh water lakes & horizons that stretch forever.

It’s my fix.

São Paulo, Brazil: There’s a neighborhood called Vila Madalena. It’s a trendy area with cool bars. But this particular bar is not as popular as the other ones. It looks like a garage, with a narrow wooden door and no sign outside.

It’s called “Sem Saída”, what means “Without Exit”. It has this name because it’s a samba bar and there’s people dancing and playing instruments all night long, and since it’s quite small, when you enter it, you can’t find the exit due to the crowd inside it!

The best thing of this bar is the black bean soup. It’s the best in town (I’ve eaten in lots of bars, and this is the best!). It comes with bacon, seasoning, pepper sauce and bread. Obviously, it’s great with beer!.

Check out this pic I took with my Lomo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rafaelrossi/2474754034/

If you ever come here, go to this adress: Rua Fidalga, 27 - São Paulo.
Order this plate: Caldo de Feijão.

you won’t get this tip in travel guides, Jean!

Ferrum, VA - population 1300. You can pick up the Crooked Road in my town - Virginia’s heritage music trail. Listen to the most authentic bluegrass you’ve ever heard. Maybe you’ll even get a chance to sip some local moonshine. Or you can stop at the 77 and grab some chuckwagon.

I live in Italy, near Turin.
I’ve found a machine that gives you free coke.
Until i will find an atm that gives free euro, I think that this machine is the best place in Europe (with the exception of the xxx shops in Amsterdam)

Here in River Forest Illinois we have Dominican University, which many people know about, but what they don’t know about is the “secret garden” that is behind an unassuming door in an unassuming building, which leads to a little-used courtyard, full of beautiful plantings. It was dormant for many years (MANY YEARS!) until last year when a group of ambitious girl scouts began bringing it back to life. It’s absolutely charming.

Boston- you have got to come down to summer street and A street area… the buildings are BEAUTIFUL… vintage brick buildings, oh my goodness its like a filmakers fantasy dream… oh my

I’m in Cork, Ireland and I’d say a must see place would be the The Lewis Glucksman Art Gallery on a Thursday night - its late opening that almost no-one knows about so you’ll probably have the place to yourself. Great Architecture and depending whats on at the time sometimes great art too!

NYC— Seo — one of the best Japanese noodle places. Their homemade noodles and broths are delicious. And the atmosphere is amazing. Never had to wait long for a table. Place is small. Try for table in the back and the view itself is worth it.

On Stevenson Rd, in the town of Pikesville, a suburb of Baltimore, there is the most insane house. It is at the end of an ordinary road with evenly spaced modest homes, most built in the mid-seventies. It is straight out of Dr. Seuss. Psychedelic and multi-colored. Stoned high-schoolers cruise by at night on occassion.

LaHarpe, IL - Pop. 1400 - We have sand greens on our golf course. The greens are actually sand. Once you hit your golf ball onto the green, you use the provided string tied to the pin to walk your ball to the smooth path to put from. There are only two golf courses in the world that have sand greens, and we have one of them. There is also no club house, or green fees, or cart rentals for that matter.

There’s a nondescript little cafe called Archetypus near me in Edgewater New Jersey. The blinds on the front windows are always drawn and aside from a funky plaster roof, there’s no signage that indicates a restaurant. But through the front door is an intimate, candle-lit cafe with nooks carved into plaster “caves” and a fantastic outdoor patio surrounded by bamboo. The food is yummy too, with lots of natural and organic-inspired dishes. Great place for a first date!

London, reaaly great French restaurant called Le Mercury. It is on Upper Street but has excellent prices and a lovely atmospghere

There’s an abandoned quarry that used to house a brick-making factory in my town (in upstate NY). It’s an amazing hike with a beautiful view of the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers, as well as views of I-86 and I-88. You can still find bricks scattered around, and the little city looks like a real life city from up there!

There’s this small hot dog place close to Evanston, Ill., called Fredhots and Fries. It’s a family-owned business started decades ago serving to families living in the area. They have salmon hotdog, chicken apple gouda hotdog, and Wildgame hotdogs (the meat will depend on what the hunter sends to them that day, including: rabbit, boar, ox, buffalo, alligator, etc.) You can eat outside in nice summer days. I highly recommend this place for visitors of Evanston, Ill.

In Toronto here the architecture is generally a mish mash of victorian homes and run of the mill buildings. But there are some great old “futuristic” modernist and brutalist design buildings build in the early 60’s tucked away throughout the city. One great example is a 1965 built campus building way out in the suburbs: http://www.canadianarchitect.com/common_scripts/xtq_images/212029-104744.jpg and http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2255/2192429102_d739b8d7c2_d.jpg

Patriot’s Cafe in Fairfax, VA is the best dive bar ever. I really do mean ever. They make good, strong, cheap drinks. They have a happy hour every day from 5-7, and again from 8-9. They also have the most ridiculous mix of people. I’ve never seen so many college kids and old bikers hanging out in the same place before. This makes an interesting mix for karaoke, which makes drinking that much more fun! The best thing about Pat’s by far though is the food. The chef, Armando, makes the best, I mean BEST, food ever. This is gourmet quality food… at a little hole in the wall bar. Oh, and did I mention… WiFi? Yeah, they got it. So when I win 1T worth of hard drive space, I’ll be able to chill at the bar on my laptop surfing notcot. Yup, Patriot’s is the best little known gem in Northern Virginia.

west hartford, CT

there has been an midde-aged couple living down near a small stream named trout brook for the past 2 years. no one knows why and the police don’t bother them. I have seen them twice. real strange.

Live dangerously and slip out to the beach at night in Kingston, ON. We do have a beach, just don’t go looking for sand.

Houston, TX, USA - In Houston we just got a new park, that not many know about, called “Discover Green” (here’s a link if you want to know more). Very beautiful park that hosts a plethora of events, from Yoga to Classic Movie Night. Great place for families and even better for you and a date.

If you want someplace more unknown than that I’d suggest the underground tunnels in downtown. Lived in Houston my entire life (all 23 years) and didn’t know that we even had underground tunnels until just a year ago. A link to some of the tunnels inner workings.

Septuagesimo Uno! A tiny park/garden in manhattan that few know about. It’s the smallest park in New York City. It used to be an apartment building, but in the 60s the building was torn down and the plot was turned into a tiny garden. It’s on 71st street (exact location you’ll have to stumble upon just as i did - somuch more rewarding that way, dont you think?!)

the Columbarium… I ‘ll let you figure out the city…

my entire town is a must see spot. it is a small mountain town in north georgia.

Clarkesville,GA,30523

with amazing restaurants, fantastic shops, and beautiful scenery it is a must stop.

I don’t even know about 1000GB. I’m still rockin 500.

Columbus: best burger joint in the city is the Thumrman Cafe, in the German Village.

Great Question! I just ehard abotu a new art gallery in Baltimore - Baltimore Gallery 321 on the corner of West Madison and Eutaw streets. Can’t wait to check it out.

i currently live in richmond, virginia. i’ve been here for four years finishing up college. there’s not a beach here, but there’s belle isle. it’s a river next to a cemetery where james madison is buried. ironically it’s called the hollywood cemetery. creepy and beautiful at the same time, everyone goes there when it’s a sunny day after final exams.

I live in Chicago. You must go see the Neo-futurists, Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, 30 plays in 60 minuets. It is a truly unique theatre experience, plus the plays change each week at a role of a die, so if your like me you can go again and again. Be prepared for the unexpected! neofuturists.org

There’s this little gift shop here in Chicago that most people would pass by not knowing what’s inside. I know this because I passed by it many times before I wandered inside. The only signage they have is an awning that shows a rooster and says “R&R Chicago”. Once you step inside though, you get the feeling that you stepped back in time and are standing in an old rustic, cozy town store. It has old wood floors, dim lighting, and a screen door to welcome you. The shop has everything from cute little gifts you remember from your childhood, to unique jewelry, to soaps and lotions, to cards, to housewares. The staff is also very friendly. It’s a great spot and definitely worth visiting if you find yourself in Chicago.

I live in Indianapolis, IN, and being a part of the music scene here, I think I often times take for granted some of the cool places I’ve played. One such place is a bar called Radio Radio in a small part of town called Fountain Square. I’m surprised on a regular basis how many locals have never even heard of this place, let alone out-of-towners. Not only is it one of the best places in town to see live music in an intimate setting with great sound, the atmosphere is very mellow and cool. Oh, and did I mention it’s nonsmoking? For a nonsmoker such as myself living in a town where smoking in bars is not only ok but viewed by many as a God given right, this bar is a welcome alternative. There are big couches to sit on by the door where you come in, and the bar is very arty. The bartenders are cool, and the guy that runs it is truly dedicated to the local music scene. If you ever make it to Indy, check this place out. Oh, and there are some pretty cool diners around the area to stumble to after last call.

The parking lot behind Chipotle in Beverly Hills. Thank god for that hidden gem.

The Uinta Mountains of Northern Utah. They are beautiful relaxing and extensive. Anyone who enjoys nature, views, hiking, and the outdoor experience should visit these.

You should check out the best pizza in Brooklyn, if not NYC - Lucali’s 575 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY
BYOB, they serve only pizza with fresh toppings of the day and their calzone is the best calzone I’ve ever eaten.

Another place I really like is this “speak-easy” named Back Room 102 Norfolk St, NYC, NY
You walk down these small steps past a kitchen entrance in this small alleyway then up these metal stairs… drinks are served in tea cups and tin can-ish receptacles

you have to see my swimmingpool in the backyard :)

In Grand Central Station outside of the Oyster Bar - you can stand at one corner near the entrance and speak lightly into a coner adjacent and the person in the opposite corner - with their ear to the wall of course, can hear what you are saying….its very weird and very cool.

As cliche as it may seem, the morning mist on a cool early morning in Harvard Yard, Cambridge MA, is truly peaceful and awe-inspiring. Its a beautiful place (when free of tourist groups).

Gilgal Garden in Salt Lake City, Utah. You have to see the Joseph Smith sphinx. (FYI Joseph Smith is the founder of the LDS or Mormon church if you didn’t already know)

Philadelphia, PA.

In a city of neighborhoods with restaurants and bars actings as gems in each, it is hard to pick out just one “local” haunt. But if you are adventurous and a fan of 1950’s style signs, advertisements and hand drawn typography, I would suggest taking a trolley, car, or bike ride from UPenn up Baltimore Avenue to the city limits. There are a ton of old store fronts, houses and signs that show a part of the city that has barely changed at the street level. Some parts can be a little rough, so go during the day, but the reward highly outweighs the risk.

What you reeeeeally need to check out is South Beach Miami (FL)! this is hands down paradise .. this time of year is absolutely gorgeous. Beautiful people, great food, lots of scenery, amazing ocean blues, warm weather … what else can one want? =) … oh and amazing Cuban coffee ;)

Our little town has a ton of little early 1900s Aladdin kit homes, similar to Sears kit homes which get a lot more attention. There are probably over 100 of the houses in town and they have been around so long no one here notices them anymore, but an expert came through town and was amazed at the sheer number and quality of our little “mill village”. Lots of history is being town down and sold off to people who don’t care about the historic value. Very sad, but there are a few of these houses still available to see if you ever make your way through Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina.

Philadelphia, PA. A second tip for those that are foodies, and also into old-world feels. Check out the Italian Market from 9th and Catharine south to Wharton. You will see and smell and taste the finest imported cheese, cured meats, freshest produce, and specialty fish, butcher, and kitchen stores. There are a number of small boutique galleries, and some of the better restaurants in the city; Ralph’s, Sabrina’s, James, etc.

Once you get past Washington (going South) you get a bonus round of Mexican specialty shops which is the only part of the city I have been able to find Cotija (Mexican cheese) and also eat at La Verracruzano some of the best and cheapest Mexican food in the country. At Passyunk is Geno’s and Pat’s cheesesteaks, I prefer Pat’s since they have no rules on having to speak English or “Love It or Leave It”

If you go west when you get to Washington you can also check out some of the Vietnamese grocery stores as well.

The Italian Market is definitely the beginning of a very cultural experience in the city, and is the oldest outdoor market in the country.

The Christopher Elbow chocolate store in the Cross Roads district of Kansas City. The best chocolates around and a great place to hangout with friends and watch them make their decedant delights.

People should definitely check out “Pike Place Market” when they come to visit Seattle. The place have great foods and so much culture.

Please and thank you…
Not necessarily unknown, since they’ve been getting more popular every year, with more and more of the local businesses/bars have been opening them up and/or using them for their own purposes, but the old underground Chinese slaver tunnels that used to span all over the downtown area in Portland, OR are still a neat place to check out, (and now get drunk in!) Build and lived in by the Chinese slaves that were used to build the railroads throughout the area.

I live in Larnaca, a small town from Cyprus and there is the best coffee place ever! Its called “glykolemono”. They have the best coffee and they serve the best greek mpougatsa and apple pie! not many people know about it because they all prefer the high street cafes with lots of people and the smoke that i hate!

In Flossmoor, IL you have to go to The Flossmoor Station Brewery. An award winning brewpub with the best seasonal ales. Yummm.

Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur, along the Gombak River, the walls are lined with some fantastic graffiti.. if you take our Light Rail Transit through the city, you’ll see it. Its between the stops “Pasar Seni” and “Masjid Jamek”. (:

Bennsonhurst, NY - 84th and 85th street, between 16 and 17th Avenue. These couple of streets are famous for holiday decorations for the holiday season… especially for Christmas. Tons of locals go there each year. must see!!

I live in Arlington, TX. I haven’t been here for too long, so I don’t know too many places up this way yet, but I used to live in San Antonio, TX and there’s a few spots down there that I liked. First Friday was always fun. It’s a monthly event on the first Friday where they set up a gallery viewing, and people set up their home craft booths, and compliment booths. My friends and I would always end up at our second location next, was just down the street from the fun at the Madhatter’s Tea House & Cafe, where the tea and cookies were just amazing, so we made a point to goto First Friday every month so that we had an excuse to stop by Madhatter’s!

I just moved to my current town, so I don’t know about any hidden must sees yet (been here about a month) however when I lived in Columbus, OH I would always take people to the topiary garden downtown. It’s in a little park that most of the people I met didn’t know about. Hidden in plain sight in the middle of downtown.

minneapolis, mn: sometimes i feel like this entire city is a secret that we keep from the rest of the world; it is one of the most amazing cities i’ve ever been in, and yet it is not crowded at all. we’re the second most bike-friendly city in the states and the minnesota nice-ness is contagious.

that being said, there is a trussel over the mississippi that is old and no longer used and runs parallel to newer bridge for trains that is lovely for sitting on in the summer for drinking wine and reading a good book.

Downtown Tulsa Oklahoma has the Center of the Universe. A strange location where everything echoes.

20 minutes away from where I live, in Hamilton, New Jersey there is a sculpture garden called the NJ Grounds For Sculpture. It is 35 acres of contemporary sculpture and visual art, and even has a small lake. Tickets cost $10 for adults, but few people visit; probably because the sculpture garden is located behind a group of unsightly industrial buildings.

the (origional) chatterbox cafe in minneapolis. wonderful food, local micro brews, local soda, and you can rent vintage console games for a buck.

San Francisco: Lovejoy’s Tea Room

Lace doilies, antiques, old photos, teapots and saucers galore decorate the space… It feels like you’re having tea at your grandmama’s home! The Taylor’s Tea Room Blend tea is nutty warm and cozy… coupled with the hot scone with double devon cream is absolutely DIVINE!
I love this place for fun girlfriend dates, playing-house romantic dates and mother’s day thank-you-mama dates.
Everytime I have tea there I am giddy, happy and feel like I’m in a modern day “Little Princess”!

If you’re in Charlotte, NC and you have a dog, you gotta go to the Dog Bar in NoDa. It’s a bar where you and your pooch can hang out and drink with other pooches.

If you like beer and happen to be in Rochester, NY, you can’t go wrong with stopping by Beers of the World in Winton Plaza. Just like the name says, it stocks rare and exotic beers from all over and allowed me to try my first banana bread beer. - yummmmmmmm

In Berlin/Germany: In autumn at 7 in the evening look from the Kastanienallee into the Orderberger Straße in the direction of the Mauerpark and u will enjoy the most beautiful urban sunset ever!

Venice, CA: Sure the shops on Abbot Kinney are rad, and the boardwalk is a freak show, but nothing beats buzzing into the Nile Collective. After you’ve shown your license you can settle into an Eames chair and flip through Sagmeisters new book while waiting for your turn to enter the backroom. After a few short minutes you’ll be called back and a personal assistant will describe all the various strains of designer pot that’s offered. It’s a surreal experience, especially for those not accustomed to SoCals medical marijuana laws.

Salem, OR
When you head out Eola at night you can see the entire city lights and there is a great windy road that is so much fun when your driving a VW ;).

Venice, CA: Sure the shops on Abbot Kinney are rad, and the boardwalk is a freak show, but nothing beats buzzing into the Nile Collective. After you’ve shown your license you can settle into an Eames chair and flip through Sagmeisters new book while waiting for your turn to enter the backroom. After a few short minutes you’ll be called back and a personal assistant will describe all the various strains of designer pot that’s offered. It’s a surreal experience, especially for those not accustomed to SoCals medical marijuana laws.

There is Aussie ran place in Alphabet City (East Village) in NYC on Ave. C and E. 8th street called “Sunburnt Cow.” They have an all you can drink brunch special for $15. Includes: Any item off the brunch menu with your endless choices of Bloody Marys, Mimosas,Greyhounds and Foster Beer. I’m there every Sunday!

Here in NW Arkansas in the town of Bella Vista is a cave that used to house the Wonderland Underground Nightclub. Originally opened in 1930 to a 400+ over capacity crowd it has served many purposes including state senate meeting place and a winery. It is also one of the places mentioned in Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita that was later turned into a Stanley Kubrick movie of the same name. Almost no one around here knows about it! Google it, it’s very interesting.

-Aaron

google image search-milk bottle oklahoma city.

cute triangle building in the middle of an intersection with a huge milk bottle on top. also if you take the time to go inside you will find out you can get yourself a french/vietnamese sandwich for only two dollars and to make it even better it is served up on fresh french bread made at our local french bakery.

This is my first post on notcot, but I’ve been coming here for a year. Believe me when I say next year, when I start teaching for America, I could use this fo sho! :D

living in italy, padua (not far from venice) what you can spot in my city, are some nice little places to stay and chill like that super nice cafè in which you can surf freely on the net, listen to some good music (jazz mainly or something slow) eat what you want and also read the books over there. and if you like the books you can swap or buy them. that’s nice huh?!

i live in schenectady,new york, which is, in and of itself, a spot most people don’t know about- a beautiful post industrial wasteland.. what makes it great are all the little businesses that have managed to hold on in the face of industrial decline and decay… my favorite spot is perecca’s bakery… in a part of the city that is almost abandoned, they make a fabulous load of round bread and sell it for almost nothing.

So I live in Toronto, we have the usual tourist crap, but there is this one building that is so crazy, you won’t believe it. It’s called the Canadian National Tower (C.N. for short). Now I know what you’re thinking, isnt’ that the worlds tallest freestanding structure? Well if you had asked a few years ago, the answer would have been yes, but today, the answer is sadly… no. So there it sits in all it’s glory. Long forgotten, a desolate place once the largest phallic symbol in the world. Now, it is second banana.

In Cambridge, MA - the Natural History Museum at Harvard. No one really knows it’s there as it looks like any other ancient brick building around here, but inside they have a permanent exhibition on the glass flowers done by Leopold Blaschka in the late 1800s…they look incredibly realistic. Even have sea creatures in glass, like this:

http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/archive/x1279458188/g258258401fe4e9626527fe1c49672b84d30726514c5d70.jpg

Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana: What you really must see is the Zemurray Estate in Loranger. Picture a long, winding drive lined with ancient oaks dripping with spanish moss that leads up to an amazing antebellum mansion in a perfect state of decay. The home was sealed decades ago, but through the windows you still see the original furnishings and details, moldering away untouched by human hands. One portico has crumbled, but the home itself is a perfect work of art, even in the way it is being slowly reclaimed by the Louisiana wilderness. It is set on 5,000 acres that was fenced off before the Civil War, with the original macadam fenceposts that line miles of rural roadway still intact.

The grounds include not only the live oaks, but acre upon acre of formal gardens, some still maintained, but many beautifully gone wild. The Zemurrays were horticulture enthusiasts who managed to cultivate rare plants that took well to the Louisiana climate, so you’ll find stands of true giant bamboo and exotic blooming flowers whose names I’ll never know. When you go exploring, you’ll come across moss-covered classic statuary and benches that were set in the gardens, an arched bridge, gravestones in the woods with inscriptions too weathered to read. The estate gives up its secrets at every turn, if you are looking closely at not only what is there, but also what was.

This is a place of planned formality that is slowly giving way to a dark, feral abundance. It is one of the most beautiful places on earth, one that moves you to reflect on all that has happened here, and what is yet to come.

Orlando, Florida … forget the theme parks — my pick is the Central Florida Zoo! They have the cutest animals, and since it’s about an hour north of Disney, I don’t think most people remember it.

Also — Azalea Park … it’s amazing.

Better than my current locale, I’d rather tell you about a place I used to live.

Leuven, Belgium: Cafe Amedee is the best bar I’ve ever been to. Serves high quality beer on tap, only plays classical music, go and chess sets all over the beaten old tables. Run by a grizzled old socialist named Lucas. Also, closes at like 5 in the morning.

In New York City? Though I’d say there are dozens of hidden gems how about the fake meat store in chinatown? An entire store packed with fake meat!!!! (Though a pescetarian personally I sort of love fake meat.)

http://www.wildflourbread.com/

great bread!

Toronto, Canada: Sublime Espresso Bar, Kensington Market - perhaps the richest, smoothest, most delicious cappuccino I have ever had.

In Ithaca, NY there is an abandoned gun factory.. a little creepy depending on the time of day, but contains some interestinf spaces and is a great place to take pictures..

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/20/dscn2442ha1.jpg

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/6349/73660009yc1.jpg

New York, NY (well Brooklyn really): The Gowanus Canal. It has a reputation as a stagnant cesspool (true) and a developing arts district (also true) but I think it’s kind of beautiful. The bridges and Manhattan in the background, grunge-chic empty lots and fading old signs. Just hold your nose.

I live in Atlanta, so just about everything here is well known. But what isn’t known outside of the small little community of eccentrics that live in Little Five Points is the Krog Street Tunnel. It’s a tunnel where graffiti is legal, so it is an ever changing art gallery. I love going there at least once a week to see what is new; it’s kind of like a weekly news update because the art reflects what is going on at the time. Around the election, the tunnel was covered in Obama related graffiti, whenever popular movies come out, you can bet there will be something related to it painted up.
And I know you didn’t ask what to use this for, but I would keep my art stored while I gather up the nerve to go and add a little something of my own to the walls :)

Richmond, VA is a place most people forget to stop into on the way down 95. So the next time you have an extra 20 min. or an hour and a half, the stop is well worth it. For a quick, amazing bite to eat try The Black Sheep right off of the highway. For wonderful hidden views try the backside of Hollywood Cemetery which lets you look at both the downtown skyline and the river (Belle Island included). Plus there’s a pretty awesome sushi place that serves tater tots in a bucket… with secret tot sauce (Sticky Rice).

Cape Girardeau, MO
There is a hidden koi fountain just off of a road down by the river and Cape Rock Outlook Park. I proposed to my wife there. Pretty neat

Pittsburgh, PA - There’s a spot right near Pitts International Airport where you can lay on the hood of your car and watch planes go by. After that you can drive to the nearby Drive-In movie theater and catch a double feature for an amazingly cheap $6.00! It even has an incredible concession stand!

Well… I live in Panama City Beach, so there isn’t much of it that tourists haven’t found yet, but there IS one place I know about.

Tucked away in a little strip mall is a tiny Snow-Ball shop. I have no idea how they stay in business since they aren’t even by the beach, but they have some awesomely authentic New Orleans food. It was opened by a guy that was born and raised in New Orleans who lost his house in Katrina. He is one of the friendliest people I’ve ever come across, and he takes his Snow-Ball stand out to the local school events and charges almost nothing for them. The guy just loves telling stories about “the good old days” in New Orleans.

In a place that is packed with moronic spring breakers, condos, beach clubs and tourist traps, this guy is a ray of sunshine. If you are passing through, be sure to stop by David’s New Orleans Style Snow-Balls.

(Also, my wife’s photography business is slowly picking up, and computer storage is becoming a necessity! Please pick me so I can give it to her!!)

Ooh my hubs would LOVE this!

The BEST place for dinner in my city, Sacramento, is actually at a lovely couple’s home in Land Park. They’ve dubbed themselves The Hidden Kitchen and host uber-secret dinner parties for 5 random couples about once a month (much like Oakland’s Ghetto Gourmet). They put the focus on eating locally and usually finish each meal with an apertif of their own homemade Limoncello. SO GOOD!

Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York:
The little waterfalls in Prospect Park. If you walk in through the 9th street entrance and keep going straight through the main field, you’ll come on a bridge that has two little waterfalls on each side. Great place to relax and a little piece of “outdoors” in Brooklyn.

Huntington Beach, Orange County, CA - Chronic Taco: This little hole in the wall taco place serves the best Taco tuesdays and it’s just a short walk to the beach. Last summer when i was unemployed (lucky me) i spent my hard earned savings on tacos and beer and took trips to the beach. Sad time in my life that i really wouldn’t have given up for anything. Thank god i’m working again though. haha

It’s called Tarantula Hill but most people have never been there or even knows that it exists. It’s a nice little spot to hike at.

Toscanini’s in Central Square, Cambridge. The most amazing ice cream you’ll ever taste, made right in the back. An ever-rotating array of flavors like Honey Chamomile, Burnt Caramel, and Lemon Pistachio will keep you coming back again and again.

Parker, CO (Where I live): Nothing

Denver, CO (Where I play): More days of sunshine than Maui: over 300 days a year makes for some of the best weather to do, well, anything in!

This time of year it HAS to be the Bay outside the power plant in Juno Beach, Florida. Being so close to the water make the ocean water directly outside the plant much warmer than the deeper colder water, this attracts 1000’s of manatees and they all crowd in trying to get as close as they can to all that warm water. It’s quite an amazing site to see, I highly recommend the trip if ur in the area.

deep in the depths of my town.
there are two trees, siamese connected by one branch.
in that branch is a hole.
in that dark dark hole that leads to a land of treasure.
there and only there, must you visit.

In my hometown (Kenosha, WI) one must-see -but often unseen- spots is the view from a dive bar called Parkview Terrace. It looks down over Carthage College and Lake Michigan behind it.

I love the Franklin Fountain in Olde City Philadelphia. It is one of those throwback ice cream parlors with soda jerks. They serve flavors like teaberry and seasonal ice creams like fresh blueberry in the summer. They also have an assortment of old school treats like Moxie soda. Fantastic! The best part for me is that they don’t serve their ice cream in cups, but rather, chinese take out container. Try it.

Madison, WI - Dobra Tea Room on State Street. Fantastic for a cold winter afternoon!

When in NYC you MUST go see and eat at Illbigatto in the alphabet city section. It is an absolutely awesome authentic northern italian resturaunt. The food is just amazing and youmust try the roasted chicken. All food and wine are bought in Italy once a month by the onwner. Oh and it’s strictly cash no credit and u must RSVP the place is always packed.

I’m in Houston Tx. Check out the Beer Can House if you ever Visit:
http://www.agilitynut.com/h/beercanhouse.html
This is sustainable design and a testiament to what Six Pack a day habbit for two decades can produce!

I live in Santa Rosa, in the California Wine Country. Lots of great wineries to go to, too many to think about. One of the best spots though is Armstrong Redwoods. It’s a beautiful State Natural Reserve. Huge redwood trees.

Not only that – they have wifi! I just read on the Arstrong Woods website here: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=450

That rocks. I could be surfing notcot among giants.

My town is home to RM Classic Cars. They’re one of the biggest auto restoration companies in the world. They’ve worked on cars for Jay Leno and many other famous people. They have a great museum just off the highway. Because of RM our town was designated the Classic Car Capital.

In a park in Cape Town, South Africa: (near Constantia I believe)

There has always been a problem with the weather there; its erratic and unpredictable, and meteorology just doesn’t cut it most of the time. So someone came up with a lovely, cheeky solution: the magical weather rock. It is a rock, suspended from four chains hung from small stone obelisks in the wonderfully lush, green park (which by itself is quite special.) There is a little plaque that explains how it works, which reads something like this:

“When the rock is wet: its raining.
When the rock is warm: its sunny.
When the rock has snow on it: its snowing.
When the rock is swinging: its windy.”

Its cute and so well hidden that few know about it who haven’t lived there. :)

well you see there is a great little place that almost noone knows about in wilmington de. its on the corner of market and 3rd and its my bedroom!! not many people know about it but its pretty amazing and ive got some really sweet stuff up there….like old school nintendo on a projector,ever play knockout on a 10X10 wall…i think not!

in Chino Hills, CA, there is a beautiful, but small park called Skyview that has two half court basketball courts on both ends of the park. What makes this park so beautiful is the green shrubbery that hides the houses. The park is very fun to walk through as it helps escape the “city life”

For most people, my town itself is someplace they don’t think actually exists because I live in Kalamazoo Michigan. It’s north west of a little town called Climax and contains a road called HJ avenue (which isn’t half as exciting as you think it would be). The coolest thing I’ve ever seen in this town was the room in a paper mill where they they dyed the paper. The building itself had long been closed and so by the time I got there the room was filled with dirt, moss, and pigeon poop but the sides of the vats had all these multi-colored drips of dye down the sides of them. One was stained a bright yellow the looked completely out of place compared to the decay in the rest of the room. There are some lovely pictures that I would adore putting on that drive ^_^

Hong Kong’s Reclamation Street’s just 2 streets from the famous temple street, but if you really want to see industrial looking old hong kong, that’s where you should be heading, instead of the usual merchandise that gear towards the tourists in temple street, which you’ve seen everywhere.

hawk hill in san francisco.
most people know about twin peaks as an overlook site with great views of the city.
hawk hill is smaller, secluded, and closer to the main part of the city. views are spectacular.
map is here: http://www.yelp.com/map/tank-hill-san-francisco

In Portland, OR you should visit Velveteria: the museum of velvet paintings.

http://www.velveteria.com/index2.htm

Portland, Oregon: I really can’t choose between my top two places that not a lot of people visit. So I would highly suggest visiting The Roxy which is a 24-hour cafe that has an amazing nightlife as well as day life. You always have a blast and the clientele ranges from people stopping in before work to even some lovely Transvestites. The second most amazing place to visit is Darcelle’s. Darcelle’s is a leading supporter of our favorite Queens and has a lovely drag show you can see nightly and even hosts the La Femme Magnifique Pagent once a year. Definitely check out the site http://www.darcellexv.com/index.php

In Portland, Oregon (or just outside of it) there is a lady who has a self-cleaning house. Everything in the house is made of materials that are suds-proof- meaning the picture frames, the floors, the furniture, etc. I think she was an engineer at one point, and decided to turn her house into a project. You can visit it, but unfortunately I’m a little unsure how to. It’s always been on my list of things to see here in Oregon.

When people come to San Francisco, they usually stick to the basics: Union Square, the Wharf, lately the Mission, etc. BART has limited range, but if you’re willing to walk a few blocks, maybe hike a hill or two, you can find lots of little pockets of restaurants and boutiques. And one of the best parts about coming to California in general is the food. So my spot is off the main BART lines a few blocks, nestled down in the Hayes Valley. There’s a great little German restaurant on the corner of Hayes and Laguna called Süpenküche. German is not necessarily the country people would associate with fine dining, and this place is definitely not haute cousine. But Supenkuche has the staples, and they’re all amazing. The one thing that people do associate with Germany is beer, and they definitely do not disappoint on that front either. If you’re up for it, you can even order “The Boot”.
So, come to SF and eat. Don’t do the other touristy things, just find one of these little streets and stuff your face. You’ll thank me.

The slides in San Francisco!

I live in Miami, FL…and forget the beaches, there’s this amazing pizza place called The Big Tomato. It’s tiny, and it’s on a main street (but it’s pretty well hidden), and it’s so delicious. Their Pesto Passion Pie is PERFECT - chicken, cheese, onions, basil pesto. And their crust…so light! So crunchy! I want it now! :DDD

San Francisco: there’s a great bar iright near the grungy transbay terminal called 83 proof. great bartenders, swank space, cool music

At the Noodles & Co. in pdx, you can just talk to a manager and they’ll serve you free food for you and 6-8 more friends. Just ask. Srsly.

Lewisporte, NL, Canada -It’s a fishing/shipping town, but there’s an island about an hour boat ride away, with a mountain where just the top is called Flagstaff. It takes 3 hours to get to the top, where the view is absolutely breathtaking, a 360 degree view with ocean all around. And I mean breathtaking, literally. Plus there’s two graveyards and 3 heritage eagles nests along the way.

St. Paul, MN: There’s a quiet dock on the northeast shore of Upper Lake (really more of a pond) in the Crosby Farm park along the Mississippi River. The fish below, reeds all around, grasshoppers on the path all lend this spot a secret and solitary feel. A great place to get away and read a few chapters of fiction on a summer afternoon.

Edmonton = Purple City

There are bright orange/yellow lights illuminating our legislature building. The grounds are open to the public, bonus. Get your face right in front of the lights and stare at it for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

When you’re done, stand up & face south. Every single white light in the city appears purple.

Hong Kong-ian. but currently studying in Rhode Island.

Theres one old man who comes out on the street with his tiny silver cart on thursdays and mondays in the even months and wednesday and fridays in the odd months to sell this OLD and lost traditional Chinese dessert of sugar, wafer and coconut. it sounds odd and looks odd.. infact im not sure if it is traditional.. just that when im in hong kong this ancient man has got MY visit! even though i have figured a general idea of his business hours, my days are disappointed when he doesnt come, Other times he surprises me when he comes on days off his pattern. I always wonder where he lives, what he does on absent days, does he have someone… why do i care so much?
must be something special in his dessert!

he can be found randomly or nathan/jordan street in hong Kong.. sometimes his location is scattered around there.
i wonder if other people crave for his desserts like i do.

cant find odd and amusing things in Rhode Island! let me have a seagate to play with!

I’m from Salt Lake City, Utah and I would say the must see sight is the view of the valley Salt Lake City is in from the Capitol building. Its spectacular.

in san juan puerto rico the most seen spot is the fort san cristobal. a place made by the spanish people during they power here in puertoorro. this place took 300 years to be build. ist pretty old but really beautiful. it has like a big whole green area and the wind makes that pople all over the island come to fly some kites. you should come =]

Philadelphia, PA

The Mutter Museum
Featuring unique specimens, both biological, artificial, as well as images, rare books and manuscripts from the Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia.

19 SOUTH TWENTY-SECOND STREET, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19103-3097

A great place in st. Louis is Crown Candy, this amazing candy shop downtown. It’s in a bit of a bad neighborhood, but it’s all worth it for one of their malts, or some heavenly hash. They’re very quirky, and it’s where all the locals go when we get a sweet tooth (they have all types of ice cream, chocolate, caramel, you name it!), and people will travel from the counties for these treats. If you’re ever in St. Louis, look this place up!

You guys should visit our little version of china town here in Manila, Philippines which is in Binondo. It’s got everything China has to offer without actually going there. I do recommend the food there it’s really a unique experience. :)

Cleveland, Ohio: Perhaps my favorite haunt, the always delicious Johnny’s Little Bar. Backing up to one of the premier restaurants in downtown Cleveland, this little gem shares its kitchen. Neighborhood-haunt prices cater to the service industry and the food to those that are in the know and not in the money.

:) Enjoy if you’re ever out this way!

There is a little park tucked away on the corner of Dillworth Mountain that gives you a great view of the whole Valley~!

Detroit Michigan,

Most people don’t even appreciate this city anymore, and with the economy down like this, no one even thinks about exploring Detroit.

right in the middle on downtown just north of the GM Renaissance building is the Compuware World Headquarters. This building is a must see when you are in town to see the Detroit Auto Show. Located within it is the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, close to 200 feet in height, and it’s dazzled with an array of colors in the night.

Also there is Hard Rock Cafe, where you can enjoy the night at a great diner. It is a must see.

Fairfax, Virginia. It’s the hotness yo!

We have an farmers water duct that we use for swimming it’s sweetness.

There are not many peruvian restaurants out there which makes Candela’s in Tucson so special. It is hidden in a little strip mall on oracle road. It is a must have stop in Tucson because there is no place like it in the state.

Portland, Oregon: People think the Multnomah Falls are something to see but, as they make the loop, they miss the best waterfall of them all, the (lower) Oneanta. It requires a hike up a narrow gorge, literally “feet in the creek,” but you can go right up and touch the downwater. I recommend going 11am to 1pm, or else you get no warming sunlight down into the gorge.

In Buffalo, NY these is a deteriorating architectural masterpiece known as the Grand Central Terminal. This grand Art Deco train stations hearkens back to Buffalo’s rich history in the early 20th Century when it was a center of cultural and technological development. Currently, the regal building sits in a state of disrepair, waiting for someone to turn it into an art gallery or music venue.

!BADASS!

How do I trump everyone else, by spilling over the badass meter.

Lodi, New Jersey: Check out the birth place of Danzing & the Misfits!

Or if food is the way to your heart… go to the White Manna in Hackensack, New Jersey. Built in 1937 prior to the 1939 Worlds Fair exhibition where it still stands. Best slider burger you’ll ever have.

What makes this city beats is unmistakable. But people tend to just focus on the bigger picture, ignoring anything deemed secondary. Minor. The acclaimed heritage buildings and how can I not mention the food, oh glorious food - it is the food capital in the country, no less, are both pulling in tourists every year.

Yet, it is the small little things that make the biggest difference of all. Most people tend to scoff at this notion but what’s the hidden gem in this city you ask?

It’s the people.

City-dwellers. Neighbors. Friends. Family.
You.
And Me.

Penang.
It’s home.
My home.

My Thai in Boston.. They just opened up a location in Chinatown. It’s a nice, quiet place to get Asian Fusion Vegan Food. They also have the most delicious carrot cake [which is vegan as well].

Writing from Roseville, California here…Favorite spot in town that most people don’t know about? Most definitely the tire swing in my back yard. Without a doubt.

Here in Dallas we have a lot of really cool stuff, but one of the must see spots is Lookout Park. It’s on the edge of Richardson (in North East Dallas) so it has high rise office buildings next to this massive expanse of forest. Inside the park you’re lost in nature among the trails, unable to see anything urban.

the toilet behind the post office

Once upon a time, in my small yuppy city, Ellicott City, “The Enchanted Forest” was built in the 50s. Was the 2nd themepark in the U.S. after Disneyland. http://theimaginaryworld.com/ef.html It’s was a small storybook themed park with mini castles, pumpkin carriages, whale in the lake, gingerbread men figures, giant mother goose, etc the works. Fastforward to 80s when the place was shut down completely. The land was sold & a shopping center was built around it & deemed itself the new Enchanted Forest :( The old storybook wonderland was actually encircled behind the shopping center stores, bordered my chain fencing. When I was in high school, we’d sneak to the fairytale land to do our photography projects. Obviously, by 2004-ish the colors on the giant gingerbread houses and the Dish & Spoon had eerily melted & mixed with grimy black. It all looked creepy but beautiful to stare at antique gems hiden away only to be discovered by this generation’s most curious! Some pieces have been removed & restored at a farm but it’s not the same…

(2000: http://theimaginaryworld.com/ef2000.html BUT that’s when it still looked rather new.. not yet paint peeling & pretty yet decrepit)
(How I discovered it as: http://www.flickr.com/photos/defekto/sets/582337/detail/ photos not by me) http://www.agilitynut.com/fairyparks/1.html

Once upon a time, in my small yuppy city, Ellicott City, “The Enchanted Forest” was built in the 50s. Was the 2nd themepark in the U.S. after Disneyland. http://theimaginaryworld.com/ef.html It’s was a small storybook themed park with mini castles, pumpkin carridges, whale in the lake, gingerbread men figures, giant mother goose, etc the works. Fastforward to 80s when the place was shut down completely. The land was sold & a shopping center was built around it & deemed itself the new Enchanted Forest :( The old storybook wonderland was actually encircled behind the shopping center stores, bordered my chain fencing. When I was in high school, we’d sneak to the fairytale land to do our photography projects. Obviously, by 2004-ish the colors on the giant gingerbread houses and the Dish & Spoon had eerily melted & mixed with grimy black. It all looked creepy but beautiful to stare at antique gems hiden away only to be discovered by this generation’s most curious! Some pieces have been removed & restored at a farm but it’s not the same…

(2000: http://theimaginaryworld.com/ef2000.html BUT that’s when it still looked rather new.. not yet paint peeling & pretty yet decrepit)
(How I discovered it as: http://www.flickr.com/photos/defekto/sets/582337/detail/ photos not by me) http://www.agilitynut.com/fairyparks/1.html

I live in a city known for all the must see spots in it. But there’s one spot a lot of people miss, a place where you can lie on the grass, hear the water and relax. Just relax and enjoy the view. The Palace of Fine Arts is something you can’t miss when you visit San Francisco. The architecture is mesmerizing and the feeling you get when you take a brake and admire the view, is like you’re in a small part of paradise. That’s why you can’t miss this must see spot in San Francisco.

Slides, I say, Slides!! In Berkeley there’s this great cement slides that is destined to be gleefully slid down on a piece of cardboard.

The must see point for where I live, in the Rockridge area of Oakland California, is from atop the Mountain View Cemetery. Though not for any architectural or landscaping conceit, but for the magnificent view.

Mountain View Cemetery is built on a hillside that overlooks the city of Oakland, and San Francisco beyond the nearby bay. At the dusk of twilight there is no prettier sight of a city that I’ve ever seen than the top of that hill, amongst the well kept grass, of the city down below; vapor creeping low across parts of the valley floor, and in the distance San Francisco rising up, emergent, from within the fog, illuminated by the radiant hues of the setting sun.

In Salt Lake City, where I grew up there’s this little hidden sculpture garden behind the bread factory… There’s a Joseph Smith Sphinx among the collection.

There is a rather quaint cemetery next to my house. I live in the city, as is the cemetery, but when you enter you feel as though you are in the middle of the country side. it is staggeringly beautiful, especially on a crisp winters morning, with frost covering the overgrown and unkempt gravestones, with the sun falling on it and sparkling. you also see the occasional fox, which pass quite near you when you are walking around the labyrinth of stone and ivory.

This is easy! Firehouse 12 is the BEST kept secret in New Haven. It’s a small music house/ studio/ lounge/ bar that is only open a few months each year. They play live music from local / up coming bands in an array of genres. When the liquid drum and bass gets boring, this is where I go to unwind. The music isn’t the only thing that makes it unique, the space itself is so beautifully designed. I really need to get the name of their interior decorator, because this place is amazing. The lighting hits the floor and the ceiling just right keeping it low key and moody and the furniture and seating arrangements are open and friendly so that every space is open to the others and no one feels closed in or secluded. It’s the best way to meet new people and enjoy music without having to look around a pillar or booth. If you ever happen to be in CT I’d totally suggest visiting and reviewing this revamped Firehouse. It’s beautiful: http://firehouse12.com/.

Go to the park on the north part of boston’s north end, and there is a plaque to remember the great molasses flood.

In the city of Makati in the Philippines, there’s a small restaurant amidst the “red light district” portion of Makati Avenue. Its name is “Panama Jack”, and although it is located in such a place, the owner (Julie) is said to be deeply religious. My dad used to bring us there, and although the place looks like a dump from the outside, once you get to experience the inside you’ll never look at it the same way again. The inside is warm and cozy, and absolutely spotless - the staff, all too willing to make you feel at home. The food is amazingly good, too, and the portions are way more than just enough. Anyone who lives nearby should try to visit it sometime.

I’m from the Philippines and there is a place here called Caramoan, in Bicol, that I can honestly say would blush most popular beach resorts into closing, and the thing is this small stretch of land is almost undiscovered except by those living nearby. If this comment box can only allow images…

Louisville, KY: Jennica’s on Market St. Very chill location with musicians performing and a good wine and beer selection. Great interior, clean and simple yet modern.

Well, the place that most people don’t know is the fields at the edge of the city
but I’m not gonna say which city since then it wont be a secret anymore :-)

that would look so good sitting next to my macbook pro!

Bunny Man Bridge! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunny_Man

or a close second…

Midgetville! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midgetville#Vienna.2C_Virginia

Nunhead Cemetery, LONDON, UK

Originally opened in 1840 the 52 acre Nunhead cemetery contains examples of the magnificent monuments erected in memory of the most eminent citizens of the day, which contrast sharply with the small, simple headstones marking common, or public, burials. It’s formal avenue of towering limes and the Gothic gloom of the original Victorian planting gives way to paths which recall the country lanes of a bygone era.

What’s amazing about this place, whats so eye shatteringly wonderfull is that the place is wild! Strolling thru Nunhead on the paths you would think you were on a forest walk, trees shoot up into the sky like small buildings while clearer parts of the forest floor are dotted with gravestones at peculiar angles. The film set like brilliance of the place is that it’s natural, the materials are organic and even though they are shaped into crosses, tomb stones and angels they still look and FEEL right in this environment without feeling disjointed or spooky.

sitting on the front steps of my house with my 1 year old daughter watching the people/cars/bikes/dogs go by with mini-speakers playing old jazz at low volume. it gets no better…

Greenville, sc
Theres an old stone dam off highway 14, its very nice, though very smelly due to a company nearby.

when visiting portland you must visit the 24 hour church of elvis. 408 N.W. Couch. their website is http://www.24hourchurchofelvis.com/

*In my very small town of Bogalusa, Louisiana there really isn’t much to do. But there’s defiantly more than meets the eye. We have this place in our park that is home to an old dam that was somehow broken. We call it ‘The Spot.’ We have defiantly had times there.
“c’mon!” she shouted as I stumbled drunkenly down the levee.
The thick spiky brush gave way to a long cement wall that stretched over a trickling creek. She held her hand out for me and retorted, “C’mon.”
I returned the hand and we anchored each other as -*we sat down on the wall, dangling our feet over the frigid water. The moon and stars danced and swirled around each other in the distorted mirror of reality. “Oh, wow,” I only half realized I had spoken.
“Yah,” she started, “we used to catch whales here.”
She broke her stare from the sky to shoot a cheeky glance at me.
“You’re so full of shit!”
“No really,” she assured, I was unconvinced of course, “Yep, you just tie a shiny to a string of sorts and when you return under a half moon and cold night you’ll have a whale.”
I scoffed as she was pulling a string of faulty Christmas lights from the arctic water. She pretended to struggled as if heaving the Titanic from the ocean floor. “Ugh! Well, don’t bother helping me!”
“I think you got it,” I chuckled at a lit a cigarette.
At the end of the string was a small bangle I had seen her wear before. “Well, no whale. Let’s go.”
I started to stand and dust off my bum. “Just wait damnit!”
I stepped over to her in a huff and leaned over to look at what I thought was nothing as blew a pillar of smoke in her face as a lark. “It’s freezing tits out here!” I complained then gawked at the sight.
I’d never seen anyone smile as resiliently as she did just then, “I told you.”

There’s this little alley in downtown Poughkeepsie that looks like a dream when the sun shines late afternoon.

Dozen Cupcakes in Pittsburgh, PA. Unbelievably delicious and beautiful cupcakes. Theres not much more I can say.

In San Francisco, we have a very small little design museum tucked in between two larger buildings…sort of like the childrens story “This Little House”
They have a great mixture of craft and design exhibitions….

I guess the must see spot would be Cocoa beach. Especially when the space shuttle is going up. We had a night launch recently and its pretty amazing to watch from the beach.

Hot Doug’s in Chicago, IL. Gourmet sausages and hot dogs with incredible toppings and variety. Closed whenever Doug wants a day off, and a line of people the building long standing in 16 degree cold, but it’s totally worth it. Come on the weekend and have some duck fat french fries too.

As a student at Cornell, I have discovered many unique locations across the town of Ithaca. There are many beautiful and natural hideaways up in the nearby mountains and gorges. Also, specifically with regards to the Cornell campus, the gothic, Harry Potter-esque libraries are ideal for romantic trysts and passionate, make out sessions.

NYC, gotta be Walter De Maria’s Earth Room and Broken Kilometer, both displayed in Soho by the Dia Foundation. Two of my favorite pieces of conceptual art, both nondescriptly hidden away. I use them to blow visitors’ minds.

Get out your grungy clothes, your flashlight, your camera, and your sense of adventure because this requires you to sneak underground.

Hidden under Central Parkway lies one of Cincinnati’s biggest failures, the subway. Forgotten by many of it’s citizens. Considered to be an urban legend by others. Built in 1920’s it lost funding mid construction and later became hidden underneath Central Parkway. It is best visited late at night by sneaking down a dirt pathway along Central Parkway following the wall by 1-75. If you’re lucky there will already be a bar or two broken off of the entrance gate by former tresspassers. It stretches a span of about two miles. Once inside you’ll walk next to the city waterline pipes built in the second subway line and along the open line you’ll pass stopping stations. One station has an entranceway leading back into a room that has old cots and a padlocked doorway leading to the outside world. It was transformed at one point to be a bomb shelter. If you continue back down the path you’ll come to the grand station with stairways leading up and down to deadends meant to be finished off before funding ran out. From the kids that have gone down before there are graffiti murals in some of the stations. It’s a spectacular and haunting site.

For those that prefer more legal mean, there are tours that happen every now and then.

A little more info:
http://www.cincinnati-transit.net/subway.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cincinnati_Subway

In Burlington, VT:

Very odd stone steps that lead to nowhere on the UVM campus behind Williams Hall.

Why is this a point of interest? Because the state is so stupid beautiful, you’ll get enough visual eye-candy to fill a lifetime, so why not see something a bit odd while you are at it.

This stairwell often goes overlooked by the students and faculty even though there are paths right past it… so double bonus for stopping to smell the roses!

there’s a little hole in the wall place just off of the Fairveiw Ave overpass in Santa Barbara, Ca called El Sito’s that serves dthe best veggies burritos I’ve ever had. Good rice, beans, chese and wonderfully chunky bits of onions, pepper, tomatoe ans zucchini. I need a burrito fix soon, posting this is making me drool.

theres is an awesome safari right outside of Houston, TX that you like drive through in your own car. ok sounds kinda lame right? but its not! the ostriches chase your car and like attack the windows and then attack you for food! then the zebras will put like their whole head in your car (one sneezed in my friends cooch!)

well…it’s not really a spot, but it’s something to see, it’s rare, uncommon and absolutely adorable: in my little town in Italy…there’s ME!

well…it’s not really a spot, but it’s something to see, it’s rare, uncommon and absolutely adorable: in my little town in Italy…there’s ME!

Houston, TX- Theres a beautiful garden place down by the Zoo here in town. Its like an oasis in the huge skyscrapers and takes you away from all the busy traffic and is also a great place to take pictures.

Blacksburg, VA: I work at the student center on the edge campus, and sometimes we’ll go on the roof. It’s the best spot to view any fireworks or parades that happen! It’s also a great view of downtown and campus at night with all of the lights on the drillfield!

I live in a tiny town in Mexico, BUT the best place no one knows about in big old Mexico City is the MUJAM (Museo del Juguete Antiguo Meixco) (Ancient Mexican Toy Museum) it is in a mildly seedy looking neighborhood (colonia doctores) and looks to be a shabby candy store. It is SO MUCH MORE. You go in and are rather unceremoniously taken upstairs where you see piles and piles and piles (and piles) of toys all exhibited in really weird ways. The man who owns the toy collection designs his own way to show the toys. You have a spaceship full of robots. A hot dog cart of luchadores and multiple spinning devices that have magnifying and fish eye lenses chock full of thematic toys. He has the very first prototypes of the first mexican molded plastic dolls along with the molds to make them. Suits and masks that belonged to El Santo, and some letters to and from luchadores and their families while they were on tours and filming movies. The high (creepy) point is the huuuuuuuuuge face and maracas, which were the stage at a night club from the fifties. The stage was the man’s mouth. OH! and it has a killer gift shop. Really cheap original vintage toys that are in pretty good shape. If anyone’s interested it is Dr. Olvera #15 in the Colonia Doctores.

austin, tx:

korean style karaoke! private rooms where you can belt out your favorite tunes. open late so great to go if you feel the night is too young after 2 AM. there are two main noraebangs (direct translation: song room) in austin - new seoul karaoke studio and austin karaoke. lots of korean songs but they have plenty of english, japanese and chinese songs too.

Gainesville, FL

Satchels Pizza/Lightning Salvage

The long wait for the pizza is worth it, because you get to hang out in the Lightning Salvage five and dime sore, and junk museum… and the pizza is amazing too.

In Miami: MiMo - Biscayne Boulevard Historic District. In this small stretch (between 55th & 79th) of the Biscayne corridor (aka Upper East Side), you’ll find many renovated and converted historic motels, weekly farmer’s markets, two of the best parks in Miami, a mini mini-golf course, several antique stores & boutiques, too many restaurants to count, and last but not least - the return of the iconic Coppertone Girl!

I just moved to NYC but I used to live in this small town up in Canada called St. Paul, Alberta (my parents still do), where they have… a UFO landing space! .. And a town next to it has a giant free standing Sausage..
Google world’s biggest sausage & UFO landing space. You’ll see what I’m talking about.

Totokaelo (online boutique) just opened their storefront on Western Ave in Seattle.
Great clothes, great community, great little space on side street near the water.
Shop just opened, barely any photos yet…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/impulseseattle/3083650038/in/photostream/
http://totokaelo.com/

Marblehead, MA. There is a little park called crocker park, that looks out over the harbor that is perfect for cloud watching!

In Providence, RI, there is a little (very little) place called Hartley’s the makes little pork pies. Hartley’s has been making the same delicious pork pies for about a hundred years in this same location. They have totally random hours but if you can catch them when they’re open it’s well worth the trip.

Balkány, Hungary: we have an enoourmus pinetree… that’s all…

If you ever drive through Ojai, Ca you have to check out the Ojai Deer Lodge. It’s a restaurant thats straight out of that movie The Great Outdoors. It’s the only place I know around here where snake is on the menu. Oh and they have some pretty good bands once in a while. check it out http://www.ojaideerlodge.net/

we used to have the rookwood pottery company in cincinnati. its pieces are very historic, and many can still be seen in the art museum today. the building is still there, but now it’s a restaurant, and the kilns have become the more private dining areas. the restaurant on its own is a highlight of the city, but its parking lot is even more beautiful, overlooking all of cincinnati from the top of mount adams.

I live in the small town of Houghton, MI, a frozen little town where Michgigan Tech. University is located. Most people in the area don’t know about Nara Point. Its a board walk in a marsh area, about an hours walk by the Portage (a river/tributary) east of campus. In the weird end of summer weather, where its cold out but you still have a warm breeze, its beautiful when the moon is full and all you can hear are the millions of frogs chirping around you. It might only be prettier in winter, when the same boardwalk is buried under three feet of snow and you’re walking three feet up from where you’re used to.

Oh man! Think of all the backing up I could do with that thing!

Ride the old-time carousel at Fort Edmonton Park when you’re in Edmonton.

Smokey Hollow waterfalls in Waterdown, ON, Canada. Thanks to erosion, it’s an ever-evolving beauty.

My interesting place that no one I knew know about is a little restaurant called Locus Cafe. It’s a small, cozy place on main street Vancouver, BC. My wife and I found it one night while buying a Canon 40D from someone on craigslist. It was late at night and we were both very hungry and asked the seller if he knew of a good place to eat. The ambience is very different with many little decorations and lighting effects. The service was awesome and the food delicious.
The End (true story)

Most people don’t know about the river that runs south of Norman, Ok. You can spend an awesome afternoon in the summer just swimming and relaxing.

right around the corner from me is an tiny ally right in the middle of Manhattan’s Lower East Side. At the end is this super cute, super tasty restaurant. Check it out; Freeman’s Restaurant on Freeman’s Ally

The Curtain Club in Dallas, TX. It is the place where just about every Texas band has started and likely to have played there. The acoustics are amazing and the paintings on the wall of each of the bands that have made it special are amazing. Go see it before it dies.

Nothing is in Irvine, CA so i’ll tell you about Austin, TX. There’s this shop owned by this old man called Astro City. He’s run the shop for nearly twenty years and simply collects all this paraphernalia ranging from Japanese/Harajuku fashion tom obscure toys that no one has ever seen but have a unique early 20th century feel to them. I talk to him on a regular basis and he simply orders all his stuff online from various vendors. He’s a bit of a compulsive buyer as you can see it’s just an amalgam of random toys, clothes and books that surprises you. For example, he has these tote bags with Chinese pop stars on them (two of which I recognized, one which was involved in the Edison Chen scandal, funny enough). I try to go every week since he’s the only store I’ve found that sells Gama-Go apparel. He even has Soviet Era pins that I bought (!).

P.S. Not supporting Communism or anything. It’s just a nice collector item. Not like there’s anything wrong with it.

Every Sunday in Caracas the Cota Mil, one of the main freeways that cuts across the city, is shut down for 6 hours to make way for cyclists, skateboarders, families, pets, etc. to exercise and enjoy the view.

Well, there’s this ice cream store in Princeton that all of the locals know about, but not many visitors. It’s called the Bent Spoon, and it has the best ice cream, hot cocoa, and cupcakes I’ve ever tasted. These things are orgasmically good…and they strive to use local ingredients and even tell you which flavor is “the most local”. The flavors change every day, as does the hot cocoa specialty and other things, depending on the season. If you’re ever in NJ, it’s worth the drive from wherever you are.

Las Vegas Nevada…right off the strip is a fabulous tapas restaurant called Firefly. Amazing food, my favorite is the blue-cheese filled, bacon-wrapped dates with an almond in the middle. :)

Here in Memphis, TN I would suggest visiting the Cheesecake Corner off of South Main St. They’ve got the best homemade cheesecake ever! The building has a real nastolgic and creative atmosphere.

Well, I live in the DC Metro Area. So pretty much everything is known… except for a garden outside of the city in Silver Spring called Brookside Gardens. It’s gorgeous. Rolling hills, butterfly and tropical flower garden, places to bike and run… and really close to the metro. It’s a beautiful place, and I picnic there in the summers and take walks through their woodland in the fall.

Here’s a link: http://www.mc-mncppc.org/parks/brookside/

Seattle: Pho Bac in the international district - the best pho I’ve ever had! They’ll teach you Vietnamese and everything, too, this place rules!

Long Beach, Ca has an awesome park called Skyline that is on top of a huge hill and has views of different cities; Catalina Island, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach. The view is pretty awesome day &/or night!

portland oregon. little bar called valentines. great noise music and dj’s. plus cool cubby holes to sit in upstairs. too bad the drinks aren’t top notch. either way worth checking out. 232 SW Ankeny Street Portland, Oregon

Well not many people now about our town at all (Mundulla in South Australia, google it). one place that you do have to visit is the common. The common is a ring of swamp around the town and as the locals know, the magic “spot” in the common is party central every weekend.

I think the one spot that people must see is shannon falls…its a bit of a drive but the view is amazing!!!

Goa, India. If you feel like taking a trip, i highly recommend the beaches in south Goa. I left Philadelphia to work on some furniture design here about 3 months ago. Check out Goyam Bungalows on Patnem Beach. The food is amazing and the beach is super chilled out. If i didn’t have to work to pay off my student loans i would quit work and move here permanently.

Pittsburgh, PA
You must check out the overlooks on Mt. Washington. It is an awesome looking neighborhood and the view of the city is breathtaking.

In Toronto, Canada, there is a great restaurant near Dundas and Younge street called Salad King, quite ironically as it turns out because I don’t think they sell a single salad. It’s quite the trendy-yet-hidden Thai food place: stainless steel furniture with black cushions and orange accents. The food is to die for.

I just moved to Miami so I don’t know about secret spots.. but definetly enjoy the beach at night, when a full moon.

:)

toronto - st. lawrence market! go downstairs to the foccacia shop!

central park new york city: calm in the midst of madness =)

In Guildford (UK) you have to come and see the Cathedral where parts of the original ‘Omen’ film were shot.

I’m from Toronto. In Kensington market there is a little restaurant called Jumbo Empanadas. Seriously, best food EVER. They’re these baked pockets of beef, chicken or veg. I usually go for the beef (it has a couple raisins, hardboiled egg and a black olive inside). They serve empanadas with a spicy, fresh salsa - a little like bruschetta in consistency. Around lunch it’s pretty busy, but mostly regular customers. The place is a diamond in the rough, and once you know about it, you can’t live without it.

Cranford, NJ - Me & my wife love going to this stylish, affordable,
and yummy Asian/fusion restaurant called “Avenue East”. Their
menu features updated Chinese and Thai dishes as well as a full
sushi bar. It’s a BYOB place too, so we get away spending a little
over $20 for a cheap date. The place looks like it was kidnapped
from Soho in NYC. Not bad for Jersey!

Oh, you should see “Panemunes Castle”!!! Especially in autumn! It’s in Lithuania, near Jurbarkas!

gl =)

welcome to london ontario canada. a must place to go is Stobies pizza. the biggest slice in town! or head down the street and hit up tennabam’s and try a deep fried mars bar! a must!

corner of larkin and north point on a summer morning overlooking the SF bay with faint washed out colors of the ships through the fog… amazing.

San Francisco - 1747 Buchanan Street. Benkyodo Japanese Sweet Shop. Cutest, sweetest, bestest mochi in town. My favorite place, ever.

Minneapolis MN - You have to visit the modern cafe. It’s up in northeast Minneapolis, and it takes the most classic midwestern home cooking and completely revisits these entrees in new and exciting ways. Think mac and cheese, pot roast, meatloaf, chicken noodle soup. Nothing on the menu is over 12 bucks, and its all amazing.

Gotta do it.
Ned

If you live in Vilnius (Lithuania) and love tennis, you can play it for free!
There are few place where you can do it and only few people know about them (or at least use them).
To find location go to http://maps.google.com and enter:
+54° 43’ 51.18”, +25° 13’ 30.45”
another one:
+54° 44’ 38.48”, +25° 17’ 39.57”

All you need to have is tennis equipment!
Enjoy the game!

I’ve been in New York for a couple of years now, and one of my favorite places in the city is on 11th street between 1st and 2nd avenue- John Casey’s Rubber Stamp Store! He’s an Irish ex-pat who makes stamps the traditional way with plates and all that stuff, he even does custom orders but the ready made stamps he has around are wonderful too- many old 1800s and Victorian engravings/ink drawings translated into rubber stamps. John’s a lovely fellow and he’s always got something to talk about. I have never been bored in there. He’s one of those local characters you look for when you visit New York.

I live in Orange County, the hometown of many a crappy reality show (and one teen drama that shall remain nameless). If TV is correct (which we ALL KNOW it is!) then Orange County is just one huge hotbed of attractive/plastic people, cool kids, shopping malls, beaches, sun and palm trees. While that may be appealing to some, I don’t find it so (and it’s not particularly accurate) and for that I am quite glad because the best spot in Orange County isn’t a store, a beach or hot spot at all. In fact, its a festering bog… literally!

Across from the bonfires, the beach, the half naked beautiful people and palm trees is the best place ever…. a quiet, tranquil and ISOLATED swamp filled with moss, dead trees and blooming (and dead) flowers. It’s about a mile hike from the main road, but it’s a trek thats definitely worth while. It’s a great place for a walk, to sit down and read, be alone, or just relax in general. Quite frankly, I don’t think theres a lovelier place in Orange County. I consider it my secret spot and although I feel weary even mentioning it here (!), I wish that this was the Orange County that people knew.

Here are some photos (all of which I’d like to store in a more convenient fashion *HINT HINT*):

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/does1to1000/IMG_0178.jpg?t=1228591487

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/does1to1000/IMG_0174.jpg?t=1228591522

There’s a small little beach called Lincoln Township beach which is quiet, beautiful and has a myriad of beach glass to be collected. It’s really a small little treasure quite a distance from the main touristy beach.

Orlando, FL. Lake Eola at night is beautiful. The lights lit up reflect on the water, truely stunning :)

My hometown is hardly known at all, but one of the unknown and very special places is the road by the railroad, with trees that cover the old lampposts, lighting up as if the leaves were alight. It’s always a pleasure walking under the overgrown branches in the evening.

I just moved to the bay area from Eugene, Oregon. What’s funny is the first thing that popped into my head after reading the question was the scale solar system that runs all over Eugene… but that was the first post by someone else from Eugene.

On that note, I’m gonna have to go with countless amounts of hole in the wall restaurants that serve amazing food from all around the world. You kinda just stumble upon the best ones cause there really isn’t anything fancy like Yelp for lil old Eugene.

The best spot on the planet is Ozona, FL.
1. The Pig: the best pulled pork sandwich and fries
2. Next to the marina for sunset fishing next to the pier with some random band who decides to play there on Saturday nights only
3. Which is right next to the best ice cream store where you can layer your chocolate chips into the ice cream instead of having them only sprinkled on top. It is perfection.

in Daly City, CA, go eat at Joe’s on Westlake Blvd. It’s like going back to the 50’s-early 60’s :retro staff, retro menu, retro decor. Fun!

Imagine a man who not only ran a used book store but bought anything mesmerizing from every rummage sale he ever encountered, then threw them all into the same room. This is what resulted in Jim Reed’s Used Books in Birmingham, AL. I’ve found newspapers from historic days (Nixon getting impeached, the end of World War II), movie promotions of every sort (from posters, to press kits for the theaters, to large character cut outs- I’m still searching for the fox version of Robin Hood from the Disney animated feature- there is too much stuff to go through), and miscellany that defies categorization. It’s hard to go there once without finding some bizarre relic from the past you yearn to take home. I bought my friend a little tin box that said “Honor System, 5 cents” which must have been used for collecting money for… something, and I bought myself a clipped full page ad from an old magazine telling me how I, too, could finish high school from home.

Kent, Ohio: First, you must find yourself on the NE edge of the Kent State University campus. Make sure it’s a nice night, and make sure it’s almost sunset. Get yourself to the sculpture building, also known as the Art Annex, and walk inside. You’ll be greeted by the smell of plaster and freshly cut wood and more unfinished projects than you can likely count before the sun has already set.

At the corner of the building is an elevator, and to the left of that is a stairway. Choose either means of conveyance to the 3rd floor. I would suggest the stairway, and would have suggested it more strongly a year ago when there was a seemingly functional sculpture of a floor waxer with a two-story long pole with the hand controls mounted on it that jutted its way up through the center of the staircase, inviting you to buff the floor from the 3rd floor landing.

Stop at the third floor. Enter the plaster and clay studio, and, provided no one authoritative is around, step briskly, but quietly, through the studio to the door that clearly states that you should not even be thinking of walking through it. Disobey its orders.

This will put you promptly on the roof. Now, some would think this is good enough, and for a relaxing, secretive, oh-so-forbidden place to enjoy a lunch or just relax, you’d be right. But, you wanted to know a good place. A really good place. So, keep walking.

You’ll see a ladder attached to what looks to be some old factory smokestacks. You’d be almost right, as this used to be the powerplant for the school, and those stacks have certainly pass a lot of smoke. Climb the ladder, and walk along the metal grate platform. You’re almost there.

There’s plenty to explore up here, and you should. If you climb into the old exhaust pipes, watch out for rats and also watch out for the massive dozen-foot dropoffs which might lead you to an early demise before you even made it to the best place.

Back on the platform, you’ll see another, more ominous ladder, leading straight up. Climb, climb, climb, climb, but don’t look down. I told you not to look down! Here’s what you came for.

The sun hasn’t set, right? Good. Orient yourself towards that glowing orb. There’s no way you’ll miss it from here. Bask in the glory of your beautiful, forbidden sunset, enjoy some of the pumpkin scones you brought if it is fall or some of the lemonade you made and put in that tastefully designed Sigg bottle if it’s summer. What, I didn’t tell you to bring these things earlier? You need to be prepared at all times!

In any case, gaze outward, breathe inward, and enjoy watching that ball of curious chemistry descend into its daily resting place. You can pretend you’re totally apart from all things civilized as you sit on at the summit of this micro-factory, or embrace the ability you have to observe those at ground level shuffling around with portfolios in tow as they try to finish their color theory and shape relationship projects while you sit in your secret splendor. Whether you have free time because you finally graduated after 7 years, you actually did your project BEFORE the day prior to its deadline, or maybe you just decided that 10 minutes to relax makes for a better 10 hours of working, you earned this time up here, atop your obvious but often overlooked perch.

Now, just be careful climbing down.

Auburn, AL—There’s a a sandwich shop called Mama Goldberg’s that’s been there for about 30 years, and has tables and chairs and walls covered in carvings people have done over the years, in addition to signed sports posters from several years of Auburn football, cheerleading, etc. Not to mention some of the best sandwiches ever made.

i remember in my Hometown of
‘Mississauga ON, Canada’
behind the old arts high school
on Cawthra Road
On certain days when the sky is
a certain shade of blue like naturally
coloured blue cotton candy [which is an paird of ox]
The back wall of the school is endless.
Staring at it, it went on and on and on
and was gigantic.
But only on certain days.

In Rancho Cucamonga, California, there is a local gem called “The Goonies” which is responsible for getting me into college. Named so by the many lost teenagers that stumble up its cliffs every summer and spring, the only trail that leads up to the hidden cove is a narrow dirt path overgrown with long yellow weeds and ash-infested trees. Once one climbs up the long and lonely path, there is a rope that is hastily tied around a broken stump with the end of the neon safety-line dangling a hundred feet down. Holding steadfast onto the rope, you have to gracefully repel down the cliff until you reach the bottom, where a creek lies. Following the creek is a swimming hole, another swimming hole, another swimming hole, and finally, a medium-sized waterfall within a large cove. Two logs float in the center where kids often play Pirate and teenagers scale the slippery slope until they fall into the ice cold water. This is where I grew up. I wrote an essay on it, entitled “The New World”, which granted me a scholarship. =) If you ever have time, I’d love to give you directions. It’s really an awesome place to go.

There’s a river that runs through my town of Bend, OR. A trail runs beside it, covering a stretch of placid deep sections, bubbling water, and full whitewater. You cross over a gorgeous bridge over obsidian rocks with alien-like scoops taken out of them, and loop back through strewn volcanic rocks into the forest, where there’s a magical glade filled with huge moss-covered boulders. I always expect an elf or a fairy to pop out around here.

If you take Beverly Drive (not, of course, Beverly Blvd) all the way up through Beverly Hills, past the mansions, and up next to the tiny little pond, you can walk around and find an even tinier pond full of the most vibrantly colored wood ducks I’ve ever seen in my life.

philly - 40th and spruce. come and party with me!

A must see in Halifax? There aren’t many, and everyone knows about the ones that exist.

I’m going to cheat and tell you about a must see from my home town of Lunenburg. There’s a beach called Hirtle’s Beach, and if you go into the woods South-East of the beach you’ll eventually see a walking path (it’s not visible from the beach, but go in the woods and you can’t miss it). Keep taking the right turns whenever the paths forks, and eventually you will be at the top of a cliff that goes down to the water. Follow that until you find a hidden beach at the bottom of the cliff. There is usually a rope to climb down on but I wouldn’t trust it’s strength.

This hidden beach is great. No one ever goes there, and you are surrounded by 25 foot cliffs on 3 sides, and the ocean on the forth.

Oh - they say the people who live in the house near there are pricks and will yell at you if they see you. Avoid them.

There is an entire country within Bloomington, IN that nobody knows about! I have seceded the second floor of my home from the Union and founded my own nation.
Things were rough at first… our neighboring states have been picking us and the U.N. was not sympathetic to our appeals. I attempted to go out to buy groceries, only to find that the tariffs on exports were so high I couldn’t bring outside food into my little 2-bedroom nation!
Please, NOTCOT, I could use some extra hard drive space to support my independent nation’s supercomputer. I have resorted to subsisting on online shopping where the shipping rates are still reasonable.

The Best Fish Taco In Ensenada, in Los Feliz. Fish tacos for $1, fried to order, with an awesome salsa bar w/ mango and pineapple salsas. In this economy, what’s not to love about that??

I tell everyone I’m from a little suburb in New York called Briarcliff Manor, but I’m actually an elf from the North Pole. Most people don’t know this, but behind Santa’s one-off Eames bed there is a secret door that leads to a room with a gizmo Santa likes to call The Listabulous Listifier. Every Christmas Eve, Santa puts his list in The Listabulous Listifier and every child’s Christmas gift dreams get translated into sweet designer versions of whatever they wished for that have been featured on NOTCOT. I hope Santa doesn’t mind that I’m telling you this, but he’s a fan, so I’m sure he’ll let it slide.

ezell’s fried chicken in seattle. even oprah’s been there back in the day.

Oh this is easy! Raleigh, NC. The Museum of Art has easy to access trails to walk on that are open to the public…but most people miss the wooded section that starts near the Giant Corn Cob outside exhibit. Included on the wooded part of the trail are hidden exhibits that are very interesting. They include a partially buried house and a giant newspaper sculpture.

There is a park here in Leavenworth Ks. that has been mostly been accessable by foot and shut off from driving for years now because they say it is too dangerous. It is so pretty up there. A while back it was discovered that a group of teenagers had completly cleaned up and landscaped a large area off in the woods that is idecorated with around a hundres lawn gnomes. it is like a fantasy land inhabited by wee folk!!!! It is amazing what they did all on their own and shows that people can be creative and nurturing, not just distructive and pollutive!

I live in Yellow Springs, Ohio. There’s a special spot in the Glen (with trees and rivers and stuff) where at the base of a tree, is a human sized hole, like from Alice in Wonderland. You can climb down and there’s a little nook to sit, with candles on the ledges all around. You can climb down even farther and it opens up back into another layer of the forest with a little cliff and alcove. Its really magical, but very hard to find.

I live in Taipei, and the must see spot is the riverside park, you can rent a bike and ride it all the way to the north and sit on the beach. :)