SAN FRANCISCO – I miss so many things about Hong Kong:  the perfectly temp-controlled, the over-the-top shopping malls, that incredible skyline (one of the best, up there with Chicago), the blunt and often endearing pessimism of the locals (who claim “HK died in 1997”).  I even miss the city’s fascinating (and often frustrating) yin and yang aspects – [...]

GETTYSBURG, PA – So you’ve been roped into an educational vacation – a trip to visit the Civil War battlefield in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  And wondering whether you can possibly have any fun in what appears to be a one-trick tourist town.  I was the same.  I’ve been trying to expose my British husband to all sorts of Americana, and a [...]

BY MONICA BYERS NEW YORK, NY – New York City’s Stone Street dates back to the 1660s; it got its current moniker sometime later on due to its cobblestone paving (so the name is based in history, not irony).  I want to love this short artery because it’s old and cute.  In reality, though, the establishments that line it are largely [...]

  NEW YORK – Located smack dab in the middle of NYC’s Upper East Side is one of my favorite NYC art venues, the always interesting but often-overlooked Asia Society Museum (ASM).  I say overlooked because it’s not officially grouped in with the nearby venues along Museum Mile (that includes the Met and the Guggenheim) nor is it officially part [...]

BY MONICA BYERS NEW YORK – As happens so often in a walking city like New York, my husband and I randomly wandered into Barrio 47 for an after-dinner drink one night.  We were immediately charmed by the sexy Latin vibe of the place, and by our personable bartender.  We were also seduced by the giant wood-burning oven that dominates [...]

BY MONICA BYERS NEW YORK, NY – For months, I’d hang out with my friend and fellow Zenster Gary and – sometime after the 3rd or 4th martini – he’d say “Let’s go to Arthur’s in the West Village.”  To which I’d say “There is no way I’m travelling all the way to the West Village at this time of [...]

BY: MONICA BYERS NEW YORK, NY – So here you are at the beautiful Grand Central Terminal (though you might call it Grand Central Station).  You could be a tourist checking out the Beaux-Arts architecture, snapping pics and wondering to yourself if New York could afford to build such a cavernous, stunning building today (my guess is no).  Or, maybe [...]

  BY: MONICA BYERS NEW YORK –   11th Street Bar is a locals joint in the East Village that, among NYC football aficionados, is known as a  Liverpool Football Club fans’ bar.  As a card-carrying Liverpool supporter, I felt compelled to check it out.  I didn’t quite get my ass into gear during the league season, so I checked out [...]

    CALIFORNIA – To some, the train is one of the most enjoyable modes of travel.  To others it’s archaic, a thing of the past.  For me, it seemed an interesting way to spend some of my newfound, Cali-based free time and what I hoped would be a great way to a see a bit of the US. I [...]

BY: MONICA BYERS NEW YORK – Sylvia’s has been famous for as long as I can remember.  This Harlem soul food institution was founded in 1962 and has been going strong ever since.  Because it was so famous and so sought out by visitors, I was expecting a disappointing tourist trap. You know – overpriced, lousy service, mediocre food.   Yes, [...]