I'm going to the US

[Gustaf]

For the first time. I got accepted into a sort of political education thingy which ends with a trip to Washington and New York. It'll be in November.

I'm kind of excited, since I haven't been to the US before. Any tips for what to do in those cities?

[Gustaf]

Wow, great tips there.

I count two people trying to get me killed and two people just hating on the cities.

I mean, going to Congress and stuff like that will be part of the trip but I was hoping for tips on great places...restaurants or bars or something.

[Gustaf]

Wow, great tips there.

I count two people trying to get me killed and two people just hating on the cities.

I mean, going to Congress and stuff like that will be part of the trip but I was hoping for tips on great places...restaurants or bars or something.

Good restaurants and bars are going to be something only the locals know.  Anybody can tell you all about the good museums, and to see a Broadway show if you get a chance, but for actual local information, you're gonna need to PM Lief or Eraserhead or whoever. It's been my experience that anything that has been featured on the Food Network etc. is a crowded tourist dump.

Yeah, I get that and was thus mostly expecting the locals to chime in.

I also reasoned that people who had been to New York might still have ideas about cool stuff to do. I mean, I can give tips on bars, clubs etc in cities like Düsseldorf and Berlin even though I've only been there a couple of times.

I just realized that all the New York posters are my sworn enemies (Eraserhead, Lief, Tweed) so I'm unlikely to get much help.

Ah, well. At least I got to attention whore about going to the States, that's always something.

[Gustaf]

I know New York very well but I don't know what scene you're in to.

I'm into the kind of scene where the word scene would never be used without ironically mocking someone else.

I like nice pubs with good beer. I like good steak. And I like alternative places with weird stuff. The kind of places you'd find in Berlin for example.

Does that help?

[Gustaf]

Do you know what days will you be in DC and where will you be staying? Let's meet up.

You coming to DC?  You, me, face-to-face RISK.

Seriously, we'll go drinking if you want.

Now, this are the kind of reactions I wanted.

I just got accepted into the thingy which allows me to do this (hence the thread) so I don't know much about the details of the trip yet. I will be coming to DC though, so it'd be cool to meet you guys.

Patrick: see above, i.e. I don't know much of the details yet. I'll probably come back with a new thread in October or something when I know more.

Opebo: I'm hardly paying for the trip so I don't view it as much of a waste.

[Gustaf]

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LOL.  That is a rather clever segue into your kicking Gustaf in the nuts once again, which these days seems to be one of your favorite pastimes. Of course "bad people" belong in the "bad place!"

I think calling it clever is rather generous. It was exceedingly obvious even from the first post that he was going for that.

There is an organization that brainwashes people for the political right. They have a course of sorts which I applied for. I got accepted and part of it is a trip to the US. I pay a fee for the course, so it's not entirely free, but pretty much.

[Gustaf]

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LOL.  That is a rather clever segue into your kicking Gustaf in the nuts once again, which these days seems to be one of your favorite pastimes. Of course "bad people" belong in the "bad place!"

I think calling it clever is rather generous. It was exceedingly obvious even from the first post that he was going for that.

There is an organization that brainwashes people for the political right. They have a course of sorts which I applied for. I got accepted and part of it is a trip to the US. I pay a fee for the course, so it's not entirely free, but pretty much.

You obviously need the "the course" Gustaf, since your econ score is "only" 0.9, which makes you considerably more a "moderate hero" than even yours truly.  That is not good.

Oh, if you would like, I can PM you with my most cosmopolitan Big Apple cousin's email address, and you two can chat about how to get the most out of that most wonderful Disneyland for adults. But don't listen to anything she says about politics - she has a great big red liberal NY avatar tattoed on her butt! But listen to her about everything else. I just adore her.

I probably need a bit of brainwashing, yes.

Thank you for the offer, if you're willing to do that I'll gladly accept.

[Gustaf]

You should visit the top of a tall building (since you don't really have those in Sweden), sample as many American microbrews, and sleep with as many people as possible.

I look down on your tall buildings and American "beer" is something to be ridiculed. Won't mind your women though.

[Gustaf]

You should visit the top of a tall building (since you don't really have those in Sweden), sample as many American microbrews, and sleep with as many people as possible.

I look down on your tall buildings and American "beer" is something to be ridiculed. Won't mind your women though.

I thought "the religious" didn't do sex without a license. I'm shocked! 

Haha, I seem to have received a very strange prude reputation on here that is thoroughly undeserved. I'm sure you're old enough to remember the concept of Swedish sin.

[Gustaf]

You should visit the top of a tall building (since you don't really have those in Sweden), sample as many American microbrews, and sleep with as many people as possible.

I look down on your tall buildings and American "beer" is something to be ridiculed. Won't mind your women though.

You have to try smaller, less known breweries than the ones everyone thinks of when saying "American beer". Budweiser, Miller, etc. are obviously a waste of hops....but believe me, as a half-German, American microbrews, and even a few larger outfits (e.g. Samuel Adams) are quite good. Might I suggest IPAs from a few microbreweries. I absolutely love them.

German beer on average, obviously, is a good deal better. There's nothing near as bad as Budweiser and co., but there's also not a lot quite unique as what I mentioned above

Agreed, and German beer is still the best in the world IMO. And lets be honest the best microbrews(in the US) are in the Midwest(which Gustaf isn't going to be) and that includes Illinois. I was only moderately impressed with what there was brewed in New York and so I mostly spent my time there ordering imports from other places.

Also, I never understood the recent IPA craze. I'll really drink anything, but deliberately ordering a beer known for its bitterness never really appealed to me.


On a different note, my German friend has told me that in Europe they have Bananaweizen(can't get that here). I love wheat beers and there is a banana bread beer that is making the rounds in the US today(that is pretty good, but a little to much desert for me to have more than a couple), but I think Banana wheat would be awesome. I would be curious if Gustaf has ever had that before, and if so what his thoughts are on it.

I have had Bananaweizen in Germany last time I was there. I'm also a big fan of wheat beer. It wasn't quite my cup of tea, but perfectly drinkable. Unlike this strawberry beer I once had. Now, that was disgusting.

Anyway, thanks to everyone for the tips. In terms of official sightseeing I think there will be a program to mindlessly follow, but if I can squeeze in a free day or two I'll keep those suggestions in mind. I was mostly going for tips on what to do in the evenings and such and am glad for the ones I have now received.

[Gustaf]

I just realized that all the New York posters are my sworn enemies (Eraserhead, Lief, Tweed) so I'm unlikely to get much help.

Lunar maybe?

Lunar's always available, indeed.

I thought Lunar had grown too cool for his former Atlas friends. I'll pester you as well then in that case.

Eraserhead: as much of sworn enemies as one can be on a message board. People who state their dislike for me sort of automatically end up in that category. But thanks for the pizza tip, I'll hopefully have time to check that out. Since we do share a lot of music taste, do you have any tips in that arena?