All stories about "Diane Cohen"

During the summer, weekends in New York City are sort of dead. With people hopping the jitney to the Hamptons or off to the Jersey shore for the weekend, you'd think that the city was a landlocked desert. Not so! You can enjoy seaside fun even in the heart of the city, and not just at perennial favorite Water Taxi Beach. The travel time is minimal, and there's no need to join an annoying house share with people you will inevitably grow to hate. Oh, who are you kidding ... you already hate them.

Everyday on Gridskipper we give you a new map. Some are new, some are fetched from our archive, newly updated. Happy Gridskipping. Let's be honest: New York City is not exactly a summertime haven, and right now, given the unbearable heat, it's even less tolerable. Our rivers are not the balmy breeze types, and it's hard to hang a hammock between skyscrapers. The one summertime treat we can enjoy? Besides frozen liquor beverages? Ice cream. In one of the most gourmet-centric cities in the country, ice cream in New York isn't merely a cup-or-cone affair. Check out our picks for the very best cold stuff in the city, and feel free to add your own.

Sitting in a bar is a lot like waking up with a hangover ... Lord knows how he got there, but it's better if you find yourself with someone pretty to look at. Make both your hangover and "aesthetic" dreams come true with this round p of all the handsome fellas I met over the course of a weekend working behind bars, in restaurants, and in one case, ripping tickets. I've done all the work for you, so get out your ID, ready your best line, and remember to tip your server (at least a dollar per drink).

The Brooklyn neighborhood known as DUMBO has weathered a lot: a goofy name, an out-of-the-way-location, and a promise to be the next big neighborhood in Brooklyn that never really came to full fruition. But just because DUMBO hasn't lived up to its Williamsburgian destiny doesn't mean it has no good points. In terms of places to grab a bite alone, DUMBO has an awesome variety of restaurants, sandwich shops, and bakeries. Check out this list of local places to grab some DUMBO grub. More ideas welcome in the comments and tips.

Everyone wants to talk about the new JetBlue terminal at JFK, even us. But I think there's a matter at hand more important than a lot of bathrooms and a food court; we need to talk about wifi. Wireless internet access is on the list of goodies due to passengers flying the big blue, a revelation considering that currently, apart from Terminal 6, JFK (ostensibly the top international air passenger gateway to the United States) does not offer net access. This is remarkable to me, not only because of the size and importance of JFK, but the difference net access can play in making travel infinitely more bearable.

Ah, the pierogi. There are almost as many things to fill it with as there are ways to spell it (perogi, perogy, pirohi, piroghi, pirogi, pirogen, piroshke or pyrohy), but no matter what spell check says, the meaning is always delicious. These crescent-shaped dumplings are the Eastern European answer to ravioli or, well, dumplings. They're almost always savory, most often filled with potato, cheese, or meat, and topped with apple sauce or sour cream. If the only experience you've had with pierogi involves your grocery's freezer section and a scoundrel named Mrs. T, you need to check out this list. More suggestions welcome in the comments or tipline.

Harriet the Spy loved them, Jungle Fever featured them, and Lou Reed even wrote a song about them. It's the egg cream, everyone's favorite New York beverage (besides coffee or anything containing booze). Never have milk, seltzer, and chocolate syrup achieved such acclaim or sparked so much controversy. Whether it's about ingredients, the proper way to make them, or where to get the best one, New Yorkers will never agree when it comes to egg creams. Check out this list of top contenders to decide for yourself, and weigh in with your own nominations in the comments or tips.

I'll never understand people who spend hundreds of dollars on clothes, but balk at the price of a quality haircut. After all, your haircut is the only thing you wear absolutely every day. Regardless of price, nothing's more important than having a good cut -- or more horrifying than a bad one. Check out this list of salons in the 'burg to visit when you decide to finally give in and get that asymmetrical cut complete with bangs you've always dreamed of. No specific stylists names are mentioned, to protect those (me) who would still like to be able to get an appointment with their regulars.

So, where's the goddamn snow? You survived the holidays, fending off questions about lifeplans and the "point of all that Facebook," and you're entitled to a little wintertime recreation. Supposed to reach the 50s in New York this weekend, but keep that Flexible Flyer greased and ready. Your time will come. New York City is full of great parks and golf courses packing hills perfect for sledding, of which these are but a few.

There are a million reasons to try to look your best during the holidays, whether you're trying to seal the deal with someone at the office holiday party or just want to get your mother off your back about why you can't get a proper haircut and a "normal" job. A haircut is de rigeur, naturally, but why not go the extra mile? Shelve that old Mach 3 and live like a king, if only for about 30 minutes. The professional shave is to men what a facial is to women: a relaxing time to do something just for you. And if you should look totally debonair as a result? Your mom will thank you.

As the days get longer, the nights get colder, and we all get a little thicker around the middle, there few things that can provide some comfort to poor, seasonally affective disordered New Yorkers like a nice cup of hot cocoa. Say what you will about hinging an entire season's happiness on a warm beverage (though the Russians have been doing it for centuries), because some of these drinks are more indulgent than staying in bed an extra hour (hands above the covers, naturally). The New York Times ran the chocolate gamut, and so shall we. Further suggestions welcome in the comments or tips.

How many beers have you had? Is it 6? What about the one that girl bought you? 7? Man, you've got to hit the head. But who knows what you're going to find there. The archetypally disgusting New York bar bathroom is one of the few places where you can find bladder relief, cocaine, and venereal diseases all in the same place. Avoid that itchy, burning sensation and check out this list of the grossest bar bathrooms in New York. Is this list comprehensive? Of course not. Impossible. So throw your own two-cent urinal cake into the comments or tips.

Tired of wondering about the cleanliness of the kitchen and whether or not the snotty waiter spat in your soup? The solution is simple -- restaurants with open kitchens are becoming more and more popular. Watching your food being made is interesting from a culinary perspective and can also give you and your Great Aunt Joyce visiting from Tampa something to talk about besides your love life. From sushi to fine French cuisine (with some cheese and beer thrown in for good measure), an opportunity to feel inadequate about your cooking skills awaits!

Few stores conjure up the same sense of reverence as the local record shop. Everyone who works there knows everything about all music ever, and sifting through the $1 bin in search of a rare and amazing find is a labor of pure love. At the perfect record shop, the vinyl stretches as far as the eye can see and the smell of cigarettes and body odor hangs heavy in the air. Sound like heaven to you? Then check out these picks of Brooklyn's best record shops.

Shopping in Williamsburg, like shopping in most Brooklyn 'hoods, is an exercise in exploration, excavation, urban spelunking. In a neighborhood like this, known for growing its cool in the darkest corners of urban decay (your condemned parking garage is our mini mall), the best clothing stores aren't necessarily on the commercial stretches. Here are the picks for the best places to find some garb in the 'burg.

Shopping in Brooklyn can be a little overwhelming if you don't know your way around. It's difficult to know where to go when commercial strips are more low-key than in Manhattan, making it hard to recognize a shopping opportunity when you see it. Cobble Hill is a perfect example of a neighborhood that's gained its popularity from quaint charm and sophisticated sensibility, and with great popularity comes great style. Here are a few of my best picks for independent clothing stores in the Hill.

Seinfeldian racial praise aside (two races of flavor living side by side!), black & white cookies are an institution in New York City bakeries. They're also yet another pseudo-local delicacy that longtime New Yorkers can be absurdly passionate about. For the best of the best of this cakey frosted icon, check out our list of the tastiest B&Ws in New York, and add your two cents in the comments or tips (because it's not a black & white issue).

In a city as old as New York, a few heads are bound to roll (or commit suicide, murder, or vanish), so it's no surprise that the Big Apple might as well be renamed the Big Pumpkin; it's certainly one of the most haunted cities in the country. In honor of Halloween, we've compiled a list of New York's most famous spots to see a specter.

I'll always remember the Halloween during which I saw a group of people dressed up like sperm chasing a friend dressed like an egg up the length of 6th Avenue. Halloween in New York is completely unlike anyplace else. What other city in the world blocks off a major thoroughfare for a parade that has more promenaders than spectators? New Yorkers take Halloween very seriously, so if you plan to dress up, you'd best do it right. Here are our best picks for where to go to put together your scaresome ensemble.