All stories about "Diane Cohen"

Food is serious business in New York City. With avenue after avenue lined with chic eateries and each side street harboring another culinary hidden gem just waiting to be "discovered" and absolutely ruined, New Yorkers make their love for the fashion of food no secret. But with the arrival of summer, sometimes even the most hardened New Yorker yearns for an eating experience that is more "grass under your feet" than grass on your plate. Hence, here are our picks for best spots to throw down a picnic in NYC.

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).

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!