BellaTrino
Many food trucks crank out consistently great meals, but lack the seating and atmosphere of a restaurant. BellaTrino seeks to offer both. This stylish, oversized truck features a display kitchen with walls of glass panels, and at the center, a wood-fired oven that heats to 1,000 degrees and can crank out a neapolitan-style pie in just over a minute. As if the tasty pizzas weren't enough, this truck has another surprise in store — a small bar on one end of the truck, giving you a place to sit down that rivals any casual sidewalk cafe.
Boerum House & Home
If you're outfitting an abode in Boerum Hill, you need to make a trip to Boerum House & Home. This new shop is set in an open, two-story space, and offers home goods, accessories, kitchen supplies, books, sundries, jewelry, and other knick-knacks from over 130 local designers, makers, and artists. With such an eclectic selection, you're sure to find something that suits your taste, and if supporting local talent wasn't enough for you, the store's proceeds will be donated to a number of local charities — making it a win-win-win proposition all the way around.
Topping Rose House
It doesn't matter whether you're looking for cozy accommodations inside a historical home or a solid room inside a sleek structure — Topping Rose House offers both. Located in the heart of town, this luxury retreat is within walking distance of many attractions. Both the main house, which dates to 1842, and the sleek cottages — located between the apple orchard and on-site farm — offer king and twin guestrooms as well as one-bedroom suites, while studio accommodations are available above the spa. There's also a heated pool and a 75-seat restaurant helmed by chef Tom Colicchio that uses produce from the farm and top ingredients from local purveyors. If that wasn't enough, Colicchio also operates the hotel, so every detail is looked after as carefully as he places garnish on one of his signature dishes.
Proof
As names for cocktail bars go, Proof is pretty apropos — but luckily for the imbibers at this King St. establishment, it far more than a clever name. It starts with the craft cocktails, made from premium ingredients, and moves on to the extensive list of wines by the glass and more than reasonable beer list. A chalkboard menu of bar snacks like boiled peanuts and meatballs keeps your tummy full, which is a good thing — with the relaxed upscale atmosphere, you're likely to stay a while.
The Murray Affair
There are few actors we respect and admire more than Bill Murray, so it's only right that we're pumped about The Murray Affair. This unique art exhibition, put together by Ezra Croft and scheduled for August 8th at the SF Public Works is a one-night extravaganza filled with artwork dedicated the man/myth/legend and his myriad iconic roles. In addition to all the artwork, there will also be musical entertainment, and the ability to buy select pieces — assuming the artist wants to sell.
Trentina
With LeBron James coming home and Johnny Football holding the place down in the meantime, there's likely an unexpected trip to Cleveland in a lot of your futures. A meal at Trentina is a good idea while you're there. Located in University Circle, this new, Kickstarter-backed eatery serves up inventive tasting menus created by chef Jonathon Sawyer that are inspired by the Trentino province in northern Italy and go light-years beyond the typical pasta and red sauce most people envision when they hear "Italian restaurant".
Green City Market
Most farmers markets are "green" in concept — you're likely buying products directly from farmers and artisans, as opposed to them sending their wares to the store — but few take it as seriously as Green City Market. Open in the south end of Lincoln Park on Wednesdays and Saturdays from May until October (and in the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in the winter), this unique market offers local, sustainable foodstuffs from purveyors that are heavily vetted before being allowed in. The result is fresh, delicious food that you can feel good about eating.
21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati
The Queen City is full of great museums, so it only makes sense that it's also home to the 21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati. Like its sister hotel in Louisville, the 21c in Cincy is both an outstanding hotel and an art museum, playing host to a number of rotating exhibits in its two-story gallery that's conveniently open 24/7. As for the rooms, there are a number of options, ranging from the Deluxe King all the way up to the spacious Corner Suite, but all of them offer contemporary styling, comfortable beds, custom furnishings, sleek bathrooms, and whimsical touches. Don't forget the eating and drinking options, which include Metropole — one of the city's best restaurants, named after the former Metropole Hotel that occupied the space — and the seasonal Cocktail Terrace, which offers terrific views from its 11th floor rooftop perch. Oh, and keep an eye out for the roaming yellow penguins.
The Kill Devil Club
There are plenty of reasons to visit The Kill Devil Club. There's the live music. There's the excellent small plates and shareables. There's the atmosphere. But most of all, there's the drinks. And one drink in particular — rum — gets top billing at the downtown oasis, with a truly encyclopedic selection of the stuff available. There's also all the other spirits, an inventive house cocktail list, sublime classic cocktails, and delicious punches that will have your entire group feeling happy.
Northwest Passage Cruise
In case you've forgotten your middle school geography, the Northwest Passage is a route through the Arctic Ocean that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans — and now, over 100 years after it was first navigated, you can live the excitement of this trip on a Northwest Passage Cruise. This 32-day excursion will see you sailing past fjords, glaciers, and rare wildlife, while stopping at ports-of-call that include Kodiak, Alaska, Nuuk, Greenland, Bar Harbor, Maine, and New York City. It's certainly not cheap at $20,000 per person, but that's a small price to pay to be among the first to make the trip.
Grand Banks
There are plenty of great places to eat outside in New York — but few offer the unique views of Grand Banks. This seasonal oyster bar is located on the deck of a 142-foot sailboat docked in Tribeca at Hudson River Park's Pier 25. The menu is seafood-heavy, with fresh oysters, a collection of small plates, and some terrific summer cocktails. And should you somehow tire of the views of Manhattan (unlikely), you can always head downstairs to check out the on-board museum.
Premier Skate
You might not expect to find one of the world's best sneaker shops in the Rust Belt, but that's not the only thing about Premier Skate that's outside the norm. As the name might suggest, Premier is both a skateboard and sneaker shop, offers a solid selection of both decks and shoes, with the occasional collaboration with Nike SB. There's also a good selection of clothing and accessories, but if you can find what you want in your size, don't fear — you can walk to nearby Hopcat and sip on a beer while you try to snag it off their website.
