A sunny day at the High Line. Photo by David Berkowitz.

By Suzanne Russo in New York—

It’s officially September, Cheapos, and that means summer’s over. But summer fun doesn’t have to be. There are a couple months of nice weather left—with more comfortable temperatures than the scorching last few months. And we in Cheapoland (New York, that is) intend to cram in as many (free) out of doors activities as we can before the cold winter roars in.

1. The High Line
L, A, C or E Train to 14th Street & 8th Avenue (see Web site for other access points)

The High Line is a true New York success story. The elevated train tracks, a 1930’s answer to freight train accidents, were under threat of demolition until the non-profit group Friends of the High Line turned them into an oasis in the sky in 2009. Its wild patches of green are overgrown on purpose, spilling out onto concrete walkways and, of course, the rails themselves. Enjoy views of the Hudson River and the Meatpacking District, or check out one of their free events.

Governors Island. Photo by jonmeyer.

2. Fort Tryon Park
A Train to 190th Street

If the High Line is an urban playground, Fort Tryon Park at Manhattan’s northern tip is anything but. In fact, if it weren’t for views of the George Washington Bridge, you might even forget you were in New York City. Picture massive boulders, lush vegetation and one of the largest heather gardens on the East Coast. Oh, and then there’s that museum that looks like a French monastery…

3. Governors Island
Free ferry from Battery Maritime Building (10 South Street;adjacent to Staten Island Ferry)

This little island is a Cheapo happy place. The blissful feeling starts on the free ferry ride over and builds when you’re welcomed by historic buildings (including a castle), unbelievable views of the Statue of Liberty and, um, a “beach.”

4. Coney Island
D, Q, N or F Train to Stillwell Avenue

Once the playground of New York’s elite, then later an entertainment destination for the masses, today this boardwalk/beach at Brooklyn’s southern edge is trying to fight its way off the list of New York’s endangered treasures. We advise visiting Coney Island while you still can. Take in its beach, its historic, rickety (and exhilarating!) Cyclone and the amazing (and disturbing) Shoot the Freak carnival game.

Sunset Park. Photo by Lorianne DiSabato.

5. Conservatory Garden in Central Park
4 or 6 Train to 103rd Street (Enter at Fifth Avenue and 105th Street)

We know, we know! Central Park is a terribly obvious pick for New York’s best outdoor spaces, but the idyllic Conservatory Garden at its northeastern end is all too often overlooked. And its manicured hedges, fragrant flowerbeds and Secret Garden-esque fountains will not disappoint.

6. Sunset Park
N or R Train to 45th Street, Brooklyn

The neighborhood of Sunset Park, Brooklyn is a miniature United Nations built up around its namesake park, which offers views that rival those from the top of the Empire State Building. Only here you can also see said building—and the views are free. While you’re in the area, stop at Greenwood Cemetery, a Civil War battle site and final resting place of Boss Tweed, Samuel Morse and other New York elite.

7. Stargazing

Believe it or not, it’s possible to see stars from the city. And no, we’re not talking about the artificial kind. The Amateur Astronomy Association of New York hosts “observing sessions” at parks throughout the city. Try Inwood Hill Park at the northern tip of Manhattan, said to be the best place see stars since it has no streetlamps. The AAA takes groups there every Saturday. Bring comfortable shoes, a flashlight and your sense of wonder.

About the author: Suzanne Russo thinks of herself as equal parts California Girl and New Yorker. She moved from San Francisco to New York four years ago to pursue her MA in English, and her obsession with all things New York life and history hasn’t dwindled yet. She is a freelance writer, director of the San Francisco-sponsored, New York literary pub crawl, Lit Crawl, and constant wanderer.

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It seems like half the world is “striking out” the last few days. Broadway stagehands and TV comedy writers have walked out, and now French and German rail employees are taking to the picket lines.

Here’s the latest on the European rail strikes:

France Rail Strike

Day Two of strikes, affecting national trains, regional trains, and metro. Strikes expected to continue into tomorrow (Friday).

The French government announced Thursday that the rail unions are willing to negotiate.

150 national TGV trains (out of 700) ran on Thursday, which is better than the 90 that ran Wednesday.

6 out of 16 Paris Metro lines were out of service on Thursday. (There seems to be a little light at the end of the metro tunnel.)

German Rail Strike

On Thursday, passenger train drivers joined a larger rail strike begun Wednesday for higher wages and better working conditions in Germany.

Deutsche Bahn (German National Railways) calls the strike the biggest in its history.

“Heavily reduced” services have meant that the number of trains running is cut in half in most places, leaving travelers and commuters in a bind.

Service delays in Berlin (20-40 minutes) on commuter lines.

Service expected to resume Saturday morning.

To be continued tomorrow… (hopefully with happier news on the transportation front!)

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We don’t know about that “stays mainly in the plains” bit, but we’ll say with certainty that when it rains (in Spain) it pours—at least when it comes to artistic ventures. As bullfighting season draws to a close, the art scene is just revving up. Here are three main events to watch:

1. Thinking takes to the streets: For the first time ever August Rodin’s “The Thinker” has left its home in the Rodin Museum in Paris for an exhibition in the streets. The streets of Málaga and Granada, that is. On October 17, “The Thinker,” along with the six sculptures of the “Burghers of Calais” were unveiled Málaga’s old town. They’ll visit (under the watchful eyes of a 24 hour guard) until December 19; following their tenure in Málaga, they’ll grace the streets of Granada through January 27.

2. Cinema Paradiso: Film critics, mark your calendars! The Seville Film Festival opens on November 2 with The Lark Farm, Paolo and Vittorio Taviani’s World War I drama. The festival, which runs from November 2 until November 13, features only European films in its program of 150 titles from 30 countries.

3. Prado, Prado, Prado: There is much to be excited about at Madrid’s Prado Museum this fall. On October 31, Madrid’s majestic museum will unveil its new extension, and an exhibition of the museums best 19th-century works which have been in hiding for decade. As if that weren’t enough, in honor of its exciting news, the museum will be offering free admission on select dates and at select times.

Ah Spain, how we love thee.

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Photo by heavyweight 78704

Last week we attended a “celebration of travel” party thrown by DK Eyewitness Travel and Rough Guides at the Angel Orensanz Foundation for the Arts in the Lower Eastside. Those folks really know how to throw a party. The space itself took our breath away. Once a synagogue, the now hollowed out space used for events retains that ethereal quality of worship, not to mention sky-high vaulted ceilings and ornate stone decor that took our breath away.

The wine flowed freely, the world music played softly in the background, but our favorite part was the delicious world hors d’oeuvres (think fried balls of risotto with bleu cheese, sweet potato fries, and mini-sausages wrapped in prosciutto and you’ve only just begun) passed by equally yummy waiters.

But enough of that. The party was a celebration of 25 years of rough guides, and what a celebration it was. Tables were decorated with giant glossy book covers on stands, and on each table were strewn an array of “Make the most of your time on Earth” cards, designed to look like polaroid pictures, each describing a different “Ultimate Experience.” We took a couple home, and were hopeful to take home a gift bag which was said to contain a Rough Guides world music CD, but we never came across the bags. (To be honest, we would have been just as happy to take home the waiters, but, alas, they eluded us as well.)

As for Rough Guides, we salute their 25 years, and look forward to many more of great guide books.

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Photo by infraredhorsebite

A sibling love affair, a taxidermic incident with the family dog (whose name, of all things, is Sorrow), and a dancing bear. Need we say more? These plot details are just the tip of the iceberg in John Irving’s novel, The Hotel New Hampshire.

The story follows a family from New England as they open their Hotel New Hampshire and endure various travesties. They take the show on the road, moving to Vienna to run a Gasthaus for an old family friend, Freud, a former European refugee who, along with his traveling companion—the dancing bear—originally brought the parents together. Intrigued yet? You haven’t even reached Vienna.

We don’t want to spoil the plot, so we’ll just say that once you arrive in Vienna you can look forward to a hotel floor of prostitutes and a plot by radicals to blow up the Vienna State Opera. It’s a wild ride, and we are willing to bet you won’t want to put it down.

Because Vienna is a fairly placid place, a novel like this one provides an enjoyable and counterintuitive take on the Austrian capital.

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Ever since we saw An Inconvenient Truth we’ve been feeling a little environment-obsessed. So in honor of Earth Day yesterday, we’ve made a little to-do green list.

1. Upbraid socially irresponsible family members for their refusal to recycle. Check.

2. Support the Carbon Fund for Europe, which is partnering with the European Investment Bank to buy carbon credits for environmental projects in underdeveloped nations.

3. Offset carbon. See our previous post about carbon dioxide offsetting programs, or check out this Web site.

4. Ride Eurostar. They’ve just announced plans that by 2012 they will reduce emissions by 25 percent per passenger.

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Photo by nemo585

Last week we all lost a literary great, Kurt Vonnegut: war hero, anthropologist, and writer of such greats as Breakfast of Champions and Cat’s Cradle. He’s left us a legacy of quotable writing, humor, and thought provoking literary scenes. And so this week we are rereading Slaughterhouse-Five in tribute to Vonnegut.

The semi-autobiographical novel recounts Vonnegut’s own days as a prisoner of war in World War II, when he witnessed the massive bombing of Dresden that burned and debilitated the entire city. The bombing killed—according to some estimates—up to 135,000 people in a matter of hours. In true Vonnegut fashion, the novel is a work of stylistic genius, brilliant comedic relief, and thought-provoking richness.

We’ll say no more. We will, however, note that several years ago, on a trip to the (now beautifully restored) Dresden, we took a bus out to Schlachthofring, the circle of slaughterhouses in which Vonnegut was imprisoned during his time in Dresden. Though our guidebook listed this desolate place as an attraction, we found nothing but abandoned buildings, with not even so much as a plaque. Moral of the story: go to Dresden for the beauty of the city, and then read the book for all the rest.

Thank you, Mr. Vonnegut, for making everything a little more beautiful.

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We know, the name is not thrilling. We groaned inwardly at the prospect of another war book with gruesome battle scenes and unrequited love for the poor wounded soldier, a la Hemingway. But who knew we’d be taken to a German spa town?

It turns out, The Good Soldier, by Ford Madox Ford, is war “John Irving style” (read: love wars, war of the mind, and just plain screwed up people). To sum it up, it’s a tale of love, friendship, adultery, and people losing their minds. Just what we look for in a novel!

John Dowell, a cuckolded husband, looks back after his wife’s death and tries to piece together the love quadrangle he unwittingly lived for nine years. Add a myriad of plot twists, Dowell’s unreliable memory, and comical perspective, and you have yourself a page-turner.

First published in 1915 and set in the angst-ridden pre-World War I years, the novel is a fascinating glimpse into the history and culture of a Europe not so long ago. The plot, mostly set in the German spa town of Nauheim, is ripe with the British struggles of proper Victorian manners, day trips to historic Prussian castles, and the anxieties of a Europe on the brink of disaster. Author Ford Madox Ford doesn’t leave us wanting for anything, except maybe more novels.

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Photo by phanikishore

Those Swiss really know how to send winter out in style—or, as it were, in effigy! We think the folks in Zurich have the right idea with their spring Sechseläuten festival, which takes place on Sunday, April 15 and Monday, April 16.

Sunday’s festivities will include a children’s parade, followed by Monday’s procession of the guilds to the bonfire. Yes, bonfire. At 6 p.m. sharp, the noble folks of Zurich will burn “Böögg,” an effigy representing “Old Man Winter.” There will be music, horses, and over 7,000 participants in historic costumes. Böögg is filled with firecrackers. The faster his head catches fire, the better the summer is supposed to be.

Why, you ask, in a country known for its skiing and snow, would winter be sent away so violently? We haven’t the faintest idea, but we don’t care. We find Böögg and his bonfire to be just dandy. And we hope that fire goes straight to his head!

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Photo by sunny&wilson

Tango and Easter were never two things we put together before. Tango and Easter and Switzerland—well, now that’s crazy talk!

Crazy yes, but also true. Through Monday, April 9, Easter and Tango enthusiasts alike will flock to Basel for the EasterTango Festival. Attendees will enjoy powerful performances by Tango masters, workshops for Tango-ers of all levels, and a “glittering” ball with live music by Orquestra Tipica Silencio.

Where does the Easter part come in? Well, we’re not quite sure, but we’ll take a hot man in tight tango pants over a funny bunny any day.

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