Landlore: Alternative Travel Lifestyles

Speakeasy - Starstruck, NYC, NY : When the 2K ball-drop was approaching, my friend Marf 'n I got it into our skulls that we should see the ball drop in New York City. We couldn't afford the trip, but we went anyway. That left us homeless on the streets of NYC for two weeks. One of the places that gave us shelter was a little Eurodeli just a block or so away from Time Square, directly towards Hell's Kitchen. This little 24-hour diner served everything from a cheap burger to a pricey plate 'o lobster. Everyone but the cooks were Italian, and, coincidentally enough, were all called "Nick". Hmmm. And the Mexican cooks were all called "Cookie". Nn'huh. When my friend Marf and I discovered this little jewel, we immediately had suspicions of mafioso activity. After seeing money changing pockets following a dog race, we were pretty much sure. Then there was the random guy who walked in, said nothin' to no one, walked downstairs with a duffel bag, t...

This SXSW/ACL featured speakeasy focuses in on that all important liquid that has become the staple opiate of the masses--coffee. Epoch doesn't just serve up a mean cup o' bean juice, however. What really sets it apart is the fact that it doesn't close. That's right y'all, The Poch is a 24-hour affair... 'n there's even a night owl bus that will take you from downtown to Epoch at all hours of the night. For those who don't need to read any further, here's the info: Epoch Coffee , 221 W North Loop Blvd, Austin, TX 78751 ~ 512.454.3762 Epoch Coffee Online ~ Yelp Reviews ~ Google Maps Directions : By day, take the #1 bus [ schedule ] to North Loop and Lamar. There will be a light at the intersection with a Philips 66 gas station on the right. By night, take the #481 bus [ schedule ] to 51st and Lamar. There will be a light at the intersection with a 7-Eleven gas station on the right. The night owl adds two blocks to your walk, so walk up two blocks ...

[Speakeasy] AZ, Sedona - Random Acts of Coffee : You can't be any more of a "hole in the wall" than actually holding shop thru a physical hole in a dammd wall... and, thru that hole was Sedona's Random Acts of Coffee. Well, there were also a few steps involved. Whatever. To say it was "The Sedona Underground" would be just another literal descriptor. You get the point. Sedona's beauty draws in so many tourists that it was hard to find where the authentic Sedonites sat back, lit up 'n drank with ease. I wouldn't've even found the place had it not been for another hitchhiker called Wild Spirit. I, in turn, took it upon myself to introduce the other travelers staying at the Sedona Hostel to the wonders of Random Acts of Coffee. It was one of those places that you wanted to tell everybody about... and, sadly, I've finally confirmed my worst suspicions. Random Acts of Coffee is gone. My brother Tristan and I were on a road trip to the Gr...

"Lefty" at the Guinness Warehouse Oh no, Dublin, we're not done with you just yet. It's time wrap up the final third part of this series... 'n what better way to do it than backwards? Maestro! Cue the music! Song of the Day: [ Free from Music Ninja ] Bedouin Soundclash - Brutal Hearts (Ft Coeur de Pirate) "Brutal Hearts (Ft Coeur de Pirate)" by Bedouin Soundclash Alan de la Graingers Grainger's Pub : See that softy on the left? That's Alan. Don't believe the smile. Alan will fuck you AND your whole crew up. No, seriously, we love this guy... 'n it's the one time we got him to smile during our stay in Ireland. More on how we got him to smile here in a second. First, we've gotta tell you a bit about the real Alan. I heard it from a peep who knew a peep that these two American girls wandered their way into Graingers while RyGuy 'n Gaea were soaking up some brews there. When Alan came over to the two girls, they both o...

" Indian Summer Firepit " by Kantiki Indian Summer : The colder it gets, the more my mind drifts towards Indian Summer in Monterey, California. Ya see, Indian Summer's the only warm place in Monterey... a city that never gets warm [ link ]. I'll grant Monterey one thing, it doesn't get "freezing" either... but what they call warm is what an equatorial creature such as myself calls "cold". That all gets thrown out the window at Indian Summer. Indian Summer is part restaurant, part bar, part club and part hookah den. What really sets them apart are the two brick fireplaces that they light every evening. In tandem with their warmers, these turn the patio into a natural gathering place for others who love warmth. People gather around the fireplaces... and conversation naturally follows around the tables surrounding the fireplaces. In a single evening, you can talk with soldiers from the base up the hill, with fishermen and with locals who are ...

[Speakeasy, TX, San Marcos] Rivendell Restaurant & Gardens : When the first elvish settlers moved into Texas, they planted the young seeds that would become Rivendell Restaurant & Gardens. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be. Only a few thousand years after the elves passed on the restaurant to human caretakers, the restaurant closed... and San Marcos lost one of its premier attractions to the city. This Tolkienesque experience was a restaurant with every wall painted in murals of fields and forests, with trees that poured water in cascades down their stumps and with sofas formed of stones. The cats had likely been bribed by the cooks to stay away from the tables where customers dined on savory sandwiches made from fresh-baked bread. Wandering the tiered gardens after the meal was a refreshing way to let the tummy settle before heading down to the San Marcos river for an afternoon swim. I can attest to the fact that there's still an elf here and there near the river... or at l...