Deals in Freehold

Biking is a great and safe way to see New York City—no, seriously! In the past decade, the city has seen a surge in the number of cyclists rolling through its streets. Dedicated bike lanes now connect many parts of the city, making it possible to ride without having to do battle with Manhattan traffic. The leisure ride described below—or any part of it, depending on what you’re up for—takes riders along both sides of the East River, and can easily be done in one weekend afternoon: the whole route takes about 50 minutes. It’s all on bike paths or lanes, and best of all, it takes you right to some of Long Island City’s cultural gems, all without having to wait on a single subterranean subway platform while the sun shines without you. Hug the shoreline on your way to Wards Island This ride starts from the quiet and scenic neighborhood of Yorkville—that northeast slice of the Upper East Side that prides itself on not being the Upper East Side. You’ll be zipping along the riverside promenade for pedestrians and cyclists that extends all along the east side of Manhattan. Starting on the stretch of promenade that goes through Carl Schurz Park, ride north past Gracie Mansion until you get to the Wards Island Bridge at 103rd Street. Twice along this route, you’ll have to lug your sweet ride up or down a flight of stairs—but luckily, they’ve installed these neat bicycle rails so you can just push your bicycle up without having to carry it. Once you cross over to Wards Island, you’ll ride pretty on wide asphalt paths surrounded by lots of gardens and greenery. Savor the scenery as you proceed on your way to the next and last bridge. Wards Island Bridge as seen from Wards Island. Huff and puff your way up the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge The Robert F. Kennedy Bridge is admittedly unscenic when compared to the now-defunct Hell Gate Bridge right beside it. It is also the most challenging part of the trip. The ramp up to the bridge is a good five-minute uphill ride (enough to induce red-faced panting from me), and it’s a bit noisy, though the path is safe and separated from all car traffic. Technically, you are required to walk your bike on all parts of the bridge, though this seems to be a widely disregarded rule. But your struggle will be rewarded—after the uphill climb, it’s a leisurely stroll or roll down on the other side. Hell Gate Bridge. Absorb some art at Socrates Sculpture Park Your first stop in Long Island City, Queens, is Socrates Sculpture Park, open every day from 10 a.m. to sunset. The sculptural works on view change regularly, there’s free yoga and tai chi every weekend, and it offers a beautiful view of Manhattan. If you want a break from the sun, skip this park and head to the Noguchi Museum just across the road (admission is $10). You’ll find a sculpture collection inside, as well as a sculpture garden in the courtyard and a cute café. A sculpture at the Noguchi museum. Treat yourself to street food at the LIC Flea You’ve probably worked up an appetite by now with all this physical activity and appreciation of culture, so cruise down the Vernon Boulevard bike path to the food tents at the Long Island City Flea. Vendors there offer the cross-cultural foods that are the hallmark of so many Brooklyn outdoor events, such as burgers, dumplings, empanadas, salads, and lemonades. If you’re in the mood to shop, there’s also antiques, artwork, clothing, and knickknacks aplenty on sale, with what seems to me like better prices than flea markets you’ll find in the “hipper” borough to the south. Eclectic food options at the Long Island City Flea. Photo courtesy of the Long Island City Flea. Relax with scenic views in Hunter’s Point South Park After the LIC Flea, head south along the water or bike paths to one of the city’s newest parks, an industrial site turned landscaping beauty called Hunter’s Point South Park. Built last year, the park is one of the upshots of the gentrification of Long Island City, with sleek landscaping, weirdly fancy public bathrooms, and a beautiful view of the city (as the stunning photos on the architects’ website show). A wide, smooth path leads across the park’s sprawling lawns toward piers packed with park benches from the future, perfectly designed for an intrepid cyclist to take a well-deserved break. A view of Long Island City from Hunter's Point South Park. Choose your own bike adventure From here, you have a few options to finish out your day: If you haven’t had enough culture, head to MoMA PS1, a few minutes’ ride northeast. It’s a must-see, $5-admission museum housing MoMA’s contemporary collection. (Note, though, that on Saturdays until September 6, the museum closes its galleries and instead hosts concerts in its courtyard that cost $20.) Ride over the Pulaski Bridge to Williamsburg’s many restaurants and bars (don’t drink and ride—remember bikes are allowed on the MTA). Head home, knowing you’ve made the most of one of our last summer days this year. Check Groupon for more great things to do in New York City. Photos by Kasia Mychajlowycz unless otherwise noted.

It’s just past 9 p.m. on a Thursday, long after most of Manhattan’s trendier donut shops have closed for the night. But The Donut Pub will be open all night long, neon sign a-blazing—just as it has been every evening since 1964. Inside the shop on 14th Street in Chelsea, “Magic Mike” stands behind the back counter with his magician’s supplies spread out before him, ready to perform tricks and illusions for the steady stream of customers who will come through the door. He’s been a regular at the Pub for 38 years—“Can’t you tell I love donuts?” he asked, pointing to his belly—and after he retired from the New York City Fire Department, he took up magic, bringing his act to his favorite neighborhood hangout. (He also performs private shows and sells magic supplies at the Pub and elsewhere.) But Magic Mike is only one of many regulars at the 24/7 shop. There are also the dozens of businessmen who appear every morning with their copies of the Wall Street Journal and New York Times to order the Sip & Dip special (coffee and a donut for $2.90) to accompany the day’s news. Operations manager and baker Gus Markatos started working at the Pub while in high school in the 1990s and has held his current role since 2002. He’s a regular sight behind the counter every morning and not an unusual one in the evenings, either. Most anyone who visits the Pub on the regular knows Gus, and the feeling is mutual—though “there are so many regulars [he] can’t even count,” he knows them all by sight and many by name. Gus isn’t the only familiar face behind the counter. There’s also Buzzy Geduld, the retired Wall Street multimillionaire who founded and still owns The Donut Pub. Patty, who works from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every weekend, has been at the Pub since it opened and has the stories to prove it. (More than a few late-late-late-night revelers come in asking for a beer with their donuts, not realizing that the “pub” name isn’t quite literal, she said.) Sammy, who works various afternoon and evening shifts during the week, has been at the Pub since 1980. Other counter staffers come and go regularly with the seasons. Though the Pub and its clientele seem unchanged through the decades, its neighborhood is not. Just a few blocks uptown, a much-changed Chelsea Hotel now houses the Doughnut Plant, a decidedly froufrou spot whose signature crème brûlée donuts cost upwards of $3 each. You’d think that with all this gentrification, The Donut Pub would have seen some hard financial times. But according to Gus, it’s been the exact opposite. “We’ve put two Dunkin’ Donuts out of business,” he said. “One on 14th Street a few blocks down and another around the corner.” And he doesn’t think that “artisanal” donut shops have anything on the Pub, either, no matter how trendy their flavors or presentation may be. “We are better than the competition: always fresh, and they are made with love.” There’s lots of love to go around here. The Village Voice named the Pub’s chocolate cake donut among the city’s best. CBS NY7 did the same for its honey dip donut, whereas both Gothamist and Tasting Table ranked its jelly-filled donut among the best. (My personal favorites are the boston creme and the sugar-raised, but I’d take any of them before walking out empty-handed.) Gus isn’t stingy with the love on the baking side of things, either. It’s not unusual to see him coming out of the back room with a rack of freshly baked croissants that he happily shares with regulars, sometimes on the house. (Yes, The Donut Pub has a full line of pastries, including muffins, cookies, biscuits, bagels, and bialys.) He has even developed his own version of the crazy-popular cronut, which some daresay is better than the one you-know-who makes (and people wait on line for hours for). Gus’s black-and-white cookie is among the best in the city—I can vouch personally for its ability to single-handedly soothe even the worst sort of New York heartbreak. That includes at least one romance that both began and ended at The Donut Pub, with Gus and company as witness. To their professional credit, they didn’t take sides, and the cookie was on the house. But the best part about working at The Donut Pub? Sammy and Gus agree: it’s the donuts. “I eat a donut every day,” Gus said. But as he stands there framed by racks and racks of tempting sweets, it’s hard to believe he stops at just one. No one else I know is able to. The Donut Pub is open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, and is located at 203 W. 14th St., just west of 7th Avenue. Photos by Amy L. Hayden. Check Groupon for deals on coffee and treats in New York City.

This week’s list of things to do includes an ‘80s classic coming-of-age film, an IRL appearance by Daily Show writers, and a 70-minute spectacle that has dancers flying in the air. Enjoy yourself, and as always, check Groupon for other great things to do in New York City. Hudson River Park Blues BBQ Midtown | Saturday, August 23 Tender, saucy barbecue from Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Delaney Barbecue, and Mighty Quinn's Barbecue flavors this family-friendly festival, which has brought blues and roots musicians to Pier 84 for 15 years. It’s okay to eat your weight in brisket—just give yourself time to digest before the high-energy funk of headliners Big Sam’s Funky Nation calls up your best dance moves. The BBQ also kicks off the Hudson River Park 550 (#HRP550) fundraising initiative: visit the campaign page for more info. (Off W. 44th St.; 2 p.m.; free) Left Bank Picture Show: Stand by Me West Village | Sunday, August 24 Rob Reiner’s classic 1986 coming-of-age tale is the second-to-last to be screened in West Village tavern Left Bank’s summer film series. Guests nibble on themed sips and bites as a very young Wil Wheaton, Cory Feldman, and River Phoenix bond over their quest to locate a missing child in the woods near their small town. A baby-faced Kiefer Sutherland co-stars. (117 N. Perry St.; 8:15 p.m.; free) Widowspeak Midtown | Thursday, August 28 Moody, Western-tinged rock will fill MoMA’s Sculpture Garden as Brooklyn duo Widowspeak takes the stage for the last MoMA Nights event of the summer. Lead singer Molly Hamilton weaves her haunting, Mazzy Star–esque vocals in with Robert Earl Thomas’s ‘70s-psych influenced guitar. (11 W. 53rd St.; 6:30 p.m.; free with museum admission) Improv by Daily Show Writers Chelsea | Thursday, August 28 The men and women responsible for crafting Jon Stewart’s nightly quips venture out from their writers’ room for one precious night onstage at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. When they’re done blinking, naked-mole-rat-like, at the unfamiliar light of the sun, the jokesters perform an improv show based on audience suggestions. (307 W. 26th St.; 9:30 p.m.; $5; make reservations here) Fuerza Bruta: Wayra Union Square | Through January 4, 2015 Forget straining your eyes to see dancers onstage. In fact, forget stages at all. Fuerza Bruta: Wayra’s immersive 70-minute spectacle explodes the fourth wall, raising performers above audiences’ heads as they tumble through the air, climb suspended walls of fabric, or slip around a transparent water-filled pool. (101 E. 15th St.; $49–$59 with Groupon; buy tickets through GrouponLive here)