Monocle Travel Guide Series: New York

Global media brand Monocle has recently published a travel guide to New York City that goes beyond the traditional tourist spots and highlights their top picks for the discerning traveller.

Monocle launched in 2007 as a print magazine which has quickly become a go-to for global affairs, business, culture, design, and much more. With an extensive network of writers and photographers in London, New York, Toronto, Tokyo, Singapore, Zurich, and Istanbul, Monocle has its finger on the pulse of cities and knows what makes each one of them special. They’ve launched a travel guide series, published by Gestalten, which highlights their favourite things to do and see in the cities they know best. The second book in this series is about New York City and Monocle has once again called on their local experts and built a guide around how  to spend your time in the world’s most famous city.

In keeping with their brand of simple design with well-curated content, this travel guide is something you would feel proud pulling out of your bag while strolling the streets of New York. The book features a clean design with a sleek black hard cover, tons of high quality images, and some useful maps. It’s not separated by neighbourhoods but instead features the top picks in sections like hotels, food and drink, design and architecture, arts and culture, and sport and fitness.

This book is full of recommendations for those who may want an insider’s look at New York’s vast food-scene, to take in a lesser-known cultural gem, or discover some new designer boutiques. It skips the tourist spots but instead gives you a handpicked list of some of the top local things to do and see in New York. The food and drink section will surely fill any appetite with advise on where to grab anything from a slice of New York thin-crust pizza, to a homely Jewish fare, or some Japanese fusion. Along with practical advise for an average traveller, the guide invites readers to explore New York’s more obscure neighbourhoods. Why not take a stroll to Red Hook in Brooklyn’s south waterfront and try one of the best-known lobster rolls at Red Hook Lobster Pound or take in a taste of bohemia through the West Village.

Monocle’s guide also features things that you may not find in your average travel book. For one, the “Things We’d Buy” section will make you want to forget the “I ❤ NY” shirt, and think about snatching something off their meticulously planned  list. However, one of the best features in Monocle’s guide and which sets this book apart from your traditional travel guide’s is the essay section. It features 12 short essays by contributing editors from a great variety of backgrounds that gives unique perspectives on urban topics, but also tackles myths and preconceptions we may have about NYC.

New York is the second city in Monocle’s Travel Guide Series (after London), and they will soon release their guides to Tokyo and Hong Kong. The New York edition hits all the significant cultural landmarks which New York is famous for such as the Moma, but it’s those unique local spots which will make your trip truly unforgettable. We’d say that traveling is always best when you have a local guide, and so you can consider Monocle Travel Guide Series as having a group of your coolest friends showing you around their city.

Monocle Travel Guide Series: New York
By: Monocle
Editors: Tyler Brûlé, Andrew Tuck, Nelly Gocheva
Release Date: May 2015
Format: 14 × 21 cm
Features: Full color, hardcover, 148 pages
Language: English
ISBN: 978-3-89955-575-2