Hey guys, I’m Topher: active Google Places user, avid photographer, occasional karaoke singer, @imtopher on Twitter, and your New York City Community Coordinator!
I spent the past year helping New Work City build out the new coworking space and supporting the growing community of independents and startups. I learned a lot from the stellar crew there on listening to and building programs for a community and feel lucky to be able to apply those lessons as I join the Google Places team. Through attending Places’ events since last summer, I’ve learned so much more about the history of New York City, enjoyed some of the best food of my life, and have been reminded again and again why I moved to this amazing city four and-a-half years ago. My goal is to continue the great work of Esther and Margarita and stay true to the mission of Google Places, encouraging you to share the places you love around the five boroughs and helping you to discover great new ones.
I spent the past year helping New Work City build out the new coworking space and supporting the growing community of independents and startups. I learned a lot from the stellar crew there on listening to and building programs for a community and feel lucky to be able to apply those lessons as I join the Google Places team. Through attending Places’ events since last summer, I’ve learned so much more about the history of New York City, enjoyed some of the best food of my life, and have been reminded again and again why I moved to this amazing city four and-a-half years ago. My goal is to continue the great work of Esther and Margarita and stay true to the mission of Google Places, encouraging you to share the places you love around the five boroughs and helping you to discover great new ones.
You may have seen me in a recent user spotlight (those questions were too fun not to answer before I officially started here) but let me share a bit more about myself and the places that I frequent. I imagine this being told as a popular New York song by Duke Ellington, Jay Z, The Eagles, Beastie Boys, etc. plays in the background. I’ll let you choose a song that says “New York” to you.
Some of my first meals after moving to New York and living in Jackson Heights, Queens are still worth jumping on the 7 train for. The Murg Lajwab from Jackson Diner, the Plato Montanero from La Pequena Colombia, or a hearty set of pancakes from Jahn’s always do the trick. Jackson Heights is home to families from all over the world and the local cuisines and music they share makes it one of the best areas to explore on a sunny afternoon. Queens also holds a couple of my favorite places to grab a drink with friends. In Long Island City, The Garden @ Studio Square NYC is good if you have a large group meeting up during warmer months, offering a relaxed atmosphere, sangria, bar food and sushi. One of my favorite Irish pubs in the city is The Cuckoo’s Nest in Woodside, with live Irish music on Sundays and bartenders that pour a solid Guinness. It’s a more low key scene to share a few beers on the weekend, except when there’s a European football or rugby game on the TV.
I love to sample new foods and often try out new recipes with friends using ingredients from the city’s great green markets like Union Square or Grand Army Plaza paired with bottles of wine from Wine Exchange or Red, White & Bubbly. If I’m in the mood to go out, I hit up Brooklyn restaurants like Dram Shop for the burgers, Geido and their many special sushi rolls, Alchemy for their tomato soup, and Char No. 4 for anything pork or whiskey. If I’m in the city I’ll venture to the East Village for a bowl of freshly made pasta from Spina or fresh veggies from Westville East. When I go out for drinks, the standbys I always suggest are cocktails at Clover Club or craft beers at Bar Great Harry and High Dive.
Some of my first meals after moving to New York and living in Jackson Heights, Queens are still worth jumping on the 7 train for. The Murg Lajwab from Jackson Diner, the Plato Montanero from La Pequena Colombia, or a hearty set of pancakes from Jahn’s always do the trick. Jackson Heights is home to families from all over the world and the local cuisines and music they share makes it one of the best areas to explore on a sunny afternoon. Queens also holds a couple of my favorite places to grab a drink with friends. In Long Island City, The Garden @ Studio Square NYC is good if you have a large group meeting up during warmer months, offering a relaxed atmosphere, sangria, bar food and sushi. One of my favorite Irish pubs in the city is The Cuckoo’s Nest in Woodside, with live Irish music on Sundays and bartenders that pour a solid Guinness. It’s a more low key scene to share a few beers on the weekend, except when there’s a European football or rugby game on the TV.
I love to sample new foods and often try out new recipes with friends using ingredients from the city’s great green markets like Union Square or Grand Army Plaza paired with bottles of wine from Wine Exchange or Red, White & Bubbly. If I’m in the mood to go out, I hit up Brooklyn restaurants like Dram Shop for the burgers, Geido and their many special sushi rolls, Alchemy for their tomato soup, and Char No. 4 for anything pork or whiskey. If I’m in the city I’ll venture to the East Village for a bowl of freshly made pasta from Spina or fresh veggies from Westville East. When I go out for drinks, the standbys I always suggest are cocktails at Clover Club or craft beers at Bar Great Harry and High Dive.
Some days call for a fake moustache
I graduated with a degree in art, with a focus in figurative sculpture and drawing, and try to participate in the arts around the city as often as possible. My favorite gallery haunts lately have been along West 24th St. especially Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery, Gladstone Gallery, and Mike Weiss Gallery. Some museum exhibits I’ve enjoyed recently are Talk to Me and the Tim Burton retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art, Big Bambu at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the BMW Guggenheim Lab that was on Houston St. and is now traveling the world. Every other Sunday I also try to join Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School at the Bowery Poetry Club to draw the wonderfully imaginative burlesque scenes ranging from tributes to artists to literary and comic references.
Me & my doppelganger, Kyle Morton from the band We Are Typhoon
Weekends are for fun and somehow I pull myself out of bed early on Saturdays for a pickup #geekfootball game at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. You’d be amazed how well some of the guys in the technology and marketing fields can play football. When I’m not hanging out with you guys at community activities, I belt out a few rock or 90’s pop songs at the hotel-like Duets 48, on the zebra couches of Planet Rose, in the party room at Karaoke One 7, or at the basement lounge of Sing Sing. Weekends also mean brunch and the plates from Stone Park Cafe in Park Slope, Poco in the East Village, Calle Ocho on the Upper East Side are hard to beat.
What’re your favorite places that others may not know about? Where have you been meaning to go for the longest time? We’re here to help you explore NYC and hear your ideas for new community activities and stay tuned for more NYC fun by following us on Twitter and Facebook. We can’t wait to hear what makes New York special to you.
Posted by Topher Ziobro, New York City community coordinator
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