So there's this thing. It happens twice a year in New York City, on the little island out in the harbor you need a special ferry to reach. It's amazing and it's only $7 to attend (advance, at door is $10). It's the Jazz Age Lawn Party, and it's coming up this weekend.

From 11am to 5pm on Governor's Island for both August 20 and 21, Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra will play tunes from the 1920s and 30s while the public—many in full 20-30s period outfits—dance, attend the pie baking contest, drink a few prohibition-era cocktails and socialize in the sun.

Here's a zillion pictures from the last one to get you in the Roaring '20s mood.

It's the sort of event that could only happen in New York City (okay, maybe London too), but you've got to get into the spirit. No wearing jeans and a T-shirt—the idea is to bring back the glamor and innocence of the Great Gatsby days, where men were men in suspenders and hats and women wore flapper-waist dresses and lace gloves. This is the sort of thing we'd kill to experience as a tourist to New York, as a local it's even more desirable. ]]> JetSetCD 2011-08-18T18:12:58-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/4/20/72130/3810

On your next trip, get a little more adventurous with your rental car choice, and we’re not talking about getting a Prius or a Smartcar. Go with something that will leave a lasting impression on everyone you drive past—something like the DeLorean Time Machine from the Back to the Future series. ]]> kjb 2009-04-20T09:41:41-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/12/17/152057/64

The New York Public Library has just uploaded reams of old-timey photos to Flickr, where you can now browse snaps from Ellis Island, Civil War-era pictures and even "Yosemite Views." But the 160-picture set called "Changing New York, 1935-1938" struck us as particularly relevant given current events that may soon wipe out the endless new bank branches that have popped up in Manhattan the past few years.

Among the photos of shanties on West Houston, elevated trains and horse-drawn carriages, there are also some NYC sites we recognize, like the Empire State Building (finished in 1931), the George Washington Bridge (also finished in 1931) and the palatial homes lining Gramercy Park. Financial crises or not, some things, it seems, never change.

Related Stories:
· Changing New York, 1935-1938 [Flickr]
· Signs [Flickr Blog]

[Photo of Herald Square: NYPL]]]> pbb 2008-12-17T15:50:32-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/9/22/172756/720

Ah, fall. Time for harvest season, leaf peeping and--for a surprisingly large number of Americans--lacing up the corsets.

For reasons that remain unclear, autumn is prime Renaissance Festival season throughout America, and now through early November, fairgrounds all across the country will be hosting jousting competitions and suffering legions of poorly done old English accents.

But RennFests aren't just for 15th-Century geeks--they're for foodies too. Express Night Out took a trip to the Maryland Renaissance Festival and reports it picks up where summer's state fairs left off:]]> BS 2008-09-23T11:30:32-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/10/24/11828/207

For tourists to China the experience of Mao's rule is mostly just pages in a school history textbook. But now there's a way to get a pretty authentic taste of life during the Cultural Revolution: eat in a Commune Mess Hall restaurant.

These restaurants are apparently appearing throughout China, and the Guangzhou branch in the south of the country is getting some press attention. The restaurant staff dress in Red Guard uniforms, revolutionary songs form the musical soundtrack to your dining experience and propaganda posters adorn the walls. Fortunately, though, the food comes from more modern perspective.

Communism is still the rule of thumb in China, so the manager of the Guangzhou Commune Mess Hall restaurant has this to say about the capitalist-looking enterprise he's running: "It's socialism with Chinese characteristics." Of course it is.

Related Stories:
· Chinese Get To Eat With Mao [Herald Sun]
· China Travel coverage [Jaunted]
· Guangzhou Hotels [HotelChatter]

[Photo: dongwon song]]]> amandak 2007-10-24T09:00:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/10/16/82937/764

You don't have to stay at home just because the leaves are changing. Follow along on our Fall Culture Map to discover what's happening this autumn.

Hear ye, hear ye! Gather up thy lances and purchase thy turkey legs for the Texas Renaissance Festival, which began a week and a half ago and continues through Thanksgiving in the town of Plantersville, northwest of Houston.

Maybe Ren Fests are more of a summer thing in temperate regions, but would you really want to wear a corset in 95-degree heat? The festival runs every weekend with fireworks at night, jousts daily and special performances by groups like Sound and Fury--a "Fakespearean" acting troupe--and the bell ensemble Cast in Bronze.

Go back in time for the weekend, then head back to Houston for amazing Mexican food or a turn around the ice-skating rink at the Galleria to jolt you back into the 21st century.

Related Stories:
· Texas Renaissance Festival [Official Site]
· Fall Culture Travel coverage [Jaunted]
· Fall Culture Travel Map [Jaunted]

[Photo: VisitHoustonTexas.com]]]> egw 2007-10-16T14:00:01-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/