featured maps.

• 
  Runners' Buy: Best Marathon Gear

  Some idealists claim that the only things a person needs to finish the ING New York City Marathon are guts, stamina and a good training regimen. That's not quite the case. After all, you don't see too many champs cross the finish line barefoot and naked, do you? Fortunately, we've picked out eight of the best places to grab the perfect sneakers, singlets, Siggs (those metal water bottles you've been seeing everywhere) and everything else you'll need to make it 5K, 26.2 miles or however long you're running. Well, almost everything—unfortunately, none of these stores carries guts, so you'll have to cultivate those on your own.
• 
  Ace-Worthy Apparel

  Competing with US Open luminaries is probably a long shot for most of us, but these eight stores sell the best in tennis apparel and equipment to get you one step (or swing) closer. NYC Racquet Sports has everything you need to get on the court, whether you're a beginner or ready to go pro. Meanwhile, Niketown has some seriously stylish attire, so you can show off your backhand and look good doing it. And don't let Golfsmith's name fool you—its Lexington Avenue location serves up the best in tennis paraphernalia in addition to golf clubs and garb. Once you're outfitted, check out Time Out New York's roundup of the best tennis courts in the City, and hit the clay.
• 
  Get in the Water: 9 NYC Pools

  Summer is officially here, and if you've been feeling aquatically deprived, the wait is over. Public pools citywide opened on June 27, just in time for the Fourth of July. Take a dip at these nine swimming spots in every borough and show off your best backstroke or butterfly (and maybe even get a head start on training for the 2012 Olympics). Of course, simply relaxing is always an option as well. Just be sure to read the rules before venturing out—for starters, only white T-shirts can be worn in the pool, and make sure to bring your own padlock for the lockers—and you'll be all set to doggy-paddle. Did we mention they're all free?
• 
  Design Boom: 10 NYC Shops Offering High Style

  by James Gaddy

  
  

  It's no secret that New York is the country's art capital, but lately it seems as though the City's making a play for the top design slot as well. The five boroughs play host to a multitude of pedigreed shops, and each store varies widely in its sensibility, mission and even target market. Moss, for instance, carries the design-and-art banner, while Kiosk, mere minutes away on foot, offers a radically different vision of what "design" even is. Meanwhile, Vitra serves as the proselytizer for design on a mass consumption scale, even as the MoMA Design Store introduces its hordes of visitors to designers via carefully curated products. The best part? All these retailers can coexist and fill separate needs for a population that's growing hungrier than ever for design.
• 
  Flatbush

  A bustling neighborhood in the heart of Brooklyn, Flatbush has long been a homestead where new waves of immigrants settle as part of the ever-continuing story of New York City’s evolution. Flatbush is comprised of a number of different sections that include Ditmas Park, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens and Prospect Park South as well as the campus of Brooklyn College on its southern edge. Each locale has its own character, architecture and sense of community. The area is primarily populated now by Haitians, Jamaicans and people from all over the Caribbean and the West Indies who have made Flatbush their home and are weaving many of their traditions into NYC life. Along Flatbush Avenue, the main concourse in the neighborhood, small, family-run shops that offer anything and everything imaginable sit alongside national chain stores. Restaurants specializing in West Indian food like goat curry and jerk chicken are a common sight; most Flatbush residents you meet will have a strong opinion as to exactly which restaurant has the neighborhood’s finest roti.
• 
  Brighton Beach

  Home to a vibrant Russian and Eastern European community, Brighton Beach might be less famous than Coney Island—the neighborhood and carnival showcase next door—but the area still beckons those eager to settle on the shores of Brooklyn. Brighton Beach is named for its eponymous counterpart in England, and the locale’s art deco–era buildings, charming bungalows (originally built as summertime beach homes) and narrow residential streets speak to its small-town feel. The bustling strip of Brighton Beach Avenue presents a cornucopia of shopping, dining and entertainment (usually involving some combination of vodka, borscht and dancing). In this “Little Odessa,” with the subway rolling overhead, the stores’ Cyrillic signs boast delicious foods and Russian arts and imports. Even if you don’t speak Russian, the allure of pirozhki (stuffed buns) and Matryoshka dolls transcends the language barrier. When the City extended an existing boardwalk from Coney Island into Brighton Beach from 1938 to 1941, it created one of NYC’s finest stretches of ocean-side strolling; day-trippers and longtime residents heartily enjoy the scenery.
• 
  Jackson Heights

  New York’s South Asian population is scattered around the City, but Jackson Heights, in Queens, is a gathering point for the Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities to shop for groceries, grab a bite to eat or pick up the latest Bollywood DVD or sound track. Numerous grocery stores around the area import a variety of fresh and packaged foodstuffs that are necessary for the family’s favorite home-cooked dishes. (Plus, mango lovers know that these grocery stores are the best place to find ripe and hard-to-find varieties when they are in season.) The area is a delight for the senses and a great neighborhood for window (or actual) shopping. Clothing and jewelry stores—displaying ornate necklaces and earrings, salwar kameez outfits or magnificent bejeweled fabrics draped into saris—dot the streets, and delicious smells of curry, tandoori meats and freshly made sweets waft out of local restaurants.
• 
  Astoria

  Boasting one of the largest populations of Greeks outside of Greece, many of Astoria’s businesses are bilingual, and conversations in Greek are the norm in this quaint Queens neighborhood. Outdoor cafés, grapes growing in backyards and soccer on every television during the World Cup make Astoria one of the more European-flavored neighborhoods in the City. Children who grow up here often stay in the neighborhood after marrying, buying or renting down the street from their parents. The annual Easter midnight mass brings hundreds of candle-carrying families into the streets. Greek cuisine, famous for fresh seafood and grilled lamb, is plentiful here, and many restaurants trot out a belly dancer in the evenings. Even the local parks boast replicas of Greek statues and amphitheaters. After dark, DJs at local hotspots and watering holes play popular European and American dance-club tracks, entertaining young Astorians and other visitors who gather at the neighborhood’s fun and vibrant bars.
• 
  Koreatown

  In the heart of midtown, within sight of Macy’s and Herald Square, Koreatown—or K-Town, as it’s affectionately known—is a few blocks of neon-lit storefronts and karaoke parlors offering a taste of Seoul in the middle of the Big Apple. A few Korean restaurants opened here in the 1980s, and the area has since grown into a full-fledged enclave of authentic cuisine, stores and entertainment. Upscale karaoke lounges with private rooms are popular with the late-night birthday-party crowd, while nearby office workers often escape to 32nd Street for a bowl of bibimbap (and a frozen yogurt to go) at lunch. Sought-after specialties at the eateries include the bulgogi marinated beef that patrons can barbecue on grills at their tables and the wide assortment of Korean tapas—including kimchi—served along with meals. Stop by one of the popular restaurants or coffee shops for a bite to eat, or just spend an afternoon browsing the small storefronts selling cell-phone accessories, cute stationery and other knickknacks.
• 
  El Barrio/Spanish Harlem

  Tito Puente grew up there. Bob Dylan and Carlos Santana wrote songs about it. El Barrio/Spanish Harlem is home to a vibrant mix of Latin cultures—not to mention restaurants and nightclubs that rival those of the Caribbean. Stretching from the East River to Fifth Avenue and from 96th to about 116th Streets, the area used to be referred to as Italian Harlem until after World War II, when tenements housing Italian immigrants were destroyed to make room for public housing projects and Latino immigrants began moving there. Now, El Barrio/Spanish Harlem has the highest concentration of Nuyoricans (a term for Puerto Ricans living in New York) in the City and is home to El Museo del Barrio, NYC’s only museum dedicated to celebrating Latino art. Just a half-hour subway ride from downtown Manhattan, the neighborhood teems with Spanish diners (where the signature dish arroz con pollo is always on the menu) and some of the liveliest Latin-music venues in the City.
• 
  Comic Book Confidential

  by Erin O’Hara

  
  

  Whether you're a hard-core fanboy (or fangirl), or just a casual dabbler in the comic book world, these six specialty stores have you covered—from Archie to X-Men.
  
• 
  NYC Rocks

  Where did Madonna rest her head before she became the Material Girl? Where did the Drifters record “This Magic Moment” and West Coast bands Pearl Jam and Sublime make their NYC debuts? Stock up on rockin’ factoids like these or embark on your own rock ‘n’ roll pilgrimage with this special nycgo.com map, courtesy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex NYC.
• 
  Loco for Cocoa: 13 NYC Hot Chocolate Spots

  by Jonathan Zeller

  
  

  Some frozen malcontents are fed up with the City's wintry temps, but pay no mind. The chilly climate is the perfect complement to a piping-hot mug of cocoa. Check out these hot chocolate spots that'll warm your hands and tickle your taste buds.
• 
  Drink Up, Log on: 13 Coffee Spots with Free WiFi

  by Jonathan Zeller

  
  

  NYC's a busy place, and sometimes a coffee fix is just the thing to keep you going. But stopping for a cup of joe doesn't have to mean missing out on nycgo.com (and, if you insist, the rest of the web). Here are 13 NYC java joints where Internet access is on the (coffee)house.
• 
  Face the Music: 7 Karaoke Bars Worth Singing About

  by Erin O’Hara

  
  

  Got a song in your heart—and a need to share? New York City offers a wide array of karaoke bars and an equally broad selection of talent. Hone your skills at one of these seven venues, whether you're just singing for fun or practicing for Simon, Randy and Paula.
• 
  Rockin’ Roots

  Now home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex NYC, New York City is where music legends from Bo Diddley to Elvis took their giant leaps to stardom—not to mention where the Twist first hit the dance floor. Explore these eight venues to get your dose of ’50s and ’60s rock in the City.
• 
  The Jimi Hendrix NYC Experience

  by Laura Kusnyer

  
  

  Before checking out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex NYC, see where the late guitar legend shredded, slept and shopped in the City.
• 
  Green Beer

  It's not just for St. Patrick's Day anymore, at least not when you're sampling the organic brews at these environmentally-conscious watering holes.
• 
  Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights Tour

  by Laura Kusnyer

  
  

  The show's creator points out the five best spots in Upper Manhattan to have your own In the Heights experience.
• 
  Best Bars to Meet People

  by Parker Ray

  
  

  Kick back with a cocktail and see tons of new faces at these friendly LGBT spots all over the City—from Park Slope to Hell's Kitchen to Woodside, Queens.