by Kimberly Fisher

Headed to the big apple? Check out these 3 books to make your stay that much more fun, fabulous and informative.

The Unofficial Girls Guide to New York: Inside the Cafes, Clubs, and Neighborhoods of HBO’s Girls by Judy Gelman and Peter Zheatlin

Even though I have never seen an episode of the hit TV show “Girls”, I have heard enough about it to know that this book would have some pretty cool things in it. What I learned from picking up The Unofficial Girls Guide to New York: 

• There is actually a Cafe Grumpy, where the characters from the TV show work. Four of them, in fact. Two in Brooklyn and Two in the city.
• AndrewAndrew is not a fictional character, but in fact a real life gay couple that dress alike, dance alike and DJ with iPads. They don’t celebrate their birthdays, but celebrate the day they morphed into one public identity, which is September 9th.
• A pierogie is a Polish stuffed dumpling, which you can get in excess in Greenpoint, which has a thriving Polish community that spans for blocks.
• A quick guide to shopping in the West Village includes stores like Beacon’s Closet, Trina Turk and Lulu Guinness, along with which character might purchase.

In all, a very short, colorful, informative read for fans of “Girls” as well as anyone wanting an inside look at New York City from a different point of view. To purchase on Amazon: The Unofficial Girls Guide to New York: Inside the Cafes, Clubs, and Neighborhoods of HBO’s Girls

I Never Knew That About New York by Christopher Winn

Want to be great at cocktail parties? Pick up a copy of this book and enchant with extraordinary facts about NYC.

Did you know that Grand Central Terminal is the largest railway station in the world?

Did you know that Columbus Circle is the point from which all official distances to and from New York are measured?

Did you know that when Queen Elizabeth II visited Trinity Church in 1976, she was presented with 279 peppercorns?

To purchase on Amazon: I Never Knew That About New York

365 Guide New York City: Drink. Eat. $ave. Every Day of the Year. A Guide to New York City Restaurants and Bars by Monica DiNatale 

The perfect book for anyone heading to NYC and is a food. 365 different restaurants featured! Great for someone on a budget, as it shows daily deals. One of the most comprehensive guide books to the best restaurant and bar deals anywhere in the city!

Compiled by New York Food Host and Deals Expert, Monica DiNatale, this is the only New York City guide that tells you where you can find: free, yes, FREE food specials throughout the city, $2-$3 drinks any day of the week, the best happy hours where you can eat to your stomach’s content and more deals than any other guide on the planet! From five-star restaurants to the best dive bars, get to know all about NYC’s restaurants and bars.  www.365guidenyc.com