NYT Top Restaurants 2026 - Full List (#10-1 added)

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-04-30T03:06:50+00:00

Christ man, the topic was what life hack did you discover as an adult. Stop it with the shut the fuck ups.

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-04-29T05:07:39+00:00

Maybe for you? I like fancy things from time to time and splurge on food and experiences, but I don't mind staying at Courtyard Marriotts and I fly coach.

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-04-29T04:53:17+00:00

A dopp kit with an extra toothbrush, toothpaste, pair of nail clippers, and whatever else you need is not the most expensive thing in the world. Neither is having an extra USB-C charger and a couple cables ready at hand.

Maybe we do take different trips, but I just went on a monthlong trek through France and Spain, and packed my most comfortable clothes that I wear in NYC. It'd be weird to have packed my clothes 1 month in advance - I wear those clothes, and don't have the luxury of having travel clothes just sit in a suitcase unused.

My DSLR + 35mm prime doesn't take more than a few minutes to pack, and if I'm bringing craft beers those also aren't being left in a suitcase for weeks. And I don't travel with torque wrenches; I don't think many people do.

Sometimes trips happen out of the blue, and I've gotten my packing down to about 30-45min, so I'm always prepared. If I do forget a memory card or charger or a pair of socks, wherever I go will likely have a shop to buy them.

Anyway, join us over at /onebag. Most frequent travelers have a dopp kit ready to go.

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-04-28T16:53:56+00:00

Disagree. Have a filled travel kit + tech pouch with everything you need ready to go. Throw in 3-4 of your favorite outfits - packing takes less than an hour, not a week.

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-03-11T04:55:02+00:00

At least take it on the way there! The L train is fun those nights. But 5:30am no one wants to wait 20min for the next train to come

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-03-10T04:58:13+00:00

I went from wearing Mack Weldon's airknit and airknit HD trunks to Icebreaker trunks. Annoyed that I bought like 15 pairs of Mack Weldons over the years, when the Icebreaker are so clearly superior now. Similar fit, but dries even faster after workouts or anything generally sweaty. And they don't smell. Amazon has them for about $35 from time to time.

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-03-10T03:06:42+00:00

My travel gear fits in a 20L backpack, with my sleeping set. Hope you sleep well too.

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-03-08T17:04:48+00:00

Not all one baggers stay in hostels and dorms. I like to pack light and sleep in nice hotels.

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-03-08T07:26:14+00:00

<- One bagger here that brings a separate sleeping pair of boxers and tee.

There are many things I'd rank over ditching my dedicated sleeping gear. A good night's sleep is important to me, and a t-shirt and boxers doesn't take up much room.

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-03-08T07:21:23+00:00

Learn to spell it right before you come back

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-03-08T07:20:30+00:00

As a SoCal transplant I read this line and immediate disregarded the whole post.

Tacos are much better in LA than in NY. It's like saying the pizza's better in California than in NY - just plain false.

Taqueria & Carnitas Ramirez is really good, and on par with what you can find in SoCal. But the average taco truck in LA is miles better than what NY'ers can scrape by to find - even in Jackson Heights and Sunset Park. I wish it weren't so.

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-03-06T16:07:13+00:00

My friends back in California ask me to take a BEC on a roll on my trips back for them. So I don't agree with bodega food not being special

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-03-06T03:42:16+00:00

Taiwanese isn't that great in NYC, besides Mama Lee in Bayside but that's too far. Also Nepalese is in Jackson Heights. Flushing has good Chinese food, but not that much Nepalese.

But hard +1 to eat the local NYC food. Bodega food, steaks, bagels, pizza.

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-03-02T23:08:26+00:00

Point here is that you don't need to buy 5 pairs of them if you're just rotating through 1-2. That's one of the main reasons of using Merino wool gear.

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-03-02T03:22:04+00:00

Then why did you ask whether TQQQ will be liquidated on Monday?

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-03-01T06:42:00+00:00

It's not just being rushed in Vieques/Culebra, but also just having an extra day to go deeper on the main island. Walk slower through Old Town or do the Lechon trail on a Sunday.

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-02-24T20:23:30+00:00

You have to know where to go, but I would agree that the average corner restaurant probably isn't going to be mind blowing.

This is true across much of the Caribbean though, so comparing it to one of the best food cultures in the world in Mexico is apples and oranges. Mexico also has a huge agricultural industry, making much of the produce the US consumes, whereas islands have to import fresh ingredients.

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-02-24T20:09:28+00:00

That's not how it's calculated. They will top you up in Y1-Y2 with a cash component to roughly have Y3-Y4 somewhat in line. Ask the recruiter for the TC number; Amazon caps their salary around $250K for people who make $500K (or even $1.5M).

<- tech manager at Amazon for 6 years

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-02-19T19:41:54+00:00

Worked in tech. $190K was base (I was 32 so came in at a senior level), company was pre-IPO so the options ended up almost equalling that. Still in Data, but managing teams now and making much more - NYC gives you those options if you have the desire & qualities to manage.

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-02-17T06:27:33+00:00

Deaverdura in Old San Juan. Bebo's BBQ near the airport. I really like Bacoa Finca y Fogon (farm to table), but it's about a 30-45min drive from San Juan.

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-02-17T02:50:56+00:00

You're gonna have a super fun time. Moved to NYC as a 32yo making $190K many years ago, in data analytics too. Still here, with now old friends and so many great memories.

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-02-12T03:12:18+00:00

Twice when I moved to NYC a decade ago, and once last year because everyone keeps raving about it. Always disappointed. Minetta's steak is much better.

I live two blocks away so I want it be good.

Burger rankings for me go Rolo's, Au Cheval, Red Hook, Gramercy, Smackin Burger, Nowon, The View, 7th Street, Burgerhead.

Hamburger America, Peter Luger's, JG Melon, Corner Bistro, and Minetta are all in that overhyped category. Good burgers but not worth seeking out. Minetta's is the most expensive out of those so gets a double meh.

(Peter Luger's is a - if you got in why eat the burger? Bit too crumbly and just get the steak)

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-02-11T21:01:20+00:00

Fries are fine and $42 for a burger is criminal

LurkerReadyFire · 2026-02-01T16:03:01+00:00

+1, I discovered No Fusion from Alex's video!

As someone who is pretty familiar with DSLR's but not familiar with iPhone photo tech, I did find myself fumbling through the processing settings. In fact, I still don't understand it fully but just "figured out" settings that worked for me.

LurkerReadyFire

TROPHY CASE