offManhattan

On the boardwalk at the Tropicana, there is a good-looking mermaid showing you the way to Fin, the casino’s newest restaurant offering a refreshing—and eco-conscious—escape from the town that’s “Always Turned On.”

· On Saturday, trot north of NYC for an evening horseback ride, hayride and fireside cookout; public transportation, beer, and wine included. [OutdoorBound]

· Free kayaking at Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse. [oM]

· Your alternative to watching the Emmy’s could be swing dancing and Sam Adams swigging at the Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden (which turns 100 this year) on Sunday at 7p.m. [BohemianHall]

· Learn to make four vegan-friendly desserts—including blueberry cheesecake, fudge brownies, and apple pie—with rockstar green chef Judita this Sunday afternoon. [BrooklynKitchen]

· Take the kids to the New York Aquarium for a wet smooch at the seal encounter before catching the fireworks show on the Coney Island boardwalk on Friday. [ConeyIsland]

· The 165th annual Dutchess County Fair is this weekend in Rhinebeck; take the bus or train. [hvmag]

· Enjoy MamaMancini’s Meatballs on Saturday at the Brooklyn Flea in Fort Greene. [BrooklynFlea]

· The Jazz Age Lawn Party returns to Governors Island one last time this year on Saturday and Sunday with Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra, so get our your suspenders and “dip-me” shoes. [GovIsland]

· Embrace the car-free roads of New York City on August 7, 14, 21 when the 3rd annual Summer Streets event takes over the five boroughs and features a refreshing surprise; it’s worth staying in town for. [nyc.gov]

· See “American in High Style” at the Brooklyn Museum before it ends August 1. [oM]

· Fairmont is bringing BMW cruise bikes to all its U.S. hotels for guests to rent for free. [hotelchatter.com]

· In addition to mingling with actors Kevin Klein and Kerry Washington, learn about landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted’s “green” life and work during a special documentary screening at Celebrate Brooklyn! in Prospect Park this Wednesday, August 4 at 8pm. [theolmstedlegacy]

· The Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival is next weekend. [harrahs.com]

· MTA will raise fares. [newyorkpost]

· Stone Barns Center presents Summer on the Farm Weekend August 7-8 with free seasonal tastings, flower workshops, egg picking, scavenger hunts, and more. [stonebarnscenter.org]

· Corinne Bailey Rae performs at the Beach at Governors Island on August 6. [thebeachconcerts.com]

There is the Snooki-poofed version of the Jersey Shore and then there is this one. The village of Spring Lake, NJ is located one hour and 15 minutes from NYC by way of the New Jersey Transit rails. Here, there are calm stretches of sandy beach, Victorian homes, the longest non-commercial boardwalk in the state, Shakespeare plays in a garden, an old pond-perched copper church, and charming inns right on the sea.  

What: 28th Annual New Jersey Festival of Ballooning

Where: Solberg Airport, NJ

When: July 23-25; Friday 1pm-10pm, Saturday 6am-10pm, Sunday, 6am-8pm

Why: To achieve new heights in life. Ballooning exists in that special space between flying in an airplane and jumping out of one, and this weekend, the largest summertime hot air balloon festival in North America will commence rising. An hour from NYC, join 175,000 spectators—including Rick Springfield on Sunday—as 125 colorful puffed-up shapes take to the sky. While the trip is mostly worth it for the experience of hovering 2,000 feet above the clouds for up to a few hours, there will be plenty of other amusements on the ground, from yoga classes to Air Force skydiving shows to funnel cake, a family fun pavilion, and live music. Get out a pen, cross air ballooning off the bucket list, carry on.

· Matt & Kim are performing at the free Siren Festival in Coney Island this Saturday at 1pm; W 10th & Surf Ave. [Flavorpill]

· Take the free ferry back to the 1920s at Governors Island’s annual Jazz Age Lawn party this weekend. [DailyCandy]

· An organic restaurant with a contemporary Italian menu just opened in Cobble Hill. [BrooklynExposed]

· For those fond of crêpes, pétanque, the French (and their wine), bike over to Smith Street this Sunday at 11a.m. for some fun Bastille Day celebrations. [TONY]

· Nintendo is hosting the 1st annual Wii Games: Summer 2010 competition in Liberty State Park this Saturday, July 16, where attendees can mingle with Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson. [going]

· Latin Afro-Cuban Jazz group Mundo Clave will take the stage at Live at the Gantries in Queens on Tuesday, July 20 at 7pm. [QueensCouncilArts]

· Don’t forget to check out the free Roosevelt L!ve series, which is presenting a Mardi Gras Meets Carnaval event this Sunday, July 18; Red Hook Lobster Pound will be there. Take the F train. [oM]

Take a break from that Green IT For Dummies book and learn about organic farming in person and in style. Sustenance on the Farm, started by Margaret Noon, president of Slow Food Northern NJ, is hosting some delectable fundraising feasts throughout the summer months to both educate and tantalize their guests. The mission of Sustenance is to host events that will spread an awareness of earth stewardship and “Redefine a Garden State of Mind” while supporting local farms that practice sustainable techniques.

The names of Atlantic City’s streets are familiar to anyone who has ever spent an afternoon playing Monopoly. Now that you’ve left childhood games behind, you may be acquainted with the hedonistic pleasures that make Atlantic City the Tri-State area’s grown-up playground. Although its gaming casinos have put it prominently on the map, don’t be fooled into thinking it is a one-note town. It is a haven for fine dining, tax -free outlet shopping, top-notch entertainment and a slew of events that are garnering national attention, from the upcoming Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival to the Atlantic City Film Festival slated for this fall.

A New Way to Get to Atlantic City
Whether you visit Atlantic City to roll the dice or stroll the boardwalk, you can save time, money, and greenhouse gas emissions the next time you visit—without skimping on comfort. Hampton Luxury Liner is now offering daily coach bus service to Harrah’s Resort and Caesars from several convenient locations in Manhattan, along with one in Plainview, Long Island. They are well known for transporting New Yorkers to the Hamptons and Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, without the hassle, expense, and carbon footprint that comes with driving. 1.4 million gallons of gasoline are saved every year in the U.S. as a result of using public transportation, so if you haven’t hopped on the car-free wagon, this is your chance to.