New York City Guide

Not your standard tour of the Big Apple, New York City Guide, from the popular Globe Trekker series, spends as much time in the outer boroughs as it does in Manhattan, emphasizing under-appreciated neighborhoods and getting to know the character of the city's streets and people. British host Ian Wright and Yankee colleague Megan McCormick spread the wealth: Wright reports in from Harlem, where he visits an "Afro-centric" shop and speaks with a Nation of Islam preacher, while McCormick takes in a trapeze lesson, a gallery opening, and a Fifth Avenue shopping spree. The diminutive Wright gamely participates in a round of pickup basketball and also checks out the Bronx and rides a Staten Island ferry to the Statue of Liberty. A respectful visit to Ground Zero, as well as obligatory--but fun--pilgrimages to the top of the Empire State Building, Central Park, and Coney Island are also on the agenda. A highlight is Wright's taxi ride to the Lower East Side, in the company of a driver incredulous that his fare doesn't know precise cross streets. DVD extras include tips on travel, climate, and the festival scene. Recommended. Aud: P. (T. Keogh)