Being a true fan is all about knowing more than your neighbor. And this season's books mean you'll start the year with more to say than the guy next to you at the stadium -- or that interloper from Oakland with the fat contract.

There's Internet in the air: Hot spots all around the city let you log on without a phone line. Grab a laptop with a wireless network card, and stop by these locales for a high-quality signal. (Visit www.nycwireless.net for further technical support.)

There's nothing better than old-fashioned, all-American, fresh-squeezed lemonade on a blistering day -- except for these refreshingly exotic twists.

Here’s a substitute to keep you placid till you can afford that weekend home in Rhinebeck. Grab a book and a bottle of water, bypass the crowds in the big city parks, and visit your own semi-secret plot of green.

Deep down, we all prefer fries and a Coke to tea and crumpets. But when it comes to rock, the door the Fab Four kicked in just keeps opening wider and wider. These excellent imports invade New York this week.

Borough by borough, where to float your boat—beyond the park.

Slip on those flip-flops for one of these summery festivities. And hey, grab a beer -- you've got Monday off.

Of course, you can find them at Zabar's and the 2nd Avenue Deli. But miraculous-tasting versions of Hanukkah's traditional potato pancakes appear all over town. Atkins devotees, avert your eyes.

The New Directors/New Films Festival, which previewed Raising Victor Vargas and My Architect last year, returns.

Talks and readings to get us all through the second anniversary.