How I�m Using Hotpot to Plan My Thanksgiving Weekend

The word �Thanksgiving� conjures up images of my family gathering around the table in Pennsylvania, passing the turkey and mashed potatoes to one another. But not this year. While my family's off on a surfing trip in Mexico, I'm staying in New York to spend time with my boyfriend Wes.

But I don't want to spend the next several days lazing about the apartment. I want to use the time to discover new local places, and maybe even visit a few forgotten ones. So here I sit, with my Google search fired up and my Hotpot recommendations � based on what I�ve rated and what my Hotpot friends have rated � ready to set my course. What new places should Wes and I check out? Here's what Hotpot suggested:

Thursday

Sure, I could attempt to cook, but why make Wes suffer? In Maps, I search for "restaurants new york, ny,� and in the left navigation where I see my search results, I find friend recommendations listed with the top several results. Here�s one restaurant that catches my eye, recommended by my friend Vivi:

I�m thinking we can get an early meal at Freemans, and then treat ourselves to some delicious dessert. Preferably close to home � Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn � so we can load up on sweets and then roll ourselves back to the couch. Searching for "dessert brooklyn, ny" pulls up this local gem, one I�ve been meaning to visit:

Note to self: Remember to schedule in some gym time.

Friday
My family's big into books, so for Black Friday, I want to go somewhere a little less big bookseller, a little more worn-and-torn. I�ve rated and reviewed a bunch of independent book shops already on Hotpot, so by searching for "book shop new york, ny,� Google should know exactly what kinda bookseller I�m looking for. And voila:

Saturday
I live in New York, but, sadly, I don't always take full advantage of the many wonderful cultural institutions we have. So this weekend, I'm committed to getting us to a museum. But which museum? The search "museum new york" pulls up a great recommendation from my friend Daniel:

Sunday

After an eventful few days, Wes and I will most likely just want to chill out in front of a movie. To avoid the crushing Harry Potter crowds at the cineplex, I'm thinking we should see something at a local independent theater. Searching for "cinema new york, ny" shows me a few options based on theaters I�ve already told Google I like. This one stands out:

And they're showing Woody Allen's latest! Perfect.

Now that I�ve shared with you how I�m using Hotpot to plan my Thanksgiving weekend, do tell: How are you using Hotpot for the holiday? Share your stories in the comments.

Posted by Vanessa Schneider, Hotpot Team