What: Films About Food (and Food From Films)
Where: Water Taxi Beach, Long Island City, Queens
When: Saturday, June 13 – Friday, June 19
Why: These days the phrase “dinner and a movie” sends dollar signs a-rolling almost as quickly as “Opera at the Met.” Enter George Motz and Harry Hawk, whose NYC Food Film Festival, in its third year, is sure to satisfy all your cravings. Literally. The roster of more than 20 films to be screened includes Buttermilk: It Can Help, Mr. Okra, and Eat or We Both Starve. On the menu? Tastings of food shown in the films, such as mutton from the Chelsea hotspot RUB (during Mutton: The Movie, about Kentucky barbecue) and Clam Pie (for the movie by the same appetizing name).
The whole enterprise came about rather organically when burger-guru Hawk met filmmaker Motz (Hamburger America). “I was opening up a new, but short-lived branch of Schnack, and we screened Hamburger America,” said Hawk. “There were a few other screenings where George showed HA and I cooked burgers. We thought it would be a great idea if we could show other food movies and make other dishes.” The pair’s “great idea” has blossomed from a two-man show—“[Harry] was cooking burgers and food and George was working the projector, the lights, playing master of ceremonies”—to a full-blown festival, complete with staff and sponsors.
Big or not, however, this is one of the coolest dinner and a movies you’re likely to experience. And if that’s not enough to whet your appetite, try this on for size. Admission is free—and so are the tastings.
Cost: Free
How to get there: Take Take the 7 train from Grand Central or Times Square. Second option, take the Water Taxi from 34th street to the beach for $5. Visit nycfoodfilmfestival.com for a full schedule. (watertaxibeach.com)
Photos: Courtesy of YC Media
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram