WATER. New York water is perfectly safe to drink. You’ll inevitably receive a glass of it when you sit down in a restaurant. Club soda (fizzy water) is used mostly in cocktails. Uncarbonated (flat) mineral water can be bought in a grocery store.
WEIGHTS and MEASURES. The United States is one of the last countries in the world to change to the metric system, and is not yet involved in an official changeover programme. Some British visitors will be happy to go back to the good old days of feet and inches.
Whisky (Scotch or Bourbon) can be bought by the quart or halfgallon, but now also comes in litre bottles. Food products usually have the weight marked in ounces and pounds as well as in grammes.
There are some slight differences between British and American measures, for instance:
1 U. S. gallon = .833 British Imp. gallon = 3.8 litres
1 U.S. quart = .833 British Imp. quart = .9 litres
YOUTH HOSTELS. There are no youth hostels as such in New York City, but there are a number of residences run by the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) and the YWCA (Young Women’s Christian Association), commonly known as Y’s. Two Of the best, open to both men and women, are: Vanderbilt YMCA. 224 East 47th Street, New York 10017 (tel. 755-2410) a single room without bath costs $ 10 per night; and Sloane House YMCA. 356 West 34th Street, New York 10001 (tel. 760-5850), where a double room with bath is $19.50 a single without bath, $10.
There is no age limit, nor do you have to belong to any special organization to stay in the Y’s. But it’s better to reserve a room by writing the Resident Director.
