For NYC straphangers Asdrid Vasquez and Nick Bartolone, the end of the line is just the beginning.<\/p>\n
From Woodlawn to Wakefield and from Flushing to Far Rockaway, the Brooklyn couple love to turn long rides on the train \u2014\u00a0something most New Yorkers would studiously avoid outside of their weekday commutes \u2014\u00a0into mini-adventures.<\/p>\n
Leaving the usual sights and sites to the crowds, the peripatetic pair are all about the far-flung<\/a> \u2014\u00a0overlooked neighborhoods, secret mom-and-pop restaurants with little to no social media following (yet!) and surprising cultural gems <\/a>waiting at the far reaches of the world\u2019s largest subway system.<\/p>\n Now, they\u2019re sharing their findings with the world \u2014 via one of TikTok\u2019s most charming emerging series, called \u201cEnd of the Line.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe started our series this winter because we were stuck at home and wanted a reason to get out, break our routine and explore more of the city we love,\u201d Vasquez, 32, told The Post.<\/p>\n Asdrid Vasquez (R) and Nick Bartolone (L) want New Yorkers to mind the gap \u2014 and maybe ignore their usual stop \u2014 because some of the city\u2019s best-kept secrets are waiting a few stations down the line. Stefano Giovannini for NY Post<\/p>\n No strangers to Gotham\u2019s transit maze,\u00a0the self-described \u201cfoodies and nerds\u201d were eager to experience the Big Apple beyond their daily commute to Manhattan for work.<\/p>\n \u201cWe take the subway every single day and thought we could use our free time to travel to places we\u2019ve never been,\u201d Vasquez said. \u201cWe realized we could use [the trains] to explore neighborhoods we\u2019d never been to \u2014 and hopefully inspire other people to venture beyond their own boroughs, too.\u201d<\/p>\n Every weekend, the couple spins a wheel featuring every subway line \u2014\u00a0before hopping aboard whichever train fate chooses.\u00a0<\/p>\n The mission: Ride it all the way to the end, step onto an unfamiliar platform<\/a> and see what happens next. <\/p>\n Will it be Dominican food in Inwood? Greek eats in Astoria? A hidden gem historic site in Brownsville? Half the fun is watching the hosts find out as they go.<\/p>\n The couple didn\u2019t miss their stop \u2014 they chased it all the way to the end of the line and found a whole new New York waiting there. Stefano Giovannini for NY Post<\/p>\n So far, the couple have explored roughly a quarter <\/a>of the system\u2019s 665 track miles \u2014\u00a0trekking from the N train\u2019s final stop in Coney Island to the 1 train\u2019s northern terminus at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, the A train\u2019s endpoints, and beyond \u2014 uncovering great Latin fusion restaurants, Georgian bakeries, Caribbean roti shops, historic museums and family-run businesses<\/a> that rarely make it onto anyone\u2019s weekend itinerary.<\/p>\n \u201cWe knew initially that we would stumble upon some great restaurants and food spots,\u201d Bartolone, 36, told The Post.<\/p>\n A meal at one of the hidden gem restaurants, the duo stumbled upon on their \u201cend of the line\u201d adventure.<\/p>\n What they weren\u2019t prepared for was how much more there is to see, far from the high-profile attractions that most people come to New York for.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were also lucky to discover so many museums across the city and other historical sites and old colonial houses that we never even knew existed,\u201d Vasquez explained.<\/p>\n The duo has already conquered roughly a quarter of the subway map, proving the city doesn\u2019t end when the train does. Stefano Giovannini for NY Post<\/p>\n The transit-riding twosome fell for one another after meeting in 2019 \u2014\u00a0discovering they shared a love of the city\u2019s seemingly limitless range of culinary offerings<\/a>.<\/p>\n What they\u2019ve learned from their adventures is not to plan their outings \u2014\u00a0but to leave room for surprises, instead.<\/p>\n @checkin_chickens<\/a> <\/p>\n Part 9: Going to the very end of the A train! \ud83d\ude87 It\u2019s our goal to go to the ends of every subway line in New York City and highlight each neighborhood with eats, history and culture. From the Far Rockaway \u2013 Mott Av. stop in Queens, we had a LOT of Latin and Caribbean food, got lost in a couple travel books, and might still be walking along the beach! Part 9 featuring: \ud83d\udccdRalph\u2019s Diner \ud83d\udccdQueens Public Library \ud83d\udccdPark\u2019s Clothing Store \ud83d\udccdLa Palma Restaurant \ud83d\udccdRJ\u2019s Roti Truck \ud83d\udccdRockaway Beach and Boardwalk Follow along to see which end of the line we go to next \u2728 #nyc<\/a> #nycfood<\/a> #nycguide<\/a><\/p>\n \u266c Coffe and Jazz \u2013 Baby thug<\/a> <\/p>\n \u201cWe trust locals for the best recommendations \u2014\u00a0always,\u201d Vasquez said.<\/p>\n One stop often leads to another, they said. <\/p>\n After trying Honduran food and sipping Yemeni coffee in Jamaica, Queens, for example, a local pointed them toward the nearby Little Bangladesh area on Hillside Ave. \u2014 a detour that ultimately introduced them to three different enclaves in a single afternoon.<\/p>\n The pair\u2019s mission is ambitious: visit all 49 permanent end-of-the-line subway terminals across NYC\u2019s sprawling transit system, uncovering overlooked neighborhoods, mom-and-pop restaurants and hidden gems along the way. Stefano Giovannini for NY Post<\/p>\n \u201cWe ended up discovering food from three distinct cultures in one neighborhood, all because of her recommendation,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe love those New York moments because they lead you to places you probably never would\u2019ve discovered on your own.\u201d<\/p>\n The couple is exploring NYC in a creative way beyond their daily work commute.<\/p>\n Food may lure them onto each train, but it\u2019s the unique neighborhoods that keep them coming back.<\/a><\/p>\n Among Bartolone\u2019s favorite finds: Astoria\u2019s Greek restaurant Stamatis, Dominican hotspot Tipico56 in Inwood, Caribbean spot Trinciti Roti Shop in South Ozone Park and Indian fusion restaurant The Last Stop in the Bronx.<\/p>\n For Vasquez (who also shouted out Dominican spot Tina\u2019s Restaurant in Kingsbridge, The Bronx), one destination left an even deeper impression than lunch.<\/p>\n Bartolone and Vasquez have explored more than 30 countries and countless Gotham neighborhoods, documenting their adventures for years on their joint travel- and NYC culture-focused Instagram and TikTok accounts. Stefano Giovannini for NY Post<\/p>\n She said discovering the Weeksville Heritage Center in Crown Heights \u2014 the site of one of America\u2019s earliest free Black communities \u2014 became one of the series\u2019 most meaningful moments.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you think about the history behind it, it\u2019s such an impactful place to discover \u2014 and such an important part of New York City that so many people still don\u2019t know about,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n For the newlyweds \u2014 who met on Hinge seven years ago, married at City Hall last year, and even rode the subway to their wedding \u2014 the project has become much more than a social media hit.<\/p>\n The newlyweds tied the knot at City Hall in Lower Manhattan last year \u2014 arriving by subway, naturally. They said getting married there felt fitting after meeting and falling in love in New York City.<\/p>\n It\u2019s become a reminder, they say, that one of the world\u2019s greatest travel destinations is right on their doorstep<\/a>.<\/p>\n The response online has been just as rewarding.<\/p>\n Across Instagram and TikTok \u2014 where the couple has 15.7K followers and regularly racks up between 71,000 and 118,000 views per video \u2014 viewers have turned each installment into a crowdsourced guidebook, filling the comments with praise, neighborhood tips and suggestions for future stops. <\/p>\n One commuter recently recognized the pair riding the A train en route to their next adventure.<\/p>\n \u201cI just love this idea. I plan on copying your itinerary, what a great way to explore off the beaten path, and miss the tourist traps,\u201d one viewer wrote.<\/p>\n Others have praised the couple for spotlighting the city\u2019s many cultures, with one commenter thanking them for \u201ctaking the time to explain [many cultures\u2019] flavors and appreciating different types of food.\u201d<\/p>\n For locals, the videos have become a source of neighborhood pride.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so cool watching a place I grew up in being seen by people who enjoy it,\u201d one person from Bayswater, Queens wrote, while another, reacting to the couple\u2019s Broad Channel visit, commented, \u201cWhat a cute community! You two are really getting to know the whole city!!\u201d<\/p>\n Their love story began in 2019, when they discovered they had one thing in common besides chemistry: an insatiable appetite for eating their way across the Big Apple\u2019s endless culinary landscape.<\/p>\n Fans have also embraced the series itself.<\/p>\n \u201cThat cemetery is beautiful! I love how many different things you guys do on your adventures. This is the best series!!\u201d one person wrote after the couple\u2019s Woodlawn episode. <\/p>\n Another added, \u201cThis has become my new favorite series. Thanks for taking us along with you.\u201d<\/p>\n The videos have even become a travel itinerary for would-be visitors. \u201cGuys, I\u2019m gonna rely on your subway series when I go to New York,\u201d one commenter wrote, while another viewer from California admitted, \u201cI\u2019ll forever be jealous of how good the public transit is there.\u201d<\/p>\n The creators say the project has reinforced something they already suspected \u2014\u00a0the best of NYC isn\u2019t always found in a printed guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cNew York is more than just Manhattan,\u201d Vasquez said, \u201cand it\u2019s so much more than one borough.\u201d<\/p>\n The videographers have compiled a Google Maps list<\/a> of all the hidden gems they\u2019ve uncovered along the way \u2014\u00a0and they hope the series encourages fellow New Yorkers to stay on the train a few extra stops and explore beyond their usual haunts and hoods.<\/p>\n \u201cI think diversity across neighborhoods and enclaves makes New York City the beautiful mosaic that it is,\u201d Vasquez said.<\/p>\n @checkin_chickens<\/a> <\/p>\n Part 13: Going to the other end of the 4 train! \ud83d\ude87 It\u2019s our goal to go to the ends of every subway line in New York City and highlight each neighborhood with eats, history and culture. From the Woodlawn stop in The Bronx, we got a taste of the Dominican Republic, visited the final resting place for the famous and powerful, and practiced our golf game! Part 13 featuring: \ud83d\udccdCaridad Restaurant Express \ud83d\udccdPinas Locas Quetzaly \ud83d\udccdYissel Dominican Barber Shop & Beauty Salon \ud83d\udccdWoodlawn Cemetery \ud83d\udccdMosholu Golf Course #nyc<\/a> #nycfood<\/a> #nycguide<\/a> #thebronx<\/a> #nycsubway<\/a><\/p>\n \u266c Swing jazz style song with good vibes(1326813) \u2013 Nagumo Rizu<\/a> <\/p>\n Bartolone agreed, adding that some of his best discoveries have come from simply talking to his fellow citizens. <\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a common misconception that New Yorkers are cold and rude and don\u2019t have time to waste on a chat, but we\u2019ve found that if you create a moment and talk with more people, you can discover their favorite places in the city too, and even ones you never would\u2019ve thought of going to,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI think many New Yorkers are actually really nice,\u201d he added \u2014\u00a0urging people interested in knowing the city better to try chatting with the people they regularly cross paths with.<\/p>\n \u201cThat might be your barista, a bodega owner or even a crossing guard,\u201d he said, recalling how one of the latter recently recommended several restaurants in his hometown of Far Rockaway, Queens \u2014 suggestions that ultimately made it into the viral series.<\/p>\n Bartolone estimates it will take him and his wife nine months to complete their subway quest. They\u2019re even planning to ride the Staten Island Railway \u2014\u00a0after a ferry ride to St. George, of course. <\/p>\n \u201cOverall, with this series, we really hope to encourage people in New York to discover more of the city,\u201d Vasquez said.<\/p>\n She noted that she and Bartolone will \u201calways appreciate how lucky we are\u201d to have \u201ca public transportation system that connects us to small businesses that celebrate so many different cultures and cuisines.\u201d<\/p>\n And as avid travelers who have visited more than 30 countries, the couple said their experiment has only reinforced their love of the city\u2019s incomparable energy<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cNo matter where we go, we know it\u2019s impossible to find a place with this many vibrant and colorful neighborhoods just a few steps \u2014 or subway stops \u2014 away from each other,\u201d Vasquez said. <\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no place like New York,\u201d Bartolone agreed.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t