<br /> Sunshine is intoxicating.<br /> <br /> So is alcohol.<br /> <br /> Taken together, they form a dangerous chemical compound known to scientists as "fun."<br /> <br /> And thus, the UD Labs® team undertook the tracking of the arc of the sun over New York's top daytime boozing locations. The results form what might be the most definitive piece of literature on the subject—a highly scientific urban mapping system of coordinates for maximum solar absorption.
Start: 11:07am—Solar Angle: 134° SE
End: 12:02pm—Solar Angle: 156° SE
Precisely at 11:07am, the sun hovers at a 134° angle, which happens to be ideal for basking in Bowery
Hotel's small courtyard. Hotel guests are supposed to have priority on these plush couches, but 11:07am and
guests at the Bowery Hotel don't often meet face to face, so there is ample room for you to cook with a
cocktail.
Start: 12:04pm—Solar Angle: 160° SE
End: 12:31pm—Solar Angle: 168° SE
The towering hotel that gives this beer garden its name
also robs it of sunlight most of the day. When the sun is directly aligned with what's known in astronomy
circles as the local meridian, the right move for you is along the easternmost tables bordering Washington
Street. Unfortunately, the Ping-Pong tables are far from Washington Street, trapped in a land of permanent
midnight.
Start: 12:38pm—Solar Angle: 172° SE
End: 1:37pm—Solar Angle: 203° S
People-watching at its well-coiffed West Village best.
These are the tables to be at, and the neighborhood knows it. What they may not know is that the northern
tables under the big sign fall into shade earlier than the rest. So head in the direction of Miami.
Start: 1:38pm—Solar Angle: 203° S
End: 3:06pm—Solar Angle: 234° SW
It's hot. You've been drinking in the sun. You're
light-headed. Perhaps not thinking clearly. Fortunately, this one is easy. Just head to the rooftop seating,
where every table is equally sun-kissed and sundresses are standard uniform.
Start: 3:07pm—Solar Angle: 235° SW
End: 4:44pm—Solar Angle: 263° W
Here, you'll want to request table 81. Yes, there is a canopy above most of the seating, but your table
enjoys a direct line of sight to solar heat. Others will be jealous. Pretend you don't notice.
Start: 4:45pm—Solar Angle: 263° W
End: 7:03pm—Solar Angle: 282° W
A hidden gem under the West Side Highway, table 14 is your
ticket to absorbing the day's final rays. Order a double. You've earned it. Send the bill to the
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Mark as "research expenses."
