Archive for November, 2009

Ah, the holiday season is officially upon us!   Nothing sets the season off right in New York City than The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.   

The 77th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony takes place on December 2, 2009 from 7-9 p.m. The annual event is televised and features a star studded line up of musical performances from a variety of popular artists. Typically, the Radio City Rockettes perform and there are also ice skaters performing in the Rockefeller Ice Rink.

Tree Hours:
Daily: 5:30AM - 11:30PM
Christmas Day: 24 hours
New Year’s Eve: 5:30PM - 9PM

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree FACTS:

• Tree  is typically a Norway Spruce
• Minimum requirement is that the tree be 65 ft tall and 35 ft wide.
• There is no compensation offered in exchange for the tree, other than the pride of having it donated.
• Five miles of lights are used to decorate the tree every year.
• The tree is recycled and the 3 tons of mulch are donated to the Boy Scouts.

Here at The Roosevelt Hotel New York, we were privileged enough to host a very special guest this past week. Ms. Savannah Eve stayed with us during her visit to NYC to meet her role model, WWE Superstar John Cena.

This wonderful 14-year-old young lady has cheered on John Cena on WWE Raw every Monday night and has adorned her room with posters and toys of her icon.

This week she will get to meet the star who has captured her heart thanks to the Kids Wish Network. We are happy to be a small part of this unforgettable event for Savannah.

To learn more about how you can help Savannah visit the Kids Wish Network website here.

Fall Pumpkin Risotto with Mushrooms and Roasted Pumpkin Seed Oil

Risotto (Serves four)

8 oz. Arborio rice
3 tbl. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup white wine (Pinot Grigio)
5–6 cups chicken stock
3 oz. grated Parmesan cheese
2 oz. butter
4 oz. heavy cream
1 cup pumpkin puree
Salt and pepper, as needed

Heat oil in pan; add onions and sauté until translucent. Add rice and sauté for two minutes. Deglaze with white wine and reduce to a quarter-cup. Add chicken stock one cup at a time and cook rice over medium heat until al dente. Add butter, cream, Parmesan and pumpkin puree. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Check out more recipes from our Executive Chef Rupert Leitner in our eNewsletter.

One of the best things about the holiday season in New York City is all of the Holiday Fairs that pop up throughout Manhattan. On November 23 – December 24, 2009, get out of the cold and check out the Grand Central Holiday Fair in Vanderbilt Hall of Grand Central Station.

This is the 11th year for the fair and includes wonderful gifts for yourself or your loved ones. With a collection of eclectic craftsman and artists, this fair has something to suit everyone’s tastes.

And, unlike other Manhattan holiday gift fairs, it’s indoors!

HOURS:
Monday - Saturday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Sunday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM

www.grandcentralterminal.com

It’s that time of year again. When all the chatter (and sometimes boisterous yelling) around the office contains of football, football and more football.

I can’t personally speak too much about the love of the game because I’ll be honest, I’m not much of a sports fan, but my boss, Kevin Croke, the Director of Sales and Marketing, has always had a special interest in the game. Before getting into the hotel biz, Kevin even worked in the NFL for the New York Football Giants. Check out his post from April about the NFL Drafts.

Obviously football season is a big deal for the hotel so we are offering a genuinely good deal at the hotel lobby bar, The Madison Club Lounge.

During football games on Sunday and Monday we will be running ½ price Coors Light and the following apps at $10.00 each in the Madison Club Lounge:

• Buffalo Chicken Wings Blue Cheese dressing and Celery
• Mini Potato Skins Stuffed with Bacon and Cheddar Cheese
• Duet of Sliders with Boursin Cheese
• House-made Guacamole with Tortilla Chips

Check out all of the menu items offered at the Madison Club Lounge here.

With a strong focus on quality service and hospitality, it’s no surprise that these team members from The Roosevelt Hotel New York were nominated at this year’s Big Apple Star Awards.

Congratulations to these associates for their continued dedication to customer service.

Afredo Bode - Front Office
Bernard Montpeirous - Guest Services
Joyce Barimah - Housekeeping
Rey Facultad - Engineering
John Hayes -Kitchen

The most wonderful time of the year is fast approaching. As you plan your stay in New York City, or if you are local and are planning activities for you and the family, keep this great ideas in mind:

• Ice Skating in Central Park
• The Tree at Rockerfeller Center
• Radio City Spectacular featuring the Rockettes
• The New York City Ballet presents The Nutcracker

This is no better place to spend this winter and holiday season than the greatest city in the world. Join us at The Roosevelt Hotel New York and enjoy all NYC has to offer to make this special time of year even more special.

Keep up with all the happenings in NYC by following us on Twitter @RooseveltNYC.

Greetings from mad46!

We wanted to take this opportunity to THANK YOU all for making our second season at mad46 another great success! This year we further expanded the lounge with a new indoor space that was cool in the Summer months and warm and cozy in the Fall. This addition, along with the new retractable awnings that were installed, made it possible for mad46 to remain open even when it rained! This space also allows mad46 to continue to book private events and holiday parties throughout the winter months when we are not open for regular bar business. Please give us a call to schedule your event today!

The 2009 season brought back some of your favorite staff, specialty cocktails and promotions such as Tiki Tuesday and Mojito Mondays. We kicked off the season with our “First Saturday in May Kentucky Derby Party” where guests all came in their best Derby attire and cheered on their favorite racehorse while sipping Mint Juleps with friends. Book your reservations early for our 2010 Kentucky Derby Party as tables are sure to sell out fast! Additionally we addeda DJ on Saturday nights and Tuesday movie nights, where our guests could pull up a seat, enjoy a cocktail under the stars and watch some of their favorite movies right here on the rooftop! Look for these and other special events to return to mad46 for 2010!

Thanks again for making our second season at mad46 a success. Please visit our new web site http://mad46.com for the most up to date information for 2010 including our season opening, promotions and special events or follow us on Twitter @mad46 and Facebook. 

Have a safe and happy holiday season. We look forward to seeing you in the Spring!

The mad46 management team
Sean Davidson, Kate Girotti, Stephen Gross & Iwona Luksza

TELL US ABOUT YOUR 2009 EXPERIENCE BY TAKING OUR SURVEY!!

Have a little laugh with comedian Frankie Hudak and his take on the life of a meeting planner!  

We get how hard it is these days to plan a meeting on such restraints.  Call our sales team at The Roosevelt Hotel New York for great meeting packages or email us at sales@rooseveltnyc.com.

One of the best places to find holiday gifts in New York City is at the Holiday Shops at Bryant Park. It is absolutely my favorite place to shop for friends, family and maybe even sometimes a little something for myself. With over 1,000 vendors from around the world, the Holiday Market offers hand-crafted items like artwork, ceramics, jewelry and so much more.

This year the Holiday Market has extended its opening from November 6, 2009 – January 3, 2010, 22 more days than last year.  Follow them on Twitter @BPHolidayShops  for up to the minute deals and info.

After shopping, be sure to walk over to The Pond at Bryant Park, an ice skating rink in the center of the park! It’s guaranteed fun.

HOLIDAY MARKET AT BRYANT PARK
November 6, 2009 – January 3, 2010
Monday–Friday 11:00am–8:00pm
Saturday 10:00am–9:00pm
Sunday 10:00am–6:00pm
With special extended holiday hours

Bryant Park is located in the center of midtown Manhattan between 5th and 6th avenue at 42nd Street, just steps away from The Roosevelt Hotel New York.