Archive for the 'Tips and Insights' Category

For the third year in a row NYC is hosting the ‘Summer Streets‘ event.  Break out your bicycle and bring out your inner Lance Armstrong, dance your way down Park Avenue or perfect your backstroke at Grand Central .

From 7am to 1pm the streets of the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park and Park Avenue will be closed to traffic and open to pedestrians.  What’s really cool for this year’s event is there will be swimming pools! Three clean unused shipping containers are being turned into swimming pools and will be located near Grand Central and open to the public.

Summer Streets; Play, Walk, Run, Bike

Saturdays August 7, 14, 21, 2010

It is hard to believe that the farmland that was once called Longacre Square (up until 1904) is now the most recognizable commercial intersection in the nation. Times Square officially resides between 42nd and 47th street and 6th to 9th avenue, but most action takes place right around where 42nd street meets broadway. When visiting this spectacular place, it may seem like its impossible to experience it all (which it realistically is), but we’ve done our best to pick and choose the best things this epicenter of light has to offer…

1. Catch a ball game at ESPN Zone
    With over 100 HD Televisions, there is no better place to have a bite to eat and cheer on your favorite team. On your way out, check out the ESPN Store that sells tons of sports merchandise.
    
2. Visit M&M’s World
    What could be more exciting than a 25,000 sq, foot store filled with M&M’s of every color imaginable. The store offers 3 floors of everything M&M from customizable candies to souvenir clothing.
    
3. Take a ride at Toys R Us
   It’s no secret that there is a huge ferris wheel in the center of the world’s largest toy store. What you may not know, however, is that while there you can take a stroll through CandyLand, meet  play on a giant piano, and see some of the original Jurassic Park dinosaurs. All while letting the kids pick out a few toys!
    
4. Enjoy Madame Tussauds wax wonders
    You will not believe your eyes. This wax figure museum is world-renowned and includes everyone from Ben Franklin to Miley Cyrus. Enjoy a stroll around a take a picture with your favorite celebrity look-a-like
    
5. Watch a live taping at NBC Studios
   Although tickets need to be purchased well in advance, it is so worth it. Shows you can catch live include Dateline and the Today Show. Another great thing to do their is go behind the scenes and take a tour of the whole studio. 
    
6. Have a snack at Dale & Thomas Popcorn
   The Today Show right down the street has dubbed them “The Rolls Royce of popcorn”. It would be a mistake to go to Times Square and not try some of the best gourmet popcorn in the world. You can try flavors ranging from Chocolate Drizzle to Blazing Buffalo. Also, the store has many great gifts!  
    
7. Buy an I ♥ NY shirt from a ‘touristy’ souvenir shop
   You can’t stroll through without buying something with the iconic I Love New York symbol on it. They should not be hard to come across, as there are souvenir shops about every 100 feet in Manhattan.
    
8. Take a peak at MTV Studios and shop around the store
   Check out the venue that has attracted some of the biggest stars of all time to New York. Who knows…you may end up running into one! 
    
9. Gawk at the NASDAQ sign for a few minutes
   It is definitely worth noting the largest LED display in the world. This 120 ft. tall neon sign sign cost 37 million dollars to build and is said to take up the most valuable piece of advertising real estate for a mere 2 million dollars a year.
    
10. Take a picture  with The Naked Cowboy
    Don’t leave Times Square and taking a snapshot with the famous fixture that shows up and plays the guitar in just underwear, cowboy boots and a cowboy hat no matter what the weather.

Sure 60,000 people ride the free Staten Island Ferry daily, but that doesn’t stop the world from labeling the island, which is separated from the rest of the city by New York Bay, the “Lost Borough”. Many think that, besides the free ferry ride that offers a spectacular view of sunset on the Manhattan skyline (if you time it right of course), there is nothing to do there. This couldn’t be farther from the truth! You don’t have to dig very deep to see that there are many fun attractions on Staten Island. Here are 3 suggestions to get you started:

1. The Greenbelt Conservancy

This lush, 2800-acre span of green land provides for a perfect escape from the monotonous concrete and urbanization that has taken over the rest of the city. The Conservancy includes trails for hiking, mature trees for escaping the summer heat, a wildlife refuge, summer camp, a recreation center and much more! The Greenbelt is good for one-time visits or membership deals for locals. Also, check out the Calendar of Upcoming Events for more specific interests! Make a day out of the Greenbelt Conservancy and see the “greener side” of New York.

2. Snug Harbor Culture Center

An affiliate of the Smithsonian,the Snug Harbor Culture Center is the perfect place to go to get your arts & entertainment fix. Situated right on old Snug Harbor, formerly known as the “haven for aged sailors”, the spot is one of the region’s most historical landmarks. Throughout history the center has remained the very heart of the Staten Island social scene. Within the center you will find a contemporary art museum, botanical garden, children’s museum and concert hall among many other things. Plan your visit today!

3. The Chinese Scholars Garden

The Chinese Scholar’s Garden is actually located within the Botanical Gardens of Snug Harbor, but it is definitely not your average botanical garden. The garden, which was constructed by 40 Chinese artists and artisans from Suzhou, opened in June 1999. The traditional Han Dynasty architecture of this magnificent achievement can be traced back 2,000 years. The garden is enclosed by tall walls so that only visitors of the garden can experience it’s surreal beauty. For more information on the Chinese Scholar Garden’s history click here.

So there you have it; 3 fun things to do in Staten Island besides riding the ferry. It  doesn’t seem so “lost” now does it?

The month of August in New York City has an average high 0f 83 degrees. While the days can be quite scorching, the evenings could not be more pleasant, and there are few better ways to enjoy them than heading out to the Hudson River Park to enjoy one of their events. The park is located right in Manhattan along the  waterside of the Hudson River between Battery Park and 59th street. While the park is a great place to visit for a bike ride along one of it’s scenic routes or a picnic under the trees, fun events take place almost daily during the summer and this month is no exception. Some Hudson River Park events going on in August are as follows:

• Hudson River Park’s Moondance - Dance Manhattan makes this event, which takes place on Pier 54 every Sunday night through August 8th, possible by offering free dance lessons. All levels of dance experience  are welcome to come and enjoy a night of swing, tango or salsa under the stars and along the river-front. Live music changes with every Moondance, which starts at 6:30 PM weather permitting

August 1st- Hector Del Curto’s Eternal Tango Orchestra
August 8th- George Gee Swing Orchestra

• Hudson River Park’s Stars of Tomorrow - students from the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music and Mannes College The New School for Music perform on one of Hudson River Park’s most beautiful places, Pier 45. All are welcome to come enjoy the music, which starts at 6:30PM every tuesday evening and is free.

August 3rd- Peter Gazarov Quartet
August 10th- Classical Brass Trio
August 17th- Classical Woodwinds Trio

• Hudson River Park’s RiverFlicks for Grown-ups-  Book a babysitter for Wednesday nights! Pier 54 is the place to see all your favorite movies from 2009 on the big screen outside. Movies begin at 8:30 PM and are free to the general public.

August 4th- Julie & Julia
August 11th- Public Enemies
August 18th- Star Trek

• Hudson River Park’s Rumble on the River - This outdoor boxing event pairs some of the best amateur boxers from New York’s 5 burroughs to compete on Pier 84 in front of a live audience. The matches begin at 7PM and are free to the general public. Not so interested in the boxing? Enjoy the beautiful view of the sunset over the Hudson river instead, which is spectacular from Pier 84.

• Hudson River Park’s RiverFlicks For Kids- Grab a few blankets and snacks for a night of movies in the park with the whole family. Movies start at 8:30 PM and are on Friday nights.

August 6th- Big (Pier 54)
August 13th- Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Pier 46)
August 20th- Annie (Pier 46)

• Sunset on the Hudson - Every Friday night through August 20th, come to Pier 45 at 7pm to watch the sun dip below the horizon and listen to New York’s acclaimed Guitar Man David Ippolito from this spectacular grass-covered spot that stretches 900 feet into the majestic Hudson River.

• Hudson River Park’s RiverRocks- Don’t miss out on the Hudson River Park’s last concert of the season with Deer Hunter and special guest Real Estate. The show will be at Pier 54 and gates open at 6PM. Follow status updates on Twitter.

Let’s Get Ready To Rock…

No you’re not dreaming. This is actually happening. Rock icons from the 50s,60s,70s,80s,90s and today will be coming together under one roof at the first annual Rock Con, The National Rock & Roll Fan Fest. This weekend (June 30th- August 1st), Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel & Conference Center in East Rutherford, NJ. will be opening it’s doors to fans and “Hall-of-Famers” alike for 3 days and nights of live performances, meet & greets, panel discussions, film screenings, auctions, photo ops and much much more! Where else will you be able to get that coveted Paul McCartney (yes, he’ll be there) autograph that you’ve always dreamed of having, or watch one of your favorite rock legends on a Q & A panel that addresses your direct questions.

Some confirmed rock celebrities that will be attending include members of the Go Gos, Cars, Yardbirds, Hollies, Rascals and Danzig. More special artists and guests include Johnny Winter, Livingston Taylor, Tommy, James and Robert Gordon.

Tickets for the event are going for just $20 online and $30 at the door. More information is also available at the event’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Information on becoming an event sponsor is available here.
Directions to the venue can be found here.

Call 203-795-4737 for all other inquiries

Ready. Set. Sculpt!

Tomorrow marks the 20th annual Sand Sculpting Competition at Coney Island. This is a great opportunity for all ages to enjoy a fun day in the sand & sun.  Astella Development Group sponsors the event every year, which takes place between West 10th & 12th streets on the boardwalk at Coney Island. Admission is free to everyone!

If you are interested in joining in on the contest and have not yet registered, you can  register online or the morning of the event. Contest day registration and sculpting begins at 11AM and the judging starts at 3PM. Participants can register as “child” or “adult” and can compete as either an “individual”  or a “group” (groups can be “mixed” with children and adults but you must register as a “mixed” group if you wish to do so). Winners will receive cash prizes!

Not interested in building a sand castle but still want to join in on the fun? All day long there will be live music, dancing, information & craft tables, face painting, international entertainment and even clowns. The festivities don’t end until 5PM that evening, so sand sculptors will also have an opportunity to enjoy the other events.

Directions to the event available here.

Photo Credit: Paul Retherford

Ferinoosh Khosravi, the Roosevelt Hotel’s Senior Catering and Sales Manager and popular “Wedding Ace” has taken to her blog Here Comes My Bride to weigh in on what to expect from this season’s weddings.

In her latest post, she explains that the muted colors and small, modest  accessories that were popular to last year’s brides will not be as prevalent this year. Bright colors and bold accessories are what we can expect. Also, bridesmaid dresses will begin to vary in color hues and fabric type, giving way to a more casual vibe.

Ferinoosh also has some ideas about how to cut costs for the big day (it is ok for the groom to wear his best suit rather than renting an expensive tuxedo). Check out the full post for all the details.

Last week, Slice: America’s Favorite Pizza Weblog, paid tribute to the way New Yorkers do pizza by celebrating the Official New York Pizza Week. Posts that were tagged included a thorough analysis of the famed “Fold Hold”;what to expect from a typical new york pizza joint; tips for what to look for in a great pizza; an open discussion on whether or not you can tell a pizza will taste good just by looking at it, and much more!

Though each post connected to Slice’s NY Pizza Week was an incredibly fun read, there was a great amount of information to take in. That is why I have taken the liberty of gleaning the very best information from  NY Pizza Week, consolidating it, and sharing it with you.

First thing’s first, Slice identifies three different variations of the New York “Fold Hold”, and on what type of pizza each should be executed. If you don’t already know, the “Fold Hold” is the way a typical New York pizza-eater will consume his slice. At its simplest, this means folding the slice lengthwise and eating it like a taco. This doubles the amount of pizza you can eat in one bite and avoids a mess by trapping the cheese and toppings.

• Full Fold- used for simple slices of pizza with a thin crust and few toppings. This is done by placing your thumb and forefinger just under the crust, supporting with the middle finger and folding completely.
• 1/2 Fold- the most common implementation of the Fold Hold, this is used when the pizza has many toppings and you want a balanced bite without much mess. This can be done by placing your thumb and forefinger on each side of the crust and pinky under the middle, and folding slightly so that all the edges curve in.
• Rare Fold- the least popular of the Folds is one used for very crisp pieces that do not need support at the bottom. It is much like a combination of the first two but without a third finger under the bottom of the piece.

A second subject discussed is how New Yorkers do pizza very differently than anywhere else in the world. A few key points mentioned include:

• New York City is still a “by the slice” kind of town where folks can just grab a piece and go while on the run. Often a slice is purchased at a “hole-in-the-wall” joint, and is given on a paper plate with a big stack of napkins.
• A  typical New York pizza is thin with a crisp yet pliable crust and only one or two toppings.
• wood-oven pizza revolution of the 2000’s left a majority of the city’s pizza joints with wood-fired pizza. NOTE: just because it is a wood-fired pizza does not mean it’s better, it always depends on the skill of the pizza-maker.
• pizza maps: where to find the best pizza in NYC

Lastly, Slice addresses what to look for in a good pizza.

• The crust should be “like a good football defense; it bends but never breaks.’ It should have a few raised bubbles that are slightly burnt and crisp. Inside should NOT be dense, but holey, much like the inside of freshly baked bread.
• The best pizzas are covered in sauces that are made with uncooked, canned tomatoes that have been strained and seasoned with salt and oregano. Sugar should NEVER be added to the sauce because pizza sauce is not supposed to taste like pasta sauce. Fresh tomatoes are rarely used in a good pizza.

One last thing… Slice asked pizza-eaters if they thought they could tell how good a slice of pizza would taste just by looking at it. Many said that the eye is deceiving, and one must rely on the taste buds to know for sure. Tell us what you think!!!

They start out by swimming 1500 meters in the Hudson River, then continue by biking a grueling 40 kilometers, and finish off by running 10 kilometers on Manhattan’s West Side highway. That is a  total of 32 miles with an average finishing time of 4 hours! The Nautica NYC Triathlon is coming up on July 18th and the athletes need your support.  Now, I’m not going to encourage anyone to go register for the race and join the athletes (registration is closed anyway), but I will provide a few tips on how you can enjoy this event from the sidelines and cheer on the  3,000 participants that have come from 50 countries and 49 states to challenge themselves both physically and mentally. It is especially important to attend if you have a family member or friend in the event!

• The kickoff to a full weekend of fun events dedicated to the race starts with the Jamaica Underwear Run in Central Park.  The run takes place every year on the Friday before the big race. Last year, the race smashed the Guinness World Record for the number of people gathered in one place in their underwear. The race is 1.7 miles long and starts at 7:30 PM.
• View race and cheer on triathletes from the best spots! The best viewing areas  for the race are between 80th and 99th street for the swim; between 84th and 90th for the bike route; and along 72nd street for the run.
• Watching the Iams Doggy Dash is also a fun event that takes place in Central Park during the big race. It is a 5 mile race that owners and their dogs can compete in together. See the 2010 Competitors here. The event starts at 8AM.
• The jetBlue Finish Festival on Sunday closes the weekend’s events. Awards are given and completion of the race is celebrated by al

Check out the Nautica NYC Triathlon Spectator Guide for more details.

This Fourth of July, Coney Island will welcome the best major league eaters from around the world to compete in the 2010 “Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest“. The contest will begin at noon on the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenue (see map). If you can’t make it out to the actual event, be sure to watch live on ESPN. Last year, 35,000 fans watched in awe as Joey Chestnut proved he was the number one competitive eater in the world by consuming 68 hotdogs and buns in 10 minutes! He defeated 18 other contestants (see full results). Many of you, I’m sure, are asking why on earth anyone would ever put themselves through that? The answer is in the $20,000 cash grand prize!

The contest is free and open to all of the public. A pre-show with live entertainment including trampoline tumblers, Ringling acts and famous rappers will begin at 10 a.m. The contest will directly follow.