Archive for the 'Tips and Insights' Category

This would be a bad year to miss out on the famous Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Show in New York City; the “biggest fireworks display in America”- sources say that over 40,000 shells will be set off for the 26-minute spectacular display that is musically choreographed and follows the theme “American Harmony”. The fireworks will be shot off six barges between 24th and 50th street on the Hudson River in West Manhattan. The show, which originally debuted in 1958 is watched by millions each year and is expected to be nothing less than extraordinary for this upcoming Independence Day celebration. It is expected to begin between 9:00 and 9:20 p.m. If you’re not sure where to go to go to ensure a good viewing then you’ve come to the right place. Here are some of the best seats in the house:

1. West Side Highway Areas

23rd-59th street of West Side highway will be closed to traffic (starting at 4p.m.)  to offer great views of the show from northbound lanes. It gets crowded quickly so we recommend saving a seat around 5 p.m. Also, located right off of the Highway at 621 West on 46th street sits the Hudson Terrace which offers panoramic views of the fireworks from their rooftop. Tickets to the viewing party can be pricey,  but include a barbecue meal and four hours of a top-shelf open bar.

2.  New Jersey Areas

Excellent views of the display can be seen from Weehawken and Hoboken. Also, many flock to the Hudson River Promenade on the Jersey side which offers a a view of the fireworks  with the Statue of Liberty in the distance.

3.  Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

Tickets are on sale now for a full night of fun at the museum. Food and entertainment will be provided for VIP ticket-holders that will enjoy the view of the show from the flight-deck of the U.S.S. Intrepid.  If you aren’t a VIP ticket-holder and will be viewing the display from inside the museum, the musical choreography will be played for the duration of the show as well. Tickets are limited so get them soon!

4.   Circle Line Fourth of July Cruise & Rooftop Party at Pier 83

The cruise will offer great views from the river and the rooftop party will be a great option for getting away from the crowded streets. Tickets are $79 and musical entertainment will be  provided by a DJ. Food and drinks will also be available for purchase.

5.  Your Own Couch

If you’re just feeling like laying low and enjoying the show from the comfort of  your own living room, don’t forget that the fireworks show will be broadcast on NBC as part of the one-hour, start-studded, Independence Day special.

For any other questions on the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Show call (212) 494-4495.

Shakespeare has once again arrived in New York City!  The Public Theater, the nation’s foremost producer of Shakespeare, carries on the beloved tradition that New York natives and visitors alike have enjoyed for 56 years.

Come to Delacorte Theater in Central Park and see the “Merchant of Venice” like  never  before. The performance is  directed by Daniel Sullivan and tickets are FREE!  Tickets are distributed via the free line at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, and on the web via our Virtual Ticketing system. Some tickets for reserve seating are available with a donation.

For more information on Shakespeare in the Park visit their website or the website of the Public Theater.

It’s Brew Time!

This Saturday (June 19th) ,Heartland Brewery will present the 4th annual Brewfest on Governor’s Island. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for participants to celebrate craft beer and sample from some of New York’s finest breweries, as well as brew from throughout the U.S. and around the world.

General admission tickets are $55.00 and include a free round-trip water taxi to Governor’s Island, and access to over 300 samples of beer from 100 breweries. Brewmasters from featured breweries will be there to answer any questions. Also, a commemorative 4 oz. Brewfest glass will be given to all attendees at the entrance.

The event starts at 3:30 p.m. and lasts until 8 p.m. and here’s the best news of all… local cuisines will be on hand throughout the night for attendees to purchase meals and snacks while they listen to the best live bands gathered from around the city. What could be better than that? See the NY Brewfest official event website for more details or connect with them through facebook and twitter to receive live updates.

Practice rounds have just begun for this year’s U.S. Mens Golf Open tournament hosted by Pebble Beach. Avid golf fans from around the globe will be tuning in to cheer on their favorites while the media struggles to make strong predictions as there is, for once, no real front runner. As Robert Lusetich from Fox Sports puts it, “We’re in for a wide-open Open”.

The last time the Open was played at Pebble Beach was in 2000, and Tiger Woods cruised to victory 15 stroked ahead.  Woods will most likely be trying very hard to defend his dominance at the beautiful Monterey Peninsula course, but there are many others who would like to capture the title of golf’s grandest tournament. Namely, Phil Mickelson, the winner of this years Master’s tournament and five time runner up at the Open will certainly be vying to dethrone Woods. Other frontrunners include Lee Westwood, Stephen Ames, Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk, Ernie Els and Rory McIlroy.

So where will you tune in to this year’s Open? We suggest visiting The Madison Club Lounge where specials on Drewar’a Diablo and Callaway Cocktails will be offered all week during the tournament. So kick back your feet and join us at Madison Club Lounge for the best U.S. Open viewing atmosphere you can find in the city.

During my years of working with brides I believe I can say I have seen so many different types of brides. Each and everyone unique to their own style. Based on my experience I have developed a “Type” and “Personal Style” category to help me and my brides to plan the best weddings for them.

Although there are so many different categories out there, here are the four that helps me the most:

City Bride
Vineyard Bride
Castle Bride
Island Bride

I guess once you know what type of a bride you are, you have a better and clearer view of how to do the rest of the planning. I know the first thing in bride’s mind, is the “Wedding Gown”. One thing that I always stress to all of my brides is that you have to be yourself and find what works for you.

If you are a city girl, you will not feel comfortable in a lacy country looking gown or if you are an Island girl, you will not feel good in a princess looking hairdo and Cinderella dress. I know some times we get lost in all the pictures and dresses we see and we love them all but finding what your style is and niche is the most important key factor. Here is what I found out based on experience and research (thanks to all the bridal magazines out there):

A city bride is always looking much better in something that is sophisticated, unique and more Modern. An Island bride always looks amazing in Narrow, sexy and a very light gown. I always tell my Castle brides to choose a gown that is classic, elegant and a bit dramatic and finally my Vineyard brides to wear a very soft, feminine and natural looking gown.

All these said, I know you always want to look and feel stunning, but remember you need to consider a dress that suits your location as well. If you are a city girl who is getting married in the Bahamas, of course you need to wear “Bahama-like” no matter where you are from.

Posted by
Ferinoosh Khosravi
Senior Catering Manager

How about the best of both worlds!!

Water Taxi Beach has opened another location where you can enjoy the carefree nature of the beach AND take in the breathtaking Manhattan skyline all at once.

Just a ferry ride from downtown, this artificial, temporary getaway boasts 20,000 square feet of sand and is the perfect place to bask in the sun, enjoy live music or eat an award-winning MOTZ burger. Not to mention, Water Taxi Beach is the perfect venue for hosting a party, ceremony or simple get together. Just call ahead to schedule your event.

How about a little activity? Water Taxi Beach at Governor’s Island also is home to basketball and volleyball courts for those who are looking for a little summer competition with friends.

Water Taxi Beach is only accessible by the Governor’s Island Ferry from Brooklyn and Manhattan. The ferry schedule can be viewed here.

Hope to see everyone at Water Taxi Beach Governor’s Island for the celebration that lasts all summer long!

First, I would like to say THANK YOU to all of our followers out there who have been a part of our online communities over these past months. We have grown into such an amazing community and we consider all of you close friends of The Roosevelt Hotel.

We couldn’t be more gracious to have you be a part of who we are.

With that said, I want to introduce you all to www.RooseveltConnect.com. Over the past year or so, our lives have been changed by the growth of social media. If you were to ask me one year ago today, how the developments of social networks like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube , etc would affect our business, I could never have imagined the success that we have had being a part of these communities.

From using these networks as a customer service tool, to the offering of exclusive deals/promotions at the hotel or even just to keep our followers in tune with what’s happening in our home city of NYC, our online communities have given us the ability to connect with you. Our guests. Our colleagues. Our friends. Nothing can replace the relationships that we have developed over this past year.

*sniff*

So, what is www.RooseveltConnect.com ? It’s simply a site that allows you to connect to all the areas of the hotel and all its outlets. Think of it as a “home” for all our social media connections.

Did you know that our rooftop lounge has its own Twitter account?  How about our street level bar? Oh, and the hotel has a fancy new iPhone app, did you know that? I know, I know. It’s a lot to keep up with. That’s what this site is for. To keep you connected to all of our communities. Each one of these networks has its own unique personality and shares its own exclusive promotions so it’s worth being a part of (or at least I think so).

Click and connect with us. We look forward to continuing our relationship with you and building many more in the future.

Posted By
Kelli Crean
Ecommerce Manager

Photo credit Paul Kolnik

This spring the New York City Ballet will feature seven world premier ballets featuring  four commissioned musical scores along with a collaboration with award-winning architect Santiago Calatrava.

The official opening of the Spring season began with a gala on April 29th and will continue through Sunday June 27th.  The season boasts an impressive 40 original performances, 29 of which are choreographed by NYCB’s Founding Choreographers George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins.

To view previews of the new ballets and get an insiders glimpse into the making of each ballet click here.

For more information and to purchase your tickets to the ballet visit New York City Ballet’s official website.

Fleet Week May 26-June 1, 2010

In New York you know spring has really arrived when the sailors come into town.  Every spring since 1984 the city honors our military men and women with week long festivities.
Starting Wednesday May 26th, the ships come into port on the Hudson River and activities continue the entire week.  The public can view displays from the FDNY, American Red Cross and more at the Intrepid’s Pier 86 and watch the military members battle it out in the famous Tug-of-War.

The highlight of the week long activities is the Memorial Day commemoration featuring the singing of Taps, the unfurling of a 100-foot American flag and a fly-over of military aircraft in the missing man formation, in honor of those who have lost their lives in service to the United States.

And when you see a military member on the streets of NYC give a nod, as a simple thank you for all that they do.

For more information on Fleet Week 2010 click here.

The Roosevelt Hotel is proud and very excited to announce the launch of our new mobile application!  From housekeeping requests to contacting our concierge, this application keeps you connected to our hotel as well as this big city!

We are proud to be the first hospitality establishment in the Northeast and the only in New York City to partner with ICE Mobile, the latest phase of guest service functionality unveiled by Intelity’s Interactive Customer Experience (ICE).

Now, you can have all the amenities of The Roosevelt Hotel is now at your fingertips!

iPhone users can now download our new ICE Mobile application through the app store for FREE or click here:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/roosevelt-hotel-nyc/id368944831?mt=8

Don’t feel left out my fellow Blackberry users, this app will be available to you very soon!

Posted By
Kelli Crean
Ecommerce Manager