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

Catch Don Draper and friends as they head back to the office and kick off the advertising season at the MADison Club Lounge this Sunday night, July 25th at 10pm.

The Roosevelt Hotel, featured in the first two season’s of the show as a favorite hangout of the Sterling Cooper men, will feature classic cocktails from the 1960’s throughout the season four premiere.

Dress to impress in your 1960’s best while catching all the action and enjoying the following $10 specialty cocktails throughout the show!

The Classic Martini
Tom Collins
Manhattan
Gibson
Greyhound
Vodka Gimlet
Pink Squirrel Martini

Click here to view our drink menu for the premiere!

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.

In 1974, New York City celebrated its first Harlem Day, which was a tribute the unique history and cultural contributions of this highly influential urban neighborhood that was the site of the famous Harlem Renaissance in the early 20th century. Since then, Harlem Day has turned into Harlem Week which has turned into a season-long celebration and, with just over two million participants, the largest cultural festival in the United States.

Although Harlem Week has over 155 events and extended events associated with it that last all summer long, the key events take place between July 21st and August 26th. Some key events include “A Great Day in Harlem” (July 25), which honors the legacies of Teddy Pendergrass Patti LaBelle & Gamble & Huff and includes a National Black Sports & Entertainment Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and the “National Historic Black College Fair”(August 14), which salutes the efforts of black colleges and universities on our nation’s health. Events are enjoyed by a wide range of audiences and many are free to the public.

The theme of this year’s Harlem Week celebration is ” The 2nd Harlem Renaissance” which is aimed at remembering the economic, artistic and political flourishing  of urban America in the international mecca of Hispanic and African American culture. All events are sponsored by the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce.

Connect to Harlem Week and get updates on Facebook and Twitter

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.

Mark your calendars! The event that was reviewed by the New York Times as one of the “Most Memorable Parties of 2009″ is coming up. The 5th bi-annual Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island will be taking place this summer on July 17th & 18th, and August 28th & 29th.

Michael Arenella and his Dreamland Orchestra will be providing the entertainment with special guests Drew Nugent & the Midnight Society. The event is said to be set “Under a shady grove of centuries-old trees, caressed by fresh sea air, a sprawling green surrounded by historic officersí quarters and 18th century naval ramparts becomes the setting for a true Gatsby affair.”  In the past, the Jazz Age Lawn Party has been enjoyed by everyone from jazz-age history buffs to curious families. There is a little something for everyone with great music, food and drinks provided by Brooklyn Brewery. Also, there are fun activities to participate in such as recipe contests, dance lessons and tug o’ war. There’s nothing quite like this party under the stars.

The party starts at 11AM and continues until 6PM that evening. Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 at the door ( Children under 7 years old are admitted for free ). However, there is a little incentive to buy your tickets in advance as the first 250 people to purchase tickets in advance at http://www.brownpapertickets.com will be given free drink tickets.

While most New Yorkers head to places like “The Jersey Shore” to beat the heat in July and August, this summer, “The Jersey Shore” came to us! That’s right, some of your favorite cast members from MTV’s hit TV show “Jersey Shore” were at mad46 filming an upcoming segment for MTV UK.

Jersey Shore cast members, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola, and Vinny Guadagnino, spent the day filming at mad46, hanging out on the terrace and enjoying some summertime favorites, including hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken sandwiches, at mad46. Check out some more pictures from the filming here.

To find out how you can you and your friends can enjoy private events or book table reservations, email us at mad46@rooseveltnyc.com. mad46 is open to guests ages 21 and over Monday through Friday from 5pm until midnight and on Saturdays from 8pm until 2am.

Photo Credit: The Russian Tea Room

It’s back!…and it’s bigger than ever. New York City’s summer Restaurant Week will begin Monday, July 12th, and continue until Monday, July 25th. You may have noticed that this actually spans two weeks! That is because the original NYC dining celebration that started out in 1992 as an event to welcome the Democratic National Convention to the city has become one of New York’s most beloved traditions, and many wanted it extended.

For those of you who do not know yet, Restaurant Week is an opportunity for anyone to enjoy three-course meals from hundreds of participating restaraunts at a low,fixed price. Lunch tickets are $24.07 and dinner tickets are $35.00. This year’s event is the biggest to date with 275 participating restaurants. With so many places to choose from, participating may seem a little complicated, but it is really quite easy. Simply peruse the participating restaurants here, where you can search by restaurant name, type of cuisine and location. Once you have picked what restaurants you would like to try, simply click the “BOOK NOW” or “CALL US” button to make reservations and purchase your tickets. New to the city? You won’t have any trouble locating your restaurant(s) of choice with the handy Restaurant Map.

Don’t have enough time for a sit-down meal? The Restaurant Week Truck, which debuted last winter, will be making the rounds and featuring exclusive soups for all of you on-the-go people that don’t have time for a sit-down meal. To keep track of where the Restaraunt Week Truck’s whereabouts, follow the nycgo on twitter!