Tuesday, December 8, 2015

NYBG is Great in Winter, Too!

Entrance of the New York Botanic Garden, Bronx, New York City; Photo by Anthony22 
The New York Botanical Garden is getting ready for their 125th anniversary, and you won’t want to miss it! Here is a short list of the upcoming events the NYBG is planning to make this year better than ever.
  • Holiday Train Show- This event has been underway since November 21st, but you still have plenty of time to enjoy the model trains as they travel through a beautiful reproduction of the New York City landscape with over 150 landmarks to astound you. This year the show features 3,000 square feet of additional exhibition space with almost a half mile of track. You have until January 18 to enjoy this very special display.
  • Bar Car Nights-Enjoy exclusive evenings of cocktails and holiday entertainment for the over 21 crowd. There will be ten events held between November and January, with live performances, ice sculpting, and fire spinning, as well as the train display, and more.
  • Celebrating the NYBG: 125 Years- Enjoy the photographs of Larry Lederman in the Ross Gallery from November to July 31, 2016. Lederman has been photographing the Garden for 13 years. His photos will astound you, taken in all seasons and all times of day and night.
  • Winter Wonderland Ball- On December 11, 2015, at 7:30 pm until midnight, you can participate in the most “Anticipated Night of the Gala Season.” Come to the 17th annual WWB, the most fashionable event of its kind during the holiday season. Enjoy gourmet dining, beautiful gowns, and great music. The ball helps to support the Garden’s Children’s Education Programs. Be a part of the energy!


For more information, call: 718.817.8700
The New York Botanical Garden
2900 Southern Boulevard
Bronx, NY 10458-5126 

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Marc Lasry: Tips for Entrepreneurial Business

Marc Lasry
Marc Lasry
For those who want to make it in the world of entrepreneurial business, Marc Lasry gives the following tips. He notes that “it’s difficult but through your force of personality or the force of your will you will either make it or not and a lot of that is going to have to do with how talented you are or how good you are relative to who you’re competing against.”  Thus he advises: “it’s never a great time. So if you believe you have something different then do it and you will find out very quickly whether others agree with you.”

Friday, November 6, 2015

Brooklyn Brewery Small Batch Tours Hits the Spot

Not long ago the north side of Brooklyn was not a place people would consider worthy of a visit. It’s old warehouses and intimating streets were more of a deterrent to people not already well-familiar with the neighborhood.

Since those days a lot has happened in Brooklyn. Crumbling, almost deserted areas have burst forth with new life. Brooklyn’s northern corridor is a perfect example, and at the center of this new growth is the Brooklyn Brewery.

The Brewery is at the hub of enormous activity in this revitalized neighborhood. Visitors to the Brewery itself can partake in small batch tours on Mondays through Thursdays at 5 PM sharp. A tour costs $12 and must be booked up to one month in advance, and has only room for the first 30 people that sign up.

The two hour tour offers tastes of four of the Breweries world-class beers; an engrossing history of the establishment; a souvenir glass; and of course and excursion around the Brewery.

Outside the Brewery the neighborhood is exploding with beer bars, music venues, and all kinds of other destinations for a great time.

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Russ & Daughters: A Little Bissel of New York City History

Russ & Daughters Appetizers. Photo by Jeffrey Bary
Last year Russ & Daughters celebrated 100 years of supplying high-end smoked fish to its loyal customers. According to Condé Nast Traveler, visiting Russ & Daughters is one of 25 Things You Absolutely, Positively Have to Do in New York City.

Since last May there are now two ways to visit: either check out their shop at 179 East Houston Street, or go for a sit-down dining experience at the newly opened café at 127 Orchard Street.
At the shop customers can purchase fishy favorites such as caviar, smoked/cured salmon, herring and specialty smoked fish like sable and yellow fin tuna. They will deliver anywhere in NYC, and will ship their wares all over the United States.

There is a wonderful history behind the store which follows the path of the more general history of the Jewish experience immigrating to New York and contributing to the exciting development of the city. One tidbit of history is the fact that Russ & Daughters is said to be the first business to incorporate the word “daughters” into its title, in 1933, when it changed its name from J. Russ National Appetizing Store.

According to a New York Times review of the café:
“…Niki Russ Federman and her cousin Josh Russ Tupper, the fourth-generation owners of the family business, have added to, elaborated on and deviated from the store in ways that make the cafe a three-dimensional restaurant, not just a theme-park homage designed to cash in on the original’s popularity.”
See for yourself is this shop and sister restaurant, are not a microcosmic example of what makes New York City a fantastic place to visit.

Monday, September 7, 2015

Let’s Go Fly a Kite!


Flying High!
Catch the breeze and some soaring kites at the celebrated Brooklyn Kite Festival. The beautiful grassy knoll known as the Harbor View Lawn in the Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn Heights is the central location for this exciting family event.

Kids of every age will have an opportunity to show off their kite creations and send them heavenward. Those without their own need not feel left out. There will be kites available for purchase in every shape and size and price range.

For an inexpensive and yet absolutely enjoyable weekend activity for families, the Brooklyn Kite Festival is hard to beat.
The festival begins at 11am on Saturday, September 19.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Talk Shows are the Talk of the Town


Photo credit: Hey Paul from State College, PA, USA
Not only is New York the place to see and be seen, but it is also the place to hear and be heard. The Big Apple has loads of opportunities to get close and personal with some of the entertainment world’s most dynamic and fascinating stars, and talk shows are one of them. There is little that can compare with the excitement and exuberance of a live performance and interview, where surprises abound. Treat yourself to this uniquely New York variety of entertainment.

Here are some of the more popular shows which film or broadcast in front of live audiences. Pay attention to the minimum age for some of the shows, which can range between 16 and 18.

Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show tapes Monday through Thursdays at 513 West 54th Street, doors opening at 5:45pm. Eighteen years old and up, only.

Not exactly a talk show, Saturday Night Live is a beloved comedy show in which nothing is sacred. The show is so popular that only lucky winners of a lottery may attend. If you are older than 16 just send a postcard to Saturday Night Live, NBC Tickets, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112 stating how many tickets you would like, with your name address and phone number. Good-luck.

The Late Show is almost as old as television itself. Its newest host is the incomparable David Letterman. The show is taped Monday through Thursdays at 5:30 pm with an additional taping on Thursday at 8pm. Audiences are asked to arrive 75 minutes before the show begins at the Ed Sullivan Theater at 54th Street and Broadway.

Monday, July 6, 2015

The New York Transit Museum is Worth a Visit

Many people do not know that the New York Transit Museum is the largest museum in the United States solely devoted to the history of urban public transportation. It is no wonder that this museum is one of the world’s premier museums of its kind, given that New York’s public transportation system is one of the world’s best.

Using tours, exhibitions, educational programs and workshops the museum is able to present the development of New York’s incredible system, which in many ways is the circulatory system of the living city.

The museum was first opened 40 years ago in downtown Brooklyn in an historic 1936 IND subway station. Since then the museum has continued to grow both in its scope and popularity. Visitors will be treated to amazing and informative exhibits such as “Steel, Stone, and Backbone,” which takes visitors on a tour of how New York’s 100 year-old subway system was built. “On the Streets” takes an in-depth look at the City’s system of busses and trolleys.

The New York Transit Museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 4pm; Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5pm and closed on Mondays and major holidays and sometimes for special events. For more information visit their website.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Tour Museum Mile for Free

It is an astounding fact that along one 23-block stretch of Manhattan real estate there are some of the world’s greatest museums. Along Fifth Avenue, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the south, to The Africa Center in the north, are eight institutions offering a wide range of cultural treasures.
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Photo by Stevenuccia
On June 9, beginning at 5:45pm, those world-class museums will be open to the public for free for extended evening hours. To add to the special nature of the event a variety of entertainment venues will be open along the mile, as well as art-in-the-street.

At the Museo del Barrio the Calpulli Mexican Dance Company will perform while people can experience Mexican nostalgia and the making of art.

At the Museum of the City of New York there will be Hp Hop Dancing from Hush Tours’.

At the Jewish Museum Paul Miller, better known as DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid will entertain. The family activity is making an accordion book using collage and drawing.

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Child Friendly Activities for You and Your Kids

Ann Frank Center USA
That long, long winter is finally letting up. Grab the kids and run to some, or all, of these fun-tastic events. It’s a sure cure for cabin fever and, hopefully another way to reconnect with your darling little ones.

Cinco de Mayo: At Kidville ViDi the ninos and ninas can eat some themed snacks, play in the gym, and rock to a Rockin’ Railroad concert. Art projects and a fiesta photobooth will be enjoyed by all. Tuesday May 5, 40 Gold Street, between Fulton and John Streets.

The Helpers of the Secret Annex: The Ann Frank Center USA is commemorating the 70th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II with family programming. The goal of the center is to help visitors of all ages to better understand the meaning and significance of the events of those days. This particular exhibit will focus on the personal stories of the brave people who brought food, clothing and more to the eight individuals, including Ann Frank, who were forced to hide from the Nazis in the Secret Annex. Recommended for ages 8 and up. The exhibit opens on May 6, and runs until December 30. 44 Park Place at Church Street.

New York Children’s Theater Festival:  This project brings new and creative plays and musicals to children. Two productions have already had their runs, but there are two more shows in May; Help Save the Monkey! (May 8-10); and The Meanest Birthday Girl (May 15-17). Each child receives a free coloring book with crayons, and after the show there is a free crafts project, refreshments, a Magic Wand parade and a chance to meet the members of the cast. For children ages 3 and up. 115 MacDougal Street, at Minetta Lane.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

April Means Tribeca Film Festival

One of the world’s most celebrated film festivals, participants in Tribeca can expect to rub elbows with some of the leading cutting edge producers, directors, film critics, and general movie fans to be found anywhere.

The big news this year is that Tribeca will feature the debut of 11 female directors from the New York area. Among them are Erin Lee Carr, whose film “Thought Crimes” examines the story of the alleged “cannibal cop” Gilberto Valle. Natallia Leite will present “Bare,” which takes a look at the story of a waitress who falls in love with and older female customer in what appears to be an almost mystical, drug-filled love affair.
Photo credit:hashi photo

The festival will fun for 11 days beginning on April 15. There will be 40 first-time directorial premiers and more than 100 feature films presented.  The opening night special showing will be Bao Nguyen’s Live from New York! which is a tribute to the television comedy show Saturday Night Live. The closing night event will be a 25th anniversary tribute to the film Goodfellas, where the classic movie’s creators and cast will all come together at the Beacon Theater.

Screening will take place all over New York. Passes can be purchased from $40 to $300, while individual tickets are on sale for $10 to $35.

Monday, March 9, 2015

Karaoke Night at Arlene’s Grocery

Photo from Flikr
Are you a repressed rock star? Do you know someone who is? Then why not take the fantasy to the next level, and show the world what you are really made from? People like you, including lawyers, waitresses and accountants, have been entertaining the folks queuing up at Arlene’s grocery since 1996, and its been a wild ride.

Anyone can take the stage on either Monday or Friday nights to sing their best along with Arlene’s famous karaoke band. Take a chance, what’s the worst that can happen?

On the other hand, if you don’t see yourself has the next Elton John or Barbara Streisand, just take a seat and relax, and let other people’s talents (or lack thereof) wash over you. Guaranteed after a few reasonably priced drinks and some good natured laughs, you will have had yourself a memorable evening. You might even want to come back for more, or even get up there and belt it out with the best of them.

Arlene's Grocery is located at 95 Stanton St.; +1 212 358 1633

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Hidden Bars of New York


During the days of Prohibition it was illegal to buy and sell alcoholic beverages; but do you think that stopped anyone from actually drinking? Of course not; it just went underground. Those clandestine bars were known as “speakeasies,” and there are a few of them still around today. Yes, it is legal to get plastered nowadays, as long as you don’t drive afterwards or take off your clothes before you climb aboard a southbound bus, but the special charm of speakeasies has been preserved in a few not-so-well-known “joints.”

Window curtains create a “no-one-is-home” effect at 67 Orange Street, but don’t be fooled. Walk in and discover an intimate lounge with a full range of cocktails and fantastic food standing behind the drinks. Try the fried chicken or lobster, you won’t be disappointed.  2082 Frederick Douglas Blvd., Harlem

To get to this speakeasy you will have to enter a Japanese restaurant first. Then walk through a secret door which looks like the entrance to a storage closet, and discover Angel’s Share
Angel's Share Entrance. Photo by Amy Halverson
.  Only four people at a time can enter, so keep your party small. You will be rewarded for your effort with some imaginative mixed drinks and food made with the best ingredients. 8 Stuyvesant St., East Village

Another establishment boasting a secret door is Bathtub Gin. Enter a coffee shop, find the right door, and you will encounter a small cocktail bar furnished with leather booths and tables. Come on either Sunday or Tuesday night and you will be treated to a burlesque show guaranteed to make you feel lawless.  132 9th Ave., Chelsea

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

The Best Restaurant in NYC is Hiding in Bloomingdales


French Onion Soup Photo by Ralph Daily
I am about to reveal to you one of New York City’s best kept secrets, so don’t tell anyone, OK? Head on over to Bloomingdales, you know, the upper up-scale department store on the Upper East Side?

Take the elevator up to the sixth floor, and amaze yourself when you enter a French dining car from Paris, circa 1870s. It is hard to imagine a more romantic atmosphere in this tiny corner of bustling Manhattan.

OK, not everyone agrees that the food is quite as awesome as “the best restaurant in NYC” makes it sound, but combined with the unique ambiance, a visit to “Le Train Bleu” is certainly worth your time.

Here is a quote from one customer on Yelp!:

“How have I lived in NYC for 30 years and I never knew this restaurant existed? It is so cool. The food is from another era. It is classic standard traditional French bistro food. It isn't the best or the worst just average.
But the reason to eat here isn't the food but to eat in a train at the top of Bloomingdales. It is just so incredible. ”