A Kid-Friendly Empire State of Mind

A Kid-Friendly Empire State of Mind

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The Empire State Building from Street Level

NY – Whether you’re a local or a tourist, it seems that when it comes to finding activities to do with the kids, it’s can be equally challenging to find something engaging for the adults.  Put another way, even the oldest tourist attraction is still new to a child, so how do you put a new twist on an old standby that’s interesting enough for even the most jaded New Yorker? Here’s an afternoon that just might make you feel on top of the world.

Max Brenner’s in Union Square

Especially if you’ve got kids in tow you’ll appreciate the value of eating before you venture out to explore, which means start your day off at Max Brenner’s Chocolate by the Baldman in Union Square.  Be it a weekend brunch, lunch or dinner time, you won’t just discover a delicious menu of hearty items, you’ll find a spectacular take on chocolate throughout, be it the chocolate marshmallow pizza, the chocolate dusted french fries, chocolate martinis or even the chocolate eggrolls (for those a little unsure, there are chocolate-free dishes as well).

Max Brenner’s

Seriously, this is just about as close to Willy Wonka as you’ll encounter east of Hershey, PA, complete with vats of chocolate, overhead pipes presumably pumping that chocolate and a confection shop near the door for a fix to go.  You won’t find any Oompa Loompa’s here, but you may leave feeling like one.

View from the 86th Story Observatory

Which is why it’s a perfect time to walk it off – straight up Fifth Avenue to the The Empire State Building, the most photographed landmark on earth.  Skip the ticket line at the entrance and go straight to the Observation Deck by purchasing tickets in advance online.   From the top of the building you can enjoy incredible 360 views from either the 86th floor or buy an add-on ticket and head up to the 102nd floor.   Throughout the building you’ll find a number of fascinating new exhibits and there’s even a Sky Ride, a virtual tour simulator that sends you soaring over the city to the narration of Actor Kevin Bacon.  Read up on some cool facts before you go and if you end up there at night sans the kids, enjoy live saxophone music up at the top Thursdays – Saturdays from 10pm – 1 am.   Meanwhile, stay in the know about the schedule of tower light colors year round from wherever you are in NYC.

By: tdpnyc Category: New York, NY, Out & About, Out and About Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Storm Support

Storm Support

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Storm Support Tees

NY – If you’re still trying to find ways to support the victims of Sandy, have we got a great a suggestion and it’s just in time for the holidays. Storm Support was the brainchild of graphic designer Walter Shock, who along with friends and colleagues Jesse Resnick and Anshay Bhatia, created an e-commerce site that showcases a line of t-shirts and tote bags that sport original artwork inspired by the aftermath of Sandy. They wanted to do something to make a difference so they used their talents to create something.

Storm Support Tote Bag

Now you can do something to make a difference by making a purchase and of course the best part is that 100% of the profits go to aiding those affected by the powerful hurricane.  We love the cool designs and classic simplicity that promises to make any merchandise from Storm Support not only an ideal gift but quite possibly a collector’s item.

 

 

 

By: tdpnyc Category: New York, NY, Obsessed!, Shopping Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

While the Day Away… LES Style

While the Day Away… LES Style

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The Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side

NY – As Lower Manhattan struggles to recover post Sandy, there’s no better time to plan a visit to discover something new there, and it’s even better if it’s actually something genuinely old. One destination well worth exploring is the Tenement Museum.  Built in 1863, the building housed nearly 7000 working class immigrants in its apartment units – oh if those walls could only talk!  There are several ways to experience all that the museum has to offer, but all must be via a guided tour.  You can take a tour of the impeccably restored apartments at 97 Orchard, enjoy a Walking Tour of the neighborhood or opt to “Meet the Residents,” in which you have a chance to talk with costumed interpreters who can answer questions about what life was like when they “lived” there (this is esp great for families).  No matter how you spend your time on Orchard Street, you’ll leave with a new appreciation for all immigrants and a strong reminder of just how rich our history is in NYC.

Clinton Street Baking Company & Restaurant

Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner, put your name on the list at Clinton Street Baking Company and Restaurant and wait for one of their few but highly coveted tables.  Trust us — and the rest of NYC —  the hour plus wait is well worth it at this tiny joint praised by everyone from Travel and Leisure Magazine to Martha Stewart.  Order the world famous blueberry pancakes (voted twice by New York Magazine as the best in the city) and side of biscuits. And be prepared for a celebrity siting – after all, they need to eat too.

If you want less of a sit down meal, there are a few other destinations that must be on your radar, starting with the coffee shop/gallery with the So Cal beach vibe, Lost Weekend, or the historic culinary destination Essex Street Market or best of all, the bootleg cupcakes at Prohibition Bakery - yes, it’s exactly like it sounds.

Prohibition Bakery’s Saucy Cupcakes

When it comes to these cupcakes, whether you choose the Mojito, the Margarita, the Old Fashioned or the Pretzels and Beer, follow our advice and just make it a double!

 

By: tdpnyc Category: Lower East Side, New York, NY, Out & About, Out and About Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Day in New York

A Day in New York

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Alana Stewart, Bestselling Author and Actress

NY – It’s always a treat for me to be in New York City any time of the year, but my favorite season is autumn, when the air is crisp and the leaves are starting to turn. For many years the Hotel Plaza Athenee has been “my home away from home” and a perfect day for me in the city begins with waking up and having a leisurely breakfast in my room. Love the oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins, crisp hot croissants, and tea. I need plenty of energy for a day of black-belt shopping! Perhaps tomorrow I’ll have a less superficial day and visit a couple of art exhibits or go to the theater, but for today I’m a fashionista.

 

Barneys on Madison Avenue

 

 

I begin near the hotel on Madison Avenue by checking out a couple of stores that I love, La Perla and Helmut Lang. I then proceed to Barney’s where I do a reconnaissance run, making mental notes of the items I like (which is most everything!). I’ll come back the following day to make any purchases so I don’t make rash decisions. Let me just say here that all my friends hate shopping with me. I’ll try something on three times, take forever to make up my mind, and often return it the next day, realizing I didn’t like it that much after all.

Cipriani on 5th Avenue

 

My favorite spots for lunch in Manhattan are Cipriani on 5th and 59th and Fred’s which is, conveniently in Barney’s. After lunch I head downtown to the Meatpacking District on 14th St. where I stop in my friend, Diane Von Furstenberg’s fashionable Flagship store, DVF. I always find something there that I love and that doesn’t blow my budget. I wander around the area marveling at all the new shops and restaurants that have sprung up since I was there last.

Rag and Bone on Christopher Street

My last stop before exhaustion sets in is Rag and Bone on Christopher Street. I could easily buy everything in the store but restrain myself. I pray for a taxi to take me back uptown to my hotel and hopefully a brief rest before dinner.

 

The Monkey Bar

 

 

My publisher took me to a wonderful restaurant on 63rd Street just off Park Avenue, which changes its name and décor for each of the four seasons. It was August at the time, so it was called Park Avenue Summer. When fall arrives, it changes into Park Avenue Autumn, etc. Very New York elegant and food that I suppose would be called “New American.” Or it’s always fun to meet friends at The Monkey Bar. LA is such an early night town that it’s a treat to stay out late in NYC so maybe we head downtown to The Standard Hotel to the Boom Boom Room. If I have a breath left in me, I always enjoy ending the evening with a drink in the bar of the Plaza Athenee.  Then it’s up to my room, and welcome sleep.

For more on Alana, click here.

By: tdpnyc Category: New York, NY, Out & About, Out and About Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Manhattan’s Crown

Manhattan’s Crown

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View from Inside the Statue of Liberty’s Crown

NY – No visit to NYC is complete without a trip to the Statue of Liberty.  It’s a symbol of freedom, the USA and NYC and there’s no better time to go than right now because after a year of renovations, access to the Statue of Liberty‘s crown will be available to the public.

1.  So, stop what you’re doing and secure your tickets right now.  The ferry ride couldn’t be more lovely this time of year!

2. Tickets to the crown are in addition to a regular ticket to the statue, however, they are free and limited, hence the reason you’ve got to move on this one.  The dates currently available are between October 28 and December 31, 2012, Thursdays through Sundays.  Even though a visit involves walking up 393 steps, it’s well worth the climb for a chance to stand in the iconic crown where the 25 windows look out on lower Manhattan and Brooklyn.

3. The Crown Cafe

3. Hungry?  Take a bagged lunch or grab something from The Ellis Cafe, The Crown Cafe or the Kiosk Cafe and search out a shady picnic spot!  All the island’s food concessions are committed to their environmental impact and provide healthy dining options and snacks (including gluten free), utilize locally sourced and organic foods and recycle over 94% of the waste products in their cafes!

For more information about planning your visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, click here.

 
By: tdpnyc Category: New York, Out & About, Out and About Tags: , , , , , , ,
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