Tag Archives: new york city

Affordable Holiday Travel—Touring Department Store Window Displays

I recently blogged about one my family’s favorite holiday rituals—-driving to Chicago to take in the spectacular holiday window displays at Macy’s on State Street. Each year the famous department store chooses a theme and fills their massive windows with intricate decorations and kid friendly animated characters. People line up for blocks and brave the vicious winds whipping off of Lake Michigan to take part in this annual holiday tradition. If I wasn’t one of the lemmings who took part in the event myself I’d surely think the people who stood in line for more than an hour to peer … Continue reading →

Strike ENDS—Broadway Reopens

After 19 days of darkness Broadway is reopening for business. According to news reports, late last night, during the third day of marathon negotiations between the stagehands union and producers, a compromise was reached. Now, shows are scrambling to get their acts together so the curtain can go up later today. You’ll recall the work stoppage began November 10th after the issue of wages and how many stagehands were required to open a Broadway show and keep it running couldn’t be hammered out between the two parties. Producers were concerned about having to pay stagehands more in return for a … Continue reading →

Post Thanksgiving Turkey Tales

Regular readers of this blog know that I have a thing for eating contests. While I have never personally participated in one, I find myself strangely attracted to the sight of people shoving endless amounts of food into their mouths at high rates of speed. Thanksgiving meals are similar to eating contests only minus the speed. Which is not to say that Turkey Day was minus an eating contest this year. Thanks to the Food Bank of New York City and one major league eater fans of eating contests could get their fill watching Tim Janus devour a Thanksgiving meal … Continue reading →

Broadway Going Dark?

How this for a travel nightmare: You spend hours trying to secure tickets for your family of six to see “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical,” on Broadway. You fly from Ohio to New York with your spouse and four children; spend thousands of dollars on airfare, hotel, and meals only to find out that a work stoppage by Broadway stagehands means you will not be getting into today’s show. Can you imagine? I made up the aforementioned scenario, but I have no doubt that right now there are hundreds of disappointed children walking around the Big … Continue reading →

Shopping in the Big Apple—Food and Shoes

Life should be so simple… Food and shoes, what more could a girl ask for? (Okay… diamonds, but I’m working with a budget here.) With the holidays fast approaching the streets of New York City will soon be chock full of men, women, and children on the hunt for the perfect gift. As such, I’ve decided to list a few of my favorite Big Apple haunts. I started with this blog and am slowly adding a few more as we enter the gift-giving season. The following retailers offer two items that are essential to any woman’s life—-chocolate and shoes: Jacques … Continue reading →

Shopping In New York City—Off the Beaten Path

Sure, you could spend the day with tens of thousands of other shoppers exploring each and every floor of the massive Macy’s store in New York’s Herald Square. Or, you could rub elbows with other shopoholics at Sax Fifth Avenue’s new shoe department in Manhattan that’s so huge that is has its own ZIP code. But, if you are looking for a decidedly different shopping experience I would highly recommend you check out the following lesser known, though truly outstanding Big Apple venues. Your credit card may be smoking by the time you’re done, but somehow I don’t think you … Continue reading →

Big Fun In The Big Apple

It’s no secret that New York City gets even busier during the holiday season. In my previous blog I detailed some of the seasonal events going on in “The Big Apple” during the months of October and November. This blog provides you with more information on the major holiday happenings that get underway in the city in late November and December. But, before I do that I wanted to tell you about a unique arts festival that is often overlooked given that it runs during a time when other, more famous events are being held in New York. The 25th … Continue reading →

New York’s Most Popular Seasonal Activities

In less than two weeks New York City will host the largest Halloween celebration in the country. I wrote about the Village Halloween Parade in a previous blog and detailed how more than 2 million people turn out each October 31st to watch 50,000 enthusiastic costumed characters, more than 50 marching bands, and dozens of giant puppets make their way up Sixth Avenue. Many consider the spooktacular spectacle the kick off to the Big Apple’s holiday season. In the coming weeks the famous city will be packed with visitors looking to take in the magical holiday festivities that New York … Continue reading →

Big Apple On A Budget—Remember the “S” Word

Let’s face it; traveling to and staying in New York City is not cheap… unless you do so on a night most people are at home curled up on the couch catching up with the ladies on Wisteria Lane. That’s right cost-conscious vacationers, thanks to a new citywide tourist promotion; the Big Apple’s famously pricey accommodations are giving a break to travelers who spend Sunday night in the heart of the Empire State. The new “Sunday Stays” program is being offered at more than three dozen New York hotels. By spending Sunday night at participating properties you can save 20%-30% … Continue reading →

New York City–A Biker’s Paradise?

New York City… honored for bike friendliness? I thought I had heard wrong, or perhaps, the guy on the news had made an error. However, upon further viewing I realized that someone (actually, an entire group of legitimate someones) really believes that the concrete jungle with its convey of yelling yellow cab drivers, take no prisoner pedestrians, and hordes of hassled truck drivers is a premiere place to travel on two wheels. Believe it or not, the League of American Bicyclists just awarded New York City a medal for bike friendliness. Okay, it’s a bronze medal, but considering it ranked … Continue reading →