Scenes in the City – Date deals from GreatDateDeals.com
Summer is finally winding down, so make this last weekend a fun filled one with great activities around the city. GreatDateDeals Top 5 Picks of the week are: … Continue Reading
Summer is finally winding down, so make this last weekend a fun filled one with great activities around the city. GreatDateDeals Top 5 Picks of the week are: … Continue Reading
Most of the time when you hear about traveling around the holidays, most think Thanksgiving and Christmas. Although those are the heaviest travel days of the year, people forget the other holidays: Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Here are some Travel Do’s to help you on your travels year-long.
The days of waiting until the last minute for cheaper prices have gone the way of the dinosaur! Many more people are traveling in general, that means planes and trains are full and these companies have no incentive to lower prices at the last minute. You should book your tickets as soon as your travel dates are firm.
If you can be flexible with your travel dates you can travel cheaper and avoid some of the travel headaches that come with the peak season. For example, instead of traveling the day before Thanksgiving travel two days before. Hotwire and Expedia offer tools that allow you to check for the least expensive travel dates around the holiday. Even if you don’t book with them you can use the information to make your travel plans. You can also consider traveling on the actual day of the holiday or choose early-morning, late-night or red-eye flights for lower prices.
Pack light and keep questionable items in your checked luggage!
As a sign of the times, airport security is much more stringent and they are not likely to let you get away with bringing questionable items on board the plane. To avoid delays at check-in, follow TSA guidelines (www.tsa.gov ) and try to only bring on-board items you really need during the flight. When in doubt check it!
If you must travel on peak travel days, please keep this suggestion at the top of your list. Get to the airport at least 2 hours before domestic flights and 3 hours before international flights. You used to be able to go to the front of the line if your flight was boarding but don’t count on it now! Plus you can actually enjoy your time in the airport as many terminals have lots of shops and interesting things to occupy your time.
You should call your airline at least 6 hours before your departure time to check for any delays. And, in the case that you are already at the airport and there are delays or cancellations, get on the phone! You can avoid the long lines and give yourself a better shot at making alternate travel plans if you make the changes with the reservations department over the phone.
Gai A. Spann is the Founder of STG Tours, a full service travel agency. For more informationl or to book your travel plans, send emails to: gai@stgtours.com.
CRUMBS BAKE SHOP
The first 50 customers will receive a free cupcake at the Grand Central location at:
420 Lexington Avenue (btwn 43/44th)
New York, NY 10170
The cupcakes will be given away on Sunday, Feb. 14th to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
For more information, log onto: www.crumbs.com
Flex Appeal: Speed Dating Yoga
Meet someone special during their night of light-hearted match making. You’ll be paired with a rotating cast of potential Mr. or Mrs. Rights to break the ice over an invigorating partner yoga workout. The match making will continue after class with complimentary drinks at a neighboring bar/restaurant. More details to be announced in class. Non-members are welcome, so bring your single friends along to get in on the action!
So stop by today, February 12, at 4:00pm at their Lafayette location.
For more information, log onto: http://www.crunch.com/en/Centerstage/Events/Flex%20Appeal%20Speed%20Dating%20Yoga.aspx
CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY WITH ROMANCE ON THE WATER
Statue Cruises is setting the most romantic scene on the New York Harbor this Valentine’s Day weekend. With opportunities for those looking for a Valentine and those looking to celebrate love, Statue Cruises is the best venue for creating an exciting and romantic Valentine’s Day.
If you’re single and looking for love, or just looking for a fun way to spend Valentine’s Day join Statue Cruises for a Last Chance Valentine Cruise. This cruise through the scenic New York Harbor includes an open bar and DJ entertainment.
Date: Saturday, February 13, 2010
Boarding Location: Battery Park, Slip 3
Boarding Time: 8:30 PM
Cruising: 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Tickets: $69 per person with open bar; $35 per person without open bar
Couples looking for more than just an average dinner should join Statue Cruises for a romantic two-hour dessert cruise through New York Harbor. Complete with an open bar of wine and dessert martinis and an array of delectable desserts, this will be the perfect cap to a romance-filled Valentine’s Day.
Date: Sunday, February, 14, 2010
Boarding Location: Battery Park, Slip 3
Boarding Time: 9:00 PM
Cruising: 9:30 PM – 11:30 PM
Tickets: $75 per person
Both cruises take place on the recently restored John J Audubon. With two fully enclosed decks, a large dance floor and spacious roof top deck perfect for stargazing. The Audubon has lush carpeting, elegant furnishings and the fashionable Vetrazzo countertops – constructed entirely from recycled glass. The Audubon also has a full galley, making it an excellent venue for a private event.
Tickets for both of the Valentine’s cruises can be booked by calling:
877-523-9849 or online at www.statuecruises.com
Earlier this week, TripAdvisor.com announced its 2010 Travelers’ Choice awards recognizing the best hotels in the New York City Tri-State Area, as well as America’s trendiest, most luxurious, best bargain hotels, and more.
Unlike any other hotel honors in the world, TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice winners are based on millions of real and unbiased reviews and opinions on TripAdvisor.com.
So if you plan on traveling into the NYC area, or looking to stay in the NYC area, here are some of the hot spots you can check out. And remember, Valentine’s Day is slowly approaching. This is the perfect time to start checking out prices to surprise that special someone in your life.
New York City Tri-State Area’s Best Overall Hotels
Additional New York City Tri-State Area Winners
Unlike any other hotel honors in the world, TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice winners are based on millions of real and unbiased reviews and opinions on TripAdvisor.com.
She caught me! This year, my sister made adult plans first, so I told her that I would take the kids for Halloween. This year, Halloween lands on a Saturday. So, little does my sister know, Halloween for the kids is Friday. (Ha, ha) For more on the Adult festivities on Halloween, go to Events or click the Masquerade Ball flyer to the right.
So, being the resourceful one, I’ve been trying to find out all types fun things for the kids on Halloween.
I’ve been kinda against house-to-house trick or treating. There’s the crazy bad seeds running around out there after school, that ‘Egg’ doors and ‘TP ing’ (toilet papering) trees and bushes, terrorizing neighborhoods. I don’t really want the kids out with that madness.
Then again, the thought of people hiding, pretending not to be home, just to skimp on giving out candy to children, ends up being a waste of time for the kids. That bothers me. Not to mention worrying about, the crazy, creepy adults that poison kids. That’s a whole other thing.
So here I am, at odds with what to do with the kids on Halloween. So I’m going to share with you what I came up with.
At School: Most schools nowadays are having Halloween parties. It’s like a small festival. They have candy, games and at the least, they feed you and the kids. It gives you a chance to get to know the other parents in your child’s school and it gets an off-premises playdate aka (not at your house) out of the way.
In Neighborhoods: Nowadays, there is much more awareness about the dangers of going blindly out to people’s homes as once we did when we were kids. Some neighborhoods have the ‘Halloween list option’, where the neighbors in a building or street block come together and decide to mutually ‘keep their doors open’ to neighborhood children, coming to trick or treat.
They type and hand out the list of apartments or houses to their neighbors and Voila! Most of these end up being a block or building party. For parents, this is another way to network and get to know their neighbors. Who knows, you may be able to get some wine and cheese out of it!
Parties. Parties are fun to take your children to. There are a lot of options for this. Take your kids to a party at a friend’s house, or at the community or civic center in your area. The more people who bring their kids to the party, the more likely it is that there will be some kind of security or police presence to ensure everyone has a safe and happy Halloween.
A tiny getaway. Pumpkin picking and finding a hayride is easier to find. There are usually signs hung around that state the locations of ongoing children’s festivities. If you are still not sure what to do, again, ask your neighbors and area schools may also have information on where the good fun will be.
No matter what you do this Halloween, Kid or Adult, the number one thing that should be at the front of your mind, (yes, more than fun) is being safe.
That’s why kids costumes should be bright, attractive, unique and noticeable. This ensures that he or she is easily located in case he or she walks off.
Have Fun! Be Safe and Please, Don’t forget to CHECK THE CANDY!
Lalah McD, a New York native and aficionado, walks around New York City and its Five Boroughs, finding ways to help tourists (not look like tourists) and find their way. (She calls it her calling in life)
Chef Kim Parris aka the CaribDiva is back with this week’s Sweat the Vote Meal Challenge
The Sweat the Vote challenge is underway. To make sure you stay on the track, Chef Kim Parris has joined the team to provide weekly meals that are low fat, low cost and low on prep time!
Today’s Wellness Wednesday post offers advice to increase those “Tasty Tuesday” moments…
So far I’ve included a few “adult” beverages, but in honor of this Saturday’s SWEAT Party, I wanted to feature a more…healthy drink 
The SWEAT Party is back with its 16th SWEAT Event – GLOW
