Baby, it's cold outside, but it's the perfect time to get cooking in NYC. Credit: Randy Le'Moine Photography.
By Jennifer Olvera
There’s no denying January is a dreary time of year. Given it’ a long stretch far from any significant holiday – sorry, but Valentine’s Day doesn’t count – it’s a wise time to spice things up. Here’s an idea: take a cooking class in early 2012, while settling in to affordable New York hotels. (more…)
A place to rest after your food coma during New York Restaurant Week: Distrikt Hotel New York City.
By Jennifer Olvera
Post-holidays can be a dreary time of year. Fortunately, the winter leg of New York Restaurant Week — slotted for weekdays from Jan. 16-Feb. 10 – offers a good excuse to book stays at New York hotels, since more than 130 restaurants will offer three-course, prix-fixe meals for $24.07 at lunch and $35 during dinner, plus beverages, tax and tip. (more…)
Boom town: New York City is slated to welcome dozens of new hotels. Credit: Javier Gil.
By Mark Chesnut
In the coming two or three years, Big Apple-bound travelers are going to find more options than ever when it comes time to make a hotel reservation. A recent report from hotel consulting firm Lodging Econometrics, first published in Crain’s New York Business, shows that New York hotels are in the midst of a major development boom — in fact, the city that never sleeps has become the fastest-growing in the nation in terms of new development. (more…)
Party with a view: Pelican Hill organizes holiday parties at its poolside cabanas
By Mark Chesnut
With December just around the corner, it’s time to start planning the company holiday party. To keep this annual tradition from resembling some ridiculous scene from “The Office,” consider these ideas from hotels around the nation, where everything from decoration to catering and even transportation is taken care of. After all, party time is more enjoyable when someone else worries about the details. (more…)
We rank top 10 lesbian bars in North America, including SF's Lexington Club. Credit: Hannah Cairns.
By Matthew Link
Any traveling woman knows that finding a decent lesbian bar — or any lesbian bar at all — can be like finding a needle in a haystack. Many major cities have merely a token once-weekly “girl’s night” at a gay men’s bar. So after combing the map of the U.S. and Canada, we came up with the indispensable list below — the best of the best, at least in our subjective opinion! (And don’t worry guys, these party-hearty venues are all boy-friendly.) (more…)
NY towers as a top holiday travel spot, according to the 2011 Holiday Travel Insider Index. Credit: mastermaq.
By Valerie Moloney
In a sign of the times, travelers surveyed by Orbitz revealed that they would cut back on holiday gifts this year if necessary to cover higher travel costs. The Orbitz 2011 Holiday Travel Index, which gauged the holiday travel plans and preferences of nearly 800 respondents, showed that more than 80 percent of the pool planned to spend at least one of the upcoming holidays with their family. About 68 percent said that they were willing to reduce holiday gift expenses – or forgo presents altogether — if higher airfares necessitated the sacrifice. (more…)
Name change: the newly redubbed United Club in Hong Kong.
By Mark Chesnut
United and Continental Airlines passengers looking for a quiet respite from the airport hubbub are ducking into a lounge with a new name. The Continental Airlines Presidents Club and United Airlines Red Carpet Club have been renamed United Club, as the latest step in the merger process between the two airlines. The newly dubbed lounges feature the same amenities as before, including free drinks and light snacks, free Wi-Fi, workstations and conference room access. (more…)
They ain't 'fraid a no ghost: The infamous Ladder 8 firehouse from "Ghostbusters" calls Tribeca home.
By Erik Torkells
To take the measure of a city, you need to get out of the tourist zones and explore a residential neighborhood. But some cities, such as New York, have so many to choose from. I humbly submit my own neighborhood, Tribeca, which you’ve probably heard of, either because of the Tribeca Film Festival (which is mostly held elsewhere in the city), Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind,” or the Subaru SUV.
Bright lights, big city: Add a Broadway show to your New York City vacation plans. Credit: paulo.barcellos.
By Keith Knapp
As iconic as the Empire State Building and Central Park, New York City vacation plans wouldn’t be complete without experiencing a Broadway musical or play. And as a local New Yorker, fall season finds me in dramatic anticipation as I plan which new shows I’d like to see. The fall 2011/spring 2012 season promises to deliver quite a line-up of performances. Here are a few Broadway shows to consider on your trip: (more…)
Fall for Autumn: London's rustic hues near Tower Bridge. Credit: az1172.
by Kristin Dillon
While crowds flock to the picturesque towns of New England for fall vacations, international cities unwind a notch to render local character (and cheap hotel rates). From the Salon du Chocolat in Paris to fall foliage in Central Park, see what the harvest yields among the panoply of peep in London, Paris and New York City. (more…)
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