The Bronx:

• Boo at the Zoo – Along with zoos across the nation, the Bronx Zoo welcomes families on a haunted safari, a hayride, and to share in all sorts of ghoulish family experiences.  Offered weekend until November 1st.  Admission is $15 for adults, $11 for children aged 3-12 (FREE when wearing a wildlife costume and accompanied by an adult paying full-price admission).
• Halloween Hoorah! – New York Botanical Garden sponsors this full day of fun (and a little bit of learning) with opportunities to decorate pumpkins, play with leaves, and learn all about the mysterious vampire bat.  October 25th, 11 am – 4:45 pm.  Admission, which includes admission to the entire garden, is $20 for adult and $8 for children (ages 2-12).

Brooklyn:

• Gravesend Inn Haunted Hotel – This high-tech haunted house was designed by the faculty and students at New York City Collect of Technology.  It’s open October 16 – 17th, 22nd – 24th, and 29th – 31st.  Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for students (ID required) and kids under 12.
• Halloween at the A-Scarium – New York’s Aquarium on Coney Island host scary sea yarns, an expert pumpkin carver, and trick-or-treat stations.  Experience monsters of the deep on October 24 – 25th, and October 31st – November 1st.  General admission, which includes admission to the entire aquarium is $13 for adults and $9 for children aged 3-12 (FREE when wearing a wildlife costume and accompanied by an adult paying full-price admission).

Manhattan:

• Pumpkin Festival’s Scarecrow Contest – Scarecrows pepper Central Park contest.  You’ll have to register online by Friday, October 16th, in order to entire your scarecrow, though.  You can view the all the scarecrow entries on Saturday, October 24th, noon – 5 pm, at the Bethesda Fountain.  The top 3 scarecrows from each age category will be displayed at the Arsenal Gallery.
• Nightmare:  Vampires – An interactive haunted house exhibit that will explore the history of vampires.  Designed to be education, as well as scare the pants off of you.  Dates:  October 14 – 18th, 20th – 31st, November 1st, 4 – 7th.  $30 in advance, $35 at the door.  October 24th is Kids Day, and children tickets available for $15.  Other than Kids Day, no child under 12 will be admitted with a parent or guardian.
• Village Halloween Parade – This annual community event is full of fun and quirkiness.  The parade is Halloween Day, and starts at 7 pm.  Various activities and community projects will be going on all evening.  If you don’t get can’t get down to the village, you can watch the parade on television (NY 1) starting at 8 pm.

Queens:

• Pick Your Own Pumpkin – A perfect activity for the whole family, the Queens County Farm Museum offers pumpkin picking on October 17th, 18th,24th, 25th, and 31st, weather permitting.  Admission is FREE, except for the 25th when a $5 per person admission is charged to support the Children’s Fall Festival.  Your pumpkins is priced based on its size.  I always want to get a BIG one!
• Haunted Hike – Head into Forent Park, and see if there really are things that go bump in the night.  Saturday, October 31st, 6 pm.  FREE.

Staten Island:

• Halloween Harvest Fair – A day of outdoor family activities involving crafts, games and costumes at Conference House Park.  Saturday, October 17th, 11 am – 4 pm.  FREE admission, and a $10 charge for an unlimited access pass for the inflatable slide and bounce house.  Those latter activities are for kids only.
• Halloween Extravaganza – The ghosts of the St. George Theatre get let loose for a night in this award-winning show.  Lots of special effects and illusions make for an entertaining show, although younger kids may be a bit too spooked.  Friday, October 30th, 7:30 pm.  Tickets:  $10-28.

Halloween in New York City is always entertaining!

Photo credit: SXC

Post from: Blisstree

Halloween Activities in New York City

One of the popular places to be during the holiday season, is New York City.  From the beautifully decorated department store windows, to ice skating at Rockefeller Center, to the parade and the Rockettes, and everything else that the city has to offer.

One of the highlights of the season is the lighting of the tree at Rockefeller Center.  The tree overlooks the ice rink, and the promenade leading to the ice rink from 5th Avenue, and is one of the most recognizable holiday symbols.  If you’re making plans for the tree lighting, mark this date on your calendar:

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009, 7-9 pm

The two hour program will include celebrity appearances, music, and lots of festivities.

If you can’t make it for the lighting ceremony, you can still see the tree on display until January 7th, 2010.  It will be lit daily from 5:30 am – 11:30 pm, all day on Christmas, and from 5:30 am – 9 pm on New Year’s Eve.

Photo credit: cchen @flickr

Post from: Blisstree

2009 Tree Lighting Ceremony at Rockefeller Center

But what do you do if you want to combine a love of theater with a really, really special vacation?  Broadway Across America has a very special package for very special theater fans.

Hugh Jackman will appear on Broadway in A Steady Rain

How about a Columbus Day Broadway weekend, taking in the limited engagement, A Steady Rain and the revival of Bye Bye Birdie?

A Steady Rain is about two Chicago cops whose lifelong friendship is put to the test when they become involved in a domestic dispute in a poor neighborhood in town.  It’s very limited 12 week run at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre.  It stars Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig, two of the hottest hunks around these days.

The revival of Bye Bye Birdie marks its first return to Broadway in almost 50 years, with an engagement at the Henry Miller Theatre Set in 1960, teen idol Conrad Birdie has been drafted by the Army.  His manager cooks up a plan to send him off with a new song and one last kiss from a fan, all played out on the Ed Sullivan Show.  The revival stars John Stamos and Gina Gershon.

Daniel Craig will appear on Broadway in A Steady Rain

The Columbus Day Broadway Package includes:

• Roundtrip coach airfare to New York city from most major cities within the continental US
• Roundtrip airport to hotel transfers via private car service
• 3 nights hotel accommodations at the Hilton Times Square Hotel (or comparable), including tax (based on double occupancy)
• Invitation to an elegant welcome reception, including food and cocktails, on Friday, October 9th
• Orchestra/front mezzanine seats to Bye Bye Birdie on Friday, October 9th
• Invitation to a group lunch at Sardi’s, including food and beverages.  Take a look at the famous caricatures on the wall of Broadway stars and see how many you, as can recognize.  The lunch with feature a questions and answer session with Broadway performers who will share stories and be available for autographs and photos.
• Orchestra seats for A Steady Rain on Saturday, October 10th.
• Orchestra/front mezzanine seats for a third show, this one of your choice, on Sunday, October 11th.  Specific show will depend on availability, but should include a choice of Billy Elliott, Mary Poppins, Next to Normal, In the Heights, Chicago, Mamma Mia, The 39 Steps, and Rock of Ages.
• Exclusive behind-the-scenes theater tour, or a walking tour, given by a seasoned NYC Guide.
• On site management to address any concerns or needs.
• Compressive guest itineraries sent via overnight delivery

October is a great time to be in New York City.  You can spend your day shopping, enjoying the fall foliage in Central Park, or visiting one of the city’s many attractions.  Come evening, you get your theater fix.

This special package offers once in a lifetime theater opportunities, and at $2,149/person doesn’t come cheap.  But if you have a special person in your life who is a big theater buff, this getaway weekend is well worth the price.

Call (877) 284–4222 for further information and to reserve your spot.

Photo credits: Bauer Griffin

Post from: Blisstree

Spend Columbus Day Enjoying Broadway

Visitors in Martha Stewart's Culinary Herb Garden

What will you see?  For details consult the full schedule of events, but here’s a list to tempt you:

• cooking and entertainment demonstrations
• Martha Stewart’s herb garden (in photo)
• celebrity chefs
• gardening displays
• greenmarket on Wednesday and Saturday
• lectures and classes
• starting a vegetable garden
• composting
• learn how flowers become fruit
• practical gardening tips and suggestions
• and lots more!

The Edible Garden runs through September 13th, 2009.  General admission tickets are $20, and includes admission to all exhibitions and programs on the day of your visit.  Some special events require an additional ticket.  Save time by planning your visit and purchasing your tickets online.  The NY Botanical Garden is a plant museum located in the Bronx at Bronx River Parkway at Fordham Road.  It is open year-round, Tuesday – Sunday, 10 am-6 pm, and on Labor Day and Memorial Day.

Photo credit:  Courtesy of The Edible Garden at The New York Botanical Garden, Talisman Brolin/TALISMAN PHOTO, photographer.

Visitors in Martha Stewart’s Culinary Herb Garden

Post from: Blisstree

Visit New York’s Edible Garden in the Bronx

Leading the sessions will be renowned culinary masters, some of the biggest names in the business.  Here’s a sample:  Ruth Reichl, Mario Batali (in photo), Daniel Boulud, David Bouley, April Bloomfield, Floyd Cardoz, Scott Conant, Gina DePalma, Sara Moulton, Charlie Palmer, Marcus Samuelsson, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Florent Molleret, Dan Barber, Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert.

Here are some of the things on the schedule for the weekend:

• Chef demonstrations
• Wine and spirits tastings
• Cheese tastings
• Seminars
• Gourmet test kitchen Session
• Walking tours
• Special menus at select NYC restaurants (Friday & Saturday)
• Book signings

And lots more!

Tickets are now available, and if you think this sounds like a lot of fun, you’d better act quickly.  Some classes are already sold out!  Ticket prices range from $20-300, and you can buy individual classes or seminars based on what interests you, or put together a package.  You can check the schedule and order tickets online.

Photo Credit:  Chef Mario Batali by Bauer Griffin

Post from: Blisstree

Culinary Travel Weekend at The Gourmet Institute

This summer, visitors and residents can retreat to the rooftops to not only take in spectacular views of our City from many different vantage points, but also enjoy some excellent food and drink,” said George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company.

Manhattan skyline viewed from Long Island City

Not sure where to go?  Here are some great views, in Manhattan and the boroughs, to get you thinking:

• 230 Fifth – Manhattan’s largest rooftop bar has a Champagne Party Brunch on weekends, 11 am – 5 pm daily, year round.  The roof top is palm decorated and has a full enclosed lounge – so there’s rooftop dining rain or shine.  Brunch features a menu selection of more than 40 choices, most priced between $8-12, along with some specialty cocktails.  Signature dishes are the Liquored Up French Toast and the Matzah Brei.  Spectacular views of the city accompany the food.
• Hotel Gansevoort – Part roof-deck party, part dining experience, the Get Up Get Down Brunch features 360-degree views of the Hudson River and Manhattan, indoor and outdoor terrace seating, and a garden.  Brunch is served noon – 4 pm on weekends, and is a 3-course prix fixe menu ($36) that include specialty items like a grilled Black Angus burgers, steak frites and eggs, and mini cupcakes.  The rooftop brunch is offered through Labor Day.
• Groovedeck – Located at the Hudson Terrace, this rooftop lounge is along the Hudson River, offering up wonderful views of the river.  Brunch is served Sunday, 2-8 pm, and includes assorted traditional brunch choices.  Chocolate chip muffins are a real treat, as are the brunch cocktails, which include red and white sangria, as well as mojito pitchers.
• Peninsula Hotel – Offering exquisite luxury, the Peninsula’s Salon de Ning rooftop bar offers Sunday Brunch on the Terrace on the 23rd floor.  Enjoy the 3-course brunch while overlooking Fifth Avenue and enjoy the spectacular view of the city.  The set menu changes weekly, but always offers delicious choices.  Champagne cocktails are available, including the signature Beijing Rouge, made of pomegranate juice, citrus vodka, and champagne with a raspberry garnish.  Brunch is served Sunday 11:30 am – 2:30 pm, through Labor Day.  Luxury doesn’t come cheap!  Brunch is $49/person, excluding beverages, tax and gratuities.  I love the Peninsula Hotel, and used to frequently meet a friend here for drinks after work.
• Alma – Head off to Brooklyn (Carroll Gardens) for brunch at Alma, offering views of the Manhattan skyline.  Served weekends 10 am – 2:30 pm, brunch is served year round and offers Mexican cuisine, accompanied by cocktails and tequilas.
• Ravel Hotel – This new luxury boutique hotel is located along the Queensboro Bridge in Long Island City.  A buffet brunch is served on Sunday, 10 am – 2 pm, along with endless mimosas till 3 pm.  DJ music accompanies the view of the Manhattan skyline, across the East River.

Do you have a favorite NYC rooftop brunch?

Photo credit:  jl welsh @flickr

Post from: Blisstree

New York City Rooftop Brunches

The prestigious art collection started off very, very small — with a small gift of eight prints and one drawing.  Since then, it has burgeoned to a collection of over 150,000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, architectural models and drawings, and design objects.  There is also an impressive photography collection, with over 22,000 films and four million still photos.

The special exhibitions mingle with the permanent collection, and provide a good mix of subjects, style, mediums, and time periods.  You can choose a segment of the museum, and spend in depth time viewing and learning.  You’ll find a lot of art students doing just that.  Or, you can do as I usually prefer, to wander through getting a peek at everything, stopping to spend a little more time when something is of particular interest.

A current exhibit that intrigues me is Cezanne to Picasso, on display through August 31st, 2009 (a selection in the photo below). You can check the exhibition schedule to find out what will be on display when you visit.  I’d recommend checking the exhibits as that will help you plan your day and how to best use your time.

Weather permitting, save time to visit the sculpture garden, full of modern sculpture, reflecting pools, and plants.  A peaceful respite from a busy day in the big city.

MoMA offers great audio programming.  You can pick up a FREE portable player at the museum, giving you full access to audio programming in any sequence that you choose.  You can also connect to the FREE MoMA WiFi with your personal handheld device and listen to the programming that way.  And if you’re not in NYC, but want to learn more, there are great options as well.  Check out the full listing of MoMA audio programming and make the selection that’s best for you

MoMA is located at 11 East 53rd Street (between 5th and 6th Avenue) in Manhattan.  It can be reached easily by subway, taking the E or V to 5th/53rd Street, or the B, D, or F, to 4-50/Rockefeller Center.

Museum hours are Monday, Wednesday-Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 10:30 am to 5:30 pm. Friday till 8 pm. During July and August, the museum stays open till 8:45 on Thursday as part of It is closed on Tuesday.

Tickets are $20/adults, $16/seniors (65+), and $12 students. Children under 16 are FREE. Tickets are available online, and will save you lots of time waiting in the ticket line.

Photo credits:  Courtesy of the Museum of Modern Art.

View from 54th street of The Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Education and Research Building, designed by Yoshio Taniguchi.
© 2006 Timothy Hursley

Paul Cézanne (French, 1839-1906), Still Life with Fruit Dish. 1879-80.  Oil on canvas. 18 1/4 x 21 1/2″ (46.4 x 54.6 cm). The Museum of Modern Art. Fractional gift of Mr. and Mrs. David Rockefeller.

Post from: Blisstree

Have an Artful Experience at NYC’s MoMA

First of all, this is only going to help out those of you who live in, or will be traveling to, New York City, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles.  If you not in, or going to be in those cities, keep reading, though, as there’s something in this for you as well.

Domino’s has launched a “green graffiti” advertising campaign in which their power-wash their “graffiti” onto streets and sidewalks.  Rather than painting something on the sidewalk, they are actually removing dirt and grime, and as they do so they are creating a treasure hunt for residents and visitors.  Here’s what the graffiti looks like:

When you traveling about New York City, Philadelphia, or Los Angeles, and see one of these designs, all you have to do is take your picture in front of it and email it to:  pr@dominos.com.  The first 250 people to send a photo will win a $15 Domino’s gift card good for a Domino’s American Legends pizza.  So grab your digital camera, smart phone, program this email into your address book and keep an eye out for this graffiti.

Read the Domino’s graffiti website for all the rules and legalese.

And now for the part that I promised for those of you not in or around one of the three treasure hunt cities.

Domino’s has made available two $15 gift cards for readers here at Blisstree.  All you have to do win a gift card is to leave a comment here letting Domino’s know which city you think should be featured in an upcoming graffiti treasure hunt.  Leave your comment by July 19th at midnight (Eastern Time), and from those comments I’ll randomly select two winners who will each receive a $15 Domino’s gift card.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch, but this is the closest thing around.   And who wouldn’t like FREE PIZZA?!

Photo credit: Domino’s

Post from: Blisstree

FREE Pizza Treasure Hunt from Domino’s

Twelfth Night, a romantic comedy full of adventure, misadventure, mistaken identity with a little cross-dressing thrown in for good measure, runs at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park from June 10th – Sunday, July 12th, 2009.

Tickets are FREE, and are distributed online (a limited numbers) and in person at the theater (most tickets are distributed at the theater) on the day of the performance.  The ticket line forms early in the morning, and can get REALLY long, so bring some coffee, a good book, and plan to queue up early.  Ticket policies are strictly enforced, so read the rules and make sure you know what is and isn’t allowed, as well get some tips to help you plan the best ways to secure your free tickets.

Twelfth Night will star the beautiful Anne Hathaway is the starring role of Viola.

The Delacorte Theater is located in Central Park.  The closest entrances to the theater are 81st & Central Park West or 7th & Fifth Avenue.

Photo credit:  Bauer Griffin

Post from: Blisstree

Anne Hathaway & Shakespeare in Central Park

The building is located at Fifth Avenue at 34th, and is a popular spot for tremendous views of the city.  It’s been featured in numerous movies, including the classic An Affair to Remember and the more recent Sleepless in Seattle.

Beneath its art deco facade, the building houses floors and floors of offices, a 3-story lobby, shops, restaurants, a variety of services, and one of the most popular outdoor observation decks in the world.  Located on the 86th floor, the observation deck offers 360-degree views of the city.  The observation deck is open 365 days a year, from 8 am – 2 pm.  The last elevator goes to the top at 1:15 am.  Scheduling a romantic rendezvous at midnight at the top of the Empire State Building is as much a reality as a theme from the movies, and the view at night is just as spectacular as during the day.

An additional observation deck is located on the 102nd floor as well, but it is enclosed and much smaller than the lower one.  It is open daily, 8 am – midnight, with the last elevator going up at 11:15 pm.

On the 2nd floor, you’ll find the NY Skyride, a simulated aerial tour over the city of New York, that has become nearly as popular as the observation deck.

Tickets for the observation deck are $18.45 for adults (ages 18-61), $12.92 for children (ages 6-12), and $16.51 for seniors (62+).  Prices do not include tax or a $2 surcharges.   An express pass, which allows you to go to the front of the line (and the lines can get lengthy), an observatory and skyride combo package, and a ticket to the 102nd floor observatory are also available.  Purchase Empire State Building tickets online to help cut down on line time.

Because lines and wait time can be lengthy, plan to visit on a day when you have time to get through the queue and enjoy the spectacular views.  After all, you haven’t really seen the city till you’ve seen it from the top of the Empire State Building.

Photo credit: wikimedia

Post from: Blisstree

Happy Birthday to the Empire State Building