The Buzz: NYC Summer Streets
Only in New York would you find people lined up on a hot summer day, patiently waiting their turn…. to dumpster dive? Yes folks, you read it correctly. Head to midtown just south of Grand Central Station this Saturday and see for yourself as kids and adults alike splash, dip and cool off at this unique spin on the “public pool.”
Designed by NYC design firm Macro Sea, the three “Mobile Pools” are constructed out of brand new dumpsters (no old shoes, newspapers or empty cans here) lined with PVC and filtered with a quadruple-strength system insuring that even the most neurotic germaphobe can splish-splash worry-free. The pools are kitted out with sun decks and there are also cabanas, changing rooms and lounge chairs adding to the pop-up country club vibe. Bring a towel and get a wristband for your specific swimming time. Then just plug your nose, hold your breath and take the plunge.
While dumpster diving in mobile pools certainly makes the biggest splash, it’s only one part of NYC’s Summer Streets initiative, now in its third year. Each Saturday during Summer Streets nearly seven miles of Manhattan’s blacktop are blocked off from traffic completely, making way for pedestrians, bikes, roller blades, (unicycles?) and more. The area runs Park Avenue and Lafayette Street all the way from Central Park down to the Brooklyn Bridge and there are even picnic areas, hula hoopers, group fitness classes and a range of performances courtesy of the New York International Fringe Festival.
Discover New York: Check out our high definition videos of the best of the Big Apple.
Experience Summer Streets this Saturday August 7th and next Saturday August 21st.
Revving up NYC’s Food Scene One Truck At a Time
Street food in New York City is no longer defined by chewy pretzels, water dogs and hot nuts. Over the last few years, food trucks have taken to the NYC grid in unprecedented numbers, offering gourmet ice cream, tacos and Belgian wafels, among many other delicious cuisines. This week’s issue of New York Magazine lists 25 of their top picks.
Food trucks, the next step up the evolutionary ladder from the traditional sidewalk food cart (trucks are generally larger, more tricked-out, and self-propelled), aren’t exactly new. Trucks serving pizza or halal chicken and rice have fed midtown office workers and outer-borough revelers for years. What is new is the elevation of the form—the quality, variety, and sheer number of the things have never been greater. Here, a look at 25 of our favorites.
Check out the entire article here to see if any of your faves made the list:
World Cup Fever – Where to Watch in NYC
I don’t know about you all, but I’m getting pretty psyched about the World Cup—and truth be told, I don’t care much about sports. What I do care about is having fun and getting together with friends, and this is the perfect opportunity to do so. Here in New York, we are in a unique position because literally every nationality is represented. And no other time is our “melting pot” more apparent than during the World Cup. Walk down the street and you’ll hear cheers from different restaurants/bars in alternating waves. The excitement is palpable.
So, where should you go to root for your favorite team in NYC? Zagat Buzz has done the leg work and come up with 31 venues, one for every night, so you’ll never miss a kick-off.
The 2010 World Cup kicks off at 10 AM EST on Friday, June 11, with host country South Africa playing Mexico. And of course, restaurants and bars across NYC (and the world) are pulling out all the stops for this month-long international showdown. So, in honor of the 31 days the tournament lasts, we’re letting you in on 31 different deals offered all over town.
Bill’s Bar & Burger: This hamburger haven in the Meatpacking District opens 30 minutes before all the early morning games with a special breakfast menu including items like a burger with a fried egg on top and boneless chicken wings. In honor of the Cup’s host city, the menu also features boerewors (pronounced “boo-ruh-vors”) – a traditional South African sporting event treat of beef sausage in a bun served with chutney and caramelized onions (212-414-3003).
Boqueria: Enjoy classic tapas dishes while cheering on Spain at both the Flatiron and SoHo locations, which open early at 9:30 AM on game days. Arrive before noon and order from the special menu with tortillas Española, bocata manchego, bacon-wrapped dates and more. And, during the first week’s 10 AM games, you can get free churros and chocolate or bravas and beer (212-255-4160 and 212-343-4225).
Check out the rest of the roundup here.
Introducing Our New York Resident Editor
One week ago, we posted a review courtesy of our NY Resident Editor. Here’s a bit about the man behind the expertise:
Besides his stellar contributions at Voyage.tv, AP Bradbury currently serves as the Guides Editor for UrbanDaddy.com. A graduate of NYU, he has been writing about restaurants, bars, nightclubs and hotels in NYC for nearly 10 years (“Is it any wonder I am an alcoholic?” AP Bradbury teases).
Straight out of college, Bradbury landed a coveted gig editing the hugely-popular Little Black Book List nightlife guides for BlackBook Magazine. There he was instrumental in transforming the guides from a quarterly insert within the magazine into the stand-alone annual guides that they are today. His work has been published in New York Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, Playboy, The Fader, The Face, Free Williamsburg, Complex, Rolling Stone, and Absolute NY.
New In NYC This Week
Whoever said New York is a dead town doesn’t know New York. There is so much happening in this city at any given time, it can be a tad overwhelming. Thanks to our friends at Zagat and Hotel Chatter, we came across two openings that we just had to share with you.
As we count down to the opening of the Eventi Hotel (slated for Friday), Hotel Chatter gives us the scoop on what to expect:
As two out of four folks surmised, the NYC hotel with the Central Park ceiling artwork was the Eventi Hotel—which is now in the home stretch and ready to open this Friday.
We had a sneak peek at the city’s newest Kimpton hotel last week, and saw a lot to like. Starting with the warm, spacious lobby that provides an instant refuge from the hustle and bustle of Sixth Avenue right on Eventi’s doorstep…
This part of New York, south of Macy’s, north of Madison Square Park, and also home to the Ace Hotel, is an odd duck of a neighborhood. With flower vendors and garment district businesses and curry joints and suitcase stores, it seems chaotic in a way like no other part of the city. But it is convenient to many other parts of town, and it’s a hell of a lot easier to get to than Kimpton’s other hotel, Ink48.
For more, click here.
Want to know where the celebs will be dining next? Zagat Buzz has this to say about the newest impossible-to-get-a-table restaurant:
Reservations are bound to be tough at The Lion, a new West Village restaurant open to the public today with Waverly Inn chef John DeLucie in the kitchen and media heavies David Zinczenko (Men’s Health) and Dan Abrams (Mediaite) as backers. A clubbish spot meant to have an old-world ambience, it gets its name from one of the space’s previous incarnations, a 1960s nightspot where Barbara Streisand once performed. Celebs who’ve visited the new restaurant during its preview tastings include Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Mary J. Blige and Jill Hennessy.
Read more here.
Fashion at The Metropolitan Museum of Art with Style Icon Sarah Jessica Parker
We at VoyageInsider are always on the lookout for the newest and hottest events to hit the city. If you’re looking to get some New York culture, check out what we found at of one of our go-to blogs Jaunted:
If you’re missing Carrie Bradshaw’s quirky voice narrating Sex and the City and can’t wait till the second movie comes out later this month, head down to the New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity.” The exhibit, which opens today, features the on-screen and off-screen fashionista Sarah Jessica Parker as its audio guide.
Want to know more? Read the full post here and watch our travel video of The Met on Voyage.tv
What We’re Watching
Here are our Top 10 Programs of the week:
1. Jamaican Sundown – Rick’s Cafe, Jamaica
2. Rainforest Adventure – El Yunque Rainforest, Puerto Rico
3. Village Underground – Hotel Griffou, New York City
4. Rum Shack Baby – The Pelican Bar, Jamaica
5. Light Delights -Round Hill Restaurant, Jamaica
6. Shift Into High Gear – Count’s Kustoms, Las Vegas
7. Di-Vine Intervention – Caudalie at The Plaza, New York City
8. White Sand Gourmand – Bagatelle Bistro, Turks and Caicos
9. Panama Hats – El Galpon Hat Shop, Puerto Rico
10. Island Indulgence – Elbow Beach Spa, Bermuda
Click on Voyage.tv to see more of our exciting programming.
New York Spa Week is Almost Here!
Spa Week starts next Monday, April 12 here in New York and across the country, so in preparation, we hit up the Spa Week Media Party last night at the Prince George Ballroom.
It was a night full of pampering and finding out about great products! Dove deodorant, the official sponsor of the event, offered their unique Piticure treatment, while Bare Escentuals gave complimentary makeovers and reps from NYC’s top spas presented their relaxing signature services to guests. (A great preview of what’s to come next week!)
Among the select spas represented was Caudalie at The Plaza. Their therapists indulged us in scalp, neck and shoulder massages and introduced us to their toning beauty elixir full of essential oils and plant ingredients. (Watch our exclusive segment, Di-Vine Intervention, and go inside the spa to learn all about their distinct vinotherapie techniques!)
After enjoying some tasty passed hors d’oeuvres and sampling Rioja wines straight from Spain, we were more than geared up to book our treatments around the city.
Be sure to take a look at our original spa programs on Nirvana, and stay tuned for more New York spa updates from Voyage.tv!
Discover Yoga Classes in NYC With New YogaLocal NYC iPhone App
If you enjoyed our Urban Calm program that highlights two of Manhattan’s popular yoga studios, Shri Yoga and Vira Yoga, we’ve got some exciting news.
Ben Fleisher at YogaLocal recently introduced us to the company’s iPhone App called YogaLocal NYC, which provides a directory of over 200 yoga studios in the city, including all five boroughs, northern New Jersey and the Hamptons. The app lists studios based on their proximity to you and supplies their class schedules, descriptions and prices, so whether you’re a yogi traveling to the Big Apple or simply a New Yorker looking for a new place to practice, you’ll find the right studio for you. And the best part: it’s FREE. You simply download the application to your phone, and your next spiritual release is just a touch away.
YogaLocal also recently opened its own boutique yoga center in Brooklyn at the uniquely designed Toren development, where you can take classes in Hatha, Forrest, Core Strength Vinyasa, Kundalini and Restorative yoga led by senior teachers. Now through April, your first class is just $10.
Don’t forget to check back with Voyage.tv for more updates on your favorite destinations!
What We’re Watching
Here are our Top 10 Programs of the week:
1. Rainforest Adventure – El Yunque National Rainforest, Puerto Rico
2. Di-Vine Intervention – Caudalie at The Plaza, New York City
3. Jamaican Sundown – Rick’s Cafe, Jamaica
4. Warrior Dance – Hoebel Fitness, New York City
5. Panama Hats – El Galpon Shop, Puerto Rico
6. Best Tressed – Devachan Salon and Departure Lounge, New York City
7. Savor Old San Juan – Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
8. A Ritzy Retreat – The Ritz Carlton Spa, Puerto Rico
9. Rum Shack, Baby – The Pelican Bar, Jamaica
10. Light Delights – The Restaurant at Round Hill, Jamaica
Click on Voyage.tv to see more of our exciting programming.
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