Stuff to Do

AllNY.com's look at things to do in NYC written by New Yorkers for New Yorkers and serious New York tourists.

Valentine’s Day Getaways in New York City — It’s Not Too Late to Book!

New York is rich in hotels that we New Yorkers never experience.  Why not try one of these packages for a different and really cool Valentine’s Day (or Valentine’s Day gift)?

Kimptons 70 Park Avenue HotelFor the on-again-off-again couple looking to rekindle the romance or just book a sexy rendezvous, Kimpton’s 70 park avenue has you covered with its “Exes and Ohhs” Valentine’s Day package.  Guests receive two welcome Hot and Toddied cocktails at the hotel’s adjacent silverleaf tavern to help set the mood before retreating for a two-night escape in one of 70 park’s cozy and intimate guestrooms.  Love birds will also receive two tickets to a three-course dinner and burlesque show to help add to this raunchy “staycation” weekend.  For additional seductive fun, the hotel’s on-site love doctor has a specially curated list of sensual activities to spice up the stay, from a sexy boudoir shoot to an in-room couples massage and chocolate-making classes. Available from February 13 – February 16. Priced starting at $862 for two nights’ minimum.  http://www.70parkave.com

The MarkWoo your Valentine with bubble baths on demand and a multi-course dinner by one of New York’s most celebrated chefs, Jean-Georges, at The Mark. The sexy Valentine’s Day package (from $755 per night) includes a dozen red roses, a bottle of Laurent-Perrier Rosé and a cheese-and-fruit platter upon arrival; a Frédéric Malle candle; a bubble bath;  and breakfast in bed the next day. http://www.themarkhotel.com

Langham HtoelLangham Place is stepping up its game with the “Love of the Game” package (from $755), which combines sports plus romance (yes, really). Celebrating the NBA All-Stars weekend, the package includes a Party with the Pros cocktail party, where you can mingle with top NBA players, as well as a couples’ massage at the Langham Place Spa and daily breakfast for two in Measure Lounge. http://www.langhamhotels.com/en/langham-place/new-york

A paddle, a necktie, bondage kit and spanking powder. We can’t forget that Valentine’s Day coincides with the release of “Fifty Shades of Grey”. Two Kimpton hotels, Eventi and Ink48, are offering “Shades of Grey” deals (from $450; through March 1), which includes the items mentioned above, plus massages, admission to the Museum of Sex, and a $200 credit toward lingerie at La Perla or Agent Provocateur. http://www.newyork.com/hotels/eventi-hotel, http://www.newyork.com/hotels/ink-48-hotel/ . Pretty darn hot.

Z HotelAcross the bridge, Z NYC Hotel in Long Island City is offering a “50 Shades of Z” Package.  Pretend you’ve taken a helicopter to meet Christian Grey as you overlook the Manhattan skyline from your accommodations. The rest is up to you with the box of trinkets you’ll receive upon check-in including edible underwear, handcuffs, tickle feather, blindfolds, and a book of erotic games. Chocolate strawberries, champagne, and breakfast in bed complete the package which is available until February 28.  Rates start at $245 per night.  Tickets to the movie can be arranged. www.zhotelny.com.

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Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Cuban Dance Group Debuts in NYC, February 18-22

HavanaDreaming about Cuba but haven’t quite figured out how to take advantage of the new travel agreements? There’s a wonderful dance group coming to New York City next week to get you prepped.  Havana Rakatan, the hot, sexy Cuban dance show from acclaimed Havana-based Ballet Rakatan will be making its U.S. debut at City Center, 135 West 55th Street, in Manhattan, February 18 – 22. In my opinion, it’s a shot of hot Cuban excitement that will help beat the Arctic blast and melt the mountains of snow forecast for later this week.

This is the first presentation of City Center’s A Bailar: Dance at the Center Latin dance festival which runs from February 18 – March 7. The Festival continues with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s m¡longa, a dance presentation focused on the sultry world of Buenos Aires tango. The final performance is Voces, Suite Flamenca, a new work from flamenco superstar Sara Baras.

The easiest way to get tickets (while staying warm) is at www.NYCityCenter.org or by calling (212) 581-1212.

Back to Cuba for the moment.  I really encourage you to get your tickets before they’re sold out. Havana Rakatan is a dazzling mix of salsa, mambo, jazz, bolero, son, cha-cha-cha and rumba, accompanied by the eight-piece Cuban son band Turquino, which will perform live onstage.

MilongaThe show presents a high-energy slice of Havana culture that charts the evolution of Cuban music and dance over the country’s 500-year history, from the West African rhythms brought by slaves beginning in the mid-16th century, to the jazz, mambo and bolero of the 1940s, the rumba and cha-cha of the 1970s, and the salsa and son of modern-day Havana. As I heard in both Havana and Trinidad last week, it’s son that brings it all to an exciting finish, combining elements of Spanish guitar and song with African rhythms and percussion. This is the heart of modern Cuban music and dance, and you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to experience it in New York.

Ballet Rakatan is one of Cuba’s most successful cultural exports. The company was founded by dancer-turned-choreographer Nilda Guerra in 2001 and has since toured throughout the world. Most of the dancers are graduates of the renowned Escuela Nacional de Arte de la Habana, one of Havana’s premier dance schools that offers contemporary dance training mixed with Cuban dance and Latin styles. It’s exciting that they’ve chosen New York City for their U.S. debut.

SaraThe performance schedule is:

Havana Rakatan, February 18-22: Wednesday, February 18 and Thursday, February 19 at 7:30 pm; Friday, February 20 at 8 pm; Saturday, February 21 at 2 and 8 pm; and Sunday, February 22 at 2 and 7 pm.

m¡longa, February 26 – March 22: Thursday, February 26, Friday, February 27 and Saturday, February 28 at 8 pm; and Sunday, March 1, at 2 pm.

Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras, March 4-7: Wednesday, March 4 and Thursday, March 5 at 7:30 pm; Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7 at 8 pm.

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Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Winter Getaway from NY: Ski, Yoga and Culinary Retreat in Vermont

Yoga Ski Vermont GetawayHow rare is it when you find that one program that combines your passions all in one glorious weekend? Amy Leydon, yoga teacher extraordinare from Boston, has put together a ski, yoga, and culinary weekend March 12-15 at Good Commons in Plymouth, Vermont. For those of you who know me, I’m a committed yogini, who loves to travel and eat, and has spent quite a lot of time in Vermont, working with hotels, enjoying family retreats, and visiting my son at the University of Vermont.  Does this package have my name on it or what? Although I’m not a skiier, the retreat is close to Killington and Okemo where cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and other winter activities (like shopping in Woodstock!) and spas (again, Woodstock!) are offered.

Amy schedules a number of retreats over the course of the year, with the next one a warm-weather locale, Martha’s Vineyard in June.  I haven’t met Amy yet, but her acclaim as “Best Yoga Teacher in Boston” by Boston Magazine tells me that the six classes I’ll experience this weekend will all be fabulous.  And I hear that she plays great music, too. I wonder if there’s a piano in the house.

For more information, http://amyleydonyoga.com/yoga-ski-and-culinary-weekend-2015/

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Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Three Winter Dining Finds in Manhattan

January is a great time to check out NYC restaurants — it’s not tourist season and they’re a good reason to escape the cold. Happy dining!

GatoGato – Bobby Flay has gone international again!  New York City has missed this super chef whose well-loved  Latin restaurants Mesa Grill and Bolo have been absent for many years.  The original master of BBQ and Spanish cuisine, Bobby has created a menu of small plates as well as larger entrees, all designed for sharing.  In a room as beautiful and inviting as they come, Flay’s cooking stands out against the Rockwell Group’s gorgeous design.  With tile floors, suspended metal lighting, and warm woods, Gato’s central bar area and dining spaces are inviting. Even the bread brought out at the beginning is exceptional – be sure to try the olive bread.  A menu of bar “bites” is designed for ordering on a plank of threes – choose from bites like artichoke heart with sea urchin and quail egg, or chorizo crepinette with apricot mostarda and pickled Brussels sprouts, and the tangy piquillo filled with raw tuna, with a drizzle of saffron sauce.  The appetizers are equally satisfying.  Many Spanish restaurants offer octopus dishes, but no one prepares it like Bobby Flay.  The roasted octopus is crunchy and a tad sweet, covered with a tangerine vinaigrette and bacon sauce that is an absolute standout. Main courses like the red prawns beautifully presented with Meyer lemon and garlic are similarly delicious. 324 Lafayette Street, 212.334.6400.  www.gatonyc.com

CosmeCosme – There’s a reason that Enrique Olvera has the number 20 restaurant in the world, Pujol from Mexico City. His Mexican cooking is way beyond that found in the more typical taco restaurants in other cities including New York. While New York City has strong contenders in the more upscale category, like Alex Stupak’s three Empellons (Cocina, Taqueria, and Parlor), Olvera’s menu mixes up tastes that elevate Mexican to a fine dining experience.  Most ingredients are sourced locally, although some arrive from their original homes, including octopus swimming in briny water from Spain.  Dishes are unusual from appetizers to dessert.  For the adventurous, try the uni tostada with avocado, bone marrow salsa and cucumber; and the thinly sliced vinegary scallop aguachile appetizers, and the two-person duck carnitas with white onions and radishes as a main course.  Small plates are shareable as well, so plan so you have room the one-of-a-kind husk merengue with corn mousse and a chaser of the house’s special Mezcal.  The room is warm and sexy at the same time, a wonderful refuge from the cold outdoors. 35 East 21st St., 212.913.9659. www.cosmenyc.com

DejustationDegustation – Not a newcomer like Gato and Cosme, Degustation is the most elevated of Jack Lamb’s restaurant group.  With 16 seats set around a U-shaped counter and open kitchen, Degustation shows off Nicholas Licata’s mastery of precision preparation and Iberian, French and American cuisine.  While you can order off the a la carte menu, it’s the $80 tasting menu that really shows off Licata’s talents.  Let him decide what to share with you, whether it’s his scrumptious Hawaiian blue prawn paella, or the wild boar ribs with romesco.  Or perhaps a serving of the irreverent Brussel sprouts dolled up with Funyuns and cashews.  A sophisticated wine list explained by knowledgeable servers matches well.  Cozy and small, Degustation will leave you feeling warm and satisfied.  239 East 5th St., 212,979.1012.  www.degustation-nyc.com

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Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Al Hirschfeld Exhibit at The Algonquin Hotel Through January 9

Algonquin HotelCurrently mounted in the recently renovated lobby of the historic Algonquin Hotel, Times Square is an exhibit you won’t want to miss. Closing on January 9 is a selection of Al Hirschfeld drawings honoring the renowned Algonquin “Round Table.” Titled the “Return of the Vicious Circle,” the exhibit is a collection of drawings of the members of the famed Algonquin Round Table and their friends. Twenty-five portraits adorn the walls in the lobby and dining area, reflecting more than fifty years of line-artist Hirschfeld’s career.  Some of the faces you’re sure to recognize are Dorothy Parker, the grand dame of the Round Table; Harpo Marx; Irving Berlin; James Thurber; and Helen Hayes.

Responsible for helping put The Algonquin on the map and securing its place as a historic and literary landmark, the Round Table – which later evolved into the Vicious Circle — was an eclectic group of New York City writers, critics, actors and pundits. The group, whose members varied over the years, met for lunch each day from 1919 until 1929, always at the Algonquin. Their witty conversations found their way into the newspaper columns of Round Table members, increasing the personal fame of its participants along with that of the hotel. If this pop-up exhibit looks familiar, it’s because you may have seen many of these drawings on the pages of the New Yorker magazine, a creation of Round Table member Harold Ross.

Included among the portraits on the wall are Al Hirschfeld’s celebrated group portrait of the Round Table, hanging directly above the historic Round Table itself, and a Hirschfeld self-portrait.

The Algonquin, Times Square, Autograph Collection, 59 West 44th Street. http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/nycak-the-algonquin-hotel-times-square-autograph-collection/

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Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Three Broadway Shows to See Before Mid-January

You’ve just missed your chance at seeing the last Broadway performances of Once, Side Show, Cinderella, Pippin, The Real Thing and This is Our Youth.

Before it’s too late, I suggest you buy your tickets for these shows which are scheduled to close (or move from their original home) mid-January:

It's Only a PlayIt’s Only a Play – An insider look at what happens on the opening night of a Broadway show, the title sums up how the characters are supposed to feel when the show doesn’t quite get the reviews hoped for. Now with Martin Short replacing Nathan Lane, Katie Finneran, F. Murray Abraham, and Stockard Channing, “It’s Only a Play” is a non-stop laughfest, poking fun at pretty much every major show on Broadway. It helps to see it with someone who is conversant with the current Broadway line-up, especially if you’re not a regular theater-goer. Now playing at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street), It’s Only a Play moves to the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 West 45th Street, starting January 23. Tickets: www.telecharge.com.

Rock of the AgesRock of Ages – Unbelievably, this long-lasting, feel-good rocker is about to have its farewell tour. Closing on January 18, the show will no longer bring you those familiar 80s faves like “Any Way You Want It,” “We Built This City,” “Wanted Dead or Alive,” and “Don’t Stop Believin.” Constantine Maroulis (sixth-place finalist from the fourth season of American Idol) leads the final line-up.  Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 West th Street.  Tickets: www.telecharge.com .

The story about Berry Gordy’s creation of the Motown sound, starting in 1959, is a bit too long, with too much crammed in, but it’s still a crowd pleaser. Starting January 18, Motown: the Musical is concentrating its focus on its tour companies. This is your last chance to relive those Detroit phenoms like the Supremes, the Jackson Five, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Smokey Robinson. The young Michael Jackson is a knockout. Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 West 46th Street.  Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com.

For more detailed information on these and other Broadway shows, a good source is Playbill,  www.playbill.com, where you can sign up for a newsletter of upcoming theater events.

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Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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