Where to Eat Now: Dine In Brooklyn, March 15-25

Posted on March 16, 2010 by dmairoldi

I rarely take advantage of New York’s Restaurant Week anymore, but I was excited to see my adopted borough of Brooklyn launch it’s own version of the discount dining event a few years ago: Dine in Brooklyn.

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This year’s Dine in Brooklyn kicked off yesterday and runs for 10 days through March 25. Depending on your dining-out budget, splurge or save (or both!) on three-course $20.10 lunch menus and $25 dinner options at more than 200 restaurants from Gravesend to Greenpoint. (Beverages, taxes and tips are extra.)

I have to admit that I was disappointed to see some of my favorite places missing from the list of participants: The Farm on Adderley and Purple Yam (Ditmas Park), No. 7 and The General Greene (Fort Green) and Franny’s (Prospect Heights), to name just a few.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some great places in the mix. BrooklynNomad listed some good picks that highlight his faves. (We share one, Applewood). Here are a few others that I’m partial to.

Cobble Hill: Bar Tabac

Comfy neighborhood French bistro on Smith Street that always has a chill crowd. Excellent mussels, steak frites and duck confit. Late-night kitchen: 1 or 2 a.m., depending on day. Live music. Plus it’s just one block away from the Bergen Street stop on the F and G train lines. www.bartabacny.com

Cobble Hill: Apartment 138

Practically next door to Bar Tabac (and oddly listed under Boerum Hill in the Dine in Brooklyn directory), the wonderfully casual Apartment 138 serves up consistently good comfort food in heaping portions. The calamari is always tender, and the dish to return for is the BBQ baby back ribs, served with sweet potato hash and mac ‘n’ cheese. The meat falls off the bone and melts in your mouth. www.apt138.com

Park Slope: Bar Tano and Bar Toto

These two authentic “Italian bistros” are long-time favorites, and I’ve tried just about everything on both menus. Regardless of the dish, the ingredients are always super fresh and tasty. You can’t go wrong with the pizza or panini at either place. At Toto also try the calamari and the braised pork meatballs over polenta and spinach. At Tano, the best bruschette are the gorgonzola, walnuts and honey and the goat cheese and fig spread. Toto is definitely in the Slope, on 6th Avenue at 11th Street. Tano, however, sits near the Gowanus border at the corner of 9th Street and Third Avenue.
www.bartoto.com, www.bartano.com

Fort Greene: The Smoke Joint

Even though my favorite bartender (who got me to try his bacon-infused bourbon many moons ago) departed for the nearby No. 7, I still love this place for some of the best ribs in NYC. All the ribs are tasty, as are the spicy wings. And an even better deal than the usual Dine in Brooklyn discount? It’s offering 2-for $20.10 lunch and 2-for-$25 dinner, so you know my scale will be creeping upward the next two weeks. www.thesmokejoint.com

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Learn to Make Beer Buttercream, Gourmet Candies and Homemade Peeps!

Posted on March 12, 2010 by dmairoldi

Want to prepare for next week’s St. Patrick’s Day with something other than binge drinking this weekend? Or how about learning how to make your own peeps?

My good friend Lauri Ditunno of Cake Alchemy, the New York–based custom cake studio featured on the WE TV series Amazing Wedding Cakes, is leading two cool classes this month geared toward goodies for St. Patrick’s Day and Easter. And if you sign-up and mention Prepare for CrossCheck, you get $25 off the cost!

Cake Alchemy St. Pats Day Cakes

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Willing to Bet on Atlantic City’s Qua Baths & Spa

Posted on February 25, 2010 by dmairoldi

I’m not a gambler nor do I care for typical U.S. gaming destinations, so I never head to Las Vegas unless I have to for a work assignment, I’ve never been to Reno for any reason, and I’ve stopped in Atlantic City to check out the boardwalk and pick up some saltwater taffy … once, in 1992.

As I write this, however, I’m thinking it’s time I gave Atlantic City another chance.

Pourquoi?

Perhaps it’s because after job searching for more than six months and finding only part-time work, I’m willing to risk my remaining savings on the craps table. I figure my chances of succeeding with games of chance compared to successfully landing a journalism job comparable to my last position are about equal. Atlantic City is the easiest place for me to take that leap into Lady Luck’s arms.

Perhaps too it’s because of the dreary wall of weather that has kept me cooped up inside all day, staring at falling nothingness. Anything has to be better than this.

Truth be told though, what tempted me was a release I received for the Qua Baths & Spa at Caesars, which has put three of its classic 50-minute treatments on sale for just $99 from March 1 to April 30, 2010: Classic Body Exfoliation, Classic Massage, and Classic Hydration Facial.

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I need these treatments.

No, really, I do.

You see, I’m a spa junkie. Have been ever since my first professional massage 20 years ago. I almost never pass up an opportunity for some pampering, especially if it’s reduced-price pampering, even if it means I have to cut down on my other expenses (like groceries) for a couple weeks. Plus Spring—hallelujah!—is just around the corner, so it’ll be a nice way to get ready for the shedding of hats and coats and scarves and gloves and boots and sweaters and socks (oh my).

So just how much savings does this mean, precisely? $138, which can go toward my transportation and hotel. That’s $56 off the exfoliation treatment (normally $155) and $41 off both the Swedish massage and facial, which each regularly go for $140.

Of course I realize I can “save” even more if I just don’t go. But what fun would that be? And how will I ever know if Lady Luck is on my side?

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Keith Haring: 20 Years Since His Death, Where to Find Haring Art in NYC

Posted on February 16, 2010 by dmairoldi

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the death of Keith Haring, downtown NYC artist phenom of the 1980s. I can’t believe it’s two decades already since he succumbed to AIDS.

Haring was huge during my college years in the mid 1980s, his graffiti-inspired style and artworks showing up everywhere from New York City subways to the cover for the 1987 album A Very Special Christmas, which benefited the Special Olympics, to murals around the world, including one on the Berlin Wall, which he saw fall just three months before he died. His works were simple, yet effective. They made you laugh; they made you think.

Haring Shirt

I lived in Chicago during that era, but I would travel to New York at least two or three times a year to get my “Downtown” fix, and never missed an opportunity to hit the Pop Shop, Haring’s retail store on Lafayette Street in SoHo, to pick up t-shirts, bags, buttons, posters, and post cards. Especially buttons. It was the 80s, after all. Radiant Baby, Free South Africa, Barking Dog. I still have them all. (Yes, that is me to the left wearing one of my remaining Haring shirts today, with my cat Lola looking on.) My writing partner Nichole and I even used a photo of us in front of the mural mirror from the Pop Shop for the second cover of our zine ¿What? in late 1990. (Unfortunately my scanner is broken so I’ll have to add that photo later.)

Haring used his artwork and retail opportunities to spread awareness of issues he championed, particularly AIDS awareness and the anti-Apartheid movement. You can also credit him, not Whitney Houston, for the saying “Crack is Wack,” which appeared on a 1986 mural in an East Harlem park.

So in honor of Keith Haring, his artwork and his activism, here’s a list of a few places where you can still see his public works in New York City.

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8 Tips for Last-Minute Travel

Posted on February 15, 2010 by dmairoldi

Today’s Your Money section in the New York Daily News includes an article by a former TravelMuse writer Jason R. Rich about how to find last-minute travel savings. I was happy to help Rich out as a resource for the piece, but there are some tips that didn’t make it into the article that I’d like to share here, along with some others that deserve repeating. These eight tips are by no means comprehensive, and I welcome your additional tips in the comments section.

I tend to do a lot of last-minute travel, not least because I have a difficult time making up my mind on where to go next, but also because there are some great deals to be had if you can be a little flexible with your dates and destinations. Which brings me to the most important tip:

General Tips:

1. Be flexible.
Letting go of preferred airlines, hotels and car rental brands can save you a bundle, whether traveling for leisure or business. Also when you travel too makes a big different. Pick destinations that in the midst of their off-season period—the cheapest deals are found when the crowds are at their thinnest.

2. Sign up for last-minute deal newsletters.
Just about every supplier has one, including airlines, hotels, car rental agencies and third-party online resources. They’re particularly handy if you just want to get away for a few days and are open on the destination. Over the years, thanks to deals found midweek, I could be in London, Miami, the Bahamas, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Madrid or Southern California by Friday (or the following Friday for international destinations), all for less than $300 RT.

3. Book directly with vendors.
Often, you’ll find the same deals, or even better, plus they offer more favorable change and cancellation policies.

4. Use convention and visitors bureau Web sites.
These resources often get overlooked but shouldn’t as you can find deals not listed elsewhere for the bureau’s hotel and attraction members. For a list, check out Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI).

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5 Obscure Things to Do in New York City for $5 or Less

Posted on January 21, 2010 by dmairoldi

So we’re top of the heap again.

Earlier this month, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced that New York City looks poised to take top honors in 2009 as the most popular tourist destination in the United States for the first time in nearly 20 years, despite a nearly 4 percent decline in visitor numbers over 2008.

It’s about time.

True, I (and other fast-paced souls) can get annoyed sometimes at having to navigate around crowds of gawking tourists who often block sidewalks. But like most New Yorkers, that doesn’t mean I don’t want people to visit and fall in love with this grand city.

NYC FiDi

What continues to make New York exciting to me after nearly 20 years of resident status is that practically every time I step outside, I’m entertained by something or someone I see or overhear on the streets or subways. I’m also regularly wowed by factoid gems, both historic and modern, often shared by New York natives—who are entertaining characters themselves. (For some New York trivia, check out this week’s Time Out New York cover feature “225 Things You Didn’t Know About New York.”)

Though visitors tend to stick to the popular tourist sites, which can be pretty pricey (Empire State Building observation deck tickets are now $20), there are plenty of lesser-known attractions in New York that can help you get to know this city like a native. Here are a few of my favorites—all of which cost $5 or less.

1. Bill Brand’s Masstransiscope. Artist Brand completed this vision of color and light, based on the principle of the zoetrope, in Brooklyn’s abandoned Myrtle Avenue subway station in 1980. After years of neglect and graffiti coverage, he raised funds to restore (and protect) the artwork in 2008, and it can be enjoyed again for a mere $2.25 subway ride on the Manhattan-bound B and Q trains. Look for the images just after leaving the DeKalb Avenue station. Check out this video footage of the old and restored versions from Brand’s blog. You’ll also see the now bygone graffiti-covered trains—inside and out—from 30 years ago.

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2. Fisher Landau Center for Art. Plenty of people know about the Frick Collection of classic European art in Manhattan, but for those who also appreciate current works, there’s the Emily Fisher Landau private collection in Queens, which includes more than 1,500 pieces of work created since 1960 by top modern and contemporary artists, including Kiki Smith, Chuck Close and Robert Rauschenberg. Plus it’s housed in a former parachute-harness factory in Long Island City, a nice reminder of New York’s vibrant manufacturing history. Open Thursday to Monday, noon to 5 p.m. Free.

Steinway

3. Steinway & Sons Factory Tour. Steinway, the manufacturer of arguably the best modern pianos in the world, offers a tour of its headquarters and factory in Astoria, Queens, showing how the treasured instruments are made. Tours take place on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon from September through June. You must call or e-mail in advance to reserve a space; walk-ins are not accepted, and tours are usually booked up to two months in advance. Though free, a tax-deductible donation is encouraged to help the company complete its William Steinway Diary Project with the collaboration of the Smithsonian Institute Libraries, which will make the unpublished 19th century source available online.

4. Ocean Parkway Bike Path. This first bike path in the United States opened in Brooklyn in 1894 and was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux, the same team who created nearby Prospect Park and Central Park in Manhattan—both excellent attractions in their own right. I didn’t even know about the path until I moved across the street from it a few years ago. The pleasant (if not terribly exciting) tree- and bench-lined route stretches for more than five miles and leads straight to the Coney Island boardwalk, another worthy and distinctly New York site. Take the F or G train to Fort Hamilton Parkway to pick up the path near Prospect Park. Free.

Green Tara-Marchais Museum

5. Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art. Opened in 1947, the Marchais Museum was designed in the style of a Himalayan temple and is the first example of such architecture in the United States. The Dalai Lama prayed here during his initial visit to the United States in 1991. It’s more than worth the trip to central Staten Island to see the excellent collection of rare Tibetan and Asian art and artifacts, especially during warmer weather, when the surrounding grounds are in full bloom. Admission, $5.


(Photo credits: Financial District, D.M. Airoldi; Fisher Landau Center for Art; Steinway & Sons; Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art)

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Curry Economics and Other Silk Road Events at American Museum of Natural History

Posted on January 15, 2010 by dmairoldi

Food and travel go hand in hand—and I love both—so last night I attended the Curry Economics lecture at the American Museum of Natural History in New York as part of the museum’s excellent Traveling the Silk Road: Ancient Pathway to the Modern World exhibit.

The show reminds me of my own travels along this ancient route in China this past fall to Xi’an, Turpan, Urumqi, Yarkand, Kashgar and the Karakoram Highway to Tashkurgan (details of which I’ll eventually share on this blog), and the event shed light on some interesting facts about how food trade can bring about significant cultural and economic shifts in a society.

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The lecture didn’t focus exclusively on the Silk Road, and the discussion sometimes veered off into quite contemporary issues, such as genetically modified (GM) foods. But it was fun to listen about the spice-trade history (it reminded me of my myriad econ classes, now quite missed) and a few of the points made during the lecture were particularly interesting:
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Blasphemy! Most Employees Skip Vacation

Posted on January 4, 2010 by dmairoldi

A full two-thirds, 66 percent, of employees did not take all of their vacation time in 2009, according to a recent survey by Right Management, a Philadelphia–based talent and career management company and subsidiary of mega-temp agency Manpower.

Mayan ruins of Tulum, Mexico.

Getting away for a few days to Tulum, Mexico helped recharge my batteries to hit the new year running.

I’m baffled every time one of these statistics is released showing that people forego their allotted days off. In the 25 years I’ve been in the workforce, I’ve never once let a single hour of vacation time go unused, and not just because I love to travel. Even when I was broke after college, paying off student loans and travel was limited, I’d take a weekday off to spend at a museum, see a matinee, or simply stay at home and read or listen to music.

And it hasn’t hurt me professionally either. In fact, most of my bosses insisted their staff use their earned time off.

Yet a common reason offered up for why an employee might have chosen more time in the office as opposed to lounging on a beach, especially this past year, is fear of losing their job combined with pressure to do more with fewer resources. Very valid and understandable points. However those also are the individuals who need a break more than anyone. People need to recharge, especially after a big crunch time or following the close of a major deal or project. Vacation time is an earned employee benefit and has a direct impact on work/life balance and general health and wellness.

“All employees should make it their New Year’s resolution to use allocated vacation during the year. Not doing so can lead to increased stress and related health issues, negatively impacting performance and productivity,” said Douglas J. Matthews, President and COO at Right Management. “Conversely, taking vacation can boost creativity and rejuvenate overall energy and focus.”

Any smart manager or company knows that they’re better off with revitalized employees as opposed to worn out ones, and they’ll encourage people to fully use their vacation time. There are plenty of companies are out there who get it. But if you work for one that doesn’t, I’d start looking for a new job now.

What are your thoughts on required vacation time? Have you ever not taken all your days off? If so, why?

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Management Lessons From Former Continental Airlines CEO

Posted on January 3, 2010 by dmairoldi

The two main subjects I cover as a writer are travel and employee management and motivation, so I couldn’t help but notice today’s Corner Office column by Adam Bryant in The New York Times business section on Gordon M. Bethune, former CEO of Continental Airlines, which combines the two topics.

continentalLogoBethune did a fantastic job turning around the once-troubled airline during his decade at the company’s helm (1994 to 2004), and in the article he shares lessons he’s learned over the years on how to be an effective leader, which are essentially:

  • treat all employees with respect
  • recognize those who work for you when you get recognition; your team is who helps you achieve success
  • don’t micromanage; hire people with a can-do attitude and then let them do their jobs
  • communicate regularly and never lie to your employees
  • take time to show employees you’re interested in them
  • thank them personally

These lessons aren’t groundbreaking—studies have shown for years that respect, a simple thank you or a recognition award can go a long way in generating employee loyalty and improved motivation and performance—but too many managers only pay lip service to these behaviors or act on just a few of them. (Trust me, one of the biggest morale busters is to be lied to by your manager, regardless of how many times they may recognize or thank you for your efforts.)

So it was nice to read about someone who learned these key management lessons while working his way up the ladder, then didn’t forget them once he got to the top. I’ve flown Continental both before and after Bethune’s time at the company, and noticed a marked improvement in customer service after he took over. Now, if only we had more of these success stories to share.

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2009: The Year in Travel

Posted on December 31, 2009 by dmairoldi

The only resolution I made when 2009 began was to get out on the road more than I had in 2007 and 2008. I’m happy to report my wish came true, in more ways than one.

Aside from my monthly NY/SF commute, I also enjoyed trips to Miami, Israel, Montreal, Cleveland, Philadelphia (twice), China, Singapore, Chicago, Mexico and Los Angeles. And with a bit of creative flying at the end of this year, I also managed to attain platinum status on American Airlines for the first time, which I plan to enjoy on many future flights in 2010.

My final trip of 2009: Chilling on Venice Beach, Calif., New Year's Eve.

My final trip of 2009: Chilling on Venice Beach, Calif., New Year's Eve.

People who travel regularly, especially for business, often complain that they’d prefer more ground time at home. Not me. I’m never more excited than when I have a new trip on the horizon and a suitcase packed and ready to head out the door, whether for work or for pleasure. Unfortunately, the year ended with yet another terrorist attempt to down a plane (thankfully thwarted), which means there will be increased travel and security hassles for most of us for the foreseeable future.

I think most individuals, however, realize that the risks of any successful incident are low, and that they won’t be deterred from following through with intended travel plans in the coming year. The hospitality industry has been hard hit enough with the recession that we’re finally pulling out of. Here’s hoping anyway.

So whether you’re a road warrior, weekend explorer or occasional traveler, I wish you safe, wonderful journeys in the New Year. And my resolution for 2010? To update this blog on a more regular basis with details about my travel adventures.

Happy trails!

(p.s. And a big THANK YOU to any readers who contributed to this year’s Passports With Purpose fundraiser to build a school in Cambodia. Its goal was not only met but also exceeded by nearly $1,000. Bravo!)

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