Results tagged “New York City” from Intelligent Travel Blog

Austen fans rejoice! Last week, The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City opened a new exhibit featuring more than 100 of Austen's works. One of the most exceptional pieces is the Lady Susan manuscript - the only surviving complete manuscript of Austen's. Other pieces include personal letters - including the ones she wrote "cross-hatched" (across the horizontal lines of text at right angles in order to save paper) - and selected drawings and prints depicting people, places and events important to Austen's life. The exhibit also features illustrated editions of Austen's novels and an unfinished copy of The Watsons - the "only surviving manuscript of Austen's novels showing her work in progress and under revision".

The exhibit explores the legacy Jane Austen left after her early death at the age of 41. It features later writers' responses to her work - opening with a diary entry by her peer Sir Walter Scott and followed by comments from 20th-century writers such as Yeats and Kipling. Austen's influence is further examined through a film (below) - "The Divine Jane: Reflections on Austen" - by Italian director Francesco Carrozzini at the conclusion of the exhibition that features interviews with artists and scholars. One highlight of the film is when the interviewees describe the kind of dinner party they would have if Jane Austen were a guest.

Going to the World Series this year? Whether you're a Phillies or Yankees fans (I'm just upset my hometown Nationals forgot how to play ball this year), here are some tips on traveling in both cities.

Getting There
Call it the Amtrak Series, but the cheapest way to get from city to city is by bus. Budget buses Megabus and BoltBus both offer inexpensive fares between Philadelphia and New York.

Philadelphia

I Heart My City: Philadelphia
Albert Lee serves as concierge at the Independence Visitor Centerhttp://www.independencevisitorcenter.com/, and tells us what to do, see, and where to eat in the City of Brotherly Love.

Philadelphia On Foot
One of the best ways to explore the city is by foot. Print out our map of Philly's Northern Liberties neighborhood, and check out more tips on visiting the historic neighborhood from IT.

Family Vacation Planner: Pennsylvania
Get cool tips on all the places to take your kids in and around Philadelphia.

Philadelphia's Italian Market
Philadelphia is home to America's longest-operating outdoor market, and writer Jeff DiNunzio shares some insider tips on the best spots to visit.

Click below for tips on traveling in New York City.

Yesterday's conversation with Tom Birchard of the Veselka Diner left us with a craving for pierogi. We asked him if he could spare a recipe from his new cookbook, and he happily passed it along.

Potato Pierogi

Makes 65 to 70 pierogi, 8 to 10 servings

We never paid much attention to the whole low-carb craze at Veselka. Not only is the restaurant not susceptible to fads, but eating that way would have meant giving up potato pierogi, and there's no way we could do that. Our nimble-fingered cooks make as many as 3,000 pierogi every single day. This recipe doesn't make quite that many, but it does yield a large amount. You could halve the recipe, but instead I recommend making the full amount and freezing half. Frozen pierogi can be dropped directly into boiling water for cooking; there's no thawing required. You can also refrigerate the dough for a day or two, so you can make the pierogi in a couple batches. Or you could just eat more than the seven pierogi that we consider a single serving at Veselka in one sitting--not exactly punishment.

For more than 55 years, the Veselka Diner has been a neighborhood institution in New York's East Village, serving up its famous borscht and pierogi 24 hours a day to teenage hipsters, artists, college students, and celebrities like Chloë Sevingy, Jon Stewart, Julianne Moore and Sarah Jessica Parker. This week, the diner's owner, Tom Birchard, released The Velselka Cookbook. Birchard worked with cookbook writer Natalie Danford to adapt the huge restaurant-style portions of 120 of their famous recipes for a more moderately-sized kitchen. (What? You don't have a room for a vat full of borscht on your stovetop?) The book not only offers a glimpse into the kitchen, but provides lovely vignettes about the history of the restaurant and its role within the Little Ukraine neighborhood in New York City.

I spoke with Tom Birchard about pierogi, kitchen politics, and becoming an honorary Ukrainian.

Though you've been running the diner for 40 years, you're actually not Ukrainian. How did you integrate yourself within the community?

When my father-in-law started the diner, he was a very patriotic and it became a gathering place for fellow Ukrainians. He sold periodicals and a limited menu of Old World foods that he loved. It became a Ukrainian hub.

Back when I took over, the community was still very isolated, tight-knit and somewhat distrustful of strangers. Their culture and language was under attack back in the homeland, so I wasn't really accepted with open arms. It was an institution in the community, and this WASPy college kid was a bit of a threat to them. I didn't really understand the language and the elder ladies kind of snubbed me. But in time, the younger generation got to know me and I've been adopted as honorary Ukrainian.

To conclude Hispanic Heritage Month on a literal high note, PBS aired the first two hours of its engrossing and fact-packed four-hour series Latin Music USA last week, and the second half will air this evening, October 19th. The first two episodes are up in both Spanish and English on PBS's website.

The site also features a slew of ways to learn even more about the genres and songs--bachata, bolera, ranchera, salsa, cumbia, boogaloo, mambo, Latin jazz, plena--explored in sound, image, and through first-person interviews on the show. You can dissect the genres, their multifaceted origins and histories by genealogy, by instrument, by rhythm, and, important for us at Traveler, by place.

New York City shines the brightest in the creation of this music of the Americas; melting pot, salad bowl or whichever imperfect metaphor it may be. The story of salsa blew my mind. I had no idea how young the genre is. Influenced by boogaloo, Latin Jazz, and mambo, voiced by Puerto Rican (Hector Lavoe), Cuban (Celia Cruz), Panamanian (Ruben Blades) immigrants, accompanied by first-generation, South Bronx-born trombonists (Willie Colón) and many others, it's a complex genre like no other with moving, real-life lyrics and a rhythm that energizes and animates.

The Palladium Ballroom on 53rd and Broadway figured large in New York's Latin music scene from its debut in 1948 until its closing in 1966. People of all ages and ethnicities flocked to the second-floor dance floor to listen to the nonstop music and groove to new, syncretic sounds. Of course now, it's an NYU dorm.

Does the music of a place influence your decision to travel there?

It's been one long year since the near collapse of our financial system and, if you're anything like me, you're still not completely sure what really happened. If you're in or heading to the Big Apple and want to finally get a handle on what brought about the teetering of all things financial, check out The Wall Street Experience tours.

As a Wall Street insider and laid off, former Deutsche Bank V.P., Andrew Luan knows the collapse firsthand. Now he leads truth seekers through the canyons of downtown New York's financial district, stopping outside J.P. Morgan & Company, Deutsche Bank, AIG, Goldman Sachs, the Bank of the United States, and the Federal Reserve while he explains the complex factors that led to the near collapse. He delves into CDOs (collateralized debt obligations; the type of asset-backed securities many blame for much of the debacle), securities, ratings, and provides tour-goers with an inside view of a trader's life.

Tours start at 15 Broad Street in front of the New York Stock Exchange, and run Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10 a.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m. The Wall Street Insiders Tour lasts two hours and costs $45 per person. On its website, the company mentions it can offer reduced rates for those who can't afford full ticket price--a true indication that these are still tough times and that Luan really gets it. Check out a Q&A with him after the jump.

The Japan Society in New York has an unusual exhibit featuring a collection of Japanese tin toys from the early post-WWII period. It's called "Buriki: Japanese Tin Toys from the Golden Age of the Automobile-- The Yoku Tanaka Collection." 

Traveling on foot gets a whole lot more interesting when you're barefoot...kind of. Amelia Mularz explains.

I decided a few weeks ago that barefoot is the way to go. I had just finished reading Christopher McDougall's new book, Born to Run, an account of the writer's adventures with the Tarahumara Indians in Mexico's Copper Canyon. The Tarahumaras are a tribe of ultramarathoners, running 150-mile races for fun and outlasting some of the Western world's fiercest athletes. They are also known for their athletic footwear--nothing more than sandals fashioned from tire strips. Halfway through Born to Run I was curious about barefoot-style running (ditching all the padding of modern-day running shoes for a more natural feel). By the end of the book I couldn't look at my Nikes the same way. I had to go barefoot.   

Of course, barefoot in New York City is just crazy talk. The shattered glass collection just outside my apartment's front gate is enough to send any barefoot novice running back for her shock absorbers, gel insoles, and heel pads. Fortunately there's Terra Plana--a British shoe company that makes sneakers that have the barefoot effect, minus all the abrasions.

I snagged a pair of Terra Plana's Vivo Barefoot shoes. The idea is to strip the shoe down so that the foot can perform as it was naturally intended to--landing midfoot rather than on the heel. This shortens the stride and keeps the feet beneath the hips, which many argue is a healthier, more balanced form. In addition to realigning natural posture, the shoes also flex and strengthen muscles within the foot and stimulate all 200,000 nerve endings.

This past weekend I made a trip up to New York City to visit family and was once again amazed at just how much the city has to offer, especially food-wise. Although I usually go directly into Manhattan and stay, my cousin recently bought an apartment in Brooklyn, so we decided to try out new things in that part of the city. Brooklyn has become a hot spot for young fresh thinkers and the restaurants here mirror its transformation.

After sitting for hours in standstill traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike we arrived and immediately stopped for dinner at a place called Brooklyn Fish Camp, which sounds unappealing, but it serves fantastic and unique fresh seafood (try the red snapper, Thai style, or the pan-roasted golden tile filet (above) with a side of shoestring fries). We ate out on the back patio, which was decorated with white lights and old coffee containers retrofitted as flowerpots. When it started pouring rain a tent seemed to magically appear over us and provided an even cooler atmosphere as the sound of water pounded above, and light chatter and a warm glow of lights surrounded us.

When it comes to macaroni and cheese, there are some who believe you can't beat the blue box. Clearly they've never been to S'MAC.

Short for Sarita's Mac & Cheese, the restaurant in New York City's East Village specializes in just one thing--but this is not your mother's macaroni. From the Cheeseburger (ground beef and macaroni smothered in cheddar and American cheese) to the Parisienne Mac (brie, figs, mushrooms, and a certain je ne sais quoi), Sarita and her husband, Caesar (both pictured, below), take this favorite to new heights. The fact that your order comes to you in your own personal skillet (I defy anyone who tells me I can't eat straight out of the pan) makes it that much more fun. As a lifelong mac and cheese lover, I can't get enough of the place--so here's hoping S'MAC makes it to my hometown on the West Coast sometime soon!

Since opening its doors on June 24, 2006, S'MAC has expanded to include a take-out only location and is now collaborating with Pizza By The Inch at PINCH & S'MAC, resulting in one-stop shopping for all your pizza and macaroni needs. On July 13, the original S'MAC began serving beer and wine... so now you're really out of excuses not to go.

I recently checked in with Sarita herself to get an insider's take on how things are going.   

When I lived in New York City, my summer weekends were commonly spent lounging on Central Park's Great Lawn. But I'd never really considered staying the night -- until now. New York City's Parks and Recreation Department opens up 13 of its public parks to family campers on weekends throughout July and August, the New York Times reports, offering the allure of communing with nature just steps from a subway. And what's rather incredible is that the family camping trips are free, and include a cook-out, nature hikes, stargazing, two-person tents, and craft activities led by the Urban Park Rangers on staff. All you need to bring is a sleeping bag.

But in order to get a spot in one of these events (they typically accommodate about 30 people) you have to be savvy. Registration begins on certain days and spots fill up fast. Click here for the list of available dates and when to register. And remember to bring marshmallows.

[New York City Parks and Recreation Family Camping]

Photo: Looking for bats during a campout at Owl's Head Park in Brooklyn. Jennifer S. Altman for The New York Times

Steve Nash - 'The Player' from meathawk on Vimeo.

My football-fanatic fiancé (that's European football, mind you) tipped me off to a great charity event happening this afternoon in New York City's Chinatown. The second annual "Showdown in Chinatown," which is coordinated by the Phoenix Suns' Steve Nash, pits international pro soccer players against an assorted group of NBA all-stars, all in the name of raising money for Football-for-Good, Nash's charity. Football-for-Good helps bring team sports to war-ravaged countries in Africa, and aims to "develop world-class youth football (soccer) academies that are sustainable, community-centered social businesses in regions that have been ravaged by war." They're working to support "human rights and child protection, and a committed global advocate for African players, families and their communities."

This year, in addition to Nash himself (who famously plays soccer in NYC during the off-season to stay in shape), star athletes expected to attend include Claudio Reyna, Thierry Henry, Tony Parker, Javier Zanetti, Raja Bell, Adrian Mutu, Chris Bosh, Ivan Cordoba, Grant Hill, and Giovanni van Brockhurst. And there's a rumor that Yao Ming may swing by. Check out the video that Nash put together to "recruit" the players, it's a whirlwind of travel, and must have been a blast to shoot.

Kickoff starts at 6 p.m. today in Chinatown's Sarah D. Roosevelt Park and it's free to watch. But I can't help but think it's already packed, so maybe you can sit on Yao Ming's shoulders.

Video: Football-for-Good

It's been a long time coming, but today marks the opening of one of the biggest public works projects to hit New York City in a generation. The High Line began its life as an elevated railway platform stretching through the western edge of Manhattan, delivering cows to the meatpacking district. Decommissioned in 1980 (the last train delivered a batch of frozen turkeys) it was a subject of intense debate in the neighborhood for almost two decades - between those who sought to preserve the rail line and those who hoped to tear it down and develop the land. Today it has been reopened -- and re-invisioned -- as a fantastic public park. Taking a page from Paris's Promenade Plantée, it's a park lifted above the city streets, an escape from the crowds and a place for contemplation. The design, by James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio & Renfro, features over 100 species of plants and also provides connective tissue to the neighborhood's gallery scene, incorporating art works like Spencer Finches site-specific piece, The River That Flows Both Ways, which is made up of 700 individual panes of blue and green tinted glass, each of which represent light reflected off the Hudson River. It's also been a boon to development in the neighborhood, with over 30 new projects planned for the space surrounding it, said Mayor Bloomberg this morning at the official opening. The first section of the park, which runs from 20th Street to Gansevoort St. (enter at Gansevoort), is now open to the public from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The New York Times is calling it "something of a New York fairy tale" and I'm dying to check it out. If you have, let us know what you think!

[Getting to the High Line]

Photo: Iwan Baan, via The High Line Blog

As executive chef and co-owner of two ingredient-centric Blue Hill restaurants in New York, Chef Dan Barber is a leading figure in the nation's farm-to-table movement. In May, Barber's reputation was boosted when he was voted to the Time 100 list of the World's Most Influential People, and by his James Beard Award win for the nation's top chef. Then of course, there was the highly publicized Presidential date night, where Barack and Michelle Obama dined at Barber's New York City restaurant while all the world watched.

While Blue Hill in Manhattan's Greenwich Village satisfies the urbanite's appetite for Barber's innovative cuisine, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, 45 minutes north of the city, has become a destination for food lovers of all sizes and stripes. The restaurant shares 80 acres of Rockefeller family land with the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, a diversified organic farm and educational center. The center's rich mix of programs and activities (cooking classes, tastings, farmer-in-training after-school activities) is complemented by the restaurant, which brings field to the plate by highlighting the pleasure of eating seasonal ingredients grown or raised just outside the door. Writer Pat Tanumihardja caught up with Barber at the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sustainable Food Institute to chat.  

Did you have an "aha" moment when you knew you wanted to be a chef? How did the sustainability factor come into play?

I never had an "aha" moment. I wish I did. I'm still having a moment of figuring out what's the best place for me. The sustainability question happened kinda naturally over the course of my life. I grew up working on my family's farm where my grandmother was a proponent of open space and using farming to promote the natural beauty of the land. That's sort of what I became inculcated with. It informs the chef I became.

You are often called a celebrity chef and receive a lot of attention for the work you do to connect the farm to the kitchen, especially at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. How are you dealing with all this fame?

I like celebrating food. I don't know if I like celebrating myself [laughs]. People always talk about Stone Barns and me like I'm this leader leading everyone to a new frontier. I consider myself to be the recipient of a lot of attention based on an issue that has been forced to the forefront, not because of me, but because of visionary people: farmers, writers and serious academics. [These people] have taken fringe ideas and made them more mainstream. So I look at it like crashing a party. I'm lucky to have this canvas of Stone Barns to work on where what I say or do gets the light shining on it. It otherwise wouldn't have happened with our other restaurant in midtown Manhattan.

On June 9, the Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma will present a free outdoor concert in New York City at the Guggenheim Bandshell in Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park. The concert will be broadcast live from New York over the PBS program Live from Lincoln Center. Traveler writer Randy B. Hecht interviewed Ma about his interest in music as a way to get to know the world.

Your recordings include music from Brazil to Mongolia. Do you have a natural appreciation of such a wide range of musical sounds and styles, or is that something you had to learn?

I don't tend to think in categories, so I've always been interested in a variety of different music. I think the best way to learn about a new style of music is to have a good guide, someone who can take me to the inside of the music. Daniel Barenboim says that the best way to learn something is to start from the inside and he's absolutely right.

The unfamiliar can be intimidating. How can the uninitiated gain appreciation of "exotic" instrumental and vocal sounds and styles?

One of the things we think about at the Silk Road Project when we program a concert is that we always want someone to hear something familiar to them and we also want that person to hear something for the very first time. Which music is new and which music is familiar will be different for each person, but we want every person in the audience to have both experiences.

Amelia Mularz had an EXTREME weekend visiting the newest exhibit at New York's American Museum of Natural History.

Heading to the American Museum of Natural History always makes me feel like a kid again. Within minutes of stepping foot in the museum this past weekend, my friend and I had already challenged each other to a T. rex impersonation face-off and battled for the greatest--or most annoying, judging from one woman's expression--pterodactyl cry. His take on the prehistoric call sounded oddly reminiscent of 21st century screeching car brakes, while mine was more of a wounded animal sob--either way, music to our ears. We exchanged obligatory high-fives and headed towards the latest exhibit at AMNH, Extreme Mammals: The Biggest, the Smallest, and Most Amazing Mammals of All Time.
   
If the entryway of the museum can excite two full-grown adults to the point of shameless dino shenanigans, you can only imagine what an exhibit with a name like EXTREME MAMMALS did to us. The exhibit, which opened this past Saturday, takes a look at some of the most incredible creatures, extinct and living, to ever roam the planet. Extreme Mammals packs a punch from the moment you enter--through the legs of the largest land mammal ever (the Indricotherium, which weighed as much as four adult African elephants)--until the moment you exit--near the interactive web activity.
   
One look at the Indricotherium, and our child-like excitement once again took hold of us: "Whoa, look at this unicorn thing!" (actually a narwhal whale with an eight-foot tusk). "Oh my god, this elephant has a shovel for a face!" (actually a prehistoric elephant with oversized incisors). "Dude, this squirrel ate dinosaurs!" (actually, the Repenomamus).

At one point, between pointing excitedly at the fossils of a massive horned creature and peeking through a glass window at live sugar gliders, we realized we were just steps away from one of the curatorial assistants for the exhibit, William Harcourt-Smith. I had the pleasure of speaking to Harcourt-Smith and learning about the process for determining what qualifies as "extreme."

Senior editor Norie Quintos recently visited New York City with her teenage sons, trying to go as green as possible. Here's Part 2 of her report. To see Part 1, click here.


What to do

We picked up bikes from Bike & Roll (from $10 per hour), which has several locations, including one at Pier 84 along Hudson River Park. New York's Greenway is a bike-friendly series of linked waterfront parks that hug lower Manhattan. The kids loved the ride, filled as it was with pockets of green, waterside views, and joggers. It was sightseeing on steroids, just the way teens like it: We blew by Chelsea Piers, the Frank Gehry-designed IAC building which locals call "The Ice Cube," the Meatpacking District, Battery Park City, the crane-dotted site of the World Trade Center, and ended up at Battery Park, just in time to lock up the bikes to get on the ferry for our rendezvous with Lady Liberty. After a relatively quick howdy-do (purchase your tickets online to cut the waiting time), it was back on the bikes for the ride back.

The rest of the time we walked or took the subway or bus everywhere, just like the locals. Parents: Pick up a subway map (available at hotels or subway stations), hand it to your teens, tell them where you want to go, and let them figure it out; it's good for them.

Senior editor Norie Quintos recently visited New York City with her teenage sons, trying to go as green as possible. Here's her report:

Getting there: The train, the most eco (as well as the most comfortable) way to go, was too expensive, so we took one of the many inter-city buses that ply the busy DC-New York corridor. Public buses are an excellent green option, and the one we booked, a double-decker Megabus, was modern, clean, and offered free Wi-Fi. Promotional rates start at $1 (good luck getting that rate) but typically go for about $20 one-way. On a five-hour ride, you'll likely get hungry; pack a sandwich and bottled water. We saw someone get on with a large takeout pizza.

A humpback whale approximately 20 ft. long was spotted this morning in the Hudson River under New York City's Verrazano-Narrows Bridge between Staten Island and Brooklyn, heading south.

U.S. Coast Guard vessels and NYPD Marine Unit boats set up a safety zone around the whale to protect it from shipping traffic, and to encourage it to head for open water. 

The whale did not appear to be in distress, but a team from Long Island's Riverhead Foundation was on its way to check out the animal to see if it needed anything. 

It may be the same whale that was spotted on Wednesday after it nearly beached itself in the Rockaways.

I'm a sucker for street art (see here), and this adorable video makes for a fun Friday afternoon distraction. Made by the husband-and-wife animation team at London Squared, it highlights the often overlooked "voices" in New York City. Enjoy and happy weekend!

[Rocketboom via Vvynyl]

Being careful with how you spend your money but still hankering to go on a great trip this year? If you're in NYC this weekend, stop by The New York Times Travel Show, this Saturday, February 7, and Sunday, February 8, at the Javits Convention Center.

The show features seminars on how to score spectacular travel bargains in these troubled times, from industry superstars such as Arthur and Pauline Frommer, Rick Steves, and Samantha Brown. Andrew Zimmern, of "Bizarre Foods," will present, as will travel writer Patricia Schultz, author of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, focusing on not-to-miss destinations in the U.S. and Canada. Plus you can catch IT contributor Andrew Evans discuss "Making Your Wildest Travel Dreams a Reality" on a panel with other travel writers and industry experts.

In addition to travel writing seminars and tips on gay, adventure, spa, luxury, and family travel deals, six performance stages will come alive with dancers from India and Indonesia, Mongolian throat-singing, Garifuna music and culture, Tarahumara dance, Greek singer Eleni Alexandris, and many more. You can learn how to brew your own Peruvian pisco sour or taste an array of South African wines.

The $15/day admission fee affords you access to seminars, stage performances, exhibitors, book signings at the on-site Borders, and giveaways galore, including one that really caught our eye, a trip to Nicaragua auctioned off by the Mesoamerican Ecotourism Alliance. Plus, SeaWorld's bringing some penguins, a toucan, and a sloth for the kids' enjoyment or they could opt to scuba at the heated pool.

The New York Times Travel Show's array of cultural performances and food and drink tastings will surely get you charged up for your next well-planned, memorable, and economical trip.

Photo: via the New York Times Travel Show website

Originally built at the turn of the last century as a hotel for landlocked sailors, the Jane Hotel in the West Village housed Titanic survivors just after the shipwreck in 1912. The hotel was restored in 2008, and its maritime history is reflected in its cabin-style rooms. While the accommodations are small (from 50 sq. feet to 250 sq. feet), what they lack in square footage they make up for in amenities: flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, and iPod docks grace each cozy room. A ballroom and bar are set to open in the next few weeks, but in the meantime, you can eat at the Cuban Café Socialista or pack a picnic and wander across the street to Hudson River Park. Single rooms have shared bathrooms and start at $75 off-season, $99 peak season. Double rooms are not yet available but are expected to start in the mid-$200s.

The Jane Hotel: 113 Jane Street; 212-924-6700.

Photo: Jane Hotel 

I never quite understood why Vegas ever became Wedding Central. It could be the city's "What Happens in Vegas..." mantra. Or maybe all the bright lights and special effects just get to people's heads. But whatever the reason, the desire to wed on the Strip is fizzling out. In 2008, Clark County--where Las Vegas resides--issued only 95,888 marriage licenses, the lowest in 15 years. Meanwhile, the Big Apple is looking to take Vegas's place as the number one place to get hitched. In 2008, the city issued some 70,000 licenses, and it has just re-vamped its marriage bureau. NBC reports:

Mayor Michael Bloomberg has given City Hall's famously gritty marriage bureau a gleaming makeover, with fewer lines, more space to take photographs, video screens to monitor wait times and wedding chapels with gauzy curtains and walls painted in muted tones.

And in case the newlyweds-to-be forget any essentials, the space features a small shop that sells fresh flowers, disposable cameras, tissues, hairspray and sparkly fake diamond rings for $9 each.

The sleek 24,000-square-foot space officially opens Monday, replacing a grubby, cramped, poorly lit office. It is designed to put some glamour into City Hall weddings while bringing more tourism dollars to the city.

The facility also has iPod hook-ups (so the bride and groom can play their own music), elaborate restrooms, and marble floors original to the 1929 building. Bloomberg hopes to market the bureau to tourists and offer inclusive wedding packages with local hotels and restaurants. Tying the knot in New York might also have certain financial benefits as well--currently, the fee for a marriage license in Clark County, Nevada, is $55. New York's is $35 (plus another $25 to use the new facility).

Do you think New York will ever replace Vegas as America's number one wedding destination?

All through December we'll be showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today it's Christmastime in New York City, and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the winter's best. The number of things to see and do in New York during the holidays are endless, but we've sifted through them to find the top picks. Let us know your own favorite traditions in the comments below.

Frances Croke Page, New Yorker and founder
www.christmastimeinnewyorkcity.com, a great source holiday fun in all five boroughs

• Some of the best holiday finds are the little known events happening at well-known places: the Winter Festival Weekend (Dec. 13-14) at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum, where they celebrate with caroling, craft workshops, and storytelling; Grand Central Station's 7th Annual Holiday Train Show (free); the brand new synthetic ice rink at the American Museum of Natural History; the Times Square New Year's Eve Waterford Crystal Ball on view at Macy's Herald Square; or the Wild Holiday Party, where the animals are fed "fishsicles" at Central Park Zoo (Dec 6-21).

• For tree fans, check out the South Street Seaport Chorus Tree, the Origami Holiday Tree (where you can learn to make origami ornaments) at the American Museum of Natural History, and the Park Ave. Memorial Trees, where over two miles of cherry and hawthorn trees are lit to honor the memory of fallen soldiers.

In response to our recent post about holiday hotel deals in the Big Apple, reader Amy wrote asking what to do when she gets there:

I will be going to NYC on 12/13. My daughters and I plan to do very touristy things, but I would also love to catch a holiday concert. I'm thinking of small choral groups or instrumental ensembles in smaller venues (not Carnegie Hall-style). Are there any recommendations on where I can find this information?

So we asked associate editor Susan O'Keefe to go to her sources, and she found two great spots... find them after the jump.

Visiting New York City during the holidays is a magical way to experience the city in all its glory: Ice skating under the giant Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. Viewing the window displays at Tiffany's and Macy's. Taking a horse-drawn carriage ride through Central Park. The city embraces the holidays, and here are seasonal hotel deals to suit all budgets from some of the  best hotels in the city.

Loews Regency Hotel: Family of Four NYC Overnight Package with Parking from $569
Families headed to New York City can take advantage of the Loews Regency Hotel package that accommodates up to four guests in a luxury double room starting at $569 from December 19 through January 31, 2009. The package includes Saturday lunch or Sunday brunch for four, two free Scholastic books, and complimentary valet parking for one night. Weekends only. Prices do not included tax or service fees. Rates for this package are $759 per night from now through December 14. For more information and reservations call +1 800 233 2356 or visit www.loewshotels.com.

The Plaza Hotel: Three Nights for the Price of Two in New York City
After just completing a three year makeover, the legendary Plaza Hotel is a stunner. To celebrate the hotel's opening and its first holiday season, they are offering accommodations for three nights for the price of two. Rates start at $755 for a Plaza Room and include round-the-clock personal butler service on every floor. This special third night complimentary offer is valid for stays of three consecutive nights only. It is subject to availability and can be booked directly by visiting www.thefairmont.com/theplaza or calling +1 888 240 7775. Available through April 1, 2009.