Have A Great Day in New York City

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Have A Great Day in New York City: Great Advice for Travelers on Hotels, Restaurants and Events!


Have A Great Day in New York City: Great Advice for Travelers on Hotels, Restaurants and Events!

Hotel Giraffe - Ballroom Fever Weekend

CATCH "BALLROOM FEVER" AT NEW YORK CITY'S HOTEL GIRAFFE

Tying Into America's Newfound Fascination With Ballroom Dancing,Hotel Offers Special Package

New York, NY - April 11, 2006 — For those who watched “Dancing with the Stars” and “Mad Hot Ballroom” and wondered if they have what it takes to do ballroom dancing, The Hotel Giraffe in New York City has come up with the perfect vacation experience to combine a fabulous weekend getaway in the Big Apple with a mini-initiation into the world of dance — the "Ballroom Fever Weekend" package.
Ballroom fever is sweeping America with “Dancing with the Stars” and the opening of the films, “Take the Lead” with Antonio Banderas and “Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing and Charm School” staring Robert Carlyle and Marissa Tomei. People of all walks of life have begun embracing the joy, sensuality, and romance of dance and the Hotel Giraffe has a fun way to “catch the fever.”
The Ballroom Fever Weekend Package Includes: • Accommodations in a deluxe room or suite• Complimentary European style breakfast daily• Complimentary wine and hors d'oeuvres each evening• Two 55-minute private dance lessons at either the Pierre Dulaine Dancenter or Stepping Out Studios. One lesson can be scheduled on Friday and a second on Saturday. A third lesson may be arranged for Sunday for guests who choose to add a Sunday night to their package. All lessons are based upon availability.• Free DVD rentals from the hotel's Ballroom Dance Collection which includes such hits as Mad Hot Ballroom, Shall We Dance, and Strictly Ballroom• A complimentary pitcher of sangria and tapas at Barna Restaurant (adjacent to the hotel) to help guests channel their inner Valentino• Passes to Essential Therapy, a beautiful, soothing day spa dedicated to the healing power of massage, Pilates, and Yoga for a steam, sauna, and Jacuzzi session to help couples relax their muscles before or after class• An instructional dance DVD so couples can continue to work on their skills when they return home.It is recommended that participants choose to focus on one dance such as Salsa, Argentine Tango, or Swing.
In advance of their arrival guests will receive an e-mail with an a la carte menu of our areas best dance related activities. Guests can get professional assistance from one of Hotel Giraffe, “Dance Concierges” to help them select the best itinerary to suit their personal goals and style. They suggest a dance performance on Friday evening to get them inspired and on Saturday a night of dinner and dancing to give their new skills a whirl.
The Ballroom Fever weekend Package is priced from $365 to $465 per room, per night or $475 to $575 per suite per night based on availability. The package is valid from April to August 2006, and is only offered for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night stays. The package is based on double occupancy and a two-night minimum stay is required.For those who know a Ballroom Dancing fanatic, gift certificates are available for Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, or any occasion.
Background About The Dance Schools Mr. Dulaine is the inspiration for the new movie, “Take the Lead,” where Antonio Banderas portrays Pierre Dulaine. His achievements with middle school NYC students were also featured in the runaway hit documentary, “Mad Hot Ballroom.”
Stepping Out Studios (SO), located in a sunny, newly renovated, 10,000-square-foot loft space, offers diverse programs in all styles and levels of partner dance. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, dancers from Stepping Out have been showcased on “Dancing with the Stars” and “America’s Ballroom Challenge,” to name a few.
About Hotel Giraffe:
Situated on the corner of Park Avenue South at 26th Street, the luxurious Hotel Giraffe provides a sophisticated world of style and grace with elegant architecture, unique design, and flawless service. Guests of the hotel enjoy complimentary Continental breakfast each morning and complimentary wine and hors'doeuvres each evening (Monday through Friday).
Aspiring dancers can book the package by calling the Hotel Giraffe at 212-685-7700, or toll-free in the US at 877-296-0009 or by e- mail at information@hotelgiraffe.com or online at www.hotelgiraffe.com.
information@hotelgiraffe.com

New York is a Summer Festival!


I love New York in Springtime, of course! And who can deny the magic of New York City during the Holiday Season or when the Autumn leaves have turned color and the air is crisp and fresh.

But for me, a New Yorker to the bone, I love New York most of all in the Summer, especially on the weekends. The crowds have gone off to the Hamptons and the Jersey shore, the finest restaurants in all the world have a table waiting just for you, and the city seems to swing from one fabulous festival to another, showering those lucky individuals who were smart enough to stay in the city with parties and dances and culture and entertainment galore.

So for those world travelers who dont know the joys of Summer in the city, here are some of my favorite highlights I highly recommend for your next vacation. These events attract all sorts of New Yorkers and visitors, from every age, creed, color, socio-economic background, sexual orientation and they all play, laugh and dance happily together. It makes me so proud to be a part of it and to be a New Yorker in these days when so many in the world feel divided. Come play with us!

* Central Park Summer Stage with 32 events including Shakespeare in the Park.
This summer there are free tickets to Macbeth with Liev Schrieber June 13- July 9th and Mother Courage with Merryl Streep is on August 8th-September 5th. Plus there are Classical music and popular music concerts every year. I can't wait to hear who will come this year!

*Every night when the weather is fine, you can dance in the garden of Tavern on the Green. There is no dress code, so come as you are, there is a mere $10 cover and there is no minimum.
With all those gorgeous lanterns the garden looks like a scene from a movie, and it indeed has been in many films. It is a magical evening.

*Midsummer Night’s Swing at Lincoln Center is on from June 20 – July 22nd. This is spectacular! Did you love "Dancing with the Stars" or what? Not every night, but several nights a week during the festival, there is a Dance class in anything from Salsa to Swing.

*Hotel Roof Gardens such as the ones you'll find at the Hotel Giraffe and the Library Hotel, open up to the public for "uber-glam" evening cocktails scenes. Like most hotels in the New York City, the Library Hotel and Hotel Giraffe offer the best deals of the year in the Summer especially on the weekend. Other great boutique hotels offering great summer values are the Casablanca Hotel off of Times Square and the elegant Hotel Elysee on East 54th Street. Is
there a finer street in New York? I think not. The Hotel Elysee is betwwen Park and Madison Avenues

*The JVC Jazz Festival is on June 12th – 24th.

* There are free outdoor movies every Monday at Bryant Park.

*Last year the River2River Festival was awesome! So many parties and concerts and dances.
My absolute favorite was the Argentine Tango Party every Sunday night on Pier 17 at South Street Seaport. Everyone was dancing with everyone and the good dancers people were very patient in teaching the newcomers how it's done. I have not seen the 2006 schedule yet, but I am sure it will be even better.

Here is a great list of summer concert website links from about.com

*Central Park Zoo! We have a new baby monkey that you have just got to see! Another thing not to miss is the the Penguins when they are taking a shower. It is the funniest thing you can imagine since they seem so giddy with pleasure. It must be like a trip to the spa for them. ALso I always like to visit Gus. He's our polar bear. He is waiting for a visit from you too, so what are you waiting for?