We Hate Daylight Savings Time

Ok, so we get an "extra" hour of sleep in the morning. But, really, should it be pitch-dark in the late afternoon? It just seems a little ridiculous. But, nobody asked our opinion, so we've attached one of our favorite pictures of a dusky and romantic New York for inspiration. Granted, the picture was taken at 3 pm, but we still find it inspiring.

New Yawk, New Yawk

Ok, we have to ‘fess up. We’re junkies for interesting factoids of any kind. It’s true. It also may be true that certain people refuse to play “Trivial Pursuit” with us because we’re so competitive. But, we’re not here to talk about rumors. We’re here to share some fun nuggets of trivia about New York. So, here goes:

Pearl Street was so named because of the volume of oyster shells found there, giving the area a “pearly sheen” in what was then the eastern shore of New Amsterdam. Makes sense and it's easier to say than "That Street that looks like it has a Pearly Sheen."

There are over 6,400 miles of roadway in New York City. Based on our experience driving in the city, at any given time, approximately 6,395 of them are ensnarled in gridlock.

L.I.C is home to Wonton Foods Fortune Cookie Factory, which produces over 4 million fortune cookies a day. Fortune of the Day: A wise client is a Shackman Associates client. Lucky Numbers: 7,16,23,56,97.

The Lights are bright on…Wiechquaekeck Trail. Yup, that was the original name of Broadway. Doesn’t quite have the same ring, does it?

Liberty Island, home to the Statue of Liberty, wasn’t officially known as Liberty Island until 1956. Previously, it was called Bedloe’s Island, named for former owner and Dutch merchant Isaack Bedloe from the 17th Century. With Lady Liberty weighing in at 450,000 pounds and over 101 feet tall, it makes sense that they just gave her the island.

Your Signature Please

So, yes, New York is the city that never sleeps, and the nightlife scene is all bling bling and ka-ching. Well, if bottle service and velvet ropes are not your idea of a supa-fun night, then how about a tour through some of the city’s best and most famous signature drinks? Any establishment worth its margarita salt has one, and here are a few of our favorites:

Ruby Foo’s – In our opinion, the thematic decor of the restaurant is really only there to set the stage for the main event - The Ruby Foo. With plum sake as the not-so-secret ingredient, we could drink these until the sun comes up in China.

Tribeca Grill – We’ve always been a fan of Robert DeNiro’s joint in Tribeca. It’s stylish without being stuffy, the menu is approachable and enjoyable, and the drinks…well, let’s just say that they get the job done. The Mixed Berry Mohito has become a recent passion. Taking the Mohito craze to a very berry place, this cocktail is worthy of a trip down to Tribeca.

The Rainbow Room – Sometimes it’s not about treading on new ground. It’s about finding a classic cocktail and just doing it well. Leave it to the gang at The Rainbow Room to take our love of all things champagne-esque to a new level with their classic Bellini. We don’t know what makes us feel on top of the world more – the drink or the views from the 65th Floor of Rock Center.

Bemelman’s Bar – It doesn’t get more classic New York City than the Bemelman’s Bar at The Carlyle Hotel. Featuring a menu of cocktails from another era, Bemelman’s Gin Gin Mule is not quite a Mohito, not quite a Mint Julep. It’s just a Gin Gin Mule and we can attest that it’s Quite Quite Good.

New York Sour – No, we’re not talking about how we felt on the subway this morning. We’re talking about the pretty and delish drinky-drink at Schiller’s Liquor Bar. The floating layer of red wine on top of this orange juice/whisky concoction is what really gets us. The way it just floats there…tempting us to stir the drink…it’s just…captivating.

Who is SA-NY?

Loyal readers…while we have had the pleasure of getting to know you a bit over the last few months of our blog, it occurs to us that you may not know who we are. Well, that ends today. Here’s a little snapshot of the team known as Shackman Associates New York…curtains please…


**The SA-NY offices are truly a mixed bag of backgrounds and cultures. While all of us consider ourselves New Yorkers, we hail from: Johannesburg, South Africa; The Bronx; Barcelona, Spain; Port chester, New York; Paris, France; Mount Kisco, New York; Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; Nazareth, Pennsylvania; and Cape May, New Jersey.

**25% of the SA-NY staff considers Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream their favorite. 100% of the staff will eat whatever ice cream is brought to the office, regardless of flavor.

**Some of our favorite New York City locales include: Grand Central Station, The Museum of the City of New York, The Great Lawn of Central Park, The Statue of Liberty, Rock Center Ice Rink, the park at Gracie Mansion, The Frick, Ellis Island, and the Queens Museum.

**The SA-NY team has several mascots, who provide critical “background support” to the team, including: 3 dogs, 4 cats, and 1 extremely supportive houseplant, who hangs on our every word.

**Our heroes include: Our moms and dads, Mayor Bloomberg, the NYPD, the ASPCA and the FDNY. None of them wear capes, but we think that they are super anyway.

**In true New York fashion, 22% of us think that any shade of black will do for any occasion. Other favorite colors? Red (33%), blue (33%), and orange (12%).

**Our favorite blog is…seriously? Do you even need to ask?

Not Today, Geraldine…

It was not too long ago that we were young (ah hem…) patrons of the arts, and had the pleasure of seeing Christine Ebersole command her Tony-Award winning performance in 42nd Street. Well, we knew that she could do “damaged.” We knew that she could do “poignant.” We didn’t know that she could do “wacky recluse.” Last night, we had the pleasure of seeing it first-hand in the new-to-Broadway production of Grey Gardens. Inspired by the cult documentary of the same name, the show is a delicious tale of the famously fallen relatives of Jackie O. and their 52 cats. Grey Gardens is captivating and Ms. Ebersole is fascinating to watch in her turn as both Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter Little Edie. Still in previews, the entire show isn’t quite there yet, but there’s hope on the horizon. Which is more than one could say for the Beales.

Gramercy Park Hotel

Never have the colors rose, jade and pale blue been so well served by interior design as they have been at Ian Shrager’s new luxe oasis – the Gramercy Park Hotel. To be honest, our first thought was that this was exactly the type of hotel to have a torrid love affair at. Everything about the hotel screams creative sensuousness, from the plush furnishings and fixtures to the bold and rich original art work throughout the hotel.

Utilizing a “haute bohemian” design concept, the hotel brings together modern design sensibility and artistry with a lush color palette, and vividly creative object d’art from artists such as Twombly, Basquiat, Warhol and Schnabel. The most highly-anticipated addition to the hotel - Park Chinois - a fine dining Chinese restaurant from London-based, Michelin-starred restauranteur Alan Yau, is opening soon. In the mean time – you must check out the bar offerings at GPH. The Rose Bar and The Jade Bar are so far beyond the current modern (cold) décor that you find at most of New York’s trendiest hotels, and practically BEG you to stay for another martini. Featuring a menu highlighting “best of” choices from some of the city’s top chefs, both are absolutely worthy of a stop for a cocktail or a nibble.

Go Mets

Go Mets! Go Mets! Go Mets!
Go Mets! Go Mets! Go Mets!
Go Mets! Go Mets! Go Mets!
Go Mets! Go Mets! Go Mets!
Go Mets! Go Mets! Go Mets!
Go Mets! Go Mets! Go Mets!
Go Mets! Go Mets! Go Mets!
Go Mets! Go Mets! Go Mets!

Imagine That

With all these people in the news everyday, do you ever just wonder what their lives are really like? Well, what if you could become another person for one day just to find out? Crazy thought, huh? Well, a recent poll of the lovely Shackmanites, hard at work, revealed some very interesting answers to the question of who they would swap skin with:

Mayor Mike Bloomberg – He’s the big kahuna around these parts, and it would be amazing to be “in-the-know” like Mike, just to see what makes NYC tick. But, let’s be honest, with a city like New York, we might only be able to handle 12 hours, max.

Derek Jeter – Ok, we don’t want to be him. We want to date him. We all want to date him. But, we’re clearly in our right mind because so does everyone else. We love Derek Jeter. We just want Derek to love us back.

Martha Stewart – Who wouldn’t want access to her life? Her collection of whisks and cutlery alone is enough to drive us to total kitchenware envy. Throw in access to the farm in Connecticut, with the horses and the barn, and we just want to be Martha…now that she’s no longer on lock–down.

The City Parks Commissioner – We have to admit that we only just found out that the Parks Commissioner is Adrian Benepe. (Thank you Google.) Who knew? What we do know is that this is the guy who is on a mission to keep NYC green and alive, and we want to get in on that action.

Donald Trump – If only so we could encourage a hairstyle change…not that we’re judging.

Marian Seldes – a five-time Tony Award Nominee, Ms. Seldes personifies what we love about the theatre. Whether she’s passionate, detached, revealing or concealing, she is a delight to watch on the stage, and it would be amazing to experience being her in the glow of the footlights.

Vanessa Manillo – Because she’s dating Nick Lachey. 'Nuff said.

Reminders

There are times that we are reminded that this big city of ours is just like a small town. From the attacks on the World Trade Center to the Blackout of 2003 to last year’s MTA transit strike, in times both good and bad, New Yorkers pull together. Yesterday was another such day. A small plane, piloted by Yankee Cory Lidle, crashed into a building on the Upper East Side of New York, and it reminded some of us of the September 11th attacks and the sadness, worry and heroism that came out of that day. Our thoughts are with Cory Lidle’s family and those families affected by the accident.

Mac Attack

Gentle readers…it has been pointed out by certain members of the viewing audience that our postings, which are chocked full of useful information and pizzazz, focus quite a bit on food. Well, it’s true. We like food. Food likes us. The story of New York is one that involves quite a few chapters on food. So, let’s not be so general about it. Today, we’re going to launch the first in a series of postings where we uncover the nuances behind our favorite dishes at different restaurants, and tell you all about them. Whether it’s a creamy cheese cake, the ultimate burger or…macaroni and cheese. That’s right, our first dish is that cheesy, carb-o-rific throwback to grade school – mac and cheese:

The Hudson Cafeteria – This has always been one of our favorite haunts to have dinner. The large communal tables, the massively tall ceilings, and the great soundtrack, for every meal make The Hudson Cafeteria a must visit. Another reason – some great mac. While there is a decided division in tastes when it comes to a top crust (cheesy? breadcrumbs? no crust?), The Cafeteria hits the right notes with their seasoned breadcrumb topping. Also, if you’re up for some adventure, add a little pancetta and watch your blood pressure soar!

Tenement – Take a stroll to the lower east side to try the mac and cheese at this hipster hangout, which serves an inviting menu of comfort creations. A recent excursion had us noshing on the delish mac, while sipping a cold brew on a very classic New York City-style patio (yes, we could see into other people’s apartments.)

Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse – Located in the northwest balcony of Grand Central, this famed baller’s steak house serves up the good stuff. The mac at MJ’s joint is practically perfect in every way. Combining multiple cheeses with al dente pasta and baked with a bubbling cheesy crust, it doesn’t get much better than this. (pssst…We’re not naming names, but we know people who pick the crust off the dish for the ultimate cheesy nibble…you know who you are.)

Fall into Museums

Ok, we don’t know why we’re surprised. It happens every year. Summer leaves New York and heads down to the southern hemisphere and Lady Fall shows up bringing with her lovely foliage, the chance to wear fun scarves and hats, and lots more reasons to love New York. What reasons? Well, we’re glad you asked. Here’s a big one: Museums, Museums, Museums! Who wants to waste a beautiful summer day inside? Not us, so we save our museum trolling for the cooler months. Right now the Museum of the City of New York has a great exhibit on Dorothy Draper, interior designer and stylist bellisima. The Museum of Sex (yes, there's truly a museum for everything) is currently showing an exhibit called “Peeping, Probing and Porn: Four Centuries of Graphic Sex in Japan.” If that’s a bit more than you need to know about the Japanese (or anyone), head over to the newly redesigned MoMA. Still buzzing since its re-opening last year and packing in the crowds, MoMA is showing an exhibit featuring new photography, as well contemporary exhibit on expressions of time. We’re not exactly sure how one expresses time, but we’re gonna find out.

Ninja

We like a theme restaurant as much as the next kid on the block. Renaissance fair, pro wrestling, Broadway musical…New Yorkers have seen ‘em all. (Let’s not forget about that restaurant themed after a restaurant from a Tom Hanks movie…you know the one…no, we’re not gonna say it.) Anyway, we have discovered our latest theme obsession. NINJAS! Those stealthy masters of the sword arts, chic-er than chic in all black, have invaded the NYC downtown dining scene and are serving some tres interesting meals. Housed in a “Ninja’s Castle,” this place has been known to be a bit eerie, but packs a whallop on the taste buds. A personal favorite? The meteorite pot (pictured). Yes, that’s a sword. Not pictured –the fact that the rock is 800 degrees. So, how do you say “hot stuff” in Japanese?

Go Ahead…Let the Rhythm Get You

We don’t know if it’s just us, but it seems like entertainment options at events have gotten a little…tired. We don’t mean to judge, but we’re going to. It seems like parties want the entertainment to be fun-ish...fun lite…nutra-fun…not the real deal. Well, here are some ideas to pep things up at your next event:

Esoteric Human Statues – Is it art? Is it entertainment? Who’s to say? But, these human statues make quite an impression at events and their graceful movements and faceless motion are captivating to watch. We’re still not quite sure what we saw, but we liked it.

Steel Drums – You just have not lived until you’ve heard New York, New York on the steel drum. Ok, we’re exaggerating, but there’s no reason why this amazing island-style music can’t bring some energy to your next event.

DJ Chef – Is he feeding you or entertaining you? Well, DJ mix it up one time, cuz this chef is ready to spin. Bringing together his twin passions, the DJ Chef will raise the roof and feed your stomach with his stunning culinary creations. Pump it up, pump it up!

New York Zen

Alright, we get it: You’re on an incentive, you want to see everything there is to see in New York, and there’s only so much time in the day. So, you rush, rush, rush your way through the city, and your 5 day trip is a blur of sights and sounds. Looking for a way to enjoy New York and take a step back? How about a personalized Tai Chi class in Central Park? Utilizing a pattern of relaxed body positions, our Tai Chi Master will lead the group in this stress-reducing exercise class. Finish the morning with a relaxing tea ceremony, and you will be ready to tackle the Urban Jungle once again. Can you say “Ommmmmmmmm?”