2 "Raw" and "Racy" Ideas for Healthy Meetings and Incentives

Executives and meeting planners know that staying healthy on the road  helps attendees stay sharp in meetings.

Shackman Associates New York has 2 ideas to keep your meeting healthy and adventurous:

1. Healthy Menus.  We help develop menus for banquets and galas with a local flavor from produce growers and farmers.  New York is also the home to a boom in "raw food".  Restaurants with catering and event options have been popping up near hot, new boutique hotels and raw food - never cooked above 118 degrees Fahrenheit - has become a Manhattan gourmet delicacy with fans that include celebrities and former President Bill Clinton.  

2. Park races, active tours and scavenger hunts.   With more park space than any other major city, “active” eventsoptions are abundant throughout Manhattan.  Two attendee favorites are organized bike tours or races and scavenger hunts through Central and Riverside Parks.  During attendee downtime, there are numerous free options – including race walking  programs and 45-minute deep yoga sessions.  Several specialized yoga studios have opened in the Meatpacking District and many of Manhattan’s new hotels boasts state-of-the-art gyms.

Watch the Space Shuttle Arrive and Thrive at the USS Intrepid

On April 27, millions watched in awe as the Space Shuttle Enterprise flew up the Hudson River and over Manhattan on its way to JFK airport.  It will open on July 19 at the USS Intrepid Museum.

But the shuttle's journey isn't over.  Its final arrival is scheduled for sometime in June, and will involve another spectacle: The Enterprise will sail up the Hudson River and be hoisted, via crane, to the deck of the legendary carrier Intrepid.

The shuttle's "flight" over Manhattan lasted for seconds.  Its sailing will last hours and is a great idea for spending some downtime during your meeting. 

Shackman Associates New York has managed spectacular corporate events and galas on the USS Intrepid and the addition of the shuttle will make this a more attractive venue than ever. 

Photo courtesy of Wired.com

Meetings go Bump, Grind and Shimmy with Burlesque Events

Burlesque is making a huge comeback in movies, closets, fitness and mixology venues.  It can be also be a creative addition to your next corporate destination meeting.

Shackman Associates New York is on the cutting edge of this trend and your group can customize the burlesque experience.   This is an especially attractive option for spouses during incentive trips.  If you're not a performer, but if you want to learn to perform, burlesque classes help meeting attendees learn from some of the most experienced, fun-loving, and successful people in the industry.

Classes teach multiple forms of the art and your experience can end there or continue by watching your instructors perform live on stage later in the evening!

Corporate Incentive Shopping Experiences Evolve in NYC

Shackman Associates has coordinated special shopping experiences for incentive travel clients, and while a few glasses of champagne at Saks 5th Avenue remains popular, this is an experience that has become exponentially more imaginative throughout the city.

Want something funky?  Boutiques in the Lower East Side and SoHo are pushing the envelope with the latest designs from Italy and independent designers.

If you want to completely bypass the showroom, we recommend "Behind the Scenes Tours" with manufacturers in the Garment District.  You'll get the first crack at hot fashion before the retailers do and manufacturers are providing comfort at the level you'll see at any storefront on 5th Avenue.



Destination Incentive shopping tours today provide the shoes you'll wear at the beach this summer.



Private shopping tours are providing the same comfort you'll get at major retailers.

A Very "Cheesy" Meeting and Incentive

Many business travelers visiting New York make a point of trying the city's world famous pizza and bagels.  We have arranged pizza tours for meeting and incentive groups and they are wildly popular with attendees.

In 2011, business travelers sought food trucks for every occasion.

In 2012, a new dish might be surpassing all of them - Gourmet Mac and Cheese.  The New York Post recently reported thMac and Cheese is the #1 ordered food in Manhattan and some of New York's top Chefs are taking an old classic to new and delicious levels.   For example, if you haven’t tried NYC’s  buffalo chicken Mac and Cheese, we know who makes the most unique versions - perfect for extended meeting breaks, cocktail reception buffets  and working lunches.