New York City is one of my favorite places to visit for so many of the things that I like about visiting a big city.  There are restaurants in every variety possible and premier shopping from department stores that aren’t at home to funky little shops. There are world class museums, historical sites, and architecture sure to inspire the “ah” factor.  There’s also the theater – with Broadway theaters numbering around 40, there’s plenty to choose from – a popular choice for visitors and residents alike.

Theater in New York dates back to the mid-1700s with resident companies performing Shakespearean plays and ballad operas.  As is often the case in business, one theater led to another, and the performances expanded and evolved to include comedic farces, minstrel shows, musical entertainment, opera, variety shows, and melodramas.  Theater was often another example of class warfare as offerings were seen as snobby and stuff or decidedly lower class, but as it evolved it became entrenched in the cultural life of the city.  The Times Square area became home to theater in the early 1900s in large part due to the cheap rents available there, and it was around this time that musical theater (encompassing song, dance, and plot) became a popular form of entertainment.

Fast forward to today and you can find a Broadway show running any time you’re in NYC.  The label “Broadway” show refers to any production in the Theater District (Times Square area) at a theater with over 500 seats.  Each theater will have one night of the week that it is dark (closed), with performances offered other nights of the week and matinees likely on the weekends.  Live music remains a hallmark of Broadway performances – you may remember a musicians strike over that issue – with the size of the orchestra varying based on the size of the theater.  That’s the interior of the Palace Theater, and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, in photo above.

A Broadway show provides some of the best live entertainment around, and it’s no wonder that it is one of the most requested tourist activities for visitors to New York.  It doesn’t come cheap, though, with ticket prices often close to $100.  You can purchase tickets through the theater (in person or online) or through various ticket websites.

If prices are out of your price range, one option for finding lower prices is TKTS.  TKTS provides deeply discounted (20-60%), same-day ticket purchases at its booths in Times Square, South Street Seaport (lower Manhattan), and downtown Brooklyn.  I have often purchased theater tickets from the TKTS booth in Times Square, easily found by the line queuing up in Father Duffy Square (Broadway & 47th).  The booth opens at 3 pm (2 pm on Tuesdays) and the line forms very quickly.  If you want the best selection, seats and shows, get their VERY early.  Of course, if you want all those things you may want to buy your tickets in advance and not leave it to chance, but if you’re flexible and open, you can get a good buy here.  I’ve also had good luck making a last minute decision to go to a show and have popped over to the booth at the last minute.  My experience has been that about an hour before show time there’s not much of a line and you can buy tickets fairly quickly.  Of course, the selection may not be much either, but I’ve scooped up discounted tickets to some great performances this way.

Another way to get discounted Broadway tickets is to find a value priced hotel package that includes tickets.  Still, if Broadway tickets are still out of your price range, consider Off Broadway or Off-Off Broadway.  In addition to experimental, niche, and often controversial productions, many Broadway shows got their start at smaller venues.

Here are some highlights of what’s on Broadway for this fall (listed alphabetically by production):

• Anything Goes – Stephen Sondheim Theatre, 124 West 43rd Street.  Winner of the 2011 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival.  Ticket prices start at $87.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Baby It’s You – Broadhurst Theatre, 235 West 44th Street.  Tickets start at $48.50.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Billy Elliot – Imperial Theatre, 249 West 45th Street.  Winner of the 2009 Tony Award for Best Musical.  Ticket prices start at $41.50.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Bonnie & Clyde – Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 West 45th Street.  Preview performances start in November with opening night on December 1st, 2011.  Ticket prices start at $66.50.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Catch Me If You Can – Neil Simon Theatre, 20 West 52nd Street.  Ticket prices start at $62.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Chicago – Ambassador Theatre, 219 West 49th Street.  Winner of the 1997 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival.  Ticket prices start at $69.  Theater is dark on Wednesday.  (NOTE:  This is the very first Broadway show that I went to and it is responsible for re-kindling my love of theater.)
• Follies – Marquis Theatre, 1535 Broadway.  This production is currently in previews with opening night on September 12th, 2011.  Ticket prices start at $57.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Godspell – Circle in the Square, 1633 Broadway.  This production starts preview performances in October 2011 with opening night on November 7th, 2011.  Ticket prices start at $125.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Hair – St. James Theatre, 246 West 44th Street.  Winner of the 2009 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival, and also a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. Ticket prices start at $37. Theater is dark on Sunday.
• How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 West 45th Street.  Ticket prices start at $52.  Theater is dark on Monday.  (NOTE:  If you want to know what Daniel Radcliffe did after the Harry Potter movies came to an end, here’s your answer.)
• Jersey Boys – August Wilson Theatre, 245 West 5nd Street.  Winner of the 2006 Tony Award for Best Musical.  Ticket prices start at $97.  Theater is dark on Monday.  (NOTE:  I’ve seen this story of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons numerous times in numerous places; it’s on my highly recommended list.)
• Lysistrata Jones – Walter Kerr Theatre, 219 West 48th Street.  This classic Greek play is given a modern sports twist with preview performance starting in November with opening night on December 14th, 2011.  Ticket prices start at $97.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Mamma Mia! – Winter Garden Theatre, 1634 Broadway.  Ticket prices start at $69.50.  Theater is dark on Tuesday.  (NOTE:  Even if you aren’t a fan of ABBA, you may find yourself enjoying and humming along.)
• Mary Poppins – New Amsterdam Theatre, 214 West 42nd Street.  Ticket prices start at $62.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Memphis – Shubert Theatre, 225 West 44th Street.  Winner of the 2010 Tony Award for Best Musical.  Ticket prices start at $41.50.  Theater is dark on Monday.  (NOTE:  This is another one that I’ve saw Memphis here in Seattle for its pre-Broadway performances.  It’s another on my highly recommended list.)
• On a Clear Day – St. James Theatre, 246 West 44th Street.  This production stars Harry Connick Jr. and starts preview performances in November with opening night on December 11th, 2011.  Ticket prices start at $64.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Other Desert Cities – Booth Theatre, 222 West 45th Street.  Preview performances begin in October with opening night on November 3rd, 2011.  Ticket prices start at $80.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Porgy and Bess – Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 West 46th Street.  This production starts previews in December with opening night on January 12th, 2012.  Ticket prices start at $85.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Priscilla Queen of the Desert – Palace Theatre, 1564 Broadway.  Ticket prices start at $52.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Private Lives – Music Box Theatre, 239 West 45th Street.  This limited production is in previews for a week or so before its opening night on November 16th, 2011.  Ticket prices start at $66.50.  Limited run, check with theater for performance dates.
• Relatively Speaking – Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 256 West 47th Street.  This production, a series of 3 one-act comedies from Ethan Coen, Elaine May and Woody Allen, starts preview performances in September with opening night on October 20th, 2011.  Ticket prices start at $87.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Rock of Ages – Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 West 44th Street.  Tickets start at $70.  Theater is dark on Wednesday.
• Sister Act – Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway.  Ticket prices start at $ 51.50.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark – Foxwoods Theatre, 213 West 42nd Street.  Ticket prices start at $69.50.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Stick Fly – Cort Theatre, 138 West 48th Street.  This comedy starts preview performance in November with opening night on December 8th, 2011.  Ticket prices start at $35.  Theater is dark on Wednesday.
• The Addams Family – Lunt-Fontaine Theatre, 205 West 46th Street.  Ticket prices start at $57.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• The Book of Mormon – Eugene O’Neill Theatre, 230 West 49th Street.  Ticket prices start at $69.  Theater is dark on Monday.  (NOTE:  Irreverent humor from the creators of South Park.)
• The Lion King – Minskoff Theatre, 200 West 45th Street.  Winner of the 1998 Tony Award for Best Musical.  Ticket prices start at $80. Theater is dark on Monday.
• The Mountaintop – Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 West 45th Street.  This production tells the story of the night before the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and start preview performances in September with opening night October 13th, 2011.  Ticket prices start at $76.50.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• The Phantom of the Opera – Majestic Theatre, 247 West 44th Street.  Winner of the 1988 Tony Award for Best Musical.  Ticket prices start at $66.50.  Theater is dark on Tuesday.  (NOTE:  This is another one of my favorites.  No matter how many times I’ve seen it, it still moves me.)
• Venus in Fur – Samuel J Friedman Theatre, 261 West 47th Street.  Opens for preview performances in October with opening night on November 8th, 2011.  Ticket prices start at $67.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• War Horse – Vivian Beaumont Theatre, 150 West 65th Street.  Ticket prices start at $75.  Theater is dark on Monday.
• Wicked – Gershwin Theatre, 222 West 51st Street.  Ticket prices start at $77.  Theater is dark on Monday.

Cautionary note:  This is, by no mean, an all inclusive listing of what you’ll find on Broadway this fall.  I have tried to include a variety of currently running and soon to open shows to give you an idea of the variety you’ll find on Broadway, and while it is accurate and current as of the date of publication, show business is ever changing.  Check with the theater or show websites for updated information regarding cast, show times , ticket prices and availability, along with bits and pieces of other information.  Things can and do change.  While there are plenty of legitimate discount ticket options available, use caution to avoid buying counterfeit tickets.

What do you want to see on Broadway this fall?

Photo credit:  Vincent Desjardins (Times Square); Jeff Rosen (interior of Palace Theatre); Loren Javier (The Lion King at Minskoff Theatre).  All via flickr.

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I’m always on the lookout for cool, special packages that combine places to stay and things to do in remarkable ways.  What always catches my eye are value luxury travel opportunities – those locations, experiences, and travel opportunities that deliver over and above the price tag, regardless of what the price may be.  Sometimes it’s special pricing and deals that are hard to find.  Other times, it’s incredible opportunities that you’d never otherwise be able to experience.  And still other times it’s just something special that is hard to define, but it makes an ordinary experience extraordinary.

It’s the exclusive opportunity that caused me to pause and take a look at “The Connoisseur” package offers by the The Setai Fifth Avenue.

The Setai Fifth Avenue is centrally located in midtown Manhattan, giving guests easy access to entire city.  Theater, parks, shopping, and many of the iconic New York sites are all a short walk or quick subway or taxi ride away.  This is a luxury property in one of the most expensive cities in the world, and not one that you might think of when it comes to value luxury.  However, throw in an exclusive opportunity and some extras, and the hotel has put together a package that would be perfect for an art lover or museum buff.

The Connoisseur offers guests a chance to be a VIP at the Museum of Modern Art, quite possible the greatest collection of modern art in the entire world, combining an overnight stay at the luxury hotel with a private tour of the museum with an art historian.  And, how cool is this — the tour takes place before the museum opens to the public.  That means you have the entire MoMA collection to yourself!  Once the museum opens you can continue to explore on your own.

Here’s what the package includes:

• Luxury accommodations at The Setai Fifth Avenue (which boasts a curated collection of modern art on its property)
• Services of a Personal Assistant at the hotel
• Complimentary soft drinks, water, and afternoon snacks (replenished daily)
• Daily breakfast delivered to your room
• Private guided tour of MoMA before it opens to the public, 9:30-10:30 am daily except for Tuesdays when the museum is closed (you may invite up to 9 guests to join the tour)

Location: 400 Fifth Avenue (about a 10 minute walk from Grand Central Station); MoMA is located at 11 West 53rd (between 5th & 6th)

Dates:  July 5 – December 31, 2011

Rates:  Starting at $1,046/night (does not include mandated taxes and fees)

Photo credit:  Courtesy of The Museum of Modern Art, designed by Yoshio Taniguchi. View of 53rd Street The Ronald S. and Jo Carole Lauder Building. Photo © 2011 Timothy Hursley

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In a city filled with wonderful museums, New York’s MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) stands out as a real gem – and my personal favorite.  From an initial gift of eight prints and one drawing, the collection has grown to include over 150,000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, architectural models and drawings, and design objects, along with over 22,000 films and over four million still photos, making it one of the most influential museums of modern art in the world.

The exhibitions maintain a nice balance of subject, style, mediums, and time periods.  It’s the kind of place you can spend a few hours or the entire day, depending on what your schedule will allow.  It’s  a great place to spend a cold wintry day, warming up with the art as well as a stop off in the cafe.  With a permanent collection as extensive as this, and impressive traveling exhibits, you’ll be certain to find something that will catch your eye, soothe your senses, challenge your sensibilities, and perhaps even fall in love.

If you’re visiting during the warm weather, step outside to the sculpture garden which features modern sculpture, reflecting pools, and plants.  During July and August the garden features live entertainment, but anytime at all it makes for a good break to feel the sun on your face and catch your breath.

In addition to the permanent collection, special exhibitions currently on display include:

• Picasso: Guitars 1912-1914, through June 6, 2011
• German Expressionism: The Graphic Impulse, through July 11, 2011
• Seeing Red: Hungarian Revolutionary Posters, 1919, through August 2, 2011
• Impressions from South Africa, 1965 to Now, through August 14, 2011
• I Am Still Alive: Politics and Everyday Life in Contemporary Drawing, through September 19, 2011

Or opt to wander the permanent collection where you can spot a Kandisky and a Manet, a de Kooning and a Chagall, or a Warhol and a Toulouse-Latrec.  Find your favorite artist, or discover a new one, with an afternoon at the Museum of Modern Art.

I was back in New York last month, after a rather lengthy absence, and grabbing some museum time is one of my preferred ways to escape for an afternoon.  Flights to New York are easy to find, so if you enjoy the museum scene, why not make it a weekend art getaway.

Location:  11 West 53rd Street, between 5th & 6th Avenues, New York City

Subway:  Take the E or V to 5th/53rd, or the B, D, or F to 47-50/Rock Center.

Hours:  Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 10:30 am to 5:30 pm.  Friday till 8 pm.  The museum is closed on Tuesday.  Check with the museum for any special hours if you’re plan on visiting during the summer.  Special summer hours are in effect during July and August when the museum stays open till 8:30 pm on Thursday-Saturday, and is open on

Tickets:  Purchase online and skip the often long queue onsite.

Photo credit:  Henri Matisse, La Danse, 1909, oil on canvas.  Used with permission of the Museum of Modern Art, H. Matisse, Paris / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

NOTE:  This post is sponsored by Cheap Flights; the love of art and opinions expressed herein, are solely those of the author.

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Turning on the news these days inundates us with struggles for democracy around the world.  Even here at home, there are reminders to be ever vigilant about our civil liberties and individual rights, and I cannot even imagine a life in which women couldn’t vote or didn’t  have individual freedoms.  But the history is not all that distant.  To honor the continual struggle for equal rights, and to celebrate National Park Week, why not take the family to the Women’s Rights National Park in Seneca Falls, New York.

The first Woman’s Right Convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848 when five women organized a meeting to protest the laws and customs that discriminated against women.  While those determined, courageous women are long gone, a visit to Seneca Falls today will allow you to “meet” the women via a group of bronze figures created by sculptor Lloyd Lily.  The figures include Elizabeth Cady Stanton (who was one of the authors of the Declaration of Sentiments that declared that all men and women are created equal) whose farmhouse is also on the site.

Park rangers lead tours of the farmhouse, sharing information about the life and writings of this rather radical (for her times, at least) woman.  The park also includes a Visitor’s Center, the Wesleyan Chapel (in photo above), where the first convention took place, and the homes of two of the other women organizers, Jane Hunt and Mary Ann M’Clintock.  You can see the park by participating in ranger-led tours, or wander about on your own.  Dial and Discover, an audio tour available using your cell phone, will guide you through five of the park locations.

If you want to understand the struggle for women’s suffrage, if you want to pass a legacy of the women’s movement on to your daughter, if you need a reminder that it only takes a few people to launch a world changing movement, a visit to the Women’s Rights National Park will be a moving experience.

Photo credit:  National Park Service

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If a visit to New York City is in your plans, you’ll enjoy today’s guest post outlining your options from getting into the city from the area’s three major airports.  One method not mentioned, and I think worth exploring, in the train/subway connection.  Do your homework and you’ll save time and money.

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Whether flying for business or leisure, planning transportation can often bet the most challenging part of a trip. Not only that, but if there is something that travelers typically forget to plan for, transportation and parking is often that one thing. Thus, many travelers have to settle for the most convenient transportation and parking options, which aren’t always the most economical.

This couldn’t more so be the case than in NYC, which has multiple airports, including the big three, LaGuardia, JFK and Newark. As one of the largest metropolitans in the world, it usually takes some planning when traveling to and from New York City’s airport and can often times make for a stressful experience if not carefully planned out.

Unless you’re traveling with a large family, most travelers settle for just taking a taxi to and from New York City’s major airports. This is typically the easiest and takes the least amount of effort. However, depending on where you’re going, a taxi cab ride to and from the airport can easily put you out $100 unless you’re sharing a cab. If taking a cab, this of course, is the most ideal situation if traveling with a friend or colleague. However, the cab is usually the most expensive option for getting to and from NYC’s airports.

Although taking a taxi is typically regarded as the most expensive transportation method to the airport, it’s not exactly the most pricey. If traveling with a family or group of colleagues, you may consider a luxury sedan or SUV, which typically start around $69. This is certainly the classiest and most comfortable way to get to the airport, but at a little more cost than a taxi.

The best case scenario for getting to and from New York City’s airports is typically going to be by taking an airport shuttle. Airport shuttles often vary in services and prices. The cheapest airport shuttle is usually going to be a shared shuttle that is picking up multiple passengers. This requires some planning as it means you have to be ready to leave much sooner than if you were just taking a cab. Shared shuttles can often cost as little as $10 each way, but is more usually closer to $15 or $20.

Although the number of hotels that offer it can be few and far between, using your hotel’s airport shuttle service can be one of the most convenient and economical alternatives for going to and from the airport. Hotels close to the airport may offer a complimentary shuttle. The farther out from the airports you get, the more you’ll be paying for a hotel shuttle, as well as the less likelihood that the hotel will offer a shuttle. Those hotels that do offer a shuttle typically run them in 15 to 30 minute intervals.

If staying in Manhattan and flying in and out of LaGuardia, taking the city bus is a convenient and economical option. The M60 runs to all LaGuardia terminals, and travels from the East Side, West Side and Astoria. It runs from 5 am to 1 am between 106 St. and Broadway. Travel time on the M60 depends on your location, but is often between 40 minutes and an hour.

There are many factors to consider when choosing whether or not to use a taxi, shuttle, sedan or public transportation. The most important factor of course is time. If you have the time before your flight and want to save some money, than publication transportation on the city bus or catching a shuttle is often the best choice. Early morning flights are typically going to require a taxi.

Photo credit:  via flickr

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In a city that never sleeps, it’s nice to find a quiet oasis, and that’s just how I think of the New York Public Library.  On your next visit, take some time away from the sightseeing, shopping, and the frenzied pace of Manhattan and check out the library.

The New York Public Library was founded by the 1886 estate of Samuel J. Tilden, who bequeathed money to “establish and maintain a free library and reading room in the city of New York.”   Although there were two other libraries in New York at that time, both were experiencing serious financial hardships.  The trustee of Tilden’s estate saw the perfect opportunity to fulfill his vision, and the libraries were combined to form what became the New York Public Library.   A number of years later, philanthropist Andrew Carnegie donated money to construct branch libraries, which would be maintained by the City, to further extend the availability of the library system.

The library has both a circulating public library and a huge research (non-lending) library, making it one of the largest libraries in each category.  It is a private, non-profit corporation, not a governmental entity, although it does rely on both private and public financing for its continued existence and growth.  The library systems consists of 86 libraries in all, including the four main lending libraries, four specialized research libraries, a library for the blind, and 77 branch libraries, not only in Manhattan, but also in the Bronx and Staten Island.

The central library is on Fifth Avenue between 40th and 42nd Street, and has an underground expansion on the Bryant Park side.  It’s a Beaux-Arts design and is flanked on either side of the main entrance by two stone lions guarding the library’s premises.  Although the lions have been through a couple of name changes, since the 1930′s they have been known as “Patience” (on the south side) and “Fortitude” (on the north side).  Posing with the lions is a popular photo opportunity.

The beautiful main reading room of the Research Library is often seen in photographs, and in person it is even more spectacular.  It is long, with large windows and 52 foot high ceilings, and is lined with thousands and thousands of books along both the floor and balcony level.  In this room you can read at the study tables, sit in the comfortable chairs, or browse books from the non-circulating collections.  Library tours are offered, but even if you don’t opt for a tour I’d recommend just popping in for a look and to soak up the ambiance of this magnificent room and its architecture and history.

You do not need a library card to visit the library or for on site use, but you will need one to check out material or use the extensive online resources.  Library cards are free for anyone who lives, works, pays property taxes, or attends school in New York State.  Non-residents may be issued a free temporary library card on-site.

Even if you’ve never been to Manhattan, you may have seen the library in a movie.  It was seen in Breakfast At Tiffany’s and Escape from New York, the library’s basement was the location of a ghost sighting in Ghostbusters, and was the location for Carrie’s doomed wedding in Sex and the City – The Movie.  If you’re watching a movie set in New York City, keep a close eye out and you may spot those stately lions guarding the library.

Location:  455 Fifth Avenue, at 42nd Street

Hours:  Hours are Monday and Thursday – Saturday, 10 am-6 pm; Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 am – 9 pm.  Closed Sunday.  The library can also be rented out for private events and parties.

Photo credits:  Library lion and Research reading room both via wikimedia

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With Sex and the City 2 set to premiere May 27th, there’s plenty of talk about those four glamorous women from New York City:  Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte.

Entering our lives with a television debut on June 6th, 1998, these four glamorous women drew us into their lives of angst and glamour.  They tried to make us feel as if their loves were our loves, that their hangouts were our hangouts, and their heartbreaks were our heartbreaks.

Magnolia Bakery's original location in the West Village

Many of the locations seen in the television show, and the first movie, are real-life Manhattan locations.  Although there are several tour companies offering SATC location tours, most of the locations are places that you can discover on your own.  And while a restaurant reservation might be hard to come by, one place that anyone can get into is Magnolia Bakery in the West Village.

The bakery was a fairly quiet, although popular, neighborhood spot until Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie was seen eating a butter cream frosted cupcake.  Shortly after, popularity reached near cult status, and it was not uncommon to see tour buses circling the block or long lines outside the door and around the block, even late at night.  Magnolia Bakery is credited with kicking off the cupcake craze.

In addition to cupcakes, the bakery offers a variety of confectionary pleasures, including cakes, pies, cookies, and delicious banana pudding.

While once you may have had to visit New York City to sample tasty cupcakes, you can now find cupcake specialty bakeries across the country.  Or try making some yourself.  You’ll find great recipes in The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: Old-Fashioned Recipes From New York’s Sweetest Bakery.

Location:  401 Bleecker Street, original location in the West Village (map).  Additional locations are at Grand Central Station, lower level (map); Rockefeller Center (map); and Uptown at 200 Columbus Avenue (map).  Deliveries are also available.

Hours:  The Bleecker location is open Sunday – Thursday, 9 am – 11:30 pm, Friday and Saturday until 12:30 am.

Prices:  Cupcakes are $2.75 each, and are limited to one dozen per customer, if you want more than a dozen, you’ll need to order in advance.

And to get in the mood for the SATC2 premiere, take a look at this trailer:

Photo credit: Rob Young @flickr

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One of my favorite parts of traveling is finding a new discovery.  Sometimes that’s a quirky little restaurant, a fabulous museum, a neighborhood hang out, or some place fun for a little shopping.  Sometimes the spots is something everyone knows about, and I’m late to the discovery, and sometimes it’s something special all for me.

One of my favorite NYC discoveries was C.O. Bigelow in Greenwich Village.  Oh sure, I’d seen their products sold in other stores across the country, but there’s nothing like visiting the original store.

Founded in 1838, C.O.Bigelow’s is the oldest continually operating apothecary-pharmacy in the country.  That’s 170 years!  The store still fills prescriptions at the back of the store, but as you work you way back there you’ll pass through goodies galore.  There’s a focus on homeopathic products and remedies, along with hard-to-find and specialty cosmetic lines.  You can find something for your body here, whether that’s inside or out, and they have a great assortment of products perfect to pack for your travels.

Here is a sampling of what you’ll find:  hair and body products, shaving creams and accessories, fragrances, specialized toothpastes, baby care, and all sorts of wonderful accessories and gifts.  C.O. Bigelow’s also has their own product line, many made from recipes that are generations old.  Their Rose Salve (pictured above) is one of the store’s best selling items, and it’s touted as a remedy for everything from chapped lips to diaper rash.  Priced at $5.50 it’s a real bargain!

C.O. Bigelow’s is located at 414 Avenue of the Americas (between 8th & 9th Street) in Greenwich Village (map).  It’s  accessible by subway (West 4th or Christopher stop) and the PATH (9th Street).

You can find a sampling of their specialized products available for purchase online, and while that’s nice – it’s nothing like spending quality time milling about the store.

Photo credit:  C.O. Bigelow’s

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Visiting the United Nations Headquarters is a little like visiting 192 countries all in one locations.  Located along the East River, at 760 United Nations Plaza, on First Avenue between 42nd & 48th in New York City (map), the  complex consists of the Secretariat Building, the domed General Assembly Building, the Conference Building and the Hammarskjold Library.  Although located well with the city limits, the complex is considered international territory, and, exception by agreement, is subject to the laws and jurisdiction of the United States, the state of New York, and local laws.

United Nations Headquarters and view of Manhattan

Guided public tours of the complex are offered.  Visitors enter the headquarters building at First Avenue & 46th, and start the tour with a brief familiarization of the Organization and its structure.  A guide will then take you through a visit to the chambers of the Security Council, the Trusteeship Council, and the Economic and Social Council, providing information about what occurs in each of the rooms.  Visitors also get a look at a fabulous art collection, all donated by members of the U.N., that includes paintings, murals, tapestries, mosaics, and sculptures.

The tours ends with a stop in the General Assembly Hall, the largest room, and the one we must frequently see in televised events.  The impressiveness of what happens here is not lost on me.

Be sure to allocate some post-tour time for browsing at the Postal Counter where you can buy a variety of commemorative stamps, the Bookshop, and the Gift Shop.  While I generally avoid most gift shops, there was plenty of interesting stuff here, and it’s well worth spending the time to browse.

The guided tours are conducted Monday through Friday, from 9:30 am - 4:45 pm, and last 45 minutes.  You should check the tour information line as meetings and security can result in the complex closing with very little notice.  The tour line will have up-to-date information at 212-963-TOUR (8687).

Tour prices are $16 for adults; $11 for seniors (60+) and students (ID required); $9 for children ages 5 – 12.  For safety reasons, children under age 5 are not permitted on the tour.

Like most places in Manhattan, you’ll want to take public transportation.  You can take the 4, 5, 6, or 7 subway to Grand Central Station, then walk to 42nd & First.  Or take the bus, M15, 27, 42, or 104.

Manhattan’s international flavor isn’t limited to the United Nations Headquarters, it continues all over the city.  It seems like every single one of those 192 countries is represented in a restaurant, cafe, or bistro somewhere in the city.

Consider enhancing your sightseeing experience with a food experience, discovering authentic local foods and shops in the city’s neighborhoods, as you take in top attractions.  Whether you’re adventurous, or prefer the common, sightseeing always goes better with food!

NOTE:  This post is sponsored by Walking Tours Manhattan who offer new york city food tours.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

Photo credit:  Ad Meskens via wikimedia

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During the holiday season it seems like I watch lots of movies.  Whether it’s catching up on television, renting videos, or indulging in pay-per-view, it’s an enjoyable way to spend some lazy winter days.  Assuming you like the movie, of course.

I like a variety of movies, but the ones at the top of my list are those that give me a sense of time and place.  Movies that make me want to be where the movie is, and sometimes even when the movie takes place.

Earlier this week I watched Julie & Julia, a great movie, and one that made me long for a return trip to Paris soon.

Julie & Julia was written and directed by Nora Ephron, and stars Meryl Streep as the famous chef Julia Child and Amy Adams as Julie Powell, a young, and somewhat depressed, New Yorker writer.  The movie is based on two true stories – the early years Julia Child’s career as documented in her autobiography My Life in France, written with Alex Prudhomme, and a memoir written by Julie Powell documenting her experiences, and blogging about, her efforts as she devoted one year to cooking all 524 recipes found in Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

The movie has the stories of Julia and Julie interwoven, moving back and forth between Paris circa 1949 and New York post 9-11.

In Paris:  Julia and Paul Child set up residence in Paris, and although she goes through some adaptation, it’s clear that she falls in love with the city.  (I know how she must have  felt.  I experienced an immediate emotion connection with Paris the minute I came out of the Metro.)  One of the things that Julia falls in love with is French cuisine, she loves to eat, and finding herself bored with nothing to do, she decides to sign up for a cooking class.  The first cooking class she attends is far too simple, with skills like how to boil an egg, so she goes looking for something a little more challenging –  and ends up in a cooking school for serious chefs (meaning men).  Although initially behind the curve a bit, Julia throws herself into cooking and it becomes the second passion of her life.  Julia teams up with a couple of other cooks in an effort to write a cookbook, and the very long task of bring it to fruition is fraught with problems, disappointments, and adversity.  Success finally comes as a result of single-minded focus and determination, and a career is launched.

In New York:  Julie and Eric Powell set up residence in a 900 square foot apartment in Queens, while she tries to settle into a cubicle job handling phone calls about post 9-11 issues.  She is clearly depressed by her job, which she hates, and finds that her writing career is going nowhere.  She finds solace in cooking, and over dinner one evening, she decides to pour her writing efforts into a blog – about cooking.  After going through a variety of ideas, she decides to blog about how she will cook all of Julia Child’s recipes over the course of a year.  She calls it the Julie/Julia Project.  Julie’s blog chronicles the highs and lows of cooking new dishes, her frustrations with blogging (she has no comments), and her determination to once and for all finish something. (Sound familiar bloggers?)  Julie comes close to abandoning the project a few times, but through determination and perseverance she completes the project, gathering a little fame along the way.

The movie showcased each woman’s determination to succeed, albeit in different ways.  They each had a calling, in the beginning unrecognized, but by following their passions and heart, work became pleasure, which in turn became success.  Both women set a great example of do what you love and the money will follow.

As Julia Child walked the streets of Paris, sat at cafes, and dined at restaurants, I wanted to be there with her.  Oh sure, who wouldn’t want to hang out with Julia Child, but more than that, I wanted to wander the streets of Paris.  I wanted to sit and have a cafe au lait, or a glass of wine, and watch the world go by.  I wanted to savor the sounds and taste of Paris, to shop at the small markets, and to find the best fromagerie and patisserie.  And to eat well, even if I’ll never cook like Julia Child.

Not only that,, this film is the first major motion picture that is based, at least in part, on a blog.

Photo credit: Amazon (DVD); Mary Jo Manzanares

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