THE MCKIM, MEAD & WHITE BURIAL GROUND FOR NEW YORK'S RICH AND FAMOUS

What is Vin de Pays d'Oc?

Wines of Pays d’Oc are simply more adventurous bucking French wine making convention. Elevated worlds above table wine (Vin de Table) but perhaps not entirely conforming to AOC (origin of control) standards...there is plenty of room for distinctive creativity in the Vin de…

Halloween, the annual festival, brought to America by immigrants from Ireland and Scotland has become America's biggest party day, perhaps after New Year's eve. For the last 200 years Americans have celebrated Halloween. The customs of carving pumpkins, jack o' lanterns comes to us from the Celtic traditions. What is the magical allure that so many folks want to celebrate at Halloween?  The costumes?  The Halloween parties? The memory of childhood?  A chance to throw off inhibitions and to…

I often miss the delightful ignorance of childhood, when the most important things in life were the simple pleasures of life itself.  We keep those memories somewhere in the archives of our brains, to be brought out occasionally by specific triggers such as smell and sound.  Our childhood friends were the best we ever had.  Most of us have people we take for granted, they’re called “parents”. It’s almost expected of that ignorance to limit our ability to appreciate.  But as we…

Tired of the some old greasy burger, boring sandwich, and looking for something other than a pizza slice?  Tired of antibiotic -fed chicken. Should you be in New York City's Greenwich Village,  there is a unique food opportunity that is gaining fans from all walks of life, Sticky's Finger Joint.

What is…

Any restaurant that plans on thriving in Manhattan better not even think about resting on their laurels for a second. But with Empire Steakhouse, this goes without saying. A venerable shrine to not only prime steak cuts charred to perfection but the whole dining experience sprung from the desire of Jack Sinanaj…

We reserved a whole week, including the July 4th holiday, at Liberty Harbor Marina and RV Park in Jersey City NJ. The closest RV Park to New York City.

Day 1:

Due to our unexpected early departure from Monticello Casino, we arrived a day early (for our reservations) and had to take a dry camping spot next to the Liberty Harbor Marina and RV Park to boondock for one…

At the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783 land speculators bought up large tracts of land in the western part of New York in the hopes of making a profit by subdividing and selling it to settlers who were anxious for inexpensive land suitable for farming.  In 1792…

Head south deep into Brooklyn’s interior on the elevated D train and get off at the 50th Street station. At the bottom of the stairs, an open air market greets you with fresh fruits and vegetables anytime of the year. One block away on 13th Avenue is Borough Park, spelled by locals as…

When the days grow longer and the dreary winter slowly melts away, it’s time to pack your suitcase and head out to meet spring! Our favourite season is simply more beautiful in some places – and some places are simply more beautiful in spring. Stuck for a place to go? Choose one of our top five spring destinations below.

1. Bohemian spring rhapsody in…

We had been wanting to try Sugarfreak since it opened a few months ago, but Jon's gluten allergy, and my intolerance to sugar kept us away. When I first glanced at the menu one day as I walked by it on 30th Ave, all I saw were po-boy and muffaletta sandwiches (hence, the gluten), and that name...well it scared me a little. Still, I was intrigued by…

Choose any flavor.  The gelati at Balducci’s are imported from Italy and taste like no other ice cream – milky, not fatty, with a light, slightly icy texture (without being teeth-shattering), and with just the right amount of sweetness.

Emil Grosso, VP of the Balducci development at the new…

Sometimes you just gotta put the spotlight on the little guy. I doubt anyone cares about a tiny gyro shop tucked away on a busy street in Astoria, Queens, NYC, but my son is such a fanatic about their shawarma (sliced, ground lamb in a pita) that I had to give Pita Hot a try. First of all, the name is awfully…

I'm ashamed to say that I occasionally watch Live with Kelly in the morning (used to be Live with Regis and Kelly - you know what I'm talking about). This week Kelly reported that New York City was voted the number one rudest city in the U.S. What?! Us rude? I'm not a native New Yorker, but have lived here about twenty years, so I consider myself a New Yorker by default. I'm originally from the Southwest of the U.S., where people are so polite it's almost sickening. I almost dread…

On a mild December night, I took my husband for a surprise visit to an independent bookstore in Brooklyn to give…

Hi all,

travelers to major cities want to take in excellent theater at bargain prices. If you're in NYC this weekend, you have got to check out this off-off Broadway piece at Astoria Performing Arts Center in Queens. Here's my review from The Queens Gazette newspaper:

A Hard Wall At High Speed: Powerful Play Hits Home …

Shirley Mae's Diner

Shirley Mae's...doesn't that name just conjure up images of fried chicken, ribs, collard greens and macaroni and cheese? It did…