Tartan Week coming to NYC

Please note the below highlights to celebrate Tartan Week. In case you don't know, this is a week dedicated to Scotitsh-Americans and was founded by three New York based Scottish organizations: Saint Andrew's Society of the State of New York, 1756, New York Caledonian Club, 1856, and American Scottish Foundation, 1956. Enjoy some Glenfiddich malt whiskey, while you're at it!

April 4: Scotland's greatest Celtic rock band perform at the Nokia Theatre Times Square. You need to book tickets through ticketmaster.

April 6: New York Racquet and Tennis Club, 370 Park Avenue Saint Andrew's Society of the State of New York salutes National Tartan Day with a cocktail reception starting at 5.30pm. This is a ticketed-only event and tickets are limited.

April 1 thur 9: The Scottish Village is a dynamic, exhibition of Scotland past and present. Catch live Scottish music, fashion shows, cooking demonstrations and genealogical displays - you could even win a free flight to Scotland! Admission is free, so be sure to visit the Scottish Village in Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal

April 2: Join over 3,000 runers for this 10k run through Central Park organised by New York Road Runners and sponsored by the Scottish Executive. Tel 212 8604455

April 8: The New York Tartan Day Parade along 6th Ave. will be starting at 2pm.

Blaggard's Pub for a bevie

Friends, at times we all yearn for a tall ale in a friendly pub. Well, I recently discovered the warmest little Irish Pub to date and it's not so far off from Penn Station. You gotta check out Bladdard's Pub located on 35th St, just off 7th Ave (between 7th and 8th). Bring your drinkin' cap because the locals in here are all professional elbow benders. The pints are cheap as can be and the crowd is just about as much fun as you can ask for. Great music, bar food, atmosphere and its consistently like this (I've been there 5 different times over the past 2 months and it never fails to be exciting on any given random weeknight or weekend).

And order the cheese sticks!! YUM!

Neighborhood Profile: Brooklyn Heights

Brooklyn Heights boasts the greatest views of lower Manhattan and brownstone mansions that rival anything on Fifth Avenue. Considered to be the first suburb in America, the Brooklyn Heights of today is much more than a suburb. It has become one of the most desirable neighborhoods for Manhattanites ready to raise a family. It is a Manhattan neighborhood, located on the better side of the river.

The Promenade, a unique park built atop the double-decker Brookyln/Queen Expressway draws tourists worldwide for its spectacular views of the East River bridges and the skyscrapers of Manhattan. As you walk the length, small memorials for the World Trade Center still adorn its space. Many residents watched the tragedy unfold less than two miles away.

Today's Brooklyn Heights is also a monument to the history of New York and the United States. Europeans first appeared in 1645, forming the settlement of "Breuckelen" near the site of today's Borough Hall. Breuckelen, meaning marsh land, is thought to come from the areas resemblance to Breuckelen, Holland, where the settlers originated. The bluffs of Brooklyn Heights gained fame as many of Manhattan's early merchants built mansions to gain the first views of "the city."

For the tourist or history buff, Brooklyn Heights has an abundance of "not to be missed" landmarks:

St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church on Montague and Clinton Streets, was designed by Minard Lafever and constructed between 1844 and 1847. Containing 7,000 square feet of stained glass windows designed in the 1840s by William and John Bolton, they are renowned as the FIRST American made stained glass.

Our Lady of Lebanon Church on Henry and Remsen Streets, features placques on its massive Bronze doors from the Normandie, and inside the church, a bronze railing, a cloisonne enamel bas-relief of a Norman knight, and a bronze statue entitled "La Paix" (Peace).

The Brooklyn Historical Society on Pierrepont and Clinton Streets, is a four-story Queen Anne style building that was completed in 1881 and designed by architect George B. Post. BHS provides a look into Brooklyn's past with changing exhibits and walking tours of the neighborhood.

Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims on Orange and Hicks Streets, first gathered in 1847, led by Henry Ward Beecher, the famed clergyman and antislavery advocate. From its beginnings, the Church served as a vital philosophical and geographical link in the Underground Railroad.

Best clothing bargins in NYC

Shoppers, this post is for you. There are still 2 places in the city that offer great savings on clothes: Century 21 and El Mundo.

Century 21 has 2 NYC locations; the most popular and easily accessable in near the World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan. The second store is in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. At these stores you can find designer clothing at deeply discounted prices. Bring plenty of patience because you really have to hunt for sizes and the crowds are usually pretty massive. The store in Brooklyn is slightly less busy and you're more likely to find "gems" here since fewer of the high brow Manhattanites make the long trip (so it's definitely worth the long subway journey). But the store in lower Manhattan offers 4 entire floors of clothes and a seperate shoe store right next door and there's a ton of great finds.

El Mundo has 2 locations, one in Harlem and one in Inwood. Relative to Century, the clothes are even cheaper here, though the atmosphere is a little more "ghetto". Regardless, you'll find designer clothes at drastic discounts, tons of great stuff!

For Century 21's lower Manhattan loaction, take the downtown R train to Courtland St/World Trade Center or the #4, #5 train to Fulton St. If you'd like to visit the Bay Ridge, Brooklyn location, take the Brooklyn bound R train to 86th St. and you should arrive in about an 45 minutes from Lower Manhattan.

For El Mundo's Harlem branch, take the uptown #1 train to 125th St. For Inwood, which is located at the upper tip of Manhattan (way uptown), take the #1 train to 207th St.

A good close to wine week in NYC

Check out these upcoming events:

Friday, Mar. 24 ~ Smith and Wollensky's for $10 plus the cost of lunch you can sample up to 10 fine wines.

For other upcoming NYC wine events, check out the below link:

http://www.localwineevents.com/New-York-City-Wine/

The Other Little Italy (Bronx style)

Little Italy in Manhattan runs along Mulbury St, north of Chinatown. Most everybody who's been to NYC has made this a point of attraction and it is crowded with tourists and natives alike who enjoy the wonderful dining, bakeries, coffee shops, shopping, etc.

If you are a frequent visitor (or maybe even an uninformed New Yorker) and are looking for a change of pace, welcome to Little Italy in the Bronx. While it's a bit gritty and far off the beaten path, LI in the Bronx offers a more authentic Italian feel and the food is scores better than most of the places down in Manhattan. You will get a sense of 1920's New York as the neighborhood has remained largely unchanged throughout the years (so I'm told) and, rather than being overtaken by expat tenants, it's mostly inhabited by true Italians who have lived and worked there for generations and who contribute to the genuine Italian feel of the area.

Check out Mario's on Arthur Ave as a starting point. Some of the best wait staff in NYC (everyone is treated like a Don) and the food is unbelivable, esp. the knocki and veal. Just across the street is Dominic's where you sit in kitchen style seating, along side other groups who are sure to be friendly and order off the top of your head (they have no menu's, you just tell them what you want and there's a good chance they'll be able to oblige or recommend something better). Walk up and down Arthur Ave and along 187th St and its parellel streets to enjoy espresso, canoli and the great atmosphere.

To travel by subway, take the #4 or #5 train uptown to Fordam Road. Exit the subway and hail a cab to 187th and Artur Ave. or take the Bx9 bus right outside the train staion and ask the bus driver to annouce the Arthur Ave stop.

Visiting? Avoid Times Square Dining!

It's very temping, as a tourist, to just spot a restuarant amidst the chaos of Times Square and decide, for the sake of simplicity, to eat there. Don't do it!!! Those dining joints in Times Square are mostly tourist traps with overpriced, low quality grub. A couple of blocks away from all the sights and sounds of the crossroads is 9th Ave which offers a much better sampling of great NYC dining. Walk between 42nd St up to around 57th St on 9th Ave and you'll notice a wide array of cuisines and price ranges. Chose from Mexian to Turkish, from Sushi to Cajun, from Chinese to Indian...whatever your heart's desire. Very little chance you'll end up with some awful, cookie-cutter Tex Mex like some of the theme spots in Times Square.

9th Ave is about a 10 minute walk from Times Square. Just walk west past 8th Ave and there you are.

Antiques District: South Bronx

While there are some great antique shops in Manhattan, chances are they are very overpriced and may contain an over-abundance of big ticket items that only the upper ranks would desire or could afford. Check out the South Bronx where goods are modestly priced and the finds are rich. While most of the shops specialize in furniture, there are also a few places that have items ranging from glassware to knick-knacks. The furniture stores have some amazing deals and most everything is in tip-top condition. We purchased an end table for $275 and it would have easily been marked up to above $500 had we found this same piece in Manhattan. South Bronx Antiques District makes for a great afternoon of browsing and you'll surely find at least a piece or 2 that you can't resist buying.

To travel via subway, take the uptown #4 or #5 train to 138th St in the Bronx. Walk under the bridge and the first cross street is Bruckner. Left or right to enjoy the shops.

Nice View from the Staten Island Ferry

The only NYC boro in which I've never lived is Staten Island. However, I only recently discovered what a great ride the Staten Island ferry really is. Even if you have no desire to set foot on Staten Island, the ferry ride is so fun! You will sail past the statue of liberty and get some nice panoramic views of her. On the ride back, seeing Lower Manhattan is breathe-taking. Best part, the ride is free and the ferry can be caught on the east side of Battery Park which is a major tourist area.

Take the R train, red-line or green-line trains (except for the #6 train which terminates at Brooklyn Bridge) to WhiteHall St/South Ferry/Bowling Green station and have a great trip!

And if you want to actually venture about in Staten Island, check out the Asian Gardens (more on that later).

Best Pizza and Best Spumoni in NYC!

Many claim they know the best pizza in NYC but, having lived in 4 boros and sampling dozens upon dozens of pizza joints, I can honestly say that L & B Spumoni Gardens in Brooklyn takes the cake. Nothing will compare to the slices at this place, an opinion that is echoed by many of my visiting friends/relatives along with lots of fellow New Yorkers. Oh yeah, the Spumoni (Italian Ice Cream) is absolutely amazing. If you live here or are visiting, it's worth the long subway ride into deep Brooklyn.

Take the B train to 25th Ave or the N to W. 8th St/Ave U
2725 86th St. Brooklyn

Enjoy and feel free to thank me.