Travel And Dining In NYC, Restaurant Week

This is part two of an article on NYC dining. Kindly written for Oonique by Reed @ Reed's Tickets.

The first part can be found here: Dining in New York.

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Combine Travel And Dining In NYC With Restaurant Week!

If you're looking to combine travel with good dining in NYC, then Restaurant Week is the perfect event for you. It's held twice a year, once during late January, and then again during June. The event takes place right across the city, with participating restaurants offering a three course lunch for $24.07 and in some cases, dinner as well for $35. The idea behind this event is to allow people to taste foods from restaurants which they normally would not have a chance to visit.

This event allows them to sample food at a reasonable price, whether it’s expensive or exotic fare!


Ayza Wine & Chocolate Bar, NYC

How To Make The Most Of It

Naturally there are a few tips to keep in mind to make sure that you can get the most out of Restaurant Week. Many people do end up having a rough time because they either seem to choose the wrong restaurants or they are bombarded with disgruntled waiters. It's true that during Restaurant Week, the waiters do see to be a little on edge--this could be because there are lots more patrons to deal with but not nearly enough tips! In any case, it's important to prepare ahead of time before you start hitting the restaurant circuit.

First of all, and perhaps most importantly, you need to reserve early. Since many of the top restaurants in New York take part in this event, you can be sure that people will be clamoring for a table. It's best to get on the phone as quickly as possible and book your table well in advance. In general, it's often much easier to get a reservation for Mondays-Wednesdays than other days of the week.

All That Glitters Isn't Gold

Many people make the mistake of assuming that all participating restaurants in Restaurant Week offer fabulous fare--unfortunately this isn't true. While some restaurants really shine and offer wonderful food, others don't seem to have much apart from bad food and bad service. Rather than blindly choose a restaurant, it makes more sense to check out some of the restaurant reviews first. You'll also be able to get a better idea of what dishes are available, as some restaurants might not offer their signature dishes for this event. You can also check out the restaurant's website to find out what they plan to offer on the menu. Be clear about the prices as well--oftentimes, things like beverages can be extra.


A front waiter | Photo from SFGate

While you might meet some annoyed waiters on your Restaurant Week, do make it a point to generously tip the ones who serve you well. Remember that this event often means extra work for them but at the same salary. Apart from that, many of them feel that Restaurant Weekers are just out for a cheap meal and they don't tip. Generously tipping those waiters who give you good service is a great way to break this misconception.

And if you've liked a restaurant, don't forget to tell other people about it! Word of mouth is one of the best ways to learn about what restaurants are great, and which ones can be missed during NYC's Restaurant Week.

The author of this article writes about New York entertainment and Getting NYC Concert Tickets advice online.

Dining in New York

Yes, I've still a backlog of e-mails to get to--being a writer is a crazy endeavor. I have a short story to see to first, and then I'm on to writing book03. I'll update my sites when I can.

For now, here's something a little different: an article on NYC dining. Kindly written for Oonique by Reed @ Reed's Tickets!

PS: Part 2 of this article can be found here: NYC, Restaurant Week.

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Know Where To Eat In NYC!

Let's face it - you could be a lifetime native of NYC and still get confused when it comes to finding a good restaurant. Why? Because new places literally pop up every day here - apart from that, some truly legendary eateries have quietly established themselves in the city but you don't know where to look! The good news is that no matter what your taste or budget is, you'll find the perfect place to eat somewhere in the Big Apple.

1) Budget Meals

When you think about dining on a $10 budget, you're probably not thinking about very fine dining. You're probably not even expecting a very tasty meal - but that's just where NYC proves you wrong. There are a number of places out there where you can have a great meal for as less as ten bucks. A lot of them are hard to find though - for example, there is a burger place next to the Le Parker Meridien but you'll probably have to ask the hotel concierge for directions to get there! But it's a place worth knowing about, as you can get a tasty cheeseburger, fries and a soda for just ten dollars.


Great NY Noodle Town | Photo by Yun Cee Ng

If you're in the mood for Chinese food, even in the middle of the night, then you can head over to the Great NY Noodle Town. Here you can order roast pork and noodles in soup, vegetables in oyster sauce and roast duck on rice for just $9.50.

If you'd like Middle Eastern cuisine, Mamoun's offers both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food in a cozy atmosphere. A falafel sandwich, some Turkish coffee and tabouleh will cost you about eight bucks. You can even get a budget piece of history by dining at Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop, which has been around since 1929 - here you can get matzo ball soup, an egg cream and a chopped liver sandwich for just under nine dollars.

2) International Breakfasts

In any other city, your dining options for breakfast would be pretty limited. But not in NYC - you can literally taste any number of breakfast dishes from anywhere in the world.

Feel like having some Dim Sum in the morning? There are a number of places all over the city that specialize in this uniquely Asian style of brunch. Of course when it comes to breakfast in New York, everyone thinks of bagels. Whether you like them toasted, chewy or doughy, you'll find the perfect bagel for you.

But what if you've got a craving for a truly American breakfast? We're talking classic dishes like steak and eggs or buttermilk pancakes - if you want something extra special then head over to Norma's for a really rich breakfast treat.


Breakfast for Lunch? Always @ Norma's

Of course these dining options are just the tip of the iceberg. NYC offers something for everyone in terms of good dining.

For example, opera buffets offer people some great dining and a chance to listen to professional opera singers at the same time. From the most expensive restaurants in the world to places that serve you food for as less as ten bucks, you can find it all at NYC!

The author of this article writes many helpful pages on New York City entertainment, such as How To Get Concert Tickets.

Not So Romantic, Quirky Love Quotes

I think there should be a Single's Day holiday -- since there's V-day for couples. As Mr. Oscar Wilde says: "To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance."

Anyway, I received a forwarded e-mail from a friend long ago. These are some of the entries to a Washington Post Competition. The contest asked for a rhyme with the most romantic first line, but least romantic second line.

Caustic witticism. Enjoy!


Stock Vector: I Heart Evil

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Love may be beautiful, love may be bliss
But I only slept with you, cause I was pissed

Roses are red, violets are blue,
Sugar is sweet, and so are you
But the roses are wilting, the violets are dead,
The sugar bowl's empty, and so is your head

Of loving beauty you float with grace
If only you could hide your face

I thought that I could love no other
Until, that is, I met your brother

Kind, intelligent, loving and hot
This describes everything you are not

I want to feel your sweet embrace
But don't take that paper bag off your face

I love your smile, your face, and your eyes --
Damn, I'm good at telling lies!

Every time I see your face
I wish I were in outer space

I saw your face as you walked by
but then I saw a better guy

My darling, my lover, my beautiful wife:
Marrying you screwed up my life

I see your face when I am dreaming
That's why I always wake up screaming

My love, you take my breath away
What have you stepped in to smell this way?

My feelings for you, no words can tell
Except for maybe "go to hell"

What inspired this amorous rhyme?
Two parts vodka, one part lime.

Geek Gifts

Here are hi-tech gifts that are functional and look great too. The products are from Fractalspin -- geekcessories galore!

1. Microcontroller Cufflinks & Tie Tack



The set of black cufflinks (and a tie tack in black and silver, shown above) are made from real microcontrollers. The tie tack costs $35.00 (~ € 25.41).

Microcontrollers are tiny, self-sufficient microprocessors that take up little space. The Basic Stamp controller is the most well known. It contains the memory and interfaces needed for simple applications.

2. Duct Tape Hybrid BiFold Wallet



A clean, minimalistic wallet that's super strong, being made of Duct Tape. The Ducti wallet uses Super Duct Tape so it won't peel or leak adhesive -- which can be a problem with traditional duct tape. There's room for credit/debit cards, cash, and there's a picture window for the owner's ID.

3. Odin’s Rage Watch



This LED watch (LED=light-emitting diode) substitutes a large inner dot for the hour hand position, and a small outer dot for the minute hand position. Uber funky.

The four small LEDs at the center represent the minutes between each five-minute increment, and the two small dots in the bottom center represent AM or PM. There are instructions on how to read the watch too.

Reference: Six Valentine’s Day nerdy guy gifts that aren’t lame

Heart Necklaces

Whimsical Heart Necklace

This is a simple and elegantly designed heart-shaped necklace from MuseumShop.com.

The contemporary design was created exclusively for Museum Shop by Kathleen Scott, a Rhode Island jewelry designer. The necklace comes in gold-tone or silver-tone, each measuring 1" in diameter (2.54 cm). The pendant comes with a matching 17" (43.2 cm) chain. The item is made in the USA.



"Piece of My Heart" Necklace

This is the (rather literal) Piece of My Heart Necklace. It comes in a set of two silver-plated pendants -- a circle etched with the word "Love," and a heart with the word "Always." Each comes with its own chain, so you can keep one for yourself and give the other to your sweetheart. Alternatively, you could also wear both pendants together on one chain. This originally cost $16.95, but is now going for $12.95.



Shona Standing Couple

Museum Shop also has sculptures such as the Shona Standing Couple. This is handmade in Zimbabwe and fair-trade imported. The Shona tribes of Zimbabwe, literally translated as "the house of stone," are renowned for their fine sculpting technique.

International shipping is available for these items. MuseumShop.com donates a portion of every purchase, at no extra cost to customers, to support First Book. The latter is an organization that provides arts education and supplies to children who do not have ready access to such services.

Love-ly Cookies

Jungle Love Colossal Cookie

Wow, that's really a huge, tempting, sweet-looking cookie. The cookie weighs more than one pound (450 grams), and is hand decorated. Nice way to bring out one's wild side ;)

The giant cookie costs $34.95, and costs $48.95 if you include 12 additional mixed cookies.



Love Notes

Yes, these love note cookie cards are edible. They cost $14.95. Each fresh baked sugar cookie is covered in white chocolate, with a card design and border of candy hearts and sprinkles.

What's nice about this one is that there is an Edible Food Writer included to personalize your own special cookie card message. The gift box is tied with coordinating sheer chiffon ribbon. An optional, personalized (non-edible) gift card is included with the purchase.

Order early -- shipping prices start at $9.99, for 0-3 lbs gift items. You can check the shipping rates on each individual gift page before checkout as well.

Coincidentally, Presentville Gifts was established on Valentine’s Day 2005. Shipping is currently available in the USA only.

I'll look out for stores which have international shipping in the next few posts.