News

Is The Village Voice Losing Its Edge?
November 30, 2005, 1:18.07 am ET
Details

I was amazed that when I opened my Village Voice it was loaded with circulars. "Splat" as they all fell to the ground in front of me. There was an inset for Ikea, high-speed bargains from Verizon, a holiday sale at Pearl Paints and a free 90-day trial disk for AOL. I don't remember that ever happening before. I felt like I had opened up a Sunday paper. Maybe they should start placing it in a plastic bag. Or, worse yet maybe it's a sign of things to come. The paper was recently acquired by New Times Media which operates freebies in 17 other markets. My biggest fear is that mainstream advertisers may not like some of the off-color content. Will they try to muzzle Michael Musto? Heaven forbid!

What do you think? Email us at thecitiblog@cititour.com

It's A Gas, Gas, Gas!
November 24, 2005, 1:29.35 am ET
Details

The night before the Thanksgiving is a big day for New Yorkers. It's a chance to get up close to the balloons that will be used in This Year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. There's a real excitement in the air and even if you can't make it to the parade, this is a fun event, especially for kids. The ballons are on display between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue on 77th and 81st Streets. Inflating begins at 3pm and the viewing ends at 10pm sharp. We couldn't tell who was having more fun, the kids or the parents!

Now it's time for the parade!

Saks' Scary Christmas?
November 18, 2005, 10:42.31 pm ET
Details

It's that time of year again. Major retailers are putting up their holiday window displays. Is it just me or did Saks confuse Halloween with Christmas? I find their snowman to be downright scary!

What do you think? Email us at thecitiblog@cititour.com

Strike up the Band!
November 18, 2005, 10:47.51 am ET
Details

The orchestra is back. Radio City reaching a tentative contract deal with musicians to bring back live music to the "Christmas Spectacular."

Is New York Ready for a $9 Burger?
November 17, 2005, 12:35.22 am ET
Details

If you haven't noticed there's a new crop of burger joints crowding the city and drawing crowds. They're offering natural cuts of beef and some lofty prices to match. We tried three of these new-fangled burger joints, beginning with the New York Burger Company. The spot at 303 Park Avenue South (between 23rd and 24th Street) kind of resembled a fast-food joint. There was no wait for a burger here, meaning the patty is probably sitting and waiting on the grill. The signiture New York Burger is a 6 ounce patty of Coleman's natural beef served in an oversized brioche bun that kept the burger together.

A medium burger arrived medium-well. But the meat was flavorful and the freshly cut Idaho deep-fried in soybean oil (no trans-fats) were excellent. The homemade dipping sauces are also first-rate and come in flavors like BBQ, Chili Pepper and Chipotle Honey. The grand total for a burger, fries and soft drink... kah-ching $8.75.

Next, it was off to Better Burger which recently opened at 587 Ninth Avenue in Times Square. This place feels more like a Starbucks. You kinda want to pull out your laptop as you're waiting for your burger and wait you will.

All burgers are made to order and we were sitting a good 10-to-15 minutes before our burger arrived. The good news is they bring it to your table. We weren't asked how we'd like our burgers and mine looked like it barely touched the grill, which is good if you're ordering steak tartare. Also, the bun was small and the lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and pickle confetti immediately spilled onto the plate. It was a mess. Better Burger's claim to fame is that its meat and poultry is free of antibiotics and hormones. And I must add, the meat is flavorful, I just wish mine was cooked more. The fries on the other hand are air-baked, a little mushy and tasteless along with the watery ketchup which needed salt or something to jazz it up. The grand total for a burger, fries and soft drink... kah-ching $8.25 ($10.25 with a fruit smoothie.)


My last and final stop was at Goodburger at 800 2nd Ave (corner of 43rd Street) in Turtle Bay. Even from the outside I knew I was in for something special. I could see huge flames coming from the grill and smell the char-broiled burgers as I entered. You immediately know you are not in Wendy's. There's banquette seating, tiled floors and a marble counter top. It had the look and feel of a friendly neighborhood pub and attracts a family crowd.

Here the wait was not as long and I really liked the fact that I could see them cooking my burger which looked to be about an inch thick. The meat was perfectly crusted around the edges with a pronounced flame-broiled flavor. It held together well even with tomato, lettuce, onion, ketchup mayo and mustard piled on top, even with a simple hamburger bun. And the combination works. It really is a "Goodburger." The only weak spot may be the fries which were your garden variety frozen type, but even they were passable. And aside from soft drinks, you can also order an egg cream, a root beer float or a glass of beer. Goodburger gets high marks on both presentation and taste. The grand total for a burger, fries and soft drink... kah-ching $8.00.

Now, I must say by the time we finished with tax, and in some cases tips (Yes, you may feel compelled to leave a tip.) we were looking at a tab in excess of nine dollars. And while I'm not really sure if New York is ready for a $9 burger - it has arrived and shows no sign of going away anytime soon.

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree 2005
November 11, 2005, 11:55.34 pm ET
Details

Let the oohs and ahhhs begin. It's here. The arrival of the Rockefeller Center Christmas. This year's tree is a real beauty, a 74-foot tall Norway Spruce from Wayne, New Jersey. It was donated by Arnold Raquet to honor his late wife, Gloria, who nursed the tree over the years. The tree will be lit on Novemer 30th.

To see the tree as it looked in its original setting visit http://www.waynetownship.com

Barbados in New York
November 11, 2005, 11:23.50 pm ET
Details

Not one to turn down free food and drinks, I found msyelf at the launch party for the "Cool Jazz in Barbados" festival. This year's festival will be held from January 9th to 15th, 2006. And they do have quite a line-up. Headliners include Roy Hargrove & Roberta Gambarini, Jill Scott, Lionel Richie and Arturo Tappin, who entertained guests at the launch party. BET Jazz is sponsoring the event.


Arturo Tappin Paxton Baker, BET Event Productions

For more information on the festival go to www.visitbarbados.org or www.betjazz.com .

My Visit to Home Depot
November 9, 2005, 10:53.42 pm ET
Details

I finally got around to visiting the Home Depot on 23rd Street in Chelsea. I was in need of a lock and it was too late to find a locksmith. Then, I spotted the orange sign and remembered that a Home Depot actually does exist in Manhattan.

It's unlike any Home Depot I've ever been in. First of all there's a concierge who actually helps customers. For once, you don't have to go aisle to aisle to track someone down. And the person, in this case a young woman, was knowledgeable and polite. The second thing I noticed was that everything is organized, and you're not in fear of your life that you're going to be knocked out by a 2x4. And the checkout line is quick and the staff courteous. At this point, I was simply beyond myself.

Message to Home Depot: Please clone this store! Your customers will thank you.

My 2 Cents on the Michelin Guide
November 9, 2005, 10:40.11 pm ET
Details

I don't understand all the outrage over how New York restaurants are treated in the new Michelin guide. I for one am glad their not tossing around "3 Stars" like gumdrops. Restaurants will have to try harder. And that's good for all New Yorkers.

Got a comment? Email us at thecitiblog@cititour.com

NYC Martathon 2005
November 6, 2005, 1:34.48 pm ET
Details

This year's winners of the ING NYC marathon were Kenya's Paul Tergat, who beat out Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa, in a photo finish, and Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia who took the women's title. But we think everyone who takes part in this grueling 26 mile, five borough race should be honored. So here are some photos of runners you may have missed.

All photos are property of Cititour.com

Top of the Rock is Tops!
November 3, 2005, 10:58.28 pm ET
Details

After 20 years, the observation deck atop Rockefeller Center has reopened to the public. And I must say it's been done with both style and class. The $14 ticket is well worth price after this $75 million dollar facelift. The experience is well produced from the moment you enter.. to the elevator ride.. to the panoramic views.

I don't want to give it all away, but one thing I liked was the portion of the exhibit that makes you feel like you're walking across an I-beam high above Manhattan. And even though you know you're not going to fall, you can't help but feel a little nervous walking over it.

But what's really impressive are the views. The observation deck sits 850 feet above Rockefeller Center or more than 70 stories above the streets of Manhattan.

There's a wonderful head-on shot of the Empire State Building and the East River, but the Chrysler building is somewhat obstructed.

Top of the Rock really makes you feel like you're on top of the world!

The Dispute that Stole Christmas
November 3, 2005, 10:22.49 pm ET
Details

I remember as a kid, part of the excitement of seeing the Rockettes' Christmas Spectacular wasn't just the leggy dancers, but also the live orchestra. For children, it's often their first experience with orchestra music. So I was upset to learn that Cablevision, which is run by the Dolan family and operates Radio City Music Hall, has locked out its musicians. I'm sure both sides have their reasons, afterall there are two sides to every story, and I'm sure the giant rat perched atop Radio City the other day didn't help the musicans' case. But still it's the tradition that New York City is losing that worries me. Maybe the Rockettes can survive with canned music. But can we?

Got a comment, email us at thecitiblog@cititour.com

Why You Should Never Fall Asleep on the Subway
November 3, 2005, 9:50.18 pm ET
Details

I was traveling on the R Train recently when across from my seat something caught my attention. There was a woman nodding off. You know... the bobbing to one side, barely touching the person next to her and then in a semi-awakened state straightening back up... only to begin bobbing once more. I've done it. I remember once when I was 13 and working in my dad's factory in Red Hook, I dozed and found myself on a woman's shoulder. She could've been my mom and treated my like my son. I remember waking up, looking at her, and then going back to sleep. But this poor woman across from me was not so lucky. Her head finally settled on the shoulder of the woman seated next to her. The woman, in her 20s, who was with a friend, started giggling and I found myself also amused by the spectacle. But what followed next was a bit alarming. The woman pulled out her cellphone/camera and snapped a picture of the dozing woman with her head still resting on her shoulder. The two were laughing hysterically as they reviewed the photo. The sleeping woman didn't have a clue that her photo had just been taken. The woman with the camera proclaimed, "Wow, what great wallpaper." I'm sure that poor dozing woman's picture is plastered on some computer, in some office building, somewhere in this city. I just pray I won't be next.

Making the Most of New York
November 2, 2005, 10:26.37 pm ET
Details

Proud dad, little girl and horse. What more can I say.



Central Park 2005. Photo by Thomas Rafael