Nothing spreads holiday spirit quite as literally as a decked-out bar. Check out our list of the top five bars for feeling instantly festive:
1. Rolf’s German restaurant
Behold the uber-spectacle of Rolf’s German restaurant and tavern to feel like you’ve been swallowed by a giant twinkling tenenbaum. This New York holiday institution deserves a several-stein salute.
2. Lillie’s
Class up your Christmas, Victorian-style, at Lillie’s, the ornate watering hole with locations in Times Square and Union Square. Enjoy a classic hot toddy and get lost in the splendor of Christmas past.
3. Pete’s Tavern
Get your old-school cheer on at Pete’s Tavern. The holiday display at this former speakeasy includes a megawatt ceiling of over 10,000 lights. If that’s not enough, their homemade eggnog will have you seeing stars.
(Bonus holiday karma: Pete’s is where O. Henry wrote “The Gift of the Magi.”)
4. Marble Lane at Dream Downtown
Walk through a winter wonderland on your way to Marble Lane at Dream Downtown. The hotel has transformed their lobby into an enchanted snowy forest, complete with a giant stuffed polar bear. A signature “Holly & Ivy” holiday cocktail from the bar will only enhance the scenery.
5. Kutscher’s TriBeCa
For those lighting the menorah, get your holiday fix at Kutscher’s TriBeCa. Schlep up to the bar for a cocktail and snacks like duck schmaltz fries, chopped liver and crispy latkes. (Hurry over to get in on their “8 nights of latkes” Hannukah menu, with a different latke preparation for each crazy night.)
Share this list with your fellow merry-makers for ultimate joy spreading. Hit one or crawl them all, and go light up the town!
Photo credit:
1. Rolf’s pic
2. Lillie’s pic
3. Pete’s pic: Tamara Beckwith, nypost.com
4. Dream pic: HotelChatter.com
5. Kutscher’s pic: Danny Kim, nymag.com
So you’ve already broken your mother’s heart and decided that it’s not worth the $500 flight to eat turkey with Aunt Geraldine. Now what?
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Don’t worry. We’re not channeling our inner Snooki anytime soon. But it looks like some other NYC tech start-ups might be. Bravo’s latest show, Start-Ups: Silicon Valley, wasn’t performing so well in Silicon Valley. So the TV giants have decided to look east to NYC for added drama and a more colorful cast.
Which brings us to this question: Who would you nominate from our team to make the casting cut?
Tell us on Facebook.
Photo credit: Gizmodo
Remember back in August when we wondered about who controlled the lights on the top of the Empire State Building?
At least for tonight we know that it’s CNN.
The media powerhouse will be broadcasting election results in real-time using the beams of LED lights at the top of the Empire State Building. Red signifies Romney, blue for Obama.
As the electoral college votes roll in, the bars on the top will move accordingly, tallying the competition up to 270.
You can follow the election night conversation and the lights on Twitter at #CNNElection and @EmpireStateBldg.
Photo courtesy of CNN.
As one of the most expensive zip codes in the country, Tribeca is known more for its trendy bars and restaurants than as a hotbed for conflict and rioting.
But in 1838, escaped slave Frederick Douglass stepped off of a steam boat at Chambers Street, a street known as one of the epicenters of The Underground Railroad.
Even though the neighborhood has gone through a dramatic evolution, spots still exist that offer a view into Tribeca’s very different past.
For example, 36 Lispenard at Church Street was the headquarters for The New York Vigilance Committee and the boarding house of David Ruggles, an activist who wrote and sold anti-slavery pamphlets.
New York is full of interesting historical tidbits and people who’ve fought against the status quo head-on. Discover their stories on SideTour.
There’ve been a slew of eerie photos and videos coming out of New York the last few days but this photo series taken by Randy Scott Slavin is one of the best we’ve seen. Captured with long-exposure times, the resulting shots of downtown Manhattan are both beautiful and powerful.
You can check out more photos on his Facebook album.
Since it’s less fun to be stuck inside your apartment rather than out having incredible experiences, we’re making it a little easier to handle. Through Wednesday, you can get $10 of SideTour credit added to your account.
Click here to get credit and then go find something incredible to do post-hurricane.
1. Batman
Pros: Gotham’s hero. Maximum crime-fighting potential. Pop culturally relevant.
Cons: We say this one is a win-win.
2. Over-excited Tourist
Pros: It’s the one time you can wear your “I heart New York” shirt outside without getting any dirty looks from your neighbors.
Cons: You’ll have to actually spend money on the marked up tourist stuff sold by the street hawkers. Don’t forget the Empire State Building pencil sharpener!
3. Statue of Liberty
Pros: Conveys a strong sense of patriotism. You can hide beer in your torch when walking past cops.
Cons: Your arm might get tired.
4. The cast of Sex in the City/Friends/Seinfeld/insert other TV show
Pros: None.
Cons: In theory, this sounds great. In practice, keeping a group of anywhere between 4 and 8 people together is a logistical nightmare that will leave Carrie pouting in the corner while Kramer runs off with the sexy bumblebee.
5. Hipster
Pros: You have an excuse to get a jump start on your moustache pre-Movember. You can finally put that flannel in your closet back into your style rotation.
Cons: You won’t be able to tell anyone what you are. A hipster never identifies as a hipster.
6. Secret Service Agent
Pros: You’ll be the mysterious one in all black. Bonus points for staying in character and pretending to be an actual agent to freak people out.
Cons: A full suit can be a hinderance on the dance floor.
7. Obama
Pros: Chicago icon. Timely.
Cons: Be prepared to find yourself in a fistfight with those dudes un-ironically wearing Romney masks.
