50 First Dates in New York

Central Park, The Pond and Wollman Rink is great in the winter

2008-12-28T08:38:00.000-08:00

New York isn't New York without Central Park: its greatest natural treasure. It's the fastest escape from New York without leaving the city. For starters, if you don't know what to do because it's so vast then I suggest just getting lost through the myriad of paths that cut across the park. The best starting point is at 59th St and 5th Ave (SE corner of the park) because you quickly access well known landmarks like the pond, Gapstow Bridge, and Wollman Skating Rink. I would recommend starting your walk right before dusk because the city begins to light up and the view of the city from the bridge or the rink is amazing.

Walk directly to the pond first and you'll quickly realize that you've escaped the hustle and bustle of New York. Walk to the Gapstow bridge and from there you can marvel at the juxtaposition of nature and cement buildings which create a unique harmony that can only occur in New York.
Not to far from the bridge is the Wollman Skating Rink (east side b/w 62nd and 63rd St). The only fair warning here is that it can get crowded. Fortunately, the rink is huge and somewhat circular - it's larger than a normal hockey rink and much larger than the skating rink at Rockefeller. It'll be quickly familiar to you because romantic movie scenes have been filmed here: Love Story, Serendipity, etc.

After a 2 month hiatus

2006-05-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

OK OK OK! Everyone has harrassed me about my looong hiatus from the blogosphere. Well, 2 months was a long hiatus but it's been crazy busy. So to add more submissions I'll start with my freshest memories and walk backwards.

Last weekend I felt like I was back in my twenties. The difference is that I'm certainly feeling my age now. Friday evening I dropped by one of my favorite lounges, The Park on Tenth Ave. It's so big for a NYC lounge/restaurant and the biodome setting is pretty cool too. I went over there with a female co-worker of mine who happens to live a block away -- we shall refer to her as "Gummy Bear". Though G-bear and I started hanging our very recently, she knows I'm emotionally incapable of maintaining a relationship as she now knows of my recent recovery from a devestating relationship. But let's think happy thoughts and not talk about relationships -- onto The Park.

We met up with my buddy Andrew of Hong Kong fame. I recommend going up to the 2nd floor for drinks and a little bit of pseudo-dancing. Once there I began my drinking ritual, opting for wine and then proceeding to my latest fav drink, Level Tonics. Being the bad influence, I encouraged Gummy Bear to drink as I returned from the bar with wine. Much respect to Gummy Bear because she is one determined chick. She recently ran a half marathon and hadn't drank in ages which is something I highly respect because I am also incapable of saying no to a drink (and gambling). So I apologize to Gummy for making her drink. Two sips later and she would need help walking a straight line.

The next day I proceeded to Sensei for brunch with Gummy and Jason, who is our common friend. Afterwards I drove off to the NY Country Club to shag some little white balls, ending with a horrific score of 94 -- tieing for best score with my friend Dave whom I've known since 5 years of age. If there's anyone that has done more than most, it's definitely Dave and you can see it all in his face. He's been there and some.

After golf I showered up and went dancing with one my closest friends, airSuz and her 3 lovely female friends. Fortunatley for me the ratio was great, but unfortunately I'm scarred and emotionally incapable. Nonetheless, we had a fun night dancing somewhere around bowery to hip hop. I'm sure I was the envy of many men dancing with 4 lovely ladies. Thanks Suz for being a great friend!

Work and moving to the west side

2006-03-30T17:58:00.000-08:00

Early on I was posting daily, now with a hectic work schedule and my move tomorrow to Chelsea I can't wait for this weekend so I can refocus on 50 first dates. I must admit though that I've eaten well the past couple of weeks, including a trip to the famed Per Se, but that's for a later post.

Today was near 70 degrees and it was gorgeous out. I was riding down the west side highway and saw numerous folks roller blading or strolling down the bike path. Towards Chelsea, there were a few piers or man made parks with people lounging around. Today would've been a great day to just sit with my lady and read or relax on the grass. Wait! I have no lady and I have no time because I'm still packing to move to Chelsea. Arrghhh! Till next time.

The view from above the orient

2006-03-20T17:46:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday evening I was with my coworkers dining at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and before we proceeded to dinner, we had cocktails at the lounge adjacent to the reception on the 35th floor of the hotel. What I really enjoyed about the lounging area was the great view overlooking Columbus Circle and of Central Park south. The wall of windows stretched from the floor to the high ceilings and as I looked out over Central Park, I was reminded of how views are scarce in this city. Most of us probably live in a condo, coop or apt that overlooks a street or another building wall. I once had the luxury of overlooking Madison Park from the 21st floor, with a not to distant view of the everchanging colors of the Empire State Building. Anyway, if you're willing to spend $15 on the house specialty drinks or sip Pinot Noir, the view is well worth it. You can either drink in the lounging area or go into MObar. Just ignore the people, enjoy the view and enjoy the company. Make sure you get front row seats to Central Park South.

Been a while

2006-03-18T08:05:00.000-08:00

For the past few weeks I've been running around for work and for play, and finally I'm recovering from my sleep deprivation having slept in 2 Saturday mornings in a row to the comforts of my own bed. Well, I'm back to blogging again and I hope to be back in full force. So what's been the cause of the sleep dep?

Multiple trips to the west coast since the New Year's hasn't helped, but the past 2 weeks have included trips to Las Vegas, LA, Chicago, Philly and Columbus Circle. So what have I learned in these travels?

24 is the best DVD to watch when flying long distances - Jack Bauer is the coolest dude
I appreciate space over hip. This week I was at the Hudson Hotel and Mandarin Oriental in the TW center, and though the Hudson has some cool bars and lounges, it's definitely NOT worth staying there. When I walked into the room, I was trying to find a door to the other room b/c I couldn't believe 100 square feet of space is legally allowable for a hotel room. I think hostels are bigger in Europe. So go to the Hudson to lounge, and check out the billiards/library room in the back and prepare to pay $6 for Fiji water. Now the Mandarin, that's a whole different story with incredible service. Yeah you'll pay double for a room, but you get quadruple the room size and premium service. Did I mention the world class spa?
The Wynn was overhyped, but still a strong buy in my book. Great looking crowd AND cocktail waitresses, but the interior design wasn't so good looking. I didn't get the amoeba and flower carpet combination, and the color palette wasn't so subtle. The bathroom was very nice and the rooms were large, but they do need to upgrade the Gateway (really a computer company) flat screen TVs. However, I do appreciate the details of Mr. Wynn, from the soap to the very very comfortable pillow, bed and blanket. Just need to hire a new interior decorator.
The W in Westwood was a bit pretentious. When I first arrived, the main entrance to the hotel was roped off with a line of folks -- reminding me of the NY club scene. Luckily, we were staying at the hotel and of course they waved us through the side rope. Now I kinda get it, but do you really need to rope off the entire hotel entrance?
So when we were not hanging out at the hotel, we were at a Lakers game or playing golf. It occurred to me that the main difference between doing these things in your thirties vs. the twenties is that you have more money to bankroll the gambling and you don't have to cruise Expedia for the best deal at the Excalibur.

OK, thats whats happend the last couple of weeks, now let's get back to 50 first dates.

Beautiful Day - don't let it get away

2006-03-11T18:09:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful day today in NYC with 60 degree weather. Everyone was out and about and it made me excited about spring and outdoor dates. Central Park was buzzing with roller bladers, dogs, bicyclists and people lounging on the grass. Since we got a little taste of spring today, I thought of prematurely rolling out some outdoor date ideas since Spring actually starts in about a week.

Picnic on the west side highway
Drinks at an outdoor lounge i.e., Maritime Hotel
Riding bikes or roller blading around the loop in Central Park
Drinks at the boat house in Central Park

Sleep deprived

2006-03-02T21:03:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the week long hiatus from blogging. All the trips to the west is finally catching up to me and I've been unable to function in the evenings. Unfortunately, one more west coast trip to LA for the oscars.... NOT. Actually to go play golf and watch the Lake show versus the Pistons and then down to Philly for the first half of the week. New and fresh date ideas coming soon.

Break my balls

2006-02-23T19:10:00.000-08:00

The best place I lived in NYC was by the Flatiron building, which also bordered Gramercy Park. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to live in Gramercy where Mike Piazza and Julia Roberts once lived and own a coveted key to the park. Now that key will retain it's prestige unlike the key to Bungalow 8. Like most bars it had it's peak when it was showcased by Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City.

So what did I mean by breaking my balls? Not to far away from the Flatiron building was one of my favorite pool joints -- Slate. Actually, it's not a joint but a "billiard venue" in a pretty spacious area. This too was featured on Sex and the City with the ladies congregating by a pool table. It's a good looking scene with a lot of TVs, couches and nice billiard tables. And you don't have to play pool to enjoy yourself, but it's really more of a group date place. Of course you can reserve your own table and play billiards with your date.

Cheap Theatre and Opera

2006-02-21T18:59:00.000-08:00

I picked up the NY Post while waiting for my plane to Boston on Saturday and the Pulse section featured how to go "culture on the cheap."

TKTS secret - go directly to window #6 to purchase play tix. It's the only booth that sells play tix. The South Street Seaport booth allows you to buy Sat matinee tix on Friday and Sunday matinee tix on Sat.
Opera - "Meet me at the Met" is a singles discount for a $95 tix, which includes cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and a private champagne toast on the Grand Tier. The NYC Opera has set aside $16 orchestra tix.

Time Out for Hunger

2006-02-21T18:41:00.000-08:00

Coming this Sunday is the third annual Time Out for Hunger. On Febraury 26th, by dining out at select restaurants across most boroughs, 10% of you bill will be donated to the Food Bank for New York City. The restaurants on the list are definitely some of my recent favs, such as Babbo, BLT Prime, Fleur de Sel, Turks & Frogs, The Elephant and Public. Unfortunately, I'm heading back to Las Vegas again this weekend so I'll miss out, but I hope you go out and dine. Just wanted to make a special note of Public which was introduced to me by my friend Maurice, which has one of the best brunches in NYC. Public's Banana stuffed French toast is simply outstanding, and you can finish it off with the chocolate plate. Mmmmmmm!

Tanith Belbin

2006-02-20T20:27:00.000-08:00

I was watching the Olympic's ice dancing finals and I had never heard of Tanith Belbin until tonight. All I can say is USA, USA, USA! Watching Ben Agosto and Tanith skate with incredible harmony to flemenco music was actually pretty cool. Now if only relationships could be so harmonious.

I shared this with a female friend recently that men and women are simply hard wired differently and that we are inherently unable to manage a relationship naturally. Relationships take effort and for the man, it takes more effort because our natural inclination is to (as I stereotype) chill, watch ESPN and think dinner at a restaurant is all good. Hmm, where's the romance in ESPN? I think that men may have to do things that are unbecoming of them, but these are things that are healthy in the long run. What's natural to men are usually selfish or male communal habits (with a group of buddies). Most men enjoy sports and wish their women would enjoy it equally, but unfortunately most women will not be wearing your favorite jersey with nothing underneath and rooting for your Eagles.

Unbecoming is a reference to being selfless and really making an effort for the women. For example, I admit never enjoying shopping with any women but in my own personal experiences, a little bit of engagement in the olympian sport known as shopping is really appreciated by women. Anyway, my point is that women really appreciate it when men can sacrifice their 3rd hour of ESPN highlights and go out and do the things that she enjoys.

Now back to Tanith. USA, USA, USA, USA!

Karaoke live

2006-02-19T18:14:00.000-08:00

On Friday night, I joined up with a few friends in the karaoke capital of NYC -- Koreatown on 32nd St. My friends say I'm a mic whore... I prefer "mic ho". My usual repertoire includes Sting, U2 and Green Day, which are not necessarily romantic songs. However, these are great starter songs because it gets the crowd juiced up with some fast beats. Now if the lady of the night is in the room, I'll throw in a few songs from Barry White and make eye contact. I must admit, I am not a great singer but I can dance and that's what I do when I karaoke.

Here are a few songs to practice before going out to Karaoke:

How deep is your love -- Bee Gees
Eternal Flame -- The Bangles
Here and Now -- Luther Vandross
All out of love -- Air Supply

NYC karaoke hot spots:

Sing Sing on St. Marks Place or Ave. A
Japas on St. Marke's Place or in midtown
Muse Karaoke
Village Karaoke
Anywhere on 32nd St
Biny Karaoke
Tatany 38

Bahh-ston

2006-02-18T22:13:00.000-08:00

To some hardcore New Yorkers, I'm in enemy territory known as Boston or as they say, bahh-ston. Upon my arrival into Red Sox nation, I checked out Newbury Street and it's got some great stores. After our excursion down Newbury, we arrived at Sonsie for brunch. If you're ever in Boston for the weekend, check out Sonsie because it's got a great crowd, a fairly attentive wait staff and pretty good food. Their menu had a nice selection of sandwiches, a couple of pasta dishes and breakfast. I opted for a simple egg brunch. I haven't been to many places in Boston, but based on today's brunch and the numerous "best of" awards hanging by the door, it seems like a pretty good bet if you're on Newbury.

I'll be back home in NYC tomorrow.

How long women can go without having sex

2006-02-16T20:29:00.000-08:00

Journalist Neil Chethik investigated the mind of a married man. Before I read the article, I had a the simple assumption that NY men are different from the red states. After reading it, men are cut from the same fabric whether you're red, blue, black or white. So what do men want? They want the women to initiate romance. Hmmm, very interesting. Similar to a man's desire for a woman across the room to come over and hit on him like Scarlett Johansson seducing Topher Grace In Good Company. Sure I wish I was Topher Grace in Scarlett's dorm room at NYU, but it ain't happening. Well it begs the question, when will men become real men? Ask yourself, are you a wuss?

Mr. Chethik goes into how married men are surprised by how long women can go without having sex. And this occurs b/c men are waiting for their spouse to put on the lingerie and start the sparks. Hmmm, very interesting. Just remember the theme of this blog, it all starts with the man and if you live in NYC, there are many starting points. If you haven't done anything in a while, maybe your starting point is a new restaurant that she's never been to or one that she's heard of that everyone raves about or a place she's read about in Page Six.

Doo-bee-do Fondue

2006-02-16T17:45:00.000-08:00

I used to work near the New York Life building on Madison and I would get off at the 33rd street/6 train station. Everyday I would pass Artisanal for 2 years and never go in until finally, one random night my date and I decided to go in because it was early. Fortunately, we were able to get seats at this very well lit restaurant. There was so much motion that it reminded me a little bit of Balthazar on Spring St. in Soho. This was the very first fondue place I ever ate at in NYC. Artisanal is a cheese lovers dream with a great selection of cheeses, but there's also chocolate fondue for the sweet tooth folks.

Now Artisanal was slightly stuffy for me so if you need something a bit more relaxed, there are other places I'm looking forward to trying out like Fondue, Dip, Punch & Judy and Mont Blanc. Like tapas, it's a fun and relaxing date where you can try a different assortment of bite size food and stir up conversation. Just don't make the date too messy.

Does she like sex, drugs and rocky road?

2006-02-15T21:12:00.000-08:00

After devouring Lombardi's pizza last night, we strolled a few steps to Rice to Riches. It's a pretty neat looking place that's bright with orange hues, plasma screens and hard plastic seats. I always liked specialty eateries like the belgian fries place in the east village called Pommes Frites. It has the opposite decor with dark aged wood that makes you feel like you walked into the beaver's house in Narnia.

Back to Rice to Riches, which has a unique selection of rice pudding that goes beyond the old vanilla, which they do have. How can you resist flavors like cinnamon sling or caramel yogurt crackdown. I appreciate both the edgy descriptions and the flavors. If you're in the area with your date, walk in and see if she's into sex drugs and rocky road, or perhaps she likes old fashioned romance.

Alta Vista

2006-02-15T20:51:00.000-08:00

Tonight I was at Lombardi's on Spring St. near Soho; they claim to be the first pizzeria in America. Anyway, I was with my entourage (AKA posse in hip hop world) eating up some delicious pizza. One of the ladies at our table shared with us her latest fav restaurants called Alta, located on 10th St. Normally she enjoys the typical romantic restaurant which requires dim lighting, however, Alta is well lit and she described the restaurant having a "romantic glow." I'll take her word for it. She described the beautiful drapes and the warm feel of the restaurant, but more importantly to me, it's a tapas place. I love tapas restaurants because it's a great way to ease into a date. I was always curious as to why woman ordered the Nicoise salad or other types of rabbit food. I guess it's probably chosen because it's the easiest thing to eat if your nerves are still up. Well, tapas are great for first dates because they're not overwhelming portions, and you can mix it up and make it a fun dinner. See how she likes different dishes, not that it would be easy to infer anything based on her selections. Perhaps? Maybe she likes the spicy dishes, or hopefully she likes my personal favorite -- dates wrapped in bacon. I'll take my friend's word on Alta and take a date there.

Chocolate covered marriage

2006-02-15T20:25:00.000-08:00

A long time friend of mine who resides in Pasadena CA sent me an interesting email about a couple she knows very well, who've been married for 20 years. How does one keep it going for 2 decades? That's pretty amazing. I hear comics all the time, whether it's Jerry Seinfeld or a random comic at the Gotham Comedy Club, about how marriage becomes so mundane and how married folks envy the single life. I dunno, I've been on both side of the fence. Perhaps I'm a romantic and still believe in the institution of marriage. Anyway, on with the brief post-valentine's day story.

My Pasadena friend said she got an email from her girlfriend today. She shared what her husband did for her on Valentine's Day. He made chocolate covered strawberries and made a card with candy. The card said "I don't need a _____to give you ____and _____." He put a reisen (candy) for reason and hershey's hugs and kisses. My friend stated, "she didn't need flowers or chocolates, it was his creative efforts that made her Valentine's special to her." Thanks Stampin Susan for the email.

Complications of Male Sexuality

2006-02-14T19:50:00.000-08:00

Interesting interview with Ian Kerner, a NY based sex therapist. His reason for why couples have bad sex -- "I have a phrase: People change, relationships change, why should sex stay the same? They’re growing as individuals, they’re growing as a couple; but in some ways their sex scripts, the ways in which they have sex, remain static." My take on this is not so much about the sex, but about the earlier part of the statement about how couples just change. Relationships will invariably evolve and I think our approach should evolve as well. If you serve up the same date every friday or saturday night, doesn't the relationship get a bit stale b/c of its predicability alone.

I've always said to make an effort in your relationship. One of the gents I was hanging with this past weekend was telling me of his struggles with his previous relationship. His gf wanted him to plan the weekends, but he always believed just hanging out and being with each other -- even if it was in front of the TV -- was just as good. I told him that woman want that of course, but they also want a man who thinks about the relationship and will subsequently do something special from time to time. Now does that mean special everytime and every weekend -- that's too much of an expectation. Anyway, if your relationship is in a rut, perhaps it's time to evolve it. If you're making an effort and it's not being appreciated, perhaps it's time to evaluate and move on.

Is she someone you think about? Do you want to give her the best? I think that's what we want in a relationship -- someone who we really desire and want to give our best too.

What I did last year for Valentine's Day

2006-02-14T18:50:00.000-08:00

My Valentine's day gift last year to my ex was an evening at the Westminster Dog Show. We owned a great Shih Tzu named George who was the perfect dog. I was never a dog person until we brought George home from the kennel and he definitely made our evenings fun.

I should've mentioned the Westminster Dog Show earlier because it's happening this week but my Las Vegas trip derailed me from my daily life and blog. I should be back on track this week with new 50 first date submissions.

Trying to Leave Las Vegas - please save me

2006-02-13T07:35:00.000-08:00

After contributing to the Las Vegas economy, I am now in overtime in Vegas as all flights were cancelled heading back to NYC yesterday. This is my 3rd vegas trip in 3 months and this city is way too exhausting -- I am on fumes right now since I can't get back to NYC until Tues night. Here are a few happenings or observations about Vegas as I deviate from dating entries:

Vegas is good for 36 hours and no more
Taxi drivers must be pimps b/c almost everyone offered a girl to my hotel rooom in 20 minutes or less
Cabbies expect way more tip than NYC taxi drivers and they're also scam artists -- you don't need to take a highway to get to another casino.
Fremont St and downtown Vegas isn't that great so save yourself a $20 cab fare and stay on the strip
My best advice to anyone in Vegas, if you need to kill time or you're waiting for someone, don't go to the tables.
Good karma - tip after you've won
Bad karma - being interrupted during a hot streak by a big boobed cocktail waitress
Get a rent-a-car because all those cab fares add up very quickly
There are many ways to lose $1K in 30 minutes
Don't believe the little voice in your head that says, "I can make it all back"
Best law in NYC is no smoking -- I now have lung cancer due to second hand smoke here in the casinos. You come to appreciate fresh air when you've suffocated from smoking for a whole weekend.

For my buddy, he's a smart guy but also a funndy dude:

We were thirsty so he said, don't buy it, we'll just sit at a table and wait for the cocktail waitress -- the coke and bloody mary cost $200 each 45 mins later.
After our flights were cancelled, he called his host and he got us 2 nights free as a result of all his gambling this weekend. He was very excited that he got us free rooms for the next 2 nights, so I didn't want to remind him that it cost him $2K/night based on this weekend's gambling losses.
We wanted to get access to a specific club, so we sat down at blackjack and a host put our names down on the VIP list. Admission to that place cost $150/pp after losing 6 straight hands in blackjack. And I still don't know what the VIP list does other then bypass general admission and hang out in a roped off section where it's a bunch of dudes.

And finally, this is not a place to wisk your girlfriend to for a last minute trip or a planned trip. Save the money for Paris or the Caribbean.

Casino/Hotel rankings of places I've stayed the past few years:

Bellagio
Ritz Carlton (at the Lake)
Venetian
Caesars
Mirage
MGM Grand
Rio
Monte Carlo
Harrahs

I can't believe I'm coming back again next weekend. At least it's the Wynn. I will not gamble, I will not gamble, I will not gamble..... yeah right!

Valentine's Day litmus test

2006-02-10T06:03:00.000-08:00

Both the NY Post and WSJ had articles describing this week as the busiest for private eyes because of dual priorities of many men: the wife/gf versus the mistress/2nd gf. Apparently Feb 13 is the day reserved for the mistress, so all those couples out for dinner on the 13th are not necessarily overflow reservations. An interesting litmus test is what you do on the 13th vs. 14th. According to the Post, your evening on the 13th may entail expensive wine, La Perla lingerie and flirtatious banter while on the 14th with your wife, the evening includes a simple $15 Zinfandel, classic romantic restaurant with comfortable silence for conversation.

Well I'm not advocating any of this but what I did get out of this is that the reason I wrote 50 First Dates is to remind folks to keep the flame burning bright. If the flame burned out a while ago then perhaps this is the evening to reignite things and revisit the torrid romance you once had. But the real key is to renewing your committment to your woman and beginning 50 first dates.

Madonna is sexy and good for karaoke

2006-02-09T20:09:00.000-08:00

The performances on the Grammy's last night was more entertaining than previous years and it started off with a bang with Madonna struting her stuff. Let me first say, I'm not a fan of Madonna's aspirations to be English but I am a fan of her music and dancing. The music is great for karaoke and reliving some 80's at Sing Sing Karaoke down on St. Mark's Place. Classics like La Isla Bonita, Live to tell and Holiday are usually the standard fare for the ladies at Karaoke.

So what really draws me to Madonna when she's performing? No it's not the outfits or the skimpy ones but it's because she is an incredible mover and dancer. Sounds simple but the way a woman moves can stop me still and have my eyes gaze at her as she graces across the room. Sexy doesn't have to be the clothes. She can make herself look sexy just by the way she moves through the air. I'm unable to articulate the movements, but hopefully you'll figure it out.

Go West Young Man

2006-02-09T18:03:00.000-08:00

Going to Vegas tomorrow night for the 3rd time in 3 months and for a 4th time in 2 weeks. I've spent more time on the left coast than in NYC since New Years (2x LA, 2x SF) but what the heck, I'm single again and I'm having too much fun. Anyway, I've been so busy with work and play -- hitting it hard both ways -- that I'm suffering from sleep deprivation but March will be here soon and I can catch up then. Till then, coffee and Red Bull are my elixirs of choice.

Valentine's Day Idea #7 - Fly away

2006-02-08T19:07:00.000-08:00

I thought I was finished with Valentine's day ideas for the blog until I picked up the clicker and saw an American Airlines commercial. There's a porky middle aged man who opens up the medicine cabinet filled with his wife's private stuff. Not able to figure out what is what, he shoves the entire medicine cabinet into a bag and proceeds to pack his wife's belongings. You're probably guessed it by now or you've probably seen it, but how surprised do you think your wife or gf would be if you drove up to the airport? Now ask yourself, have you've ever done anything that dramatic or spontaneous? From NY, Bermuda is only a couple hours away, the Bahamas is only 3 hours away. Now that would be cool.

Text me if you love me ..... NOT!

2006-02-08T18:25:00.000-08:00

I'd like to deviate from my normal date idea submissions and touch upon something interesting that emerged in my most recent travels -- hence why I haven't blogged since the weekend. I've been on the west coast 3x since the New Years and my most recent trip this week was quite insightful as I sat for dinner with 3 ladies in their twenties: one married, one in a serious relationship and one who's enjoying life as a single as she approaches the three O. Obviously we discussed dating in the new millenium, and it finally occured to me that dating has devolved to text messaging.

Everyone has a cellphone, an IM handle and email adddress, and we've become inreasingly reliant on these communication mechanisms that it's now used for virtual flirting and the ever devastating break up. Miss encroaching on three O stated her frustation with men text messaging her as a form of flirting, especially when "can't w8 2 cu 2nite " pops up on her cellphone. Has technology become our adult security blanket? Do we overanalyze the IMs, text messages and emails from that someone? Sure technology allows us to hedge on expressing our true feelings, but I think woman would really appreciate a simple call over "BCNU" (be seein' you). I think romance is about real communication -- talking and interacting.

Restaurant recommendation for Valentine's Day

2006-02-04T06:46:00.000-08:00

New York is filled with a ton of restaurants and of course you know the usual suspects like Per Se, Jean Georges, Daniel, Gramercy Tavern and Nobu. Yeah, been there and done that but do you really want to take her out to these restaurants for Valentine's Day? Sure there's the allure of the name and don't get me wrong, these are super fantastic restaurants and are normally difficult places to get reservations -- btw, you can walk in or call Nobu that day for lunch. I would suggest finding a more intimate setting for Valentine's Day. As you can tell from my previous posts, I like finding the gem restaurants because you can always default to the big names when you're at an impasse. You can always go to these biggies anytime (call Per Se a couple months in advance) but I say surprise her and keep it intimate and romantic. A couple years ago we went to a French restaurant in or below Soho and I can't recall the name, but I remember my ex loving the place because she always loved anything remotely French -- I also gave her a french gift for our french themed evening. It was a warm place with a rustic decor that took you away from the busyness of NYC. What I remember most was her happiness for the evening and how she appreciated the thought of a french evening.

On a different note, they say chivalry is lost and if you lost it a while back, perhaps this is the best day to start up new habits or the old ones that she really appreciated. Remember the beach party that Henry threw for Lucy in 50 First Dates? As Lucy and her friends were huddled, Maya Rudolph (of SNL fame) adores how Henry plans a first date every day and she then slaps her hubby for not even opening up the door for her anymore. Perhaps it's time for new habits that she'll appreciate.

Valentines Day Idea #6 - Home is where the heart is

2006-02-03T22:47:00.000-08:00

If Valentines occurs at home this year, it should start as soon as she walks through the door. Some of you don't want to be cheesey but it may be appreciated and work in your favor. I would even argue it's better than just going out to dinner and coming back home for dessert.

Start with roses and lots of them. Drop rose petals and create a path to either the bedroom or to the dinner table. Soon as she walks into the room, she knows it's all about her before she even drops her coat. There's nothing wrong with keeping it simple like cooking dinner and drinking a bit of wine which may be better than competing against the rush of Valentine's Day dates in the city. Make the preparations up until dinner a treat for her by massaging her feet or her whole body and conclude with a nice bath prepared with floating rose petals.

Valentines is on a Tuesday and most likely your woman is working that day. Instead of sending flowers on Valentine's day when the floral industry is having it's super bowl, why not be the first by sending it on Monday and letting everyone know that her man is ahead of the game.

Valentine's Day Idea #5 - Back to the beginning

2006-02-01T18:36:00.000-08:00

Perhaps keeping it simple is a great Valentine's date. I'm sure one of yours (and her) fondest memories is the first date of your relationship. Maybe you return to the very first date spot or restaurant and take a stroll afterwards through the same route to relive when it all started.

I remember my very first (and very nervous) date in NYC at the Tasting Room. It started off quietly but wine is always a good lubricant for conversation. After downing the first glass of Merlot (this is years before Sideways) I started to loosen up and it was at this point the nerves subsided and my date started to see an actual personality from me. What was so wonderful was the variety of dishes that we ordered and of course, the wine. After a couple hours at the Tasting Room we strolled up Second Ave and took a left around 8th street and enjoyed passing the always colorful natives of St. Marks Place. There is more of course but it's always wonderful to relive memories.

Thanks to About.com

2006-02-01T18:20:00.000-08:00

Just want to send a thank you to About.com for featuring this blog in the Valentine's Day Special at About.com.

Valentine's Day Idea #4 - Video Google Her

2006-02-01T17:59:00.000-08:00

Have you ever sent your significant other an Ecard on Valentines or another occassion? Yeah they're cute and the message is always sincere or funny, but how about taking it up a notch. Seems like everyone has a video camera or has video capabilities on their digital camera. Why not create a romantic video card and use the power of the Internet.

Take your video camera and record a simple 30 or 60 second spot with you voicing why you adore her. And to make it a video invite, tantalize her with a description of the evening to come without spilling all the details to really get her excited for Valentines.

After you've finished recording and uploaded it to your computer (easier then you think), simply upload it for free onto Google video. Make sure you insert her name into the text descriptions and title it with her name. After all that - should take less then 30 minutes to film and upload - send her an email and ask her to go to video.google.com and ask her to search for her name. Unless the rest of the world is reading this, you will have done one very original idea which her friends will applaud.

Valentine's Day Idea #3 - Spa and a spree

2006-01-31T18:56:00.000-08:00

I guess the most selfish gift to your lady would be lingerie for her on Valentine's Day, however, no matter what the occassion (except your bday) it will always be about her. Therefore, a gift about her will probably do much more for your relationship than Victoria's Secret. You can splurge a bit on Valentine's Day, so why not give her a spa day or afternoon at one of many great spas in the city: Peninsula Hotel, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, or Silk Day Spa. And with your remaining dollars, give her a shopping spree at one of her favorite places like Henri Bendel or at Barneys where she can buy a dress she loves for your Valentine's dinner.

New York City Spas: Best of Citysearch, New York Metro, Spa Magazine

Valentine's Day Idea #2 - Movie trek

2006-01-30T19:52:00.000-08:00

Countless movies have been filmed in NYC and included are numerous romantic comedies. Find out what her favorite NYC movie is and design a Valentine's Saturday (since Valentine's is actually during the week) based on the different scenes or restaurants. If you remember my first date entry, "You've got mail" was influential. For example, you could get coffee at Starbucks (where they kept missing each other), get H&H bagels for breakfast, drop by Gray's Papaya and eat at Verdi Square while watching the dogs scurry by, then head to Cafe Lalo for dessert and finish with a walk at the 79th Street Boat Basin on the Hudson river where Tom Hanks docked his boat.

Valentine's Day Idea #1 - Luxury Hotel

2006-01-30T19:17:00.000-08:00

This comes from one of my always fun coworker and it's something I had actually done a couple years back at Trump International on Columbus Circle. Perhaps she told me this so her man would read this. Living in NYC there are some fabulous hotels so secure an overnight stay at a lux hotel for Valentines and order a delicious dinner in. Jean Georges happens to be located in Trump which is one of the most incredible restaurants in NYC. Anyway, as I recall my visit, mother nature dumped about a foot of snow that evening and we had a spectacular view of a snow covered Central Park. Getting back to your date, after dinner the rest of the evening is up to you of course.

Coincidentally, the travel section of the NY Post released it's favorite hotels in NYC on Tuesday:

A little Milk & Honey - best bar in NYC perhaps

2006-01-30T15:23:00.000-08:00

A very well read coworker (I'll refer to her as Miss D) who is always in the know with the NYC scene suggested a great bar for a first date called Milk & Honey down in the LES (aka Lower East Side). Though it's a bar, you actually need reservations which is a bit odd, nonethelsss Miss D assures me it's a true gem down in the LES. It's a bit difficult to find because it's externally discrete, but once inside it's the beginning of a chromatic parade of drinks -- tall drinks and fat ones with fresh fruit puree. Miss D said it's a great first date place because the music isn't too loud and you can actually have a conversation without yelling "WHAT DO YOU DO?!"

A Washington Post review stated that it's the "bar with the best vibe in New York City" and more importantly for dates, "furniture that encouraged canoodling in another era."

What women want from Cargo Magazine

2006-01-29T14:52:00.000-08:00

In the most recent issue of Cargo magazine, the publisher released their "What women want" survey to give men a hint in preparation for Valentine's day. There's some great ideas based on feedback from the surveyed ladies but what stood out was an interesting quote which underscores the point of my previous post about romance -- "Guys worry too much that we don't like what they plan .... trust me, we appreciate the thought."

I think the worst thing to do is plan the week of Valentines because all the restaurants are taken up by then and most likely whatever you try to figure out will become transparent to your loved one. It's the end of January and if you haven't made the reservation or thought about the gift, you'd better get on it, especially if you want to order a nice gift online. Buying her a nice handbag may mask your last minute efforts, but I would encourage you to do something that really originates from the heart like a love letter, or scattering rose petals in the apartment or writing and singing a song like Adam Sandler sings on his little guitar in 50 First Dates. Like I said in the romance post, it really is about the effort.

Understand the Truth About Sex and your Wife

2006-01-29T14:30:00.000-08:00

Interesting interview with Dr. Scott Haltzman on Good Morning America this past week about how men can improve their marriage (I didn't see it on TV, just read it online). His basic premesis is treat marriage like a job because men are inherently action-oriented and can make their marriage succeed by using work skills. He's got some interesting points from his book "The Secrets of Happily Married Men: Eight Ways to Win Your Wife's Heart Forever".

Based on his interview, I do agree strongly with certain points such as our ability to truly listen and not just hear. This means to overdo the listening or desire to listen to her and not listen because you have too. If there were times I may have disappointed my wife, it was when I forgot a certain task and to her that was an indication that I had not listened to her. Even though it may not have been the case and I would blame it on my undiagnosed ADD or my overwhelming task load, it still reflected poorly on me and didn't help the relationship.

More important than listening, I believe the most important point is to make your spouse or gf truly #1. No matter how busy you may be (at work or at home) or what obligations you may have or how tired you may be from all of it, your spouse or gf has to be #1 in your life. I think all of Haltzman's "secrets" stem from this pillar. I always refer back to 50 First Dates -- just remember, Henry Roth made every date about her and never about him and I believe that is love.

What is romance? It is 50 First Dates

2006-01-28T20:16:00.000-08:00

As noted in the previous post, the topic of romance consumed most of our conversation at dinner. According to Webster's dictionary, romance is "(1) : a medieval tale based on legend, chivalric love and adventure, or the supernatural (2) : a prose narrative treating imaginary characters involved in events remote in time or place and usually heroic, adventurous, or mysterious (3) : a love story." Most would say romance is "a love story" and I would agree, but I have a different perspective and I don't define it in the classic sense as Webster suggests.

Is romance a setting, an act, a gift, a mood or disposition? Some may strongly argue it's about creating the setting or the mood and therefore romance is the byproduct. Well, remaining true to my 50 First Dates abstract, I think romance is simply about effort. I believe in the cliche that woman do appreciate the thought and effort. If you recall my overanalysis of the movie 50 First Dates, what was so compelling about the movie was Henry Roth's (Adam Sandler) persistence to capture Lucy Whitmore's (Drew Barrymore) heart by making an attempt every day though he understood his efforts may not yield any real long-term relationship. The vast majority of us will not have to deal with a girlfriend or spouse that has extreme memory loss like Lucy, and suffer from the consequences of this ailment. Therefore, we have a great opportunity every day to make romance happen -- it is really about making every effort for the one you love and adore. And quite frankly, I don't think it has to be big everytime like a necklace from Tiffany's or a surprise trip to Paris -- which are all good and are guaranteed to please so if you can do it often then please do. But I think it includes those things as well as many little things, which I believe will keep the romance burning and the relationship healthy. It is simply about effort.

Cheap pasta in the West Village at Sapore

2006-01-28T19:49:00.000-08:00

I went out with my friend AirSuz on a very warm evening in NYC. We headed to her old stomping grounds, the west village where she suggested heading to the Matador because of my taste for tapas. Unfortunately we didn't have reservations and they were booked solid. Luckily across the street was an italian restaurant called Sapore. It's a very tiny place but we got in after a 5 minute wait and was seated in the corner window which allowed us to watch people pass by. The menu was simple but it was also very cheap and we did notice the laminated TimeOut New York feature of Sapore as one of the selected "Cheap Eats" -- and that's what Sapore is, a value pick. Certainly not a romantic restaurant but a mindless cheap eats place to go. Well, we chatted on various topics and the one topic that consumed most of our conversation was this, "what is romance?" This requires a separate entry.

La Lanterna (Romantic) Caffe in the West Village

2006-01-28T13:01:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday night after watching a little bit of football and retrieving my car from the NYC impound (arrrgh), I met up with a friend in the West Village and I suggested we go to one of my favorite Sushi restaurants in NYC, Tomoe Sushi on Thompson St. Unfortunately, it was Sunday night and I had forgotten they're closed on Sunday nights. Next to Tomoe is Lupa, a Mario Batali restaurant that also happens to be a Matt Damon fav in the city (rumor has it), but usually there's a wait there w/o res.

Luckily my companion for the night was quick on her feet and suggested we walk over to La Lanterna Caffe. It turned out to be a great date place but unfortunately I was not on an official date with her that evening. La Lanterna is a pretty romantic place with fireplaces and candles everywhere. The decor was a bit aged but that gives it some character. A little dark but I guess that's the inherent setting desired for romance. This is a great find for a cold night in NYC, where it's pretty easy to cozy up with your date.

I ordered pizza and Shiraz -- not Merlot because I now have an aversion to it because I can still hear Paul Giamatti's character still yelling "I don't drink Merlot" in Sideways. Which reminds me, a great pizza and wine place on the east side of the village is the palindrome Otto, another Mario Batali creation but that's for a later entry. After she finished off her lasagna bolognese -- thankfully she wasn't a rabbit which is a reference to my ex who would out fail order a salad no matter what the restaurant speciality was -- I was persuaded to order coffee, though I don't drink coffee after 2PM because I'll be awake till 3AM. Coffee was excellent and her recommendation of La Lanterna Caffe was even better. Definitely a great date spot! Oh, I forgot to mention they have jazz on the side and you already know of my affinity for jazz. And yes, I was awake till 3AM even though I ordered decaf.

Ballet

2006-01-27T20:59:00.000-08:00

I mentioned in an earlier blog post of a friend who plays for the NYC Ballet. Well I happened to cross paths with her this evening and it was great seeing her. She's an incredibly talentend musician of course, but it was great chatting with her because she's my age (peer) and insightful.
In case you didn't see the previous post, I highly recommend seeing the NYC ballet very soon because the season will be over by end of February.

Restaurant Week in New York

2006-01-22T20:13:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the season, Restaurant Week in NYC. Unless you made reservations in advance, the best of the best are probably taken up. No worries because there's a ton of great restaurants still available for reservations.

Top 10 things to do this winter by Citysearch

2006-01-22T20:00:00.000-08:00

Also found in Citysearch, some interesting ideas for things to do in the winter. All can be good date ideas like the Chinese New Year Parade or skating in Wollman Rink like John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale in the movie Serendipity. I did happen to rub elbows with John Cusack while he was on set near NYU for Bullets over Broadway.

First Date Iteneraries

2006-01-22T19:55:00.000-08:00

While searching on Google I found a neat list of first date ideas from Citysearch. Check out Dating Itineraries: First Date.

New York is beautiful at night

2006-01-22T18:39:00.000-08:00

Planning for Valentine's Day

2006-01-22T18:18:00.000-08:00

All women appreciate men who plan and pay attention to details and most importantly, pay attention to her. Unfortunately for me I'll be single for Valentines for the first time in years so no planning on my end. However, if you haven't started then I would suggest you start now before all the good reservations are taken up. To get you started, here are a few sites to help you out:

Around the world cuisines all in New York City

2006-01-22T17:41:00.000-08:00

This is not my idea but from a friend who did something a bit different with dinner dates. He and his girlfriend are world travelers and by nature are into exploring new countries, cultures and cuisines. They reside here in NYC and they always remind me how much they love living here because of its international flavor. Well, my friend coordinates date night with his gal every Tuesday evening and I'm impressed by their religious adherence to this effort -- maybe that's why they've got such a healthy relationship that I admire.

They take advantage of a different cuisine every other date night by venturing not just to an ethnic restaurant but into the ethnic neighborhoods because where else are you going to find authentic home cooking. Their most recent dates took them across the East river to Astoria for Greek, Brooklyn for Russian and Flushings for Korean. Of course there's Manhattan neighborhoods which are home to Chinatown (Canal St) and Little Italy (Mott St).

It is a bit adventurous but quite a committment which I admire.

Sports - perhaps not the best date idea

2006-01-22T13:43:00.000-08:00

Unless your girlfriend or spouse is an avid sports fan which all of my past girlfriends were not, then I'd avoid sports related dates except perhaps attending a sporting event because that's more of an experience. If you're an Eagles (or NFL) fan like myself, Sundays were always a point of tension because it was 3 hours away from my ex-wife that could not be justified in her mind. Therefore, I exhort all of you to sacrifice some of your sports craze because there's always ESPN Sportscenter to give you the highlights. And I know the Park Avenue Country Club is a fun place to watch the games, it's certainly not a date place by any means. Go there with the dudes, not with the ladies. A bit of sacrifice and some quality time with the lady will go a long way for the long term.

West Broadway Art

2006-01-22T12:20:00.000-08:00

I'm back from San Francisco and it was a glorious Saturday in New York City. I met up with a female acquaintance on Saturday afternoon and she suggested we go look at some art. I was thinking of the MoMA or the Met, but interestingly she asked me to meet her on West Broadway and Houston. To my surprise, there was a lot of art walking southward on West Broadway -- on the sidewalk and the occassional gallery. We weaved in and out of galleries and shops as we (or should I say she) mixed in some shopping during our excursion. I will readily admit that I'm not an art enthusiast, but it was very enjoyable for me to hang out with her and listen to her opinions on the art. Wish I could've said something intelligent about the art but at least I was honest. We also had some fun people watching outside on West Broadway.

Afterwards, we randomly stopped by a nice wine shop called Vintage New York and they were having a Saturday wine tasting which was very good. It did seem like everyone was checking each other out at the wine bar. Anyway, I know I'm supposed to spit the wine out but it took only a couple of glasses to get a bit tipsy. Unfortunately, I had to end our little afternoon excursion in Soho because I had dinner plans with a buddy of mine. Perhaps I should've canceled on my bud and made the day complete with dinner with her. Hopefully she wasn't offended by my abrupt departure.

Heading out to SF

2006-01-15T15:21:00.000-08:00

Due to work obligations, I'm heading out to San Francisco for the entire week. Hopefully I can post some more date ideas for the increasing number of folks who have been hitting my blog. I've been pleasantly surprised everytime I look at the hit counter because it keeps going up like crazy. More power to the blogs!

Btw, if you're ever in SF and you're a carnivore like myself, there's a great restaurant a lady friend took me to called The House of Prime Rib; she tells me it's an instiution in SF. It's pretty awesome with the meat sliced to perfection right at your table. They give you bread pudding to soak up the au jus and the sides are a perfect complement to the prime rib. A little old school inside, kinda reminds me of something out of Goodfellas. Oh yeah, the female bartender was very friendly and great conversation. She knew her wines and in the words of 50 Cent, we let it flow. Hopefully she's still there when I go again. If you head to SoCal or to LV, there's a similar place called Lawry's The Prime Rib which is pretty similar in almost every aspect expect the old school decor.

Bread basket at Balthazar

2006-01-15T12:50:00.000-08:00

The best bread basket and one of the more popular brunch spots in the city is Balthazar down in Soho. There's always a crowd outside of people waiting to get in and trust me, there's always a wait. If you're going to go, give the reservation line a call early in the week or take advantage of a holiday weekend (Martin Luther King Jr.) when the city is so dead.

You have to order the bread basket - I can't think of anything better. Balthazar is also one of those old celeb sighting spots. Probably not as much now but you may seen someone like Toni Collette who frequents Balthazar.

ESPN Zone in Times Square

2006-01-15T12:33:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of the NFL playoffs, a good date spot if your girl is into sports is the ESPN Zone in Times Square. There's always a hearty crowd on the first 3 floors cheering on their team. If the game gets out of hand (like last night's Pats vs Broncos game), you can go to the top floor where there are plenty of games you and your date can play. There's always air hockey which gives no edge to the male gender unlike other games. I personally like the racing games. Anyway, it's a pretty active date with high stimulation if you're girl is into that.

Learning to dance

2006-01-14T17:30:00.000-08:00

OK, I know I exhorted you guys to go dancing in the previous entry, but perhaps what you really need is a little help getting into the groove. A couple of years ago, in preparation for my wedding, I learned the foxtrot at a well known dance school near Columbus Circle called Dancesport. The instructors are top notch and were very patient even with those who have two left feet. The dance school also held dance parties during the week where you could drop by and practice with fellow students. If you like any of the Dancing with the Stars dances, they will teach it to you. I know I'll go back someday to learn the salsa and tango.

Having weekly lessons is like having a dance date every week and by the end of the course, you will have become a better dancer. If I remember correctly, you don't have to bring a partner to learn --you can mingle within the classroom and alternate partners during the class.

Get off the stool you wallflowers

2006-01-14T14:36:00.000-08:00

Last night I went to a birthday shindig of a girl I recently met - a very sweet girl. We headed out to a lounge in Chelsea which looked like any other lounge I've been to in NYC. Though this topic doesn't fall in line with the first dates theme, I did want to address the "cool" wallflowers.

So we're chillin' and drinking in the back with an unfavorable ratio of 2 guys to 1 girl. After about an hour, things started to turn in my favor because of the other fellas' insecurities (AKA their coolness). The music was great - a mix of hip hop and 80s favorites. As usual, the ladies started to groove and of course most of the guys were just sitting on their asses trying to look cool and chat amongst themselves. Please note that if you're a heterosexual male, you may not want to be sitting in a circle of guys in a lounge located in Chelsea. OK, back to my point. My friend and I took advantage of the opportunity and were bumpin' (n' grindin') with the lovely ladies -- and the other gents just sat (not that I'm complaining!). I'm really not sure why they like to be wallflowers, but I suggest that if you're a male in a lounge with a group of lovely ladies, then you should try dancing.

Because 1) girls like guys who dance no matter how bad you are (watch Hitch) 2) it's fun 3) women think men who are good dancers are also good in bed. Sorry for the rant but I'm just trying to motivate the male species. Then again, grinding 3 girls at the same time was certainly enjoyable for me.

The Modern Restaurant at MoMA

2006-01-10T20:10:00.000-08:00

After visiting the incredible Pixar exhibit at the new MoMA or other fabulous exhibits, a great place to eat and reflect is The Modern restaurant at the MoMA. Eating there is pretty neat because the restaurant overlooks The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden. You'll pay a pretty penny but the food is divine. Just remember to make reservations because I don't think they accept walk-ups.

Turks & Frogs Wine Bar

2006-01-10T19:58:00.000-08:00

Near the meatpacking district is a dimly lit wine bar called Turks & Frogs. You walk into the front room which has a bar in it with very friendly and helpful bartenders (hard to find sometimes in NYC). There is a back room, which is also small, but totally different with warm lighting and antique-y wooden furniture. The walls are covered in antique/vintage decor, some of which is a bit gruesome looking, others are non-descript.

If you're not into the decor, just remember you're there for the wine and it's a great selection.

NYC Ballet

2006-01-09T20:08:00.000-08:00

To support a friend who plays in the orchestra for the NYC Ballet, it's a good time to drop by Lincoln Center and watch Swan Lake. Unfortunately for her, it's hard to go out on dates because of her night job. Then again, she's got a very cool job. If you've never been to the ballet, perhaps it's worth a try and you may be pleasantly surprised.

Sunday brunch in NYC is the best

2006-01-09T19:26:00.000-08:00

I love Sunday brunch in NYC because there are so many good places to go. Yesterday I stopped by one of my favorite Sunday brunch spots down in the east village - Danal. It's a bit hidden on 10th street off of 4th Ave (yeah, there's actually a 4th Ave). When you walk in you feel like you've escaped from NYC because it's somewhat rustic and cozy. Actually, it's pretty tight inside. Usually when it's warm they open up the back garden, which is a quaint area. Order the pancakes because they are muy excellente. You really can't go wrong with whatever you order.

The View from up top

2006-01-09T17:56:00.000-08:00

Tonight I went out and got drinks with an old friend. Little did I know that we would end up at a place I've never been which is one of the biggest tourist stops in the city - The View lounge above the Marriott Marquis. It was my first time up there and I had heard much about it. I would avoid the buffet because it's exactly that, a buffet. However, it certainly was its namesake. Even though I'm quite afraid of heights, I was able to ascend those 48 floors. A bit galling going up and down the elevator, I guess the view is worth it. You could determine how good the date is going based on revolutions. Oh, just in case you didn't know, The View rotates 360 degrees providing wonderful views of the city.

First Friday Night Jazz at American Museum of Natural History

2006-01-09T14:20:00.000-08:00

Another cohort of mine just raved about her jazz experience at the American Museum of Natural History. Every first friday of the month is Starry Nights at the AMNH, and she said the music was fantastic. Probably great for group dates as well. They also serve Tapas (see below), Sangria and other adult beverages. She said listen to the Jazz and have a few bites - afterwards you can eat somewhere else for a full meal. I don't normally head up to the Upper West Side for eats but apparently there are a few places worth taking the A/C or 1/9. Haven't found a great dinner spot up there so if you know of one, send me an email.

Detour Jazz

2006-01-09T14:08:00.000-08:00

Apparently, Jazz seems to be the thing to do now in NYC based on feedback of my last post. So a cohort shared with me his fav jazz spot in NYC. It' called Detour on East 13th Street, and apparently it was awarded the "Best no-cover Jazz Bar in NYC" from NY Press. I haven't verified this but Norah Jones used to play there before she became big. I like to try out these spots before posting but my cohort just raved, so I was compelled to post.

Jazz at Lincoln Center

2006-01-08T20:39:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine who's a musician in the city said a great place to go is Jazz at Lincoln Center. She keeps raving about it and so to satisfy her before I actually go to Lincoln Center is this post. I'm not a jazz enthusiast, but I did grow up enjoying certain parts of jazz like the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Wish I knew more about jazz.

Can men truly be intimate?

2006-01-08T20:14:00.000-08:00

I was going through the Yahoo Health web site and came across relationship related blogs, which I thought was an odd placement within Yahoo Health. Nonetheless, there were some interesting blogs related to marriage and relationships. As you already know, I'm in post-marriage overanalysis so I thought Shawn Gold's blogs were interesting. Check out "Men and Intimacy."

Deb Levine also had a few tidbits - nothing groundbreaking but it's always good to remind ourselves of these tidbits - Resolutions for a Healthy Marriage.

Sorry for the departure from my main theme of date places throughout NYC.

Pixar Exhibit at MoMA

2006-01-04T06:26:00.000-08:00

I thoroughly enjoy Pixar movies and they're usually great date movies though I'm not necessarily a big proponent of movies for dates. It's hard to find a movie that'll please both but Pixar movies are usually entertaining (and Jerry Maguire). Anyway, I'm heading over to MoMA this weekend to see the exhibition of Pixar animation art. Should be pretty cool.

Oh btw, you can now download Pixar shorts off of iTunes onto a 5G (Video) iPod. Living in NYC, it seems like every other person has one.

Tapas and Sangrias

2006-01-03T19:33:00.000-08:00

Back from the left coast having spent a ton in Vegas and being drenched in LA. Happy New Year to all ... new beginnings and that is what I desparately need. So to start off the year in a festive manner, a little latin always spices up my life. If I fail to make reservations during the week and I'm pressed for places to eat on a Friday evening, I'll occassionally go Tapas and Sangrias.

A few spots in Manhattan that I've eaten at, but certainly not the exhaustive list of Tapas places: El Cid, Flor de Sol, La Paella, Pipa, Bolo, Xuntas,and Bar Jamon. Each restaurant is quite different from one another but it's actually a great date. A wide selection of tapas in concert with Sangria always made it a fun night, even on rainy nights like tonight.

Happy New Year

2005-12-31T17:37:00.000-08:00

Sorry to my NY folks - I've been out in LA and Las Vegas since my last post. I promise more to come for 2006. Happy New Year! To better and greater things.

Overthinking 50 First Dates: Part 1

2005-12-23T19:37:00.000-08:00

Coincidentally, I turned to 50 First Dates on HBO tonight and honestly, I haven't seen it in a while. I always have a great appreciation for Mr. Adam Sandler. Not just because he's a comedic genius, but also because it appears that he has a deep understanding of the human heart, whether he knows it or not. I will have future posts about other overanalyses of this movie, which you probably think is crazy but it's really a tribute to Mr. Sandler's genius.

So for part 1, here's what I think. 2/3 of the way through the movie, Henry (Sandler's character) believes that there's been much progress with all the first dates. Henry believed that each and every date contributed to her memory rehabilitation. However, those beliefs are quickly kaboshed by the memory institute doctor (Dr. Keats) played by Dan Akroyd. BTW, you probably noticed there are other SNL alumnus in the movie. The movie's climactic moment begins when Henry turns his boat around to re-pursue Lucy (Drew Barrymore). Unfortunately, Lucy says she doesn't know who Henry is but Lucy brings Henry to her private painting quarters. She shows him all the paintings that she's drawn of Henry because she happens to dream about him every night. If you remember earlier in the movie that she tried deleting passages of him from her diary because she didn't want Henry to be held back with her life. So what's the point? His efforts were really an emotional deposit into her heart, not necessarily her mind. That's where I find this movie fascinating - the "first dates" were essentially daily deposits that ultimately yielded fruit in the end. Hence, that's why I say have as many first dates as you can. Don't become complacent with your romance - as Lucy says, nothing beats a first kiss. So make every effort.

Vienna on a Saturday AM

2005-12-22T07:44:00.000-08:00

Having lived in the outer reaches of the universe, the Carnegie Hill area of the Upper East Side, where good ol' Woody and Ralph reside, is a great Hungarian museum on 86th/Fifth. But the real gem is the Viennese-style kaffeehaus known as Café Sabarsky. Walk in on a Saturday AM before you hit the great museums in the area and have a sip of the best coffee in Manhattan. Get there too late and the neighborhood folk will be forming a line to their secret coffee house in the Upper East. It's a great place to sit down and plan your day.

After leaving the Cafe, you can head down a few blocks on 5th to the Metropolitan Museum or the Guggenheim where Will Smith once dashed through in the first MIB. If it's warm enough, just go directly east into Central Park.

First and First

2005-12-22T06:54:00.000-08:00

When I lived in the East Village, it was always electric whether it was 10PM or 2AM. One of my favorite restaurants in the city which has an unbelievable wine selection for such a petite space is "The Tasting Room." Always get reservations because it really has limited seating. It can be tricky to find because it's off of First St and First Ave. Remember Kramer from Seinfeld in that famous episode where he found himself lost in NYC because he was in that vortex called first and first. Editorial: One of the greatest sitcoms of all time.

What I liked about it other than the wine selection? Couple owned - service that actually cares. For all the dishes, you can either order a tapas/appetizer portion or select a dish as the entree. Just because size is flexible doesn't mean quality goes down. The dishes are outstanding and therefore, you end up ordering multiple appetizer size dishes. My opinion is that it's one of the best date restaurants. It's cozy with great food and attention to service. The wine selection is long that you feel like you're at a tasting in concert with the food. The intimate setting certainly helped the great conversation and laughter we had for 2.5 hours while at The Tasting Room. Oh, and I forgot to mention it's a pretty good value relative to similar restaurants.

Afterwards, you could head North for some desserts at Veniero's on 11th or head east for some underground jazz or to an upcoming lounge in the quickly developing lower east side. Some of the lounges are a bit grungy, but that's the appeal of the LES.

Free skate on the Pond at Bryant Park

2005-12-22T06:03:00.000-08:00

The best thing about Bryant Park is access - to the NY Public (really privately funded) Library, and also FREE Internet access. That park is always hopping from Fashion Week to David Blaine's magical feats. Since it's winter, the park has been tranformed into a skating rink and it's FREE. Well, not completely free - you do have to pay $7.50 for skate rentals, but use of the Pond is FREE.

Once you're there, you'll marvel at the surroundings - The Fetes de Noel. It may be chilly, but you'll warm up quickly.

Dim Sum & Dance

2005-12-21T18:47:00.000-08:00

On a cold chilly evening or for a Sunday brunch, it's hard to beat the famous Joe's Shanghai soup dumplings. These are the best dumplings I've personally have had. Located in the heart of New York's Chinatown, it's a fast paced restaurant where you have to be prepared to sit next to strangers at a large round table. A bit awkward at first, but you'll get used to ignoring the other people at the table. I wouldn't say it's a great date place, but perhaps a multi-person date place where you, your date and another couple could have fun. Don't forget to order Shanghai noodles with mapo tofu - that'll complement the dumpling feast.

Afterwards, you can stop by a Chinatown cafe and sip green tea or the tasty bubble tea. Since you're downtown below Canal, head to one of the many clubs or lounges to chill or dance a bit. I enjoy dancing. No matter how bad you may think you are, it's all about having fun. Sitting on the lounge couch watching everyone dance just doesn't do it for the date.

The Great White Way

2005-12-21T10:22:00.000-08:00

It's freezing in NYC and unfortunately, it's only the beginning. What makes it harder is this darn transit strike, which I hope will end soon because I'm tired of walking everywhere and I don't enjoy jockeying for a cab. Anyhow, it's cold and indoors is the best place.... so that leads me to entertainment indoors. Could do the movie thing, but now a days the movie's are just aweful. It's either a big production with special effects - pop, boom, bang - or a rehashed script or a sequel.

Now it can get expensive, but Broadway still has great shows out there. If you're a polar bear, you could do TKTS and hope the good show tix are still around by the time you get to the front. Oh btw, there's a second TKTS booth location down around South St. Seaport and the lines are much much shorter. Or you could do what surprised me one Friday evening. Instead of retiring early on a late spring evening, we had an early dinner and we decided to walk up Broadway since the air was crisp and we could feel the electricity in NYC. NY is fantastic in the spring and summer. We decided to take a chance on Broadway tix, though it was about 6:30 PM. We checked out the usual suspects - The Producers, The Lion King but there was a waiting list. Well, we stopped by the Marriott Marquis and we discovered a classic revival - La Cage Aux Folles - which is also Bird Cage the movie starring the brilliant Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. Booth attendant said we can get in for $45/pp (discounted over half the actual tix price) sitting 10th row from the stage. In a nanosecond we made our decision and a few hours later, we agreed that it was a fantastic show. Wish it got more pub because it isn't playing anymore, but we had a great time and suprisingly, a great value.

So take a chance on one lazy night in the winter. If it isn't too cold, walk up The Great White Way and stop by a couple of box offices and you too may be sitting 10 rows from the stage. And support the theatre, it is a fantastic experience.

Blading on the West Siddddde

2005-12-21T06:54:00.000-08:00

In the summertimes, we used to strap on roller blades and take a leisurely roll down the bike path on West Side Highway along the Hudson River. It's mostly flat and repaved so it's not demanding which is great for beginners. You can start around midtown near the Intrepid Museum and roll at your own pace taking in the sights i.e., tourists, Hudson River, etc. There's a handful of places you can pause to take a breather like Chelsea Piers, the dog run near Chelsea and the occassional pier - which are mostly rebuilt and appear very new.

What I remember fondly was the summer breaze and stopping by the dog run. Just mindlessly watching dogs run around was a great distraction from the work week. Months later we actually went to a kennel and adopted an extraordinary Shih-Tzu that has only brought joy to my life.

If you want to roll somewhere demanding and a bit hard core, do the loop in Central Park. Fair warning - the inclines at the north end of the park are very steep. Always wear pads and wrist guards.

Rock me Amadeus

2005-12-20T20:14:00.000-08:00

Maintaining the Upper West Side cafe theme, we used to frequent Cafe Mozart - for obvious reasons, she lived on the Upper West and I lived in the East Village. It's not too far from the Time Warner Center (AKA The TW Mall) where you can go see a concert or have dinner ... say at Per Se ($$$$$) - that is if you've got a little dough. Maybe a bit over the top for a first date, but if your date loves French Laundry in Napa, then this should certainly please her palate.

Now you could make the date simply at Cafe Mozart, or an after dinner walk up Broadway. If it's a day date or brunch, not too far is access to Central Park. Ahhh, a stroll through the park in late spring is magnificent. Strolling and sightseeing through CP is awesome. Pick a road or trail and avoid the zooming roller bladers. Great conversation topics can be seen or will simply emerge during the stroll.

My first date

2005-12-20T19:45:00.000-08:00

You probably think I watch a lot of romantic movies because I titled my blog "50 First Dates", which I don't, but I did notice the plethora of romantic comedies that hollywood produces. This output may be indicative of the romantic challenges we face in the real world; nonetheless, we all remain romantics at heart.

Since we're in cyberworld by blogging away, I must admit that my very first date idea did come from AOL, or should I say "You've got mail." Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks have an awkward encounter at the well-known Cafe Lalo, located on the Upper West Side. Unlike the movie, it's very busy and well lit with a mix of Columbia students and neighborhood folks encroaching on your personal space.

Technically, this wasn't a first date according to my ex-wife, but in my mind, it was our first date as friends. What I remember the most is the non-stop laughter, but no need to worry about laughing out too loud because there's enough noise to drown you out. Cappuccino and authentic NY cheesecake is more than enough for a great first date.