New York Lifestyles Magazine - July 2015

Vol. 1 #2 | July 2015

The Boys Are Back In Town

Penn & Teller Magically Mysterious

Swarovski’s Sparkling Crystals Circle Line 70 Years & Growing 21c - World’s Artsiest Hotel Plan Finances Before Wedding

Embrace one of the most luxurious all-inclusive resort experiences. Offering exquisite cuisine, award-winning spas, lavish accommodations and utterly pampering personalized service in the world’s most spectacular oceanfront locations.

The Pure Freedom to Just Be Private Pools & Beach Areas with Bali Beds & Valet Service Royal Service (exclusively for adults) Life enriching activities (tango lessons and wine tasting) Family Concierge (personalized vacation experience for families) features a full compliment of VIP services and amenities including private beach and pool areas with valet service.

For information contact your travel agent, 1.888.741.5600 or visit PARADISUS.COM

P A R A D I S U S P A R A D I S U S

P A L M A P U N T A

R E A L C A N A

A MeliĂĄ Hotels International Brand.

An Epicurean Adventure for the Senses Amidst lively conversation, delicious local wines are poured and beautifully plated offerings are delivered with solicitous care.

A savoring bite, a sip of something divine, and a simple moment becomes a memory full of exquisite sensations. Sailing on an ALL-INCLUSIVE, luxurious river cruise, you’ll discover why Uniworld is the only Zagat-rated river cruise line for “Top Dining” and why SAVEUR magazine honored Uniworld as “Best Culinary Cruise Line.” Award-winning cuisine, an extensive wine and beer list curated by top sommeliers, and hosted excursions showcasing regional delicacies are all carefully crafted with a single goal in mind—to delight and enchant YOU with a most memorable, unique epicurean adventure.

To begin your journey, call your preferred Travel Professional or Uniworld at 800-733-7820.

uniworld.com

Grand Cayman Beach Suites

Seven Mile Beach

The Grand Cayman Beach Suites is the Island’s finest all suite luxury beach resort in the Cayman Islands. Experience the sparking white Caribbean sands of Seven Mile Beach and all that our beautiful and exotic Grand Cayman Island resort has to offer.

The Grand Cayman Beach Suites was named in Frommers Top 25 luxury hotels in Caribbean travel and leisure. Expedia readers named Grand Cayman Beach Suites as the #1 luxury resort in the Caymans, consistently scoring 4.7 and the hotel has built up thousands of reviews from happy customers over the years. It is simple to see why we consider Grand Cayman Beach Suites to be one of the best luxury hotels and resorts in the Cayman Islands.

To scheudle your next Trip to Paradise

(345)-949-1234

www.grand-cayman-beach-suites.com

11

33

65

82

29

18

Feature

6 Editor’s Desk 11 Penn & Teller - Magical Duo 96 “-30-”

Table of Contents

Travel 18 23 29 38 41 45 49 58

49

Portugal - Windmills, Food And Adventure Vail - More Than Just Snow Riviera Maya - Discover Adventure Azamara Cruises - Luxury On The Sea Virginia Beach - It’s Military, But Civilians Love It Too Turkey - The Amazing Lycian Coast Louisville - A Gem In Derby City Singapore Airlines - New Premium Seats Fit Your...

New York

61 Disney Cruises - Back In New York 65 Circle Line - 70 Years Strong And Still Growing 69 The City - Time To Explore Your Back Yard

Style & Fashion

33 Swarovski - Crystals Like Diamonds 4 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

Food/Dining Out 53 86 89 91

Trinidad & Tobago - Fusion Cuisine Empire Steak House - A Four-Star Treat Oslo - A Culinary Oasis NRA - It Ain’t About Guns, It’s Food

Sports

46 Kingsmill Resort - Golf At Its Best

Finance

82 Living Happily Financially Ever After

Real Estate

73 Wildwood - A Complete Real Estate Package 78 Brooklyn - Prices Going Up

Health

93 All Children Need Love

Seapointe Village is perfectly located within minutes of Historic Cape May and The Wildwoods.

Our ocean front location and amenities, make us one of the most popular vacation and ownership resorts in the region. Some of our features include a beautiful private beach, four luxurious pools, including one indoor pool and our spectacular spas, waterfalls, gardens and children’s programs.

Stop by and meet our staff at Seapointe Village to learn more about what makes us so unique.

WWW.SEAPOINTEREALTY.COM 609-729-7100 9900 SEAPOINTE BOULEVARD WILDWOOD CREST, NJ NJ licensed Real Estate Broker

From the Editor’s Desk he first issue of any publication is akin to having your first child. You labor over it, sit and pray that everything comes out OK, check to see that there are sufficient articles covering a wide range of topics... then you wait for the labor pains; that’s when it goes to the printer. Judging by the comments, readers enjoyed it.

We are blessed to have a contributing staff of some of the best writers from around the country. There are Mira Temkin and Jodie Jacobs from Illinois, both of whom have traveled extensively.

Mona Hayden, who makes her home in the culinary paradise of Louisiana, is a familiar name in many major publications. Jon Haggins splits his time between writing for us and taping his television show all over the world and still finds time to write books.

How about Stephanie and Jeff Sylva, and Dorothy Jordon who writes and still has time for charitable events.

Then there’s Ross Warren, Ed Curtis and Sandy Roberts, all of whom have terrific journalistic backgrounds. I can’t forget the other Sandy, Sandy Nesoff.

We have new writers coming on board for our upcoming issues.

One is on the way to Paris as we speak to take a French canal boat cruise and report back to us. Another reported on dining in Oslo. There’s also Pam & Gerry Barker who wrote the Azamara article, Jason Wolfgang Gehlert with the touching piece on Down’s Syndrome and Irwin Nesoff who contributed the Oslo dining story.

This month’s cover is magical and features those comical magic 6 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

geniuses Penn and Teller. We think you’ll enjoy reading their story.

If not, they may make you disappear.

Enough cannot be said about our first New York Icon, Ernie Anastos, who graced our June cover. In a field where ego is supreme, Ernie is a gentleman who has never succumbed to the “Me” attitude so many in television have fallen victim to.

Ernie mentioned our website, newyorklifestylesmagazine.com, and the counter actually lit up. The site nearly crashed from the thousands of hits it received after Ernie Anastos mentioned it.

As much as this is our publication, it is yours as well. We invite you to write a letter and tell us how you feel, pro or con. We’ll respect it and print it.

If you have an idea of something you’d like to see in the magazine, by all means let us know. Is there a favorite New Yorker you’d like to see profiled, email me. I promise to read all of them and answer as many as I can.

Thanks for accepting us into your lives and homes. We promise to live up to your expectations.

Bob Nesoff Executive Editor bobn@newyorklifestylesmagazine.com

B O B

N E S O F F Vol. 1 #2 | July 2015 President / Publisher Bill Mason Executive Editor Bob Nesoff Art Director Eric Duncan

BOB NESOFF

Travel Editor Sandy Nesoff Chief Photographer David Handschuh Director of Operations Kurt Nesheim Contributing Writers

Spyder Hole has won unanimous praise from reviewers who have compared it to an Indiana Jones movie and authors Frederick Forsythe and Tom Clancy.

The Story He had the information in his hands. Dan Halevi, former American Green Beret, now a colonel in the Israeli Mossad, could have stopped the attack on 9/11 but he never connected the dots and 2,976 people died. Now he has information that the terrorists are planning to set off nuclear weapons in New York and London. This time he won’t let it happen.

Bob Nesoff is a gifted and experienced writer who knows his subject. His knowledge of tactics and techniques is phenominal. In reading Spyder Hole the realism of planning black ops and special weapons rang as true as an actual foray into Iraq or Afghanistan. He manages to present technical subjects in an exciting manner without bogging the story down. He keeps the pace moving like and Indiana Jones movie; in fact, if Hollywood is smart, this will be made into a movie.

Thomas E. Neehdham, Maj. Gen. (Ret.), US Army To order a personally signed copy of Spyder Hole, send a check in the amount of $20 (s/h included) made out to Bob Nesoff Spyder Hole, at P.O. Box 104, Oradell, NJ 07649.

Bob may be reached at Authorsoncall@aol.com. He is available for speaking engagements and book signings.

8 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

Northeast Jon Haggins, Dan Schlossberg, Jeff Sylva Stephanie Sylva, Dorothy Jordon, Ross Warren Ed Curtis, Dale Reynolds, Sandy Roberts Irwin Nesoff, Jason Wolfgang Gehlert Midwest Mira Temkin, Jodie Jacobs South Mona Hayden Northwest Curt Winston New York Sales Office (646) 259-2651

Editorial/Sales Fax (212) 202-4888

For subscriptions, address changes or back issues, call: (646) 259-2651 newyorklifestylesmagazine.com Facebook: New York Lifestyle Magazine Twitter: nylifestylesmag New York Lifestyles Magazine is published 12 times annually. © 2015 New York Lifestyles Magazine All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue is expressly forbidden without permission of the publisher. Printed in the USA.

WE OWN

THE BEACH

#1 RATED BEACHFRONT HOTEL IN NEW JERSEY

Escape to Icona Diamond Beach - Southern New Jersey’s premier beachfront resort.

Located on an exclusive private beach, nestled between historic Cape May and Wildwood Crest, Icona is uniquely positioned to provide the optimum vacation experience for discerning guests.

4 Seasons Resort – Year Round Getaways Coastal Blue Oceanside Bar & Grill New! Bungalow No. 1 Beach Bar Destination Weddings Special Events

To reserve a stay, view all exclusive amenities, upcoming events, and more, call or visit us at: h o t el i c o n a .c o m | 9 7 0 1 A tla n tic Avenue, D iam ond B each, N J 08260 | 609.729.6600

Magic’s Duo of Mayhem & Mysticism

By Bob Nesoff

enn & Teller are arguably the most popular magical entertainers in the United States today, surpassing many of their contemporaries…and they don’t have to make elephants or the Washington Monument disappear.

The mismatched duo have managed to merge different personalities and stage presence, their maniacal tricks, somehow come together and entrance audiences around the world.

They’ll be bringing their craziness to New York’s Marquis Theater from July 7 through August 16 and if the past is any indicator of the present, tickets will go fast.

Penn Jillette wanted to be a magician from an early age. His father was a coin dealer and gave him a wonderful collection, took him to coin shows and conventions, but his interest never jelled.

Teller started out as a teacher in New Jersey. When the two met and began performing together, Penn handled all the dialogue while Teller played mute.

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 11

NYL: How did you get started performing?

Penn: I started doing tricks as a youngster and performed for family and friends.

Teller: Penn: Teller worked his way through college doing magic. He felt that if he was silent on stage, people would stop heckling him and it developed from there.

Teller: Penn: He always talks, just not in the normal way.

NYL: Do you perform for your own children?

NYL: Other magicians perform spectacular tricks, such as the vanishing elephant. How do you match that?

Penn: We will make an elephant disappear. Some people may think it’s a cow that looks like an elephant. We worked on that trick for six years.

Teller: Just nods.

NYL: It’s been 25 years since you’ve been to New York. Why so long?

Penn: We’ve always wanted to come back to New York. The city is still where everything happens. It’s my favorite city to be in. We sort of fell into having a theater named after us in Las Vegas. It took years to build up the casino to a point where we could leave for a while.

Penn: I do sometimes. My children will bring something to me and say “Make it vanish.” I can’t fool them most of the time any more, but I still try.

Teller: ?

Teller:

Penn: We started 40 years ago in a number of cities. We had a long run in San Francisco and worked in New York for 10 years before

12 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

NYL: You started working decades ago. How has that gone?

moving to Las Vegas. We’ve been all over the world with gigs in London and other big cities but we’ve pretty much stayed in Las Vegas.

Teller: NYL: We understand that you both have some pretty strong political ideas.

Penn: We are both libertarians and atheists, but only in the sense that Houdini was.

Teller: Nods NYL: What’s your opinion of other magicians who claim to have supernatural powers?

country as best we can. We don’t get involved in civil disobedience.

I think we should have a smaller government and use the money sent overseas for our own people. I haven’t been singled out by the IRS. I use only my freedom of speech and maybe the IRS knows that.

Teller: NYL: What’ll you be doing during your limited time in New York?

Penn: It’s hard to take time to see a show when you are performing in one. I’d like to have time to see The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Nighttime and a bunch of other stuff.

Teller: Nods

Penn: They are immoral. You can proclaim to have those powers all you want, but magic is simply entertainment.

NYL: You’ve done some pretty amazing tricks the kind that mothers tell their kids not to do at home. You’ve jabbed an ice pick in your eye, caught a bullet in your mouth. How do you survive?

NYL: What about government regulations and laws?

Penn: It’s not magic. It’s illusory. But I can’t give it away.

Penn: As I said, we are libertarians but we follow the laws of the

Teller: Rubs his eye and grinds his teeth.

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 13

We all know that Penn’s last name is Jillette. What about his partner?

His name is “Teller.” The silent half of the hilarious duo was born Raymond Joseph Teller. His persona became so entwined with his stage name that he had it legally changed to “Teller.”

That’s it. No first name, no second name. Just Teller. In fact he is only one of a small handful of people who have been issued a passport with just one name. Not even Whoopie or Oprah can claim that distinction.

Performing together since the late 1970s they can almost finish each other’s thoughts and sentences…that is if Teller would speak.

They were introduced to each other by Wier Chrisimer and performed their first show together at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. They performed as a trio called The Asparagus Valley Cultural Society (Maybe that’s why Teller doesn’t talk. That was a mouthful).

In 1981 Chrisimer quit show business and they continued as a duo.

14 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

Some four years later they were receiving great reviews for their off-Broadway show. In 1987 they kicked off what would be two successful Broadway runs.

Into the 1990s they made numerous television appearances on such shows as Late Night with David Letterman, Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and more. Their stars began to rise rapidly.

Interestingly they even made a hit on the sci-fi show, Babylon 5 and sat in a box on Hollywood Squares.

They hosted a Showtime TV program titled “Bulls—t” (there were no dashed in the shows on-screen tag) skewering psychics, religion, the pseudoscientific, conspiracy theories and the paranormal..

In a field were alcoholism and drug usage is rampant, they are teetotalers. Their book: “Penn & Teller’s How To Play In Traffic” notes that they avoid alcohol, drugs and caffeine although they have smoked cigarettes in some videos.

Their auto license plates read: “Atheist� and “Godless.� When Penn signs an autograph he sometimes writes “There is no God.�

During an interview with Larry king , they note that much of their success stems from the fact that they never have been close friends.

They respect each other and enjoy working together, but have little in common outside of magic. They give each other space off stage.

But yet Penn later said that while they share little of common interest, he still considers Teller to be his best friend. His children treat the silent one as a relative‌and yes, he does talk to the kids.

In April of 2013 they were awarded the ultimate show business honor when they were given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And, perhaps not so coincidentally, their star is only a few feet away from that dedicated to harry Houdini. It is also just down the street from the Magic Castle.

Teller bears the brunt of physical action and has been run over by an 18-wheeler, hung upside down over a cushion of spikes while in

a strait jacket, and submerged in a tank of water.

Their famed bullet in the mouth trick awes audiences. They fire a handgun at each other simultaneously through small panes of glass.

They catch the bullets in their teeth‌an orthodontist’s delight.

Never a duo to hold back on their thoughts, Penn & Teller have espoused their views as libertarians. In their show (Bulls—T) they have strongly criticized governmental authority, the infamous IRS and the Environmental Protection Agency. They have taken stances against circumcision and gun control and in favor of drug legalization, tobacco, prostitution, nuclear energy, nudity and profanity.

How much of their personal views will be on display in between feats of magic at the Marquis Theater?

Penn: Teller: $PNF PO EPXO UP UIF UIFBUFS BOE TFF GPS ZPVSTFMWFT t JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 15

All-Inclusive Insight Gold

D

IN

HT GO L SIG

-I

CL

XU

ALL

RY

® N

US IVE L U

®

Immerse yourself completely in Europe with Insight Gold Luxury. Stay in excellent hotels, indulge in epicurean adventures, and experience the essence of local life with our collection of included Signature Experiences.

14 Day - Majestic Europe

13 Day - Italian Vogue

Enjoy a grand tour of Europe’s most prominent cities – London, Paris, Lucerne, Venice, Florence & Rome.

Discover the cities and landscapes of Italy – historic Rome, the Tuscan countryside, and the gems of the Cinque Terre and Venice.

For more information or to book, contact your trusted travel consultant or Insight at 877-645-6351 and insightvacations.com

CST No. 20687545-20.

2015 Europe featuring:

Portugal, Windmills,

By Jon Haggins Photography by David Fasano f you want to discover a peaceful, historic region, you must visit Montalegre, where there are rolling mountains, plains, a fresh water lake that runs to a damn providing energy and a beautiful village sitting at the edge of the lake.

Montalegre is the most northern point of Portugal next to the border of Galicia, Spain. The Peneda-Geres National Park is a mountainous area lined with floral scents that divides Portugal from Spain. Windmills are perched on the apex of the mountain and the mountains dip into sweet valleys. Montalegre, a municipality in northern Portugal located on the district of Vila Real is one of the two municipalities that comprise the Barroso region.

Its people are very hospitable and it’s a peaceful destination with lots of adventure and history. Local firemen treated us to a boat ride on the calm lake and surprised us with local treats and of course great wine. The region does not produce wine; but the locals certainly drink it.

Montalegre is a quaint village; its buildings are constructed of sand stone. It was once a mining town and now they are restoring the mines and converting them into museums. The Montalegre Castle is a Portuguese National Monument. An ancient vestige of

18 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

punishment, Pellourinho whipping block, stands in the center of the town square. It’s a historic village where cows parade along the narrow cobble stone streets and stop to quench their thirst from a large stone basin of fresh water. Locals also collect water from the basin for their animals.

The region produces beef that melts in your mouth and some of the freshest dishes can be found in Tasca do Acouque Restaurant.

The Eco Museum is an interactive museum with displays of the history of the region from its farm tools and festival costumes.

Barraso village is known for bull fighting and it’s the most popular sport in the region. It’s where bulls compete against each other; unlike Spain the bulls are not killed. The bulls can return the next month for another fight. There is even a statue of two bulls in the square.

Sexta Feira 13 or Friday the 13th celebration is a festival of costume, fireworks and parades and Queimada drink (fire drink).

It is thought to have originated in ancient times when Celts established villages and settled in the region of Galicia. It’s made with orujo; a strong liqueur similar to grappa, much of the alcohol is burned off in the flames.

The drink is only served during Friday the 13th celebrations.

Food and Adventure

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 19

Lomego is a small village in Northern Portugal’s Douro Region. At the end of a grand boulevard stands a fountain and at 686 steps to the top of the hill is a small baroque church.

Lamego’s Gothic Cathedral is located right in the center of downtown, a national monument since 1910. It was built in the 12th Century by Portugal’s first king, Afonso Henriques, and was extensively rebuilt in the 16th and 18th Centuries. The bell tower is all that remains of the original construction. The vaulted ceilings were painted by Nicolau Nasoni in the first half of the 18th Century.

The marble and gilt altarpiece is also 18th Century, and the organs are from 1753. The cloisters and chapels are 16th Century. The cathedral is a gothic design and it has an enormous inner patio that is so tranquil you can hear the birds and bees.

Bishop D. Joao Camelo de Madureira hired artist Vasco Fernandes in 1506, who became be known by the sobriquet Grao Vasco, to accomplish a monumental alter piece for the high alter. Initially composed of 20 panels, there are only five remaining today at the Museu de Lamego. The cathedral is filled with artifacts, gold and religious painting and sculptures. Restorers are diligently working on artifacts from the chapel.

The entrance gate to Mateus Palace is a very grand structure and just beyond the gate is a lush park. Before arriving at the Palace lies a shallow pond with a statue of a lady resting on her side. The palace was built in the first half of the 18th Century in Baroque style by an Italian architect. Mateus Palace is now a museum of a splendid period; it houses artifacts, art, history, tapestry, silverware, statues and paintings. The 7th Count still resides in the palace in the private area.

Touches of religious artifacts and the orient can be seen throughout the palace and long hallways are embellished with furnishing and vases.

Manjar do Douro Restaurant is one of finest 20 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

restaurant in Lomego. It’s where they serve traditional lamb, veal and local wines from the Douro region.

The Monastery of Santa Maria de Salzedas has in its collection works by some of the biggest names in painting in Portugal: Vasco Fernandes, Bento Coelho da Silveira and Pascal Parente. One of the paintings includes a Unicorn and it is believed that the virgin brought the Unicorn to the world.

Almeida is one of the most impressive defensives of the Iberian Peninsula, having had an important role in the struggles against Spain and in the heroic opposition to the French invasions of the early 19th century. The five point San Franciso Fort offers horse and carriage rides. Men dressed in traditional capes representing The Brotherhood of Gastronomy welcome visitors.

Irene Restaurant is a family run establishment where Irene herself prepares all the meals. It’s a great way to celebrate and just have good old fashion fun in the O Picadeiro d’el Rey stables where one can ride a horse, a motorcycle or visit the stable.

The Douro Region is magical. The railway line of the Douro took 12 years to build between Porto and Barca D’alva containing in its route 22 tunnels and 35 bridges. This is an old fashion train that will take you from Pocinho to Pinhao.

It’s a lively trip passing river cruises, winding wine terraces on the side of the mountains.

The Douro River twists and winds through the valley. The train is a scenic tour passing riverboat cruises and olive trees and rolling mountains terraces of grape vines that remind me of knitted sweaters.

Pinhao, a quaint village where the train station is lined with Talavera tiles (typical Portuguese tiles).

The double-decker bus brings us closer to the fruits of the valley. I visited Quinta das

Carvalhas, Quinta do seixo and Quinta do Vallado to taste and learn about wine making. Wine is the essence of life in the Douro Valley.

There are many parks and plazas scattered about the city. Porto has a beach at the edge of the city with an old fort standing at the edge of the beach. There is also a lighthouse on the apex of the city.

Porto is the second largest city in Portugal after Lisbon, located along the Douro river estuary in northern Portugal. It’s an impressive city where the Douro River runs through and divides the city into Porto and Vila Gaia. The town gave Port wine its name. Porto is filled with wine history and great people.

The bridge connects the city of Porto to Vila Gaia designed by Gustave Eiffel; the same engineer who designed the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The subway and cars use this bridge and there’s also a pedestrian walk.

Porto is magical; it’s one of the oldest European centers and registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996. Its settlement dated back many centuries to when it was an outpost of the Roman Empire. Porto is a scenic city where the river and the buildings reflect its history. There are many restaurants and cafÊs along the riverfront with the great views of either side of the river.

Traditionally wine was taken down the river in flat bottom boats known as Rebelos, to be stored in barrels in cellars in Vila Gaia, which is just across the river from Porto. Dams were built in 195060 along the river ending river traffic on the Spanish border section, so today wine is transported in tanker trucks. These boats are a popular tourist attraction to tour up and down the Douro River. This is the best way to see the city, relax and sip port. The architecture rises from the river to the top of the hills. The view from the river reminds me of an impressionist painting.

Charm, charm, charm is what Porto is all about.

The double-decker bus is another popular tour of Porto where it takes you through narrow cobble stone streets. Around every corner is another treasure of the city with many Baroque churches scattered throughout the city. Another charm of the city is the trolley cars. A number of old buildings are decorated with Talavera tiles.

The residential area shows off a collection of beautiful homes and wide boulevards. There are many parks and plazas scattered throughout the city. Porto has a beach at the edge of the city where everyone is active.

Villa Gaia sits on the opposite side of the bridge and has a spectacular view of Porto and the cafĂŠs along the riverfront. Cable cars rise high above Vila Gaia from the top of the hill.

Calem winery has one of largest barrels of wine, filled with 14,648 gallons of a ten-year tawny. Calem cellar wine tasting is an experience not to be missed.

Porto Cruz Winery serves the best lunch in its dining room. Porto is a real surprise and a gift of architecture, because around every corner is a treasure and history to be discovered.

Porto a colorful landscape is truly a painter’s dream. UNESCO was so right when they designated the city as a world heritage site. Around every corner is another beautiful scene. Rua Galeria da Paris is very alive for nightlife and Fado music, similar to American Blues, the Portuguese version of UIF #MVFT t Editor’s Note: Check out Jon’s interestingly named book Chasing Wild ASS. Oooooh, it’s not what you’re thinking. Chasing Wild ASS is a narrative of Jon’s travels to more than 60 countries around the world. The title came about while chasing jackasses in Kutch Wild Ass Sanctuary in Gujarat, India. Chasing Wild ASS will entertain and offer tips to massage your soul. It’s a celebration of life. Be the first to get an autographed copy. 489 pages including color photos and recipes.

Paperback | $19.95 plus $5.00 S&H Jon Haggins | PO Box 20902 New York City, NY 10023 JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 21

BREATHTAKING CONTEMPORARY RYE PO

$7,999,000 Ideal for casual and formal entertaining - a stunning contemporary on two gated acres with beautiful gardens, terraces, pavilion, pool and tennis court. Magnificent soaring glass ceilings, 2 living rooms, 2 family rooms. 6 gracious suites, 9 baths.

Sula Pearlman Associate Real Estate Broker Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage 25 Purdy Avenue Rye, NY 10580

C: 914-393-4104 O: 914-967-0059 www.sulapearlman.com

Vail, It’s A Lot More Than Just Snow

By Jodie Jacobs Photography by Erin Baiano

ou stroll down a charming Alpine street backed by glorious mountain scenery but you are not in Switzerland.

You listen to violinist Midori play Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor with the New York Philharmonic. It is conducted by Music Director Alan Gilbert but you are not at New York City’s Lincoln Center.

The place is Vail, CO where ski trails morph into mountain biking and hiking paths, gorgeous bronze sculptures replace snowmen along village streets and strains of Mozart and Copeland float on the air from the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater on the edge of town. www.vailgov.com Go Exploring Set in the Vail Valley along the Gore Creek, the town teems with art galleries, home and fashion boutiques and walkways lined with

wonderful eateries and art. Whether you have arrived by a shuttle bus from the Denver Airport (recommended) or rented a car and drove to Vail, you will be instantly captivated by its grand scenery and picturesque, almost Disney-like, town. www.coloradomountainexpress.com/cme-locations Sculptures take over plazas, parks, store fronts and fountains, all overlooked by gabled roofs and Bavarian styled balconies. It’s so much fun to walk the village, poke into art galleries and check out cafés for later stops that it is easy to lose track of time.

No problem. There is a free bus service. Pick up a map of the Town of Vail at your accommodations before you go walking. You will see that Vail is divided into East Vail, Vail Village, West Vail, Golden Peak, Lionshead and Cascade Village. Motor traffic is not allowed so the free bus routes go to specific sections. Indeed, taking the buses is a way to become acclimated. Other buses (ticket charge) go from the center of town to the nearby communities of Avon, Edwards, Eagle, Gypsum and Minturn. www.visitvailvalley.com/general.asp?id=51 JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 23

Now, go up. You’ve investigated horizontally so it’s time to get a bird’s eye view. Take the Eagle Bahn Gondola from Lionshead Village (a short walk west from Vail Village) up to Adventure Ridge on Vail Mountain. www.vail.com/summer/mountain/summer-gondola.aspx#/ HoursofOperation From Adventure Ridge you can mountain bike, hike and horseback ride but you may just want to check out the scenery and what is available the first time up. Don’t worry about fitting everything in on day one. And don’t worry about heights. Good hikers manage to walk up but the gondola is glassed-in and an easy, small-sloping, non-threatening way to go up the mountain. Go for the view and snap pictures to Twitter. www.visitvailvalley.com/general.asp?id=238

24 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

The Nature of Art, the Art of Nature If you visit the Art in Vail website you will find some sculptures at the far eastern end in Ford Park (yes it’s to the left on the art map because North points down on it). www.artinvail.com You will also see art of another kind because this is home to the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, a four-acre gem of wildflowers, waterfalls, streams and Alpine House. “This is nature’s art,” said Liz Campbell, head of development. She recommended visiting midday Wednesdays in July when nationally known bluegrass bands play at the garden first before their evening series in local pubs and restaurants. Check online for the Bluegrass Series schedule. www.vail.com/summer/events/vail-summer-bluegrass-series. aspx

Sitting 8,250 feet above sea level, it has the distinction of being North America’s highest botanic garden. No surprise that it is a perfect place for an Alpine House, an indoor “cold” house” rather than a hothouse.

Vail and not all show up on the Art In Vail website. However Eppard conducts an hour-long Wednesday walking tour of Vail Village that highlights the works while she explains the history of the valley and Vail Mountain.

“Our alpine flowers are covered with snow. Here, we can grow alpine plants under glass where they can be seen. It’s a miniature landscape,” said Garden Director Nicola Ripley. That is true inside the Alpine House and outside in the gardens. “It’s little but it’s so special. It’ beautiful and the surroundings are beautiful,” Ripley said. www.bettyfordalpinegardens.org/visit-us

A piece not on the map is that of famed artist Steve Tobin whose sculpture from his ‘Roots’ series whimsically sprawls in Golden Peak across from the library along the bus line. It’s on loan unless someone donates it to the town. Some of the hotels have also commissioned art works and galleries often loan out pieces to sit in front of neighboring shops. Eppard says that art in public places is a natural outcome of Vail’s affinity for the arts that includes music and dance. “It’s important to highlight public art in a world class community that values the arts, not just for visitors but also for residents,” she said.

According to Molly Eppard, coordinator of Vail’s Art in Public Places program, there are more than 40 pieces scattered around

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 25

The Art of Music and Dance The Town of Vail really appreciates fine music and dance genres.

Bravo! Vail is a wonderful mid-summer concert series that this year runs from July 1 to Aug. 6. Mostly held in the Ford Amphitheater, it also does some concerts in neighboring towns such as Beaver Creek. The Midori/New York Philharmonic program is July 29.

The Philadelphia Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra and other guest artists are earlier in the series.

down on excellent steaks, great truffle fries or a Mac and Cheese while watching the action. www.vailchophouse.com/location

If you go the last week of July, get inside seating or lawn tickets to hear New York Philharmonic in the Amphitheater. An American Celebration with the music of Barber, Copland, Anderson, Rodgers, Bernstein and Gershwin is July 30, then Mozart and Shostakovich is July 31. Munch on gourmet sandwiches picked up in town or purchase food at the Amphitheater to picnic on the hilly lawn above the seats. www.bravovail.org

With PEI mussels and truffle fries on the menu you know Tavern On the Gore, above Gore Creek, is not your typical sports bar. But, it does have gourmet burgers and great views to enjoy when not watching your tableside TV screen. www.tavernonthegore.com

While in town catch the Vail International Dance Festival, July 27-Aug. 10. Tony award winning tap dancer Savion Glover opens the dance festival in the Amphitheater with his jazz quartet, The Otherz, July 27. Dancers from several companies, including the Compaùía Nacional de Danza, Colorado Ballet, BalletX and BalletCollective will showcase contemporary to classic numbers backed by the strings of Brooklyn Rider, Aug. 2. www.vvf.org/arts/vail-international-dance-festival Fun Food and Fine Hotels With so many choices from every type of ethnic eatery to upscale bistro, visitors can happily eat somewhere different each meal.

Here are a few favorites.

At the west end of Vail is The Vail Chophouse in Lionshead opposite the gondola. This is a good place to sit outside while chomping 26 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

Terra Bistro is near the east end of the shuttle route and a short hike to the Amphitheater. The restaurant is a longtime local favorite so reservations are needed. www.vailmountainlodge.com/terra-bistro

Vail visitors often book a condo. However the town has several fine hotels. Two places to stay are the Sebastian and the Sonnenalp Resort. They lie across the road from each other on the free shuttle route.

The Sebastian has a pool, spa, casual snack and breakfast market, an impressive lobby, library and art. www.thesebastianvail.com The Sonnenalp Resort is an all-suite property with a good pool, spa, library, bar, charming breakfast space and fun casual pub. www.sonnenalp.com No matter where you stay you are sure to have an amazing album of Vail vacation photos to look at later.

Jodie Jacobs is a Mid-Western travel writer who has traveled the HMPCF CVU TUJMM SFMJTIFT EFTUJOBUJPOT JO UIF 6OJUFE 4UBUFT t

23+ Acre Riverfront Horse Farm in Mahwah, NJ

$6,395,000

The renowned architects Shope, Reno & Wharten created a masterpiece on this 23+ acre setting. The 5 bedroom Hampton’s style shingle and stone residence offers custom finishings throughout along with high volume and expansive views. The 9 stall barn opens to a limestone jumping area, paddocks and trails along the river. Above the stalls is a massive artist loft with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and 2 kitchens. Other amenities include an infinity pool, hot tub, patios & so much more! Additional acreage available with 2 historic residences for $895,000.

Every Home is Special to Us

R

vicki gaily, realtor-associateÂŽ R marketing director

office 201 934-7111 R cell 201 390-5880 R vgaily@specialproperties.com R specialproperties.com Information deemed reliable but subject to errors and omissions.

Discover Adventure in Riviera Maya

By Mira Temkin ocated on the Caribbean coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula lies the exquisite pure sand beaches of beautiful Riviera Maya. Once home to small fishing villages, Riviera Maya has now become a tourist Mecca with high-end luxury resorts, fine dining, nightlife, spa retreats, shopping and golf. As a top ecotourism destination, it offers many eco-theme parks offering a taste of natural adventure in family-friendly environments.

Along Riviera Maya is Playa del Carmen, one of the top dive destinations in the world, thanks to vibrant sea life and dazzling

underwater caverns. This part of Mexico is also rich in history, culture and tradition with ancient Mayan ruins at Tulum and El Rey. We explored an archaeological site on the Coba Mayan Encounter with Alltournatives and climbed the amazing Nohoch Muul pyramid, the tallest in the Yucatan Peninsula.

We went up as far as we could, and were rewarded with stunning views of the jungle. A secluded Maya village provided lunch and we trekked through the jungle learning about the unique Maya environment. It was a fascinating day. A few hours inland, the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza are among the best restored of the YucatĂĄn Maya archaeological sites. Hire a guide or go with a group tour to get the most out of these historical sites.

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 29

Explore the X-Caret eco parks Xcaret Experiencias operates seven glorious, family-oriented attractions in Riviera Maya and Cancun. The granddaddy of them all is X-Caret, a majestic archaeological park where you can swim with the dolphins, float through underground rivers and take a musical journey through Mexico. One of their most amazing adventures is an underwater walk wearing a breathable helmet. On the Sea Trek Stingrays Encounter, you’ll discover living wonders as you gracefully bounce on the sea floor. Xel-Ha is the natural wonder of Mexico, an idyllic place where you can snorkel among multi-colored fish in the world’s largest natural aquarium. Xplor is an underground world for the whole family where you can drive an amphibious vehicle along jungle trails. Xoximilco welcomes visitors with traditional music and food, offering an authentic Mexican fiesta along the most beautiful canals of Cancun.

We spent a full day at their newest park, Xeonotes Oasis Maya. The Mayans believed the cenotes were the entrance to the underworld and the waters were considered sacred. Fire, water, earth and wind 30 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

cenotes beckoned in this protected, preserved park. Snorkeling in the clear waters with the sun sparkling through brought to life a glorious underwater world. We enjoyed swimming in the peaceful, serene pools, kayaking and floating in an inner tube, which was the ultimate relaxation. For the more adventurous, there were ziplining and rappelling, but the beauty of this excursion is that you can do as much or little as you want... and still appreciate the cenotes’ quiet beauty and tranquility.

For more information: www.xenotes.com Buy your tickets online for extra savings: www.en.xcaretexperiencias.com All-Inclusive resorts offer great value If you like to party hearty, all-inclusive resorts are a bargain. If you don’t, you’re better off at a hotel or condo. In Riviera Maya, there are more than 100 all-inclusive resorts, which offer delicious cuisine, refreshing drinks, non-stop activities and entertainment,

without having to keep track of the bill. Most all-inclusives offer theme-restaurants like a steak-house, Italian and Japanese dining, so there’s dining flexibility, too. Because there are so many allinclusive resorts here, there are bargains a plenty. Check out your favorite travel sites for the best deals.

Playa del Carmen – Authentic and casual What I liked best about this coastal resort town was its size. Playa del Carmen’s intimate charm made you feel like a local, but still offered lots of fun-in-sun activity. The attitude is definitely more laid back with smaller boutique accommodations as well as a pedestrian-friendly town. Go for a dive and snorkel. Or, hop a ferry from the beach to Cozumel and soak up the sun on their divine beaches. The main tourist area for shopping, dining and entertainment is called Fifth Avenue. At this bustling pedestrian walkway, you can shop for traditional Mexican handicrafts, leather goods and T-shirts. I discovered Caribbean Puzzles, which makes colorful, handmade puzzles out of recycled wood. I kept going back for more.

Nightlife sizzles Yes, this is still Mexico so you can expect lots of movin’ and shakin’ when the sun goes down. King of the hot spots is Coco Bongo with its spectacular show/disco/nightclub and the best music, ambiance and entertainment in town. You’ll see flying acrobats, dancers, Spiderman and musical acts from The Beatles, Beyonce, Phantom of the Opera and more. It’s honestly like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Try Blue Parrot with its spectacular nightly fire show at 11 pm and plenty of dancing on the beach.

Truly, Riviera Maya has it all... a beautiful beach, a chance to share the beauty of nature with your children and family and an ideal destination for couples.

For more information: www.Rivieramaya.com www.visitmexico.com/en/mayan-riviera

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 31

beautiful beachfront luxury

Set sail for adventure at the Port Royal and make luxuriously appointed accommodations your port of call on the Jersey Shore. Soak up some sun and salty sea air with your First Mate from a private balcony with spectacular views of the sparkling Atlantic Ocean.

Voted 2015 Favorite Hotel by Family Vacation Critic

/N THE "EACH AT 0ALM 2OAD s /CEAN !VENUE s 7ILDWOOD #REST .* PortRoyalHotel.com A MOREY RESORT

Swarovski, a Legacy of Beauty

By Sandy Nesoff Photos courtesy of Swarovski AG old and diamonds have been the currency of the wealthy since time immemorial. No costume jewelry and no iron pyrites (fool’s gold). Is there anything more beautiful than a diamond necklace or ring or a bracelet of gold?

Absolutely.

In the small Austrian village of Wattens, not far from the German border the face of a giant with an open mouth, water pouring forth, sits, waiting to greet visitors. It’s a strange and garish entry to what could arguably be one of the most beautiful collections in the world, Kristallwelten .

This is the Swarovski Museum holding the display of the most amazing man-made crystals ever created. They shine, they sparkle and many people can not tell the difference between a Swarovski crystal and the purest white diamond from the mines of South Africa.

In the entrance, enclosed in a giant glass case, is a huge crystal in the shape of a diamond waiting to be set in en engagement ring for a women of ginormous proportions. But that is only the start. Just a short distance further into the museum is the life-sized effigy of a horse bedecked in a saddle, bridle and stirrups with thousands of crystals adorning them.

It was custom made for an oil rich Arabian sheik who, no doubt, rides it through the sand dunes of his native “wherever.” His identity and nationality are not disclosed.

JULY JULY 2015 2015| |NEW NEWYORK YORKLIFESTYLES LIFESTYLESMAGAZINE MAGAZINE|| 33

This is only scratching the surface of the man-made crystal artifacts throughout the museum. There is room after room, each one more amazing than the one before it. Most of these crystals were made for display in the museum rather than for purchase by the amazingly rich. Even “The” Donald Trump would have difficulty scraping his wallet to bring home some of the crystals.

And don’t even think of requesting a visit to the facility where they are created. That comes under the heading of “If I tell you, I’d have to kill you.”

Well, OK, not really. But the Swarovski facility where they are given birth is strictly off limits to any but the trusted workers who ply their trade there. The process has been a closely guarded secret since Daniel Swarovski first brought them into the world.

Swarovski, who was born in 1862 and passed away in 1956, was born in Northern Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) as Daniel Swartz. His father was a glass cutter and the young man served an apprenticeship at his father’s side. There he learned the fine art of precision glass cutting and in 1892 he patented an electric cutting machine to facilitate the production of crystal glass.

Three years later he partnered with financier Arman Kosman and 34 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

Franz Weiss, founding the Swarovski Company. Originally known as A. Kosman, Daniel Swartz & Co., it was shortened to K.S. & Co. They set up a factory in the Tyrolean village of Wattens to take advantage of the inexpensive hydroelectricity needed for the grinding of their process. It was energy intensive and the least expensive method was to set up near strongly flowing water.

Today the secret process turns out finely cut crystal glass sculptures, miniatures, jewelry, couture, home décor and magnificent chandeliers.

It is known that to create glass tat permits light to refract in a rainbow spectrum, Swarovski coats some of the products with a special metallic chemical coating. One such method, Aurora Borealis gives the surface a rainbow appearance. Swarovski brands each of its products with a swan to authenticate it.

Over the years Swarovski has expanded beyond crystal jewelry and the like to produce abrasives and optical instruments such as binoculars and rifle scopes. They have also created a range of fragrances, including both liquid and solid perfumes.

Ever on the move, Swarovski partnered with electronics giant,

Phillips, to produce crystals for the electronic field such as USB memory chips. They now also include Bluetooth wireless earpieces.

But for all the expansion the company is still best known for its jewelry and figurines. Many shopping centers around the world are now home to Swarovski stores and there are shops in many airports.

Swarovski crystals were embedded in collectible silver coins issued by the Canadian mint in 2009.

The whole world is familiar with the annual lighting of the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. Sitting atop the giant tree since 2004 is a crystal star in the shape of a snowflake made by, of course, Swarovski. Smaller replicas of the star are sold as annual edition ornaments for home tree use. The one that sits atop the tree is nine feet in diameter and weighs in at 550 pounds.

Swarovski made it into the movies in the 2004 film version of Phantom of the Opera. The standing model of the chandelier was composed of Swarovski crystals and in one scene a Swarovski shop window is visible.

And again in 2009 the documentary film “This is It,� starring Michael Jackson, the entertainer wore costumes covered with

Swarovski crystals.

Pop singer J-Lo had Swarovski product-placed for the single “On the Floor� along with such noted brands as Crown Royal rye and BMW automobiles. It appeared again in the Nelly Furtado Big Hoops music video.

There’s little reason to shop around for a better price when buying Swarovski. The product is tightly controlled to avoid having it sell off at bargain prices. What you might buy in Munich will sell for about the same cost in New York.

Some of the more popular pieces are a miniature crystal typewriter with a piece of paper as though a newsman were in the process of preparing an article; a tic-tac-toe set with the pieces made of crystal, lady bugs, flowers, animals and fine jewelry.

Even though the pieces might be on display in such locations as a hotel in Innsbruck, Austria, they are only for display purposes. A visitor to a hotel there asked to purchase a necklace of Swarovski crystals. He was told he had to go to the Swarovski store in the city’s Old Town. Amazingly, the available collection in that store was far wider than at the Swarovski museum store. But the prices were the TBNF t JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 35

W i l l i a m s b u r g l u x u r y h o m e s . c o m

1560 Harbor Road

A waterfront treasure! Open flow from Kitchen & Family Room, 2 delightful Master Suites on 1st and 2nd floors, double verandas & screened porch are enhanced by outstanding water view. 40 foot bulkhead just steps from your door. Offered At $1,250,000

3091 Nathaniel’s Green

Golf front Georgian is defined by an exemplary 3 floor interior w/ spacious rooms, intimate living spaces, & exceptional 2nd floor Media Room. First floor Master Suite, Sun Room, 2 Offices, 2 Laundry Rooms, and 3rd floor Recreational area. Offered At $1,000,000

1613 Founders Hill North

Warm ambiance and impeccable it is truly a turnkey home! Golf front. Stunning interior with open flow. Kitchen w/eating area surrounded by windows, Sun Room, 3 first floor Bedrms, plus 2nd floor Bonus, En-suite 4th Bedrm and new Exercise Rm with Sauna. Offered At $789,000

MARLEY NUMBERS

3013 Margaret Jones Lane

Waterfront French country home offers all the amenities one would expect in an elegant 5,177sf home! Outstanding Master Suite w/two luxurious Master Baths & Pool Room with swim gym & spa; Au pair/in-law suite with kitchenette; geothermal heating/cooling system. Offered At $1,199,000

3 Bayberry Lane

The perfect residence within walking distance of Colonial Williamsburg, built in 1937 by Rockefeller Craftsman, and fabulously updated & expanded.

Outstanding grounds; 1st and 2nd floor Masters; detached 2 car garage.

Offered At $900,000

13 Garland Drive

This lakefront home is in an Ideal location near shopping, Christopher Newport University, Riverside Medical Center & Ferguson Center of the Arts. The home offers open flow interior & a beckoning exterior with expansive deck, hot tub, gazebo, & dock. 5 BDRM & 3 Fireplaces. Offered at $550,000

Top 5% in North America

757-784-1715 | numbersm1@cox.net | www.williamsburgluxuryhomes.com 5234 Monticello Avenue, Suite #110, Williamsburg, VA 23188

W i l l i a m s b u r g , v i r g i n i a

beautiful beachfront luxury

Check your cares at the front desk and explore the oceanfront Pan American Hotel where our professional crew stands ready to meet your every need. Lovely first class rooms feature private balconies providing sweeping aerial views of the ocean.

Voted 2015 Favorite Hotel by Family Vacation Critic A MOREY RESORT

/N THE "EACH AT #ROCUS 2OAD s /CEAN !VENUE 7ILDWOOD #REST .* s 6ISIT US AT WWW 0AN!MERICAN(OTEL COM

Right Cruise Ship For A Trip That Fits

By Gerry and Pam Barker

ruise vacations come in all sizes, from the “mega” ships like Oasis of the Seas to the yachts of Windstar. If you are looking for something in between, with the amenities of a larger ship but the personal attention you get on a smaller one, Azamara Club Cruises is just what you’re looking for.

Part of the Royal Caribbean family, Azamara operates two ships – Quest and Journey. At 30,000 tons and a little less than 600 feet in length, each accommodates almost 700 passengers and around 400 crew. Both ships underwent a recent refurbishment.

I had an opportunity to experience Azamara first-hand when my wife and I boarded Azamara Quest in Miami for a cruise to the West Indies. It was a chance to visit the more out-of-the-way islands which the larger ships have to mostly pass by. Here are my impressions of the trip: The Ship: The size is just right if you seek a more intimate, personalized setting for your cruise vacation. You can pretty much get to any place you want to go in short order. It isn’t adults only; children are certainly welcome. But it clearly caters to adults, which is a positive for several we spoke with. There was one child on our voyage and outside the pool and ice cream, not a whole lot kids would find interesting.

38 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

The Attire. It’s pretty much all resort casual, all the time. Of course the ladies enjoy dressing up for the evening meals, as do many of the gents. But guys, you don’t have to pack your tux for this ship.

There are no “formal” nights, and speaking for myself, I found the laid back dress code a real bonus. It added to the relaxed vibe for the whole trip.

The Staterooms. You will find them on a smaller side, as you might expect, but with very comfortable bedding and serviceable balconies on most. There are suites as well. A word to the wise: If you have personal electronics or other devices that require plugs, throw in an extension cord or two. We have yet to go on any cruise where the staterooms had a sufficient number of plugs conveniently located.

The Food. Uniformly very good or excellent. Whether you opt for the main dining room, Discoveries, or the more casual Windows Café for the buffet, we found everything to be high quality. There are also two specialty restaurants: Aqualina and Prime C. We tried both and were impressed by the level of food and service, particularly the former. Another good option is the Mosaic Café on 5, a boutique sandwich, dessert and coffee bar with a more upscale motif. Room service is also available 24/7, plus during meal times you can order anything served in the dining rooms for your stateroom.

The Guests. Definitely mostly an older demographic of wellseasoned travelers, many making return visits to Azamara (for one couple, their 10th trip). Again, it’s very much a family vibe among both guests and crew. Relaxed, quiet and maybe a throwback of sorts to old-school cruising back in the day.

The Entertainment. The main show room is the Cabaret Lounge on deck 5, adjacent to the casino. The Azamara singers and dancers perform there as an ensemble and individually, along with a few other select acts. Not flashy or Las Vegas, but certainly enjoyable and well suited for the various venues around the ship.

The Amenities. On Azamara, the price of the cruise includes all gratuities, red and white house wines (which change every day and are very good, by the way) at lunch and dinner, bottled water, sodas and the self-serve laundry. No doubt in the end the cost is comparable with other cruises that charge a la carte for these things, and probably a little more, but just having everything included makes life so much simpler, without that feeling of being “nickeled and dimed.�

Getting Around. Since it is cruising on a smaller scale, expect the stairways to be narrow and the elevators smaller. But it’s almost just as easy to walk if you are located anywhere mid-ship. One thing to note if you are physically challenged: The ship is probably not as wheelchair-friendly as you would find on newer, larger vessels.

Random Notes. My wife fell in love with their hi-tech coffeemaker which creates a Cappuccino and other popular coffee selections in a flash... the gelato in Windows is more my style – new flavors every day... our two favorite spots were Looking Glass on deck 10, with its panoramic views and dance floor at night, and the Sunset Bar on deck 9 (where Danijel from Brazil took good care of us), a great place to enjoy a drink or a meal any time of day... there is E-Connections if you want to hook into the Internet, or you can connect and use the ship’s Wi-Fi with your own devices at the published rates. The connection was surprisingly good throughout our voyage... a shout-out to Errol in Land Discoveries, whose soothing admonitions to “walk with love and care� sent us out on our shore excursions... kudos to Nathalia in Guest Relations and Philip, the hotel manager, for all their help and kindnesses... praise for Tanja from Macedonia in the Casino Luxe Bar for her martini mastery – best on the ship... and special thanks to Capt. Stig, who expertly guided us throughout our journey.

Bottom line: We are totally sold on the perks of “smaller scale� cruising: The friendly, efficient service, the variety in the ports of call and the camaraderie created between crew and guests – not to mention the five-star meals and wines. If you are looking for more relaxation, more quiet and a more personal cruise experience, "[BNBSB $MVC $SVJTFT XJMM NPSF UIBO NFFU ZPVS FYQFDUBUJPOT t

The Spa. It has one, along with a fitness center and a jogging track.

The Pool. There is a small heated pool and adjacent hot tubs. But the headline here is the wonderfully luxuriant and comfortable deck chairs, which seem brand new and are in great abundance.

They also enforce the rules for not reserving lounges when the occupant is gone longer than 30 minutes. Applause, applause.

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 39

¥ 508/4*%& 3&"-5034 TOWNSIDE, REALTORS®

1SPGFTTJPOBM 1BSL %SJWF #MBDLTCVSH 7"

1382 Thunderstruck Road

F l o y d , V i r G i n i a 24091 ls# 785820

BlacksBUrG oFFice 540.552.6500 220 Professional Park Drive Blacksburg, VA 24060

roanoke oFFice

540.989.3311 4005 Electric Road, Suite 100 Roanoke, VA 24018

Bill Gearhart aBr, Gri President, PrinciPal Broker 540.989.6980 fax

Virginia Beach...

It’s Military, But Civilians Love It As Well

Photo by Joanna Poe

By Bob & Sandy Nesoff here was a time in the not so distant past that Virginia Beach was a quiet, sleepy seaside town populated by tourists, mostly from the area, and the military.

That has changed.

Today Virginia Beach is host to thousands of seasonal visitors with many driving down from the Northeast. And now, with gas prices dropping, it has become an even more affordable vacation destination.

The city itself, a short hop east of Norfolk, has grown like the

fictional Topsy with both top grade hotels and smaller motels lining the drive parallel to the ocean front. The road is crowded with souvenir shops and others catering primarily to the tourist trade and does give the area a bit of a tacky appearance.

But appearances can be deceiving. Along that same route are affordable restaurants in elegant settings. Top of the chart are a number of seafood eateries... and how could you expect less from a seaside resort?

We stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott, Oceanfront/South on Atlantic Avenue, practically kissing the white sand beach. In fact, the boardwalk and beach were easily accessible from the rear entrance to the hotel.

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 41

The lobby lounge had added relaxation as it permitted guests to sit, talk, have a drink or whatever while watching passersby strolling on the boardwalk. Adjacent to the boardwalk pedestrian area is a path restricted to bicyclists. This restriction, however, was more ignored than observed but no one seemed to mind. In addition to traditional bicycles, there were four-seater and two seater pedaled vehicles rented from concessions along Atlantic Avenue.

While Virginia Beach has grown in popularity as a tourist destination, the military is still a major presence in the area.

There are any number of military installations from Virginia Beach’s Oceana Naval Air Base to Norfolk with its massive naval base and huge ships in port.

Beachgoers peer skyward to watch as fighter jets from Oceana zip overhead, pointing toward the vast Atlantic as they streak out for training missions. The scream of their engines fades to the back of your mind after the first ones pass overhead and you become used to the noise.

42 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

We had a pleasant lunch interlude at Rudee Inlet at the aptly named Rudee’s on the Inlet, a restaurant and cabana bar. We opted for outdoor dining and were seated in what at home would have been a covered swing set. The slight movement of the seat had the impression of dining aboard a boat being rocked by gently rolling waves.

While seafood is the mainstay at Rudee’s and most other eateries, there are more then sufficient options for the carnivore.

From there we took a short hop to the marina and boarded the Rudee Flipper, a punt-nosed sightseeing boat that moved easily through the chop at the inlet entrance and out into open water. This was a dolphin watching cruise and passengers were surprised to see a pod of dolphins swimming literally yards off the shore.

They put on quite a show surfacing, diving and surfacing again. The beautiful mammals

Photo by m01229 were unconcerned by the proximity of the boat and, more surprisingly, by the swimmers and those on paddle surf boards where the person stands and provides propulsion with a long handled paddle.

The boat moved slowly northward along the beachfront giving passengers a unique look at Virginia Beach.

Overhead fighter jets shrieked while below dolphins put on a show. Quite a day!

Located not far from the beach is the Edgar Cayce Association for Research and Enlightenment. This organization professes to “Take your spiritual path to the next degree,� and although it is not a religious group, it does come off rather mystical.

Cayce, whom some considered to be a mystic, claimed to have insight and foresight where he appeared to tell of future events.

He claimed to be a healer and was an early proponent of healthy eating.

Symposiums at the Cayce ARE focus on “Haunting Experiences: Ghosts, hauntings, phantom phenomena and their relevance to our lives.� Much of what the ARE espouses was hard

to digest for some visitors but there was no hard push from staffers to convert anyone. More mainstream speakers at the organization include such internationally known experts as Zahi Hawass, who heads Egypt’s archeological efforts and is well known from appearances on television.

Some left the ARE complex with the feeling that it bordered on being a cult, but, that being said, there are thousands of followers who have faith in the organization and the ideas espoused by Cayce.

One must stop, as far removed from Cayce’s healthy living thoughts, is the Royal Chocolate at 164 Central Park Avenue in the Virginia Beach Town Center. This is without doubt Nirvana for chocoholics.

There are edible chocolate sculptures, gift baskets Royal Berries (chocolate dipped strawberries) and, best of all, platters of free samples. But understand that there is little to no possibility that you will depart this chocolate haven empty handed.

Virginia Beach, not relying on the summer sun for visitors, has developed a hugely cultural grip on the area with opportunities GPS UIF FOUFSUBJONFOU BSUT BT XFMM BT NBHOJÄ•DFOU BSU XPSL t JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 43

Your Beachfront Paradise Awaits

Your invitation... to a vacation you’ll remember for years to come in Wildwood Crest

Creating New Memories...

6101 Ocean Ave. Wildwood Crest, NJ 08260 (800) 462-3260 / (609) 522-6991 Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Crusader-Resort/117546574931580 Twitter: @CrusaderResort

Turkey’s Lycian Coast

By Ed Curtis

urkey is a country that has something for almost everyone.

It is heavily Muslim, but current politics aside, it has a deep respect for both Christians and Jews.

Constantinople, Istanbul today, is one of only five cities in the world that spans two continents.. Turkey’s largest city, it is split by the Bosphorus Strait leaving the city in both Europe and Asia. Some 65% of its residents living in Europe and 35% in Asia.

Turkey’s spectacular Lycian coast is home to a rich concentration of ancient sites and fascinating history, making it the perfect backdrop for an upcoming series of expeditions hosted by Peter Sommer Travels aboard traditional wooden yachts called gulets.

As a land renowned for rugged landscapes, beautiful coastal scenery and picturesque villages, Lycia is also one of Turkey’s most fascinating regions to explore with the mind, given its ancient history and fiercely independent culture.

In 1994, archaeologist and BBC TV historical documentary-maker Peter Sommer walked 2,000 miles across Turkey, retracing the route of Alexander the Great. Ever since then, Peter has been organizing exceptional expert-led archaeological tours for small groups, as well as private charters.

Peter Sommer Travels unlocks some of the secrets of ancient Lycia this year aboard three dedicated expeditions, cruising from location to location aboard beautiful Turkish gulets. Each tour is hosted by a leading archaeologist and caters to no more than 14 people, combining magnificent scenery, fascinating ancient sites and superb food and wine.

Cruising the Lycian Shore – Peter Sommer will lead this tour personally. A 15-day cruise along the length of Lycia’s turquoise coast, including highlights like the marble-clad city of Perge, the stunning town of Myra with its superb rock-cut tombs and ancient theatre, and Xanthos, a vast fortified citadel city that dominated the region for centuries. August 29 to September 12. Priced from about

$5,650 per person double.

Cruising Western Lycia – An eight-day cruise among the sites of Lycia’s western shores, with highlights including Gemiler where a small Byzantine town clings to the slopes of a rocky island, and Patara where archaeologists are uncovering a monumental site with links to St Nicholas, St Paul and Julius Caesar’s murderer Brutus.

September 5 to 12. Priced from $3,327 per person.

Walking and Cruising the Lycian Shore – A 15-day journey combining a cruise with daily walks along the Lycian Way, a superb walking trail that links ancient roads, mule tracks and shepherd’s pathways. Highlights include the regional capital at Pinara with its royal tombs, the monumental Roman port city of Patara and the Ottoman castle of Kale. September 26 to October 10. Priced from $5,650 per person double.

Each expedition will focus on the extraordinary heritage of the Lycians, one of antiquity’s most mysterious group of peoples.

Their enduring sense of identity prevailed for centuries even as they adopted and adapted to cultural influences from the Persians, Greeks and Romans.

The Lycians are perhaps best known for their elaborate rock-cut tombs and sarcophagi which are unlike anything else in the world.

Many are still found in breathtaking and rugged setting that have been seemingly untouched for centuries.

Specializing in small-group expeditions, Peter Sommer Travels offers more than 20 different expert-led land tours and gulet cruises among the ancient sites of Turkey, Greece and Italy. Many are conducted as sailing journeys aboard traditional Turkish wooden gulets.

Tour prices include transport, accommodation, most meals, crew and guide services as well as all entrance fees and tips on excursions.

Airfare is not included.

For full details and bookings, contact Peter Sommer Travels at 1-855-443-3027, email info@petersommer.com or visit www.petersommer.com t JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 45

The beautiful and challenging Kingsmill golf course

Kingsmill Resort, Golfing At Its Finest

By Ross Warren Photos courtesy of Kingsmill Resort t’s been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If that’s the case locales around the world have been imitating the Scottish invention of a game in which players whack a small white ball across acres of manicured lawn and attempt to place it into a hole in the ground only slightly larger than the ball itself.

Sometimes they get it right but all too often the design of a golf course is little more than a series of bumps, hills, sand pits and water holes and a small green circle with a flag stuck into the hole in the ground.

Sometimes they get it right.

In fabled Williamsburg, VA sits the only AAA four-diamond resort in the historic district. They got it right.

Kingsmill has the whole package, from a championship golf course to a resort with upscale dining, a spa, and nearby the Colonial Williamsburg with its pre-Revolutionary War buildings.

46 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

Within nearly putting distance as well is Busch Gardens The Old Country, an attraction geared for every level of the family. The Old Country is divided into European locales, old England, Germany, France and others. There are rides, food, boats on the river and enough loopy coasters to keep the kids adrenaline flowing.

For those who like to get wet Water County USA water park with its pools, slides and many other attractions.

At Kingsmill there are 425 rooms with air-conditioning, flat screen TVs and many with private furnished balconies. Wireless internet is free and cable programming is available.

The resort’s spa offers massages, body treatments and facials in a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. For the golfer and non-golfer in the family the health club and indoor pool offer alternative activities.

You can watch the sunset at Kingsmill’s alfresco dinning area (check the TV for weather reports first) or simply relax with an adult beverage and enjoy the warm breeze.

For the business traveler or those looking for a catered event, Kingsmill offers more than 10,000 square feet of space for larger

Kingsmill offers a huge indoor pool for all weather enjoyment gatherings. There is a 24-hour business center, express check out and complimentary newspapers daily.

While mom and dad are partaking of any of the activities, out on the golf course for 18-holes there is never a worry about what to do with the kids.

Kingsmill offers supervised child care and activities to keep that younger set from coming down with a severe case of boredom.

For the older set Kingsmill is offering, for a limited time, attractive discounts for AARP members.

Some of the packages offer up to 30% off some accommodations and activities.

The discount for accommodations varies depending on the length of stay. A one-nighter will garner a 10% discount off the regular room rate; two nights will be 20% and three nights is 30%.

In addition AARP members can select from a variety of activities and packages regardless of the length of stay. There is a 10% discount for 18-holes on the River Course, a discount on a Swedish massage, bike rentals, sea cycles, kayaks and more.

Those who opt for the Plantation Course receive a larger discount of 20% for 18-holes and discounts for European facials in the Kingsmill Spa, access to tennis courts, pontoon bots to cruise the James River and, for the speed junkie and jet ski rentals.

The discounts are not dependent on each other. The room discount will have no bearing on the rate of other discounts so long as the guest has a valid AARP membership card. The card must be presented at check-in. t For more information check out: www.kingsmill.com

An aerial view of the AAA Five-Star Kingsmill Resort in Virginia

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 47

JULY 7 Prudential Center Tickets at Ticketmaster.com

800-745-3000

A Gem in the Derby City Story and photography by Stephanie & Jeff Sylva

t is happening throughout the country - cities striving to reverse the consequences of suburban sprawl, and longneglected downtown areas revitalizing themselves and creating vibrant, exciting cityscapes.

Such a revitalization is prospering in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, anchored by the imaginative vision of contemporary art collectors and dedicated preservationists Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson. Troubled by the development encroaching upon Kentucky’s farmlands, and passionate about making contemporary art a part of more people’s daily lives, Brown and Wilson opened 21c Museum Hotel Louisville in 2006, and have received nothing but rave reviews for their 90-room boutique hotel and awardwinning restaurant.

A haven for contemporary art But 21c is more than just an upscale, boutique hotel and restaurant delivering genuine Southern hospitality, thoughtful design, and culinary creativity. It is a contemporary art museum dedicated to bringing 21st century works (hence the name) of living artists to people in a unique way. Guests and visitors to 21c encounter works of art that will challenge, amuse, and stimulate conversation. They can experience art throughout 21c at any time of the day, as the Museum is open 24/7 for guests as well as visitors.

The art and the Museum’s palpable energy engage observers in the elevators, hallways, public restrooms, rooftop, floors, and in the restaurant and bar. Installations flow onto the city sidewalk, engaging guests and passersby alike. Art at 21c is not simply decoration – it is the heart and soul of the experience.

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 49

Brown and Wilson partnered with world-renowned architect Deborah Berke to re-imagine and rehabilitate a series of 19th century tobacco and Bourbon warehouses, which are currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places, along downtown’s West Main Street (now referred to as Museum Row). In addition to the hotel’s contemporary-styled guest rooms, 21c Museum Hotel features rotating exhibits, live performances (we saw a wonderful modern dance performance during our visit), and a flock of migrating red penguins. Sculptured from recycled plastic, the fleet of birds serves as a playful reminder of the importance of sustainability and environmental conservation.

Both staff and guests have fun placing these playful penguins in interesting, at times provocative, places eliciting laughter or shrieks of surprise. Don’t be surprised if, when you open your door in the morning, you are greeted by one of these four-foot flightless birds standing in your doorway. Or, possibly after a few drinks in the bar, you find one staring at you when the elevator door opens.

Creative cuisine and imaginative cocktails 21c’s award-winning restaurant, Proof on Main, is a favorite of 50 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

locals and visitors, evidenced by some of its many accolades such as Esquire magazine’s selection for “Best New Restaurants” and Bon Appetit magazine’s choice as one of the “10 Best Hotels for Food Lovers.” Proof on Main’s menu reflects many of the culinary traditions of the American South while infusing a unique blend of 21st century innovation and local flavors. Proof on Main’s commitment to farm-to-table cuisine is exemplified by the fact that the restaurant owns and operates its own farm, Woodland Farm, and also partners with a number of artisanal producers.

The restaurant’s bar, which sported a lively crowd each night we were there, furthers this commitment to regional suppliers by stocking over 75 of Kentucky’s finest Bourbons and featuring some very creative seasonal, ingredient-driven cocktails.

As one of the stops on the Urban Bourbon Trail, Proof has handselected a unique collection of Bourbons that highlight the smallbatch, artisan craftsmanship that reflects the history and culture of the region. Ask for a “Passport” and embark on your journey through the urban side of Bourbon. USA Today named the bar at Proof in the Top Three of the Best Hotel Bar category in “10 Best Readers’ Choice” travel award contest.

In the heart of Museum Row 21c’s location on Museum Row puts guests just steps from a number of attractions that will interest sports enthusiasts, art lovers, and budding scientists alike. Sports fans will love the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory and the Muhammad Ali Center. Art lovers can visit the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, Louisville Glassworks, and The Kentucky Center for Performing Arts. The Frazier International History Museum and Louisville Science Center are two other popular attractions on Museum Row. 21c Museum Hotel is committed to the principle that their establishment is more than simply a place to spend the night.

Rather, the folks at 21c want their guests to have an authentic experience. Guests and visitors are invited to explore and discover; to see how art enriches, challenges, and entertains. The 21c experience is no longer limited to the Bluegrass State – the brand now brings its experience, and its iconic penguins (each city with its own signature color birds), to Cincinnati, OH; Bentonville, AK; and Durham, NC, with plans to open as many as 15 properties over the next five to 10 years. That’s a veritable rainbow of penguins. t

If You Go: 21cLouisville.com | 502-217-6300 ProofOnMain.com JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 51

OUR RICH HISTORY FROM 1795 UNTIL THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY | Maiden Lane was the center of the jewelry district. Stretching west from the South Street Seaport all the way to the World Trade Center Site,

- Bringing history into the hotel in the modern times

WORLD TRADE

Trinidad & Tobago Fusion Cuisine

By Jon Haggins

rinidad is the furthest southern Caribbean Island, just seven miles from the tip of Venezuela. Several chefs told me that they prepare their cuisine in a Caribbean, European and Asia, fusion Style. After all, its local people are Africans, East Indians, Europeans, Asians and Native Americans.

Imagine the thought of the first European settlers to arrive in Tobago: the beach with its natural background of white powdered sand dotted with swaying palm trees where the wind blows to the east. Trinidad and Tobago do not have a global supply of produce as other islands, therefore everything is seasonal, which allows the chefs to be creative with what they find locally on a daily basis. There are lots of cottage industries, fishing, cattle, and pork in local markets.

Nicholas Hardwicke, the executive chef at Seahorse Restaurant on Black Rock, Tobago prepares local flair creole dishes with international flavors using local seafood. He said the sea air enhances the flavor of the food. Seahorse restaurant is located on Stone Haven Bay on Grafton Beach.

Photo by Katina Rogers JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 53

I visited Cocoa Estates where visitors can learn the history and process of cocoa in Tobago. The Estate is nestled in the green hills of Roxborough overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Tobago Beach BBQ experience at No Man’s Land includes a variety of fresh local foods such as crab and dumplings, curry goat, grilled shrimp lobster, fish, chicken, fruits, macaroni pie. Imagine having these succulent dishes while soaking in some of Tobago’s sun and crystal clear waters.

Carlson the chef at Magdalena Resort Hotel operates four restaurants, but his favorite is the Kalina Caribbean Fusion. Kalina is a fine dining restaurant with a Trinidad and Tobago flair mixed with European and Asian styles. Caribbean fusion is local ingredients using lots of pepper sauce, coconut oil and rosemary dusted over lamb chops.

The Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality Institute offers three levels of degrees; Associate, Bachelor of Science and a Culinary Management Degree. Students are trained in the culinary arts. After graduation they have an opportunity to go abroad to Italy, Brazil and France to work and gain experience.

The House of Angostura is located on a twenty acre complex in Trinidad, which includes its state of the art rum distillery, administration offices, a museum, art galley, wine and spirits retail outlet, a tasting room with a professional bartender who offer a full range of rum products made at the facility.

The San Antonio Green Market was developed in 2012 to promote healthy lifestyle choices with sustainable development for vendors from all over the island. The farmers don’t use pesticides and of 54 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

course they work with healthy soil to grow healthy food.

The Green Market is a great showcase for their products such as Callaloo, which is a spinach like leaf of a tropical American plant that is widely used in Caribbean cooking, sushi, jerk chicken and pork. The Green Market offers a variety of other products such as soups, lotions, coconut oil, fruits, vegetables, wines, honey and Coco products. The main aim is to encourage relationships between producers and consumers and to promote healthy lifestyle choices. The green Market is also a source for farmers to earn income and communicate with one another.

The Fanatic Kitchen Studio offers guests an opportunity to participate in preparing meals with the guidance of a variety of in house guest chefs. The Kitchen also offers Mixology lessons. You can’t have a proper meal without a proper libation. Trinidad and Tobago have the best rum and Rum Punch is the national drink and it’s oh so refreshing.

The night market offers a wide selection of homemade products: ice cream, local sandwiches such as the doubles. Doubles is a street food, a sandwich made with two flat breads filled with chick peas topped with mango, cilantro, cucumber, coconut, tamarind and extra pepper sauce. The Hyatt Regency Trinidad Hotel served the freshest sushi.

Maracas North Coast was a special highlight because that’s where I sample shark at Richard’s Bake and Shark. Bake and Shark is a Trinidadian classic street food sandwich that consists of deep fried shark stuffed in freshly baked bread complimented with lots of condiment of your choice.

Photo by Neil James Spicer Bake and Shark Recipe Bake Recipe: (Serves 5) 3 cups all-purpose flour * 1/4-teaspoon salt 1-teaspoon baking powder 1/2-teaspoon yeast (instant) 1 cup of warm water 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening 1-tablespoon margarine or butter 2-3 cups of vegetable oil for frying In a large bowl place the flour, yeast, salt, margarine, shortening and baking powder. Use your hands to mix everything together.

Break up the margarine and shortening. The flour will take on the consistency of peas. Now start adding the water and form into a smooth dough. Please make sure the water is lukewarm to help the yeast activate. It will take about 5 minutes of kneading to form a smooth dough. You can always use your standing mixer or food processor if you wish.

Rub a little vegetable oil on your kitchen counter surface and place one of the dough balls then rub some vegetable oil on your fingers and start to stretch the dough while pressing to form a 6 inch (diameter) circle. Work from the center out.

Heat about 2 cups of vegetable oil on med/high and gently add the now formed bakes into the pot. Remember to place it away from your body, when adding it to the hot oil.

As soon as it hits the oil, be prepared to flip them over so that you’ll have evenly fried and shaped fried balls. Allow them to cook for about 3 minutes, flipping them a couple times so each side cooks evenly. You can also spoon the hot oil on the exposed surface if you like. You’re looking for a crispy surface and a golden color.

It’s then time to fish them out of the hot oil and place on the paper towels to drain off the extra oil. Repeat the steps until they are all fried.

All you have to do now is slice them open and stuff with the fried shark.

Cover the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap to make it air tight and place it in a warm corner of your kitchen. Allow it to ‘rest’ for about 45 minutes. Dust the top of the dough with some flour) After 45 minutes, it’s time to work the dough into smaller dough balls. All you have to do is break the main dough ball into 5 equal sized smaller balls (like the size of a tennis ball). Place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet (after you smooth them out) and cover with a kitchen towel to ‘rest’ further. All it takes is 15 minutes this time.

It’s now time to shape them into bake-like form and fry them. Set up a sort of station… the frying pan with the vegetable oil and a draining basket lined with paper towels.

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 55

Shark Recipe: (Serves 5) 2 lbs. shark 1 lime or lemon 1/2-teaspoon salt 1/4-teaspoon black pepper 2 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon green seasoning 1/4 scotch bonnet pepper 1 cup all purpose flour Vegetable oil for frying (about 2-3 cups) Notes: Save a few drops of the lime or lemon juice for seasoning the shark as well.

The first step is to prep the shark (cut into thin pieces). The idea is to remove the skin, then remove the meat off the center bone and finally slice thinly.

Next up we need to wash the shark pieces with a bit of cool water and the juice of the lime or lemon. Rinse with cool water and squeeze dry. Shark ‘meat’ is known to hold extra liquid, so do remember to squeeze dry. Then place in a bowl and season with the salt, black pepper, crushed garlic, green seasoning and scotch bonnet pepper chopped finely.

Give it a good stir and allow it to marinate for about 30 minutes in the fridge. Personally I like frying fish outdoors as the smell can be very strong inside the house. So we used the burner on my propane grill for this step. But before we get started you’ll need to create a sort of frying station as we’ve done in the past. Plate with flour, seasoned shark, pot with vegetable oil and a wire basket (or bowl) lined with paper towels to dry off the extra grease from frying.

Heat the oil on a med/high heat, then take each piece of seasoned shark and dust all sides in the flour, then place into the now hot oil. Cook about 2-3 minutes on each side and remember to flip. If you over-cook the shark, it may go a bit tough. Remove from the hot oil, drain and get ready to assemble your bake and shark sandwiches.

Condiments are just as important as the sandwiches themselves. So be a bit creative, top with fresh tomato, red onions, slices of pineapple, fresh lettuce and how could one forget the variety of sauces. /PX XIBU DPVME CF NPSF XPOEFSGVM UIBO UIBU t

Shark Sandwich Photo by Laurel Van Horn

56 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

Photo by Laurel Van Horn

At the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, you’re not just at the beach, you’re on it! Whether you choose a suite with a private balcony, a deluxe accommodation that adds a whirlpool bathtub-for-two, or something in between, you’ll find an artful combination of freshly updated, Victorian-reproduction furnishings and can’t-do-without amenities like free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs. For adults traveling without children, the keyed-access concierge level offers accommodations enhanced with genteel extras like evening turndown service, the daily newspaper, morning coffee in the garden, a later checkout time, and use of the private rooftop sundeck and spa.

Victoria’s, the on-site restaurant, offers fine dining in a charming setting.

Drink in the view of the Atlantic from every table, and enjoy outdoor dining on the boardwalk patio during the warmer months. Beyond breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch, a traditional Victorian afternoon tea is also offered (by advance reservation only.) The Plaza Pub, an oceanfront lounge with a cozy walnut bar, inviting leather chairs and cocktail tables on the patio, welcomes guests with a convivial atmosphere for cocktails and lighter fare.

Both the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel and Victoria’s Restaurant are open 365 days a year. Plan a week-long vacation or a romantic escape in any season—from a summer beach holiday to a cozy winter getaway—and enjoy the convenience of being located directly on Rehoboth Beach’s white sand beach and mile-long boardwalk.

BOARDWALK PLAZA HOTEL 2 Olive Ave & the Boardwalk | Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 LAT / LON: 38° 43 ‘ 09” N 75° 04’ 36” W RESERVATIONS: 800-33-BEACH or 302-227-7169 www.BoardwalkPlaza.com

Singapore Airlines New Premium Seats

By Ross Warren irline seats are getting smaller and smaller with many not even coming close to comfortably fitting the Great American posterior. Adding insult to injury comes the announcement that Boeing will shrink the size of aircraft lavs to something akin to the ancient torture device, the Iron Maiden, sans piercing spikes.

58 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

Their reasoning is that airlines using these new flying cell blocks not fit for incarceration, is that those who purchase these aircraft will be able to fit 14 more seats into the crammed space reserved for cattle class passengers.

That’s not all. Some airlines are preparing to require that carryon luggage meet new and smaller specifications. The new size requirements demand that carry-on be no larger than 21.5x13.5x7.5.

Heck, we know people who have wallets larger than that.

The International Air Traffic Association (IATA), the association that obviously has a bureau of discomfort for passengers (BDP) is offering a method for the guards slated to enforce the new requirements to immediately identify permitted and contraband carry-on luggage. IATA will permit luggage manufacturers to attach an IATA logo to the suitcases identifying potential violators as opposed to those who can pass through.

The reasoning is that smaller bags will open space in the overhead bins and expedite boarding and debarkation. Unfortunately this continues the trend set after deregulation of total disdain for the paying customer.

But not all airlines look at passengers as fresh meat worthy only of extorting money from. Some, such as Singapore Airlines has announced a program to create a new Premium Economy Class.

This will come with a premium fee, but at least it’ll provide a greater degree of comfort for those on long trips. The new program and other in-flight offerings will enter service in August.

Following a two-year development program and an investment of about $80 million, the new seats were displayed for the first time recently at a media launch in Singapore. Launch events are also taking place to display the new product to travel agents and corporate clients.

Premium Economy Class will welcome customers with a contemporary and stylish design. Each seat has a width of either 18.5 or 19.5 inches, depending on aircraft type, with an 8-inch recline and a seat pitch of 38 inches. Many other airlines offer a pitch of 36 or fewer inches (distance between the seat back in front of you and your seat).

Together with active noise-cancelling headphones and a sleek 13.3inch full HD monitor which is the largest in its class, customers can look forward to an enhanced in-flight entertainment experience.

Other features include a full leather finishing, calf-rest and foot-

bar for every seat, individual in-seat power supply, two USB ports, personal in-seat reading light, cocktail table, and more stowage space for personal items.

“Many of our customers have been asking for a Premium Economy offering and we are confident that what we are delivering will exceed their expectations,” said Singapore Airlines Executive Vice President Commercial, Mak Swee Wah. “The new cabin product is the culmination of two years of work, which included extensive research and focus group studies involving customers and our design partners. Our Premium Economy Class will provide customers more comfort and inflight amenities. Complemented by the exceptional service that Singapore Airlines is so well known for, the new cabin class will be ‘a great new way to fly’.”

Premium Economy Class will provide an extensive range of food and beverage offerings, which includes the Premium Economy Book the Cook service, enabling advance ordering of a selection of main courses.

Priority check-in and baggage handling, with a generous baggage allowance of 35kg (70 pounds), will be offered to customers.

Members of the KrisFlyer frequent-flyer program will also receive 10% more miles when they fly in Premium Economy Class.

Premium Economy Class will be progressively introduced on 19 Airbus A380s, 19 Boeing 777-300ERs and the first 20 Airbus A350s. It will enter commercial service on August 9, 2015 to Sydney, before being introduced to other destinations such as Beijing, Delhi, Hong Kong, Frankfurt, London, Mumbai, New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Zurich.

Flights in the U.S. will launch later this year beginning in December in Los Angeles and New York, followed by San Francisco. Tickets are already on sale. To purchase or for any more details, visit www.

SingaporeAir.com t JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 59

10. LOOM OVER THE CITY LIKE A COLOSSUS. 11. TWO WORDS: CHURN BUTTER. 12. GET YOUR ART SERVED ON A TROLLEY. 13. RENT ONE OF THOSE WACKY HUMAN-POWERED SURREYS. 14. LAND AN OLLIE AT OWL’S HEAD PARK. 15. GO MEDIEVAL ON THE MET. 16. VISIT THE SETTLERS’ VERSION OF A DELI. 17. SAY “HEY, GOAT” AT THE QUEENS ZOO’S FARM. 18. LEARN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BACHATA AND BOOGALOO. 19. DEEP-FRY ANYTHING. 20. EXPLORE LAND LIKE A SAILOR. 21. ROCK OUT AT A PALACE. 22. TAKE A SELFIE WITH THE CHARGING BULL. FIND EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO BEYOND YOUR BLOCK AT

Return to New York

By Ed Curtis nce the most glamorous cruise port in the world, New York City lost considerable business and luster as the West Side piers became aged and deteriorated. Other ports that had the foresight to modernize picked up the slack.

The great ocean-going liners, the family vacations to the Bahamas and Caribbean slowed to a trickle. The port had even been host to a Russian liner, the Maxim Gorky.

A major facelift and a concerted effort to draw cruise ships back to New York began some years ago. The success of that effort can easily be seen, primarily on weekends when ships arrive, disgorge thousands of passengers and then load up and head back out to sea.

Floating palaces make New York their home port, enticing visitors from around the world to begin their seaborne trek in the Big Apple. That means millions of dollars to hotels, restaurants, theaters and much more.

Now Mickey Mouse has set his sights on New York.

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 61

In the fall of 2016, Disney Cruise Line will return to New York for a limited time with sailings to the Bahamas that include a visit to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. New seven-night Caribbean cruises from Miami and a return to Galveston, Texas round out the season.

Return to New York On Oct. 7, 2016, the Disney Magic will sail from New York on an eight-night Bahamian cruise that includes stops at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay; Nassau, Bahamas; and Port Canaveral, Florida, which is located just one hour from the Walt Disney World Resort.

On Oct. 15, 22 and 29, 2016, the Disney Magic will sail from New York on seven-night cruises that stop at Castaway Cay and Port Canaveral.

Adding to the magic on each of these Bahamian cruises will be the opportunity to visit the Walt Disney World Resort when the ship stops at nearby Port Canaveral. Each guest on these sailings will receive a

62 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

one-day Walt Disney World Park Hopper ticket and round-trip transportation for the short trip between the ship and the resort.

On Oct. 2, 2016, the Disney Magic will sail from New York on a five-night cruise to Halifax, Nova Scotia and Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. In these charming Canadian ports, guests can soak in splendid natural vistas, explore historic sites, visit quaint cafes and shops, and browse Canada’s oldest farmer’s market.

New Seven-night Cruises from Miami For the first time, Disney Cruise Line guests will be able to enjoy a season of seven-night voyages from Miami to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. On Nov. 20 and Dec. 4, 2016, the Disney Magic will sail from Miami to the Western Caribbean including Key West, Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Castaway Cay. Bookings for the new itineraries

became available May 20, 2015. More details can be found on the Itineraries and Ports for 2016 page of www.disneycruise.com

Disney Wonder will sail on a seven-night Bahamian itinerary from Galveston to Key West, Castaway Cay and Nassau.

On Nov. 27 and Dec. 11, the Disney Magic will sail to the Eastern Caribbean including Tortola, St. Thomas and Castaway Cay. On Dec. 23, the Disney Magic will sail to Tortola, San Juan and Castaway Cay.

On Dec. 2, the Disney Wonder will sail on a seven-night Caribbean itinerary from Galveston to Falmouth, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. On Dec. 16, the Disney Wonder will sail from Galveston on a seven-night cruise to Cozumel, Costa Maya and Grand Cayman. Two four-night sailings to Cozumel on Nov. 10 and Nov. 14, round up the sailings from Galveston.

Additional Miami sailings include a four-night Bahamas cruise departing on Nov. 16, a five-night Bahamas cruise departing on Dec. 18, and a six-night Western Caribbean cruise departing on Dec. 30, 2016. Each sailing will include a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. Return to Galveston In late 2016, Disney Cruise Line returns to Texas with a line up of seven-night itineraries, including Bahamian sailings that stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. On Nov. 18, Nov. 25, Dec. 9, Dec. 23 and Dec. 30, 2016, the

Most of the late 2016 cruises include either Halloween or winter-holiday events that bring special entertainment, activities and décor to the Disney Cruise Line ships.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, visit www.disneycruise.com, call Disney Cruise Line at 888-3252500 or contact a travel agent. t

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 63

INSPIRING E XPLOR ATION, INNOVATION AND WONDER.

Access to exclusive events.

Customized private tours.

One-of-a-kind experiences.

JOIN THE INTREPID MUSEUM’S ANCHOR SOCIET Y. The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is charting a course as a leading educational and cultural institution.

Become a member of the Museum’s Anchor Society and help us inspire future generations through science and history.

As an Anchor Society member, you’ll receive priority access to events and programs, an insider’s view of the Museum’s future plans and exclusive opportunities tailored to your interests.

Visit intrepidmuseum.org to learn more. Become an Anchor Society member today!

5

Circle Line, 70 Years Old & Still Growing

By Bob & Sandy Nesoff

will also be a restricted outdoor patio reserved for Premium Class passengers.

t the age of 70 most people slow down, companies face a makeover, attractions begin to repair the damage and toll that the years have taken. And some have no need to do so. At a recent reception at the West Side piers in Manhattan Circle Line CEO Danny Boockvar laid out plans for the venerable river cruise line’s next seven decades.

The upgraded seat will cost $25 for the “Best of NYC Cruise; Landmark/Harbor Lights cruises will go for $15 and only $10 for the Liberty Cruise. Everyone will see the same thing from the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island to the beautiful New York skyline.

The only difference will be the accommodations.

“We are making changes,” Boockvar said. “We’ve added a Premier Class service that includes the ability to jump lines at the ticket booth, a shaded pre-boarding area to protect from the sun and weather, and an area on the upper deck with cushy seats. There

Circle Line has also commissioned the purchase of three new, modern ships to service the ever-growing popularity of the line’s ability to show visitors the amazing sights of New York. The new ships are under construction at the Gladding-Hearn Ship Yards in Somerset, MA. They are expected to sail next year.

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 65

The Beast sit and relaxes, waiting for passengers so it can roar off

(l-r) Circle Line CEO Danny Boockvar, former Brooklyn Borough President and Fred Dixon, New York & Co. president and CEO, celebrating Circle Line’s 70th birthday.

While waiting to board any of the ships visitors will be able to peruse photos and artifacts in the adjacent Circle Line Museum.

Currently the Museum is housed in a tent near the ticket window.

It is expected to move to nearby permanent quarters soon. The line recently partnered with Open Loop New York enabling visitors to see the city’s skyline, sightseeing and the ability to “hop on and hop off ” at their convenience.

While the military is downsizing, Circle Line is growing its staff and properties. Circle Line X, a WWII warship, is being refurbished.

Another facet is the famed (or infamous) speedboat “The Beast.”

The Beast, a high-powered speed boat that would seem to be more at home flying through Hawaiian waters, sits comfortably almost adjacent to New York Cruse Lines current and slower boats.

The Beast is painted green and has the depiction of Great White Sharks teeth and mouth decorating the bow. The boat will fly down river at speeds in excess of 45 miles an hour to perfect the fear factor of its passengers. The Beast roars to life with its passengers and takes off down river at speeds in excess of 45 miles an hour.

That might not be much by automobile specs, but on the water...

66 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

Circle Line lounge area that’s fast.

Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises, the world famous New York City sightseeing company has hosted more than 60 million passengers since 1945, celebrates a milestone 70 years of operations this year. Ensuring its leadership well into the future, Circle Line announced that it has ordered three new vessels for its industry leading sightseeing fleet. The new ships, which were introduced at an official keel laying ceremony at Gladding-Hearn Ship Yard in Somerset, MA on January 6, 2015, come as the first in a series of announcements to be made over the course of the celebratory year.

Daniel Boockvar, Chief Executive Officer of New York Cruise Lines, the parent company of Circle Line, sees the anniversary as a reinforcement of the Company’s position as a global leader in tourism. Said Mr. Boockvar: “Circle Line is one of New York’s known icons, and recognized worldwide as America’s favorite boat ride. We will be celebrating this exceptional accomplishment throughout the year, while also introducing a number of exciting initiatives and programming that build upon our seven remarkable decades of innovation, storytelling and heritage. The first are the new vessels, which will set the standard in the U.S. tours and

activities sector and provide unparalleled waterfront memories for millions of our customers for many years to come.”

In addition to building towards the future, in 2015, Circle Line will reflect back and commemorate its proud heritage. During the year, the Company will encourage its guests and employees to share their most cherished Circle Line memories, and has plans to host a momentous birthday celebration in early June... As 2015 also marks the 70th Anniversary of the end of World War II, plans are being made to turn the Circle Line X into a museum and passenger terminal.

About Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises Celebrating its 70th Anniversary in 2015, Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises at 42nd Street has hosted more than 60 million passengers in NYC. Sailing since 1945, Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises is owned and operated by New York Cruise Lines. It is New York’s oldest and largest provider of scheduled and chartered sightseeing and special function cruises. Residents and tourists can choose from five different leisurely tours including a Full Island Cruise, a Semi-Circle Cruise, Liberty Cruise, twilight Harbor Lights Cruise or a 30-minute thriller boat ride aboard The Beast, coupled with

convenient schedules to accommodate guests needs, state-of-theart vessels, first class service and attentive crews. Cruises are not only designed to provide the best viewing opportunities, but to also be informative, comfortable and entertaining as well. Today, the company is recognized as one of the most famous boat rides in the world and is one of the oldest 42nd Street landmarks.

About New York Cruise Lines Today, Circle Line, located in Hudson River Park on 42nd Street and the Hudson River, convenient to Time Square, the High Line and Hudson Yards, is the only cruise line dedicated exclusively to sightseeing, while using the most modern vessels offering magnificent views of the Manhattan skyline, year round. Circle Line’s parent company, New York Cruise Lines (NYCL), also operates New York’s first and finest dinner cruise fleet - World Yacht Dining Cruises, and Manhattan’s very own thrill ride, The BEAST speedboat. In 2014, NYCL innovated casual dining cruising with the successful launch of the North River Lobster Company.

North River Lobster Company offers fresh and affordable seafood in a convenient and casual “floating lobster shack,” with up to seven sailings on the Hudson daily. t

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 67

BVS :Oab 1]Zc[\

67AB=@G @3;3;03@32 E]`ZR B`ORS 1S\bS` j & 5`SS\eWQV Ab

Time To Explore Your Back Yard

By NYC & Co. Saff

YC & Company has announced the next phase of See Your City to motivate New Yorkers to explore the diverse neighborhoods and boroughs of their city. The second phase of the campaign, sponsored by American Express, highlights 10 new neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs and features expanded social integration to showcase the City as a must-see destination for New Yorkers. The campaign strategy is inspired by the U.S. Travel Association’s Project: Time Off, an initiative aimed to change mind-sets, shift American culture and motivate

Americans to use more of their paid time off (projecttimeoff. com). For more information on the campaign and neighborhoods, visit nycgo.com/seeyourcity “We are thrilled to bring back the popular See Your City campaign, highlighting ten more neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs and further inspiring New Yorkers to take advantage of living in a world-class city,” said Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company. “New York City is a must-visit destination, and we want New Yorkers to take a day to explore the wonders in their own backyards.”

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 69

See Your City spotlights 10 neighborhoods in the five boroughs — Atlantic Avenue (Brooklyn), Bay Ridge (Brooklyn), Corona (Queens), Lower Manhattan (Manhattan), Randall Manor (Staten Island), Richmond Town (Staten Island), Riverdale (the Bronx), Rockaway Beach (Queens), South Bronx (the Bronx) and Washington Heights (Manhattan) — wand includes five highlights, new for this iteration, in each of the neighborhoods to make it easy and fun for New Yorkers to explore.

As part of See Your City, offers for American Express Card Members 70 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

are available for extra motivation to explore the neighborhoods of NYC with couponless savings from Amex Offers. Eligible American Express Card Members can learn more about the great offers throughout the City and enroll at amexoffers.com/ seeyourcity Already underway, 45 social media ambassadors—ranging from cultural institutions to local neighborhood influencers to NYC Instagrammers and more—with a combined reach of nearly eight million followers will help promote the program by sharing images on Instagram, Twitter

and Facebook with the official hashtag #seeyourcity. New this year, NYC & Company is hosting “InstaMeets” with the social media ambassadors at six locations throughout the five boroughs to showcase a selection of must-see NYC attractions.

During the InstaMeets, the ambassadors are granted special access to the designated locations and will upload images to Instagram, publicizing the attractiveness of exploring hidden gems in NYC’s neighborhoods.

Additionally, NYC & Company invites everyone to share their must-see pics in New York City’s five boroughs on social media with the campaign hashtag #seeyourcity The campaign will be promoted through approximately 200 bus shelters and 100 street pole banners across the five boroughs; frequent posts on NYC & Company’s Facebook (facebook.com/ nycgo), Instagram (instagram.com/nycgo) and Twitter (twitter. com/nycgo and twitter.com/nycgo_press) accounts; commercials running in NYC taxicabs; digital and print media targeting

New York City residents; and through American Express digital channels.

Launched on October 15, 2014, the first phase of the See Your City campaign featured 10 neighborhoods in the five boroughs including: Arthur Avenue (the Bronx), Carroll Gardens (Brooklyn), DUMBO (Brooklyn), the Staten Island Greenbelt, Harlem (Manhattan), Hell’s Kitchen (Manhattan), Jackson Heights (Queens), Long Island City (Queens), St. George (Staten Island) and Van Cortlandt Park (the Bronx).

About NYC & Company: NYC & Company is the official marketing, tourism and partnership organization for the City of New York, dedicated to maximizing travel and tourism opportunities throughout the five boroughs, building economic prosperity and spreading the positive image of New York City worldwide.

For more information, visit nycgo.com t

Natasha Laurent | CIPS Sales Associate/Rental Specialist RE/MAX Cell: 721 524 0640

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 71

42% 6 famous attractions

速 EMPIRE STATE BUILDING name and images

Empire State Building Experience

American Museum of Natural History

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Your choice of Top of the Rock速 OR Guggenheim Museum

Your choice of Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island OR Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise

Your choice of 9/11 Memorial & Museum OR Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

Buy at these attractions - Good for 9 days - Skip most ticket lines

ONLY

Ages 6-17

114 $89

$

Connect with CityPASS

(888) 330-5008 or citypass.com

ATLANTA | BOSTON | CHICAGO | DALLAS | HOUSTON | NEW YORK CITY | PHILADELPHIA SAN FRANCISCO | SEATTLE | SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | TAMPA BAY | TORONTO Prices and programs subject to change.

Wildwood’s Complete Real Estate Package

By Woody Johnson

n many locales, building projects can seem rather helter skelter, subject to the whims of local planning boards or available property. A prime example is Houston, TX where there are three city centers because of a lack of local regulations.

Not so in the Wildwood, NJ area. Not only is development well planned and thought out, but much of it is in the caring hands of a local family dedicated to the well-being of its community.

The Morey family has been a mainstay of the Wildwood area for decades. They draw thousands upon thousands of summer vacationers to Morey’s Piers, one of the most popular entertainment destinations in the New York/New Jersey region and a major economic factor.

JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 73

More than just roller coasters and water parks, the Morey’s have invested in the infrastructure of the community itself. Their Seapointe Village offers upscale living in a landscaped, gated community with 24-hour security.

Wildwood is considered one of the safest resort areas, a plus for visitors who want to simply relax and enjoy themselves. The measures instituted by the Morey’s are intended to give residents a feeling of total comfort and security.

Will Morey, who oversees the residential aspect of the family’s collection, notes that they are not trying to separate Seapointe residents from the rest of the community, but rather are seeking to give them a relaxed atmosphere in which to enjoy the Jersey Shore.

An aside note: To sound like a local, never say you are... “going down to the shore or the beach.” Much like New Yorkers pronunciation of Houston Street as “House-ton,.” those in the know go “...down the shore.” Just ask “The Boss,” Bruce himself.

Seapointe’s 17-acre community is replete with many amenities.

There is a Tiki Hut grill on the beach, free tags for beach admission, and three outdoor pools with features such as a waterfall, fountain and water slide for young and older.

Residents can relax in three outdoor hot tubs (in season, of course), a fitness center with steam bath and a sauna. Need more?

How about tennis and basketball courts? For those who enjoy extra time on the beach there are BBQ grills for a relaxed meal.

Bad weather? Not a problem. There are both an indoor pool and hot tub in the Seapointe Ibis Pool House so that you can get wet out of the rain. Residents also enjoy private underground parking.

That’s a boon because even on beautiful days the breeze coming 74 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

off the water contains a bit of salt spray that is inimical to the wellbeing of an automobile.

Some of the living quarter amenities at Seapointe include large balconies (132-square feet) and astounding views of the ocean and Sunset Bay. Some of the condos offer almost 1,000 square feet of space.

Interior amenities are luxurious with wall-to-wall carpeting, living room, a dining area that comfortably accommodates six people, full equipped kitchen with microwave and small appliances. There’s also a washer and drier and a large-capacity air-conditioning unit and heating system.

Guests coming? There is a queen-size pull-out sofa bed in the living room. Cooking utensils are provided as well as linens, with the exception of beach towels.

More? OK, how about a 38-inch flat screen TV with premium cable channels and a TV in each bedroom. The rooms also include DVD players and a VCR recorder. Want communication with the outside world? There are telephones and wifi available through out Seapointe resort.

Seapointe is located on beautiful Diamond Beach between The Wildwoods and picturesque Victorian Cape May. The young set is not neglected. The Morey’s have always been family-oriented as shown in their amusement piers. The children can amuse themselves in a video game room or on a playground when not splashing in the refreshing waters of the ocean.

There is also “Kids Central” by the Ibis Pool, designed for children ages four to eight years old. A pre-registration and pre-payment is required here to confirm the reservation. To do so you can either

email kidscentral@seapointerealty.com or call (609) 729-7100, ext. 3141. A form for each child is necessary.

There is a stunning pool and the nearby vibrancy of Wildwood’s nighttime fun and action.

Will’s nephew, Zach, the third generation of the Morey family, is feet first into the operation.

“I’ve been going down to Wildwood Crest for over 40 years,� commented one Yelp reviewer, “and I’ve stayed at several different hotels. The price was a little high, but its size, the separate balcony and the restaurant where we ate several times was well worth it.

We will be going next year‌and we’ll be getting a bigger room.

Can’t wait.�

“We believe in the area,� commented Zach. “The employees are not just workers, they are family and friends. We feel the same way about our guests and we want to continue and grow that atmosphere.�

But, as Will Morey notes, Seapointe is only a part of what they have to offer. There are other Morey resort properties that dot the landscape in The Wildwoods.

The Blue Palms resort boasts that guests can “Live the classic Jersey Shore vacation.� The resort is within minutes of fine dining and shopping for all ages and is located in the middle of downtown Wildwood, making it convenient to everything the area has to offer.

There are designer-appointed renovations that’ll turn summer nights into lasting memories, sitting around the sparkling fire pit or stretched out on one of the sun decks.

Another Morey property is the Port Royal Hotel offering private balconies, a doo-wop themed Royal Grille in the hotel’s lobby level, and amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Pan American hotel ranks among the best properties in the area. Several “Yelp� reviewers have rated it at five out of five stars while others came in just a hair less than that.

The hotel offers penthouse with three bedrooms and two baths and a deck that easily fits the dictionary definition of relaxation.

“Wildwood is Wildwood,� Will comment. “It has unique offerings and a tremendous appeal to families. Atlantic City is a narrower market in that it is primarily aimed at adult entertainment. That’s not meant to be negative. They can try to accommodate families as well, but Wildwood is families. The beach, the boardwalk, the amusements are all aimed at providing a first class family experience and vacation.�

Will currently serves as a county freeholder (a term going back to Revolutionary terms and is the equivalent of a county legislator) and is of the opinion that his unique insight serves the community well. “I’m able to contribute to the Board not only from my experience here, but also from traveling to other resort areas and towns. I think that will help me to contribute to the area in a very positive manner,� he continued. “We need to focus on where we’re at, where we are going and what the risks and benefits are. I think this unique perspective gives me that ability. “Our family is imbedded in the life of this community and the people we live with and work with, as well as those who come here UP FOKPZ UIFNTFMWFT BSF PVS UPQ QSJPSJUZ w IF TBJE t For more information visit www.seapointevillagerealty.com JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 75

MEDITERRANEAN MASTERPIECE | 12025 NW 78TH PL | PARKLAND, FL 33076 | $560,000

4BEDROOM 3 CAR GARAGE, PAVER DRIVE, POOL WITH LIONS HEADS, TANNING SHELF, OVERSIZED CORNER LOT. 18X18 STONE TILE FLOORS ON DIAGONAL, CROWN MOLDING, GOURMET CHEFS KITCHEN WITH 42’ WOOD CABINETS, GRANITE COUNTER TOPS, STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES, WALL OVEN, DOUBLE DOOR REF, 5 BURNER COOK TOP, QUIET DISHWASHER. MASTER BATH IN CREMA MARFIL, HIS&HER VANITIES IN MARBLE WITH UNDERMOUNT SINKS. FRAMLESS SHOWER ENCLOSURE, JACUZZI TUB, FRAMED OUT MIRRORS. FRONT LOAD WASHER&DRYER. SUMMER KIT, PERGOLA IN BACKYARD. NEVER LIVED IN | 8655 W WATERCREST CIR | PARKLAND, FL 33076 | $790,000

Composition 1

Composition 2

WHY WAIT 14 MONTHS TO BUILD, UPGRADED 5BED + OFFICE + LOFT 3 FULL BATHS, 2 HALF BATHS, 3 CAR GARAGE. 22X22 PORCELIAN TILE FLOORS IN ALL LIVING AREAS, VOLUME 22’ CEILINGS IN GREAT ROOM. GOURMET CHEFS KITHCEN WITH 42” UPPER WOOD CABINETS, GRANITE COUNTER TOPS, STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES. Composition 3

Composition 4

Realty World

Ria Qadri realtorria@gmail.com

11555 Heron Bay Blvd Coral Springs, FL 33076 Jack Dhanji thedhanjiteam.com

jackdhanji@gmail.com

Discover...

Ed j^[

Jh[Wikh[ 9eWij e\ <beh_ZW

Live your dreams awake!

378146 OCEANFRONT MASTERPIECE! Situated on approx 280 ft of oceanfront! One of the finest and most gracious homes ever built on the Florida coast! $20,000,000

Private 13,286 sq. ft. Oceanfront Estate! Plus full 3 bedroom guest house & resort style pool! $5,995,000

Immaculate estate home on the 2nd fairway! Frank Lloyd Wright inspired design! 3 bedroom/ 4.5 bath! $1,375,000

SENSATIONAL PROTECTED DEEP WATER - 7â&#x20AC;&#x2122; DRAFT, .83 ACRE CORNER LOT ON THE HARBOR! Ready for you & your architectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision of your dream home! $1,100,000

381191

371260

374710

381581

Situated on the bluest of waters, at the St. Lucie Inlet where the river & Atlantic Ocean merge! $3,895,000

377265

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Estateâ&#x20AC;? golf course home, 5,058 total sq ft! SE Exposure! Spectacular golf & lake views! $999,999

1VO[^W]\aVW^ 8OQY <WQYZOca ÂżAWU\Obc`SĂ&#x20AC; 5]ZT 1]c`aS eWbV <= B33 B7;3A 6]ZSa /Z]\U bVS @WdS` =QSO\ 2`WdW\U >`OQbWQS @O\USa E]`ZR 1ZOaa /`[SR ASQc`Wbg GOQVb 1ZcP ;O`W\O /QQ][[]RObSa c^ b] # 4]]b GOQVba /eO`R EW\\W\U 2W\W\U @Sa]`b :WTSabgZS 1][[c\Wbg 4SSZ eWbV 4`WS\RZg <SWUVP]`a 4Wb\Saa 1S\bS` :WUVbSR BS\\Wa 1]c`ba :WP`O`g 1][^ZW[S\bO`g 1]\QWS`US 6SZW^OR ;W\cbSa b] >`WdObS /W`^]`b ;WZSa ]T C\Q`]eRSR ASQc`S 0SOQVSa A^O AOZ]\ >SOQS B`O\_cWZZWbg >`WdOQg

376699

Largest available condominium! Over 2,900 A/C sqft, 3 bed/4 bath corner end unit! $895,000

27A1=D3@ =C@ /;/H7<5 /E/@2 E7<<7<5 D723=A =<:7<3 /B

Ab`OQchhW @3 /: 3AB/B3 B3 /; >Ob`WQY

&'# A3 =QSO\ 0ZdR AbcO`b 4: !"''$

EEE AB@/1CHH7 1=; Ob

%% &! ''' & &&' ' %

>Ob`WQY Ab`OQchhW @SOZ 3abObS 1]\acZbO\b

%% "&$ %&#$ 13::

Costs Spur The

By A.P. Hill hat was in the not so distant past a sort of Jurassic Park of the real estate world, Brooklyn has suddenly come into its own as a highly desirable place to both live and set up shop.

With the popularity of living in the Garden State rising like a kite, the affordability took on a similar hike in cost. Suddenly the panache of Hoboken and Jersey City was not as convenient or attractive and the people looked back to New York. But where in The City could they go?

Sections in New Jersey such as Hoboken, Jersey City and many municipalities in the more upscale Bergen County with its easy access to Manhattan as well as its expanse of parks, green lawns and excellent school systems, drew large numbers of New Yorkers.

That $2,000 efficiency was now on the market for way more than double the cost…or more. Some areas of Queens looked attractive but transportation into The City was spotty. The Bronx was not all that desirable and Staten Island was, well, Staten Island.

The more well-to-do opted for Bergen while the newbies migrated to towns along the Hudson River with easy passage to Manhattan by an excellent network of ferries.

That left one choice: Brooklyn.

That has not translated into both older residents and young up and comers staying in New York, but eschewing the sky-high rents of Manhattan for the dense streets of Brooklyn. In the recent past an “inexpensive” efficiency apartment out of the loop in Manhattan rented for upwards of $2,000 a month. On average, a similar unit in New Jersey could be had in a comparable neighborhood for about half that cost.

78 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

The borough was cramped, heavy with traffic and still suffered from the loss of the Dodgers to Los Angeles. Damn that Walter O’Malley. But it was convenient to lower Manhattan through the Battery Tunnel and other neighborhoods through the historic Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge. There was convenient bus service and the subway ran on schedule most of the time.

Best of all there was a wide range of residential options, especially in neighborhoods such as Park Slope. Manhattan was close for

Brooklyn Boom

commuting to work or going to a Broadway show. Brooklyn has excellent restaurants dotting the area as well as the rising popularity of the Barclays Center for Sports and expositions.

One of the major downsides to almost any Brooklyn neighborhood is and always will be, parking. Morning and evening traffic flows at a snail’s pace as well. This is especially true in the streets in the vicinity of Barclay Center during a basketball game or most any other event. Should the Nets ever make it to the playoffs, traffic would become a nightmare. Picture Hoboken in summer when the town is so crowded that the police shut off all ingress except to residents.

Obviously that would be an impossibility in Brooklyn. Picture the bridge if there is an accident on the span. Morning and evening rush hour traffic would back up to the Marine Bridge. But those possibilities seem not to deter the young professionals moving in.

Ancillary to the residential population explosion is the arrival of a flock of new commercial enterprises. That includes not only street level commerce, but offices and corporations as well.

Commercial mogul Kushner Companies joined with RFR Realty to purchase the former Watchtower complex for close to $400 million. The site is under construction and is expected to contain some 360,000 square feet of office space. Dubbed “Dumbo Heights,” the complex will rent for about $60 per square foot.

Another commercial project is slated to open in the fall with 20,000 square feet more than Dumbo Heights and will skyrocket costs with an asking price of more than $80 per square foot.

And yet another project in the former Brooklyn Navy Yard (good and bad memories for so many men) currently has four million square feet and plans are in the works for an additional two million square feet more within two years.

Tech companies as well as advertising firms are eagerly looking for space in Brooklyn and will add to the borough’s luster and attractiveness to business. It’s a truism that business migrates to where other business has successfully located.

The question then would be: Is Brooklyn becoming too expensive UP DPOUJOVF BT B SFTJEFOUJBM BOE CVTJOFTT .FDDB t JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 79

830 Timber Creek Lane, Wayne, PA 19087 | $985,000 | MLS #6548644 Five Bedrooms, Four Full Baths, Over 5000 Square Feet, One+ Acre Lot

Convenient to:

Cheryl B Newton, ABR, AHS, Green Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Fox & Roach Realtors 431 W Lancaster Avenue Devon, PA 19333

610.564.1144 Mobile 610.647.0444 Fax cheryl.newton@foxroach.com cherylnewton.foxroach.com

Living Happy Fiscally Ever After

By Patricia Seaman edding season is upon us and couples everywhere are joining hearts and souls in marital bliss. But how do couples join checkbooks and live happily fiscally ever after? What should you know about your partner’s finances before saying “I do”?

How can you work together to equally divide living expenses? And how do you avoid the potential pitfall of financial infidelity?

82 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

anything from hiding cash and hiding purchases to hiding entire accounts or lying about income or debt.

There are a few indicative signs that your partner may be cheating financially. This includes coming across a receipt or a piece of paper indicating a purchase that you don’t recognize. Your spouse may not allow you to see copies of every bill each month or your partner has removed the itemization of purchases for the month portion of the bill. And if he or she has something to hide, your partner may likely act defensive or withdrawn on the topic of money.

If you suspect a partner is cheating financially, we suggest taking a thoughtful approach. Accept that it will be stressful. Don’t sabotage your partner by inviting them to dinner or a movie night and then hitting them with this topic by surprise. Don’t ever say “we have to talk.” Know what you want out of the conversation before you have it. Try to find out why they did it and why didn’t they trust you.

Q: What should you and your partner know about combining finances when getting married?

A: A survey conducted by NEFE found 86 percent of new couples indicated that they are indeed discussing money and joining finances before their wedding. But are they having the right conversations? And are they keeping the dialog going after the wedding day?

There are certain topics that need to be in the conversations new couples have. First, decide how to divide household expenses – it should be proportionate to each partner’s salary. Each partner should have at least some small amount of discretionary spending.

Review each other’s credit scores prior to the marriage. Your credit scores will dictate how and if you apply for joint loans (mortgage, credit card, etc.)

In order to rebuild trust with your partner after financial infidelity occurs, understand that it takes time, sustained transparency and a commitment from both to stick to the goals that you’ve set together.

Q: What are some financial tips for getting married the second time around?

A: Look closely at where your partner is coming from financially and take into account expenses that are inherited into the marriage. If your spouse has children from his/her first marriage, take connected monthly costs into consideration. Also, look at debts from the first marriage and seek to learn what your partner’s financial commitments are in regards to the former spouse. t

Remember, if you add your spouse onto a credit card or loan, you now become responsible for that debt.

Q: What can couples do if they have conflicting personalities when it comes to money?

A: Do not assume you know where your partner is coming from when it comes to money.

A great tool that NEFE encourages all couples to take advantage of is our Life Values Quiz (http://www.smartaboutmoney.org/ Tools-Resources/LifeValues-Quiz.aspx). It will help you identify your partner’s attitudes about money and will offer tips on how to co-exist successfully financially with partners who have either the same or differing attitudes about money. The quiz is easy to take and is only 20 questions.

Q: What are some of the red flags that signal financial infidelity?

A: While our survey indicates that most new couples are talking about money, we found through a survey that one in three in relationships have committed financial infidelity - which could be JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 83

8501 Atlantic Ave (by Diamond Beach) Wildwood Crest, NJ 08260 l Coronado Resort is a beachfront full-ser vice condominium hotel located in the heart of Wildwood Crest just minutes from fine restaurants, nightlife, the world famous Wildwood Boardwalk and a short drive to Cape May and Atlantic City.

With a variety of accommodations, from single guest rooms to spacious 1, 2 & 3 bedroom suites, El Coronado can meet even the most discerning traveler’s vacation needs! Enjoy breathtaking ocean views from your balcony or relax on our beachfront sundeck.

El Coronado offers free poolside barbeques and live entertainment* in season for your enjoyment along

Everything Under The Sun...

In Beachfront Resort Perfection! with many other amenities.

with fun activities daily.

On the beach, all of El Coronado’s oceanview & oceanfront accommodations have private bath, microwaves, DVD players, coffee makers and refrigerators. El Coronado is smoke-free & rooms have private balconies. Other onsite amenities include in-house Café with patio dining serving a 4-Star breakfast & lunch; free poolside movies & hot dog cookout (twice weekly*), oceanfront Sundeck with heated Swimming Pool & Kiddie Pool, Game Room, Gift Shop, Exercise Room, Internet Lounge, on-site car parking & FREE in-unit WIFI. El Coronado also provides an Activities Director* for the kiddies

Take a virtual tour of El Coronado on our website at elcoronado.com, check area attractions & activity calendars or simply call us tollfree at 800-227-5302 to book your preferred dates.

Whether a romantic rendezvous for two, a family reunion or an extended group getaway, we’ve got the comfortable accommodations to suit your needs & look forward to hosting your next vacation at Wildwood Crest’s premier beachfront family resort... see you at the beach! *In-Season July/August

Your premiere Oceanfront Destination... on the corner of Syracuse Avenue and the Beach...

Empire Steakhouse

By Bob & Sandy Nesoff t’s not every night that a diner has the opportunity to sit in a seat that a previous patron may have paid $10,000 for dinner.

OK, well that was for two people and it was New Year’s Eve and the offerings were on a prix fixe menu that included two pounds of Osetra caviar and wagyu Kobe beef. There was also Chateau Lafitte Rothschild and dessert of three layer torte with white raspberry and gold leaf with Louis XIII cognac pudding.

Celebrants at the Empire Steakhouse had the unique privilege of dining at this once in a lifetime opportunity.

We never found out if any of the celebrants opted for a doggie bag.

“People want something special to celebrate New Year’s Eve,” observed Jack Sinanaj, one of three brothers who own this upscale eatery.

Along with brothers Russ and Jeff they have developed one of the premier dining establishments in New York City. While the price list on the menu isn’t exactly inexpensive, it does literally reflect the old saw that “You get what you pay for.”

The every day menu lists appetizers which run from sizzling Canadian bacon at $5.25 to a jumbo shrimp cocktail at $19.95.

There’s a wide range of choices and prices in between. The soup 86 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

choices are rather limited to French onion soup at $8.95 and the ever popular Soup d’jour at $9.95.

Salads offer a range from mixed greens ($11.95) and Caesar ($12.95) to an empire salad for two ($23.95). Traditional American fare such as burgers comes with an Empire twist; they are Kobe burgers weighing in at one pound and cost $36.95, with or without fries.

But the Sinanaj brothers and their establishment truly shine when it comes to their signature steaks.

A USDA Prime Porterhouse, dry aged in their own aging box, for two people is $93.90 and worth every penny of it.

Master chefs cringe if any patron orders any meat to be cooked well done. They don’t adhere to the thought that a great chef working with a quality meat will never serve anything but a great dish.

The chef at Empire Steakhouse knows how to do that.

Ordering the Porterhouse for two, with one guest requesting it medium and the other well, was absolutely no challenge. Although, the diners wondered how they would manage to cook a steak with two such diverse orders.

They did it.

The Porterhouse came to the table sliced with red showing in the medium slices and cooked through on the well done portion. The

well done slices could have been cut with a butter knife. Not only were they tender, but the juices still flowed and the taste buds were awakened by the flavor.

You could have chosen any of the wagyu offerings (12 oz. rib eye at $325 or 10 oz. tenderloin at $325) and it is difficult to believe that they could have been better than the Porterhouse.

Seafood is not given short shift at Empire Steakhouse. Choices range from grilled Norwegian salmon at $30.95 to a four-pound jumbo lobster at market price.

There are only three choices in the poultry section: Chicken parmigiana at $23.95, chicken Francese at $27.95 and chicken lemon & pepper sauce for $27.95. There are several pasta choices and a range of sides to enhance any of the meals.

They pride themselves on seeking out the best available food.

The dessert menu offers cheesecake from arguably the most famous cheesecake baker in the country, Junior’s. The wine list to accompany any meal choice ranges to more than 300 bottles with many sought after California vintages.

While many steak houses follow in the Old World and British tradition of decorating in dark wood, small spaces and muted tones, Empire Steak House is modern and comfortable, bright but not too bright and can accommodate quite comfortably more than 200 diners. The white marble bar just inside the entrance can accommodate 50 people.

The Sinanaj brothers make it their business to move through the restaurant, not only to keep an eye on what is happening, but to make personal contact with all of the diners, many of whom have become regular return customers. Their easy going manner draws the diners into casual conversation and also gives them an insight into what customers want, is the service up to par and what about the food-is it what they expected and are they satisfied.

The brothers started in the business as waiters at the famed Peter Luger’s steak house in Brooklyn and then jumped the river into Manhattan. They know the business from the ground up and, with more than 25 years of experience, the brothers have become exceptionally talented restaurateurs.

They make no compromise when it comes to quality and hand pick the best USDA Prime with exquisite marbling throughout. The steaks are then dry-aged for between 21 to 28 days as the flavors become more concentrated.

Oh, and don’t worry about asking for a doggie back for the more than ample portions, the waitstaff will automatically bring up the subject if they see anything on the plate. And, yes, the food is just as tender and delectable the following day.

Empire Steakhouse 237 West 54th Street (212) 586-9700 www.empiresteakhousenyc.com Editor’s rating: 4/5 Stars JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 87

YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW

A PICKOFF from A CUTOFF TO BE A FAN OF

G R E AT S TE AK .

THE STEAKHOUSE of the

NEW YORK YANKEES.

Join us at Midtown Manhattan’s most invigorating twist on a traditional steakhouse.

And revel in Yankees legends, past and present.

Always in season.

@NYYSteak Facebook.com/NYYSteak @NYYSteak

7 WEST 51ST STREET, NEW YORK, NY 646.307.7910 nyysteak.com

All New York Yankees trademarks and copyrights are owned by the New York Yankees and used with the permission of the New York Yankees.

A Culinary Oasis

By Irwin Nesoff ocated in an historic 17th century building in Central Oslo, Norway, the Michelin starred Statholdergarden Restaurant is a culinary oasis calling out to be experienced. Award winning Chef owner, Bent Stiansen has created an experience that spans all the senses. Built as the residence for the Master of the Mint of Norway - or Stadtholder - in 1640, it later became the residence of Urik Frederik Gyldenløve, the acknowledged illegitimate son of King Frederik III of Denmark and Norway. The culinary skills that Chef Stiansen brings to his restaurant is equaled by the elegance of the dining roomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ornate Baroque ceiling, chandeliers and antiques.

Diners have two options to enjoy the creativity and skills of Chef Stiansen, the 1993 world champion in the prestigious Bocuse dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Or, and his staff. The first floor houses the Statholdergarden Restaurant, awarded its Michelin star in 1998. The menu is modern European changing weekly according to the seasons and local availability.

Downstairs, the vaulted lower level houses the food and wine cellar, a more informal setting serving upscale Scandinavian dishes. If you are unable to get a reservation to sit upstairs, your senses and taste buds will be equally delighted in the food and wine cellar.

This was my experience as I waited too long to make a reservation.

I was seated in the food and wine cellar. I did not regret this for one minute.

Upstairs in Statholdergaarden, diners can choose between a set menu; a four, five or six-course menu, or a la carte. There is also a wine pairing available. Downstairs in the Stathoderens food and wine cellar, diners can choose between two set menus or order a la carte. Wine pairings are available here as well. While I am mentioning the wine pairings, I must also say that the wine list is one of the most extensive that I have ever seen. While perusing the large book, I felt like Harry Potter searching the book of potions for the perfect one.

After studying the wine list I settled on a Montepulciano, even

though we were ordering fish. We started with two appetizers, the first was an artistically presented creation of shrimp and scallops with avocado, mango and a shellfish ginger sauce. This is a dish to eat slowly and savor every morsel. Of course the fresh bread with truffle butter did not hurt either. Just when I thought it couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get any better, our waiter delivered the wine tapas appetizer. What a feast for the eyes. The tapas are presented on a glass plate divided into nine sections, each filled with a tiny work of art. The sections included tartare of beet root, poached egg, parma ham and cheese, empanadas, grav lax, smoked trout with artichoke, red onion and asparagus and marinated cherry tomatoes. Interestingly enough, the seemingly simplest of these, the marinated cherry tomatoes, packed the most surprising taste explosion.

Then on to the main course. We ordered the two seafood dishes, Pollock and catch of the day, which was halibut. Cooked to perfection, the halibut was presented over potato salad, artichoke cream, a mussel sauce with horseradish and dill. The Pollock was presented over cauliflower, spring onions and a Burritane noisette.

Dessert was the perfect finishing touch, satisfying the needs of this chocoholic, with only a touch of chocolate. We ordered the lime cream and raspberry sherbet in a chocolate cup with a passion fruit crunch, and the Reglisse mousse which is rhubarb-strawberry sherbet with mascarpone and fennel macron.

The young chef creating these dishes in the food and wine cellar is Silje Kristin Valvik. The creativity and passion that fills her kitchen belies her age and portends for a great future for this young woman. Stepping into her kitchen to say hello, we were greeted by a clean and orderly workspace, and by young chefs and sous chefs who seemed very content. It made me think that the motto of this restaurant should be happy kitchen, happy diners.

The Statholdergaarden located at Radhugst 11, is a not be missed dining experience when in Oslo. Dining upstairs or downstairs is an enjoyable and delightful dining experience where each meal SFÄ&#x2DC;FDUT UIF DBSF BOE QBTTJPO PG $IFG #FOU 4UJBOTFO BOE IJT TUBÄ&#x152; t JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 89

National Restaurant Show

By Jodie Jacobs aybe there should be a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bewareâ&#x20AC;? sign that warns: the National Restaurant Show could be bad for the diet, raise the blood sugar and leave you yearning to try more, more and more.

At the 2015 NRA show more than 2,000 exhibitors filled three buildings at Chicagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s McCormick Place with cool gadgets and more than enough treats to have its 44,000 attendees feeling like kids in the proverbial candy store.

Passing up all the nibbles was a challenge but resisting samples of everything from breakfast sandwiches, breads and burritos to candies, cakes and flavored coffees, left room for taste-testing some of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;inâ&#x20AC;? specialty items in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alternative Bite/Styleâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Organic and Naturalâ&#x20AC;? aisles. www.show.restaurant.org Among the standouts was Conteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yummy, gluten-free, butternut squash ravioli, from New Jersey based Conteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pasta. Better than similar products at the show, Conteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ravioli had the perfect texture and flavor. www.contespasta.com There were lots of sauces but among the best was Miso Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delicious Organic Pesto, Thai and Maple products made for North Carolinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Great Eastern Sun Company. www.great-eastern-sun.com The Miso sauces probably would have paired well with Gardeinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

seven grain chicken tenders or any of this B.C. Canadian companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fool-the-palate chicken, fish and beef taste-like dishes made of vegetables, grains and herbs. www.gardein.com In the dessert category, it was hard to believe that the airy chocolate cupcakes by Toronto-based Weston Foods were gluten-free. www.westonfoods.com/hpPopup-westonBakeries.php If the booth were not so close to the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s central corridor as to make it an easy to-go item, it would have gone well with the just slurped, new caramel and fig gelato concoction from Arkansas based Sugar Creek-Honey Hill Farms. www.thehoneyhillfarms.com Tea is still big. At Numi Organic Tea, Oakland, CA, Laura Benvenuto and Erin Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hara were introducing the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Nspire line. The product is whole-leaf tea that comes in hand-sewn cotton sachets. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cotton mesh was how tea was originally steeped,â&#x20AC;?

Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hara said. What was good to hear about Numiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products was that everything, including the chocolate used in a tea, was real and not flavoring. www.NumiTea.com Real, fresh and healthy, are the trend, according to Mintel senior Foodservice analyst Julia Gallo-Torres who was walking the show answering questions. Asked about gourmet dining, Gallo-Torres said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fresh and unique ingredients make it gourmet.â&#x20AC;? She added, â&#x20AC;&#x153;White cloth is out, casual and healthy are in.â&#x20AC;?

By the way, when demonstrators of specialty products were asked where consumers can find them, the reply was usually Whole 'PPET t JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 91

Three Fabulous Three hree Fabulous Fabulous Three Three Fabulous Fabulous Three Fabulous Resorts...

Three Fabulous Resorts...

Resorts...

Resorts...

Resorts...

Resorts...

One Great Vacation Resorts... ee Great Great One One Vacation Vacation Great Great One Vacation Vacation Great Vacation One Great Vacation

NN eN N N N NN eNw DN we NNeeee e e e N s ew w DDee w DNeIeDeigew De ew D fo w w w w w n ssigig siegr ers sig De seniw t g w D D D D f f f f 2 IInnnnee oeoerr IsnigInneernIenoetroeigr0In ne Dfoer re ifIonoer esInri2i sni2e1 te r In si2 tteerrIInn ssi2ig2g In tnee tD rrs2tgoer0 g0 rriiootteerr 0 r r 0 t r01 rioterig0 i n n n n e Inortiseo si !e1 i r r 1 1 g i i i e e r 0 t rrss oorrss rr00 io resr rosnrso1rrs0er0 rs orns e1 !! ! rs iors e! r0! !

2 Heated Swimming Pools + Restaurant and Beach Bar + Game Room + 1,200 feet of Beach Front Property ed d Swimming Swimming 2 Heated 2 Heated Pools Pools Swimming Swimming 2 +Heated + Restaurant Restaurant Pools Swimming Pools +and and Restaurant + Restaurant Beach Beach PoolsBar Bar +and Restaurant and ++ Beach Game Game Beach Bar Room Room and Bar + Game Beach + ++Game 1,200 1,200 Room Bar Room feet feet + Game of +of1,200 +Beach Beach 1,200 Room feet Front Front feet of + Property of 1,200 Beach Property Beach feet Front Front ofProperty Beach Property Front Prope 2 Heated Swimming Pools + Restaurant and Beach Bar + Game Room + 1,200 feet of Beach Front Property

NEW NEWNEW NEW NEW NEW

Brand Designer Interiors for all Oceanview, Brand Brand Brand Brand Brand Designer Designer Designer Designer Interiors Interiors Designer Interiors Interiors for for all all Interiors Oceanview, Oceanview, for forallallOceanview, for Oceanview, all Oceanview, Brand Guestrooms, Designer Interiors all Oceanview, Oceanfront Poolside 1 &for 2 bedroom Suites and eanfront eanfront Oceanfront Oceanfront Guestrooms, Guestrooms, Oceanfront Guestrooms, Guestrooms, Poolside Poolside Guestrooms, Poolside Poolside 11 & & 22 bedroom Poolside bedroom 1 1&&2 2bedroom bedroom 1Suites Suites & 2 bedroom and and Suites Suitesand Suites and and 2 Story Oceanfront Oceanfront Guestrooms, PoolsideBeach 1 & 2 Homes bedroom Suites and 22 Story Story2Oceanfront Oceanfront 2Story Story2 Oceanfront Oceanfront Story Beach Beach Oceanfront Homes Homes Beach BeachHomes Beach HomesHomes Story Oceanfront Beach Homes Ovens 32” LCD2Flat Panel TV + Designer Carpets + Microwave

32” 32” LCD LCD Flat Flat 32” 32” Panel Panel LCD TV TV Flat Flat 32” ++Panel Designer Designer Panel LCD TV Flat TV+ Carpets Panel Carpets Designer + Designer TVBeds ++ +Carpets Microwave Microwave Designer Carpets + +Carpets Microwave Ovens Ovens Microwave Microwave Ovens Ovens Ovens Bedding &LCD Draperies + Plush Queen + Custom White+ Wash Furniture 32” LCD Flat Panel TV + Designer Carpets + Microwave Ovens Bedding Bedding & &Bedding Draperies Draperies Bedding && Bedding Draperies ++ Draperies Plush Plush Queen Queen & +Draperies Plush + Plush Beds Beds Queen Queen ++ Custom Plush Custom Beds Queen White +White Custom + Kitchen Custom Beds Wash Wash White + Counters White Furniture Custom Furniture Wash Wash White Furniture Furniture Wash Furniture Wireless Internet Access +Beds Granite Bedding Draperies +Wireless Plush Queen + Counters Custom White Wash Counters Furniture Wireless Wireless&Internet Internet Wireless Wireless Access Access Internet Internet ++ Granite Access Granite Access Internet Kitchen Kitchen +Beds Granite +Access Granite Counters Kitchen + Kitchen Granite Counters Counters Kitchen Wireless Internet Access + Granite ROYAL ATLANTIC BEACH Kitchen RESORTCounters ROYAL ROYAL ATLANTIC ATLANTIC ROYAL ROYAL ATLANTIC BEACH BEACH ATLANTIC ROYAL RESORT RESORT ATLANTIC BEACH BEACH RESORT RESORT BEACH RESORT “On the Ocean” . . . Standard and Extra large hotel rooms ROYAL ATLANTIC BEACH RESORT “On “On the the Ocean” Ocean” “On “On the ..the .. .Ocean” . Standard Standard Ocean” “On the . . ..and Ocean” and .Standard . Standard Extra Extra . .large large and . Standard and Extra hotel hotel Extra large rooms and rooms large Extra hotel hotel large rooms rooms hotel rooms “On the Ocean”ROYAL . . . Standard and Extra large hotel rooms ATLANTIC NORTH ATLANTIC ATLANTIC ROYAL ATLANTIC NORTH NORTH ATLANTIC ROYALSuites ATLANTIC NORTH NORTH NORTH “All Suite Resort” ROYAL .ROYAL . . Poolside 1ROYAL & 2 bedroom with full kitchens & living room ROYAL ATLANTIC NORTH l Suite Suite Resort” Resort” “All “All Suite Suite .. .. .Resort” . Poolside “All Poolside Resort” Suite . . 1.1.Resort” .& Poolside & . Poolside 22 bedroom bedroom . .1. & 1Poolside & 2Suites Suites bedroom 2 bedroom 1with with & 2Suites full bedroom full Suites kitchens kitchens with with Suites full & full &kitchens living living kitchens with room room full && kitchens living living room room & living room “All Suite Resort” . . . Poolside ROYAL 1 & 2 bedroom Suites with full kitchens & living room ATLANTIC EAST ROYAL ROYAL ATLANTIC ATLANTIC ROYAL ROYAL ATLANTIC EAST EAST ATLANTIC ROYAL ATLANTIC EAST EAST with EAST “Oceanfront” . . . Luxurious 2 story, 2 bedroom beach homes fireplace & whirlpool tub ROYAL ATLANTIC EAST nfront” front” “Oceanfront” “Oceanfront” .. .. .. Luxurious Luxurious “Oceanfront” . . .. .2 Luxurious 2. story, Luxurious story,. 22 . .bedroom bedroom 2Luxurious story, 2 story, 2beach bedroom 22bedroom story, 2beach bedroom beach homes homes beach with with homes fireplace homes fireplace beach with with & homes &fireplace whirlpool whirlpool fireplace with &fireplace tub & tub whirlpool whirlpool &tub whirlpool tub t “Oceanfront” . . . Luxurious 2 story, 2 bedroom beach homes with fireplace & whirlpool tub

THE ROYAL ATLANTIC BEACH RESORTS THE THE ROYAL ROYAL THE THE ROYAL ROYAL ATLANTIC THE ATLANTIC ROYAL ATLANTIC ATLANTIC BEACH ATLANTIC BEACH BEACH RESORTS RESORTS BEACH RESORTS RESORTS RESORTS Managed by Double K Management, So.BEACH Edgemere St., P.O. Box 936, Montauk, NY 11954 THE ROYAL ATLANTIC BEACH RESORTS aged aged by by Managed Managed Double Double by K K Managed by Management, Management, Double Double K byK Management, Double Management, So. So. Edgemere Edgemere K+ Management, So.So. Edgemere St., St., Edgemere P.O. P.O.So. Box Box St., Edgemere St., 936, 936, P.O. P.O. Montauk, Box Box St., 936, P.O. 936, NY NY Montauk, Box Montauk, 11954 11954 936,NY Montauk, NY 11954 11954NY 1195 Tel: (631) 668-5103/4 www.royalatlantic.com +Montauk, Fax: (631) 668-4172

Managed by Double KTel: So. Edgemere St.,(631) P.O.+ 668-4172 Box 936, Montauk, NY 11954 Tel: Tel: (631) (631) 668-5103/4 668-5103/4 Tel: Tel: (631) (631) 668-5103/4 668-5103/4 ++Management, www.royalatlantic.com www.royalatlantic.com (631) 668-5103/4 + www.royalatlantic.com + www.royalatlantic.com + www.royalatlantic.com ++ Fax: Fax: (631) 668-4172 Fax: + Fax: (631) (631) + 668-4172 Fax: 668-4172 (631) 668-4172 Tel: (631) 668-5103/4 www.royalatlantic.com + the Fax:heart (631) of 668-4172 Royal Atlantic Resort is +located “On The Ocean” in downtown Royal Royal Atlantic Atlantic Royal Royal Resort Resort Atlantic Atlantic Royal is is located located Resort Resort Atlantic “On is is located Resort located The The Ocean” Ocean” “On isby “On located The in The in Ocean” the the Ocean” “On heart heart The in of of in the Ocean” downtown the downtown heart heart inofbeaches, the of downtown downtown heart shopof downtown Montauk.

Our Resort is “On surrounded magnificent white sandy Royal Atlantic Resort is located “On The Ocean” in the heart of downtown Montauk.

Montauk. Our Montauk.

Our Montauk.

Resort Resort Our Montauk. is is Our surrounded surrounded Resort Resort Our is is surrounded Resort by surrounded by magnificent magnificent isexciting surrounded byby magnificent magnificent white white sandy sandy magnificent white white beaches, beaches, sandy sandy white shopshopbeaches, beaches, sandy shopbeaches, shopshoplined streets, historic attractions, waterby sports and spectacular fishing.

Montauk.

Our Resort is surrounded bysports magnificent white sandy beaches, shoplined lined streets, streets, lined lined historic historic streets, streets, attractions, lined attractions, historic historic streets, attractions, exciting exciting attractions, historicwater water attractions, exciting exciting sports water water exciting and andsports spectacular spectacular sports water and and sports spectacular fishing. fishing. spectacular and spectacular fishing. fishing. fishing. lined streets, historic attractions, exciting water sports and spectacular fishing.

Resident Resident Resident

Resident Resident Resident

Resident

All Children Need Love

By Jason Gehlert Photography by Andy Cox Photography

Down Syndrome baby, we studied literature, scoured the Internet, and reached out to playgroups and other forms of connections in our community to assist in our assimilation to this new way of life.

ne phone call changed everything. Our seven year chase of adopting a child had finally reached its lengthy conclusion. This was it. It was a Friday and we decided that the following Monday we were done. My wife and I were seeking a boy to add to our family and found that to be a complicated process to achieve unless we were willing to adopt a special needs child.

That October, in a mall in Boston, we met our baby girl. The wave of emotions exploded as joy swept over my wife, our daughters, and myself. We decided to name her Cara after my mother, and soon after another visit, we brought her home the day before Thanksgiving 2011. Our adoption of Cara would come with some challenges that all families endure. As we would find out, some members of our family were still entrenched in old-school thought when it came to Down Syndrome. Other members of our family embraced Cara and added a new layer of support.

Fostering several times led to heartbreak and madness that pushed us to the breaking point. One phone call from Massachusetts may have been the answer. A small baby girl born in Boston with Down Syndrome. Her family declined to keep her and we decided to move ahead and meet her. That weekend as new parents of a

We were lucky. Once Cara interacted with the entire family, those previous thoughts and concerns were soon set adrift, and we were able to move forward. Even with Caraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development at the higher JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 93

end of the chart, we still faced a challenging road ahead. As new parents we decided to combine our strengths.

My wife’s occupation as a teacher would bring education and stability for Cara’s development. My strength interacting with special needs throughout the community and my patience would allow us to build a solid foundation for Cara. Our blended family of older children ranging from twenty-five to fourteen also brought their own unique blend of engagement. Cara would always have someone with her which was critical in her development. As I shifted my work schedule to nights, I was able to stay home with Cara and start building a bond that three years later would be the centerpiece of our relationship. Quite simply, Cara had successfully won me over and gave me the anchor I sorely needed in life. She would become my best friend, my light, my sunshine on the darkest of days. I would later join the Down Syndrome playgroup and even a Mother’s playgroup to gain further knowledge about Down Syndrome and add socializing to Cara’s already busy daily routine.

This lifestyle change was necessary in her development. Our communication and interaction with Early Intervention and her therapists became challenging at times and required flexibility in our schedules when it came to organizing appointments. Cara’s health would also involve a series of early visits to the heart 94 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

doctor, audiologist and nutritionist. Down Syndrome children are susceptible to heart problems and hearing delays due to their small ear canals. As the stay home dad, we scheduled her physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech, and play therapy during the mornings or midafternoon. My wife’s experiences in education also brought the knowledge of aqua therapy to Cara’s hectic schedule. Aqua cemented Cara’s growth as her core muscles would become stronger allowing her to achieve other goals set by the other therapists.

These goals ranged from crawling, climbing, walking, and later jumping. Aqua became the key that unlocked Cara’s development.

Nutrition became another piece to the puzzle in our evolving lifestyle. In our research we found out that many Down Syndrome children are sensitive to gluten and lactose. A stricter diet and monitoring would alter our own eating habits as we wanted to make a seamless transition for our daughter. The change in diet, as well as adding coconut milk and coconut oil, and the nutritional benefits of the Morjinga plant in a powder form stabilized Cara’s development mentally and physically.

Throughout this process our understanding of Down Syndrome increased and although there were several negative articles on the Internet, we maintained our focus and love for Cara and how she changed our life. As Cara became older certain delays would

become noticeable, increasing the stress of raising a special needs child. Our therapists told us that Down Syndrome children and adults can do anything we can do, it just may take them a different road to get there. That piece of advice soothed my mind and helped me focus on paving that road for Cara. My family and I learned a new language: sign language.

My degree in Communication allowed me to practice the theories of non-verbal and verbal communication and their benefits. We slowly adapted and increased our own base knowledge of signs and as a result Cara expressed herself with various sign language and as she would enter pre-school, this base would prove critical in her leap in vocalizing, imitation and mimicking. After the finalization of the adoption the judge made a point to congratulate us and commended our dedication and love for Cara. She was impressed with our ability to change our lifestyle through the regiment of therapies and learning a new language to provide Cara with the tools needed to succeed in life.

A year ago, I decided to join the Down Syndrome Association of the Hudson Valley, a local chapter in Upstate New York that covers multiple counties in our area. As one of the board members I brought my background in communication/media/publishing industries to broadening the scope of our cause. Many new parents were full of questions and our association provided the information

and tools needed for these new families to succeed.

My goal was to share our experiences with Cara and help build a bridge that would connect all of our families together in a seamless support group. The different spectrum of children brought diversity to our group. These children and young adults show incredible passion and commitment to learning and excelling in life. As my family assisted in the annual Buddy Walk, local events, and other Down Syndrome functions we came to realize that with the advancements in medicine, education and understanding, lengthier lives were enjoyed and more smiles were shared across the world. Many of these fine young men and women are living productive lives.

Some own their own businesses, others artists, actors, authors, mentors and advocates. Many work jobs in the community and play sports earning titles in swimming, baseball, and track and field. Down Syndrome can be challenging and the road may be longer than one may have hoped for. Yet, the love and laughter that these precious children share eases that journey.

Editor’s note: Jason Wolfgang Gehlert is the author of a number of books in a genre that can only be described as “Hair Raising.”

To see his published works, go to: www.amazon.com/JasonGehlert/e/B009SO8I08 JULY 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 95

-30he symbol above was a long standing tradition to journalists ending an article. Once -30- was written after the last line, the editor knew there was noting more coming.

****

The symbol dates back to the telegrapher and Morse code. It was later picked up by reporters and some old dinosaurs still use it. In this context we’ll use it monthly to signify that this is the last page in our issue and the content is musings that come to the idle mind.

Some random thoughts that occur are, why is Mayor DeBlasio so concerned with getting rid of the New York tradition of carriage horses that draw in so many tourist dollars? There are New Yorkers, of course, who on special occasions take a ride in the ancient transportation mode, but by far the greater majority of passengers come to the Big Apple to savor its flavor.

Now the good mayor has offered to give the drivers licenses to operate green cabs. One commented that “We are not cab drivers.”

He’s absolutely right. Can you see the Smith’s from Lubbock, Texas saying: “Honey, let’s go to New York so that we can take a ride in a green cab. I think that would be romantic riding through Central Park or Fifth Avenue with the meter clicking away.”

Priorities, Mayor B. Take a ride in a green cab... or any vehicle for that matter... on the ramp coming onto the West Side Highway from the GWB. There’s enough litter there to greet any tourist/ visitor to the city and make him wonder what ever happened to clean-up crews.

There are a couple of streets, such as West 48th Street that have been milled and are awaiting repaving. In the meantime the ride by private vehicle, green cab and perhaps even a horse drawn carriage that will bring joy to the heart of any maxillofacial dentist (those are the guys who do oral surgery and set implants). It’s one of the most bone and teeth jarring experience in The City. **** We’ve never figured out how the myth about New Yorkers being cold, especially with visitors. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, there have been more instances of the generosity of city residents being taken for a ride by out-of-town con artists who claim to have been stranded without any money. New Yorkers more often than not come to their aid only to find out it was a sham. Hardly the description of cold.

During the recent visit by a host of U.S. Navy vessels also showed the antitheses of this myth. With thousands of Navy and Marine personnel wandering the city, many for the first time here, it was absolutely heart-warming to see city dwellers go up to them, shake hands and say “Thank you for your service.”

In fact, we’ve heard of a number of incidents in which the military personnel were in restaurants and were surprised to learn that an anonymous New Yorker picked up their tab. This may not be unique to New York, but if New Yorkers were so cold and unfeeling, why would incidents such as this take place?

96 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | JULY 2015

Last month we previewed the 911 Museum. Don’t wait until an out-of-town relative shames you into visiting it. We had that happen many years ago when a cousin from Texas said: “What?

You haven’t been there? I’ve been there twice.” Of course, after that there was no choice but to go.

The 911 Memorial is so well done that you can immediately feel the care and love that went into it. There have been a handful of naysayers, but aren’t there always? There are artifacts from the attack, visible sections of the wall and foundation, beams and more.

There is one room with the photographs of every single person who lost his/her life on that awful day. It is emotional and stirring at the same time. If there is a message to come from this horrible day, it is: “Don’t mess with America, especially New Yorkers. We are a resilient bunch and if you hurt us, you will eventually feel the pain yourself.

The entrance tab to the Museum and Memorial is $24. Some have complained that it was a bit steep. But remember the Museum and Memorial receive no public financing. All of its operating funds come from admissions, donations and grants. We’ve heard no one leaving the exhibit complain about the price. Perhaps they can work a deal to get a commission from gren cabs ferrying tourists to the site.

In addition to the Memorial the plaza surrounding the museum is open to the public at no charge. The two waterfalls on the footprint of the Twin Towers and the names of victims inscribed around them are quite touching. And there is no fee.

Many people come to the plaza not only to remember, but simply because it is a beautiful place of meditation and remembrance.

New Yorkers and tourists alike flock to the scene.

-30- Bob Nesoff

Welcome.

Escape to your own private country estate at The Lodge at Woodloch, an all-inclusive destination spa resort just 95 miles from Manhattan.

Reservations: 866.953.8500

thelodgeatwoodloch.com