With all of the restaurants that I have reviewed for Manhattan Digest, 121 Fulton Street happens to be the first one where the name of the restaurant is synonymous with its actual address in New York City. The location, located in lower Manhattan right off the 2 and 3 trains, is 4,500 square feet of absolute bliss with four different key functionalities located insider for people to really enjoy. [Read more…] about 121 Fulton Street Promises Way More Than Just Its Address
NJ Symphony Brings Cheer to the Masses with a Holiday Classic
The movie may have been Home Alone, but the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) was anything but a solitary place on Saturday evening, Dec. 5th. A well attended crowd was treated to a live orchestrated version of the John Hughes classic featuring the original composition by screen legend John Williams. The night proved to be a holiday crowd pleaser for couples and families alike. [Read more…] about NJ Symphony Brings Cheer to the Masses with a Holiday Classic
Watch A Live Orchestrated Screening of Home Alone with the NJSO
Gen X-ers are going to feel like Methuselah after they read this next line: The beloved Christmas favorite from your youth, Home Alone turns 25 this year. Doesn’t it seem like yesterday when you begged your parents to drive you to the Cineplex in the minivan to see John Hughes’ story about an 8 year old who singlehandedly defends his home turf over Christmas? [Read more…] about Watch A Live Orchestrated Screening of Home Alone with the NJSO
George Takei Kicks Off “Coffee With Goldstar” Series
Everyone’s most wonderful time of the year has arrived! No. Not Christmas necessarily. I’m referring to that sacred period between Thanksgiving and year-end, when employees all around the world are spending company time surfing the internet for holiday bargains, posting unwanted junk in the sale section of Craigslist, updating their resumes, searching for new jobs, and plotting their 2016 escape plan from current hellish workplace environments. Just me?
On Thursday, December 3rd at 3 PM ET, you’ll want to take a break from all of your exhausting, non-work related web surfing and point your browser here. Why? Because Goldstar, the leading ticketing commerce outlet that has provided deep discounts to great events for over 6 million people is proud to announce their first “Coffee With Goldstar” series. [Read more…] about George Takei Kicks Off “Coffee With Goldstar” Series
Theater Review: Misery
Would someone please give Laurie Metcalf a Tony Award? Not necessarily for her current Broadway performance (more on that later), but for her gracious ability to contrast what is quite possibly one of the worst performances being delivered on Broadway in recent memory. I’m speaking of Bruce Willis, the usually charismatic personality from the Die Hard movie franchise and television’s Moonlighting. Personally, Willis has always been a benign actor. While likable enough, I honestly never put that much thought into his work (and I’m sure after this review, he won’t be thinking much of mine either). So I was unable to make a distinction on his depth as a performer, at least until I saw him in his Broadway debut. As the “star”-and I use that term incredibly loosely-of William Goldman’s stage adaptation of Stephen King’s Misery–Willis is displaying such an immense talent for non-acting that one must wonder if audiences are watching a cardboard cut-out. [Read more…] about Theater Review: Misery
Theater Review: Dada Woof, Papa Hot
We’ve come a long way from The Boys In the Band. This isn’t to speak poorly of Mart Crowley’s 1968 portrayal of gay life, but it was not without a heaping dose of self-loathing and shame. As gay drama progressed into the seventies and eighties, the focus centered upon the politics of HIV and AIDS- diseases that are no longer a death sentence but still play prominent roles in the lives of many. So as I watched Peter Parnell’s play Dada Woof, Papa Hot, I couldn’t help but ponder a few questions: Has the homosexual fight for equality subconsciously forced us back to expected normative behavior? Has the conversation of AIDS become obsolete? Are we really this privileged? None of this is meant as opprobrium against Parnell’s story, but is intended as more of a rhetorical dialogue . [Read more…] about Theater Review: Dada Woof, Papa Hot
La Gringa Taqueria Spices Up Brooklyn & The West Village
No matter what cuisine I am trying out in Manhattan, the one that I always seem to love more than anything is Mexican. I don’t know why, but as someone who grew up loving spice, it seems to resonate with my taste buds and a good cause for my happy faces as I have grown up. So naturally I was excited to try out La Gringa Taqueria, which has two super convenient locations on Christopher Street in the West Village and Grand Street in Williamsburg. [Read more…] about La Gringa Taqueria Spices Up Brooklyn & The West Village
Join Local New York EatWith Chefs for Thanksgiving
Not all of us are lucky enough to make it home for the holidays. Sometimes we are stuck in the city for business or whatever reason possible, and still want to do our best to enjoy the holidays to the best of our abilities. For any last minute people out there who still don’t have set plans for tomorrow night, let me introduce you to this great initiative prepared by EatWith.
What is EatWith exactly? EatWith is a global platform for home restaurants that brings local hosts, with a passion for cooking and entertaining, together with locals and travelers looking for an authentic and totally new dining experience. Connect with guests in a way that cannot be experienced at a restaurant. By creating the first home-restaurant community, citizens of the world can use EatWith to gain access to local culture, and enrich their connection to a destination by eating with people in their home.
So essentially, EatWith is looking to make the experience that much more personable while keeping the environment lively and the food just as delicious as you would get in any of the top restaurants here in New York City. There are two different events you can attend tomorrow night, with all of the proceeds going to La Concina. La Concina is a non-profit that empowers food entrepreneurs.
EatWith is also giving away a pair of tickets ($130 value) for another dining experience to 5 lucky winners! Simply like EatWith’s Facebook page, tag a friend in comments, include #EatWith and the winners will be announced on Facebook and Instagram by the end of the week.
Here is, in full detail, the events for tomorrow night-
WHEN:
Thursday, November 26 at 7:30 p.m.
$20 per ticket with all proceeds going to La Concina
WHERE:
Zuhra or Simon’s home!
MENUS:
A Nigerian Inspired Thanksgiving – Eat with Zuhra
A note from the chef: As a Classic Culinary Art student at the International Culinary Center, I started to create menus based on popular Nigerian dishes. Here, I have a Nigerian Inspired Thanksgiving dinner that will take you on an exciting trip to Nigeria without taking you too much out of America. You will leave my table having learnt not only about our food, but also our cultures, traditions and our incredible diversity. I look forward to the privilege of showing you a part of my country through food.
A Little Paris in New York Thanksgiving Dinner – Eat With Simon
A note from the chef: Thanksgiving may be an all-American holiday, but its traditional dishes lend themselves beautifully to French influences. With simple but elegant twists on the classic menu, a holiday meal becomes a transporting experience.
Happy Holidays Everyone!
Midtown’s Top Hotels Grand Gesture To Our Homeless This Friday
With all the craziness that is going on in the upcoming days, many of us forget how fortunate we are that we get to enjoy days like Thanksgiving in the comfort of our own home while there are several that don’t have that luxury. Fortunately for the homeless people in New York City, there is this amazing initiative that is taking place this coming Friday where they can feel that luxury and be apart of what this year is supposed to be about.
The Waldorf Astoria, New York Lotte Palace and Four Seasons New York (all competing hotels, mind you) are hosting Fare Share Friday, which is taking place at St. Bart’s Cathedral right here in New York City. On deck with Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness, and partnered with Crossroads Community Services, Fare Share Friday is an annual celebration where soup kitchen regulars, volunteers and supporters of Crossroads will share a special dinner prepared by Chef David Garcelon from The Waldorf Astoria New York, Chef Jacques Sorci from Lotte New York Palace and Chef John Johnson from the Four Seasons Hotel New York.
More information from the actual site– The dinner has 2 seatings at 4pm & 7pm, and is brought together by the kindness of volunteers, including the Les Clefs D’Or spoons. All proceeds from the event go to the Crossroads Community soup kitchen, food pantry and women’s shelter and their ongoing mission to erase hunger by uniting the community.
Tickets for the dinner are priced at $100, while those in need are obviously welcomed at no cost. All proceeds benefit the Crossroads Kitchen. The hope for this every year is that it will bring people who purchased tickets and members of the Crossroads community together because “we all have a place at the table”. I personally think it is a wonderful initiative that I hope all of you can support. For more information on Fare Share Friday, click here.
Happy Holidays Everyone!
Black Friday & Cyber Monday Deals for Manhattanites
Black Friday and Cyber Monday is shortly approaching! For all of us Manhattanites, we want to get the best deals possible whether it is something for ourselves, friends, family or that special someone in our life. Lucky for all of you, Manhattan Digest has found some really great deals to get you psyched for the two biggest shopping days of the year! Check out the offers below.
HARD ROCK CAFE: NEW YORK
This year, Hard Rock Cafe New York is offering a FREE breakfast entrée from its new breakfast menu beginning on (Black) Friday, November 27th and extending through Sunday, November 29th, for guests who make a $40 retail purchase from the cafe’s Rock Shop.
Looking for the perfect holiday gift? Hard Rock Cafe New York has limited-edition gifts that give back as part of its IMAGINE campaign – the below options would make great stocking stuffers and proceeds support WhyHunger’s fight to end childhood hunger and poverty:
Bracelets – For a $2 donation, guests can choose from an assortment of colored bracelets with 100 percent of funds raised benefiting WhyHunger
T-Shirt – 15 percent of the retail price of the IMAGINE T-shirt, which features the inspiring words “IMAGINE THERE’S NO HUNGER” alongside a peace sign, will benefit WhyHunger
AHAVA
As the definitive Dead Sea Minerals beauty expert, AHAVA knows more than anyone else about the science behind the Dead Sea’s power to revitalize and brings this knowledge and innovation to every one of its products.
Black Friday/Cyber Monday – Special offers up to 50% off at ahavaus.com.
Special Promo Code– AHAVA would like to offer up to 25% off purchases made on ahavaus.com with select promo code ManhattanDigest. Valid 11/24-12/18. Offer excludes new products, sets and value sizes.
RETAILMENOT (www.retailmenot.com)
Before even entering the Black Friday door busters or logging in for Cyber Monday, arm yourself with the RetailMeNot app. Recent survey findings from RetailMeNot state almost 65% of consumers find their biggest financial holiday season stress to be the cost of gifts and turn to Black Friday and Cyber Monday for bargains.
RetailMeNot makes make it easy to save money when you are shopping online and in store by sharing hundreds of thousands of digital promotions and coupons from a variety of retailers on their site and app – West Elm, Best Buy, Target, Sephora, Frontier Airlines, Toys ‘R’ Us, Amazon, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s etc. Walk into a mall or shopping center and RetailMeNot will use geofencing to send you notifications with coupons at the stores closest to you.
ALTERNA HAIRCARE
Cyber Week Deal: Friday, 11/27 – Friday, 12/4
Caviar Moisture Trio – Travel-friendly Caviar Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner and Caviar CC Cream, this fan favorite collection is perfect for stocking stuffers or holiday traveling.
Price: $10, Available at Sephora and Sephora.com while supplies last
Repairx Trio – Help repair stressed strands with this trio that includes: Caviar Repairx Shampoo & Conditioner and Caviar CC Cream
Price:$15, Available exclusively at salons
ILUMINAGE
Cyber Monday Deal: Monday, 11/30
The first and only, personalized at-home permanent hair removal device FDA cleared for all skin tones and clinically proven for the widest range of hair colors. iluminage will be running a one day only flash sale—30% off all hair removal products.
ANTHONY
Cyber Week Deal: Wednesday, 11/25 – Monday, 11/30
20% off on most items, exclusive of kits and jumbo-sized products
BEAUTY.COM
Find the perfect gift for every beauty junkie on your list
Cyber Week Deal: Monday, 11/23 – Monday, 11/30
More than 50 gift with purchase options at Beauty.com
Click here for updates on daily gift with purchase options from favorites such as bliss, bareMinerals, Caudalie, Deborah Lippmann, Laura Geller Origins, and Too Faced, amongst others
These amazing deals are only available while supplies last
BLISS
Black Friday Deal: Friday, 11/27 – Monday, 11/30
30% off all products at blissworld.com by using the code: Dazzle30 at checkout
Deluxe gift with purchase – free with any $150 purchase, this is kit includes: micromagic microdermabrasion treatment, triple oxygen ex-‘glow’-sion, fabulips sugar lip scrub and fabulips softening lip balm in a limited edition Kate Spade cosmetic bag (valued at $176)
Holiday beauty gift bag free with any purchase of $75 or more. Use brilliant15 at checkout
Available at Blissworld.com
Spa Only Members
Treat your feet with a pedicure: 30% discount and a FREE full size Foot Patrol product
Personal shopping– Give bliss your shopping list and price points and bliss will have your gifts ready for you when you are finished with your service. Available in all NYC locations
Cyber Monday Deal: Monday, 11/30
Save an additional 50% off 10 of bliss’ best-selling bundles. Customers can use the promo code brilliant15 or DELUXE at checkout to get one of our free gifts
bliss fabulous foaming face wash set of 2; Price: $28 ($48 value)
bliss triple oxygen radiant energizing serum & energizing vitamin c day cream; Price: $99 ($170 value)
bliss lemon + sage body butter set of 2 full retail value; Price: $29 ($58 value)
Available at Blissworld.com
BLUSHINGTON
Blushington Makeup & Beauty Lounge is the premier makeup service destination lounge that started in LA, opened in Texas and has opened its FIRST NYC outpost. Think of it like the DryBar for makeup. Located inside the Underground at Le Parker Meriden, Blushington is the first of its kind and truly the original concept. It transforms the experience from a special occasion luxury to an everyday necessity. There’s a variety of services offered that include (and extent beyond) makeup… full face makeup application, eyelash extensions, faux lash applications, brow maintenance, tinting and extensions, touch-ups and more.
Black Friday Deal: Friday, 11/27- Monday, 11/30
20% off ALL products + services for Friday only. *Not applicable to gift cards or memberships; Valid in-store only
CAUDALIE
Black Friday Deal: Friday, 11/27
Don’t miss amazing savings this Black Friday! Spend $100 at Boutique locations and receive two travel items of your choice plus a Caudalie Makeup Pouch
Value: $25 – $47
Cyber Monday Deal: Monday, 11/30
Tier 1 – Spend $25 to receive Caudalie Winter Duo (Lip Conditioner, Hand and Nail Cream 30ml); Price:$12
Tier 2 – Spend $75 to receive Caudalie Winter Duo + Beauty Elixir 30ml and City Girl Tote; Price: $50
Tier 3 – Spend $150 to receive Caudalie Winter Duo + Beauty Elixir 30ml + Moisturizing Mask 25ml, Foaming Cleanser 50ml and Weekend Bag; Price: $93
ERNO LASZLO
Combat dry skin and any other skin concerns this winter with multiple deals and savings from ErnoLaszlo.com to keep you fully loaded with all your skincare essentials.
Cyber Week Deal: 11/23 – 11/30
Spend $225 and receive: 3-piece Firmarine gift including: Firmarine Moisturizer SPF 30 (15ml), Firmarine Night Cream (15ml), Firmarine Serum (5ml)
Spend $350 and receive: 3-piece Transphuse Gift: Transphuse Day Serum (5ml), Transphuse Night Serum (15ml), Transphuse Line Refining Cream (2ml) + the $225 Firmarine Gift
Spend $450 and receive: 3-piece Repair Gift: Timeless Skin Serum (15ml), Phormula 3-9 Repair Balm (30ml), Phormula 3-9 Eye Repair (1ml) + the $350 Transphuse gift + the $225 Firmarine gift
JUNE JACOBS
Cyber Week Deal: 11/23 – 11/30
Make sure to stock up on all the June Jacobs favorites (and include gifts for any skincare junkie on the list) with promotions on JuneJacobs.com that last throughout all of Cyber Week. Starting Monday, November 23rd until midnight on November 30th, receive 24% off on all orders. Free shipping and a free full size Neroli Mist will be included in any order of $50 or more, while supplies last.
Available on JuneJacobs.com
KENNETH COLE BLACK
Black Friday Deal: Friday, 11/27 – Saturday, 11/28
Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Kenneth Cole brand, Black is a sexy and sophisticated masculine fragrance that reflects the elegance and style of the city. There is an opulence that only Black conveys – it evokes an undeniable presence that’s as masculine, modern and timeless and the color itself. With its invigorating blend of mint and mandarin combined with masculine notes of incense, exotic woods and black suede, this fragrance is a modern combination that’s both fresh and sensuous at once. Kit includes: 3.4 oz EDT, 3.4 oz After Shave Balm and 2.6 oz Deodorant.
Price: $40 ($110 value); Available at Macy’s
KÉRASTASE PARIS
Black Friday & Cyber Monday: Thursday, 11/26 – Wednesday, 12/2
Enjoy savings on luxurious haircare products and deluxe gifts from Kérastase!
10% off all online orders
Free deluxe sample of Chronologiste Parfum Oil
Free shipping on orders $75
Visit Kerastase-USA.com/SpecialOff-Show for details
LAURA GELLER
Stock up on Laura Geller favorites for every beauty junkie on your list with a variety of deals, multiple gift-with-purchase options, and free standard shipping on all orders over $50 throughout Cyber Week on LauraGeller.com.
Black Friday Preview: Monday, 11/23 – Thursday, 11/26
25% off all orders with code: PREVIEW25
30% off orders over $100 with code: PREVIEW30
Laura Geller Fabulous Favorites 3 Piece Gift With Purchase ($34 Value) on orders of $50 or more. GWP features a travel size Baked Bronze-n-Brighten in Medium, Mini Color Drenched Lip Gloss in French Press Rose and the Spackle® Under Make-Up Primer in Original
Black Friday Deal: Friday, 11/27 – Sunday, 11/29
25% off all orders with code: FRIDAY25
30% off orders over $100 with code: FRIDAY30
Laura Geller Black Friday 3 piece Gift with Purchase ($30 Value) on orders $50 or more. GWP features a Mini Fortifying Lashes Eyelash Primer, Mini Color Drenched Lip Gloss in Café Au Lait and Mini Spackle® Original Under Make-Up Primer (0.50 oz.)
Cyber Monday Deal: Monday, 11/30 (offers below can be combined for one day only)
50-75% off select products
45% off orders $135 or more with code: CYBER45
Free Large Foundation Brush and Deluxe Spackle® Supercharged Sample (1 oz.) with orders of $50 or more
PETER THOMAS ROTH
Black Friday Deal: Friday, 11/27
Buy a Peter Thomas Roth Mega Rich Body Cream and get a free CC Eye Correcting Concealer; Price: $18.00 ($42 value)
Cyber Monday Deal: Monday, 11/30
Buy a Peter Thomas Roth Ultra-Lite Anti-Aging Cellular Repair and get one for free; Price: $52.00 ($104 value)
RALPH LAUREN FRAGRANCES
Cyber Monday Deal: Monday, 11/30
Throw in an extra gift for any man on your list this holiday season. On Cyber Monday only, customers will receive three travel-size bottles (7ml) of Polo Red, Polo Black, and Polo Blue with any Ralph Lauren Fragrance purchase of 3.4oz or larger.
Available exclusively at Macys.com
SKIN LAUNDRY
Skin Laundry is a simple, smart and safe laser skin treatment solution designed to make maintaining healthy skin both accessible and convenient. The signature 10-minute medical-grade treatment uses modern technology and advanced non-invasive lasers and light therapy to vaporize the dirt, debris, pollutants and toxins in the skin and deep within pores for brighter, cleaner and clearer skin. Regular treatments will visibly improve skin’s smoothness, evenness, tone, texture, radiance and clarity, while diminishing the appearance of acne, pores, hyperpigmentation, reducing the look of lines, wrinkles and restoring firmer, tighter skin.
Black Friday Deal: Friday, 11/27
Skin Laundry is offering an exclusive week-long in-store promotion from Saturday, November 21st through Sunday, November 29th at each of their locations in Los Angeles, Scottsdale and New York City. Free Starter Kit includes full size products: Gentle Foaming Wash, Clarifying Toner, Advanced Protection Daily Moisturizer SPF 35 and Restoring Night Serum ($110 value) when you join the Laundry Club and sign up for the 4 treatments per month membership.
Cyber Monday Deal: From Thursday, 11/26 – Monday, 11/30
Save an additional 25% online on all products in their extensive collection
STRIVECTIN
Stock up on all your skincare essentials with 20% off site-wide and with any purchase at StriVectin.com from November 21st until December 1st.
Black Friday Deal: Thursday, 11/27 – Saturday, 11/29
Receive a Holiday Travel Treats ($45 value) set with any $75 purchase. The kit includes three deluxe samples of the SD Advanced™ Intensive Concentrate for Wrinkles & Stretch Marks, Advanced Retinol Intensive Night Moisturizer, Instant Retexturizing Scrub
Cyber Monday Deal: Monday, 11/30 – Tuesday, 12/1
Receive a 24/7 Skin Facial Fix Trio ($35 value) set with any $75 purchase. The set includes: three deluxe samples of SD Advanced™ Intensive Concentrate for Wrinkles & Stretch Marks, Advanced Retinol Intensive Night Moisturizer, StriVectinLABS 5-Minute Weekly Glycolic Peel Duo Packette
Available at StriVectin.com
URBAN DECAY
Black Friday Deal: Thursday, 11/27 – Friday, 11/28
Crush Your Gift List with 20% off site wide on UrbanDecay.com. Score cult favorites for the holiday season including the latest addition to the NAKED palette franchise, NAKED Smoky, plus limited-edition must-haves, like Vice 4, that will fulfill the color craving for the makeup junkies on your list.
Cyber Monday Deal: Monday, 11/30
Bust out the laptop charger and cozy up to your wireless router – Urban Decay has got a killer Cyber Monday deal and you’re not going to want to miss out…the Naked Vault Volume II is coming back. Sold out in just mere HOURS when it first launched earlier this month, this blockbuster set includes EVERY SINGLE PALETTE in the NAKED franchise: NAKED, NAKED 2, NAKED3, NAKED Smoky, NAKED Basics and NAKED2 Basics.
Price: $165, Available at UrbanDecay.com