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In The Mood For A Cruise Around Manhattan? Try Bateaux New York

The warm weather is finally upon us after a dreary winter that never seemed to end. Now that New Yorkers & Manhattanites are trading their overcoats for skirts and shorts, we have several wants and needs to get out of the house and enjoy this weather that seems severely overdue. Why not start… with a cruise? Although several of us tend to go far and away to experience an amazing cruise and its amenities, there is one in particular that is right here in New York City that provides all of that and then some. This is Bateaux New York, which is located right in the heart of Chelsea Piers on 11th Avenue between 20th and 21st street. If Chelsea Piers doesn’t work for you geographically, they also depart from Lincoln Harbor Marina in Weekhawken, NJ. Here is some facts on Bateaux itself.

Bateaux New York, Manhattan Digest — Credit to: Bateaux New York

Built in 1998 in Tidewater, Virginia, Bateaux New York measures 185 feet from bow to stern. Currently owned by Entertainment Cruises, Inc., this impressive vessel has hosted over half-a-million guests. With a unique all-glass design inspired by the river boats of Europe, Bateaux New York delivers the best of New York serving 360-degree views of New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty directly to your table. Creative plated cuisine. Gracious service. Live jazz. And more. All in the most chic and sophisticated atmosphere. All of that is a severe understatement until you experience Bateaux itself.

Here are some great unique features that Bateaux provides for its customers upon arrival-

Curved glass ceiling and walls offering a 180-degree skyline view

Two dining rooms that can be adjoined for up to 300 guests or separated for private occasions

Hardwood dance floor and rich nautical accents

Open deck layout assures every table a view of the entertainment

Uniquely designed seating arrangements create an inviting and intimate dining experience

State-of-the-art sound system with customized volume levels

Flattering halogen lighting throughout

Two outdoor strolling areas offer fresh-air views

Handicap-accessible boarding and restrooms

So essentially if you want to see all of the incredible landmarks that New York City is known for, Bateaux is the way to go. If you take a look at the above photo, Bateaux gives you full access to view everything from The Statue Of Liberty, Ellis Island, The Brooklyn Bridge and so much more. With the weather being as beautiful as it has been lately, you would get a clear view of these amazing places and take several photos to encompass a memorable evening with your loved ones.

Bateaux runs three different types of cruises on the regular- brunch, lunch and dinner. Myself and a friend were treated to their dinner cruise which boarded at 6PM on Saturday night and set sail at 7pm. The entire trip was about three hours long, and not a moment was to be missed as we were treated VIP status throughout. The views throughout were spectacular beyond the glass windows and it was smooth sailing (literally) throughout. The food and beverages we were provided were top shelf, and were treated to complimentary champagne during our stay on board. The dinner menu itself was quite impressive, as we indulged on savory treats from Shrimp Cocktail, Crab Chowder, Braised Short Rib, Roast Wagyu Strip Loin and so much more. Dessert was just as tasty as we both had the S’More Bread Pudding and New York Style Cheesecake. The dinner entertainment featuring a wonderful vocalist accompanied by a baby grand piano, acoustic bass and jazz guitar added some groove and flavor to the night. They performed some classic hits as well as more modern ones such as Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” and Alicia Keys “Empire State Of Mind”. Kudos to them as they did a phenomenal job. During the cruise we were able to head outside and get a better view of the city itself, take some photos, and enjoy what was overall a very relaxing evening.

Bateaux New York also offers specialty cruises outside of the brunch, lunch and dinner ones that they already provide. Starting on April 18th, they are offering New York Sightseeing Lunch Cruises. Come aboard the glass-enclosed, European-style Bateaux New York for the ultimate sightseeing experience. Float along the Hudson and take in amazing views with narration by our pianist of notable New York City sights like the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and Freedom Tower. You’ll enjoy a delicious, three-course plated lunch and live music from an onboard pianist during your cruise. It’s the most sophisticated, special way to see the best of NYC from the water. With the upcoming holidays there are specialty cruises they have setup for Mother’s Day, 4th Of July and Fleet Week just to name a few. If you need more information on these, you can check out this link.

I would highly recommend anyone trying Bateaux as it really is 10/10 when it comes to quality in what you are signing up for. They have a great variety of affordable options for you and your friends, family and loved ones and encourage a great time had by all upon arrival. For more information on them, check out the official site.

What is the cost of building a mobile app?

by Randy Rayess

This post originally appeared on the VenturePact website.

The Idea: “Hey, I am trying to build an app. It’s going to be a social network for dog owners. I have $10K. You know someone?”

Source: http://bit.ly/1B49vBV

2 Weeks Later
“Yo, I got a steal – I found these people who told me they’ll build the app and give me unlimited maintenance for $10K. What a deal!”

6 Months Later
“Still building the product but not paying extra even though its going way over, I’m lucky I got a deal. $10k for 6 months of work is less than $20 per hour!”

8 Months Later
“I will never outsource anything again, the doesn’t work its been 8 months.”

What went wrong?

An outsourcing decision made solely on price can result in an array of problems.
When choosing a firm to build your application, price is a component in the decision making process, but time, experience, and quality also come into the equation. Quality is hard to quantify and its hard to know whether a company is high quality based on their website.

Sometimes you’ll find a low quality company that charges $250 per hour. Sometimes you’ll find a great company that charges $40 per hour. Of course this is not the norm, but price alone does not mean that a company is amazing or terrible. Also, a service provider that is amazing for one company might not be for another.

To guide companies through the development pricing maze, we have created The VenturePact Budget Grid with three zones and three tiers representing the world’s development firms and respective pricing.

Zones vary based on each region’s cost of living, and tiers vary based on clientele, years of experience and specialty of firm.

The chart shows the minimum project size that each zone and tier would require and their approximate hourly charges. This VenturePact Budget Grid should help guide companies when deciding how much they should pay and where they should select a service provider.

Do you have questions about outsourcing or finding a development firm for your next project? Feel free to reach out to [email protected].

Randy Rayess is the co-founder of VenturePact, a service that helps companies find and engage with vetted software development teams. He is passionate about remote work, outsourcing and software development. He previously worked in private equity at SilverLake Partners, in machine learning and in payments.

Theater Review: TEXAS IN PARIS

by Ryan Leeds

In her auto-biography Don’t Fall Off the Mountain , actress Shirley MacLaine writes, “the more I travelled the more I realized that fear makes strangers of people who should be friends.” In the case of Osceola Mays (Lillias White) and John Burrus (Scott Wakefield)- two travelers to unfamiliar territory, fear actually becomes the impetus which unites them.

Mays and Burrus are the subjects of the wonderfully warm two person musical play Texas in Paris, which recently made its world premiere at the York theater Company. Based on actual documentary footage and audio recordings collected by Alan Govenar (who wrote the show), it tells the true story of two unlikely strangers who forged a tolerance and understanding of one another by sharing a concert stage in 1979 Paris. The pair hail from Texas, each have a devout appreciation of the Christian faith, and both are gifted with the natural ability to sing. It seems then that they would develop an immediate rapport.

The challenge they face stems from their backgrounds. Mays, who grew up in a small town, is raised with a fear towards white folks. Burrus, also from a small town, believes that people should “stick with their own kind.” The two untrained singers soon find themselves in front of a Parisian audience, sharing musical numbers and short, personal stories. Audiences are enamored by the charismatic and uninhibited Mays who raises the rafters with a cappella gospel goodness (only Tony Award winning White could embody such a powerhouse-and she does it with seemingly effortless sass and style.) Mays finds Paris to be a welcomed utopia and a break from her hum-drum Texas existence.

Burrus on the other hand, feels out of touch with his audience, uncomfortable with the prestige of Paris, and even more uneasy with his stage co-star. Although his show’s character is meant to take a back-seat to Mays, the talented musician and singer Scott Wakefield creates some wonderful moments in the 80 minute show, especially during a “come to Jesus” segment in his hotel when he heartfully sings, “Where He Leads Me.”

Through off-stage conversations, the pair find themselves respectfully confronting each other’s insecurities, prejudices, misunderstandings, and their true interpretations of faith. While the script occasionally drifts into preachy “why can’t we just get along” territory, Govenar’s script is mostly genuine, sincere, and reflective of how we connect -or in some cases- disconnect with one another in our current, daily interactions.

With James Morgan’s minimal but effective scenic design, Jason Johnson-Spinos fitting projection and sound designs, and Amy Jones melodious musical supervision, the York theatre company has landed another unique and special show, under the passionate direction of Akin Babatunde.

Texas in Paris runs through March 1st at The York Theatre Company (619 Lexington Avenue between 53rd and 54th streets.) For tickets and information, please visit http://www.yorktheatre.org

Daniel Dillard LIVE! : A Concert You’ll Want to Tell Your Grandchildren About

by Ryan Leeds

So far, 2015 is proving to be colder than an icy stare from Downtown Abbey’s Dowager Countess. But fear not, fellow New Yorkers! There is no reason to sit at home kicking your steam radiator until you bruise your big toe–at least not tomorrow night, Wednesday January 14th at 7:30 PM.

That’s when Daniel Dillard takes to the stage of the Upper west side hot spot, The West End Lounge. There, he’ll perform some of his own music, as well as pop hits and selections from musical theater. Ok…calm down, queens, and do not sing along! Leave that to this talented Denver native/resident Manhattanite who will share the stage with a cast of hugely talented musicians and special guest stars including Marty Thomas, Jessica Burrows Van Kipp, and Abbie Getty.

Thomas, Van Kipp, and Getty are big freakin’ stage actors folks. Do you think they would waste their time collaborating with some putz who can’t raise the rafters and sing like an angel? They know good talent when they see it–and YOU need to see this up and coming singer-songwriter too! Tickets are only 20 bucks. Twenty. Dollars. That’s two slices of pizza in this town–and Dillard won’t leave you feeling broke and bloated!

For tickets and information: http://www.danieldillardmusic.com/new-products-2/an-evening-of-daniel-dillard-music

WHO: Daniel Dillard and other incredible folks

WHEN: Wednesday January 14th 2015

WHERE: The West End Lounge, 955 West End Avenue at 107th Street. Take the 1 train to 103 or 110.

Daniel Dillard. Doin' that voodoo he do so well. — Daniel Dillard. Doin’ that voodoo he do so well.

Late Summer- New York City Photography

by Mark Giarrusso

Late summer in New York is always a slightly bittersweet time. Autumn is always beautiful here but the days are shorter, the weather will soon cool, and the leaves will change color and fall to the ground. New Yorkers know how dreary winter can be weather wise and they are always looking to make the most out of every summer day. Here are some scenes from around Central Park of people doing just that.

Summer in the City — Wedding Day, Central Park, NYC, Photo by Mark Giarrusso, 2014

Southern Cuisine Your Forte? Try The Derby in the LES!

by Ryan Shea

With the ever popular presence of cuisines such as Thai and Italian dominating the Manhattan food scene, sometimes its good to go outside your comfort zone and try something new and inspiring. With Southern Hospitality attempting to make its mark in the foodie scene here in NYC, there is one new restaurant that is sure to make a stir in the Lower East Side and beyond. This restaurant is called The Derby, which boasts southern cuisine and even better… BRUNCH ALL DAY! They boast classic favorites such as Shrimp & Grits and Chicken & Waffles just to name a few, with yummy starters such as house-made buttermilk biscuits with jalapeno butter and jam to start (Weeeee!!!). I sat down recently with owner Rob Shamlain to discuss The Derby and its hopeful future.

The Derby, Manhattan Digest — Credit to: The Derby

How did “The Derby” get started?

We wanted to create a friendly environment with southern hospitality that was light-filled and bright for brunch, but also sultry enough for dinner and drinks when the sun goes down. I’ve always loved southern-inspired fare, and knew this was the perfect place for my concept to come to life.

How did you come up with the name for it?

The phrase, “If jockey’s could eat, they would race to The Derby for the mouthwatering organic fried chicken and bourbon cocktails” really stuck in my mind. Whether you care for the horses or the hats, The Derby was the perfect name for a place worth whiling away the hours with biscuits and bourbon… or both.

Tell me about the type of cuisine you serve.

While the menu is southern-inspired fare, this is no greasy spoon. The Derby re-imagines Dixie favorites using the freshest organic, local meats and produce, with a farm to table menu that has something for everyone. If the tender rib-eye steak is too rich for your palate, the light whole fish redolent with fresh herbs and lemon offers a lighter option.

What is your favorite dishes in all arenas- appetizer, entree and dessert.

The house-made buttermilk biscuits are a perfect appetizer and come with jalapeno butter and jam. Perfection! The Chicken & Waffles are certainly a stand out item not to be missed as the entree, and the thick slices of watermelon for dessert are the perfect end to the meal.

Do you think you can make this restaurant a big deal in the LES?

Definitely. We’re located on the bustling corner of Stanton and Orchard, with open mullioned windows and outdoor seating. We provide the perfect vantage point for the best people watching on the LES, and we’re already packed for brunch and warm summer evenings.

Do you have plans to open up other locations across New York City?

I always have new projects in the planning phase.

What are you hopeful for in “The Derby’s” future?

I hope to acquire a liquor license for the downstairs in order to serve people more efficiently and offer a space for after dinner cocktails.

The Derby

167 Orchard St

212-777-8469

Official Site

Traveling To Vegas? Check Out The New Adonis Lounge

by Ryan Shea

Sometimes when a good idea happens you just can’t keep it down. For the LGBT community, in particular the letter G in there, Adonis Lounge in New York City has become quite the popular spot for gay men to go, enjoy a drink and chat amongst some of the most beautiful men in our city. Kind of like an elevated gogo boy experience per se, except these guys actually have conversations with each customer as opposed to standing on a box and dancing to a repeating beat.

After a successful opening in the Los Angeles area, they are expanding even further into sin city itself, Las Vegas. Already known for its colorful city, lifestyle and personality, Adonis Lounge seems to be the perfect spot to plant itself in the midst of all the glory that Vegas has to offer. From the hot men to the awesome atmosphere, I have no doubt that third time will really be the charm for something that just started out as an idea a couple of years ago (article here). I recently sat down with headliner for Adonis Lounge Las Vegas, Xavier Muscle (@xaviermuscle on IG & Twitter) about the grand opening this coming Saturday, the business itself and what he sees for its future. Check it out.

What spurred the idea to bring Adonis to Las Vegas?

This has been an ongoing pursuit since I moved to Vegas 2.5 years ago. When I left NYC to move to Vegas, the plan was to come out and open up an ADONIS LOUNGE on the strip. Our original location and plans fell through so I shifted gears and hosted a BIG MUSCLE EVENT every Thursday at Share NightClub for about a year called “ALPHA THURSDAYS”. We featured the hottest muscle that Vegas had to offer every Thursday (lap dances and VIP rooms. From ALPHA THURSDAYS, I felt that I made a dent in the Gay Las Vegas market and decided (with the help of Tim and Matt) to launch the Infamous ADONIS NUDE PARTY right here in Sin City. This all lead me to where I am today – FINALLY ready to blow the roof off of Vegas with a weekly, Saturday, Adonis Lounge event at the HOTTEST AND BIGGEST GAY NIGHTCLUB IN VEGAS – SHARE NIGHT CLUB.

Known as Sin City, Vegas is already well known for its biggest male stripper attraction- The Chippendales. How is this experience different?

Chippendales is more of a show that showcases hot men that you can’t touch and can’t tip, not very interactive or even Gay friendly from what I’ve been told. On the other hand Adonis is TOUCH, TIP, TOUCH, TIP and in some cases you can even “touch the tip”.

You have danced at both the NYC and LA Adonis’. Have each location inspired this one in terms of the look and feel and the guys?

Boy that’s a tough one, I’ve gained so much experience and insight working alongside all the dancers as well as Tim and Matt. Each location is so different, I would say that Tim and Matt have adapted to their market just as I will adapt to Vegas. How can you not be inspired with all those hard bodies around you! Adonis has a tried and true method to their madness so it’s clear that I have a well thought out blueprint of success from those guys.

Adonis Lounge, Manhattan Digest — Credit to: Adonis Lounge

Tell me about some of the guys at Adonis Vegas. What are they bringing to the table?

I don’t care what anyone says, Vegas is the new “Mecca of Bodybuilding”. I’m always scouting the gyms for fresh meat and these Vegas guys definitely stay in top shape and get their fair share of protein. Plain and simple, VEGAS = MUSCLESTUDS

What special things are happening on the first night?

Our grand opening is not only going to have Tim and Matt under one roof. Add in our headliner BIG MAX who stands at 6’2 and 290lbs and you have a muscle worshippers dream! I have never met anyone that size in our world of lap dances. He’s going to crush some laps for sure! If that’s not enough, our whole lineup consists of headliner quality men. A night that will go down in Adonis History for sure!!

What advice did my buddy Tim give you when you started this venture?

Tim’s advice? No joke, “you’ll find yourself on your knees and even sometimes on all 4’s, so learn how to take it and grow some thick foreskin”. Good thing I’ve got experience in the chaotic world he lives in or it might hurt like hell in the beginning!! :-O

Do you hope to follow in his footsteps?

I’ll have to bash Tim first before I give him some praise… Many moons ago, when Tim first reached out to me to do some Solo Video shoots for pennies on the dollar from what I was used to getting paid (I’m premadonaish sounding, I know) and then he wanted me to give him a referral fee on top of that… I thought, “what a bucket of sleeze”. A mutual friend then told me, “I met Tim and he seemed like a genuine nice guy”. I gave the sleezy NYer one more shot and danced at his little Adonis club thing. We clicked and began our bromance which has now lead to us getting in bed together. What does this have to do with following his footseteps? NOTHING…haha ok I’ll answer the question… YES TIM I WANT TO FOLLOW YOUR FOOTSTEPS!! For real though, Tim has created something huge out of nothing and it would be silly to not want to follow his VERY LARGE footprints.

Describe Adonis Las Vegas in 3 words.

Finally, an easy question… RAUNCHY, MUSCLEGODS and HANDSON (not an actual word)

Anything else to add?

The great part of being on a team with Tim and Matt is that we are ALL customer service oriented. Connecting with customers and being readily available for issues or perhaps someone wants to share their gratitude for an amazing experience. A prompt response and acknowledgement is a key component to a successful business. At any given time, you can reach Tim, Matt or myself via Email, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. No one else runs these accounts but us. It makes for a heavy work load but it’s important to me as well as the other 2 stooges. Vegas is now on the ADONIS map and I’m really looking forward to what’s to come…

Official website for more information!

New York Summer- Westhampton Beach

by Mark Giarrusso

Summer in New York City can be relentless. The heat off the concrete and asphalt can stifle you. So, where do you go? Jones Beach? Fire Island? Sure, that would work if, you want to brave the traffic. East Hampton or Southampton? Maybe, if you were a Kardashian.

West Hampton Beach offers all of the cool ocean breezes of the Jones Beach without all the glitz and glamor of the other Hamptons. There is a quiet beauty of the surrounding area outside the quaint village. Every New Yorker needs a respite in the summer and Westhampton Beach is the perfect way to take in some of the best of what Long Island can offer.

Westhampton 1 — Westhampton Performing Arts Center, Photo by Mark Giarrusso, 2014

Westhampton 2 — Westhampton Beach Barn, Photo by Mark Giarrusso, 2014

Westhampton 3 — Shinnecock Bay, Photo by Mark Giarrusso, 2014

Westhampton 4 — Butterfly Bush, Westhampton Beach, Photo by Mark Giarrusso, 2014

Westhampton 6 — Beaver Dam Creek, Photo by Mark Giarrusso, 2014

Broadway Barks: A “Fluff” Piece

by Ryan Leeds

Bernadette Peters and James Franco. Photo courtesy of Ryan Leeds

Tourists, residents, and Broadway aficionados all had reason to “paws” in the center of the theater district this past Saturday as celebrities and shelter animals took to Shubert alley for an event which left every spectator “feline” fine.

For the past 16 years, screen and stage star Bernadette Peters has spearheaded Broadway Barks , an event which raises awareness for shelter animals and encourages their adoption. Peters co-founded the organization with her long time friend and fellow celeb Mary Tyler Moore and was cheerfully present on Saturday afternoon, July 12th. She spoke briefly to Manhattan Digest, “It’s very important for everyone in the world to give attention where it is needed, and if something sparks your interest that needs help, I think you should try to do something about it.” Peters is the proud owner of a dog, Charlie, who apparently yodles at home with the songstress.While the rest of us beg, borrow, and steal to see this stage legend in concert, Charlie gets serenaded by Sondheim simply for showing up to food bowl- Lucky dog! Peters authored two children’s books based on her love for man’s best friend (“Broadway Barks” and “Stella is a Star”) and will release a third in Spring 2015.

Dogs weren’t the only four legged creatures hopeful to find a home. Bebe Neuwirth (Chicago) and James

Bebe Neuwirth. Photo courtesy of Ryan Leeds

Franco (Of Mice and Men) flaunted a “purr-fectly” adorable kitty, eager to live the rest of its lives (plural) in New York domesticity. Aladdin’s genie and recent Tony award winner James Monroe Iglehart was also on hand to aid in the cause. “This is my first year,” he told Manhattan Digest. “I’m a rookie, but I’m proud to be involved. I used to work at Memphis, which was here at the Shubert Theater, and I used to see the event happen. I thought it was so cool that they were doing it, so when they asked me to be a part of it, I jumped at the chance.” Iglehart is the proud owner of two finicky cats, Zoe and Missy. “They don’t even go outside when it’s cold. They just look and decide that they’ll stay inside to watch all the birds flying by.” Others, like Ciare Renee (Pippin) were there to show support , but were not pet owners themselves. “I don’t have any pets” she said. “I just pretend that Barnum (pictured below) is my dog.” When asked if she was taking any home with her, she said , “I wish! But I think my roomate would be mad!”

L-R Kyle Dean Massey, Ciara Renee, and Rachel Bay Jones with Barnum. Photo courtesy of Ryan Leeds

Zach Braff (Bullets Over Broadway), Jessie Mueller (Beautiful) , Justin Guarini and Mary Testa (Wicked) , Norm Lewis and Sierra Boggess (Phantom of the Opera), Audra McDonald (Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill) and many others offered their time and talents to the cause by performing at the notorious venue, located between 44th and 45th streets. While the summer sun poured onto the city streets, few found little to “growl” about as New York City shelters and adoption agencies found happy homes for many eternally grateful animals- and that’s no shih tzu! For now, this journalist must sign off. With all of these obviously tacky puns, this story has gone to the dogs. Groan!

Jessie Mueller. Photo courtesy of Ryan Leeds

Norm Lewis and Sierra Boggess. Phpto courtesy of Ryan Leeds

James Monroe Iglehart. Photo courtesy of Ryan Leeds

Manhattan Solstice- Capturing Manhattanhenge

by Mark Giarrusso

The Manhattan Solstice, or Manhattanhenge, occurs when the sunsets directly on the streets of the New York traffic grid. It happens twice a year, in late May and mid July.
Today’s Manhattan solstice was no exception. The sun playing along the NYC streets tantalized photographers who congregated at each intersection to capture the sun as it melted into the horizon in perfect view.

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