Things To Do in NYC

Had an out-of-town colleague visiting today, so I sent her a short list of destinations, activities and restaurants. Thought this would be worth sharing:

UCB Theatre – some of the best live comedy improv in the world! Shows are dirt cheap. Go dressed casual and comfortable. Check website for show listings, and reserve tix online.
http://newyork.ucbtheatre.com

MoMA – most gorgeous museum you’ve ever seen. And they’ve got the Tim Burton exhibit still going on. You can spend all day here, so reserve this for a rainy day.
http://www.moma.org/

Museum of Arts & Design – small museum is a nice spot either before or after dinner. Allow only 1-2 hours to soak it all up. Oh, and stroll around Columbus Circle – gorgeous.
http://www.madmuseum.org/

Terra Blues – great live jazz and blues way downtown. Check it out Wed / Thurs or Fri night. This place has been my favorite spot for years and years.
http://www.terrablues.com

Flavorpill Recommends – comprehensive list of trendy night spots.
http://flavorpill.com

The Red Cat – beautiful little restaurant tucked away in Chelsea. Intimate setting, great wine list, reasonably priced. My wife and I love this spot.
http://www.theredcat.com/

Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine – with a couple of locations in NYC, this is a great lunch spot. You get lots of delicious, authentic Cuban food for a good price. It gets crowded, so get there no later than noon sharp!
http://www.sophiescuban.com/

Shake Shack – this place must have been featured in every movie, sitcom and food review. Go here for snack or lunch. Make sure its not too cold or raining, because the line is loooooong.
http://www.shakeshack.com/

Bookmarks Lounge at Library Hotel – this lounge is on the hotel rooftop. Heat lamps and enclosures will keep you warm. Go on a clear night to get some memorable views. Dress professionally. Network with other NY media folks, who consist of 90% of the crowd.
http://www.libraryhotel.com

Airplane Grounded, Flooded Train Station and Large Pipe Burst

Today was just another page in my book of travel woes. For me, business travel is always an adventure. However, today's unique series of events bares mention, even if purely for the sake of entertainment.

Earlier this morning, my flight to Detroit — out of LGA — was canceled due to a severe weather system that swept through, wreaking havoc on travel across the tri-state area. AA kindly offered later flights, but were made available with little guarantee on time of departure. I, of course, learned this the hard way by taking them up on the offer.

As the time quickly approached 11am, my 12:30pm in-person Detroit meeting was no longer within reach. So, Plan B consisted of a 15-minute cab ride home, allowing me to dial-in and leisurely conduct the meeting from the comfort of my own home. Here's the part where I learned that the weather "wreaked havoc on ALL travel..."

Plan B began to derail when my 15 minute cab ride turned into a 2-hour ordeal. And boy, let me tell you — there's nothing like leading a meeting from a cab!

I'll save readers the gory details as to how my call went. My interesting story continues after I arrived home and considered heading into the office. News reports (and other reliable sources, ie. my wife) said that my train line was closed indefinitely due to water damage. "Water damage???" A further investigation revealed the extent of flooding.

This evening I learned that working from home may have been for the best. You see, news reports revealed that one of NYC's largest steam explosions took place only blocks away from my office. Read about it here, here and here. While my heart goes out to those who were injured in the mayhem, I'm thankful my wife and I were able to avoid it — and the gnarly mass transit delays that followed.

Oh, and the forecast shows similar severe weather for the next two days...