Pick a Card, Any Card

For today's post, I am not merely recommending one NYC restaurant, but 52. That's right, 52 - as in the number of weeks per year, or the number of playing cards in a standard deck (minus the jokers). I would like to introduce The Diner's Deck, by City Shuffle.

The Diner's Deck consists of 52 cards, each card being a NYC restaurant pick and a $10-off coupon at that restaurant. (With 52 cards, theoretically one per week, that is a savings of $520 if you were to try every restaurant. The deck itself costs $29.95). The restaurants range from great burger and fry joints to upscale Argentine, and all seem to be great discoveries. I've explored the City's restaurants for two years using The Diner's Deck as my guide and none of the restaurants have disappointed. If not even for the $10-off coupon, the deck itself is simply a savvy guide for choosing a new restaurant.

Each card gives a short restaurant description (often times suggesting an extra-special dish), the cuisine, the price range, the address and website and the neighborhood. Sort them and methodically try each restaurant, or be wild and pull one randomly from the deck. This is a fun way to break the usual habit of going to that same neighborhood Vietnamese place each weekend.

You can buy decks for Manhattan restaurants, Downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn restaurants, or Manhattan bars & lounges. The deck is valid for the calendar year, so start the new year off right and pick up a 2009 deck today!

(For purchasing info, see: cityshuffle.com)

A Noble Pursuit

Every once and a while you discover something in the city that is both FREE and truly WORTHWHILE. This is one of those things: Nobledesktop. I've been telling all my designer/photographer friends about it, so naturally I decided I must mention it here.

Nobledesktop is a learning center offering an array of design-oriented multimedia classes and seminars. They have full pay-per multi-day classes, which I am absolutely sure are amazing, though I've only so far attended their free one-night seminars. Check them out at Nobledesktop.com. Their free seminars are always dead on, providing real-life tips and information on how to get started immediately on topics ranging from 'how to build an HTML email campaign' to 'the latest and hottest web technologies' to 'creating photo compositions/collages in Photoshop.' The lecturers who present the seminars are not only knowledgeable and engaging but also surprisingly entertaining. Frequent-seminar lecturer Dan Rodney, in particular, is always spot-on in managing to address a certain issue just before you raise your hand to ask that very question.

So if you are in the design/photography field (and have not already heard of them) definitely check them out and try one of their many free seminars. As for me, as soon as I can scrap together some extra cash I'm going to try one of their full courses, as I am sure it is worth every penny.

Nobledesktop is located right on Broadway in Soho, their address is: 594 Broadway, suite 1202.

The End of History

While it's more of a museum than a place from which you would realistically buy anything (due to the exorbitant prices), it is well worth a trip to this little glass shop in the West Village with the curious name of "The End of History." They primarily sell glass vases, seemingly specializing in milky opaque glasses in vivid saturated colors. Set out on beautifully designed furniture pieces from the 50's, 60's and 70's the shop has a distinct vintage flair.

Their wares are organized by color, thus having the effect of a beautiful glass rainbow as you stroll around the shop. Vases come in all shapes and sizes and are mostly American, Scandinavian or Italian in origin. The shop is on Hudson Street at Perry.

Who Doesn't Like Chocolate?!?!

For the inaugural post of this blog featuring all things New York City, it is only fitting to feature a very exciting, annual, New York event - The Chocolate Show. Hosted every November, I've been attending faithfully since 2003, and to all other fellow chocolate lovers out there I can attest that it is well worth the $28 ticket price.

For three days in early November every year chocolate makers from around the world gather in Manhattan to preview their sweets at this chocolate tasting event. This year The Chocolate Show runs this upcoming Friday through Sunday, November 7 - 9, 2008. It is held at Pier 94 at 711 12th Ave. at 55th street. A ticket will get you into the event where you can sample hundreds of luxury chocolates. From delicate green tea chocolate truffles from Japan to rich French confections, it is wise to go on an empty stomach so you can try as much as possible, (strategy, strategy).

If you like any of the samples the vendors will also sell you the chocolates. With the holiday season just around the corner, this is a useful way to stock up on Christmas gifts for anyone with a sweet tooth.

A word of caution: This event has become popular over the years and as a result can get extremely crowded. I advise going early in the morning to avoid the heaviest crowds. Still, even with the crowds, for anyone who loves chocolate I would not recommend missing this . . . and for those who don't (crazy!), you might just find a special truffle or two there to change your mind.

See you this weekend!