4 days of Halloween in New York

by Jessica Festa on

Wondering when and where to go this Halloween to get the most out of your costume? In New York, there are events for every night you want to go out.

Friday, October 28, 2011, 9PM-3AM
Nightmare Between 17th and 18th Streets
Union Bar, 204 Park Ave. S., between 17th and 18th

After years of successful event planning, David Shapiro, who owns the leading social networking company in New York City, hosts his annual Halloween bash again this year. Union bar will be closed to the public as 300 plus party-goers come together for a night of scary fun. Guests are encouraged to get as creative as they can with their costumes, as the best will win prizes. The event is co-sponsored with Party With Shari and will include a DJ, Dancing, and 2-for1 drinks from 9PM-11PM.

Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Click here to purchase.Saturday, October 29, 2011, 12PM-9PM
NYC’s Official Halloween Bar Crawl
Begins at McFadden’s Saloon, 800 Second Ave. at 42nd St.

Get ready for some hardcore day drinking. Hop from bar to bar in full costume and dance like crazy in front of those sober folks who’ve decided to wait until the sun goes down to begin getting inebriated. Tickets include a wristband, cup, and drink specials at each bar.

Tickets are $10. Click here to purchase.

Sunday, October 30, 2011, 10:30PM-4AM
5th Annual Halloween Masquerade Midnight Cruise
Ship leaves from Pier 10, Emmons Ave. at E. 21st

Rest up during the day, because on Sunday night you better be ready to dance all night aboard the Amberjack V Yacht. On the fully-heated charter boat guests will party to music by MGM Squad, Supa Don, Mr. Goggles, and Supa Sound while pigging out on a complimentary buffet. Just make sure you don’t eat so much that your costume doesn’t fit. Dressing up is mandatory, and prizes will be awarded to the best get-ups.

Tickets are $40. Click here to purchase.

Monday, October 31, 2011, 9PM-4AM
NYC’s Official 10th Annual Halloween Masquerade Ball
Capitale, 130 Bowery, at Bowery and Grand

After the Village parade, head over to Capitale for their annual masquerade bash to continue the festivities. Arrive by 9PM to enjoy a full hour of free vodka. Costume prizes, giveaways, and a variety of music from hip hop to rock to dance to 80’s will be blasting all night long. This event is so huge there have even been celebrity attendees in the past years, including Heidi Klum, Jay Z., Sean Diddy Combs, and Nicki Hilton, to name a few.

General admission is $15, but there are a ton of high end package choices if you want. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

Enjoy art and brunch in the same place in Berlin, Germany

by Jessica Festa on

What do you get when you mix an American editor and art curator and a French chef? Heroes, a venue in the Neukölln district of Berlin, that is equal parts food and art. In fact, there is an exhibition space in the back of the restaurant.

This small cafe has a funky, laid back vibe with flashes of bold colors against white walls. A bright red lamp sits next to a navy blue vase, while a red, green, yellow, and purple stripe pattern form rainbow-esque slants on the walls. And, the kitchen actually looks like a real home kitchen.

While the menu depends on who is working, some usual items include crepes, salads, quiches, fruity French toast, cookies and chocolate cake. Some of the specials you are likely to encounter combine American and French fare and include stewed chicken, meatloaf, or French beef stew. On Sundays, patrons can enjoy Heroes famous brunch, which includes an array of options such as eggs, toast, pancakes, French toast, and more.

In terms of art, Heroes showcases different exhibitions every month or so, with the current one being “Big Face and Friends” by Emily Ritchie, a series of unusual and abstract images that are also interesting and thought-provoking. Book exchanges, film viewings, and concerts are also part of the experience at Heroes.

To see a full list of events, click here.

New smartphone app shows users how to have an authentic Australian experience

by Jessica Festa on

AUSTRALIA: Where To Go is a new smartphone app that gives insider advice on how to navigate through Australia and see the major sites as well as get off the beaten path. The app is opinionated and does not include all there is to see in Australia, but only what is worth seeing. If a destination makes it into the app, then you will get all there is to know on that particular place.

While users will get bullet-pointed guides on what to do and where to dine and stay, they will also get in-depth profiles of specific venues. To give you a better idea of what you should expect before you go to a destination, the app features photo slideshows. Not only that, but entries are filtered by categories such as water, outback, wildlife, family, etc.., so travelers can plan their trip according to their lifestyle and tastes.

And don’t worry if you don’t have Wi-Fi where you travel to, as this app works offline, too.

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. $4.99. Click here to download.

Host and experience budget-friendly local tours all over the United States

by Jessica Festa on

HipHost, a new “peer-to-peer marketplace for socially-hosted local tours“, not only gives travelers a way to experience new cities from a local’s point of view, but also gives people an opportunity to make extra cash.

Anyone who wants to share their local knowledge can be a HipHost and design a tour based on anything they find interesting. Some tour topics include art, culture, fitness, architecture, history, hiking, markets, music, and more. It’s free to sign-up and guests pay for tours in advance, so hosts don’t have to worry about losing money to no-shows.

Moreover, anyone interested in learning about a topic can search for affordable tours and see a region from a local perspective without paying big tour company prices. Afraid you won’t enjoy your tour? HipHost guarantees a full refund if customers are not satisfied.

Some of the many tours being featured right now include:

And many, many more. Click here to sign-up for and/or host a tour.

Austria comes to New York: a look at the Openhouse Gallery’s Austrian pop-up shop

by Jessica Festa on

This month, the Openhouse Gallery in New York hosted a free Austrian pop-up shop, which gave visitors a glimpse into what they could experience in terms of art, food, tours, culture, hotels, festivals, museums, and outdoor spaces if they visited Austria.

While the space itself was small, it had a lot to offer. The girls who worked the exhibit were extremely helpful and were happy to walk around with me to explain exactly what everything was I was looking at.

When first walking in, I was immediately struck by a giant painting by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt called “The Kiss”. In 2012, Vienna will celebrate his 150th birthday with an array of event and exhibits in his honor.

If visitors needed help planning a trip to visit Austria, the pop-up shop featured a travel lounge, as well, with comfortable white, leather couches and a table of tour packets, culinary books, travel advice, and even an Austrian memory and matching game called Craz.The most interactive part of the exhibit, and by far my favorite, was the sampling station. Authentic Austrian goodies to try included:

  • Pumpkin seed oil and pieces of bread for dipping
  • Viennese cookies from the Vienna Cookie Company
  • Gðlles specialty vinegar
  • Rupp Alina cheeses
  • Zotter hand made organic chocolate

The next section of the pop-up shop expanded on the idea of art, design, and theater in Austria. Visitors were able to take a look at some Austrian craftsmanship from Wien Products, such as vases and other housewares. Pieces of outdoor furniture that are used to help create the lively atmosphere in the MuseumsQuartier in Vienna, one of the largest museums quarters in the world, were also on display.

Visitors could also learn about the theater culture of Austria, with the “Sound of Music” installation. The show, which is set in Austria, will debut at the Salzburger Landestheatre this Fall from October 23, 2011 to June 30, 2012. As you continue walking, you will also be able to explore a small gallery of historical Austrian paintings by Austrian artists.

At the end of the visit to the Openhouse Gallery’s Austrian pop-up shop (or the beginning, if you wanted), visitors were invited to enjoy some traditional Viennese coffee and desert in their Cafe Sacher, which included:

  • Wiener Melange- an espresso coffee with foamed milk
  • Grosser Brauner- a double espresso coffee with cream
  • a slice of original Sachertorte mit schlag with whipped cream
  • a homemade piece of Viennese apple strudel

The waitresses were even dressed in a traditional dirndl-style costume.

Interested in booking a trip to Austria? Visit the Austrian Tourism Board website. Want to know more about pop-up installations at the Openhouse Gallery in New York? Check out Paul Gerben’s Pickers Cafe that will be going on into 2012.