Five ways to find there’s no seat at the table (and one way to learn there is)

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Recessions lead to less time at the restaurant table, but the results have been a mixed bag for the top restaurants in the top city in the world. Manhattan‘s highest-profile establishments are still generally filling up during peak times, though you can occasionally worm your way into a great time slot on an important day. Just don’t expect to sit far from the bathroom or the kitchen.

1. Masa
There’s room at Masa, according to Bloomberg News. You’ll pay a fortune, but at least you’ll get to eat. Table for two at 8 PM on a Friday night? Done. Go for the $400 prix-fixe menu. Bar Boulud also had space on Friday at 8 PM. Jean Georges came close, with 8:30 PM available.

2. Adour Alain Ducasse
You can get close to greatness at Adour Alain Ducasse … and I’m not talking about the chef. Lili Rosboch, who went through this ordeal for Bloomberg, was told she could get a spot at 6:30 or 9 PM.

3. Babbo
Good luck: the official word is that you can hope for a cancellation or hope to get a spot at the bar. If you’re trying to plan past the end of the month, don’t bother. Babbo is only taking reservations through October 30, 2009.

4. Craft
Instead of 8 PM, try 5:30 (lunch, instead?). Or, you could get something at Craft after 9:15, it seems. Either way, 8 PM isn’t going to happen, Rosboch learned.

5. Eleven Madison Park
Eleven Madison Park had one of the best responses. Instead of being able to deliver any time on the Friday in question (or the following Saturday), the restaurant offered a time slot several weeks away. Daniel did this, as well. Le Bernardin also suggests booking a month in advance. Momofuku Ko, on the other hand, only takes reservations a week in advance – and insists that you book it online.

And, one more is worth a look …

Per Se
Per Se‘s situation (and answer) must have been a shock to Rosboch’s system. As quoted by her in Bloomberg: “For which Friday night? We are fully reserved. I can put your name on a waiting list. We’re fully booked on the 9th as well. We have nothing in October and we’re booked all the way out till November.”

British Airways computer glitch posts super low cost flights to India

by Katie Hammel on

Late Friday night, an alert went out on Twitter. Fares to Mumbai, India, from locations all over the US were being offered at rock bottom prices on British Airways. Flights from Chicago to Mumbai were just $550 per person.

I quickly logged on to Orbitz, selected my dates, and clicked purchase. I received an email from Orbitz confirming my purchase and then got to work planning the trip. My husband was out with friends and had left his cell phone at home, so I was hoping he’d come home just tipsy enough to not mind that I’d just bought $1100 worth of plane tickets without discussing it with him first. Besides, he is accustomed to me buying plane tickets on a whim, just because they are on sale.

Luckily, he was just as excited as I was….until Saturday morning, when I received an email from Orbitz saying that due to “limited quantities”, our order could not be fulfilled. As it turns out, it’s because the fare never should have existed. Someone at BA obviously messed up (how’d you like to be that person come Monday morning?) and entered the wrong number. The fare should have been more like $1550 per person. The fat finger fare was corrected, but not before several people, myself included, had bought tickets at the faulty price.

Word on the web is that tickets bought before the error was discovered will be honored, if they were purchased on British Airways. So far it seems that those of us who used Orbitz will be out of luck. Christopher Elliott posted the story on his blog, along with a response from the company. They say British Airways didn’t honor the purchases made with Orbitz ,so people who tried to book that way will not receive tickets.

This isn’t the first time a technical error has crushed some budget traveler’s dreams. In February, Northwest refused to honor $0 fares that were “purchased” online in error. So next time you see a fare that seems to good to be true, watch out. It might not be.

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In Monterey this fall: The Monterey Bay Aquarium celebrates its silver anniversary

by Brenda Yun on

Something must be in the air in Monterey this fall, because there are so many anniversaries and celebrations it would be hard to pass up a trip to California’s coast to catch some art and culture with a little history mixed in.

Earlier this fall, I told you about the Monterey Museum of Art celebrating its 50th anniversary and the 52nd Monterey Jazz Festival. Fortunately, Monterey has one more big celebration up its sleeve. The Monterey Bay Aquarium celebrates its silver anniversary later this month.

The famous aquarium opened its doors on October 20, 1984. In the first year alone, nearly 2.5 million guests paid a visit. 25 years later, the aquarium hosted more than 44 million visitors and currently has 250,000 members. Approximately 35,000 animals and plants are housed there, and there are nearly 500 employees and 1000 volunteers to keep things running.

This historic aquarium’s silver anniversary celebration will be held on October 17-18. For a complete celebration schedule and a timeline featuring images and accounts of its 25 years of existence, visit the aquarium’s web site.

Fall foliage. . .with bourbon in Kentucky

by Katie Hammel on

Taking an autumn drive to see the leaves change colors is a time-honored tradition in the north and east of the country. While Kentucky might not be the first place you think of as a leaf-peeping destination, the state is full of scenic byways and rolling countryside to be explored. Plus….there’s bourbon.

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is composed of eight distilleries scattered around Lexington, Bardstown and Frankfort, which are all about one hour from Louisville. Autumn is the perfect time to visit. The leaves are changing, the crowds are gone, and the weather is mild. You can fly into either the Louisville or Lexington airport, though flights to Louisville seem to be cheaper.

Distilleries
Four of the distilleries are closer to Bardstown. These are Jim Bean, Heaven Hill, Maker’s Mark, and Tom Moore. Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey, Four Roses and Woodford Reserve are closer to Frankfort. Most are open Tuesday through Saturday (some are open Sundays in summer as well) and offer tours every hour. Tours are generally free, or cost just a few dollars. Tours will often include a walk through the production area, a lesson in the history and production of bourbon, and of course, a tasting session.

Getting Around
You’ll need a car to get between the distilleries, so travel with a designated driver or visit no more than two distilleries per day. You could also book a tour guide and driver with a company like Mint Julep Tours.

Where to Stay
For a more urban experience, look for a hotel in Louisville or Lexington, where you should be able to find a room at a national chain for around $100 per night. You’ll find more bed and breakfast accommodations in the smaller town of Bardstown.

What to Do
Other than visiting the distilleries in the area, you can go also go wine-tasting, visit a Civil War Museum, Kentucky Train Museum, take a two-hour dinner train ride through the vibrantly-colored foliage of the countryside, or visit the Kentucky Horse Park. The Park features a daily parade, equine education, horseback and pony rides, and horse shows.

Get lost in a corn maze!

by Scott Carmichael on

Fall is here – which means we can all trade in our swim gear for a windbreaker, and head out for some good clean family “fall fun”. One of the most entertaining ways to spend your afternoon is at a corn maze. This year, there are over 200 different mazes, and many of them have been meticulously designed with a specific theme.

If you have never had the joy of getting lost in a corn maze, picture yourself in the middle of a large field, surrounded by nothing but very tall corn stalks. Don’t worry though, a lot of effort went into designing the maze so you don’t get lost for more than a couple of days half an hour.

Most mazes are at farms where a variety of activities are offered, including hay rides and of course a great assortment of fall foods.

The best way to find a local maze is through the inventor of the corn maze – the MAiZE company. This year, there are 200 maze locations, including several in Canada, one in the UK, Poland and Italy.

Every maze I have been to is was a ton of fun, and very family friendly. Admission is usually around $10, cheaper on week days.