Undiscovered New York: Getting Your Dance On

by Jeremy Kressmann on

For a town that has a reputation as “the city that never sleeps,” it’s not surprising to discover New York has an astounding array of nightlife options. From swanky cocktail lounges like Angel’s Share, to cutting edge indie rock clubs like the Bowery Ballroom, to legendary performance spaces like the Apollo Theater, New York has nightlife pretty much down to a science.

But like just about everything else in New York, nightlife hot spots fade in and out of fashion faster than you can drink that $12 cocktail. For every place that’s “in” today there are dozens of famous spots that had their moment in the sun (or dark?) and have long since faded into obscurity. Ever wanted to know about the sweaty Jazz dens where legends like Charlie Parker first cut their teeth? What ever happened to that lighted dancefloor where John Travolta strutted his stuff in Saturday Night Fever? And what’s this you always hear about CBGB and The Ramones?

Click the link below to learn the history of NYC nightlife and see where you can go today to get a taste of the city’s many bygone nightlife eras…The “Jazz Age”
A new form of music began sweeping the United States at the beginning of the 20th Century. Characterized by its emphasis on improvisation and drawing its origins from the American South and African and European music traditions, Jazz took New York nightlife by storm beginning the 1920’s.

Starting in the bars and cafes of Harlem, Jazz began to migrate further south into Manhattan, eventually congregating along a strip of 52nd Street known as “Swing Alley.” Everyone from Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker played gigs in the narrow, crowded basement clubs that lined this famous street. Though many of the hotspots along 52nd have long since shuttered their doors, Jazz is alive and well in 2008 at venues like the nearby Jazz at Lincoln Center as well as downtown institutions like Blue Note and the Village Vanguard.

The Disco Revolution
Arguably no image defined a night out in 1970’s New York quite like John Travolta and his white polyester suit. But Travolta’s rise to fame was just one small part of the emergence of Disco, a New York musical movement whose influence is still felt today. Before Travolta, the first stirrings of Disco arguably occurred at the The Loft, a series of alcohol-free, non-commercial parties hosted by nightlife legend David Mancuso. Mancuso’s technique of blending one song into the next on his high-end audio system arguably kicked off the trend of DJing and beatmatching as it is still practiced today. Soon The Loft had spawned a whole series of more decadent imitators, including the disco-debauchery of Studio 54 and Disco’s musical successor, House music, at the Paradise Garage.

So what happened to the disco history of New York? The famous club featured in Saturday Night Fever was known as the 2001 Odyssey, and was located in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn at 802 64th Street, until it was torn down in 2005. The famous lighted floor was put up for auction shortly thereafter. The Studio 54 building is still around in the guise of the Roundabout Theater, while the famous Paradise Garage at 88 King Street is now parking for Verizon trucks. And David Mancuso? He’s still throwing occasional Loft parties today! Ask a local and cross your fingers, this is one tough invite to get your hands on.

NYC Punk Bares its Teeth
By the mid 1970’s, the beginnings of a new underground rock movement were stirring in New York. Along a rough stretch of the Bowery, a rock club called CBGB’s was opened in 1973 by owner Hilly Kristal. The club’s acronym, standing for “Country, Bluegrass, Blues,” was intended to signify the type of music Kristal hoped to host at the club. But soon the club was taken over by bands like Ramones, Television and Blondie, who didn’t exactly fit this criteria, playing an aggressive, fast new style of rock called Punk.

So can Punk fans still head down to CBGB to check it out today? Sadly the answer is no. Due to a dispute with their landlord, the club was forced to close for good in 2006. Today it has been replaced by a rock-themed John Varvatos clothing boutique which has generally been met by New Yorkers with a mixture of either indifference or disdain. But don’t despair, other second wave Punk landmarks like ABC No Rio are still very much open for business. If you’re really looking to get a little taste of that old Punk attitude, visitors can also head to the strip of shops that line St. Mark’s Place, in Manhattan’s East Village, the unofficial hangout of modern day punks and the place to buy that Ramones t-shirt and maybe an impromptu nose ring.

A slight book-tour deviation: Away to London for Travel Channel voice-over

by Rolf Potts on

Though you could never tell by looking at my book tour schedule for Marco Polo Didn’t Go There, I had a curious stop-off — London, England — slotted between book events in Kansas City and Chicago. I went there to record voice-over narration for “American Pilgrim,” my first-ever hosting gig for the Travel Channel.

Upon arriving at Heathrow Airport after a KC-Chicago-London transit, I was met at the arrivals gate by a burly Nigerian driver in a pinstriped suit, who chauffeured me via Mercedes to the London Olympia Hilton. That was about as glamorous as the experience got; after that it was all jet lag and hard work.

In fact, not only was it all work, for the most part I didn’t really feel like I was in England. Because it happened so quickly, I felt like my sound-recording experience could have just as easily happened in an underground bunker in Indiana. Apart from a couple of pub meals and a few rainy glimpses of London’s Hammersmith and Shepherd’s Bush neighborhoods out the window of my producer’s Citroen, I didn’t see much of England. Such is the reality of trans-Atlantic business travel. Indeed, after years of preaching (and practicing) slow travel, it was quite the jolt to try and experience a major world city in 48 work-filled hours.

Travel conditions aside, it was great to catch up with director Peter Wisdom and producer Jamie Broome and go into the studio to put the finishing touches on my debut TV hosting gig. Thanks to these guys, I had very a supportive and professional TV experience — both in shooting the episode in the United States in mid-August, and editing it in London several weeks later.
Though I mentioned in my last post that my journey into the world of television was due in large part to the Travel-Channel success of “qualified insiders” like Anthony Bourdain, I don’t think my Pilgrim show is going to make Bourdain nervous for his star status anytime soon. I mean, sure, my Thanksgiving-themed special looks great on the screen (and I did a decent enough job in front of the camera for a first-time presenter) but the subject matter simply isn’t hip and cutting-edge enough to, say, garner me sacks of mail from adoring female fans who want nothing more than to send me Polaroids of themselves in bikinis. Instead, this history-show about the travel conditions of the Mayflower Pilgrims is more likely to garner me mail from middle-aged male history buffs who take issue with my pronunciation of words like “Massasoit” and “Pokanoket.” In fact, as well-produced as it is, my show is a very old-school documentary rendering of American cultural history, to the point of being a tad sentimentalist in places.

And that’s just fine with me, actually. Instead of trying contrive something uber-hip out of my usual subject matter (vagabonding-style indie travel), I got to cut my TV teeth on a subject that — while fascinating to me — is not tied into some essential notion of who I am or what I’m supposed to represent. If I have any misgivings about the show, it would be (a) TV isn’t the best venue to communicate deep context or nuance (and hence it was hard to show how, while intrepid, the Pilgrims could really be intolerant jackasses sometimes); and (b) though we spent a day and a half shooting Indian perspectives on the Pilgrims, the initial edit didn’t contain much Native American point-of-view (though I’ve been assured that several minutes of Indian interviews were added in a second edit).

As for the sound-dubbing itself, it was actually a really cool process. I sat in a sound-proof booth across a window from my director, who cued me on when to lay in the narration, and how to give the words the right emotive energy. I’ve never worked with such high-tech equipment before, and it was wild to hear my own voice so crisp and resonant in the headphones as I tried to capture the right energy level for each section of the program. Sound editing is done by computer these days, and I could watch as the technician snipped little visual sound-wave chunks of my narration and placed them seamlessly into the show.

After a day and a half of this I was just getting over my jetlag and keen to get out and explore London — which was a shame, since I was due back in Chicago for more book tour events in less than 24 hours. So it goes!

If you watch the Travel Channel, keep an eye out for the debut of “American Pilgrim” on Thanksgiving weekend.

Product review – Celio Redfly mobile companion

by Scott Carmichael on

My product review for today is of the Celio Redfly “mobile companion”. The concept behind the Redfly is surprisingly easy, yet not always easy to explain, so I’ll do what I can to keep things simple.

The Celio Redfly works in conjunction with many Windows Mobile powered PDA’s and smartphones, and essentially provides a large display, keyboard and trackpad for your device. What you normally see on the small screen of your PDA, will appear on the high-resolution 8″ display of the Redfly. Still with me?

You can connect to your PDA using a USB cable or Bluetooth. What this combination delivers, is a large screen and keyboard that lets you work with the applications on your PDA, without having to carry a large laptop, or work off a 3″ screen.

How does this work in real life use? Surprisingly well actually.

I’ve been using the Redfly with my PDA for a few weeks now, and it has become quite an invaluable little machine.
Of course, when you look at what the Redfly does, and at the price ($199 till October 31st, normally $399), you’ll be forgiven if you thought that a regular small laptop would be a better solution, even I assumed that when I first read about the Redfly. In reality, the Redfly does several things much better than most ultra portable laptops on the market.

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  • The device is “instant on” – within 4 seconds it is on and connected to your PDA
  • You can use the Internet connection on your PDA without having to add a tethering plan or invest in a 3G modem
  • The device has no drivers or settings that can become corrupted or that require updating
  • There is no need to synchronize with your PDA, as you are working with information from just one source
  • The Redfly has no moving parts and a low power CPU, so battery life is outstanding (up to 8 hours)
  • Theft is not a concern as the Redfly does not store any data

If the concept sounds familiar, it is because it is almost the same idea behind the canceled Palm Folio mobile companion, don’t let that put you off though, Celio really have managed to develop a winning machine with the Redfly.

The hardware is nice and sturdy; the case is deep red (of course) and has a rubbery texture. On the right hand side is the power button and 2 power status LED’s, on the back is a VGA port and 2 USB ports for connecting to your PDA. The USB port can also charge your device when connected.

Before you can connect to the device, you have to install the Redfly client. This app can thankfully be downloaded directly when you point your mobile browser to Celio’s website. The client application is pretty straightforward and offers several handy features like the ability to connect automatically when you plug your PDA into the Redfly.

In the client application you can also configure the Bluetooth connection and program the home, mail and web hotkeys on the Redfly keyboard.

For my review, I used the Redfly with all the same applications I use on a regular basis on my PDA (the Sprint Mogul). During the review, I did discover several applications that did not work right. The first of them is the newest Opera browser (version 9.5). The previous version (8.65) works perfectly so this was not a major problem. I also ran across several games that did not like being used on the Redfly. Surprisingly, graphics intensive apps like Google Maps functioned perfectly. Celio have published a list of recommended (and tested) applications on their site.

Other than that, it ran everything perfectly, including the popular mobile office package Softmaker. Being able to switch from the tiny screen of my PDA to a comfortable 800×480 display for word processing or spreadsheet editing is fantastic, especially when combined with the keyboard of the Redfly.

Email and Internet browsing are equally impressive, but if you value a comfortable online experience, you’ll want to stay away from Pocket Internet Explorer and switch to Opera 8.6 instead.

One of the other advantages of the device is its external VGA port; with this port, you can connect your PDA to the Redfly, and connect the Redfly to a larger monitor or video projector. The Redfly even has support for a USB mouse. Once you install Pocket Powerpoint or any other presentation application of your choice, you suddenly have access to a 2lb portable presentation companion.

The Celio Redfly is currently being sold for just $199; at that price point I really can recommend anyone with a compatible Windows Mobile device to consider ordering one. After October 31st it goes back up to $399.
That price is a little trickier as it enters the realm where it is no longer an impulse purchase, and really only becomes suitable for people who actually need it, and not just those that want it. I have already managed to convince several of my friends to try it out, and not one of them has been disappointed with their purchase.

The device is not without a few minor flaws; the USB connectors on the back look pretty cheap, and they could use a little plastic to surround them. The device does not have a replaceable battery, which could prove to be annoying for long trips. And finally; there is very little information about the availability of spare parts or accessories for the device. I have not been able to find a car charger or spare AC adapter.

Despite those minor shortcomings I have been very impressed with the device. To steal a phrase from Apple; it just works. It always works, and it has never let me down. I’ll be the first to admit that it is logical to compare the $399 Redfly with a $399 Netbook and assume the Netbook would win, but if you just need something that you can bring along without having to worry about poor battery life or software issues, then you really should check out the Redfly. And remember, if you order by October 31st, you’ll be able to get one for just $199!

Cocktails from around the world, and where to try them

by Jeffrey White on

Scene 1: It’s 6 a.m. on a weekday a few years ago, and I am waiting for a flight at Iceland’s main airport outside Reykjavik. I’m sitting at a bar, wiping sleep from my eyes, while those around me are drinking beer to chase shots of something clear from small glasses. I fall into conversation with a man who tells me it’s Brennivan, Iceland’s national spirit. Basically, it’s fermented potato pulp. I down a shot. It’s not unlike vodka, but not like vodka either. Maybe it’s the caraway seeds. It’s bracing, like a bath in ice water. The man pats me on the back, and orders us two more.

Scene 2: I’m in Berlin, at a cocktail bar with a few friends from out of town who I know from my days living in Prague. One orders a Pisco Sour, explaining that it’s made of a grape liqueur, brandy, lemon and egg white, and I think some milk. It looks like lemonade with a cappuccino head (pictured). As someone who avoids milk-like drinks, with or without alcohol, I reluctantly tried it. It was seriously good, almost like desert in a glass, which the most dangerous cocktails always evoke.

Both scenes are related.In a sense, in both cases I considered a country’s national beverage, or at least a beverage that originated in a particular country. But in only one was I actually drinking it at the place of origin. The Pisco Sour is the national drink of Peru, my friend having just returned from there where she had fallen in love with the drink.

Does it matter if you drink Brennivan in Iceland or Iowa? Not really, though there is the Guinness case to be made with many drinks: They taste different there versus here (though one cannot really say this about Brennivan, since you’ll only drink it in Des Moines if you bring a bottle back from Reykjavik).

It was perhaps in the spirit of linking famous cocktails and spirits with their place of origin that lead MSNBC.com recently to list where to go to get certain tipples at their best. So, go to Reykjavik for potato pulp, or Lima for the best Pisco Sour.

The list does have some surprises. Of course you know that a Cosmopolitan is best found in New York, and surely a good Irish Coffee is at home in Dublin. But what about the Bloody Mary and a Sex on the Beach? Try Paris, France, for the former — where it was invented — and Ibiza, Spain, for latter, where it competes only with Sangria for supremacy.

According to MSNBC, the best Mojito is in Miami, the best Caipirinha in Rio and — duh — the best Gin & Tonic is in London. Berlin is known for the Watermelon Man (news to me), Singapore, not surprisingly, for the Singapore Sling and Cape Town is home to the Elephant’s Ear. Head to Stockholm for pretty much any flavored Absolute you fancy.

Curious to learn what some of these drinks are? Head over to MSNBC, where you can find photos, directions for making them and specific spots to try them in your future travels.

Four good reasons to visit Central America this fall

by Grant Martin on

With many of our travel budgets shrinking this season, now is a great time to consider the halfway point between that costly trip to Europe and the staycation that you’ve been dreading. Oh yes, I’m talking about Central America.

Honduras, Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua have a lot to offer and are a great alternative to sinking a large chunk of cash into a heavy vacation. They’re close enough so that you can get away for a long weekend, not stuffed with tourists like many of the Mexican port towns and warm enough to cure those chilly fall hangovers.

Why else would we move our Thanksgiving family dinner from Providence down to Panama City? Check out four good reasons below.
The (relative) strength of the dollar: Sure the American dollar has made up some ground against the Euro in the last two months, but hotels in London and Paris are still going to cost you dearly per night. Compare that with some of the four star hotels that go for a third of the price in Panama City then factor in the price of food and entertainment, and you’re saving a ton of money over Europe

Plane tickets are inexpensive: Partially motivated by a slew of fare sales from Continental Airlines, destinations across the entire isthmus are dirt cheap right now. Many fares out of the country this fall are less expensive than domestic tickets across the US.

Diversity of activities: While the region may not have the cliche anglocentric activities you’re used to on vacation, the natural beauty alone is enough to keep vacationers busy ziplining through the forest canopy, sea kayaking or loafing on the beach. Mix in a heaping scoop of American history, keen architecture and an emerging nightlife and you’ve got a winning combination.

Tourism is booming: San Jose, Costa Rica is the perfect model that shows why tourism has worked excellently in Central America. Labor is inexpensive and resources are rich, so tour companies and travel agents will be competing to book your snorkeling trip and give you the best price on your jungle adventure. Furthermore, with the tourism base growing in each respective country, more and more content is now available by word of mouth, through tripadvisor or on gather.com for you to do more organic research.

Piqued your interest? A great place to start your research on a trip to Central America is right here on Gadling. Take a look around our articles on Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala and Nicaragua and check your sock drawer — you’ve got enough rainy day money for a small vacation this fall, right?