Passengers pay twice to avoid Colgan

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Small planes just don’t resonate with some passengers. MaryBeth and Cy Christiansan of Queens paid the equivalent of an extra ticket each to skip a Colgan plane and fly on a jet. They indicated that the Colgan crash in Buffalo back in February wasn’t far from their minds. So, for a bit of comfort, it was $150 well spent.

A Colgan flight crashed in February, killing all 49 people on the plane and one person on the ground. A recent investigation suggests that the pilot did not meet Colgan’s standards and that the copilot may have suffered from fatigue.

Sentiments expressed by the passengers suggest that the size of the plane was the principal concern. The Christiansans changed flights for an aircraft that “didn’t have a propeller.” Richard Younglbood, who was about to board a Continental flight to Tennessee summed it up: “I don’t like any of these jets. I don’t trust any of them.”

Angry rush to cockpit forces Delta flight to land in Boston, not Tel Aviv

by Tom Johansmeyer on

When a Delta Airlines flight left New York for Tel Aviv, the passengers didn’t think they’d be stopping in Boston. After all, though it’s on the way, it’s a bit close to warrant needing to stretch your legs. An angry passenger rushing the cockpit, though, tends to make an emergency landing prudent.

Late last night, Delta Flight 86 boasted 206 passengers – 205 of which were perfectly reasonable. A 22-year-old Israeli man ran to the front of the plane and started to pound on the cockpit door. Passengers and crew put the smack down and subdued the nut-job until landing.

Now, the other passengers are stuck in Boston while an investigation is being conducted and luggage is checked.

As if flying weren’t irritating enough these days …

Delta passenger busts open exit door at JFK

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Every passenger stuck on the ground fantasizes about busting open the door and liberating people on the plane. For me, it usually involves the battle cry, “I GRANT YOU FREEDOM!!!” Of course, I’m no Robert McDonald. He acted on these urges during a delay at John F. Kennedy International Airport (yep, no surprise there).

The Glasgow, Scotland resident was charged with reckless and endangerment and criminal tampering for his shenanigans, which involved opening the emergency exit hatch. The cabin crew stopped McDonald before he could open the door enough to activate the emergency chute.

Delta Flight 149, which had just come from Rome and was to finish in Las Vegas, was stuck on the tarmac for close to three hours when the angry Scot had had enough. Local District Attorney Richard Brown offered a “no shit” explanation that highlights the benefits of a top legal education: “Apparently, the defendant wanted to get off the plane,” District Attorney Richard Brown said, “so he opened the emergency exit door.”

Ultimately, McDonald’s act of defiance ruined the evening for the 146 passengers on Flight 149. McDonald, who is 60 years old, risks spending the next one in prison if he’s convicted.

Spa Castle: Hot, Wet and Totally Relaxing

by Mike Barish on

New York City can be a stressful place. The economy is in the tank, winter refuses to relinquish its grip on the weather and people are perpetually worried about their careers and families. How can New Yorkers (and visitors) relax while in the city that never sleeps? How about a complex with massage pools, saunas and sleep areas? If you’re in New York City and in need of a respite from the manic world around you, look no further than Spa Castle in Flushing, Queens. It’s five stories and 100,000 square feet of relaxing bliss within the borders of our fair city. And because I care about you all so much, I toughed out a day at Spa Castle yesterday just so I could file a full report.
Getting to Spa Castle couldn’t be easier. From Manhattan, take the LIRR to Flushing or the 7 train to Flushing – Main Street. Then all you have to do is walk five minutes to the municipal parking lot on Union Street and 39th Ave. From there, you can pick up the free shuttle van that will whisk you off to Spa Castle. A ten minute drive later and you’re at the front door of paradise. Not coming from Manhattan or want more detailed directions? Check out their site for more info.

After paying your admission ($35 for adults during the week and $45 on weekends), men and women will part ways and enter their respective locker rooms. You are given a digital key-lock watch that acts as your locker key and currency while you are at Spa Castle. It has a number that corresponds to your locker. I proceeded into the locker room and locked my shoes in my shoe locker. I then proceeded to my main locker where I changed into my swim trunks and locked up my belongings. It’s worth noting here that you may want to bring a beach towel. The only towels on site are small free gym towels or beach towels that you must pay to rent.

Upon locking up my belongings, I picked up my uniform. In most common areas, you are required to wear a spa-issued shirt and shorts. Simply put the uniform on over your swim trunks and off you go. The vast majority of the facilities are coed, so the uniforms and swim trunks keep everyone modest. Except for the ladies in the pooks wearing bikinis. But hey, I’m not complaining.

I walked upstairs and met my companions in the lounge. From here, we walked upstairs to the outdoor pools. Once in the pool area, I removed my uniform and braved the cold as I made my way into the heated pools in just my swim trunks. Here, I indulged in various massage jets and a Hinoki Bath, which is constructed out of 300-year-old wood and is filled with heated, bubbling mineral water. Despite the near-freezing temperatures, I enjoyed my time in the outdoor pools as the various jets massaged away all the knots in my muscles that I had acquired during three weeks of travel in New Zealand and Australia.

After an hour or so in the pools, I was ready to move on. My friends had been indulging in some steamed shumai at the food counter right inside. To pay, they simply scanned their digital key-lock watch at the counter and the product was added to their accounts. You pay when you leave the spa, so no need to carry cash with you. You keep your belongings safely in the locker room.

From here, I headed to the dry saunas. You can choose from several dry saunas of various heats and “themes.” They range from facilities with LED lights with adjustable colors (each color provides a unique healing experience) to one with mineral salts to another with gilded walls. One thing they have in common is that they will all make you sweat. I spent 10 minutes or so in each sauna and was a soaking wet mess by the end. It may be a dry heat, but nothing about your skin and t-shirt will look dry. But I felt like a new man. A weekend’s worth of whiskey had evaporated through each and every one of my pores.

From here, I lounged on a massage chair for a bit to get my legs back under me. I had been relaxing at Spa Castle for more than three hours and had a dinner appointment in the city that was rapidly approaching. It was time to retreat back to the men’s locker room and start preparing to re-enter normal society. And this, my friends, is where things got a tad more interesting.

As you recall, I mentioned that the locker rooms are segregated by gender. They are also home to the showers, several more pools and additional saunas. And it’s all full nude. That’s the rule. Want to shower? No swimsuits allowed in the shower area. Want to hop in a mineral bath? Better be comfortable with nudity because you’ll be buck naked. Want to use the locker room saunas? Put a towel down before you grab a seat. But, and I am being perfectly honest here, you get comfortable with the nudity almost immediately. There is nothing sexual about this scene. It’s all about health. So, I dropped trou and headed into a few more baths before getting dressed and hopping on the shuttle.

I was back home in downtown Manhattan in under an hour. I felt rejuvenated and alive. And I had a new-found comfort level with close-proximity male nudity. So, it was a growth experience.

All in all, Spa Castle is a great experience. They offer memberships and are open until late in the evening. The next time you find yourself in New York and at your wits end with the noise, the recession or just life in general, take a spa day in Queens and rediscover what relaxation is supposed to be.

Undiscovered New York: Exploring New York’s Chinatown(s)

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Welcome to Undiscovered New York. Considering this past Monday was the traditional start of the Chinese New Year, now seems as good a time as any to celebrate one of New York City’s most interesting and diverse neighborhoods: Chinatown.

Upon moving to New York, my initial impression of Chinatown was an overwhelming feeling of the unfamiliar and mysterious. Everything about it seemed so at odds with what I knew and what I understood: huge piles of fish and strange produce glistening on the sidewalk in cardboard boxes, the pungent smells, impenetrable language and strange customs.

Yet as I grew more comfortable with this intriguing neighborhood, its many charms were slowly revealed. It was no longer an area of cheap designer knock-off handbags and pork-fried rice. I saw it as an indispensable part of my city – a neighborhood that was just as integral to my view of New York as the Statue of Liberty or the East Village.

What I also soon discovered is that the Chinatown in Manhattan is only one of three distinct Chinatowns in New York City, with another in the Flushing section of Queens and the newest slowly expanding in Sunset Park in Brooklyn. Each of these three Chinatowns is a unique city-within-a-city, offering a completely diverse array of regional cuisines, interesting stores and unique sights.

Want to learn about some out-of-the-way spots in all three Chinese enclaves? Step inside Undiscovered New York’s guide to exploring the Chinatown(s).
Manhattan’s Chinatown
Centered just east of Broadway and Canal, Manhattan’s Chinatown is definitely New York’s biggest and also its best-known. But there’s still plenty of secrets waiting for the interested visitor. Given the timing of this post, it’s only fair that we mention the Chinese New Year festivities taking place this coming weekend. The big event is arguably the Dragon Parade on Sunday 2/1, which features dancers parading in elaborate dragon costumes down the area’s sidestreets.

Anybody with a hankering for some authentic Chinese food need only point his nose towards one of the area’s many eateries. Dim Sum is one Chinese tradition that’s not to be missed. The meal typically features a variety of small plates like dumplings, spare ribs and Jin deui served in a communal, buffet-style setting. Head over to the Golden Unicorn, grab a seat and watch the servers roll by in a constant parade of carts with interesting foodstuffs. Joe’s Shanghai is another area favorite – they’re known for their soup dumplings filled with steamy broth. Make sure not to put the whole thing in your mouth all at once!

It’s often said that the Chinese are experts in non-traditional herbal medicines. If you’ve ever been curious about Chinese herbal remedies, Chinatown is a great place to learn more. Kamwo Herbal Pharmacy markets itself as the “Largest on the East Coast.” The store feaures over 1,000 different traditional Chinese herbs and ingredients as well as treatments from a licensed acupuncturist.

Queens’ Chinatown
Though Manhattan may have the most famous Chinatown, Queens’ Flushing area may have its most diverse. The area boasts residents from neighboring Taiwan and Korea as well as areas of China as far-flung as Fujian to Lanzhou. One of the best ways to experience it all is by stopping in to one of the area’s numerous food courts. The Flushing Mall features a particular favorite – this otherwise mundane shopping mall features a mouth-watering food court in its basement spanning Sichuan, Taiwanese and Cantonese cuisines.

Flushing also boasts all kinds of quirky shopping sure to please even the most jaded visitor. Magic Castle is a Korean (one non-Chinese pick, sorry!) pop culture store that sells Korean pop music as well as stationary and toys like Hello Kitty. World Book Store features all the latest magazines straight from the Shanghai newsstand.

Brooklyn’s Chinatown
New York’s “newest” Chinatown is probably also its least-visited. Tucked into Brooklyn’s more remote Sunset Park neighborhood it tends to escape notice from visitors but is still well worth a visit.

Like the other Chinatowns, one of the principle attractions is the amazing, authentic Chinese cuisine. Start your visiting by gawking at some strange Chinese foods at the Hong Kong Supermarket, one of New York’s biggest Chinese supermarkets. Sea Town Fish & Meat Market is another interesting local retailer, offering one of Brooklyn’s biggest selections of Chinese specialty seafood items. When you get tired of “looking” at Chinese food and want to eat some, make sure to visit one of the area’s many street vendors for some authentic street food.