manhattan - Blogs - Tripatini2024-03-29T08:48:39Zhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/manhattanJoin us at NYC Wine & Food Festival on October 12-15, 2023 in Manhattan!https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/join-us-at-nyc-wine-food-festival-on-october-12-15-2023-in-manhat2023-09-20T02:40:38.000Z2023-09-20T02:40:38.000ZDebbie Rodriguezhttps://tripatini.com/members/DebbieRodriguez<div><p>October 12-15, 2023, Manhattan</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12228263068,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12228263068,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="260" alt="12228263068?profile=RESIZE_400x" /></a><br />The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (NYCWFF) is NYC’s premier wine & food festival. The 4-day annual Festival showcases the talents of the world’s most renowned wine and spirits producers, chefs, culinary personalities and America’s<br />most beloved television chefs while supporting NYC metropolitan area’s God’s Love We Deliver.</p><p>NYCWFF returns to celebrate 16 years this October 12-15 with more than 80+ events featuring over 500+ chefs from around the world who come together with God’s Love We Deliver to support New Yorkers affected by severe illness. The Festival is proud to announce that for the first time, it will be offering discounted tickets to restaurant workers through a new partnership with The Industry Table.</p><p>With over 500 chefs, mixologists and wine and spirit producers coming together, this year’s lineup promises to be the most robust yet, showcasing the vibrant and dynamic culinary landscape of NYC. From celebrity chefs to big restaurants and independently owned gems across all five boroughs, NYCWFF strives to support and provide a platform for NYC’s restaurants and bars, resulting in one of the most eclectic Festivals for consumers and partners alike.</p><p>The Festival, presented by Capital One,<br />is hosted by God’s Love We Deliver with 100% of the Festival’s net proceeds supporting New Yorkers facing severe illness. Over the past 16 years, the Festival has generated more than $14.8 million in net proceeds for its charitable causes. Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is the exclusive provider of wine and spirits at the Festival. In November 2022, BizBash named the Festival the #1 Food & Restaurant Industry event in New York for the 10th year in a row. More information on the Festival can be found at nycwff.org. Follow @NYCWFF on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and on TikTok at @NYCWineFoodFestival.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12228263852,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12228263852,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="300" alt="12228263852?profile=RESIZE_400x" /></a></p></div>December 2, 2022 in Manhattan, NY: Annual Scandinavian Christmas Ball 2022!https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/december-2-2022-in-manhattan-ny-annual-scandinavian-christmas-bal2022-11-29T03:10:06.000Z2022-11-29T03:10:06.000ZDebbie Rodriguezhttps://tripatini.com/members/DebbieRodriguez<div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Friday, December 2, 2022 in Manhattan, New York</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Annual Scandinavian Christmas Ball 2022</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"> </div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Enjoy a truly festive evening at the beautiful Metropolitan Club in NY for our favorite evening of the year & the start of the Holiday Season!</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>The ticket includes: open bar, selection of hors d’oeuvres, a three course dinner, Lucia Procession and Lucia songs, and dancing until midnight!</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"> </div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>GUESTS OF HONOR: We are honored this year to be able to award two Guests of Honor at the Ball, Emma Bengtsson and Fredrik Berselius!</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"> </div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Emma Bengtsson:</span> Emma was a pastry chef at Edsbacka Krog — only Swedish restaurant to hold 2 Michelin stars at the time. She went on to work at Operakällaren, within the Royal Swedish Opera, as a pastry chef for 5 years. In 2010, the 29-year-old became a Pastry Chef at Aquavit, NYC, followed by Executive Chef in 2014. Emma took her delicate approach to pastry and adapted it to savory dishes, which led to the restaurant being awarded 2 Michelin stars during the same year. She became the first Swedish woman to hold 2 Michelin stars and only the second in the United States after Dominique Crenn. In 2016, under Emma’s culinary direction, Aquavit opened a second restaurant in London.</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"> </div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Fredrik Berselius:</span> Originally from Stockholm, Sweden, Fredrik has spent most of his culinary career in NYC. He opened Aska, Swedish for “ashes”, in its original location in 2012, where he was recognized for bridging the culinary heritage of his upbringing with the immediate environs of his Brooklyn address. Within less than a year, Berselius earned his first Michelin star, and Aska was named one of the 10 Best New Restaurants in America by Bon Appetit magazine.</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Berselius’ success grew after moving Aska to a new location near the Williamsburg Bridge. Aska reopened in the summer of 2016 and was quickly awarded 2 Michelin stars. Berselius is just as active outside the kitchen – when he is not at Aska, you can find him cycling beyond city limits, running the NYC marathon, snowboarding, or foraging upstate in the Catskills. Berselius published his first cookbook, Aska, with Phaidon in the spring of 2018.</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span style="font-size:12pt;"> </span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10894067485,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10894067485,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="610" alt="10894067485?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"> </div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>DINNER TICKETS (7 pm – 12 Midnight): All dinner tickets include open bar during cocktails and dinner, a selection of hors d’oeuvres, a formal three course dinner, Lucia Procession and Lucia songs, guest performance, and dancing until midnight to a live orchestra.</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"> </div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Individual Dinner Tickets:</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Dinner Tickets – Members: $395 (regular pricing effective on September 10th, 2022)</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Dinner Tickets – Non-members: $475</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Tables of Ten– Members: $3950. Non-members: $4750</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"> </div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Viking Dinner Tickets: include everything above plus a full page ad in the Christmas Journal, premier seating and prominent mention in the program, and a champagne dinner.</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Dinner Tickets – Viking: $600</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Table of Ten – Viking: $6000</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"> </div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Note: If you would like either type of Viking ticket, please write us at info@americanscandinavian.org. There is an IT issue right now where the Viking tickets are not showing up below, but we can help work it out manually until the issue is fixed.</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"> </div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>AFTER-DINNER TICKETS (9 pm – 12 Midnight)</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>After-dinner tickets begin at 9pm and include an open bar, selection of hors d’oeuvres, Lucia Procession and Lucia songs, dessert buffet, and dancing until midnight to a live orchestra. After-Dinner Tickets (both Members & Non-members): $200</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"> </div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Please note: Dress code is formal black tie.</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"> </div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>The Metropolitan Club. 1 East 60th St, NY, NY</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"> </div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>For details & tickets:</strong></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Famericanscandinavian.org%2Fevent%2Fball2022%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3GBZxHz9S1nch9Si8WKohAb9VVpVWa7MX1-YqQvBiWKnJFm9WlJ-fmvwM&h=AT00ht7KmduVr6K00u95D9BEb7XGIDpLM0LtCVJKo3gLVkWi4L18n7FbdEap3iVCry_O9CeVBbamKfiuAIf3-GXgZEBW94pWMZK-J2KskZYGbXW8NPbAhgdYgu00ADFHDJ9cjpo&__tn__=-UK-R&c%5B0%5D=AT36vjXia8-4FZ0CCiXIupu53U8cAD0Ru3qaIoZsLlSuwSd5yCPEPZ3DnGKkBsz6MEIRAIK7D-P-3fzzdYxAXUx7KamfE66jlyoAmixPi6uYxpMK5y3l2_8MaWtfmhyW7s3OzceFiGH7lPL9Fj8cdIH6QPD9C2NcI-DmLWI" target="_blank"><strong>https://americanscandinavian.org/event/ball2022/</strong></a></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr"> </div><div class="x1e56ztr"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="font-size:12pt;"><strong><span style="font-size:12pt;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10894065864,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10894065864,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="500" alt="10894065864?profile=RESIZE_584x" /></a></span></strong></span></div></div>Gray Line Downtown Loop Tour Great for Exploring Manhattan Eaterieshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/gray-line-downtown-loop-tour2011-04-25T02:15:32.000Z2011-04-25T02:15:32.000ZSteve Mirskyhttps://tripatini.com/members/SteveMirsky964<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008613273,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008613273,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="285" height="228" alt="9008613273?profile=original" /></a>I was deeply chagrined to learn that <a href="http://www.grayline.com/Grayline/index.aspx" target="_blank">Gray Line</a> recently suspended its <a href="http://www.grayline.com/GrayLine/interests/culinarywine.aspx?index=1&itemcount=24" target="_blank">culinary walking tours</a> in NYC but nevertheless wanted to give one of their bus tours a try. Among the cavalcade of numerous other double-decker buses plying NYC's streets, I was fortunate to experience a complimentary ride aboard <a href="http://www.grayline.com/Grayline/destinations/us/newyork.go?mode=activityDetail&apid=2410&sid=529" target="_blank">Gray Line's Downtown Loop</a>. A hop-on, hop-off circuit, I caught the bus at its Times Square stop and luckily was able to climb up to the rooftop deck for a birds eye view of all that the non-stop narrator was pointing out. I'm not usually one for tour buses exuding that oh-so touristy ambiance. The unspoken promise that ticket holders can see and do it all from comfort of their seats is wincingly cliché and rudimentary if you're a native New Yorker. However, on another level, even veteran residents are bound to gain a different perspective of NYC's ever-evolving persona with a thoroughly knowledgeable tour guide describing everything and its historical background as it wizzes by. From the tribulations of cast-iron building maintenance, views of the original (and extremely narrow) Macy's building, to a progress report of the <a href="http://www.nyc-tower.com/" target="_blank">Freedom Tower</a> rising from Ground Zero, you're bound to learn something new while jostling elbow to elbow with vacationers hailing from Texas to Tehran.</p><p>Being a foodie, I quickly discovered that Gray Line's Downtown Loop Tour is also a great way to reach some of Lower Manhattan's most storied eateries without developing indigestion running from one to another. Grab a <a href="http://www.grayline.com/Grayline/GraylineAssets/files/franchises/NewYork_Apr-Jun08Map_Resized.pdf" target="_blank">complimentary route map</a> and whet your appetite! Here are 3 of my favorites in the neighborhood:</p><h3>Yonah Schimmel's Knishery (Stop #14)</h3><p>Based on the appearance of this shop, not much has changed since Yonah Schimmel, an immigrant rabbi, opened it <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008612890,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008612890,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="286" height="214" alt="9008612890?profile=original" /></a>in 1910. Even though the Lower East Side has massively gentrified in recent decades, <a href="http://knishery.com/" target="_blank">The Knishery</a> is still run by his descendents turning out soft, handmade knishes cooked in the basement brick oven. Upon walking through the doors you’re sure to be bowled over with down home cooking aromas. Choose from eight savory potato blends, Eastern-European standards kasha and cabbage, and new world innovations like mixed-veggie and broccoli. Other dishes and sides include bagels, kugel, latkes, and hefty bowls of borscht. For dessert, five sweet-cheese mixes like blueberry and apple are wrapped in the yeasty dough. The main reason this place has thrived for over 100 years is that the knishes here have a distinct flaky golden outer layer, a substantial yet fluffy interior, and are actually good for you! No butter, eggs, or dairy of any kind is used and none are fried here like at other places.</p><h3>Tebaya (Stop #3)</h3><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008613857,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008613857,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="234" height="175" alt="9008613857?profile=original" /></a>Come to <a href="http://www.goojapan.com/tebaya/index.htm" target="_blank">Tebaya</a> (translated in Japanese means house of chicken wings), a tiny shop on the border of Chelsea and the Village, for super tasty Japanese-style chicken wings. To give you a preview, these ain’t the kind of wings you’ll find in Buffalo or at other Buffalo inspired establishments. It’s strictly Pacific Rim here with double fried wings encased in a crisp non fatty skin doused with a tangy sesame and soy sauce yielding to tender meat on the inside.</p><p>Their secret with these barely battered wings lies in their frying process: the first fry seals in the flavor and the second fry magnifies the crunch factor. The wings are then doused in a mixture of soy sauce, mirin (sweet rice wine), black pepper, and sprinkled with sesame seeds making them hot and tangy but not enough to overpower the delicate chicken.</p><p>Portions range from eight to fifty pieces but keep in mind that these morsels are super lean so be sure to order more than you think you’ll eat. And if you overestimate, you’ll have a good excuse for leftovers. Other dishes include an Asian “happy meal” featuring a trio of potemochi (extremely dense, gummy potato cakes).</p><h3>L'Ecole @ French Culinary Institute (Stop #8)</h3><p><a href="http://www.frenchculinary.com/lecole/index.html" target="_blank">L’Ecole</a>’s kitchen and dining room have been a premier culinary training ground since 1984 for French Culinary Institute<a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008614260,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008614260,original{{/staticFileLink}}" height="204" alt="9008614260?profile=original" /></a> students. Cooks in training, under the watchful eye of top chefs turned academics whip up prix fixe meals range from a 3-course lunch for $28 up to a 5-course dinner for $45.</p><p>Your plate is their homework as these cooks in training craft French standards like bouillabaise, sweet breads, escargots with herb butter or panfried cod with yellow tomato coulis. You’ll also have your pick of more contemporary fare like seared bluefin tuna with ginger and coriander in a pepper crust. Best of all, L’Ecole offers the thrill of sampling a future master’s work. Eating here also means you are an integral part of their education. Chances are you’ll feel extra gratuitous since the students are hard at work in the kitchen. If so, give them some feedback on the “report card” provided at the end of the meal.</p><blockquote><p><i>photos courtesy of Steve Mirsky, Gray Line Tours, and L'Ecole</i></p></blockquote></div>Half a World Away: The Power of Connection in Travelhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/half-a-world-away-the-power-of2010-03-04T20:12:25.000Z2010-03-04T20:12:25.000ZUncle Sam's New Yorkhttps://tripatini.com/members/UncleSamsNewYork<div>by Samuel Cook<br /><br /><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://unclesamsnewyork.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/world-map.jpg?w=300&h=159" alt="world-map.jpg?w=300&h=159" /></p><br /> <br />This past week, I took the opportunity to take my first real vacation since the summer of 2007. It is ironic that an executive of a travel company never gets to travel himself, but such is the reality of running a business - I have had to put my passion for traveling on the back burner as I have built a business around serving the needs of other travelers. My last vacation was a whirlwind trip around the United States to visit friends and family before I deployed on my second tour to Iraq. I was also looking for somewhere to attend graduate school, and it was on this trip that I rediscovered New York City and decided this was the place that I had to live and start a new life. It was on this trip that I discovered the power of connecting with the local population and engaging them on their terms. Instead of Times Square, I found the taverns of Greenwich Village, and strolled the streets of New York City, far and wide. And what I found is that the magic of travel is to truly interact with the local population.<br /><br />So this past week, I went on a vacation to Fiji. I was there at a conference, but the conference was focused on improving your health, life, and finances, so while I was in classes for most of the day and evening, I found it be a well needed break. It wasn’t a typical trip I would call a vacation – on those I usually attack them full on as an adventure, a call to action to see, experience, and soak in the local culture. That was not the purpose of this trip; I had intended it as a time to relax. But on this trip, I encountered some truly magic moments that reminded me of why we travel in the first place.<br /><br />Fiji is a set of Islands in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the Australian continent. It was first settled over 3,500 years ago by voyagers from the Polynesian culture of Asia. It was first discovered in 1643 by a Dutch Explorer named Abel Tasman while he was looking for the great Southern Continent. Fiji had a long history of fierce tribal warfare and cannibalism, which mainly deterred European voyagers from frequenting the Islands, and it was known for a long time as “The Cannibal Isles.” Fijians today call this period “The Time of the Devil.” With the discovery of Australia in the late 1700s by Captain Cook, Fiji fell under the influence of Britain as a key strategic way station for its new pacific holdings. Fiji received independence from Britain in 1970. Today it is a vibrant country sustained on tropical agriculture and tourism.<br /><br />I spent my time in Fiji on the Namale Resort near the small Island town of Suva Suva on the Island of Vanua Levu. The views from our resort were breathtaking, situated on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the expanse before us so vast that at sunset you had trouble telling where the waters ended and the heavens began. I took snorkeling trips in pristine coves laced with Coral and brimming with tropical fish, and also did some swimming in the ocean and hiking around the tropical forests surrounding the resorts. And all of this was spectacular, but what really made the trip worth the effort were two special interactions with the Fijian people. Now while the Fijian Islands used to be known as the Cannibal Isles, that has long since been replaced by a wonderful, carefree spirit that makes you wonder how they manage to not see how serious life should be!<br /><br />We visited a Pentecostal local church, and the Fijian people in the congregation sang in a natural harmony that we spend years teaching in our music schools. I think if I lived in paradise, I would probably also learn to sing so well. The highlight of the local interaction came on the night that the local villagers donned their ancient war outfits while singing. These traditions once sustained the Island before Western life invaded the Islands. I felt like I was on a magic carpet ride through time, watching men in ancient warrior garb with spears dance in front of men, jumping in and out of roles they played with such deadly ferocity centuries ago. And then hearing these deep baritone warrior voices blend with the sweet soprano of the ladies who form the backbone of their tribal clan – the ladies invariably far outlive their warrior husbands. It is hard to describe the sound of a proud group of people singing about their land in an enchanting beautiful and unintelligible tongue.<br /><br />This break, although too short and not the typical adventure I would embark on, reminded me the reason that I got into this business in the first place. Sometimes in the midst of owning a business, I tend to lose sight of the passion and the reason that I was inspired to create my vision in the first place. At the end of the day, I got into this to provide the unique experiences to visitors that I have had the honor of experiences during my travels all over the world. Just as there is magic in the tribal dances and singing of Fijian culture, there is also magic in the streets of New York City. Seeing the Fijian singers, I am reminded of a wonderful summer evening last year in New York City, when I was leading a pub crawl through Greenwich Village. On Bleecker street, around sunset, a group of street singers began their routine across from the hot dog stand. Everyone stoppe ; the whole street was too enchanted by their wonderful harmony to move. All we wanted to do was just stand there and let them keep singing, bringing us back to those memories in our mind of those times that we cherish.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.unclesamsnewyork.com/">http://www.unclesamsnewyork.com/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-NY/Uncle-Sams-New-York/182225010022?ref=ts">http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-NY/Uncle-Sams-New-York/182225010022?ref=ts</a></div>