NYC Subway Art

Visitors to NYC often shun the subway system, perhaps remembering horror stories about crime and filth from the 1970s. But not only is the subway often the fastest way around town, but with more than 100 stations feature work from emerging and well-known artists -- installations and murals put in place by the MTA's Arts for Transit program -- it can be a wonderful way to experience the vibrancy and culture of the city. Here is a sampling:

• Elizabeth Murray's glass tile mosaic at Lexington Avenue line's 59th Street stop (look for huge steaming coffee cups and red shoes)
• Ming Fay's mosaics at the Delancy Street station that depict the Lower East Side's vibrant immigrant history
• Robert Wilson's homage to the festive, carnival-like atmosphere at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station
• Liliana Porter's Alice in Wonderland images at West 50th Street
• Ellen Harvey's work at the former World Trade Center, called Look Up, Not Down

Hotel Secrets

What should you do when you are told there is "no room at the inn" and you really need a place to stay? Keep this insider tip in mind: often hotels have rooms available even if they are officially announcing that they have no vacancies. Sometimes rooms are "out of order" because of a stained carpet, a damaged bathroom tile, or similar issue -- tell manager you're ok with these minor issues and the room can be yours (often at a discount). And sometimes rooms are set aside for VIPs (just in case one shows up) -- and with enough polite insistence this room will suddenly become available.

Splash and Save!

The Coco Key Indoor Water Resort at the Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel (just a hop, skip and a jump away from Boston) has the perfect solution for enjoying the feel of the tropics during your Spring Break without all the hassle and expense of a long trip! You can enjoy a two night stay and have a splashing good time: stay Thursday and Friday and receive Thursday for only $50 (this offer includes a two-day water park pass for four people plus full access to the Atlantis Sports Club with sauna, steam room and swimming pool, and is valid for stays March 5-6 and March 12-13) -- book now at 1-866-716-8120 and mention rate plan WPTHU50. Enjoy tube rides, a wave beach, raft-waterslides, a Dip-In Theatre, plus lots more.

Where is the best place to shop in San Francisco?

The Union Square area, which features the legendary Gumps; department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's (the chain's biggest other than the one in Manhattan); and a whole host of other shops and restaurants is probably the best known shopping area in San Francisco. But you can find lots of great places to shop, too, from the somewhat touristy Fisherman's Wharf neighborhood to eclectic Russian Hill.

"Which is the best street to shop in Manhattan?"

We're often asked where to go for the best NYC shopping. Here is our typical response:

One of the most famous shopping streets in Manhattan is 5th Avenue, site of department stores like Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as luxury stores like Bergdorf Goodman, Tiffany's, and Cartier.

Other well-known venues include the upper reaches of Madison Avenue (for high end branded stores like Ralph Lauren) and 57th Street (Hermes, Dana Buchman and more).

Prefer discount shopping? Manhattan has lots of that, too, although it isn't as centrally located. See The NYC Insider's Guide to Discount Shopping for insider tips on where to find bargains in Manhattan.

Traveling with Lots of Luggage

As we prepare for a ski vacation, the issue of shipping ski equipment (and other luggage) seems more important than ever. The New York Times had a piece on the topic recently, and we originally blogged on the subject in March 2008 (with an update in June 2008). The answer of shipping ahead vs using your airline's baggage service depends on the number in your party (with 2 people the costs are often break-even unless you have lots of extra luggage; with more than 2 people, it is almost always easier and cheaper to ship ahead).

What's Happening at The Intrepid

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum has long been one of our favorite NYC museums. If you haven't been to visit since they reopened last November, this coming week is the time to take your kids and go. In honor of the NYC public school vacation wee, the Intrepid is hosting “Kids Week,” which features educational programs, interactive demos, special events and games for little visitors. The lineup includes circus tricks from the Ringling Brothers, face painting, puppet making, Broadway performances by Rosie’s Broadway Kids and Stomp, Mr. Met (the baseball team's mascot), plus NASA interactive displays and quiz challenges. And of course, as always, inquisitive kids can learn about flight, space, water and life at sea — join the hands-on activities to discover the properties of water, how Intrepid floats, how airplanes fly, what the crew did. It all takes place Sat. 2/14 through Sun. 2/22, 10am-5pm; Free with museum admission. The Intrepid is located Pier 86, 12th Ave. & 46th St.

More Hawaiian Music

Hawaii is always a wonderfully romantic place. But even if you can't make it to this island paradise for Valentine's Day, you can set the mood for your sweetie with the sounds of a ukulele and soft tropical breezes. Download our original Hawaiian play list, or listen to our new favorites:

• Lilikoi by Paula Fuga
• Aloha Louie by Michelle Phillips
• Mauna Kea by King Bennie Nawahi
• Surf Beat by Dick Dale and his Del-tones
• Waikiki by Jon Brion

NYC Romance Goes to the Movies

There is no question that New York City is one of the most romantic places in the world. Want proof? Just check out our list of love stories set in the Big Apple. And with Valentine's Day on the way, maybe now is a good time to rent one of these flicks and then settle on the couch with your sweetie!

• Breakfast at Tiffany's - Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard star in this ode to the sophistication and glamour of New York City. Directed by Blake Edwards and based on the novella by Truman Capote. (1961)
• West Side Story - "Romeo and Juliet" in what once was Hell's Kitchen. Swept the Oscars, taking Best Picture, Best Director (Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise), Best Supporting Actress (Rita Moreno) and Best Supporting Actor (George Chakiris). (1961)
• When Harry Met Sally - One of the ultimate "feel good about New York" movies where romance is in the air (finally) and the city is a place you'd want to be. Stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. (1989)
• Ghost - Patrick Swayze loves Demi Moore even when he's a ghost. (1990)
• Moonstruck - Love story featuring Cher (who won an Oscar for Best Actress and was unforgettable saying "Snap out of it!" to Nicholas Cage), Brooklyn, and the Metropolitan Opera. (1987)
• The Fabulous Baker Boys - The music really makes the love scenes sizzle. (1989)

Want more films in and about New York? Check out our insider's guide to classic NYC films.

Boston Movies

We've blogged before about movies that feature the greater Boston area. Here is are some updates to the list (both additional movies to the list and additional info about movies already listed):

• The Departed - Martin Scorsese film about mobsters and corruption in Boston features an all star cast and was filmed at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy
• Good Will Hunting - about a local genius from South Boston; southie watering hole where Robin Williams throws back the pints was filmed at the I. Street Tavern
• The Perfect Storm was filmed in and about Gloucester, including the bar the Crow's Nest (www.crowsnestgloucester.com)
• The Witches of Eastwick - loosely based on John Updike's novel of the same name, filmed in Ipswich including the Crane Estate (www.thetrustees.org)
• Love Story - star-crossed lovers from different backgrounds meet at Harvard; great clothes, lots of tears.

25 Random Facts About the Empire State Building

The "25 Random Facts" craze is sweeping the Internet according to an article in the New York Times; our contribution is today's list of 25 random facts about the Empire State Building:

1. According to a study done by the National Park Service, the Empire State Building is one of the top ten destinations for U.S. travelers
2. The building has more than 2 million square feet of commercial space.
3. In 1945, a B-25 bomber crashed into the 79th floor, killing 14 people but doing little structural damage.
4. The observation deck receives more than 4.3 million visitors each year.
5. On an annual basis, visitors to the ESB represent every state in the U.S. and almost every country in the world.
6. The Empire State Building was built on the original site of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, which has since moved over to Park Avenue.
7. The building itself contains more than 60 miles of water pipe and 60,000 tons of steel -- that's enough to build double railroad tracks from NYC to Baltimore.
8. Amazingly, the Empire State Building was built with horse power rather than the cranes, mixing trucks, and other machines available today.
9. It was built 45 days ahead of schedule and $5 million under budget.
10. At 1,454 feet, it has the world's greatest TV tower, reaching 8 million TV sets in a four-state area.
11. Despite its world-class stature today, the building had difficulty attracting tenants when it was first completed, and was often ridiculed as the "Empty State Building."
12. The Empire State Building has 73 elevators that move through 7 miles of shafts.
13. The top of the building is occasionally left dark on foggy or rainy nights in the spring and fall to protect the 80 or so species of migratory birds that fly at lower altitudes in bad weather and might otherwise be attracted to the floodlights that illuminate the 72nd to 102nd floors and rush toward them like months to a flame.
14. This famous office tower has more than 6,500 windows, which must be washed on a continuing basis.
15. The top 30 floors are often bathed in colored lights to celebrate holidays throughout the year: red, white and blue for the 4th of July; green and red for Christmas, and so forth.
16. For a time, there were thoughts of turning the skyscraper into a dirigible "airport." Although these plans were abandoned, evidence of this scheme lives on in the observatory of the 86th floor (which was to hold the customer lounges, ticket agencies and baggage rooms) and the observation deck on the 102nd story (which was to be the mooring site).
17. The ESB is a National Historic Landmark.
18. Its famous Art Deco spire, visible throughout much of Manhattan, is immortalized in countless movies, including King Kong and Sleepless in Seattle.
19. The famous views are justifiable: on a clear day 80 mile visibility allows you to see landmarks in all five boroughs, as well as Long Island and New Jersey.
20. In 1955 the American Society of Civil Engineers named the Empire State Building one of the "Seven Modern Wonders of the Western Hemisphere."
21. The building was also named the eighth wonder of the modern world -- the only one built in the 20th century.
22. The tower sits on a 2-acre lot.
23. Pierre du Pont was one of the original investors in the ESB.
24. The speed of construction was remarkable even by current standards: in one 10-day period, 14 stories were added to the building.
25. Construction began just weeks after the Wall Street crash of 1929.

Hawaii Books

We love to read about places we're planning to visit; not just travel guides but novels and memoirs, too. We've blogged about good reading lists related to Hawaii before -- but here's another list of Hawaii books to consider:

• The House of Pride and Other Tales of Hawaii by Jack London
• Hotel Honolulu by Paul Theroux
• I Myself Have Seen It: The Myth of Hawai’i by Susanna Moore
• Light Years: A Girlhood in Hawai'i by Susanna Moore
• Tales of Molokai by Harriet Ne
• Ka’a’wa: a Novel about Hawaii in the 1850s by O.A. Bushnell
• Behold the Many by Lois-Ann Yamanaka
• Shoal of Time by Gavan Daws
• Journal Of William Ellis - A Narrative Of A Tour Through Hawaii In 1823 by William Ellis
• Echo of Our Song: Chants and Poems of the Hawaiians by Mary K. Pukui
• Legends and Myths of Hawaii: The Fables and Folk-Lore of a Strange People by David Kalakaua and Glen Grant

Winter Jam NYC

On Saturday, February 7, 2009, the New York City Parks Department will host Winter Jam NYC from 11AM to 4PM in East River Park (FDR Drive and Houston Street). This event features winter activities for all ages, including:
www.nyc.gov/parks.

• 70 foot long, custom-designed snow flume for sledding and tubing
• Professional snowboarding demonstrations
• Winter gear expo and product demos
• Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing (weather permitting)
• Ice climbing wall
• Pride of NY Warming Hut & Winter Market
• Live entertainment

This annual winter festival is FREE and open to the public -- and today's snow should help ensure it's more fun than ever! For more information and updates on Winter Jam, visit