Success for the little guy

4 Sep

I like it when everyday people get to do things once reserved for the super well-connected/resourced/wealthy. Quirky is an open-source invention site that allows regular folks with great ideas to produce and sell their products. Each week, two brand-new innovations are brought to the market—which means you and I can buy some brilliant invention made by a college student that would have never seen the light of day.

Here’s how it works: Anyone with an idea can submit it for $10. Quirky users vote on their faves, then paid Quirky staffers further develop the concept, design and manufacturing process. In four to six months, the products appear on shelves at retailers like Target and Bed, Bath and Beyond—and the inventors get up to 35% of the profits.

Check out some of the awesome things made by regular people. Some of my faves are a lemon spritzer, a collapsible, space-saving laundry basket and the ever-popular Pivot Power (actually utilize every outlet in a power strip)!

Have an idea of your own or just want to get involved? Participate.

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Because you want your mum and dad to be happy

17 Aug

My Lovely Parent is a still-in-beta website where adult kids can help their single moms and dads meet new people. For dates. Or friendship. Or frolicking. (Ew—that’s my mom you’re talking about!)

While I know of sites where friends can vouch for their pals (and even write their profiles), this is the first I’ve heard of sons and daughters playing an active role in romantic connections. It’s terribly sweet, but also brilliant—especially when you consider that people in their 50s and 60s are probably not used to creating online profiles, boasting about their hobbies or, you know, assuring strangers that they are as comfortable dressing up for a night out as they are hanging out on the couch (zzzz).

Grown-up kids can sign up, browse the profiles of older singles and send recommendations to their parents. Then either “ask to be more involved” (maybe help mom/dad write a profile or compose an initial email?), or just sit back and watch sparks fly.

This is a UK company, so unless you’re a Brit, your folks probably have a few more months (of peace and quiet) before you get in there and start making things happen. But remember: You can’t play matchmaker and then throw a tantrum when a new “friend” comes to Thanksgiving.

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Whether you need a car or have one to spare…

14 Aug

Car rental in NYC is obscenely expensive. Even short-term services like ZipCar or Hertz on Demand can cost $175 for 8 hours (totally negating your outlet-mall savings). But RelayRides lets you rent from regular people who happen to not be using their cars. It’s free to sign up—just submit your driver’s license to be fully screened—and then specify when you need a car. Once the owner approves you, pick up your ride and run your errands (aka make an appearance at your cousin’s baby shower in Poughkeepsie).

In NYC, cars average about $15/hour (some for as little as $10/hour, with larger SUVs and luxury cars going for $20+/hour). In Boston I see listings for as little as $8/hour. This is a national service in about 20 major cities.

RelayRides isn’t meant for super-far destinations or overnight trips. Some owners limit mileage (max of 200/day seems standard). But insurance is included in the cost; you just replace gas.

So, everybody wins: Owners make extra cash, the environment is happy and you get a great pair of shoes on sale.

Peer-to-peer sharing makes me love humanity—I wheelie mean it!

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Commerce: Oldie but goodie

13 Aug

For those of you who haven’t been to Commerce yet, please go. It’s hidden on a tiny street in the West Village, so you can’t be blamed for sometimes forgetting about it. I really do think it’s one of the most special places in the city. The current incarnation opened in 2008, but the building has been around since 1911 and was once a speakeasy. Today’s Nouveau American dishes are creative and delightful, but that is just one (very important) thing to love.

Seriously bustling with a classic New York crowd—well-dressed and ready to enjoy themselves—Commerce manages to make you feel completely at home. The staff is personable, efficient and non-pretentious. The beautiful interior, from the stunning 1941 Brunswick Bar to the deep Parisian-inspired banquettes, is accented by warm brasserie lighting that flatters your plates and dining partners. There’s also a striking 4×16-foot mural by painter David Joel.

The prices ($15 cocktails and apps, $25+ mains) are worthy of celebratory nights out. Commerce is also good for impressing out-of-towners without overwhelming them (although probably too loud for visiting parents).

Just don’t eat a bagel for breakfast on the day of your reservation: Meals begin with a famous seven-different-types-of-bread basket and a giant mound of butter.

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New York Mouth

31 Jul

I can’t get enough of local artisanal foods. I dig the idea of trying something new, something independent, something made by my fellow subway riders. That’s why I am loving New York Mouth. They offer more than 200 original products ready to be tasted and enjoyed. Landmarc Caramels. Brooklyn Brine Whiskey Sour Pickles. Roni-Sue Chocolates Chili-Lime Lollipops. Buy individually, or opt for pre-selected theme packages, which make THE BEST gifts (especially for out-of-towners). Themes range from Brunch in a Bag to Just Add Cheese. Subscription-based services include Jerky Every Month and Cookies Every Night (nothing wrong with that)!

As the site says:

“WE LOVE FOOD.
WE LOVE INDIE FOOD.
WE LOVE HAND-CRAFTED, HAND-MADE AND SMALL-BATCH.
WE LOVE NEW YORK.
WE LOVE TASTING THINGS ON LITTLE WOODEN SPOONS.
WE LOVE DELICIOUS.”

So do I, New York Mouth. So do I.

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I found another good spot to eat before the theataaah.

23 Jul

Prettily presented quesadilla.

OK, so it’s more Hell’s Kitchen than Times Square, but the service is speedy enough to get you to your seats on time. On 49th and Ninth, Ponche Taqueria & Cantina is a 20-seat taco shop with good, cheap food: $6 fresh, creamy guac, $7 quesadillas, $3 tacos or $12 for three (with a side of not-special rice and beans). *And yes, you can mix-and-match taco types.* The must-get is the pescado: lightly battered mahi mahi with pickled cabbage and a light chipotle mayo sauce. I also liked the camarones taco. And the carne asado taco. So what if I like tacos? My only complaint: mostly flour tortillas instead of corn. But at least they don’t double wrap.

FYI, this is not some hole-in-the-wall: It’s clean, with friendly staff and nice food presentation—and actual wine glasses for BYOB. If you want to imbibe, stop by the shop half a block away on Ninth—no corkage fee unless you’re drinking bottle after bottle. Liquor license is in the works, but because there’s a school across the street, booze sales may be limited to certain hours. Location is removed enough from the aggravation of Times Square but not so far to be inconvenient. The post-curtain crowd was a bit young (must be the prices!); sit near the front for the best acoustics.

Oh! And 10% off your bill if you pay with cash.

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WineSkin is seriously an awesome product

19 Jul

No, this isn’t for a magnum—it just looks big.

Not that I ever check luggage anymore, but if I did, and if I happened to be visiting wine country, and if I discovered an amazing bottle of wine, and if I purchased one or two extras to bring home so I could relive the deliciousness, I would totally invest in a few WineSkins. These plastic, bottle-shaped envelopes protect your wine (and everything else in your bag), first with cushiony bubble wrap and then with two separate seals. (You can also stuff them with glass bottles of olive oil, vinegar or anything else.) Although not reusable, they’re super cheap: just $10 for three. Find where to buy near you—and get packing!

I have never seen a place like this in Manhattan

18 Jul

Last night I visited a space so special, it was like being at a resort in the Caribbean—and not just because of the plot of sand. La Marina is a brand-new, massive waterfront bar and restaurant in Washington Heights. The menu is still a work in progress but the space itself is just beautiful. (It’s nothing like Water Taxi Beach ever was, and about 100 times better than Beekman Beer Garden or any other on-the-river establishment will ever be.) There are seriously impressive views of the GW Bridge, NJ’s Palisades Park and the Hudson. Honestly, people were jet-skiing (?) about 20 feet from my table, which was both bizarre and a little bit rad.

Do yourself a favor and take the A train all the way uptown and spend an afternoon here eating mussels and drinking sparkling rosé. Or eating chicken lollipops and drinking beer. Whatever you’re in the mood for. Just go. You won’t believe your eyes.

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Hyatt wants you to stay skinny!

13 Jul

Or maybe just healthy. But on a recent stay at a Grand Hyatt, I found the coolest thing in the hotel gym: a little tiny card that outlined local running routes! Now, this was not a woodsy, mountainous or beachy area where trails would be obvious. It was in a city, and I probably would have stuck to the treadmill without this mini-map. A partnership with Athletic-Minded Traveler, the card highlighted two routes: a 2.5-miler and a 5-miler, along with other well-labeled streets in case I got lost.

Best part: It was small enough to be zippered into the pocket of my workout shorts, and it was laminated/sweat proof! Plus, it had the hotel’s phone number in case I got lost. So I left my cell phone  in the room and hit the pavement.

In addition to suggested running routes, Stay Fit at Hyatt includes 24-hour gyms with upgraded fitness machines and equipment like body bars, resistance bands and medicine balls, plus in-room yoga programs and even GPS watches available on loan.

I love you, Hyatt! Thanks for letting me eat flatbread without becoming a fathead.

I ran the 5-mile loop. Five times. (I am lying.)

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PERFECT iced coffee comes to Harlem

12 Jul

Clearly, there is also lemonade.

LOVE new businesses in our hood! Kuro Kuma (“Black Bear” in Japanese) is a tiny coffee shop brewing Counter Culture Coffee and serving a handful of Balthazar pastries, including mini-scones (my fave bc you get a taste without feeling *too* guilty). It’s a barely-there storefront on LaSalle b/t Broadway and Claremont; one of the owners David lives up the street. Upon gutting the space he discovered original tin ceilings that he left exposed, then he added pretty blue tiles along the back wall. The register is just an iPad running the ShopKeep point-of-sale system; there are only two small cafe tables. On hot, sticky summer mornings, this stop-and-go joint is a lifesaver—my trek to the train will never be the same.

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