Kristin checks in... and with her own personalized key!

It's safe to say that a good time was had by ALL last night at the album release party for the 'Promises, Promises' cast recording on Masterworks Broadway/Sony Music Entertainment. The whole cast was in attendance for the album drop atop Dream New York.

The folks over at Theatermania.com have it pretty well summed up... check it out

SUMMERTIME

Since it's the first day of summer, I thought I should take it back a bit.
Feel free to make your own list... I guarantee you'll have a smile on your face when you're done.
Here's mine:

Transparent green water pistols
Slip-n-slides
Sprinklers on the front lawn
Pools with slides and diving boards
Picnics
Otter pops
The Ice Cream Man
Firecrackers
Fishing
Barbecue
Suntan lotion that smells like coconuts
Banana seat bicycles
Spending all day in your bathings suit
Lightning bugs
Sparklers
Corn on the cob
Fresh tomoatoes
Sand in your shoes
No homework
Singing 99 bottles of beer on the wall in the back of a crowded car and fighting over who doesn't have to sit on 'the bump'
Collecting sea shells
Kite flying
Playing tag until sundown
Spitting watermelon seeds
Innertubes
Skateboards
Band aids on skinned knees
Charred marshmellows
Bottle rockets
Handwashing the car

Dreamcicles running down your arm
Pickin' wildflowers for mom
Fireflies in a mason jar
Rollercoasters at the county fair
Stayin' up past bedtime

The countdown is on...Dream South Beach is coming

So I am officially starting the clock. The beginning of the summer season [bikinis and all] seems a fitting time to start looking forward to a bit of fun in steamy South Beach. By the time it starts getting cooler again at our home base in New York, things will be heating up in Miami for Dream and Vikram Chatwal Hotels.
Although it isn't official, I would expect to see some wild costuming at the opening soiree for Dream South Beach [hint, hint].
In the meantime, keep an eye peeled for great preview rates for the Palmer House this summer. It's not Dream until the other tower [The Tudor] is complete, but a lucky few will get a sneak peek at what Dream[s] may come. I'll be posting more updates on progress for Dream South Beach here, so come back and visit and in the interim have a pina colada and out on your favorite pair of shades. Dream South Beach will be located at 1111 Collins Avenue at 11th Street in South Beach, Miami, Florida. http://www.dreamintl.com/ http://www.palmerhousesobe.com/

Eight is enough to start a private practice for desparate houswives of modern famillies

Looks like we've got some multigenerational viewing pleasure going on at Inc. Lounge last Friday...Betty Buckley and Tuc Watkins of the off Broadway hit White Lies flank Kate Walsh who will be hitting the great white way herself May 19th in Dusk Rings a Bell. Betty of course appeared on the same network some 30+ years ago as the stepmom matriarch on ABC's Eight is Enough, while Tuc currently appears on Desperate Housewives and Kate is all about the drama on the Gray's Anatomy spin off Private Practice. Another ABC alum was in attendance too... Jesse Tyler Ferguson of Modern Family. Who needs TiVo when you have all of your prime time viewing at The Time ?

Inc. Lounge is located on the second level of The Time hotel at 224 West 49th Street [between Broadway and Eigth Avenues] (212) 246-5252

P.S. thank you Just Jared for the photos!

Sugar high on 50th Street

So after an impromptu cocktail gathering at a friend's place on Friday evening, I made my way home through Hell's Kitchen. Since I hadn't walked on 10th Avenue in a while, I found myself taking a slightly different route than the norm... and I'm glad I did. Just off of the northeast corner of 10th Avenue ad 50th street is probably the best incarnation of empty calories I've encountered in quite some time (and I'm not referring to the cocktails we had just enjoyed). Ruby et Violette is home to some of the guiltiest pleasures in the baking world. Since I was not alone (had my better half in tow), I took the R & V motto of "Live life richly. Indulge" quite literally. I think we ordered one of just about every item on their menu of brownies and cookies. The standouts are the blondies and the peanut chocholoate chunk cookies [or the 'perfect' which is their version of the classic chocholate chunk cookie]. Each of these little gems comes peftectly packaged in its own [just short of fussy] celophane jewel case. If there is one thing the proprietors seem to get, it's how to market their calories. Every bit of the experience seems perfectly branded to June Cleaver's exacting specifications... and it seems to be working as the big "O" has already waived her magic wand of endorsement over the operation as touted on their website. I am glad though that the friendly folks over at Ruby et Violette haven't forgotten that a storefront with a bit of friendly human interaction still makes sense when it comes to certain things... like serving up the 'perfect' chocolate chip cookie.
Ruby et Violette [The Indulgent Baker] is located at 457 West 50th Street at 10th Avenue, just a short walk from all four midtown Vikram Chatwal Hotels. You can give them a ring at (718) 728-6250 or visit them online at http://www.rubyetviolette.com/

Exclusive house seats for Promises, Promises on Broadway

Well, it's official... the press-plosion has happened surrounding Broadway's latest revival Promises, Promises. Coming out of previews last weekend, the show has garnered four TONY nominations: Best Actor for Sean Hayes, Best Featured Actress for Katie Finneran, Best Choreography courtesy of Rob Ashford and Jonathan Tunick for Best Orchestration.

Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes must be living on Red Bull to keep up with not only the grueling schedle of the performances, but with the unending appearances on every relevant talk show on the airwaves... and it's no wonder. The production is a top-notch time machine designed to take you back to the era of Mad Men where business and pleasure seemed to collide over martinis.

The popularity of the show has made finding decent seats near impossible without paying a visit to the local theater mafia, but Dream New York has garnered premium house seats for the show packaged with overnight accommodations as Promises, Promises hotel partner. The package offers up a considerable deal with upgraded rooms and a discounted rate and preferred ticket pricing. Dream is also offering up a special package to one lucky winner in a Promises, Promises sweepstakes. Sign up to win tickets for two to the show the weekend of the TONY awards coupled with two nights accommodations at Dream and invitations for two to the official Promises, Promises TONY Awards afterparty hosted by Dream at its famed rooftop lounge AVA where you and a guest will sip cocktails and rub elbows with the stars of the show as they bask in their post awards glory.

Also of note is the 20% discount at Serafina Broadway, RmFifty5 and Ava given to Promises, Promises ticketholders, so keep those stubs handy before or after the show as all of these venues are just a block away from the Broadway Theater.

Rainy days and Mondays

Well, it's April and usually that means a bit of rain in the NYC forecast. This year we've actually been spared to an extent with one of the lowest April rainfalls on record, but on this particular Monday it is gray and wet so what better time to talk about one of my favortite things to do in New York when it rains [or snows or is generally unpleasant outside]. Museums ... this is one area that New York has over any other American city [with the possible exception of D.C]. No matter what area of art, history or culture you are into, there is a museum to satisfy your interests. Here are some of my favorites:

• MoMA The Musem of Modern Art . This, the mother of all modern art museums, is a good overall introduction to contemporary art for all levels of education and interest. With a constant rotation of installations and a robust educational series, MoMA now has two outposts in NYC since it reopened its doors in Manhattan in late 2004 after extensive renovations [the other location is that of it's temporary set up come permanent installation in Long Island City at PS1]. Currently MoMA is hosting a lifetime retrospective on Marina Abramovic's work on the 6th floor that has the city abuzz due to its use of live nude models as performance art. Marina Abramovic : The Artist is Present runs now through May 31st at MoMA
• The Whitney Museum of American Art. Finding its final home [designed by Marcel Breuer in 1966] on Madison Ave and 75th Street, The Whitney was established when Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney lost patience with the time it took The Metropolitan Museum of Art to make their decision to open a new wing to house her collection. Since then, it as become synonymous with bold twentieth century artists that push the boundaries of more conventional museums in a sizeable collection housing more than 18,000 works. Currently the Whitney Biennial is in play through May 30th.
• The New York Transit Museum. This may seem like an odd one, but there is some fascinating history to the way we move about our city, both above and below gound. The museum is an easy trip to the center of Brooklyn Heights at the corner of Boerum Place and Schemerhorn Street [acessible by the 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C & F trains] and has a groovy gift shop with some very clever NYC paraphernalia for the next birthday on your list.
• The American Museum of Natural History. This was my favorite place [in the whole world] when I was a kid. Not much has changed since then in the main exhibit halls. The towering dinosaurs are still in place and the same goofy dioramas are there in the Hall of Human Origin, but if you have a little one in tow, it's worth the visit. The Rose Center for Earth and Space offers some pretty spectatcular shows along with an IMAX theater to keep things interesting. The American Museum of Natural History is located at Central Park West and 79th Street. Visitors can access the museum via the C train at CPW and 81st Street.
• The Museum of Sex. Yes, it is exactly what it sounds like... an unflinching look at sex from every angle. Obviously this is not for children or the faint of heart, but I encourage everyone [of majority age] to go. Go with a good friend or your better half. Once you get past the initial giggles [if you are so inclined], you'll probably learn a thing or two. The permanent exhibits explore everything from stag films to sex toys. If you are titilated enough by your visit, you are even invited to leave an your own bawdy entry on one of several computers set up on the upper floor. The Museum of Sex is located in Fifth Avenue at 26th Street. Take the R or W train to 26th Street.
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art. This is the grandaddy of the NYC art scene. There's not much more to say about it than that [or so much that I couldnt possibly enumerate all of it here]. I can't go here today as they are closed on Mondays! Visit their site for more info : http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/ The Metropoolitan is located at 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street [take a taxi for this one as no subway line is easy].