'Feelin' Good' at Dizzy's

A few years back, while listening to a singer perform with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra at the Rose Theater, my husband leaned over and whispered, "That guy sounds a lot like Nat King Cole." Well, despite the singer's own efforts, sometimes you can't hide a familial resemblance. Indeed, the singer was Freddy Cole, Nat's youngest brother.

In honor of my birthday this year, my husband surprised me with a night out at Dizzy's Club, the nightly live jazz club located across the hall from the Rose Theater at Columbus Circle. And guess who was performing? None other than Freddy Cole.

With a twinkle in his eye, Freddy Cole took the stage at Dizzy's, backed by his usual cohorts -- the very talented and youthful-looking guitarist Randy Napoleon, drummer Curtis Boyd, who played with such sensitivity that I never regretted being seated directly to his left, and bassist Elias Bailey, who truly fulfilled his role as the base on which the others could build their rhythms and riffs. Tenor saxophonist Harry Allen and pianist John DiMartino also joined in -- well, until, Freddy Cole kicked DiMartino out so that he could tickle the ivories. And it was then, when Freddy Cole sat down to the piano, that he sounded his very best, his very strongest, and I didn't want the set to end.

True, I was thrilled to be seeing Freddy Cole perform, but I must say Dizzy's Club itself is a spectacular place to spend an evening and a great addition -- it opened in 2004 -- to the New York City jazz scene.

First off, the view from the performance space is absolutely breathtaking. Musicians perform in front of ceiling-to-floor windows that overlook the vista of Columbus Circle and Central Park. Secondly, the space itself is intimate with tables forming a semi-circle around the performers. That said, it's not so intimate that you can feel the vibrations of a toe-tapping neighbor, just the vibrations of the music.

And perhaps, most importantly, the club's got talent. Ranging from names you dream of listening to, such as Mr. Cole, to those who are just breaking out on the scene, such as the Purchase Jazz Orchestra (April 11), the Temple University Jazz Band (May 2) and the Julliard Jazz Quintet (May 3-8) and Ensemble (May 16), among others, the club serves up doses of live jazz alongside its soulful menu every night of the week.

If you go, and I most certainly believe you should, here are the details: Set times for Sundays through Thursdays are 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays are the same with an additional set at 11:30 p.m. For those night owls, there are also After Hours sets Tuesdays through Thursdays at 11 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays after the last artist set. There is a cover charge ranging from $20 to $35 for artist sets and $10 to $20 for After Hours sets while food and drink minimums are $10 for tables and $5 at the bar. Attention those with a valid student ID: There are discounts. For reservations, you can call the box office at 212.258.9595 or 212.258.9795 or go straight to OpenTable.com.

So "Take the 'A' Train" to Dizzy's, and you could be "Feelin' Good" too.

Post and Photos by Krista K. Schmidt
Contributor to New York Insider

Skating Against the Manhattan Skyline

There's nothing quite like ice-skating in New York from its packed rinks to its awe-inspiring backdrops no matter which rink you choose.

This year, armed with our very own ice skates, we headed to Wollman Rink on a Saturday afternoon. Having never taken part as a child in this most quintessential winter pastime, and having only three previous trips to the ice under my blade, I was once again bubbling over with nerves, afraid that an innocent attempt at some good old-fashioned fun would turn into a trip to the emergency room. (And for the record, it didn't help that the referee/emcee dictating the rink's rules actually mentioned the possibility of a trip to the emergency room.)

Wollman Rink, located in the southern part of Central Park, is usually our rink of choice. While its admission prices can be a bit steep -- especially once you add in fees for skate and locker rentals -- we like that it keeps the number of "ice torpedoes," our affectionate term for those skaters -- God love them -- who choose to hurtle themselves with abandon across the ice, to a minimum. Plus, with our own skates and lock, we only needed to pay the admission.

Upon securing for the umpteenth time my husband's promise not to let go of my hand, I gingerly stepped onto the ice. Thankfully, I remembered enough of my "technique" -- knees bent, upper body forward and butt out slightly -- to get the hang of gliding over the ice and dodging those taking a spill. It was crowded, and the "referees" appeared more interested in hanging out with their friends than "reffing." Nonetheless, I slowly gained my confidence and skated until my cheeks were rosy ala Kristi Yamaguchi (at least that's what I tell myself).

Now, here's what you need to know before you go: Wollman Rink is open seven days a week, starting at 10 a.m., and closes at 2:30 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, 10 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 9 p.m. on Sunday. The general admission is $10.50 per skater Monday through Thursday and $15 per skater Friday through Sunday. There are discounted rates for children, age 11 and younger, and seniors. Skate rentals are an additional $6.25, and locker rentals cost a total of $10.50, $6 of which is just a deposit and returned. The rink is open through April 2011.

Of course, Wollman Rink isn't the only rink in the city, so here are a few others on which you can try out your moves:

Citi Pond at Bryant Park: You better hurry up if you want to skate at this midtown rink, as it's open only until Feb. 27. Skating starts at 8 a.m. daily and ends at 10 p.m. on weekday nights and midnight on the weekend, weather permitting. (Keep track of the rink's open status via their Twitter feed.) While general admission is free -- yes, you read that right, it's free -- skate rentals are $13, and if you use a locker (which is free) but need a lock, that's an additional $9. There is a baggage check, which costs either $7 or $10, depending on the size of the satchel. This rink is often crowded, with many attracted by the promise of free admission. And I'm sure the backdrop of the stunning New York Public Library doesn't hurt.

Rockefeller Center: Recently dubbed one of the city's "most quintessentially romantic spots" by the New York Times, the rink is open daily, starting at 9 a.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. Friday through Sunday, and closes at 10:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, midnight on Friday and Saturday and 10 p.m. on Sunday. For details on sessions, aka when the Zamboni will not be putting a damper on your plans, go here. Admission is $12 for adults Monday through Thursday and $16 Friday through Sunday and on holidays. Of course, if you can postpone trying out your triple lutz until after Feb. 27, you'll pay only $10 and $14, respectively. And there are also reduced rates for children under 11 and seniors. As for the skates, they cost $8 a pair.

Lasker Rink: The uptown cousin of Wollman Rink, Lasker Rink is open daily with a list of its public sessions under "Hours" on its website, which also includes updates to its schedule. Adults skate for $6.50 while children skate for $3.50 and seniors for $2.25. Skate rentals go for $5.50 and locker rentals cost a total of $7.25, $4 of which is refunded once the lock is returned.

So grab your coat and cap, lace up your skates -- be sure to make them tight around the ankles -- get out there, and give them your best impression of Brian Boitano!

Post and Photo by Krista K. Schmidt
Contributor to New York Insider

Perhaps I Will BowlMor(e)

With friends in town, the plan for the weekend was to break in our new and, I must say, stylish ice skates. But with temperatures hovering in the mid-20s and still colder wind chills, it was decided that an indoor activity was far more appealing than skating around an iced space sans any feeling whatsoever. So we headed over to Times Square’s Bowlmor Lanes.

As with most attractions in Times Square, Bowlmor Lanes is big, bright and loud. Located in the former New York Times building on West 44th Street, the 90,000-square-foot bowling alley -- although "alley" is really a misnomer -- boasts 45 lanes in seven New York-themed lounges. There's appropriately the Times Square lounge, another inspired by Central Park, and others for Chinatown -- where we bowled -- Art Deco, Prohibition and Pop, or the Andy Warhol room, allegedly the only lounge to have black bowling lanes in the world. The once subway-themed lounge -- complete with graffiti -- has since undergone a transformation to the Coney Island room, where you’ll find classic boardwalk games and live circus performers. I don't think it's open yet as they say photos are still to come. In addition, there's the Stadium Grill with a menu by celebrity chef David Burke and the Tribeca Loft Nightclub.

Now back to bowling. The shoes are of the traditional red, white and blue variety and custom-made. The Chinatown lounge boasted dragons on the wall and pagodas between the lanes as well as a gong reserved for those celebrating a spare or strike. You don't have to roam the alley for a bowling ball. Each pair of lanes has several, starting at 6 pounds, complete with pairs of different sized (small and medium, for example) finger holes on each ball. Each bowler has the option of bumpers as well as helpful tips on the score screen between throws on how to get that spare if your first attempt was meager at best.

As for the logistics, Bowlmor Lanes is open seven days a week, starting at 11 a.m. I've been hard-pressed to find prices on the Bowlmor Lanes website. But I can tell you from experience that on a Saturday, after 6 p.m., you start off paying $34.95 per lane per half-hour, plus $6.50 per shoe rental. Drinks, including beers for about $6 or $7 and signature cocktails for $12, and small plates are in addition and are settled separately from your bowling tab. You can see the laneside menu, with prices, here.

As I said, your bowling tab is determined on how long you play. Now here’s where I see some room for improvement. When we went to cash out at the end of our two games, we watched as the apparently understaffed desk took care of new arrivals and incoming phone calls before turning to us. Once we were helped, we asked if we had been paying all that time, which they said we had and kindly comped us 10 minutes. I think it might be a good idea in the future to have the staff behind the desk be organized into two groups: those who exclusively take care of incoming customers and those who exclusively take care of outgoing patrons.

All in all, it was a very fun time, where I traded in my Wii remote for a real bowling ball and some stylish shoes. I even got a spare, or maybe two, and can truly say Bowlmor Lanes will stay on my list of indoor activities to consider on cold New York days.

Bowlmor Lanes Times Square is located 222 West 44th Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues.

Post and Photos by Krista K. Schmidt
Contributor to New York Insider

Recycling Holiday Cheer and Greening Up New York

It's been four weeks, and I must admit I'm going to miss him when he's gone. You see, I've gotten used to having him around. He's tall and slender -- perfect for a New York City apartment -- and, I must say, quite dapper all dressed up.

Of course, I'm talking about Cupid. Yes, we chose to name him, and why not after one of Santa's reindeer? It's a Christmas tree, for goodness sake. And don't think we're "unusual" or "eccentric" for naming our tree. I have it on good authority that there's a Douglas fir in Brooklyn named Diane von FIR-stenburg.

Unfortunately, with the coming of the New Year comes the time to say goodbye to our beloved Cupid. And this year, we decided to participate in this weekend's MulchFest instead of simply kicking Cupid to the curb for the Sanitation Department to pick up God knows when. (For those interested, the New York City Department of Sanitation is still picking up Christmas trees to be recycled through Saturday, Jan. 15, a service we've taken advantage of for the past two years. Update (1/12/2011): As a result of the December blizzard, the Sanitation Department is not recycling Christmas trees left curbside.)

For MulchFest, the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, the New York City Department of Sanitation and GreenNYC, which is a citywide effort to reduce our "carbon emissions by 30% by 2030," team up to host 70 sites throughout the five boroughs where residents can bring their Christmas trees to be turned into wood chips. Those wood chips are then "used to nourish trees and plants on streets and gardens citywide." Of course, if you've got yourself a green thumb, there are 35 chipping sites, where you can grab a bag of mulch for yourself.

We took Cupid to a drop-off location by Riverside Park with hopes that his wood chips will be sprinkled throughout our favorite Upper West Side green space. To be truthful, it was a bit anti-climatic to go to a drop-off only site, also known as a pile of evergreens at a designated location. So if you're looking for some sort of festivity, I recommend trying a chipping site. And as I said, there is no shortage of locations; you can check out a list and map of them here. And it wasn't just today; locations are open tomorrow, Sunday, Jan. 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

So, if you're a New Yorker and celebrate Christmas, chip in and lug your tree to the nearest location. If you've already taken down your decorations, make a mental note for next year. Or if you're just visiting the city, isn't this a great idea that should be replicated elsewhere?

Last year, almost 24,000 Christmas trees were recycled. Here's to hoping we top that -- or at least perfect it, with one very special Cupid.

Post and Photos by Krista K. Schmidt
Contributor to New York Insider

All Aboard! Garden’s Train Show Is Sure to Impress

"All Aboard!" That's the call that beckons visitors to the New York Botanical Garden's Holiday Train Show. It was my first time to the exhibit, now in its 19th year, and I can assure you that it didn't disappoint.

Nestled in the warmth of the Garden's Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, this year's show boasts 140 replicas of New York landmarks – made entirely of natural materials, including tree bark, leaves and pinecones – by which a quarter-mile of track is crisscrossed by model trains and trolleys.

New to this year's exhibit is a recreation of the Trans World Airlines Flight Center at John F. Kennedy International Airport, originally designed by Eero Saarinen. Complete with a runway, Boeing 747 and helicopter, it greets visitors near the show's start.

From there, the impressive line-up of landmark replicas keeps coming, including St. Patrick's Cathedral, with organ music emanating from within; the original Pennsylvania Station, built in the Beaux Arts style with a view into the train tracks underneath; the original Yankees stadium, complete with a board for the batting order, dugouts and - my personal favorite – stadium lights made of willow twigs and acorn tops; and Rockefeller Center, with its world-renown tree and trumpeting angels. Overhead replicas of the city's bridges, including the George Washington Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge, zigzag throughout the exhibit. All of the miniature landmarks are handcrafted by Paul Busse and his team at Applied Imagination in Alexandria, Ky., using natural materials that have been collected year-round. (Check out photos from the show below.)

As for the trains, the exhibit showcases more than a dozen G-scale trains; "G" meaning garden, according to a sign on the way in. They traverse the spectrum of railcar advances from late-1800s steam engines to today's high-speed passenger trains. For those with children, rest easy that Thomas the Tank Engine has earned a place among the fleet and was quite the attraction for the younger set during my visit.

Now to the details of getting onboard: The show opened Nov. 20 and runs through Jan. 9, 2011. The Garden is open every day except Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and has extended hours on select Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays as well as during holiday weeks. Tickets range from $20 to $25 for adults and $10 to $15 for children, with discounts for seniors and students and children under the age of 2 free. If you're purchasing tickets online, be sure to know about what time you plan to get there as selecting a time is required.

And to get a jump-start on your visit, the Garden's website has a neat landmark map that shows the actual locations of the replicas in the show, complete with the option to check out a full image of the replica and see what natural materials were used in its construction.

Enjoy the show!

St. Patrick's Cathedral (Photo by Krista K. Schmidt)

The original Pennsylvania Station (Photo by Krista K. Schmidt)

The original Yankees stadium (Photo by Krista K. Schmidt)

Midtown skyscrapers, including the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, and Rockefeller Center. (Photo by Krista K. Schmidt)

The Rose Center for Earth and Space at the American Museum of Natural History  (Photo by Krista K. Schmidt)

The Brooklyn Bridge (Photo by Krista K. Schmidt)

A G-scale train rounding a trestle (Photo by Krista K. Schmidt)

By Krista K. Schmidt
Contributor to New York Insider

Video Profile: Inwood Hill Park

It all started as an exercise in mastering Final Cut Pro, the video editing software. Shoot some video in a neighborhood park, and learn how to splice it together, using filters and other motion effects. What came out is a tiny glimpse into Inwood Hill Park.

Nestled on the northern tip of Manhattan, Inwood Hill Park is made up of almost 200 acres that include caves and ridges, a forest and a salt marsh – in fact, the last natural one in Manhattan -- according to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation website. And check out this bit on glaciers that once covered the park.

Other amenities include trails to hike and bike on, athletic fields, playgrounds and dog runs. And as you’ll see on the video below, weekly free yoga classes by Bread and Yoga in the summer. (Note: The last class was Aug. 31, but hopefully next summer will bring another series of classes.)

Inwood Hill Park extends north of Dyckman Street along the Hudson River. If you go, you can get there on the 1 train to 215th Street or the A train to 207th Street.

Free Yoga in Inwood Hill Park from Simon Surowicz on Vimeo.

New York City Hot Spots: Delicious Recipe for a Restaurant & a Coffee Connoisseur’s Paradise

Recipe is located on the Upper West Side and features “casually rustic, new American cuisine inspired by fresh, local ingredients handpicked by [its] chefs,” according to its website. Although tiny – it only seats 26 guests – Recipe more than makes up in taste what it lacks in space.

Start with the bread basket; it’s worth the three dollars. For appetizers, the bittersweet greens, a mix of pancetta, walnuts and parmigiano-reggiano over greens, and the roasted locally grown beets with goat cheese and pecans were delightful. The crab cake was nicely seasoned and stuffed with meaty lump crab. The soup of the day – a gazpacho – was bursting with fresh summer tomato flavors and spices.

I also tried the cocotte of foie gras from the Hudson Valley, a small concentrated terrine of delicious foie gras topped with a layer of duck fat. Scrumptious (don't tell my cardiologist).

Overall, the food was beautifully presented and well prepared, and I recommend it without reservation. To get an actual reservation, call after 11 a.m. any day of the week – (212) 501 7755.

Recipe is located at 452 Amsterdam Avenue between 81^st and 82^nd Streets.

I also happened upon a wonderful café this weekend. Caffeteria in Soho is a coffee connoisseur’s haven. Started by two former employees of San Francisco’s delicious Blue Bottle Coffee and using beans from that company’s Brooklyn outpost, this café does not disappoint.

The espresso is a wonderful rich extract topped with luscious crema. The coffee is single-brewed to order using the classic pour over Melitta-style. As for the iced coffee, it’s the best I have ever tasted. Using the painstakingly slow Kyoto drip filtration system – it takes 18 hours to brew – it carries a slight hint of bourbon.

Caffeteria knows coffee, and as thus, it’s a place for serious coffee drinkers looking for the best brew possible. But don’t expect to stay too long as there are no chairs to sit on.

Caffeteria Soho is located at 147 Sullivan Street.