NYmetropolista’s Managing Editor Carol Cain, and The Chicago Moms‘  Co-Managing Editor Vanessa Druckman were also there to celebrate this wonderful gathering at a historical NY landmark, The Plaza.

Our tables were donned with Dyson’s State-of-the-Art bladeless fans, the Air Multipliers. Classic Afternoon Tea menu of scones, pastries, mini sandwiches, and canapes of Maine Lobster, Sturgeon Caviar, Truffled Quail Egg Salad, and more.

All our guests are receiving an Air Multiplier, courtesy of Dyson.

Featured photo above is courtesy of Duong Sheahan.

A few months back when my wife came to the dinner table excited about the opportunity of a suite for a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden I wasn’t ungrateful, but I was hardly enthused. As a native Chicagoan who’s heart is forever rooted, and maybe even stuck, in the Bulls Dynasty of the nineties I’ve only been excited to watch the Knicks lose. My enthusiasm cooled even more when at the last minute, my teenage son couldn’t attend due to a conflict with his schedule and opted not to invite any of his friends.

Stuck with the unfortunate prospect of my wife’s employee perk going to waste I was charged with the task preventing it.  On the fly, I began inviting friends and friends with family and in no time we had a party.

Being an MSG Suiteholder comes at a premium, but with it comes premium amenities that you’ll never get simply sitting in the stands.  There is a Club entrance, separate and apart from general admission that is staffed by courteous and accommodating concierges willing and able to cater to your needs, such as setting tickets aside for late-comers in your group. Private elevator service whisks you to the suite level high above the nosebleed seats. Amazingly the view of the court is breathtaking and not “way down there.” Our suite featured a wet bar, Wi-Fi, bar seating, a private restroom, and three rows of stadium seating to easily accommodate a crowd of twenty. And if you or your children are afraid of heights (or you’re afraid for your children being that high up), you can relax in knowing that the front edge of your suite features a half wall of glass to prevent the unthinkable. Maybe most important, your suite can come as you like it, stocked with food and beverages of your choosing as per MSG’s suite menu. The wait staff is on duty during the entirety of the event and just as accommodating as the concierges at the entrance. My only advice is to order your food in advance so that it’s there for you at the start of your party. No one likes to be a hungry guest.

After nearly four hours, I was surprised how much I enjoyed myself. The Knicks fans were, of course, disappointed when their team lost, but the kids had a blast doing the wave, screaming with the crowd and playing amongst themselves in a safe and secure space. The experience provided most of the adults an opportunity to catch up on old times or become acquainted for the first. All in all, there was something for everyone. And we weren’t the only ones. Many of our neighboring suites that day were filled with families. It was almost like being at a state park in the summertime but without the grass and lovely aroma of barbecue.

What I learned that day is that a suite at Madison Square Garden is good for more than just closing business deals or entertaining clients. If you’re feeling generous, want to go in with friends or simply have access consider an MSG suite when looking for something to do with friends and family. For sporting events and concerts it can be one of the hottest parties in town — tailor made to your liking.

Madison Square Garden
TheGarden.com
4 Pennsylvania Plaza
New York, New York 10001
212.465.MSG1 (6741)

Photo credit E.Payne

Have you ever wondered why some people are great at saving money, while others can’t wait to spend it the minute they have it? I would have to say that I have.  I, like many Americans, am always looking for ways to save more money, but sometimes struggle to succeed in saving more.

According to experts at ING Direct, the answer may be in my temperament. They believe that understanding your temperament can give us a new perspective on life, as well as our finances.

ING DIRECT is offering a two-part discussion of key financial principles, such as financial planning and saving for retirement, and how your temperament influences your financial behavior.

This financial seminar that will be held at the ING DIRECT New York City Café on March 10th and March 16th and will feature speakers Jay Sanders CPA/PFS, CFP and Michael Edelstein, founder of The New Temperament. The seminar will help people to find out how their temperament can affect many areas of your life, especially personal finances.

Seminar Description:

Part I (March 10th): Your Temperament, The Curve and Flow
How much money should you save? How can you use your awareness of temperament to make better money decisions? You’ll gain a new understanding of temperament and important aspects of money and finance.

Part II (March 16th): Further explorations of Money and Temperament
What about money and relationships? Are you and your partner at odds about spending and saving? How does your temperament impact other financial decisions, like investing and managing risk? You’ll expand your understanding of temperament and develop further insight around vital financial issues.

Discover your temperament at www.thenewtemperament.com in advance of the talk.

To RSVP to the event or see more information visit www.ingdirect.com/seminars

Photo courtesy of Aaron Julius Kim Flick’r Photoshare

The International Toy Fair 2010 took place the week, ending yesterday.  Toy Fair incorporated an Eco-Friendly Product Zone, its first, allowing such toymakers and companies to really feature their products highlighting this component.

I found a hand full of eco-friendly toys that I thought were fun and interesting. Here are some of my favorites:

TDC Games: has 500 piece puzzle, with each piece embedded with sunflower seeds. They encourage you to, once completed, soak the puzzle over night in water and then plant them daily until they bloom.

Arttero: Founded by two moms from Madison, WI, award-wining Artterro offers eco-friendly art kits that inspire children’s artistic talent through high-quality materials found in the many different-themed options they offer.

miYim: with products found in major retailers nationwide, miYim offers organic toys for the younger child, ad is currently working to expand their line further with environmentally-friendly toys as well.

Sprig toys: one of my kids’ favorite are their trucks made from recycable materials. Battery-free and eco-friendly, this Colorado based company is working with WHAMO to develop biodegradable, kid operated pre=school toys.

Planet Fred: soft, organic material, and called Bamboo Bears. The company will plant one tree for every six bears purchased through the National Arbor Day Foundation.

There were more companies that had displays, my hope is that next year this number will even larger. Though it is no secret that added the eco-friendly aspect to a products adds to higher manufacturing costs, but with the increase in demand lately among parents looking for environmentally-friendly toys, my hope is that companies will find that the cost is worth it.

Photo credit: Sprig Toys

If you’re looking for a way to celebrate Black History Month in a way that encompasses both explorations into the past, embraces the current happenings in African American culture and is k-12 friendly at the same time? Consider this month’s offerings at the Kumble Theatre for the Performing Arts located on Long Island University’s Brooklyn campus, the Schomberg Center and the Studio Museum in Harlem, the latter two both located in Harlem. The list below features both performances, events and exhibitions and ranges in cost from free to the very affordable.

The Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts
Reprinted from the Kumble Theatre website.

Tuesday, February 2nd at 10:15am & 12:15pm
Community Works presents: Impact Repertory Theater-The Long Walk to Freedom
Join this Oscar nominated group from Harlem, as they examine the history and journey of civil rights in America through song, dance and spoken word. Celebrate the extraordinary talents and unique visions of some of New York’s most talented young people.

Tickets: $7 Contact Community Works – performances@communityworksnyc.org or (212) 459-1854

Thursday, February 4th at 10:30am & 12:30pm
The Paper Bag Players presents: The Paper Bag Players Great Mummy Adventure
The Paper Bag Players’ Great Mummy Adventure will have you laughing, singing, dancing and sitting at the edge of your seat. In the title number you will take an expedition to the land of pharaohs in search of that mysterious Mummy by the name of Shirley. Recommended for grades K through 4.

Tickets: contact The Paper Bag Players – pbagp@verizon.net or 212-353-2332

Saturday, February 6th & Sunday February 7th at 3pm
Dancewave presents: Kids Café Festival
Kids Cafe Goes to College offers high school dancers an opportunity to get a first-hand look at professionally-based college dance programs with performances by students at leading dance departments and distinguished high school dance groups. The festival includes performances by the Dancewave Company, Dancewave Company II & Young Movers Ensemble. Participating dance departments include: Long Island University – Brooklyn Campus, The Juilliard School, Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, SUNY Purchase, Ohio State University, Marymount Manhattan, Adelphi University and Hunter College.

Tickets: $20, $15 for students with ID, $12 (children 12 & under), group rates available

Friday, February 19 at 7:30pm and Saturday, February 20th at 3pm & 7:30pm
Ray Quick presents: He’s Not Mine, She’s Not Mine
Written and produced by multi talented Ray Quick, this heartfelt stage play exposes the challenges and struggles of blended families; it delivers a powerful performance that highlights both adult points of view – his and hers!

Tickets: $25, $20 – students, seniors and groups of five or more.

Wednesday, February 24th at 6:30pm
L.I.U. English Department presents: Starting from Paumanok
Starting from Paumanok is an annual lecture or reading on American literature and culture. This year’s featured speaker is Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage. Besides winning a Pulitzer, her play Ruined also received an OBIE, the Lucille Lortel Award, New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Play (Manhattan Theatre Club, Goodman Theatre).

Tickets: Free Admission.

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, a research unit of The New York Public Library
Reprinted from the Schomburg Center website.

February 5, 2010 – April 18, 2010
Jerry Pinkney’s African-American Journey to Freedom: The Seagram Collection of African-American Art
This exhibition is a stunning collection of 35 watercolor paintings by the award-winning children’s book illustrator and artist. Originally commissioned by the Seagram Distillers in the mid-1970s for use in the Seagram African-American history calendars which were distributed to the public, this exquisite collection was part of a larger donation made by Vivendi to the Schomburg Center.

February 5, 2010 – April 18, 2010
President Barack Obama: The First Year
Photographs by Pete Souza, Chief Official White House Photographer

Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 3:00pm
Jerry Pinkney Book Signing
Jerry Pinkney will sign his book The Lion and the Mouse, which received the prestigious Randolph Caldecott Award on January 18, 2010; as well as Sweethearts of Rhythm; The Old African; and Black Cowboys, Wild Horses.  Books can be purchased in the Schomburg Shop. Meet famed illustrator and artist Jerry Pinkney whose work is featured in the Schomburg exhibition (see above).

Monday, February 8th at 7pm
James Carter in Concert
Detroit native and saxophonist James Carter’s awesome virtuosity on a number of instruments and his postmodernist embrace of the past, present, and future of jazz have been causing listeners’ jaws to drop. He stands as one of the music’s greatest living virtuosos.

Tickets: Members, $16; Non-members, $20. – For ticket charge, call The Schomburg Shop at (212) 491-2206 or Telecharge.com

Friday, February 12th & Saturday, February, 13th at 7pm & Sunday, February 14th at 3pm
Bananas: The Josephine Baker Story
Bananas, written by and starring Sloan Robinson is a one-woman theatre cabaret based on the life of Josephine Baker. Baker overcame the limitations imposed by the color of her skin, to become one of the world’s most versatile entertainers, performing on stage, screen and recordings.

Tickets: $20. For ticket charge, call The Schomburg Shop at (212) 491-2206 or Telecharge.com.

Monday, February 22nd at 7pm
We: An Intimate Set of Duets Featuring Wycliffe Gordon & Eric Reed
Bear witness to the unique pairing of trombone and piano and the supreme musicianship of jazz innovators Wycliffe Gordon and Eric Reed performing an intimate set of duets from their collaborative project ‘we’ featuring an assembly of original compositions, jazz standards and spirituals.

Tickets: $15. – For ticket charge, call The Schomburg Shop at (212) 491-2206 or Telecharge.com.
The Studio Museum In Harlem

Target Free Sundays
Each Sunday in February, the Studio Musuem of Harlem will focus on a specific African American inventor’s contribution to America and the world. Each program will feature a hands-on project related to that inventor’s work. For more information visit The Studio Museum of Harlem.

Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus
Kumble Theatre For The Performing Arts
1 University Plaza Brooklyn, NY 11201
Box Office: (718) 488-1624
kumble@brooklyn.liu.edu

Schomburg Center For Research In Black Culture
515 Malcolm X Boulevard
New York, NY 10037-1801
(212) 491-2200

The Studio Museum In Harlem
144 West 125th Street
New York, NY 10027
(212) 864-4500

Photo credit: Pierodemarchis photostream Flickr (Creative Commons)

As per  Eliot Mizrachi of MarketWire, “Since their inception in 1994, the ESRB ratings have become a trusted resource for parents when choosing computer and video games. In April 2007, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a report(1) which found that nine in ten parents are aware of the ESRB ratings, 87% expressed satisfaction, and nearly three quarters use them regularly when choosing games for their children.”

I am very pleased that ESRB has released this application for the iPhone. I actually find myself, more and more, going to the ESRB site or using the ESRB widget to look up game ratings. The app offers instant access to ESRB’s Ratings Guide and access to the over 18, 000 reviewed game titles. Which means, if you want to make certain that a game is age appropriate – you can quickly search for the game and get back ESRB ratings results. This is also helpful when you are not certain what the game Content Descriptors mean – for example “Comic Mischief” or “Lyrics.”

ESRB is not forgetting about those dads/parents who do not have iPhone’s. If you happen to fall into that category then you can access ESRB mobile from your web enabled phone - m.esrb.org.

The interface is what you would expect from ESRB – clean and simple. You have three options:

1. Search
2. Home
3. Ratings Guide

Moving between screens is a bit slow but let’s just blame the appalling AT&T network, for that one. I have a couple of concerns with the user interface (UI) – text is small and some of the buttons are small and too close to each other. There appears to be enough real estate so the text and buttons could be larger. This would make the UI more user-friendly. Honestly, these concerns are superficial and I have been recommending, to all my iPhone carrying dads, that they need to get this (free) app, sooner than later.

Photo credit: New York Times

I wanted to start a list of some of the Chanukah events I found going on in the New York area this year. This was not easy to do, as most of the events that came up in my search were from last year or even a couple of years before that. I was looking for events specifically for families with small children. If you are single, newly married or thought this list might have more parties, you should definitely check out Bangitout.com.

I tried to find events that were completely free, but there are some events included that aren’t free, but the event looked like a lot of fun so I just had to post it. Chanukah is one of my favorite Jewish holidays.

I’d love to hear if you attended any events from the list below and what you thought about it. If you have an event to post, please share it here!

Sunday, December 13

MENORAH MAKING

TIME12:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
COST FREE
LOCATION Central Park, Belvedere Castle, Central Park (Located mid-park at 79th Street), Manhattan
PHONE: (212) 772-0210.

ACTIVITIES Let your holiday spirit (and appetite!) grow while creating your very own edible Hanukkah menorah. This program is part of the Central Park Conservancy’s Winter Holiday Program series. For more information and to view the complete Winter Holiday Programs schedule, please visit www.centralparknyc.org/winterholidays.

HANUKKAHTHON

TIME: Children’s Galleries For Jewish Culture
LOCATION: 515 W. 20^th Street, Suite 4E
PHONE: 212-924-4500
COST: TBA

ACTIVITIES: Exhibitions, treasure hunt, music, prizes. Make Hanukkah lamps out of clay; create large dreidels; design “stained glass” decorations to hang in the window.
http://www.cgjc.org/

CHANUKAH MENORAH LIGHTING

TIME: 6:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Bay Terrace Shopping Center (upper level next to entrance to movie theater)
PHONE: 718-279-1457
COST: FREE Sponsored by Chabad of Northeast Queens

ACTIVITIES: Huge 18 foot Menorah * Live Music & Dancing * Sizzling Potato Latkes * Raffle * Edible Chanukah Gelt * Be entertained by Keith Leaf the Amazing Fire Juggler. For more information and for a listing of additional Chabad Chanukah activities go to the Chabad of Northeast Queens website,http://www.chabadnortheastqueens.com

Wednesday, December 16

CHANUKAH ON ICE NYC

TIME 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

COST: In Advance $22/Adult; $18/Children 3-13,

At the Door 25/Adult; $20/Children 3-13

LOCATION: Trump Wollman Rink in Central Park

ACTIVITIES: Now in its third year, Chanukah on Ice NYC is fast becoming a New York Chanukah tradition! On Wednesday, December 16th, with the dramatic New York skyline as a backdrop, Jewish families and singles will converge on Trump Wollman Rink in Central Park for a celebration on skates. Chanukah on Ice features Jewish music, traditional Chanukah refreshments and a giant sparkling Ice Menorah which is lit at the start of the program. In attendance this year at the Menorah Lighting is the popular acapella group Six13, who will serenade the audience with their version of Chanukah classics. The Chabad Centers of upper Manhattan are sponsoring this event, which drew close to 1,000 participants last year

CELEBRATE CHANUKAH AT THE JCC

TIME: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

COST: Free Member/Free Non-Member

LOCATION: 334 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10023

PHONE: (646) 505-4444

ACTIVITIES Celebrate the holidays in the lobby of the JCC. Crafts, stories, and more—a free drop-in program for your little one to enjoy. http://www.jccmanhattan.org

Photo credit: MissCGlass

WordCampNYC was last weekend. It was held at Baruch College – William and Anita Newman Vertical Campus. I had no expectations since it was my first WordCamp. I have to say that I was very pleased. The Conference was broken up into eight tracks (or sessions). I attended the Blogger Track. There were a great many topics covered from the very first session on Lifestreaming – presented by Erin Blaskie to Media Attention – presented by Michelle Leder. Two of my favorite presenters were Adria Richards and Corey Eulas.

Adria was my 1000th Twitter follower which was rather cool. We had a few laughs about it. In any event, Adria had two sessions 1. Borrow, Buy or Build and 2. Blueprint for Small Business. I enjoyed both sessions but Borrow, Buy or Build was my favorite – it covered WordPress Themes and whether you should use:

1. Free Themes
2. Commercial Themes
3. Custom Themes

Adria made the distinction that Free Themes are great because they are free but that support was poor at best; limited to Forum support in most cases. She continued to explain that Commercial Themes are those themes that you purchase – these have a structured support model but you should always ask for references. Lastly, Adria stated that Custom Themes are themes that require a developer/designer – always ask for references and customizations normally run from $200 to $6, 000. One of the most important pieces of advice she imparted was – always have a contract for Commercial and Custom Themes. This will set expectations and protect Intellectual Property (IP).

Corey Eulas covered SEO in his session. The session was 45 minutes long and as you may have already surmised, that is not nearly long enough to cover any SEO topic in great detail. With that said Corey did a wonderful job in covering the main topics and giving a broad overview of the SEO basics. He touched on topics like the importance of having a H1 and H2 Tag, that the  ”Google SEO 101 Guide” is a must read and that most readers don’t read below the fold.

Sunday wrapped up the WordCamp 2009 Conference. The majority of the conference were presentation lighting rounds. There were dozens of presentations but in my opinion these four were the best:

1. BuddyPress
2. WordPress MU
3. Elastic Theme
4. Press This

Well that is it folks. As I mentioned in the title – this was my first WordCamp and I really enjoyed myself. I learned more than I ever thought I would learn, the speakers where great, the location was good and the WordPress NYC folks did a very nice job in keeping these two days feature rich and smooth running. I can’t wait for next years WordCampNYC.

In the meantime, if you are interested in WordPress you don’t have to wait until next year. The WordPressNYC group meets monthly. They will be taking the month of December off. When they return in January, WordPressNYC will have a new home at Sun headquarters in NY.

Last note WordPress 2.9 should be out  sometime December.

“All consumers should know that piracy is illegal and that modifying their Xbox 360 console violates the Xbox Live terms of use, will void their warranty and result in a ban from Xbox Live,” Microsoft said in a statement on Wednesday.

The timing of this announcement corresponds with the release of “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.” This is one of the most anticipated Xbox games of the year. COD is a very profitable franchise for Microsoft and means big sales during the holidays; as such Microsoft is coming down hard on pirated copies. This is self evident by the actions Microsoft took this week. They explained that anywhere between 600,000 and 1 million players who use Microsoft’s Xbox Live gaming service will be cut off from the service. Why? Because gamers have modified their 360 or played games that were illegally downloaded from file-sharing sites, according to Microsoft.

In its Xbox Live “Terms of Use” Microsoft says that players are to use “only authorized software and hardware to access the Service,” and that they agree that their software and hardware “have not been modified in any unauthorized way.” Microsoft takes piracy and hardware modifications very seriously. I understand the consumer argument “but it’s my 360.” In Microsoft’s defense – we are using their services so we have to play by their rules.

Photo credit: Dimitris Kritsotakis

What does fall in New York City  mean to you?

For me, there is no city like this one, I believe that it is perhaps the best time to be in New York City, the autumn chill lets me know that it is time to enjoy the beautiful scenery and events as we get ready for yet another holiday season.

As we began the month with Daylight Savings Time, NY Metropolista will continue the momentum by making sure everyone gets the most of the fall by providing an in-depth look at upcoming events for November as the 2009 holiday season kicks off..

The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park- November 6, 2009 – January 3, 2010 @ The Pond at Bryant Park, located at 42nd St & 6th Ave

Veteran’s Day Parade – Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 @ 11 a.m. The Parade begins on Fifth Avenue at 23rd Street, continues up Fifth Avenue to 59th St

Cirque Du Soleil Wintuk - performances are held November 11, 2009 through January 3, 2010 from Wednesdays through Sundays at Madison Square Garden which is located in Manhattan on 7th Ave between 31st and 33rd Sts

Radio City Christmas Spectacular – kicks off on Friday, November 13th, 2009 running through the end of the year

Grand Central Holiday Gift Fair – November 23rd & 24th, 2009, 87 E. 42nd St.(@ Park Ave)

Eighth Annual Grand Central Holiday train show -  November 25th- 2009-January 18, 2010 at the New York Transit Museum Gallery Annex, located @ Grand Central Terminal, 42nd St between Vanderbilt & Lexington Aves

Union Square Holiday Market -  November 25, 2009-December 24th, 2009, Union Square West & East 14th St., Hours:Monday – Friday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – Thursday, November 26th, 2009 @9 a.m. The New Parade route for 2009 is as follows: It begins on 77th St & Central Park West, turning east onto Central Park South.  When the Parade reaches 7th Ave, the procession will turn south at the corner of Central Park South and march to 42nd St.  Traveling east along 42nd St from 7th to 6th Aves (Avenue of the Americas), the Parade will then head south and march to 34th St..  At 34th St., the procession will head west to Herald Square ending at 34th St. and 7th Ave. Don’t miss the inflating of the balloons the day before along Central Park West between 71st and 81st Streets approximately between 4:00 and 8:00pm!

Please note: The Parade will bypass Broadway from 58th to 34th Sts., including the Times Square area

South Street Seaport Tree Lighting - November 27th, 2009, 6pm, Pier 17, Fulton & South Sts

New York City’s Department Store Holiday Window Displays – the display windows begin unveiling towards the end of November, keep an eye out for them as you prepare for holiday shopping

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony -  December 2nd, 2009, festivities begin around 6:45pm, and the lighting takes place at 8:55pm sharp! 600 5th Ave

Photo credit: Carol Cain