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

Now that the snow has passed and you’re able to get out and about, why not add a little Mojo to your life? You won’t go home disappointed.

Mojo is a Harlem eatery located on the corner of 119th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. Occupying a corner unit of one of the area’s condo edifices, Mojo greets its patrons as a jeweled glass structure reflecting the rich colors of purple and red within out onto the street and the night air.

Don’t be surprised when you enter the tight confines of the restaurant. Real estate is at a premium in this area and Mojo’s floor plan is no different than any of its siblings in the area (despite appearing quite spacious in NBC’s American Express commercial that features the establishment).

The proximity issues that Mojo presents has its pros and cons. The cons being, if you’re uncomfortable sitting and eating next to strangers then this isn’t the place for you. On the flipside, if you don’t have these qualms, it’s easy to make friends (most who are area locals) while breaking bread.

The bread at Mojo, dubbed “New Harlem Cuisine” is a fusion of Mediterranean/Southern flavor and represents the diversity of Harlem. Impressive sounding and tasting menu items from the creative kitchen of Executive Chef Julio Sanchez’ include Buckwheat Fried Oysters, Harlem Fried Chicken Sliders, Moroccan Grilled Baby Lamb Chops, and Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri. The restaurant’s website touts their Sexy Grits as being the crowd favorite. I won’t say why they’re so sexy. You’ll have to find out on your own if the dish lives up to its claims. And if you’re the type who does desert, you can finish off a meal that pops with flavor with a tasty delight for your sweet tooth. How does Strawberry Tiramisu and Chocolate Mousse sound?

Owner, Mounir Jabrane’s grew up in both Belgium and Morocco before settling down and setting up shop in Harlem. One only needs to take a glance at the interior or peruse the menu to see the influences of these two countries. Mr. Jabrane, an affable restaurateur who takes the time to meet and greet his patrons, considers himself a throwback to the explosively creative times of the Harlem Renaissance. He’s doing his part to continue the tradition by featuring live music by unknowns and local favorites alike. You can call or check the website for performance dates and times. But what you can’t do is make a reservation unless your party is six or more. And on heavy nights, service can be spotty. Despite these minor inconveniences this writer’s humble opinion is that it is better to experience Mojo than not to.

Mojo
mojo-harlem.com
185 Saint Nicholas Avenue (at the corner of 119th Street)
New York, NY 10026-1200
(212) 280-1924

Photo courtesy of Mojo

Postabon, the first user generated discount platform that helps consumers find and share local in-store deals, launched the beta version of its platform in New York City. Users upload information about great local discounts via Postabon’s mobile web app or web site; these recommendations are then placed in a searchable list of relevant, user-tested discounts happening in the area right now.

Finding a great deal on Postabon is as easy as searching by category, proximity, rating or keyword. Postabon’s home screen recognizes the user’s current location and displays a map pinpointing the most relevant user tested deals nearby. Over time, the company will provide increasingly relevant discount results as users create profiles, search, post and vote on deals in their area.

Posting a deal is simple and takes the same amount of time it would take to send a text, tweet or post a Facebook status update. Deal finders are asked to enter basic information on the deal, such as the name of the store offering the discount, the expiration date and one of four deal categories – Eat, Shop, Entertain or Miscellaneous. The deal is automatically geo-tagged and uploaded to the Postabon platform in real time. Users can comment, save and assign ratings to deals. Each post is referred to as a “bon,” the French word for “good,” to signify a good contribution to the Postabon community.

No good deed on Postabon goes unnoticed, so each time a user uploads a deal, they are rewarded with Karma points that push their profiles onto Postabon’s Karma Board of leading contributors. Users can compete for the best Karma by region or deal category each week. Similar to Twitter, Postabon users can follow other users whose recommendations they find valuable and track new deals through a following feed.

Postabon instantly recognizes your location & pinpoints all the best deals taking place right now in that neighborhood. The deals are found for people by people. In the time it takes to send a tweet, shoppers can post info on great deals they find out about events, sales in retail stores, restaurant deals and basically anywhere else they take your money.

The Postabon deals are people-generated & not computer-generated, they include helpful hints like what floor to go to, what the selection is like, etc. Of course, great finds on cheap or free events are in the mix as well. Here’s an example of a free concert user ‘cityshopmom’ stumbled upon: http://postabon.com/pc/deal?guid=2016.

Other future plans include adding more cities to the Postabon network and opening the platform to allow advertisers to share their deals with the community in a transparent matter.

To get started with Postabon on an iPhone, Palm Pre, Android phone or on your computer, visit  www.postabon.com.

Photo credit: Mrktwain from stock xchange

The New York lifestyle and cost of living can sometimes be expensive, and if you are just starting out on your own, or are newly arrived here, these expenses can catch up to you, causing you to spend unwisely or mismanage your money.

And New Yorkers are not the only ones. According to many studies; the average American household carries about $9,000 in credit card debt. There are millions of Americans who manage to pay off their debt and many still struggling to get out of it.

One of the best ways to get out of debt is to assess the damage, organize your balances, and create a plan of attack.

Here are six tips that can help you get your credit card debt under control.

1. First things first – Stop using your credit cards. Consider taking all but one (for emergencies only) out of your wallet and leave them at home. Use cash only. If you can’t pay for it then you don’t need it. Credit cards are not our friends. When shopping, make a list and stick to it.
2. Set goals – know what you want to accomplish in both short and long terms.
3. Create a budget – this only helps you determine the whereabouts of your money. If you hate excel and don’t want to spend the money on Quicken. Mint.com may be a way to go; it is a free online money management system that will help you get your personal finances in order.
4. Create a debt reduction strategy – make a list of all your liabilities and begin paying them down. Dave Ramsey, a financial expert, suggests paying off the smallest debt first to create the greatest momentum and keep you motivated to accomplish the goal. Once you create your budget you would be able to see how much you can allocate to paying down debt every month.
5. Do not use retail store credit cards for their discounts. There is a possibility that these cards carry high interest rates and if you end up having a balance at the end of the month, you really didn’t get much of a discount to begin with.
6. Reduce interest rates – one phone call can save you a lot of money. Getting a credit card lender to lower your interest rate will help you pay off your outstanding balances quicker.

Even though New York is looked upon as being one of the most expensive cities to live in, it is possible to successfully live here without breaking the bank, even with children.  It takes careful planning and management, and the ability to not spend outside of your means. I, by no means consider myself a debt expert, just one of many who have been caught in the spending cycle. Take hold of your financial destiny; create a plan that will allow you to reap the benefits of the money you work hard to earn.

Photo Credit: DemandSudios.com