Tag: Hornblower Cruise

No Wrap Father’s Day Gifts

Post author By Ellen Johnson
Post date June 16, 2017

The day of the dads is this weekend – Sunday, June 18 – and if you haven’t gotten around to buying a gift yet, this one’s for you.

Don’t rush to the department store in a harried frenzy just to leave with another satin tie or leather watchband. Your dad has enough ties, we promise. This Father’s Day, think outside the box. Here’s a list of five out-of-the-box ideas to make dad feel special this weekend and all year. Sometimes the best gifts can’t be wrapped.

Father’s Day Cruises

Set sail this Sunday and give your dad an experience instead of a gift. Two NYC cruise lines are offering Father’s Day cruises, and with a predicted sunny forecast, Father’s Day 2017 is the perfect time to get outside and enjoy the water.

Hornblower, a cruise and event line, is offering a Father’s Day Beer & Brunch Cruise (best combo ever!). The cruise will sail past New York landmarks like Governor’s Island, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty while passengers enjoy an outpouring of mimosas, beer, live music and mouthwatering brunch foods. The cruise is two hours and tickets start at $100. Bookings are available on their website.

Classic Harbor Line is also setting sail with Father’s Day cruises this Sunday. Choose from a variety of sailing and brunch cruises and whisk your family away for a day on the open water. More information is available on their website.

Photo courtesy of Classic Harbor Line

Pastry Subscription

What’s that one thing you dad loves more than his family (and golf)? If he’s like the rest of us, it’s pastries. Mah Ze Dahr, an up-and-coming bakery that’s been recently coined as a must-try by the likes of the New York Times and Eater, is offering the quintessential gift for the bakery-loving dads of NYC. The MZD “black card” subscription allows members to scoop a complimentary pastry every day for a year. For $300 this gift will keep your dad full and happy for 365 days, not just one.

Photo courtesy of Mah Ze Dahr

Monthly Cheese Club

Monthly clubs, subscriptions and boxes are always a pleasing gift option. With a variety of options and products that vary from month to month, monthly subscriptions are the gift that keeps on giving, and surprising. Dean & Deluca offers a number of monthly clubs, including their Cheese of the Month Club which can be purchased in quantities of three, six and 12 months. Your cheese-loving dad will go crazy for the menagerie of gouda, swiss and brie, as well as accompanying crackers and jams each month. Options start at $195. Dean & Deluca also has a selection of other snacks and items perfect for dads available on their website.

Photo courtesy of Dean & Deluca

Monarch Rooftop Bar

See Father’s Day from the clouds! Rooftop bars are having a moment right now, and the city is sure to keep the trend going this Father’s Day. Monarch Rooftop Lounge is celebrating in style this Sunday with a $7 beer special that will go all day. They’ll have plenty of specialty cocktails and food to go around and keep everyone happy.

Photo courtesy of Monarch

Drink Specials at Lovage

Another rooftop attraction this Father’s Day is Lovage Rooftop Lounge, the sister rooftop to Monarch. The establishment is giving a free glass of bourbon to all dads in attendance. Bring your dad to see the city views of the Empire State Building and Hudson River and enjoy their extensive drink menu.

Photo courtesy of Lovage

Tags Cheese, classic harbor line cruises, coffee, dean & deluca, father's day, father's day 2017, Hornblower, Hornblower Cruise, Lovage Rooftop Lounge, Mah-Ze-Dahr, Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery, Monarch Rooftop, monthly cheese club, sailing

Events News

One Harbor, Two Mayors: A Multitude of Waterfronts

Post author By Downtown Magazine
Post date May 11, 2017

Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez, Representative for New York’s 7th Congressional District

Wednesday morning, Downtown had the pleasure of attending one of the most important conversations for our city, 2017’s Waterfront Conference hosted by the Waterfront Alliance. The Alliance works to protect, transform, and revitalize our harbor and waterfront.

New York City’s 109th mayor, Bill de Blasio

This year’s Waterfront Conference — Measuring Our Harbor: Strong, Healthy, and Open — featured the Mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio, and the Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Ras J. Baraka, leading an all-star lineup of participants and panelists discussing waterfront issues and opportunities of the two states that share New York Harbor. Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez opened up the conference and shared her passion and admiration for the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway and her concerns for the future of our waterfront infrastructure.

With nearly 600 waterfront advocates, policy-makers, and professionals in attendance, the Waterfront Conference is and has been a staple in not only prevention of additional devastation of our waterfront by rising sea levels and planet warming but also the economic importance of our beautiful waterways.

“NYC Ferry is already bringing thousands more New Yorkers back to the water,” said Mayor de Blasio. “We believe every New Yorker has a right to experience their waterfront, and that’s why we’re investing in affordable ferry transit, in new greenways and esplanades, and in resiliency measures to keep our waterfront communities strong. We are excited to join our friends at the Waterfront Conference to celebrate this extraordinary progress.”

Bill de Blasio addressing concerns of the future of the waterfront aboard the *Hornblower* *Infinity*

“The City of Newark is pleased to join the dialogue on our shared waterfront at the Waterfront Conference,” said Mayor Baraka. “Just like the three-mile-long strait that connects the waters of Newark Bay with the Upper New York Bay, those of us in leadership in this region are irrevocably joined in matters which affect the environment and its effects on our citizens. I believe that a discourse on the value that our waterfront brings to the economic viability and health and well-being of our communities is both critical and necessary.”

The Waterfront Conference was held aboard the Hornblower Infinity, dockside at Hudson River Park, Pier 40, in the morning, and cruised the New York Harbor throughout the afternoon.

Photography by Ian Douglas/Waterfront Alliance

Tags ferries, Hornblower Cruise, Hornblower Infinity, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Mayor Ras J. Baraka, New York Ferry, New York Harbor, Rep Nydia M. Velázquez, Waterfront Alliance, Waterfront Conference

Culture Entertainment Lifestyle Living Movies News

iPic now open in the South Street Seaport

Post author By Eva Troester
Post date October 13, 2016

Last weekend marked the official opening of the brand new iPic theater at the South Street Seaport on Oct. 7. Located at 11 Fulton Street in the remodeled Fulton Market building, this is iPic’s first NYC location, and we have no doubt that this will be the new go-to for Lower Manhattan’s moviegoers — and draw crowds from all over the city.

“The experience, the architecture, the art that you saw when you walked in here, we don’t replicate that from location to location. So each location is unique onto itself,” said Michelle Soundry, founder and CEO of Gab Group who handles iPic’s PR.

“I’m really excited to share this experience with you and for you to meet all of the incredible spear headers behind the iPic brand experience,” Soundry said as she welcomed the guests at the press preview on Oct 6.

The Seaport’s new iPic theater features eight auditoriums with plenty of seats — even debuting their new options: iPic’s patented Pod and Chaise Lounge seating, bringing the experience to the ultimate comfort level. Each seat also comes with a blanket and pillow and equipped with buttons to make sure, your seat is exactly to your comfort.

“We looked at every aspect of movie-going, looked at all of the negatives and turned the negatives into positives. The four biggest complaint we heard from people were they have sticky floors, noisy, kids are running in and out of the theater. It’s not comfortable, so we addressed every single one of them,” explained Hamid Hashemi, President & CEO of iPic Entertainment.

“Looking at the comfort and convenience that you have in your home, what do we do? We lie on a couch, really comfortable, great sound system, pillow and a blanket and you sip on your drink. Now you can do it right inside of an auditorium and have an assured experience,” he continued.

More than that — and probably our favorite part — the menu! There is the “Dining in the Dark” experience, in which food will be brought to your seat all at the mere push of a button.

Masterfully created by chef Sherry Yard and master bartender and sommelier Adam Seger, no one will be left hungry or thirsty. Just wanting more. And luckily there is plenty to choose from. The menu reads dishes such as Reuben Croquettes and Chinois Chicken Salad Wrap, while the drink menu shakes up specialty cocktails like Empire State of Mind Manhattan and Big Apple Margarita.

“I think it’s all important for you to know that we make everything we can from scratch, and if it isn’t made from scratch, it’s made by friends of mine and they make it to my speck,” said Sherry Yard about the quality of the menu. It features many dishes made in collaboration by Yard and her friends.

“To understand the food just a little bit, it’s always my favorite food that I love to eat, I call it crave-able American cuisine, food that I love to eat every day,” Yard explained.

The cocktails deserve a few words of their own. An extensive list of specialty cocktails mixed with tried-and-true classics, seasonal brews and coffee “dessertails” for a little sweet pick-me-up.

“What’s really behind it is the passion and the love — and that’s what iPic is all about. The passion that everyone has about the movies, we try and bring that in the glass for you. And it doesn’t just stop at the cocktails, if you’re a beer drinker, we’re working with some of the top micro-brewers here in the city,” said Adam Seger.

“I absolutely love making drinks and I hire people who love making drinks. And that’s really at the essence of at the deference of what we’re all about,” he added.

Guests can enjoy both the food and the drinks without the movie experience. On the third floor of the multiplex, they will find the Tuck Room, a destination drinking and dining den inspired by the city that brought cocktail culture to vibrant life.

The iPic theater has found itself in great company at the South Street Seaport with neighbors such as Guess and Hornblower Cruise and events as well as the future home of Momofuku and a Jean Georges restaurant. The iPic theater will be yet another attraction at the Seaport only cementing the Seaport District as one of the hottest destinations of Lower Manhattan.

“First of all, we’re thrilled to have iPic opening their first cinema in New York in the South Street Seaport. It’s exactly what we’ve been telegraphing to the market where we want to go,” explained Phillip St. Pierre, General Manager for the South Street Seaport.

“iPic has a wonderful experience that they’re delivering to the customer and – that’s kind of a thread that you’re going see running throughout everything that we do over the next few years. It’s all going to be about experiences and bringing something to Manhattan that isn’t really easy to place in any particular project,” he added.

Downtown was in attendance for iPic’s press opening on Oct 6. and was delighted to try out the full experience with comfortable seating, cocktail concoctions, bites of the crave-able food and an exclusive preview of the psychological drama, Girl on the Train.

“Welcome! We have waited a long time for iPic to arrive in Lower Manhattan. I’m thrilled to have attended the press opening. You can be sure that find me at iPic enjoying their first-class seating, Adam’s delicious and creative cocktails along with Chef Sherry’s 5 star bites,” said Grace A. Capobianco, CEO and Publisher of Downtown after the event.

The Seaport District’s new iPic theater held its grand-opening on Friday Oct. 7, and is now open every day for guests to enjoy the luxury dine-in movie experience, that iPic Theaters have become known and loved for. Read more about the theater, showing schedule and its memberships on their website.