Keep the Holidays Going

Since we usually focus on Garden City-related stuff, this season we thought it fitting to provide you with a NYC holiday hit list. With NYC being a mere 35 minute train ride away, why not spend some vacation time enjoy a few NYC holiday hot spots that you may never have experienced before, in addition to the traditional faves of course. After all, what are the holidays without a little NYC tossed in? 

Most of us have ice skated at Wollman Rink or Rock Center, but have you tried South Street Seaport's Ice Rink? With a beautiful tree to skate beneath and plenty of great places to enjoy post-skating food or drinks (and lots of fantastic shopping), this may be THE place to skate. They're open seven days a week. Click here for details and hours. 

South Street Seaport Ice Rink

Rolf's at 281 Third Ave is just about the most Christmas-y bar/restaurant you could visit. Not only can you get some good wiener schnitzel here {the lamb shank is awesome too btw so bring your appetite}, you will see Christmas decorations unlike anything you've seen before. This room is right up there with the 21 Club in terms of unique decor. 

Rolf's

Winter Village at Bryant Park is another don't-miss holiday spot. There are over 100 boutique style holiday shops, a beautiful 55' Norway Spruce, plus an ice rink and Ice Bites, which offers plenty of comfort foods and hot drinks. Open daily from 7am-10pm until January 5th. Click here for more info.

Winter Village

If you haven't been before, visit the ultra-cool Origami Holiday Tree at the American Museum of Natural History. If you'd prefer to see dinos over decorations while at the Museum, they also have two 19 food barosaurs lit up for the holidays. Their tree comes down on January 11th. 

Origami Tree

Hit The Plaza for their special Snowflake Tea. Take in their beautiful decorations and holiday tree in the Fifth Ave Foyer. Of special interest are the tree's snowflake ornaments curated by Saks Fifth Ave especially for The Plaza. Snowflake Tea: $60 per adult. Fifth Ave at Central Park South. 

Try to spend some time in NYC this holiday season. A few things listed here are slightly off the beaten path- i.e., not within viewing distance of "the tree" at Rockefeller Center. But in NYC, it's all good, especially during the holidays. This may just be the best place to enjoy the season!


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Weekend Events Guide: December 19th Edition

'Tis the season for fun and cheer and stress and... Try to relax and enjoy the holiday spirit a bit this weekend by taking part in one of the festive events going on in or around Garden City.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday catch Annie, Jr. at the Broadhollow Theatre at Elmont. Friday- 7pm, Saturday 4pm, Sunday 2:30pm. Buy tickets here. 

Friday and repeating every night through January 4th- The Holiday Lights Spectacular at Jones Beach (west end). Over 2.5 miles of beautiful holiday scenes. There will also be pictures with Santa, a make your own S'mores station, refreshments, live performances by local school choirs, holiday music and more! 5pm to 10pm. Mon-Thur $20 per car. Friday-Sunday and Holidays $25 per car. Get more information here. Be sure to check the schedule before you go. 

Friday, Saturday, Sunday and every day until Christmas- enjoy the animated Christmas Holiday Story at Hicks Nurseries in Westbury. Meet Santa on Saturday and Sunday during these hours: 10am-1pm and 2pm-6pm.

Friday, Saturday and every day until December 23rd, see Santa at the Roosevelt Field Mall. Click here for more information on dates and times and to schedule your appointment with Santa. Even Santa has an appointment calendar these days!  

Saturday- Have breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Garden City Hotel. Seatings at 8:30am and 11:30am. Reservations required. Call 516-747-3000.

Saturday- Get your song on at Doc O'Grady's at 273 Nassau Blvd South. Karaoke from 8pm until 2am.

Saturday and Sunday- See Frosty the Snowman at the Broadhollow Theatre at Elmont. Show starts at 2pm on Saturday and 12pm on Sunday. Click here to buy tickets.  

Saturday and Sunday- Head to the Lakeshore Learning Center between 11am and 3pm for a different craft every Saturday. Click here to see what crafts are being made on specific dates. 2709 Hillside Ave, New Hyde Park. 516-616-9360. 

Saturday- The Nutcracker Ballet by New York Dance Theater at Hofstra University's Adams Playhouse. Friday- 2pm and 7pm. Saturday- 12noon and 5pm. Sunday- 12noon and 5pm. Cost $20-$40. Click here for more information. 

Sunday- Gingerbread house making at Capo Ristorante for kids. Includes your own gingerbread house, pasta or panini and a drink. $15 per child. Reservations required. 516-216-5177. 49 Covert Ave. 

Sunday- Max and Ruby in the Nutcracker Suite. NYCB Theatre at Westbury. 960 Brush Hollow Road. 1:00pm. Find more information here.

Thank you for reading www.InsideGardenCity.com. Please like us on Facebook. Enjoy the weekend!

A Local {Crowds Not Included} Holiday Gift Guide

With Christmas exactly one week away, Inside Garden City is happy to help you cross off those last few gifts from your list, all while keeping it local- our favorite ways to shop. You'll find an array of perfect presents below, each one local and available to you same day- no waiting for UPS to arrive. We created this gift guide featuring local businesses in hopes of alleviating some of your stress and also to show you the many gift options that are basically right on your doorstep (no crowded mall and no long lines- woo hoo!). Now maybe you'll have some extra time to grab a cup of holiday cheer.

The Pear Tree Shoppe at 169 7th St. is filled with treasures that are bound to please. I was so happy to see my fave black and gold horse bracelet. There's even an elephant one too now. I also love the initial totes- I will be buying one of these for someone on my list. So many unique earrings too.  Fur wrist wraps are perfect for adding a little something to a sweater or jacket. Price ranges vary so there's something for everyone here. 

Honestly Delicious at 61 New Hyde Park Road sells a fantastic gingerbread house that is already assembled and includes everything you need for decorating- including chocolate! This makes a great gift at $25. Throw in some gingerbread men (or ladies) and you're all set. They also have gift certificates which would make just about anyone happy.  

Madison's Niche at 186 7th St has something for everyone. For the guys on your list- gloves, the Bar Book, fancy bottle opener and other man cave-ish ideas. For the women- I loved the cozy slippers, this fab bracelet and more. For the hostess- cutting boards, hand towels, picture frames- like this cool tree frame below. You can add more picture frames to it as you like. In addition, their entire stock of Lysee Tops, Skirts and Dresses is 25% off!

 

A New Leaf Tea at 152 7th St is just the place to shop for the tea lover! The tea cups with built-in steepers make a great gift, as do the travel mugs. I love this red tea pot below.  

Envie 182 7th St. You'll find something here that will outshine the tree topper. Grab a sparkly bag or a statement necklace for a friend (or yourself- no judgement here). I love the gold cuff bracelets and check out those cute little skirts- oh wait- they're actually the most adorable aprons you've ever seen! There's no shortage of WOW gifts at Envie- they may just make you want to behave for Santa. Plus, all ponchos, wraps and sweaters are 25% off. Everything else in the store is 20% off through Sunday!

Coquette 173 7th St carries a number of hot clutches that come in an assortment of colors- good for any woman of any age. They also have some fab jewelry pieces- such as this necklace below that I just may return for tomorrow. 

New York Running Company 191 7th St. carries OOFOS clogs and flip flops. Will these become the new Crocs next summer? Unlike most flip flops, they have great arch support and are super comfy. The vests will keep your runner warm and styling' and you can always find great stocking stuffers here- like quality running socks or hats. 

 

  

Garden City Fine Wines and Spirits 166 7th St. Instead of the traditional Bailey's this year, try a pumpkin pie cream liquor or if someone on your list needs to chill, a bottle of Relax wine will do the trick and make a cute gift too ; )

 

Sunflower Fine Art at 172 7th St will have just what you're looking for if you want to show up with something a little bit different this holiday. There's something to fit most budgets here. Of course, I spotted this pineapple immediately. And Santa's sleigh would make the perfect hostess gift.

Salon Imperiale at 668 Franklin Ave is ready to fill your stockings with gift certificates and hair products. They're offering a Rusk Hydrate duo pack- usually $30, now only $20 but just until Christmas.  

Beauty Kiss at 679 Franklin Ave has some delicious stocking stuffers for you- like their new lip scrubs, luxurious hand cream and cool soaps. 

You don't have much time to get your shopping done, but if you shop local, I can pretty much guarantee that you'll have a much more enjoyable, personal experience. And chances are there will be some pretty unique gifts under the tree this year. Happy Shopping!

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Walking Through A Feldis Wonderland

Have you been inside Feldis Florist recently on Seventh St.? It really feels like you have stepped into a mini winter wonderland of Christmas. 

Ed and Janine are there, as usual, welcoming and serving local customers. They always make me smile when I go in there to shop. Speaking of, Ed is very enthused about the food bank they are running and wants to get the word out. See picture below. When you have a few extra minutes, be sure to drop by and drop off some non-perishable food to help fight hunger this holiday season. Ed is committed to collecting a ton of food this year and encourages all to participate.

As far as the holiday season goes, Feldis is filled to the brim with goodies- flowers, wreaths, trees and gifts galore. You can't walk out without feeling like you just got a little more Christmas spirit in you! I'll let these photos do the talking:

 

This adorable shop is located at 160 Seventh St. Try to stop in- even if it's just to catch a glimpse of the beautiful wonderland the Feldis crew has created. Happy Holidays! 

Phone: 516-747-3330

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Garden City Insider of the Month: Vinny Muldoon

We're excited to introduce our next Garden City Insider of the Month!

When you think of beautiful homes throughout Garden City or perhaps doing a construction project in your own house, the name that probably comes to mind is: Vinny Muldoon.

For the few of you who may not know the name, Vinny Muldoon is an expert contractor and owner of Old World Quality Corp--a Garden City based full service construction company. In 1986 he left Ireland (where he grew up on a farm as the youngest of ten children) for Boston, MA. In Boston, he fell in love with his wife, Dina {and also with the U.S.A.}. They moved to Long Island and lived in Franklin Square before settling in Garden City. Soon after moving to Long Island, Vinny started his own contracting business and the rest as they say... is history.

Of course we asked Vinny our regular Insider of the Month Qs and he was very happy to oblige.

What inspires you? Two things inspire me. The first is the ambition that I inherited from my parents. My work ethic comes from growing up on a farm; it builds character. The second is that I want to be known as the number two guy in Garden City- the first being AT Stewart. AT Stewart developed the most spectacular town and paid a lot of attention to detail. I would like to make a huge impact on the town as well, in regards to construction and development. I am also a very detailed person and I want to continue enhancing this beautiful town.

What is your favorite Garden City restaurant? There are so many great restaurants in our town. I support them all. I love steak, burgers, sushi. I like a lot of variety so I share the wealth.

What is your favorite Garden City store? I love to support all of the local stores. We should all do that. My wife is more of the shopper. I'm task-oriented, like the typical male. I'm in and out of a store in 30 secs.

What do you love most about Garden City? The people. The people here are phenomenal. They are quality, genuine, hard working people. This is a great place to raise kids and it's a town with a lot of architectural beauty. Also, there is no better combination of phenomenal schools and sports programs anywhere in the country. Our schools and sports combined are second to none.

What is your favorite thing to do in Garden City? I love to hang out with my wife and kids. I'm a sports nut. I love to follow my kids in their sports events. I also enjoy playing golf.

What would you change about Garden City? We need to move St. Paul's forward. There's been too much politics and bickering when we really need to advance the ball. The structure is filled with spectacular architectural pieces inside and out. It is an unbelievable architectural gem on Long Island and in New York State. I believe that it represents all that's good about Garden City and this town wouldn't be the same without it. It's so unique and special. At the very least, we should make an effort to preserve it as an architectural gem. It's a shame that it hasn't been preserved as of yet because it represents the history of this great town.

Do you have any advice for Inside Garden City readers? Help as many people and neighbors as you can. Give as much back to the community as you can. This means sacrificing your time, effort and money to do so. The key to being successful is your ability to help other people and make this world and this community a better place.

Vinny will be honored at this year's Pineapple Ball as "Citizen of the Year" for the many services his company has performed throughout Garden City and beyond. You can visit Vinny's website here.


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Weekend Events Guide: December 12th Edition

The Countdown begins... Only 12 days of Christmas shopping left! If you are still looking for holiday gifts or just need to de-stress from the busy days of preparing, shopping and planning, we've got some great activities for you this weekend:

Friday- Join your neighbors and friends at the Garden City Christmas Holiday Spectacular on Seventh St. The event kicks off at 5pm and winds down at 10pm.  Elsa and Princess Anna will have a meet and greet from 6pm to 7pm, followed by a performance by Elsa at 7pm. Santa will make his way to Seventh St at 7:30pm. Head to TCBY for face painting and balloon animals. The band Fivestone will be performing Christmas music and the stores on Seventh St. will be open for business. Fire drums, carolers and beautiful new lighting promise to make the evening warm and bright. Don't miss it!

Friday and repeating every night through January 4th- The Holiday Lights Spectacular at Jones Beach (west end). Over 2.5 miles of beautiful holiday scenes. There will also be pictures with Santa, a make your own S'mores station, refreshments, live performances by local school choirs, holiday music and more! 5pm to 10pm. Mon-Thur $20 per car. Friday-Sunday and Holidays $25 per car. Get more information here.

Friday, Saturday and every day until December 23rd, see Santa at the Roosevelt Field Mall. Click here for more information on dates and times and to schedule your appointment with Santa. Even Santa has an appointment calendar these days! 

Friday and Saturday- Celebrate a Night in Bethlehem at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Garden City. See what it was like in Jesus' time- walk through Bethlehem, buy goods in the marketplace, visit the workshop and see the live manger. 7-9pm each night. 420 Stewart Ave. 

Saturday- See Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells based on the book by Barbara Park. Show starts at 2pm at the Tilles Center. Click here to buy tickets.

Saturday- Head to the Lakeshore Learning Center between 11am and 3pm for a different craft every Saturday. Click here to see what crafts are being made on specific dates. 2709 Hillside Ave, New Hyde Park. 516-616-9360. 

Sunday- The Garden City Community Church will hold a Christmas Candlelight Vesper Service and Carol Sing. Catch this beautiful concert of Christmas music at 4:30pm followed by an optional dinner in Gardner Hall. Located on Stewart Ave between Kensington Road and Whitehall Blvd.

Saturday- Have breakfast with Santa at the Garden City Hotel. 
Seatings at 8:30am and 11:am. 516-747-3000.

Sunday- Head to the Winter Concert at Adelphi's Westermann Stage in Concert Hall. The Waldorf Choral Society performs Christmas and Hanukkah songs. The 70-voice Adelphi Chorus will perform holiday classics and choral masterworks. Enjoy carols and folksongs from around the world. 8pm. Tickets: $18-$20. Call 516-946-1540 or click here for more information.

Sunday- The Fresh Beat Band performs at the NYCB Theatre in Westbury. Click here for tickets. Shows at 12pm and 4pm. 


Thanks for reading www.InsideGardenCity.com. Please like us on Facebook. Have a great weekend! 

Gingerbread House Party- Run, Run as Fast as You Can

A Gingerbread man walks into a bar with a parrot on his shoulder. Bartender asks "Where did you get that from?" Parrot says "The bakery next door."

If you're tired of getting shut out of the Garden City Library's Gingerbread House making program but visions of sugar plums are still dancing through your head, we've got good news for you. Inside Garden City is excited to tell you that there is finally another {local} option. And it's going to be the most bumpin', pumpin' Gingerbread House Party you've ever been to!

On Sunday, December 21st,  from 11am-2pm, bring your children to Capo Ristorante on Covert Ave, just one block south from La Bella Bakery and Maddy's Toys. Capo will be set up with all the fixins' for some serious Gingerbread House-Making. Children will not only build their own gingerbread house but they'll also enjoy a pasta dish or one of Capo's {ultra-delish} panini and a drink. Think candy canes, Christmas music and lots of holiday fun. $15 per child.

And since the adults don't want to be shut out either, Capo is hosting a Gingerbread House Party for grown-ups! On Tuesday, December 16th from 7:30-10:30pm, enjoy your own Gingerbread House plus wine and tapas. $35 per person. A great idea for a girls night out (think of it as the holiday version of a paint night) or grab your significant other for something different to do this season.

Seating is limited and reservations are required so run, run as fast as you can... (womp womp)... . 

Capo Ristorante is located at 49 Covert Ave in Floral Park, between Salisbury and Marshell Aves. Call 516-216-5177 to make a reservation for either or both events.


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