February 14th is coming, and all the lovebirds anxiously await. However, single people should not be left out, especially those in New York City. What makes this Valentine’s Day more special is that it immediately precedes President’s Day, leaving you with a long weekend full of various activities. Heart-shaped chocolate and restaurants are nice, but why not try some new things? No matter what your relationship status is, check out the below recipe for a legendary Valentine’s Day experience.

Play Any of These Unconventional Romantic Movies (Netflix & Chill)

That’s right, we don’t mean sappy romantic films such as A Walk To Remember, The Notebook, or Serenity! Love comes in all shapes and sizes, and some motion pictures highly utilize this to their advantage. If you want to watch a couple that had a bad breakup and consequently erased each other from their memories, go for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, starring Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey. Aside from winning an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, the film effortlessly blends romance, comedy, drama, and science fiction with a nonlinear narrative. The main characters might have forgotten one another, but you’ll remember this film for years to come.

 In Her Shoes is a hilarious and dramatic portrayal of the bond between two completely different sisters (who wear the same shoe size), played by Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette, and how they reconnect with their grandmother (Shirley MacLaine). Aside from a stellar cast, one of the film’s best features is its realism, particularly when the sisters argue. Although it is lengthy for a ‘dramedy’, the scenes are appropriately paced to showcase the layers of each character.

Another one-of-a-kind romance movie would definitely be the delightful About Time. The plot revolves around Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson), who possesses the gift of time travel (like his father and all the men in his family), and uses it to win the heart of Mary (Rachel McAdams). Cheesy? Don’t be fooled. The main storyline is the friendship between Tim and his father (Bill Nighy), revealed by the latter’s time travel lessons and events following his terminal cancer diagnosis. Nevertheless, the film maintains a light, bittersweet mood while squeezing in a few laughs. For those who consider Sunday a family day, watch this with your folks.

Watch Your Love, Our Musical!

Are you a musical fan in need of a hilarious comedy show? Don’t miss this musical-comedy improv at Littlefield on Saturday, February 13! The talented and witty pair, Rebecca Vigil and Evan Kaufman, select a couple from the crowd and ask them how they fell in love. Then, they use the unusual experiences from the story to produce an impromptu musical performance. Buy your tickets now for $10-12 here!

Feel The Love In Times Square

Whether you’re looking for a new romance, planning to propose to your longtime partner, or simply love witnessing romantic gestures, head over to Times Square, Duffy Square this Sunday in order to see live marriage proposals, vow renewals, and wedding ceremonies! Not to forget, you can kiss in private using the Heart of Hearts kaleidoscopic kissing booths. Finding love in the big city just got easier.

Slow Jam The Night Away

Go back to the good ol’ ’70s on Saturday with this musical event presenting five supreme soul artists: The Stylistics (“You Are Everything,” “Break Up to Make Up,” and “You Make Me Feel Brand New”), Dramatics (“In the Rain” and “Whatcha See is Whatcha Get”), New Birth (“Dream Merchant,” “It’s Been A Long Time,” “I Can Understand It”), Ray, Goodman and Brown (“Special Lady”), and Jobie Thomas’s Enchantment (“Gloria,”“Sunshine” and “It’s You That I Need”). Upper West Side residents who enjoy the powerful and social messages of soul music have to immediately reserve for the 3pm or the 8pm show at The Beacon Theatre. Prices range from $49.50 to $79.50, which is a great deal given the amount and quality of performers!

Have a Bloody Valentine

Horror fans (or anti-Valentine activists), add Varick Street to your weekend destination! Blood Manor, the city’s leading haunted attraction, is organizing the 2016 Bloody Valentine from Friday until Sunday. Enjoy scaring your friend/sweetheart while walking through the haunted house. You can also trade candy and flowers for bloody hatchets plus gore-stained chainsaws. American Horror Story and The Walking Dead have got nothing on this! Several ticket packages include one black rose in memory of your ill-fated love. Click here to see the event times for each day and purchase your tickets (Tip: Prices are reduced by $5 for both General Admission and RIP Express Entry!).

Which activities will you go with? Answer in the comments below.

The post 5 Recommendations for a Unique Valentine’s Day appeared first on NYC Luxury Apartments for Rent | Glenwood Management.

You know it will happen again, and maybe soon: you splurge on Broadway tickets for you and the kids, or you and your sweetheart; or someone gives you a pair as a gift; or you're in charge of out of town visitors who just HAVE to see [insert latest show with movie stars]. Which is all great, I have nothing against Broadway spectacles, they're just a bit out of my price range for a frequent entertainment option. Anyway, sometimes the most difficult part of seeing a Broadway show–not including wading through Times Square–is figuring out where to grab a quick dinner before the curtain. You want someplace close, but it can't be terrible (everything on Restaurant Row), or crazy pricey (Esca), or a full-on tourist mob scene (Shake Shack). Enter the latest upscale food court, City Kitchen, which, though tiny when compared to, say, Hudson Eats or Gotham West, has several first-rate vendors and is conveniently located on Eighth Avenue and on 44th Street. And if you work in the area, your lunch options just got a whole better.

Welcome To City Kitchen in Times Square

I popped into City Kitchen pretty late (for me) last Friday night after a day of art fairs, and was relieved that, although plenty busy–it's attached to a hotel, Row NYC, with its steady stream of guests/eaters–there weren't really lines at any of the vendors. Basically: it didn't feel desolate, a definite danger considering it's above street level, but I could get a seat, and my food, right away. Apparently City Kitchen is somehow connected to the folks at Urban Space, who do, among other things, the big holiday markets and Mad Sq. Eats, so the line up here is both familiar and welcome. Among the first-rate food options: Luke's Lobster, with their always-a-pleasure lobster rolls; Dough's donut crowd-pleasers; interesting Middle Eastern fare from ilili Box (next time I'm trying their Duck Shawarma); flavored shaved snow–with crazy toppings like Pocky Sticks and Fruity Pebbles–from Wooly's; and, maybe most exciting, the Kuro Obi ramen stand, which is an offshoot of the great Ippudo.  

What To Eat at City Kitchen

All of the above is pretty much can't-miss for satisfying all sorts of tastes and moods–this is why these food courts are good for a crowd, especially if a member or two of the crew are picky eaters–but on this night I headed straight for the Whitman's booth, whose down-home burger spot in the East Village has long been a favorite. And although I did NOT get the PB&B Burger (with peanut butter and bacon) because of a missed communication, my straight-up Upstate Burger was excellent, cooked medium rare as requested, the plentiful toppings fresh and lively. I also tried the Al Pastor taco–that's the roasted pork with pineapple one that Alex Stupak (among many others) do so well–from Gabriela's but, as feared (and even though the crew assured me it would not be the case) the pre-shredded meat was terribly dry from sitting under the heat lamp for however many hours. Oh well. Good thing there are plenty of other options at City Kitchen from which to choose!

For More Information on City Kitchen

City Kitchen is located at 700 Eighth Avenue, just north of 44th Street, and is open from 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. every day. For more info and complete menus from each of the vendors, see here.

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There were a few years there, back when my kids were younger, when one of our favorite summer traditions was to spend a few days in August doing all sorts of touristy things. Most of the stuff, frankly, was pretty forgettable–one notable exception was the Ellis Island Museum–but the staycation's centerpiece was always a blast: hitting the TKTS booth in the morning and going to whatever big Broadway musical we could get into that night.

We had a great time at the likes of Wicked, Mamma Mia, and the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. August is a perfect time to take in a show, and the choices are plentiful!  Newsies, Rocky, Cinderella, and Motown the Musical are all up for grabs, among many others.

Beyond the Broadway Experience

Of course, there are plenty of terrific smaller theaters throughout the city where you'll also find first-rate shows (and at much cheaper prices) geared toward the younger set.

• In Central Park this summer, for example, Bessie's Big Shot (in which a cow pursues her dream of joining the circus) is playing several times a day at the iconic Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre.
• Summerstage Kids has a full slate of free performances throughout the rest of summer, highlighted by a usually-fantastic National Dance Institute (above) production on Tuesday, August 5. 

The best of Off-Broadway Entertainment

Theatreworks USA in Chelsea is hosting its annual, month-long schedule of free performances (it ends August 22), and this year the show is The Lightning Thief, based on Rick Riordin's massive bestseller of (almost) the same name. In the East Village, La Mama offers up Mulan: The Percussion Musical, staged by the great Red Poppy Ladies' Percussion group, which promises to be loud and lively fun (bonus: excellent ice cream right next door). Or you can treat the crew to any number of classic, crowd-pleasing Off- (and Off-Off-) Broadway shows, from Blue Man Group and Stomp (both of which are almost always at TKTS) to the Gazillion Bubbles Show and the new, more teenage-orientated Wayra Fuerza Bruta in Union Square.           

What Broadway shows did you see? Did we miss any great shows? Tell us in the comments! 

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