Slip-Slidin’ Away…

If you’re in midtown Manhattan, be prepared for a new fitness craze to start up pretty much every other week. At least, that’s how it seems sometimes. The latest one to hit midtown is Slip ‘N Slide.   

Manhattaners can find classes at the Revolution in Motion Studio.  It’s a bit like speed skating, but without the skates! 

What’s great about this new workout is that it’s fun, while providing a complete body highly intense, but low impact workout, focusing on the nervous system. This makes it very good for those recovering from a sports injury or even a stroke, etc.   And, it only takes an hour.  It was chiropractor Dr. Edythe M. Heus (who also happened to be the head trainer for ‘Spider Man: Turn Off the Dark’ musical) who started it all.

Participants wear special booties over their sneakers and two participants are on each board.  Each board has plastic bumpers fastened to the corners to help stop them sliding off. Initially it is an adjustment to just remain upright. But soon enough arm swings are added to increase the momentum of the workout. It’s great for balance too.

It’s challenging at first, but a lot of fun and truly great as a workout and an overall enhancement of body confidence.

Who knows what the midtown will get next?

Xand Meets Manhattan

Xand is opening a new sales office in the heart of midtown Manhattan.  The firm – a principal provider of cloud, managed services, colocation and disaster recovery – is hoping to meet a growing need for its services in the New York area.  According to Yatish Mishra, company CEO and President, the firm has encountered “unrelenting demand for our portfolio of managed IT infrastructure services from clients based in New York City. Our strategy of operating data center facilities safely away from coastal flood plains and urban threats zones has proven to be incredibly attractive to clients in Tier I markets like New York. The establishment of a dedicated sales office in the heart of New York City allows our company to better serve this burgeoning market by increasing access and convenience while also introducing more options to New York-based firms.”

This won’t be Xand’s first presence in New York.  The company already has six data center facilities throughout the Northeast. One of these is the newly-expanded center located in Hawnthorne.  It also has data centers in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

Midtown Manhattan’s Gold ATM

Even though it was to London which the Dick Whittington referral was made about streets being paved with gold, that was the 19^th century.  Perhaps now the reference could be changed to Manhattan.  Because in Midtown Manhattan, there is now an ATM that dispenses…gold!  The Stack’s Bowsers Gold-to-go ATM is located on West 57^th Street.  Users (with money of course) can access gold through this machine with their credit card or cash.  One ounce gold bars are “retailing” here for approximately $1,300.  For those with less money to spare, 10 gram bars are on “sale” for around $490 and 5 gram bars for $255, subject to market fluctuations. And it’s not just gold.  Silver lovers can buy their coins too, together with a commemorative Bronx Zoo silver coins and pieces. 

The machine was purchased a couple of years ago by Andrew Bowers from TG-Gold-Super-Markt.  At the time, the US only had two others like it – one in Vegas and the other in Atlantic City.  So for those who find themselves walking around the city that never sleeps, here is yet another attraction to keep them entertained!

Canal Street Shopping Gets a Boost

It seems like SoHo’s Canal Street shopping is just about to get a whole lot better.  Elli Ausubel – who is a partner with White Bay Group Uriel Cohen – has purchased a large, 25,000 sq. ft. building.  

Ausubel purchased the building – with a group of buyers – for $24.8m. There are future plans to put a further $17.3m into it with renovations, with a bridge loan from Investors Bank.

According to Eastern Union Funding broker David Eisen (who arranged the financing for this investment), the fact that Ausubel received this bridge loan is good news and makes his decision to invest here a logical one.  He said:

"They believe they can secure a marquee national retail tenant for this space.There are a lot of people banking right now that Canal is going to be the next big shopping corridor.It was a real sign of confidence on behalf of the lender in both the borrower and also the way the neighborhood is poised to change."

In addition, given that rents in Canal Street are relatively cheap, it will gain momentum and popularity for shoppers and tenants alike.

Midtown Manhattan Comes to Florida

When it comes to high-end buildings, the nation is full of them.  But for those looking for a piece of Manhattan in the sunshine state, that’s not so common.  Thanks to Vladimir Doronin, chairman of Moscow’s Capital Group, that is about to become possible.

Together with Miami developer Ugo Colombo of CMC Group Inc., Doronin is in the final stages of negotiations to develop the extremely high end Brickell Flatiron.  The Flatiron name is most often connected to the iconic Flatiron building located in Manhattan on Fifth Avenue and Broadway.  Likewise it has a triangular shape, akin to the clothing flatirons that used to be heated on stoves.  And hence the name – flat iron.

The project will comprise 552 units and 40,000 square feet of retail development, including restaurant, lounge, rooftop swimming pool, gym, spa, outdoor lap pool and shop space.  Each unit will measure approximately 1,250 sq.ft.

Bringing British Cuisine to Midtown Manhattan

Since time immemorial, British cuisine has had a reputation for being wholly unappetizing. One only has to read quotes on the matter such as Martha Harrison: “I'll bet what motivated the British to colonize so much of the world is that they were just looking for a decent meal" as well as Bill Marsano, “the British Empire was created as a by-product of generations of desperate Englishmen roaming the world in search of a decent meal.” 

Well, this might be about to change…at least in midtown Manhattan.  Jason Hicks, co-owner of The Peacock, opened his stylish restaurant with an England-in-Midtown theme, at the end of last year.  He opened the restaurant with the intent of “showcas[ing] the best of British.”

So what is being served at this restaurant? The roasted beet salad contains sharp pickled beets, pink grapefruit, toasted hazelnuts, ricotta, purple watercress and toasted hazelnuts. To start with, for $11 one can get a creamy house-made ricotta drizzled in oil, balsamic vinegar, and oven-dried thyme, topped with sour dough. And one can order the salmon burger as their main at $18 that contains a red pepper and avocado relish.

Hmmm. While these dishes do definitely sound different, it is unclear as to whether they will delegitimize the claims made about British cuisine by Marsano and Harrison.

Still, it might be worth going just to check out the distinctly British décor that features Wedgwood china and a Waterford crystal chandelier.

New Art at New York Fair

The Spring Masters New York Fair that took place at New York’s Park Avenue Armory at the beginning of May, hosted 51 artists.  While most of these hail from America, some come from Europe and others, such as Phoenix AncientArt, which have galleries in both US and European blood running through them.  Many of these are first time exhibitors.

The particular attraction with this fair is that it is located in the hub of Manhattan.  According to manager of C Grimaldis Gallery, Jennifer Tam, “New York provides access to important local and international collectors.”  Thus as well as European and American artists, Hidenori Ishii (Japanese), Chul Hyun Ahn (Busan-born) and others are exhibiting their works.  New York is home to international art and the fair reflects that.

In addition to its global attraction, the fair is bringing more affordable artworks as well.  As one gallery spokesmen pointed out, some of the paintings that were brought to the fair were from new artists including Linda Saccoccio and Eva Malhotra.  Exhibit attendees can purchase their works for as little as $3,000.

One dealer exhibiting, Armand Bartos, explained why he appreciates this fair so much.  “The art market has become increasingly event driven, and collectors seem to like the social interaction provided by fairs and auctions ... As a dealer, I want to be at the fairs, which is where the collectors are! They come to the fairs to buy. Also the fair offers me, as a private art dealer, a good venue where my clients and I can sell fine works of art. The transactions are discreet. The works of art don’t get ‘burned’ as they are when they go unsold at auction.”