Heading out to Times Square and looking for a New York eatery with real personality? You are in luck, because the Brooklyn Diner at 155 West 43rd Street at Times Square is just what you are looking for.
Patrons will experience an authentic encounter with some of the most beloved foods of the American cuisine scene, with a special emphasis on the attitude found throughout the major neighborhoods of Brooklyn. The ethnic kaleidoscope on hand is a United Nations of flavors and styles ‘just like mom used to make, ” including Jewish, Italian, Irish and much, much more.
And no need to “clean your plate” in order to get dessert, either. The desserts are mind-blowing affairs designed to send you practically back to the womb.
Anyone staying at Shimmie Horn’s Hotel Iroquois should stroll on over to Times Square, just a few short blocks away, and relive your childhood at the Brooklyn Diner.
Have you ever wondered why Times Square is such an iconic symbol of New York? How it came to be known as “The Crossroads of the World” and the “Great White Way?” Perhaps we can shed some light on at least a little bit of why this simple intersection of Broadway, Seventh Avenue and 42nd Streets in Manhattan has taken on the role of New York’s heart and soul.
Today Times Square draws more than 39 million visitors each year, making it one of the world’s busiest pedestrian intersections and one of the most visited tourist attractions anywhere. Visitors are drawn to the theater district which surrounds the area, which is also a major world center for the entertainment industry.
Before 1904 the intersection was called Longacre Square, but was renamed Times Square when the New York Times moved its headquarters to the brand new Times Building, whose address is One Times Square. This special piece of real estate is the site of the world-renowned ball drop of New Year’s Eve, which heralds the New Year for many across the world.
Times Square was not always as pedestrian and visitor friendly as it is today. During the 1910s and 20s the area came to be known as the “Tenderloin” District because it was considered one of the most desirable of New York’s residential neighborhoods. But during the Great Depression of the 30s the area came to be known as dangerous, and during the decades that followed Times Square continued a downward spiral and was no longer considered a decent place to go. From the 60s to the 90s Times Square became a sad symbol of the overall decline of the former pre-eminence of New York as a world cultural center.
Recovery began in earnest in the mid-1990s when Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (1994-2002) began an all-out effort to bring the area back to its former glory. Included in those efforts was improving the neighborhood’s security, pushing out drug dealers and other undesirable elements from the area, opening more attractions geared to tourists, and adding more ‘upscale’ establishments.
If you are staying at Shimmie Horn’s Iroquois Hotel then you are in a perfect place to check out exciting, inviting and sparkling Times Square, just a few blocks away at 49 West 44th Street.
The Belasco Theater on West 44th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues is just a half block west of Shimmie Horn’s Iroquois Hotel. The Belasco has been the home to some of New York’s most beloved theater since David Belasco opened it in 1907.
Designed by George Keister, the Belasco’s design was conceived to reproduce
Belasco Theater
the intimate setting of a living room or salon. Belasco was a supporter of the “Little Theater” movement which was popular in his day. “Little Theater” propounded that the dramatic experience was determined in a large part by the proximity of the audience to the stage and action of the performance. When one enters the Belasco one is struck by the shallow depth of the auditorium, creating a close environment in which the players and audience can interact in subtle and sometimes not so subtle ways.
The Belasco is Keister’s earliest theater still extant, Having designed 12 others through the years, including Harlem’s iconic Apollo Theater. It is adorned with 18 murals created at the theater’s founding by Everett Shinn. A major renovation was undertaken in 2010, and now the Belasco can be enjoyed as it was back in its glorious, earlier days.
Through the years the Belasco was the venue for such startling new concepts in theater such as Oh Calcutta! (1971) and The Rocky Horror Show (1975.) Today the theater is getting ready to showcase End of the Rainbow, which was a huge hit in London and hopes to reproduce the same success on the Broadway stage. The show opens on March 19 at 8pm, and is now scheduled to run through early September. Treat yourself to a great time, especially if you are staying at the Iroquois, or any other of Shimmie Horn’s Triumph Hotels located throughout Manhattan.
One of New York’s most important museums, the Museum of Modern Art, is only eight blocks directly north of Shimmie Horn’s Iroquois Hotel. MoMA is located at 11 West 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
If you are going to be staying at the Iroquois within the next few weeks, there are several noteworthy exhibits which are certainly worth the ten minute walk over to MoMA. One such showing is “Diego Rivera: Murals for the Museum of Modern Art” which will be on exhibit now through May 14, 2012.
In 1931 MoMA brought the renowned muralist Diego Rivera from Mexico to New York, where he created five “portable murals” especially for the museum during the six weeks before the opening of the show. The murals dealt with Mexican themes of revolution and class. During the exhibition itself he produced three more murals, dealing with New York subjects and presenting them with monumental images of the urban working class and the terrible social gap which existed in the city during the Great Depression. All eight pieces were on display for the remainder of the run of the show, and Rivera’s work, “Agrarian Leader Zapata” is one of MoMA’s iconic pieces of their vast collection.
MoMA is presenting the murals together again for the first time in 80 years, and adding much more to the show. If you are staying at Shimmie Horn’s Iroquois, you owe it to yourself to see and admire these fine artworks.
Located smack dab in the middle of New York’s world famous theater district, Shimmie Horn’s Iroquois Hotel is situated in a place which will also satisfy those that love to explore some of New York’s most innovative and classy restaurants.
Take for example a restaurant which boasts a modern interpretation of classic Parisian cuisine, db Bistro Moderne. Located at 55 West 44th Street, it is actually the creation of Daniel Boulud, who brings French cuisine up to the demands of the flavors and preferences of American taste. The menu is based on seasonal offerings prepared to perfection by Chef Laurent Kalkotour. Served in a casual setting, the food is delicious for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and is an especially appropriate venue for a meal either before or after the theater.
Of course one of the highlights of a visit to New York is shopping, and what better place to shop than the grandfather of all department stores, Macy’s in Herald Square. The store is known as a place to find mid-to-high range clothing, housewares, jewelry, and almost anything else you can think of.
Macy's The World's Largest Store
Although there is probably at least one Macy’s in your own hometown, considering the fact that there are over 740 stores all across the country, there is something special about a visit to the original Macy’s on 34th Street and Sixth Avenue, which is only a 10 minute walk from Shimmie Horn’s Iroquois Hotel on West 44th Street off of Sixth Avenue.
Macy’s Herald Square was built in 1902, and is the first building to boast an escalator, moving people from floor to expansive floor. Today Macy’s is still making history. Known as “America’s Largest Department Store,” there are ten floors of products covering one entire city block of square footage, with the best goods and the latest fashions, making shopping in Macy’s an unforgettable experience.
Staying at the Iroquois? Then walk on down to the original Macy’s “The Great American Department Store.”
If you are lucky enough to be staying at one of Shimmie Horn’s Triumph Hotels
Times Square on New Year's Eve
over the New Year’s holiday, then you are well positioned to have one of the most memorable of all possible New Year’s Eve celebrations.
You can go a New Year’s party at any number of exciting venues, from the Bryant Park Grill, two blocks from the Iroquois Hotel; to a party at Frames NYC, a bowling hot spot with a nightclub, bar and restaurant all rolled into one, just south of the Washington Jefferson Hotel along 9th Avenue; or go to a concert at the Beacon Theater on Broadway and 74th Street, just down Broadway from the Hotel Belleclaire on West 77th Street; Gov’t Mule is featured this New Year’s Eve.
Whichever way you choose to spend the holiday, if you are staying at any of Shimmie Horn’s Triumph Hotels, you are not far from the best entertainment New York City has to offer.
Staying at Shimmie Horn’s Iroquois Hotel this holiday season? If yes, then you should not miss a visit to New York’s International Center of Photography just a few blocks away on Sixth Avenue at 1133 Avenue of the Americas.
Currently on exhibit until January 8th 2012 is “Remembering 9/11” in commemoration of the historic and tragic events of September 11, 2001; in remembrance of the tenth anniversary since that harrowing day.
The exhibit is a partnership between the ICP and the National September 11 Memorial Museum, and focuses its attention on the way all those involved, including firefighters, transit workers, police officers and many more people pulled together in the immediate aftermath of the attacks.
Displaying their art are Francesc Torres, Eugene Richards; Elena del Rivero, Leslie McCleave, and Gregg Brown. The curator of the exhibit and its organizer is Carol Squiers of ICP.
If you are staying at Shimmie Horn’s Iroquois Hotel this holiday season, you might want to consider a short walk north to one of world’s capitals for the purchase of diamonds, gold, and other precious metals and gems.
Located along West 47th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, that one long block is a captivating site for anyone looking for the perfect gift for that special someone, even if that someone is you.
Crammed along the street are merchants who created the market in the early 1940s when the former diamond district moved its location from lower Manhattan’s financial district.
Eventually the area grew in importance after the Nazis invaded Belgium and the Netherlands during World War Two. This event forced many Jews who were active in the diamond business of Antwerp and Amsterdam to flee their native land and resettle in New York City.
Take a walk down this exciting block the next time you are staying at the Iroquois, whether or not it is the holiday season. Even if you are not planning on buying a new piece of jewelry, the Diamond District of New York is one of the City’s must-see destinations.
The Iroquois is a luxury hotel with a difference; guests can expect a feeling of warmth and personal service that many larger chain-style hotels simply do not provide. Guests will enjoy perfectly appointed rooms and suites and creative and delicious dining at the well-received Triomphe Restaurant. Similarly, they’ll have access to a state-of-the-art fitness center complete with a Finnish sauna they’ll enjoy WiFi access to the internet.
Boutique Luxury at the Iroquois Hotel
The Iroquois has special dates reserved until the year’s end for guests can take up to a 30% discount on their stay. Other promotions are available for longer visits, a business package, a theater deal, and others.
Staying at the Iroquois is an unforgettable experience, and now, with a variety of money-saving packages, a visit to New York has never been so inviting.
