Tips for a perfect snow day

Apparently those of us living in Northeast have more snow in our future.  Many people are getting stranded in New York City and the puddles are becoming like small ponds in the crosswalks.  

If you happen to find yourself stranded, I recommend dinner and a movie in your neighborhood.  If you are on the Upper West Side (around 66^th St.) and go to a movie near there, I highly recommend having dinner at Ed’s Chowder House on 62^nd and Broadway.    I ate there last night and the food was fantastic, the wine and cocktail list superb and the atmosphere and service was so great it kind of made me forget all the snow outside. 

If you like bread at all, you will love the breadbasket.  However, I will warn you that you will not be able to stop eating it once you start.  There is a jalapeno and cheddar bread, a corn bread and something that looks like an ordinary bun that is buttery and luscious and it is all served with sweet butter.  Very dangerous!!!  I had the sautéed Skate for dinner, but one of my friends got the scallop ravioli that was out of this world!  All the fish at the table was fresh and delicious.  We ended the meal by getting 3 desserts to share.  I have to say that the banana boat sundae with caramelized bananas was heaven.  The dark chocolate pudding and the chocolate donuts with dark chocolate dipping sauce were also a big hit.  

I have been hearing great things about this place since it opened, but I am so glad I finally got myself there.  If we have a lot more snow in our future, then I see a lot more movies and Ed’s Chowder House in my future.  OK, so I guess a bit more snow isn't such a terrible thing.

Village Vines

It's been a wee bit cold here in New York City and I have been a little unmotivated to leave my apartment unless I have to.  But apparently it is supposed to reach 40 degrees tomorrow and so my hibernation might come to an end.  When it does, I am going to take advantage of some of the great deals on this new site that Skye turned me on to.  It is called Village Vines.  

It's in the spirit of Groupon, but it is only restaurants and some really good ones too.  With this site you pay a $10 reservation fee and then get a certain percentage off your whole bill (food and wine).  Usually it is 30% although I have seen some for as high as 50% and others as low as 20%.  They usually have certain days that you have to go.  For example Dinasaur BBQ in Harlem is 30% off but only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Because you make the reservation through their website there is no coupon neccesary.  Also the deals aren't just 1 day deals like groupon or living social.   You usually have some time to decide.  Currently they have offerings in NYC, Los Angeles, D.C., San Francisco and Chicago.  

Here is what they say on their website:

VillageVines gives food lovers access to preferred pricing with their city's most popular restaurants. We make your dining experiences more convenient and more affordable, and we do so by partnering with the best dining establishments – from the restaurant icons to the up and coming gems.

Here’s how it works:

	Each day we highlight a handful of restaurants from among our carefully curated list of the best spots in your city
	You choose where to dine and use us to make your party's reservation before the offer expires
	You pay $10 to secure your exclusive pricing (typically 30% off your party's entire bill – food and drink
	Your discount is applied to your bill at meal's end - no coupons, no phone calls and no hassles

I love being able to get great deals at home and when I travel.  With all these sites that offer great deals on great restaurants and things to do, I may never have to pay full price again!