October 2010 |
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The NY Times recently awarded its coveted 4 star restaurant rating to Del Posto. There are only seven 4 star restaurants in New York and it got me thinking, with the cornucopia of abundant opportunities in New York, what is the “Best of the Best” we have to offer? With all the choices, I always say it’s what not to do in New York! And not to brag, Briggs always strives to be the best and this was recently validated by Special Event Magazine awarding us status as one of the “25 Top DMC’s” in the world. And what makes us the best? The Briggs team’s everyday passion for New York, the best of all possible cities in the world. |
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| BEST OF THE BEST - THE BRIGGS TEAM | ||
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| BEST OF THE BEST - RESTAURANTS BEST OF THE BEST - HOTELS | ||
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New York Times restaurant critic, Sam Sifton, recently added Mario Batali and Lidia Bastianich’s Del Posto to its 4 star pantheon. It is the first Italian restaurant to receive that honor in 35 years. When searching for the Best, New Yorkers also use the Zagat Guide as a culinary guide post. Keep in mind though that the Zagat ratings are tallied by non-professional diners and are very subjective to the inherent foibles of this democratic voting system. Most Europeans use the NYC Red Michelin Guide as their lode star and these ratings are weighed by gastronomic food experts who make several unannounced visits to the establishments before giving their 1 to 3 star rating. Michelin 3 Star winners include Daniel, Jean Georges, Le Bernadin, Masa and Per Se. For more casual dining, check out Grub, Eater and Yelp websites for day to day diner’s responses. New York Times 4 Star Restaurants: · Del Posto · Eleven Madison Park · Daniel · Jean Georges · Le Bernardin · Masa · Per Se | There are two rating systems to ascertain Best of the Best hotels: Forbes Travel Guide’s prestigious 5 Star Award and AAA with its 5 Diamonds. What makes the 5 Stars/5 Diamonds? A high quality luxurious facility with superior service of course. All properties must include a world class restaurant, 24 hour room service, upscale gift shop and spa, elegantly appointed guest rooms with high-quality furniture, outstanding linens and comforters, triple sheeting, multiple pillow choices, lit closets with at least ten hangers, umbrella, robe and slippers, CD player with at least one CD, fax machine, separate shower, toilet in its own room, and a seven-piece amenity set. Inspectors spend three days and two nights at the hotel, interacting with staff, having a drink at the bar, ordering room service, visiting the spa and taking advantage of other services that a standard guest would encounter. 5 Star/5 Diamond Hotels: · Four Seasons Hotel New York · Mandarin Oriental · The Peninsula New York · The Pierre New York – A Taj Hotel · The Plaza Hotel · The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park · The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park |
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| BEST OF THE BEST - THEATRE BEST OF THE BEST - VENUES/ATTRACTIONS | ||
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The Tony Awards are a good guide to seeing what the Best on Broadway is. But it is not always the case, as in 1960 when Fiorello tied with The Sound of Music but beat out the iconic Gypsy as Best Musical! The 700 Tony voters include members of The Broadway League, The Board of Directors and designated members of the advisory committee of the American Theatre Wing, along with members of the governing boards of Actors' Equity Association, the Dramatists Guild, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, United Scenic Artists, and the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers. Two other guide posts are the Drama Desk Awards given out by the critics of the New York Press, and those given out by the Drama League. Unlike the Tonys these two constituents give out awards for Broadway and Off-Broadway combined. Tony Award Winning Musicals currently playing on the Great White Way are: · The Phantom of the Opera (1988) · The Lion King (1998) · Avenue Q (2004) playing off Broadway now · Jersey Boys (2006) · In the Heights (2008) · Billy Elliot (2009) · Memphis (2010) | There is really no way to rate venues and attractions – well not yet, maybe some enterprising NYC publication (like Biz Bash) will do that soon. So we will use the most visited as our guide. More than 45 million visitors came to our city in 2009 with 8.9 million international tourists, making this the number one destination for overseas travelers. Heading the list of international visitors are the Brits, followed by the Canadians, Germans and the French. As Cole Porter quipped in his 1927 musical,“50 Million Frenchmen Can’t Be Wrong!” The visitors spent $28 billion dollars last year, so when you are jostled by a picture-taking tourist in Times Square you should thank them for coming and helping the city economy! These figures were graciously provided by NYC & Co.
Most Visited Venues/Attractions: · Metropolitan Museum of Art · Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island · Rockefeller Center · Empire State Building · Museum of Modern Art · American Museum of Natural History · World Trade Center Site · The Briggs Office in Times Square |
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Briggs Inc. - 1501 Broadway - New York, NY 10036 - 212-354-9440 Copyright Briggs Inc. © 2010 |