Shimmie Horn

New York Genome Center

A recent event in New York was held to announce a 20-year lease location for the New York Genome Center – 101 Avenue of the Americas, which is great news for the city’s somewhat lagging science and tech industry.  The idea is that the site will become North America’s largest genomic research center.  Construction has already begun at the LEED Silver-certified building that are to become home to seven floors of laboratories and offices to support genomic sequencing and analysis using: bioinformatics; data mining; Illumina technology and translational medicine.  It is opened that the labs will open in 2013 so if you happen to be visiting the area, on business or pleasure luxuriating in Shimmie Horn’s Iroquois Hotel or the Hilton New York, next year, it could be a great opportunity to see how much this new construction will have done to the caliber of the city of New York.

Shimmie Horn

Manhattan’s Heliport History

Manhattan’s west side boasts a heliport at West 30th Street.  It first opened with two landing pads in 1956.  A few months later, passenger flights were scheduled by New York Airways, marking Manhattan’s first ever airline flights. Given that there are no instrument procedures required (it’s not an airport) those boating in the Hudson River need to be particularly careful when approaching the landing pad.

For those vacationing in the area, at Shimmie Horn’s Belleclaire Hotel, the Clarion Hotel, or anywhere else in the vicinity, they might be interested in taking a tourist flight out there.  Remember, the estimated time for the heliport to relocate, is the end of this year, due to a court agreement which resulted from the action taken by the Friends of Hudson River Park that enforced the Hudson River Park Act, banning tourism flights from there.  So enjoy it now as it’s new location has yet to be confirmed.

Shimmie Horn

Fashion in Manhattan

New York City is known for its fashion.  From popular TV shows to dramatic catwalks, New York is one of the major fashion cities of the world.  What is perhaps less well-known is the Garment District – aka The Garment Center/Fashion District that sits between Fifth and Ninth Avenue, spanning 34th to 42nd Street.  If you happen to have some time spare this summer – perhaps you are vacationing at Shimmie Horn’s Washington Jefferson Hotel, the American Inn, or the Bryant Park Hotel – you might want to take advantage of being in one of the world centers for fashion.

Indeed, this isn’t something new.  The Garment District got its name back in the earth 20th century, being seen as the center for fashion design and manufacturing in America, and perhaps worldwide too.  Today, the area comprises most of New York’s showrooms, fashion labels and fashion process, making it a worldwide leader in the fashion industry in one single district.

Chandler Hotel

Taking a Tour around Stuyvesant Town

If you want to take a complete mental and physical break from the hubbub of New York City without actually having to venture out too far, Stuyvesant Town—Peter Cooper Village should be the next stop on your agenda.

Named after Peter Stuyvesant – the New Amsterdam’s Dutch colony’s final Director General – the area has been described as one of the most successful post-World War 2 private housing communities.  It got the name Peter Stuyvesant as it was his farm that occupied the site in the 17th century.  Its other name – Peter Cooper Village – came from the founder of Cooper Union, inventor Peter Cooper.

It is also very picturesque. Comprising a whole slew of red brick apartment buildings that span First Avenue to Avenue C, between 14th and 23rd Streets, it covers approximately 80 acres of land.  Included in this are: 56 residential buildings, 11,250 apartments, all housing more than 25,000 residents.

So the next time you find yourself somewhere in the big city – perhaps luxuriating in Shimmie Horn’s Hotel Chandler – take a walk over to Manhattan’s East Side in New York City and get away from the hubbub of happenings, for which the Big Apple is commonly-known.

Shimmie Horn

Time for a New York Vacation

The summer has just begun so it must be time for a vacation.  If you are in the privileged position of being able to spend some time in one of New York’s luxurious hotels, such as Shimmie Horn’s Iroquois New York, or the Millennium Broadway Hotel, then it wouldn’t be right to not also take in a Broadway show.

A production that has been on stage since April of last year but is still bringing in the theatergoers stars Sutton Foster, in Anything Goes.    Showing at the Stephen Sondheim Theater, this is a remake of the original production shown back in 1934.

But what’s it all about?  Well, true to its title, Anything Goes is exactly that, so the audience has to be prepared for, well, pretty much anything.  One might have to lower their standards for clever jokes and general intelligence, and one shouldn’t be trying to comprehend a complex plot, but if one is willing, one should definitely be in for a fun evening entertainment.