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 Healthy Pleasures: Spa Treatments
New York City may not seem like the most relaxing place to take your vacation, but thanks to the recent boom in luxury spas, you can leave here feeling as serene as you would after a weekend at Canyon Ranch. A few of the trendiest options:
 the Oxygen Facial at celeb favorite Bliss
a couples' massage at chic downtown newcomer Brigitte Mansfield European Day Spa
an Ayurvedic Body Wrap at SoHo's Mezzanine Spa
the Champagne Wrap at the ritzy Peninsula Spa
For more, see our guide to New York's Best Spas!
Hot Seats: Theater Tickets
Like just about everything else in this town, tickets to ostensibly sold-out Broadway productions can be yours
— if you're willing to use a little ingenuity and pay a premium.
House Seats: For most events, theaters reserve premium, center orchestra seats for such VIPs as friends of the cast or producers. If those seats aren't filled, however, the theater will release them to the general public. When calling the box office, be sure to ask if and when "house seats will be released."
Care-Tix: Run by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Care-Tix sells tickets for double their retail value — but 50 percent of each ticket is tax deductible. And you'll get the best seats in the house. Call 212-840-0770 or see www.bcefa.org
Make a Bid: Ebay and other auction sites are a great source for tickets to Broadway shows, concerts, and other events, especially if money isn't an issue.
Ticket Brokers: It's illegal to sell tickets for more than 10 percent or $5 over their face value, whichever is more, but brokers routinely skirt this law. If you must turn to a broker, call at least three to comparison-shop. And have a seating chart handy. Prices are always negotiable, especially as the event nears. Which of the zillions of brokers can be trusted? The New York Convention & Visitors Bureau recommends, among others, Theatre Direct International (212-541-8457) and Applause Theatre & Entertainment Service (212-307-7050).
Scalpers: Check with the box office one last time to see if any last-minute tickets have been released or if there were any cancellations. (Really, it happens all the time.) If not, as a last resort you can try the scalpers. If you're worried about getting busted, don't be. While the law states it's illegal to sell tickets at more than 10 percent above face value, it's not illegal for you to buy them. What you should worry about is counterfeit tickets
— in this sense, you'll be buying at your own risk.
High Culture: Opera, Ballet, Music
An evening at the Met or Carnegie Hall is a classic New York experience. The best seats go to season subscribers, so order early if you're planning your vacation in advance; otherwise, hotel concierges and ticket brokers can be of help in securing tickets to sold-out shows. (See "Hot Seats: Theater Tickets," above, for more information). For season schedules, consult the following Web sites:
New York City Ballet, www.nycb.org
New York Philharmonic, www.newyorkphilharmonic.org
Metropolitan Opera, www.metopera.org
Lincoln Center, www.lincolncenter.org
Carnegie Hall, www.carnegiehall.org |
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