Is it a diner? Is it a store? Is it a barber? Or is it a BAR!!!! During Prohibition (1920-1933) people found their way to well hidden bars – so called “Speakeasies.”

The latest trend in New York is following that “hidden” concept. Restaurants and bars open up behind sliding doors, entrance through telephone booth, walk passed the kitchen crew or after your visit to the barber knock three times on the door and voila!!!

Please Don’t Tell – PDT – Enter Crif dogs (hotdog place). Enter the Phone-booth to your left, press the button on the phone and wait 113 St. Marks Pl (between Ave A and 1st Ave; west basement) East Village. Try some delish hot dogs while there.

The Raines Law Room. 48 west 17th street. Ring the Doorbell and someone will attend you… usually they take your cell number and call you when they have a room, but it is worth the wait.

The Blind Barber, 339 east 10th street btw A and B. Ps. Complimentary beverage with all barber services!! Awesome DJ.

Beauty on Essex, 146 essex btw Stanton and Rivington. Front’s like a pawn shop, but inside you have this impressive space. Beautiful Décor and creative tapas style food.

La Esquina – Mexican restaurant, 06 Kenmare Street  (by Cleveland place) Enter through the Corner Diner.

The Roger Smith is a hub for social media in #NYC. People. Art. Food. Wine. For 10% off our best available rooms rate: bit.ly/RSrooms

twitter: twitter.com/rshotel
fb: facebook.com/rogersmithhotel
blog: bit.ly/RSlife
web: rogersmith.com/

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August 3, 2011 – Issue No. 2

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On behalf of the Roger Smith Community, I’m happy to share with you the second edition of The Jolly Roger. Each month we look to share an insider’s perspective on the places and happenings in NYC + hotel news, offerings, and contests. Send us a note about your stay on Twitter or Facebook or review us on Google, TripAdvisor, or Yelp. We would <3 to hear from you.

Use this QR code or click here for 10% off our best room rate!

Sincerely,

John Birdsong, Editor @Johnbirdsong

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by Galo Romero, Sales Manager @RSHotel

Beating the heat with the help of the FDNY

Whether you’re a hard-nosed New Yorker or a thrill-seeking tourist, summer in the city can be brutal and unforgiving. Just walking a few blocks in the sweltering heat can rob you of several liters of water and raise body temperatures to dangerous levels.

Most of us will duck into the comfort and shelter of an air conditioned environment, say in a restaurant or the local shopping mall. I remember that as a teenager, in the dog days of summer, if you couldn’t get a ride to the beach or find a city pool to take a relaxing dip, the best place to find solace from the heat was the local Cineplex. It was the only place I remember shivering during the middle of summer and wishing for a sweater.

For those lacking air conditioning, the local news suggests visiting a cooling center or taking a ride in a subway to take advantage of air conditioning; it made me instantly recall an episode of Married with Children when Al couldn’t afford an air conditioner and decided to move the family into the local supermarket in the episode titled “You Better Shop Around”. Now that was drastic, but I imagine it was a relief. Suffering in the heat is no laughing matter. So what are some simple suggestions one can do to beat the heat in NYC?

#1: Stay Hydrated: This is a no-brainer: drink plenty of fluids, especially plenty of water. Sweating is the body’s cooling mechanism. You’re going to sweat a lot more as the heat index rises so the body will lose water aplenty. Stay away from caffeine and alcohol which stimulates the promotion of urine and thereby dehydration. More info here.

#2: Stay in the Shade: Park yourself under a tree or beach umbrella with a good book, bask under the oblong shadows of skyscrapers, and avoid the UV rays of the sun. It’s cooler in the shade. If you don’t believe me click here.

#3: Dress for the Summer: What’cha wearing? A tight nylon long sleeved shirt? Black wool pants? Who isn’t going to sweat and melt wearing vampire clothing that strangles your skin and absorbs nine tenths of the sun? Dark clothing absorbs the sunlight, thereby increasing your body temperature. Wearing light colors will reflect the sunlight and absorb less heat. Tight clothes…how’s that comfortable? Maybe in winter but certainly not summer. Wear it loose and let the air circulate on your skin. Choose cotton and natural light fabrics over synthetics and heavy fabrics. As for tourists, the order of the day: shorts, t-shirts, and sandals. Less is more.

#4: Take it Slow: New Yorkers should take some tips from our West Coast counterparts and slow down a bit. A laid back attitude may just be the right mental prescription one needs to beat the heat. Then when things cool down again come autumn, we can revert back to the hyper-nuttiness of our lives. For those visiting Gotham… don’t rush, don’t stress, just breathe, relax, and enjoy our marvelous city : )

#5: Take a Cold Shower: Begin the day with a refreshing shower under lukewarm to moderately cool water. Then, at the end of the day, repeat and wash off that sheen of sweat and stress to rejuvenate the body. You’re body will appreciate it. Undoubtedly you may have your own preferred methods of dealing with the heat. Definitely do what’s best for you, but most of all enjoy the summer!

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by Daniel Mowles

Executive Chef, Lily’s Restaurant + Henry’s Rooftop Bar

When life gives you lemons…make soda.

One of the most refreshing drinks during summer is a homemade soda. As more and more food trends begin to grow and reach new boundaries, homemade sodas are making their way on top menus of NYC chefs. If you want to add booze feel free, just pick your poison and add away. Use about 1 part syrup to 4 parts soda, and of course plenty of ice. Here are a few of my favorites to cool off with. Here is a link to a cool soda gun you can pick up and impress your friends.

Directions for all sodas: Place ingredients in sauce pan and reduce by 1/3rd. Strain through fine sieve and chill in refrigerator. Mix a few tablespoons of syrup with ice and club soda or seltzer water. Enjoy.

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Blueberry and Thyme Syrup

2 pints Blueberries

1 qt Sugar

2 qt club soda or seltzer

Water

5 sprigs Thyme

1 tsp Citric Acid

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Lemon and Rosemary Syrup

12 Lemons (peel and juice)

1 qt Sugar

2 qt Water

1 sprig Rosemary

1 tbsp Citric Acid

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Orange and Ginger Syrup

12 Oranges (peel and juice)

1 qt Sugar

2 qt Water

1 knob Ginger (fine dice)

1 tsp Citric Acid

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(win free stuff!)

Stunning steak at Lily’s

Win a delicious prime aged porterhouse steak for two @ Lily’s Restaurant! How to Win: ‘Like’ our FB page here and answer this question with a comment on our wall.

Question: What is a prime aged steak??

One answer per person. Winner will be picked randomly and notified via facebook before September 1, 2011. Good luck!

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by Danika Druttman, The LAB Gallery

Ryan Trecartin messes with your head – click here to view video

Inside:

Ryan Trecartin at PS1

Where to eat afterwards: Sage General Store

Maya Zack at The Jewish Muesum

Where to eat afterwards: Yura on Madison

Cory Arcangel at The Whitney

Where to eat afterwards: Vero

David Lachappelle at Lever House

Where to eat afterwards: Lily’s at The Roger Smith Hotel

Outdoors:

Sol Lewitt at City Hall Park

Where to eat afterwards: Industria Argentina

The Andy Monument by Rob Pruitt at Union Square

Where to eat afterwards: The Coffee Shop

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by Ulrika Bengtsson

Director of Food & Beverage @RSHotel

Lots to do downtown…

When you’re in New York don’t miss the pulse, shopping, and great food around Union Square. From Grand Central it’s just one stop with the Express Trains (4 and 5). Great Shopping on “Women mile”, 5th Avenue between 14th & 23rd Street. Whole Foods on 14th Street between Broadway & 4th is a magnificent grocery store with a wide selection of ready to eat/take out food as well. You can bring the food with you to the park or go upstairs and enjoy the view of bustling Union Square. Filene’s basement on 14th Street, at the corner of Broadway, is an outlet where you can find great bargains. Paragon Sports on Broadway & 18th Street is my go-to store when I am looking for active wear/gear. ABC on Broadway &19th Street. AMAZING. ABC Kitchen is wonderful. My favorites are the Asparagus salad and wild mushroom pizza. Dogmatic 17th between Broadway & 5th Avenue has wonderful hotdogs.

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by James Fox

Director of Sales @RSHotel

Nilaja Sun’s one woman show “No Child”

For theatre fans August is a great month: the annual Fringe NYC is in town. First, three ‘off Broadway’ plays to see before they close on August 14th: First time playwright Zach Braff  (he played Dr. John Dorian on the TV series Scrubs) has penned the dark comedy ALL NEW PEOPLE. Set in a New Jersey shore beach house in the middle of January,  A heartbroken Charlie (Justin Bartha) seeks solitude but is interrupted by a motley parade of misfits who show up and change his plans.  Braff recently tweeted “All New People” is a pretty darn R-rated comedy … So leave the kiddies at home.” @ Second Stage Theatre, 305 West 43rd Street

Nilaja Sun’s one woman show  NO CHILD…, examines the  New York City Public Education system.  Sun portrays the teachers, students, parents, administrators, janitors and security guards who inhabit our public schools. NO CHILD played 311 performances  in 2006 and along the way won 17 awards including an Obie Award and the Outer Critic Circle Award.  Tickets are priced at $40.00. @ Barrow Street Theatre, 27 Barrow Street at 7th Avenue South in Greenwich Village.  www.barrowstreettheatre.com

Academy Award nominee Danny Aiello (Do the Right Thing) stars in Susan Charlotte’s  THE SHOEMAKER.  The story, as audiences discover about 10 minutes into the play, unfolds on September 11, 2001.  Set in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen, the drama focuses on a shoemaker, an Italian Jew, who confronts yet another part of his past, present and an uncertain future.  Each performance will be followed with a Q & A with Aiello.  @ Acorn Theater, 410 West 42 Street

Opening August 9th for a limited run through September 9th  is the U.S. premiere of British playwright Simon Stephen’s BLUEBIRD with Olivier Award-winning actor Simon Russell Beale (Spamalot). Here’s how the Atlantic Theater explains the play:  “Jimmy MacNeill (Beale) is a London taxi driver who seems to draw personal stories and confessions from his passengers without even trying. Over the course of Simon Stephens’ meticulously observed and deeply compassionate play, the truth of Jimmy’s own life and secret burdens unfurls with each new fare.” @ Atlantic Theater, 330 West 16 Street. www.atlantictheater.org

The big theatre news is the Fringe NYC, celebrating it’s 15th Anniversary August 12-28, 2011, The two week festival, spread across several Manhattan downtown neighborhoods, is the largest multi-arts festival in North America with more than 200 companies from all over the world.  With 200 shows at 18 venues there will be something you will want to see.

With titles like “The Brady Bunch: The War of the Families Partridge and Brady”, “Lipshtick”,  “The Miss Teen Jesus Pageant”,  and “Zombie Wedding” you can expect a unique theatre experience. On a serious side there is “The Rubber Room” a play about what happens when a teacher in New York City is accused of misconduct or incompetence in the classroom. They are sent to the ‘Rubber Room’ while an investigation is launched. They spend months or even years there getting full pay and doing nothing.

You can review all the shows online @ www.fringenyc.org

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by James Knowles

CEO & Artist in Residence @RSHotel

Anna Burden Sings “You’re Gonna Miss Me” (click here to watch)

Everywhere I look music is playing. This music changes me. Some is tonal,  some is percussive, some is voice raised in song, the sound of the poets, the melodic line. Some are the odd sounds of a composer and a player. Someone plays the flute. Street noise, street players, street poets, and some playing musical breakfast songs on orange juice glasses, coffee mugs, cereal bowls and spoons. We see a girl playing on a cup rhythmically singing a song, her video.

“Almost every one of the 800+ videos we have produced for Roger Smith News have a  musical element, if not a desire, and a playful connection between musical and  visual ideas.”

I’m interested in the sounds of our music. The sounds of our environment. The risks music. The intent to be playful. There’s the development and contribution of the person who puts these musical things together which gives to us all. Some perhaps self-conscious. Some practiced and some full of themselves. Some you can appreciate in different ways, but I’m here to say that I am interested in the music.

I look at my little grandson James. He is listening to Peter and the Wolf. I listen to the crying of new little babies or the early morning singing of my local birds.

This music changes me.

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by John Birdsong

New Media Director @RSHotel, Editor, TheJollyRoger

Henry’s is named after an adorable Boston Terrier. No joke.

Henry’s Rooftop bar has been named by Frommer’s Travel Guide as one of the best new rooftop bars in NYC (article here). Amazing drinks and an innovative menu make this laid-back rooftop bar stand out from the crowd, and with a fresh summer menu focused on hot dogs + beer, Henry’s is the perfect place to unwind after work with good company. Join us! Full menu here.

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GoNYC.com

mta.info

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http://facebook.com/rogersmithhotel

http://twitter.com/rshotel

http://rogersmith.com

http://rogersmithlife.com

http://rslilys.com

http://youtube.com/rogersmithnews

http://flickr.com/rogersmithhotel

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mmmm…artery clogging deliciousness

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FYI: When you check-in to @RSHotel or Lily’s Restaurant on Foursquare or FB you unlock a special: Free coffee, tea, or #bacon any time of day ; )

Use this QR code or click here for 10% off our best room rate!

Let us know what you think of The Jolly Roger. Send submissions or suggestions to

Jbirdsong@rogersmith.com or @RSHotel Have a great summer! See you in NYC : )

The Roger Smith is a hub for social media in #NYC. People. Art. Food. Wine. For 10% off our best available rooms rate: bit.ly/RSrooms

twitter: twitter.com/rshotel
fb: facebook.com/rogersmithhotel
blog: bit.ly/RSlife
web: rogersmith.com/

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Merry Christmas everyone!

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The sneak preview of Twittamentary will be the closing event for the New York portion of Girl 2.0, a global campaign focused on driving female innovation and technology between China and the U.S.

TWITTAMENTARY: THE FILM

Twitter accelerates serendipity. Bonds are forged as a result of unexpected encounters between strangers as they share moments of their lives real time.

Twitter also attracts controversy. Cynics see the popular micro-blogging service as the breeding ground of ‘narcissists’ and “micro celebrities” who are lured by the promise of instant fame.

Why has this seemingly banal micro-blogging service captured the world’s imagination?

In this documentary, filmmaker Tan Siok Siok (@sioksiok) peels away the hype and explores the human dimensions of how lives connect and intersect, and then are affected and changed as result of encounters on Twitter.

Here is a list of some people that took their time to be a part of the film:

NYC

@jeffpulver/Jeff Keni Pulver/Creator,#140conf
@JeffreyHayzlett/ Jeffrey Hayzlett/
@KathrynJones/KathrynJonesProducer/
@ PAWeissenstein/Peter Weissenstein
@fionabloom/Fiona Bloom/ Entrepreneur
@mizmetro/Miz Metro/Music Artist
@davidavidavid David Blumenstein
@misskatiemo Katie Morse/
@calindrome/ Callie Kimball/ Writer
@bsimi /Brian Simpson/Director, Social Hospitality/Roger Smith Hotel
@anncurry
@ozsultan (shows up in photo montage)
@digiphile
@NYT_JenPreston
@emilyspearl, marketing professional
@holaphil

Chicago

@williger / Darren Williger
@prsarahevans/Sarah Evans/Public Relations Consultant
@ChicagoDiane/Diane Saucier/ Senior Executive, Technology Company
@lizstrauss /Liz Strauss/ Brand Strategist
@cruiter/ Mike Dwyer/Improv Comedian
@InteractiveAmy/ Amy Ravit Korin/Social Media Consultant
@Ramon_DeLeon/Ramon De Leon/ Operating Partner Domino’s Pizza Chicago
@padschicago/Anne Marie/ Homeless
@ReganPTX/Richard Regan/Trader
@ allanschoenberg. Allan Schoenberg/Corp Comm Director/CME Group
@CMEGroup
@ChicagoDiane

LA
@AdventureGirl/Stephanie Michaels/Travel Journalist
@hardlynormal/Mark Horvath/Advocate
@fuzheado/Andrew Lih/Journalism Professor USC
@JeffreyPollack/Jeffrey Pollack/Commissioner, World Series of Poker
@adwal/Adam Wallace/ New Media Manager, The Roger Smith Hotel
@RealAnnieDuke Annie Duke – Professional Poker Player
@soleilmoonfrye — Actress, Writer
@Marielhemingway /Mariel Hemingway/ Actress, Writer
@spinaltap/ Ted Cohen / Managing Partner, TAG Strategic
@Tim Kring (@TimKring) – Creator, Heroes
@marlooz — Filmmaker/Social Media Maven from Holland

Twittamentary is created in the open spirit of the Web.  Twitter users are invite to contribute ideas and videos to the film.  When the film is completed, it will be released online under a creative commons license.

For more information, visit http://www.twittamentary.com

Purchase tickets to the premiere: Twittamentary Eventbrite

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Small casks, Swedish oak and storage in Bodås mine
Much of the whisky has been stored in 100-litre casks, which produces an exciting, powerful ageing process. We have also used newly manufactured Swedish oak casks, made using oak that was planted on the island of Visingsö 160 years ago and intended for use in building warships for the Swedish navy. The base is our Elegant recipe, stored in bourbon casks of first fill quality. All stored in the Bodås mine, 50 metres down inside the primary rock.

Welcome!

Med vänliga hälsningar/Kind regards

Mikael Mossvall
Sales Manager, mikael@mackmyra.se, +46 70 774 60 89

Jonathan Luks
Account Manager, jonathan@mackmyra.se, +46 70 742 75 57

What: Swedish whisky evening
Where: The Roger Smith Hotel, map
When: Wednesday 23 of September, 7 PM

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Passersby will be able to watch Chef Daniel Mowles as he creates sensational meals for his invited guests. The recipes he prepares will be featured as specials on the Lilys menu the next day, which is known for its Scandinavian-influenced American cuisine. The live food show will feature a number of his newest spring dishes.

Daniel is one of the most creative young chefs out there. We think of his dishes as art, so when the Lab Gallery approached us with the idea of his performing live, we immediately agreed, said Ulrika Bengtsson, Restaurant Director of Lilys.

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