Copyright 2008 The New York Sun Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:43:56 -0400 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Sheila Callahan :: Stories from The New York Sun http://www.nysun.com/authors/Sheila+Callahan istoll@nysun.com (Ira Stoll) webmaster@nysun.com en-us SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/travel/pilates-on-the-pacific/14858/ Fri, 3 Jun 2005 00:00:00 EST Cruise-ship travel generally brings to mind hours of sitting and endless all-meals-included eating, rather than burning calories. Yet on a 14-day sail through the Panama Canal aboard Celebrity's Summit recently, many passengers kept up their usual exercise routines - or even kicked them up a notch. At the 25,000-square-foot AquaSpa, home of Summit's fitness center, scents of frangipani, ginger, jasmine, and coconut emanate from nearby treatment rooms. The gym, equipped with a Pilates Body... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2005-03-25/11195/ Fri, 25 Mar 2005 00:00:00 EST CARIBBEAN TRAVEL On April 8, visitors to the Caribbean island of Curacao will be treated to a rarely seen hybrid eclipse, where initially the moon appears smaller than the sun, then larger, and then smaller again. The last one occurred in 1987, and the next one is due in 2023. In recognition of this opportunity, Papagayo Beach Resort is offering a special Eclipse Package from April 4-20, with a three-night stay in a large two-bedroom sea-view villa for $325 a person, based on double occupancy... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2005-03-18/10817/ Fri, 18 Mar 2005 00:00:00 EST AMUSEMENT PARK Temple of the Tiger, a new 33,000-foot exhibit at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J., is adding a live show to its entertainment program, "Spirit of the Tiger," a Broadway-style fusion of music, dance, and animal athleticism featuring Bengal tigers, stilt walkers, dancers, body balancers, and percussionists. Young adult tigers Balin, Faruk, Hara, and Chandi, along with extremely rare golden tabby cubs Kingda Ka and Raina and white Bengal cub Kiril, will share the... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2005-03-11/10473/ Fri, 11 Mar 2005 00:00:00 EST MAPLE SYRUP It's maple-sugar time. Native only to North America, sugar maples grow from southeastern Canada to northern Ohio. Forty gallons of sap produce a gallon of pure, calcium-rich syrup. On March 12, the smell of maple candies and the sounds of lively music will guide you to a celebration in Ithaca. Enjoy a pancake brunch, tree-tapping demos, sugar on snow, games for kids, and bird box-building. For more information, visit www.cayuganaturecenter.org. This weekend and next, in Cornwall... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/on-the-town/this-lyricist-pens-new-words-for-little-women/9985/ Wed, 2 Mar 2005 00:00:00 EST Like Louisa May Alcott's character Jo March in "Little Women," Mindi Dickstein grew up near Boston, writing and performing plays with her friends. Again like Jo, Ms. Dickstein later moved to New York to write. Whether the parallels are the stuff of coincidence or an indicator of destiny, Ms. Dickstein's "Little Women" connection expanded when she became the lyricist for the Broadway adaptation of the book. The 41-year-old brunette, who now lives on a lake in New Jersey, joined the production in... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2005-02-25/9761/ Fri, 25 Feb 2005 00:00:00 EST SPRING TRAINING Spring-training fever has spread to Scottsdale, Ariz., home of the San Francisco Giants for the month of March. The Cactus League's series of 14 games at Scottsdale Stadium has already inspired plenty of vacation deals for visitors. The Phoenician's "Spring Training Taste of Luxury" package costs $505, double occupancy, with accommodations and daily breakfast. For $217, the Radisson Resort & Spa Scottsdale offers a "Bed and Breakfast Family Package" that includes... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/weddings/easing-toward-the-altar/9552/ Tue, 22 Feb 2005 00:00:00 EST Anne Chertoff encourages brides planning their weddings to take grooms and parents to taste potential wedding cakes. "It's the one thing they all love," she told an audience of women at various stages of the wedding-planning process last week. Increasingly, brides-to-be are seeking the services of people like Ms. Chertoff, who is not a wedding planner, but who acts as a consultant to help brides through the days leading up to the big event. Her firm, the Wedding Workshop by Anne Chertoff, and... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2005-02-18/9492/ Fri, 18 Feb 2005 00:00:00 EST FLIGHTS Beginning May 1, Song (www.flysong.com, 800-FLYSONG) will virtually double service from JFK, with five new nonstop destinations: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Aruba, and San Juan. Customers can book now, with flights taking off May 1 to Los Angeles (seven roundtrips by June 18), July 4 to San Francisco (five roundtrips by September 1) and Seattle (three roundtrips by September 2), June 18 to San Juan, and July 23 to Aruba. Air travel to Tobago has often involved stopping at... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/on-the-town/under-the-gates-this-horticulturist-plans/9337/ Wed, 16 Feb 2005 00:00:00 EST Asked, inevitably, about "The Gates" by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, the Central Park Conservancy's director of horticulture, William Berliner, smiled and shook his head, knowing where the question might lead. "Anything that disrupts the daily operation of the park, is," he said, pausing to fold his arms and tilt his head contemplatively, "not a problem, but how would I say it? "With 15,000 metal bases, it is difficult to plow paths and move equipment," he admitted. But, "They [the planners] have... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/on-the-town/in-german-french-or-english-her-words-sound-sweet/9044/ Thu, 10 Feb 2005 00:00:00 EST "In some things, I'm very average," German-born chanteuse Ute Lemper insisted. Then again, her standards are very high. Even when it comes to recreation, she displays a curious blend of flamboyance and modesty: "Tennis I enjoy, but then I'm so bad at it. I suck. It sucks to be mediocre at something," she said, perhaps borrowing a bit of vocabulary from her two young children. Judging from the 41-year-old cabaret and musical-theater star's international performance schedule, she rarely has time... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/on-the-town/this-horticulturist-curates-a-gardens-collections/8900/ Tue, 8 Feb 2005 00:00:00 EST Wearing stylish tortoiseshell reading glasses, a black v-neck sweater, and faded blue jeans, Jacqueline Fazio sat in her office talking about "the collection." At 55 years old, Mrs. Fazio laughs easily and her blue eyes sparkle - but second-guess her use of the word "collection" in reference to the plants at Brooklyn Botanic Garden and all mirth disappears. The term might smack of pretentiousness to the uninitiated, but it has currency in botanic garden circles. It makes the garden sound like a... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/cruise-tips-trips/8795/ Fri, 4 Feb 2005 00:00:00 EST DISCOUNTS Travelers looking to find low rates can compare prices at www.cruisecompete.com. The Web site works with more than 100 North American cruise aggregators - travel agencies that buy up blocks of cabins at bulk prices - to provide cruise discounts. Through the site's search tool, customers can request competing quotes for the cruises that interest them from all the different member travel agencies. SPAS On-board pampering continues to expand in the cruise industry, particularly with... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/on-the-town/this-actor-plays-a-priest-in-both-million-dollar/8648/ Wed, 2 Feb 2005 00:00:00 EST When he was 17 years old, in 1984, Brian F. O'Byrne had seen only three movies in his entire life. That 20 years later he would fly to Los Angeles to appear in one with Clint Eastwood almost defies his imagination. In "Million Dollar Baby," Mr. O'Byrne plays Father Horvak, confessor to Mr. Eastwood's character, Frankie Dunn. And while his four scenes may squeak by without particular notice, given the bright Hollywood lights on Mr. Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, and Hilary Swank, on Broadway, the... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/on-the-town/reaching-out-and-pulling-students-along/8573/ Tue, 1 Feb 2005 00:00:00 EST Lori Penesis knows a thing or two about overcoming adversity. She has run the New York City Marathon twice, speeding along a route that snakes past Automotive High School in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, where she works at an after-school outreach program organized by New York City Outward Bound. She completed the 26.2 miles despite the fact that she lost part of one leg to cancer 20 years ago. At both of her races, 2000 and 2001, she set a course record for disabled women. However infectious her... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2005-01-28/8434/ Fri, 28 Jan 2005 00:00:00 EST VALENTINE SPECIALS Inns and B&Bs around the country are offering Valentine's Day specials for a weekend of romance. ESPERANZA MANSION, overlooking Keuka Lake in New York State's Finger Lakes region, was completed in 1838. Over the years, the property has served as a link in the Underground Railroad and a county poorhouse as well as a vineyard, farm, and winery. Now a national historic landmark, Esperanza Mansion has nine guestrooms within the original house, all named after varieties of... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/parenting/young-dancers/8158/ Mon, 24 Jan 2005 00:00:00 EST Next Monday, about 40 teenagers between the ages of 12 and 18 will audition to join five afterschool dance troupes at the 92nd Street Y's Harkness Dance Center: Fresh Y Crew, an all-boys hip-hop group; 92nd Street Y Tap Team; Harkness Youth Ballet; Young Master Repertory Ensemble, a modern-dance group; and the 92nd Street Y Lindyhoppers, a swing group. In the fall, 45 students took part in the program, which is designed to give teens an opportunity to participate in a performing "company." The... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2005-01-21/8079/ Fri, 21 Jan 2005 00:00:00 EST FERRY Circle Line Harbor Cruises will offer high-speed ferry service between Manhattan and La Guardia Airport starting mid-year. Passengers can embark at either Wall Street's Pier 11 or at 34th Street before arriving at La Guardia's Marine Air Terminal, where they can connect to the Route A bus, stopping at all terminals. Passengers boarding at Wall Street will have a 30-minute voyage, while service from 34th Street will take 20 minutes. One-way tickets will cost $25 for adults and $15 for... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/parenting/hardly-ordinary/7821/ Mon, 17 Jan 2005 00:00:00 EST "Extraordinary!", a children's musical appearing at Vital Theatre Company's new home on the Upper West Side, delivers delight to theatergoers ages 2 to 12, but its humor and message appeals to older audiences as well. Performed weekends through February 6, "Extraordinary!", the second of four children's shows in Vital's 2004-05 season, tells the tale of 9-year-old Lester, his imaginary friend Fred, and Lester's deaf cousin Hope, who embark on an adventure through the living room couch to search... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips/7741/ Fri, 14 Jan 2005 00:00:00 EST FREQUENT FLYERS This week British Airways announced a frequent-flyer bonus. The airline will award 40,250 miles to Executive Club members living in the United States or Canada who complete at least one roundtrip transatlantic flight in First or Club World (business class) between January 13 and April 30. Flyers must first register online at www.ba.com/winteroffer. Doing so provides a minimum of 50,000 miles, including the bonus and those accrued on the transatlantic flights. During the special... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/on-the-town/actor-considers-the-implications-of-democracy/7433/ Mon, 10 Jan 2005 00:00:00 EST Approaching from Eighth Avenue dressed in jeans and a blue turtleneck, James Naughton, one of the stars of Michael Frayn's new play, "Democracy," arrived at the stage door of the Brooks Atkinson Theater accompanied by his 2-and-a-half-year-old schnauzer "Mike." It's just coincidence that the breed originated in Germany and that Mr. Naughton plays a former West German chancellor. By 12:30 p.m. before a matinee, the two had clocked in for a workday that would last until 11 p.m. But after three... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2005-01-07/7405/ Fri, 7 Jan 2005 00:00:00 EST SKIING New York State has 48 downhill and 50 cross-country ski areas located between the Adirondacks to the Catskills. For up-to-date conditions and money-saving packages visit www.skiandrideny.com. Now through March 1, any fourth-grade child can receive three free passes to many of the state's ski areas. For information and to download an application, visit www.44free.com. Send a completed application to the address listed along with a copy of a recent report card and a $15 registration fee... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-12-31/7044/ Fri, 31 Dec 2004 00:00:00 EST SKIING Downhill skiers looking to plan their next getaway might consider Ski Search, a new nationwide database of resorts, lodging, dining, area attractions, and shopping available throughSwitchboard.com. Courtesy of the nationwide yellow page service, Ski Search provides individual directory listings for more than 350 ski areas across America, with links to their Web sites. To access the database, go to Switchboard.com's home page and click on the Ski Search link below the search box. There... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/on-the-town/building-hope-from-manhattan-to-mexico/6788/ Fri, 24 Dec 2004 00:00:00 EST As a former combat photographer and ambulance driver, Robert Katz sounds more like a character out of Hemingway than an undergraduate at Hunter College. "Good Jewish boys from New Rochelle don't join the Marines," a sibling told the then 17-year-old Mr. Katz when he decided to sign up. "That made me want to do it more," he explained. "I wanted to do something different. Everybody thought I was crazy for joining, and I liked that." "When I was growing up, my father was in the Reserves and we... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-12-24/6796/ Fri, 24 Dec 2004 00:00:00 EST AIRFARE DEALS Qantas has extended the deadline for booking its Aussie Air Pass packages to August 31, 2005. Packages during the low season (April 26-June 17 and July 19-August 26, 2005) start from $1,299 and sell out quickly. The air pass provides round-trip economy flights between New York and Sydney, plus three domestic flights within Australia. It encompasses "zone one," with travel to and from Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Hobart, and Launceston. For an... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-12-17/6483/ Fri, 17 Dec 2004 00:00:00 EST FLY FISHING Chris Santella's "Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die" (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $24.95) might be just the thing for the fly fisherman seeking to land the big one. The book provides cultural and natural histories of Mongolia, the Florida Keys, and Armstrong's Spring Creek in Montana, among other locations, as well as photos by renowned fly-fishing photographer Valentine Atkinson. Abroad, readers get a global tour of the fjords of Southern Chile, the rivers Dee and Tay in... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/parenting/exploring-with-dora/6223/ Mon, 13 Dec 2004 00:00:00 EST For the first time ever, Dora, the popular Latina heroine of Nickelodeon's award winning "Dora the Explorer," is starring in her own museum exhibit. The yearlong interactive exhibit opened Saturday at the Children's Museum of Manhattan. "Dora has become an icon to preschoolers - her adventurous, helpful spirit and pride in her Hispanic culture have been embraced by kids around the world," said Karen Driscoll, vice president of Nickelodeon marketing. Like the hit television series, the exhibit... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-12-10/6145/ Fri, 10 Dec 2004 00:00:00 EST ACCESSIBLE AIR TRAVEL The United Spinal Association, a national veterans' service and disability rights organization, has made a pamphlet available for individuals with disabilities traveling by air. "Accessible Air Travel: A Guide for People with Disabilities" covers reservations, transportation to the airport, the boarding process, and ways to address violations of the law. It touches on refusal of service, advance-notice requirements, security screening, and airline liability for equipment... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/on-the-town/thirds-a-charm/5859/ Tue, 7 Dec 2004 00:00:00 EST At the Metropolitan Opera, the drama begins before the first note is sounded, when audience members settle into their seats and a dozen crystal chandeliers ascend toward the gold-leaf ceiling in less than a minute and a half. On December 11, radio listeners will hear a new voice recreating the magic of the theater over the airwaves. Margaret Juntwait, heard locally on WQXR 96.3 FM, and worldwide by 10 million, will cue the dimming of the Met lights and the official start of the radio season's... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/parenting/welcome-to-kidville/5848/ Mon, 6 Dec 2004 00:00:00 EST Soon New York City children – and their parents - will have a new place to congregate, play, and learn. Kidville, NY, a four-story family emporium at 84th Street between Lexington and Third avenues, opens next month. A combination playroom, classroom, cafe, boutique, and salon, Kidville will provide children with a space to run, paint, get hair cuts, and have birthday parties, while parents and caregivers can shop, have lunch, watch a movie, get a manicure, share parenting tips, and even... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-12-03/5770/ Fri, 3 Dec 2004 00:00:00 EST HISTORIC HOLIDAY From noon to 5 p.m. this weekend and next, Dutchess County's Montgomery Place, an estate in the historic Hudson Valley, invites visitors to experience a magical Victorian Christmas with its "Visions of Sugarplums" holiday tours. Guides in period costume demonstrate just how those Victorians decked their halls. Tiffany silver, 1897 menu cards, and oysters on the half shell tempt guests in the dining room, and boughs of holly evergreen, and other seasonal plants adorn the rest of... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-11-26/5424/ Fri, 26 Nov 2004 00:00:00 EST SKI PACKAGES The snowplow turn is just a ski lesson away. Smuggler's Notch in Vermont features packages with daily group ski and snowboard lessons for children. Adult first-time skiers or riders also receive instruction, and those above the novice level are entitled to a 50% discount. Condominium lodging, daily lift tickets on three mountains, after-ski activities, and use of cross-country ski and snowshoe trails come included, and with 5-day stays before December 18, so does a free Smuggler's... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/parenting/making-science-fun/5202/ Mon, 22 Nov 2004 00:00:00 EST The prospect of a visit to a "science museum" might elicit groans from some children. But the 55,000-square-foot addition opening this week at the New York Hall of Science is likely to have the most science-averse children riveted. Ten years and $89 million in the making, the fiberglass-walled addition was designed by Polshek Partners Architects, best known for the Rose Center for Earth and Space at the American Museum of Natural History and the newly opened William J. Clinton Presidential... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-11-19/5123/ Fri, 19 Nov 2004 00:00:00 EST LUGGAGE SERVICE Breeze through airports and train stations hands-free. The pickup and delivery service Luggage Concierge will transport your luggage for you. Each bag is insured for $1,500 (with the option of additional coverage), picked up at your home or office, shipped directly to your destination, and then back again at the end of your trip. Choose either ground, overnight, or two- or three-day air shipping. Weight, turnaround time, and overall size determine the cost, but an average... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-11-12/4752/ Fri, 12 Nov 2004 00:00:00 EST ON THE WATER In March, a Stanford marine biologist and two John Steinbeck scholars will board the seven-night "Whales and Wildlife" cruise in Cabo San Lucas. There they will enlighten fellow passengers on the area's abundant marine life as recorded by Steinbeck and his co-author, marine biologist Ed Ricketts, in the classic 1941 book "Log from the Sea of Cortez." Timed to coincide with the height of the whale migration season, the cruise will call at locales mentioned in the book and will give... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/on-the-town/30-years-of-scripting-drama-for-broadway/4691/ Thu, 11 Nov 2004 00:00:00 EST "When I first came to New York - when the Arts Council in Louisville, Ky., first sent me, I heard this man in the back of the room say, 'Isn't it amazing to hear smart things coming out of Southern mouths?'" Marsha Norman said. "Getting Out," her first play, was performed off-Broadway in 1977-78. "I resolved to eliminate the accent," she said, as the refrigerator in her SoHo loft hummed behind her. The writer sat at an oak table in her kitchen, with two neat piles of unopened mail, a Starbucks... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-11-05/4388/ Fri, 5 Nov 2004 00:00:00 EST FINE DINING Starting this winter, foodies can find celebrated chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa in St Moritz, Switzerland. "Nobu at Baddrutt's Palace" will open December 18 in "Le Relais," one of seven restaurants at the five-star hotel Badrutt's Palace, on Lake St. Moritz, and remain for the duration of the ski season. Signature dishes such as "sashimi salad with Matsuhisa soy sauce dressing" will be on the menu, as will cocktails such as the "Lychee Martini." The hotel's winter 2004-05 rates start at... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-10-29/4028/ Fri, 29 Oct 2004 00:00:00 EST HALLOWEEN FUN Halloween means "Legend Weekend" at Sunnyside, home of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" author Washington Irving, and at Philipsburg Manor, where the book's Headless Horseman chased Ichabod Crane. During the day, Sunnyside will offer "Spooky Walks," puppets, magic shows, and storytelling, and Philipsburg Manor will invite visitors to shell corn and carve pumpkins. On all three nights, Philipsburg Manor's lantern lit bridge will transport visitors to a landscape of ghouls, witches... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-10-22/3664/ Fri, 22 Oct 2004 00:00:00 EST SKIING ARTFUL SLALOM Visitors to Colorado can enjoy "Art in Aspen Ski Week" January 30 through February 6. Combining time on the slopes with forays to the area's art troves, the $1,879 package includes a five-day lift ticket good for Aspen, Snowmass, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk - all within a 12-mile radius and connected by a free shuttle. Home base for seven nights is Sky Hotel, slope-side at Aspen Mountain. Some of the apres-ski activities include a tour of the Aspen Art Museum, visits... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/on-the-town/sultry-songbird-tickles-the-ivories/3293/ Fri, 15 Oct 2004 00:00:00 EST When Lucy Elias first saw the hands of her newborn daughter, all plans for naming the baby "Joseli" - in honor of St. Joseph, whose feast day fell on her birth date - flew out the window. "She has the hands of a pianist - with long fingers. I'll give her an artist's name,"the mother declared of her daughter, Eliane. Mother knows best: The Brazilian jazz pianist, composer, and singer has since gone on to win multiple Grammy nominations and worldwide recognition. A perfect stage name wasn't the... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-10-15/3306/ Fri, 15 Oct 2004 00:00:00 EST FOLIAGE KYKUIT The fall foliage will soon peak at Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate, where garden tours wrap up for the season on November 7. Henry Moore's "Knife-Edge, Two Piece," a polished bronze sculpture, can be viewed to particular effect from the Rose Garden at this time of year. Crimson leaves also frame marble and metal works by Picasso and Calder. Tours of the garden and sculptures begin at 3 p.m. every day except Tuesday, with no reservations necessary (though a 2:15 p.m. arrival is... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/on-the-town/floating-between-continents/3091/ Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 EST A pilot whale and her two calves escorted Cristian Vergara partway across the Strait of Gibraltar when the 46-year-old Park Slope accountant recently swam to Morocco from Spain. Mr. Vergara, a veteran open-water swimmer who has swum around Manhattan three times (it takes him about eight-and-a-half hours) had never encountered anything like the whales. "About three-quarters of the way across, I noticed a shadow to my left," he explained. Because he was breathing on his right side, he didn't... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-10-08/2946/ Fri, 8 Oct 2004 00:00:00 EST RAILWAYS FLORIDA-BOUND Amtrak is offering the "Florida Recovery Program," a 20% discount on travel between New York and Florida, until October 28 on its "Silver Service" and "Auto Train." "People are looking to travel to Florida, either to help with the recovery efforts or to bring much-needed tourism dollars back to the state," said Barbara Richardson of Amtrak. "We want everyone to know that Amtrak is up and running in Florida, and we're doing our part to bring people back to the Sunshine... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-10-01/2583/ Fri, 1 Oct 2004 00:00:00 EST FERRIES WEST POINT FOOTBALL For four more home games, New York Waterway will ferry Manhattan football fans to West Point, where the Black Knights take on rivals such as Air Force, on November 6. With no traffic, tolls, or parking hassles, boats depart Pier 78, at West 38th Street and Twelfth Avenue, at 7:45 a.m. the day of the game and provide unhindered views of the fall foliage along the Hudson River. Passengers arrive in time to catch a glimpse of the weekly cadet parade and all of the... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-09-03/1306/ Fri, 3 Sep 2004 00:00:00 EST TRAVEL HINTS GUERRILLAS IN THE MIDST For just $15, the new "Guerrilla Travel Tactics" guide makes an insider out of everyone, unpacking plenty of travel secrets. For example, the guide suggests air travelers arrive early and add their names to the "volunteers list" in case an overbooked flight needs passengers to forfeit reserved seats in exchange for a later flight. As a reward, these savvy journeyers typically receive coupons with $200 to $400 discounts for future flights. Some airlines, such... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-08-27/961/ Fri, 27 Aug 2004 00:00:00 EST INTERNET TRAVEL GROUP PLANNING MADE EASY Groople, www.groople.com, a new Web site that stands for "groups of people," allows organizers of weddings, reunions, and other get-togethers to plan the event with greater ease and flexibility. Sparing planners the chore of making lots of phone calls looking for comparisons on rates and availability, the site pulls together information on flights, hotels, car rentals, and other necessities, even providing checklists for Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, and... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-08-20/607/ Fri, 20 Aug 2004 00:00:00 EST HONEYMOON REGISTRY NEW FOR NEWLYWEDS New York-based Artisans of Leisure, a luxury travel specialist, now offers a honeymoon registry where couples can plan and book trips to Asia, Australia, and Europe. Family and friends can then contribute toward the cost of the trip, with the details of the honeymoon remaining confidential. The newlyweds receive a handwritten card along with a personal message from the gift giver. A possible Thailand itinerary pampers the celebrants at the Amanpuri in... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/home/popping-up-picnics/533/ Thu, 19 Aug 2004 00:00:00 EST Maybe it was a reluctance to see summer end or perhaps just anticipation of autumn apple picking, wine-tastings, and tailgate parties, but picnic merchandise kept popping up at the New York International Gift Fair this week at the Jacob Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminals. Beginning Saturday, 2,700 exhibitors (more than 200 of them new to the show) hauled their wares - home accessories, tabletop, glass, linens, and textiles, among others - to exhibit to nearly 45,000 merchants... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trip-s/276/ Fri, 13 Aug 2004 00:00:00 EST FLIGHTS BAHAMAS FOR A SONG Song, Delta's low-fare subsidiary, will begin flying from JFK to Nassau, Bahamas, starting December 1. The first international service offered by the carrier, it will feature standard Song amenities - 24 channels of live, satellite television, 24 selections of audio programming, on-demand, pay-per-view movies, and interactive video games. With an eye toward passenger health, fitness guru David Barton has developed an in-flight fitness program, and Song's menu offers... Sheila Callahan http://www.nysun.com/travel/tips-trips-2004-07-30/188/ Fri, 30 Jul 2004 00:00:00 EST 69 773 200 784 BLACK DIAMOND RUNS Until August 30, skiers and snowboarders can buy a discounted all-for-one ski pass, good for season-long skiing at six Northeast resorts: Attitash, Killington, Mount Snow, Pico, Sugarloaf, and Sunday River. With just 14 blackout days, the $349 Bronze Pass pays for itself after only six uses. Other packages, at incremental price increases, afford additional benefits. The Gold Pass has no blackout dates and offers lodging specials. It costs $1,100 in season, but... SHEILA CALLAHAN http://www.nysun.com/style/designs-on-deck/140/ Tue, 20 Jul 2004 00:00:00 EST Not a pair of Topsiders was in sight at the "To Be Confirmed," or TBC, fashion trade show at the USS Intrepid yesterday, although crews worked hard to swab the decks after Sunday night's downpours. Now in its sixth season,TBC features the wares of 100 young, up-andcoming designers and new, limited-edition brands. While house music provided the backbeat, buyers and fashion media trolled the booths showcasing menswear, women's lines, accessories, and shoes under the airconditioned tent on the...