by Jesse Sokolow

Glenn Miller fans take heed! The Hotel Pennsylvania, the fourth largest hotel in New York City that closed temporarily amidst the coronavirus-pandemic induced decline in visitors to the Big Apple, is slated to be demolished. Its owner, Vornado Realty Trust, in its annual letter to shareholders, revealed the news.
Over the course of decades, many big band names, including the Glenn Miller Orchestra, performed in the Hotel Pennsylvania’s massive Café Rouge.  …

‘If You’re Vaccinated and You’re Outside, Put Aside Your Mask,’ says Fauci

by Paul Riegler

If you’re vaccinated and outside, do as Dr. Anthony Fauci does and don’t don a face mask.
Speaking on the news program “CBS This Morning,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease specialist, told host Gayle King that people vaccinated against Covid-19 do not need to wear masks outside.
“We’ve got to make that transition,” he said. “If you are vaccinated, you don’t have to wear a mask outside…. You don’t …

The Pandemic Is NOT Over, Dumbasses: The World is a Global Village and India is Its Powder Keg

by Jonathan Spira

All across the United States, governors are lifting Covid-age restrictions such as limitations on gatherings and the requirement to don a face mask. Meanwhile, halfway across the globe, India continues to set new daily records for the number of coronavirus infections in a 24-hour period, the latest in excess of over 401,000.
The contrast could hardly be starker.
In the developed world, vaccine orders run into the billions while Covid-19 cases plummet.  Economies …

They’re Back! The Return of Change and Other Airline Fees as Americans Plan Trips

by Paul Riegler

Planning a trip? Be prepared for surprises as the travel landscape is shifting once again as airlines return to pre-pandemic policies on change and other fees.
Coronavirus pandemic-induced fee waivers on basic-economy fares at American Airlines and Frontier Airlines expired last month and those at United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines, and Hawaiian Airline expired at the very end of April.
This leaves JetBlue Airways, which recently extended its waiver through May …

Broadway Will Reopen… Once the Details Get Worked Out

by Kurt Stolz

“Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch – Again!”
The iconic opening from “A Chorus Line,” which opened in 1975 and was once Broadway’s longest running show, is familiar to anyone who has worked on the stage.
Now, after Broadway’s dark winter, theater fans can take heart: the lights o Broadway are being rekindled, but before the first kick, there’s much work to be done.  The 41 shows in New York City’s theaters …

Review: Kino Polska, Virtual Film Festival at Brooklyn Academy of Music

by Basilio Alferow

It’s been over a year of lockdowns and one can’t be blamed for wanting to go back to the movies.  Fortunately, we live in an age where it’s not even necessary to wear a mask or observe social distancing since now one can stream a film festival in the comfort of one’s own living room.
The Brooklyn Academy of Music is currently presenting a showcase of  Polish cinema presenting the work …

Great Moments in Travel History – May 2021

by Jesse Sokolow

“Tra la, it’s May, the lusty Month of May,” as the song from “Camelot” goes. May, the fifth month in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars is typically the epitome of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and of autumn in the Southern. May Day, typically celebrated on May 1, is an ancient Northern Hemisphere spring festival that celebrates the season. It is also a public holiday in many countries, in …

Review: How to Travel with Apple’s New AirTags

by Anna Breuer

Apple AirTags, which became available this week from Apple as well as a limited number of retailers, may very well be one of the most useful travel accessories to come to market in recent years.
Simply place the AirTag on or in your wallet, bag, keychain, or another object you wish to track and the Find My app will locate the item when required.
Priced at $29 per tag or $99 for …