by Anna Breuer

Traffic getting to the airport was miserable, the security checkpoint line was out the door, and stress levels were high. But when traveling during the holidays, what’s the alternative?
Now that we’ve kicked off summer with the busy Memorial Day holiday, here are the five days to avoid flying on and to stay off the roads for the remainder of 2018.
June 29
The 4th of July comes on a Wednesday this year …

Cardless ATMs Come of Age

by Anna Breuer

In a world where contactless payment seemed like something out of a Jules Verne story until Apple Pay and Google Pay came along, banks are now on the edge of what could be a major revolution in how we interact with them, at least at the branch level.
The change: automated teller machines that don’t require an ATM card for such tasks as deposits, checking balances, transfers, and cash withdrawals. This …

Lobby Bar – June 15: Clara Peller, Orson Welles, Three Stooges, and Rabbits Who Like Chocolate Milk

by Paul Riegler

The band that stayed for dinner. “The Band’s Visit” swept the Tony Awards this week. Only problem is they are still stuck in Beit Hatikva and the show may be renamed “Groundhog Day: Israel” instead.
Nyuk. Nyuk. Nyuk. John F. Kennedy International Airport debuted its new Emergency Operations Center, which came about after multiple crises occurred during a winter storm. The new directors – Larry, Curly, and Moe – spoke at …

Restaurant Review: Bobby Van’s Steakhouse, New York

by Jonathan Spira

Back in the 1970s at the original Bobby Van’s restaurant on Main Street in Bridgehampton, the clique of regulars at the bar included famed authors such as Truman Capote, John Knowles, James Jones, as well as Willie Morris, the editor of Harper’s magazine.
Other regulars included the artists Roy Lichtenstein, Warren Brandt, Willem de Kooning, and Lukas Foss, the classical composer and conductor. Frequently diners would find Mr. Van, who died …

‘The Band’s Visit’ Sweeps the 2018 Tony Awards, ‘Harry Potter’ Wins Best Play

by Anna Breuer

NEW YORK—The 72nd Tony Awards took place Sunday evening at Radio City Music Hall in New York City with “The Band’s Visit,” the story of an Egyptian police officer stranded in Israel after going to the wrong town, winning 10 awards including best new musical. “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” won the Tony for best play.
In what was by some considered to be an upset in a year with …

Porsche Celebrates 70 Years of Iconic Sports Cars

by Paul Riegler

Porsche, known formally as Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH, is celebrating 70 years since its first vehicle, the 356 Model 1 Roadster, received street certification in 1948.
The 356 was a rear-engine, rear-wheel drive, two door that was available both as a hardtop coupe and a cabriolet.
Early prototypes of the 356 were designed and built by Ferry Porsche, the son of Porsche founder Ferdinand Porsche, while his father was …

Apple Announces New Features for iPhone, Apple Watch, at Worldwide Developers Conference

by Paul Riegler

Apple introduced a slew of new tools and software at its 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday.
The Cupertino-based company is adding tools to the iPhone to combat Information Overload, releasing new operating systems for the Apple Watch and iPhone, introducing a feature in the Safari web browser that makes it harder for websites to track visitors, and updating Siri to allow the virtual assistant to catch up to the competition.
The …

JFK Opens New Emergency Operations Center After Paralyzing January Storm

by Anna Breuer

John F. Kennedy International Airport, which was paralyzed for days after the “bomb cyclone” Nor’easter on January 4, unveiled an Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, that will coordinate operations during bad weather events and other emergency situations.
The airport, which is unique in that it has six completely separate terminals, operated by six independent entities, each with a great deal of autonomy, created the EOC after an independent study …