Articles by Jonathan Spira
The Strange Tradition of Watching ‘Dinner for One’ on New Year’s Eve
The tradition of reviewing “Dinner for One” goes back almost a decade here at Frequent Business Traveler and, just like the tradition of watching “Dinner for One” on Silvester or New Year’s Eve, came about by accident.
Indeed, in Germany and Austria as well as other parts of Europe, before going out to celebrate the New Year, watching “Dinner for One” is de rigueur, just as it has become for the …
Review: Restaurant Zirbelzimmer, Hotel Sacher Salzburg, Austria
Vienna’s Hotel Sacher is well known for its Sachertorte, devised in 1832 by Franz Sacher for Prince Metternich, the legendary diplomat. Sachetorte is perhaps one of the famous of all Austrian specialties – vying with Wiener Schnitzel and, for those in the know, Mozartkugel and Salzburger Nockerl. Sacher’s son Eduard went on to open the Hotel Sacher in Vienna in 1876 and the cake is believed to have been instrumental …
Best Plays and Musicals of 2018
The year 2018 was a year where there was simply an abundance of riches in plays and musicals.
We sat through a magnificent train wreck (“King Kong”), experienced heartbreak in a glorious three hours of Jez Butterworth’s “The Ferryman,” attended the best civics class ever in “What the Constitution Means to Me,” and wore pink to a Wednesday matinée of “Mean Girls.”
Still, Frequent Business Traveler Cultural Editor and Co-Critic Blaise Buckley …
Evelyn Berezin, Built World’s First Computerized Airline Reservations System for United Airlines, Dies at 93
Evelyn Berezin, who is credited with building the world’s first computerized airline reservations system as well as the first computer-controlled word processor, died Saturday in New York City at the age of 93.
Ms. Berezin joined Electronic Computer Corporation in New York in 1951, where she designed task-specific computers. When Electronic Computer was acquired by Underwood Typewriter, she moved to Teleregister.
In 1959, while at Teleregister, where she designed several bookkeeping and …
An Insider’s Guide to Europe in December: Copenhagen, Dublin, and Vienna Offer Handmade Gifts and Mulled Wine Along with the Holiday Spirit
The secret may be out: the best month to visit Europe is … December! Not only is the weather still relatively moderate, shops are festively decorated and open late, Christmas markets are everywhere, and the holiday season does far more than the European Commission to unify the region.
Indeed, it’s one of my favorite months of the year to spend there.
The pleasure of Europe in winter is learning about each country’s …
Inside LaGuardia Airport’s Posh New Central Terminal Concourse, Now Open to Passengers
Attention New Yorkers and visitors: The city that never sleeps now has a brand new airport – or at least part of one.
The first concourse in the newly built replacement Central Terminal building at LaGuardia Airport opened on Saturday. I visited the new structure, also known as Terminal B, for the better part of the day, spoke with passengers, and met with airport officials who were on the ground spearheading …
Theater Review: ‘The Waverly Gallery’ at John Golden Theater
Gladys has a problem. Played with great poignancy and humor by the incomparable Elaine May in the Broadway production “The Waverly Gallery,” Gladys is a retired attorney cum social butterfly who, as a young housewife, moved to Germany with Herb, her husband; fled the National Socialist regime, returning to the States; built a successful law practice; had a family; bought a small apartment building in Greenwich Village; and opened a …
