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Meeting Breaks and Gala Deserts on Ice: The Cream is Getting Crazy!

Meeting Breaks and Gala Deserts on Ice: The Cream is Getting Crazy!

If your destination corporate meeting attendees are here in New York City being served basic vanilla ice cream at either a meeting break or gala event, an enormous creative opportunity is being missed. Here's why. The flavors we are seeing here are completely out of control, and that's a good thing. Some examples of taste explosions include moringa and pistachios, Mezcal gelato, sour pickle (which we never would have originally guessed), and ice cream that is so thick that it

Is New York City the Best Place to Fish?

Is New York City the Best Place to Fish?

If you have ever watched fishing TV or had a grandfather or father who absolutely loves it, then you might think fishing is old fashioned. But it isn't. We are seeing a huge trend here in New York City where fishing has become a top "unconnected" activity. And the water is now super-clean. What we love is that destination corporate meeting attendees have to actually spend 1-2 hours talking to each other versus simply looking at their phones. It's a low-tech team-building idea

Meeting Breaks: Go Coco NUTS!

Meeting Breaks: Go Coco NUTS!

If your destination corporate meeting attendees like wellness, they will love a new trend in New York City that features coconut yogurt. Here are the basics behind the recipe: it's a mix of coconut milk and freeze-dried probiotics. Here is the result: 15 strains of protein and 25 billion, yes billion, units of stuff that blow away most of the supplements you see over the counter. While it might not be the top meetings-on-a-budget item, this kind of meeting break idea is alrea

Tulum, Mexico Comes to Union Square

Tulum, Mexico Comes to Union Square

We really like where the New York City Mexican dining scene has gone over the past year. We are seeing a shift from trendy to authentic in both menus and decor. The newest entry is opening later this month in Union Square, and it features a trip to downtown Tulum, Mexico. Well, not actually a trip, but you get the picture. Your attendees will even be able to enjoy the same kind of porch swings found in Tulum. We also like the unique LED lighting twist. The venue seats 150+ at

Corporate Meeting Dinners: New Steakhouse to Open Near Penn Station

Corporate Meeting Dinners: New Steakhouse to Open Near Penn Station

Top chef Laurent Tourondel is creating his own dining destination near Penn Station. This is big news as that area has been starving for this kind of diverse dining excellence, and Tourondel's offerings are particularly well-timed with all of the new hotel development in the neighborhood. With a successful wine bar and Italian venue connected to the Eventi Hotel, Tourondel, who is the founder of the BLT Brand, is now planning to open a high-end steakhouse this fall. This will

Hot Cocktail Hour Drink is Root Beer-Flavored Whiskey

Hot Cocktail Hour Drink is Root Beer-Flavored Whiskey

The hottest cocktail hour drink tastes a lot like that root beer you loved as a kid. With the exception of the small fact that it is actually whiskey. Country music star Blake Shelton loves it, as does actor Ryan Reynolds. And it's being served at some of Manhattan's top after-hours venues. Overall, taste infusion mixology is the next big trend since distilleries got multiple creative menu green lights from New York's governor. This kind of experience is something your destin

CSR at Meetings: Do a Give-Back on Randall's Island

CSR at Meetings: Do a Give-Back on Randall's Island

Shackman Associates New York has run multiple give-back programs that feature events where destination corporate meeting attendees do something fun and meaningful with local kids in New York City. These events, especially in warm weather, are moving beyond the ballroom and into the fields of Randall's Island. There are all kinds of opportunities for give-back and team-building ideas on Randall's Islan,d that include sports on its 60 fields, bird-watching, horseback riding and

Golden Age of Major Championship Golf Hospitality in New York

Golden Age of Major Championship Golf Hospitality in New York

We are in the middle of a four-year run of major championship golf in the New York City area. With the US Open coming up in 2 weeks in Long Island, now is the time to think ahead toward 2019 and 2020. Most notably, the PGA Championship will be moving from its traditional week in August to May in 2019. The host course will be Bethpage Black, which is only 25 miles from Manhattan. These major sporting events are incredible opportunities for after-hours programs for destination

Harlem Becomes a Home for Historic New York

Harlem Becomes a Home for Historic New York

We are excited to see that large blocks of Harlem have been designated as part of a new historic district by City Hall. What does this mean for you your destination corporate meeting? We expect this designation to be rocket fuel for more dining and event venues to open in Harlem over the next few years. And based on what we are seeing with new hotels like The Walker, which focuses on Greenwich Village history, the potential of these kinds of hospitality venues in Harlem is un