offManhattan

• Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition’s opening reception for the National Juried Art Show is this Saturday in Red Hook. [BWAC.org]
• Bikers were especially pedal-happy this week when news broke of the “Bike There” feature in Google Maps. [TreeHugger]
• The Folk Music Society of New York is producing an all-day Festival of Traditional Music in Jackson Heights this Saturday; Oscar Brand, WNYC host of “Folksong Festival,” is being honored for having the world’s longest-running radio show. [FolkMusicSociety]
• President Barack Obama plans to tap Robert A. Harding, a former Army intelligence officer, to man the Transportation Security Administration post.
• Brooklyn Restaurant Week begins Monday, March 15 with $25 three-course meals; consider dining at a venue like iCi (their garden opens April 15th) that also gives to New York City Coalition Against Hunger and the Food Bank for NYC. [VisitBK.org]
• $20 prix-fixe lunches and $28 prix-fixe dinners are on the menu at 141 restaurants participating in Hudson Valley Restaurant week, which also starts Monday, March 15.  [HVRW]

NYCdog.org president Robert Marino says there are an estimated 1.4 million canines living within the five boroughs of New York City. With the welfare of New York pooches in mind, we decided to enlist a furry friend to put our dog biscuit picks to the test—yes, we tried them too. The result, after a few pee stops, barks, and butt sniffs? There are five Baxter-approved spots in Brooklyn, from pawtisseries to bars, that will have your dog licking his chops now, and well, licking you thanks later.

Just in time for the onset of spring fever, Woodloch Pines Resort in the Poconos is offering a two-night all-inclusive stay at its eco-friendly lake-perched property. Although it has been billed as a family destination, the resort’s secluded location and relaxing natural setting makes it an ideal spot for a romantic getaway or summer retreat with friends. Whether your ideal weekend is spent cozily curled up in one of the resort’s rustic interior spaces or traversing the property’s many miles of hiking trails, Woodloch can provide that much-needed tranquility and rejuvenation after a city winter of slowed-down commutes and over-salted sidewalks.

The winner will be given the best available room, depending on the selected weekend in spring, summer, or fall. Included in the stay package are three family-style meals a day, as well as on-site activities (excluding the spa and golfing) and other standard amenities.

Consult offManhattan’s Woodloch Pines Resort review to learn more about the destination.

1) Follow us on Twitter and tweet this message (if you already follow us, just tweet!):

“Win an all-inclusive weekend at Woodloch Resort in the Poconos. Just follow @offManhattan and RT! http://bit.ly/FreeGetaway”

OR

2) Sign up for our email list. (If you’re already a subscriber, you are automatically entered for a chance to win the giveaway.)

You can do both to be entered twice, and tweet once a day to be entered multiple times and increase your chance of winning. Deadline is Tuesady, March 16th at 11:59pm EST – a winner will be chosen at random and announced the next day. Good luck!

When the warmer winds of March begin to wind their way around the skyscrapers, you know it’s time to spring forth from Manhattan, traveling in the direction of some small charming town surrounded by lots of green space. Margaretville might come to mind. Located in the Catskill Mountains, it’s an easy-to-reach recreational paradise. In two and a half hours by bus, your work woes will have slipped off your shoulders as you step down into a truly pristine place.

Getting the Lay of the Lodge
Margaretville Lodging owns four properties in the Catskills that offer a wide range of accommodations. Looking for a romantic Bed and Breakfast? The Margaretville Mountain Inn is a Queen Anne Victorian style beauty—and listed on the National Register of Historic Places—so you can expect antiques and period décor at this lovingly restored inn. Carol Molnar is the owner, and her exquisite touches are everywhere, from the gourmet breakfast served on fine china to the plush towels in the bathrooms of the individually decorated rooms and suites. The website offers various discounted specials, like room and breakfast for two for $69 mid-week and $99.50 on weekends with a two-night minimum stay. Single weekend night rack rates start at $115.

While spring is finally rearing its pretty head after a seemingly endless barrage of blustery blizzards, it’s easy to forget that there is still time left for winter activities. For an easily accessible, final snow-fix of the season, head to Windham Mountain for some winter fun that extends well beyond the slopes.

What: Martha’s Vineyard Gourmet Getaway

Where: Harbor View Hotel, Edgartown, MA

When: Monday through Thursday, until April 15

Why: This is a smart, sneaky time of year to visit Martha’s Vineyard. Built in 1891, the Harbor View Hotel is located near an old whaling port and brings a modern sensibility to a classic New England aesthetic–one that you can’t normally enjoy for less than $315 on a peak season night if you’d like a room with breathtaking water views. Going into the shoulder season, Harbor View is offering $109 rates and a welcome basket with spa goodies to boot. And while the Hamptons may still seem closed up, Edgartown is a vibrant, hospitable slice of the vineyard that’s best visited before its narrow streets are swarming with tourists.

• On March 17, purchase a special $5 Chipotle package (burrito, chips, salsa, and drink) and get a sneak peak of their new Union Square location, while listening to a garden demonstration by Farmer Jack Algiere; 100% of the proceeds from meals purchased will go to the nonprofit Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture in Westchester, NY. [StoneBarns]
• Jim Gaffigan performs at the Tilles Center in Long Island next Saturday. Hot Pockets! [TillesCenter.org]
• Instrumentalists, singers, DJs, spoken word artists and performance artists from across the five boroughs will bring their best underground beats at the Battle of the Boroughs: Brooklyn Throwdown, beginning tomorrow night, March 5, at The Greene Space. [wncy.org]
• Park Slope’s newest stretch spot, Dharma Yoga Brooklyn, will open Tuesday as a pay-by-donation studio. [BrooklynBased]
• When in D.C., walk two blocks past the White House and saddle up at the Occidental Grill’s bar for 95-cent cocktails. [UrbanDaddy]

Even the most devoted pet owners admit that one of the prices of puppy love is a less spur-of–the-moment lifestyle. Booking kennels and finding dog-sitters can put a damper on last minute getaway plans.

Fortunately, we have found seven weekend destinations that welcome you and your pooch so you can still indulge in that spontaneous trip out of town. Metro North, New Jersey Transit, and LIRR accept small domestic pets on board, but they don’t specify a weight or size limit. Your dog needs to be in a carrier for the journey, so this is an excuse to use that chic, over-priced doggie-bag that you hoped would come in handy.

1. Audrey’s Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast, Wallkill, NY

Human Instincts: This five-room, 1740’s inn feels like your very own country home. Nestled in the foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains, this meticulously-restored bed and breakfast is a great place to cozy up around the fireplace. On-premise owners take care of all of your whims, and room rates include a five-course breakfast. Relax in the outdoor Jacuzzi year-round, and dip in the pool in warmer months. You are welcome to use the spacious communal kitchen to prepare meals and snacks. Just a short stroll from Audrey’s is the Bruynswick Inn, where Brittany-born chef Jean Boulidor will delight you with a memorable dinner. For reservations, call 845.895.1147.

Pooch Package: Charming owners Don and Audrey estimate that 85% of guests bring their dogs, so every package is pet-friendly. There are bound to be other dogs to meet and greet, so make sure that your pet is well socialized. The inn has an off-leash policy, so dogs are encouraged to explore every nook and cranny of the farmhouse and its five acres of woods and lawns. Food and water bowls are provided and bedtime treats are the rule. A two night minimum stay is required.

How to get there: Take Metro North Hudson line to Poughkeepsie, where you will transfer to the Ulster-Poughkeepsie Link bus to New Paltz. Call Don and he will pick you up at the bus station in New Paltz: 845.895.3440.

We all love good eats, but at what cost to the environment are you enjoying that greasy hamburger and fries? On the other hand, given the glut of ambiguous green advertising around New York City, how can you be sure you are satisfying your food craving in the most eco-friendly fashion?

But green gourmands, despair not! Partnership for the Environment, a member-based organization of environmentally committed businesses, awards restaurants emblems that represent various aspects of sustainability, and each verification is explained in detail on their website. For example, if an eatery is “verified” in the food and water categories, the food is USDA organic, and the produce is certified to have been locally harvested from small farms. Among other things, water certification guarantees that drinking water is only reserved upon request, and that a broom, rather than a hose, is used to clean the sidewalk in front of the building.

Partnership for the Environment is offering one hungry (and eco-conscious) oM reader a $50 gift certificate to the member restaurant of their choice—be it in Philadelphia, Greenwich, or New York City. May we recommend GustOrganics, an organic restaurant with an Argentinean flavor that carries its commitment to sustainability from its solar lighting to its reclaimed wood tables.

For a complete list of certified sustainable restaurants, visit Partnership online: partnershipfortheenvironment.com.

1) Follow us on Twitter and tweet this message (if you already follow us, just tweet!):

“Win a $50 certificate to a sustainable restaurant of your choice. Just follow @offManhattan and RT! http://bit.ly/FreeMeal”

OR

2) Sign up for our email list. (If you’re already a subscriber, you are automatically entered for a chance to win the giveaway.)

You can do both to be entered twice, and tweet once a day to be entered multiple times and increase your chance of winning. Deadline is Friday, March 5th at 11:59pm EST – a winner will be chosen at random and announced the next day. Good luck!

Photo: Courtesy of h-bomb