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.

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.

• 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.

From the first whiff of fresh mountain air at the train station in Rhinecliff to the old white churches long since converted into homes that dapple the road to your hotel, there is an absolute release of stress that comes with a sojourn in the Hudson Valley. The gravel parking lot at the Peekamoose tap room is packed and the smoky tendrils from the outdoor fire pit follow our shuttle as it zooms by. The Catskill Mountains sandwich both sides of Route 28 and you’ve forgotten all about skyscrapers and a steel-blocked horizon.

Light years away from Manhattan, the Emerson Resort & Spa is a long, intriguing stretch of property that includes 26 opulent suites, five duplex loft rooms, a family-friendly lodge, two restaurants, an eco-friendly spa, country store, the world’s largest kaleidoscope, and 40 some odd copies of Emerson: Poems by the Everyman’s Library Pocket Poets.

A new Argentine bistro and bottleshop called Twisted Vines, offering free wine tastings on weekends and a “tart of the day,” soft opens in Arlington, Virginia on Saturday. [Thrillist]

The Brooklyn Heights Association-produced “Brooklyn in Prints: A Special Gathering” begins with a reception and gallery talk tonight from 6:30p.m. to 8:30p.m. at the Brooklyn Historical Society and continues through March 14. [BrooklynHistory]

After a successful Haiti benefit at the W Hoboken Thursday night, Party with Purpose prepares for its next big fundraiser: a 5K run along the Hoboken waterfront on July 13. [PartywithPurpose]

Kelly Ripa got a tattoo in Brooklyn. [HuffPo].

People who love kielbasa, beer, live music, and hunting for new vinyl should go to Warsaw in Brooklyn on Sunday. [RecordRiots]

Mayor Bloomberg announced plans to expand the amusement park at Coney Island, which will open this summer. [NYCGovParks]

The non-skiing, café-lounging, nightlife-loving New Yorkers will come flocking in the middle of winter. If Atlantic City is lucky. With offers of free money and a restaurant week in tow, the warm season destination has enough going for it to make a quick weekend getaway to the snow-covered beaches in New Jersey seem like a cool idea.