offManhattan

Last Thursday, we gave thanks for many things, like family and friends, and New York City’s mass transit system. But it’s really the latter that we’re most grateful for as we enter December and a month packed with snowy frivolity and the coolest holiday events throughout the East Coast—all easily accessible by bus and train from Manhattan.

In addition to yours truly, 12 other NYC bloggers have put together some terrific ideas to bring you the ultimate holiday guide for New Yorkers. Keep reading to find out why this is one season you won’t soon forget.

The roaring 20s were good to Rhode Island. Flappers, dancers, and of course, those Newport mansions. But as the world roared around R.I., one little hotel was just being born. The Hotel Viking opened in May 1926 and today holds a significant place in New England history.

If you need a break from the madness of Manhattan and want a little affordable luxury on your green getaway, make way for the Viking. Just over two hours from New York and accessible by train, the grand historic hotel and its surrounding ‘city by the sea’ is a perfect place to spend a romantic winter weekend—for a steal. Start with a walk on Bellevue Avenue, where designer boutiques and restaurants offer a quaint, but elegant note to the tony town.

When we consider what we know of Providence, many think of Ivy League and design schools, WaterFire, and a quaint New England city a stone’s throw from Boston. But a recent weekend in Rhode Island’s capital revealed more than tidy streets and a trio of rivers, inspiring a double take on a fiercely creative town we too often pass by.

On a grey Sunday afternoon in August, I sat with tears in my eyes as Dave Brubeck played Take 5. The crowd, wearing palm-leaf hats and jackets, also watched with emotionally drawn faces as the 88-year-old pianist’s hands pranced across the keys, a slight smile on his own face. In a sea of privileged ears, witnessing one of the last remaining greats of a golden era making music had me wondering who could follow in the footsteps of “Time Out,” “Blue Rondo a la Turk,” and that song in 5/4?

This past weekend, I traveled four hours north of NYC to check out George Wein’s arrangement of the Newport Jazz Festival, something he first started producing 55 years ago. And just as late summer turned up raindrops and unusual degrees in the 60s, so too, did the genre of jazz show its powerful ability to change in magnificent ways.

Newport, Rhode Island has long been a summer destination in the Northeast for all walks of society, from surfers to socialites. The Vanderbilts vacationed at the decadent Breakers mansion on the Cliff Walk in Newport. The Boho Village denizens made the trek up to the Ocean State to see Bob Dylan and his electric guitars at the Newport Folk Festival. Needless to say, the Jazz and Folk Festivals have been highly esteemed on the festival circuit for generations. Duke Ellington’s “Ellington at Newport 1956” album will forever have a place in the canon of jazz.

Jazz Festival
New Yorkers need not lament the annual JVC Jazz Fest in NYC, which was canceled this year due to lack of funding. Four hours north of Manhattan you can experience a powerhouse line-up that incorporates a wide range of artists who show the roots of jazz and the influence this genre has had on more contemporary styles. Legends like Dave Brubeck, Etta James, and Tony Bennett share the bill with the likes of Mos Def, Joshua Redman, Roy Haynes, and so many more on the weekend of August 7-9. The kick-off party is hosted at the International Tennis Hall of Fame and is followed by two full days of music on the waterfront at Fort Adams State Park. Times, locations, and tickets can be found at jazzfestival55.com