Here is the list (which includes several places I want to visit myself!):

1. Secret gardens – greenthumbnyc.com

2. Alexander Hamilton home in Harlem – nps.gov/hagr

3. Japanese cherry blossoms in Brooklyn – bbb.org

4. Le Train Bleu restaurant in Bloomingdales – bloomingdales.com

5. Arcade Bakery (I love this place!) – arcadebakery.com

6. Steve Cohen’s Chamber Magic at the Waldorf Astoria New York – chambermagic.com

7. Carnegie Hall 125th anniversary gala – carnegiehall.org

8. Brooklyn Grange rooftop farm – brooklyngrangefarm.com

9. Museum of the American Gangster – museumoftheamericangangster.org

10. Jimmy’s No. 43 restaurant – jimmysno43.com

The summer is a great time to explore all that New York has to offer. I’ve lived in Manhattan for 21 years, and relish finding new, hidden spots. I was glad to stumble upon this list in Lonely Planet magazine (and was secretly happy to be included in it!)

The post Lonely Planet magazine: Top 10 Reasons to Fall in Love with NYC appeared first on Chamber Magic.

I updated the list I posted in 2010 and have added more of the coolest, quirkiest things to do in New York that are guaranteed to not only keep you busy for years to come, but also leave you with stories to share for life.

Please enjoy and share these…

1. Indulge in a Seared Rock Lobster & Asparagus Omelet or the “Donut Even Go There French Toast” breakfast, served every day until 3:00 pm at Norma’s.
2. Great way to see the downtown skyline: the Ikea Express Shuttle. Free weekend service between Pier 11 near Wall Street and the Ikea store in Red Hook, Brooklyn. (Of course another free option is the Staten Island Ferry.)
3. Tour Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery, a designated National Historic Landmark for its beautiful art and landscaping.
4. Get spooked in Gowanus, Brooklyn at the Morbid Anatomy Museum.
5. Go to a Brooklyn Cyclones baseball game on a Friday or Saturday night (check the schedule), stay for the fireworks show afterward, then walk the Coney Island boardwalk. Rides and funnel cakes optional.
6. Spend an afternoon or a day at Snug Harbor in Staten Island. Performing arts, a maritime museum, a botanic garden, and a tiny castle are all within walking distance.
7. The Millionaires’ Magician. Share a suite in the exclusive Waldorf-Astoria for a private Chamber Magic show with legendary magician Steve Cohen. (I hear this guy’s amazing, lol. C’mon, you know I had to throw my show “into the hat!”)
8. Sample some real NYC pickles (and other pickled vegetables) at Brooklyn Brine, then stay for lunch at the Pickle Shack.
9. Plan a visit to the Waterfront Museum in Red Hook, Brooklyn—a combination working houseboat, performance space, and mini-gallery.
10. Take the Roosevelt Island tram from Manhattan for the price of a subway fare and stroll the skinny island’s length down to the impressive Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park.
11. Hit the City Reliquary for a unique and personal collection of New York memorabilia packed into a cozy corner of Brooklyn.
12. Socrates Sculpture Park. See large-scale sculpture & multimedia installations in a Queens waterfront park with unparalleled views of the Manhattan skyline at sunset.
13. Catch an offbeat film in a small theater and get food and drink delivered to your seat at Williamsburg, Brooklyn’s Nitehawk Cinema.
14. Soak up river views and a festive-yet-classy al fresco dining experience at the West 79th Street Boat Basin Café.
15. Get a jump on the day with Morning Gloryville’s 6:30 am “immersive morning dance experience.”
16. Late-night dim-sum in Chinatown at Wo Hop (they’re open 10:00 am – 7:00 am every day!).
17. Habana Outpost. Sustainable Cuban fare in a cool, eclectic eatery and bar. Ride a stationery bike to power the blender for your frozen drinks and save $1 off the price!
18. Cupcake Wars on foot! Walk between four legendary NYC cupcakeries; rate them (and burn off the calories) as you go: Billy’s Bakery, Cupcake Café, Magnolia Bakery, Butter Lane.
19. Have a chocolate orgasm at Max Brenner. You can even make a reservation at their chocolate bar!
20. During the holidays, no festivity can beat a walk around Dyker Heights, Brooklyn’s famous Christmas light displays.
21. Tour the unique food landscapes of NYC with Foods of New York Tours.
22. Sleep No More. Experience the award-winning, site-specific, interactive British theater production. Shakespeare like you’ve never seen it.
23. Enjoy a night of master storytelling at The Moth.
24. Go Funderground! Laugh off a long day at the Upright Citizens Brigade.
25. The New York Earth Room. 3,600 sq ft of pristine dirt on display at a Wooster Street gallery.
26. World’s Coolest Map Room. The Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division of the New York Public Library. A 7,000 sq ft map room; home of the largest map collection of any public library in the world, all in 1911 Beaux-Arts glory!
27. Accomplice: The Show. Organize a group of friends and go on a unique NYC scavenger hunt/mission/game/tour with these stealthy professionals (I loved this!).
28. Drink in the jazz on a floating barge in Brooklyn with Bargemusic.
29. Martinis at the Roof Garden Café at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
30. Trapeze School New York. Fly through the air 23 feet above ground!
31. Kitchen Arts & Letters: Revel in 12,000 books on food and drink, including out-of-print, rare, and classic cookbooks.
32. Harlem Gospel Walking Tour. Experience the wonderful sounds of gospel music and take part in a Harlem church service.
33. The Mandarin Oriental Lobby Lounge. Stop by for afternoon tea, lunch, or evening cocktails and enjoy a stunning view of Central Park (one of my favorite spots).
34. Nap it up! Tired after a tough day of touring? Take a “YeloCab” power nap at Yelo Spa.
35. Sakagura Sake Lounge. Serving over 200 types of sake, Sakagura has become one of the top sake bars in the U.S.
36. Rock music’s best pics. Check out legendary rock images at Soho’s Morrison Hotel Gallery.
37. Urasenke Chanoyu Center. Learn the art of tea ceremony through demonstrations and classes.
38. Radiostar Karaoke has original vintage high-end entertainment decor, and is located in the heart of the Fashion District. Belt out some tunes with friends in a private room and let your inner rock star sing.
39. Kalustyan’s Spices. No matter what spice you’re looking for, you will find it here.
40. Spa on Steroids. Wall-to-wall and rooftop whirlpools and much more water fun in the outer reaches of Queens at Spa Castle.
41. Where comics come alive! The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art.
42. Kayaking NYC-style with Long Island City Community Boathouse in Queens.
43. Drool over billions in gold. There are billions of dollars in gold bars below ground in NYC. Learn all about it at the Federal Reserve Bank (reservations required).
44. Make a shopping stop at beloved emporium of Asian goods, Pearl River.
45. Remember and honor 9/11 victims at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.
46. Beer’s last stand. Grab a beer and visit the oldest beer garden in NYC—Bohemian Hall in Queens.
47. The real Little Italy. Authentic Italian cooking and delicacies on Arthur Avenue, the Little Italy of the Bronx. Dine at Roberto Restaurant for dinner—it’s worth the wait!
48. Historic houses of NYC. Visit a historic NYC home with the Historic House Trust.
49. Explore the city’s skyline from the ground at The Skyscraper Museum.
50. Brooklyn Flea outdoor market (& its food equivalent, Smorgasburg).
51. Visit the only medical library open to the public in NYC at the New York Academy of Medicine library (appointment necessary).
52. New York Philharmonic open rehearsals. Take a sneak peek and listen to the masters shape and polish classic works.
53. The Frying Pan. Eat, drink, and explore on this historic floating lighthouse docked in Chelsea.
54. Retreat to the first museum in the world devoted solely to Tibetan art, the serene Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art on Staten Island.
55. Cake-baker’s heaven. Unleash your inner Martha at New York Cake Baking Supplies & Education.
56. Get out the binoculars and discover a unique world of birds at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.
57. This ain’t your grandma’s ping-pong. SPiN New York, a 13,000 square foot table-tennis social club located off of Park Avenue in Manhattan’s Flatiron District.
58. The 100-year-old original City Hall subway station with arched tiles, chandeliers, leaded skylights, and Guastavino ceilings, designed by Heins & LaFarge. It’s been closed to the public since 1945, but can be seen by staying on the #6 local train after the end of the line riding southbound, and looping around to enter the Brooklyn Bridge station northbound (provided the conductor lets you stay on). The Transit Museum also runs sporadic tours.

The post 58 Cool Things to Do in NYC That Turn Visits Into Epic Stories (revised!) appeared first on Chamber Magic.

I’m excited to announce the following tour dates:

ATLANTA:
Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta
75 Fourteenth Street NE
September 21 and 22
(Four performances – 7pm and 9:30pm each night)
Click HERE for tickets

If you have friends or family in Atlanta who you think would enjoy Chamber Magic^®, please tell them to reserve their tickets now. I look forward to welcoming them to the show!

The post Chamber Magic^® tour in Atlanta – 2 nights only appeared first on Chamber Magic.

Yesterday I had the occasion to visit a marvelous hat shop in NYC: J.J. Hat Center. If you’re a “hat person” you must visit this store! (310 Fifth Avenue, at 32nd Street) They’ve been in business since 1911, and the moment you step through the door you feel as if you’ve stepped back in time. The antique chandeliers and dark wooden display cases set the tone, and the salesmen treat customers with great aplomb. It’s almost an insult to call them “salesmen” since they act more like trusted advisors. The gentleman who took my order has been working at J.J. Hat Center continuously for the past twenty years.

Here’s a picture of him steaming a hat, so that the brim can be properly flexed before trying it on.Notice the steam vent built into the table surface. It’s operated by a foot pedal mechanism, and shoots out a continuous volume of steam as needed.

The shop itself is paneled with old wood, and filled with shelves and shelves of hats.

Here’s the Panama hat I ended up buying, made from Ecuador straw:

The weaver has to lean over a pole for hours to weave the straw tightly:

Of course, being a magician, I was drawn to their selection of top hats:

Here’s a close-up of a fine top hat:

Don’t ask me to pull a rabbit out. (I estimate that I must’ve heard this joke thousands of times…!)

The post Mad about hats appeared first on Chamber Magic.

So, I’ve made a list of some of the coolest, quirkiest things to do in New York that are guaranteed to not only keep you busy for years of visits to come, but leave you with stories to share for life.

Please enjoy and share these…

1. Mile-high brioche French-toast breakfast at Norma’s  http://www.parkermeridien.com/eat1.php
2. For yoga vampires – Friday night yoga at Laughing Lotus from 10pm to midnight http://nyc.laughinglotus.com
3. 2am Dim-sum in Chinatown – Wo Hop 15 Mott Street (between Mosco St. & Chatham Sq.) 212 -566-3841
4. Habana Outpost – Sustainable Cuban fare in a cool, eclectic, sustainable eatery and bar. Ride a stationary bike to power the blender for your frozen drinks and save $1 off the price. http://www.cafehabana.com/
5. Cupcake Wars – Tour and rate cupcakes from 4 legendary cupcakeries, Billy’s Bakery http://www.billysbakerynyc.com, Cupcake Café http://www.cupcakecafe-nyc.com, Magnolia Bakery http://www.magnoliabakery.com, and Butter Lane http://www.butterlane.com/
6. Have a chocolate orgasm at Max Brenners http://www.maxbrenner.com
7. The Millionaires’ Magician – Share a suite in the exclusive Waldorf-Astoria for a private Chamber Magic show with legendary magician, Steve Cohen http://www.chambermagic.com (I hear this guy’s amazing, lol. C’mon, you know I had to throw my show “into the hat!”).
8. Tour the unique NY food landscapes of NYC http://www.foodsofny.com/
9. Hidden Tunnel in Brooklyn – Climb down a manhole and discover a world down-under on Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn http://www.brooklynrail.net/bhra_events.html
10. Enjoy a night of master-storytelling at The Moth http://www.themoth.org
11. Go Funderground – Laugh off a tough day at Upright Citizens Brigade http://newyork.ucbtheatre.com
12. The NY Earth Room – 3,600 sq ft of pristine dirt on display at a Wooster St gallery –  http://www.diacenter.org/sites/main/earthroom
13. World’s Coolest Map Room – Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division Of the New York Public Library – 7,000 sq ft map room, home of the largest map collection of any public library in the world in 1911 Beaux-Art glory. http://www.nypl.org/locations/schwarzman
14. Accomplice The Show – Organize a group of friends and go on a unique NYC show, scavenger hunt, game tour with Accomplice (I loved this!) http://accomplicetheshow.com/
15. Drink in the jazz on a floating barge in Brooklyn http://www.bargemusic.org/
16. Frozen margaritas on the Roof Garden café at the Met http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/dining/
17. Trapeze School – Fly through the air 23 feet above ground at http://newyork.trapezeschool.com/
18. Tantalize and Educate – You don’t have to whisper the word sex when you visit The Museum of Sex http://www.museumofsex.com/ (18 and older a must)
19. Kitchen Arts & Letters – Revel in out-of-print cookbooks to classic cookbooks and rare classics http://www.kitchenartsandletters.com/
20. Harlem Gospel Walking Tour – Experience the wonderful sounds of gospel music and be part of a church service in Harlem. http://www.harlemheritage.com/category/tours/gospel-tours/
21. The Mandarin Oriental Lobby Lounge  – Stop by for afternoon tea, lunch or evening cocktails and enjoy a stunning view of Central Park. (One of my favorite spots.) www.mandarinoriental.com/
22. Nap it Up! – Tired after a long day of touring? Take a power nap at Yelo Spa http://www.yelonyc.com/spa/yelo-treatments/powernaps/
23. Bathrooms For Exhibitionist – Yes, we are all inner voyeurs, take a peek from the bathroom at Peep restaurant http://www.peepsoho.net
24. Sakagura Saki Lounge – Serving over 200 types of sake, Sakagura has become one of the top sake bars in the US http://www.sakagura.com
25. Rock’s Best Pics – Check out legendary rock images at the http://www.morrisonhotelgallery.com
26. Urasenke Chanoyu Center – Learn the art of tea at http://www.urasenkeny.org/pages/society.html
27. Radiostar Karaoke – Belt out some tunes with friends, in a private room, at http://www.radiostarus.com/
28. Kalustyans Spices – No matter what spice you are looking for you will find it here. http://kalustyans.com/
29. Spa on Steroids – Wall to wall rooftop whirlpools in the outer borough at Spa Castle http://www.nyspacastle.com
30. Where comics come alive – Explore the world of comics and cartoons at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art http://www.moccany.org/
31. Kayaking NYC-style – http://licboathouse.org
32. Drool over billions in gold – Billions of dollars in gold bars below ground in NYC, learn more about it at the Federal Reserve Bank (reservations required) http://www.newyorkfed.org/aboutthefed/ny_tours.html
33. Make a shopping stop at an Asian Emporium of goods at Pearl River http://www.pearlriver.com
34. Remember and honor 9/11 victims and visit Tiles of America http://www.tilesforamerica.com/
35. Beer’s last stand – Grab a beer and visit the last remaining beer garden in NYC at Bohemian Hall Garden in Queens http://www.bohemianhall.com/
36. The real Little Italy – Authentic Italian cooking and delicacies at Arthur Avenue, the Little Italy of the Bronx. Dine at Roberto Restaurant for dinner. It’s worth the wait http://www.roberto089.com/index_r.html
37. Pet shop or freak show? – See rare viewings at your not so average pet shop at The Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill http://thevillagepetstoreandcharcoalgrill.com
38. Historic houses of NYC – Visit a historic NYC home http://www.historichousetrust.org/
39. Explore the NYC skyline from the ground – American Skyscraper Museum http://www.skyscraper.org/home.htm
40. Brooklyn Flea Market  http://www.brooklynflea.com/
41. Visit the only medical library open to the public in NYC at the NY academy of Medicine library http://www.nyam.org (appt. necessary)
42. Philharmonic Open rehearsals – Take a sneak peak and listen to masters at work at an open rehearsal at the New York Philharmonic http://nyphil.org/concertsticks/special_openRehearsals.cfm
43. Studio Visits – P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, Long Island City, Queens http://ps1.org/
44. Tibetan & Buddhist Art – Visit the only museum in the US that concentrates on Tibetan and Buddhist art at The Jaques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art  http://www.tibetanmuseum.org/
45. Cake-baker’s heaven – Unleash your inner Martha at New York Cake & Baking Distributor http://www.nycake.com/
46. Get out the binoculars and discover a unique world of birds at The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge http://www.nyharborparks.org/visit/jaba.html
47. This ain’t your gramma’s ping-pong – SPiN New York, a 13,000 square foot table-tennis social club located off of Park Avenue in Manhattan’s Flatiron District. http://www.spinyc.com/
48. 100 year old original City Hall subway station with arched tiles, chandeliers, leaded skylights, Guastavino ceilings and Heins & LaFarge. It’s been closed to the public since 1945, but it can be seen by staying on the #6 local after the end of the line riding southbound, and looping around to enter the Brooklyn Bridge station northbound, provided the conductor lets you stay on. The Transit Museum also runs sporadic tours.

The post 48 Cool Things To Do in NYC That Turn Visits Into Epic Stories appeared first on Chamber Magic.

The post Luxury resorts you should visit appeared first on Chamber Magic.

Click the arrow to play audio:

The speaker is Dan Rechter, chairman of Purity Zinc Metals, a third-generation family business. He invited me to the Bluegrass State to entertain 80 company presidents at their annual Young Presidents Organization event. I had a terrific time getting to know the members of this group, and appreciate their positive response to my show! They presented me with a personalized Louisville Slugger bat that has my name engraved.

While in Louisville, I spent a marvelous afternoon at the Muhammad Ali Center. Yes, the museum houses Ali memorabilia, but it delivers so much more – it is a tribute to the principles that Muhammad Ali stood for throughout his boxing career (respect, confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, and spirituality), and for his humanitarian work later in his life. The museum is designed with cutting edge modern style, and uses creative multimedia exhibits that welcome you into Ali’s life. The interactive exhibits were great – you can even shadow box against a lifesized video of Ali’s shadow (this looks to observers like you are actually fighting the champ).

Highly recommended if you are in the Louisville area – I want to return during the Kentucky Derby, and bring my family.

The post Bluegrass magic in Louisville, Kentucky appeared first on Chamber Magic.

Once you’ve flown on a private jet, there’s no going back. I just landed in Cancun, on a Bombadier Challenger 605. And it’s all thanks to card tricks. My flight bag is loaded with six decks of Tally-Ho cards, a purseful of antique silver dollars, one red silk hanky and two false thumbs. Try explaining that to Customs at the Mexican border.

Immigration at the private jet terminal, though, were easily swayed. My client, a billionaire oil magnate arranged for an easy arrival, and quiet mention to the chief officer helped us avoid an inspection of my other case.

Good thing too, since that case contains my magic tea kettle for the classic “Think-a-Drink” trick. If Immigration forced me to open it in front of the thirty two other guests in our group, one of the all-time greatest magic secrets would’ve been exposed. As usual, money talks, and I was ushered through with a simple nod.

My show tomorrow night is at the Rosewood Mayakoba resort – definitely near the top of the list of gorgeous places I’ve presented Chamber Magic. The show is a solid ninety minutes of magic, mindreading and storytelling. Think Mark Twain, delivering an after-dinner speech in the home of his wealthy patrons. That’s what I do, with the addition of magic tricks. Basically I’m a gun for hire, but instead of a rifle, I carry a magic wand – a nice one too. It’s custom spun from ebony, with tips made from 4,000 year old mastodon ivory tusks.

Like many other trips before this one, I’ve been invited by a high net-worth client who needs to impress a group of hard-to-impress friends. For people at the top there are not many surprises left. When everyone in your circle is super-wealthy, it becomes increasingly harder to find ways to dazzle them. That’s when they call me.

The oil magnate – or “wildcatter,” as he calls himself – sat next to me on the van ride to our resort. His mobile phone rings. It’s a colleague in Dubai who wants to talk business, a hostile takeover apparently. He deflects serious business, explaining that we just arrived in Cancun. The colleague asks if he’s come to Mexico to dig for oil. His response: “The only oil down here, John, is the tanning oil on the girls at the beach…”

Upon arrival at the resort, I’m given full celebrity treatment. The resort manager introduced me to my private butler, Luis. Apparently they’re excited to have a magician staying on property.

A private jet, a private butler and an all-expenses paid trip to the Mayan Riviera. Even if I wasn’t being handsomely paid to perform, I’d still be living out my childhood dream.

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