We figured there’s enough going on in your day-to-day, so we sent out a call to our editors in New York City. We asked for the most romantic spots and pulled together a supreme Valentine’s Day schedule. Just make sure your sweetheart is free on February 14th and follow these simple instructions.

Before your meet up with somebody special, you’re going to need a bottle of something nice (for enjoying back at the hotel) and/or flowers (to woo them before your date).

For a bottle:

Astor Wines & Spirits/ 399 Lafayette Street/212-674-7500

This wine shop has just about every option you can think of. If you live anywhere close to here, it should already be your liquor store of choice. Countless wines, spirits and sakes grin at you in technicolor hues. They herald from all places and across decades, and run the full gamut of grape varieties.

For some flowers:

Anthology Floral Design/1 Fifth Ave/212-677-0102

Call or visit ahead and send your lovely something at work, or plan to pick a bouquet up on the way to dinner. This is downtown’s best all-purpose flower shop. The flower arrangers are “seasoned,” so to speak and the prices can be a bit steep, but it’s a special occasion and arrangements won’t disappoint.

Now, make a reservation for dinner:

Blossom/187 9th Avenue/212-627-1144

This is where ‘fancy with a fireplace’ meets ‘organic vegan eats.’ This spot is intimate and romantic, the perfect atmosphere for a cuddly Valentine’s Day, and the food options will please any sort of date. Enjoy a cocktail, or some wine, and gaze into each others eyes and prepare for your next stop.

No need to plan ahead of time for the next event on your sultry agenda. Take your date for some dancing at the ultimate spot.

Groove Bar & Grill/125 MacDougal Street/212-254-9393

This place is one of the only bars in downtown Manhattan that focuses on Funk, Soul, R&B, and Hip Hop. And the artists aren’t just of any caliber – these are the best. This is perfect for a sexy, laid-back night with a special someone. It may get a little full on the 14th, since others may be looking to get close to their honeys, but the crowd is always super easy going.

Book a room at a hip hotel, in a prime spot.

The Standard/848 Washington Street/212-645-4646

Hotelier Andre Balazas doesn’t disappoint. You’ll pay a pretty penny to stay in these hipster-chic digs but for one special night, it is perfect. It straddles the High Line elevated park and looks great from outside, even better from inside one of the posh rooms. This is where you whip out the fine wine you got a deal on at Astor Wines and Spirits and enjoy your lucky significant other.

Don’t feel left out if you aren’t going to be in the Big Apple on the most romantic day of the year. Every venue in our BRINKguides is carefully selected, so you can create your own special day where ever you are. 

(Luv ‘N Stuff, 1037 Nw 23rd Avenue, Portland)

This new review reminded me of an older one from one of our trusted guides in Madrid, Kelly Hurd. Hurd added the Tirso de Molina Plaza flower stands to our guide a month or so ago. I asked her for some additional photos for the blog because I was intrigued by her description: “If you walk through this small plaza between La Latina and Lavapiés at night, you may wonder “What are all these strange cube sculptures for?” But if you happen to find yourself there during the day you will discover that these mysterious giant cubes open up like origami into flower stands.” They slipped my mind until now but they are quite a sight. She says the cafes along the plaza are also good for café con leche and some people watching.

I’m proud to say we have received and edited all of the entries for BRINKguide Madrid, so soon reviews like Hurd’s will be easily accessible on your smart phone. And if you think you have what it takes to be an editor for Portland, Tucson, Bisbee or Boston, apply here.

-Caroline Jackson, editor of BRINKguide

(Photo from NYmag.com)

DANZIG!! If you are in Manhattan or anywhere in the NY Burroughs, head out to Hammerstein Ballroom ( 311 W. 34th St) October 29th to hear some classic Samhain and Misfits songs from the dark idol himself. But if you can’t get tickets or the price is to steep for your blood (you can get them for $36.50-$97), fear not, the Boogaween Costume Ball is happening down on Houston St. the same night. There is sure to be dancing at the Mercury Lounge (217 E. Houston St) and tickets to the ball will only cost you $25 the night of the show.

(Photo from timeout.com)

In London, the Round Chapel (Clapton Park United Reformed Church, 1d Glenarm Rd.) will show horror classics all weekend. Showings, or “screamings” as they’re calling them, happen early (at either 4:45pm or 7:30pm October 28-31) so you can get spooked before you head out for a night of partying. Choose from “The Omen”, “The Exorcist”, “The Blair Witch Project” or “Halloween.” From what we can tell, the hallowed halls of the historic church is the perfect venue to get you in the mood for the holiday.

(Photo from Halloween 2007, Pitussi’s flickr stream)

From what our Madrid editors have told us, Spaniards haven’t quite caught on to celebrating Halloween, save for the students. A little bit of digging and we found the goth club Dark Hole has been putting on a Semana Gotica de Madrid kick off event each year. We have found pictures of wonderfully costumed patrons from years passed but can’t find exact details for this years event. Ask a local, show up at the venue in your darkest costume (13 Mesoneros Romanos, Metro: Gran Via) or go to find Madrid’s Gothic Week website to find out the latest event offerings in the area.

(Photo from Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli Photography + Design)

This weekend Tucsonians will have plenty of house parties and concerts to choose from but really we are saving our energy for the big event next weekend. Dia de los Muertos, a Mexican holiday for celebrating the dead, will be celebrated the weekend after Halloween. Floats and folks with black and white painted faces will parade through downtown on November 6th for the All Souls Procession, with the route ending in a Dance of the Dead. Residents don’t skimp on costuming as you can see from the photo above, taken at last year’s event. This will be the 21st walk and the community organized event has attracted as many as 20,000 participants in the past.

-Caroline Jackson, editor of BrinkGuide

Rosemary’s Green Point Tavern (188 Bedford Ave.): A local treasure. The beer comes in styrofam cups, perfect for sneaking a big, cold brew out the front door and talking a walk around Williamsburg but if the weather isn’t permitting, enjoying the seasoned bar patrons is the second best option. Year round Christmas lights provide stellar decor for party time.

Juliette (135 N. 5th St.): Another lovely spot to get a drink in Williamsburg but with a bit of a different flavor. This French brassiere has a totally cozy roof but will require a prettier penny than Rosemary’s. We recommend grabbing an Irish coffee in colder months or a St. Germain cocktail in warmer and enjoying the outdoor seating. Their food, desserts and coffee come recommended as well if you’re interested in something more substantial or non-alcoholic.

Buffalo Exchange: This now chain originated in BrinkGuide’s hometown of Tucson (we may be world travelers but I’m in Arizona as I type this post) but this location gets particularly choice items. Grab the hip and affluent’s cast offs for pennies on the dollar. You can find well-known current designers and also vintage pieces in great shape. But it gets packed out on weekends and even some weekday afternoons so be prepared to duke it out with other shoppers.

Masten Lake (285 Bedford Ave.): After fighting elbow-to-elbow with other fashion connoisseurs, this restaurant may be the perfect spot to unwind. Inspired by the owners’ childhood vacation home in the Catskills, Masten Lake proves to be a great departure from the bustle of Williamsburg and the big city in general. It has only been around since July but the kinks are all worked out (the chef has some cred: he worked at Roberta’s and Lupa). The food (Italian-influenced, simple, market-driven) is the highlight but the wine is on-point as well, featuring great female winemakers of the world in particular.

I’m looking forward to you all getting your hands on the full range of what New York Burroughs has to offer (including Liz’s full bar crawl report) when the new BrinkGuide comes out soon! Check back for more traveling tips and for the date of the big launch of our forth-coming BrinkGuides London, Madrid and NY Burroughs.

-Caroline Jackson, Editor of BrinkGuide

J&J’s (c/ Espiritu Santo, 47): You’ve run out of holiday reading material but also really could do with a nice, cold beer. Why not kill two birds with one stone? This little bar, tucked away on Calle de Espiritu Santo doubles as a cunningly-disguised bookshop! Bookworms will find hundreds of second-hand titles awaiting them downstairs. A firm favorite with the local ex-pat community, they also have a quiz night on Fridays and a language exchange night on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Beware, it gets pretty crowded.

ConSentido (C/ Barco, 32, Tel: 91 521 16 44): Really, it was only a matter of time before someone opened a bar which doubles as a vendor of, um, adult playthings. Here you can browse an exciting range of “back massagers” as well as erotic art. And if you should need to build up a little Dutch courage before making your purchase, a discreet, exotically decorated bar at the rear of the premises offers the usual range of beverages. José the owner claims they do the best mojitos in the city (but then, everywhere claims that, eh?) Open from 8pm (closed Sundays and Mondays).

Madrid is so close to launch! If you’re planning a trip to Spain, check back here for features on the capital city and to find out when you can get the app.

-Caroline Jackson, Editor (Photos taken by BrinkGuide contributor Victoria Knill)

Our writers have promised me Cloud Cuckoo Land isn’t another run-of-the-mill secondhand shop. Instead, it sounds like a wonderland of well-picked gems. And the shop owner is supposed to be a woman of discerning taste who won’t skimp on the compliments or critique. That is always what I want when I’m looking for the right thing and willing to pay a little extra for it.

But after getting the royal treatment, I wouldn’t mind rifling with the masses on Portobello Road. I don’t what could be more appealing than pastels and tables piled up with antiques. These photos made me crave a little shopping across the pond.

-Caroline Jackson, Editor of BrinkGuide

All photos taken by BrinkGuide London contributor Mira Joshi.

Well, if you hail from the U.S.A, it’s still kind of a long ways away. I don’t know, maybe like 3741 miles…

We aren’t talking about the city though- We are talking about the new BrinkGuide London you can tote around with you while you journey. It is bound to be jam-packed with crucial info about places like the Hunterian Museum, which specializes in displays of tons of weird human body oddities. If that doesn’t stir your fancy, look forward to all the hidden eateries you would never find otherwise! All brought to you by our select group of intrepid local London writers.

Stay tuned for news on the release!

So after all the hard work our stellar BrinkGuide programmers put into making BrinkGuide Android accessible,

we thought we would celebrate…

No–sorry– no free drinks. But how about a free Manhattan BrinkGuide!

You’re welcome.

Check it out here

Hey all you Androidians or Apple Product dissenters out there: BrinkGuide is now available for the Android. (AWESOME!)

Now you too can access the only mobile vagabonding guide takin’ traveling back from the man! Available to download on your Android phone here.

]]> http://blog.brinkguide.com/2011/03/17/brinkguide-goes-android/feed/ 0 http://blog.brink.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/venue1.png http://blog.brinkguide.com/2011/02/23/this-weeks-tip-%e2%80%9cbrink-has-posted-something-on-your-wall-%e2%80%9d/ http://blog.brinkguide.com/2011/02/23/this-weeks-tip-%e2%80%9cbrink-has-posted-something-on-your-wall-%e2%80%9d/#comments Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:36:11 +0000 Marta http://blog.brink.com/?p=560

We often get interesting questions from our clients on a wide range of web marketing topics. In this week’s tip, we share a recent social media quandry, with the hope you may benefit as well. Enjoy!

Dear BRINK,

I manage my company’s Facebook page which is used to communicate with our customers and fans. The problem is, when I go on other pages to post on their wall, or comment on pictures, the posts show up as coming from me, not our company… Is there an easy way to fix this??

Please help,

Frustrated with Facebook

*********************************************************************************************

Dear Frustrated,

There is a simple solution to your problem. On Facebook, any administrator of a page can click “Account” in the upper right hand corner – select “Use Facebook as Page” and then select the page you want to use (if you are an admin of multiple pages). Once you have enabled this feature, you can post on other pages as a page rather than an individual, and when you’re done, you can easily switch back to your personal account. Try it out – it’s as easy as pie!

Rock on,

BRINK