ral

Thanks for the matre-d tips senorshuckerman. I'll hope for Sylvester or Cathy. I've also heard some nice things about Cathy and Greg from our bandleader. I'm now checking into Harvest on Hudson (FYI, party room seating up to 32 upstairs available for $250 room fee plus prix fixe menu which I'm waiting on via fax). I'll peek at Umami when I'm up there this weekend. Is Luna more of a sandwich shop? That seems to be the info. about it on the web. And I'm checking out Lena's thanks to rooftop1000, but I think it's out of our price range. Thanks to all, eat on, -ral PS - I'm going to start a new topic for this. :)

I myself am getting married at TH in April 2005. We picked it because it was exactly how we like things: lovely and sophisticated, but earthy and accessible. We looked at the castles up there and although they are wonderful they're not really our style. I can't yet comment on the food as our tasting isn't until March (to pick out the seasonal choices), but I haven't heard a bad word from anybody. And yes, we did pick this place partially because of the 'they've got it all taken care of' factor. After all the planning efforts I've put into it in the past 8 months I'm really pleased to know the day of will flow smoothly... I just hope our maitre'd is 'one of the better ones'! -ral PS - anyone have any ideas for a rehearsal dinner in the area? I think it's 35 people, about $35 - $40 per if there's anything in that range.

Hi all, fellow beer lover here... I'm trying to find a beer tasting to bring some people to as a holiday gift. We're looking for something adult, but still fun. That is to say that we're not going with the intention of partying and getting plastered (although that may happen by the time we're through), but would love to try some unusual or seasonal brews. I know there are many wine classes in New York, but I haven't been able to find a beer tasting that isn't a huge festival. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks! -ral

Thanks Michael. Just got back and read your note. In case anyone else checks this out for info., here's a rundown of my 5 day stay in PR: Mariott was lovely. Beach was super - waves were light and wonderful. The beach area is small, but not crowded and the attendants practically run you down with chairs if you stand still for two seconds to pick your spot [i mean that in a good way - they're very attentive]. Pool area is great. At first I thought it was wierd that it's only 4 feet deep at it's deepest point, but it really wasn't a bad thing. The water slide is a blast. Ate at both the Cafe [lovely salads] and the Tuscany restaurant [high-ish prices, but good food]. Had my birthday dinner at Ajili Mojili which was WONDERFUL. The staff was great - the waiter recommended things to everyone and it turned out fabulous. The atmosphere is lovely, and the view of the bay was grand. Food was delicious. We also ate at Ropa Vieja which was right down the street. A bit more eclectic - I think it's Carribean and South American cuisine. Although the service was terrible, we weren't in a rush and the food was great. Be sure to order the chocolate creme brulee if you go - it's a dream! The other nice restaurant we sampled was Urdin, right in the same are. It has more of a trendy local cuisine. Wonderful decor, good service, and great food as well. The only disappointment was Il Bombannero [not sure that's the exact name], the diner style restaurant in Old San Juan. The food was bland and the deserts were limited, but the waiter was nice and I did enjoy my merringue desert. I'd go back to this island in a second!

Dear original poster ['stinker'], As I'm leaving for a stay at the Mariott Stellaris in two weeks, any comments to report? Thanks, -ral

Hey Paris73, I'm off to PR for my birthday celebration in October, and I was wondering how yours turned out. Thanks all who posted for the great suggestions! -ral