Follow-up: New York City's The Jane hotel
We've written before about The Jane, a New York City hotel offering ship-cabin-style rooms for solo travelers, starting at $99 a night.
There are also 30 double rooms, called the Captain's Cabins, available at the hotel. At 250 square feet, the Captain's Cabins are suited for double occupancy and offer private bathrooms (the 50-square-foot regular rooms share a communal bathroom down the hall on each floor). The Captain's Cabins came online for booking about a month ago.
The Jane is located in the far West Village—also known as the Meatpacking District, characterized by its hopping clubs and nightlife. Currently, there's a special offer going on through the end of February: Regular cabins start at $79, and the Captain's Cabins start at $209 a night. Usually, the Captain's Cabins start at $250 a night and go up to $300. So you can save more than 15 percent for bookings in February.
Of course, it's snowing like mad here (and getting dark at 3:30 p.m.), so you can see why rates are reduced. But New York City in the snow has its own romantic charm.
See our full review of The Jane here.
For more on New York City, check out our city page, and leave your comments, questions, and suggestions.
New York City: The view from our office windows
The blizzard is underway, but the downtown fashion district (home of Budget Travel World Headquarters) is relatively unscathed so far. For flight updates nationwide, visit FlightStats.com. Many rental car lots nationwide are short of cars due to dislocations caused by the weather. Allow for extra time and have a back-up plan. MORE Trips Gone Bad
San Francisco: Decoding shabu shabu
We regularly respond to comments and questions posted on our city pages. Reader sarahm asked about shabu shabu, so we looked into it. Shabu shabu restaurants have been popping up in San Francisco. Shabu shabu is the Japanese version of Chinese hot pot, where diners cook thin slices of raw meat and vegetables in a communal pot of boiling water at the table. Think of it as fondue but without the oil. The most traditional version of shabu shabu just uses beef, but restaurants in the area have started to include other meats like chicken, pork, and fish, and substituting boiling water with flavored broth like miso or ginger chicken. The rare, razor thin beef is a carnivore's dream, and the interactive tableside cooking makes it a hit for big groups and families. Especially on a cold foggy day, shabu shabu can hit the spot. We did some research, and online reviewers' favorite San Francisco shabu shabu places include the Shabu House (5158 Geary Blvd, 415/ 933-8600), Mums Home of Shabu Shabu, (inside Hotel Tomo, 1800 Sutter St, 415/ 931-6986), and Shabusen Restaurant (1726 Buchanan St, 415/ 440-0466). Many shabu shabu restaurants offer all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink specials (Shabu House is one; $33.95 per person between 5 and 6 p.m.) Fair warning: Some Chinese restaurants advertising shabu shabu are actually making traditional Chinese hot pot, which is served with soy and hoisin sauce and dumplings, and tends to be spicier than Japanese shabu shabu. It's delicious in it's own way, but if you're looking for authentic shabu shabu, stick to the places above. For the uninitiated, the shabu shabu process can be a little intimidating. Here's a how-to guide to eating it: The meat and vegetables are served on a large platter—you'll see thinly sliced meat, vegetables like mushrooms and napa cabbage, individual bowls of white rice, and of course, the boiling pot (usually water, but sometimes something else). 1. Using your chopsticks, swish the slice of meat or piece of vegetable back and forth in the boiling soup several times. (The dish gets it name from the swishing sound: Shabu shabu translates into "swish, swish.") A few seconds is enough. Be careful not to overcook the meat. 2. Dip the meat or veg in one of the sauces, usually a ponzu sauce or a goma sesame seed sauce, and eat! 3. When foam appears in the water, skim it off with a spoon. 4. Once all the meat and vegetables have been eaten, pour the leftover broth on the remaining rice, and eat it last.
Finding the romantic side of Rome
It's not hard! Chocolate truffles, a leisurely hilltop stroll, and an intimate meal are key ingredients for Valentine's Day in Rome, the hometown of martyr San Valentino. Couples who work up an appetite browsing museums and archaeological sites—offering 2-for-1 admission on Valentine's—can break for an afternoon treat of fine handmade chocolates. La Bottega del Cioccolato does a lovely rich and bitter ultra-dark chocolate as well as legendary marrons glacés, chestnuts candied in syrup. The small red shop has glass displays of unwrapped chocolates (dark and milk, only) and glass containers with pieces individually wrapped in colored foil (via Leonina 82). Said, an 80-year-old chocolatier with a café and restaurant, makes decadent truffles and thick, creamy hot chocolate that you can savor indoors—or take to go (per portare via). Chocolates are sold by weight; expect to pay around €7.50-10 for a box with 8-10 pieces (via Tiburtina 135). There's no shortage of paths and lookout points for a hand-in-hand stroll. The Janiculum Hill above Trastevere is home to the Villa Pamphilj, a vast public park dotted with fountains, botanical gardens, and 17th-century pavilions. After wandering the grounds, leave through the Porta San Pancrazio exit, and make for the vantage points dotted along the winding Via Garibaldi and leafy Passegiatata del Gianicolo. The Capitoline Hill is a more central option. Climb the hill from the via dei Fori Imperiali, following the snaky path up to the viewing deck for sweeping views over the Forum. Pause in Michelangelo's Piazza del Campidoglio, with three elegant 16th-century buildings, and then follow the path to the left of the Palazzo dei Conservatori and climb the stairs to the Café Capitolino, the Capitoline Museum café with a terrace overlooking the domes, towers, and rooftops of the city. It's a perfect spot to steal a kiss or to linger over an aperitivo before dinner. Make a restaurant reservation as soon as possible if you'll be in Rome for Valentine's Day. Hedonists should consider Cantina Lucifero, an intimate family-run wine bar and restaurant specializing in luscious, melt-in-your-mouth steak tartare and in fondue. Bubbling cauldrons of cheese are served tableside with cubes of bread and iron skewers. Polish off a meal with chocolate fondue with fresh fruit (via del Pellegrino 53; about €20 per person, plus wine). La Campana sticks to seasonal Roman fare, such as tender roasted meats, tagliolini with anchovies and pecorino, and pasta with artichokes (vicolo della Campana, 18; about €30 per person, plus wine). For something lighter, find a cozy table in the wood-paneled wine bar Giulio Passami L'Olio, where you can share cured meats and cheeses over a bottle of wine (via di Montegiordano 28; about €15, plus wine). And if you feel it just isn't Valentine's without a bouquet, swing by the flower vendors at Campo de' Fiori or Piazza Madonna dei Monti. Valentine's Day falls on a Sunday, Rome's traditional day of rest, so do your shopping early to avoid coming up empty handed! Read more recommendations—and ask trip-planning questions—on our Rome city page.
Rome: 5 best February values
Join the Carnival celebrations Rome is embracing its carnevale traditions for the first time in centuries. The events lineup, spanning February 6 to 16, includes costume parties, musical performances, butteri (equestrian shows by Tuscan cowboys), and a parade in Piazza Venezia on February 14. Fireworks will cascade over the Pincio Hill, near the Piazza del Popolo, on Carnival, February 16. Free. Dance and photography take center stage There's always something noteworthy happening at the Renzo Piano-designed Auditorium Parco della Musica. It just launched Equilibrio, a month-long contemporary dance festival, while February 18 to 21 brings an exhibition with photos, food, and films related to Gran Sasso National Park. If you're looking for something to do this weekend, Sunday, February 7, is the last chance to skate at the Auditorium's outdoor rink. viale Pietro de Coubertin 30, 011-39/06-8024-1281. Equilibrio tickets from €2, exhibition free, skating rentals €8. 2-for-1 admission on Valentine's Day Rome's National Museums (Palazzo Massimo, Palazzo Altemps, the Baths of Diocletian, Crypta Balbi) and several archaeological sites, including the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Villa dei Quintili, are treating couples to 2-for-1 admission on February 14. Museums open 9am-7:45pm (last entrance one hour before closing. Archeological sites open 9am-4:30pm (last entrance one hour before closing). Museum admission €7; admission for archaeological sites, €6 to 12. Spend a Sunday at Caffarella Park Less than two miles from the Colosseum and Circus Maximus, the vast Caffarella is home to grazing sheep, Roman ruins, and bike paths. Each Sunday in February, park authorities are organizing games, walks through the park, and bike rides geared to local children. It's a unique way for travelers to mingle with local families, and the idyllic setting is a welcome change of pace from the traffic of the city. Events are free, bike rentals €3 per hour. Organized visits begin at 10am on Sundays, but the park is open from 8am until one hour before sunset daily. Michelangelo's monumental vision The Capitoline Museums' annex plays host to an exhibit on the architecture of Michelangelo through February 21. It counts more than 100 drawings, prints, letters, and models related to St Peter's Basilica, Palazzo Farnese, and Piazza del Campidoglio, designed during the artist's nearly forty years in Rome. Keep an eye out for signed drawings and two portraits of Michelangelo. Piazza del Campidoglio, open Tues-Sun 9 a.m.-8 p.m., admission €6. PLUS Going to Rome soon? Ask Katie a question on our Rome city page!
