The 5 th North American Open Irish Dance Championships

Transcription

1 The 5 th North American Open Irish Dance Championships 2014 The host City for the 5 th North American Open Irish Dance Championships is New York, scheduled for February An obvious selection for our venue, New York City is arguably the world's most vibrant and sprawling metropolis. Occupying five boroughs, they each have their own distinct identity! After all, before the historic 1898 consolidation, Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island were each independent municipalities. The North American Region of Cumann Rince Naisiunta Warmly welcomes you!

2 Venue: Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott Hotel 1 Hotel Road, Newark, New Jersey USA Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott provides guests with a refreshing oasis in the heart of EWR Airport. Featuring luxury accommodations just steps from airport terminals, they are the most contemporary hotel Newark Airport has to offer, and your gateway to New Jersey, NYC, and beyond. Whether visiting Jersey Gardens Mall, Newark Museum or the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, this Newark hotel surrounds top attractions. After an exciting day spent exploring NYC, enjoy a casual fine dining experience at their restaurant, located on-site at the hotel. Stay in shape inside the well-equipped fitness center or swim laps in the indoor/outdoor swimming pool. Visit and experience impeccable service, modern amenities and a convenient location at EWR Airport. Dates: Saturday, February 15 th, 2014 Sunday, February 16 th, 2014 Monday, February 17 th, 2014 Booking your room: Our room block is now open. Room rates are $109 per night excluding 15%. Please mention Cumann Rince Naisiunta when making reservations to receive the contracted room discount. Discounted room rates will be offered 3 days before and 3 days after the competitions dates of 15 th 16 th and 17 th. Please see below options for booking your room. Reservations must be received on or before the cut-off date of Tuesday, January 21 st 2014.

3 Online Reservations Please use the following link to make your hotel reservations by copying the link below and pasting it into the address bar of your browser. Phone Reservations You can also reserve your hotel room by using the following phone numbers. Reservations Toll Free: Reservations Local Phone: Hotel Parking Hotel parking is available at a discounted rate of $5 per day. Hotel dining Food concessions will be available during competition days. Onsite full service restaurant and bar, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Flight Information The Marriott Newark Liberty Hotel is located within Newark Liberty International Airport. This makes flying directly into Newark Airport the most convenient choice. Upon arrival, a free shuttle will transport you to the hotel within minutes. An alternate airport is JFK, New York. Please keep in mind that you will have to arrange transportation to Newark. The distance from JFK to Newark Airport is 31.0 miles. Travel options from JFK Airport include public transportation, as well as taxi/car rental. Our internet research finds that average taxi fares from JFK to Newark Airport run around $180 and can accommodate up to 4 passengers depending upon luggage amount etc. It is recommended to call the transportation company ahead of time to negotiate prices and pick-up arrangements. See attached link for more travel information.

4 Things to do in Newark The Outlet Collection at Jersey Gardens is New Jersey's largest outlet mall with over 200 stores under one roof! The mall is located five minutes from Newark International Airport and 30 minutes from mid-town Manhattan. Their shopping, dining and entertainment venue is home to a unique mix of brand name retailer and manufacturer outlets, discount, offprice stores, and full-price retailers like Banana Republic Factory Store, Tommy Hilfiger, Gap Outlet, H&M, Lord & Taylor Outlet, Marshalls, Neiman Marcus Last Call, Nike Factory Store, Off 5th-Saks Fifth Avenue Outlet, and other premier retailers. Please check site below for more information. The Newark Museum, New Jersey's largest museum, invites you to enjoy unforgettable experiences in the arts and natural sciences. Take an inspirational journey through 80 galleries of world-class collections, travel to the stars in our popular Planetarium, and stroll through our beautiful sculpture garden. Call (973) for more information or visit Liberty Science Center. 10 mile(s). The Liberty Science Center is an interactive science museum and learning center located in Liberty State Park in Jersey. The center, which first opened in 1993 as New Jersey's first major state science museum, has science exhibits, the largest IMAX Dome theater in the United States, and numerous educational resources. It is a vast museum engaging visitors with the wonder and awe of hands-on science discovery. Fee: $ Phone: or visit more information.

5 Dining/Restaurants in Newark Spanish Tavern 4 mile(s). Spanish. Have a fiesta at this Spanish restaurant in Northern New Jersey! Phone: Don Pepe's 5 mile(s). American. Be sure to check out this Newark mainstay which features great lobster. Phone: Sol-Mar 5 mile(s). The culinary pleasures of genuine home style Portuguese cuisine invite you and your guests to this historic ironbound restaurant. Phone: The Liberty House 11 mile(s). Seafood. Sushi, seafood, steak, chops. Overlooks Manhattan. Phone: Fornos of Spain 5 mile(s). Spanish. Our award winning cuisine is prepared with the freshest seafood of Spain. Phone: Rio Rodizio Union 8 mile(s). Steakhouse. Sit back, unwind and enjoy the truly unique Brazilian Steakhouse atmosphere where you will feast on a non-stop parade of freshly prepared food. Phone: Mompou 5 mile(s). The cuisine, prepared from the finest and freshest ingredients, is complemented by top beer and wine selections from around the world. Phone: Roots Steakhouse 12 mile(s). Steakhouse. Phone: Legal Seafoods 13 mile(s). Seafood. Splash down at Legal Sea Foods. Phone:

6 Things to do in New York Marriott Newark Hotel is 15 miles from New York City. Minutes from Newark Airport Train Station and just 3 stops to New York- Penn Station. Transportation Trains Take the Marriott shuttle to Station P4 at the airport. At Station P4, go upstairs and board the Air train (this is a monorail that circles the airport). Take the air train to the Rail Link Station (this is Newark Liberty Train Station). At the rail link station, NJ transit trains go into NYC, approximately every minutes. The train first stops at Newark Penn Station and continues to NYC Penn Station. There are 2 Penn Stations (Newark Penn Station and New York Penn Station) One way fare is $12.50 at Path Train Take the Marriott shuttle to Station P4 at the airport. At Station P4, go upstairs and board the Air train (this is a monorail that circles the airport). Take the air train to the Rail Link Station (this is Newark Liberty Train Station). Take the NJ

7 transit train to Penn Station Newark.* after exiting NJ Transit Train, follow signs to the path trains. New Jersey path trains go to Lower Manhattan, (ground zero) or as far up as 33 rd St. (Penn Station) The fare on path train is $1.75. Path schedule available at * You may also take a 10 minute taxi ride from the Newark Airport Marriott Hotel to Newark Penn Station. Approximate taxi fare $20. Buses This is a direct Motor Coach Service between Newark Liberty Airport and New York City. Buses serve terminal A, B, and C. Tickets may be purchased from the Newark Liberty express agent and the ground transportation center located on the baggage claim level in any of the 3 terminal buildings. Buses drop off at 42 nd St. and 8 th Ave; 5 th Ave- Bryant Park 42 nd St; Grand Central 41 st and Lexington Ave. Buses depart every 15 minutes. The fare is $16 each way or $30 round trip purchase. Senior and child fares available. See ticket agent. More information available at Alternate Transportation The hotel can arrange car service (signature transportation) into NYC. One way fare is $ (inclusive of tax and tolls) Signature transportation is located at the entrance of the hotel or signaturetransportations@gmail.com Cabs are always available into NYC. One way fare is $74 (inclusive of tax and tolls) Things to see in NY City Manhattan Manhattan, home to the most recognizable sites, dominates popular perception of New York City. Its most famous districts are listed below: Wall Street & the Financial District New York's first district remains its most historic. Wall Street investment banks coexist with landmarks like Trinity Church. Battery Park draws people for its panoramic views. The World Trade Center was also one of the area's most popular destinations, until its tragic destruction on September 11, 2001, which took the lives of many New Yorkers and affected the entire nation. The 9/11 Memorial Plaza honors the lives of those who were lost. Occupying eight of the 16 acres at the World Trade Center, the Memorial is a tribute to the past and a place of hope for the future. Greenwich Village At the turn of the 20th Century, Greenwich Village drew free spirits from around

8 the nation, including poet Edna St. Vincent Millay and playwright Eugene O'Neill. As the years went on, rents inevitably rose. Now, its townhouses are some of the most expensive in the city. New York University students gather here in Washington Square Park. A diverse array of shops, bars and music clubs exist along Bleecker Street. Chinatown Asian restaurants, grocery stores and trinket shops line the ever-crowded streets of Chinatown. Dim Sum and other favorites attract diners on practically every corner, especially on famous Mott Street. Little Italy Frank Sinatra, Italian restaurants and kitsch draw tourists to the lively neighborhood of Little Italy surrounding Mulberry Street. The Feast of San Gennaro still welcomes its throngs, but the neighborhood is fast becoming surrounded by nearby Chinatown. Midtown As the name implies, Midtown is smack in the middle of everything. Nobody is really sure where Midtown begins (most would say somewhere at the 30-block), but most agree it stops around Central Park. Publishing houses, financial firms, import/export companies and fashion houses all do business here. Trump Tower entices shoppers, along with all those glorious stores along Fifth Avenue. Ice skaters twirl at Rockefeller Center and the spectacular St. Patrick's Cathedral offers serenity and spirituality. Times Square & Hell's Kitchen Some New Yorkers miss the former seediness of Times Square, as the World of Disney has replaced age-old bookstores and entertainment venues. However, most people begrudgingly admit that it is better this way. Visitors adore everything from souvenir shops to enormous billboards and Broadway musicals. A few blocks west lies Hell's Kitchen, a community filled with eclectic restaurants, such as Five Napkin Burger, bars, shops, and, of course, the Actors Temple. Upper East Side Park, Fifth, and Madison have always been posh avenues. Whether in the gilded manors of yesterday, like Gracie Mansion in Schurz Park, or the area's high-rise modern apartments, old money and high society have long made their home here. Consequently, shops to serve them line Madison Avenue. Baby Gap coexists with art galleries and antique shops. Further east, new money has overtaken the old Yorkville slum.

9 Entertainment/Sightseeing: New York City is known around the world for its attractions. Every one of the city's boroughs has something to see, from museums, to historic landmarks and parks. Whatever your interest, your trip to the Big Apple will be one to remember. Landmarks: The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island The 9/11 Memorial Plaza/ World Trade Centre The Empire State Building St. Patrick s Cathedral Times Square Central Park Carnegie Hall Trump Tower Wall Street/ New York Stock Exchange Intrepid Air and Space Museum 5 th Avenue bringing you all the elite designers including Versace, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Apple, FAO Schwartz, The World of Disney Store, American Girl Place and many more Madame Tussauds Ripley s Believe it or Not! Rockefeller Centre Radio City Music Hall Metropolitan Museum of Art New York Theater District Check out all the current Broadway Shows like.. Wicked, The Lion King, The Book of Mormon, Sesame Street Live, Matilda the Musical and many more Various tours are available depending on your interests. More information on these tours can be found on

10 Dining out in New York City: New York City is home to some of the world's greatest restaurants, regardless of your budget. From simple food served by street vendors, to five star dining, making choosing where to eat a delicious challenge. Whether you're looking for fancy expensive fine-dining experiences, or just some delicious pizzas, here is a list of some of the most popular New York dining experiences. Planet Hollywood American Broadway New York, NY 10036, Ph: (212) Hard Rock Café American 1501 Broadway New York, NY 10036, Ph: (212) Bubba Gump s Shrimp Co. Seafood Broadway New York, NY 10036, Ph: (212) Jekyll & Hyde Club American West 44 th Street, Times Square, New York, NY 10036, Ph: (212) Vynl American th Ave New York, NY 10019, Ph: (212) Ellen s Stardust Diner - retro 1950 s themed restaurant Broadway New York, NY 10019, Ph: (212) American Girl Café Based on the American girl dolls, family themed restaurant th Ave, New York, NY, Ph: (212) Taxes and additional charges: Taxes are charged on almost everything purchased within the USA. Each state tax varies. Below are some of the taxes you can expect to pay over the purchase price. New Jersey hotel room taxes are at a rate of 15%. New Jersey State sales tax is 7% New York State sales tax is 9%

11 The above information will be posted on the CRN-USA website within the next couple of weeks. The 2014 North American Championship syllabus will be distributed after the 2013 Cumann Rince Naisiunta AGM. Thank you for your continued support of CRN-USA and the North American Championships. We hope to see many schools, both National and International represented in February On behalf of the teachers of the North American Region, thank you and we look forward to presenting another great Cumann Rince Naisiunta-USA event. Olivia Hilpl ODCRN Chairwoman Cumann Rince Naisiunta-USA