The Backup Plan October 2013

Diamond Class

All Star Limousine Worldwide is proud to announce its brand new and incomparable Diamond Class Service!  This new service is designed to accommodate the VIP who does not want to hear the word “No” or the phrase “We can’t” because with All Star Limousine Worldwide’s Diamond Class Service we never say no.  No other facility is equipped or able to offer this level of extreme luxury service.  We have the capability to offer total ground and air logistical support and will be able to fulfill your every need, from travel arrangements to porter and greeting service too booking reservations at any hotel or restaurant you may want to frequent.  Let us show you true luxury and take all the stress and worry away from your business or leisure travel with our new Diamond Class Service.  At All Star Worldwide we never say no, below is a list of just some of the features offered by All Star Limousine’s Diamond Class.

• 4 Zone Climate Control
• Rear Seat Entertainment
• Bang & Olufesn Surround Sound System
• Omatics GPS
• Express pick-ups, greeting and porter services
• City Tours
• Sophisticated Road Show, meeting and event coordination
• Armed and armored vehicles and security
• Exclusive concierge services
• Dedicated personal account manager
• Personal concierge
• Prompt and account tailored invoicing
• Face to face or telephone meetings for needs analysis and on going reviews
• State-of-the-art reservation, dispatch and flight tracking systems
• 2013 state-of-the-art luxury vehicles equipped with the latest technologies
• Dependable, dedicated and professional chauffeurs
• Safety first: Drive-Cam systems in all vehicles

All Star Limousine Worldwide’s Diamond Class Service is the epitome of travel luxury.  Listed above are only some of the features offered under this incredible and un-paralleled service.  Whatever you need we can do, there is no task to difficult or no thing beyond our abilities.  With Diamond Class you will never hear the word no!

All Star Limousine is a Long Island, New York based company with an extensive global reach; we provide expert Wedding, Special Event and Executive Travel services throughout the Tri-State area and the world. We have over 30 years of experience in the travel industry; our attention to detail, 2013 top-of-the-line vehicles and professional trained Chauffeurs set us apart from the rest!

by Jarrad Kulick 

Fine Italian Dining In New York City

Continuing with our exploration of the top restaurants in the NYC area this week we will delve into the realm of authentic Italian cuisine.  This is not to be confused with an Italian Delicatessen or sandwich shop nor will it include pizzerias (as again there are far to many choice venues for us to include them all in one presentation).  Today we will talk about traditional Italian restaurants, and with the interest of all in mind these three incredible restaurants will each represent a general price range so we will have an Italian restaurant suitable for fine dining and two more that offer a more casual format for feasting.   Here are three amazing Italian eateries located in the greater metropolitan area.

Frankies 457 Spuntino is our more casual establishment and was established in Carrol Gardens by Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli (known collectively as “the Franks”) in 2004.  Immediately loved by all “the Franks” capitalized on their success by opening a steak house and a café all in close proximity to the original venue.  Fluffy meatballs, fine cured meats and an impressive assortment of cheeses have helped make Frankies a neighborhood staple.  Not to say that they don’t cater to an out of town crowd, quite the contrary, and if ever passing through the Carrol Gardens area I highly recommend stopping in at Frankies 457 for a meatball sandwich.

Maialino is the product of owner Danny Meyer and master chef Nick Anderer.  It is a  culinary masterpiece and offers truly authentic roman cuisine.  Anderer delights the palate with cunningly replicated dished from the classic era that include a delectable anchovy bread sauce, carbonara, braised tripe as well as the restaurant’s namesake ,The Maialino, a succulent piglet haunch basted in mouth watering pig fat.  A restaurant that is authentic in every sense of the word and offers a fine fare that is quite original to the venue.

In 2005 Mario Batali opened Del Posto a massive establishment with far reaching ambitions this eatery has become the go to for New Yorkers when they are in search of fine Italian dining.   The classic Grand Piano contributes to the elegant ambiance of this beautiful Italian restaurant.   Batali may well be one of the most talked about chefs in town and has opened several very successful restaurants that consistently provide excellence.  His ambition to turn Del Posto into the first four star Italian restaurant in NYC may very well have the possibility to become reality.

All Star Limousine is a Long Island, New York based company with an extensive global reach; we provide expert Wedding, Special Event and Executive Travel services throughout the Tri-State area and the world. We have over 30 years of experience in the travel industry; our attention to detail, 2013 top-of-the-line vehicles and professional trained Chauffeurs set us apart from the rest!

by Jarrad Kulick 

The Barclays Center Is A Success!

Its first year in operation the Barclays Center has generated an estimated $14 million in tax revenues.  These estimates are based on data provided by Ratner’s Company, Forest City Ratner, and are the first count of the 1 billion dollar arena’s contribution to the city.  The total revenue generated is estimated to be in the area of $145 million, officials say that money would most definitely not have gone into the local coffers if not for the new Barclay center.

In a development move surrounded by much controversy the culmination of the first year in operation looks to be an indisputable success.  Mayor Bloomberg, a big advocate of the project, was thrilled at the obvious achievement.  Some naysayers estimated the project would cost the city over $40 million over 30 years based on a study done back on 2009, this study focused exclusively on the arena and not the overall project.  A city-conducted study done by the city in 2010 projected an estimated gross income of $411 million generated by the project over the 30-year term.   Whatever is projected no one can argue with the facts, $14 million in tax revenues and spring boarding into the spot of number 1 concert venue in its first year is an obvious and overwhelming success.

Despite this apparent victory for the supporters of the Atlantic Yard Development Project detractors are still complaining that the endeavor has not upheld its end of the bargain as far as providing jobs and generating more revenue for the local businesses that were in place before the rise of the Barclays Center.  They say it has not provided enough work to justify all the public subsides it has received.  It seems to me that we will just have to wait and see, people are very quick to condemn something that they have been against all along but Ratner’s vehemently opposed project seems to be doing just fine.

Over all, the Arena is generating money it is attracting top talent and it is doing so in its first year, these are impressive statistics.  Hopefully Ratner will make due on his aforementioned promises and the public subsidies will be justified.  Re-development is always controversial and with anything good you will always have those that stand against it, we wish the best of luck to Forest City Ratner and its on going Atlantic Yards Project.

All Star Limousine is a Long Island, New York based company with an extensive global reach; we provide expert Wedding, Special Event and Executive Travel services throughout the Tri-State area and the world. We have over 30 years of experience in the travel industry; our attention to detail, 2013 top-of-the-line vehicles and professional trained Chauffeurs set us apart from the rest!

by Jarrad Kulick 

Apple’s New iPad5

Wild rumors and conjectures, leaked images and conflicting information about Apple’s fourth generation ipad swirl in the midst of the release of the ipone 5s and it’s ios 7 operating system.  Release dates have been announced and speculated upon by everyone except Apple themselves.  The plethora of innovative features, accessories and specifications are at once incredible, wild and unbelievable.   We will attempt to compile the rumors and hypothesized features of the new ipad 5 but can offer very little solid or factual information.

First of all the release date, currently experts are estimating a late October release but this is by no means definitive.  Several hypothesized release dates have come and gone from relatively reliable sources.  Digitimes has reported several bits of information from inside sources that have proven to be incorrect.   Ultimately it came down to a spring verses autumn release scheduled for the 2013 year with spring long gone autumn is our last hope.

Now for some of the more interesting rumors.  One thing for sure is that the new ipad will be both lighter and thinner then it’s predecessors, how this will be done and by how much is still up for debate.   Some experts are assuming that Apple will use only one LED bar as opposed to the previously used two this would also mean that the new ipad would consume less power and therefore operate on a smaller battery.   Some are also expecting a touchscreen display using the new GF2 technology; the new display will most likely not be produced by Samsung but by LG and Sharp.  Other interesting possibilities include a newer faster processor, a vibrate mode, illuminated logo’s and rear casing, a gaming joy pad and even innovative technology that will allow wireless charging!

If even some of these rumors are true Apples next ipad incarnation will be a tremendous hit.  Hopefully we will see its release sometime before the 2013 holiday season.  Again most of our article is an accumulation of rumors and conjectures as no one knows for sure when the new product will debut or what exactly it will feature except for Apple themselves.

All Star Limousine is a Long Island, New York based company with an extensive global reach; we provide expert Wedding, Special Event and Executive Travel services throughout the Tri-State area and the world. We have over 30 years of experience in the travel industry; our attention to detail, 2013 top-of-the-line vehicles and professional trained Chauffeurs set us apart from the rest!

by Jarrad Kulick 

The Corporate Travel Department

(3 Important Skills For A Travel Manager)

If you hold the title of travel manager you may have a tougher job then most may give you credit for.  The title of travel manager is somewhat new but in todays fast paced society it is absolutely necessary for any company that has any type of travel needs to either have an individual, and if needs are great enough, an entire department dedicated to handling all of a companies logistical needs.  Years ago a companies procurement department, the department responsible for obtaining any services or goods that the company may require, was responsible for handling the travel needs for the company but often times that can be a recipe for disaster. 

A procurement department is concerned primarily with one thing, the budget.  Whatever is the cheapest way to go is the direction that the procurement department heads in.  This is where you will find online bidding for services and all types of haggling and negotiations.  Now that may be fine when it comes to buying 10,000 pens or reams of white paper, but not when executive car service and or air and ground logistics are concerned.  Executive car services that can offer a low price point are not properly reinvesting their revenue back into the business.  Car service and limousine service is not cheap.  If you are looking for inexpensive ground transportation use a black car company or a cab service.  That is not intended to sound haughty or arrogant it is the truth, this is an industry where you get what you pay for.

The corporate travel department needs to have a solid understanding of their budget and the current and upcoming cost of travel in order to properly do their jobs.  Gas prices and airline costs change monthly and from region to region it is important to be aware of these variations.  The travel manager needs to be organized, they need to have a complete schedule for all upcoming transfers and they need to be on top of any last minute changes or fluctuations in that schedule.  Most importantly (and this is the case with many positions) they need to be able to communicate properly and effectively.  Communication is necessary for success in any travel department because things move quickly and there are a myriad of variables that can affect even the most meticulously planned travel schedule.  The travel department needs to be on top of all these changes and variations and then they need to be able to communicate properly to the correct person or persons these changes and the significance of them.

The corporate travel manager is not an easy job.  There is much to take into consideration and many variables to account for and often when things beyond your control throw a wrench into the works you will be the one doing damage control.  A proper understanding of the travel industry, a good head for budgeting and a knack for communication will contribute to the recipe for success for any travel department in any industry.

All Star Limousine is a Long Island, New York based company with an extensive global reach; we provide expert Wedding, Special Event and Executive Travel services throughout the Tri-State area and the world. We have over 30 years of experience in the travel industry; our attention to detail, 2013 top-of-the-line vehicles and professional trained Chauffeurs set us apart from the rest!

by Jarrad Kulick