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The Radio City Christmas Spectacular

With Thanksgiving and its festivities coming to a close this week, everyone is moving their attention to the coming holiday season. Throughout New York City, stores are putting up holiday window displays, soon Rockefeller Center will have its annual Christmas Tree lighting ceremony, and Bryant Park is opening its ice rink.

But nothing really brings in the holiday spirit quite like the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring the Rockettes.

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular takes place in the beautiful Radio City Music Hall at 6th Avenue and 50th Street. The building was constructed in 1929 with funding support from John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and the Radio Corporation of America. After construction was completed, S.L. “Roxy” Rothafel was brought on as impresario of the Music Hall. Roxy developed a reputation as a theatrical genius by combining vaudeville, movies, and razzle-dazzle décor to revive struggling theaters in the wake of the stock market crash.

The legend of the Rockettes began in 1925 with a group called the “Missouri Rockets”. They had been tapping and making high kicks since 1925 under the direction of Russell Markert. The Missouri Rockets were invited by Roxy Rothafel to perform at Radio City’s opening night on December 27th, 1932, using the name the “Roxyettes.” They were one of 17 diverse acts including the Flying Wallendas, Ray Bolger, and Martha Graham. Despite the competition, they were invited back the following year to headline and were renamed the “Rockettes.” In the 80 years since then, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular has become the #1 holiday production in America. It has toured 74 different cities outside of New York, such as Nashville, Chicago, Dallas, and St. Louis. However, its home will always be the Radio City Music Hall.

So come into the city and see the show that truly celebrates the holiday season in style. Performances run throughout the month of December. And when you plan your trip to see this spectacular show, make sure to book with ParkJockey so you don’t find yourself missing everything because you can’t find parking. We have locations all over New York City, from Midtown, to the Upper East Side, to SoHo, and the financial district. Wherever your travels take you, ParkJockey’s got you covered.

Book now using the promo code “ROCKETTES” and get a discount off your next booking.

After Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: Black Friday

Since we visited the history of the Thanksgiving Day Parade last week, it is only fitting that we give the history of the second scariest day of the year (just below Halloween): Black Friday. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Black Friday are intrinsically linked. According to blackfriday.com, ever since the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924, “the Friday after Thanksgiving has been known as the unofficial start to a bustling holiday shopping season.”

There is some disagreement as to the origin of the term, “Black Friday.” The term was most likely first coined in the 1960s by police officers in Philadelphia to describe the mess associated with congested streets filled with heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic. According to Ben Zimmer’s article “The Origins of ‘Black Friday,’” Philadelphia merchants initially detested the label because of its association with the stock market crisis of 1869. Merchants were worried that customers would have been scared off by the ominous title, preferring to call it “Big Friday.” However, the name “Black Friday” also had another meaning, and that is referring to stores moving from the “red” to the “black.” When accounting records were kept by hand, red indicated a loss, and black indicated a profit. So, despite objections, because of the alternate association, and continued use of the term by the press, the name remained.

In recent years, it has developed more of a negative connotation, with people aggressively waiting hours in lines to be the first to get the specials. But that does not change the fact that everyone agrees Black Friday is the best time to get your Christmas shopping done. You get the best deals you will be able to find all year, and you have all day to visit the stores and find the deals right for you. So brave the crowds and make sure you get out and grab some special deals!

But don’t get stuck in the traffic with no place to park! Book with ParkJockey now and reserve a spot close to your favorite shopping locations, be it in SoHo, Midtown, along 5th Avenue, or anywhere in the New York City area. And, of course, be safe this “Black Friday” and happy shopping!

Book now using the promo code “FRIDAYDEAL” and, in the spirit of Black Friday, get a great discount on your next booking!

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

This Thanksgiving marks the 88th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It is the second oldest Thanksgiving Day parade in the United States (just 4 years younger than the Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia). According to the book Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade by Robert M. Grippo and Christopher Hoskins, the “Parade started out as a Christmas pageant [led by] a company of immigrants who were thankful for the opportunities that America and New York City gave them.” Incorporating traditions of their native land, Macy’s created an event that newspapers described as having an “Americanized modern slant.”

As the parade increased in popularity, more employees got involved, reaching over 300 in 1926. The following year, in 1927, the Parade took a leap forward with the inauguration of their first ever giant character balloon, Felix the Cat. But things didn’t really start to heat u until 1947, when the parade became a nationally televised event. It has, since 1979, been awarded an 12 Emmy awards for outstanding Achievement. By 1996, even the Giant Balloon Inflation became a must-see event, bringing thousands to the Upper West Side to see the inflatable giants take shape.

The parade kicks off at 77th and Central Park West at 9:00am on Thanksgiving Day, with the character balloons being blown up at that location the night before. The parade moves south on Central Park West, following the Park east until 6th Avenue. The Parade makes its final destination the Macy’s at Herald Square. According to the Parade website, some of the character balloons to be seen at this year’s event include Hello Kitty, Spongebob Squarepants, and Spiderman.

With over 3.5 million people lining the streets, parking will be almost entirely impossible. That is, of course, unless you book early with ParkJockey and get your spot reserved for the fantastic day. With locations on the Upper West Side and in Herald Square, we have your parking covered. After all, the holiday season is about enjoying yourself, not stressing out over parking.

Book now using the promo code “TURKEYDAY” and get 10% off your booking cost!

A Veterans Day to Remember

On Tuesday, November 11th, the 95th annual New York City Veterans Day Parade, aptly titled “America’s Parade,” will be honoring the men and women who have served and protected our country by marching up 5th Avenue from 26th to 52nd street. Veterans Today describes this Parade as “the largest Veterans Day Event in the nation”. This year, the parade’s theme will be “’Land of the Free/Home of the Brave,’ in honor of the 200th Anniversary of the writing of the Star Spangled Banner. The Featured Service Branch will be the U.S. Marine Corps.

The Parade first started in 1919 after Woodrow Wilson declared Armistice Day a national holiday on Nov. 11. Over the years, Armistice Day became Veterans Day and started to get the serious attention and support that it gets today (over 20,000 participants each year) when the United War Veterans Council formed, taking on the responsibility of organizing the Veteran’s Day Parades in 1945 shortly after World War II.

America’s Parade has become a long standing tradition of honoring our men and women in uniform. However, if you are unable to make the trip into New York City for the Parade, the New York City Veterans Community is organizing the third annual “Veterans Week NYC.” According to Veterans Today, the Week consists of activities like the “Patriots Tour”, which visits war monuments throughout the 5 boroughs, the “Veterans Mass” at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on November 9th, and the “Band of Pride” concert in Times Square on November 10th. Make sure to come into the city to check these events out and support our troops.

Now comes the tricky part. With thousands of people coming into the city to attend these events, finding parking will be very difficult. You can make your trip easier by booking your parking ahead of time with ParkJockey. We have parking in NOMAD by the Parade’s starting point as well as parking in Midtown, Flatiron, and all throughout New York City.

Book now using promo code “VETERANS” and get 10% off your booking.

ParkJockey: An App for Urban Living

ParkJockey was recently featured in the business section of the Miami Herald as one of eight thriving apps set to enhance urban living. Aside from the individual convenience of the app, the Miami Herald makes the point that, “An estimated 30 percent of traffic is actually looking for a parking place, allowing ParkJockey to make a difference in reducing carbon emissions and city traffic congestion”.

Read the full article here.

ParkJockey_app_screen NYC

The interface of the ParkJockey app is customizable pertaining to the users location.

ParkJockey Provides Convenient Parking for the HeatNation

ParkJockey Miami is proud to be featured in the Culture section of The Miami New Times as the official parking partner of the Miami HEAT. The home opener for Miami was last Tuesday, October 30th, 2014, and marked a great start for this year’s NBA season. ParkJockey Miami has already begun to reduce the stress of parking for the HeatNation and proud to be a partner of the Miami HEAT!

Scott Rosen, General Manager for Miami, was interviewed by Miami New Times to give more insight into ParkJockey’s presence in the city, “We probably have about 100 locations with access to 15,000 spaces. We have lots from as far south as Coconut Grove to as far north as Port Canaveral”. Scott continued, “it’s very simple — you open up the app or website and search. We have location and event-based search. So you could search for American Airlines Arena or Wynwood or III Points, then the app will pull up the closest locations in the area at the best rates. It’s one touch parking”.

Read the full Miami New Times article here.

The 41st NYC Village Halloween Parade

The Village Halloween Parade in New York City is celebrating its 41st year this Halloween. A grand menagerie of giant puppets/puppeteers, costumed celebrants, bands, dancers, and artists will march together, starting on Sixth Avenue and Canal Street in New York City and making their way north along Sixth Avenue. Many of the puppets are made special each year and are unveiled on the night of the Parade. A few favorite puppets are making a triumphant return this year, including the Giant Spider and the Squid on the Jefferson Market Library tower.

The Village Halloween Parade was started in 1974 by Greenwich Village mask maker and
puppeteer Ralph Lee as a trick-or-treating parade for his children and their friends. He kept it up for two years, at which point The Theater for the New City got involved and helped produce the event on a larger scale as part of the City in the Streets program. In 1977, the parade became a not-for-profit organization, discontinuing its association with the Theater for the New City. It has been proclaimed as “the largest celebration of its kind in the world and has been picked by Festivals International as ‘The Best Event in the World’ for October 31.”

In 1994, after 20 years of successful parades, the Mayor of the City of New York, Rudy Giuliani, made a proclamation declaring, “The Village Halloween Parade presents the single greatest opportunity for all New Yorkers to exhibit their creativity in an event that is one-of-a-kind, unique and memorable every year.” The Parade “draws more than 60,000 costumed participants, and spectators [are] estimated at 2 million.”

For those driving in to attend the parade, be prepared for some extra traffic, especially in the downtown area. As for parking, it will be virtually impossible to find street parking and difficult to find garage parking. Your best bet is to book with ParkJockey now, and guarantee your spot at a garage close to the parade. We have parking locations throughout Lower Manhattan, SoHo, and Flatiron, not to mention other lots all over New York City.

Book with us using the promo code “SPOOKED” and you will get 10% off your booking for this ghoulish event. Happy Halloween, all you monsters!

ParkJockey presents PlumValet!

Circled the block for 15 minutes and still parking a 10 minute walk away from your the shops? Lost your reservation at your favorite restaurant in town because it took 20 minutes to park outside the restaurant? Made your date walk six blocks in those fancy high heels because the closest garage was full?

Sounds all too familiar?

At ParkJockey, we believe that drivers should enjoy more shopping, dining, dating and all the good things in life rather than looking for parking, parking and walking to and from garages. This is why we are launching PlumValet, the mobile app that lets our plum valets pick up and return your car wherever and whenever you want in New York City, Chicago, Miami and London.

We will launch the new service in a staggered manner, starting with London next week!

What makes PlumValet special? We created it to be more than a button in a mobile app for you. We designed it to be “the hero behind the hero” like Alfred is for Batman. We engineered it to be “the tech that make you look good” like Q is for James Bond. We programmed it to be your trusted parking helper and confidant like Alice from the Brady Bunch.

How do we do it? We have partnered with long-established valet companies and the most reputable parking operators. Our valet partners bring professional ‘car takers’ and a proven insurance coverage. Our parking operator partners make sure that your car and keys are locked in safe garages. This is not the first car they handle; so you can comfortably enjoy your activities next time you drive to town.

So, pre-register NOW at PLUMVALET.COM, and your first time with PlumValet is on us!

#ParkNoMore

Cracking Down on Parking Fraud

As populations continue to grow in large cities, car usage rises to match the population increase. All of this has made parking even more challenging and complicated. To make matters worse, evidence exists that some drivers are using and selling fraudulent disabled parking decals to steal spots from the disabled. Mark Perriello, president and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities describes it as a serious problem, saying “the issue needs to be addressed.”

parking-fraud An article in Government Technology Magazine discussed a new solution being tested by Pondera Solutions. Pondera Solutions is a “product and services firm focused on implementing Google solutions in government agencies.” As mentioned in the article, they are using Google technology to address the emerging disabled parking problem. The Fraud Detection as a Service (FDaaS) is described as “a cutting-edge fraud detection engine that helps identify, predict, and prevent improper use of disabled parking permits.” Jon Coss, CEO of Pondera Solutions, said the FDaaS can help track down fraudsters. He rightly observes that “if someone is at 500 percent of the average [number of replacement cards issued], they are either very forgetful or it’s possible they might be profiting from trafficking these things.”

However, FDaaS does not provide definitive proof of fraud, merely an indicator of it, which requires state or local agencies to follow up on the information. So although it is drawing a lot of positive attention and a number of jurisdictions are considering using FDaaS, it is not a finalized solution to the problem.

So when planning to drive in the city, why take the chance that some driver with fraudulent disabled parking decals will steal your spot? We are firmly against parking fraud and we have your back!

With ParkJockey, you are guaranteed a spot at a convenient location nearest to your destination. We even have a feature where you can specify disabled parking so all of your individual needs are met. No hassles like mystery parking tickets, no worry about fraudulent placards, no time wasted looking for your spot. No matter where you may want to go in the city, be it Flatiron, Tribeca, Midtown Manhattan, or anywhere in the NYC area, ParkJockey allows you to focus on what is important, the destination.

Make sure to use the promo code NOFRAUD next time you park and save 10% off your parking!

Stay Safe With ParkJockey

We have already discussed on this blog how using ParkJockey’s forward-thinking technology can significantly reduce emissions generated by drivers looking for parking. But the social benefits of convenient parking do not end there.

Significant data reporting on car accidents involving pedestrians is not hard to find and the results are quite interesting. As it turns out, parking lots are some of the most dangerous locations for pedestrians and shopping and business districts are the areas with the highest rates of pedestrian collisions. One could easily predict such a result. After all, shopping centers and parking lots are often the busiest locations, those with the most vehicle and pedestrian traffic. It makes sense that the longer pedestrians share space with cars, the more likely they are to be involved in an accident.

The question then is: what can be done about these dangerous areas? How can we minimize the interaction of pedestrians and drivers to make the streets safer for everybody? One way to help is to minimize time spent looking for parking.

When drivers cruise for parking in bustling commercial areas like Chelsea or Midtown, they contribute to dangerous conditions in a number of ways. First, they create more traffic in an area already overpopulated with an abundance of cars, taxis, and pedestrians. Second, when drivers are getting ready to park, their attention is diverted away from the road by shops, signs, and, most significantly, potential parking spaces.

It is unfortunate that we should still have to grapple with basic issues like these in the 21^st Century. ParkJockey has been doing its part by enabling drivers to alleviate their parking concerns before they even leave the house. When a driver has his parking booked, he avoids adding to traffic by getting to his destination quicker. Also, he will drive safer, unencumbered by the distraction of looking for parking.

ParkJockey wants to make parking and driving safer and more convenient for everyone on the road. Get started with the promo code SAFE and save 10% on your first booking.