Modified from story written by William J. Purpura and originally appeared in AAA's Home & Away magazine.

Bobbie Thomas’ path to NBC’s Today show is best described as unconventional. During her three years of graduate studies, she volunteered as an advocate and counselor at the Valley Trauma Center in Van Nuys, Calif., a rape crisis treatment facility.

Later she served as the West Coast editor and columnist for two national teen magazines, J-14 and Twist. Soon, Thomas found herself moving from print to television, doing work for Fox, CNN, VH-1, MTV, ABC, Style Network, E! News and Extra.

Her work is part fashion, part beauty and part female empowerment. ... Read More

New York City is known for its many great restaurants and especially great Italian places. You can now add another spot to your “must eat” list, but this one goes beyond other restaurants that merely offer a dining experience.  

Eataly, N.Y., is not only one of the world's largest artisanal Italian wine and food marketplaces, but it also has a wide selection of outlets that serve Italian foods created from the many products on hand. Famous TV chefs Mario Batali and Lidia Bastianich are among the partners behind the operation, and other top New York City chefs and suppliers contribute to the various offerings. ... Read More

You don’t have to be a shopaholic to enjoy a sneak peek into those mysterious showrooms where clothing designers pitch their concepts to retailers. My curiosity got the best of me, so I signed up for a behind-the-scenes tour of New York’s Garment District, intriguing because these wholesale showrooms are normally closed to the public. ... Read More

As a writer traveling on assignment to the Big Apple, I couldn’t help but notice that a handful of artisanal chocolatiers and innovative bakers had set up shop in the Bowery area of the East Village. With visions of bonbons and other decadent delights beckoning from charming window displays, I set out to conduct some firsthand research. I feel compelled to share my sugary findings with AAA TravelViews readers. ... Read More

Our daughter’s 18th birthday was two days before Christmas and, to her surprise, she found an airline ticket in the pocket of her new winter coat. Our plan to spend Christmas morning at home in Florida and Christmas night in New York City was in motion.

The flight into LaGuardia was smooth and our first glimpse of the city from the airplane window had all of us excited about the next five days. We had made arrangements for private transportation from the airport to our hotel so we got a fantastic tour of the city. We loved seeing all of the holiday lights, but those lights couldn’t compare with Times Square. Flashing signs of every size and color made nighttime look like day. ... Read More

'America’s Worst Driver’ takes its search for the worst driver in the country to New York this Saturday, April 24 at 10 p.m. E/P on the Travel Channel. AAA’s collaboration with Travel Channel as the official safety partner on the new reality travel competition continues four new contestants who take on one of the busiest cities in the world. Three of America’s worst drivers will navigate the streets of New York City crowded with throngs of foot traffic, taxi cabs, bicycles and motorists.. ... Read More

The Eastern Seaboard coast up to New York City and then the Hudson River above it have been migration routes for birds for tens of thousands of years. Just because a huge metropolis was built on it is not going to stop the birds, which instinctively know where they’re going to meet their friends and potential partners.  And right now, we are approaching it, the season, the ne plus ultra of birding in the area—the annual spring migration, and the avian guests of... Read More

Question: Darrell asks: I am going to New York and would like to see a Broadway show. I can order tickets online but I have heard that before the show starts there is a period of time when they sell cheap tickets. Can you tell me anything about that?

Answer:  Yes, discount Broadway theater tickets are available at the TKTS booths in New York City, ... Read More

It’s your first trip to New York City, and you’re only staying for 48 hours. What to do? That was our challenge, and we managed to pack a week’s worth of sightseeing into two exhilarating days.

The first morning, we flew into LaGuardia and checked into the Casablanca, a wonderful little boutique hotel on 43rd Street, steps away from Times Square and the Theater District. From here, we could ... Read More

     My first visit to New York as a cognizant individual (I had been before when I was 4; and again in my early 20s with a 9-month old in tow) was to take the written test to audition to be a contestant on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.”  Since I only had a few hours to spend in the city, I used a shuttle service to take me to the audition location and didn’t wander too far while waiting for audition time.  But, my appetite had been whetted.  In that short period I knew there was something special about New York City. 

A year later, I was... Read More