Hanukkah is over, but gift-giving season sure isn’t! We’ve still got Christmas, the New Year, Boxing Day, and a random Tuesday, so there are plenty of opportunities left to spread some holiday cheer. Having trouble shopping for those last few people on your list? Or maybe you’ve already decided to go with one of our food tour gift certificates but aren’t sure which tour to buy? Here is our holiday gift guide to help you through some of those stickier gift-giving situations.
For the Coworker Always Singing at Her Desk
The first day you thought it was kind of cute, but now it’s constant and sometimes downright annoying. But you drew her name for the office “Secret Snowman,” and you have to think of something good to make up for the fact that you were the one who complained about her singing to your boss earlier this year. Try giving her a gift certificate for the Central Village/SoHo food and culture tour.
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| The Porto Rico Importing Co — Photos by Denise DiPaolo |
A counter-cultural mecca for many years, the Central Village was once home to bohemians, artists, musicians, and more. (Today it’s a little pricey, but the cultural institutions remain.) The tour features some of the influential comedy and music venues in the neighborhood and is filled with cultural tidbits about the many generations of artists who have called the Village their home. Your coworker will also enjoy a variety of food tastings, including a late-night Indian food favorite and some classic Cuban fare.
For the Neighbor Always Bringing You Weird Foods to Try
You know the type: the little old lady who catches you in the hallway and insists you try her traditional pineapple and cheddar Irish soda bread. Maybe she’s even brought you a little present already, and you know you should really get her something in return to keep the peace.
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| Chelsea Market Tour — Photo by Lynne Hamre |
We’ve got the perfect gift: a gift certificate for the Chelsea Market/Meatpacking District food tasting tour. This mostly-indoors tour through Chelsea Market is great for those aspiring foodies in your life; this old industrial building is filled with food shops and bakeries, some of which give the tours a little behind-the-scenes action.
She’ll also visit the High Line, NYC’s outdoor elevation park, for a unique taste of the outdoors. If you’re lucky, your neighbor will come home with some Chelsea Market purchases. Even if she hasn’t gleaned an abundance of culinary insights, at least the ingredients will be top-notch!
For the Friend Who Loves Instagram a Little Too Much
I love my best friend dearly, but her use of the popular social photo sharing application can be a bit overwhelming at times. If you, too, have a trendy friend or family member who loves to take photos of her food, her cat, her feet and then share them with the world, try getting her a gift certificate for the Nolita/NoHo food tasting tour.
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| The Smile on our Nolita Tour — Photo by Mark Painter Pariani |
Our newest tour will take her on a contemporary jaunt through a classic old-world neighborhood. Walking through the “old Little Italy,” your loved one will learn about mafia history and taste some traditional Italian food (plus some American, Mexican, and British food) in one of the hippest downtown neighborhoods. There will be plenty of photogenic moments for her to share with her Instagram followers, and she’s guaranteed to leave with some cool knowledge she can use to impress the masses. Who knows, if you’re lucky, maybe she’ll bring you along!
For the Well-Traveled (Maybe a Little Pretentious) Father-in-Law
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| A taste of Chinatown — Photo by Jason Briscoe |
You gotta love your family, but some people just won’t be impressed, no matter what you get them. This year, get that world traveler something he’ll really appreciate (and won’t already know all about)! I promise, a gift certificate to the Explore Chinatown tour won’t go amiss.
Our Chinatown food and culture walking tour tackles a historic neighborhood in Manhattan that is notoriously difficult to navigate, even for experienced New Yorkers. Chinatown is not all about dumplings and cheap sunglasses. This tour includes several sit-down tastings where he’ll really be able to soak in the culture of a neighborhood that has signs in multiple languages.
Even if he’s been to Chinatown before — even if he’s been to China — he’s guaranteed to learn (and taste) some new things on this popular tour. He may even begin to respect your opinion on what it means to know the city.
For the Awkward Authority Figure
The gift could be for your boss, your boss’ boss, your professor, or anyone else whom you want to impress without seeming like you went overboard or thought too hard. It’s easy: get him a gift certificate to the Original Greenwich Village food and culture tour.
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| Photo by Nick Nicaise |
This oldest (and our most popular) tour winds through one of the most quaint and picturesque neighborhoods in Manhattan, with near-ancient brownstones and charming mom-and-pop shops. Most of the food tastings are Italian, and this tour focuses on the little specialty shops: a bread shop, a cheese store, a meat market, etc. Your boss/professor/awkward authority figure will love the cultural aspect of the tour and leave full and satisfied.
