Vacations Blog

Mother’s Day gets all of the attention. What about Father’s Day????? This Sunday, treat your dad to something special, whether it’s a ball game, a movie, or lunch at a favorite restaurant.For something a little different, try the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland’s Collingwood neighborhood. I was there about three years ago with my hubby, oldest step-daughter, and her husband to see Butterfly Boucher and we had a blast. The opening act that night was Griffin House, and we are big Butterfly Boucher fans in this house….coupled with good drink and grub, and we loved it!The Beachland Ballroom has since expanded its menu and also now offers breakfast. This would be a great stop for Dad—it’s a laid back, low-key crowd, but still in a fun and historic atmosphere.The Ballroom was built in 1950 as the Croatian Liberty Home and Ballroom. A kitchen was added in 1976 and in 2000 the landmark building became a concert club, still retaining much of its historic charm. The beach is about a half mile north of the club, but the entire neighborhood actually carries the “Beachland” designation, a carryover from the days when Euclid Beach Park was just up the road.Today, the Ballroom hosts a full schedule of regional, local, and national musicians throughout the year. The club is particularly noted for its excellent sound system and boasts two stages, the Ballroom and the more intimate Tavern.Every Sunday the place opens up to all ages for Sunday Brunch. From 11am to 3pm, The Tavern welcomes the entire family for DJs and live music. Also available during this time are their delicious brunch items:

• Eggs Beachland: Poached egg & peppercorn on a grilled baguette, topped with smoked gouda sauce
• Egg & Cheese Strata: Fluffy baked egg, cheese, & bread casserole
• PB&J: Crunchy peanut butter & today’s jelly dipped in whole-wheat batter and deep-fried
• Breakfast Quesadilla: Chorizo, beans, & cheese in a corn tortilla (substitute vegetables for chorizo to make vegetarian)
• Oatmeal Pancakes: with maple butter
• Breakfast Polenta: Creamy, buttery corn goodness with roasted garlic, cheddar, and bacon
• Stuffed French Toast: whipped cream cheese & fruit
• Fruit Cobbler: Seasonal fruit baked with granola and topped with honeyed yogurt
• Bacon, Sausage, Roasted Potatoes, Corn Bread, Grilled Baguette, or Seasonal Veggie

There are several vegetarian options as well as specialty and non-alcoholic beverages, so there is clearly something for everyone. Which means there is no excuse for not letting Dad know how special he is to you on Father’s Day!

So Father’s Day is fast approaching (June 15^th 2008), and it’s a bit of an understatement to say that it’s a Herculean task to come up the right ingredients for an enjoyable Father’s Day, let alone a perfect one. Mothers are easy to make happy. Well … Expensive, but easy to plan for. Fathers, on the other hand, are cranky, and it’s hard to make judgment calls about what they like, or not. Brunches are sissy, unless accompanied/planned by Mom with kids in tow. Add spas and shopping to the sissy list, and what you have left is … What? Here’s a reference list for you to chew on.

New York Father’s Day Restaurants: This is a list of restaurants in New York which are offering specials on the menu for Father’s Day.

This historied Tribeca/Downtown lounge is advisable if you’re a Mom with kids, planning Father’s Day brunch for the entire family. Enjoy the special Father’s Day brunch while the kids watch complimentary movies in the grand screening room. The buffet includes omelets and waffles made to order, oysters on the half shell, jumbo shrimp cocktail, quiche selection, fresh salads, antipasti, breads and pastries, cheese and seasonal fruits, and homemade desserts.And the cocktails at the Church Lounge are quite well known among serious drinkers.

Beacon – Midtown West restaurant is offering dads & guests a special 16-oz. Black Angus, dry aged natural Niman Ranch sirloin steak with a bottomless Brooklyn Lager. Dinner a la carte or $58 prix-fixe.

Creama Restaurante – Chelsea Mexican eatery offering brunch prix-fixe with a complimentary treat for fathers at the end of the meal.

Tribeca Grill – Robert De Niro’s landmark downtown restaurant offers brunch and dinner a la carte menus featuring spring seasonal offerings.

Restaurants with Father’s Day specials include davidburke & donatella, Fig & Olive, Havana Central and Lunetta.

Father’s Day Weekend Getaway Package: So let’s say you don’t think just a power lunch or brunch or dinner is enough. You want something a bit more expansive, covering the entire weekend. There’s no shortage of getaways in the Adirondack Mountains, but Father’s Day specials? This is where the 1000 Acres Ranch Resort, in Stony Creek, NY, about 3 and ½ hours’ drive from Manhattan, comes in. Photo courtesy & copyrights 1000 Acres Ranch Resort.

It’s a scenic dude ranch which sits along the banks of the Hudson River, with everything from horseback riding to a 9-hole golf course and fishing, kayaking, indoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi, night-time cocktail parties and ball games. Kids have a whole bunch of games, activities and entertainment under supervision from the resort staff. They’re offering a Father’s Day package deal which includes a 10% discount for Dad with 3 days/2 nights of lodging, three meals daily, horseback riding, pony rides for children six and under and full use of Ranch facilities.

If Dad is the kind of guy who enjoys fishing and the outdoors, then this is the perfect way to get him to relax on the weekend, with the additional bonus that the entire family gets to have a fun time.

Other events being held in NYC for Father’s Day include the 67th “Father of the Year” Awards being held on June 11^th at the Marriott New York Marquis hotel, free , fun things including a concert, sing-along and Lullwater cruise at Prospect Park, and a 3 hour Father’s Day schooner match race starting at Chelsea Piers from SailNYC.com.