Forest Lodge Hotel

Contact: cyrus.maleki@klsworldwide.com The Leading Luxury Ground Transportation company since 1998

Like A Local Tours provides sustainable, memorable experiences in NYC and Brooklyn by connecting locals and tourists to authentic tour guides and local businesses. We showcase NYC and Brooklyn neighborhoods through food, fashion, art, and history and bring you immersive experiences that will leave you with great memories and a deep understanding of the area. Like A Local Tours is an award winning, New York City-based, woman-founded, and operated tour company that was launched in 2014. Since then, we have served over 25,000 customers and specialize in high-quality, authentic and fun experiences. Our tour guides bring neighborhoods to life through the art of storytelling and leave lasting impressions with top-notch customer service. Guides are part entertainer, part concierge, part encyclopedia- juggling all of these roles with a smile on their faces and a belly full of some of the best bites NYC has to offer.

Step aboard one of the most powerful battleships in history and explore life at sea through immersive experiences designed for all ages. From self-guided tours and scavenger hunts with Vicky the Dog to exclusive crew-led journeys through restricted areas, there’s an adventure for every explorer. Whether you’re retracing the steps of U.S. Presidents, climbing into massive gun turrets, descending into the heart of the engineering spaces, or racing against time to save the ship in a thrilling escape challenge — each experience brings the ship to life in unforgettable ways.

Come walk and discover New York - city and state - with the Street Teacher - take a step into a new world! Although primarily giving tours around New York City, I am available for tours in Philadelphia and Boston, if any should desire - and I love taking people to Washington D.C. But perhaps what I most like is taking people on walks across some of the great bridges around our city: the Brooklyn Bridge, and especially the Williamsburg Bridge - and don't forget the great George Washington Bridge - for walks along the Palisades!

Located in New York City’s founding neighborhood, Pier 17 is drenched in history. A stone’s throw from the Financial District and The World Trade Center, the area has more recently been synonymous with Wall Street workers and tourists visiting the 9/11 Memorial. But this summer changes all that with the re-launch of Pier 17 at the Seaport District NYC. Home to the Seaport Museum and the city’s largest concentration of restored maritime buildings, Pier 17 is being reclaimed for New Yorkers via dynamic food, drink, art, architecture, retail, and entertainment concepts that foster community and engage the city’s denizens, year-round. Pier 17 and the surrounding Seaport District comes out of its tourist trap shadows as its new tenants incorporate the neighborhood’s rich past, while embracing its future as a port of discovery. For history buffs, Pier 17 is one of the most interesting places in NYC. The economic growth of New York in the first half of the 19th century was driven by the Port of New York’s position as an import–export exchange and cargo center for emerging American and global markets. The Seaport and Pier 17 became a gateway for international shipping, maritime activities and the wholesale fish trade. South Street was known as the “Street of Ships” and the Wavertree, which is docked alongside Pier 17 to this day, arrived in New York City in 1895 en route to Calcutta with jute cargo aboard. The ship was acquired by the South Street Seaport Museum in 1968 and went through a 16-month, $13 million restoration. “These are the kinds of ships that built New York,” says Jonathan Boulware, executive director of the South Street Seaport Museum. A hub of commercial virtue (the finance, sea trade and printing press businesses were all located in this dense port) and accompanying vice (the area is home to some of the city’s oldest drinking dens, which played host to all manner of illicit activities back in the day), the Seaport was the first 24-hour district in New York, hence the phrase “the city that never sleeps”.

La Belle Helene is a refined brasserie in the heart of the Queen City serving French classics with a modern sensibility. Located in Uptown Charlotte, this restaurant is owned and operated by 5th Street Group and features a warm, inviting atmosphere, incredible service and a menu steeped in classic French culinary tradition created by Chef Partner and Top Chef Alumni Chef Jamie Lynch and Regional Culinary Director, Sherief Shawky. Experience French culture and cuisine with the 5th Street Group twist at La Belle Helene.

Located in the historic Wayne Hotel, Rosalie combines rustic comfort and design with culinary simplicity and passion to create an authentic Italian dining experience. Come and savor locally sourced seasonal ingredients prepared daily and paired with artisan specialty cocktails and wine that will transport you and fill your soul.

In 1992, New York Offstage began, when founder, Bev Sambrotto, left her role as Assistant Director of Visitor Services at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Her tenure at Lincoln Center gave her invaluable experience as a producer of refined cultural events. This experience included talent recruitment and coordination with world-class talent from Lincoln Center’s companies, cutting edge event planning and production for Fortune 500 corporations, and creative, interactive program content for patrons, and international travel and luxury group clients. New York Offstage flourished as the industry leader in these immersive, behind-the-scenes experiences showcasing New York’s cultural world. As the company grew it was evident that its services and business model could be copied in other leading cultural destinations and in 2007 the brand was renamed The Offstage Group. Until 2012 The Offstage Group served groups of all sizes. The company had weathered several economic downturns and as a safeguard changed its business model to include memorable experiences for individual travelers. Your VIP Pass was born!

Aba is a Mediterranean restaurant originating from Chicago’s historic Fulton Market District. Aba, meaning father in Hebrew, incorporates Chef CJ Jacobson's lighter style of cooking with influences from the Mediterranean, including Israel, Lebanon, Turkey, and Greece. The bar program, crafted by Liz Pearce, showcases rare Mediterranean-inspired wines and spirits.

Our mission is to provide one-of-a-kind culinary experiences that leave you and your guests with lasting memories and satiated palates. Every detail is meticulously thought out, and our commitment to hospitality, with over 40 years of experience working in some of the world's most acclaimed restaurants, brings a level of excellence rarely found in the catering industry.