The BIG Vision Expo East Guide

Welcome to NEW YORK
IT’S BEEN WAITING FOR YOU.

BY EYECARE BUSINESS

Vision Expo East Guide

Welcome to NEW YORK

There is arguably no more exciting, more vibrant, more cutting-edge city in the world. And, since you may be here just for a few fast-and-furious days to attend Vision Expo East (VEE) at Manhattan’s behemoth Javits Center, we crafted this guide just for you.

The goal? To help you navigate and curate the best show—and après-show fun—for you and your co-workers.




On the following pages you’ll find highlights of the best and brightest VEE education offerings, the most enticing, must-attend show events and parties, plus a wealth of expert-curated Gotham hotspots. From fast and delish nearby eats (grab a quick lunch or pick-me-up java + cupcake off-site) to the hottest new eateries, shows, and craft cocktails on the West Side, we have you covered.

Wishing you a great show + trip to NYC!

The EB Team

Educational ENDEAVORS

Vision Expo’s educational courses are top notch—and can be just as entertaining as the show’s parties and events. This year’s newest tracks bring a fast, fun twist to sharing industry knowledge.

Aside from all the action on the show floor, International Vision Expo East works as a one-stop shop for the latest industry education, whether it involves updated practices for the care and treatment of your patients, or the ins and outs of current fashion trends.

There’s a lot to catch in a jam-packed weekend, but three new education tracks will help you optimize your time at the conference:

LIGHTNING ROUNDS: A “speed-dating” format that delivers five unique perspectives on a single topic in one class.



CRASH COURSES: COPE-approved 30-minute sessions that focus on topics including innovations in retinal treatment, current uses of amniotic membranes, Google Contact Lenses, an update on acanthamoeba, new perspectives on ganglion cell complex analysis, and ocular emergencies in college students.



FASHION-FOCUSED EDUCATION: Gain insight on trends, retail tips, and more with keynote speakers and a frame buyer’s panel.

INFO: visionexpoeast.com/education/highlights/


—Kerri Ann Raimo

NYC APRÈS-SHOW GUIDE
An Insider’s Guide to Manhattan’s Vibrant West Side

Step outside the Javits Center onto 34th Street on Gotham’s West Side and start walking. Aim south for the candlelit restaurants of Chelsea and the West Village or north toward the bright lights of Broadway.

With this guide—which has you covered for après-show with everything from the most delish, quick nearby eats and the best craft cocktail hotspots to must-see shows and the trendiest eateries—you are never far from the best of the West Side. Here’s where to go while you’re in New York attending Vision Expo.

Fast and UNFUSSY

7 Quick Fixes Near the Javits Center

Gotham Market
Photo credit: Daniel Krieger

KTCHN

Fast-casual restaurants of serious quality are a Manhattan staple—in the city that never sleeps, New Yorkers expect good food fast.

When variety is required, explore the Hell’s Kitchen hotspot GOTHAM WEST MARKET ($$, 600 11th Ave.). This destination food hall gathers a range of tastes under one roof, including Mexican at Choza Taqueria and hearty bowls of ramen at Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop. For small pick-me-ups, the hall is also home to Blue Bottle Coffee and Ample Hills Creamery, for ice cream straight out of Brooklyn.



No visit to New York would be complete without pizza; check out SULLIVAN STREET BAKERY ($$, 533 W. 47th St.) for hand-stretched pizza bianca, stuffed with Pecorino cheese or topped with rosemary. Once a staple of SoHo, this bakery now has a Hell’s Kitchen location—to the delight of New Yorkers who work in Midtown.



Another local favorite for satisfying a sweet tooth is BILLY’S BAKERY ($$, 184 9th Ave.), a 1940s-inspired shop in Chelsea with chocolate cupcakes, blueberry cheesecake, apple muffins, and banana cake all baked on-site. Stop in for an afternoon treat of a slice of layer cake and mug of coffee.



Chelsea is also home to TIA POL ($$$, 205 10th Ave.), a charming destination for Spanish tapas with rustic wood-beam ceilings. Grab a seat at the bar here for late-night patatas bravas or a plate of Spanish cheeses before dinner—ask the bartender for a recommendation from the all-Spanish wine list.



Special dietary requirements are well catered for at FORAGER’S MARKET ($$$, 300 W. 22nd St.), a restaurant and marketplace stocked with stacks of fresh produce, artisan snacks, baked goods, and healthy options for lunch and dinner. A farm-to-table ethos continues in the bright restaurant; snag a table next to the floor-to-ceiling windows to watch New York walk by.



KTCHN at The OUT Hotel ($$, 508 W. 42nd St.) is a stylish retreat with a sleek bar right on frenzied 42nd Street. Escape the Times Square crowds here with hand-tossed pizza, burgers, and bar snacks. Lines gather outside many New York restaurants, with hungry diners waiting in any weather for their favorite bites.



TOTTO RAMEN ($$, 464 W. 51st St.) is one of those places—Japanese expats line up before the restaurant even opens. To slurp the legendary noodles without waiting in the long lines, stop in after-theater once the crowds have thinned. The best seats in the house are at the counter, where you can watch your bowl of ramen being assembled while sipping on an Asahi draft beer or some sake.

—Jessica Colley Clark

Top TABLES

7 Hot Boîtes

Santina

Santina

The Meatball Shop

New York City is no stranger to coveted, rave-worthy cuisine. But how to decide where to go? Check out our roundup of the most enticing eateries on the West Side, all easily accessible via cab or Uber from the show.

Italian expats seeking a taste of home gather at TAVOLA ($$, 488 9th Ave.), a Hell’s Kitchen trattoria with two wood-burning ovens that were built in Naples, Italy. Tightly packed tables (this is New York, after all) are topped with Neapolitan-style pizza, handmade pasta, and wood oven-roasted whole fish. Finish the meal as an Italian would, with tiramisu and an order from the espresso bar.



Mexico City is the inspiration behind TACOMBI CAFÉ EL PRESIDENTE ($$, 30 W. 24th St.), an all-day café in the Flatiron District with its own on-site tortilleria. Those house-made corn and flour tortillas are stuffed with slow-roasted carnitas, crispy fish, carne asada, and more. The cocktail list offers riffs on classics, such as the Oaxaca Old Fashioned, made with smoky mescal.



At the southern end of the High Line park in the Meatpacking District, SANTINA ($$$, 820 Washington St.) serves lighter fare inspired by coastal Italy (from the same team behind landmark NYC restaurants Torrisi Italian Specialties and Carbone). Potted palms set the scene for dishes worthy of a seaside feast, including branzino crudo and spaghetti with blue crab.



If your idea of a quintessential New York restaurant is intimate, small, and candlelit, head to Chelsea for a taste of the Basque Country at TXIKITO ($$$, 240 9th Ave.). Excellent ingredients are allowed to shine in the small plates from this northern corner of Spain, including blistered Gernika peppers with sea salt, and pil pil, the revered Basque salt cod poached in olive oil.



For comfort food in an unfussy setting, join the young and stylish at THE MEATBALL SHOP ($$, 200 9th Ave.) in Chelsea. The idea here is to do one thing, and do it very well. Eat your meatballs (beef, spicy pork, chicken) “naked” (with just sauce, that is), on a slider, or stuffed into a hero. Sauce choices are plentiful—including classic tomato, spicy meat, and pesto.



Offering prime people watching on a prime corner in NoMad, the JOHN DORY OYSTER BAR ($$$, 1196 Broadway) highlights the decadence of seafood. This is the place to slurp oysters and devour a lobster roll or razor clam ceviche.



The classic steakhouse has been reinterpreted at QUALITY EATS ($$, 19 Greenwich Ave.), a cozy West Village restaurant where the steak tartare comes with bone marrow butter, creamed spinach comes in the form of hush puppies, and the meat—lesser-known cuts like hanger and skirt—are surprisingly affordable for a steak joint. They also cheekily serve a three-martini lunch, with a side of steak and fries.

—Jessica Colley Clark

Jessica Colley Clarke covers cuisine, culture, the arts, and experiential travel. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Bon Appétit, The Wall Street Journal Magazine, New York magazine, Departures, Food & Wine, and The San Francisco Chronicle. She is also a Forbes Travel Guide correspondent.

EDUCATIONAL ENDEAVORS
Education Highlights

Here, we pinpoint targeted education highlights that might pique your interest. Vision Expo East serves up hundreds of hours of groundbreaking education, however, that will have you heading home enlightened. Learn more about the full course offering here: visionexpoeast.com/education

BEST OF ODs ON FACEBOOK
It’s imperative to learn how social media can benefit your practice. Panelists discuss how social media aids in clinical analysis, practice management, and marketing. Optometric Management is the media partner.

BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
Now divided into five key topics: Leadership, Customer Experience, Human Resources, Data, and Profitability & Growth. Mix and match and choose from more than 100 hours of targeted business education.

CAB CHAIRMEN TOP PICKS
With courses like “Secrets of Hiring Top Talent When Your Magic Wand Is Broken,” this mix of eight sessions, chosen by the Conference Advisory Board co-chairs, are top picks not to miss.

CORCORAN CODING ACADEMY
You may be losing time and money because of the complexities of coding and billing. Four Sunday courses, led by Mary Pat Johnson, senior consultant with Corcoran Consulting Group, help you protect your practice and maximize your revenues.

Taking in the sights and sounds at Vision Expo

DISPENSING ESSENTIALS
This track tackles four areas that today’s multi-faceted optician must master: clinical, technical, fashion, and sales.

FRAME BUYER’S CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
EB is proud to be the media sponsor of this program, which enables ECPs the chance to earn their Frame Buyer’s Certificate. Just complete eight hours within the program (over the course of one or several years) to gain your certification and learn how to better manage, monitor, position, and promote your sunwear and frame inventory.

SPECTACLE LENS EXPERT TRACK
Hot topics like blue light, UV, and digital eye strain take center stage as optometrists, opticians, and technicians discuss how customization of lenses, materials, and designs can optimize vision for every patient.

VISION SERIES
This new, one-hour series is a relaxed way to continue learning over lunch. Grab a bite to eat and catch two presentations about contact lens innovation and an ocular allergy update on Friday, April 15, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

—Kerri Ann Raimo

Right Now IN THE ARTS

7 Shows to See

La Boheme
Photo credit: Cory Weaver/Metropolitan Opera

Hughie
Photo credit: Marc Brenner

The Color Purple
Photo credit: Matthew Murphy

Celebrities don’t just live in the Big Apple; they also take the stage on Broadway.

One of the most notable openings of the spring is the limited engagement of BLACKBIRD at the Belasco Theatre (111 W. 44th St., $39-$145). Starring Michelle Williams and Jeff Daniels, this powerful drama is the story of two characters dissecting their past.



Other celebrity-studded shows include THE COLOR PURPLE starring Jennifer Hudson (in a musical based on Alice Walker’s iconic novel) at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 W. 45th St., $100-$265).



Forest Whitaker makes his Broadway debut in HUGHIE, a one-act play by Eugene O’Neill set in NYC in 1928, at the Booth Theatre (222 W. 45th St., $75-$300).



Beyond Broadway, one of Manhattan’s landmark cultural venues is found at Lincoln Center. Many classic operas are taking the stage at the Metropolitan Opera House (30 Lincoln Center Plaza) this season, but perhaps the most beloved is Puccini’s LA BOHEME ($32-$495). Set in the Latin Quarter of Paris, this is a story of love, bohemian life, and loss. Each seat has translations so you won’t miss a beat of the story sung in Italian.



In 2015, one of New York’s great museums left the Upper East Side and found a new downtown home in the Meatpacking District. The WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART (99 Gansevoort St.) features paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, and photographs from the 20th and 21st centuries. This museum takes particular pride in featuring the work of living artists, in exhibitions such as the notable Laura Poitras: Astro Noise. In this installation, the artist, journalist, and filmmaker (behind the film “Citizenfour”) explores topics including mass surveillance and the war on terror.



For a taste of Off Broadway, maneuver the winding streets of the West Village to the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow St.). After earning awards in London, THE EFFECT ($49.50-95.50) has crossed the pond. This play details the sudden romance between two volunteers in a clinical trial (and pokes fun at certain elements of the role of pharmaceuticals in our culture).



For a feel-good musical, the Broadway smash hit ON YOUR FEET ($55-$159) tells the story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan with the help of familiar music (“Rhythm Is Gonna Get You”) and sultry choreography at the Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway).



One classic Broadway musical is entering its final months; don’t miss the chance to see LES MISÉRABLES ($47-$152) before it’s gone at the Imperial Theatre (249 W. 45th St.). The story of Jean Valjean is full of one anthem after the next, and contemporary screens in the stage production add a new element to an old tale.

—Jessica Colley Clark

Pull Up A STOOL

7 Best Places to Imbibe

Porchlight
Photo credit: Porchlight

NoMad Bar
Photo credit: Daniel Krieger

The Rum House
Photo credit: Paul Wagtouicz

Some of the most coveted doors in New York City don’t belong to either restaurants or nightclubs—but to cocktail bars. These watering holes showcase bartenders bringing an artistic touch to mixing drinks, shaking and stirring both classics and original creative concoctions.

Thirsty New Yorkers delighted in the news that Danny Meyer (of Shake Shack, Gramercy Tavern, and Union Square Café fame) opened PORCHLIGHT ($$, 271 11th Ave.) in 2015, a cocktail bar with Southern-accented snacks on 11th Avenue. Beer and wine are served, but cocktails are the star here. Choose your poison from a cocktail category: Guzzlers (light and easy), Sippers (Not for the Weak of Heart), Classics, or Nerdy (Late Night Experiments That Worked).



Another destination cocktail bar—the sibling of Ward III downtown in TriBeCa—is sandwiched between the many theaters of midtown west. THE RUM HOUSE ($$, 228 W. 47th St.) is the kind of wood-paneled, classic establishment that attracts a sophisticated crowd. This is the place for savoring a finely mixed cocktail with a backdrop of nightly live piano and jazz music.



Conclude your cocktail tour by ringing the bell at the semi-secret entrance of RAINES LAW ROOM ($$$, 48 W. 17th St.), a dimly lit space with glamorous décor right out of the roaring 1920s. Here, small groups sink into plush velvet couches and use wall buzzers to call servers when it’s time for another round.



If a craving for a glass of wine hits, head to Hell’s Kitchen favorite ARDESIA WINE BAR ($$, 510 W. 52nd St.) to sample one of over 35 wines available by the glass. Bartenders here are wine nerds, and are just as happy to pour you something new and exciting or a glass of an old favorite.



The craft beer movement is alive and well in New York, especially at FLATIRON HALL ($$, 38 W. 26th St.), with a draught beer list a dozen brews deep, all from Greenpoint Beerworks in Brooklyn. The seasonal list includes everything from silky Oatmeal Stout to a bold IPA.



For a refined night on the town with an Old New York feel, order a Manhattan at the buzzy but civilized NOMAD BAR ($$$, 10 W. 28th St.). With leather banquettes and a long wood bar, this is a place for mingling with local tastemakers (and don’t miss the reserve cocktails, using rare spirits).



When the day calls for bourbon, get cozy at MAYSVILLE ($$$, 17 W. 26th St.), a bar with over 150 American whiskeys from bourbon to rye to sample by the one-ounce taste or two-ounce glass.

—Jessica Colley Clark

Parties & Presentations

Live rock band performances and access to celebrities are just a few things you can catch at this year’s Vision Expo East. Here, we highlight a handful of the events you won’t want to miss, plus booth specials and quick insider tips. See more at visionexpoeast.com.

FRIDAY, APRIL 15

9:30 a.m.
VOTING BEGINS FOR THE VISION CHOICE AWARDS

Scan the latest product lines and launches and cast your vote for eyewear technology’s Best New Product. Eyecare Business is a proud media sponsor of the awards.

Location: Javits Center Level 3, Crystal Palace, New Product Gallery

12-1 p.m.
YPC LUNCH

Young professionals: Here’s an opportunity to chat with other YPs in a casual setting. The Young Professionals Club offers career resources to eyecare professionals who have been in the industry for five years or less.

Location: Javits Center Level 1, Room 1E07

Making an entrance at VEE

The edCFDA

3:30-5 p.m.
EYEWEAR DESIGNERS OF THE COUNCIL OF FASHION DESIGNERS OF AMERICA (edCFDA) SHOWCASE + RECEPTION

Experience serious design inspiration as the edCFDA presents provocative eyewear in a showcase format. Big-name designers like Blake Kuwahara, Christian Roth, Selima Salaun, and more will lead this highly anticipated event. Eyecare Business is proud to be a media sponsor of this groundbreaking showcase.

Location: Javits Center, The Galleria Lounge

4:30-6 p.m.
30TH ANNIVERSARY CHAMPAGNE TOAST

Cheers to VEE turning 30 this year! Champagne and beer will be served at the “Take 30” Lounges.

Location: Javits Center “Take 30” Lounges, Levels 1 and 3

8-9 p.m.
ODs ON FACEBOOK PARTY

Network about the social network. Ophthalmic professionals can grab a free drink and learn how to boost (or start) their Facebook presence with ODs on Facebook founder Alan Glazier, O.D. Eyecare Business’ sister publication, Optometric Management, is the media sponsor of this event.

Location: B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W. 42nd St.

9 p.m.-12 a.m.
BAD HABITS “EYE DOCS OF ROCK” PARTY & VISION EXPO OPENING NIGHT PARTY

Catch light hors d’oeuvres throughout the night and sing along with the Bad Habits, the official Eye Docs of Rock. Open bar from 9 to 10 p.m. Make sure to grab a free wristband from a sponsor booth (Vision Source, Costa, Essilor, Marco, Ocuco, and REM Eyewear).

Location: B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W. 42nd St.

Eyewear style at the Safilo fashion show

SATURDAY, APRIL 16

9:30 a.m.- 2 p.m.
VOTING CONTINUES FOR THE VISION CHOICE AWARDS

Here’s your last chance to cast your vote for your best product picks before the Vision Choice awards are announced Saturday afternoon.

Location: Javits Center Level 3, Crystal Palace, New Product Gallery

4 p.m.
VISION CHOICE AWARDS CEREMONY

The votes are in, and the first-, second-, and third-place winners for Best New Product will be announced at this event. As media sponsor of this event, Eyecare Business will be on hand to celebrate.

Location: Javits Center Level 3, Crystal Palace, New Product Gallery

7-9 p.m.
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS CLUB PARTY

Kick off your Saturday in the Big Apple with other YPC members at a venue that boasts unbeatable skyline views.

Location: Sky Room NYC, Fairfield Inn, 330 W. 40th St.

9 p.m.-1 a.m.
EYE ROCK

Musicians in the optical industry rock out for a great cause at this concert that benefits New Eyes for the Needy, a not-for-profit organization that distributes glasses to children and adults in financial need. Purchase tickets at www.new-eyes.org/eyerock-2016/.

Location: Hard Rock Café, Times Square

—Kerri Ann Raimo

Eyewear inspiration at VEE