WHAT’S INSIDE:

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
Fresh formats + new must-see tracks

ENTICING EVENTS
Pop-ups + parties

APRÈS-SHOW INTEL
The hottest nearby eats, drinks + shows

Vision Expo East Guide

WELCOME TO NEW YORK CITY.

EB is thrilled to welcome you to The City That Never Sleeps + International Vision Expo East at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center with our special show + city guide. Inside, you’ll find spotlights on the best Vision Expo East continuing education offerings and the most enticing show events, plus our NYC-expert-curated picks for Gotham’s best new hot spots for dining, drinking, and entertainment at all price levels.

Wishing you a great show + trip to NYC!

The EB Team

 

INSIDER TIP:

Be sure to download the Vision Expo mobile app so that you can stay connected before, during, and after the show. The interactive platform lets users send messages, view and save exhibitors, schedule events into a personal agenda, and more.

east.visionexpo.com/vision-mobile

EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS

Vision Expo East offers an abundance of education opportunities during its four days in New York City. Plus, opticianry and contact lens fitters’ education program OptiCon is heading to Vision Expo East for the first time this year—offering attendees even more brand new content.

Here, we highlight a few totally new programs to keep on your radar. For the full list of courses + offerings: east.visionexpo.com/education .

OCULAR AESTHETICS

Ocular aesthetics is one of the industry’s hottest topics on tap—it’s covered in a new column launching in this very issue of Eyecare Business (page 44). Check out this new education track to stay ahead of the curve.

• Medical and Surgical Aesthetics: The Ophthalmological and Optometric Perspectives
  (March 17, 9:45-11:45 a.m.)
• Incorporation of Aesthetics Into the Optometric Practice
  (March 17, 2:45-4:45 p.m.)

ATTRACT AND RETAIN CUSTOMERS

What are the best ways to not only attract customers to your eyecare business, but to also keep them coming back? This new track tackles the topics you’ve been waiting to unravel further, such as search engine optimization, successful marketing programs, and more. Here’s a sampling of the courses.

• 10 Solutions to Fix a Failing Facebook Page
  (March 15, 1:30-3:30 p.m.)
• Climb Up the Rankings: An Intro to Search Engine Optimization
  (March 15, 3:45-4:45 p.m.)
• Know Your Digital Score—The Secret to Attracting New Patients
  (March 16, 2:45-4:45 p.m.)
• The $10,000 Fast Pitch Challenge: Retail Game Changers for Your Office
  (March 17, 10-11:30 a.m.)

PARTIES & PRESENTATIONS

From champagne and pop-ups to parties galore, our guide unpacks the key Vision Expo East events you won’t want to miss. For a full list of events: east.visionexpo.com/experiences/events/schedule-of-events/# .

THURSDAY, MARCH 15

7:30-9 a.m.
» OWA Champagne Breakfast

Clink! Kick off Vision Expo East in a trendy Midtown hot spot to celebrate this year’s Optical Women’s Association award honorees: Pleiades honoree Ashley Mills of The Vision Council, Pyxis Award honoree Deb Bulken of Luxottica, and Emerging Leader honoree Janelle Pauli of VisionWeb. Reservations: opticalwomen.com . $55/OWA member, $65 nonmember.

Location: Espace, 635 W. 42nd St.

FRIDAY, MARCH 16

9:30 a.m.
» Vision Choice Awards

Go cast your vote on the latest and greatest eyewear product. Plus, all votes will be automatically entered for a chance to win a $500 exhibit hall shopping spree. Voting ends at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 17, with winners announced at 4 p.m.

Location: Product Gallery

5:30-7:30 p.m.
» OWA Star Awards

The Optical Women’s Association’s annual Star Awards is a cocktail reception + networking celebration, highlighting the 2018 OWA award winners. For information: opticalwomen.com .

Location: Eventi Hotel, 104 W. 30th St., 2nd floor

7:30-9 p.m.
» OptiCon @ Vision Expo Party

Are you taking part in the new OptiCon education package? You’ll score one free ticket to this special event. Be sure to stop by the OptiCon Hub located in booth #G1164 to get your wristband for the evening (or to purchase additional party passes).

Location: Stitch Bar & Lounge, 247 W. 37th St.

8-9 p.m.
» O.D.s on Facebook Party

Take the thought-provoking conversation offline and make an in-person connection with the industry’s prominent social media group, founded by Alan Glazier, O.D. Entry is free—just show your Vision Expo badge.

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

9 p.m. to midnight
» Vision Expo Opening Night Party

Sing along with Bad Habits, the industry’s Eye Docs of Rock, as they kick off Vision Expo East with music + entertainment. Your show badge is all you need for free entry to the annual get-together.

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

SATURDAY, MARCH 17

11-11:30 a.m.
» Spring's 5 Biggest Eyewear Trends

Can't make the Pop Up Talk in the Galleria Lounge at 1 p.m.? Eyecare Business Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Director Erinn Morgan hosts an additional talk on Saturday, March 17 in the OptiCon Hub, breaking down the top five eyewear trends to have on your radar for the upcoming season. 

Location: OptiCon Hub G1164

Saturday, March 17, 1-1:30 p.m.

POP-UP TALK: SPRING’S 5 BIGGEST EYEWEAR FASHION TRENDS

 

Your patients want to know: What are the hottest eyewear looks for the upcoming season? Eyecare Business Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Director Erinn Morgan hosts an interactive talk with informal modeling of the top optical + sunwear looks for spring. Stop by for the trends, and stay for the giveaways!

Location: Galleria Lounge

NYC Après-Show Guide
AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO GOTHAM

BY JESSICA COLLEY CLARKE

If you want to spark a fierce debate among New Yorkers, just ask where to find the city’s best pizza. In a city full of dynamite restaurant options, it’s easy to become a bit obsessed with where to eat. From gourmet markets to creative cocktail bars, here’s where to go when hunger strikes after a day at the Javits Center.

FAST + UNFUSSY

7 Quick Fixes Near the Javits Center + Beyond

As New York’s chefs turn their attention to unfussy fare, some of the city’s most talked-about bites are ready in a flash.

At the Gotham West Market ($, 600 11th Ave.) in Hell’s Kitchen, a range of tastes are gathered under one roof, including Shanghai-inspired street food at Jianbing Company and made-to-order Belgian waffles, crepes, and fondue at Waffle de Lys.

When a carb craving strikes, head straight for Sullivan Street Bakery ($, 533 W. 47th St.) to sample its signature Roman-style pizza, housemade pastries, or sandwiches. For egg lovers, breakfast is served at the bakery all day (try the brasato with poached eggs, toasted bread, braised Tuscan kale, and shaved Parmesan).

The ultimate quick fix in New York is the classic slice of pizza, but not all slice joints serve the real thing. Follow in-the-know locals to Pizza Suprema ($, 413 Eighth Ave.), an unassuming pizzeria opened by an Italian immigrant in 1964. There are booths in the back for savoring your pepperoni slice hot from the oven.

Another indoor market where variety reigns supreme is Chelsea Market ($, 75 Ninth Ave.). Bring your appetite and graze on hummus and pita from Dizengoff, lobster rolls from The Lobster Place, and mini-doughnuts from Doughnuttery.

For a solo meal at any time of day, take a seat at the counter in Empire Diner ($$, 210 10th Ave.). This updated diner serves freshly baked buttermilk biscuits with honey butter; an elevated breakfast sandwich with soft scrambled eggs, aged cheddar, and a homemade sausage patty on focaccia; and a juicy double-patty burger with dill pickles.

BEYOND THE WEST SIDE:

One of the most buzzed-about openings of 2017 was Daily Provisions ($, 103 E. 19th St.), a neighborhood cafe from the team behind the upscale Union Square Café. Stop in for a maple cruller and coffee or a rotisserie chicken sandwich with bacon and avocado.

BROOKLYN BOUND:

If you’re willing to travel to Brooklyn to fill your belly, climb aboard the IKEA Express Shuttle, departing from Pier 11 in Lower Manhattan, for a scenic boat ride to Red Hook. This Brooklyn neighborhood is a destination for brisket, pulled pork, and ribs at Hometown Bar-B-Que ($$, 454 Van Brunt St., Brooklyn). Order your meat feast at the counter and don’t skimp on the sides; mac-and-cheese, smoked beans, and collard greens complete the meal.

NYC Après-Show Guide
TOP TABLES

7 HOT EATERIES TO EXPERIENCE

It’s easy to pop into a restaurant without a reservation in New York City, but special restaurants are worth a little advance planning.

Reservations are essential for the tasting-menu experience at Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare ($$$, 431 W. 37th St.), a restaurant holding three Michelin stars. Communal counter seating offers a view of all the action in the kitchen.

If the day calls for a big steak and a martini, look no further than New York classic Keens ($$$, 72 W. 36th St.), dating back to 1885, for a feast of oysters, wedge salads, and T-bone steaks.

For a taste of Cuba, ask for a seat in the patio skylight room at Victor’s Café ($$, 236 W. 52nd St.), a bright room decorated with palm fronds. Begin your meal with red snapper ceviche before sharing big plates of the house specialty, ropa vieja, or tender pork slowly roasted overnight.

Hearty Italian classics plated for maximum Instagram impact have lured the crowds to Don Angie ($$$, 103 Greenwich Ave.) in the West Village. No matter your opinion on photographing your food, dishes like an epic lasagna for two are memorable even in a city full of good Italian restaurants.

The historic Seagram Building is the setting for New York’s newest chophouse, The Grill ($$$, 99 E. 52nd St.). Decadent in style, price, and fare, this restaurant is an atmospheric place to splurge on crab cakes, foie gras, lobster Newberg, and prime aged porterhouse.

—J.C.C.

NYC Après-Show Guide
PULL UP A STOOL

7 CRAFTY COCKTAIL SPOTS

Bartenders across New York City are bringing innovation to classic cocktails and signature concoctions.

The best tipples near the Javits Center are found at Porchlight ($$, 271 11th Ave.), a bar with Southern-accented snacks opened by Danny Meyer of Shake Shack, Gramercy Tavern, and Union Square Café fame. Choose your preferred poison from fun cocktail categories including Nerdy, Guzzlers, and Sippers.

For raising a glass with a view of the Empire State Building, take the elevator to the Refinery Rooftop ($$, 63 W. 38th St.), on top of the Refinery Hotel. With a retractable glass roof and cozy fireplace, this rooftop bar is home to several comfy nooks for sipping a barrel-aged cocktail like the After Hours, a rum old-fashioned.

If you like your cocktails with Italian-inspired snacks like fried baby artichokes or pizza dough with ham and Parmesan, check out Vini e Fritti ($$, 30 E. 30th St.). Italian wines are popular here, but cocktails with Italian accents like the Spritz Saporito are worth ordering too.

Originally an experimental cocktail bar in Chicago, The Aviary ($$$, 80 Columbus Circle) opened another branch in the Mandarin Oriental New York hotel. Unexpected flavor combinations and sculptural presentations define this unique experience; it’s an elegant spot for a solo nightcap.

Beyond the west side, BlackTail ($$$, 22 Battery Place) is a Cuban-themed bar that was named Best New American Bar 2017. Set on a pier at the tip of Lower Manhattan overlooking the Statue of Liberty in the harbor, this bar is famous for its interpretation of the pina colada.

—J.C.C.

BEYOND THE WEST SIDE:

For polished cocktails in a swanky space, follow local drinks enthusiasts to the Pool Lounge ($$$, 99 E. 52nd St.). Here, presentation elevates ingredient-focused cocktails—like the Jalapeño cocktail with tequila, sherry, and cucumber—to a new level.

BROOKLYN BOUND:

One of the best reasons to leave Manhattan is to gain views of its skyline. At Celestine ($$, 1 John St., Brooklyn) on the Brooklyn waterfront, sip a cocktail like the Ocean Roller with mezcal, grapefruit, and Mexican vanilla with a view across the East River to the Manhattan cityscape.

NYC Après-Show Guide
RIGHT NOW IN THE ARTS

7 MUST-SEE SHOWS

From Broadway to Museum Mile, some of the country’s most exciting stage performances and art exhibitions are found in New York City.

One of the year’s biggest smash hits is a solo show: “Springsteen on Broadway” ($$$, 219 W.48th St.). Grammy Award-winning musician Bruce Springsteen takes the Broadway stage for the first time in an acoustic show complete with stories that has left audiences raving.

If Springsteen tickets are beyond the budget, try ”Dear Evan Hansen” ($$, 239 West 45th St.), the 2017 Tony winner for Best Musical. The title character in this heart-warming musical is a high school student with social anxiety who struggles to fit in.

Singer, songwriter, and six-time Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles is behind the score of ”Waitress” ($$, 256 W. 47th St.), a musical based on the 2007 film of the same name. Produced by an all-female creative team, the musical tells the story of a pregnant waitress and expert pie maker who dreams of changing her life.

Tickets for Broadway hit ”Book of Mormon” ($$, 230 W. 49th St.), first staged in 2011, are once again in the affordable range. This irreverent musical about a pair of missionaries is from the minds of “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

For a solo cultural excursion, head to the Metropolitan Museum of Art ($, 1000 Fifth Ave.) for the “Public Parks, Private Gardens” exhibition that displays French landscape paintings from artists including Matisse and Corot.

—J.C.C.