Who cares? It will likely be cheaper, as well as more available (to those of us who don't shop in exclusively kosher stores) than the kosher brands currently are

definitely RW. Mainly Brooklyn, Baltimore, Lakewood. Very, very few women didn't cover their hair, mainly black hat. (with non-gebroks you're going to usually get a RW crowd)

oh, and service was DEFINITELy not a problem on the program this year. I think they hired a special maitre d and he oversaw everyone. The service and organization of the program was overall excellent.

I honestly don't know how much it was: I do know that my parents (repeat customers) were apparently given 2011 rates (??) and to be frank, my husband and I give my parents an amount of $$ I feel appropriate (and commensurate with what we can afford) and they cover the rest (if it matters, we gave them $2500) But i do know that these local programs are a lot less than ones in better, more exotic locations, for obvious reasons. No one is in Lancaster this time of year, the hotel/area is not much of a draw. But with chol hamoed falling how it did this year I didn't feel it was worth it go somewhere fabulous if you couldn't really have a full chol hamoed to enjoy it. In past years, my family and I have gone to (in descending order) Lancaster, San Diego, Nice, France, Lake Las Vegas, Cabo san Lucas, Mexico, Phoenix, Arizona, Maine, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood (and before that I don't remember)

I went to the same program (Lancaster) this year and they had about 900 people and PLENTY of food! More than you can imagine!

350, wow! Last year there was barely 200! (At least is sounds like he's getting better,and taking the feedback to heart)

Running out of food is never ok, no matter the price! I went with this program in 2012, and while the amounts of the food wasn't a problem (they had plenty of everything) all in all in was too basic a program (for the money) Tea room was as described above, pretty much the same pre-packaged, stale cookies day after day. Desserts were repetitive as well (hey, at least I didn't gain weight!) Kiddushim were herring and frozen potato kugel (disgusting!) and the meals overall were ok, but just not heimish cooking at all. I don't think they had an outside caterer: it was the hotel chef cooking kosher l'pesach (which of course, was the problem. Pesach cooking is its own thing) The hotel, the grounds, etc were beautiful but the program was lacking (which is why we didn't go back this year)

Ditto to Le Marais

Leftover challah is perfect for stuffing!

I've made this too, WITH the turkey though. It's really yummy!

Roast chicken and fries @ Le Merais
Sunday brunch @ Le Merais
Shawarma @ Mr. Broadway
White chocolate mousse @ My Most Favorite
Pastrami sandwich @ Mendy's
Chicken Scarpariello @ Cafe Classico
Penne a la vodka @ Mikes Italian
Quinoa salad @ Noi Dui
Rosemary chicken @ Tevere 84

They have the BEST shawarma!!!

Whole Foods vegan chocolate chips are pareve and very, very good.

I went with this group to their Lake Las Vegas program in 2010. (They've been going to Palm Springs and LLV for many years) I'm an 'experienced' Pesach hotel goer, and I'd give the program a B. The food was good, but not great. I don't remember any programming or speakers that were particularly memorable. Not having kids, I can't speak of their kids program. I primarily went for the location (first time in Vegas) An overall average program.

Menu is up

http://www.greatrestaurantsmag.com/ko...

I was just in Tampa last week (and over Shabbos) and the previous poster is right: Tampa is NOT a Jewish town and the pickings are slim there. Supermarkets carry the usual fare and that's pretty much it.

with! you need them (in the absence of eggs) to make the cookies moist, plus they're super healthy!

Chocolate chocolate walnut cookies are amazing! I"m not vegan in the least but I'm hooked on these cookies and make them all the time!

The food itself was decent, not a notch more than that, but the SERVICE was apallingly awful. Both the boss (Rabbi Harizay sp?) and the guy behind the counter were incredibly rude to my mom and I, refusing to give us a lousy paper plate to eat our shawarma lafa on (saying a plate costs extra, and that we have to eat directly on the tray!) Not only did our $25 deny us a paper plate, but at one point, the counter guy LITERALLY told us, "You are talking too much, I can hear you"! 2 adults, having regular conversation in normal voices were told by a proprietor that we are to refrain from speaking while we eat!! This will certainly be the last time I go to Alibaba; I am too smart and there are too many restaurant choices to settle for near-abuse from management!

I believe it was around $400/person (regardless of how many in a room; Same price for single occupancy, which worked out well for our family) They had around 200 people

Jackson Hotel in Long Beach, LI. I was there for Shavous and the food was OUTSTANDING. My family and I been going to hotels (for yomim tovim) for >15 years and the food at the Jackson easily surpassed anything I've seen or tasted before. They are open as a hotel all year, but they only do (Shabbos) meals when they have enough ppl. I was there for a regular Shabbos in the summer in 2008 and was similarly impressed then too. (Also, the prices are extremely reasonable!) I cannot wait to go back again.

I'm pretty sure it's about $21, and it's fabulous!

I disagree. When I was there, the service was dispicable: unacceptably slow. Truly ridiculous. And the food was a notch above average. I'd say skip it.

his name is Rabbi Marmorstein and it is a very good hechsher

OMG I went to the new Fairway today and it was a madhouse! It was impossibly difficult to get parking and the store was so full I ended up leaving without buying anything! I agree with the post that the store, surprisingly, did not have a large kosher (in house) bakery section as the Manhattan store does; Also, I think the store would do well to have in-house kosher takeout department (chickens, deli, etc) As an upper west sider, I know that the Manhattan stores are always packed and are difficult to navigate because of this, but compared to other stores in the city, the selection and prices make it a no brainer: it remains "worth it" to brave the hordes and save a few dollars. I'm not sur if Northern NJ residents can say the same thing. Prices outside the city are so much lower and stores are so much easier to get to (with everyone driving from place to place) that I wonder who will "put up with" what is sure to be similar crowds of people. I think that will be interesting to see as time passes. Well, today wasn't a total waste: we got to see Governor Corzine, who was there for the opening! :)

First off, they were definitely NOT stingy or cheap. The food was excellent; I remember it all being buffet style (which, as you know, is proof that there was abundance of food) and there were theme nights during chol hamoed. There are no children in my family, so I can't speak to the quality of their children's program. Also, my family isn't really into lectures and the like, so I can't comment on that, but check out their website: I beleive they highlight this year's scheduled speakers. The crows was for the most part Flatbush/5 Towns, so you have an idea of the "frumkeit" of the people. Someone mentioned the weather in Arizona. It is absolutely perfect. Hot, but not humid. You don't sweat, your hair doesn't frizz. It was truly ideal. We would go back there again, but I pushed for going somewhere else (just for the sake of change) and are going to Mexico instead. I am confident you will enjoy Paradise's Pesach program.

My family and I went with them last year.They ran a great, great program. It was in a different hotel (Millenium) but also in Scottsdale. Ask me as many specific questions as you like; I highly recommend this program