President Obama is most closely associated with the city of Chicago, but he spent five years in New York as a student and community organizer, and a local actor has created a walking tour that shines a light on what he calls Obama's "lost years" here. The AP introduces us to Jeremiah Miller, whose two-hour "Obama's New York" tour takes visitors to some of the places the 44th president spent time during his 1981-1985 stint in the city.

I've never taken a pedicab in my life, but it seems I'm in the minority, as the number of the pedal-powered bicycle taxis has risen dramatically since their introduction to New York in 1995. Pedicabs have become so popular, in fact, that they're now regulated by the city, which requires vehicles to be insured, inspected, and fitted with seat belts, headlights, and hydraulic brakes. A story in The New York Times explains that the new regulations legitimize an industry that began as something of a fringe group, attracting actors, artists, and various downtown weirdos to a unique profession that could net them up to $1,000 a week and help them stay skinny and hot.

Almost six months ago, Southwest Airlines gave New Yorkers an outright gift: the Southwest Porch, a relaxing, open-air venue in the middle of the city at Bryant Park. During the day, workers from offices in Midtown would sit in the adirondack chairs and on the cushioned lounges to eat their packed lunches, and at night, they can return for a drink and snacks when the bar opens.

The Porch is a pleasant surprise for its lack of pretension and excess of good food choices (being from Top Chef Tom Colicchio' s 'wichcraft chain). We expected it to close down for the winter when the leaves began to fall, but instead the Porch has re-inaugurated itself via a winter menu and introduction of fire pits and slankets, the slankets in celebration of Southwest's recent SkyMall cover.

One of our favorite milestones when tracking a new hotel opening is the release of photos. Not renderings, not collages, but full color pictures of the guestrooms we’re so eager to check into. Today The Distrikt Hotel reaches that milestone by posting photos on its Facebook page.

We’ve been dying for a glimpse inside the hotel since the funky collages on the website--while arty and cool--left us without a clue as to room design. Now The Distrikt delivers and we’re both relieved and disappointed.

Relieved that the neighborhood theme is not an OTT mish-mash as it could have been, but a little sad that the décor plays it so safe. For all its savvy

Curbed recently put out the first of what will be many lists across the internet universe, saying goodbye to the aughts. But this being Curbed, they focused on the The Best New Buildings of The Decade for New York City. And wouldn't you know it? The Standard Hotel is the #1 best building of the decade.

Yes, The Standard. Since we tracked the opening of this hotel pretty much from its inceptions, we're a little surprised to see it top this list. We say it looks way better from the inside looking out then just on its own. But we guess naked people in the windows helps.

Here are some of our favorite moments

While we had high hopes of seeing one of our hotly anticipated new NYC hotels opening before Thanksgiving— The Strand in the garment district—it now looks like we'll have to wait another couple of weeks. Cross out that November 16th opening date, folks, and pencil in December 1st. That is the first date showing up on both the hotel's online reservation system, and on Quikbook.

As we reported in our last update, Quikbook is definitely the way to go when booking a night at The Strand. Previously it was showing a saving of $40 per night compared to the rates on the hotel's website. Now those savings are $70. A Superior King is going for

When we got our sneak peek of The Surrey Hotel on New York's Upper East Side, we were thrilled by the luxe elegance we found in the room, not to mention the swank neighborhood outside. But then we read a review from Globalista that wasn't quite what we hoped for. Even though the TripAdvisor reviews were generally positive, the seeds of doubt were planted.

Coupled with our disappointment about the hotel's introductory offer, chances were looking slim on taking a chance on The Surrey. Until now.

The Surrey has just sweetened the deal for HotelChatter Readers by offering a complimentary night when you reserve

Another day, another Twitter hotel contest. But this is one that could score you major brownie points with the kids. Tomorrow, Affinia Hotels launches a Twitter promotion where the prize is exclusive access to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parde—and an overnight stay at the Affinia Manhattan on Thanksgiving night.

While a free night in a NYC hotel on a holiday is nothing to scoff at, the seating for the parade is the big deal here. Tickets are not available to the general public—seating is restricted to the folks of NBC, corporate sponsors, Macy’s execs, politicians, and charitable organizations. So win these babies and you’ll be hobnobbing it up, away from the riff-raff with their fold-up chairs.

We're assuming you're already following HotelChatter on Twitter and Facebook but if you've ever had the desire to meet us in real life, here's your chance!

On Thursday, December 3, we're talking with a few top travel friends at the 92Y Tribeca. The event, "Travel Gets Social: The New World of Travel Media," brings together Bowen Payson, Virgin America Manager of Online and Digital Marketing, NY Times Frugal Traveler Matt Gross, Adam Wallace, New Media Director for Robert Smith Hotel and others, moderated by the man who started it all: Mark G. Johnson, founder of Jaunted, HotelChatter and VegasChatter.

All the details, after the jump.

With all the breathless anticipation over the February opening of the Trump SoHo, we almost forgot that the Don and the kids had other properties. (Almost but not quite—after all, how can you miss those towers cutting off your access to the sun?) But you don't expect the Trumps to let their flagship baby languish while the cool kid downtown gets all the attention, do you? Of course not!

So it will come as no surprise, then, that the Trump International Hotel & Tower New York (that big sucker at the bottom of Central Park) is getting a multimillion-dollar spit and polish come January.

While the Forbes (formerly Mobil) Five-Star Hotel has always