FDR's Four Freedoms Park

I went yesterday, it was the perfect weather for something outdoors. I took the subway, and walked down to the southern tip of Roosevelt Island. There were lots of cherry blossom trees along the way, and beautiful views of Manhattan the whole way down.

This is a picture taken between the pieces of marble.  It is about an inch apart, and behind it is the Pepsi~Cola sign, in Queens, seen in full below.

A view looking south, with the UN building on the right

The Silver Cup Studio sign

The 59th Street Bridge, which connects Manhattan and Queens.

It is a really nice memorial that has been 40 years in the making. The architect for this is Louis I. Kahn, and it was his last work before his death in 1974. After Kahn's death, his designs were continued by Mitchell Giurgola Architects, which kept the main design the same.

With This Post...

I have been posting for 3 years, and this is my 100th post... I hope to have 100 more, I love helping others take a bigger bite out of the Big Apple.  Touring Gracie Mansion tomorrow, and will be posting about that this Saturday, so keep an eye out!!

Grand Central Terminal...100 Years on February 1st

If you will be in the area, you should stop in...there will be exhibits, special offers, performances...all sponsored by Target. link

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS ON THE MAIN CONCOURSE

9:30 am — 10:00 am
West Point Brass & Percussion concert and presentation of colors by West Point’s Cadet Color Guard.

10:00 am — 11:30 am
The Grand Central Key Ceremony features surprise entertainment and presentations from more than a dozen well-known names and faces wishing the Terminal a happy birthday. Ceremony includes special presentations and appearances by:
• Cynthia Nixon, Award-winning actress and NYC resident
• Former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins with an original
  poem commissioned by MTA Arts for Transit
• Caroline Kennedy, Author and Preservationist, Honorary Co-Chair of the
   Grand Central Centennial Committee
• Grammy Award-winning artist, Melissa Manchester
• Key Ceremony with Vanderbilt Family
• Keith Hernandez, Member of NY Mets World Series Champion Team
• The Celia Cruz Bronx High School Choir
• Peter Stangl, Grand Central Centennial Committee Chairman
• MTA officials, elected officials, and other special guests
• A surprise “sweet” delivery to cap off the event

Noon — 12:30 pm
Terminal receives special honors from the Guinness Book of World Records, the National Park Service, the US Postal Service new stamp release, the National Railway Historical Society, and the American Society of Civil Engineers, with electric violinist Sarah Charness providing a musical opening and closing for the program. Also, stop by the Station Master’s Office to see a replica of the Terminal made of Lego® bricks created and presented by LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester.

1:00 pm — 4:00 pm
Celebrations continue in the Main Concourse with music and dance performances from:
• Dancing Classrooms, featured in the film “Mad Hot Ballroom”
• Keigwin + Company, acclaimed contemporary dance company
• The Knicks City Dancers and Kids
• The Westchester Philharmonic Brass Octet
• Cast members of the upcoming musical “Orphan Train”
• Staten Island’s Susan Wagner High School Jazz Band
• Electric violinist, Sarah Charness

7:00 pm — 9:30 pm
Music from Rhythm Collective and Grammy Award-winning big band Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks will keep Terminal visitors dancing and celebrating into the evening!


ALL DAY AROUND THE TERMINAL
Music Under New York performances

1913 PRICING FROM GRAND CENTRAL SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS
*Only available February 1, 2013
• 19¢ ea. shrimp, 13¢ ea. mussels, 13¢ ea. clams at Pescatore
• 10¢ for a side of french fries at Tri Tip Grill *From 11am-3pm
• 5¢ small drip hot coffee at Financier Patisserie *Starting at 12 pm. Limit one per customer
• 10¢ shoe shine at Leather Spa
• 10¢ nylon watch straps from Central Watch *Limited to first 500 customers. Limit one per customer
• 25¢ piece of Legendary Fudge at Li-Lac Chocolates *Limit one per customer
• 19¢ slice of cheesecake at the Oyster Bar & Restaurant *Dine-in only
• 10¢ for bambini scoop of gelato or sorbet at Ciao Bella
• $2 for 100% silk scarves (unisex) at TOTO
• 6¢ loaf of rye bread at Zaro’s Bakery * Shuttle Passage and Grand Central Market locations only. Limit one per customer
• 75¢ Adirondack cocktail at Michael Jordan’s The Steak House N.Y.C.
• 5¢ 1lb box of pasta with purchase of a Ceriello Sauce at Ceriello Fine Foods *until 4pm

SPONSORED GIVEAWAYS AT SPECIAL CENTENNIAL TABLES ON FEBRUARY 1
• Grand Central Centennial Luggage Tags
• Vintage train whistles from Target
• Granola Bars and trail mix from Archer Farms
• Mini men’s and women’s fragrance bottles from Vince Camuto
• Arrowhead studded earrings from Tia’s Place
• Spring rolls from Pescatore
• Financiers from Financier Patisserie
• Starbucks VIA Ready Brew from Starbucks
• “23” cookies from Michael Jordan’s The Steak House N.Y.C.
• Chocolate Hearts from Li-Lac Chocolates
• Package of Masala Chai blend from Café Spice
• Origins iPhone cases from Origins
• Swatch pens from Swatch
• 2 Deluxe samples and an invite to the store for a hand and arm massage from Jo Malone

100 FREE!
First 100 people to make a $50 purchase at Vince Camuto, receive a hot pink Camuto iPhone cover!

A Grand Central Terminal commemorative USPS Express Mail stamp will be available for purchase and cancellation at the Lower Concourse Information Booth from 10am until 3pm.

Main Site

This Sunday is the day to ride the subway...

Most people around here have heard about Improv Everywhere.  They cause scenes.  One of their more popular ones is one they do every year, a MP3 Experiment.  The participants download a specific podcast, and meet up at a certain place and all turn it on at the same time, and just follow the directions.  There was one done on Roosevelt Island back in 2009.

This Sunday, they will be doing one of their most popular experiments, the No-Pants Subway Ride.  This is the 13th year they have done it, and I have yet to see it, so I think I will be taking a subway ride to get some pics.  Expect the pantlessness fun to be between 3pm and 5 pm.

The guys usually wear boxers, and the girls usually wear something with plenty of coverage, and it seems to be a fun time, but apparently native New Yorkers are sick of it.  I just finished reading this Gothamist article, titled "Destroy The Date"  The comments are really funny.  It seems to be a fun time and a good way to spend the afternoon.

From the website:

HOW IT WORKS
There are six meeting points this year. Take your pick. The Manhattan meeting points tend to be very crowded, so if you live in Brooklyn or Queens, definitely go to one of those! You’ll probably have more fun! If you are a member of the media, please see our press information page.

Astoria: Meet at Hoyt Playground – Google Map
Brooklyn: Meet by the Old Stone House – Google Map
Downtown Manhattan: Meet at Foley Square – Google Map
Queens: Meet at the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Park – Google Map
Uptown Manhattan: Meet at the Great Hill in Central Park – Google Map
Williamsburg / Bushwick: Meet at Maria Hernandez Park – Google Map
Everyone should meet at their chosen meeting point at 3 PM. Please be on time. Feel free to be early.

At the meeting points, participants will be organized into groups and assigned a specific train car. Once everyone is divided up we will all head to nearby subway station[s]. Do not talk to others once you enter the subway system. No one knows each other.

Sit in the car as you normally would. Read a magazine or whatever you would normally do. Your team leader will have already divided you into smaller groups, assigning your group a specific stop where you will depants.

Things to do on Christmas Day

See a festive show Although only a handful of Broadway shows have performances on Christmas Day (and none are that kid-friendly), you can catch the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, the Holiday Circus in Brooklyn, Angelina Ballerina the Very Merry Holiday Musical and The Big Apple Circus: Legendarium on December 25. You can find discounts to most of them on BroadwayBox.com.

Play tourist Times Square's Madame Tussauds, Ripley's Believe it or Not! Odditorium and Discovery Times Square with the cool Harry Potter exhibit are all open on Christmas. Other tourist spots that have December 25 hours are The Empire State Building and Top of the Rock, which gives you a great, crowd-free view of the Rockefeller tree.

Enjoy Chinese and a movie Families of all ethnic backgrounds can experience this Jewish tradition at 92YTribeca, which is offering an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet followed by a double feature of Back to the Future Parts I and II. Best for tweens and up.

Or just see a movie Cinemas are open on Christmas Day and there are plenty of great family films playing.

Hang with the animals Although the Bronx Zoo is closed for the holiday, the Prospect Park, Queens and Central Park Zoos are all open. You can even watch the animals open their edible presents.

Take a stroll Walk up Fifth Avenue to see the stunning department store holiday windows before they're gone. Assuming it's not too chilly (or rainy or snowy), Christmas is also a great day to take a quiet stroll through one of our city's lovely green spaces. Central, Prospect, Flushing Meadows Corona and Van Cortlandt Parks are all open. Central Park is even hosting a free cross-park promenade tour at 12:30pm.

Celebrate at a Jewish museum Many of NYC's Jewish cultural institutions are open today and offering special family activities. Catch a Klez for Kids concert at the Museum at Eldridge Street and The Macaroons at The Jewish Museum; watch chef George Wong of Chopstix Restaurants carves incredible fruit sculptures at Brooklyn's Jewish Children's Museum; and enjoy a family celebration with crafts, live music and a movie at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

Hit the ice 

•  Ice Rink at Rockefeller Center – Midtown East
  Fifth Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets
  212-332-7654
•  Wollman Rink – Midtown West
  Central Park, enter at Central Park South and Sixth Avenue
  212-439-6900
•  Citi Pond at Bryant Park – Midtown West
  Bryant Park, 40th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues
  212-661-6640
•  Lasker Rink – Harlem
  Central Park, enter at 110th Street between Lenox and Fifth Avenues
  917-492-3856
•   Riverbank State Park – Harlem
  145th Street and Riverside Drive
  212-694-3642
•  The Standard Ice Rink – Meatpacking District
  848 Washington Street at 13th Street
•  Liberty View Ice Rink – Battery Park City
  Wagner Park in Battery Park City, north of Historic Battery Park off Battery Place

•  WWII Veterans War Memorial Ice Skating Rink – Staten Island
  Clove Lakes Park, Victory Boulevard west of Clove Road
  718-720-1010

•  Van Cortlandt Park Ice Skating Rink – the Bronx
  Broadway at 242nd Street
  718-760-9001

Wollman Rink in Prospect Park is closed for construction for the second year in a row. The new rinks are supposed to open next year.

More bad news for Brooklyn: The new McCarren Park Pool will not be turned into an ice-skating rink this season, according to the New York Daily News. Maybe next year.

Meanwhile, Aviator Queens Community Ice Rink, Battery Park City Ice Rink, Polar Rink at the American Museum of Natural History and Seaport Ice are all long gone.

Queens Christmas

Holiday Decoration Donations in Astoria

Saint Camillus Church on Beach 100th Street and Rockaway Beach Blvd is in need of some Holiday cheer and we are hoping to give it to them! The church has been operating as an independent relief center since the storm hit over a month ago. They serve daily meals, host legal clinics and hand out supplies to whomever is in need. They are also planning a large holiday celebration like the one that they did on Thanksgiving and need our help. They are looking for donations of holiday decorations that include:

• 2 Christmas Trees and Stands
• Garland
• Ornaments Galore!
• Wreaths
• Lights
• Festive Decor

If you can donate these items, please stop by 23-74 38th St in Astoria and drop off anytime from 10am – 7pm daily. You can also call 347-709-INFO with questions.

Woks and Lox

Monday, Dec 24 6:00p Queens Kickshaw, Queens
Ever since the first lonely Jew ordered Chinese take-out on Christmas, there has been an undeniable bond between Jews and Asians. 

 

 

 

 The Finest Christmas Ever (A Hip Hop Holiday Show)

Wednesday, Dec 26 6:00p

Jamica Peforming Arts Center, Queens

"The Finest Christmas Ever" Enjoy a festive night of your favorite Christmas songs with a hip hop twist.

Christmas in Heaven

Sunday, Dec 23 3:00p Queen of Peace Residence, Queens
Christmas in Heaven. An original musical comedy told from the perspective of four very different Angels! 

 

 

I will post on Christmas Eve with a list of things open and things to do on Christmas Day in NYC...Stay tuned!!!

Queens Museum of Art

Today I went to the Queens Museum of Art with a friend. I was very interested in seeing the Panorama of New York.  I have heard about it and seen pictures. It was time to get up there and check it out. It was a lot bigger than I thought, and a nice day trip.

There is more around that small area, which is Flushing Meadows Corona Park.  The Unisphere is there, along with the other buildings from the World's Fair.  In the museum, there is a section with World's Fair Memorabilia.  There is also the Queens Zoo, which I posted about some time ago. It took some time to get there but for someone in Times Square, it should take one subway (the 7 train) and about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes to get there. You get off at the Mets Stadium stop, and it is a bit of a walk, I'm sure shorter than the one we took today.  I managed to get turned around, so we got some exercise to say the least.  We spent some time sitting in front of the Unisphere, and got some shots of it, along with some skaters that use the area for hanging out.

After the shots of the Unisphere, we headed in to the Museum.  We went around the corner to the North Entrance, paid the $8.00 entrance fee and were on our way.  I was surprised at the size. I thought there would be more, but the Panorama made up for it.  I was honestly able to say we could not see my apartment building in the Panorama while we were there.   I also managed to get the World Trade Center, Columbus Circle, and the Chrysler Building too:

 

We stopped in  the gift shop and got a magnet and postcard.  Reasonable prices, but there is no place to have a nice meal.  There is a small area where they sell snacks and drinks.  After the museum we sat outside for a bit more, and figured out how to get to the subway a little more directly than how we got to the park.  We stopped for lunch at a small food stand, and had a squirrel stare at us very intently...

I got home, and relaxed a bit, and after downloading the pictures, I actually was able to find where we live, and pretty quickly too...

Here is the big view, granted it is looking south, so you see Manhattan on the right hand side, and Staten Island is on the upper right.

Also in the same general area, is Citi Field and the Billie Jean King USTA National Tennis Center and the NY Hall of Science.  The Queens Zoo is also nearby.

Patsy and Sandy

Patsy

Well this last week has been interesting.  I got to celebrate a birthday at my favorite restaurant ever.  Patsy's, in midtown Manhattan.  This is one of the places that made my husband and I fall in love with New York City.

 

I had the Veal Cutlet Parmigiana and my husband had the Bucatini all’Amatriciana.  Now I am not very adventurous, and actually had the same dish way back when we first ate here, but it was just that good, I had to have it again.  My husband last time had the Spaghetti and Meatballs and wanted to try something different.  

The veal was just as I remembered, huge and delicious.  The Bucatini was al dente and amazing.  We normally do not get dessert, but they brought the cart around, and the Chocolate Mousse Cake just looked too good to pass up.  It was delicious, especially paired with the house red wine.  

After we finished, we walked around for a little bit, and then back on the subway to come home to Brooklyn.

Sandy

Ever since the 25th or so there was something about the latest storm coming that was looking very ominous. Not only was it a hurricane, but there was also another storm coming from the west.  It was shaping up to be a superstorm.  Sunday was pretty much spent going to the grocery store, and the hardware store to make sure that we had enough food, water, batteries, flashlights, and other necessities when there is a storm coming.

Monday was pretty much spent indoors for us.  My intrepid reporter went out and got some pictures down by the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

Monday night was the worst, but amazingly we never lost power.  It was very windy and raining. I was on Facebook and twitter trying to find out what was going on.  By Tuesday afternoon I was sick of the computer  and took a break, watching Breaking Bad, Season 1.  (Very good, by the way.)  These were taken on Tuesday morning.

Our neighborhood was not hit too bad, the power went out in parts (never here) and there were a lot of downed trees.  Other areas were a lot worse, Staten Island, Coney Island, and the Breezy Point area of Queens particularly were the worst.  Manhattan below 34th Street is still without power.  The subways are sort of up and running, but right now there is no way to get from Brooklyn to Manhattan by subway, you must get a shuttle bus:

Sandy's Aftermath
Article about the upcoming NY Marathon
Breezy Point, Queens
Coney Island and the surrounding area

Open House New York

Open House NY is a really amazing program that lets you see buildings and beautiful architecture that you normally don't get to see, and it is a great opportunity.  One weekend a year, usually in the first 1/2 of October, is when it happens, and this year, it is this weekend.  There are many things that need reservations, and they actually stopped taking reservations this morning at 9:30 am, but there is still tons to do without reservations!  So much to see...
This is the website, and just click on weekend, then plan your weekend.


Find us on Facebook and Twitter.  There are pages up top for both links.


Also check out the Unseen NYC Tours link...fall is a beautiful time to go on a walking tour!

25 Fun Free things to do in NYC

In no particular order:

1.  Any park in NYC.  Put in your hotel address and find the closest one here. A nice break for the kids to relax.  And you too...

2.  The Staten Island Ferry.  Great views of downtown Manhattan, and the Statue of Liberty.

3.  The Bronx Zoo:  Free on Wednesdays.

4.   Brooklyn Botanic Gardens:  Free on Tuesdays.

5.  Libraries.  The main library in Manhattan is amazing, as is the Central branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, seen here.

from here

6.  Parades.  From Saint Patricks Day to Thanksgiving Day and all of the ones in between.  Some even in the other boroughs...

7.  The Brooklyn Brewery.  They give free tours on the weekends.

8.  African Burial Grounds.  They are currently renovating, but are scheduled to be open October 4.  Check back here to find out the status.

9.  City Hall.  Lots of history here.

10.  Coney Island.  The boardwalk and beach are amazing.

11.  Federal Reserve Bank.  Free, but you have to make reservations.

12. Forbes Collection.  I went years ago, and should really go back soon...

13.  Grand Central Tour with Justin Ferate.  About 2 1/2 to 3 hours, and amazing.

14.  Greenwood Cemetery.  A nice afternoon's walk in Brooklyn.  Events sometimes held here also.

15.  Walking the Brooklyn Bridge.  Here is a great guide with the ins and outs.  I recommend walking across to Brooklyn and checking out the Brooklyn Bridge Park.

16.  South Street Seaport.  Yes, it's shopping and restaurants, but still just going doesn't cost.

17.  High Line.  Really cool elevated park that used to be railroad tracks.

18.  See a baseball game... Staten Island Yankees.  So close to the SI Ferry you can walk.

19.  Governor's Island.  Weekends all summer.  Free ferry, and tons of events.

20.  Winter Windows.  See the display windows of Barney's, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord and Taylor, and Macy's.

Macy's 2011

 21.  TV Audience tapings.  You'll need to have advance planning here, but so worth it.  Whether it's Live with Kelly or SNL, here is a list of shows that look for audiences.

22.  Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens.  The Unisphere.  Worlds Fair 1964.  Big Park, surrounded by Queens Museum, Queens Zoo, NY Hall of Science. 

23.  MOMA.  Free from 4 to 8 on Friday's.

24.  American Museum of Natural History.  Free for the last hour (4:45 to 5:45)

25.  Brooklyn Museum.  Free every first Saturday.

Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens

Editor's Note:  I have been sick all week, and did not get to go anywhere.  So the following is a revamp of an old post. My apologies!


 I have been here before, in February of 2011.  The Citi Field and the Billie Jean King USTA National Tennis Center, are just a few things in the immediate vicinity...

 

This is the best map I could find with all of them.  Also in the area is the Queens Museum of Art, and the NY Hall of Science.

NY Hall of Science

     The Queens Zoo is also nearby, and the park is big enough that you could picnic, hang out and frisbee, or play ball.

Of course there are some amazing  views in the park as well...

The Unisphere

The unisphere is one of the leftovers from the 1964 World's Fair, along with the Observation Towers and the Pavilion, all three are seen here.

I have been to the Unisphere and the other World's Fair buildings, and also to the Queens Zoo.  I have yet to go to  the Hall of Science, or the Queens Museum of Art.  But when I do go, I cannot WAIT to see the Panorama of NYC at the Queens Museum of Art...

from here

Has anyone been up here?  Tell me your stories, I'd love to hear them!

Heat Wave

It has been a bit warm here in NYC.  Really warm.  I got a new Canon Rebel (new to me!) and am dying to use it, but the weather has been unbearable, so we are spending lots of time indoors.  I would like to get some shots around the neighborhood, maybe I'll post some here tomorrow.  In the meantime, is there anywhere specific you guys want me to go?  I am always willing to take your suggestions!  It should cool off to the low to mid 80's next week, fall-like weather compared to now!!  Hope everyone is staying safe, and cool!  If you are in the 5 boroughs, here is a list of all of the cooling centers in the city.

Astoria Park Queens: At Night

About a month ago, I posted about going to Astoria Park, a huge park in Queens.   It is a really nice place to go, very breezy and great views...But at night it is even better!  My friend lives not far from there, and she visited last night, and got some amazing shots!

 This one is my favorite one...along with this one...

 I love how the lights are reflecting off of the water...

AND I just found out there will be fireworks there.  Here is the info from About.com:

(This is found a bit down the page, after the July 4 activities)

Fireworks in Astoria Park - June 30, 2010:

Get an early start to July 4th weekend with live music and fireworks in Astoria Park on Monday, June 30. The Central Astoria Development Corporation sponsors this early Independence Day celebration. There will be live big band music.

• When: Wednesday, June 30, 2010, music starting at 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Astoria Park, on the waterfront in Astoria, between Hoyt Avenue and 22nd Road.

Afterwards, stop by the Bohemian Beer Garden or go out for a late dinner in Astoria.

I hope everyone enjoys the 4th of July this year!

Astoria Park, Queens

Sunday, May 29.  We went to Queens.  From Brooklyn.  A long trip, but so worth it.  We wanted to stay away from the beaches that we knew were going to be really crowded.  Some really good friends invited us up here, since they live nearby and wanted to get together this weekend.  This park is located between the Hell Gate Bridge and the Triborough Bridge, and we had a great time just sitting on a bench talking while my kids played nearby, I had no idea what else was in this park until I looked it up just now for this article!  There is a playground, and a really huge pool, and a track at the other end of the park.  It is 60 acres big, and everyone is just relaxed, either walking their dog, or playing with their kids, or just laying on the grass and catching some rays.  The next time we go, and there will be a next time even though we are not even in the same borough, we will definitely be checking out the pool and the playground.  If you are ever in Queens, this is a must see destination.  The following pictures are from a Google search of Astoria Park, Queens.

 

The Triborough Bridge is on the left, and the Hell Gate Bridge is on the right.

 

The Astoria Pool, with the Triborough Bridge in the background.

 

The Astoria Skate Plaza.

 

The perimeter of the 60 acre park.