John Cole at The Scranton Times-Tribune says it better than I ever could. Thanks Mr. Cole.
Thanks for sharing, Sandi!
Memorial Day Cartoon
Category: New York City
May 28th, Start of Beach Season
Memorial Day weekend marks the official/unofficial start of summer and tomorrow, May 28th, kicks off beach season.
And not a moment too soon. It’s been a long and brutal winter in the Northeast and I, for one, am ready for some sea and sun!
The best part about being in this area is that most of the beaches are accessible via public transportation: subways or train, whether the Long Island Railroad or New Jersey Transit. There really is no excuse not to go to the beach.
So grab your bathing suits, sunscreen, beach towels, floppy hats and sun glasses and check out at least one of these beaches.
New York City
- Brighton Beach, Brooklyn
- Coney Island Beach, Brooklyn (my all time favorite)
- Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn
- Orchard Beach, Bronx
- Rockaway Beach, Queens
- Midland Beach, Staten Island
- South Beach, Staten Island
- Wolfe’s Pond Beach, Staten Island
Long Island
- Cedar Beach
- Gilgo Beach
- Long Beach
- Sunken Meadow State Park
- Tobay Beach
New Jersey
With roughly 700 beaches on its Atlantic coast, New Jersey offers plenty of places to dip your feet in the water. Here are a few:
- Avalon Beach
- Belmar Beach
- Ocean City
- Point Pleasant (my favorite)
- Wildwood Beach
Enjoy!
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Tasty Thursdays: Street Food
When the weather’s good, few of us want to stay indoors, especially at lunch time. And in New York City, vendors with food carts make it easy for those of us who wish to, to enjoy the sun and an inexpensive meal at the same time.
Food trucks are not just around construction sites these days, they’re everywhere. And they’re offering more than just coffee and bagels.
Some offer gourmet food, pastries or desserts.
And some of the more savvy owners go online to let their customers know what’s on their menus, where they will be and at what time.
My introduction to street food (or street meat as a co-worker called it) was from a truck near Rockefeller Center. My chicken and rice rivaled any I could have bought in a restaurant and wasn’t very expensive. In the block around my office, I can buy coffee and bagels for breakfast. For lunch, peas soup, fried fish, curried chicken or oxtail from the mobile extension of a Jamaican restaurant that’s located in Brooklyn. Sometimes before I go down, I check how long the line is or arrange to meet a friend and we catch up while we wait.
I love getting my a meal on the go from a truck, especially when the weather’s good.
Here are a few trucks to check out –
- World’s Best Sandwich, 20th Street & Broadway
- Super Tacos, 96th & Broadway
- Steak Truck, 47th & Park
- Yvonne’s, 71st & York
- Trini Paki Boys, 43rd & 6th Ave
- The Mudtruck East, Astor Place
- Desi Food Truck, 50th St & 6th Ave
Bon Appetit!
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Free Activities for a Memorable New York Summer
Even before the thermometer hits and stays constantly at 70 degrees Fahrenheit (or above), New Yorkers begin to take to the outdoors to enjoy weather and the wide variety of free activities that the city offers.
Events are scattered throughout each borough so everyone can take part. From street festivals, to parades to concerts and movies in the park, there’s bound to be something for everyone.
Here’s a partial list of some of the events I’ve attended over the years:
- SummerStage – 18 parks, 5 boroughs, music, dance, theatre – June 7-September 2
- Shakespeare in the Park – This year, two plays Measure for Measure and All’s Well That Ends Well – June 6-July 30. Limit 2 tickets per person on the day of the performance or on scheduled days in the boroughs.
- Farmer’s Markets – Farmers and vendors bring fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, arts, etc., to various venues around the city. One of the biggest, in Union Square, operates year round.
- Film screenings in Bryant Park – This year’s lineup includes One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The 39 Steps, Dirty Harry. Outdoors on the lawn at Bryant Park.
- River to River Festival – Movies, music, etc., June 19-July 16th
- Street Fairs – Block parties, festivals, music, food, fun
- Opera in the Park – free performances by the Metropolitan Opera in various parks
- Midsummer Night’s Swing at Lincoln Center – dance lessons and big band ballroom dancing
- Book Festivals – Harlem Book Fair – books, authors, readings on 135th Street
- Harlem Week – July and August in Harlem, a celebration of Harlem’s rich history
Good weather is the perfect excuse to get out and have fun.
Enjoy!
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New York’s Museum of Art and Design
New York City’s reputation as the destination for the visual arts is legendary. With major museums, art galleries and exhibition spaces, I could spend every Sunday visiting each one and not see everything on display. So I have to be strategic.
Last weekend, I decided to visit the Museum of Art and Design (MAD) in its new home at Columbus Circle. The brainchild of Aileen Osborn Webb, it was opened in 1956 as the Museum of Contemporary Crafts, with its stated mission to celebrate the work of American craftspeople. The museum was renamed the American Craft Museum in 1979 and finally the Museum of Art and Design in 2002 to reflect its focus on the broader interplay between craft, design, art, architecture, interior design, technology and the performing arts.
My goal last Sunday was to catch the final day of an exhibition called the Global Africa Project, a sweeping look at contemporary African art, design and craft worldwide. Pieces were drawn from the works of over 100 artists working in interior design, fashion, sculpture, photography, paintings, furniture, jewelry, ceramics and textile from Africa, Asia, Europe, the United States and the Caribbean.
I wished I hadn’t waited until the last day as I felt rushed to take it all in but I’m glad I didn’t miss it. It was a great opportunity for me to learn about these artists, the majority of whom I hadn’t heard of before.
My next stop was to view the collection of tapestries documenting the collaboration of the feminist artist and educator, Judy Chicago and weaver Audrey Cowan and her husband, Bob. This is an impressive collection of work designed by Ms. Chicago and interpreted by Ms. Cowan.
The museum has an extensive collection of jewelry, the majority of which is housed in drawers which visitors are encouraged to check out. Most people, however, seem to miss the the sign.
Visit the Open Studios on the 6th floor to watch artists working in jewelry, ceramics, sculpture. Stop by the restaurant for lunch or visit the museum store on the main floor for gifts.
Museums tend to be overwhelming for me so I tend to select one exhibition and soak it all in. Though MAD is smaller than say, the Metropolitan, it’s possible to view all the exhibitions in a day.
One feature that I like is the ability of visitors to the museum’s website to view its collections and curate their own show, like I did here.
The Museum of Art and Design is located at 2 Columbus Circle. Open Tuesdays – Sundays from 11:00 – 6:00 p.m., Thursdays 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., closed on Mondays and major holidays. Entrance is free to members, high school students with ID and children under 12. General admission $15/$12 for seniors/students. On Thursdays from 6:00-9:00 p.m., you can pay as you wish.
A Partial List of Museums in New York
- The Museum of Natural History
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- The Guggenheim
- The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
- Brooklyn Museum of Art
- Bronx Museum of Art
- Children’s Museum
- Cooper-Hewitt
- The Cloisters
- International Center of Photography
- El Museo del Barrio
- Museum for African Art
- Museum of the City of New York
- PS1 Contemporary Art Center
- Studio Museum
- Whitney Museum of American Art
So for your next visit to New York City, make sure to add at least one museum to your list of things to do. Pack comfortable shoes and enjoy!
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Sunday in Central Park
One of the nicest things about living in New York City is Central Park. At more than 800 acres, it is an oasis of green in a sea of concrete and brick.
Running from 59th Street to 110 Street, Central Park receives approximately thirty-five million visitors annually.
It is a popular venue for skating, concerts and theatre, boating, birding, rock climbing, running, walking, bicycling, etc., and is central to the enjoyment of life in the city.
Fishing is not allowed in the park but people still throw out their lines. Whatever they catch has to be returned.
There are nearly 29 sculptures in Central Park. This one commemorates King Jagiello of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.
Belvedere Castle offers spectacular views of the park and surroundings from its observation deck. There’s no charge to enter but visitors can leave a donation in boxes on the main level.
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Soulful Sundays: Lorraine Klaasen
I realize now that I was meant to meet Lorraine Klaasen.
I had been in Jamaica for a week and when I returned to New York all I wanted to do was curl up in front of the television and find a Bond marathon or watch reruns of Bonanza. I had done nothing to get ready for my trip to Montreal. I hadn’t even bought my ticket.
As Wednesday turned to Thursday, I struggled with the temptation to stay put – and disappoint my aunt – or spend what I was sure would be an astronomical amount on airfare and get the introductions she was to facilitate. I searched for last minute weekend packages.
Before I left, my aunt asked if I wanted to go to an event with her that Saturday night. Why not? I thought.
I had no clue what I was in for.
Lorraine Klaasen comes from South African musical royalty. The daughter of legendary performer and Nelson Mandela’s favorite jazz singer, Thandie Klaasen, Lorraine has been described as one of few South African artists who preserve Township music.
From the first chord sounded at the Cabaret Mile End, people were on their feet but the real dancing started when Lorraine came on stage. She is an electrifying and energetic performer.
But beyond her performance, it was something else she did that touched me. It was surprising and I couldn’t remember seeing it done before – Lorraine invited several up and coming performers to the stage and gave them space so that each in turn could entertain her audience. I was impressed.
It was because of that openness (and the fact that she was sitting at a table next to mine) that I decided to approach her at an awards dinner the following evening. When I told her about my planned trip to South Africa, she promptly gave me her business card and told me to email her.
By the time I landed in New York, she had responded.
We met again when she performed at Brooklyn’s Prospect Park Summer Concert series. My traveling partners and I invited her to dinner. She gave us a list, not just of friends but also family members, including her mother and brother, and contacted them on our behalf.
Because of Lorraine, we had a welcome party waiting for us when we arrived in Johannesburg. She single-handedly opened up that city and Soweto for us.
Lorraine will be back in my city this weekend. She, along with Malika Zarra, will be performing the music of the Grammy Award-winning civil rights activist and South African musical great, Miriam Makeba, at Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater on April 1 and 2.
I can’t wait to see her perform again. Watch her here in the meantime.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXAuWM8Q_oE]
Enjoy!
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The Calendar Did Say Spring. Didn’t it?
But this is what my neighborhood looked like as I walked to the bus stop on Thursday morning.
My only consolation is that winter can’t last forever. I am ready for warm weather.
Aren’t you?
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Pausing to Look Up
Walking around New York City last week with my sister and niece forced me to pause and look up at buildings I have come to recognize only from eye level.
Take the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower. I can’t count the number of times I have gone to the Flatiron District and never saw it because I hardly ever looked up.
It was the refreshingly bright gold of the cupola against the grey sky that caught my attention and caused me to look up.
Then I took in the rest of the building and wondered why I hadn’t noticed it before.
At 700 feet high, the Met Life Tower was, according to Wikipedia, the tallest building in the world from 1909, when it was built, until the Woolworth Building surpassed it in 1913. There are 50 floors.
Clock faces on each side of the tower measure 4 feet tall and 26.5 feet in diameter.
The gilded cupola provides constant illumination.
Next time you’re in the vicinity of 1 Madison Avenue in the Flatiron District, take a look up. I’m sure you’ll be pleased by what you see.
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Neighborhood TrEats: Harlem’s Red Rooster
Whenever my friend, Anneli, comes to town, we always meet for lunch at a different restaurant. This time, I told her to come uptown to Harlem so we could try Red Rooster, one of the newest additions to my neighborhood.
One of award-winning chef Marcus Samuelsson‘s restaurants, Red Rooster, features American cuisine with a nod to the rest of the world.
I knew dinner would have been impossible without a reservation but I didn’t realize lunch would be so popular. At 12:15 when we arrived, most of the tables were already taken. But we only had to wait about 5 minutes at the bar until one opened up.
Both Anneli and I had the lobster salad which had juicy claw and bite-sized chunks of lobster on a bed of greens. I’m not normally a salad person but this one was delicious and filling. I could have stopped there but a Pulled Pork sandwich was on its way.
The pork almost melted in my mouth.
After finishing the Grilled Salmon, Anneli told our waiter that she was “in heaven.”
I liked that the waiter didn’t rush the courses and once they served us, left us alone to enjoy our meal and catch up. We hadn’t seen each other in a while and had lots to talk about.
Red Rooster has an extensive menu. I’m curious about the Yard Bird and a few other dishes I noticed other people eating so I’ll be going back.
All in all, Red Rooster was a delicious way to spend the first 70+ degree day in 2011.
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