Park to Visit in New York

February 8, 2011

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When one thinks of visiting New York, most people think of the built up city centre and the attractions held within it. Whilst this is not an entirely inaccurate perception of what the city has to offer, there are certain other aspects of the city which are sometimes neglected. One such aspect is the various parks which offer a stark contrast to the concrete jungle. Below are some great parks to visit in New York City:

Best Parks

Best Parks

Central Park – Probably the most famous park in New York, Central Park in Manhattan is a vast space in the centre of the city. The park has featured in various films and is popular with a wide range of people. At any given time you can find a range of sporting activities taking place, but that doesn’t mean that there is no room to take a peaceful seat and enjoy a picnic.

Greenbelt Park – It is surprising how much nature can be found in such close proximity to one of the most built up cities in the world. GreenBelt Park NYC is an extensive area of land which is perfect for hiking, relaxing or having a picnic. A wide range of different trees and birds call the park home and there is a series of beautiful lakes.

Marine Park – This park in Brooklyn is made up of a number of recreational parks where families and groups of friends find haven in the pleasant green surroundings. The park has a vast natural habitat of small to medium sized animals which live amongst the trees and ponds which are spread throughout.

Winter Time events in New York, USA

January 27, 2011

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Winter time in New York is a wonderful thing, whether it is doing your Christmas shopping at world famous stores like Macy’s, ice staking outside the Rockefeller Centre or enjoy a sleigh ride through Central Park. It is no wonder that during this festive period, the city of New York puts on a series of events that are extremely popular with locals and visiting tourists.

One of the biggest events in New York’s festive calendar is the lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree. It is the largest Christmas tree in the city, and each year attracts hundreds of viewers. The tree is traditionally lit up just after Thanksgiving, and symbolises that Christmas has officially come to the Big Apple.

Another popular attraction is the Radio City Christmas Spectacular which goes on throughout the whole of December. Featuring performances by the Rockettes, the show is popular with families of all ages. If you are looking for a bit more culture however, then the New York City Ballet will once again be putting on their annual performance of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. Performances go on throughout December with the last show being held on the 2nd January.

The Lincoln Centre also puts on a number of festive events including a large Messiah Sing In, nativity plays and other festive performances. Other carolling services are held in the West Village , with the West Village Messiah Sing being held at St. Luke’s Church.

Whatever you decide to do, there are plenty of sights and sounds in New York that can cater for everyone’s tastes and festive desires.Looking for accommodation rentals in NYC for your stay in the Big Apple?

3 Shows you must visit on Broadway

December 13, 2010

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There are so many things to see and do in New York, but the city’s theatre district is famed for its numerous shows, plays and comedy stand-up. If you are in the Big Apple and fancy seeing one of the many shows playing, here are three suggestions for an evening that will be worth the rather high prices! *Of course, Broadway regularly changes its shows, but here are some of the biggest, that are almost always playing.

Broadway NYC

Broadway NYC

1. The Lion King – Based on Disney’s smash hit movie The Lion King, the show is based on the story of young cub Simba, who goes on a journey across the Pride Lands of Africa when his father, the king of Pride Rock is killed. The show has won six Tony Awards including Best Musical, and is famous for its catchy songs from Oscar winning composers Elton John and Tim Rice including “Circle of Life” and “Can You Feel The Love Tonight?”. The show’s jaw-dropping puppetry and spectacle has to be seen to be believed.

 2. The Phantom of the Opera – One of the longest running shows ever to be shown on Broadway, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s famous show is also the most financially successful show to be shown in New York. Telling the tale of a Parisian opera house, haunted by a Phantom, the show is famous for its songs including “Music of the Night” and “Think of Me”. The show has also been made in to a movie, shown in almost every country around the world and is currently in residence at the New York’s Majestic Theater.

3. Chicago – Enjoying a recent revival with the success of the Oscar-winning film, Chicago is another of the longest running shows to be shown on Broadway. The show was first produced in 1926, and was written by a journalist who had based it on real-life criminals. It was turned into a musical in 1975, and has enjoyed solid success, until its revival in 1996 when it went stratospheric.

Why I love summertime in London

August 10, 2010

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 The best time to visit London is in the summer, when you can keep your heavy coats at home and walk about the streets wearing shorts and sandals. Summer in London, is when the city becomes colourful and bright, hosting flower shows and concerts. Should you visit during this time of the year, you will find that the weather is perfect for activities and sightseeing as the summers in London are not at very hot.

London summers

London summers

During the summer months, London hosts a lot of cultural festivals, music concerts and street fairs. Tourist will enjoy eating pretzels, fish and chips and other snacks from street vendor while sipping on a beer and listening to live music. Many of these events are free and are held outdoors and some of the very popular ones include the Carnaval del Pueblo which occurs every year in the month of August. This show is held at the Burgess Park in Camberwell and features live music and dance performances from Latin American countries. Portavilion is yet another event which is held out site the Tate Modern and showcases live acts and performances from Sadler’s Wells.

You can also opt to visitors London’s many parks and have a picnic there under the trees. Another interesting event held during the summer is the Notting Hill Carnival, which is an exciting party that takes place on a massive scale during the Bank Holiday weekend in August. I particularly enjoy this event with its music, dancing and colourful costumes and try to make sure that I am in town every year to be a part of it.

Do remember that on occasion, London can heat up and if you are looking to cool down in a pool, try one of the region’s lidos which do not cost much to swim in.

Taking a Day Out in Coney Island

July 26, 2010

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Less than an hour away by train from Manhattan a very different world awaits. Coney Island has been engraved in collective memory though countless films, songs and popular culture references. Its famous amusement park and indeed the whole area fell into decay in the 1990s, but a over the past decade it has been spruced up and given a new lease of life.

It is during summer of course that Coney Island comes alive, as New Yorkers head to the Atlantic Coast to find some relief from the sweltering city. The famous Barnum and Bailey Circus sets up camp here every summer, this year with a show inspired by Coney

Coney Island in NY

Coney Island in NY

Island itself. Another big attraction is New York’s Aquarium and its walrus feedings. On Thursday evenings during summer free concerts will be held opposite the aquarium complex featuring top artists including Brenda Lee and The Beach Boys.   

Coney Island has traditionally been known for its oddities and even in the politically correct 21st century many of them are still around. ‘Shoot the Freak’ invites you to knock down, well human misfits. For more fun park nostalgia, check out Coney Island Arcade where original amusements such as Skee Ball and Pokeroo can be played. More memorabilia can be seen at the Coney Island Museum, which also shows old sci-fi and fantasy films and hosts talks on the history of Coney Island.

Of course the bracing Atlantic air is often good enough reason to head to Coney Island. Its famous boardwalk has been pleasing crowds for generations, and has earned its rightful place as a true New York icon.

Bright Lights-Big Screens

June 22, 2010

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New York City is renowned for outdoor summer entertainment and one of the most popular forms is open-air cinema. Whether it’s in a park or on a rooftop, the silver screen becomes almost as common in New York as hotdog stands in July and August.

The biggest and longest-running outdoor film festival is HBO Bryant Park, located behind New York’s Public Library. Starting On June 21st and continuing through to the end of August, movies will be screened every Monday night, kicking off with the James Bond classic Goldfinger.

At the movies in NYC

At the movies in NYC

If indie films and documentaries are more your thing, check out the program at Rooftop Films which, as the name suggests, presents underground films on the city’s rooftops together with a Q&A from the director.

New York’s summer film festivals often show movies that take the city as inspiration. Such is the case of the River to River festival (Elevated Acre, 55 Water Street) by the East River, which will show such classics as Broadway Danny Rose and Muppets Take Manhattan. One similar note, Habana Outpost festival on Fort Greene will show Fame, A Bronx Tale and Flashdance.

Families should not miss Movies Under the Bridge, a free series of blockbusters screened on the shores of Long Island Sounds. Beginning August 17th, popcorn is included in the (free) admission price.

Be part of the audience in NYC

May 25, 2010

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If there is one thing as synonymous with New York as hot dogs and yellow cabs, it is  live TV shows. Emblematic American programmes such as Good Morning America, The Today Show, David Letterman and many others are either taped or transmitted lived from the Big Apple, often with the city’s dramatic skyline blazing in the studio background.

Most of these shows need audiences and being part of them is a fun thing to do on your visit to New York (albeit perhaps you won’t see the they type of mayhem portrayed in 24 Rock, a comedy series about the making of a live variety show).

NYC Free shows

NYC Free shows

Tickets, which are free, are very much in demand by locals too, so you’ll need to be persistent and act quickly.

Good Morning America (ABC Network)

If you don’t mind heading to the Times Square studio at 7am, make a request for tickets well in advance via their website (www.abcnews.com). If not, arrive at the studio by 6:45am and try your luck for a standby ticket.

The View, (ABC Network)

If you are prepared to wait a year or two, you may be able to score tickets for The View, the hugely popular, all female panel discussion show led by Whoopi Goldberg. Apply now through the show’s website: http://theview.abc.go.com/

Late Show with David Letterman (CBS Network)

The holy grail of the live audience tickets, you can either register on-line or in person at the Ed Sullivan Theatre (where the show is taped) Monday through Thursday from 9:30am to noon, or on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm. You’ll be called if you get lucky but its not over there; you’ll also have to answer a question about the show in order to get the tickets.

The Daily Show with John Stewart (Comedy Central)

My personal favourite for its mix of politics and irreverence, simply email requesttickets@thedailyshow.com for tickets. They are generally booked well in advance but give them a good reason why you should attend and you just may get lucky.

Other Live Events in New York City

There are always a number of live events and many of which are free and others do cost. Events such as the frequent Belly dance Intensive workshops run by Madam Raqia Hassan are certainlt worth considering.

The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens: NYC’s ‘other’ great park

May 3, 2010

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Central Park is one of the joys of the New York; a vast green space that is a vital counterpoint to the relentless urbanism of the rest of the city. But across the Brooklyn Bridge lies another magnificent park that equals it in term of beauty.

The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens date from the late 19th century and cover 39 acres in Park Slope, the most genteel and

Botanic Gardens in Brooklyn

Botanic Gardens in Brooklyn

elegant part of Brooklyn that is famous for its wide avenues and historic brownstones.

Soon after inauguration the Japanese Garden, one of its most charming features, was installed, followed by a rock garden, a children’s garden, a glasshouse, lily pond and various other gifts that make up this incredibly diverse and magical park.

The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens are renowned for their specialist ‘gardens within the gardens’ which range from avenues replete with cherry trees to a plaza filled with magnolias, a magnificent rose garden and an English cottage garden (called ‘The Shakespeare Garden) and a fragrance garden.

But nature aside, the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens also hosts an incredibly active calendar of educational and cultural activities. For example, until early May you could come and celebrate Hanami, the Japanese tradition of cherry tree appreciation, or take a tour of the blooming plants of spring.

The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, New York are open Tuesday–Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m, and Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The entrance fee for adults is $8 (children under 12 enter free).

Pounding the Pavement in NYC

April 12, 2010

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New York, ‘the Capital of the World’, offers something for everyone, and no matter what your taste or interest there’s bound to be some enthusiastic specialist ready to show it to you.

NYC walking tours

NYC walking tours

Most people have heard of the ‘Sex and the City’ tours, where you’ll tread in the footsteps of Carrie, Samantha and Co, visiting, amongst other things, the SoHo art gallery where Charlotte worked and the boutiques where the girls loved to go shopping. But for something a little more highbrow, you could choose to take an historical tour. Big Onion Tours specialise in off-beat walking tours, with themes including ‘The Gangs of New York’ tour, which tells the legends of the infamous Five Points neighbourhood, and a walk along The Bowery, New York’s original ‘Skid Row’.

Gotham Walking Tours is another respected company who offer a host of tours. As an introduction to New York, their ‘Big Apple Sampler’ is a great idea; Lasting over seven hours, it takes in al the major areas and sites, such as Ellis Island, the Financial District and Chinatown. They also have a handful of indoor tours (a good option in bad weather) that let you discovers landmarks such as Grand Central Station and the Rockefeller Centre.

Naturally, with New York’s dining scene being the most diverse on the planet, there are plenty of food tours to choose from too. The gourmet guides at Foods of New York show you around the specialist food shops and ethnic eateries of New York, with plenty of sampling along the way. Interested also in Brazil and Rio travel, from NYC? A quick shameless plug for our friends who have started the Rio Travel portal.

Celebrate St.Patrick’s Day in New York

March 16, 2010

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Outside of Ireland, the best place to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17th) is New York. The city hosts the biggest and oldest (2010 will be its 249th edition) St. Patrick’s Day event in the world, with 200,000 participants and drawing two million spectators along Fifth Avenue. Unlike say, the Macy’s Day Parade, the Saint Patrick’s Day parade is endearingly old-fashioned; no cars or floats are allowed, and instead brass bands and members of various Irish

St.Patrick's Cathedral in NYC

St.Patrick's Cathedral in NYC

societies march up the avenue to the beat of traditional Irish music in a spectacle of green and gold.  Each borough also holds its own event, and the city’s hundreds of Irish bars and pub ring loud with the sounds of Celtic revelers well into the night. For the really deal, head to McSorely’s Old House at 15 E 7th Street—it’s the oldest Irish Pub in Manhattan.

For the liveliest local celebrations, don your best green clothing and head to Riverdale in the Bronx, an historically Irish neighbourhood. If you prefer to celebrate St. Patrick’s spiritual significance you could even attend mass at the beautiful neo-Gothic Saint Patrick’s cathedral. Or why not catch a performance of the Irish dance spectacular ‘Riverdance’? This worldwide hit returns to Radio City Music Hall for five days during Saint Patrick’s Day week in New York. Learn also about St Patrick’s day in Korea.

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