USEFUL NYC MUSEUM & EVENT CALENDARS - TO CHECK WHAT'S ON WHEN YOU VISIT

EVENTS & BEST OF LISTS & CALENDARS

Official New York City events website - can sort by activity:

https://www.nyc.com/events/

CHRISTMAS 

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/best-christmas-things-to-do-in-nyc

CLASSES

Classes around NYC - Can search and filter by "single session" -great for rainy days and some offbeat ones- (two hour shoe making, glass blowing, stage fighting). Lots of cooking and craft classes. Also lists NYC experiences (sailing around Manhattan) and tours

https://coursehorse.com/nyc/classes

Chocolate making classes:

 Tache Artisan Chocolate - book ahead and they will bring the class to you.  Otherwise, check out the New York Metro Parents listings - there are many options around the city.

NYC FAMOUS VENUES

The Apollo Theatre - 125th Street Btw Frederick Douglas Blvd & Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd.  Amateur Night At The Apollo - a talent competition. Contestants brave cheering and booing.Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne and Billie Holiday launched their careers here.  Fun evening. https://www.apollotheater.org/amateur-night/

The Carlyle Hotel - 77th & Madison The bars here make for a classic experience.  Bemelman's Bar offers cocktails and jazz piano.     https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/the-carlyle-new-york/dining/bemelmans-bar

Cafe Carlyle is across the corridor and offers dinner and a show.  Woody Allen used to play here every week. https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/the-carlyle-new-york/experiences/cafe-carlyle

Monkey Bar -54th Betw Madison & Park has been around since 1936 and is known for its good burger. The setting is retro and chic with red leather booths, low lighting and wall murals.  Takes you back to earlier times in the city. https://nycmonkeybar.com/ 

FOOD, FLEAS & FAIRS

Afternoon Tea

Carlyle Hotel 77th & Madison - Madeleine's Tea in Bemelman's Bar at the Carlyle - afternoon tea for kids in the room painted by the great Madeleine illustrator- Ludwig Bemelman. Reading the famous and music.  https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/the-carlyle-new-york/experiences/calendar

This is a good list of great afternoon tea places : https://afternoonteaorcreamtea.com/best-afternoon-tea-nyc/

Street Fairs

https://newyorkled.com/nyc_events_street_fairs/

Flea Markets

https://brooklynflea.com/

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/shopping/best-flea-markets

Food Festivals

https://www.smorgasburg.com/

Holiday Fairs

https://www.nycgo.com/events/holiday-markets/

SPORTS

Drop in running groups

https://www.nyctourism.com/articles/drop-in-on-these-nyc-running-groups/

Trapeze School NYC:

https://www.circusacademy.com/

Ice Skating

https://www.nycgo.com/articles/new-york-skate-of-mind/

Summer Weekly and Daily Events 

Brooklyn Bridge Park Series of summer events including, yoga, workouts, kayaking, music, Skakespeare, Zumba and much more

PERFORMING ARTS

Jazz around NYC

Keep an eye out for Birdland's Big Band that usually play from 5:30pm to 7pm https://birdlandjazz.com/calendar/

https://www.jazz.org/blog/best-guide-top-live-jazz-clubs-nyc/

Jazz at Lincoln Center https://2022.jazz.org/22-23-season

Theater: Discount tickets to Broadway shows

https://www.todaytix.com/?location=nyc

https://www.tdf.org/nyc/81/tkts-live

Lincoln Center

Lincoln Center calendar of events: (New York Philharmonic, American Ballet Theater, Jazz, at Lincoln Center, Lincoln Center Theater and Lincoln Center Film Festival- good for booking for holiday events and Met opera: (lots of events for kids)

https://lincolncenter.org/lincoln-center-at-home/calendar

Art

Summer

Free outdoor movies

Bryant Park Paramount+ Movie Nights (June 10 - August 12)

Free Fridays on the Intrepid (May 24, June 28, July 26, August 23

https://www.explorewtc.com/en/local/things-to-do/events.html

World Trade Center  (July 12 - August 24):

https://www.explorewtc.com/en/local/things-to-do/events.html

Seaport Cinema (Various): Seaport Cinema on The Rooftop at Pier 17 https://theseaport.nyc/seaport-cinema/

Paramount+ Movie Nights in Brooklyn (June 7 - September 5)Fort Greene Park, Prospect Park, McCarren Park and Coney Island Beach for free, beginning at sunset. https://www.bkmag.com/movies/

Brooklyn Bridge Park Movies with a View (July - August): Movies take place Thursdays in July and August at Pier 1 Harbor View Lawn. Doors open at 6:00 PM, movies start at sunset.https://brooklynbridgepark.org/event-series/movies-with-a-view/

Movies Under the Stars (through September): The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment and NYC Parks bring more than 150 film screenings to parks throughout the five boroughs. https://www.nycgovparks.org/events/movies-under-the-stars

Riverside Park

Riverside Park Summer Events including films, workout sessions etc. July 5 to August 16. Seatig opens at 6:30pm and movie begins around 8:30pm.

Summer at Bryant Park

Bryant Park Picnic Performances Series of free outdoor music performances throughout the summer

https://bryantpark.org/activities/picnic-performances

Little Island Events and Bars

Little Island bar and events

Time Square Live

Time Square Live TSQ Live invites hudreds of artists, performaers and producers to share their work - 80 free, open air events are lined up from DJ sets and live concerts to dance workshops and art activities. Participating insitutions include Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Alvin Ailey, Elsewhere, Soul Summit, Street Lab 

Bric Celebrate Brooklyn 

Celebrate Brooklyn The City's longest-running, free, outdoor performing arts festival at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park

Met Opera in the Park

https://www.centralpark.com/things-to-do/concerts/the-metropolitan-opera-summer-recital-series/

NY Philharmonic in the Park

https://www.nyphil.org/concerts-tickets/explore/parks/

Music in NYC parks

https://www.nycgovparks.org/events/concerts

Theater in NYC parks

https://publictheater.org/calendar/

Hudson Classical Theatre Company 

Hudson Classical Theatre Company promises the complete abridged works of Shakespeare this summer on the Patio of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument at West 89th Street & Riverside Drive.  Thursday through Sunday 6:30pm.

TOURS (walking, ferry or other) around the city

https://www.viator.com/New-York-City/d687-ttd

TOY STORES

https://www.timeout.com/new-york-kids/shopping/toy-stores-in-nyc

THE QUEENS MUSEUMS

Unisphere at Corona Park Queens

Take the 7 train and enjoy incredible views of Manhattan and Industrial New York City, explore the world’s largest architectural model of a city – New York at the Queens Museum of Art, ride a surfboard and sit in on the dissection of a cow’s eye at the nearby Queens Hall of Science, play rocket mini golf, explore Queens Zoo, bring your racquet and play tennis where the pros play, go ice skating, rent a bike or paddle boat or kayak and if you have time pick up some of the best Indian food in the city on the way home

Best time to visit: All year.
Length of trip: Put aside 3-5 hours. Satisfies everyone’s interests
Distance: Bring a stroller - walking back and forth to subway stops for little ones can be tiring.
Suitable for: All age groups
Other Comment: Print out event calendars from listed websites
Nearby eating: Jackson Heights (see below) for foods from all over or if you last until 6pm on a Saturday (spring, summer and fall - check for open dates) Queens Night Market a market  featuring international street food http://queensnightmarket.com/
Subway: 7 Train (Flushing Line) from Times Square or Grand Central Station

Planning Ahead: 
Queens Museum hours  http://www.queensmuseum.org/visit
 New York Hall of Science http://www.nyscience.org/ for hours and exhibits.
Queens Zoo https://queenszoo.com/schedule
Arthur Ashe Kids Day http://www.arthurashekidsday.com/schedule_of_events/
Arthur Ashe Stadium and details for September U.S. Open https://www.usopen.org/en_US/tickets/tickets_faq.html or to book court https://ustanew2.gotennissource.com/
Queens World Ice Rink opening hours and events http://www.worldice.com/public-skating-hours 
Bike and Boat rentals http://wheelfunrentals.com/ny/queens/flushing-meadows-corona-park-on-north-meadow-lake/

Before you leave check for festivals: The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival is held in August. http://www.hkdbf-ny.org/home.php?choice=about
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/flushing-meadows-corona-park/events

Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival Corona Park Queens (August)
credit: Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival New York

START: Take the number 7 train, the Flushing Line from either Grand Central or Times Square. Your subway stop will be 111th Street in Queens.

New York Hall of Science Queens

After you get off the train head to the New York Hall of Science. Walk down 3 blocks on 111th for the entrance. The museum has been listed as the best field trip by New York Magazine. The exhibits are hands on and fun – ride a very wobbly surfboard, pitch base balls, race stationary cars and hit tennis balls and learn - the science behind the actions. Most popular, most gross, and most interesting are the demonstrations of cow eye dissections. There’s also a 30,000 square foot science playground stocked with pullies, levers, a giant seesaw and other contraptions to illustrate motion, gravity, sight, sound, balance and structure. Nearby is Rocket Park Mini Golf listed above. As you exit the museum ask for directions to the Queens Museum of Art http://www.queensmuseum.org its very close by.

Rocket Park Mini Golf 

Panorama of New York City in the making

Here you will find the Panorama of New York City which is the worlds largest architectural model of a city. Its accurate and has roughly 893,000 buildings.

Out back is the Unisphere and fountain built for the World’s Fair in 1964. There's a lot to explore in the park - boating or biking is always a fun option (see "Planning Ahead" above).  Ice skating and tennis are also possible.  Though Shea Stadium is nearby my advice to save an evening of baseball for another day.  Games can be long and are mostly held in the evening.

After 

Option 1

When finished, exit by the main entrance, (ask directions on your way just to make sure ) and walk back to the 111th Street for the number 7 subway home, or get off at Flushing Main Street and explore NewYork City's largest Chinatown.   https://www.nyctourism.com/new-york/queens/flushing/

Option 2
If you still have energy and time (After Jackson Diner we often get a taxi home) - treat yourself to dinner or take-out from the Jackson Diner in Queens - get off the 7 train  at the 74 St-Broadway stop, ask anyone for directions to the diner at 37-47 74th Street. Or check for the latest list of favorite ethnic foods to be found in the area https://www.theinfatuation.com/new-york/guides/jackson-heights-restaurants Or if you don't feel like eating get off a few stops before 74th St to experience the diversity of the neighborhoods. There are also great stores to explore.

CONEY ISLAND

Take a trip to Russia for the cost of a subway ride, sit on the beach, sample New York’s most famous hot dog, brave the cyclone and other amusement park rides, visit the New York Aquarium and watch baseball. Not traveling with kids? start later- try a Russian spa and follow up with Russian banquet & elaborate Russian-Vegas style cabaret and cab home!

Best time to visit: All year.

Length of trip: Put aside at least 4-5 hours, train ride takes 1 hour

Difficulty level: Lots of walking (about a 1 and 1/2 miles from Brighton Beach to Coney Island) and stroller friendly. 

Suitable for: All age groups - who don’t mind a walk

Other Comment: Great for gifts bring a kite, towels, swimsuit

Views: From Q train leaving Manhattan – spectacular
Advance Planning: links to web sites are in red
Coney Island Events Calendar for parades and celebrations
Coney Island, Manhattan and Brighton Beach hours, rules, safety
The Swim Guide reports on water quality and safety level at NYC beaches
The New York Aquarium for opening hours, feeding times, shows and entrance fees
Luna Park NYC: Cyclone, Thunderbolt &other rides location, opening hours, tickets and day passes

The Coney Island Museum & Store hours and location
The Coney Island Circus Side Show for times, cast and dates other that summer season
The Mermaid Parade A wild costume parade held mid June click for details
The Brooklyn Cyclones  for tickets, fireworks calendar and special nights (April-September)
Magic at Coney Island There's a special Halloween show and lessons can be booked

Flicks on the beach  Outdoor 40 ft inflatable screen -beach at W12th Street: July & August

Russian Bathhouses For adults ready to brave the experience 

Mermaid Spa to try a Russian Banya (sauna). Mermaid has been written about in the New York Times and the New Yorker.  For more reading about Banya's 

Tatiana's Restaurant & Show - 3152 Brighton Avenue for elaborate weekend Russian/Las Vegas style dinner & show if you are exploring the area without kids. Check out the times and book. Here's and enthusiastic description of the experience https://www.theinfatuation.com/new-york/reviews/tatiana-restaurant-nightclub. Their instagram posts say it all!

Subway Stop: B or Q Train to Brighton Beach

Events: Hot Dog Eating Contest (July 4th see Coney Island Events Calendar), Mermaid Parade (June)

Movies: https://bestsimilar.com/tag/36723-coney-island-brooklyn-new-york-city

It's a long train ride so you will get a chance to hear this man's voice many times. Below is a cute documentary about the man behind the announcer voice on New York City Subways.

START: Take the B or Q train to Brighton Beach and descend the stairs.  Look to the right towards the Coney Island parachute jump and follow Brighton Beach Avenue westwards under the train tracks walking in the direction of the parachute jump (photo below)

You will be immersed in a foreign world - in all things Russian (language, faces, food and music). This areas is known as Little Odessa since it was originally settled by Russian Jewish refugees and the population expanded during the 1990's when Russia began to open up its borders.  Neil Simon's play "Brighton Beach Memoir" is set here and is semi autobiographical. 

Off beat shopping opportunities abound along Brighton Beach Avenue.

Brighton Beach Store

Street vendors and bakers sell Pirozhki dough pockets with savory or sweet fillings, cheap and delicious. Also worth trying are Ukrainian boiled dumplings stuffed with meat or potatoes or cabbage called Vareniki (link to article about dumpling eating in Brighton Beach )- a good place to sample them, but bring cash, is Varenichnaya at 504 Brighton Avenue.  For Russian grocery stores try Taste of Russia, St. Petersburg Books & Gifts, Net Cost Market or Tashkent Supermarket an Uzbek supermarket all marked on the map and along the route.  Tatiana’s at 3152 Brighton Avenue and 6th Street is another great restaurant and is also famous for it's cabaret club. Farther out at 1141 Brighton Avenue is Kashkar. Kashgar is a city with approximately 350,000 residents in the western part of Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China.  The cuisine is influenced by its location along the silk road - with an emphasis on lamb, mutton and hand pulled noodles with Middle Eastern, Chinese and Indian spices. 

Trailer for a documentary about Nathan's made by Nathan Herdwerker's grandson

Walk west to Nathan's on Surf Avenue (nearest subway stop: West 8th Street, New York Aquarium if you don't feel like walking). Coney Island is an essential part of New York social history in 1873 25-30,000 people would make their way here at weekends.  The stretch of boardwalk and beach thrived after Luna Park opened in 1903. It is said 250,000 came on opening day, since then it has gone through a few iterations and was recently re-furbished and re-opened.  Luna Park was the first permanent and enclosed amusement park. The wooden Cylone rollercoaster (featured in Woody Allen's "Annie Hall") dates back to 1927.

Nathan’s website claims that the restaurant is the home of the first hot dog in the United States. Nathan Handwerker a polish immigrant established the business in 1916 using his wife Ida's recipe and sold them for 10 cents each.  Jimmy Durante and Eddie Cantor who were working as singing waiters at the time told him that he could beat the competition if he cut his price to 5 cents and the rest is history.  Al Capone was a regular customer and worked as a bouncer at the nearby Harvard Inn and Cary Grant (then known as Archibald Leach - newly arrived from England, cut and fried potatoes at Nathan's). Since its opening Nathan's hosts a 4th of July hotdog eating contest (click to find out more).

Woodie Guthrie settled here in 1940 at the age of 28 - he left his native Oklahoma during the dust bowl and headed first to California giving voice to the living conditions of his fellow migrants through his songs. He eventually found his way to New York City relieved to find a place where he could work free of censorship. It was here he wrote "This Land is Your Land". Arlo Guthrie was born here as was another famous singer Neil Diamond.  In 1918 Harry Houdini performed his "Vanishing Elephant" illusion at the local New York Hippodrome theatre. 

Continue on down to the New York Aquarium at Surf Avenue and west 8th Street.  The aquarium is the oldest in the United States of America and has recently been renovated after being damaged during hurricane Sandy.

Further along you will find the Cyclone a very scary ride. The now defunct Astroland website stated: “Time Magazine quoted Charles Lindbergh as saying that a ride on the Cyclone was more thrilling than his historic first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Story has it that Emilio Franco, a mute since birth, regained his voice on the Cyclone, uttering his first words ever – ‘I feel sick’!”

A new addition to stomach churning experiences is the recently installed Thunderbolt.  The original ride, dating back to 1927 was taken down and replaced in 2014. Below is a short documentary called "Under the Roller Coaster" and tells the story of a woman who lived under it.

Here is a preview video of the new Thurnderbolt ride provided by the New York Times.

The Coney Island Circus Side Show is at Surf Avenue and West 16th Street is slightly macabre but worth a visit.  Sword swallowers, contortionists, snake charmers, fire eaters, chain saw jugglers are par of the performance. Shows are run continuously, last about 45 minutes and are held daily during the summer season and see "Advanced Planning" for September dates.  According to the website "hours are subject to weather conditions". Tickets cannot be reserved and can be purchased at the door. The Circus Side Show also offers a series of classes (for 18 years old and over -  fire eating, snake charming, sword swallowing and bed of nails are amongst the skills being taught) during August as well as a circus banner painting class see the link above ("Advanced Planning")for details.
Also check out the calendar for magic shows and the Museum of Interesting Things bounding ball sing a long 16mm movie.

The Mermaid Parade

The Mermaid Parade at Coney Island is held on the first Saturday of the summer and starts at noon on Surf Avenue and West 21st Street.  2017 Queen is Debbie Harry. Participants wear mermaid or sea creature costumes and parade to the beach to open the summer swimming and sea gods are appeased. Suitable for children? It can be quite bawdy. The website answers: “.. its an art parade, not a showcase for naked girls. There’s always at least one little girl’s birthday party marching...”

Coney Island Beach

Don't forget to try the beach.

You might be able to enjoy ore even enter a film for the Coney Island Film Festival held annually in the first few weeks of September see Coney Island Film Festival

Finish the day by picking up tickets for minor league baseball (the Mets) at the Brooklyn Cyclones stadium two blocks west from Nathan's (Stillwell and Surf Avenues) – Games start at 7pm and are played throughout the summer.  The website calendar lists firework and promotion dates. With good weather you can’t go wrong.  Another option if someone is looking after the kids, is a to make your way down to Mermaid Spa - 3703 Mermaid Avenue- a Russian bathouse and sweat off the walk. The bathhouse has featured in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The New Yorker.  It has "three Russian steam rooms, a dry sauna, Turkish bath, two ice-water pools, a Jacuzzi, and several other relaxing amenities inside a lodge-like wooden hall. You can also book a massage or a traditional ‘platza’ service which involves a whole-body massage using a birch ‘venik.’ “We wanted to create an environment that was similar to an authentic Russian bathhouse, or ‘banya..." 

If you are exploring the area with out kids - experience and elaborate Russian style dinner and cabaret (at weekends) at Tatiana Restaurant   Brighton Beach Avenue - you might need car service home!

FERRY RIDE DOWN THE EAST RIVER FROM 90TH STREET FERRY LANDING TO PIER 11/WALL STREET

View of the financial district from the ferry

There's a very busy heliport right next to the Wall Street stop 

Best place to start your NYC Ferry ride down the East River: take a ferry from East 90th Street along the East River, it offers a spectacular and alternate perspective of iconic buildings and new construction projects as well as a view the activity (ferries, tugs, water planes, helicopters, barges, speed boats) and industry of New York Harbor.  It's a busy place, you'll have your hair tossed, cobwebs cleared and it's a great day out.

The East River and inlet starts at the southern
tip of Manhattan island and separates it and the Bronx
from Brooklyn and Queens. 

Best time to visit: Spring, Summer and Fall
Length of trip: Put aside 4-6 hours. Satisfies everyone’s interests
Distance: Walk from subway to the ferry terminal on 90th Street about 1/2 a mile
Suitable for: All age groups
Other Comment: 
Nearby eating: Snacks on board
Subway: Q train to 86th Street and 2nd (about 10 minute walk to
Planning Ahead: Worth doing some google searches before you go- Rosevelt Island, Citicorp, United Nations Headquarters, 626 First Avenue a new residential building, the Brooklyn Bridge and the new Frank Gehry Beekman Tower just south of the Brooklyn Bridge. Link: NYC Ferry Service Routes and Schedules

NYC Ferry website route map

START:  Keep a sharp eye out for signs for the New York Ferry at East 90th Street and East End Avenue.  The ferry is not well marked because of construction  - it is hard to find - there are signs. Check out the NYC Ferry website above for tickets and how to access the landing at 90th Street. You will be taking the Soundview route. See link above.

GET OFF AT: Pier 11/ Wall Street

The East River was once referred to as the city's "digestive system" and is considered by many New Yorkers as a toxic body of water. Here are some facts about it:

• It stretches 16 miles from the Battery Park to the Long Island sound.
• The East River is an inlet, not a river.  
• It is a vital thoroughfare since passes along the shores of Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx and opens up into the Long Island Sound from where ships can move into the open sea. 
• It has played a central role in the growth of this city from the Industrial Revolution onwards. 
• Each day 1.6 million commuters cross over to Manhattan from Long Island, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx
• Commuters travel by way of 10 bridges, or 
• 15 train, subway and highway tunnels below its waters. 
• Burrowed beneath its bed is myriad of tunnels transporting gas, waste and containing wiring.  
• It holds 8 out of the City's 14 wastewater (sewage) treatment plants dotted along its shores - raw sewage, sometimes referred to as NYCs 3rd river, is transported back and forth on ships. 
• There are also at least 20 solid waste transfer or treatment plants along its banks
• It is a watery highway for transporting garbage, sewage sludge, tourists, cargo, boaters and commuters. 
• Docked barges hold prisoners, swimming pools, museums, restaurant and farms.
• The river has at least 8 islands that have been home to prisons (including Rikers Island, considered the worlds largest penal colony) hospitals, asylums, burial grounds and orphanages. 
• Over the past 15 years the waterfronts of Brooklyn and Queens have been transformed from industrial dockland to residential use and parkland.  A green/cycle path has been developed along the length of the east side of Manhattan.  In summer fishermen cast for striped bass and flounder and some New Yorkers even brave the water.

NYC 4 Boroughs: Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and The Bronx border the east river

 North from the ferry station on 90th Street:

 is Wards Island (the larger one) that connects on to Randall's Island farther north.  These islands have a long history of being used as quarantine areas where the sick, orphaned, poor or insane were banished to. To this day New York City maintains prisons and insane asylums here.Another small dot of land closer to the Bronx know as North Brother Island is where the infamous Mary Mallon - Typhoid Mary, was banished to.  Mary was a typhoid carrier - that is she carried the bacteria but was not affected by it.  She was also a cook who initially unwittingly infected the people she cooked for.  It is estimated that a total of 51 people were infected from her kitchen skills during her working career. At that time no one was sure what was causing the spread of Typhoid, however health inspectors were on the trail of the disease and in one case it led to Mary. After a number of years, as the Smithsonian magazine reported, she was tracked down: "One March day in 1907, a man appeared at the Park Avenue brownstone where 37-year old Mary Mallon worked as a cook.  He demanded a little bit of her blood, urine and fece. "It did not take Mary long to react to this suggestion" the man later wrote of the encounter. "She seized a carving fork and advance in my direction."

 

The 91street garbage transfer station:  NYC has a population of 8.5 million .  The Department of Sanitation New York collects more than 10,500 tons of refuse and 1,760 tons of recyclables a day. Only a quarter of the city's garbage is collected by DSNY the remaining is managed by private business which long had an association with organized crime. Spending on garbage disposal is in the region of $2.5 billion a year.  80% of the City garbage is picked up and carted to transfer stations where it is place on barges to start a long journey to export it to landfills, some as far away as China. 20% is sent to be recycled in Brooklyn.

Garbage Barge

432 Park Avenue is the tall slender residential tower shown in the photograph below.  It is a controversial new feature of the New York skyline and stands out like no other building.  It was briefly the tallest building in Manhattan (before the Freedom Tower spike out paced it) and has been heavily criticized as being a building for the ultra-wealthy. The penthouse was recently sold for $60 million.  5 more slender towers have been added to the skyline since this picture.  

List of tallest apartment buildings in NYC

                                                            

Left hand side 432 Park Avenue (tall slender building) Citicorp building with sloping roof

United Nations Building 

United Nations Headquarters:Construction started in 1949 and was finished in 1952.  It was designed by an international team of 11 architects including Le Corbusier and Brazilian architect, Oscar Niemeyer.  The final plans have been accredited mostly to Le Corbusier but any say that Oscar Niemeyer was the original creative mind behind the structure. According to the writer Jean Louis Cohen who wrote "Corbusier Le Grand",  Le Corbusier remained insistent that it was his design.

Uthant Island:is one of the smaller islands in the city.  It is man made with a quirky history.  Uthant Island lies across from the United Nations building.

626 First Avenue the Copper Buildings is a new luxury residential development.  The copper coated outside will eventually turn green and the bridge contains a swimming pool. According to the head engineer working on the project, due to the buildings quirky tilt, the fire department showed up one day having received a report that the building was falling.

Con Ed Steam Power Plant

Con Edison steam generating plant lies south of the Empire State Building

The Con Edison steam system  has been supplying steam for more than 1,500 buildings since 1882.  The steam is a bi product in the production of electricity and is transported to buildings through pipes that run from the bottom of Manhattan to 96th Street on the west side and 89th Street on the East side.  The United Nations, the Metropolitan Museum and a myriad of other iconic institutions use the steam for cooking heating, cooling and sterilizing . Steam offers a cleaner alternative to boilers and without this steam system buildings currently served by Con Ed steam would all have chimneys.

 

                               Click on this link to watch a movie about working on an NYC                                 tugboat working on a river tugboat 

 

Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town 

Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town south of Con Edison: Robert Moses was born on December 18, 1888 and became one of the most influential city planners in New York City.  His legacy is controversial since his projects were on a grand scale and led to large areas  of the city being demolished.  He was responsible  for planning housing for returning soldiers.  The idea was to provide affordable housing and create a welcoming small town feeling within the city.  The plans for Stuyvesant town started in 1942 and the project was completed in 1945 and stretches from 14th to 23rd Streets and from 1st Avenue all the way over to Avenue C.  Though the complex looks dense and urban only 25% of the area is occupied by buildings the remainder is green space between building. All in all there are 11,250 apartments providing housing for roughly 60,000 people.

Lower East Side of Manhattan - this neighborhood starts just before the Williamsburg Bridge and ends before the Manhattan Bridge (the last bridge before the Brooklyn Bridge).  During the 1850's the Lower East Side was one of the first stopping point for immigrants from Germany, Eastern Europe, China, Puerto Rico, Italy and Ireland.  By 1910 over 2.3 million people lived in its tenement houses. A newcomer to the city had little privacy and shared very small spaces with as many as ten people.  As families moved up in the world, they moved out.  It became a neighborhood in decline until 25 years ago when developers swooped in renovating, demolishing and constructing.  The Lower East Side began to have a new blend of residents. The old traditional jewish population go to bed early, rise early and open their doors for business and the young and hip, stay up late and on weekends can be seen moving around in the late morning. 

Brooklyn Navy Yard - on the Brooklyn side of the river before the Brooklyn bridge was first commissioned by President John Adams in 1801 in 1937 the yard was designated as a center for the construction of battle ships and aircraft carriers.  It became most active during World War 11 when it was open 24 hours a day 7 days a week and employed 70,000 workers.  It was just one of many ship yards in New York Harbor at the time. The Navy closed down the yard in 1966 and sold the land to New York City.  Over the last 30 years the buildings have been renovated transformed into a center for small manufacturing and houses over 200 businesses and employs 5,000 people.  The complex includes Steiner Studios one of the biggest studios outside of California and also Brooklyn Grange Farm uses the roof of one of the buildings as acreage and grows over 50,000 lbs of produce annually on roughly 1 1/2 acres of rooftop.

Brooklyn Bridge with view in the distance of the Freedom Tower and Frank Gehry Beekman Tower 

 

The Brooklyn Bridge - is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States and was the world's first steel wire suspension bridge. Prior to its construction ferries were used by commuters.  It was completed in 1883 and was originally designed by John Augustus Roebling, a German immigrant.  Building foundations for the bridge proved to be the biggest challenge especially considering that construction had to take place under water.  To get around this, giant closed wooden boxes were sunk to the river bed and filled with compressed air to eliminate river water.  Laborers would enter the wooden box called a "cassion" and work in dry conditions but short of oxygen.  Many suffered from the bends as they came back up to fresh air too fast.

John Roebling died shortly after work started.  He contracted a Tetanus infection after an on-site accident and his foot had to be amputated.  His son, Washington Roebling took over but shortly after, experienced the bends twice and became paralyzed. The work took 11 years and was completed by his wife Emily Warren Roebling.

It is said that when the bridge opened 20,000 curious New Yorkers came out to see it.  Crowds climbed down the steps to walk on it but were nervous about its stability. When a female visitor fell there was general panic and a stampede ensued killing 12 people and seriously inuring 34.  It was only after P T Barnum Circus led a parade of 21 Elephants across the bridge that confidence was restored.

Frank Gehry Beekman Tower - this a recent addition to the downtown skyline and a creation of  Frank Gehry. He considered the view the building would have and wanted its residents to have a feeling of being suspended mid-air - so he designed a modified versions of bay windows as a feature. Construction was completed in 2011, the building consists of 72 floors and includes a school.  As the development of Hudson Yards continues on the west side - Frank Gehry may be involved with phase II of this project.

Frank Gehry Beekman Tower

 

 

Pier 11 is where you will get off. 

Downtown river view before Wall Street - there's a heliport right next to the Wall Street stop

 

LUNCH AT BALTHAZAR, SHOPPING ON LOWER BROADWAY AND SOHO

Shopping, Shopping, Shopping - on lower Broadway

Colossal Media paints massive, photorealistic advertising murals on buildings in SoHo and lower Manhattan, including prominent on the corner of Lafayette & Bleeker

Great for jean and sneaker shopping.  These days, there's a high turnover of stores in the area There's still good shopping along the stretch of Broadway from below Spring Street and then uptown from there to cross Houston.  Names include Converse, Urban Outfitters, Uniqlo, Banana Republic, Nike, Sketchers, Addidas..... Not interested in shopping .. follow the SoHo blog where the minimalist art movement was focused in  the 60s, 70, and 80s and meet up with the shoppes later. To get to SoHo take a left off Broadway onto Mercer Street and you are right there.

Best time to visit: All year at 11. 45am to catch a table for lunch at Balthazar

Length of trip: As long you like

Subway Stop: R train to Prince Street and walk south on Broadway to Spring
Taxi: Spring Street & Broadway

Suitable for: All age groups especially teenagers

Nearby eating: Balthazaar 80 Spring Street, Rice To Riches at 37 Spring Street for dessert

Detour: Museum of Ice Cream at 558 Broadway and McNally Jackson book store at 52 Prince Street.
Advance Planning: Stores are always opening and closing on lower Broadway these days. It's worth
looking on google maps to check the stores on Lower Broadway above Canal Street.
Balthazar: To reserve a table for dinner or check the menus Balthazar Restaurant

STARTING POINT:  Balthazar Restaurant -80 Spring Street. It's a great kick off for a day of shopping.  It's hard to get a reservation for an evening meal but if you go early for breakfast or for lunch (arrive at 11:45am) you will likely get a table.  Balthazar is a New York version of a french brasserie and is a lovely space, always bustling.  The food is good and it's great for people watching.  Will a full stomach - you can walk north up Broadway all the way to Houston. Book lovers should take a detour to McNally Jackson at 52 Prince Street - marked on the map

When families come to New York they always ask where to shop.  They generally start somewhere else in the city and return disgruntled. Inevitably, at the end of their stay, they discover lower Broadway and come back very satisfied.

Typical cast iron building front Soho

Cipriani Soho on West Broadway

THE LOWER EAST SIDE

Best things to do on the Lower East Side
Visit the oldest immigrant neighborhood in New York, sample a knish, eat a hot dog from Katz’s deli, visit the Lower East Side Tenement Museum,  follow up with pickle, hip shop perusing, purchase fabric, finish off at the city’s most amazing sweet shops.

Best time to visit: All year; most hip stores open 12 noon

Length of trip: Put aside 3-5 hours. Satisfies everyone’s interests

Difficulty level: Not too much walking and stroller friendly

Suitable for: All age groups
Best places to eat on the Lower East Side Included in blog

Comments: Great for gifts
Views: Old New York City and Hip New York

Miscellaneous: Movies featuring the Lower East Side “When Harry met Sally”, “Crossing Delancey”.  

for more suggestions click Movies protraying life on the lower east side - 

Walking Tours: The Museum at Eldridge Street also runs a walking tour that require booking in advance.  The Tenement Museum (click to explore the many options & book) also offers walking tours focusing on a range of topics-foods, history, entrepreneurship, architecture etc. 

Advance Planning: The main stop on this trip will be the Tenement Museum. Click to purchase tickets and explore site for hours, tours and walking tours - advance booking is often required. In the summer, avoid visits between 10am and 3pm when it becomes jammed with visiting summer camps.

Food: See map - Katz's Deli best for pastrami and hot dogs a total experience, Russ & Daughters-The Shop  (for take out) or Russ & Daughter's Cafe (click for menu & listed as one of the 10 best restaurants in New York by the New York Times), Congee Village and Vanessa's Dumpling (quick service) house both great. Essex Market good for pick up lunch and snacks on the go.

Subway:  Take the F or V subway lines (orange signs) in the direction: Coney Island/Stillwell Avenue) heading downtown to the 2nd Avenue/Houston stop.

Katz's Delicatessan

Katz's Pastrami Sandwich

You will pass through a neighborhood that once bustled with activity as immigrants started new lives in the early 1900s. It is estimated that approximately 2 million Jews immigrated to the US between 1881 and 1914 and about 75% settled on the Lower East Side. At one point this was home to the largest Jewish population in the world. Time passed and families migrated to other areas of the city but vivid memories from those days have been passed down through the generations.  Living conditions were cramped as the Tenement Museum blog explains: "It was common for a family of 10 to live in a 325-square-foot apartment" and families worked hard to set up businesses. The "Sturgeon Queens" trailer below give a sense of the history of these businesses. It's hard to find the video for streaming but worth a search.

During the last 20 years this area has become "the" place to live and rising real estate prices have tempted many old businesses to sell and as they leave we bid a sad goodbye. It used to be possible to drop into Streit's Mazo factory on Rivington Street and watch Matzo being made but last year the company sold its building and an apartment block is rising in its place.  

START: 

Yohah Schimmel's Knish Bakery (11am-5pm) at 137 East Houston between 1st & 2nd Avenues - the bakery was established in 1910, started as a pushcart and is the oldest knishery in the U.S. 

Recipes for knishes travelled to New York from Eastern Europe with Jewish immigrants. A knish is a dough that is stuffed with mixture of potato and some other vegetable and roasted. It was cheap and filling food and became a staple as families made their way up the social ladder.  As communities settled and made money, they  migrated to new neighborhoods leaving the bakeries behind until there are now only a very few in the city. Pete Wells the food critic for the New York Times prefers the knishes from Russ & Daughters Cafe - also on you walk.

Katz's Deli (click for hours) 205 E. Houston Street and Ludlow - (“When Harry Met Sally”,"Donnie Brasco", "Enchanted") recently celebrated its 125th anniversary.  As you pass walk from the subway stop, you will pass the East Houston shop of Russ & Daughters  (click for hours- a NY institution - sells a great T-Shirt and has been modernized by younger family members- the food is excellent and there's a sit down cafe farther along the walk). Katz's is famous for their Pastrami Sandwich. Jewish Delis were a vibrant feature of New York city living until the 1980s. A few remain and Katz's has been listed among the best of its type in America.  If you haven't tried it the owner of Katz's suggests what to order in the video below. The lines to eat here these days are long comments from people living nearby: Avoid around the Christmas season and weekends unless around 9am. Monday - Thursday best before 11am or after 2pm. Il Laboratorio del Gelato at 188 Ludlow Street at East Houston for incredible ice-cream.

Follow Ludlow Street south towards the Tenement Museum  (click for visit details) at 108 Orchard Street. See map. On Ludlow you will pass T R Crandall Guitars at 156 Ludlow street. Continue to Economy Candy (click for holiday hours) open 7 days a week 12pm- 5pm at 108 Rivington Street between Ludlow and Essex.  You'll find an incredibly colorful room lined with all types of candy floor to ceiling. Great for gifts. Continue south on Ludlow, cross Delancey Street and walk 1 block west to Orchard Street to the Tenement Museum. While you are waiting for your tour you can browse the wonderful shop that stocks a wide range of books about New York. 

Economy Candy 108 Rivington Street

Before or after your Tenement Museum visit there's a wide range of shopping choices and diversions possible.   Russ and Daughters Cafe  (click for hours they are only open for breakfast & lunch at 127 Orchard Street between Delancey and Rivington serves excellent -  or try what has been listed as the best Chinese restaurants in New York City, Congee Village at 100 Allen Street. New York Magazine raves about this restaurant and recommends: "Order everything- especially the bok choi, chicken & mushroom congge, and salt and pepper shrimp" .  Vanessa's Dumpling House at 118A Eldridge Street is know for for some of the best NYC dumplings. Below are post lunch/breakfast detours.

Check out the interesting places close by:

Hua Mei Bird Garden at Sarah D. Roosevelt Park (see map).  The sanctuary was set up in1995 with the help of the parks depart.  Chinatown inhabitants bring their song birds out to the park which gets quite busy on weekends. 

Zarin Fabrics

Ramon Tailor at 110 Forsythe for a peek in the window or for maybe for alterations this nice story in New York Magazine led to his further discovery. Yokkoyama Hat Market at 116 Eldridge sells cool and amazing hats. Zarin Fabrics (weekdays and Sundays - click for hours) at 72 Allen Street Street.  Don't be deceived - behind this not too exciting store front and upstairs is a nice collection of fabrics and some bargains.Orchard Street was once famous for these stores. Pilgrim New York, at 70 Orchard Street stocks vintage clothing from Japan & Europe. 

Walk East towards Essex Street, on the corner of Essex & Grand you will find The Pickle Guys at 357 Grand Street. They have great pickles and goofy, one-of-a-kind t-shirts for sale. Pickle vendors were common in this area a very much part of the deli culture. Sadly this store is now one of the few remaining. 

Essex Market  88 Essex (also good for lunch, snacks, or breakfast - Monday - Saturday 8am-8pm & Sunday 10am-6pm)

Last stop for those with energy and looking for something essentially New York is Only NY at 176 Stanton Street - great selection of New York clothing and accessories. Check for opening hours - most days 11am-7pm. 

The Pickle Guys