Texting While Driving in New York? Don't Even Think About It

Need to text your wife and ask if she wants you to pick up the latest Quentin Tarantino DVD on your way home? Thinking of sending a quick message on your cell to see if Susie is free for lunch tomorrow? Well, forget about it--at least if you were planning on texting while you were driving anywhere in New York State.
Governor David Paterson signed a “No texting” law into effect last week, making it illegal to text while driving anywhere in the state. Not following the rules carries up to a $150 fine. (Not to mention, of course, the possibility of an accident.)
In New York City, where seeing someone text while driving is as common as, well, seeing someone apply lipstick while driving, it’s a much-needed--though most likely hard-to enforce--law.
Not texting while driving would seem to be a no-brainer, yet vast numbers of people in the city still do it.
The law also covers any kind of hand-held device or laptop--and just to be clear, it stresses that you can’t use any kind of device to read, view or send images or data of any kind while the vehicle is on the move and you’re driving.
By the way, that means that you can’t check your email or surf the web either, so get over any ideas about checking the Yankee score or seeing if your Aunt Myrna sent you the address of that new restaurant--at least not while you’re behind the wheel.

Famed Circus Hits the Boardwalk

It’s summer; the sun is shining, so it must be time for…the circus!
Wait...what? Yes, it’s true: For the first time in its 139-year history, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has set up shop on the famed boardwalk of New York’s Coney Island. The summer season runs through September 7, so you still have time to catch a seaside performance of “Coney Island Boom-A-Ring.”
The show features acts including the Urias Family, billed as “The First Family of the Motorcycle Globe” (clearly, Second and Third Families need not apply, especially those who can’t keep up with the 65-mile-per-hour speeds the Uriases achieve); Justin Case, trumpeted as “Eccentric Personality Extraordinaire” (it involves a bicycle, and trust us; he’s funny); and the New York debut of The Negrey troupe, world-renowned Russian acrobats. (Are there any other kind?)
Plus, of course, miniature acrobatic Dachshunds (don’t go there); a trio of Asian elephants, and some white Bengal tigers, all presented in an air-conditioned tent.
In short, everything a circus should have.
Boom-A-Ring, located at Surf Avenue and 21st Street, also offers an all-access pre-show one hour before the performance, in which visitors can mingle with circus performers and animals alike.
Call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 to reserve seats and check the performance schedule (there’s generally a matinee and evening performance); seats start at $10.
Ladies and gentleman! Children of all ages...you know the drill.

Want Sauerkraut With Your Van Gogh? Museum's Street Vendors Clash with Police

Those who like their art with a hot dog--and really, who doesn’t--may have to choose between the two if they visit New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Street food vendors have been tussling with police as of late, as officers have begun to crack down on the vendors who sell food outside the entrances to the building.
The skirmishes have to do largely with where the carts are positioned: Officers say the carts are too far from the curb; vendors say they lose no matter what: that if they are too far from the curb they are ticketed; if too close, they are still ticketed, but for obstructing bus and taxi stops.
Also at issue are the rights of disabled veterans who operate or work at many of the carts; this policy stems from a 2007 event in which a disabled vet said a law from the 1800s allowed him to operate in areas that might not be available to others.
The city says only one vendor can operate in front of the Met at a time; but on any given day the Museum is open, four or five or sometimes more carts can be seen.
(Earlier in the month, a vendor was evicted for failing to pay the extremely steep rent for renting a space for a cart in front of the Museum—estimates say rent can be as high as $50,000+ a month.)
So grab your hot dog now, if you must—or you may have to face the Renaissance without a snack.

Get Your Trend On: The Gap Opens a New Pop-Up Store

Pop-up stores—those that open for a limited period of time, often to sell a specific item or line--are nothing new in New York City; we’ve seen everything from Target to Delta airlines. The latest one to join the fray--and perhaps more in keeping with the economic times than the Hermes store that opened for the summer in tony East Hampton--is the new Gap concept store at 680 Fifth Avenue; one also opened recently on trendy Robertson Boulevard in Los Angeles. The New York store, which remains open through September 27 (Monday-Sunday; 10:30 am-7:00 pm) features Gap 1969Premium Jeans, and marks the 40th anniversary of the first Gap denim-and-discs store in, yes, 1969. (The Gap has previously featured pop-up stores in New York with items such as Pantone hued t-shirts and Havaianas flip-flops.)
This store--and the denim line--would seem to be a cheeky nod to the economic climate—on super-luxe Fifth Avenue, all the jeans in this new Gap line retail for under $70. It’s a good way to pull in tourists as well as locals--the jeans are designed with the same trendy fits that other, higher-priced lines carry, such as the looser Boyfriend fit, or the popular deconstructed (read: ripped, torn, shredded) style. It’s also, of course, less of a gamble to open a short-lived store like this at a time when even higher-end shops are closing at a rapid rate--if it doesn't work, it'll be gone in a month.
And lest jeans not seem as exciting as, say, a Hermes scarf, take heart in knowing that for the past two years, many insiders attending New York’s fashion week in September have made a stop at the Gap pop-up store a must.

Tim Burton Career Retrospective Coming To MoMa This Fall

Can’t wait for next year’s Alice in Wonderland, Hollywood cult film director Tim Burton’s cinematic take on the novel by Lewis Carroll? The Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) in New York City will have a major career retrospective on Burton that should satisfy the appetite, on display from November 22, 2009, to April 26, 2010.
Burton is known as the legendary director and creative mastermind behind such classics as Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
The exhibit of all things Burton will consist of a film series, early childhood and recent drawings, and storyboards created during the production of his famous movies. Over 700 of his distinct drawings, paintings, photographs, moving-image works, costumes, props, and other personal items will be on display. Burton is not only a director, but a producer, writer, concept artist for live-action and animated films, fiction writer, photographer and illustrator, with success spanning his 27-year career. Burton’s work often deals with cynicism, sentiment, the intriguingly grotesque, humor, and the themes of adulthood and adolescence.
This exhibition at MoMa coincides with the publishing of The Art of Tim Burton, a limited edition hard cover book featuring over 1,000 illustrations on 430 pages. Entry to the Tim Burton career retrospective is included with admission to MoMa. Museum tickets are $20 for adults, $16 for seniors, $12 for full-time students with I.D., and free for persons under 16.

City to be Made More Livable for Seniors

Making New York City more livable for its aging population is one of the goals put forward today by Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Speaker Christine Quinn, and The New York Academy of Medicine.
Fifty-nine initiatives were unveiled to make the city more senior-friendly as part of its goal to become a World Health Organization Age-Friendly City.
The blueprint focuses on four areas: housing; health and social services; community and civic participation; and public spaces and transportation. (Some might say that if even one area were covered even moderately successfully, it would be an improvement for this segment of the city’s population.)
With many older New Yorkers choosing to stay in the city rather than retire elsewhere, these measures are crucially needed. More than 1.3 million older New Yorkers call the city home; this number is expected to increase by as much as 50 percent by the year 2030.
The new services include everything from assigning artists to senior centers to offer free art programs to making available free bus transportation to supermarkets so seniors can have access to healthier food.
What else is being proposed? Offering discounts to seniors on gym memberships; hosting a citywide summit on palliative care this fall; and establishing a more intergenerational volunteering effort by partnering with schools and nonprofit organizations.

Severe Storm Causes Worst Damages In Decades To Central Park Trees

On the night of Tuesday, August 18, a very brief and violent storm pounded on New York City that left Central Park ravaged with tree limbs scattered and whole trees on their side and uprooted. Officials are saying it’s the worst damage the park has seen in decades. An estimated 500 trees were injured, but thankfully no one was hurt.
Some trees destroyed dated from the 1920s or ‘30s, making the destruction an even bigger shame. The upper half of Central Park was hit hardest. Wood chippers have been hard at work since, eating away at the piles of fallen lumber needing to be discarded. The lumber being mulched into piles are being put to good use to moisten the soil throughout the park. Due to the infestation of the Asian longhorn beetles, the fallen trees unfortunately won’t be used for furniture or firewood. What’s even worse, many trees that lost large limbs are at risk of dying from decay, so those may need to be removed as well.
The storm has also had an unfortunate effect on wildlife, leaving many creatures homeless. Many paths with tree limbs now lying across them have been marked off with yellow tape.
Restoration could cost the Central Park Conservancy nearly $500,000, which will have to be paid by donors. Clean up crews still have a lot of work to do from the widespread damage even a week later.

World Trade Center Steel Beam Returned to Site

The last column still standing after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 was returned to New York's Ground Zero this morning as a symbol of renewal and hope. It was taken away from the site in 2002, wrapped in black muslin and an American Flag, as part of a ceremony that honored the end of recovery efforts. For the last seven years it has been in storage in a hangar at Kennedy airport, where it was being preserved. The beam was moved back to the site in a procession that included a police and fire escort down West Street.
During the recovery process, the 36-foot-high steel beam became a temporary memorial; it once held up the South Tower.
The column, officially known as Column No. 1,0001 B of 2 World Trade Center, will eventually become a part of the National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum. The column is covered in tributes, cards, police and firehouse patches and union stickers. It was also spray painted with symbols of some of the police and firefighters who died in the attacks.
Until the museum opens in 2012, the column will be sealed in a special covering and further preserved in a huge climate-controlled box.

Hurricane Bill Causes New York City Beaches To Temporarily Close

Six New York City beaches were closed to swimming today, August 21, due to Hurricane Bill looming in the Atlantic Ocean. Rip Currents, heavy surf and tall waves will most likely keep the beaches shut down through the weekend. Manhattan and Brooklyn beaches have been closed, including Coney Island. Also closed is Rockaway Beach in Queens and Midland, and South and Wolfe’s Pond beaches in Staten Island. Rockaway Beach is the city’s only official surfing area, which could disappoint many surfers looking to take advantage of the heavy surf. The hurricane could create seas as high as 10 feet at New York City and Long Island beaches.
Concerned about staying cool? There are 63 pools in New York City. All beaches at Fire Island National Seashore on Long Island will be closed by tomorrow and are expected to be closed over the weekend as well. Robert Moses State Park on Long Island was closed today and Jones Beach State Park may be closed soon. Orchard Beach in the Bronx is still open to swimming for as long as conditions will allow.
Hurricane Bill closed in on Bermuda today on track to move up the east coast of the United States and even to northeastern Canada by this weekend. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said in an advisory that winds of 110 miles makes Hurricane Bill a Category 2 storm.

A Classic Summer Combo: 10 Years of Blues and Barbecue

Blues and barbeque go together like, well, blues and barbecue. Or baseball and hot dogs. Ice cream and hot fudge. In any event, two things that go really well together. So the Hudson River Park’s "Blues BBQ Festival" in New York City, celebrating its 10th Anniversary this Sunday, August 23, offers a classic match.
Held at Pier 54 (Eleventh Avenue at 13th Street in Manhattan), the festival, taking place from 2-9 PM, rain or shine, offers up rib-sticking favorites--and just plain ribs—from Brother Jimmy’s BBQ, Dallas Jones Bar-B-Q, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, and Mara’s Homemade.
Blues bands from across the country will perform, including Mississippi Delta artist Eden Brent, who's known for her jazz and blues standards, at 2:30 PM; and the Homemade Jamz Blues Band at 3:45 PM; the event culminates with R&B and blues guitarist Michael Burks at 7:30PM.
This Southern-tinged event may be a natural for fans, but it also offers the uninitiated a chance to partake of a classic form of American food and music.
After all, barbeque in August is as classic, as, well, barbeque in August.
Admission is free; call (212) 627-2020 for more information.

The Metropolitan Opera Sets New Record For First-Day Ticket Sales

The Metropolitan Opera in New York City truly has something to sing about! The Met set a record in ticket sales on Sunday, August 16, the first day of individual box office sales for the upcoming 2009-2010 season. The Met sold $2.5 million worth of tickets at its box office, telephone call center and through the Web site. The first-day sales for the new season was up sharply from the previous record of nearly $2.1 million that was set in 2007.
The record setting amount of tickets sold for the upcoming season is a surprise to the Met’s management considering the bad economy. However, they have been committed to maintaining the Met’s artistic excellence throughout, drawing new audience members and delivering a distraction from the economic climate.
The Met’s 2009-2010 season opens with the gala premiere of a new production of Puccini’s “Tosca” on September 21, conducted by James Levine. The season features eight new productions, four of which are company premieres. Season premieres include Rossini’s “Armida,” Verdi’s “Attila,” Shostakovich’s “The Nose,” and Janáček’s “From the House of the Dead.” New productions include Bizet’s “Carmen,” Offenbach’s “Les Contes d’Hoffmann,” Thomas’s “Hamlet,” and Puccini’s “Tosca.” There are also 18 revivals from the company’s repertory that will be in the season lineup.

Like Rising Early? Morning Shows Offer Morning Concerts

Like getting up at 5:00 am? Can’t get enough of standing in line? Now you can combine both these fun things--if you’d like to try to attend one of the final free summer concerts in New York offered by either the "Today” Show or “Good Morning, America.” Each free summer concert series features top artists--but they’re also both held primarily on Friday mornings at 7:00 am. (This is not a venture for the faint of heart: It's recommended that you get there by 6:00 am.) And don’t think about going to both, because even if you ran at top speed across the park, you wouldn’t make it. (Part of their plan, of course; you must choose where you'd like to get your final hour of sleep.)
The last 2009 "Today Show Summer Concert Series" event (taking place tomorrow, August 21), features Brit pop singer Natasha Bedingfield, she of the hits “Unwritten,” “Soulmate,” and "Say it Again.” The series takes place on the plaza at Rockefeller Center (between 49th and 50th Streets near Fifth Avenue.) Lines, as you may guess, form quickly and early. This summer’s artists have also included Fall Out Boy, The Dave Matthews Band, Katy Perry, and Jason Mraz.
Over on the east side, the "2009 Good Morning America Summer Concert Series" is also vying for your attention, with a lineup that has included Green Day, John Legend, and teenybopper darlings The Jonas Brothers. The series finishes off (also tomorrow) with country legend Reba McEntire, and takes place at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park (the entrance is at Fifth Avenue and East 69th Street.)
Both concerts are free, but bring sensible shoes--and stamina.

Ceiling Collapse In 181st Street Station Causes Disruption In No. 1 Train Service

Officials are scrambling to fix where a huge part of the ceiling collapsed in the 181st Street subway station in Washington Heights where the No. 1 train runs. Upper Manhattan is expected to not have No. 1 train service through this weekend and possibly into next week, with service suspended from 168 Street to Dyckman Street stations. Both tracks and the edges of the platforms were covered with rubble when the incident occurred Sunday at 10:30 p.m. No one was injured.
While the debris is being removed and a protective barrier is built where the ceiling gave way, free shuttle buses are running between 168th Street and Dyckman Street stations. Although this will somewhat ease the problem, it takes the equivalent of 20 shuttle buses to make up one full train of passengers.
The 181st Street subway station is 103 years old and complaints about crumbling tiles and water leaks poured in from local residents, but transit officials did too little too late. Local officials believe water seepage was the main reason for the collapse, a regular complaint at many of the deep No. 1 line stations that are not well kept or well lit. At three stories below, the 181st Street station is one of the deepest and dampest subways in New York City, with the elevators often under repair. A contract for construction is expected to be set in early 2010.

Past, Present, Future: The South Street Seaport Looks Back...And Ahead

New York’s South Street Seaport is offering a glimpse of the city’s history in “Seaport Past & Future," a free public exhibit that is running through next summer. It shows the changes that the Seaport has gone through over the centuries, and how they’ve affected both the city and the surrounding region. Multi-media demonstrations and scale models show the area through the years, culminating in an architectural model of the plans for a new, revitalized South Street Seaport.
One of the neatest features of the exhibit: Archival materials that show visitors the same views over time, so members of the public can see what’s changed and what’s remained the same.
The vision for the new Seaport, sponsored by General Growth Properties, includes hotels, shops, restaurants, residential housing and increased pedestrian use, as well as the conversion of the former fish stalls of the Fulton Fish Market into a specialty market. The plan will also rehabilitate the infrastructure of the pier and platform, as well as open site lines to New York Harbor and The Brooklyn Bridge.
Tying into the city’s East River Esplanade Project, part of a plan to "green” (the new buzzword, and you must use it as a verb to be truly hip) the city’s waterfront, setting aside five acres of space along a promenade has been proposed.
The exhibit is located at 191 Front Street, near John Street; check out southstreetseaport.com for more information.

Crazy For Cupcakes? Come To New York City

New York City is truly a cupcake lovers paradise, famous for its cupcake bakeries since a “Sex and the City” episode in which Sarah Jessica Parker eats a pink-frosted cupcake in front of Magnolia Bakery on Bleecker Street. Nine years since the episode aired, tourists still flock to Magnolia Bakery.
New York City is crazy for cupcakes; cupcake bakeries can often be seen with lines out the door. Manhattan’s Institute of Culinary Education leads cupcake tours and offers cupcake-making classes. And cupcake bakeries are being more creative than ever to cater to the masses, offering everything from vegan to gourmet cupcakes. Here are some of the best cupcake shops in New York City worth a visit:

Babycakes NYC (248 Broome Street) serves up dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free vegan cupcakes, sweetened with agave nectar.

Buttercup Bake Shop (973 Second Avenue) cupcakes are have decadent touches like German chocolate cake and almond white cake.

Crumbs Bake Shop is a popular bakery with 10 locations throughout Manhattan that have large, sugary sweet cupcakes in flavors like watermelon, key lime, and cappuccino.

Magnolia Bakery (401 Bleecker Street) is arguably the most famous cupcake bakery due to its exposure on Sex and the City and for their cupcakes baked fresh all day, every day.

Sugar Sweet Sunshine (126 Rivington Street) is a vintage-themed bakery serving small buttercream cupcakes in simple flavors like red velvet and pistachio.

Miracle on 34th Street? Real-Time Bus Info Arrives

A pilot program for a “real-time” bus arrival information system is being tested on 34th Street as part of an effort to upgrade New York City’s bus service. The announcement was made by Mayor Mike Bloomberg; MTA officials; and Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. The routes carry 17,000 passengers every day.
The program launches at eight New York bus shelters that serve two 34th Street lines; they include eastbound bus stops at Park, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Avenues, as well as westbound stops at First, Second, Third and Lexington Avenues. The information signs are updated every 30 seconds and announce the waiting time, in minutes, until the next bus arrives. The program uses computer-generated GPS satellite technology installed on the M3 and M16 routes.
The program will be evaluated over a six-month period with the goal of expanding the routes and stops; sadly, no plans seem to be in process for a similar program on the subway system, where it’s sorely needed. (Other cities already have such programs in place.)
NYC Transit is also exploring whether real-time arrival information could be made accessible to the public on cell phones or the internet.
On the upside, the pilot program will not cost the city (or the MTA) anything, since GPS technolgy is provided by Clever Devices (real name, honest); and panel space for the LED signs by Cemusa.

Cruise The Waterfront With New York Water Taxi Hop-On, Hop-Off Summer Service

Looking for a fun new way to tour New York City? How about by boat? The New York Water Taxi offers a hop-on/hop-off weekend boat service around New York Harbor, making stops at 10 of the city’s best neighborhoods and attractions. This service will run from May 2 to October 11, 2009, every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. A day pass ($20 for adults, $15 for kids) allows for unlimited travel.
The Water Taxi’s first stop is West 44th Street at Pier 84. Check out the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum on Pier 86 at West 46th Street to tour the large aircraft carrier USS Intrepid. The second stop is West 27th Street at Pier 66 in Chelsea. Cool off from the summer heat by ice-skating at Chelsea Piers. Next up is Greenwich Village at Pier 45. Stroll the West Village and Hudson River Park. Traveling further south, the Water Taxi docks at the World Financial Center for a great opportunity to see the World Trade Center Memorial.
The fifth stop is Battery Park, the very Southern tip of Manhattan, with views of the Statue of Liberty. Round the island to South Street Seaport for shopping and a view of the Brooklyn Bridge, followed by Fulton Ferry Landing, the oldest ferry landing in New York City. The Water Taxi then stops at Hunters Point for access to Water Taxi Beach and Long Island City. The tour ends at East 34th Street, with sites like the United Nations Building and the Empire State Building in the vicinity.

Free Popcorn and a Mischievous Monkey: Riverflicks for Kids

August in New York can seem like a slow descent into unbearable temperatures and not enough air conditioning--which is why the city’s Hudson River Park’s “Riverflicks for Kids” comes as such welcome relief.
This is the last Friday (August 21) to catch part of this free film series for families (there's also one for adults that takes place at Pier 54; 14th Street and the Hudson River) that screens new and classic films for kids. This summer’s batch has included “Kung Fu Panda,” “The Wizard of Oz," and “Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa.” It finishes off with "Curious George” (not sure why, or if there's any significance to its being last), the 2006 animated film based on the classic H.A. Rey book about the mischievous monkey from Africa and the Man in the Yellow Hat (voiced by Will Ferrell). It’s rated G, and other voices include Eugene Levy, Dick Van Dyke, and Drew Barrymore.
Purists beware: An elaborate back story has been added.
Screenings start around dusk (usually between 8:00 and 8:30 PM these days) and popcorn is free (other snacks and beverage are also available for purchase.)
Movies are shown at Pier 46 (Charles Street/Hudson River); limited seating is available.
Call (212) 627-2121 for more information.
So forsake those hot city streets for a river breeze--and a riverflick.

Tourists Take To The Skies To See City's Sights Despite Tragic Collision

A Liberty Helicopter Sightseeing Tours helicopter and a small plane that took off from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey collided midair above the Hudson River on August 8, killing nine with no survivors. All bodies and wreckage have since been recovered from the river. The passengers taking a tour of New York City on the helicopter were five Italian tourists.
The accident occurred in a busy corridor over the Hudson in which pilots are free to decide their route, as long as they stay under 1,000 feet and don’t get too close to skyscrapers. Despite the tragic accident, tourists have remained unfazed and took to the skies for tours the very next day after the accident. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has even encouraged helicopter tours to continue, and that “there’s no reason why having helicopter tours shouldn’t be safe … I certainly don’t think that we should ban them.” A city councilwoman is pressing to ban tourist helicopter rides over Manhattan.
Taking in a birds-eye view from a helicopter is an increasingly popular tourism attraction in New York City and a thriving business despite the risk and high cost. Liberty Helicopter Tours offers a Lady Liberty tour costing $135 for 6 to 8 minutes, Big Apple tour of Manhattan landmarks for $165, a 16 to 20 minute tour of all five boroughs for $230, and a romantic private ride around Manhattan at night for $1,010.

Theater on the Edge: The New York International Fringe Festival

If you like your theater to be a walk on the wild side instead of a plush third-row seat, or if you’re just feeling daring and in need of something offbeat to do, The New York International Fringe festival starts today (Friday, August 14) and runs through Sunday, August 30.
More than 200 companies from around the world perform at what is billed as the biggest multi-arts festival in North America; it was founded in 1997. Let’s keep those numbers coming: That's 16 days, 20 performance venues (mostly in lower Manhattan), and more than 1300 performances to look forward to, for those of you who were wondering. Shows are chosen through a jury-based selection process.
Performances run from 2pm to midnight on weekdays, and noon to midnight on weekends.
Shows include “Selfplex,” which focuses on a 40-year-old writer who assumes the identity of a transgendered teenager; “6 Seconds in Charlak,” a contemporary romance told from the male point of view; and “666,” about four death-row convicts.
The festival also includes educational events (FringeU); and art-based events (FringeArt).
So it's not "Oklahoma," but isn't that kind of the point?
For more information, call (212) 279-4488; or log on to fringenyc.org

Newly Opened Brooklyn Boulders Rocks Its Way Into New York City

A new alternative to rock climbing at the usual New York City health club and Chelsea Piers has opened: a venue solely dedicated to indoor rock climbing. Brooklyn Boulders, an indoor rock climbing gym that is said to be a first for the borough, opened in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn on August 5 and is already a hit with locals.
The gym is co-owned by Jeremy Balboni, 26, and Steven Spaeth, 25, who did all of the construction of the walls and padded floors themselves along with employees of Spaeth’s family’s design marketing firm (that also happens to design Macy’s holiday windows.) The 18,000-square-foot former Daily News warehouse at Degraw Street and Third Avenue has thirty-foot ceilings and tasteful graffiti art and cartoons decorating portions of the wall where there aren’t nylon climbing grips. Climbing walls are tilted from just under vertical to totally horizontal for the most advanced. A scalable mock-up of a tower of the Brooklyn Bridge is a focal point in the gym.
Brooklyn Boulders is open to memberships. A day pass is $20/day with your own gear, or $30/day with provided gear and instruction. A yearly membership is $600 and a lifetime membership can be purchased for $5,000. It can be hard for gyms to survive on membership revenue alone, so to help Brooklyn Boulders survive, it’s available for corporate team-building, private special events and birthday parties.
The hours are irregular as the finishing touches are being made. Brooklyn Boulders is currently open 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays with classes taking place at a few different times. Visit www.brooklynboulders.com for more information.

Get Revved Up for the Weekend's Half-Marathon

Those of us who find it tiring to even watch the New York City marathon, or walk to a good vantage point, may take heart in this Sunday’s Half-Marathon, (August 16, starting at 7:00 am).
Beginning at Central Park’s East Drive, the course makes a clockwise loop around the park, continues to the south end of the park, and veers onto Seventh Avenue. Runners then head south to Times Square and along the Hudson River waterfront to lower Manhattan. The race, sponsored by The New York Road Runners Club, ends on West Street near Rector Street and Battery Park.
If watching the runners isn’t enough for you, entertainment will be provided throughout the course. It might be worth joining the crowd at Times Square just to say you were part of the Times Square Sing-Along—-lyrics to classic songs will be projected on an enormous video screen, while Broadway performers lead the festivities. Both runners and viewers are welcome to join in, but if the runners have enough breath to sing ”Hello, Dolly," they aren’t doing their job.
Other entertainment activities include Samba New York! at 42nd Street and the West Side Highway; The Creamsicles, a band that will play funk, surf rock and gypsy punk (No, we don’t know what that means either); and the "Corridor of Sound,” five DJ Stations near the finish along the West Side Highway, with--wait for it--a variety of city sounds. Yes, you could probably step outside and hear the same thing, but what fun would that be?

Big-Name Comedians Added To New York Comedy Festival Roster

Headliners of the New York Comedy Festival have officially been announced as Saturday Night Live’s Andy Samberg and 30 Rock’s Tracy Morgan, joining the bill of an already stellar line-up of the country’s best comedians. The diverse group of performers include actor/comedian Dane Cook, British comedian Ricky Gervais, “Howard Stern Show” regular Artie Lange, actor/comedian Mike Epps, and comedian/television show host/author/political commentator Bill Maher. This is the sixth installment of the festival, with an estimated 150 comedians expected to perform. It will take place over the course of November 4 through 8 in New York City.
If a certain presidential election distracted you from the festival last November, then there is no excuse for not attending the festival this year. The comedy acts will be held at various locations throughout the city, at about 10 different venues, like Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, Town Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and the Beacon Theatre. The festival is presented in association with Comedy Central. Panel discussions will also be held at the Paley Center for Media. The line-up of panelists is yet to be announced.
November 4 kicks off with “Stand Up For Heroes,” a special benefit presented by New York Comedy Festival and the Bob Woodruff Foundation at Town Hall. For more information and tickets, visit www.nycomedyfestival.com

Some Cantaloupe With Your Coach Bag? The Farmer's Market at Rockefeller Center

While you’re roaming around New York City’s Rockefeller Center, admiring the maze-like layout, becoming immersed in the hustle and bustle, looking for the perfect gift at one of the many shops, or gazing up at the famous statue of Atlas near the entrance, your mind is probably not on buying fresh-picked apples or perhaps a bushel of nectarines.
Perhaps you didn’t even know that such foodstuffs were available at Rockefeller Center, except perhaps tossed in with some exotic ingredients at one of the many area restaurants.
But wait! New York’s lively and well-known Greenmarket sets up shop at Rockefeller Center every Wednesday-Friday from now through September 4 (it started July 29), selling flowers, baked goods and of course, fresh fruits and vegetables, all sourced locally.
The Farmer’s Market, sponsored by Ocean Spray, is free and open to the public; it’s located at 50th street between 5th and 6th Avenues.
While you’re there, check out the underground concourse replete with stores and restaurants and pedestrian passageways. You can also find your inner nature child at the lush Channel Gardens; separating the British and French Empire buildings, they were named after the English Channel.
Of course, you can also just have a seat and munch on some fresh produce and have everyone stare at you enviously.

Take A Self-Guided Tour Of Illuminated NYC Structures

A new take on the usual New York City architectural tour has come along. There are apparently a surprising amount of visitors and locals who are interested in seeing the city through LEDs, mercury vapor lamps and the prism of gels, as odd as that sounds.
Three months ago, a self-guided tour map of New York City lighting designs was published by the Illuminating Engineering Society of New York in conjunction with the Designers Lighting Forum of New York. The self-guided maps have been so popular that only 1,500 of the original 20,000 are left in the office of the Illuminating Engineering Society. Much of the $25,000 spent on the project was provided by sponsors, and the society is currently considering a second printing.
The large foldout map leads people to different areas of New York City. The tour highlights the ethereal lighting of buildings and structures, along with the lighting designers and firms associated with each. Some examples that can be viewed at nighttime are the Alexander Hamilton Customs House, the Brooklyn Central Library, the TKTS kiosk in Times Square, and of course the illuminated glass Apple Store at Fifth Avenue. Much of the tour’s purpose is to bring attention to the overlooked lighting design industry that places a crucial part in how we view structures. Attention to lighting has also become more relevant as buildings look to become more energy efficient. Copies of the map can be purchased online at www.iesnyc.org/CityLights.aspx

New Funding for Ferry Transportation is in the Offing

Mayor Bloomberg and several other elected officials recently announced that more than $46 million in Transit Capital Assistance Grant funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be put towards the renovation and maintenance of ferry boats and piers in New York City. Money will also be used to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
In addition to money from stimulus funding, previous city and federal funding will bring the total amount allocated to the projects to more than $139 million; the projects will help create and keep more than 1600 jobs.
Among other benefits,upgrading the ferry system should help encourage commuters to leave their cars at home in an effort to reduce air pollution.
Projects include maintenance and repair of six Staten Island ferryboats; accessibility upgrades for several public ferry landings, including those at East 90th Street, East 34th Street, and Pier 79 at West 39th Street; and the rehabilitation of Pier 11 (South Street between Wall Street and Pine Street).
Oh yes—never think that the everyday needs of the weary traveler have been overlooked: Among the many structural changes to Pier 11, ferry riders will be glad to hear that canopies to protect passengers from inclement weather are on the agenda as well.

Pop-up Wedding Chapel Opens in Lower East Side, Protests Gay Marriage

Despite a ban on gay marriage in the state of New York, a pop-up wedding chapel has opened on the Lower East Side that can perform marriage ceremonies for both homosexuals and heterosexuals.
No bigger than a garage, the narrow space known as “Grand Opening” is a rotating storefront, with a new concept opening every three or four months. The space, owned by Kevin Fey and Joseph Peter, has been a drive-in movie theater and a ping-pong parlor in the past. It can be found at 139 Norfolk Street, currently with several rows of chairs for guests, flowers on the walls, and dreamy lights strung across the ceiling.
The marriages are performed by Fey, who became a reverend over the Internet through Universal Life Church. Ceremonies can cost between 100 and 500 dollars at Grand Opening. Heterosexual couples can get legally married in just 10 minutes, as simple and as valid as a wedding in city hall or in a Las Vegas chapel.
The ceremonies are without religious references and include the traditional exchange of rings and vows. The homosexual marriage ceremonies performed are not legal due to the state’s gay marriage ban, but are symbolic acts of protest. Couples who are native New Yorkers will still marry legally, or have already married legally, but choose to get fake married so they can have a ceremony at home with family and friends. Gay marriage is currently legal in six states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Iowa and Vermont.

Graffiti Artists Os Gemeos Take on Lower Manhattan

There's nothing unusual about graffiti in Manhattan...unless you're talking about Os Gemeos. Say “urban graffiti” and most people are likely (not unreasonably) to think of giant initials scrawled on the subway or chalk drawings on the street. But Os Gemeos, otherwise known as Brazilian twin brothers Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo, have brought a whole new definition to urban scrawl with their first public artwork in New York City. (Os Gemeos is Portuguese for twins.) Located on the northwest corner of Houston Street and the Bowery, their mural clocks in at 51feet long and 17 feet high. The fantastical work includes New York subways and Brazilian favelas (shantytowns); humans, fish, dogs and waterfalls. Plus whales, a peacock, a rope bridge and a boat, in what could be deemed a story, perhaps, of escape, done in deeply saturated colors. Look carefully and perhaps you’ll be able to pick out a narrative.
The brothers’ work has been done everywhere from the Netherlands to their native South America, and includes influences from Sao Paulo’s social and political happenings to Brazilian folklore; they started painting graffiti in 1987. Their style also owes a debt to both hip hop and the pixacao (a style of graffiti native to Brazil, known for angular lines) movement.
Os Gemeos had their first solo show in this country in San Francisco in 2003.

Candlewood Suites Arrives In NYC As First Midscale Extended-Stay Hotel

The national Candlewood Suites chain made its New York City debut for the first time ever on July 17 with the opening of Candlewood Suites Hotel at Times Square. This hotel has garnered the title of being the city’s first midscale extended-stay hotel, providing guests with the experience of staying in a studio apartment space for a midscale price.
The new Candlewood Suites is located near Times Square at 339 West 39th Street, a perfect destination for business and leisure travelers. With nearly 300 branded hotels in New York City, this is the first unique hotel of its kind to open as a midscale extended-stay hotel, offering a practical alternative.
The 188 guestrooms are all studio suites with large rooms and full kitchens with a full-size refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and microwave, and stocked with all the kitchen appliances one needs to live as if they were enjoying the comforts of home, such as pots, pans, plates and so forth. There is also a large workspace with desk, a recliner and deluxe bedding. Uniquely, though the rooms resemble studio apartments, the hotel still has hotel amenities like a 24-hour fitness center, onsite laundry facilities, and high-speed Internet access. Guests can also visit the Lending Library where free movies and music are available, and the Candlewood Cupboard in the lobby for food and small items.

Bringing Back the Adventure: Two Well-Known Playgrounds Revamped

Two of New York’s venerable playgrounds have just reopened on both sides of the park, and that’s good news both for kids and their sometimes frazzled, what-shall-we-do-today parents.
Both playgrounds, originally built in the 1970s, were dubbed "adventure playgrounds” after those that sprang up in Europe after World War II, when kids used debris from the war in their games. This concept eventually became integrated into the planning of playgrounds that encourage creative, imaginative play, and rely mostly on organic forms that utilize elements such as slides and ropes.
The West 100th Street Playground (in Central Park) features a climbing cone, a “sand pool,” a bridge, and a tree house.
The Ancient Playground is located on Fifth Avenue and 84th Street, across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art; both its name and many of its distinctive features were inspired by the Museum’s ancient collections. The renovation includes new swings, a new water spray activity for toddlers, and new play equipment including a climbing pyramid (perhaps a tip-off as well to Cleopatra’s Needle, the nearby obelisk in Central Park), ramps, and slides.
Only four other adventure-style playgrounds remain in Central Park: At West 67th street; East 72nd Street; mid-Park at 63rd Street; and West 93rd Street.

NYC Cabbies Risk Accidents And Stay On Phones Despite Ban

If you rode in a New York City yellow taxicab recently, chances are the driver was yapping away on their Bluetooth earpiece or even on a handheld cell phone. Cabbies have actually been banned from using cell phones for a decade, even hands-free devices, a rule widely ignored and unenforced. Research shows drivers who use cell phones and hands-free devices while driving are four times as likely to cause an accident. Yet in New York City, the sight of a taxi driver using a cell phone is as common as jaywalking, which is also heavily overlooked.
It is a constant battle for New York City authorities as they struggle to find effective ways to handle the problem other than having passengers report cell phone abuse when they see it. It can be intimidating for passengers to ask cabbies absorbed in their conversation to not talk on the phone while driving.
During the first six months of 2009, authorities issued just 232 summonses for cell phone use in taxicabs. For the first six months of 2008, 411 summonses were issued. Drivers who are caught violating must pay a $200 fine.
Surprisingly, New York City is one of the stricter cities in the country for their no cell phone rule for cabbies. The same restrictions apply in Boston, while hands-free devices are permitted in Los Angeles, and cell phones are used in Denver and Miami.

Mayor Bloomberg Gives Go-Ahead for Spanish TV Programming for Kids

With well over a million people speaking Spanish in New York, the recent initiative to offer the first Spanish-language educational TV programming for kids 2-7 years old comes at an appropriate time.
NYC TV Kids Presents V-me Niños was recently launched by Mayor Mike Bloomberg; Carmen DiRienzo, the President and CEO of V-me, a national Spanish-language network; and Katherine Oliver, the acting president of the NYC Media group.
The programming block, which includes both animated and live-action shows, can be viewed on NYC TV Channel 25, from 7:30 am to 10:00 am, Monday-Friday.
Some of the programs include ”Plaza Sesamo” (Yes, it is indeed “Sesame Street,” the classic and much-loved show for preschoolers, and yes, parents have been known to wander in and conveniently “find something that has to be done” while the show is airing as well); “Lazy Town,” a show dedicated to healthy kids that encourages them to eat healthily and to get up and move; “Five Minutes More”/”Cinco Minutas Mas” which features short segments that promote literacy with characters from Jim Henson; and “Bruno & the Banana Bunch,” which highlights a mischievous monkey who helps teach kids numbers, colors and shapes.
Three other programs complete the three-and-a-half-hour programming block, a welcome-—and much needed--addition to New York City’s TV options for kids.

Small Businesses Get Shot At Low-priced Retail Spaces While Vacancies Rise

Many small New York City retailers and restaurateurs are taking advantage of the altering real estate market as retail space rental prices fall dramatically. Big name brands and chains are reducing their amount of stores and moving out of desirable locations. Landlords and real estate agents are looking to reel in small businesses looking to expand or open up shop for the first time, and they are biting.
Independent businesses and boutiques that have the cash to expand are grabbing the affordable spaces. This is also the opportunity for small businesses to stake their claim in better locations they couldn’t penetrate in the past. Retail rents declined by 11 percent between fall 2008 and spring 2009. Certain neighborhoods in New York City have even seen price declines of as much as 50 percent.
A noticeably large volume of vacant retail spaces that remain unleased are also popping up around town. Retail vacancies in New York City have risen sharply in the past year due to stores closing, unable to survive the economic downturn. Because of this, landlords are becoming more lenient about what businesses take up residency, whereas before it had to be a national tenant. Also, small longtime tenants who have struggled in keeping up with rent are now able to relax with a better chance at renewing their leases.

Take to the Streets for Summer Streets

For the next three Saturdays (August 8, 15, 22), forget your car--just bring along a sturdy pair of sneakers or a two-wheeled vehicle if you’re planning to be near New York City’s Park Avenue. The New York Department of Transportation and its partners are presenting “Summer Streets,” which closes Park and connecting streets to cars from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park. What will be there instead? If you have any sense of adventure, you will!
You can walk, stroll, amble, bike, or jog your way though the streets, which will also host a variety of activities, from free fitness forums and bike and skate rentals to music, art and dance performances and events. Want more? Check out the Reading Area (on Park between 52nd and 53rd); or the Kids Zone, which offers games and crafts for the younger set (52nd between Park and Lexington).
(Oh, yes--sitting and relaxing are just fine, too.) The event is part of the city’s initiative to make people more aware of “greener” transportation alternatives, and is modeled on similar events that have been held around the world.
The streets will be closed from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm. For more information (about the event itself; street closures, or alternate routes), dial 311; you can request to be connected to the Summer Streets Hotline.

Broadway's Fall Season Packed With Hollywood Stars Set To Take The Stage

Unlike last October when Katie Holmes had the spotlight all to herself as she made her debut in "All My Sons," this fall season of Broadway shows features a star-studded lineup with some major movie stars set to take the stage. The convergence of so many celebrities on Broadway in the fall season is merely a coincidence and producers say there was no premeditated push to get more celebrities in Broadway shows.
So far the summer season attendance has been down 8.4 percent compared to last summer's season. The large amount of star-power is definitely expected to boost ticket sales, which should of course help New York City’s economy. The roster begins with Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman in "A Steady Rain" coming in September, followed by Jude Law in "Hamlet" starting shortly after. Sienna Miller will debut in "After Miss Julie," James Spader in "Race," and Julia Stiles and Bill Pullman will star in "Oleanna."
Hollywood stars often seek out stints on Broadway in New York City as a means for bolstering their credibility as an actor, even if there is no need to prove themselves. For instance, Julia Roberts made her Broadway debut in "Three Days of Rain" in 2006. Though her performance was panned by critics, the play still sold exceptionally well. While a famous name may not always ensure a shows success, it does create buzz and attract interest in Broadway, which is much needed now.

Lincoln Center Out of Doors Lights Up the Summer

Forget about the fourth row seat, the tux, the chandeliers dimming. In fact, forget about seats, dressing up, and indoor lighting at all--New York’s Lincoln Center is moving outside, at least for the next three weeks.
From August 5-23, Lincoln Center Out of Doors takes center stage in this 39th incarnation of free performances, which occur all around the Center's buildings. The festival features music and dance performances by a range of artists from around the world, and includes works commissioned especially for this event, as well as some premieres.
Modern dance fan? You got it. Jazz fiend? That’s there, too. Can’t get enough hip hop? Yes, that’s even there as well.
Highlights include well-known names like jazz greats The Dave Brubeck Quartet, and some names that may not be quite as familiar, like Iraqi-American jazz trumpeter Amir ElSaffar with the Two Rivers Large Ensemble.
Other performers include Hip Hop generation Next (which features a rap crew from Sierra Leone, Bajah + the Dry Eye Crew, on August 6); street bands marching through various venues (Aug 5-9); and, on the closing weekend (Aug. 22-23), the 26th Annual Roots of American Music Festival, celebrating renowned folk singer Odetta.
So yes--you can soak up culture and the sun at the same time!
Call (212) 875-5766 to request a brochure, or (212) 546-2656 for general information. Lincoln Center is located between West 62nd and 65th Streets and Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues.

Runway Reconstruction Begins At JFK Airport

A major makeover is taking place on one of the longest and busiest commercial airport runways in the U.S.: the Bay Runway (runway 13R-31L) at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens. The runway will be reconstructed, receiving a new drainage system, electrical infrastructure, and will be widened by 50 feet to a total 200 feet. Gov. David Paterson kicked off the $376 million project on July 28. It's expected to cut flight delays and reduce congestion, something the airport is notorious for. JFK ranks as one of the top airports in flight delays nationwide.
This project is part of the JFK Delay Reduction Program. More than 143,000 takeoffs and landings took place on this runway in 2008. The expansion will not only reduce delays, it will improve airport operations and support about 2,500 jobs. The improvements will mean replacing old asphalt with an 18-inch concrete overlay. Concrete has a lifespan of nearly five times more than asphalt. It will also save money long term and will reduce the need for more maintenance.
It is expected that the reconstruction will reduce flight delays by an estimated 10,500 hours per year. During the runway makeover, air traffic will be shifted to three other runways at JFK, causing a temporary headache that will supposedly be worth it in the end. The Bay Runway will be closed for about four months next year. The project is expected to be complete November 2011.

The Man Who Would Be Fashion: Richard Avedon at ICP

If you’ve ever flipped through an issue of Harper’s Bazaar from the ‘40 or ‘50s, you’ve most likely seen the work of seminal fashion photographer Richard Avedon, whose photographs are now on view at New York’s International Center of Photography (ICP) in “Avedon Fashion 1944-2000,” part of the museum’s “Year of Fashion” event. (To file under “Did you Know”: The fashion photographer played by Fred Astaire in the movie “Funny Face,” with Audrey Hepburn, was loosely based on Avedon.) Throughout his nearly seven-decade career, Avedon completely changed the role of the fashion photographer by veering away from the static look of most fashion photographs and creating a new brand of lively, dynamic images: he took models out of the studio and into the air, showing them in motion. Formerly thought of as a predominantly European business, Avedon helped influence fashion photography in a way that continues to impact photographers today
ICP now offers the most comprehensive look at his fashion photography to date, including his work from Bazaar, Vogue and The New Yorker. More than 200 works are on view through September 20, including vintage prints, archival materials and contact sheets.
ICP is located at 1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street. Call (212) 857-0000 for more information.