BrooklynBlvd.nyc  Log-Out Members

Ads Go To Onsite Home Pages

Brooklyn Blvd

Say U Saw It On Brooklyn BLVD
Brooklyn BLVD Events

Click For Special Offers

BK

Astor

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Memorial Day Weekend, Fleet Week, Beaches Open, Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit, Harlem International Film Fest, Losaida Festival & LES Festival of the Arts in Manhattan; Memorial Day Parades in Queens; Atlantic Avenue Art Walk, BAM Dance Africa Festival & Memorial Day Parades in Brooklyn; 152nd Puerto Rican Cultural Festival, Orchard Beach Opens & City Island Memorial Day Parade in the Bronx; SI Mall Carnival, Fleet Week & Memorial Day Parade on Staten Island and Updating Open Calls & Weekend Events Calendar

 

things to do in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island things to do this weekend events nycMay 26, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC/ 317.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid to high 70's and the temperature lows will be around 60. No rain is in the forecast.

We're still working on the open calls and the community & small business grants page, as well as updating the events calendars. It's a focus of ours over the next couple of weeks, so you should see some good improvement by late May / early June.

The photo at right shows a scene from Washington Square Park this week. The Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit / Fair returns this weekend.

 

Mayor Adams & The People's Money

This week the Mayor announced that a participatory budgeting effort is underway. Here's a link to his description of how it works - Mayor Adams wants New Yorkers to help allocate resources - and here is a link to the City website - The People's Money - where you can participate in allocating money to the causes in your community that you care about.

 

Mostly Free Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC

Thursday - Sunday, May 18 - 28, 2023 at various times - the Harlem International Film Festival. At AMC Magic Johnson Harlem 9 Theatres at 2309 Frederick Douglass Blvd in Harlem. For details and tickets see - https://harlemfilmfestival.org/.

PIER 88 & 90 & INTREPID AIR & SPACE MUSEUM _ Tuesday, May 23 - Tuesday, May 30, 2023 - Fleet Week. Use link below to view Manhattan Parades & events details.

Saturday, Sunday & Monday, May 27, 28 & 29, 2023 from 12 noon to 6 pm - The Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit in the Village runs along University Place from East 13th Street and continuing south along the east side of Washington Square Park to West 3rd Street.  The southern end of the show encompasses Schwartz Plaza, (aka Bobkin Lane), between NYU's Shimkin Hall and Bobst Library. It's a unique art show attracting exhibitors from all over & runs two weekends - see below.*

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, May 26, 27, 28, 2023 - the Lower East Side Festival for the Arts runs Friday through Sunday at the Theater for the New City at 155 First Avenue between East 9th & 10th Streets on 1st Avenue in the East Village. The event runs from 6 pm - 1 am Friday, on Saturday there's an outside cultural street fair from 12 noon to 6 pm, in tandem and also followed by theater from 1 pm - 12 midnight, and on Sunday from 6 pm - 12 midnight. Numerous performances by many of the 200 local artists, actors, musicians, dancers and performers associated with the theater. Free admission, donations welcome. For details see - https://theaterforthenewcity.net

Sunday, May 28, 2023 from 12 noon to 5 pm - The 36th Annual Losaida Festival - Along Avenue C between 6th and 12th streets on the Lower East Side. Set up begins at 10 am and the fair includes art, entertainment, food and shopping. Street fairs on the Lower East Side. For details see - https://loisaida.org

things to do in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island things to do this weekend events nycAdditional Memorial Day Weekend events [see link below for Manhattan Fleet Week events] coming throughout the weekend.

CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2023. These include additional events for the weekend.

CLICK this link to view a FULL SCHEDULE OF ALL of the Manhattan Parades & large cultural events in NYC throughout the year.

The photo at right shows the creation of a grafitti artist adorning a construction site in NYC.

 

Mostly Free Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC

Saturday, May 27, 2023 from 12 noon - 5 pm - Sunnyside Gardens Park Memorial Day Fair - In the park at 39th Ave at 49th Street in Sunnyside. Open to General Public and includes kids activities, arts, crafts, food & rides.

Sunday, May 28, 2023 from 2 pm, the 101st College Point Memorial Day Parade. Use link below to view Queens Parades & events details.

Sunday, May 28, 2023 from 1 - 3 pm, the Maspeth Memorial Day Parade. Use link below to view Queens Parades & events details.

Sunday, May 28, 2023 from 12 noon - 2 pm, the American Legion Forest Hills Memorial Day Weekend Parade. Use link below to view Queens Parades & events details.

Monday, May 29, 2023 the Douglaston - Little Neck Memorial Day Parade. Use link below to view Queens Parades & events details.

Monday, May 29, 2023 from 11 am - 1 pm the Ridgewood / Glendale Myrtle Avenue Memorial Day Parade. Use link below to view Queens Parades & events details.

Monday, May 29, 2023 from 11.30 am - 2 pm the Whitestone Memorial Day Parade. Use link below to view Queens Parades & events details.

Additional Memorial Day Weekend events [see link below for all Queens Memorial Day parades] coming throughout the weekend. Also see street fairs and you can scroll down for other suggestions.

Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2023. These include additional events for the weekend.

CLICK this link to view a FULL SCHEDULE OF ALL of the Queens Parades & large cultural events in NYC throughout the year.

 

Mostly Free Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

things to do in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island things to do this weekend events nycSaturday through Sunday, May 13 - June 11, 2023 - Dance Africa Festival at BAM - At 30 Lafayette Avenue at Ashland Place - in the Peter Jay Sharp Building and Howard Gilman Opera House in the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. It's a performance festival featuring African culture. Tickets start at $35 for adults and $22 for kids. For details see www.bam.org. This is NOT a street fair, but there is a bazaar day, but it is mostly musical, theatrical and cultural dance performances.

Saturday - Sunday, May 20 - 28, 2023 - The Atlantic Avenue Art Walk. A free, self-guided tour through Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill and Downtown Brooklyn. For details see their posting in our Brooklyn Events - Member Calendar - or visit the sponsor's website at - https://www.atlanticave.org/artwalk.

BAY RIDGE _ Monday, May 29, 2023 at 11 am - The 155th Brooklyn / Bay Ridge Memorial Day Parade steps off on 3rd Avenue and 78th Street in Bay Ridge Brooklyn. The parade proceeds down to Marine Avenue, up to 4th Avenue, then over to John Paul Jones Park for their memorial service which includes bag pipes, flag raising and wreath laying by Veteran Service Organizations. This is followed by a 21-gun salute and the playing of Taps by the Veteran Corps of Artillery. For details see - https://www.brooklynmemorialdayparade.com/

CARNARSIE _ Saturday, May 27, 2023 - Memorial Day Parade. Use link below to view Brooklyn Parades details.

FORT HAMILTON _ Tuesday, May 23 - Tuesday, May 30, 2023 - Fleet Week. Use link below to view Brooklyn Parades & events details.

Additional Memorial Day Weekend events [see link below for Bk Memorial Day parades] coming throughout the weekend. Also see street fairs and you can scroll down for other suggestions.

Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2023. These include additional events for the weekend.

CLICK this link to view a FULL SCHEDULE OF ALL of the Brooklyn Parades & large cultural events in NYC throughout the year.

The photo above right shows another scene from Washington Square Park.

 

Mostly Free Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx NYC

Saturday, May 27, 2023 from 11 am - 6 pm. Annual 152nd Street Cultural Festival / which is the Official National Puerto Rican Day Parade Street Festival - Along 152nd Street between [Prospect & Westchester Ave] Jackson & Tinton in the Longwood / Melrose neighborhoods of the Bronx. It's one of the largest Puerto Rican street festivals in NYC. The National Puerto Rican Day Parade is held a week later in Manhattan.

things to do in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island things to do this weekend events nycSaturday, May 27, 2023 - Orchard Beach Opens for the Summer.

Saturday, May 27, 2023 - from 1 - 7 pm - Bronx Night Market - in Fordham Plaza at East Fordham Road and Third Avenue across from the Metro North Railway Station. This is mostly a food market versus a street fair in the Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx.

Monday, May 29, 2023 from 2 - 4 pm - City Island Memorial Day Parade & Festival. Use link below to view Bronx Parades & events details.

Additional Memorial Day Weekend events [see link below for Bx Memorial Day parade] coming throughout the weekend. Also see street fairs and you can scroll down for other suggestions.

Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2023. These include additional events for the weekend.

CLICK this link to view a FULL SCHEDULE OF ALL of the Bronx Parades & large cultural events in NYC throughout the year.

The photo at right shows an Earth woman and at left an alien woman, or perhaps AI?

 

Mostly Free Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC

Tuesday, May 23 - Tuesday, May 30, 2023 - Fleet Week at the Home Port Pier at 305 Front Street in the Stapleton neighborhood. Use link below to view Manhattan Parades & events details.

Monday, May 29, 2023 - The Memorial Day Parade in West Brighton. Use link below to view Staten Island Parades & events details.

May 25 - June 11, 2023 there's an SI Mall Carnival at the Staten Island Mall at 2655 Richmond Avenue in the Heartland Village / New Springville neighborhoods of Staten Island. The carnival which includes rides, prize games and food is open weekdays from 5 to 10 pm, opening at 1 pm on Saturdays & Sundays and Memorial Day. Tickets are $5 for entry, and $35 per person for [I think unlimited] weekday rides and $85 for four persons. For details see www.statenislandmall.com.

Additional Memorial Day Weekend events [see link below for SI Memorial Day parade & Fleet Week events] coming throughout the weekend. Also see street fairs and you can scroll down for other suggestions.

Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2023. These include additional events for the weekend.

And CLICK this link for a FULL SCHEDULE OF ALL of the Staten Island parades & cultural events throughout the year.

 

Have a good Memorial Day weekend.


Things To Do Brooklyn Memorial Day Weekend - Brooklyn Events Memorial Day BK NYC

Memorial Day Weekend Things To Do in Brooklyn NYC

Things To Do in Brooklyn over the Memorial Day Weekend

brooklyn things to do memorial day weekend brooklyn memorial day weekend bk nycMay 26, 2023 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods NYC / Things To Do in Brooklyn NYC / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

This is a report containing things to do in Manhattan over the Memorial Day Weekend.

Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid to high 70's and the temperature lows will be around 60. No rain is in the forecast.

The things to do in Manhattan on Memorial Day Weekend include art exhibitions, theater, live music, comedy, dance, shopping, outdoor activities such as soccer, kyaking, baseball, parades, street fairs, museums and dining in the Dumbo, Williamsburg, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, Downtown Brooklyn, Sunset Park, Bayridge, Marine Park, Coney Island neighborhoods of Brooklyn NYC.

Be sure to check our Memorial Day Weekend things to do on Friday afternoon leading into the Memorial Day Weekend in Brooklyn NYC.

 

Brief History of the Memorial Day Holiday in Brooklyn

Memorial Day first started out as Decoration Day in Waterloo, New York on May 30, 1866 - a year after the Civil War - to honor those who fought in it. In the 1880's the day came to be known as Memorial Day.

According to a May 25, 2012 report in Time Magazine, ten states - Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee also officially observe some version of a Confederate Memorial Day, sometime between late April and early June [in Texas it's in January]. It's been reported that unofficially most of the former Confederate states still commemorate it, but not without some controversy as to the former Confederate diaspora it's to honor their ancestors, while to the former diaspora of the slaves it seems a remnant of these states racist past.

About ten percent of the nation travels more than 50 miles over the weekend. Memorial Day differs from Veterans Day which is held on November 11th of each year. Veterans Day began by honoring those who fought in World War I which ended on the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. Both honor those who served in the U.S. Military. Veterans Day coincides with a similar holiday in Europe for the same reason, which is called Remembrance Day and Armistice Day.

 



* Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Dance & Asian American PI Parades; Clio, Frieze & Contemporary African Art Fairs; Taste of Tribeca & 9th Avenue International Food Fests; Ukrainian Festival, Harlem International Film Fest & AIDS Walk in Manhattan; Downtown Jazz Fest in Jamaica, Greek Fest in Astoria, LIC Arts Open & 'Big Love' in Long Island City, Eight Tales of Pedro & Jamaica Jazz Fest in Queens; Bayfest, Norweigan Parade, Fabulous 5th Avenue Fest, Filipino Fair, Atlantic Ave Art Walk, Other Art Fair & BAM Dance Africa Festival in Brooklyn; Bronx Fashion Week, Vegan Street Fair & Bronx Week Ending in the Bronx; Cottage Row Curiosities Market & the Great Staten Island Lighthouse Hunt & Updating Open Calls

 

things to do in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island things to do this weekend events nycMay 19, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid 60's on Friday and Saturday, rising to about 80 on Sunday. The temperature lows will be around 60 all weekend. The humidity will rise from 50% on Friday to 80% on Saturday, before falling back to 50% on Sunday. Winds will be 10 - 15 mph on Friday, falling to 5 - 10 mph for the rest of the weekend. There's a 65% chance of some rain [a 1/4 inch] before 3 pm on Saturday.

 

There are also a few more events to add, but this is a solid first pass of the major events this weekend, allowing that there are a couple of things that need updating for Queens.

The photo at right was taken at the Ukrainian Festival in a prior year. The festival runs through this weekend in the East Village. See details below.

 

We're still working on the open calls and the community & small business grants page, as well as updating the events calendars. It's a focus of ours over the next couple of weeks, so you should see some good improvement by late May / early June.

 

Mostly Free Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC

Wednesday - Sunday, May 17 - 21, 2023 _ Freize Art Fair at the Shed at 545 West 30th Street at Hudson Yard - From 11 am - 5.30 pm on Friday, 12 noon - 5.30 pm Saturday, 11 am - 3.30 pm Sunday. Tickets range from $40 - $140 for adults & kids cost $10 at https://www.frieze.com/.

Thursday - Sunday, May 18 - 21, 2023 - the 1 - 54 Contemporary African Art Fair beginning at 11 am daily and ending at 7 pm Friday & Saturday and at 5 pm on Sunday. At 439 West 127th Street in Harlem. The fair hosts the exhibits of 26 galleries. For details and $20 tickets, see - https://www.1-54.com.

Thursday - Sunday, May 18 - 28, 2023 at various times - the Harlem International Film Festival. At AMC Magic Johnson Harlem 9 Theatres at 2309 Frederick Douglass Blvd in Harlem. For details and tickets see - https://harlemfilmfestival.org/.

Thursday - Thursday, May 18 - 25, 2023 - NYC X Design. This is at various venues at various times. It's all about the many facets of design - from workshops to exhibits to markets. Every day is chuck full of events - see www.nycxdesign.org for details. Many events are free.

Last year the NYC X Design program included an art tour in LIC Queens on Friday and there's plenty more at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan.

Thursday - Sunday, May 18 - 21, 2023 - Clio Art Fair - from 6 - 9 pm Thursday, 12 noon - 8 pm Friday, 2 - 8 pm Saturday & 2 - 6 pm Sunday. They are also hosting Saturday and Sunday brunches from 12 noon - 2 pm. At 550 West 29th Street in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan NYC.

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, May 19 - 21, 2022 begins 4 pm Friday & at 12 noon Saturday & Sunday ending at 9 pm nightly - Ukranian Festival - At 30 East 7th Street and along 7th Street between 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue in the East Village. Includes Ukranian shopping, food and entertainment with the proceeds going to St. George Academy, which is a Ukrainian school. For details and further information see - https://www.facebook.com/StGeorgesUkrainianFestivalNYC/ . See photo at right.

Saturday, May 20, 2023 the Taste of Tribeca runs from 11.30 am - 3 pm along Duane Street between Greenwich and Hudson Streets in Tribeca. Sometimes up to 80 Tribeca [and nearby] food and beverage vendors come out to serve the public. Note that this is a food festival not a street fair per se. Proceeds benefit PS 150 and PS 234. Tickets run from $60 on up, and they have lower cost group rates. For details see - https://www.tasteoftribeca.com/. See this story about the Taste of Tribeca St Fair.

Saturday, May 20, 2023 the Dance Parade begins at 12 noon at 20th Street and Broadway. It marches down along Broadway and University to Washington Square Park where it turns [left] east on 8th Street and heads into Tompkins Square Park in the East Village. A Dance Festival follows the Dance Parade in Tompkins Square Park in the East Village from 3 - 7 pm. Free. For details see - https://danceparade.org/

Saturday & Sunday, May 20 & 21, 2023 from 10 am - 6 pm. 9th Avenue International Food Festival - Along 9th Ave between 42nd Street & 57th Street. For details see - http://ninthavenuefoodfestival.com/

Sunday, May 21, 2023 beginning at 7.30 / 8 am - AIDS Walk / Run in Central Park. The Naumberg Bandshell just south of the Bethesda Fountain is the hub of all activities. Enter the park from east or west at 72nd Street. It's a four mile walk / run around the interior of the park. Free to enter. Donations go to support the Gay Men's Health Crisis [GMHC]. For details see - https://aidswalkny.org

Sunday, May 21, 2023 from 12 noon - 3 pm - Asian American Pacific Islander Parade - 2nd parade - AAPI is comprised of thirty ethnic groups, speaking 50 different languages. Marching up 6th Avenue from West 44th to West 53rd streets in Midtown. For details see - https://aaari.info

Sunday, May 21, 2023 from 12 noon - 6 pm - Greek Jewish Festival on [the center is at 280] Broome Street between Allen and Eldridge Streets on the Lower East Side [LES]. "Authentic kosher Greek foods, homemade Greek pastries, traditional Greek dancing, live Greek and Sephardic music and ... vendors". LES street fairs on the Lower East Side. For details see - https://www.kkjsm.org or https://www.kkjfestival.com/

CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2023.

 

Mostly Free Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC

Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 12 noon - 5 pm - LIC Springs Festival - Along Vernon Blvd between 46th and 50th Avenues. There will be music, dance and performances, as well as fitness, food and games. Street fairs in LIC Queens NYC. For details see - https://www.longislandcityqueens.com/

Thru Saturday, May 20, 2023 at 2.30 & 7.30 pm, performances of 'Big Love' at the LaGuardia College Performing Arts Center at 31-10 Thomson Avenue in Long Island City. For details and tickets see - https://www.lpac.nyc.

Friday & Saturday, May 19 & 20, 2023 from 6.30 - 10 and 12 noon - 8.30 pm _ Downtown Jamaica Jazz Festival in Queens. They have nearly a dozen performances scheduled each day at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center at 153-10 Jamaica Avenue in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens. Jazz festivals in Queens.

Thursday thru Sunday, May 1 - 21, 2023 / Open Galleries Saturday & Sunday from 12 noon - 5 pm & other times / events - LIC Arts Open Studios. LIC Arts Open is an event whereby LIC artists open their studios to the public for this long weekend, which started Thursday. As they're artists, they sometimes forge their own hours, so it's best to check the site using the link info that follows. Admission to open studios is free, possibly some exceptions, but not likely. Opportunity to visit artists' studios as well as some performances. For details see - https://licartsopen.com/

Thursday through Sunday, May 18 - 21, 2023 runs 5 pm - 11 pm Thursday & Friday, and 1 - 11 pm Saturday & ending at 10 pm Sunday - 49th Annual Greek Festival at St Demetrios Church on 31st Avenue and 30th Drive. Old fashioned town fair including traditional Greek food, good rides and prizes for the kids, and Greek cultural music and dance entertainment. Click here for St Demetrios street fair map. 718.728.1718.

LAST WEEKEND, after having been extended for two more weekends, thru 5/21/23. Originally _ Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, beginning April 28 - May 7, 2023 at 8 pm on Fridays & Saturdays and at 2 pm and 3 pm respectively on Saturdays and Sundays, there's a performance of Eight Tales of Pedro at the Queens Theatre in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. It's an original work developed in tandem with Queens Theatre. For details and $24 tickets see - https://queenstheatre.org/

Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

 

Mostly Free Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

Saturday through Sunday, May 13 - June 11, 2023 - Dance Africa Festival at BAM - At 30 Lafayette Avenue at Ashland Place - in the Peter Jay Sharp Building and Howard Gilman Opera House in the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. It's a performance festival featuring African culture. Tickets start at $35 for adults and $22 for kids. For details see www.bam.org. This is NOT a street fair, but there is a bazaar day, but it is mostly musical, theatrical and cultural dance performances.

Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday, May 18 - 21, 2023 from 6 - 10 pm, 4 - 10 pm, 11 am 7 pm & 11 am - 6 pm respectively - The Other Art Fair. At the Agger Fish Building in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. There will be performances and art installations, including artworks by 110 different artists. For details and $14 - $24 tickets see - https://www.theotherartfair.com .

Saturday - Sunday, May 20 - 28, 2023 - The Atlantic Avenue Art Walk. A free, self-guided tour through Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill and Downtown Brooklyn. For details see their posting in our Brooklyn Events - Member Calendar - or visit the sponsor's website at - https://www.atlanticave.org/artwalk.

Sunday, May 21, 2023 from 10 am - 6 pm, there's the Filipino Street Fair on 5th Avenue between 10th and 11th Streets in Park Slope. Filipino food, art and handicrafts will be featured.

Sunday, May 21, 2023 from 12 noon - 6 pm. Bayfest. At Emmons Avenue and East 27th Street in the Sheepshead Bay neighborhood of Brooklyn. Arts, crafts, amusement rides, bands, dance performances along the Brooklyn waterfront. Free. For details see - http://bigbayfest.org/

Sunday, May 21, 2023 from 11 am - 6 pm. Fabulous Fifth Avenue Street Fair. Along 5th Avenue between Sterling Place & 12th Street in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn. Brooklyn street fairs / St Fairs & festivals near the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn. Organized by the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID. There will be plenty of food offerings at the bars and restaurants along 5th, as well as live entertainment at many of the venues. This is more of a food fair that typical street fair. For details see - https://parkslopefifthavenuebid.com

Sunday, May 21, 2023 beginning at 1.30 pm - Norweigan Day Parade - The parade steps off at 80th Street and 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge. The parade then turns right onto 75th Street [aka Bay Ridge Parkway], left onto 5th Avenue, to 67th Street and then along the Park - ending between 6th and 7th Avenues where the reviewing stand is. Street fairs in Bay Ridge Brooklyn NYC. For details see - https://17thofmayparadecommittee-brooklyn.org/

Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2023.

 

Mostly Free Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx NYC

On Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 11 am - 7 pm there's a Vegan Street Fair in Rev T. Wendell Foster Park at 1055 Jerome Avenue in the Bronx. Tickets cost $4 per bite or $55 for the vegan food festival. Rides are separate at $8 / ride. For details see - https://www.veganstreetfair.com.

On Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 4 - 5 pm the Bronx Fashion Week will be at the Bay Plaza Mall at 200 Baychester Avenue in the Bronx. Models will be walking the runway. Admission ranges from $0 for standing room and $45 for VIP seating. For details and tickets see - https://www.bronxfashionweek.com.

Ends Sunday May 21, 2023 - Bronx Week - Multiple events at various locations in the Bronx. For details see - https://bronxboropres.nyc.gov/

Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

 

Mostly Free Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC

UPDATE _ CHANGED TO SUNDAY, MAY 21 _ Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 11 am - 4 pm, there's the Cottage Row Curiosities at Snug Harbor Cultural Center at 1000 Richmond Terrace Street in the Randall Manor neighborhood of Staten Island. There will be over 40 local vendors selling artisanal goods, food, music, entertainment and information. https://snug-harbor.org

Maker Park Radio Record Fair has been moved to June 2023.

Sunday, May 21, 2023 from 10 am - 4 pm - The Great Staten Island Lighthouse Hunt. Begins at either the Postcards, which is the name of the Staten Island 911 Memorial, on Bank Street in St. George along the waterfront just west of the SI Ferry, or at the Conference House in Tottenville. The cost is $35 per carload or $15 per bicycle / motorcycle. Teams of three are recommended to drive, navigate and shoot photos.

Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

Summer is just around the corner. Have good weekend.


Brooklyn Outdoor Free Public Swimming Pools in BK NYC

Brooklyn Free Public Outdoor Swimming Pools - BK NYC

This Brooklyn Public Swimming Pool Report Includes Contact Info NYC

bronx swimming pools bronx free public swimming pools bronx nycMay 16, 2023 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods / Brooklyn Swimming Pools, Parks & Sports / Brooklyn BLVD NYC.

Brooklyn offers easy access to a wide range of recreational swimming pools. The following is an attempt to provide you with a view of the range of public swimming pools available in the parks of Brooklyn. We encourage you to make use of these facilities because they provide healthy, fun, and frequently free or inexpensive entertainment for both individuals and families with children.

Only outdoor public pools will open in late June 2023. A few of the indoor pools will be closed this summer to allow for construction and improvements.

Generally pool hours are from 11 am - 7 pm daily, with a one hour break between 3 and 4 pm for cleaning. Bring a padlock for your locker and proper swimming trunks are required [for boys this means not shorts as trunks must have liners]. Don't bring food, glass bottles, newspapers, electronics, floaters and no or as few valuables as you can bring to minimize your risk because the park isn't responsible for your losses. Free sunscreen will be made available while supplies last.

As of this posting 5.16.23, masks are NOT required for indoor activity including in the locker rooms, but stay tuned as it's possible that could change.

Click here to view a listing of Brooklyn outdoor swimming pools, free public swimming pools in Brooklyn in the neighborhoods of BK. Please note the photos do not reflect the onsite pools as of this post 5.16.23.



Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Happy Mothers Day Weekend, TEFAF Show, Indian Film Fest & Japan Parade in Manhattan, Eight Tales of Pedro, Taste of Queens Tuesday & Jamaica Jazz Fest Friday in Queens; Brooklyn Conservatory of Music Open Stages & BAM Dance Africa Festival in Brooklyn, Bronx Week in the Bronx; Arts & Crafts Show at the Staten Island Mall & Updating Open Calls

 

May 12, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

things to do in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island things to do this weekend events nycNYC Weather. The temperature highs will be around 90 on Friday, falling to 80 on Saturday and about 75 on Sunday. The temperature lows will be in the mid 60's on Friday, falling to about 60 on Saturday and possibly into the mid 50's on Sunday. Winds will be about 5 - 8 mph all weekend. The humidity will fall from 50% on Friday to 40% on Saturday and between 30% - 40% on Sunday. No rain is in the forecast for this weekend

The photo at right shows a rainy day this past week. It was nice to see some moisture return to the area, as up until very recently, it had been lacking thus far this year.

 

Open Calls & Reactivation of Monthly Events Calendars

Open calls for musicians, artists, dancers, actors, film producers and other performers; as well grants and workshops for environmental and small business grants and funding have now been moved to a separate page. We're in the process of working to update these on a weekly / rolling basis, so stay tuned over the next couple of weeks as we hit our stride.

We're also updating our events and monthly things to do in Manhattan NYC calendar, events and monthly things to do in Queens NYC calendar, events and monthly things to do in Brooklyn NYC calendar, events and monthly things to do in the Bronx NYC calendar & events and monthly things to do on Staten Island NYC calendar. This will also take a couple / few weeks to get working the way we want it to, but look for progress weekly.

 

Mostly Free Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC

Thursday - Sunday, May 11 - 14, 2023 - Indian Film Festival - At various times, plus opening and closing events and talks. This is about the Indian subcontinent. The films are shown mostly at the Angelika Theater at 18 West Houston in the Village, but there's at least one event [closing] at the SVA Theater at 333 West 23rd Street in Chelsea. For details see www.nyiff.us

Thursday / Friday - Tuesday, May 11 - 16, 2023 from 12 noon - 6 pm on Saturday, Sunday & Tuesday and open until 8 pm Friday & Monday - TEFAF - The European Fine Art Foundation - Fine Art Show at the Park Avenue Armory at 643 Park Avenue [at 66th Street] in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. For details and $55 / $75 / $25 tickets see - https://www.tefaf.com. This is NOT a street fair, but rather an art and antiquities fair on the UES of Manhattan.

Saturday, May 13, 2023, Opening Ceremony begins at 12.30 pm and the Japan Parade begins at 1 pm. The parade begins at Central Park West at West 81st Street and marches down to West 67th Street where it ends. There's a Japan Parade Street Fair that runs from 1 pm - 4.30 pm along 69th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West. Street fairs on the UWS in NYC. For details see - https://japanparadenyc.org/

CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2023.

Scroll down or click this link for Mothers Day Restaurants in Manhattan NYC.

 

Mostly Free Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

On Saturday, May 13, 2023 from 3 - 8 pm, there's the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music Open Stages at 15 locations near or not far from the Old Stone House 336 3rd Street next to Washington Park in Park Slope Brooklyn. For details and tickets ranging in price from $100 - $50,000 see - https://bkcm.org.

Saturday through Sunday, May 13 - June 11, 2023 - Dance Africa Festival at BAM - At 30 Lafayette Avenue at Ashland Place - in the Peter Jay Sharp Building and Howard Gilman Opera House in the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. It's a performance festival featuring African culture. Tickets start at $35 for adults and $22 for kids. For details see www.bam.org. This is NOT a street fair, but there is a bazaar day, but it is mostly musical, theatrical and cultural dance performances.

Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2023.

Scroll down or click this link for Mothers Day Restaurants in Brooklyn NYC.

 

Mostly Free Things to do this Weekend in Queens NYC

things to do in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island things to do this weekend events nycExtended for two more weekends thru 5/21/23. Originally _ Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, beginning April 28 - May 7, 2023 at 8 pm on Fridays & Saturdays and at 2 pm and 3 pm respectively on Saturdays and Sundays, there's a performance of Eight Tales of Pedro at the Queens Theatre in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. It's an original work developed in tandem with Queens Theatre. For details and $24 tickets see - https://queenstheatre.org/

NEXT WEEK. Tuesday, May 16, 2023 from 6 - 9 pm - Taste of Queens - At the NY Hall of Science at 47-01 111th Street in Corona. Taste the food and beverages from around the globe of nearly 60 vendors, many of which are based in Queens. For details and $125 tickets see - https://queensny.org/.

NEXT WEEK. Friday & Saturday, May 19 & 20, 2023 from 6.30 - 10, and 12 noon - 8.30 pm, respectively _ Downtown Jamaica Jazz Festival in Queens. They have nearly a dozen performances scheduled each day at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center at 153-10 Jamaica Avenue in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens. Jazz festivals in Queens. For details and free tickets see - https://jcal.org/.

Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

Scroll down or click this link for Mothers Day Restaurants in Queens NYC.

 

Mostly Free Things to do this Weekend in the Bronx NYC

Monday, May 8 - Sunday May 21, 2023 - Bronx Week - Multiple events at various locations in the Bronx. For details see - https://bronxboropres.nyc.gov/

Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

Scroll down or click this link for Mothers Day Restaurants in the Bronx NYC.

 

Mostly Free Things to do this Weekend on Staten Island NYC

Wednesday - Sunday, May 10 - 14, 2023 there's an Arts & Crafts Show at the Staten Island Mall at 2655 Richmond Avenue in the Heartland Village neighborhood. The show includes ceramics, glass, metal work, wood, jewelry, painting and photos. Current Mall Hours are Monday-Thursday 11am-7pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-8pm, Sunday 11am-6pm - but vendor times will likely vary.

Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

Scroll down or click this link for Mothers Day Restaurants on Staten Island NYC.

 

Have a nice weekend.


Public Park Land Grab?

Billionaire Looking to Privatize Queens Parkland?

Bill Pending in Albany Would Enable it

May 10, 2023 / Queens Neighborhoods / Queens Real Estate / News Analysis & Opinion / Queens Buzz.

NYS Assemblymember Jeffrion Aubrey has sponsored a bill to allow a billionaire to build a casino on Queens parkland.  Why can't the billionaire buy his own land to build the casino?  And why has Aubrey supported this public park land grab?

Click here to read the OpEd by the President of a local non-profit explaining the situation. Billionaire Steve Cohen appears to be making bid to essentially privatize Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens.


Brooklyn Mothers Day Restaurants - Moms Day Restaurants in Brooklyn NYC

Brooklyn Mothers Day Restaurants 2023 BK

Brooklyn Mothers Day Restaurants in or near the Dumbo, Williamsburg, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, Downtown Brooklyn, Sunset Park, Bayridge, Marine Park, Coney Island Neighborhoods of Brooklynbrooklyn mothers day restaurants brooklyn moms day restaurants williamsburg greenpoint fort greene sunset park bk mothers day restaurants prospect heights park slope dumbo brooklyn heights dyker heights coney island brighton beach mothers day restaurants brooklyn nyc bk

May 9, 2023 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods / Brooklyn Restaurants / Brooklyn Events & Things To Do / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

Mother's Day will soon be upon us. It's a good time to let your loved ones know you care. Flowers, gifts and brunch or dinner are always welcome, as is any thoughtful gesture that provides some measure showing your appreciation of your mother or the mother of your children. After all, without mothers, we would all cease to be.

It's best to book a restaurant reservation early for Mother's Day brunch, as on Mother's Day in Brooklyn, many restaurants are full. So if you're thinking about eating out at a restaurant this Mother's Day in or near the Dumbo, Williamsburg, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, Downtown Brooklyn, Sunset Park, Bayridge, Marine Park, Coney Island neighborhoods; it's best to do your research early, and call ahead to book Mother's Day restaurant reservations.

Remember, restaurants also have additional capacity since the pandemic began, via all of those outdoor shanties built during the pandemic, which greatly increased overall space / seating capacity. And with the weather warming - the temperature is expected to be near 70 degrees on Mothers Day without rain, so outdoor dining is a pleasant, even welcome option.

But as the saying goes, the early bird gets the [worm] better seating, so book early.

 

Mother's Day History - Mothers Day Restaurants in Brooklyn

The origins of Mother's Day in the United States began with the efforts by Anna Jarvis in honor of her own mother. According to Wikipedia, Anna began the campaign in 1905 - the year her mother died - and in 1910 West Virginia was the first state to adopt it as a holiday. In 1914 Woodrow Wilson made the second Sunday in May as a national holiday to honor mothers.

Click this link to view a brief guide of Mother's Day restaurants in Brooklyn where you will find links to Brooklyn restaurants we've researched, visited in the past or have reviewed. The restaurants we've reviewed include a mix of high, medium and budget priced restaurants that are spread throughout the borough and offer a large variety of ethnic cuisines. Enjoy.

We've identified a good number of Brooklyn restaurants that are open with indoor / outdoor dining on Mother's Day on Brooklyn NYC. Enjoy.



Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Cinco de Mayo, Janes Walk and 5 Boro Bike Ride in all 5 Boros, Cannabis Parade & Festival in Manhattan, Eight Tales of Pedro in Queens; Luna Park in Brooklyn, Kentucky Derby at the Bartow Pell Mansion in the Bronx; Yankee Peddler Day on Staten Island & Moving Open Calls

 

May 5, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

things to do in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island things to do this weekend events nycNYC Weather. The temperature highs will be around 60 on Friday, then rising to 70 on Saturday and Sunday. The temperature lows will be around 50 on Friday rising slightly to the mid 50's by Sunday. Winds will be about 5 mph all weekend. The humidity will fall from 60% to 70% on Friday, to about 50% on Saturday and Sunday. No rain is in the forecast for this weekend

The photo at right shows a rainy day this past week. It was nice to see some moisture return to the area, as up until very recently, it had been lacking thus far this year.

 

QUITE A BIT MORE TO COME LATER TODAY 5.5.23. IT'S MOSTLY ART, DANCE AND THEATRE.

 

Open Calls Moved to Separate Page

Open calls for musicians, artists, dancers, actors, film producers and other performers; as well grants and workshops for environmental and small business grants and funding have now been moved to a separate page.

  • CLICK here for NYC Open Calls in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx & Staten Island / Funding Opportunities NYC. COMING THIS WEEK.

 

Mostly Free Things to do this Weekend in NYC

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, May 5, 6 & 7, 2023 - Janes Walk - Various art, culture, history and architectural tours throughout all five boros of NYC. Organized by the Municipal Art Society. See https://www.mas.org/events/ for details.

Sunday, May 7, 2023 first wave beginning at 7.30 am & officially over at 6 pm - 5 Boro Bike Ride. It starts between Canal Street and the Battery in Manhattan, depending on the cyclist wave folks are in. And it ends at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island. For details see - https://www.bike.nyc

 

Mostly Free Things to do this Weekend in Manhattan NYC

Saturday, May 6, 2023 - Cannabis Parade from 11 am to 1 pm. In the past the parade began at 12.30 pm, and marches south from 32nd Street along Broadway to Union Square Park. This year it might be bigger because of the legalization of pot, so that could change things a bit. Saturday, May 6, 2023 from 1 - 5 pm. The Cannabis Parade after party festivities are held in Union Square Park.

Sunday, May 7, 2023 from 10 am to 6 pm - 44th Plantathon Crafts Fair - Along east side of Broadway from 73rd to 82nd Street - street fairs in the Upper West Side neighborhood UWS of Manhattan. One of the oldest plant fairs in the city, offering a huge array of plants, food and live music.

NEXT WEEK _ Thursday, May 11, 2023 from 4 - 10 pm there's the Uptown Night Market at West 133rd Street at 12th Ave - Under the Arches. For details see - https://www.maschospitalitygroup.com/uptownnightmarket. This market is held on the second Thursday of every month - 5/11, 6/8, 7/13, 8/10, 9/14, 10/12/23.

NEXT WEEK _ Thursday / Friday - Tuesday, May 11 - 16, 2023 from 12 noon - 6 pm on Saturday, Sunday & Tuesday and open until 8 pm Friday & Monday - TEFAF - The European Fine Art Foundation - Fine Art Show at the Park Avenue Armory at 643 Park Avenue [at 66th Street] in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. For details and $55 / $75 / $25 tickets see - https://www.tefaf.com. This is NOT a street fair, but rather an art and antiquities fair on the UES of Manhattan.

Thru August 12, 2023 there will be an exhibit of Georgia O'Keeffe's works [1887-1986] at the Museum of Modern Art at 11 West 53rd Street at 6th Avenue in Manhattan. Began mid April. For details and $25 tickets see - https://tickets.moma.org/

Thru October 9th from 7 am to 9 pm daily, Pickleball Courts are open at Wollman Rink on the southwest corner of Central Park. Began April 7th. For details and tickets that cost $5 and up, see - https://wollmanrinknyc.com.

CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2023.

Also see above for Janes Walk and the 5 Boro Bike Ride for all 5 boroughs of NYC.

 

Mostly Free Things to do this Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

Sunday, May 7, 2023 from 11 am - 6 pm. Church Avenue Street Fair & Festival. Along Church Avenue from Coney Island Avenue to Argyle Road in Flatbush. There will be performances, food & a kids carnival. Brooklyn street fairs in Flatbush. Organized by the Church Avenue BID / Meteor in the Flatbush / Kensington neighborhoods.

Luna Park Amusement Park at Coney Island opened Friday, March 31, 2023 from 12 noon - 8 pm. It's open 11 am - 8 pm weekends in April, and ALL WEEK between the Christian and Orthodox Easter Sundays [April 9 - 16]. Then for the rest of April and May it's only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2023.

Also see above for Janes Walk and the 5 Boro Bike Ride for all 5 boroughs of NYC.

 

Mostly Free Things to do this Weekend in Queens NYC

things to do in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island things to do this weekend events nycFridays, Saturdays & Sundays, beginning April 28 - May 7, 2023 at 8 pm on Fridays & Saturdays and at 2 pm and 3 pm respectively on Saturdays and Sundays, there's a performance of Eight Tales of Pedro at the Queens Theatre in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. It's an original work developed in tandem with Queens Theatre. For details and $24 tickets see - https://queenstheatre.org/

Also see above for Janes Walk and the 5 Boro Bike Ride for all 5 boroughs of NYC.

Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

The photo at right shows folks waiting for the subway in Jackson Heights Queens a couple of weekends ago, as the MTA rerouted many of us due to construciton / improvement projects.

 

Mostly Free Things to do this Weekend in the Bronx NYC

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, May 5, 6 & 7, 2023 - Janes Walk - Various art, culture, history and architectural tours throughout all five boros of NYC. Organized by the Municipal Art Society. See https://www.mas.org/events/ for details.

Sunday, May 7, 2023 first wave beginning at 7.30 am & officially over at 6 pm - 5 Boro Bike Ride. It starts between Canal Street and the Battery in Manhattan, depending on the cyclist wave folks are in. And it ends at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island. For details see - https://www.bike.nyc

On Saturday there's a Kentucky Derby Day at the Bartow Pell Mansion. A few tickets are still left.

Also see above for Janes Walk and the 5 Boro Bike Ride for all 5 boroughs of NYC.

Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

 

Mostly Free Things to do this Weekend on Staten Island NYC

Sunday, May 7, 2023 from 9.30 - 3.30 pm - Yankee Peddler Day - At Historic Richmond Town on Staten Island. The event is described as "... Whether you are a serious collector, or are completely new
to the thrifting experience ... you may just find that hidden piece of Americana that your family will cherish for generations to come ... All proceeds for this event benefit Historic Richmond Town."
Street fairs & flea markets on Staten Island.

Also see above for Janes Walk and the 5 Boro Bike Ride for all 5 boroughs of NYC.

Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

Have a nice weekend.


Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Sikh Day and Greek Independence Day Parades & Anitquarian Book Fair in Manhattan, Eight Tales of Pedro, Irish & West Ghanaian Concert & Queens Symphony in Queens; Prospect Park Tour, Street Naming for MTA Member in Midwood & Luna Park in Brooklyn, Bronx Arts Ensemble Concert at the NYBG in the Bronx; Staten Island Ferry Hawks Home Opener All Weekend & Outdoor Markets on Staten Island, Moving Open Calls & Met Gala Monday

 

April 28, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

things to do in manhattanNYC Weather. The temperature highs will be around 60 all weekend long, while the temperature lows will be around 50 all weekend long. Winds will be 10 - 15 mph all weekend. The humidity will rise from 60% to 70% on Friday, rising to the mid 70% to mid 80% on Saturday, and rising to 80% - 90% on Sunday. There's about 2/3 of an inch of rain expected Saturday and another inch between 11 am - 11 pm on Sunday.

The photo at right, of the Greek Independence Day Parade, was taken a number of years back. The cultural pageantry references the lore of the heroics and democracy of ancient Greece.

 

Open Calls Moved to Separate Page

Open calls for musicians, artists, dancers, actors, film producers and other performers; as well grants and workshops for environmental and small business grants and funding have now been moved to a separate page.

  • CLICK here for NYC Open Calls in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx & Staten Island / Funding Opportunities NYC. COMING THIS WEEK.

 

May 1st, 2023 is the Last Chance for Free NYC Summer Rising Enrollment

CLICK to see how to enroll in the free NYC Summer Rising program for kids in grades K - 8. Enroll today - it's easy and it's fast - because enrollment ends May 1.

 

Next Week - Cinco de Mayo, Jane's Walk & 5 Boro Bike Tour

FYI - Next Friday is Cinco de Mayo, and all next weekend starting on Friday is Jane's Walk [art & architecture], and on Sunday there's the 5 Boro Bike Tour in NYC.

 

Mostly Free Things to do this Weekend in Manhattan

Thursday thru Sunday, April 27 - 30, 2023 the Antiquarian Book Fair will be at the Park Avenue Armory at 643 Park Avenue at 66th Street on the UES. There will be over 200 exhibitors from about 17 countries with thousands and thousands of old books. For details and $32 / $10 tickets see - https://www.nyantiquarianbookfair.com/

On Saturday, April 29, 2023 beginning at 12.30 pm the Sikh Day Parade begins at 37th Street, marching south along Madison Avenue, ending at Madison Square Park at 24th Street where there will likely be a big after party. For details see the Facebook page of the organizers - FB - https://www.facebook.com/SikhDayParadeNewYork/ or FB - https://www.facebook.com/Gurdwara.Sangat.Sikh.Cultural.Society.Ny/

On Sunday, April 30, 2023 beginning at 1.30 pm the Greek Independence Day Parade returns to Manhattan in its full glory. During the pandemic the parade went on hiatus, returning last year [2022] but in early June. The parade begins on 5th Avenue at 64th Street and marches north to 79th Street. For details and related events see - https://www.hellenicsocieties.org/

On Monday, May 1st, 2023, Tony Award Tickets go on Sale. For the first time ever, the Tony Awards ceremony will be held at the United Palace at 4140 Broadway at 175th Street in Washington Heights. For details see the United Palace - https://www.unitedpalace.org/.

On Monday, May 1st, 2023 the Met Gala returns. This is a billionaire, celebrity, high society fashion event that raises funds to support the Metropolitan Museum. It's held at the Metropolitan Museum on 5th Avenue at 83rd Street. For details about past Met Gala events see - https://www.metmuseum.org. Tickets are very hard to get and range from $350 to $150,000 for a table.

Thru August 12, 2023 there will be an exhibit of Georgia O'Keeffe's works [1887-1986] at the Museum of Modern Art at 11 West 53rd Street at 6th Avenue in Manhattan. Began mid April. For details and $25 tickets see - https://tickets.moma.org/

Thru October 9th from 7 am to 9 pm daily, Pickleball Courts are open at Wollman Rink on the southwest corner of Central Park. Began April 7th. For details and tickets that cost $5 and up, see - https://wollmanrinknyc.com.

CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2023.

 

Mostly Free Things to do this Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

On Sunday, April 30, 2023 from 11 am - 1 pm there's a Prospect Park Tour with the Friends of the Olmsted Bell House in Brooklyn.

On Sunday, April 30, 2023 beginning at 4 pm there's a ceremony and street naming in honor of Benjamin W. Schaeffer at Avenue N and East 15th Street in Midwood in Brooklyn. Schaeffer was an MTA transit worker who in 2018 evacuated a subway train after a suspected arsonist began spilling gasoline in one of the cars. He was also a Vice Chair of the Local 100 Transit Workers Union of America.

Luna Park Amusement Park at Coney Island opened Friday, March 31, 2023 from 12 noon - 8 pm. It's open 11 am - 8 pm weekends in April, and ALL WEEK between the Christian and Orthodox Easter Sundays [April 9 - 16]. Then for the rest of April and May it's only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2023.

 

Mostly Free Things to do this Weekend in Queens NYC

Post facto post - County Mayo Foundation hosts celebration of County Mayo - at the NY Irish Center at 1040 Jackson Avenue in Long Island City. My grandfather's family came from there and my mother used to say, "County Mayo, God Help Us."

Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, beginning April 28 - May 7, 2023 at 8 pm on Fridays & Saturdays and at 2 pm and 3 pm respectively on Saturdays and Sundays, there's a performance of Eight Tales of Pedro at the Queens Theatre in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. It's an original work developed in tandem with Queens Theatre. For details and $24 tickets see - https://queenstheatre.org/

Saturday, April 29, 2023 beginning at 7 pm, there's an exploration of the similarities between the traditional music of West Ghana and Ireland at the NY Irish Center at 1040 Jackson Avenue in Long Island City. For details and $29 tickets see - https://www.newyorkirishcenter.org

On Sunday, April 30, 2023 at 3 pm the Queens Symphony Orchestra is performing some Louis Armstrong tunes at Queens College in the LeFrak Concert Hall in Flushing. Free.

Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

 

Mostly Free Things to do this Weekend in the Bronx NYC

On Saturday, April 29, 2023 from 2 - 3 pm there's going to be a concert given by the Bronx Arts Ensemble at the NYBG near the Bedford Park and Belmont neighborhoods in the Bronx.

Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

NEXT WEEK. On Thursday, May 4, 2023 from 6.30 - 10.30 pm the Bronx Arts Ensemble is hosting its annual fundraiser at the Pelham Bay and Spit Rock Golf Course at 870 Shore Road in Pelham Bay Park. For details and $300 / $350 tickets see - https://www.bronxartsensemble.org

 

Mostly Free Things to do this Weekend on Staten Island NYC

On Friday, April 28, 2023 beginning at 7 pm, the Staten Island Ferry Hawks host their home opener against the Charleston Dirty, and the series continues on Saturday and Sunday, Aprl 29 & 30 beginning at 1 pm. For details and $14 - $25 tickets see - https://ferryhawks.com/

Saturday, April 29, 2023 from 12 noon - 4 pm - Outdoor Market / Rain Date is April 30, 2023 - at the Conference House Park at 7455 Hylan Blvd in the Tottenville neighborhood of Staten Island. Items include home decor and trinkets, hand poured candles, sweet treats. From 1 - 3.30 pm there will also be live music. St fairs / art festivals in the Tottenville neighborhood of Staten Island.

On Saturday and Sunday,April 29 & 30, 2023 from 11 am - 7 pm, Empire Outlets at 55 Richmond Terrace is hosting an outdoor market. The market is comprised of local artists, artisans and craftsmen and women. For details see - https://createdforyouartistsmarket.com.

Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

Have a nice weekend.


What Happened at the LIC Partnership Real Estate Breakfast?

LIC Real Estate Owners, Managers & Tenants Discussed the Current State of the Long Island City Real Estate Market

 

April 25, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

nyc things to do this weekend nyc things to do this weekend manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten Island things to do this weekend nycNYC Weather. The temperature highs will be / Weather coming tomrorrow.

 

I never thought I would become one of the 'old timers' covering the LIC Partnership Real Estate Breakfast. But I think that perhaps I am. I hadn't covered one of these breakfasts since before the pandemic, so I found myself looking to regain my balance, vis a vis my Queens real estate sea legs.

But some things are like riding a bike, meaning they come back to you quickly, and covering the LIC Real Estate Breakfast seemed to fit that bill. As I sat there listening to the panel assembled to discuss the current state of affairs, I noticed a number of folks from prior gatherings, and while the issues were largely the same, the current state of them is constantly changing.

 

And I'll provide the update next week.

 


Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Earth Day Weekend Events, Persian Day Parade in Manhattan; Ofrenda Fest in Queens; Invisible Dog Art Center & Luna Park in Brooklyn, 'Diamond' at Pregones & the Last Weekend for the NYBG Orchid Show in the Bronx; Jazz Concert & Jacques Tibetan Museum on Staten Island & Open Calls

 

April 21, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

nyc things to do this weekend nyc things to do this weekend manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten Island things to do this weekend nycNYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid 60's all weekend long, while the temperature lows will be in the mid 50's on Friday and Saturday, falling to the high 40's on Sunday. Winds will be 10 - 15 mph all weekend. The humidity will rise from the mid 50% to mid 70% on Friday, rising to the mid 70% to mid 80% on Saturday, before falling back to around the mid 50% on Sunday. There's about 2/3 of an inch of rain expected Saturday after 6 pm and ending before 6 am Sunday. Otherwise, for the other parts of the weekend, no rain.

The photo at right captures some of the beauty and mystery of planet Earth. It was taken along an ancient Inca Trail in the Andes in Peru, not far from Macchu Picchu. We can learn a lot from the Incas, who were environmentally compatible engineers.

 

UPDATING AS WE SPEAK - IT'S 10 AM ON SATURDAY 4/22 - ABOUT A DOZEN MORE EVENTS TO EVALUATE / POST. HAPPY EARTH DAY.

 

Manhattan

On Sunday, April 23, 2023 beginning at 11.30 am the Persian Day Parade kicks off from 38th Street at Madison Avenue in Manhattan this weekend. The theme is 'women, life, freedom' which I reckon is in honor of those women seeking freedom from the Supreme Dictator in Iran. For details see - https://persianparade.com/

Thru June 29, 2023 from XX to 5 pm the Women in the Heights Art Show will be on exhibit at the United Palace at 4140 Broadway at 175th Street in Washington Heights. The show features 59 works by 52 northern Manhattan artists and is only open Tuesdays and Saturdays. Began mid April. For details see the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance - https://www.nomaanyc.org or the United Palace - https://www.unitedpalace.org/. I'm pretty sure it's free.

Thru August 12, 2023 there will be an exhibit of Georgia O'Keeffe's works [1887-1986] at the Museum of Modern Art at 11 West 53rd Street at 6th Avenue in Manhattan. Began mid April. For details and $25 tickets see - https://tickets.moma.org/

Thru October 9th from 7 am to 9 pm daily, Pickleball Courts are open at Wollman Rink on the southwest corner of Central Park. Began April 7th. For details and tickets that cost $5 and up, see - https://wollmanrinknyc.com.

OPEN CALL. The Chain NYC Film Festival is accepting submissions. The early bird deadline is April 29, 2023. Producers, Directors and Actors can save on entry fees by submitting their work early on Film Freeway. For details see - https://www.chaintheatre.org/.

OPEN CALL. From March 1 - June 1, 2023, there's an Open Call by the Asian American Film Lab in a project they've entitled the 72 Hour Shoot Out. Early bird entries begin at $25, rising to $50 by April & $75 May. For details see - https://www.asianamericanfilmlab.com/

CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2023.

CLICK to see how to enroll in the free NYC Summer Rising program for kids in grades K - 8. Enroll today as enrollment ends May 1.

 

Brooklyn

Thursday, April 20 - 23, 2023 beginning at 7 pm nightly [weekend matinees begin at 3 pm], the Brooklyn Ballet will be performing at The Mark O'Donnell Theater at the Entertainment Community Fund Arts Center at 160 Schermerhorn Street in Downtown Brooklyn. The performances are described as follows, " ... music and dance, with two signature ballet and street dance mash-ups by Lynn Parkerson and “Big Mike” Fields plus a masterwork by Antony Tudor! Music by Bach, Soler, and Stravinsky ...". For details and $50 tickets see - https://www.brooklynballet.org.

Luna Park Amusement Park at Coney Island opened Friday, March 31, 2023 from 12 noon - 8 pm. It's open 11 am - 8 pm weekends in April, and ALL WEEK between the Christian and Orthodox Easter Sundays [April 9 - 16]. Then for the rest of April and May it's only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday, April 22 & Sunday April 23, 2023 - from 11 am - 6 pm FAD Earth Day Pop Up Market at the Invisible Dog Art Center at 51 Bergen Street in the Boerum Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn. About 50 sustainable artists, craftspeople, designers and local businesses offering handmade goods including jewelry, apparrel, tableware, skincare and artisanal goods. Brooklyn street fairs nyc.

Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2023.

CLICK to see how to enroll in the free NYC Summer Rising program for kids in grades K - 8. Enroll today - it's easy and it's fast - because enrollment ends May 1.

Openings / Auditions on April 27 & 28th, 2023 from 6 - 9 pm in Long Island City, for the Neville Dance Theatre which is hosting NYC auditions. They tell us, "... Opportunities for male and female classical-contemporary dancers (includes strong pointework and partnerning) for our upcoming 2023 Spring/Summer Season performances and endeavors ...". If interested email them your resume, video links, dance photos, and let them know which of the above dates you would like to attend. For details see - https://www.nevilledance.org/

 

Queens

On Saturday, April 22, 2023 there's a Climate Fair at the Queens Botanical Garden in Flushing. The fair includes fun for " ... the whole family [including] hands-on activities, art exhibits, music, interactive performances, tours, demonstrations, and ... be sure to check out our Sustainable Vendor Fair to support local businesses ...". The fair will include food, beverages and a wide variety of sustainable offerings. For details see - https://queensbotanical.org/climateartsfestival/

Ofrenda Fest runs all weekend in LIC in Queens. Details coming.

On Saturday, April 22, 2023 there's an Earth Day event at Socrates Sculpture Park in LIC / Astoria. Details coming.

On Saturday, April 22, 2023 there's an Earth Day event in the Rockaways in Queens. Details coming.

On Sunday, April 23, 2023 from 9 am - 2 pm, the Cunningham Farmers Market re-opens for the season.

Open Call - See Neville Dance Theatre Company listing above in the Brooklyn section which has an open audition for dancers next week, Thursday & Friday 4/27 & 4/28 in Long Island City. Details coming.

Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

CLICK to see how to enroll in the free NYC Summer Rising program for kids in grades K - 8. Enroll today - it's easy and it's fast - because enrollment ends May 1.

NEXT WEEK. On Monday, April 24, 2023 from 3 - 4.30 am at LaGuardia College there's a meeting to discuss how the college is going to purpose the $10 million grant it received for clean energy training.

NEXT WEEK. On Tuesday April 25, 2023 beginning at 8.30 am there's an opening reception for a month long art program at the Queens Museum in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Details coming.

NEXT WEEK. On Wednesday, April 27, 2023, from 6 - 7.30 pm, the Business Outreach Center at LaGuardia College is hosting a workshop on how to prepare to submit for a business loan. Free. Details coming.

NEXT WEEK. On Wednesday and Thursday, April 27 & 28, 2023 beginning at 7.30 pm the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center at 31-10 Thompson Avenue in LIC is hosting dance performances of Isaac Iskra in 'Fauve'. This is a coming of age tale. For details and $20 tickets see - https://www.lpac.nyc/

NEXT WEEK. On Friday, April 28, 2023, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards to give his State of the Borough Address beginning at 10 am in the Queens Theatre in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. For details and free tickets see - https://queensbp.org/

 

Bronx

Saturday, April 22, 2023 from 12 noon - 2 pm, there's an Earth Day event in Loreto Park hosted by the Morris Park BID in the Bronx. There will be a couple of local artists, as well as the Urban Park Rangers and activities for the kids. For details see - https://www.facebook.com/BIDMorrisPark/

Saturday, April 22, 2023 from 12 noon - 2 pm, there's an Earth Day event at the Bartow Pell Mansion at 895 Shore Road in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. The event explores natural healing properties in some of the plants which are found in the area. For details & free rsvps see - https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org

Sunday, April 23rd, beginning at 4 pm - Acting Shakespeare - in commemoration of his birthday. At the Bartow Pell Mansion at 895 Shore Road in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. For details & free rsvps see - https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org

Daily this weekend thru April 23, 2023 beginning at 7 pm, The Diamond, at Pregones PRTT at 571 Walton Avenue in the Concourse Village / Mott Haven neighborhoods of the Bronx. The play is described as follows, "... The Diamond follows a group of detained immigrants who conspire against a dystopian government. They lead a revolution, but realize they will only be free when they remember who they are ...". Began April 12th. For details and $12 / $28 tickets see - https://pregonesprtt.org.

Thru Sunday, April 23rd, the Orchid Show will be at the New York Botanical Garden. This year the installation was designed by Lily Kwong a landscape artist who explores Asian cultural themes.

Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

CLICK to see how to enroll in the free NYC Summer Rising program for kids in grades K - 8. Enroll today - it's easy and it's fast - because enrollment ends May 1.

NEXT WEEK. On Tuesday, April 25, 2023 from 7 - 8.30 pm there's a Book Club meeting at Casita Maria at 928 Simpson Street in the Longwood neighborhood of the Bronx to discuss the book Brother, Sister, Mother Explorer. For details see - https://www.casitamaria.org/

NEXT WEEK. On Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 11 am there's a street naming in honor of Monsignor John A. Ruvo at Belmont Avenue at East 187th Street in Bronx Little Italy. For details see - https://www.bronxlittleitaly.com/

NEXT WEEK. On Wednesday, April 27, 2023 from 10 am - 3 pm, there's a Job Fair at Bronx Borought Hall. Free. For details see - https://bronxboropres.nyc.gov/event/bronx-borough-president-job-fair/

NEXT WEEK. On Wednesday and Thursday, April 27 & 28, 2023 from 4.30 - 6.30 pm, the Bronx High School of Science College Fair at 75 West 205th Street in the Bedford Park neighborhood of the Bronx. Only Bronx Science High School sophmores and juniors are invited to attend. For details see - https://www.bxscience.edu/

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend NYC

On Saturday, April 22, 2023 from 7 - 9 pm, there's a jazz concert at the Conference House at 298 Satterlee Street in Tottenville. For details and $35 tickets see - https://theconferencehouse.org/

On Saturday, April 22, 2023 from 9.30 - 11.30 am [garden grounding] and from 12 noon - 3 pm [garden fair], the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art is hosting an Earth Day event followed by a small market / fair. For details see - https://www.facebook.com/TibetanMuseum/

Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

CLICK to see how to enroll in the free NYC Summer Rising program for kids in grades K - 8. Enroll today - it's easy and it's fast - because enrollment ends May 1.

NEXT WEEK. On Friday, April 28, 2023 beginning at 7 pm, the Staten Island Ferry Hawks host their home opener against the Charleston Dirty, and the series continues on Saturday and Sunday, Aprl 29 & 30 beginning at 1 pm. For details and $14 - $25 tickets see - https://ferryhawks.com/

Have a nice weekend.


NYC News Updates

China Operating a 'Secret Police' in Chinatown, Climate Change and NYS Springtime Forest Fires & Rupert Murdoch's Mendacious Media on Trial ... Again

 

April 18, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will rise from about 60 on Tuesday, to the mid 60's Wednesday and Thursday, to the low to mid 70's on Friday and Saturday. The temperature lows will be in the mid 40's on Tuesday and Wednesday, rising to the mid 50's on Thursday and Friday. The winds will be about 10 - 15 mph on Tuesday and Wednesday, dropping to 5 - 10 mph on Thursday and Friday. The humidity will be about 40% on Tuesday and Wednesday, rising to 60 - 70% on Thursday and Friday. No rain is in the forecast all week long.

 

PRC [People's Republic of China] Caught Operating a 'Secret Police' in Chinatown in Manhattan

In October of 2022, the FBI obtained a search warrant to investigate an office on Broadway in Chinatown believed to be a 'secret police' station set up by dictator President Xi Jin Ping's Peoples Republic of China in order to control the behaviors of Chinese people living in the U.S. Two men were charged in the case. According to the Department of Justice, the two men who were arrested yesterday, are "... “Harry” Lu Jianwang, 61, of the Bronx, and Chen Jinping, 59, of Manhattan ...".

The 'secret police' office was closed after the two men discovered that the FBI was watching them. When conducting the search, the FBI reported that the memories of the two men's communications devices [aka evidence] were erased. The men are presumed innocent in this country until proven guilty. This is very much unlike the process we've seen in China, where one is guilty of whatever dictator president Xi Jin Ping decides they're guilty of.

I always marvel at the dishonesty of dictators who attempt to control what everyone thinks, because the truth can be deadly to them and their regimes. For example calling China the PRC - People's Republic of China - when the people have no say in who their leaders are, can be imprisoned or even terminated for speaking their minds, and can only own or operate a significant business if it's given a blessing by the dictator president. The PRC should be called the XDC - Xi's Dictatorship of China. Where everything is designed to suit one man, and nobody, and nothing else, matters. As dictator Xi seems to say by his actions, "... It's all about Me, Me, Me, Me ...".

 

Climate Change and NYS Fires in the Springtime - No Water No Food No Life

In the past folks used to talk about how "April Showers Bring May Flowers". This Spring I have been alarmed at how fast climate change damages are mounting, as well as by the slow pace with which people, businesses and governments are moving to address this threat to our very existence.

In a democracy the government can only move as quickly as the people will allow it, so in some measure don't blame the government per se, nor the officials who've been making legitimate attempts to address the problem, but haven't yet been given a big enough mandate by the people, to do more, and do more quickly. We all need to blame ourselves, because this is a government, "... by for and of the people ..." and collectively we are the people.

At present most people are worried about having too much water because at the climate change stage were are currently in that is wreaking the most immediate havoc. But too much rain and too much water is going to seem like a child's play problem - when the next stage of climate change takes center stage - which is not having enough water.

Because without enough water, humans cannot survive.

We have already seen the raging wildfires in California the past few years. And the near deadly evaporations of some of the nation's largest rivers - like the Mississippi and the Colorado Rivers. And U.S. lakes like Lake Meade in Arizona and the Great Salt Lake in Utah are ALREADY facing possible extinction. Tens of millions of Americans depend on these water sources, and at least some of these Americans - like the immigrants at the southern border - may be facing a huge displacement because living on such arid lands may not be economically / biologically feasible.

This summer pay attention to the flash droughts, and the further evaporations.

And in the meantime, do your part to reduce your use of dictator-controlled fossil fuels. Some of the things you can do is to use public transit, walk or ide bike as much as possible. Keep your applicances and electronic devices off when you're not using them. Recycle things as much as possible. BTW - Why aren't wine bottles recycled? If you can, invest in an electric car, solar panels, and definitely vote for public officials who are trying to move the needle in the right direction. Plant trees at home, or in tandem with the parks department, or the public works departments of the city or state. And if you find yourself throwing a lot of things out each week, try to right size / cut back on your consumption to reduce your waste and by association your carbon footprint.

Put dictator president Vladimir Putin of Russia, dictator Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei of Iran, and dictator King Salman of Saudi Arabia out of their jobs.

 

How about the Dominion Case vs Murdoch's Fox 'News'?

The Prince of Dark Media, Rupert Murdoch, and his cotillion of soothsaying liars on Fox 'News', may finally have gotten caught in their web net of dishonesty.

Murdoch, who operates propaganda outlets in Australia, Great Britain and the U.S., has been called "... cancerour for democracy ..." by former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, "... not fit to run a major international company ..." according to a British cross-parliamentary report on Murdoch's phone hacking scandal, and " ... the most dangerous man in the world ... and one of the most destructive forces in the U.S. ... " according to President Joe Biden.

Having spent quite a bit of time monitoring Murdoch's malfeasances for the past seven years, I concur. Dominion Voting Systems has taken the Prince of Darkness to court, for one of many Murdoch episodes, of spreading damaging lies. In this case, the lies were about the Dominion voting systems used in the 2020 election.

Based on reports since the case materialized, the judge in this case, the Honorable Eric M. Davis of the Delaware Superior Court, has limited Murdoch's attempts to do what Murdoch does best, manipulate people and systems to his advantage. And Dominion seems possibly the most formidable foe the dishonest Prince of Darkness has faced since his seemingly criminal career in mass media manipulations began about 70 years ago. Not long after Joseph Goebbels, the prior leading Prince of Darkness, suddenly 'retired himself'.

There have been rumors that Fox was hoping to settle, after their attorneys were apparently caught trying to deceive the court Fox 'News' style - by omitting key facts. In this case the key fact was about Rupert Murdoch's role in the Fox 'News' division. In the depostions the Fox attorneys claimed that Rupert Murdoch was Fox 'News' Chairman, but had no official role in the Fox 'News' division. Around a week ago at Easter time, the judge learned that Murdoch also held the title of 'Executive Chair' at Fox News. I can imagine the attorneys saying, "Oh, how did we forget that?"

As one who has been following Murdoch rather closely over the years, there's no doubt in my mind that he not only knows what's happening every night on Fox 'News', but he's frequently involved in plotting it. Click into this link which will take you to a series we've done on Murdoch over the years containing dozens of stories and you will see that Murdoch is closely involved in the disinformation spread by Fox 'News' and other Murdoch outlets, into the public sphere, not unlike how a farmer's manure spreader works in the fields.

 

Murdoch's Fox 'News' Damages to Dominion Estimated at $1.6 Billion

But what About the Damages to, and Defamation of, America's Democracy?

Dominion Voting Systems is claiming $1.6 billion in damages. I assume some of that is compensatory and some of that is punitive, and whatever Murdoch's attorneys argue vis a vis trying to manipulate Dominion's attorneys into thinking it's too high, there should be at least as much justification for believing that the punitive damages are too low.

Why?

Because Murdoch's Fox 'News' lies vis a vis Dominion Voting Systems didn't just defame that company, but it also defamed the United States of America. By that I mean they cast doubt on our democracy and people's faith in it. This is treason of the n'th degree. And in my mind, there's no amount of damages money, that can compensate for that.

Have a nice week.


Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Orthodox Holy Friday & Easter Sunday in Queens, Brooklyn & Manhattan, International Auto Show, Tartan Day Parade in Manhattan; Lavender Laughs & Queens Night Market in Queens; Luna Park & BK Museum Pop Up Market in Brooklyn, Bronx Doc Film Editing Workshop Weekend, the Diamond at Pregones & NYBG Orchid Show in the Bronx; Staaten Eylandt Day, Cottage Curiosities, Iftar in the Park & Conference House Opens on Staten Island and , & Ramadan Ends Thursday

 

April 14, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

photos epitaphios astoriaNYC Weather. The temperature highs will fall from the high 80's Friday to the mid 60's Saturday and the temperature lows will fall from the mid 60's Friday to the mid 50's by Sunday. The humidity will rise from a very dry 30% - 50% on Friday into the 70% - 80% on Saturday and Sunday. Winds will be 5 mph all weekend. There's a below 50% chance of rain on Saturday and the amount of rain is forecast to be a quarter of an inch or less, and spread out over the entire day, so you might get a little damp while out, but not soaked by any means. And on Sunday the expectations are well below 25% probable and the amount is less than 1/20th of an inch.

The photo at right was taken a few years back of the Greek Orthodox Holy Friday Procession at St. Demetrios Cathedral in Astoria Queens. It's an interesting cultural event and, in my mind, is one of the many diverse cultural events that makes NYC so interesting. See details regarding the event tonight [Friday] in Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan below.

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend NYC

Friday, April 14, 2023 beginning at 7 pm a Greek Orthodox Church Trisagion Service commemorating Holy Friday and the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ with the carrying of the epitaphios through the streets of Gramercy Park in a candlelit procession. The religious and cultural event includes a procession from the Church of St. John around several nearby blocks, before returning to the church. St. John is located at 148 East 17th Street at 3rd Avenue in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan. For more details, including of Greek Orthodox Easter Sunday mass see - https://www.stjohn.ny.goarch.org/

Saturday, April 15, 2023 from 2 pm to 4 pm - the Tartan Day Parade. Along 6th Avenue at 44th Street, marching north to 55th Street in Midtown. The festivities begin the week preceding it. For details see https://www.nyctartanweek.org/. FYI - There's an after party at Sony Hall 235 West 46th Street in Manhattan [$65].

Saturday, April 15, 2023 from pm to 5 pm the Women in the Heights Art Show will be on exhibit at the United Palace at 4140 Broadway at 175th Street in Washington Heights. The show features 59 works by 52 northern Manhattan artists and runs through June 29th and is only open Tuesdays and Saturdays. For details see the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance - https://www.nomaanyc.org or the United Palace - https://www.unitedpalace.org/. I'm pretty sure it's free.

From Sunday, April 9 - August 12, 2023 there will be an exhibit of Georgia O'Keeffe's works [1887-1986] at the Museum of Modern Art at 11 West 53rd Street at 6th Avenue in Manhattan. For details and $25 tickets see - https://tickets.moma.org/

Friday, April 7 - Sunday, April 16 from 10 am - 10 pm, except Sundays when it closes at 7 pm, the International Auto Show will be at the Javits Center in West Midtown Manhattan. This should be a hot year for Electric Vehicles [EVs]. For $21 adults / $7 kids tickets and details see - https://javitscenter.com/

Friday, April 7th - October 9th from 7 am to 9 pm daily, Pickleball Courts are open at Wollman Rink on the southwest corner of Central Park. For details and tickets that cost $5 and up, see - https://wollmanrinknyc.com.

OPEN CALL. The Chain NYC Film Festival is accepting submissions. The early bird deadline is April 29, 2023. Producers, Directors and Actors can save on entry fees by submitting their work early on Film Freeway. For details see - https://www.chaintheatre.org/.

OPEN CALL. From March 1 - June 1, 2023, there's an Open Call by the Asian American Film Lab in a project they've entitled the 72 Hour Shoot Out. Early bird entries begin at $25, rising to $50 by April & $75 May. For details see - https://www.asianamericanfilmlab.com/

CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2023.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend NYC

Friday, April 14, 2023 begins at 10.30 am with the decoration of the epitaphios, followed by the unnailing service at 2.30 pm, and at 7 pm the Lamentation and carrying of the epitaphios around the neighborhood of the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church at 8401 Ridge Blvd in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. For details see - https://www.holycrossbrooklyn.com/.

Sunday, April 16, 2023 from 10.30 am - 5.30 pm there's a Brooklyn Pop Up Market at the Brooklyn Museum. at 200 Eastern Parkway in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. The market is described as follows, " ... one-of-a-kind, handmade items from local artisans. This weekly event features more than twenty vendors offering artwork, jewelry, fashion, home and apothecary goods ...". For details see - https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/

Luna Park Amusement Park at Coney Island opened Friday, March 31, 2023 from 12 noon - 8 pm. It's open 11 am - 8 pm weekends in April and ALL WEEK between the Christian and Orthodox Easter Sundays [April 9 - 16].

NEXT WEEK. Thursday, April 20 - 23, 2023 beginning at 7 pm nightly [weekend matinees begin at 3 pm], the Brooklyn Ballet will be performing at The Mark O'Donnell Theater at the Entertainment Community Fund Arts Center at 160 Schermerhorn Street in Downtown Brooklyn. The performances are described as follows, " ... music and dance, with two signature ballet and street dance mash-ups by Lynn Parkerson and “Big Mike” Fields plus a masterwork by Antony Tudor! Music by Bach, Soler, and Stravinsky ...". For details and $50 tickets see - https://www.brooklynballet.org.

NEXT WEEK. Thursday, April 20, 2023 from 6 - 8 pm, Coney Island USA's "Science of the Sideshow" with Adam Realman & Writing Workshop with Framacho at Materials for the Arts at 33-00 Nothern Blvd, 3rd Floor, in LIC Queens. For details and to rsvp FREE, see - https://www.materialsforthearts.org

Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2023.

Openings / Auditions on April 27 & 28th, 2023 from 6 - 9 pm in Long Island City, for the Neville Dance Theatre which is hosting NYC auditions. They tell us, "... Opportunities for male and female classical-contemporary dancers (includes strong pointework and partnerning) for our upcoming 2023 Spring/Summer Season performances and endeavors ...". If interested email them your resume, video links, dance photos, and let them know which of the above dates you would like to attend. For details see - https://www.nevilledance.org/

 

Queens Things To Do This Weekend NYC

Friday, April 14, 2023 beginning at 7 pm a Greek Orthodox Church Lamentation Service commemorating Holy Friday and the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ with the carrying of the epitaphios through the streets of Astoria in a candlelit procession. The religious and cultural event includes a procession from the St. Demetrios Cathedral in Astoria around several nearby blocks before returning to the church. In past year, several of the Astoria Greek Orthodox churches held their own Holy Friday celebrations and processions, but as of this posting [4.2.23], only St. Demetrios has posted any specifics for 2023. The other two churches which I have reported on in the past include St Irene Chrysovalantou and St Markella. For more details see - https://www.saintdemetriosastoria.com/church/ https://www.stirene.org / https://www.saintmarkellagoc.org

Saturday, April 15, 2023 beginning at 4 pm, there's Musiquita at the Secret Theatre at 38-02 61st Street in Woodside Queens. They bill the performances as follows, " ... The duo will perform their originals, as well as covers from a wide variety of genres, in Spanish and English. The audience will be encouraged to sing and move along. There will be props/noisemakers for the kids ...". For details and $20 / adult tickets [two kids free par adult], see - https://www.musiquita.nyc/store/p/musiquita-secret-theatre

Saturday, April 15, 2023 beginning at 8 pm, there's a performance by Lavender Laughs NYC. The show is billed as, " ... Very Jewish, Much Muslim, Passover and Ramadan ..." to which I might add that it sounds "very interesting". There are a dozen people involved in the production. For details and $15 tickets see - https://lavenderlaughs.org/new-york-city/

Saturdays beginning April 15, 2023 from 5 - 12 midnight, there's the Queens Night Market at the NY Hall of Science at 47-01 111th Street in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in the Corona neighbohood of Queens. Food vendors representing culinary treats from around the world. Free admittance. https://queensnightmarket.com/

Sunday April 16, 2023 from 2 - 4 pm there's an opening reception for a new photo exhibit at the Voelker Orth Museum at 149-19 38th Avenue in Flushing. For details & $5 tickets, see - http://vomuseum.org/

Sunday April 16, 2023 beginning at 1 pm there's a Mini Mash Up with Brazilian and Chinese musicians at Flushing Town Hall.

Open Call - See Neville Dance Theatre Company listing above in the Brooklyn section.

Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

NEXT WEEK. Thursday, April 20, 2023, the Quintet of the Americas is performing at the Queens Library in Rego Park beginning at 5.30 pm, and on April 27 in Long Island City beginning at 6 pm at the Hunters Point Library. Free. For details see - http://www.quintet.org/concerts.html.

NEXT WEEK. On Wednesday, April 19, 2023 beginning at 9 am the Long Island City Partnership is hosting its annual Real Estate Breakfast at the Ravel Hotel at 8-08 Queens Plaza South. The event is described as follows, "... Though Long Island City continues to see remarkable growth across residential, bio/life sciences, and via ground floor retail development in its commercial corridor, significant transitions have emerged that bring to question Long Island City’s preparedness for the years ahead: How is the real estate industry responding to the reduced need for office space? What does the neighborhood’s demographic shift mean for real estate development? How do we reimagine Long Island City in this critical time following the pandemic?... ". For details and $64 tickets see - https://www.longislandcityqueens.com.

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend NYC

Saturday & Sunday, April 15 & 16, 2023 from 10 am - 5 pm each day, there's an Intensive Editing Workshop at Bronx Documentary Film Center at 614 Courtlandt Avenue in the Melrose neighborhood of the Bronx. For details and to pay the $350 tuition see - https://www.bronxdoc.org.

All Days Except Monday & Tuesday, April 12 - 23, 2023 beginning at 7 pm, The Diamond, at Pregones PRTT at 571 Walton Avenue in the Concourse Village / Mott Haven neighborhoods of the Bronx. The play is described as follows, "... The Diamond follows a group of detained immigrants who conspire against a dystopian government. They lead a revolution, but realize they will only be free when they remember who they are ...". For details and $12 / $28 tickets see - https://pregonesprtt.org.

Through April 23rd, the Orchid Show will be at the New York Botanical Garden. This year the installation was designed by Lily Kwong a landscape artist who explores Asian cultural themes.

Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend NYC

Saturday, April 15, 2023 from 11 am - 4 pm, there's the Staaten Eylandt Day at the Billiou-Stillwell-Perine House
1476 Richmond Road in the Todt Hill / Dongan Hills neighborhoods of Staten Island. This is a 360 year old house, the land of which was deeded to Billou by Peter Stuyvesant and which extended down to the water. The Lenape Indians had hunted and fished this area for centuries before the Dutch arrived and with whom the Dutch fought. Staten Eylandt was named after the Staten-Generaal of the Netherlands. This event includes the following, "... [colonial era] costuming, tools and accouterments used in the everyday life of the Eastern Woodland peoples and the European newcomers to this land. Historic trades and firearms will be demonstrated throughout the day ...". For details and $5 tickets see - https://www.historicrichmondtown.org/events/2023/4/15/staaten-eylandt-day

Saturday, April 15, 2023 from 11 am - 4 pm, there's the Cottage Row Curiosities at Snug Harbor Cultural Center at 1000 Richmond Terrace Street in the Randall Manor neighborhood of Staten Island. There will be over 40 local vendors selling artisanal goods, food, music, entertainment and information. https://snug-harbor.org

Saturday, April 15, 2023 from 12 noon - 4 pm, there's the Conference House opening weekend. Free admission on this day. For details see - https://theconferencehouse.org

Saturday, April 15, 2023 from 6 - 8.30 pm - Iftar in the Park at Building P in the Snug Harbor Cultural Center at 1000 Richmond Terrace Street in the Randall Manor neighborhood of Staten Island. This is the third year of this community celebration of Ramadan. Free but registration requested at - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-community-iftar-in-the-park-tickets-576882560267

Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

You can tell we're back to normal. Have a nice weekend.


Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

The Easter Bonnett Parade, Pickleball Court Opens at Wollman Rink, Final Week of Chain Theatre Performance, Fresh, Fly & Fabulous Exhibit at FIT in Manhattan; Chocolate Factory, Climate Change & Easter Egg Hunt & Party in Queens; Brooklyn Cyclones Home Opener & Rachel Wren Exhibit in Brooklyn [also Easter Egg Hunt on Governors Island], Easter Egg Hunt at the Mansion & NYBG Orchid Show in the Bronx; Easter Egg Hunts and Bonnett Tea Party on Staten Island, Easter Sunday and Passover & Ramadan Continue

 

April 7, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

nyc things to do manhattan queens brooklyn bronx staten Island things to do events nycNYC Weather. The temperature highs will fall from the high 50's Friday to the mid 50's Saturday and into the low 50's on Sunday. The temperature lows will be around 40. The winds will fall from 10 - 15 mph on Friday, to 5 mph on Saturday and to 5 - 10 mph on Sunday. The humidity will rise from about 35% on Friday, to 50% on Saturday, and ranging from 40% to 60% on Sunday. No precipitation is in the forecast.

The photo at right was taken at the Orchid Show at the NY Botanical Garden a few years ago.

Editor's Note. We're going to add more events that are happening this coming week on Monday, because NYC Public Schools are on Spring Break from Monday through Friday, April 10 - 14, 2023.

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend NYC

A Pickleball court is opening at Wollman Rink on the southwest corner of Central Park, beginning today, Friday, April 7th from 7 am to 9 pm daily, continuing into the fall, ending October 9th. For details and tickets that cost $5 and up, see - https://wollmanrinknyc.com.

From Friday, April 7 - Sunday, April 16 from 10 am - 10 pm, except Sundays when it closes at 7 pm, the International Auto Show will be at the Javits Center in West Midtown Manhattan. For $21 adults / $7 kids tickets and details see - https://javitscenter.com/

From April 8 - 12 [I think tickets only left for Tuesday, April 11th], Carnegie Hall at 881 7th Avenue in Manhattan is hosting an International Music Festival. For details and $49 tickets, see - https://www.carnegiehall.org.

On Sunday, April 9, 2023 from 10 am - 3 / 4 pm - Easter & Easter Bonnet Parade. The parade takes place along 5th Avenue from 49th to 57th Streets. It's more of a milling about in bonnets and Easter outfits, than it is a real parade. More like a themed costume party.

On Sunday, April 9, 2023 from 10 am - 3 / 4 pm - Easter at the South Street Seaport. This series of events are organized by the Seaport Business District in tandem with participating businesses. Registration begins at 10 am, but the Easter Egg Hunt & Crafts doesn't begin until 11 am in Seaport Square between Pier 16 & 17 - free with rsvp. The Ukrainian egg decorating workshops begin at 11 am for kids and at 5 pm for adults at Malibu Farm in Pier 17 at 89 South Street. From 11 am - 5 pm there's a flower hunt aboard the 1885 tall ship Wavertree. Free but must rsvp as there's limited space. There are also numerous restaurants serving brunch and dinner, a few of which offer East River waterfront views.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday at various times at the NYU Skirball Center there's Phelim McDermott & Philip Glass: Tao of Glass which is a combination of music, dance and theatrical performance. The event is described as, " ... This New York Premiere marries ten new works from Glass with ten theatrical meditations on life, death, and Taoist wisdom. Performed by McDermott with a virtuosic ensemble of musicians and puppeteers, Tao of Glass is a storytelling tapestry, underscored by Glass’s mesmerizing music, and shot through with Improbable’s trademark magical stagecraft ...". For details and $78 - $98 tickets see - https://nyuskirball.org.

OPEN CALL. From March 1 - June 1, 2023, there's an Open Call by the Asian American Film Lab in a project they've entitled the 72 Hour Shoot Out. Early bird entries begin at $25, rising to $50 by April & $75 May. For details see - https://www.asianamericanfilmlab.com/

Through Saturday, April 8th beginning at 7 pm [most nights], the Chain Theatre at 312 West 36th Street [3rd Floor] will be hosting live performances of THIS G*D DAMN HOUSE. The play is described as follows, " ... Jet lagged, without warning, Danny is summoned from NYC by his brother Jacob to Florida. Their mother has 24 hrs to vacate their childhood home. The problem is, their mother is a hoarder and the house is an indoor trash heap. The brothers dig through the filth and garbage with memories, trauma, and the past rising to the surface as the deadline closes in...". For tickets and details see - https://www.chaintheatre.org.

OPEN CALL. The Chain NYC Film Festival is accepting submissions. The early bird deadline is April 29, 2023. Producers, Directors and Actors can save on entry fees by submitting their work early on Film Freeway. For details see - https://www.chaintheatre.org/.

Fresh, Fly and Fabulous is on exhibit at the Fashion Institute of Management at 227 West 27th Street in Chelsea from February 8th to April 23rd. The exhibit is dedicated to Hip Hop not just as music and fashion, but as a lifestyle and cultural statement. Hip Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Wednesday - Friday from noon to 8 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm. There's an all day symposium on Friday, February 24th. For details see - https://www.fitnyc.edu/

CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2023.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend NYC

nyc things to do manhattan queens brooklyn bronx staten Island things to do events nycOn Friday April 7, 2023, the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team hosts the Jersey Shore Blue Claws in their Home Opener beginning at 1 pm at Maimonides Park in Brooklyn. The game is part of a three game weekend series, with the starting times on Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm. For details and $18 tickets see - https://www.milb.com.

On Saturday, April 8, 2023 from 10 am - 4 pm - there's an Easter Egg Hunt & Many other Activities on Governor's Island. The event is free, but you're advised to plan in advance as this event is very popular. To give you an idea of how popular, consider that 10,000 wooden eggs are hidden over the 120 acres of park. For details and ferry passage planning & ticket purchases [$4 / ride] see - https://www.govisland.com

Luna Park Amusement Park at Coney Island opened Friday, March 31, 2023 from 12 noon - 8 pm. It's open 11 am - 8 pm weekends in April and ALL WEEK between the Christian and Orthodox Easter Sundays [April 9 - 16].

The photo at right was taken at Coney Island last summer.

The Rachel Wren exhibit continues at The Shirley Project Space at 609 Washington Avenue [at Dean Street] in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn NY. On view from March 23 - May 12, 2023. Free.

Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2023.

 

Queens Things To Do This Weekend NYC

March 27 - April 8th beginning at 7 pm, The Chocolate Factory at 38-33 24th Street in LIC is hosting performances of Night Keeper, a modern dance performance. For event details and $20 tickets see https://chocolatefactorytheater.org.

On Saturday, April 8, 2023 from 1 to 4 pm, there's an Opening Reception for Climate Change at Home at the King Manor Museum at 150-03 Jamaica Avenue in Queens. The exhibit is described as follows, " ... [the] exhibit [is] dedicated to understanding how every day objects affect our environment. Using QR code technology with a smart phone, visitors can scan codes next to several objects in our museum collection and discover just how much of an impact these objects have on climate change. Ranging from a 19th century deer skin trunk to our 1850s kitchen stove, these objects tell a story that goes beyond the past ...". Admission is FREE but an rsvp is recommended if not required. For further details and registration see - https://www.kingmanor.org.

On Saturday, April 8, 2023 beginning at 4 pm, there's an Opening Reception for an exhibit entitled 'Joy - This Place I Land' at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning at 161-40 Jamaica Avenue in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens. Admission is free, but you might want to rsvp at - https://www.jcal.org/

On Saturday, April 8, 2023 from 12 noon to 7 pm, there's an Easter Egg Hunt in Roy Wilkins Park at 177th Street and Baisley Blvd just south of the Jamaica neighborhood in Queens. Tickets are $29, which you may obtain on Eventbrite. It's organized by Nooks and Gems, which is a private company located in Brooklyn, but for which I could not easily find a website linked to the company.

On Sunday, April 9, 2023 from 11 am - 1.30 pm and 3 - 5.30 pm, there's an Easter Party at Astoria World Manor at 25-22 Astoria Blvd. For details and $43 tickets see - https://mtsproductions.com.

Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend NYC

nyc things to do manhattan queens brooklyn bronx staten Island things to do events nycOn Saturday, April 8, 2023 from 10 am - 2 pm, there's an Easter Egg Hunt in at the Bartow Pell Mansion at 895 Shore Road in Pelham Bay Park. The hunts are one hour long sessions, costing $10 per child, and adults accompanying children are free. For details and tickets see - https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org.

Through April 23rd, the Orchid Show will be at the New York Botanical Garden. This year the installation was designed by Lily Kwong a landscape artist who explores Asian cultural themes.

Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

The photo at right was taken at the Orchid Show at the NY Botanical Garden a few years ago.

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend NYC

On April 8, 2023 from 11 am - 2 pm, there's a Bunnies & Bonnetts, Tea Party. There's a high tea, an indoor Easter Parade and you get to create your own Easter bonnet. At the Grand Colony Hall at 460 Brielle near the Manor Heights neighborhood on Staten Island. For details and tickets see - https://www.facebook.com/GrandColonyHall/ - scroll down past the notice of a fraudster.

On April 9, 2023 beginning at 10 am, 11 am, 1 pm & 2 pm, there's the Grand Oaks Country Club Annual Easter Egg Hunt & Brunch. For details and $30 [kids] and $60 [adults] tickets see - https://www.grandoaksnyc.com/

On April 9, 2023 from 1 - 2.30 pm Clove Lakes Easter Egg Hunt. Free. They describe the event as follows, " ... Learn the fun sport of orienteering with compasses around Clove Lakes Park and practice your skills with this classic Springtime game. ...". Begins at Clove Road and Park Drive in Castleton Corners on Staten Island NYC. For details see - https://www.nycgovparks.org/

Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2023.

Happy Easter, Passover & Ramadan. Enjoy.


Easter & Passover Celebrations in NYC & Boros

Next Sunday is Easter for Western Christians and the Following Week it's Easter for Orthodox Christians

 

April 3, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

 

Very Brief Introduction to Christian Easter Traditions

photos epitaphios astoriaOn Friday, April 7th, Christians observe Good Friday, which is when the Bible tells us that Jesus died on the cross. On Sunday, April 9th, Christians celebrate the Biblical account of Jesus rising from the dead.

Emperor Constantine became the Roman Emperor in 306. In 324 Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Empire. In 1054, the Great Schism occurred, wherein Christianity split into two different sects - Roman Catholic Christians [primarily in Western Europe] and Orthodox Christians [primarily in Eastern Europe]. The traditions have much in common, but one of the differences is in how they calculate the time of Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The Western European Christians [Protestants and Catholics] use the Gregorian Calendar which was created in the 16th century and made the official calendar by Pope Gregory, while the Orthodox Christians use the Julian Calendar which was made law in the Roman Empire in 45 B.C. by Julius Caesar.

Thus there are years where the Western European and Eastern Orthodox Easter events fall at the same time, and there years where they do not. This year [2023] the celebrations of the two traditions are separated by a week, with the Western European Christians celebrating next weekend and the Orthodox Christians celebrating a week later.

 

Non - Denominational Spring Celebrations NYC

  • MANHATTAN. March 26 - April 10, 2023 - The Macy's Flower Show at Macy's Herald Square in Midtown. Macy's is open from 10 am - 9 pm weekdays and until 10 pm Friday & Saturday and opening at 11 am on Sunday.
  • BRONX. Through April 23rd, the Orchid Show will be at the New York Botanical Garden. This year the installation was designed by Lily Kwong a landscape artist who explores Asian cultural themes.

 

Various Events Surrounding Traditional Christian Celebrations of Easter

  • BRONX Easter Egg Hunts. Saturday, April 8, 2023 from 10 am - 2 pm, there's an Easter Egg Hunt in at the Bartow Pell Mansion at 895 Shore Road in Pelham Bay Park. The hunts are one hour long sessions, costing $10 per child, and adults accompanying children are free. For details and tickets see - https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org.
  • BRONX Easter Brunches. Saturday & Sunday, April 8 & 9, 2023. Some of the restaurants and shops of Bronx Little Italy celebrate Easter in their own small ways, which can sometimes be an unsuspecting culinary delight to visitors. For details about Bronx Little Italy see - https://www.bronxlittleitaly.com.
  • BROOKLYN Easter Egg Hunts & Events. Saturday & Sunday, April 1 & 2, 2023 - there were several Easter Egg / Easter Bunny events including at Pierrepont Playground in Brooklyn Heights, Crossroads Christian Church in Bay Ridge and Trinity Grace Church in Prospect Park.
  • BROOKLYN Easter Events. Fridays, Saturdays & Sunday, April 7 - 16, 2023 [and beyond]. Luna Park Amusement Park at Coney Island opened Friday, March 31, 2023 from 12 noon - 8 pm. It's now open 11 am - 8 pm weekends in April and all week between the Christian and Orthodox Easter Sundays [April 9 - 16].
  • BROOKLYN Easter Egg Hunts. Saturday, April 8, 2023 from 10 am - 4 pm - there's an Easter Egg Hunt & Many other Activities on Governor's Island. The event is free, but you're advised to plan in advance as this event is very popular. To give you an idea of how popular, consider that 10,000 wooden eggs are hidden over the 120 acres of park. For details and ferry passage planning & ticket purchases [$4 / ride] see - https://www.govisland.com
  • BROOKLYN Easter Brunches. Sunday, April 9, 2023 - The Wicked Monk in Bay Ridge is offering Easter Brunch Specials.
  • MANHATTAN Easter Parades. Sunday, April 9, 2023 from 10 am - 3 / 4 pm - Easter & Easter Bonnet Parade. The parade takes place along 5th Avenue from 49th to 57th Streets. It's more of a milling about in bonnets and Easter outfits, than it is a real parade. More like a themed costume party.
  • MANHATTAN Easter Events. Sunday, April 9, 2023 from 10 am - 3 / 4 pm - Easter at the South Street Seaport. This series of events are organized by the Seaport Business District in tandem with participating businesses. Registration begins at 10 am, but the Easter Egg Hunt & Crafts doesn't begin until 11 am in Seaport Square between Pier 16 & 17 - free with rsvp. The Ukrainian egg decorating workshops begin at 11 am for kids and at 5 pm for adults at Malibu Farm in Pier 17 at 89 South Street. From 11 am - 5 pm there's a flower hunt aboard the 1885 tall ship Wavertree. Free but must rsvp as there's limited space. There are also numerous restaurants serving brunch and dinner, a few of which offer East River waterfront views.
  • QUEENS EASTER Weekend Events. Saturday, April 8, 2023 from 1 to 4 pm, there's an Opening Reception for Climate Change at Home at the King Manor Museum at 150-03 Jamaica Avenue in Queens. The exhibit is described as follows, " ... [the] exhibit [is] dedicated to understanding how every day objects affect our environment. Using QR code technology with a smart phone, visitors can scan codes next to several objects in our museum collection and discover just how much of an impact these objects have on climate change. Ranging from a 19th century deer skin trunk to our 1850s kitchen stove, these objects tell a story that goes beyond the past ...". Admission is FREE but an rsvp is recommended if not required. For further details and registration see - https://www.kingmanor.org.
  • QUEENS EASTER Egg Hunt. Saturday, April 8, 2023 from 12 noon to 7 pm, there's an Easter Egg Hunt in Roy Wilkins Park at 177th Street and Baisley Blvd just south of the Jamaica neighborhood in Queens. Tickets are $29, which you may obtain on Eventbrite. It's organized by Nooks and Gems, which is a private company located in Brooklyn, but for which I could not easily find a website linked to the company.
  • QUEENS EASTER Parties. Sunday, April 9, 2023 from 11 am - 1.30 pm and 3 - 5.30 pm, there's an Easter Party at Astoria World Manor at 25-22 Astoria Blvd. For details and $43 tickets see - https://mtsproductions.com.
  • STATEN ISLAND Easter Brunches, Egg Hunts & Events. Saturday, April 8, 2023 beginning at 10 am and 1 pm, there's Easter at the Mount [Loretto] at 6541 Hylan Blvd in the Charleston neighborbood of Staten Island. They describe the event as follows, " ... Enjoy buffet breakfast, music and dancing, then take a professional photo with the Easter Bunny that you can take home. Grab your Easter Basket and hunt in the island’s largest Easter Egg Patch loaded with more than 3,000 eggs plus 10 Golden Eggs filled with special prizes. Two seatings to choose from ...". For details and $30 & $20 tickets see - https://cc-si.org/ . Just in - the 10 am seating is SOLD OUT, but tickets still available for 1 pm.
  • STATEN ISLAND Easter Brunches / Events. April 8, 2023 from 11 am - 2 pm, there's a Bunnies & Bonnetts, Tea Party. There's a high tea, an indoor Easter Parade and you get to create your own Easter bonnet. At the Grand Colony Hall at 460 Brielle near the Manor Heights neighborhood on Staten Island. For details and tickets see - https://www.facebook.com/GrandColonyHall/ - scroll down past the notice of a fraudster.
  • STATEN ISLAND Easter Events. On April 9, 2023 beginning at 10 am, 11 am, 1 pm & 2 pm, there's the Grand Oaks Country Club Annual Easter Egg Hunt & Brunch. For details and $30 [kids] and $60 [adults] tickets see - https://www.grandoaksnyc.com/
  • STATEN ISLAND Easter Events. April 9, 2023 from 1 - 2.30 pm Clove Lakes Easter Egg Hunt. Free. They describe the event as follows, " ... Learn the fun sport of orienteering with compasses around Clove Lakes Park and practice your skills with this classic Springtime game. ...". Begins at Clove Road and Park Drive in Castleton Corners on Staten Island NYC. For details see - https://www.nycgovparks.org/

 

Various Events Surrounding Orthodox Christian Celebrations of Easter

  • photos epitaphios astoriaBRONX ORTHODOX Easter Events. As of this post [4.2.23] I could not find any specifics regarding Greek Orthodox Holy Friday Easter processions in the Bronx. But here are a few Orthodox churches in the Bronx, including an Ethiopian one. 1) Zoodohos Peghe Greek Orthodox Church at 3573 Bruckner Blvd / 718.823.2030 / https://www.zoodohospeghe.org/ 2) St. Peter Greek Orthodox Church at 3245 Kingsbridge Ave,nue / 718. 549.8773 / https://stpeter.ny.goarch.org/ and 3) Holy Trinity Ethiopian Orthodox Church at 140 West 176th Street / 718. 299.2741 / http://www.holytrinityeotcny.org/.

The photo at right was taken in Astoria of the Holy Friday evening procession, where the Greek Orthodox church members reenact the carrying of Christ's body back from Mount Calvary, by carrying a florally decorated epitaphios, which is a casket.

  • BROOKLYN ORTHODOX Easter Events. Friday, April 14, 2023 begins at 10.30 am with the decoration of the epitaphios, followed by the unnailing service at 2.30 pm, and at 7 pm the Lamentation and carrying of the epitaphios around the neighborhood of the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church at 8401 Ridge Blvd in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. For details see - https://www.holycrossbrooklyn.com/.
  • MANHATTAN ORTHODOX Easter Events. Friday, April 14, 2023 beginning at 7 pm a Greek Orthodox Church Trisagion Service commemorating Holy Friday and the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ with the carrying of the epitaphios through the streets of Gramercy Park in a candlelit procession. The religious and cultural event includes a procession from the Church of St. John around several nearby blocks, before returning to the church. St. John is located at 148 East 17th Street at 3rd Avenue in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan. For more details, including of Greek Orthodox Easter Sunday mass see - https://www.stjohn.ny.goarch.org/
  • QUEENS ORTHODOX Easter Events. Friday, April 14, 2023 beginning at 7 pm a Greek Orthodox Church Lamentation Service commemorating Holy Friday and the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ with the carrying of the epitaphios through the streets of Astoria in a candlelit procession. The religious and cultural event includes a procession from the St. Demetrios Cathedral in Astoria around several nearby blocks before returning to the church. St. Demetrios is located at 30-11 30th Drive at 31st Street in Astoria. In past year, several of the Astoria Greek Orthodox churches held their own Holy Friday celebrations and processions, but as of this posting [4.2.23], only St. Demetrios has posted any specifics for 2023. The other two churches which I have reported on in the past include St Irene Chrysovalantou and St Markella. For more details, including of Greek Orthodox Easter Sunday mass see - https://www.saintdemetriosastoria.com/church/ https://www.stirene.org / https://www.saintmarkellagoc.org
  • STATEN ISLAND ORTHODOX Easter Events. There is a Greek Orthodox Church, Holy Trinity Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, at 1641 Richmond Avenue on Staten Island [718.494.0658]. For details see - https://htsaintnicholas.ny.goarch.org/. Nothing has been posted regarding Easter services as of this post [4/2/23].

 

Have a Happy Ramadan, Passover & Easter.


Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

AIPAD Photography Show, Chain Theatre Performance Continues, Fresh, Fly & Fabulous Exhibit at FIT in Manhattan; Chocolate Factory & Armstrong at LeFrak, and Next Week Sculpture Center Gala & Mets Home Opener in Queens; Luna Amusement Park Opens & Rachel Wren Exhibit in Brooklyn, Pregones Music Fest Ends Friday, Bronx Art Space Exhibit Closing Reception Saturday, NYBG Orchid Show in the Bronx; 5K Run on Staten Island, Palm Sunday, Passover Wednesday & Ramadan Continues

 

March 31, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

nyc things to do manhattan queens brooklyn bronx staten Island things to do events nycNYC Weather. The temperature highs will rise from 50 on Friday, to 70 on Saturday, falling back to 50 on Sunday. The temperature lows will range between the mid and high 30's all weekend. The winds will range from 10 - 15 mph all weekend. The humidity will fall from about 80% Friday, to 70% Saturday to 40% Sunday. There will be scattered thunder showers Saturday ending around noon and with a brief return between 7 and 9 pm Saturday night, otherwise lookin' good.

The photos in this report were taken at an AIPAD show in a prior year. See below for details.

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend

On Friday, March 31st, the AIPAD [Association of International Photography Art Dealers] Show opens at Center 415 at 415 5th Avenue. The show ends on Sunday, April 2nd.

Through Saturday, April 8th beginning at 7 pm [most nights], the Chain Theatre at 312 West 36th Street [3rd Floor] will be hosting live performances of THIS G*D DAMN HOUSE. The play is described as follows, " ... Jet lagged, without warning, Danny is summoned from NYC by his brother Jacob to Florida. Their mother has 24 hrs to vacate their childhood home. The problem is, their mother is a hoarder and the house is an indoor trash heap. The brothers dig through the filth and garbage with memories, trauma, and the past rising to the surface as the deadline closes in...". For tickets and details see - https://www.chaintheatre.org.

aipad photography show manhattan things to do manhattan nyc association of international photography art dealers manhattan nycOPEN CALL. The Chain NYC Film Festival is accepting submissions. The early bird deadline is April 29, 2023. Producers, Directors and Actors can save on entry fees by submitting their work early on Film Freeway. For details see - https://www.chaintheatre.org/.

Fresh, Fly and Fabulous is on exhibit at the Fashion Institute of Management at 227 West 27th Street in Chelsea from February 8th to April 23rd. The exhibit is dedicated to Hip Hop not just as music and fashion, but as a lifestyle and cultural statement. Hip Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Wednesday - Friday from noon to 8 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm. There's an all day symposium on Friday, February 24th. For details see - https://www.fitnyc.edu/

Friday, Saturday and Sunday at various times at the NYU Skirball Center there's Phelim McDermott & Philip Glass: Tao of Glass which is a combination of music, dance and theatrical performance. The event is described as, " ... This New York Premiere marries ten new works from Glass with ten theatrical meditations on life, death, and Taoist wisdom. Performed by McDermott with a virtuosic ensemble of musicians and puppeteers, Tao of Glass is a storytelling tapestry, underscored by Glass’s mesmerizing music, and shot through with Improbable’s trademark magical stagecraft ...". For details and $78 - $98 tickets see - https://nyuskirball.org.

OPEN CALL. From March 1 - June 1, 2023, there's an Open Call by the Asian American Film Lab in a project they've entitled the 72 Hour Shoot Out. Early bird entries begin at $25, rising to $50 by April & $75 May. For details see - https://www.asianamericanfilmlab.com/

Next Week. From Friday, April 7 - Sunday, April 16 from 10 am - 10 pm, except Sundays when it closes at 7 pm, the International Auto Show will be at the Javits Center in West Midtown Manhattan. For $21 adults / $7 kids tickets and details see - https://javitscenter.com/

The first Manhattan street fair of the 2023 season begins on the Upper West Side this weekend.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend

Luna Park Amusement Park at Coney Island opens Friday, March 31, 2023 from 12 noon - 8 pm. It's open 11 am - 8 pm weekends in April and all week between the Christian and Orthodox Easter Sundays [April 9 - 16].

The Rachel Wren exhibit continues at The Shirley Project Space at 609 Washington Avenue [at Dean Street] in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn NY. On view from March 23 - May 12, 2023. Free.

The Brooklyn street fairs of the 2023 season, begin this month.

 

Queens Things To Do This Weekend

On Friday evening there's a Green Space performance on UES. For tickets and details see - https://www.greenspacestudio.org/

March 27 - April 8th beginning at 7 pm, The Chocolate Factory at 38-33 24th Street in LIC is hosting performances of Night Keeper, a modern dance performance. For event details and $20 tickets see https://chocolatefactorytheater.org.

On Saturday, April 1, 2023 there's a concert entitled Armstrong Now at the LeFrak Concert Hall at Queens College in Flushing. For details and $25 tickets see - https://kupferbergcenter.org

On Sunday, April 2nd beginning at 4 pm, there's the Miss Greek Independence Pageant at the Stathakeion Center at 22-51 29th Street in Astoria Queens. If I'm not mistaken, this is where they choose one of the key Greek Independence Day parade participants. For details see - http://hellenicsocieties.org/

Next Week. On Tuesday, April 4th, the Sculpture Center is hosting its Annual Gala at 44-12 Purves Street in LIC. For further details and tickets see - https://www.sculpture-center.org/.

Next Week. On Thursday, April 6th, beginning at 1.10 pm, the NY Mets play the Miami Marlins at CitiField in their home opening game of the 2023 season.

The first Queens street fair of the 2023 season begins in Forest Hills this weekend.

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend

On Friday beginning at 7 pm the Roadside & Pregones will perform,at the Pregones PRTT Theater at 575 Walton Avenue in the Bronx. The event is billed as "... First-gen Appalachian artists of Roadside in Kentucky (1975-2020) and Puerto Rican artists of Pregones in The Bronx boast over 30 years of friendship on and off stage ... we revisit great moments in our history with Old Time Music master Ron Short, Afro-Puerto Rican Jazz artist Desmar Guevara, poet/emcee Caridad “La Bruja” De La Luz, and a bevy of other formidable guests". For $18 - $36 tickets see - https://pregonesprtt.org/.

On Saturday, April 1st, there's a closing party for the exhibit entitled Queer Nature at Bronx Art Space at 700 Manida Street [near Spofford Avenue] in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the Bronx. The exhibit is described as, " ... One of the primary arguments against homosexuality is the belief that it is not deemed as "natural", therefore cannot be considered normal. Nature is often weaponized to justify homophobia and transphobia, falsely using biology as a means to enforce social constructs. Some cells reproduce asexually, same-sex behaviors occur in hundreds of species of animals, numerous plants and animals are hermaphroditic; many of them switching genders. How can one consider homosexuality unnatural when it is evident in nature? ...". One of the reasons people's understanding and conversations about gender and race are so messed up is that the mainstream media teleprompter readers seem at least as ignorant as their audiences. For details on the exhibit see - http://www.bronxartspace.com.

Through April 23rd, the Orchid Show will be at the New York Botanical Garden. This year the installation was designed by Lily Kwong a landscape artist who explores Asian cultural themes.

The Bronx street fairs of the 2023 season, begin this month.

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend

On Saturday morning beginning at 8 am / 9 am / 9.30 am there's a 5 K Run at Clove Lakes Park for the Arnold Obey/RUMC 5K Run/Walk benefiting the Wayne Zenna Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Richmond University Medical Center on Staten Island. All are welcome.

The first Staten Island street fair of the 2023 Spring season begins on April 8th in the Charleston neighborhood.

Enjoy.


Brooklyn Street Fairs - Brooklyn NYC

Brooklyn Street Fairs & Festivals

I. Brooklyn Street Fair Dates & Maps 2023

May 25, 2023 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods / Brooklyn Street Fairs / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

Brooklyn Street Fairs begin in April. We've compiled one of THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCHEDULE of BROOKLYN street fairs including street fair TIMES & PHOTOS & maps, some street fair names & sponsors, and street fair maps to help you find your way around during the spring, summer and fall of 2023.


 

brooklyn street fairs brooklyn st fairs festivals brooklyn nyc

How This Brooklyn Street Fair Page is Organized

The Brooklyn street fairs and festivals on this page are organized

1) BY MONTH and

2) BY NEIGHBORHOOD.

So to look through all of the Brooklyn street fairs on a given weekend / month, and see where they are in each neighborhood.

 

*** Links to Street Fairs in All 5 Boros of NYC

Here are some links to Manhattan street fairs NYC, Queens street fairs NYC, Bronx street fairs NYC, Brooklyn street fairs NYC and Staten Island street fairs NYC. We'll add more as the summer progresses.

 

Brooklyn Street Fair Updates - 2023

The Brooklyn street fair dates that have been updated with 2023 designations reflect the current St Fair events.

ASTERISKED street fairs have NOT been UPDATED. The street fairs with prior year dates reflect the information regarding that fair in a prior year.

UNCONFIRMEDS. The 'UNCONFIRMEDS' represent street fairs held in a prior year, which we believe are returning, but which we have not yet confirmed details for 2023.

UPDATES. The asterisked street fairs of prior years and the UNCONFIRMEDS will be updated as new information comes in.

Also check our Brooklyn Events calendar and / or our Brooklyn Farmers Markets section for updates and other things to do.



Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Street Fairs Begin, Chain Theatre Performance Continues, Fresh, Fly & Fabulous Exhibit at FIT in Manhattan; Bayside St Patrick's Day Parade & Rough Draft Festival continues at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center Queens; Bay Ridge St Patrick's Day Parade, Rachel Wren Exhibit & Final Performance of Lorraine Hansberry Play Tonight in Brooklyn, March is Music Month at Pregones, Bronx Art Space Exhibit about Homosexuality in Nature, NYBG Orchid Show & Yankees Home Opener in the Bronx; on Staten Island & The Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan Began Thursday

nyc things to do manhattan queens brooklyn bronx staten Island things to do events nyc

March 24, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be around 50 on Friday and Saturday, rising to 60 on Sunday. The temperature lows will be in the low to mid 40's all weekend. The wind will be 5 - 10 mph on Friday, rising to 10 - 15 on Saturday and Sunday. The humidity will be 40% - 50% on Friday and Sunday, popping up to around 80% on Saturday. There will be about a half inch of rain on Saturday, spread out over the course of the day from around 9 am to 11 pm, so you can likely do whatever you plan to, without any serious rain interruption.

The Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan began yesterday [Thursday 3/23/23] and will continue until Friday, April 21. Ramadan is a month where Muslims fast, pray and reflect on their lives. Not unlike the Christian Lent.

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend

On Saturday, beginning at 3 pm and 7.30 pm, the Neville Dance Theatre Company will perform a half dozen different works choreographed to the works of various female composers at the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center at 248 West 60th Street on the UWS. The works include world premieres and the program is entitled, Celebrating Woman Composers. For $28 / $28 tickets and details see - https://www.nevilledance.org/.

Through Saturday, April 8th beginning at 7 pm [most nights], the Chain Theatre at 312 West 36th Street [3rd Floor] will be hosting live performances of THIS G*D DAMN HOUSE. The play is described as follows, " ... Jet lagged, without warning, Danny is summoned from NYC by his brother Jacob to Florida. Their mother has 24 hrs to vacate their childhood home. The problem is, their mother is a hoarder and the house is an indoor trash heap. The brothers dig through the filth and garbage with memories, trauma, and the past rising to the surface as the deadline closes in...". For tickets and details see - https://www.chaintheatre.org.

OPEN CALL. The Chain NYC Film Festival is accepting submissions. The early bird deadline is April 29, 2023. Producers, Directors and Actors can save on entry fees by submitting their work early on Film Freeway. For details see - https://www.chaintheatre.org/.

Fresh, Fly and Fabulous is on exhibit at the Fashion Institute of Management at 227 West 27th Street in Chelsea from February 8th to April 23rd. The exhibit is dedicated to Hip Hop not just as music and fashion, but as a lifestyle and cultural statement. Hip Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Wednesday - Friday from noon to 8 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm. There's an all day symposium on Friday, February 24th. For details see - https://www.fitnyc.edu/

On Monday, March 27, at 6.30 pm the United Palace will be " ... official[ly] unveiling ... four new digital monitors and two illuminated attraction boxes that upgrade the theatre’s ability to communicate with passersby ...".

On Friday, March 31st, the AIPAD [Association of International Photography Art Dealers] Show opens at Center 415 at 415 5th Avenue. The show ends on Sunday, April 2nd.

FYI - Our Manhattan street fairs schedule will be updated this weekend / next week, with weekly updates happening thereafter. Eg. Grand Bazaar on Columbus and West 77th Street opens Sunday, March 6th at 10 am.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend

brooklyn st patricks day bars restaurants irish pubs brooklyn nyc brooklyn st patricks day bars restaurants irish pubs brooklyn0 st patricks day parties brooklyn st pat's day pubs bars restaurants brooklyn nyc irish pubs Dumbo, Williamsburg, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, Downtown Brooklyn, Sunset Park, Bayridge, Marine Park, Coney Island st pats day bars restaurants irish pubs brooklyn LAST PERFORMANCE. On Friday at 7.30 pm there is the last performances of Black female author Lorraine Hansberry's epic drama entitled The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window in the Harvey Theatre at the Brooklyn Academy of Music at 651 Fulton Street in Brooklyn. They describe the play as follows, " ... Hansberry invites us into Greenwich Village in the 60s, crafting a razor-sharp portrait of a diverse group of friends whose progressive dreams can’t quite match reality. At the center are Sidney and Iris Brustein, fighting to see if their marriage—with all its crackling wit, passion, and petty cruelty—can survive Sidney’s ideals...". The play runs daily, except Mondays, through March 24th. For $35 & up tickets and details see - https://www.bam.org.

On Sunday, March 26, 2023 the Bay Ridge Brooklyn Saint Patrick's Parade kicks off at 1 pm on 3rd and Marine Avenues and marches north along 3rd Avenue to 67th Street ending in Owl's Head Park in Bayridge. This parade was first established in 1993. For further details see - https://www.brparade.com/

Click here for St Pat's Day Irish Pubs, Bars & Restaurants Brooklyn NYC.

The photo at right was taken at the 2022 St Pats Parade in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn.

FYI - Our Brooklyn street fairs schedule will be updated this weekend / next week, with weekly updates happening thereafter.

 

Queens Things To Do This Weekend

On Friday, beginning at 8 pm, Octogenarian Women of Jazz, will perform at Flushing Town Hall at 137-35 Northern Blvd. For $15 / $10 tickets see - https://www.flushingtownhall.org

Saturday, March 25, 2023 beginning at 1 pm the Bayside St. Patrick's Day Parade marches down Bell Blvd between 35th and 42nd Avenues. The parade is a fairly new one, now in its fifth or sixth year [2023]. For further details see their Facebook page - www.facebook.com/baysidestpatricksdayparade as their website as of this post on 2.28.23 is currently having issues - www.baysidesaintpatricksdayparade.org.

Click here for St Pat's Day Irish Pubs, Bars & Restaurants Queens.

FYI - Our Queens street fairs schedule will be updated this weekend / next week, with weekly updates happening thereafter. Eg. HBCU College Fair beginning at 11 am this Saturday 3/25/23 in Rochdale Village.

NEXT WEEK. On Tuesday and Wednesday, beginning at 7.30 pm, there will be performances by eight emerging dancers / choreographers at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center at 31-10 Thomson Avenue in Long Island City. The event is described as follows, " ... The Emerging Choreographer Series is an intensive crash-course in self-producing; offering rehearsal space, compensation, career development consultations, and professional mentorship to selected choreographers. During the course of the program, choreographers will create, develop, and premiere a new work at CUNY’s LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (LPAC) in Long Island City. The program is free of charge—no application fees, no production fees, and no rental costs will be charged to the applicants or selected choreographers ...". Next week we get to see these folks perform. Pre-Sale [$20] and regular [$30] tickets may be purchased at - https://www.lpac.nyc.

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend

March is Music Month at the Pregones PRTT Theater at 575 Walton Avenue in the Bronx. On Saturday beginning at 7 pm the Villalobos Brothers will perform, "... Contemporary Mexican [music including] ... jazz, harmonies ... ". And on Sunday, beginning at 3 pm, Siyumeng Wang whose performance is described as a classical piano concert. For $18 - $36 and $0 - $36 tickets see - https://pregonesprtt.org/.

NEXT WEEK. On Friday, March 31st, the final concert of the March is Music Month at Pregones will be performed. It's billed as Appalachian / Puerto Rican. See listing above for address / website / tickets.

An exhibit entitled Queer Nature is at Bronx Art Space at 700 Manida Street [near Spofford Avenue] in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the Bronx. The exhibit is described as, " ... One of the primary arguments against homosexuality is the belief that it is not deemed as "natural", therefore cannot be considered normal. Nature is often weaponized to justify homophobia and transphobia, falsely using biology as a means to enforce social constructs. Some cells reproduce asexually, same-sex behaviors occur in hundreds of species of animals, numerous plants and animals are hermaphroditic; many of them switching genders. How can one consider homosexuality unnatural when it is evident in nature? ...". One of the reasons people's understanding and conversations about gender and race are so messed up is that the mainstream media teleprompter readers seem at least as ignorant as their audiences. For details on the exhibit which also has a closing party on April 1st may be found at - http://www.bronxartspace.com.

The Orchid Show has returned to the New York Botanical Garden and will be there until April 23rd. This year the installation was designed by Lily Kwong a landscape artist who explores Asian cultural themes.

There are gardening classes being given at the Bartow Pell Mansion for the next three Saturdays in March [11th, 18th & 25th] from 10 am - 12 noon. Tickets for all three days are $75 for non-members [$25 / class], or $50 for members [$17 / class].

NEXT WEEK. On Thursday, March 30th, beginning at 1.05 pm, the NY Yankees play the San Francisco Giants at Yankee Stadium in their opening game of the 2023 season.

FYI - Our Bronx street fairs schedule will be updated this weekend / next week, with weekly updates happening thereafter.

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend

On Saturday from 3 - 4.15 pm at the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art, Main Hall Gallery, Building C in the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, there will be a modern dance performance by Nathan Trice & Co, an NYC-based choreographer.

On Saturday, from 1 - 2 pm there will be a lecture about the life of Mary of the Olmsted Beil House at the Alice Austen House Museum at 2 Hylan Blvd in the Rosebank neighborhood of Staten Island. Mary Cleveland Olmsted was the wife of Frederick Olmsted who was one of the original American landscape architects, who designed Central and Prospect Parks. Free. For details see https://aliceausten.org.

On Saturday from 6 - 8 pm at the Historic Richmond Town at the Guyon Tavern at 441 Clarke Avenue there's a concert by Mike Agranoff whose performances are described as, " ... a superb fingerstyle guitar in idioms ranging from traditional fiddle tunes to the American Songbook to contemporary Americana. He is a master of the little-known English Concertina, applying it anywhere from a haunting and poignant song accompaniment to an unexpected virtuoso transcription of a Bach concerto.......". For $18 tickets and event details see - https://www.historicrichmondtown.org

FYI - Our Staten Island street fairs schedule will be updated this weekend / next week, with weekly updates happening thereafter. Eg. There's a fair on Saturday from 9 am - 3 pm at Immanuel Union Church at 693 Jewett Avenue, which is in the National Register of Historic places. For details see - https://immanuelunionchurch.org/.

Have a good one.


Brooklyn Farmers Markets - Brooklyn NYC

Brooklyn Farmers Markets NYC 2023

Opening Dates, Hours, Items & How To Shop - Brooklyn Farmers Markets

May 15. 2023 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods / Food, Wine & Restaurants Brooklyn / Brooklyn Shops & Shopping / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

This report contains the opening dates, times / hours, items / selection, as well as links to online maps of all major Brooklyn farmer markets, including address locations in Brooklyn.

The Brooklyn Farmers Markets on this page are in or around the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Sunset Park, Brighton Beach, Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn Heights, Prospect Park, Park Slope, Bayridge, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Flatbush, Bushwick, Bedford Stuyvesant, Crown Heights and Brownsville farmers markets in Brooklyn NYC.

We will continue working on this throughout the 2023 Brooklyn Farmers Market season.

Enjoy shopping and eating the fresh and natural foods and product of our local farmers and food manufacturers.

Click here to view Queens Farmers Markets NYC, Brooklyn Farmers Markets NYC, Bronx Farmers Markets NYC & Staten Island Farmers Markets NYC and Manhattan Farmers Markets NYC.

Click here to view a report about most of the Brooklyn Farmers Market / Green markets in Brooklyn Bk.



Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

St Patrick's Day Parade, Chain Theatre Performance Continues, Fresh, Fly & Fabulous Exhibit in Manhattan; 40 Shades of Irish Green & Rough Draft Festival at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center in Queens; a Half Marathon Race, Lorraine Hansberry Play Performances & Rachel Wren Opening Art Reception in Brooklyn, an Art Exhibit about Homosexuality in Nature & the Orchid Show in the Bronx; St Pat's Weekend Irish Stout Concert and St Pats Weekend Bar Crawl for All on Staten Island & the First Day of Spring Comes Monday

st pats day parade manhattan nycMarch 17, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the high 50's on Friday, the low 50's on Saturday and the low 40's on Sunday. The temperature lows will be in the low 40's on Friday, and the low 30's for the rest of the weekend. The winds will be 5 - 10 mph on Friday, and then 10 - 15 mph the rest of the weekend. The humidity will drop from 50% - 70% on Friday, to 40% on Saturday and between 30% - 40% on Sunday. No precipitation is expected this weekend.

The first official day of Spring is Monday, March 20, 2023. In the yogic tradition, spring is considered a time of renewal and transformation.

The photos included with this report are from a Manhattan St Patrick's Day Parade in an earlier year. Erin go Bragh which means Ireland Forever. Have a good one, which means a safe one, which means being respectful of others.

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend

st pats day parade manhattan nycFriday, March 17th, beginning at 11 am, the NYC St Patrick's Day Parade in Manhattan begins on 5th Avenue at 44th Street and marches up to 79th Street. There are generally about 150,000 participants and about two million spectators. Click these links for Irish pub suggestions for each borough. For further details see - https://www.nycstpatricksparade.org/

Click here for Irish bars and pubs in Manhattan, see - St Pat's Day Bars, Restaurants & Irish Pubs Manhattan NYC.

Through Saturday, April 8th beginning at 7 pm [most nights], the Chain Theatre at 312 West 36th Street [3rd Floor] will be hosting live performances of THIS G*D DAMN HOUSE. The play is described as follows, " ... Jet lagged, without warning, Danny is summoned from NYC by his brother Jacob to Florida. Their mother has 24 hrs to vacate their childhood home. The problem is, their mother is a hoarder and the house is an indoor trash heap. The brothers dig through the filth and garbage with memories, trauma, and the past rising to the surface as the deadline closes in...". For tickets and details see - https://www.chaintheatre.org.

OPEN CALL. The Chain NYC Film Festival is accepting submissions. The early bird deadline is April 29, 2023. Producers, Directors and Actors can save on entry fees by submitting their work early on Film Freeway. For details see - https://www.chaintheatre.org/.

Fresh, Fly and Fabulous is on exhibit at the Fashion Institute of Management at 227 West 27th Street in Chelsea from February 8th to April 23rd. The exhibit is dedicated to Hip Hop not just as music and fashion, but as a lifestyle and cultural statement. Hip Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Wednesday - Friday from noon to 8 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm. There's an all day symposium on Friday, February 24th. For details see - https://www.fitnyc.edu/

On Sunday, March 19th from 6.50 am - 9.20 am beginning in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, the gates to four waves of runners for the Half Marathon race organized by NY Road Runners open. The runners head northwest from Prospect Park, crossing Manhattan Bridge, and running up the FDR to 42nd Street where they head to Times Square before turnning north toward Central Park, where the race ends in Central Park in Manhattan between noon and 1.30 pm. It's too late to register to run, but you can watch along the route on Sunday. For details see - https://www.nyrr.org.

There's an International Vision Expo at the Javits Center 429 11th Avenue at 35th Street. It's billed as where eyecare meets eyewear, and education, fashion, innovation and ophthalmic professionals mingle.

NEXT WEEK. A Federal Reserve meeting to discuss public investments in Education. The first is on education on Thursday, March 23, 2023 from 4.30 - 5.30 pm. The event is described as follows, " ... a hybrid event exploring how investments in children’s growth and development can save society money and lead to better health and economic outcomes. David Erickson of the New York Fed will discuss his new book, “The Fifth Freedom: Guaranteeing an Opportunity-Rich Childhood for All.” Speakers will discuss how good schools, well-funded libraries, safe streets, and quality healthcare can pay long-term social dividendsRegistration closes Monday, March 20th for live and online attendance..". Free.

Afford.

Queens Things To Do This Weekend

st pats day parade manhattan nycNext Friday, March 17th at the NY Irish Center at 1040 Jackson near Vernon Blvd in Long Island City there's a St Patricks Day Celebration entitled '40 Shades of Green', from 3 - 9 pm. For $30 tickets and details see - https://www.newyorkirishcenter.org.

Next Friday, March 17th beginning at 5 pm, there's a reading of Cryptochrome in tandem with the Rough Draft Festival at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center at 31-10 Thomson Avenue in Long Island City. The reading is described as follows, " ... Cryptochrome is a freewheeling ritual meditation on wayfinding and navigation. Named after a protein believed to be responsible for the ability to navigate using the electromagnetic field, the work explores forms of perception and intuition beyond the limited scope of the visible. As a visually impaired artist in the process of losing my own sight, its central questions are both urgent and personal. Incorporating a score of original music and text, the work invites audiences on a kaleidoscopic journey across the animal kingdom––from echolocating bats in pitch black caves to birds migrating across featureless oceans––to unearth new insights about how we move through the world in relation to other creatures and one another...". For more details and to rsvp a free seat go to - https://www.lpac.nyc/.

On Saturday, March 18th from 1 - 4 pm, Women's Work at King Manor in Jamaica, Queens. A look at the work colonial women did. Free.

On Sunday, March 19th from 2.30 - 4.30 pm, Bix on the Big Screen at the Kingsland Homestead in Flushing. A film about a 1920's Sunnyside resident and famous jazz musician, Bix Biederbecke. Tickets $7 / $3.

On Sunday, March 19th from 3.30 - 8 pm and possibly beyond. A film, interactive event including refreshments and socializing, entitled NYC Five-Borough ‘Together, Not Alone – Zip Codes Remember’ Tour. At The Local at 13-02 44th Avenue in Long Island City. Free but you must register to attend -

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCWgTirwa15RtkD8m8_FNagvRstwqJfMKKf-2oy3BviXZU7g/viewform

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend

st pats day parade manhattan nycOn Friday at 7.30 pm, Saturday at 1.30 and 7.30, and Sunday at 3 pm there are performances of Black female author Lorraine Hansberry's epic drama entitled The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window in the Harvey Theatre at the Brooklyn Academy of Music at 651 Fulton Street in Brooklyn. They describe the play as follows, " ... Hansberry invites us into Greenwich Village in the 60s, crafting a razor-sharp portrait of a diverse group of friends whose progressive dreams can’t quite match reality. At the center are Sidney and Iris Brustein, fighting to see if their marriage—with all its crackling wit, passion, and petty cruelty—can survive Sidney’s ideals...". The play runs daily, except Mondays, through March 24th. For $35 & up tickets and details see - https://www.bam.org. Performances end March 24, 2023.

On Sunday, March 19th from 6.50 am - 9.20 am beginning in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, the gates to four waves of runners for the Half Marathon race organized by NY Road Runners open. The runners head northwest from Prospect Park, crossing Manhattan Bridge, and running up the FDR to 42nd Street where they head to Times Square before turnning north toward Central Park, where the race ends in Central Park in Manhattan between noon and 1.30 pm. It's too late to register to run, but you can watch along the route on Sunday. For details see - https://www.nyrr.org.

NEXT WEEK. On Thurday, March 23rd at PS 9 in Prospect Heights, Assemblymember Robert Carroll is hosting a community meeting to discuss whatever ails you. To rsvp a spot and find out what time it is, see - Carrollr@nyassembly.gov.

NEXT WEEK. On Thurday, March 23rd theres an Opening Reception for a Rachel Wren exhibit from 6 - 9 pm at The Shirley Project Space at 609 Washington Avenue [at Dean Street] in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn NY. On view from March 23 - May 12, 2023. Free.

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend

st pats day parade manhattan nycMarch is Music Month at the Pregones PRTT Theater at 575 Walton Avenue in the Bronx. On Saturday beginning at 7 pm Manuel Valera and his band, which they desribe as, "... New Cuban Express, creates a unique and distinctive style that mixes elements of Jazz, R&B, fusion, funk, and Cuban music... ". And on Sunday, beginning at 3 pm, Chantal Balestri whose performance is described as follows, " ... a versatile classical musician [who] ... will play works by Schubert, Franz, and Schumann ... ". For $18 - $36 and $0 - $36 tickets see - https://pregonesprtt.org/.

On Saturday, March 18, 2023 beginning at 1 pm, the 65th Annual Yonkers St. Patrick's Parade will march up what they call the Emerald Mile, along McLean Avenue from Bronx River Road / Webster Avenue to Coyne Park in Yonkers. This is a link to a report we did on some of the Irish bars and pubs in the Woodlawn neighborhood of the Bronx NYC, which is just south of McLean Avenue where the Throgs Neck St Patricks Day Parade begins. For further details see their website at - http://www.yonkersstpatricksparade.org/

Click here for St Pat's Day Irish Pubs, Bars & Restaurants Bronx NYC.

An exhibit entitled Queer Nature is at Bronx Art Space at 700 Manida Street [near Spofford Avenue] in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the Bronx. The exhibit is described as, " ... One of the primary arguments against homosexuality is the belief that it is not deemed as "natural", therefore cannot be considered normal. Nature is often weaponized to justify homophobia and transphobia, falsely using biology as a means to enforce social constructs. Some cells reproduce asexually, same-sex behaviors occur in hundreds of species of animals, numerous plants and animals are hermaphroditic; many of them switching genders. How can one consider homosexuality unnatural when it is evident in nature? ...". One of the reasons people's understanding and conversations about gender and race are so messed up is that the mainstream media teleprompter readers seem at least as ignorant as their audiences. For details on the exhibit which also has a closing party on April 1st may be found at - http://www.bronxartspace.com.

OPEN CALL ARTISTS / CURATORS. Bronx Art Space has issued an open call to emerging art curators, with a deadline of March 19th, for an April Show. For details see - http://www.bronxartspace.com

The Orchid Show has returned to the New York Botanical Garden and will be there until April 23rd. This year the installation was designed by Lily Kwong a landscape artist who explores Asian cultural themes.

There are gardening classes being given at the Bartow Pell Mansion for the next three Saturdays in March [11th, 18th & 25th] from 10 am - 12 noon. Tickets for all three days are $75 for non-members [$25 / class], or $50 for members [$17 / class].

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend

st pats day parade manhattan nycOn Friday night, from 7 pm - 12 midnight, The Pride Center at 59 Wright Street on Staten Island is hosting the Spring Bling [kiki] Ball. There will be music and dancing. No admission was noted, but for more info and details see - https://twitter.com/pridecenterSI. They also have a website but this and the following event aren't posted there. https://www.pridecentersi.org

On Saturday, from 11 am - 3 pm, starting at Jodys Club at 372 Forest Avenue there's the first Crawl for All St Patricks Day weekend bar crawl. The event is being organized by folks associated with the Pride Center of Staten Island who would like the St Patricks Day parade on Staten Island, to join all other St Patricks Day parades in NYC, by eliminating the discriminatory practice of forbidding people who are both members of Irish and LGBTQ communities, from participating in the parade. Inclusivity rather than exclusivity. Because the Staten Island St Pat's Day Parade continues to lose both audience and participation, the organizers wanted to mitigate some of the St Pat's Parade business losses by local businesses, by organizing the Crawl for All. For details see - https://twitter.com/pridecenterSI.

On Saturday from 6 - 8 pm at the Historic Richmond Town at the Guyon Tavern at 441 Clarke Avenue there's a concert by The Irish Stout and who are described as, " ... Bob Conroy, Norm & Jean Pederson, Jason Wickersty, and Chris Browne, performing new and old traditional Irish songs and tunes. Accompanied by Banjo, Guitar, Fiddle, Ukulele, Mandolin, Irish Flute and Bodhran......". For $18 tickets and event details see - https://www.historicrichmondtown.org

The Lighthouse Museum at 200 The Promenade in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island has ongoing exhibits about lighthouses and related subjects such as the equipment, the history and an exhibit about the first African American lighthouse keeper at Cape Henry Light, and another about another early African American Lighthouse keeper who played a role at the Pea Island Life Saving Station. For $10 / $5 tickets and details see - https://lighthousemuseum.org.

Have a good one.


Governor Hochul Scraps the Ill Conceived LGA - Willets Point Air Train

Former Governor Cuomo's Air Train Seemed More About Catering to the Whims of the Billionaire Class, than in Streamlining Public Transit

March 15, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

CTA subway line from downtown chicago to O'Hare Airport nyc public transit air train lgaIn 2017 I attended a Community Board meeting in Astoria where our urban planners talked about new improvements coming to LaGuardia Airport. Since then a number of those plans have come to fruition. But one of them, what at the time was called the third phase, the Air Train to LGA, has not. Use the link to see the thinking nearly six years ago when the plans had been drafted and the construction was about to begin. I'm happy to say that we flagged and reported to you a number of the issues with the LGA Air Train early on, which we've included in the list below.

The photo at right shows the CTA [Chicago Transit Authority] subway that runs along the Kennedy Expressway from downtown Chicago to O'Hare Airport which vies with Atlanta for the title of the busiest airport in the U.S..

 

The Former Emperor [Governor] had No Clothes [Sound Public Interest Rationale]

On Monday, Governor Hochul announced what was already well known and expected, which was that the Air Train shuttling between LaGuardia Airport and Flushing Meadows Corona Park, would not be built.

There were any number of good reasons why the LGA Air Train should not have been built, such as: 1) the costs of building the train would cost more than five times the original estimated cost of under $500 million to over $2.5 billion, 2) then, implicit in a number of alternatives, there was the idiocy of connecting the LGA Air Train, to the second most trafficked subway line [the #7] in NYC, which was already nearing peak capacity pre-pandemic, 3) the politically and billionaire preferred alternative destination, Willets Point on Flushing Bay, had just been cleaned up after decades of environmental pollution, and would again be threatened again, and to top it all off, 4) the politically and billionaire preferred Willets Point alternative required all of the people traveling to and from LaGuardia on public transit, to travel out to Flushing first, before circling back around to LaGuardia Airport. The billionaires who would have benefitted from this include billionaire real estate developer Stephen Ross and [now minority interest] Mets Club billionaire owners Saul B. Katz and Fred Wilpon. The new Mets baseball team owner, Steve Cohen, is also a billionaire.

 

Environmental & Community Groups Oppose Cuomo's Willets Point - LGA Air Train Plan

I recall and confirmed via Wikipedia that, "... In January 2020, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, wrote to the FAA asking why 46 alternatives were rejected and noting that over 60% of the 414 public comments collected by the FAA were in opposition to the proposed routing. Democratic District Leader, Hiram Monserrate, also objected that the FAA's approval had bypassed a Uniform Land Use Review Procedure analysis ... mandated for other large projects. The same month, residents and business owners along the AirTrain's proposed route protested against the construction of the AirTrain on that route...".

In early 2021 Hudson Riverkeeper and the following community groups, Ditmars Blvd Block Association, Guardians of Flushing Bay and the Sensible Way to LGA Coalition, joined forces to slow and eventually stop the Cuomo preferred Air Train alternative, which was to be routed through billionaire controlled Willets Point.

I was far from alone in believing that things weren't right with Cuomo's preferred alternative for the Air Train via Willets Point. An August 12, 2021 Streets Blog report informed us the following,

"... Environmentalists, transit advocates, elected officials and other opponents of the LaGuardia AirTrain are cheering the dissident Port Authority of New York and New Jersey staffers who issued an open letter calling for an end to the boondoggle project and an internal investigation of any “undue influence” that departing Gov. Cuomo had on its federal approval ... Dozens of Port Authority staffers are said to have signed the August 10 missive, which was addressed to Port Authority Executive Director (and Cuomo loyalist) Rick Cotton and copied to all Port Authority commissioners. The letter landed literally hours after Cuomo announced his resignation on Tuesday. (Internal sources dispute the number, claiming that the number of signers is in the single digits.) ... “For too long, Gov. Cuomo and his staff have repeatedly pushed the agency to make non-transparent, politically motivated decisions, including decisions that squander the trust and money of our bondholders, customers, and the general public,” the staffers wrote in the letter ... "

 

A Bit of the Scandalous History of Willets Point Real Estate Ownership - A Story Generally Not Reported Much by the TV Teleprompter News Presenters

This destination, Willets Point, was the site where former Mayor Bloomberg misused the government power of eminent domain to wrest that valuable land from a number of small landlords of auto repair shops. After using government power and funding to essentially take away the Willets Point property from its original owners, former Mayor Bloomberg subsequently turned around and 'sold it for $1' to the billionaires / millionaires mentioned above, including Stephen Ross, as well as Saul Katz and Fred Wilpon [Mets owners at the time] who also controlled adjacent property at Willets Point near Flushing Bay.

It's worth mentioning that multi-billionaire Stephen Ross was also the primary beneficiary of another Bloomberg (using the NYC Mayor's office) real estate development project, wherein - Bloomberg aggregated the land which became Hudson Yard, by using NYC taxpayer funds and government power, which he then sold to Stephen Ross for $1, and for which Mayor Bloomberg also used NYC / NYS taxpayer funds to build a multi-billion dollar #7 subway line rail spur, to enhance the value and commercial viability of billionaire Stephen Ross's Hudson Yard. This was being done, while many other neighborhoods in dire need of mass transit in NYC, went without. Former Mayor Bloomberg also helped round up various levels of government financing for Ross's Hudson Yard development too. And these weren't the only two projects that Bloomberg used to greatly enrich Stephen Ross [and a few select others], during his term as Mayor. During Bloomberg's Mayoralty Stephen Ross's net worth skyrocketed into the billions and he started showing up as the richest NYC real estate developer. And what did the NYC taxpayer get [besides screwed]?

So ask yourself, why don't most New Yorkers know what I just reported above? Because the mainstream media is too busy extensively reporting the weather, sports scores and accidents and murders, instead of the real news. And the TV teleprompter presenters don't seem to have a clue as to what really goes on in NYC and NYS, as they - like the bad politicians - only show up in front of their cameras for photo ops, which are no real substitute for real news coverage. To me, the TV teleprompter presenters seem as inauthentic as $3 bills. But I digress.

 

Two Primary Drivers of the Rail Connection Construction Costs

air train costs prohibitive in part due to faa restrictions on construction near landing strip lga willetts point air train analysisOne of the biggest obstacles to erecting a rail connection into / out of LaGuardia is the disruption it would cause to existing commutes. Another major factor, particularly for those alternatives which provided the most direct connections into / out of Manhattan, was that a rail connection would have to tunnel below the end of LGA Runway 4-22 that stretches from the southwest section of the airport to the northeast section of the airport which ends in the East River. The reason such a tunnel is required, is because of FAA regulations surrounding construction limitations around an FAA airstrip. I picked up this information in a March 13, 2023 Engineering News Record report as well as in the FAA report noted below.

In the map at right you can see the two runways at LaGuardia and the spot where the 4-22 runway ends, which is one of the construction hurdles / issues.

 

The Best Air Train Alternative Never Made the List - But the Q70 Bus Link did & Won

There were 10 alternatives, which were described - along with their limitations - on the FAA website. If you're curious about them you can cut and paste this link to view them.

https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/airports/environmental/environmental_documents/lga/EIS-ROD-LGA-NY-Access-Improvement-2021-07-21.pdf

So, instead of a new rail connection into LaGuardia Airport, the committee decided to spend an additional $500 million upgrading the Q70 bus link to LaGuardia. Does that really make sense?

 

What About Some Other Low Cost, Direct Alternative?

So first, full disclosure, this is my own conception and I've not even tested it out on anyone. You're among the first.

laguaridia air train doesn't make sense because connects to capacity constrained #7 subway line queens lga willetts point air train analysisI took a look at a map of the Astoria neighborhood which lies between Manhattan and LaGuardia. It's an area with which I'm pretty familiar. A few of the air train alternatives included connecting the Astoria Blvd and the Ditmars Blvd N / W train MTA subway stops, as the jumping off point for a rail connection to LaGuardia Airport. This makes the most sense, as both the N and W subway lines are nowhere near capacity use, like the #7 train, so there's likely enough slack to handle a significant boost in ridership, if those lines were to be used to enable a public transit rail connection to LaGuardia Airport.

I couldn't find passengers per subway line [that the MTA doesn't publish such information makes no sense to me - they seem only publish per station information], so instead I used the interval time between trains, as a proxy for how much unused capacity is in each line in the system. The #7 train is the only one that uses the rail tracks that the #7 line runs on and the trains are spaced every 2 minutes. The N / W line runs both trains on the same track, and they are spaced every 6 minutes and every 8 minutes, so you can see that the N / W could fairly easily ramp up to handle additional passenger traffic to / from LaGuardia if that subway line was chosen as the starting point to complete a public transit rail connection to LaGuardia Airport.

It's worth noting that the N / W Astoria subway stops are the nearest jumping off point from the subway system to LaGuardia Airport. Only 82nd Street in Jackson Heights and 103rd Street in Corona come close, and they are both nested on the #7 subway line. The N / W subway line proximity to the airport should minimize the amount of construction required to complete a connection from the subway to the airport.

The graphic at right shows the N line travels through Queens, Manhattan and Brooklyn. There are connections to the #7 if you're heading into eastern and southern Queens and connections via subway to the Bronx and Staten Island from Manhattan.

For historical reference, in 1984 Chicago built a subway line from the center of the city, to O'Hare Airport which is 16 miles away. Since then, that CTA subway line has grown to become the second most used subway line in Chicago. But it is also one of its longest lines, so that would make sense.

 

Passenger Impact on the MTA, if a Rail Connection Was Built From the MTA to LaGuardia Airport

air train scrapped in favor of bus nyc public transit air train lga willetts pointIn 2022 there were 29 million passengers [79,000 per day] who traveled through LaGuardia. And from what I could gather from some of the Air Train Analysis reports by the Port Authority PANYNJ, it appears that an estimated 10% of passengers [3 million or 8,200 riders per day] currently use public transit.

In 2019 the MTA provided 1.7 billion subway trips using 36 rail lines. So the average ridership per line [recognizing that ridership per line varies significantly] is 47 million, or about 130,000 riders per day. If every airline passenger took public transit, they would add 79,000 rider trips to the MTA per day, and if they were all carried on one average line, that would boost the ridership on that line by 61%.

Assuming I interpreted the PANYNJ LGA Air Train project estimates for public transit correctly, public transit usage would grow to about 20% - 25% of trips taken to / from LaGuardia if a rail connection were built. So that means even if all the trips to / from LGA came through just one average subway line, the ridership on that MtA line would only increase by 15%.

So, recognizing these are back of the envelope calculations, adding a rail connection from the N / W train line in Astoria wouldn't put an undue burden on those lines, vis a vis the #7 train.

The map above right shows where 19th Avenue and 81st Street meet, which could be the jumping off point for a bimodal train entry into LaGuardia Airport.

 

Setting up the BiModal Alternative - Connecting to LaGuardia Airport via Rail

LGA air train along grand central parkway near landing strip lga willetts point air train analysisGiven the FAA restrictions on construction projects near airport runways as pointed out to us by Engineering News Record report of 3/13/23 referenced above, I suggest the PANYNJ build a connecting light rail from the N/ W lines in Astoria to the edge of the airport, ending in the southwest corner of the airport, at the end of the 4-22 runway at 19th Avenue and 81st Street [see map above right]. For the residents of this area, the advantage of this rail link would be better public transit, which in turn would likely raise property values, and make for a very easy any commute into the airport for workers.

Another option would be for it to travel along the Grand Central Parkway [both of these alternatives were included in the PANYNJ study]. The CTA [Chicago Transit Authority] did this very same thing along the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago. The photo at the beginning of this report is of the CTA subway line along the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago to O'Hare Airport. The photo above right is of the Grand Central Parkway in Astoria. There appears to be enough space to add a rail line in here somewhere.

LGA air train along grand central parkway near landing strip lga willetts point air train analysisSo here's the American ingenuity piece. Set up the N / W trains that go to LaGuardia to have a few rail cars that can be unfastened from the end of that subway train, and can then be driven around the airport stopping at each of the terminals, before returning to the line and being refastened onto the next outgoing subway train. Or, in a manner similar to what they do with container shipping, have some cars that can be rolled off the subway train line and then pulled around the airport terminals on a conveyor, before circling back to be refastened to the next outgoing subway train.

Unfortunately, the photo above right is the closest image I could find on the web, that conveys my meaning - and it doesn't do a sufficient job in my mind.

LGA air train street car circling around lga airport in lieu of air train analysisWhat I visualize are subway cars at the end of the train, which can be disconnected and go vehicular around the airport. Or better yet, subway cars that can be motored a few blocks to a separate automated rail or street car-like system that takes the disconnected subway cars around the airport to all of the terminals, before returning to the starting point where they would be shuttled back to be reconnected to the next city bound MTA subway train.

The image at right is of a street car operating on one of the few remaining San Francisco street car lines still running. The MTA could set up a street car track circling around the airport, with various pick up / drop off points for folks coming in on the MTA, from various MTA and other bus lines, short and long term parking, and pick up / drop off points for taxis, limos and individually driven cars. A system of this nature, if designed properly, could greatly simply LGA traffic flows.

Think of LaGuardia Airport as an amusement park. After all, the airport was built on one - the North Beach Amusement Park. See photo below of the amusement park which occupied much of the land upon which Municipal Airport was created, opening in 1939, and later renamed LaGuardia in 1947.

 

Use Flexible Technology to Expand Public Transit Economically, Thus Enabling the Masses & the Middle Class, Instead of Congestion Pricing / Taxing the Average Citizen out of the Rich Man's Way

LGA air train along grand central parkway near landing strip lga willetts point air train analysisI recognize that this option isn't currently offered by Kawasaki, Bombardier or Siemens, who represent about two thirds of the subway car industry. But this isn't rocket science, and there is plenty of pre-existing technology, like parts etc. to make this happen in about as much time [2 - 3 years] as it would take to complete the elevated rail line from either the Ditmars Blvd or Astoria Blvd subway station. NYS has a large Kawasaki subway car plant in Yonkers that might be up to the job.

This sort of flexible technology would also enable the MTA to expand service further into transportation deserts, before doing an expensive build out of subway lines, in neighborhoods where public transit makes sense. This would in turn reduce congestion in Manhattan and surrounding areas.

For my money, building infrastructure that enables folks to get around more easily without their cars, is a far more equitable solution to our congestion, pollution and transportation problems than Congestion Pricing.

Congestion Pricing appears to me like the proposal of the Air Train to Willets Point that Governor Hochul just scratched, meaning it doesn't serve the general public interest, but rather seems to reward the private selfish interests of the folks who are pushing the plan, and who appear to have successfully manipulated quite a few well intentioned folks to support it. The profiteering supporters congestion pricing have manipulated a lot of people into supporting it by promising them all of these public transit goodies, which they claim the masses will get from the proceeds [their first hook was that it was better for the environment but that didn't stand up to scientific scrutiny very well]. If you read the Congestion Pricing report we previously published [see link above], you'll see that in London, where they implemented a congestion pricing plan, a lot of the money went into building and managing the congestion pricing system, while only a fraction of it actually made its way to support public transit as originally promised. Just as in the Congestion Pricing environmental claims, there seemed to be a fair amount of fictionalization of the 'facts'. This sort of manipulation is not unlike what Australian born Oligarch Rupert Murdoch does all too often on his Fox News, NY Post and Wall Street Journal.

Congestion pricing basically creates something very unAmerican, which is a two-tiered transportation system for the haves and have nots. Folks with less money are priced out of driving in Manhattan [luxury] so the rich folks can move around more easily, having priced the rest of the folks out of the way. Building infrastructure, on the other hand, entices folks to ditch their cars in the interest of saving the environment, creates more doable public transit commutes, and enables the working class to save their money to spend on more satisfying conveniences.

Think about it, then smile or have a good laugh - either at me or with me - and go on to enjoy your week.


Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Daylight Savings Time Sunday 2AM, Performance of a Lorraine Hansberry Play, a Pop Up Market & Poets Workshop in Brooklyn; Chain Theatre Opens Original Play, Fresh, Fly & Fabulous Exhibit in Manhattan; Rough Draft Festival at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, Workshop for Women About EmPowerment, MFTA Art Opening & 40 Shades of Irish Green in Queens; Two St Patrick's Day Parades, a Concert, a Queer Nature Art Exhibit & the Orchid Show in the Bronx; Two Concerts [one Folk & one Classical], a Pre-Oscar Screening, a Staged Reading & Glass House Tour on Staten Island

brooklyn things to do brooklyn events brooklyn nycMarch 10, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid to high 40's and the temperature lows will be in the low to high 30's all weekend. Winds will range from 5 - 13 mph on Friday and Saturday and fall to about 7 mph on Sunday. The humidity will range from 60% - 80% on Friday, and then settle into the 60% - 70% range for the rest of the weekend. There will be about an inch of precipitation between 4 pm Friday and 9 am Saturday, and the rest of the weekend should remain dry.

The photo at right was taken in McCarren Park in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn a while back.

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend

From March 15 through April 8th beginning at 7 pm [most nights], the Chain Theatre at 312 West 36th Street [3rd Floor] will be hosting live performances of THIS G*D DAMN HOUSE. The play is described as follows, " ... Jet lagged, without warning, Danny is summoned from NYC by his brother Jacob to Florida. Their mother has 24 hrs to vacate their childhood home. The problem is, their mother is a hoarder and the house is an indoor trash heap. The brothers dig through the filth and garbage with memories, trauma, and the past rising to the surface as the deadline closes in...". For tickets and details see - https://www.chaintheatre.org.

OPEN CALL. The Chain NYC Film Festival is accepting submissions. The early bird deadline is April 29, 2023. Producers, Directors and Actors can save on entry fees by submitting their work early on Film Freeway. For details see - https://www.chaintheatre.org/.

st pat's parade manhattanFresh, Fly and Fabulous is on exhibit at the Fashion Institute of Management at 227 West 27th Street in Chelsea from February 8th to April 23rd. The exhibit is dedicated to Hip Hop not just as music and fashion, but as a lifestyle and cultural statement. Hip Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Wednesday - Friday from noon to 8 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm. There's an all day symposium on Friday, February 24th. For details see - https://www.fitnyc.edu/

Next Friday, March 17th, beginning at 11 am, the NYC St Patrick's Day Parade in Manhattan begins on 5th Avenue at 44th Street and marches up to 79th Street. There are generally about 150,000 participants and about two million spectators. Click these links for Irish pub suggestions for each borough. For further details see - https://www.nycstpatricksparade.org/

Click here for Irish bars and pubs in Manhattan, see - St Pat's Day Bars, Restaurants & Irish Pubs Manhattan NYC.

 

Queens Things To Do This Weekend

Friday, March 10th beginning at 5 pm, there's a reading of Doll Valley in tandem with the Rough Draft Festival at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center at 31-10 Thomson Avenue in Long Island City. The reading is described as follows, " ... Doll Valley is a meditation on a cornerstone of iconic queer camp pop culture endowed with the mythic tale of women attempting to navigate concepts of gaze and authorship in a volatile field/industry ...". For more details and to rsvp a free seat go to - https://www.lpac.nyc/.

This Sunday, March 12th from 12 noon - 3 pm at the Museum of the Moving Image at 36-01 35th Avenue in Astoria - Redefining Leadership, Reimagining Power - is a workshop described as, " ... in connection with Ramadan and Women’s History Month, Redefining Leadership, Reimagining Power is a community event focused on women leaders and the many definitions of leadership including speaking up against injustices; taking care of each other and our communities; and creating films with powerful messages, such as TYWLS student Niyama Chowdhury’s visual poem The Light of Islam. In response to a prompt, participants can create a video about women’s leadership ...". For tickets and details see - https://movingimage.us. Free with $10 / $20 admission.

Next Wednesday, March 15th beginning at 7.30 pm at St. Marks Episcopal Church at 33-50 82nd Street in Jackson Heights, there's a performance by the Jackson Heights Orchestra. In addition to playing Mozart's the Marriage of Figaro, and Beethoven's Symphony #7, they'll be performing a new work by one of their own. For details and tickets see their Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/people/Jackson-Heights-Orchestra/100028285643320/

Next Thursday, March 16th from 6.30 to 9.30 pm at Materials for the Arts at 11-00 Northern Blvd in Long Island City there's an art exhibit opening for “A Kaleidoscope of Lines/ Forms/ Patterns” by Sui Park. The works is described as follows, " ... Her work involves creating 3-dimensional organic forms in biomorphic shapes that are both illusory and mystical. Park’s creations are often made with mass-produced industrial materials, in particular, Monofilament cable sleeving and zip ties. While resembling transitions and transformations of nature, the forms aim to capture subtle but continuous changes in our emotions, sentiments, memories, and expectations... ". For details and to rsvp see - https://www.materialsforthearts.org/.

Next Friday, March 17th at the NY Irish Center at 1040 Jackson near Vernon Blvd in Long Island City there's a St Patricks Day Celebration entitled '40 Shades of Green', from 3 - 9 pm. For $30 tickets and details see - https://www.newyorkirishcenter.org.

Next Friday, March 17th beginning at 5 pm, there's a reading of Cryptochrome in tandem with the Rough Draft Festival at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center at 31-10 Thomson Avenue in Long Island City. The reading is described as follows, " ... Cryptochrome is a freewheeling ritual meditation on wayfinding and navigation. Named after a protein believed to be responsible for the ability to navigate using the electromagnetic field, the work explores forms of perception and intuition beyond the limited scope of the visible. As a visually impaired artist in the process of losing my own sight, its central questions are both urgent and personal. Incorporating a score of original music and text, the work invites audiences on a kaleidoscopic journey across the animal kingdom––from echolocating bats in pitch black caves to birds migrating across featureless oceans––to unearth new insights about how we move through the world in relation to other creatures and one another...". For more details and to rsvp a free seat go to - https://www.lpac.nyc/.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend

brooklyn things to do brooklyn events brooklyn nycOn Sunday, March 12 from 11 am to 5 pm there's a Winter Pop Up Market at the Brooklyn Museum at 200 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn. The event is free and open to the public. For details see https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/.

The photo at right was taken at a spring market in Brooklyn [not at the museum] a few years ago, just before the pandemic struck.

On Friday at 7.30 pm, Saturday at 1.30 and 7.30, and Sunday at 3 pm there are performances of Black female author Lorraine Hansberry's epic drama entitled The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window in the Harvey Theatre at the Brooklyn Academy of Music at 651 Fulton Street in Brooklyn. They describe the play as follows, " ... Hansberry invites us into Greenwich Village in the 60s, crafting a razor-sharp portrait of a diverse group of friends whose progressive dreams can’t quite match reality. At the center are Sidney and Iris Brustein, fighting to see if their marriage—with all its crackling wit, passion, and petty cruelty—can survive Sidney’s ideals...". The play runs daily, except Mondays, through March 24th. For $35 & up tickets and details see - https://www.bam.org.

On Monday, March 13th, beginning at 6.30 pm Brooklyn Poets at 144 Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights is hosting a number of open mic readings at their monthly Poets Yawp which is a workshop held on the second Monday of every month from 6.30 to 9 pm. If you want to speak you have to rsvp a spot in advance. The featured speaker this Monday is Ramya Ramana. For details and $13 tickets see - https://brooklynpoets.org/

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend

March is Music Month begins at Pregones PRTT Theater at 571 Walton Street in the Bronx. On Saturday beginning at 7 pm Sonia Olla and Ismael Fernandez who they bill as a "fiery duo". And on Sunday, beginning at 3 pm, Francesca Khalifa will perform. Khalifa's piano playing is described as follows, " ... uncommon among the new generation…the introspection of her interpretation is convincing, as much as the subtlety and delicacy of the phrasing, the nobility of the musicianship... ". For tickets call 718-585-1202, and while the prices weren't posted, we put in a call to find out but haven't heard back yet. Usually prices are in the $15 - $20 range.

bronx st pats parade throgs neck st patricks day parade photos bronx st pats parade throgs neck photosOn Sunday, March 12, 2023 beginning at 12 noon the Throggs Neck St Pats Parade in the Bronx steps off at Lafayette and East Tremont Avenue. The parade marches south on East Tremont Avenue, through the Throgs Neck commercial district, ending about a mile later at Harding and East Tremont Avenue, where a mobile stage is usually set up for parade speechs and entertainment. The parade lasts about an hour, but the festivities go on far longer.

The photo at right was taken at the Throggs Neck St Patricks Day Parade in 2018. This is a link to a previous report we did on the St Patricks Day Parade in Throgs Neck in the Bronx NYC. For further details see their blogspot page at - http://tnsaintpatricksdayparade.blogspot.com/

Click here for St Pat's Day Irish Pubs, Bars & Restaurants Bronx NYC.

On Saturday, March 18, 2023 beginning at 1 pm, the 65th Annual Yonkers St. Patrick's Parade will march up what they call the Emerald Mile, along McLean Avenue from Bronx River Road / Webster Avenue to Coyne Park in Yonkers. This is a link to a report we did on some of the Irish bars and pubs in the Woodlawn neighborhood of the Bronx NYC, which is just south of McLean Avenue where the Throgs Neck St Patricks Day Parade begins. For further details see their website at - http://www.yonkersstpatricksparade.org/

An exhibit entitled Queer Nature is at Bronx Art Space at 700 Manida Street [near Spofford Avenue] in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the Bronx. The exhibit is described as, " ... One of the primary arguments against homosexuality is the belief that it is not deemed as "natural", therefore cannot be considered normal. Nature is often weaponized to justify homophobia and transphobia, falsely using biology as a means to enforce social constructs. Some cells reproduce asexually, same-sex behaviors occur in hundreds of species of animals, numerous plants and animals are hermaphroditic; many of them switching genders. How can one consider homosexuality unnatural when it is evident in nature? ...". One of the reasons people's understanding and conversations about gender and race are so messed up is that the mainstream media teleprompter readers seem at least as ignorant as their audiences. For details on the exhibit which also has a closing party on April 1st may be found at - http://www.bronxartspace.com.

OPEN CALL ARTISTS / CURATORS. Bronx Art Space has issued an open call to emerging art curators, with a deadline of March 19th, for an April Show. For details see - http://www.bronxartspace.com

The Orchid Show has returned to the New York Botanical Garden and will be there until April 23rd. This year the installation was designed by Lily Kwong a landscape artist who explores Asian cultural themes.

There are gardening classes being given at the Bartow Pell Mansion for the next three Saturdays in March [11th, 18th & 25th] from 10 am - 12 noon. Tickets for all three days are $75 for non-members [$25 / class], or $50 for members [$17 / class].

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend

On Saturday, March 11th from 1 - 2.30 pm there's a rare opportunity to take a tour of the Carl Grillo Glass House at Snug Harbor. The tour provides a behind-the-scenes look at the greenhouse. From 2 - 3 pm there's a St. Lukes Orchestra concert entitled Journeys and Origins in the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art in the Main Hall Gallery, Building C at Snug Harbor. Tour tickets cost $10 / $8 and concert tickets are free but you must rsvp. For tickets and details see - https://snug-harbor.org.

On Saturday from 6 - 8 pm at the Historic Richmond Town at the Guyon Tavern at 441 Clarke Avenue there's a concert by Linda Russell and who is described as, " ... a singer/songwriter who is also deeply rooted in traditional music. Playing mountain dulcimer and hammered dulcimer, Linda performs a variety of material ranging from early American ballads and love songs to mountain gospels, Irish dance tunes and her own compositions. Linda’s original songs tell of childhood summers, family sing-alongs and the abandoned farmhouses and eccentric characters of her Midwestern past.....". For $18 tickets and event details see - https://www.historicrichmondtown.org

Also in Historic Richmond Town [above] on Sunday, there's a Cabin Fever Reliever Soda Break Making Workshop from 1 - 3 pm. For $20 tickets and event details see - https://www.historicrichmondtown.org.

On Sunday, March 12th beginning at 4 pm there's a staged reading of the theatrical production of "Mind the Light" at the Lighthouse Museum at 200 The Promenade in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island. The Lighthouse Museum also has ongoing exhibits about lighthouses and related subjects such as the equipment, the history and an exhibit about the first African American lighthouse keeper at Cape Henry Light, and another about another early African American Lighthouse keeper who played a role at the Pea Island Life Saving Station. For $10 / $5 tickets and details see - https://lighthousemuseum.org.

On Sunday, from 3 - 7 pm, there's an Oscar Night Pre-Party at the St. George Theatre at 35 Hyatt Street on Staten Island. The event includes a showing of Breakfast at Tiffanys on the big screen in the historic theater. For $20 per person tickets and details see - https://stgeorgetheatre.com

Have a good one.


Brooklyn St Patrick's Day Bars Restaurants & Irish Pubs - Brooklyn NYC

Brooklyn St Patrick's Day Bars, Restaurants & Historic Irish Pubs BK 2023

Brooklyn St Pat's Day Irish Pubs in or near the Dumbo, Williamsburg, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, Downtown Brooklyn, Sunset Park, Bayridge, Marine Park, Coney Island Neighborhoods of Brooklynbrooklyn st patricks day bars restaurants irish pubs brooklyn nyc brooklyn st patricks day bars restaurants irish pubs brooklyn0 st patricks day parties brooklyn st pat's day pubs bars restaurants brooklyn nyc irish pubs Dumbo, Williamsburg, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, Downtown Brooklyn, Sunset Park, Bayridge, Marine Park, Coney Island st pats day bars restaurants irish pubs brooklyn

March 4, 2023 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods / Brooklyn Holiday Events / Brooklyn Events & Things To Do / Brooklyn Restaurants NYC / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

St Patrick's Day is on a Friday this year.

While St. Patrick's Day is one big party, it's important to keep in mind, that like New Years Eve, all the amateurs come out to play [it's not just the Irish who are out drinking on St. Patrick's Day]. So some measure of caution is advised and you have to be careful.

At a later date we'll add a bit of history of St. Patrick's Day.

Click here to read more about our round up of some of the Brooklyn St Patrick's Day bars, restaurants & Irish pubs - Brooklyn NYC.

 

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Lorraine Hansberry's Play at the Brooklyn Academy of Music & Brooklyn Poets Readings in Brooklyn, the Athena Film Festival at Barnard College, Fresh, Fly & Fabulous Exhibit, Purim Celebration & the Harlem Blues in Manhattan, Cryptochrome at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center & Two St Patrick's Day Parades in Queens, Queer Nature Opens at Bronx Art Space & the Orchid Show in the Bronx, & Lisa & Lori at Historic Richmond Town and the last Remaining Homophobic St Patricks Day Parade in NYC on Staten Island

2023 snowfall in queens nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx staten island only snowfall of 2023 nycMarch 3, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. There will be about an inch of rain on Friday beginning between 5 - 8 pm, ending by Saturday 8 am. The rest of the weekend will be dry. The temperature highs will be in the mid to high 40's all weekend, while the temperature lows will be in the mid to high 30's. The winds will be 10 - 20 mph on Friday, 5 - 15 on Saturday and about 10 mph on Sunday. The humidity will be 50% - 80% on Friday, 70% on Saturday and 60% on Sunday.

The photo at right was taken late Monday night. It seems someone made good use of their time, and built what is likely one of the few NYC snowmen of this entire winter.

 

The Illusion of Winter

The photo at right shows NYC getting its first real snow of Winter 2023. I went out late Monday evening to capture the snowfall, as I didn't think the snow would last long in our increasingly warm and drier climate. As you know, the snow - unlike unwelcome guests - didn't stay long. For those who still think climate change is a liberal hoax, please think again.

I think the coming climate change scourge isn't going to be about having too much water, but rather about not having enough water, to grow food and drink. If I were in charge of infrastructure preparations for climate change, I would be planning to cover reservoirs, cover conduits moving water from one area to another [including possibly rivers] and maybe even some lakes. I would also be accelerating our transition away from dictator-controlled fossil fuels [Russia & Saudi Arabia], to installing solar on rooftops to power both homes and to charge the homeowner's electric vehicles by instituting a steady gradual increase in taxes on carbon fuels, the proceeds of which I would use, as incentives to install renewable energy alternatives including more widely available public transit. And I would accelerate the erection of windmill fields near large urban center that can be protected from hostile enemy fire, to avoid experiencing what the Russians are doing to the Ukrainian power grid.

If you're under the age of 70 and in reasonably good health, you're going to be among those of us who will suffer the consequences of society allowing of the powerful to prioritize profits ahead doing the right thing for the general well being of the community. Click this link to view a report we did previously based on fact, with a blend of futuristic fiction - The Great Evaporation: An Ozone Hole Parable which conveys in greater detail my view of the coming catastrophe of climate change. In the meantime we can all do our little part, like re-using things as much as possible; walking, cycling or using public transit whenever feasible, keeping lights and appliances off or on low as much as reasonable, and making sure that the candidates we elect, prioritize the transition away from fascist-controlled fossil fuels, as fast as reasonably can be done.

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend

From Thursday, March 2nd thru Sunday, March 5th, the Athena Film Festival is being held at Barnard College on West Broadway between 116th and 120th Streets on the Upper West Side. The festival is screening 12 feature films, 12 documentaries and 16 short films and they are hosting six panels. I believe most films are shown in the Held Auditorium, the Lehman Auditorium and the panels are held at either the Event Oval or the James Room. For further details, tickets [$18 general public / $7 for students] and locations see - https://athenafilmfestival.com/festival-info/directions/

2023 snowfall in queens nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx staten island only snowfall of 2023 nycFresh, Fly and Fabulous is on exhibit at the Fashion Institute of Management at 227 West 27th Street in Chelsea from February 8th to April 23rd. The exhibit is dedicated to Hip Hop not just as music and fashion, but as a lifestyle and cultural statement. Hip Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Wednesday - Friday from noon to 8 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm. There's an all day symposium on Friday, February 24th. For details see - https://www.fitnyc.edu/

The photo at right shows that the city was prepared to handle the incoming snow. But given the light 1 - 3 inch dusting, and the warm temperatures forecast for the following day, mother nature had resourced the means to handle the snow removal herself.

On Sunday, March 5th from 10.30 am - 5.30 pm, Congregation Rodeph Sholom is celebrating PurimFest at 7 West 83rd Street in Manhattan. Free and everyone is welcome.

On Monday, March 6th from 6 - 10 pm, Phil's House of Blues at 300 West 116th Street [near Frederick Douglass Blvd] in West Harlem is hosting Silvana, featuring a number of blues musicians. Admittance is $10. For details see - https://www.newheritagetheatre.org/422-phil-s-house-of-blues

On Tuesday, March 7th, at 9.30 am at 250 Broadway between Park Place and Murray Street across from City Hall there's a Rally to Return the Landmarks Preservation Commission to its Purpose. The rally is being organized in tandem with the following organizations - Seaport Coalition, Humanscale NYC, Citywide Landuse Coalition and the Historic Districts Council.

 

Queens Things To Do This Weekend

Saturday, March 4, 2023. The Queens County St. Patrick's Day Parade in the Rockaways kicks off at 1 pm at Beach 130th and Newport Avenue. Church services at Francis de Sales Church [129th and Newport Avenue] will be held prior to the parade. The parade marches east down Newport Avenue to 116th Street, where it turns right / heads south one block to Rockaway Blvd - where it turns left and continues east down Rockaway Blvd to 102nd Street terminating near a shopping center parking lot. This parade is in the Rockaways neighborhood of Queens and as of 2023, this parade is in its 48th year. For more details see - https://queenscountyparade.org/

On Saturday, March 4, 2023 from 1 - 4 pm there's a Hands on History lecture about the Irish immigrants coming to New York. A sampling of what will be discussed is as follows, " ... to escape poverty and famine. With them, they brought their rich culture, which included symbols like the shamrock and their love of music, including the harp. Musicians were central to Irish culture, and the harp is the national symbol of Ireland. Many workers at King Manor in the 19th century were Irish immigrants ..." Free but please rsvp at - https://www.kingmanor.org/

This weekend at the Museum of the Moving Image at 36-01 35th Avenue in Astoria - Millers Crossing is being shown at 7 pm on Friday and 5.30 pm on Sunday, while Crooklyn is being shown at 1 pm on Saturday.

Sunday, March 5, 2023. The St. Pat's for All Parade in Sunnyside begins with speeches and music at 12 noon, and then kicks off from Skillman Avenue and 43rd Street in Sunnyside, Queens ending 15 blocks further east at 58th Street in Woodside. For further details on the St Pats for All Parade see - https://www.stpatsforall.org/

On Tuesday, March 7th [also on March 17th] beginning at 5 pm, there's a reading of Cryptochrome in tandem with the Rough Draft Festival at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center at 31-10 Thomson Avenue in Long Island City. The reading is described as follows, " ... Cryptochrome is a freewheeling ritual meditation on wayfinding and navigation. Named after a protein believed to be responsible for the ability to navigate using the electromagnetic field, the work explores forms of perception and intuition beyond the limited scope of the visible. As a visually impaired artist in the process of losing my
own sight, its central questions are both urgent and personal. Incorporating a score of original music and text, the work invites audiences on a kaleidoscopic journey across the animal kingdom––from echolocating bats in pitch black caves to birds migrating across featureless oceans––to unearth new insights about how we move through the world in relation to other creatures and one another..."
. For more details and to rsvp a free seat go to - https://www.lpac.nyc/.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend

2023 snowfall in queens nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx staten island only snowfall of 2023 nycOn Friday beginning at 6.30 pm Brooklyn Poets at 144 Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights is hosting a number of open mic readings. If you want to speak you have to rsvp a spot in advance. Featured speakers include Morgan Boyle and Joshua Garcia. For details and $7 tickets see - https://brooklynpoets.org/

The photo at right was taken late Monday night. We haven't seen snow all winter and its appearance on Monday was very fleeting ... or shall I say feeting?

On Friday at 7.30 pm, Saturday at 1.30 and 7.30, and Sunday at 3 pm there are performances of Black female author Lorraine Hansberry's epic drama entitled The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window in the Harvey Theatre at the Brooklyn Academy of Music at 651 Fulton Street in Brooklyn. They describe the play as follows, " ... Hansberry invites us into Greenwich Village in the 60s, crafting a razor-sharp portrait of a diverse group of friends whose progressive dreams can’t quite match reality. At the center are Sidney and Iris Brustein, fighting to see if their marriage—with all its crackling wit, passion, and petty cruelty—can survive Sidney’s ideals...". The play runs daily, except Mondays, through March 24th. For $35 & up tickets and details see - https://www.bam.org.

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend

A new exhibit entitled Queer Nature opened at Bronx Art Space at 700 Manida Street [near Spofford Avenue] in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the Bronx. The exhibit is described as, " ... One of the primary arguments against homosexuality is the belief that it is not deemed as "natural", therefore cannot be considered normal. Nature is often weaponized to justify homophobia and transphobia, falsely using biology as a means to enforce social constructs. Some cells reproduce asexually, same-sex behaviors occur in hundreds of species of animals, numerous plants and animals are hermaphroditic; many of them switching genders. How can one consider homosexuality unnatural when it is evident in nature? ...". We've been highlighting some of this information for years, as the links in the Staten Island section below, will show. The reason the discourse about gender, like race, is so messed up is that the mainstream media teleprompter readers seem as ignorant as their audiences. For details on the exhibit which also has a closing party on April 1st may be found at - http://www.bronxartspace.com.

OPEN CALL ARTISTS / CURATORS. Bronx Art Space has issued an open call to emerging art curators, with a deadline of March 19th, for an April Show. For details see - http://www.bronxartspace.com

MARCH 2ND CANCELLED DUE TO SPEAKER ISSUE. On Thursdays, March 2, 9 & 16, 2023 at from 7 - 8.30 pm, there's a lecture series, entitled 'Inspiring Beauty, at the Bartow Pell Mansion at 895 Shore Road in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. The art, photography and curatorial lecture series is about Hudson River Landscapes and Country Estates by one of three different experts each week. For $20 / $30 tickets and details see - https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org.

The Orchid Show has returned to the New York Botanical Garden and will be there until April 23rd. This year the installation was designed by Lily Kwong a landscape artist who explores Asian cultural themes.

 

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend

On Saturday from 6 - 8 pm at the Historic Richmond Town at the Guyon Tavern at 441 Clarke Avenue there's a concert by Lisa & Lori Brigantino and the experience is described as an, " ... indoor concert series ... in the restored Guyon Tavern, located on Richmond Road. The Tavern boasts a wood-burning stove, flickering candles, live music and the true feel of a 19th century saloon. Beverage options harken back to the period and include hot spiced apple cider, scratch made mulled wine, as well as a refreshing selection of beers....". For $18 tickets and event details see - https://www.historicrichmondtown.org

Sunday, March 5, 2023 the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Staten Island steps off at 12.30 pm. They begin at Harts Blvd marching along Forest Avenue in the Westerleigh / Elm Park neighborhoods to Jewett Avenue, in the West New Brighton neighborhood of Staten Island. Members of the LGBTQ community continue to be banned from participating in the parade. If you are interested in the truth about human sexuality and gender identification please view two previous reports we posted on gender identification and LGTBQ sexuality to better understand how some people's gender identity differs versus those of us in the mainstream. On the first linked report be sure to click into the link to the Metropolitan Museum's Nadar exhibit done in 1860 in Paris, but be advised the photograph is a bit shocking and not for the faint of heart.

The Lighthouse Museum at 200 The Promenade in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island has ongoing exhibits about lighthouses and related subjects such as the equipment, the history and an exhibit about the first African American lighthouse keeper at Cape Henry Light, and another about another early African American Lighthouse keeper who played a role at the Pea Island Life Saving Station. For tickets and details see - https://lighthousemuseum.org.

Have a good one.


St Pats Day Parades in All 5 Boros of NYC

This is a Look at All of the Upcoming St Patricks Day Parades, Including Photos of those We've Covered Over the Years with Links to a Page Containing Photos and Descriptions of Some of the Best Irish Pub in Each Borough

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycFebruary 28, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs start at about 40 on Tuesday, rising to 45 Wednesday and 55 on Thursday, before falling back to 40 on Friday. The temperature lows start in the low 30's on Tuesday, rise to the low 40's on Wednesday, before falling back to the mid 30's on Thursday and rising again to about 40 on Friday. The winds on Tuesday range from 5 - 15 mph, then fall back to 5 - 10 mph on Wednesday and Thursday before kicking up to 15 - 20 mph on Friday. The humidity will range from 75% - 85% on Tuesday, then fall back to 65% - 75% for the rest of the weekdays. There's a 50% chance of a scant amount of precipitation Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, before a real chance of an inch and a quarter of either snow or rain on Friday. Most of Saturday and Sunday should be clear.

The photo at right was taken at the St Pats for All Parade in Sunnyside Queens. This St Pat's Parade was created to allow LGBTQ folks to march in a St Patricks Day parade at a time when all of the others banned LGBTQ from marching in their parades.

 

Each Borough Has its Own Parade

Parades, Pubs and Restaurants in Each Borough. Each borough has at least one or more St. Patrick's Day parade. As we've covered most of them, we've included links to our reports of each St. Patricks Day Parade to provide you with further details of the experience of attending. We've also included links to some of the best or oldest Irish pubs and restaurants in each borough. As this is by no means a comprehensive list, and we will continue refining this report as we learn more about the Irish pubs and restaurants in each borough of NYC.

How this page is organized. We've organized this page first by borough and then by date. The parades span the month, even though the official feast date for St. Patrick is March 17th, which is also the date of the Manhattan parade which is by far the largest.

The LGBTQ Parade Participation Issue Appears to be Abating. In 2020 the St Pats for All parade was begun in Sunnyside to protest the banning of gays from marching in the Manhattan St Pats Parade. In 2015 the Manhattan Parade opened up its participation rules to allow gays to march. In 2020 the Throgs Neck parade opened up its participation to gays. At present only the Staten Island parade continues to ban LGBTQ community members from participating in the parade as openly gay people. The Staten Island ban continues in 2023.


St Pats Day Parades in All 5 Boros of NYC

This is a Look at All of the Upcoming St Patricks Day Parades, Including Photos of those We've Covered Over the Years with Links to a Page Containing Photos and Descriptions of Some of the Best Irish Pub in Each Borough

February 28, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC. Continued.

 

  • St Patricks Day Parades in Queens NYC

Also for Queens Irish pubs and restaurants see our compendium - St Pat's Day Irish Pubs, Bars & Restaurants Queens. These will be updated next week.

Saturday, March 4, 2023. The Queens County St. Patrick's Day Parade in the Rockaways kicks off at 1 pm at Beach 130th and Newport Avenue. Church services at Francis de Sales Church [129th and Newport Avenue] will be held prior to the parade. The parade marches east down Newport Avenue to 116th Street, where it turns right / heads south one block to Rockaway Blvd - where it turns left and continues east down Rockaway Blvd to 102nd Street terminating near a shopping center parking lot. This parade is in the Rockaways neighborhood of Queens and as of 2023, this parade is in its 48th year.

For more details see - https://queenscountyparade.org/

 

st pats for all parade photos 2012 sunnyside queensSunday, March 5, 2023. The St. Pat's for All Parade in Sunnyside begins with speeches and music at 12 noon, and then kicks off from Skillman Avenue and 43rd Street in Sunnyside, Queens ending 15 blocks further east at 58th Street in Woodside. The St Pats for All Parade was founded in 2000 in response to the Manhattan St Pats Parade boycott of LGBTQ folks marching as openly gay. The Manhattan St Pats Parade has since dropped that policy and permits openly gay members of the community to march in the parade.

The photo at right was taken at the St Pats for All Parade in Sunnyside in 2012. This link will take you to a section of our coverage of the St Pats Parades in Queens NYC. Please be advised that as of this post [2/27/23] we've not finished cleaning up the linked section since we migrated to a new web platform late last year. Those 'elements' in the linked report represent stories we need to add back as the 'elements' technology from the old platform no longer functions.

For further details on the St Pats for All Parade see - https://www.stpatsforall.org/

 

Saturday, March 25, 2023 beginning at 1 pm the Bayside St. Patrick's Day Parade marches down Bell Blvd between 35th and 42nd Avenues. The parade is a fairly new one, now in its fifth or sixth year [2023].

For further details see their Facebook page - www.facebook.com/baysidestpatricksdayparade as their website as of this post on 2.28.23 is currently having issues - www.baysidesaintpatricksdayparade.org.

 

  • St Patricks Day Parades on Staten Island NYC

staten island st patricks day bars restaurants irish pubs staten island st pat's day irish pubs staten island st patrick's day parties stapleton south beach st patricks day bars restaurants pubs great kills richmond town castleton st pat's day parties staten island st patricks day irish pubs rossville tomplinsville st pats day staten island nycSunday, March 5, 2023 the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Staten Island steps off at 12.30 pm. They begin at Harts Blvd marching along Forest Avenue in the Westerleigh / Elm Park neighborhoods to Jewett Avenue, in the West New Brighton neighborhood of Staten Island. Members of the LGBTQ community continue to be banned from participating in the parade.

In additional signs of how far behind the times the Staten Island St Pats Day Parade committee is, they don't appear to have a website and the only Facebook page was last updated in 2020. I suspect it's just a matter of time before the parade committee gets off their high horses and does the right thing, which is to welcome all members of their community to participate in the parade, and quit discriminating against some of them.

The photo at right was taken at the Staten Island St Pats Parade in 2018 or 2019. Click here to view our report on St Pat's Day Irish Pubs, Bars & Restaurants Staten Island NYC. The report currently contains an update of the LGBTQ issue, which we expect to remove from that page and place it on this one, as we now have a page of the parades.

As mentioned above, I couldn't find a parade website nor an up-to-date Facebook page as of this post [2/28/23].

 

  • St Patricks Day Parades in the Bronx NYC & Yonkers

Click here for St Pat's Day Irish Pubs, Bars & Restaurants Bronx NYC which we'll update next week.

bronx st pats parade throgs neck st patricks day parade photos bronx st pats parade throgs neck photosOn Sunday, March 12, 2023 beginning at 12 noon the Throggs Neck St Pats Parade in the Bronx steps off at Lafayette and East Tremont Avenue. The parade marches south on East Tremont Avenue, through the Throgs Neck commercial district, ending about a mile later at Harding and East Tremont Avenue, where a mobile stage is usually set up for parade speechs and entertainment. The parade lasts about an hour, but the festivities go on far longer.

The photo at right was taken at the Throggs Neck St Patricks Day Parade in 2018.

This is a link to a previous report we did on the St Patricks Day Parade in Throgs Neck in the Bronx NYC.

For further details see their blogspot page at - http://tnsaintpatricksdayparade.blogspot.com/

 

bronx irish neighborhoods woodlawn heights near the Yonkers st pats parade irish pubs restaurants in woodlawn bronx yonkersOn Saturday, March 18, 2023 beginning at 1 pm, the 65th Annual Yonkers St. Patrick's Parade will march up what they call the Emerald Mile, along McLean Avenue from Bronx River Road / Webster Avenue to Coyne Park in Yonkers.

The photo at right, was taken in early March of 2020, showing John Mulligans Fireside Pub along Katonah Avenue in the Woodlawn Heights neighborhoof of the Bronx. The blocks along Katonah Avenue south of McLean are home to a lot of Bronx Irish. See the reports below for details.

This is a link to a report we did on some of the Irish bars and pubs in the Woodlawn neighborhood of the Bronx NYC, which is just south of McLean Avenue where the Throgs Neck St Patricks Day Parade begins.

For further details see their website at - http://www.yonkersstpatricksparade.org/

 

  • St Patrick's Day Parade in Manhattan NYC

Click here for Irish bars and pubs in Manhattan, see - St Pat's Day Bars, Restaurants & Irish Pubs Manhattan NYC.

st pat's parade manhattanOn Friday beginning at 11 am, the NYC St Patrick's Day Parade in Manhattan begins on 5th Avenue at 44th Street and marches up to 79th Street. There are generally about 150,000 participants and about two million spectators. Click these links for Irish pub suggestions for each borough.

The Manhattan St Pats Parade in New York City first stepped off in 1762. The parade continued through the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, WWI & WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Middle East Wars since the 1990's. In the early years beneficial societies took over organizing the event, followed by the Ancient Order of Hiberians in 1852, and in the 1990's this was followed by the transference of the parade management to local groups and organizations.

The parade generally adhered to 'traditional values' which meant that LGBTQ members of the community weren't allowed to march as openly gay human beings. The banning of LGBTQ participation became an issue in the late 1980's and early 1990's as AIDs 'invisibly' swept through the LGBTQ community. Some say 'invisibly' because they say the LGBTQ community members weren't given a proper amount of attention by the media and government officials, and were excluded from public events such as the St Pats Parade.

The LGBTQ controversy swelled up until in 2014, when then Mayor Bill de Blasio, along with many other high ranking government officials, refused to participate in the parade as long as it discriminated against gay participation. Guinness Brewing Company quickly followed suit, withdrawing its sponsorship. By 2015 the parade committee had invited a gay group from Universal NBC, which had broadcast rights to the parade, to march in it, in a sign that things were shifting. In 2018 the parade officially opened the parade to LGBTQ marchers. In 2014 less than a quarter million people watched the parade on TV.

The photo at right shows the Manhattan St. Patricks Day Parade in 2015. In our NYC Parades section we did a short piece on the St Patricks Day Parade in Manhattan NYC.

For further details see - https://www.nycstpatricksparade.org/

 

  • St Patricks Day Parades in Brooklyn NYC

Click here for St Pat's Day Irish Pubs, Bars & Restaurants Brooklyn NYC.

brooklyn st patricks day bars restaurants irish pubs brooklyn nyc brooklyn st patricks day bars restaurants irish pubs brooklyn0 st patricks day parties brooklyn st pat's day pubs bars restaurants brooklyn nyc irish pubs Dumbo, Williamsburg, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, Downtown Brooklyn, Sunset Park, Bayridge, Marine Park, Coney Island st pats day bars restaurants irish pubs brooklyn Sunday, March 19, 2023 beginning at 12.30 pm, the Brooklyn Saint Patrick's Parade kicks off at Prospect Park West and 15th St [assembly stretches to 9th St]. The parade marches to 7th Ave & Garfield Place, back to Prospect Park West & 15th Street where there's a celebration from 2 - 5 pm in Bartel-Pritchard Square at 14th Street in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn. The parade was established in 1975 and is said to be the oldest St Patricks Day Parade in Brooklyn.

There's a St Patrick's Day Parade mass beginning at 10.30 am at Holy Name of Jesus Church at 245 Prospect Park West. St. Patrick's Day parades in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn NYC.

The photo at right was taken on St Pats Day in 2017 in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn.

For further details see their Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/people/Brooklyn-St-Patricks-Parade/100067529770947/ because as of this post their website was out of date - https://brooklynstpatricksparade.org/

 

brooklyn st patricks day bars restaurants irish pubs brooklyn nyc brooklyn st patricks day bars restaurants irish pubs brooklyn0 st patricks day parties brooklyn st pat's day pubs bars restaurants brooklyn nyc irish pubs Dumbo, Williamsburg, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, Downtown Brooklyn, Sunset Park, Bayridge, Marine Park, Coney Island st pats day bars restaurants irish pubs brooklyn On Sunday, March 26, 2023 the Bay Ridge Brooklyn Saint Patrick's Parade kicks off at 1 pm on 3rd and Marine Avenues and marches north along 3rd Avenue to 67th Street ending in Owl's Head Park in Bayridge. This parade was first established in 1993.

The photo at right was taken at the 2022 St Pats Parade in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn.

For further details see - https://www.brparade.com/

 

Irish Farewell Greeting

May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand. Erin go Bragh.

Have a good week.


Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Black HerStory at Lincoln Center, African Poetry Society Film Festival in Queens, Lorraine Hansberry's Play at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Performance of the Play Insignificant at the Bartow Pell Mansion in the Bronx & African American Lighthouse Exhibit Opening on Staten Island

valentines day events queens nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx staten island v day eventsFebruary 24, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature high on Friday was 46 degrees, falling to 34 on Saturday, before rising to 51 on Sunday. The temperature lows will rise from the low 20's on Friday, rising to the high 20's on Saturday, and the low 30's on Sunday. The winds will be between 10 - 20 mph Friday, dropping to 4 - 7 mph Saturday and then rising again to 8 - 12 mph. The humidity will be in the 40% to 50% range on Friday, 55% t0 65% on Saturday, and between 50% to 60% on Sunday. No precipitation is expected.

The photo at right was taken at a production of Black Wall Street at the York College Bassin Performing Arts Center in Jamaica Queens quite a while ago.

 

NYC Things To Do This Weekend

There's outdoor skating at Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center in Midtown, and at Wollman Rink in the southeast corner of Central Park and at the Harlem Meer in the northeast corner of Central Park. Also in Prospect Park and Coney Island in Brooklyn, Cloves Lake on Staten Island, and in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. For details see https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/iceskating

OPEN CALL. For details see -

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend

On Friday and Saturday from 2 - 5 pm there's an open fair connected to the Black HerStory weekend at Lincoln Center at Alice Tully and David Geffen Halls. The fair includes sound bath and astrology readings, books by Black female authors for sale, a poetry slam, hip hop dance performances and an all women DJ takeover. The Black HerStory Live concerts begin each evening at 5.30 pm. They describe the event as follows, " ... AFROPUNK and Lincoln Center come together for their largest collaboration to date, a 2-day festival takeover celebrating the Black woman’s journey to find her voice through music and performance. Audiences can expect an immersive multidisciplinary experience that represents the razor's edge in music, art, poetry, dance, performance art, and much more—all proudly featuring Black women artists from around the world...". For

The One Act Festival at the Chain Theatre at 312 West 36th Street, 3rd Floor, ends this weekend. There are performances that begin between 6.30 - 7.30 pm on each weekend night. For $22 tickets and more details see - https://www.chaintheatre.org/.

Fresh, Fly and Fabulous is on exhibit at the Fashion Institute of Management at 227 West 27th Street in Chelsea from February 8th to April 23rd. The exhibit is dedicated to Hip Hop not just as music and fashion, but as a lifestyle and cultural statement. Hip Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Wednesday - Friday from noon to 8 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm. There's an all day symposium on Friday, February 24th. For details see - https://www.fitnyc.edu/

 

Queens Things To Do This Weekend

On Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 4 pm, from February 2nd to 26th, there will be performances of Senor Bolero at the Thalia Spanish Theatre in Sunnyside. The play is described as a musical comedy about "... love in the times of the bolero. A famous 1960 singer is hired to perform a concert without imagining that fate will lead her to find the love of her life in the least expected way... ". For $45 / $42 / $40 tickets [English / Spanish] and details see - https://thaliatheatre.org/

On Saturday at 3 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, the Afrikan Poetry Society has organized a Black History Month Film Festival at the Museum of the Moving Image at 36-01 35th Avenue in Astoria. For $15 / $11 / $9 tickets and details see - https://movingimage.us

This is the last weekend to see Henrike Naumann's Re-Education and Tirzah at the Sculpture Center at 44-19 Purves Street in Long Island City. For details see https://www.sculpture-center.org/. The exhibits are described as follows, "... Henrike Naumann’s installations of furniture and design objects are composed as scenes that ask pressing and
enduring questions: What is the relationship between design and ideology? How should one read the politics of design?
... AND ... Tirzah is an exhibition of the British musician’s music video output installed in an immersive video and audio environment across SculptureCenter’s lower-level spaces..." .

On Saturday from 1 - 1.40 pm there is a tour at the Louis Armstrong House at 34-56 107th Street in Corona Queens about the role played by Armstrong in the Civil Rights movement. For $15/ $12 tickets and details see - https://www.louisarmstronghouse.org/

Flushing Town Hall opened a photo exhibit, entitled This is Home, on January 21 and it runs through February 26th. The exhibit shows excerpts from some of the lives of Asian Americans living in NYC, both here and abroad. For details see https://www.flushingtownhall.org/.

On Monday at 11 am there will be a pool reopening ceremony at the Flushing Aquatic Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The $67 million [new] pool has been closed for years due to problems with the moveable track floor.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend

The Brooklyn Childrens Museum is hosting a Black Future Festival this weekend from 10 am - 5 pm daily. They describe the event as follows, " ... reflection and future-forward fun inspired by the national celebration of peoples of the African Diaspora and Black History Month. Together with festival curator Àṣẹ Dance Theater Collective, experience interactive dance performances, storytelling, genealogy workshops, art-making in the ColorLab art studio, tasty food, and more...". For $13 / $12 tickets and details see - https://www.brooklynkids.org

On Friday at 7.30 pm, Saturday at 1.30 and 7.30, and Sunday at 3 pm there are performances of Black female author Lorraine Hansberry's epic drama entitled The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window in the Harvey Theatre at the Brooklyn Academy of Music at 651 Fulton Street in Brooklyn. They describe the play as follows, " ... Hansberry invites us into Greenwich Village in the 60s, crafting a razor-sharp portrait of a diverse group of friends whose progressive dreams can’t quite match reality. At the center are Sidney and Iris Brustein, fighting to see if their marriage—with all its crackling wit, passion, and petty cruelty—can survive Sidney’s ideals...". For $35 & up tickets and details see - https://www.bam.org.

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend

On Friday at 7 pm, Saturday at 4 pm & 7 pm, and Sunday at 2 pm, there's a play, entitled 'Insignificant', being performed at the Bartow Pell Mansion at xyz in the Bronx. The play is described as follows, " ... At Harvard University in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Cecilia Payne, Annie Jump Cannon, and the group of women known as the “Harvard Computers” overcame prejudice, denigration, and opposition to change the course of modern astronomy and developed revolutionary systems to chart and measure stars that remain in use today. Their battles for recognition, respect, and equality are still being fought by women in the 21st century ...". For $35 tickets and details see - https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org.

OPEN CALL ARTISTS / CURATORS. Bronx Art Space has issued an open call to emerging art curators, with a deadline of March 19th, for an April Show. For details see - http://www.bronxartspace.com

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend

On Saturday beginning from 1 tp 2.30 pm at the Historic Richmond Town at 441 Clarke Avenue there's a Bookbinding Workshop. Later on Saturday from 6 - 8 pm there's a concert by Brother Dynamite who are described as, " ... Brother Dynamite is a Staten Island-based acoustic duo featuring Shawn Moynihan and Alan Miller who have been performing together for 35 years. They play original songs, including selections from their new album "If We Dare," as well as songs by some of Folk and Rock's greatest performers...". For $20 / $18 tickets and event details see - https://www.historicrichmondtown.org

On Sunday beginning at 3 pm the Lighthouse Museum at 200 The Promenade in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island will officially open its African American Exhibit. This will be followed at 4 pm by a lecture about Willis Hodges who was the first African American Lighthouse Keeper in 1870. There are also ongoing exhibits about lighthouses and related subjects such as the equipment, the history and there's also a small exhibit about the first African American lighthouse keeper at Cape Henry Light, and another about another early African American Lighthouse keeper who played a role at the Pea Island Life Saving Station. For tickets and details see - https://lighthousemuseum.org.

Have a good one.


Black History Month in NYC

This is a Look at Some of the Black History Events We've Covered Over the Years

langston hughes queens david mills york performing arts center queensFebruary 17, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature high hit 61 degrees on Monday, and will fall to the mid to high 40's for the rest of the week. The temperature lows will range from the mid 30's to the low 40's until Friday, when the temperature drops into the mid 20's. The winds will range from 5 - 10 mph until Friday, when we'll experience a gusty 15 - 20 mph. The humidity will range between 60% - 70% through the week, before dropping to 40% on Friday. Less than a quarter inch of rain is expected on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The image at right is of Langston Hughes, a writer in the 1920's and 1930's of the Harlem Renaissance. It seems like African Americans are continuing the process of asserting their influence in American culture, a process that began going mainstream in the 1920's / 1930's.

 

Highlighting Black History Month in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens & Staten Island NYC with Reports about African American History and Culture

We've covered a number of interesting theatrical performances and art exhibits exploring African American history and the African American experience in the five boroughs over the years. Some of them feature the African American experience front and center, while others include or reference the African American experience. This is a compendium of most of them, with links to the full stories. Think of this as a work in progress as it is far from complete, and in some measure, reflects how long each of our web magazines has been open / covering events in each of the boroughs. At this time I have not included many of the black and brown events reflecting immigrants' cultures, vis a vis the African American cultural experience.

 

Paying Tribute to Black History in Queens NYC

Flushing / Corona Historic Houses. The next few links are short stories we did based on taking the Flushing historic house tour which occurs every December in Queens. The Louis Latimer House is dedicated to one of the first African American scientists who worked with Thomas Edison. The Louis Armstrong House is also on that tour, and does quite a bit of their cultural programming during the summer. King Manor is also an historic house in Jamaica, owned by a white Founding Father, who was an ardent abolitionist. It's no surprise that African Americans congregated in the area, given what this Founding Father and former NYS Senator stood for.

LaGuardia College Performing Arts Center / Modern Theater in LIC. This story is about a theatrical experience at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center in Long Island City. It's an original play and it's entitle Unpacking American Identity which brought home the reality of what it's like to live in America as an African American, facing discrimination daily.

Queens & African American Music. Queens is called the Home of Jazz because at one time there were literally dozens and more of African Americans living in Queens during the heyday of jazz in the 1930's. Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald are just a few who enjoyed living in Queens because it was a melting pot of black, brown and white folks living together in a generally peaceful and respectful manner.

York College Bassin Performing Arts Center / Theater in Jamaica. In the past the Bassin Center for the Performing Arts at York College used to stage a number of productions each season. One of the most interesting performances was the 2013 production of Black Wall Street which opened my eyes to a story of which I had never previously heard. They also hosted a one man performance of Langston Hughes which recaptured the life and times of a Harlem Renaissance writer and playwright. In addition to productions they helped choreograph, the Bassin Center for the PAC would host performances by local theater groups, including one by a local church that packed a message in the play. And in 2015 the Liberian President speaks at York College. It's worth mentioning that Liberia is a nation on the coast of West Africa that was started by Americans who helped freed and free born African Americans migrate to Liberia, to carve out a non-discriminatory life for themselves.

Jamaica Music Festivals. There are a number of food and music festivals held annually in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens. A few of them have not returned, but others have grown to take their place. The Irie Jamboree was a reggae music festival, celebrating reggae music which is more Afro-Caribbean than Afro American. The Jamaica Jerk Festival is held in Roy Wilkins Park every year. It's generally an Afro-Caribbean food and musical experience.

African American Fashion Shows. I have attended a number of African American organized fashions shows in the Jamaica section of Queens. The first was the Come to Fashion Show in 2012, the second was the Jamaica Collection in 2013, the third was the Jamaica Just My Style Fashion Show in 2016, where I also covered the JJMS Fashion Show preview, which included some video.

afrikan poetry societyJamaica JAMS. Jamaica JAMS is one of the largest events in Queens generally the first weekend of August. The event spans a couple of days and includes a concert on Friday evening in King Park, followed by a food and shopping festival the next day. The Jamaica JAMS food and shopping festival in 2011 and the Jamaica JAMS Festival concert including video in 2015.

African American Dance, Theater & Culture. In recent years there's been a robust Jamaica Performing Arts Center dance festival. It seems to continue morphing, but is always worth attending. A number of years ago we used to visit John Watusi, Founder of the Afrikan Poetry Theater. It was in attending one of his programs that I first learned about Kwanzaa in December / January 2010, and I had the privilege of watching the first Obama Inauguration with him on January 20, 2009. Unfortunately, John Watusi died on December 29, 2013 of a heart attack [see photo at right].

 

Paying Tribute to Black History Month in the Bronx NYC

Bronx Art Space. An art exhibit at Bronx Art Space about Rikers incarceration, which also showcased local talent in a video.

Bronx Zoo. There's a terrible, seemingly racist, story associated with one of the early founders of the Bronx Zoo. The story demonstrates two things: 1) it highlights the discriminatory, disrespectful and racist attitude of the times, and 2) it also demonstrates that there are people in our society who do have a proper moral compass, and who have stood up for righteous causes when they became aware of abuses. It's one incident initiated by one person, that happened over a century ago. Otherwise, the Bronx Zoo, as an institution, has done a lot of good.

The Universal Hip Hop Museum is set to open in 2023 in its new home at 610 Exterior Street in the Concourse neighborhood of the Bronx.

Inwood Fashion Show. We did a short report on an Inwood Fashion Show that attracted a lot Bronx contestants that didn't return during the pandemic. We'll keep an eye out for it or its replacement this coming year.

 

Paying Tribute to Black History Month in Brooklyn NYC

ebbets field photo brooklyn

Jackie Robinson & the Brooklyn Dodgers. This is the story about the Brooklyn Dodgers and why they departed for Los Angeles instead of continuing to do battle with Robert Moses over access to a stadium. Embedded in this story, is the story of Jackie Robinson who with the Brooklyn Dodgers, broke the color line in Major League Baseball.

The photo at right shows Ebbetts Field in Brooklyn, which at the time was the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers broke the color line, opening up major league baseball to people of all skin colors. It wasn't too long before all major league sports started recruiting athletes based on talent - not skin color.

George Floyd Protests. This is a story about a peaceful George Floyd protest in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn. The second story includes a couple of videos of George Floyd protests in both Brooklyn and Manhattan NYC.

 

manhattan things to do nyc

Paying Tribute to Black History in Manhattan NYC

African American Parade Harlem. The African American Parade happens every September in Harlem. It's the largest African American parade in the nation arising out of the 1968 Civil Rights struggle and celebrates African American contributions to American culture. Manhattan was home to the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920's and 1930's when writers like E.B. Dubois and Langston Hughes began to forge their way onto the American literary stage, while musicians like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald became mainstream musical stars.

The photo at right was taken at the African American Parade in Harlem a few years ago.

Charlie Parker Jazz Fest. There's the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival which takes place every year, splitting the events between Harlem and the East Village, as Charlie spent a lot of his time in both places. Charlie Parker, a saxaphonist, is credited with inventing bebop, which evolved jazz from a dance music to an acoustical performance and we celebrate his contributions annually.

There's an African American burial ground in lower Manhattan on Duane Street at Elk Street, two blocks directly north of City Hall. About 490 African Americans were buried there in the late 17th and 18th centuries when New York was a very small town by the standards of today.

The Affordable Care Act, which provides for affordable healthcare insurance for all Americans, was nicknamed Obamacare, after our first African American President, Barack Obama, who pushed for and signed the legislation into law. President Biden, since becoming president himself, has increased enrollments by 50% according to a January 2023 report in Yahoo News.

The Apollo Theater in Harlem. Former Mayor de Blasio gave his 2017 State of the City Address at the Apollo theater in Harlem. So this link will take you to a report of what he said, but it includes a few photos of the legendary theater which turns 89 in September of this year. The theater was the springboard for the careers of James Brown and Jimi Hendrix [among others] and the locale of the last live performance by Michael Jackson.

Mayor Eric Adams is the second African American Mayor of NYC. We covered him in a meeting earlier this year. Scroll down to January 13, 2023 report for photo and caption.

 

Paying Tribute to Black History on Staten Island NYC

Sandy Ground Underground Railroad. We're in the process of exploring a site which was reportedly the first non-slave African American purchasing land in New York State, shortly after NYS outlawed slavery in 1828. This area, called Sandy Ground, later became a part of the underground railroad on Staten Island, where escaping slaves crossed over from Perth Amboy, where many slave traders lurked, hoping to capture the escaped slaves before they became freemen by arriving on Staten Island. There was a home / museum in this same area [Rossville on the southern end of the island], which recently closed [2022] due to funding issues. This is an opportunity to reclaim some of our history.

You can also scroll down to our MLK Day Weekend reports to find other venues that are relevant to African American history, particularly in their struggle for equality and Civil Rights.

Have a good week.


Brooklyn Presidents Day Weekend Things To Do - Brooklyn Events Brooklyn NYC

Presidents Day Weekend Things To Do in Brooklyn NYC

Things To Do in Brooklyn over the Presidents Day Weekend

brooklyn things to do presidents day weekend brooklyn events presidents day weekend prospect heights fort greene williamsburg greenpoint flatbush ditmas sunset park cobble hill park slope boerum hill dumbo gowanus bayridge coney island downton brooklyn things to do presidents day weekend nyc February 17, 2023 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods NYC / Things To Do in Brooklyn NYC / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs Friday, Saturday and Sunday will range from the high 40's to the low 50's, before rising on Monday into the high 50's. The temperature lows will fall to 30 on Friday, rising to 35 on Saturday, to 45 on Sunday, before descending into the high 30's on Monday. No precipitation is forecast. It's going to be a fairly windy weekend, with the winds at 20 mph Friday, falling to 5 - 10 mph on Saturday and Sunday, and then rising again to about 10 mph on Monday. The humidity will be 50% - 60% on Friday, falling to 40% - 50% on Saturday, rising to 50% - 70% on Sunday, before falling back to about 50% on Monday. Click for Brooklyn Weekend Weather.

The photo at right depicts George Washington in an annual reenactment of the Battle of Brooklyn, also known as the Battle of Long Island, which was one of the first American Revolutionary War battles. Washington lost the battle, but managed to keep his army intact, winning enough battles to stay in the game long enough to wear down the British monarchy and ultimately win the war. The reenactment occurs yearly in August at Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn.

Presidents Day is a federal holiday when all local, state and federal government offices are closed, which generally includes public schools - unless the district uses the holiday to make up a snow day, which is highly unlikely this year since there hasn't been any measureable snow.

Presidents Day is a time to reflect on the performance of our current presidents and legislators, to see how they stack up versus their historical peers. And in that reflection it's worth asking ourselves what we've done to contribute or detract from the national conversation.

 

Brief History of Presidents Day Holiday in NYC

queens presidents day weekend queens presidents day weekend things to do queens presidents day weekend events queens nycA day commemorating Lincoln's birthday was first passed in Buffalo, New York in the early 1870's. Presidents Day originated as Washington's Birthday which was a holiday narrowly prescribed for federal government offices in Washington, D.C. in 1879. The holiday was dedicated to honoring the memory of the first American president, George Washington who was born on February 22, 1732.

In 1885 the holiday was expanded to include all federal government offices around the nation. In 1951 there was a push to create a Presidents Day holiday [vs a George Washington's birthday holiday] to include President Lincoln whose birthday is February 12, 1809 and was also celebrated by localities, but it didn't pass.

In 1971 the holiday was moved off of George Washington's birth date to being the third Monday in February. Thus while it never falls upon Washington's birthday 2/22, the official name of the holiday remains Washington's Birthday. But today, most folks refer to it as Presidents Day and to recognize the presidents who honored the U.S. Constitution and served the interests of the American people.



Brooklyn Valentine's Day Restaurants & Events - Romantic Restaurants in Brooklyn NYC

Brooklyn Valentine's Day Restaurants & Events 2023

Brooklyn Valentine's Day Restaurants in or near the Dumbo, Williamsburg, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Greenpoint, Brooklyn V Day Events in Bushwick, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, Downtown Brooklyn, Sunset Park, Bayridge, Marine Park, Coney Island Neighborhoods of Brooklynbrooklyn valentines day restaurants brooklyn valentines day romantic restaurants williamsburg greenpoint fort greene sunset park valentines day restaurants prospect heights park slope dumbo brooklyn heights dyker heights coney island brighton beach romantic restaurants brooklyn valentines day events bk nyc

February 11, 2023 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods / Brooklyn Holiday Events / Brooklyn Events & Things To Do / Brooklyn Restaurants NYC / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

The photo at right shows pasta at an Italian restaurant in the Brooklyn Downtown neighborhood.

Valentine's Day is three weeks away. It's a good time to let your loved one know you care. Flowers, gifts and dinner are always welcome treats, and / or some thoughtful gesture that shows that the lady [or man] you're with, still means a lot to you.

This report provides an update on who's open and taking reservations, but also highlights a few local restaurant closures.

All events that have been asterisked are from 2022. Those restaurants without an asterisk have been updated to 2023, so watch the dates / year for 2023.

Unlike last year, there aren't any state CoVid guidelines for indoor dining. And the challenge of getting a reservation at the restaurant of your choice, is likely back to normal, which means if dining on the day of or the weekend before is imporant, you might want to act now.

Given Valentine's Day is on a Tuesday, it may be fair game to make your VDay reservation on Valentine's Day or any day of the preceding weekend. Also, many restaurants have retained thier outside dining capacity - so depending on the weather - NYC restaurants may have more capacity for Valentine's Day weekend than they did versus prepandemic.

But a number of restaurants were casualties of these pandemic times, so if you're thinking about doing something this Valentine's Day for dinner in or around Dumbo, Williamsburg, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, Downtown Brooklyn, Sunset Park, Bayridge, Marine Park or Coney Island neighborhoods; it's best to do your research early, and call a week or at least a few days ahead to make the reservations.

 

Romantic Restaurants in Brooklyn - A Brief History of Valentine's Day

The origins of Valentine's Day are not well documented. It's believed to have been named after Saint Valentine who was apparently a Catholic martyr who died over 1500 years ago. Today the holiday is not associated with religion so much as flowers, candies, cards and romantic dinners. And the holiday spokesperson is now Cupid, a Roman god of desire, and quite a mischief maker.

Click here to read more about our round up of Brooklyn Valentine's Day restaurants & Brooklyn V Day Events Brooklyn NYC.



Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Valentines Day Weekend Cocktail Party NYC, Lunar New Year Parade Manhattan, Photo Exhibit Opening Reception & Comedy in the Bronx, Classical & Gregory Porter Concerts in Brooklyn, Play in Queens & Lighthouse for Lovers on Staten Island,

valentines day events queens nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx staten island v day eventsFebruary 11, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature high on Friday actually hit 61 degrees this morning, breaking a record. On Saturday and Sunday, the temperature high will be about 50 on both days, while the temperature lows will be in the mid to high 30's throughout the weekend. The winds will be between 5 - 13 mph all weekend. The humidity will be between 40% and 50% on Friday and Saturday, rising a bit to between 50% to 60% on Sunday. There's a small chance [30%] of a small amount of rain [1/10th of an inch] on Sunday night.

 

 

NYC Things To Do This Weekend

There's outdoor skating at Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center in Midtown, and at Wollman Rink in the southeast corner of Central Park and at the Harlem Meer in the northeast corner of Central Park. Also in Prospect Park and Coney Island in Brooklyn, Cloves Lake on Staten Island, and in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. For details see https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/iceskating

OPEN CALL FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANTS. For details see - https://www.citizensnyc.org/

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend

On Friday, February 10, 2023 from 6 - 9 pm the Museum of the City of New York at 1220 5th Avenue on the UES is hosting a pre-Valentine's Day party that is described as follows, " ... Cocktails & Culture ... groove to DJ LiKWUiD's signature "traphrobeats” blending house music, hip hop and afrobeats, with live sets by trumpeter Nash Guillermo ... stroll through the Museum's galleries, then decorate a sweet treat with your sweetheart at our pop-up bakery, Avrilililly's Creamery, and capture your evening at our interactive photobooth. Enjoy savory bites by UGC eats, plus Love Potion cocktails, mocktails and other libations from the MCNY Bar ...". For $45 / $39 / $25 kids / teens tickets [ includes museum admission] and details see - www.mcny.org.

On Sunday, February 12 beginning at 1 pm the Chinese Lunar New Year parade begins in Chinatown. The parade steps off at the corner of Mott and Hester Street marching down to Chatham Square, then heads across East Broadway and up Forsyth Street, ending in Sara D. Roosevelt Park. Like the Queens Lunar New Year parade, this actually occurs outside of the official Chinese Lunar New Year dates.

Fresh, Fly and Fabulous is on exhibit at the Fashion Institute of Management at 227 West 27th Street in Chelsea from February 8th to April 23rd. The exhibit is dedicated to Hip Hop not just as music and fashion, but as a lifestyle and cultural statement. Hip Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Wednesday - Friday from noon to 8 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm. There's an all day symposium on Friday, February 24th. For details see - https://www.fitnyc.edu/

Broadway Week [it's really Broadway Month] began on January 17 and is ending on Sunday, February 12th. Most Broadway shows participate, where theater goers can purchase two tickets for the price of one. Search for the Broadway shows you're interested in seeing to see if they are participating.

NEXT WEEK. On Tuesday, February 14, 2023 beginning at 7 pm the Merchants House Museum at 29 East 4th Street in the East Village / Bowery in Manhattan is hosting a Valentine's Day Concert, which they describe as follows, " ... The renowned Bond Street Euterpean Singing Society presents lush, romantic vocal selections by some of the world’s great 19th-century composers including Beethoven, Liszt, Richard Strauss, Amy Beach, Johann Strauss II, and others performed in the Museum’s authentic Greek Revival double parlor. Singers Anthony Bellov, Amy Gluck, Jane Elizabeth Rady, and Dayle Vander Sande. ...". For $50 / $35 / $20 / $15 tickets and details see - www.merchantshouse.org / 212.777.1089.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend

valentines day gifts nyc manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island nyc valentines day gifts flowers chocolatesOn Friday, February 10th, the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music is hosting a concert beginning at 7.30 pm at St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church at 157 Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights. They are performing Mozart's Requiem and other songs of reassurance and renewal. Tickets are $20 / $15 at https://bkcm.org/.

CLICK this link for some shopping destinations for Valentine's Day gifts in NYC. These are not paid ads, but a curated list of shops in some of the boroughs.

On Saturday, February 11, 2023 beginning at 8 pm / doors open at 6.30 pm at the Kings Theatre in Flatbush there's Gregory Porter live. They describe the event as follows: " ... the man's bone-deep baritone ... the air change(s) as the warmth of his sound filled the atmosphere like a hug from above ... [his new album] All Rise [is] his sixth studio album ... marks a return to Porter's beloved original songwriting — heart-on-sleeve lyrics imbued with everyday philosophy and real-life detail, set to a stirring mix of jazz, soul, blues, and gospel ... represents the evolution of Porter's art to something even more emphatic, emotive, intimate, and universal too. After 2017's Nat King Cole & Me, Porter knew two things: one, he'd bring in an orchestra for his next LP (check), and, two, music is medicine. In the spirit of that latter revelation, All Rise brims with songs about irrepressible love, plus a little protest, because the road to healing is bumpy ...". At 1027 Flatbush Avenue in Flatbush Ditmas neighborhood of Brooklyn. For details and tickets that range from $59 - $63, see - https://www.kingstheatre.com.

NEXT WEEK. On Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, February 13, 15 & 16 beginning at 6.30 pm at PS 9 - The Sarah Smith Garnet School - at 80 Underhill Avenue in Brooklyn there will be a working group meeting to discuss the Atlantic Avenue Mixed Use Plan. They describe the project as follows, "... The plan aims to bring homes, jobs, and improved infrastructure to this important Brooklyn corridor and neighboring blocks in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Crown Heights, and Prospect Heights – while also knitting together these vibrant communities currently divided by Atlantic Avenue...". The meetings are dedicated to housing [2/13], jobs [2/15] and infrastructure [2/16]. Free and all are welcome to attend.

NEXT WEEK. On Tuesday, February 14 beginning at 7.30 pm there's a concert entitled Love, Loneliness & Lamentation by the Voices of Ascension Singers and Players as part of the 2023 Winter Festival. The concert will be held at the Roulette Intermedium at 509 Atlantic Avenue in the Boerum Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn. For details and tickets [$20] see - https://www.voicesofascension.org/

NEXT WEEK. On Thursday, February 16 beginning at 6.30 pm there's a South Central Brooklyn United for Progress Zoom meeting. On the agenda are two items which they describe as follows, "... the proposed Coney Island casino ... hear from local activist, Ida Sanoff, about what she feels the impact of this would be as a longtime member of the community ... will also honor founding member Ellen Bilofsky's legacy as a healthcare activist with a New York Health Act presentation ... talk about the rights you have under our current for-profit healthcare system that you may not be aware of ... hope to demonstrate why Medicare for All is the most logical and just, solution.".

 

Queens Things To Do This Weekend

On Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 4 pm, from February 2nd to 26th, there will be performances of Senor Bolero at the Thalia Spanish Theatre in Sunnyside. The play is described as a musical comedy about "... love in the times of the bolero. A famous 1960 singer is hired to perform a concert without imagining that fate will lead her to find the love of her life in the least expected way... ". For $45 / $42 / $40 tickets [English / Spanish] and details see - https://thaliatheatre.org/

Flushing Town Hall opened a photo exhibit, entitled This is Home, on January 21 and it runs through February 26th. The exhibit shows excerpts from some of the lives of Asian Americans living in NYC, both here and abroad. For details see https://www.flushingtownhall.org/.

NEXT WEEK. On Thursday, February 16 from 6.30 - 8.30 pm Materials For The Arts at 3300 Northern Blvd in Long Island City will be hosting a Lunar New Year mask making event using recycled materials. They are doing this in tandem with the Asian American Arts Alliance. For details see - https://www.liclny.com/events/mfta-and-asian-american-arts-alliance-celebrate-lunar-new-year.

TWO WEEKS. The Queens Short Play Festival begins February 21st and runs through March 18th at the Secret Theatre at 38-02 61st Street in Woodside. For details and tickets which cost $15 / $23, see - https://secrettheatre.com

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend

On Saturday, February 11th from 6 pm to 10 pm there's a Valentine’s Day Comedy Night at the Sankofa Haus [an event venue] at 2422 3rd Avenue in the Port Morris neighborhood of the Bronx. It's a couples therapy comedic act featuring four performers. Music and drinks [?] are included in the price of $84. For tickets and details see - https://gregandcherylclarke.com.

On Saturday, February 11th beginning at 6 pm in the Auditorium at the Community Center at 177 Dreiser Loop in / near Coop City there's a Valentine's Day Weekend Night of Classic Soul. The event features five different groups performing 1970's classic rock / soul. For $81 tickets and details see - https://www.facebook.com/rcaheartandsoulprod/

On Sunday, February 12, 2023 from 1 - 3 pm, there's a 'Swagger & Tenderness' book signing at the Bronx Museum at 1040 Grand Concourse. The event features artist / sculptors John Ahearn and Rigoberto Torres who have been lifecasting the Bronx unique cultural identity through their various works. It's free but you should rsvp see - https://bronxmuseum.org.

There is an opening reception from 7 - 9 pm for Richard Sandler's new photo exhibit entitled 'The Eyes of the City' at the Doc Film Center at 364 East 151st Street. Sandler has been photographing NYC since the 1970's capturing a changing landscape, demography and art and architectural landscape. It's free but you must rsvp. Sandler is hosting a street photography workshop prior to the reception from 10 am - 5 pm [it costs $475 and includes other things you need to do to enroll]. For details see - https://www.bronxdoc.org.

Pregones / PRTT presents its 7th annual 21 Islands International Short Film Fest via streaming for free from February 1 - 12, 2023. For details see - https://pregonesprtt.org/

OPEN CALL ARTISTS / CURATORS. Bronx Art Space has issued an open call to emerging art curators, with a deadline of March 19th, for an April Show. For details see - http://www.bronxartspace.com

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend

On Saturday beginning at 1 and 3 pm at the Historic Richmond Town there's a Valentine's Card Workshop in the main building at Court and Center Streets. It's for kids and adults age 3 on up. For details and tickets [$15] you get the materials and instructions for making three old fashioned cards. For details see - https://www.historicrichmondtown.org

On Saturday beginning at 7 pm there's a Valentine's themed event entitled Lighthouses are for Lovers and Friends, which includes live entertainment and dinner for $60 at the Lighthouse Museum at 200 The Promenade in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island. There are also ongoing exhibits about lighthouses and related subjects such as the equipment, the history and there's also a small exhibit about the first African American lighthouse keeper at Cape Henry Light, and another about another early African American Lighthouse keeper who played a role at the Pea Island Life Saving Station. For tickets and details see - https://lighthousemuseum.org.

Also you may use the links above to find a local restaurant for a Valentine's Day / Weekend repast.

Have a good one.


Black History Month in NYC

Scratching the Surface of Our Ancestoral African Roots

things to do this weekend in nycFebruary 7, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Over the past few years I've come to enjoy a number of PBS programs that delve into our collective African American ancestoral roots. One of the shows is hosted by Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. wherein he researches various celebrities' ancestoral roots, digging up photos, slave ownership records, and connections to other celebrities by tracing DNA trails. The journey can lead to any number of surprises, such as when Gates found that one of actress Carol Burnett's ancestors joined the Confederate Army, and then deserted a couple of years later. Or when Gates uncovered that TV Producer / Writer Larry David of Seinfeld is a distant cousin to Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

But for my money, the treasure trove of programming on PBS may be found in its rich collection of documentaries - both old and new. And among those documentaries are a wide number of films exploring the contributions and history of African Americans.

 

PBS Documentaries During Black History Month in NYC

I'm only going to touch on one of them now, and at a later date will return to engage in a deeper conversation about others. The documentary I watched on PBS this month, was entitled, The Blinding of Isaac Woodard. It was about how an innocent African American veteran was attacked by a white southern police chief [Lynwood Shull] from South Carolina who beat out Woodard's eyes and permanently blinded him in February 1946, while Woodard was changing buses at a bus stop. That's a mighty nasty way to welcome a WWII veteran home and thank him for risking his life to defend us.

Nonetheless, eight years later, the search for justice was fulfilled ... in a way. Of course the all white South Carolina jury let off Police Chief Shull. But that action so enraged President Harry S. Truman, that he ordered a federal investigation into the case. And actor / radio host Orson Welles, took up the cause too, helping make it known what sorts of racial injustices were being perpetrated upon African Americans living and working in the south.

 

The Role of Lewisohn Stadium in Harlem and Famous African American Musicians & Sports Figures

In August 1946, Billie Holiday, Boxing Champion Joe Louis, and others hosted a benefit concert at Lewisohn Stadium in Harlem for Woodard. Lewisohn Stadium was built on a CUNY property in 1915 between 136th and 138th Streets and between Amsterdam and Convent Avenue. It was demolished in 1973 and replaced by the North Academic Center in 1985.

In November of 1946 Police Chief Shulman stood on trial, and was - as expected - acquitted after only 30 minutues of deliberation. The deliberation would have been far shorter had the Judge, Julius Waring, not stepped out of the court room for a walk. The Judge was so outraged at the police chief's behavior and that of the jury as well, that he decided to make them wait.

Anyhow, the justice comes years later, when JudgeWaring presided over another trial, Briggs vs Elliot. Like the Woodard case, it was argued that the racist Jim Crow laws of South Carolina, claiming separate but equal, were a farce and therefore unconstitutional. Judge Waring wrote the dissenting opinion of that case, which like Woodard's had been unrighteously decided, and justice aided in going awry.

 

Attorney Thurgood Marshall Eventually Becomes the First African American Supreme Court Justice

African American Thurgood Marshall prosecuted the case, arguing for equal treatment and resources, for the poor black children of Clarendon County South Carolina. He proved that they were being harmed by this treatment. And while he lost in the state court of South Carolina, he won a unanimous verdict from the Supreme Court in 1954, which was a pretty 'radical' decision for the time. This was the beginning of the end for racial segregation.

Thurgood Marshall would eventually go on to become the first African American Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1967.

 

The Freedom Riders, Martin Luther King, the Kennedys & Johnson

The Freedom Riders came next, in 1961, wherein they protested the racist separation of blacks and whites in intra state buses and stations. The focus of the rides was between Alabama and Mississippi, likely the two most racist states in the nation. In this situation, in May of 1961, Martin Luther King came into support the freedom riders, but he chose not ride with them.

As part of their organizing, there was a large gathering of African American civil rights protesters in a Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. While they were meeting inside with Dr. King and other leaders, an even larger white crowd gathered around the church, determined to 'teach a lesson' to these civil rights activists.

Attorney General Robert Kennedy was determined to help African Americans attain equal status under the law, including exercising their right to vote. He managed to use his influence to get Alabama Governor John Patterson to call up the National Guard to help disperse the white crowd and maintain the peace. Kennedy had to strong arm the Governor, who at one point said he could protect everyone in the church except Martin Luther King. Kennedy held his ground and told the Governor that was unacceptable, so eventually the Governor backed down and the situation was safely defused.

The Kennedys pushed to pass a Civil Rights Bill in 1963 which failed. It took the assassination of JFK and Lyndon Johnson's skillful politicking to pass the bill in 1964, with more to come in 1965. In 2008 the first African American, Barack Obama, was elected President, but the work is not done.

 

Black History Provides Another Important Perspective & Therefore Understanding of our Past

Racism is still alive and well, not just in our country, but around the world. And it's not just people of color, but people of other ethnic groups, like Jews, Palestinians, Muslims, Hindus, Chinese, Uighurs and on, and on, and on. But for all the bad news, we are making progress ... slowly.

I'll have more on African American history, specifically as it relates to NYC next week. There are dozens of famous African Americans who either grew up here, or moved and lived a good part of their lives here.

Have a nice week.


Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, Chinese New Year Celebrations Continue & Artists Open Calls

things to do this weekend in nycFebruary 3, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. We're going to have wintry cold from about 6 pm Friday to about 1 pm Saturday, when the temperatures fall below 20 degrees. Then it's back to our dry, global warming non-winter.

The temperature highs will be in the low to mid 20's on Friday and Saturday, rising significantly on Sunday to about 50 degrees. The temperature lows will be about 8 degrees Friday, rising to the mid 20's on Saturday and the high 30's on Sunday. The humidity will be about 30% on Friday, 40% on Saturday, and 50% on Sunday. Winds will be 20 mph Friday, and then 5 - 10 mph for the rest of the weekend. No precipitation is expected this weekend.

The photo at right was taken inside of City Hall last month. It's a beautiful building, as you can see.

 

NYC Things To Do This Weekend

There's outdoor skating at Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center in Midtown, and at Wollman Rink in the southeast corner of Central Park and at the Harlem Meer in the northeast corner of Central Park. Also in Prospect Park and Coney Island in Brooklyn, Cloves Lake on Staten Island, and in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. For details see https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/iceskating

OPEN CALL FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANTS. For details see - https://www.citizensnyc.org/

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend

The Winter Jam is on Saturday from 11 am - 3 pm at the Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. This a winter themed event including skiing, sledding, dodgeball, ice bowling and other wintry sports. As we've really not had any snow this winter, the Parks Department has arranged to have snow machines there to provide what Mother Nature is no longer giving us.

Fresh, Fly and Fabulous is on exhibit at the Fashion Institute of Management at 227 West 27th Street in Chelsea from February 8th to April 23rd. The exhibit is dedicated to Hip Hop not just as music and fashion, but as a lifestyle and cultural statement. Hip Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Wednesday - Friday from noon to 8 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm. There's an all day symposium on Friday, February 24th. For details see - https://www.fitnyc.edu/

Broadway Week [it's really Broadway Month] began on January 17 and runs through February 12th. Most Broadway shows participate, where theater goers can purchase two tickets for the price of one.

NEXT WEEKEND. On February 12 beginning at 1 pm the Chinese Lunar New Year parade begins in Chinatown. The parade steps off at the corner of Mott and Hester Street marching down to Chatham Square, then heads across East Broadway and up Forsyth Street, ending in Sara D. Roosevelt Park. Like the Queens Lunar New Year parade, this actually occurs outside of the official Chinese Lunar New Year dates.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend

The CPC celebration [see above entry] continues on Saturday, February 4, with Lunar New Year calligraphy, arts and crafts and trivia for prizes in the Auditorium at New Utrecht High School at 1601 80th Street, in collaboration with community partners from throughout South Brooklyn. For details see https://www.prospectpark.org/

The BAM Kids Festival is this weekend on Saturday and Sunday, February 4th & 5th. The event is being held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music at 30 Lafayette. For details and tickets see - https://www.bam.org.

On Saturday, February 4th from 11 am - 1 pm there's the Southern Brooklyn Lunar New Year Celebration in the New Utrecht High School Auditorium at 1601 80th Street. There will be a number of cultural performances and entertainment. It's free and it's organized by the Southern Brooklyn Asian Coalition. For details see - https://www.facebook.com/sbccnyc/

NEXT FRIDAY 2/10/23. The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music is hosting a concert on Friday, February 10th beginning at 7.30 pm at St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church at 157 Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights. They are performing Mozart's Requiem and other songs of reassurance and renewal. Tickets are $20 / $15 at https://bkcm.org/.

 

Queens Things To Do This Weekend

On Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 4 pm, from February 2nd to 26th, there will be performances of Senor Bolero at the Thalia Spanish Theatre in Sunnyside. The play is described as a musical comedy about "... love in the times of the bolero. A famous 1960 singer is hired to perform a concert without imagining that fate will lead her to find the love of her life in the least expected way... ". For $45 / $42 / $40 tickets [English / Spanish] and details see - https://thaliatheatre.org/

On Sunday, February 5th beginning at 3 pm in the Colden Auditorium at Queens College at 153-49 Reeves Avenue there will be a performance by Nai Ni Chen Dance Company celebrating the Year of the Water Rabbit. For $15 tickets and details see - https://kupferbergcenter.org/

On Sunday, February 5th from 5 - 7 pm there's a Lunar New Year Celebration at the Tangram Atrium at 133-33 39th Avenue in Flushing. It's free and NYC Comptroller, U.S. Congresswoman Meng and Councilmember Sandra Ung will be there. For details and free tickets see - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lunar-new-year-celebration-tickets-505187257687

Flushing Town Hall opened a photo exhibit, entitled This is Home, on January 21 and it runs through February 26th. The exhibit shows excerpts from some of the lives of Asian Americans living in NYC, both here and abroad. For details see https://www.flushingtownhall.org/.

NEXT THURSDAY 2/9/23. The Chocolate Factory at 38-33 24th Street [at 39th Avenue] in the Dutch Kills section of Long Island City, is hosting a performance by Linda Mary Montano entitled 'An Interactive Life and Maybe No Art Experience' or 'Ma and the Seven Chakras' beginning at 8 pm. It's a collaboration that bridges art and life featuring four collaborators. Tickets [$15] and details at - https://chocolatefactorytheater.org or https://issueprojectroom.org.

IN TWO WEEKS. On Thursday, February 16 from 6.30 - 8.30 pm Materials For The Arts at 3300 Northern Blvd in Long Island City will be hosting a Lunar New Year mask making event using recycled materials. They are doing this in tandem with the Asian American Arts Alliance. For details see - https://www.liclny.com/events/mfta-and-asian-american-arts-alliance-celebrate-lunar-new-year.

OPEN CALL ACTING. Auditions for two short plays, Molting and Snug The Joiner, are to be held February 25, March 4, 10 & 16. Winners will perform in the Queens Short Play Festival being held in the Secret Theatre in their new location. For details see - https://secrettheatre.com

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend

OPEN CALL ARTISTS. The Bartow Pell Mansion has issued an Open Call to artists to participate in a nearly month-long exhibition in March of this year. The theme of the exhibit is Nature Inspires: Contemporary Art Show. The deadline for submissions is February 3rd, 2023. For details see - https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Call-to-Artists-Nature-Inspires.pdf

Pregones / PRTT presents its 7th annual 21 Islands International Short Film Fest via streaming for free from February 1 - 12, 2023. For details see - https://pregonesprtt.org/

The Bronx Museum at 1040 Grand Concourse has been featuring a Black History book club weekly. This Saturday from 12 noon to 1.30 pm is the last session, where they talk about the end of the book 'Begin Again' by Eddie S. Glaude Jr. For details and rsvp see - https://bronxmuseum.org. Maximum attendees is 30.

The Doc Film Center at 614 Cortlandt Avenue is hosting a couple of photography skills classes beginning at 10 am [dark room / film processing] and at 11 am [digital photography]. Both classes cost over $100 each as they cover not just this class, but more including some materials. The Doc Film Center stated they can help folks finance the class/es. For details see - https://www.bronxdoc.org

OPEN CALL ARTISTS / CURATORS. Bronx Art Space has issued an open call to emerging art curators, with a deadline of March 19th, for an April Show. For details see - http://www.bronxartspace.com

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend

On Saturday from 6 - 8 pm at the Historic Richmond Town there's a Grassland Band Concert at the Tavern. And on Wednesday from 7.30 - 9.30 pm there's an English Country Dance. For details and tickets [$18 and $10 respectively] see - https://www.historicrichmondtown.org

There are ongoing exhibits about lighthouses and related subjects at the Lighthouse Museum at 200 The Promenade in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island. There's also a small exhibit about the first African American lighthouse keeper at Cape Henry Light, and another of the Pea Island Life Saving Station.

Have a good one.


Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

New Play at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, Boat Show at the Javits, Winter Show at the Park Avenue Armory, The Chinese New Year Celebrations Continue, Winter Jazz Festival & the January Arts Festival Ending, 1st Irish Festival in LIC & Artists Open Call in the Bronx

things to do this weekend in nycJanuary 27, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the low 40's on Friday and around 50 the rest of the weekend. The temperature lows will be in the low 30's on Friday, rising to about 40 the rest of the weekend. The humidity will be between 50% - 60% on Friday and Saturday, rising to 60% - 70% on Sunday. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph all weekend. No precipitation is expected this weekend.

In the photo at right is the NYC skyline in Midtown, looking west from Queens. We've gone 324 days without measureable snow, the second longest period on record. The longest was 332 days set in 2000. Based on the most recent forecast, we're going to break that record and may go the entire winter without measureable snow. This is not good news. We all need to do whatever we can to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. And, however small it may seem, if you multiply it by seven billion [people on the planet], it won't seem so small.

 

NYC Things To Do This Weekend

There's outdoor skating at Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center in Midtown, and at Wollman Rink in the southeast corner of Central Park and at the Harlem Meer in the northeast corner of Central Park. Also in Prospect Park and Coney Island in Brooklyn, Cloves Lake on Staten Island, and in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. For details see https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/iceskating

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend

On Saturday, January 28 from 1 - 4.30 pm and from 6 - 9.30 pm there's a Wine Tasting at Chelsea Industrial at 535-549 West 28th Street in Manhattan. For $19 tickets and details see - https://winefestnewyork.com. 

The Winter Boat Show began at the Javits Center at 35th Street and 11th Avenue on Wednesday and runs through Sunday, January 29th. Tickets are $20 / $17 / $15. For details see - https://www.nyboatshow.com/.

On Saturday & Sunday, January 28 & 29 from 10 am t0 5 pm there's a Year of the Rabbit Lunar New Year Fair at the East Broadway Mall at 88 East Broadway in Chinatown. The market is comprised of about a dozen vendors selling food, embroidery, jewelry, clothes, Taiwanese objects, art and stationery. For details see - https://welcometochinatown.com.

The Joyce Theatre American Dance Platform began Tuesday, January 10th and the Winter Jazz Festival began on Thursday, January 12th. It's all part of the January Arts Festival - https://www.janartsnyc.org/ which runs through most of this month of January 2023.

The Winter Show [formerly Winter Antiques Show] has returned to the Park Avenue Amory on the Upper East Side and the show runs through Sunday. For details see https://www.thewintershow.org/.

On February 12 beginning at 1 pm the Chinese Lunar New Year parade begins in Chinatown. The parade steps off at the corner of Mott and Hester Street marching down to Chatham Square, then heads across East Broadway and up Forsyth Street, ending in Sara D. Roosevelt Park. Like the Queens Lunar New Year parade, this actually occurs outside of the official Chinese Lunar New Year dates.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend

On Saturday, January 28 from 2 to 5 pm there's a Lunar New Year Celebration organized by the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership at Albee Square where DeKalb, Bond and Fulton Streets meet. It will have lion dancing among other performances. For details see - https://www.downtownbrooklyn.com.

On Saturday, January 28th from 11 am to 2 pm, the CPC [Chinese-American Planning Council] will co-host a Lunar New Year Event in Sunset Park Recreation Center at 4200 7th Avenue in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. The event activities include a traditional lion dance, performances, giveaways, interactive games, raffles and contests. For details see - https://www.cpc-nyc.org/events/cpc-bcs-lunar-new-year-celebration-2023-year-rabbit

NEXT WEEK. The CPC celebration [see above entry] continues on Saturday, February 4, with Lunar New Year calligraphy, arts and crafts and trivia for prizes in the Auditorium at New Utrecht High School at 1601 80th Street, in collaboration with community partners from throughout South Brooklyn. For details see https://www.prospectpark.org/

 

Queens Things To Do This Weekend

On Friday and Saturday, at 7 pm and 2 pm respectively, a new original play entitled Lemons, will be performed at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center at 31-10 Thomson Avenue in Long Island City. The play is described as, "... Exploring how social media, capitalism, and “positive thinking” affects our individual and collective relationship to grief, Lemons is a darkly funny four-person play centering on an obsession with a fitness guru's instagram account. A grieving woman presents a personal essay that quickly devolves into theatrical mayhem as her carefully constructed argument is interrupted and undermined by ghosts, fantasies, dance, and doom scrolling. Lemons is an examination of female strength, both physical and emotional, in the face of capitalist patriarchy. Exploring the intersection of capitalism and wellness culture/self-care, which is overwhelmingly marketed to women, Lemons looks at how societal expectations have come to inform our relationship to grief, our identities, our bodies, and each other...". For $15 tickets and details see - https://www.lpac.nyc/upcoming-events/lemons

The Chinese Lunar New Year in celebration of the year of the rabbit began Sunday, January 22, 2022 and runs through February 9th, 2023. Flushing Queens jumped the gun vis a vis the official lunar new year dates, by hosting its parade last Saturday, which was a day before the official start of the lunar new year.

On Sunday, January 29th from 3 to 4 pm Sunnyside Shines is hosting a Lion Dance and march from Lowery Plaza at 40th Street underneath the #7 train, along Queens Blvd to Bliss Plaza at 46th Street at Queens Plaza. Free.

Flushing Town Hall opened a photo exhibit, entitled This is Home, on January 21 and it runs through February 26th. The exhibit shows excerpts from some of the lives of Asian Americans living in NYC, both here and abroad. For details see https://www.flushingtownhall.org/.

On Tuesday, January 31 there's a reading of 'Brigid' as part of the Origin 1st Irish Festival, from 7 to 9 pm at the NY Irish Center at 1040 Jackson Avenue at 51st Avenue in Long Island City. For $2 tickets and details see - https://www.newyorkirishcenter.org

NEXT WEEKEND. On Sunday, February 5th beginning at 3 pm in the Colden Auditorium at Queens College at 153-49 Reeves Avenue there will be a performance by Nai Ni Chen Dance Company. See the full description below, as they will be performing at Hostos College in the Bronx this week.

IN TWO WEEKS. On Thursday, February 16 from 6.30 - 8.30 pm Materials For The Arts at 3300 Northern Blvd in Long Island City will be hosting a Lunar New Year mask making event using recycled materials. They are doing this in tandem with the Asian American Arts Alliance. For details see - https://www.liclny.com/events/mfta-and-asian-american-arts-alliance-celebrate-lunar-new-year.

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend

The Bartow Pell Mansion has issued an Open Call to artists to participate in a nearly month-long exhibition in March of this year. The theme of the exhibit is Nature Inspires: Contemporary Art Show. The deadline for submissions is February 3rd, 2023. For details see - https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Call-to-Artists-Nature-Inspires.pdf

On Sunday, January 29th, beginning at 3 pm there's a Nai Ni Chen Dance Company performances at Hostos College at 450 Grand Concourse in the Concourse neighborhood of the Bronx. The event is described as follows, "... In honor of Hip-Hop’s 50th year anniversary, the dance company will be performing a special rendition of the lion dance with a hip-hop rhythm. Other performances include YungGe from northern China, Peacock Dance from the southern Yunnan province, Spear Dance, and the crowd-favorite Dragon Dance...". Tickets are $12 / $10 / $5 at https://www.hostos.cuny.edu/

On Tuesday, January 31 beginning at 7.30 pm there's a musical performance entitled, Songs to the Unknown, which is a part of the Voices of the New 2023 Winter Festival at Roulette Intermedium at 509 Atlantic Avenue at 3rd Avenue in Boerum Hill in Brooklyn. For $20 tickets and details see www.voicesofascension.org/votn.

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend

On Sunday, January 29, beginning at 6 pm there's a showing on the big screen of the classic Marilyn Monroe / Tony Curtis / Jack Lemmon movie - Some Like it Hot - at the St. George Theatre at 35 Hyatt Street on Staten Island. For $20 tickets and details see - https://stgeorgetheatre.com

There's an ongoing exhibit of a collection of stamps that features lighthouses prominently on them at the Lighthouse Museum at 200 The Promenade in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island.

On Monday, January 30 from 8.30 - 4 pm the Alice Austen House Museum will be particpating into a program entitled Grow Into Yourself at the High School of Fashion Industries at 225 West 24th Street in Manhattan. Apparently Alice Austen was a lesbian photographer living on Staten Island.

 

Have a nice weekend.


Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

The Winter Show at the Park Avenue Armory, The Chinese New Year of the Rabbit Begins, Winter Jazz Festival & the January Arts Festival continue

things to do this weekend in nycJanuary 20, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid to high 40's throughout the weekend, while the temperature lows will be in the mid 30's on Friday and Saturday, rising to about 40 degrees on Sunday. Winds will be about 5 - 10 mph all weekend. The humidity will be about 50% - 60% on Friday and Saturday, rising to about 85% Sunday afternoon as the rain pours in. No rain is in the forecast until Sunday, when a 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch of rain is expected starting around 3 pm.

The photo at right shows folks walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, even amidst the dreary weather.

 

NYC Things To Do This Weekend

There's outdoor skating at Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center in Midtown, and at Wollman Rink in the southeast corner of Central Park and at the Harlem Meer in the northeast corner of Central Park. Also in Prospect Park and Coney Island in Brooklyn, Cloves Lake on Staten Island, and in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. For details see https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/iceskating

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend

things to do this weekend in nycOn Sunday from 11 am - 3.30 pm there's a Chinese Lunar New Year Firecracker celebration in Sara Roosevelt Park at Chrystie and Forsyth on the Lower East Side in East Chinatown.

Also on Sunday, but from 11 am - 1 pm nearby on Mott Street at Grand Street [if not there head south toward Canal Street], there's an artsy lantern reveal exhibition on the street by Think Chinatown. For details see https://www.thinkchinatown.org/

The Joyce Theatre American Dance Platform began Tuesday, January 10th and the Winter Jazz Festival began on Thursday, January 12th. It's all part of the January Arts Festival - https://www.janartsnyc.org/ which runs through most of this month of January 2023.

At right is a photo of a man at Tompkins Square Park communing with the pigeons. See another photo below showing just how popular he is with the pigeon population in the East Village.

The Winter Show [formerly Winter Antiques Show] has returned to the Park Avenue Amory on the Upper East Side and the show runs through next weekend. Details coming - or see https://www.thewintershow.org/.

 

Queens Things To Do This Weekend

things to do this weekend in nycThe Chinese Lunar New Year in celebration of the year of the rabbit begins Sunday, January 22, 2022 and runs through February 9th, 2023. There will be celebrations throughout NYC and we'll update you beginning this weekend and beyond. Details coming.

Flushing Town Hall has an exhibit. Details coming.

Long Island City is hosting some Lunar New Year events. Details coming.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend

NEXT WEEK. On Saturday, January 28th from 11 am to 2 pm, the CPC [Chinese-American Planning Council] will co-host a Lunar New Year Event in Sunset Park Recreation Center at 4200 7th Avenue in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. The event activities include a traditional lion dance, performances, giveaways, interactive games, raffles and contests. For details see - https://www.cpc-nyc.org/events/cpc-bcs-lunar-new-year-celebration-2023-year-rabbit

TWO WEEKS FROM NOW. The CPC celebration [see above entry] continues on Saturday, February 4, with Lunar New Year calligraphy, arts and crafts and trivia for prizes in the Auditorium at New Utrecht High School at 1601 80th Street, in collaboration with community partners from throughout South Brooklyn. For details see https://www.prospectpark.org/

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend

things to do this weekend in nycOn Saturday January 21, 2023 from 10 am - 1 pm there's a family friend workshop where you can create a fan for lunar new year at Wave Hill at 4900 Independence Avenue in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx. It's Free w/ admission to the grounds. For details see www.wavehill.org or https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/wave-hill/events/2023/01/21/family-art-project-fan-for-lunar-new-year1

The photo at right was taken at the East 96th subway station. I occasionally think back to what our predecessors left behind for us in terms of a robust infrastructure that has by and large held up through the changes for about a century. And then I ask myself, what are we going to leave behind for future generations?

NEXT WEEK. There's a Nai Ni Chen Dance Company performances at Hostos College at 450 Grand Concourse in the Concourse neighborhood of the Bronx on Sunday, January 29th, beginning at 3 pm. Tickets are $12 / $10 / $5 at https://www.hostos.cuny.edu/

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend

On Sunday, January 22, Snug Harbor is hosting a Chinese Lunar New Year celebration from 12 noon - 3 pm. Details coming.

On Sunday, January 22, beginning at 2 pm / 3 pm there's an exhibit opening and lecture about a collection of stamps that features lighthouses prominently on them at the Lighthouse Museum at 200 The Promenade in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island.

 

Have a nice weekend.


Economic Outlook 2023

Employment Steady, Inflation Subsiding, Consumer Confidence Up, Government Stimulus Fading, Fed Tightening 'Should' Stop After .25% Increase at Next FOMC Meeting, Most Global Supply Side Issues have been Corrected, Oil Prices Below a Year Ago, and the Dollar is Strong

January 17, 2023 / NYC Business News / New Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid to high 40's and the temperature lows will be around 40, dropping to 35 degrees on Friday. No rain is expected EXCEPT on Thursday, where up to an inch of rain will fall during the day. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph on Tuesday and Thursday and will be 10 - 15 mph on Wednesday and Friday. Humidity will rise from 45% to 80% on Tuesday, fall back into the 60% range on Wednesday, rise into the 80% range on Thursday with the rain, and fall back into the 60% range on Friday.

 

I. Economic Background - Mostly CoVid Disruptions of Global Supply Chains and Government Fiscal Policy Responses

In recent months I have spent a fair amount of time catching up on what's happening in the economy overall, in an attempt to guage what lies ahead. It's important to realize where we are in the business cycle, in order to figure out what to expect going forward.

 

nyc business local businesses in nyc manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island nyc* Since March of 2020, we've been in a bit of a pandemic spin. The 2020 pandemic essentially halted most hospitality businesses and softened demand for some services, but drove high demand for both durable and non-durable goods. This is on the demand side. Meanwhile on the supply side, businesses were closing down, or working at far less than capacity, because of the health impact of the pandemic. For example in China, they didn't just appear to shutter businesses, but almost entire cities, to curb the spread of CoVid. China is where much of our electronics are made so this impacted the availability / supply of electronics at a time when Americans were spending more on them, because they weren't traveling, vacationing or even eating out much, so they had extra cash to spend on items, most notably electronics.

The U.S. federal government [as did many governments throughout the world] kept many businesses afloat through expansive monetary policy and generous fiscal spending via CoVid Relief packages which put money in the hands of local businesses, governments and individuals. The fiscal stimulus / excess government spending began in 2020 during the Trump Administration, and ended in early 2021 under the Biden Administration.

The first chart above right shows the federal government excess fiscal spending during the pandemic. Both Trump and Biden temporarily increased government spending in order to keep the economy rolling through the pandemic.

 

nyc business local businesses in nyc manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island nycAnd the expansive monetary policy, which was executed by taking the federal funds interest rate to nearly zero in March of 2020, and by pushing $4 trillion cash into the economy via purchases of bonds, wasn't reined in for years, and that withdrawal finally began in 2022. We'll discuss this more further down in this report.

The chart at right first shows how the Federal Reserve immediately dropped the federal funds rate to zero in the Spring of 2020, to keep liquidity in the economy as the pandemic hit. And then it shows how the Federal Reserve very, very aggressively jacked up interest rates to offset inflation beginning in 2022, because they were slow to react to the rise in prices in 2021. Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome Powell, was nominated first by President Trump and renominated by President Biden.

The chart below right, shows how in the Spring of 2020, the Federal Reserve pushed $4 trillion in liquidity into the economy, doubling its liabilities. In 2022, the Federal Reserve began pulling some of that liquidity out of the market / off the table.

 

nyc business local businesses in nyc manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island nyc* In 2021 things began to normalize as vaccinations rolled out and we began to gain a better understanding of how to mitigate the health impact of the CoVid pandemic. But the year wasn't a straight line out of the pandemic, as the new variants continued to wreak havoc with our collective assessment of how risky it would be to return to normal.

Toward the end of 2021, Russian-like media Oligarch Rupert Murdoch, used his Goebbels-like propaganda outlets, including the NY Post, Fox News and the Wall St. Journal to hype American's uneasiness with supply chains in the economy, which Murdoch propagandist's labeled as Biden's economy.

 

* In February 2022 economic risks rise, as fascist dictator Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in what he called a 'Special Military Operation'. The Russian War in Ukraine hasn't gone well for Putin. To maintain the war, he is crippling the long term prospects for the Russian economy, as the Russian people continue to act like peasants, allowing the brutal dictator and his elitest friends, to walk all over them, including sending them to their graves fighting for Putin's narcissistic place in history.

nyc business local businesses in nyc manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island nycPutin's military intervention / disruption, of course added risk to the global economy. Especially in two key segments of the economy which includes food and energy. Russia supplies about 12% of the world's oil, and along with Ukraine accounts for about a third of the world's wheat and barley. Hence Putin's war added significant inflationary pressure to both energy and food.

As you can see in the chart at right, the price of oil spiked up following Russia's invasion of the Ukraine in the Winter of 2022. The price of oil has since come back down to a few bucks below where it was a year ago.

 

* In November and December of 2022, and continuing into January of 2023, dictator President Xi Jin Ping has been retreating from his draconian, control-freak style CoVid lockdown measures. The Chinese, in a rare break from their own peasantry past, started to rebel against the policies, and so Xi started to relent. The Chinese economic growth fell from 8% in 2021 [like us the growth was accentuated because of a depressed 2020 CoVid economy] to 3% in 2022. Thus, at the end of 2023, in contrast to 2022 [which wasn't anywhere near as bad as Murdoch's Fox, NY Post and WSJ hyped it], things are largely returning to normal - except for the Ukraine situation, which continues.

 

II. Economic Background - Government Responses Included Monetary Policies Layered on Top of Fiscal Policies

nyc business local businesses in nyc manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island nycTo summarize what I laid out above, there were swings in demand fueled by lifestyle changes caused by the pandemic, including generous fiscal spending by the U.S. government. And there were significant supply side swings in capacity, which were driven by worker availability arising from health concerns.

Globally, we've spent the past couple years working through these huge economic demand and supply displacements, due in part to the disruptions of the vaccination roll outs caused by misunderstandings / misinformation about vaccine efficacy, risks and the new CoVid variants. This economic uncertainty was exacerbated by Russian dictator President Putin's undeclared war on Ukraine, which further disrupted the supply of both food and energy - which are two key components of the economy.

So, along with the U.S. governmment's expansive fiscal policies, pursued via massive transfer payments to large and small businesses and individuals, the nation's central bank, the Federal Reserve, pursued an expansive monetary policy by, 1) dropping the Fed Funds rate to nearly zero [0% - .25%] in March of 2020, and 2) they pursued an incredibly expansionary monetary policy whereby they pushed liquidity [cash] into the U.S. financial system by buying a lot of bonds. In the latter move they pushed about $4 trillion into the economy in a very short period of time, doubling their position of prior years.

As you can see in the chart above, inflation picked up toward the end of 2021, peaked in June of 2022, and appears to be heading back down toward normal, which economists expect it will approach by the end of 2023 [3.3% inflation] and in 2024. The Fed benchmark inflation rate is 2.0 - 2.5%.

 

III. So, Today, Where We At?

nyc business local businesses in nyc manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island nycWhat's next is a look at a multitude of economic statistics with some nominal interpretation of what I expect to happen, all things being equal [meaning no further major disruptions], in 2023.

 

Expansive Fiscal Policies Ending, but Lag Times & the Multiplier Effect

As you can see by the first graphs at the top of this report, the Biden Administration has already brought the federal budget back into alignment with its historical trend, after a couple of years of excessive spending that began during the last year of the Trump Administration and continued into the first year of the Biden Administration.

In economics there's a lag time between when something is done at the federal level in fiscal policy and its full effects work through the economy. It's called the multiplier effect and I oftentimes wonder if Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell missed the classes in school that focused on it. The lag time can range from about six months to two years. I am seeing anecdotal evidence that the spending is drying up in the NYC economy, as Mayor Adams recent budget cuts indicate.

 

Tale of Two Governments - NYS Governor Hochul has $19 Billion in Unspent CoVid Relief Funding, While NYC Mayor Adams is Making Cuts in NYC

Many businesses and households didn't spend all of the money they saved during the pandemic, so there's still some of that stimulus that will continue working its way through the economy in the coming year or two. For example, while NYC Mayor Adams is cutting expenses, NYS Governor Hochul has about $19 billion, or 44% of the emergency funding allocations left to spend. Perhaps Hochul and Adams ought to talk about NYC getting a bit of NYS help, given half of the state lives here.

So in the case of NYC and NYS you have two different viewpoints - one where money is scarce and the other where it isn't ... yet. I say yet, because the MTA is still operating below prepandemic levels and thus NYS will have to continue making up the short fall, and the NYC cuts to education may need to be offset by an increase in NYS spending on the same.

 

Demand Side of the Economy - Employment and Businesses & Households Wealth Effect

nyc business local businesses in nyc manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island nycBusinesses and Households balance sheets also improved, in part because of stimulus funds and in part because spending was held back on services, like travel and hospitality, during the pandemic. Spending came roaring back in 2021, as the pandemic began to fade, but in 2022 it has subsided considerably. Most recently, retail sales were down about 1% in December of 2022, so the economy is definitely cooling.

In the top row of the chart at right is Gross Domestic Product [GDP is the total production value of the economy] and Employment, respectively, for 2021, 2022 and estimates for 2023. GDP [top left] softened in the first and second quarters of 2022, but came back in the third quarter, before falling again in the fourth quarter [estimated]. GDP is expected to remain soft in the first part of 2023, before coming back at the end of 2023. Likewise with Employment [top right], which has been softening. The U.S. is expected to lose some jobs in the first couple / three quarters of the year as rising interest rates dampen consumption and business investment.

nyc business local businesses in nyc manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island nycSo far the strong job market, with rising compensation, and up until 2022, a rising stock and housing market, added to Americans' confidence and contributed to robust spending in 2021 [see chart at right].

But as interest rates have risen, job growth has slowed, and layoffs by a number of the nation's largest tech companies [10,000 layoffs expected by Microsoft alone] begin to take root in the Economic Psyche of the American consumer, demand and productivity are expected to fall as noted by the GDP chart above right [top row on the left].

 

Inflation vs Market Liquidity Risk

Another aspect of the slowing economy is the impact of the Fed policiies in 2022. They rose rates rapidly and they've been taking liquidity out of the market via bond sales - both of which should have begun in 2021. And now they are on the verge of causing a recession because it seems they are not taking into account the multiplier effect and the lag time with which it takes for economic policy to work itself through the nation's $25 trillion economy.

nyc business local businesses in nyc manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island nycIf I were Jerome Powell, I would increase the Fed Funds rate a .25% at the next FOMC [Federal Open Market Committee] meeting at the end of January and signal that I might be done. And the only reason I would raise if .25% is because the market expects that and I wouldn't want to spook them, not because the economy needs further braking.

The Fed was a contributor in part to the inflationary problem we have - although Vladimir Putin and the disruptions caused by the pandemic should be given credit too. And the Fed is on the verge of contributing to a recession, which it might have to correct for too. For my money Powell isn't a steady hand, but if he stops now, he might avoid overplaying his monetary hand like he did when the pandemic first hit.

One last word on interest rates and inflation. Inflation ticked up considerably in the first half of 2022, which is why the numbers should begin muting rather quickly in the first half of 2023 - because the prior year numbers are already inflated. See chart below right for a month by month account of inflation last year.

 

Supply Side - Oil Supplies Flowing, China Coming Back on Line, Russian Disruptions Contained & Federal Government Investments

nyc business local businesses in nyc manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island nycChina has rolled back its restrictive CoVid policies. This will increase the supply of semiconductors, which should reduce price pressures in categories such as vehicles and electronics, which account for about 3% of the 8% of inflation we experienced in 2022 [light and dark blues of the chart below right].

The Biden Administration passed a bipartisan Semiconductor bill which is expected to bring more high paying jobs in the semiconductor industry back to the U.S. It will also alleviate the shortage in the long term.

Energy costs, as already mentioned, are primarily related to the rise in oil prices last year, due in great part to Russia's war in the Ukraine as previously shown in the chart above. In the chart below, yellow denotes the contribution of energy costs to inflation, representing between 2% - 3% of the 8% inflation of 2022 in the graph below right.

The Biden Administration reached out to Venezuela, which has the world's largest oil reserves, to provide more oil, which is being done with the help of Chevron.

nyc business local businesses in nyc manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island nycAnd food, also experienced inflation due not just to the war in the Ukraine, but also climate change weather disruptions of drought and damaging storms. In the chart below right that's denoted in green and represents about 1% of the inflation last year.

The food category may continue to experience inflationary pressures because of climate change. The Biden Administration passed the Infrastructure Bill and the Inflation Reduction Act, both of which contain provisions designed to address the growing threat of climate change. Here I have to take issue with at least one provision [more later as I think some of this bill was ill-conceived by policy makers], and that is the roll out of electric vehicle recharging stations.

 

Time to Rethink - Why Don't Battery Makers Make Swappable Batteries that Consumers Can Re-Load in Minutes at a Fuel Station Instead of Waiting 20 - 30 Minutes to Re-Charge a Car?

I don't get it. Some of the smartest people on the planet are engineering these new technologies, but for some reason don't seem to be able to see the forest through the trees. The government should mandate that all electic vehicles be required to operate on a standard electric battery signed off on by the industry. The battery should represent an eighth of a tank of gas or equivalent, so that a driver can 'refuel' each time one of those batteries has dropped its load. In this manner drivers don't have to wait to recharge their cars, and the U.S. government doesn't have to install all of this unnecessary infrastructure. Set up the recharging stations near the power plant for greater efficiencies.

 

Risks - Debt Ceiling Gambit by Kevin McCarthy & The  Republicans

nyc business local businesses in nyc manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island nycDisinfo

Climate Change

Russia / China

 

 

 

Conclusion - It Could be a Good Year if McCarthy, Putin & Powell are Held in Check

nyc business local businesses in nyc manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island nyc

Government Spending

Monetary Policy

Currency

Inflation

Interest Rates / Fed / Housing / Automotive

 

 

Almost done. This will be completed at a later date.


* Things To Do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Friday the 13th, Many Martin Luther King Day Weekend Events, Winter Jazz Festival & the January Arts Festival continue, Closing Reception, Play about Patriarchal Power & Skating

things to do this weekend in nycJanuary 13, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the high 50's on Friday, the high 30's on Saturday and the mid 40's on Sunday and Monday. The temperature lows will be in the low to mid 30's all weekend. No precipitation is in the forecast. The humidity will be in the 60% range on Friday, the 50% range on Saturday, the 40% range on Sunday and Monday. The winds will be 12 - 17 mph on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, dropping to 5 - 10 mph on Monday.

The photo at right was taken a week ago at City Hall, where Mayor Adams opened himself up to a wide range of questions from the local press. This week the Mayor released the Preliminary Budget for NYC for 2024.

 

Friday the 13th - Origins of a Superstition

According to Wikipedia, the number 13 has been considered unlucky beginning with a Norse mythological story about how the 13th guest caused the death of a dinner host. They tell us that the connection between unlucky 13 and Friday didn't start until early in the 1800's, specifically citing an 1834 play called 'The Finesse of the Scribbles', wherein one of the characters says that he was born on Friday the 13th and that is the origin of all of his misfortunes. Greek and Spanish cultures cite Tuesday the 13th as the unlucky day.

Friday the 13th occurs at least once every year and there is no proof that it is any different from any other day. So while I'd recommend caution on any day, I wouldn't hesitate to do just about anything you normally do on this day.

The photo at right was taken of the back of City Hall in lower Manhattan. The foliage and ground are pretty brown and green for this time of year.

 

Martin Luther King Day Weekend - NYC Parks Day of Service

things to do this weekend in nycThis weekend the City Parks Day Department is hosting a Day of Service. See details for times and locations at www.nycparks.gov.

There's outdoor skating at Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center in Midtown, and at Wollman Rink in the southeast corner of Central Park and at the Harlem Meer in the northeast corner of Central Park. Also in Prospect Park and Coney Island in Brooklyn, Cloves Lake on Staten Island, and in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. For details see https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/iceskating

 

Martin Luther King Holiday Special Events in Manhattan NYC

On Sunday, the Apollo Theater at 253 West 125th Street in Harlem resumes its MLK Day program entitled, Uptown Hall" MLK - Blueprint for Culture. This event is free, but all tickets have been 'sold' as of Saturday morning. But if those ticket holders don't show up / pick up their tickets by 2.30 pm the day of the show, they will be released to the public waiting in line at the theater. See www.apollotheater.org for details.

On Sunday the Abyssinian Baptist Church on Striver’s Row located at 132 Odell Clark Place between 138th & 139th Streets and Frederick Douglass & Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvds in West Harlem is hosting a King Day Worship Service beginning at 10 am. The featured speaker is Dr. Jelani Cobb who has become the Dean of the Columbia School of Journalism. The West Harlem neighborhood includes places where African Americans like author W.E.B. DuBois and civil rights activist Malcolm X spent some time. For details see - https://abyssinian.org.

On Monday, the eighth graders at Manhattan Country School organize an annual Commemorative MLK Day March beginning at 10 am until about 2 pm. This year the march is entitled 'The Power of Awareness: The March for Justice and Change'. The march route seems to vary with each year, but has generally been on the Upper West and Upper East Sides, stopping at historically signfiicant sites, where students give speeches and ending at the Manhattan Country School at 150 West 85th between Columbus & Amsterdam. This year the march starts at the Harriet Tubman Memorial where West 122nd Street meets Frederick Douglass Blvd and St Nicholas Avenue - makes five stops where 2 - 5 speeches are made by the students - and ends at Manhattan Country School. For details visit www.manhattancountryschool.org.

On Monday, January 16, 2023 there's a Harlem Gospel Choir performance at Sony Hall at 235 West 46th Street in Midtown Manhattan. The doors open at 12 noon and the show begins at 1.30 pm. Tickets run $41 - $59 at https://sonyhall.com.

All weekend there are jazz performances at the Birdland Theater at 315 44th Street in Midtown Manhattan. Tickets are $26 and $36 at https://birdlandjazz.com.

The United Palace at 4140 Broadway at 175th Street in Washington Heights doesn't have anything dedicated to MLK planned this weekend. But they are offering an historical tour on Sunday from 2 to 3.30 pm for $15. They describe the theater as follows: " ... The history of United Palace, Manhattan’s 4th largest theatre and now a landmarked building, began in 1930, when it was then one of five Loew’s “Wonder Theatres” across the boroughs and New Jersey. Designed by noted architect Thomas Lamb (Cort Theatre, the former Ziegfeld Theatre) with interiors overseen by decorative specialist Harold Rambusch (Waldorf Astoria, Radio City Music Hall), it was one of the region’s premier vaudeville and movie houses. Today, the United Palace hosts concerts, movies, and community events and provides spiritual and cultural programming ...". For tickets see https://www.unitedpalace.org.

The Joyce Theatre American Dance Platform begins Tuesday, January 10th and the Winter Jazz Festival begins on Thursday, January 12th. It's all part of the January Arts Festival - https://www.janartsnyc.org/ which runs through most of this month of January 2023.

 

Martin Luther King Holiday Special Events in Brooklyn NYC

Saturday through Monday January 14 - 16, 2023 from 10 am - 5 pm, the Brooklyn's Children's Museum at 145 Brooklyn Avenue in Crown Heights Historic District, is hosting events celebrating the life the Martin Luther King with a day of service, as well as arts and crafts, games and storytelling. For details go to www.brooklynkids.org.

On Sunday, January 15, 2023 from 11 am - 12.30 pm the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture at 53 Prospect Park West in Park Slope is hosting a program that will discuss MLK's 'I have a Dream' speech. In prior events such as this one they also include musicians. Free. For details see - FB - https://www.facebook.com/EthicalCultureBrooklyn/ or their website at - https://bsec.org/

On Monday, January 16, 2023 from 10.30 am to 3 pm in the Fort Greene neighborhood, the Brooklyn Academy of Music at 30 Lafayette Street in Brooklyn, hosts its 37th Annual Celebration of MLK's life in the Peter J. Sharp Building. There will be musical performances, speeches by renowned scholars and civil rights activists, a film screening and more [culture / free]. For details and an rsvp see www.bam.org.

On Monday, January 16, 2023 in Prospect Park in Brooklyn the Prospect Park Alliance is hosting two MLK Day events. The first runs from 10 am - 1 pm at the Music Pagoda, where folks can help enrich the park by doing some work on it. The second event runs from 12 noon to 4 pm at the Prospect Park Audubon Center [near the Boathouse which is accessible via the southeast side of the park from Ocean Avenue at Lincoln Road] where there will be outdoor nature activities, an animal encounter and a wilderness walk. For details see https://www.prospectpark.org.

This isn't a MLK related event, but on Saturday, January 14, 2023 at City Point Brooklyn at 415 Albee Square West there's a Wine Fest from 1 pm - 4.30 pm. Tickets cost $19 at https://winefestnewyork.com/.

 

Martin Luther King Holiday Special Events in Queens NYC

On Friday, January 13th, from 5 pm - 9 pm there's a closing reception at the Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning at 161-04 Jamaica Avenue in the Jamaica section of Queens. The exhibit is called The Art of Women and the Sacred Landscape of the Divine Feminine. It's free but you should rsvp at https://www.jcal.org/.

On Friday & Saturday, January 13th & 14th beginning at 7 pm there's a performance by Compass [dance group] about the evolution from patriarchal power at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center . Tickets are $15 at http://lpac.nyc.

On Sunday beginning at 3 pm, there's a talk by an NYT journalist, musical performance by a top jazz singer as well as other speeches in the LeFrak Concert Hall at the Queens College Kupferberg Center, located at 65-30 Kissena Blvd off Harding Expressway on the Queens College campus. Admission $20 at https://kupferbergcenter.org

On Monday, from 11 am - 1 pm there's a MLK Day event at the Queens Botanical Garden at 43-50 Main Street in Flushing. It's designed for kids and there's a $5 suggested donation.

 

Martin Luther King Holiday Special Events in the Bronx NYC

On Saturday January 14, 2023 from 10 am - 1 pm there's a workshop entitled Freedom Quilters of Gee's Bend at Wave Hill at 4900 Independence Avenue in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx. It's Free w/ admission to the grounds. For details see www.wavehill.org or call 718.549.3200 x251.

 

Martin Luther King Holiday Special Events in the Staten Island NYC

There's an MLK Day event on Monday at the Staten Island Children’s Museum in the Snug Harbor Cultural Center at 1000 Richmond Terrace on Staten Island. Some of the events are paid [from 9 am - 4 pm] and some are free with admission [from 11 am - 3.30 pm].

 

Coming Next Weekend

Next weekend begins the Chinese Lunar New Year in celebration of the year of the rabbit and the Winter Show at the Park Avenue Armory.

Best wishes for a good day of community service and have an enjoyable / productive Martin Luther King Weekend .


Brooklyn Martin Luther King Day Weekend Things To Do - Brooklyn NYC

Martin Luther King Weekend Things To Do in Brooklyn NYC

Things To Do in Brooklyn over the MLK Day Weekend

brooklyn things to do mlk martin luther king day weekend brooklyn martin luther king day weekend events brooklyn mlk day weekend nycJanuary 13, 2023 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods NYC / Things To Do in Brooklyn NYC / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the high 50's on Friday, the high 30's on Saturday and the mid 40's on Sunday and Monday. The temperature lows will be in the low to mid 30's all weekend. No precipitation is in the forecast. The humidity will be in the 60% range on Friday, the 50% range on Saturday, the 40% range on Sunday and Monday. The winds will be 12 - 17 mph on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, dropping to 5 - 10 mph on Monday. Click for Brooklyn Weekend Weather.

 

Brief History of Martin Luther King Holiday in NYC

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist Minister who became the leading voice for African Americans' non-violent civil rights movement beginning in the mid 1950's through to his assassination in 1968. In 1983, the third Monday of every year was set aside to honor Martin Luther King for his service to the nation. The third Monday was chosen, as it was the nearest Monday to the anniversary of King's birthday, which was January 15, 1929.

Martin Luther King Day has grown to take on an even larger meaning, as it is oftentimes referred to as a day on, versus a day off. Organizations around the city and nation have used the day to call people into action to address the needs of the community through volunteering and service.

As Martin Luther King Day is a national holiday, it's worth keeping in mind that many / most federal offices will be closed, along with a number of businesses.

 

Martin Luther King Holiday Special Events in Brooklyn NYC

brooklyn things to do mlk martin luther king day weekend brooklyn martin luther king day weekend events brooklyn mlk day weekend nycSaturday through Monday January 14 - 16, 2023 from 10 am - 5 pm, the Brooklyn's Children's Museum at 145 Brooklyn Avenue in Crown Heights Historic District, is hosting events celebrating the life the Martin Luther King with a day of service, as well as arts and crafts, games and storytelling. For details go to www.brooklynkids.org.

On Monday, January 16, 2023 from 10.30 am to 3 pm in the Fort Greene neighborhood, the Brooklyn Academy of Music at 30 Lafayette Street in Brooklyn, hosts its 37th Annual Celebration of MLK's life in the Peter J. Sharp Building. There will be musical performances, speeches by renowned scholars and civil rights activists, a film screening and more [culture / free]. For details and an rsvp see www.bam.org.

On Monday, January 16, 2023 in Prospect Park in Brooklyn the Prospect Park Alliance is hosting two MLK Day events. The first runs from 10 am - 1 pm at the Music Pagoda, where folks can help enrich the park by doing some work on it. The second event runs from 12 noon to 4 pm at the Prospect Park Audubon Center [near the Boathouse which is accessible via the southeast side of the park from Ocean Avenue at Lincoln Road] where there will be outdoor nature activities, an animal encounter and a wilderness walk. For details see https://www.prospectpark.org.

On Sunday, January 15, 2023 from 11 am - 12.30 pm the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture at 53 Prospect Park West in Park Slope is hosting a program that will discuss MLK's 'I have a Dream' speech. In prior events such as this one they also include musicians. Free. For details see - FB - https://www.facebook.com/EthicalCultureBrooklyn/ or their website at - https://bsec.org/

Click here for Brooklyn things to do on Martin Luther King Day weekend.



The Nurses Strike at Mt Sinai & Montefiore Hospitals

One Nurse Told me She Felt Like Nurses had gone from Heroes to Zeroes

healthcare nyc manhattan bronx nurses strike nysna mt sinai montefiore bronx nurses strike nycJanuary 5, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Healthcare / Gotham Buzz NYC.

On Monday I made the trip to the Mount Sinai Medical Center between 5th and Madison Avenues and between 99th and 101st Street on the Upper East Side. Mt Sinai is the hold out in completing negotiations or even resuming them with the New York State Nurses Association union or NYSNA.

By last Friday, January 6, 2023, New York Presbyterian Hospital, the Maimonides Medical Center and Richmond University Medical Center had reached tentative agreements with the NYSNA union that included improvements in safe staffing and wages.

By Saturday, January 7, 2023 the NYSNA tweeted that BronxCare Health System and Flushing Hospital Medical Center had "reached tentative agreements that will improve safe staffing levels and enforcement, increase wages by 7%, 6%, and 5%, and save their healthcare benefits."

By Monday, January 9, 2023 about 7,100 pf the 42,000 nurses in the NYSNA union were set to go on strike at Mt Sinai in Manhattan and Montefiore in the Bronx. When I arrived around noon time at Mount Sinai in Manhattan on Monday, the NYSNA had a strong showing by their members. And the vehicular traffic appeared to be highly supportive of them, which you will see in the video I shot when I post it later today. The strikers were stationed primarily on Madison Avenue at about 99th Street, and there was a speaker there, but I really couldn't hear what she had to say with all the surrounding commotion, you'll see that too.

So I found a few nurses talking things over a bit away from the crowd, and I spoke with them. They told me that the strike is primarily about two issues: 1) staffing levels and 2) compensation. I learned a couple of things I didn't hear reported in the corporate media, which I'll share. But please note that I've not yet had a chance to confirm these findings with either of the hospitals still on strike.

The first thing they told me is that the staffing levels vis a vis patient loads are and remain the primary cause of the strike. They said that in the last union negotiation the hospitals agreed to put in recommended grids for staffing levels per patient for the various hospital units, which was a good first step. The problem is that the new staffing grids were not made enforceable.

Thus, because the staffing grids per patient remain unenforceable, I was told that they are exceeded too often. The trouble with this, they told me [and remember these are not the official spokespeople for the union, but rather rank and file union members, and I haven't yet cross referenced these findings with either hospital - see below] is that when you exceed the recommended staffing levels for prolonged periods of time, the probability of staff mistakes rise [dispensing meds and providing treatments], and hence this isn't just unsafe for patients, but it also puts the licenses of the nurses in jeopardy, should they make a mistake.

The second thing they told me was that the corporate media tells New Yorkers that the striking nurses are holding out for higher percentage pay increases vis a vis the nurses at the other hospitals who have reached tentative deals. They thought this characterization was incomplete - if not unfair - as the nurses at Mt Sinai and Montefiore have lower pay scales than the nurses at the other NYC hospitals.

By Wednesday morning, January 11th, Montefiore had resumed negotiations with the NYNSA.

This is the first major strike by New York nurses in decades. One of the nurses said during the pandemic healthcare professionals were hailed at Heroes, while today - just a few short years later - they're treated like Zeroes. I will post the video later today and if should Montefiore or Mt Sinai Hospitals decide to provide me with comments, I will post them here later today.

Lastly, please note that none of the people I spoke with are featured in any video or photos of the strike.


Things To Do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

First Full Weekend of the New Year - 2nd Anniversary of the Trump Insurrection, Three Kings Day Parade, Greek, Ukrainian & Russian Orthodox Christmas Weekend, Shabbat Dinner, January Under the Radar Festival Begins, Mulchfest Ending & a Couple of Holiday Market Sales

things to do this weekend in nycJanuary 5, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the high 40's on Friday and Saturday, descending to the low 40's on Sunday. The temperature lows will be in the low to mid 30's all weekend. The humidity will be 70% on Friday, 60% on Saturday and between 50% and 70% on Sunday. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph all weekend. A scant amount of precipitation is expected early Friday morning, as well as late Sunday night. It appears to be something one needn't worry too much about.

In the photo at right, taken last week in Manhattan, you can see Macy's in the background, in all of its holiday glory.

 

White House, Washington, D.C. - Failed Insurrection

President Biden is planning to commemorate the failed Trump Insurrection of January 6th, 2021, with a White House event planned on Friday.

 

Around NYC - Mulchfest Ends Sunday

NYC Parks Department is hosting Mulchfest at various locations in each borough through Sunday, January 8th. This is an opportunity to recycle your Christmas trees and wreaths. Find a location and time that suits you - https://www.nycgovparks.org/highlights/festivals/mulchfest

 

Manhattan

things to do this weekend in nycOn Friday there's a Three Kings Day Parade and celebration from 11 am - 2 pm at the Museo del Barrio at 1230 5th Avenue [at 104th / 105th Street] on the UES. They are also hosting a post holiday sale at their gift shop with 15% off most items. For details see - https://www.elmuseo.org/

January Arts Festival began this week and runs through the end of the month. The Under the Radar Jazz Festival, Chamber Music America and Opera Theatre Now are all on various stages this weekend. For details see https://www.janartsnyc.org/

In the photo at right, taken in Midtown Manhattan last week, you can see the crowds have returned to NYC.

The annual Origami holiday exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History at 200 Central Park West [btwn 77th & 81st] on the Upper West Side runs through January 16th, 2023. This year the exhibit is entitled 'Beautiful Bugs' to highlight the important role of insects in the planet ecosystem.

NEXT WEEK. The Joyce Theatre American Dance Platform begins Tuesday, January 10th and the Winter Jazz Festival begins on Thursday, January 12th. It's all part of the January Arts Festival - https://www.janartsnyc.org/

 

Brooklyn

On Friday there's the Brooklyn Brownstone Jazz Ensemble Concert Series beginning at 7.30 pm at 107 Macon Street in the Bed Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. Tickets are $39 at https://brownstonejazz.business.site/

The Lightscape Show at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden continues through January 8th, 2023. Tickets cost $40 for adults / $20 for kids and babies (0-2) are free.

 

Queens

On Friday from 11 am - 2 pm there's a Job Fair in Queens at BJ's Wholesale Club at 137-05 20th Avenue in the College Point neighborhood of Queens.

NEXT WEEK. There's a closing reception at the Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning at 161-04 Jamaica Avenue in the Jamaica section of Queens, next Friday, January 13th, from 5 pm - 9 pm. The exhibit is called The Art of Women and the Sacred Landscape of the Divine Feminine. It's free but you should rsvp at https://www.jcal.org/.

NEXT WEEK. Friday & Saturay, January 13th & 14th beginning at 7 pm there's a performance by Compass [dance group] about the evolution from patriarchal power at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center . Tickets are $15 at http://lpac.nyc.

 

Bronx

things to do this weekend in nycThe Third Avenue holiday market at 2817 3rd Avenue between 148th and 149th Streets is open for its final day on Friday, January 6th from 11 am - 7 pm.

There's a Shabbat Dinner at the Bronx Jewish Center at 900 Pelham Parkway beginning at 7 pm in the Pelham Parkway neighborhood in the Bronx on Friday.

In the photo at right, taken last week, you see the Orpheum Theater in the East Village, where STOMP, a dance and musical performance show, will end its 29 year long run on Sunday, January 8th. In April of this year, the Phantom of the Opera, the longest running musical on Broadway [35 years], will also close.

The Holiday Train Show [1/6 - 1/16/23 except Monday 1/9/23] & Glow [Saturdays 1/7 and 1/14 only ] exhibits run through the holidays at the New York Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Blvd in the Bedford Park neighborhood of the Bronx. The train show tickets cost $35 / $31 / $20 and the Glow tickets cost $39 / $24 at https://www.nybg.org/.

The Holiday Lights show at the Bronx Zoo at 2300 Southern Blvd continues through January 8th. Tickets are $40 / $35 / $25 at https://bronxzoo.com.

 

Staten Island

There's a Winter Lantern Festival at 75 Richmond Terrace [the stadium] on Staten Island. The show runs through January 8th, 2023. Tickets are $18 / $29 at https://www.winterlanternfestival.com.

On Friday and Saturday at the Conference House in Tottenville, there's the Festival of Trees.

 

I hope your new year is off to a good start. Enjoy your first weekend.


New Years Resolutions 2023: The Road Ahead

A Few Axioms To Keep In Mind Throughout The New Year

new years resolutions nyc nys 202January 1, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Holidays / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

For all of us, today starts the beginning of a new year.

If we stay the course with vaccinations, masks, social distancing and hand washing, we should be able to continue the transition from pandemic to endemic - assuming we're not already almost there - given that there are likely to be lingering long term CoVid effects and that we may never return to a pre-CoVid normal.

The rest of this report is about some of the things you can do personally to make 2023 a better year for you.


Brooklyn New Years Parties - Brooklyn New Years Eve Restaurants - Brooklyn NYC

Brooklyn New Years Eve Parties & NYE Restaurants 2022 / 2023

Brooklyn New Years Eve Parties in or near the Dumbo, Williamsburg, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, Downtown Brooklyn, Sunset Park, Bayridge, Marine Park, Coney Island Neighborhoods of Brooklyn NYCbrooklyn new years eve parties brooklyn new years eve restaurants williamsburg greenpoint fort greene sunset park new years eve parties prospect heights park slope dumbo brooklyn heights dyker heights coney island brighton beach new years eve parties brooklyn nyc

December 21, 2022 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods / Brooklyn Holiday Events / Brooklyn Events & Things To Do / Brooklyn Restaurants NYC / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

New Years Eve occurs on a Saturday this year. While New Years Eve is one big party, it's important to keep in mind, that like St. Patrick's Day, all the amateurs come out to play [it's not just the Irish who are out drinking on St. Patrick's Day]. So some measure of caution is advised and you have to be careful.

Folks are ready to party this year, so an early rsvp is suggested. Most, if not all, NYC restaurants no longer require proof of vaccination, and no longer require masks. NYC theaters, followed suit this year rescinding both requirements, but they still encourage theater goers to wear masks. And while the pandemic restrictions have been rescinded, you might want to check the CoVid guidelines of your destinations, just to be sure, as each business is free to mandate and enforce their own CoVid guidelines.

The following are a number of different New Years restaurants in Brooklyn NYC where you might consider booking a reservation.

Click here to read more about our round up of New Years Eve parties in Brooklyn - New Years Eve restaurants Brooklyn.

 


Things To Do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Christmas and Hanukkah Will Soon End, and Kwanzaa Will Soon Begin, Also New Years Eve Parties and Events

things to do this weekend in nycDecember 23, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The termperature highs descend from the mid 50's Friday, to about 20 on Saturday, rising to about 30 on Sunday and Monday, which is a holiday. The temperature lows fall like a rock to about 10 degrees Friday night, before rising to 15 on Saturday, 20 on Sunday and 25 on Monday. The humidity drops from 70% on Friday to 50% by the end of the day, and then remains in the 40% - 50% range for the rest of the weekend, including Monday. As of the time of this post, there's a 70% chance around midday of about 1/10 inch of precipitation. The winds will fall from a blustery 20 mph + on Friday, to 15 mph on Saturday, to 10 - 15 mph on Sunday, down to 5 - 10 mph on Monday.

The photo at right was taken earlier this month at Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan. The crowds are back, but there might not yet, be as many foreign tourists as in the past.

 

Global - NORAD Santa Tracker

Click this link to follow Santa as he and his flying reindeer traverse the globe on Christmas eve and morning to make sure that all the good boys and girls receive gifts from the jolly, centuries-old man. Be sure to leave some milk and cookies for both Santa and the reindeer, and - while I must admit this is totally unconfirmed hearsay - I hear Santa occasionally drinks of the job. So if you leave a nip of something alcoholic to consume along with the milk and cookies, note that it might possibly be ignored, but also may not be unwelcome. Remember, just because that glass of something alcoholic was emptied between the time you went to bed on Christmas Eve and the time you awoke on Christmas morning, doesn't mean it was Santa who emptied it. Some believe that who emptied the glass, is how those rumors about Santa got started. Here is the link to the Norad Tracker:

https://www.noradsanta.org/en/

 

Manhattan

On Christmas Eve there's an hour of Caroling from 5 - 6 pm at the Christmas tree in Washington Square Park North at 5th Avenue. Free & all are welcome.

There's a Yiddish Festival at the Jewish Museum of Jewish Heritage at Brookfield Place Downtown from December 24 - 29, 2022. Tickets range from $10 - $349 and may be purchased at https://www.yiddishnewyork.com

There are Hanukkah candle lightings nightly outside the Plaza Hotel at the southeast end of Central Park around 5.30 pm except Friday [3.30 pm] and Saturday [6.30 pm].

There's the annual Origami holiday exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History at 200 Central Park West [btwn 77th & 81st] on the Upper West Side.

There's a Kwanzaa event at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.

The United Palace is hosting a Chanukah performance by an Israeli singer on Sunday starting at 8.30 pm in Washington Heights. Tickets $60 - $500.

There's a Midnight Mass on Christmas eve at St Patrick's Cathedral on 5th Avenue at 50th Street in Midtown Manhattan. Tickets required to attend at https://saintpatrickscathedral.org.

Most Manhattan Holiday Markets have either ended or end this weekend, excepting Bryant Park which ends in the new year. The following Manhattan holiday markets end on Christmas eve: Grand Central Station, Columbus Circle, Chelsea and Union Square. Only the Times Square holiday market ends Friday 12/23/22.

The photo below right was taken earlier this month in Midtown Manhattan.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Manhattan, click these links - Manhattan holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Manhattan Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Brooklyn

things to do this weekend in nycThe Lightscape Show at the Brooklyn Museum continues through the holidays.

There are nightly Menorah lightings at Grand Army Plaza.

The Dyker Heights neighborhood holiday lights continue through the holidays.

The Brooklyn Flea & PopUp markets in Williamsburg end Christmas eve, while the Dumbo Market stay open through the holidays.

On Monday, December 26th from 1 - 7 pm there's the 3rd Annual Kwanzaa Extravaganza at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple at 317 Clermont in the Clinton Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn. There will be vendors, performers, food and music and admission is free.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Brooklyn, click these links - Brooklyn holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Brooklyn Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Bronx

On Christmas eve there's a Holiday Log lighting event between 1 - 2 pm at the Van Cortlandt House Museum at Broadway and West 246th Street in the southwest corner of Van Cortlandt Park.

Bronx Little Italy seafood markets are celebrating the feast of the seven fishes on Christmas eve Saturday in the Belmont neighborhood.

The BHBG Holiday Train Show & Glow exhibits run through the holidays.

The Bronx Zoo light show and related holiday events continue through the holidays.

There are nightly Menorah lightings at the Bell Tower Monument at West 239th Street and Henry Hudson Parkway in the Riverdale neighborhood in the Bronx. The lightings are at 4 pm, except at 3 pm Friday and 6.30 pm on Saturday.

There's a Kwanzaa Market on Friday, December 30 from 4 - 8 pm at St. Helena's Church at 1315 Olmstead Avenue downstairs in the gym in the Parkchester neighborhood of the Bronx. They suggest you wear African attire. Usually the Kwanzaa performance starts at 6 pm. Tickets $10.

* For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in the Bronx, click this link Bronx Holiday Markets & Bronx Holiday Events NYC.

 

Queens

The Queens County Farm Holiday Market ends Christmas eve.

There's a 7.30 pm Christmas Eve Mass at Christ Lutheran Church 33-57 58th Street in Woodside.

There's a Kwanzaa theatrical production being performed at the Black Spectrum Theatre on Wednesday and Thursday 12/28 & 12/29 at 11 am and 7 pm respectively. At 177 Baisley Blvd in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens. $30 at www.blackspectrum.net.

* For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Queens, click these links - Queens holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Queens Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Staten Island

There's a Winter Lantern Festival at 75 Richmond Terrace [the stadium] on Staten Island. The show runs through the holidays. Tickets are $18 / $29 at https://www.winterlanternfestival.com.

* For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Staten Island, click these links - Staten Island holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Staten Island Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanzaa.

Have a nice weekend.


Home for the Holidays - CoVid Update & the 'Tripledemic'

A Three Virus Healthcare Threat may be Good for TV Ratings & Headlines, but is it Real?

An NYC Tripledemic Update - Analysis of Reporting of RSV, Flu & CoVid in NYC

As We Return to En Vivo Socializing Over the Holidays - Things to be Aware of

December 19, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / CoVid in NYC / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

covid in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island covid updateNYC Weather. There's going to be some semi-serious precipitation [at present 2 plus inches] beginning Thursday afternoon around 4 pm, continuing until Friday about 4 pm. The temperatures are expected to rise to well above freezing, so it's almost certain to be rain in the city. As for the rest of the week, no rain Monday through Wednesday, and none is expected Saturday and Sunday, as folks head home for the holidays.

The temperature highs will be around 40 from Monday through Wednesday, rising into the low 50's on Thursday and possibly hit 60 on Friday, before descending into the mid 20's for the Christmas weekend, so Santa and his reindeer won't overheat as they make their appointed rounds. The temperature lows will be around 30 Monday through Wednesday, rising to 50 on Thursday, before falling to into the high teens on Friday, where the low will remain for the rest of the weekend. Monday thru Wednesday winds will be around 5 - 10 mph, rising to 15 - 20 on Thursday and then 25 - 30 on Friday, before falling back to 15 - 20 mph on Saturday and then 10 mph on Sunday. The humidity will be 50% - 65% on Monday thru Wednesday, rising to 75% - 85% on Thursday, and then falling on Friday from 75% to 50% on Friday, before settling into the weekend at between 40% - 50% for a dry weekend.

 

I. The Tripledemic - RSV How Real & How Scary?

covid in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island covid updateAs you likely heard, we are in the midst of experiencing a 'tripledemic'. The triple refers to CoVid, flu and RSV. RSV is short for respiratory syncytial virus, which is a virus that causes symptoms like those associated with a cold, but which can cause serious negative health issues for infants and the elderly. As usual, the TV news teleprompter readers and their writers appear to report whatever they're told, without actually thinking about the information they're conveying. And since they're in the business of attracting viewers' and readers' attention, they seem to have a tendency to sensationalize almost everything they report, including the weather.

So, let's start with RSV [respiratory syncytial virus], which to date, appears to have peaked the week ending November 12, 2022 [see chart]. According to weekly reporting by NYC Health, an NYC government website, there were three RSV related infant deaths since the peak this season, and they all occurred on the same week. As of the NYC Health report on December 17, 2022, there were nearly 30,000 cases in NYC so far this fall. So three infant deaths is a 0.01% RSV death rate in NYC. Given the low death rate, one has to wonder whether there were other complicating factors also at play?

RSV prevention is certainly worth paying attention to in order to protect your loved ones - especially infants, the elderly and immuno compromised. But that said, it rarely appears to be fatal, as you can see by the statistics noted above. RSV cases have been on the decline since the November 12th peak, but as in reporting on all health issues, things can change without notice. So stay tuned, knowing that what we're dealing with generally isn't lethal.

 

II. Resurgence of the Flu, in the Wake of the CoVid Pandemic

covid in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island covid updateUnderstanding what's happening with the flu this season in NYS, also doesn't seem to be intelligently reported, as the TV news teleprompter readers and their script writers all seem to parrot one another with some alarming statistics. Alarming the public is good for ratings, so I reckon the broadcasters are doing what their bosses want them to do, but like the Boy Who Called Wolf, they're doing a disservice to the public and in the long term eventually a disservice to themselves, as the public is going to ignore them when another real health emergency arises.

 

Yes, the Flu is on the Rise & Dramatically so, Picking up from Where it Left Off in March 2020

Yes, the flu cases have risen very dramatically this year, especially when compared to the previous flu seasons, including prepandemic. But there's a story behind the numbers, which is that during the pandemic, the flu was overshadowed by CoVid because the flu has been around for about a century and for the most part the healthcare profession knows how to deal with it. As you can see from the chart, the green line - which is 2019 - 2020 flu season - was headed for a blockbuster year before CoVid stepped out onto the world stage, and CoVid has stolen the show up until now.

covid in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island covid updateWhat happened since CoVid began in earnest in early 2020, is that people started masking up, social distancing and self-isolating. All of these precautions not only mitigate the transmission of CoVid - but also the flu. In part this is why the 2020 - 2021 flu numbers were close to nothing, and the 2021 - 2022 numbers were also very much subdued. Now, as we are in the beginning of the 2022 - 2023 flu season, the flu appears to be picking up where it left off in early 2020, before CoVid hit.

 

Flu Vaccinations Rates in 2022 vs 2019 Are Higher for Adults, but Lower for Children

I found some threads of inquiry that are worth investigating, which I hope will be pursued by a better resourced news organization soon, or by us eventually.

covid in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island covid updateOn the NYC.gov Health website I noticed that the number of Emergency Department visits for Influenza Like Illnesses, which they shorthand to ILL, have risen dramatically from 2021 to 2022, as have admissions - BUT the Emergency Department Admissions vis a vis the visits as a percentage has dropped to about half in 2022, versus what they were in 2021. That said, the overall number of people admitted for flu increased fairly substantially. See charts.

On the CDC [Center for Disease Control] website I found that while flu vaccination rates for adults are generally up when comparing 2022 versus 2019; the flu vaccination rates for children are down significantly in 2022 versus 2019. So it's possible that people's kids that may have mild cases of the flu are transmitting it to the adults, who are then getting sick. See charts below.

Both of these trends should be examined more closely by the NYC Health and CDC agencies, but that said, being aware of them can also help you navigate your way around them.

 

Conspiracy Theories - Did Government Payments Influence / Favor CoVid vs Flu Reporting?

covid in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island covid updateOn April, 27, 2020 USA Today published the results of an investigation into whether hospitals were paid more for CoVid patients on a ventillator than for flu patients on a ventillator. The higher payments for CoVid patients was true, but the study didn't find any 'gaming the system' on the part of hospitals. What's meant by this is that USA Today didn't find any falsification of data by hospitals in order to obtain the higher CoVid payment for the use of their ventillator. As you can see from the chart provided by KFF, which is a non-profit focused on providing healthcare information, about $31 billion in federal government spending was targeted at providing relief to healthcare providers treating patients with CoVid.

 

III. King CoVid is Back Again but ... CoVid's Reign is Waning

So, this brings us back to CoVid. CoVid has been the Talk of the Town for the past three years, but it's allure is fading.

covid in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island covid updateNew Cases / Hospitalizations / Deaths. In NYC we've been seeing about 300 new cases per day and on average there are about 4,000 people in NYC who have contracted and are living with CoVid. Also in NYC, as of today, about 130 patients are in the hospital with CoVid, and about a dozen folks died of it within the past day. About 14% of those tested at NYC clinics and hospitals tested positive for CoVid, but these numbers don't include the at home tests, so I don't know how meaningful a statistic the % testing positive is anymore.

All of this is more or less under control. We've moved from pandemic to endemic. So now let's see how CoVid plays out in the five boroughs of NYC geographically and ethnically. The following are a few stats that stick out to me.

By Age. About 99% of all adult New Yorkers received at least one vaccination dose. About 89% of NYC adults completed the original two shot vaccination program, while 48% have been boosted at least once. Kids under age 18 however do far less well vis a vis vaccinations. About 52% received at least one dose, only 45% actually completed the two shot regimen and only 16% have been boosted at least once.

By Boroughs. If you want to contract CoVid your best bet is eastern Brooklyn or southern Queens. But as you can see from the map, right now Queens looks pretty infected. But please bear in mind that this map can change dramatically - every ten days or so - so what you're seeing here is CoVid in NYC at a fleeting moment in time. See red map chart at the top of this report.

covid in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island covid updateEthnicity. Murdoch's Fox News / America's Disinformation Network Seems to be Dumbing Down White New Yorkers. Given George Washington, nearly 250 years ago, mandated that his troops be vaccinated, one would think that people today would recognize the value of protecting one's health via vaccinations. On many news programs, and for many measured categories, pundits use Whites as a sort of established national standard, when evaluating the progress being made by people in other demographic groups. Historically Whites have come out on top, because they've been members of the governing class, and the ethnic majority since this nation's founding.

But if a significant percentage of White New Yokers continue to rely on Rupert Murdoch's Fox News, Wall Street Journal and New York Post for their information, they'll soon enough lose their spot as a sort of aspirational ethnic national standard. The example I use to support these allegations today, is that White NYC Adults have the second lowest vaccination rate in the city of all ethnic groups, and White NYC children have the lowest CoVid vaccination rate in the city. Historically - pre-Murdoch - one would expect Whites to have the highest vaccination rates for both adults and children.

covid in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island covid updateMurdoch media outlets have the predominant share of media in NYC, as Murdoch controls the Fox TV network, Fox 5, WNYW Channel 9, the Wall St Journal and the NY Post. Many of these Murdoch's outlets have done their audiences a disservice by not properly informing them vis a vis vaccines and vaccinations, in spite of the CoVid policies the company has implemented for itself [so Mr. Murdoch wants us to listen to his pundits as they say one thing & pay no attention to what Mr. Murdoch & Cos do, which is quite another thing].

 

Vaccinated People are Dying, but They're Generally Older and / or Infirm, & When Other Things are Equal, the Vaccinated Folks have a Far, Far Better Chance of Survival

Recently More Vaccinated Americans Died from CoVid than Unvaccinated Americans, BUT ... That's not true when you take into account age and other health variables, and whether or not they kept up with the vaccination boosters. In September 2021, 23% of those who died were vaccinated, that number rose to 42% in February 2022, and in August of 2022 it was 58%. BUT you need to know that at this point in the pandemic, most of the people dying of CoVid are over the age of 85 [see chart]. So while they are vaccinated, they are also very old and hence more susceptible to dying than those who are younger.

Vaccines Still Make a HUGE Difference. So the numbers, per a November 23, 2022 Washington Post report tells us, that: 1) unvaccinated Americans 6 months and older died at a rate 6x more those who got the first two doses of the vaccine, 2) unvaccinated Americans over age 5 died at an 8x rate than those who also received a booster, and 3) unvaccinated Americans age 50 and up were 12x times more likely to die than someone fully vaccinated with two boosters. So evaluate your risk and act accordingly. A shot in the arm seems a small price to pay for protection / insurance.

 

Protect the Elderly - CoVid Mitigation Advice is as Easy of 1-2-3-4-5

covid in nyc manhattan brooklyn bronx queens staten island covid update1. Stay up to date on your CoVid vaccinations. As time goes on and this abates, perhaps we can back off this regimen and like flu, it will be something we'll vaccinate against as we age.

2. Wash your hands regularly before touching your face - most notably your mouth and nose.

3. Social distance as much as you can, and wear a mask when in an enclosed public space or a crowded outdoor space.

4. Avoid people who are ill / coughing and stay at home if it's you.

5. And test yourself before attending events with family and friends in enclosed spaces if you're uncertain whether or not you have contracted CoVid. And if you caught CoVid, test yourself after about five or six days, to make sure you no longer have it before going back out in public.

Editor's Note. There are a number of advertisements on this site that you can click to find a testing site near you, as well as ads that you can click which will tell you where you can seek CoVid treatment if you need it.

 

All Other - We Continue to Learn More About CoVid

There's a whole slew of additional data I dug up about some of the other impacts of catching CoVid vis a vis its long term impact on one's health ['long CoVid'] and possible impact on Alzheimers.

We're also learning more about the vaccines and their impact on people. So as not to scare you, about the only thing I have found so far in this regard, is that there may be a slight lengthening of women's menstrual cycles.

We'll be back with more, but probably next year.

Have a nice week.


Things To Do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

This is the Peak Party Holiday Weekend, Holiday Concerts, Holiday Shopping & Menorah Lightings as Hanukkah Begins

things to do this weekend in nycDecember 16, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs descend from the high 40's on Friday to about 40 on Saturday and then into the high 30's on Sunday. The temperature lows drop from the mid 30's on Friday, to about 30 on Saturday and Sunday. The humidity drops from between 70% and 80% on Friday, to about 60% on Saturday and then into the 50% range on Sunday. The winds will be 12 - 16 on Friday and then about 10 mph for the rest of the weekend. About a half inch of rain is due Friday, ending about 4 pm in the afternoon, and thereafter the weekend should be dry.

The photo at right was taken last week along 6th Avenue, near Bryant Park in Midtown. The city is again entertaining fair crowds of tourists and New Yorkers.

 

Holiday Things To Do in Manhattan - Use Links at end of each Boro to obtain detail

* On Friday, Saturday & Sunday, December 16, 17 & 18, 2022 beginning at 7 pm Fri, 3 pm & 7 pm Sat, and 3 pm on Sun - performance of the show entitled Home for the Holidays. at Harlem School for the Arts at At 645 St. Nicholas Avenue in West Harlem north of the Upper West Side near Inwood and Washington Heights. Tickets $23 for all days except Sunday which is Free.

* On Saturday December 17th the Harlem Night market will be running La Marqueta from 4 to 8 pm. La Marqueta is located at 1590 Park Avenue between 112th and 115th Streets in East Harlem, underneath the Metro North tracks.

* Sunday, December 18, 2022 between 12 noon and 6 pm, Fifth Avenue will be closed to vehicles and open to pedestrians from 48th to 57th Street in Midtown.

* LAST DAY _ On Sunday from 10 am - 5.30 pm for the price of an MTA fare, passengers may ride the MTA vintage / nostalgia 1930s, 1940's, 1950's and 1960's train cars from between Chambers Street in the West Village and West 137th Street in Harlem.

* On Sunday, December 18, 2022 from 10 am - 12 noon a Hanukkah celebration at the 92nd Y at 1395 Lexington Avenue between 91st & 92nd Avenues on the Upper East Side. Free. https://www.92ny.org

* On Sunday, December 18, 2022 from 11 am - 3.30 pm the Jewish Museum at 1109 5th Avenue at 92nd Street on the UES of Manhattan is hosting a modern Hanukkah exhibit with an interactive light show. Free w/ museum admission of $18 / $12 or $8.

* On Sunday, December 18, 2022 from 4 to 5.30 pm there's the Riverside Church Candelight Carol Service at Riverside Church at 490 Riverside Drive between 120th and 122nd Streets on the Upper West Side. The musical prelude begins at 3 pm. Then a candle light service with the full cultural theater developed over thousands of years by the Christian church. They describe it as thus, "... combines carillon, organ, harp, and all of the choirs of The Riverside Church and culminates in a ritual sharing of candlelight illuminating the Nave ...". Tickets are $25 / $35 / donation.

* On Sunday, December 18 - 26, 2022 beginning at 5.30 pm nightly except on - Friday at 3.30 pm & Saturday at 8.30 pm there's the Grand Army Plaza Manhattan Menorah Lighting Events Hanukkah 2022. At Grand Army Plaza at 5th Avenue & 59th Street in Midtown Manhattan.

* On Monday, December 19, 2022 beginning at 8 pm Handel's Messiah in the Stern Auditorium on the Perlman Stage at Carnegie Hall at 57th Street and 7th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. A classic Christmas choral performance at one of NYC's oldest and finest cultural venues. Tickets are $28 plus $9 Processing or $80 plus $9 processing at https://www.carnegiehall.org.

All Weekend the holiday shops at Bryant Park, Grand Central Station, Times Square, Columbus Circle, Union Square Park, the Grand Bazaar on the UWS, the Chelsea Market, and the World Trade Center are all open - not just this weekend but through to Christmas. Details to all of these and other markets may be found using the link below entitled Manhattan holiday markets.

All Weekend the Luminaires Light Installation at Brookfield Place will be on. Ice rinks at Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center are open. The Rockefeller Christmas tree is up, but not lit. ORIGAMI at the American Museum of Natural History on the UWS.

Also it's worth noting the the Winter Solstice Concert at St. John the Divine, which was virtual last year, again doesn't appear to be returning live this year.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Manhattan, click these links - Manhattan holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Manhattan Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Holiday Things To Do in Brooklyn - Use Links at end of each Boro to obtain details

* On Friday & Saturday there will be a performance of classical music by the Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra at St Ann's Holy Trinity Church at 157 Montague Street in Downtown Brooklyn beginning at 7 pm and 11 am respectively. Rsvp $40.

* On Saturday there's a Caribbean holiday market followed by a concert at Medgar Evers College at 1650 Bedford Avenue in Crown Heights Brooklyn. The market opens at 5.30 pm and the concert begins at 7 pm. Tickets are $30 / $25 at https://www.braataproductions.org/.

* On Saturday there's a one day pop up market from 11 am - 6 pm at 203 37th Street in Industry City in the Greenwood Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn.

* On Saturday, beginning at 1 pm there's a trolley tour about history, art and nature being given at the Green - Wood Cemetery. You must rsvp and it costs $30.

* On Saturday from 4 - 5.30 the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music hosts a Principles of Kwanzaa Workshop which is most suited for kids 8 - 14 and their parents. Free. At the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music at 58 7th Avenue in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn NYC.

* On Saturday at 7 pm and on Sunday at 9 am, 12 noon and 3 pm, the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir will perform a number of free holiday concerts.

* On Saturday there's a performance of the Nutcracker ballet beginning at 4 pm at Our Lady of Angels Parish at 337 74th Street in Bay Ridge Brooklyn. $20.

* Sunday, 12/18/22 beginning at 2 pm and 6.30 pm, the Kings Theatre in Flatbush is hosting performances of the Hip Hop Nutcracker.

* On Sunday 12/18/22, there's a menorah lighting at the Grand Army Plaza in Prospect Park, also beginning at 4 pm.

* On Saturday & Sunday, the Fort Greene holiday pop up market will be open from 9 am - 4 pm along DeKalb Street between Washington Park and South Oxford Street near the farmers market and adjacent to Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn.

* On Saturday and Sunday there's a holiday market at the Brooklyn Museum 200 Eastern Parkway in the Prospect Heights from 11 am - 7.30 pm on Saturday and closing at 5.30 pm Sunday.

* On Saturday and Sunday, the Dumbo Improvement District is hosting a holiday flea market from 10 am - 5 pm at the Dumbo Triangle at Pearl Street. The Brooklyn Flea is open weekends at 80 Pearl Street.

* Weekend Market. The FAD [Fashion / Art / Design] markets is open Saturday from 11 am - 6 pm and Sundays from noon - 6 pm closing Sunday 12/18. They have two locations - one at the Invisible Dog Art Center at 51 Bergen Street in Boerum Hill, and at Empire Stores at 55 Water Street in Dumbo.

* Weekend Market. Artists and Fleas hosts their Regeneration holiday market on Saturdays and Sundays at 70 North Street in Williamsburg through the December weekends leading up to Christmas.

* All weekend there's also a holiday pop up market from 11 am - 7 pm on Friday & Saturday and closing at 6 pm on Sunday at 135 Kent Avenue at 6th Street in Williamsburg. The market features 35 vendors selling a variety of goods including fashion, beauty products, homewares, kids items and food. This market stays open next week and closes on Saturday 12/24/22.

* All Weekend - Holiday lights in Dyker Heights and the Lightscape Show at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Details to all of these and other events may be found using the link below entitled Brooklyn holiday events.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Brooklyn, click these links - Brooklyn holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Brooklyn Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Holiday Things To Do in Queens - Use Links at end of each Boro to obtain details

things to do this weekend in nyc* On Sunday at 3.30 pm the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center hosts a performance of the Nutcracker ballet in LIC. Tickets are $21 at https://www.lpac.nyc.

* On Saturday there's a Governor's Victorian Ball at King Manor beginning from 4.30 - 7 pm. Tickets are $22 and include hors d'oeuvres and musical entertainment. They suggest you dress up in a costume of the age. Rsvp at www.kingmanor.org.

* On Saturday, there's a holiday caroling event from 7 - 10 pm at Cassidy's Ale House at 75-02 31st Avenue and 75th Street in Elmhurst / Jackson Heights. Free.

* Sunday, 12/18 from noon to 6 pm the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden hosts a holiday market in Astoria.

* On Sunday the Oratorio Society of Queens will perform a Christmas / Hanukkah concert beginning at the St. Kevin Roman Catholic Church at 45-21 194th Street in Flushing Queens. Tickets $45 / $30 / $10.

* On Sunday afternoon there's a holiday market in Rufus King Park in tandem with the Jamaica Performing Arts Center across the street.

* All weekend there is a holiday market / sale at the Culture Lab at 5-25 46th Avenue between Vernon Blvd and 5th Street in Long Island City Queens. Details for all markets in Queens can be found using the link below.

* All Weekend. The Winter Lantern Festival began at the Queens County Farm at 7350 Little Neck Parkway. The Amaze Lights Festival began November 11th at CitiField in Flushing and runs through January 8th, 2023. And the Queens County Farm runs a holiday market daily from 10 am - 5 pm.

* Between now and the New Year [except Mondays & Christmas Day], the Secret Theatre at 3802 61st Street in Woodside Queens is performing A Christmas Carol written by Charles Dickens about a rich, lonely, miserly, miserable old man. Admission $30 / $15.

* The photo above right was taken last weekend, as I was on a subway winding its way past the new 5 Pointz building in Long Island City in Queens.

* For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Queens, click these links - Queens holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Queens Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Holiday Things To Do in the Bronx - Use Links at end of each Boro to obtain details

* On Friday, December 16, 2022 from 5.30 - 7.30 pm, Santa will be visiting the Westchester Square Business Improvement District and there will be holiday treats, the Yuletide Singers and tree lighting. At Owen Dolan Park at 2551 Westchester Avenue at Tremont Avenue in the Westchester Square neighborhood of the Bronx.

* On Friday & Saturday, the Bartow Pell Mansion is hosting candelight tours of the mansion from 5 - 7 pm. Also on Thursday and Friday 12/22 & 12/23/22. $12. And on Sunday, December 18, 2022 from 3 - 4.30 pm - Sparkling Holiday Tea. $45.

* On Saturday & Sunday, December 17 & 18, 2022 beginning at 12.30 and 4.30 pm each day there will be performances of the classical ballet, The Nutcracker, by the Westchester Ballet Company in the Lovinger Theater which is at the north end of the campus at Lehman College at 250 Bedford Park Blvd West in Bedford Park in the Bronx. Tickets $31 - $63 https://www.lehmancenter.org/

* On Saturday, December 17, 2022 beginning at 2.30 pm there will be a Bronx Holiday Concert at St. Helenas Roman Catholic Church at 1315 Olmsted Avenue in the Parkchester neighborhood of the Bronx. MASKS ARE REQUIRED. Tickets cost $20 / $15 / $5.

* On Sunday 12/18/22, there's a free classical holiday concert to be performed in the Lehman Concert Hall which is in the middle of the campus. Free.

* On Sunday, December 18, 2022 from 2 - 3 pm there will be a Chanukah concert to celebrate the beginning of Hanukkah at the Bronx Jewish Center at 900 Pelham Parkway in the Pelham Parkway neighborhood of the Bronx NYC.

* On Sunday, December 18, 2022 beginning at 6.30 pm there's a Menorah Lighting & Interfaith Holiday Music event, at Hawkins Park at 281 City Island Avenue [the main drag] on City Island neighborhood in the East Bronx. The lighting event will be followed by a reception at the City Island Art Gallery. This is organized by Temple Beth-El synogogue. All are welcome.

* On Sunday, December 18, 2022 beginning at 4 pm there will be a Bronx Hanukkah menorah lighting including live music, hot latkes, donuts, dreidels, and balloons at the Bell Tower Monument at West 239th Street and Henry Hudson Parkway in the Riverdale neighborhood in the Bronx. This event is organized by Chabad Bronx.

* All Weekend - The Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights and NY Botanical Garden Glow and NY Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show also run all weekend.

* For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in the Bronx, click this link Bronx Holiday Markets & Bronx Holiday Events NYC.

 

Holiday Things To Do on Staten Island - Use Links at end of each Boro to obtain details

* On Friday, 12/16/22, the St. George Theatre is hosting the Staten Island Jazz Festival in St. George beginning at 7.30 pm. Tickets are $35 / VIP $125. https://stgeorgetheatre.com

* On Saturday, December 17, 2022 from 9 to 11 am there's a holiday breakfast with Santa for kids ages 3 - 11, including Santa, a holiday market, candyland and arts & crafts. At Colony Hall in the Sea View Farm Colony at 460 Brielle Avenue in the Manor Heights neighborhood of Staten Island. Organized by the Grace Foundation.

* On Saturday & Sunday, December 17 & 18, 2022 beginning at 5.30 pm Saturday and at 1 pm and 4 pm on Sunday there are performances of the classical ballet, the Nutcracker, by the Staten Island Ballet Dancers in Nicotra's Ballroom in the Hilton Garden Inn at 1100 South Avenue in the Bloomfield neighborhood on Staten Island. Tickets $85 SOLD OUT.

* On Sunday beginning at 5 pm there's a holiday lighting event in Westerleigh Park in the Westerleigh neighborhood of Staten Island.

* On Saturday and Sunday from 5.30 - 7.30 pm Historic Richmond Town is giving Candelight Tours. Tickets are $25 / $23 and kid age five and under are free.

* On Sunday 12/18/22 from 11 am - 3 pm, the Old Bermuda Inn hosts its final weekend of holiday brunches with Santa.

* All Weekend - There's a Winter Wonderland at Snug Harbor from 5 pm - 11.45 pm. The Staten Island Mall is hosting photo sessions with Santa.

* For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Staten Island, click these links - Staten Island holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Staten Island Holiday Markets NYC.

Also we're still updating our New Years Eve parties / restaurants suggestions. Click this link to view. It should be mostly completed by Saturday, December 17th.

Enjoy.


Picketing for the One Day Strike at the New York Times didn't Last a Day

How Not to do a Strike?

December 13, 2022 / NYC Business News / Midtown Manhattan / News Analysis & Opinion / Manhattan Buzz. 

Early last week I caught wind that there was an impending strike coming to the New York Times.  It was a snippet of a news story, but seemed important, given the prominence and influence of the Times. The Times is one of the two most prestigious papers in the nation along with the Washington Post, and one of a small number of such influential newspapers in the world.

 

NYT Strike on Thursday, December 8, 2022

nyt strike in nycSo, when I heard that the strike was actually happening on Thursday late afternoon, I dropped everything and headed down to the New York Times office building in Midtown Manhattan.  I had a hunch that the strikers would be disbanding - if not gone - by the time the TV news ended at 7 pm. 

It turns out I was right, as I arrived right around 7 pm and there wasn't a striker in sight.  I walked completely around the block, covering all street exits of the Times office building, including 8th Avenue and 40th and 41st Streets. The strikers had been there, just not for a very long time.

I asked several people coming out of the building about the strike.  Most of them shrugged me off, in a surly sort of manner.  One of them responded telling me that the strikers were there in the afternoon, marching along 8th Avenue.  But, as mentioned, there wasn't a striker in sight, and no trace that they had been there.  Unless they had slipped into Wolfgang's Steakhouse for drinks and dinner [see photo below].

The photo above right was taken outside of the Times office building in Midtown Manhattan around 7 pm on December 8, 2022 - the day of the one day strike. The picketing appears not to have lasted the day.

A reported 1,100 members of the News Guild of New York gave up a days pay, to stage the one day walk out on Thursday, December 8th.  The union represents 1,450 NYT employees, of which 1270 are newsroom personnel, according to the Wall St. Journal.  Based on the coverage I saw by other news organizations of the strike, far fewer folks picketed on Thursday, than the number of those who didn't show up for work and gave up the day of pay. My guesstimate of the number who picketed was in the low hundred(s).

 

Components of the Negotiations Between the NYT & News Guild Union

nyt strike in nycThe union, which won't negotiate with management in person, incited the strike to prod management into moving forward with the contract renewal negotiations on a contract that expired in March of 2021.  The negotiations included the fate of the pension vis a vis a 401K, medical benefits - specifically fertility insurance coverage, flex time for working in / out of the office, and of course pay. 

At present wage increases seem to be the sticking point.  According to PBS the Times is offering a 5.5% pay increase upon completion of the contract [providing for pay increases for the prior two years - 2021 & 2022], followed by 3% increases in 2023 and 2024.  The union wants 10% to cover the prior two years upon completion of the deal.  The 5.5% for the past two years is 2.75% per year, while inflation during the same period was 4.7% in 2021 and an estimated 7.5% for 2022.

The photo at right was taken looking into Wolfgang's Steakhouse, while covering the NYT Strike  outside on December 8, 2022.

 

NYT & U.S. Media Industry Finances & Employment

The union argues that the Times is doing well, having generated over $220 million in profit last year [2021].  According to NY Magazine, the Times is also on track to make a profit of $300 million this year.

But that said, it's worth noting that of late, the media industry has continued shedding employees / jobs.  According to CNN, Gannett recently laid off 200 employees, PBS is looking to cut $10 million from its budget, and CNN itself laid off hundreds of staffers.  According to Axios there have been about 3,000 layoffs in the media industry in the past year, with 1,100 of those coming from news media, including Netflix and Warner Bros.

 

Strikers Negligible Impact on NYT Operations

During the one day strike, on Thursday, December 8th, the Times website was published as if nobody was missing.  The Times had employees prepare advance work, like they do for the weekend edition, while keeping a skeleton crew on board for breaking news. 

Some journalists compared the one day NYT strike this past week, to a prolonged 114 day strike staged in 1962 & 1963, musing how times had changed.  In the 1962 - 1963 strike 17,000 union members walked out on the seven NYC dailies.  At the end of the strike, four of the seven papers folded. But back then newspapers were [categorized as] manufacturing businesses, because they actually 'produced' the news by converting paper and ink into information that was delivered like milk, to customers' front doors.

 

NYT Ownership Still Controlled by the Sulzberger Family

It's worth noting that in August an activist investment firm, ValueAct, acquired 7% of the stock of the New York Times.  The Times is currently valued at $5.7 billion and today a stake that size would cost about $400 million.  The investment firm reportedly plans to push the NYT to more aggressively monetize its assets. 

Carlos Slim Helu acquired nearly 7% of the Times stock in 2008.  He then proceeded to lend the Times $250 million, which was repaid in 2011, three years ahead of schedule.  Helu increased his stake in the Times in 2015 to 17%.  In 2017 Helu pared back his holdings, by about a half million shares, out of a total of the 28 million shares he held.

The Sulzberger Family still retains control through a dual class share structure, whereby they control 70% of the board seats with only 20% of the stock.  The Sulzberger Family has controlled the New York Times since 1896.

 

Beware our Changing Times - Know Who Controls the Integrity of the Information you Consume

Lastly, a word of caution.  It's worth noting that investment firms and billionaires are rapidly gobbling up what's left of the newspaper world.  They also appear to be interested in using the media to push their own narratives onto the public.  Rupert Murdoch is an extreme example of someone who appears to use his mass media outlets to manipulate the public, but increasingly he's no longer the exception. The super wealthy - including Elon Musk, Donald Trump and tightly controlled investment firms - have acquired, founded or taken positions in most of the medium to large sized newspaper, broadcast and online outlets.  Unfortunately many of them appear to be using the outlets they control to push their own narratives, sometimes regardless of the facts.

So, remember that the world is constantly changing.  And while the logos of the media outlets you rely upon may not change, the people behind the scenes who are running them, do.

Have a good one.


Things To Do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Holidays Tree Lightings, Holiday Caroling, Holiday Community Gatherings & Holiday Markets

things to do this weekend in nycDecember 10, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the low to mid 40's, and the temperature lows will be in the low to mid 30's, all weekend. About 1/3 inch of precipitation is expected on Sunday between the hours of noon and midnight. Winds will be about 7 - 10 mph all weekend. The humidity will rise from 40% - 50% on Friday, to 50% - 65% on Saturday, to 70% - 80% on Sunday.

The photo at right was taken this week along 5th Avenue, which was fairly crowded Thursday evening with tourists and New Yorkers.

 

Holiday Things To Do in Manhattan - Use Links at end of each Boro to obtain details

Friday and Saturday, beginning at 7 pm, Handel's Messiah at historic Trinity Church near Wall Street in Downtown Manhattan.

Saturday 12.10.22 morning beginning at 10 am at 39th and Broadway marks the start of the Santa Con. Santa Con is a day long bar hopping event with a couple dozen participating bars. Many folks dress up. Tickets are $16 at https://santacon.nyc/.

Also on Saturday, Alicia Keys will be performing at the United Palace in Washington Heights. The tickets are free and already sold out, but it may be a very, very long shot that some folks don't show.

The first three Saturdays in December [12/3, 10 & 17] the Harlem Night market will be running La Marqueta from 4 to 8 pm.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Dances Patrelle returns with the Nutcracker at the Kaye Playhouse on the UES. The performances a delight to the senses. Tickets range from $65 - $75 at https://www.dancespatrelle.org/.

Also all weekend is the Holy Trinity Holiday market on the UES. It's quite unique in the merchandise for sale.

On Sunday the Tompkins Square tree lighting begins at 4 pm in the East Village. Sundays, December 4, 11 & 18, 2022 between 12 noon and 6 pm, Fifth Avenue will be closed to vehicles and open to pedestrians from 48th to 57th Street in Midtown. On Sunday from 10 am - 5.30 pm for the price of an MTA fare, passengers may ride the MTA vintage / nostalgia 1930s, 1940's, 1950's and 1960's train cars from between Chambers Street in the West Village and West 137th Street in Harlem.

All Weekend the holiday shops at Bryant Park, Grand Central Station, Times Square, Columbus Circle, Union Square Park, the Grand Bazaar on the UWS, the Chelsea Market, and the World Trade Center are all open - not just this weekend but through to Christmas. Details to all of these and other markets may be found using the link below entitled Manhattan holiday markets.

All Weekend the Luminaires Light Installation at Brookfield Place will be on. Ice rinks at Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center are open. The Rockefeller Christmas tree is up, but not lit. ORIGAMI at the American Museum of Natural History on the UWS.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Manhattan, click these links - Manhattan holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Manhattan Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Holiday Things To Do in Brooklyn - Use Links at end of each Boro to obtain details

The Fort Hamilton holiday celebration and market is Friday, December 9th. So if you're planning to go you need to register to gain access to the army base.

On Saturday from 10 am - 4 pm at the Old Stone House in Park Slope there's a holiday market.

On Saturday 12/11/ 22, the Kings Theatre in Flatbush is hosting performances of the Nutcracker beginning at 2 pm and 7 pm. They are hosting the Hip Hop Nutcracker on Sunday, 12/18/22 beginning at 2 pm and 6.30 pm.

On Saturdays and Sundays the first three weekends in December, the Dumbo Improvement District is hosting a holiday flea market from 10 am - 5 pm at the Dumbo Triangle at Pearl Street. The Brooklyn Flea is open weekends at 80 Pearl Street.

On Sunday, the Greenpointers Holiday Market runs from 6.30 - 8.30 pm at the Greenpoint Loft. Also on both Saturdays and Sundays in December before Christmas is the Fort Greene holiday market from 10 am - 4 pm. It's located next to the Farmers market you can use search on this site to find it.

On Sunday there's a pop up record sale in Gowanus Gardens in Brooklyn.

Weekend Markets. The FAD [Fashion / Art / Design] markets also open Saturdays (11 am - 6) and Sundays (noon - 6 pm) closing the weekend before [12/18] the Christmas weekend. Artists and Fleas hosts their Regeneration holiday market on Saturdays and Sundays in Williamsburg through the December weekends leading up to Christmas.

All Weekend - Holiday lights in Dyker Heights and the Lightscape Show at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Details to all of these and other events may be found using the link below entitled Brooklyn holiday events.

Next Wednesday 12/14/22 from 4 - 6 pm there's a tree lighting at the Grand Army Plaza in Prospect Park. The Menorah Lighting at the same location is on the following Sunday 12/18/22, also beginning at 4 pm.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Brooklyn, click these links - Brooklyn holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Brooklyn Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Holiday Things To Do in Queens - Use Links at end of each Boro to obtain details

On Friday from 7 - 9 pm there's the St. Nicholas Illumination done by Sunnyside Reformed and Queen of Angels churches beginning from 48th Street and Skillman Avenue in Sunnyside.

On Friday and Saturday 12/9 & 12/10 the premiere of a new play about the pandemic at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center opens for two nights only in LIC. Tickets are $20 at https://www.lpac.nyc.

things to do this weekend in nycOn Saturday, from 11.30 am - 3.30 pm in Astoria, along Steinway Street between 31st and 38th Streets, Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus will be giving out gifts while supplies last and there will holiday entertainment and displays.

On Saturday, in St. Albans, from 12 noon to 6 pm there's a Winter Festival at the Black Spectrum Theatre.

On Saturday there's a wreath making workshop from 1 - 4 pm at the Queens Botanical Garden. Tickets are $35 / $30 & include materials.

Also on Saturday there's a murder mystery dinner at King Manor beginning at 5.30 pm. Tickets are $71 at www.kingmanor.org and include hors d'oeuvres and drinks.

On Saturday, from 11.30 am - 3.30 pm, Flushing Town Hall is hosting a fundraiser holiday party. Tickets are $100 / $150.

Also on Saturday there's a Caribbean holiday market followed by a concert at the Merrick Academy Charter School at 136-25 218th Street in Springfield Queens. The market opens at 5.30 pm and the concert begins at 7 pm. Tickets are $30 / $25 at https://www.braataproductions.org/.

On Sunday the Holiday Historic House Tours return to Flushing from 1 - 5 pm. It's an opportunity to see eight historic houses dating from colonial times to the 1950's [Louis Armstrong's House] for one low fee. A bus runs between the houses that you can use for free of $15 / $20.

On Sunday from noon to 7 pm the historic Grace Episcopal Church will host a Christmas Church Bazaar. Free admittance.

Santa is visiting the NY Irish Center at 1040 Jackson Avenue in LIC on Sunday, from 2 to 4 pm. Tickets are $7 at https://www.newyorkirishcenter.org. On Tuesday, 12/13 from 7 - 10 pm they are hosting a showcase of performances and a holiday celebration. Tickets $15.

This Sunday from noon to 5 pm, Katch Astoria will also be hosting a Queens Craft Brigade holiday market.

Sundays, 12/11 & 12/18 from noon to 6 pm the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden hosts a holiday market in Astoria.

Also on Sunday the Queens Symphony Orchestra is performing its holiday concert at the LeFrak Concert Hall from 3 - 5 pm. Tickets are $40 - $95, but they sold out.

All weekend there are a couple of holiday markets / sales - one at Culture Lab and the other at Brickhouse Ceramics in Long Island City. Details for both and all other markets in Queens can be found using the link below.

All Weekend. The Winter Lantern Festival began at the Queens County Farm at 7350 Little Neck Parkway. The Amaze Lights Festival began November 11th at CitiField in Flushing and runs through January 8th, 2023. And the Queens County Farm runs a holiday market daily from 10 am - 5 pm.

Next Tuesday beginning at 5 pm there's a holiday celebration at the LIC Bar organized by the Chocolate Factory and the LIC the Long Island City Partnership. There's also a performance at the NY Irish Center [see details above]. Next Wednesday, 12/14/22 beginning at 7.30 pm the Jackson Heights Orchestra lights up their holiday concert at St. Mark's Church. On Thursday, 12/15/22, in Jackson Heights at the Langston Hughes Library & Cultural Center there will be an Upcycled Gifts event from 6 - 7.30 pm.

The photo at right was taken last weekend at the Queen of Angels Crafts and Arts Fair featuring and organized by Sunnyside Artists.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Queens, click these links - Queens holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Queens Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Holiday Things To Do in the Bronx - Use Links at end of each Boro to obtain details

Friday the Fordham BID hosts its holiday celebration in Bryan Park in the Fordham neighborhood.

On Friday & Saturday 12/9 & 12/10, the Bartow Pell Mansion is hosting candelight tours of the mansion from 5 - 7 pm.

POSSIBLY AN ERROR ON THEIR WEBSITE OR CANCELLED _ On Saturday the Bronx Museum was hosting a Family day from 1 - 4 pm, but it's been taken off the calendar so it may have been cancelled.

On Sunday, the Church of the Mediator at 260 West 231st Street in Kingsbridge is hosting a holiday concert featuring the Christmas classics beginning at 3 pm, to be followed by a reception. Tickets are $25 / $10.

Also on Sunday there's a Caribbean holiday market followed by a concert at the Harry S. Truman High School at 750 Baychester Avenue in Coop City in the Bronx. The market opens at 4.30 pm and the concert begins at 6.30 pm. Tickets are $30 / $25 at https://www.braataproductions.org/.

On Sunday at Wave Hill Garden and Cultural Center there's a holiday concert from 2 - 3 pm featuring Lara Downes in Riverdale. Tickets are $30 / $16 / $14 at https://www.wavehill.org.

All Weekend - The Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights and NY Botanical Garden Glow and NY Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show also run all weekend.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in the Bronx, click this link Bronx Holiday Markets & Bronx Holiday Events NYC.

 

Holiday Things To Do on Staten Island - Use Links at end of each Boro to obtain details

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the St. George Theatre is hosting its 19th Annual Christmas Show which features about 100 Staten Island performers. Tickets are $10 / $20 / $30 / $40 & $50. Funds raised go to help the theater.

On Saturday morning Empire Outlets is doing a Breakfast with Santa from 10 - 11 am in St. George.

On Saturday there's a holiday market organized by Maker Radio in Stapleton from 11 am - 4 pm.

On Saturday there's a holiday event at the Alice Austen House in Shore Acres from 12 noon - 3 pm. The event allows visitors to have their photo taken and aura read for $20 / $30.

On Saturday from 3 - 6 pm there's a holiday tree lighting / Santa Visit event in Tappan Park in Stapleton.

On Saturday, the William H. Pouch Scout Camp tree lighting event begins at 6 pm. Admission is $5.

On Saturday and Sunday from 5.30 - 7.30 pm Historic Richmond Town is giving Candelight Tours. Tickets are $25 / $23 and kid age five and under are free. Prior to the tours on both days, Historic Richmond Town is hosting a crafts making event at many of the local shops, whereby you can watch how things were made a century and a half ago, and then buy them. Tickets are $12 / $10. On Saturday Only at 5 pm there's a tree lighting ceremony at 5 pm.

On Sunday from 11 am - 3 pm, the Old Bermuda Inn continues its holiday brunches with Santa.

All Weekend - There's a Winter Wonderland at Snug Harbor from 5 pm - 11.45 pm. The Staten Island Mall is hosting photo sessions with Santa.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Staten Island, click these links - Staten Island holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Staten Island Holiday Markets NYC.

Enjoy.


Things To Do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

The Holidays are Going Full Tilt This Week with Tree Lightings, Caroling, Community Gatherings and Holiday Markets

things to do this weekend in nycDecember 2, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the high 40's on Friday, the high 50's on Saturday and descending back to the low 40's on Sunday. The temperature lows will be in the low 40's on Friday, descending to the low 30's on Saturday and Sunday. The humidity will climb from 50% to 60% on Friday, to 55% to 77% on Saturday before descending back to 50% to 60% on Sunday. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph on Friday, rising to 10 - 15 mph on Saturday and then falling to 5 mph on Sunday. About a quarter inch of rain is expected between 7 am and 1 pm on Saturday, otherwise it's a dry weekend.

The photo at right was taken last week. What strikes me about this photo, and other scenes in the city like it, is the lingering foliage and color we're still seeing at this late date in the season.

This weekend we could top 60 degrees, which as you know, is unseasonably warm. Even the birds and insects are confused by this weather. For example at a Thanksgiving Day dinner in Connecticut I noticed there were insects hovering around the table, and in Queens - just yesterday - I walked past a bevy of trees which were alive with the noise of what seemed an entire flock of tweeting birds. It was fairly cold yesterday, so I thought perhaps their beaks were chattering, like we humans do when it's very cold.

 

Holiday Things To Do in Manhattan - Open Streets in Midtown

All Weekend the holiday shops at Bryant Park, Grand Central Station, Times Square, Columbus Circle, Union Square Park, the Grand Bazaar on the UWS, the Chelsea Market, and the World Trade Center are all open - not just this weekend but through to Christmas. Details to all of these and other markets may be found using the link below entitled Manhattan holiday markets.

Unique markets open only this weekend include one at the Indian Museum, and one - La Marqueta - only on Saturday in Harlem. On Sunday 12/4/22 there's an ornament making workshop at the Ukrainian Museum where they're encouraging folks to do some holiday shopping at the museum gift shop as they aren't hosting a bazaar this year. Details to all of these and other markets may be found using the link below entitled Manhattan holiday markets.

On Saturday Hudson Park is hosting its tree lighting. Details to all of these and other events may be found using the link below entitled Manhattan holiday events.

Note that on Sundays, December 4, 11 & 18, 2022 between 12 noon and 6 pm, Fifth Avenue will be closed to vehicles and open to pedestrians from 48th to 57th Street. On Sunday from 10 am - 5.30 pm for the price of an MTA fare, passengers may ride the MTA vintage / nostalgia 1930s, 1940's, 1950's and 1960's train cars from between Chambers Street in the West Village and West 137th Street in Harlem. Brick Presbyterian Church has its Park Avenue tree lighting on Sunday, as does Carl Schurz Park which hosts its tree lighting Sunday. Details to all of these and other events may be found using the link below entitled Manhattan holiday events.

All Weekend the Luminaires Light Installation at Brookfield Place will be on. Ice rinks at Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center are open. The Rockefeller Christmas tree is up, but not lit. ORIGAMI at the American Museum of Natural History on the UWS. Details to all of these and other events may be found using the link below entitled Manhattan holiday events.

Next Wednesday both Madison Square Park and Washington Square Park have their tree lightings. Details to all of these and other events may be found using the link below entitled Manhattan holiday events.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Manhattan, click these links - Manhattan holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Manhattan Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Holiday Things To Do in Brooklyn

On Friday night, December 2, 2022 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music aka BAM, community activist Angela Davis will speak and there's also a Slavic Soul party. The Lott House is also hosting a Sinterklaus tree lighting event with cocoa, cookies & music. Details to all of these and other events may be found using the link below entitled Brooklyn holiday events.

On Saturday there's a St Nicholas celebration at The Vande Ende Onderdonk House which is an historic Dutch colonial house celebrates. Also the Wyckoff Museum is hosting an outdoor St Nicholas event with St Nick arriving on a live horse around 2.30 pm.

On Saturday there's a pop up market at Fort Greene Park. On Saturday and Sunday, December 3 & 4, 2022 there's a holiday market at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and a couple of holiday flea markets - one in Williamsburg and the other in Dumbo. The FAD [Fashion / Art / Design] markets also open this weekend and remain open weekends, closing prior to the Christmas weekend. Details to all of these and other markets may be found using the link below entitled Brooklyn holiday markets.

On Sunday there's a Christmas tree lighting in Fort Greene Park. Details to all of these and other events may be found using the link below entitled Brooklyn holiday events.

All Weekend - Holiday lights in Dyker Heights and the Lightscape Show at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Details to all of these and other events may be found using the link below entitled Brooklyn holiday events.

Lastly, it's worth noting that the Fort Hamilton holiday celebration and market is next Friday, December 9th. So if you're planning to go you need to register to gain access to the army base.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Brooklyn, click these links - Brooklyn holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Brooklyn Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Holiday Things To Do in Queens

On Friday, December 2nd in Jackson Heights beginning at 5 pm there's a tree lighting organized by the 82nd Street Partnership. There's also a tree lighting at Harpell's Pharmacy in Bayside. Details to all of these and other events may be found using the link below entitled Queens holiday events.

On Saturday, December 3rd there's a holiday party in Astoria Park in the afternoon organized by CALDC. Also on Saturday in Astoria, along Steinway Street, there will be Christmas carolers making their way up and down the street from late morning through most of the afternoon. In Jackson Heights the JH Beautification Group is hosting its annual tree lighting and holiday celebration beginning at 4 pm. Details to all of these and other events may be found using the link below entitled Queens holiday events.

Also on Saturday, December 3rd in the afternoon, there are a couple of holiday art fairs in LIC hosted by artists. In Sunnyside, there's an arts and crafts fair all day long. And in Bayside there are also a couple of holiday fairs which run in the morning and most of the afternoon, which are hosted by churches. Details to all of these and other markets may be found using the link below entitled Queens holiday markets.

On both Saturday and Sunday in Flushing there will be a tree lighting combined with arts and crafts projects at the Queens Botanical Garden. Details to all of these and other events may be found using the link below entitled Queens holiday events.

All Weekend. The Winter Lantern Festival began at the Queens County Farm at 7350 Little Neck Parkway. The Amaze Lights Festival began November 11th at CitiField in Flushing and runs through January 8th, 2023. Details to all of these and other events may be found using the link below entitled Queens holiday events.

There are also a number of events that happen next week, including the premiere of a new play about the pandemic at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center in LIC. Details to all of these and other events may be found using the link below entitled Queens holiday events.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Queens, click these links - Queens holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Queens Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Holiday Things To Do in the Bronx

All Weekend - The Wave Hill Garden and Cultural Center is hosting wreath making workshops in Riverdale. The Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights and NY Botanical Garden Glow and NY Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show also run all weekend. Details to all of these and other holiday markets and holiday events may be found using the link below entitled Bronx holiday markets and events.

On Saturday 12/3/22 there's a Salsa Dance Party at the Bronx Museum. There's also a holiday event at the Bronx Terminal Market in the Concourse neighborhood. And a late afternoon / early evening holiday tree lighting on Arthur Avenue in the Little Italy neighborhood of the Bronx. The Bartow Pell Mansion is hosting its annual holiday party and fundraiser. Details to all of these and other holiday markets and holiday events may be found using the link below entitled Bronx holiday markets and events.

On Sunday 12/4/22, there's a free classical holiday concert at Lehman College in Bedford Park. Also on Sunday the Throggs Neck Merchants Assocation hosts its annual holiday celebration at the Bronx Library at the DeRosa O'Boyle Triangle in the Throgs Neck neighborhood of the Bronx. Details to all of these and other holiday markets and holiday events may be found using the link below entitled Bronx holiday markets and events.

Next Thursday, 12/8/22 there's a holiday celebration with Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson at Lou Gehrig Plaza at Borough Hall at 161st Street and the Grand Concourse in the Mott Haven / Concourse neighborhoods of the Bronx. That same evening there will be another holiday lights celebration at the Mosholu Parkway Lawn in Norwood neighborhood of the Bronx.

And Next Friday the Fordham BID hosts its holiday celebration in Bryan Park in the Fordham neighborhood. Also next Friday the Bartow Pell Mansion begins hosting candelight tours of the mansion. Details to all of these and other holiday markets and holiday events may be found using the link below entitled Bronx holiday markets and events.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in the Bronx, click this link Bronx Holiday Markets & Bronx Holiday Events NYC.

 

Holiday Things To Do on Staten Island

All Weekend there's a Winter Wonderland at Snug Harbor. And the Staten Island Mall is hosting photo sessions with Santa. Details to all of these and other holiday events may be found using the link below entitled Staten Island holiday events.

On Saturday there's a holiday market at Snug Harbor in Randall Manor. A holiday market at Immanuel Union Church in Westerleigh. Details to all of these and other holiday markets may be found using the link below entitled Staten Island holiday markets.

There's also a Yule Jog at the Conference House in Tottenville and the Conference House Holiday Tours have begun. Details to all of these and other holiday events may be found using the link below entitled Staten Island holiday events.

On Saturday & Sunday Empire Outlet tree lighting and holiday market in St. George. Details to all of these and other holiday markets may be found using the link below entitled Staten Island holiday markets.

On Sunday, the Grand Illumination and outdoor holiday market at the Conference House in Tottenville. Details to all of these and other holiday markets may be found using the link below entitled Staten Island holiday markets.

On Sunday the Old Bermuda Inn begins its first round of holiday brunches with Santa.

Next Monday and Tuesday the Historic Old Bermuda Inn with John Vincent Scalia Funeral Home hosts their annual Memorial Tree Lighting. Next Tuesday, 12/6/22 Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella will host a tree lighting at Borough Hall in St. George. Next Wednesday 12/7/22 there's a holiday celebration in Midland Beach organized by the Richmond Road Merchants Association. Details to all of these and other holiday events may be found using the link below entitled Staten Island holiday events.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Staten Island, click these links - Staten Island holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Staten Island Holiday Markets NYC.

Enjoy.


Brooklyn Holiday Events & Things To Do - Brooklyn NYC

Brooklyn Holiday Events & Things To Do NYC

Brooklyn Holiday Things To Do - Christmas Tree Lightings, Brooklyn Hanukkah Menorah Lightings & Kwanzaa Holiday Candle Lightings

brooklyn holiday events brooklyn holiday things to do williamsburg greenpoint bushwick dumbo holiday events park slope prospect heights downtown brookyn heights sunset park gowanus holiday things to do boerum hill cobble hill greenwood heights bayridge dyker heights marine park coney island brighton beach holiday tree lighthings menorah lightings kwanzaa candle lightings brooklyn nycDecember 23, 2022 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods / NYC Shopping / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

 

*** Be sure to visit our Brooklyn Holiday Markets page, as it contains related holiday events with a shopping element to them.

*** For links to holiday events and markets in all five boroughs of NYC scroll down to the bottom of this report.

EDITOR NOTE. While it seems we've turned the corner on the CoVid pandemic, remember caution is the better part of valor. Try to maintain some social distance, when in a crowded place consider wearing a mask and if you're not feeling well, give yourself a break and enjoy some time at home.

 

How The Brooklyn Holiday Events Page on this Page are Organized

These holiday events in Brooklyn are organized as follows:

1. BY NEIGHBORHOODS OF BROOKLYN

2. BY DATE

Watch carefully as some locales have multiple dates, and all dates for a given locale are shown at the time the venue is first listed.

3. ALL OF THESE ARE FREE UNLESS FEES ARE SPECIFIED.

4. Note BROOKLYN HOLIDAY MARKETS are published on a separate page - the links to which are posted at the bottom of this page, along with links to other boroughs.

 

Brooklyn Holiday Lights, Christmas Tree Lightings, Hanukkah Menorah Lightings, Kwanzaa Candle Lightings Background

The holidays are a special time of the year. In ancient times there were harvest celebrations to give thanks and enjoy the bounty after a long growing and harvesting season aka a year of work.

Community holiday events have been on the rise in Brooklyn since the start of the 21st century. While some date back many years, even prior to the start of the 21st century, many are relatively new.

Enjoying a community get together around the holidays is a good way to share in other people's cultures and strengthen the human bonds that transcend cultural variation. Or conversely, an opportunity to share your cultural upbringing with others.

Each of the Brooklyn holiday events is a bit different, as some are organized by community groups, local government officials and others by business organizations. Oftentimes one can find artisanal products that are made in NYC or NYS for sale, but we've dedicated a special section to announcing Brooklyn Holiday Markets & Shopping - Brooklyn NYC.

 

Brooklyn Holiday Events & Things To Do Getting Underway

The Brooklyn holiday events get underway shortly after Halloween, with some coming opening up about the time of Thanksgiving. The Brooklyn holiday events are located in or near the following Brooklyn neighborhoods - Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Bushwick, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, Prospect Park, Park Slope, Sunset Park, Bayridge, Gowanus, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and Dyker Heights. Many either include the serving of some beverage like hot chocolate and generally snacks like cookies - or are near food vendors and restaurants.

Click here to read our report about Brooklyn Holiday Events / Holiday Things To Do in Brooklyn NYC.



Things To Do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

The Holidays are Warming up a bit this Weekend, Before going Full Tilt Next Week

queens world film festivalNovember 25, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the low to mid 50's all weekend, while the temperature lows will rise from around 40 on Friday and Saturday, to 50 on Sunday. The humidity drops from 60% - 70% on Friday, to 50% - 60% on Saturday, and then rises again to 70% - 80% on Sunday. The winds will be around 15 mph Friday, falling to 10 mph on Saturday and Sunday. There's a slight chance of a slight amount of rain before noon Friday, none on Saturday and then about a half to two thirds inch of rain on Sunday between 11 am and 9 pm.

The photo at right was taken at a Thanksgiving dinner I attended yesterday. I ate so much of the dinner, that I didn't dare have any dessert for fear of exploding ... a similar memory of which, I also have as a child.

 

Holiday Things To Do in Manhattan

On Sunday from 10 am - 5.30 pm for the price of an MTA fare, passengers may ride the MTA vintage / nostalgia 1930s, 1940's, 1950's and 1960's train cars from between Chambers Street in the West Village and West 137th Street in Harlem.

The Bryant Park, Verdi Square and Tavern on the Green tree lightings are next Tuesday. The Rockefeller Center tree lighting event is next Wednesday. The Central Park tree lighting at the Dana Discovery Center and the West Harlem Piers Park tree lighting are both next Thursday.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Brooklyn click these links - Manhattan holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Manhattan Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Holiday Things To Do in Brooklyn

All Weekend - Holiday lights in Dyker Heights. Lightscape Show at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Dumbo Holiday Flea Market begins. And on Saturday there's a tree lighting in Park Slope at the Old Stone House. Also note that a number of events are scheduled for Fridays, so you might want to use the links below to view our running schedule of Brooklyn holiday events which we will update / add to weekly.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Brooklyn click these links - Brooklyn holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Brooklyn Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Holiday Things To Do in Queens

The Amaze Lights Festival began November 11th at CitiField in Flushing and runs through January 8th, 2023.

The Winter Lantern Festival began at the Queens County Farm at 7350 Little Neck Parkway.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Brooklyn click these links - Queens holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Queens Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Holiday Things To Do in the Bronx

All Weekend - Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights and NY Botanical Garden Glow and NY Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show. On Saturday there's a Christmas tree lighting in City Island beginning at 7 pm. For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in the Bronx click this link Bronx Holiday Markets & Bronx Holiday Events NYC. A bigger number of holiday events begin next weekend and it's also worth noting that Hanukkah is 12/18 - 12/26/22 so Menorah Lighting Events will start later this year. Stay tuned.

 

Holiday Things To Do on Staten Island

Coming soon.

For further details on these holiday events or to see what holiday markets are happening in Brooklyn click these links - Staten Island holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC and Staten Island Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Holiday Markets in all 5 Boroughs of NYC

We've previously completed a solid first pass of the holiday markets planned this November, and we'll soon be updating for those coming in December. Use the following links to view: 1) Bronx Holiday Markets NYC, 2) Brooklyn Holiday Markets NYC, 3) Manhattan Holiday Markets NYC, 4) Queens Holiday Markets NYC, and 5) Staten Island Holiday Markets NYC.

 

Holiday Events NYC: Tree, Menorah & Candle Lightings for Christmas, Hanukkah & Kwanzaa

We're also currently working on the events planned for this holiday season and we should have a solid first pass done sometime this weekend. Use the following links to view: 1) Bronx holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC, 2) Brooklyn holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC, 3) Manhattan holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC, 4) Queens holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC, and 5) Staten Island holiday events, Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lightings, Kwanzaa candle lightings NYC.

Enjoy.


Thanksgiving - America's Communal Holiday

The Pilgrims Legacy: Love, Sharing & Community Empowerment

thanksgiving day senitments nyc what thanksgiving day means to meNovember 22, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / Thanksgiving Holidays in NYC / Gotham Buzz NYC.

A couple of years ago, I happened upon a childhood book of fables and fairytales that I had saved since I was a first grader. I was young enough to still like fairytales and old enough to be learning and loving to read.

The book, A Gateway to Storyland, by Platt & Munk Co, was given to me around the holidays, and the book still gives me a warm, loved feeling when I periodically open it to browse through the fairytales and fables containing little nuggets of age old wisdom about how to conduct onesself [see photo at right / the book is still in print]. I read it numerous times immediately upon receiving it, as the illustrations fed my imagination, and lessons embedded in the words resonated with timeless sagacity.

 

Unselfish Parental Love Manifested by Empowering Progeny

Love comes in many forms, but the purest form is unselfish love. The love of truly giving something with no thought of anything in return. That love is oftentimes given intergenerationally - from grandparents to parents to children.

Perhaps the greatest gifts are those that cost us nothing but our time. Like the gift of teaching someone something that they will be able to put to good use throughout their lives. Parents do this all the time, when they help their children develop skills, and impart some knowledge and learning ... just as my parents did many years ago, by giving me a well illustrated fairytale book to encourage my interest in reading, while sharing the time tested insights of the ages, handed down through storytelling.

 

I. A Brief Thanksgiving History

The Pilgrims Shared Communal Resources to Actualize a Dream

At Thanksgiving time we commemorate one of America's first settlements, founded by the risk-taking, resource-pooling, hardworking, spiritual community of Pilgrims.

The Pilgrims were early English settlers who arrived on American shores in the early 17th century [1600's]. They came here because they wanted a measure of freedom and self-determination that they were forbidden in Europe or what was called the 'old country'. The Pilgrims wanted to practice their faith, unencumbered, in a way that differed from the established Church of England. They pooled their money to obtain a ship, the Mayflower, to cross the Atlantic in mid September of 1620, landing on America's shores at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts on November 9, 1620. Think of it. It took about a month and a half to travel a distance we can now traverse in about five hours.

 

The Pilgrims Receive Help from the Native People of a Strange Land

Per Wikipedia, the Piligrims survived a hard winter in 1621 with the help of the Wampanoag, an American Indian tribe. The Pilgrims were the immigrants, and the first Americans, the Indian natives, welcomed them. The Wampanaog taught the Pilgrims how to catch eels, and how to grow and harvest corn. Thus the Pilgrims ended 1621 with a good harvest which they celebrated and shared with their new friends, expressing their gratitude to a higher power, aka God, for the success of their endeavors.

Thus it was that the first Thanksgiving celebration happened in America ... or did it?


Things To Do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

The Holidays have Arrived in NYC

queens world film festivalNovember 18, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperatures will be in the mid to low 40's during the day and the mid to low 30's at night. Humidity will be fairly low ranging from 35% to 50%. No rain is in the forecast. The winds will range from 10 - 16 mph, so fairly windy.

As hard as it is to believe, the holidays have arrived. Last weekend the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree arrived. It's an 80 foot spruce which will be lit on Wednesday evening November 30th.

Following the lighting at Rockefeller Center, there's a new street program entitled Fifth Avenue for All. It starts Sunday, December 4th, continuing Sunday, December 11th and ending Sunday, December 18th whereby 5th Avenue will be closed to automobile traffic from 49th to 57th Street, from 12 noon - 6 pm. There will be food vendors, musicians, pedestrians and others, who will take over the street.

And of course the holiday events and holiday shopping seasons have begun as well. We're working on holiday markets as we speak, and we expect to continue updating through the weekend. But you can use the links below in the Holiday Markets report filed earlier this week, to see how far we've gotten in posting the holiday markets which have begun opening.

 

queens world film festivalManhattan

Holiday shops at Bryant Park and Grand Central Station open. Ice rinks at Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center are open. The Rockefeller Christmas tree is up, but not lit.

Shortly after this photo was taken late last week - the rains came, the tree leaves fell, and the trees are now generally bereft of any foliage.

Use the Manhattan Holiday Market link below to obtain further details of numerous holiday markets / holiday fairs / holiday events coming to Manhattan between now and the new year including the ones noted above.

 

Queens

In the photo top right is an entrepreneur who is managing a popup market just outside the Alcove at 49th Street and Skillman Avenue in Sunnyside Queens. They're open this Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to about 8.30 / 9 pm each day.

The Amaze Lights Festival began November 11th at CitiField in Flushing and runs through January 8th, 2023.

The Winter Lantern Festival began at the Queens County Farm at 7350 Little Neck Parkway.

Use the Queens Holiday Market link below to obtain further details of numerous holiday markets / holiday fairs / holiday events coming to Queens between now and the new year including the ones noted above.

 

Brooklyn

There's a holiday lighting ceremony on Friday, November 18th from 5 - 6 pm in Albee Square at Fulton and DeKalb Streets in Downtown Brooklyn.

Holiday markets have begun in Williamsburg and at Fort Greene Park.

Use the Brooklyn Holiday Market link below to obtain further details of numerous holiday markets / holiday fairs / holiday events coming to Brooklyn between now and the new year including the ones noted above.

queens world film festival

Bronx

Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights and NY Botanical Garden Glow and Holiday Train.

The photo at right shows some of the artisanal crafts, accessories and objets de art for sale at the TRADiction popup market in front of the Alcove restaurant in Sunnyside Queens.

Use the Bronx Holiday Market link below to obtain further details of numerous holiday markets / holiday fairs / holiday events coming to the Bronx between now and the new year including the ones noted above.

 

Staten Island

On Saturday, November 19, 2022 from 10 am - 4 pm there's the Great Kills Moravian Church Annual Holiday Sale in the parking lot of the Great Kills Moravian Church at 62 Hillside Terrace in Great Kills neighborhood on Staten Island. The holiday sale features handmade gifts & decorations, baked goods, a Christmas cafe, and a mitten tree. Find gifts, stocking stuffers, and decorations. Donations of hats, mittens and gloves will be donated to those in need.

Use the Staten Island Holiday Market link below to obtain further details of almost a half dozen holiday markets / holiday fairs this weekend on Staten Island including the one noted above.

 

I have a bit more to do on Manhattan as of Saturday evening around 9.30 pm. It should be done tonight.

Have a nice pre-Thanksgiving Day weekend.


Brooklyn Holiday Markets, Christmas Shopping & Hanukkah Shopping

Brooklyn Christmas Shopping, Hanukkah Shopping & Brooklyn Holiday Markets

brooklyn holiday markets brooklyn holiday shopping brooklyn hanukkah shopping brooklyn christmas shopping xmas markets brooklyn nycDecember 2, 2022 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods / Brooklyn Shopping / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

 

*** Be sure to visit our Brooklyn Holiday Events page, as it contains related holiday events with a shopping element to them.

*** For links to holiday events and markets in all five boroughs of NYC scroll down to the bottom of this report.

EDITOR NOTE. While it seems we've turned the corner on the CoVid pandemic, it's after effects are still hovering around us. That said, we mostly appear to have turned the corner and are in the process of returning to normal.

 

Brooklyn Holiday Markets Getting Underway

Holiday outdoor markets have been on the rise in Brooklyn since the dawn of the 21st century. While some date back many years, some are relatively new.

Shopping at holiday markets alone, with friends, or with the kids gives folks a chance to enjoy the fruits of their labor and satisfy some of their yearnings and some of the yearnings of those we love.

Each of the Brooklyn holiday markets is a bit different, as some are organized by community groups and others by business organizations. Oftentimes one can find artisanal products that are made in NYC or NYS.

The Brooklyn holiday markets get underway shortly after Halloween, with some coming opening up about the time of Thanksgiving. The Brooklyn holiday markets are located in or near the following Brooklyn neighborhoods - Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Bushwick, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, Prospect Park, Park Slope, Sunset Park, Bayridge, Gowanus, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and Dyker Heights. Many either include the serving of some beverage like hot chocolate and generally snacks like cookies - or are near food vendors and restaurants.

Click here to read our report about Brooklyn Holiday Markets & Shopping - Brooklyn NYC. Or click here to read our report on Brooklyn Holiday Events / Things to do BK.


Things To Do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Announcement, Veterans Day Weekend, Art & Performance; some outdoor Farmers Markets & Street Fairs still open

queens world film festivalNovember 11, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid 60's Friday, dropping to the mid 50's Saturday and down to the mid 40's Sunday. The temperature lows will plummet from the low 50's Friday, to the low 330's Saturday and into the high 20's on Sunday. The humidity will fall from 90% Friday, to 80% Saturday, to 65% 80% on Sunday. Winds will be a blustery 7 - 15 mph all weekend. Rain is in the forecast, with about a quarter inch to fall tonight, and then 1/10th inch of rain early in the morning on Saturday and Sunday - so it shouldn't stop you from going out.

 

THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, WHiCH WILL BE COMPLETED LATER TONIGHT.

 

Announcement - We're Now on a New Content Management System

It's good news. We had been running on the same platform since 2007 and it was time to upgrade : )

We'll have more to say about this later today, and in the coming weeks.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC

The Veterans Day Parade is today in Midtown from 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm. They march along 5th Avenue from 26th to 45th Street.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC

Saturdays & Sundays, November 12, 13, 19, 20, 2022 beginning at 7.30 pm on Saturdays and at 2.30 pm on Sundays. The Merry Wives of Windsor by the Gingerbread Players at St. Luke's Church at 85 Greenway in Forest Hills. Tickets are $15 / $12. For details see https://www.gingerbreadplayers.org/

 

Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx NYC

Checking.

 

Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC

Thursday, November 10, 2022 from 10.30 - 11.30 am - There's a day time Veterans Day Remembrance event held at Wagner College at 1 Campus Road in Grymes Hill. The event is described as follows: "... Alumni and friends are invited to join together on campus as we honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country with the 12th annual Wagner College Veteran's Day Remembrance, hosted by the brothers of Delta Nu and the Wagner College Alumni Association ... The Delta Nu War Memorial located outside the Spiro Sports Center reminds us of the great sacrifice our veterans have made for this country and the global community. Light refreshments will be served in the Spiro Sports Center Ticket Lobby following the memorial..."

Friday, November 11, 2022 beginning at 9.11 am - Veterans' Day Golf Classic returns. The event begins with breakfast at 9.11 am, followed by a scramble / tee off that begins at 10.30 am at three Staten Island golf courses including Silver Lake, La Tourette and Richmond County. The golfing is followed by dinner at Nicotra's Ballroom at the Hilton Garden Inn. Fees are $225 for everything, or $85 for dinner & cocktails, or $100 for golfing only. Organized by the Tunnel to Towers org at https://t2t.org.

 

Things To Do Next Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

Saturday, November 12, 2022 - Renegade Craft Fair. Details coming later today, Friday 11/11/22.

 

Farmers Markets / Street Fairs. And many of the seasonal farmers markets reopened this month, so you use these links to find one in your neighborhood - Bronx Farmers Markets NYC, Brooklyn Farmers Markets NYC, Manhattan Farmers Markets NYC, Queens Farmers Markets NYC, Staten Island Farmers Markets NYC. And the weekend street fairs are updated weekly - Manhattan street fairs, Queens street fairs, Brooklyn street fairs, Bronx street fairs, Staten Island street fairs.

Have a nice weekend.


NYS Politics & Election Day November 2022

NYS Elections are November 8th, Today

nyc poll site locator queens poll site locator manhattan polls locations

November 8, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC. 

The NYS primary election is today, Tuesday November 8th.  On the ballot are the following races: U.S. Senate, Governor, Other state level positions such as Attorney General, State Assembly, State Senators and Ballot measures.

Click on the image above to access the poll finder website, so you can easily find where to vote in your neighborhood.  Remember this is the land of the free and the home of the brave and many of our ancestors died for our right to vote, as the Ukrainians appear to be doing now.  So be brave, and be careful in choosing who you vote to represent you. There's still time to do some researchs on candidates on the web.  

Early Voting Ended Sunday, November 6, 2022

Early voting began on Saturday, October 29 and runs through Sunday,November 6th, 2022. Today is election day, when you can find your poll site by clicking on the graphic above. For those who wish to find an early voting poll site use this link, which not only shows the sites, but also the wait times.

Early Voting NYC

The New York City election is Tuesday November 8th and polls are open from 6 am - 9 pm.


Things To Do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

NYC Marathon Weekend, Veterans Day Commemorations Warm Ups, Upcoming Play; some outdoor Farmers Markets & Street Fairs still open

queens world film festivalNovember 4, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid to high 70's all weekend, while the low will be in the mid 60's all weekend. No rain is in the forecast, but it will be a very humid weekend for this time of year ranging from 70% to 85% all weekend. Winds will be about 10 mph all weekend.

The photo at right was taken at the Queens World Film Festival in a prior year. The festival returned to the Museum of the Moving Image this week and runs through the weekend.

The graphic below right shows the course of the NYC Marathon this Sunday.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in All 5 Boros of NYC

  • queens world film festival* Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 2 am - Daylight Savings Time. This may be the last year where we will 'fall back' by moving our clocks back one hour starting at 2 am Sunday or before going to bed Saturday night.
  • * Sunday, November 6, 2022 from 8 am - 5 pm - The NYC Marathon runners begin congregating at Fort Wadsworth at the foot of the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge on Staten Island beginning at 7 am. The Professional Wheelchairs take off at 8 am, the Handcyclists at 8.22 am, the Professional Women at 8.40 am, and the Professional Men at 9.05 am, with the last wave at 11.40 am. Staten Island is the starting poinit, while Brooklyn is the first leg, the Queens segment of the course is around the midpoint before heading into Manhattan, then north to the Bronx over the Willis Avenue Bridge, where they do a U turn by heading west over the Madison Avenue Bridge before turning south into Manhattan and Central Park. Use the link to the front page below to view a map of the Marathon course for 2022.
    • So you can do some math to figure out when to greet them in your borough. The fastest men complete the race in a bit more than two hours, while the average is 4.40 [hours.minutes]. The midpoint is in Queens. The biggest wave of runners travel through Queens around 11 am, so you can figure out the rest. The weather is expected to be pleasant. Enjoy.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC

Wednesday thru Sunday, November 2 - 6, 2022 at various times - The Baltic Film Festival. At Scandinavia House at 58 Park Avenue in Midtown just south of Grand Central Station. Tickets are $125 to see all films. For details see - https://www.scandinaviahouse.org.

Thursday - Sunday, November 3 - 6, 2022 - Washington Heights Jazz Festival. For details see https://jazzwahi.com.

Friday, November 4, 2022 from 5.30 - 9 pm - The Parade of Nations in Central Park will be followed by fireworks tonight as part of the NYC Marathon Festivities. This will be free and viewable from the finish line in Central Park which is located in the southwest corner of the park.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC

Tuesday - Sunday, November 1 - 6, 2022 at various times - Queens World Film Festival. At multiple locations including The Local at 13-02 44th Avenue in LIC, the Museum of the Moving Image at 36-01 35th Avenue in Astoria, and opening night was at Queens Theatre in Flushing Meadows Corona Park just south of the Unisphere. Tickets are $15 - $17.50 at https://queensworldfilmfestival.org.

COMING NEXT WEEK _ Saturdays & Sundays, November 12, 13, 19, 20, 2022 beginning at 7.30 pm on Saturdays and at 2.30 pm on Sundays. The Merry Wives of Windsor by the Gingerbread Players at St. Luke's Church at 85 Greenway in Forest Hills. Tickets are $15 / $12. For details see https://www.gingerbreadplayers.org/

 

Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx

Sunday, November 6, 2022 from 12 noon - 1 pm - Veterans Day Memorial Event.A procession and flag raising ceremony with remarks. Color guard units from SUNY Maritime College will participate. Organized by the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance and Community Board 8 in collaboration with the NYC Parks Department. It's to be held in Memorial Grove which is just north of the southwest corner of the park. For details see - https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/VanCortlandtPark/events/2022/11/06/veterans-day-ceremony

 

Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC

Thursday, November 10, 2022 from 10.30 - 11.30 am - There's a day time Veterans Day Remembrance event held at Wagner College at 1 Campus Road in Grymes Hill. The event is described as follows: "... Alumni and friends are invited to join together on campus as we honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country with the 12th annual Wagner College Veteran's Day Remembrance, hosted by the brothers of Delta Nu and the Wagner College Alumni Association ... The Delta Nu War Memorial located outside the Spiro Sports Center reminds us of the great sacrifice our veterans have made for this country and the global community. Light refreshments will be served in the Spiro Sports Center Ticket Lobby following the memorial..."

Friday, November 11, 2022 beginning at 9.11 am - Veterans' Day Golf Classic returns. The event begins with breakfast at 9.11 am, followed by a scramble / tee off that begins at 10.30 am at three Staten Island golf courses including Silver Lake, La Tourette and Richmond County. The golfing is followed by dinner at Nicotra's Ballroom at the Hilton Garden Inn. Fees are $225 for everything, or $85 for dinner & cocktails, or $100 for golfing only. Organized by the Tunnel to Towers org at https://t2t.org.

 

Things To Do Next Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

COMING NEXT WEEK. Saturday, November 12, 2022 - Renegade Craft Fair. Details coming next Friday 11/11/22.

 

Farmers Markets / Street Fairs. And many of the seasonal farmers markets reopened this month, so you use these links to find one in your neighborhood - Bronx Farmers Markets NYC, Brooklyn Farmers Markets NYC, Manhattan Farmers Markets NYC, Queens Farmers Markets NYC, Staten Island Farmers Markets NYC. And the weekend street fairs are updated weekly - Manhattan street fairs, Queens street fairs, Brooklyn street fairs, Bronx street fairs, Staten Island street fairs.

Have a happy Marathon Weekend.


Thanksgiving Day Gourmet Food & Grocery Stores, Community Dinners & Restaurants In Brooklyn 2022

Thanksgiving Day Grocery Stores, Gourmet Food Shopping, Community Dinners & Restaurants in or near the Dumbo, Williamsburg, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, Downtown Brooklyn, Sunset Park, Bayridge, Marine Park, Coney Island Neighborhoods of Brooklyn

November 2, 2022 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods / Brooklyn Restaurants / Brooklyn Events & Things To Do / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

Thanksgiving Day History - Thanksgiving Food Shops, Dinners & Restaurants in Brooklyn

brooklyn thanksgiving gourmet food shops grocery stores brooklyn thanksgiving day restaurants williamsburg greenpoint fort greene sunset park bk thanksgiving day restaurants prospect heights park slope dumbo brooklyn heights dyker heights coney island brighton beach thanksgiving day restaurants brooklyn nyc bkThe origins of Thanksgiving Day in the United States began with one of America’s first settlements, founded by the risk-taking, resource-pooling, hardworking, spiritual community of Pilgrims. The Pilgrims were early English settlers who arrived on American shores in the early 17th century [1600’s]. They came here because they wanted a measure of freedom and self-determination that they were forbidden in Europe or what was called the ‘old country’. The Pilgrims wanted to practice their faith, unencumbered, in a way that differed from the established Church of England. They pooled their money to obtain a ship, the Mayflower, to cross the Atlantic in mid September of 1620, landing on America's shores at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts on November 9, 1620.

 

The Pilgrims Receive Help from the Native People of a Strange Land

Per Wikipedia, the Piligrims survived a hard winter in 1621 with the help of the Wampanoag, an American Indian tribe. The Pilgrims were the immigrants, and the first Americans, the Indian natives, welcomed them. The Wampanaog taught the Pilgrims how to catch eels, and how to grow and harvest corn. Thus the Pilgrims ended 1621 with a good harvest which they celebrated and shared with their new friends, expressing their thanks to a higher power, aka God, for the success of their endeavors.

Thus it was that the first Thanksgiving celebration happened in America. There's some dispute to this account, which we'll address in a future post, near Thanksgiving Day.

We've identified a number of Brooklyn shops, community dinners and restaurants open for dining on Thanksgiving Day in Brooklyn. Enjoy.


Things To Do in NYC in October - Weekend Events

Things To Do in NYC Each Weekend in October

October 31, 2022 / Things To Do NYC / Gotham Buzz. This section contains our Things To Do reports for each weekend in the month of October in all five boroughs of New York City.

What follows below is an example of the beginning of one of our weekend reports about things to do during the month of October.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Halloween Weekend in All 5 Boroughs; some outdoor Farmers Markets & Street Fairs still open

things to do nyc things to do manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island things to do nyc eventsOctober 28, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the low 60's all weekend, while the temperature lows will be in the low 40's on Friday and Saturday, rising to the mid 50's by Sunday. Winds will be 3 - 8 mph all weekend. Humidity will be 45% - 65% on Friday and Saturday, rising to 60% - 80% on Sunday. No rain is in the forecast this weekend.

The photo at right was taken over a decade ago in Queens. I recently came across it while doing some website content management work. The photo captures a moment in time of a young woman with an alluring gaze.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC

Your best bet is to click the link above for the full Manhattan Halloween magilla.

On Friday night the Whitney Museum in the Village is throwing a 'Hallowteen' event, while there's a Halloween party at the Museum of the City of New York on the UES and the McKittrick Hotel is throwing a big Halloween Party down in Chelsea. Stage 48 in Midtown is throwing a Monster Ball on Friday and a Halloween Parade After Party on Monday. There's also an old silent movie being shown, accompanied by a live organist, at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. The Merchants House Museum in the East Village is hosting haunted tours in the evening on Friday and Saturday.

On Saturday the Meatpacking BID is hosting a number of family friendly Halloween events and programs in the West Village, while E's Bar is throwing a party on the UWS. On Saturday and Sunday, Lincoln Center is hosting an Open House and Family Day. Capitale in SoHo is hosting a big Halloween bash on Saturday.

On Sunday the Irish Arts Center in West Midtown is throwing a kids event midday. The Slate Bar, Bar 13 and Webster Hall all have Halloween events on both Saturday and Monday. Also on Sunday in the Flatiron District there's a Halloween themed history tour.

And the NYC Halloween Day Parade is on Monday.


What have the Democrats & the Biden Administration Accomplished?

Does Biden have Washington Working Again, in Spite of Narrow Democratic Majorities in Both the Senate & House? Why are Democrats Not Running on Their Collective Record?

things to do nyc things to do manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island things to do nyc eventsOctober 26, 2022 / Local Government & Politics / National Government & Politics / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

The midterm elections are on Tuesday, November 8th.

While President Biden's poll approval is below 50%, I believe it is because there's a yawning gap between perception - as provided daily by the billionaire controlled TV networks - and reality.

So here's the reality piece of it, since you've already been inundated with the ratings-driven TV networks view of things.


Brooklyn Halloween Parties & Events NYC 2022

Halloween Parties in Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope & Other Neighborhoods in Brooklyn

October 19, 2022 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods NYC / Brooklyn Restaurants / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

brooklyn halloween parties brooklyn halloween restaurants brooklyn kids halloween parties brooklyn nycHalloween occurs on a Monday this year. The Brooklyn Halloween party celebrations begin leading into the weekend and running through to Halloween day itself.

Halloween is one big costume party, where the theatrical side of people, is given a small opening. Halloween provides people the opportunity to create and play roles they have wanted to play, that the day-to-day keeps submerged. Is it their Doctor side or their Jekyll side - or something uncategorizable?

In the photo at right are NYC Halloween partyers in an earlier year. Professional actors are paid to assume and perform roles, but on Halloween it's an all-volunteer, unpaid, theatrical free-for-all ... but that very chaos of creativity is what also makes it so much fun.

Click here to read more about our round up of Brooklyn Halloween parties & events NYC.

 


Things To Do in NYC in September - Weekend Events

Things To Do in NYC Each Weekend in September

September 30, 2022 / Things To Do NYC / Gotham Buzz. This section contains our Things To Do reports for each weekend in the month of September in all five boroughs of New York City.

What follows below is an example of the beginning of one of our weekend reports about things to do during the month of September.

 

* Things To Do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

First Day of Autumn began Thursday Evening, Global Citizen Concert Returns Saturday, Fall for Dance Celebration Begins, Feast of San Gennaro ends Sunday; Great Irish Fair, Oktoberest at Fort Hamiltion & Local Play in Brooklyn; Hispanic Day Parade, Bell Blvd Stroll & Oktoberfest and Durga Puja Begin next weekend in Queens; Hip Hop Museum Opens, Native American Festival, Bronx Night Market, Stage Garden Rumba in the Bronx; Local Play on Staten Island; Rosh Hashanah Begins Sunday ... also Farmers Markets, Street Fairs & more

things to do nyc things to do manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island things to do nyc eventsSeptember 23, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid 60's on Friday, about 70 on Saturday, rising to the mid 70's on Sunday. The temperature lows will be around 50 on Friday, rising to the mid 50's on Saturday and to about 60 on Sunday. The winds will be about 15 mph on Friday, falling to 5 - 10 mph the rest of the weekend. The humidity will rise from 40% - 50% on Friday, to 40% - 60% on Saturday, and then up to 60% - 80% on Sunday. No rain is in the forecast until after 4 pm on Sunday, when there's a 50% chance of about a tenth of an inch of rain.

The photo at right was taken earlier this week at the United Nations while President Biden was delivering a speech about protecting our democratic institutions and rule of law. This means helping other democracies, in order to preserve and protect our way of life from autocrats and dictators who inevitably steal power and wealth away from everyone else in society.

The first day of Autumn began Thursday evening 9/22/22 around 9 pm.

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins Sunday evening and ends Tuesday evening.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC

The photo at right was taken earlier this week at the United Nations. Those two people traversing the rooftop of the building aren't roof repairmen.

From Saturday, September 17 through January 1, 2023 - Death of a Salesman at the Hudson Theatre at 141 West 44th Street in West Midtown. This celebrates the Black Theatre Day on September 17th, in honor of the first African American theater, African Grove Theatre, which opened 9/17/1821. Tickets cost $64 - $313. For more details and tickets see https://www.thehudsonbroadway.com/

things to do nyc things to do manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island things to do nyc eventsOn Saturday, the Global Citizen Concert returns to the Great Lawn in Central Park which lies between 5th Avenue and Central Park West and between 72nd Street and 86th Street. The gates open at 2 pm and the concert begins at 4 pm. You must bring printed tickets as mobile tickets are not being accepted. Admission $250 - $299 via www.ticketmaster.com. For further details on the concert see https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/festival/nyc/2022/

Thursday - Sunday, September 15 - 25, 2022 times vary - The San Gennaro Festival. This is an 11 day Italian festival that runs through Sunday, September 25th. There's a canoli eating contest today 9/16 beginning at 1 pm and tomorrow 9/17 there's a procession through Little Italy that starts at 2 pm. See their website for details of all events - https://sangennaronyc.org/

The Fall for Dance Festival began on Wednesday, September 21 at the NY City Center at 131 West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. The program runs through next week, ending Sunday, October 2, 2022. Performances begin at 8 pm each night, except this coming Sunday & Monday, September 25th & 26th. Tickets are $20 and performances last about an hour and a half. For details and tickets - https://www.nycitycenter.org/

The NY Film Festival begins next Friday, September 30th at Lincoln Center and runs through Sunday, October 16th.


Columbus Day Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

Things To Do in Brooklyn Over The Columbus Day Weekend

brooklyn things to do columbus day weekend events brooklyn bk things to do brooklyn columbus day weekend BK nycSeptember 28, 2022 / Things To Do NYC / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

Also see updated Weather on Friday afternoon by clicking the header above to go to the Front Page for Weekend Update.

This report contains a listing of some of the things to do in Brooklyn over the Columbus Day Weekend including art museums, theaters, live music / comedy / dance venues, sporting & social events, and restaurants for Brooklyn NYC.

Brooklyn Weather. As of September 27, 2022, the Temperature highs will be in the high 60's all four days of the long weekend. The temperature lows will be in the low 50's throughout the weekend. There's a chance of a small amount of rain, but the probability of rain as of this writing, is in the low double digits. Winds will be about 5 - 10 mph Friday and Monday and between 5 - 10 mph on all weekend. The Humidity will be between 55% - 70% throughout the weekend. Click for Brooklyn Weather.

 

This weekend you can go bicycling in Brooklyn, play soccer & other games in Brooklyn parks, go shopping Brooklyn, attend Brooklyn parades, watch theater, visit the Brooklyn art museums, and eat out at one of the Brooklyn restaurants.

And it's all happening right here in Brooklyn. So take your time to sort through the days and locations and start planning your weekend.

 

Columbus Day Events in Brooklyn

Click here to obtain information about things to do Columbus Day Weekend in Brooklyn. This events calendar is updated monthly with dozens of different Brooklyn fun cultural events.

For 39 years there's been a Brooklyn Columbus Day parade organized by FIAO Brooklyn. It's usually on the Saturday preceding Columbus Day [10/8/22], which is noted on the FIAO website with no other details. The parade is held along 18th Avenue in Bensonhurst. I called them and will provide an update after I receive it.

 

brooklyn things to do columbus day weekend events brooklyn bk things to do brooklyn columbus day weekend BK nyc

Brooklyn Public & Private Parks & Public Indoor Swimming Pools

Brooklyn has one of number of public parks of which a few include swimming facilities. Click here for a listing of the Brooklyn Parks including maps showing their locations along with a bit of park history. This is coming at a later date.

NYC public indoor swimming pools are open.

 

NYC Golfing in Brooklyn & Queens

Brooklyn has two golf courses and both of them are open this weekend. There's the Dyker Beach Golf Course in Dyker Heights in the southern end of Brooklyn and there's the Marine Park Golf Course in the Marine Park neighborhood with is at the southeastern end of Brooklyn.

Click here for details about Brooklyn golf courses including maps and links to the operators' websites. The links are coming at a later date.

Queens has four golf courses and all of them are open this weekend [10/7-10/10/22]. Click here for details about Queens Golf Courses including maps and links to the operators' websites.


NYC News Updates NYS

Office Workers & Employers Facing a Choice - Come Back to the Office or -

The UN is Back Live in Session, a look at the Argument for Democracies vs Dictatorships, & What's with the Royalist TV News Groupies?

September 19, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycNYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the low 80's on Tuesday & Wednesday, dropping to the low 70's on Thursday and the mid 60's on Friday., The temperature lows will rise from the mid 60's on Monday & Tuesday to the low 70's on Wednesday, and then fall into the mid to low 50's on Thursday and Friday. The winds will be 10 - 15 mph all week. The humidity will be 55% - 65% all week, except on Friday when it falls to 45% - 55%. There's a small chance of a small amount of rain in Thursday, with the probability gone by mid afternoon.

 

NYC White Collar Office Workers Continue to Resist a Full Return to the Office

As we noted last week, in our update, people are returning to mass transit. While weekend ridership on the subways has reached about 90%, weekday ridership lags behind at about 65% of prepandemic levels. One of the main drivers of the lower weekday ridership is that folks haven't yet resumed embraced a full return to the office at anywhere near prepandemic levels.

For about the past six months, only about 10% of white collar office workers in Manhattan, go to the office daily. But the number of people in the office each day has risen from about 38% to 49%, according to Parnership for New York City, a non-profit dedicated to primarily promoting the economic interests of NYC. Also, the percentage of workers staying fully remote dropped from 28% to 16% over the same six month period [April - September]. Nearly four out of five employers [77%] indicated that the preferred business model [demanded per employees] is now ready to accommodate folks who only want to travel to the office three of the five days in a work week.

Nobody is yet saying this, but it's my guesstimate, that over time, employees who are in the office more frequently are going to win out over those who are working remotely. And because of that phenomenon, I also guesstimate that over time, more folks will start spending more time in the office. But this may take years to play out.

There's a flip side of the coin above, which is that employers who accommodate remote workers, especially women who want to spend time rearing their children, could, over time, attract and retain some of the best and the brightest, even if they don't pay top dollar. For some, including myself, money matters - but it isn't everything.

As I look at what I've just written I see a potential lawsuit - discriminatory pay based on gender. But could it be discriminatory pay based on remote working? This discussion might have some parallels to the discussion below about dictatorships vs democracy and about valuing loyalty over talent.

Ultimately, time will tell, and it will be interesting to see how this all plays out. One thing is clear, many of us - if not all - are not going back to the status quo.


News Update NYC

Entering the Post Pandemic New Normal in NYC

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycSeptember 13, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the high 70's and the temperature lows around 60. It will be sunny the rest of the week, with humidity ranging from 40% - 60%, which is fairly dry. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph, falling as the week wears on. No rain is expected between now and Friday evening, nor through the coming weekend.

So, a lot has happened since we last posted a news update. At right is a photo of one of the outer borough subway stations this summer. As you can see, mask wearing compliance has diminished.

 

MTA: Ridership Hits Post Pandemic High of 3.5 Million Weekday Riders on the First Day of the Reopening of NYC Public Schools & Governor Hochul Drops the MTA Mask Mandate

On Thursday, September 8th, the first day of the NYC public schools reopening, the MTA transported 3.6 million people. That's the highest ridership number since the pandemic began two and a half years ago in March of 2020.

In our August 9th report [see below] we suggested the MTA drop the mask mandate or enforce it. At the time we noticed that less than half of the passengers on the subway seemed to be adhering to the mask mandate. On September 7th, NYS Governor Hochul rescinded the mask mandate on the MTA, making masking optional, but still recommended that we continue masking on the MTA as we enter the colder months, when folks go indoors, where the probability of infection by airborne viruses like CoVid and the flu increases. The guidance is particularly relevant to those who are older or have underlying conditions, but it's also not unwise for everyone else too.

 

Shootings Down in NYC in August - In August 2022 There were 115 Shootings vs 165 in August 2021

This Follows the Passage of Federal Gun Restrictions by Congress in June, Biden's April Executive Order in Requiring Ghost Gun Sales be Handled in the Same Manner as Gun Sales & Mayor Adams & the NYPD's Effort to Remove Illegal Guns from NYC Streets

On June 25th, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. This is legislation that passed both the Senate and Congress earlier in the month. A number of moderate Republicans crossed the aisle in both the House and Senate to vote with the Democrats, on reigning in the gun violence free-for-all that we've been witnessing the past couple of years.

The federal gun legislation was the first of its kind to pass both houses and be signed into law in about 30 years. Among other things it enhances background checks for younger gun owners [under 21], and provides law enforcement with additional authority and responsibility to thwart potential shooters by empowering them to curtail a gun owner's rights if there's reason to believe that person poses a risk to the general welfare of the community. Added funding was also provided to incent law enforcement to pay more attention to problematic gun owners.

The Biden Ghost Gun sale regulations went into effect on August 24, 2022, following a failed court challenge to block the President's April 2022 Executive Order requiring ghost gun sales to be treated the same as other firearm sales.

In addition to the actions taken at the federal level, Mayor Adams has been working with the NYPD to reduce shootings through changes in NYC law enforcement to take illegal guns off the street. Year to date [as of end of August 2022], the NYPD had removed 4,880 illegal guns from the streets of which 405 of them were removed in August.

Other NYC crime statistics rose 31%. And NYS Governor Hochul passed a number gun regulations in response to the Supreme Court ruling overturning a century old NYS gun law.

We'll have a few more items to add, including on NYC public schools, on Wednesday 9.14.22. In the meantime, I hope you're having a nice week.


NYC Catholic Schools Open September 7th & NYC Public Schools Open on the 8th

Ode to Some of the Great Teachers I've Known, Who've Been Guides on the Trail of Life

In Words & Deeds, We are all Students & We are all Teachers, be it Consciously or Not

September 7, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycOn Wednesday, September 7th the Catholic schools in NYC reopen for the new school year.

On Thursday, September 8, 2022 NYC public schools reopen.  Many of the CoVid guidelines of the prior public school year have been modified, so copy and paste the following link for an update.  https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/health-and-wellness/covid-information/health-and-safety-in-our-schools.

 

Thinking of Those who Made a Difference

As I contemplated the upcoming school year I thought back to all of the great teachers who made a difference in my life. And so it is to them that I dedicate this column. Generally I'm going to discuss the school teachers as they chronologically entered my life, and discuss the other teachers in my life who taught me things outside of school, in reverse chronological order. Also please note that this is by no means a complete list, but really rather a first attempt at thanking some of the teachers who made a difference in my life, while passing on a few of the golden nuggets I learned from them.

 

The High School Teachers Who Made a Difference

It started at Abbott Pennings high school in DePere, Wisconsin where I grew up.  Father Frigo was our freshman or sophomore history teacher.  He was also a coach of the football and basketball teams which won state championships, and as such, was perhaps treated a bit too familiarly, even irreverently, by some of the star athletes in our class.  What Father Frigo taught me was that historical narratives change over time, and that, " ... you have to pay attention to whether you're looking at primary sources or secondary sources ... " to truly understand the nature of events. 

He taught us that, " ... revisionist history is a secondary source, but also plays an important role in our understanding of the past ...". He noted that pressure to conform to the prevailing cultural norms and narratives of those in power at a given time can distort and obfuscate the truth. But cultural norms and those in power change over time, so that oftentimes, at least in a free speech democracy, the passing of time permits a more honest appraisal of past events. We can see this playing out currently, as the Civil War 'heroes' of the Confederate south are more appropriately treated in historical terms as traitors to the republic, and as champions of a harsh, cruel system of enslavement of a large portion of the American population at the time. Likewise, in dictatorships, narcissitic despots often use and distort history to provide support for their violent aggression. We saw this scenario play out in Nazi Germany in the 1930's and 1940's, and we're witnessing it today in Putin's Russia.

My junior year I came up against a tough nun, Sister Janet, who for some god forsaken reason, took it upon herself to make sure that I understood algebra.  I fought her tooth and nail throughout the year, but over time she broke me down and taught me the beauty of the logic inherent in algebraic equations, for which there is no wiggle room between getting it right and getting it wrong.

And lastly, at Abbott Pennings high school, I was taught an even larger lesson by Father Meehan, in religion class.  I questioned some of the basic beliefs of Catholicism in class.  He patiently answered my questions, and in the end told me something that I will always remember, when he said, "don't stop questioning ... question everything".  Little did I know that that was both a blessing and a curse, as I have continued to question everything ever since.


Things To Do in NYC in August - Weekend Events

Things To Do in NYC Each Weekend in August

August 31, 2022 / Things To Do NYC / Gotham Buzz. This section contains our Things To Do reports for each weekend in the month of August in all five boroughs of New York City.

What follows below is an example of the beginning of one of our weekend reports about things to do during the month of August.

Things To Do in NYC This Weekend

1) Blues & BBQ Fest, Summer Streets NYC, Dominican Parade, Macbeth, Little Shakespeare Fest & Asian American Film Fest continue in Manhattan

2) India Day Celebration, Festival of Cinema continues & Free Fan Tickets to U.S. Open Trials become Available in Queens,

3) Coney Island Sand Sculpting & a Rum Festival Return & Hip Hop Film Festival Continues in Brooklyn;

4) SummerStage Concerts at Crotona Park Amphitheater, Dinosaurs at the Zoo & Piazza di Belmont in the Bronx;

5) Summer Concert on Staten Island;

6) also Free Outdoor Concerts, Movies & Theater, Farmers Markets, NYC Public Outdoor Swimming Pools, Street Fairs, Public Beaches

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycAugust 12, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weekend Weather. The temperature highs will be in the low 80's and the temperature lows in the mid 60's all weekend. The humidity drops to 40 - 50% all weekend except Sunday when it begins rising again to about 60%. The winds will be 4 - 10 mph all weekend. No rain is in the forecast.

In the photo at right is a hip hop performer who is a part of a troupe that performed outside the entrance at Christies New York [an auction house] last weekend. The performance was part of a citywide dance festival [we only posted a couple of events], and also a tie into Christies' current online auction of early Hip Hop memorabilia which expires on August 18th, 2022.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC

Saturday, August 13, 2022 from 1 - 9 pm - Blues BBQ Festival. Free summer concerts at Pier 76 near Chelsea Piers in Midtown Manhattan NYC. Free admission, with food not included. For details see - https://hudsonriverpark.org/visit/events/event/blues-bbq-festival-2022/

Saturdays, August 6, 13 & 20, 2022 from 7 am to 1 pm - NYC Summer Streets - There will be street closures to autos and trucks along Lafayette starting at the Brooklyn Bridge, going north to 4th Avenue in the Village, which merges into Park Avenue at Union Square, ending at 72nd Street. People are welcome to bike, stroll, skateboard and whatnot. Motorists will have access to some major cross streets which you can find listed by cutting & pasting this web address into your browser - http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/summerstreets/html/about/neighbors.shtml.

On Sunday, August 14, 2022 beginning at 1 pm there's a Dominican Parade that marches up 6th Avenue from 38th Street to 56th Street in Manhattan.

Thursday, August 4 - Sunday, August 14, 2022 - The Little Shakespeare Festival. It's called 'little' because each production contains only four or five actors. 1) August 4 & 6 - As You Will - at 9 pm and 7 pm respectively, 2) August 5, 7, 11, 12 & 14 - Romeo & Juliet - at 7 pm weekdays and 5.30 pm and 4 pm respectively on Sundays, 3) August 6, 10 & 13 - Unspoken Garden - at 2 pm Saturdays & 7 pm weekday, 4) August 9 - Fights of Shakesepeare & As You Will [double feature] - at 7 pm and 5) Brawls & Burlesque, August 13 at 7 pm & 14 at 2 pm. At the Frigid Theater NYC which performs at Under St. Mark's Theater which is located in the basement at 94 St Marks Place [=8th Street] at 1st Avenue in the East Village - www.frigid.nyc / Tickets are $25 / $20.

August 3 - 13, 2022 - Asian American International Film Festival. This year [2022] they're back with live events and in person screenings at the Asia Society & Museum on the Upper East Side. The Asia Society & Museum is located at 725 Park Avenue at East 70th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan NYC. Tickets are $16 / $10 - For details see www.aaiff.org.


Brooklyn July 4th Fireworks in BK NYC

Brooklyn Fireworks - 4th of July Fireworks BK - 2022

Brooklyn July 4th Fireworks on the East River, 4th of July Fireworks Coney Island BK, Fort Hamilton Independence & Fireworks Celebration & 4th of July Fireworks Jones Beach

4th of july fireworks  brooklyn nyc july 4th fireworks coney island bk nycJune 28, 2022 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods / July 4th Holiday in Brooklyn / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

July 4th Weekend Weather. As of this post 6/28/22, the temperature highs will be in the high 80's during the day and around 70. There's a 50% - 60% chance of rain on Saturday [over a half inch] and a quarter inch of rain on Sunday. The humidity will be 50% - 80% Saturday, falling to 60% on Sunday and down to 50% on Monday. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph throughout the weekend.

 

Macy's July 4th Fireworks along the East River Provide Good Viewing from Brooklyn & Coney Island 4th of July Fireworks Same Night

The Macy's 4th of July fireworks will be shown along the East River this year. They were shown along the East River in 2014 for the first time since 2008, and have remained on the East River ever since. Mayor de Blasio had lobbied the change, which now spans nine years. The Grucci Brothers will be doing the Macy's 4th of July fireworks in NYC, which they've been doing for decades.



Labor Day Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

Things To Do in Brooklyn Over The Labor Day Weekend

brooklyn things to do labor day weekend events brooklyn bk things to do brooklyn labor day weekend BK nycAugust 29, 2022 / Things To Do NYC / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

FYI - We update our front page on the Friday before the Labor Day weekend, with an up-to-date weather forecast, as well as additional Labor Day Weekend events and updates. So please come back to visit us over the weekend.

 

Special Events on Labor Day Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

One of the biggest events of the Labor Day Weekend in Brooklyn is the West Indian American Day Parade and Carnival. While there are events all weekend, the parade begins at 11 am on Monday along the Eastern Parkway departing from Schenectady Avenue and marching down to Grand Army Plaza near the Brooklyn Museum. From 10 am - 6 pm you'll also find food stalls and shopping along the parade route along Eastern Parkway in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn.

 

Labor Day Events in Brooklyn

This weekend you can go bicycling in Brooklyn, play soccer & other games in Brooklyn parks, go shopping Brooklyn, attend Brooklyn parades, watch theater, visit the Brooklyn art museums, and eat out at one of the Brooklyn restaurants.

And it's all happening right here in our favorite borough - Brooklyn. So take your time to sort through the days and locations and start planning your weekend. Click here to obtain information about things to do Labor Day Weekend in Brooklyn. This events calendar is updated monthly with dozens of different Brooklyn fun cultural events.

brooklyn things to do labor day weekend events brooklyn bk things to do brooklyn labor day weekend BK nyc

Brooklyn Public & Private Parks

Brooklyn has one of number of public parks of which a few include swimming facilities. Click here for a listing of the Brooklyn Parks including maps showing their locations along with a bit of park history. This is coming at a later date.

 

NYC Golfing in Brooklyn

Brooklyn has two golf courses and both of them are open this weekend. There's the Dyker Beach Golf Course in Dyker Heights in the southern end of Brooklyn and there's the Marine Park Golf Course in the Marine Park neighborhood with is at the southeastern end of Brooklyn.

Click here for details about Brooklyn golf courses including maps and links to the operators' websites. The links are coming at a later date.


NYC / NYS Politics - Primary Election Tuesday, August 23rd

These are the U.S. Congressional & NYS Senate Primary Races not Held June 28th

nyc poll site locator queens poll site locator manhattan polls locations

August 23, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC. 

The second NYS primary election is on Tuesday, August 23rd.  On the ballot are the U.S. Congressional races and the NYS Senate races, which were not on the ballot on June 28th.

Reason for the Second Primary this Summer & Races to Watch

The reason there were two NYS primaries this year is that the electoral districts drawn up by the Democrats were so gerrymandered, that an upstate court ordered the NYS Legislature to redraw them more fairly. The decision was upheld on Appeal, but due to the timing - the Appeal decision came down in April - there wasn't enough time to redraw the maps in time for the June primary. Hence a second primary today.

The biggest contests to watch coming out of this election is the one pitting two longtime Congresspeople against each other in District 12 - Jerry Nadler of the Upper West Side and Carolyn Maloney of the Upper East Side. And there's a tight race just north of the city in Westchester where Alessandra Biaggi is challenging Sean Patrick Maloney in District 13. Earlier this summer, former Mayor de Blasio dropped out of the congressional race in the newly redrawn 10th District which encompasses part of Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Click on the image above to access the poll finder website, so you can easily find where to vote in your neighborhood.  Remember this is the land of the free and the home of the brave, and many of our ancestors died for our right to elect our leaders. A similar struggle for freedom from oppression is going on in Ukraine right now.  So in as much as you can, do your homework before voting for those you choose to represent you / us. There's still time to do some research on candidates on the web.  

The New York State election is Tuesday August 23rd, and polls are open from 6 am - 9 pm. Click on the graphic above, to find your poll site.


NYC News Updates

CoVid Update, Monkey Pox Update, Tourism Return Dampened by Strong Dollar, Pandemic Spending Shifts & Psychological Impacts

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycAugust 9, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid to high 90's today, falling into the mid 80's for the rest of the week. The temperature lows will be around 70 all week. The humidity will rise from the mid 50's early Tuesday to the mid 70's by Wednesday, falling back to about 60% on Thursday and a comfortable 50% on Friday. There's a 50% chance of a 1/10th inch of rain between 5 - 10 pm Tuesday, and a 50 - 75% chance of about a half inch or more of rain between 11 pm Wednesday and 9 am Thursday. By Friday it's a very nice day, leading into a very nice weekend.

 

CoVid Containment in NYC - MTA Should Either Enforce the Mask Mandate or Withdraw it

This past weekend I noticed that half or less of the passengers on the subway appear to be following the mask mandate. To the MTA I suggest either enforce the mandate, or withdraw it. You weaken the government's credibility and ability to enforce compliance, when you mandate something and then do not follow through by properly / evenly enforcing it. Every good parent knows that.

The BA.5 variant of CoVid grew rapidly from under 10% at the beginning of June 2022, to above 80% by the end of July. Cases rose briefly during that period, before falling back again. About 79% of all Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while about 68% have received two or more. In NYS 91% of New Yorkers have received at least one dose, while 78% have received two or more doses. Because the population has finally come around to getting vaccinated, the hospitalization rates for CoVid are fairly low, with only a small percentage of hospital beds being utilized for CoVid patients, most of which are occupied by the non-vaxers.

Bear in mind that it's the summertime, which is the off season for the disease, because folks are outdoors.


Easing into the Curve - Summer Nears the Half Way Mark

NYC is in Full Summer Swing & While Not Back to Full Strength, We're Nearing it ...

July 26, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

We've mostly been trying to stay abreast of all the summer events this past month. Event schedules changed, some schedules have been reduced, and some venues have closed or remain on hiatus. But by and large, most venues are back up and running on some kind of level, while trying to protect the health and safety of their associates as well as the general public vis a vis CoVid.

So as we remained focused on staying abreast of the many summer events easily accessible to most of the denizens of NYC and NYS, we did not take our eye off of the more serious issues swirling around us. The following is a list of events we've been monitoring and researching along the way, which we intend to delve into in the coming weeks, and perhaps months.

 

The Supreme Court Ignores a 49 Year Old Legal Precedent Established Previously at the Supreme Court

The first event is the Supreme Court ruling which ignored a nearly 50 year precedent declaring a woman's right to choose early pregnancy cessations. The Court essentially struck down the Roe vs Wade decision of 1973, and confiscated a women's right to determine when and if they want to have a baby, leaving it to state politicians to decide.

While some of their arguments about how the original Supreme Court decision was made were logically reasoned, they fell short on their main thesis, upon which Roe v. Wade rested, which is that women have a right to equal enforcement and due process with respect to the law per the 14th Amendment. Section I. of the 14th Amendment states,

"... All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws..."

Lord only knows, that forcing someone to be a mother of a child she does not want, can't end well for the mother, likely won't end well for the baby, and ultimately isn't likely to end well for the rest of society. So the Supreme Court has proven beyond a reasonable doubt, that they are anything but wise. We'll have more on this ruling and the legal arguments ignored by the court and the corporate run mass media, later this summer.

 

The Supreme Court Rules on Americans' Right to Carry Guns Whenever & Whereever

Then there's the issue of law and order and guns. This year the nation has witnessed a record breaking number of mass murders, many of which are done with assault weapons. Assault weapons are generally used in war, by vicious gangsters, or by mass murderers. It's worth noting that automatic assault weapons hadn't yet been invented when the Constitution was drafted and provided citizens with the right to bear arms. While citizens have a right to bear arms, what arms citizens have a right to bear and where, has been regulated throughout the nation's history.

This Supreme Court rolled back longstanding legal precedents in New York State, which limited one's right to carry a gun outside of the home without providing state government officials [regulatory / law enforcement] with a good reason [like hunting or self defense]. The court ruled that NY state didn't have the right to limit a citizen's right to carry a weapon outside of their home based on the current processes. This takes away some significant lethal weapon restraint capability by state and municipal law enforcement, at a time when gun manufacturers have blanketed the nation with lethal weapons. This ruling includes assault weapons, enough of which are getting into the wrong hands, and fueling the record number of mass murders in this country this year.

Automatic weapons were banned back in the days of Al Capone, in order to stop the violence by gangsters, who at the time had more firepower than the police. This was implemented in the 1934 National Firearms Act. The impact of the law - which imposed criminal, regulatory and tax requirements on such weapons - effectively killed the sales of these automatic weapons. Congress officially banned the automatic weapons in 1986, and in 1994 Congress passed the Assault Weapons Ban which had a sunset clause [means the law expires] ten years later in 1994. The ban was not renewed by Congress in 1994 because the NRA / gun lobby and Republicans effectively resisted its renewal.

To NYS and U.S. legislators I recommend reviewing that last paragraph, for some ideas on how to work around the Supreme Court ruling. You have the right to tax commerce, pass criminal laws and regulate commerce. Use these legislative tools. We'll have more on this later this summer or sometime in the fall. Unlike the Roe v Wade Ruling, and even though I am concerned with what is likely to be the collateral damage of the SCOTUS ruling, I found myself able to follow their logic and understand the basis of their decision.

 

CoVid Resurgence via the New Dominant Variant BA 5 & Monkey Pox

CoVid is like a bad guest, who just won't leave. New cases, hospitalizations and deaths are all up again and it's summer time. The reason is that CoVid continues to spread and morph and evolve around the world as most of the planet remains unvaccinated. The good news is that vaccinations in the U.S. keep rising, so that at present 67% of the nation has been fully vaccinated [I don't think that includes the boosters]. So on average, two of the three people you encounter are vaccinated.

So while vaccinations protect most folks from death and hospitalizations, they no longer provide immunity from catching CoVid. The same is true after one catches CoVid. While normally one would be protected by the antibodies manufactured by one's body - because of the multitude of CoVid variants now out there - this immunity guideline doesn't apply to CoVid. We'll have more about this and monkey pox in the coming weeks.

 

A Look at the Long Term Societal Impact of CoVid

The global pandemic radically alterred our daily lives for two full years beginning in 2020, continuing into 2021 and spilling over into 2022. This year [2022] however, appears to be something of a transformative year, as we have all generally returned to more normal levels of activity. But collectively we're still not back up to pre-pandemic levels of activity, and it's unclear if we'll return there.

We'll provide an update on how things have changed both at home and at work. We might even take a stab at trying to predict the future.

 

Putin, Likely a War Criminal, Pushes the War in Ukraine

We'll have an update on the War in the Ukraine as well. We hope some changes may be imminent.

 

A Look at the U.S. Economy, Continued Jobs Growth & Inflation

We're going to provide an update on our assessment of the economy, which is more favorable than many others. We'll provide the reasons why.

 

The Trump Insurrection Hearings & The Donald's Legacy

I've tuned into all eight of the Congressional Insurrection Hearings in some manner or another. Generally I've been surprised at how bipartisan the hearings have been. By that I mean that while the committee panel is populated primarily with Democrats, the majority of witnesses have been Republicans working at the federal, state and local levels.

The Committee has also conducted itself in a very professional and straight forward manner. Every day the lack of intelligence and insight inherent in Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's decision to try to torpedo the committee, by forbidding Republicans from joining it, becomes more clear. McCarthy was mostly successful in discouraging Republicans from joining the committee [what does that say about Congressional Republicans?], but there were a couple of rebels - Adam Kinzinger (Republican Illinois) and Elizabeth Cheney (Republican Wyoming) - both of whom joined the committee at great political and physical risk to themselves. That says a lot about Kinzinger and Cheney and as I watched them on TV, committing what appeared to be political suicide, President Kennedy's book, Profiles in Courage, came to mind.

Both Kinzinger and Cheney have made very insightful speeches about how important these hearings are, if 'We The People' are to retain our grip on those elected - to serve us - not themselves. And they have reinforced the principle that each generation has a responsibility in ensuring that the checks and balances built into the American system of government are maintained, so that America may continue to function as a free, democratic nation.

We will likely publish something on these hearings as we near the 2022 Fall elections, which will likely be more useful for those who have not tuned into the hearings themselves, but we never know what new things we will find while preparing our reports.

 

Untimely Death: Two Russian Oligarchs Live on Ivana Trump's Block

I have a few unanswered questions regarding Ivana Trump's sudden, unexpected, accidental death.

Ivana Trump lived in a building in Manhattan on the Upper East Side in which Donald Trump reportedly still owns a total of five units. It just so happens that Ivana's residence is on a block where two Russian Oligarchs own large residences, and for a time, it is also where the block where a divorced wife of a third Oligarch lived. The wife of the third Oligarch is Dasha Zhukova [Abramovich]. Zhukova became fast friends with Ivanka Trump, after being introduced by Wendi Deng, the former wife of Rupert Murdoch [Fox News / WSJ / NY Post] sometime around 2007.

The Russian Oligarchs who own residences on the same block where Ivana Trump lived, are Oleg Deripaska and Len Blavatnik. Deripaska's residence is immediately across the street from Ivana's residence, which if you were a spy, would be an ideal a location. Zhukova Abramovich lived in Deripaska's residence in 2018, apparently departing from that residence sometime before September 2019.

Zhukova moved ten blocks north of Ivana's block into a large four townhouse development upon which Zhukova's former husband, Roman Abramovich was working. According to a March 12, 2022 report in the Mercury News, Abramovich transferred the real estate, valued at $92 million, to Zhukova in 2018. In 2022 the Russian Oligarch sanctions hit, and now there's a question of whether transferred wealth to relatives [like former wife Zhukova] should also be sanctioned.

According to a March 17, 2022 report in the New Yorker, "... [Russian Opposition Leader Alexei] Navalny has described Abramovich as “one of the key enablers and beneficiaries of Russian kleptocracy...”. Abramovich is considered one of Putin's most trusted Oligarchs, having survived Putin's Oligarch purge after Russian President Boris Yeltsin's fall.

Abramovich must be an incredibly skillful manipulator - not just of Putin - but Abramovich was also the only Russian Oligarch who Ukrainian President Zelensky asked the U.S. not to sanction. Zelensky claimed it was in order to unemcumber Abramovich to broker a Russian / Ukrainian peace deal in Turkey [go figure]. The pact never even came close to happening. Separately, the two nations recently cut a deal to allow free passage of food through the Black Sea, which less than 24 hours later, Putin 'honored' by bombing the Ukrainian port of Odessa, from which the Ukrainian food is to be shipped.

See the Russian Ukrainian War report series for more on Abramovich and Zelensky's relationship. ADD LINK.

Back to Ivana's Trump's residence and her sudden, unexpected and accidental death. So Ivanka Trump became quite friendly with Abramovich's wife, Dasha Zhukova. They became such good friends that they began interacting socially at very public events. The first social event I found documented was in 2014 when Zhukova reportedly invited Ivanka and Jared to a fundraiser organized by her husband, Roman Abramovich, for a Jewish Museum he founded in Moscow. In 2016, as Donald Trump was running for President, Ivanka, Wendi Deng and Zhukova were seen at the the U.S. Open in Queens. And in 2017 Dasha Zhukova was reportedly invited to the Trump Inauguration weekend. Apparently there have been many other interactions, in between those public appearances and since, including some Abramovich investments placed in Jared Kushner's brother's company.

My point in all of this, is that the Russians could have had social access to Ivana Trump's residence and / or were in a position to have access to Ivana Trump's residence via more nefarious means. Given Trump owned so many units in the building, and probably owns the building management company, a lot of the independent context surrounding Ivana's death would be hard to obtain by the authorities without strong cause. I heard nothing about any review of any building video footage on the property itself, nor from the surrounding buildings. After the funeral Ivana's body was subsequently delivered to a Trump golf course in New Jersey, which is private property, owned by Donald Trump.

The details of Ivana Trump's autopsy were scant. The reporting of them had an uncertain quality to them. None of the reports indicated who called in the death. Not by name and not by association. I find that odd. The first cause of death was "cardiac arrest" and then later the cause of death was because of 'blunt' injuries suffered in the fall. Ivana Trump was an athlete, and only 73 years old, so falling down the stairs, and dying from the fall, while believable, is also unbelievable.

It's worth noting here, that accidental deaths are reportedly a Putin specialty. A Russian media baron, Boris Berezovsky, who was on the outs with Putin, reportedly suddenly, unexpectedly and accidentally died in his own bathroom at the age of 67 in 2013. The police determined that the cause of death was "unexplained", but it was surmised that it could have been caused by chemical, biolgical or nuclear material.

The timing of Ivana's death, coincidentally worked in the Donald's favor, as the NYS Attorney General was about to follow through with depositions with the Trump children. Because of Ivana's death, all of the Trump children depositions were postponed by the NYS Attorney General. The Trump family funeral also provided an opportunity for Donald Trump to meet with his children without being asked any questions. I mention this because it's been suggested that Trump may have tried to tamper with a witness for the Insurrection Hearings.

We know from Trump's campaigning in 2016, as well as from the January 6 Insurrection Hearings, that Donald Trump is not above encouraging others to do violence, when it serves his purposes. Ivana Trump reportedly kept contact with the Donald, even after their marriage ended, but the divorce was reportedly fairly hostile, although it also appeared that their relationship settled down, or even healed, over time.

Ivana and Ivanka Trump were reportedly close, as the only two women in that iteration of the Trump family. So, given the above as backdrop, what I found of particular interest, was the body language between the Donald, and Ivanka and Jared at Ivana's funeral. They did not look each other in the eye, and Ivanka and Jared seemed to flee the rest of the family immediately after the funeral. Given the many funerals I've attended, that didn't strike me as normal.

These are just some unasked and unanswered questions that came to mind while I watched the Trumps mourn one of their own. I suspect neither Trump nor Putin will let up with their shenanigans, because right now both of them are losing, and by the time the 2024 election rolls around, both of them might be desperate.

 

De Blasio Drops Out of Race / Tuesday, August 23, 2022 is a 2nd NYS Primary Election Day

This past week, former Mayor de Blasio dropped out of the 10th District Congressional race. The newly drafted district was drawn up after a successful court challenge to the Democrats' partisan drafted boundaries. The challenge and redrafting of the district boundaries delayed those elections affected by the boundaries, which include U.S. Congressional seats and NYS Senate seats. So we have a second primary election day, which is Tuesday, August 23, 2022.

De Blasio dropped out of the 10th District Congressional race because of his poor showing in the polls. What none of the corporate mass media mentioned, is that the former Mayor had been continually blasted with negative front page publicity by the half of NYC media controlled by Australian born Billionaire Oligarch Rupert Murdoch.

Murdoch's media brands: 1) hyped up unfounded allegations against the former Mayor, 2) distorted and amplified negative narratives about NYC government operations, 3) continually attacked the former Mayor with a near constant barrage of nitpicking and 4) ensured that Murdoch media audiences - which unfortunately is half of NYC - were kept in the dark regarding former Mayor de Blasio's key successes and achievements.

Rupert Murdoch successfully lurks in the shadows, away from public view, by hiding behind the American media brands he purchased and now controls. He's especially careful to contain the perception that he exerts a huge, unchecked and abusive influence over the electorates' perception of things. Most New Yorkers have no idea that the Australian born press lord presently controls about half of the daily corporate news media in NYC [and the nation] including: 1) Fox News / Channel 5, 2) WWOR / Channel 9, 3) the NY Post, 4) the Wall St. Journal and appears to have become the most influential shareholder of 5) Disney ABC / Channel 7.

We will continue to cover Murdoch's manipulative use of his mass media outlets, with the hope that by documenting his abuses, some of the people who trust his media outlets will, in time, wake up to his abuse of their trust.

 

And Last - but not Least - Climate Change

I've been researching the issue of climate change for more than half a decade. Naturally, my findings are voluminous and it will take quite a long time to process them. A full report is not expected by the end of the summer, and likely not even by the end of the year. I am hoping sometime in 2023 we can publish a report series investigating where we're at with climate change, what we've done both bad and good, and what we need to do if we don't want planet Earth - what was essentially a natural paradise - to go up in flames.

Here again Rupert Murdoch's huge influence over how the news is presented, makes a significant and societally harmful difference. I say this because most folks don't know that Rupert Murdoch has had ties - both financial and social - to the Saudi Royal Family [of fossil fuel fame] for decades. Those financial and social ties appear to affect how Murdoch's national mass media outlets present the news vis a vis climate change, particularly regarding the role fossil fuels play in accelerating climate change. We'll have more on this later in the summer / year, with hopefully a full report series in 2023.

Enjoy your week, and in the meantime here are links to all sorts of summer activities in all five boros. Enjoy.

Click here for free public outdoor movies - Free Things to do NYC / Free Outdoor Summer Movies Bronx NYC, Free Things to do NYC / Free Outdoor Summer Movies Brooklyn NYC, Free Things to do NYC / Free Outdoor Summer Movies Manhattan NYC, Free Things to do NYC / Free Outdoor Summer Movies Queens NYC and Free Things to do NYC / Free Outdoor Summer Movies Staten Island NYC.

Swim Pools. The NYC public park outdoor swimming pools reopen next Tuesday, June 28th. Here are links to those pools in all of the five boroughs: Free public swimming pools in the Bronx NYC, free public swimming pools in Brooklyn NYC, free public swimming pools in Manhattan NYC, free public swimming pools in Queens NYC and free public swimming pools on Staten Island NYC.

Farmers Markets / Street Fairs. And many of the seasonal farmers markets reopened this month, so you use these links to find one in your neighborhood - Bronx Farmers Markets NYC, Brooklyn Farmers Markets NYC, Manhattan Farmers Markets NYC, Queens Farmers Markets NYC, Staten Island Farmers Markets NYC. And the weekend street fairs are updated weekly - Manhattan street fairs, Queens street fairs, Brooklyn street fairs, Bronx street fairs, Staten Island street fairs.

Click here for fireworks displays throughout all five boroughs this weekend -1) Bronx 4th of July fireworks 2022 & Orchard Beach July 4th fireworks BX NYC, 2) Brooklyn 4th of July fireworks 2022 & Coney Island July 4th fireworks BK NYC, 3) Manhattan 4th of July fireworks 2022, 4) Queens July 4th fireworks 2022 & Astoria Park 4th of July fireworks Queens NYC, and 5) Staten Island 4th of July fireworks 2022.

Click here for free public outdoor concerts - 1) Free Things to do NYC / Free Outdoor Summer Concerts Bronx NYC, 2) Free Things to do NYC / Free Outdoor Summer Concerts Brooklyn NYC, 3) Free Things to do NYC / Free Outdoor Summer Concerts Manhattan NYC, 4) Free Things to do NYC / Free Outdoor Summer Concerts Queens NYC, and 5) Free Things to do NYC / Free Outdoor Summer Concerts Staten Island NYC.

Click here for free public outdoor theater - 1) Free Summer Theater Plays Bronx Bx, 2) Free Summer Theater Plays Brooklyn Bk, 3) Free Summer Theater Plays Manhattan Mhtn, 4) Free Summer Theater Plays Queens Qns and 5) Free Summer Theater Plays Staten Island Si.


* Things To Do This Weekend in NYC

Last Weekend of Performances of Emma in Manhattan, in Queens, BRIC Celebrate BK Fest & Vodou Song & Dance in Brooklyn, The Mott Haven Film Festival & the Orchestra of St. Lukes in the Bronx, Free Film Night at the Lighthouse Museum, the Ocean Breeze Beach Soccer Tournament & Food Truck Festival returns to Staten Island and an African Arts Fest next week, Free Outdoor Concerts & Theater, Farmers Markets, NYC Public Outdoor Swimming Pools, Street Fairs, Public Beaches

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycJuly 22, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid to high 90's and the lows between 80 - 85 degrees. The humidity will be relatively mild, ranging between the mid 40% to mid 50% range. Winds will provide a mild breeze ranging between 3 - 10 mph. No rain is expected over the weekend, and only a slight chance of some small amounts next week.

The photo at right was taken by / at the Wyckoff House Museum which is featuring Festival Minokan celebrating Haitian culture, including vodou. Vodou was an African / Caribbean ritual of communing / praying to one's ancestors. But then Hollywood got wind of it, and proceeded to blow it up / sensationalize it in order to generate ratings and ticket sales.

 

Note. The new variant of CoVid has stimulated a significant uptick in CoVid infections. Many arts / entertainment venues require proof of vaccination with a matching valid ID, and some suggest or even may require the wearing of masks. Use the website links of each venue for their latest guidance, or just come prepared.

 

The Congressional Insurrection Hearings concluded their eighth televised event on Thursday evening. The hearings attracted an audience of 20 million for their first prime time hearing - which Fox TV boycotted - likely because the hearings shed light on the dishonest reporting by Rupert Murdoch's Fox 'News'.

Fox TV decided to broadcast the hearing last night, after continuing to boycott all - or nearly all - of the other televised Insurrection Hearings from their FCC licensed TV stations / network, despite Fox spokespeople's lies declaring the network would televise the hearings. They may have aired the hearings on their cable station, but I didn't check.

Omitting key facts - like not showing / broadcasting these hearings to Fox viewers - is one of the many techniques Murdoch and his mass media minions use to manipulate their viewers' perceptions of people, places and events. Nazi propagandist, Joseph Goebbels, also used this technique [omitting key facts] to mislead the German people, in order to reap personal gains.

A free people must act like adults, and listen to all of the facts, not just those facts they want to hear. Ignoring key facts - by it's very definition - is ignorance. Thomas Jefferson said, "Those who believe one can remain ignorant and free, believe in something that never was and never will be."

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC

On Friday, the French Embassy's Films on the Green series presents Mandabi at the cafe at Pier I in Riverside Park, on Monday Bryant Park presents Beverly Hills Cop 2, and the Asian American Film Festival began at Lincoln Center last week and runs through the end of this month. Use the Manhattan movies link below to get details on this and other upcoming movies in Manhattan this summer.

On Saturday there's a free performance by the Jazz Mobile in Bryant Park. And next Wednesday there's a performance by the Attacca Quartet for Carnegie Hall Citywide Concerts in Madison Square Park near the Flatiron Building. Use the Manhattan concerts link below to get details on this and other upcoming concert performances in Manhattan this summer.

Thursdays thru Sundays, June 30 - July 24, 2022 from 6.30 - 8.30 pm / Emma. On the north patio of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument which can be accessed at West 89th Street and Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side [see photo at right]. Take the steps behind the monument down to the large patio.

Most of the following theater is free. The Drilling Theater Company performs Shakespeares' A Winters Tale on the Lower East Side through Saturday, the Harlem Classical Theater Company performs Shakespeare's Twelfth Night in Marcus Garvey Park weekly, the Harlem Meer Performance Festival continues on Sunday in Central Park, on Monday the SHENYC Festival begins at the Connelly Theater in the East Village [paid], there's Salsa dancing / instruction in Washington Square Park on Tuesday evenings, and Ailey II and Ailey Extension will perform at Bryant Park in Midtown next Thursday. Use the Manhattan theater link below to get details on this and other upcoming theater performances in Manhattan this summer.

 

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC

On Friday night the Queens Botanical Garden is showing the movie Grease in Flushing. Wings Over Water in 3D is showing at the NY Hall of Science in Corona for $4 or $5. Use the Queens movies link below to get details on this and other upcoming movies in Queens this summer.

Sunday, July 24, 2022 – begins 5 & 6 pm - Beast From the East youth breakdance battle by Dynasty Breaking NYC (Astoria) & Teej and The Sidepocket. Use the Queens concerts link below to get details on this and other upcoming concerts in Queens this summer. For example on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 - Zikrayat will perform in Gantry State Park in the evening for free.

On Tuesday & Wednesday, July 26 & 27, 2022 the first half of the Yankee / Mets subway series begins at CitiField at 7.10 pm. I found tickets going for $86 to $172 to $1400. Or instead of paying what seems an outrageous amount of money to a billionaire in order to sweat profusely through a three hour local baseball game, you drop in on your favorite air conditioned sports bar and watch it there, with drinks and food and air conditioning, for less than the price of a ticket. But you're advised to check that the bar is showing the game, as the TV / video rights can be a complicated maze, when it comes to figuring out what services will carry the games.

Coming next week, on Wednesday / Thursday the Feast of St Irene Chrysovalantou Church, on Friday the weekend Pow Wow at the Queens County Farm begins and on Saturday the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival begins.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

Friday, July 22, 2022 from 8 - 11 pm - Sing 2. Transmitter Park is located along the East River at Greenpoint Avenue in the Greenpoint neighborhood of BK. Use the Brooklyn movies link below to get details on this and other upcoming movies in Brooklyn this summer.

Friday, July 22, 2022 from 6 - 8 pm - It's Showtime NYC - This is an Open Studios Residency Performance on the Harbor View Lawn in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Use the Brooklyn theater link below to get details on this and other upcoming theater performances in Brooklyn this summer.

There are concerts Saturday at Shore Road Park in Bay Ridge [free], at the Kings Theatre in Flatbush [paid] and on both Saturday and Sunday there are BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn concerts in Prospect Park [free]. Use the Brooklyn concerts link below to get details on this and other upcoming concerts in Brooklyn this summer.

Saturday, July 23, 2022 from 4 - 8 pm - Haitian Vodou Song and Dance Celebration with Fanmi Asòtò. At the Wyckoff House Museum at 5816 Clarendon Road in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn. From 4 - 6 pm there are History, Talks and Workshops and from 6 - 8 pm there's a ceremony. They describe the event as follows, " ... participate in the rich traditions of Haitian culture and Haitian Vodou. Together we’ll honor our spirits and our ancestors, praise the Earth, and rejoice in song and dance. Join us as we explore the history of Vodou and the Haitian diaspora through artist’s talks, dance, song, and food. This year, Festival Minokan will be focusing on the sacred site of Seremoni Nanchon Nago ...". Free, but you're encouraged to rsvp at www.wyckoffmuseum.org.

July - August 6, 2022 on various days / beginning at various times - BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn Festival. BRIC stands for Brooklyn Information and Culture and was founded in 1979 to revitalize Brooklyn through arts and culture. The festival runs from June 24 - August 6, 2022. Free. At the Prospect Park Bandshell at 62 West Drive in Brooklyn. For details see www.bricartsmedia.org.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx NYC

Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays, July 21, 22 & 23, 2022 from 8 - 10 pm, and Saturday from 2 - 4 pm & Sunday from 3 - 5 pm - My Man the Wolf. is being performed at The Point CDC at 940 Garrison Avenue at Barretto Street in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the Bronx. Use the Bronx theater link below to get details on this and other upcoming theater performances in the Bronx this summer.

On Friday, the movie, Encanto, is showing at the Bronx Terminal Market on the rooftop level and it's free. Use the Bronx movies link below to get full details. Use the Bronx movies link below to get details on this and other upcoming movies in the Bronx this summer.

On Saturday July 23, 2022 at the Pregones / PRTT Theater Garden, at 575 Walton Avenue in the Concourse / Mott Haven neighborhoods of the Bronx, the first performance of Stage Garden Rumba begins. Use the Bronx concert link below to get details on this and other upcoming concert performances in the Bronx this summer.

On Saturday, July 23, 2022 from 4 - 10 pm the Mott Haven Film Festival will be underway at Kreate Hub at 15 Canal Place in the Mott Haven neighborhood in the Bronx. The first block of films is shown at 5 pm and the second block of films is shown at 7 pm. Tickets range from $10 - $40 at www.mhff.nyc.

CANCELLED _ On Saturday, July 23, 2022 from 3 - 4 pm the Orchestra of St. Lukes will be performing at the Bartow Pell Mansion in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. Free.

Weekends - Fridays and Saturdays from 6 pm to 10 pm, and Sundays from 3 pm to 9 pm - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times. Ends Sept 25, 2022.

 

Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC

Friday, July 22, 2022 from 5 - 10 pm there's free film night at the National Lighthouse Museum at 200 The Promenade [just east of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal]. Generally they include some live music prior to the film, which is shown at dusk, which is about or shortly after 8 pm. And there's also a vibrant small vendor market set up for folks to do a bit of shopping. Free. Use the Staten Island movies link below to get details on this and other upcoming movies on Staten Island this summer.

On Saturday, July 23, 2022 from 3.30 - 5 pm - Hair - This 1960's bohemian musical is performed by the Spotlight Theatre Company of Staten Island. It's a play about the counter culture of its time including drugs, political activism and a search for meaning. Bring a blanket to sit on. In prior years they charged $20, but it looks like this may be free [unconfirmed]. At 2 Hylan Blvd. Theatrical performance and waterfront view of the bridge and harbor. For details see www.aliceausten.org or www.spotlighttheatresi.org. Use the Staten Island theater link below to get details on this and other upcoming theater performances on Staten Island this summer.

Saturday, July 23, 2022 - from 5 - 9 pm - Maker Park Radio 5th Anniversary Music & Art Fest. There will be nearly two dozen different artists and entertainers, as well as food and beverages and food trucks. At Maker Park at the Corner of Front & Thompson Streets in the Stapleton neighborhood of Staten Island. Maker Park Radio, the sponsor, is across the street at 450 Front Street. Use the Staten Island concerts link below to get details on this and other upcoming concert performances in the Bronx this summer.

On Saturday & Sunday, July 23 & 24, 2022 from 11 am - 5 pm there's the Ocean Breeze Beach Soccer Tournament & Food Truck Festival at the Midland Beach Picnic Grounds, just off the Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk at Father Capodanno Blvd and Lincoln Avenue on Staten Island. The soccer tournament is for kids ages 8 - 17 and people of all ages are welcome. This is organized by the Ocean Breeze Athletics Department and the NYC Parks Dept [www.nycgovparks.org].

On Wednesday, July 27, 2022 from 7 - 10 pm there's the African Arts & Cultural Awareness Festival at 450 Front Street, just across from Maker Park in the Stapleton neighborhood of Staten Island. They describe the event as follows, " ... [an] opportunity to enjoy authentic African cuisine, music, folklore, fashion, poetry, crafts and so much more ... we hope participants will have greater awareness, understanding and appreciation for African people, and their artistic and cultural traditions ...". Entrance is free, but likely the food and crafts are for sale.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in NYC

Links

Have a nice weekend.


Things To Do Brooklyn - Free Summer Movies in BK NYC

Brooklyn - Free Summer Movies 2022

Free Things To Do - Free Summer Movies in Brooklyn Parks in NYC

July 26, 2022 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods / Brooklyn Things To Do / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

bronx free summer movies bronx morris park van cortlandt pelham bay coop city parkchester free summer movies things to do melrose mott haven fordham norwood belmont free summer movie bronx nycSummer is in full swing. A number of community groups in collaboration with the NYC Parks Department and frequently some measure of government funding, have put together a summer full of free summer theater in the parks. The free theatre events listed below are designed for young and old alike and they're FREE.

 

We'll continue to add to this listing of free movies in the park in Brooklyn as we become aware of other productions.

 

  • Free Summer Outdoor Theater in the Park in Brooklyn

  • Free Things To Do in Brooklyn

  • Current Brooklyn Things To Do. Click here to view a listing of current Brooklyn things to do.


Things To Do This Weekend in NYC

City of Water Day Saturday, Go Africa Festival and Shakespeare in Manhattan, Jazz Jam All Stars & SummerStage Concert in Queens, Giglio Festival Continues in Brooklyn, Bronx Doc Film Block Party & LGBTQ Pride Festival & Health Fair in the Bronx, Maker Park Radio Music & Art Fest on Staten Island, Free Outdoor Concerts & Theater, Farmers Markets, NYC Public Outdoor Swimming Pools, Street Fairs, Public Beaches

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycJuly 15, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Weather. The temperature highs will be in the 80's and the lows in the low to mid 70's. The humidity will rise from the 40% range to 70% Friday and then range from 70% - 80% for the rest of the weekend. The winds will be in the 5 - 10 mph range all weekend. While it will be cloudy on Saturday & Sunday, no rain is expected until Sunday.

 

Things To Do in NYC This Weekend

On Saturday NYC celebrates itself and one of the sustenances of life, the water that surrounds us, with numerous events around the City of Water Day. For events in all five boroughs and beyond see - www.hudsonriver.org/article/city-of-water-day-2022

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC

Saturday, July 16, 2022 from 10 am to 6 pm - 7th Annual Go Africa Carnival - Along West 116th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard [7th Avenue] and Frederick Douglass Boulevard [8th Avenue]. The epicenter is at 216 West 216th Street. There will be three stages showcasing African and Caribbean culture including music, food, art and shopping. Street fairs in Washington Heights & Harlem [http://goafricacarnival.org].

Tuesdays - Sundays, June 21 - July 17, 2022 beginning at 8 pm - Richard III - By William Shakespeare / Adapted by Robert O'Hara. This adaptation of the Shakespearean classic about a power hungry King who will stop at nothing to obtain and keep power seems reminiscent of former President Donald Trump and his Chief Propagandist, Rupert Murdoch of Fox News, the WSJ and the NY Post. Free Shakespeare in the park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park in Manhattan NYC. See location instructions above.

Thursdays thru Sundays, June 30 - July 24, 2022 from 6.30 - 8.30 pm / Emma. On the north patio of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument which can be accessed at West 89th Street and Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side [see photo at right]. Take the steps behind the monument down to the large patio.

 

Things To Do in Queens This Weekend NYC

On Saturday, July 16, 2022 beginning at 7.30 pm there's Jazz Jam All Stars Concert at Flushing Town Hall at 137-35 Northern Blvd in Queens. Jazz musicians selected from events held around the city and beyond will be performing. Tickets are $25 / $20 at www.flushingtownhall.org.

Saturday, July 16, 2022 from 6 - 9 pm - SummerStage featuring ChocQuibTown / Nanpa Basico / Salt Cathedral DJ Set. This free concert will be held in a field just south of the Queens Theatre in the Park / the Unisphere, and adjacent to the Maloof Skate Park.

On Saturdays from 5 pm - 12 midnight, the Queens International Night Market is at the NY Hall of Science in Flushing. It's primarily a food market, featuring many diffferent cuisines from around the world.

On Sunday, July 17, 2022 beginning at 6 pm, there's free entertainment in Travers Park in Jackson Heights featuring Diabolo Juggling Chinese yoyo workshop with Glow Community Center (Flushing) & a Brothers In Madness (B.I.M.) feat, and Fariyah Premaa.

 

Things To Do in Brooklyn This Weekend NYC

The Giglio Festival began on Thursday, July 7, 2022 and runs through Sunday, July 17, 2022 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church at 275 North 8th Street at Havemeyer Street in Williamsburg in Brooklyn. See www.olmcfeast.com for a schedule of daily events.

 

Things To Do in the Bronx This Weekend

Saturday, July 16, 2022 from 11 am - 6 pm - There's a Bronx Doc Film Latin American Foto Festival & Block Party at 614 Courtlandt Avenue at 151st Street in the Melrose neighborhood of the Bronx. There will be food, entertainment, arts, crafts, games and fotos. Rsvps are encouraged at www.bronxdoc.org.

On Saturday, July 16, 2022 from 11 am to 7 pm. Free - Bronx 11th Annual LGBTQ Pride Festival & Health Fair - At the Crotona Park Amphitheatre in Crotona Park at 1700 Crotona Avenue at 559 Claremont Parkway. Live entertainment and booths. Street fairs near Mt Eden in the Mount Hope neighborhood of the Central Bronx & Montefiore Medical is one of organizers. Free.

Sunday, July 17, 2022 from 10 am - 2 pm - There's a Riverdale Pride event. They describe it as "Music, Art, Food, Drag". At the Riverdale Neighborhood House at 5521 Mosholu Avenue in Riverdale in the Bronx.

Sunday, July 17, 2022 beginning at 5 pm Trilingual Mass [English, Italian and Spanish], 6 pm OLMC Procession and at 7 pm Community Gathering - Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Feast Day - A block celebration of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on Belmont Avenue at East 187th Street in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx. In the past the community gathering included food, entertainment and games - but not sure in 2022 what's included.

Every weekend from 6 pm - 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 pm - 9 pm on Sundays - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times. Ends Sept 25, 2022.

 

Things To Do on Staten Island This Weekend

Saturday, July 16, 2022 - from 5 - 9 pm - Maker Park Radio 5th Anniversary Music & Art Fest. There will be nearly two dozen different artists and entertainers, as well as food and beverages and food trucks. At Maker Park at the Corner of Front & Thompson Streets in the Stapleton neighborhood of Staten Island. Maker Park Radio, the sponsor, is across the street at 450 Front Street.

Saturday, July 16, 2022 - from 1 - 2.30 pm - Alice Austen Lived Here - Book Signing. On the lawn at the Alice Austen House at 2 Hylan Blvd in the Rosebank neighborhood of SI. They request registration at www.eventbrite.com/e/alice-austen-lived-here-book-signing-with-author-alex-gino-tickets-320051250907

Fridays & Saturdays, July 8, 9, & 15, 16, 2022 from 8 - 11 pm - A Merchant of Venice. An adaptation / reinterpretation of Shakespeare's play by the Director. Admission $27 / $22 at www.sishakespeare.org. The Snug Harbor Cultural Center is located at 1000 Richmond Terrace in the Randall Manor neighobrhood of Staten Island. The Shakespearean play is held in the Tuscan Garden near the Heritage Farm & Children's Museum. The July 10th event is on the Porch of Cottage A.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in NYC

Links.

Have a nice weekend.


Things To Do Brooklyn - Free Summer Theater in BK NYC

Brooklyn - Free Summer Outdoor Theater 2022

Free Things To Do in Brooklyn - Free Summer Theater Park in BK NYC

July 26, 2022 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods / Brooklyn Things To Do / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

free things to do brooklyn free summer theater bkSummer is in full swing. A number of community groups in collaboration with the NYC Parks Department and frequently some measure of government funding, have put together a summer full of free summer theater in the parks. The free theatre events listed below are designed for young and old alike and they're FREE.

We'll continue to add to this listing of free theater in the park in Brooklyn as we become aware of other productions.

  • Free Summer Outdoor Theater in the Park in Brooklyn 2022

  • Free Things To Do in Brooklyn 2022

  • Current Brooklyn Things To Do. Click here to view a listing of current Brooklyn things to do.


Things To Do This Weekend in NYC

BRIC Opening Concert, Giglio Festival & Afro Jam Return to Brooklyn, Bastille Day Celebrated in Manhattan, Eid Festival in Queens, Free Outdoor Concerts, Farmers Markets, NYC Public Outdoor Swimming Pools, Street Fairs, Free Outdoor Theater, Public Beaches

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycJuly 7, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Weather. The temperature highs will be around 80 degrees and the lows about 70 degrees all weekend. It will be partly cloudy on Friday, with about a quarter inch of rain expected beginning late Friday night and departing by midday Saturday. The rest of the weekend will be clear. The humidity will fall throughout the weekend from 65% - 80% on Friday to 70% on Saturday to 50% - 65% on Sunday. There will be a nice breeze of 7 - 10 mph throughout the weekend.

The photo at right is of the Giglio Festival in Brooklyn in a prior year. The festival began in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on July 7 and runs through Sunday 7/17/22.

 

Things To Do in Manhattan This Weekend

On Sunday, July 10, 2022 from 12 noon - 5 pm - Bastille Day returns to Manhattan along Madison Avenue from 59th Street to 63rd Street . It's organized by the French Institute Allianz Francais aka FIAF, a French cultural organization, so it's a somewhat unique street fair featuring all things French including champagne, wine and cheeses and other foods and objets d'arte. Also from 1.30 - 3 pm they're hosting a Champagne and Musette Party in the FIAF Skyroom at 22 60th Street. The party includes jazz, champagne, macarons and hors d'oeuvres. Tickets are $65 - $75 which you may obtain at www.fiaf.org

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, July 6 - 9, 2022 generally beginning between 5 / 6 / 7.30 pm - Mostly Mozart in Harmony - a festival with an eclectic mix of music and performers. The programs contain a mix of music performed by classically trained musicians. Free summer outdoor concerts at Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side of Manhattan NYC. For specific details, see - www.lincolncenter.org/series/summer-for-the-city/s/Mostly%20Mozart%20Festival%20Orchestra

Friday, July 8th, beginning at 7 pm there's a free Carnegie Hall Citywide concert by The Baylor Project in Bryant Park, which is located between 5th and 6th Avenues and between 40th and 42nd Streets in Midtown Manhattan, behind the New York Public Library.

Tuesdays - Sundays, June 21 - July 17, 2022 beginning at 8 pm - Richard III - By William Shakespeare / Adapted by Robert O'Hara. This adaptation of the Shakespearean classic about a power hungry King who will stop at nothing to obtain and keep power seems reminiscent of former President Donald Trump and his Chief Propagandist, Rupert Murdoch of Fox News, the WSJ and the NY Post. Free Shakespeare in the park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park in Manhattan NYC. See location instructions above.

Thursdays thru Sundays, June 30 - July 24, 2022 from 6.30 - 8.30 pm / Emma. On the north patio of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument which can be accessed at West 89th Street and Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side [see photo at right]. Take the steps behind the monument down to the large patio.

 

Things To Do in Queens This Weekend

On Sunday from 5 - 9 pm there's an Eid Festival in Astoria Park between 19th Street and Hoyt Avenue in Astoria. The event celebrates Egyptian culture and it's free.

On Saturdays from 5 pm - 12 midnight, the Queens International Night Market is at the NY Hall of Science in Flushing. It's primarily a food market, featuring many diffferent cuisines from around the world.

On Sunday, July 10, 2022 beginning at 6 pm, there's a free concert in Travers Park in Jackson Heights by Sonica.

 

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nyc

Things To Do in Brooklyn This Weekend

The photo at right is of the McCarren Park public pool in the Williamsburg / Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Friday, July 8, 2022 - Doors 6.30 pm and the Show begins at 7.30 pm - BRIC Celebrate Brookly Concert Opener. The opening concert features rapper and activist Vic Mensa with aja monet. Vic Mensa is among the most socially conscious artists in hip hop – outspoken and engaged on issues ranging from gun violence to racial justice to mental health. He’s teaming up with his friend, the poet and musician aja monet, for a night celebrating the power of art to make sustainable change.

The Giglio Festival began on Thursday, July 7, 2022 and runs through Sunday, July 17, 2022 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church at 275 North 8th Street at Havemeyer Street in Williamsburg in Brooklyn. See www.olmcfeast.com for a schedule of daily events.

There's an Afro Jam Fest in Restoration Plaza on Saturday from 5 - 10 pm and it's free.

Saturday, July 9, 2022 from 7 - 9 pm - Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. Free rsvp registration is suggested at www.brooklynbridgepark.org. This is on the Harborview Lawn.

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, July 8, 9 & 10, 2022 from 7 - 9 pm - Cymbeline - They describe their rendition of this play as: "... intrigue and drama in William Shakespeare’s 1611 romantic adventure Cymbeline, performed by seven energetic actors." Free summer outdoor theater / plays in the Brooklyn Common Park at the Metrotech Center at Myrtle Avenue and Bridge Street in the downtown Brooklyn neighborhood in NYC.

 

Things To Do in the Bronx This Weekend

Every weekend from 6 pm - 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 pm - 9 pm on Sundays - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times. Ends Sept 25, 2022.

Monday, July 11, 2022 from 1 - 3 pm - Abolitionist Celebration Day. A two hour celebration of the abolition of slavery with speeches and music in Joyce Kilmer Park.

 

Things To Do on Staten Island This Weekend

Fridays & Saturdays, July 8, 9, & 15, 16, 2022 from 8 - 11 pm - A Merchant of Venice. An adaptation / reinterpretation of Shakespeare's play by the Director. Admission $27 / $22 at www.sishakespeare.org. The Snug Harbor Cultural Center is located at 1000 Richmond Terrace in the Randall Manor neighobrhood of Staten Island. The Shakespearean play is held in the Tuscan Garden near the Heritage Farm & Children's Museum. The July 10th event is on the Porch of Cottage A.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in NYC

Links.

Have a nice weekend.


Things To Do Brooklyn - Free Summer Concerts in BK NYC

Brooklyn - Free Summer Concerts 2022

Free Things To Do In Brooklyn - Free Summer Concerts in NYC

free things to do brooklyn free summer theater bkJuly 26, 2022 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods / Brooklyn Things To Do / Brooklyn Blvd NYC.

 

Editor's Note - We will be adding a few more concerts between now and the end of September. So check back periodically for updates which you can note by the date changing above.

 

Summer is in full swing. A number of community groups in collaboration with the NYC Parks Department and frequently some measure of government funding, have put together a summer full of films and free summer concerts in the parks. The free concerts listed below are designed for young and old alike and they're FREE.

Note that there are numerous paid musical performances as well, throughout Brooklyn, including at the Coney Island Amphitheater, Union Hall, the Prospect Park Bandshell, the Music Hall of Williamsburg, the Bushwick Public House and many more venues.

  • Free Summer Outdoor Theater in the Park in Brooklyn 2022

  • Music / Concerts in the Park in Brooklyn 2022

  • Free Things To Do in Brooklyn 2022

  • Current Brooklyn Things To Do. Click here to view a listing of current Brooklyn things to do


Things To Do This Weekend in NYC

July 4th Holiday Weekend Fireworks; Free Outdoor Concerts, Farmers Markets, NYC Public Outdoor Swimming Pools, Street Fairs, Free Outdoor Theater, Public Beaches & Governor Hochul Handily Wins Primary

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycJuly 1, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Weather. The temperature highs will be in the high 70's on Friday, rising to the high 80's for the rest of the weekend, including Monday 7/4. The temperature lows will hover around 70 degrees all weekend. There's a 50% chance of about a 1/4 inch of rain on Saturday. Winds will be about 10 - 12 mph on Friday, dropping to about 6 - 8 mph for the rest of the weekend. The humidity will be 60% - 70% on Friday and Saturday, falling to 40% - 50% on Sunday and rising a bit to 40% - 60% on Monday. All in all, not a bad weekend.

The photo at right was taken at Coney Island in Brooklyn in mid June of this year. Coney Island amusement park is only a subway ride away, and along the sandy beaches of the Brooklyn shore. There will also be fireworks there on both Friday night and the night of Monday, July 4th.

 

Hochul & Zeldin Win, Setting Up Clear Choice in the November Election

Governor Kathy Hochul looks well on her way to becoming the first woman to be elected Governor of the state of New York. She won 67% of the vote in the Democratic primary, handily defeating Public Advocate Jumaane Williams [20%] and Congressman Tom Suozzi [12%]. Hochul faces Congressman Lee Zeldin in the fall. Zeldin is pro guns, and an advocate of taking away a woman's right to choose early pregnancy cessation, while Hochul has been moving swiftly to curb the proliferation of gun carriers in public and to protect a woman's right to choose in NYS. The race is shaping up to provide voters with a pretty clear cut choice.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in NYC

Swim Pools. The NYC public park outdoor swimming pools reopen next Tuesday, June 28th. Here are links to those pools in all of the five boroughs: Free public swimming pools in the Bronx NYC, free public swimming pools in Brooklyn NYC, free public swimming pools in Manhattan NYC, free public swimming pools in Queens NYC and free public swimming pools on Staten Island NYC.

Farmers Markets / Street Fairs. And many of the seasonal farmers markets reopened this month, so you use these links to find one in your neighborhood - Bronx Farmers Markets NYC, Brooklyn Farmers Markets NYC, Manhattan Farmers Markets NYC, Queens Farmers Markets NYC, Staten Island Farmers Markets NYC. And the weekend street fairs are updated weekly - Manhattan street fairs, Queens street fairs, Brooklyn street fairs, Bronx street fairs, Staten Island street fairs.

Click here for fireworks displays throughout all five boroughs this weekend -1) Bronx 4th of July fireworks 2022 & Orchard Beach July 4th fireworks BX NYC, 2) Brooklyn 4th of July fireworks 2022 & Coney Island July 4th fireworks BK NYC, 3) Manhattan 4th of July fireworks 2022, 4) Queens July 4th fireworks 2022 & Astoria Park 4th of July fireworks Queens NYC, and 5) Staten Island 4th of July fireworks 2022.

Click here for free public outdoor concerts which we're still working on - 1) Free Things to do NYC / Free Outdoor Summer Concerts Bronx NYC, 2) Free Things to do NYC / Free Outdoor Summer Concerts Brooklyn NYC, 3) Free Things to do NYC / Free Outdoor Summer Concerts Manhattan NYC, 4) Free Things to do NYC / Free Outdoor Summer Concerts Queens NYC, and 5) Free Things to do NYC / Free Outdoor Summer Concerts Staten Island NYC.

Click here for free public outdoor theater which we're also still working on - 1) Free Summer Theater Plays Bronx Bx, 2) Free Summer Theater Plays Brooklyn Bk, 3) Free Summer Theater Plays Manhattan Mhtn, 4) Free Summer Theater Plays Queens Qns and 5) Free Summer Theater Plays Staten Island Si.

Have a great weekend and a happy fourth.


NYC / NYS Politics - Primary Election Tuesday, June 28th

NYS Primaries are June 28th - Except for U.S. Congressional & NYS Senate Races

nyc poll site locator queens poll site locator manhattan polls locations

Updated June 27, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC. 

The NYS primary election is on Tuesday, June 28th.  On the ballot are the following races: U.S. Senate, Governor, Other state executives, State Assembly, Special state legislative, School boards, Municipal government and Ballot measures.

Click on the image above to access the poll finder website, so you can easily find where to vote in your neighborhood.  Remember this is the land of the free and the home of the brave, and many of our ancestors died for our right to vote. A similar struggle for freedom from oppression is going on in Ukraine right now.  So in as much as you can, do your homework before voting for those you choose to represent you / us. There's still time to do some research on candidates on the web.  

The New York City election is Tuesday June 28th, and polls are open from 6 am - 9 pm. Click on the graphic above, to find your poll site.

FYI - July 4th Fireworks celebrations coming later tonight.


Things To Do This Weekend in NYC

Gay Pride Parade & PrideFest in Manhattan, the Jamaica Dance Festival Continues and the Astoria Park Fireworks Returns to Queens, the Gowanus Art Festival, Funday Festival, Midwood Mardis Gras & Tastes of Crown Heights in Brooklyn; Bronx River Sounds Art Fest & Bronx Night Market in the Bronx; Polish Festival & Free Concert for Ukraine on Staten Island; NYC Public Outdoor Swimming Pools Open Next Week, Early Voting Ends Sunday & NYS Primary Election Tuesday

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycJune 24, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Weather. The temperatures will be about 90 degrees this weekend, and the lows about 70 degrees. The humidity will be between 50% - 60% all weekend. Winds will be about 12 mph Saturday and about 17 mph Sunday. No rain is expected over the weekend, but about a 1/2 inch to an inch is due to arrive on Monday.

The photo at right was taken at the Gay Pride Parade in the West Village in Manhattan prior to the pandemic.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan

Saturday, June 25, 2022 from 10 am - 6 pm - Little West 12th Street Block Party - Along Little West 12th Street between 9th Avenue and Washington Street in the West Village.

The Gay Pride Parade returns to the West Village on Sunday, June 26th beginning at 12 noon at Madison Square Park at 26th Street and 5th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. The parade turns west toward the West Village at 8th Street, continues onto Christopher Street before turning north on 7th Avenue, ending at 15th Street.

Also on Sunday, June 26, 2022 there's also a Gay Pride street fair along 4th Avenue between 8th and 13th streets in the Village. It begins at 11 am and ends around 6 pm. The fair includes entertainment, food and wellness booths.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Queens

Saturday, June 25, 2022 - Annual Jamaica Dance Festival - Begins at 7 pm - In Rufus King Park on Jamaica Avenue at 150th Street. Free dance performances by local performers. Street fairs in Jamaica NY.

Sunday, June 26, 2022 from 10 am - 6 pm - Forest Hills Summer Fest - Along Queens Blvd from Yellowstone Blvd to 70th Road. St fairs in Forest Hills.

On Wednesday, June 29th beginning at 7.30 pm there's an Independence Celebration with Fireworks in Astoria Park. The event includes music, food vendors and fireworks that begin about dusk which is generally between 9 - 9.30 pm.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn

Saturday & Sunnday, June 25 & 26, 2022 - Gowanus Art Festival - Arts Gowanus ArtWalk on Atlantic Avenue. "... return the weekend of June 18th for two weekends until June 26th. The 1.5-mile self-guided ArtWalk through Brooklyn neighborhoods of Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, and Cobble Hill ... includes the works of local artists - paintings, photography, drawings, sculpture and large installations. Over 100 artists will display their works. Also food along the way.

Saturday, June 25, 2022 from 12 noon - 6 pm - Tastes of Brooklyn / Tastes of Crown Heights - This event is found generally along Flatbush Avenue and Nostrand Avenue between Linden and Atlantic Avenues in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. The event features over a dozen participating local restaurants offering tastes of their cuisine. Tickets range from $35 - $100 for four and twelve tastes respectively. Tickets are available on eventbrite or at the starting point noted above.

Sunday, June 26, 2022 from 12 noon to 6 pm. 43rd Annual Midwood Mardi Gras. Along Avenue M between Coney Island and Ocean Avenue in Brooklyn. The fair includes food, rides, shopping, an FDNY fire safety experience and a Jewish organ performance from 1 - 4 pm. Organized by Midwood Merchants Assn [www.middev.org] & Meteor Festivals. Brooklyn street fairs in the Midwood neighborhood NYC.

Sunday, June 26, 2022 from 10 am to 6 pm. Sunday Funday aka Smith Street Fair. Along Smith Street from Union to Bergen Street in Carroll Gardens. Live music and entertainment, arts, crafts and food. Brooklyn Street Fairs in Carroll Gardens near Cobble Hill & Boerum Hill. Organized by the South Brooklyn Local Development Corp / clrvw.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx

Saturday, June 25, 2022 from 1 - 8 pm - Bronx Night Market - in Fordham Plaza at East Fordham Road and Third Avenue across from the Metro North Railway Station. This is mostly a food market versus a street fair in the Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx.

Friday, June 17, 2022 & Saturday June 25, 2022 from 7 - 8.15 pm and on Saturday, June 18th from 1 - 8.15 pm - The 19th Annual Bronx River Sounds Performing Arts Festival at at the Bronx River Art Center at 1087 East Tremont in the West Farms neighborhood of the Bronx. Tickets $5, $10, $15 and CoVid masking protocols remain in effect. Details at www.bronxriverart.org.

 

Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island

On Sunday, June 26, 2022 beginning from 1 - 8 pm there's a Polish Cultural Festival honoring St. Stanislaus at the St. Stanislaus Kostka Church at 109 York Avenue in the New Brighton neighborhood of Staten Island. The event includes food, music, dance and shopping.

On Sunday, June 26, 2022 beginning at 6 pm there will be a free concert given by the NY Philharmonic at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center.

 

Early Voting, Things To Do in NYC This Weekend & Tuesday Election

Click here to find an early voting location link, including wait times. You'll also find a graphic which you can click on to find your poll location for Tuesday.

The NYC public park outdoor swimming pools reopen next Tuesday, June 28th. Here are links to those pools in all of the five boroughs: Free public swimming pools in the Bronx NYC, free public swimming pools in Brooklyn NYC, free public swimming pools in Manhattan NYC, free public swimming pools in Queens NYC and free public swimming pools on Staten Island NYC.

And many of the seasonal farmers markets reopened this month, so you use these links to find one in your neighborhood - Bronx Farmers Markets NYC, Brooklyn Farmers Markets NYC, Manhattan Farmers Markets NYC, Queens Farmers Markets NYC, Staten Island Farmers Markets NYC. And the weekend street fairs are updated weekly - Manhattan street fairs, Queens street fairs, Brooklyn street fairs, Bronx street fairs, Staten Island street fairs.

Have a nice weekend.


Things To Do This Weekend in NYC

Happy Fathers Day, Frick Museum Hosts Open Night Tonight / Friday, Tribeca Film Fest Ends Sunday in Manhattan; Jamaica Dance Festival, Chocolate Factory, Astoria Performing Arts Center & Thalia Theater all Performing in Queens; the Gowanus Art Festival & the Mermaid Parade Returns to Coney Island in Brooklyn; Bronx River Sounds Performing Arts Festival, Bronx Fair, LGBTQ Festival and the Hunts Point Fish Parade returns to the Bronx; Juneteenth Celebrated at Snug Harbor & Monday Golf Outings on / near Staten Island & Make Music NY Returns the first day of Summer on Tuesday 6/21

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycUpdated June 18 / June 17, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.  Report & photo by Michael Wood.

Weather. The temperature highs will be near 90 on Friday, dropping to around 70 for the rest of the weekend. The temperature lows will be in the low 60's on Friday, dropping into the high 50's the rest of the weekend. The humidity will be 50% on Friday, dropping to 40% the rest of the weekend. Winds will be about 10 mph on Friday and Sunday, rising to 15 mph on Saturday.

 

The photo at right was taken at the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island in Brooklyn on Saturday. It's part art, part exhibitionism and all fun.

Also, on Tuesday, June 21, the first day of summer Make Music NY returns to locations in all give boroughs around the city. See wwww.makemusicny.org for details.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycFriday, June 17, 2022 from 5 - 9 pm, the Frick Museum is hosting a new quarterly series progam entitled Cheng-Harrell Open Nights. The Frick is located at 1 East 70th Street at 5th Avenue, but that site is temporarily closed for renovations. Their temporary site is 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street which is where this event is being held. The theme is gay pride. Free.

The photo at right was taken at one of the numerous roof top bars in Manhattan. There's generally a good view and a good breeze.

Ending Sunday, June 19, 2022 - The Tribeca Film Festival. There's an early / preview event at the United Palace at 4140 Broadway the weekend beginning June 4th in Washington Heights. There are a multitude of free and paid live events and films covering a variety of subjects including but not limited to LGBTQ, LatinX and Juneteenth to view at various venues around the city. For details see www.tribecafilm.com

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn

RECURRING _ Saturday, June 18 & 19 and 25 & 26, 2022 - Gowanus Art Festival - Arts Gowanus ArtWalk on Atlantic Avenue. "... return the weekend of June 18th for two weekends until June 26th. The 1.5-mile self-guided ArtWalk through Brooklyn neighborhoods of Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, and Cobble Hill ... includes the works of local artists - paintings, photography, drawings, sculpture and large installations. Over 100 artists will display their works. Also food along the way.

Saturday, June 18, 2022 from 1- 5 pm. Coney Island Mermaid Parade. It begins marching east along Surf Avenue at West 21st Street, marches eastward to West 10th Street, where it turns south toward the Boardwalk. At the Boardwalk it heads east and ends at the Pier. Brooklyn street fairs in the Coney Island neighborhood Brooklyn NYC.

Sunday, June 19, 2022 from 10 am / 12 noon - 6 pm. 7th Heaven Festival / Brooklyn Street Fair. Along 7th Avenue between Flatbush and 16th Street. A Fathers' Day street fair with arts, crafts, food, music, antiques, shopping and a classic car show. Park Slope street fairs in Brooklyn. Organized by parkslopechamber.com w/ clrvw.

 

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Queens

RECURRING _ Saturdays, June 4, 11, 18 & 25, 2022 - Annual Jamaica Dance Festival - Begins at 7 pm - In Rufus King Park on Jamaica Avenue at 150th Street. Free dance performances by local performers. Street fairs in Jamaica NY.

Saturday, June 18, 2022 from 12 noon - 5 pm - LIC Spring [formerly Flings] - LIC Street Festival along Vernon Blvd between 50th Avenue and 46th Avenue in Long Island City LIC. Mostly local performers & some food sponsored by the LIC business improvement district.

The Chocolate Factory, Thalia Theater and Astoria Performing Arts Center are hosting performances this weekend. Details coming to the Events Calendar later in the weekend but in the meantime you can google them for details.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Bronx

Friday, June 17, 2022 from 7 - 8.15 pm and on Saturday, June 18th from 1 - 8.15 pm - The 19th Annual Bronx River Sounds Performing Arts Festival at at the Bronx River Art Center at 1087 East Tremont in the West Farms neighborhood of the Bronx. Tickets $10 and CoVid masking protocols remain in effect.

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycSaturday, June 18, 2022 from 11 am - 4 pm. Annual Hunts Point Fish Parade & Festival. Begins at Hunts Point Riverside Park [just across the Bronx River from Soundview Park] at Lafayette Avenue and Edgewater Road with pre-parade registration & activities beginning at 11 am [free]. It's possible most or all of the activities will remain centered around Hunts Point Riverside Park. The previous info above has been CONFIRMED. WHAT FOLLOWS IS HISTORICAL PRECEDENT. In the past, the Fish Parade marches through Hunts Point beginning at 12 noon and ends at Barretto Point Park at Tiffany and Viele Avenue around 1 pm where games, music, food and raffles are available throughout the festival which ends at 4 pm. Bronx street fairs in Hunts Point. Organized by the Point CDC.x

The photo at right shows a cyclist strutting his stuff in NYC a bit earlier this year.

Saturday, June 18, 2022 from 10 am or 11 am - 6 pm or 7 pm - Annual Bronx Fair in the Square on Lane Avenue & 11th Annual Bronx Fair in the Square on Tremont Avenue - Along Lane Avenue from Tremont Avenue to Westchester Avenue. Also along Tremont Avenue from St Raymonds to Frisby Avenue. Bronx St fairs festivals in the Westchester Square neighborhood of the East Bronx. Organized by the WSBID & clrvw.x

Sunday, June 19, 2022 from 12 noon - 8 pm. 1 Bronx Festival / HUB 3rd Avenue Summer Festival / LGBTQ Festival - Along Third Avenue between 149th and 156th streets. Bronx street fairs in the Melrose neighborhood and near Mott Haven. Organized by Third Avenue BID, LGBTQ Bronx Caucus, Out Bronx, BAAD & Bronx Borough President.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Staten Island

Sunday, June 19, 2022 beginning at 12 noon - Juneteenth Freedom Festival at Snug Harbor Cultural Center. See www.snug-harbor.org for details.

Monday, June 20, 2022 - Annual Lighthouse Museum Golf Outing - Jumping Brook Country Club in Neptune, NJ. See www.lighthousemuseum.org for details.

Monday, June 20, 2022 - Annual BiniFund.org Golf Outing - Richmond County Country Club. See www.binifund.org for details.

And many of the seasonal farmers markets reopened this month, so you use these links to find one in your neighborhood - Bronx Farmers Markets NYC, Brooklyn Farmers Markets NYC, Manhattan Farmers Markets NYC, Queens Farmers Markets NYC, Staten Island Farmers Markets NYC. And the weekend street fairs are updated weekly - Manhattan street fairs, Queens street fairs, Brooklyn street fairs, Bronx street fairs, Staten Island street fairs.

It's Fathers Day Weekend. I hope you have a good one.


Things To Do This Weekend in NYC

The Puerto Rican Day Parade, 116th Street Festival, Indian Festival, Romania Day Festival & the Tribeca Film Fest Continues in Manhattan & Museum Mile Festival Tuesday; Jackson Heights Historic House Tour, Art on the Fence Show, Flag Day Parade, Jamaica Dance Fest & Governors Ball along with the Chocolate Factory, Astoria Performing Arts Center & Thalia Theater all Performing new Works in Queens; a Brooklyn Pride & two Puerto Rican Day Parades, a Greek Festival & Taste of Marine Park in Brooklyn; the Feast of St. Anthony returns to the Bronx; Uncorked Wine Festival, Food Truck Festival on the Mount & SI Mall Carnival in Staten Island ...

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycJune 10, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Weather. The temperature highs will be in the 70's and the temperature lows will be in the 60's all weekend. The humidity however will not be so constant, rising from 50% Friday to 70% on Saturday, to close to 90% on Sunday. Winds will be light at between 3 - 8 mph all weekend. There's a high probability of a half inch of rain on Sunday.

The photo at right was taken at the Puerto Rican Day Parade in Manhattan a few years back.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan

Wednesday, June 8 through Sunday, June 19, 2022 - The Tribeca Film Festival. There's an early / preview event at the United Palace at 4140 Broadway the weekend beginning June 4th in Washington Heights. There are a multitude of free and paid live events and films covering a variety of subjects including but not limited to LGBTQ, LatinX and Juneteenth to view at various venues around the city. For details see www.tribecafilm.com

Saturday, June 11, 2022 from 11 am to 1 pm - Festival of India Parade & Sri Jagannath Ratha YatraFestival - Parade assembles at 45th St & 5th Avenue at 11 am - Parade begins at 12 noon and ends at West 8th Street at Washington Square Park in the Village where there's a festival from 12 noon to 7 pm.*

Saturday, June 11, 2022 from 11 am - 5 pm - 34nd Annual 116th Street Festival - Along 3rd Avenue from 106th St to 122nd street in the El Barrio section of East Harlem. Food, shopping & three stages of entertainment at www.116thstfestival.com.

Sunday, June 12, 2022 beginning at 11 am - The Puerto Rican Day Parade returns. It will kick off at 5th Avenue at 43rd Street marching north to 79th Street on the UES. This is a huge parade celebrating Puerto Rican culture.

Sunday, June 12, 2022 from 11 am - 6 pm - Romania Day Festival - Along Broadway between Liberty and Battery Place. Celebration of over a century of Romanian unification and culture. In 2018 the fair included 30 stands of Romanian businesses, restaurants and artists out of a total of 300 stands. Entertainment, food & shopping. Tribeca street fairs nyc.

Tuesday, June 14, 2022 from 6 - 9 pm - Museum Mile Festival - Along 5th Avenue from 79th Street to 106th Street on the Upper East Side. All of the museums along 5th Avenue on the Upper East Side UES are open to the public for free.* Be prepared to wear masks inside.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn

Thru Sunday, June 12, 2021. From 11 am - 9 pm daily. 43rd Annual Greek Festival at the cathedral at 64 Schermerhorn Street between Court Street and Boerum Place. The event has rides, entertainment, food and shopping. Organized by the St Constantine & Helen Cathedral at stconstantinecathedral.org. Brooklyn street fairs in Brooklyn Heights.

Saturday, June 11, 2022 from 10 am - 6 pm _ Annual Brooklyn Pride Parade & Festival. Along 5th Avenue between Union & 9th streets. The festivities warm up begins with a run through Prospect Park beginning at 10 am [register at brooklynpride.org]. There's a Pride Festival that runs from 11 am - 5 pm with food, shopping and entertainment along 5th Avenue from Union to 9th Streets. From 7.30 - 10 pm there's a twilight Brooklyn Pride Parade that marches along 5th Avenue from Lincoln Avenue to 9th Street. Brooklyn street fairs in Park Slope.

Sunday, June 12, 2022 - parade begins at 5 pm / festival runs from 6 - 9 pm _ Annual Sunset Park Puerto Rican Day Parade & Festival. The parade begins at 5 pm along 5th Avenue at 59th Street and marches up to 43rd Street, where the Sunset Park Puerto Rican Day festival begins at 6 pm in Sunset Park. There will be a couple of bands, including at least one salsa band as well as food for sale via trucks. St fairs in the Sunset Park neighborhood of BK.

Sunday, June 12, 2022 line up begins at 1 pm & parade begins at 3 pm - Bushwick Knickerbocker Puerto Rican Day Parade. Begins at Woodbine Street & Knickerbocker Avenue near the Bushwick Playground and marches east ending near Trinity Cemetery. The parade ends around 4 pm.

Sunday, June 12, 2022 from 12 noon - 3 pm . A Taste of the Neighborhood. At the Hendrick I. Lott House, 1940 East 36th Street in the Marine Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. It's an all-you-can-eat out of food trucks event. Tickets $30 at www.lotthouse.org [ignore the closed sign] and then / or go to their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/lotthouse/.

The Puerto Rican Parades are coming later one is in Sunset Park and the other is

Coney Island is open and the Mermaid Parade is one week from now, on Saturday, June 18th.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Queens

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycSaturday, June 11, 2022 beginning at 11 am - Sunnyside Kiwanis Flag Day Parade - Along Greenpoint Avenue from 40th Street to Queens Blvd ending in Joe Sabba Park.

Saturday & Sunday, June 11 & 12, 2022 - Jackson Heights Historic House & Garden Tour - Exhibits from 10 am - 2 pm Saturday including a slide presentation from 10.45 - 12.15 pm [free]. For $10 you may obtain a map for self-guided tour visiting up to 15 sites from 12 noon - 4 pm. On Sunday there's an escorted tour beginning at 12 noon beginning at Community Church at 81-10 35th Avenue at 82nd Street. $10 for the tour.

The photo at right was taken while on the Jackson Heights Historic House & Garden Tour a few years ago.

RECURRING _ Saturdays, June 11 & 18, 2022 from 9 am - 5 pm - Jackson Heights Art Club Art Show & Sale - On The Fence Outdoor Art Show in front of PS 69 between 77th & 79th Streets along 37th Avenue. The paintings by accomplished club members are for viewing and sale.*

RECURRING _ Saturdays, June 4, 11, 18 & 25, 2022 - Annual Jamaica Dance Festival - Begins at 7 pm - In Rufus King Park on Jamaica Avenue at 150th Street. Free dance performances by local performers. Street fairs in Jamaica NY.

Governors Ball at CitiField starting Friday night thru the weekend.

The Chocolate Factory, Thalia Theater and Astoria Performing Arts Center are hosting performances this weekend. Details coming to the Events Calendar later in the weekend but in the meantime you can google them for details.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycWednesday - Sunday, June 8 - 12, 2022 from 6 pm to 11 pm - The Feast of St. Anthony. Times are Wed, Thurs and Friday from 5 - 9 pm / Saturday & Sunday from 12 noon - 7 pm. It's the annual Feast of St Anthony at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church at 627 East 187th Street. The triangle of streets along Cresent and Arthur Avenues & 187th Street in the Little Italy section of the Belmont neighborhood in the Bronx will be celebrating this Belmont neighborhood st fair with rides, games, raffles, food and entertainment every night. Officially the street fair is being held along East 187th street from Arthur to Beaumont Avenue, and along Crescent from Cambreleng to Belmont Avenue. Historically there had been a procession on Sunday beginning at 5 pm, but this year [2022] I don't see any notice of that.x

Bartow Pell Mansion event. Bronx Doc Film. Bronx Museum. Details coming later today.

 

Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycFriday, Saturday & Sunday, June 10, 11 & 12, 2022 from 12 noon to 10 pm - Food Truck Festival on the Mount. At Mount Loretto at 6581 Hylan Blvd in the Charleston neighborhood of Staten Island [near Prince's Bay & Pleasant Plains]. Admission $5 and parking $5. And then it costs to get a taste from the food trucks. Buy tickets at www.catholiccharitiesofstatenisland.org. Staten Island street fairs.

Saturday, June 11, 2022 from 12 noon - 6 pm - UnCorked Wine Festival _ Historic Richmond Town hosts a big wine and food event. Tickets are $24 / $40 at www.historicrichmondtown.org. The proceeds go to support the historic site.

Thursday - Sunday, May 26 - June 12, 2022 there's an SI Mall Carnival at the Staten Island Mall at 2655 Richmond Avenue in the Heartland Village / New Springville neighborhoods of Staten Island. The carnival which includes rides, prize games and food is open weekdays from 5 to 10 pm, opening at 1 pm on Saturdays & Sundays and Memorial Day. Tickets are $5 for entry, and $35 per person for [I think unlimited] weekday rides and $85 for four persons. For details see www.statenislandmall.com

Have a nice weekend.


NYC News Updates June 2022

CoVid Guidelines Issued by State & Federal Govt Sometimes at Cross Purposes, NYC Tourism Coming Back, Why There are Two NYS Primaries in 2022, Former Mayor de Blasio Running for Congress, Inflation & Wages are Up but Expected to Slow, Public Schools End School Year on 6/27/22, Will the Rangers take the Stanley Cup, Will the Celtics Win the Championship & Will the Mets & Yankees hold onto their Leads?

June 7, 2022 / Things To Do NYC / NYC Neighborhoods / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

This report is a catch up on some of the key local news items over the past couple of months. Our last news update was at the end of February [2/22/22]. 

CoVid Regulatory Guidelines Differ at Federal & State Levels

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycOn March 17, 2022 the NYS CoVid general restrictions under the H.E.R.O. Act expired.  The expiration did not include the masks mandate requirement on NYC & NYS public transit. 

On April 18, 2022 the CDC / Federal rescinded their mask mandates on federal transportation, while - as noted above - NYS has kept its mask mandate in effect.  As one might expect, this has led to some confusion.  So to be clear, when using the MTA, LIRR or Metro North trains, masks are still required.

Be advised that local businesses have the right to decide what rules apply to customers who enter their facilities.  For example, Broadway theaters and many other entertainment venues still request proof of vaccination and / or masks indoors.  Broadway theaters extended their mask mandate requirement of attendees at performances through June 2022.  Conversely, most NYC restaurateurs no longer check vaccination status, let their customers decide whether or not to wear masks, and most restaurateurs provide the option of indoor / outdoor dining, which was established as an economic response to CoVid, in support of local restaurants by the de Blasio Administration.

Vaccination rates for NYC and NYS continue to inch up quite slowly, but that's now a somewhat dated metric, because if one is not boosted, the CoVid immunity and protection fades over time.  The CoVid vaccination protection generally recedes significantly while approaching 6 months after the first two shots, so getting boosted is important, particularly if you are immuno-compromised, have an underlying condition, or fall into an elderly age group [over 50 years].

NYC Tourism Bouncing Back

NYC tourism is coming back and the city economy is picking up.  The past month or so, we've been inundated with notices of public events and entertainment venues coming back to life.  We've not yet gotten back into the full rhythm to accommodate as many as we'd like, but we're getting there.  Our monthly things to do calendars will be coming back to life bit by bit, starting this weekend.  The calendar is accessible from the top tool bar, by clicking the first button from the left.

Mayor Adams said yesterday [6/6/22] that NYC hotels are booking at 95% of pre-pandemic levels.  The NY Post stated in an April 20, 2022 report, that the NYC hotel business would be down 55%.  We'll see how this plays out by the end of the year.

Why There are Two NYS Primary Elections This Summer

Speaking of pols.  There's an election this month, on June 28th for all NYS offices and another on August 23rd for U.S. congressional and state senate races.  The reason for the bifurcated primary this year, is because a court threw out a redrawing of the election district maps approved by the Democrats, stating the maps were not fair.  The court ordered a redrawing of the maps by an independent group. Hence the primary races affected by those election district maps will be held in August, instead of proceeding along with the other primaries later this month.

One of the losers in this change is either going to be Jerry Nadler of the Upper West Side or Carolyn Maloney of the Upper East Side because their homes are now located in the same congressional district [12th].  One of the potential winners of this change could be former Mayor Bill de Blasio, who lives in the redrawn 10th congressional district.

Former Mayor de Blasio Running vs Murdoch Mass Media for Congress

Former Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he is running for Congress a couple of weeks ago [May 20, 2022]. De Blasio was a hard working mayor who tried, and succeeded, in doing some good. Unfortunately, the reporting by the half of NYC mass media outlets controlled by the Australian born Oligarch, Rupert Murdoch, leaves half of NYC voters in the dark.  

Murdoch controls Fox News, the NY Post, Channel 9 WWOR TV, the Wall St. Journal and he's a major, influential, meddling shareholder in Disney / ABC News. According to an April 3, 2019 report in the NYT, Murdoch is famous for using his mass media outlets as a "... hugely profitable political propaganda machine." Murdoch does this by omitting the accomplishments and hyping allegations and innuendo surrounding government officials who apparently won't allow Murdoch to plunder the public purse and policy - like former Mayor de Blasio. Conversely, Murdoch appears to use his media to promote pols who will support his self-serving agenda, such as frequent guests on Fox News, like former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who famously favored Murdoch in a cable television dispute with Time Warner back in 1996 [NYT 10/4/1996].

The folks I converse with who support the former Mayor, are aware of de Blasio's record of accomplishment, which includes helping push through Universal Pre-K, lobbying aggressively to tamp down rent stabilized price increases, improved public school academic performance, significantly slowing the growth of NYC homelessness [which had nearly doubled under the Bloomberg Administration], increased the number of affordable housing units in NYC - the most since Mayor Koch in the 1980's - and reduced crime to record low levels, all the while balancing the budget without raising tax rates.  This is all pre-pandemic.

But even after the pandemic began, de Blasio was adept at managing the budget, murders in NYC continued to trail the national average, and affordable housing continued to be built.  We don't know about the academic performance post pandemic, because testing metrics weren't available [some tests are still on hiatus], and we couldn't obtain equitable, comparable year-to-year college admissions data, in time for this report.

Inflation & Wages Up in Q1, Expected to Moderate in Remainder of 2022

The corporate national TV media appear to hype inflation, while only rarely mentioning that wages have also been climbing fairly robustly - albeit at a slower rate than inflation. But given it's a full employment economy, employees can give themselves a pay hike by finding a new, higher paying job. Wages in the first quarter were up 5%, while inflation was up about 8%, netting a loss of 3% for the average American. By the end of the year the full year numbers are expected to drop to 3% and 6% respectively, thus holding steady. And sometime in 2023, inflation is expected to return to a more manageable level of 3%, according to a May 11, 2022 Kiplinger Report. Energy / gas prices are the driving component of inflation and it's not likely that gas prices will fall significantly anytime soon.

TV Newscasters - Working Hard to Repeatedly Report the Obvious

Speaking of gas, you have to give the TV news people credit for informing us of things we already know, ad nauseum.  How many times a day, each day, every week, every month of this year do we need to be told that gas prices have risen?  Everyone who needs to know, already knows what gas costs, because they pay for it every time they fill up their vehicle at the pump. Do these TV news people think reporting on gas price increases, penny by penny, is as interesting a story, as it is annoying?

Buy More Oil & Gas and Support the World's Dictators - Or Not?

Speaking of gas again, you can help / support the world's dictators by buying more oil and gas. The world's top seven largest oil producers [excluding the U.S. and Canada] are: #2) Saudi Arabia [dictator-king], #3) Russia [dictator-president], #5) China [dictator-president] and #9) Iran [dictator-cleric].  Conversely, by reducing your consumption of oil and gas you're not only cleaning up / saving the planet, you're also disempowering the destabilizing and frequently violent, dictators of the world.

NYC Public Schools End Year June 27th with Free Days in Between

NYC Public schools end the school year on Monday, June 27th.  That's the last day of school for all students.  There are a couple of days off between now and then, including the Chancellor's Conference Day on June 9th and the Juneteenth federal holiday [6/20], which President Joe Biden signed into law last year.  It's also an NYS paid holiday too, so most state and federal government offices will be closed that day.

Be advised that we've been informed that the NYS Regents Exams in U.S. Government & History have been cancelled.  If you have not already been told of this by your school, please check with the administrators to verify it.

Small Update on War in the Ukraine with More to Come

The war in Ukraine wages on, with Russia making progress in the Donbas region which is in the furthest eastern region of their country, bordering with Russia.  The Ukrainians are cleaning up / taking back territory nearly everywhere else, which includes clearing out the Russian occupation near Kyiv, pushing back the Russians from the area surrounding Kharkiv [these are the Ukraine's two largest cities], and making some small progress in the southern area east of Odessa and north of the Crimea near Kherson. Kherson was one of the first big Ukrainian cities to fall.  We'll provide an update to add to our report series sometime later this summer.

Sports - Rangers Vie for NHL, Celtics Vie for NBA and Mets & Yankees Lead MLB Divisions

The Rangers are vying for the title in the Eastern Division of the NHL against the Tampa Bay Lightning.  The Rangers currently have a lead in the series 2 - 1.  Game 4 of 7 is tonight at 8 pm.  If they win the division championship, they will face the Colorado Avalanche who beat the Edmonton Oilers 4 to zip in the Western Division Championship.

And while no NYC teams are competing in the NBA Playoffs or Finals, folks still have an opportunity to see some great basketball.  Right now the NBA Championship finals are tied 1 - 1 between the Boston Celtics and the Golden Gate Warriors.  It's a best of seven series, so there's still time to watch some great b-ball.

Lastly, both the Mets and the Yankees are leading the National League East and the American League East, respectively.  But the season is still young, so who knows what the summer will bring.

Have a good week.


Things To Do This Weekend in NYC

Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit, Israeli Film Fest in Manhattan, Brooklyn Tastes & BAM Stained Glass in Brooklyn, Queens PrideFest, Bell Blvd Food Fest, Astoria Carnival, Jamaica Dance Fest & Traditions Fest in Queens, also Chocolate Factory & Astoria Performing Arts Center hosts new play in Queens, City Island Art Fair in the Bronx, Staten Island Mall Carnival & Dance Rising Performances at Snug Harbor on SI, Golf Courses, NYC Beaches & Farmers Markets, are open & Tribeca Film Fest Begins Fest Next Week

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycJune 3, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Weather. The temperature highs will be around 80 and the temperature lows will be around 60 all weekend. The humidity will be between 60% and 70% on Friday, dropping to about 40% - 50% on Saturday and Sunday. Winds will be between 5 - 6 mph all weekend. There's a tiny chance of a tiny amount of rain Friday during the day and then it's clear all weekend.

The photo at right was taken on the subway in Queens a couple of weeks ago. Most folks are respecting each other by wearing masks, as CoVid is still causing problems out there.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan

The Israeli Film Festival began Wednesday, June 1 and runs through Wednesay, June 8, 2022. Most of it is being streamed this year, but there are a few events at the Marlene Meyerson JCC on level L2- Auditorium on the UWS.

The Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit runs through Saturday and Sunday. The art fair is open from 12 noon to 6 pm daily along University Avenue from Washington Square Park South to 13th Street in the Village.

There's an early / preview event at the United Palace this weekend in Washington Heights related to the Tribeca Film Festival which starts next Wednesday, June 8 and runs for a week and a half ending Sunday, June 19.

Multi-Cultural Festival in the Jackie Robinson Bandshell on Saturday. Details coming later today.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Queens

Friday & Saturday, June 3 & 4, 2022 - from 12 noon to 4 pm - Traditions Festival. At King Manor at 153rd Street and Jamaica Avenue in King Park. The event includes woodworking, live music, blacksmithing [a good time to put new horseshoes on your auto], spinning, weaving, arts & crafts and it used to include cooking but not sure for this year 2022. St fairs in Jamaica nyc.

RECURRING _ Saturdays, June 4, 11, 18 & 25, 2022 - Annual Jamaica Dance Festival - Begins at 7 pm - In Rufus King Park on Jamaica Avenue at 150th Street. Free dance performances by local performers. Street fairs in Jamaica NY.

Wednesday through Sunday, June 1 - 5, 2022 - The Astoria Park Carnival at Hoyt Avenue and 19th Street in Astoria Park began earlier this week and runs through the weekend. Rides, food and fun for the family. Hours this weekend are Friday 4 - 11 pm, Saturday 12 noon - 12 midnight & Sunday 12 noon - 11 pm. - click for details on the Astoria Park Carnival this weekend.

Sunday, June 5, 2022 from 1 - 6 pm _ The Annual Bell Blvd Food Festival in Bayside. Along Bell Blvd between 39th and 35th Avenues in Bayside Queens. Sample over 35 Bayside restaurants for a $1 per taste [Advance Tickets $15 - $35 / Day of $20 - $45]. There will also be live music and drinks available for purchase separately. See details at www.

Sunday, June 5, 2022 from 12 noon to 6 pm - Queens Pridefest - The parade begins at 12 noon along 37th Avenue at 89th Street marching west to 75th Street ending at 37th Road from 73rd to 77th Street and in Diversity Plaza. Organized by www.newqueenspride.org.

NY Irish Center Friday night, Greenspace Dance all weekend, Opening Reception June 4 at the Plaxall Gallery for Orestes Gonzales & Lissa Rivera, Chocolate Factory and Astoria Performing Arts Center are hosting performances this weekend. Details coming later today. Louis Latimer House Reading on Saturday. Queens Night Market opens Saturday. Biz Expo on Wednesday at CitiField.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycBrooklyn Tastes Park Slope is this weekend. Details coming later today.

The photo at right was taken at one of the participating bars / restaurants in their first event of the season in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn.

BAM is hosting a stained glass art work until June 13th at BAM Peter Jay Sharp Building in the Dorothy W. Levitt Lobby and it is located along the escalator wall. From 8 am - 11 pm daily. Free. Details at www.bam.org.

Coney Island is open and the Mermaid Parade is two weeks from now on Saturday, June 18th.

Meeting to get local officials to issue a 'Cease and Desist' Letter to local real estate developers who are reportedly inundating property owners with sales solicitations bordering on harassment.

 

Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx

City Island Art Fair on Main Street from 11 am - 7 pm is open on Saturday and Sunday of this weekend. Details coming later today.

Bartow Pell Mansion event. Bronx Doc Film. Bronx Museum. Details coming later today.

 

Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island

Dance Rising is hosting performances Saturday, June 4 from 4 - 8 pm at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center Figment Festival on Staten Island.

Thursday - Sunday, May 26 - June 12, 2022 there's an SI Mall Carnival at the Staten Island Mall at 2655 Richmond Avenue in the Heartland Village / New Springville neighborhoods of Staten Island. The carnival which includes rides, prize games and food is open weekdays from 5 to 10 pm, opening at 1 pm on Saturdays & Sundays and Memorial Day. Tickets are $5 for entry, and $35 per person for [I think unlimited] weekday rides and $85 for four persons. For details see www.statenislandmall.com

 

And some of the seasonal farmers markets reopen this month, so you use these links to find one in your neighborhood - Bronx Farmers Markets NYC, Brooklyn Farmers Markets NYC, Manhattan Farmers Markets NYC, Queens Farmers Markets NYC, Staten Island Farmers Markets NYC. And we'll have the weekend street fairs updated sometime tonight - Manhattan street fairs, Queens street fairs, Brooklyn street fairs, Bronx street fairs, Staten Island street fairs.

More coming later today. This is the early edition.

Have a nice weekend.


Memorial Day With Chief Joseph

A Conversation in First Calvary Cemetery in Queens

May 30, 2022 / Woodside & Maspeth Neighborhoods / Queens Culture / Queens Fiction / Queens Buzz NYC.

calvary cemetery photos queensOn Memorial Day, I decided to make a trip to the First Calvary Cemetery to visit the graves of those who gave their lives defending this nation because the founding charters promise all [wo]men the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They fought for a noble cause I thought as I made my way, on a beautiful day, to the Calvary cemetery in Queens.

The First Calvary cemetery opened in the late 1840’s [circa 1847 – 1848] and was located only a short ferry ride away from Manhattan, up Newtown Creek. A couple more cemeteries were opened as the 19th century wore on, as most of Queens was still rural farmlands and woodlands. Many of the burials of the first century of operation were of Catholic Irish, Italian and Polish immigrants - many of which were children who died because of poor living conditions and medical care. Many soldiers had been buried here as well, many of whom were from the Civil War era.

As I was viewing a collection of the tombstones, reflecting on the lives sacrificed in the war over slavery, as well as the more recent wars that pulled nearly the entire planet into battle, a figure in the distance caught my attention. They appeared to be making their way in my direction, in this lonely empty section of the cemetery. I pulled out of my musings, and began to focus on this emerging presence as they made their way up the hill.

photos first calvary cemetery maspeth queensAs they came closer, I could see that it was an old man, of medium height, with long black and grey hair and a weathered, leathery, tan skin. He was wearing an old brown work shirt and khaki trousers and beaten leather shoes. No, they were mocassins.

I'm not sure why I thought of this, but his countenance resembled that of a legendary American Indian: Chief Joseph. Chief Joseph was a tribal leader of the Nez Perce tribe in the Wallowa Valley in northeast Oregon. Chief Joseph was born in 1840, only years before this cemetery was founded. He had actually visited New York City in 1897, to march alongside Buffalo Bill in a Wild West Parade.

The man slowly raised his right arm, palm open and fingers standing straight up like the Boy Scout salute, and in a deep full voice he said,

“How.”

I stood a bit at attention, as I returned the greeting.

“Hi. How are you today?”

He spoke again, this time in a language I did not understand.

“Mumba goycha tay.”

I looked at him and shook my head back and forth indicating that I did not understand what he’d just said.

Click here to read the rest of our Memorial Day fiction in Calvary Cemetery in Queens.


Things To Do Memorial Day Weekend in NYC

The Unofficial Start of Summer Comes with Memorial Day Parades in Brooklyn, Queens & Staten Island; Fleet Week is Underway & the Intrepid is Hosting Events, Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit, Losaida and LES Festival in Manhattan, BAM Dance Africa Festival in Brooklyn, Sunnyside Gardens Park Fair in Queens, National Puerto Rican Day Parade Festival at 152nd St in Bx & Bronx Arts Ensemble & Night Market, Staten Island Mall Carnival Began, Golf Courses have been Open & it's the Opening Weekend of NYC Beaches, Farmers Markets, Street Fairs & more

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycMay 29, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Weather. The temperature highs will be near 80 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, rising to the mid 80's or higher on Monday. The temperature lows will be in the 60's all weekend. Over a half inch of rain is expected between about 2 pm Friday and about 4 pm Saturday, and the rest of the weekend will be dry. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph on Friday, Saturday and Monday, falling to 3 - 5 mph on Sunday. The humidity will be 80% on Friday, 70% on Saturday, and 60% on Sunday and Monday. All in all a pretty fair weather for the three day weekend.

The photo at right was taken at Coney Island in Brooklyn in 2019 prior to the outbreak of the CoVid pandemic. While CoVid hasn't gone away [and may never], it seems the worst of it is behind us and folks are beginning to return to what used to be their normal lives. Coney Island opened in April this year.

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend NYC

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycIn the photo at right is just one of thousands of artworks for sale in a prior year at the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit which begins Saturday and runs through Monday.

On Monday, May 30, 2022 the Inwood Memorial Day Parade begins at 11.30 am at Dykman Street and marches up Broadway into Inwood Park where a short flag raising ceremony will be held.

The Lower East Side Festival runs Friday through Sunday from 6 pm to 1 am [and Saturday also from 12 noon - 6 pm] at the Theater for the New City at 155 East 10th Street in the East Village. The festival includes theater, music, dance, film and kids stuff. Free.

The Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit begins Saturday and runs through the weekend. The art fair runs from 12 noon to 6 pm daily along University Avenue from Washington Square Park South to 13th Street in the Village.

The Losaida Festival is on Sunday, May 29, 2022 from 12 noon - 5 pm - Along Avenue C and 8th Street [Losaida Street] in the East Village. The fair celebrates Puerto Rican food, music and culture. Free.

It's Fleet Week in NYC and the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is hosting a number of activities, topped off on Monday at 10 am with a Memorial Day Closing Ceremony. See www.intrepidmuseum.org/fleet-week for details.

This is Fleet Week and a number of U.S. Navy ships are docked in Manhattan and Staten Island. A number of events are planned in both locations. For details see http://militarynews.com/app/fleetweeknewyork/events.html

 

Queens Things To Do This Weekend NYC

The Sunnyside Gardens Park Memorial Day fair returns on Saturday, May 28, 2022 from 12 noon - 5 pm. Admission is free, the public is welcome, and you can buy food, items and rides for kids.

NYC Parks beaches open Saturday including Rockaway in Queens. See www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/beaches for details.

In the photo at right, an armed services veteran reads the sentiment left on the card accompanying the wreath at a Memorial Day ceremony in Woodside in a prior year.

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycQueens is unmatched in the breadth and depth of Memorial Day Parades in NYC. There are Memorial Day Parades in Little Neck / Douglaston [largest in NYC], Maspeth, Ridgewood, College Point and Whitestone. I'll post these later today or early Saturday, but you can also do a search for details if you need to know now.

Sunday, May 29, 2022 from 2 pm, the 101st College Point Memorial Day Parade marches from 28th Avenue and College Point to MacNeil Park in College Point. For further information see their FB page at www.facebook.com/CPmemorialdayparade/.

Sunday, May 29, 2022 from 1 - 3 pm, the Maspeth Memorial Day Parade begins at Walter Garlinger Memorial Park at 72nd Street and Grand Avenue in Maspeth. The parade marches down Grand Avenue ending at 69th Street at Maspeth Memorial Park where there will be a ceremony and community gathering. ECCA antique autos are participating in the parade. I couldn't find an official site for this event, but a number of websites, including one by the government confirmed the event.

Sunday, May 29, 2022 from 12 noon - 2 pm, the American Legion Forest Hills Memorial Day Weekend Parade marches from Ascan Avenue and Metropolitan Avenue to [not sure of end destination, but possibly St. Johns Cemetery] in Forest Hills.

Monday, May 30, 2022 the Douglaston - Little Neck Memorial Day Parade returns live. The parade begins between Monday at 2 pm at Jayson Avenue in Great Neck, marching southwest along Northern Blvd and ending at 245th Street in Douglaston. This is said to be the biggest Memorial Day Parade in the city. There are related activities leading up to the parade that begin at 10 am. See www.lndmemorialday.org for details.

On Monday, May 30, 2022 from 11 am - 1 pm the Ridgewood / Glendale Myrtle Avenue Memorial Day Parade - Begins at Myrtle Avenue and Cypress, marching up to Cooper Avenue. There will be short ceremonies at both the beginning and end of the parade. Organized by the Allied Veterans Memorial Committee of Ridgewood and Glendale. ECCA antique autos are participating in the parade.

On Monday, May 30, 2022 from 11.30 am - 2 pm the Whitestone Memorial Day Parade marches from 149th Street and 15th Drive to [not sure of end destination]. It begins with a short ceremony. I believe it's organized by the Whitestone Veterans Memorial Association which lists this phone number on the web 718.767.4323.

Queens is also home to four fine public golf courses: Clearview, Douglaston, Forest Park and Kissena. All of these are owned by the NYC Parks Department so given the cost of such real estate, golfing on them is fairly affordable. See the Things To Do Calendar on the top tool bar of Queens Buzz and scroll down or hit the bookmark for Sports / Parks.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend NYC

BAM is hosting a four day festival entitled Dance Africa Performance 2022 at the following days / times - Fri, May 27 at 7:30pm - the Bambara Drum and Dance Ensemble, Sat, May 28 at 2pm - the LaRocque Bey School of Dance, Sat, May 28 at 7pm - the Asase Yaa African American Dance Theater, Sun, May 29 at 3pm - Farafina Kan and Mon, May 30 at 3pm - the Harambee Dance Company. Tickets start at $35. Details at www.bam.org.

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycNYC Parks beaches open Saturday including Coney Island, Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn. See ww.nycgovparks.org/facilities/beaches for details.

The photo at right was taken a few years ago at Orchard Beach. The NYC Parks Department cleaned the beach up early in this century and - given its proximity to the city and public transit - it's still not too crowded.

Brooklyn is also home to two fine public golf courses: Marine Park and Dyker Beach. Both of these are owned by the NYC Parks Department so given the cost of such real estate, golfing on them is fairly affordable. See the Things To Do Calendar on the top tool bar of Brooklyn Blvd and scroll down or hit the bookmark for Sports / Parks.

On Monday, the 155th Brooklyn / Bay Ridge Memorial Day Parade steps off 11 am on 3rd Avenue and 78th Street in Bay Ridge Brooklyn. The parade proceeds down to Marine Avenue, up to 4th Avenue, then over to John Paul Jones Park for their memorial service which includes bag pipes, flag raising and wreath laying by Veteran Service Organizations. This is followed by a 21-gun salute and the playing of Taps by the Veteran Corps of Artillery.

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend NYC

Saturday, May 28, 2022 from 11 am - 6 pm. Official National Puerto Rican Day Parade Street Festival / Annual 152nd Street Cultural Festival - Along 152nd Street between Jackson & Tinton Avenues in the Longwood / Melrose neighborhoods of the Bronx. It's one of the largest Puerto Rican street festivals in NYC. The National Puerto Rican Day Parade is held a week later in Manhattan.

On Saturday, May 28th from 1 - 7 pm the Bronx Night Market will be open at Fordham Plaza across from Fordham University and the train station. The market offers a variety of cuisines from around the world, most notably Latin and African cultures in dozens of food stalls.

Orchard Beach in Pelham Bay Park on the east coast of the Bronx opens for the summer beginning Saturday, along with other NYC park beaches. See ww.nycgovparks.org/facilities/beaches for details.

The Bronx is also home to three fine public golf courses: Mosholu, Van Cortlandt & Pelham Bay / Split Rock. All of these are owned by the NYC Parks Department so given the cost of such real estate, golfing on them is fairly affordable. See the Things To Do Calendar on the top tool bar of the Bronx Buzz and scroll down or hit the bookmark for Sports / Parks.

On Sunday, May 29, 2022 from 2 - 3 pm, the Bartow Pell Mansion in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx is hosting a performance by the Bronx Arts Ensemble. I believe it's free but that's unconfirmed.

FYI - Next weekend is the City Island Art Fair.

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend NYC

Thursday - Sunday, May 26 - June 12, 2022 there's an SI Mall Carnival at the Staten Island Mall at 2655 Richmond Avenue in the Heartland Village / New Springville neighborhoods of Staten Island. The carnival which includes rides, prize games and food is open weekdays from 5 to 10 pm, opening at 1 pm on Saturdays & Sundays and Memorial Day. Tickets are $5 for entry, and $35 per person for [I think unlimited] weekday rides and $85 for four persons. For details see www.statenislandmall.com

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycThis is Fleet Week and a number of U.S. Navy ships are docked in Manhattan and Staten Island. A number of events are planned in both locations. For details see http://militarynews.com/app/fleetweeknewyork/events.html

On Monday, the Memorial Day Parade in West Brighton begins at 12 noon at Hart Blvd, marching down Forest Avenue to Decker Avenue in Westerleigh / Elm Park.

NYC Parks beaches open Saturday including Cedar Grove, Midland Beach, South Beach and Wolfe's Pond Beach on Staten Island. See ww.nycgovparks.org/facilities/beaches for details.

In the photo at right is the Great Kills harbor which is not just home to a vibrant boating community, but also a number of fine restaurants with water views.

Staten Island is also home to three fine golf courses: La Tourette, Silver Lake and South Shore. All of them are owned by the NYC Parks Department. See the Things To Do Calendar on the top tool bar of Staten Buzz and scroll down / hit the bookmark for Sports / Parks.

 

And some of the seasonal farmers markets reopen this month, so you use these links to find one in your neighborhood - Bronx Farmers Markets NYC, Brooklyn Farmers Markets NYC, Manhattan Farmers Markets NYC, Queens Farmers Markets NYC, Staten Island Farmers Markets NYC. And we'll have the weekend street fairs updated sometime tonight - Manhattan street fairs, Queens street fairs, Brooklyn street fairs, Bronx street fairs, Staten Island street fairs.

Have a nice weekend.


Brooklyn Free Public Outdoor Swimming Pools - BK NYC

This Brooklyn Public Swimming Pool Report Includes Contact Info NYC

bronx swimming pools bronx free public swimming pools bronx nycMay 25, 2022 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods / Brooklyn Swimming Pools, Parks & Sports / Brooklyn BLVD NYC.

Brooklyn offers easy access to a wide range of recreational swimming pools. The following is an attempt to provide you with a view of the range of public swimming pools available in the parks of Brooklyn. We encourage you to make use of these facilities because they provide healthy, fun, and frequently free or inexpensive entertainment for both individuals and families with children.

Only outdoor public pools will open beginning Tuesday June 28th, 2022. A few of the indoor pools will be closed this summer to allow for construction and improvements.

Generally pool hours are from 11 am - 7 pm daily, with a one hour break between 3 and 4 pm for cleaning. Bring a padlock for your locker and proper swimming trunks are required [for boys this means not shorts as trunks must have liners]. Don't bring food, glass bottles, newspapers, electronics, floaters and no or as few valuables as you can bring to minimize your risk because the park isn't responsible for your losses. Free sunscreen will be made available while supplies last.

As of this posting 5.25.22, masks are NOT required for indoor activity including in the locker rooms, but stay tuned as it's possible that could change.

Click here to view a listing of Brooklyn outdoor swimming pools, free public swimming pools in Brooklyn in the neighborhoods of BK. Please note the photos do not reflect the onsite pools as of this post 5.25.22.


Things To Do in NYC This Weekend

Dance Parade, Frieze Art Fair, Plantathon, Celebrate Israel Parade, Ukrainian Festival, Taste of Tribeca, African Art Fair & AIPAD Photography Show in Manhattan, St. Demetrios Greek Fair, East River International Food Fest & Fomo: Diptych in Queens, Tastes of Brooklyn Gowanus POSTPONED, but Church St Fair Still On & DUMBO Block Party in Brooklyn, Boat Tour & Record Fair on Staten Island

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycMay 20, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Weather. Hot in the 90's. Details coming shortly.

 

The photo at right shows a restaurant on the Upper West Side operating in a fashion similar to how it operated pre-pandemic.

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend NYC

On Saturday, May 21, 2022 the Dance Parade begins at 12 noon at 20th Street and Broadway, marches down to Washington Square Park, turns east and heads into Tompkins Square Park in the East Village where a festival runs from 3 - 7 pm.

On Saturday, May 21, 2022 the Taste of Tribeca runs from 11 am - 3 pm along [where] Duane and [meets] Greenwich Streets in Tribeca. Tickets run $55 - $65 and they have group rates. For details go to www.tasteoftribeca.com.

On Sunday, May 22nd, 2022 the Celebrate Israel Parade begins at 11.30 am marching up 5th Avenue from 57th to 74th Street, ending around 4 pm.

Sunday, May 22, 2022 from 10 am to 6 pm - 44th Plantathon Crafts Fair - Along east side of Broadway from 73rd to 82nd Street - street fairs in the Upper West Side neighborhood UWS of Manhattan. One of the oldest plant fairs in the city, offering a huge array of plants, food and live music.

Thru Sunday, May 18 - 22, 2022 _ Freize Art Fair at the Shed at 545 West 30th Street at Hudson Yard - From 11 am - 7 pm daily, closing at 5 pm on Sunday. Tickets for Adults $50 - $85 / Students $25 - $35 & Children $5 at www.frieze.com.*

All Weekend _ Friday, Saturday & Sunday, May 18 - 22, 2022 begins 4 pm Friday & at 12 noon Saturday & Sunday ending at 9 pm nightly - Ukranian Festival - At 30 East 7th Street and along 7th Street between 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue in the East Village. Includes Ukranian shopping, food and entertainment with the proceeds going to St. George Academy. Click here to view a map of the Ukranian Street Fair in Manhattan in the East Village at St. George Academy. See photo above.*

Friday - Sunday, May 20 - 22, 2022 - the AIPAD Photography Show from 1 - 7 pm Friday, 12 - 7 pm Saturday and 12 - 5 pm Sunday. At Center 415 at 415 Fifth Avenue [between 37th & 38th Streets on the ground and second floors] in Manhattan. The show presents dozens of galleries and hundreds if not thousands of photographers' works. AIPAD is the Association of International Photography Dealers. Admission $50 / $24. Tickets at www.aipad.com.

Friday - Sunday, May 20 - 22, 2022 - the 1 - 54 Contemporary African Art Fair beginning at 12 noon daily and ending at 8 pm, 7 pm and 5 pm respectively. At St. Thomas the Apostle Church at 258 West 118th Street in Harlem. The fair hosts the exhibits of 25 galleries. Admission is $20 which may be purchased online at www.1-54.com.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend NYC

Saturday, May 21, 2022 from 3 - 8 pm - DUMBO Block Party - At the Pearl Street Triangle and DUMBO Arch in the Dumbo [Down Underneath the Manhattan Bridge O.] neighborhood of Brooklyn. Food, music & entertainment [less shopping], as well as fundraiser for the Dock Street School for STEAM Studies & PS307. Street fairs in Dumbo BK.

On Sunday, May 22, 2022 from 11 am - 6 pm. Church Avenue Street Fair & Festival. Along Church Avenue from Coney Island Avenue to Argyle Road in Flatbush. There will be performances, food & a kids carnival. Brooklyn street fairs in Flatbush.

FYI - POSTPONED _ Saturday, May 21, 2022 from 12 noon - 7 pm - Tastes of Brooklyn / Tastes of Gowanus - This event starts in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn. The event features over a dozen participating local restaurants offering tastes of their cuisine. Tickets range from $35 - $100 on eventbrite or at the starting point noted above for a number of tastes. www.facebook.com/brooklyntastes/

 

Queens Things To Do This Weekend NYC

Thursday through Sunday, May 19 - 22, 2022 runs 5 pm - 11 pm Thursday & Friday, and 1 - 11 pm Saturday & ending at 10 pm Sunday - 45th Annual Greek Festival at St Demetrios Church on 31st Avenue and 30th Drive. Old fashioned town fair including traditional Greek food, good rides and prizes for the kids, and Greek cultural music and dance entertainment. Click here for St Demetrios street fair map. 718.728.1718.

There are performances of Fomo: Diptych at the Chocolate Factory Theater at their new location at 38-33 24th Street in Long Island City. A diptych is "an ancient writing tablet consisting of two hinged leaves with waxed inner sides" and the performance uses that concept and an art installation to explore how we interpret things to create meaning. Performances start at 8 pm and tickets are $20 at www.chocolatefactorytheater.org.

On Sunday, May 22, 2022 from 12 noon - 3 pm there's the East River International Food Festival at the Sound River Studios at 4-40 44th Drive in Long Island City Queens. Tickets are $50 for this food stall event which was organized by a consortium of Queens restaurants. Details and tickets at www.queenstogether.org.

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend NYC

BELMONT - May 2022 EVERY weekend from 6pm to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 1pm to 9pm on Sundays - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times.

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend NYC

Sunday, May 22, 2022 from 11 am - 6 pm - Makers Radio Park 3rd Annual Record Fair. At Flagship Brewery at 40 Minthorne Street in Tompkinsville neighborhood of Staten Island, within walking distance of the Staten Island Ferry. Tens of thousands of records are said, will be there.

On Sunday, May 22nd, Boat Tour that encircles Staten Island from 11 am - 3 pm. Tickets are $60 / $40 for adults / kids and I believe it departs from the Lighthouse Museum at 200 The Promenade at Lighthouse Point in St. George [next to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal].

 

And some of the seasonal farmers markets reopen this month, so you use these links to find one in your neighborhood - Bronx Farmers Markets NYC, Brooklyn Farmers Markets NYC, Manhattan Farmers Markets NYC, Queens Farmers Markets NYC, Staten Island Farmers Markets NYC. And we'll have the weekend street fairs updated sometime tonight - Manhattan street fairs, Queens street fairs, Brooklyn street fairs, Bronx street fairs, Staten Island street fairs.

Have a nice weekend.


Pro Choice Rally in Manhattan NYC Last Weekend

I Heard a Number of Interesting Perspectives of Abortion Rights / Right to Choose Early Pregnancy Cessations or EPC's

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycMay 17, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Last Saturday there were a few Pro Choice rallies in NYC. Most notable among them were the one that started at Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn, marching across the Brooklyn Bridge to Foley Square. And there was another group that gathered in Union Square which also marched to Foley Square.

I have some video and photos, but possibly the most interesting part of this report are the perspectives I picked up along the way, which provided me with a deeper understanding of the issue, primarily from a women's point of view.

First there's the science ...

Hi. Following up on the conversations I had and overheard led me to a lot of new information that I'm still processing. I hope to have this finished next Monday or Tuesday, May 23rd or 24th.


Things To Do in NYC This Weekend

NYC X Design Events, 9th Avenue International Food Festival, Japan Parade, Womens Choice Rallies, Romanian Festival in Manhattan, Tastes of Brooklyn Flatbush, Bay Fest, Fabulous 5th Avenue in Brooklyn, Jazz Festival in Jamaica Queens, Albanian Street Fair / Bronx Week and Piazza Belmont in the Bronx & the Great Staten Island Lighthouse Hunt

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycMay 14, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Weather. Slight chance of 1/10 of an inch of rain after 7 pm Saturday and none on Sunday. Temperatures between 60 and the mid 70's all weekend. Winds at 5 mph. Humidity generally around 60%. So generally a pleasant weather weekend, except the bit of rain.

The photo at right was taken in Manhattan this week as about one hundred cyclists streamed down Broadway in Manhattan.

 

NYC Things To Do This Weekend NYC

Tuesday - Friday, May 10 - 20, 2022 - NYC X Design. This is at various venues at various times. It's all about the many facets of design - from workshops to exhibits to markets. Every day is chuck full of events - see www.nycxdesign.org for details. Many events are free.

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend NYC

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycTuesday - Friday, May 10 - 20, 2022 - NYC X Design. This is at various venues at various times. It's all about the many facets of design - from workshops to exhibits to markets. Every day is chuck full of events - see www.nycxdesign.org for details. Many events are free.

The photo at right was taken from Bar 54, a rooftop bar in Manhattan at sunset. The city is beginning to come alive again, after two years of subdued activity because of the pandemic.

Saturday & Sunday, May 14 & 15, 2022 from 10 am - 6 pm. 9th Avenue International Food Festival - Along 9th Ave between 42nd Street & 57th Street. Click here to view a map of the 9th Ave street fair in Manhattan. Midtown street fairs in NYC.

Saturday, May 14, 2022 from 10 am - 6 pm - Stonewall Veterans Fair - Along Broadway between 14th Street & Waverly in the Village NYC. St fairs in Manhattan NYC.

Saturday, May 14, 2022 beginning 1 pm - Japan Parade followed by Street Fair - The parade begins at 1 pm at Central Park West at 81st Street and marches down to 68th Street where it ends. There's a Japan Parade Street Fair that runs from 1 pm - 4.30 pm along 69th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West. Street fairs on the UWS in NYC.

Saturday, May 14, 2022 beginning at 2 pm - Womens Choice Rally - At Foley Square in Downtown Manhattan and also at Union Square Park [concurrently]. Free.

Sunday, May 15, 2022 from 10 am - 6 pm - Romania Day Festival - Along Broadway between Liberty and Battery Place. Celebration of over a century of Romanian unification and culture. In 2018 the fair included 30 stands of Romanian businesses, restaurants and artists out of a total of 300 stands. Entertainment, food & shopping. Tribeca street fairs nyc.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend NYC

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycTuesday - Friday, May 10 - 20, 2022 - NYC X Design. This is at various venues at various times. It's all about the many facets of design - from workshops to exhibits to markets. Every day is chuck full of events - see www.nycxdesign.org for details. Many events are free.

The photo at right was taken at a Metro North train station on Sunday night as New Yorkers awaited the train to return to the city after visiting their mothers for Mothers Day.

Saturday, May 14, 2022 from 11 am - 6 pm. Graham Avenue Fiesta Brooklyn. Along Graham Avenue from Broadway to Boerum in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. Williamsburg street fairs / street festivals in Brooklyn.

Saturday, May 14, 2022 from 12 noon - 7 pm - Tastes of Brooklyn / Tastes of Flatbush Avenue - This event starts at Parkside Plaza at Ocean / Parkside Avenue in the Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn. The event features over a dozen participating local restaurants offering tastes of their cuisine. Tickets range from $35 - $100 on eventbrite or at the starting point noted above for a number of tastes. Most of the restaurants are located along Flatbush and Nostrand Avenues.

Saturday, May 14, 2022 beginning at 12 noon - Womens Choice Rally - At Cadman Plaza in Downtown Brooklyn. Free.

Sunday, May 15, 2022 from 12 noon - 6 pm. Bayfest. At Emmons Avenue and East 27th Street in the Sheepshead Bay neighborhood of Brooklyn. Arts, crafts, amusement rides, bands, dance performances along the Brooklyn waterfront.

Sunday, May 15, 2022 from 11 am - 6 pm. Fabulous Fifth Avenue Street Fair. Along 5th Avenue between Sterling Place & 12th Street in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn. Brooklyn street fairs / St Fairs & festivals near the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn. Organized by the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID. There will be plenty of food offerings at the bars and restaurants along 5th, as well as live entertainment at many of the venues.

Tuesday, May 17, 2022 beginning at 1.30 pm - Norweigan Day Parade - The parade steps off at 80th Street and 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge. The parade route after stepping off, is as follows: turns right at 75th Street [aka Bay Ridge Parkway], left on 5th Avenue, to 67th Street and then along the Park - ending between 6th and 7th Avenues where the reviewing stand is. Street fairs in Bay Ridge Brooklyn NYC.

 

Queens Things To Do This Weekend NYC

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycTuesday - Friday, May 10 - 20, 2022 - NYC X Design. This is at various venues at various times. It's all about the many facets of design - from workshops to exhibits to markets. Every day is chuck full of events - see www.nycxdesign.org for details. Many events are free.

The photo at right was taken in Queens last week, when the beautifully vivid colors of nature gave us a wondrous - but short lived - Spring bloom color show.

Saturday & Sunday, May 14 & 15, 2022 from 12 noon - 6 pm _ Downtown Jamaica Jazz Festival in Queens. They have nearly a dozen performances scheduled each day at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center at 153-10 Jamaica Avenue in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens. Jazz festivals in Queens.

Sunday, May 15, 2022 from 10 am - 6 pm - Astoria 31st Street Spring Festival - Along 31st Street from Ditmars Blvd to 21st Avenue sponsored by the Astoria Restoration Association.

Thursday through Sunday, May 19 - 22, 2022 runs 5 pm - 11 pm Thursday & Friday, and 1 - 11 pm Saturday & ending at 10 pm Sunday - 45th Annual Greek Festival at St Demetrios Church on 31st Avenue and 30th Drive. Old fashioned town fair including traditional Greek food, good rides and prizes for the kids, and Greek cultural music and dance entertainment. Click here for St Demetrios street fair map. 718.728.1718.

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend NYC

Ending Sunday May 15, 2022 - Bronx Week - Multiple events at various locations in the Bronx. Details coming, but in the meantime see their website at www.bronxboropres.nyc.

Sunday May 15, 2022 from 12 noon - 6 pm - Street Co-Naming Ceremony & Fair - In honor of Gjergi Kastrioti Skenderbeu. At the corner of Crescent and Arthur Avenues in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx. The event include Albanian culture, food, entertainment and games. By the Albanian American Open Hand Assn.

BELMONT - May 2022 EVERY weekend from 6pm to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 1pm to 9pm on Sundays - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times.

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend NYC

Sunday, May 15, 2022 from 10 am - 4 pm - The Great Staten Island Lighthouse Hunt. Begins at either the Staten Island Lighthouse in St. George or at the Conference House in Tottenville. The cost is $35 per carload or $15 per bicycle / motorcycle. Teams of three are recommended to drive, navigate and shoot photos.

 

Have a nice weekend.


This Weekend Things to Do NYC

Mothers Day Weekend, Cannabis Parade, Indian Film Festival Begins, AIDS Walk in Central Park, TEFAF Show at the Armory, Municipal Art Society Janes Walk in all 5 Boros, Bronx Week & Piazza Belmont Returns, Arts & Craft Show & Carnival on Staten Island & Spring Festival at the LeFrak Center in Brooklyn, Mothers Day Stroll & Jackson Heights Orchestra in Queens

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycMay 6, 2022 / Things To Do NYC / NYC Neighborhoods / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Weather NYC. Cool with some rain and high winds on Saturday and both diminishing over Sunday. Details coming Shortly.

The photo at right was taken along 5th Avenue at about 50th Street during the Easter Bonnet Parade in Manhattan a couple of weeks ago. This week the Cannabis Parade marches down Broadway to Union Square Park.

Details on these and other events coming later today. It's 5.30 pm. I expect to have this completed by about 12 noon Saturday, hopefully sooner.

 

NYC Things To Do - All Boros

Mothers Day - scroll down for restaurant suggestions.

Saturday & Sunday, May 6 - 8, 2022 - Janes Walk - Various art, culture, history and architectural tours throughout all five boros of NYC. Organized by the Municipal Art Society. See https://www.mas.org/events/ for details.

 

Manhattan Things To Do

On Saturday, May 7, 2022 - parade from 11 am to 1 pm and after party from 1 pm - 5 pm. The Cannabis Parade festivities begin at 11 am at 32nd Street and Broadway. The parade begins at 12.30 pm from that location, marching south along Broadway to Union Square Park. Then, from 1 - 5 pm, there are performances and talks held in Union Square Park.

Friday - Tuesday, May 6 - 10, 2022 from 12 noon - 8 pm, except May 8 & 10 when it closes at 6 pm - TEFAF - The European Fine Art Foundation - Fine Art Show at the Park Avenue Armory at 643 Park Avenue in the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

Sunday, May 8, 2022 beginning at 10 am - AIDS Walk in Central Park. Their website doesn't give clear guidance on the route [they show a San Francisco map], but it seems to start at the 72nd east side entrance by Summer Stage and end at Rumsey Playfield. It's a four mile walk and you can sign up to run. Donations go to support the Gay Men's Health Crisis [GMHC].

Saturday - Saturday, May 7 - 14, 2022 - Indian Film Festival - At various times, mostly virtually, except the finale. For details see www.nyiff.us/

Janes Walk - see above. For fairs and farmers markets, see below.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do

Saturday, May 7, 2022 from 12 noon - 10 pm - Spring Fest. Food, music and entertainment. At the LeFrak Center in Prospect Park.

Janes Walk - see above. For fairs and farmers markets, see below.

 

Queens Things To Do

On Sunday from 11 am - 1 pm there's a Mothers Day Stroll on the 34th Avenue Promenade between 77th and 82nd Streets in Jackson Heights in Queens. Free. Organized by the Jackson Heights Beautification Group in conjunction with local government officials.

The Chocolate Factory theater has reopened at their new location at 38-33 24th Street in Long Island City in Queens. There are performances of Wings of Iron from May 18 - 21 and also of Diptych from May 19 - 21. Tickets are $25 and $20 respectively.

Jackson Heights Orchestra performs on Wednesday, May 11 beginning at 7.30 pm at St. Marks Episcopal Church in Jackson Heights, Queens. Tickets are a suggested donation of $20 / $10. For details see jhbg.org.

Janes Walk - see above. For fairs and farmers markets, see below.

 

Bronx Things To Do

Friday, May 5 - Sunday May 15, 2022 - Bronx Week - Multiple events at various locations in the Bronx. Details coming, but in the meantime see their website at www.bronxboropres.nyc.

The Stadium Fair usually held in May was moved to later in the season.

May 2022 EVERY weekend from 6pm to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 1pm to 9pm on Sundays - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times.

Janes Walk - see above. For fairs and farmers markets, see below.

 

Staten Island Things To Do

Wednesday - Sunday, May 4 - 8, 2022 there's an Arts & Crafts Show at the Staten Island Mall at 2655 Richmond Avenue in the Heartland Village neighborhood. The show includes ceramics, glass, metal work, wood, jewelry, painting and photos. Current Mall Hours are Monday-Thursday 11am-7pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-8pm, Sunday 11am-6pm - but vendor times will likely vary.

The Heritage Farm Stand Farmers Market opens Saturday, May 7 from 9 am - 3.30 pm near the Botanical Garden at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center in Randall Manor on Staten Island.

Janes Walk - see above. For fairs and farmers markets, see links below.

 

Scroll down to April 26th story for some restaurant suggestions for Mothers Day brunch or dinner. And some of the seasonal farmers markets reopen this month, so you use these links to find one in your neighborhood - Bronx Farmers Markets NYC, Brooklyn Farmers Markets NYC, Manhattan Farmers Markets NYC, Queens Farmers Markets NYC, Staten Island Farmers Markets NYC. And we'll have the weekend street fairs updated sometime tonight - Manhattan street fairs, Queens street fairs, Brooklyn street fairs, Bronx street fairs, Staten Island street fairs.

Have a happy and healthy Mothers Day weekend.


Off the Red Carpet at the Met Gala's Gilded Age

I was on the Street During the Met Gala, with the Regular Folks of NYC

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycMay 3, 2022 / Things To Do NYC / NYC Neighborhoods / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Last night I went to see the red carpet arrivals at the Met Gala. The Met Gala is considered to be one of the most fashionable events of the year. It's by invitation only, costs between $30,000 and $35,000 per ticket. The event is generally said to run from about 6 pm to about 9.30 or 10.30 pm.

This year the fashion theme was of the opulence, fame and excess that accompanied the Gilded Age. But you'd never have known there was a theme, because the rich and famous of today - as back then - pretty much do whatever they want. And many of their outfits said just that.

Many observers think that the red carpet arrivals are the height of the show ... but then many observers likely never make it inside the museum to see how the other half parties.

Since this was my first time covering this event, I arrived unfashionably on time, around 6 pm, taking the subway to 86th Street as my limosine driver had the night off, and it really didn't matter, because my limosine was in the shop for repairs.

I made my way south to 84th Street and headed west toward the museum, where NYPD barricades had cordoned off the area from both automotive and pedestrian traffic. I had a Press Pass, so I was waived through, like the folks who could prove they lived there.

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycIn the photo above right you see the crowd of people along 5th Avenue watching as the celebrity fashionistas strut their stuff prior to entering the Met Gala Monday night. In the photo at right you see a fashionista ingenue taking photos of the celebrity arrivals at the Met Gala.

Along 5th Avenue there was a crowd, of mostly females, generally on the younger side, but of all ages, and some accompanied by men. I believe some of the girls had come from the nearby local private high schools, as they were still wearing their uniforms. All were excited to see the celebrities walk down the red carpet, positioned north of the museum along 5th Avenue with a canopy above them, as the weather today was a bit uncertain.

We were confined to the east side of 5th Avenue, able to see the celebrities strut their stuff across the street, separated not just by the barricades and avenue, but also an intermittent flow of traffic including buses and taxis, which I suspect were filled with folks wanting a closer view - albeit for a very short period of time.

I snapped a number of photos of the red carpet baggers, some of which I'll include in a video later this week. While I didn't get photos of these folks, later on television I saw Kardi B, Pete Davidson with the Kardashian sisters, Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Billionaire Elon Musk, and numerousothers, as well as the honorary chairs, Tom Ford, Adam Mosseri and Anna Wintour.

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycI stayed for a while, before extricating myself from the crowd along 5th Avenue and making my way back to Madison Avenue. I started strolling down Madison Avenue which was also filled with mostly young women and girls. At 82nd Street I was surprised to see that this street - which leads to the entrance of the Metropolitan Museum - was not cordoned off.

A crowd had filled the street, getting tighter and more densely packed, the closer one came to the 5th Avenue entrance. A number of people came dressed for the occasion, including a couple in some Halloween like outfits [not shown here but possibly coming in the video], as well as those showcasing their own sense of style.

In the photo at right, you see the crowd on 82nd Street filled with young New Yorkers interested in fashion and celebrities, who have a bit of fashion sense of their own.

The weather was cool, but not wet, and so it was just shy of a perfect night, depending on what you were wearing. The Met Gala began in 1946. An estimated 400 people attend, and tables cost between $200,000 and $300,000. The proceeds from the fashion event, estimated to be about $60 million, go to the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute. Not a bad way to spend a Monday evening, even for the very wealthy of New York City.

As it was a nice evening I walked part of the way home, before heading back down into the subway where my chariot awaited, whisking me under the river and through the woods, to Queens.


This Weekend Things to Do NYC

Nice Weather Weekend for the 5 Boro Bike Ride NYC, Yankee Peddler Day at Historic Richmond Town Staten Island, Night Food Market & Orchid Show in the Bronx, May Day Festival & BAM Queer Film Weekend in Brooklyn, International Cultural Festival Queens & Dance Fest at Wolman Rink & Met Gala Monday in Manhattan ... and more ...

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycApril 29, 2022 / Things To Do NYC / NYC Neighborhoods / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Weather NYC. The temperature highs will rise from the low 60's on Friday to the high 60's on Saturday and Sunday. The temperature lows will rise from the low 40's on Friday, to the high 40's on Saturday to about 50 on Sunday. The humidity will be very low on Friday, ranging from 10% to 40%, rising to 30% - 45% on Saturday and then 35% to 55% on Sunday. The wind will finally settle down to 5 - 10 mph throughout the weekend. No rain is expected this weekend.

In the photo at right are cyclists participating in the 5 Boro Bike Ride as they make their way through Queens in a prior year. The cycling event returns Sunday. See details below.

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend NYC

There's a Coney Island Polar Bear Club event on Saturday & Sunday at Wolman Rink in Central Park from 2 pm - 10 pm. It's a charity event and tickets aren't cheap at $191 / person. See www.wolmanrinknyc.com for details.

The 5 Boro Bike Ride returns to all five boroughs of NYC on Sunday. Details in Manhattan street fairs.

The Met Gala returns to the Metropolitan Museum on Monday.

Click here for Manhattan Farmers Markets.

 

Queens Things To Do This Weekend NYC

Sunday, May 1, 2022 from 12 noon - 6 pm - Steinway Street Cultural Festival along Steinway Street from 28th to 34th Avenue. Sponsored by Central Astoria LDC.

The art show entitled “Blood is Thicker than the Water that Separated U.S.,” will be on exhibit at the Lewis Latimer House Museum, 34-41 137th Street in Flushing until July 3rd. Free tickets are available to the public at www.lewislatimerhouse.eventbrite.com.

Click here for Queens street fairs and here for Queens Farmers Markets.

The photo below right was taken on the Upper West Side of Manhattan this week. Folks were wearing coats, as the wind was blustery most of the week, and the temperatures were a bit below normal. Better weather is on the way this weekend.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend NYC

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycThere's a May Day Festival of Resistance is being held in Maria Hernandez Park at Knickerbocker Avenue and Suydam Street on Sunday from 1 - 7 pm by MayDaySpace.org of Bushwick. I think it's free.

In the Peter Jay Sharp Building at the Brooklyn Academy of Music aka BAM at 30 Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn, they will be showing various films with a queer theme all weekend. Tickets [$16 / $11] may be purchased online at www.bam.org.

Luna Park Amusement Park at Coney Island opened on April 2nd, for the 2022 season.

The Greenpoint Terminal market opens Sunday, as does the Bat Haus CoWorking Space Spring Market - Click here for details - Brooklyn street fairs

Click here for Brooklyn Farmers Markets.

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend NYC

The Bronx Night Market, an outdoor food court, returns Saturday evening. See details in Bronx street fairs.

The Orchid Show at the NY Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Blvd in the Bronx began in late February and continues through May 1.

Click here for Bronx Farmers Markets.

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend NYC

Yankee Peddler Day returns to Historic Richmond Town on Sunday from 9.30 am - 3.30 pm. The market generally invites sellers to display goods from early America, as well as other items. See details in Staten Island street fairs.

The Conference House in Tottenville opened for the season on April 23rd and will be open Saturdays and Sundays for tours from 12 noon - 4 pm. They're located at 298 Satterlee Street on Staten Island.

Click here for Staten Island Farmers Markets.

Have a nice weekend.


$element(bwcore,article_picker,1486,Y,N,page_title_home,N)$

This Weekend Things to Do NYC

Very Nice Earth Day Weekend Ahead, Orthodox Easter Weekend, Passover ends Saturday, NY Auto Show ends Sunday, Persian Day Parade Sunday, Orchid Show in the Bronx; Luna Park Open at Coney Island, BAM, Andy Warhol exhibits in Brooklyn; Museums in Queens & Earth Day Celebration on Staten Island Saturday

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycApril 22, 2022 / Things To Do NYC / NYC Neighborhoods / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Weather NYC. The temperature highs will be in the 60's and the temperature lows will be around 50. No rain. Humidity will range from 35% - 45% on Friday, 45% - 65% on Saturday and 55% - 65% on Sunday. Winds will be 8 - 12 mph Friday, dropping to 5 - 8 mph for the rest of the weekend.

In the photo at right is a woman dressed up for the annual Bonnet Parade held last Sunday in Manhattan. The event has morphed from a genteel event, where women dressed up fancy for and after Sunday Mass, to something more of a themed costume party, where both men and women dress up in their Easter best.

 

NYC Things To Do - Earth Day & Greek Orthodox Holy Friday

Today is Earth Day. Early this morning some folks from Extinction Rebellion protested at the printing plant in College Point that prints the NY Post, New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Two of the three newspapers are controlled by Australian born Oligarch and climate information distortionaist and minimizer, Rupert Murdoch, who also controls Fox News and owns a large influential share of ABC News.

photos epitaphios astoria

This is also Greek and Eastern European Orthodox Christian Easter Weekend. One of my favorite Greek traditions is where the Greek parishoners reenact part of the Passion of the Christ in a march through the street. A man carries the cross and a number of men carry the epitaphios, which is a flowered funerary cask. You can view this on the streets of Astoria in multiple locations, including near St. Demetrios Cathedral, in Astoria. In Manhattan you can attend a similar event at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church at 143 East 17th Street only blocks away from Gramercy Park. Generally the masses begin at 7 pm and the processions begin at 8 pm, sometimes a bit later. And then, of course, on Sunday there's an Easter mass.

The photo at right was taken in an earlier year of the Holy Friday procession with the epitaphios in Astoria.

And Passover, which celebrates the Jews freedom from slavery thousands of years ago, ends Saturday.

A number of farmers markets are already open for the season, with many others to open over the coming months. We finished updating them this past week so you can view the markets in each of the boroughs, using the link(s) included in the report below.

 

Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend NYC

On Sunday, April 24th beginning at 11 am, the Persian Day Parade kicks off along Madison Avenue from 39th Street down to Madison Square Park. Usually there's a festival of sorts after the parade.

NY Auto Show opened at the Javits Center on Friday, April 15th and runs through Sunday, April 24th. Tickets are $17 adult / $7 child at www.autoshowny.com.

There are a couple of street fairs in Manhattan.

 

Queens Things To Do This Weekend NYC

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycThe photo at right was taken in Queens last week, where you can see the trees - all white - budding. This weekend, they've turned a bright green.

The art show entitled “Blood is Thicker than the Water that Separated U.S.,” will be on exhibit at the Lewis Latimer House Museum,  34-41 137th Street in Flushing until July 3rd. Free tickets are available to the public at www.lewislatimerhouse.eventbrite.com.

The Museum of the Moving Image is hosting an exhibit that began December 18, 2021 and runs through May 15, 2022 entitled Deepfake: Unstable Evidence on Screen. The exhibit explores how fact becomes distorted and fictionalized via the moving image screen. At the centerpiece of it all is the distortion of the Apollo 11 moon mission. The museum is open Friday from 2 - 8 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 12 noon - 6 pm. For details and tickets see www.movingimage.us. Admission $15 / $11 / $9.

There are a couple of street fairs in Queens.

 

Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend NYC

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycThe photo at right was taken from the subway in Brooklyn, showing the downtown, where highrise buildings have been rising into the sky like weeds with each passing year.

The Brooklyn Museum at 200 Eastern Parkway has about a dozen exhibits running at present. The two featured exhibits focus on Andy Warhol's Revelation print which explores the artist's religious faith [closes June 19, 2022]. The other is one entitled A Crack in the Hourglass, An Ongoing COVID-19 Memorial which grapples with the incredible loss of life during the pandemic [closes June 26,2022]. Admission is $25 / $16 / $10 and CoVid protocols remain in effect. Details and tickets at www.brooklynmuseum.org.

Luna Park [amusement park] at Coney Island opened a few weeks ago for the season.

In the Peter Jay Sharp Building at the Brooklyn Academy of Music aka BAM at 30 Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn, they will be showing various films all weekend starting at 1.15 pm, with the last showtime at 9.40 pm. CoVid protocols remain in effect and tickets [$16 / $11] may be purchased online at www.bam.org

 

Bronx Things To Do This Weekend NYC

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycThe Orchid Show at the NY Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Blvd in the Bronx began in late February and continues through May 1.

The photo at right was taken of Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on home opening weekend. The season has begun, bringing with it, a certain rhythm to the borough. The Yankees have a 7 - 6 record and are one game out of first place, after Toronto. The Mets meanwhile are in first place with a 10 - 4 record, which is 'amazing'. As there are 162 games in the season, there's plenty of time where just about anything can happen.

 

Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend NYC

On Saturday there's an Earth Day celebration from 11 am - 3 pm at Fresh Kills Park at 2240 Richmond Avenue on Staten Island. There are a number of activities for both kids and adults including composting, planting, nature walks, yoga and storytimes. It's free. www.freshkillspark.org.

I may find a bit more to add as the weekend progresses, but in the meantime, have a nice weekend.


$element(bwcore,article_picker,1454,Y,N,page_title_home,N)$

April 8, TTDo

The Yankees May Have Lost Sunday, but Not Because of Their Fans

I Encountered Yankees Fans on the #4 Train on Their Way to the Game

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycApril 13, 2022 / Things To Do NYC / NYC Neighborhoods / Gotham Buzz NYC.

In the photo at right you see a group of Yankees fans on their way to the game on Sunday, April 10th. While the game was scheduled to begin at 8 pm, these super fans were on their way to the ball park at 4 pm.

They were brimming with enthusiasm, as the Yankees' 2022 season was off to a good start, beating their arch nemesis, the Boston Red Sox, in the season opener on Friday and again on Saturday. Unfortunately, the Red Sox rallied late in the game and won 4 - 3.

The video shows a few scenes of this group's talent and enthusiasm for the Yankees.


Russia Ukraine War Report Series - March - May 2022

ukraine russian war analysis russia war in ukraine analysis

Updated April 4, 2022 / International News NYC / Gotham Buzz.

This section contains our Russia Ukraine War Report Series which we began in March of 2022. We hope it will end by the end of May, but who knows how long it will take the Russian people to rise up against the oppressive Putin dictatorship / regime.


How Mentally Ill is the Australian Born Oligarch Rupert Murdoch?

Murdoch & his Rubber Stamp 'WSJ Editorial Board' Continue to Push the Bounds of Indecency with this Image

A Former Prime Minister of Rupert Murdoch's Native Australia called Murdoch a 'Cancer on Democracy', Murdoch was Called 'Unfit to Run an International Company' by a Member(s) of British Parliament, Murdoch's Company was Alleged to have Hacked the Phones of the Victims of 911 for Headlines, as well as the Phone of a Mother Whose Daughter was Murdered [also for headlines], he's been Accused of Government Corruption Many Times, and for Inciting the U.S., Britain & Australia to Invade Iraq for [Oil and] Ratings

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycApril 4, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

You don't have to have a journalism degree to see what's wrong with this image.

You don't have to be a member of an Editorial Board of one of the nation's three daily newspapers to see what's wrong with this image.

You don't need to be an editor to see what's wrong with this image.

What you do need is some sense of decency.

Which is what is totally lacking in the character of the man who controls the Wall Street Journal and it's Editorial Board - Australian born Oligarch, Rupert Murdoch.

After researching and watching him since 2015, I have come to the conclusion that he is easily a sociopath [weak moral compass], and more likely a psychopath [unstable and aggressive personality disorder].

ukraine russian war analysis russia war in ukraine analysisSee for yourself on these two WSJ pages before they hopefully have the decency or shame to take it down.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-told-the-truth-putin-has-to-go-russia-ukraine-invasion-leader-free-world-regime-change-11648998065?mod=hp_opin_pos_3

https://www.wsj.com/articles/strategic-defeat-putin-russia-blinken-biden-zelensky-bucha-war-crime-kyiv-mass-grave-atrocities-united-nations-un-human-rights-shelling-odessa-ukraine-11649016865?mod=hp_opin_pos_1

It's worth reminding people that this man, Rupert Murdoch, controls or wields incredible influence in about half of our daily national news media [Fox, NY Post, WSJ & ABC News], which is why things have become so messed up since he arrived on our shores. But the TV newspeople who do and don't work for him, fail to inform the nation, by calling him out.

I believe most Americans don't even know who he is [somebody needs to conduct a poll]. And he greatly influences - if not controls - the national conversation.

Part VI of the Ukraine series coming this week.


Weekend Things To Do NYC - March 2022

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nyc

This section contains our Weekend Things To Do reports for the month of March 2022.


Ukraine Part V: Adding Context to the Shallow Reporting of TV News

In Part V We Delve into the Russian Politics Leading up to the War in Ukraine, the Role of the Russian Mob and Oligarchs and a Look at NATO Expansion & What's Happening at the Peace Negotiation Table in Turkey

ukraine russian war analysis russia war in ukraine analysisMarch 28, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

 

To Understand Russia Today, a Little Background is in Order - Unfortunately the Incredibly Lame TV News is Failing Miserably at Providing it

In the graphic at right is the head of the Russian mob, Semion Mogilevich. Mogilevich, a Ukrainian, rose in the criminal world in Russia reportedly starting in the 1980's. In the early 1990's as the government of the Soviet Union was collapsing, Mogilevich and Vladimir Putin became fast friends.

At that time, the Russian mob began spreading like cancer to the nations of Eastern Europe, as well as to Britain and the U.S.. The spread of the Russian mob was fueled by disgruntled Russian veterans from the Afghanistan War, and by ill-gotten gains, some of which allegedly came from an incredibly corrupt Russian government which was first headed by Boris Yeltsin, and then his hand-picked successor, Vladimir Putin.

One of Mogilevich's under bosses met with Donald Trump as early as 1984. According to a January 12, 2019 report by Vox,

"... The very first episode that's been documented, to my knowledge, was in 1984 when David Bogatin -- who is a Russian mobster, convicted gasoline bootlegger, and close ally of Semion Mogilevich, a major Russian mob boss -- met with Trump in Trump Tower right after it opened. Bogatin came to that meeting prepared to spend $6 million, which is equivalent to about $15 million today ... Bogatin bought five condos from Trump at that meeting. Those condos were later seized by the government, which claimed they were used to launder money for the Russian mob ..."

 

The Primary Differences Between a Free Society & a Dictatorship - Truth & Transparency vs Deception & Corruption

Except for the most corrupt of people, most humans - given the choice - would like to live in a democracy: 1) in a society governed by laws, 2) where free speech doesn't get you 15 years in prison or a death sentence like it does in Russia today, 3) in a nation where you get to choose your leaders, and 4) can non-violently fire your leaders when they implement bad policies for the nation. That's what we have here in America, and that's what most of the other NATO countries offer their people.

At present Russia is the bizarro rendition of the free, democratic nations of NATO. Putin's changing of the Russian Federation Constitution in 2020 essentially enables him to hold government power for the rest of his life [until 2036, when he's age 83]. And the imprisonment and multi-year sentencing of Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny in 2021 / 2022, shows that Russian rule of law is merely a charade. Reportedly between 13,000 and 15,000 Russian peaceful protesters have been jalied since the Russian Invasion of Ukraine began in late February of 2022. Unfortunately, aspirations of becoming a free society, where the people are able to pick and choose their own leaders, continues to elude Russia, as the corruption in the Russian Federation electoral process, makes voting seem a useless waste of time.

For these and other reasons, Ukraine embarked on the path toward joining NATO since the collapse of the Soviet Union. And, as described in Part II of this report series, that's also why the Ukrainians have been seeking independence from Russia for at least a century - if not longer - prior to this most recent Russian invasion.

 

From Gorbachev to Yeltsin - Before, During & After the Fall of the Berlin Wall

Mikhail Gorbachev was the Secretary General of the Communist Party from 1985 to 1990. During his terms in office, he was a reformer who advocated for glasnost, which was the opening up of Russian society. Through glasnost, the government was more consultative with the people with respect to the policies it pursued, and there was wider dissemination of information. For the first time in about two thirds of a century [since the Russian Revolution] the Russian government loosened its restrictive control over the populace. Gorbachev also decided that Russia needed to withdraw from Afghanistan in 1989 [see our report on Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan which compares the two], since it was a winless war. In 1979, Secretary General Leonid Brezhnev had also expressed an openness to reforming the Russian government's role in society.

In November 1989, the Berlin Wall fell. Germany and Russia negotiated for East Germany's independence from the Soviet Union. In March of 1990, Mikhail Gorbachev became the first President of the Soviet Union. He continued trying to move Russia into the modern world via Perestroika, which at first was about automation, but grew to entail economic and social reforms. Some of the Eastern European nations, like Lithuania, began to push for greater autonomy from the Soviet Union. To continue on the reform path, Gorbachev needed money, and this is where the west failed Russia during this transition.

By failing to help Gorbachev, by keeping Russia frozen out of the G7 which would have given him access to the liquidity of global markets, things worsened in Russia. Eventually a group of eight leaders of the Communist Party held Gorbachev under house arrest while he was vacationing near the Black Sea, in an attempt to stage a coup. Gorbachev refused to make / legitimize the governmental changes they demanded.

Back in Moscow, Boris Yeltsin, President of the Soviet State [which if I understand this correctly that Soviet state is now Russia], stepped in with troops loyal to him and protesters to stop the storming of the Russian Parliament and to save the government of Gorbachev's Soviet Union [which included all other Soviet republics at the time as well as Yeltsin's Soviet State]. By beating back the coup initiated by the members of Gorbachev's own Communist Party, Yeltsin ascended to the top spot. But not until after some changes were made.


Things To Do in NYC This Weekend

First Day of Spring, Half Marathon, St Pat's Parade & Andy Warhol exhibit in Brooklyn, Astoria Pawrade & Deepfake at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, St Pat's Parade, Orchid Show & Storming of the Capitol in the Bronx, Cicadas on Staten Island & Photo Exhibit in Manhattan

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nyc

Updated March 20 / March 18, 2022 / Things To Do NYC / NYC Neighborhoods / Gotham Buzz NYC.  Report & photo by Michael Wood.

Weather. The temperature high will be 70 on Friday descending to about 60 on Saturday and Sunday. The temperature lows will be 50 on Friday and Saturday, dropping to the low 40's on Sunday. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph on Friday and Saturday, rising to 10 - 15 mph on Sunday. Humidity will range from 60% - 70% on Friday, 80% on Saturday and 60% - 50% on Sunday. About a third of an inch of rain is expected Saturday before 12 noon and after 6 pm. As of this post, during Saturday afternoon the probability of rain falls to 35% or less. The rest of the weekend may have some clouds, but no additional rain.

Sunday is the first day of Spring. Hooray.

The photo at right was taken Sunday morning 3/20/22 along Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, as 25,000 half marathoners made their way along the 13.1 mile couse toward the Manhattan Bridge on their way to Central Park. We posted the event below on Friday.

 

Things to do in Queens This Weekend

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycThere's a pet parade in Astoria on Sunday from 12 - 2.30 pm organized by the Central Astoria Development Corporation in tandem with the Steinway Astoria Partnership along 31st Avenue between Steinway and 38th Street. Free.

The Museum of the Moving Image is hosting an exhibit that began December 18, 2021 and runs through May 15, 2022 entitled Deepfake: Unstable Evidence on Screen. The exhibit explores how fact becomes distorted and fictionalized via the moving image screen. At the centerpiece of it all is the distortion of the Apollo 11 moon mission. The museum is open Friday from 2 - 8 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 12 noon - 6 pm. For details and tickets see www.movingimage.us. Admission $15 / $11 / $9.

The photo at right was taken at the Deepfake: Unstable Evidence on Screen exhibit at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens. The exhibit is very topical given what's going on between Russia and the Ukraine, as well as generally, on TV and via social media. The exhibit examines the challenges people face in being able to determine whether what they see on screen is real or fake. They start around WWII, include the Kennedy assassination video, a fake video 'proving' the lunar mission was faked, another video 'proving' that 911 was a 'false flag' operation and then a whole group of videos - both real and fake - of events of the past few decades. It's definitely worth the visit before the exhibit ends in May.


Weekend Things To Do NYC - February 2022

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nyc

This section contains our Weekend Things To Do reports for the month of February 2022.


Ukraine III: Adding Context to What You're Seeing on the TV Networks

In Part III We Delve into the Threat of WWIII, the Russia / China Pact of February 2022 to Keep Dictators Putin & Xi Jinping in Power is Reminiscent of '1939 Pact of Steel' by Mussolini & Hitler, Putin's Alleged Corruption & Yacht, and the Putin-Pleasing-Propaganda-Press in America

ukraine russian war analysis russia war in ukraine analysisMarch 14, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

 

Recap of Part I

In Part I, two weeks ago, I looked at the relative sizes of the economy, population and industries of Russia vis a vis Ukraine. This was followed by a very short topline summary of some of the politics, culture and fluctuating borderlines of the Ukraine. And lastly, talked about how Fox News, the Wall St. Journal and the NY Post which are owned and controlled by a fascist-leaning billionaire from Australia [Rupert Murdoch], appears to be aiding and abetting Putin's War by continually bashing the Biden Administration, through his cadre of propagandists.

In the graphic at right, put together by the BBC in London, you can see that western Ukraine has largely been left alone, while the war rages in the East mostly along the Russian border. Western forces should be sure to provide Ukrainian forces with sea and river mines to thwart Russia's water borne assault capabilities along the Black Sea and the Dnieper River. They should also give consideration to bombing Putin's Palace at Gelendzhik on the Black Sea in order to publicize the alleged corruption of Putin and the Oligarchs as one of the reasons that the Russian forces have fared so poorly and why Putin - like Benito Mussolini - is reportedly asking [begging] Xi Jinping for financial and weaponry handouts. Both Putin and Xi deny the reports.

 

Recap of Part II - Putin's Alleged Palace & Corruption Impact on Russian Military, Morale of Russian Military - Half of Whom are Poor Peasant Conscripts - the Economic & Military Value of the Ukraine to Russia & the Fighting Heritage of the Cossacks

ukraine russian war analysis russia war in ukraine analysisIn Part II, a week ago, I talked about how Australian born billionaire, mass media propagandist Rupert Murdoch and dictator Vladimir Putin's tactics share many similarities. They are differentiated in that Rupert Murdoch uses economic muscle and propaganda to get indirect control / influence over the corporations and governments he wants to plunder. While Vladimir Putin also uses economic muscle and propaganda - but enhances it with a Nazi tactic by adding violence and force to the mix - to obtain direct control over the corporations and governments he wants to plunder. All of these tactics were used by the Nazis to gain control - first of Germany and then a significant portion of Europe.

The graphic at right shows Rupert Murdoch and Vladimir Putin during happier times. Eventually Murdoch exited Russian media under duress, likely because Putin realized how Murdoch manipulated his audiences. A Russian Oligarch, Boris Berezovsky, was said to be a Murdoch friend who at one time controlled a lot of Russian media. Berezovsky was believed to have been murdered, but it could not be proven, so the coroner left the verdict open. So why does Murdoch media appear to favor Putin? Fear? Because both have fascist tendencies? Or both?

ukraine russian war analysis russia war in ukraine analysisThen I delved into the importance of the Dnieper River, which flows south from Smolensk in Russia through the Ukraine and into the Black Sea. It's important because currently Russia has limited access to the world waterways via the Baltic Sea which is treacherous for much of the year, and the Black Sea which is a body of water shared by many nations, including many of the former Soviet Republics, including Ukraine.

Conquering Ukraine would give Russia a broader, more defensible / offensible presence on the Black Sea. This is likely of great concern to other Black Sea nations such as Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Georgia. All but the last two are NATO member nations. And the Ukraine was working toward becoming an eligible member.

I also talked about Putin's $1.4 billion mansion at Gelendzhik, which is a beachside tourist resort in Russia along the Black Sea. Putin denies he built the mansion with public funds, although a number of military observers believe that Putin and the Oligarchs looted the Russian Defense budget, which is why Russia has performed so poorly in this war. Also, about half of the Russians of their 600,000 fighting force were young men conscripted to die for Putin's War in a manner not unlike what happened to the poor Russians during WWI when the Czars sent them to fight for the Czar's throne.

In the graphic at right, an American cartoonist shares a worldwide point of view that Putin is a war criminal.


$element(bwcore,article_picker,1483,Y,N,page_title_home,N)$

NYC News Updates, Chinese New Year & Micaiah Carter @ SN37

MTA Ridership & Crime, NYC Vaccination Rates & Some NYS Mask Mandates End & is Biden Doing the Right Thing in Ukraine?

February 22, 2022 / Things To Do NYC / NYC Neighborhoods / Gotham Buzz NYC.

This report is a catch up on some of the key local news items over the past couple of weeks.

MTA Ridership Slowly Inching Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels / Hochul Announces Fare Capping Program / MTA Crime not as Huge as the Corporate Broadcast Media Sensationalizes it

In the photo at right are a number of Chinese American women, who participated in the Chinese New Year Parade celebrating the year of the Tiger in Chinatown in Manhattan, were out to see and be seen last Sunday.

We've been tracking MTA ridership since the pandemic began. The subway ridership plummeted down 90% when the pandemic broke in the Spring of 2020. By the fall of 2020 MTA ridership had risen to a loss of 80%, rising to a loss of 50% - 66% in the Spring of 2021, and then a loss of 35% - 55% in the Fall of 2021. As of this week, the MTA subway ridership losses were in the range of 28% - 43% versus pre-pandemic.

On February 7, 2022, NYS Governor Kathy Hochul announced a new 'Fare Capping Program' whereby passengers would only have to pay for 12 full fare rides in a week [but using the same device / MetroCard] and after which the rides for the rest of the week would be free [Monday - Sunday]. The program begins Monday, February 28th and is expected to run for four months.

The corporate broadcast media seems to sensationalize everything these days in order to ratchet up their ratings, revenue and profit. MTA Ridership during the winter a year ago was about half the pre-pandemic level, and today it's about two thirds the pre-pandemic level meaning it has risen about 50% vs a year ago. According to NYPD Compustat, crime in the subway during the past 28 days is up 33%, so crime isn't rising as fast as ridership.

Nonetheless, crime in the subways is up by about the same percentage versus the pre-pandemic levels, so it's a bigger problem than it was before the pandemic started. It is believed, that the reason for the higher transit crime rate, is that as fewer people rode the rails during the pandemic, the homeless moved in and were able to use the subway as their shelter.

Late last week NYC Mayor Eric Adams and NYS Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the city and the state would collaborate to increase the NYPD presence in the subways to remove and / or assist the homeless from making the MTA their home by offering them an option to leave or an option to get medical, psychiatric and social services help. To that end it was noted that the NYPD upped the deployment of NYPD [about 1,000 officers] into the transit system, focusing - it seems - on the major hubs, and the Governor was working on multi-billion healthcare plans which would include provisions for helping the mentally ill and homeless.

 

NYC & NYS Vaccination Rates Well Ahead of National Rates

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycThe current NYC vaccination rate is 77%, with another 9% having received at least one dose [86%]. The current NYS vaccination rate is 75%, with another 12% having received at least one dose [87%]. The current U.S. vaccination rate is 65%, with another 12% having received at least one dose [77%].

As a result of the vaccination rates, and with the passing of the Omicron super spreader holiday season, CoVid Omicron new case growth, hospitalizations and deaths have been declining at the NYC, NYS and USA levels.

  • For New York City the weekly, daily average, test rate of 1.7% for new cases, with only a weekly, daily average new case rate of 707 reported, a weekly, daily average rate of 35 hospitalizations and a weekly, daily average rate of 17 deaths.
  • For New York State the same weekly, daily average rates are 2% positive new test cases, about 1,750 daily new cases, about 200 daily new hospitalizations and about 35 daily new deaths.
  • nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycFor the United States the same rates are 8% positive new cases [this is a week old number compared to the others herein], about 84,878 new cases, about 8,642 hospitalizations [this is a week old number compared to the others herein] and 1,964 daily deaths.
  • NYC and NYS are leading the rest of the U.S. in pulling out of the pandemic, as the southern and central states are lagging behind. If you look at a map showing vaccination rates versus a map showing infection rates, you can see that they are inversely related.
  • Are these maps indicative of the intelligence, or how well informed the people of each state are? Do the smart people live in the states with the higher vaccination rates, or are the people who got infected with CoVid at higher rates [because they didn't get vaccinated], living in states where they have fewer or less reliable information sources, like Fox News? Studies have shown that Fox News enhances people's ignorance of the facts. Look it up.

 


$element(bwcore,article_picker,1480,Y,N,page_title_home,N)$

Honoring the Sacrifice Made by NYPD Officers Mora & Rivera

Mora & Rivera were Policemen, Civilians, Minorities, Immigrant and son of, Husband, Sons, Brothers and Real Heroes

What Can We do to Make Sure they didn't die in Vain?