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This is such an impressive building! Two major tips: 1. Buy your ticket online to skip the first...
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This is such an impressive building! Two major tips: 1. Buy your ticket online to skip the first line. There are two lines - one to buy tickets and one for the elevator. 2. If you can't buy your tickets online, go early in the morning. I got there at 9:10am and barely had to wait in ANY lines. I was up at the top of the building in 10 minutes. The night before when we tried to go, the line was 1.5 hours long. Also don't go when it's hazy or cloudy out. It will obstruct your view. Tickets are $16.00 and you can get an audio tour for $6. It is totally worth it to get the audio tour. You could see the entire city. It was amazing at the top of the Empire State Building!
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The Gates
Category:
Playgrounds Parks & Trails
Central Park
New York,
New York 10001
(212) 310-6600
We live within a mile of Central Park, so I got the chance to view the Gates Project a
number of...
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We live within a mile of Central Park, so I got the chance to view the Gates Project a
number of times. I ended up having a number of distinct thoughts:
1. It looks like a giant car wash.
2. But it's kind of cool (and at rare moments from certain angles, genuinely beautiful).
3. Yes, it's cool, but is it $20 million cool?
4. Well, every tv show costs (I'm guessing) a few million dollars to develop and air. So in its five year run, Punky Brewster probably spent ~$20 million as well. Given that fact, why complain about this?
Plus one final thought (largely courtesy of my friend Jason). Whatever its aesthetic and artistic merits, the project was exciting and interesting. They should do giant public art projects in the Park for short periods every year. Even the ones that "don't work" will help people remember how wonderful the Park is the other 50 weeks of the year.
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Chelsea Piers has a little bit of something for everyone. It has a great bowling alley where...
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Chelsea Piers has a little bit of something for everyone. It has a great bowling alley where people love to meet up and have get togethers and reunions. The place is very clean and reasonably priced and it's location is great for people in Brooklyn and Manhattan. The view from the piers is amazing and there are many small places where you can purchase food and drink.
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Irish Hunger Memorial
Category:
Playgrounds Parks & Trails
290 Vesey & North End Ave
New York,
New York 10001
(212) .41-7.2000
You might not stumble on this grotto and mound of earth if you were not looking for it. A...
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You might not stumble on this grotto and mound of earth if you were not looking for it. A seemingly organic swell of land rises from the earth, furred with long rustling grasses and dotted with stones brought over from Ireland. A tunnel through the mound of earth speaks to the suffering of the Irish people during the great famine.
But even without this poignant significance, this would be a beautiful spot to sit and to discover. This would not make most NYC museum or park guides - try to make a special trip to Battery Park City and steal a moment of deep peace.
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Greenacre Park
Category:
Uncategorized
217 E 51st St
New York,
New York 10022
(212) 838-0528
Greenacre Park is a serene escape from the heat, the noise, the anxiety of the city. A great place...
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Greenacre Park is a serene escape from the heat, the noise, the anxiety of the city. A great place to come and relax, it's a bit of country in the middle of town - providing shade and dappled sunlight, the sound of falling water from it's 25 foot waterfall and, literally and figuratively, a breath of fresh air. It was built in the early 70's and has become a fixture of the neighborhood, attracting regulars and tourists alike.
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This is another center that is part of the city park's and recreation center. As such, joining...
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This is another center that is part of the city park's and recreation center. As such, joining this center allows you free access to all the other centers in the city. It is 75 dollars a year for adults, free for children under 18, and discounted for senior citizens. This is one of the best, safest, cleanest, city recreation centers. The weight room is large, and so is the swimming pool. It is easy to access by car, because it is located nearby the fdr. It is a 6 block walk from the 6 train on the 23 st. The neighborhood is extremely safe, somewhat quiet but very family oriented (there are families and children constantly coming in and out of this place). There is a pool table (somewhat beat up) and a ping pong table.
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Take the four minute tram ride from Second Av & 59 Street and you can stroll around the trees...
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Take the four minute tram ride from Second Av & 59 Street and you can stroll around the trees and greenery and forget you are in the city for a while. If you are not in the mood for a walk, you can take the Roosevelt Island bus (50 cents) as far north as possible to the firehouse. Get off a little earlier at the supermarket if you need to buy sandwiches/drinks and proceed past Octagon Soccer Field. Then walk a little further, past the tennis courts and the rehab hospital till you get to the very northern end of the island, Lighthouse Park. A nice place to picnic (don't forget to clean up your trash!) and read the paper while you see the boats pass by. Roosevelt Island is a great place for bikes as very few cars are allowed on the island.
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Pier 40
Category:
Parks & Public Recreation
40 N River Piers
New York,
New York 10014
(212) 229-1044
Walking up the west side esplanade from Battery Park, we came across this hidden outdoor...
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Walking up the west side esplanade from Battery Park, we came across this hidden outdoor artificial turf playing field where a small team was playing soccer. (Cross Street - W. Houston Street). At first all you see are parked cars on the 2nd and 3rd floors parked around the perimeter and a big Hudson River Trust office bldg but through the middle, you can see a very big outdoor playing field and enter it for FREE! There are new vending machines and clean bathrooms and an immaculate soccer/multiuse field where you can also run or jog around. Inside the office building on the 2nd floor is a small indoor field. Seems like a great place to take kids on a sunny or rainy day to just run about and play safely or for adults looking for a practice field - worth a visit!
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Hudson River Park Trust hosts a series of free films during the summer at Pier 54 (Wednesdays) and...
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Hudson River Park Trust hosts a series of free films during the summer at Pier 54 (Wednesdays) and Pier 25 (Fridays at dusk).
Wednesday's line-up includes a quirky collection of old movies including: Mean Girls, Rosemary's Baby, The Beastmaker, Jaws, Cruel Intentions, Goldfinger, Goodfellas and A Clockwork Orange. Friday's line-up has more family fare and includes: Wallace & Gromit, March of the Penguins, Chicken Run, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, Nanny McPhee, Lemony Snickets and ET.
This is a great summertime treat in the city--seating is available and there's even free popcorn (you can purchase other snacks and soft drinks at concession stands). The Pier is located at 14th Street and the Hudson River.
Hudson River Park is a 550 acre open space development in Manhattan. The Park offers a a wide array of sports, boating, educational and community facilities along five miles of parkland and waterfront.
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54 Street Recreation Center
Category:
Playgrounds Parks & Trails
348 East 54 Street (between First & Second Aves)
New York,
New York 10022
(212) 754-5411
Run by the NYC Parks Dept., this rec center was recently renovated and modernized. Large Pool,...
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Run by the NYC Parks Dept., this rec center was recently renovated and modernized. Large Pool, fitness room, gym, basketball courts, track. A real bargain for adults ($75/yr),senior citizens ($10/yr) and kids (just $5/yr. ) Friendly helpful staff. Very clean and tidy. Bring your own lock for the locker room upstairs. Showers have plenty of hot water (bring soap and towel, shower shoes are a must!) Classes in yoga, tai chi, dance as well as afterschool and kids programs available.
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