Governors Island Art Exhibit

Cooper Hewitt's new Graphic Design—Now in Production exhibition on Governors Island, NYC. Great preview at: http://on.fb.me/Lz8U3w

Beer Garden on UWS

Five Lamps Tavern on Broadway between 105th and 106th St has a nice garden in the back....good for a pint, snack and break from the hustle and bustle.

West Side Community Garden Concert Series

The West Side Community Garden’s 2012 Concert Series is well underway. Events for the summer series are:

June 24/6pm      Lew Tabakin – Jazz Trio

July 08/6pm        Michael Braudy, Celtic Fiddle

July 15/6pm        Michael Walz Quartet, Brazilian Samba

Located on West 89th between Columbus and Amsterdam, the West Side Community Garden is owned and maintained by the West Side Community Garden Inc., an all-volunteer not-for-profit organization. The current design for the garden was developed by the Gardeners working with Artists and the current layout, incorporating a floral amphitheater and public seating area, was part of the Gardener’s vision from the very beginning, lending itself to event presentations such as the concert series.

More details can be found at westsidecommunitygarden.com

Apple Seeds Opens on UWS

apple seeds, the award-winning, all-in-one children’s play space, whose flagship is based in New York City’s Chelsea/Flatiron district, is branching out and opening its second NYC location at 200 West End Avenue on July 1.

Positioned perfectly on the family-friendly Upper West Side and located closely to multiple schools and parks, apple seeds will cater to families with children from newborn to five years old.  The new space will have incredible indoor features including:

-    Indoor Playground. The nearly 2,000 square foot indoor playground contains nine children’s  museum-like exhibits as well as a gym-and-play space.

-   The Perfect Class. Five classrooms offer classes in music, art, movement, soccer, cooking, science, construction, ballet and more.  Classes begin July 1^st and registration is open now.

-    Birthday Celebrations. Families can choose from 11 party themes ranging from music to sports, to animals, to cooking, princesses and pirates, construction, dinosaurs and more.

You can check out more information at www.appleseedsplay.com.

 

MMNYs 5th Annual Punk Island

Make Music New York culminates in today's fifth annual Punk Island, a FREE punk-rock paradise on Governors Island!

From 11:00am - 5:30pm, you'll hear over 50 bands from every corner of the punk scene on seven stages, all curated by ABC No Rio's punk/hardcore collective and sponsored by Guitar Center.

All are welcome, from punk aficionados to the punk-curious. For the full schedule and info on the free ferries, visit makemusicny.org/punk.

Make Music New York

Sunscreen

Its summer in #NYC but no matter where you are and what season of year it is, you need to use sunscreen.

Skin cancer at any age is a tragedy since sunblock can prevent it and is so readily accessible. Check out the app “Mollies Fund” to learn what to look for. molliesfund.org

83rd and Broadway

Nice.....

Jackson Pollack's Apartment for Sale

Jackson Pollock's Greenwich Village apartment is up for grabs, reports the Huffington Post. The historic apartment once owned by Aaron Burr at 46 Carmine Street is on the market for $1.395 million.The 800-square-foot property includes four skylights, a second story open loft bedroom and a fireplace. Despite these luxurious elements, it's not the most spacious of lofts, not to mention that it's a fifth floor walk up.

Summer Reading Challenge

Kids may be on a break from school, but they shouldn’t take a break from reading. The New York Public Library is kicking off Summer Reading 2012 to encourage learning during the lazy, hazy days of summer.

Kids can join by visiting their local libraries or logging onto www.summerreading.org. They can choose books from the Summer Reading List and track their reading on the website. At the end of the summer, children will receive a certificate of participation.

NYC Greenmarket

On Wednesday, June 27 Greenmarket will honor Women in Agriculture at the fifth annual Taste of Greenmarket, a showcase of seasonal food and drink prepared by over twenty of the city's finest chefs and mixologists. The evening's dishes and cocktails will feature ingredients grown by Greenmarket farmers and prepared by chefs who support regional agriculture by building their menus around the fresh, seasonal bounty sold at the market. All proceeds benefit Greenmarket's Youth Education Project. 

Kayaking on the Hudson

Kayaking is open again!

Join the Downtown Boathouse for 20-minute instructional paddles, and explore the Hudson River first hand.  Please know how to swim and expect that you may get wet.  Environmental information.
Weather permitting. No registration required. Kayaks and life vests provided.

Saturdays & Sundays, May 19-October 14, 10:00 am- 5:00 pm – 72nd St. & the Hudson River  

Museum for African Art

Museum Mile's newest addition, the Museum for African Art, has delayed its opening again due to lack of funding.

Designed by the celebrated Robert A.M. Stern Architects, LLP, the new Museum for African Art will own and occupy about 90,000 square feet in a mixed-use joint-development project.
The museum currently requires about $10 million to finish construction on the site.

Open to the public in 1984, the Museum for African Art is dedicated to the art and culture of Africa and the African Diaspora. www.africanart.org

United Airlines Merger

Pilots involved in #UnitedAirlines merger are making a point for a new contract in Times Square today.

Very dramatic, visually.

Coach Russell Basketball League

Frederick Douglass playground was busy Sunday.

There were 8 10 y.o girl soccer teams in various state of play or practice, with siblings and parents milling about in slivers of shade. And on the court, Coach Russell basketball tournament was in full swing.

Coach Russell has been facilitating inner-city sports for 30 years. The goal of his league is "keeping the brothers off the streets" of Newark, New Jersey. "The league gives them an outlet and it teaches them to be responsible men."

James Russell life's passions are: A love of sports and a rebirth in religion - a spiritual gift he received in church that has led him to a vocation to help young adults.

His basketball league is made up of about 240 players, a staff of scorekeepers, referees and others who prepare soul food for the players. A community effort.

Russell is reaching out for the first time since starting his league in 1981 for financial assistance. "Whatever money we get goes back into the league," he said. Anybody interested in helping the league can call him at (347) 965-7704 or email him at jamesrussellthecoach@yahoo.com.

 

The Tony Awards

We whizzed passes the Beacon Theatre enroute to dinner at Serafina on the UWS. The Beacon is the home of the Tony Awards this year - a big change from Radio City Music Hall where it has been for, I'm no sure how many years (anyone??).

We LOVE the Tony Awards and wish we could be there but the $1500 pp ticket price was a bit prohibitive.

YMCA Pool Tile

The West Side YMCA in New York City has been around for decades. It has a lovely history of serving of community but beyond that it has gorgeous tile work in the pools.

They don't make them like that anymore!

Hand-y Work

One of the hands from "A Behanding in Spokane" stayed behind and is now working in the box office.

Asphalt Green

There are 7 food trucks lined up in front of the lawn at Asphalt Green on the UES and a big party going on but no mention of it on their website. :-(

2nd Avenue Restaurant Week

Mark your calendars for June 4-8th and plan to dine on 2nd Ave. during the 2012 2ndAvenue Restaurant Week!

There are over 20 restaurants participating along the avenue in the subway construction corridor from 68th-96th Streets. They are offering either 20% off their menu items or a $20.16 course dinner during that week. Encourage your favorite restaurant on 2nd Ave. to get involved if not already signed up!

http://www.2ndAvenueShopper.com/category/2nd-avenue-restaurant-week