Islandwoo.com Blog

Video & Photos – Walking Across the Brooklyn Bridge During Sunset

yourhost — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 05:03:01 +0000

The Brooklyn Bridge spans over one mile connecting Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan and offering pedestrians who walk and bike across the bridge spectacular views of city skylines. Recently one of the four NYC Waterfalls is constructed underneath the Brooklyn Bridge visible from the Manhattan side.

Although walking across the Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan offers a more dramatic skyline view, the opposite path is equally charming. Of course be sure to stop once in a while and turn around to soak in the views.

Pedestrian access to the Brooklyn Bridge from the Brooklyn side is from either Tillary/Adams Streets (in between the auto entrance/exit), or a staircase on Prospect St between Cadman Plaza East and West. In Manhattan, the pedestrian walkway is accessible from the end of Centre Street, or through the unpaid south staircase of Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall IRT subway station.

The Brooklyn Bridge has a wide pedestrian walkway open to walkers and cyclists, in the center of the bridge and higher than the automobile lanes. While the bridge has always permitted the passage of pedestrians across its span, its role in allowing thousands to cross takes on a special importance in times of difficulty when usual means of crossing the East River have become unavailable.

During transit strikes by the Transport Workers Union in 1980 and 2005 the bridge was used by people commuting to work, with Mayors Koch and Bloomberg crossing the bridge as a gesture to the affected public. Following the 1965, 1977 and 2003 Blackouts and most famously after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, the bridge was used by people in Manhattan to leave the city after subway service was suspended.

Hudson River Park – Pier 45 & 46

yourhost — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:23:59 +0000

Hudson River Park runs along the west side of Manhattan offering greens for sunbathing, free concerts, and hundreds of outdoor activities.

The 850-foot long Pier 45 in Greenwich Village (cross at Christopher St) is NYC’s most picturesque pier for sunbathing and free activities. Amenities include shade structures, seating areas, wood decking and a stretch of grass lawn that has become a favorite spot for sunbathers. Nearby you can grab food and refreshments at the Regatta Cafe or catch the NYC Water Taxi. Pier 46 also has free fishing for all ages with Big City Fishing, as well as educational programs. Heat up, then cool down using Pier 45′s super interactive water feature -enjoy a spritz of fresh water right when you need it. The Hudson River Park Trust also sponsors free events on Pier 45 in the summer. Here is what’s going on this summer at Pier 45 & 46:

Sunset on the Hudson – Fridays at 7PM – Pier 45

Every Friday from June 6th to August 22nd, enjoy the beautiful sunset and mellow sounds of New York’s acclaimed guitar man David Ippolito from this spectacular grass-covered pier that stretches into the majestic Hudson River.

Stars of Tomorrow (Jazz and Classical Virtuosos) – Tuesdays at 6:30PM – Pier 45

Tuesdays hit a high note with jazz and classical performances from Mannes College The New School for Music and The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music on one of Hudson River Park’s most beautiful piers by star students from around the city.

June 3 – Stu Bidwell Duo – Jazz from THE NEW SCHOOL FOR JAZZ AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
June 10 – Classical from MANNES COLLEGE THE NEW SCHOOL FOR MUSIC
June 17 – Becky Mimiaga Quartet – Jazz from THE NEW SCHOOL FOR JAZZ AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
June 24 – Classical from MANNES COLLEGE THE NEW SCHOOL FOR MUSIC
July 8 – Ross Clark Trio – Jazz from THE NEW SCHOOL FOR JAZZ AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
July 15 – Mallory Glaser Quartet – Jazz from THE NEW SCHOOL FOR JAZZ AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
July 22 – Classical from MANNES COLLEGE THE NEW SCHOOL FOR MUSIC
July 29 - Classical from MANNES COLLEGE THE NEW SCHOOL FOR MUSIC
Aug 5 – Itamar Borochov Trio – Jazz from THE NEW SCHOOL FOR JAZZ AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
Aug 12 – Classical from MANNES COLLEGE THE NEW SCHOOL FOR MUSIC
Aug 19 – Nick Paul Trio – Jazz from THE NEW SCHOOL FOR JAZZ AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

RiverFlicks for Kids – Fridays 8:30PM – Pier 46 at Charles St
Free movies for the whole family. And free popcorn!

July 11th – The Wizard of Oz (G)
July 18th - Bee Movie (PG)
July 25th – E.T. (PG)
August 1 – The Iron Giant (PG)
August 8 – The Goonies (PG)
August 15 – 5th Annual Showing of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971 Original Version, PG)
August 22 – Shrek (PG)

Big City Fishing – Tuesday to Sunday, July 4th – Labor Day, 10:30AM – 5:30PM – Pier 46 (& Pier 84)
Yes you can fish in the Hudson River and it’s Free!

Big City Fishing gives anyone and everyone the chance to fish. It’s an appropriate and fun activity for those as young as five. Because we practice catch-and-release fishing in Hudson River Park, all fish are returned to the river at the end of the program. All of the necessary supplies including rods, reels and bait, as well as formal instruction. Fishing poles are provided on a first come, first served basis, with a half-hour limit when others are waiting. Big City Fishing also provides participants with a first hand opportunity to learn about the Hudson River Estuarine Sanctuary. View plankton through microscopes, examine live specimens – caught that morning, either in traps or on someone’s line – and identify species using the Hudson River Park’s signature Fish Poster. Recently caught at Pier 46: American eel, striped bass, black sea bass, bluefish, oyster toadfish, cunner, white perch, flounder, porgy, blue crabs.

Video – Scooting across the Brooklyn Bridge on a Vespa

yourhost — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:01:11 +0000

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge is a great experience for anyone. Scooting over the Brooklyn Bridge is a unique experience that is becoming more common as New Yorkers look for more effective ways of navigating around the city.

Come along for a exciting ride on a Vespa across the Brooklyn Bridge, under the Manhattan Bridge and glimpse at the NYC Waterfalls in the evening sky.

Video Tour of ©MURAKAMI Exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art

yourhost — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:06:04 +0000

April 5 – July 13, 2008, Brooklyn Museum of Art

The most comprehensive retrospective to date of the work of internationally acclaimed Japanese artist Takashi Murakami includes more than ninety works in various media that span the artists entire career, installed in more than 18,500 square feet of gallery space. The Tokyo born artist has exhibited his work all over the world but is possibly best known for his 2003 collaboration with designer Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton. Together they created a hugely successful line of Monogram bags, notably the Louis Vuitton Multicolore brand.

Having made fans out of Hollywood actors, fashionados, and musical artist like Kanye West who’s album art for “Graduation” was done in collaboration with Murakami. Marc Jacobs describes the opening ceremony for the exhibit as a “fantastic collision of fashion, art, and music,” adding that Murakami’s cross-branding style is “reminiscent of the old days, where creative people didn’t stay in their box but bonded with each other and collaborated with each other.”

If you missed the Exhibit, this video will give you a partial look at an Exhibition that was absolutely amazing! (Don’t miss Hiropon and the Lonesome Cowboy in the segment “Milk and Cream”)

2008 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Video – Coney Island, NY

yourhost — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 02:01:29 +0000

7/4/2008 – 21 contestants competed for the 92nd Annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest marketed as “The Rematch II” in Coney Island, NY. This year’s contestants include last year’s winner Joey Chestnut, who ate 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes; Takeru “Tsunami” Kobayashi, who ate 63; Crazy Leged Conti, Arturo Grande Rios, Erik The Red Denmark, Eric Bandlands Booker, Juliette The Violet Lee, Tim Gravy Brown, Sonya The Black Widow Thomas, and Tim The X Janus.

The time limit for this year’s hot dog eating contest changed from 12 minutes to 10 minutes (speeding up the eating process a little) and well, it was an unprecedented finish that you’ll just have to witness yourself (by watching the video provided here). Enjoy!

So who won? Watch the winners carry their trophies out!

Planning a trip to Coney Island? There’re activities ranging from amusement park rides to games like “shoot the freak” to eating a variety of hot dogs at Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog or just stroll the boardwalk and enjoy a day at the beach.

Islandwoo Tips to make your trip to Coney Island a little better: If you plan on attending future Hot Dog Eating Contests on July 4th, be prepared to arrive as early as 10AM (2 hrs early) to secure a spot close enough to see the contestants (You can tell from the video that I was rather tardy). If you prefer to arrive on time, bring a step ladder, or crate to stand on. You don’t want to miss the show that took you an hour to get to. As for the Nathan’s hot dog pick: go with the onions and pepper. And if you can’t make it to Nathans in Coney Island, there’s the supermarket version which tastes just as good!

Joey Chestnut & Takeru Kobayashi – 2008 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Winners

yourhost — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:02:40 +0000

7/4/2008 – Joey Chestnut of San Jose defended his 2007 title and wins the 2008 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, NY over 6 time winner Takeru Kobayashi of Japan. The winners came out after the competition ended with their trophies to pose for pictures and perhaps heading to lunch!

New York City’s Hidden Waterfalls

yourhost — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 05:38:03 +0000

This post is inspired by the recent hoopla over the $15.5M installation of four “New York City Waterfalls” created by the Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson placed along the East River.

As many of you know, New York City is already home to numerous man-made waterfalls ranging from naturally set waterfalls in Central Park to waterfalls inside Midtown’s most prominent office towers and hotels to waterfalls inside NYC Restaurants such as Rosa Mexicano and Highline in Manhattan and East Buffet in Elmhurst, Queens.

The most notable NYC waterfalls are:

Central Park Waterfalls (100th to 105th street) – “Waterfall in the Loch”

Japanese Hill & Pond Garden Waterfalls in the Brooklyn Botanical Garden

Bronx River Waterfall in the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx

Paley Park’s 20 foot waterfall on 53rd Street and 5th Avenue

Hearst Tower “Ice Falls” on 57th Street and 8th Ave – a cascading waterfall at the entrance of the building spanning 27 feet tall and 75 feet wide over glass. Water is recycled from rain-water collected on the roof of the building that is piped to a 14,000 gallon tank in the basement

Olympic Tower Three-tiered waterfall on 5th Ave btw 51st and 5nd streets

Trump Tower Waterfall on 5th Ave and 57th street – a 7-story, 20 foot wide waterfall down a rose granite surface

W Time Square Hotel Waterfall on Broadway and 47th Street – Guests wait for the elevator under a glass bottom of a pool that diverts water down a transparant wall

Aon Center/Park Plaza Waterfall on 52nd Street and Madison Ave – a granite backed cascade waterfall that is 40 foot wide

Please feel free to comment and add your own NYC waterfall to this list!

39 Steps on Broadway – A Unique Theatre Experience

yourhost — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 04:05:42 +0000

39 Steps on Broadway is one of the most unique theatre experiences! Director Maria Aitkin, adaptor Patrick Barlow and cast of four: Arnie Burton, Charles Edwards, Jenifer Ferrin and Cliff Saunders are spectacular in acting for over 150 different characters, making this a very memorable show.

This adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 movie had everything – from humor to suspense to loads of accents, “shadow play”, clever stage settings, role changes and even references to other Hitchcock movies. You don’t have to be familiar with Hitchcock films to appreciate the mystery and comedy of the plot.

Islandwoo Tips to make your trip to see 39 Steps a little better: Go cheap and find the cheapest tickets as the Cort Theatre is very small and intimate – with good views of the stage from virtually every seat in the theatre. Some promotions have 2nd row mezzanine seats (great seats) cleverly priced at $39 each ticket. A good source for discounted broadway tickets is the NY Times Ticket Watch and Broadwayoffers.com. Enjoy and let us know what you think of the show!

Bryant Park Summer HBO Film Festival – Pictures and Schedule

yourhost — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:22:04 +0000

Bryant Park “is a Garden. And it’s ours.” From Good Morning America Concert Series to Piano in the Park to the HBO Film Festival, Bryant park hosts some of the best summer events in the city. There are many daily activities as well to explore in the park – from chess and backgammon, to the carousel, to pétanque (a traditional french game using metal balls), or just relaxing on the lawn. Here’re some pictures from Film Festival last year and the 2008 Films playing this year.

Islandwoo Tips to make your trip to Bryant Park Film Festival a little better: Arrive early to ensure a seat on the lawn (bring a blanket) or chair in plain view of the movie screen. Bring friends, food, wine, games to pass the time while you wait. Check out the Bryant park webcam (updated every 10 minutes to get the latest on weather and crowd)

Bryant Park live webcam (updated every 10 minutes):

The lawn opens at 5:00pm for blankets (no plastic tarps) and picnicking.
The films begin at dusk (typically between 8pm and 9pm)

Schedule of Films for Summer 2008
June
Mon 16 – Dr. No
Mon 23 – Bride of Frankenstein
Mon 30 – Hud
July
Mon 7 – The Man Who Came to Dinner
Mon 14 – Fail-Safe
Mon 21 – Arsenic and Old Lace
Mon 28 – The Apartment
August
Mon 4 – Lifeboat
Mon 11 – The Candidate
Mon 18 – Superman

Enjoy Summer at the Bohemian Beer Garden in Astoria, Queens

yourhost — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 03:58:07 +0000

Astoria is known to many for its many authentic Greek restaurants and the biggest free outdoor public pool. Astoria is also known for the most famous beer garden in the city, the 90 year old Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden on 24th Avenue and 31st Street.

What most people don’t know is that the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden is the last original remaining beer garden in all of New York City where there were once 800 (three in Astoria alone)! Czech and Slavak immigrants living in Astoria from the late 1800′s built Bohemian Hall in 1910 and added the authentic European Beer Garden in 1919.

Today, most people flock to the Beer Garden after work and on the weekends to enjoy pitchers of a variety of beers including Pilsner Urquell, the beer that was born in the town of Plzen in Bohemia – what is now the Czech Republic.

Islandwoo Tips to make your trip to Bohemian Beer Garden in Astoria better: Although the beer garden is open late (until 11PM M,T,W, Su and Midnight Th, F, Sa), go early to grab a bench for you and your friends. The garden fills up quick as the sun sets. Be sure to grab the Kilbasa plate (see picture below) for only $7 and be generous as pitchers are only $14. Enjoy your summer outdoors!

Here’s a list of Summer 2008 Events at the Bohemian Beer Garden:

Friday July 4th – 4th of July Festival
1PM-4PM Dixieland Music by the “WILDCAT Group”, Cold Imported Beer on Tap Great Grill Food and Friendly service, $5 admission

Summer Stage Cinema Sunday’s
Summer Stage Cinema hosted in collaboration with Pilnser Urquell and the Czech Center of NY is a series of Czech Films that will be shown in the Beer Garden at dusk. All films will be in Czech with English subtitles. Free Admission to all films.

July 6 – Rebels (Rebelove)
July 13 – Saturnin
July 20 – Lemonade Joe (Limondovy Joe)
July 27 – Capricous Summer (Rozmarne Leto)
August 3 – Short Cut (Postriziny)
August 10 – The Smoke (Kour)
August 17 – Night Over Karlstejn (Noc na Karlstejne)
August 24 – Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians (tajemstvi hradu v Karpatch)
August 31 – Prague 5 (Prazska petka)

Summer Jazz Thursdays
Smoking Jazz Every Thursday 6-9pmn the garden weather permitting ; otherwise in the restaurant Free admission, no cover,no minimum.

June 26 – “Cold Shot” jazz and bluegrass with a little classic rock mixed in
July 3 – “Catgut” jazz and R&B
July 10 – Glauco Sagebin Big Band
July 17 – Lily White Quintet
July 24 – Catgut jazz R&B
July 31 – Danny Munoz Trio

Comedyland Every Tuesday @ 9:00pm

Comedyland is a weekly stand up comedy show hosted by Stacia Jensen and Colin Dempsey featuring some of the best comics in New York. Excited, yet? You should be, because a lot of the comics have been on the TV. And if they haven’t yet, they will be soon. The most magical part: IT’S FREE!! Totally FREE!!
Come for the comedy, stay for the kielbasa. And beer. Lots and lots of delicious beer.
The Funny is waiting.
NOTE: There will be no performance on July 1st.

Friday September 5, 2008 – LUSCINIA Student-Choir at 6:00pm
We welcome the U.S. Concert-tour of the Student-Choir LUSCINIA, from Opava in the Czech Republic. Czech students in traditional folk costumes perform traditional folk songs and dances. Their enthusiasm and talent are a treat not to be missed.
FREE ADMISSION.