Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you didn’t have to.
We made it as easy as 1-2-3.
Covid-19 has required some changes for the time being.
Stay Safe.
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For the month of July we are going to try a different format – on some days we will go visual and offer a selection of the very best NYCity Instagram photos or YouTube videos. Some days you will find “the Nifty Nine”, all the NYC news you need to start your day, or the Top Online Travel Forums with NYC info. On other days we will offer “Corona Culture,” updated info and video especially suited to these difficult times.
We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here.
Today it’s Corona Culture (b).
Classic skyscrapers define New York. Take a virtual tour./ NYT
The Times architecture critic strolls Park Avenue with the architect Annabelle Selldorf.
See an Empty NYC from a Bird’s-Eye View in This Aerial Capture During Lockdown./ Viewing NYC Shot with a drone for a real birds-eye view.
Brooklyn Bridge, Star of the City: Here’s a Tour. / NYT
The Times architecture critic explores the bridge and the neighborhoods on either side with the architects Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi.
Why Driving in New York City Now Feels “Post Apocalyptic.” / NYT
For now it’s open road, miles and miles of it.
New York Philharmonic Takes Show to Rooftops, Stairwells./ WSJ
After the orchestra canceled performances, many musicians found new ways—and reasons—to play.
Virtual Day Trips You Can Now Take Online / ReadersDigest
Cannes 2020 is canceled: here are 28 of the festival’s best films you can stream right now./LAT
Films that have played the festival since 2006, and which are now available for viewing at home.
We hope you enjoy this change of pace, then please return here August 1, and every day for our daily, hot off the presses event guide with “Only the Best” NYCity event info.
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Lower Manhattan – Did you know?
New York City, a city of neighborhoods, is filled with sights that every tourist should see. No neighborhood has more spectacular sights than Lower Manhattan. Today’s feature:
“St. Paul’s Chapel was founded in 1766 and celebrates its 250th anniversary in October. George Washington prayed in the chapel following his inauguration as the President of the United States. The chapel hosts a variety of events and installations, including an exhibit about 9/11, movie screenings and more. St. Paul’s continues to be an active church, hosting Sunday services at 8am and 9:15am.” (nycgo.com)
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Now how about some other useful information during these trying times.
WFUV-FM 90.7 is my fave local radio station. Noncommercial, member-supported with a format of adult album alternative music, WFUV is doing it’s best to keep us connected to our music with a comprehensive, updated list of live music online.
WFUV Live Online (July 16 -July 22)
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7/16 – Lucius livestreams Thursdays in July $ supporting local businesses, this week: covers 7/16 – Indigo Girls All-Dedication Concert, 7pm, in the spirit of an old school radio night 7/16 – The Jewbadours: The Last Schmaltz – Joe’s Pub Live! From the Archives
7/18 – Michael Franti “Stay At Home Concert World Tour” Livestream from Soulshine Bali ($) from 9-11:30pm7/18 – James Maddock Live Stream Concert at 7pm 7/18 – Prison Music Project Town Hall at 8pm, a livestream panel with creators Ani DiFranco, Zoe Boekbinder and Leyla McCalla 7/19 – Mary Gauthier – Sundays w/Mary and special guest Carlene Carter 7/19 – Shelby Lynne, The Chronicles Volume II – 2pm $ Music and fellowship Get a running list of Live and Archived online concerts at wfuv.org |
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Things to Do This Weekend in NYC (7/17-7/19)
(7/17-7/19) New York City has entered Phase 3 of its cautious reopening and there’s more to do in NYC than there’s been since the mid-March lockdown. This detailed map of open restaurants shows over 8,200 venues now serving; included in that number are 4,400 places where you can eat outside. Fifty-seven streets have been closed to traffic and opened to expanded outdoor dining plans, including Arthur Avenue in the Bronx; Doyers Street in Chinatown, East 101st Street in Harlem, 46th Street along Midtown East and West, stretches of the Meatpacking District, Broadway in the Flatiron, Orchard and Broome Sts., on the Lower East Side, and Mulberry Street and Hester Street in Little Italy; Brooklyn will be welcoming along Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, in addition to stretches of Red Hook and Dumbo; Bell Boulevard and 41st Avenue in Bayside will represent Queens and New Dorp Lane for Staten Island. Read on for more reopenings and other things to do in NYC this weekend!
ROOFTOP POP-UP ABOARD SPIRIT CRUISES
Credit: Hornblower Cruises and Events.
You can enjoy the city skyline from entry points in both New York City and New Jersey with Spirit Cruises. A regular program of outdoor dining experiences cane be found aboard the Spirit of New Jersey, which has a fabulous rooftop experience, sailing from its home port of Lincoln Harbor Marina in Weehawken. Delicious cuisine and a full array of drinks are equalled only by unbeatable views of the Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, and Statue of Liberty. Prices start at $69 for lunch and $120 for dinner and and include a multi-course menu of freshly prepared entrees, salads, and desserts. Across the Hudson in Manhattan, come out this Friday, July 17th for an outdoor pop-up experience onboard at the South Street Seaport; a similar scene can be found at Chelsea Piers on Saturday, July 18th. There will be table-side bar service and light bites available for purchase, with free entry (first-come first-served in accordance with current capacity limits). Vessels offer expansive decks, providing plentiful space and fresh air, ensuring more than enough room on board for everyone to stay safely apart. For more on SafeCruise by Hornblower’s industry-defining standards for health, safety, and security, see above or check in at hornblower.com/safecruise. Spirit of New York: Chelsea Piers (Pier 61) and the South Street Seaport (Pier 15), 212-727-2789; Spirit of New Jersey: Lincoln Harbor, 201-333-8600; spiritcruises.com
NEW: STREET FEAST
The Village Alliance is partnering with the New York City Department of Transportation to bring Street Feast: 8th Street and Street Feast: St. Marks Place starting this Friday. Dozens of small-scale downtown venues will be serving open air bites and more on West 8th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues and St. Marks Place between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. These stretches will be closed to traffic Fridays at 5p-11pm and Saturdays noon-11pm. Street Feast will run through Saturday, September 5th.
NEWLY REOPENED!
Image: Nestor Rivera Jr/Flickr
Governors Island, a short ferry ride from Brooklyn or downtown Manhattan, is New York’s summer playground. A former strategic battle site in the Revolutionary War, the island now hosts visitors during the warm months for outdoor activities. After several weeks of coronavirus shut down, the island is back open for visitors as of Wednesday, July 15th. Hours will be 10am-6pm on the weekdays, extended to 7pm on the weekends. Manhattan ferries run daily from the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South St. There will be Brooklyn access as well, leaving from Atlantic Basin in Red Hook, although they’ll be available on the weekends only. (A third way of travel will be a dedicated weekend shuttle from Wall Street/Pier 11 that will run roughly every 30 minutes beginning July 18, ferry.nyc.) Social distancing should be observed on all ferries and the island, with face coverings required for travel. govisland.org
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Andreas Komodromos/Flickr
The west side’s beloved elevated park, The High Line, will reopen on Thursday, July 16th. To accommodate our new normal, capacity at the park will be greatly reduced. Free timed-entry tickets are opened every two weeks on Mondays. A limited number of walk-up passes will also be available at the entrance, but advance planning is recommended. Traffic will only flow in one direction, starting at Gansevoort Street. All visitors must enter at the southern end of the High Line, at Gansevoort Street and Washington Street, and move northwards. In this first reopening phase, the High Line will be open only to 23rd Street. Citywide safety protocols will also apply here, including the requirement of wearing a mask or face covering and maintaining 6-foot social distancing. thehighline.org
As of Thursday, July 16th, lobster boat rides are back! The North River Lobster Company is NYC’s only floating lobster shack and this week it returns to summer cruising form. You’ll find all kinds of rolls (see above), from the classic signature to specialty rolls like the Lower East Side everything bagel option. There’s also clam chowder, a full raw bar, and sangria, frozé, buckets of cold beer, and fishbowl cocktails to match. For safety, the boat will be thoroughly cleaned multiple times a day, all staff and guests will wear face coverings, and admission will be at half capacity to ensure social distancing. Departures from Pier 81 will run 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, and 9pm, every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. northriverlobsterco.com
Rockefeller Center is back this week as well, with a return of retail shopping and great open-air dining courtesy of Summer at The Rink. The world-famous skate spot has shifted to warm weather duty, with oversized tables making social distancing easy. Enjoy decadent summer bites and specialty drinks to-go from favorites like Rainbow Room, Alidoro, City Winery, and Ethiopian standout Makina. rockefellercenter.com
Rainbow Room
Monday-Friday, 11:30am-3pm (The Rink) | See the menu
Alidoro
Monday-Friday, 11am-3pm (The Rink) | See the menu
City Winery
Monday-Friday, 1pm-9pm (North Plaza)
Makina Truck
Monday-Sunday, 11am-7pm (North Plaza) | See the menu
Although the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island remain temporarily closed, Statue Cruises is once again out and about in New York Harbor. Sixty-minute tours, complete with history and stunning views, can now be booked, with a focus on safety. Tours run four times daily out of the Battery Park departure point in Lower Manhattan at 10am, 11:30am, 1pm, and 2:30pm. These tours will continue until Liberty Island and Ellis Island reopen (Statue Cruises is the exclusive provider of ferry service for the National Park Service to the two landmarks). Tickets are $26/adult, $19/seniors, $14/child and free for children three years and under. Tickets may be purchased in advance (strongly encouraged) from the Statue Cruises website or at Gangway 5 in Battery Park. statuecruises.com
LIVE COMEDY
Outdoor live shows and open mics are back on at favorite Astoria performance venue Q.E.D. Enjoy it all safely and socially distant in the back yard, complete with frozen margaritas and frosé to stay or to go. Hours Friday 5-10pm, Saturday noon-10pm, and Sunday noon-5pm. qedastoria.com
PIANO IN BRYANT PARK
One of Bryant Park’s most popular programs, “Piano in Bryant Park,” is back again. Audiences are encouraged to wear masks and practice social distancing while seated in the park’s iconic moveable bistro chairs. Piano in Bryant Park, which showcases the finest ragtime, stride, and jazz pianists, takes place Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 12:30 to 2:30pm through August. bryantpark.org/programs/piano
NYC RESOURCES
The Metropolitan Opera is streaming operas FREE nightly.
The New York Public Library provides access to more than 300,000 FREE e-books and e-audio books.
NYC Health information page for COVID-19.
NYC restaurant world information.
Stream hundreds of Broadway shows (by subscription).
15 Broadway shows you can watch from home.
Broadway performances live—from stars’ living rooms.
The New York City Ballet presents a spring digital season.
Virtual programming will keep you connected to the York Theatre Company.
One World Observatory has made One World Explorer, the attraction’s Digital Skyline Guide, available for remote watching. Virtual helicopter tours of the city’s most iconic sites are available now.
51 New York TV shows and movies.
5 eras of New York to enjoy in books and movies.
2,500 museums and galleries you can visit virtually.
The New York Botanical Garden in bloom from home.
Exploring Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square.
The Top of the Rock launches a brief virtual tour on YouTube.
Fun at-home activities for kids.
6 podcast series to help you understand New York.
Discover the best of New York, from hidden gems to iconic landmarks, through The New York Landmarks Conservancy’s “Tourist in your own Town” Video Series.
VIRTUAL MUSEUMS
Explore the world of design with Cooper Hewitt.
Experience the Intrepid Museum anywhere.
New-York Historical Society from home.
A portal to the map collection of the Brooklyn Historical Society.
Virtually visit the Louis Armstrong House Museum.
The Merchant’s House Museum from home.
You can take a virtual tour of the Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room at the Rubin Museum of Art. (You can find two hours of meditative chanting as well, if you’re searching out some respite.) The Rubin has also, for the first time, launched a digital assemblage of more than 300 items from the museum’s collection.
VIRTUAL TALKS, LECTURES, AND EVENTS
Thought Gallery has hundreds of livestream talks, lectures, performances, and more. Check out sessions with celebs, live concerts, and opportunities to learn the latest on everything from science to philosophy to social justice.
“WHY I LOVE NYC” PROFILES
Conrad New York Downtown has launched a series of profiles of New Yorkers, including Bedside Reading New York authors. The new digital series is called “Why I Love NYC” and includes nearly 20 real testimonials from New Yorkers on why the city is the greatest place to live or visit. Interspersed between the interviews, the hotel features videos of iconic landmarks, neighborhoods, and hidden gems from around the city. The highlight videos appear on the hotel’s Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, while the interviews are featured on LinkedIn in addition to the other three platforms. Interviews feature select Bedside Reading Authors, including Susan Silver, Lee Mathew Goldberg, Seymour Ubell, Kim Akhtar, and Sweta Vikram. instagram.com/p/CCUivePFjWl/
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NYC-Arts Top Five Virtual Picks: July 17 – 23
Interesting. Unusual. Uniquely NYC. Highlights of this week’s top virtual events include the 48th Dance on Camera Festival, One More Thing, REVERSE REVERSE and more. Get the NYC-ARTS Top Five in your inbox every Friday and follow @NYC_ARTS on Instagram or @NYCARTS on Twitter to stay abreast of events as they happen.
REVERSE REVERSE: BRING IT BACK, BRING IT BACK
Bronx Museum of the Arts
Bronx / Thu, Jun 04, 2020 – Sat, Aug 01, 2020
This exhibit was curated by the 2019-20 Teen Council cohort at The Bronx Museum of the Arts. “REVERSE REVERSE: BRING IT BACK, BRING IT BACK” invited teen artists throughout New York City to submit work reflecting their experiences, memories of, and nostalgia for the last two decades.The exhibit is organized in four sections:COMING OF AGEIMAGINARY REALMPOP CULTURESPACES AND PLACESWatch a video of the opening reception on Thursday, June 4, 2020:Created in 2005, The Bronx Museum’s Teen Council is an intensive …
One More Thing
Bard Graduate Center: Decorative Arts, Design History, Material Culture
Manhattan / Mon, Apr 06, 2020 – Sat, Oct 31, 2020
Being temporarily closed, Bard Graduate Center misses sharing their passion for learning about human history through direct study of objects, from the luxurious to the quotidian. Although lectures, symposia, discussions, and workshops are necessarily postponed, BGC realized they could still share that passion by examining objects that are on hand. Watch their new video series, “One More Thing,” in which one person discusses one object for one minute. Check out a sneak peek below:
Dance on Camera Festival 2020
Film Society of Lincoln Center
Manhattan / Fri, Jul 17, 2020 – Mon, Jul 20, 2020
Dance Films Association and Film at Lincoln Center present the 48th edition of the Dance on Camera Festival, running July 17-20, 2020. With a program that travels the globe from Ireland to Argentina to Kazakhstan, the festival is being presented digitally for the first time and provide unprecedented access to the longest-running dance film festival in the world.This year’s festival includes a variety of features and shorts, opening with the U.S. premiere of an intimate …
Online Summer Camp: Your Home, Your History
Brooklyn Museum
Brooklyn / Mon, Jul 20, 2020 – Fri, Jul 24, 2020
Brooklyn Museum welcomes young artists to the adventure of online art camp! Inspired by their exhibitions and collections, campers ages 8–10 and 11–13 will have fun engaging with art, while interacting with other campers, discovering artists, working with different mediums, trying out new techniques, and more. After five days of art-making, campers close out the week by sharing their creations in Friday’s online Open Studio.This new program includes LIVE daily instruction with museum educators, teaching …
Emma Lazarus’ Birthday Celebration
American Jewish Historical Society
Manhattan / Wed, Jul 22, 2020 – Tue, Jul 28, 2020
Come celebrate Emma Lazarus’ birthday! Born on July 22, 1849, in the middle of a Cholera Epidemic, she would be 171 this year. AJHS invites previous participants to come and share the poems they have written during or after previous workshops. This is an opportunity to discuss our work and celebrate!Led by celebrated teaching poets and contributors to the 92nd Street Y’s #ANewColossus poetry festival, these virtual poetry workshops will delve into the construction and techniques used …
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STAY HOME FOR A BIT LONGER – MASK UP AND STAY SAFE.
NYCity 1-2-3 : What's Happening / Manhattan's WestSide 