Friday, August 5, 2016

Hot Time, Summer in the City...

Lyon's Pool SI,NY
We are well into the summer here in the northeast and especially here in New York City. Many of the natives will be heading out of town to the mountains and lakes of the Adirondacks or the beach communities of the nearby Jersey Shore or  Long Island.  But here I am...staying in town for another summer, and loving it!

Across New York City there are municipal pools.  Some are indoor, others are outside and only open during the mummer months.  This year the pools are opened until September 2nd. The three on Staten Island, where I live, are often underutilized.  I live around the corner from Lyons Pool and Recreational Center.  In Fall, Winter and Spring, I use the cardio-room and its treadmill at lest three times a week. In the summer I go to the early water aerobics class Monday through Thursday.  It is a forty-five minute workout.  There are also swimming classes for children and adults plus lap swimming in the morning and evening. One of my favorite things about living here is sitting on the roof deck listening to the children enjoying their time at the pool.
Jacob Riis Park

And lest we forget, New York is a city based on islands on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean; there are numerous beaches in four of the five boroughs: Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island and the Bronx have more than their fair share of lovely beaches which are free to the public. From Midland Beach on Staten Island to the beautiful shore of Jacob Riis Park in Queens, Coney Island in Brooklyn and Orchard Beach in the Bronx, these beaches can be reached by subway, bus or car and offer cooling sea breezes to any resident who has a bathing suit, beach towel, an umbrella and a Metro-Card in hand. Bring along a cooler with a few sandwiches and cold drinks (non-alcoholic only permitted), and you can spend a day at rest "by the beautiful sea."

Another New York institution is free "Shakespeare in the Park" offered every summer by the Public Theater.  I recall watching Raul Julia and Meryl Streep early in their careers in "The Taming of the Shrew", a great production of "As You Like It", and others over the course of living here.  Nowadays, I do not want to wait on long lines for the tickets, but now the Public distributes free tickets in the boroughs. And here is a hint, if you can get to Staten Island, the ticket availability here is very good.

Bethesda Fountain
If beaches and pools are not your cup of tea, there are always time to take a stroll on a tree lined path in one of the city's many parks.  Each borough has one or more large ones that often have ponds, streams and other water features.  On my home county of Richmond you will find the lovely Clove Lakes Park that includes, as its name implies, lakes that offer boating and fishing...mostly catch and release. In Brooklyn the amazing Prospect Park is a green haven of serenity and peace.  Central Park in Manhattan is chocked full of ball fields, walking paths, lakes, and the lovely Bethesda Fountain where I hung out as an undergraduate at Hunter College. Fresh Meadows in Queens is another one of the parks where city residents can relax and contemplate nature at its best.

If it either rains or gets too hot to stay outside, there are several local museums that are both free and air conditioned! These include the National Museum of the American Indian, a branch of the Smithsonian Institute which is located at Bowling Green near the SI Ferry. The American Folk Art Museum near Lincoln Center is also free and houses a great collection of Amish quilts.  Other free museums include The Bronx Museum of the Arts, the Harbor Defense Museum at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, The Hispanic Society of America and the New York Public Library building at 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue.  Oh, by the way, all public libraries have free public bathrooms as well.

And remember, the ultimate free New York experience is riding the Staten Island Ferry. Just be careful that you don't fall for one of the Statue of Liberty/harbor tour ticket hawkers.  The SI Ferry is free, round trip takes about an hour ( you have to get off in SI, walk around to the waiting area to get the boat back, or you can walk along Bay Street to Pier 76 and get a great pizza for less than it would cost in Manhattan), and you can take all the photos of the harbor and statue that you want.  Just, please, let us natives sit  on the Brooklyn side in peace to read our paper. If you want to impress your significant other, take her/him on the ferry leaving at sunset and sit at the back.

Staten Island Ferry

So, there you go, boys and girls...lots to do here if you decide that a staycation is for you this summer.  Just remember, we have to share our city with tourists. We depend on them to bolster our economy...smile and keep walking.


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