Around Town

Even though NYC is a major tourist destination, many locals find themselves eager to skip town and explore the rest of the world instead of hanging out in the city. There’s no shame in that, of course — the world is a place to be seen! With that said, though, it’s easy to forget — or ignore the fact that — the big apple is a culture mecca loaded with enough hotspots, events and must-sees to keep you busy year round.

Summer, naturally, is an ideal time to get out and do things in the city with best friends, lovers, family members or even by yourself. We’ve rounded up a list of our favorite, Manhattan-based summer 2012 activities that are all absolutely free.

New York Philharmonic Concerts in The Parks Gorgeous music amidst the greenery? It doesn’t get any more perfect than that. Haul yourself out of your abode and take advantage of the New York Philharmonic’s 47th season of Concerts in the Park. The Philharmonic will perform in Manhattan at Central Park on Friday, July 13 and Monday, July 16 at 8 p.m.
River to River Festival The River to River Festival is an annual event that boasts over 25 indoor and outdoor productions throughout Lower Manhattan and Governor’s Island. From theater to dance to visual art to film and music, there’s a little something for everyone. One of this summer’s most anticipated and talked about events for the River to River Festival is composer Julian Wachner’s “Inverted Sky,” a kite show that takes place in Rockefeller Park on July 2. Events, locations and times vary, so check the events schedule.
Metropolitan Opera’s Five Borough Recital Series One of NYC’s most treasured summer traditions is the Met’s Summer Recital Series, free to the public. This year’s series includes six performances that’ll take place in parks across all five of the city’s boroughs. It all kicks off with the Wednesday, July 25 concert in Central Park at 8 p.m., which features soprano Danielle de Niese, bass-baritone John Del Carlo and tenor Dimitri Pittas. The second Manhattan performance will take place at Jackie Robinson Park on Tuesday, August 7 at 7 p.m.
Oval Lawn Series and Mad. Sq. Kids at Madison Square Park Celebrate the 10th anniversary of The Madison’s Square Park Conservancy’s free outdoor concerts this year by attending at least one of them. Great for both children and adults, this year’s series includes jazz, blue grass and soul performances featuring acclaimed artists. The Oval Lawn Series events take place every Wednesday evening now through August 8 (times vary) and the Mad. Sq. Kids series occur Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 10:30 a.m. through August 9.
Weekend Walks The Department of Transportation has joined forces with various community ensembles to host a variety of family-friendly activities that include everything from music performances to arts/crafts, classes to youth programming and beyond. The goal is to promote healthy, safe and fun recreation for families. This year, 18 community groups have planned their respective weekends that’ll take place now through October. Visit NYC.Gov or call 311 for more information.
NYC Parks Summer Movie Series Pop some popcorn, a partner and saunter over to one of your local parks to partake in an outdoor viewing of film favorites. The Summer Movie Series will host events in various boroughs. Manhattan viewings include: - The Wizard of Oz: July 2,  5 p.m. @ Bryant Park - On The Waterfront: July 9, 5 p.m. @ Bryant Park - Hoodwinked Too: July 11, 8 p.m. @ Alfred E. Smith Park - Cinema Paradiso: July 11, 8:30 p.m. @ Pier I in Riverside Park South - Kung Fu Panda 2: July 13, 8:30 p.m. @ Pier 46 - Persepolis: July 13, 8:30 p.m. @ Pier I in Riverside Park South - Roman Holiday: July 16, 5 p.m. @ Bryant Park
- Flying Scotsman: July 18, 8:30 p.m. @ Pier I in Riverside Park South - The Muppets (2011): July 20, 8 p.m. @ Bellevue South Park - Superman, The Movie: July 20, 8:30 p.m. @ Pier 46 - The Maltese Falcon: July 23, 5 p.m. @ Bryant Park - Quicksilver: July 25, 8:30 p.m. @ Pier I in Riverside Park South - Hop: July 25, 8 p.m. @ J. Hood Wright Park - Hugo: July 27, 8:30 p.m. @ Pier 46 - Rebel Without A Cause: July 30, 5 p.m. @ Bryant Park - Amelie: August 1, 8:30 p.m. @ Pier I in Riverside Park South - Puss in Boots: August 3, 8:30 p.m. @ Pier 46 - The Adventures of Robinhood: August 6, 5 p.m. @ Bryant Park - The Smurfs: August 8, 8 p.m. @ Hamilton Fish Recreation Center - Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: August 8, 8:30 p.m. @ Pier I in Riverside Park South - Dolphin Tale: August 10, 8 p.m. @ Bellevue South Park - Rango: August 10, 8:30 p.m. @ Pier 46 - All About Even: August 13, 5 p.m. @ Bryant Park - Triplets of Bellville: August 15, 8 p.m. @ Pier I in Riverside Park South - Back to the Future: August 17, 8:30 p.m. @ Pier 46 - Hoodwinked Too: August 18, 8 p.m. @ J. Hood Wright Park - Raiders of the Lost Ark: August 20, 5 p.m. @ Bryant Park - The Smurfs: August 24, 8:30 p.m. @ Pier 46 - Jules and Jim: September 6, 8:30 p.m. @ Low Memorial Library, Columbia University

By Wendy Rose Gould

“Derek! Wait! OH MY GOSH IT’S DEREK JETER!”

I shouted these words five years ago as I saw the star Yankee shortstop walking from his Upper East Side Manhattan apartment to a stretch limo. To my surprise, my friends and I were the only ones excited to see him.

“Why is everyone walking around like seeing a celebrity is just an average occurrence?” I thought. Well, it turns out — for the residents of the Upper East Side — seeing a celebrity such as Derek Jeter was as normal as seeing your next door neighbor.

Celebrities, business moguls, high-end fashion models, political figures — they’re all here. If you’re fortunate enough to live in this neighborhood, you don’t need to be a celebrity to live the lifestyle of the rich and famous. While celebrity sightings sound appealing to most, the Upper East Side was not, in recent years, considered hip downtown’s humdrum cousin. Over the past year and half, however, the once stereotyped “sleepy and snooty” Upper East Side has become a destination thanks to an abundance of cool and attractive boutiques, restaurants and hotspots for a fun night out.

In the recent past, many younger generation people, including myself, wouldn’t think twice about where they would go to have a fun time in Manhattan. The easy answer? Hop on the subway and head straight downtown. Let’s be real: is there anywhere as fun as Soho or Tribeca, which offer trendy boutiques, luxurious lofts and fine restaurants? While this question may have been a no brainer in the past, many now reluctantly embrace the Upper East Side.

As mentioned in an article by WWD, “Madison Avenue has certainly come back in the past 18 months or so.”

In the past, Upper East Side stores catered to a more neighborhood-based clientele than trendy Downtown boutiques did. This is no longer the case, as these once stereotyped ritzy blocks are opening new doors to a more diverse group of people. These new stores include a plethora of younger labels which have attracted a crowd that, say two years ago, would default to shopping on the streets of Soho. Some of these new, trendy and long overdue hot spots on the Upper East Side include Joie, Vince, Rebecca Taylor. Others are expected to open soon, including Proenza Schouler and Ippolita.

Ryan Korban designed UES Joie store

In addition to the Upper East Side’s change in the retail climate, new restaurants and other hotspots have attracted crowds looking to get out and have fun. Many downtown regulars have found themselves migrating from popular downtown destinations to come to Uptown  workout facilities, including SoulCycle East and Brownings Fitness. (Who isn’t hungry after a great workout? I know I always am!)  You will be delighted to hear that less expensive uptown restaurants are popping up to offer good grub for less dinero. The Village Voice says that Toloache and Hospoda restaurants, in particular, are ideal for the young  generation to dine and hang.

Spending time on Manhattan’s Upper East Side is not only a chance to try out some of the city’s best restaurants and shopping, but also allows New Yorkers and tourists the ability to experience a popular neighborhood undergoing a revolutionary turning point — where old and new are still at each other’s foils.

By Candice Ibarra

“Ladies, seamen! 12 o’clock!” shouts Samantha to her girlfriends Carrie, Charlotte, and Miranda. “I pray when I turn around there are sailors, because with her, you never know,” Miranda replies with snark. Relive the classic Sex and the City episode “Anchors Away” with your girlfriends this Memorial Day Weekend and stick around town in order to catch a glimpse (or perhaps a little more) of some hunky Fleet Week sailors.

We don’t want to make it obvious that we want in on some sailor attention, so the best bet is to make sure you’re in the right place at the right time. Get wardrobe approval from your gals and head down to Pier 90 & 92 on 51^st Street and the West Side Highway on Saturday with your besties where, from 8am-5pm, Free Ship Tours will be taking place. Snoop around your future fling’s bunk as he hangs on the dock nearby and smiles at you as you pass.

Invite the cutie in uniform to bring some friends along as he joins you and your girlfriends for a group movie date. What’s more romantic than a good flick outdoors, under the stars? Rooftop Film Summer Series presents Kumaré Saturday evening @ 8PM on the Open Road Rooftop on the Lower East Side. You’ll splurge for the movie tickets as long as he opts to take you all out for drinks after.

Now that you have a new (and hot!) gang to hang with for the weekend, gather your girlfriends and call up your sailors. Treat them first to a morning of country pride in Times Square (I know, who goes to Times Square? Just remember, these guys are from our of town – they’ll love the tourist trap!) where Military Bands march and play while vets and service members alike crowd around to cheer for America from 2PM-5PM.

Now that the torment is over, on to the fun! Since these guys are stuck on a boat all day, I’m sure they are well attuned to all things video games. Therefor, they will love you for the next event you’re taking them to – the New York City Zombie Bar Crawl! Grab some cheap red face paint (or lipstick) and add a dash of blood to fit in with the undead impersonators as you participate in the 6^th Annual Zombie Crawl starting at 3:30, hoping from bar to bar and ending at an after-party at the Public Assembly with Rigor Mortis Revue’s horror burlesque.

Phew! It’s not easy keeping up with those guys. Time to recover on Monday, the final day of your long weekend of fleeting bliss. Soak up the last day with your sailors as your head for a late picnic in the East River Park (you’re going to need to sleep in after the bar crawl!). Celebrate Memorial Day traditionally and claim one of the park’s six public grills as you watch your man grill up some burgers and corn on the cob. The views of the water, sweet smell of barbecue, and hunky seamen will make for one unforgettable Memorial Day.

With New Yorkers out of town for Memorial Day weekend, they courteously allowed you and your girlfriends first dibs on the sea’s hottest sailors during Fleet Week. Unfortunately, everything good must come to an end but it was fun while it lasted and hey, there’s always next year! In the words of Carrie Bradshaw, “That’s why I love New York. Just like that, it can go from bad to cute.”

By Caitlin Colford

What Central Park looked like today yesterday, don’t wait for the weekend, Saturday it’s going to rain.