Sammy and the City | Events, Things to do in New York City, Activities, Central Park, Guide

Macy’s Flower show

Sammyinthecity — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 03:49:51 +0000

Have you ever been to Brazil? Yes? No? Now’s your chance. Walk through a lush and beautiful Amazon rainforest right here in NYC. Get swept away by “Macy’s Annual Flower show” (March 25th – Saturday, April 7th…) There’s still time to feel like you’re in South America – perfection. View towering palms, exotic birds, plants you’ve never seen before; six lovely gardens… plus, a “view” of San Paolo from a stunning rooftop. Unbelievable! From rushing waterfalls to mosaic, gorgeous walkways and luxurious tents (5000 sq ft.), this is one lush wonderland that is not to be missed. Incidentally, there are six gardens illustrating different Brazilian horticulture… Fantastic. Flower-themed activities will be on the 7th floor. And the events are free! The flower show is open from 10 a.m.– 9:30 p.m.

Location: On Broadway Plaza on 34th Street, Herald Square.

Pilgrim Hill

Sammyinthecity — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 23:31:10 +0000

I’m standing on “Pilgrim Hill” in NYC – a glorious spot, to be sure (near 72nd street and Fifth Avenue). Look how fantastically beautiful! Those gorgeous Cherry Blossom trees are in full bloom. Actually, Japan gave the U.S. over 3,000 trees as a token of friendship – back in 1912. (In different cultures, cherry blossom trees signify power, innocence, humanity, love… so many wonderful things.) On Pilgrim Hill, one can lean against a tree, picnic, check out the view; just take in the beauty… and relax. Also, a very famous bronze statue stands here. This statue, sculpted by John Quincy Adams Ward, was given as a gift to Central Park by the New England Society in 1884. The inscription on the pedestal reads: “To commemorate the Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers on Plymouth Rock: December 21, 1620.” Such incredible, indelible history… P.S. Remember to check out Pilgrim Hill in the winter, too. It’s NYC locals’ favorite sledding destination.

This Spring marks the 100th Anniversary of Japan’s Gift of Cherry Trees to the U.S.

Click here to view Pilgrim Hill during the summer and winter time.

Location: East Side at 72nd Street steps away from Conservatory Water and 5th Ave.

The Obelisk

Sammyinthecity — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 04:43:02 +0000

The Obelisk is the oldest man made object in Central Park, also known as the Cleopatra’s Needle. The monument standing 71 ft tall and weighing 244 tons took 112 days to transfer from Egypt to New York City. On January 22nd, 1881 the Obelisk was turned upright while thousands turned out to marvel. Egypt handed the monument in exchange for funds to modernize their country. A time capsule was buried beneath the Obelisk which included the bible, a US census, works of Shakespeare, a facsimile of the Declaration of Independence and a guide to Egypt. In 1989, Central Park Conservancy restored the structure’s terrace and put in new lighting, benching and paving. The monument is surrounded by beautiful magnolia trees and wooden benches.

The monument is surrounded by beautiful Saucer Magnolia Trees

Nearby Attractions: Belvedere Castle, Turtle Pond, The Great Lawn, and Cedar Hill.

Magnolia Trees Blooming in Central Park.

The Obelisk is located behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the East Side on 81st Street.

American Museum of Natural History

Sammyinthecity — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:35:12 +0000

American Museum of Natural History was founded in 1869, it’s one of the world’s preeminent scientific, educational, and cultural institutions. People come from all over the world to visit the Museum. It is gigantic; it covers four city blocks between 77th and 81st on Central Park West and Columbus Avenue. You can get lost in this place, but have no fear because wherever you land you see something incredible and educational. It’s no wonder that public schools from all over the tri-state area, from Elementary through High School plan day trips to the Museum. The Museum is elaborate with its 45 permanent exhibition halls and galleries for temporary exhibitions and the Rose Center for Earth and Space with the Hayden Planetarium. There are audio tours at the Rose Center for Earth and Space; it’s a 75 minute tour. Seminars go on as well on the first and last Tuesday of each month. There are 4 huge floors of exhibits, and not enough time in the day to cover the entire museum. On the first floor you will see ocean life, a must see is the Dinosaurs exhibit on the 4th floor, it’s just incredible. Also through the Museum are exhibits of thousands of mineral specimens and Indian artifacts. The four-story-tall Planetarium hosts the show “Journey to the Stars” narrated by Whoopi Goldberg. The list goes on and on, if you are visiting NYC or live in the city, you would be very remiss to not visit The Museum of Natural History. Approximately 5 million visitors from around the world came to visit the museum last year alone.

Nearby attractions: Swedish Cottage, Oak Bridge at Bank Rock Bay, Belvedere Castle, Strawberry Fields, Dakota.

The main entrance to the Museum is on central park west, where you will see the statue of president Theodore Roosevelt on horseback

Location: 200 Central Park West between 77th and 81st Street, New York City.

Saint Patrick’s Day Parade

Sammyinthecity — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:42:30 +0000

Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City will take place on Saturday, March 17th at 11a.m. and finishes at around 4:30 – 5:00 pm. The parade starts on 44th street, marches up Fifth Avenue past St. Patrick’s Cathedral at 50th Street all the way up 79th street near the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City started all the way back in 1766 and is considered one of the city’s best and most popular parade. It has become such a tradition after 251 years that even New Yorkers who are not Irish wear the green and take in the parade as any Irish person would. Each year there are approximately 150,000 marchers and two million spectators who come and celebrate the tradition. The parade will be streamed over the internet to 10 million people. This year is expected to be the largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the world and the crowd scene is almost as entertaining as the parade.

If you are in New York during a parade, don’t miss out. The two biggest parades in the city are the St. Patrick’s Day and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.

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Soho

Sammyinthecity — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:50:42 +0000

Soho is surrounded by galleries and energy of the arts permeating the beautiful streets of New York City. Soho stands for South of Houston. It’s also known as the Cast Iron District because originally the area was built for warehouses and manufacturing facilities. It hovers over 26 blocks with these cast iron facades. Some of the finest shops in the city can be found up and down West Broadway in this upscale neighborhood. With that, there is still those starting out artists displaying their creative works on West Broadway and Prince street. Soho had many of them in the 1970’s but as the area became extremely expensive and commercial, they moved over to Dumbo and other more affordable areas. After a long day of browsing and shopping, The Soho Grand Hotel offers an elaborate lounge area for those to dine, have a drink and take a break for a moment and reflect on the day. Many musical and Hollywood stars live in this downtown electric area catering to their artsy style. Nearby attractions you have Little Italy located east of Soho and to the south you have Canal Street.
Soho offers shopping, great food (Lombardi’s Pizza and Balthazar) and cafes (The Little Cupcake Bakery).

FAO Schwarz celebrates 150 Anniversary

Sammyinthecity — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:43:05 +0000

FAO Schwarz celebrates 150th Anniversary by displaying historic toys all around the store. Visit FAO and look back in time at some of your favorite vintage toys – “A Gallery of Historic Toys” will be showcasing 25 vintage versions of toys until April 10. Bring your kids to the store and show them some of your favorite vintage toys you cherished when you were a child. FAO Schwarz had the vision since 1862 to be more than just a toy store but to be a magical toy emporium. When you walk in FAO you will know immediately that beyond the amazing never seen before toys, is a creative way of life inside this store. FAO Schwarz is more than a toy store in NYC, it’s a staple in this town, an iconic brand that is bigger than itself. Don’t forget when you are in NYC, whether you are in the market for a toy or not, FAO is one of NYC’s finest attractions.

Location: 767 5th Avenue at 58th St. New York, NY, 10153

Richard Steiff Bear (1905) from Steiff

“A Gallery of Historic Toys”
64 Box (1958) from Crayola
EASY-BAKE OVEN (1964) from Hasbro®
Etch A Sketch (1960) from The Ohio Arts Company
G.I. JOE action figures (1964 and 1982) from Hasbro®
Hello Kitty® (1976) from Sanrio
Hot Wheels® Cars from Mattel®
Little People (1985) from Fisher-Price®
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Megazord (1993) from Bandai America Inc
MONOPOLY (1935) and BATTLESHIP (1967) from Hasbro®
MR. POTATO HEAD (1972) from Playskool®
Nintendo Entertainment System™ (NES) (1985) from Nintendo
PLAY-DOH FUZZY PUMPER BARBER & BEAUTY SHOP (1977) from Hasbro®
PLAYMOBIL figures (1974) from PLAYMOBIL®
Razor® A Scooter (2000) from Razor USA LLC
Richard Steiff Bear (1905) from Steiff, Silly Putty (1950) from Crayola
Slinky® (1950), Slinky Dog®, Slinky® Three Little Pigs and Slinky® Elephant from POOF®-Slinky®
“Sorry!” (1934) and Candy Land (1955) from Hasbro®
Tamagotchi (1997) from Bandai America Inc.
Tickle Me Elmo (1996) from Tyco®
Town Plan (1955) from The LEGO Group
Tournament Yo-Yo (1960s) from Duncan®
TRANSFORMERS action figures (1984) from Hasbro®

West Village

Sammyinthecity — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 05:18:43 +0000

The West Village is a special place in New York City. New Yorkers speak of the hustle and bustle of the city a lot and how they would like to get away now and then; the West Village is one of those places that accomplishes just that. When you think of the West Village, people immediately think of the word neighborhood. There are so many areas in the city that give people a sense of familiarity; but people who live or visit the West Village get that quaint and neighborhood feel. Known for the narrow streets, beautiful brownstones and charming townhouses, it’s no wonder why you get a lot of famous people moving into this area. There are adorable cafes, jazz clubs, friendly bars, and endless variety of restaurants. Hudson and Bleecker Streets are the main drags in this beautiful area; it’s aligned with charming cafes, art exhibits and specialty shops. The residents also have the luxury of the Hudson River being right there for them to take a stroll, jog or bike along the river line. West Village has all of New York’s character; it’s got the energy of city life, the neighborhood feel of the suburbs and the healthy living with all the recreational activities along the Hudson River Line. Billy Joel said it best in his song New York State of Mind, “some folks hop a flight to Miami beach or to Hollywood, but I’m taking a greyhound on the Hudson River Line cause I’m in a New York State of mind” The West village and the Hudson line have always been a New York City delight.

What I love most about the West Village are the cozy cafes and the charming restaurants.

Quaint narrow streets and beautiful townhouses all over the West Village.

The best area in the city to take a stroll and people watch (Bleecker & 11th street)

Dr Seuss

Sammyinthecity — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 18:46:00 +0000

What a special day today is, March 2nd, 2012 marks the 108th birthday for Dr Seuss. Theodore Geisel paved the way for teaching kids how to read in an enjoyable fashion. It was visionary back then. Making reading enjoyable made kids retain things much quicker and easier. Most famous for his book “Cat in the Hat “ which sold over 10 million copies since it was written. So many books have followed since. His use of rhymes and fun characters made reading a pleasant experience like never before. This year marks the second Seussville Read Across America where Random House and the National Education Association urge people across the land to participate in today’s annual read to a child. Bottom line, even in today’s fast moving education through technology, reading is still the core to education. Its this notion that ensures the Dr Seuss books which revolutionized education will remain timeless and will be with us always. Additionally to further salute the author, the new film “The Lorax”, which opens at multiplexes across the land is looking for a box office sweep on its arrival. very high expectations for this one being it is inspired by one of the greatest authors and teachers of all time.

Famous Quotes

“You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” ~ Dr. Seuss

“The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house, All that cold, cold, wet day” ~ Dr. Seuss

“Look at me! Look at me! Look at me NOW! It is fun to have fun, But you have to know how.” ~ Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat

“From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere” ~ Dr. Seuss

Hudson River Park

Sammyinthecity — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 04:42:38 +0000

So many amazing things can be said about Hudson River Park, let’s start with it’s the largest park that has been built since Central Park. The park is 550 acres ranging from 59th Street south to Battery Park of Manhattan. People love to walk, run and bike along the Hudson River looking over into New Jersey. The sunsets are spectacular and are for all to enjoy. The park is dog friendly; kid friendly and for you romantics what can be better then a sunsets off of New York City’s Hudson River Line. This park has something for everyone. Many different fields and courts scattered all up and down the Hudson Line, bike paths, running paths and of course the famous Chelsea Piers Sports Complex. If you are up for some adventure, this park is for you. For the more leisurely types, there are plenty of grassy areas for just blousing in the sun and good old leisure. Whether you live in this area or not, New Yorkers from all over make their way to this recreational and leisure park with so much diversity.

People love to walk, run, roller blade, and bike along the Hudson River.

Take in breath-taking sunset scenery of the New York Harbor along the Hudson River.

Dog-friendly

Location: Battery Park to 59th Street, New York, New York