Every year, in New York tradition, people from all over don their very best nautical gear to March at Coney Island on the Saturday following the Summer Solstice.
If people-watching is your thing, then this is the activity for you. The Coney Island website appears to be down at the moment, but all you have to do is Google for pictures of some of the craziest characters you've ever seen!
Come on out and experience the ridiculousness for yourself! I'll be with the Red Tide group. ;)
Pictures to come soon!
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
Movies on the Lawn
Tonight marks the beginning of the 2012 HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival!! Every Monday until August 20, New Yorkers gather together to watch a classic film with thousands of their closest strangers. Anticipated by many, it's one of the most popular outdoor film spots of the summer.
Don't like this year's movie selection? Don't live near Bryant Park? Don't worry! A different movie series exists in practically every neighborhood. The City of New York Parks and Recreation site is kind enough to post all of the schedules for your convenience and viewing pleasure.
To keep things simple, I'll just go in depth on Bryant Park. The process varies by park, but many aspects of the experience are quite similar from park to park.
Rule #1: Arrive EARLY. Forget all you know about being fashionably late. In this situation,
early = on time. When I say "early," I mean it. Bryant Park security allows movie-goers to form a border around the grass at 4pm. These people, armed with blankets and picnic fare line up at the very edge of the grass for the next hour. At 5pm exactly park security says "GO!" and the stampede begins. People scramble onto the grass, throw down their blankets and spread out as much as possible while they wait for their friends and family to sneak out of work and join them.
Even if you don't intend to watch the movie, I highly recommend stopping by to observe the madness. The chaos begins and ends in about 90 seconds, and it is AMAZING!
Rule #2: Don't forget the food, drink, and games. You will wait hours for this classic movie to start. Movies begin at sunset - typically between 8 and 9pm, but they are almost always late. If anything, go overboard on the food and drink. There are few things worse than being hungry and trapped in a field of people who brought better munchies than you.
Rule #3: Mark your territory. If you think your friends will have an easy time finding your blanket in the sea of movie-goers, think again. Whether it's a silly hat or balloons, do it. You'll be glad you did, and so will your friends. Just make sure you can take it down during the movie.
Aside from the crazy mad dash in the beginning, my second-favorite part is at the start of the show. The audience (at least all the cool people) rises, and as the video's opening music plays, they all jump up and down or dance as they clap in time. The only thing better than sharing a movie with a zillion strangers is sharing an impromptu dance party.
So what are you waiting for?! It's almost time to line up and wait! :D Grab your blanket, food and drinks, and head on over to Bryant Park for a great New York experience. Look at it this way: It's free, so what do you have to lose?
Don't like this year's movie selection? Don't live near Bryant Park? Don't worry! A different movie series exists in practically every neighborhood. The City of New York Parks and Recreation site is kind enough to post all of the schedules for your convenience and viewing pleasure.
 |
| Example of an alternate movie series in Brooklyn Bridge Park |
To keep things simple, I'll just go in depth on Bryant Park. The process varies by park, but many aspects of the experience are quite similar from park to park.
Rule #1: Arrive EARLY. Forget all you know about being fashionably late. In this situation,
early = on time. When I say "early," I mean it. Bryant Park security allows movie-goers to form a border around the grass at 4pm. These people, armed with blankets and picnic fare line up at the very edge of the grass for the next hour. At 5pm exactly park security says "GO!" and the stampede begins. People scramble onto the grass, throw down their blankets and spread out as much as possible while they wait for their friends and family to sneak out of work and join them.
Even if you don't intend to watch the movie, I highly recommend stopping by to observe the madness. The chaos begins and ends in about 90 seconds, and it is AMAZING!
Rule #2: Don't forget the food, drink, and games. You will wait hours for this classic movie to start. Movies begin at sunset - typically between 8 and 9pm, but they are almost always late. If anything, go overboard on the food and drink. There are few things worse than being hungry and trapped in a field of people who brought better munchies than you.
Rule #3: Mark your territory. If you think your friends will have an easy time finding your blanket in the sea of movie-goers, think again. Whether it's a silly hat or balloons, do it. You'll be glad you did, and so will your friends. Just make sure you can take it down during the movie.
Aside from the crazy mad dash in the beginning, my second-favorite part is at the start of the show. The audience (at least all the cool people) rises, and as the video's opening music plays, they all jump up and down or dance as they clap in time. The only thing better than sharing a movie with a zillion strangers is sharing an impromptu dance party.
So what are you waiting for?! It's almost time to line up and wait! :D Grab your blanket, food and drinks, and head on over to Bryant Park for a great New York experience. Look at it this way: It's free, so what do you have to lose?
 |
| Gotta love an ice-cold drink on a hot NYC summer day! |
Your Sightseeing Style
When planning a trip, the first thing to consider is your focus. Whether you know it or not, your must-see sites usually follow a pattern. To be honest, I never knew it myself. It wasn't until I hosted about 10 different people that I realized. Some common tourist themes are:
And the list goes on...
Of course, many people have a mix of these and more. But there almost always seems to be one interest to which they consistently return. For example, my France trip was all about the food. Instead of souvenirs, I tasted something different everywhere I went.
I'll try to touch on different travel themes & interests to provide a little something for everyone.
What kind of tourist are you? Take this quiz (courtesy of Discovery) to find out! It's less about interests and more about your personal travel style, but I thought it was cute anyway. Who doesn't love a quick distraction?!
- Food/Bars
- Shopping
- Music
- Architecture
- Celebrity sightings
- Famous movie or TV show spots
And the list goes on...
Of course, many people have a mix of these and more. But there almost always seems to be one interest to which they consistently return. For example, my France trip was all about the food. Instead of souvenirs, I tasted something different everywhere I went.
 |
| Attractive, right? This was me practically the entire trip. Haha! |
I'll try to touch on different travel themes & interests to provide a little something for everyone.
What kind of tourist are you? Take this quiz (courtesy of Discovery) to find out! It's less about interests and more about your personal travel style, but I thought it was cute anyway. Who doesn't love a quick distraction?!
Friday, June 15, 2012
The Thrill of the Chase
Here we are - the first post! So many things to write about, so I guess I'll start at the beginning.
My name is Megan, and I moved to NYC about five years ago. Coming from a small town in Florida, this was a big deal for me. The world was my oyster, and I was going to do EVERYTHING the city had to offer. Naive me. What an undertaking! Well, the job is never done, but that's the beauty of it - to live (or visit) a place you can never explore completely. Much like dating, the thrill of the chase is what keeps us wanting more.
So stay tuned for upcoming posts as we break this city wide open.
My name is Megan, and I moved to NYC about five years ago. Coming from a small town in Florida, this was a big deal for me. The world was my oyster, and I was going to do EVERYTHING the city had to offer. Naive me. What an undertaking! Well, the job is never done, but that's the beauty of it - to live (or visit) a place you can never explore completely. Much like dating, the thrill of the chase is what keeps us wanting more.
So stay tuned for upcoming posts as we break this city wide open.
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