Year-Round – Ongoing
Free Walking Tours - Central Park
“Views from the Past”
Take a guided walk through of Central Park and imagine living in 19th-century New York City.
Learn about the Park’s history.
Hear how its designers, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, struggled to make their vision our reality.
These free guided walking tours take place year-round, rain, or shine, except in extreme weather conditions (heavy rain, sustained winds of 30 mph or more, snowstorms, 25 degrees or below, or 95 degrees or above).
The tours, led by experienced, knowledgeable guides who are volunteers in the Central Park Conservancy Walking Tour Program, last about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
No reservation is required for individuals or groups of six (6) or fewer people.
Groups of seven (7) or more people should call 212-360-2726 to schedule a custom tour.
Please be at the designated location at least five minutes before the start of the tour.
And There's Much More -- Other Free Walking Tours:
Amble Through the Ramble
Pass over streams, under arches, through the woods along a maze of pathways in this secluded 38-acre woodland respite.
The Castle & Its Kingdom
Take a walk around the lands dominated by Belvedere Castle, situated high on Vista Rock. Visit this tiny 55-acre realm on an eclectic tour of history and nature.
Cross-Park Promenade
You will see many surprises: a hidden bench that tells time, miniature boats powered by the wind, a magnificent sculpture celebrating fresh water. These are just some of the sites on this east-to-west walk through the Park.
Manhattan Adirondacks
Olmsted and Vaux designed the North Woods to replicate the forests of the Adirondack Mountains, with their crystal streams, tumbling cascades, rustic bridges, and picturesque pools right in New York City’s backyard.
A Road Once Traveled
Holding the Park's northern highlands was key in the American Revolution and the War of 1812 because armies could see their enemies approach as they sailed down the East River. History buffs will love this tour of the Harlem Meer and its strategic environs.
Seneca Village
Seneca Village was Manhattan’s first known community of African-American property owners, on land that would become Central Park. Learn about the history of the village, the property owners, and what New York City was like at the time.
Views From the Past
As you promenade through the heart of Central Park, imagine living in 19th-century New York City. Learn about the Park’s history and hear how its designers, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, struggled to make their vision our reality.
Waterways & Vistas
Walk from the Dairy to Belvedere Castle and learn about the intricate design of Central Park’s web of pastoral landscapes and formal romantic vistas.
West Side Stories
Walk through a scenic area on the western edge of the Park, much of which is off the beaten track for most visitors. See rolling meadows, Lake views, bridges of different styles, and a garden with flowers and plants mentioned by Shakespeare.
Special Tours:
Memorial Walk
Combine a walk through Central Park with a look at how different generations of New Yorkers viewed the Park as a proper place to remember their veterans.
History of Sports and Recreation in the Park
Fondly recollect the early decades of baseball, recall ladies riding sidesaddle along the bridle paths, envision the thrill of ice skating and boating on the Lake, cross the finish line of the NYC Marathon, and more. Learn how tastes in recreation have changed since the mid-19th century and how the Park has been changed to mirror those tastes.
For More Information, Link to Free Walking Tours:
http://www.centralparknyc.org/site/PageNavigator/programs_walkingtours
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Year-Round
Free Museums in NYC
You can see lots art for FREE at New York's museums; some that are always free; others that have suggested contributions (but you can pay what you like or is right for you), and museums that have special free hours.
These Museums Are Free Every Day:
American Numismatic Society
Artists Space
Carnegie Hall/Rose Museum
Dahesh Museum
The Drawing Center
Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology
Franklin Furnace
Goethe House German Cultural Center
Guggenheim Museum Soho
The Hispanic Society of America
The Municipal Art Society
Museum of American Folk Art
National Museum of the American Indian
New York City Police Museum
Snug Harbor Cultural Center
Taipei Gallery
Whitney Museum at Philip Morris
Museums With Suggested Contribution (Pay What You Like):
American Museum of Natural History
The Brooklyn Children's Museum
The Brooklyn Museum of Art
The Cloisters
Dia Center for the Arts
Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum
El Museo del Barrio
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Museum of the City of New York
New York City Fire Museum
New-York Historical Society
P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center
Pierpont Morgan Library
Queens Museum of Art
Seaman's Church Institute
Staten Island Institute of Arts & Sciences
Go to ny.com to see more info about these museums and other events at: http://www.ny.com/museums/free.html
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May 9, 2009 – Saturday
2:30 PM – 4:30 PM
With Charles Moldenhauer (Job Search Coach)
"How to Find the Right Job…Sooner!"
Need to strengthen your job search skills? Here's an opportunity to learn about:
--7 common mistakes to avoid in your search and
--5 action steps to get your next job.
--How to write an effective cover letter
--Tips on building a powerful resume will be discussed.
--Discover how to use your contacts
--How to build a plan that sells you to the right people.
Discussion time has been set aside for questions and answers.
Admission: Free
For More Information:
Website: http://www.nypl.org/branch/central/mml/
Contact & Location:
Mid-Manhattan Library
455 Fifth Avenue [at 40th Street]
Phone: (212) 340-0833
TTY: (212) 340-0931
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May 6,2009 - Wednesday
6:30PM
Live Game Show
“Chelsea Mind Games”
Chelsea Mind Games is a live game show that takes place at the Chelsea Market.
The show is held every Wednesday and alternates among the:
--Vocabulary Tournament
--Geography Bee
--Math Bee, and
--Team Trivia.
All games are free and open to all.
Each event begins with live music at 6:30pm, and the competition at 7:30.
Located in the main area of Chelsea Market: “just come in the front door and keep walking til you hit us!”
Here's How To Sign-Up:
Geography, Math, and Vocabulary competitions are limited to the first 20 sign-ups, so please arrive before 7:30 to make sure you get a spot! (Other than the number of chairs available in the Market, Team Trivia has no limit on how many teams may participate -- teams are 3-6 people.
Here's The Schedule -- 6:30PM – Warm-Up:
Enjoy tunes played by DJ Joe and pick up a copy of this week's warm-up quiz. Chat, hang out, and get a drink or snack while working on the warm-up quiz.
There's a prize for the best score on the quiz.
Quiz questions are not linked to the game that follows -- they include trivia on any topic, puzzles, word games, etc.
7:30PM - Vocabulary Tournament:
How sesquipedalian are you?
This lexical quiz night includes synonyms, use-the-word-in-a-sentence, and anagram-style word games.
Hosted by comedian/librarian team Jen & Jonathan (Cash prize for winner!)
Other Stuff To Know:
Geography, Math, and Vocabulary competitions are limited to the first 20 sign-ups, so please arrive before 7:30 to make sure you get a spot!
Other than the number of chairs available in the Market, Team Trivia has no limit on how many teams may participate -- teams are 3-6 people.
Location:
Chelsea Market.
75 9th Ave
(between 15th and 16th Sts.)
Admission: Always free!
Events Calendar on the Web: http://www.chelseamindgames.com/events_calendar.html
Chelsea Mind Games Blog: http://chelseamindgames.blogspot.com/
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May 30, 2009 - Saturday
10:00AM to 5:00PM
Events at New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
Downtown Boathouse
“Summer on the Hudson: Kayaking on the Hudson”
Join the Downtown Boathouse for 20-minute instructional paddles, and explore the Hudson River firsthand.
Requirements: wear a bathing suit or shorts and a t-shirt, and know how to swim.
Weather permitting Kayaking will be available Saturdays & Sundays, May 16 – October 11.
No registration required.
Location:
Riverside Park South
72nd Street & the Hudson River
Downtown Boathouse
Manhattan
Cost: Free
Contact Number: (212) 408-0219
Contact Email: robin.schatell@parks.nyc.gov
Browse this, and all Events at New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, at: http://www.nycgovparks.org/index.php
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May 30, 2:00PM - Saturday
Author, and World Traveler, Robert Downes, Reads From His Book...
“Planet Backpacker”
Go see author Robert Downs (I will!) talk about his book “Planet Backpacker” which is a round-the-world celebration of the backpacking lifestyle.
Downes wrote his book one excerpt at a time in 100 internet cafes around the world as part of a blog written during a 5-month solo trip around the world.
In 2007, he pedaled a mountain bike across Europe, backpacking on through Egypt, India and Southeast Asia—around the world.
Robert Downes is the editor and co-publisher of the alternative newspaper Northern Express Weekly based in Traverse City, Michigan.
Info & Location:
The New York Public Library-Morningside Heights
2900 Broadway [at W. 113th St.]
New York, NY 10025-7822.
Telephone: (212) 864-2530
Email: mailto:Bmorningside@nypl.org
Web:http://www.nypl.org/branch/local/man/cl.cfm
Blog (Planet Backpacker): http://www.planetbackpacker.net/
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Still Running Thru May 3, 2009
The 2009 Tribeca Film Festival and Apple
(Meet the Filmmakers)
Filmmaking Events & Workshops
Guest Speakers:Spike Lee & Natalie Portman & Dan Fogler & Lee Daniels & Many Others!!!
The Apple Store in SoHo is taking part in the Tribeca Film Festival for the fifth year in a row. To celebrate the spirit of independent film, they are hosting dozens of FREE filmmaking events from April 22nd to May 3rd.
Everyone’s invited to attend! Grab a seat in their theater for the “Meet the Filmmakers” series, presented by Apple and indieWIRE*.
You can also attend a What’s New in Filmmaking event.
Or take one of the other great workshops offered during the festival.
In the Meet the Filmmakers series, some of the leading actors, writers, and directors in the film industry will take you behind the scenes of their latest film projects.
Just to mention a few of the star-studded guests, include:
Spike Lee The Emmy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated actor, writer, director, and producer speaks about Passing Strange, which brings the hit Broadway rock musical to the screen, and Kobe Doin’ Work, his documentary about Kobe Bryant. Both films screen at Tribeca. Wednesday, April 22, 7:00 p.m.
Natalie Portman Natalie Portman joins CEO Christine Aylward on the stage to discuss their new web project — MakingOf — a site that promises to transform the way people view, enjoy, and participate in entertainment. Friday, April 24, 3:30 p.m.
Dan Fogler The Tony Award–winning actor (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Balls of Fury, Fanboys) makes his directorial debut in Hysterical Psycho, which screens at this year’s festival. The film takes place at the Moonlake Inn Motel, where supernatural chaos thrives. Friday, April 24, 6:00 p.m.
Lee Daniels The talented director (Shadowboxer) and producer (The Woodsman), Daniels produced the much-heralded Monster’s Ball, for which Halle Berry won an Academy Award for Best Actress. During his Meet the Filmmakers discussion, Daniels will speak about his career, including his latest film, Precious, which tells the story of Precious Jones, a Harlem teen struggling for a better life. Friday, April 24, 7:30 p.m.
Admission: FREE
Location: Apple Store (Soho)
103 Prince Street
New York City, NY 10012
For more information and to see a full schedule of upcoming FREE events at the Apple Store, go to: http://www.apple.com/retail/soho/tribeca/schedule.html
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