Yesterday…A place where thousands of young artists have stepped out into the spotlight and launched their careers. A place "where stars are born and legends are made." The legendary Apollo Theater is so much more than an historic landmark - it is a source of pride and a symbol of the brilliance of American artistic achievement. From 1934 when the Apollo first introduced its world-famous Amateur Night which launched the careers of legendary artists like Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, Michael Jackson, D'Angelo and Lauryn Hill, the Apollo has maintained its position as the nation's most popular arena for emerging and established black and Latino performers.

Flushing Meadow Corona Park is one of the greatest places in New York City. It has become the keystone park of Queens and a recreation and cultural hub for the region; yet, it was once just a dusty wasteland, "a valley of ashes" as F. Scott Fitzgerald dubbed it in the Great Gatsby. Its poetic, phoenix-like transformation from ash dump to oasis was driven by Queens' residents, the City and 1939 and 1965 World's Fair held in this park. These fairs put this park on the world's stage, and it has stayed there, hosting the United Nations General Assembly for five years, three baseball World Seres at Shea Stadium, and the U.S. Open.

Have a blast with Downtown Boathouse's free kayaking services in New York City!
Downtown Boathouse's dock is attached directly to the waterside promenade in Riverside Park, approximately at 72nd St. Take the 72nd St. stairs into the park and follow the walkway to the river, and you will find us.
72nd Street offers Walk up Kayaking every weekend and holiday from 10AM until 5PM with the last boat going out at 4:30, however on nice weekends there is often a very long line and we can not gaurantee you will have a chance to go out if you arrive after 4PM.

The building depicted above is New York City's third City Hall. Constructed from 1803-1812, it was designed by John McComb, Jr. and Joseph-Francois Mangin. The building has undergone many restorations during its almost two hundred-year history. The original copper roof of City Hall was installed in 1811; it was replaced in 1853, and five years later, due to fire damage, replaced again. Additional work on the roof was undertaken in the early part of this century. Since that time, the last recorded work on the roof was undertaken in 1970, when roof openings were installed to accommodate new air conditioning units.

Socrates Sculpture Park was an abandoned riverside landfill and illegal dumpsite until 1986 when a coalition of artists and community members, under the leadership of artist Mark di Suvero, transformed it into an open studio and exhibition space for artists and a neighborhood park for local residents. Today it is an internationally renowned outdoor museum and artist residency program that also serves as a vital New York City park offering a wide variety of public services.

The particular cleft is the valley and brook between Emerson and Grymes Hills. This valley was deepened by the glacier 20,000 years ago. The brook which ran through the valley originated in Clove Swamp and ran to the Kill Van Kull. The damming of this brook over the years created the different lakes and ponds in the area.

Kayak Staten Island is an all-volunteer organization providing free kayaking for the public at the shoreline on South Beach in Staten Island.
Depending on attendance, there may be a wait for a boat to become available. Try-outs are limited to 15 minutes; it is first-come-first-served but paddlers are allowed to get back in line for another spin.

The Staten Island Zoo, also known as the Staten Island Children's Museum, is a zoo located in Staten Island, New York. The zoo was founded in 1936 and is home to over 1,200 animals from around the world. The zoo's mission is to educate visitors about the importance of preserving wildlife and the natural world.
The zoo features a wide variety of animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects. Some of the most popular exhibits include the African Savanna, which features zebras, giraffes, and ostriches, and the Rainforest, which is home to monkeys, parrots, and tropical fish. The zoo also has several aquariums, including one that features sea turtles and another that is home to a variety of sharks.
The zoo also has an extensive education program, offering classes and programs for visitors of all ages, as well as a summer camp. These programs aim to educate visitors about the importance of preserving wildlife and the natural world.
The Staten Island Zoo is a great destination for families and animal lovers. Its location in Staten Island provides a great opportunity for visitors to explore the area and to take in the beauty of New York City from a different perspective. The zoo also has a playground and a carousel which makes it a great place to spend the day with kids.
The zoo is open year-round and there is an admission fee to enter the zoo. However, the zoo offers free admission on Wednesdays during the winter months. The zoo is easily accessible by public transportation, and there is also a large parking lot on site.

New York Aquarium - where the City meets the Sea. As the only aquarium in New York City and part of the largest network of metropolitan wildlife parks in the country, the New York Aquarium holds a special place in the mission of the Wildlife Conservation Society - To save wildlife and wild places around the globe.

The Queens Zoo, also known as the New York City Wildlife Conservation Center, is a wildlife park in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, New York. It was inaugurated in 1992 and covers an area of ​​18 hectares. Dedicated to showcasing the animals and habitats of the Americas, Queens Zoo features species native to the Americas, including Andean bears, moose, cougars, and emerald tree boas, among others. The zoo is the Chilean flamingo exhibit, home to a large flock of these distinctive birds. In addition to exhibiting a variety of animals, Queens Zoo is also dedicated to educating visitors about wildlife conservation and animal behavior. The zoo offers a variety of educational programs, including animal encounters and behind-the-scenes tours, as well as interactive exhibits and hands-on activities. Overall, the Queens Zoo is a unique and educational destination that offers visitors the opportunity to learn more about America's animals and habitats. It's a great place for families and visitors of all ages to explore and discover the wonders of wildlife.

Experience the beauty of Queens Botanical Garden (QBG), the place where people, plants, and cultures meet. Set on 39 acres in theheart of New York City's largest borough, the Garden is an oasis of green space serving our nations's most ethnically diverse county. More then 60 years after its birth as an exhibit at the 1939 New York World's Fair, QBG continues to welcome an international audience with rose, bee, herb, and perennial gardens, changing displays, and public programs accessible to all. QBG is just steps away from some of the finest ethnic restaurants in New York City and the cultural attractions of Flushing Meadows Corona Park, home of the 1939 and 1964 New York World's Fairs

A distinguished Smithsonian Affiliate, is Staten Island's premier destination for culture and entertainment. Set within a stunning 83-acre park-like setting, Snug Harbor presents a unique blend of gardens, museums, theaters, educational opportunities, and seasonal festivals.
Snug Harbor's historic grounds and Greek Revival buildings house arts organizations with the area's most vibrant and intriguing activities, providing numerous ways for visitors of all ages and backgorunds to explore. The richness of this captivating environment truly makes Snug Harbor the heart of Staten Island's social life and a must-see destination in the region.

Let your wild side reign free as you explore the many faces of some very unique creatures at this Brooklyn museum of life. Venture deep into the jungle as you see the animals up close. Dare to spend the day with the valor of a lion roaming with his pride. A family spending time together, appreciating nature in all its ferocious glory is what this NYC museum is all about. Take the children to the discovery center where they can try their hand at some basic veterinary skills while conducting check-ups on real live animals. Then, head over to the young naturalist camping area, cook food on a "campfire", and explore using field guides for animals that one might see on a camping trip. Feeling the urge to feed some of the animals’ springtime is the perfect time to head over and feed the sea lions - they just love the attention too. Weekends are an ideal time to visit as you can chat live with the zookeepers and learn how they care for the animals. Maybe even find out what your favorite animal does when you're not there. Overall, this taste of the wild offers a wide variety of things to do, see and learn. Spring/Summer 2012 is a great time to come see this gem.

The New York Botanical Gardens is a premier educational institution. Located just a brisk 25 minute bicycle ride from Sound View Park via Dr. Theodore Kazimiroff Blvd, this NYC attraction is surprisingly bicycle accessible and encourages travel as such. The Gardens offers many educational programs including the opportunity to graduate with certificates in botany, floral design and horticulture, just to name a few. Ongoing hands-on gardening activities for the whole family are also available, so check their schedule online, or just give them a call. The Everett Children’s Adventure Garden is a year-round world of its own, boasting mazes, larger than life flowers, and many real time activities for your curious explorer. A prize bloom in the collection of Bronx attractions, it also actively participates in community outreach programs that expand nutritional education. Make sure you check out the Green Market, which carries a variety of produce available for purchase. Health-related screenings offered the 2nd Wednesday of every month by staff from both Montefiore Medical Center and St. Barnabas Hospital are another of the services that demonstrates their involvement in the surrounding communities. Their dedication to the conservation of the plants and fungi of the world through various scientific research associations places them on the world map.

Red Hook Boaters is a community of boating enthusiasts located in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. The organization provides affordable access to the waterfront for local residents and visitors, offering a variety of boating programs, classes, and events. Members have access to the organization's fleet of sailboats, kayaks, and rowboats, as well as the use of the boathouse facilities, which include a classroom and meeting space. The organization's mission is to promote boating as a means of connecting with the waterfront and fostering a sense of community among its members. They also focus on educating and training members on safety and boating skills, as well as promoting environmental stewardship on the water.
Red Hook Boaters offers a variety of programs including youth sailing, adult sailing classes, and community sailing events. They also participate in local regattas and races, and host events such as on-water BBQs and full-moon paddles.
In addition to boating activities, Red Hook Boaters also advocates for public access to the waterfront and works with local organizations and government agencies to improve boating infrastructure and facilities in the area. Overall, it is a great place for boating enthusiasts to come together and enjoy their passion for boating in the heart of Brooklyn.

2013 Winter/Spring Season. Based on The Suit by Can Themba, Mothobi Mutloatse, and Barney Simon Direction, adaptation, and music by Peter Brook, Marie-Hélène Estienne, and Franck Krawczyk The renowned Peter Brook—whose 1987 production of The Mahabharata inaugurated the BAM Majestic Theater (now the BAM Harvey Theater)—returns with a music-filled adaptation of South African writer Can Themba’s piercing tale of simmering resentment and tragedy, The Suit. A wife caught in the act, her lover fleeing the scene, a suit left behind. It’s the perfect recipe for a husband’s punishing, humiliating decree: go on with business as usual, he says to his spouse, but take your lover’s suit everywhere you go as a ghostly reminder of your betrayal. Using an innovative staging that integrates live musicians directly into the action, Brook makes Themba’s volatile work sing. A hummed “Strange Fruit,” African melodies, and Schubert lieder thicken the tense, poisoned air of this apartheid-era summer in which a shared wound was not allowed to heal.
Dating from its first performance in 1861, BAM has grown into a thriving urban arts center that brings international performing arts and film to Brooklyn. The first BAM facility at 176-194 Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights was originally conceived by the Philharmonic Society of Brooklyn as a home for its concerts. It housed a large theater seating 2,200, a smaller concert hall, dressing and chorus rooms, and a vast "baronial" kitchen. BAM presented both amateur and professional music and theater productions. Performers included Ellen Terry, Edwin Booth, Tomas Salvini, and Fritz Kreisler.

In 1960, the Perkins-Freeman family deeded Wave Hill to the City of New York; Wave Hill, Inc., was formed in 1965 as a non-profit corporation. Today, as one of 33 City-owned cultural institutions, Wave Hill provides an oasis of serenity and offers programs in Horticulture, Environmental Education, Woodland Management and the Visual and Performing Arts. Through the arts and sciences, Wave Hill seeks to foster connections between people and nature.

At the beginning of the 2009 Major League Baseball season the new Yankee Stadium opened its doors when the Yankees hosted a workout day in front of fans from the Bronx community. The first game at this brand new ballpark was a pre-season exhibition game against the Chicago Cubs, played on April 3, 2009, which the Yankees won 7-4. The new Yankee Stadium is located in the Bronx, across the street from the original Yankee Stadium. It is built on a 24 acre area and has a price tag of $1.5 billion, which makes it not only the most expensive baseball stadium ever built but also the third-most expensive stadium of any kind.
Have the time of your life when you participate on the Yankee Inside Experience program, where fans are treated to a game day like never before. Guests attending the program are provided with an opportunity to meet with a player on the Yankees current roster followed by a guided stadium tour and buffet lunch.

The best way to connect to nature in New York City is by visiting the Bronx Zoo, the world’s largest urban zoo. With world-class exhibits such as the Wild Asian Monorail, the Tiger Mountain, the Congo Gorilla Forest and the newest exhibit, Madagascar, the Bronx Zoo features more than 600 different species, including mammals, birds, reptiles & amphibians and insects. Check the daily schedule of feedings and enrichment demonstrations and then customize your trip with their interactive trip planner. Find your inner animal on the Animal Activity Trail; watch amazing aerial tricks at the World of Birds; experience a very unique form of New York City transit when you ride a camel around Wild Asia Plaza; feed and watch Magellanic penguins come out of their dens and bob for fish; watch one of the most popular attractions, the Sea Lion feeding and training demonstration; visit the Butterfly Garden, a wild meadow and spacious greenhouse where you can identify different butterflies, smell the flowers and learn how to plant a nectar-rich garden. No matter how you plan your trip to the Bronx Zoo.