NYC Life: Awesome Things to Do This Summer
Well summer kicks off in grand fashion on the 4th with the fabulous Macy’s fireworks—watch live or on TV. Forget the crowded airports and enjoy your summer in and around NYC. There is so much to do and lots of fun day trips, like “glamping” on Governors Island, NYBC, and Long Island mansion tours. Valerie Smaldone…..and our roving photographer has great photos from last week’s Pride Parade. Have a wonderful holiday!
“Simply the Best”
Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks this year will be showcased with a special curated musical presentation “The Best” by the legendary Tina Turner. The fireworks will span a mile across the East River in a multi-layer presentation, reaching dramatic heights of 1,000 feet to the water’s edge. Thousands of golden-hued shells will create a dramatic cascade effect stretching for more than a mile across the East River. The fireworks will be launched in the East River centered around Midtown between E. 26th and E. 40th Streets. If you can’t see it live, tune in at 8 PM ET on NBC and Peacock. GET THE DETAILS.
Glamping on Governors Island
Now this is our idea of camping. An 8-minute ferry ride will get you to Governors Island where you can “glamp” in a luxury private tent with high thread count bedding, plush towels, designer lighting, and air conditioning. Each tent has a private waterfront deck, fire pits at night, on a beautiful island with landmark views of NYC. 5 Star glamping with 5-star hotel prices too, but a unique experience. GET THE DETAILS.
New at NYBC “Things Come to Thrive”
This summer, head to the NYBC and experience the seductive beauty of gardens through the eyes of celebrated contemporary artist Ebony G. Patterson. Known for her lavishly detailed mixed media installations, Patterson brings her signature style to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, and NYBG’s landscape and galleries, in a major site-specific exhibition featuring breathtaking and provocative displays of art and nature.
Patterson’s work will captivate Garden visitors with the beauty of exotic flora and garden-inspired installations—from a monumental peacock sculpture to swarms of glitter-encrusted vultures. Inspired by her immersion in NYBG’s collections, Patterson’s work explores entanglements of race, gender and colonialism while inviting visitors to contemplate their own relationships with gardens and the natural world.
Don’t miss this opportunity to see one of the most exciting contemporary artists of our time transform one of the most stunning settings in New York City like never before. Ebony G. Patterson’s summer exhibition at NYBG is a must-see.
Tour Long Island’s “Gatsby” Gold Coast Mansions
There are several gold coast mansions still intact on Long Island including the Sand’s Point Preserve (locale of The Great Gatsby) which is home to three spectacular mansions: Falaise; Hempstead House; and CastleGould. Tours and other events are available. It’s an easy train ride from NYC and a great summer day. GET THE DETAILS.
Falaise is a Normandy style home filled with antiques and open to the public for tours. It’s here that Charles Lindbergh wrote his famous book “WE,” while staying with the Guggenheim family at Falaise, and where he came for respite following the tragic kidnapping of his child. Hempstead House was designed by Hunt & Hunt in the style of an English castle. CastleGould was built to be a replica of Kilkenny Castle, but it was later used as stables and servant quarters. Walk the grounds that overlook the Long Island Sound and step back in time to a period of Gold Coast splendor.
Roaming at the Pride Parade
From our roving photographer, Nicole Freezer Rubens:
The New York City Pride March is one of the largest pride parades worldwide. Last Sunday I attended the 53rd annual event and was warmly surrounded by the color of love. This year the theme was Strength Through Solidarity. Over 1 million people showed up to show their palpable support.
The Stonewall Riots began on June 28, 1968 when homosexuality was illegal. The police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in the West Village, and a 6-day riot ensued. This event sparked the modern-day LGBTQ rights movement that now celebrates the love is love recognition around the globe. The exuberant, joyous vibe and the sense of inclusivity and freedom uplifted and permeated the streets of our city. The spirit of love and rainbow confetti absolutely filled the air and gave me hope that much needed change in humanity is indeed possible.
Nicole Freezer Rubens is the author of poetry/photo book, “The Long Pause and the Short Breath.” Follow her on https://www.instagram.com/nfrconsult/
The tomato behind The Three Tomatoes.
Cheryl Benton, aka the “head tomato” is founder and publisher of The Three Tomatoes, a digital lifestyle magazine for “women who aren’t kids”. Having lived and worked for many years in New York City, the land of size zero twenty-somethings, she was truly starting to feel like an invisible woman. She created The Three Tomatoes just for the fun of it as the antidote for invisibility and sent it to 60 friends. Today she has thousands of friends and is chief cheerleader for smart, savvy women who want to live their lives fully at every age and every stage. She is the author of the novel, "Can You See Us Now?" and co-author of a humorous books of quips, "Martini Wisdom." Because she's lived a long time, her full bio won't fit here. If you want the "blah, blah, blah", read more. www.thethreetomatoes.com/about-the-head-tomato
