New York Botanical Gardens

NYC is replete with wonderful wooded areas where quiet streams wind their way to waterfalls and beautiful vistas. The Ravine in Central Park, and the magnificent view of the Palisades from Inwood Park are some of my favorites. One of the most beautiful parts of the Bronx is the New York Botanical Gardens. It was founded in 1891 and contains 50 different gardens and plant collections. You can see waterfalls, wetlands and a 50 acre part of original old growth NY forest! Never logged! Some trees are more than 200 years old. That's pretty cool. My favorite thing to see is the 1890s wrought iron Crystal Palace greenhouse. The Gardens are also home to The Pfizer Plant Research Laboratory which is the leader in botanical research, collecting plants from around the world, and is currently creating The Barcode of Life, which is the DNA sampling of all the different species of trees around the world...you don't care about that, but the FLOWERS are Pretty! :^)

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See the Largest Repository of Gold at The Federal Reserve Bank!

The Crown Jewels and Fort Knox are nothing compared to the Gold in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York! And you can see it FREE of CHARGE! Every day, Monday thru Friday a representative of the Fed takes visitors 86ft below street level to see 10% of all the world's gold. No place on earth has more gold in one spot than the Federal Reserve Bank. If you turned it into cash, it would be worth $250 Billion dollars! That's Billion with a B folks! Did I mention it's Free? This is probably one of the most amazing things to see in NYC and many people don't even know its there. There's also a self guided tour that does not include a tour of the vault, but you get to see the $20 Gold Double Eagle coin that is the most expensive coin ever auctioned at $7.5 million.  Now you might imagine, the gold tours are booked a few months in advance but book now and before you know it you'll be looking at The Greatest Bling on Earth.

Be Amazed HERE!

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Sondheim in the Park!

From July 23 thru August 25 the Delacorte Theater in Central Park will present Stephen Sondheim's classic "Into the Woods"! This is one of my favorite shows and it is FREE of CHARGE! Typically, you go to the park the day of the performance and get in the free ticket line. The booth opens at 1pm but people get there around 9am to ensure good seats and availability. It sounds like a drag but it's actually kinda fun! You bring a blanket or chairs and have a morning picnic in the park. Very fun atmosphere. Free tickets are also offered via the Virtual Ticketing System. It's a wonderful experience to see a show under the stars and I often see famous people there, not only on stage but in the audience. A few years ago I saw Phillip Seymore Hoffman, Nicole Kidman and Cynthia Nixon sitting two rows ahead of me.

Click HERE for more info

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City of Water Day!

NYC harbor is one of the greatest natural harbors in the world! It's one of the things that has made New York the greatest city and the Financial capital of the world. Over the years the Hudson River and the harbor became polluted, I remember when I was a kid you could almost set fire the the river, is was so dirty. But that was then...this is NOW! Now the river front is a vibrant place of fun activities and water sports. Battery Park City has a sailing school, there are swimming competitions and you can even rent Jet Ski's! This Saturday, July 14 is the City of Water Day, and there will be hundreds of events related to NYC's great waterfront. Free boat tours, kayaking, fishing, sailing, you name it. Saturday will be a beautiful summer day and I expect everyone to take advantage of our beautiful waterways. Don't forget the free ferry to Governor's Island. Truly spectacular!

Get wet HERE

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Restaurant Week in NYC!

Only in NYC would Restaurant Week last 20 days! From July 16 to August 10 about 100 different restaurants are offering Prix Fixe menus to the public. Now you can try some of NYCs finest restaurants for a very reasonable price. 3 course meals for $35.00. Check out the link below and book a reservation for some of the finest grub in the city. Mangia e Bevi!!

Eat HERE

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Potty like its your Birthday!

One complaint I always hear from the guests on my tours is that NYC lacks public restrooms, but in fact they're Everywhere! And I'm not talking about phone booths or quiet places on the subway platform. Pretty much every hotel will let you use the toilet if you are reasonably dressed and don't cause a ruckus, as well as every Starbucks (186 on Manhattan island), but there are several coin operated public toilets that automatically sanitize the facilities after every use. However there are some AMAZING restaurant restrooms to choose from that you will talk about for years to come! Some have one way frosted stall doors where you can see out but no one can see in...or CAN they? You be the judge! My favorite is the Mandarin Hotel at the Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle, very chic!

Pee HERE 

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Celebrate America's Independance!!

Happy 4th of July! Certainly every New Yorker MUST know about the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks display that takes place on the Hudson River, but for tourists and locals alike, I want to give you the skinny on this years event! This years theme is "Ignite the Night" and will be the biggest fireworks display they've ever done. The 25 minute show will have over 40,000 fireworks that are synchronized to an awesome patriotic soundtrack. The show will be visible from any unobstructed view of the river (Top of the Rock or the Empire State Building come to mind!) but the best vantage point will be from 24th street to 57th street! Be sure to download the App for up to date info and hear the synchro music on your phone! Check out the link below for all the info and be sure to wear your Red White and Blue.

Click HERE

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