Spanish-American Institute

Student Club Newsletter

215 West 43 Street Times Square Manhattan, New York 10036-3913 voice: 212.840.7111 fax: 212.719.5922  www.sai.nyc  info@sai.nyc VoIP internet phone: 166.84.191.135 student news groups:  news://166.84.191.133  library catalog:  http://166.84.191.133/m3, student news groups:  news//166.84.191.133, newsletter back issues:  http://sai.nyc/ClubNews, student club photos:  http://picasaweb.google.com/studentphotos, course syllabi:  http://www.sai.nyc/syllabi, school catalog:  http://sai.nyc/Catalog

June, 2009

Vol. 5, No. 5

 

NYC in June for Free

 

  June-September.  River to River Festival, 100s of free events in Lower Manhattan. (see right column).

  Tuesdays, 6:30pm, Jun 2, 9, and 16.  Music from Bach to Behop (jazz).  Enjoy the sunset and music on Pier 45.  1 to Christopher St. and walk west to River.

  Fridays, Free Bike Fridays, Governor’s Island, borrow a bike and enjoy biking the Island.  See school bulletin boards for free ferry schedule.

 Fridays 7-9pm.  Sunset on the Hudson.  Enjoy the sunset and guitar man David Ippolito at the spectacular grass-covered Pier 45.  1 to Christopher St. and walk west to River.   

  Fridays 7-10pm, Free Fridays at the Rubin Museum of Art, NYC’s museum of Himalayan art.  150 W. 17th St. between 6th/7th Ave., 1 to 18th St., 1,2,3 to 14th St.

  Fridays 9:30pm, starting 6/19.  Coney Island Fireworks.  View from boardwalk along beach. D,F,Q to Coney Island. 

  Sat Jun 6, 5-11pm. Brooklyn Museum First Saturday.  Free art, music, dancing, entertainment, etc. 2,3 trains to Brooklyn Museum/Eastern Parkway right at museum entrance. 

  Sat-Sun Jun 6-7, 1-6pm. Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk.  Tour open studios, gallery shows, art projects, and special events on Brooklyn’s Atlantic Ave. featuring over 200 artists.  2,3,4,5,B,Q to Atlantic Ave/BAM Station or Court St./Borough Hall; N,R,M,D to Pacific St./BAM Station, etc., and walk along Atlantic Ave.

  Sun Jun 7, 6-9pm.  Let’s Dance.  Learn to dance salsa, cha-cha, and bachata like a pro with top instructors.  1,2,3, A trains to 72nd St. and walk west Pier 1 at  70th St. and Riverside Park on the Hudson River.

  Tues Jun 9, 6-9pm.  Museum Mile Festival.  Walk the mile on 5th Ave. from 82nd to 105th St. and visit 9 of NYC’s finest museums for free.  Plus music, street performers, art activities, etc. 4,5,6, to 86th.  6 to 96th, 103rd, 110th Sts. 

  Fri-Sun Jun 12-14.  Figment All Day Festival, Governor’s Island, an explosive celebration of art and culture.  See School bulletin boards for free ferry schedule to the Island. 

  Sat Jun 13, 10-5pm.  Mayor’s Cup Cricket Tournament.  The City’s best cricket players in a citywide championship.  Canarsie Park, Brooklyn.  80th and Seaview Ave. 

  Fri Jun 19, 7:30pm (gates open  6:30 pm).  David Rudder and Others at the Prospect Park Bandshell, Prospect Park West and 9th St.. B,F,Q  to 7th Ave. and walk 1 or 2  blocks to Park’s 9th St. entrance.  2,3 to 7th Ave. and walk 13 blocks to 9th St.    

  Sat Jun 20, 2pm.  Mermaid Parade, Coney Island. One of NYC’s great summer events.  Starts at Surf Ave. and 21st St. D,F,Q to Coney Island

 Sun Jun 21, 11-5pm.  Make Music New York’s Punk Island on Governor’s Island, a punk rocker’s paradise.  See School Bulletin Boards for free ferry schedule to the Island.   

 Sun Jun 21, 2 pm.  Folklore Urbano.  Brooklyn Museum outdoor concert of world music and Latin jazz.  2,3 trains to Brooklyn Museum/Eastern Parkway. 

  Sun Jun 21, 5pm.  Emerson String Quartet.  Town Hall, 123 W. 43rd St. Free tickets 2 per person at the box office the day of the concert starting 2 hours before concert.

Sat Jun 27, 7pm.  New York City Opera On the Pier.  NYC Opera presents highlights from popular operas at the South St. Seaport. South and Fulton St. on the East River.  2,3,4,5,J,K,M trains to Fulton St. A,C to Broadway-Nassau.  Walk east on Fulton.

 

Summer Downtown in Lower Manhattan—NYC’s First Neighborhood   NYC began in Lower Manhattan over 400 years ago.  By the 19th Century, New York was America’s leading shipping port.  Today, it is home to the South Street Seaport, Wall Street, the World Trade Center site, the World Financial Center, Battery Park, etc. as well as some of the oldest and most historic buildings in NYC.  

  . For free downtown maps and information, visit information booths near the Path Station entrance at the World Trade Center site, on Broadway near Park Row at City Hall Park, and at the Staten Island Ferry.  Almost every subway line stops somewhere in lower Manhattan

River to River (R2R) Festival  The largest free arts festival in NYC history.  Hundreds of free indoor and outdoor events take place all summer downtown between the Hudson River and the East River.  See map and listings on school bulletin boards.

  Many events take place in Battery Park along the Hudson River or inside the World Financial Center’s (WFC) Winter Garden and Courtyard at the north end of Battery Park.  Sit in the Winter Garden among the palm trees and enjoy the food court, exhibits, concerts, and beautiful views of the Hudson.  Or enjoy a summer stroll outside through the 34 acres of Battery Park along the Hudson River.  One Bowling Green, near northeast corner of Battery Park.  4/5 trains to Bowling Green, N/R to Whitehall, 1 to South Ferry. 1/2/3 trains to Chamber St.

Kayaking on the Hudson

Get Ready to—Kayak! –Weekends to mid-October, 10-5 pm. Also some weekday evenings. 

      You can kayak for free thanks to the New York City Downtown Boathouse.  The Boathouse provides all equipment free at three locations on the Hudson River. 

  You will learn to paddle in a safe enclosure on the water.  You must know how to swim. Wear light clothing. 

     The three Boathouse locations are: 

q      Pier 40--at the Western end of Houston St. on the

 Hudson River side of the West Side Highway (1 train to Houston, A/C/E to Canal St.);

q      Pier 96--at 56th St. in the Clinton Cove Park at

 the West Side Highway and 56th St. (1/A/C/E to Columbus Circle and walk west to West Side Highway);

q      Riverside Park at 72nd St.—cross West End

Avenue and take the 72nd St. stairs down into the Park, follow the walkway to the Hudson River, then walk north towards the 79th St. Marina until you come to the Boathouse.  (1/2/3 trains to 72nd. St.) More information on  Bulletin Boards or:   www.downtownboathouse.org

 

Statue of Liberty.  See the Statue of Liberty from Battery City Park.  Pass close to her on the Staten Island Ferry.  The 305 foot tall statue was a gift from the people of France to the USA to celebrate French-American friendship during the American Revolution. 

  The broken chains at the Statue’s feet depict escape from tyranny [government by a cruel ruler with complete control].  The seven spikes in her crown symbolize the world’s seven seas and seven continents.  The torch in her right hand symbolizes liberty.   The tablet in her left hand reads “July 4, 1776,” the date of American Independence from British rule.

  Today, people from other countries usually arrive in NYC by plane. However, in the 1800s to the mid-1900s, most immigrants arrived by ship at Ellis Island in New York Harbor.  One of their first views of America was the Statue. 

Museum of the American Indian  While downtown, visit the free National Museum of the American Indian, open daily from 10 am-5 pm.  The Museum is located in the US Customs House, one of the most beautiful buildings in Manhattan.  The building itself is worth the visit.  .  One Bowling Green, near northeast corner of Battery Park.  4/5 trains to Bowling Green, N/R to Whitehall, 1 to South Ferry. 

 

Staten Island Ferry  Stroll from Battery Park to the Staten Island Ferry and ride for free 24 hours a day.  The trip takes 30 minutes one way.  Sit outside and enjoy the cool ocean breezes and views of the Manhattan skyline, Governor’s Island, and the Statue of Liberty. (1 to S. Ferry. Ferry pier at Whitehall and Water Streets on southeast corner of Lower Manhattan.)

Governor’s Island Ferry  The free ferry leaves the Maritime building next to the Staten Island Ferry every Fri, Sat, and Sun from 10 am on the hour.