The New York City Traveler

This guest post is from Mary Jo Manzanares, b5media’s Travel & Culture Editor and travel blogger at Flyaway Cafe.

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), often called “The Big Board,” is the largest stock exchange in the world by dollar volume and ranks second in the number of companies listed on its exchange.
The exchange is located in Manhattan at 11 Wall Street (between Broad & New), but actually consists of five building, or “rooms,” that are used for trading. The main building (18 Broad Street, between Wall Street & Exchange Place) is a National Historic Landmark.
The roots of the NYSE reach …read more

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The Manhattan skyline is one of the most recognizable in the world. Whether view from an airplane as you are flying in, from Central Park, the top of the Empire State Building, or from a downtown ferry, the New York architecture is some of the most photographed around.
This photo was taken while on a ferry ride out to see the Statue of Liberty.
Photo credit: personal collection
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This is a guest posts from Mary Jo Mazanares, b5media’s Travel & Culture Channel Editor and travel blogger at Flyaway Cafe.
Most people have things in their life that they’ve always wanted to do, but for some reason, have never gotten around to doing. I’m no different.
There are all sorts of reasons for putting off these experiences. Some are pretty valid reasons — affordability, time, or physical limitations. Some are not so valid reasons — procrastination, braggadocio, or unwillingness to put forth the effort.
Today’s post is about one of those things that I’ve always wanted to try, but haven’t. I’ve used …read more

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My courtship with Nobu was quick.  It was as soon as I tasted the wasabi that I realized that I would be a fan.  The green paste was unlike any other I had tasted before.  It was fresher, with a cleaner taste.  If a condiment can be that good, I knew I was in for a treat… and I was.    
Like all good things, Nobu’s popularity as grown.  Just open up the society pages to see who has dined there recently.  It’s the Japanese restaurant for most of Hollywood.  In recent years, reservations have become impossible to procure but after …read more

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Man-made waterfalls will grace New York Harbor this summer as New York City embarks on the largest, and most ambitious, public art project that the city has seen in years. 
Artist Olafur Eliasson, in conjunction with Public Art Fund, has created four 90- to 120-foot man-made waterfalls at locations across New York: Governors Island, between Brooklyn Piers 4 and 5, Manhattan Pier 35, and Brooklyn Bridge.  Click here for a map of waterfall locations.
The waterfalls may be viewed from various locations across the city.  The Staten Island Ferry and Governors Island ferry will provide views of the Brooklyn falls …read more

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River to River, a downtown festival that stretches from June to September with various events, is will underway.  Featuring world-class performing arts and free admission, the festival takes place in a variety of Downtown Manhattan public venues, from Chambers Street to the Battery on Manhattan’s southern tip, and includes Governors Island. 
There are a number of free events virtually everyday.  Highlights of the summer festival include:

Otis Clay and Ryan Shaw June 11  Free
Sonic Youth  July 4  Free
Folk Music Festival on Governors Island  July 26  Free
The Big River Project: The Music of Johnny Cash  July 26  Free
Seaport Music Festival  …read more

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Located in the beaux-arts Alexander Hamilton Customs House on the Battery, the National Museum of the American Indian houses some of the Smithsonian’s collection of Native American art and artifacts. 
The permanent collection spans more than 10,000 years of native history, a significant portion of which is dedicated to the natives of North America and Hawaii.  Also represented are the indigenous cultures of Central and South America.  The museum also offers a range of public programs—including music and dance performances, films, and symposia.    
The exhibitions are all conceived and designed by Native American artists.  Currently on exhibit:

Listening to …read more

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Governors Island is what myths are made of.  Located in New York Harbor between Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, most New Yorkers have never set foot on the island and most of America has never even heard of the island.  The exclusiveness of the island is for good reason: Governors Island was owned by the U.S. government and was used as a Coast Guard facility until 1995, thus prohibiting visits from civilians.  On the tourism side, Governors Island isn’t listed in most guidebooks or tourist maps, leading visitors to wonder exactly lies on the unmarked island.  The island once shrouded …read more

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For one week every year, Sailors, Marines, and Guardsmen take over Lower Manhattan. 
New York’s Fleet Week begins today with parade of ships and continues until Wednesday, May 28th with a full calendar of events. 
This is your chance to tour one of the majestic ships that will be docked in New York.  Complimentary tours on US and Canadian ships will be available on most days at the Lower Manhattan piers and on Staten Island.  There will also be Marine Corps helicopter raid demonstrations and Navy band performances. 
For a more information, a full list of events, including visitation …read more

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Just a couple weeks ago Manhattan added yet another new museum to its growing list: Sports Museum of America (SmA).  The three-story, 45,000-square-foot museum features 600 artifacts, 1,100 photographs, and 20 original films within 19 galleries, celebrating the sports that American love.  
The floor plan takes visitors through eight galleries dedicated to single-sports, each full of artifacts and memorabilia from each sport: football, hockey, tennis, golf, soccer, basketball, auto-racing, and baseball.  There are also several galleries devoted to sports themes, such as “Breaking Barriers” which highlights the achievements of athletes like Jackie Robinson, a gallery dedicated to the Olympics, …read more

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