The 13th annual NBC “Toyota Concert Series on Today” also continues.  All concerts are at the Rockefeller Plaza (map), or in the Today Show studio.  The concerts are fee and viewing is on a first-come basis, so be at the plaza or studio no later than 7am.

August

• Friday August 1 | Sheryl Crow Today
• Friday, August 8 | Celine Dion Today 
• Friday, August 26 | Solange Knowles Today-in studio 
• Friday, August 29 | Paula Abdul Today

Last minute schedule changes may occur.  Be sure to check the Today Show websites for updated schedule information and late additions to the line-up.

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

Home Delivery, Part I includes patents and other historical documents that trace development of prefabrication from the early nineteenth century to the current day. 

Home Delivery, Part II is the outdoor component located on the west side of the museum where five full-scale prefabricated houses were constructed on a vacant lot.  Of the initial 500 architectural firms that applied for the project, only five were chosen to create commercially-viable homes for the exhibit.  Each house is unique in its design and all employ some type of “green” technology, such as the use of recycled materials or use of photovoltaic cells, that promotes sustainability.  

Next time you drive past a trailer park, think about the evolution of the prefabricated home.  What do you think?  Would you live in a house a pre-fab house?     

Location: MoMA, 11 West 53rd (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues) map (212) 708-9400

Subway: E or V to Fifth Avenue-53rd Street

Hours: 10:30am -5:30pm Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat, Sun; 10:30am-8pm Friday; Closed Tuesday.  Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling is on exhibit through October 20, 2008.     

Cost: $20 adults; $16 65+; $12 full-time students; under 16 free (with paying adult); free to all Fri 4-8 pm.  Cost includes admission to film programs.  Save your MoMA ticket for free admission to P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center in Long Island City, Queens.

Photo credit: Cellophane House flickr, Burst 008 flickr 

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

Dalí: Painting and Film

The exhibition is in conjunction with a selection of weekly film programs featuring Salvador Dalí: Creator Collaborator, Dalí Laughs, Salvador Dalí and Three American Surrealists, and Salvador Dalí: Consumer/Consumed.  Other works, such as the 1930 film by Luis Buñuel and Dalí, “L’Age d’Or,” is on continuous display in the gallery.

Location: MoMA, 11 West 53rd (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues) map (212) 708-9400

Subway: E or V to Fifth Avenue-53rd Street

Hours: 10:30am -5:30pm Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat, Sun; 10:30am-8pm Friday; Closed Tuesday.  Dalí: Painting and Film on exhibit through September 15, 2008.     

Cost: $20 adults; $16 65+; $12 full-time students; under 16 free (with paying adult); free to all Fri 4-8 pm.  Cost includes admission to film programs.  Save your MoMA ticket for free admission to P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center in Long Island City, Queens.

All photos courtesy of MoMA: Salvador Dalí (Spain, 1904-1989), The Persistence of Memory 1931, Oil on canvas 24.1 x 33 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York Given anonymously, © 2008 Salvador Dalí, Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; Luis Buñuel (Spain, 1900-1983) and Salvador Dalí (Spain, 1904-1989), Film still from Un Chien andalou 1929, France, 35 mm print, black and white, silent, The Museum of Modern Art, Gift of Luis Buñuel, © 2008 Salvador Dalí, Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

ABC’s Good Morning America hosts their free concert series in Bryant Park (map).  All concerts are free and open to the public.  Viewers interested in attending the free live performances should arrive at the park no later than 7am.  Admission is on a limited first-come basis, so the earlier, the better.

The 13th annual NBC “Toyota Concert Series on Today” also continues.  All concerts are at the Rockefeller Plaza (map), or in the Today Show studio.  The concerts are fee and viewing is on a first-come basis, so be at the plaza or studio no later than 7am.

July

• Friday July 4 | Chaka Khan  GMA Bryant Park 
• Monday, July 7 | Boy George Today **canceled to to US visa being denied**
• Friday, July 11 | Rascal Flatts  Today
• Friday, July 18 | Miley Cyrus  GMA Bryant Park
• Friday, July 18 | Natasha Bedingfield  Today 
• Friday, July 25 | Feist  GMA Bryant Park 
• Friday, July 25 | Miley Cyrus  Today

Last minute schedule changes may occur.  Be sure to check the Good Morning America and Today Show websites for updated schedule information and late additions to the line-up.

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

The Museum at FIT is a tiny slice of the Fashion Institute of Technology, part of the State University of New York.  The museum’s mission is to “collect, conserve, document, exhibit, and interpret fashion.”  The museum’s permanent collection includes over 50,000 articles and is divided into an accessories collection, a costume collection, and a textile collection that date from the 18th-century to present.  The museum is always acquiring new items, some of its newest acquisitions include a beautiful white organza, silk tulle, and feather dress by Rodarte.  Rotating exhibitions feature photography, clothing, textiles, and accessories.  Student art from FIT is also shown at the museum. 

The current temporary exhibition is Arbiters of Style: Women at the Forefront of Fashion.  The exhibition focuses on the women who have shaped the course of fashion: from the work of female designers to clothing and accessories worn by female department store executives, influential clients, magazine editors, muses, and models.  Items included will be a gown, circa 1770, designed by Anna Maria Garthwaite and a Chanel suit worn by legendary fashion photographer Louise Dahl-Wolfe. Arbiters of Style: Women at the Forefront of Fashion will be on display through November 8, 2008. 

The best bargain in fashion can be found at the Museum at FIT, free admission!

Location:  Museum at FIT, Seventh Avenue at 27th Street (map),  (212) 217-4560

Subway: 1 to 28th Street; R, W to 28th Street

Days and Hours:  Tuesday-Friday Noon-8pm; Saturday 10am-5pm. Closed Sundays, Mondays.

Cost:  Free

Check out last week’s Museum Monday post on the Merchant’s House Museum.  Museum Monday continues next week with a post on the the New York Transit Museum. 

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

The film festival is entering its 16th year and will feature classic American films like Superman and Bride of Frankenstein.  For a full movie schedule, visit the Bryant Park film festival calendar.

Location: Bryant Park, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues at 42nd Street (map)

Subway: 7 to Fifth Avenue; B, D, F, V to 42nd Street-Bryant Park

Dates and Time:  Every Monday from June 16th until August 18th, 2008.  Lawn opens at 5pm for blankets and films begin at dusk (between 8 and 9pm). 

Cost:  Free

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

ABC’s Good Morning America and NBC’s Today Show free summer concert series continues into June with even more musical performances from today’s hottest recording artists.

ABC’s Good Morning America hosts their free concert series in Bryant Park (map).  All concerts are free and open to the public.  Viewers interested in attending the free live performances should arrive at the park no later than 7am.  Admittance is on a limited first-come basis, so the earlier, the better.

The 13th annual NBC “Toyota Concert Series on Today” also continues.  All concerts are at the Rockefeller Plaza (map), or in the Today Show studio.  The concerts are fee and viewing is on a first-come basis, so be at the plaza or studio no later than 7am.

May

• Thu, May 29 | American Idol-David Cook and David Archuleta Today-Rockefeller Plaza
• Fri, May 30 | Usher GMA-Bryant Park
• Fri, May 30 | Donna Summer Today-Rockefeller Plaza

June

• Fri, June 6 | Ashanti GMA-Bryant Park
• Fri, June 6 | Chris Brown Today-Rockefeller Plaza
• Tue, June 10 | Adele Today-In Studio 
• Fri, June 13 | Cyndi Lauper GMA-Bryant Park
• Fri, June 13 | Kenny Chesney Today-Rockefeller Plaza
• Tue, June 17 | Clique Girls Today-In Studio
• Fri, June 20 | Boyz II Men GMA-Bryant Park
• Tue, June 24 | Alejandro Escavedo Today-In Studio
• Fri, June 27 | Maroon 5 GMA-Bryant Park
• Fri, June 27 | Coldplay Today-Rockefeller Center

Last minute schedule changes may occur.  Be sure to check the Good Morning America and Today Show websites for updated schedule information and late additions to the line-up.

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

Service begins May 29th with twice-daily departures from New York’s Penn Station (map) to Toronto’s Royal York Hotel (map) at 8:45am and 8:45pm.   There are also twice-daily departures from Toronto to New York at 8:45am and 8:45pm.  You can count on the trip being at least 10 hours.

The trip may be a bit lengthy but all buses are equipped with videos, free Wi-Fi, power outlets.  Similar to the BoltBus, only a limited number of $1.00 tickets will be available for each trip.  Act fast and plan your summer get-away to beautiful Toronto!

Visit the Greyhound for more information and to purchase tickets.

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

Empanadas, small turnovers filled then fried until golden brown, is the main feature on the menu and at Mama Empanada, there are no less than 44 varieties of empanadas on the menu.   The main feature is the traditional wheat flour empanadas, 23 types of which are on the menu.  The fillings range from the more traditional like shredded chicken and shredded beef (both $2.50) to the more unique like the Tuna Jalapeno ($2.95) and the Americano, filled with hot dogs and cheddar cheese ($2.50).  For a departure from the traditional, Empanada Mama also offers 8 types of corn flour empanadas and 5 varieties of oven baked wheat flour empanadas. 

The empanadas are served in small white paper bags with the type of empanada stamped on the front and served on the side is a red tomato salsa and green cilantro salsa.  I have tried shredded chicken, shredded beef and Brazil (ground beef, olives, sauteed onions, and potatoes), all of which I found fantastic, and I simply cannot get enough of the in-house salsa.   

Empanadas aren’t the only things on the expansive menu.  Traditional Latin American favorites such as a variety of arepas (from $4.75), tapas (from 3.95), and entrees like Arroz con Pollo ($10.95) also round-out the menu.  The beer selection was also impressive for a small restaurant.  I found my favorite Brazilian beer, Brahma, as well as Presidente (Dominican Republic), and the Stella Artois (all $6). 

Save room for dessert!  Sweet empanadas, like Elvis (bananas and peanut butter) and USA (apples and cinnamon) are available, as well as the traditional favorites like flan and rice pudding. 

Like many Manhattan restaurants, with a minimum order of $10, Empanada Mama delivers.  The delivery zone is from 42nd to 62nd and from 5ht Avenue to 12th Avenue.    

Location:  Empanada Mama, 763 Ninth Avenue between West 51st and West 52nd (map), 212-698-9008

Subway:  C, E to 50th Street  

Hours:  Daily 11am-midnight, delivery ends at 11pm.

Photo credit: personal collection

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

I won’t rehash my entire 4 hour journey but it did go something like this:  Boarded, sat down, plugged in laptop to the a/c outlet, connected to the free   Wi-Fi, and 4hr 30min later I found myself in the middle of Manhattan.  All in all, the trip was great and I found that the power outlet and free Wi-Fi allowed me to be productive on the trip.  

Here is a quick pro and con list of the BoltBus:

Pros: 

• Free Wi-Fi
• A/C outlets
• Inexpensive (from $1 to $20) 
• Boards by zone so no chaotic boarding
• Super-friendly drivers
• Clean bathrooms (nicer than airplane lavatories) 
• Bolt Rewards Program (buy 8 one-way trips and receive 1 one-way free)
• Never felt like my life was in jeopardy (driver never slammed on the brakes, driver never swerved, didn’t hear gasps of horror from other passengers, etc.)
• Bus smelled like cinnamon (which was nice for 5 minutes)

Cons:

• The Boston buses arrive and depart out of Midtown which was absolutely chaotic on Sunday afternoon
• It took us 45 minutes to drive from 125th Street in Harlem to 34th Street in Midtown because we went down Fifth Avenue.  Is there no better (faster) way?
• Bus smelled like cinnamon (which made me sick after the first 5 minutes)

Words of advice:  When I purchased my ticket online it showed that it only had “Zone C” boarding available.  At that point I backed out of the screen and joined the Bolt Rewards program.  When I returned to the purchase screen as a logged-in Rewards member I got a “Zone A” boarding, good for priority boarding.  Not sure if this will work every time, but its worth trying! 

Photo credit: personal collection 

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Post from: The New York City Traveler