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 all the above excuses, at one time or another, but what I realize is that it all comes down to fear Is it time to face my fear?

If I had ever left home to join the circus, it would have been to become a trapeze artist. Those gracefully looking people who fly through the air, leaping from swing to swing, hanging down and catching one another, have always fascinated me.

It turns out that you don’t have to join the circus to have this experience, you can learn to fly through the air at the Trapeze School of New York.

Opening for the 2007 season on April 28th, the TSNY will be setting up their outdoor rigging of tall poles and cable at their new location on top of Pier 40 (Houston and the West Side Highway). The school uses safety harnesses and lines to keep you safe as you climb steps up to a platform 23 feet high above the ground. That’s where you will take your first leap. They assure everyone that it’s a very soft net below.

The view from up there is said to be spectacular, even breath taking, but I’m not sure if it’s actually the view that takes your breath away, or if it’s fear. Surrounding the trapeze area is plenty of space for observers. If you get up the courage to do it, I figure you’re going to want to have lots of people there to witness it.

In you first class, you will learn about the safety gear, and practice hanging by your heads and knees on a low bar. Then it’s time to climb all those stairs to the higher platform. And then. . . you hold the fly bar. . . and jump! (My heart is racing just typing about the experience!) The instructors will be there to give you strong encouragement, but the decision of when to jump is up to you, so any moments of hesitation (fear?) are treated with patience and respect. When it’s all over, you fall into the safety net, and then crawl to the side where you are helped out of the net by an instructor.

Subsequent times on the bar will teach you the knee hang, which is just like hanging on the playground — upside down and arms hanging free. If the instructors think you’re ready, they may also teach you the flipping dismount. And, in that very first class, you will likely have the opportunity for a catching. Deep breath here, that’s moving from a knee hang, into a hanging position — from someone else’s arms. That’s really flying!

As scary as the whole things sounds, it also sounds incredibly exciting! A few other important things to know about learning to fly:

• Ages 6 and up can participate
• It’s an activity that suitable for a wide variety of people, and you don’t have to be particularly athletic.
• Classes are approximately 2 hours long
• Classes can accommodate 10 people
• No special clothing is required, and typical work out wear is a good choice. Loose clothing (that could get caught on something) is discouraged.
• Like any workout, you may be a little sore after this experience. Additionally, bumps, bruises, and blisters are not uncommon.

Classes can be booked online, advanced reservations are recommended as classes to sell out, and at the site. They are offered every day of the week, at a variety of times. You can check the schedule here. Classes are $65, with discounts given for multiple class purchases.

It all sounds so incredibly thrilling to me. Who knows, this may be the year that I face my fear and go flying through the air.

Photo credit: Trapeze School New York

Post from: The New York City Traveler

Park Avenue will be closed to motor vehicles from 7am until 1pm on three consecutive Saturdays, August 9th, 16th, and 23rd.  The street will be closed south of 72nd Avenue to the Brooklyn Bridge.

Get out, meet your neighbors, and enjoy New York’s largest block party.

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

The Floating Pool Lady is a seven-lane freshwater floating pool that is located on a barge just off of Barretto Point Park in Bronx.  The pool has all of the amenities as your neighborhood pool, including a pool house, locker rooms, and restrooms, however the view of the Manhattan may just be unparalleled. 

Location:  Barretto Point Park at Tiffany Street and Viele Avenue, Hunts Point, Bronx (map) 718-430-4601

Getting There: 2, 5 to Prospect Avenue; 6 to Hunts Point Avenue.  Then take the summer pool shuttle to the Barretto Point Park.

Hours:  Monday–Sunday 11am-7pm.  Until September 1, 2008. 

Photo credit: flickr

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

Nearly every night from mid-June until the end of August, a group of starry-eyed 22 year olds lace up their cleats and take the field as a member of the Staten Island Yankees.  The Staten Island Yankees, or “Baby Bombers” as they are affectionately called, is a minor league baseball team affiliated with the New York Yankees.  Hoping to make it to the big leagues one day, these guys play with all of their heart while still having a great time. 

A night at the ballpark is great for the family.  Between innings the fans are entertained by Huck, Scooter, and Red, the Staten Island Yankees team mascots. The Richmond County Bank Ballpark seats just over 7000 people and is just a short walk from the Staten Island Ferry depot in St. George.  The night games offer a spectacular view of lower Manhattan, and all Sunday home games are at 2pm.  See you at the ballpark! 

Location:  Richmond County Bank Ballpark, 75 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island (map) 718-720-9265

Getting There:  4, 5 to Bowling Green; R, W to Whitehall Station; 1 or 9 to South Ferry

Brooklyn also hosts their very own Short-A team, the Brooklyn Cyclones, that often play against the Staten Island Yankees.  For more information on the Brooklyn Cyclones, check out their website.

Photo credit (top to bottom): flickr, flickr, flickr

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

ABC’s hit show Dancing with the Stars has just crowned a new champion.  But if you’re going through withdrawals from Dancing With the Stars, why don’t you dance under the stars?

The dance that has been called a “three minute love affair” is returning to Central Park again this summer.  Central Park Tango, a free dance meeting, is set to begin next week, Saturday, June 7 with Hernan as the DJ.  

Central Park Tango began in 1995 with a handful of people and a boom box at Bethesda Fountain.  At the time it was called “Hit and Run Tango” because if the police came, everybody would run.  As the the number of participants grew, a permit became necessary and now, a fully permitted weekly event, Central Park Tango takes place at Literary Walk in Central Park.  There is also a free lesson at 7:30pm for newcomers. 

It may take two to tango, but according to Rick Castro, longtime organizer of Central Park Tango, most dancers come alone and what happens on the dance floor stays on the dance floor.  For more information visit Central Park Tango online or call the NYC Tango Hotline at 212-726-1111

Location:  At the Shakespeare Statue in Central Park, just off of E. 66th Street (map); or at the Dairy during times of rain.  

Dates:  Every Saturday rain or shine.  Begins June 7th through September 27th.

Time:  6-9pm.  Tango lesson at 7:30pm.

Cost:  Free

Photo credit: flickr; flickr

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

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, and The Heisman Gallery which is the new home of the Heisman Trophy.      

The hefty price tag ($27) will keep many people away, but for die-hard sports fans willing to spend at least a few hours in the museum, the Sports Museum of America may just be the hottest ticket in town. 

Location:  Sports Museum of America, 26 Broadway, (map), 212-747-0900

Subway:  4, 5 to Bowling Green; 1, R, W to Rector Street; 2, 3 to Wall Street; J, M, Z to Broad Street

Hours:  Monday-Friday 9am-7pm (last ticket sold at 5:30pm), Saturday, Sunday 9am-9pm (last ticket sold at 7:30pm)

Cost:  Adults $27, Seniors and Students $24, Children 4-14 $20, Children under 4 Free

Check out last week’s “Museum Monday” entry on The Museum of the City of New York.

Photo credit:  Lou Gehrig 1939 game-worn Yankee’s jersey, courtesy Sports Museum of America; Mark Meisser Ranger’s jersey, courtesy Sports Museum of America

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

This Monday, March 31st the Yankees begin the 2008 season with a home- opener against the Toronto Blue Jays.  This will be the final year the Yanks will be playing in the 1923 “House That Ruth Built.”  The new $1.3 billion Yankee Stadium (as seen being constructed in the above photo) is nearing completion and will host the Yankees beginning the 2009 season.

Photo credit: flickr 

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

This year’s Super Bowl quarterback match-up is Eli Manning for the Giants and Tom Brady for the Patriots. Both are young players but that is basically where the similarities end. Manning has gone from a mediocre player to a superstar just this year whereas Brady has been a Super Bowl golden-boy for years. Assuming that Brady is healthy (he’s been sporting bandages on his ankle in the last few days), he has the edge because he has the experience of his undefeated season and three previous Super Bowl victories.

The reality of it all is that the Giants are entering Sunday’s championship game with a 10-6 record (only good enough for a wild card) while the Patriots just finished a perfect season– not a single loss. Of course, one of those Pats victories was a mere 3-point victory that was eked out against the Giants in their last game of the regular season at the end of December. However, the Pats beat the Giants in nearly all offensive as well as defensive categories which lead to them being the 12-point favorite to win the Super Bowl.

Check out David Kindervater’s blog, Every Morning Quarterback, for dispatches from Super Bowl XLII in Phoenix, Arizona and cheer on the New York Giants this Sunday, Feb 3rd. Kick-off is at 6:30pm EST.

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Midtown

• Times Square’s ESPN Zone (map) is like the Disneyland of sports bars. It boasts over 80 HDTVs, 42,000 square feet of restaurant and bar space, and televisions in the bathrooms– in fact last time I checked they were in each stall. Word has it that employees at ESPN Zone are expecting fans to camp outside in order to get a table for Sunday’s Superbowl. If you are one of those souls that are going to brave the 30 degree overnight temperature, be aware that there is a $20 per person per hour food and beverage minimum. It shouldn’t be hard to meet that minimum considering most entrees are around $18.
• Blackstones Pub and Restaurant (map) is not your typical Midtown East dive-bar– the menu lists martinis, veggie burgers, and bacon wrapped shrimp among other high-brow fare. But the friendly staff makes this a great place to spend a Super Bowl Sunday afternoon.
• Scruffy Duffys (map), located between Hell’s Kitchen and Times Square, is a a low-key sports bar. Bar snacks like nachos and mozzarella sticks carry an average price of $5.50 and sandwiches $7.50. If you get lost trying to find Scruffy’s, just look for the giant “Good Guinness Here” sign.

Uptown

• Ship of Fools (map) is a great neighborhood joint on the Upper East Side. Forty-two TVs, 13 of them being big-screens plus pool tables and dart boards to keep you busy in case football isn’t your thing. Ship of Fools offers consistently good food at good prices (avg. appetizer $7.95) served by a friendly wait staff.
• The Kinsale Tavern (map), an Irish bar, is my personal favorite on the Upper East Side, if only for the fact that they serve Brahma, my fave Brazilian beer. Don’t worry, they have all of the normal standbys included on their 30-beer-long draught list. Just remember that you are on the Upper East Side when you see the Zucchini Rounds on the menu!

Downtown

• The Village Tavern (map) is a great neighborhood bar located in the West Village with one big screen and several small screens. Tons of 80s music like Bon Jovi and Def Leppard are on the jukebox in case Tom Petty isn’t your idea of halftime fun.
• Jeremy’s Ale House (map) is the type of dive-bar that I used to frequent when I was young, broke, and living in Queens. Ridiculously cheap beer (served in a styro cup, no less) and even cheaper food (like 10 cent wings). Come here if you want the quintessential dive-bar experience. It’s located near the loading docks of South Street Seaport… need I say more?

Okay, so now you’ve figured out where to spend the big day but you don’t know anything about football, let alone New York Giants football? Check out tomorrow’s post for a primer on Giant’s football!

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Whiteface – With just 18% beginner terrain, the challenging terrain of Whiteface is often featured in skiing-great Warren Miller’s films and was the site of the Winter Olympics– twice. Recently, Whiteface ranked with the big-boys of winter, Whistler, Aspen, and Deer Valley, as one of the “Best Places to Ski & Stay 2007.” Whiteface, a 5 hour drive from New York City, is just 3 miles from Wilmington, NY and 7 miles from Lake Placid, NY, both of which have accommodations available. Bonus: Hit the toboggan run on Mirror Lake!

Gore Mountain – Located in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains, Gore Mountain has 7 lifts, 84 trails, and a total of 347 skiable acres. Gore Mountain is a four-hour drive from Manhattan but make it a perfect weekend by staying in one of the area’s cozy B&Bs that ooze “Upstate New York charm.”

Hunter Mountain – Located just 2 1/2 hours from Manhattan, Hunter Mountain is the closest major ski resort to New York City. This Catskills mountain resort has 11 lifts and 55 trails on the 240 skiable acres. Hunter Mountain also has a pick-up scene that rivals any Downtown club on a Friday night.

Windham Mountan – Just 10 miles north of Hunter Mountain, Windham Mountain markets itself as a “family resort.” Aside from the skiing, there is also tubing and ice skating. Winwood Inn, the “family-friendly” lodge is just a short way from the mountain.

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Post from: The New York City Traveler