Summer in the City

By Lou Pastina

My favorite time of year is coming up soon, August!! Although we have had beautiful fluffy August-like clouds in July, normally temperatures start to settle in the low 80s and humidity drops in August. And all those folks on the ferry just keep coming, which means that the city is pretty much empty. It’s a great time to get on the ferry going the opposite direction of the crowds in the morning and take advantage of the greatest city in the world.

I recently have been bouncing around and have a couple of recommendations for you to try. To start with, if you are interested in art, I have two recommendations for you that don’t include the Met, Moma or Whitney. First is the newly refurbished Frick on 5th Avenue and 70th Street. The industrialist Henry Clay Frick was an avid art collector who included Vermeer, El Greco, Titan, and Rembrandt on his walls. Personally, I don’t have any of these guys, but ole Henry had quite a few. There is usually a line and it’s a bit pricey; you can order tickets online for a specific time and then walk right in. Also cool is that you are walking through a person’s house. Ok, ok, so it’s a big house, but it is fun. The other recommendation is the Neue Galleries on East 86th Street and Fifth Avenue. This museum focuses on Austrian and German art. Try to get in the Cafe if you can, it feels like you are at a café in Europe, and the desserts are delicious!

If you like some good old rock and roll, I recommend the Bitter End on Bleeker Street in the Village. I recently went to see a group called the Ripple All-Stars, a Grateful Dead cover band that was excellent. I went to the 7 p.m. show and it was over by 9. And get this, tickets only cost $ 10 for that show. There is a two-drink minimum, but they don’t over charge for the drinks. The seats are assigned, and the sound system is superb. While I lament the loss of The Bottom Line with nationally known acts, it’s just as much fun to catch a local band of talented musicians on a night in the city. The Ripple All-Stars are back Aug 6, but check out the Bitter End website, they have all types of music.

If you like jazz, I highly recommend Birdland on West 44th Street. The mermaid and I caught a female jazz singer and her three-piece combo band recently, and it was off the charts. We took in the 5:30 p.m. show but got there at 5 p.m. and ate dinner. Ticket prices were very reasonable, and the food was very good too. They have later shows with New Orleans style jazz bands, Big Bands, all sorts of jazz stuff. A very cool place, for very cool cats. Our show was over by 7:30 p.m., so this is one you could catch the last ferry back to Rockaway if you wanted.

If you like theater, then August is a great time to catch a show, especially matinees. Again, you will be going against traffic on the ferry. Matinees are usually Wednesdays and Saturdays. I highly recommend going to TKTS the discount ticket box office. Tickets are normally 40 to 50% discounted and the seats are usually center stage, orchestra within the first ten rows. Never disappoints. Check though about matinees being on sale that day. I have had good luck getting matinee tickets the same day, but it’s not always so. Recently caught Moulin Rouge, which we thoroughly enjoyed, but be forewarned, it’s a little different than the movie.

Lastly, if you just want to enjoy nature, my go to recommendation is Central Park. A stroll down Literary Walk, which is right off 5th Avenue starting about 66th Street and leads right into Bethesda Fountain, always does my heart good.  Summer Stage is in full swing with many of their shows free. You can walk right in and enjoy music right in the middle of Central Park for free! If you want a bite to eat in the park, try Le Pain Quotidian. It’s across from the Sheep’s Meadow at about 71st, in the middle of the park. They serve alcohol and have bathrooms, although the bathrooms are nothing to write home about.

Anyway, those are some ideas for enjoying New York this summer. And don’t forget on your way home, stop by Stone Street for a pint before you hit the ferry. Have a great summer!! It ain’t over yet!! And as all Rockaway people know, September is the best month here!