Plans Ready for New York

Sunday, Oct. 24, 2010--San Antonio

I will be leaving for New York on Tuesday for a week. Everyone keeps asking me about what I plan to do. Actually, until today I had no specific plans. I had some general ideas, but I just hadn't gotten around to looking at specifics. After spending much of today on the computer investigating things of interest to me, I can report the following:

Transportation: I plan to buy a weekly pass that is good for both the subways and the buses. I haven't decided yet whether to pay the full price of $27 for the 7-Day Unlimited Ride Card or to go to the metro office and get an ID as a senior which will allow me to pay $13.50 for the same card. The office is near where I will be staying. The unknown factor is how long the lines will be there. Once I have the ID, however, I would be able to use it each time I return to New York without having to go back to the office more than once every 5 years for a new card.

Cinemas: I had been looking forward to maybe seeing a foreign film or two that might not ever make it to San Antonio or be released on a DVD here in the US. However, I was surprised when doing my research. Like San Antonio, New York has fewer foreign films showing now; most "art" films are independent productions from the US. The foreign films that are showing are ones that will likely also make it to San Antonio. The one I have decided to possibly see is Nora's Will, a Mexican film that has won lots of awards. Another interesting fact is that the senior rate for admission to theaters offering foreign and independent films varies from being cheaper to being just a bit more expensive (from $6 to 9) than the senior rates here in San Antonio!

Museums: There is really only one museum that I have an interest in seeing. It is the Museum of Modern Art. It has been rebuilt since I saw it, so I am interested in seeing the architecture, the layout, and the art. If an exhibit at another museum catches my attention, I may go see it, but I have no plans for other museums at the moment.

Explorations: Among the places I want to explore are:

Fall Foliage in Central Park--Supposedly the black tupelo trees will be dropping red leaves in the open meadow below Belvedere Castle and the ginkgo trees in the Ramble will be dropping their leaves. There are other places to see leaves--Prospect Park in Brooklyn and the Green-Wood Cemetery which is also there--but I think that going to Central Park will be enough to satisfy me.

The High Line Park--A new elevated park that has built built on an abandoned raised rail track. I have read about it and want to see it and experience it.

New Amsterdam Market--Held each Sunday, this will be near where I am staying and should make an interesting outing on Sunday morning when nothing else much will be happening.

Eataly--A new Italian food and drink complex. I doubt if I will like it, but it has just opened and should be worth exploring to see what it is like.

Costco Harlem--Manhattan has its own Costco now. I'll check it out, eat a cheap hotdog while there, and maybe buy something to take back to the apartment for my dinner.

Special Events--It will be Halloween while I am there. There are two events related to it that I hope to attend:

Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade--The dogies are dressed in costumes by their owners and compete for prizes.

Village Halloween Parade--Anyone in a costume can join in the procession while 60,000 others watch from the sides of the street.

Dance:

Modern Dance at the BAM

Movement Research at Old Judson Church

Off Broadway Shows I Will Consider:

The Accidental Pervert

Gatz

Off Off Broadway Shows I Will Consider:

Balm in Gilead

Skin Deep

Reefer Madness, the Musical

Letter from Algeria

Dining: I have created a dining guide to small, inexpensive restaurants throughout New York including interesting neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens. I always like to go to local neighborhoods and try the small restaurants which are often operated by immigrants. Some of the neighborhoods I may explore beyond Manhattan are Park Slope, Astoria, Long Island City, and Williamsburg.