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MTA Fare Changes Effective June 28, 2009
Pay-Per-Ride (Regular) MetroCard - $2.25 includes one free transfer from bus to bus, bus to subway or subway to bus if made within two hours of original boarding time.
1-Day Fun Pass - $8.25. This Unlimited Ride MetroCard permits you to hop on and off buses and subways as much as you like.
7-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard - $27. If you're staying more than 3 consecutive days, it may be more economical to purchase this MetroCard.
14-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard - $51.50. Visitors planning to stay in the city more than 16 consecutive days will save with this choice of MetroCard.
30-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard - $89. Visitors planning to stay in the city more than 18 consecutive days will save with this choice of MetroCard.
Tokens are no longer accepted in subway station turnstiles or on buses.
You may pay your fare with exact change (coins only) on buses. Subway turnstiles do not accept coins. Be aware that exact change customers on buses are limited to a free transfer to another bus - not to the subway.
All subway station vending machines permit you to purchase your MetroCard with your credit or ATM card.
For more information on fare changes visit MTA Fare Changes
Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks
Returns to the Hudson River to Celebrate
The 400th Anniversary of Henry Hudson’s Voyage
Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks® pyrotechnic splendor returns to the Hudson River
for the first time since 2000 to celebrate America’s birthday with the nation’s
largest Fourth of July fireworks display.
On Saturday, July 4, at 9:00PM, Macy’s will create a showstopper like no other to
honor the country’s independence and to kick off the 400th anniversary of the
exploration of the Hudson River by Henry Hudson. American River, the theme of
the 33rd annual Macy’s Fireworks will give more than two million spectators and
millions of viewers nationwide America’s most spectacular showcase of brilliant
colors, jawdropping effects and thunderous sound.
The patriotic revelry will feature approximately 40,000 shells exploding in a
kaleidoscope of color at a rate of more than 1,500 per minute. The 26-minute display,
designed in collaboration with SOUSA Fireworks, will be set off from six barges
positioned between 24th and 50th Streets on the Hudson River giving New York City
residents a stunning front row seat to America’s biggest Independence Day party.
Statue of Liberty crown to reopen July 4
From the statue’s dedication in 1886 until 2001, millions of tourists climbed
the circular staircase of 354 steps that lead from the base of statue to Miss
Liberty's crown and a spectacular view of New York Harbor, Ellis Island and
neighboring New Jersey. But after the attacks on the World Trade Center, the
Interior Department, which runs the nation’s national parks, closed the statue
down entirely. On August 3, 2004, Liberty Island was reopened to tourists along
with the museum inside the statue’s pedestal. But they were no longer allowed
to climb the stairs to the crown. The 9-11 attacks underscored fundamental safety
issues inside the statue. With access to the crown limited to just one spiral
staircase, rapid evacuation of the statue’s interior in the event of any kind of
emergency was impossible.
Crown tickets may be reserved in advance up to 1 year prior to the day
of your visit. Crown tickets will cost an additional $3 and will be combined with
reserved ferry tickets, which are currently $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5
for children. The maximum number of tickets that can be reserved per customer is 4,
with only one reservation allowed during any 6 month period. Children must be at
least four feet tall. For safety considerations, the National Park Service will
limit the number of visitors to the crown to groups of no more than 10 visitors
at a time, with about 3 groups ascending the crown per hour, which will be an
average of about 240 crown visitors per day. Visit Statue Cruises or call 1(877)
LADY-TIX for reservations and more ticket information. At the end of 2011, the
statue will be closed down again for renovations to make access to the crown
easier and safer.
Now you can enjoy a Celebrity-Guided Tour
of Central Park on your cellphone
Jerry Seinfeld, Whoopi Goldberg and more than 30 other well-known
New York City-based celebrities share their personal memories,
trivia and Central Park history on a new audio tour you can access
on your cellphone. Signs posted throughout the park’s 843 acres
provide the phone number and an extension code for each location.
Listen as Candice Bergen, Kevin Bacon, Yoko Ono, Isabella
Rosselini, and others deliver a 2 to 3 minute message about their
favorite Central Park landmark. For more information, call
1(212) 310-6600 or visit Central Park AudioGuide
Reserve now for NYC’s most delicious treat
New York City Restaurant Week is a great opportunity to sample some of the great
offerings of New York City's many restaurants for a fraction of the price, making
it a great chance to try something new or an old favorite that might be tough on
the wallet. This year, Summer Restaurant Week will run for three weeks instead of
two and take place from July 12–31, excluding Saturdays (restaurants have the option
to offer the program on Sundays). Prices for the program will remain $24.07 for
three-course prix-fixe lunches and $35 for three-course prix-fixe dinners (excluding
beverage, tax and gratuity). For a complete list of participating restaurants and
to make reservations, visit Summer Restaurant Week 2009
Metropolitan Opera in Central Park
Monday, July 13, 8:00pm
For 2009, the Central Park performance will take place at
the Central Park SummerStage (rather than the Great Lawn).
Free tickets are required
for entry and are available at
the Met Opera box office from July 6-10.
Artists:
Paulo Szot, baritone
Lisette Oropesa, soprano
Alek Shrader, tenor
Vlad Iftinca, pianist
New York Philharmonic Concerts in Central Park
Tuesday, July 14, 8:00pm
Alan Gilbert, Conductor
Mozart: Symphony No. 41 Jupiter
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7
Friday, July 17, 8:00pm
Alan Gilbert, Conductor • Nathan Gunn, Baritone
Copland: Old American Songs (selections)
Mozart: Selected Arias
Mahler: Symphony No. 1
All concerts will be followed by a spectacular fireworks display. Great Lawn,
Mid-Park from 79th to 85th Streets. For more information, call 1(212) 310-6600.
For weather updates, call the Parks Hotline: (212) 875-5709.
Discovery Times Square Exposition opens
with “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” &
“Lucy’s Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia.”
The Discovery Channel and the production company Running Subway have teamed up to create
a Times Square exhibition space — the size of nearly two football fields over two floors
— in the former home of The New York Times' printing presses.
Discovery Times Square Exposition will simultaneously feature two exhibitions that explore
cultural and historical events. "Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition" and "Lucy's
Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia" will be the opening exhibitions (June 24).
All the installations planned for the Discovery Times Square Exposition will be enhanced
with additional artifacts not seen elsewhere. For example, of the 350 artifacts in the
Titanic exhibition, over 40 have never been seen before. Visitors will marvel at re-created
first- and third-class cabins, visit the Grand Staircase, and press their palms against an
iceberg while learning countless stories of heroism and humanity.
"Lucy's Legacy" traces the evolution of the human race starting with a 3.2 million-year-old
ancestral fossil discovered in 1974. With 40 percent of her skeleton intact, Lucy remains the
oldest and most complete adult human ancestor retrieved from African soil.
After the first two shows close, "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" will be
presented in early spring 2010. Featuring 130 objects, it is twice as large as the Tut show that
first came to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the 1970s.
Discovery Times Square Exposition, 226 West 44th St (directly across from Shubert Alley).
For more information, call 1(866) 987-9692, visit
discoverytsx.com. Email: info@tsxnyc.com
The High Line – an elevated urban oasis
The High Line is a landscaped public park that extends from the Meatpacking District to Chelsea
on Manhattan's West Side. Built in the 1930s to take dangerous freight trains off the city's
streets and virtually abandoned nearly 30 years ago, it now offers strollers (no bikes or
skateboards allowed) a proud urban retreat. Section 1 (currently open to the public) runs
from Gansevoort St to 20th St. When all sections are completed, it will end at 34th St between
10th & 11th Aves (making it a mile-and-a-half long). Access points from street level will be
located every two or three blocks. An elevator for entering and exiting is available at 16th St
(a second elevator at 14th St opens in July). For more information: call 1(212) 500-6035 or visit
thehighline.org
Victoria Gardens, Central Park
Now through September 13
Rediscover your childhood right in New York City’s backyard. Victoria Gardens features a wide
assortment of games, food, and exciting rides including: Aeromax, Kite Flyer 8, and Whac-A-Mole.
Enjoy cotton candy, caramel apples, and face painting. Open Monday – Friday 11am – 7pm, Weekends
& holidays 10am – 8pm. Victoria Gardens at Wollman Rink is located just north of the park entrance
at 59th Street and 6th Ave. For more information, call 1(212) 982-2229.
River to River Festival
River to River, the Big Apple's biggest free arts festival, launches its sixth year of music, visual arts and dance in lower Manhattan - from Chambers Street south and from river to river. It began as an effort to revitalize downtown after the 9/11 attacks and it's become a must-visit for urban arts aficionados. Here is a selection of River to River shows to whet your appetite:
- Shearwater: July 5, 7:00pm Castle Clinton National Monument, Battery Park. Their latest record, "Palo Santo," was named best album in 2006 by NPR.
- Elizabeth Keusch: July 30, 7:30pm Michael Schimmel Center for The Arts at Pace University. This young soprano is set to sing part of Judith Weir's saga of King Herod.
- BPC Parks' Family Dance: Aug. 11, 6:30pm Esplanade Plaza at Liberty Street, Battery Park City. Learn some new steps as Malini Srinivasan and other musicians and dancers perform classical East Indian and Dandia Rass festival dances. No partner needed!
- Story Sail: See the City!: Aug. 19, 1 p.m. South Street Seaport Museum, 12 Fulton St. Sail around New York Harbor in the tugboat, W.O. Decker and see Manhattan's shoreline with help from Matteo Pericoli's book, "See the City."
Frank Lloyd Wright: From Within Outward
Now through August 23 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
1071 Fifth Ave at 88th St. 1(212) 423 3500.
www.guggenheim.org/new-york
Fifty years after the realization of Frank Lloyd Wright’s renowned design, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
celebrates the golden anniversary of its landmark building with an exhibition that brings together 64 projects
designed by one of the most influential architects of the 20th century, including privately commissioned
residences, civic and government buildings, religious and performance spaces, as well as unrealized urban
mega-structures. More than 200 original Frank Lloyd Wright drawings, many of which are on view to the public
for the first time, illuminates Wright’s pioneering concepts of space and reveals the architect’s continuing
relevance to contemporary design.
Reclaimed:
Paintings from the Jacques Goudstikker Collection
Now through August 2 The Jewish Museum
1109 Fifth Ave at 92nd St, 1(212) 423-3200.
www.jewishmuseum.org
Reclaimed reveals the extraordinary legacy of Jacques Goudstikker, a preeminent Jewish art dealer
in Amsterdam whose vast collection of masterpieces was almost lost forever to the Nazi practice of
looting cultural properties. In February 2006, Goudstikker's family successfully reclaimed 200
artworks from the Dutch government in one of the largest restitutions of Nazi-looted art. This
exhibition brings to light Jacques Goudstikker's remarkable story and celebrates the historic
restitution of the artworks to the rightful heir.
Climate Change: Threat to Life, New Energy Future
Now through August 16 American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West and 79th St, 1(212) 769-5100.
amnh.org
This exhibition explores the impact of climate change, and illuminates ways nations
can reduce their carbon footprints. A transparent,
protective blanket envelops Earth. It is the atmosphere, which admits enough of the
energy streaming from the Sun to warm our planet and retains enough of that heat to
keep it livable. The heat-holding process is called the greenhouse effect. In its
absence, Earth's surface temperature would be -18°C (0°F). There would be no
liquid water --and no life on the surface.
Georg Ehret: The Greatest Botanical Artist of the 1700s
Now through July 19 The New York Botanical Garden
Bronx River Pkwy & Fordham Rd, 1(718) 817-8700.
www.nybg.org
Explore the life and work of one of the greatest botanical illustrators of all time,
Georg Dionysius Ehret. He began his working life as a gardener's apprentice near
Heidelberg, Germany. He became one of the most influential European botanical artists
of all time. This exhibition will gather together for the first time for public viewing
magnificent examples of Ehret’s paintings from public and private collections, alongside
his published works from the holdings of the Mertz Library at the New York Botanical Garden,
one of the world's largest and most important botanical and horticultural research libraries.
Saturn: Images from the Cassini-Huygens Mission
Now through July 26 Rose Center for Earth and Space
Central Park West at 81st St. 1(212) 769-5100.
Rose Center for Earth and Space
Since 2004 the spacecraft Cassini has orbited Saturn, revealing a dynamic world
of wind and lightning, rippling rings and many moons. Saturn's dazzling rings
are made of ice, with small amounts of rock and other material mixed in. Edge-to-edge,
Saturn's rings stretch some 270,000 kilometers
(165,000 miles or two-thirds the distance from Earth to the moon), yet in most places they
are only about ten meters (about 30 feet) thick.
Gustave Caillebotte:
Impressionist Paintings from Paris to the Sea
Now through July 5 Brooklyn Museum of Art
200 Eastern Parkway, 1(718) 638-5000.
www.brooklynmuseum.org
In addition to the well-known Parisian cityscapes that have traditionally marked him as the
“Urban Impressionist,” Caillebotte painted scenes of outdoor life away from the city on the
coast of Normandy. Forty paintings included in this exhibition reveal Caillebotte’s passion
for subjects in which water plays a central role, as an essential atmospheric ingredient,
and as a scene for sporting activities.
Bela Lugosi’s Ellis Island Story
Now through September 5
The immigrant experience of legendary movie actor Bela Lugosi — best known for his
portrayal of Count Dracula — comes to life seven times daily at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum’s intimate Living Theater. Taking a Chance on America: Bela
Lugosi’s Ellis Island Story features a 30-minute reenactment of the Ellis Island inspection process. Show times are 10:45; 11:30;
12:15; 1:00; 2:30; 3:15; and 4:00. Admission is $6.00. For more information or to make group reservations (groups of 10 or more), call 1(212) 561-4500,
ext. 0; or email theater@ellisisland.org
Northern (L)attitudes:
Contemporary Norwegian and American Art
Now through September 19 (Closed Aug 15 - Sept 8)
Scandinavia House,
The Nordic Center in America, 58 Park Ave at 38th St. 1(212) 879-9779.
Gallery Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, Noon–6:00pm. Gallery admission is FREE.
A collection of photographs, paintings, videos and mixed media, this exhibition celebrates
the works of nine provocative contemporary artists (four American, five Norwegian).
As evident through their works, the American artists were clearly taken with Scandinavia’s
flora and fauna, keenly observing and investigating its geography, climate, vegetation,
and wildlife through paintings interpreting ice and forest, and photographs and video
delineating landscape, rocks and animal behavior. In contrast, the Norwegian artists are
occupied with societal conventions and visceral intangibilities. During their time in the
United States, these artists drew inspiration from politics, sound, and the visual rhetoric
of power and color, among other things.
Free Summer Concerts in New York City
Good Morning America Summer Concert Series has moved to Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. Enter the park at 5th Ave & East 69th St., and follow the signs to the playfield.
Closest subway:  to 68 St/Hunter College.
July 3 — Brad Paisley
July 10 — Queen Latifah
July 17 — Third Eye Blind
July 24 — Sean Paul
July 31 — Kelly Clarkson
Aug. 7 — David Cook, Kris Allen & Adam Lambert
Aug. 14 — Kenny Chesney
Aug. 21 — Reba McEntire
Here’s the lineup for the 2009 TOYOTA Concert Series on TODAY:
All performed at Rockefeller Plaza (between 49th St & 50th St).
July 3 — Rob Thomas
July 10 — Rascal Flatts
July 17 — The All American Rejects
July 24 — Katy Perry
July 31 — Kings of Leon
Aug 7 — Jason Mraz
Aug 14 — Flo Rida
Aug 21 — Natasha Bedingfield
Free Shakespeare in Central Park
FREE tickets are available on a first-come-first-served basis at
the Delacorte Theater in Central Park or via the online virtual ticket line on the
day of the performance.
PLEASE NOTE: The Public Theater will NOT be distributing tickets downtown at
425 Lafayette St due to ongoing construction on the exterior of the building.
You can pick up two FREE tickets per person on the day of the performance beginning
at 1:00pm at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Ticket lines start forming as early
as 6:00am. Tickets are distributed on a first-come first-served basis on the day of the
performance. There is a maximum of two tickets per person. Performances begin at
8:00pm each evening. Tickets are good for the day issued only. If the performance is
cancelled because of rain or any other reason, tickets are not valid for re-issue or exchange.
Delacorte Theater entrances are at Central Park West at 81st St and Fifth Avenue at 79th St.
For information call 1(212) 539-8750. The 2009 Shakespeare in the Park season kicks off with
one of Shakespeare's most beloved comedies TWELFTH NIGHT, June 10 – July 12.
Academy Award Nominee Anne Hathaway makes her Public Theater debut playing Viola.
THE BACCHAE by Euripides will follow August 11 – September 6.
Get FREE Shakespeare in the Park tickets Online
The virtual line allows you to register at The Public Theater website to log-on the day of
a show (starting at midnight) to submit a request for up to two tickets. At 1:00PM, you can
log-on to the theater website again to see if you have received tickets for that evening’s
performance. Tickets will be held at the Delacorte Theater box office and a valid photo ID
will be required. The selection process is random and not determined by what time of day you
submit your request. A standby line is available for that evening's unclaimed tickets.
Paul Potts
July 9
Beacon Theatre , 7th Ave at 32 St. 1(212) 307-7171.
Paul Potts is the first winner of "Britain's Got Talent," and Paul has also become a
YouTube sensation. To date, he has had over 74 million hits charting his meteoric
rise to fame. His debut album “One Chance” sold over three and a half million albums
and rocketed to the number one spot in 15 countries. His second album "Passione" is set
to touch more hearts with his enchanting, classical voice.
Paul McCartney to play first concert at Mets' new home
July 17, 18 & 21 CitiField, 126th St & Roosevelt Ave, Flushing, Queens.
Forty-four years after he and the rest of the Beatles played the first major arena show in rock
history at New York's Shea Stadium, Paul McCartney will perform at the new baseball field that
replaced it. The concert is being touted as the latest performance linking Britain's McCartney,
66, with New York City and the Mets, starting with the Beatles' landmark appearance at Shea
Stadium on Aug. 15, 1965. Organizers said McCartney's set list for Citi Field would feature hits
from his days with the Beatles, Wings and his solo career, as well as selections from his latest
album, "Electric Arguments."
Tom Jones “24 Hours” Tour
July 21 Beacon Theater, Broadway & 74th St, 1(212) 465-6500.
Since he released the hit "It's Not Unusual" in 1965, Jones has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. After touring and performing for more than 40 years. The 68-year-old singer no longer does two shows a night: "You're working with tired (vocal) cords on that second show." And though women still tend to toss their underwear onstage while Jones performs, he's learned to pay it little mind. Jones plans to play intimate clubs rather than sprawling arenas. And that's not the only change this time around. "I've just stopped dyeing my hair," he said.
Green Day
July 27 & 28 Madison Square Garden, 7th Ave at 32 St. 1(212) 307-7171.
Green Day will be joined by special guest Kaiser Chiefs. This tour promotes Green Day’s recently released "21st Century Breakdown" They break down their new record into three acts; "Heroes and Cons", "Charlatans and Saints" and "Horseshoes and Handgrenades".
Steely Dan
July 28, 29. 31, August 1, 3, 4, 10 & 11. Beacon Theater,
Broadway & 74th St, 1(212) 465-6500.
Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Walter Becker and Donald Fagen have announced that STEELY DAN is giving their
fans an incredible opportunity to hear the band delve deep into their classic catalogue of music,
offering their signature collection of selected hits and fan-requested favorites from throughout
their three-decade-plus discography. Steely Dan reunited in the early '90s and have toured throughout
the decade and beyond, releasing multi-Grammy winner "Two Against Nature" in 2000 and its
acclaimed follow-up "Everything Must Go" in 2003. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame in 2001.
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New York Mets - Baseball
Mets 2009 Schedule
Regular season home games played at Citi Field
126th St & Roosevelt Ave, Flushing, Queens
Bus:
Q48,
Q66
Subway:  to Willets Pt, Shea Stadium
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New York Yankees - Baseball
Yankees 2009 Schedule
Regular season home games played at the New Yankee Stadium
161st St & Jerome Ave, Bronx
Bus: Bx1, Bx6, Bx13
Subway:    to 161 St - Yankee Stadium
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Explore the New Yankee Stadium on
the ultimate behind-the-scenes tour
The Classic Tour lasts 45 minutes to one hour and includes visits to the New York Yankees Museum,
Monument Park and the dugout. Guests will pass through the batting cages and Yankees clubhouse area
before ending the tour in the Great Hall near the team store.
Classic Tours will commence every 20 minutes from Noon to 1:40pm and run daily except when the
Yankees play at home on weekends or are scheduled to play a weekday day game. Certain areas of
Yankee Stadium will not be available on the tours when the team plays at home. All parts of the
tour are subject to cancellation or change without notice.
For more details plus prices for Individuals, Group Tours (12-30 People), Special Weekday Prices
for Schools, and to schedule a Birthday Bash at the Hard Rock Cafe in Yankee Stadium, please visit
Yankee Stadium Tours.
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New York Red Bulls - Soccer
Red Bulls 2009 Schedule
Regular season home games played at Giant Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ.
For information & availability of tickets, call 1 (201) 935-9500.
Directions from Port Authority Bus Terminal, 8th Ave & 41st St.
NJ Transit Load-and-Go bus service (20 minute ride) begins 2 hours in advance of the game.
For NJ Transit information, call 1(800) 772-2222.
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