New York: April 2021

04/08/2021

In New York, Spring is in the air in every sense. The days have lengthened, the temperatures are rising, and all New Yorkers are pouring into the streets. The desire to go out is back, but never as this year has the desire to be outdoors with friends for a drink, a dinner, a boat ride been this strong!

Vaccinations in New York

The number of New Yorkers vaccinated is growing every day, over 10 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been administered and the forecast of a Summer of fun, sun & sea, with live shows and outdoor activities, is becoming increasingly certain and exciting!

Coney Island, The Beaches & NYC Swimming Pools

Mayor Bill de Blasio confirmed that the city's 48 outdoor pools and beaches will reopen on schedule this year to the delight of New Yorkers, especially after last year.

Starting from Memorial Day Weekend, all New York beaches will open ready to accommodate adults and children alike, while the NYC Pools will open starting June 26th which coincidentally is the first day of summer break for all NY Students. Masks and social distancing rules will remain in place throughout the Summer.

Coney Island is not that far away from Manhattan and always remains one of the attractions to visit in the Spring/Summer. The Luna Park opens on April 9th after a prolonged shutdown that lasted 14 months ... Cotton Candy, roller coasters, fun rides, not to mention the popular Nathan's Hot Dogs will await you!

Cabarets, Theaters, and Broadway

Theaters, music venues, and cabarets have also reopened their doors, albeit with reduced capacity, for the first time since March 2020. Broadway returned to light up, albeit briefly, last week with a 36-minute show, however, we will have to wait a little longer before we can return to our beloved Broadway Theaters & Musicals (they are estimating late Summer/Fall for a Broadway comeback) ... but the scheduling of outdoor shows is increasing every day, starting with the concert by the New York Philharmonic that will kick off the Lincoln Center outdoor programming. Also, lots of Broadway Shows will bring productions to the streets thanks to the new Open Culture program sponsored by the city of New York.

Cruising the Bay and Circle Line

Bay cruises are also resuming their operations from the classic Circle Line to elegant cruises serving lunch/brunch and dinner. They are not only popular with tourists, even New Yorkers like to sit back and admire the view while sailing, perhaps with a drink in hand! Even the floating restaurants have announced their reopening. Located right on barges or on schooners along the Hudson River, there are many such restaurants in the city. To name a few I remind you of the Grand Banks, Island Oyster, and the Frying Pan. They all are taking reservations, while the North River Lobster Company will begin sailing regularly along the Hudson starting April 22nd. Brooklyn Barge, Greenpoint's waterfront floating bar and restaurant announced the official opening for May 1st.

Some Events not to be missed:

New York Botanical Garden

As always, the NY Botanical Garden in Spring offers beautiful Cherry Trees, Magnolias, and Daffodils in bloom, a show not to be missed. This year the work of artist Yayoi Kusama has been added to the beauty that mother nature gifts us every year -- the exhibition "KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature". A 12-feet tall pumpkin, colorful steel flowers with large polka dots, and some impressive fiberglass tulips will be on display at the Botanical Garden. The exhibition will open on Saturday and will run until October 31st.

Outdoor art, the hub of New York's Cultural Scene

Public art in New York has always been an expression of the Big Apple's cultural scene. The installations find space in parks, squares, along the rivers' banks, in the center of Manhattan, or in one of the 5 boroughs.

Starting June 5th, Riverside Park will host the works of over 20 artists. The "RE: GROWTH" exhibition, intended to honor the determination and resilience of New Yorkers, will present 13 installations throughout the park for several miles and can be seen, in complete safety, in one day or in several visits.