Free (or almost) and Fun for the NYC family - Episode III

After a week of blatantly ignoring my NYC families hungry for free and fun family events here they are again on their own. Traveling on the only road they’ve ever known. Two of these events are tomorrow so you best make yourself a busy Friday. Here they go:

1. Free Bike Friday – Governor’s Island.

Ok here it is, the awesomest thing to do in my opinion with the little guys on a Friday. You take the free ferry that leaves from the South Ferry station (1,N,R) over to Governor’s island. Already plenty of opportunity to talk about pirating, conquistadors, mermaids, all those fun water things. Then, as if this weren’t enough, there’s free 1 hour bike rentals. Bike around the cute little island for an hour, check out the crazy military forts therein and you’ll have gotten your daily exercise. After you return the bikes, enjoy a complimentary (!) round of mini-golf or head over to the picnic area. Nice huh?

2. Madagascar Friday – Free Movies at Pier 46, West St at Charles St. Subway: 1 to Christopher St–Sheridan Sq

Check out the earlier post about this. Most importantly, I’ll be there with a handful of tutors and friends promoting Gramercy Park Tutors. Oh there’ll be balloons and cute t-shirts that I’ve made for us and they’ll be an invitation to go on the website and win all kinds of free things, like tickets to the upcoming US Open. If you tell me you know me from the blog, automatic winner!

3. Kayak on the Hudson – Sat/Sun 10am-5pm – 72nd and the Hudson (123 at 72nd)

Take a little ride down the Hudson with the kids. If they’re under 16 they’ll need you to get up in the kayak and ride along with them. Really you should get in anyways otherwise you’re just watching, your kids have fun, right? Totally safe and totally fun, an amazing way to spend this hot weekend.


See you at Madagascar hopefully!

Free (or almost) and Fun for the NYC family - Episode II

Rain, rain go away – Please please go away! Episode 2 of Free (or almost) and Fun for the NYC family, the in-people have been just calling it FOAAFFTNYCF and I feel a big responsibility to deliver something great for families that have had to spend the last week locked up at home. So my research has been vast, I’ve pleaded with Fun businesses to give me special fun events for my families only, but alas, no specials, just the following three amazing treats for you guys!

3. Free Tennis Lessons Tuesday and Thursday @ CityParks Foundation

We’re sporties here at TheGramercyPark so no wonder this week’s first free activity is this tennis clinic run by CityParks and sponsored by Chase. I’m pretty well known throughout the Carolinas and Lower Manhattan as the ‘Ace”Machine – so fear me and prepare your 5-16 year old from the get-go by showing up early to any of the many locations offered on the CityParks website. Show up for example at:

Central Park Tennis Center
West Drive @ 96th St
Tues & Thurs 1-4PM

2. Two Amazing Sunday Events – Choose Wisely

Fort Greene, Brooklyn, Reading? Go to Fort Greene Park at 1 pm on Sunday for an amazing reading of The Giving Tree, followed by an organized nature walk through Fort Greene Park, maybe take a little picnic and have a nice little fam day in a beautiful park? Maybe not, I don’t make your decisions ☺

Upper Manhattan, Bronx, Music? Go to Van Cortland Park in the South Bronx and check out the amazing Bronx Art Ensemble. Van Cortland’s also an amazingly beautiful park, and guess what, they’re telling people to bring the little picnic and blanket. So its not my suggestion anymore is it? You take that picnic, and take it good!

1. Friday Opera in the Park

East River Park (Manhattan)
Friday, July 31, 2009 at 7 p.m.
Joyce El-Khoury, soprano
Keith Miller, bass
Vlad Iftinca, pianist

Beautiful operatic backgrounds while you enjoy drinks and cheeses on your blanket in the park! What? Why would I be suggesting this? No no no, all wrong, you get to a Clearview Cinema early next Thursday morning to watch a 10:30 showing of a free movie at their Kid’s Club screenings. And wait, there’s more, this Thursday the Clearview on 1st and 62nd street is showing Alvin and the Chipmunks. You get there, you get there early and you wear a red garbage bag dress with a huge A on it. Not that Scarlet letter, a greenish-yellow A on your red garbage dress please.

Enjoy the Summer week with your family, and lets hope it doesn’t rain so much!

Check out that Mike Klonsky gave me a shout out on his SmallTalk blog.. awesome!

Free (or almost) and Fun for the NYC family - Episode I

There’s nothing better than spending a day outside with the family, enjoying the fleeting summer and each others company. Here are my top 3 events to enjoy for Friday July 24th through next Thursday when I will post Free Family Fun Episode II - a new and exciting top 3! Complete with personal anecdotes and specific recommendations here is the countdown:

3. Free Toddler Tuesday’s at the Bronx Zoo!

I made myself a make-believe toddler to go to this one last week, I just stuffed my pillowcase extra chunky, gave it some buttons to wear down the front and a couple for the eyes, put a carrot on him as a nose and duct taped branches on each side for his little skeleton arms. The Bronx Zoo is the best zoo on earth SAN DIEGO! And the only zoo in the world where my grandma told us to just ‘leave her there’ because she was freezing and it was too cold to walk, and my dad had to rub her feet until she agreed not to perish by the bears. Download the coupon on the Bronx zoo site and go this Tuesday!

2. Free Friday’s at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum!
Are those kids holding up a snake? Oh my god, put the snake down kids, it’s a snake it may be poisonous or choke you to death with its amazing power, throw the snake! Throw it now! See? I’ve never been anywhere where I got to hold a snake and it has really conditioned me against them, don’t make the same mistake with your kids. Sponsored by Target this event starts at 5pm and features Project this week.

1. Amazing Sunday with the New Museum

I walk past the New Museum almost every day, and that is why I find it absolutely awesome, also because of events like this one. It’s a block party at Sara D. Roosevelt Park where educators and entertainers hold all type of amazingly fun activities for kids. Plus, I bet there’s gonna be people promoting and giving things out all over the park. The fete is noon to 7pm on the 26th and please don’t stay home watching TV, go to here. Plus did I mention I walk past the New Museum AND play soccer every week at the LES park? Amazing event!
Have fun with your family!