Let the Tennis matches begin! The US Open begins today and hundreds of thousands of tourists and locals attend this sporting event every year. Millions more watch the event on TV. See top players such as the Williams sister, Federer, Nadal, Safina and other well known internationally acclaimed players compete for the title. If you are attending the event, you can expect a lot on the opening night of the US Open from live performances, celebrity appearances and of course round one of the men’s and women’s matches. So whether you are attending the day matches, the night matches, Family day event on Sept 1^st or even coming from the Mets baseball game, there are many ways to enjoy and transport yourself to the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens.

 

The best form of transportation is taking the subway to the event. It is the best way to beat traffic and also not worry about finding a parking spot that is limited at the venue. You can take the 7 Train to the Mets – Willets Point stop. The Arthur Ashe Stadium is just a short walking distance from the subway. You can catch the 7 trains at Times Square and Grand Central Station. The Long Island Rail Road will also leave you within the same vicinity as the 7 trains. If taking the train is difficult for you to access, the NY Water Taxi is offering free rides from East 35^th Street and the East River to the World’s Fair Marina near the US Open. RSVP is required. Visit www.nywatertaxi.com for more information. Note: NO backpacks or bags bigger than 12x12x16 inches aren’t allowed into the stadium. The smaller the bag or purse, the quicker you can get through security check. NO flash photography is to be taken during a game. Make sure the flash is off on your camera. Be sure to visit the official websites for more information on attending this year’s US Open.

As Halloween approaches in less than a week away, people are scrambling for last minute costume ideas and trying to get to the last weekend of horror events or even just breaking at the old horror/ Halloween themed movies at home. So here are some fun filled haunted happenings that kids and adults will enjoy on this last fright fest weekend throughout the state of New York.

 

Ghosts of Greenwich Village Hunt

 

Armed with a flashlight, you’ll visit ghost-plagued buildings and secret cemeteries while learning the stories of the restless souls you might disturb. Starring the spirits of Mark Twain, Aaron Burr, Edgar Allen Poe, Washington Irving, Thomas Paine, artist John LaFarge, The Shadow, Clement Clarke Moore, Mayor Jimmy Walker, Lee Chumley, Patrolman Schwartz, a few skeletons and various other apparitions, sudden chills, rustlings and knockings. Tickets are only sold on-line. Family (kid-friendly) and Adult hunts are available. For more information visit www.watsonadventures.com

 

 

Nightmare: Bad Dreams Can Come True

 

For its 5^th anniversary, Psycho Clan decided that NIGHTMARE should actually be about nightmares so, as in years past, it conducted an online poll about its audience’s recurring bad dreams—and thousands responded! The creative team then selected the most twisted, demented responses, added some iconic recurring nightmares, and created a house that will force audiences to experience awake what few can handle asleep. With more special effects, more elaborate sets, and more evil baddies waiting to get you then ever before, NIGHTMARE: BAD DREAMS COME TRUE will bring your worst night terrors to screaming life.

 

CSV Cultural Center, 107 Suffolk Street @ Rivington, 212-929-2963, www.hauntedhousenyc.com

 

 

 

Boo at the Zoo

 

Celebrate a New York Halloween tradition! October weekends are packed with activities, including magic shows, spooky stories, costume parades, and musical hayrides. Best of all, come visit with our bats, cats, and creepiest critters. Also enjoy this special offer: One child in Halloween costume will receive a free child’s limited admission ticket with the purchase of one full price adult limited admission ticket.

 

The Bronx Zoo, 2300 Southern Boulevard – Bronx, 718-220-5100, www.bronxzoo.com

 

 

Amazing Maze

 

Enjoy getting lost in our 3-acre interactive corn maze. The adventure begins with a stalk talk to prepare you for the challenge of finding clues, solving puzzles and making your way out of the maze. To add to the adventure join us for Maze By Moonlight on Saturday October 18th and 25th when the maze will be open until 9:00 p.m. Feel up to the challenge? Then join us for the fun of getting lost and loving it!

 

Queens Farm County Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Parkway – Queens, 718-347-3276, www.queensfarm.org

 

 

 

Central Park Pumpkin Sail & Prospect Park Haunted Walk

 

Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (Inside the Park at 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues)?Enjoy spooky storytelling, pumpkin crafts, live saw music, yummy candy, and New York City’s largest pumpkin flotilla! Bring your own 5lb to 10lb jack-o’-lantern by 6:00 pm to participate in the pumpkin sail. For more information, call 212-860-1370 or visit www.centralparknyc.org

 

 

Prospect Park Is Haunted! ?The beloved Halloween Haunted Walk is back and scarier than ever! Lurking high on Lookout Hill are zombies, wolf men, headless horsemen, good and bad witches, and other creepy characters. Visitors brave enough to experience this harrowing hike should head to Lookout Hill. The Halloween Haunted Walk is suitable for young children accompanied by parents/guardians or older siblings. ??There’s also a carnival on the Nethermead featuring all kinds of fun, games, seasonal treats, and a puppet parade. Begin at Prospect Park Southwest and 16th St. The Haunted Walk and Carnival is open to all and completely free of charge. For more information visit www.prospectpark.org

 

 

 

Blood Manor

Blood Manor unveils eight newly themed horror experiences, dozens of cutting-edge animatronics and scores of state-of-the-art props. Featuring the I Scream Parlor, the immediate chill you feel is intensified while battling the terrifying elements of the Thunderdome: a fierce electrical storm complete with pounding rain, howling winds and blinding lightning. You’ll squeal like a hog and your only escape is through Skull Alley, the petrifying path is bathed in UV light, which is utterly shocking as it envelops you. Duck into the Boiler Room where scalding hot steam emits from the pipes and smoke abounds in this dismal underground passageway. Make your way through this psycho superintendent’s lair quickly or you may wind up looking like one of the charred bodies. Show off your new coif while staggering down the all-new, electrifying 3-D maze, experience sensory overload as she-demons, creatures, zombies, spiders and other unidentifiable beings take note of your presence and breathe down your neck. There are a total of nineteen environments - each with its own creepy digital sound effects that will make your heart skip a beat. Blood Manor, 542 West 27^th Street (between 10^th & 11^th Ave.), 212-290-2825, www.bloodmanor.com

 

Outside NYC

 

 

Jack O Lantern Blaze & Legend

Take a day or night trip up north out of the city where many spooky legends began. Entering its 4^th year, the Jack O lantern blaze features more than 4,000 individually hand carved pumpkins that will illuminate at night. Visitors wander through the dark woods of artistic displays of jack o lanterns with different themes and landscapes. Meanwhile, at Legend, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow still lives and the Headless Horseman still rides in the night. Lit by only lanterns and bonfires, visit the haunted landscape of ghosts and goblins coming back to life. Tickets are sold only on-line and are often sold out. So purchase as far in advance as possible. For tickets and more information visit www.hudsonvalley.org

 

 

Forest Of Fears

 

Now in its final weekend, here is another reason to get out of the city and head into an actual forest about an hour up north from NYC. Featuring the Slaughterhouse that has 26 rooms of fear, The Cemetery of Lost Souls of fire manipulating fiends, Midway of Mayhem that features thrilling carnival rides and the spooky marketplace of unique trinkets, foods, souvenirs and much more. For more information, directions to Tuxedo, NY and tickets, visit the website at www.theforestoffear.com

 

 

As the beginning of fall comes this Sunday, most of the summer time events will now come to a close. Some of NY’s most historic places have already closed forever such as Coney Island Astroland Park. But another landmark will close forever, a yearly event ends and some are weekend events worth checking out as well as new beginnings for NYC. Enjoy the last days of summer weekend.

Whether you are taking pictures or going to a game, regardless, this is the last weekend to see enjoy one last game at good old Yankee Stadium fully operational before closing it’s doors on Sunday, September 21^st. So enjoy the trip down memory lane where players such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gerrig, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and even the players of today have made history and the stadium a legendary cathedral that will now vanish. And soon to come will be the end of Shea Stadium so stay tuned.

This is also the last weekend to enjoy the most popular street fair, The San Gennaro Festival. The hours of the festival is from 11:30am until 11:30pm, rain or Shine. The festival runs along Mulberry Street starting on Houston Street all the way down to Canal Street. This is a great way to enjoy Italian food, music, games and much more on the streets of Little Italy.

Feel like getting out of the city? Head out to the Queens Farm Museum and check out the 26^th Annual Queens County Fair. A traditional county fair with blue ribbon competitions in livestock, produce, home crafts, arts and crafts, and more. Enjoy the Amazing Maize Maze, pie-eating and corn-husking contests, Big Apple Circus Variety Acts, make-your-own-scarecrow, hayrides, petting zoo, carnival rides, and midway. Visit our Bavarian Garden, Irish and German bands, craft and food vendors. Fun for the entire family! Check out the website for directions, time and admission prices.

 

Enjoy culture and pride and at African American Day Parade. Venture up to Historic Harlem and enjoy the rythym and sounds of the African American Parade. Parade begins at 111^th street & Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard all the way up to 142^nd Street. Parade is a rain or shine event and will begin at 1pm.

Looking to tap into your artistic or creative spirit? This weekend, a new exhibit at the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) will open. Experience the works of Van Gogh and the Colors of Night that will start this weekend all the way through to January. This exhibition will present new insight into Van Gogh's depictions of night landscapes, interior scenes, and the effects of both gaslight and natural light on their surroundings. Representing all periods of the artist's career, the exhibition will comprise over two dozen works of superlative quality—several of which have never been seen together, even though they were very clearly conceived with each other in mind. This is a rare opportunity to see the masterpieces of Van Gogh in this traveling special exhibition.

 

September 5^th

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York

 

Setting the standard for the Spring 2009 fashion trend, the worlds most prestigious fashion show displays upcoming hot fashion. From celebrity sightings to world-famous models, behind the scenes media coverage and much more is to be expected at this event. Unfortunately, this is an invite only event and press event but you can still spot promotional events that will occur in and around Bryant Park.  Be sure to visit http://www.mbfashionweek.com/newyork/ for more information.

 

First Friday at The Guggenheim Museum

Every First Friday of a new month, The Guggenheim hosts a Friday evening party like any other club would in the city. Enjoy a drink with friends, explore the galleries and listen to some of the best DJ’s in town. Tonight the Guggenheim is featuring Vito & Druzzi of  Brooklyn Quartet The Rapture infect Art After Dark with an electric fusion of punk and disco is sure to have a hit for everyone with any mood, genre or party preference. Starts from 9pm until 1am, admission is $25, free to Guggenheim Members. For more information visit www.guggenheim.org

 

September 6^th

Brooklyn Bridge Swim

 

Usually a swim meet will swim alongside the coastline or around the islands but rarely cut across the channels. This is your chance to watch a swim race from Manhattan across the East River to Brooklyn right beneath the world famous Brooklyn Bridge. To find out more information and to be a spectator visit http://www.nycswim.org/

 

 

September 7^th

26^th Annual Antique Motorcycle Show

 

This event will showcase various makes and models of motorcycles that have been out of production for 10 years and more. Along with the show are petting zoos, hayrides, tours and much more at the Queens Farm Museum. Admission is $5 per person. Visit www.queensfarm.org for more information and directions to the farm. 

 

NYC Century Bike Tour

The Century Bike Tour can be a challenging or relaxing bike ride depending on the various routes you can choose from. All routes have been designed for your safety and enjoyment. Join over 6,000 cyclists and view the city and make city streets safer for cycling all year round. For more information and to register (yes, there’s still time), visit http://www.nyccentury.org/

Now that the Beijing Olympic Games are over, New York City still has one major event for the summer Olympic athletes. The tennis matches are still on and opening tonight. Tonight's opening of the U.S Open 2008 will be the 40th anniversary of the founding of the tennis open era. A parade of 25 former US Open single champions will be on the court. The ceremony will be hosted by Oscar-Winning Actor/Director Forest Whitaker and musical performances by Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Earth, Wind & Fire and Tony Award winning Broadway cast of Jersey Boys.

Among the tennis greats expected to be on-hand for Opening Night are Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Rod Laver, Ivan Lendl, Tracy Austin, Martina Navratilova, Stan Smith, Boris Becker, Gabriela Sabatini, John Newcombe, Ilie Nastase, Guillermo Vilas and Mats Wilander.

The celebration will include a look back to the very first US Open in 1968 and will include Virginia Wade, the first women’s singles US Open champion, and Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe and her daughter Camera Ashe, who will represent their late husband and father Arthur Ashe, who won the 1968 men’s singles title.

Additionally, present-day players expected to appear in the celebration include Roger Federer, Lindsay Davenport, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Marat Safin and Andy Roddick.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg will participate in the opening-night festivities, as he welcomes the tennis world to New York. The US Open and the City of New York share a special relationship that dates back to 1915, when the West Side Tennis Club first hosted the men’s singles U.S. National Championships, a precursor to the modern-day US Open. Since its beginning in 1881, the U.S. National Championships was strictly limited to amateurs until 1968, when the tournament became “open” to both professionals and amateurs and changed its name to the US Open. The US Open competition will be in full swing until September 7^th. For more information on schedule, televised competitions and tickets, visit www.usopen.org

 

"The 7 Train was packed for the home opener for the Mets, and fans were joined by the unusual addition of a wax figure of the Mets’ David Wright, from Madame Tussuads Wax Museum in Midtown Manhattan." “It's so lifelike, until you see it up close you don't really get the full effect,” said a fan. But the increased express train service to Shea Stadium is no illusion – in addition to the Manhattan-bound express service introduced last year after weeknight games, this year the MTA added the same express service after weekend games. The new service will run after all home games, and provide a three-stop ride to Manhattan - stopping in Queens at Queensboro Plaza, Woodside and Shea Stadium.

Residents in Glendale Queens were appalled when they found out that their beloved bowling alley was going to be shut down. "We want this to remain a bowling alley. This is more than just a bowling alley it's a community center,” said bowler Jim Santora." "If this lane goes down there will be a lot of memories going down with it, and I don't want that to happen," said bowler Gerard Montouri." They started rallying to save Woodhaven Lanes. It's more than a bowling alley, it's mush more than that, said some of the bowlers. Brunswick Bowling said it is working with the building's owner to keep the center open under new management. The current lease expires May 18.

A high school band from Botswana came to New York to put on a show to raise money for their hight school. However, they were met with a few obstacles, but thanks to some very generous New Yorkers, there were able to put on a fantastic show in Union Square on Monday night. "The group is on a two-week concert tour of New York and New England to raise money for their school's AIDS/orphan scholarship. Their first perfomance in Union Square Monday night almost didn't happen after airline security blocked them from brining some of their instruments. " "Apparently baggage regulations have changed such that the metal stands that hold up the marimbas can't be brought on as oversize luggage on a plane," said former Maru-A-Pula teacher Reif Larsen. "They have to be freighted over and that takes a couple of days clearance through customs and when they realized this they were at the [Johannesburg] Airport and it was just too late. They had to board their plane in three hours." "Can you wrangle up ten Zimbabwean marimbas by Monday evening? I kind of stared at my computer screen and it was total disbelief," said Larsen. "We're so lucky," said Mare Mogwe, another band member. "That's the part that I was surprised, that they actually had a set of Marimbas, because who knew that in New York you'd find a set of Marimbas, which is an African instrument. It was great. It was wonderful." A kind Queens resident was able to lend them the last one and they were on their way to playing a great concert. Thanks New Yorkers, you did it again!

American Airlines Passengers Face Third Day Of Cancellations

Air travelers face a third day of frustration today as American Airlines cancels hundreds more flights.

www.xplanefreeware.net
“American says it has canceled 900 flights nationwide for today, including 50 flights into and out of the three New York City area airports. At this hour, 37 outbound flights from LaGuardia have been cancelled. However, unlike yesterday, it appears more people called ahead, as the lines are minimal. Passengers waited hours to speak to ticket agents yesterday.”

“Federal regulators called for re-inspections of American’s 300 MD-80 planes — to look for faulty wiring that could cause fires. The groundings have affected an estimated 250,000 passengers. In addition to American Airlines cancellations, Delta has announced the grounding of about six flights today and Alaska Airlines the canceling of about a dozen flights for re-inspections.”
In response to all these cancellations, New York Senator Charles Schumer released the following statement:

“Though the safety implications are serious, the resulting chaos may have been avoidable. The [Federation Aviation Administration] and the airlines need to come up with a plan so this rash of cancellations doesn’t happen again.”

Better to be safe than sorry, but that’s just my opinion

NY1 News

Who doesn’t love Bjork? Well now you can see her videoWanderlust in 3D for FREE.

Image by: www.bjork.fr

Date: Thursday, March 13th
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: Deitch Studios (4-40 44th Drive, LIC, Queens)
Cost: Free

“Deitch Projects and Ghost Robot present Bjork’s newest video, Wanderlust, tonight in 3D! This exclusive premiere will also include a behind-the-scenes look at how this complex 3D music video was achieved by wonderstudio Encyclopedia Pictura. The video elaborates the fourth single off Bjork’s latest album Volta into a mythical stereoscopic trip through an emersive mountain landscape. As a nomadic primitive, Bjork is mysteriously possessed to shepherd a herd of giant yaks down a treacherous river – drawn forward by a transcendental force which is both real and imagined.”

I’m there!

Exciting news for those on boards - a new skate park is being built under the Triborough Bridge! Image provided by: weyburnreview.com Inside Astoria Park, Queens, the new park will allow skateboarders, bladers, skaters, etc. to indulge in what they love in an area designated just for them...and give the neighbors who wants some peace and quiet just that. Athens Park has become an extremely popular spot for skaters over the past years, leaving its surrounding neighbors in a frustrating spot. With the completion of this new project supported by Councilman Peter Vallone, with the rest of the $1.3 million fund supplied by the city, comes a solution that will please both sides of the rail. The park is said to be open for the public in the spring of 2009...for all involved, it can't come soon enough. Image provided by: pouritnow.com

Seeing stray animals really hurts my heart, so in lieu of that, the councilman of Queens is urging the city to open more animal shelters in Queens and Bronx. "Thousands of animals being euthanized and thousands of people who want to adopt pets and no shelters in the Bronx or Queens," said City Councilman Eric Gioia. It's sad to know that so many people are willing to adopt, but don't want to go through the hassle of going to another borough to get a pet, as if the boroughs were so far apart, but that is besides the point. "I am respectfully requesting that our city government end this interminable waiting period and work to uphold the law," said Gail Buchman of the ASPCA. The councilman says that the 12 million dollars that has been allocated for this purpose has just been sitting there. "There are thousands of people out there who want to adopt pets and there are thousands of pets who want to be adopted," he said. "What the city needs to do is connect the dots." Yes! Connect the dots, or is that too much to ask for? The goal of the city is to stop euthanizing animals by the year 2015, but if they continue to move this slow, it will not happen. Read more

Image provided by: Mediabistro.com MTA has contacted Albany on behalf of their $30 billion plan for the city. This is their 5 year plan in regards to all the congestion in New York City. I must admit, the congestion is getting a bit out of hand. "The MTA hopes much of the funding for the $29.5 billion improvements to the city's transit system will come from drivers through the congestion pricing scheme now being considered by state lawmakers." Imagine, paying to get into the City during rush hours? London has the same system, but I really don't know how New Yorkers feel about this. On the MTA's wish list: - Renovation of 44 subways - Computer driven trains on the # 7 line and some E and F lines - Extension of Metro North to Penn Station - 2nd phase of 2nd ave. subway line Prices for trains and buses are set to go up on March 2nd.

livegreenstlouis.files.wordpress.com nymag.com





Yes! Which came first? Chickens or Traffic? Well, on the BQE this morning, it was the chickens. After a tractor trailer overturned this morning, drivers were actually dealing with both the chickens and the traffic. "The rig, carrying a cargo of live chickens, overturned near the Flushing Avenue exit on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway at about 2:30 a.m., spilling a flock of feathered friends onto the road. " Some of the little chicken were harmed, some killed and some were caught. The highway was closed for several hours and traffic even backed up all the way to the Manhattan Bridge. What can I say? There is never a quiet day in New York City!

www.space.com Tonight, February 20th, 2008, there will be a lunar eclipse for all to see. This makes it the third time this year that we get to see this amazing thing happen with the moon and the earth. USA Today says, "As is the case with all lunar eclipses, the region of visibility will encompass more than half of our planet. Nearly a billion people in the Western Hemisphere, more than 1.5 billion in Europe and Africa, and perhaps another half-billion in western Asia will be able to watch — weather permitting — as the brilliant mid-winter full moon becomes a shadow of its former self and morphs into a glowing coppery ball." www.nomad4ever.com

There is something different about the eclipse this time, "the planet Saturn (magnitude +0.2) and the bright bluish star, Regulus (magnitude +1.4) will form a broad triangle with the moon's ruddy disk. Careful watchers will notice the moon changing its position with respect to the star and planet as it moves eastward through the Earth's shadow."

The moon will enter Earth's much darker umbral shadow at 1:43 on Feb. 21 by Greenwich or Universal time, which is 8:43 p.m. on Feb. 20 in the Eastern time zone, 7:43 p.m. Central time, 6:43 p.m. Mountain time and 5:43 p.m. Pacific time.

Seventy-eight minutes later the moon is entirely within the shadow, and sails on within it for 51 minutes (about average for a total lunar eclipse), until it begins to find its way out at the lower left (southeastern) edge.

The moon be completely free of the umbra by 9:09 p.m. Pacific time or 12:09 a.m. (Feb. 21) Eastern time.

Please read more

-think24seven