Weekend Triathlon

I'm no longer going to Cincinnati, OH for the weekend so I thought I'd provide the general public with my ultimate outdoor weekend in NY.

It's almost hot and sunny so take advantage of your momentary break in the clouds.

This is my master plan for a weekend triathlon out of and around NYC. A bike, food, wine, less than $20 and possibly a swimsuit is required.

Begin Saturday, early morning. Bike the 18 mile ride from Williamsburg, BK to The Cloisters along the Hudson River Greenway. Picnic with a bottle of wine and some food and then tour the Cloisters (pay only a $1, since it's donation anyway).


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Hop back on the bike and take the Hudson River Greenway down to Pier 96 on 57th St and the Hudson River. Downtown Boathouse offers free kayaking from 9am to 5:30pm every weekend. Kayak to your hearts content.

Or if you prefer swimming stop by the Riverbank State Park and enjoy views of the Hudson and an Olympic sized pool for only $2.

Get on the bike and finish up the last 10 miles or so back to BK.

Nap. And then head down to the FREE NYC Opera performance on the Pier at South Street Seaport!

Get up early Sunday and be prepared for a day full of hiking and the Hudson. Go to Grand Central Station to catch the Metro North to Croton-Harmon ($8.25 one way) and hike the 3 miles to the start of the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail at Croton Gorge Park. The Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct have a FREE map of the trail from the Croton Dam Plaza to Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, click above. Hike south along the trail and just north of Ossining is the large Crawbuckie Park, take a picnic if hungry. Continue south pass by Sing Sing. Continue until you've hiked the 15+ miles to Tarrytown (aka Sleepy Hollow). Eat food and visit the cemetery. Catch the train from Tarrytown Station back to the city ($8.25). Hikinglite has put together a rundown of the bike ride along the Croton Aqueduct Trail.

Get home and take another nap.

That's my actively filled weekend. Thank goodness it's starting to look like summer outside.

-Alyssa

Galactic Origins, Festivals and Acoustic Beach BBQs

Go see BLAST! Playing June 12-18 @ Cinema Village
You will be enthralled watching scientists try to get a telescope into space using a hot air balloon and all the things that can go wrong. I love this documentary. And at the IFC showing last night, I found out about FREE Stargazing at Columbia University. Tonight may not be the best night but for future reference, nerds here is your new date night excursion.

Starting tonight and until Sunday, is L Magazine's Northside Festival. Hundreds of bands and art openings will flood Williamsburg. Come and check out Arminda and myself put on some moves for Afuche, playing Saturday at the Hooves on the Turf Showcase, 1pm, Trophy Bar.

And the indie music booking agent, Todd P, will have an Unamplified Acoustic Show and BBQ on Rockaway Beach - Fort Tilden, noon this Sunday. The line up is overwhelming and unplugged, it's FREE and all ages! I'll be biking out there from Bwick when I recover from my hangover. Anyone want to join me?

-Alyssa

First Bryant Park Movie of the Summer

One of the few shining reasons I can manage to tolerate midtown is about to start again - Bryant Park Summer Film Festival! The lawn opens Monday at 5pm and McCool is saving space with her trusty lawn blanket. I plan to bring hummus and pita from Crisp and wine or something along that line will surely be involved. The movie starts at dusk and they always show a classic cartoon beforehand. Also, be ready to clap and dance to the old-school 80's HBO Feature Presentation clip.

Monday, June 15th:
The Sting (1973) starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford



-Mindy

Because 3rd Ward is sexy!

I love 3rd Ward, with an undying passion.

I love their workshops and classes on everything from silk screening to welding. I'm dying to take the woodworking classes. Plus, if you are a freelancer and join the Freelancers Union you can get discounted rates on every class 3rd Ward offers!

I also love their FREE EVENTS which almost always involve FREE DRINKS.

I'm a big fan of the Sweatshop Social Nights where they bring out home-brewed beer and a group, Bags for the People, show you how to sew reusable bags that are then donated to local greenmarkets. I'm happy to reduce the use of plastic!

Or the Handmade Music Nights, hosted by Create Digital Music, where I love to hit on nerdy boys and chug PBR.

And the Block Party they threw at the beginning of May was unbelievably awesome!

So keep it coming 3rd Ward, I want you so hard. So hard in fact that I should have made my Sex Cells submission about your gorgeous ass.

-Alyssa (aka Ginger)

P.S. Go check out the Sex Cells Gallery Opening this FRIDAY, FREE: drinks, sexting-porn and tunes from DJ Alden F. Fonda and Unicornicopia!

Alyssa and Arminda join forces

This blog has been on hiatus for a while, but behind the scenes, Alyssa and I have created a kick-ass calendar that we think fully encompasses some of the coolest FREE things happening in Brooklyn and the city for the summer (think of it as a one-stop calendar shop).

As a result, Alyssa is now co-pilot, the layout has been updated, and the calendar is on view for all to see.

xoxo,
Arminda