The newly commissioned USS New York departed New York City this morning. The warship, made with seven and a half tons of steel recovered from the World Trade Center towers, officially joined the US Navy fleet Nov. 7.
The last one to charge a fee, the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site, dropped its $3 admission charge as of Oct. 1.
The only caveat, a parks spokesperson told NewYorkology, is that a few of the sites charge transportation-related fees, such as the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, which may only be reached by a ferry operated by Statue Cruises. But once visitors reach the island, admission is free.
Other National Parks sites in New York include the African Burial Ground, Federal Hall, General Grant National Memorial, St. Paul’s Church, Floyd Bennett Field, Fort Wadsworth, Fort Tilden and Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.
Museums, zoos, ice rinks, clubs open Thanksgiving Day
In case you find yourself in New York City on Nov. 26, 2009 looking for something to do besides share a bird with your beloved family members, here are some places that will be open on Thanksgiving Day in NYC:
The Macy’s 83nd Thanksgiving Day Parade will begin at 9 a.m. at 77th Street and Central Park West. The new route this year starts out the same, traveling south down Central Park West to Columbus Circle. But this year it will skip Broadway,and instead turn onto Central Park South and then south on 7th Avenue. Once it reaches, 42nd Street, the parade will head east until it reaches Bryant Park at 6th Avenue. The parade will continue south on 6th (Avenue of the Americas) until it reaches 34th Street, where it will turn towards Macy’s at herald Square.
Cirque du Soleil’s “Wintuk” at Madison Square Garden - performances at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Broadway Thanksgiving Week schedule includes Thanksgiving Day performances of “Hamlet” at 7:30 p.m. as well as “Chicago,” “Oleanna,” “Phantom of the Opera” “West Side Story” and “White Christmas” at 8 p.m.
On Friday, the Met Opera will open a free-ticket lottery to the final dress rehearsal of Bartlett Sher’s new production of Jacques Offenbach’s “Les Contes d’Hoffmann.”
The Met Opera will hand out 3,000 tickets for the Nov. 30 daytime dress rehearsal. The lottery will remain open through Nov. 19.
The Kafka-inspired opera stars Joseph Calleja, Anna Netrebko and Alan Held; James Levine conducts. Following the dress rehearsal, it will premiere at a Dec. 3 gala.
Image source: Met Opera’s detail page for “Les Contes d’Hoffmann.”
Yankees to parade up Canyon of Heroes 11 a.m. Friday
A parade honoring the World Champion Yankees will begin at 11 a.m. on Friday and head north up the Canyon of Heroes, according to a taped message on 311, the city’s official information service.
The parade will be followed by a ceremony at City Hall Plaza.
Update: An early-morning press release from the mayor’s office offered a few more details abut Friday’s ticker-tape parade.
The parade will begin on Broadway at Battery Place at 11 a.m. and continue northbound up Broadway toward Chambers Street. The parade will be followed by a ceremony at City Hall Plaza, at which Mayor Bloomberg will present the Yankees with Keys to the City.
Shakespeare in the Park '10 'Merchant,' 'Winter’s Tale'
“The Merchant of Venice” and “The Winter’s Tale” have been chosen as the two free plays for Shakespeare in the Park for the summer of 2010, The Public Theater announced today.
Daniel Sullivan will direct “Merchant” while Michael Greif will direct “Winter’s Tale.” Casts will be announced later.
Normally Shakespeare in the Park stages one play at the begging of summer, takes a break and starts a second. But in 2010, they’ll play in rotating repertory from June 9 through Aug. 1. The same company of actors will perform in both plays.
Image source: Official website for Shakespeare in the Park.
The USS New York arrived in New York City this morning, passing the Statue of Liberty before heading toward the World Trade Center site to offer a 21-gun salute in honor to those who died September 11, 2001.
The USS New York warship is a San Antonio-class LPD (Landing Platform Dock.) Its bow stem includes seven and a half tons of steel recovered from the World Trade Center towers.
The video:
Later today, the USS New York will dock at Pier 88 on the Hudson River to be formally inducted into the United States Navy at a shipboard ceremony Nov. 7.
The USS New York will be open to the public, free of charge from Nov. 4 though 11. The opening times:
40,000 people from 105 countries participated in the 2009 ING New York City Marathon today, the 40th time the race has been run here. Meb Keflizghi finished the route with a time of 2:09:15, becoming the first American man to win the race since 1982. Derartu Tulu of Ethiopia, clocked in at 2:28:52, taking first place for the women.
Empire State shines for Halloween, Marathon weekend
The Empire State Building will change its colors in observance of this weekend’s two big events: Halloween on Saturday and the ING Marathon on Sunday.
The top three tiers of the city’s tallest building will stay orange, black and white all night for Halloween. (Normally the lights turn off at 2 a.m.)
On Sunday night, they’ll switch to orange, blue and white to celebrate the New York Road Runners and the 2009 ING New York City Marathon. The five-borough race begins Sunday morning in Staten Island.
Picture source: File image from Edelman Public Relations.
