This section the covers the latest news you need to know about getting around New York City -- walking, taxis, subways, buses and (if you must,) driving.
The schedule posted on the NY Water Taxi website lists two morning departures from Pier 11 at Wall Street and two return trips from Rockaway.
The morning boats will leave Manhattan at 9:15 and 11:45 a.m. while the afternoon boats leave the beach at 2:30 and 5 p.m. There’s one stop in both directions at the Brooklyn Army Terminal.
The service is scheduled to start July 4 and will run through September 1, according to the website for the National Park Service, which operates the beach and surrounding Jamaica Bay wildlife area.
Yes, everyone's drowning in NYC Waterfalls coverage today, so here are some quick bits you may not already know. ...
The waterside decks of the South Street Seaport afford views of all four waterfalls.
But if you want to eat and drink while contemplating their meaning, head to the Seaport's new outdoor Waterfall Cafe that boasts views of all four falls. An offshoot of nearby Sequoia, they open at noon daily, seven days a week. Closing time depends on the weather and business -- sometimes 10:30 p.m., or earlier. Burgers, ($10,) salads, ($7 to $18,) mussels, ($9,) desserts ($6.50,) beer ($6 or $7,) wine ($8 by the glass/$26 by the bottle,) and margaritas ($9) are all on offer.
Bike and Roll will be offering a twice-daily bicycle tour of the waterfalls. They depart from the South Street Seaport at 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. for a two and a half hour ride that goes over the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, making eight to 10 stops. Normally $40, those tours are free this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Call (212) 260-0400 to reserve a spot.
Starting Friday, you can call the city's 311 information line and listen to artist Olafur Eliasson talk about his waterfalls, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said during this morning's news conference.
The waterfalls will be turned on daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. except Tuesdays and Thursdays when they will run from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Free NYC Waterfalls cruises on Circle Line Downtown
Circle Line Downtown, which will be operating the "official" cruises of the artist Olafur Eliasson's NYC Waterfalls once they officially start running Thursday, will be offering a limted number of free tickets on most of its 30-minute cruises this summer.
"In the spirit of public art, Circle Line Downtown and the Public Art Fund are making these tickets available so that everyone has an opportunity to experience the Waterfalls," a Circle Line spoksewoman told NewYorkology via e-mail today.
The free tickets will be available on all of the 30-minute cruises on board Circle Line's Zephyr and Patriot boats through the duration of the exhibition (October 13.) The regular price for the 30-minute waterfalls cruises are $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and $5 for children. The free offer's not good on the company's Shark speedboat, or waterfalls cruises of longer durations.
Free tickets are first come, first serve and you can only get the tickets by calling (866) 925-4631. One order per household. They're accepting orders now.
Also note the freebie offer is only for Circle Line downtown, which is not the same company as Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises (or Circle Line/Circle Line Uptown/Circle Line 42nd Street, as they are sometimes called.) Circle Line Sightesing, however, is among the other companies offering waterfalls cruises, along with the NY Water Taxi and on the yacht Manhattan.
See the Tropolism blog for the latest renderings of the pop-up park that will open near the Brooklyn Bridge to allow for great waterfalls views.
And here's two more NYC Waterfalls hotel packages:
The Carlyle waterfall package inlcudes buffet breakfast, a one-hour cruise and cover charge and signature cocktails at Bemelmans Bar.
All W hotels in NYC are offering a waterfalls package that comes with NY Water Taxi vouchers, Bliss Sunscreen and a pair of cocktails.
NYC Waterfalls pictures: Brooklyn Bridge makes four
The NYC Waterfalls don't officially debut until June 26, but all four of artist Olafur Eliasson's creations have been in test mode this week.
Today is apparently the first day the water's been turned on at the waterfall situated directly under the Brooklyn Bridge.
The Brooklyn Bridge picture was sent to NewYorkology by Travis Noyes, the vice president of sales and marketing for the NY Water Taxi, which this week launched free shuttle service to Brooklyn's Ikea from Manhattan's Pier 14 at Wall Street.
Passengers on those boats have this week been treated to tests of the other three waterfalls: at Governors Island, below Brooklyn Heights and Manhattan's Pier 35.
The four man-made waterfalls, which range in height from 90- to 120-feet tall, will be turned on daily through October 13. They'll run from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will be illuminated at night.
Picture credits: All Travis Noyes/NY Water Taxi, except Manhattan waterfall (center, large) Amy Langfield/NewYorkology, which was taken onboard a Water taxi on Thursday evening.
Riders on the NY Water Taxi's new free shuttle to Ikea in Brooklyn are getting more than they bargained for -- free waterfall previews.
The guys over at NY Water Taxi just sent NewYorkology a few pictures taken this morning of the Governors Island waterfall - now with water. It looks like artist Olafur Eliasson's team is running more tests in advance of the official June 26 debut of his NYC Waterfalls.
Artist Olafur Eliasson's NYC Waterfalls are getting closer to their official start date -- June 26 -- but a few lucky folks have been catching glimpses of tests of the water falling. This morning's winner was Travis Noyes, the vice president of sales and marketing for the New York Water Taxi. (NewYorkology ran into Noyes on a Red Hook pier this morning and he sent over these pictures to use.)
NY Water Taxi is one of the companies that will be offering boat tours of the four waterfalls. One is located at Governors Island, one's at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge on the Brooklyn side, one's on a Manhattan pier just north of the Manhattan Bridge and the one that got turned on for testing today is located below the Brooklyn Heights promenade.
All four with be turned on daily through October 13th.
In fact, he probably had no connection to the Mercedes that was recently pulled out of the Erie Basin in preparation of the June 18 opening of the Ikea that will offer a new mile-long waterfront park and free Water Taxi service - even to people who don't intend to shop.
The neighborhood is hardly the "Red Hook Riviera" the Post called it last week, but the additions of a cruise ship terminal and a Fairway market in the past two years have at least made cab drivers less afraid to travel to the neighborhood long isolated by the lack of good public transportation.
"We are introducing Red Hook to the rest of the city," Joseph Roth, the U.S. director of public affairs for the Swedish furniture maker told NewYorkology on Wednesday during a tour of the new Erie Basin Park.
Although the Municipal Art Society and others have decried the loss of Brooklyn's working waterfront, Ikea's new park makes great efforts to celebrate what remains and actually allows the public some of the closest access short of a hidden harbor cruise.
Not only will park goers get full views of the tugboats and barges that call Erie Basin home port, but Ikea has incorporated many remains from the Todd Shipyards into the 6.5-acre park -- including four gantry cranes, a spectacularly rotted pier, the WWII-era floating dry-dock gate, tools that have been painted red and are on exhibit (including on red hook,) as well as concrete chocks that Ikea intentionally left covered with the original graffiti but added the names of ships that were repaired in the yards since the Civil War.
Video of the new park:
The grassy park will be open from dawn to dusk and it will have its own 50-cent hot dog stand. The new Water Taxi dock will offer free shuttle service to Pier 11/Wall Street daily through the summer. And yes, you can use the free Water Taxi even if you intend to bypass the store and head to the soccer field food carts, Roth said.
The now-legendary weekends-only Central American food carts, which are scheduled to reopen sometime soon, aren't the only reason to venture out into the rest of the neighborhood.
Here's the 2008 Red Hook summer rundown:
July 3 will see the grand opening of home/made, the new Van Brunt Street venture of tini wine bar's chef/designer Monica Byrne and metal artist Leisah Swenson. "We've collected some unique antique, artisan crafted and new contemporary items to adorn your home and your body. When home/made is not operating as a retail establishment, we will host private parties in our garden," Swenson told NewYorkology by e-mail this week. They're located at 293 Van Brunt St. between Pioneer and King (in a storefront made famous when local real estate diva Barbara Corcoran bought the building a few years ago and proclaimed Red Hook the "it" neighborhood of the season.)
If you like Red Hook, you may find Metal & Thread is one of those I-want-to-buy-everything type of stores that mixes new craftsmanship in with funky antique finds (including lots with a working waterfront theme.) The store opened in March.
Both the Liberty Sunset and Chelsea garden centers have significantly expanded since opening last year.
For more Van Brunt shopping, check out Saipua for handcrafted olive oil-based soaps and flowers, Erie Basin for vintage jewelry and Atlantis for used books and furniture. Brooklyn Farm Table is open by appointment.
Food in Red Hook
Good Fork is still the star here, (especially since 360 shuttered and a "for rent" sign remains in the window.) Quality local food with a menu that changes monthly. Dinner only, reservations a must on weekends.
Tini wine bar, at 414 Van Brunt St, directly across the street from Good Fork, catches its overflow on its comfy couches and bar stools. They serve wine, craft beer and excellent bruschettas, cheeses, pates and fondues that make a meal or snack. They also do weekend brunch. On June 18th (Ikea Day) they're pouring "Swedish Cocktails" & "Big Box Seltzers" from 5 to 11 p.m.
Gothamist has pictures from inside the former Lillie's bar across the street from Ikea. Chef Neil Ganic has reopened half the space so far -- Annabelle's, with a garden and full bar with Six Point on tap and a short menu featuring crab cakes and other seafood. There's also a stage for bands. The other side of the enterprise, La Bouillabaisse restaurant, should open soon. He told NewYorkology he'll be open 365 days a year; and for now, it's dinner only.
The website for Anselmo's Bakery says it's shooting for a July 4 opening of its new Coal Brick Oven Pizza & Bread restaurant at 354 Van Brunt. They've already got a second location in the works for 204 Van Dyke Street at Pier 41.
Ikea will have food options as well, including a 450-seat restaurant with some spectacular views. Here's NewYorkology's video of the view taken during Wednesday's press preview:
The Ikea restaurant will be open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (that's half an hour before the store itself opens/closes.) Breakfast = 99 cents, and the regular menu is cheap as well, in part because, as the signs state, the store would like you to bus your own tables. They're big on Swedish meatballs with lingonberry sauce and other Swedish foods, but there's also a kids menu and American-type fare on offer. Downstairs, you can buy their foods to-go at the Swedish Foodmarket, including gummy Swedish fish and Abba-branded seafood pate.
Elsewhere, Viva serves a free margarita with every entree, DeFonte's will give you old-school sandwiches to go, Fairway has a sandwich counter and indoor/outdoor waterfront deck and Hope & Anchor is still going strong.
On July 5, the Added Value farmers market opens for the season across the street from Ikea.
The Cheyenne Diner is also schedule to move to Red Hook, but it's not here yet.
Under "coming soon," the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corp. brochure also lists Grindhaus "beer & sausage house with outdoor garden" at 275 Van Brunt.
Drinks
Six Points Craft Ales is still offering free brewery tours by appointment only. They ask you e-mail them at tours@sixpointcraftales.com. However, on June 14 the brewers will be at Carroll Gardens' Bar Vendetta from 3 to 8 p.m. with $4 dollar pints of their Apollo, Bengali Tiger, Righteous Ale and Brownstone.
Rocky Sullivan's has replaced Liberty Heights Tap Room, but they still host bands and kept the roof deck. They've added a full Irish breakfast for weekends and occasional book readings.
Brooklyn Ice House has opened in the old Pioneer bar space on Van Brunt. It's directly next door to the Bait & Tackle bar still going hipster strong.
The granddaddy of them all, Sunnys, is only open a few days a week, and also hosts book readings, concerts, and plays.
LeNell's liquor store is still open at the same location and offering frequent tastings and classes. (But the Brooklyn Paper reported she's getting forced out because the building's owner
"who works for the Balucchi’s Indian restaurant chain — said he did not intend to renew her lease because he wants to use the ground floor himself.")
There's also news of a Red Hook winery, but that's not open yet.
Recreation and galleries
Valentino Park and Pier has actual water access where the local kids swim and the Red Hook Boaters offer free canoe and kayak rentals. There's also quite a view of the Statue of Liberty.
What's the Hook photo exhibition is moving through several locations in the neighborhood, documenting the swift-moving changes of the area.
While Pier Glass is infrequently open to the public (next dates are July 12 and 13 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.,) they do offer one-on-one glass blowing classes.
If you're lucky, you may also find steel horses for sale on Van Brunt.
The Waterfront Museum Barge is open with free access on Saturdays from 1 to 5 p.m. and Wednesdays 4 to 8 p.m. On Sundays it hosts Circus Sundays at 1 and 4 p.m. through June.
Governors Island reopens with polo match, David Byrne
Governors Island will open for the season this Saturday with the island's first polo match in 70 years, a family festival and a music installation from David Byrne at the Manhattan ferry launch site.
Admission to the former military base and the ferry ride are again free every day the island's open, which this year will be every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. October 5 will be the last day of the season.
The opening day Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic will pit North American Polo League's Black Watch vs. Skeeterville. The game is free and starts at 3 p.m. at South Island. There will be a champagne bar and picnicing will be allowed.
All summer, the island will host two exhibitions" "In Site" organized by the Sculptors Guild and "Emergence" by Figment, an installation from 30 artists and art collectives. The island will also be home to one of Olafur Eliasson's four NYC Waterfalls, which will run from June 26 to October 13.
Other Governors Island events for this summer include the New York Philharmionic's free July 5 concert, the Governors Island Concert Series with moe, (June 15,) the Dark Star Orchestra (July 11,) and the Saw Doctors (August 23;)and the Folks on the Island folk festival with Janis Ian (July 5,) Slaid Cleaves (July 12,) Bearfoot (July 19,) Eric Bibb (July 26,) and Ronny Cox (Aug. 2.)
The island's long military past will get some respect during Army Heritage Weekend (June 21 and 22,) as well as Revolutionary Weekend (August 2 and 3,) Civil War History Weekend (August 9 and 10,) Battle of Brooklyn Weekend (August 23 and 24.)
The Figment Festival arrives June 28 and 29, while the Pulse Theatre will take up a short residence the last days of August with Shakespeare’s "Twelfth Night� (Aug. 29-31.)
But even before you leave Manhattan, check out David Byrne's Playing the Building, a free, interactive musical installation in the landmark Battery Maritime Building.
The pitch:
The project consists of a retrofitted antique organ, placed in the center of the building's cavernous second-floor gallery, that controls a series of devices attached to its structural features—metal beams, plumbing, electrical conduits, and heating and water pipes. These machines vibrate, strike, and blow across the building’s elements, triggering unique harmonics and producing finely tuned sounds.
New Time Machine offers flashback to bridge's debut
The New York Times launches its Time Machine, and what better way to celebrate than to check out the front page from a day 125 years ago: "Two Great Cities United" is the headline from Friday May 25, 1883 -- the day after the Brooklyn Bridge opened.
The paper's Time Machine covers September 18, 1851, through December 30, 1922.
South Brooklyn's new waterfront park, courtesy of Ikea
South Brooklyn in June will get a 6.5-acre waterfront park and free NY Water Taxi service to Manahattan -- all courtesy of IKEA, which will open its Brooklyn mega-store on June 18.
The Water Taxi will run seven days a week, every 40 minutes during store hours of 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The boat has a capacity of 74 passengers, but only 25 will be allowed on the outdoor top deck at any time, a Water Taxi spokeswoman told NewYorkology. In Manhattan, it will dock at Pier 11 near the base of Wall Street (not the South Street Seaport, where its touristy hop-on hop-off boats operate.)
In addition, the free Water Taxi service is only promised through summer, Mike Baker, the manager of the Brooklyn IKEA, told NewYorkology. "Come fall, depending on our research, it goes to weekends, also free!!" he wrote in an e-mail.
When asked if ferry passengers would have to provide a store receipt to get the free trip (like nearby Fairway market did for its shoppers when the NY Water Taxi started service there,) Baker replied: "The New York water taxi will run 7 days a week through the summer only and is for IKEA visitors both to and from Manhattan to the water taxi terminal we have built here on the esplanade."
The giant home furnishings maker occupies 22 acres on the Erie Basin in Red Hook, map, a little spit of a neighborhood cut off by the Brooklyn Queens Expressway and dependent on two mediocre buses that connect to the subway more than a mile away. The MTA has pledged to extend the routes of both buses -- the B77 and the B61 -- so they go to the Ikea Terminal. IKEA has said it will also provide free shuttle buses every 15 minutes between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. to and from three subway stations: the 4th Avenue/9th Street (F and R trains,) the stair-intensive Smith and 9th Street (F/G,) and Borough Hall/CourtStreet (2/3, 4/5, N/R and M trains.)
The store itself is 346,000-square-feet and will include a 450-seat Swedish and American restaurant with a great view of the harbor and Statue of Liberty. See Curbed/Racked for sneak previews from inside.
