Norma's Weekly Member Snapshot: 
Old Westbury Gardens
Local Day Trips

Now is the perfect time to escape city life for a day of exploring nature. Warmer days tempt me to spend time exploring new spots. A quick train ride can transport you away from the buzz of NYC so you can enjoy an outing to explore Spring beauty in bloom.

I've picked my top five day trips for this week's
Special Feature.


 
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GeneralGENERAL EVENTS

The High Line (West 13th & Washington Streets)

Every Tuesday until October you can peek into high powered telescopes on the High Line and chat with the experts.       

 
April 24  Saturday Night Live The Exhibition
Premier on 5th (417 Fifth Avenue)
Tickets go on sale and will sell out fast. Kicks off with a celebration of the 40 year history of SNL.  Opens May 30th. 


April 24 through 26   Antique Garden Furniture Fair
The New York Botanical Garden (Bronx, NY)
Annual fair with an expansive collection of ornament, decorative art, and furniture for the home and garden.
  

April 25  Hester Street Fair
Corner of Hester & Essex Streets
One of the best street fairs opens for the season!  A collection of NYC's best vendors, from the finest foods to vintage clothing to jewelry and home goods.

April 25  Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair 

Greenwich Street from Hubert to Chambers Streets

Activities, live Broadway performances, arts and crafts, storytelling, chef demonstrations, and video games. A day of family fun for all.  Visit last week's Snapshot for more Tribeca Film Festival event picks.   

 

April 25   Cherry Blossoms Fun Ride

Central Park

Take a bike ride while enjoying views of the beautiful Cherry Blossoms.

   
Brooklyn Botanic Garden 
Through April 25  Design on a Dime 
Metropolitan Pavilion (125 West 18th Street)
More than 50 of the world's top interior designers create unforgettable room vignettes... which is then donated and sold for 50 to 70 percent off retail pricing!   

April 25 & 26  Sakura Matsuri & Cherry Blossom Festival
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
The blossoms are in bloom, so visit on Saturdays and Sundays to take a tour of the seasonal highlights of the garden.  As part of the festival, visit this weekend for the Sakura Matsuri, a weekend celebrating Japanese culture.



April 25 & 26  Crafts on Columbus
Columbus Avenue from 77th to 81st Street
From blown glass to jewelry, photography to sculpture... crafts for all uses. Also May 2nd, 3rd, 9th, and 10th. 

April 26  Run to Remember: 5K Run/Walk & Family Day

Starts at Pier 26, ends by 9/11 Memorial Plaza
Third annual 9/11 Memorial 5K Run/Walk and Family Day to raise awareness about the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and to encourage volunteerism in honor of 9/11. 

Through April 26 
Tribeca Innovation Week  
Various locations
Passes available for this week of discussions and festivals around technology, gaming, film, and media.   

Through April 26  Tribeca Film Festival
Visit my recent Snapshot for film picks.  

The Winter Garden at Brookfield Place (230 Vesey Street)
First annual spring fling at the newly designed, recently opened Winter Garden. 

ON THE RADAR:
 
May 8 through 19  NYCxDESIGN 
Various locations 
A citywide celebration of design to increase awareness of and appreciation for all types of design by all audiences.  From architecture and landscape to fashion and furniture... everything you can think of all around the city.

May 10  Japan Day
Central Park
A highly anticipated annual event in spring celebrating Japanese culture. The day kicks off with the Japan Run, followed by a traditional Japanese summer festival with food, activity tents, and both traditional and contemporary performances.

May 22 through 24  20th Annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts
Theater for the New City (155 1st Avenue)
A free festival of theater, music, dance, comedy, film and art celebrating 20 years of Lower East Side.    
CutluralCULTURAL PURSUITS
Looking for a new way to see a museum?  Check out Museum Hack, guided tours (up to 9 people) of the Met and the American Museum of Natural History. Led by experienced guides well-versed in art history, it's a way to see the works through a new lens. 

CLOSING THIS WEEK:
 
John A. Parks: New York Paintings
ANDREA ROSEN GALLERY (525 West 24th Street)
Through April 25
This exhibition explores the ways artists create credible "imprints" and the various approaches to mark-making.

GALLERY THOMAS JAECKEL (532 West 25th Street)
John A. Parks: New York Paintings
Through April 25
British artist depicts his joyful celebration of his adopted city, New York.  

PIER 94 (711 12th Avenue)
Through April 26   
ArtExpo
The largest fine art marketplace - annual expo brings the biggest publishers, galleries and collectors face to face with hundreds of established and emerging artists.


PRATT MANHATTAN GALLERY (144 West 14th Street)
Performing Franklin Furnace
Through April 30
Martha Wilson's exhibition.


ONGOING EXHIBITS: 

 

AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY  (Central Park West at 79th Street) 
Through August 9
Exhibit uncovers the causes of nature's forces.

Indian Modern 
BROOKLYN MUSEUM (200 Eastern Parkway - Brooklyn)
Basquiat: The Unknown Notebooks
Through August 23
View the large scale works of this illustrious painter along with sketches from his personal notebooks.
   
DELHI ART GALLERY (The Fuller Building - 41 East 57 Street)
Indian Modern - Narratives from 20th Century Indian Art
Through June 6
The exhibition at the new 7,000 square feet gallery includes rare early works by some of the 42 artists on view.



DOMINIQUE LEVY GALLERY (909 Madison Avenue)
Alexander Calder. MULTUM IN PARVO
Through June 13
Recently opened exhibit of the illustrious artist, Alexander Calder.

ELLIS ISLAND
Unframed - Ellis Island
Ongoing
Life-size historic photographs of Ellis Island immigrants are displayed on the south side of Ellis Island.  

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM (1071 5th Avenue)
On Kawara-Silence  
Through May 3   
Kawara's works are known for the rise in Conceptual art.
   
Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian: Infinite Possibility. Mirror Works and Drawings
Through June 3
This is the first U.S. museum exhibition of mirror works and drawings by the 90-year old Iranian artist.

INTREPID SEA, AIR, & SPACE MUSEUM  (Pier 86 - 46th Street & 12th Avenue)
Hubble@25
Fatal Attraction
Through September 15
Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, the exhibition showcases the history of this project and its scientific achievements. View artifacts, photographs, and Hubble-produced images.

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART  (1000 Fifth Avenue)
Through June 14
Not to be confused with the movie by the same name, New York-based artist Piotr Uklański exhibits his photographs. The theme of the exhibit is Eros and Thanatos, the intertwined concepts of life force and death.

THE MORGAN LIBRARY & MUSEUM (225 Madison Avenue)
Lincoln Speaks: Words That Transformed a Nation
Through June 7
This exhibition focuses on Abraham Lincoln's mastery of language and how his words changed the course of history.

MUSEUM OF ARTS & DESIGN (2 Columbus Circle)
Richard Estes: Painting New York City
Through September 20
Photorealistic painter Richard Estes exhibits his works.

Ralph Pucci: The Art of the Mannequin
Through August 30 
A display of thirty works taking you on a journey of his ever changing fashion.    
 
MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK  (1220 Fifth Avenue)
Saving Place
Through September 13
An exhilarating exhibit of 50 years of New York landmarks.

THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (11 West 53rd Street)
Latin America in Construction: Architecture 1955-1980
Through July 19
An examination of the positions, debates, and architectural creativity from Mexico and Cuba to the Southern Cone between 1955 and the early 1980s.


Björk
Through June 7
Retrospective of her canvas drawings from 20 years ago as a musician and visual artist. 

Scenes for a New Heritage
Through March 31, 2016
Exhibition of past three decades of 30 international artists whose works range in their approach to political, social, and cultural flux of our global landscape. 
 
This Is for Everyone: Design Experiments for the Common Good
Through January 31, 2016
Digital age design encompassing fashion and furniture
.  

2015 Triennial: Surround Audience 
NEUE GALLERY NEW YORK MUSEUM FOR GERMAN AND AUSTRIAN ART  (1048 Fifth Avenue)  
Gustav Klimt and Adele Bloch-Bauer: The Woman in Gold
Through September 7
View the original painting that inspired Helen Mirren's role in her new movie by the same name
.

THE NEW MUSEUM (235 Bowery)
2015 Triennial: Surround Audience
Through May 24
NYC's only recurring international exhibition devoted to the early careers of artists from around the world... 51 artists from 25 countries.    

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY (5th Avenue at 42nd Street)
Public Eye: 175 Years of Sharing Photography 
Through September 4
The first-ever retrospective survey of photography organized by the Public Library. How have we been engaged over time? Are we risking our privacy in pursuit of a more public photography? The exhibit explores these questions.

Sinatra: An American Icon
Through September 4
A tribute to the life of the legendary actor and singer, Frank Sinatra. A multimedia exhibit showcasing memorabilia never 
before seen.    
 

LIVE from the NYPL

Through June 16    

Spring Speaker Series - mark your calendar for Diane von Furstenberg on May 6th.   


The Whitney Museum of American Art
THE ROBIN RICE GALLERY  (325 West 11th Street)
Pelican Finn 
Through May 31
An exhibition of photographs by Gesi Schilling illustrating the relationship between individual and environment while specifically capturing a Cuban American woman's relationship to the Florida Everglades.

SKYSCRAPER MUSEUM (39 Battery Place)
Ten Tops
Through September 13
Focuses on a group of the world's tallest buildings 100 stories and higher.  A perfect exhibit for this museum!

THE WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART (99 Gansevoort Street)
America is Hard to See
May 1 through September 24
Premiering at the downtown opening of the Whitney Museum.  View this inaugural exhibit of over 650 pieces from 400 artists.


ON THE RADAR:
 
THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART  (1000 Fifth Avenue)
May 7   China: Through the Looking Glass
The exhibit explores the impact of Chinese aesthetics on Western fashion. Through August 16th.

May 12  Van Gogh: Irises and Roses 
Van Gogh's breathtaking exhibit. I suggest purchasing your tickets early!  Through August 16th.

PARK AVENUE ARMORY (643 Park Avenue)
May 8 through 12  Spring Masters  
A range of expositions including Juxtaposition: Collecting Across Centuries which includes a cross section of paintings, sculptures, and design objects across the centuries.

HARLEM'S HISTORIC CORN EXCHANGE BUILDING (125th Street & Park Avenue)
May 14 through 17   Flux Art Fair
Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit
Art fair brings together works from over 50 artists representing over a dozen countries.

THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN  (900 Southern Blvd - The Bronx)
May 16  Frida Kahlo: Art, Garden, Life
The first exhibition to examine Frida's appreciation for the beauty and variety of the natural world, as evidenced by her home, garden, and use of plant imagery in her artwork. Through November 1st.

THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (11 West 53rd Street)
May 17  Yoko Ono: One Woman Show, 1960-1971
Compilation of approximately 125 of her early objects, works on paper, installations, performances, audio recordings, and films, surveying the decisive decade that led up to her unauthorized exhibition. Through September 7th.

NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY (170 Central Park West)
For the first time, nine decades of his art are on display through October 12th. Also coming on May 29th is Picasso's Le Tricorne: Painting for the Ballet.

WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK
May 23 through 31  Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit
Local artists showcase their works in this twice annual exhibit.

CurtainCURTAIN UP
FILM:
Big Eyes

Crosby Street Hotel (79 Crosby Street)
For $55 per person, enjoy dinner and a movie... 3-course meal followed by a viewing of Big Eyes, starring Oscar Nominee Amy Adams.

April 26  TalkCinema 

The Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center (165 West 65th Street)

General admission or season passes available for the film series featuring new independent films... you won't know what you see until you arrive, but you'll be able to discuss the movie afterwards with directors, producers, distributors, critics and each other.      


April 26  30th Anniversary screening of "The Breakfast Club"

Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space (2537 Broadway)

Where are they now?   A 30 year anniversary screening and retrospective.     

 

 

May 1 through 7   Columbia University Film Festival 2015
Film Society of Lincoln Center - Walter Reade Theater (165 West 65th Street)
28th Annual Columbia University Film Festival (CUFF), a week-long program of screenings, screenplay readings and special events in New York.  


MUSIC & DANCE:

Mark Morris Dance Group
Tuesdays & Wednesdays  Jazz Nights
The Lambs Club (132 West 44th Street)
Live jazz from new and up and coming performers.   
 
Through April 26   Mark Morris Dance Group
Howard Gilman Opera House (BAM - Brooklyn)
Two programs from this acclaimed dance group.

Through April 26   Ballet Hispanico
The Joyce Theater (175 Eighth Avenue)
Eclectic, modern style of one of the best contemporary repertory ensembles.

April 28  New World Symphony
Carnegie Hall (881 Seventh Avenue)
An electrifying program featuring Anne Mutter, the queen of violin-playing.

April 28 through May 9  Balanchine Black & White Festival
David H. Koch Theater (20 Lincoln Center Plaza)
Performances focus on the minimalist vision of Balanchine - 12 works highlighting movement and music alone.

Through May 2  John Pizzarelli with Daniel Jobim
Cafe Carlyle - The Carlyle Hotel (35 E 76th Street)
World-renowned jazz guitarist and singer comes to the iconic Cafe Carlyle... one of my top performers.

Rockettes New York Spring Spectacular
Through May 3  Rockettes New York Spring Spectacular

Radio City Music Hall (1260 Avenue of the Americas)
A new show inspired by the magic of NYC in the spring; a musical celebration of the energy, places, people, passion and promise that make this city spectacular. Limited engagement.     

 

Through May 8   Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci
Metropolitan Opera House (30 Lincoln Center Plaza)
A one act opera set in a Sicilian setting.   Marcelo Alvarez mesmerizes the audience playing dual tenor roles.  



Through May 30   Her Way, A Salute To Frank Sinatra
54 Below (254 West 54th Street)

Marilyn Maye, a living legend, performs in a special tribute to Sinatra.

 

THEATER:

An American in Paris
Through November 22
Palace Theater (1564 Broadway) 
American Stage debut of the story about a young artist who discovers life and love after returning from the war. Now in previews, opens April 12th, through November 22nd.
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

The Audience
Helen Mirren stars in an electrifying performance as Queen Elizabeth. 60 years, 12 prime ministers, but only 1 Queen! 

Through September 13
Stephen Sondheim Theatre (124 West 43rd Street)
This musical follows the legendary songwriter from her early days as a Brooklyn teenager to well-known hits as a top recording artist.

Churchill
Through July 12  
New World Stages (340 West 50th Street) 
An extraordinary one man show at New World Stages.

Through October 18
Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street) 

The lead actor, a recent graduate of Julliard, is brilliant. The story unfolds with a mathematically precocious adolescent with behavioral problems uncovering truths and secrets.  

Doctor Zhivago

Through April 3, 2016
Broadway Theater (1681 Broadway)
One of the most romantic stories of our time.  Now in previews, opens April 21st, through April 3rd, 2016.

Fish in the Dark
Through July 19 
Cort Theater (138 West 48th Street)
Funnyman Larry David focuses on 15 characters as each deals with a death in the family. 


Ghost Quartet
Through May 18
The McKittrick Hotel (542 West 27th Street)
Home of the popular Sleep No More, the show blurs the line between theater and contemporary music performance. It is staged in the round in an intimate setting with the musicians seated amongst the audience.
 
Gigi
Through October 4
Grounded
Neil Simon Theatre (250 West 52nd Street)
Tony Award winning musical returns to Broadway starring Vanessa Hudgens.
 
Grounded
Through May 24
The Public Theater (425 Lafayette Street)
Tickets on sale now for this spellbinding play starring Academy Award Winner Anne Hathaway.  This play is about the complicated consequences of waging war without leaving home.   

Hamilton
Through May 3
The Public Theater (425 Lafayette Street)  
The creative team from the Tony Award winning "In the Heights," has produced another show stopper.  An inventive new musical about the young immigrant who changed America... Alexander Hamilton. Coming in July to Broadway.   

Hamlet
Through May 10
Classic Stage Company (136 East 13th Street)
"To be, or not to be? That is the question."  With Peter Sarsgaard as the lead, the answer is definitely to be!

The Heidi Chronicles
Through August 9 

Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street)

Starring Elisabeth Moss and Jason Biggs, it's a coming of age story of three iconic decades of culture.    


The King and I
Through January 3, 2016
Lincoln Center Theater (150 West 65th Street)
The revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I, starring Kelli O'Hara.

The Mystery of Love & Sex
Living on Love
Through August 2
The Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street) 
The world's most famous opera singer Renée Fleming plays the world's most famous opera singer. It's a "glamorous romp through the world of music, marriage and celebrity." Also starring Jerry O'Connell.

The Mystery of Love & Sex
Through April 26
Lincoln Center Theater (150 West 65th Street)
The story of four individuals whose lives remain inextricably intertwined over time... starring a favorite actresses, Diane Lane.



On the 20th Century
Through July 5

American Airline Theatre (227 West 42nd Street) 

Love, lust, and mischief collide in this musical comedy starring Broadway showstopper, Kristin Chenoweth.  In previews now, opens March 12th, through July 5th.

On the Town
Through September 2
Lyric Theatre (213 West 42nd Street)
The feel good play of the season. Broadway's largest orchestra and cast make us fall in love with the city again.   

A Queen for a Day
Through July 26
Theatre at St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street)
Many of the former stars of The Sopranos (such as Vincent Pastore) have joined forces in this production... a new mafia story.

The Rose Tattoo
April 27 only
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street)
Patti LuPone and Bobby Cannavale perform in a one-night only reading of Tennessee Williams' play.

Skylight
Through June 21
Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street)
Carey Mulligan and Bill Nighy star in the sold out London engagement of a sentimental love story.  Now in previews, opens April 2nd, through June 14th.

The Visit
Through September 6
Lyceum Theater (149 West 45th Street)
The creators of Cabaret and Chicago have another winner!  The Visit, starring Chita Rivera of West Side Story fame, is the tale of young love, seduction, and sweet revenge.  

Ziegfeld's Midnight Frolic
Wolf Hall
Through July 5
Winter Garden Theatre (1634 Broadway)
2 major plays, 1 royal event. Performed in repertory, Hilary Mantel's exhilarating stories of power and persuasion in Tudor England transport you to the volatile court of King Henry VIII.   
 
Ziegfeld's Midnight Frolic
Extended - through June 6
Speakeasy Dollhouse (234 West 42nd Street)
A hidden theater in the Heart of Times Square, purchase tickets for an evening of music, magic, and mystery.
 



ON THE RADAR:

April 30   Doctor Faustus
Classic Stage Company (136 East 13th Street)
Tickets go on sale to the public for this anticipated show starring Chris Noth (Sex & the City).  Performances begin May 29th.
Queen Latifah performs: The New York Pops 32nd Birthday Gala

May 4   The New York Pops 32nd Birthday Gala 
Carnegie Hall (881 Seventh Avenue) 
The New York Pops celebrates 32 years of bringing music to New York City. Guest performers include Queen Latifah, Alan Cumming, Sutton Foster, Victor Garber, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Bebe Neuwirth, and Camp Broadway Kids.

May 4 through 9  Harlem Jazz Shrines Festival
Harlem Locations
An annual event cel­e­brat­ing the clas­sic clubs and venues that made Harlem the Jazz Mecca.

May 6 & 7  The Collegiate Chorale
Carnegie Hall (881 Seventh Avenue)
The Collegiate Choral presents The Road of Promise, conducted by Kurt Weill. It is the story of a young boy who knows nothing of his Jewish heritage and finds himself in a synagogue under threat of persecution.

May 12 through 24   La Sylphide
David H. Koch Theater (20 Lincoln Center Plaza)
A story of passion and unrequited love told through dance by the NYC Ballet.

May 14 through 21  Soho International Film Festival
Village East Cinemas (189 2nd Avenue)
6th Annual festival celebrates cutting-edge digital technology and honors traditional forms of storytelling.
 
May 19 through 30  Megan Hilty
Cafe Carlyle (35 East 76th Street)
This will be soon be sold out. Besides Megan Hilty, a favorite singer and actor, Alan Cumming (star of Cabaret and The Good Wife), will electrify the audience with his performances June 2nd to 13th.

May 27 through July 5  Shakespeare in the Park: The Tempest
Shakespeare in the Park performances begin soon! It's worth standing in line at The Delacorte Theater (81 Central Park West) for the free performances of Shakespeare's classic tale. Starring Sam Waterston. And later this summer, Cymbeline starring Hamish Linklater! 

June 5 through 7  The Governors Ball Music Festival
Randall's Island Park
Tickets are selling out for this annual 3-day festival, so book yours now. Performers include Drake, The Black Keys, Bjork, and Florence + The Machine.  Food vendors include Luke's Lobster, Mighty Quinn's BBQ, and The Burger Joint.
FoodFOR THE FOODIE
OPENINGS:
Grand Banks
Spring is in the air with the re-opening of three of my favorite on-the-water cocktail spots. 

 

Frying pan
530 West 26th Street
- Chelsea
A recently refurbished historic floating lighthouse, it's a great brunch spot for a Sunday afternoon.  Try their lobster roll.

Grand Banks

Pier 25 - Tribeca

A magnificent 142-foot sailboat docked at the Hudson River Park's Pier 25 in Tribeca. This seasonal oyster bar and maritime exhibit should be on everyone's list... opens early May. 

 

The West 79th Street Boat Basin

West 79th Street & Riverside Drive - Upper West Side 

A NYC classic, I've wandered in many times for a drink after walking up Hudson River Park.  

  
EVENTS:

April 24 & 25  Capture NYC

The Waterfront (222 12th Avenue)  

A celebration of beautiful artisanal wines, local cuisine and spirits.

April 27   NYC Taste of the Nation
23 Wall Street
Join the city's finest chefs, sommeliers and mixologists; a night of dining in support of No Kid Hungry's work to end childhood hunger in the America. Mix, mingle, and enjoy food and drink prepared by more than 60 top chefs and bartenders. Event co-chairs include Danny Meyer and George Stephanopoulos.

May 1   Five Boro Craft Beer Festival
Various Locations
30 craft brewers, plus local food vendors and live music.

May 1 through 28   Madison Square Eats
Madison Square Park
Annual event featuring some of NYC's most popular restaurants and food vendors including People's Pops,  Roberta's, Momofuku Milk Bar, and Red Hook Lobster Pound.
 


ON THE RADAR:

May 2   Brooklyn Crush Wine & Artisanal Food Festival: Spring 2015 Edition
Industry City, Factory Floor (Brooklyn)
New York Choice Streets Food Truck Event
Over 200 wines to taste and a sampling of local Brooklyn food vendors. 

May 5  New York Choice Streets Food Truck Event

Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum (Pier 86) 

The annual Food Truck tasting event is set amid the backdrop of this NYC landmark.  Food, complimentary drinks, a free tour of the Intrepid ship, and amazing views of the city!

 

May 9  NYC Spring Wine Festival
Broad Street Ballroom (41 Broad Street)  
Tickets to the festival include 3 hours of tasting over 200 wines, plus light food tastings and live music.
  
Greenwich & Duane Streets Outdoor culinary festival orchestrated by tops chefs of TriBeCa. Proceeds will benefit the arts education program of the local public primary schools. 

May 16 & 17   Ninth Avenue International Food Festival
Ninth Avenue from 42nd to 57th Streets
Taste foods from around the world, shop for fine arts and crafts, and enjoy live entertainment as you stroll on 9th Avenue.

May 27  The South American Wine & Spirits Tasting
City Winery (155 Varick Street)
Full Circle Wine Solutions, Inc. is hosting the first-ever South American Wine & Spirits Tasting, the largest showcase of wines & spirits from the region.
FeatureSPECIAL FEATURE... Local Day Trips 
The Cloisters

The Cloisters   

99 Margaret Corbin Drive - in Fort Tryon Park

Public Transportation: 

Take the A Train to 190th Street  

As part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters will not disappoint with their impressive collection from Medieval Europe. In this setting, you will be reminded of picturesque European monasteries and will find an exquisite art collection including intricate illustrations and stunning stained glass, all set in a peaceful ambiance. And with the Spring weather, it's the perfect time to take in a garden tour. Once you are done with The Cloisters, take a walk around the Park and enjoy a beautiful view of the Hudson from above.  

 

 

 

Cold Spring 

Cold Spring, NY  

Public Transportation: Take the Hudson Line on Metro North to Cold Spring    

Walkway Over the Hudson - Hyde Park 
A quaint town 50 miles from the city, it's perfect for the spring and summer months.  Known for its antiquing, there is plenty to do there for a day or even longer.  River tours and hiking or biking along trails, dining and coffee houses, live entertainment on the weekends.  It's a beautiful town with lush landscapes along the Hudson that I visit each year as a short escape to quieter living.  

 

Hyde Park

Hyde Park, NY

Public Transportation:  Take Metro North to Poughkeepsie 

As a foodie, you can take a class at the Culinary Institute of America or dine at world class eateries. For history buffs, visit Historic Hyde Park, a collection of historic sites along the Hudson... including the FDR Presidential Library and the Vanderbilt Mansion. For outdoor adventures, spend the day at the Walkway Over the Hudson, a linear walkway spanning the Hudson River. At 212 feet tall and 1.28 miles long, it is the longest, elevated pedestrian bridge in the world. The park offers amazing views and a great opportunity for outdoor adventures such as bike riding, bird watching, picnicking, people-watching, and self-guided tours. 

 

Old Westbury Gardens

Westbury, NY

Public Transportation: Take the Long Island Rail Road to Westbury Station, followed by a short cab ride 

On the North Shore of Long Island, this is one of the most picturesque gardens in the world. Featuring a mansion nestled amid 200 acres of gardens, landscaped grounds, woodlands, ponds and lakes, there are many events to take part in. Garden tours, museum exhibits, yoga and tai chi classes, lectures and book signings, and gardening instruction. Check the calendar for special events. This Saturday, they offer a Photography Workshop in conjunction with a garden tour to capture the beauty of the surroundings.   

 

 
Wave Hill

Wave Hill  

West 252nd Street - Riverdale, NY  

Public Transportation:  Take the 1 Train to West 242nd Street or the Hudson Line on Metro North to Riverdale 

What better way to celebrate the long awaited arrival of spring than a short trip to the exquisite public gardens and cultural center of Wave Hill. The multitude of nature paths entice visitors to explore the 28 acres of woodlands. One of my favorite spots is the architectural Pergola Overlook, where a majestic stone Pergola frames a breathtaking view of the Hudson River. The garden conducts daily walks, horticulture lectures, yoga classes, and art workshops.