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DOWNTOWN
POST NYC
News and Events
in Lower Manhattan
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Volume 2, No. 52 June 30, 2015
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Quote of the day:
"Like most cities across the nation, New York was built on the backs of slaves."
- City Councilmember Jumaane D. Williams speaking on June 27 at the dedication of a plaque in Manahatta Park at Wall and Water Streets near the location of the city's Colonial-era slave market.
* New plaque marks location of Colonial-era slave market in Lower Manhattan * Bits & Bytes: Pope to visit 9/11 Memorial; New EDC chief; Houseman opens in Tribeca
* 'Walking the Brooklyn Bridge' exhibit at Poets House
* Downtown Bulletin Board: Art portfolio class for teens; discounted sailing lessons
* Community Board 1 meetings: Week of June 29
* Independence Day celebrations in Lower Manhattan
* Calendar: Week of June 29
WEATHER INFORMATION: For current weather information, click here. IF YOU LIKE DOWNTOWN POST NYC - Downtown Post NYC is emailed free to subscribers, but if you like DPNYC and want to support it, you can do that in three ways. 1) Support Downtown Post's advertisers by clicking on their ads, and if you use their services, tell them that you read about them in DPNYC. 2) Consider advertising in DPNYC if you have a business, service or event that you want to promote. 3) Tell people about DPNYC and suggest that they subscribe. They can sign up at www.DowntownPostNYC.com. Go to www.DowntownPostNYC.com for updates on breaking news.
All ads in Downtown Post NYC have clickable links. Click on an ad for more information. MASTHEAD PHOTO: Carefree roses in Wagner Park. June 17, 2015
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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PLAQUE INSTALLED AT WALL AND WATER STREETS TO MARK THE LOCATION OF NEW YORK CITY'S COLONIAL-ERA SLAVE MARKET
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| A plaque in Manahatta Park marking the nearby location of New York City's Colonial-era slave market.
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"Like most cities across the nation, New York was built on the backs of slaves." That was City Councilmember Jumaane D. Williams speaking on June 27 at the dedication of a plaque in Manahatta Park at Wall and Water Streets near the location of the city's slave market. The market at Pearl and Water Streets operated by order of the city's Common Council between 1711 and 1762. The plaque is the first official acknowledgement that this slave market existed. Men, women and children of color from the East Indies, Africa, Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica were bought, sold and traded at this market.
Under consecutive Dutch, British and American rule, slave labor was used in New York City homes and industries, including farming and public works. Although the transatlantic slave trade was outlawed by the U.S. Congress in 1807, not all slaves were freed in New York until 1841.
"To build a just future, we must understand the injustices of the past," said Mayor Bill de Blasio at the dedication of the plaque.
"Every American community must grapple with the gruesome history of slavery, and New York is no exception," said de Blasio's wife, Chirlane McCray. "This marker reminds us that while slavery was abolished long ago, its roots have fueled many of the thorny concerns that continue to plague us, including racism, segregation and income inequality." Brooklyn-based artist and writer Chris Cobb first called for the creation of a plaque marking the slave market, and prepared the image on the plaque - a historic map rendering of Lower Manhattan. The language on the plaque was prepared by the Parks Department and Landmarks Preservation Commission in collaboration with Christopher Moore, former Director of Research at the Schomburg Center for Black Culture. "One of the most important things in the text is at the very end," said Cobb. "It mentions the slave uprising in 1712, just months after the market was established. I was able to track down the tribal affiliations of the enslaved and learned they were mostly from Ghana. In the end almost all of them were executed in horrible ways in the park across from where the Federal Courthouse is now. They were hung, burned at the stake, drawn and quartered. At least now scholars will know about them and will have clues as to who they were, instead of having their efforts at becoming free lost to history." - Terese Loeb Kreuzer
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Bits & Bytes
POPE TO VISIT 9/11 MEMORIAL; NEW EDC CHIEF; HOUSEMAN OPENS IN TRIBECA; ZONING VARIANCE ENABLES BUILDING OF TRIBECA CONDOS
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| | Pope Francis will visit the National Sept. 11 Memorial & Museum when he comes to New York City in late September. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
"Prune Alums' Houseman Offers a Modern Neighborhood Restaurant for Western Tribeca," Eater.com, 6/29/15. "Longtime Prune alum Ned Baldwin looked for a restaurant property for two plus years before settling on his new space in the far western reaches of Tribeca," says Eater.com. "After a hiccup with the restaurant's liquor license, Baldwin finally opened his restaurant Houseman late last week. The place is named for the Norsk word husmanskost meaning 'everyday food.' Fittingly, the restaurant is meant for the neighborhood, where people can dine often and not break the bank, and of course, family style ordering is encouraged." For the complete article, click here. "Developer wins approval that will make building a TriBeCa luxury condo easier," Crain's New York Business, 6/29/15. "A pair of pricey luxury apartment buildings with ground-floor retail space will rise on an odd-shaped lot in TriBeCa thanks to a city variance granted to the developer that will make the site more manageable to build on," says Crain's New York Business. "High-end builder DDG will erect two contiguous slender buildings, six- and eight-stories tall, on a parking lot at 100 Franklin St. that the firm purchased in 2014 for about $11.5 million. The buildings will have a total of about 30,000 square feet." Crains says that, "DDG plans to seek at least $3,000 per square foot for the condos - a premium price that has become common in TriBeCa." For the complete article, click here. "City appoints first female economic development chief," Crain's New York Business, 6/28/15. Crain's New York Business reports on a development that will have repercussions for the South Street Seaport, where the New York City Economic Development Corporation acts as the landlord for the city. "Maria Torres-Springer, commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services, was tapped by Mayor Bill de Blasio to replace retiring Economic Development Corp. President Kyle Kimball, the city announced Monday. Ms. Torres-Springer, a Crain's 40 under 40, is the first woman to lead the quasi-public agency." Previously, Torres-Springer served as both chief of staff and executive vice president at EDC. For the complete article, click here. Pope Francis will visit 9/11 Memorial & Museum: Joe Daniels, president and CEO of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, has announced that Pope Francis will visit the site as part of his first trip to the United States in late September. "Pope Francis will pay tribute to the 2,983 victims of the September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993 terror attacks. The Pope will also lead a Multireligious Meeting for Peace hosted by the New York Archdiocese inside the 9/11 Memorial Museum, which will include and be attended by representatives of various faiths and beliefs," Daniels said in an email. "Plans for the pontiff's Memorial and Museum visit are still being developed. In late July, we will host a lottery to offer members of the 9/11 community an opportunity to be on the Memorial plaza for the Pope's arrival, as well as for a very limited number of guests to attend the event in the Museum. More information about how to enter the lottery will be provided in late July and selected lottery entrants will be notified in mid-August." For more information about the papal visit, email papalvisit@911memorial.org. "Review: 'The Quartet,' by Joseph Ellis, Details the Constitution's Gang of Four," New York Times, 6/29/15. Alexander Hamilton is lower Manhattan's own. He lived here, worked here, and is buried here. He is one of four men who are the subject of historian Joseph J. Ellis' new book, "The Quartet." A New York Times review of the book by Michiko Kakutani remarks that "a mystic haze has formed around [the U.S. Constitution]. Much as [Ellis] captured the human beings behind the marble masks of the founders in earlier books, so he examines here the contingent roles that fortune, visionary ideals and pragmatic politics all played in forging a framework for the fledgling nation, a set of ideas and institutions that would become a model of representative government. Although several delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia of 1787 would later recall that 'the hand of Providence' was at work, Mr. Ellis reports, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison 'all left town thinking they had failed to transform a confederation' of 13 quarreling colonies - which had come together to win independence from Britain - 'into a full-blooded nation.' In fact, Mr. Ellis points out, the multiple compromises - between state-based sovereignty and a national government - reached in the Constitutional Convention resulted in a text whose very ambiguities made it 'an inherently 'living' document,' creating 'a political platform wide enough' to give future generations latitude in making decisions. The leadership exerted by the 'quartet' of Washington, Hamilton, Madison and John Jay in forging this document and overseeing the birth of a United States, Mr. Ellis argues, was 'the most creative and consequential act of political leadership in American history.'" For the complete article, click here. "Serafina Opening Eatery in Tribeca," Commercial Observer, 6/30/15. "Serafina Restaurant Group is opening a restaurant in Tribeca with plans to provide room service to hotel guests staying at the adjacent Cosmopolitan Hotel-Tribeca," says Commercial Observer. "The restaurant group, which specializes in Northern Italian cuisine, has signed a lease for the entire 5,400-square-foot building at 113 Reade Street between Reade and Chambers Streets, including the rooftop. The building offers 1,800 square feet each on the ground floor, second floor and basement, according to RKF, which represented the landlord, Triumph Hotels, in the deal. Triumph is also the owner of the Cosmo hotel which is next to 113 Reade Street on West Broadway." For the complete article, click here.
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'WALKING THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE' EXHIBIT AT POETS HOUSE
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| An exhibit of rare manuscripts relating to the Brooklyn Bridge is at Poets House through July 2. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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The Brooklyn Bridge figures large in the life of Poets House, a 60,000-volume poetry library in Battery Park City. Every year, several hundred people affiliated with Poets House walk across the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan to Brooklyn for a fundraiser that is punctuated with poetry readings and that culminates on the Brooklyn side with a reading of Walt Whitman's "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" followed by dinner (and more poetry). This year, that experience is prolonged with a small but fine exhibit called "Walking the Brooklyn Bridge" at Poets House. Some of the books and manuscripts in the exhibit are unique. All are rare. They include an advance, review copy of Hart Crane's "The Bridge" (1930) with three photographs by Walker Evans; Marianne Moore's first (unauthorized) book of poems (1921) and her second book, entitled "New York," published in 1924, which was anointed with the prestigious Dial Award for Poetry, and most spectacularly, a first edition of Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass," published in 1855.  This beautiful volume, which was printed by Whitman with an embossed green cover stamped with the title in gold, did not credit him as the author, but he did include a portrait of himself as a frontispiece. In later editions of the book, Whitman revealed his name and added subtitles such as "Song of Myself." The edition on display was signed in the month of its publication - July 1855 - by Bayard Taylor, also a writer. In fact, Whitman published "Leaves of Grass" on July 4, 1855 - exactly 160 years ago this week. Poet Kevin Young, who assembled this exhibition from books belonging to the Raymond Danowski Poetry Library at Emory University in Georgia, said of "Leaves of Grass" that the edition on display "comes with a now-famous preface, in which Whitman says 'America itself may be the greatest poem.' " The exhibit closes on July 2. - Terese Loeb Kreuzer
Poets House is at 10 River Terrace and is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays, and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. It will be closed on July 3 and July 4. Admission is free. For more information, click here. |
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Downtown bulletin board
ART PORTFOLIO CLASS FOR TEENS; DISCOUNTED SAILING LESSONS
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| A drawing by Battery Park City resident Aixa Lacroix, 12, who has exhibited her work at the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy and who hopes to attend a specialized art high school. From July 6 to July 31, the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy is offering a four-week program for teens during which they can learn new art skills and can develop portfolios of their work.
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Art Portfolio Development Summer Intensive for Teens: From July 6 to July 31, teens can use a variety of media to learn new art techniques as they work in a studio and outdoors in Battery Park City's beautiful park. The four-week program includes weekly museum and gallery outings to look, discuss and draw. Those who wish can develop their own portfolios of work for applying to specialized art high schools or colleges. The program is taught by professional artists with extensive experience teaching young artists. For students entering grades 7-12. All art materials are provided and included in the tuition. Place: 6 River Terrace in Battery Park City. Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $1,000 for four weeks, with 50 percent payment required at registration. Some partial scholarships based on financial need are available. For more information, call (212) 267-9700, x366, email registration@bpcparks.org or click here.
Offshore Sailing School offers discounted sailing lessons on Fridays: Starting June 26, the Offshore Sailing School is offering discounted sailing lessons on "Freedom Fridays" at the its outpost at Pier 25 in Tribeca. The sailing lessons from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. will cost $125 per person, discounted from the usual price of $225. Sign up by Tuesday of each week to reserve a Freedom Friday sail. After completing six Freedom Friday lessons and attending a complimentary three-hour seminar, participants will be eligible for Colgate Basic Keelboat certification. Freedom Friday lessons are taught aboard the Colgate 26, designed by Offshore Sailing School's founder, and Olympic and America's Cup sailor, Steve Colgate. The school's certified instructors will teach how to trim sails, how to make the boat go using wind-power alone, and how to pick up a mooring. For information, click here. Advance registration is required by calling (212) 786-4888. Reservations will be confirmed on a space-available basis. For more information on course schedules, locations and other sailing programs, click here.
Manhattan Yacht Club launch from Pier 25: The Manhattan Yacht Club's clubhouse, the Honorable William Wall, is anchored for the summer near Ellis Island. A launch service from Pier 25 to the Willy Wall departs from Pier 25 near North Moore Street in Tribeca. Everyone is welcome at the Willy Wall (you don't have to be a member of the Manhattan Yacht Club.) Enjoy the incredible views of the harbor. Watch the sailboat races. Bring a picnic. The launches depart at 5:25 p.m., 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and then every 30 minutes from Pier 25. Return trips are also every half hour.The William Wall closes at 10 p.m. The first four launches from Pier 25 have reserved tickets. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here. If tickets are sold out, visitors can still go standby. By 7 p.m., some guests start to come back and launch rides are available on a first-come basis. For more information about the Honorable William Wall, click here.
River Project Wet Lab Look-ins: The River Project's WetLab at Pier 40 (at Houston and West  Streets), provides an opportunity for the public to meet the underwater animals of New York Harbor. The Wetlab is on the south side of Pier 40 and is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wetlab Look-ins are centered on a 3,000 gallon flow-through system of unfiltered river water. The animals in residence encounter the same temperature, salinity and microorganisms as they would if they were in the river. This estuarium houses a unique and important NY State Heritage Collection of locally caught fishes and invertebrates that represents the biodiversity of the Hudson River Park Estuarine Sanctuary, and it can include hundreds of animals. A special feature is the Living Oyster Reef Ecosystem Exhibit. Wetlab Look-ins are interactive. Visitors are encouraged to get their hands wet in touch tanks and to participate in hands-on activities set up on the south walkway of Pier 40. Special topic Look-ins are hosted by students participating in The River Project's Marine Biology Internship Program. Interns choose a topic of interest, do extra research and create their own hands-on activities for visitors. Topics can vary, as they depend on interest, and can be anything from sediment exploration, to water quality testing, to a specific estuarine species. The River Project's events calendar includes a list of Wetlab Look-ins so that guests can plan their visit around a topic of their interest, or come and be surprised. To see the events calendar, click here.
Get Low Tuesdays: The Downtown Alliance has launched "#GETLOW Tuesdays," a new summer promotional campaign that will provide a 20 percent discount at nearly three dozen Lower Manhattan restaurants. In addition, participants who share the program using social media will be entered to win a four-day, three night trip to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Created by the Downtown Alliance, the program will be driven by social media. Participants can utilize 11 social media platforms to spread the word about the campaign, using the hashtag #GETLOW. Available platforms include: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Google+, Vine, Snapchat, Foursquare, Flickr, Pinterest and Tumblr. Participating restaurants are: 121 Fulton Street; Atrio Wine Bar | Restaurant; Barbalu Restaurant; Bavaria Bierhaus; Beckett's; Blackhound Bar; Church & Dey; Cowgirl SeaHorse; Da Claudio Ristorante & Salumeria; Dina Rata; The Dubliner; Felice 15 Gold Street; Financier Patisserie; Fresh Salt; GRK; Harry's Caf� and Steak; Industry Kitchen; Lonestar Empire; Lumpia Shack; Mad Dog & Beans Mexican Cantina; Merchants River House; Nelson Blue; Pound & Pence; Ramen Burger; Red Hood Lobster Pound; St. George Tavern; Schnitz; Seaport Smorgasburg; Smorgas Chef; SouthwestNY Restaurant; Stone Street Tavern; and Watermark Bar & Lounge. The campaign is also receiving support from the Millennium Hilton and Hilton Amsterdam. To learn more, click here.
Downtown Post Portfolio: Downtown Post Portfolio is a regular feature in Downtown Post NYC, showcasing artists and photographers who live and/or work south of Canal Street or who create images (paintings, drawings, photographs) of Lower Manhattan. To have your work considered for publication in Downtown Post Portfolio, send up to seven high-resolution jpeg files attached to an email to editor@downtownpostnyc.com. (One of the photos should be a picture of you.) Several of these photos will be published in Downtown Post NYC, along with a short artist bio and a statement about the work submitted, including whether or not it is for sale and how to purchase it. Not all entries can be published. Copyright remains with the artist. Before publication, each contributor will be asked to sign a release stating that Downtown Post NYC has the right to publish the work in the emailed newsletter and in the Downtown Post archives, and that there is no payment.
Downtown Little League opening day photo gallery: The Downtown Little League kicked off its 2015 season on April 18. This year, there are just under 1,100 players on 81 teams. For photos of the opening day, click here. Whitney Museum of American Art photo gallery: The Whitney Museum of American Art at 99 Gansevoort St. opened to the public on May 1. For photographs of the Whitney Museum's new building and of its opening exhibition, click here. South Street Seaport Museum Opening Day: The South Street Seaport Museum opened its 2015 season on April 25 with events on Pier 16 and activities for kids and their families in the lobby of the museum's 12 Fulton St. building. For photographs of the museum's opening day, click here. Downtown Post Portfolio: Jay Fine: Jay Fine is a New York City fine-art photographer and photojournalist, based in Lower Manhattan whose work was featured in Downtown Post Portfolio ( DPNYC, 5/6/15). To see some more of Fine's work on the Downtown Post NYC website, click here.
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COMMUNITY BOARD 1 MEETINGS: Week of June 29
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| | A Delmonico's steak being prepared at Reserve Cut, a kosher restaurant at 40 Broad St. Reserve Cut is applying to Community Board 1's Financial District Committee for renewal of its liquor license. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
All Community Board 1 meetings take place at 49-51 Chambers St., Room 709, starting at 6 p.m. unless otherwise indicated. Bring photo ID to enter the building.
July 1: Financial District Committee * 133 Greenwich St. project - Update by Dan Neofitidis, Project Manager, Cava Construction and Michael Degar, Project Manager, GTI
* 180 Maiden Lane, modification of previously approved certification M 920427(A) ZCM - Resolution
* 90-94 Fulton St., 130-136 William St., Board of Standards and Appeals application to allow a proposed development to be partially located within the bed of a mapped but unbuilt portion of Fulton Street - Resolution
* 77 Pearl St., application for a wine and beer license for Four Star � Inc. d/b/a Justinos - Resolution
* 85 Broad St., application for a wine and beer license for LPQ 85 Broad INC, d/b/a Le Pain Quotidien - Resolution
* 20 Pine Street ramp - Discussion
The following notices have been received for renewal, upgrade, or transfer of wine and beer or liquor licenses or sidewalk cafe permits:
* 55 Church St., renewal application for a liquor license for Millennium Hilton
* 40 Broad St., renewal application for a liquor license for Reserve Cut
* 250 Greenwich St., 33rd Fl. a.k.a. 7 WTC, renewal application for a liquor license for Restaurant Associates LLC and New York Academy of Science
July 3: Office Closed Independence Day (Observed)
July 7: Battery Park City Committee
* 225 Liberty Street, application for liquor license for WFC Bagel Ventures LLC (d/b/a Black Seed Bagels) - Resolution
* Street permit activity guidelines process - Discussion
* Helicopter take-off from North Cove Marina - Discussion and possible resolution
* West Thames Park - Resolution
* Neighborhood Updates - Discussion
The following notices have been received for renewal, upgrade, or transfer of wine and beer or liquor licenses or sidewalk cafe permits:
* 2 River Terrace, application for a renewal of a wine and beer license for Le Pain Quotidien
* 21 South End Avenue, application for renewal of a liquor license for Miramar
* 3 World Financial Center aka 200 Vesey Street, application for a renewal of liquor license for Compass Group USA, Inc. and Thompson Hospitality Services, LLC
* 2 West Street, application for renewal of restaurant and hotel liquor license for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC, d/b/a The Ritz-Carlton Hotel New York, Battery Park
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CALENDAR: INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS IN LOWER MANHATTAN
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| | Fireworks over the Brooklyn Bridge on July 4, 2014. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
Hermione:
 A replica of Hermione, the ship that brought the Marquis de Lafayette to the colonies in March of 1780, where he became an indispensable aid to Gen. George Washington, arrives at the South Street Seaport on July 1. It will be at the South Street Seaport through July 4.
July 1:Welcome ceremony at the South Street Seaport, Pier 15.
Welcome ceremony with American and French officials, led by French Minister S�gol�ne Royal and Mayor of Rochefort, Herv� Blach�. Time: 10 a.m. to noon. (Hermione is closed to the public on July 1 for private events.)
Public can visit an exhibit on Pier 15 depicting Lafayette's role in the American Revolution and the Hermione's reconstruction. At the Heritage Village on Pier 15, Revolutionary era reenactors will demonstrate historic shipbuilding crafts and there will be cultural activities including costumed performances by reenactors, concerts of period and contemporary music and a variety of craft exhibitions. Time: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Also on July 2 and July 3)
July 2:
Public tours of the Hermione, hosted by the South Street Seaport Museum at Piers 15 and 16. No reservations required. Free. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Also, July 3)
July 3:
Flag-raising ceremony at Bowling Green led by the Lower Manhattan Historical Society. The event will start at Pier 16 with an unfurling of flags carried by Hermione on her transatlantic voyage. A parade led by French and American flags will go from Pier 16 to Bowling Green. It will proceed from Water Street up Wall Street to Broadway and then Bowling Green. At 12 noon, there will be flag-raising ceremonies for the French and American flags. Time: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
"Les Demoiselles de Rochefort," Castle Clinton Plaza, Battery Park.
Screening of "Les Demoiselles de Rochefort" in Battery Park. Sponsored by the Poitou-Charentes Region as part of "The Hermione Film Festival." Les demoiselles de Rochefort (The young girls of Rochefort) directed by Jacques Demy with Catherine Deneuve and Gene Kelly, musical film, 1967, (120 min, remastered digital presentation), presented in partnership with the French Embassy and NYC Parks. Jacques Demy's delightful 1967 musical film is a bouncy trifle focusing on two musically-inclined fraternal twin sisters' (Catherine Deneuve and real-life sister Fran�oise Dorl�ac) search for love and those of various characters (including Gene Kelly) who hover in and around their lives in the small town of Rochefort. For more information, click here or call (212) 830-7754. Free. Time: 8:30 p.m. An evening aboard the Hermione in the South Street Seaport, Pier 15. Join this celebration of the Hermione's arrival in New York and the 250th anniversary of Morris-Jumel Mansion, Washington's headquarters during the Battle of Harlem Heights. A reception will feature food, drinks, Revolutionary War-era music, and lively historic discussion in an unforgettable setting. Tickets: $250. Space is limited. To RSVP, call Morris-Jumel Mansion at (212) 923-8008 or click here to buy tickets. Time: 8 pm.-10 p.m.
July 3:
Parade of Ships: The parade begins south of the Verrazano Bridge, heads north to the Statue of Liberty, up to the Intrepid Museum and back down again. Hermione will be joined by local ships and boats. For more information, click here. Time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
New York Historical Society: Revolution: NYC and the War for Independence, Governors Island, House 18 in Nolan Park Time: 11 a.m.
Teen-curated Lafayette/Hermione Exhibit on Governor's Island. Using reproductions of historic documents, artifacts, and works of art, Student Historian Teen Leaders have curated a nuanced installation that sheds light on the lives of both soldier and civilian New Yorkers during the Revolutionary War. Governors Island was utilized by both American patriots and the British during the war. (On display from July 4 to Sept. 27, every Saturday and Sunday. For more information, click here.
El Gale�n:
From July 4 to July 12, El Gale�n, a 170-foot wooden replica of a 16th-century sailing ship
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El Gale�n. (Photo: Fundaci�n Nao Victoria)
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that was part of Spain's West Indies fleet, will be moored at Pier 15 in the South Street Seaport. El Gale�n is in the United States to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Juan Ponce de L�on's landing on the east coast of what is now Florida. On July 4 and July 9, 10 and 11, El Gale�n will host "Shipwrecked at the Seaport" parties from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. that include an open bar, passed hors d'oeuvres, a DJ and dancing. (Must be 21 or over to attend.) Tickets: $150.The ship will also be open for tours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with part of the proceeds going to benefit the South Street Seaport Museum and the New York Harbor School. Tickets: $15; $45 (family of four); children 5 and under, free. For more information about the "Shipwrecked" parties, click here. For more information about tours, click here.
July 4 fireworks: This year's Fourth of July fireworks display, presented by Macy's, will again take place over the East River. The best places to see the show will be from Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, and along the east side of Lower Manhattan. The light show starts at 9 p.m., but it would be best to arrive early. For more information, click here.
The National Parks of New York Harbor, which helps coordinate 10 National Parks with 22 destinations in New York City and northern New Jersey, is gearing up for July 4 celebrations. All of them are free and open to the public.
Castle Clinton National Monument in Battery Park: A parade and flag-raising ceremony on July 4 will conclude with a 50-round artillery salute to the Union. The parade begins at 10 a.m. For more information, call (212) 344-7220.
Federal Hall National Memorial: On July 3 and 4, a George Washington re-enactor will interact  with visitors in the rotunda of the memorial at Broad and Nassau Streets, and will give talks about the American Revolution as well as France's role in the war effort. The Declaration of Independence will also be read on the front steps of Federal Hall on July 4 at noon. Old Barracks Fifes and Drums will perform military music from the Revolution. The site's celebration also honors the L'Hermione's docking in New York City. Hermione (see above) is an exact replica of the ship of the same name that brought General Lafayette back to America with news of an official alliance with France and more aid for the American patriots. Federal Hall staff will give special talks about life on 18th-century warships and screen a looping video on Hermione for the public. For more information about activities at Federal Hall, click here or call (212) 825-6990. Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island: On July 4, join Gateway National Recreation Area at Fort Wadsworth to enjoy living history and fort tours. Children's activities include art and a scavenger hunt. In the evening, have a picnic, bring a blanket, and stay for the fireworks! Click here for times and additional information.
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CALENDAR: Week of June 29
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| The annual Poets House showcase of all the poetry books and poetry-related texts published in the United States in the previous year is on display through Aug. 8.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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June 30: "Sea Wife" at the Melville Gallery (part of the South Street Seaport Museum), is a concert play of nautical adventures presented by Naked Angels and the raucous folk band, The Lobbyists. Part play, part concert, and part environmental experience, SeaWife envelops its audience in a dark tale marked with romance, tragedy and spirits on the high seas. Audiences will be invited to raise a glass of ale as they are transported through an adventure of epic proportions following Percy, a young sailor bred within the golden age of the American whaling industry, as he journeys through port cities and sea vessels in search of a greater glory than killing leviathan. Naked Angels is a theater company committed to developing and producing new work by artists who explore unique perspectives and non-traditional theatrical formats . No performance on July 4. Otherwise, through July 19. Place: 213 Water St. Time: 7 p.m. Tickets: $20 to $40. For more information or to buy tickets, click here.
Ongoing: The annual Poets House showcase of all the poetry books and poetry-related texts published in the United States in the previous year is on display through Aug. 8, 2015. The publications come from over 650 commercial, university and independent presses. During the course of the exhibit, some poets will read from their work. Next reading: July 9. Timothy Liu (Don't Go Back to Sleep, Saturnalia Books), Sara Jane Stoner (Experience in the Medium of Destruction, Portable Press @ Yo-Yo Labs), Yolanda Wisher (Monk Eats An Afro, Hanging Loose Press), and Magdalena Zurawski (Companion Animal, Litmus Press). Place: 10 River Terrace. Readings begin at 7 p.m. Showcase is open during regular Poets House hours, Tuesdays to Saturdays. (Closed July 3 and July 4.) Free. For more information, click here.
Ongoing: Celebrate summer with a sail aboard the South Street Seaport Museum's historic schooner, Pioneer, and get a new perspective on New York City. Bring a picnic lunch or dinner, snack, beverage or dessert. Pioneer was built in 1885 as an iron-hulled sloop to carry cargo along the Delaware River and is the oldest ship regularly sailing in New York Harbor. For more information or to buy tickets, stop by the museum's Visitor Service Center at 12 Fulton St. or ask the Museum's Associates on Pier 16. Afternoon Sails: Tuesday-Friday 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets: $38; $28 (museum members); $32 (students and seniors); $20 (children 2 to 11 years old); $5 (children uner 2 years old). Sunset Sails: Tuesday-Sunday 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets: $45; $35 (museum members); $25 (children 2 to 11 years old); $10 (children under 2 years old). For more information or to buy tickets, click here. Ongoing: Governors Island is open daily through Labor Day. For a calendar of events, click here.
Ongoing: The historic lighthouse tender, Lilac, berthed at Pier 25 near North Moore Street in Hudson River Park, is hosting a three-month exhibition of artwork through Aug. 15. It focuses on three themes inspired by the ship's story - "Steam," "Work + Labor" and "Restoration/Reinvention." The exhibition features the work of more than 25 artists, with several site-specific installations. Performances, artist talks, film screenings, readings, community activities and educational events accompany the exhibition. For more information about the Lilac, click here. For a video about the Lilac, click here. For more about the art series, click here.
Ongoing: "America in Circulation: A History of US Currency Featuring the Collection of Mark R. Shenkman," an exhibition at the Museum of American Finance, showcases around 250 rare examples of American paper money accompanied by large, interactive touch screen displays. From Colonial times, American money has told a fascinating story of the country's struggles and successes. Often local and national currencies competed and coexisted with each other, while economic depression, war and counterfeiting drove constant advances in design. The exhibition spans the period from the Colonial era to the present day. Highlights include rare examples of currency bearing the signatures of signers of the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence; a complete set of notes from the Educational Series of 1896, renowned for being the most beautiful paper money in American history; and rare examples of high denomination notes including $5,000 and $10,000 bills. Through March 2018. To see an online version of the exhibition, click here. Place: 48 Wall St. Museum is open Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: $8; $5 (students and seniors); free (museum members and kids 6 and under). For more information, click here.
Ongoing: "Cer�mica de los Ancestros: Central America's Past Revealed" displays 155 ancient objects from the National Museum of the American Indian's rarely seen collections of Central American ceramics. The exhibition examines seven regions representing distinct Central American cultural areas that are today part of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, where Central America's first inhabitants lived. Dating back to 1000 B.C., the ceramics help tell the story of the innumerable achievements of these ancient civilizations, each with unique, sophisticated ways of life, value systems and arts. Through January 2017. Place: 1 Bowling Green. The National Museum of the American Indian is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Thursdays, until 8 p.m. Free. For more information, click here.
Ongoing: The Museum of Jewish Heritage presents "Designing Home: Jews and Midcentury Modernism," an exhibition that explores the cultural context in which many Jewish �migr� architects and designers created a distinctly modern American design that still has wide appeal today. Walk-up tours will be offered on Sundays in May (except May 24) at 12 p.m. with no reservations necessary. Through January 2016. Place: 36 Battery Place. For more information, click here.
Ongoing: The Skyscraper Museum's new exhibition, "Ten Tops," surveys all buildings in the world today, completed or under construction, that are 100 stories and taller. Of these 24 towers, the exhibition focuses on 10 (plus a few more), zooming in on their uppermost floors to see how they were designed and constructed. Through September 2015. Place: 39 Battery Place. Hours: Noon to 6 p.m., Wednesdays to Sundays. Admission: $5; $2.50 (students and seniors). For more information, click here.
Ongoing: The Woolworth Building was designed by Cass Gilbert to house the offices of the F. W. Woolworth Company and was the tallest building in the world from 1913 until 1930. With its ornamental gothic-style exterior, it dominated the New York City skyline and served as an icon of American ingenuity with state of the art steel construction, fireproofing and high-speed elevators and it was dubbed "the Cathedral of Commerce." The building is still privately owned and operated, and has long been closed to the public. Tours of its magnificent landmarked lobby featuring marble, mosaics, and murals have only recently been made available and can be taken for 30-minutes, 60-minutes or 90-minutes. Custom and Private tours for groups of 10 - 35 can also be arranged. Place: 233 Broadway. Various times. Tickets: $20, $30 and $45, depending on the length of the tour. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.
Ongoing: "Glittering World: Navajo Jewelry of the Yazzie Family" opened on Nov. 14 and continues through Jan. 10, 2016. The exhibit includes more than 300 examples of beautifully crafted jewelery, most of it made by the Yazzie family, with some from the National Museum of the American Indian's collection. Through a video, photographs and a handsome catalog, the exhibit shows how the jewelry expresses Navajo cultural values and way of life inspired by a majestic landscape of buttes, mesas and desert. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and on Thursdays until 8 p.m.; closed December 25. Admission is free.
Ongoing: "A Town Known as Auschwitz" is an exhibit of photographs at the Museum of Jewish Heritage tracing the history of a town called "Oswiecim" in what is now Poland, where Jews and non-Jews lived side by side for centuries. When German forces occupied the town in September 1939, they renamed it "Auschwitz" and established a concentration and death camp there. More than 1 million people died at Auschwitz, including 90 percent of the town's Jews. The museum is at 36 Battery Place. For information the exhibit, click here. For information on the museum's hours and admission fees, click here.
Ongoing: "Defining Lines: Maps from the 1700s and early 1800s" at the Fraunces Tavern Museum. Twenty-seven maps provide a perspective on the evolving nation's place in history. A map from 1804, never before exhibited, shows the U.S. postal routes. Place: 54 Pearl St. Time: Noon to 5 p.m., daily. Admission fees: $7; $4 (seniors, students with ID, children, 6 to 8 years old. Children, 5 and under, free. Active military with ID, free. For more information, click here.
Ongoing: The National Museum of the American Indian is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with free admission. It offers free films, docent-led tours of its exhibitions and tours of its premises, the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, designed by Cass Gilbert. The building, which was completed in 1907, is a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One Bowling Green. Phone: (212) 514-3700. For the museum's calendar, click here.Ongoing: The lobby of the South Street Seaport Museum at 12 Fulton St. on Schermerhorn Row is open three days a week with interpretive displays and activities. Access to the museum's upstairs galleries is by appointment or for education programs only. For private tours of Schermerhorn Row and its old hotels, email info@seany.org. Lobby access: Fridays to Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Editor: Terese Loeb Kreuzer
All articles and photographs in Downtown Post NYC are copyrighted and
may not be reprinted or republished without written permission.
� 2014
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