Results tagged “governorsisland”

       

The Jazz Age Lawn Party that was set to take place last weekend on Governors Island, actually took place this weekend, something we wish we had gotten the memo about. Katie Sokoler took the trip back in time to the '20s, however, and returned with some great photos. Visitors told the Daily News that the elegance of F. Scott and Zelda's day are lost in present times, and now events like this "evoke a world we wish we were a part of."

We usually let you know about stuff like this in our indispensable daily events blast, GothamList, but we just didn't have room today, so here's a heads up on two very special food-oriented events going down this weekend. On Saturday and Sunday a dozen big-shot chefs, three mixologists, one ice-cream maker, DJs and artists from NYC and Paris will descend on P.S. 1 in Long Island City for Le Fooding d'Amour, a culinary celebration of the two cities.

50 Cent doesn't even need to perform anymore, he's spent the summer in the headlines for canceling a Queens show when neighbors became concerned about safety. But now the NY Post reports that the rapper could possibly be attending a picnic in the borough tomorrow, at PS 40.

Ah, remember the good 'ol sock hop days of Governors Island? Jukeboxes blaring the latest tunes as teens gathered round milkshakes and cheeseburgers; the city skyline just off in the distance providing the perfect backdrop to the 50s soundtrack. No? You mean you don't remember the snow factory that manufactured snow year round? What an uneducated lot!

The Dutch brought the weather with them last night to the opening of the New Island Festival, a massive, multi-disciplinary arts event that runs through the end of next weekend. Weather on the island was cool and damp, but the periods of light rain only enhanced the spirit of festive, Autumnal, colonial isolation. Each batch of visitors exiting the free ferry from lower Manhattan were greeted by a parody ribbon-cutting committee, who thrust giant scissors into the hands of one random newcomer as if he or she was an honored dignitary. That whimsical greeting sets the tone for the rest of the festival, which is spread out in different nodes around the island. The center, if there is one, is "The Boulevard of Broken Dreams," a rather magical carnival tent encampment ringing a cabaret stage and a loooong football field-sized wooden table, on which chefs dash back and forth serving Dutch food for $6 a plate.

       

If you didn't grow up with extended family members partaking in Civil War reenactments, then you always have the annual Civil War Weekend on Governors Island to familiarize yourself. This year's event took place on Saturday, and istolethetv's flickr has full visual documentation, also noting that "the National Park Service, 119th New York Volunteers, The GawdAwful Mess and Battery G of the First Pennsylvania Light Artillery, and the Soldiers of the First Minnesota provided family friendly activities, living history demonstrations, music and other programs designed to introduce people to the men and women of the Governors Island Garrison and Confederates imprisoned on the Island." In the early 1800s Castle Williams and Fort Jay were constructed on the island, and used as defensive structures from the Revolution onward. Also, here is a Tropic Thunder/Guns n' Roses "Civil War" mash-up.

When the city demolished a Coast Guard housing complex on Governors Island last October, one official promised it wouldn't "sit vacant waiting for future park funding." And believe it or not, it's true! The Brooklyn nonprofit Added Value is already using the space for a three-acre organic farm. There's a nice story on City Room today about the project, which brings teenagers to the island to teach them about sustainable and local food. The farm is expected to rake in as much as $25,000 this year through sales at a farm stand and the island's new Water Taxi Beach, which opens July 4th weekend. Squash, tomatoes, sunflowers, eggplants and groundcherries are expected by the end of July, and the proceeds could fund stipends of $1,400 for as many as 25 teens who work at the farm. Ian Marvy of Added Value says, "The average household income in Red Hook is around $14,000. You're increasing a family’s income by 9 percent by growing tomatoes." Volunteers of all ages are also welcome to get their thumbs green every day Governors Island is open to the public: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

              

Over the weekend the Figment Festival brought color, art, and even mini golf to Governors Island. This is the 3rd year folks have been invited to use their imagination, either as artists or spectators, and the three day event boasted around 400 interactive-art pieces. Last year founder David Koren explained where the name of the festival came from, saying Andy Warhol once commented that he wanted just the word “Figment” on his tombstone (sadly he ended up with a traditional grave marker).

Brooklynites rejoice: the new free ferry between your borough and Governors Island, that has been in the works for over a year, will be in operation come June 6th. Lost City points to a letter sent out by State Senator Daniel Squadron, stating he'll be on the inaugural launch this Saturday at 11 a.m. "The ferry will leave Fulton Ferry Landing every hour, every Saturday when there is programming scheduled for Governors Island. It will stop at Governor's Island and Battery Park in Manhattan." So it should be smooth sailing for Brooklynites who wants to attend this year's Figment extravaganza, which takes place on the weekend of June 12th and will include the unveiling the new mini golf course. And don't forget about all the other events the island has to offer this summer, including a new Water Taxi Beach of its own (opening on July 4th).

              

Prince Harry helped welcome the opening of Governors Island's 2009 season by playing in the second annual Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic. His team won, 6-5 over the Black Watch Team, and Prince Harry helped assist on the winning goal. The event, which had $25,000-50,000 VIP tickets, raised money for Sentebale, an AIDS charity, which Prince Harry co-founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. Prince Harry said, "Prince Seeiso and I both lost our mothers when we were very young. We set up Sentebale in their memory, and because my mother loved this city, it makes this occasion all the more poignant for me."

       

Prince Harry's first day in New York City was a success, based on the comments from people who met with the 24-year-old. During his stop at the World Trade Center site to survey Ground Zero yesterday, he spoke with relatives of victims of the 9/11 attacks. Monica Iken, whose husband was killed on September 11, 2001, told the Post, "He was really concerned; he feels the pain of the victims. He wanted to hear my story. It was unbelievable he took the time to visit and make this his first stop. He said this is what he wanted to do; he wanted to visit the memorial."

Water Taxi Beach is dropping more details about its expansion to the South Street Seaport and Governors Island. Down at the Seaport, set to open in early June, the boozy sandbox and seafood shack will emphasize a family-friendly feel with miniature golf, skeeball and ping pong; come nightfall, the DJs take over for the grown ups. The Governors Island location, opening July 4th weekend, will host beach volleyball, basketball, two restaurants, and live concerts every weekend presented by The Highline Ballroom. Meanwhile, visitors to the flagship Long Island City beach, which boasts 44,000 square feet of sand, will be lured with free Water Taxi Beach shuttles from East 35th Street in Manhattan every Friday and Saturday night. But the best news is that for the first time New York Water Taxi will operate ferries to actual beaches where swimming is allowed. On weekends, service from Pier 11 at Wall Street will whisk ocean-lovers to their choice of two locations: the Rockaways' Jacob Riis Park, and the more remote Sandy Hook on the Jersey shore, which Florent Morellet highly recommends.

New York is in for another royal visit when later this month Prince Harry makes his first formal visit to the United States. The 24-year-old will take to the polo field on Governors Island on May 30th where he'll play in the second annual Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic. The match coincides with the 400th anniversary of New York as well as the opening weekend of Governors Island, with proceeds from the event going to American Friends of Sentebale.

Governors Island was on the verge of exhausting its operating budget, but the state has finally come through with an eleventh-hour funding boost. There was some doubt over whether the island, which has become a wildly popular recreation destination in recent years, would be able to open this summer, because Governor Paterson initially included zero dollars for it in his budget. But the new state budget deal would allocate $7 million for the former military base, and the city confirmed yesterday it would match that amount. So the new Water Taxi Beach looks like a go for this season, as well as the Figment art festival and bike riding and old-timey jazz bands and rainbows and unlimited Turkish Delight for everyone! (It all starts May 30th.) Mayor Bloomberg has been trying to arrange a deal that would end state involvement in Governors Island and Brooklyn Bridge Park. A spokesperson for the Empire State Development Corp tells the Post those negotiations are ongoing.

The Figment festival is set to take over Governors Island for its 3rd consecutive year this coming June. Last year David Koren, the festival's organizer, had discussed with us the City of Dreams 9-hole minigolf course designed by a team of artists (photos of full course can be found here), and now the good word is that it will return! And the fest announced that this year they plan to double the fun by expanding the course to 18 holes. It will once again be free, and accessible to the public on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays while the island is open from the end of May to early October. First things first, though, it still needs to be designed, and you can be a part of that. Head here for full details on the challenge to build the course, and maybe watch Overboard for some inspiration. In fact, maybe they ought to just recreate Dean Proffitt's Wonders of the World miniature golf course!

A spokesperson for Governor Paterson's office confirmed that talks were ongoing but stressed that no resolution had been reached. Governors Island has become an increasingly popular weekend recreation destination since it was opened to the public in 2003. It's run jointly by the city and state, but Paterson's budget does not include any money for the park this year, and yesterday the Governors Island board of directors imposed an austerity budget of $11.8 million, down from $18.8 million, while acknowledging that the remaining $550,000 in its operating budget will be exhausted by the end of the month.

Given the blush of excitement that followed news of a Water Taxi Beach on Governors Island this summer, it's worth recalling that the island's future as a weekend recreation destination remains very much in doubt. The Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation [GIPEC] requested $7.4 million from both the state and city for the 2009-2010 fiscal year that starts July 1st, 2009; the combined $14.8 million would be about 10 percent less than the island got this year.

Water Taxi Beach in Long Island City has been a popular hang-out in recent summers, with visitors flocking to the sand pit on weekends for beer, barbecue, and volleyball (but no swimming). Because of that success, the company is planning to expand with at least two more "beaches" this summer. One location, just announced today, is destined for the north side of Governors Island. Like last year, Water Taxi will operate ferry service to the island from downtown Brooklyn and lower Manhattan, and the beach will feature live music, basketball courts, a cafe, volleyball, and, like LIC, no swimming. And at least one other waterfront beach spot is rumored to be in the works for an undisclosed Manhattan location. But while many people swear by Water Taxi Beach, the absence of surf can make it feel less like a beach and more like a hot, crowded ashtray. Isn't sand something you sort of tolerate in order to get to the ocean, like tedious chitchat on a date?

You've got a couple hours to hustle over to Governors Island with a bag of popcorn and a Big Gulp to check out today's demolition of Liberty Village, a housing complex built in 1988. The ten three-story buildings are being razed as part of the planned $500 million transformation of Governors Island into a premiere destination for nature lovers, large-scale concerts and even rock climbing. Oh don't laugh, it could still happen! And one official tells the Times that the Liberty Village area "will not sit vacant waiting for future park funding" after being demolished. Next summer it'll be a grassy picnic area, finally giving cyclists and pedestrians access to the island’s entire 2.2-mile perimeter. By the way, this is the last weekend of the year to take the free ferry over there. Check out some photos from the fun over the summer, and get there at noon today for some sweet, sweet destructoporn.

Over the weekend the Improv Everywhere troupe was back for another MP3 Experiment extravaganza, this time taking place on Governor's Island. They estimate around "1.5 jabillion" were in attendance, and promise some video in the coming weeks. What we do know: the MP3 included both music and instructions (listen), a bear (or Furry) was in attendance, and balloons were somehow involved. Were you there?

The MP3 Experiment is back for its 5th consecutive year. Rain or shine, it's going down in NYC this Saturday, and here's what you need to do: download the New York MP3 from the website, put it on your portable music playing device (you are even invited to kick it old school by burning the MP3 onto a CD and listen via a Discman), do not listen to the MP3 until Saturday (confession: we totally listened), wear a t-shirt in an Improv Everywhere-approved color (red, blue, yellow or green), bring an umbrella and uninflated balloon, head to Governor's Island, and press "play" at the correct time. Phew, that's it. The visual outcome will likely be a bit more dramatic this year if umbrellas are involved--especially if a bird's eye view time lapse is being done again.

         

More than 100,000 people have taken the free ferry over to Governors Island so far this year, up from 56,000 in 2007 and 26,000 in 2006. Today the Times takes a look at the 172-acre island's new-found popularity among everyone from crowd-surfing punks to exuberant swing dancers. If only those groups could one day share the same dance floor!

Yesterday, we noted that two kayakers were rescued from the temporary Brooklyn Bridge waterfalls yesterday afternoon, and now there are some more details: The novice kayakers, in a two-man kayak, had been in a group of kayakers paddling from Governors Island to DUMBO and wanted a closer look at the falls. Their group's leader, Erik Baard, described Bert Rosenblatt and Vladimir Spector as "goofing around."

A new bike sharing program on Governors Island has proven so popular that the DOT is considering ways to implement a similar program throughout the rest of the city. Transportation Alternatives is reporting that since launching “Free Bike Fridays” on June 6th, bike ridership on the island has more than tripled, from 120 daily bike renters to more than 400. On weekends, rentals are available for $5 for 30 minutes, which gives cyclists enough time to pedal the circumference of the island.

This weekend the FIGMENT festival will be inhabiting Governors Island for its 2nd consecutive year. The three day free, non-profit, participatory art celebration is a collaborative effort mainly organized by David Koren and a fleet of volunteers. This week Koren told us about what one can expect on the island this year, the importance of Governors Island, and the mini-golf course they've set up called City of Dreams (named after the Talking Heads song) which he just nearly told David Byrne about.

The New York Times has fever also, featuring an image of the public art project that is set to flow starting tomorrow by 9 a.m. First announced in January, the project, conceived by Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, involves four man-made waterfalls along the shores of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Governors Island: by the Brooklyn anchorage of the Brooklyn Bridge, between Piers 4 and 5 in Brooklyn, in Lower Manhattan at Pier 35, and on the north shore of Governors Island.

Delayed spoiler alert: The photo here from Curbed reveals what Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson’s waterfall looks like on Governor’s Island. One of four on the East River, it’s not supposed to be “officially” turned on until next Thursday. Oh well, now we know. For those keeping score, we've now seen the Manhattan-side Pier 35 waterfall test, and yesterday's test of the Brooklyn waterfall between Piers 4 and 5. That leaves just the waterfall under the Brooklyn Bridge left to spoil! (Send your waterfall test pics to tips(at)gothamist(dot)com or tag them “Gothamist” on Flickr.)

      

Coinciding with the opening of Governor's Island, the Emergence Art Show launched on May 31st; the exhibit is housed in a couple of the abandoned mansions on the island. The summer exhibition includes:

Experimental and participatory art involving more than 30 artists/collectives, with a strong emphasis on audience and artist interaction. Using the theme, "Creative Pioneers in Uncharted Territory," exhibitors will use the context, history, and recent steps towards revitalization, or "emergence," of Governors Island as the source of inspiration and departure for the creation of participatory art exploring the human condition.

REMINDER: Don't forget to check out the World Science Festival, running through Sunday. And David Byrne needs your help Playing the Building.

              

Preliminary work could begin as soon as next month on the ambitious $500 million plan to transform Governors Island into a premiere destination for cyclists, nature lovers, large-scale music concerts and rock climbing. Last December a consortium of five design companies was chosen to turn the flat southern part of the island into an oasis with manmade hills and a shoreline promenade. Ultimately (say, 2013?) 90 acres of parkland will be remade for anyone willing to take the seven minute ferry ride from Lower Manhattan.