#24 Ignite the Night

Pier 81 NYC

Where on earth does time go? It seems as if I made my summer to do list just yesterday and it’s already July 23^rd?! If only I could be carefree, rich and not have to work all summer long…

…I know, I know, enough dreamin’…back to reality.

To back track a little bit, we probably can all agree that my list is a little lengthy at best, and though I’ve been out and about, I honestly haven’t tackled too much of the now semi infamous summer to-do list. That being said, I was able to score tickets to the July Fourth Freedom Fest 2012 at Pier 81. This pier party on the Hudson River was located at West 42^nd Street and West Side Highway and gave me the awesome opportunity to view the Macy’s 4^th of July Fireworks Spectacular up close and personal.

Macy’s dubbed the theme of the evening “Ignite the Night” and it’s name without a doubt proved to be true. Over 40,000 fireworks erupted off of four barges for about a half hour of giant booms and bangs. I’ve never once stayed in the city for the 4^th, typically spending the day at the beach or a BBQ, but given the midweek celebration this year and my lack of time off from work, staying in the city made the most sense. I’m really happy I did too because seeing something I’m used to watching only from a television screen has it’s perks. Although the beautiful fireworks covered approximately two miles of sky, I have to bashfully admit that I thought it would seem more grandiose than it actually was. Don’t get me wrong, who had it better than me with my up close and personal view and all, but the view definitely seems a lot larger on television. Nevertheless it was a fabulous New York City experience that one doesn’t get to do every day, and I highly recommend seeing these fireworks in person one year if you can. 

Where in the World?...

View from Belvedere Castle, Central Park

Freedom Tower

Central Park Conservatory Garden

One of the many perks of teaching is the fact that we don’t actually have to do any teaching during the summer. As many teachers do, I had a countdown to summer in my classroom this year, excited to embark on a new adventure.

Though I have been so lucky to have two amazing opportunities the past two summers, this summer (sadly) I am not traveling to a far off destination to teach. In fact I’m not actually traveling anywhere to teach. So how does one continue to keep their annual Tales of the Traveling Teacher summer blog afloat if they’re not traveling? I’ve pondered this question for some time now and have concluded that being the writer at heart that I am, I can make this work.

So today I bring you the Tales of the Traveling Teacher 3.0 NYC Summer Edition. This summer, I am teaching at a summer camp in Queens and plan on exploring more of what this abundant city has to offer. Even though I have lived in NYC for almost three years, there are still SO MANY places I have yet to “travel” to. I have compiled a list of places I want to go, and things I want to do within the 5 boroughs (and some parts of Long Island too). 

I give you my Tales of the Traveling Teacher Summer 2012 “To-Do” List:

(In no particular order)

1. See an outdoor movie in Bryant Park

2. Have a picnic in Sheep’s Meadow Central Park

3. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge

4. Attend a free concert in central park

5. Eat outside as much as possible

6. Go to the Luna Park at Coney Island

7. Make it to the top of the Empire State Building or Rockefeller Plaza

8. Enjoy a “rocket fuel” on Fire Island

9. Surf Shack in West Hampton

10. Sunday Funday at the Boardy Barn

11. Wednesday night free concert in Madison Square Park

12. See what all the hype about Shake Shack is about

13. Go to Brooklyn Brewery and Brooklyn Bowl

14. Free concert in Prospect Park or Williamsburg Park

15. Visit the World Trade Center Memorial

16. Take a boat to the Statue of liberty

17. Take a sailing lesson in Battery Park

18. Beekman Beer Garden Beach Club- South Street Seaport

19. Go to MOMA for Warhol and The MET for Monet

20. Shakespeare in the park- Delacorte Theatre

21. Stargazing on the High Line

22. Bronx Zoo

23. See the Bronx Bombers at a Yankee Game

As ambitious as this list may be, I hope to accomplish most of it within the next two months. If you have any other suggestions, let me know and I’ll add them to the always-growing list. And if you were interested in completing some of these tasks with me…well that would be fun too. I’m sure I’ll be discovering a lot more of this amazing city and a little bit more about myself in the process too.

Here we go…