AIDS Walk New York 2010
AIDS Walk New York 2010
If you were hanging out around Columbus Circle yesterday, surely you noticed the crowds taking part in the marathon! Wow, the beautiful weather we got to enjoy also contributed to the commendable turnout of the event. According to initial estimates, 45,000 people showed up in Central Park on Sunday for the successful 25th Annual AIDS Walk New York, marking a quarter century of AIDS activism as well as raising funds for tri-state area AIDS service organizations.
The walk, benefiting among others the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) was a 10-kilometer route that started and ended in Central Park. The route went through the west side of the park to exit at 110th, when it headed west to Riverside Park, downtown along the Hudson River, and across the Upper West Side at 85th. Indeed, the impressive, huge and enthusiastic crowd had reason to celebrate – the event generated over $5.7 million in funds towards fighting HIV and AIDS. That’s great, CONGRATULATIONS!
To add more splendor to the event, well-known names from Governor Paterson to Leslie Jordan (My Trip Down the Pink Carpet, Will and Grace), Jai Rodriguez (Queer Eye for the Straight Guy), and Hal Sparks (Queer as Folk) also helped commemorate the event at the post-walk reception. All in all, a big pat on the back to participants for helping such a great cause! GREAT JOB EVERYBODY!!!
Free Events Today on the UWS!
Looking for some fun today in New York? Well, look no more because Columbus Circle Hostel is bringing you a whole list of exciting things and ideas to fill your free time! Check out our suggestions and see if you can squeeze some of them in your busy schedule . And make sure to check back in with the front desk later and let us know how it went! ENJOY!
1. Author Event & Signing at Barnes & Noble
: Jenny Han: It’s Not Summer Without You
In Jenny Han’s follow-up to The Summer I Turned Pretty, Belly finds out what comes after falling in love. This event is in correlation with the Calhoun Bookfair. Come out to support this amazing author and fantastic school.
Thursday May 13, 2010 4:30 PM
Barnes & Noble
Lincoln Triangle
1972 Broadway
212-595-6859
www.bn.com
2. LPA Cinema Screening Series
: Orpheus by Jean Cocteau
Orpheus (1949, 86 min.) Directed by Jean Cocteau, starring Jean Marais and Maria Casarés. This film is the central part of Cocteau’s Orphic Trilogy, which consists of The Blood of a Poet (1930), Orpheus (1949) and Testament of Orpheus (1960). Set in contemporary Paris, the movie is a variation of the classic Greek myth of Orpheus. Themes of the film include the contrast between reality and illusion, between dreams and the waking world. The film also deals with the poet’s preoccupation with death and immortality. The Princess (who is Death) is attracted to Orpheus, and he is attracted to her. The film also centers upon the relationship of Orpheus and Eurydice, and the importance of their commitment to each other. Orpheus and Eurydice are each distracted by the illusion of falling in love with others who do not really exist. They return to everyday reality to realize the importance of the love which they feel for each other. The movie is shown as part of the series Orpheus in Film.
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Bruno Walter Auditorium
Amsterdam Level
6:00 PM
www.nypl.org
3. Social Hour: How to Sketch Central Park
With a natural beauty that inspires, Central Park is any artist’s haven and heaven! Whether you are novice with a new sketchpad or a seasoned artist, consider attending the “How to Sketch Central Park” seminar at 6:30 this evening.
For an hour and a half, the natural science illustrator, Anne Yen, will lead the group through the ins and outs of sketching Central Park. Learn to use your observational skills and the secrets of watercolors. The session will feature an art exhibit, demonstrations and even one-on-one training opportunities.
The event is sponsored by the Central Park Conservancy and is taking place at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center. Most importantly, it is open to all skills levels and will provide the necessary materials 
Sweet! So let’s grab a blanket and have some fun while drawing in the park!
For more information, please call (212) 860-1370.
Charles A. Dana Discovery Center in Central Park
6:30 PM-8:00 PM
www.centralpark.com/events/
4. A Taste of Shakespeare at Lincoln Center!
A Taste of Shakespeare!
Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival
The celebrated Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival offers Atrium audiences a sample of its wares prior to its June opening at the Boscobel House and Gardens in Garrison, NY. This evening features some of the Bard’s villainous tales of betrayal from Troilus and Cressida, his comic battle of the sexes in Taming of the Shrew, and a cutting edge “ad-rap-tation” of The Comedy of Errors in a hip-hop style Bomb-itty of Errors. Oh boy, this is going to be more than fantastic and it’s definitely a MUST-GO-TO event tonight!!!!
Target Free Thursdays
David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center
61 West 62nd Street
8:30 PM
www.new.lincolncenter.org
Self Magazine “Workout in the Park” and Central Park SummerStage Lineup!
Central Park SummerStage Lineup Announced!!!
Welcome Columbus Circle Hostel Guests and every New Yorker looking forward to hear some awesome FREE music this summer in NYC! Sit back and relax because we’re bringing you tons of exciting news today.
Central Park’s Rumsey Playfield, namely home of the SummerStage (mid-park near 69th), recently started to gear up the outdoor venue for a lineup of music and entertainment this summer. Crews have been working on getting the stage ready and another proof that the lineup is about to kick off soon is that the SummerStage 2010 schedule went live this week. Boy, have you guys also been waiting for that as much as we have over here at CC Hostel?
Apart from the Rumsey events like this Saturday’s Self Magazine “Workout in the Park”, a series of FREE shows is also set to start in a few weeks. Tomorrow, for example, women get the chance to come to Central Park to experience electrifying workouts, indulgent beauty and style consultations, gourmet delights and more. The event takes place from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm and includes a series of fun exercise classes like Cardio Tai Box, Urban Rebounding (using mini trampolines), and Fat Burning Pilates. The feature of the New York City event is a Yogalosophy class by celebrity yoga trainer Mandy Ingber. So go ahead ladies, head out to Central Park’s Rumsey Playfield after breakfast tomorrow (near 69th) and learn the favorite yoga moves of some of Mandy’s celebrity clients like Jennifer Aniston .Who knows, maybe you’ll stumble upon one or two celebrities in the park – they looove working out there! The $20 ticket price includes admission to any of the classes, beauty and nutrition consultations, pampering, giveaways, and a one-year subscription to Self Magazine now that’s a great deal, wouldn’t you agree?!
The official season of free SummerStage shows begins on June 1st with Melody Gardot and the New York Pops, and continues through September 26th with “A Celebration of Gypsy Music from Turkey, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Romania.”
In addition to the lineup of free shows, a series of benefit concerts is scheduled as well, each of them put on to support the free shows throughout the year.
Take a look below and you’ll see that this year’s schedule seems extremely promising and several great concerts should be highlighted already!So, the first “rock” show happens at Central Park on Saturday, June 5th with Living Colour, Ebony Bones!, Pillow Theory and CX KiDTRONiK. Baaba Maal, who just played at Irving Plaza, will be at Central Park too on Monday, June 14th. The Tinariwen show on Saturday, June 26th also features Syrian beat & mikeman Omar Souleyman. Gil Scott-Heron plays there in June and Marcus Garvey Park in August.
But hey, there’s way more to come! We’ll enjoy the sounds by El Guincho, Bostich and Fussible and others in Central Park on July 7th. The reggae legend Jimmy Cliff will play on Sunday, July 11th. Raphael Saadiq performs there Saturday, July 17 at 3pm. The Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba/Fool’s Gold show on Sunday, July 25th will also feature “West African electronica” band Burkina Electric – we can’t wait to see that!
On Wednesday, July 21st, there’ll be a Comedy Central’s The Daily Show and Friends Central Park gig hosted by Lewis Black with John Oliver, Rob Riggle, Wyatt Cenac, Adam Lowitt and Rory Albanese.
There’s also music from St. Vincent, Tune-Yards and Basia Bulat on August 1st at Central Park. The xx play with Jack Penate and Chairlift on August 8th. At the same spot whereas Public Enemy play an August 15th day show to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Fear of A Black Planet, and the Specials play on August 22nd with Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears and $mall ¢hange.
But let’s not forget that the SummerStage doesn’t mean great music and concerts at Central Park! The festival is spread around the city and the borough-wide shows take off with Jay Electronica in Red Hook Park on June 1st. Also at that park is Dan Deacon on Tuesday, June 15th. White Rabbits play East River Park on August 12th.
There’s lots of great jazz too: McCoy Tyner plays with Ravi Coltrane, Esperanza Spalding and Francisco Mela as part of the CareFusion Jazz Festival on June 23rd. He also plays in the Charlie Parker Jazz Fest, which comes at the end of the summer with an incredible lineup. McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Scott, Jason Moran and the Bandwagon and Revive da Live play during the day at Marcus Garvey on Saturday, August 28th. Then the next day, James Moody, Catherine Russell, Vijay Iyer and The JD Allen Trio play at Tompkins Square Park.
One more thing we over here at CCH are particularly excited about is that the park benefit shows include John Butler Trio (sweet! they’re from Australia as you may know and Ashleigh, everybody’s favorite front desk staff member, the one and only sexy blonde is as a matter of fact from Down Under and State Radio on June 15th (tickets on sale already!), The Flaming Lips on July 26th, The Black Keys (YAY!) with the Morning Benders on July 27th and 28th, Hot Chip/Hercules & Love Affair/Holy Ghost on August 4th, Govt’ Mule on August 11th, and one of the four Pavement shows September 21-24. Not to mention the fact that there’s a “Songbook of Simon & Garfunkel” benefit on June 8th!!!
WOW, what a great summer we are going to enjoy here in New York City!!!
Click here for a complete lineup of Central Park’s SummerStage,
or check out more info on the SummerStage press release or Brooklyn Vegan.
Tuesday, June 1st: Melody Gardot and The New York Pops
Saturday, June 5th: Living Colour, Ebony Bones!, Pillow Theory and CX KiDTRONiK: 25th Anniv. of Black Rock Coalition
Sunday, June 6th: Los Van Van, Jose Conde and A DJ Tribute to Fania Records with DJ Bobbito, DJ Laylo and DJ SAKE-1
Tuesday, June 8th: Benefit Show: The 25th Anniversary SummerStage Gala
Saturday, June 12th: The 8th Annual Cine Fest Petrobras Brasil Screening Oscar Niemeyer – Life Is A Breath of Air Live Performances from Maria Gadu and Os Paralamas Do Sucesso
Monday, June 14th: Baaba Maal and Playing for Change
Tuesday, June 15th: Benefit Show: John Butler Trio and State Radio
Saturday, June 19th: NYCPride Rally featuring Me’shell Ndegeocello, Martha Wash NY Gay Men’s Chorus, Vickie Shaw, Billie Myers and Bruce Vilanch
Sunday, June 20th: Salif Keita, Tabou Combo and Lo’Jo
Wednesday, June 23rd: George Wein’s Carefusion Jazz Festival: McCoy Tyner Quartet with Ravi Coltrane, Esperanza Spalding and Francisco Mela The Stanley Clarke Band with Hiromi
Saturday, June 26th: Tinariwen, Omar Souleyman and Toubab Krewe
Sunday, June 27th: Gil Scott-Heron
Tuesday, June 29th: Definitely Poetry: Daniel Bernard Roumain with Emeline Michel, Erol Josué and the poets of Cave Canem
Wednesday, June 30th: Nuyorican Poets Cafe
Saturday, July 3rd: Istanbulive II: The Sounds of Turkey with Kenan Dogulu, mor ve otesi and Ilhan Ersahin’s Istanbul Sessions with Burhan Ocal and Tulug Tirpan, Sukriye Tutkun and DJ Salih Saka
Wednesday, July 7th: Nortec Collective Presents: Bostich and Fussible, El Guincho and Anita Tijoux
Saturday, July 10th: Profitas, Maldita Vecindad and The Pinker Tones
Sunday, July 11th: Jimmy Cliff, Trevor Hall and Victor Démé
Saturday, July 17th: Raphael Saadiq
Sunday, July 18th: Family Day featuring Ralph’s World, Bethany and Rufus and Cirquetacular
Wednesday, July 21st: Comedy Central Park The Daily Show and Friends Hosted by Lewis Black with John Oliver, Rob Riggle, Wyatt Cenac, Adam Lowitt and Rory Albanese
Friday, July 23rd and Saturday, July 24th: The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Sunday, July 25th: Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba, Burkina Electric, Fool’s Gold and DJ Frank of Voodoo Funk
Monday, July 26th: Benefit Show: The Flaming Lips
Tuesday, July 27th and Wednesday, July 28th: Benefit Shows: The Black Keys and The Morning Benders
Saturday, July 31st: Jovanotti, Los Amigos Invisibles and Natalie Lafourcade
Sunday, August 1st: St. Vincent, tUnE-yArDs and Basia Bulat
Wednesday, August 4th: Benefit Show: Hot Chip, Hercules and Love Affair and Holy Ghost!
Saturday, August 7th: The Clark Sisters & Kierra Kiki Sheard
Sunday, August 8th: The xx, Chairlift and Jack Peñate
Tuesday, August 10th: Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Dancin’ Downtown Concert Winners
Wednesday, August 11th: Benefit Show: Gov’t Mule
Saturday, August 14th: Bachata Fest featuring Andy Andy, Luis Miguel de la Amargue, Elvis Martinez and Alexandria
Sunday, August 15th: Public Enemy with 7th Octave and Blitz the Ambassador
Saturday, August 21st: Chrisette Michele, Mario and Tamia
Sunday, August 22nd: The Specials – 30th Anniversary Tour with Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears and $mall ¢hange
Tuesday, September 21st: Benefit Show: Pavement
Sunday, September 26th: The Black Sea Roma Festival featuring Mahala Rai Banda, Técsöi Banda Selim Sesler & The NY Gypsy All-Stars and The Yuri Yunakov Ensemble
NY Essentials & Basics – Part Deux
Hi there CC Hostel Guests, New York Visitors and Travelers at large! Just as we promised earlier we’re bringing you PART DEUX of our “New York Essentials and Basics” to help you plan your trip to the Big Apple, get the most out of it at the cheapest cost! So let’s continue, shall we?
The BEST OF NYC’s SUMMER CONCERTS AND FILM SERIES
Here are links to the official sites for New York City’s summer concerts, free outdoor film series and music and theater festivals.
Central Park Summerstage
Shakespeare in the Park
Broadway Under the Stars
Naumburg Orchestral Concerts
Movies with a View at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Rumsey Playfield, Central Park
Harlem Meer Performance Festival
NY Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks
Lincoln Center Out of Doors
Free for All at Town Hall
JVC Jazz Festival
Washington Square Music Festival
River to River
East River Music Project
Seaport Music Festival
SpiegelWorld
Governors Island Concert Series
Folks on the Island
Governors Island
Celebrate Brooklyn
Met Opera Summer Concert
McCarren Park Pool
Siren Festival
Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
Bryant Park Film Festival
Broadway in Bryant Park
Piano in the Park, Bryant Park
Music at 5 in Bryant Park
Good Morning America Summer Concerts
Today Show concert series
Wave Hill concerts
Riverside Park RCTA Sunset Concert Series
Stars in the Alley
Classical Theatre of Harlem parks productions
Shakespeare in the Parking Lot
Rooftop Films
Turntables on the Hudson
TheaterWorks USA
Film Festival Theater Festival
J&R’s Summerfest
Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series
Seaside Summer Concert Series
Madison Square Park free Wednesday concerts
Forest Hills Jazz Thursdays
Baked Summer Concert Series
Music in Abe Lebewohl Park
Brooklyn Central Library free concerts
Poppenhusen Institute Concert Series
Hot Jazz/Cool Garden at Louis Armstrong House Museum
CityParks Concerts
Charlie Parker Jazz Festival
Opera on Tap
Snug Harbor Friday Night Movies
Brooklyn Independent Cinema Series
The Classical Theatre of Harlem
Gorilla Repertory Theater at the Cloisters
New York Grand Opera Company
Union Square Summer in the Square
Pedals & Pumps: A Festival of Organ Divas
MoMA Thursday Nights
All Points West
Central Park Guided Tour, Saturday, March 13
Hello Columbus Circle Hostel Guests and New York visitors! Have you made plans for Saturday yet? Well, we have one idea you should definitely consider if you haven’t done so already. How about take advantage of the weather (we’re optimistic enough to risk a statement that the winter is officially gone!) and spend a nice, relaxing afternoon in Central Park before you hit Broadway and bars later that evening?
As you know we’re a 2-minute walk from the famous park and we don’t think any of you could deny its amazing appeal. Not only is it huge (843 acres to be exact!), but there’s so much to see, all these beautiful sights along miles of paths, lakes, bridges, monuments, squirrels, horses and what not. Not the mention the bonus of getting some fresh air and ventilating your tired and oxygen-deprived brain cells.
If you feel slightly intimidated by the size of this gorgeous urban park and are not sure how to go about your stroll, we suggest deciding on one the many free walking tours organized by the Central Park Conservancy. The tours are led by experienced and knowledgeable guides all year long – rain or shine! (If you’re with group of 7 or more, make sure to call 212 360-2726 to schedule a custom tour). In March for instance, the tours are taking place on Sundays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (for exact schedule and more detailed information visit www.centralparknyc.org/walkingtours).
This Saturday, March 13, the Conservancy offers 3 tours to choose from:
12pm – VIEWS FROM THE PAST
As you promenade through the heart of Central Park, imagine living in 19th-century New York City. Learn about the Park’s history and hear how its designers, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, struggled to make their vision our reality.
Start: outside the Dairy Gift Shop, mid-Park at 65th Street. (212-794-4064)
1pm – CROSS-PARK PROMENADE
You will see many surprises: a hidden bench that tells time, miniature boats powered by the wind, a magnificent sculpture celebrating fresh water. These are just some of the sites on this east-to-west walk through the Park.
Start: Fifth Avenue and 72nd Street, in front of the statue of Samuel F.B. Morse. (212-772-0210)
2pm – AMBLE THROUGH THE RAMBLE
Pass over streams, under arches, and through the woods along a maze of pathways in this secluded 38-acre woodland respite.
Start: Belvedere Castle, mid-Park at 79th Street. (212-772-0210)
To make your walk more enjoyable and an extra energy boost, grab some cotton candy or roasted nuts from one of the street vendors. Have fun and let us know how you liked the tour!
