Author: Site Adminstrator
NYC pool and beach season might be extended into the fall
Imagine having access to NYC’s pools for an additional two months!
Last week, City Councilman Shekar Krishnan introduced a new bill that would keep NYC public outdoor pools and beaches open from the second Saturday in May through the second Sunday in October from 8am to 8pm daily. If turned into law, the new guidelines would extend the city’s access to water-adjacent destinations by two months.
To put things in perspective, currently, beaches are open daily from 10am to 6pm starting Memorial Day weekend in May through the Sunday after Labor Day in September. The outdoor pool season, on the other hand, kicks off towards the end of June and wraps up in September, with access given to the public between 11am and 3pm and then again 4pm to 7pm daily.
When presenting his proposal, Krishan specifically mentioned that the effort would come hand-in-hand with other similar ones, including access to funding that would allow the city to offer even more people the free swimming lessons that were part of a previously passed legislative package.
Don’t get too excited about the possibility of playing around in the ocean come October any time soon, though: according to the New York Post, NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue made clear that moving forward with the suggestions would probably be too complicated at the moment.
“We are very proud of our extensive lifeguard recruitment efforts,” she said during a hearing last week, referring to the much-chronicled shortage of lifeguards in the area. “But the stark reality is that we still face a very challenging environment for hiring, which means that the expansion of the beach and pool season and operating hours proposed by the legislation is unlikely to be feasible any time in the foreseeable near future.”
Looking for ways to be part of a possible solution? Check out our guide to becoming a lifeguard at a NYC public pool or beach.
Exclusive: John Fraser opens Bar Tontine rooftop at The Wall Street Hotel
The best rooftop bars in NYC is getting a new entry from a very reliable source: Chef John Fraser, who earned a Michelin star for Dovetail and another for Nix, is behind Bar Tontine, a new “rooftop terrace experience” debuting at The Wall Street Hotel. (The chef also oversees operations at the hotel’s other food-and-drink concepts, including La Marchande and Lounge on Pearl.)
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Opening to the public on Saturday, May 11, the bar and lounge will occupy the 15th floor of the luxury Financial District hotel, offering unparalleled views of the skyline and the East River via a 180-degree wraparound terrace and al fresco seating. Outside may be all New York but the interiors draw inspiration from Paris—the Maison de Verre (“House of Glass”) specifically—with artisan-made glass panels, ebonized wood accents and lush, tropical greenery throughout.
And things will be similarly French accented on the food and drink menu. To kick off rooftop season, the bar concept has partnered with La Fête du Rosé and Fever-Tree on “refreshing cocktails that taste like summer in the South of France” as well as a variety of hand-selected French wines by the glass and bottle, says Amy Racine, Beverage Director and Partner of JF Restaurants. Guests can build their own sparkling cocktails with their favorite spirit, Fever-Tree mixers and an array of garnishes, or pick from the cocktail menu, which includes signature quaffs like the Fête Tropez (Milagro Blanco Tequila, Fête du Rosé, watermelon and grapefruit), and Cherie Amore (The Botanist Gin, lemon, sparkling rosé and Chambord foam).
Among the “elevated snacking items,” you’ll find a selection of freshly shucked oysters, meatballs with rosé marmalade, sausage-stuffed cremini mushrooms, crudité and charcuterie to complement the beverage offerings.
“With The Wall Street Hotel’s sleek design and our refined approach to French bar food, we want patrons of Bar Tontine to feel completely immersed in laid-back luxury,” says Fraser. “We’ve meticulously crafted every aspect of this concept to provide our guests with an elevated escape from the bustling streets below.
Bar Tontine will be open Wednesdays through Fridays from 4pm to 10pm, and Saturdays from 1pm to 10pm. Reservations will be available for indoor table service via Resy; walk-ins will be accepted at the bar and outdoor terrace on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Check out photos of the Bar Tontine space, as well as its food-and-drink offerings, below:
