In New York City, a beach day isn’t quite as simple as baking in the sun for a few hours. In addition to a lengthy commute, strategic planning, and testy weather conditions, a New York beach day typically becomes more about the full experience than relaxing under an umbrella all day.

If your go-to New York City beach is Coney Island, your day revolves around must-haves like a Nathan’s hot dog, an arcade game or two, squeezing in a Cyclones game, and a long, cinematic train ride to the very end of the line. 

Which of these essentials do you hit up before the day is over?

RECOMMENDED: The best things to do at Coney Island

1. A movie montage moment on the train ride there

Similar to an airport, time doesn’t exist when you commit to the long train ride to Coney Island at the end of an MTA line. At the beginning of your journey, settle into a corner seat with appropriate tunes and remember to stare wistfully out the window once you’ve hit the overground tracks. Expect to experience some emotional catharsis about fleeting time, mortality, or what you’re having for lunch as the train fills and then empties several times before you reach the beach.

2. A moment to breathe in salty air upon your arrival

Brooklyn beach air isn’t going to be as crisp and soothing as what you’ll find in the traditional beach town. You might have traveled to what feels like the outskirts of the world, but that thick summer air with a tinge of rotting garbage is inescapable. However, emerging from the subway and finally reaching the Coney Island boardwalk still calls for a medicinal inhale of a beachy breeze.

3. Debating whether to even sit on the sand and go in the ocean

Coney Island isn’t exactly the go-to choice when you actually want to make the best of the sun and the surf on your beach day. The sand is typically overcrowded, and the waves are rarely that perfect temperature tempting you into a soak. You may lay out your towel for a good half hour before nearby kids begin shoveling sand in your direction or a group’s marijuana smoke drifts too close for your liking. Walk along the shore to disassociate and then relocate further down to Brighton Beach territory if the blend of tourists, local beachgoers, and any and all smells is a little too much.

4. A long wait for lunch at Nathan’s

Whether you line up at the Nathan’s on the boardwalk or the one out on the street, stubbornly waiting way too long for a hot dog with the works and a helpful serving of French fries is a must. The waiting process isn’t a relaxing one, so make the best of it by people-watching around you. Once you have your ideal summer comfort food and a seat with a view of the ocean, the wait will feel worth it.

5. Taking in a Brooklyn Cyclones game

Tucked behind Coney Island’s Luna Park is the minor league baseball stadium that the Brooklyn Cyclones call home. An affiliate of the New York Mets, the Cyclones provide just as much beer, balls, and high spirits as a day at Citi Field would but on a cheaper budget.

6. Daring each other to ride the questionable roller coaster

The Coney Island Cyclone roller coaster is one of the steepest wooden coasters in the world, and when you also consider it’s almost a century old, riding it may require nerves of steel. You and your friends may do a few laps around the amusement park and wonder if this is the time you finally join the Cyclone line. But if you had one hot dog too many, enjoying a tamer ride or just sticking to solid ground might be the safer route.

7. Walking to the end of the pier for sunset photos

There’s no better way to end a summer day than by watching the sunset over the ocean. With the glow of the amusement park rides behind you, walk towards the end of the pier stretching over the water as the light begins to fade. Expect several strangers to ask you to take their photo as you internally panic about missing the best of golden hour. When it’s finally your turn to step into the frame, any frizzy hair or smudged makeup that humidity has caused will look diminished thanks to the sky’s magical array of colors.

8. Having a last-minute indulgence for dessert before the train home

The sun has set, there’s a slight chill in the air, and you’re desperate to shower off the stickiness of sunscreen and sweat. But first, you need something sweet to top off the day, so traipse along the boardwalk one last time for funnel cake, ice cream, or something drenched in chocolate. After you’ve satisfied your sugar craving, it’s time for the train ride back to reality, but Coney Island will always be there for another escape from the summer heat and grime.

* This article was originally published here

WASHINGTON (AP) — A civil rights group is challenging legacy admissions at Harvard University, saying the practice discriminates against students of color by giving an unfair boost to the mostly white children of alumni.

It’s the latest effort in a growing push against legacy admissions, the practice of giving admissions priority to the children of alumni. Backlash against the practice has been building in the wake of last week’s Supreme Court’s decision ending affirmative action in college admissions.

Lawyers for Civil Rights, a nonprofit based in Boston, filed the suit Monday on behalf of Black and Latino community groups in New England, alleging that Harvard’s admissions system violates the Civil Rights Act.

“Why are we rewarding children for privileges and advantages accrued by prior generations?” said Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, the group’s executive director. “Your family’s last name and the size of your bank account are not a measure of merit, and should have no bearing on the college admissions process.”

Opponents say the practice is no longer defensible without affirmative action providing a counterbalance. The court’s ruling says colleges must ignore the race of applicants, activists point out, but schools can still give a boost to the children of alumni and donors.

A separate campaign is urging the alumni of 30 prestigious colleges to withhold donations until their schools end legacy admissions. That initiative, led by Ed Mobilizer, also targets Harvard and other Ivy League schools.

President Joe Biden suggested last week that universities should rethink the practice, saying legacy admissions “expand privilege instead of opportunity.”

Several Democrats in Congress demanded an end to the policy in light of the court’s decision, along with Republicans including Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who is vying for the GOP presidential nomination.

The new lawsuit draws on Harvard data that came to light amid the affirmative action case that landed before the Supreme Court. The records revealed that 70% of Harvard’s donor-related and legacy applicants are white, and being a legacy student makes an applicant roughly six times more likely to be admitted.

It draws attention to other colleges that have abandoned the practice amid questions about its fairness, including Amherst College and Johns Hopkins University.

The suit alleges that Harvard’s legacy preference has nothing to do with merit and takes away slots from qualified students of color. It asks the U.S. Education Department to declare the practice illegal and force Harvard to abandon it as long as the university receives federal funding. Harvard did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

“A spot given to a legacy or donor-related applicant is a spot that becomes unavailable to an applicant who meets the admissions criteria based purely on his or her own merit,” according to the complaint. If legacy and donor preferences were removed, it adds, “more students of color would be admitted to Harvard.”

The suit was filed on behalf of Chica Project, African Community Economic Development of New England, and the Greater Boston Latino Network.

It’s unclear exactly which schools provide a legacy boost and how much it helps. In California, where state law requires schools to disclose the practice, the University of Southern California reported that 14% of last year’s admitted students had family ties to alumni or donors. Stanford reported a similar rate.

An Associated Press survey of the nation’s most selective colleges last year found that legacy students in the freshman class ranged from 4% to 23%. At four schools — Notre Dame, USC, Cornell and Dartmouth — legacy students outnumbered Black students.

Supporters of the policy say it builds an alumni community and encourages donations. A 2022 study of an undisclosed college in the Northeast found that legacy students were more likely to make donations, but at a cost to diversity — the vast majority were white.

___

The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The post Activists spurred by affirmative action ruling sue Harvard over legacy admissions appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here

If you’re a gamer, or just a nostalgic millennial, you’ve likely been all over the news of the world’s largest, playable Donkey Kong arcade game arriving at Rochester’s Strong National Museum of Play, but this ultimate gaming and play haven is now offering even more fun!

That’s because the museum has officially unveiled its highly anticipated 90,000-square-foot-expansion–and the larger than life Donkey Kong game (which stands nearly 20-feet tall and is 370% bigger than the arcade game’s original version) isn’t even half of it.

The new expansion includes one-of-a-kind exhibits dedicated to electronic games, a World Video Game Hall of Fame, a larger-than-life board game themed outdoor park, and more! Highlights include:

• ESL Digital Worlds – a 24,000-square-foot exhibit dedicated to the history and artistry of electronic games
• Hasbro Game Place – a 17,000-square-foot exhibit featuring larger-than-life landscapes inspired by classic Hasbro board games, including an 18-foot fire breathing dragon from Dungeons & Dragons, giant Scrabble tiles, Candy Land’s Forrest of Candy Canes, and more
• Hasbro Game Park – a 1,000-square-foot interactive indoor exhibit celebrating gameplay and the social impact of board games

In addition to the new exhibits, The Strong’s expansion also features a welcome atrium and gift shop, so you can take a piece of the fun home with you.

The museum is the only collections-based museum in the world devoted solely to play, blending the best of history museums and children’s museums to explore the ways in which play encourages learning, creativity, and discovery.

With the newly opened exhibits, the museum expects to welcome nearly one million visitors by 2026.

“We are thrilled to commemorate the successful grand opening of The Strong’s new expansion,” said Steve Dubnik, president & CEO of The Strong. “With the introduction of our interactive exhibits and unique experiences…we hope to continue to inspire and educate through the rich tapestry of play’s history and exploration.”

The museum is located at 1 Manhattan Square Drive in Rochester–just under a 6 hour drive from NYC. It’s open open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and until 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Learn more on their website here.

The post Play A 20-Foot DK Arcade Game, Explore A Forest Of Candy Canes, & More At This NY Museum appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here