It’s been a busy playoff season for New York sports fans: alas, though the Knicks’ NBA Finals hopes came to an end earlier this month when the Indiana Pacers knocked them out in the second round of the playoffs, the New York Rangers are still making the city proud in their quest for their Stanley Cup. (They’ll next hit the ice in the NHL playoffs tomorrow opposite the Florida Panthers.) And, in perfect timing, a duo of brand-new rooftop bars has just opened near Madison Square Garden, in case fans need to drown their athletic sorrows or cheers their team’s victory. 

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At 1 Pennsylvania Plaza, Avenida is doling out vibrant Mexican dishes (pork belly tostadas, Juarez-style burritos, shrimp ceviche with citrus cuvee), freshly squeezed margaritas (classic, spicy, frozen) and more, all of which can now be enjoyed al fresco at the restaurant’s recently unveiled rooftop space. (Just look for those bright yellow umbrellas across from MSG!) The high-energy eatery, which debuted earlier this spring, also offers several great pre-game options during happy hour, held daily between 11am and 6pm: think $12 margaritas and sangria, $7 Modelo cervezas or shareable five-beer buckets for $32, with your choice of Michelob Ultra, Monopolio, Tecate, Corona, Corona Light and Negra Modelo. 

And The Rutherford, an elevated sports pub located nearby at West 33rd Street and Eighth Avenue, has also expanded its seating with its own outdoor rooftop area, primed and ready for pre-rink drinks or simply a warm summer evening. Along with its regular menu of bar bites like hoisin garlic wings, fully loaded nachos, a double-patty Smashburger and more, The Rutherford also has numerous happy hour specials itself, including $7 brewskis (Guinness, Stella, seasonal IPA), $10 wines and $12 cocktails such as a Pornstar Martini and stone fruit-flavored Old Fashioned.

* This article was originally published here

Summer in the subway system is hot, but it’s about to get a lot cooler—the Whitney Museum of American Art is bringing large-scale artworks to certain stations around NYC.

Celebrating its Biennial, the Whitney teamed up with the MTA to put up vinyl installations of artworks by former and current Biennial artists—including Roy Lichtenstein, Jane Dickson, Dawoud Bey, Alex Katz, and Eamon Ore-Giron—on the facades of former retail spaces on three subway station platforms: West Fourth Street, Jay Street, and Fordham Road.

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Alongside this subway takeover, the Whitney has also created a digital map where you can see the Biennial’s history, which spans from 1932, and shows “then and now” photos from the ’30s and current day, including a comparison of Biennial artist Jane Dickson’s 1983 work “Dobbs Hats” to today in Times Square.

Others include:

• George C. Ault, “Hudson Street” (northwest view of Hudson and Gansevoort Streets). This work is in the Whitney’s collection and is currently on view on the seventh floor.
• Francis Criss, “Astor Place” (south-facing view of E 9th St and Lafayette Street). This work is in the Whitney’s collection.
• David Morrison, “Union Square” (northeast view of 14th St and Broadway).
• John Cunning, “Sunset, New York Bay”(southwest view from 110 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn)
• Kenneth Frazier, “The Leviathan Goes to Sea”(southwest view from Broadway and Exchange Place) 
• Edward Laning, “Fourteenth Street” (east-facing view of 14th St at Sixth Avenue). This work is in the Whitney’s collection.
• Biennial artist Jane Dickson, “Dobbs Hats” (8th Ave between 42nd and 43rd, SW view) this work is in the Whitney’s collection.

To celebrate, the MTA and the Whitney are hosting art projects in subway stations and other cultural institutions nearby public transportation all summer long, starting at Union Square station on June 1. From 10:30am to 2pm or until supplies last, Whitney educators will walk people through a project inspired by artist Ruth Asawa (who was in three Whitney Biennials) to decorate Whitney tote bags with fruits and vegetables.

Other dates include

• June 29 at the New York Botanical Gardens (an institution accessible by subway and
  Metro-North that inspired Whitney Biennial artist Joseph Stella)
• July 27 at the New York Transit Museum
• and later this summer (TBA) at the Hudson Yards subway station

* This article was originally published here

If you think the trains in our subway system are outdated, wait until you see these vintage subway cars.

The New York Transit Museum is bringing back Summer Nostalgia Rides this summer, giving New Yorkers the chance to hop aboard trains that were in operation over 100 years ago. 

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In total, two Nostalgia Rides will take New Yorkers straight to the beach this summer. 

A route on Saturday, July 20, will depart from 96th Street-Second Avenue Station at 10am and head towards Coney Island on an R 1-9 vintage train from the 1930s. That ride will take approximately two hours and, once in Coney Island, you will be able to take advantage of the many things to do there, like going for a dip at the beach, riding old rollercoasters or seeing the many sea critters at the New York Aquarium. If you want to go back home on the vintage train, make sure to catch it at 4pm when it leaves from Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue to head back towards 96th Street.

Your other chance to catch a vintage train will be on August 11, when another R 1-9 will be taking a trip from 96th Street to Rockaway Park-Beach 116th Street in Queens departing at 10am. That ride will last anywhere between 60 and 90 minutes and will leave the Rockaways at 3pm to head back to Manhattan. If you’re planning to spend the whole day at the Rockaways, make sure to check out our guide on what to eat while you’re there. 

Tickets to the vintage train are $60 for adults and $40 for children. Transit Museum members get a $10 discount. You can snag tickets now on the Transit Museum’s website. 

* This article was originally published here

Just about a year ago, smoke from wildfires in Quebec reached New York City, turning our sky an eerie orange and severely impacting the local air quality. When that happened, New Yorkers were quick to criticize the local government’s response to the issues, specifically arguing that Mayor Eric Adams did not do much to protect the elderly and those suffering from asthma and related maladies.

This year, though, things will be different: given the unfortunate regularity of forest fires in Canada, local officials have set up a plan to deal with potential smoke-related problems more efficiently. 

“It looks like there are a lot of very dry areas of Canada right now,” said Zach Iscol, the Commissioner of New York City Emergency Management, in an official statement earlier this week. “That can lead to increased amounts of smoke when you have those types of wildfires.”

Here is the list of the various measures that local officials have put into place to deal with the potentially hazardous situation:

– Distribution of free face masks when air quality issues become apparent.

– During a press conference, Adams announced the installation of a number of cooling centers all around the city that will open as soon as next week. This interactive map will highlight which destinations are open at any given moment.

– The launch of a new technology that will automatically alert schools and outdoor event organizers about dangerous changes in air quality. The new system will supposedly also notify the public about the conditions, urging folks to wear face masks.

* This article was originally published here