How to Support the Arts by Leaving NYC

I have a terrible inability to plan for trips or vacation in advance. Moreover, because of the recession, my purse strings are pretty much as tight as they can get. These two facts have led me to organize smaller, last-minute day trips out of New York City. Below are seven public-transit-accessible day trips [...]

Free Eco Arts and Crafts for Kids

Check out the free environmental Kid’s Corner arts and crafts activities at Habana Outpost this summer, courtesy of Green Brooklyn:
May 30 & 31 – Composting w/ Elsa
Everybody knows kids & dirt go together like peas & carrots … and this week’s Kid’s Corner is an excuse to mix them all together!  Kids will learn about [...]

Fly a Kite to Benefit Architecture for Humanity

Between the summer-blue sky and the “Air Force One photo op,” I’ve been directing my gaze up at the skyline more often these days. On May 9, I’ll be even more excited to crane my neck: an international kite design competition is coming to Riverside Park!
FlyNY invites architects, engineers, artists, designers, and children to construct [...]

News Roundup: Free Museums, Green Jobs, etc.

News from the past week:

Free Museums Welcome the Littlest Learners (City Limits)
Seeing Green: New Jobs Lead to New Visions (City Limits)
More Than Blackboards on the Walls (City Room)
Ask About New York City’s Community Murals (City Room)
Vacancy Decontrol Is Hurting New York’s Immigrant Communities (RaceWire)
Sickness and Health in East Harlem (RaceWire)
Green way to create jobs, save [...]

Good in the Hood: Williamsburg, Brooklyn

The neighborhood of Williamsburg resides on the east bank of the East River in north Brooklyn. It’s connected to Manhattan by the L, J, M and (soon to be defunct) Z subway lines as well as the over-100-year-old Williamsburg Bridge. Around the time the bridge was built, the neighborhood was an industrial center pocketed [...]

The Monster Mash

When I was young, the movie Pet Sematary was the cause for a lot of sleepless nights. The plot involved an ancient Native American burial ground gone evil, as those who were buried on its soil came back to life with a vengeance. The movie had all the elements to frighten a young child: spooky [...]

From Rags to Reuse: The Take a Seat Project

I’m standing on the subway platform anxiously waiting for the C train to arrive for at least 30 minutes, and my legs start to give. Tired after a long day and a late night out, I just can’t do it anymore. But the already sparse seats are taken. I look around at my options: squat [...]

What Does Democracy Mean to You?

With the presidential election only six weeks away, it would be an understatement to say tension between the two opposing camps is high. The competition is fierce – and often ugly. I don’t think there will be another time when you can Google the words “moose” and “lipstick” in the same search and receive hundreds [...]

Insert Inspiration Here

Everyday a jogger runs near the FDR and sees a sign that depicts a monorail in place of a highway, with the words “insert alternative transportation here” next to it. The small sign and the boldness of its proposition provide him with daily inspiration. This story thrills Eve Mosher, the artist behind Insert___Here, a [...]

Politics, Art and More at The Tank

Have you ever been to The Tank? If not, you should really find a reason to go! Currently housed at Downtown Community Television (DCTV), the Tank’s mission is to “provide a welcoming, creative, collaborative, and affordable environment for artists and activists engaged in the pursuit of new ideas.”
In addition to innovative arts performances, they have [...]