Summertime in New York

If it is cool outside, there is nothing better than an outdoor cafe or bar. This is where all of NY gathers to enjoy the summer and show off their skin and suntan. Plus the city offers lots of free activities - the Monday night movies at Bryant Park, The NY Philharmonic in Central Park, concerts, opera, jazz festivals, street fairs and more.

Quick Tips:

Pick up the Village Voice or Time out NY to find out all the happenings for the week. Maybe you'll find a walking tour of the lower east side or a poetry reading. If it's music you dig, check out any of the hundreds of clubs and bars featuring live bands or musicians.

Best Way To Get Around:

Subway or bus is always the best way to navigate the big city. You can pick up a map from any station and with a metrocard you can transfer from bus to subway or bus to bus or subway to bus as long as it is within 2 hours. And most people in NY are more than willing to help you out if you just ask. We don't bite - really!

According to Zagats, it is the top-rated restaurant in New York - and for good reason. With the ability to be romantic or good for a group, Union Square Cafe is a restaurant fit for anyone. Service is impeccable and the atmosphere is low-key and elegant at the same time. And the food! We opted to skip appetizers in order to save room for dessert. My Filet Mignon of tuna, seared with wasabi mashed potatoes was out of this world. According to my beloved, his duck was 'gorgeous.' They don't rush you and even brought me samples of wine to taste before I made my choice. The desserts are extravegant so I opted to be good and have sorbet - three lovely flavors and Dave had ice cream, home made. Yes it is pricey, but as a once in a while treat, or special occasion, completely worth it.

Luna Park is a completely outdoor bar in the middle of Union Square. Lit with white Christmas lights strung all around it attracts 20-somethings from all over - especially the upper east side. Thursday nights are the time to go but get there early or you could end up waiting in line for 20-30 minutes. There are large stone steps for seating but if you are lucky you can snag plastic chairs and a table. Waitresses and waiters work the perimeter so if you are patient and don't want to squeeze into the bar, they will bring your drinks to you. If you are hungry, you can dine outdoors as well in the same atmosphere just with better service. Perfect for a cool New York evening.

I admit I have tried yoga several times and hated it. But because I kept hearing how good it was and wanted to become more flexible I decided to keep trying it. Well I finally found a teacher and class I love. Picture yourself on the roof of a Manhattan school with the sun setting behind you as you sweat and twist and breathe your way through the night. The class, $10, is composed of people of all skill levels so you won't feel like an idiot for not knowing what a downward facing dog is. The instructor is inspiring but not annoying like most aerobics teachers who were cheerleaders in high school. Plus there is an assistant walking around to help with poses if you are having trouble. After close to 2 hours I was so completely exhausted I couldn't believe I had done yoga and not a spinning class. This was difficult but motivational because I can see the potential to grow stronger and more limber. If you are skeptical about yoga, try this class. Tuesdays and Thursdays in the summer months.

The Bryant Park movie series has become an institution in Manhattan. The movies, sponsored by HBO, kick off at dusk or 9pm but you'd best get there by 6 because the massive lawn gets covered with bodies with nary an inch to spare. However, if you are lucky enough to get prime lawn space, you and your friends can open up your picnic dinner, or slice of pizza from Ray's and enjoy the lovely night. Now, before the film begins there are many rituals to the Monday night movies. 1)Bugs Bunny. That's right, every Monday you are treated to Merry Melodies in all its cartoon glory. 2) The HBO dance. The theme music that we all associate with HBO as a child, where the camera scans a model of homes has become a dance. When the music begins you crouch down and as it builds you start to jump in the air until the crescendo when you let it all hang out and dance around like a lunatic. It is one of the funniest and most fun things you'll ever see/do. Then you settle in and watch a movie, absorbing the laughter of the largest movie theater you will ever attend.

Suggestion - arrive early and leave early. If you or someone in your group can not get there by 6, make plans for another week. Try to leave right when the movie ends, especially if you plan to take the subway or a cab because thousands of people have the same idea and it will take you a year and a day to get home. Try not to drink anything if you have a small bladder, women especially, as the bathroom lines are long and the conditions what you would expect from a public park's facilties. If it has rained at all in the past few days bring large plastic sheets, available at any hardware store or garbage bags to line under your blanket. Otherwise you will have wet bums. It is not fun to be wet for 5 hours - trust me.

I am constantly amazed and awed by the people that inhabit the Big Apple. You name it, New York's got it. From punks with more piercings than Hellraiser to the Upper Echelon of society, NY is prime for people watching. The most obvious place for this pastime is Central Park but truly a good people watcher can get his/her fill from any street corner. And don't stick to one neighborhood for the sites change drastically from Avenue A to Central Park West. Bring your camera if you truly want to capture people in their 'element' or if that's not your style, park your butt on a bench and enjoy!

How can you sum up Yankee Stadium? It is, without fail, the best place to watch a baseball game. The fans are on par with soccer fans in their devotion and rabidity and the atmosphere is charged. Everyone is friendly and boistrous and if the team is not playing well, the fans will let them know it! The perfect time to see a game is a sunny day when the sun feels great on your face or crisp, cool night when the lights make the stadium light up like a Christmas tree. The games are almost always close to sold out but it is usually easy to get same-day tickets if you get there early enough. Don't forget your cap and attitude!