A Cheap July 4th in NYC

The Cloisters is a Metropolitan Museum of Art branch that is devoted to the art of medieval Europe. Situated right next to the Heather Gardens in Fort Tryon Park, this is must do and must see for all. I can guarantee that most New Yorkers have never even been here or even heard about it, making this spot virtually untouched by the mayhem of New York. So go have some fun, it's worth it.

Quick Tips:

The Cloisters itself is a suggested admission fee, so don't bring a lot of money with you, but I would suggest bringing picnic foods, chairs, blankets, Frisbees, music, etc., because there are never ending parks overlooking the Hudson River and it is spectacular.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to get there is to take the A train to 190th Street, then follow the signs through Fort Tyron Park to the Cloisters, or you can take the M4 bus to the last stop, which is the Cloisters. Either way, it's great and fast.

So what is a Cloister?, you might ask. Well, "in a monastery, the cloister is a square or rectangular open-air courtyard surrounded by covered passageways. It is always situated next to the monastic church, and its use is limited to the monks. The surrounding covered passageways lead to rooms essential to the secluded and regimented monastic life...[and] a garden with a water source was often located in the center of the cloister." This sign outside the first cloister in the museum gives the full detailed description of this garden area, but not the true ambience.

When we first entered the museum, we had no idea what to expect, and were immediately given an odd feeling. Neither myself nor my girlfriend are huge fans or over done religious icons plastered on every wall and the gospels displayed everywhere, and here it all was, right in front of us. The first room we entered was a old reconstruction of the inside of a church, without any pews set up. In here, we were informed that the walls on the left side were originally from some church in Europe that existed in the medieval times, while the rest was built to replicate it and make it whole. I actually found out that most of the Cloisters Museum was like this since most of the old medieval churches had been destroyed over time by war, weathering, and poor upkeep.

Now, each one of these religiously influenced rooms lead its way outside into the first of three bigger cloisters the museum has to offer; The Cuxa Cloister Garth Garden. Here there were four crab apple trees set up in each corner, apparently a staple in medieval times for the creations of cider and medieval verjuice. The next garden was the Trie Cloister Garden, which overlooks the entrance way that most use when coming in. It was here, while observing the different plants and the amazing view that a bird, after eating away some blueberry plants, decided to fly over head and take a crap on me. He hit me dead center on the side of the side and it is so hard to get that out, digested blueberry juice. The last big cloister was the Bonnefont Cloister Herb Garden which is full of different fruit and herb plants that were typically used in medieval times.

After an exhausting day of religious artifacts and tombs and cloisters, we decided that it was time to head back to Queens and prepare for the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks celebration and some much needed July 4th cocktails.

When my girlfriend and I entered Fort Tryon Park, we were pleasantly surprised to find out that the first area is a wonderment of horticultural ingenuity put forth by the son of the co-designers, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, of both Central and Prospect Parks.

Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr in the early 1900s was commissioned by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. to help build a unique park in the area of Fort Tryon Park. Olmstead Jr then put forth an awe-inspiring arena of botanical greatness, perfectly etched into the rocky mountain side of upper Manhattan. How this was done is beyond my comprehension because the gardens are amazing and almost never ending. The twists and turns that the park has to offer and the never ending pathways are incredible.

On our way back from the Cloisters Museum, we ended up getting lost in the labyrinth of pathways and seeing some amazing flowers and sights all throughout the gardens. Plus, for those that are photography bound, this locale is a picture-taking heaven, with great backgrounds and wonderful forefronts. Also, sporadically placed around the edge of the gardens are viewing binoculars that take a quarter to operate and allow you to see across the water with eagle like sight. These paths are also wonderful running paths with constantly changing elevations and twisting throughout this ever-growing patch of ingenuity in city planning. Finally, since the garden is inlaid in the mountain side, amateur rock climbers looking for some practice in before hitting Everest, give this facade a try.

So, whether relaxation is your kick, running, climbing, photography, or just escaping the hustle and bustle of midtown, the Heather Gardens is a great place for all of those seeking fun.

After walking through the Heather Gardens, my girlfriend and I came across the outpost of Fort Washington perched high on the mountain top overlooking the water. We first were intrigued by the adjacent park that was covered by high trees and comfortable benches where readers were parked, enjoying the worlds put forth by their magical pages. The area was comfortable and relaxing and seemed like a place that we could definitely enjoy at a future date for some reading and just basic relaxation.

However, while we were here, a small pathway extended out to a highly positioned flagpole that intrigued our curiosity. Upon reaching the flagpole, we immediately realized that the area surrounding it was definitely an outpost of some kind, probably left over from the revolutionary war or times past that. And we were correct; located off to the side of the outpost area was a plaque stating that this outpost "was gallantly defended in November 1776 by the Maryland and Virginia Regiment. After its capture it was named Fort Tryon in honor of the last English Civil Governor of New York." It is so interesting that they would name it after an English Governor after fighting against the English but, maybe they were doing it as a kind of jab to the English, but who knows.

Anyway, being surrounded by stone walls, high flagpoles, rocks and strategically placed pathways for soldiers of the past, this area is mesmerizing and fun to see, so take the detour and enjoy the history.

After a day exploring around the city, we were exhausted; however, we just really wanted to see the fireworks celebration. This year, Macy's was expected to use hundreds of pieces of pyrotechnic wonder and awe over the East River of Manhattan. Being as exhausted as we were, we decided to head home to Queens and watch the spectacle from the other side of the river. We sat in our apartment and watched as tons of gun powder exploded into a beautiful array of colors and shapes above the Gotham skyline.

Now, these fireworks can be seen from anywhere, but some of the best viewing spots are from The Brooklyn Bridge, The Seaport, The Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn Heights, Williamsburg, anywhere along the FDR Drive near the water and anywhere in Queens near the water. We were in the latter area and, even though a building slightly obscured our view, we watched the sky illuminate in a rainbow of colors with our television blasting the news commentary behind us.

So, if you are in New York around the time of July 4th, make your way down to the East River and watch the spectacle of lights dance throw the skies like a ballerina dancing on the stars. It really is a sight-to-see and with a TV in the background playing the music makes it that much better. Enjoy!