Times Square

Summed up by the phrase, ‘the city that never sleeps,’ New York is electric no matter the time of day. There is always a constant buzz in the background, kind of like the hiss you once heard between songs on your favorite cassette tapes. At any random moment, locals and visitors alike are never quite sure what awaits them. The gentleman in the upper left appears to offer you the ‘best seats in the house,’ while the Nivea kiosks just below promise the allure of endless youth. Go to the right and you are enticed by the chance at your 15 seconds of fame, followed by an ultra premium vodka drink with a celebrity. Amidst all this, the people below go about their tasks, immersed in the buzz, yet not hearing it at all.

This is dedication. 1500 people doing yoga at 1:30 in the afternoon on a Wednesday. I love New York ( but maybe because I’m only watching!).

Whenever I get back to the USA from my new European home, I just have to get to New York City. I’m from across the river in Jersey but feel that the city is a part of home, having been going here since I was a kid. And look, the top billboard here in Times Square is actually “Jersey Boys”!!

One of the downfalls of getting around the island of Manhattan is unless you are a member of the 1% the Occupy Wall Street protestors downtown are picketing about and can afford to cab it everywhere, you’re probably going to be walking.....a lot.....no matter the weather. This guy seems to have the right idea, he’s got his umbrella and his skateboard, cruising through Times Square and getting “there” in style.

Even the sideways whipped drizzle of a chilly February night can’t keep Times Square down. In other cities the puddles that accumulate on virtually every street corner would just be dreary brown collections of rain, waiting to drench your socks and make you miserable. In New York, puddles are just one more place to radiate color, making this already impossibly bright city somehow more luminous. Are we there yet? Yes, yes we are. Now grab your umbrella and get on out there!

New York for the day

Every turn in the city of NYC is an opportunity to bump into extremely creative and ground-breaking art. The Art Underground is a NYC Subway Art crawl where you will learn about ten of the artists that have participated in the NYC Arts for Transit program. The “crawl” is a unique experience to see art in a completely new environment, away from the structured and traditional space a museum provides. The sights and sounds of New York provide a backdrop to a wonderful art crawl that feels like you are in an urban art history class. The piece pictured here is by ceramic sculptor Toby Buonagurio. Buonagurio’s Times Square Times: 35 Times project is installed in illuminated windows that are right in the Times Square train station that runs along 7th avenue. These pieces are meant to embody different aspects of New York City life. Shopping, eating out, and Broadway shows are all represented in the series. The 35 pieces are all very animated, colorful, and eye catching. This particular lady holding a map of the train was my personal favorite due to her fun hat and severe look. The Art Underground tour times can be found on Skillshare or by emailing Ruddywashere@gmail.com

Times Square is a tradition that every traveler should immerse themselves in at least once while in New York City. The skyscrapers, the lights, the people: there isn’t any place like it on the planet. Don’t be shy, pose for a picture with one of the performers and buskers who are working these bustling streets. Don’t forget to tip them, a few dollars can help when you have a serious cookie addiction.

Walking through Times Square at 6:30 AM on the way to the gym, I had to stop and snap a picture. It was absolutely empty. If you’ve ever been in Times Square during the day, it is wall-to-wall people, street performers (the giant Elmos are the creepiest) and food carts. But in the early morning, you get Times Square all to yourself. Working on Manhattan Before8 has given me a much different perspective on the city. Barely anyone is out in the early morning, making a city that can often times feel huge and overpowering a little bit friendlier.

For four trips, I have always sought out the Naked Cowboy, never to be found. Of course, on my lucky fifth trip, I wasn’t looking and found him on two different occasions! The Naked Cowboy lurks around Times Square, mostly near the TKTS booth and open area that sets you up for a photo opp in front of the advertising signage. Try finding him around lunch and 4-6 p.m. during the week. He is like Santa Claus, bringing joy and quite a bit of affection to your day! Enjoy!

The center of the Big Apple has to be Times Square, where you can meet people from all covners of the world. Around the square you can also find advertisements for the many Broadway shows that are going on, as well as buy discount tickets there.

Loved the city together

Taste Asia is the largest food festival in North America, and this year it is being held on June 26 and 27th in Times Square. The main event on Friday is a live cooking demonstration by Chef David Bouley and Japanese Iron Chef Yji Wakiya. Saturday brings the 7th International Chinese Culinary competition where you can watch some of the world’s best Chinese chefs battle it out for the title. While you enjoy the spectacular outdoor cooking demonstrations from some of the most notable chefs around, you can sample tastings from local restaurants such as The Handpulled Noodle, Totto Ramen, Nyona, and Obao Noodles and BBQ. Taste Asia also holds a dumpling making & eating contest. There will also be live cultural performances so you can experience a feast for your eyes and ears, in addition to your mouth. Closing out the food fest on Sunday June 28th, the James Beard House will offer two ticked feasts- a luncheon that features authentic Indian dishes, and the Awards Dinner for the Chinese Culinary Competition with a menu from the winner of last year’s competition, Chef Zizhao Luo. Be sure to catch the festivities bringing the tastes and traditions of Asia to Times Square on one, two, or all three days!

While many New Yorkers prefer to steer clear of Times Square—the midtown nexus of giant video billboards, glaring neon signs and flamboyant street performers—it’s long been a draw for out-of-towners. Start at the razzle-dazzle center: 42nd Street, where Broadway and Seventh Avenue meet, and wander north. Once you hit 48th Street, turn east; two blocks’ walk will bring you to the shops and flag-festooned plaza (and, in winter, the giant Christmas tree and skating rink) of Rockefeller Center.