Travel for Pennies

This summer many will be traveling to the Big Apple, and staying in the top New York hotels, to enjoy some of the many activities, festivals and shows that the city has to offer. Many of them, as in the River to River Festival are offered free of charge. One of the performers is non other than the legendary son of Brooklyn, Arlo Guthrie. Arlo is the son of Woody Guthrie, a well loved singer-song writer, and Marjorie Guthrie who had been a dancer in the, also legendary, Martha Graham Dance Company. He was born on Coney Island, in 1947 and grew up in a world surrounded by the arts, musicians and dancers, such as Leadbelly, Pete Seeger and Sonny Terry to name just a few. It is said that the man was born with a harmonica in one hand and a guitar in the other. When he was just thirteen years old, he performed for the first time on stage and quickly became a pivotal player in the folk music explosion of the 1960s. He became a regular performer at the Gaslight, the Bitter End and Gerdes Folk City. He experienced the changes in the music scene, going from the ballad singers such as Mississippi John Hurt to the songs and lyrics of Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs and Jim Croce.

In 1967, a film staring Guthrie, and one that told a story of his life, accompanied by his music secured his fame. The film was called “Alice’s Restaurant“. This became such an anthem during the 60′s for social activism and a higher level of consciousness, that in subsequent years, he has been known to leave it off his set list, depending on the current state of the world, and the wars that the United States is involved in at any given time. While he has never had a ‘hit’ per se, due to the length of his songs or the controversial nature of some of the lyrics, he has become a legend in the US as well as throughout Asia, Africa and Australia. He plays a variety of instruments and is a prolific and intense story-teller through his music. Guthrie will be performing in New York, at the festival this summer, and it is well worth the price of admission…wait, it’s free…this is a man who those that love music of any genre, should not miss the opportunity to see live.

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New York is a big city, located on a very small island, many travel to Manhattan in search of seeing … the big things. The Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, “The Phantom of the Opera”, and the Brooklyn Bridge, to name just a few. What may get missed along the way, are the ‘small things’ that have given this city so much character. The small New York boutique hotel, or the tine pub in the West Village, the White Horse Tavern, or the living room of a Greenwich apartment in the 70′s. In these small venues, grand things happen. History happens. In 1973 a college professor opened his apartment to the poets and the playwrights of the Village. And now, thirty six years later, that small group has become world renown, respected in the arts community for the quality of works, by new artists, and their dedication to serving the artists of the community, and ensuring that their work gets seen. Miguel Algarin, is the professor, and the Nuyorican Poets Cafe is his brain-child.

Throughout the years, lesser known artists, with talents just as grand, have been under-represented and under-seen. The purpose of the Cafe is to give a venue to those that are not in the mainstream culture and media spotlight. This company nurtures the artists, provides them with the space, and gives to the general public, the art that spurs and inspires those that are in the spotlight. Through music, poetry, art, dance and theater, Algarin and his company are exposing those in the audience to the beginnings of sometimes not just careers, but of movements as well. And as to be expected, this theater on East 3rd Street has garnered more than thirty Audelco Awards and received the coveted award throughout theater companies in New York, the OBIE Award.

For those spending time in the City, stop by any Thursday night for the Latin Jam session, the Jazz show that has been the ‘Critics Choice’ of the NY Press for the past 6 years. Or check out the Fifth Night series, a program that has resulted in the production of more than forty films in the last 15 years. Regular open mic nights have provided the venue for musicians, actors and storytellers, and is becoming the night to see hot new talent. Comedy sketch brings humor to the day to day grind, or offers up to travels that sardonic wit so characteristic of the city. This is a must see destination when visiting the Big Apple. A small theater, on an island of big theaters.

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Many visuals come to a person’s mind if they have traveled to, or live near by, Washington Square Park in Manhattan.  The arch, the fountain, the street musicians.  This is the center of it all for many in the community that is the heartbeat of Greenwich Village.  It’s a smaller version, yet complete, of the whole of New York city.  It has become for many, the hub, between the NY hotels and suites of the Upper East Side and those who move to the ‘Island’, the hub for what is happening, stylish and contemporary.  While all in all, remaining a relaxing park, designed with paths and benches and playgrounds for the children.  There are permanent chess boards and dog runs, providing the children, the animals and the ‘grown-ups’ for opportunities to get out and about and to be able to bring along those that are cared for.  Ironic that the site previously known as public gallows and a burial ground for indigents, then later a burial ground for the victims of yellow fever, is now much sought after spot for real estate investments and living for the upper class.

Beatniks have gathered here since the 60′s and the part was made famous, in part, due to the artists of all disciplines, the painters and the poets and songsters.  Located close to NYU, the college crowd draw has been influential.  Cafes with poetry slams, and the bohemian influence of the music and the scene has added to the history the park has had for a couple hundred years.  During the eighties however, the park deteriorated, structurally and culturally.  Drug dealers moved in and took over.  The city of New York has spent the last years restructuring the park, with cameras and occasional police supervision.  Regulations have been put on the artists and the musicians performing on the sidewalk.  This happened in most part under the administration of Mayor Giuliani, and while the park is safer, controversies have arisen concerning the cameras and the infringement of privacy.  Much as the controversy in Chicago over the placement of cameras downtown, citizens are uneasy about the feeling that they are being watched constantly.  And while that is a philosophical debate in and of itself, the result is safer environments for those that wish to walk downtown, or to escape downtown to just simply sit on a park bench.

The park enjoyed a brief revitalization following its new design, but then began to deteriorate into a center for drug dealing by the 1980s, following the decline and recession the entire city underwent at the time. In the ’90s, it was reclaimed thanks to efforts by an active local community, and a police crackdown under Mayor Giuliani’s administration. But even this success was not without controversies over the use of hidden cameras to monitor park activity, and the regulation of artists and vendors.

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Spring is a wonderful time to plan a visit to New York City.  The warmer weather provides an abundance of opportunities to enjoy the many outdoor activities in the city. In addition, there are a number of festivals and cultural events to keep visitors occupied.

Central Park in spring is not to be missed. The temperatures rise, but not to the unbearable levels of summer. The sun comes out of hibernation and trees, plants, and flowers all bloom. The warm weather also makes Time Square, the Statue of Liberty, the Bronx Zoo, and many other New York attractions more hospitable.  Spring is a great time to venture to the top of the Empire State Building or to visit the many parks and gardens throughout the five boroughs.

Shoppers find that New York in Springtime is irresistible. With Fashion Week just complete, the many designer boutiques and flagship stores on Fifth Avenue are teeming with new merchandise. Even if you can’t afford to buy anything, the weather is usually perfect for window shopping.

Accommodations range from five star New York hotels to budget chains and cozy B&B options.  The struggling economy actually translates to some great deals on lodging and airfare as the tourist industry. With a little research, visitors will can find some great bargains when planning a spring trip to NYC.

Theater in New York is in full swing in the spring.  Broadway pulls out all its best productions in the lead up to the Tony Awards, scheduled for June 7, 2009. Film also takes the forefront. The New York International Independent Film and Video Festival takes place March 19-26 and the Tribeca Film Festival gets underway on April 22nd and runs through May 3rd.

The metropolis hosts a plethora of neighborhood festivals and fairs in the spring.  These include food festivals, art events, and ethnic fairs as well as street fairs and parties. These offer an opportunity to be immersed in a specific neighborhood or group as they celebrate together.

Of course, there are countless other things to do in New York. Carnegie Hall, the World Trade Center site, Rockefeller Center, Times Square and the city’s many beautiful museums never lose their appeal.  The restaurants in the city are amazing, and some offer outdoor seating once the weather warms up. The many street vendors seem to multiple once the cold weather passes and a trip to Coney Island is always an adventure.

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