As Ella Fitzgerald famously sang, "Summertime, and the livin' is easy." Which is why I'll be posting on an abbreviated schedule for the next two weeks. In the meantime, you can check out the ideas below or follow me on social media for more musings (links are at the bottom of the page).
1. Margaritas under the sky: Cantina Taqueria's year-old Lenox Avenue outpost debuts its sidewalk seating today, so be sure to get there early and enjoy the airy avenue views while nibbling on a taco and sipping on a margarita (or two). [Photo via @cantinanyc]
2. Uptown safari: Did you hear about the harbor seal that was spotted in Inwood last week? Or about the egret that lives in Morningside Park? Or what about the peacocks that stroll in the shadow of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine? Now's the perfect time to visit all three and create your very own uptown wildlife tour.
3. Jazz outdoors: The five-day Charlie Parker Jazz Festival begins this Wednesday with a family jazz party at the National Jazz Museum from 2pm-3pm. But there's so much more, including a documentary at the Maysles Documentary Center and free live jazz this Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Marcus Garvey Park.
4. Uptown on two wheels: While Manhattan above 130th Street waits for Citi Bike–or any other public bike share program–to reach it, uptowners can rent bikes from the excellent Talent Cycles in Hamilton Heights. Stop by the bike shop before it closes for vacation next week and rent one of the Cannondales out front for $30 per day.
5. The return of the NYC oyster: Did you know there's a well-organized plan to bring oysters back to the New York Harbor, an area that had about 220,000 acres of oyster reefs up until the 17th century? Find out more–and bring the kids so they can, too–at the Baylander Billion Oyster Project Presentation this Saturday, August 25, on the decommissioned U.S. Navy ship at West Harlem Piers.
