Photos from our last Big Adventure

As we work to get all of our Photos posted from our most recent Big Adventure, The Big Adventure Day Off on July 22nd, enjoy a couple of shots from the day. Much more to follow later this week as The Big Adventure unpacks and gets back into the daily grind...

Citi Field in Flushing, Queens - Home of YOUR New York Mets!

 

View of Citi Field from our wonderful (but hot) Upper Deck Seats - Two rows from the overhang, we were in prime foul ball territory.

The view of The Blue Room/Atomic Wings as seen from the approach the Manhattan on the Roosevelt Island Tram. This was one of our favorite stops on the Big Adventure Day Off.

Complete photos of many of our other Big Adventures can be found here

Another Letter to the Big Adventure Mail Bag!

From time to time, we're lucky enough to get an e-mail from those who read (i.e. accidentally stumble across) our blog & are seeking insight into NYC goodness and adventures. To that end, here is another sample of our answers on various New York City Big Adventure doings and happenings.

My wife and I are coming to New York City for a few days next month. We've been to town a couple of times and love your Big Adventures, but we're eager to see more of Brooklyn this trip. Do you have anything you can recommend for Brooklyn? Like some sort of Self Guided Brooklyn Big Adventure? -Chris W., Toledo, Ohio

After pouring over our notes, maps, documents and more: we have created a custom tailored Self Guided Brooklyn Big Adventure just for you! Enjoy from the list below. We've placed the locations in order heading East out of Manhattan, but it is a bit implausible to hit all of these locations in one day. In any case, this should be a great way to see the borough which one stood proud as it's own city. 

Walk The Brooklyn Bridge- Mind the cyclists and ignore all the other tourist riffraff. They dissipate by the second pillar leaving the sweeping views to you alone.

Henry Street Ale House- After the surprisingly long walk, reward yourself with a cold beverage just off the bridge in Brooklyn Heights at this cozy, inviting bar.

Brooklyn Historical Society - Best preservation society in the city, pay them a visit and find out more about the wonderful neighborhood

Transit Museum-  We love this place. Behind the Museum of Natural History, it is our favorite Museum in the city: Read our earlier entry here.  

Brooklyn Heights Promenade- More walking, but this path at the edge of Brooklyn has the most spectacular view of Lower Manhattan and the NYC Harbor that you'll find. That is, in part, why people pay top dollar to live in this beautiful houses and quiet streets. Keep an eye out for the Huxtables.
 
Switching gears, take the train to another section of the BK to visit these haunts:

Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Brooklyn Museum amazing exhibits and huge space - think slightly younger cousin to the Met , Prospect Park, and Brooklyn Flea - a fun market in Fort Geene on Saturday and in the old Wonderful Williamsburg Bank building on Sunday.

Also, we think you might enjoy just kicking around Williamsburg. Walking the streets and seeing what is what. We love Gutter and grab some quarters and some beers to play classic Arcarde Games while sharing craft beer at Barcade.

If you have a question, feel free to e-mail Info@NYCBigAdventure

Whew! What a day! Another Big Adventure in the books! Beating the heat, we made stops from Bryant Park, Grand Central Terminal, Citi Field, Roosevelt Island and Tram, Blue/Room Atomic Wings (list is getting long), Museum of Art and Designs, Patsy's Pizzeria on 23rd and Dewey's Flatiron Bar. 

At 15 Hours from 10:00 AM to 1:00 AM it was one of our longest Big Adventures. And while we're still tallying the crowds, it was one of the biggest with our highest percentage yet of people from out of town! What a great Day! 

You can get the whole play by play be checking out our Twitter account @NYCBigAdventure. Photos soon as well some quality information about our NEXT Big Adventure!

The Big Adventure Day Off Live Feed Update

Live Feed and Updates from our Twitter account (@NYCBigAdventure) from The Big Adventure Day Off on Thursday, July 21st, 2011

1:45 AM  -Wow! What a great Big Adventure yesterday. 14 hours and eight stops. Photos soon at NYCBigAdventure.com. Looking forward to our next outing!

1:00 AM - Ach! Cant believe it's one AM and still so hot out.

12: 47AM - Calling it a night after getting kicked out of the closing bar! Adios!

11: 57 PM - Fourteen hours and still rolling. YOU should have been here. Signing off for the night. See ya at the next Big Adventure.

11: 00 PM - Closing out the night at Dewey's Flatiron Bar. Best and biggest last bar crowd of a Big Adventure yet! Still strong and great crew!

10: 52 PM - Shake Shack in Madison Square Park close since three pm due to private party? Bad form supposed Best Shakes in NYC, bad form #shakeshack

9:15 PM - Okay, to be honest Big Adventure crew is starting to fade. More than a dozen have been going since the start. Coffee and/or beer will help

9: 14 PM - Almost 12 hours in & still going strong. Patsy's Pizzeria has given new life! Plus our numbers have swelled! Now take up half the restaurant

6: 47 PM - Man, there are some crazy exhibits here. Laser eye and creepy babies for one #museumofartanddesigns

6: 27 PM - Crosstown bus slower than molasses but it delivered us to pay-what-you-care night at the Museum Of Art and Design! Here till eight. Join us!

6:15 PM - Update! It is still dang hot out. #inferno_nyc

4: 37 PM - Aaaahhh. Been cooling off at The Blue Room with beers and delicious Atomic Wings. Recharged w/ a now even bigger crew & ready for next stop!

3:22 PM - The Roosevelt Island Tram is truly one giant box of Awesome-Os. The Big Adventure Day Off pushes on!

1: 28 PM - Mets on field action? Not so good. Too many errors! #comeonmets

12:30 PM - Whew! Hot at Citi Field. But big thanks to Patrycia of Mets Ticket Office who upgraded all 20 of our seats. Great service. #LetsGoMets

12:15 PM - Hot at the Mets game but good sized crowd! Scalpers everywhere!

11:45 AM - The Big Adventure is moving forward! After seeing the Whispering Wall and Million Dollar Clocks, we are on the way to the Mets!

10:15  AM - Decided that from now on we are going to start calling NYC's Taxis "Skittles". Thanks to our 10 year old nephew #NYC

10:00 AM -The Big Adventure Day Off has begun! Enjoying the setting at Bryant Park as people arrive!

The Big Adventure Day Off is Drawing Closer...

Just found out that The Monkees are playing a Free Concert on the same day as our Big Adventure Day Out on Coney Island this coming Thursday. Not sure why, but this makes us feel like bellowing "Damn your Bloody British Eyes, Davy Jones!" We don't like sharing a spotlight on our Big Adventure Day nor do we enjoying taking the last train to Clarksville. (Mike Nesmith, you'll always be cool with us

 

As for the weather,  Ah, yes. It looks like it is going to be a bit hot in that big copper pot on Thursday's Big Day Off. But we can hang. In fact, the majority of destinations will have A/C and we'll take some seats in the shade at Citi Field. It's summer time, baby!

Want to know the Best Pizza in New York City?

We've learned a few things in our time in New York City: Never argue with the crazy homeless guy on the subway train, you can't go two blocks without stumbling into a Starbucks and the Raymour and Flanigan TV commercials tend to get a little bit louder every month. 

We've also learned to never, ever enter into any type of debate over who has New York City's best pizza. It's a fools game. Marriages have been destroyed, companies ruined into bankruptcy and small nations toppled over heated conversations the toss out the name Lombardi's, Grimaldi's, Celeste on the Upper West Side and John's in the West Village.

That being said we're looking forward to making a stop at Patsy's Pizzeria on next Thursday's Big Adventure Day Off. Patsy, with a few assorted locations in NYC and roots in East Harlem, has been making thin coal-oven crust pies since the Great Depression was in full swing.

There are Pizza Historians who offer guided tours (kind of wish I was making that up) who loudly claim that Patsy's first had the idea of selling peperoni goodness by the slice. While that remains a dubious claim, Patsy's place in the annals of NYC Pizza History is secure. The original proprietor even trained the man who would go on to start Brooklyn's Grimaldi's.A Pizza family tree! They've been doing one thing well for 80 years. That's kinds what makes them legendary. And, yeah, maybe the best place to get Pizza in the Big Apple.


Join us for dinner at Patsy's next Thursday as part of our Big Adventure Day Off!

Grand Central Terminal Trivia (and tour preview)

 
Fact: The 48-acre Grand Central Terminal is the world’s largest train station in the world in terms of the number of platforms: 44 (and 67 tracks). The platforms and tracks are below ground but are on two levels: 41 tracks on the upper level and 26 on the lower level. Creating two sub-levels of tracks was also a world's first. 

The station is an amazing place in it's triple threat nature as 1) the City's Best Landmark (well, in the Big Adventure's opinion),2)  a simply gorgeous building and 3) the busiest train station in America.



Find out more about all things Grand Central Terminal on our Mini-Tour Next Thursday on The Big Adventure Day Off! (The trivia on the tour only gets more interesting...we promise tales of Whispering Walls, A fake balcony, an incredibly valuable clock and even information about an ICBM that was on display but couldn't quite fit)

The Final Itinerary for the NYC Big Day Off Adventure!

The Big Adventure Day Off at a Glance

As always, join us for part of the day or the whole shebang! All are welcome, so tell a buddy and bring a friend.  If you do plan on coming, RSVP here so we can plan accordingly. See you on July 21^st throughout NYC! Read below for complete details!

An MTA Metro Card for the Subway and Bus is not just suggested, it is going to be required! So, stock up. Last but not least, we’ll be out and about and our feet: Bring cash and comfy shoes and versatile clothes (right for ball game, museum and night out at the bar). If you have trouble finding us at the meet up times or place, or if you get lost coming from out of town, just e-mail or text us at Info@NYCbigadventure.com. Feel free to print this out and bring it with you on Thursday! Hope that you’ll join us.

10:00 -10:30 Bryant Park – We’ll meet at the Fountain just inside the park across from where 41^st  Street dead ends into 6^th Ave. Enjoy seeing historic Bryant Park (originally a popper’s grave) or Stop by The HBO Store one block north while in the area. Grab some breakfast at La Pain Quotidien or ‘Wichcraft or Pret A Manger. Maybe a bit at crumbs – New York Cupcakes at its finest if you choose to start the day in such a manner. From there, we’ll be hoofing it a few blocks to Grand Central Terminal.  Here, Brooke and Phil will provide one of their famous, insightful mini-tours on this sensational landmark.

From Grand Central, we’ll take the Express 7 Train out to Citi Field in Flushing, Queens.

12:00-– We’ll meet at the Giant Apple (salvaged from Shea Stadium) outside Citi Field. Ticket Distribution and Mets Game! More than just summer time ball, see one of the better new Major League parks in America. Enjoy a drink from Big Apple Brews, walk across the faux suspension bridge or just enjoy the Great American Pastime. We expect tickets to cost no more than $20.

3:30 PM -  From the Mets Game, we’re going to hit the one and only Roosevelt Island Tram!  The best view you’ll ever get of the New York’s Upper East Side for the price of a swipe of your Metro Card. From the stadium we’ll take a Manhattan Bound 7 Train, switch to the F Train at Roosevelt Avenue in Queens and then exit at the system’s deepest subway station at Roosevelt Island. From there, we pop above ground and hop on the tram!  

4:30 PM – Blue Room/ Atomic Wings-   at 2^nd  Avenue and 60^th Street– Here we’ll take a break from the the mean streets. This venue offers, unequivocally, the best Hot Wings in NYC. And served up at one of the most friendly bars. Two great tastes that taste great together. Plus, it’s nice and cheap (save your pennies from those Big League Hot Dogs) .

6:30 PM - Museum of Arts and Design – 2 Columbus Circle –Between 58^th and 59^th on the Circle. Thursday afternoons are pay what you like! Which means a nickel or $50 (please don’t actually pay $50) to see this relatively new and captivating museum. We’ll take the M57 crosstown bus from The Blue Room.

8:30 PM – Dinner at Patsy’s Pizzeria– Classic New York Pizza -318 W 23^rd between 8^th and 9^th – Whew! Since 1933, Patsy’s has been mastering the thin crust brick oven pizza. Homemade Mozarella, homemade tomato sauce. This ain’t no lame Famous Original Rays or what not. The Big Adventure would never steer you wrong. After a long day of seeing the best of The Big Apple, we’ll take a load off with some classic American Pizza!   

  

10:30 PM  - Dewey’s Flatiron Bar and Shake Shack- 210 5^th Avenue between 25^th and 26^th and Smack Dab in Madison Square Park – Dewey’s is larger than your average bar and built around 1890. The bar has been restored to reflect that bygone era. On top of the back bar, sits an 1916 Cash Register and a replica of Dewey’s Arch. What is Dewey’s Arch? Show up and we’ll give you the entire story. Quality bar with lots of space for a variety of colorful characters. While at Dewey’s, we’ll make a run across the street over to the ubiquitous Shake Shack for, you guessed it, NYC’s finest Shake.

Hope that you can ditch your daily routine and join us on Thursday, July 21^st for a Big Day Off!

More and More Info on our Upcoming Big Adventure

We're just about a week away from The Big Adventure's Day Off! Here is inside peak on what we've got going on... 

Our next Big Adventure will be the first in two years to possibly cross into three of the five boroughs! That's a good 60% of New York City. Sorry Bronx. And Staten Island, we're sorry also, but for so many reasons.

Did YOU know the Roosevelt Island Tram is North America's only Elevated Tram Dedicated To Public Transportation? Prepare to ride it Next Thursday. More Info here.

The day is quickly coming together! We're now looking at several quality stops around the Flat Iron District. Shake Shack, Guided Tour of one of NYC's Most Famous Building, Spin Table Tennis, Dewey's Flat Iron, The Flat Iron Lounge....so much to choose from and only so much we can cram into one day!

We hope that you'll join us on Thursday, July 21st!

The next Big Adventure is coming oh so soon!

We are just under two weeks away from next Big Adventure on Thursday, July 21st  our "Big Adventure Day Off' smack dab in the middle of the week for the first time. 

We're also ready to announce some details! We'll be starting the day at Bryant Park at 10:00 AM (so early!)  and heading to the New York Mets afternoon game at Citi Field, enjoying a ride on the legendary Roosevelt Island Tram a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Roof Deck Bar and more! Details forthcoming...

Meet up along the way anytime! Looking forward to it...