A Guide To Planning your own Spring NYC Big Adventure!

Ah, finally Spring is upon us. Longer days, beautiful weather and...what's that...people on the street seem to be smiling. 

To celebrate, we've put together an itinerary to allow you to create your own "Spring Big Adventure" allowing you and friends to descend upon several outdoor locations throughout NYC. You can make this happen on any weekend day and tweak the itinerary for a day of basking in the sun, enjoying the outdoors and in general, rejoicing in Spring. This has been brewing since Jan 23rd – which was the coldest day of winter when we were suffering through cabin fever and immensely tired of slush and gray. All of us have braved the most miserable winter in a while. Now…we celebrate spring!

We encourage you to pass the information along to anyone who might enjoy outdoor bars, rooftop locales, competitive chalk art, New York City Parks and musty old tombs (really). If you follow our guide, we promise will be unique, affordable, social and distinctly NYC. 

The West 79th Street Boat Basin Café – 1:00 PM –Walk as far west on 79th Street as you can past Riverside Drive until you end up overlooking the Hudson River and Boat Basin. We’ll sit with a view of the House Boats and Riverside Park as we sip Electric Lemonade and fried perfection. The perfect place to soak in the sun and start the day.



Host a Sidewalk Chalk Art Competition - 2:30 PM –As you stroll through Riverside Park –one of the most beautiful and underrated parks in NYC– set up and enjoy some Sidewalk Chalk Art. It’s art guerilla style (because Sidewalk Chalk is verboten….breakin’ the law, breakin’ the law). Create teams, bring art supplies, endless chalk and lovely sections of sidewalk to vandalize…er decorate. After everyone hones their skills and talent, chose one winner will be crowned the Picasso of the Park! The Salvador Dali of the Sidewalk! The Rembrandt of the Road! The Georgia O'k....you get our drift.

  

Grant’s Tomb – 3:30 PM – 122nd and Riverside Drive - Hop on the M5 Bus and journey up to what is officially known as The General Grant National Memorial. Nothing like spending a spring day at a tomb. Seriously though, this is a very cool museum that opened over 110 years ago. Despite rich history, architecture and grandeur, seemingly few New Yorkers have ever visited. Rectify that with a private tour by the National Park Service guide all dedicated to that 18th President and Civil War General with the awesome first name: Ulysses S. Grant

The Heights Bar and Grill – 4:45  PM– Broadway and 112th –The Heights (named after its neighborhood Morningside Heights) is a somewhat secret gem and the only rooftop bar in Manhattan north of 59th street. Swing by for a drink while lounging on the top floor roof-deck patio and judge who has the best sandals in the bar.

Traversing The High Line -6:30 PM – Entering at 20th Street and 10th Avenue- The plan here is simple – a stroll down the most unique urban park on the East Coast at Sunset. Starting at the northern most section and ending at around 12th street, we’re going to walk every inch of the park and get it on like Ponce De Leon. Lots going on most spring days including a roving book cart and guides.

The Standard Beer Garden– 8:00 PM -  Little West 12th and Washington Street – Fresh off The High Line and back on firm ground, you’ll be transported to a magical faux German land. Outside and spacious, visitors leave their Meatpacking pretensions at the door in exchange for Ping-Pong, Brats and Steins.

Ear Inn – 10:00 PM – 326 Spring Street near Washington Street – Man, we love this place. End the evening with one of New York's oldest bars where the drinks are as tasty and affordable as the history of the place is remarkable Historic Home turned Brothel turned Bar. Great to get our relaxing on after a long day of trekking. Also known as the Green Door Bar or the James Brown House. God Bless drinking establishments with three names.

 

Enjoy! We hope this makes for a wonderful Spring Adventure for any who follow our route! Let us know how your journey goes by visiting us on Facebook  or sending us an E-mail: Info@NYCBigAdventure.com

Answers to our New York City Trivia Stumpers

As promised, here are the answers to the 10 NYC Trivia stumpers that we posed the other day. How well did you do? We have even more questions up our sleeve we may post down the road.

 

1) Which section of New York would be the Fourth Largest City in America - after Chicago, Los Angeles, and the rest of NYC – if it stood on its own as an independent city? Brooklyn

2) In 2009 and again in 2011, an odor drifting over from the Frutarom flavor factoryin North Bergen, New Jersey, made parts of New York City smell like what? Maple Syrup

3) Who played the very last concert at Shea Stadium? Billy Joel

 

4)  In the last five years, two professional New York City based sports teams have won National Championships. Who were they? The New York Giants (Twice) and The Yankees 

 

 

5) Who was “Client 9” better known as? Former New York Governor Elliot Spitzer

 

6) In 1626, people from WHICH country purchased Manhattan Island from the Lenape Native Americans for 60 guilders (about $500 in today's currency)? Dutch/ The Netherlands

7) According to NYC eccentric Jimmy McMillan what is “too damn high”? The Rent!

 

8) Which actor made a bizarre appearance on David Letterman in 2009 that later turned out to be a hoax as part of his film “I’m Still Here”? Joaquin Phoenix

9) Which NYC annual event attracts around 2.5 million spectators & over 40 million television viewers each year? Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

10) What is Blue Ivy Carter’s claim to fame? Beyonce and Jay Z's Kid

New York City Trivia Stumpers

How well do YOU know New York City? Test your intellectual might with these NYC Big Adventure puzzlers.

While we prep for an epic return to more regular Big Adventuring early next year, we thought that we would toss out an early Holiday Gift to all with some of our favorite Big Apple trivia questions!

These ten particular questions were used on our 2012 "Big Adventure's Greatest Hits" Adventure. Many of them showcase some of the finer moments from the last 18 months in New York City. How many can YOU get right? We'll post the answers on Tuesday, Christmas Day.

 

1) Which section of New York would be the Fourth Largest City in America - after Chicago, Los Angeles, and the rest of NYC – if it stood on its own as an independent city?

2) In 2009 and again in 2011, an odor drifting over from the Frutarom flavor factory in North Bergen, New Jersey, made parts of New York City smell like what?

3) Who played the very last concert at Shea Stadium?

4)  In the last five years, two professional New York City based sports teams have won National Championships. Who were they?

 

5) Who was “Client 9” better known as?

6) In 1626, people from WHICH country purchased Manhattan Island from the Lenape Native Americans for 60 guilders (about $500 in today's currency)?

7) According to NYC eccentric Jimmy McMillan what is “too damn high”?

8) Which actor made a bizarre appearance on David Letterman in 2009 that later turned out to be a hoax as part of his film “I’m Still Here”?

9) Which NYC annual event attracts around 2.5 million spectators & over 40 million television viewers each year?

10) What is Blue Ivy Carter’s claim to fame?

Have we whet your appetite for even more scintillating trivia? Lucky for you, NYC is the home of a boatload of weekly bar trivia events. Three ongoing incredibly well done groups that the Big Adventure recommends are:

 The NYC Trivia League

The Big Quiz Thing

Trivia, A.D.

Announcing: The "Greatest Hits" NYC Big Adventure coming on Saturday, June 30th!

We're back at it yet again! Thrilled to announce our next outing will be The NYC Big Adventure’s Greatest Hits on Saturday, June 30th starting around 1:00 PM and continuing late into evening. Feel free to join for as few or many of our best hits of the day as you like!

After over a dozen memorable and successful NYC BigAdventures that have consisted of scouring the city for locales, haunts and activities we’re ready to build an entire day around the best of the best! This album has all your favorite tunes: Unique, Social, Inexpensive and distinctly NYC.

Making a best of is no easy task. Our first draft of the itinerary has us spanning over several days, so narrowing it to just the one disc shall be one of our greatest challenges yet.

The Big Adventure crew is combing over the itineraries of Big Adventures that includes five years and over ninety (!) unique stops to create a track listing that highlights our best moments. No small task since there are so many to choose from. And just to keep things interesting, we may even throw in a couple of completely NEW stops that revolve around a familiar theme. Intrigued? Hoping that YOU can join us to revisit a familiar stop from a past Big Adventure or encounter a Big Adventure beloved place that we love and that you might be seeing for the first time.

We'll announce a full itinerary along with a few surprises in the next couple of weeks well in advance of the event. All are welcome and we’ll have space for all. Pass along the invite to whomever you think might be interested on another Big Adventure that is designed to be the pinnacle of a day that is unique, inexpensive, friendly and very NYC. Ah, it’s one thing that we’ve learned to do pretty. Hope you can join us! (Note that some of our stops will be 21+).

  

Feel free to RSVP if you think you might join us on Facebook The Big Adventure Event Page and E-mail us if you have any questions!

 

The Skyscraper Museum - Big Adventure Recommends a visit

There are seemingly thousands of museums, galleries and the like in NYC, but some of the most interesting are the hardest to find. A solid entry in the "Lesser known yet amazing Museums of NYC" category, is The Skyscraper Museum. Near Battery Park in lower Manhattan, this small but mighty non-profit boasts fascinating exhibits series of interesting expert speakers, an ever-changing collection and a lively, excitable staff that could talk Big City Skyscrapers all day.

Billing themselves as experts in the world's first and foremost vertical metropolis, this unconventional museum operates in the shadow of some of biggest and oldest buildings in the city ever since the museum opened in the splendid new space in 2004. Founded in 1996, The Skyscraper Museum is a not-for-profit, educational corporation devoted to the study of high-rise building, past, present, and future.

Why go now? Because the new exhibit is the perfect way to beat the cold and get into the buildings without actually getting into the buildings.The very cool exhibit SUPERTALL is worth the five bucks entrance fee alone. SUPERTALL is all about the world's tallest buildings from Asia to Dubai that have been built since 2001 or scheduled to be completed in 2016. Visit now as the exhibit closes end the end of January. On their site, they even have this thought-provoking graph showcasing where the Supertall Skyscrapers have appeared across the globe over the last generation.

One of our favorite past exhibitions was 2011's Vertical Urban Factory which featured the innovative architectural design, structural engineering, and processing methods of significant factory buildings from the turn of the 20th century to the present. Now, over a century after the first large factories began to dominate Now, over a century after the first large factories began to dominate our cities, the exhibition posed the question: Can factories present sustainable solutions for future self-sufficient cities? Oooh! That's a true puzzler. Right up there with if you kill a mime in the woods, will it make any noise?

The big buildings of this town never cease to fascinate the Big Adventure and a visit provides a nice homage to all of them. Not to get overly sappy, but it is some concrete and steel poetry in the big city

39 Battery Place on the other side of the Ritz Hotel. 

$5 Admission, Open Wed-Sun Noon-6 PM.  

http://skyscraper.org/ -Phone: 212.968.1961

The 2012 NYC No Pants Subway Ride Returns

1/9/12 Update: We've noticed a lot of interest in Sunday's event, so we have posted a link to some quality pictures of the 2012 No Pants Subway Ride from Jamie NYC over at Flickr right here

___

The 2012 No Pants Subway Ride in New York City. You have to smile just a touch when saying it. Ah, it is back once again. Like clockwork every first weekend of the year, those wacky folks at Improv Everywhere are hosting The 11th Annual No Pants Subway Ride in NYC this Sunday, January 8^th from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Groups will be gathering in in Astoria, Downtown Manhattan, Flushing, Central Park and two locations in Brooklyn. 

Details were posted today right here. The premise is simple: Groups of people gather on random Subway platforms to ride the NYC Subway sans pantaloons. The participants (in theory) do not behave as if they know each other or as if anything is wrong. Aside from the lack of pants, everyone wears otherwise regular winter clothing.

The event is completely free, you can RSVP on Facebook and they raising the ante be selling official T-shirts this year. Hey, there is even an after party at Greenwich Village Country Club starting at 5:00 PM.

Be forewarned: it is not a small, subtle event. So far, over 4,500 people have signed up on Facebook to join. That's a lot of people missing pants. Last year, we wrote about the event in much more detail. For a blast from about a year ago in the past,  we revisit our original post below….

__________________________________
The 2011 No Pants Subway Ride.

Welcome to 2011. New Year. New beginning. Same zany "take the city by storm" annual events. What does the, ahem, Naked City have lined up for January? The 10th Annual No Pants Subway Ride.

The concept is incredibly simple: Show up with no pants and ride the New York City subway system. Yes, It's sophomoric. True, its a touch ridiculous. And some would argue that it is borderline illegal and a tad lewd.


All of that aside, the event is incredibly popular and growing exponentially each year. And, yes, we have to admit that the site of thousands of people sans pantaloons tromping from Union Square to Brooklyn, across subway platforms and staircases is pretty hilarious.

Organized by Improv Everywhere, legend has it that the event began in 2002 with just seven people. When asked by curious onlookers (likely trying their best to show big city indifference) what the story is, bare-legged participants are encouraged to simply respond, "I forgot my pants today" and add lines such as "Hunh, apparently so did that random guy/gal."

Falling in the same vein as Santacon and The World's Largest Pillow Fight, this event has moved way past Flash Mob status and, for better or worse, more into citywide social event that attracts an...interesting mix of people. Also, the event has apparently spread to many a city with public transport.Sadly, many of whom attend now miss the point of the subtle prank like you're going to miss fabric on your thighs on a cold day in January. 

Bottom line, if your goal is to make some new friends and walkaway with some memorable visions and good stories, this just might be the event for you. Although, where you keep your Metrocard without any pants on is your business.


And as our New Year's gift to you, here is a fantastic photo gallery from last year from one of the "agents". Gives a insider view into the day: 100110 No Pants 10 Photos

An incredibly detailed look at last year's event: Recap of 2010 No Pants Subway Ride

Worst New York Subway Station? Filthy, Nasty and Sad honors go to...

What is the most disgusting NYC Subway Station? We vote for 2nd Avenue.

The New York Subway System boasts over 450 individual stations. Many unique, blissfully old and charming, but, well, not all of them can be winners.

An unofficial Big Adventure survey found that the Lower East Side - Second Avenue station (F Line) is by far the nastiest and most disgusting station in the system. 

Without going into overly descriptive details for the benefit of those with tender tummies, we’ll just say that it is a sad, dingy, smelly location with seemingly random, aimless people and assorted homeless lurking about. Since the station no longer stop serving as the terminus to the V Line in June, you would think it might smell less like human excrement....but no. Particularly sad since it is such a busy and oft used station. Our fear is that with all the subway cuts and fewer booth attendants system wide, this is going to become more and more of an issue. Sure, there are other run down stations, but few used so heavily.

A strong vote was also made from those who personally hate the 34th street/Herald square station. and found it "ridiculously hot and extra stinky"

What do YOU think is the worst station in the system?

Another Big Adventure is in the books!

Another Big Adventure In The Books and Completed! Our Day of Discovering Hidden Germs was a giant success! Thanks to all who came out from the Sensational St. John the Divine Cathedral Tour to NYC Trivia in the basement bar at Puck Fair and everything between....

The one thing from yesterday's Big Adventure that we cannot recommend enough is getting your backside to The Cathedral of St. John some Saturday soon and take any guided tour of this incredible, astoundingly huge NYC space.

Apparently, it is twice the size of St. Patrick's Cathedral in just about every way. The building alone measure 609 feet in length from front door to the back of the pulpit. Amazing.

Another one of the best parts of yesterday's Big Adventure was visiting the Jim Henson exhibit and the Museum of Moving Image and discovering this gem: A 1960's Muppet commercial Henson made for La Choy. It's clever, has some sardonic wit targeted at traditional advertising and just plan funny. Ahead of its time for a commercial. (We like when the dragon yells at the lady "Try It!")

See ya next Big Adventure!

Final Itinerary –NYC Hidden Gems Big Adventure! – THIS Saturday, October 15th

Since we’re just a few days out from our NYC Hidden Gems Big Adventure which will be exploring the best of undiscovered locales and hidden hideouts this coming Saturday, October 15th, we wanted to send out the complete itinerary for our day. New York City has so many incredible hidden gems, many of which we tend to walk past every day.  This helped make planning this Big Adventure easy. Some of these hidden bars we've discovered are nothing short of sensational –they have no signs and no discernable way in; they require some savvy stealth to enter. We will go to places like St. John the Diving, Angel’s Share, Back Room and more. It’s a shame we can't visit them all in one day. NOTE: Due to the nature of the tour at St. John the Divine, we have (for the first time) limited space on the Cathedral Tour. If you want to join us, you must e-mail us. First come, first serve.

 

We encourage you to pass this information along to anyone who might enjoy New York City’s hidden gems. As per usual, feel free to join for only part of the day or from beginning to end for an event we promise will be unique, affordable, social, and distinctly NYC. Whether you might be attending your first or one thousandth Big Adventure, we think you’ll find this might be our most intriguing. You will find more info (and a chance to RSVP) at facebook.com/TheBigAdventure and The Big Adventure Website.

Cathedral of St. John The Divine – 11:00 AM -Within the Walls Tour: Spotlight on Hidden Spaces

112^th and Amsterdam Avenue, Morningside Heights

 www.stjohndivine.org  -(212) 932-7347 

As part of Open House New York, we’ve gained access to an exclusive tour that they offer only once a year. We’re going to explore some of the most hidden walkways, crypts (yikes), stairways and balconies in the already divine St. John The Divine. We have limited space on this tour so if you want to join, you MUST RSVP in advance via e-mail at Info@NYCBigAdventure.com .  We will confirm your space on the tour.

Sunswick 35/35 Bar - 1:30 PM

 35^th Street & 35^th Avenue,  Astoria, Queens

http://sunswick3535bar.com/ - (718) 752-0620 

Next, we’ll head over to Astoria for the perfect midday stop on a Big Adventure: Comfortable atmosphere, lots of space, solid menu and the friendliest bartenders that side of the East River. And of course, they have a constantly rotating selection of 25 craft and seasonable beers on tap, many of which start at a mouth watering $5 per pint. Bonus: Sunswick is in the middle of their Oktoberfest celebration with a custom food and beer menu.  

Museum of The Moving Image - Jim Henson's Fantastic World (The Muppet Exhibit!) – 3:00 PM

36^th Street and 35^th Avenue,  Astoria, Queens 

http://www.movingimage.us/  -(718) 784-0077

Conveniently located two blocks from Sunswick, The Museum of the Moving image recently underwent a giant multi-million dollar renovation that is dedicated to all things film and television. We’ve always thought this is a criminally underrated world-class museum. And now, the icing on the cake, an entire exhibit dedicated to Muppets. Guided Tour, Sound studio and more. Admission is $12, but many large companies offer discounts, so bring your IDs and love for Piggy, Gonzo, Animal and the gang.

Angel’s Share – 5:30 PM

Meet at Solas Pub-

232 E 9th St (between Stuyvesant St & 2nd Ave) , East Village.  

(917) 402-5217. 

Angel’s Share is such a unique, classy, hidden Gem that we have to meet at a separate bar just so we can guide everyone there. Swanky, but not elite. Classy, but not stuffy, Angel’s Share may be the best tucked away saloon in the city. No sign on the door but amazing cocktails and atmosphere inside.  We will meet at Solas Pub down the street before we go in.

Puck Fair and Big Adventure NYC Hidden Gem Trivia -8:00 PM

 298 Lafayette Street just south of Houston

 http://www.puckfairbar.com/ -(212) 431-1200

Time to rest our feet with a familiar joint. We get some dinner and down time at Puck Fair – The Best Irish Pub you’ve never been to.  We’ll get cozy, make some new friends and embark on a round or two of custom NYC Hidden Gem Big Adventure trivia.

The Back Room -11:00 PM

Or should we call it the Lower East Side Toy Company? This is the ultimate back room speakeasy complete with all the touches from beer in brown bags to dark, wood decor that make you think that you’re dodging Johnny Law in the 1920’s. How to get in? Well, ya gotta be with us. Text us at the number below or meet us at Puck Far to get the password to get inside.

We hope that you’ll join us this Saturday! If you get lost or want to track us down during the day, feel free to call or text us. If you do plan on coming, let us know via e-mail or the Facebook Event Page  so we can plan accordingly. See you on Saturday, October 15^th.

Become our Fan:http://www.facebook.com/TheBigAdventure

Send us an E-mail: Info@NYCBigAdventure.com

Follow us on Twitter 140 Characters at a time @NYCBigAdventure