Get moving and have fun on NYC’s largest outdoor dance floor! Salsa, tango, rumba, and of course, disco – all under a ten-foot disco ball. This year, Social Dance at Lincoln Center is featuring a series of women DJs, all with their own style.
Las Karambas is an all-women band with members from Argentina, Spain, France, Venezuela, and Cuba. Their sound and rhythm include bolero, son, salsa, rumba, Hip-Hop and pop. Come dance and sing with Las Karambas!
The Dance Floor opens with DJ set at 6:30 pm Dance lesson at 7:00 pm Live music at 7:30 pm
Afterwards, stay for the Silent Disco at 10:00 pm
There are two ways to access this free event: 1. General Admission, first-come first-served. Just show up! 2. Fast Track opening the Monday before the event at noon.
Summer is finally here! Looking for fun and adventure during these long, hot days? Here are ten great things to do in and around New York City this summer.
10. Visit a museum!
Too hot outside? Visit an air conditioned museum for free or pay-what-you-wish.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art: https://www.metmuseum.org/ (New York State residents and students from NY, NJ, CT can pay what they wish).
Queens County Farm Museum: https://www.queensfarm.org/ (A working farm in the city, often with free admission or low-cost events).
9. Explore a Botanical Garden
Escape the heat of the city and immerse yourself in nature at one of NYC’s beautiful botanical gardens.
Check out Smorgasburg: A must-visit for foodies, this open-air food market features dozens of local vendors.
Smorgasburg: https://www.smorgasburg.com/ (Check their website for current weekend locations and hours in Williamsburg, Prospect Park, and the World Trade Center).
4. Visit Governors Island
Take a short ferry ride to this car-free island for bike rentals, hammocks, art installations, and stunning skyline views.
Sustenance — n., nourishment that maintains life, food.
potential — n., adj., able to come into being; possible
bountiful — adj., as much or more than is needed, abundant
mimic — v., to copy or imitate
approximately — adv., about, almost exact
Traditionally, people celebrated the return of light, life, fertility, and the potential for a good harvest on the summer solstice. The summer months bring a bountiful harvest and the foods served at solstice gatherings mimic the sun. Round, sun-colored fruits like lemons, oranges, peaches, and nectarines are the flavor of the day as well as vegetables like yellow squash, corn, and tomatoes.
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Wash and chop the vegetables into approximately 1-inch pieces.
Spread the vegetables out over a large baking sheet (or two, if needed) so they’re in a single layer and not piled on top of one another. Drizzle the olive oil over top, then add the basil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables until they’re evenly coated in oil and spices.
Roast the vegetables for 30-40 minutes, stirring once or twice (every 15-20 minutes or so), until the vegetables are soft and browned on the edges. Taste the vegetables and add another pinch of salt if desired. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over top just before serving.
I like to add an extra pinch of salt after roasting, so you get some salt sitting on the surface to give each bite a little pop. I also like to sprinkle with a little fresh parsley for freshness and to add a pop of color, but that’s optional.
April is known for many things: the start of spring, Arbor Day, as well as Easter & Passover. But did you know it’s also known as National BLT Sandwich Month and International Guitar Month 🤟🎸?
A B.L.T Sandwich ( Bacon, lettuce & tomato )Kirk Hammett – guitarist for Metallica
Here are a few more lesser known holidays to celebrate in the month of April…
The first Saturday of April is International Pillow Fight Day. “What is International Pillow Fight Day?” you ask. Read all about it here.
Sometimes getting dressed in the morning can be a challenge – no worries! On April 6th come to work/school in your pajamas for National Pajama Day.
No Housework Day on April 7th says it all. Take the day off from your household chores and rest; maybe watch a movie or drink some wine- do the dishes tomorrow, they can wait!
April 7th is also National Coffee Cake Day, so why not grab a cup of coffee to pair with this sweet treat. Not sure what coffee cake is? Check out this YouTube video and learn all about this deliciously mis-understood “breakfast” food.
Hug Your Dog Day is on April 10th – Show your dog some love with a big hug. Don’t have a dog, maybe consider adopting one!
National Siblings Day is on April 10th. If you have a brother or sister, reach out to them to send your love. If you don’t have a sibling, maybe consider volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters – “a mentoring organization that pairs adult volunteers with children to help them develop positive relationships and reach their full potential”.
National Pet Day 🐶🐱 is April 11th. Do you have a pet? Maybe you want another pet? Check out the ASPCA and adopt a new cat or dog today.
If you love bread and cheese, Grilled Cheese Day on April 12th is perfect for you. Check out this video on how to make the world’s greatest sandwich:
And finally, if you’re tired of all the music streaming services, maybe head to your local record store on April 20th for National Record Store Day. Check out this list of the top ten record stores in New York City.
Lunar New Year is a major holiday celebrated in many East and Southeast Asian cultures, including Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Mongolian traditions. It marks a fresh start, emphasizing themes of family, prosperity, and good fortune. Key traditions include a reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, exchanging red envelopes with money to symbolize luck, cleaning and decorating homes with red banners and lanterns, and vibrant community festivities like fireworks and lion dances to ward off evil spirits.
The holiday also incorporates the Chinese zodiac, with each year linked to one of 12 animals, such as the Rabbit, Dragon, or Tiger. This year, Lunar New Year begins on Wednesday, January 29th. Celebrations often span up to 15 days, culminating in the Lantern Festival, which this year falls on Wednesday, February 12th.
Below are the 12 Chinese zodiac animals, including their associated years (1924–2043) and personality traits. What zodiac animal are you?
winter solstice – n., when the North Pole of the earth is farthest from the sun, the shortest day of the year
glittering – adj., sparkling, shiny
lavish – adj., fancy, elaborate
signify – v., to stand for something, to symbolize
struggles – n., difficulties
Stonehenge – n.place, a site of huge, ancient, carefully-arranged stones in England
doldrums – n., sad and bored feelings
renewal – n., newness, rebirth
The last months of the year bring winter, and winter brings cold and darkness. The days are short and the nights are long and chilly.
BUT – we are lucky that winter also brings holidays for almost everyone! Diwali, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, and winter solstice celebrations all bring warm cheer and shared joy. These holidays have different meanings for different cultures, but they all share one thing:
LIGHT!
The winter holidays begin with Diwali, celebrated by Hindus the world over, usually in November. It is a five-day-long party. A festival of lights and happiness, it falls on the darkest night of the year in the Hindu month of Kartik.
People celebrate Diwali by lighting their homes and streets with candles, dressing up in new clothes, exchanging gifts, and eating traditional food.
Christmas comes with candles, lights, and glittering tinsel. A shining star is an important part of any Christmas story. In America, people decorate their homes with lights, inside and out. Some of the lighting displays are lavish! Dyker Heights, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, is well-known for its Christmas lights. Map to Dyker Heights: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nKRPh96XcMsy7nAg6 Go take a look!
Kwanzaa has a tradition of lighting the kinara, a candleholder for 7 candles. One is lit each night for a week, and the different colors of the candles signify Africa and its peoples’ struggles and hopes. “Kinara” means “candleholder” in Swahili.
Hannukah celebrations include the lighting of a menorah, an eight-branched candleholder. Jews light Hannukah candles to remember victory in ancient battles, and the miracles that happened in those times.
Finally, the actual solstice, which takes place on December 21 in the Northern Hemisphere, has been a special time of celebration since the Stone Age. This was a significant and dramatic moment in the year for many cultures. Because it was the darkest night of all, there are monuments and traditions that revolve around bringing light into this darkness.
Sunset at Stonehenge in England during the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere
No matter how you celebrate the solstice, use it as a way to replace winter doldrums with a sense of renewal. The winter solstice may signify the day the sun rises lowest in the sky, but it’s also the day before we start growing closer to days of more light.
