Go Early: Taste of Tribeca is May 15 11AM-3:30 PM

This clever food celebration benefits the arts programs of Tribeca's two local schools: PS 150 and PS 234. Time has passed to get in on the discounted $40 general pass, but $45 tickets are available on a limited walkup basis. Three delicious menu items that got my mouth watering: chocolate molten cake, lamb meatballs, and dumplings.  Cook offs and a self-guided wine tour (see the site for locations and special day-of discount coupons) provide yet more entertainment. Wow, between Tribeca Film Festival and Taste of Tribeca, these people know how to party!   www.tasteoftribeca.com/

Duane Park is center circle for the kids' offerings. Kids can decorate their own cupcakes, have their faces painted, do arts and crafts or be entertained.

Just Go: Street fairs for May 15

Lots of street fairs on tap for today.  Here's a massive list, courtesy of the folks who keep up the manhattan.about.com site.  From the looks of it, you won't be able to turn around in the Village without hitting a street fair. Better leave the car at home... or park over on the east side.

Children of the World Festival
Sixth Avenue between 42nd and 56th Streets

100th Street Block Association Party
West 100th Street between Riverside Drive and West End Avenue

Bedford Barrow Commerce Block Association Festival
Bedford Street between Christopher Street and 7th Avenue South, Barrow Street between Hudson Street and 7th Avenue South, Commerce Street between Barrow Street and 7th Avenue South

Christopher Street Block Association Festival
Christopher Street between Hudson Street and 7th Avenue South

Columbia Grammar School Block Party
West 94th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West

Design New York in the Meatpacking District
10AM-9PM
Gansevoort Street between 9th Avenue and Washington Street

Fest with Zest
East 82nd Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues

149th Street Block Party
West 149th Street between Amsterdam and Broadway

Health Procession High School PTA Block Party
10AM-4PM
East 15th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues

Kelly Temple COGIC Health Fair
11AM-3PM
Esat 130th Street between Madison and Fifth Avenues

Lycee Francais Spring Fair Block Party
9AM-5PM
East 76th Street between York and East End Avenues

9th Avenue Food Festival
10AM-6PM
Ninth Avenue between West 42nd and 57th Streets

Ronald McDonald House Block Party
11:30AM-3PM
East 73rd Street between York and First Avenues

PS/IS 180 Carnival/Luau
West 120th Street between Manhattan and Morningside Avenues

St. Ann's Block Party
9AM-5PM
East 110th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues

Village Crosstown Trolley Astor Place Festival
Astor Place between Broadway and Lafayette Street

West 11th Street Block Party
9AM-5PM
West 11th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues

New format

If you're anything like me, you've got a lot on your plate. Which means keeping track of those fun little diverting things on your calendar falls by the wayside. Seriously, how many times have you heard about a festival, thought "I want to go to that" and promptly forget about it. Then, you see the blurb the Friday before and think "Oh yeah I wanted to do that." 

So you log online and discover you need tickets. But, it's sold out!  That happens a lot with indoor festivals and those involving food or activities - they can only let so many people in on the fun. So to distinguish those types of festivals from the type you can probably just get in at the door, I'm introducing a few new labels:

1) Just go: this means you can expect to get in at the door without advance purchase.

2) Buy tickets now: you should make arrangements to go to this as it will probably sell out

3) How it works: for general pointers on how this blog is set up. I hope to be adding new features soon!

Buy Tickets Now: NYC Brewfest is June 19

I can't believe I've missed out on this before. Brewfest is being held for a fourth consecutive year out on Governor's Island June 19 from 3:30-8PM. The last three sold out according to the website, so don't get left out.


This festival is dedicated to craft beer (and cider) tasting and brewing, but there will be music and food as well as the chance to check out Governor's Island (I still haven't). And there will be seminars about brewing - yes you can make your own beer at home! Tickets are hardly free ($55 for the basic tasting pass), but there is a $25 music lover pass for the non-beer drinkers among us (that would include myself). No one under 21 will be admitted, so this is a situation where you get a sitter (who is probably under 21 too, so no conflict of interest there!).


http://www.nybrewfest.com/index.php to buy tickets.

Coming UP: Park Slope Community Volunteer Fair

Your personal flavor of charity is on tap at the Park Slope Community Volunteer Fair, scheduled Thursday, May 13 at the brand new Park Slope Armory. Arts, local advocacy, animals, parks and rec, hospitals and medical nonprofits will all be there - even the local Civil War reenactment chapter! You don't have to go far from home to do a little good - even a few hours a month make a difference.

High school students with community service requirements will find suitable opportunities there either.

Show up, see your neighbors, help your friends, check out the beautiful renovation. You never know what might move you.

For a more information and a list of participating organizations, click here:
http://www.assembly.state.ny.us/member_files/044/20100414/

Coming up: Affordable Art Fair.

Original works of art can cost a pretty penny. But if you know where to look you can find some great stuff. I got my cubist-inspired oil from Ebay from a prolific artist who seems to be pretty successful selling them that way. But if you need to really touch and see (or just see in the case of paintings) the stuff, head over to the Affordable Art Fair of NYC, in town May 6-9.

According to the website, the art is priced from the potentially affordable to $100 to the more aristocratic $10,000. Nevertheless, those who are familiar with art collecting know that this is indeed affordable art. However, window shopping is permissible. All it will cost you is the $20 ($16 for students/seniors) you paid to get in the door. If you're serious about collecting some art, $45 gets you into the private preview on May 5.  Most of the good stuff gets snapped up pre-sale, so it could be worth it for that perfect watercolor of the two bridges.

Ancillary to the AAFNYC is the I [heart] Brooklyn party on May 6, meant to celebrate Brooklyn's art galleries (primarily located in Williamsburg, Cobble Hill and Dumbo). $25 gets you in

It goes without saying that original art pieces are one of a kind, but don't worry if you can't make it: going forward, AAFNYC will hold a second fair in September. Stay tuned.

GET REGISTERED: Solstice in Times Square

A great opportunity for the city to show off the new pedestrian promenades in Times Square is coming up: Solstice in Times Square.

Duffy Square (Broadway and 7th Ave near 46th street) becomes ground zero for hundreds (thousands?) of yogis saluting the sun on the longest day of the year. Bring your mat and join in. Local teachers give talks and classes during the day. And last year, 1500 participants got yoga-related swag!

When: June 21 starting at dawn and going to dusk

Where: Times Square between 46th and 47th Street

PREREGISTRATION IS OPEN!!!
Head here to preregister for one of the sessions at Solstice in Times Square! http://www.timessquarenyc.org/about_us/events_solstice.html