Everyone could use a little magic and relaxation in their lives right now. New York is full of spectacular castles that give you that get-away feel without going too far.
Only half an hour from Manhattan, Castle Hotel & Spa is located on one of the highest points in the region, with remarkable views of the historic Hudson River. Renovated and reimagined in 2013 by Evan Metropoulos and his family, the award-winning estate is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World and Historic Hotels of America. The grounds, including the ten acres of serene tranquil woods, offer the perfect combination of respite, style, and indulgence.
Evan Metropoulos, left, recommends NY’s castles and rivers for quality fishing
Located on Heart Island, this 120-room Rhineland-style castle was built at the turn-of-the 20th century. It is only accessible by tour boat, water taxi, or private water vehicle.
In the Hudson Valley, this Gothic revival mansion is a National Historic Site sprawling across 67 acres of the Hudson River. The estate includes numerous lush gardens, a greenhouse, and a carriage house. When planning your next self-care pampering moment, or fanciful event, consider any of these locations.
They all offer the enchantment and splendor of medieval times, just a drive away.
Metropoulos says NY’s castles are perfect for green and gorgeous getaways with friends
Being stuck in a city due to lockdown can be dismal. But when that city is New York City the lockdown may not seem all that bad. Anyone who has spent any significant amount of time in “the center of the universe” would have to agree that is one of the most buzzing places in the world. As famous fiction prize winning author John Updike said: “The true New Yorker secretly believes that people living anywhere else have to be, in some sense, kidding.”
Photographer Mozes Victor Konig had gone to visit some friends in New York in between lockdowns and got “stuck” there for some time. He decided to make the most of it. In the evenings he would go out when the streets were empty (so as not to inadvertently see anyone outside of his bubble) and snap pictures of New York city in lockdown.
“What I found,” recalls Konig, “was that New York’s allure is the people and activity. During lockdown you get to see the nuts and bolts of the place. Really it’s extremely ugly. Well, not exactly ugly but certainly not pretty and archaeologically there is nothing to get excited about.”
“Once lockdown ended, I ventured out a little more – still socially distancing and avoiding crowds. And that’s when I saw the New York I had fallen in love with on my first visit more than two decades ago. That’s when the spirit of NYC came back to life for me. And it was then that I concluded that New York is not its city, it is its action.”
New York is known as “the city that never sleeps.” Well, what happens when people don’t sleep? They look tired and worn out and not that attractive. The same with the city. But as Konig witnessed, when it is locked down and no one is out, it doesn’t have any of its traditional character, just a city like all others…
Let’s hope that New York soon gets back to its original buzzing character and good health returns to all!
New York’s tourism board recently reported that they are looking for volunteers to scout out the state’s most colorful and vivacious foliage.
After the long winter and summer months, and with the almost urgent need to safely escape the confines of pandemic imposed lockdown, New York State is offering foliage-infatuated residents a great opportunity: an official voluntary position as a I LOVE NY Leaf Peeper.
Only full time New York state and city dwellers can apply. Volunteers must commit to to tracking leafy areas from September to mid-November. The position also requires the submission of weekly detailed foliage reports that include location, percentage of leaves expected to change within the coming days, and vivid color descriptions.
Contributions made by Leaf Peepers are collated and included in I LOVE NY Fall Foliage Report, the official state and city guides on the best autumn foliage spots. Leaf Peepers are also featured on the tourism board’s website and have their photos shared on related social media platforms.
Good news for New York City’s beach lovers: all eight of the public sandy ocean fronts will be open for swimming as of July 1.
The city’s 14 miles of beaches have been closed since March to curb the spread of coronavirus. Swimming hours will be 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with lifeguards on duty. Social distancing precautions will be put in place and NYC Parks Ambassadors will distribute face masks to those who arrive at the beach without.
“New Yorkers have worked hard to fight back this virus and to put us back on the path to a safe reopening,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “This summer is still unlike any in our history, but now, we will all have the opportunity to cool off and swim at our cherished beaches.”
For most New York City families, visiting a landfill is not on the top of the to-do list. But the Freshkills Park is a public park and wildlife habitat the whole family can enjoy.
Once
the world’s largest landfill, Freshkills has been gradually transitioning from
a trash-dump into a nature-gem in Staten Island. At 2,200 acres,
Freshkills Park is nearly triple the size of Central Park and the
largest park to be developed in New York City in over 100 years. It is built on
what was once the largest landfill in the world (Fresh Kills Landfill
ceased operations in 2001). Now the landscape is being engineered with layers
of soil and infrastructure, making it a most unexpected place for wildlife,
recreation, science, education, and art.
For
obvious safety reasons, the landfill is covered by different layers of geomaterials
to stabilize landfilled waste, separate the waste from the environment and park
visitors, and prevent the release of landfill gas to the atmosphere.
As the park is being built in phases, with the entire expanse set to open to the public in a few years, free tours and events provide early access for learning and exploration of more than 700 acres and eight miles of trails. Family activities include cycling (bring your own bike or borrow one there), guided walks with groups like New York City Audubon and the Urban Park Rangers, kite flying, kayaking, wind chime design, and upcycled art. This is a great activity even if you don’t live nearby: Free shuttle buses transport visitors to and from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal.
The Butterfly Conservatory is now open at the American
Museum of Natural History.
This seasonal exhibit features over 500 butterflies. Once in the conservatory, visitors can walk among the free-flying butterflies and tropical plants.
This exhibit features butterflies from the Pieridae,
Papilionidae and Nymphalidaie families.
Open through May, tickets to this popular exhibit must be pre-purchased.
The conservatory is located on the second floor of the museum, in the Whitney
Hall of Oceanic Birds.
Other locations (such as The Bronx Zoo) feature butterfly
gardens, but they are only open during the warmer months, depending on the weather.
There is always a lot going on in New York, but somehow there is something a little bit extra magical about the fall. Especially for those who love the outdoors which is why we recommend a visit to the New York Botanical Garden. There, you will be privy to the World of Plants event, “featuring lush tropical rain forests, cactus-filled deserts, curated displays of palms from around the world, aquatic and carnivorous plants, and much more.” This Botanical garden is one of the world’s “greatest botanical gardens,” with an educational program for children being touted as a “pioneer in innovative, informal science discovery facilities and activities; and its scientific research on plants and fungi is unmatched in scale, depth, and authority.”
Feeling hungry and thirsty? Participate in the fall edition’s Brooklyn Crush Wine & Artisanal Food Festival and witness the transformation of Industry City into an “East Coast Napa Valley,” thanks to New York Wine Events. Some of the coolest restaurants in Brooklyn will be featured and those who come along will be able to try a “curated selection of incredible wines, ciders and other beverages complemented by creative tastes and delicious hors-d’oeuvres from all over.”
New York Wine Events transforms Industry City into an East Coast Napa Valley alongside an artisanal food extravaganza with some of Brooklyn’s coolest restaurants. Attendees will get the chance to sample a curated selection of incredible wines, ciders and other beverages complemented by creative tastes and delicious hors-d’oeuvres from all over.
Tomorrow lovers of the outdoors can enjoy New York’s wonderful parks for free. Thanks to National Public Lands Day on September 22, all parks are open to the public to come and enjoy and appreciate the country’s wonderful land and outdoors life. The Day was established to “celebrate the connection between people and green space in their community, inspire environmental stewardship and encourage use of open space for education, recreation and general health.”
In addition, check out the varied volunteer opportunities that are available in and around New York City as well as other areas.
For example, tomorrow, a mere 8 minute ferry ride from lower Manhattan, volunteers at Governors Island will get their hands dirty and feel the love of the land as they cut through overgrowth, mulch trees and clear pathways for everyone to enjoy. The National Environmental Educational Foundation (NEEF) organizes lots of events just like this for the special day so check out their website for more ideas on how to be a productive, constructive part of maintaining and improve the public lands in your neighborhood.
