Yoga, Anyone?

When the weather changes from the cold, brutal winter to the hot, beautiful summer days in New York, you know it's time for Times Square's annual yoga session! What a sight to be seen - hundreds upon hundreds of people in the middle of Times Square doing Downward Facing Dog or Warrior One pose.

This yearly event is called, Solstice in Times Square: Athleta Mind Over Madness Yoga.  This year, it is scheduled for Friday, June 21, 2013

 

On the Times Square official website it states, "Thousands of yoga enthusiasts will come together for a collective ohm on the longest day of the year (June 21st) to participate in an all day yoga fest".   (Official Times Square Website)  I find it interesting that they don't just pick any random day, but the longest day of the year.



The first time I saw hundreds  of people doing yoga as I walked through Times Square I was so confused.  It was my first summer working in New York.  What is going on and don't people have work?!  I don't know why they don't make this event on a weekend where more people can participate, but they obviously still have a lot of people that come out. 

 It's pretty cool, and definitely a unique experience I don't think you can get anywhere else.  I think it would be fun to try and participate in one year.  I'm sure it's a very powerful experience if you are really into yoga.  It would be very zen ;]

Yoga, anyone? 

Behind the Masks

One of the sights you will always see in Times Square are people in costumes.  The kids love it.  Typically, you can see them standing around the Disney store handing out chocolates or taking pictures with excited tourists.  I've always ignored them, but I recently read an article in The Wall Street Journal that described a day in the life of the people in these costumes.   

Most people only see the fun and silliness of it all.  They get hugs, kisses, and smiles from kids and their parents.  However, what we don't know are the people BEHIND the masks.  You will come across an array of characters in Times Square including:

• Elmo
• Superman
• Mickey Mouse
• Minny Mouse
• Cookie Monster
• Spongebob Square Pants
• Buzz Lightyear or Woody from Toy Story
• and more!

Many of these characters are actually undocumented immigrants from Peru or Mexico who hardly speak English  With the tough economy, many have found themselves subjecting to this type of work.  They wave at the crowds of people who walk by, motioning them to snap a photo.   After photos are taken, they hold out a  bag in the hopes for a dollar or two, or even some spare change.

A woman mentioned in the article named Isabel has worked as Minnie for a few years.  As Minnie, she earns about $45 to $50 a day.

"I prefer coming here because people hug you," she said. "They treat you better than when you go to a factory."

This article really made me think.  I guess I was ignorant to the fact that those who dress up as Elmo or Minney Mouse do so in an effort to feed their families back at home.   I used to think that they were just a bunch of high school kids having fun.  I've always felt bad for them during the summer months when it's extremely hot and they have to be in those costumes all day.  Most of them don't even speak English!    

You can check out the article for yourself:  Behind the Mickey Masks

Next time I see an Elmo or Cookie Monster in Times Square, I will be sure not to ignore them, and help them out a little.  Every dollar counts.  Let's all think twice about these costumed characters.   

My 5 Favorite Things To Do in Times Square

So you want to go to Times Square.  But what is there to actually do once you are there?  Here are my top 5 favorite things to do.  (In no particular order):

1.  Walk Around. 
Seriously, just walking around is so fun!  I love people watching, and something exciting is always going on.  You never know what kind of people you will see or what street performers are there.  Sometimes you can catch a TV show being filmed.  The other day I saw Mario Lopez shooting for Extra!    

2. Visit Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
Right on 42nd Street, this museum is a lot of fun (and a little creepy).  The wax figures are so life-like, and it's cool to see your favorite celebs up close!  It's a little pricey, but definitely worth it if you have never been.

3. See a Broadway show
Going to a Broadway show is one of my favorite things to do.  If you can't buy tickets in advance, just stand in like at the TKTs booth and get discounted tickets!  I actually work right next to the Mama Mia show at the Winter Garden Theater.

4. Go Shopping - Forever 21 (For the ladies) - I think this is the best Forever 21, it's 4 floors and and actually very organized!  You can always find a cute outfit in this store.  LOVE!

5. Go to Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is the best!  Especially during Christmas time with the tree is up.  It's beautiful, and never gets old.  You can also go ice skating here.  Sometimes when the weather is nice, I like to come here and eat my lunch.  It's just a great atmosphere  and fun to take people to.

Times Square is round the clock.  It never dies, no matter what time of day.  Personally, I like going at night when the lights are bright and flashing.  There is always something to do but I recommend doing any of my 5 fav things.  Get lost, take pictures, and just be silly with you're friends.  You can't go wrong.  

Hungry? Tony's DiNapoli is A Must!

Whenever people ask me where to eat in Midtown Manhattan I ALWAYS suggest Tony's DiNapoli.  Right on 43rd and 7th,  it's THE BEST Italian restaurant in midtown.  Check out their website: 
http://www.tonysnyc.com/


Tony DiNapoli's is a family style restaurant, so if you're with a large group of people, this is the place to be.  My friends and I always go here when we want some great Italian Food.  My favorite dish to eat is the chicken parm and penne vodka.  DELISH!  

The atmosphere is awesome and the service is always great.  The walls are covered with photographs of famous people so it's always fun to look around and see who you recognize.

I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants to have a good meal in Times Square.  If you love Italian food, this is the place to be!

The Naked What?!

When I think about the type of people I see in Time Square, the first thought that comes to mind is The Naked Cowboy.  This guy is dressed in only his tighty whiteys that say "Naked Cowboy" on the butt, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat!  He stands in the center of Times Square with his guitar.  His real name?  Robert John Burck, born December 23, 1970.

The Naked Cowboy is not hard to miss.  My first thought when I saw him was, this guy is nuts.  My second thought was, isn't he cold?  Despite how crazy people may think he is, The Naked Cowboy is a really intelligent guy.  He trademarked The Naked Cowboy name and built himself a great franchise.  He has a professional website, Twitter, and Facebook account.  He sings, does appearances, and sells all different types of products.  From his site you can purchase CDs, T-Shirts, Underwear (yes, underwear), hats, photos, and more.

Another fun fact is that The Naked Cowboy is also a Reverend!  I had no idea until I did my own research.  If you live life on the edge and want to get married by The Naked Cowboy, it's only a mere $499. For more info on him check out his website, The Naked Cowboy

Rain or shine, The Naked Cowboy can always be seen in Times Square.  Talk about dedication.  You have to admire someone for sticking to what they do for a living.

And if you're wondering, yes, there is a Naked Cowgirl too.  She falls under The Naked Cowboy franchise.

But please don't be shy, they will always stop and take a picture with you!  There are so many different people to see and things to experience in New York.  These are the things that make the Times Square culture so unique, and why I love it so much.  You won't see this anywhere else in the world.  

Finding Nemo

I've never seen Times Square so empty, so I thought it would be cool to take some pictures and post them on my blog.  The blizzard of 2013, known as Nemo, impacted the New York area greatly.  This massive snowstorm stuck the Northeast and New York City officially recorded 11.4 inches of snow at Central Park!    Times Square was completely DEAD, a very rare occurrence.  

You know something serious is happening when one of the busiest landmarks in the city is empty.  The mayor made it clear that he wanted everyone (residents, tourists, etc) inside and safe  Not even cars, cabs, or buses allowed out on the street.  Looks like most people listened!  It's important to be aware of what's going on and listen to your city and state officials when they urge you to stay away from certain areas.  I'm glad Times Square was not damaged and that no one was hurt.  This blizzard was a very serious one, but nothing seems to be able to stop the bright lights in Times Square!  

BUT.. there are always going to be people who think they are invincible.  Exhibit A:

What were these people THINKING?!  Go home!! 

Hope all of my readers stayed safe during the blizzard.  

What's That Big Red Thing In The Middle of Times Sq?

The TKTs booth in Times Square is a large landmark that is always busy.  The big, bright red stairs are in the center of the Square, and under it is a ticket booth where tourists line up and get discounted Broadway and off-Broadway tickets for shows that day.  You can't miss it, and many people will use the TKTs booth as a meeting point.

To learn more about the TKTs booth, i looked it up in Wikipedia where it reads:

New York City's TKTS (pronounced phonetically "tee kay tee ess") first opened in 1973 and is operated by the Theatre Development Fund. There are three locations: one inDuffy Square (at W 47th Street and Broadway, the north end of Times Square); another in Downtown Brooklyn (Jay St. and Myrtle St. Promenade); and a third at the South Street Seaport in Lower Manhattan (replacing the office formerly located in the lobby of the World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks).^[1] The Seaport location has been temporarily closed after sustaining damage from Hurricane Sandy in the fall of 2012. The Times Square booth sells day-of-performance tickets only, while the Brooklyn location sells tickets to evening performances on the day of the performance as well as next-day tickets for matinee performances when available.

I felt that there was more to say about TKTs so I altered the Wikepedia post that now says: (changes in bold)

New York City's TKTS (pronounced phonetically "tee kay tee ess") first opened in 1973 and is operated by the Theatre Development Fund. There are three locations: one inDuffy Square (at W 47th Street and Broadway, the north end of Times Square); another in Downtown Brooklyn (Jay St. and Myrtle St. Promenade); and a third at the South Street Seaport in Lower Manhattan (replacing the office formerly located in the lobby of the World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks).^[1] The Seaport location has been temporarily closed after sustaining damage from Hurricane Sandy in the fall of 2012. The Times Square booth sells day-of-performance tickets only at a discounted price. However, people must line up extra early in order to get these tickets, and can only purchase show tickets available at the time. Some can stand in line for hours and finally get to the booth to find out that all the tickets have been sold out for the day. Most of the time, the seats you get for shows are not the best, but if you are looking for something to do in New York that isn't very expensive, the TKTs booth is a great option for those on a budget who love theater.

It's amazing how easy it is to change something on Wikipedia.  I felt the need to change it because I think it's important for people to know that while this is a great service, it's not always the most reliable option.  I do realize that the change I made seems to leave a negative impression toward the company.  However, I still stand by my post.  I wonder if it will be changed to a more positive note, or if people will agree with me and leave it!  

Check out the link for the TKTs post: Wikipedia and see for yourself!

[edit]

The Dreaded Tourist.

It's funny that I am dedicating an entire blog to Times Square because I try to avoid it most of the time!  The amount of lost, confused, and obsessed picture taking tourists is awful.  If I get asked by another sightseer, "Do you know where Times Square is?"  while they are IN THE MIDDLE of Times Square, I am going to lose it!

Maybe it's that "New Yorker" attitude in me, where my patience grows thin while I am rushing to work in the morning.  Trying to get by and attempting to avoid all the people that are selling me things, trying to get me on a tour bus, or stopping short in front of me to take a picture.  And no, I don't want to take a picture of you and your friends.

Here I am trying to get by to go to work, and I can hardly walk without having to step around people who are lost or slowly strolling .  Perhaps there should be 2 separate lanes for people to walk in on the sidewalk.  One for the New Yorker, and one for the wandering Tourist :)  haha.

However, I have been a tourist in many countries and cities before as well.  I'm probably just as annoying, if not more so, when I travel.

Despite all my complaining, i DO love the atmosphere when I'm not in a rush!  Especially on a nice spring or summer day.  :)  And yes, tourism does boost the economy.  But whatever, tourists are still incredibly annoying.

Did You Know...

Seeing as New Years was just upon us, it only seemed right to write about New Years Eve in Times Square.

Did you know an estimated ONE MILLION people gather in Times Square to watch the famous ball drop?  People from all over the world start lining up early in the morning and wait around all day for the countdown.  For those who don't want to freeze to death, another ONE BILLION people from around the world watch the ball drop on TV.  This has been an ongoing tradition since 1907.

I don't think many people realize the amount of SECURITY this event entails.  The NYPD take New Years very seriously (as they should).  

Police use barriers to prevent overcrowding and checkpoints to inspect vehicles, enforce a ban on alcohol, and check all personal items.Not only do you see uniformed officers, but many officers in plain clothing will patrol the streets, keeping an eye out for any suspicious behavior.  

Many officers wear palm-size radiation detectors designed to give off a signal if they detect evidence of a dirty bomb, an explosive intended to spread panic by creating a radioactive cloud.  There are also bomb-sniffing dogs, Rooftop patrols, and NYPD helicopters circling Times Square.  

The bomb squad and another unit specializing in chemical and biological threats sweep hotels, theaters, construction sites and parking garages. They also patrol the Times Square subway stations.

The NYPD also will rely on a network of thousands of closed-circuit security cameras carpeting the roughly 1.7 square miles south of Canal Street, the subway system and parts of Midtown Manhattan.

Another piece of information I never knew myself:  The NYPD always seals manhole covers and removes mailboxes to prevent anyone from using them to conceal an explosive or other device.

Bet ya didn't know that ;]