Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership
Madison Square Park
Galleries and Museums
Music, Theater, Dancing
Education and Instruction
Announcements
Business Opportunities
Miscellaneous
Community and Nonprofit
Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership
Walking Tour Program
The BID sponsors free walking tours of the historic Flatiron district every Sunday year-round. Join our professional guides on a 90-minute journey through this vibrant neighborhood, viewing some of the City’s most notable landmarks, including the New York Life Insurance Building, the MetLife Clock Tower, the Appellate Courthouse and the famous Flatiron Building. Tours meet at 11 a.m. at the southwest corner of Madison Square Park at 23rd Street and Broadway (in front of the statue of William Seward).
Of the 170 walking tours given to date, over 2,500 people have attended, representing 46 countries, including China, Scotland, India, Sweden, Australia, Israel, Argentina, South Africa, Russia, Spain, and Switzerland. In the United States and Canada, over 229 cities have been represented by attendees.
Madison Square Park
Mad. Sq. Kids
Mad. Sq. Kids is a free summer entertainment series for children on the Oval Lawn in historic Madison Square Park. Child friendly performers engage their audience with live music, storytelling and more. Performances take place Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. through August 12. For more information, click here.
Mad. Sq. Music
On Wednesday evenings through August 4, the Madison Square Park Conservancy is putting on free concerts. Bring a blanket and picnic dinner to these free concerts on the Oval Lawn. The hand-picked line-ups present a mix of nationally touring acts ranging from jazz, soul and R&B to folk, bluegrass and pop. All concerts are rain or shine! For more information, click here.
Mad. Sq. Reads
Mad. Sq. Reads is the Madison Square Park Conservancy's free outdoor reading series located at the foot of Augustus Saint-Gaudens' Farragut Monument. Each program begins at 6:30 p.m. and lasts about one hour, ending with a Q&A session and book signing. Books are available for purchase at each program. The series runs through August 5. For more information, click here.
Mad. Sq. Art 2010: Event Horizon
On view through August 15
The Madison Square Park Conservancy presents Antony Gormley’s Event Horizon, a milestone public art installation presented as part of Mad. Sq. Art 2010. Since March 26, the celebrated skyline around Madison Square Park has been hosting London-based artist Antony Gormley’s Event Horizon – an installation featuring life-size sculptures cast from the artist’s own body. The 31 figures are positioned in the park, on the Public Plazas and on nearby roofs and setbacks, some as high as 57 stories. Locations include a mixture of neighborhood buildings and iconic landmarks including the Flatiron Building, the New York Life Building and the Empire State Building.
Described as an environmental intervention, Event Horizon will introduce the American public to one of Britain’s most celebrated artists in dramatic fashion, encouraging passersby to engage with and examine the built environment.
For more information about Mad. Sq. Art, click here.
Galleries and Museums
Museum of Sex
Title of Exhibit: The Sex Lives of Animals
Description: The uncensored story of sex and sexuality in the animal world.
Dates: Through the summer.
Address: 233 Fifth Avenue.
Hours: Sundays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Title of Exhibit: Rubbers: The Life, History & Struggle of the Condom
Description: A multi-media look at the condom's influence on everything from science to religion.
Dates: Through the summer.
Address and Hours: Same as above.
For more information, click here.
Raandesk Gallery of Art
Title of Exhibit: Optical: Beauty in the Mundane
Description: Small and large-scale photographs by Nadia Kyung Chae, winner of the 2009 Annual Optical Juried Competition, and runner-up Matt Gehring, as well as three other finalists: Pattiann Koury, Jeremy Sachs-Michaels and Magda Biernat.
Dates: Through September 10.
Address: 16 West 23rd Street, 4th floor (In Good Company).
Hours: Weekdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekends by appointment.
Volume Black
Title of Exhibit: Masters of Merriment
Description: Emerging artists show "quirky and cool" works, in the words of gallery owner Niki Milavec. They range from Katelyn Alain's figurative self-portraits to Lisa Lebofsky's oil paintings on aluminum.
Dates: Through July.
Address: 929 Broadway.
Hours: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., daily.
Music, Theater, Dancing
Monday Night Jazz at Hotel Giraffe: Featuring Silvia Zehn
Hotel Giraffe invites all for a night of Jazz in the Grande Lobby every Monday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Jazz pianist Silvia Zehn gives a crisp, yet emotionally resonant, interpretation to beloved American jazz standards, bossa novas and Latin music. Selections from Silvia's earlier trio recording, Prism, with Peter Ponzol (flute, sax, lyricon) and Coco Arregui (percussion) were enthusiastically received by audiences throughout Europe and the United States.
Education and Instruction
Free Magic Shows at Abracadabra every Sunday
Every Sunday at 3 p.m., free magic shows are held at Abracadabra, a costume, gift and gadget store at 19 West 21st Street. A magician conducts the 15 to 20 minute show that is geared towards children five years old and up, and consists of tricks such as color-changing rabbits and other stage and close-up tricks. The magic tricks performed are also sold in the store.
Abracadabra is located at 19 West 21st Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. To contact the store for more information, call (212) 627-5194.
Salsa Lessons on Monday Nights at Taj Lounge
On Monday nights, Taj Lounge provides salsa lessons. There is a $10 cover. Salsa Night begins with an open bar from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and salsa lessons starting at 6:30 p.m. Salsa DJ Henry Knowles hosts the party. Dinner reservations for Taj Lounge, which is at 48 West 21st Street, can be made from the Flatiron Dining Directory.
Announcements
Workforce1 Career Centers
In 2008, Mayor Bloomberg announced the expansion of free job-placement services through New York City's Workforce1 Career Centers. The hours of operation at the career centers in all five boroughs will be significantly extended by one-third, increasing the availability of services during evenings and weekends. The expansion is one of 18 initiatives announced by the Mayor last fall to help city residents cope with the economic downturn. Even before the expansion, the City is set to match the more than 17,000 job placements achieved in 2007.For more information, call 311, or click here.
Precinct Community Council Meetings
The New York Police Department's 13th Precinct, which includes the Flatiron district, welcomes the public every month to its Community Council meetings where guest speakers may be heard on a variety of topics and where public-safety concerns may be discussed directly with the precinct's Commanding Officer and Community Affairs Officers.
The meetings are generally held on the third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the precinct house, 230 East 21st Street, between Second and Third Avenues.
Community Supported Agriculture Program
Join the Prince George-Norwich Meadows Farm CSA to get fresh, organic vegetables from a local farmer! Members pick up a weekly share of vegetables from June-November at The Prince George (28th Street, between Fifth and Madison Avenues). The price starts at only $225 for over five months of vegetables, which is much cheaper than the grocery store!
For membership applications or for more information, please visit www.commonground.org/csa or contact Debbie at (212) 471-0858 or csa@commonground.org.
Business Opportunities
Con Edison's Small Business Direct Installation Program
If you are a Con Edison business customer with an average peak monthly electric demand under 100kW, Con Edison will conduct an energy survey of your business for free. You will be advised how to spend less and save more on lighting and energy used to cool your business and heat your water. Con Edison will install energy efficiency measures, at no cost to you, such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), low-flow aerators, high pressure rinse sprayers, and a water heater thermostat setback.
Con Edison will also recommend how you can achieve even greater energy and financial savings with incentives of up to 70 percent when you install high efficiency lighting, ballasts and fixtures; retro commission your existing heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system; install an Energy Star rated programmable thermostat for heating and cooling, and more.
For more information about the Small Business Direct Installation Program and to sign up for your free energy survey, click here, or call (877) 870-6118.
NYC Health Insurance Link
The NYC Health Insurance Link (NYC HI Link) was created to help New York City residents and small business owners find health insurance. New Yorkers can compare the benefits and costs of NYC health insurance plans including private insurance, public health insurance, Healthy NY plans, and purchasing alliances and associations. NYC HI Link is the first of its kind in New York - an online, unbiased resource, developed from a consumer perspective, providing detailed information about the costs and benefits of specific plans available in New York City in a way that allows consumers to better understand, and compare, different plans.
The NYC HI Link can help employers find ways to better afford health insurance coverage for employees and, in some cases, help individuals find ways to pair public and private health insurance resources.
The NYC HI Link was developed by HRA's Office of Citywide Health Insurance Access (OCHIA) and Management Information Systems (MIS). For more information, click here.
NYC Business Express:
Resource for licenses, permits and incentives
Starting and operating a business in New York City can be challenging. Between raising capital, finding space, and organizing internally, entrepreneurs and business owners do not have time to spare. With the launch of NYC Business Express, doing business in New York City is now easier.
The City’s new online tool reduces paperwork and time while providing easy access to critical information needed to run a business in New York City. By using the NYC Business Express Wizard, entrepreneurs can answer questions that set up a business scenario. NYC Business Express then generates a customized list of licenses, permits, taxes, and regulations that are typically needed, as well as information about where to apply, and links to application materials. For some business licenses, permits, and certifications, business owners can even apply directly through the site. The NYC Business Express Incentives Estimator can even help businesses determine the City, State and Federal incentives for which they may qualify. For more info, www.nyc.gov/BusinessExpress.
Con Edison: The Power of Green
Con Edison wants to help you make your home and business more energy efficient.
For owners of one- to four-family homes, there are financial incentives for upgrading heating and cooling systems and cash rebates from $200 to $600 for installing eligible energy-efficient heating and air-conditioning equipment.
For small businesses, there are free on-site energy surveys, free easy-to-install energy-efficiency measures and financial incentives for small-business customers who install energy-efficient equipment.
For apartment buildings, condominiums or co-ops of five to 50 units each, there will be incentives for owners and renters who replace and upgrade refrigerators and air conditioners; free energy surveys, and cash rebates for buying Energy Star refrigerators and air conditioners.
To view Con Edison's website, click here, or call (877) 870-6118.
For more information, and energy saving tips, click here.
Get more business opportunities, join NYCEDC's Vendor List
The New York City Economic Development Corporation is always
looking for companies to work with on a variety of projects throughout the City.
Joining the Vendors List is an easy way to find out about these opportunities. When you're on the list, you will receive notification of RFPs, RFQs, RFEIs or public bids that are related to your business and industry.
Certified Minority, Woman-owned and Disadvantage businesses are encouraged to participate.
Don't miss out on the opportunities, register today. To register, click here.
NYC's Capital Access Loan Program for Small Businesses
New York City's Capital Access Loan program has been expanded to include more businesses. This program works with selected banks and lenders to provide loans ranging from $5,000 to $250,000 to businesses, with the City guaranteeing up to 40 percent of the loans. The program is targeted to small businesses with up to 100 employees. A $5 million funding increase now enables the program to help a greater number of businesses, including retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers and even nonprofit organizations. If interested in applying for a small business loan through this newly expanded program, please contact the New York City Economic Development Corporation at (212) 619-5000, or click here.
Miscellaneous
Restaurant Week: Summer 2010
Reservations are now being accepted for the summer version of NYC Restaurant Week, July 12-25. Three-course lunches and dinners will be offered by more than 250 of the city's best restaurants at special prices of $24.07 for lunch, $35 for dinner. Beverages, tips and taxes are not included. The promotion does not include Saturdays, while Sunday participation is optional.
Participating restaurants from the Flatiron district include: A Voce Madison, Allegretti, Bar Stuzzichini, Blue Smoke, Dos Caminos, Giorgio's of Gramercy, Hill Country, Ilili, Pranna, Primehouse New York, SD26, Tabla and Tamarind.
For more information about Restaurant Week, click here.
NYC BBQ Tour
Join the NYC BBQ Tour every Monday evening as four of the best barbecue restaurants in Manhattan will be visited for a behind-the-scenes tour and some conversation with the chefs, pitmasters and people that make it all happen. The participating restaurants are Blue Smoke, The Hog Pit, Hill Country, and Rodeo. All stops include generous samples.
The event will take place every Monday. Tickets are priced at $88.88 apiece, and currently only group tours are being accepted.
For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
Community and Nonprofit
13th Precinct National Night Out
Members of the13th Precinct will participate in the annual National Night Out, a nationwide event designed to heighten awareness of how to prevent crime, generate support for local anti-crime programs and strengthen relationships between the police and the communities they serve.
The event is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 3, with the 13th Precinct hosting a program from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the playground of JHS 104, at Second Avenue between East 20th and East 21st Streets.
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