Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership
Madison Square Park
Education and Instruction
Galleries and Museums
Music, Theater, Dancing
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 149 walking tours given to date, over 2,250 people have attended, representing 45 different countries including China, Scotland, India, Sweden, Australia, Israel, Argentina, South Africa, Russia, Spain, and Switzerland. In the United States and Canada, over 215 cities have been represented by attendees.
Madison Square Park
Mad. Sq. Art 2010: Event Horizon
On view: March 26 - 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. Beginning on March 26, the celebrated skyline around Madison Square Park will host 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: Rubbers: The Life, History & Struggle of the Condom
Description: A multi-media look at how the condom has influenced everything from science to religion while becoming a symbol of promiscuity to some, responsibility to others. The exhibition was put together in partnership with Trojan Brand Condoms.
Dates: February 4 through next six months.
Address: 233 Fifth Avenue.
Hours: Sundays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For more information, click here.
Raandesk Gallery of Art
Title of Exhibit: Behind the Curtain
Description: New paintings by Jason Bryant and Kevin Cyr. Ten large-scale paintings include Bryant's photorealistic depictions of celebrity archetypes set alongside Cyr's portraits of old and distressed cars, trucks and vans..
Dates: Through March 12
Address: 16 West 23rd Street, 4th floor (In Good Company).
Hours: Weekdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekends by appointment.
For more information, click here.
Music, Theater, Dancing
Upcoming Concerts at the W.M.P. Concert Hall
The Workshop for Music Performance (W.M.P.) Concert Hall, a part of Gradoux-Matt Rare Violins, will hold concerts every Monday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. as part of the Strad for Lunch series.
On Monday, March 15 , Strad for Lunch presents violinist Natasha Lipkina and pianist Vladimir Valjarevic, who will play works by De Falla, Enesco and Ravel.
The concerts take place at 31 East 28th Street in an elegant 19th-century French décor hall. A $10 donation is suggested. For more information, call (212) 582-7536, or click here.
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
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 infomation, 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
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.
For more information, click here, or call (877) 870-6118.
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
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, pit masters 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.
For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
Community and Nonprofit
Free tax assistance at Baruch College
New York City residents who need help preparing their 2009 federal and New York State tax returns can find it at Baruch College.
Baruch students will be on hand through April 15 to help prepare tax returns on a walk-in basis, first-come first-served, at no cost. All volunteer students are certified by the Internal Revenue Service as tax preparers as part of the college's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA). The volunteers are qualified to complete federal forms 1040, 1040A and 1040EZ and New York City and State forms IT 150 and IT 201 as well as all accompanying schedules.
They can be found in the Atrium of Baruch's Library and Technology Building, 151 East 25th Street, on Tuesdays through Thursdays from noon to 8 p.m.; on Fridays from noon to 7 p.m.; and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Additional information is available by e-mailing BaruchVITA@gmail.com.
