Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Kayaking on the Hudson
At 72nd on the Hudson, of Riverside Park, the Downtown Boathouse offers FREE kayaking on Saturdays and Sundays, May 6- Oct 11, 10-5PM. They provide the kayak, paddle, life jackets (thank god) and brief instruction. My boyfriend and I did this once and it was a blast; lots of laughs and just nerve-wracking enough to provide a frisson of excitement. It's not as easy as it looks. Which makes it a bit more fun. There can be a wait but it is worth it to say you kayaked on the Hudson...and in the 400th anniversary year of Henry Hudson's voyage up the Hudson!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Ping Pong in the City-Susan Sarandon's New SPiN NYC
It seems Susan Sarandon is a big ping pong (er...table tennis) fan, as she's behind the opening of a new establishment catering solely to that sport--Spin NYC. Located on 23rd between Park & Madison, Spin NYC has membership dues --$500-750--for those die-hard fans of the sport, but they also do allow in non-members (see fees below). You do need to reserve tables--212.982.8802-- (they offer a 9,000 sq ft Main Room with 15 state-of-the-art JOOLA Tables).
A peek at the website indicates this is really more of a sports/gym-atmosphere, as opposed to an East Village- billiards atmosphere, so this doesn't seem like a terribly fun (as in let-loose fun) place at first glance. It looks a bit serious and intimidating, actually. Probably that is because my ping pong skills were developed in a shack in the Adirondacks when I was 8, and haven't gone much further since.
Definitely it seems they take their table tennis seriously. The game room itself looks austere, and geared towards the serious amateur -to-pro.
From their website:
"SPiN New York is a 13,000 square foot table tennis social club on Park Avenue in Manhattan’s Flatiron District. The club offers unparalleled table tennis courts with Olympic quality cushioned flooring and 17 individual tables, including a stadium-like center court. In addition, SPIN New York houses a pro shop, lounge, bar, private room sponsored by Fred Perry and over a dozen internationally known professional coaches and players who are available for private and group instruction.
A peek at the website indicates this is really more of a sports/gym-atmosphere, as opposed to an East Village- billiards atmosphere, so this doesn't seem like a terribly fun (as in let-loose fun) place at first glance. It looks a bit serious and intimidating, actually. Probably that is because my ping pong skills were developed in a shack in the Adirondacks when I was 8, and haven't gone much further since.
Definitely it seems they take their table tennis seriously. The game room itself looks austere, and geared towards the serious amateur -to-pro.
From their website:
"SPiN New York is a 13,000 square foot table tennis social club on Park Avenue in Manhattan’s Flatiron District. The club offers unparalleled table tennis courts with Olympic quality cushioned flooring and 17 individual tables, including a stadium-like center court. In addition, SPIN New York houses a pro shop, lounge, bar, private room sponsored by Fred Perry and over a dozen internationally known professional coaches and players who are available for private and group instruction.
Info
Reserve tables 212.982.8802-
Hours of Operation – 7 days per week
Mon-Fri…………………5pm-Midnight
Sat – Sun……………….Noon-Midnight
Table Rental Rates
$15 per half-hour for standard tables
$25 per half-hour for pro courts
$50 per half-hour for stadium court
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Bowling in NYC-of course there has to be a nightclub, too!
Yes, you CAN go bowling in NYC! It's not as cheap as it is in the suburbs, but the kitsch factor is worth it. And each of the alleys below has, apparently, a hot club or lounge to accompany it.
This is a super thing to do if you are in your teens or 20s. For families, not all the lanes are as appropriat (eg Bowlmor).
Actually the only time I tried to go bowling in NYC, the place (Bowlmor) was booked up for the whole evening for a corporate event. In fact most of these places seem to have a lot of corporate events, so you may want call ahead and reserve, tho you can also take your chances since some of these places, like Bowlmor and Lucky Strike, are as much about their club atmosphere and lounges as they are about bowling.
Here's a rundown courtesy of New York magazine:
Lucky Strike--college age or 30s. 624-660 West 42nd Street (on the West Side Highway--really out of the way so take a cab there). 646-829-0170.. Monday nites after 8PM there is unlimited bowling til the close for $22. Club atmosphere...
Bowlmor---Geared towards college age. 110 University Place near E 12th St. 212-255-8188. Kitschy. Lots of NYU students and the Pressure Lounge upstairs a "rowdy nightclub" (very pretty also). A real scene.
300- Chelsea Piers- Pier 60-212-835-2695. West Side Highway around 23rd St. Kids and families in the day. Nighttime it "goes more disco". "Postgame drinks in the Loft, a lounge that overlooks the entire alley. "
Leisure Time/ Frames-- 625 8th Ave. near 40th (Port Authority). 212-836-9695. Newly renovated, this looks good on the website at least. More commuters, more serious. Not the best location so you really have to want to bowl to go here.
This is a super thing to do if you are in your teens or 20s. For families, not all the lanes are as appropriat (eg Bowlmor).
Actually the only time I tried to go bowling in NYC, the place (Bowlmor) was booked up for the whole evening for a corporate event. In fact most of these places seem to have a lot of corporate events, so you may want call ahead and reserve, tho you can also take your chances since some of these places, like Bowlmor and Lucky Strike, are as much about their club atmosphere and lounges as they are about bowling.
Here's a rundown courtesy of New York magazine:
Lucky Strike--college age or 30s. 624-660 West 42nd Street (on the West Side Highway--really out of the way so take a cab there). 646-829-0170.. Monday nites after 8PM there is unlimited bowling til the close for $22. Club atmosphere...
Bowlmor---Geared towards college age. 110 University Place near E 12th St. 212-255-8188. Kitschy. Lots of NYU students and the Pressure Lounge upstairs a "rowdy nightclub" (very pretty also). A real scene.
300- Chelsea Piers- Pier 60-212-835-2695. West Side Highway around 23rd St. Kids and families in the day. Nighttime it "goes more disco". "Postgame drinks in the Loft, a lounge that overlooks the entire alley. "
Leisure Time/ Frames-- 625 8th Ave. near 40th (Port Authority). 212-836-9695. Newly renovated, this looks good on the website at least. More commuters, more serious. Not the best location so you really have to want to bowl to go here.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Learning to Fly-Trapeze Lessons in NYC!
The NY Times has a story today about Trapeze School New York --aka "that place where Carrie goes to conquer her fear of heights, and, metaphorically, more....".
If you're not a Sex and the City fan, in plain English, that means "that outdoor trapeze thing next to the Hudson that I look at when I am passing in a cab and think 'one day I'll do that...!".
On West Street at Houston, they offer various classes in various aerial arts. They also have some indoor classes (tho what fun is that...?) at 518 West 30th.
Classes in flying trapeze are $60 for 2 hours (plus $22 "first time reservation fee") and 10 people max. Here's their backgrounder: "Classes are 2 hours long and are taught in groups of up to 10 people. No prior experience is necessary. First-time students will learn the knee-hang and may even be able to try a catch. All students will have the opportunity to advance their skills."
It sounds like fun--tho the cringe factor for people like me who hate embarrassing themselves sports-wise appears rather high. Oh well, who cares. "Only in New York"!
If you're not a Sex and the City fan, in plain English, that means "that outdoor trapeze thing next to the Hudson that I look at when I am passing in a cab and think 'one day I'll do that...!".
On West Street at Houston, they offer various classes in various aerial arts. They also have some indoor classes (tho what fun is that...?) at 518 West 30th.
Classes in flying trapeze are $60 for 2 hours (plus $22 "first time reservation fee") and 10 people max. Here's their backgrounder: "Classes are 2 hours long and are taught in groups of up to 10 people. No prior experience is necessary. First-time students will learn the knee-hang and may even be able to try a catch. All students will have the opportunity to advance their skills."
It sounds like fun--tho the cringe factor for people like me who hate embarrassing themselves sports-wise appears rather high. Oh well, who cares. "Only in New York"!
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