Naturally Cool: The American Museum of Natural History-

by Kelly, Manager of Partner and Group Services

When I moved to New York City, I made a “New York City Bucket List.”  On it were all of the amazing things I wanted to do and see as a brand-new New Yorker – climb the Statue of Liberty, look up my ancestors at Ellis Island, see classic NYC staple shows like The Lion King and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, go to the very top of the Empire State Building, take the Staten Island Ferry, tour NBC…and visit the Museum of Natural History.  I have lived in New York City for almost a decade now, and after this past weekend, I am proud to say that I have finally completed my bucket list with a trip to the Museum of Natural History.

Located on Central Park West between the blocks of 77^th – 81^st Streets, the Museum of Natural History was founded in 1869 and sees approximately 5 million visitors annually.  It is comprised of 25 interconnected buildings that house 46 permanent exhibition halls, research laboratories, and its renowned library.

Some of the “must-see” staples of the museum:

1.)    The 94-foot long, 21,000 pound fibreglass replica of a female blue whale that hangs suspended in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life.  Underneath the whale is a large open space amongst the other ocean life displays where museum dwellers can rest, take pictures, and get their bearings before moving on to the next exhibit.

2.)    The Hall of Dinosaurs – my favorite dinosaur display was (of course) the giant Tyrannosaurus Rex, which is combined of actual fossils found from two specimens discovered in the 1800s in Montana.

3.)    Henry Frank Guggenheim Hall of Gems and Minerals – with hundreds of unusual geological specimens and many rare, valuable gemstones – I loved getting the chance to view both the raw minerals (the quartz and giant amethyst were my favorites) and the cut gems both on their own and set in jewelry pieces in the Morgan Memorial Hall of Gems.

4.)    Rose Center for Earth & Space – the Hayden Planetarium’s “Journey to the Stars” space show is an amazing sight to behold, spanning the expanse of the domed ceiling of the Planetarium.

Along with spending time at these wonderful staples of the museum’s installations, I was also lucky enough to visit three of the special exhibits on display as well:

1.)    Our Global Kitchen: Food, Nature, Culture – this exhibition explores the complex and intricate food system that brings what we eat from farm to fork.  My favorite part of the exhibit was an interactive video installation where I learned how certain food items like apples, bananas, lamb and tuna reach my area from their origins in Washington, Ecuador, New Zealand, and Japan.

2.)    The Butterfly Conservatory – the butterfly vivarium is a custom-fabricated, temporary shell structure of approximately 1,315 square feet that sits within one of the museum’s existing galleries.  Filled with butterflies, the vivarium is a flurry of color and beauty.  One of the curators walking around making sure the butterflies were hydrated by misting them with water had a hitchhiking butterfly attached to her the entire time I was there – in fact, many patient visitors found a winged friend attached to some part of them while in the exhibit!  Along a side wall of the vivarium is a guarded display of live chrysalises where at any moment a live butterfly may hatch.  The day that I was at the museum, the curator had seen 4 butterflies hatch (just moments before I arrived, unfortunately), and told me that they would be released into the main vivarium to thrive with the other butterflies throughout the day.

3.)    Whales: Giants of the Deep – on tour from the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (which houses one of the largest whale collections in the world,) this exhibit features more than 20 skulls and skeletons from various whale species and showcases many rare specimens, including the real skeleton of a male sperm whale measuring 58 feet long.  The skeleton is AMAZING, and I wish I could have taken a picture for posterity – unfortunately, the museum has a no-picture policy for that exhibit (guess you’ll just have to go see it in person!)  Another notable feature that the kids seemed to love is a replica of a whale heart that youngsters could climb through and explore – a whale’s heart is the size of a small child!

My recommendation to anyone looking to visit this amazing New York City institution would be to carve out a day to explore.  I was at the museum for just over 5 hours, and there are still things I missed (I have to go back and see the Willamette Meteorite in the Hall of the Universe – it’s 15.5 tons and is the largest meteorite ever found in the United States and the sixth-largest in the world!).  I would also advise purchasing the All-Inclusive Super Saver Pass, which gets you entrance to the museum, all special exhibits, and the “Journey to the Stars” space show, because you don’t want to miss any of the amazing exhibits featured at the museum.  The Butterfly Conservatory will be available through May 27^th, and if you can’t catch that – a new exhibit called “Frogs: a Chorus of Colors” is coming in on May 18^th.  The “Global Kitchen” exhibit is on hand until August 11^th, and “Whales: Giants of the Deep” will be available through January 2014.  If you’d like any assistance with adding the museum to YOUR New York City Bucket List, please give us a call at 212-302-4019, or email me at kshoemaker@newyorkguest.com.

Going Gray

by Vanessa, New York Guest Sales Associate

One glorious Saturday morning, I set course for Time Square where my trusty steed-the Gray Line Bus- awaited me. I anticipated the worst, enormous crowds, surly employees, and worst of all traffic. I was however, more than pleasantly surprised, so much so that I considered returning the next day. In a stealthy and lineless exchange at the Times Square Guest Center, I quickly made way across the street and to the roof of one of their many red buses for three hours of sight seeing and sun-tanning. Having recently moved to New York from California, my sense of a true metropolis has been embolden with single image of a subway map framed by an endless sea of yellow cabs. New York is a city that begs to be seen, and though I have made serious attempts to walk through each neighborhood I still find myself disoriented after having spent too much time in the subway or trapped in a crowd. Should there ever be a requirement for all New Yorkers and visitors alike, a Hop On Hop Off tour is certainly one. In the open air of a roof top bus you find yourself heads above the crowds and cabs for privileged views of the city. More importantly, for a new New Yorker like myself, the tour was a great to help me conceptualize the city’s layout.

Lasting nearly three hours, we wove our way through downtown via Broadway, pausing briefly at Battery Park, then cutting below the Brooklyn Bridge before snaking our way up through the nation’s largest Chinatown towards the United Nations, and then back to end at the Rockefeller Center. Passengers literally hopped on and off without fuss along 11 different stops clearly marked throughout downtown.  While the city appeared to be posed for an endless series of glamour shots, the true star of the day was our tour guide Ahmed, whose love and admiration of the city, its architecture, and its inhabitants was palpable. However it was his particular sense of being both equal amounts Egyptian and New Yorker that not only inspire hope, but two very serious claims about New York.

Two Very Serious Claims:

1. New York is America. If ever there was a space that completely embodied the spirit of an American, NYC is that place. Restless, hopeful, cool, over the top, pragmatic in unexpected ways, nose grinding and boot strapping, where dreams come to be American. This is America.

2. New Yorkers love their city so much that they verge on being provincial. There are several elements to this equation, traffic being the common denominator.

Ask a Manhattanite about Brooklyn, and prepared for casual bewilderment, rather than cool nostalgia, “I never go there, but I hear it’s great”. Ask a Brooklyner and prepare for endless pontification on the brilliance of this ultra cool, vast, diverse, and evolving borough. More on this later.

Three hours flew by, and all at once we were saying goodbye as old friends do. After regaining my cement legs, I made my way toward Grand Central Station to return to Brooklyn, stopping along the way at my favorite café Gregory’s for a warm pumpkin beverage and to revel in my small sense of familiarity or more poignantly that I am not a tourist but a New Yorker, a once foreign feeling in this new city I now call home.

Team building at its finest on the New York Harbor!

by Louise, Director of Operations

Riding in style, as always

October 14^th was a perfect Autumn night. The temperature hovered around 65 degrees with a beautiful breeze and the skies were clear as the New York Guest team assembled outside the Grayline Visitor’s Center. We were all so thankful for the gorgeous weather as our evening included a 2 hour twilight cruise with Citysightseeing, our new favorite choice for cruising New York Harbor.

Enjoying dinner in the main cabin

We rode in style atop a double decker bus (of course, we wouldn’t travel any other way) to Pier 78 on 38^th street, where we immediately boarded the vessel designated for us. We’re always a team that gets right down to business, so we quickly set about dining on the generous and tasty buffet of salad, pasta, chicken marsala and plentiful sweets. Most of us got the formality of eating out of the way before we even left the dock, so we could head to the upper deck with our glasses of wine and beer to enjoy the live DJ and the beautiful evening.

Some of the team relaxing on the back deck

Early on in the evening, the upper deck became a dance floor while the indoor lower deck served as a haven for those who needed a little respite from the madness. At the back of the boat there was a smaller outdoor area where still other revelers gathered to enjoy the scenery and chat.

This view never gets old!

While the DJ was mostly focused on encouraging everyone to dance and have fun, he also pointed out the important sites as we passed them – the Brooklyn Bridge, the Freedom Tower, and of course, the Statue of Liberty. No matter how many times you’ve seen these sites, and even no matter how many times you’ve seen them from the water, there is just nothing like gazing up at Lady Liberty as she stands in all her glory surrounded by a sky filled with stars.

More team members enjoying the final dance of the evening

Too soon, our 2 hours on the water came to a close and we danced one final dance as the awesome crew docked our boat back at Pier 78. Our double decker chariot awaited and made three convenient stops at Penn Station, Port Authority and Grand Central so that everyone would have easy access to a subway that would take them home.

We all agreed it was absolutely one of the best work events we’d ever attended, and would highly recommend the experience to any company looking to host an unforgettable evening for their employees, though Citysightseeing charters are available for any type of event at all. Not only that, but even if you aren’t booking an event you can enjoy a wonderful Citysightseeing Cruise any day of the week, with several 90 and 60 minute options sailing daily. We know you’ll have a blast!

World Yacht: A Perfect Evening on New York Harbor

by Louise, Community Manager

My two best friends and I are fairly spread out across the tri-state area, and between distance and schedules we only get a chance to all be together a few times a year. This last Sunday was one of those happy times, and we decided to spend the end of our day on a World Yacht Dining Cruise.

The view from our table as we pulled away from the dock

Dining cruises are absolutely a perfect romantic activity – in fact, the couple seated directly next to us had just gotten married! – but they are also a great outing for friends. We had a perfect table right by the window and watched the Circle Line cruises depart while we waited for our own departure time, sipping drinks brought to us by our waiter, Clayton.

The Freedom Tower

Appetizers were served before we even left the dock, which I wasn’t expecting but was awesome – no need to waste optimal cruising time eating! We all three ordered the irresistible grilled watermelon salad – juicy watermelon combined with crunchy butter lettuce, salty crumbles of feta, and aged balsamic – and it was the perfect way to start the meal. I didn’t lick my plate, but I thought about it!

The live band was awesome and played great standards like Stand by Me, The Way You Look Tonight, and of course New York, New York. The pianist and singer had an amazing soothing voice, the perfect accompaniment for dinner. We thoroughly enjoyed their performance as we tucked into our entrees – mahi mahi with fresh pineapple salsa for me and skirt steak with purple potatoes for my friends.

When we finished our entrees the band had taken a break and we decided to go check out the outdoor lounge on the upper deck of the ship. It was completely gorgeous upstairs, especially with the beautiful weather and the striking sunset that was taking place. The deck has plentiful chairs and loveseats for those who wish to make themselves comfortable with a glass of champagne or a cocktail. We spend quite a while up there watching as we sailed past the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges and headed for Lady Liberty herself.

Even though I’ve lived in New York City my entire life, I am still struck by the beauty of the Statue of Liberty whenever I get close enough to really see her. She was particularly beautiful against the backdrop of the stunning sunset, and nobody on the ship could stop taking pictures.

After giving our cameras a workout, we headed back downstairs for dessert and coffee. We ordered all three desserts – the fruit tart, a cheesecake, and a warm chocolate ganache cake. All three were delicious. The band struck up again and drew all the couples on board on to the dance floor with a few romantic tunes as we headed back to the city.

Being able to spend quality time with my favorite ladies is a priceless thing that I wish I got to do more often, and World Yacht was the perfect venue for us to spend an evening together. Whether you’re in town with a significant other or with friends, I absolutely recommend it! You can contact me directly for help with your booking at lgeller@newyorkguest.com.

How to Attend TV Show Tapings in New York – Part 2 of 3

by Megan, New York Guest Concierge

Welcome to the second installment of our tips on attending TV show tapings while you’re in town! Today we’ll tell you about Daytime and Talk shows!

The View Tickets
• In Advance: There is generally a 12-24 month wait for tickets to The View. You can request tickets at http://theview.abc.go.com/tickets – you will need to create an ABC user account to put in a request. You may only request tickets for one date – requesting a second date will cancel both requests all together. Tapings are Mon-Thurs from 11am-12pm. If you do get tickets, you must arrive at the audience entrance of the studio (320 W. 66th St.) BY 9:30am. They frequently give out more tickets than the studio will hold, admittance is first come/first served.
• Last Minute: Anyone looking for tickets on the day of the show will get a standby number from the View Audience Associate at the studio audience entrance from 8-9am – people will begin lining up for this as early as 5am.

Good Morning America Tickets
• In Advance: ABC does not give out tickets to the show in advance – the limited number of people allowed into the studio are first come/first served on the day of the taping.
• Last Minute: Good Morning America films Mon-Fri from 7am-9am, people will arrive as early as 5am if they want to be close to the barricades/have a chance to get into the studio. There are no age restrictions for audience members. The taping takes place in Times Square on Broadway at 44th St.

Live with Kelly Tickets
• In Advance: Tickets are available on-line one month at a time, approximately one month in advance (ie tickets for May are available the last week of March.) You would fill out the request form at http://www.dadt.com/live/get-tickets.html. Tapings are Mon-Fri at 9am, ticket holders must arrive by 8am (the studio is at the southeast corner of Columbus Ave. & 67th St.) If your desired date is not available on-line, you can mail in a request to:
“LIVE! with Kelly” Tickets
Ansonia Station
P.O. Box 230-777
New York, NY 10023
You can include back up dates in your mailed request in case your first choice is not available. Submissions will be picked randomly from both the on-line and mailed in requests. Audience members must be at least 10 years old, anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
• Last Minute: Standbys are encouraged to get to the studio as early as 7am (people will usually have arrived even earlier – especially on days with a very popular guest/musical act.) Seating is first come/first served with the standby line once all ticket holders have been seated.

The Today Show Tickets
• In Advance: NBC does not give out tickets to the show, as the audience is shot entirely at street level in the plaza.
• Last Minute: The Today Show films Mon-Fri from 7am-10am, people will arrive as early as 5am if they want to be close to the barricades. The taping takes place in Rockefeller Plaza on 48th St., between 5th & 6th Ave.

Wendy Williams Tickets
• In Advance: Choose the date and time you would like to attend at http://www.wendyshow.com/tickets/get-tickets/ Tapings are Mon-Wed at 10am, Thursdays at 10am & 1:45pm. You can choose up to 5 tickets – all audience members must be at least 18 years old. All guests must arrive by 8am for the 10am taping, and by 11:30am for the Thursday afternoon taping. The studio is located at 433 West 53rd Street, between 9th and 10th Ave.
• Last Minute: If you would like to try for standby tickets, you must arrive at the studio no later than 8:30am for the 10am taping, or 11:30am for the Thursday afternoon taping.

How to Attend TV Show Tapings in New York – Part 1 of 3

by Megan, New York Guest Concierge

One of our most common questions from guests is how they can attend a taping of a TV show, so we’ve compiled information for the most popular shows so you can plan ahead or play it by ear – whatever works for you!

This three part series starts with perhaps the most popular genre: Late Night/Comedy

Saturday Night Live Tickets
• In Advance: In order to request tickets to SNL, you must send an email to snltickets@nbcuni.com at some point during the month of August for the upcoming season. You need to include all contact information in the email, and cannot request tickets for any specific date. If you are selected, you will receive two tickets to either the rehearsal or live show for a random date. Only one email permitted per household – audience members must be at least 16 years old.
• Last Minute: A stand-by line forms outside of the 49th St. entrance to the studio the night before the show. Stand-by tickets are given out at 7am Saturday mornings. You need to choose to try for either the rehearsal or live show at this time & will be given a numbered ticket – the rehearsal is supposedly easier to get into, but there’s no guarantee either way. The group gets lined up by ticket number when you come back for the taping & people are sent up until the studio is full. Frequently a cast member, or possibly the host, will come by to say hi to the line Friday night when they get out of their rehearsal.

David Letterman Tickets
• In Advance: Fill out the on-line form at http://www.cbs.com/late_night/late_show/tickets/online.php – you will be able to choose up to 3 dates that you would be available. Tapings are Mon-Thurs (two tapings on Thursdays.) After filling out the form you will be contacted any time within a day of submitting the form to 24 hours before the taping (depending on when tickets become available.) You will need to correctly answer a trivia question about the show in order to secure your ticket when they call you (it’s normally something relatively simple like what is the name of Dave’s band leader?, etc.) You will need to give both your and your guest’s names (if applicable) – you can only get 2 tickets & tickets are non-transferable (they will check your ids at the theater.)
• Last Minute: This is the easiest show to get into last minute! Stand-by tickets are available by either calling (212) 247-6497 starting at 11am on the day of the taping you would like to attend – or going directly to the theater from 9am-12pm (Broadway at 53rd St.) There is greater success for people going in person vs calling & you will still need to answer a trivia question for either of these methods as well.

Jimmy Fallon Tickets
• In Advance: Advance tickets can be requested through the ticket office at (212) 664-3056 – tickets are generally given out about one month in advance. You can request up to 4 tickets at a time, all audience members must be at least 17 years old.
• Last Minute: Arrive no later than 9am on the day of the taping at the 49th St. side of NBC studios under the “NBC Studios” marquee. Only one stand-by ticket will be given per person, and they do not guarantee admittance into the taping. Any tickets not given out at 9am will be held at the NBC Studio Tour desk – on the second floor of the NBC Experience Store.

The Colbert Report Tickets
• In Advance: Fill out the on-line request form at http://www.colbertnation.com/tickets/ – there is an interactive calendar that will let you choose an available date. You can request up to 4 tickets for the taping. If no times are listed, you can supply an email address for them to alert you when more dates open up.
• Last Minute: Stand-by tickets are given out at the studio on the day of the taping (513 W. 54th St., between 10th & 11th Ave.) There is no official time listed to arrive, but earlier is always better. They generally give the tickets out in the early afternoon (2-3pm) with tapings closer to 3-4pm. One ticket is given per person, all audience members must be at least 18 years old.

The Daily Show Tickets
• In Advance: Fill out the on-line request form at http://www.thedailyshow.com/tickets – there is an interactive calendar that will let you choose an available date. You can request up to 4 tickets for the taping. If no times are listed, you can supply an email address for them to alert you when more dates open up and/or send them an email at requesttickets@thedailyshow.com. If you choose to send an email, be sure to include your name, the show date you would like to attend, and the number of tickets requested (again, up to four.)
• Last Minute: The Daily Show tapes Mon-Thurs at about 5:30pm. Stand-by tickets are EXTREMELY difficult to get – you would try directly at the theater located at 733 11th Ave., between 51st & 52nd St. Stand-by tickets are one/person and are typically given out in the early afternoon.

Stay tuned for our next installment on Thursday – Daytime/Talk Shows!

The Blind Leading the Blind

by Louise, Community Manager

What would you do if you couldn’t see? How would your every day life be changed? We might think about this theoretically every now and then, but without being faced with the reality there is little consideration for the minutiae that we take for granted – grocery shopping, commuting to work, grabbing a cup of coffee. Everything is more complicated when you’re blind. We all know this, of course, but knowing it and experiencing it are two different things. Dialog in the Dark is an amazing way to “see” the world from a totally new perspective – as their tagline says, “You haven’t seen New York until you haven’t seen it.”

My friend and I stepped inside the building that houses the Bodies Exhibit and Dialog in the Dark by South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan. The day was bright and sunny and we removed our sunglasses and blinked as our eyes adjusted to the dim light, considering how strange it would be to feel this change only through the change in the temperature. After entering a small, narrow room, we watched a brief video about the exhibit, after which the lights slowly lowered until it was pitch black. Everyone giggled nervously as we realized this was not the kind of dark our eyes would adjust to – with absolutely no source of light there was nothing for our eyes to use to make the adjustment. Our guide came in and introduced herself – all of the guides at Dialog in the Dark are visually impaired, making them the perfect people to lead you through this experience. After all, it is their reality every single day. After making some jokes to diffuse the nervousness we were all feeling, she had everyone introduce themselves, gave us some pointers on using our canes, and ushered us into the first part of the tour.

Even without sight, it didn’t take long for us to figure out that we were supposed to be in Central Park. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what gave it away first – the birds chirping, the smell of grass, the feeling of the path underfoot, the sound of a fountain nearby, but it was amazing to come to the conclusion without the benefit of sight. Our guide lead us through the experience, encouraging us to explore and touch things but be careful to always bend at the knees so that we didn’t hit our heads. We found bicycles, a fountain, a bridge, a bench, and a tree, bumping into one another all the while (as the guide told us, the word “sorry” is very important on this tour).

I don’t want to give away everything that happens on this tour because you should experience it for yourself, but over the course of the next hour we experienced what it is like to grocery shop with no vision (my friend and I took great pride in our skill at this, although it was much easier in the small simulated Fairway than it would be in an actual Fairway), board and ride the subway, and cross the street in Times Square. For me the most eye-opening (so to speak) part of the tour was the little things we encounter in our daily lives that don’t think twice about, that are actually critical to the visually impaired for living theirs. Perhaps the best part of the tour was at the end when our guide answered everyone’s questions about herself and her own experience living in New York as a blind person. She answered everyone’s questions cheerfully and honestly, even the personal ones.

While there was something really fun and cool about experiencing New York in a new way (I’ve lived here since I was born so I’m always looking for new ways to experience the city), as we stepped back into the sunlight and put on our sunglasses, we were filled with renewed appreciation for our vision, something we take for granted all too often. This experience is the perfect combination of entertaining and enlightening, and it’s not to be missed on your next visit!

You can book your tickets to Dialog in the Dark on our website by clicking here or e-mail me at lgeller@newyorkguest.com with your questions or for more information!

Give the gift of NYC!

by Louise, Community Manager

Thanksgiving is just over a week away, which means we’re all starting to think about what would make the perfect Christmas gift. And in my book, there’s no better gift than the gift of travel. And what better destination than NYC?

Now, you can’t fit all of of the city under your tree, but the beauty of working with a small company like ours is that we can work with you to design not only the perfect gift but the perfect way of using it to surprise your loved ones. Here are just a few ideas:

Christmas in the City

This year Christmas falls on a Sunday, so there’s a perfect opportunity to spend a long weekend in NYC and see all the Christmas sites before they are gone! What’s more, there are some amazing hotel deals for that weekend – rooms start at under $200 per night including taxes and fees, meaning you’ll have money leftover to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular or one of the new Broadway shows like Godspell or Bonnie & Clyde, which both have performances on Christmas day! Check out our Christmas package or contact us at info@newyorkguest.com for a customized package.

A GLEE-ful Broadway Experience

For three weeks in January Darren Criss, aka Blaine Anderson (or Blaine Warbler) from the hit series Glee will take on the role of Pierrepont Finch in Broadway’s How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. There can be no better gift for the Glee fan in your life than a night in Manhattan and two tickets to see Blaine on Broadway. Starting from just $500 for great seats and a great hotel! Contact us for details & booking!

New York Guest Prix Fixe Vacations

Not sure what they’d want? Buy one of our Prix Fixe Vacation Gift Certificates and let your loved one do the planning! Choose from five hotels, five shows, and five activities for the same flat rate when you travel by March 15th, 2012. The perfect way to pay for the trip but let someone else have the fun of planning it (and then, of course, you’ll share the fun of traveling together)

There are as many options for NYC travel gifts as there are buildings in Manhattan, so don’t hesitate to contact me at lgeller@newyorkguest.com with any ideas you have – I’d be glad to help you create the perfect present!

The Bodies Exhibit

by William, New York Guest concierge

Disclaimer: Contains some photos from the Bodies Exhibit which may not appeal to everyone. Proceed with caution!

Since the dawn of time, the human species has been intrigued by exactly how our bodies work; what they are made of, how they move, how they are reproduced, and what happens when they die.  Animal dissections gave us a better understanding of our own bodies, however, human dissection was outlawed in many ancient civilizations.  Over the millennia, theories changed, human dissection was allowed, technology improved to the point that we could explore many of the body’s workings without causing harm to the body itself.  After all this time, we have the fruits of our labor, Bodies: The Exhibit, which culminates centuries of exploration and study into a concise, yet thorough journey of discovery.

The Exhibit started off with a timeline of the major turning points in the understanding of the human anatomy.  Some of the names were familiar; Hippocrates, Pasteur; Watson & Crick (they discovered DNA).  We were told that we would be seeing real human cadavers preserved with a special technique which replaces all the water in the body with silicon.  This ensures that the structure of the body is kept completely intact, on a cellular level.  There was a quote on the wall here, a simple gesture but one of my favorite points;  “Our bodies are the one thing we carry with us from the moment we are born till the moment we die.”  This explains the never ending need to find out as much as we can about our bodies.

After this quaint introduction, you are taken through different sections of the body, the skeleton being first.  There are bones on display that run the complete gamut of the bones in our body, from the thick and tough femur all the way down to the brittle inner ear bones and vertebrae.  This is also where we were first introduced to a really cool feature of this exhibit.  Besides, displaying the bodies, in each section there is a short video explaining how the respective part of the body works in concert with other body systems to do its job.  The video also gives great rules of thumb to help maintain and take care of each part of the body.  It was neat the see these videos throughout the exhibit.

After the skeleton, came the real meaty part; the muscles (pun intended).  As we made our way into this room, we saw this wasn’t just any exhibit.  There was artistry to how the bodies were prepared for presentation.  Bordering on the cusp of the realm of knowledge and the realm of creativity, the sculpturing of the bodies offer a vantage point that is unavailable anywhere else as well as adding a pleasing atheistic to the exhibit.

Next, came the Nervous system where we had great views of several different brains, the spinal cord, and the nerves themselves.  There were some fascinating examples of just how fast the nervous system works.  There was also an interactive game called “Mind Ball” which uses takes a measurement of your brain activity and uses it to push a ball into your opponent’s goal.  Despite the title of the game, the point was actually to relax, and have less brain activity.  I lost every time.

Turning the corner we came upon a powerful display.  Set up in a symmetrical fashion, a healthy respiratory system was displayed next to a smoker’s respiratory system.  The difference was overwhelmingly apparent.  In front of the display was a sign which read, “Stop smoking today,” and a chest-high clear plastic bin that was halfway full of cigarettes packs, loose tobacco, rolling papers, and other paraphernalia.  It was a humbling sign of how we treat our bodies.

Moving onto the digestive system, there was an interesting display of the entire torso with the skin and muscle removed.  This unique perspective painted a clear picture of how the internal organs fit snuggly together, almost like a jigsaw puzzle – a totally different view from the pictures in your high school textbook!

Next stop, the reproductive system, and a special section on fetal development.  It is truly breathtaking to see how we develop from one cell to trillions.  When you see a newborn baby it looks like a small human; but the embryo it comes from looks nothing like the baby.  For the faint at heart, or those who simply don’t feel like explaining it to their children, there is another pathway which allows you to bypass this section.

The end of the exhibit focused on diseases of the body; the fatal, the harmless, and mostly everything in between.  There were also a few specimens who displayed signs of surgery – metal plates, braces, and joint replacements – mankind’s attempt to conquer disease and death.  After being told the entire time not to touch the bodies, there finally was a point where you were allowed to handle a few specimens.  Don’t worry this part is not required, but it was most definitely a fun time.  As we made our customary exit through the gift shop, I was reunited with one of my long lost childhood friends: The Magic School Bus is a children series I adored as a child, and their book on the human body found its way into the Bodies gift shop.

As we traversed the cobble stone streets of the historical South Street Seaport outside the Bodies exhibit, I reflected on all the surprising treasures the exhibit had shown me.  It was more than what the name lends it.  It was not just a bunch of bodies laid out for display.  It was an artistically rich exploration of the human form through the careful arrangement and orchestration of a collection composed of organic and naturally occurring samples.  It was a complete tour presented in a logical, easy to follow manner giving the viewers a comprehensive tutorial on how their bodies work so they may understand what is needed to healthily maintain them.  It was a visually stunning experience that paradoxically humbles you and brings great pride to the amazing collaboration that is our bodies.  It was Bodies: The Exhibit.

Bodies is located in South Street Seaport, convenient to hotels such as the Holiday Inn Wall Street or the Sheraton Brooklyn. Order your tickets to Bodies online by clicking here!

Autumn in New York: It’s good to live again

by Louise, Community Manager

I don’t keep it a secret that autumn is my favorite season. I love the crisp, cool breezes, light jackets, and foliage, not to mention pumpkins, maple syrup, apples, pears, concord grapes, and butternut squash.

If you’re visiting us before the leaves turn brown and the snow begins to fall, here are some autumn delights you should seek out

The Union Square Farmers Market I may be guilty of always suggesting this to everyone, but anyone who has been will agree that I am justified! And Autumn is my favorite time to go. For one thing, the colors of the bounty are amazing to behold and you can make a serious dent in your camera’s memory card just taking photos of produce (or is that just me? Nah, it’s everyone…right?) Plus, even if you don’t have a kitchen on your visit you can load up on awesome autumnal treats like hot apple cider and of course sweet and moist apple cider donuts, maple sugar candy that will keep you awake for days but it’s totally worth it, and the freshly-harvested local honeys from the late summer that will safely make the trip home with you (just don’t forget to put them in your checked luggage).

Belvedere Castle (on 79th street in the middle of the park) If you want a stunning panoramic view of Central Park’s foliage, I highly recommend paying Belvedere (Italian for “beautiful view) Castle a visit. Open 10 AM – 5 PM from Wednesday-Sunday during the fall, it is free to visit (but relies on donations to continue operating). Inside the castle you’ll find natural history artifacts and resources for birdwatching and hiking in the park, and at the top you’ll find the highest and best view of the park available. The castle was originally built in 1869 (much older than most NYC buildings!) and since 1919 it has been used by the National Weather Service to record meteorological data – so when you hear “it’s 60 degrees in Central Park” they really mean it’s 60 degrees at Belvedere Castle.

Cookshop An amazing thing happens when the cool weather sets in here in NYC: the restaurants come out with fall cocktail menus. Few things are as satisfying as a well-made cocktail, unless it is a seasonal well-made cocktail. For my money, Cookshop (at 10th avenue & 20th street) can generally be counted upon to have some of the most delicious ones. Definitely seek out the Concord Fizz, where they muddle fresh concord grapes with organic gin, lemon juice, and rosemary syrup and top the whole thing off with Prosecco. Remember that little girl from the Welch’s commercial who told us that “purple things taste special”? Well…she may not have been speaking directly about this cocktail, but it applies.

I could go on and on about Harbor Cruises, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Bronx Zoo, and a million more things I love to do in the fall but how about you start with these three and e-mail me at lgeller@newyorkguest.com if you need more suggestions. Enjoy the autumn!