New York City Attractions - things to see & do

If you are going to board a Trans Bridge bus and travel into the city for the day or perhaps you want to spend a long weekend in the "Big Apple", here are a few suggestions of things to do. Enjoy the indomitable spirit and energy of the city that is like no other in the world and is just a short drive away.

Museums
On Fifth Avenue's Museum Mile you can visit the stately Metropolitan or the Frank Lloyd Wright's unmistakable Guggenhiem. There are some smaller jewels also such as the American Folk Art Museum or the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. It's very popular so get tickets in advance. The Museum of Television and Radio is great fun. Uptown you'll find The Cloisters which has medieval art, frescoes and peaceful gardens.




Outdoors
Bike, blade or stroll on the Hudson River Greenway, a 11 mile path along the West Side from Battery Park to the George Washington Bridge (parks) or visit the Union Square Greenmarket where local farmers sell their wares Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Walk to the secluded Conservatory Garden at Fifth Avenue and 105th. Street and admire the abundant plantings. If you are interested in songbirds, warblers and waterfowl go to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on the border of Queens and Brooklyn.

Shopping
Soho is a bit pricey as shopping districts go but the Flatiron District from 14th Street to 23rd Street, Sixth Avenue to Park Avenue is gaining favor with a mix of local favorites and national chains such as Old Navy. Head downtown for bargains on designer clothes, shoes and bedding. If you desire a taste of old New York hit the Lower East Side for hundreds of discount apparel and home decorating shops. In Chinatown you'll find Pearl River Mart with its paper lanterns, soup bowls, brocade jackets and much more.

Restaurants
You might want to begin by consulting www.zagat.com for reviews of hundreds of eateries in all of the five boroughs.You can also check www.restaurantweek.com for some fine selections. When you are in midtown Manhattan around Times Square be sure to stroll over to Restaurant Row around 46th. Street where you'll fine a great selection of eateries.

Theatre
You can get cheap tickets at TKTS in Times Square or Bowling Green Plaza. Remember that on Wednesday and Saturday there are matinee performances of Broadway shows.

Medicine Tips
• Do not keep medicine in the medicine cabinet! Ironically, the medicine cabinet in a steamy, moist bathroom is not the best place to keep any medication - prescription or otherwise. The room's moisture can make medications less potent. It's best to keep medicines in a hall closet or on a high shelf in the kitchen.

• Remember to keep prescription and nonprescription medications out of the reach of children .

• Never repackage medications; keep them in their original child-proof containers so that you'll have the expiration date and instructions on hand.

• Toss medications when they have expired (usually 1 year for pills or sooner for liquids - check the prescription label for the expiration date) or the doctor has told you that your child should stop taking them.

Remodeling - Home Lighting Tips

Lighting Tips • Think twice before installing a skylight in a closet area, the UV radiation may damage your cloths much faster that any electric source that will be on for only short periods of time. • I always recommend the use of dimmers. Dimmers increase our ability to control the light and adjust it according to our specific needs at different times or situations. Did you know that there are small programmable wall mounted pre-set dimming units that replace wall switches and allow you effortless lighting control? • In large spaces with high ceilings, pendant lights or chandeliers are a nice addition and help to bring the space into scale.

Lehigh Valley Events - September 2008

• The Chile Pepper Food Festival
Bowers
Sept. 5 - 6, 2008
6:00 pm. William Delong Park, 233 Bowers Rd. Bowers, PA. Free parking in the park, admission by donation. Featuring Chile Pepper Song Contest Saturday at Noon. Chile Pepper Eating Contest Saturday at 4pm.
  www.pepperfestival.com

• Memory Day
Emmaus
Sept. 6, 2008
1803 House, Emmaus. This favorite community event combines good food, entertainment, time period demonstrations, as well as shopping for jewelry, paintings, antiques, crafts, and more.
  www.1803house.com

• Celebrate Grandparents Weekend
Easton
Sept. 6 - 7, 2008
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM. The Crayola FACTORY, 30 Centre Square Easton, PA. Grandparents get in free with child
  www.crayola.com

• Lehigh Valley Hospital Marathon for Via
Allentown
Sept. 7, 2008
The Lehigh Valley Hospital Marathon for Via presented by 69 WFMZ-TV is a unique five-person team relay, individual run, 20-mile training run and 5K walk. The 26.2 mile course follows the Lehigh River Canal Towpath through Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton. Runners of all abilities will love the scenic course.
  www.vianet.org

• North Whitehall Township Senior Day
Whitehall
Sept. 11, 2008
Old Packhouse Rd. Schnecksville, 610-799-3411
Seniors come to play bean bags, horseshoes, throw football and baseball, putt golf, and have fun with the ring, tire, and washer toss games. Will have 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, a terrifice lunch and then in the afternoon play bingo.

• Lehigh Valley Fashion Weekend
Allentown
Sept. 12, 2008
Allentown Symphony Hall. The opening night of Fashion Weekend will be an exclusive gala event, one not to be missed. Leading into Symphony Hall there wil be a red carpet champagne reception. Then get upclose with the hottest fashions walking down the catwalk from your favorite designers. After the show VIP's escape to the ultra private Rodale Room where you can indulge in the great culinary tastes from local eateries, meet and greet with celebrities, models, and artists all while enjoying chic entertainment, atmosphere, and a premium open bar. Mingle, Dance, Relax, Enjoy. Day two of the LV Fashion Weekend we start off by offering special discounts at local participating retailers, where a percentage of your purchases goes toward Allentown Symphony Orchestra Children's programming for charity. This fun day of shopping is designed to support local business for a charitable cause. Shop in the name of charity!
  www.allentownsymphony.org

• Blues in the Barn
Kutztown
Sept. 13 - 14, 2008
Pinnacle Ridge Winery, 407 Old Rte 22, Kutztown, PA. Enjoy our fabulous wines (by the glass or bottle) up in the winery barn while you listen to great music and embrace the scenery of the surrounding vineyards just as we're about to get underway with harvest. Roast pig and bbq will be available for sale by the plate or sandwich. Sunday hours Noon to 5pm.
  www.pinridge.com

• Lehigh Valley BrewFest 2008
Easton
Sept. 13, 2008
Brewfest returns to downtown Easton for 2008! Sample beers from across the region and even the country. Live music performances too. Check our web site for more details. Benefits Equi–librium's therapeutic riding program. Must be 21 to attend.
  www.lvbrewfest.org

• "Hot Blast and Iron Pigs" Heritage Walk in Hugh Moore Park
Easton
Sept. 14, 2008
Hugh Moore Historical Park and Museums sponsors a heritage walk on Sunday, September 14, 2008 in Hugh Moore Park. "Hot Blast and Iron Pigs: Ironmaking in Hugh Moore Park" is free and open to the public. The walk is conducted by National Canal Museum Historian Lance Metz, co-author of The Anthracite Iron Industry of the Lehigh Valley published by Canal History and Technology Press. The 1 1/2 hour walk starts at the Canal Boat Store in Hugh Moore Park at 1:30 PM. In the event of inclement weather, the walk is cancelled.
  www.canals.org