Gertrude Stein Monument - This monument impressed me particularly with its artistic design and…read moresymbolism. It feels modern while still blending sensitively into the park's historical environment. It's great to see that Bryant Park is not only for relaxation but also for honoring important cultural figures. The place has a calm and pleasant atmosphere.

Built in 1748, Van Cortlandt is the oldest house in the Bronx. The section currently Riverdale was…read moreknown as Yonkers and Kingsbridge back in those times before NYC existed. We were here for the Van Cortlandt family history tour with Historian Nick Dembrowski, who was well versed and a very informative host. The Van Cortlandt family settled in New York from Holland in the late 1690s on several thousand acres of farmland with slaves prominently from the Caribbean islands, specifically colonial Jamaica, where the merchant family of Frederick Van Cortlandt imported many goods, such as Rum, Sugar, Allspice, Pimentos, Indigo, Coffee and Chocolate. On their farm they raised cattle, sheep, goats, chicken, pigs, and grew crops of wheat, corn, rye and buckwheat. It is a fascinating story of a wealthy family. Of course George Washington slept here during the Revolutionary War of 1776. Take the tour and enjoy seeing the rooms of the well preserved three story house. The tour is free for Bronx residents, otherwise admission is $5, very affordable. Thank you! **Do check their website for hours and special events**

I think we as New Yorkers forget the Beauty and our History in our own Boroughs. I live down the…read moreblock from the park and still wasn't aware of the history persevered here. Every time I take a further walk I learn so much more. This English Georgian Style home is the oldest house in the Bronx. This house was once a plantation built and flourished by African Americans that were enslaved here. The Van Courtlandt family had 5 generations living here in this house till the late 1880's. The family over the years acquired properties from surrounding farms to add to the size of their property. During the Revolutionary War both American and British troops occupied the home. It was past down through generations of the Van Courtlandt family all through the 18th century then it was sold to the New York City for Public Parkland.

William Earle Dodge Monument - This monument feels both dignified and subtle. It is beautifully…read moreintegrated into Bryant Park and commemorates an important figure in American history. I like that it is not overly grand but rather quietly complements the park. A place where you can pause, relax, and reflect on history in contrast to the modern city.

I love the Queens Historical Society and the Kingsland Homestead for various reasons. First of all,…read morethey preserve and celebrate the borough's history and heritage in fascinating, entertaining and enriching ways. For those who don't know, Kingsland Homestead is a preserved colonial farmhouse and the second oldest house in Queens. It is also headquarters for the Queens Historical Society, which maintains the world's only museum of Queens history and a wide-ranging library and archives, including online teaching aids on slavery and the Underground Railroad in New York City. These two entities stimulate my love of history, architecture and antiques because they spearhead educational programs, curate exhibitions, publish a quarterly newsletter, and offer lectures, programs and slide presentations on subjects relating more than 300 years of history. Finally, the grounds are beautiful and located in a neighborhood called "Flushing," which has more Asian restaurants that Manhattan's Chinatown. So I can always head to a great, cheap, authentic restaurant after visiting. Here's the back story. The Kingsland Homestead was built in 1785 by original resident Charles Doughty, the son of a wealthy Quaker. The two-story estate became "Kingsland" after Doughty's son-in-law, Joseph King, a British sea captain, bought the property in 1801. Kingsland's first floor includes a 1,350-square-foot space where the society organizes exhibitions and lectures. The second-floor parlor is designed in a Victorian style with lacework and a plethora of items (i.e. notebooks, eyeglasses) that former inhabitants used. The house has a gambrel roof, a crescent-shaped window in a side gable, a Federal-period chimney piece with an iron Franklin stove, and a Dutch-style front door. Shingles fill the exterior, except on the west side, which features flush boarding and clapboards. The Queens Historical Society is based in the homestead. The society spearheads educational programs, exhibitions, and a research center. It publishes a quarterly newsletter and offers lectures, programs, and slide presentations on subjects relating more than 300 years of history. The house is in Weeping Beech Park. About two acres in size, the park had a 60-foot-high weeping beech from 1847 until 1998. For a long time, the tree had city landmark status and it is believed to be the original source for all weeping beeches in the United States.

This wonderful treasure of a house from 1774 currently has a charming exhibit on toys, a period…read moreVictorian room upstairs and a terrific gift shop with interesting and inexpensive items plus great selection of books dedicated to many neighborhoods of Queens. Be sure to check out the cool weeping beech tree behind the house.

Fantastic little Park memorializing firefighters from September 11th 2001. From here you have an…read moreunfettered view of the entire Skyline on the island of Manhattan. One can only imagine what it looked like from this location. The firefighters from Rockaway must have seen what looked like Armageddon in the distance, yet they went toward it. There's a sign at the entrance to the park looking for volunteers. The memorial Park definitely needs some landscaping work.

This park is small, but it really is quite pretty. You have wonderful views of the city far off in…read morethe background with nicely decorated and manicured landscaping and structures.

Ridgewood Reservoir use to be a freshwater wetland on the border between Brooklyn and Queens. What…read moreis now the upper area of Highland Park. I either go for a walk or run along the trailway all the time. Just recently after doing some research the 3rd basin used to be Ridgewood Reservoir until 1989 when the reservoir was drained out. One of the many fascinating history of this once Reservoir. There use to be a waterfall. At a certain distance while walking on the trail way you get to see portions of the abandoned and once waterfall. At first you would assume it was used as stairs to get to somewhere down, but nothing like it. I could only image the view. Another fascinating history behind the Ridgewood Reservoir, there used to be a keepers house and guest house. Only a small part of that house remains while the other part is long gone. Not sure if people while out running or just taking a stroll notices these tiny historical fragments distance away. Ridgewood Reservoir is very peaceful, quiet, and very well preserved naturally. If you are the walker type it can take you about 20 minutes to walk Ridgewood Reservoir. For those bike or running enthusiasts less.

One of my good friends who lives in East New York recently told me about this magical place just a…read morefew months ago. While visiting my folks the other day in Fresh Meadows, I decided to bike to the Reservoir and see what all the hype was about. I have friends who live nearby and they are always telling me to visit. While visiting my parents the other day, I borrowed my dads old 79s Italian road bike and went for it. It was about about 8 miles but it was worth it. The reservoir is not to be confused with Highland Park though they are right near each other. If you've ever have noticed a bike path on the right hand side of the Jackie Robinson highway going east bound (nearby exit 2 or 3 perhaps), this it where that leads to. If you're biking like I was, there's a pretty decent amount of bike rack space on both sides of the water. The bike racks are also pretty publicly facing so seemed decently safe to me, as long as you have a decent or good lock. With by bike secured, I was able to walk around and take in the spectacular views of the water while enjoying the sounds of hundreds of singing birds, who too decided to spend the day relaxing by the reservoir. I couldn't help but forgot that I was still technically in New York City. Seriously, it felt like I was somewhere here on Long Island. The best part about this park, is that if you're adventurous, it turns out there are some really cool hidden paths all around. I found one that gave took to this unobstructed and extremely private view of the water. I had the entire one half of the park to myself. It was just me, my thoughts and nature. Bring some binoculars if you have any and go bird watching. I spotted some beautiful Red Robin's and blue jays. If you're ever out this way, I HIGHLY suggest you check this place out.

Today I was able to explore the Bronx County Historical Society for the very first time and it was…read morea very fun experience for sure. Now if you've read my lifestyle website, Piercing Ken dotcom (shameless plug), you know that I love exploring a wide assortment of museum exhibits and art openings along with the occasional special launches. Back in April, the Society debuted an exhibit called "Uptown Rumble", which was dedicated to the Metal, Rock, Punk and Hardcore bands that launched in the Bronx. This was a great idea when one considers how members of KISS, Twisted Sister, The Dictators and New York Dolls all called The Bronx their home. This interesting exhibit will run until 1/12/26 so if you're curious about checking it out you don't have a whole lot of time left to look into it. So the museum itself is quaint but very fascinating and is located in the Valentine-Varian House, near Montefiore Medical Center. For me it was a steady, and very long D train ride but then only a few short blocks walk up Bainbridge Avenue. I was told that they are open to the public on the weekends and since I was doing a media appointment I was able to secure some private time today without anyone else milling about. Having a limited window, I only examined the main floor rooms, two of which were for the "Uptown Rumble" presentation and the other for a small George Romero exhibit. I would discover that the rest of that one is running concurrently at the Poe House and since time was not on my side I was unable to visit that location for the rest. There is a historical piece on one of the opposing hall walls and I observed some sports figures on the other side but since I was on a clock, I had to focus on my needs before letting them get back to work. Everything here is dedicated to and focused on being from The Bronx which is nice to find existing even though I'm from faraway Brooklyn. Though I didn't detect an open Wi-Fi, there was a restroom downstairs that was able to be used by the public. As I was pressed for time I didn't get to look around any further downstairs or investigate the upstairs section. Part of me feels that upstairs would be office space for the folks that maintain the museum and curate the exhibits or for talks but this is just a guess. Though I cannot ascertain when my return will be I would like to check the place out once again provided the exhibit matches a need by one of my websites. That's all I've got on this one and as mentioned earlier, if the "Uptown Rumble" exhibit interests you, there are only a few short weeks remaining to examine it.

Biking around Roosevelt Island was one of the most relaxing and scenic moments of our NYC trip…read more With fewer crowds and wide-open paths, it felt like a world away from the city--even though Manhattan is just across the water. The island is perfect for a leisurely ride: smooth, quiet, and full of stunning views of both the Manhattan and Queens skylines. You can coast past landmarks like the Smallpox Memorial Hospital, Four Freedoms Park, and Southpoint Park, all while soaking in fresh air and river breezes. At the northern tip, we reached the Roosevelt Island Lighthouse--a small but striking structure with over a century of history. Built in 1872, it once guided ships around the treacherous waters near Hell Gate. Now it stands as a peaceful beacon surrounded by water and skyline views. The area around the lighthouse is calm and open, perfect for resting, snapping photos, or just watching the river roll by. Whether you rent bikes or bring your own, biking the island is a beautiful way to slow down and experience a quieter side of New York City--with history, nature, and space to breathe

Roosevelt Island Lighthouse has fascinated me for years. I sit by the East River and take photos of…read moreit. Once when I went to Roosevelt Island I walked to see the lighthouse. It's okay but you can't get close enough to fully enjoy this landmark. I wish they would fix it up and make it a tourist attraction. I want to get close enough to touch and go inside. I'd be glad to pay for the privilege. Maybe the Roosevelt Island residents are tired of us wandering in their neighborhood looking at the many historical places. Personally I can't wait to return to see the changes since my last visit. Sounds like an adventure for a Fall Day. I'd like a travel companion if anyone wants to go!