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Events Featured NYC

Midsummer New York 2020

Midsummer New York 2020

Sweden Invites New York to Experience Midsummer With Live Streams, Midsummer Picnic Baskets for Pickup, and Complimentary Flower Crowns

For the first time in 24 years, the annual Swedish Midsummer Festival in New York City is canceled, due to the coronavirus pandemic. But it is still possible to experience this major Scandinavian holiday, recognizing summer and the summer solstice, through live streams from all over Sweden on Friday, June 19. For New Yorkers who wish to partake in the activities, complimentary Midsummer flower wreath kits will be provided by Visit Sweden in partnership with Morgan+Grand Flowers, and a few restaurants in New York City have announced “Midsummer specials” for pickup.

 

Midsummer New York 2020
Photo: Anna Hållams/imagebank.sweden.se

 

To prevent the spread of the coronavirus-

this year’s Midsummer festivities in Sweden will look a little different. All major Midsummer events in Sweden have been canceled, but Swedes will still celebrate this special day in smaller groups, with family or close friends. In fact, this year’s Midsummer will be even more special because the nationwide celebration – from Skåne in the south to Swedish Lapland in the north – will be shared with everyone through Visit Sweden’s Facebook live streams. Local Swedish hosts will guide the viewer through activities and share their very personal Midsummer traditions: from their take on the infamous frog dance around the Midsummer pole to skiing under the midnight sun.

Visit Sweden Facebook Live Stream Schedule (US/Eastern Time)
5 am Flower-wreath making in Skåne 
7 am Midsummer lunch in West Sweden
9 am Dancing around the Midsummer pole in Dalarna
1 pm Flower picking and evening dip in Roslagen
6 pm Midnight sun and skiing in Swedish Lapland

Midsummer Live Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/265902574468529/

Midsummer Celebration in New York City

The Consulate General of Sweden, in collaboration with Battery Park City Authority, typically hosts the annual Swedish Midsummer Festival in New York, which is the largest official Midsummer celebration in the world outside of Sweden. This popular event, dating back to 1996 and drawing thousands of visitors every year, has been postponed until 2021. Instead, the Consulate General of Sweden will honor the Swedish tradition on social media during the week of June 15 leading up to Midsummer’s Eve.

New Yorkers wishing to continue the tradition of celebrating Swedish Midsummer can also pick up a Midsummer flower wreath kit from two locations in Manhattan, by Central Park and Union Square, as well as one in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Visit Sweden is offering these kits free of charge (maximum two per person) on a first-come, first-served basis. Check Morgan+Grand Flowers’ Instagram account for updates: instagram.com/morgandgrand/

Michelin-starred Swedish restaurant Aquavit as well as Swedish top chef Marcus Samuelsson’s Harlem eatery Red Rooster are offering contactless pickup of Midsummer baskets featuring traditional smorgasbord favorites. Pricing and information on how to order the baskets will be available on their websites.

Aquavit is offering a Midsummer Picnic Basket for $155 each. I have attached the full menu and a photo below but each basket feeds at least two people including dishes like herring, Gravlax, Deviled Eggs, Sausages, Swedish Meatballs, and strawberries and cream for dessert; beverages include a flight of housemade aquavits and two Carlsberg beers. The baskets are available to pre-order by calling the restaurant at 212-307-7311 or by visiting the website at www.aquavit.org. Guests can pick up the baskets Thursday, June 18th through Saturday, June 20th from 2 pm to 8 pm.

For those who want to cook their own food, grocery lists and recipes will be shared on

Visit Sweden’s Facebook page.

Midsummer New York 2020
Midsummer Live Facebook event

Swedish Midsummer – the Origins
In agrarian times, Midsummer celebrations in Sweden were held to welcome summertime and the season of fertility. It was not until the 1900s, however, that this became the most Swedish of all traditional festivities. Midsummer Night, one of the lightest of the year, was considered a magical night, as it was the best time for telling people’s futures. Also that night, it was said, water was turned into wine and ferns into flowers. Many plants acquired healing powers on that one night of the year.

Swedish Midsummer – the Movie
Last year, many Americans had their first encounter with the tradition in Ari Aster’s horror movie “Midsommar.” The live streams will be a chance to see what Swedish Midsummer really is like – some may recognize the Midsummer pole and dancing, Swedes’ special connection with nature, as well as the light, beautiful nights.

Social Media Hashtag
#MidsummerLive

Links, Recipes, and Information

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Culture Events Living

36th Annual Battery Dance Festival Begins This Weekend

Battery Dance presents the 36th Annual Battery Dance Festival, in association with Battery Park City Authority, with free performances beginning August 13th, 2017 through August 19th, 2017 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. These performances will take place against the breathtaking backdrop of New York Harbor at Robert F. Wagner Park in Battery Park City.

Battery Dance created its outdoor festival in 1982 as part of its engagement with its home community of Lower Manhattan where it has been based since its founding in 1976. Battery Dance connects the world through dance and is one of America’s leading cultural ambassadors.

They are committed to enhancing the cultural vibrancy of its home community in New York City, as well as extending programming throughout the U.S., and building bridges worldwide through international cultural exchange programs in 70 countries to date.

Today, the Battery Dance Festival is New York City’s longest-running free public dance festival. Each year, the festival seems to attract a combined audience of over 12,000 people. It provides a unique opportunity for both established and emerging dance companies to present original works of high artistic merit in a free public forum.

The festival celebrates the array of dance that our city offers, with a strong emphasis on the inclusion of diverse dance styles and an international roster of performers. American choreographers have presented their works as well as pre-eminent companies from Asia, Europe, South America, Africa, and the Caribbean.

Click here to find the featured artists and schedule and for more information on the Festival, click here.

To conclude the festival, there will be a closing event and reception on August 19th, 2017, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Schimmel Center at Pace University. Reception tickets are now available here.

Categories
Living

Battery Park City Authority appoints Janet Ozarchuk as Chief Financial Officer

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Earlier this week, the Battery Park City Authority announced the appointment of Janet Ozarchuk as Chief Financial Officer / Treasurer, a role responsible for financing, accounting, financial controls, compliance, auditing (in coordination with independent public accountants and internal auditors), budgeting, payroll, all financial reporting, accounting/financial MIS reporting systems, investments, and cash flow.

Ms. Ozarchuk, who will serve on the BPCA Executive Team and lead its 11-person Finance Department, will also manage relationships with outside consultants, advisors, managing agents, and credit ratings agencies. In addition, she will oversee the budget of Battery Park City Parks — a 501 c (3) entity — and be responsible for ensuring the annual required tax filings are completed and submitted in compliance with all laws and regulations.

“We are pleased to welcome Janet to BPCA and the Battery Park City community,” said BPCA President and Chief Operating Officer Shari C. Hyman. “With her extensive background in real estate, municipal debt, and non-profit finance, she comes to the position ready to advise on, lead, and develop sound, innovative financial management practices that are rigorous and add value to the Authority and for its stakeholders. We’re excited to have Janet guide BPCA’s financial posture for the years to come.”

Janet Ozarchuk added: “BPCA is clearly one of the great public-private partnerships in urban development, and this role presents an especially exciting opportunity to bring my private and non-profit sector experience to bear in the public service. I have long wanted to serve in government, and I can think of no greater privilege than to continue the stewardship and growth of the extraordinary endeavor that is Battery Park City.”

Born and raised in Maspeth, Queens, Ms. Ozarchuk holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and General Science from Fordham University, and a Master in Business Administration from Harvard University with an emphasis on finance and organizational behavior. Ms. Ozarchuk succeeds BPCA’s long-serving CFO Robert Serpico, who retired in November 2016.

Categories
Living

The Downtown Alliance adds a Seaport drop-off to its Downtown Connection bus service

Photo: Alliance for Downtown New York
Photo: Alliance for Downtown New York

As of this week, The Alliance For Downtown New York has extended the route of The Downtown Connection, Lower Manhattan’s free bus service. The service now includes a new drop-off only location at South Street and Peck Slip. This addition is the service’s first addition in seven years and its 38th stop along its route.

“The on-going transformation of the Seaport District is exciting,” said Downtown Alliance President Jessica Lappin. “We hope that this additional stop will benefit our neighbors and bring greater foot traffic to the Seaport. Whether you’re bringing home groceries, headed out for some shopping, going to work, or exploring the deep history of Lower Manhattan, The Downtown Connection can help get you where you’re going.”

“The Old Seaport Alliance is very grateful to both the Downtown Alliance and the Battery Park City Authority for making the new Seaport bus stop a reality, and we’re eager to spread the word about this great victory,” added Whitney Barrat, Executive Director, Old Seaport Alliance. “This new bus stop is a very important part of our ongoing efforts to improve access to the Old Seaport, and in so doing, more deeply connect our historic neighborhood with the rest of Lower Manhattan.”

Photo: Alliance for Downtown New York
Photo: Alliance for Downtown New York

“The Downtown Connection is an integral part of the transportation network in Lower Manhattan and we’re always on the lookout for ways we can better serve the community,” noted Ron Wolfgang, SVP Operations, Downtown Alliance. “We’re happy to be able to bring a Seaport stop to the route and hope to see a positive response among our riders.”

“Whether you’re from the east of west coast of Lower Manhattan, the Downtown Connection makes our area’s many cultural, culinary, and civic offerings more navigable,” said Battery Park City Authority President & Chief Operating Officer Shari C. Hyman. “With a new Seaport location now just a bus ride away, Battery Park City and its residents are more easily linked with this vibrant, historic neighborhood. BPCA is happy to help provide this free community resource and commends the Downtown Alliance for extending it to reach more New Yorkers.”

The Downtown Connection — a partnership program with the Battery Park City Authority — runs seven days a week, from 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM. Riders can track the buses in real time using NextBus, and access free high-speed wi-fi on-board via Veniam. The Downtown Connection buses are operated by Golden Touch Transportation of New York.

The Downtown Connection map can be found here.

Categories
Dining Events Fashion

Chef Todd English, Battery Park City Authority’s Shari C. Hyman & others on Le Dîner en Blanc’s 2016 New York Event

Le Dîner en Blanc 2016

 

Le Dîner en Blanc 2016
Le Dîner en Blanc 2016

Clad in only the most elegant all-white attire, Le Dîner en Blanc guests flocked to the Wagner Park waterfront in Battery Park City last Thursday, a secret locale revealed just minutes before the start of the event.

Le Dîner en Blanc is a pop-up soirée dedicated to foodies and those with a passion for community, high-class dining and entertainment. In attendance was Grace Capobianco, CEO and owner of Downtown Magazine.

“Every second was magical,” began Grace. “Two of the most exciting moments of the night are engrained in my mind forever. The first one is the recurring ritual, which starts the dinner. Each year Aymeric Pasquier, Co-Founder and Partner of Dîner en Blanc, announces the start of the dinner by having everyone twirl their white linen napkins, yelling with excitement. The second one was this year’s surprise from the John J. Harvey Fireboat, which gave us a private show, with a visual of the Statue of Liberty standing in the background on this marvelous September 15, 2016 evening.”

Continued Grace: “If there is one negative to be written, it would be that the world should join in on this illustrious occasion — world peace would surely follow!”

Grace A. Capobianco & Dawn Nicole of Downtown
Grace A. Capobianco & Dawn Nicole of Downtown

The event that originated in France now takes place in over 70 cities worldwide. While Dîner en Blanc boasts a good time, there are rules to be followed:

  • All guests must wear fashionable, all-white clothing only.
  • Guests must bring their own square folding table, white tablecloth and two white folding chairs.
  • Guests must bring their own gourmet food for two in a white picnic basket or bag.
  • Guests must bring all utensils necessary for their meal including cutlery, garbage bags, dishes and glassware.
  • Guests at the New York City location who wish to drink must order Apothic Wine and Moet Champagne and reserve such online.
  • Guests must wait for their section to be completely set up before seating.To keep the secret location well, a secret, guests meet at a designated departure site somewhere in the city where their group leader leads them to the event.Catering is also available to purchase prior to the affair. Celebrity chef Todd English leads the culinary forefront of Le Dîner en Blanc NYC, featuring picnic baskets with themed meals.

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    Sandy Safi, Co-founder and Partner of Le Dîner en Blanc International, believes this unique event is more than a fancy party for invitees only. On the surface, Le Dîner en Blanc features exceptional décor, cuisine and costumes. However, it is those who come bearing such additions that make the event truly something.

    “Every person is a participant making it happen, so everybody is a player in this game and a piece of the puzzle, which has made it so much more fascinating and interesting,” Safi said.

    According to Safi, there is an underlying creative element of the dream-like evening.

    “[Le Dîner en Blanc] is timely, it’s orchestrated. People coming together like this in itself is a piece of art. And coming together in such an organized fashion for something so unique is quite artistic,” Safi added.

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    Those who attended partook in the world’s most chic dinner party, an occasion so exclusive there are three “phases” in order to receive an invitation, with the third phase being open to individuals who placed their name on the waitlist on a “first come, first served” basis. The New York City waitlist for this year’s dinner was 45,000 people long, while only roughly 4,800 attended.

    This French-inspired evening holds true to its traditions while acclimating itself to the city each event takes place in. Dîner en Blanc NYC possesses diversity, a trait suitable to the Big Apple.

    Christine Tripoli Krische, Looking Glass Event Group’s founder and president, was new to the Le Dîner en Blanc scene as she took on a role as a host for the NYC event. As a newcomer to this event, Krische was able to capture the essence of what makes Le Dîner en Blanc NYC so special.

    “[Le Dîner en Blanc] is trying to create something that is very New York but has a very international feeling. It’s almost like using New York as a palette for this very interesting painting,” Krische noted. “We have a lot of groups, all kinds of people that represent all of the diversity of New York. To see and bring them all together at one place in one time, it’s such an elegant setting…and bringing it to a public space is amazing.”

    Dîner en Blanc New York 2016
    Dîner en Blanc New York 2016

    As dining was such an important staple of the event, chef for the evening Todd English had a few words to sum up Le Dîner en Blanc NYC.

    “The food is our greatest democracy. When you gather around the table, you’re all created equal,” English stated.

    As the attendees gathered in Battery Park City, a mutual understanding of celebration occurred in what made a happy and harmonious evening.

    English added: “I believe that [food] breaks down all of the barriers. When you sit around a table it doesn’t matter what economic or cultur[al background you have]. We all have to eat, we all have to nourish ourselves so this is a really nourishing way to celebrate our time on this planet and our time in life. That’s really what this is about, and I think if you don’t [celebrate], you’re really missing life.”

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    Downtown also had the pleasure of catching up with Shari C. Hyman, President and COO of the Battery Park City Authority:

    What was it like to host Dîner en Blanc, a world-famous event now in 70 countries right here in Battery Park City, Wagner Park?

    Shari C. Hyman: It was all in all a beautiful evening. Just perfect weather, an elegant, diverse, and relaxed crowd, and the breathtaking backdrop of Wagner Park and the New York Harbor. A nice escape, if but for a few hours, from the hustle and grit of the city at large. This was the second time we played host to Dîner en Blanc — the first was up in Rockefeller Park two years ago –- and each setting has been spectacular and unique in its own way.

    You mentioned having dinner next-door at Gigino’s that evening. Tell us how you felt and what you saw while looking out at the event…

    SCH: It felt like we were witnessing something very special in the very best neighborhood of New York City. You know, seeing pictures of past events or viewing it from afar really doesn’t do it justice, only up close can you really appreciate the breadth of the magic the evening entails. While we sat, guests kept walking by and asking, amusedly, “Wow, so you just happened to be having dinner out here? How wonderful!” They had no idea who I was, and it wasn’t important that they did. But we’d nod and then think to ourselves, “If they only knew all the planning that went into this!”

    Was Le Dîner en Blanc all that you thought it would be, and how was the area left after the event?

    SCH: It was all we thought it might be and more. Our other large scale event in Wagner Park each year is the Swedish Midsummer Festival, and Dîner en Blanc exceeded even that. Of course, in our role as a permitting entity we’re enjoying the festivities while also always keeping one eye on the practical matters. Let’s keep an eye on the lawn to make sure it’s not torn up. Let’s make sure the music isn’t too loud, or runs too late, or reaches too far beyond the park’s boundaries. Let’s make sure the garbage is picked up timely, and the stage and tables are broken down…

    I’m happy to report the event gets high marks on all of the above. The next morning Wagner Park was pristine. That’s a tribute to the organizers, the guests, and, of course, our stellar Battery Park City Parks staff. Beyond this event alone, they do an incredible job every day keeping our parks the jewel in the crown of this great neighborhood.

    How was it working with the Dîner en Blanc team?

    SCH: The Dîner en Blanc team was what you might expect for a world-class event — practiced, professional, and competent. They met the exact requirements we’d need to permit an event of this magnitude, and did it with timeliness and attention-to-detail. It’s quite the logistical operation once they get started but you can tell, looking across that event as it unfolds, that they really do have it down to a science.

    Would you have them back again?

    SCH: The Dîner en Blanc organizers were outstanding partners and we’d love to explore the possibility of future events in Battery Park City. Of course, we couldn’t share the details just yet!