Fulton Stall Market opens for the summer season tomorrow, Friday May 22nd. The old stalls are a reminder of New York City’s history of outdoor markets. Today you can get local farm fresh fruits and vegetables, just caught fish, artisan cheeses, organic breads, sweet treats, fair-trade coffees, locally-grown flowers, and more.The market is located at the historic South Street Seaport along South Street between Fulton and Beekman Streets.

Traffic in New York City can be very frustrating and parking is not any better. There a very good website where you can find parking locations, prices and specials. You can search for daily and monthly parking offers. Find a parking location based on Neighborhood, Cross street, Address and Attraction
NYCBestParking is a great web resource.

Do you like to watch food shows? How about tasting the food on the show? This is what you can do at the 2009 NYC food film festival. Watch food film and try the food your watching at the same time. And most of it is free. The festival has a packed schedule from June 13th to19th. On the last day you can enjoy In The Kitchen With Marcus Samuelsson at his popular flagship NYC restaurant Aquavit.
Admission to most of the festival is FREE. But if you would like to watch Ron Mann’s “Know Your Mushrooms” while you enjoy mushrooms in various preparations by New York City chef Brad Farmerie along with Harry Hawk’s famous aged rib eye cheese steaks on June 14th you will need to pay $85. Tickets are on sale at the Astor Center.

Food, Inc. does for the supermarket what ‘Jaws’ did for the beach. Don’t miss the New York City release.

Port Richmond community members are taking matters into their own hands. Last week they created giant warning signs not to play on the empty lot on the corner of Richmond Terrance and Park Avenue as well as Veterans Park. Environmental Protection Agency (PA) determined the presence of lead in the area in early April but still no substantial steps have been taken to calm worried residents. According to SILive Port Richmond Improvement Association requested the relocation of the bus stops bordering the lead-laced empty lot and the closing of the park until further soil tests can determine their degree of contamination.

Are you looking for ballroom dance classes, swing, Argentine Tango or maybe wedding lessons? New York has a lot to offer.
Right now you can attend a free class at Dance Manhattan on their once-a-month Open House. Next guest night is on Friday May 29. 8pm, a FREE party class at 9:30 , and FREE show class 10:30.
If you don’t mind paying $15. Then join American Ballroom Dance Studio on thier monthly dance social. The fee includes one hour of lessons, wine and fun social dancing. Singles and couples welcome! Next time is May 22nd 7-10 pm.

The garbage and trash in Brooklyn’s Bay Ridge has become a real problem. Is it due to budget cuts and not enough trucks to empty waste baskets or are the residents themselves to blame? The opinions differ, but everyone agrees that something needs to be done.
The locals can’t take the dirty streets anymore, The Brooklyn Paper reports. “It’s a disaster — the avenues are filthy and they have to be cleaned up,” said state Sen. Marty Golden (R-Bay Ridge), who told residents at a town hall meeting last Monday that he was shocked by the soiled state of Fifth Avenue.

Now you can find refuge from the busy New York City life during outdoor Yoga and Tai Chi Chuan at Wave Hill in the Bronx. If you want to revitalize your body and mind, this is where you should go. The classes are held outdoors only and they are designed for both beginners and experienced participants.

Tai Chi Chuan is a sequence of gentle movements based on images found in nature.
When: Saturdays.Beginners: 10am Intermediates: 11am No class May 23 & July 4

Yoga: Decrease stress and increase your energy by focusing on your posture, breath control and meditation. When: Sundays and Tuesdays at 9:30am.

Price: $10 Member/ $18 Non-member. Register at the Perkins Visitor Center.

Yesterday Michelle Obama had her most exciting day so far as First Lady. She visited Sesame Street and according to Newsday later the same day she told the diplomats and staff members at United Nations:

“I’m thrilled to be here, but I was just at ‘Sesame Street’ — I’m sorry,” she said. “And I never thought I’d be on ‘Sesame Street’ with Elmo and Big Bird and I was thrilled. I’m still thrilled. I’m on a high.” “I think it’s probably the best thing I’ve done so far in the White House. But we were there talking about nutrition and healthy eating, and it’s just been a thrill,”

70% of New York’s rental apartments are still under rent control or rent stabilization. 1.3 million people commute to work in Manhattan every day. New Yorkers had the longest average commute time in the country. Now that home prices are declining, the federal government is stepping in and doing all it can to stop the plummeting home values. Right or wrong?