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Around the World in New York CityExperience International Flavor in All Five BoroughsAs Second Home to a large part of the world, no place is quite like New York City. With nearly 40 percent of its more than 8 million residents being foreign-born and first- and second-generation New Yorkers making up 65 percent of the local population, New York City is a fascinating global gateway. From Sicilian slices on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx to Middle Eastern mezze on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, the Big Apple boasts eclectic neighborhoods full of fabulous food, fun festivals, great shopping, and more. Travelers from overseas to this multinational metropolis will find that the city is not so foreign after all. New York City is the number-one destination in the United States for overseas travelers, and in 2004 it is expected that a record 5.3 million international visitors will have visited. Here’s a look at the activities, attractions, and events that reflect New York City’s rich international communities. Beyond the Bridge in Brooklyn
A celebration of Caribbean culture, the West Indian American Day Parade, one of the United States’ largest and most colorful parades, takes place on Labor Day weekend along Eastern Parkway. More than four million spectators enjoy a lively celebration featuring reggae and soca sounds, vibrant floats, traditional costumes, and delicious from Trinidad, Jamaica, Haiti, and the other island nations. (718-467-1797 or visit www.wiadca.org) See the Middle East via Atlantic Avenue, which is dotted with wonderful specialty shops, markets, and restaurants. Discover this unique destination with Savory Sojourns (888/9-SAVORY, www.savorysoujourns.com). New York City’s cultural attractions are also extremely international in scope. The Brooklyn Museum has one of the largest collections of Egyptian art and artifacts in the world, as well as exhibitions such as “The Arts of Asia and the Islamic World” and “The Arts of Africa.” (200 Eastern Pkwy., 718-501-6330, www.brooklynmusem.org) With such a large Italian population, Brooklyn also has great Italian restaurants including Palmiras Ristorante (41 Clark St., 718/237-4100, www.palmiras.com) and Il Fornetto (2902 Emmons Ave., 718/332-8494, www.nycotb.com). Best Bets in the BronxDiversity definitely drives the energy of this destination at the northernmost tip of the city: nearly 50 percent of Bronx residents are Latino, with the highest concentrations hailing from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico. It is a place where the traditions of Italy and Ireland continue to flourish, and a growing number of Asian immigrants are calling home. The Bronx has long been a focal point for artistic expression. From the Latin music jams during the ‘50s and ‘60s to the advent of break dancing and hip-hop decades later, Hunts Point continues to be a vital creative force. Experience the “Original Hip Hop Cultural Reality Sightseeing Tour,” by Hush Tours (212/714-3527, www.hushtours.com). The spirit of the Boogie Down Bronx is kept alive on Sample Wednesdays, a free evening of hip-hop, film, spoken word, educational panels, and performance art at the Bronx Museum of the Arts, which specializes in works by artists of African, Asian, and Latin American descent. (1040 Grand Concourse, 718/681-6000, www.bxma.org) Generations of Italian-American residents consider Belmont the “Real Little Italy.” SusanSez NYC Walkabouts offers Arthur Avenue tours and its Blarney in the Bronx Walkabout spotlights the Irish neighborhood of Woodlawn. (917/509-3111, www.susansez.com ) Scenic Wave Hill offers international programming year round. Every Saturday Sifu Jack Chu teaches Tai Chi Chuan; while the summer Barefoot Dancing Series invites you to move to the music of the world. (675 W. 252nd St., 718/549-3200, www.wavehill.org)
Now you can explore the Bronx better thanks to the free Bronx Tour Trolley, an initiative by the Bronx Tourism Council (718/590-BRONX, www.ilovethebronx.com ) that travels to Arthur Avenue, the Bronx Zoo (2300 Southern Blvd., 718/ 367-1010, www.bronxzoo.com), and the New York Botanical Garden (200th St. & Kazimiroff Blvd., 718/817-8700, www.nybg.org) on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays year-round. Marvelous ManhattanYou can’t get more international than the United Nations (First Ave. btwn. 42nd and 46th Sts., 212/963-8687, www.un.org ). Multilingual tours include historical background and artwork from around the world; there’s also a gift shop with international crafts and jewelry. More than 12 million immigrants made their way through Ellis Island (212/363-3206, www.ellisisland.com), past the Statue of Liberty, from 1892 to 1954 to pursue their American dreams. Today, those dreams are documented at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. The Lower East Side Tenement Museum (90 Orchard St., 212/431-0233, www.tenement.org ) also interprets the area's immigrant and migrant experiences.
Great restaurants in this neighborhood
include:
Many of New York City’s museums reflect the fact that they’re in such an international destination. The Asia Society and Museum showcases the diversity of more than 30 Asia-Pacific countries (725 Park Ave., 212/288-6400, www.asiasociety.org) and the Japan Society offers insight into all things Japanese. (333 E. 47th St., 212/832-1155, www.japansociety.org) The Hispanic Society of America (Broadway and 155th St., 212/926-2234, www.hispanicsociety.org) focuses on the art, literature, and culture of Spain, Portugal, the Philippines, and Latin America and has works by Goya, El Greco, and Velasquez. El Museo del Barrio (1230 Fifth Ave., 212/831-7272, www.elmuseo.org) is a cultural center for Spanish Harlem and displays work by Puerto Rican, Caribbean, and Latin American artists. The Neue Galerie New York (1048 Fifth Ave., 212/628-6200, www.neuegalerie.org) focuses on German and Austrian art; the Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in North America (58 Park Ave., 212/879-9779, www.scandinaviahouse.org) has a full calendar of art exhibitions, lectures, and special events. Through its extensive collections, the Ukrainian Museum (222 E. 6th St., 212/228-0110, www.ukranianmuseum.org) demonstrates the scope and beauty of Ukrainian culture. The new Rubin Museum of Art (150 W. 17th St., 212/620-5000, www.rmanyc.org ) showcases Himalayan culture. Tibet House (22 W. 15th St., 212/807-0563, www.tibethouse.org ) increases the awareness of the art, culture, and heritage of Tibet. New York City is also a world stage for the performing arts, with Carnegie Hall (881 Seventh Ave., 212/247-7800, www.carnegiehall.org), Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (212/721-6500, www.lincolncenter.org), Town Hall (123 W. 43rd St., 212/840-2024, www.the-townhall-nyc.org), and the Joyce Theater (175 Eighth Ave. at 19th St., 212/242-0800, www.joyce.org) attracting internationally acclaimed orchestras, dance companies, and more. The Irish Arts Center (553 W. 51st St., 212/757-3318, www.irishartscenter.org) celebrates all things Irish. Queens: An Ethnically Diverse 112 MilesThe residents of this New York City borough are one of the most diverse groups in the country – so diverse that the local subway line, the number 7, is called the “International Express.” Home to John F. Kennedy International Airport and La Guardia Airport, Queens is often the first entryway for millions to New York City and the United States. As home to the largest Greek population outside of Greece, Astoria is the Athens of the United States, with authentic restaurants and markets on Ditmars Boulevard. Move onto India and the rest of South Asia with a visit to Jackson Heights, which has an array of restaurants, sari shops, and video stores with the latest Bollywood offerings. For greater appreciation of South Asian art, spend an afternoon at the Queens Museum of Art (Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, 718/592-9700, www.queensmuseum.org), and see the Edge of Desire: Recent Art in India; on display through June 5. Afterwards, explore Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, home to the Unisphere, the giant steel globe structure that serves as a symbolic reminder of the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs. Queens is also home to a big Latin community with a strong presence in Jackson Heights, Corona, East Elmhurst, and Astoria. The work of local Latino artists will be featured in Capturing a Moment-ito at the Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning (161-04 Jamaica Ave., 718/658-7400, www.jcal.org) June 25-August 20. The 2005 JP Morgan Chase Latino Cultural Festival July 25-August 7 at Queens Theatre in the Park (718/760-0064, www.queenstheatre.org) is an international showcase of artists from 17 nations who will perform genres including Andes folk, flamenco, and Latin jazz. More world music can be enjoyed at Flushing Town Hall (137-35 Northern Blvd., 718/463-7700, www.flushingtownhall.org) with summer concerts that include salsa, reggae, soca, and calypso. In addition to music, the neighborhood of Flushing is a big draw with Chinese and Korean restaurants, herbalists, and other Asian businesses.
The free weekend Queens Culture Trolley, which can be picked up at the Queens Museum of Art (718/592-9700, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, www.queensmuseum.org), takes you on a weekend journey every Saturday and Sunday at 3:30pm through Flushing Meadows-Corona Park to Northern Boulevard’s Restaurant Row, Corona and the Louis Armstrong House, Jackson Heights and the flavors of South Asia. Entertainment and dining are exciting – and authentic – experiences. Spend an evening at a Spanish theater production or a Romanian night club, hear traditional music at an Irish pub, or join in Czech songs at an authentic Bohemian beer garden. Restaurants reflect residents’ backgrounds from Italian to Indian and Turkish to Thai. Try Korean barbeque in Flushing, Brazilian churrascuria in Corona, an Indian smorgasbord in Jackson Heights. Among hundreds of ethnic restaurants in Queens are the Irish Circle (101-19 Rockaway Blvd., 718/474-9002), Mary McGuires (38-04 Broadway, Astoria, 718/728-3434), O’Neill’s (64-21 53rd Dr., Maspeth, 718/672-9696), and Ponticello Ristorante (46-11 Broadway, Astoria, 718/278-4514). Surprises in Staten IslandLong a haven for Italian-American and Irish-American populations, Staten Island’s population is changing. According to the 2000 census, this borough’s population is diversifying and has grown by 17 percent in the last decade. Hispanics account for 12 percent of the population, while six percent of Staten Island residents are Asian.
In June Snug Harbor Cultural Center (1000 Richmond Terrace, 718/448-2500, www.snug-harbor.org), will host Harmony Fair, an all-day extravaganza that showcases the cultures of the world, with food, performances, concerts, music, and dance. One of ten themed gardens at the Staten Island Botanical Garden (1000 Richmond Terr., 718/273-8200, www.sibg.org), part of Snug Harbor, is the internationally renowned Chinese Scholar’s Garden. A replica of a Late Imperial Chinese garden, it has courtyards and reflecting pools and exquisite features like the Tea House of the Hearing Pines, the Wandering-in-Bamboo Courtyard, and the Pure Flow Bridge. Historic Richmond Town (441 Clarke Ave., 718/351-1611, www.historicrichmondtown.org) is home to colonial buildings, America’s oldest elementary school, and reminders of early Dutch, French, and British settlers. After a day of exploration, make sure you have a reservation at Angelina’s Ristorante (26 Jefferson Blvd., 718/227-7100, www.angelinasristorante.com) or La Sabia (335 Sand La., 718/815-7400, www.nycotb.com); both serve delicious Italian favorites. For more information about things to do in New York City log onto www.nycvisit.com. Edited by Erika Wright |
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New
York’s most populous borough has incredible international appeal. Walk along the
legendary Coney Island boardwalk to Brighton Beach and explore “Little Odessa,”
a thriving Russian émigré community complete with traditional bathhouses, book
shops, and restaurants. Or head to Sunset Park, home to one of New York City’s
three Chinatowns, a large number of Italians, Irish, and Finns, as well as a
huge Latin community.
If seeing all the sights the Bronx has to
offer has you famished, sit down to great pub fare at the Fiddler’s Elbow (3718
E. Tremont Ave., 718/863-3990) or tasty Italian cuisine at two Giovanni’s
Restaurant locations (579 Grand Concourse, 718/402-6996; and 80 W. Fordham Rd.,
718/733-333,
Traditions run strong in Little Italy, located primarily on Mulberry Street
between Broome and Canal Streets. The Sorrento Cheese Summer in Little Italy,
produced by the Little Italy Merchants Association, offers family fun on summer
weekends; for 11 days in September more than one million people enjoy the Feast
of San Gennaro, a street festival with food, rides, games, and parades; and the
neighborhood holds celebrations around the holidays called Christmas in Little
Italy. 
For an
active look at this area consider the tour by Bike the Big Apple (877/865-0078,
Staten Island’s international-themed
cultural gems include the cliff-hanging Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art
(338 Lighthouse Ave., 718/987-3500, www.tibetanmuseum.org) whose buildings
resemble a Himalayan mountain temple.