If you're in New York, and you are a tennis fan or an occassional tennis fan (whenever the championships are on TV) like me, you'll probably love this event. Tomorrow, Nike will set up a regulation tennis court at 23rd Street and Broadway, right by Madison Square Park. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and John McEnroe are all scheduled to appear! They're all in town for the U.S. Open, which starts August 31. Hope I can make it! See info below.
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WHAT: Tennis
greats, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and John McEnroe
will gather Wednesday, August 26, in the heart of New York City to
challenge local youth tennis players and the general public to try
their hand at experiencing what it’s like to return a pro serve.
Hundreds of tennis fans and youth from NewYork Parks and
Rec, Athletes for Charity, and Mentoring USA will be treated to
inspirational tennis tips and guidance from Federer, Nadal, Williams,
and McEnroe. Three youth, representing each organization in attendance,
will also have a chance to win a donation for their group by returning
serves from a tennis serve-simulator set to mimic the powerful shots of
the pros. In addition, Nike, for the first time will unveil each
athletes look for the 2009 U.S. Open.
WHO: Roger Federer 2008 US Open Champion
Serena Williams 2008 US Open Champion
Rafa Nadal 2009 Australian Open Champion
Legendary tennis pro John McEnroe
WHERE: Nike-built regulation tennis court
23rd Street and Broadway
New York, NY
WHEN: August 26, 2009
10:15AM – 10:45AM Roger Federer Appearance
1:30 PM – 2:00PM Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal Appearance
Starting this September, the streets of Queens will put a few hybrid heavy-duty garbage trucks to the test. The three trucks, which will be joined by four more, are slightly longer than regular garbage trucks and will reduce emissions by 30%.This is great news, because hauling several tons of garbage per day requires a great deal of energy. Of course, like many early model hybrids (see my post on green roofs), there are big price tags. Each hybrid truck will cost $500,000, as opposed to $250,000 for a regular garbage truck. Federal subsidies encouraging the use of hybrid vehicles will help alleviate the cost for the city. Other cities are watching, and should this hybrid truck program become popular, the cost will go down. My fingers are crossed!
I've heard about the Wii and all the sports you can play with a handheld controller but I was always skeptical about how effective and how fun they were. Today, I finally laid my hands on a Wii, at the Wii Sports Resort pop-up tents at South Street Seaport. There were tents set up for every sport (canoeing, swordplay, basketball to name a few) and friendly staff in Hawaiian shirts to assist players.
The first game I tried was Canoeing, and I have to say that after 15 seconds, I felt very awkward rowing with a controller. Next up was Basketball, which was pretty fun, but it was probably because I'm more familiar with the sport. I did enjoy Swordplay, which consisted of lots of whacking and slashing. Nevertheless, I still felt weird moving around while not really moving around. I think I'll stick to the real sport. Great event though! There were even pretty resort chais set up.
This week, the New York City Council passed the Bikes in Buildings Bill, which requires commercial landlords to allow office workers to bring their bikes into buildings if there is a freight elevator and enough space. For many New Yorkers, the lack of safe parking for their bicycles was a key reason why they chose not to bike to work. This is a great step in moving towards increased ridership and safety. To make biking a truly viable option, the next step is for buildings to allot space for storage and estabiish an efficient way for cyclists to transport their bikes. Ride on!
Last week, the New York Philharmonic held its 45th Concert in the Parks series. They played several performances, inviting New Yorkers to Central Park, Prospect Park, and Van Cortlandt Park. The concerts drew tens of thousands of New Yorkers out for a picnic dinner, live music, and a special treat at the very end. I attended the performance at Van Cortlandt Park, where I got a great view. I probably wouldn't have been so luck at Central Park, so it was well worth the long subway ride.Check it out!
