New York State

New York is a state in the Northeastern United States and is the 27th-most extensive, fourth-most populous, and seventh-most densely populated U.S. state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south and Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont to the east. The state has a maritime border in the Atlantic Ocean with Rhode Island, east of Long Island, as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the north and Ontario to the west and north. The state of New York, with an estimated 19.8 million residents in 2015, is often referred to as New York State to distinguish it from New York City, the state’s most populous city and its economic hub…

For a list of “The Best” restaurants in New York, click here:Much of New York State borders water, as is true for New York City as well. Of New York State’s total area, 13.5% consists of water. The state’s borders touch (clockwise from the west) two Great Lakes (Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, which are connected by the Niagara River); the provinces of Ontario and Quebec in Canada, with New York and Ontario sharing the Thousand Islands archipelago within the Saint Lawrence River; Lake Champlain; three New England states (Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut); the Atlantic Ocean, and two Mid-Atlantic states, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In addition, Rhode Island shares a water border with New York. New York is the second largest of the original Thirteen Colonies and is the only state that touches both the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean.

In contrast with New York City’s urban landscape, the vast majority of the state’s geographic area is dominated by meadows, forests, rivers, farms, mountains, and lakes. New York’s Adirondack Park is the largest state park in the United States and is larger than the Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier, and Olympic National Parks combined. New York established the first state park in the United States at Niagara Falls in 1885. Niagara Falls is shared between New York and Ontario as it flows on the Niagara River from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario.

Upstate and Downstate are often used informally to distinguish New York City or its greater metropolitan area from the rest of New York State. The placement of a boundary between the two is a matter of great contention. Unofficial and loosely defined regions of Upstate New York include the Southern Tier, which often includes the counties along the border with Pennsylvania, and the North Country, which can mean anything from the strip along the Canadian border to everything north of the Mohawk River…

Regions

Main article: List of regions of the United States § New York

Economic regions of New York

Due to its long history, the state of New York has several overlapping (and often conflicting) definitions of regions within the state. This is further exacerbated by the colloquial use of such regional labels. The New York State Department of Economic Development provides two distinct definitions of these regions. The department divides the state into ten economic regions, which approximately correspond to terminology used by residents:

Geography

Main article: Geography of New York

New York terrain.

Map of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers.

The Bear Mountain Bridge, spanning the Hudson River in the Hudson Valley.

New York covers 54,555 square miles (141,300 km²) and ranks as the 27th largest state by size. The Great Appalachian Valley dominates eastern New York and contains the Lake Champlain Valley as its northern half and the Hudson Valley as its southern half within the state. The rugged Adirondack Mountains, with vast tracts of wilderness, lie west of the Lake Champlain Valley. The Hudson River begins near Lake Tear of the Clouds and flows south through the eastern part of the state without draining Lakes George or Champlain. Lake George empties at its north end into Lake Champlain, whose northern end extends into Canada, where it drains into the Richelieu River and then ultimately the Saint Lawrence River. Four of New York City’s five boroughs are situated on three islands at the mouth of the Hudson River: Manhattan; Staten Island; and Long Island, which contains Brooklyn and Queens at its western end.

Most of the southern part of the state rests on the Allegheny Plateau, which extends from the southeastern United States to the Catskill Mountains; the section in New York State is known as the Southern Tier. The Tug Hill region arises as a cuesta east of Lake Ontario. The western section of the state is drained by the Allegheny River and rivers of the Susquehanna and Delaware River systems. The Delaware River Basin Compact, signed in 1961 by New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and the federal government, regulates the utilization of water of the Delaware system. The highest elevation in New York is Mount Marcy in the Adirondacks, at 5,344 feet (1,629 meters) above sea level; while the state’s lowest point is at sea level, on the Atlantic Ocean.

Much of New York State borders water, as is true for New York City as well. Of New York State’s total area, 13.5% consists of water. The state’s borders touch (clockwise from the west) two Great Lakes (Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, which are connected by the Niagara River); the provinces of Ontario and Quebec in Canada, with New York and Ontario sharing the Thousand Islands archipelago within the Saint Lawrence River; Lake Champlain; three New England states (Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut); the Atlantic Ocean, and two Mid-Atlantic states, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In addition, Rhode Island shares a water border with New York. New York is the second largest of the original Thirteen Colonies and is the only state that touches both the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean.

In contrast with New York City’s urban landscape, the vast majority of the state’s geographic area is dominated by meadows, forests, rivers, farms, mountains, and lakes. New York’s Adirondack Park is the largest state park in the United States and is larger than the Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier, and Olympic National Parks combined. New York established the first state park in the United States at Niagara Falls in 1885. Niagara Falls is shared between New York and Ontario as it flows on the Niagara River from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario.

Climate

Main article: Climate of New York

Lake-effect snow is a major contributor to heavy snowfall totals in western New York, including the Tug Hill region.

Skaneateles Lake, one of the eleven Finger Lakes, provides drinking water for the city of Syracuse and nearby areas in central New York.

In general, New York has a humid continental climate, though under the Köppen climate classification, New York City has a humid subtropical climate. Weather in New York is heavily influenced by two continental air masses: a warm, humid one from the southwest and a cold, dry one from the northwest.

Downstate New York, comprising New York City, Long Island, and lower portions of the Hudson Valley, has rather warm summers, with some periods of high humidity, and cold, damp winters which, however, are relatively mild compared to temperatures in Upstate New York, secondary to the former region’s lower elevation, proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, and relatively lower latitude compared to the latter. Upstate New York experiences warm summers, marred by only occasional, brief intervals of sultry conditions, with long and cold winters. Western New York, particularly the Tug Hill region, receives heavy lake-effect snows, especially during the earlier portions of winter, before the surface of Lake Ontario itself is covered by ice. The summer climate is cool in the Adirondacks, Catskills, and at higher elevations of the Southern Tier.

Summer daytime temperatures usually range from the upper 70s to mid-80s °F (25 to 30 °C), over much of the state. In the majority of winter seasons, a temperature of −13 °F (−25 °C) or lower can be expected in the northern highlands (Northern Plateau) and 5 °F (−15 °C) or colder in the southwestern and east-central highlands of the Southern Tier.

New York ranks 46th among the 50 states in the amount of greenhouse gases generated per person. This relative efficient energy usage is primarily due to the dense, compact settlement in the New York City metropolitan area, and the state population’s high rate of mass transit use in this area and between major cities.^[66]

Media and Entertainment

Main article: Media in New York City

Creative industries, which are concerned with generating and distributing knowledge and information, such as new media, digital media, film and television production, advertising, fashion, design, and architecture, account for a growing share of employment, with New York City possessing a strong competitive advantage in these industries. As of 2014, New York State was offering tax incentives of up to $420 million annually for filmmaking within the state, the most generous such tax rebate among the U.S. states. New York has also attracted higher-wage visual-effects employment by further augmenting its tax credit to a maximum of 35% for performing post-film production work in Upstate New York.

The I Love New York logo was designed by Milton Glaser in 1977.

Tourism

Main articles: Tourism in New York City, Niagara Falls and Broadway theatre

I Love New York (stylized I ❤ NY) is both a logo and a song that are the basis of an advertising campaign and have been used since 1977 to promote tourism in New York City, and later to promote New York State as well. The trademarked logo, owned by New York State Empire State Development, appears in souvenir shops and brochures throughout the state, some licensed, many not. The song is the state song of New York. The Broadway League reported that Broadway shows sold approximately US$1.27 billion worth of tickets in the 2013–2014 season, an 11.4% increase from US$1.139 billion in the 2012–2013 season. Attendance in 2013–2014 stood at 12.21 million, representing a 5.5% increase from the 2012–2013 season’s 11.57 million.

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in New York

The Thaddeus Kosciusko Bridge, crossing the Mohawk River, is the portion of the toll-free, six-lane Adirondack Northway that connects Albany County and Saratoga County.

The New York City Subway is one of the world’s busiest, serving a passenger ridership of over 5 million per average weekday.

John F. Kennedy Airport in Queens, the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States.

New York has one of the most extensive and one of the oldest transportation infrastructures in the country. Engineering challenges posed by the complex terrain of the state and the unique infrastructural issues of New York City brought on by urban crowding have had to be overcome perennially. Population expansion of the state has followed the path of the early waterways, first the Hudson River and Mohawk River, then the Erie Canal. In the 19th century, railroads were constructed along the river valleys, followed by the New York State Thruway in the 20th century.

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is the department of the government of New York responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways, and aviation facilities within New York State. The NYSDOT is headquartered at 50 Wolf Road in Colonies, Albany County. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) is a joint venture between the States of New York and New Jersey and authorized by the US Congress, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that oversees much of the regional transportation infrastructure, including bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the geographical jurisdiction of the Port of New York and New Jersey. This 1,500 square mile (3,900 km²) port district is generally encompassed within a 25-mile (40 km) radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. The Port Authority is headquartered at 4 World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan.

In addition to the well-known New York City Subway system – which is confined within New York City – four suburban commuter railroad systems enter and leave the city: the Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, Port Authority Trans-Hudson, and five of New Jersey Transit’s rail lines. The New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) is the agency of the government of New York City responsible for the management of much of New York City’s own transportation infrastructure. Other cities and towns in New York have urban and regional public transportation. In Buffalo, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority runs the Buffalo Metro Rail light-rail system; in Rochester, the Rochester Subway operated from 1927 until 1956, but fell into disuse as state and federal investment went to highways.

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (NYSDMV or DMV) is the governmental agency responsible for registering and inspecting automobiles and other motor vehicles, as well as licensing drivers in the State of New York. As of 2008, the NYSDMV has 11,284,546 drivers’ licenses on file and 10,697,644 vehicle registrations in force. All gasoline-powered vehicles registered in New York State are required to have an emissions inspection every 12 months, in order to ensure that environmental quality controls are working to prevent air pollution. Diesel-powered vehicles with a gross weight rating over 8,500 lb that are registered in most Downstate New York counties must get an annual emissions inspection. All vehicles registered in New York State must get an annual safety inspection.

Portions of the transportation system are intermodal, allowing travelers to switch easily from one mode of transportation to another. One of the most notable examples is AirTrain JFK which allows rail passengers to travel directly to terminals at John F. Kennedy International Airport as well as to the underground New York City Subway system.

Sports

Main article: Sports in New York

Arthur Ashe Stadium, site of the US Open tennis championships, in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens.

Belmont Park on Long Island, at top, hosts the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown of thoroughbred horse racing; below is the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County, which honors achievements in this sport.

Sunset on Lake Champlain in the Champlain Valley, at the base of the Adirondack Mountains. This lake straddles New York, Vermont, and Quebec, and is popular with nature observers as well as water sportsmen.

New York State is geographically home to one National Football League team, the Buffalo Bills, based in the Buffalo suburb of Orchard Park. Although the New York Giants and New York Jets represent the New York metropolitan area and were previously located in New York City, they play in MetLife Stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey. New York also has two Major League Baseball teams, the New York Yankees (based in the Bronx) and the New York Mets (based in Queens). Minor league baseball teams also play in the State of New York, including the Long Island Ducks. New York is home to three National Hockey League franchises: the New York Rangers in Manhattan, the New York Islanders in Brooklyn, and the Buffalo Sabres in Buffalo. New York has two National Basketball Association teams, the New York Knicks in Manhattan, and the Brooklyn Nets in Brooklyn. New York is the home of a Major League Soccer franchise, New York City FC, currently playing in the Bronx. Although the New York Red Bulls represent the New York metropolitan area, they play in Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.

New York hosted the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid. The 1980 Games are known for the USA–USSR ice hockey match dubbed the “Miracle on Ice”, in which a group of American college students and amateurs defeated the heavily favored Soviet national ice hockey team 4–3 and went on to win the gold medal against Finland. Along with St. Moritz, Switzerland and Innsbruck, Austria, Lake Placid is one of the three cities to have hosted the Winter Olympic Games twice. New York City bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics but lost to London.

Several U.S. national sports halls of fame are or have been situated in New York. The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Cooperstown, Otsego County. The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County, honors achievements in the sport of thoroughbred horse racing. The physical facility of the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, also in Otsego County, closed in 2010, although the organization itself has continued inductions. The annual United States Open Tennis Championships is one of the world’s four Grand Slam tennis tournaments and is held at the National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in the New York City borough of Queens.

GRAND CENTRAL MARKET

If you can get the opportunity (usually sometime in October) to attend the, Grand Central Market – New York’s only gourmet European-style food hall – hosted an exclusive, invitation-only food & wine tasting event.

You must go to this private event!!!

A cordial invitation to taste the freshest fall flavors from Grand Central Station, and I will run there.
First; you must be a foody love good food and wine, the market is prepared into a long elegant hall with an incredible range of food arranged in a refined and studied manner.
Strung in two lines, a rich set of waiters were offering every kind of delicacies, and refilling your wine chalices:

The place was divided into different sections, each of them reserved for a certain class of food, and right in front, you could find the corresponding samples to test; and an expert person ready to give you an ornate explanation of what you were savoring in your mouth.
It’s hard to describe with words; the flavors, the fragrances and the smells. It was some of the best tasting food.

The majestic location (the impressive blue-light-fountain hanging from the ceiling), as sophisticated and refined were all the products sold in the market, Be sure to enjoy the freshest and finest caviar (served in four different versions), breads, cheese, meats, fish, produce, spices, fruit and pastries (fantastic the “Halloween “cupcakes) and much more…

Finally all your expectations will be fulfilled.

Grand Market, grand food, grand night!

MUSEUMS IN NEW YORK

Whether or not you are a starving artist, you can see art for FREE at museums that are always free, museums that have suggested contributions, and museums that have special free hours. Note: Many museums support themselves on the donations received by visitors; if you can’t afford to pay the suggested contribution, a smaller donation can still make a difference.

POPULAR:

The Museum of Natural History

The Met

The Guggenheim

MoMA (Museum of Modern Art)

The Cloisters

All Museums List:

Free Every Day:

• American Numismatic Society
• Artists Space
• Carnegie Hall/Rose Museum
• Dahesh Museum
• The Drawing Center
• Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology
• Franklin Furnace
• Goethe House German Cultural Center
• Guggenheim Museum Soho
• The Hispanic Society of America
• The Municipal Art Society
• Museum of American Folk Art
• National Museum of the American Indian
• New York City Police Museum
• Snug Harbor Cultural Center
• Taipei Gallery
• Whitney Museum at Philip Morris

Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Tips

Thanksgiving! Before you know it it’s already here, Seeing the world’s largest department store create the world’s wonderful parade and watching it from your living room aired live on TV year after year, you finally spent the money and made your trip to NYC to be part of celabration. You made it! Welcome to NYC! Whether this is your first time to the parade or you’re a veteran and you’ve been to the parade 20 times, here is some general information and probably some informative tips that can be used when coming to see the parade.

General Information:

One of the most enjoyable sites begins the night before.  On 77th and 81st Street on Central Park West & Columbus Avenue from 3pm to 10pm is the Macy’s Balloon Inflation.  Parade crews begin to inflate the balloon floats.  This a spectacular show in its self and not to be missed if at all possible, many spectators gather around watching their favorite characters come to life.  Big Bird, Snoopy, Charlie Brown and all the other floats come to life is not to be missed.

Parade Route: Parade begins on 77th Street & Central Park West. It proceeds down Central Park West into Columbus Circle and then merges onto Broadway From Columbus Circle (59th St) all the way down to Macy’s Herald Square and 34th St. Parade finishes on 34th St & 7th Avenue.

Time: Parade kicks off at 9am and last approx.3 hours till around Noon.

How to get there: Use the subway system. It may be on holiday schedule, but it’s the most reliable way for the time being to get to Central Park West. Or if it’s a nice day you may want to walk. If you’re on the East side take a stroll through Central Park.  Its safe and you’ll probably be joined by thousands doing the same. Take either the 1 train (Broadway Line) or the local B and C train (CPW line). To get to Columbus Circle: Take the A,B,C,D,1 trains to 59th street. To get to Times Square and the streets above on Broadway: Take the 1 local train to 42nd St and 50th St. on Broadway. Or take the 2 & 3 Express train to 42nd St only. Also consider the A,C,E train to 42nd St – Port Authority. Or the C,E train to 50th St. on 8th Avenue. N,R train to 49th St. leaves you half a block from the parade. N,R,Q and W train also goes to Times Square. 7 train also stops at Times Square.  To get to 34th St., Herald Sq. and above: Take the B,D,F,V,N,Q,R and W trains to 34th Street and Herald Square. Also take1,2,3,A,C,E trains to 34th Street and Penn Station.

Parade Hotline: If this information still isn’t enough, call 212-494-4495 for more information or visit www.macys.com

This event is Rain or Shine and is Free to everyone that attends.

1)  The great outdoors – This is a rain or shine event. If it looks like rain is forecasted be prepare to bring out ponchos, rain boots and other rain gears. I’m sure you won’t forget that umbrella. Just remember when opening an umbrella in an extremely crowded event, it will be a burden for you and everyone else around you. Especially for those behind you trying to see the parade. So if the rain is light, keep the umbrella down for a bit.  If the sun is shining, expect a huge crowd. Every now and then the weather will be comfortable, but most years it been very cold, so dress accordingly, layers, layers and more layers. Hats, sweaters, windbreaker but do make sure you wear thermals, hats, ear muffs and don’t forget a thermos with lots of warm hot chocolate/coffee/soup to keep you warm and surviving the cold weather for about 4 or 5 hours.

2)  Timing is everything – For this parade, the magnitude of locals and other tourists coming to see this event is massive, so the earlier you come the better. Usually a lot of people start arriving to the sidelines around 6am for a good spot. So definitely being that early bird will pay off.

3)    Location – As you can see the parade route is long and it looks like there are many options for viewing. That’s not really the case. One of the best viewing spots is around Central Park West. I also hear that Times Square is a good spot. Below the Times Square area are the areas you might want to avoid since public viewing is closed off due to media presence. Avoid  59th Street and Columbus Circle. Half of  the area is closed off and many bleachers are blocking the views of the parade. If you happen to know anyone who lives along the parade route and can score an invite that’s the best seat in the city.

4)  Keep in mind – Be sure to leave home the folding chairs and ladders. Not only is it extra baggage for you to carry around the city, but it will be troublesome to have when the crowds start to fill up along the sidewalks.  Also be aware that Macy’s is closed on Thanksgiving Day. So unfortunately you can’t go shopping after the parade. Subways are on a holiday schedule. Check http://www.mta.info for schedule. If you are wondering what to do after the parade, keep in mind that all stores will close early. Theaters and restaurants are open. For more information on what to do, look check YourCityBeat.com.  Movie theaters will be open for new holiday hits flicks to see over the holidays.

I hope these few tips I have left for you will help you in surviving your journey to the  Annual Macy’s Parade. Every year’s parade feature new helium balloons of timeless characters like Felix the Cat, Snoopy, Hello Kitty, Shrek, Scooby-Doo, HS Marching Bands from across the nation featured in the parade along with celebrities from your favorite TV shows, movies, theaters and singers and let’s not forget to mention a special appearance by Santa Claus. Every year the parade gets bigger than ever and will guarantee you joyful memories to last you many more years to come or have you coming back for more next year.

The staff of YourCityBeat.com would like to wish everyone local, across the nation and even our international visitors a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving Day.