Harrison's Latest Community News

Madison Square Garden is one of the most famous and recognizable arenas in the United States. Located next to Penn Station, the Garden is easily accessible to locals and tourists utilizing public transportation. From ticket purchasing to event operations, Madison Square Garden transitions smoothly and seamlessly between concerts and conferences.

As part of Penn Plaza, this fourth incarnation of the entertainment complex is constructed above traveling trains and the train station.

Madison Square Garden is an integral part of politics, entertainment and sport in America. Hosting events on most days of the year, the Garden has housed dog shows, political conventions (for both major parties), the Rangers’ NHL games, the Knicks’ NBA games, national league sports drafts, key boxing and wrestling matches and circuses.

A preferred venue of musical artists such as Billy Joel, Elton John and the late Geo

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Canal Street is an experience as well as a destination. Canal Street runs through Chinatown and provides a border separating Chinatown and Little Italy. Because Chinatown encompasses much of the area surrounding the Canal Street subway stop, visitors can find a large selection of Chinese restaurants and Asian imports. Some of the signs in the area list information in both English and Mandarin.

Many tourists visit Canal Street to shop. The location is bustling in the afternoon. To avoid difficulty navigating and to get first pick at merchandise, visitors should consider arriving around 10 a.m. By lunch time, the streets are crowded, the office crowd is out for a meal and lines grow longer.

Canal Street shops offer clothing, watches, jewelry, electronics and accessories. Most famously, Canal Street offers counterfeit and grey market items. If you are a female tourist walking along the street, vendors will approach you. They’ll

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Little Italy is located next to Chinatown and Canal Street on Manhattan. Though Chinatown has largely absorbed what was formerly Little Italy, one section does remain. This area is located primarily along Mulberry Street.

Populated by vibrant displays of Italian American pride, you can smell the famous food of Little Italy as you arrive.

Seasonally, Little Italy is famous for the Feast of San Gennaro, taking place in September. During this time, many of the restaurants on the street offer specials. However, the festival makes the area extremely crowded, so it’s sometimes difficult to grab a seat. Over a million attendees crowd into the four blocks comprising Little Italy. While the festival is primarily religious and intended to reflect the spirit and heritage of the residents of Little Italy, it is also a festival including food and drink, drawing many visitors.

If you’re hoping to enjoy both

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Chinatown is a primary destination for visitors looking to experience different cultures, shop and eat while in New York City. Easily accessible via three subway lines, Chinatown sits next to Little Italy and encompasses a large shopping area including Canal Street.

New York’s Chinatown is home to a large group of people from China or of Chinese descent. Chinatown became roughly established during the 19th century. At that time, some Chinese immigrants were exploited for illegal labor, while others decided to settle in New York City and find work. As a result of exclusionary laws, Chinese immigration was banned from the early 1900s until World War II era. The lack of female immigrants created an imbalanced population proportion in Chinatown at that time.

During this era, undergrou

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Although the Aqueduct racetrack has been falling short of expectations the past few years, the future is considered bright.  A Malaysian firm called Genting Group (which owns and operates some of the biggest casinos in the world) has been called upon to install and operate 4,500 video slot machines at the track. This will be the fourth time since 2001 that the Aqueduct will undergo renevations.  The estimated one million dollars per day in revenues the slot machines are projected to make will go to help budget shortfall in NYC.  All 4,500 slot machines are set to be installed by next summer. Lottery officals feel really good about this company and project and have praised Genting  by stating that they were "superior in concept, scope, detail and execution" compared to other bids to take on the project. 

Along with the new slots and slot lounge will be a huge dining area, a lavish new chinese restraunt and a climate controled sky b

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Each August the Erasing Borders festival of Indian dance participate in the Downtown Dance Festival.  This festival takes place in downtown New York City and the Indian Dance literally stops people in their tracks.  This year though the performance by Kathakali who came all the way from India are the ones astounding people with their performance. Costumes in these dances are extremely complex and often require hours on make up application. Not only are there amazing, original, and exotic dances but interpretations of plays and stories. 

The Downtown Dance Festival runs through tomorrow with performances at 1 New York Plaza, Water and Whitehall Streets and Lower Manhattan.

Everyone knows just how unpleasant a portable toilet can be.  Well for anyone that uses Riverside Park, you may never have to use one again, at least not at the park between 91st and 103rd streets. The people responsible for this are the Riverside Clay Tennis Association.  The recently proposed a carbon neutral complex that has composting toilets.  The first of its kind in New York City.  The Riverside Clay Tennis Association is planing on using the same architecture firm Cook+Fox.  The bathroom is going to be able to compost sewage to fertalize plants and use solar panels to power the complex.  and several other "green" features.  The plan is to have this project completed by 2012.  Soon people wont have to rush home so they wont have to deal with portable toilets.

On July 28th, New York City's health department adopted a new letter-grade rating system.  So far 250 restraunts have been inspected.  48% of them recieved an A, 31% revcieved a B, 12% got a C, and 8% were closed until changes were made. 

The best rapper ever and the most famous sports team ever are now joining forces.  If you know who Jay-Z is you know of the trademark New York Yankees hat he is famous for so it makes alot of sense that these two would team up.  The co-branded clothes will go on sale only at Yankee Stadium beginning next week.  Every item will have both the Jay-Z and Yankees logo.  This is also a great way to commemorate the first concert at the new Yankee Stadium which will feature both Jay-Z and Eminem. They also happen to be two of  the best to ever do it so you dont want to miss that concert...seriously.  The new merchandise will be sold until September 14th.

If you live in the city im sure you have seen your fair share of public restrooms, both good and not so good.  But two New York City bathrooms are in the top ten finalists for DNAinfo.com's America's best bathroom.  One is Bryant Park's quaint public restrooms, while the other Midtown West's Muse Hotel's restroom, which are seven deadly sins themed.  Bryant Park has about 500 to 1000 users per day and has some unique decorations, bouquets of flowers and sweet smelling aromatic oils.  The Muse Hotel's has just plain wild and crazy decorations, and are appearantly so popular they give tours of the bathroom. The award doesnt go to the biggest or most expensive bathroom but which one makes the best use of the space they have. The ninth year for this award will be voted on and the results will be announced by mid-September.