New York City is in no shortage of amazing rooftops for public gatherings. Though I’ve never come across one as unique as this: X-Initiative presents the premiere of Pool Noodle Roof by Jeffrey Inaba’s Los Angeles-based practice, INABA. The rooftop space, which will be used for film screenings and special events, will be open to the public daily during selected visiting hours throughout the summer.

Four separate seating areas have been specially designed to cluster around an ‘X’ shaped carpet that covers the entire rooftop surface. The furniture, which is also X-shaped in plan, has been constructed from pool noodles – the long and cylindrical, foam water floatation toys commonly found in suburban backyard pools. The pool noodles have been cut and bunched vertically into chaise lounge and ottoman units of varying heights that accommodate up to 150 people. When viewed from above, the arrangement of vibrant colored buoyant seating material spells out the word, ‘bububluooopppp’ (the sound of something rising or sinking). Pretty clever!

I love it when interaction with public art installations is encouraged. When I tried to pet Jeff Koons’ balloon dog at the Met Rooftop, I received a much different reaction!

Islandwoo Tip: X has not disclosed their summer schedule yet but has promised to email Islandwoo. So follow me on Twitter to be the first to be notified.
Location: 548 West 22nd Street between 10th & 11th Aves. Be sure to also visit the newly opened High Line Park (Manhattan’s elevated park) nearby

Summers in NYC would not be complete without visiting one of the city’s many rooftop bars and outdoor gardens. For many locals, this is a great escape from our tiny studio-side apartments with windows 3 feet away from the next building. Uh huh!

The Hudson’s New Sky Terrace
356 W. 58th Street; 212-554-6000
Located on the 15th floor of the Hudson Hotel, Sky Terrace is now open to the public! A large hammock-lined landscaped terrace with sweeping city and Hudson River views. Try the mango ginger margarita.

Salon de Ning
Peninsula Hotel, 700 5th Avenue, at 55th Street; daily 4:00PM – 1:00AM
Themes based on the tale of Shanghainese socialite Madame Ning and her travels. Expensive drinks, but the views and decor are worth it!

230 Fifth Rooftop Garden
230 5th Ave (& 27th St.), 20th floor; Open everyday 4:00PM – 4:00AM
Expensive drinks and a little cheesy, but 230 Fifth offers the city’s largest rooftop bar and best views of the Empire State Building

Cantor Rooftop Garden at Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 5th Avenue, at 82nd Street; 212-570-3820
This Art filled museum rooftop garden offers amazing views of Central Park and 5th Ave. Currently exhibiting Roxy Paine on the Roof. Past exhibits include amazing balloon sculptures by Jeff Koons.

A60 (Above 60) Rooftop
60 Thompson Street, between Spring and Broome Streets; Open everyday 6:00PM – 12:30AM
Hotel guests and members-only rooftop bar with stunning views of downtown Manhattan. Another Thompson hotel rooftop that is open to the public…
Above Allen Rooftop
190 Allen Street btw Houston and Stanton
This new rooftop has the usual expensive drinks but also has great music, great views of midtown & a popular Wednesday night.

Bohemian Hall Beer Garden
29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria; 718-274-4925
This Astoria Queens Beer Garden is the oldest and biggest for outdoor beer drinking, with $14 pitchers and picnic chairs and weekly Jazz and Comedy.

Plunge
Hotel Gansevoort, 18 Ninth Avenue, at 13th Street; 877-426-7386
Usually horribly crowded and cheesy, but if you are in the Meatpacking District, in need of a rooftop, and can’t get into the members-only SoHo House, this is it.
If this is not your style, you can always try
The Garden of Ono
The hotel’s ground level restaurant has a bamboo-filled outdoor garden and four cabanas. Call ahead for reservations at 212-660-6766.

Rise at the Ritz-Carlton, Battery Park
2 W. Street, 14th fl, 917-790-2626
Located on the 14th floor of the Ritz-Carlton in Battery Park, this award-winning and aptly named bar boasts one of the most dramatic views in the city, perfect for July 4th fireworks!

The Park – Garden & Penthouse
118 Tenth Avenue, between 17th and 18th Street; 212-352-3313
Steps away from the elevated High Line Park, The Park features a lower level garden with Japanese maple trees and atop level Penthouse. This place has something for everyone!

Highbar Rooftop Lounge
251 West 48th Street; 212-229-0010
The breezy sixteen stories Highbar terrace is sprinkled with sprawling day beds, plush love seats as well as a UFO chair. Try the Drunken Watermelon: a scooped out melon rind, filled with the liquor of your choice.

Notable Mentions

B-Bar & Grill – 40 E 4th Street
The Delancey – 168 Delancey Street, at Clinton Street
Local West – 1 Penn Place, Eighth Avenue at 33rd Street
Studio B – 259 Banker Street
AVA Penthouse Garden – 210 W 55th Street
Brass Monkey – 530 W. 27th Street
Empire Hotel Rooftop – 44 West 63rd Street

Pros:

• Location – right next to the East River, overlooking midtown Manhattan skyline. The beach is open 7 days a week (from noon on the weekends) Memorial Day weekend (May) to Columbus Day weekend (October) so there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and catch an amazing sunset over the skyline
• Sand – 400 tons imported from the New Jersey. Not like the fine white sand of the Caribbeans but feels equally amazing on the feet
• Activities – Beach volleyball nets are set up for free play during the day or night
• Atmosphere – very casual, no dress code, bring your own chairs/blankets, boozing outdoors. The atmosphere at Water Taxi Beach feels like a combination of being at the Bohemian Beer Garden (with its many picnic tables) and McCarren Pool Parties (with volleyball and sun-bathing opportunities and music)

Cons:

• Porta Potty – not much they can do here since there is no plumbing on the beach
• Food is somewhat limited to Hot Dogs and Fries. You may also find chef Harry Hawk grilling elk burgers, fish tacos, BBQ chicken or “soy” hot dogs
• Over-priced drinks – what else is new. You could get the $3 beer (PBR)
• Long Island City Location – in the sense that Long Island City is relatively deserted and the Water Taxi Beach will likely be the sole purpose of a visit to the Queens waterfront location. The 7 train (at Vernon Blvd) is the closest subway stations and a short Water Taxi ride from Manhattan drops you right on the beach for $4

What do you think?

• Music – mostly house music with some live percussion, latin and afrobeats. Every Friday night is the “Turntables on the Hudson” party which is very energetic and usually gets everyone up and dancing until late into the night. Other nights could sometimes be a disaster as some DJs are obviously amateurs. What are your personal experiences?

Islandwoo (final word on Water Taxi Beach) and Tips to make your trip a little better: Don’t just go to the Water Taxi Beach for the music. Go with friends for the atmosphere. If the music is great, enjoy it. But there’s plenty of room on the beach away from the music to enjoy the evening of drinks outdoors. Arrive early on the weekend to lay out in the sand or play some volleyball. Definitely stay for the sunset as the transition from daylight to night lights always seem to bring people together! Bring a jacket for the cool windy nights.

For More Information on NYC Water Taxi Beach and Long Island City…

Update: 2009 Summer Events at the Bohemian Beer Garden
Battle of The Bands – Saturday, May 16, 2009 from 2:00 – 9:00 pm
Co-hosted by the Why Leave Astoria Organization.
Featuring Brooklyn vs. Queens bands in the huge outdoor beer garden
Free Admission | More 2009 Events

Astoria is known to many for its many authentic Greek restaurants and the biggest free outdoor public pool. Astoria is also known for the most famous beer garden in the city, the 90 year old Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden on 24th Avenue and 31st Street.

What most people don’t know is that the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden is the last original remaining beer garden in all of New York City where there were once 800 (three in Astoria alone)! Czech and Slavak immigrants living in Astoria from the late 1800′s built Bohemian Hall in 1910 and added the authentic European Beer Garden in 1919.

Today, most people flock to the Beer Garden after work and on the weekends to enjoy pitchers of a variety of beers including Pilsner Urquell, the beer that was born in the town of Plzen in Bohemia – what is now the Czech Republic.

Islandwoo Tips to make your trip to Bohemian Beer Garden in Astoria better: Although the beer garden is open late (until 11PM M,T,W, Su and Midnight Th, F, Sa), go early to grab a bench for you and your friends. The garden fills up quick as the sun sets. Be sure to grab the Kilbasa plate (see picture below) for only $7 and be generous as pitchers are only $14. Enjoy your summer outdoors!

Here’s a list of Events at the Bohemian Beer Garden:

2009 Summer Events

Battle of The Bands – Saturday, May 16, 2009 from 2:00 – 9:00 pm
Co-hosted by the Why Leave Astoria Organization.
Featuring Brooklyn vs. Queens bands in the huge outdoor beer garden
Free Admission

Comedyland Every Tuesday @ 9:00pm downstairs next to the dining room
Comedyland is a weekly stand up comedy showcase hosted by Stacia Jensen and Colin Dempsey featuring some of the best comics from around North America. Past performers include rising comics in the alt. scene as well as comics seen on Comedy Central, David Letterman, and Montreal’s Just For Laughs Festival. The most magical part: it’s FREE. Totally FREE!
Come for the comedy, stay for the kielbasa. And beer. Lots and lots of delicious beer. The Funny is waiting.

Jazz Every Thursday at 6:00pm
Join every Thursday for cool music, great food and fresh beer. No cover. No minimum. Performance is in the garden providing the weather is mild.

Sunday Afternoon Blues in the Beer Garden 4:00-7:00pm

Past 2008 Summer Events

Friday July 4th – 4th of July Festival
1PM-4PM Dixieland Music by the “WILDCAT Group”, Cold Imported Beer on Tap Great Grill Food and Friendly service, $5 admission

Summer Stage Cinema Sunday’s
Summer Stage Cinema hosted in collaboration with Pilnser Urquell and the Czech Center of NY is a series of Czech Films that will be shown in the Beer Garden at dusk. All films will be in Czech with English subtitles. Free Admission to all films.

July 6 – Rebels (Rebelove)
July 13 – Saturnin
July 20 – Lemonade Joe (Limondovy Joe)
July 27 – Capricous Summer (Rozmarne Leto)
August 3 – Short Cut (Postriziny)
August 10 – The Smoke (Kour)
August 17 – Night Over Karlstejn (Noc na Karlstejne)
August 24 – Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians (tajemstvi hradu v Karpatch)
August 31 – Prague 5 (Prazska petka)

Summer Jazz Thursdays
Smoking Jazz Every Thursday 6-9pmn the garden weather permitting ; otherwise in the restaurant Free admission, no cover,no minimum.

June 26 – “Cold Shot” jazz and bluegrass with a little classic rock mixed in
July 3 – “Catgut” jazz and R&B
July 10 – Glauco Sagebin Big Band
July 17 – Lily White Quintet
July 24 – Catgut jazz R&B
July 31 – Danny Munoz Trio

Comedyland Every Tuesday @ 9:00pm

Comedyland is a weekly stand up comedy show hosted by Stacia Jensen and Colin Dempsey featuring some of the best comics in New York. Excited, yet? You should be, because a lot of the comics have been on the TV. And if they haven’t yet, they will be soon. The most magical part: IT’S FREE!! Totally FREE!!
Come for the comedy, stay for the kielbasa. And beer. Lots and lots of delicious beer.
The Funny is waiting.
NOTE: There will be no performance on July 1st.

Friday September 5, 2008 – LUSCINIA Student-Choir at 6:00pm
We welcome the U.S. Concert-tour of the Student-Choir LUSCINIA, from Opava in the Czech Republic. Czech students in traditional folk costumes perform traditional folk songs and dances. Their enthusiasm and talent are a treat not to be missed.
FREE ADMISSION.

New York City artist Jeff Koons is known for his flawless execution, transforming everyday objects and fantasies into high art. He is also known for his public sculptures, such as the monumental floral sculpture Puppy, shown at Rockefeller Center and permanently installed at the Guggenheim Bilbao, and Split-Rocker, exhibited at the Papal Palace in Avignon, France. Most recently, in 2006, Balloon Flower (Red) was unveiled at 7 World Trade Center in New York City.

His current exhibition ‘Jeff Koons on the Roof’ on the Cantor Roof Garden, the rooftop garden at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, NY can be seen until October 26, 2008. Included in the exhibition is his art piece “Sacred Heart,” (and as Danny kindly pointed out) not to be confused with “Hanging Heart” which on November 14, 2007 sold at Sotheby’s auction house for $23.6 million – the most expensive piece by a living artist ever auctioned, at the time. It was bought by the Gagosian Gallery. Below are pictures and a video tour of ‘Jeff Koons on the Roof’ exhibit.

Islandwoo Tips to make your trip to the Cantor Roof Garden better: Open only May through October and closed Mondays. Go on a Friday or Saturday evening (roof garden closes at 8:30pm) and you can enjoy a memorable sunset over-looking central park and the manhattan skyline. Any other night the garden is closed at 4:30pm. Grab a drink or sandwich from ‘the bar’ and soak in the sculptures outdoors!

Jeff Koons’ Balloon Flower (Red) at 7 World Trade Center on Vesey Street in New York City (just north of the World Trade Center)

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Over the course of nine consecutive Sundays from June to August from 2pm- 8pm, music lovers, sun bathers, slip ‘n’ sliders, hula hoopers, dodgeballers, water volleyballers, and more will get to experience the MAGIC for FREE first hand. Summer is in Brooklyn, NY at the McCarren Pool Party!

2009 Update: Great news for New Yorkers this summer! The McCarren Pool Parties will continue at new home on Williamsburg Waterfront!

Update: This is the last year the Pool Party will be hosted at McCarren Pool as the pool is set to open next year…as an actual pool. JellyNYC is urging New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to provide a space at the Proposed Bushwick Inlet Park, just a few blocks from McCarren Park in nearby Williamsburg/Greenpoint. They have created a petition and hopes to gain 10,000 signatures. If you have experienced the Pool Parties at McCarren Park over the past three years and are a fan of free outdoor music and fun, please help keep the party alive. Otherwise, you’ll have to go to the Water Taxi Beach.

Upon arrival, you will find yourself in the midst of a huge emptied pool with the stage in front and water volleyball and slide and slide on the left and dodgeball area on the right. What better way to describe the atmosphere and activities than through photos. Here they are:

Islandwoo Tips to make your trip to your pool party a little better: bring a towel (to sit on and to dry you off), enough cash for beer, bring swim wear (you’ve got to do the slip and slide), enough sunblock (duh, its outdoors and its summer) and go over to the dodgeball area early to grab a seat for the game! For more info goto the pool parties website

(Thanks Holly for sharing this Video!)

Summer 2008 McCarren Pool Party Line-Up / Schedule

Related Post:
Having Fun Under a Huge Flag at McCarren Park, Brooklyn NY