Takin' It To The Summer Streets-Aug 21

This weekend is the last chance to enjoy Park Avenue without cars.  The annual Summer Streets program, which expanded from 1 to 3 Saturdays this year, wraps up on the 21st with all sorts of events from 72nd Street all the way down to Chatam Square.  The biggest buzzed about addition this year are the three dumpster-diving swimming pools that have been set up near Grand Central Terminal.  If you're interested in taking a dip on Park and 40th, you should get there early as the pools are small and there can be a wait.  
Last Saturday, I hit the Summer Streets and took advantage of the free bike rentals, provided by Bike'n'Roll.  You get use of the bike for an hour which was plenty of time to head from Spring and Lafayette to 72nd Street and back.  Riding below 14th Street was a little crowded but once you get onto Park it was better and above Grand Central it was gorgeous, biking past the Seagrams Building and the Lever House and enjoying the wide roadway and no dangerous taxis.


Even if you don't have a bike, there's tons to do; free yoga and exercise classes from Crunch on 25th Street, an outdoor Whole Foods market on 24th and excerpts from Fringe NYC Shows at a small stage on Spring/Lafayette.  Summer Streets starts early tomorrow at 7am and goes to 1pm when the streets are reopened to traffic.