40 free things to do in New York City

Seeing the bulk of New York City’s biggest attractions can mean spending a hefty chunk of a trip’s budget on tickets. Empire State Building? $23. The Met? $25. The Guggenheim and the Whitney go for $18 and $12, respectively. Even the Frick is $18. But there’s a lifetime of fun to be had without ever handing over a cent, and not just by taking on park trails, bike paths or window browsing. (Plus some ticket-admission spots have free times too – see the end of the post.)

Free New York travelers, get busy!

1. African Burial Ground

One of Lower Manhattan’s most fascinating, and controversial, stories of recent years circulates around the new African Burial Ground National Monument site. It began when a construction project in 1991 uncovered a burial ground of slaves – more than 400 caskets were found – from an age when New York had more slaves than any American city outside Charleston, South Carolina. Outside you can see part of the site now enveloped by buildings, and the compact visitors center does a masterful job at retelling African-American history in the city. See our 76-Second Travel Show episode on the museum’s opening. 290 Broadway between Duane & Elk Sts, Lower Manhattan.

2. Brooklyn Brewery tours

Free tours of Williamsburg’s Brooklyn Brewery run on the hour from 1-5pm Saturday, 1-4pm Sunday. 79 N 11th St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

3. Central Park

It doesn’t take brilliant travel minds to tell you that a park is free to visit – most parks are. But most parks aren’t Central Park, Manhattan’s famed claim to thinking ahead (even if it was designed in the 1860s to boost real-estate value uptown).  It’s filled with free events, statues, people-watching and sites like Strawberry Fields, an ‘Imagine’ mosaic near the Dakota, where John Lennon was killed in 1980. Another site is ‘the Pond,’ at the southeastern corner, where Holden Caulfield kept turning to in ‘The Catcher in the Rye,’ wondering where those ducks go when it’s cold. (For the answer, watch this video.) Uptown.

4. Chelsea galleries

New York’s most concentrated area for a gallery crawl is in Chelsea, mostly in the 20s Streets between 10th and 11th Avenues. Check westchelseaarts.com or Gallery Guide for listings. All are free, no pressure to buy. And try timing for wine-and-cheese openings on Thursday evenings.

5. City Hall

Home to New York City’s government since 1812, City Hall tours take in its cupola-topped marble hall, the governor’s room as well as the spot where Abraham Lincoln’s coffin lay in state briefly in 1865. Tours must be reserved in advance. City Hall Park, facing the Brooklyn Bridge, Lower Manhattan.

6. Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Museum

It’s always Fashion Week in the FIT Museum, which features rotating exhibits by students and a surprisingly interesting and detailed collection of the country’s first gallery of fashion, picked from a collection of 50,000 garments dating from the 18th century to present. Seventh Ave & 27th St, Garment District, Midtown West.

7. Federal Hall

Two presidents were inaugurated in New  York City, beginning with the first ‘Dubya’ – George Washington – who took the oath in Federal Hall in 1789, back when New York was the first capital. (Chester A Arthur was the second.) There’s a nice statue outside, overlooking the New York Stock Exchange across Wall Street, and a small, recently renovated museum on post-colonial New York inside. 26 Wall St, Lower Manhattan.

8. Federal Reserve Bank of New York

Reserve at least a week ahead to visit the Federal Reserve Bank, most rewarding just to ogle the facility’s high-security vault – useful considering more than 10,000 tons of gold reserves reside here, 80ft below ground. There’s also exhibits on counterfeit currency as well as a serious coin collection of the American Numismatic Society. A tour (six daily, Monday-Friday excluding bank holidays) is the only way to get in. 33 Liberty St, Lower Manhattan.

9. Forbes Collection

The lobby galleries of Forbes magazine have some various curios from the late Malcolm Forbes’ collection, most notably early versions of Monopoly boards. (Or watch our tour of Monopoly sites around the properties’ namesakes at Atlantic City, New Jersey.) 62 Fifth Ave at 12th St, Greenwich Village.

10. General Ulysses S Grant National Memorial (aka ‘Grant’s Tomb’)

Also called ‘Grant’s Tomb’, the $600,000 granite structure that holds the remains of the Civil War hero and 18th president (and his wife Julia) is the largest mausoleum in the US, and is patterned after Mausolus’ tomb at Halicarnassus, making it a plagiarized version of one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Riverside Dr at 122nd St, Morningside Heights.

11. Governor’s Island

The ferry to Governor’s Island is free, as is access to the 172-acre island which opened to the public only in 2003. There’s a 2.2-mile bike path, mini golf, a picnic area, plus military sites such as Admiral’s House and a ‘ghost town’ of sorts at Nolan Park. Ferries leave from Battery Maritime Bldg, Slip 7, Lower Manhattan.

12. Grand Central Partnership Walking Tours

Two historians lead free 90-minute walking tours at 12:30pm every Friday, hitting places like Grand Central Terminal’s ‘whispering gallery’ and the Chrysler Building. 120 Park Ave, at 42nd St, Midtown East.

13. Green-Wood Cemetery

Once the nation’s most visited tourist attraction outside Niagara Falls, the gorgeous Green-Wood Cemetery was founded in 1838 and is the eternal home to some 600,000 people (or about 530 miles of bodies, head to toe). It’s leafy and lovely, features Brooklyn’s highest point at Battle Hill, a site from the Revolutionary War, now marked with a seven-foot statue of the Roman goddess of wisdom, Minerva. Watch for the squawking green parakeets at the cemetery’s Gothic entry – these are runaways from a JFK mishap in 1980 and have lived here since. 500 25th St, Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

14. Hamilton Grange

You know you’re important when you get a grange. This one, Hamilton Grange, reopened in 2011 after renovation, is the Federal-style country retreat where Alexander Hamilton spent quieter, pre-death-by-duel New York days. St Nicholas Park at 141st St, Hamilton Heights.

15. High Line

It’s a park, so it should be free, but the expanding High Line project has the impact and feel of a real-live attraction, complete with its own opening hours. Created from an abandoned stretch of elevated railroad track, the native-inspired landscaping of this park 30 feet in the air connects the Meatpacking District with Chelsea’s galleries (another great free institution), and eventually to the Javits Center on the south side of Hell’s Kitchen. There’s wonderful Hudson River views, or of pedestrians on the sidewalks below. Watch for public-art installations and events. Gansevoort Street to 30th St (currently), between 9th & 11th Aves, Chelsea.

16. Hispanic Society of America Museum & Library

The largest collection of Spanish art outside Spain fills the ornate Beaux Arts space of the Hispanic Society of America Museum & Library on the serene Audobon Terrace in far north Manhattan. Broadway & 155th St, Washington Heights.

17. Japan Society

The films and lectures usually involve a ticket, but the gallery exhibits at the Japan Society (focusing on Japanese art) are always free. 333 E 47 St, between First & Second Aves, Midtown East.

18. National Museum of the American Indian

This Smithsonian ex-pat, just off the historic Bowling Green and Battery Park, is neighbors to frenetic commuters and tourists heading to the Statue of Liberty but often gets missed. Situation in the spectacular former US Customs House (1907), the National Museum of the American Indian is one of the country’s finest collections of Native American art. The focus is on culture, not history, and does so with many of its million-plus items. There’s also many programs. 1 Bowling Green, Lower Manhattan.

19. New York Earth Room

Now for something completely different: the Earth Room, Walter De Maria’s 1977 art installation, a single room filled with 280,000 pounds of dirt, combines the framework of an ordinary office with the scent of a wet forest. 141 Wooster St, SoHo

20. New York Public Library

Remember the Dewey Decimal System? The New York Public Library, New York’s most famous library (aka the Stephen A Schwarzman Building), which turned 100 in 2011, is situated in a grand Beaux-Arts icon east of Times Square. It’s fronted by marble lions named ‘Patience’ and ‘Fortitude,’ and is just a jaw-dropper to walk through, particularly the reading room fit for 500 patrons reading with the aid of the library’s original Carre-and-Hastings lamps. There’s exhibits too, including a copy of the original Declaration of Independence, a Gutenburg Bible, plus 431,000 old maps. There are free tours at 11am and 2pm Monday to Saturday, 2pm Sunday (closed Sunday in summer). Fifth Ave at 42nd St, Midtown East.

21. Old Stone House

A Breuckelen legacy from Brooklyn’s Dutch origins, and a survivor from the ill-fated Battle of Brooklyn, this Old Stone House features a small exhibit on the battle. Its upstairs is sometimes rented out for the likes of sample sales. Fifth Ave, btwn 3th & 4th Sts, Park Slope, Brooklyn.

22. Public boathouse kayaking

Kayak for free from public boathouses such as the Downtown Boathouse and Long Island Community Boathouse in Queens.

23. Rockefeller Center Public Art

Built in the 1930s Great Depression, the 22-acre Rockefeller Center is more than the setting for NBC’s Today Shows (lines appear by 6am often) and a giant Christmas tree in December (not to mention to $19 NBC tours or $21 trips to the observatory deck!). But do pop by to see the slew of art commissioned under the theme of ‘Man at the Crossroads Looks Uncertainly But Hopefully at the  Future.’ A bit wordy, but the pieces pack a big punch, such as the statue of Prometheus overlooking the skating rink, or Atlas holding the world at 630 Fifth Ave. Jose Maria Sert’s murals in the (main) GE Building used the likes of Abe Lincoln to replace the original ‘communist imagery’ (eg Vladimir Lenin) by a snubbed, outraged Diego Rivera. Between Fifth & Sixth Aves, around 49th & 50th Sts, Midtown.

24. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

Part of the city’s library system, the country’s largest collection of documents, books, recordings and photographs related to the African-American experience, the Schomburg Center also hosts free exhibits and self-guided tours. Guided tours are also free, but must be booked at least one month in advance. 515 Malcolm X Blvd at 135th St, Harlem.

25. Socrates Sculpture Park

On the East River, overlooking Roosevelt Island and the Upper East Side, the Socrates Sculpture Park, a former dump site, now has interesting art installations, light shows and movies on Wednesdays in summer. Broadway at Vernon Blvd, Astoria, Queens.

26. Staten Island Ferry

Everyone wants to see the Statue of Liberty. Ferry tours there start at $12. But the Staten Island Ferry for commuters, cutting across the New York Harbor, is absolutely free and has long held the distinction as the single greatest free attraction on the Eastern Seaboard. Around since 1905, the ferry carries 19 million across the harbor each year. Technically for transport in between Staten Island and Manhattan, most visitors simply hop back on to get back to New York. It never gets old. East end of Battery Park, Lower Manhattan.

Free attractions at specific times:

27. American Museum of Natural History
Free its last hour (4:45-5:45pm), and admission price is ‘suggested’ at all other times (so free, if you have the chutzpah to suggest $0). Central Park West & 79th St, Upper West Side.

28. Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Free Tuesday, and 10am to noon Saturday. Eastern Parkway at Washington Ave, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

29. Brooklyn Museum
Free first Saturday of the month, when there’s big wine-sipping, DJ parties that draw half the neighborhood. 200 Eastern Parkway, at Washington Ave, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

30. Bronx Zoo
Pay what you wish on Wednesday. 2300 Southern Blvd, The Bronx.

31. El Museo del Barrio
Free the third Saturday of the month. 1230 Fifth Ave between 104th & 105th Sts, Spanish Harlem.

32. Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum
Pay what you wish, first Friday of the month. 9-01 33rd Rd, Astoria, Queens.

33. Museum of Modern Art
Entry is free 4-8pm on Friday. Gets busy. 11 W 53rd St, between Fifth & Sixth Aves, Midtown West.

34. Museum of the Moving Image
Free 4-8pm Friday. 35th Ave, at 36th St, Astoria, Queens.

35. Neue Galerie
Free 6-8pm the first Friday of the month. 1048 Fifth Ave at 86th St, Upper East Side.

36. New York Botanical Garden
Free Wednesday, 10am to noon Saturday. Bronx River Pkwy & Fordham Rd, The Bronx.

37. New York Historical Society
Pay what you wish, 6-8pm Friday. 2 W 77th St at Central Park West, Upper West Side.

38. South Street Seaport Museum
Free the third Friday of every month. 207 Front St, Lower Manhattan.

39. Studio Museum in Harlem
Free on Sunday. 144 W 125th St at Adam Clayton Powell Blvd, Harlem.

40. Wave Hill
Free 9am to noon Tuesday and Saturday. W 249th St at Independence Ave, Riverdale, The Bronx.

NY'rs know how to hustle hard..............new ideas!

Coming Soon......................Represent Your City...Do it with STYLE or Do it with LOVE! (will be customized accordingly)

(Prices TBD by Twine)

Brooklyn's Best out of NYC........Mr. Sean Carter

Sean Corey Carter better known as ...............

"Jay-Z"

Born Shawn Corey Carter on December 4, 1969, Jay-Z grew up in Brooklyn's drug-infested Marcy Projects. He used rap as an escape, and appeared on Yo! MTV Raps in 1989. After selling millions of records with his own Roc-A-Fella label, Jay-Z then created his own clothing line. American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2011. He has sold approximately 50 million albums worldwide, while receiving fourteen Grammy Awards for his musical work, and numerous additional nominations. He is consistently ranked as one of the greatest rappers of all-time. He was ranked #1 by MTV in their list of The Greatest MCs of All-Time in 2006.

..................................................................................................................................................


Early Life

Jay-Z was born Shawn Corey Carter on December 4, 1969, in Brooklyn, New York. "He was the last of my four children," Jay-Z's mother later recalled, "the only one who didn't give me any pain when I gave birth to him, and that's how I knew he was a special child." Jay-Z's father, Adnes Reeves, left the family when Jay-Z was only 11 years old. The young rapper was raised by his mother, Gloria Carter, in Brooklyn's drug-infested Marcy Projects.

During a rough adolescence, detailed in many of his autobiographical songs, Shawn Carter dealt drugs and flirted with gun violence. He attended Eli Whitney High School in Brooklyn, where he was a classmate of the soon-to-be-martyred rap legend Notorious B.I.G. As Jay-Z later remembered his childhood in one of his songs ("December 4th"), "I went to school, got good grades, could behave when I wanted/ But I had demons deep inside that would raise when confronted."

Rise to Hip-Hop Fame

Carter turned to rap at a very young age as an escape from the drugs, violence and poverty that surrounded him in the Marcy Projects. In 1989, he joined the rapper Jaz-O—an older performer who served as a kind of mentor—to record a song called "The Originators," which won the pair an appearance on an episode of Yo! MTV Raps. It was at this point that Shawn Carter embraced the nickname Jay-Z, which was simultaneously an homage to Jaz-O, a play on Carter's childhood nickname of "Jazzy," and a reference to the J/Z subway station near his Brooklyn home. But even though he had a stage name, Jay-Z remained relatively anonymous until he and two friends, Damon Dash and Kareem Burke, founded their own record label, Roc-A-Fella Records, in 1996. In June of that year, Jay-Z released his debut album, Reasonable Doubt. Although the record only reached No. 23 on the Billboard charts, it is now considered a classic hip-hop album, featuring songs such as "Can't Knock the Hustle," featuring Mary J. Blige, and "Brooklyn's Finest," a collaboration with Notorious B.I.G. Reasonable Doubt established Jay-Z as an emerging star in hip-hop.

Two years later, Jay-Z achieved even broader success with the 1998 album Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life. The title track, which famously sampled its chorus from the Broadway musical Annie, became Jay-Z's most popular single to date and won him his first Grammy nomination. "Hard Knock Life" marked the beginning of a fruitful period in which Jay-Z would become the biggest name in hip-hop. Over the span of those years, the rapper released a slew of No. 1 albums and hit singles. His most popular songs from this period include "Can I Get A ...", "Big Pimpin'", "I Just Wanna Love U", "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" and "03 Bonnie & Clyde", a duet with future bride Beyoncé Knowles. Jay-Z's most acclaimed album of this period wasThe Blueprint (2001), which would later land on many music critics' lists of the best albums of the decade.

Expanding Empire In 2003, Jay-Z shocked the hip-hop world by releasing The Black Album and announcing that it would be his last solo record before retirement. Asked to explain his sudden exit from rap, Jay-Z said that he once derived inspiration from trying to outshine other great MCs, but had simply gotten bored due to a 

lack of competition. "The game ain't hot,

During his hiatus from rapping, Jay-Z turned his attention to the business side of music, becoming president of Def Jam Recordings. As president of Def Jam, Jay-Z signed such popular acts as Rihanna, Ne-Yo and Young Jeezy and helped effect Kanye West's transition from producer to bestselling recording artist. But his reign at the venerable hip-hop label wasn't all smooth sailing; Jay-Z resigned as Def Jam's president in 2007, complaining about the company's resistance to change from ineffectual business models. "You have record executives who've been sitting in their office for 20 years because of one act," he lamented." he said. "I love when someone makes a hot album and then you've got to make a hot album. I love that. But it ain't hot."

Jay-Z's other, ongoing business ventures include the popular urban clothing line Rocawear and Roc-A-Fella films. He also owns the 40/40 Club, an upscale sports bar with locations in New York and Atlantic City, and is a part owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball franchise. As Jay-Z once rapped about his business empire, "I'm not a businessman/ I'm a business, man."

Comeback

In 2006, Jay-Z ended his retirement from making music, releasing the new album Kingdom Come. He soon released two more albums:American Gangster in 2007 and Blueprint 3 in 2010. This trio of later albums marked a significant departure from Jay-Z's earlier sound, incorporating stronger rock and soul influences in their production and offering lyrics tackling such mature subjects as the response to Hurricane Katrina; Barack Obama's 2008 election; and the perils of fame and fortune. Jay-Z says he's trying to adapt his music to befit his own middle age. "There's not a lot of people who have come of age in rap because it's only 30 years old," he says. "As more people come of age, hopefully the topics get broader and then the audience will stay around longer."

In 2008, Jay-Z signed a $150 million contract with the concert promotion company Live Nation. This super deal created a joint venture called Roc Nation, an entertainment company that handles nearly all aspects of its artists' careers. In addition to Jay-Z himself, Roc Nation manages Willow Smith and J. Cole among others.

More recently, Jay-Z proved that he had both commercial and critical staying power. He teamed up with another famous member of rap royalty, Kanye West, for 2011's Watch the Throne. The album proved to be a triple hit, topping the rap, R&B and pop charts that August. The song "Otis," which samples the late R&B singer Otis Redding, snagged several Grammy Award nominations and the recording was also nominated for Best Rap Album.

Personal Life

Very protective of his private life, Jay-Z did not publicly discuss his relationship with longtime girlfriend, the popular singer Beyoncé Knowles, for years. The couple even managed to keep the press away from their small wedding on April 4, 2008, in New York City. Only about 40 people attended the celebration at Jay-Z's penthouse apartment, including actress Gwyneth Paltrow and former Destiny's Child members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.

Since tying the knot, Jay-Z and Beyoncé became the subject of countless pregnancy rumors. They welcomed their first child, a daughter named Blue Ivy Carter, on January 7, 2012. Concerned about their privacy and safety, Jay-Z and Beyoncé rented part of New York's Lenox Hill Hospital and hired extra guards.

 

Shortly after the birth of his daughter, Jay-Z released a song in her honor on his website. On "Glory," he expressed his joy of becoming a father and revealed that Beyoncé had previously suffered a miscarriage. Jay-Z and Beyoncé also posted a message along with the song, saying "we are in heaven" and Blue's birth "was the best experience of both of our lives."

Can we say Part owner?.......................

When the Brooklyn Nets unveiled in April their black-and-white logo, which was approved by part owner Jay-Z, it drew a wide range of reactions. Particularly, from New York Post sports columnist Phil Mushnick who felt Jay was “urbanizing” the basketball team.

The logo with its royal crest is simplistic by design, according to Hov. “I wanted to make it really classic and strong; a throwback to Brooklyn and what we’re about,” Jay-Z tells MTV News about the image. “It’s real gritty and we’re not about flash — well, sometimes. Just the roots of Brooklyn as this very bold, strong, simple logo.”

On a more Personal note..........

Politics

Jay-Z got actively involved in politics during the 2008 presidential campaign, where he supported increased voter participation and helped send voters to polling stations. He was an early supporter for the candidacy of Illinois senator and subsequent U.S. president Barack Obama, performing for free in voter-drive concerts financed by the Democrats' campaign.He also became acquainted with Obama himself, who stated "Every time I talk to Jay-Z, who is a brilliant talent and a good guy, I enjoy how he thinks. That's somebody who is going to start branching out and can help shape attitudes in a real positive way." During the 2010 mid-term elections' campaign, Jay-Z appeared, along with other artists, in an ad prepared by the HeadCount organization, urging voters, and especially younger ones, to register and vote. In May 2012, Jay-Z announced his endorsement of President Obama's support of same-sex marriage for gay couples.

Harry Belafonte has been openly critical of Jay-Z and Beyoncé's relatively safe political stances, saying that they "have turned their back on social responsibility" in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter. During Obama's re-election campaign, Jay-Z altered the lyrics of 99 Problems with the line "I've got 99 problems but Mitt ain't one."



Beyonce and Jay-Z chat the night away with their guest of honor President Barack Obama at a fundraiser held at 40/40 club on Tuesday night (September 18) in New York City.
The couple reportedly helped raise $4 million for the President’s campaign, charging $40,000 per ticket.

“Jay-Z now knows what my life is like. We both have daughters and our wives are more popular than we are. So we’ve got a little bond there. It’s hard, but it’s ok.”

“Beyonce could not be a better role model for my girls.”
- Barack Obama

..................................................................................................................................................

Oprah comes to Brooklyn

August 10 2009--There was a lot of money in Bed-Stuy over the weekend, and the streets were watching. Jay-Z brought Oprah Winfrey to his old neighborhood on Sunday as they filmed a segment for an upcoming show.
The Queen of Daytime TV and the King of Brooklyn chilled on the stoop in front of Hova's grandmother's house on Lexington Avenue and Lewis Avenue, then later swung by the famous Marcy projects.

FEMA.....................Disaster recovery assistance

Assisting survivors through our Disaster Recovery Centers & Community Relations Specialists

Since Hurricane Sandy made landfall, FEMA has been working hard to make sure disaster survivors receive the information and help they need to apply for disaster assistance with us and our partners, as well as other organizations that provide assistance.

One of the ways we’re reaching out to survivors is through our Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs). At these centers, disaster survivors can meet one-on-one with officials from voluntary and non-profit agencies, local communities, and state and federal agencies such as FEMA and the Small Business Administration. Personnel staffing the DRCs are there to answer questions from survivors about the types of assistance available, how to apply for assistance and details about how exactly the recovery process works. It is important to note that survivors do not need to visit DRCs to apply for assistance. The centers are simply another resource that FEMA is using to get everyone the help they need.

As of today, 30 Disaster Recovery Centers are open in New York, 23 in New Jersey and seven in Connecticut and more continue to open. FEMA is working closely with state and local officials in the hardest hit areas to identify future DRC sites that are accessible to those who need help and are large enough to handle the full suite of services.

In addition to our Recovery Centers, we are also out in the communities working to assist survivors through our Community Relations (CR) specialists who are going door-to-door in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to help explain the types of assistance that are available through the federal government and to help residents register. Having these teams on the ground allow us to reach survivors in their homes and communities as quickly and effectively as possible. The Community Relations teams also help to dispel rumors in the community, identify if survivors need translated information, and coordinate and assist those with functional or access needs.

As many people across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic continue to recover from Hurricane Sandy, members of the entire emergency management team, including the federal, state, tribal, and local governments, the faith based and non-profit communities, and the public, are working together to support those across the impacted area. If you need help applying for assistance, please visit a DRC or speak to a Community Relations specialist.

There are four ways you can find a disaster recovery center location,

Search on your computer
Search on your mobile phone at m.fema.gov
Text DRC and your Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA) For example, if you lived in Atlantic City, NJ you would text: DRC 08401 (standard data rates apply)
Use the FEMA smartphone app and locate one on the map

Recovering from "Sandy"........Disaster hotline will now be open 24/7

New York - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the Department of Financial Services disaster hotline will now be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help New Yorkers recovering from Hurricane Sandy. The hotline, at 800-339-1759, can answer insurance related storm questions and help consumers file complaints. Previously, the hotline was operating from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends since immediately after Hurricane Sandy.

“It is crucial for New Yorkers to receive their insurance assistance as quickly as possible to help them recover from the storm,” Governor Cuomo said. “This hotline will make it possible for them to reach out for help at any time day or night with any storm related insurance issues.”

Benjamin M. Lawsky, Superintendent of Financial Services, said, “People pay for insurance so it will protect them from disasters such as Storm Sandy. The Department of Financial Services is monitoring the insurers’ response and will step in whenever necessary to aid homeowners.”

DFS is also sending its mobile command center to hard hit areas to help consumers with insurance questions and problems and is helping to staff disaster assistance centers in many areas hit by the storm. Callers to the hotline can also be directed to the closest disaster assistance center so they can seek in person assistance. Homeowners unable to resolve disputes with insurers can also file complaints at http://www.dfs.ny.gov/consumer/fileacomplaint.htm

Remembering 9/11 (then and now)

I Love New York!

.........................................................................

This segment is dedicated to remembering "9/11".  What it was, what happened and the progress to becoming what its gonna be.

..................................................................................................................................................What it is today..................

WORLD TRADE CENTER MEMORIAL SITE

..................................................................................................................................................

NEW WORLD TRADE CENTER (not yet complete, night view)

NEW WORLD TRADE CENTER (day view)

World Trade Center, left, the National September 11 Memorial, bottom left, and 4 World Trade Center, right, are bathed in light on the eleventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. (Sept. 11, 2012)

.................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

What it was...............

(9/11/2001 attack on our city, NYC and its people)

..................................................................................................................................................

(Before 911 attack)