In my early years in New York, summer always started with the seals for me.
John V. Lindsay East River Park on the Lower East Side was for many years home to a series of fountains and sprinklers scattered among a number of bronze seal sculptures. Every year, when the weather hit on T-shirts, I’d walk along the East River and go downtown to make sure the water features were on. When the sprinklers flooded my beloved seals, I decided, summer had arrived.
When much of the park was closed this year for a much-discussed climate resilience project, my pilgrimages came to an end. And in my pursuit of a new nature ritual, I’ve considered turning instead to the real animals that make the city their home.
New York City’s zoos are great attractions to build around for a day. The Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn does not have seals, but sea lions, which can be admired during three daily training sessions. Or grab an early lunch in the Bronx, then head to the zoo to watch the penguins being fed every day at 3:30 PM, then stay in the neighborhood for dinner.
Looking for an option without an entrance fee? The Audubon Society hosts a number of free events throughout the summer to introduce people to the city’s bird community. On Friday evenings, it presents a family-friendly bird walk in Manhattan’s Riverside Park. And on Saturday mornings, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation hosts a hawk watch at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. And the Bronx Zoo offers free limited admission tickets every Wednesday.
If you’re willing to walk a bit from the Broad Channel tube station, the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is home to an abundance of bird and marine life that you may not realize you shared the city with. You can combine the trip with a beach visit to the Rockaways.
You may need the soothing touch of an animal to comfort you amid troubling news, like your newsletter partner’s impending departure for Los Angeles (goodbye julie!† On Sundays, the Green Meadows Farm in Brooklyn has gentle alpacas, llamas, sheep and other animals ready to be petted — as well as barns made for selfies, so get your hashtags ready.
If you’re looking for air conditioning, the New York Aquarium on the boardwalk on Coney Island is the place to be. The aquarium has been rebuilt since it was hit by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and this month it fully reopened for the first time since the storm.
With its reopening, the “Sea Change” exhibit, which offers up-close glimpses of undersea creatures, will be open to the public, allowing visitors to come face-to-face with penguins, otters and — of course — seals.
FOOD
Enjoying animals in person is a fun pastime for most, but for another group of New Yorkers, enjoying the plate is something completely different. Fortunately, vegan food is very much alive in New York City, thanks to a plethora of global cuisine offerings and a shift in dining towards more plant-based fare. We already mentioned it Cadence vegan soul food, but here are some of my other favorites for non-meat lunches and dinners.
If you fancy the Caribbean through an inventive vegan lens, try Aunts and Uncles in the Little Caribbean neighborhood of Brooklyn. Created by husband-and-wife team Nicole and Michael Nicholas, this casual restaurant is perfect for meeting friends and sharing plates of vegan patties and lobster rolls.
Thanks to the explosion of the plant-based meat alternatives market, it is now possible to have fast food without animal products. One of the best places to visit is Jerell’s Btr Brgr† on a busy stretch of 6th Avenue in SoHo. With a respectable vegan burger and waffle fries, Jerell’s is a nice option after a night out – it’s open until 4am on weekends.
Ethiopian cuisine is also a fantastic choice for a vegan meal, and two excellent options are: Abyssinia in Haarlem and Bunna Cafe in Williamsburg. The former isn’t strictly vegetarian, but it does have a great $21-vegetable combo served on springy injera bread.
The refined restaurant Dirty CandyRun by executive chef Amanda Cohen, it has been serving creative vegetarian fare in the Lower East Side since 2008. During that time, it has received awards and recognition not only for its innovative dishes, but also for Cohen’s commitment to fair wages and articulates difficult issues in the hospitality industry. The seasonal menu changes regularly, so it’s the kind of place you’ll want to visit again and again to sample the products and techniques Cohen plays with.
Any list of vegan options in New York wouldn’t be complete without NY Dosai† run by the venerable Thiru Kumar since 2001. From Monday through Saturday, head to Washington Square Park at the corner of West Fourth Street and Sullivan Street to watch him serve dosas of potatoes, herbs and spices with mesmerizing efficiency. making vegetables. The special Pondicherry dosa, with soft potatoes and desiccated coconut, is my favorite. (Kumar’s Instagram account, @NYDosa, is also a delightful follow.)
Other events
Spend Saturday with more than 50 vendors representing the cuisines of 20 countries and dozens of local arts and crafts merchants at the Bronx Night Market, held all summer.
Discover the city’s underworld with Underground NYC’s art and history subway tour every Sunday through July.
Escape the city to the open-air Storm King Art Center, featuring 500 acres of open air and striking sculptures open Wednesday through Monday.
With 28 acres of woodland, gardens and river views, Wave Hill is thriving with activities and exhibits for anyone seeking an oasis in the summer sun.
Patrick Hays contributed reporting.