tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89027148767940057652024-03-13T22:12:02.908-04:00New York City Ice Rink ReviewsAn informal survey of New York City ice rinks by a casual skater.A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15830142772015803695noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8902714876794005765.post-66515102188933113192014-11-02T12:00:00.000-05:002014-11-02T15:55:36.752-05:00New York City Ice Rink Opening Dates: 2014-2015 SeasonMany New York City outdoor rinks are now open!<br />
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OPEN: <a href="http://www.patinagroup.com/restaurants/74/menus/Ice-Rink-Pre-Holiday-schedule.pdf" target="_blank">The Rink at Rockefeller Center</a>: Opened <b>October 13, 2014</b><br />
<b><br /></b>OPEN: <a href="http://wintervillage.org/rink/overview" target="_blank">The Rink at Winter Village in Bryant Park</a>: Opened<b> Tuesday, October 21, 2014</b><br />
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OPEN: <a href="http://www.wollmanskatingrink.com/" target="_blank">Wollman (Trump) Rink in Central Park</a>: Opened <b>Friday, October 24, 2014</b><br />
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OPEN: <a href="http://lakesidebrooklyn.com/activities/winter-activities/ice-skating/" target="_blank">LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park</a>: Opened <b>Saturday, October 25, 2014</b><br />
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OPEN: <a href="http://www.laskerrink.com/" target="_blank">Lasker Rink in Central Park</a>: Opened <b>Monday, October 27, 2014</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.southstreetseaport.com/ice-rink/" target="_blank">South Street Seaport Rink</a>: Opening <b>Saturday, November 15, 2014</b></div>
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<a href="http://nysparks.com/parks/93/details.aspx" target="_blank">Riverbank State Park Ice Skating Rink</a>: Opening <b>November, 2014</b></div>
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Ice Skating Rink at <a href="http://www.therinkatbrookfieldplace.com/" target="_blank">Brookfield Place at World Financial Center</a> (site says Coming Soon)<br />
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Standard Hotel (will it return?)<br />
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A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15830142772015803695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8902714876794005765.post-52992821973446836612014-10-21T16:25:00.001-04:002014-10-21T18:12:13.331-04:00Bryant Park's Ice Rink is OpenThere was a dearth of tweets or any sort of confirmation that the Bank of America Winter Village ice rink in Bryant Park was open. I just stopped by and indeed it's open.<br />
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There are some wet patches but otherwise the surface looks good and there are very few people there. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bryant Park ice rink Oct. 21, 2014</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bryant Park ice rink Oct. 21, 2014</td></tr>
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A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15830142772015803695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8902714876794005765.post-2063398974607939582014-10-13T02:19:00.000-04:002014-10-13T13:25:23.408-04:00Photos of Bryant Park Ice Rink Under ConstructionHere are some photos of Bank of America's Winter Village under construction at Bryant Park. The ice rink opens Oct. 21, 2014.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign outside Bryant Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bryant Park ice rink under construction Oct. 11, 2014</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bryant Park ice rink to open in 8 days!</td></tr>
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<br />A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15830142772015803695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8902714876794005765.post-65697993068703832572014-03-23T11:00:00.000-04:002014-10-10T16:24:09.501-04:00UPDATED: New York City Ice Rink Closing Dates 2013-2014 SeasonI've updated this list to reflect the announced closing date of Riverbank State Park Ice Rink.<br />
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Since some of the rink websites don't list their closing dates, I've contacted them and compiled them here. Dates are subject to change.</div>
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CLOSED - South Street Seaport Rink: Closing <b>March 2, 2014</b></div>
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CLOSED - The Rink at Winter Village in Bryant Park: Closing <b>March 2, 2014</b></div>
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CLOSED - Riverbank State Park Ice Skating Rink: <b>March 16, 2014</b></div>
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CLOSED - Ice Skating Rink at Brookfield Place (World Financial Center): <b>March 16, 2014</b></div>
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CLOSED - Lasker Rink in Central Park: Closing <b>March 23, 2014</b></div>
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CLOSED - LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park: Closing <b>March 23, 2014</b></div>
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CLOSED - Wollman Rink in Central Park: Closing <b>April 6, 2014</b></div>
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CLOSED - The Rink at Rockefeller Center: Closing <b>April 20, 2014</b></div>
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A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15830142772015803695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8902714876794005765.post-31713314224261795332014-03-03T12:26:00.003-05:002014-03-03T12:26:50.669-05:00Revised hours for The Rink at Brookfield Place (World Financial Center)The Rink at Brookfield Place has announced it will close March 16. For its final two weeks of operation, it will have shorter hours:<br />
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Monday-Friday: 2 - 8PM, weather permitting<br />
Saturday: 10AM - 9:30PM<br />
Sunday: 10AM - 7:30PMA.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15830142772015803695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8902714876794005765.post-89955987682198980532014-03-02T12:52:00.000-05:002014-03-03T11:42:49.271-05:00The Rink at Winter Village in Bryant Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h9KBFJJSAqE/UxLrbPDkNhI/AAAAAAAAAMs/WFyhmUoUDws/s1600/photo-37.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" wrc_done="true"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h9KBFJJSAqE/UxLrbPDkNhI/AAAAAAAAAMs/WFyhmUoUDws/s1600/photo-37.JPG" height="152" width="400" /></a><span class="wrc_icon wrc13" rating="{"icon":"green3-16.png","rating":1,"weight":3,"flags":{"shopping":null,"social":null,"news":null,"it":null,"corporate":null,"pornography":null,"violence":null,"gambling":null,"drugs":null,"illegal":null}}"></span></div>
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<i>On the occasion of today's rink closing, here is my review.</i><br />
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<b>Rink</b>: The Rink at Winter Village in Bryant Park</div>
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<b>Location</b>: <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Bryant+Park,+West+40th+Street,+New+York,+NY&hl=en&sll=40.697488,-73.979681&sspn=0.842307,1.060181&oq=bryant+park&t=m&z=17&iwloc=A" target="_blank" wrc_done="true">Bryant Park</a><span class="wrc_icon wrc13" rating="{"icon":"green3-16.png","rating":1,"weight":3,"flags":{"shopping":null,"social":null,"news":null,"it":null,"corporate":null,"pornography":null,"violence":null,"gambling":null,"drugs":null,"illegal":null}}"></span>. Entrance at the south end of the park (40th St.) near Sixth Ave.</div>
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<b>When Visited</b>: Many times this past winter. This has been my go-to place given the price and proximity to my office and home. <br />
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<b>When to Go</b>: Weekday mornings are the best time to visit, when the rink is practically empty. Another great time to go: whenever the mercury falls (ie. during the Polar Vortex), keeping the tourists and novice skaters away. What they don't know is that once you get on the ice and start moving around, it doesn't feel that cold at all, except on your head (so wear a cap or hood). Busy times are during the holiday season (Thanksgiving-New Years), and on weekends and Valentine's Day (the worst), where there can be a 15+ min wait to get in and ice is gridlocked.</div>
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<b>Price</b>: Free admission (yay!). Skate rentals: $15-19.</div>
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<b>Locker Room</b>: Free lockers (bring a lock or buy one for $9). The lockers are small - about 12" cube - so if you don't want to spend money to store your stuff, don't bring bulky items with you. There is a bag check for $8-10.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The locker room</td></tr>
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<b>Size of Rink</b>: 17,000 sq ft. (about the same size as Wollman Rink).</div>
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<b>Crowd</b>: A lot of tourists and first time skaters - at busy times, the entire rink is lined by novices hugging the walls. There are many families with kids, contributing to a cheery, upbeat vibe. Unfortunately, there are usually some regulars - skilled, teen-aged skaters who congregate in small groups - who make it rough on everyone else by skating aggressively around others to show off to their friends. </div>
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<b>Staff</b>: Overall, the skate guards do a good job at patrolling the rink, and are fast to dash over to anyone who's fallen. Beyond being rigorous about no cell phones on the ice, what rules get enforced varies wildly from guard to guard, with some forbidding backward skating or aggressive skating while others devoting most of their time talking to other guards, policemen or maintenance workers.</div>
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<b>Music</b>: Glorious standards and classics from the Great American Songbook (Gershwin, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart) which impart a vintage, old time-y ambience. I feel like I've heard about half the score of Anything Goes over the past few months. Nothing written after the 50's.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ice after an hour</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rink after resurfacing</td></tr>
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<b>Overall Impressions</b>: This oasis in the center of Manhattan is my favorite thing about winter in New York. And for it to be free (for those who have their own skates) is all the more remarkable. Thanks to Citibank for sponsoring the rink for 7 years and Bank of America for sponsoring it this season (and hopefully many seasons to come). But given that it's free, you will have to contend with the crowds, which during busy times means gridlock on the ice and avoiding beginners and children darting around. The heavy usage takes a tool on the ice and at busy times, the surface is pretty cut up after 30 minutes. But if you can avoid the crowds, and you have your own skates, this rink is hard to beat.<br />
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<b>More Facts</b>:</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: BentonSans-Bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Closing: March 2, 2014</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: BentonSans-Bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Website: <a href="http://wintervillage.org/rink/overview" wrc_done="true">http://wintervillage.org/rink/overview</a><span class="wrc_icon wrc0" rating="{"icon":"grey0-16.png","rating":0,"weight":0,"flags":{"shopping":null,"social":null,"news":null,"it":null,"corporate":null,"pornography":null,"violence":null,"gambling":null,"drugs":null,"illegal":null}}"></span></span></span></div>
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A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15830142772015803695noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8902714876794005765.post-30623961494585244802014-02-24T11:00:00.002-05:002014-02-24T11:08:36.153-05:00South Street Seaport's See/Change Ice Rink<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jdHLGQ0g5iU/UwhDjkMKDLI/AAAAAAAAALY/T-zfdLcYpJY/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jdHLGQ0g5iU/UwhDjkMKDLI/AAAAAAAAALY/T-zfdLcYpJY/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rink after resurfacing</td></tr>
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<b>Rink</b>: South Street Seaport See/Change Ice Rink<br />
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<b>Location</b>: <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=fulton+and+front+street+new+york&hl=en&sll=40.697488,-73.979681&sspn=0.851684,1.051941&hnear=Fulton+St+%26+Front+St,+New+York,+10038&t=m&z=19&iwloc=A" target="_blank">Fulton Street at Front St.</a> The rink has been installed on top of Fulton Street's cobblestones. Rubber mats have been placed around the rink so you can walk from the locker room and to the rink. There are also a small bank of bleachers for spectators.<br />
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<b>When Visited</b>: Feb. 21 at 7:30pm<br />
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<b>Price</b>: $10 admission (but there was a 1/2 price promotion so I paid $5) / $6 skate rental ($3 during promotion). Half price for locals.<br />
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<b>Locker Room</b>: You pay and put on skates in the storefront at the southwest corner of Fulton and Front St. Some people leave their shoes under the benches but there is also a bag check available for $8 ($4 during the 1/2 price promotion).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d5_IFnU0oHs/UwhDlaqO_dI/AAAAAAAAALo/-RAtPjVLT2c/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d5_IFnU0oHs/UwhDlaqO_dI/AAAAAAAAALo/-RAtPjVLT2c/s1600/photo+3.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The locker room</td></tr>
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<b>Size of Rink</b>: 4950 square feet (according to nymag.com) though it seems comparable in size to Brookfield Place's. The rink is fairly narrow so when it's busy and skaters are hugging the walls, I can imagine you need to make pretty sharp turns at either end.<br />
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<b>Crowd</b>: Perhaps because of the newness of the rink and lack of tourist traffic Friday night, the rink was gloriously empty - there was never more than a dozen skaters at a given time - mostly families and couples; no tourists.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nw6W2Z5Q650/UwhDjiuFB9I/AAAAAAAAALc/cB4Jg18ElVg/s1600/photo+13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nw6W2Z5Q650/UwhDjiuFB9I/AAAAAAAAALc/cB4Jg18ElVg/s1600/photo+13.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Staff</b>: One guy stood outside the rink keeping an eye on things. Phones weren't forbidden and everyone was taking pictures. One girl was skating and texting for a little while.</div>
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<b>Music</b>: None. As part of the Seaport's See/Change initiative, there is a pop-up music venue called Front/Row adjacent to the rink. The band was playing covers of 90's rock.<br />
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<b>Overall Impressions</b>: A beautiful setting, with the white and pink spotlights on the ice and the light globes around the rink. The dearth of skaters was a wonderful respite from the gridlock of Bryant Park so I was able to work on some moves I wouldn't have been able to at a busier rink. It's open for just one more week and I plan to go back at least once before then. I hope the rink comes back next year.<br />
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<b></b><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kupCiwZqTJc/UwhDoTZoypI/AAAAAAAAAL0/DgWGykiqKEs/s1600/photo-36.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kupCiwZqTJc/UwhDoTZoypI/AAAAAAAAAL0/DgWGykiqKEs/s1600/photo-36.JPG" height="203" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>More Facts</b>:<br />
Phone: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: BentonSans-Book; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><strong style="font-family: BentonSans-Bold; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">212-742-2241</strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: BentonSans-Bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Closing: March 2, 2014</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: BentonSans-Bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Website: <a href="http://www.southstreetseaport.com/ice-rink/">http://www.southstreetseaport.com/ice-rink/</a></span></span><br />
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<br />A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15830142772015803695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8902714876794005765.post-18652820464000689012014-02-20T01:28:00.005-05:002014-02-24T11:08:55.487-05:00The Rink at Brookfield Place (World Financial Center)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qZKr3Ny70JQ/UwWfFTwQn4I/AAAAAAAAAKk/sWJQxA3mgt4/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qZKr3Ny70JQ/UwWfFTwQn4I/AAAAAAAAAKk/sWJQxA3mgt4/s1600/photo+4.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Rink</b>: <a href="http://www.therinkatbrookfieldplacenyc.com/" target="_blank">Brookfield Place (at the World Financial Center)</a><br />
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<b>Location</b>: 250 Vesey Place, New York, NY 10017 / <a href="https://plus.google.com/102517278412635022643/about" target="_blank" wrc_done="true">200 Vesey St.</a><br />
I am rarely in this area so the rink was a little hard to find, as part of Vesey street is closed to construction. Walk west along Vesey, then turn left and walk south along North End Ave. (Walking time from the World Trade Center subway station E line: 10 minutes.) The entrance to the rink is an unmarked tent.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qF4-hRZ1UvQ/UwWfMLsgxOI/AAAAAAAAALA/I38AiMDWfxw/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qF4-hRZ1UvQ/UwWfMLsgxOI/AAAAAAAAALA/I38AiMDWfxw/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unmarked entrance to rink</td></tr>
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<b>When Visited</b>: Feb. 17 (President's Day) at 1pm<br />
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<b>Price</b>: $15 admission / $5 skate rental (I brought my own skates). Supposedly you can buy a season pass for about $200.<br />
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Having skated at half a dozen different rinks in NYC, this is the first one I've been to with such an abbreviated skating period - I was told officially that the $15 admission was good for only a single session, with sessions being 10-11:30am, 12-1:30pm, 2-3:30pm, 4-5:30pm, 6-7:30pm, 8-9:30pm. The guy at the counter said that since I arrived near the end of one session, I could stick around for the next one. So beware!<br />
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<b>Locker Room and Locker</b>: The locker room is tiny, basically a small tented area. There are no lockers; you just leave your shoes and packages under the benches, so don't bring any valuables. At least you don't have to pay for a lock or using a locker.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DQNtSGF6jl4/UwWbBQ06LjI/AAAAAAAAAKY/3E99X8x12s8/s1600/photo-35.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DQNtSGF6jl4/UwWbBQ06LjI/AAAAAAAAAKY/3E99X8x12s8/s1600/photo-35.JPG" height="169" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the tent/"locker room" - there are no lockers.</td></tr>
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<b>Size of Rink</b>: 7350 square feet (according to nymag.com). It's fairly small, about 1/2 the size of the Bryant Park rink - almost square in shape. When skating, you are almost always turning.<br />
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<b>Crowd:</b> There were only about 1-2 dozen people skating, which was wonderful; at certain times, there were less than a handful - primarily parents and kids. Pylons were available for kids learning to skate.<br />
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<b>Skate Guards:</b> Perhaps because there were so few skaters, there usually wasn't anyone on duty on the ice. People had their phones out and were taking pictures.<br />
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<b>Music</b>: Top 40 (Miley, Rihanna, etc.)<br />
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<b>Overall Impressions</b>: I loved how unpopulated the ice was so I could gain a little speed instead of spending all my time avoiding novice skaters with their flailing arms and legs. The view of the Hudson was spectacular. But the steep admission price, 90 minute limit, lack of concessions, and remote location were a turnoff. I don't think I'll be back unless friends want to try out this place.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rkOpKGqIIJk/UwWfKmPZAUI/AAAAAAAAAKw/PSLNkVGtYgs/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rkOpKGqIIJk/UwWfKmPZAUI/AAAAAAAAAKw/PSLNkVGtYgs/s1600/photo+3.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Hudson River</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5C_lMvhyY3A/UwWfLZ8X62I/AAAAAAAAAK4/HavI0V82wyw/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5C_lMvhyY3A/UwWfLZ8X62I/AAAAAAAAAK4/HavI0V82wyw/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice after resurfacing</td></tr>
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A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15830142772015803695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8902714876794005765.post-64925852478411857112014-02-19T23:18:00.003-05:002014-02-19T23:18:35.681-05:00About This BlogI grew up taking skating lessons but then didn't skate for over 20 years. Last winter, I rediscovered the fun of skating and after buying a pair of used stakes off eBay, have been going once or twice a week to Bryant Park (thank you, Citibank and Bank of America). <br />
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<a href="http://nymag.com/guides/everything/ice-skating-2014-1/" target="_blank">New York Magazine's recent survey of new ice rinks</a> has inspired me to try some of the new spots and it occurred to me that I could share my experiences on a blog.<br />
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Sorry for getting this blog going so late in the season. I may not get a chance to visit all the rinks before March, when most of the rinks will close down. I'm not a skating expert by any means so if I use an incorrect term, please let me know. All comments and suggestions welcomed. <br />
<br />A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15830142772015803695noreply@blogger.com0