deVivre Concierge Calendar: July
At deVivre, our ultimate goal is to help you optimize your schedule so that you can be living your best life at all times. Less time executing and more time L-I-V-I-N. Sometimes that means we concierge your to-do list, sometimes that means we concierge your travel plans, and sometimes that just means we literally concierge your calendar. After all, once we wrangle that dry cleaning/grocery shopping/apartment move for ya, you're gonna have a lot of free time on your hands. We want to be sure you make the most of it.
Summer is absolutely in full swing, pickling cukes at the farmers market, spritzers at the watering holes, sandy feet on the subway, and you... right in the thick of it all. This is our favorite season, the long days turning into sultry nights, and coming with them, an incredible only-in-NYC bevy of festivals, street fairs, and open-air culture to absorb alongside your ritual Mr. Softie. Get out there and dive in! Here's your deVivre Concierge Calendar for July 2018:
July 4th - Sure, the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest and the Macy's Independence Day fireworks are pretty much sure 4th of July bets. But if you're looking for a more authentic experience, head to Prospect Park for a family day of fun at the Audubon Center and Lefferts House. The original 18th century farmhouse (ca. 1776 or thereabouts ;) was physically transported into the park from its original location six blocks away in 1918 and now operates as living museum focused on life in the 1820s. The Independence Day celebrations there commemorate both the signing of the declaration AND the emancipation of African-Americans in NYC on that date in 1827. Plus, you can make your own plumed hat.
The rich diversity that makes NYC (and America in general) so very special is in full regalia this month, with multiple amazing festivals and events showcasing and celebrating different cultures. Get out to a few and see what’s cooking, playing, and shaking in some of the most marvelous communities around (it's also a great opportunity to explore and experience some neighborhoods you might not get to so often). July 1-4 the 47th annual International African Arts Festival kicks off in Bed-Stuy. July 7th marks the 16th annual Arab-American Street Fair. The Afro-Latino Festival (boasting some killer lectures on social justice and, you know, wine) runs from July 13-15. July 15 is the official day to break out your baguettes and celebrate the le quatorze juillet for the French Institute Alliance Française's annual Bastille Day throwdown. The Japanese Film Festival is going way beyond Kurosawa from July 19-29. The Jamaican Jerk Festival will make you thirsty and then make you dance on July 22. The 40th Annual Thunderbird Grand Mid-Summer Pow Wow at Queens County Farm Museum on July 27-29 features a not-to-be-missed inter-tribal Native American dance competition (!). And finally, the Guelaguetza Festival on July 29th is a celebration of Mexican culture, through music, dance, and crafts from the eight regions of the state of Oaxaca.
A big fave with the deVivre crew is the July 14th City of Water Day which every year offers a myriad of opportunities to get active and, um, immersed in the city’s many waterways. Sign up for a free kayaking tour of the East River, get up close and personal with the Statue of Liberty, or go watch some other folks get wet'n'wild in the ever-popular cardboard kayak race.
One of the most fun things about wandering around NYC is stumbling upon something you didn’t even know existed. This happened this week in Central Park when we followed the sounds of strings to a Naumberg Orchestral Concert right next to Summer Stage. Performing in the iconic Naumburg Bandshell (previously only home to Tic and Tac as far as we were concerned), the orchestra is the "oldest continual free outdoor western classical music concert series in the world". Consider our minds blown. They have several upcoming performances but we'll be at the “Orchestra of St Luke’s” on July 31 where they will be playing selected works by Vivaldi (including the fabulous and great piece of gateway classical music “Four Seasons”).
And lastly, starting July 14th and running through August, hop aboard the John J. Harvey fireboat for a free short cruise around New York Harbor. Wind in your hair and information (about how the NYFD's first internal combustion engine pump boat used water taken from the rivers to put out frequent fires in the early 20th century) in your ears.
SO MUCH TO DO, GET OUT THERE!