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Brigid Bergin: It's the Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC. I'm Brigid Bergin from the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom, filling in for Brian. Now, a call-in on your summer activity bucket list. Labor Day is right around the corner, which means summer is coming to a close, I'm sorry, I'm not trying to rush this, but what haven't you done this summer that you're going to try to get done this weekend or next weekend? Call us up at 646-435-7280, that's 646-435-7280. Maybe the Delta variant has put a dent in your plans for shot girl summer, but there's still plenty to do, particularly outdoors.

A Ferris wheel in Times Square, for example, because that's what Times Square needed, or maybe you want to return to some of the things you couldn't do last summer because of COVID, like Shakespeare in the Park. Did you know Shakespeare in the Park was back this summer with a new adaptation of the Merry Wives of Windsor? Tell us what you like to cross off your list in the last couple of weeks of summer. 646-435-7280 or tweet at @BrianLehrer.

We've had some problems in phone box today, so definitely tweet us. You can also tell us some of the fun stuff you've done this summer that you want to recommend to other listeners, even if they can do it after Labor Day. Here to share some inspiration with us is Ben Yakas, my colleague, arts and culture editor at Gothamist. Hey Ben, it's great to have you with us this morning.

Ben Yakas: Hey, thanks for having me.

Brigid Bergin: Okay. Let's start with that Times Square Ferris wheel, where you can get views of Times Square. It opened yesterday after the debut was pushed back a day. Is it all that it's cracked up to be and what exactly is it cracked up to be?

Ben Yakas: Yes, nothing screams New York City is back like when a new overpriced attraction lands in Times Square. This is a 110-foot Ferris wheel. It's the first Ferris wheel in Times Square since the one inside the Toys "R" Us closed, but that one was indoors, and this one is outside, so obviously it's a very different experience. It's only open until September 12th, and organizers have already declared that it is destined to be the world's number one attraction for selfies.

Brigid Bergin: Wow. That is setting the bar really high. I remember a lot of selfies coming from the Wonder Wheel. I don't know if they're keeping track between those two Ferris wheels.

Ben Yakas: Well, you've got to keep in mind also the overpriced part is not a joke because the Wonder Wheel, which we've all gone and loved, I crunch the numbers, and it's about $8 a ride. For this one, this 12-minute ride in Times Square, it's $20 for everybody, $15 kids and then $40 if you decide to skip the line.

Brigid Bergin: Oh my gosh and you're nowhere near the ocean, and I bet there's no Nathan's in Times Square that I can remember.

Ben Yakas: 110 feet sounds like a lot, but you're not actually going to get above most of the buildings there, so you can't see the river. It's not like you're getting an overview of all of Manhattan, but what you do see is you can see Times Square itself, and it really hammers home how empty it still is seeing it from up above. It's an interesting thing. It's an interesting moment in time to be able to experience Times Square.

Brigid Bergin: We've got the Ferris wheel in Times Square. Anything else in Midtown? I think those Movie Nights in Bryant Park are back, do we know what they've shown so far?

Ben Yakas: Yes. There are a bunch of Movie Nights in Bryant Park that are happening and are still happening through the rest of this month and into September. I know that because I'm planning on going, if I can, if I have time, to see Uncut Gems to coincide with the High Holy Days, which feels right to me, it feels right. Next week, you have The Muppets Take Manhattan, which is like one of the greatest Manhattan movies you could possibly see.

Brigid Bergin: We have a call from Richard in the East Village. I think he has been out there doing a little bit of summer stuff. Richard, what have you done this summer?

Richard: Oh, yes. Thanks. Great to talk to you. I've done actually a lot of dance. I did the River To River Downtown dance. I got into the Restore Stages in Lincoln Center, dance was amazing. Then the Bryant Park has a wonderful dancing picnic. I'm going to go to the Ballet Hispánico tomorrow. What I would really like is to see the dance of the Limón, but it seems to be-- it's very much sold out, so it's hard to get in there.

Brigid Bergin: Richard, thank you for your call. Little Island is of course that new island over in the Hudson River. Listeners, we want to hear what have you been doing this summer and what do you hope to do before summer ends? Again, I'm not rushing things, but Labor Day is just around the corner. The number is 646-435-7280. Are there events you're hoping to attend, exhibitions that you want to check out? Are you just looking to go to Coney Island and get a hot dog? Do you just want to go swimming before the lifeguards leave for the summer?

I can tell you as someone who spends a lot of time in Rockaway, it comes sooner than you think, so don't let it pass you by too quickly. Ben, that Summer Homecoming Concert. The concerts are over. Things came to sort of a dramatic halt last weekend with that tropical storm, when it emptied Central Park. People were very upset they couldn't see the headliners, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Patti Smith and others. For fans of live music, can you offer them some alternatives, some ways to make up for the loss of those big names or just being able to see some music performed live while we still can all be outside?

Ben Yakas: Yes. It's worth noting that after the Homecoming debacle, Mayor de Blasio did say this week that he was in conversation with Clive Davis who organized the show, and they are looking at all the options about whether or not they can do any sort of makeup event with the artists who didn't get to perform Saturday. Now I wouldn't hold my breath. It could just be like a livestream event, but if you can get Bruce Springsteen to come and play a couple of songs and there's any possibility of in person, obviously people will be very excited about that.

Patti Smith who didn't get to perform, she and her band are going to play a free show at Central Park on September 19th as well. That's something to keep in mind a little further away, but more immediately, this weekend, there are a couple of really cool shows happening in Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem that are tributes to Charlie Parker. This is the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, happens every year and some of the best jazz shows you're going to be able to see for free outside this summer.

There's shows Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, all in the early evening, starting at like 6:00 or 7:00. Then, next week, there's a splattering of smaller shows, conversations, and screenings all about Parker's music in life and other jazz. You can check that out, if you look up Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, all the various places and times that that's happening.

Brigid Bergin: Wow. Charlie Parker performances at Magic Hour sounds like a pretty spectacular summer evening if you ask me. Let's go to Stefan in Flatbush. Stefan, welcome to WNYC. What is on your summer bucket list?

Stefan: Hi. It's not actually on my bucket list, but I've been doing it. I got some roller skates for Christmas this year.

Brigid Bergin: Nice.

Stefan: I started to roller skate, and I'm a surfer. I go out to Rockaway all the time. Recently, they had an event in a roller rink out there, outdoor roller skating, and you could rent skates. I think that's like the new summer thing. It's been amazing. There's so many events outdoors. That's my new summer [crosstalk]

Brigid Bergin: What was the crowd like there, Stefan? Is this an adult event? Is this for kids? What would you say the vibe is?

Stefan: The vibe is more adult, but there are kids there, and it's like a very dancy crowd, loud music with DJ. Young roller skating people.

Brigid Bergin: It sounds like a lot of fun. Thank you so much for that suggestion and for your call. Listeners, if you have great things that you've discovered this summer, particularly great outdoors things that you want to recommend people check out while it's still great to be outside, which it will be for several months. Just because summer is over doesn't mean you can't go outside. The number is 646-435-7280. Catherine on Twitter writes, "All summer and all fall, we urban hike around the city with an outdoor dining destination from the full west side of Manhattan to and from the Bronx to Brooklyn."

That's a lot of steps. I hope you keep track of your steps. You'd get a lot of credit for all that walking, Catherine. Listeners, if you have any strategies like that that you'd like to share, we'd love to hear from you. Ben, what about folks who want to do things, but they don't want to be in Manhattan altogether. What are some things that they could check out?

Ben Yakas: One fun thing, which we just wrote about this week, is that the CowParade is back. I don't know if listeners remember, but about 20 or 21 years ago, 500 fiberglass cows which were decorated by artists and school kids were deployed all around the city as part of this public art project. They ended up being auctioned off for charity. They needed a lot of money for different organizations.

Now in honor of the 20th anniversary, this was supposed to be last summer but it got pushed off to this year, they've put 78 of these cows at eight locations in all five boroughs. It's like sort of what you were saying about the steps, it's sort of a fun scavenger hunt if you're interested, because you can have an excuse to go up to the Bronx, the New York Hall of Science in Queens, Industry City in Brooklyn, the Boardwalk in Rockaway, and then the National Lighthouse Museum in Staten Island, as well as a couple of places in Manhattan.

You can see some of the ones that I think people might remember, like the cow with the subway map across it. There's one with Ella Fitzgerald. There's one with Frida Kahlo's face stretched across. There's one that has light bulbs called the Edison Cow. It's a fun thing. Again, it's only around through the month of September. It's very much like you want to get out, you want an excuse to go somewhere maybe you haven't been, this is a fun way of doing that.

Brigid Bergin: Well, I have another suggestion from a Twitter, Bike Tarrytown writes, "Things to do before the summer end, ride the Empire State Trail. Now that connects New York City, Albany, Buffalo, and Canada. This is not just a leisurely ride on a Sunday. This is an ambitious ride for, I think, a serious biker, but if you are up to go on a long ride, here's a suggestion from Bike Tarrytown. Let's go to Carmen in Manhattan. Carmen, welcome to WNYC.

Carmen: Hi. I just wanted to recommend, and they are in all five boroughs, the outdoor public city pool, and they are still open till September 12th.

Brigid Bergin: Absolutely. Great suggestion. I was a big fan of the Hamilton Fish Pool on the Lower East Side for a very long time. It's amazing that a pool of that size exists and is free. If you're out there taking advantage of those pools, enjoy it. Miriam in Midtown. What's your suggestion?

Miriam: The Five Boro Bike Tour, that's this Sunday, it got rescheduled because of the storm last weekend. I can't wait to ride through all five boroughs. I think it's 40 or 42 miles, and registration is still open if folks want to join me.

Brigid Bergin: That's great. Is this your first Five Boro Tour, Miriam?

Miriam: It is.

Brigid Bergin: Wow. Well, enjoy yourself. Have a lot of fun. It's pretty cool when you get to ride on some of those overpasses and roadways that are normally just for traffic with throngs of bikers across the city. Let's go really quickly to Beryl on the Upper West Side. Beryl, welcome to WNYC.

Beryl: Thank you. Well, there are all these little small restaurants in various neighborhoods who have people singing, and we eat on the outdoor patio and there's one, Au Jus, I think it's on 99th and Broadway on Monday night. There's a place called, I think, Telio on that 92nd and Broadway. I was in the East Village yesterday, and there was a woman there on 2nd Avenue in about 6th Street with people dining around her, really talented people and fun.

Brigid Bergin: Some of the most New York things can happen when you're not exactly going out looking for something explicit. It just sort of happens in whether it's one of these outdoor dining settings or somewhere else. Beryl, thank you for that reminder to be alert to the arts and culture that's around us every day. Ben, quickly, what is coming to the Brooklyn Museum? Is there anything folks should be checking out there that might be, say, you're trying to keep a little bit cooler, you want to stay inside?

Ben Yakas: Yes. Brooklyn Museum, starting this Friday, we'll have the iconic official portraits of the Obama, is on display for a little over a month. This is the first time that these portraits have gone on tour since they were unveiled at the Washington DC Portrait Gallery in 2018.

Brigid Bergin: Wow. That is something you can save yourself a trip to Washington DC and just head over to the Brooklyn Museum to check those out. That's an exciting thing. I think we'll get one really quick caller, Jonathan in Bayonne, New Jersey, what's on your summer bucket list?

Jonathan: Mine is always one that needs to stay open longer every year, and that's Governors Island. I always love going to-- take the ferry on the weekends, and I'm a big advocate, make it open longer, more hours of the day.

Brigid Bergin: Governors Island, I know that's somewhere that our friends at Gothamist have spent a lot of time helping our listeners and readers understand what's available there, and great that you are going to get there before the end of the summer, Jonathan. Ben, thank you so much for some of these really great suggestions. I know that there's lots more always that folks can find on our website gothamist.com. I know that we have more callers. I'm sorry that we can't take them all.

I'm seeing suggestions to visit the Four Freedoms Park on Roosevelt Island. That's of course the park that was built in honor of President Franklin Roosevelt, but we're going to have to leave it there for now. Ben Yakas is arts and culture editor at Gothamist. Thanks for co-piloting this segment with me. I'm Brigid Bergin filling in for Brian Lehrer who has been out this week. Thanks so much for listening and thank you so, so much to the amazing Brian Lehrer Show team.

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