UP to SPEED
Beat the Summertime
BLUES
Whoever said there “ain’t no cure for the summertime blues” never visited the Northeast Corridor
during the season of the sun. Enjoy a little “
Midsummer Night Swing” at Lincoln Center or celebrate
the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s astronomical
discoveries, at The Franklin in Philadelphia (save
on admission with your Amtrak ticket stub—see
page 87 for details). There’s a film fest in Maryland
featuring 1980s favorites, including Ghostbusters
and Gremlins; a fireworks spectacular set to the
music of ABBA at Longwood Gardens; tennis and
lacrosse championships; Second City improv in
Philly; and the kids will love “Chinasaurs—Dinosaur
Dynasty” in Maryland. Save some cash with special rail fare discounts to select destinations. Climb
aboard and let Amtrak deliver you to nonstop fun—
all summer long.
— Compiled by miChael hammett
Don’t you deserve a sure
thing? Ambassador Theatre,
219 W. 49th St. 212-239-6200
or telecharge.com/Chicago.
chicagothemusical.com.
more. Aug. 5-23. 212-875-
5766; lincolncenter.org.
New Orleans
great Kermit
Ruffins opens
Midsummer
Night Swing.
Dancing under the stars:
Lincoln Center lights up your
summer with “
Midsummer Night Swing,” featuring 15 nights of dancing
under the stars to today’s
most popular dance bands.
Also scheduled is a Kids’
Day, offering children of all
ages the chance to learn the
latest steps from top dance
teachers. Highlights include
twisting the night away with
Chubby Checker & The
Wildcats (July 8); the New
York debut of Otro Aires, an
electro-tango quartet from
Argentina (July 15); and two
nights of the Ponderosa
Stomp revue (July 16 and 17).
Each evening begins with
an all-levels dance lesson at
6: 30 p.m., followed by live
music and dancing from
7: 30 to 10. Tuesdays through
Saturdays, July 7-25. Lincoln
Center’s Damrosch Park. 212-
875-5766; lincolncenter.org.
New Netherland: A Sweet
and Alien Land: Crailo State
Historic Site, the museum
of the Dutch in the Hudson Valley, reopens for the
season with new, exciting
exhibits and expanded
programs illuminating the
history of the colonial Dutch
and their interaction with
the Native Americans. Albany, N. Y. Grand reopening
July 4 and 5. nysparks.com.
NEW YORK
Roxie Hart and all that
jazz: These days, everyone
wants more bang for their
buck, so it’s good to know
there’s a “sure thing”—
CHICAGO The Musical. It’s
got the funniest songs, hottest dancing, sexiest cast and
greatest story on Broadway.
No wonder CHICAGO has
been honored with six Tony
Awards, two Olivier Awards,
a Grammy and thousands
of standing ovations. Plus,
it makes any event more
special—from killer first
dates to unforgettable anniversaries. So come on, Babe!
Giant puppet pageant
and more: Lincoln Center
“Out of Doors” offers three
weeks of free performances
by dozens of American, international and local artists
on the plazas of Lincoln Center ( West 62nd to West 65th
streets between Columbus
and Amsterdam avenues).
The wide range of music and
dance events includes a giant
puppet pageant (Aug. 15),
concerts by headlining jazz
and blues artists, Afro-Latin
dance (Aug. 9), and much
Hudson River Panorama:
400 Years of Art, History
and Culture. This yearlong
exhibition commemorates
Henry Hudson’s 1609 exploration of the river that bears
his name, and the remarkable narrative of the people,
events and ideas that have
shaped this magnificent
region. Featuring hundreds
of artworks, artifacts, interactive displays, rare archival
documents from the Albany
Institute’s renowned collections and more! Albany
Institute of History & Art.
Through Jan. 10, 2010. 125
Washington Ave., Albany,
N. Y. albanyinstitute.org.
BNP Paribas Taste of
Tennis: New York City’s
top chefs and the world’s
greatest tennis players,
including superstar Andy
Roddick, showcase their
culinary skills at the BNP
Paribas Taste of Tennis at
W N Y Hotel. In addition to
amazing food, this one-of-a-kind experience features
a variety of themed lounges,
signature cocktails and
