All About Edna St. Vincent Millay

We are continuing our celebration of Pride Month by highlighting the esteemed poet and free-love advocate, Edna St. Vincent Millay.

Millay was born on February 22, 1892 in Rockland, Maine. She was named after St. Vincent’s hospital in New York City because her uncle survived a deadly disease through care at St. Vincent’s before Millay was born. Edna’s mother, Cora, was a great fan of poetry, so Edna grew up reading Shakespeare and Milton, among other influential writers.

Throughout her childhood, Edna explored pushing the boundaries of gender norms for the time period in which she lived. She preferred to be called “Vincent,” and, while attending college at Vassar, she had several well-documented romantic relationships with women. These experiences greatly shaped her writing and advocacy in the future.

Upon graduating from Vassar, Millay moved to New York City, where she lived in Greenwich Village. Her most famous residence is at 75½ Bedford Street, which is the narrowest home in the entire city. You can see the building on both our Village Tour and our annual Pride Tour!

Edna St. Vincent Millay’s Residence in the West Village

While living in the Village, Edna worked to launch her career as a poet. She wrote about taboo subjects and included her own desires for both men and women in her writing. She was known for being extremely outgoing and charming, and also highly talented in her lyrical prose. In 1924, she helped found the Cherry Lane Theater to encourage further flourishment of the arts in Greenwich Village.

Millay’s career bloomed throughout the 1920s and 30s. She was praised by feminists, LGBTQ rights advocates, and other marginalized groups with whom Edna’s poetry particularly resonated. She was truly valued as one of the most outspoken and progressive thinkers of mid-20th century New York City.

Unfortunately, Edna’s success began to decline after WWII, when she was injured in a car accident and found herself in debt from gambling and supporting her sister, who was unwell at the time. Edna moved to Austerlitz, New York, where she quietly continued writing for herself, but not for major publication. After several years of poor health and financial struggles, Edna died on October 19, 1950 from a heart attack.

Edna St. Vincent Millay is remembered as an extremely talented, passionate, and thoughtful advocate for LGBTQ and women’s rights. Through her writing, Edna gave voices to many people who were silenced by the political and social climates in which they lived. We’re proud to feature Edna’s legacy as part of our celebration of Pride Month 2021. To learn more join us on our Pride Running Tour on Saturday, June 26th at 7 am.

A Brief History of the Stonewall Inn

In honor of Pride Month, we’re celebrating NYC’s most iconic and influential sites in the fight for gay rights. Perhaps the most well-known landmark of the gay rights movement is the Stonewall Inn in NYC’s West Village.

The Stonewall Inn’s current location at 51-53 Christopher Street opened as a bar and restaurant in 1934 by Victor Bonavia. The bar ran until 1964, when a fire destroyed the interior. However, the history of the Stonewall Inn proved to flourish even after the devastating fire. In 1966, the Inn was invested in by members of the Mafia, who turned it into a gay bar and nightclub. At the time, homosexuality was not socially accepted, so the Mafia members blackmailed wealthy customers and demanded regular payoffs in return for keeping patrons’ identities undercover. The Mafia also bribed police in an attempt to avoid getting shutdown for the open prostitution, illegal alcohol sales, and drug rings that operated out of the Stonewall at the time.

The historical significance of the Stonewall Inn really gets underway on the night of June 28, 1969. Police raided the Inn and arrested many of the customers, while also seizing the alcohol. However, the raid took longer than expected, which gave ample time for a group of Stonewall patrons to violently demonstrate against the police. Soon, more people outside the bar joined the riots. The demonstration ultimately amounted to a violent protest between early gay rights supporters and police forces. The clash went on for about three hours before the scene was able to be resolved.

The Stonewall Inn closed after the riots, but, luckily, was reopened in the early 1990s. In June 1999, the Greenwich Village Society for Historical Preservation and the Organization of Lesbian and Gay Architects and Designers succeeded in getting the Stonewall Inn recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. It was later declared a National Historic Landmark in February 2000.

Today, the Stonewall Inn is remembered as one of the most influential and important sites in the gay rights movement. You can visit the Inn at its Christopher Street location for a drink with friends, themed parties, and simply to admire the history and memory of the fight for LGBTQ rights and equality.

To learn more about the Stonewall join us on our Pride Running Tour on Saturday, June 26th at 7 am.

Happy Pride Month, everyone!

The History of NYC Fleet Week

Fleet Week is a time-honored tradition in several major cities across the U.S., and especially in NYC. Fleet Week is a yearly celebration in which active military ships dock in a city, and the crews visit tourist attractions and hold festivities. This year, due to lingering concerns from the COVID-19 pandemic, NYC Fleet Week was held virtually from Wednesday, May 26th to Monday, May 31st.

The first official NYC Fleet Week was held on Memorial Day Weekend in 1982. Ships traditionally dock at the New York Passenger Ship Terminal on the Hudson River, as well as on Staten Island. Beginning in 1988, tourists could visit the most famous and exciting ships docked in NYC, such as the USS America and the USS Iowa. To celebrate the bicentennial of George Washington’s inauguration, the 1989 NYC Fleet Week featured the AEGIS cruiser, USS Ticonderoga.

Over the years, NYC Fleet Week expanded to include ships from other countries, such as Russia, Poland, Canada, Denmark, India, and Mexico. You can find a full list of the ships that have made an appearance at NYC Fleet Week by visiting Fleet Week’s Wikipedia page.

NYC Fleet Week has gone largely uninterrupted since its inception, except for a cancelation in 2013 due to federal budget cuts, and in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

All About Flushing

May is Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and, in honoring this special time of year, we’re profiling one of New York City’s hidden gems; Flushing, Queens.

Flushing is not extremely well-known to non-New Yorkers, but it is actually a major hub of the city. It is the fourth largest central business district in NYC, and its main intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue is the third busiest intersection in the entire city.

Originally colonized by the Dutch in 1645, Flushing has grown into a truly cosmopolitan neighborhood, and is now home to many Asian immigrants. In fact, a 2010 Census showed that Asians represent over 66% of Flushing’s population. The majority of Flushing’s Asian population consists of mainland Chinese immigrants, but Flushing is a hotbed for numerous cultures, including Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese.

According to Muyao Shen’s article “Flushing, N.Y.: Where Mainland Chinese Immigrants Are Moving In” for medium.com, “Fangmeng Tian, a professor specializing in migration at Beijing Normal University, explained in an interview that there have been three recent migration waves from China to the U.S. One was in the 1980s with a trend to study overseas; one was in the 1990s when highly skilled migration was popular; and the most recent one is happening now with more middle- and upper-middle class Chinese heading overseas.”

Shen goes on to explain that many Chinese immigrants find Manhattan living too expensive, so Flushing, with its easy transport into the city, is a good option. Additionally, with its high immigrant population, Flushing feels comfortable and familiar to people new to American life.

Flushing’s Chinese immigrant population is actually larger than that of Manhattan’s Chinatown, and this makes Flushing an even more ideal place to experience Asian culture. Check out some of Flushing’s best restaurants like Hunan House, Spicy & Tasty, and Jade Asian for unbeatable mapo tofu, dim sum, and authentic Cantonese and Sichuan cuisines. Looking for food? Try San Soo Kap San, which is famous for its kimchi stew. Wash everything down with a tall cup of bubble-milk tea from Kung Fu Tea, one of NYC’s most popular boba spots.

For those of you looking for a sweet treat, head over to Flushing’s most iconic bakery, Tai Pan, which is a combination of a café and a food court. Tai Pan offers tradition Chinese desserts, like egg custards and sponge cakes, alongside savory baked goods, like pork buns and meat pies.

Feeling full? You can walk (or run) your meal off at Queens Botanical Gardens, which features 39 acres of gorgeous outdoor space. Queens Botanical Gardens is famous for its Rose Garden (in bloom May through October), Fragrance Walk (full of sweet-smelling flowers), and Perennial Garden. The Botanical Gardens are also a great place for pictures and catching up with friends and family.

At City Running Tours, highlighting the beautiful neighborhoods within our cities is our passion. In honoring Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we couldn’t think of a better corner of NYC than Flushing. It is truly one of the most welcoming, culture-rich, and fun places to explore this summer in New York City.

The return of in-person races!

It’s been a long time since races were held in-person, and many runners are getting anxious to grace the starting line again. Luckily, with COVID vaccinations ramping up and summer weather encouraging more people to get outside, in-person races are finally starting to come back to NYC. Mark your race calendars; here’s what you can expect for Summer 2021.

NYC’s largest race organizer, New York Road Runners, is slowly beginning to transition toward more in-person races, rather than virtual. Their calendar is packed with events for runners of all levels throughout the summer. The fall schedule hasn’t been announced yet, and there is no confirmed announcement that the famous TCS NYC Marathon will happen in-person this year on November 7th. With the Chicago, Boston, and London Marathons all tentatively scheduled to be in-person in October, we’re hopeful that the NYC Marathon will happen, as well. But, for now, we can enjoy the return of smaller in-person races this summer! Get ready, the first race is only one week away, so go sign up now at https://www.nyrr.org/FullRaceYearIndex!

Sunday, May 23: NYRR Newport Mile

Sunday, June 6: NYRR Flushing Meadows Mile

Saturday, June 12: Mastercard New York Mini 10k

Saturday, June 26: Front Runners New York LGBT Pride Run

Saturday, July 10: Achilles Hope and Possibility 4M

At City Running Tours, we know better than anyone that running doesn’t have to be competitive. But racing is a great way to boost motivation and fitness throughout your running journey. It’s also a fun environment to meet people from all over the world who are all facing the same challenge. We hope you’ll come out and celebrate the return of in-person races with us; we can’t wait to see you again!

Celebrating Jewish History Month at Katz's Deli

 In honor of May being Jewish History Month, we’re highlighting one of NYC’s most popular delis—Katz’s Delicatessen.

Known for their high-piled pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, Katz’s is a kosher style deli located 205 East Houston Street in New York City’s Lower East Side. It was originally opened by brothers Morris and Hyman Iceland. In 1903, Willy Katz joined the Iceland brothers at the deli, and then proceeded to buy them out with cousin, Benny Katz in 1910.

Katz’s quickly became a neighborhood staple, functioning as a gathering place for LES locals. On Fridays, the deli served franks and beans—a long-held and cherished tradition for New Yorkers in the mid-20th century.

During WWII, Katz’s sent food to local men serving overseas, and coined the phrase “Send a salami to your boy in the army.” Soldiers in both the Eastern and Western fronts of the war loved the familiar, homemade taste of Katz’s delicacies.

Katz’s continues to be a staple of the New York food scene, and tourists and locals alike flock to its tables for all-day comfort foods. In fact, the deli is so popular that each week it serves 15,000 pounds of pastrami, 8,000 pounds of corned beef, 2,000 pounds of salami, and 4,000 hot dogs, or franks. It is ranked as the number one deli in NYC by Zagat.

While known for its meat, Katz’s also sells delicious Jewish specialties like matzoh ball soup, knishes, and noodle kugel. They also classic desserts like NY cheesecake, black and white cookies, and babka. On top of all that, Katz’s doubles as a bakery and bakes their own homemade bagels and rye bread.

Katz’s it too mouthwatering to only have one location, though. Luckily, they opened a second deli in Brooklyn’s Dekalb Market. Katz’s also ships their yummy goodies nationwide, so you can treat yourself to pastrami and corned beef anywhere in the country!

We love highlighting neighborhood favorites like Katz’s deli, and we feel even more excited to eat after a great run. Join one of our tours and see for yourself all the delicious spots NYC has to offer!

All About GrowNYC

 We’ve all heard the phrase “April showers bring May flowers,” and, now that it’s finally May, we’re looking forward to colorful petals and blossoms to pattern our cities. But it seems that the very idea of blooming nature and the cosmopolitan climate that characterizes city life is dichotomous—we usually don’t associate the natural world with the man-made one that is an urban environment.

It turns out, though, that the beauty of nature can, indeed, be found in our cities in the form of urban gardens. In New York City, specifically, organizations such as GrowNYC have taken it upon themselves to populate the city with hundreds of urban gardens—little natural oases amongst the concrete jungle.

GrowNYC was founded in 1970 as the Council on the Environment of New York City (CENYC) but has since transformed into the renowned green space and conservation organization it is today. GrowNYC has built more than 135 gardens in all five boroughs of New York City. Their green spaces have been adapted as community gardens, gardens in public housing communities, schools, and senior centers.

According to GrowNYC’s website, their mission is to “improve New York City’s quality of life through environmental programs that transform communities block by block and empower all New Yorkers to secure a clean and healthy environment for future generations.”

GrowNYC has certainly succeeded in helping New Yorkers connect to their natural sides, but the organization does more than build community gardens. GrowNYC also sets up Greenmarket farmers markets around the city—allowing for greater access to fresh produce and antibiotic-free meat and dairy. They have implemented a recycle program by planting waste collection bins throughout the city. This encourages citizens to do their part in protecting our environment. On top of all that, GrowNYC provides over 70,000 children every year with environmental awareness programs and nature education courses.

GrowNYC doesn’t just help people living in the city—they partner with farms outside of NYC to bring quality products to the Greenmarkets. Access to healthy foods has become an even more pressing issue during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March of 2020, GrowNYC developed an Emergency Fresh Food Box program, which provided fresh food to the neighborhoods in the city that were most highly impacted by the virus.

Interested in learning more? GrowNYC is always looking for volunteers and educators, and they welcome donations.

As we transition further into Spring, we’re enjoying sunny days spent picnicking in the park, reading a book in a garden, and smelling the blossoms on the trees as we walk past. We are lucky to have so many lovely outdoor spaces in the middle of one of the world’s largest and most bustling cities, NYC, and we owe all of our thanks to special organizations like GrowNYC.

seeing the past in the future. The revamped Williamsburg Waterfront

We though that as the weather is getting nicer it would be a good time to run in Brooklyn, down the revamped Williamsburg Waterfront. This diverse and popular neighborhood of Brooklyn like most of New York City has had an ever changing landscape and with it, an interesting story that we are excited to share. We will be running south on Kent Street from North 12th Street to South 10th Street.

Often divided along North and South boundaries, each area of Williamsburg possesses unique characteristics, and the development of both the North and South sides of Williamsburg was unified by the area’s relationship with the East River waterfront. Speculative development ventures and competing ferry services characterized early development patterns. As early as 1799, regularly scheduled ferry service moved passengers between Grand Street in New York and South 1st Street in Williamsburg. In 1802, Richard M. Woodhull, a speculative builder, hired Col. Jonathan Williams to survey and lay out a grid for 13 acres of land between present day North 15th Street and Division Street. The newly surveyed land became known as “Williamsburg” in honor of Col. Williams, but as a result of an inconvenient ferry route, Woodhull was bankrupt by 1811 because of his inability to market the newly subdivided land. A competing development known as Yorktown had a more advantageous ferry route to New York City’s business district, and thus attracted more buyers. The Yorktown ferry ran from the base of the newly created Grand Avenue, which grew to be the main commercial thoroughfare in Williamsburg by 1850.

As Manhattan residents gained easy access to the Brooklyn coast via the new ferry connections, they were attracted to the natural landscape. A bluff located on present-day Bedford Avenue became an attractive location where wealthy New York elite like Cornelius Vanderbilt and James Fisk built waterfront mansions. This early settlement pattern coupled with the speculative real estate ventures that sprung up around ferry nodes was later supplanted by rapid industrialization, spurred by the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825.

During the 19th century, Williamsburg’s waterfront shifted from a residential retreat to a commercial port. Between 1830 and 1851, Williamsburg’s population grew from 1,007 to 35,000 residents. During this period many industries began to open in Williamsburg, including many of the nation’s leading industries such as Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Standard Oil, Domino Sugar and Schaefer Beer. Unlike the neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights, Williamsburg’s waterfront mansions were quickly divided into rooming houses, and tenements were built to house the new workforce that supported the booming industry. By 1900, Williamsburg was home to more than 100,000 residents.

In 1903, the Williamsburg Bridge opened and many Lower East Side immigrants flooded into Brooklyn in an effort to escape the crowded, dirty slums in lower Manhattan. By 1910, the population of Williamsburg had already doubled to 250,000. Yet this trend of uninterrupted industrial and residential growth was not sustained. After World War II, industrial jobs declined, and overcrowded Williamsburg became unpopular. In the latter half of the 20th century, Williamsburg’s industrial and manufacturing economy collapsed, and the neighborhood struggled to maintain its historic prominence. The Brooklyn-Queens expressway sliced through the city in 1955 and divided the neighborhood.

The view from Bushwick Inlet Park Community Center roof

Now let’s take a look at current waterfront area. Beginning in North Williamsburg our first stop is Bushwhick Inlet Park. Bushwick Inlet Park spans north from N. 9th Street to the south bank of Bushwick Inlet just beyond N. 15th Street in Greenpoint between the East River & the inlet west and Kent Avenue & Franklin Street east. The park is in the early stages of development with one parcel out of five activated for public use. Once completed it will include a separated bike path, two athletic fields, performance garden, a dog park and more.

Connecting to Bushwick Inlet Park on its Southern End is the newly named Marsha P. Johnson State Park. Originally known as East River State Park, this 7 acre of waterfront land has been named in honor of Marsha P Johnson, an trans and LGBTQ+ activist, an important figure in the Stonewall uprising and became a fixture in the local community and around the world helping homeless LGBTQ youth throughout the country. Updates are being made to the park to honor Marsha’s legacy but not without controversy. Builders paused the revamp of the park back in March of this year, after family members and Black trans activists slammed the state Parks Department at a community meeting the night before for pushing through an unpopular redesign of the park, and using the late gay rights icon as a publicity prop to promote the $14 million overhaul. They are asking for more public input to ensure that Marsha is honored the right way.

Renderings to the entrance to Marsha P. Johnson Park

As we continued running south along the waterfront we make a quick stop at North 5th Street Pier and Park at the NYC Ferry’s North Williamsburg Stop. The piers were originally built by Manhattan-based firm Douglaston Development as part of a 2006 Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning plan that resulted in the construction of a 40-story rental tower at 2 N. Sixth Place. In exchange for the rezoning, Douglaston agreed to transform waterfront property near the development into public parkland, which included the N. Williamsburg ferry stop that opened in 2013, along with the two additional piers and a surrounding park.

Let’s continue south along Kent Street to Grand Street to our next stop, Domino Park. Built on the grounds of the former Domino Sugar Refinery, the park has incredible significance to the growth and development of Williamsburg and the entire Brooklyn waterfront. Dating back to 1856, the Domino Sugar Refinery was once the largest and most productive sugar refinery in the world. At its peak of productivity, it refined 4 million pounds of sugar daily. This site was also central to the growth of the surrounding Williamsburg area, to the industrialization of the Brooklyn waterfront and to the rise of New York City as a global economic powerhouse.

A view of Domino Park looking south with the Williamsburg Bridge in the background

As a result of economic, political and global changes, industrial activity in Brooklyn began to drop off dramatically beginning in the 1950s. Closing its doors in 2004, the Domino Sugar Refinery was the last major active industrial operation on Brooklyn’s once bustling East River waterfront. Following the closure of the Domino Sugar Factory in 2004, this 11-acre site sat dormant as plans for redevelopment were debated by the City, community stakeholders and the development team that purchased the site from Domino. Ultimately, the City approved a residential rezoning in 2010. In 2018, a 6 acre public space officially opened up to the public that includes an elevated walkway, playground, a dog run, a fountain, beach volleyball courts, a fog bridge and open field for activities.

Let’s continue running south under the Williamsburg Bridge to our final stop crossing into the south section of Williamsburg to the South Williamsburg Ferry Pier. There is a small body of water off of the East River known as Wallabout Bay. The name, Wallabout is an English corruption of “de Waal Boght,” meaning the Walloon Bay, after Walloon settlers who immigrated to New Netherlands in the 1630s. This French-speaking Protestant community originated from Belgium, leaving their homeland in search of religious freedom.

A bird’s eye view of Wallabout Bay with the Brooklyn Navy Yard in the foreground

In 1637, Wallabout served as the landing site of first ferry across the East River. The bay was also the site of a notorious floating prison during the Revolutionary War. The Jersey, a British warship docked off Brooklyn during the American Revolution, served as a prison where some 11,500 patriot prisoners of war perished. The nearby Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument in Fort Greene Park houses remains of the prisoners and overlooks the site of their torment and death. The bay eventually became the site of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Parts of the bay were filled in to expand the yard. In the late 19th century, fill created a small island, as and later fill joined it to the mainland.

This is where will end our tour today. As we look back at where we ran, you can’t help but have appreciation for the way this land has progressed forward without losing a sense of its history. The waterfront is just one of many examples of New York City’s development that helps continue to move the city and country forward.

Williamsburg Waterfront circa 2012 from our Brooklyn Brewery Tour

Thanks for joining us today. We look forward to running with you again soon!

How to Hydrate for Hot Runs

As the weather begins to warm up and we get closer and closer to summer, we have to start thinking more seriously about hydration. As runners, it’s incredibly important that we hydrate properly before and after a run—especially when it’s hot outside and we’re losing extra water through sweat. Hydration isn’t just about drinking water, though. We also have to replenish lost salts and electrolytes. So, how exactly can we make sure we’re giving our bodies the proper moisture that they need?

First and foremost, we need to understand the consequences of dehydration. Not drinking enough fluids can not only hinder your athletic performance, it can be incredibly dangerous and lead to nausea, dizziness, exhaustion, and, most severely, organ failure and death. Didn’t think proper hydration was important before? Now you do!

If you run in warm weather, you’ll notice that you sweat more than in cooler temperatures. This is because sweat occurs when the body is trying to regulate its temperature and cool itself down. But, sweat means that water is leaving the body, and along with that water, essential salts and electrolytes. One way you can protect yourself from becoming too dehydrated during a run is to drink water or an electrolyte supplement made with natural ingredients and no added sugar before your run. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends drinking a pint of liquid about two hours before exercise. It’s important that what you’re drinking is actually going to hydrate you. Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics, which means they cause the body to lose water. Therefore, try to choose a beverage that promotes water retention instead of expulsion.

Of course, you need to rehydrate immediately after your run. This is the optimal time to drink an electrolyte supplement, which will help your body replace the salts it lost through sweat. Again, caffeine and alcohol are not ideal post-run beverages because they won’t help your body hydrate. Try to drink at least 16 ounces of water post-run and continue to drink throughout the day. It’s recommended that you drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water every day. That means that a person weighing 150 pounds should aim to drink at least 75 ounces of water daily.

Maybe you’re going for a particularly long run—longer than 60 minutes. In this case, you’ll want to carry water or electrolytes with you. Giving your body extra hydration during the run will help its endurance and longevity. You don’t want to get to 45 minutes and be craving liquid. Plan ahead and be smart about your fueling and hydration on long runs—it really could make or break the run.

The bottom line is that the body needs water, especially when it’s hot outside. Staying on top of your hydration will help you be a smarter, healthier, and overall more successful athlete. From all of us at City Running Tours, we wish you safe and healthy summer miles!

I got the vaccine--how soon can I run?

The COVID-19 vaccine distribution is ramping up, and many avid runners are beginning to wonder how a vaccination will impact their training (or just for fun running!). At City Running Tours we understand that whether or not to get the vaccine is a completely personal and private choice, but, since we’re all about spreading the history of our cities—and the COVID-19 vaccine is a monumental event in our current world—we thought we’d share how your vaccine might affect your running schedule for a few days.

First and foremost, the CDC claims that there is no evidence that exercising before or after receiving the vaccine will affect its efficacy. If you go directly from the gym to the vaccination center, or you want to run home after, your vaccine will be just as effective as it would be if you took it easy.

However, it’s important to note that all forms of the COVID-19 vaccine come with potential side effects, including headaches, fatigue, dizziness, chills, and nausea. It can also cause muscle soreness at the injection site. If you feel any of these symptoms, it’s probably safer to rest rather than exercise. It’s up to you to judge how working out will affect your body. Some people feel no side effects at all, and, in that case, exercise for as long and intensely as you want!

After receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, it’s important to listen to your body, and give it what it needs—there’s plenty of time to run once the side effects wear off! And, speaking of time to run, we are thrilled at the thought of a more open, hopefully COVID-free world in our future. We can’t wait to hit the streets of our wonderful cities with even better clients and friends. Come run with us!