Once the “valley of ashes” of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Flushing Meadows’ most recent memorable star turn was as the site of the final battle scene in Men in Black. The 1,255-acre park was created for the 1939 World’s Fair, and it managed to snag a second in 1964: We have the latter to thank for the iconic steel Unisphere. Today the park hosts the Mets at Citi Field, the U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, fine art at the Queens Museum of Art, fun educational exhibits at the Hall of Science, live performances at the Queens Theater, blooming flora at the Queens Botanical Garden, and diverse fauna at the Queens Zoo. The usual assortment of baseball diamonds, running tracks, tennis courts and the like are joined by an 18-hole pitch & putt golf course, an indoor ice skating rink, and a lake for boating and fishing. Queens’ immigrant communities make especially good use of the well-tended cricket and soccer fields, with some leagues attracting large crowds to watch advanced amateurs play.
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This Neighborhood Featured in...
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Four Zoos and an Aquarium
By
Diana Pizzari
Animals! They're not just for slaughtering anymore. Diana Pizzari's got a thing or four to share about her favorite cirty zoos and aquarium. Open your ears and clear your minds of meat lust as she details some little-known factoids about bison, breeding and the Bronx.
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Thursday, September 01, 2005
Posted By:
Diana Pizzari
Photo:
Diana Pizzari
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
Clearly Andy Roddick didn't get his mojo back—it must still be out shopping at Barney's with his American Express card! Not to worry, dozens of other seeded players breezed through the first round, including crowd faves Lindsay Davenport and Lleyton Hewitt. Watching the world's greatest tennis players in one of the most picturesque settings in Queens is well worth a trek out on the 7 train (or the LIRR). If you're not too concerned about see-ing specific players, pick up a Grounds Admission ticket during the first 8 days of the tournament, and you'll be able to wander the field courts (plus Louis Armstrong and Grandstand courts, depending on availability) for an entire day for $43-$47. Either way, you'll see some outstanding tennis while working on your final end-of-summer tan.
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Friday, March 04, 2005
Posted By:
Diana Pizzari
Photo:
Diana Pizzari
The Queens Zoo is dedicated to protecting and breeding endangeredspecies, with a focus on North American animals. I can honestly say that I’ve never seen so many ducks in one place before. The bears, eagles, and coyotes were fun, but the ducks definitely blew me away. The small loop circuit of the zoo can be completed in less than an hour (if you don’t accidentally get lost in one of their many “Authorized PersonnelOnly” areas) And if you end up making the trip all the way out to Corona Park to visit the zoo, you might be interested in coupling the experiencing with some other attractions in the area. The interactive New York Hall of Science is located right next door (adults $11/kids $8), then there’s the Queens Museum of Art (adults $5/kids $2.50), the Queens Botanical Garden (free for all), the Unisphere, World’s Fair towers, an ice skating rink, and the Playground For All Children.
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