Isla Staten de Julio Vincent Gambuto
Publicado 07/20/2021
Bienvenido a mi rincón del mundo: Staten Island, donde nací y crecí. A menudo, los amigos se sorprenden al saber que el borough, el más pequeño de los cinco habitantes, es en realidad el doble del tamaño de Manhattan; el mapa del metro de la ciudad de Nueva York no está exactamente a escala. La isla alberga una comida increíble, gente cálida y cariñosa y lugares de vida nocturna totalmente nuevos.
Volví a casa a Staten Island para grabar mi nueva película familiar, Team Marco . Estas son mis opciones para un viaje de un día divertido y familiar a la costa norte del borough.
Este itinerario es completamente apto para caminar, a menos que se indique lo contrario.
1
Staten Island Ferry
1
1 Bay St.
Our very own “river cruise,” the Staten Island Ferry takes around 70,000 passengers daily between Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan and St. George Terminal. The ferry is free and departs from Manhattan every 30 minutes (more frequently during rush hours). Masks are still required on board. Grab a beer or pretzel at the terminal before boarding, and pretend you are Melanie Griffith in Working Girl as you glide past NYC landmarks like the Statue of Liberty.
When you exit, you’ll be in the heart of the St. George neighborhood, a hub for transport and shopping.
2
Staten Island September 11 Memorial
2
Bank St.
Just a short walk along the water will lead you to a very solemn place, one that I visit often when I am home. The 9/11 Postcards memorial is a striking sculpture that overlooks the bay. The sculpture, which at first might look like a pair of angel’s wings, is actually a folded postcard aimed toward the sky. If you stand at the foot of the memorial and face Manhattan, the two sides will frame One World Trade Center in the distance where the Twin Towers once stood. The memorial honors the more than 270 Staten Island residents we lost on that fateful day in September 2001 and to related causes afterward.
3
St. George Theatre
3
35 Hyatt St.
Within walking distance to the memorial is the St. George Theatre, one of my favorite places on the island. The theater opened in 1929 as the island’s first movie house. It has been renovated in stunning fashion and hosts acts including Tony Bennett and Melissa Etheridge. Some of my favorite comedians, like Eric D’Alessandro, a Staten Island native, have shows coming up (the theater reopens in October), and the Christmas Show is an annual family favorite. Get a glimpse of the new marquee along Hyatt Street, behind Borough Hall, just steps from the ferry. For a nearby afternoon snack, stop by the Burrito Shoppe, at 100 Stuyvesant Place, for churros. They come with delicious chocolate mousse on the side for dipping.
4
National Lighthouse Museum
4
200 The Promenade at Lighthouse Point
Just steps from St. George Theatre is the National Lighthouse Museum. This 1912 foundry building showcases the history and technology of the country’s lighthouses and is a must-see for history buffs (like me) and lovers of things nautical. The permanent exhibit has 180 lighthouse models from over 25 states. If you want to get on the water itself, sign up for the museum’s boat tours.
5
Staten Island Children's Museum
5
1000 Richmond Terrace
For more culture and a stroll through nature, head to the Staten Island Children’s Museum, which is a short bus or car ride away. It’s one of the many attractions at Snug Harbor, a complex that is also home to beautiful botanical gardens and visual and performing arts programs and is one of the most peaceful places in New York City. The Children’s Museum is fully interactive for kids—they can play with everything from blocks to bugs. As a kid, I came here for school trips, and now I bring my niece and nephews.
6
Joseph H. Lyons Pool
6
6 Victory Blvd.
If you want to stay in walking distance to St. George Terminal, a 10-minute stroll south along Bay Street, the main thoroughfare, will take you to the Lyons Pool at Victory Boulevard. Part of NYC Parks, the Olympic-size swimming pool is a popular summer spot.
7
Flagship Brewing Company
7
40 Minthorne St.
After your swim, head a few blocks away to Minthorne Street. Indulge in food and an afternoon beer (parents only) at O’Henry’s Publick House or Flagship Brewery, whose Birra Locale is my new favorite brew. You can buy a beer for a friend in advance, and the staff will write their name in chalk on the bar wall for the next time they come in. I think there is a beer there waiting for me from the Team Marco production crew. First one to claim it can have it! Tell them I sent you.
8
Tip the Wagon
8
70 Van Duzer St.
Minthorne Street is one of the borough’s new nightlife spots, but it is also part of the City’s Open Streets program, so the street is blocked off for outdoor dining and drinking. If it is hot enough for an Italian ice, don’t miss Tip the Wagon on Van Duzer Street. They have the most incredible ices, gelatos and alcohol-infused ices and sorbets. My pick: the root beer float gelato.
9
De Matti Park
9
Tompkins Ave.
If you are up for a game of bocce, you are in the right place—Staten Island is the bocce capital of New York City, with dozens of courts throughout the borough. We shot Team Marco here for a reason; bocce is part of the social fabric of the island, and there’s a deep respect for its history—it’s one of the world’s oldest sports. The closest courts to Downtown Staten Island are at De Matti Playground on Tompkins Avenue, between Chestnut Street and Shaughnessy Lane. The playground is just a five-minute rideshare from Minthorne Street, and well worth the trek.
It also happens to be the “hero set” of our film. Courts are open to all on a first-come basis, and it’s BYOBB (bring your own bocce balls). Make sure to stop by Rispoli Pastry Shop (1184 Bay St.) for Italian rainbow cookies and Seppe Pizza Bar for lunch or dinner after the game. Seppe is part of Urby, a chic new apartment complex on the waterfront with restaurants and an urban farm.
10
Beso
10
11 Schuyler St.
St. George is home to a number of other great restaurants where you can have dinner before you catch the ferry back home—or as we’d say in my family, “Mangia! Mangia!” I love Beso, a fantastic Spanish eatery with great food, tapas and wine. I recommend the seafood diablo—shrimp, clams, mussels and calamari over linguine in a spicy tomato sauce. Heaven.
Blue and Bayou are also worth trying.
Find accommodations in Staten Island with our Hotels Guide.
Want more Staten Island? Stream Team Marco on Hulu.