Free New York

Please provide a general outline of the city and its neighborhoods/boroughs/parts of town, including information about political leanings, police forces, population, income levels, social services, etc.

Housing

Truly free housing is VERY hard to come by in NYC. You might still could break into an abandoned building and squat on the downlow. Otherwise, try connecting with local 'freegan' groups, or Food Not Bombs, and you might meet someone who heard from "a friend of a friend" where the squats are.

C-Squat (155 C Ave, East Village) http://www.myspace.com/seesquat155 Among the last 'ol skool' squats in the city. Appears to now be some kind of co-op.
Flux Factory http://www.fluxfactory.org/residency/about/ If you're a creative type, you can apply for residency with the Flux Factory, which provides studios for artists for between $500-700 a month. The Flux Factory is located in Long Island City, Queens.

Parking

Many neighborhoods have free, alternate side parking. This means that, twice a week, for about 1.5 hours in middle of the work day, parking is not allowed on one side of the street, allegedly for "Street Cleaning", though it's debatable how often the city actually uses that time to clean the street.

While some call this an inconvenience, I call it an opportunity. By knowing what streets have alternate side parking on what days and at what times, you can always count on being able to find a spot in middle of the day. These streets typically have no other parking restrictions, so, if you show up just as street cleaning is ending, you are guaranteed a parking space and you don't have to move your car until the next street-cleaning day.

Most of Manhattan has street cleaning twice a week for 1.5 hours. Each side of the street either has street cleaning on Monday & Thursday; Tuesday & Friday; or Wednesday and Saturday. If one side of the street has street cleaning on one of those pairs of days, the other side of the street will typically have street cleaning on another of those pairs of days at the same time of day. Obviously downtown has expensive parking, from from about 80th street upwards, the side streets have no meters and now you know the best time to find parking.

Street cleaning is not in effect on holidays, but traffic patterns are different on holidays since people are not on their usual weekday schedule, so it's much less predictable but usually possible to find a free parking space. See http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/motorist/scrintro.shtml for a list of days that Alternate Side Parking is not in effect.

In Brooklyn and Queens, street cleaning is usually one day a week for 1 hour.

Food

Food Not Bombs does regular food sharings in Tompkins Square Park every Saturday at about 3pm. If you'd like to volunteer or make a donation, drop by ABC No Rio after 1pm on Sundays, or email fnb@abcnorio.org

The Food Bank for New York City has a truly amazing listing of food pantries and soup kitchens across NYC. Go to http://www.foodbanknyc.org/ and click 'Get Help'.

Free/low-cost markets, produce, butchers, day-old bakeries, etc.

Food banks, missions, church meals, etc.

Medical Care

Planned parenthood, free clinics, free medical advice, Medicare resources, low-cost clinics, etc.

Free Clinics

New York City Free Clinic (16 East 16th Street, New York, NY 10003) (917.544.0735/ 212-206-5200 to schedule an appointment) Offers comprehensive care.
Columbia Student Medical Outreach (21 Audubon Avenue, New York, NY 10033) (212.342.4719) Offers screening, testing, physicals, x-rays, and social work services, among other programs. Also operates a 24/7 call center.
ECHO Free Clinic (1894 Walton Ave, Bronx, NY 10453) (800.836.1316) Free for adults 19 years and older. Does NOT see children. Open Saturday's 9am-12pm. Services include: "adult routine medical exams, physicals, vaccinations, prescriptions, women's health visits (including gynecology exams and Pap smears), social services and counseling by appointment."
East Harlem Help Outreach Partnership (EHHOP) (1470 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10029) (626.942.6519) Only for residents of East Harlem, age 22 or older. Walk-in urgent care and non-urgent care by appointment only.
Center Care (646-556-9300) is the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center's health program which addresses the needs of LGBTQ New Yorkers. Provides counseling, support groups, cancer support, and also referrals to gay/trans-friendly medical professionals.
PCAP (1800-522-5006) is for pregnant NY residents. This program provides routine medical checkups, hospital care during labor and delivery, and much more. Call or visit http://www.health.ny.gov/publications/6000/

Gynecology: The New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Partnership offers annual gynecological care for free, if you are a NYS state resident, uninsured, and making less then $24,500 a year.

Mental Health

The Door's Adolescent Counseling Center provides free and confidential counseling services using multiple treatment modalities designed to meet the diverse needs of New York City's disadvantaged young people. Services include individual, group and family counseling, art therapy, case management, crisis and life stabilization services. The Counseling Center staff includes counselors, art therapists, social workers and a psychiatrist. Each of these professionals has specific expertise in providing services to young people in foster care; gay, lesbian, bisexual populations; HIV affected youth; young people with substance abuse issues and young people involved in or with histories of involvement in the juvenile justice system.
If you're under 23, the Jewish Board of Children and Family Services' Youth Counseling League offers a sliding scale for an assorted amount of mental health services (as well as homeless services).

Legal Aid

ACLU, free legal aid/counseling, pro bono attorneys, etc.

The most active legal defense group for radical leftists and revolutionaries is the National Lawyers Guild (NLG). The Center for Constitutional Rights and many community organizations (such as the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement) help working class communities of color through community self-defense programs. You can find more about the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement at: www.mxgm.org

ACLU of NYC: www.nyclu.org

Play

Beaches, Swimming Pools, Parks, Sports, Museums, Music, Theatre, TV shows, Movies, etc.

American Museum of Natural History is always free, as is the Metropolitan Museum of Art (suggested donation).
MoMa is free on Friday Nights, from 4pm-8pm.
On Friday nights, the Guggenheim museum is "pay what you wish" (suggested donation).
The grandly named Hall of Science, in Queens, is free on Friday afternoons (2pm-5pm). Many events are also free.
National Museum of the American Indian, George Gustav Heye Center
American Folk Art Museum is another destination that is free on Fridays, if only for two hours. (6pm-8pm)
The Brooklyn Museum is free one Saturday a month, from 5–11 p.m.
Also free the first Saturday of every month is The Studio Museum of Harlem, a small African art museum.
Parts of the Scandinavia House are free, while the third and fourth floors cost a modest $3 to see ($2 for students and seniors).
The Museum of Arts and Design has a "pay-what-you-want" admission price Thursdays, 6-8pm.
The Asia Society shows Asian-American art, for free, on Fridays from 6pm-9pm.
If your Friday's aren't already filled, then take a look at Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. It's free from 5pm-9pm.
Most of the Jewish History Museum- minus the Yeshiva University Museum- is free, regardless of the day.
Another related landmark is the Jewish Museum, which free on Thursdays from 5pm-8pm.
On the first Thursday of each month, the Dahesh Museum of Art offers free admission.
National Museum of the American Indian is always free, and is definitely worth a look, whether or not you have American Indian ancestry.
The Bronx zoo offers free admission on Wednesdays, as does the New York Botanical Gardens, also in the Bronx. The gardens also offer free admission on Saturdays, from 10am-noon.
Brighton Beach is free to use, and is about a $2 subway ride.
Orchard Beach is definitely the hidden gem of the Bronx. It's free to use, and is three times the size of central park (where else are you going to fit 26 sport courts, and a concert stage?)
It costs nothing to walk around Coney Island, except maybe some therapy in the future.
Screw Broadway. Shakespeare in the Park offers free performances all summer long in Central Park. (Note: You might need to arrive early (and we mean 5:00 AM early) for tickets. The lines for them can get REALLY long)
If you wanna see a good game of baseball, tickets to watch the awesome Brooklyn Cyclones at Key Span park (in Coney Island) can be had for about $10.
Jalopy (315 Columbia St; G to Carroll St) hosts all sorts of cool and affordable concerts and old-timey music classes. They also serve beer in adorable canning jars and sell cookies on the honor system (but pay up! they're made by a local small baker who needs support).
Also see free event listing at freenyc.net

Information

General weather, traffic, news resources, etc.

Winters in New York are typically long and make travel difficult. Winters are too cold and summers are too hot.

For underground news, check out the Indypendent and the New York City Independent Media Center (IMC): nyc.indymedia.org

Underground Papers

The New York Rat, The Indypendent, The Industrial Worker, and many others are available at Bluestockings Book Shop on Allen Street in the Lower East Side.

Miscellaneous

Any other freebies

Time's Up! (NYC Direct Action Environmental Organization) has many free events and participates in Critical Mass: www.times-up.org

Bluestockings (NYC Radical Book Shop) has free poetry readings, free music, free art, and free thinking: www.bluestockings.com

The Yippie! Museum & Cafe has $0.50 coffee and free music or poetry every Friday and Saturday night. A hangout for local SDSers and members of the Youth International Party, both young and old. Cures Not Wars runs the National Mobilization for Cannibis Liberation every month and is located on the second floor: http://www.yippiemuseum.org/

If you're looking to get a pet neutered, there's a couple of options. IF you have proof of public assistance (welfare, Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps, SSI disability, TANF, or public housing) then you can get your pet neutered for FREE at the ASPCA Mobile Clinic. If you do not have proof, then the fee is $99, which includes the spaying or neutering plus several vaccinations. It's best to show up early for this Mobile Clinic, as the lines tend to be long! It's recommended to get there by 5:45 (and yes, that's A.M.!). http://www.aspca.org/aspca-nyc/mobileclinic/ or call 877-SPAY NYC. Otherwise, make an appt with the Humane Society of NYC. Spaying will run you about $40. http://www.humanesocietyny.org/about/services.php or call 212-752-4840.

If you're an economically disadvantaged woman who needs appropriate clothing for a job interview or interview coaching, check with Bottomless Closet: http://www.bottomlessclosetnyc.org/ or call (212) 563-2499. For men, similar assistance is available at Career Gear: http://careergear.org/

For free furniture, always check Craigslist. The NYC Craiglist 'Free' section always has lots of listings for free mattresses, beds, cribs, dressers, etc. Sometimes salons also offer free haircuts. Beware of bed bugs!

If you're searching for a gay-friendly church, this is a good listing of churchs in NY that are identified as gay-affirming: http://www.gaychurch.org/Find_a_Church/united_states/us_new_york.htm

Public Transit

Subways, Buses, Ferries, Shuttles, etc. Most bus drivers in New York City will let you ride for free if you ask them politely. And if the metrocard reader on the bus is broken, everyone rides for free.

Don't get caught jumping the turnstile, especially at locations like Union Square where the pigs have a post inside the station as well as cameras, unless you are looking for a ticket or jail time. If you're white and a college student, the racist pigs are more likely to give you a ticket than to take you to Central Booking at 100 Chambers Street. It used to be if you bent a Metrocard diagonally in the center you could break the magnetic strip and get a free unlimited pass, but I believe this was fixed a few years ago. Make sure not to do this inside of the station and to do it out of the view of the authorities. This is illegal, and difficult to do.

One thing you can do is collect discarded tickets, swipe them at the ticket reader to see if they have any money left on them, even a few cents, and if they do get the station attendant to consolidate them onto one card.

Another thing you can do is wait just outside the subway turnstiles and ask people exiting to swipe you in. Most New Yorkers have unlimited metrocards so the swipe will cost them nothing. MTA Employees (the ones in the blue shirts with the MTA badges) don't care when people do this, but the pigs do, so make sure there are none around.

If you have a charitable friend who has an unlimited metrocard, they can give it to you and claim they lost their card. If they have a receipt or they bought it with a credit/debit card, they'll be refunded the remaining value of the card ($104/30 for every day left on it) and they can purchase a new one. The refund comes within a few weeks. You can do this twice in a calendar year. Unlimited metrocards can be swiped at the same subway station once every 18 minutes, and swiping onto a bus is free for 2 hours after you swipe onto the subway and vice a versa.

When the subway isn't running correctly because of construction or other bullshit, sometimes above-ground shuttles replace the trains. (This generally only happens in the outer boroughs, and occasionally in Harlem.) You're technically supposed to either have a transfer ticket from the subway or pay to get on the shuttle, but no one ever does. Squeeze in and ride.

The Staten Island Ferry is free, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.

While not free, Chinatown buses are (usually) much cheaper than Greyhound, although they're becoming increasingly more expensive (and the routes are limited).

Free Clothing and Furniture

See Free Clothing and Furniture section, provide details for this city.

Assorted Freebies

See Assorted Freebies Section, provide details for this city, including other topics. Whatever fits and is useful.

Original Fuck New York

HOUSING

You can always sleep up in Central Park during the daytime, although the muggers come out to play at night. Free night crashing can be found in the waiting room of the Pennsylvania Railroad station, 34^th St. and 7^th Ave. The cops will leave you alone until about 7:00 AM when they kick you out. You can put your rucksack in a locker for twenty-five cents to avoid it being ripped-off.

The Boys Emergency Shelter, 69 St. Marks Place, (777–1234) provides free room and board for males 16–20 years of age. The Living Room can be found on the same block. It’s a heavy religious scene, but they will help with room and board. Their hours are 6:30 PM to 2:00 AM, phone 982–5988. Also on the Lower East Side is the Macauley Mission at 90 Lafayette St.

On the West Side, there’s a poet named Delworth at 125 Sullivan St. that houses kids if he’s got room. The Judson Memorial Church, Washington Square South always has one or more housing programs going. If you’re really hard up, try the Stranded Youth Program, 111 W. 31^st St. (554–8897). Teenagers 16–20 are sent home; if you don’t want to go back but need room and board, give them phony identification.

The Graymoor Monastery (CA 6–2388) offers free room and board for young people in the country. They provide transportation.

FOOD

Hunt’s Point Market, Hunt’s Point Ave. and 138^th St. in the Bronx will lay enough fruit and vegetables on your family to last a week or more. Lettuce, squash, carrots, cantaloupe, grapefruit, even artichokes and mushrooms all crated. You’ll need a car or truck and they only give stuff away in the early morning. Just tell them you’re doing a free food thing and it’s yours. Outasight!

The large slaughterhouse area is in the far West Village, west of Hudson and south of 14^th St. Get a letter from a clergyman saying you need meat for a church-sponsored meal.

The fish market is located on Fulton and South Streets under the East River Drive overpass in lower Manhattan. You can always manage to find some sympathetic fisherman early in the morning who will lay as much fish on you as you can cart away.

If you pick up on a car, take a trip to Long Island City. There you will find the Gordon Baking Company at 42–25 21^st, Pepsi Cola at 4602 Fifth Ave., Borden Company at 35–10 Steinway St. and Dannon Yogurt at 22–11 38^th Ave. All four places give out samples for free if you call or write ahead and explain how it’s for a block party.

Along 2^nd and 3^rd Avenues on the upper east side are a host of swank bars with free hors-d’oeuvres beginning at five. All Longchamps are good, as is Max’s Kansas City.

For real class, check the back pages of the New York Times for ocean cruises and those swinging bon voyage parties. If you look kind of straight or want to disguise yourself and see the other half at it, sneak into conventions for drinks, snacks and all kinds of free samples. Call the New York Convention Bureau, 90 E. 42^nd St. MU 7–1300 for info. You can also get free tickets to theater events here at 9:00 AM on weekdays.

Other free meals can be gotten at the various missions.

Bowery Mission—227 Bowery (674–3456). Pray and eat from 4:00 to 6:00 PM only. Heavy religious orientation. Catholic Worker—36 E. First St. Soup line from 10:00 to 11:00 AM. Clothes for women on Thursday from 12:00 to 2:00 PM. Clothes for men after 2:00 PM weekdays. Sometimes lodging.

Holy Name Center for Homeless Men—18 Bleeker St. (CA 6–5848 or CA 6–2338) Clothes and morning showers from 7:00 to 11:00 AM.

Macauley Mission—90 Lafayette St. (CA 6–6214) Free room and board. Free food Saturdays at 5:00 PM. Sometimes free clothes.

Moravian Church—154 Lexington Ave. (MU 3–4219 or 533–3737) Free spaghetti dinner on Tuesday at 1:00 PM. Quakers—328 E. 15^th St. Meals at 6:00 PM Tuesdays.

Wayward—287 Mercer St. Free meals nightly.

The International Society For Krishna Consciousness is located at 41 Second Ave. Every morning at 7:00 AM a delicious cereal breakfast is served free along with chanting and dancing. Also at noon, more food and chanting and on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7:00 PM, again food and chanting. Then it’s all day Sunday in Central Park Sheepmeadow (generally) for still more chanting (sans food). Hari Krishna is the freest high going if you can get into it and dig cereal and of course, more chanting.

The Paradox Restaurant, at 64 E. 7^th St. is a neat cheap health joint that will give you a free meal if you help peel shrimp or do the dishes.

MEDICAL CARE

The latest dope on family planning and the new abortion law can be obtained from Planned Parenthood, 300 Park Ave. (777–2015). They provide a free directory on city-wide services in this area. The Black Panther Free Health Clinic on 180 Sutter Ave. in Brooklyn is radical medicine in action. If you ripped off this book, why not send them or another group mentioned in this book a check so they can continue serving the people. Two fantastic clinics on the Lower East Side are the St. Marks People’s Clinic at 44 St. Marks Place (533–9500), open weekdays 6–10 PM and NENA at 290 E. Third St. (677–5040) which also functions as a switchboard for the area.

The Beth Israel Teenage Clinic at 17^th St. and 1^st Ave. (673–3000 ext. 2424) services young people. Millie at the Village Project, 88 2^nd Ave. can arrange for free glasses. The New York University Dental Clinic, 421 First Ave. will give you the cheapest dental care in Gotham. Stuyvesant-Poly Clinic, 137 Second Ave. (674–0232) has an emergency day clinic with the quickest service. Dial-a-freakout is 324–0707. Ambulance service is at 440–1234. You ought to know the cops accompany ambulance calls. The following is a list of the New York City Health Department Centers. They provide a number of free services including X-rays, venereal examinations and treatment, shots for children’s diseases, vaccinations, tetanus shots and a host of other services.

Manhattan

Central Harlem—2238 Fifth Ave. AU 3–1900

East Harlem—158 E. 115^th St. TR 6–0300

Lower East Side—341 E. 25^th St. MU 9–6353

Manhattanville—21 Old Broadway MO 5–5900

Morningside—264 W. 118^th St. UN6–2500

Washington Heights—600 W. 168^th St. WA 7–6300

Bronx

Morrisania—1309 Fulton St. WY 2–4200

Mott Haven—349 E. 140^th St. MO 9–6010

Tremont-Fordham—1826 Arthur Ave. LU 3–5500

Westchester-Pelham—2527 Glebe Ave. SY 2–0100

Brooklyn

Bedford—485 Throop Ave. GL 2–7880

Brownsville—259 Briston St. HY 8–6742

Bushwick—335 Central Ave. HI 3–5000

Crown Heights—1218 Prospect Place SL 6–8902

Flatbush-Gravesend—1601 Ave. S NI 5–8280

Ft. Greene—295 Flatbush Ave. Ext. 643–8934

Red Hook-Gowanus—250 Baltic St. 643–5687

Sunset Park—514 49^th St. GE 6–2800

Williamsburg-Greenpoint—151 Mayier St. EV 8–3714

Queens

Astoria-Maspeth—12–16 31 st Ave. L.I.C. AS 8–5520

Corona-Flushing—34–33 Junction Blvd., Jackson Heights HI 6–3570

Jamaica—90–37 Parsons Blvd. OL 8–6600

Rockaway—67–10 Rockaway Beach Blvd., Arvenne NE 4–7700

Richmond

51 Stuyvesant Place SA 7–6000

The key to getting overall medical care for free is to pick up on a Medicaid card. You can apply at any metropolitan hospital. After filling out a long form and waiting three weeks you’ll get your card in the mail. Have a good story when interviewed about why you’re not working or only making under $2900 a year. There is an age limit in that only folks over 21 can qualify, but the rule is liberally enforced and younger people can get the card with the right hardship story.

LEGAL AID

The Lawyer’s Commune is a group of revolutionary young lawyers pledged to make a limited income and handle the toughest political cases. They handle all our cases. Find them at 640 Broadway on the fifth floor (677–1552).

New York radicals are fortunate in having a number of good legal assistance agencies. One of the following is bound to be able to help you out of a jam.

Emergency Civil Liberties Committee—25 E. 26^th St. 683–8120 (civil liberties)

Legal Aid Society—100 Centre St. BE 3–0250 (criminal matters)

Mobilization for Youth Legal Services—320 E. Third St. 777–5250 (all types of services)

National Lawyers Guild—5 Beekman St. 277–0385 or 227–1078 (political)

New York Civil Liberties Union—156 Fifth Ave. 929–6076 (civil liberties)

New York University Law Center Office—249 Sullivan St. GR 3–1896 (civil matters)

DRAFT COUNSELING

Bronx

Claremont Neighborhood Center—169^th St. and Washington Ave. 588–1000. Hours are from 2:00 to 10:00 weekdays.

Brooklyn

Black Anti-Draft Union—448 Nostrand Ave.

Church of St. John the Evangelist—195 Mayier St. 387–8721

Society for Ethical Culture—53 Prospect Park West SO 8–2972

Manhattan

American Friends Service Committee—15 Rutherford Place 777–4600

Chelsea Draft Information—346 W. 20^th St. WA 9–2391

Community Free Draft Counseling Center—470 Amsterdam Ave. 787–8500

Greenwich Village Peace Center—137 W. Fourth St. 533–5120

Harlem Unemployment Center—2035 Fifth Ave. 831–6591

LEMPA—105 Avenue B 477–9749

New York Civil Liberties Union—156 Fifth Ave. 675–5990

New York Workshop in Nonviolence—339 Lafayette St. 227–0973

Resistance—339 Lafayette St. 674–9060

Union Theological Seminary—606 W. 122^nd St. MO 3–9090

War Resisters League—339 Lafayette St. 228–0450

Westside Draft Information—602 Columbus Ave. (89^th St.) 874–7330

Woman’s Strike for Peace—799 Broadway 254–1925

PLAY

Botanical Gardens

Conservatory Gardens—Central Park, 105^th St. and Fifth Ave. Seasonal display. LE 4–4938

Brooklyn Botanic Gardens—Flatbush and Washington Aves. Oriental Garden, Rose Garden, Native Wild Flower Garden, Rock Garden, Conservatory. Seasonal display. MA 2–4433.

New York Botanical Gardens, Bronx Park, 200^th St., east of Webster Ave. Gardens and Conservatories. Seasonal displays. Parking fee: $1.00 on Saturday, Sunday and holidays. Open: Grounds—10:00 AM to dark, Greenhouses—10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. 933–9400.

Queens Botanical Gardens, 43–50 Main St., between Dahlia and Elder Aves, Flushing. TU 6–3800.

These gardens are really beautiful places to fuck around for a day. The best ones are the Bronx and Brooklyn. Bring a picnic, a few friends, some grass, and plant the seeds. It’s all free.

Zoos

Central Park—64^th St. and Fifth Ave. Free. Open 11 AM to 5 PM.

Children’s Zoo—64^th St. and Fifth Ave. Open 10 AM to 5 PM. Admission is 10 cents. No tickets are sold after 4:30 PM. Free story-telling sessions with motion pictures or color slides at 3:30 PM, Mondays through Fridays.

Bronx Park—Fordham Road and Southern Blvd. WE 3–1500. Open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM. November, December, January closes at 4:30 PM. Admission on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays is 25 cents for adults and children over 5 years. Free on other days and all legal holidays. Children’s Zoo closes November 1^st.

Barrett Park Zoo—in Richmond, Broadway, Glenwood Place and Clove Road. Open daily 10 AM to 5 PM. GI 2–3100.

Unlike the barbaric cages in Central Park, the 18-acre Flushing Meadow Zoo in Queens has been designed so that visitors can view the animals and birds in their natural surroundings, without bars. Take the Main Street Flushing Line Subway (train number 7) from Times Square to 111^th St. in Queens. Bronx Zoo which is the largest in the United States and Flushing Meadow Zoo are fantastic.

Beaches

Brooklyn—Coney Island Beach and Boardwalk ES 2–1670

Manhattan Beach—Oriental Blvd., from Ocean Ave. to Makenzie St. DE 26794

Bronx—Pelham Bay Park—Orchard Beach and Boardwalk TI 5–1828

Queens—Jacob Riis Park—Jamaica Bay, Beach 149 to Beach 169 GR 4–4600

Rockaway Beach—First St. to 149^th St. GR 4–3470

Richmond—Great Kills Park—Hylan Blvd., Great Kills EL 1–1977

South Beach and Boardwalk—Ft. Wadsworth to Miller Field, New Dorp YU 7–0709

Wolf’s Pond Park—Holten and Cornelia Avenues, Princes Bay YU 4–0360

Go to the beach on weekdays as it usually is very crowded on the weekends. The best beach by far is Rockaway. It has pretty good waves.

Swimming Pools

MANHATTAN—OUTDOOR POOLS

Carmine Street Pool—Clarkson St. and Seventh Ave. WA 4–4246

Colonial Pool—Bradhurst Ave. and W. 145^th St. WA 6–8109

East 23^rd Street Pool—Asser Levy Place MU 5–1026

Hamilton Fish Pool—E. Houston and Sheriff Streets GR 7–3911

Highbridge Pool—Amsterdam Ave. and W. 173^rd St. WA 3–2360

John Jay Pool—77^th St., east of York Ave. at Cherokee Place. RE 7–2458

Lasker Memorial Pool—Central Park, 110^th St. and Lenox Ave. 348–6297

Thomas Jefferson Pool—111^th St. and First Ave. LE 4–0198

West 59^th Street Pool—between West End and Amsterdam Avenues. CI 5–8519

MANHATTAN—INDOOR POOLS

Baruch Pool—Rivington St. and Baruch Place GR 3–6950

East 54^th Street Pool—342 E. 54^th St. and Second Ave. PL 8–3147

Rutgers Place Pool—5 Rutgers Place GR 3–6567

West 28^th Street Pool—407 W. 28^th St. CH 4–1896

West 134^th Street Pool—35 W. 134^th St. AU 3–4612

BROOKLYN—OUTDOOR POOLS

Betsy Head Pool—Hopkinson and Dumont Avenues DI 2–2977

McCarren Pool—Driggs Ave. and Lorimer St. EV 8–2367

Red Hook Pool—Bay and Henry Streets TR 5–3855

Sunset Pool—Seventh Ave. and 43^rd St. GE 5–2627

BROOKLYN—INDOOR POOLS

Brownsville Recreation Center—Linden Blvd. and Christopher Ave. HY 8–1121

Metropolitan Avenue Pool—Bedford Ave., no phone; call SO 8–2300

St. John’s Recreation Center—Prospect Place and Schenectady Avenues HY 3–3948

BRONX—OUTDOOR POOLS

Crotona Pool—E. 173^rd St. and Fulton Ave. LU 3–3910

BRONX—INDOOR POOLS

St. Mary’s Recreation Center Pool—St. Ann’s Ave. and E. 145^th St. CY 2–7254

QUEENS—OUTDOOR POOLS

Astoria Pool—19^th St. and 23^rd Drive, Astoria AS 8–5261

Flushing Meadow Amphitheatre—Long Island Expressway and Grand Central Parkway, Swimming pool and diving pool. 699–4228.

RICHMOND—OUTDOOR POOLS

Faber Pool—Faber St. and Richmond Terrace GI 2–1524

Lyons Pool—Victory Blvd. and Murray Hulbert Ave. GI 7–6650

The pools are generally crowded but on a warm summer day you don’t care. The pools are open on weekdays from 10 AM to 12:30 PM. There is a free period for children 14 years of age and under. No adults are admitted to the pool areas during this free period. After 1 PM on weekdays and all day on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays there is a 15 cents charge for children under 14 years and a 35 cents charge for children over 14 years.

Free Cricket Matches

At both Van Cortland Park in the Bronx and Walker Park on Staten Island every Sunday afternoon there are free cricket matches. Get schedule from British Travel Association, 43 W. 61^st St. At Walker Park, free tea and crumpets are served during intermission. I say!

Free Park Events

All kinds of activities in the Parks are free. Call 755–4100 for a recorded announcement of the week’s events. The freak center is the rowing pond around 70^th St. and Bethesda Fountain around 72^nd St. in Central Park, although it floats. Busts are non-existent. A complete list of all recreational facilities can be obtained by calling the New York City Department of Parks.

Museums

American Academy of Arts and Letters, American Numismatic Society, and the American Geographical Society are all located at Broadway and 155^th St.

Asia House Gallery—112 E. 64^th St. Art objects from the Far East.

Brooklyn Museum—Eastern Parkway and Washington Ave. Egyptian stuff best in the world outside Egypt. Take IRT (Broadway line) express train to Brooklyn Museum station. (Don’t miss the Gardens in back.)

The Cloisters—Weekdays 10 AM to 5 PM, Sundays 1 PM to 6 PM. Take IND Eighth Avenue express (A train) to 190^th Str. station and walk a few blocks. The number 4 Fifth Avenue bus also goes all the way up and it’s a pleasant ride. One of the best trip places in medieval setting.

Frick Museum—1 E. 70^th St. Great when you’re stoned. Closed Mondays.

The Hispanic Society of America—Broadway between 15^th and 16^th Streets. The best Spanish art collection in the city.

Marine Museum of the Seaman’s Church—25 South St.. All kinds of model ships and sea stuff. Also the Seaport Museum on 16 Fulton St.

Metropolitan Museum—5^th Ave. and 82^nd St.

Museum of the American Indian—Broadway at 155^th St. Largest Indian museum in the world. Open Tuesday to Sunday 1 to 5 PM. Take IRT (Broadway line) local to 157^th St. station.

Museum of the City of New York—103^rd St. and 5^th Ave. LE 4–1672

Museum of Modern Art—11 W. 53^rd St. CI 5–3200. Monday is free.

Museum of Natural History—Central Park West and 79^th St. Great dinosaurs and other stuff. Weekdays 10–5 PM, Sunday 1–5 PM.

Museum of the Performing Arts—Lincoln Center, Amsterdam Ave. and 65^th St. 799–2200

New York Historical Society—77^th St. and Central Park West. TR 3–3400

Chase Manhattan Museum of Money—1256 6^th Ave. All banks, especially Chase Manhattan ones are museums when you get right down to it. Liberate them!

Music

About the closest you can come to good free rock music is the Summer Musical Festival in Central Park. There are concerts every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday in the months of July and August. It only costs $1.00 or $2.00, and everybody in the music world plays at least once. The concerts are held at the Wollman Ice Skating Ring. Occasionally there are free rock concerts in Central Park.

The Greenwich House of Music located at 46 Barrow St. in the West Village puts on free concerts and recitals every Friday at 8:30 PM. For a complete schedule send a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

The Frick Museum, 1 E. 70^th St., BU 8–0700, has concerts every Sunday afternoon. The best of the classical offerings. You must hassle a little. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope that will arrive on Monday before the date you wish to go. One letter, one ticket. The Donnell Library, 20 W. 53^rd St. also presents free classical music. The schedule is found in “Calendar of Events” at any library.

The Juilliard School presents a variety of free stuff: orchestral, opera, dance, chamber music, string quartets and soloists. Performances take place most Friday evenings at 8:30 PM, from November through May.

The Museum of the City of New York, 5^th Ave. between 103^rd St. and 104^th St. every Sunday at 2:30 PM, October through April. Phone first: LE 4–1672. Classical.

From December through April, glee clubs string groups, and classical singers also perform on Sundays at 2:30 PM at the New York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West (near 77^th St.), Phone TR 3–3400 for schedule.

Classical concerts by assorted soloists and groups are presented free every Sunday from October through June at 2 PM, at the Brooklyn Museum, Eastern Parkway and Washington Ave. NE 8–5000.

Television Shows

You can sometimes pick up tickets to television shows at the New York Convention and Visitors Bureau, 90 E. 42^nd St. For the bigger and better shows you have to write direct to the studios. If you do write, do it as far in advance as possible. CBS, 51 W. 52^nd St., asks you to write two months in advance. Sometimes you can get last-minute tickets for the Ed Sullivan Theater, 1697 Broadway. For NBC shows, write NBC Ticket Division, 30 Rockefeller Plaza. There is also a ticket desk on the NBC Mezzanine of 30 Rockefeller Plaza where tickets are given out for the day shows on a first-come-first-served basis. It’s open Monday through Friday from 9–5. ABC, 1330 Sixth Ave. ask you to write two to three weeks in advance for tickets. You can get tickets up to the day of the show by calling in or visiting the ticket office of ABC, 79 W. 66^th St. or 1330 6^th Ave. (LT 1–7777). Metromedia also gives out free tickets to their shows and you can get them by writing to WNEW-TV, 205 E. 67^th St. (LE 5–1000).

Theater

The Dramatic Workshop, Studio number 808, Carnegie Hall Building, 881 7^th Ave. at 56^th St. Free on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 8:15 PM. JU 6–4800 for information.

New York Shakespeare Festival, Delacourte Theater, Central Park. Every night except Monday. Performance begins at 8:00 PM, but get there before 6:00 PM to be assured of tickets.

Pageant Players, the Sixth Street Theater Group and other street theater groups perform on street corners and in parks. Free theater is also provided at the United Nations Building and the Stock Exchange on Wall Street. If you enjoy seventeenth century comedy.

The Equity Library Theatre gives performances of old Broadway hits at the Masters Institute, 103^rd St. and Riverside Drive. They perform Tuesday through Sunday at 8:30 PM and Sunday at 2:30 PM. Free tickets are not always available so phone ahead (MO 3–2038) for reservations. No shows during the summer.

The Museum of Performing Arts, 111 Amsterdam Ave. offers plays, dance programs and music. Shows start at 6:30 PM. Tickets are handed out at 4:00 PM. Saturday shows start at 2:30 PM. You can write for a calendar of events to 1865 Broadway or call 799–2200.

Movies

The New York Historical Society, Central Park West and 77^th St. presents Hollywood movies every Saturday afternoon. TR 3–3400 for a schedule.

At the Metropolitan Museum, Fifth Ave. and 82^nd St., you can see art films every Monday at 3:00 PM. TR 9–5500 for a schedule.

New York University has a very good free movie program as well as poetry, lectures, and theatre presentations. Call the Program Director’s Office 598–2026 for a schedule.

The Film Library in the Donnell Library, 20 W. 53^rd St., 790–6463, has a wide variety of films which may be borrowed free of charge. The Library system also presents film programs throughout the year. Pick up a Calendar of Events which lists the free showings at all the branches.

The Museum of Modern Art is free every Monday and they have a free film showing at 2 and 5 PM. Get a schedule at the Museum. They have the largest movie collection in the world.

The Museum of Natural History, Central Park West between 77^th and 81^st St. (TR 3–1300), presents travel and anthropological films on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons at 2:00 sharp, from October through May.

Every movie that plays in New York has a series of screenings for critics, film buyers and friends of the folks that made it. Look in the Yellow Pages under Motion Picture Studios and Motion Picture Screening Rooms. Once you get the feel of it, you’ll quickly learn who shows what, where and when. They always let you in free and if not give some gull story. (See Free Entertainment section). If you see previews in a theater or notice a publicity build-up in the newspapers, the movie is being screened at one or more of the rooms.

INFORMATION

Daily News—220 E. 42^nd St., will answer any questions you put to them. Well almost! General information: 883–1122; Sports: 883–1133; Travel: 883–1144; Weather: 883–1155.

For the latest news call the wire services. AP is PL 7–1312, UPI is MU 2–0400.

The New York Times Research Bureau, 229 W. 43^rd St., 556–1651, will research news questions that pertain to the past three months.

Liberation News Service at 160 Claremont Ave., will give you up-to-the-minute coverage of radical news. Call 749–2200.

UNDERGROUND PAPERS

East Village Other—20 E. 12^th St., 225–2130

Liberation—339 Lafayette St., 674–0050

Other Scenes—Box 8, Village Station, 242–3888

Rat—241 E. 14^th St., 228–4460

Win—339 Lafayette St., 674–0050

Others, call Underground Press Syndicate, Box 26, Village Station, 691–6073

MISCELLANEOUS

Dial-a-Beating—911, Dial-a-Demonstration—924–6315, Dial-a-Satellite—TR 3–0404, Time—NERVOUS, Weather—WE 6–1212.

The Switchboard—989–0720, at the Alternate U, is open 6 PM to 3 AM.

THE SUBWAY SYSTEM

The first thing to do is get familiar with the geography of stops you use most frequently. Locate the token cage. Check to see whether the exits are within easy view of the teller, off to the side, or blocked from view by concrete pole-supporters. Next learn the type of turnstile in use. Follow the hints laid down in the Free Transportation section.

The rush hours are always the easiest times. Just go through the exits as people push open the door. Also at crowded hours, people go single file past the turnstiles, one after another in a steady stream. Get in line and go under. The people will block you from view and won’t do anything. Even a cop won’t give you much hassle. Some subway stations have concrete supports that block the teller’s view. Where these exist, slip through the exit nearest the pole or slide by the turnstile.

Turnstile jumping is such a skill, it’s going to be added to the Olympics. There are three basic styles common to New York and most cities and each needs a slightly different approach.

The Old Wooden Cranker—(Traditional) You have to go under or sail over this type. Going under is a smoother trip. Going over is trickier since you need both hands free to hurdle and it’s a quicker, more noticeable motion.

New-Aluminum-Bar-Turnstiles-Which-Turn-Both-Ways-For-Exit-and-Entrance—Approach it with confidence. Pretend you’re putting in a token with your right hand and pull the bar toward you one third of the way with your left hand. Go through the space left between the bars and the barrier. Not for heavyweights!

New-Aluminum-Bar-Turnstiles-Which-Can-Be-Used-Only-For-Entrance—They won’t pull towards you, and so, you must go either under or over them.

NOTE: There is no way to tell a New-Aluminum-Bar-Turnstile-Which-Turns-Both- Ways—For—Exit—and—Entrance from a New-Aluminum-Bar-Turnstile-Which-Can-Be-Used-Only-For-Entrance unless there is a sign. You have to try it first. Therefore, it is important to remember which kind is in use at your local station so your technique will be smooth. Once you’re through, remember in your mind you’ve paid. Ignore everybody who tries to stop you or tell you different. If someone shouts just keep on truckin’ on toward your track. Don’t stop or run. Insist you are right if you ever get caught. We have been doing it for years, got caught twice and let go both times when other passengers insisted we paid. Everybody hates the subways, even the tellers.

FREEBIES

Clothing Repairs

All Wallach stores feature a service that includes sewing on buttons, free shoe horns, and shoe laces, mending pants pockets and linings, punching extra holes in belts, and a number of other free services.

Furniture

By far the best place to get free furniture in New York is on the street. Once a week in every district, the Sanitation Department makes bulk pick-ups. The night before, residents put out all kinds of stuff on the street. For the best selection try the West Village on Monday nights, and the East Seventies on Tuesday nights. On Wednesday night there are fantastic pick-ups on 35^th St. in back of Macy’s. Move quickly though, the guards get pissed off easily; the truckers couldn’t care less. This street method can furnish your whole pad. Beds, desks, bureaus, lamps, bookcases, chairs, and tables. It’s all a matter of transportation. If you don’t have access to a car or truck, it’s worth it to rent a station wagon and make pick-ups.

Ghosts

If you would like to meet a real ghost, write Hans Holtzer, c/o New York Committee for Investigation for Paranormal Research, 140 Riverside Drive, New York, NY. He’ll put you in touch for free.

Free Lessons

Lessons in a variety of skills such as plumbing, electricity, jewelry-making, construction and woodworking are provided by the Mechanics Institute, 20 W. 44^th St. Call or write them well in advance for a schedule. You must sign up early for lessons as they try to maintain small courses. MU 7–4279.

Poems

are free. Are you a poem or are you a prose?

Liberated Churches

Saint Mark’s in the Bowery, Second Ave. and 10^th ST. (674–6377); Washington Square Methodist Church, 133 W. Fourth St., Greenwich Village (777–2528); Judson Memorial Church, Washington Square South (725–9211).

Flowers

At about 9:30 AM, free flowers in the Flower District on Sixth Ave. between 22^nd St. and 23^rd St. Once in a while, you can find a potted tree that’s been thrown out because it’s slightly damaged.

The Staten Island Ferry—Not free, but a nickel each way for a five mile ocean voyage around the southern tip of Manhattan is worth it. Take IRT (Broadway line) to South Ferry, local only. Ferry leaves every half-hour day and night.

Drugs

In the area along Central Park West in the Seventies and Eighties are located many doctor’s offices. Daily they throw out piles of drug samples. If you know what you’re looking for, search this area.

Books

You can always use the library. The main branch is on Fifth Ave. and 42^nd St. The Public Library prints a leaflet entitled “It’s Your Library” which lists all the 168 branches and special services the library provides. You can pick it up at your nearest branch. They also publish a calendar of events every two weeks which is available free. If you have any questions call 791–6161.

You can get free posters, literature and books from the various missions to the United Nations located on the East Side near the UN Building. The Cuban Mission, 6 E. 67^th St., will give you free copies of Granma, the Cuban newspaper, Man and Socialism in Cuba, by Che Guevara and other literature.

Map

A free subway map is available at any token booth. Good if you’re new in the city and don’t know your way around.

Pets

ASPCA, 441 E. 92^nd St. and York Ave., TR 6–7700. Dogs, cats, some birds and other pets. Tell them you’re from out of town if you want a dog and you will not have to pay the $5.00 license fee. Have them inspect and inoculate the pet, which they do free of charge. A good place to look for free pets is in the Village Voice Under their column Free Pets.

Radio Free New York

WBAI FM, 99.5 on your dial. 30 E. 39^th St. (OX 7–8506).

Free Schools

Alternative University, 69 W. 14^th St. (989–0666). A good radical school offering courses in karate, Mao, medical skills and other courses. They will send you a catalogue listing current courses.

Bottega Artists Workshop, 1115 Quentin Road, Brooklyn, 336–3212 has art taught by professionals for a free.

GENERAL SERVICES

Contact—220 E. Seventh St. Open 3 to 10 PM. Raps, contacts, mailing addresses, counseling, sometimes food.

Traveler’s Aid—204 E. 39^th St. MU 4–5029

Village Project—88 Second Ave. Open 2 to 6 PM. Same as Contact.

Con Edison’s number is 679–6700.