Top Five Things To Do On A Budge

By: Kate Ryan

Posted: 11/27/06

The Top Five Things to Do for Students on a Budget

Looking for something fun to do-but money's a little tight? We're college students - we understand. Check out this months' best FREE things to do in NYC.

5. Celebrate the Pre-Lunar New Year Gala and Flower Market

New Year is the single most important Chinese holiday, and what better way to celebrate than to visit lower Manhattan and experience the Chinese culture and festivities for the occasion. Booths and activities are available for everyone to enjoy.

When: Dec. 27 and 28
Where: Sara D. Roosevelt Park (Manhattan); call (212) 431-0368 for information

4. Ring in the New Year!

2007 is upon us, and we're in the best location in the world to ring it in! World famous Times Square is the home of the famous ball New Year's Eve Celebration and Ball Drop. If you love the thrill of the crowds, join hundreds of thousands of excited people (and the millions watching along on TV) in the heart of Manhattan on this special night.
When: Dec. 31- arrive extremely early!
Where: Times Square (Manhattan); call (212) 768-1560 for information
And if you'd rather avoid those throngs of people, but would still like to get out and celebrate the evening, try the New Year's Eve Celebratory Firework display at Tavern on the Green in Central Park. Watch as the city's largest park is lit up with fireworks for the holiday!
When: Dec. 31 (after dark)
Where: Central Park; call (212) 360-3456 for information

3. Learn about Asian Fitness and Health

Still tense over the holiday season? Learn about Yoga, Tai Chi and Chakras: three Asian practices that target the mind, body and spirit, keeping you relaxed and energized as you enter the new year.
When: Jan. 6, 2007
Where: 725 Park Avenue (Manhattan); call (212) 327-9352 for information

2. Celebrate Winter Through Nature (and Contemporary Art)
Featuring 11 installations by contemporary artists, a holiday exhibition will be held in the former 19th century estate house once home to Mark Twain. Enjoy festive piano recitals, wreath making lessons, food tastings, family art projects and more, surrounded the sparkle, shimmer, and scent of beautiful ornamental works.
When: Now through Jan. 14; call (718) 549-3200 for time schedules and other information
Where: West 249th Street and Independence Avenue (Bronx)

1. Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a New York City landmark, hosting 5,000 years worth of gorgeous selected works of art. There are many exhibitions going on daily, ranging from "Set in Stone: The Face in Medieval Architecture" to "Brush and Ink: The Chinese Art of Brush Writing". An exhibition that looks particulary interesting is "Cézanne to Picasso: Ambroise Vollard, Patron of the Avant-Garde". The collection is the first comprehensive exhibition dedicated to Vollard, who played a key role in promoting and shaping the careers of the leading artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Hundreds of works will be displayed, featuring works by Bonnard, Cézanne, Degas, Derain, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Maillol, Matisse, Picasso, Redon, Renoir, Rouault, Rousseau, Vlaminck, Vuillard, and others. A student donation of $10 for entry to the museum is requested but not mandatory.
When: Now through January 7th (Vollard exhibition only)
Museum open Tuesday through Thursday: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Where: 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street (Manhattan); call (212) 535-7710 for more information.