Kate Hinds: This is All Of It. I'm Kate Hinds in for Alison Stewart live from the WNYC studios in SoHo. Thanks for joining us on today's show. The band Khruangbin has been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. We'll have a listening party for their latest album, A La Sala. Comedian and writer Josh Gondelman is here to provide a little positivity on the airwaves by giving us all pep talks. Plus, we'll learn about the history of winter solstice traditions with author Sasha Sagan. Composer David Lang is here to preview his new series of hymns that will be performed at Lincoln Center tomorrow. That's the plan. Let's get this started with what to do this winter.
[music]
Kate Hinds: The solstice is here. Tomorrow afternoon, the sun will set at 4:30 PM and we will officially be in winter. It's like the weather knows because the temperatures will be dropping into the teens this weekend. Rather than be all doom and gloom about the cold months ahead, we want your ideas about how to shake off the January and February blues and actually enjoy a New York winter.
Here's one thing I do. I'm a birder and winter is hot duck season. Most weekends next month I will be out and about spotting those northern shovelers, green-winged teals, and buffleheads in various bodies of water in Central Park. We've got a lot of other ideas, too. We've asked our WNYC colleagues to share their suggestions of one indoor, one outdoor, and one free activity that's great for winter in our area. We'll start with All Of It producer Simon Close, who is with me here now in studio. Hey, Simon.
Simon Close: Hello, Kate.
Kate Hinds: How you doing?
Simon Close: Good. How are you?
Kate Hinds: I'm doing great. Let's start with your indoor suggestion. It's a Public Song Project event that you're working on that is open to the public in January. Tell us all the details.
Simon Close: It is. I was hoping to say I had no stake in this at all, but in fact, this is purely self-promotional.
Kate Hinds: [laughs] We love that.
Simon Close: The Public Song Project, the project that we launched on this show a couple years ago that we've gotten lots of different artists involved where we have people take music from the public domain and create new recordings out of it. We're doing another concert which I'm really excited for at Joe's pub. It's on January 8th, which is a Wednesday. You have no excuse not to come, listeners, because what else are you doing on Wednesday, January 8th?
It's going to be really fun. We will have some of the winners from this year performing their songs that were chosen by our judges as some of the best submissions that we got. Then also some special guests will be performing. Also, Joanna Sternberg, who's a local singer, songwriter, and DJ Rekha, who is also local and has been on our air a few times. They were also a judge for the project as well. They both contributed to the project this year and will be doing something special on stage for us.
Kate Hinds: What did DJ Rekha adapt from the public domain?
Simon Close: DJ Rekha's submission was really cool and it's in the vinyl that we put together, which we can talk about in a second, I think. The song that DJ Rekha did is called Earth Talking and it takes two audio samples. A lot of the submissions we got are more like song covers or people taking poetry-like text and making a new song out of it. Rekha, because they're a DJ with another artist named Offering Rain, took two audio samples, which I have some information about here.
One of them is a poem by the poet Juan de Dios Peza called Mexico y Espana, and the other one is a recording by-- I'll probably get this name wrong, but Gauhar Jaan, who is one of India's first recording artists. the two of them took these two audio samples and made a new piece of music out of it. Do you mind if I read what Rekha told us about the song when they sent it in?
Kate Hinds: Go for it.
Simon Close: Rekha said the original music for this was created for these two audio samples to invoke the origins of both recordings. Offering Rain is of Ecuadorian and Indian descent, and Rekha says that they live in a Latinx and South Asian neighborhood and they wanted to find content that reflected that and veered outside contemporary music of the early 20th century. As DJs and producers, they couldn't resist giving it a groove. I think we have the clip of the song.
Kate Hinds: That's what we're going to hear.
Simon Close: Yes.
Kate Hinds: Let's play it.
[music]
Kate Hinds: That is a sample of something people will hear at Joe's Pub on January 8th.
Simon Close: Yes. Rekha again and Joanna Sternberg, who also submitted to the project, they'll be performing their songs along with some other stuff that will be specific for this live concert.
Kate Hinds: You mentioned an album which I've seen. It's at your desk. It's gorgeous. If listeners haven't seen it, go to the All Of It Instagram. It's A red piece of vinyl which is wild.
Simon Close: Transparent red.
Kate Hinds: Transparent red. How can people get a copy?
Simon Close: If you donate to WNYC, you can get it as a premium. If you go to wnyc.org/donate, you can get it there. You can also call the number that Kate made sure I had right before we started. [laughs]
Kate Hinds: Tattooed in my brain.
Simon Close: Which is 888-376-9692. If you go there, call that number. You can ask for the Public Song Project vinyl as a premium. that features music from DJ Rekha, Joanna Sternberg, also Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal, the Lemon Twigs, Bela Fleck, Rhiannon Giddens, a lot of other great artists who were kind enough to contribute to this project and pull from the public domain. Oh, before we move on about the concert, I also just want to add that will be launching the 2025 edition of the Public Song Project where listeners can submit songs and then we'll pick some favorites. The goal also is just to create an archive or a big database of all of these songs. This concert will be a launch party for this vinyl album and we hope to put the stuff on digital platforms too. It'll be a launch for the 2025 edition of the project as well.
Kate Hinds: That is very awesome. We're going to do a little something on the show when we enter 2025 to some more details to come. One more time, just shout out the date of the Joe's Pub concert and how people can get tickets.
Simon Close: Sure. That's January 8th. It's a Wednesday. It's at 7:00 PM and it's at Joe's Pub. To get tickets, all you have to do is go to wnyc.org/publicsong.
Kate Hinds: Beautiful. Thank you, Simon.
Simon Close: Thank you, Kate
Kate Hinds: Listeners. We want to hear from you. Give us your ideas of how to enjoy the city and our surrounding area during the winter so we don't just suffer through the cold. The Public Song Project concert is great, but it's just one night. We're looking for more details. How can we have fun in the winter? How are you having fun in the winter? Call or text us now. 212-433-9692. That's 212-433-WNYC.
Do you do something outdoors or do you have a favorite place you like to hang out indoors, something that is free and accessible to everyone? We want to hear it all, 212-433-9692. You can also text us at that number or write to us on social media @allofitwnyc. Now we went into this prepared. We asked some of our WNYC colleagues to share their ideas for things to do in the winter and they recorded some voice memos for us. Let's start with some members of Team All Of It. Here's our producer, Zach Gottehrer-Cohen.
Zach Gottehrer-Cohen: I'm really excited to get back into my ice skating groove in Prospect Park at the LeFrak Center. They have two rinks. One is covered and one is fully outdoor. You get to choose based on whether the weather is nice or whether one is more crowded than the other, which rink you want to be in. The vibes are great and it's a really good time. There's a lot of excellent skaters that are fun to watch do fancy footwork and then there's-- It's more family-friendly, people learning, of all ages and it's a good time. Highly recommend that.
Then for free activities, I'm really looking forward to when it snows, if it snows. Fingers crossed. I was watching Elf the other day and they had that snowball fight scene and it made me really want to have a snowball fight. I haven't had a snowball fight in a very long time. I know that they do these community things in Central Park, Prospect Park, just around the city.
I'm going to be looking out for community snowball fights when that happens. I also think it's just really lovely to after it snows or during a big deluge of snow to just walk around. It's a lot quieter, the snow absorbs all the sound. It's a unique way to experience the city that I really just enjoy. Bundle up, wear those PJs inside out, and I will see you at the snowball fight.
Kate Hinds: Listeners, if you're walking through a park and you get hit by a snowball, it might be All Of It producer Zach Gottehrer-Cohen.
Simon Close: Community snowball fights is maybe one of the most deeply Zach Gottehrer-Cohen phrases that I've heard. [laughter]
Kate Hinds: We got a text from a listener, Bill, in North Brunswick who says, "The best way to handle the winter season, go curling at the Brooklyn Curling Club or the Plainfield Curling Club in South Plainfield, New Jersey, and do some ice skating. I plan to do some at the North Brunswick Veterans Park. It's open every Friday through Sunday at different times which are available on the website." Thanks, Bill. Curling is something that I pay attention to every four years during the Olympics, so it's nice to hear it in an off year.
Simon Close: Have you ever curled yourself?
Kate Hinds: I have never curled.
Simon Close: [chuckles] I have not curled. I've shuffleboarded which is maybe similar, the land version of it.
Kate Hinds: I'm intrigued by it. I like watching it when it's on the Olympics.
Simon Close: Same.
Kate Hinds: Producer Luke Green, who prepared this segment, also has some picks and I'm just going to shout out a few of them. For his indoor idea, Luke is recommending going to a spa or getting a massage. "In the wintertime," he says, "we all need some self-care when it's cold or dark." Luke believes that one way to do that is taking care of our bodies. Sure, some spas or massages can be expensive, but there are also places with good deals all around the city.
For his outdoor pick, Luke is recommending a trip to Coney Island for the polar bear plunge. His parents live by the ocean and they swear by taking a quick dip in the winter to shock your system and make you feel good. Luke thinks they're crazy, but it seems to work for them. "Will it hurt and give you a numbing pain and make you feel like you're having a heart attack? Sure, but it's for 30 seconds and then it's over. then you get to go enjoy Coney Island and maybe get Totonno's pizza." Have you ever polar bear plunged?
Simon Close: I went to college in Maine and I still have never polar bear plunged, but I hear it's good and we're getting thumbs up about it from the control room. I do think it's funny that Luke's two picks are one the most relaxing body experience and then the most shocking one. [laughs]
Kate Hinds: Most horrifying one. Then for his final free pick, he recommends going to Bryant Park on a Saturday afternoon either solo or with family or friends, and enjoy the main branch of the New York Public Library. Bring a nice book or a crossword puzzle, people watch and enjoy the grandeur of the space. He finishes off by saying, "Who knows, maybe you'll also spot Robert Caro finishing his next LBJ volume.
Listeners, we want to get you in on the conversation. What are you doing this winter? What are you looking forward to? Call or text us now at 212-433-9692. That's 212-433-WNYC. You can also hit us up on social media @allofitwnyc. If you're thinking of picking up a new hobby, I myself am knitting curious. We'll see if that happens. Simon, we heard about your indoor pick. What is your outdoor pick for something to do in New York?
Simon Close: I've blended the free and outdoor. I'm going to start with my more outdoor pick, which is not even outdoor, but walk with me on this. My pick is the NYC Winter Jazz Fest, which returns for its 21st year this winter. It runs January 9th through January 15th. The day after the Public Song Project, in case you forgot that we're doing the Public Song project event on January 8th.
Kate Hinds: Where is that event again, Simon?
Simon Close: It's at Joe's Pub on January 8th. [laughs] NYC Winter Jazz Fest is great. I've been the last couple years and it's a bunch of venues, all host concerts around the same time on the same weekend or within this span of days. It's 20 different stages between downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn. There are 150 groups performing. Technically the concerts themselves are indoors.
What I really like about this event series is that you have to walk between the venues, so there is a big outdoor component. Especially if it's like a cold winter night, you might get a more enjoyable experience of the walking between venues if you think of it as an outdoor experience rather than between the indoor experiences. You get to explore those neighborhoods in maybe a different way than you would otherwise.
Kate Hinds: That's neat. I look forward to hearing your review of it.
Simon Close: I look forward to telling you more.
Kate Hinds: Before we get to your final pick, I want to take a call. We've got listener Judy in Brooklyn. Hi, Judy, you're on the air.
Judy: Hi. There are three good exhibits now. The main branch of the library on 42nd street has Bohemian Greenwich Village. The Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center has a great exhibit on the Joffrey Ballet with movies and audio. Temple Emanu-El has a museum and they have an exhibit on Theodor Herzl.
Kate Hinds: Those are all three great suggestions. Thanks, Judy. We love it. Listeners, you can get in on this conversation. 212-433-9692. That's 212-433-WNYC. Simon, what's your free event?
Simon Close: My free event. A friend of mine just told me about last night, actually. It is Winter Tea in Prospect Park. After you go skating, like Zach's suggestion, or after a snowball fight, after-
Kate Hinds: After you get hit in the head with snowball.
Simon Close: -a community snowball fight. On January 4th, the organization called Tea Arts and Culture and the Prospect Park alliance are joining to put on from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM on January 4th a winter tea drinking and meditative experience. There will be tea, there will be sound performances, there will be poetry. I think there's also maybe some art installation involved, but generally just a two hours of mindfulness and drinking tea.
Kate Hinds: What are the sound performances?
Simon Close: I don't know much about them, but I can read what I saw online.
Kate Hinds: I was wondering if it was like a sound bath or are we hearing music.
Simon Close: There is music. It's described as a long-form music performance, but I think there's also a sound bath, like ambient, meditative, soundscape stuff.
Kate Hinds: This is All Of It on WNYC. I'm Kate Hinds in for Alison Stewart, and I'm here with my producer Simon Close, a fellow member of the team All Of It. We are talking about things to do this winter. I'm going to shout out something that our colleague Malik has-- Malik Anderson is producer here on the show and he has some recommendations for us. Luna Luna. This is something that we talked about on the show.
It is the world's first art amusement park and we covered it, I think maybe last month. It opened at the Shed in New York City and It's on through February 23rd. It was just extended and it features things like a Ferris wheel from Jean Michel Basquiat, a carousel by Keith Haring, a wedding chapel by Andre Heller, immersive pavilions, and all kinds of pieces of art. I myself haven't seen it. Have you seen it, Simon?
Simon Close: I haven't seen it, but I feel like I have given how much Malik has talked about it. This is definitely a very sincere, earnest, and enthusiastic recommendation from Malik.
Kate Hinds: I've heard a lot of raves. Malik's other two suggestions are winter wonderland at Bryant Park. They have shops open now if you're looking for any last-minute holiday gifts. I can't imagine you are. I'm sure you're well ahead of the game. I'm certainly not. There's also a food hall and a curling cafe and bar. I don't know if that means there's actually curling, but I'm intrigued.
Simon Close: Big curling. [laughs]
Kate Hinds: I know. Maybe 2025 is the year we all take up curling.
Simon Close: It is. [laughs]
Kate Hinds: Then Malik wants us to know that the Whitney Museum of American Art is free every Friday evening from 5:00 to 10:00 PM. There's art, drinks, special programming, and music. There's an exhibit called Edges of Ailey is open right now. We also spoke about it on the show and it's a really great exhibit that brings together visual arts, live performances, music, a range of archival materials, and a video installation drawn from recordings of Alvin Ailey. Let us talk to Will in Jersey City. Hi, Will.
Will: Hi. Thank you for taking my call.
Kate Hinds: Sure. Tell me about what you're doing this winter.
Will: Years ago after a blizzard. you have to wait until the morning after a blizzard and go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the morning when all the schools have been canceled. You'll be one of the only people there. It's glorious. It's wonderful. You have the place all to yourself and just a wonderful experience.
Kate Hinds: That's a great suggestion. I love when the city shuts down and feels empty and you're walking and you're the only one in the world it feels like. That's really neat. I want to hear from our colleague Amanda Murphy now. She lives in New Jersey and has some ideas for what to do this winter.
Amanda Murphy: Hi, I'm Amanda Murphy, WNYC's director of employee engagement. To keep you and your family engaged, especially if you have young kids, here's my metro area advice. The Turtle Back Zoo in Essex County, New Jersey has a beautiful holiday light display that includes a train ride. This event is free with the suggested donation of a toy or non-perishable food and runs through the end of the month. Another activity we love is the holiday market at Bryant Park.
For an indoor option, if these shortest days of the year are causing early evening cabin fever, get your kids to the nearest IKEA. Take them through the maze of furniture, asking them along the way which display rooms are their favorites. Then sit down to an affordable meal of meatballs and lingonberry. Don't skip the chocolate cake. It's so good and I think about it all the time. Then grab a spatula, light bulbs, whatever you need on your way out, and head home for bedtime.
Kate Hinds: How well I remember those days with small kids. I used to take my kids to ABC Home and Carpet when it had all the floors and we would go upstairs to the carpets and the staff would just let them like roll around on the carpet. It was amazing. We have a couple of texts. Someone says, "Go to afternoon tea. I had a friend in town. We went to a cute spot in the West Village that served tea with finger sandwiches, scones and jam, and cakes." Our producer, Andrea Duncan-Mao, is pretty sure that the person is talking about Tea & Sympathy. Andrea also wants to shout out Kings' Carriage House and both Crosby and Whitby hotels have festive afternoon teas. Andrea is our resident tea expert.
Simon Close: Resident tea expert?
Kate Hinds: Someone else said, "Oh, my birthday's on January 8th, so I can't go to Joe's Pub, unfortunately." You could celebrate at Joe's Pub.
Simon Close: [laughs] You could still get an album, though.
Kate Hinds: [laughs] Then we got another text that says, "Going to a spa on Governors Island on my actual birthday." Hey, happy birthday. I hope you have a great time. Let's talk to Craig in Morganville. Hey, Craig. Welcome to All Of It.
Craig: Hey, how you doing?
Kate Hinds: Good.
Craig: I told the screener, go to the Frick, but it's close. Also go to the J.P. Morgan Library, one of the most underrated gallery museums in the city. You get a tour of the J.P. Morgan's house. Also, walking on the High Line, there's lots of outdoor coffee kiosks and hot chocolate places. It's a great way to see the city. At the end of the line is the Whitney.
Kate Hinds: Perfect.
Simon Close: Great.
Kate Hinds: At the Frick, Craig, what is the one thing you recommend people don't miss? Or a couple things.
Craig: I haven't been there a while because it's been closed, but they're going to be having rotating galleries there soon on the second floor. Also, I think they still have the Whistler collection, which is really nice.
Kate Hinds: All right. Those are good news. Thanks so much. Let's hear now from our colleague, David Furst, whose voice you know from this show and also from the Weekend. Like Amanda, he's got another Jersey recommendation.
David Furst: This is David Furst, Weekend Edition and This Week in Politics host at WNYC. Naturally, when I think about winter, I think about hitting the Jersey Shore. My indoor, outdoor, and free activities are all basically the same thing. A trip down to Cape May, New Jersey. If the holiday decorations in the lobby and that little shopping hallway at Congress Hall aren't enough to get you in the mood, head outside this classic hotel to take in the carousel and the big Christmas tree just steps away from the beach and the freezing cold Atlantic Ocean.
Then bundle up for a stroll around town past all of the historic Victorian homes all done up in seasonal style. I would say it's time to hit exit 0 for some Christmas crab cake.
Kate Hinds: Have you ever been to Cape May, Simon?
Simon Close: I don't think I have been to Cape May.
Kate Hinds: It's really amazing. It's a lot of fun. Everybody knows probably what I'm going to say next, but it is a birding paradise, especially during fall and spring migration. I haven't been there in the winter, but I would imagine the winter ducks at Cape May are amazing. I highly recommend that everybody drive to exit 0 and go birding in Cape May. You could do everything else David said.
Simon Close: I was going to say the winter ducks are probably [unintelligible 00:22:39] [crosstalk]
Kate Hinds: The winter ducks are insane. I'm sure they're amazing. We have a text that says, "Dyker Heights Christmas Lights, a New York City tradition." Someone else wrote. "Last summer, my dad was in the hospital, and for a midday break, my daughter and I went to Target and did a scavenger hunt with items selected by my parents. For example, a size small red bathing suit. It was surprisingly fun." I like that idea. It works for winter as well. Let's see what else we've got in. Oh, we got Chamar. Our colleague, Chamar Griffith has some winter suggestions.
Chamar Griffith: Hey there. This is Chamar Griffith chiming in from New York Public Radio's major guest philanthropy team. With the winter solstice, there's so much available to us in our great city. If you want an indoor activity, check out your local bar that decorates the entire space for the season. What better way to get into the holiday spirit by enjoying a holiday spirit and supporting your local pub? If you prefer the outdoors, I recommend Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, which currently has a light show presentation that I enjoyed recently with my family. It gives artists in this medium their time to shine.
Finally, because New York offers many free activities for everyone, I'm fond of hanging out in Industry City, where many times they've had different events, performances, and even a little ice skating rink if my memory recalls. The best part is there are so many local workshops in the place that if you forgot to grab a gift for that someone, you don't have to look too far. With so much more to do here in our city, here's hoping you and yours enjoys this winter solstice.
Kate Hinds: Oh, thanks, Chamar. I don't get to Industry City enough. That's a great suggestion.
Simon Close: I don't go down that much. I did celebrate my birthday last year there though, so this is a recommendation that's curling adjacent. I hope the bar is still there, but it's like a bocce bar or ball. I don't know. They have another name for it, but it's that game where you, you throw a ball into a sand pit and you want to get close to the rest of them. I Had a lot of fun there. I don't remember what it's called, but there's a part down there that has bocce and I recommend it. [laughs]
Kate Hinds: Listeners, if you know what Simon's talking about, text us-
Simon Close: Call in. Let us know. [laughs]
Kate Hinds: -and you can clarify on air. Let's talk now to Neil in Brooklyn. Hey, Neil. Welcome to All Of It.
Neil: Hi. Good afternoon. About 15 years ago, some theater graduates of Penn State came up with the idea of performing a Charlie Brown Christmas with flesh and blood actors just doing the same thing as in the TV special, complete with a live jazz band for the soundtrack. This is the 15th year. Now, they're all working in theater in New York City, but they are still doing it this weekend only at a music club called ShapeShifter Lab on Union Street in Park Slope. It's one hours at noon, 2:00, and 5:00 each of Saturday and Sunday this weekend only.
Kate Hinds: That's amazing. One more time, give us the information.
Neil: It's a Charlie Brown Christmas with flesh and blood actors performing to a live jazz soundtrack hosted by ShapeShifter Lab on Union Street in Park Slope, Saturday and Sunday afternoon only.
Kate Hinds: Thank you so much, Neil. Are you going?
Neil: I'm going to try to get a child to go with me if I can.
[laughter]
Kate Hinds: Good luck with that. We've got some from the control room. Welcome to the Carreau Club. It's not-- Yes, that's it. It's not bocce. It's pétanque.
Simon Close: Pétanque. Thank you. Yes, thank you very much, listener.
Kate Hinds: Thank you, listeners. Someone else wrote in just vibing off of the Cape May conversation. Also, there are 6, 12, and 24-hour whale, seal, and bird-watching opportunities at a research vessel at Cape May in the winter, which to me sounds awesome. Maybe not the 24-hour one, but yes to six and even 12. I could do 12. You know why? You got to get way out there. If you want to see the really pelagic seabird. Simon, you have to go way off.
Simon Close: Don't I know it.
Kate Hinds: You know it well. Someone else suggested best outdoors, walking the promenade at Riverside Park from 96th street to Riverside Church at night when it's empty is the best time. We only have a few minutes left. I would love to talk to Tilly in Bushwick. Hey, Tilly, you're on All Of It.
Tilly: Hi. Love your show. I want to tell you about one of my favorite places in New York. It's called VERS Clothing for People. Tomorrow there's going to be the freaky flea with all different really wild vendors. The space is amazing all the time for local handmade fashion creations and it's a community space with all kinds of things happening. Programming workshops and clothing swaps and pop-ups, it's really adorable. versusbk.nyc is the spot in Bushwick.
Kate Hinds: Can you spell that for me?
Speaker D: V-E-R-S-B-K.nyc is where you find all the information. [unintelligible 00:27:35] [crosstalk]
Kate Hinds: Beautiful. Thank you so much. I love a clothing swap. I'm just going to put that out there. It's fantastic. We only have a couple minutes left, but I want to hear from one more of our colleagues, Sofia Edmundson, who is the associate director here at New York Public Radio of diversity and inclusion.
Sofia Edmundson: Happy holidays, everyone. This year I'm keeping it local. For all my New Jersey folks, there's so much to see and do this year that won't break the bank. This coming Saturday, December 21st from 1:00 to 4:00 PM is the last chance to see the annual tradition Dickens Village. Every year various scenes from Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol are brought to life in miniature houses in Ricalton Square in Maplewood, New Jersey. Santa's there and there's music and if you're in the mood, you can take a horse and wagon ride.
If you want something more, you can visit Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey for their Winter Village where they have ice skating and ice go karts. You can even reserve a private heated igloo to sip on your hot chocolate. Admission is free, but of course a bit extra for the activities. Finally, if nature's your thing, check out the holiday light show at Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, New Jersey. From 5:00 to 9:00 PM, you can stroll the 50 plus illuminated winter scenes and there are ice sculpting demonstrations on select days. Have a fun, safe and happy holiday season.
Kate Hinds: Simon, how fast are you going to a heated igloo this winter?
Simon Close: What are ice go karts?
Kate Hinds: I don't know.
Simon Close: The only ice go karts I know are the like penguin level in Mario Kart.
Kate Hinds: We are so going to find out. That's all.
Simon Close: Let's do it.
Kate Hinds: We have time for only one more call. Let's hear from Marjorie in White Plains. Hi, Marjorie.
Marjorie: Hi. I'm a birder and I have two suggestions for people who bird and like beautiful mansions. We have a mansion in Tarrytown on the Hudson called Lyndhurst. They have these one and two act performances. I believe one of them is A Christmas Carol and you go through the different rooms and the play is performed usually in different rooms throughout this lovely mansion. That isn't free, but visiting this historical home is. Then if you go way out on the back to the actual river, you can see a lot of eagles flying over. Croton Point Park also is a fabulous place for seeing eagles and osprey. Westchester is a great place to come visit.
Kate Hinds: Thank you so much. I also want to give a thumbs up to Croton Point Park. It is where I've seen some of my lifers, including a snow bunting. Yay. Thanks to everyone who called. We really appreciate all of your suggestions. Thank you so much to Simon for riding shotgun with me.
Simon Close: Thank you very much for having me, Kate.