Amidst the gray drizzle that enveloped New York last Saturday, I set out to explore Governor’s Island, a tiny piece of land just about a ten minute ferry ride away from the lower tip of Manhattan. Watched over by the Statue of Liberty, this island served as a military outpost for years, until the city of New York took over just a few years ago, opening it to the public for the first time. Now you can take a free ferry to the island and have a picnic, play a game of mini-golf, bike the periphery, and check out the numerous art exhibits that pop up in unexpected places.

This past weekend was the beginning New Island Festival, a giant celebration of Dutch art and performances that will run through Sunday, part of the city’s observance of the 400th anniversary of the founding of New Amsterdam. As we wandered, open-mouthed, through the festival, we saw sights we can’t fully describe here–suffice it to say, there were accordions, beheaded dolls, wind-up stuffed bears, a dirt-covered fat man, a woman decked out in a spangled Elizabethan-era collar singing Britney Spears covers, and a flying piano.

My favorite part of the day though, hands down,... more »