SINY and Pizza Tour Now on FACEBOOK

Visit the link to check out our SINY fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/SINY/30598386502

Visit the link to learn more about our SINY Pizza Tour: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Staten-Island-NY/SINY-Pizza-Tour/110610688958866?ref=nf

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Date Night in the City

By Melissa Chapman, Staten Island Advance
May 11, 2010, 5:22AM

My husband and I recently decided we needed time alone to just be, time to step outside our roles as mother and father, house frau and handyman, disciplinarian and bedtime enforcer. So we handed over our kids and dog to their grandparents for two nights and set out on a couples-only romp.

So here we were, free to indulge our every whim, without having to defer to our kids’ needs; 48 luscious hours to reconnect to those primal forces of attraction and shared beliefs that drew us together nearly 13 years ago.

And despite what you may think, it wasn’t just about reconnecting in a physical way but sharing quiet intimate moments, whether it was snuggling up on a couch watching the passionate sparring between Bogey and Bacall or laying side by side getting a sensuous couples massage sipping on champagne and feeding each other chocolate truffles.

Having time away from the monotony and sometimes drudgery of parenthood was like an infusion of new breath and perspective into this little family unit we’ve created and given us a new appreciation for each other and, of course, our kids. But before you think this renewal you wax about could only be achieved via a carefully planned weekend away, here are a few easier-to-organize options if you can manage a local date night or even a New York City sleepover.

For more date-night experiences to help you get some of that vavavavoom back into your marriage, check out Melissa Chapman-Mushnick’s blog, http://blog.silive.com/kidsinthecity/.

THE STATEN ISLAND PIZZA TOUR

Sure, you’ve probably grabbed a slice of pizza a dozen times on Staten Island, but you’ve never experienced it like this: just the two of you. Organized by SINY, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Staten Island, couples will ride the SINY “Pizza Bus” and visit four renowned pizzerias, sans kids. In between eating pizza, tour guides will provide fun trivia and historical Staten Island facts — and there will be cannoli!

Address
Meet and drop off at 1110 South Ave. at the Hilton Garden Inn, Bloomfield, or at the St. George Ferry terminal.

Time
11:30 a.m. May 15 and June 19. Special tour dates can be arranged, too.

Cost
$40 per person includes a SINY Pizza Tour T-shirt, a slice and a soda at the four pizzerias and dessert.

Parent perks
Eating pizza that you don’t need to cut or blow on for a little person. You’ll taste Jimmy Max’s pizza loaded with fresh mozzarella, plum tomatoes, fresh basil and grated pecorino Romano cheese; Joe and Pat’s crispy thin crust and sweet crushed tomato sauce; Denino’s Pizzeria & Tavern’s brick-oven baked sausage and mushroom pizza, and Lee’s Tavern’s white clam pizza. The final stop will be at Alfonso’s Bakery for cannoli and Italian ice from Ralph’s Ices.

Drawbacks
Reservations are required.

Overall
How often do parents get to eat at four restaurants in one afternoon all children-free? This tour’s also an opportunity to learn more about the history and roots of these hidden Staten Island gems.

Information
Visit www.sinewyork.org or call 347-273-1257.

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Dinners, Classes, Tours

Dining & Wine - The New York Times

April 7, 2010

A Staten Island pizza tour will be conducted on April 17 starting at 11:30am. The event, organized by Staten Island New York (SINY), will feature visits to four pizzerias and a bakery for dessert, with samples available at each stop. There will be pickups at the St. George Ferry Terminal and the Hilton Garden Inn, both on Staten Island. Tickets, $40: (347) 273-1257. Tours will be repeated on May 15 and June 19.

Visit the link for the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/dining/07fcal.html

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The Staten Island Pizza Tour Returns

Zagat Buzz

March 30, 2010

Back in 2008, the Staten Island group SINY started a semi-regular pizza tour of the fine borough, with stops at such luminous pie palaces as Joe & Pat's, Denino's Pizzeria, Jimmy Max (280 Watchogue Rd.; 718-983-6715) and Lee's Tavern (60 Hancock St.; 718-667-9749). And now? It's back, baby.

The first tour hits Saturday, April 17, the next two happen on May 15 and June 19, and from then on, the tour occurs every other week throughout the summer. Having been on the tour, we can tell you it's worth it. Simply hop onto the (free) Staten Island Ferry on the designated Saturday morning, pay $40 per person, climb aboard the "Pizza Bus" and get a glimpse into how the fifth borough eats. For the price of admission, you get free transportation around the borough, a slice and soda at each of the four pizza stops, a free cannoli at Alfonso's Bakery, and an Italian ice from Ralph's and a T-shirt (buses leave at 11:30 AM; reservations required, with two weeks notice preferred; to reserve call 347-273-1257 or e-mail Christina at CristinaSINY88@aol.com).

Visit the link for article: http://blog.zagat.com/the-staten-island-pizza-tour-returns

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Added by Maureen Donnelly on November 23, 2009 at 7:52 AM - Miles Kodadek, 3, of Great Kills looked over the display of Mary's Craft Cellar, as SINY, the borough's tourism group, yesterday held its Winter Holiday Cultural Expo at the Joan and Alan Bernikow Jewish Community Center in Sea View. The free event brought together cultural institutions, craft vendors, nonprofits and businesses. (Hilton Flores/Staten Island Advance)

SINY Winter Holiday Cultural Expo

SINY will be holding a Winter Holiday Cultural Expo on Sunday, November 22nd, 2009.  The Expo will be held at the Jewish Community Center, 1466 Manor Road from 10 am to 4 pm.

This is a wonderful opportunity for Staten Island residents to experience unique offerings from a gathering of Staten Island cultural institutions, holiday vendors and not-for-profits.  Enjoy holiday music, purchase gift items, learn about Staten Island’s not-for-profits and maybe even become a member of one of our many wonderful groups. 

With a free admission SINY expects many people will take advantage of the Expo to find out new things about our many fine institutions and even take a tour of the Jewish Community Center. There are so may things to experience at the Expo: learn about a new museum, discover an island park, find a group you might want to join, buy unique gift items, enjoy holiday music.  Music by Partners in Sound.  Food available from Dear and Delicious Café.

SINY is accepting vendors for participation in this program until November 8th.  If you want to participate or have questions about the Expo please call SINY at 347-273-1257.

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Recognizing the Problems, Focusing on the

Possibilities

Island visionaries brainstorm ideas for the North Shore waterfront

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

By STEPHANNIA F. CLEATON

STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Many Staten Islanders dismiss the North Shore waterfront property along Richmond Terrace as a distressed, industrial stretch filled with dry docks, auto repair shops, junkyards and weeds.

It is for this reason Island leaders have campaigned to clean up and revitalize the Terrace, from Jersey Street to Western Avenue.

Years of studies have offered a host of suggestions for redevelopment, including dock improvements, attracting more maritime-related companies, an esplanade from St. George to Mariners Harbor, developing parkland for the community and a commuter light rail system.

What does the future hold for Richmond Terrace? Visionaries share their ideas.

REOPENING THE RAIL

In the 1900s, passenger and freight railroad lines crossed the waterside properties. Today, the railroad is no longer operating and the city owns the right-of-way. The borough president's office and the Port Authority of New York-New Jersey have studied the possibility of reopening that rail right-of-way to accommodate a commuter light rail system.

"I remember years ago, when the rail was up and running, it was a thriving area. Port Richmond was really thriving," said Linda Baran, president and CEO of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, which is based in St. George.

"I think the town centers and a lot of the maritime industry services -- especially in the area between the St. George Ferry Terminal and just past the Snug Harbor area -- a lot of businesses are affected by what the potential path of the rail line will be.

"For instance, I am working with the Atlantic Salt Co., which has a proposal to move the right of way. The right-of-way runs through their property. They really can't do anything where the line goes through because they don't know what's going to happen with the rail," Ms. Baran explained.

Atlantic Salt, located at 561 Richmond Terr., New Brighton, is improving its docks and investigating the reuse of vacant buildings on its site. The principles in the company are interested in a possible land exchange as a solution to impediments to doing business when and if the commuter rail is built.

"What they are looking to do is move the right of way up, more toward street level, on Richmond Terrace so that they can access their property. The plans that I've seen (which includes an esplanade), they can really improve the street scape on Richmond Terrace," Ms. Baran explained.

BROWNFIELD SITES

Also hindering development along the Richmond Terrace corridor are the brownfield sites, properties where soil has been contaminated by manufacturing or other prior uses. Historically, most of the properties along the Terrace are zoned for manufacturing/industrial uses and have been utilized as such.

Found along the Bayonne waterfront were "tank farms that store and distribute petrochemicals and polyurethanes and thermoplastics. These uses across the narrow Kill add to the community's concern about the industrial by-product contamination level of our water, soil and air," according to the pre-nomination study released in February for Richmond Terrace Brownfield Opportunities Area, prepared for the West Brighton Community Local Development Corp., the Department of State and the Department of Environmental Conservation.

"As far as the coastal area is concerned, if you go past Caddell Dry Dock and those old companies (on Bard and Davis), that's contaminated, that's why they were never sold," explained Borough President James Molinaro, who named various properties on the waterside of Richmond Terrace that were either occupied or vacant and the possible reasons.

"When people talk about the North Shore, developing the North Shore, it's going to take a lot of years and a lot of money for anything to go in there.

"You're talking about massive amount of money to clean contaminated soil. You saw what happened with Brookfield (landfill in Great Kills) that was almost $300 million. Brookfield is about the size of the North Shore," said Molinaro.

ACCESS WANTED

For years, residents have advocated for safe community access to the waterfront. The North Shore Waterfront Conservancy, for example, is a not-for-profit organization which supports marine-related businesses and easier public access to the Kill Van Kull's shoreline. One of the group's main objectives is the creation of a park on the 9.7-acre former site of the Blissenbach Marina in West Brighton.

Beryl A. Thurman, executive director and president of the Conservancy, explained that the site has been in a "funding limbo for five years and has been closed throughout this time to the public. When this brownfield was purchase no one thought to include or ask for moneys for a development plan, remediation, and actual development of the park.

"Year after year, our organization and others have submitted requests that this park receive sufficient money so that the above mentioned items could take place. And year after year, no funding has been allocated for the above mentioned," she stated in an e-mail to the Advance. "The residents of West Brighton have been asking for this location to be a park for 30 years. So now it's Parks property but the residents can't use it."

ST. GEORGE AREA

St. George has seen several significant enhancements in the last decade, notably the minor-league ballpark, the ferry terminal renovations, and Postcards, the poignant 9/11 memorial along the esplanade.

More improvements are slated. Stimulus funds coming into the borough include $175 million to replace ramps at the terminal, and another $46 million will go toward ferry maintenance. In addition, as many as six new stores will soon open in the long-vacant retail spaces of the ferry terminal.

The site of a former railroad switching area, now the Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St. George, home of the Staten Island Yankees, has been an asset to the area. However, a prime two-story space originally set aside for a restaurant or cafe adjoining the ballpark has sat vacant since the stadium opened in 2001. The city owns the stadium, including the unused space adjoining the first-base side of the park closest to the ferry terminal.

"This area is so prime for real, positive development," said Larry Ambrosino, executive director of the non-profit group SINY, based in Bloomfield. "Not far from here, you have the St. George Theatre and artists and musicians who live in the area. From the ferry terminal down toward Snug Harbor could be developed into something really spectacular," Ambrosino said.

ECONOMIC HEALTH

In addition to the shipyards and auto businesses that exist on the Terrace, there are private homes, places of worship, and a public park. Properties such as the North Shore Business Park, a green area at 1957 Richmond Terr., Port Richmond, are being developed with an appreciation of sound environmental practices. Stimulus funds will pay for upgrades to the Port Richmond Water Pollution Control Plant, which is on Richmond Terrace along the Kill Van Kull.

The Staten Island Economic Development Corp. (SIEDC) believes the current zoning must be retained to insure economic health of the Terrace.

"We hear a lot of talk of changing zonings and looking at the industrial zones but once you lose M-3-1 zoning, it's hard to get it back," explained Jay Anderson, director of projects at SIEDC, who is the Empire Zone coordinator for both the North and West shores and the city's industrial ombudsman manager for the Richmond Terrace area.

"The usage of those properties is vitally important," said Anderson. "Businesses that are growing, or being attracted to the area, would look at Richmond Terrace as the thoroughfare ... because its docks could be part of its market or part of the market that they could service or link up with."

"Obviously, if you could have a vision that says, 'Well, you need only so much of this, and so much of that,' without talking to the practitioners -- that is a major mistake. We need to get their input. I think that's really where the vision comes from, at least from the commercial/industrial side."

Anderson went on to explain that the desires of private residents and community environmentalists, whose vision includes more public spaces, may be obtainable, but that we need "to strike a good balance."

Stephannia F. Cleaton is the business editor at the Advance. She may be contacted by e-mail at cleaton@siadvance.com.

By Staten Island Advance

Visit the link for more information: http://www.silive.com/recsports/index.ssf/2009/08/31/

Visit link for full article: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/a-historic-gem/?scp=1-b&sq=across%20the%20harbor%20a%20historic%20gem&st=nyt

BP hopes it will encourage some of the 2 million

Call of the Island

If New York is a city that never sleeps, where does one go for much needed quiet or rest?

Visitors and Manhattanites need not venture far, Staten Island (SI) is just a ferry ride away.

The birthplace of pop diva Christina Aguilera, the island is the greenest and most suburban of New York’s five boroughs (the others are Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx) and the least populated, with less than half a million residents.

An estimated 1.8 million tourists make a round-trip on the SI ferry annually to view the Statue of Liberty for free but few actually stop by and tour the island.

This stone manor, built in 1680, was named the Conference House for the unsuccessful Revolutionary War Peace Conference that was held here on Sept 11, 1776, between the Americans and the English.

It is sometimes a forgotten borough; remembered on those rare occasions for the wrong reasons – its dumps and mobsters, no thanks to the filming of The Godfather here three decades ago.

The local folks are peeved with the negative image and would have you know that their landfill has been closed for eight years and they have the city’s best parks, lowest crime rate and highly-educated people.

There are miles of pretty beaches, sprawling golf courses, theatres, historical and cultural attractions apart from the much touted “best pizzas in the world”.

To create more awareness on their island, Staten Island New York (SINY) was conceived last summer by a group of prominent business and civic leaders.

“We want to create an atmosphere where people want to come here, live here, and work here. We want SI to be a popular ‘staycation’ destination,” said SINY executive director Larry Ambrosino who hosted an island tour for a group of foreign journalists recently.

The former high school principal joked about being tired of garbage talk and “everyone thinking you’re the Sopranos’ kid brother”.

Impressive: The Seguine Mansion in Lemon Creek Park is one of the grandest 19th Century homes on Staten Island.

The third generation Ambrosino whose grandmother migrated from Italy in 1900, proudly lives up to the island’s motto, “SINY – Proud of it!” He considers himself a true blue Staten Islander and more American than Italian.

Unlike other boroughs, SI does not have an extensive subway network that makes it easy for visitors to move around. Realising this, SINY has launched coach tours from the St. George ferry terminal to transport visitors from the terminal to their destinations.

“We need to get people from here to there,” Ambrosino explained.

SINY has also installed a giant video screen in the Whitehall Ferry Terminal (on the Manhattan side) to promote places like the newly merged Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden, Fort Wadsworth, the Staten Island Zoo, the Alice Austen House, Tibetan Museum, the St. George Theatre, Lorenzo’s Cabaret at the Hilton Garden Inn, Historic Richmond Town and the Staten Island Yankees.

Since November, visitors can tour SI’s scenic parks, South Beach (the island’s own version of the French Riviera) and historic Richmond Town or participate in nature walks.

There’s even a “Staten Island Pizza Tour” featuring popular local pizza joints like Denino’s, Lee’s Tavern, Joe & Pat and Jimmy Max.

During the press tour, journalists were taken on a tour of some of NYC’s best parks in SI, conducted by none other than New York City Parks commissioner Adrian Benepe himself.

Peacocks like this one roam freely around the Seguine Mansion in Lemon Creek Park.

Benepe’s top picks are:

● Conference House Park - The 106ha park has breathtaking views of Raritan Bay. It is rich in history; there are four historic houses, including the Conference House where Benjamin Franklin met English leaders during the Revolutionary War Peace Conference in 1776.

● Lemon Creek Park - Visitors can tour the grounds of the 171-year-old Greek-revival Seguine Mansion. Those who are adventurous can visit the park’s red clay bluffs, which are the tallest ocean-facing cliffs in New York state.

● Clove Lakes Park - Staten Islanders considered making this area a park as early as 1897, a year before the consolidation of New York City. The northwest section of the park is home to the island’s 300-year-old tulip tree which managed to escape the extensive logging and clearing when settlers opened up the area. Tulip trees are known for their straight trunks from which Native Americans carved canoes. Other interesting sights in Clove Lakes Park include the outcropping of serpentine rock at the crest of the hills. The spine of SI is a broad ridge of serpentine, formed during the Ordovician period (435-500 million years ago) when heat and pressure altered rocks rich in magnesium and iron.

Those interested in visiting Staten Island or its parks can check out www.sinewyork.org and click on the Staycation link.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A St. John's University student's pitch of Staten Island as a place of culture and character won first place in the SINY commercial competition, and will be broadcast on local cable channels and air on the big screen at the Whitehall Ferry Terminal.

Its purpose is the same as the not-for-profit that was formed in 2008: To promote the image of the Island and give people a better understanding and appreciation of the borough, said SINY executive director Larry Ambrosino at the commercial's informal unveiling at the Hilton Garden Inn, Bloomfield.

Miranda Fluher, a junior who hails from Crestview, Fla., won a $1,000 first place cash prize for her "Staten Island: Where Culture Meets Character."

The contest was open to students who attend the Island's three colleges.

The fact that Ms. Fluher is not a native Islander says a lot, said Ambrosino.

"Miranda has lived all over the country [as] her dad is in the service," Ambrosino noted. "[That she] was able to express her love of Staten Island and why people should visit and live here speaks volumes about what we have to offer."

Her commercial, which includes the line "The Island is an amazing place to live," includes shots of Fort Wadsworth and Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden.

It will be shown on CTV, Staten Island 76, YouTube, the SINY website and the giant TV screen at Whitehall. It will be formally unveiled at the Staten Island Film Festival at the College of Staten Island next month.

The second-place winner was Michael Pinho of Greenridge, also a St. John's junior, for his "We Love Staten Island" commercial.

The third-place winner was Erik Fortunato of Grant City, a CSI freshman, for his "Staten Island: The Island for Everyone."

The runners-up received $250. Their commercials will be shown at the Staten Island Film Festival.

In addition to Ambrosino, contest judges were Dolores Morris, an HBO Emmy Award-winning vice president; Gina Gutman, director of marketing and public affairs for Time Warner Cable, and Skye Suter, assistant executive director of SINY.

SINY Press Release

“I Love Staten Island” Commercial Contest

Miranda Fluhrer was announced today as the winner of the first “I Love Staten Island” commercial contest sponsored by SINY, a not-for-profit organization that was established in 2008 to promote the image and cultural opportunities Staten Island has to offer.  The contest was opened to students of St. John’s University, Wagner College and the College of Staten Island.

Miss Fluhrer is a junior from St. John’s University.  Her commercial “Staten Island: Where Culture Meets Character” gave an overview of interesting sites to visit on Staten Island.  The second place winner was Michael Pinho, also a junior from St. John’s.  His commercial was titled “We Love Staten Island”.  The third place winner was Erik Fortunato, a freshman at CSI with a commercial entitled “Staten Island: The Island for Everyone”.

“I’m very pleased with the work these outstanding young students did,” stated SINY Executive Director Larry Ambrosino.  “The fact that Miranda has lived all over the country (her dad is in the service) and currently lives in Florida ands was able to express her love of Staten Island and why people should visit and live here speaks volumes about what we have to offer.”

The grand prizewinner will receive a prize of $1,000.  In addition, the winning commercial will be shown on CTV, SI 76, You Tube, the SINY web page, the television screen in the Whitehall Ferry Terminal, selected Time Warner audiences and will be officially unveiled at the SINY Film Festival on June 4^th.  The two runner-ups will receive $250. And those commercials will also be shown at the film festival.

The judges for the contest were Dolores Morris, Emmy Award winning vice president from HBO, Gina Gutman, Director of Marketing and Public Affairs for Time Warner Cable, Larry Ambrosino, Executive Director of SINY and Skye Suter, Assistant Director of SINY.

Staten Island Culture Fair Offers Unique Holiday

The first ever SINY Cultural Fair at the historic St. George Theater near the ferry terminal offered unique holiday shopping opportunities and exciting entertainment from some of Staten Island’s richest cultural attractions on Saturday, November 22, 2 – 6 PM. Eleven of the Island’s most interesting sites will offer information about their organizations and items for sale from their gift shops.

Visitors can take a journey to the past, and find a present for the history buff in the family, while checking out tables from Historic Richmondtown, and the Sandy Ground Historical Society. Learn a little more about some prominent Staten Island residents at the booths for the Alice Austen House and the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum. See how Staten Island got its start, and how it continues to thrive, at the table for the Staten Island Museum.

The tables for both the Staten Island Zoo and the Staten Island Children’s Museum were a hit with children of all ages, while educational and fun toys were a big success with Mom and Dad.

Friends of Fire, a local pottery group, will make your head spin with its impressive array of pottery, and Art Lab, Staten Island’s own school of fine and applied art, is sure to amaze. Their one-of-a-kind pieces will impress even the most difficult loved ones this holiday season.

The Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens will offer gifts and information from one of the most beautiful destinations in the borough.
The Staten Island Philharmonic, the Richmond Choral Society youth chorus and PS 29 will provide live music throughout the day, and guest can enjoy the rich beauty of the St. George Theatre with tours at 2:30 and 3:30.

With such a wide variety of organizations participating in the fair, there truly will be something for everyone. In a season where there is never enough money or time, use both of yours wisely at this one-stop-shopping extravaganza.

The fair will take place at the St. George Theatre, 35 Hyatt St., a short walk from the St. George Ferry Terminal. Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for children 3-7 and free for kids under 3.

For more information please call SINY at 347-273-1257.

SINY Pizza Tour Offers a Slice of Staten Island

The Staten Island Pizza Tour, premiering November 8, 2008, offers pizza lovers an opportunity to sample some of the legendary pies of Staten Island, along with a slice of the Borough’s great attractions.

Organized by SINY, a newly-formed group which is promoting New York’s Forgotten Borough, the Staten Island Pizza Tour starts at the St. George Ferry Terminal at 11 a.m., after the 10:30 ferry from Manhattan arrives. Participants visit four of the best pizza joints in New York City. Each pizzeria provides a slice of its finest pie and a soft drink. While all the restaurants offer their own unique charm, they each share a devotion to making top quality pizza. The tour stops at:

• Jimmy Max – For 20 years the Max Special, a classic pizza margherita with Italian imported plum tomatoes and homemade mozzarella, has been the slice of choice.
• Joe and Pat’s – Established in 1960, fans of Joe and Pat’s rave about their thin and crispy pizza.
• Denino’s – The oldest establishment on the tour, having opened its doors in 1937, their special sausage and mushroom pizza has been wowing crowds for over 70 years.
• Lee’s Tavern – This tavern is not your traditional pizza place and their signature pizza, clam, is not your traditional pizza, but that’s part of what has kept people flocking here since 1940.
• Alfonso's Bakery -
  
• Ralph's Italian Ices (seasonal) -
  

To give pizza-lovers a chance to digest between slices, the tour stops at several of Staten Island’s best cultural locations: Wagner College, College of Staten Island, and the Carousel for Children.

Staten Islanders Love Where They Live, SINY

86 percent are proud to say they are from Staten Island.

A total of 86 percent of Staten Island residents are “very satisfied” or “somewhat satisfied” with living there, while 13 percent are “somewhat dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied.”
In an open-ended question, allowing for any answer, residents were asked what they like most about Staten Island:

• 16 percent say it is quiet or peaceful;
• 11 percent cite the country atmosphere;
• 11 percent say it is close to “the City;”
• 10 percent list friendly people;
• 10 percent say home or family.

Asked what they dislike most:

• 45 percent cite traffic congestion/tolls/the commute to work/poor roads or streets;
• 17 percent say it is overcrowded or overdeveloped.

In five years, 75 percent of residents surveyed expect to still be living on Staten Island and 25 said they anticipate moving. Fifty-one percent hope their children remain on Staten Island, while 28 percent do not.

“Staten Islanders take great pride in the place the call home and think overwhelmingly that it is a family-friendly place. Most want their children to stay and a great majority would invite a friend to visit or move here,” said SINY Executive Director Larry Ambrosino.

“Our mission at SINY is to encourage residents of New York City’s most family-friendly borough to take greater advantage of the wonderful attractions here. We also want to raise awareness among those not fortunate enough to live on Staten Island.”

While attitudes about Staten Island are positive, only 52 percent of Islanders visit local historical or cultural attractions. Fifty-one percent of those surveyed with children 17 years or younger living at home say they visit SI attractions, while 54 percent without children say they visit them.

Of those who go to SI attractions, Snug Harbor Cultural Center and The Botanical Garden are visited by most, with 51 percent. The second most visited attraction, with 11 percent, is the Staten Island Zoo.

They rarely attend live entertainment events on Staten Island, 38 percent say. But 29 percent say that they visit a Staten Island beach or a park once a week.

A total of 38 percent of residents say they eat at a Staten Island restaurant one or more days a week, while 23 percent say a few times a month, with 16 percent dining out once a month and 7 percent dining out five or six times a year.

“Although Staten Islanders enjoy living here, we need to get more of them to enjoy our museums, our nightlife, our zoo and ballpark,” said Ambrosino. “We need to show these folks how many great things there are to do right here at home.”

Staten Island’s reputation in the rest of the U.S. is “very good,” 27 percent say, while 44 percent say it is “only fair” and 14 percent say it is “bad.” This reputation is accurate, 65 percent think.

People in the news media treat Staten Island “unfairly” 45 percent of those surveyed said, while 40 percent think they treat Islanders “fairly.”
Conversely, 39 percent of residents say people in the entertainment field treat Staten Islanders “fairly,” while 36 percent say “unfairly.”
Thirty-five percent of Staten Islanders work on the Island, while 30 percent work somewhere else and 35 percent are not employed.
Of those who commute to work, 66 percent drive all the way. Among others:

• 16 percent take the express bus;
• 8 percent take a local bus and the ferry;
• 4 percent take the train to the ferry.

From August 20 – September 4, Barry Zeplowitz & Associates surveyed 800 Staten Island
residents with a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points.

About SINY: SINY is an organization dedicated to promoting Staten Island as a great place in which to live and to do business, and as an exciting place to visit.

Click here to download the Poll results
 

Video to be on Display at SI Ferry Terminal

A new nine minute video highlighting Staten Island's best tourist attractions was officially unveiled on July 8th, 2008 in Manhattan's Whitehall Ferry Terminal.

The video, filmed by Borough's Hall's Andy Levison, features museums and local points of interest within a quick walk of the ferry terminal in St. George, as well as attractions that are a short bus ride away and others that are further afield.

The goal is to drum up interest in the borough among the thousands of tourists that take the free ferry ride each year.

The video plays around the clock with an audio narration provided by Ken Dashow of radio station Q104.3 fame.

"Staten Island is New York City," said Borough President James Molinaro. "It's a beautiful place to visit, it's a beautiful place to live, and it's a beautiful place to raise your children. But most people don't know that, so we're trying to introduce that to the eight million other people in New York City."

Spend a Cool Hot Summer Night on Staten

By LARRY AMBROSINO

Staten Island is New York’s most kid-friendly borough. SINY wants you to know about all of the things you can do with your family right here at home, day trips that won’t empty your gas tank and won’t have the kids asking, “Are we there yet?”

The Staten Island Interactive Children’s Museum is a great spot for kids to let their imaginations run wild. Come participate in interactive exhibitions and creative workshops. Kids can enter the world of make believe and pretend to be chess pieces, animals in the jungle or habitat, or a grown up. They can play big board games, become a spider and catch a meal, become a pirate or firefighter, act in Portia’s Playhouse and more. The museum is part of the Snug Harbor Cultural Center where families can make a whole day of fun. (1000 Richmond Terrace, 718-273-2060, http://statenislandkids.org/, admission is $5 ages 1 and up)

The Carousel For All Children is always a Staten Island favorite. Children can climb hand-carved wooden animal figures and go for a ride at the Greenbelt Conservancy. Opened in 1999, the carousel’s old-fashioned structure includes forty hand-painted renderings of Staten Island landmarks.  The carousel contains fifty-one hand-carved, colorfully painted figures of traditional wooden carousel horses, beasts and endangered species. The carousel is illuminated by 540 vibration resistant light bulbs imported from Brazil. (At Willowbrook Park
at Eton Place, off Richmond Avenue, 718-477-0605, www.sigreenbelt.org/About/Carousel/Aboutcarousel.htm, rides are $1.50 per person)

Another great spot to try – especially if you haven’t gone in a while – is  the Staten Island Zoo, home to a celebrated collection of reptiles, an aquarium, a tropical forest, an African Savannah, a two-level alligator pool, a variety of interactive exhibits and a popular children’s farmyard.   This intimate and affordable zoo is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon with the kids. Go online to check out trips you and your kids can take with the zoo such as to the Galapagos Islands or events such as Spooktacular. (614 Broadway, 718-442-3100, www.statenislandzoo.org/, $7 for adults/$5 for seniors/$4 children 3-13/free for kids under 3)

If your kids like to act, take a look into the SI Children’s Theatre Association where high quality shows are presented to thousands of school children every year. Any child from age 5 to 18 can join the fun. Classes run for several months and conclude with a production. Many children stay with the program for as long as 8 years before leaving for college. (669 Castleton Ave, 718-981-7288, http://www.geocities.com/sichildrenstheatre/, tuition is approximately $175 to $550 plus, depending on your child’s age)

There’s always also a Staten Island Yankee game to see. Peanuts, crackerjacks, the ‘Holy Cow’ mascot, and a view of downtown Manhattan can complete an afternoon game with the whole family. The Richmond County Savings Ballpark at St. George opened in 2001 and has 7171 seats.  (75 Richmond Terrace, 718-70-9265, www.siyanks.com, tickets from $5 to $13)

With so much fun and history to experience on Staten Island, stick around this summer and show the kids who rich our borough truly is.

There's No Place Like Home

-- Contributed by Maura Yates