Millions Celebrate WorldPride 2019 and Stonewall 50 in New York City

by Jeremy Del Nero

WorldPride, the largest LGBTQ gathering in the world, concluded Sunday evening in New York City after marchers and spectators flooded the city’s streets in celebration.
The month-long event – the first time WorldPride was being held in the United States – coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, which is credited as being the most significant event that led to the gay liberation movement and the fight for LGBTQ rights …

Great Moments in Travel History – July 2019

by Jesse Sokolow

July is the seventh month of the calendar and was named after the Roman dictator Gauis Julius Caesar. Before that, it was known as Quintillis, or the fifth month of the ten-month Roman calendar.
The month is typically the start of the “dog days” of summer, a period of hot, humid, and uncomfortable weather. The ancient Romans blamed Sirius, the Dog Star, which was believed to be a precursor to the …

Theater Review: ‘Working: A Musical’ at Encores Off-Center at City Center

by Jonathan Spira

This summer, City Center’s Encores Off-Center series of revivals first presentation is a rather introspective version of “Working: A Musical,” an updated version of the musical based on Studs Terkel’s highly acclaimed book of interviews of the working man and woman.
First staged at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago in 1977, the show opened on Broadway in 1978 at the 46th Street Theatre (now called the Richard Rogers Theatre) and starred …

WorldPride Kicks Off in New York City with Opening Event Featuring Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Porter

by Jonathan Spira

WorldPride opened in New York City with a star-studded event Wednesday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, which was bathed in rainbow lights.
The WorldPride Opening Ceremony was hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, who gave a stirring speech on this history of gay pride, followed by a film looking at its history. It served as a fundraiser for the Ali Forney Center for homeless LGBTI youth, for SAGE, or Services & …

American Airlines MD-80 Retrospective: The ‘Workhorse’ of the Fleet to Make Final Flight in Early September

by Paul Riegler

America Airlines, at one time the world’s largest operator of the McDonnell Douglas MD-80, will accelerate the aircraft’s retirement.
The airline had previously announced plans to fully retire its McDonnell Douglas MD-80 fleet by the end of 2019
“On September 4, we will retire our last 26 McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft,” the airline said in a memo to employees. “The aircraft was the workhouse of our fleet throughout the 1980s and beyond.”
The …

Review: Amtrak Northeast Corridor Quiet Car Washington, D.C. – New York City

by Jesse Sokolow

The best things in life are occasionally free and one thing that regular train travelers in the United States know about is the free upgrade to Amtrak’s Quiet Car.
Available on all trains in the Northeast Corridor including the Amtrak Acela and the Northeast Regional, the Quiet Car is available to all passengers on a first-come first- served basis. There are no reserved seats in the Quiet Car and, aside from …

Friday’s Summer Solstice to Mark Longest Day of the Year

by Anna Breuer

Today, Friday, June 21, marks the summer solstice, the day of the year with longest period of daylight and fewest hours of darkness.
The solstice is an astronomical phenomenon at which the Northern Hemisphere is tilted closest to the sun, and takes place at the same time everywhere on earth.
In 2019, the solstice will occur at 11:54 a.m. EDT, hence 10:54 a.m. CDT, 9:54 a.m. MST, and 8:54 a.m. PDT. At …