Lots Of East River Activity Today Seen From Roosevelt Island - Swimmer Going North, Power Speedboats Going South And FDNY Rescue Of Jet Skiers Near Queensboro Bridge

An East River swimmer with an accompanying kayaker were spotted passing Roosevelt Island heading north at the same time power speedboats were going south this afternoon as seen from the Meditation Steps. 

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Later in the afternoon, East River jet skiers were rescued by the NYFD near Roosevelt Island by the Queensboro Brige.

🚤🌊 #BREAKING Jet Skier Rescue Underway

📌 #NewYorkCity | #NewYork

Emergency services are responding to a report of a jet skier in distress in the East River near the Ed Koch Bridge. Emergency services have dispatched Ladder 2 and Marine 4 for the water rescue. pic.twitter.com/ihoYFgh0rS

— Citizen NYC (@CitizenAppNYC) August 24, 2024

Jet Skier Rescue Underway @CitizenApp

Ed Koch Bridge 4:27:35 PM EDT

A Roosevelt Island Tipster reports on the Jet Ski rescue: 

There were two jet skiers that had no gas so they had to wait to be towed back! There were 12 fire trucks on the FDR and four fire trucks over by the Roosevelt landing, waiting to see what they were going to do!

I asked one of the NYFD who pays for this? He just looked at me! I guess tax payers! There were four ambulances, don’t think anyone was hurts!

Watch Video Of Roosevelt Island Roadways Working Group Meeting Of RIOC Staff And Resident Discussing Z Brick Removal, Main Street Pedestrian/Vehicle Safety, Illuminated And Repositioned Traffic Signage - What Do You Think

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) hosted an August 13 community working group meeting to discuss the Main Street Roadways project with RIOC staff, Board Directors and residents in attendance. RIOC Acting Chief Operating Officer Mary Cunneen presented phase 1 of the plan which includes the area from Motorgate Plaza to Blackwell Plaza.

Image From RIOC August 13, 2024 Roadways Working Group Meeting

Accordng to Ms Cunneen:

... The Z-bricks are the main focus of phase one, looking at removing those and installing a more stable surface. 

Another existing condition is the signage on the Island. If you go down Main Street you might see several signs on one pole. There's a lot of repetitive signage there and it causes a lot of sign fatigue so drivers don't always know which sign to obey or which sign is pertinent to them. So having a lot of signage on the Island can be more distraction sometimes than actual assistance....

Image From RIOC August 13, 2024 Working Group Meeting

Image From RIOC August 13, 2024 Working Group Meeting

Here's Ms Cunneen's full presentation to the August 13 Roosevelt Island Roadways Community Working Group

and video of the meeting.

RIOC Communications Director Bryant Daniels ended the meeting adding:

... We will schedule another meeting for two weeks from now. I think the idea is we'd like everybody to sort of digest the ideas, think things through and then come back and if you have any new thoughts any new ideas any new feedback we'd really like to hear it....

These types of engagement meetings are really helpful for us and allow us to make informed decisions that hopefully will be well received...

You're Invited To Roosevelt Island Concerts "Haunting Melodies" Chamber Music Performance Featuring Works Of Komitas, Dvorak & Hwaen Ch'uqi Thursday August 22 At Good Shepherd Church

According to Roosevelt Island Concerts:

To our beloved Roosevelt Island Audience,

We are delighted to invite you to our upcoming Roosevelt Island concert, Haunting Melodies, which will take place on Thursday, August 22nd, at 7.30pm, at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 543 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, NY.

Haunting Melodies will feature music by Komitas, Dvorak, and Hwaen Ch’uqi, with violinists Salley Koo and Ralph Allen, violist Beste Tiknaz Modiri, cellist Iris Jortner, and bassist Max Zeugner.

Komitas was an Ottoman-Armenian priest, musicologist, composer, arranger, singer, and choirmaster, and collector of over 3000 Armenian folk melodies. We will play selections from these songs for string quartet, arranged for by the cellist of the Komitas quartet, Sergei Aslamazyan.

Incan composer and pianist, Hwaen Ch’uqi, a native of Peru wrote his Élegie-Berceuse in c minor in the spring of 2021. Written in memory of George Tomlinson, Hwaen’s adoptive father, this trio for violin, viola, and double bass, was commissioned by Anna Doak, and is a reflective, gently rocking meditation.

Dvorak’s bass quintet in G Major, Op. 77 (originally Op. 18), was written in 1875, when Dvorak was 34, as he was embracing Bohemian nationalism after having spent his youth cultivating a style like Liszt and Wagner. In his thirties Dvorak won widespread fame, including the advocacy of Brahms, when he turned to writing music influenced by Slovakian folk music. This work is warm and charming.

Please join us for a concert of hauntingly beautiful music, with wonderful musicians! Suggested donation is $25 for the general public, $10 for seniors and students.

Warmly,

Your Roosevelt Island Concert team:

Ralph, Iris, Yi-heng, Benjamin, and Marc.

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More info on Roosevelt Island Concerts available at their website

and here's Roosevelt Island Concerts

presentation of Schubert:Symphony No.5 in August 2021 at the Good Shepherd Chapel.

No Cost Community Shredding 9 AM - 12 PM Thursday August 22 At Roosevelt Island Motorgate Plaza Presented By NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright

Roosevelt Island's NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright is sponsoring a no-cost community shredding Thursday August 22 from 9 AM - 12 PM at Motorgate Plaza.

Take A Look At Huge Section Of A Submarine Being Barged North On The East River Passing Roosevelt Island Today

 Roosevelt Island Tipters share these photos of what appears to be the section of a submarine

being barged north on the East River passing Roosevelt Island this evening.

According to one observer:

Likely a piece of a sub headed for assembly in Groton, Conn. it looks like the front end of a fast attack submarine

Looks like it is part of a nuclear attack submarine.

Future USS Iowa (SSN 797) Virginia-class Block IV nuclear attack submarine (front third) in the East River in New York City heading to Groton, Connecticut from Newport News - June 27, 2021

* video posted on ship's FB page pic.twitter.com/qNXyb8zD0o

— WarshipCam (@WarshipCam) June 29, 2021

Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine (front third) in the East River in New York City heading to Groton, Connecticut from Newport News - June 27, 2021

* photos posted by @minimota, @ABAOProductions, @momlovesfilm, and @6igyak. pic.twitter.com/rpil5AGaXA

— WarshipCam (@WarshipCam) June 28, 2021

Half of a nuclear submarine was seen floating up the East River http://t.co/agX91MOiMV pic.twitter.com/U2jU9QtUAg

— New York Post Metro (@nypmetro) July 25, 2015

Here's an interesting video on the design and construction of nuclear submarines.

and a look inside a nuclear submarine.

UPDATE 11:50 PM

Future Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine in the East River passing Roosevelt Island in New York City heading to Groton, Connecticut - August 20, 2024

SRC: TW-@Rooseveltisland pic.twitter.com/JAvbXAiMrc

— WarshipCam (@WarshipCam) August 21, 2024

Sip And Shop Thursday Night August 22 Hosted By Roosevelt Island Thrift And RIVAA Gallery - Come Join Your Neighbors To Browse A Curated Collection Of Secondhand Clothing And Enjoy Some Refreshments

As reported last April:

Roosevelt Island resident Stephanie Herlihy hopes to bring a Thrift store back to Roosevelt Island.

But in the meantime before she can secure a storefront, Ms Herlihy will collect and sell items at the Roosevelt Island Seniors Association (RISA) Saturday Good Shepherd Plaza Flea Market which sets up every other Saturday.

According to Roosevelt Island Thrift:

Join us for a weekend of secondhand shopping in collaboration with @rivaagallery!

We kick the weekend off early on Thursday, August 22 with a Sip & Shop - an evening to enjoy the company of your neighbors and browse a curated collection of secondhand clothing, shoes and accessories. Refreshments will be provided and available for purchase! This event is free to attend but please register if you plan to join.

The fun continues through the weekend at the Rummage Sale from August 23-25 during the regular gallery hours. Members of the gallery will join TH•RI•FT selling a wide variety of secondhand goods - come find a unique treasure!

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More info on Roosevelt Island Thrift available here.

Click here for more info on the Sip & Shop hosted by Roosevelt Island Thrift and RIVAA Gallery.

Little Free Library Book Sharing Box Comes To Roosevelt Island - Drop Off A Favorite Book For Someone Else To Read And Pick Up One For Yourself

Roosevelt Island has a new Little Free Library book sharing box 

located at the Rivercross Lawn.

According to The Little Free Library: 

Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Our mission is to be a catalyst for building community, inspiring readers, and expanding book access for all through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Library book-exchange boxes.

Our vision is a Little Free Library in every community and a book for every reader. We believe all people are empowered when the opportunity to discover a personally relevant book to read is not limited by time, space, or privilege....

Comments on Roosevelt Islander Instagram page include:

• Great idea!
• So great! Met the woman from Astoria behind the idea as she and friends were installing it. Will bring some books over if it stops raining!
• So fun! I have a few recently read new release books to drop off!
• Finally a library open on Sundays
• Finally 👏 I hope it's not used as a dump for useless books
• Yes! Been asking for this for awhile! 👏

Q & A Interview With Artist Tony Vita Currently Showing "Strange Terrain" Exhibition At Roosevelt Island RIVAA Octagon Gallery - Describes AI Working Process Following Down The Rabbit Hole To Making Digital Paintings Of Strange Terrain

The Roosevelt Island RIVAA Gallery at the Octagon building (888 Main Street) is currently exhibiting the paintings of artist and Roosevelt Island resident TonyVita. According to RIVAA Gallery:

Digital Painting by Tony Vita

Encounter the beautifully surreal, unique and slightly unsettling digital paintings that comprise the world of Tony Vita’s latest exhibition, Strange Terrain.

You can immerse yourself in the absorbing world of Strange Terrain anytime from July 1- September 27, 2024 at the Octagon. You will be glad that you made the trip. 

Here are some scenes from the July 12 opening reception of Tony Vita's Strange Terrain exhibition at RIVAA's Octagon Gallery. 

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Roosevelt Island resident and Gallery RIVAA member artist Laura Hussey interviewed Mr Vita recently about his Strange Terrain exhibition in this question and answer format.

Q - Tony. You currently have an exhibition at the Octagon called Strange Terrain. Why did you select that as a title?

A - Most of pieces in the show suggest places that are familiar and based in reality at first glance but are in fact strange and dreamlike.

Q - Did you come up with the title first or did you create the work and then make up a title?

A - Titles are the last thing I think about. If I had my way, everything I've ever done would be titled “Untitled 1- Untitled 2 and so on. I'm not thinking in terms of words.

Q - Where did you get the ideas for the works in this exhibition?

A - I almost never plan my pieces. I start with a notion or an image I carry in my head and sit at the computer or sketchbook and play. Sometimes in the working process, something that I hadn't thought of takes shape and I follow down the rabbit hole. You have to trust your instincts.

Q - The works on the lower level and the ones on the upper level appear as two distinct visual entities. What connects them so that both are considered “strange terrain”?

A - I like to think of those pieces as representing some of the inhabitants of the strange terrain. The fact that they were in a separate space allowed me to show pieces that were lighter in spirit. I thought that kids would enjoy the strange menagerie.

Q - All the artwork is digital. What program(s) did you use to create the pieces in the exhibition?

A - Adobe Photoshop is at the top of the list. It's essential to any artist working in the digital medium. I've only recently started using AI in process. I use Adobe Firefly for that but I'm investigating other software such as Luma which is an AI animation program.

Q - Why did you select  those programs?

A - Trial and error. Is the software compatible with my goal? Does it have creative flexibility? Can I afford it? How long did it take to create each piece?

I work very fast. A piece can take one or two hours, but refining it can take weeks .

Take a walk down to the RIVAA Octagon Gallery at 888 Main Street to check out Tony Vita's Strange Terrain exhibition through September 27, 2024.