Happenings, September 20

Best of Burlesque

Bring on the fishnets and feather boas!

Four nights of shimmying stripteases come with the 15th Annual New York Burlesque Festival, kicking off this Thursday. Expect performers from near and far, including local favorites such as the World Famous *Bob* and Darlinda Just Darlinda, to bring the razzle dazzle. There will also be plenty of live music, comedy, and variety acts sprinkled in each evening.

The weekend ends with the Golden Pasties awards on Sunday, where the boldest queens are crowned in categories such as The Catch And Release Artist Award (for burlesque's serial dater) and The Rear Of The Year Award (for best booty, of course).

Check out the full list of festivities and grab your tickets now.

Towering Over Central Park

There's nothing like a bird's eye view of Central Park -- and a new proposed project will make it possible without a Fifth Avenue apartment.

Design firm DFA has come up with the idea of building a 712-foot wooden tower in the middle of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. The Central Park Tower, which looks quite skinny to avoid casting a major shadow over prime sun-bathing space, would double as an observation deck as well as a filtration device for the water.
"DFA envisions a temporary landmark that is remarkably of its time to creatively transform the reservoir into one of New York's boldest urban amenities," said studio founder Laith Sayigh. "This conceptual project pushes the boundaries of what we perceive is possible in a city as dense, historic and environmentally vulnerable as ours."
It would inevitably be crowded with tourists, but these photos kind of make the climb seem worth it anyway.

Pony Up

Don't be surprised if Central Park smells more like horse droppings than usual -- the Rolex Central Park Horse Show prances into Wollman Rink this week.

Some of the biggest equestrian competitors in the world, including Georgina Bloomberg and Kent Farrington, will go head-to-head in show jumping, dressage competitions, trained exhibition acts, and more.

And hey, you can head to the zoo for some more animals after!

Purchase tickets to the action-packed $50,000 Arena Eventing competition on Saturday, or check out the full schedule of events here.

Work Out With a Pro

Motivation is hard to come by when it's time to head to the gym and get moving. Every excuse is out there -- how many times has "I'll start my workout routine tomorrow" or "I'm just not feeling great today" crossed your mind?

Well, what if a professional athlete was watching you exercise? Would that get your butt in gear?

MetroPlus Health Plan and AMP Radio are teaming up with Assemblywoman Pam Harris to bring Brooklynites a workout they'll never forget, featuring New York Jets player Buster Skrine. This cornerback knows a thing or two about a worthwhile workout, so a meet and greet with him will kick this free community exercise session -- featuring focus on cardio, strength, and dance -- up a few notches.

It all goes down September 22 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Kaiser Park in Brooklyn. Learn more about the free event here.