Holiday Magic: 12 Places to Explore in New York City

New York City truly comes alive during the winter months with holiday magic. One of the best ways to create lasting memories is to experience the magic of it all with family and friends. We’ve put together a list of 12 must-see holiday experiences. Make time to share some holiday magic with your loved ones this season. Nobody celebrates the holidays like NYC!

Ice Skating

One of New York City’s most beloved holiday traditions is ice skating. Visit the iconic rink at Rockefeller Center or the Winter Village at Bryant Park to be surrounded by holiday cheer. Of course, the Central Park ice skating rink offers beautiful views surrounded by NYC skyscrapers.

Festive Events

  • New York Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show and Glow – Watch model trains zip through an enchanting display of more than 190 replicas of New York landmarks that are whimsically re-created from natural materials. Leave time to take in NYC’s largest outdoor holiday light experience at NYBG GLOW. Thousands of dazzling, energy-efficient light displays reflect the surrounding gardens and collections.
  • Santaland at Macy’s Herald Square – Don’t miss the magic of Macy’s Santaland featuring a 13,000-square-foot North Pole Christmas village complete with live elves, an enchanted forest featuring animatronic toys, and a train display. Of course, Santaland is also where you get to visit with the one true Santa. Reservations are FREE and can be made online up to 5 days in advance. 
  • GingerBread Lane – The world’s largest gingerbread village features 700 hundred gingerbread houses, 4,000lbs of candy, and 1,000lbs of gingerbread! 

Holiday Lights

  • Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights – During the holidays, the Bronx Zoo comes to life each evening with immersive light displays, custom-designed animal lanterns, and animated light shows. Be ready to experience festive entertainment, eat yummy treats, and ride the Holiday Train all with classic holiday music in the background. 
  • Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden – Explore the beauty of the Garden under moonlight while enjoying seasonal treats and festive music. This is an immersive and magical experience for visitors of all ages.
  • Dyker Heights Christmas Lights – Did you know the most extravagant Christmas light displays in the country are located in the Dyker Heights section of Brooklyn? Be among the over 100,000 people who flock to this area every year to see the over-the-top holiday decorations.
  • The World’s Largest Menorah Lighting: Manhattan – The world’s largest menorah, topping out at 36 feet, will return to Manhattan’s Grand Army Plaza on December 7th.

Seasonal Markets

  • Bryant Park Winter Village – Enjoy yummy treats, local crafts, and artisan gifts from around the world.
  • Union Square Holiday MarketPeruse through 150+ vendors and dozens of award-winning restaurants and retailers at this iconic holiday market.
  • Columbus Circle Holiday Market – This holiday market is a favorite with over 100 artisans and designers selling their own unique wares, like special foods, handmade jewelry, art, home goods, and much more.
  • Grand Holiday Bazaar – Find one-of-a-kind handmade holiday decoration and gifts at 150+ hand-picked independent local artisan booths. 

From our family at Sentry Window Guards, we hope that all of your holiday gatherings and celebrations are filled with joy! For more information regarding our window guard products and our expertise in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today

Summertime is Fun Time in New York City

Your local NYC window guard company is keeping a finger on the pulse of sum, sum, summertime fun in the city! Make summer boredom a thing of the past with these fun activities for the whole family.

Festivals

  • Celebrate BrooklynOne of the City’s longest-running outdoor arts festivals, providing free music, dance, theater, film and specially commissioned projects for four decades.
  • Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks – Look here to find the best spots in the city for viewing.
  • Broadway in Bryant Park – Taking place on Thursdays at lunchtime, check out sneak-peek performances from the best of Broadway and Off-Broadway on the Bryant Park Stage.
  • Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City – Experience the healing and rejuvenating power of the arts and free events hosted by the Lincoln Center this summer. 
  • NYC Restaurant Week – Explore the five boroughs through specially priced menus at hundreds of participating restaurants.
  • Harlem Week – An annual celebration of the best of Harlem which works to promote its rich African-American, African, Caribbean, Hispanic, and European history, as well as arts, culture, religion, business, entertainment, and sports.
  • Charlie Parker Jazz Festival – Each year this festival highlights some of the finest musicians in the world who reflect Charlie Parker’s musical individuality and genius, to promote appreciation for this highly influential and world-renowned artist. 

Movies Under the Stars

There are free film screenings in many parks in the city: from Brooklyn to Queens and to Manhattan. Here are a few to check out:

Explore a Food Market

When you can’t decide what you want to eat or you are in the mood to try something new, it’s time to explore a food market. 

Explore Nature

Hidden throughout the metropolis are a number of wonderful park spaces to spend some time in nature.

  • Central Park
  • Prospect Park
  • Brooklyn Bridge Park
  • Washington Square Park
  • Battery Park
  • The High Line
  • Flushing Meadows Corona Park
  • Inwood Hill Park
  • Governor’s Island

Take a Dip

  • Find the list of free public pools to help you cool off this summer here.
  • Of course there is always the beach! Make a day trip to Brighton Beach, Coney Island Boardwalk, Cedar Grove Beach, Manhattan Beach, Midland Beach, Orchard Beach, Rockaway Beach, South Beach, or Wolfe’s Pond Beach. 

What are your favorite ways to have summertime fun in NYC? At Sentry Window Guards our main focus is your child’s safety. We provide various types of childproof window locking mechanisms and safety devices for your home or building to keep everyone safe this summer! 

Sentry Window Guards Is Thankful For Our Customers!

We are so THANKFUL for our customers! At Sentry Window Guards our ongoing commitment is protect the safety of families, especially children. Our life’s work is to continue to be the most reliable window guard manufacturer in the country. We’d like to thank our customers that have supported us over the years and share what they have to say about Sentry Window Guards!

“I could not be happier with my experience with Sentry window guards. Ed and Clarivel were very helpful throughout the entire process, answering all my questions and making sure I had all the knowledge and materials I needed to properly install the guards in my home. Personal service and a great price; highly recommended!” – John O., Brooklyn, NY

“Just a quick note of appreciation. Javier was fantastic yesterday, and the child guards and rubber stoppers look great and work perfectly. Thank you for a job well done.” – Tore K.

“Thanks very much for fitting us in today. The guys were very professional, efficient and a real pleasure.” – Christine W., Oliver’s Realty Group

“Ed, I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated how quickly and professionally you and your company completed the installation of the window guards. It took less than four hours from my first call to you for the job to be finished. Your installers were right on time, completely professional and a pleasure to work with. As a small landlord in NYC, I find this kind of service very, very rare and I wanted to thank you for the great service.” – Bruce C., New York, NY

“We are a US-Top 50 window and door manufacturer based in NYC. Every time a project requires window guards, we have enjoyed partnering with Ed for more than 10 years. The array of color options Ed offers in the Sentry window guard selection perfectly compliment the design elements of each project and we’ve had many satisfied clients. Ed is a veteran in the business, knowledgeable and reliable. His team has always been first class, on time and on-point. This is one relationship that we treasure.” – Steven Y., Crystal Window & Door Systems, LTD

“I live in an apartment building in Manhattan; management wouldn’t be of any help to supply us with guards for our apartment. I called Sentry and spoke to Ed and he walked me through it and within 3 days we had our window guards installed in black aluminum, which no one else carried. Love the guards and the service.” – Jillian L.

“I’m a local window contractor in NYC. When we have various projects that need window guards, we purchase all our guards from Sentry/ American Architectural windows. We’ve also have instances when we’ve needed a guard within an hour’s time and Sentry has provided that service on a regular basis. Our clients love the look of their guards, which is not an easy task because the clientele we service are high end and are used to the best in quality.” – Ross A.

“Without Sentry Window Guards, my insurance would be enormous. Thanks Sentry for helping me lower by bills and protect my family.” – Tom J.

 

For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!

7 New Year’s Resolutions You Can Achieve

Happy New Year New York! 

According to Statistic Brain, almost half of the American population makes New Year’s Resolutions. Unfortunately approximately 8% of that 45% actually achieve resolution success. Instead of shooting for the moon, make realistic resolutions. Here are 7 ideas for New Year’s Resolutions that would add meaning to your life and be attainable:

  1. BE PUNCTUAL – Respect other people’s time and make it a habit to be punctual. Being “fashionably late” isn’t cool, professional or considerate. 
  1. GET YOUR STUDY ON – Whether you have been dreaming of finishing your college degree or you just want to take a few quilting classes at your local arts center, make a commitment. Furthering your education for a larger income or learning more about a beloved hobby will be satisfying no matter what the motive. 
  1. FIT IN FITNESS – If the thought of joining a gym or starting an intense exercise routine overwhelms you, start with baby steps. Park your car further away from your office, take the stairs instead of the elevator, do a few squats while catching up on the local news…you get the idea. Once your body starts to feel better from a little bit of exercise, you might be more motivated to amp up your fitness routine! 
  1. ELIMINATE DEBT – While this may take awhile or even seem impossible, make a plan to pay off debt. No need to explain the feeling of accomplishment you’ll experience when you lose that burden. 
  1. SUPPORT A CAUSE – Think of a cause that is near and dear to your heart and find out how you can contribute. Monetary donations are always welcome; however look at raising funds through walks such as the American Cancer Society Relay for Life Giving back to society and trying to make a difference makes the world a better place to live. And you will feel incredible for helping to support the cause. 
  1. MEANINGFUL FAMILY TIME – Many parents are constantly on the go. Sometimes we may see the constant shuffling of kids to activities and hours spent on homework as a burden. Try and look at these times in a more positive light. Bond with your family when possible and treasure times spent together. 
  1. ADOPT A FURBABY – There is nothing more satisfying than the devotion and loyalty of a pet, especially at the end of a challenging workday. No one loves us more unconditionally than a furbaby! 

We hope one or all of these New Year’s Resolutions resonate with you. Make 2018 a great year and Happy New Year from the team at Sentry Window Guards!

National Preparedness Month – September

During the month of September, families, businesses, communities and governments across the United States focus on preparedness. Unfortunately we have already experienced devastating hurricanes in the U.S. this season. While we don’t know how much more Mother Nature can potentially serve us, we still must take action and prepare for future emergencies NOW. Here are 4 steps to help ensure you have a plan to help keep you and your family safe if a disaster strikes:

1. PLAN: Communication is key in preparedness. Make a family emergency communication plan that addresses how to reunite after an emergency if separated. Address the needs of elderly or special needs persons, young children and pets in your home. Be sure and communicate your plan with family and friends before disaster strikes. (Learn more about Emergency Communication Plans and download plan templates here.)

2. READY KIT: Be prepared with an emergency supply kit, aka “Ready Kit”. Each family, individual or business has different needs. Most of the items are inexpensive and easy to find, and any one of them could save your life. Don’t forget to consider any unique needs beyond the basics for elderly or special needs persons, young children and pets. (Download a ready kit checklist here.)

 3. UNDERSTAND YOUR INSURANCE POLICY: You can’t prevent disasters from happening, but you can protect your home and property from potential damages. Work with your insurance agent to make sure you have the best coverage possible for your needs and that you understand the policy.

4.  CONSIDER GETTING INVOLVED: When disaster strikes, every person counts. You could be the difference in someone’s life. If you already have a Ready Kit, considering creating one for a neighbor. You can also find volunteer opportunities in your community to help show others how to stay safe during a disaster.

At Sentry Window Guards we make it our mission to help keep families safe. While our business is to help prevent falls from windows, we also recognize the importance of disaster preparedness. For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding New York City safety requirements, contact us today!