Painting the town red (2)

Film

Screening an impressive variety of art house, foreign and classic films, York Square Cinema (55 Broadway) is a suprisingly high-tier independent movie theater. Though the cinema usually passes up the latest Hollywood blockbusters, the owner recently won a lawsuit against the local film distributer for monopolozing the big-name studio film market, allowing him to bring in an increasing number of first-run feature movies. Typically playing up to six or eight films on four screens, the theater's movies rotate fairly frequently (some only last a week), so it's worth it to head over immediately to catch a title you want to see. An added perk is the student pass you can pick up during the first few weeks of school, which will get you in at any time for a mere $4.50—a deal in this day and age.

To catch the latest blockbuster, you'll have to rustle up a car and head down the highway to Showcase Cinemas, a typical example of a modern suburban movie multiplex. There's rarely a mainstream movie you can't catch here, but you'll pay heftily for it.

Art and Museums

The Yale University Art Gallery (1111 Chapel St.) is the oldest university gallery in the country and admission is free for undergraduates. The Gallery is located right around the corner from Old Campus, and houses such works as Picasso's "First Steps" and Van Gogh's "Night Café." It also contains pieces by well-known artists such as Kandinsky, Gauguin, Monet, and Rothko. The basement features an acclaimed Ancient Art exhibit. The new wing was designed by the American architect Louis I. Kahn.

Kahn also designed the Yale Center for British Art (1080 Chapel St.), located across the street from the Art Gallery. Housing the most comprehensive collection of English art outside Great Britain, the Center displays works from the Elizabethan period onward and contains exhibits by such artists as J.M.W. Turner and Vanessa Bell—and it's all free. The Center houses traveling exhibits, hosts guest lecturers, and offers musical concerts in its skylit portrait gallery. Following the death of philanthropist and BAC founder Paul Mellon, Class of 1929, last winter, the museum received $75 million and over 130 works of art from his estate. As the result of his bequest, admission to the BAC will always be free.

One of the oldest museums in the nation, the Peabody Museum (170 Whitney Ave.) is free for anyone with a Yale ID. Housing over 10 million specimens, the natural history museum has one of the largest research collections of any institution. Perhaps the most popular exhibit is the Great Hall of Dinosaurs, which boasts one of the greatest dinosaur collections in the world. A 60-foot long Brontosaurus skeleton—one of the best-preserved and most complete of its kind—greets all visitors. The collection also contains a cast of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, a 100-million-year-old skeleton of Archelonischyros (the largest turtle that ever roamed the earth), and skeletons that served as models for the velociraptors in Jurassic Park.

Other features of the Peabody include the Hall of Human Cultures, with relics from around the world. In addition, the Peabody contains an extensive bird collection, boasting at least one specimen of every known bird, living or extinct. Besides its animal exhibits, the museum houses a beautiful collection of crystals and rocks, and even includes a rock from the moon.

Interested in the history of New Haven? The New Haven Colony Historical Society (114 Whitney Ave.), just past the corner of Temple and Trumbull Streets, stands a few blocks from the New Haven Green. The Society has an extensive collection of artifacts and documents from New Haven's over 350 years of existence.

Professional Sports

In April 1996, a new professional sports team opened in New Haven, giving Yale students one more off-campus destination. The New Haven Ravens, a minor league baseball club, now share Yale Field with the Bulldogs. Competing in the Eastern League with teams from New Britain, Portland, Trenton, Harrisburg and Binghamton, the Ravens (coached by former major-leaguer Paul Zuvella) are the Class AA affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. Tickets go for as little as $3, and the field is easily accessible—you can catch a bus to the Yale sports complex or walk there.

Or, if you're feeling adventurous and have access to a car, the Bridgeport Bluefish play minor league baseball just 20 minutes away in a beautiful, new ballpark. Construction is underway for a new hockey rink/basketball arena adjacent to the baseball field. However, hockey fans may come to prefer spending time at Ingalls Rink watching our own hockey team, given its recent success.

Parks

Edgewood Park is a good place for rollerblading, biking, and, when weather permits, ice skating. Offering spacious outdoor possibilities, Edgewood has acres of rolling woodland, a duck pond, two playgrounds, soccer and baseball fields, shuffleboard, bocce, and tennis courts. It's located between Whalley Avenue and Chapel Street, just past Boulevard Avenue.

East Rock Park has forests, 10 miles of trails, and barbecues. At the summit, a 112-foot tall monument dedicated to local residents who fought in America's early wars overlooks a panorama of New Haven. To reach East Rock, just walk straight down Orange Street for about 45 minutes.

West Rock Park, although farther from campus than East Rock, offers more strenuous mountain biking and a wider array of trails, but an equally fantastic view. A short bike ride away, you can reach West Rock by following Whalley Avenue to Blake Street and Springside Avenue. At the road fork, take a left to get to the summit or turn right to get to the Judges' Cave, a field of large, piled-up rocks. The West Rock Nature Recreation Center on Wintergreen Avenue has native birds, reptiles, and mammals.

It may not seem like the ideal getaway, but the Grove Street Cemetery is actually a cool place to reflect and to get a sense of New Haven's history. It's peaceful and quiet, and the tombstones make nice seats if you want to get some reading done and don't mind the morbidity. Big, old trees line the avenues of the cemetery. Spooky. Though the police warn that the cemetery can be dangerous and one can never be too careful, students generally feel safe walking around during the daytime.

Edgerton Park, located off Saint Ronan St. in one of the wealthier neighborhoods of New Haven (and home to a pavilion and greenhouse), is a great destination for a walk.

New Haven Green is your typical city park, and in the spring and early fall, it's beautiful. If Old Campus is too crowded, or if you're sick of being surrounded by Gothic architecture, the Green is a great place to relax and escape any Frisbee crossfire.

Fun with your Body

Looking for a relief to mid-finals week tension? Look no further than a soothing massage at Creative Body Therapies (1079 Whalley Ave.). Though massages are offered through Payne-Whitney Gym, the results are unsatisfying—skip the hassle and go straight for the best. Your body will thank you.

What better way to express your individualism and independence from your parents than by paying a visit to your local tattooing and body piercing parlor? Lucky for you, New Haven is home to the internationally renouned Studio Zee Tattooing and Body Piercing (934 State St.). Professional and approachable, the body artists at Studio Zee serve a wide range of customers, from college students to housewives, professionals, and self-described freaks.

For those looking for adventure closer to home, The Edge Tattoo Co. (936 Chapel St.) is located across the street from Old Campus. The intimidating goth exterior is betrayed by a clean and open interior. Although professional, the artists are a bit more laissez-faire about their work and all the tattooing and piercing is done in a sectioned-off but open air corner of the shop. For simple jobs and more exhibitionistic surroundings, The Edge suffices, but for more reassurance head the extra 10 or 20 blocks to Studio Zee.

Transportation Information

If you don't have a car, freshman year can be pretty insular. Unless you went to boarding school or were under house arrest during high school, you're probably used to having free reign to come and go as you please. Don't let New Haven circumscribe your geographical identity—take advantage of this handy guide to public transportation instead:

TAXI CABS Metro Taxi: 777-7777 New Haven Taxi Co.: 877-0000 Yellow Cab: 777-5555	BUSES Arrow, Greyhound and Trailway Lines: 772-2470 Peter Pan Buses: 800-237-8747
TRAINS Amtrak: 1-800-USA-RAIL MetroNorth Railroad: 800-638-7646 Shore Line East: 800-ALL-RIDE	AIRPORT SHUTTLES Peter Pan Buses: 878-6054 Airport Taxi Service: 726-9400 Connecticut Limo: 878-2222 Prime Time: 800-RED VANS
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Connecticut Transit Buses: 624-0151

Graphics by Sara Edward-Corbett.

Lauren Anderson, Michelle Anderson, Meena Bewtra, Melissa DePetris, Nicole Lai, Barry Levey, Andrea Lynch, and Jill Silverman contributed to this article.

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