Enough already. You want to get away, but time and money won’t let you. You want to cool off, but the brutal city heat won’t let you. No worries. New York has a variety of ways to do both and have a good time. OK, it might sound corny and it will cost a little money, but it’s novel and refreshing. When it comes to getting out on the water, you have options. Take a ride on the water taxi or the Staten Island Ferry. It doesn’t matter that you’re just going to another borough. Once there, hop off and explore a little, have an ice cream cone, and then pop back on for another exciting adventure on the high seas, also known as the East River. My favorite is the Circle Line. For me it never gets old. The tour guides always allude to some interesting facts about New York City, and because most are actors, they tend to put on a show. Sitting back with a cool glass of wine, for three hours you can be anywhere in the world. A visit to Battery Park can prove to be mind-blowing. There is the most unusual carousel, which I am not going to try and describe—you have to see it for yourself. I will say that it is really cool. A food stand offers a curry chicken sandwich to die for. For a special date night, there is a fancy restaurant with a delicious menu that includes oven roasted branzino and red snapper. While you’re there, take a ride on the Clipper City sailboat. Make a night of it.

If it’s Italian you want, Olive Garden continues to maintain good food, good service, good ambiance and good wine. You can get hooked on the breadsticks and salad alone.

Jonelle Procope, CEO and president of the Apollo Foundation, was in attendance at the eighth annual Elly Awards Luncheon, hosted by the Women’s Forum of New York. The awards, named after the organization’s founder, Elinor Guggenheimer, honor outstanding women leaders, of which Procope is one. This year’s recipients were Hillary Rodham Clinton, former first lady, U.S. senator, U.S. secretary of state and presidential candidate; Shelia C. Johnson, founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts; and Deirdre Quinn, CEO and co-founder of Lafayette 148 New York. The awards were presented by Donna Shalala, former secretary of Health and Human Services; Kay Unger, president of Kay Unger Design and CEO of the Kay Unger Family Foundation; and Dr. Joyce Brown, president of the Fashion Institute of Technology. Marcy Syms, former chair and CEO of Syms Corporation, was the chair of the 2018 Elly Awards. Paula Zahn, nine-time Emmy Award-winning host and executive producer of “On the Case with Paula Zahn,” moderated a conversation on leadership with honorees Johnson and Quinn after the presentation of the awards. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Women’s Forum Education Fund, which had its 31st anniversary, was organized to help women aged 35 and older who, despite extreme adversity and hardships in their lives, complete their college degrees. To date, more than 220 women have been helped by the fund. This year’s event raised more than $350,000.

There was a live hawk and a live owl, and swans floating in the pond, along with CNN newscaster Don Lemon and Curtis Silwa (still in his Guardian Angels de rigueur) at the 12th annual GET WILD! Summer Gala, hosted by the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center of the Hamptons. In keeping with the theme, only cocktails and a light vegetarian cuisine were served. Filet mignon would have seemed out of place. Jimmy Fallon was among the benefit co-chairs.

Although many wait nearly a lifetime to get married and some chose not to marry at all, did you know that most recently, a law was signed in New Jersey by Gov. Phil Murphy banning marriage before the age 18, no exceptions. New Jersey is the second state to do so. In May, Delaware became the first U.S. state to end child marriage. This law was passed partly because in some religions, young girls are forced to marry against their will. Statistics report that approximately a quarter-million girls as young as 12 were married between 2000 and 2010 in the United States to mostly adult males. Bringing this practice to light is a woman by the name of Fraidy Reiss. Raised in an ultra-orthodox Jewish family, Reiss became an outcast, shunned by her community, family and friends when she ended her oppressive marriage and sought an unrestrained life for herself and two daughters. She spoke out, campaigned, was resilient and remained committed to the belief that girls have the right to choose when and to whom they should marry. State by state she continues to crusade. This struggle is the stuff movies are made of.

Remember, it’s not too late to give to the Fresh Air Fund. Camp season has now officially begun and the children are lined up, ready to go. It’s a wonderful opportunity for children to get out of the city, breath some fresh air, run on grass instead of cement and count the stars. Check out the website so that you can learn how to give.

Until next week…kisses.