Things to Do in Brooklyn

Tom Paladino, owner of the 95-foot American Princess, steers passengers over the Atlantic Ocean's scenic waters on many noted tours that leave the city's commotion behind, including his seal-and-bird-watching tour that earned a New Yorker mention. Staffed by a team of experienced captains on its luxury boats, American Princess Cruises' excursions encompass a variety of sightseeing, fishing, and partying opportunities. The company's many voyages ferry passengers past scenic areas that include New York Harbor, Jamaica Bay, Long Island Sound, or the Statue Of Liberty as she readies her torch for that night's show at Madison Square Garden. Within these geographic areas, passengers cruise on tours during which it's common to spot whales and dolphins cresting the sea's surface, the Sandy Hook Lighthouse, or take in the area's flame-colored leaves in autumn.

Take a floral safari through 39 acres of eclectic gardens on Queens Botanical Garden's map. Stop to smell the sweet, sweet honey in the bee garden, or hold hands in the beauteous meadow. To further blossom your budding brain, swing by Saturday or Sunday at 12:30 p.m. for the free, first-come, first-served 90-minute garden or building tour. Likewise, you can also enjoy specially scheduled events such as the upcoming MillionTreesNYC tree-care workshops; the workshops held on various dates will detail a citywide program aimed at planting and caring for one million new trees in the next decade (free for members). Other events include dance performances and, on June 20, a tribute class to the tree's greatest gift since sliced paper: origami (free for members).

Artist Peter McGouran opened his screenprinting studio and school to fulfill his passion for creating 2-D images layered with emotion, nuance, and color unattainable by computers. Featured on BushwickBK, the artist has worked with Alternative Apparel, American Apparel, Fruit of the Loom, and Hanes to emblazon fashion with artful images and exuberant hues. The pro teaches workshops for learners from beginner to advanced, infusing them with an enthusiasm for the eclectic art form via increasingly complex lessons, hands-on art projects, and freeze-frame group high-fives at the end of every class.

Most painters don't have a body count on their website. Danny Setiawan is the exception—he’s artfully slathering 292 people with paint in 2012. He's been painting traditionally since he was a child in Indonesia, but after graduating from Parsons The New School For Design in New York, he shifted his brush from synthetic to living canvases, layering participants’ skin with lush koi fish, patterns, and re-creations of famous masterpieces. As he told The Today Show, Setiawan became a body painter to imbue his artwork with more relevancy. "You cannot ignore a piece of art if it's painted on a human body," he said, echoing the sentiments Da Vinci expressed when Da Vinci added a miniature Mona Lisa to the forehead of the Mona Lisa.

Since he began filling his portfolio with body paintings, Setiawan's work has been far from ignored. In addition to visiting with Kathie Lee and Hoda, DenArt Studio has been recognized by Last Call with Carson Daly, as well as American Airlines, American Express, and Stoli. Many of his clients are not only attracted to the studio's colorful portfolio but also by its unique services. Guests can commission an artist to paint them clothed or unclothed as individuals or couples, expectant moms can opt for a maternity body-art session, and Halloween celebrants can enlist the studio's help bringing their costumes to life with body paint. At the onsite photo studio a photographer captures the resulting images in dramatic detail. Attendants can also paint each other at a casual Art on Live Canvas workshop, and ambitious artists looking to become the next Danny Setiawan can enroll in a body-painting or makeup course.

Each day, sports persons enter a brick façade on 39th Avenue with bow cases and leather quivers slung over their shoulders. Queens Archery was founded in 1967 and remains a clubhouse for the city's archers, offering a practice range, opportunity for organized competition, and a pro shop that stocks all manner of gear for the sport with a small but passionate following. In recent years, interest in the age-old discipline has surged—in part due to the popularity of the bow-and-arrow-wielding characters in The Hunger Games series—bringing an influx of beginners eager to learn the sport to Queens Archery. In addition to the resident eagle-eyed veterans, the facility is home to a coterie of young archers who take part in the Junior Olympic Archery Development program. The JOAD program is administered by Columbia University archery coach Al Lizzio and certified teacher Erin Vecino, who help youths cultivate the sharp eye and steady pull necessary to be competitive-level archers.