See New York like your ancestors did, except for on a fancy boat with a famous actress.
The latest promotional listing in Airbnb’s “hearts and minds” battle for legalization and acceptance is as patently stirring as the rest, and then some. On its own, a night on a yacht docked off Manhattan, between Liberty Island and Ellis Island, would be a very special way to celebrate immigrant heritage month. But who, you might ask, is the “Marcia” listed as host? Why, it’s actress Marcia Gay Harden!
Yes, the Academy Award winning actress, of Miller’s Crossing fame, who more recently took on the role of Christian Grey’s adoptive mother in the 50 Shades adaptation, will be “hosting” the lucky winner and his or her plus-one. It’s unclear, though, if she will be playing host in the traditional sense, staying on board and providing helpful brunch suggestions, or merely popping in to say hi.
Aside from an overnight stay on the Arabella, winners will be treated to a “specially curated meal” in Ellis Island’s Great Hall, that Maria will definitely be in attendance for, and then a few activities whose descriptions are agnostic as to her presence: an after-hours tour of Ellis Island’s museum and grounds, a one-on-one session with a genealogist, some late night cruising around Manhattan, and a “Sunday breakfast alongside ‘America's Great Lady’” the next morning.
“Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty quickly became symbols of freedom and hope for millions of immigrants as they looked to create a new home in a new place,” Andrea La Mesa, Airbnb Regional Director for North America, said in a press release. “Ahead of Independence Day, we’re excited to recreate that sense of belonging and welcome, just as our hosts do every day, in such a historic place.”
All that’s needed to enter is 550 words or less “about yourself or your family's history and why you'd like to make America's Gateway your home for the night."
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