City Living

Open Data Week highlights NYC’s Open Data Portal with art, design, squirrels and more

Jen Ray, Jason Forrest, “Find the Secret Data Message, NY Alive.” Photo credit: Data X Design.

March 7, 2022

Open Data Week highlights NYC’s Open Data Portal with art, design, squirrels and more

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New York City loves an opportunity to show off its smarts and find innovative ways technology, art and daily life are intertwined. Data Through Design (DxD), an exhibition happening from March 5 - 13 throughout the five boroughs, is a perfect example. DxD is a central component of the broader NYC Open Data Week, which in turn highlights the city's Open Data Portal and the many things that can be done with access to data. Design and art events offer visitors a chance to interact with the city through life-sized art pieces. Even the city's bushy-tailed rodents get involved in the fun.
Art, design, rats and squirrels, this way
A luxurious wellness spa is now open on Governors Island

All images courtesy of QC NY

March 4, 2022

A luxurious wellness spa is now open on Governors Island

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QC Terme Spas & Resorts' long-anticipated day spa has opened today within three historic buildings on Governors Island. QC NY is the luxury resort brand's first property outside of Europe and features relaxation rooms, themed saunas, Vichy showers, infrared beds, foot baths, hydro jets, steam baths, and other amenities meant to induce bliss. The resort will be the island's first year-round commercial tenant.
See more here
How Planter Rob is growing a community of plant lovers & affordable housing advocates in NYC

All images courtesy of Breaking Ground

March 2, 2022

How Planter Rob is growing a community of plant lovers & affordable housing advocates in NYC

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Plant entrepreneur Robert Jeffery, aka Planter Rob, recently teamed up with New York's largest supportive housing provider Breaking Ground and plant company The Sill to donate nearly 200 houseplants to residents of Edwin's Place, an affordable housing development in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Jeffery has also started his own "Welcome-Home Plants" program; an initiative that aims to cultivate a diverse community of plant lovers who advocate for affordable housing and reap the benefits plant care brings, like a feeling of belonging and accomplishment. As someone who once faced homelessness, Jeffery can speak on the impact plant care had on his life once he was able to have a place for himself. We spoke with Planter Rob on what influenced him to become involved with houseplants, important issues in the plant community, and how he began his work with Breaking Ground and Edwin's Place.
Meet Planter Rob and learn more about his mission
NYC Council approves zoning amendment in move toward permanent outdoor dining

Maiden Korea, 316 5th Avenue; Courtesy of Alfresco NYC

February 25, 2022

NYC Council approves zoning amendment in move toward permanent outdoor dining

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The New York City Council on Thursday approved the Open Restaurants zoning text amendment to NYC’s Zoning Resolution, an important step in the path to making permanent outdoor dining a part of city life. The zoning amendment expands the areas where outdoor dining can be considered to all NYC neighborhoods. The amendment joins proposed legislative changes that would cut red tape for restaurant owners.
Find out more
The 10 most romantic spots in NYC
February 10, 2022

The 10 most romantic spots in NYC

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It’s sometimes hard to see New York’s romantic potential, considering the city’s sheer quantity of subway rats and mysterious street sludge. But despite some of New York’s less love-inspiring qualities, there are a lot of beautiful, heart-stopping spots that set the right tone for romance, even if you have to contend with yellow snow on your way home. Just in time for Valentine's Day, we've rounded up our 10 favorites, from a medieval monastery to a cozy restaurant haunted by Aaron Burr to tried-and-true favorites like the top of the Empire State Building.
Love is in the air
SNL’s Pete Davidson and Colin Jost rescue retired Staten Island Ferry boat for $280K

The MV John F. Kennedy in 2015. Photo: Godsfriendchuck via Wikimedia commons

January 21, 2022

SNL’s Pete Davidson and Colin Jost rescue retired Staten Island Ferry boat for $280K

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"Saturday Night Live" stars Pete Davidson and Colin Jost, along with comedy club owner Paul Italia, were the high bidders for the retired Staten Island Ferry boat John F. Kennedy, the NY Post reports. The boat, recently retired from the Staten Island Ferry fleet, was listed for $125,000 at a public auction that ended Wednesday. The auction price of the vintage vessel, retired after over five decades of service, had been slashed in half, but its new owners bid $280,000 in a last-minute bidding war, armed with plans to transform the ferry into a live entertainment venue.
More on the JFK, this way
14-mile ‘Interborough Express’ route between Brooklyn and Queens moves forward

Image courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

January 21, 2022

14-mile ‘Interborough Express’ route between Brooklyn and Queens moves forward

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A public transportation project that could ease the lives of thousands of New Yorkers is gaining momentum. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced the completion of a feasibility study for the Interborough Express, moving the project into its next phase of development. The feasibility study yielded promising results, revealing that the new line could serve anywhere between 74,000 and 88,000 riders a day while connecting to 17 subway stops and the Long Island Rail Road. From its start in Bay Ridge to its final stop in Jackson Heights, the route would take 40 minutes.
Find out more
New daily, year-round ferry service launches to and from Governors Island

Image courtesy of the Trust for Governors Island

January 20, 2022

New daily, year-round ferry service launches to and from Governors Island

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The city's Economic Development and the Trust For Governors Island on Thursday announced that daily, year-round ferry service to Governors Island will begin on Monday, January 24. The NYC Ferry will add a stop at Yankee Pier on its South Brooklyn Route between Red Hook and Sunset Park, connecting New Yorkers to the island from the Lower East Side and Brooklyn. The new service’s hours will coincide with the Island's new winter hours, open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Find out more
10 places to volunteer in New York City this winter

Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash

January 14, 2022

10 places to volunteer in New York City this winter

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As the pandemic rages on, New Yorkers have maintained their resilience. However, many who were already struggling have had an even rougher time, with thousands of New Yorkers facing hunger, homelessness, and unemployment. As the federal holiday celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., approaches, consider taking action and assisting the less fortunate in your community. Ahead, find a number of New York City organizations seeking volunteers this winter. Note, many of the organizations listed have put safety protocols in place to prevent the spread of the virus, including masks and social distancing.
Full list here
New art exhibit lets you walk through a glowing tunnel in the Garment District

Image courtesy of Alexandre Ayer / @DiversityPics for the Garment District Alliance

January 11, 2022

New art exhibit lets you walk through a glowing tunnel in the Garment District

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A small section of Broadway in the Garment District has been transformed into a glowing tunnel. The Garment District Alliance today revealed Passage, an art installation consisting of 20 illuminated circles that form a tunnel for pedestrians to walk through. The art piece is interactive, with each ring radiating light and emitting sound as participants pass by them. Located on Broadway between 39th and 40th Streets, the free immersive art experience will be open to the public until February 13.
Find out more
NY lawmakers introduce ‘Dark Skies Act’ to protect migrating birds and limit light pollution

Photo by Carlos Oliva from Pexels

January 10, 2022

NY lawmakers introduce ‘Dark Skies Act’ to protect migrating birds and limit light pollution

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Every year in New York City, tens of thousands of migratory birds are killed after being drawn from their flight paths by the city’s artificial light. To combat this, State Sen. Brad Hoylman and Assembly Member Patricia Fahy last week introduced the “Dark Skies Act,” a bill that aims to prevent the deaths of migratory birds and reduce light pollution. The bill would require the majority of non-essential outdoor lights to be turned off, covered, or switched to motion sensor activation after 11 p.m. Alternatively, lights could be set to shine downwards.
Details this way
NYC bodegas launch campaign against corporation-backed 15-minute grocery delivery

Photo by Clément Falize on Unsplash

January 10, 2022

NYC bodegas launch campaign against corporation-backed 15-minute grocery delivery

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New York City bodegas and delis are fighting back against 15-minute delivery startups. A group representing local grocers, the Save Mom-and-Pop Business Coalition, rallied on Sunday with elected officials, calling out the venture capitalist-backed services they say threaten the city's small businesses. The rally took place outside of Stop 1 Deli, a Lower East Side bodega located directly across the street from GoPuff, one of the delivery services in question. Delivery services like GoPuff have moved into large spaces on commercial strips, morphing them into warehouses stuffed with groceries and other goods.
See more here
Hochul announces 14-mile-long ‘Interborough Express,’ connecting Bay Ridge to Jackson Heights

Image courtesy of the MTA

January 6, 2022

Hochul announces 14-mile-long ‘Interborough Express,’ connecting Bay Ridge to Jackson Heights

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After decades of speculation and discarded plans, better train access could be on the way for New Yorkers living in Queens and Brooklyn. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday announced in her 2022 State of the State address plans for the development of the "Interborough Express," a major transit service expansion that would connect the boroughs. The proposed expansion takes the Bay Ridge Branch, a freight rail line that already runs through Brooklyn and Queens, and transforms it into a 14-mile arching track stretching from Bay Ridge to Jackson Heights. The new track would link up to 17 existing subway lines across the two boroughs, as well as provide a connection to the Long Island Rail Road.
Find out more
Famed NYC bar Dante opens winter-themed pop-up at the Seaport

Image courtesy of Dante

January 6, 2022

Famed NYC bar Dante opens winter-themed pop-up at the Seaport

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North America’s number one bar returns to the Seaport to serve award-winning food and drink in its seasonal pop-up at Pier 17’s Pearl Alley. Guests can enjoy their food and drink alongside live music in a warm, winter-themed setting. The Greenwich Village staple will offer guests signature cocktails and negronis, as well as espresso, coffee, and pastries.
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NYC Ferry continues expansion with new Bronx stop in Throgs Neck

NYC Ferry launched service in Throgs Neck in the Bronx with the opening of a new landing at Ferry Point Park. Tuesday, December 28, 2021. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

December 29, 2021

NYC Ferry continues expansion with new Bronx stop in Throgs Neck

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Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday cut the ribbon on a new ferry landing in the Bronx. Located at Ferry Point Park in Throgs Neck, the new landing extends NYC Ferry's Soundview route, which stops on the Upper East Side, Midtown, and the Financial District. With the addition of this new stop, the Soundview route begins at Ferry Point Park, continuing onto stops in Soundview, East 90th Street, 34th Street, Stuyvesant Cove, and Wall Street/Pier 11. The entire route takes a total of 60 minutes.
Details here
These are the library books New Yorkers checked out the most in 2021

Images courtesy of NYPL

December 21, 2021

These are the library books New Yorkers checked out the most in 2021

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In another year dominated by the coronavirus pandemic, New Yorkers looked to the public library system for solace. New York City’s public libraries on Tuesday released their annual list of the most checked-out books of 2021. At the New York Public Library, which includes branches in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island, the most borrowed book for the second year in a row was Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half. In Brooklyn, Bennett’s novel also took the top spot. In Queens, the most borrowed book was The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah.
Full list ahead
Ring in the New Year hanging 1,271 feet above NYC

Image courtesy of Edge

December 16, 2021

Ring in the New Year hanging 1,271 feet above NYC

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Thrill-seekers will have the opportunity to ring in the New Year while hanging over the edge of the highest open-air building climb in the world. On Tuesday, City Climb introduced the exclusive event with spots open for eight people. City Climb, located on top of 30 Hudson Yards, offers participants breathtaking views of New York City as they scale a set of open-edged stairways and platforms on the outside of the building. Those who are daring enough and want to welcome the new year on a ‘high’ note can join the digital queue here, which begins at noon on December 22.
More here
15 holiday trees in NYC that are not at Rockefeller Center

Photo by Charley Lhasa on Flickr

December 9, 2021

15 holiday trees in NYC that are not at Rockefeller Center

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The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center may be the most popular conifer in New York City, with 125 million people visiting the tree each year, but it certainly is not the only one. Every holiday season, spruces adorned with colorful lights and ornaments pop up across the five boroughs. The city’s many holiday trees each offer a unique take on the tradition, which began in NYC in 1912 when the first public Christmas tree was erected in Madison Square Park. For those looking to skip the Midtown crowds this year, we’ve rounded up 15 of the best holiday trees, from the origami tree at the American Museum of Natural History to the flotilla of trees in Central Park’s Harlem Meer.
Get the full list
New York Public Library honors Stephen Sondheim with new tribute display

Photograph of Sondheim at the piano by Friedman-Abeles (Firm) Courtesy of the New York Public Library Digital Collections.

December 3, 2021

New York Public Library honors Stephen Sondheim with new tribute display

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The New York Public Library has opened a new exhibit honoring the legacy of the late Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim, considered one of the best musical theater composers of our time. Sondheim, the mastermind behind works in West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and many others, died last week at age 91. Free and open to the public until early next year, the display features letters and other objects related to Sondheim found in the archives of the Library of the Performing Arts.
Find out more
Here are the best books of 2021, according to the NYPL

Photo credit: Jonathan Blanc / NYPL

November 23, 2021

Here are the best books of 2021, according to the NYPL

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The New York Public Library on Tuesday released its annual list of the best books of the year, a tradition that started nearly 100 years ago. This year, committees of expert librarians selected nearly 300 titles across categories for kids, teens, and adults. From fiction to fantasy to graphic novels and poetry, the Best Books of 2021 list has something for every reader in your life.
Find out more
New report shows NYC’s wealthiest neighborhoods saw the highest pandemic exodus

Photo by Jason Krieger on Unsplash

November 17, 2021

New report shows NYC’s wealthiest neighborhoods saw the highest pandemic exodus

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New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer's office released a report this week revealing the impact the Covid-19 pandemic had on the city's population. The numbers show that net residential migration out of NYC tripled during 2020–and residents of the city's wealthiest neighborhoods were the ones most likely to move out. But those numbers appear to be reversing to a pre-pandemic level: Since July 2021, the city has gained an estimated 6,332 residents, and outward-bound migration has actually been lower than it was in 2019.
Who left, and where did they go?
The 2021 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has arrived in NYC

All photos by Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Tishman Speyer

November 15, 2021

The 2021 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has arrived in NYC

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With the arrival of this year's Rockefeller Christmas Tree in Midtown, the holiday season in New York City has officially begun. Donated by a family in Elkton, Maryland, the 79-foot-tall Norway spruce was cut down last week, hoisted by a crane, and arrived in Manhattan this weekend following a roughly 140-mile journey via flatbed truck. Considered one of the world's most famous holiday trees, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will be decorated with thousands of multi-colored lights and a sparkling star topper. The official lighting ceremony is planned for Wednesday, December 1.
More here
New York Public Library’s iconic marble lions show off oversized bandages to encourage vaccination

Photo credit: Jonathan Blanc / NYPL

November 8, 2021

New York Public Library’s iconic marble lions show off oversized bandages to encourage vaccination

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The marble lions that have guarded the New York Public Library's mane branch for 110 years are now wearing oversized red bandages. The library last week announced Patience and Fortitude received their Covid-19 vaccine, with newly applied 14-by 4.6-inch bandaids as proof. The library hopes the lions' new look encourages more New Yorkers to get vaccinated.
Find out more
Book a stay at Carrie Bradshaw’s iconic NYC brownstone apartment for $23/night

All photos by Kate Glicksberg unless otherwise noted

November 5, 2021

Book a stay at Carrie Bradshaw’s iconic NYC brownstone apartment for $23/night

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The too-big-to-be-true rent-stabilized apartment of fictional character Carrie Bradshaw will soon be available to book on Airbnb. The company announced this week it will rent, for two nights only, a recreation of the New York City brownstone seen on Sex and the City. The apartment has been decorated with a mix of vintage and designer furniture, with the style guru's massive walk-in closet the highlight of the stay.
Details here
Bedford Union Armory recreation center officially opens in Crown Heights

Photo credit: Brett Bayer

October 28, 2021

Bedford Union Armory recreation center officially opens in Crown Heights

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The transformation of a former armory in Brooklyn into a recreation center is now complete. Located in Crown Heights, the Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center opened its doors on Wednesday, bringing a new 60,000-square-foot community center with an indoor swimming pool, three basketball courts, a soccer field, dance studios, and space for local nonprofits to the neighborhood. The long-awaited project also includes 415 units of housing, expected to open in 2023.
More this way
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