City Living

December 21, 2020

Funding for MTA and Broadway included in latest federal COVID relief bill

Congress on Sunday reached an agreement on a $900 billion emergency coronavirus relief package, roughly nine months after the first stimulus was signed into law. The package is expected to provide one-time direct payments of $600 to most taxpayers and provide an additional $300 per week to those unemployed. In some positive news for New York, the stimulus deal also includes $4 billion to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Save Our Stages bill, which provides funding for live performance venues, comedy clubs, and Broadway. Congress could vote on the package as early as Monday.
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Finnerty’s, popular Bay Area sports bar in the East Village, has permanently closed

The bar on opening day, courtesy of Finnerty’s

December 21, 2020

Finnerty’s, popular Bay Area sports bar in the East Village, has permanently closed

By Dana Schulz

Considered New York City's unofficial San Francisco sports bar, Finnerty's announced this morning that it's permanently closing its East Village location. For the past 11 years, the Irish pub on Second Avenue has been a go-to spot for Giants and 49ers fans, even hosting the Giant's World Series trophy three times. "The pandemic, along with being unable to reach an agreement with our landlord, forced our hand. There just wasn’t any way forward for us," said Finnerty's owners Dieter Seelig and Brian Stapleton.
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These are the books New Yorkers borrowed the most from the library in 2020

Photo credit: Jonathan Blanc / NYPL

December 21, 2020

These are the books New Yorkers borrowed the most from the library in 2020

By Devin Gannon

During an unusually tough year full of challenges, including the coronavirus pandemic, an election, and racial justice issues, New Yorkers relied on books to not only stay informed but to find comfort. The city's three public library systems on Monday released their top checkouts of 2020 lists. At the New York Public Library, which includes branches in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island, the most borrowed book of the year was Brit Bennett's The Vanishing Half. In Brooklyn, the top checkout was How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi and in Queens, The Guardians by John Grisham.
See the lists

City Living

How does the MTA deal with snowstorms? Jet engine powered snow blowers

A jet snow thrower in action via MTA’s Flickr

December 16, 2020

How does the MTA deal with snowstorms? Jet engine powered snow blowers

By Devin Gannon

With a forecast of up to 18 inches of snow, Winter Storm Gail is expected to bring more snow to New York City this week than the five boroughs saw all of last year. In response to the nor'easter, expected to hit Wednesday afternoon, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has activated its 24/7 command center to monitor the storm. The agency is prepared to clear subways, buses, and commuter railways of snow thanks to its fleet of super-powered snow throwers, jet-powered snow blowers, and specially designed de-icing cars to tackle the icy mess.
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‘Open Culture’ program will bring outdoor art and live performances to NYC this spring

The Museum of the City of New York opened an outdoor photo installation this summer titled “New York Responds,” Photo courtesy of MCNY

December 11, 2020

‘Open Culture’ program will bring outdoor art and live performances to NYC this spring

By Devin Gannon

The New York City Council on Thursday passed legislation permitting cultural institutions to use public outdoor space for events and performances. Sponsored by Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, the bill requires the city to create the "Open Culture" program, modeled after the city's successful outdoor dining initiative, which lets restaurants set up seating on sidewalks and some streets closed to cars. The program is set to be established by March 1, 2021.
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To help fund MTA, proposed bill calls for $3 fee on packages delivered in NYC

Photo by Raidarmax on Wikimedia

December 9, 2020

To help fund MTA, proposed bill calls for $3 fee on packages delivered in NYC

By Devin Gannon

A state lawmaker is calling for a new surcharge on packages delivered in New York City as a way to raise money for the cash-strapped Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Assembly Member Robert Carroll revived a bill he first introduced last February that would impose a $3 fee on all online delivery transactions, except for essential medical supplies and food. Facing its worst financial crisis in history because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the MTA has said without the $12 billion in aid from Congress it has requested, subway and bus service could be cut by 40 percent.
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Pearl River Mart to close Tribeca flagship next year

Pearl River Mart Foods in Chelsea Market; Courtesy of Chelsea Market

December 7, 2020

Pearl River Mart to close Tribeca flagship next year

By Devin Gannon

Pearl River Mart will shutter its Tribeca flagship early next year, store owners announced last week, becoming the latest New York City institution to shutter because of the coronavirus pandemic. In a blog post, company president Joanne Kwong said negotiations with the landlord "have stalled" and that he "has made clear his desire to use the courts to recoup every dollar he can, not just from our business, but from our personal assets." Despite the closure, Pearl River Mart, which has sold one-of-a-kind Asian-inspired decor and cookware in Manhattan since 1971, will keep its stores and new food concept in Chelsea Market open and the company said it has already secured a new location in the neighborhood.
More here

City Living

NYPL celebrates the five boroughs with list of 125 books about NYC

Photo courtesy of NYPL

December 3, 2020

NYPL celebrates the five boroughs with list of 125 books about NYC

By Devin Gannon

As it wraps up its 125th anniversary year, the New York Public Library is paying tribute to the city it has called home for over a century. On Thursday, the library released "125 NYC Books We Love," a list of titles recommended for adults, kids, and teens that celebrate the five boroughs. The book list is part of the library's "Roar for NYC" campaign, which aims to lift up New Yorkers during a challenging time and remind us of the city's resiliency.
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City Living

Fauci says Broadway could return next fall if ‘large proportion’ of nation receives COVID-19 vaccine

Photo by Andrae Ricketts on Unsplash

December 2, 2020

Fauci says Broadway could return next fall if ‘large proportion’ of nation receives COVID-19 vaccine

By Devin Gannon

Broadway theaters could reopen as soon as late summer or early fall next year, Dr. Anthony Fauci said during an interview on Tuesday. When asked by WNBC anchor David Ushery about the possibility of The Great White Way shining bright again, the nation's top infectious disease expert said it depends "on the uptake of vaccines by the people of the country and specifically the people of New York." All 41 Broadway theaters closed on March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic and ticket sales have been suspended until at least next May.
More here

The Salvation Army unveils giant red kettle in NYC as need for support services remains high

Photo courtesy of The Salvation Army Greater New York Division

December 1, 2020

The Salvation Army unveils giant red kettle in NYC as need for support services remains high

By Devin Gannon

With the need for support services at an all-time high coupled with a lack of foot traffic at retail stores due to the coronavirus pandemic, The Salvation Army has had to think outside the kettle this holiday season. While typically the charity group relies on its bell-ringers stationed outside of stores with red kettles to raise money for those in need, this year the Salvation Army is calling for digital donations. To bring attention to its online fundraising campaign, the group unveiled on Tuesday a giant 32-foot red kettle in Times Square.
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New Yorkers pay tribute to Mayor David Dinkins

Photo of Mayor David Dinkins by Rubenstein, photographer Martyna Borkowski on Flickr

November 24, 2020

New Yorkers pay tribute to Mayor David Dinkins

By Devin Gannon

David N. Dinkins, New York City's first and only Black mayor, died at his Manhattan home on Monday at the age of 93. Dinkins, who entered office in January 1990, famously referred to the city's diversity as a "gorgeous mosaic" and advocated economic and education equality for all New Yorkers. Despite serving just one term, Dinkins is credited with expanding affordable housing, lowering crime rates, revitalizing Times Square, and signing a deal that guaranteed the U.S. Open would be held in the city for decades. After news of his death broke, several New York leaders and luminaries paid tribute to the trailblazing icon.
More here

City Living

Astor Place Hairstylists has been saved from closing

Mayor Bill de Blasio celebrated the Phase 2 reopening with a visit to Astor Place Hairstylists on June 23, 2020. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

November 23, 2020

Astor Place Hairstylists has been saved from closing

By Devin Gannon

Just two days before it was set to close for good, Astor Place Hairstylists was saved by a group of New York investors. As the New York Post first reported, enough money has been raised to keep the East Village basement barbershop "open for at least another 75 years," businessman Jonathan Trichter told the newspaper on Monday. Astor Place Hairstylists announced last month plans to permanently close just before Thanksgiving due to a lack of business because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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City Living

As New Yorkers face increasingly long lines for COVID-19 tests, CityMD cuts hours

Photo by Billie Grace Ward via Wikimedia Commons

November 13, 2020

As New Yorkers face increasingly long lines for COVID-19 tests, CityMD cuts hours

By Dana Schulz

In an email to its customers today, CityMD acknowledged that "long lines are a daily fact at nearly every CityMD as we see a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases across the region." They go on to say that their staff and doctors have been seeing patients well after closing time for months now, reaching "the point where they are sacrificing their own safety and health." Therefore, all locations will begin closing 90 minutes earlier. These long lines have become a grim reminder for New Yorkers that a second wave seems imminent.
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City Living

Can NYC stave off a second COVID wave? Positivity rate nears 3%

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.

November 10, 2020

Can NYC stave off a second COVID wave? Positivity rate nears 3%

By Dana Schulz

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office. For the sixth straight day, New York City's COVID positivity rate has been above 2 percent, today hitting 2.88 percent. Though this is lower than surrounding states (New Jersey has recently hit 8 percent), Mayor de Blasio's education plan has set a threshold of 3 percent for keeping schools open. And according to the city's data, the number of new daily infections has nearly doubled since August from roughly 300 to a whopping 976 last Wednesday. Yesterday, Mayor de Blasio said the city was "getting dangerously close" to a second wave, setting off an alarm among New Yorkers, and today he said, "this is our last chance to stop [it]."
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Here’s what New Yorkers can expect from Joe Biden’s COVID-19 plan

Photo by Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons

November 9, 2020

Here’s what New Yorkers can expect from Joe Biden’s COVID-19 plan

By Dana Schulz

Even before he was officially declared President-elect, Joe Biden began briefings about the pandemic, and since Saturday's celebrations, his comprehensive, federally led strategy to combat COVID-19 finally feels within reach. Today, President-elect Biden announced the 13 members of his COVID-19 advisory board, made up of public health experts, scientists, and doctors. This group will help Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and him carry out their plan to not only beat the virus, but to prepare for future global health threats. Ahead, we take a closer look at the intricacies of the strategy and how it will benefit the entire nation, as well as New Yorkers, from a nation-wide mask mandate to an increase in testing centers to the establishment of a Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force.
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November 5, 2020

After 17 years, Caracas Arepa Bar is closing in the East Village

By Dana Schulz

Before the entire East Village was a hub of hip food, the stretch of East 7th Street between 1st Avenue and Avenue was somewhat of a pioneer in the new guard of restaurants, and one of the first places to set up here was Caracas Arepa Bar. In 2003, the Venezuelan restaurant was opened by owners Maribel Araujo and Aristides Barrios, who met at another arepa bar in the city of Caracas and often get credit for popularizing arepas in the city. But, sadly, after 17 years, the restaurant is the latest to fall victim to the pandemic and announced on Instagram that the last day for their East Village location will be November 8.
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Here’s where to volunteer and donate in NYC this holiday season

Photo by Ethan Covey for Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen

November 3, 2020

Here’s where to volunteer and donate in NYC this holiday season

By Devin Gannon

This year has been tough on all New Yorkers, but especially those unemployed, hungry, and experiencing homelessness. While every holiday season is a chance to give back to your community, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has made helping those in need this year more important than ever. Ahead, find out where to volunteer and donate across the city, whether it's contributing to Thanksgiving food drives, delivering holiday meals, making greeting cards for seniors, or donating to coat drives. Please note, each organization has put in place protocols related to COVID-19 that need to be followed, including mask and social distancing requirements.
Full list here

Election Day 2020: Deals and discounts for New York voters and poll workers

Early voting at the Brooklyn Museum; © 6sqft

November 2, 2020

Election Day 2020: Deals and discounts for New York voters and poll workers

By 6sqft

While over three million New Yorkers, including over one million residents in New York City, have already cast their ballots during the nine-day early voting period, millions more are expected to show up to vote on Tuesday. To help both voters and poll workers deal with possible long wait times and overall stress this Election Day, a number of companies are offering deals and freebies on November 3, from discounted rides to the polls to free food delivery.
Details here

Astor Place Hairstylists to close next month after 75 years

Mayor Bill de Blasio celebrated the Phase 2 reopening with a visit to Astor Place Hairstylists on June 23, 2020. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

October 26, 2020

Astor Place Hairstylists to close next month after 75 years

By Devin Gannon

Another New York City institution will close its doors this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Astor Place Hairstylists in the East Village, which opened in the 1940s and is known for its affordable prices, multilingual stylists, and celebrity clientele, will shutter at the end of November, as the New York Post reported. Hair salons and barbershops were allowed to open in June as part of the city's second phase of reopening, but a lack of business, and no additional federal funding, has forced the iconic barbershop to close.
Get the details

City Living

Photo by Brianne Sperber on Wikimedia

October 23, 2020

NYC’s iconic Strand Bookstore says it’s struggling to survive because of COVID-19

By Devin Gannon

One of New York City's largest and most beloved independent bookstores is asking for help. Citing a decline in foot traffic, a lack of tourists, and zero in-store events because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Strand Bookstore's revenue has dropped nearly 70 percent compared to last year, owner Nancy Bass Wyden said on Friday. According to Bass Wyden, the business, one of the last bookstores of Union Square's former "Book Row," is not currently sustainable.
More here

City Living

New Target stores in Columbus Circle and Hell’s Kitchen are now open

New Target store at 1863 Broadway on the UWS. Photo credit: AP Images for Target.

October 21, 2020

New Target stores in Columbus Circle and Hell’s Kitchen are now open

By Dana Schulz

After construction and COVID-related delays, Target has officially opened three new small-format stores on the Upper West Side, Hell's Kitchen, and Staten Island. The store at 61st and Broadway at Columbus Circle was first announced two years ago and was planned to open in 2019. Likewise, the store on 10th Avenue and 45th Street was first announced four years ago and was also planned to open in 2019. The store in the North Shore section of Staten Island is only delayed by six months.
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City Living

Here’s what you need to know about New York’s plastic bag ban

Image: Michael Kowalczyk via Flickr.

October 19, 2020

Here’s what you need to know about New York’s plastic bag ban

By Michelle Cohen

The ban on single-use plastic bags will go into effect on Monday, more than seven months after enforcement was set to begin. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's statewide ban on plastic bags was approved by state lawmakers last year with plans to begin enforcement on March 1, 2020. But a lawsuit from the Bodega and Small Business Association and a delay in a court decision on the lawsuit because of the coronavirus pandemic pushed enforcement of the new law back multiple times until a state judge ruled in August that the ban can begin on October 19. Starting Monday, grocery and retail stores that collect state taxes from customers will no longer be permitted to use plastic bags to contain purchases at checkout. Ahead, learn more about the Bag Waste Reduction Law, the exceptions to the law, and alternatives to single-use plastic.
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October 16, 2020

After 50 years, Dangerfield’s comedy club closes from COVID burdens

By Dana Schulz

"I don't get no respect," goes the famous line by Rodney Dangerfield that would often echo through the Upper East Side comedy club in his namesake. And after the larger NYC comedy world has claimed that the state is showing them no respect in the wake of the pandemic, Dangerfield's will be closing after a 50-year run. First reported by Vulture, the club announced this week that the coronavirus "placed a severe financial burden" on them, "making operations in New York City untenable."
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City Living

You can help beautify dozens of NYC parks this weekend

Photo by Tim Krause on Flickr

October 16, 2020

You can help beautify dozens of NYC parks this weekend

By Devin Gannon

More than 60 parks organizations and community groups are leading cleanups at green spaces across the city this weekend, in response to a growing trash problem at parks. Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March, park use in New York soared, as it was one of the safest activities available to residents during the peak of the crisis. But the increase in visitors put additional strain on park management, which is struggling to keep up because of COVID-19 related budget cuts. On October 17, New Yorkers for Parks, City Parks Foundation, Partnership for Parks, and NYC Parks are encouraging New Yorkers to volunteer for a day of cleaning and beautifying the city's parks in every borough.
How to participate

85 NYC restaurants with heaters for outdoor dining

Photo of Bubby’s Tribeca, courtesy of Bubby’s

October 15, 2020

85 NYC restaurants with heaters for outdoor dining

By Dana Schulz

Though indoor dining is permitted at 25-percent capacity in New York City, a lot of people still don't feel 100-percent comfortable with the idea. Luckily, the city made its outdoor dining program permanent and year-round and gave restaurants the go-ahead to install outdoor heat lamps. If you're looking for one of these spots to dine al fresco without shivering, we've begun a running list throughout the city. Know of another spot? Let us know in the comments!
Check out the full list here

City Living

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