City Living

Has the pendulum swung back to favoring life in the 'burbs? A new poll conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reveals that millennials would rather buy a home in the suburbs than squeeze into a cramped condo in the city. The survey showed that 66 percent would prefer to live in the suburbs, 24 percent want to live in rural areas, and just 10 percent want to live in a city center. The NAHB used a sample of 1,506 people born since 1977 to come to their conclusions.
More from the study here

Goldilocks Blocks: Lowry Triangle in Prospect Heights, Where the Gritty Meets the Gentrified

Between hyper-developed hotspots, main drags in up-and-comers, and those genuinely avoidable areas, there can often be found a city’s “just-right” zones. They aren’t commonly known, but these micro-neighborhoods often hide within them real estate gems coupled with perfectly offbeat vibes. Continuing our Goldilocks Blocks series, this week we look at Lowry Triangle in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

January 20, 2015

Goldilocks Blocks: Lowry Triangle in Prospect Heights, Where the Gritty Meets the Gentrified

By Michelle Cohen

It’s...gritty. But it’s Prospect Heights. Anchoring an oddly magical Brooklyn crossroads where Prospect Heights, Crown Heights and Clinton Hill meet, bisected by noisy, gritty Atlantic Avenue, Lowry Triangle and its surrounding blocks form a literal mashup of three neighborhoods, all of which began hitting their gentrification strides at slightly different times. On a map it’s legitimately Prospect Heights, whose border is a block to the east at Grand Avenue. It’s a small but decidedly cool zone, open and semi-industrial, where old brick buildings share space with a growing number of sleek, modern boutique condos, compact cubes fronted by vast expanses of glass; a fascinating juxtaposition of old and new.
What you might not notice if you're just passing through

January 20, 2015

INTERVIEW: Architects Michael Loverich and Antonio Torres of Bittertang Farm on Their Wild and Colorful Designs

Mark our words: Bittertang Farm is a studio to keep your eye on in 2015. Led by Michael Loverich and Antonio Torres, Bittertang features two enterprising architects who are bringing us wild works that have more than once been described as "squishy," "vivid," "frozen," and "frothy." Definitely not your run-of-the-mill designers, Bittertang's work is all about using innovative materials—often filled with gases and liquids, or brimming with plant life—to create public spaces that get people thinking about daily life and living in a whole new way. The studio's whimsical works have won them everything from an exhibit at the Storefront for Art and Architecture to an "AIA New York New Practices Award" just last year, and Antonio himself was even honored as a TED Fellow in 2013. But if that isn't enough to convince you of their rising stars, the studio was also recently short-listed as a finalist in MoMA PS1's 2015 Young Architects Program, which, for those who don't know, has for the last decade seen its entrants grow into globally recognized names. Keep reading for our interview with the up-and-coming duo as they discuss their work, their mind-bending process, and a few of the projects they're most excited about.
Get a taste of Bittertang Farm here

January 19, 2015

VIDEO: SNL’s Hilarious Sketch Pokes Fun at Bushwick’s ‘Grit’

If you tuned in to SNL this past Saturday, you probably saw this hilarious sketch featuring Kevin Hart, Kenan Thompson and Jay Pharoah spoofing life in hipster-laden Bushwick. The trio are huddled on a street corner talking about all the "crazy things" they've been doing over the last week. SNL uses the opportunity to poke fun at everything that's gone granola in the 'hood, from handmade dog sweaters to the $8 artisanal mayonnaises that now dominate the area's once crime-ridden streets. "That last party was off the chain, bro!" Pharoah says. "There was drinking wine. It was painting landscapes, barriers, fruit. You know what I'm saying?" Hart: "Did you have any cheeses tho?" "You acting like somebody put gluten in your muffin."
Watch the video here

City Living

New Yorker Spotlight: Carol Paumgarten of Steps on Broadway on Training World-Famous Stage Stars

Studio image via Sofia Negron Photography

January 15, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: Carol Paumgarten of Steps on Broadway on Training World-Famous Stage Stars

Atop the hustle and bustle of 74th Street and Broadway, three flights of stairs above the busy Fairway Market, is the famous dance studio Steps on Broadway, renowned for its teachers, dancers, classes, and, of course, the large flag that hangs outside the building. Presiding over the studio is owner and artistic director Carol Paumgarten. Carol opened the studio with a partner in 1979, and over the years developed Steps into a much sought-after studio for professional dancers, budding stars as young as two years old, and anyone who just feels like dancing. The studio is part of a larger world of dance that sits center stage on the Upper West Side. With Lincoln Center and the musicals of Broadway right down the street, there's a lot of movement and creativity happening in this neighborhood. We recently spoke with Carol to find out how Steps on Broadway made the leap from a small studio with a few classes to a dance institution known worldwide.
Read the full interview here

January 12, 2015

Get Free Access to 33 Museums with the New NYC Municipal ID

Are you one of those New Yorkers who goes to the Met more than any other museum because it's "pay what you wish"? Do you wait in lines wrapped around the block to get into museums' free admission nights? Well, good news. You can now enjoy your favorite cultural institutions across all five boroughs without having to jump through hoops, thanks to the Mayor's municipal ID initiative. In addition to serving as a city identification card, IDNYC will offer a free one-year membership to 33 of the city’s most prominent museums and cultural centers; it will also serve as a cross-borough library card. New Yorkers can begin applying today, and enrollment will remain open until December 31, 2015.
Interested? Find out more here

January 5, 2015

New Study Reveals It’s More Important to Have a MetroCard Than a College Degree in NYC

A new study conducted by NYU's Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management shows just how much impact proximity to public transit–in this case to Manhattan–can have on one's earning power. The Rudin Center examined 177 NYC zip codes and found that those living closest to transit have the highest median income and the lowest unemployment rate. “In New York, mass transit is the path to economic mobility, not education,” Mitchell Moss, the center’s director, told the WSJ. “It’s far more important to have a MetroCard than a college degree.”
Find out the startling figures here

January 2, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: Dominatrix Turned Restaurateur Erin Norris on Her Red Hook Restaurant, Grindhaus

A former construction manager, music publicist, Bergdorf's window dresser, dominatrix and dungeon owner, Erin Norris has lived enough lives to make all of us feel like a bunch of old fogies. The founder of one of Red Hook's newest eateries, Grindhaus, the sassy blonde is the embodiment of the resilience, edginess and charm that defines New York City. Back in 2008, Erin set out with the goal of bringing a sausage parlor and beer hall to Red Hook, but as was the case for many in her 'hood, Hurricane Sandy had other plans. After a long (and expensive) rebuilding effort, Erin finally opened the doors to Grindhaus in 2013. Things may not have gone as planned, but even so, she managed to create something that went far beyond her dreams. Today, Grindhaus is one of the city's best restaurants, luring in the most discerning of food critics, from the palates over at Zagat to New York Times restaurant critic Peter Wells (who, by the way, even had her dish him seconds). But beyond food, Erin is all about her waterfront neighborhood and the colorful characters that make it one of the most inimitable places in all of NYC. We recently caught up with Erin to get an insider's look.
Read our interview with Erin here

Vanity Addresses Like 432 Park Avenue Might Be the Reason You’re Getting Lost

Lost in NYC via Ed Yourdon via photopin cc

December 30, 2014

Vanity Addresses Like 432 Park Avenue Might Be the Reason You’re Getting Lost

When we get into heated debates about NYC being the greatest city on Earth, we like to cite the fact that our sophisticated, methodical street grid makes it impossible to get lost. But what happens when the entrance to 432 Park Avenue is not actually on Park Avenue? Our egos get a little bruised. Known as "vanity addresses," these luxury buildings choose to go by swanky street names like Park or Madison Avenues, but in reality their entrance is on a lowly side street. The front door for 432 Park, for example, will likely be on 56th Street, 150 feet from the Avenue. But how do developers skirt the traditional numbering system to create something that's more of a brand than an address?
Find out here (hint-it doesn't come cheap)

Manhattan Bed and Breakfasts Are Forced to Close in the Wake of the Airbnb Battle

Image of a B&B Mike Miley via photopin cc

December 24, 2014

Manhattan Bed and Breakfasts Are Forced to Close in the Wake of the Airbnb Battle

We've already taken a close look at how controversial room-sharing startup Airbnb is accused of depleting the already-scarce affordable housing stock in the city, but a new type of fallout is also underway. Thanks to legislation enforced in 2011 that sought to eliminate short-term rentals and illegal hotels in residential or SRO buildings, many legal bed and breakfast owners are being forced to shut their doors.
Read about the issue here

December 22, 2014

The NYC Subway Still Runs on 1930s Technology, Pen and Paper

Most of our commutes are rife with subway delays, over-crowding and shutdowns, and while you can credit some of those to the sick passengers (and a handful of dizzy dieters), a lot of the blame falls on the fact that our subway still runs on an antiquated system built in the 1930s. Transit authorities are only now beginning to replace the eight-decade-old system, which still uses—wait for it—pencil and paper to track train progress. The update is a long overdue one, yes, but don't expect your commute to get any more comfortable in the near future. With 700 miles of track to cover, the time estimated to make the switch won't be much of a boon for us six million riders now boarding daily.
READ MORE

December 19, 2014

New Yorker Spotlight: All Aboard the NY Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show with Karen Daubmann

Every year, the New York Botanical Garden's Holiday Train Show gives visitors the chance to marvel at iconic New York landmarks and model trains. Now in its 23rd year, the show features more than 20 locomotives traveling on almost a quarter mile of tracks, which are laid out amongst the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Radio City Music Hall, and more than 150 other replicas made from bark, pine cones, pistachio shells, and other plant materials. Like any train, the Holiday Train Show requires a team of conductors to guide it, and Karen Daubmann is on board as the Associate Vice President of Exhibitions and Public Engagement, responsible for overseeing a wide range of current and future exhibitions. For this show, Karen works closely with Applied Imagination, the visionaries and builders behind these structures, to ensure the show runs smoothly and on time. We recently visited the show and spoke with Karen--standing near the Brooklyn Bridge and Yankee Stadium--to learn more about this annual production.
Read our full interview here

December 18, 2014

INTERVIEW: HS2 Architecture’s Tom and Jane Talk Residential Design and Their 20-Year Collaboration

HS2 Architecture's name may not ring all that familiar, but you've certainly come across their projects before—and we're not just talking on 6sqft. HS2's power pair, Tom Hut and Jane Sachs, have been working together since 1994, enduring the ups and downs of the NYC market and putting some spectacular and very recognizable designs out there while at it. Does the Gramercy Park Hotel ring a bell? Maybe the Palazzo Chupi? Or maybe you've shopped at the Ralph Lauren Store on Madison and 72nd. Easily one of the most underrated architecture firms working today, HS2 is really a force to be reckoned with when it comes to the built environment. In celebration of their 20th anniversary, we recently sat down with founders Tom and Jane to talk about their studio, their work, and the roller coaster ride that has been New York City architecture over the past two decades.
Read the interview with HS2's principals here

December 16, 2014

Ways You Can Give Gifts and Volunteer in NYC This Holiday Season

By Rebecca Paul

The holiday season is synonymous with gift-giving and sharing with others who may be less fortunate than you. This act of kindness can take on many forms; one might volunteer to serve hot food in a soup kitchen, another might donate warm clothing or kids' toys. Whatever your preferred mode of giving, there are ample opportunities in and around the city to share your holiday spirit with others. We've searched around and put together this list of the standard holiday do-gooding plus some other opportunities that could be considered a little more out-of-the-box.
Ways to give back here

December 12, 2014

New Yorker Spotlight: Tony Muia Brings Us a Slice of NYC’s Largest Holiday Light Display in Dyker Heights

Each December, New York transforms itself into a metropolitan holiday wonderland. From window displays to the Rockefeller Center tree to the Rockettes, the city is brimming with cheer. But there's one thing missing. Aside from the occasional decorated townhouse, New York lacks the light displays and decked-out front yards that are typically associated with the suburbs. But there is one place where New Yorkers can get their fill of small-town nostalgia, and it's just a quick trip away in Dyker Heights thanks to Tony Muia's bus tour of the "undisputed capital of Christmas pageantry." Inspired by the hospitality he experienced traveling abroad, Tony started giving guided pizza tours of Brooklyn in 2005. He later expanded A Slice of Brooklyn Bus Tours to include neighborhood tours and his famous Christmas Lights & Cannoli Tour, which was featured in a PBS documentary and on TLC. We recently spoke with Tony, the ultimate Brooklynite, about his passion for the borough, A Slice of Brooklyn Bus Tours, and the magic of Dyker Heights.
Read our full interview with Tony

December 5, 2014

New Yorker Spotlight: Drag Queen Coco Peru Reminisces About Her Hometown of City Island in the Bronx

By Stephanie Hoina

Dating back to 1685, the quaint nautical community of City Island has fought hard to retain much of the charm that makes it an anomaly in the heart of the bustling Bronx. So perhaps it is fitting that one of the island’s most colorful natives—and once a bit of an anomaly herself—shares her memories of growing up in New York City’s sleepy little fishing village. Larger-than-life personality and drag queen extraordinaire Coco Peru’s life today couldn’t be much further from her years spent as a child on the quiet streets of City Island. Based in LA and traveling the world to bring her often irreverent but hysterically funny brand of storytelling to the masses, Coco’s tales from her youth often steal the show. But it’s probably safe to say the majority of Coco Puffs (her beloved fans) have never even heard of this small island in the Bronx—and that most New Yorkers haven’t made the trip over the 113-year old soon-to-be-replaced bridge that represents the only point of access by car or foot. Which is why we are quite excited to bring you this exclusive peek into two of the city’s most unique treasures: City Island and Miss Coco Peru.
Read the interview with Miss Coco here

December 4, 2014

Walk This Way: How Observant Jews Shop for Real Estate with the Torah in Mind

By Lauren Price

Certain neighborhoods are becoming increasingly sought after by observant Jews—but in keeping with what is written in the Torah, apartment hunting can be a formidable undertaking. Observant Jews not only have to deal with New York City’s low vacancy rate but they need to find a home that, most importantly, is within walking distance to shul (synagogue) from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday and some Jewish holidays—owing to the fact that Sabbath obligations, of which there are a lot, do not allow one to drive a car. It goes against what’s written in the Torah to start or extinguish fires during the Sabbath, and, well, cars burn fuel. And by the way, this also means cooking only one, single, solitary item.
Find out more here

Learn How to Speak New York with This Fun New Web Tool

Kosciuszko? Joralemon? Schermerhorn?

December 2, 2014

Learn How to Speak New York with This Fun New Web Tool

If seeing these words leaves you red-faced and scratching your head, you can finally breathe easy knowing you'll no longer have to mumble "Shemer-hhhhherzz" into the phone when trying to give directions to your buddy. Popular radio heads such as NPR's Brian Lehrer, Amy Eddings of "All Things Considered" and news host Richard Hake lend their voices to a brand new WNYC-developed web app designed to teach even the most seasoned New Yorker how to pronounce all those mind-bending names marking our streets. Bonus: Learn how to pronounce "George Pataki."
Sound like you live here

City Living

November 26, 2014

New Yorker Spotlight: Behind the Magic of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with Creative Director Wesley Whatley

For one day each year, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade transforms the streets of New York City into the ultimate stage for marching bands, dancers, floats, and of course, giant balloons. As we can all imagine, putting on a parade of this magnitude is no small task. And that's where Wesley Whatley, the Parade's creative director, comes in. Wesley is responsible for overseeing, developing and bringing the creative side of the event to life. His role requires vision, organization and a deep understanding of the parade's history and its importance to both the city and America. Along with his team, he ensures it's a magical event for spectators and television viewers. In anticipation of tomorrow's parade, we spoke with Wesley about selecting marching bands and performers, the logistics of organizing such a large event, and, on a personal note, what parades mean to him.
read the interview with Wesley here

November 25, 2014

NYC Volunteer Opportunities: Giving Thanks and Giving Back

By Michelle Cohen

The season of good cheer–and good food–has begun, but there are many who are left out in the cold. Share the abundance; volunteer your time, your food, or your funds (or all of the above) to help spread real warmth to all New Yorkers. We've rounded up Thanksgiving volunteer opportunities around the city to make it even simpler for you to give back.
Check out our list of ways to get involved

November 24, 2014

New Yorker Spotlight: It’s Turkey Time for NYC Greenmarket Farmer Zaid Kurdieh of Norwich Meadows Farm

What does a farm in Norwich, New York have to do with New York City? Well, Norwich Meadows Farm actually serves as a farmer to many New Yorkers. In fact, if you have ever shopped at Union Square or Tompkins Square Greenmarkets, you might have purchased their local, organic fruits, vegetables, eggs and poultry. Perhaps you have even spoken with Zaid Kurdieh, the farm's managing partner. Zaid is responsible for providing New Yorkers with access to local, organic foods at farmers' markets and beyond. He has shares in a number of CSAs and supplies a number of well-known restaurants—which means when you last ordered greens or beets with your meal, they might very well have been his. We recently spoke with Zaid at Union Square's Saturday Greenmarket about providing the city with local, organic foods, how the farm is preparing for Thanksgiving, and their collaboration with Cornell University.
Check out the interview here

November 18, 2014

Accidental Placemakers: Grand Architecture That’s Given Way to Micro-Enclaves of Culture

Lots of clout is given to the grand scheme design of buildings and parks, and for good reason; but every so often a singular design element or function can unexpectedly emerge from a work to create something even more extraordinary. Destinations in their own right, these "accidental placemakers" turn run-of-the-mill architectural features into dynamic public spaces that create memorable connections to their immediate sites and improve the quality of everyday life. Here we take a look at five examples found in New York City showing how great architecture, in the details, can give way to something more impactful than just a pretty building.
See some of the city's unexpected placemakers

November 18, 2014

New York Times Will Finally Stop Comparing Everything to Brooklyn