By Alexandra Alexa, Mon, July 15, 2019 The founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks 14-year-old Marley Dias (pictured above), has partnered with the initiative as an ambassador; photo courtesy of JetBlue
After runs in cities like Detroit, San Francisco, Oakland, and Washington D.C., JetBlue’s free book vending machine program “Soar with Reading” is coming to New York City. The literacy initiative aims to create more access to age-appropriate books in underserved communities. JetBlue will install six vending machines—one in each borough and two in Queens—and will restock and rotate new titles every two weeks, with options available in both English and Spanish.
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By Devin Gannon, Thu, July 11, 2019 Via Flickr
An event that makes even locals stop and stare returns to New York City tomorrow night. Manhattanhenge, when the sunset aligns with the east-west streets of the borough’s grid, happened on May 29th and 30th, and the final two days of the phenomenon returns for the last time this year tonight and tomorrow at 8:20 p.m. and 8:21 p.m., respectively. Not only does the setting sun sit perfectly between Manhattan’s many skyscrapers during this biannual event, but an orange-yellow glow hits north and south side streets, creating a picture-perfect moment.
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By Michelle Cohen, Fri, June 28, 2019 A Central Park squirrel, via Wiki Commons
Last October, as 6sqft reported, an organization called Squirrel Census, headed by Jamie Allen, began the multimedia, science, design, and storytelling endeavor of figuring out how many squirrels–specifically eastern gray squirrels–call the 843 acres of Central Park home, and put out a call for critter-counting volunteers. Though attempting to fathom the magnitude of the park’s squirrelscape began with some curiosity and a bit of tongue in cheek, according to Citylab, the methods used to tally the cheeky rodents–and the resulting findings–are as fun as they are fascinating.
More than just a head count
By Michelle Cohen, Thu, June 27, 2019 Image via Flickr cc
America’s largest 4th of July fireworks show is getting ready to light up the New York sky; Macy’s 43rd annual Fourth of July live fireworks extravaganza happens next Thursday evening, and plans are being hatched to snag a spot at one of the city’s better viewing locations (or in front of a bigger screen; the show is being broadcast live from the Brooklyn Bridge) to watch the amazing choreography of pyrotechnics that will sail skyward from four barges stationed on the East River near Pier 17 at South Street Seaport and from the Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge will be a special focal point this year; expect dazzlingly intricate effects firing from more than a dozen points along the iconic NYC landmark throughout the 25-minute display, which will begin at around 9:20 P.M. The numbers behind the show are exactly as impressive as you’d expect.
Check the figures behind the fireworks
By Alexandra Alexa, Wed, June 26, 2019 Photos courtesy of Book Culture
The latest independent bookstore in danger of closing is the Upper West Side’s beloved Book Culture. Owner Chris Doeblin issued an open letter earlier this week in which he urges the city to provide assistance in the form of an immediate loan. Despite good business—they’ve been able to expand to three storefronts uptown and one in Long Island City—Doeblin has stated that he would need a minimum of $500,000 to keep things afloat and fend off the “awful spiral” of unpaid vendor debts and loans.
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By Alexandra Alexa, Thu, June 20, 2019 Image via Flickr
The last standing single-screen movie theatre in the city, Midtown’s Paris Theatre, may be shuttering as early as July or August, Deadline reports. According to “buzz on the Gotham arthouse theater circuit,” the last screening of Ron Howard’s Pavarotti on June 27 could be the last at the arthouse theatre on 58th Street, unless “something drastic happens.” The 586-seat theatre opened across the street from the Plaza Hotel in 1948, with a ribbon-cutting by actress Marlene Dietrich. Its since been a go-to spot for indie and foreign films, with a predilection, as its name implies, for French titles.
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By Rebecca Fishbein, Wed, June 19, 2019 Warm (if not particularly dry) weather is finally here, blessing New Yorkers with lots of time for beach trips and outdoor sports. Warm weather also offers up the opportunity to combine those two activities, and thanks to the city’s long list of available watersports, you have quite a few aquatic choices in the summer months, from kayaking to sailing, to surfing in the Rockaways. Ahead, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorites.
Dive in
By Michelle Cohen, Tue, June 18, 2019 Photo credit: Jonathan Blanc / NYPL.
Update 6/18/19: The New York Public Library officially launched on Tuesday its first new bookmobile in decades. The first moving library–NYPL plans to launch two more this year– will park at PS 11 in the High Bridge section of the Bronx, letting students browse and borrow immediately.
It’s National Library Week, and the New York Public Library has taken the opportunity to announce that it will be expanding its presence in New York City’s neighborhoods this summer in the form of three new bookmobiles. The mobile libraries are headed to communities in the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island.
A long-rolling tradition
By Dana Schulz, Thu, June 13, 2019 Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit
The Federal government may be banning Pride flags at U.S. embassies, but here in New York, our city agencies are prouder than ever to show off the rainbow. The latest initiative comes from the MTA, who has revealed a special set of Pride MetroCards, along with Pride-themed Transit merchandise and a new Pride logo on select subway cars. All of the festive additions mark not only World Pride being hosted in NYC this year but the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising.
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By Alexandra Alexa, Mon, June 10, 2019 Photo via PxHere
For avid runners and beginners alike, New York City offers a wide range of places to hit the pavement, from it’s iconic bridges to green trails nestled in the city’s parks. The scenic routes provide unbeatable views of the river and skyline that can keep you motivated to keep going when you’re ready to give up. Ahead, we round up the 10 most iconic spots to go for a run in the city, fit for regular marathoners, treadmill-devotees looking for a change of scenery, and total newbies.
Lace up those sneakers…
