By Devin Gannon, Today, May 13, 2021 All photos courtesy of TWA Hotel unless otherwise noted
Roller skating is having a major moment, brought on by the pandemic and possibly quarantine boredom. New Yorkers can now embrace the nostalgia at one of the most fitting places in the city: the TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy Airport. The retro 1960s-inspired hotel is opening a roller skating rink this month on the tarmac outside of the 1958 Lockheed Constellation “Connie” airplane-turned cocktail bar. Roll-A-Rama at the Runway Rink launches May 14 and will operate on weekends.
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By Devin Gannon, Wed, May 12, 2021 Photo courtesy of the Belmont Business Improvement District
Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday announced plans to reimagine New York City streets once again with “Open Boulevards,” an expansion of the popular Open Streets and Open Restaurants programs that launched at the start of the pandemic. The mayor said the initiative “supercharges” the existing program with “multiple blocks in a row filled with restaurants, performances, and community activities.” The Open Boulevards announcement continues City Hall’s “Streets Week!,” which so far has included new plans to lower speed limits and add protected bike lanes.
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By Dana Schulz, Mon, May 3, 2021 886’s Taiwanese Fried Rice (left); Wing Hin’s Shrimp Fried Rice (right). Courtesy of Send Chinatown Love + Umamicart.
Wing Hing Seafood Restaurant, 46 Mott St., Grand Tea & Imports, 886–these are just a few of the restaurants featured in the new digital cookbook Around the Roundtable: Recipes for Chinatown Favorites that was created to support Chinatown businesses. The free, downloadable cookbook comes from Send Chinatown Love, an entirely volunteer-run organization whose goal is to provide relief to small, immigrant-owned Chinatown businesses impacted by the effects of Covid-19.
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By Devin Gannon, Fri, April 30, 2021 Collage of adult reading recommendations; Courtesy of the NYPL
To mark Asian American Pacific Islander Month in May, the New York Public Library this week released a recommended reading list featuring books written by AAPI authors. The curated list includes books for adults, young adults, and children that “celebrate and foster a better understanding of the AAPI experience,” according to the library.
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By 6sqft, Fri, April 30, 2021 Photo by Florian Wehde on Unsplash
It’s been over a year since the city first shut down due to COVID-19. It’s been long and painful, but we are finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that most state-mandated capacity restrictions would be lifted on May 19, with some exceptions. Nearly all aspects of city living– including sports stadiums and arenas, restaurants, events, museums, weddings, amusement parks, movie theaters, and travel–are gradually returning to a new normal. Ahead, we’ve put together a list of all the reopening dates and details in New York City. We’ll be updating this list as more information becomes available.
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By Devin Gannon, Fri, April 30, 2021 Photo looking south on open West End Avenue, taken by 6sqft on 5.16.20
The popular program that closed streets to cars for pedestrian use will be made permanent under legislation passed by the New York City Council on Thursday. The “Open Streets” initiative first launched last spring as a way to make social distancing easier and to reduce crowds at parks during the height of the coronavirus pandemic in the city. The bill, sponsored by Council Member Carlina Rivera, would provide some funding and resources to the largely volunteer-led program while ensuring the open streets are fairly allocated among communities.
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By Dana Schulz, Thu, April 29, 2021 Photo by Emiliano Bar on Unsplash
In an appearance on Morning Joe this morning, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he plans to lift all Covid-related restrictions in New York City by July 1st, arguably the biggest step towards a return to normalcy. According to his timeline, this summer, restaurants, stadiums, and museums will all start operating at 100 percent capacity, schools will fully reopen in the fall, and Broadway will return in September. “We are ready for stores to open, for businesses to open, offices, theaters, full strength,” said the mayor.
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By Devin Gannon, Wed, April 28, 2021 A card and flowers are nice, but what about making your mom a documented piece of New York City’s history? Tech nonprofit Urban Archive this week launched “NY <3 Moms,” a new crowdsourced campaign in celebration of Mother’s Day. The group is asking New Yorkers to submit photos of their moms or caregivers taken across the five boroughs that will then be added to their extensive digital map of historic images.
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By Devin Gannon, Mon, April 26, 2021 Photo by Taylor Heery on Unsplash
Entertainment and cultural venues in New York will soon welcome more visitors. Starting April 26, capacity limits at museums and zoos will be raised to 50 percent and to 33 percent at movie theaters. Starting May 19, large indoor sports arenas can increase capacity from 10 percent to 25 percent, and outdoor venues from 20 to 33 percent. In addition, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today that as of May 15, offices can increase capacity from 50 to 75 percent, casinos and gaming facilities from 25 to 50 percent, and gyms outside of NYC from 33 to 50 percent.
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By Devin Gannon, Tue, April 13, 2021 Photo courtesy of the Belmont Business Improvement District
One of New York City’s most famous foodie destinations will once again transform into an outdoor dining hot spot this spring. Starting April 30, “Piazza di Belmont” returns to the Bronx’s Little Italy neighborhood, with several restaurants setting up al fresco seating along historic Arthur Avenue. Developed by the Belmont Business Improvement District, the European-style experience first debuted last summer as part of the city’s “Open Restaurants” program.
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