Events & Things To Do

Hudson Yards’ Vessel and Edge reopen today

Photo of Vessel © James and Karla Murray

September 2, 2020

Hudson Yards’ Vessel and Edge reopen today

Hudson Yards announced that both Vessel and Edge reopen today. The 150-foot-tall climbable public art piece and the observation deck that's 1,100 feet in the air (the highest in the Western Hemisphere) have been closed since March, only two days after Edge officially opened to the public. Both attractions will operate at 25 percent capacity and have numerous health and social distancing protocols in place.
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Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center to serve as polling sites for 2020 election

Photo by ajay_suresh on Flickr

September 1, 2020

Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center to serve as polling sites for 2020 election

By Devin Gannon

Two major sports arenas in New York City will serve as polling sites for the general election in November, providing a socially distanced way for residents to vote in person. The city's Board of Elections announced that Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center will both be Early Voting and Election Day poll sites, the result of a deal made between players of the National Basketball Association and the league to resume playoffs after teams refused to play following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The agreement involved several social justice initiatives, including the use of NBA arenas across the country as voting locations for the upcoming election.
Details this way

Keith Haring’s personal art collection will be auctioned off to raise money for NYC’s LGBTQ Center

Photo via Nationaal Archief / Wikimedia Commons

August 28, 2020

Keith Haring’s personal art collection will be auctioned off to raise money for NYC’s LGBTQ Center

By Dana Schulz

On September 24, Sotheby's will open the auction for "Dear Keith: Works from the Personal Collection of Keith Haring." The auction is comprised of more than 140 artworks from Haring's personal collection and is expected to raise close to $1 million, all of which will all go directly to the LGBTQ Community Center. The collection is being donated by the Keith Haring Foundation, which was set up by the artist and activist himself shortly before he passed away from HIV/AIDS in 1990. It includes pieces by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Kenny Scharf, Jenny Holzer, and George Condo.
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This year’s Met roof garden installation tackles ‘the wall’

Installation view of Héctor Zamora (b. 1974, Mexico), The Roof Garden Commission: Héctor Zamora, Lattice Detour, 2020. Courtesy of the Artist. Image credit: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photo by Anna-Marie Kellen

August 27, 2020

This year’s Met roof garden installation tackles ‘the wall’

By Dana Schulz

When the Metropolitan Museum of Art reopens on August 29, this year's eighth annual installation on the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden will also be on view. Titled Lattice Detour, the work by Mexican artist Héctor Zamora tackles a prevalent symbol in today's society--the wall. The 11-foot-tall work deliberately screens views of Central Park and the skyline to evoke the feeling of a barrier to viewers. But the bricks are stacked on their sides, thereby letting in light and air and referencing the latticed celosía walls that are used for shade and ventilation in the Middle East, Africa, Iberia, and Latin America.
See more here

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Coney Island’s colorful Mermaid Parade will take place virtually this weekend

Photo by Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

August 26, 2020

Coney Island’s colorful Mermaid Parade will take place virtually this weekend

By Devin Gannon

Coney Island's beloved Mermaid Parade returns this weekend with a twist. The annual event will be live-streamed online Saturday, August 29 as a "Tail-a-Thon," a parody of a telethon that will raise real money for charity. Marchers, dancers, and musical groups will be performing live from remote locations and available to view online, starting at 1:30 p.m.
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Central Park’s first statue of historical women unveiled

Photo by Emily Dombroff

August 26, 2020

Central Park’s first statue of historical women unveiled

By Devin Gannon

The "bronze ceiling" has officially been broken in New York City's most famous park. A new statue depicting women's rights activists Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton was unveiled in Central Park on Wednesday, becoming the park's first monument of real-life women. The new statue comes on the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment, which granted some women the right to vote.
More here

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There’s a giant gorilla sculpture in Hudson Yards

Photos by Tina Sokolovskaya

August 26, 2020

There’s a giant gorilla sculpture in Hudson Yards

By Dana Schulz

To raise awareness and funds for the critically endangered gorilla species, public artists Gillie and Marc Schattner have created a massive sculpture of the animal that arrived this week in Hudson Yards' Bella Abzug Park. Titled King Nyani, Swahili for gorilla, it's the world's largest bronze gorilla sculpture and can fit two to three humans just in its hands.
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New York Fashion Week is still on for next month

Photo by Art Comments on Flickr

August 25, 2020

New York Fashion Week is still on for next month

By Devin Gannon

One of fashion's biggest events will still take place in New York City next month. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday announced that New York Fashion Week will be held September 13-17 for a mix of live and virtual fashion shows, under stringent coronavirus restrictions and capacity limits. Indoor events will be able to take place at 50 percent capacity and with no spectators, according to the governor.
Details here

The Met reveals facade banners designed by Yoko Ono

Yoko Ono (b. 1933, Japan), DREAM TOGETHER, 2020, installed at The Metropolitan Museum of Art © Yoko Ono. Image credit: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photo by Anna-Marie Kellen.

August 21, 2020

The Met reveals facade banners designed by Yoko Ono

By Dana Schulz

For the first time, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is displaying artist-designed banners on its Fifth Avenue facade, and they're from none other than Yoko Ono. Titled DREAM TOGETHER, the 24' x 26' banners read "DREAM" and "TOGETHER," and were revealed in anticipation of the museum's reopening on August 29th. Ono created the piece in response to the global COVID-19 crisis, offering "a powerful message of hope and unity to the world," according to the Met.
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August 20, 2020

New York City’s top 30 condos

By 6sqft

From supertall new developments and projects by some of the world's most famous architects to historic landmarks brought into the 21st century, 6sqft has rounded up the best condo buildings in New York City. Ahead, find out which condominiums made the list and what you can expect in terms of views, amenities, neighborhood, and more.
Read on for a guide to the city's top condo addresses

New large-scale installation of ringing bells to open at Brooklyn Bridge Park

By Devin Gannon

A new art installation featuring five giant bells in 14-foot-tall structures will open at Brooklyn Bridge Park this week. Created by San Francisco-based artist Davina Semo, Reverberation allows visitors to ring each bell, drilled with a variety of holes to produce different tones and pitch. The exhibition, curated by the Public Art Fund, will be on view at the waterfront park from August 20 through April 18, 2021.
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After Cuomo provides health personnel, 9/11 Tribute in Light is back on

Image by David Z from Pixabay

August 17, 2020

After Cuomo provides health personnel, 9/11 Tribute in Light is back on

By Dana Schulz

It takes nearly 40 stagehands and electricians more than a week to produce the annual Tribute in Light display that marks the 9/11 anniversary each year, according to the New York Times. And because they must work in close contact, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum decided last week to cancel this year's memorial. Upon hearing the news, Governor Cuomo, however, stepped in and said he'd provide the medical personnel necessary to make the event happen safely.
More details here

Events & Things To Do

August 14, 2020

You can help choose the High Line’s next public art installation

By Devin Gannon

Banu Cennetoğlu, "right?" The High Line is reviewing proposals for its next two art installations and is asking the public for feedback. The Plinth, part of the elevated park's newest section, the Spur, which opened last year, is dedicated space for public art, visible from the street at 30th Street and 10th Avenue. Eighty nominated artists have submitted proposals to be considered for the third and fourth Plinth commissions and now you can provide comments for each on the park's website.
See the proposals

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MTV cancels VMAs at Barclays Center, announces outdoor performances throughout NYC

Photo by Ajay Suresh on Flickr

August 11, 2020

MTV cancels VMAs at Barclays Center, announces outdoor performances throughout NYC

By Dana Schulz

Along with most other large events for the rest of the year, MTA has decided to cancel the annual Video Music Awards ceremony that would have been held at Brooklyn's Barclays Center on August 30th. Instead, "The 2020 VMAs will be held on Sunday, August 30th and pay homage to the incredible resiliency of New York with several outdoor performances around the City with limited or no audience, adhering to all state and city guidelines," according to a joint statement from MTV and the Barclays Center.
More details here

Events & Things To Do

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim via Flickr cc

August 11, 2020

150 NYC restaurants with outdoor dining

By 6sqft

With outdoor dining in New York City extended through October, there are countless spots to dine al fresco, with restaurants able to set up seating on sidewalks, adjacent parking spots, rooftops, and gardens. To help you decide where to eat first, we've begun compiling a list of some of the best restaurants offering outdoor dining, neighborhood by neighborhood. This is by no means an exhaustive list, so we hope that you, our readers, will share more restaurants with us that we can add to this list.
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August 11, 2020

Roosevelt Island’s colorful Manhattan Park Pool Club is back and open to the public

By Devin Gannon

A playful art installation has returned to Manhattan Park, a waterfront rental on Roosevelt Island. Every summer since 2015, an artist is selected to transform the building's pool deck with a dazzling 8,500-square-foot mural. This year, as part of a partnership with Corcoran New Developments, Pliskin Architecture, K&Co, and Manhattan Park, artist Alex Proba from Studio Proba designed the sixth annual pop-up mural, with a mix of colorful shapes and forms spread out across the outdoor space.
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Radio City cancels the Rockettes this Christmas

Photo by Kevin Poh via Flickr cc

August 4, 2020

Radio City cancels the Rockettes this Christmas

By Dana Schulz

In a not-surprising announcement, Radio City Music Hall says they will not put on their famous Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes this year, the first time since 1933. The decision comes after Broadway said it will stay dark for the rest of the year and other venues like the Met Opera, Lincoln Center, NYC Ballet, and Carnegie Hall cancelled the rest of their 2020 seasons. As NBC New York noted, the Rockettes typically rehearse for more than 200 hours leading up to the show's November debut.
More details here

Events & Things To Do

Photo of The Greens courtesy of The Howard Hughes Corporation

August 4, 2020

You can lounge and dine at a rooftop ‘lawn’ at the South Street Seaport

By Dana Schulz

Social distancing guidelines have definitely gotten restaurants to be extra creative, like The Rooftop at Pier 17 which has just opened a new dining experience where guests can book one of 28 "mini-lawns." Called The Greens, the experience has transformed the South Street Seaport rooftop venue into private cabana-style plots, each of which can accommodate eight guests.
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See the 193 new Rockefeller Center flags designed by the public

Courtesy of Tishman Speyer

August 3, 2020

See the 193 new Rockefeller Center flags designed by the public

By Devin Gannon

The iconic flags that surround the Rink at Rockefeller Center got a makeover over the weekend. Public art initiative "The Flag Project" opened on Saturday with 193 new flags designed by the public, as well as a number of well-known artists and designers. Led by Tishman Speyer, the installation aims to celebrate New York City as the city continues its fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Find out more

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Queens County Farm Museum reopens this weekend with first-ever site-specific art installation

Photo credit: Aaron Asis

July 31, 2020

Queens County Farm Museum reopens this weekend with first-ever site-specific art installation

By Devin Gannon

The Queens County Farm Museum is set to reopen its 47 acres to the public on Sunday after temporarily closing in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. Along with the reopening, Queens Farm will also unveil its first-ever site-specific art installation: Cover Crop by the artist Aaron Asis. The half-acre artwork includes a "planted composition" with crisscrossing paths, letting visitors discover the farm's cover crops, including sweet peas, buckwheat, and rye.
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Events & Things To Do

Photograph by Ximena Exhague, @ximena_exhague

July 30, 2020

Powerful photos show the COVID-19 crisis through the eyes of New Yorkers

By Devin Gannon

The Museum of the City of New York will reopen on Saturday with a stunning new outdoor installation. The first phase of the museum's New York Responds project includes a photo exhibit depicting life in New York City in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests that kicked off in May and continue today. On view starting August 1, the powerful photographs have been installed at the Upper East Side museum's terrace and balustrade.
See it here

Events & Things To Do

Tastes of Brooklyn food festival will return on August 1 with 25 restaurants and bars

Photo of Jolie Bistro in Gowanus by CityRealty

July 24, 2020

Tastes of Brooklyn food festival will return on August 1 with 25 restaurants and bars

By Dana Schulz

Now more than ever it's important to support our local restaurants, bars, and bakeries and a fun event happening on Saturday, August 1 makes it super easy to do just that. Tastes of Brooklyn returns for its annual food festival with 25 participating establishments in Gowanus, Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, and Cobble Hill. Tickets get you a select number of small dishes at drinks at your choice of restaurants, and proceeds will benefit Seeds in the Middle, a nonprofit creating sustainable farm stands and school-run healthy programs in Brooklyn's food deserts.
See who's participating

Image via Nick Sherman SHLEPPERS via photopin (license)

July 23, 2020

12 tips for hiring movers and making sure things run smoothly

By Dana Schulz

From big corporations to small family-run operations, movers in NYC run the gamut in terms of services, pricing, and proximity, but regardless of which route you take, there are several things to consider before deciding. Ahead, 6sqft has rounded up 12 tips for hiring movers, including performing background checks, making sure you've accurately counted your boxes (no one wants to be that person), and negotiating the estimate.
All the tips ahead

You can take a tour of the Gowanus Canal in a canoe

Photo courtesy of Gowanus Dredgers

July 22, 2020

You can take a tour of the Gowanus Canal in a canoe

By Dana Schulz

How's that for social distancing? Untapped New York has just announced the relaunch of its in-person tour series, and they've got some seriously cool new offerings, including a Victorian Flatbush walking tour and a tour of the Gowanus Canal that takes place via canoe. The team has implemented significant health and safety measures, from reduced capacity to a state-of-the-art radio system that allows for social distancing. In addition to these new tours, Untapped is bringing back many favorites, including "Hidden Gems of Governors Island," "Remnants of Dutch New Amsterdam," and "Public Art Tour of Lower Manhattan."
More info here