Events &amp; Things To Do

For its 25th year, SantaCon planned a series of yacht parties that would have spared New York City the drunken "festivities" that many decry as "the worst day of the year." Alas, that plan was canceled after pushback from residents and local officials, so Midtown will once again be flooded with ho-ho-hordes of drunk bros in Santa outfits. Whether you embrace the event's mission of spreading "absurdist joy" or you consider this the one day of the year that you must stay indoors, here's what you need to know about the event, taking place on Saturday.
Brace yourself...

Events & Things To Do

December 11, 2019

What to do in NYC on Christmas Day

By Rebecca Fishbein

Despite being the City That Never Sleeps, New York does close down a bit on Christmas Day, with all sorts of museums, shops, restaurants, and other businesses giving their staff a break for the holiday. But for those of us who do not celebrate or won't be spending all of Christmas at home squabbling over politics with family, there’s still plenty to do in town, especially if you get a little creative. Here are seven great options.
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Events & Things To Do

December 10, 2019

2019 holiday gift guide: 20 gifts for the New Yorker who has it all

Not sure what to get the New Yorker who has it all? We've put together a list of 20 items at every price point that will satisfy even the most jaded New Yorker. From historic prints of old New York and classic mom-and-pops to skyscraper champagne flutes and Brooklyn map coasters to some more offbeat items like a sew-your-own Jane Jacobs doll and an authentic Katz's deli apron.
Check them all out here

Swedish photography museum Fotografiska to open in the historic Church Missions House

Renderings courtesy of CetraRuddy

December 10, 2019

Swedish photography museum Fotografiska to open in the historic Church Missions House

Stockholm-based photography museum Fotografiska is opening its first stateside outpost in New York City this month. Housed inside the former Church Missions House at 281 Park Avenue South, the organization will bring 45,000 square feet of exhibition and event spaces, alongside a restaurant inspired by European “grand cafés.” New York firm CetraRuddy led the restoration and redesign of the landmarked space, working with Higgins Quasebarth & Partners to preserve the stained-glass windows and limestone and granite facade of the Renaissance Revival building.
More info

2019 holiday gift guide: The best gifts for kids in New York City

Photo by @lordmaui via Unsplash

December 10, 2019

2019 holiday gift guide: The best gifts for kids in New York City

Nobody appreciates a great gift like a child, but New York City kids are a tough audience. They've already got the world at their feet, even if they're not possessed of a pile of material goods. Fortunately, there are lots of options for cool presents for your favorite pint-sized architects, athletes, fashionistas and foodies as well as the Big Apple babies on your list. Check out our list below for a handful of gift ideas for New York City kids.
Great gifts for NYC kids, this way

See NYC’s 2019 holiday windows (without facing the crowds)

All photos © James and Karla Murray

December 9, 2019

See NYC’s 2019 holiday windows (without facing the crowds)

The city may have created additional pedestrian space around Rockefeller Center this year, but the throngs of tourists are still filling the streets around the Christmas tree and holiday windows. If you'd rather not deal with the crowds, photographers James and Karla Murray have captured the best of this year's windows, from the magical "Frozen" themed light show at Saks Fifth Avenue to the artistic displays at Bergdorf Goodman. Ahead, see what's on view this year and learn a bit more about what goes into creating these whimsical scenes.
It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Events & Things To Do

A vendor in Soho is selling Christmas trees for as much as $6,500 each

Good luck finding a Christmas tree in NYC for under $75 this year; Photo by Billy Williams on Unsplash

December 9, 2019

A vendor in Soho is selling Christmas trees for as much as $6,500 each

By Devin Gannon

A Christmas tree vendor in Manhattan is selling 20-foot Fraser firs for $6,500 each, most likely the most expensive evergreen in the city, the New York Post reported Sunday. Scott Lechner, the manager of Soho Trees, located near Canal Street, told the newspaper that the exorbitant prices aren't slowing sales. "We're sold out," he said. The steep price tag includes delivery and installation.
More here

Events & Things To Do

The best holiday decorations for modern apartment living

Photo via Pexels

December 6, 2019

The best holiday decorations for modern apartment living

So maybe you don't have room for a Norway spruce big enough to rival Rockefeller Center's. Maybe you don't even have a chimney from which to hang stockings with care. Or maybe holiday decorating seems a little old fashioned–which might be just what you're looking for. The good thing about the season is that adding sparkle doesn't take up a lot of space. The choices are nearly endless; what you choose should reflect nothing so much as your own personal style. From classic to retro to contemporary to some more out-of-the-box picks, here are some ideas for small-space holiday decorating.
What's your holiday decorating style?

Take a bus tour of NYC through the eyes of ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’

By Devin Gannon

Fans of the Amazon series "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" will soon be able to tour famed New York City locations featured in the show. Starting Dec. 16, On Locations Tours, which runs television and movie-themed tours in NYC and Boston, is offering a bus tour that stops at filming locations of the popular show, coinciding with the release of its third season this week. As first reported by the Wall Street Journal, the tours will be held three times a week and cost $52.
Get the details

Construction begins on Fort Greene’s newest cultural center at 300 Ashland Place

Renderings courtesy of TEN Arquitectos and Andrea Steele Architecture

December 5, 2019

Construction begins on Fort Greene’s newest cultural center at 300 Ashland Place

The city’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) is starting construction on a new cultural center housed within the 32-story tower at 300 Ashland Place in Fort Greene. The new L10 Arts and Cultural Center will span across 50,000 square feet and host a range of institutions, including new gallery and performance spaces for the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA), three cinemas for the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), rehearsal studios and performance space for 651 ARTS, and a new branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.
More info

Events & Things To Do

This Saturday, celebrate the 300th anniversary of Brooklyn’s Lott House

Photo by Alyssa Loorya, VP of Friends of the Lott House

December 4, 2019

This Saturday, celebrate the 300th anniversary of Brooklyn’s Lott House

It's been 300 years since the Hendrick I. Lott House was built on a rural piece of land in Marine Park, Brooklyn. One of the few Dutch-American houses remaining in NYC, in its original location no less, the Lott House also has the distinction of being the longest single-family owned and occupied home in the city. Though it is currently closed for renovations, the Lott House still hosts educational events, and this Saturday, they'll be celebrating their milestone anniversary with a holiday celebration, tree lighting, and rare chance to go inside.
More details

December 4, 2019

NYC’s 11 most festive bars and restaurants

By Rebecca Fishbein

With its lit-up streets and sidewalk tree-sellers, New York is at its best during the holidays, especially if you can avoid tourist-clogged areas like Rockefeller Center and Times Square. There are lots of lovely festive spots to celebrate seasonal cheer, including local bars and restaurants that transform their spaces into holiday wonderlands, complete with themed drinks, bites, and lots of Christmas lights. Here are some of our favorites.
11 spots to get festive

Everything you need to know about this year’s Rockefeller Center tree lighting

Image by Michael Vadon via Wikimedia Commons

December 4, 2019

Everything you need to know about this year’s Rockefeller Center tree lighting

The 2019 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has been in place for nearly a month, and it's almost ready to get lit. The 87th annual tree lighting ceremony will take place later tonight, with tens of thousands of spectators expected for the festivities and millions more tuning in on television. The event is free to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, so read on for everything you need to know if you plan on getting a spot (or if you'd rather watch from your couch!).
More details

Events & Things To Do

December 3, 2019

20 ways to celebrate the 2019 holiday season in NYC

If you're lucky enough to find yourself in New York City for the winter holidays, you'll find just about every kind of celebration imaginable from longtime traditions like the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, the Rockettes and the Nutcracker to movie classics in theaters and neighborhoods ablaze with lights. And if you're seeking a break from traditional festivities, there are plenty of creative and unconventional ways to enjoy the season.
and SantaCon ain't one

Events & Things To Do

Image by Gerhard Gellinger via Pixabay

December 2, 2019

The 13 best Advent calendars of 2019

Advent calendars–those countdown calendars with little doors or tabs that can be opened each day of the month–are a visual, hands-on way to deal with counting the days 'til Christmas. The idea falls somewhere between a card and a gift, with the added excitement of having each day be a chance to reveal a new bauble, bonbon, potion or prize. Both the ritual of finding out what’s behind the door–and getting to enjoy it–can be almost as fun for grown-ups as kids. Below are 12 cool countdown calendars stocked with treats from chocolates and tea to Marvel figurines and "Game of Thrones" socks (yes, really.)–and one DIY version you can fill with whatever you like.
cool advent calendars, this way

Vintage photos document the origins of Black Friday shopping in NYC

Christmas shoppers on 6th Avenue (1910) via Library of Congress

November 27, 2019

Vintage photos document the origins of Black Friday shopping in NYC

By Devin Gannon

Black Friday marks the start of frantic holiday shopping, the day when retailers offer their best deals of the season to lure in eager shoppers. While some gift-givers now choose to digitally add items to shopping carts from the comfort of bed instead, many still line up outside of stores at the crack of dawn in search of major discounts. This is not a modern phenomenon, as these photographs from the Library of Congress of 20th century New York City reveal. Like today, New Yorkers of the early 1900s were drawn to the magical window shops and displays. Ahead, explore vintage photos of shoppers browsing New York City stores looking for the perfect presents, postcards and more.
See the photos here

Every Sunday during the holidays, ride a vintage 1930s subway around NYC

Photo by Marc Hermann, Courtesy of the New York Transit Museum

November 27, 2019

Every Sunday during the holidays, ride a vintage 1930s subway around NYC

Every Sunday between Thanksgiving and New Year's, the New York Transit Museum will run its Holiday Nostalgia Rides, departing from the 2nd Avenue F train station. The 1930s R1-9 train cars have a "Depression-Era Art Deco aesthetic," complete with "rattan seats, paddle ceiling fans, incandescent light bulbs, roll signs, and period advertisements," the announcement tells us.
See the full schedule

After City Bakery closure, founder will host hot chocolate pop-ups

Modified version of photo by Shawn Rossi on Flickr

November 27, 2019

After City Bakery closure, founder will host hot chocolate pop-ups

If there was one thing City Bakery was known for, it was the hot chocolate. The thick and creamy beverage (with the option to add a massive, homemade marshmallow) was created by founder Maury Rubin when he had a fortunate accident while working on a chocolate mousse recipe, Grub Street tells us. They also tell us that Rubin, who closed City Bakery last month due to debt, will be launching a series of pop-ups around town to sell his famous hot chocolate.
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TWA Hotel’s vintage Connie bar teams up with ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’

All photos courtesy of Prime Video

November 26, 2019

TWA Hotel’s vintage Connie bar teams up with ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’

"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," Amazon Prime's hit comedy series about a housewife turned stand-up comedian in 1950s New York City, has certainly used its hometown setting to its advantage when it comes to PR. Last December, ahead of the second season, the show revived the beloved Carnegie Deli for a promotional pop-up pastrami shop. Now, to kick off the third season's launch on December 6th, they're taking over the TWA Hotel's Connie, a real vintage airplane that's been retrofitted as a retro cocktail lounge. Not only is the bar offering special Mrs. Maisel-themed deals for the next couple days, but lead actress Rachel Brosnahan even appears in front of the plane in a national billboard.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

Take a tour of the NYBG’s Holiday Train Show, now with a new Central Park section

All photos by James and Karla Murray exclusively for 6sqft

November 26, 2019

Take a tour of the NYBG’s Holiday Train Show, now with a new Central Park section

The New York Botanical Garden's 28th annual Holiday Train Show is back for the season, and this year it has an entirely new Central Park section, featuring iconic spots like Belvedere Castle, Bethesda Terrace, and the Bow Bridge--all made entirely from natural materials including bark, seeds, berries acorns, and cinnamon sticks. 6sqft took a special tour of the exhibit, which features a total of 175 New York landmarks, and went behind-the-scenes with Laura Busse Dolan, President and CEO of Applied Imagination, the design firm that works all year long to make this whimsical show a reality. From the exhibit's 2,000 plants to its 25,000 pounds of cedar bark and 200 boxes of moss, Laura fills us in on all the fun and little-known facts about the Holiday Train Show.
Take a tour

How to get around NYC this Thanksgiving weekend

Image by Peter McConnochie via Flickr

November 26, 2019

How to get around NYC this Thanksgiving weekend

Thanksgiving weekend is one of the busiest travel times across the country and can be especially overwhelming in NYC. With the annual Macy's parade taking over Manhattan on Thursday (despite a windy forecast threatening the parade's iconic balloons) and Black Friday frenzy, your commute is sure to be affected whether you're planning on staying in the city or venturing out. Ahead, we've rounded up the service changes that will impact the city's subways, buses, train service, and more.
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The 8 best neighborhoods in NYC for holiday shopping

Photo by Josh Wilburne on Unsplash

November 26, 2019

The 8 best neighborhoods in NYC for holiday shopping

By Rebecca Fishbein

New York is a prime spot for holiday shopping, in large part because of big department stores like Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s, designer flagships that line the Upper East Side, and whatever hell awaits you in the Disney Store in Times Square. But true New Yorkers should avoid the major shopping hubs, and instead seek gifts and other goods in some of the city’s slightly less crowded and infinitely more interesting ‘hoods, including the many holiday markets and pop-up shops found across the five boroughs. Find our favorite neighborhoods for holiday shopping this season, ahead.
See the full list

Events & Things To Do

MAP: The best spots to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Map via Google Maps/Macy’s

November 25, 2019

MAP: The best spots to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade