Events & Things To Do

June 20, 2014

NYC Events 6/20: Alice in Wonderland Drawing Bash; The New Museum White Party

There are some major ways to get your arty party on this week! Get weird and kick off the weekend while spurring your creativity and head to Brooklyn for Michael Alan's Alice in Wonderland themed draw-a-thon, complete with costumed models, booze and live music. Or go classic in Manhattan, break out your best whites and join the New Museum for their Annual White Party (just be careful with the open bar). But before you party, school yourself with the best in Italian Street Art, or channel your inner rocker on the Lower East Side with live music for The Cast's street party. Finish it off by indulging in an art film, with a free screening at the Tribeca Screening Room.
All the best events here

June 16, 2014

Prodigy Network Announces Winning Designs for 17John “Cotel” – NYC’s First Crowdsourced Hotel

By Annie Doge

Remember that competition held in February to crowdsource the design of a hotel to be located in downtown Manhattan? Looks like the results are in and Prodigy Network just announced the winners of the competition for the 17John ‘Cotel’ (collaborative + hotel = cotel). The winning designs cover both the public interior spaces and the private rooms of 17John, and as the competition brief outlined, all the rooms are specifically tailored to the modern business traveler. Rooms range from long-term living spaces to more standard short-stay hotel rooms. The hotel will also be equipped with flexible spaces for work and meetings, and digital services that "provide comfort, community, and connectivity for its guests".
see the winning designs here

June 13, 2014

NYC Events 6/13: Rock Out at the River to River Festival; 90s Bad Girls Exhibition Opens

By Lori Zimmer

Multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary art is at your finger tips this week in New York! Catch a flick featuring interviews with Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Commo and Questlove; experience the reprise of a 90s Bad Girls exhibition; or check selfies from the Austrian Cultural Forum. The week ends with the kick off of the River to River Festival, which will bring tons of art, performances and music to venues all across Lower Manhattan- all for free. Enjoy!
All the best events here

June 12, 2014

Crazy Futuristic Hotel at 55 Wythe in Williamsburg Now Under Construction, Developer Zelig Weiss Scores a $18.4M Loan for the Site

By Diane Pham

The new Level Hotel planned for 55 Wythe in Williamsburg wasn't much more than a rendering when it was revealed last month, but one of 6sqft's intrepid reporters swung by the site recently only to find that construction on the Jetson's-like building had commenced. Permits for the 320,000 square foot hotel were approved in early April, and according to locals, heavy equipment arrived on the scene a few weeks ago with groundwork now well underway. Now, further cementing Level's status as a hotel of the future, the hotel's developer, Zelig Weiss, closed on an $18.35 million loan from Madison Realty Capital to purchase the site for about $30 million, according to Crain's.
More details and photos here

June 11, 2014

A Modern Day Noah’s Ark by Architects Austin + Mergold Pops Up at Socrates Sculpture Park

By Patty Lee

An overturned ark has washed ashore Socrates Sculpture Park. But don't worry, Long Island City isn't the scene of a maritime accident — the upside-down barge is a brand new art installation designed by Philadelphia's Austin + Mergold. Dubbed the SuralArk, the hulking vessel — which spans 50-feet-wide and 18-feet-tall — is the 2014 winner of Folly, Socrates Sculpture Park's annual design competition co-sponsored with the Architectural League of New York. Austin + Mergold beat out 169 other entries from established designers and studios across the country to nab the top honors, giving their ark a summer-long stint at the park.
Get a close-up of the sculpture

June 6, 2014

Your Art and Design Events Agenda, For the Week of June 6, 2014

By Lori Zimmer

We're welcoming the warmth of June with open arms. This week's listings are all about celebrating art in New York — indoors, outdoors, on screens in Times Square or on walls in Queens. Kick off the month with the family-friendly Figment art festival on Governors Island, or check out photographs by a rock star's kid, Mia Tyler. End your weekend by snagging a piece of affordable art at Cotton Candy Machine's annual Tiny Trifecta show, or checking out live street art in Long Island City.
All the best events here

June 6, 2014

New Yorker Spotlight: Natalie Vie, the Bushwick Artist and Olympic Hopeful

By Susan Cohen

“New York is the meeting place of the peoples, the only city where you can hardly find a typical American.” - Djuna Barnes Natalie Vie is an Olympic hopeful, a sculptor, and a resident of Bushwick. On any given day, she can be found fencing epee at Fencers Club in Chelsea, sculpting in her studio in Bushwick, curating a show, or out and about in her neighborhood's coffee shops and bookstores. What's interesting about Natalie is that she sounds like a native New Yorker; able to masterfully pursue multiple undertakings in a single day. However, she is actually a native of the desert. Natalie, 28, grew up in Phoenix where she earned a B.F.A in Sculpture at Arizona State University, and was on the University's club fencing team. She possesses a deep love for her home, but set her sights on New York. The city is home to a number of top ranked Women's Epee fencers, and Natalie wanted to train alongside them. Almost three years ago, she moved cross-country and immediately felt right at home. Fencing is referred to as physical chess. It's complex, rhythmic, and demanding. Epee, one of three fencing disciplines, has an entire body for target. Natalie can score a touch on the hand, the leg, or even the foot. When she fences, she must analyze her opponent's every move to find an opening and make a touch. Currently, she is in the midst of the World Cup season.
Our interview with Natalie here

June 5, 2014

Brighten Up Your Floors With AVO’s Bold Graphic Rugs

By Patty Lee

It's not often a rug becomes the star of a room, but when it's as stunning and unique as the graphic mats from AVO, we guarantee it'll quickly become a a topic of conversation. The gorgeous leather rugs are hand-painted by Brit Kleinman, a Rhode Island School of Design grad now working out of Brooklyn. Kleinman — once a handbag designer at Jack Spade — is founder of The Way We Carry, a website that looks at how we transport our everyday things, and her travels from around the world are also reflected in the designs of her Painted Plains collection.
Take a look at the entire collection

May 30, 2014

New Yorker Spotlight: Photographer Barry Rosenthal on Living in the Financial District and Finding Inspiration in Nature

By Susan Cohen

Photographer and artist Barry Rosenthal is inspired by nature. His latest series, Found in Nature, is a response to what he was seeing and feeling while out on beaches. Barry, whose pieces can be found in the permanent collection of the MoMA in New York City and the Springfield Museum of Fine Art in Springfield, Massachusetts, is himself being found through Found in Nature. The series was recently featured in Brazil's National Geographic Magazine. Although Barry works in nature, he has lived in the caverns of the Financial District since 1987. Long before the neighborhood would become popular with young professionals and families, Barry and his wife, Elyn, found that the area — then made up primarily of office buildings — had just what they were looking for: space. Over the last 25 years, they and their daughter Macie, now 18, made the Financial District their home. The family was certainly ahead of the curve. As a New Yorker, I was curious to learn more about Barry. What was it like living in this neighborhood back in the '80s, especially from the perspective of a photographer and artist with a keen eye for observing the world? Why did he decide to head out of his studio and work in nature?
READ THE INTERVIEW WITH BARRY ROSENTHAL HERE

May 28, 2014

The Hidden City in Manhattan’s “Other” Skyline

By Stephanie Hoina

As any fan of Spiderman knows, the “corridors” created by Manhattan’s tall buildings are a perfect way to beat traffic through a little web-swinging. But look more closely and Spiderman’s transportation of choice reveals a secret city like none other. One of the most famous and ubiquitous skylines in the world has seen its share of changes — most recently the rise of the Freedom Tower in place of the twin towers of the original World Trade Center — but has remained one of the most recognizable. Yet hidden among New York's tallest buildings is another skyline as unique as the city itself created by the negative air space formed between the granite and steel structures reaching for the sky on each side of the street.
READ MORE

Your Art and Design Events Agenda, For the Week of May 27, 2014

By Lori Zimmer

Boo! The long Memorial Day weekend and its endless picnics are over. But you can still celebrate the short work week with all things arty! Indulge in your love of film — from the silent era to tomorrow's documentary stars — or channel your inner entrepreneur at a panel on how to price your own designs. Also be sure to rest up for the weekend as artist studios open up across Brooklyn with Bushwick Open Studios and NARS Foundation. Just be sure to leave some time on your schedule to check out Bushwick's first art fair, the NEWD Art Fair!
All the best events here

May 27, 2014

See New Renderings of Fortis’s Waterfront Residential and Hotel Development at 151 Maiden Lane

By Diane Pham

New renderings of Fortis Property Group’s mixed-use development at 151 Maiden Lane have been revealed! As reported by New York YIMBY, permits were filed last week for the new tower which will sit upon a 281,000-square-foot waterfront development site that the company purchased back in August of last year. Fortis’s new residential project will boast a 161,000-square-foot, 52-story luxury condominium with […]

May 23, 2014

The Most Gorgeous New York City Hotel Interiors

By Jason Carpenter

Design is on display in New York's luxury hotels, where the interior look and feel is as important as where it's located. From the lobbies that welcome guests on their first steps into the building to the bars and dining areas later at night, some of a hotel's best design work lays outside the guests' rooms. Here are just a few of our favorite hotel interiors.
See more amazing hotel lobbies here

May 22, 2014

Memorial Day Events for the New Yorker Who Wants to Stay Local

By Katrina Otuonye

Memorial Day is just a few days away, and if you're like us, you can't wait to take a break from the daily grind. While many have made plans that will sweep them off to far flung places like Paris, for those looking to stay local, there are plenty of incredible events going on across all of NYC's boroughs — rain or shine. Keep reading for our top events to check out this Memorial Day weekend. It’s going to be a busy few days!
All the events this way

Events & Things To Do

10 New York Neighborhoods for Artists Now

Update: Check out our 2017 edition for the latest!

May 20, 2014

10 New York Neighborhoods for Artists Now

By Dana Schulz

It’s become all too common in New York City — artists move into a neighborhood, make it trendy and culturally vibrant, and then are forced out by rising rents. It happened in Greenwich Village, Soho, the East Village, DUMBO, and Williamsburg. Do not be disheartened, though, there are still plenty of artist enclaves with thriving creative communities. Ahead are our ten current frontrunners — some may surprise you!
Where the artists are flocking

Events & Things To Do

May 19, 2014

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, No… It’s Sebastian Errazuriz’s Giant Golden Cow Piñata!

By Stephanie Hoina

Undeniably, there is much symbolism attached to artist designer Sebastian Errazuriz’s giant golden cow piñata on display in Industry City in conjunction with NYCxDESIGN, New York City’s official citywide celebration of – you guessed it – design. One look at the suspended shimmering beast and you’re likely to be reminded of the infamous golden calf Bible story about idolatry (Exodus 32:1–6, if you’re interested) or notice its uncanny resemblance to Wall Street’s iconic charging bull.
See more of this oversized golden pinata

May 19, 2014

Your Art and Design Events Agenda, For the Week of May 19, 2014

By Lori Zimmer

We’re all looking forward to a long weekend this week, so why not get amped for Memorial Day by boning up on some of the knowledge this city has to offer? School yourself on Russia’s Modern Masters, learn about the genius of the Scandinavian design approach, or go one on one with a Whitney Museum artist. As Memorial Day looms, so does the opening of the city’s greatest isle of relaxation: Governors Island. You know summer is almost here when the ferries start running over to Manhattan getaway, so head to the ferry terminal this weekend!
All the best events here

May 13, 2014

5 Architecture Firms Envision an Ideal Atlantic Yards

By Aisha Carter

The creative mind is so spectacular. There’s nothing more fun for designers than to be given a project where they can allow their imaginations to run rampant. Never was this more evident than with The Warehouse Gallery’s new exhibit opening next month. Five architecture firms were asked to design an idealistic plan of Atlantic Yards, conforming to the same dimensions as the actual project headed up by developer Forest City Ratner. These proportions include 4,278,000 square feet of housing and 156,00 square feet of retail space.
Find out more about the project here

May 13, 2014

Your Art and Design Events Agenda, For the Week of May 12, 2014

By Lori Zimmer

Spring is in full swing, so how about venturing around the city this week to experience some of the arts and culture New York has to offer? Hob knob with donors and creatives at the annual Party in the Garden at the Museum of Modern Art, check out a secret bar behind an art opening, indulge in all things design at ICFF this weekend, or experience an art installation that encourages sleep. Another great week is yours for the taking!
All the best events here

May 10, 2014

May Design Agenda: Events to Check Out in Manhattan and Brooklyn

By Annie Doge

It's May, which means that NYC's most exciting month for design is here! We've rounded up a few must-see shows that will feature furniture and products by local creatives, and designers from across the globe. Find out the best places to get your furni fix ahead — we promise plenty of Instagram-worthy design-stuffs will abound!
Our top picks ahead

May 7, 2014

Will Brooklyn Be Home to a New Ace Hotel?

By Stephanie Hoina

Considering GFI Capital Resources' recent acquisition of several Bond Street parcels at the corner of Schermerhorn Street, downtown Brooklyn continues to be ripe for development in the vicinity of the Barclays Center. According to sources close to the deal, hotel developer Allen Gross, president and CEO of GFI, may be looking to bring Ace Hotel’s unique brand of lodging to the location, joining a growing list of hotels already planned for the area.
Read on for possible plans for the site

Events & Things To Do

May 5, 2014

Out-of-This-World Hotel Set for Wythe Avenue in Williamsburg

By Dana Schulz

For some longtime Williamsburg residents, the neighborhood already exhibits twilight-zone-like traits—the massive gentrification, glass waterfront towers, and skyrocketing rents—but the new Level Hotel planned for 55 Wythe Avenue is a literal translation of these possible feelings with its space-ship-looking design.
More photos this way

May 5, 2014

Your Art and Design Events Agenda, Week of May 5, 2014

By Lori Zimmer

Looking for something to do in this great city now that the weather has warmed up? We've rounded up some of this week's best art, design and architecture events to kick off the month of May. Get your art fix in Times Square for Midnight Moment or head to Randalls Island for the third rendition of Frieze Art Fair, browse the latest in cutting edge design at Collective Design Fair, explore Jersey City with Mana Contemporary's massive open house or get outside and check out the latest installation at Socrates Sculpture Park. It's going to be a great week!
All the best events here

May 2, 2014

Coming Soon Summer 2015: The Beekman Hotel

By Aisha Carter

After years of failed attempts by developers, GFI Capital Resources Group is accomplishing what some thought was impossible: They are converting 5 Beekman Street – along with its empty next-door neighbor 115 Nassau Street – into a hotel and condo. The landmark building was one of New York’s original skyscrapers, once towering nine stories. Its distinctive architecture boasts the famous Temple Court, an interior atrium punctuated by a skylight in the shape of a pyramid. It is surrounding this very feature that 287 hotel rooms will be constructed.
Read on for more details here

April 29, 2014

Explore the Homes of Brooklyn’s Most Interesting Residents on This Year’s Fort Greene House Tour

By Diane Pham

Fort Greene is easily one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in all of Brooklyn. With tree-lined streets and plenty of historic homes and churches throughout, just strolling its blocks will usually send you into a state of architectural splendor. This weekend is your chance to take a look inside these incredible spaces. Sponsored by the Fort Greene Association, this ambitious self-guided walking tour offers unique insights into the neighborhood's thriving new cultural district, as well as its coveted homes. See an assortment of townhouses and private residences, including a quirky brownstone featured in an episode of HBO’s hit series Girls!
Find out where to get tickets here