Events & Things To Do

O Christmas Tree: Where to See the Biggest Evergreens Around the City

New York Stock Exchange Christmas tree via Mille Fiori Favoriti

December 9, 2014

O Christmas Tree: Where to See the Biggest Evergreens Around the City

Last week, we took a look back at the history of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree to mark the annual lighting celebration. Though this is probably the most famous Christmas tree in the world, many of us jaded New Yorkers would rather not deal with the crowds and traffic jams that come with visiting Rock Center. So as an equally festive alternative, we've rounded up some of the other huge trees illuminating the city this holiday season.
READ MORE

Events & Things To Do

December 8, 2014

Nobutaka Ashihara-Designed Hotel Coming to the Garment District

By Ondel Hylton

A 22-story limited-service hotel is gearing up to rise in Midtown at 4-6 West 37th Street. According to new building permits filed this past weekend, a 120-key 60,000 square-foot development will go up at the 4,200 square-foot lot situated between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Two charming six-story buildings, erected in 1920, will be be demolished for the 210-foot tall project designed by notable hotel designer Nobutaka Ashihara Architects. The firm recently opened the city's tallest hotel, the Marriott Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Central Park at 1717 Broadway.
FInd out more here

14 Hip Holiday Markets and Indie Pop-Up Shops in NYC

Capsule Market Square.

December 5, 2014

14 Hip Holiday Markets and Indie Pop-Up Shops in NYC

By Michelle Cohen

As December dawns, the holiday gift markets roll in, and it’s harder than ever to turn around in NYC without encountering a pop-up shop or makeshift mall offering everything anyone could ever want–whether they know it yet or not–for the body, mind, soul and home. We've assembled a list of smaller, cooler pop-ups and holiday markets that mix music, food and fun freebies like haircuts, goodie bags and beer with this year’s selection of clever, crafty gifts.
Find out where to get the goods, this way

December 4, 2014

Holiday Sparkle: Holiday Tree Alternatives with Modern Design Oopmh

By Michelle Cohen

If your ideas for decking the halls lean more toward Knoll, Eames and Adelman than red, gold and pine, you'll be happy to see that these non-traditional trees embody the winter holiday spirit with modern style. See what we've rounded up for you ahead!
More modern tree ideas this way

Andy Warhol Museum Coming to the Controversial Essex Crossing Development on the Bowery

The Andy Warhol Museum via nooccar via photopin cc.

December 3, 2014

Andy Warhol Museum Coming to the Controversial Essex Crossing Development on the Bowery

By Dana Schulz

Since 1994, the 88,000-square-foot Andy Warhol Museum has been one of Pittsburgh's main attractions, the largest museum in the country dedicated to a single artist. And though Warhol was born in Pittsburgh, he spent most of his formative years in New York City, a fact that has sparked plans for a satellite museum on the Bowery. In Miami for Art Basel, museum director Eric Shiner told The Observer last night that the Lower East Side museum would be 10,000 square feet and part of the controversial Essex Crossing development. Its anticipated opening is 2017.
More details here

Events & Things To Do

Brooklyn Artists Plan a Dance Party Funeral for Williamsburg

Funeral invitation via CHERYL

December 3, 2014

Brooklyn Artists Plan a Dance Party Funeral for Williamsburg

By Dana Schulz

We've all been talking and writing about the "death" of Williamsburg for years now, and every time a new neighborhood is compared to it (i.e. Quooklyn) we begin the debate anew. But now the Brooklyn-based artists' collective CHERYL is taking matters into their own hands, hosting a dance party funeral in memoriam of the hip 'hood that once was. As the Daily News states, they're "dancing on Williamsburg's grave." The cause of death? "The cancer of mass gentrification and the proliferation of the luxury condo."
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Events & Things To Do

December 1, 2014

ABC No Rio’s Graffiti-Covered Tenement Will Be Replaced with an Ultra-Modern “Passive House”

By Diane Pham

When ABC No Rio announced more than five years ago that they would be demolishing their building in favor of an updated facility, artists immediately began grieving over the impending loss of the cooperative's hardcore punk roots. Not much movement was made after that—only word that the artists would be going green with their renovation—but lo and behold, a new rendering revealed by Bowery Boogie shows us what will soon replace the artists' collective: a 9,000 square-foot, LEED-certified Passive House complete with exhibition and performance spaces, a green roof and a second floor terrace.
find out more here

December 1, 2014

This Map Shows the Holiday Craziness of NYC Airport Taxi Trips

By Dana Schulz

Still recovering from a Thanksgiving travel fiasco? Or maybe you haven't even made it home yet. Either way, this map is probably not going to make you feel better. It's a visualization of taxi trips from NYC-area airports between Thanksgiving and New Year's. The project was inspired by a previous mapping endeavor, NYC Taxis: A Day in the Life, and was created by designers at ImageWork Technologies. They looked at taxi trips originating from JFK and LaGuardia in 2013, and even have a feature that allows users to filter the results by individual airline terminals.
More details ahead

On Sale Now: An Unofficial Black Friday Bargain Hunt!

135 West 70th Street Penthouse BC; Listing photo Douglas Elliman.

November 28, 2014

On Sale Now: An Unofficial Black Friday Bargain Hunt!

By Michelle Cohen

Late November can be an anxious time for both buyers and sellers; unpleasant weather, family events and just plain seasonal shutdown mode can reduce the traffic at open houses to a trickle and get properties pulled off the market until after New Year’s Day or even springtime. Sellers may panic and prices get cut in the hopes of getting the deal done before year’s end; it’s a good time for intrepid buyers to stay in the game, though, because the competition factor is at a minimum. After reading about Leo DiCaprio who, like Macy’s, Wal-Mart and Kohl’s, jumped the gun on the traditional discount day by price-chopping his haute-holistic Delos Living penthouse, we rounded up some stellar dwellings that received significant markdowns just in time for the popular post-Thanksgiving Day shop-a-thon. So if you’re on the hunt–or you’ve got a two-bed-two-bath-with-killer-views-sized stocking to fill–check out our list of sale merch of the real estate persuasion that–we hope–won't require you to queue up at the crack of dawn.
10 more discounted deals that are better than lords a-leaping

New Yorker Spotlight: Behind the Magic of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with Creative Director Wesley Whatley

By Susan Cohen

For one day each year, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade transforms the streets of New York City into the ultimate stage for marching bands, dancers, floats, and of course, giant balloons. As we can all imagine, putting on a parade of this magnitude is no small task. And that's where Wesley Whatley, the Parade's creative director, comes in. Wesley is responsible for overseeing, developing and bringing the creative side of the event to life. His role requires vision, organization and a deep understanding of the parade's history and its importance to both the city and America. Along with his team, he ensures it's a magical event for spectators and television viewers. In anticipation of tomorrow's parade, we spoke with Wesley about selecting marching bands and performers, the logistics of organizing such a large event, and, on a personal note, what parades mean to him.
read the interview with Wesley here

November 26, 2014

POLL: Are You Eating Turkey for Thanksgiving?

By Dana Schulz

On Monday, we spotlighted Zaid Kurdieh, Greenmarket farmer of Norwich Meadows Farm and talked to him about how he’s preparing for the Thanksgiving turkey rush. There’s a lot more that goes into it than you might think, especially since the farm’s animals are raised halal and humanely. But we were surprised when Zaid mentioned that this […]

Events & Things To Do

November 26, 2014

QUIZ: Which Thanksgiving Parade Balloon Belongs in Which NYC Neighborhood?

By Alyssa Alimurung

You may not wake up early enough tomorrow to catch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but we bet you know these balloon characters anyway. 10 of those famous helium-filled stars were matched up with “their” NYC neighborhood. Guess which character belongs in each neighborhood in this fun Buzzfeed quiz! TAKE THE QUIZ HERE…

Events & Things To Do

November 25, 2014

NYC Volunteer Opportunities: Giving Thanks and Giving Back

By Michelle Cohen

The season of good cheer–and good food–has begun, but there are many who are left out in the cold. Share the abundance; volunteer your time, your food, or your funds (or all of the above) to help spread real warmth to all New Yorkers. We've rounded up Thanksgiving volunteer opportunities around the city to make it even simpler for you to give back.
Check out our list of ways to get involved

November 24, 2014

Float Is an Exquisite Coffee Table That Looks Like a Lotus Pond

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Float is a unique coffee table designed as an exquisite optical illusion for the home. Created by London's Central Saint Martins graduate Olivia Lee, it appears as a levitating lotus pond supported by a trio of intertwining stems. In addition to providing tranquility for the eye, it creates some surprising visual effects when objects are placed on it.
Learn more about this charming lotus table

November 21, 2014

Happy 112th Birthday to the Algonquin Hotel, A NYC Literary Landmark

By Bonnie Clark

In a town overrun with fancy hotels, the Algonquin–which turns 112 tomorrow–has true staying power, proving that history and heritage are every bit as important as plush bedding and sweet-smelling bath products. Designed by Goldwin Starrett in a Renaissance limestone and red brick façade, the 12-story Algonquin Hotel, at 42 West 42nd Street, opened on November 22, 1902, initially operating as an apartment hotel with year-long leases but switching to a hotel after the owner failed to find enough renters. Today, the Algonquin–both a literary landmark and a New York City Historic Landmark–remains one of New York’s most cherished institutions, drawing a mix of artists, tourists and cultural elites.
Read the full history of the storied Algonquin

November 20, 2014

Finalists Announced for 2015 Governors Island City of Dreams Pavilion

By Dana Schulz

Governors Island is one of those magical NYC places that comes to life in the spring after a long winter hibernation. And part of its reawakening will be the revealing of the City of Dreams Pavilion, a futuristic-looking art installation where visitors can gather. For the fifth consecutive year, FIGMENT has teamed with the Emerging New York Architects Committee (ENYA) of the American Institute of Architects NY Chapter (AIANY) and the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY) to host a competition for the pavilion. Entrants were asked to design a temporary architectural structure to hold 50+ people, provide shade and rain cover, using sustainable materials. And just this week the five finalists were announced.
Take a look at the final five designs here

November 14, 2014

Mianne de Vries’s Photosensitive Vase Lets You Capture Your Own Image on Its Skin

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

This year's winner of the Volvo Design Awards is a tangible object that lets you capture a special experience. Known as the Capture Vase, this unique customizable container comes with a photosensitive skin that lets you print your own photograph on it, completing the design. Envisioned by Dutch designer Mianne de Vries, this stunning vessel is both functional and magical.
Learn more about the Capture Vase

<b>Home and Away: Is Airbnb a Threat to the Affordable Housing Market?</b>

Photo courtesy of Airbnb via Facebook.

November 10, 2014

Home and Away: Is Airbnb a Threat to the Affordable Housing Market?

By Michelle Cohen

Controversial room-sharing startup Airbnb, one of the most visible players in what is being called the “sharing economy,” has recently awakened the innovation vs. regulation argument in all the usual ways–and a few new ones, including the accusation that these short-term rentals are depleting the already-scarce affordable housing stock in pricey metro areas like San Francisco and New York City.
What the latest data reveals–and what's being done about it

November 7, 2014

Tenement Talks: Learn About Lowline’s Past and the Underground Park That May One Day Fill It

By Diane Pham

Ever since architects James Ramsey and Dan Barasch announced their plan to turn a forgotten trolley terminal below Delancey Street into an underground park, design enthusiasts, urban planners, locals, celebs, and, well, just about everyone who’s caught wind of it has been waiting in anticipation for what’s to come. The push to make this cool concept […]

An image of the 2013 NYFOL event in Nolita

November 5, 2014

New York Festival of Light Is Illuminating DUMBO Starting Tomorrow Night

By Dana Schulz

There's never a shortage of artsy events taking place in Brooklyn, but the New York Festival of Light (NYFOL) is a first-timer on the block. The curated collection of lighting installations will take over DUMBO from the night of November 6th to the 8th, and is being put on in partnership with the DUMBO Improvement District. Free and open to the public, the event will take place in and around the archway under the Manhattan Bridge, spilling out onto the surrounding plaza. The array of multi-sensory installations created by more than a dozen artists includes projection mapping, laser lighting, video art, illuminated sculptures, and wearable light technologies.
More details on NYFOL here

Events & Things To Do

5Pointz Developer Wants to Use Iconic Name for New Residential Towers

A photo capturing the 5Pointz demolition via changsterdam via photopin

November 4, 2014

5Pointz Developer Wants to Use Iconic Name for New Residential Towers

By Dana Schulz

The whitewashing and subsequent demolition of Long Island City graffiti mecca 5Pointz was painful enough for the arts community, but now G&M Realty, the developer responsible for the loss, wants to trademark the 5Pointz name and use it for their new residential towers at the site. And artists are not happy, saying the developer is trying to bank off their name. G&M is planning two towers for the site, at 41 and 47 stories, that together will hold 1,000 rental units. The developer submitted an application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office in March to trademark "5Pointz," but it was initially rejected in June for being too similar to another registrant. G&M now has six months to respond to the decision.
More on the story here

November 4, 2014

See How Top Architects Build Sculptures from 100,000 Cans of Food to Help the Hungry

By Diane Pham

Food drives and can collections are not uncommon as we approach the holidays. And with Thanksgiving right around the corner, Canstruction is back again for its 22nd year with a brand new exhibit that invites New Yorkers to not only think about food in a whole new way, but to take part in a good cause. This year's event has invited 32 teams made up of NYC's top architecture and engineering design firms to turn 100,000 cans of food into spectacular sculptures at Brookfield Place. To give you a taste of what's to come when the exhibit opens this Thursday, some of last year's participants included big names like Skanska, Perkins Eastman, CetraRuddy, Ennead Architects, Arup, and Dattner Architects. Yes, these are more than just a bunch of stacked cans.
More on the new exhibit

New Yorker Spotlight: Behind the Scenes and Screams with Clinton Hill’s Halloween Queen, Janna Kennedy Hyten

Photo by Chris Franko

October 31, 2014

New Yorker Spotlight: Behind the Scenes and Screams with Clinton Hill’s Halloween Queen, Janna Kennedy Hyten

By Susan Cohen

When Janna Kennedy Hyten was growing up in rural Florida, she probably never envisioned the crowds that would one day gather outside her Brooklyn home for Halloween 313. At the time, Janna's physical world was small, but her imagination was large and primed to create the wonder, joy, and gore necessary to captivate thousands of children each Halloween. Halloween 313 began 20 years ago when Janna opened her home at 313 Clinton Avenue to Clinton Hill's children. Over the last two decades, what began as elaborate Halloween decorations on the home's exterior, developed into an annual, full-fledged, front yard production with fun names and storylines like "Grimm Scary Tale," "Pirates of the Scarebbean, The Curse of the White Pearl," and "20,000 Screams Under the Sea." We recently spoke with Janna to find out more about the woman and home behind Halloween 313.
Read the interview here

Grave Concerns: Do Cemeteries Affect Real Estate Prices in New York?

Photo via Plowboylifestyle/CC

October 31, 2014

Grave Concerns: Do Cemeteries Affect Real Estate Prices in New York?

By Lauren Price

Not so surprisingly, Manhattan has a slew of cemeteries, graveyards and built-over potter’s fields (for unclaimed bodies). Madison Square Park was originally used as a potter’s field, as was Bryant Park. And though these swaths of land served many purposes over the years, it took an eternity before they were lovely public parks. From the late 1600s, burial grounds were generally confined to what would now be just south of City Hall, but more began popping up further uptown during the 1800s as the city’s population grew in leaps and bounds. With Halloween upon us, tis’ the season for checking out if living near one might give a buyer a bit of a ghostly scare or whether it takes an eternity to sell when the living room window overlooks tombstones marking coffins buried six feet under. Hear what experts say, and then learn about the city's most notable graveyards.
Do homes near cemeteries sell at a discount in NYC?

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