March 9, 2015

VIDEO: ‘A Couple of Blocks’ Is Really Five Miles, ‘SNL’ Rants About What’s Wrong with City Living

We've all been there–an out-of-town visitor asks us how far of a walk it is to dinner and we tell them, "Oh, just a few blocks," but by the time they arrive they're famished, their feet are blistered, and they want to scream at us for our skewed sense of distance. This is just one aspect of living in NYC that comedian Leslie Jones addressed in a hilarious rant on this week's "SNL." Others include the difference in length between avenues and blocks ("I've been on Fifth Avenue for ten hours!"), the east side versus the west side ("The last East/West thing I understood was Biggie and Tupac."), and the grime of the subway ("Did rat feces dust just fly into my mouth?").
Watch the hysterical video here
January 21, 2015

Why Not Take a Helicopter to the Airport? An Ode to the Smells of NYC

Empire Mayo in Prospect Heights looks to create the “must try” garlic truffle mayonnaise from Kevin Hart’s SNL parody of Bushwick gentrification. [DNAinfo] Two for the price of one: This tiny side table transforms into a full-on rowing machine. [Gizmodo] Forget hailing a taxi to get to the airport; a helicopter ride will cost you just $99. [NYP] […]

January 19, 2015

VIDEO: SNL’s Hilarious Sketch Pokes Fun at Bushwick’s ‘Grit’

If you tuned in to SNL this past Saturday, you probably saw this hilarious sketch featuring Kevin Hart, Kenan Thompson and Jay Pharoah spoofing life in hipster-laden Bushwick. The trio are huddled on a street corner talking about all the "crazy things" they've been doing over the last week. SNL uses the opportunity to poke fun at everything that's gone granola in the 'hood, from handmade dog sweaters to the $8 artisanal mayonnaises that now dominate the area's once crime-ridden streets. "That last party was off the chain, bro!" Pharoah says. "There was drinking wine. It was painting landscapes, barriers, fruit. You know what I'm saying?" Hart: "Did you have any cheeses tho?" "You acting like somebody put gluten in your muffin."
Watch the video here
May 2, 2014

Al Franken Sells His UWS Co-op for Just Over $4 Million

US senator Alan Stuart "Al" Franken, and his wife Franni, have just sold their 2,600-square-foot co-op at 90 Riverside Drive for $4.05 million. According to the listing held by Warburg Realty, the home features four bedrooms, hardwood floors, three dishwashers, and sunny southern exposures in a turn-of-the-century landmarked town home. From pictures, it looks quite quaint and charming, despite its multi-million dollar locale. City records show that the politico and former SNL star handed the keys to his UWS digs over to James Stone, a managing director at New Mountain Finance, and Lisa Kiell, international director at Jones Lang La Salle.
Peek inside the former Franken pad here

Our Mission

More than just current events, here you'll learn about the places, people, and ideas that are shaping your city.