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Manhattan Neighborhoods & History - Manhattan NYC

Sep 05, 2024 at 12:15 am by mikewood


manhattan neighborhoods history mhtn nyc

* MB Advance Notices / Discounts


* Manhattan Buzz Site Search


 

Manhattan Neighborhoods & History MHTN NYC

October 2024 / Manhattan Neighborhoods & History NYC / Manhattan Neighborhoods / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

This section is dedicated to the Neighborhoods & History section on Manhattan Buzz NYC.

 

Page Guide

How to Make the Most of This Section

1. The reports at the top of this section represent older renditions we did of the various neighborhoods in Manhattan.

2. These are followed by a rotation of reports about cultural, community and business organizations and events.

3. The rest is an evolving mix of reports done previously, about things to do, attractions, events, history, restaurants, parades, cultural institutions and shopping. These will evolve over time.

4. The Manhattan Buzz website provides visitors with current news and a history of what has happened in Manhattan neighborhoods, generally based on events, issues, locales and sometimes personages. Use the BOOKMARK button at the top of your browser window, to facilitate your weekly visit to find out what's happening in Manhattan. 

Thanks for visiting and come back for our weekly & semi-weekly updates. 

CLICK here to view our Manhattan Neighborhoods & History NYC section.


* NYC News Updates

China Operating a 'Secret Police' in Chinatown, Climate Change and NYS Springtime Forest Fires & Rupert Murdoch's Mendacious Media on Trial ... Again

 

April 18, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC / 472.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will rise from about 60 on Tuesday, to the mid 60's Wednesday and Thursday, to the low to mid 70's on Friday and Saturday. The temperature lows will be in the mid 40's on Tuesday and Wednesday, rising to the mid 50's on Thursday and Friday. The winds will be about 10 - 15 mph on Tuesday and Wednesday, dropping to 5 - 10 mph on Thursday and Friday. The humidity will be about 40% on Tuesday and Wednesday, rising to 60 - 70% on Thursday and Friday. No rain is in the forecast all week long.

 

PRC [People's Republic of China] Caught Operating a 'Secret Police' in Chinatown in Manhattan

In October of 2022, the FBI obtained a search warrant to investigate an office on Broadway in Chinatown believed to be a 'secret police' station set up by dictator President Xi Jin Ping's Peoples Republic of China in order to control the behaviors of Chinese people living in the U.S. Two men were charged in the case. According to the Department of Justice, the two men who were arrested yesterday, are "... “Harry” Lu Jianwang, 61, of the Bronx, and Chen Jinping, 59, of Manhattan ...".

The 'secret police' office was closed after the two men discovered that the FBI was watching them. When conducting the search, the FBI reported that the memories of the two men's communications devices [aka evidence] were erased. The men are presumed innocent in this country until proven guilty. This is very much unlike the process we've seen in China, where one is guilty of whatever dictator president Xi Jin Ping decides they're guilty of.

I always marvel at the dishonesty of dictators who attempt to control what everyone thinks, because the truth can be deadly to them and their regimes. For example calling China the PRC - People's Republic of China - when the people have no say in who their leaders are, can be imprisoned or even terminated for speaking their minds, and can only own or operate a significant business if it's given a blessing by the dictator president. The PRC should be called the XDC - Xi's Dictatorship of China. Where everything is designed to suit one man, and nobody, and nothing else, matters. As dictator president Xi seems to say by his actions, "... It's all about Me, Me, Me, Me or Xi, Xi, Xi, Xi ...".


* Black History Month in NYC

This is a Look at Some of the Black History Events We've Covered Over the Years

nyc black history month events things to do nyc langston hughes queens david mills york performing arts center queensFebruary 17, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC/ 471.

NYC Weather. The temperature high hit 61 degrees on Monday, and will fall to the mid to high 40's for the rest of the week. The temperature lows will range from the mid 30's to the low 40's until Friday, when the temperature drops into the mid 20's. The winds will range from 5 - 10 mph until Friday, when we'll experience a gusty 15 - 20 mph. The humidity will range between 60% - 70% through the week, before dropping to 40% on Friday. Less than a quarter inch of rain is expected on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The image at right is of Langston Hughes, a writer in the 1920's and 1930's of the Harlem Renaissance. It seems like African Americans are continuing the process of asserting their influence in American culture, a process that began going mainstream in the 1920's / 1930's.

 

Highlighting Black History Month in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens & Staten Island NYC with Reports about African American History and Culture

We've covered a number of interesting theatrical performances and art exhibits exploring African American history and the African American experience in the five boroughs over the years. Some of them feature the African American experience front and center, while others include or reference the African American experience. This is a compendium of most of them, with links to the full stories. Think of this as a work in progress as it is far from complete, and in some measure, reflects how long each of our web magazines has been open / covering events in each of the boroughs. At this time I have not included many of the black and brown events reflecting immigrants' cultures, vis a vis the African American cultural experience.


* Black History Month in NYC

Scratching the Surface of Our Ancestoral African Roots

black history and the role of african americans in advocating for civil rights nycFebruary 7, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC / 470.

Over the past few years I've come to enjoy a number of PBS programs that delve into our collective African American ancestoral roots. One of the shows is hosted by Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. wherein he researches various celebrities' ancestoral roots, digging up photos, slave ownership records, and connections to other celebrities by tracing DNA trails. The journey can lead to any number of surprises, such as when Gates found that one of actress Carol Burnett's ancestors joined the Confederate Army, and then deserted a couple of years later. Or when Gates uncovered that TV Producer / Writer Larry David of Seinfeld is a distant cousin to Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

But for my money, the treasure trove of programming on PBS may be found in its rich collection of documentaries - both old and new. And among those documentaries are a wide number of films exploring the contributions and history of African Americans.

 

PBS Documentaries During Black History Month in NYC

I'm only going to touch on one of them now, and at a later date will return to engage in a deeper conversation about others. The documentary I watched on PBS this month, was entitled, The Blinding of Isaac Woodard. It was about how an innocent African American veteran was attacked by a white southern police chief [Lynwood Shull] from South Carolina who beat out Woodard's eyes and permanently blinded him in February 1946, while Woodard was changing buses at a bus stop. That's a mighty nasty way to welcome a WWII veteran home and thank him for risking his life to defend us.

Nonetheless, eight years later, the search for justice was fulfilled ... in a way. Of course the all white South Carolina jury let off Police Chief Shull. But that action so enraged President Harry S. Truman, that he ordered a federal investigation into the case. And actor / radio host Orson Welles, took up the cause too, helping make it known what sorts of racial injustices were being perpetrated upon African Americans living and working in the south.


NYC News Updates NYS

Office Workers & Employers Facing a Choice - Come Back to the Office or -

The UN is Back Live in Session, a look at the Argument for Democracies vs Dictatorships, & What's with the Royalist TV News Groupies?

September 19, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycNYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the low 80's on Tuesday & Wednesday, dropping to the low 70's on Thursday and the mid 60's on Friday., The temperature lows will rise from the mid 60's on Monday & Tuesday to the low 70's on Wednesday, and then fall into the mid to low 50's on Thursday and Friday. The winds will be 10 - 15 mph all week. The humidity will be 55% - 65% all week, except on Friday when it falls to 45% - 55%. There's a small chance of a small amount of rain in Thursday, with the probability gone by mid afternoon.

 

NYC White Collar Office Workers Continue to Resist a Full Return to the Office

As we noted last week, in our update, people are returning to mass transit. While weekend ridership on the subways has reached about 90%, weekday ridership lags behind at about 65% of prepandemic levels. One of the main drivers of the lower weekday ridership is that folks haven't yet resumed embraced a full return to the office at anywhere near prepandemic levels.

For about the past six months, only about 10% of white collar office workers in Manhattan, go to the office daily. But the number of people in the office each day has risen from about 38% to 49%, according to Parnership for New York City, a non-profit dedicated to primarily promoting the economic interests of NYC. Also, the percentage of workers staying fully remote dropped from 28% to 16% over the same six month period [April - September]. Nearly four out of five employers [77%] indicated that the preferred business model [demanded per employees] is now ready to accommodate folks who only want to travel to the office three of the five days in a work week.

Nobody is yet saying this, but it's my guesstimate, that over time, employees who are in the office more frequently are going to win out over those who are working remotely. And because of that phenomenon, I also guesstimate that over time, more folks will start spending more time in the office. But this may take years to play out.

There's a flip side of the coin above, which is that employers who accommodate remote workers, especially women who want to spend time rearing their children, could, over time, attract and retain some of the best and the brightest, even if they don't pay top dollar. For some, including myself, money matters - but it isn't everything.

As I look at what I've just written I see a potential lawsuit - discriminatory pay based on gender. But could it be discriminatory pay based on remote working? This discussion might have some parallels to the discussion below about dictatorships vs democracy and about valuing loyalty over talent.

Ultimately, time will tell, and it will be interesting to see how this all plays out. One thing is clear, many of us - if not all - are not going back to the status quo.


News Update NYC

Entering the Post Pandemic New Normal in NYC

staten island things to do memorial day weekend staten island memorial day weekend si nycSeptember 13, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the high 70's and the temperature lows around 60. It will be sunny the rest of the week, with humidity ranging from 40% - 60%, which is fairly dry. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph, falling as the week wears on. No rain is expected between now and Friday evening, nor through the coming weekend.

So, a lot has happened since we last posted a news update. At right is a photo of one of the outer borough subway stations this summer. As you can see, mask wearing compliance has diminished.

 

MTA: Ridership Hits Post Pandemic High of 3.5 Million Weekday Riders on the First Day of the Reopening of NYC Public Schools & Governor Hochul Drops the MTA Mask Mandate

On Thursday, September 8th, the first day of the NYC public schools reopening, the MTA transported 3.6 million people. That's the highest ridership number since the pandemic began two and a half years ago in March of 2020.

In our August 9th report [see below] we suggested the MTA drop the mask mandate or enforce it. At the time we noticed that less than half of the passengers on the subway seemed to be adhering to the mask mandate. On September 7th, NYS Governor Hochul rescinded the mask mandate on the MTA, making masking optional, but still recommended that we continue masking on the MTA as we enter the colder months, when folks go indoors, where the probability of infection by airborne viruses like CoVid and the flu increases. The guidance is particularly relevant to those who are older or have underlying conditions, but it's also not unwise for everyone else too.

 

Shootings Down in NYC in August - In August 2022 There were 115 Shootings vs 165 in August 2021

This Follows the Passage of Federal Gun Restrictions by Congress in June, Biden's April Executive Order in Requiring Ghost Gun Sales be Handled in the Same Manner as Gun Sales & Mayor Adams & the NYPD's Effort to Remove Illegal Guns from NYC Streets

On June 25th, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. This is legislation that passed both the Senate and Congress earlier in the month. A number of moderate Republicans crossed the aisle in both the House and Senate to vote with the Democrats, on reigning in the gun violence free-for-all that we've been witnessing the past couple of years.

The federal gun legislation was the first of its kind to pass both houses and be signed into law in about 30 years. Among other things it enhances background checks for younger gun owners [under 21], and provides law enforcement with additional authority and responsibility to thwart potential shooters by empowering them to curtail a gun owner's rights if there's reason to believe that person poses a risk to the general welfare of the community. Added funding was also provided to incent law enforcement to pay more attention to problematic gun owners.

The Biden Ghost Gun sale regulations went into effect on August 24, 2022, following a failed court challenge to block the President's April 2022 Executive Order requiring ghost gun sales to be treated the same as other firearm sales.

In addition to the actions taken at the federal level, Mayor Adams has been working with the NYPD to reduce shootings through changes in NYC law enforcement to take illegal guns off the street. Year to date [as of end of August 2022], the NYPD had removed 4,880 illegal guns from the streets of which 405 of them were removed in August.

Other NYC crime statistics rose 31%. And NYS Governor Hochul passed a number gun regulations in response to the Supreme Court ruling overturning a century old NYS gun law.

We'll have a few more items to add, including on NYC public schools, on Wednesday 9.14.22. In the meantime, I hope you're having a nice week.



 

 

I. Upper East Side Neighborhood

 

 


Upper East Side Neighborhood UES

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Things To Do Upper East Side NYC - Manhattan

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Manhattan History NYC - Upper East Side Historical Sites NYC

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Manhattan Neighborhood News - Tribute Paid to NYPD Officers Mora & Rivera

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Mount Sinai - Living Donor Celebration - Kidney & Liver Transplants - NY Academy of Medicine NYC

Mount Sinai - Living Donor Celebration - at the NY Academy of Medicine NYC

I was Almost Shocked by a Lot of What I Learned about Kidney & Liver Transplants

mt sinai human organ transplants nyc zweig family center for living donation nyc September 25, 2023 / Manhattan Neighborhoods NYC / Manhattan Healthcare NYC / Manhattan Buzz.

Nearly two weeks ago, on Wednesday, September 13th, I headed into the New York Academy of Medicine at 1215 5th Avenue on the Upper East Side to attend a ceremony - a celebration actually - honoring Living Donors of Mt. Sinai's kidney and liver transplant program. 

To be frank, when first approached to cover this event, I wasn't sure of what to expect.  But after mulling it over, and perhaps with a bit of deference to my Mother, who had signed away her organs on her driver's license [and likely elsewhere], I decided to go to see what I might learn.

 

New York Academy of Medicine on the UES

The ceremony was held at the New York Academy of Medicine, which is located along 5th Avenue at 103rd Street.  The NY Academy of Medicine was founded in 1847 by a number of NYC doctors, most notably the Presidents of the NYU School of Medicine, the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Medical Society of the City and County of New York.  The Academy has played an influential role in shaping public health policy in NYC, NYS and the U.S.

The building in which the New York Academy of Medicine is located, as well as the location of the Mt. Sinai Living Donor Ceremony, was built in 1926 and is also home to the NY Academy of Medicine's library of various aspects of medicine, which was first started in 1847, opened to the public in 1878, and continues to be accessible to the public to this day.  Generally it's dedicated to those wishing to do research and one has to make an appointment to use it.  For more information and to make an appointment see - https://www.nyam.org/library/connect/visit-library/

The Mt. Sinai Living Donor Ceremony event was held on the third floor of the building what seemed a library reading room turned into a theater.  The room had 20 foot high ceilings [possibly higher], nearly floor to ceiling windows overlooking Central Park, and I'm no expert, but I believe the bookcases in the front of the room were made of oak.  The Carnegie Foundation donated about one million to the NY Academy of Medicine to build this building back in the 1920's.

My point in telling you all of this, is to provide a feeling and sense of connection to the past, the early roots of scientific healthcare in this country, which I assume was part of the consideration in selecting this location for the event ... as well as its proximity to the Mt Sinai Hospital campus on the Upper East side, which is located along 5th Avenue between 98th Street and 103rd Street.

CLICK here to read the rest of our story about kidney and liver transplants by Mount Sinai at a presentation at the NY Academy of Medicine.



Nurses Strike in NYC

The Nurses Strike at Mt Sinai & Montefiore Hospitals

One Nurse Told me She Felt Like Nurses had gone from Heroes to Zeroes

healthcare nyc manhattan bronx nurses strike nysna mt sinai montefiore bronx nurses strike nycJanuary 5, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Healthcare / Gotham Buzz NYC.

On Monday I made the trip to the Mount Sinai Medical Center between 5th and Madison Avenues and between 99th and 101st Street on the Upper East Side. Mt Sinai is the hold out in completing negotiations or even resuming them with the New York State Nurses Association union or NYSNA.

By last Friday, January 6, 2023, New York Presbyterian Hospital, the Maimonides Medical Center and Richmond University Medical Center had reached tentative agreements with the NYSNA union that included improvements in safe staffing and wages.

By Saturday, January 7, 2023 the NYSNA tweeted that BronxCare Health System and Flushing Hospital Medical Center had "reached tentative agreements that will improve safe staffing levels and enforcement, increase wages by 7%, 6%, and 5%, and save their healthcare benefits."

By Monday, January 9, 2023 about 7,100 pf the 42,000 nurses in the NYSNA union were set to go on strike at Mt Sinai in Manhattan and Montefiore in the Bronx. When I arrived around noon time at Mount Sinai in Manhattan on Monday, the NYSNA had a strong showing by their members. And the vehicular traffic appeared to be highly supportive of them, which you will see in the video I shot when I post it later today. The strikers were stationed primarily on Madison Avenue at about 99th Street, and there was a speaker there, but I really couldn't hear what she had to say with all the surrounding commotion, you'll see that too.

So I found a few nurses talking things over a bit away from the crowd, and I spoke with them. They told me that the strike is primarily about two issues: 1) staffing levels and 2) compensation. I learned a couple of things I didn't hear reported in the corporate media, which I'll share. But please note that I've not yet had a chance to confirm these findings with either of the hospitals still on strike.

The first thing they told me is that the staffing levels vis a vis patient loads are and remain the primary cause of the strike. They said that in the last union negotiation the hospitals agreed to put in recommended grids for staffing levels per patient for the various hospital units, which was a good first step. The problem is that the new staffing grids were not made enforceable.

Thus, because the staffing grids per patient remain unenforceable, I was told that they are exceeded too often. The trouble with this, they told me [and remember these are not the official spokespeople for the union, but rather rank and file union members, and I haven't yet cross referenced these findings with either hospital - see below] is that when you exceed the recommended staffing levels for prolonged periods of time, the probability of staff mistakes rise [dispensing meds and providing treatments], and hence this isn't just unsafe for patients, but it also puts the licenses of the nurses in jeopardy, should they make a mistake.

The second thing they told me was that the corporate media tells New Yorkers that the striking nurses are holding out for higher percentage pay increases vis a vis the nurses at the other hospitals who have reached tentative deals. They thought this characterization was incomplete - if not unfair - as the nurses at Mt Sinai and Montefiore have lower pay scales than the nurses at the other NYC hospitals.

CLICK here to read the rest of our report on the NYC / NYS Nurses Strike in Manhattan and the Bronx.



Met Gala - Off the Red Carpet at the Met Gala in Manhattan NYC

Off the Red Carpet at the Met Gala's Gilded Age

I was on the Street During the Met Gala, with the Regular Folks of NYC

nyc things to do nyc things to do this weekend nycMay 3, 2022 / Things To Do NYC / NYC Neighborhoods / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Last night I went to see the red carpet arrivals at the Met Gala. The Met Gala is considered to be one of the most fashionable events of the year. It's by invitation only, costs between $30,000 and $35,000 per ticket. The event is generally said to run from about 6 pm to about 9.30 or 10.30 pm.

This year the fashion theme was of the opulence, fame and excess that accompanied the Gilded Age. But you'd never have known there was a theme, because the rich and famous of today - as back then - pretty much do whatever they want. And many of their outfits said just that.

Many observers think that the red carpet arrivals are the height of the show ... but then many observers likely never make it inside the museum to see how the other half parties.

Since this was my first time covering this event, I arrived unfashionably on time, around 6 pm, taking the subway to 86th Street as my limosine driver had the night off, and it really didn't matter, because my limosine has been in the shop for repairs for pretty much my entire lifetime.



NY Peace Film Festival

NY Peace Film Festival

Trying to Bring the Planet to its Senses … One Film at a Time

March 20, 2017 / Upper East Side Neighborhood UES / Cinema & Film in Manhattan / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

ny peace film festival nycI attended the 10th annual Peace Film Festival in Manhattan this past weekend. The two day event was held at the All Souls Unitarian Church on Lexington Avenue at 80th Street on the Upper East Side. The festival included about a dozen films covering issues, events and people from around the world, including Africa, the Middle East, the Far East, Latin America and California.

The photo at right is a still from a movie about a lovers relationship between a western woman and a Japanese man in Hiroshima around the time of the dropping of the nuclear bomb.

NY Peace Film Festival History in NYC

I had an opportunity to talk to one of the NY Peace Film Festival co-founders, Yumi Tanaka who provided me with a brief history. The festival began in 2007 when Yumi and co-founder Jonathan Fluck [and a mutual friend who dropped out after the first year] decided to put together a cultural event to showcase conflicts in a multi-dimensional cultural event. Yumi is a standup comedian, their mutual friend had a theatrical background and Jonathan is a social activist, so together they assembled an ensemble that included film, dance, music and poetry in the first year [2007]. The event was held at the Tenri Shinto Church off Union Square.

ny peace film festival nyc

The next year Yumi and Jonathan morphed the event into a film festival to enable them to better manage it, as live performance requires considerable additional time, rehearsal space and the like, while film followed by live or Skyped talks made the festival more manageable. A few years ago the festival relocated to the All Souls Unitarian Church on the Upper East Side where they were this weekend.

When I arrived the church was closed, but there’s an entrance a bit south of the main entrance to the church, leading into meeting facilities [see photo at right]. Tickets were a very reasonable $12 and were good for the day and multiple films. The audience was comprised of an eclectic set of New Yorkers, including artists and film enthusiasts and social activists.

Click here to read the rest of our report about the NY Peace Film Festival in NYC including film photos and some discussion about them.


 


Yorkville Nutcracker at Kaye Theater Upper East Side

The Yorkville Nutcracker at the Kaye Theater

Blend of Beauty & Grace at an Enthralling Pace

December 12, 2015 / Upper East Side Neighborhood / Manhattan Dance & Theater NYC / Gotham Buzz.

yorkville nutcracker dances patrelle upper east side things to do UESI just returned from a magical trip into an imaginary wonderland of dance. There’s an afterglow one gets from performances such as this, which challenge a writer’s ability to convey the feeling, that’s nearly indescribable, along the lines of love …

But that said I’ll give it a try. And if not successful, you'll get a second chance as I captured some of the performance on video. And given that a picture says a thousand words, then video must be good for at least as many words.

It was a near balmy evening as I made my way to the Kaye Theater on 68th Street between Park and Lex on the Upper East Side. The Yorkville Nutcracker was to begin at 7 pm and I arrived with just enough time to pick up my ticket and make my way up to the balcony. The Kaye Theater is fairly spacious theater (in as far as Manhattan theaters go) and well kept, seating well over 500 people for each performance.

It wasn’t long before the lights dimmed, and the curtain rose, and the performance of The Yorkville Nutcracker at the Kaye Theater on the Upper East Side began.



Park Avenue Tree Lighting - Christmas Tree Lightings in Manhattan NYC

Park Avenue Tree Lighting Event UES NYC

Park Avenue Tree Lighting Event Commemorates Sacrifice

Updated w/ Photos & Video December 15, 2015 / Upper East Side Neighborhood UES / Manhattan History NYC / Gotham Buzz.

park ave tree lighting UES nycI stumbled upon a holiday celebration this year, that is one of the little gems in the living history of Manhattan – the Park Avenue Tree Lighting event. It began in 1945, only months after the conclusion of the Second World War. It was dedicated to those who fought so bravely to defend our American rights and freedoms, and to those who made the ultimate sacrifice: their lives.

What follows is a history of the various people and organizations that have contributed to maintaining this living tribute to those American soldiers, as well as a real time account of the 2015 Park Avenue Tree Lighting event in the photos and video that accompany the story.

Several of the Upper East Siders with whom I conversed, told me that attending this holiday event has become one of their annual family traditions. The event is non-denominational where all are welcome, although it's worth mentioning that the event has some Christian cultural DNA embedded in the speeches and the music. But that said, the event is designed to be inclusive embracing all cultures and peaceful worship, which is one of the American freedoms for which those brave soldiers being commemorated tonight, gave their lives.

Click here to read about the history and see the video of the Park Avenue Tree Lighting event on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.



Asia Society - Upper East Manhattan NYC

The Asia Society NYC - Bora Yoon Performance

Acoustic Performance by Bora Yoon At Asia Society

asia society upper east side nycApril 23, 2014 / Upper East Side Neighborhood / Things To Do Manhattan / Midtown Buzz. I had an opportunity to attend the CD Release Party for Bora Yoon at the Asia Society on Manhattan's Upper East Side. I arrived a bit early to meet with April, her publicist, for a quick briefing.

I took a bit of time to look around the Asia Society which has an indoor courtyard, galleries and a theater. The Asia Society hosts art and cultural exhibits and performances on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. I found a spot in the downstairs theater after chatting briefly with the Asia Society sound man, and I settled in before the performance began.

The lights dimmed. The theater grew quiet. And Bora Yoon's voice came in clearly, etherially and angelically ... filling the theatrical space with a heavenly aria. I could barely see her coming from the back of the theater, as she moved slowly and deliberately from the top of the stairs down to the stage at the front of the sunken cathedral. Her movements were quiet and gentle, and her voice soothing.

The artistic performance of Bora Yoon’s Sunken Cathedral had begun.

Click here to read more about the artistic acoustical performance of Bora Yoon at the Asia Society on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.



Manhattan NYC 4th of July Fireworks Photos

July 4th Fireworks Manhattan Photos

Macy’s Expands NYC Fireworks Celebration North on East River Manhattan

Click here for the 4th of July fireworks in Manhattan time and location information for this year [2022].

fireworks east river nyc july 4July 6, 2015 / Manhattan Neighborhoods / Manhattan Holidays NYC / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

It was a near perfect evening as I made my way toward the East River to watch the Macy’s 4th of July fireworks display. The first Macy’s fireworks display was in 1976 for the second bi-centennial celebration.

The photo at right shows the July 4th fireworks display from Four Freedoms Park on Roosevelt Island.

Last year Mayor de Blasio urged Macy’s to return the fireworks display to the East River, as it had been moved to the Hudson in 2008 in celebration of the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s discovery of the river named after him. Macy’s continued to host it there until 2014.

There were six barges along the Hudson in 2008, which was reduced to three barges surrounding the Brooklyn Bridge in 2014. This year they added two barges which were positioned further north along the East River manhattan fireworks july 4thmaking it possible to enjoy the display from many parts of eastern Manhattan further north along the East River.

We had identified many of the best places to watch the July 4th fireworks in Manhattan in an earlier posting, but given the addition of barges stationed further north along the East River, it was difficult to determine how far north along the East River one could go and still enjoy a good fireworks show.

So with that in mind I made my way toward the 59th Street Bridge as I was pretty certain it would be closed, but it would have been the perfect place from which to photograph the fireworks. As expected there were police officers standing at the bicycle / pedestrian entrance to the bridge and they informed me that it would not be open until 10.30 pm, or about a half hour after the fireworks display.

The photo at right shows the Queens audience along the East River and northern tip of Gantry Park in Long Island City on Saturday night July 4th, just after the fireworks ended.

Click here for the rest of our story about the 4th of July fireworks Manhattan NYC as seen from Four Freedoms Park on Roosevelt Island.




 

 

II. Upper West Side Neighborhood

 

 


Upper West Side Neighborhood - Manhattan NYC

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Things To Do Upper West Side NYC - Manhattan

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Rain Doesn't Deter Cathedral Fair

Cathedral School at St John the Divine on the UWS Slogs On

cathedral school st john the divineMay 21, 2018 / Upper West Side Neighborhood / Manhattan Schools / Manhattan Neighborhoods / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

I had the pleasure of attending the Cathedral School Spring Fair in the court yard of St. John the Divine Cathedral last Saturday. The court yard is an old, beautiful green space area nestled in amongst the buildings of the St. John the Divine Cathedral complex.

The photo at right shows the Cathedral School Spring fair just after a downpouring rain.

The fair began around mid morning and I arrived a bit after noon. It was raining fairly steadily, but that didn't deter me - nor many of the Cathedral School supporters - from enjoying the afternoon. There was a grill stationed along a walkway inside the campus gates. And inside the nearby Synod House there were games, live music and a pretty good one time a year flea market selling donated goods of the Cathedral School supporters and community.

The Synod House was completed in 1913, around the time of the beginning of WWI, and was the meeting place for the 1913 General Convention of the Episcopal Church. The building has retained the name Synod House ever since, as a synod is the name for a council of church officials. The Synod House can seat 1,000 people, has timber beams, stained glass windows and is reportedly home to a Skinner organ. Ernest Martin Skinner was a leading pipe organ builder who used electro-pneumatic switching systems to advance organ capabilities. Skinner used an electrical switching system to manage the air pressure in the pipes and control the amount of air passing through the pipes. Skinner was considered one of the most successful pipe organ builders of his day.

The photo at right shows the Synod House, which I went into at the end of the fair.

cathedral school st john the divineI met up with one of the school supporters, a steadfast volunteer who had completed his shift, and we sat down to a hearty burger and one of the microbrew beers being poured by other community members / volunteers. Conditions weren't ideal, but sometimes that's what makes a get together memorable.

The Cathedral School was founded as an Episcopal school in 1901, over a decade before the Synod House was erected. The school is also situated on the 13 acre campus of the St. John the Divine Cathedral and there are nearly 300 boys and girls, grades K through 8, who matriculate there. And the school has a 6:1 teacher / student ratio. The Cathedral School is currently in the process of building an addition to the school, which may expand their enrollment capacity. It is a private school that is generally highly regarded and has a tuition price tag to match [about $48,000 for the upcoming 2018 - 2018 school year / tuition assistance programs are available].

Cathedral School is a small school with a big campus and is generally attended by the kids of Upper West and Upper East Siders. In addition to a fairly rigorous academic program, the school also has after school sports programs [not American football], band, art, film, theater, choir, sculpture, computer arts, and numerous language classes including Mandarin and Cantonese Chinese and Latin.

And based on what I witnessed Saturday, they also have a very supportive community of congenial parents.


Columbia School of Journalism - Man in Profile: Joseph Mitchell of The New Yorker

Man in Profile: Joseph Mitchell of The New Yorker

Columbia School of Journalism Dean Coll Moderates Conversation with Authors Gay Talese & Thomas Kunkel

January 18, 2016 / Upper West Side Neighborhood / Manhattan History / News Analysis & Opinion / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

columbia school of journalismI received an invitation to attend a conversation at the Columbia School of Journalism about a new book covering the professional life of one of the most prominent writers of The New Yorker magazine. The Columbia University School of Journalism is easily one of the most prestigious journalism schools in the nation; and Columbia also hosts the judging for the Pulitzer Prize, which is considered one of the highest awards a journalist or author can receive.

It was a fairly warm October evening as I made my way north on the subway along the Upper West Side. I got off at 116th Street and walked east through the main campus to the Faculty House. The Faculty House sits atop the Morningside Heights ridge overlooking Harlem, the Upper West Side and the rest of Manhattan.

The entrance into the Faculty House was from an interior courtyard where Columbia University students were hanging around in casual conversations. Once inside, I was directed to an upper floor where the event was being held.

Seated at the head of the room was Gay Talese, a Pulitzer Prize winner and author of numerous books including The Kingdom & The Power. He was in the company of the Dean of the Columbia School of Journalism, Steve Coll, who is also a Pulitzer Prize-winning author having penned several tomes about issues in Asia, most notably the Middle East. And of course, there was the guest author of the evening, Thomas Kunkel, who is the President of St. Norbert College in Wisconsin and who had penned the book being discussed this evening entitled Man in Profile: Joseph Mitchell of The New Yorker.

Click here to read the rest of our report regarding a conversation about the recently published book Man in Profile: Joseph Mitchell of The New Yorker at the Columbia School of Journalism.



Off Broadway Theater NYC - West End Theatre UWS Manhattan

Off Broadway Theater: Mourning Sun

West End Theatre Hosts New Work by Theatre 167

off broadway theater nyc manhattan theatreNovember 16, 2015 / Upper West Side Neighborhood / Manhattan Off Broadway Theater NYC / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

I disembarked from the subway at West 86th Street on the Upper West Side. It was a relatively warm November evening as I got my bearings before heading west to the West End Theatre at 263 West 86th Street.

West End Theatre is not just the name of the locale, but it’s also a phrase taken from the London theatre district, that is similar in essence, to what Broadway means in New York City. A West End Theatre production in London means you’re attending one of the highest level of commercially produced shows. So the West End Theatre is a ‘play’ on words - but appropriate here - as in addition to the name of the theater it also communicates the quality of the new play entitled ‘Mourning Sun’.

West End Theatre on the Upper West Side UWS

The West End Theatre is located on the second floor of St. Paul & St. Andrew Methodist Church. The church is a large building, which was erected in 1897, at a time when the Upper West Side was being developed in great earnest.

I walked into the building, which had a spacious ambiance. I was directed to walk up the wide, worn, white marble steps that led up the antique wooden staircase to the second floor. There’s a karmic feel to the place that allows one to breathe freely, not knowing whether it’s attributable to an ancient, ample, allowance for space; or because its off broadway theatre nyc manhattan west end theatre photos uwsinhabitants’ free flowing energy silently and insidiously infects its welcomed wandering guests with their buoyant enjoyment of life.

I met Director Ari Laura Kreith and Jenny Lyn Bader upon my arrival. After a brief exchange of pleasantries I was escorted to the balcony where I had a box seat overlooking the stage so I could take photographs without disturbing the theater-goers.

It wasn’t long before Director Kreith came on stage to introduce the production, and after speaking a few short sentences, she let the show go on. Director Kreith is shown in the photos above.

Click here to read the rest of our report including a photo slide show of Mourning Sun, and off Broadway theater nyc produced by Theatre 167.



Lincoln Center Out Of Doors - Lincoln Center Theater Festival - Mostly Mozart Lincoln Center

Free Concerts III: Lincoln Center

Free Things To Do In Manhattan On The Upper West Side UWS - Lincoln Center Festival, Lincoln Center Out Of Doors & Mostly Mozart Lincoln Center

July 28, 2015 / Manhattan Neighborhoods / Manhattan Concerts / Manhattan Things To Do / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

Summer is in full swing. A number of community groups in collaboration with the NYC Parks Department and frequently some measure of government funding, have put together a summer full of free summer theater in the parks. The free theatre events listed below are designed for young and old alike and they're FREE.

The Fringe Festival - a festival of avante garde original theater - in the Village in late July / early August may also be of interest. See our weekend posts and things to do calendar for details. Also, the Short Play Lab which is a festival of short, generally modern original works, also runs about the same time period, frequently in and around the Manhattan Theatre District. Neither of these are free, but they don't cost a lot. Tickets at some of the productions go fast and there is frequently limited seating at the various participating venues. The Musical Theatre Festival too.

SummerStage in Central Park & the East River Park. Click here to view the schedule for the summer concerts presented by SummerStage in Central Park and in the East River Park in Manhattan.

Music / Concerts in the Park Manhattan. Click here to view our report on free concerts in the parks - summer concerts in Manhattan, Upper East Side UES, Upper West Side UWS, Midtown, West & East Village, SoHo & Tribeca this summer 2015.

Foreign Films / Free Movies in the Park Manhattan. Click here to view our report on free movies in the park - summer movies in Manhattan, Upper East Side UES, Upper West Side UWS, Midtown, West & East Village, SoHo & Tribeca.

Theater in the Park Manhattan. Click here to view our report on free Shakespeare in the park - summer theater in Manhattan, Upper East Side UES, Upper West Side UWS, Midtown, West & East Village, SoHo & Tribeca this summer 2015.

Current Manhattan Things To Do. Click here to view a listing of current Manhattan things to do or click here to view our member submitted Manhattan events calendar.



Check It Dance Festival NYC - Things To Do UWS

Check It Dance Festival

5th Annual Dance Festival Moves To The Waterfront

check it dance festival nyc manhattan things to do uws upper west side neighborhoodJuly 20, 2015 / Upper West Side UWS Neighborhood & Midtown Manhattan Neighborhood / Manhattan Dance / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

Last year I stumbled upon the Check It Dance Festival on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The festival was performed at Summit Rock in Central Park. Summit Rock is hidden behind the greenery that one encounters when entering Central Park at West 82nd Street and Central Park West.

It was an idyllic location for the festival and both the dancers and the audience were surrounded by nature, surrounded by the dense concrete urban jungle. I sat for a while and enjoyed the performances which were a mix of aesthetic human form and beauty, and storytelling.

Click here to read the rest of our story about the Check It Dance Festival Manhattan.


 



 

 

III. Midtown Neighborhood

 

 


Midtown Manhattan Neighborhood NYC

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Manhattan History NYC - Midtown Historical Sites NYC

  midtown history nyc manhattan historical sites nyc Manhattan History NYC Historical Sites Midtown Manhattan A Look At The History Of The Midtown Neighborh...

Things To Do Midtown NYC - Manhattan

  things to do midtown nyc things to do midtown manhattan nyc Things To Do In Midtown NYC Midtown Manhattan Events, Attractions & Neighborhood Midtown Neigh...

New York Times One Day Strike December 2022

* Picketing for the One Day Strike at the New York Times didn't Last a Day

How Not to do a Strike?

December 13, 2022 / NYC Business News / Midtown Manhattan / News Analysis & Opinion / Manhattan Buzz. 

Early last week I caught wind that there was an impending strike coming to the New York Times.  It was a snippet of a news story, but seemed important, given the prominence and influence of the Times. The Times is one of the two most prestigious papers in the nation along with the Washington Post, and one of a small number of such influential newspapers in the world.

 

NYT Strike on Thursday, December 8, 2022

nyt strike in nycSo, when I heard that the strike was actually happening on Thursday late afternoon, I dropped everything and headed down to the New York Times office building in Midtown Manhattan.  I had a hunch that the strikers would be disbanding - if not gone - by the time the TV news ended at 7 pm. 

It turns out I was right, as I arrived right around 7 pm and there wasn't a striker in sight.  I walked completely around the block, covering all street exits of the Times office building, including 8th Avenue and 40th and 41st Streets. The strikers had been there, just not for a very long time.

I asked several people coming out of the building about the strike.  Most of them shrugged me off, in a surly sort of manner.  One of them responded telling me that the strikers were there in the afternoon, marching along 8th Avenue.  But, as mentioned, there wasn't a striker in sight, and no trace that they had been there.  Unless they had slipped into Wolfgang's Steakhouse for drinks and dinner [see photo below].

The photo above right was taken outside of the Times office building in Midtown Manhattan around 7 pm on December 8, 2022 - the day of the one day strike. The picketing appears not to have lasted the day.

A reported 1,100 members of the News Guild of New York gave up a days pay, to stage the one day walk out on Thursday, December 8th.  The union represents 1,450 NYT employees, of which 1270 are newsroom personnel, according to the Wall St. Journal.  Based on the coverage I saw by other news organizations of the strike, far fewer folks picketed on Thursday, than the number of those who didn't show up for work and gave up the day of pay. My guesstimate of the number who picketed was in the low hundred(s).



Manhattan Neighborhood News - Tribute Paid to NYPD Officers Mora & Rivera

 

nyc funeral for slain nypd officers mora rivera tribute manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island nypd nyc

Honoring the Sacrifice Made by NYPD Officers Mora & Rivera

Mora & Rivera were Policemen, Civilians, Minorities, Immigrant and son of, Husband, Sons, Brothers and Real Heroes

What Can We do to Make Sure they didn't die in Vain?

nyc nypd officer mora's funeral manhattan bronx queens brooklyn staten island crime gun control bail reform community investments nycFebruary 7, 2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / News Analysis & Opinion / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

On Wednesday morning I made my way into Manhattan to observe the funeral of slain NYPD Officer Mora.  To be sure, it was a solemn occasion. I got off the subway near 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue.  Once above ground, I made my way to Fifth Avenue and 42nd where I came across the largest gathering of police officers I have ever seen in my life [see photo at right].

As I walked up Fifth Avenue, I could hear the eulogies over the loud speakers, echoing in the street.  I took a few photos and some video of the gathering which spanned all the way up to 50th Street by St. Patrick’s Cathedral.  Eventually I had to detour off of Fifth Avenue, make my way down to Sixth Avenue, and then cut back in at 50th Street to get close to the cathedral on Fifth Avenue.

 

A Communal Gathering of Policemen from the TriState Area and Beyond, at Officer Mora's Funeral at St. Patrick's Cathedral on Wednesday, February 2nd, 2022

nyc nypd officer mora's funeral manhattan bronx queens brooklyn staten island crime gun control bail reform community investments nycAs I walked and listened I looked around at all of the policemen gathered in honor of a fellow member of the fraternal order of policemen – not just of New York City but of NYS - and for that matter - the U.S.  All of the police men and women were standing, some standing silently listening to the speeches, while others made small talk with each other, between the speeches, about their kids, their families, their jobs, their departments [homicide / detectives / street patrolmen], cars and boats, as well as chatting about which police department or organization they represented.

It reminded me of other funerals I had attended, which it’s been said, are for the living – not the dead.  Yes, we come to honor the dead, but they have since gone. And it is left to us who are left behind, to make sense of things. It is our job to figure out how to take the lessons their lives and make them work for us, so that they will not have died in vain.

The expansiveness of the showing of support was somewhere between impressive and overwhelming, as I walked silently through this sea of dark blue, which filled over 8 city blocks on a wide avenue - and which spilled well into the cross streets both east and west of the entire eight blocks.  There were thousands of police, mostly men with some women, mostly white but also many minorities, who had come to pay their last respects for a member of their ranks who had made the ultimate sacrifice.  A sacrifice that all of them know they must be ready to make each day as they don their dark coats to serve and protect the community.  Us.

nyc nypd officer mora's funeral manhattan bronx queens brooklyn staten island crime gun control bail reform community investments nycI noticed the badges sewn to their coats, representing Trenton and Teaneck New Jersey, Suffolk and Nassau Counties, New York State, and of course the NYPD, as well as a smattering of policemen from more distant communities. They projected a sense of sadness and courtesy, as I made my way through the crowd.  I sensed that they must also have felt some measure of comfort, standing there, side by side with others like themselves, knowing that they are supported by so many others who share their sense of duty, ready to face down danger.

This seemed a bit like a George Floyd like moment for the police in the city and perhaps the nation.  These two young officers, were senselessly murdered, while responding to a domestic violence call within a few blocks of the 32nd precinct Harlem police station where the two police officers worked.  Shortly after the policemen entered the apartment, the assailant shot them down with a barrage of bullets from a semi-automatic gun which the assailant had stolen in Maryland.

As I came upon St Patrick’s Cathedral, surrounded by the police, it seemed like a fortress with its big, thick church doors closed, to keep out the noise and cold air while the mass continued inside.  A coterie of media people were on a platform across the street from the front of the cathedral, waiting for the doors to open.  The Mayor, Police Commissioner Sewell and Wilbur Mora’s brother and sister gave speeches.  Karina, Mora's sister, gave her speech in Spanish, as the Moras immigrated here from the Dominican Republic decades ago.



March For Our Lives Manhattan 2018 - Anti Gun Protest Manhattan NYC

NYC March For Our Lives in Manhattan

Tens of Thousands Protest the NRA & Gun Violence

March 27, 2018 / Midtown Manhattan Neighborhood / Manhattan Social Issues / Manhattan Neighborhoods / News Analysis & Opinion / Manhattan Buzz NYC. By Michael Wood.

march for our lives photos march for our lives protest manhattan nycThe March For Our Lives protest started at 11 am on the Upper West Side of Manhattan at 72nd Street and Central Park West. Not coincidentally, this was just steps away from the Strawberry Fields Memorial in Central Park honoring musician / poet John Lennon of the Beatles, who was murdered by a lunatic with a gun.

 

The March For Our Lives protests were organized and led by students around the nation, with support from a wide range of people in all other age segments of the population. Frequently the Columbine shooting in Littleton, Colorado on April 20, 1999 is cited as the first of these sorts of mass shootings in schools, although a check into mass shootings in Wikipedia, shows that America has a 200 year history of mass shootings, including some of which took place in schools before Columbine.

 

Fox Fake News Appears to try Discrediting Protesters with False Narrative

march for our lives photos march for our lives protest manhattan nycIf you watch Rupert Murdoch's Fox News you might come away with the impression that the students are trying to revoke the Second Amendment. But based on conversations with some of the marchers and in reviewing other media accounts, this seems to be another Murdoch Mouthpiece Fox Fake News narrative.

But while the students and the March For Our Lives protest wasn't about repealing the Second Amendment, some members of the left, such as Bret Stephens of the NY Times did make a call for Second Amendment repeal in two editorials - one dated October 5, 2017 and the other dated February 16, 2018. Murdoch's Fox Fake News mouthpieces torch the possibility of a national conversation by misinforming their ill-informed audience that the NY Times and Op Ed writer Bret Stephens speak for everyone. What they don't realize is that the America that gets their information outside of the Murdoch Fake News FoxHole is intelligent enough, and adult enough, to have a real conversation about gun ownership and the Second Amendment.

 

Is the NRA Lobby Out of Control & In Control?

march for our lives photos march for our lives protest manhattan nycFrom what I could gather the students seem to have identified and coalesced around tangible changes to reigning in what appears to be an out-of-control gun lobby - the NRA. The firearms industry used bump stock technology to circumvent the unlawful possession of machine guns by providing stocks. And the gun lobby as recently as a few months ago, was pushing to 'deregulate' silencers on guns. Both of these laws - regulating machine guns and silencers - began with the National Firearms Act of 1934. At that time criminal violence by mobster gangs was the order of the day. And it appears that it's just as true today as it was back then - that if you allow guns to be put guns in the hands of lunatics, then murders and criminal violence is what you get.

A mid 2017 poll by Gallup showed that 60% of Americans were in favor of making gun control laws more strict, 33% were in favor of keeping them about the same and 5% wanted to make them less strict. The trend toward favoring more gun control has been going on since 2011 [see chart]. Apparently the politicians we send to Washington do not represent the majority so much as the NRA, and sending a swamp monster to clean up the swamp, is at best delusional. President Trump after opining that more gun control would be good, backtracked, appearing to have caved to the very powerful NRA lobby in Washington.



Midtown International Theater Festival NYC

  midtown international theater festival MITF john chatterton roy arias studio nyc short play lab Midtown International Theater Festival & Short Play Lab 2016...

NYC Hanukkah Manhattan - Lighting of World's Largest Menorah NYC

Hanukkah NYC: Lighting of the Menorah in Manhattan

NY Senator Charles Shumer Lights Large Menorah in Grand Army Plaza

hanukkah nyc menorah lighting manhattan nycUpdated w/ Photos & Video December 15, 2015 / Midtown Manhattan Neighborhood / Holidays in Manhattan NYC / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

I attended the lighting of one of the World's Largest Menorahs at Grand Army Plaza in Manhattan. It was an unusually warm December night, with the temperatures in the high 50’s, and only a gentle breeze stirring the air. Grand Army Plaza in Manhattan is located just across from the 5th Avenue entrance of the Plaza Hotel at the southeast corner of Central Park.

It’s worth mentioning that there are two Grand Army Plazas in New York City. During Hanukkah, both Grand Army Plazas become the locales wherein two very large, 32 foot high Menorahs are lit. The Brooklyn Grand Army Plaza is located on the northwest corner of Prospect Park in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn. The Large Menorah in Brooklyn, is lit throughout Hanukkah, by Rabbi Shimon Hecht of the Chabad of Park Slope.

Click here to read the rest of our report, including a video, of NYC Hanukkah - Menorah Lighting in Manhattan.



Museum of Modern Art - Exhibit On Urban Design

What Is A Decent City?

The Museum of Modern Art Explores Zoning & Real Estate Development

MoMA what makes a decent cityMay 11, 2015 / Midtown Neighborhood / Manhattan Real Estate / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

MoMA Exhibit: Uneven Growth: Tactical Urbanisms for Expanding Megacities

I attended a presentation and panel discussion at the Museum of Modern Art [MoMA] on Monday evening. The event was being given in conjunction with an exhibit at the museum entitled: Uneven Growth: Tactical Urbanisms for Expanding Megacities.

The presenters and panel consisted of two political scientists [Ira Katznelson & Margaret Levi], two architects / designers [Marion Weiss & Jose Castillo], one urban planner [Diane Davis] and the curator of the MoMA exhibit [Pedro Gadanho].

The presentations and discussion were - as billed - about what makes a decent city.

Click here to read a short report with photos taken at the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan at the panel discussion entitled What Makes A Decent City?



India Day Parade Manhattan NYC

  India Day Parade in Manhattan NYC Beautiful Parade Celebrating Indian History & Culture Updated August 16, 2024 vs 8.18.14 / Manhattan Parades / Midtown Manhatta...

St Lukes Theatre - Theatre District NYC

  st lukes theater theatre district nyc They Call Me Q At St. Luke’s In The Theatre District NYC Original Script Performed By The Playwright At Off Broadway...

Steinway Hall Midtown Manhattan NYC

Steinway History Is New York's History

19th Century German Immigrants With Big Ideas

Steinway & Sons Legacy Permeates Manhattan & Queens NYC

steinway hall photos nycManhattan NYC & Astoria / December 7, 2010 / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

In our effort to inform Queens Buzz readers about the full historical significance of the Steinway Mansion, we traveled into one of Queens' outerboros: Manhattan.

We visited Steinway Hall, which is located on 57th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, and which is owned by Steinway & Sons pianos - some 85 years later. Once again, I stepped through a time warp, similar to the one into which I stepped when I visited to the Steinway piano factory and more recently the Steinway Mansion, both of which are located in Astoria in Queens.

Steinway Hall was built by Steinway & Sons piano company in 1925, following the erection of Carnegie Hall, which had just supplanted the old Steinway Hall located on 14th Street, as NYC's cultural centerpiece. Click here to read more about Steinway Hall in NYC including numerous photos, or click this link to visit the Steinway Mansion section of our sister web magazine Queens Buzz.




 

 

IV. East / West Village Neighborhoods

 

 


West Village Neighborhood & East Village Neighborhood & LES Manhattan NYC

West Village Neighborhood & East Village Neighborhood & LES Manhattan NYC April 2018 / Manhattan Neighborhoods / Manhattan Buzz NYC.  This section cont...

Manhattan History NYC - East Village Historical Sites West Village NYC

east village history east village historical sites nyc

East Village History & West Village Historical Sites

east village history east village historical sites nycEast Village Neighborhood / East Village Historical Sites / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

A Look At The History Of The West & East Village Neighborhoods

Manhattan Neighborhoods / Manhattan History / Gotham Buzz. The following provides both a history and links into some of the current day things to do in the East Village neighborhood and the West Village Neighborhood including schools, restaurants and shops. More will be added as time goes on.

Greenwich Village History – Dutch Farmlands – 1600’s

The area now covered by the western section of Greenwich Village was once farmland owned by the Dutch settlers. In 1664 the English won the colony from the Dutch in the war. At the time the area was somewhat separate from lower Manhattan.

Click here to read the rest of our report about the history of the West Village & East Village NYC including historical sites. Or click here to see a listing of things to do in the East Village & West Village NYC.



Things To Do East Village West Village NYC - Manhattan

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East Village News & West Village News NYC - News Briefs Village NYC

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Lower East Side Arts Festival

Theater for the New City Celebrates America's Immigrants

May 30, 2017 / East Village Neighborhood / Theater in Manhattan / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

LES Arts Fest lower east side arts festivalI attended the 22nd annual Lower East Arts Festival in the East Village this weekend. It was held at the Theater for the New City on First Avenue off 10th Street beginning Friday and ending Sunday. As I approached the theater, I could see it was bustling.

Inside there was a long winding hallway, with high ceilings, and art exhbits adorning the walls and crannies along its length. I stopped at the ticket booth [tickets are free] to get a bit of orientation and here's what I learned.

The festival was started by an actress, who was prepping, performing and managing the whole time I was there, so I didn't get a chance to speak to her on this visit. At right you can see the audience attentively watching a musical performance in the lower theater of the Theater for the New City.

The Theater for the New City predates the festival, when it went by another name. The festival itself was first held in the West Village, then moved farther east, and a few years ago opened up at this location.

LES Arts Fest theater for the new city east villageThe festival celebrates the artistic community of the Village, Manhattan, and the greater NYC metropolitan area. There were literally dozens of performances and exhibited artworks, done by and featuring in the neighborhood of well in excess of 100 participants. In the photo at right you can see some of the art exhibited at the 22nd Annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts in the East Village in Manhattan.

Each night the performances run from about 6 pm to about midnight featuring actors, actresses, poets, artists and dancers in a couple of venues at Theater for the New City at 155 First Avenue at 10th Street. It's first come / first serve and the seating handles about 150 and 60 guests per performance in total.

The festival theme this year was 'We are all Immigrants'. All events are free, the festival lasted three days, and the Theater for the New City is, as I was told, in a constant state of movement, so there will be more to come.

Break a leg.


Designing for Quality Retail & Community Use

Design Trust Unveils ‘Laying the Groundwork’ at the Center for Architecture

March 1, 2016 / Village NYC / Manhattan Building Design Issues / Manhattan Buzz.

design trust at center for architecture nycI had an opportunity to attend the introductory presentation of ‘Laying the Groundwork’, which was heralded as a seminal document put together under the auspices of the Design Trust in Manhattan. The event was held at the Center for Architecture at 536 LaGuardia Place, just south of Washington Square Park.

The Design Trust was founded in 1995 by Andrea Woodner, the daughter of Ian Woodner who founded the Jonathan Woodner Company, which Ian named after his son Jonathan – Andrea’s brother. The company was renamed Woodner and is a diversified real estate management [2,500 units] and development company in the Washington, D.C. and New York metro markets.

Andrea was first and foremost a sculptor. She later obtained a Masters Degree in Architecture from Columbia University and then went on to found the Design Trust with the intent to fuse the expertise of designers with the use of public space. She defined public space as “anywhere you don’t need a key to get into”. Andrea stepped down earlier this year as the Board President of Design Trust and was replaced by Eric Rothman, President of HR & A Advisors, a consulting firm.

The thrust of Design Trust has been to marry private design work with the development of public space to create win / win situations. The following is a summary of some of their most significant achievements since the organization was founded.

We'll post more at a later date.


The Tenement Museum Lower East Side NYC

A More Holistic View of 19th & 20th Century Immigrant Life

tenement museum les LES nycOctober 5, 2015 / Bowery Neighborhood & East Village Neigiborhood / Manhattan History NYC / Manhattan Buzz.

I had the opportunity to visit the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side at the end of August. What I experienced was the walking through a time warp and into the personal lives of European immigrants between about the mid 19th century until nearly the mid 20th century.

It was a journey through time, as we saw many of the engineering and technological changes that made people's lives more comfortable, while simultaneously witnessing the economic struggles of a few select working class folks - and I might add - in a manner similar to what I can see today in many of the working class immigrants' lives in Queens.

It's a tale of hardship, endurance and ultimately of prevailing in spite of circumstances to improve one's lot in life. Not the American dream, but not the American nightmare either.


Fringe Festival NYC

Step Into The World Of The Newly Created

fringe festival nyc 2014August 17, 2014 / East Village NYC & SoHo Neighborhood NYC / Off Broadway Theater NYC / Manhattan Buzz.

The three week long Fringe Festival continues through this coming weekend. The Fringe Festival is a curated performing arts festival that includes music, dance and theater performances at various venues throughout various sections of the Village in Manhattan.

I attended one such performance on Norfolk Street this past Sunday where the stage was fastened alongside a large box truck which was parked in a parking / play lot that was furnished with lawn chairs which were placed under a canopy to shelter the audience from the sun or inclement weather.

All of the works are original and the mix provides an adventurous dive into the performing arts. We hear that some of the works should receive accolades while others are said to need a bit of work. But all in all attending the Fringe Festival in NYC makes for a fun afternoon or evening; and the ticket prices range from $0 to $18. For more info about what's playing the rest of this week and weekend, check out FringeNYC.org.

We'll post more info and a photo slide show at a later date.



 

 

V. SoHo, Tribeca, Bowery, Little Italy, Chinatown, FiDi & Downtown Neighborhoods

 

 


SoHo Neighborhood & Tribeca Neighborhood & Bowery Neighborhood Chinatown Little Italy

  nyc things to do manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island things to do events nyc SoHo Neighborhood / Tribeca Neighborhood / Bowery Neighborhood SoHo, Tribe...

Things To Do SoHo Tribeca Bowery LES Chinatown Little Italy South St Seaport Battery Park NYC - Downtown Manhattan Events

  things to do soho bowery things to do tribeca downtown things to do manhattan nyc Things To Do In SoHo, Tribeca & Downtown NYC SoHo, Tribeca & Downtown E...

Who is that Fearless Girl?

The Statue of the Fearless Girl was Moved out of Harms Way - from Staring Down the Charging Wall St Bull - to the NYSE

January 29, 2019 / Manhattan Social Issues / Manhattan Neighborhoods / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

manhattan social issues manhattan womens movement manhattan nyc

Over the holidays I ventured down to the New York Stock Exchange at 11 Wall Street [and Broad St] to see the big Christmas tree in front of the Exchange. It was the Sunday before Christmas and there was a fair number of tourists out and about, doing the same.

In addition to viewing the world renowned New York Stock Exchange and the large Christmas tree adorning it, I came across the bronze statue of the Fearless Girl. I'd seen the Fearless Girl earlier in the year, standing in front to the Charging Bull [sometimes referred to as the Wall Street Bull] in the Bowling Green Triangle, where Whitehall Street splits from Broadway.

 

Who is the Fearless Girl on Wall Street?

While observing the Fearless Girl in her old spot, she seemed somewhat ignored by the people having their photos taken around the Charging Bull which seemed to overshadow her. But this was only partially true, as the Fearless Girl went viral and generated quite a bit of conversation.

In her new spot, which the Fearless Girl moved to this past November [2018], she's out from under the shadow of the old Charging Wall Street Bull and has come into her own ... although many of us visiting that day [everyone I asked] didn't really understand the significance of her statuesque presence. So one day after I returned home, I did a little research to see what the little girl statue was all about.

 

The Story Began on Wall Street in 1989 when an Italian Artist Unloaded a Three Ton Bull & Rode Away

According to Wikipedia Arturo di Modica is an Italian artist / sculptor who moved here in 1973 and eventually became an American citizen. In 1989 he installed the Charging Bull in front of the New York Stock Exchange without permission. It reportedly cost him $350,000 to create, and weighs three tons. But it seems the artist's promotional effort worked, as it has become the work by which Arturo di Modica is most well known. He reportedly says the bull is a symbol of strength and determination, but to many it is seen as a symbol of the power hungry greed of Wall Street

.

The Fearless Girl Arrived in March 2017, Riding the Wave of the Women's Movement

manhattan social issues manhattan womens movement manhattan nycThe Fearless Girl was the promotional brainchild of McCann New York, an advertising agency. Their client State Street Global Advisors had launched a gender diversity fund in March 2016, comprised of companies that had a high percentage of women in senior management positions and / or women on their boards. The fund goes by the symbol SHE.

According to Wikipedia, on March 7, 2017 the Fearless Girl was installed in front of the Charging Bull. Originally the appearance of the Fearless Girl was reportedly going to run for a week, but due to popular demand [she went viral - ad agency?] her stay was extended to a month, then to the end of the year [2017].

Apparently Charging Bull artists, Arturo di Modica, protested that the placement of the Fearless Girl next to his bull, detracted from his sculpture. After di Modica had dropped the Charging Bull, it was eventually licensed / leased by the City of New York.

Eventually the Fearless Girl was moved away from the Charging Bull to her current location in November of 2018, and we see that both sculptures appear happy with the separation agreement / settlement.

 

The Fearless Girl gets Results?

An online publication from New Zealand [www.stuff.co.nz] reported that as of the first year anniversary of the Fearless Girl placement [March 7, 2018], State Street Global Advisors said that of the 787 all-male boards it lobbied, to add one or more females to their boards, 152 did so, and another 34 were contemplating it.

Artist Kristen Visbal created the Fearless Girl. The Fearless Girl is made of bronze and weighs 250 lbs and stands four feet, two inches tall. In her first year of existence, the Fearless Girl generated over $7 million of advertising / news awareness, according to a March 2018 Bloomberg report.

I looked up the price chart for the State Street Global Advisors SHE fund to see how it was faring. At present it looks like the SHE fund represented by the Fearless Girl is lagging behind the S&P 500 over a comparable time frame - see charts above. About six months ago SHE was tracking much closer to the S&P 500 in performance.

While markets and funds may rise and fall - one of the few things in life that unrelentingly continues is change. So as we all move forward into the unknown abyss of time, it's worth keeping in mind the words of FDR, who said that, "The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself."


The San Gennaro Festival in The Little Italy Neighborhood of Manhattan NYC

Feast of San Gennaro & Parade in Little Italy Manhattan NYC

Manhattan's Signature Italian Festival Celebrates Little Italy in NYC

September 8, 2024 vs 9.13.23 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

san gennaro festival nyc san gennaro parade manhattan san gennaro festival parade manhattan nyc

CLICK here to find many of the details regarding the dates / times / location of the Feast of San Gennaro & Parade in Manhattan NYC, as well as the url to the parade organizers, which is located in our Parades & Festivals section.

Fall is just around the corner, which means the San Gennaro Festival is about to begin in Little Italy in Manhattan. See the front page or the parades & festivals page or click into the story for details of the San Gennaro Festival of 2023.

 

A Very Brief History of Little Italy Manhattan NYC

Little Italy is just north of Canal street, across from Chinatown, which lies to its south. SoHo lies to its west, across Lafayette Street. While the Bowery is just east of it along Mott and Bowery Streets, and Nolita [North of Little Italy] lies to the north of it, across Broome Street. This is something of a downsized area from the original Little Italy of a century ago.

Little Italy was an important destination for Italians arriving in New York City in the late 1800's and early 20th century. It was generally a poor, working class neighborhood at that time, filled with laborers, and shopkeepers who traded food, wine and clothing. And the community was fairly self-sufficient with its own doctors, lawyers and bankers accoding to a Wikipedia account of an NYT story in 1896.

Little Italy's size and population peaked in the early 20th century, at about 10,000, as Italians left for greener pastures in other parts of the city, including East Harlem, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. Nonetheless, Little Italy remains somewhat intact, as a very popular tourist destination, the peak of which is celebrated in tandem with the San Gennaro Festival.



Tribeca Film Festival 2023

Tribeca Film Festival 2023

Rising Voices, Games & Immersive Experiences & the Hub

tribeca film festival nyc rising voices gaming & immersive experiences TFF 2023 nycJune 12, 2023 / Film & Cinema in Manhattan NYC / Manhattan Neighborhoods / Manhattan Buzz.

I headed into the Tribeca Film Festival on a Monday, June 12, 2023 - which was in the middle of the festival, which runs Wednesday, June 7th thru Sunday, June 18th.  On this day there were two major categories of events, both of which are of interest to me.  The first was Rising Voices, which seeks to elevate the voices and stories of those whose voices and stories aren't often heard, and the second was the gaming and immersive experience categories, which tries to leverage technology into storytelling in order to enhance it.

At right you see a visitor engaged at one of the service desks at the Tribeca Film Festival in June of 2023.



Tribeca Film Festival Premieres Documentary Entitled The Fourth Estate

The Tribeca Film Festival on its Closing Night Tribeca Film Festival ended with a Documentary - 4th Estate May 15, 2018 / Tribeca Neighborhood / Film in Manhattan / Manhat...

The South Street Seaport adds Winterland Skating to its Recreational Offerings in FiDi Manhattan NYC

  south street seaport rooftop skating rink downtown nyc winterland skating rink by brooklyn bridge south st seaport downtown nyc neighborhood manhattan financial distri...

Legos Alive Festival at Pier 36 on Lower East Side Manhattan NYC

Legos Alive Festival in Manhattan NYC

The Legos Really did Come Alive This Weekend

legos alive festival nyc legos alive manhattan legos alive festival lower east side LES soho tribeca downtown nyc legos alive fest nycFebruary 19, 2018 / Lower East Side Neighborhood NYC / Kids Things To Do Manhattan NYC / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

This past weekend I made my way down to Legos Alive at Pier 36 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, little realizing what was in store for me. I thought I would be covering a kiddie toy event for ages 6 through 12, which it was … but also so much more.

Pier 36 on the Lower East Side

Pier 36 is located along the East River on the Manhattan side. It's just north of the South Street Seaport along the east side [passing under] the FDR at 299 South Street. I walked the half / mile from the #4/5/6 subway stop at Canal Street.

Upon entering the voluminous Pier 36 facility, I found before me, a hodgepodge of competitions, workshops, video stations and vendor booths – all focused on bringing alive, what I remember as a kids toy building blocks kit … but that was a remembrance of many, many years ago.

Legos, at their core, is still a portfolio of building blocks kit, but it is now so much more, as you’ll soon see.

Legos Alive - it Really Brings Alive the Legos Creative Experience

legos alive festival manhattan nycOne of the first things I noticed were life sized figures of action heroes – from Flash Gordon and Captain America to Wonder Woman and Superman. These life sized figures were all built using hundreds of Legos. And in the case of the small replica of a dinosaur, possibly even a thousand or more blocks. From a distance they looked almost real, but when I closed in on them, I could see the famous blocks of which they were comprised.

There was a competition in session, where teams of kids had five minutes to build the biggest bridge. They weighed the bridge to see which was the largest, as counting them would have taken quite some time. The winning one(s) weighed in at about ten pounds. Bravo.

Legos Alive Provided a Real & Virtual Experience

Workshops, Virtual Reality, Robotics & Design Software

I started to make my way through the exhibition space watching with interest as fathers and sons, mothers and daughters and all combinations thereof, huddled together in a creative effort examining, designing, building and then operating their Lego inspired creations. Using the photos I took of the crowd at the session I attended, and multiplying that crowd estimate by the five sessions they offered, I guestimated they may have had in the neighborhood of 10,000 visitors over the weekend, but a spokesperson estimated the attendance may have run as high as 16,000 or 17,000 visitors. The entrance fees started at $45 for a general session admission, which ran about four hours.



South Street Seaport Neighborhood Real Estate Development

South Street Seaport Neighborhood & Real Estate Development

An Historical Site and Shopping, Dining & Tourist Destination in NYC

south street seaport neighborhood south street seaport museum nycJanuary 28, 2016 / Tribeca Neighborhood & Downtown NYC / Manhattan History / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

I have visited the South Street Seaport several times over the past year and I have found it to have enough of the blend of old and new to merit several or more visits. In this report I will take you on a brief tour of the South Street Seaport to show you what you can find along the East River, looking up at the Brooklyn Bridge from the southern downtown neighborhood in Manhattan.

South Street Seaport Neighborhood

south street seaport real estate development downtown nycMany subway lines traverse the downtown area, so it’s not hard to get to from most other parts of Manhattan. And many subway lines from the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn traverse or terminate in lower Manhattan, where the South Street Seaport is located.

The South Street Seaport neighborhood has a number of dimensions to it. To be sure it’s a tourist destination as one can sit along the East River wining or dining while looking out at the Brooklyn Bridge. There are plenty of shops and restaurants in the neighborhood, so it’s not hard to find ways to feed or amuse oneself.

A new real estate development of the South Street Seaport is currently in process. The planning for it was decided upon in 2013 and it is expected to be completed in 2017. The renovation is expected to free up the East River waterfront to more pedestrian activity.

Click here to read about the history of the South Street Seaport neighborhood & real estate development.



Chinatown History NYC & Chinese New Year Parade Manhattan

Manhattan: Chinese New Year of the Monkey

Chinese New Year Parade & Brief NYC Chinatown History

chinatown manhattan nycFebruary 15, 2016 / Chinatown Manhattan NYC / Things To Do Manhattan / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

Ancient Chinese Calendar Based on Chinese Zodiac & Study of Planets

This past week Manhattan celebrated the Chinese New Year of the Monkey. The Monkey is fun-loving, curious, clever and mischievous. Those born this year, or five Chinese calendar cycles ago in 1944, are born under the influence of the Fire element. There are five elements, and each influences a 12 year / Chinese calendar cycle. We are currently in a Chinese calendrical cycle that is influenced by the Fire sign. It is believed the 12 years corresponds to the 11.86 years it takes Jupiter to revolve around the sun.

Chinese Five Elements Influence 12 Years of the Calendar Cycle

Every calendar cycle is influenced by one of the five elements: metal, water, wood, fire and earth. And each of these natural elements signifies something. The five elements are associated with the five planets nearest to earth which are: Mercury [water], Mars [fire], Venus [metal], Saturn [earth] and Jupiter [wood]. The five elements are all natural and have transformative influences on each other. For instance water can extinguish a fire, a fire can be created with wood, and fire can melt metal. If you study these transformations you will see that they are all connected, like nature itself, a part of a whole. Thus an entire cycle encompasses the five elements times each calendrical [or zodiac] sign for a total of 60 years.

Click here for a brief history of NYC Chinatown in Manhattan and the NYC Chinese New Year Parade in Manhattan.



Tribeca Film Festival NYC

  tribeca film festival TFF film festivals nyc manhattan Tribeca Film Festival & 21st Century Storytelling Film Festival Explores the Science & Technology...


 

 

VI. Harlem & Washington Heights Neighborhoods

 

 


Harlem Neighborhood / Inwood Neighborhood / Washington Heights Neighborhood

  nyc things to do manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island things to do events nyc Harlem, Inwood & Washington Heights Neighborhoods Some of the Least Kn...

The Old Croton Aqueduct Trail

Wandering Along an Architectural & Construction Marvel

bronx things to do bronxMay 14, 2019 / Highbridge Neighborhood Bronx / Bronx History NYC / Bronx Buzz NYC.

I came upon a pedestrian walk way while exploring the Highbridge neigbhorhood in the Bronx. I soon found it was called the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail and that a stone aqueduct, completed in 1842, lie beneath the smooth level walk way I was making my way along.

When I returned home, I found a whole history of the Old Croton Aqueduct and the positive impact it had on New York nearly two centuries ago, and it was designed and built so well, that it continues to play a role in many New Yorkers' daily lives.

The photo at right shows the pedestrian trail that runs atop the Old Croton Aqueduct in the Bronx.

I'll have more later today about the history and the impact of the Old Croton Aqueduct. Along with the history, you'll learn quite a bit about the history of popular locations today in both the Bronx and Manhattan.


African American Day Parade in Harlem

 

 

African American Day Parade in Harlem

A Brief History of the African American Day Parade as it Celebrates 49th Anniversary

September 18, 2018 / Harlem Neighborhood NYC / Manhattan Parades / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

manhattan things to do nycI made my way up to Harlem to watch the African American Parade. The African American Day Parade returned on Sunday beginning at 1 pm along Adam Clayton Powell Blvd and 111th, and then marching north to 138th Street. It’s the largest African American parade in the nation and has its origins in the 1968 civil rights riots.

On April 4, 1968 Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated while standing on the balcony of a Memphis, Tennessee motel. James Earl Ray was charged with the crime and then admitted it, before recanting it multiple times later. James Earl Ray was sentenced to 99 years in prison and died at age 70 in 1998.

 

During the 1960's African Americans Clashed with the White Establishment Demanding the State Recognize their Constitutional Rights

There were 110 riots that broke out across the nation in anger at the shooting. U.S. Senator Robert Kennedy was in Indianapolis that evening and spoke before a large, predominantly African American crowd, informing them of the shooting, empathizing with their loss, recognizing their anger and asking them to respond with love. There weren’t any riots in Indianapolis.

New York City Mayor John Lindsay also responded by traveling to Harlem, the largest African American neighborhood in Manhattan, which had begun to experience some unrest and rioting. He too, expressed condolences for the loss of the slain civil rights leader, which had a calming effect on the city.

african american day parade harlem nycBut other American cities didn’t fare as well, including Chicago, which was highly segregated, and Washington, D.C. where then president Johnson was unpopular because of the draft and the ongoing Vietnam War. The draft appeared to unfairly conscript people of lesser means and Dr. King had begun to include this in his speeches.

 

Out of the Civil Unrest of the 1960's, Emerged a New Narrative for African Americans including the African American Day Parade

Nonetheless, some times good things arise out of bad circumstances, and the African American Day Parade was one such result. African Americans realized that they had to start taking control of their own cultural and historical narratives, as the American media was not providing the American people with a fair or balanced account of African American culture, history, nor the issues facing the African American community.



Medieval Festival at Fort Tryon Park

Medieval Festival is a Fascinating Event in Washington Heights

medieval festival fort tryon parkOctober 4, 2017 / Washington Heights Neighborhood / Sports & Parks Manhattan / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

 

On Sunday, October 1st, I headed up to Washington Heights to attend the 35th annual Medieval Festival at Fort Tryon Park. It was a beautiful fall day as I rode the A train north from Times Square. I met a beautiful young princess from the Bronx on the train wearing a Medieval headband of flowers in her hair. We started talking about the Medieval Festival and lucky for me she had attended it previously and gave me a few important tips.

 

The first tip was to get off the train at the 190th Street stop because Fort Tryon Park is situated on a bluff [the forts always were so they could spot trouble ahead] and the 190th Street subway station is equipped with elevators which take you up to the park level which overlooks the rest of Washington Heights. She also drew my attention to the jousting contest which was to begin at 5 pm. medieval festival fort tryon park washington heights neighborhood nyc

 

When I arrived at the top of the hill, I began my journey through the Medieval Festival which included numerous ye olde vendors selling food and clothing and gifts, as well as all sorts of other things including beauty items. But what was most peculiar were the various acts and events going on all along my walk north to the Cloisters.

 

Click here for additional photos and a video of the jousting contest, as well as a brief history of the Medieval Festival, the Cloisters and Fort Tryon Park.


The Dykman Farmhouse

Where the Cows Come Home in Historic Manhattan ...

dykman farmhouse museum washington heights manhattan nycSeptember 25, 2017 / Washington Heights Neighborhood / Manhattan History / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

I had an opportunity to visit the Dykman Farmhouse in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan this past weekend. The event was their third annual Fall Festival where they offered cider tasting in commemoration of the historic Dykman apple orchards and cider mill, as well as a cheese and waffle tasting. The cheese was Dutch and came from Holland providing a holistic, historic and delightfully happy event.

The Dykmans were a Dutch family that came here in the 1600's and built the Dykman Farmhouse in the early 1780's. Their land holdings on the north section of Manhattan fluctuated, ranging from about 340 to 200 acres of land in northern Manhattan. In the mid 1800's [circa 1870] the Dykman heirs held several auctions, which liquidated most of their holdings, including the Dykman Farmhouse.

 

Historic Dutch Settlers Farmhouse in Manhattan

dykman farmhouse museum washington heights manhattan nycIn 1915 two of the Dykman heirs repurchased the farmhouse and turned it into a museum in order to preserve a small shred of the colonial past of Manhattan. The sisters and one of their husbands helped find furniture and other home furnishings to recreate the colonial past, and they opened the Dykman Farmhouse Museum a year later in 1916. The Dykman Farmhouse is the oldest farmhouse in Manhattan.

I came upon the farmhouse walking down Broadway just south of 205th street in Washington Heights. It's on an elevated piece of land, which sets atop the land enclosed by a brick wall. I walked up the stone steps into another time dimension, because even though it's in the heart of Washington Heights, surrounded by tall buildings, the sisters purchased and preserved a large enough tract of land to provide the visitor with a sense of being in the country.

I continued walking on a stone path which ran along the front of the long porch at the front of the house. On the far side of the house there was the large yard, which not just protruded to the side of the house, but expanded deeply beyond the back of the house, where a few tall trees provided an inviting, picnic-like setting. The back porch was similar to the front porch in that it provided sufficient space for one to congregate in an expansive relaxed manner, which the guest musicians who were performing were relaxing.

 

Artisanal Beer Created in Washington Heights

dykman farmhouse museum washington heights manhattan nycMeredith Horsford, the Dykman Farmhouse Museum Executive Director, provided me with a brief tour of the house before we joined her other guest in the Dykman Farmhouse celebration. I'll provide a tour of the Dykman Farmhouse in a second story at a later date, so that I can tell you about the celebration now.

There was an artisanal beer maker at the event whose name is Juan J. Camilo. Juan is from the Washington Heights neighborhood and just four years ago, he created and launched Dykman Brew. He told me he had started home brewing about eight years ago and that the Chelsea Brewery in the Bronx currently brews the beer. I'm a pretty interested beer drinker [preferences range from Becks to Guinness to Peroni], and I don't find myself enjoying most new beers. But the Dykman Brew was an exception, as it is a smooth, rich, flavorful beer. Juan told me it's sold in many Washington Heights neighborhood stores, as well as in stores in other parts of the city, that you can find on his website - www.dykmanbeerco.com.

 

Artisanal Dutch Cheeses made in the Old Country

dykman farmhouse museum washington heights manhattan nycI also met a woman who helps Beemster Premium Dutch Cheese market their cheese in the U.S. She had samples which I tasted before we delved into the artisanal Dutch cheeseworks. The cheese was a semi-soft, creamy Gouda cheese that in addition to a nice taste on its own, would likely go well with just about any accompaniment.

She told me that the cheese is aged for 18 months on wooden planks in old historic stone warehouses before it is made available for sale. That the cows are herded on Dutch polder land [land reclaimed from the sea] which provides rich grazing. She noted that Beemster is one of the most - if not the most - sustainable dairies in the Netherlands, but that there are bilateral trade issues with organic certification which is why they can't yet make that claim on their cheese. The cheese tasted great before we started talking, and possibly even a bit more so after I had heard her tell me about it.

Live Music & Entertainment in Historic Washington Heights

I sauntered back around to the rear of the farmhouse where unfortunately [for me] the musicians had stopped playing. They were discussing their gigs around the city and how to get to and from them.

Anyhow, the third annual Fall Celebration at the Dykman Farmhouse was an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon. They have other upcoming programs, such as Oktoberfest. Check out their website for details and we'll periodically post some of the bigger events as they arise in our Weekend Things To Do post which is done sometime every Friday.


NYC History: Morris-Jumel Mansion

The Mansion, Once Washington's HQ, is Home to 'Spirited' History

August 8, 2017 / Washington Heights Neighborhood / Manhattan History NYC / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

manhattan things to do manhattanI had an opportunity to visit the historic Morris-Jumel Mansion in Washington Heights this summer. The mansion was built in 1765 by a British Military Officer, Roger Morris, who had married a wealthy heiress, Mary Philipse. Mary was the daughter and granddaughter of early Dutch immigrants [circa 1650's] who had become large landowners along the Hudson River - including lands ranging from what is now the western Bronx, all the way up to Putnam County.

The Morris Jumel Mansion was built atop one of the highest - if not the highest points of Manhattan - and to this day provides a great view of the surrounding urbanscape. During the Revolutionary War General George Washington set up headquarters at the house in September / October of 1776 where he won his first battle against the British in the Battle of Harlem Heights. This was an important victory because it demonstrated the colonialists could win battles and it came after Washington's forces had to evacuate what is now Brooklyn - in a Dunkirk style exit across the East River earlier that summer. The curators at the mansion, maintain the room that was once Washington's headquarters in a manner similar to the time.

 

Morris Jumel Mansion in Washington Heights

manhattan things to do manhattanNonetheless, the British were beginning to surround Washington in that locale, so he soon evacuated it. Today we call the area Washington Heights, and it is likely Washington's presence in this home during the war, that influenced the name of this neighborhood.

These Morrises were sympathizers to the British Crown, and thus evacuated it when the American Revolutionary War broke out in 1775. Eventually Morris had to forfeit their lands, when the colonialists suprised the world, and in 1783 emerged the victorious agains the British Empire. It's worth noting that there is a Robert [not Roger] Morris who was one of the American Founding Fathers.

From the time of the forfeiture of the house until it was a acquired in 1810 by Stephen Jumel and his wife Eliza, the mansion was reported to have been used as a tavern. There's not much information available about Stephen Jumel - not even a picture, but plenty about his wily wife, Eliza. They remodeled the house, notably the front of it in a Federalist style. Stephen died in a reportedly unusual death / accident in 1832 and there were rumors that Eliza may have had something to do with it.

 

Jumel Marries Burr & Mansion Inspires 'Hamilton' Playwright

manhattan things to do manhattanEliza married Aaron Burr, a former Vice President and the man who killed Alexander Hamilton. They reportedly lived together a short while [she was 19 years his junior], as it appeared to be a marriage of convenience [status for her and money for him] and she obtained the official divorce documents from him on the day of his death in 1836.

Eliza apparently was a shrewd businesswoman and managed the lands they owned in such a manner that she lived comfortably until her death in 1865. The estate took 16 years to settle and the house was finally acquired by the State of New York in 1904 and thereafter bestowed with increasingly protective historic designations.

Playwright Lin-Miranda, author of the popular play, 'Hamilton', apparently sought some good measure of inspiration from this site. Reportedly some key verses were written in Aaron Burr's bedroom.

 

Paranormal Investigations - Eliza Jumel & the Morris Jumel Mansion

There's been some emerging lore, dating back over half a century, that the ghost of Eliza Jumel, and possibly others, haunts the mansion. In fact the museum capitalizes on this lore by offering folks paranormal investigational tours.

All in all it was a fun visit to the Morris Jumel Mansion in Washington Heights. It was my first visit there and it won't be my last.


Fashion Show on the Hudson

Riverbank Park Fashion Show Highlights New & Known Clothing, Models & Designers

fashion on the hudson fashion show riverbank park nyc fashion on the hudson show nycAugust 1, 2017 / Hamilton Heights Neighborhood / Manhattan Fashion & Designers / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

A couple of weeks ago I made my way to the 8th Annual Fashion on the Hudson fashion show at Riverbank Park at 679 Riverside Drive along the Hudson River in the Inwood neighborhood of upper Manhattan. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon as I headed into the Cultural Building in the 28 acre park.

The audience filled the Cultural Building, so I had to move around to get some photos of the models who were in the process of displaying men's swimwear. The muscular male models, with washboard ribbed stomachs marched down the runway showing a range of swimming suits that ranged from modest white trunks, to skimpy speedo cuts with psychedelic designs. I surveyed the crowd and found a number of women who seemed appreciative of the new designs and cuts.

As I was tight on time, I decided to make my way backstage to talk to a few of the models and designers to learn a bit more about them. Backstage a number of models had queued up for the ongoing swimwear segment of the program, while deeper backstage a number of the formal wear models were prepping for their debut.

In the photo above right you can see members of the audience enjoying themselves at the Fashion on the Hudson fashion show at Riverbank Park in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan.

Fashion on the Hudson Showcases Local Designers & Models

nyc fashion shows fashion on the hudson photo of manhattan models nycFashion aficionado Daryl H. Miles, Founder of Beyond Styles by Miles, took a few minutes to talk to me about the show. He told me that Sofia Davis, editor of Fashion Avenue News, founded the show and that it has been produced at this location since its inception. At first Sofia held the show outside, but given the vagaries of the weather she decided to bring it in, where it has been ever since.

This year the show hosted 30 designers displaying swimwear, formal wear, casual wear and other stylish creations. The show is free to the public, but you must rsvp because seating is limited. The Fashion on the Hudson fashion show represents a great opportunity to see what's new and what's hot in the local NYC metro fashion world, and provides an opportunity for people interested in the business to meet models, designers and fashion buyers.

Daryl of Beyond Styles by Miles [www.beyondstylesbymiles.com - not to be confused with www.stylesbymiles.com] has been in the business for a number of years helping designers, models and fashion show organizers promote their fashion lines and brands.

I stayed a bit longer shooting photos of the models and lines before departing. And I'm looking forward to being able to spend more time covering the show next year.

In the photo above right you can see models who participated at the Fashion on the Hudson fashion show at Riverbank Park in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan.


Old World Big Screen Theater Coming Back

The United Palace is a Big Screen Theater Built in the 1930's

united palace big screen theater nyc uwsMay 16, 2017 / Washington Heights Neighborhood / Film in Manhattan / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

Last month I had the opportunity to watch George Orwell's 1984 on the big screen at the United Palace theater in Washington Heights. I hopped aboard the subway at Times Square and made my way north into Washington Heights, bumping into a friend of a friend along the way.

I got off the A train at 175th Street and made the one block walk east to the the theater. The outside of the building is rectangular and made of stone, hiding an exquisite interior in an evolving neighborhood. When I stepped inside, I was nearly dazzled by the beauty and old world glamorous feel that the United Palace has managed to keep alive all these years.

More coming later this week.


Manhattan Holiday Events - Holiday Things to do Manhattan NYC

manhattan holiday events manhattan holiday things to do manhattan holiday events & things to do manhattan nyc


Manhattan Holiday Events - Manhattan NYC

Christmas Tree Lightings, Hanukkah Menorah Lightings, & Kwanzaa Candle Lightings in Manhattan & Holiday Markets & Events NYC

manhattan holiday events ues uws midtown harlem inwood washington heights west east village soho tribeca LES bowery holiday events holiday tree lighting washington square park manhattan nycUPDATING November 11, 2024 / Upper East Side UES / Upper West Side UWS / Midtown NYC / East Village & West Village / Tribeca SoHo Bowery / Holiday Events & Holiday Markets - Kwanzaa, Hanukkah & Christmas Holidays in Manhattan / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

 

Be sure to visit our Manhattan holiday markets NYC page, as it contains related holiday events with a shopping element to them.

For links to holiday events and markets in all five boroughs of NYC scroll down to the bottom of this report.

 

How The Manhattan Holiday Events Page on this Page are Organized

NOTE. We added an Update Log at the beginning of the listings, so it's easier for you to stay abreast of changes / updates / new additions.

These holiday events in Manhattan are organized as follows:

1. BY NEIGHBORHOODS OF MANHATTAN

2. BY DATE - (not always as it depends on when the info comes in)

Watch carefully as some locales have multiple dates, and all dates for a given locale are shown at the time the venue is first listed.

3. ALL OF THESE ARE FREE UNLESS FEES ARE SPECIFIED.

4. *** Note MANHATTAN HOLIDAY MARKETS are published on a separate page - the links to which are posted at the bottom of this page, along with links to other boroughs.

 

Manhattan Holiday Lights, Christmas Tree Lightings, Hanukkah Menorah Lightings, Kwanzaa Candle Lightings Background

The holidays are a special time of the year. In ancient times there were harvest celebrations to give thanks and enjoy the bounty after a long growing and harvesting season aka a year of work.

Holiday lighting festivals and ceremonies have been on the rise in Manhattan in recent years. While some date back many years, some are fairly new.

Attending holiday lightings alone, with friends or with the kids gives folks a chance to enjoy their own cultural heritage and provides an opportunity to learn a bit more about and share in the cultural heritage of others.

Each lighting is a bit different, as some are orginated by the community, some by businesses, some by religious organizations, and a few have arts organizations behind them. Please feel free to send us a notice of your holiday lighting event if it's not posted herein.

 

Manhattan Holiday Events & Holiday Markets Now Underway

This is not meant to be a complete list, but rather a list of the holiday lighting events. The holiday lighting events are organized individually by each Manhattan neighborhood including the Upper East Side UES, the Upper West Side UWS, Midtown NYC, the East Village, the West Village, the Bowery, SoHo, Tribeca and more to come. Many include the serving of some beverage like hot chocolate and generally some snack like cookies.



NYC Luxury Hotels & Historic Hotels Manhattan

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NYC Luxury Hotels & Historic Hotels Manhattan

Luxury & Historic Hotels On The Upper East Side, UES, Upper West Side UWS, Midtown, West & East Village, SoHo & Tribeca

April 2018 / Manhattan Neighborhoods / Manhattan Historic Hotels / Manhattan Restaurants / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

We've taken a renewed interest in the Manhattan hotels in NYC.  At present our list of Manhattan hotels is focused on the Midtown and Upper East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan.  The hotels in Manhattan offer a wide variety of habitats, from old world luxury, to a modern American traveler.

Picking the hotel you're going to stay at in Manhattan is something you should give thought to - not just for budgetary reasons, but depending on the time of year and your plans during your stay.

Click here to read the rest of our report about luxury & historic hotels Manhattan NYC.


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Manhattan History NYC - Historical Sites NYC Manhattan

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Manhattan History - Historical Sites NYC

Manhattan Historic Sites & Museums

December 2017 / Manhattan Neighborhoods / Manhattan Things To Do / Manhattan Buzz NYC.  

This section provides information regarding Manhattan historic sites, history museums and Manhattan history - in NYC.

Click here to view our reports & photos of Manhattan history - historic sites & museums in NYC.


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Manhattan Neighborhoods & History - Manhattan NYC

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Manhattan Neighborhoods & History MHTN NYC

September 2024 / Manhattan Neighborhoods & History NYC / Manhattan Neighborhoods / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

This section is dedicated to the Neighborhoods & History section on Manhattan Buzz NYC.

CLICK here to view our Manhattan Neighborhoods & History NYC section.