As the problems of America incited protests across America, the streets of New York City became well worn by those demanding more for their country. Shouts and chants weren’t the only sounds comprising the din of the city’s demonstrations. There was a marching band, jazz trio, vocalist, string orchestra, and tap dancer heard within these movements, and they are a movement unto themselves—they are The Blacksmiths. More →
It takes about 30 seconds to walk through the shoe-box-sized space that houses Honeymoon Antiques on 6th Street, but owner David Brockman, 60, has managed to fit hundreds of clothing items onto the racks. At each step, you can feel the chiffon, lace, and silk brush against your arms. And when you speak to David, the inside of the store sways from feeling cramped to cozy. More →
For the past year, Nora Quinlan, 23, has been stuck working for a center-right political talk show. She wanted to do something she believed in, but she was a TV news producer at a company she “hated.” More →
On any given day at around 10 a.m., skateboarders slowly begin to trickle in and out of the northwest corner of Tompkins Square Park. By around 4 p.m., the corner is bustling with young people skating, socializing, and quite often smoking marijuana. The flat, rectangular piece of asphalt which regulars refer to as TF (short for Training Facility) has long been a home to both the East Village’s most seasoned and newest skateboarders. Last year, the skateboarders at TF—with the help of an online petition—successfully battled the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation over a proposed plan to fill in the asphalt lot with AstroTurf. This summer, improvements were made to the space after three ramps were donated by the skateboard and fashion company Supreme. While many skateboarders are under the assumption that the ramps are permanent additions to TF, the Parks Department has different views on the matter. More →
Americans have long obsessed over the French way of life: the blasé attitude, classic style, and, most importantly, the bread and butter. Newlyweds Gautier Coiffard and Ashley Breest have given New York City another bakery to drool over. The difference, though, is that their shop is based entirely in their Cobble Hill apartment, you can only order through Instagram, and they started the business as a side hustle during the pandemic. More →
“Come up on the second floor, and then it’s the second door!” Juju told me over the phone when I asked how to get to The Secret Door, the Williamsburg tattoo parlor where she worked. Outside, the grey, graffitied warehouse had barren walls; inside, dim-lit corridors and innumerable doors made it look like a maze. Ironically, “The Secret Door” was printed in small characters on the heavy metal door in question. Inside, a few green plants and some vintage pieces of furniture here and there worked as a bright frame to all the art, in sketches or framed, that lived in the open-space loft-style studio. Above Juju’s station, outlines of abstract faces, minimalist moons and elegant designs mapped the wall and welcomed every client into Juju’s world. More →
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, jails and prisons have become hubs for infection, with crowded conditions that leave few opportunities for social distancing. The spread of the coronavirus in New York City jails has been well-documented, including at the city’s infamous Rikers Island jail complex, which has been called the “epicenter of the epicenter” of the pandemic. More →
The city’s plans to reconstruct a 2.5-mile stretch of parkland along the East River on the Lower East Side have been pushed back to next year as nearby residents continue to call for access to outdoor space during the COVID-19 pandemic. More →
On the debate stage last week, President Donald Trump called New York a dying city. And yet dog lovers and their little ones– some dressed as Ruth Bader Ginsburg– gathered Saturday afternoon for the 30th annual Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog Parade. Not even coronavirus could stop the community from getting decked out in their most creative and glitzy costumes, which this year also included a number of Tiger King-inspired getups. More →
When Eman Rimawi needed to get to a meeting or run an errand, she used to have to schedule a ride to pick her up a day or two in advance — a blue-and-white van provided through the MTA’s Access-A-Ride program for people with disabilities. She experienced long waits for the vans to arrive and was often late as the vans stopped to pick up other passengers along the way. More →