The Bowery Boys: New York City History
Imagine a Steve Madden shoe store in Times Square erecting a grand new palace to footwear, and atop its banner they decided to welcome its patrons and the throngs of Broadway theater goers passing by with sculptural likenesses of Angela Lansbury, Audra McDonald, Idina Menzel, and Julia Roberts. That absurd theater dream actually happened —… Read More
Obama’s inauguration next Tuesday will closely adhere to the traditions of many presidents past, but with some serious leanings towards that other Illinois president Abraham Lincoln. But as ostentasious as some his plans seem — even eating foods that Abe might have noshed on — it can’t possibly top the ‘hope and change’ of the… Read More
A view of a work in progress, January 1909 (Click for greater detail)
Our modest little series about some of the greatest, notorious, most important, even most useless, mayors of New York City. Other entrants in our mayoral survey can be found here. Perhaps no mayor of New York City this side of Fiorello Laguardia has ever overseen so drastic a change to the landscape of the city… Read More
Yesterday, the media reported grim news that a woman committed suicide by leaping out a 39-story window of the Empire State Building. The woman was an employee in the building; unfortunately, New York’s most recognizable symbol and its 102 floors have been the final destination for over 30 people since it opened its doors in… Read More
Yesterday the media reported the grim news that a woman committed suicide by leaping out a 39-story window of the Empire State Building. The woman was an employee in the building; however New York’s most recognizable symbol, and its 102 floors, has been the final destination for over 30 people since it opened its doors… Read More
I have a special place in my heart for Roosevelt Island, that narrow land in the East River once known by such welcoming names as Welfare Island and Blackwell’s Island. Until the urban development experiments here during the 1970s, I never thought it particularly a family friendly place, unless your family happened to be criminal,… Read More
Fans incensed by PiL’s cheeky use of a video screen began attacking the stage It may not have the historical cache of a Civil War draft riot, but Webster Hall has had its share of violence. The discontent of union workers? Anger over its salacious activities? NO. Just pissed off Public Image Limited fans in… Read More
Webster Hall, as beautifully worn and rough-hewn as it was during its heyday in the 1910s and 20s, disguises a very surprising past, a significant venue in the history of the labor movement, Greenwich Village bohemia, gay and lesbian life, and pop and rock music. Its ballroom has hosted the likes of Emma Goldman, Marcel… Read More
Some high-quality films and television shows returned to New York’s past for inspiration this year. Here’s a few of my favorites: 1 MAN ON WIRE This documentary purports to be the story of Philippe Petit, the daredevil highwire artist who staged one of the craziest stunts in modern times, an illegal tightrope walk between the… Read More
Below is a list of all the podcasts we did for the year 2008. This year has been a tremendous, overwhelming time for us, and Tom and I want to thank all of you for listening or just checking out this website. I can’t promise we’ll be able to produce quite this many shows for… Read More
I hope these children from 1914 had a great Christmas, because personally I would be very scared of that tree. I’ll be offline until the weekend so have a great holiday and thanks for listening and coming back and reading the blog! Picture above is courtesy the always wonderful Shorpys
Not all Rockefeller Center Christmas trees are born alike. Once removed from their serene forest habitats, each winner of New York’s annual arboreal beauty pageant finds itself in a different set of circumstances, thanks to world circumstances and fashions of the day. The following trees deserve special commendation: 1931 The Original Tree By Although the… Read More
Frosty turns his back on the Rock Center skaters Something things in New York don’t change much at all: check out this snowy look back at the White Horse Tavern [Ephemeral New York] A road trip worth taking — the New York State Museum in Albany opens an exhibit on New Netherland and the first… Read More