Categories
Revolutionary History

Revolutionary Anger in Bowling Green

Bowling Green is now a small, pleasant fountained park at the foot of the Alexander Hamilton Custom House (now the National Museum of the American Indian). Its blooming flowers and quiet charm completely mask its significance to American history. For in the Colonial era, this area, once the site of the public well, was the meeting… Read More

FRIDAY NIGHT FEVER: The 300 Club

To get you in the mood for the weekend, every Friday we’ll be celebrating ‘FRIDAY NIGHT FEVER’, featuring an old New York nightlife haunt, from the dance halls of 19th Century Bowery, to the massive warehouse spaces of the mid-90s. Past entries can be found here We’re reaching way back for this week’s entry, to… Read More

Categories
Podcasts

PODCAST: Central Park Zoo

From an odd assortment of abandoned creatures, to one of the most notorious zoos in the world, take a tour with us through Central Park’s storybook zoo. In the podcast I erroneously stated that a famous political cartoon using the Central Park Zoo as a political metaphor also featured Ulysses S Grant depicted as an… Read More

Categories
Gilded Age New York

Do the Astors own you?

On the passing yesterday of the 105 year old Astor family monarch Brooke Astor, I thought I’d give you a brief rundown on all the places in which they’ve left a literal impression. Her passing has the feeling of an institution having left the building. She married into the family via Vincent Astor, the only… Read More

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Uncategorized

The street of the Ancient Hibernians

In this week’s podcast, we briefly touched on a pivotal moment in the history of the Ancient Order of the Hibernians. They assisted in the defense of St Patrick’s Old Cathedral during a raid by anti-Catholic, anti-Irish rioters. The Ancient Order of the Hibernians are essentially the Irish-Catholic version of the Freemasons. The Pope had… Read More

FRIDAY NIGHT FEVER: The Limelight

To get you in the mood for the weekend, every Friday we’ll be celebrating ‘FRIDAY NIGHT FEVER’, featuring an old New York nightlife haunt, from the dance halls of 19th Century Bowery, to the massive warehouse spaces of the mid-90s. Past entries can be found here Holy Communion Episcopal Church was never meant to be… Read More

Categories
Podcasts

PODCAST: St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral

The fashionable district of NoLIta happens to be home to a few ghosts as well, tucked behind the walls of St Patrick’s Old Cathedral. Come with us as we unearth some info about a mysterious New York fraternal order, the occupants of a few cemetery crypts, and the origins of a legendary film director. Listen… Read More

The Short-Lived Thrill of the Windy Subway

The New York subway was particularly bad this week, with a rainstorm that caused a transit calamity, paralyzing trains and leaving New Yorkers in hot, muggy tunnels waiting for transportation that never arrived. (Gothamist tries to get to the bottom of just exactly why our subway keeps flooding.) However, maybe we wouldnt have this problem… Read More

NYC NOIR: “He has his father’s eyes!”

The Film Forum is in the midst of their five week NYC Noir screening series, featuring some of the best thrillers, mysteries and action films set on the streets of the city. In this blog every Thursday of the series, we’ll feature a bit about one of the films, and encourage you to go check… Read More

Categories
Podcasts

PODCAST: The Dakota Apartments

Angels and Demons Part 1: New York’s most famous horror movie and the fascinating story behind its insidious setting. Plus: Lauren Bacall, Connie Chung and some dumb waiters! Listen to it for free on iTunes or other podcasting services. Or you can download or listen to it HERE

Remember the Alamo

It’s very revealing to me how bizarre, completely unnatural shapes just sprout up out of the ground in New York City, and we walk by them as if they were natural fixtures, as common as a mailbox or a newsstand. The spinnable cube in Astor Place is the best example of this. Could you imagine… Read More

‘Moon’ Struck

There are very few ‘real’ diners left in Manhattan. My personal favorites still in existance are the Pearl Street Diner in the financial district, the Square Diner in tribeca (order the onion rings, trust me on this), and the far less endangered Empire Diner up in Chelsea But mention of the words ‘Manhattan’ and ‘diner’… Read More

Categories
Bowery Boys Movie Club

FRIDAY NIGHT FEVER: 2001 Odyssey

To get you in the mood for the weekend, every Friday we’ll be celebrating ‘FRIDAY NIGHT FEVER’, featuring an old New York nightlife haunt, from the dance halls of 19th Century Bowery to the massive warehouse spaces of the mid-90s. Past entries can be found here How can I continue to do this series without… Read More

Categories
Uncategorized

FRIDAY NIGHT FEVER: 2001 Odyssey

To get you in the mood for the weekend, every Friday we’ll be celebrating ‘FRIDAY NIGHT FEVER’, featuring an old New York nightlife haunt, from the dance halls of 19th Century Bowery, to the massive warehouse spaces of the mid-90s. Past entries can be found here How can I continue to do this series without… Read More

NYC NOIR: “ONE MILLION DOLLARS!”

The Film Forum is in the midst of their five week NYC Noir screening series, featuring some of the best thrillers, mysteries and action films set on the streets of the city. In this blog every Thursday of the series, we’ll feature a bit about one of the films, and encourage you to go check… Read More