A Block That Looks as It Did About 1930

I am absolutely obsessed with this blog: http://www.scoutingny.com. I cannot seem to stop reading it. Written by a film location scout, he scours the city finding obscure architecture, Manhattan oddities, and seriously makes me want to get out on foot for days and look up.

When I was about on page 6 of his posts, I ran into an article about a street in Manhattan that still resembles its 1930s decade of life. Following that link to NYTimes.com, I came upon a nice article. Check it out…..or maybe get out and finally see it as more than a street to get you where you’re going.

WEST 46TH STREET between Fifth Avenue and the Avenue of the Americas.

Elite Ping Pong in NYC? Ok.

“SPIN New York is a 13,000 square foot ping pong social club on Park Avenue in Manhattan’s Flatiron District. The club offers unparalleled table tennis courts, including Olympic quality cushioned flooring, 16 individual tables, and a stadium-like center court. In addition, SPIN New York houses a pro shop, lounge, bar, private room sponsored by Fred Perry and over a dozen internationally known professional coaches and players who are available for private and group instruction.”

Kindle 2.0 | New York City February 9

Mark your calendars, e-book fans: Amazon.com will introduce the next generation of its popular Kindle reader in New York City on Feb. 9.

UPDATE: It has arrived! Previous owners have until February 10 to order with priority. New features include more internal storage, 25% longer battery life, text-to-speech, fixed design flaws for hold-a-bility (for lack of a better word, I make them up), 20% faster page turning, and 16 shades of grey for improved text and images quality. I want one, of course! (and would be happy to sell you my Kindle 1.0)

The Blizzard of 1888.

From The Tenement Museum

The Great Blizzard of 1888 banished New York’s overhead electric and telegraph lines underground, forever changing the face of the city. 

During the late 19th century, New York’s rapid growth spawned a tangle of electric and telegraph lines above the city’s streets. Between March 11 and 14 1888, a historic blizzard deposited 23 inches of snow on New York City. The towering piles of snow, driving winds and bitter cold shuttered businesses for nearly two weeks and damaged property to the tune of approximately $25 million.

The weight of the snow and ferocity of the winds also snapped the city’s power and telegraph lines, which confounded cleanup efforts. During his inaugural address in 1889, newly elected Mayor Hugh Grant vowed to rectify this situation by burying lines below ground. After battling cost-conscious electric and telegraph companies, Grant finally forced the lines underground in the fall of 1889.

This was my greatest cab ride, ever.

This is obviously not my video, but I had the privilege of being in this mans cab, full with the Madonna hits, and the wonderful words of happiness to spread all the around the world, one New Yorker at a time. He loved my dimples, too!!

He calls his wife his Queen, and I think this man has got it going on! Hopefully one day you will get to ride with him, he doesn’t give out any contact info, because he says, “You only get Happy Cabby once in your life.”

🙂

Free Dance Classes this Sunday in New York

There is a dance class series that I take part in occasionally at my local Bally’s. I recently received this information from them about a bunch of free classes happening this Sunday. Take a look, and take advantage!

“CREATIVE JENIUS WANTS TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE DANCERS WHO SUPPORTED US DURING THE SUMMER DANCE SERIES! TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION AND CELEBRATE OUR NEW FALL SERIES WE’RE HAVING FREE CLASSES ALL DAY THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19TH!!

BALLY TOTAL FITNESS

PENTA LOCATION

139 W. 32ND ST. (6th/7th) 

THE CLASSES WILL BE EVERY HOUR ON THE HOUR FROM 1PM-6PM AND WILL BE TAUGHT BY OUR FALL SERIES TEACHERS:

NICK MORIN

OHHH

DS

TOMMY FERGUSON

ERIC NEGRON

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD AND COME ENJOY A FULL DAY OF FREE CLASSES!

ALSO—COME JOIN ERIC @ HIS NEW CLASS TODAY @ 1PM (WORLDWIDE PLAZA) AND OUR SATURDAY DOUBLE HEADER FEATURING NICK & ERIC @ 3PM (WWP)

WHILE YOU’RE HERE…CHECK OUT THE LATEST CLASS VIDEOS: 

TOMMY CLASS – 10.1.08 

ERIC NEGRON CLASS – 10.14.08 

DS CLASS – 10.14.08 

OHHH CLASS – 10.15.08 “

Ugly Betty shot taking over 28th St.

So, in the show Ugly Betty, which premiered last night, Miss B gets an unrealistically big dumpy apartment in the Flower District on 28th Street. Just so happens the place is adjacent to my work building. So I get to walk through amazing catered food, bored-looking PAs, and miscellaneous obstacles that litter 28th street during shooting.

A great resource for event planners.

“Founded in 2000, BizBash is the leading trade media for the event industry”

You can search for venues, tips, trends, ideas, and jobs. I found the site extremely useful, even if you are just looking for ideas for places to throw a party. The venue directory is specific and expansive.

Click here to go to BizBash/New York.

Governor’s Island, in a different world.

This past weekend I went to Governor’s Island for a Jazz Age Picnic. It was out of this world. I took a complimentary ferry ride from Battery Park across to the usually-deserted island. Then found myself in an open campus-like space with free rein to venture anywhere, even to parts that are absolutely cloistered.

I love that there is a place to go in this city and you could be completely alone if you wanted to be. I took a tram-thing around the island and caught some cool sights. An old Theatre, some barracks, and nameless other old but well-maintained buildings. The views are very unique because you are sandwiched between the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island. It looks like a cross between a college campus and an old Army base.

We went to a large open area where people were picnicking and dancing. Many were dressed up in Jazz Age summer dresses and seersucker suits, doing the Charleston and holding sun umbrellas. The band that played was Michael Aranella and the Dreamland Orchestra. It was beautiful, but way too hot (The high was in the mid 90s)! See the pictures below to get a feel for the atmosphere. They even had a half dozen old automobiles amazingly restored.

Later this summer they are going to continue with some great weekend events, one of which I will surely return to; a performance from the Battery Dance Company (August 16-17). The island is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for its longest season ever. 

Click here to read a brief history of the island. It served a fascinating military purpose for the British and Americans for over 200 years, the Coast Guard being its last inhabitants, before it was turned over the the people of New York in 2003.