129 West 81st Street

05/30/2014

Vegan Fast-Food Joint Blossom Du Jour Opening on Amsterdam Ave! Calling all veggie lovers: A new vegan fast-food spot is coming to Amsterdam Avenue at the end of June! Blossom Du Jour, part of a mini-chain of vegan restaurants and cafes owned by Pamela Blackwell and Ronan Seri, will soon open at 449 Amsterdam Ave., between West 81st and 82nd streets. The space formerly housed the children's toy and clothing store Area Kids. The 15-seat spot will serve vegan food and drinks to go, and will include a large vegan and gluten-free baked goods selection. The lunch spot will serve vegan sandwiches, wraps, salads, shakes, pressed juices and vegetable sides in addition to its array of sweets. Its newest location sits less than a block from the juice store Organic Avenue and the vegan restaurant Peacefood Cafe. Who needs meat anyway?

Blossom Du Jour. Shrewd. Fast. Food. 100% Vegan. Making a positive impact on the environment and the lives of our patrons by offering food and beverage choices that are healthful, environmentally conscious, and prepared quickly.

05/28/2014

New Museum Exhibit to Let Visitors Try Google Glass: New Museum visitors will see art a little differently when the Triennial returns in February 2015. Through a partnership with Google Glass, the museum will launch a “visitor engagement app” using the wearable technology, our resources announced. The app and “glassware” will be available for the Triennial, a recurring exhibition that showcases international emerging artists. The partnership and the app’s development are still in the early stages, but the technology is intended to “enhance visitor engagement at the Triennial” and allow the public to share their experiences. The New Museum has explored the intersection between technology and art in past projects, including the Seven on Seven Conference on May 3, which paired leading technologists with artists. The museum also created Media Z Lounge in 2000, a dedicated space for digital art projects, but the Google Glass partnership is the museum's first effort to use technology to augment visitors’ experiences.

The New Museum is a leading destination for new art and new ideas. It is Manhattan’s only dedicated contemporary art museum and is respected internationally for the adventurousness and global scope of its curatorial program.

05/26/2014

The city's next legendary bagel: The second you utter those words in New York, get ready for opinion overload. Murray’s rules! What about Ess-A-Bagel? Are you forgetting Kossar’s? Uh, hello...Bagel Hole. Though the debate will never end, there is a strong new contender for the top spot: Black Seed Bagels. From the brains behind Mile End Deli (Noah Bernamoff) and The Smile (Matt Kliegman), the Nolita shop blends Montreal and New York techniques for preparation. The dough is rolled noticeably thinner than with the typical overstuffed variety (that’s where the Canadian influence comes in) and boiled in a vat of, we believe, honey-tinged water before getting finished off in a wood-fired oven. You can watch all the magic happen in the open kitchen, then take a seat at one of the handful of chairs to enjoy the spoils. Even if you stand by a longtime institution, there is no debating how bonkers good Black Seed is. 170 Elizabeth St. at Spring St. Stalk them on Facebook here:

Bagels

05/23/2014

Venture onto the Space Shuttle Enterprise at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum: In 1977, NASA conducted a series of tests on a new type of craft: the Space Shuttle. Now that prototype resides on the deck of the Intrepid in a specially designed pavilion. Visitors can walk close to and under the 180-foot-long, six-story Shuttle, the wingspan of which is more than 70 feet. Meanwhile, multimedia displays, images and artifacts will tell the story of space exploration and the Enterprise’s role in it. Until Wednesday, December 31st.

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City is the only museum where visitors can experience the legendary aircraft carrier Intrepid, the first space shuttle Enterprise, a Cold War-era submarine Growler, a British Airways Concorde, and the world’s fastest jets.

05/21/2014

Water Taxi Launches Commuter Ferry Connecting West Side to Downtown! Good news for Wall Streeters living on the Far West Side who can now get to work by boat — and there are free rides this week! New York Water Taxi launched a new rush-hour commuter ferry Monday morning, connecting Hudson River Park's Pier 84, at West 44th Street, to Brookfield Place in Battery Park City and giving residents of the West Side's new developments a water link to Downtown's offices. 3 round-trip ferries will launch from the Brookfield Place starting each weekday at 7:40am and again starting at 4:45 pm. Tickets will be $4.50 for a single ride and $8.00 for a round trip starting next Monday. The Far West Side has few transit options, though that will soon change with the opening of the 7 train extension to West 34th St. and 11th Ave. later this year. The area is home to several major new developments that will draw thousands of new residents, including Hudson Yards, which is now under construction.

New York Water Taxi provides the most exciting & entertaining NYC boat tour. Tour NY, all while taking in skylines, bridges & lush waterfront parks.

05/16/2014

"Carrying Coca: 1,500 Years of Andean Chuspas" at the Bard Graduate Center Gallery: You may recognize the chuspa from your local flea market, but the handwoven Andean shoulder bags amount to much more than a Latin American–inspired fashion trend. Designed more than 1,500 years ago, before the arrival of the Spanish, chuspas are still used to carry coca leaves, a plant that has traditionally been utilized for both medicinal and ritual purposes throughout Andean communities (and can also be used to produce co***ne). With 33 coca bags, fiber samples, looms, spinning implements, and documentary photographs from 20th-century expeditions to Peru and Bolivia, the exhibit examines the ongoing importance of chuspas and coca to local culture and the global economy. Until Sunday, August 3rd.

Bard Graduate Center: Decorative Arts, Design History, Material Culture is a leading institution for the study of the cultural history of the material world, offering innovative graduate degree programs, museum exhibitions, seminars, symposia, lectures, and public education programs devoted to the s…

05/14/2014

BROOKLYN FLEA: It’s that time of year when the Brooklyn Flea comes back outside on Saturdays in Fort Green and Sundays at a new, yet to be announced Williamsburg location. Pick up a couple hand-hammered stack rings by Jessica De Carlo, at a special Flea-only price ($20 each, 2 for $35), or take a walk in Nina Z's eco-conscious clogs and sandals ($95-180). Visit Sharon London for easy-fitting tube dresses ($78) and vintage locket earrings ($12), or Hartford Denim Co. for quality-denim goods, like hoodies ($325) and aprons ($110). While perusing crafts and collectibles by local artisans, munch on some local bites, such as People's Pops' shaved ice ($3) and ice pops ($4) made from local, fresh fruit. Until Sunday, November 23rd.

NYC's Coolest Markets

05/12/2014

Your last chance to see the Domino Sugar factory: Culture is to NYC as sunshine is to SoCal. But our endless access to art means that we can never hit ’em all, and occasionally, we have to bypass an exhibit or two. This is not a show to skip. “A Subtlety” is your one and only opportunity to see inside the landmark before it’s demolished. It’s also your rare chance to look up at a five-story sphinx. New York artist Kara Walker, known for her envelope-pushing approach, was tapped to create a large-scale installation within the decrepit, molasses-covered walls. She decided to honor the history of laborers--from the cane fields to the factories to the kitchens. Hence, the 75-foot-long sculpture of an African woman covered in snow-white sugar. Like any buzz-heavy show (read: the Rain Room and Infinity Room), we’re sure the lines will be long and the Instagrams will be aplenty. So strap on some sneaks, take a good book and remember that this is the very reason you live in NYC. Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays. Thru July 6th; Domino Sugar Factory, S. First St. & Kent Ave, Brooklyn.

News Creative Time Reports Partners with SalonApril 23, 2014With a moving photo essay by Bénédicte Desrus and text by Celia Gómez Ramos, Creative Time Reports launched its partnership with ...Lucy Lippard Launches Her New BookApril 22, 2014On Monday April 28, renowned curator, writer, critic, and ac…

05/09/2014

New Group to Offer Free Kayaking with Expanded Hours at West Side Piers: A new volunteer group formed this fall is set to take over and expand a free neighborhood kayaking program along the Hudson River this summer. The new Manhattan Community Boathouse will now be offering free kayaking on the Upper West Side in place of the Downtown Boathouse, which ran the program there for 10 years and was formerly the only free kayaking organization in Manhattan. The Manhattan Community Boathouse was formed by volunteers of the Downtown Boathouse, after the Hudson River Park Trust limited operators to operating from only one pier. Between May 31st and Sept. 28th, Manhattan Community Boathouse will offer free kayaking on both Saturdays and Sundays at the West 72nd Street dock from 10am - 5pm. They will also run free weekend kayaking from Pier 96 at West 55th Street 10am-6pm and on weeknights 5-7pm starting May 17th. The park runs from West 59th Street down to Lower Manhattan. Those interested in taking out a kayak must sign a liability waiver, be able to swim and be accompanied by an adult if under 18.

What type of kayaks do you have?We offer both single and double kayaks. A single is for one person (or an adult and a very small child) and a double requires two paddlers. All of our public kayaks are sit-on-top boats, which means they are entirely open and any water that splashes into the boat drai…

05/07/2014

Get compensated for being bumped off a plane! Did you know that hundreds of thousands of travelers were bumped off domestic flights last year? And did you know that many of those poor forsaken souls were legally owed cash - not just drink vouchers? How much were they due? Well, according to the Code of Federal Regulations, you’re supposed to get up to $1,300 if you’re kicked off a flight because of overbooking. Here to aid in your quest for justice is AirHelp, a new website and app that bullies airlines into paying out. So next time you’re stuck at LAX after getting bumped off your 10pm red-eye, simply open the app and enter a few details about your (stupid) flight. AirHelp will then check to see if you’re eligible for reimbursement and if so, how much. If you are owed money, you’ll sign a PDF granting them power of attorney and they’ll go to bat for your compensation, which should arrive within six weeks. (It can take up to a year if they have to take the airline to court.) AirHelp gets paid only if you get paid--they keep 25% - and they give you $20 for every fellow passenger you recruit from your flight. So go ahead, start your public griping.

We flew to San Francisco with SAS in March 2013. We missed a day of our holiday because our flight was cancelled. We contacted SAS for compensation without any luck. AirHelp did an amazing job. They got the compensation we deserved. The service was fast and professional. I can warmly recommend AirHe…

05/05/2014

NYC buses are now trackable! It’s a GPS world. We’re just living in it. (Right, mayor of Water Lily Nail Spa?) And public transportation is one step closer to joining the 21st century - thanks to MTA Bus Time. A municipal program that’s been slowly rolling out over the last two years, Bus Time is finally fully realized now that every New York City route is satellite-enabled. There are a few ways to track down these suckers: You can download an app like Transit that shows nearby bus lines and a countdown of how long before each one arrives. Or once you’re at the bus stop, you can simply text the stop’s assigned number. The MTA will immediately respond with how far away the next bus is. If you’re having drinks in a neighborhood you don't know that well, it might be best to use the Transit app. Check to see when the next crosstown ride is coming and plan just the right moment to bolt. But in our opinion, texting is best for buses you take on the regular. By cutting out the app's loading time, you don’t risk any lag in communication. We’ve saved our daily stop’s number in our phone to know exactly how long we have to brush our teeth.

05/02/2014

Tavern on the Green Opens After $28M Restoration: A sparkly new Tavern on the Green opened its doors to the public last Thursday, after an extensive $28 million restoration that took years to complete. The fabled structure, which dates back to 1874 and was originally used to house sheep, was completely gutted to create a brand-new interior that's meant to harken back to the early 1900s, said co-owner Jim Caiola. Only the original wooden beams remain, but guests were already commenting about the space's historic feel, despite the restoration using completely new materials. The restaurant then leads into the Central Park Room, with an open kitchen for its 55 cooking staff, headed by chef Katy Sparks. The bar is open to anyone who wants to drop in and serves the full menu. There will also be a to-go menu, which will operate from a window at the southern end of the building and is something of a Brooklyn foodie's dream. In mid-May, Tavern on the Green will open its courtyard and begin offering lunch.