The 200-foot-long Doyers Street in New York City’s Chinatown was infamously known as the “Bloody Angle,” due to the street’s natural sharp bend and the criminal activity and bloodshed that took place between warring gangs in the early 1900s and late 1980s. More recently it’s been recognized in singer Justin Timberlake’s 2013 “Take Back the Night” music video, with Timberlake […]
Author: George Fiala
Manhattan’s oldest Italian restaurant is landmarked and looks it
Barbetta – the oldest Italian restaurant in New York and oldest restaurant in the Theatre District at 113 years old – is outfitted in four townhouses that date back from 1874 to 1881. Its outside is deceiving, given the brownstone façade and shielding trees, and you might pass it by during the day if you don’t carefully look to see […]
Acme Smoked Fish’s humble beginnings and Fish Fridays
If you live in Brooklyn and have eaten bagels and lox during a Sunday brunch, there’s a good chance that the fish came from Acme. Acme has been distributing smoked fish from its Greenpoint warehouse since the mid-1950s. But the story didn’t start then. A brief history Russian immigrant Harry Brownstein came to Brooklyn in 1905 and distributed smoked fish, […]
Moving on: EPA makes final decision in tunnel vs. tank canal remedy showdown
EPA officials rejected New York City’s proposal to build a long tunnel to prevent sewage overflows into the Gowanus Canal. Instead, the original plan to build two holding tanks will continue uninterrupted. This was the main topic of the September Gowanus Community Advisory Group (CAG) public meeting, held the last Tuesday of the month as usual at the Cabrini residence, […]
A deep dive look into the famous NYC Village Halloween Parade
You’ve probably watched the annual spectacle on the local TV new stations or maybe have even participated in it yourself, dressing up in costume and walking the mile-long route in Lower Manhattan. New York City’s Village Halloween Parade is just one of those city-specific events that you can only experience here, much like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or the […]
The history of Red Hook’s own Barnacle Parade
When Hurricane Irene made landfall in New York in 2011, Red Hook experienced storm surge flooding that made residents think about hurricane preparedness more seriously. But Superstorm Sandy forever changed the neighborhood a year later with unparalleled flooding and 12-foot-high storm surges that left locals to literally pick up the pieces and rebuild from scratch. Neighbors relied on one another […]
Community board committee tables Gowanus R station elevator proposal for now
Community Board 6’s transportation and public safety committee agreed, on September 19, to table a proposal that involves constructing an additional entrance at the R train’s Union Street stop – that is, until more information regarding the potential Gowanus rezoning is released. Real estate development firm Avery Hall is in the process of buying the Speedway gas station at 4th […]
The Heights Players to kick off 64th season with showstopper ‘Gypsy’
Brooklyn’s oldest self-sustaining theater for the community has a jam-packed season of fan favorites, comedies and classics for its 64th year. To understand what exactly goes into curating a season, we spoke with members of the Heights Players. The company’s membership, Board of Directors and eligible Heights Players directors choose the next season’s nine shows – from an original pool […]
Exercise tips to try before you hit the tennis court
With the US Open in town, it’s not uncommon to get caught up in the exciting matches and maybe pick up a racket yourself. Tennis players are considered “overhead” athletes who use their upper arms and shoulders in an overhead throwing or swinging motion – but the work and power actually starts in the lower body. According to sports health […]
‘Elf’ production to come to Bay Ridge in time for holiday season
Narrows Community Theater (NCT), most known for its summertime kids’ theater performances, has been staging musicals in Bay Ridge for nearly 50 years. In that time, it’s offered opportunities for the public to learn stagecraft, acting techniques, dance, teamwork and the business of show business. Having produced popular titles like Mamma Mia! and Into the Woods within the last year […]