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CM Bottcher’s Legislation to Ban Toilet Paper is Pooh-Poohed as “Potty!”
Taking sustainability back to the annals of time, Council Member Erik Bottcher has announced dramatic new legislation that would ban all single-use paper products in New York City. Standing in the household cleaning aisle of…
There’s a New Corner for Authentic Szechuan Cuisine in Hell’s Kitchen
There’s an authentic new Chinese restaurant on the block — or rather, the corner, as The Corner Chinese Restaurant takes its place in the neighborhood. The Szechuan-focused cafe soft-opened this month on — where else…
“I Think This Neighborhood is Criminally Underrated” — Jeremiah Johnson’s West Side Story
Founder of the Center for New Liberalism and kidney donor, Jeremiah Johnson has lived in Hell’s Kitchen for the past 11 years and describes the neighborhood as his “favorite place in the city”. This is…
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West side stories
“I Love the Diversity, the Melting Pot that is Our Neighborhood” — Christopher Harrison’s West Side Story
Father of Aerial Yoga and Segway chauffeur to his dog, Newton, Christopher Harrison arrived in Hell’s Kitchen from Utah in the mid-1980s — and never left. Christopher shares his West Side Story. So, what’s your New York story? Born here, or just arrived?Humble beginnings: I arrived from Salt Lake City, Utah on the hottest day…
“I Fell in Love with Hell’s Kitchen the First Long Weekend We Stayed” — Leanne Buckley’s West Side Story
Part-time Hell’s Kitchen resident Leanne Buckley is a retired public school music teacher whose love of Broadway led her to volunteer at the TDF autism-friendly performances. “There is just nothing like it,” she says. Here’s Leanne’s West Side Story. So, what’s your New York story? Born here, or just arrived?I’ve been in the neighborhood as…
“NYC is That Bad Girlfriend I Just Can’t Seem to Break Up With” —Jeremy Driesen’s West Side Story
Jeremy Driesen is a drummer and photographer who also runs a corporate events company. He’s a recent arrival in the neighborhood, but landed in New York back in the 1980s. This is Jeremy’s West Side Story. So, what’s your New York story? Born here, or just arrived?I dropped out of college in the early 80s…
From Broadway to Real Estate: Jeff’s Journey Through Hell’s Kitchen
Jeff Dyksterhouse’s Hell’s Kitchen journey began as a wide-eyed midwestern boy with just $300 to his name, to working on some of the biggest musicals of the late 80s and 90s, and finally settling down to becoming a successful neighborhood real estate broker. Read on for his West Side Story… So, what’s your New York…
Latest
Q Club Shutters Amid Ongoing Litigation and Umberger Homicide
Embattled Hell’s Kitchen nightclub The Q NYC has closed — months after a lawsuit was filed against its owners alleging discrimination and illegal practices, and one…
Mayor Steps Out in Hell’s Kitchen to Celebrate 11th Avenue “Biotech Corridor”
Mayor Eric Adams headed to the far West Side on Wednesday to celebrate the opening of an internationally groundbreaking medical research center — part of a…
Historic Garment District Businesses Fight to Stay Put Amid NYC Rezoning
It may no longer be overflowing with fabric shops and specialty costume warehouses, but the Garment District is still the go-to for editorial and theatrical artists…
“I Still Stare Up at Skyscrapers in Awe” — Zach Aaronson’s West Side Story
As a Partnerships Marketing Manager, Zach Aaronson enjoys getting the word out about Broadway shows in creative non-traditional ways. Originally from Baltimore, Hell’s Kitchen has been…
Power Cut to Eight Hell’s Kitchen Businesses after Underground Fire
Eight businesses and over 100 apartments have been without power for over 24 hours after an underground electrical fire in Hell’s Kitchen on Sunday afternoon. ConEd…
Migrant Chess Club is Making Moves to Welcome Asylum-Seekers
There are new generations of chess champions in the making at the Times Square Migrant Chess Club, where young New Yorkers and immigrants are teaching recent…
Suspects Charged With Murder of Julio Ramirez and John Umberger
First-degree murder warrants have been issued in the investigation of Julio Ramirez and John Umberger’s deaths, W42ST has learned. According to reporting from the New York…
“I Live in Effing NEW YORK CITY!” — Why Hell’s Kitchen is Heaven to Mary Jane Livingston
Born and raised in Hawaii, Mary Jane Livingston has lived in New York for eight years and combines dentistry and content creation while enjoying the energy…
Vote Now! $1M Up for Grabs in West Side Participatory Budgeting
From restrooms to tree beds, the chance to vote for $1 million in funding to West Side projects is back once more — and early voting begins…
“It Really Feels Like a Neighborhood” — Why Hell’s Kitchen is a Perfect Fit for Brian Bustos
Brian Bustos is a Broadway costume designer and the CCO of LaDuca Shoes. Originally from New Mexico, he has lived in Hell’s Kitchen for 14 years…
Latest Newsletters
Toilet Paper Ban + HK This Week
Good morning and welcome to the weekend. We’re starting the month with some light rains, strong winds, a sunny afternoon and a 2023 high of 70…
New Corner Chinese Eatery + April Trash Rules
Good morning and happy Friday. The last day of March starts with sunshine, but the clouds will move in during the morning and this afternoon will…
The Way We Were
Good afternoon, this is W42ST Lifestyle Editor Sarah Beling with “Make Way For The Weekend” — your curated guide to the best of New York events…
Q Club Closes + 11th Ave Biotech Corridor
Happy Thursday. Although it looks glorious out of the window this morning — it actually feels like 20 degrees with the windchill out there! Layer up…
Garment District Fabric + TV Pilot Cops
Good morning and happy Wednesday. Today will be a typical spring day with sunny skies and a high of 54 degrees. But don’t let that fool…
Power Cut on 8th + New Penn Station Design
Good morning and happy Tuesday. It’s a cloudy day with gusting winds at time. Temperatures will get into the low 50s. The sun will return on…
Walk this Way! 9th Avenue “Super Sidewalk” is Officially Open
The long-awaited 9th Avenue sidewalk and bike lane extension officially opened today. Local leaders and pedestrian safety advocates gathered to celebrate the newly completed throughway, while Hell’s Kitchen residents highlighted a need for more protected lanes across the neighborhood. City Council Member Erik Bottcher, Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, Department of Design and…
“I Don’t Think There is a Better, Stronger Neighborhood” — Paul Gealone is Sweet on Hell’s Kitchen
He may have only lived in Hell’s Kitchen since 2021, but Paul Gealone is a familiar face in the neighborhood — he recently des(s)erted Amy’s Bread for Hershey’s after 10 years of working at the popular bakery. This is Paul’s West Side Story. So, what’s your New York story? Born here, or just arrived?I was…
We ❤️ NYC: City’s Campaign Features HK Hero and Asks 8 million New Yorkers to Volunteer
“I ❤️ NY” has become “We ❤️ NYC” as the city announced a new civic campaign to encourage community engagement and highlight the Big Apple’s most dedicated “do-ers” — including our very own Hell’s Kitchen Hero, Litter Legion founder Catie Savage. Mayor Eric Adams, Governor Kathy Hochul, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine and other elected…
Author Peter’s ‘Faster Brain’ Shows Kids that ADHD is “a Gift, Not a Curse”
“I totally forgot my book release date — which is the most ADHD thing ever,” said author Peter Shankman as we caught up over lunch at the Westway Diner to discuss his new children’s book, The Boy with the Faster Brain. Peter — a Hell’s Kitchen local who somehow simultaneously functions as an entrepreneur, a…
“You Don’t Have to Go Far to See Your Favorite Play” — Why Hell’s Kitchen Takes Center Stage in Erika Longo’s Life
Actor Erika Longo has been traveling to NYC since she was young, and a visit to a Broadway musical at age five set her on the road to show business. The Hell’s Kitchen resident feels right at home in the neighborhood — and has even appeared in Law & Order: SVU! This is Erika’s West…
“I’ve Got as Much Right Here as Anyone” — When Hell’s Kitchen Became ‘Suffragette Slope’
Hell’s Kitchen has at times been known by other less popular names — Clinton, Midtown West, and even Mid-West — but in 1910, seven years before women got the vote, the arrests of six female election “poll watchers” led to the area being nicknamed “Suffragette Slope”. “That interesting section of the city once described as Hell’s…
Hell’s Kitchen’s Much-Loved Laly Restaurant is Back — and Thriving at Next Door Deli
A year after beloved Hell’s Kitchen Dominican eatery Laly (also known as Lali) Restaurant sat on the brink of permanent closure, owner Ibis Lara has managed to survive to serve another day by moving into the nearby Healthy Market & Deli. A perennial West Side favorite for its freshly-prepared Dominican breakfast and lunch fare, Laly…
“New York City Always Seemed Like This Distant Wonderland” — How Christian John Wikane Ended Up in Hell’s Kitchen
Christian John Wikane is a writer and contributing editor for online magazine PopMatters and presenter of interview series Unscripted. He moved to Hell’s Kitchen in 2005 and loves the neighborhood’s serendipity. Here, Christian John shares his West Side Story. So, what’s your New York story? Born here, or just arrived?I was born and raised in…
With a Scaled-Down Capacity and Rooftop Plan Dropped, Contentious 11th Ave Club Moves Closer
A large-scale nightclub proposed for 11th Avenue has moved forward through the Manhattan Community Board 4 Business License and Permits Committee (BLP) to the full board — with major changes from the original proposal. In January, the proprietors of Magnitude — a new LGBTQIA+ club they describe as “the largest gay nightclub on the east…
Why Chad MacDonald is Here to Stay — ‘‘I Was Never So Happy as When I Returned to NYC For Good’’
Chad R MacDonald’s West Side Story involves acting, magic tricks, balloon sculpture, robocalls — and the Hell’s Kitchen Rangers. “The history of this neighborhood is palpable, pulsing perceptively all around, at all times of the day, like a heartbeat,” says the web content consultant. So, what’s your New York story? Born here, or just arrived?My…
NYC Sheriff Deputies Question Legality of Their Pot Shop Busts
Union wrote Eric Adams’ top lawyer last month asking how the sheriff’s office has authority to carry out certain cannabis crackdowns backed by the mayor. It’s still waiting for an answer. The union representing deputy sheriffs on the front line of the city’s bid to crack down on smoke shops that are illicitly selling cannabis…
From Green Screens to Production Dreams… MNN’s New Media Center Brings Movie Magic to Hell’s Kitchen
Hell’s Kitchen’s own Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) today opens a brand new media center where you can stay up to date on the latest production technology or learn the ropes from scratch — and W42ST got an exclusive first look at the future-forward facility on the site of the former Legacy Recording Studios. If you’re…
‘‘I Found a Community that Welcomed Me and My Dog’’ — Why Sabrina and Scooby-Doo Plan to Stay
Activist and community advocate Sabrina Reveron arrived in New York with her dog Scooby-Doo in 2015. Since then, she has made Hell’s Kitchen her home and focused on local issues with Community Board 4. Here is Sabrina’s West Side Story. So, what’s your New York story? Born here, or just arrived?I was born in Caracas,…
‘‘I Still Think About the Places We’ve Lost in Hell’s Kitchen’’ — Why Evelyn Yang Loves the Neighborhood
Evelyn Yang is a Hell’s Kitchen mom and activist who has lived in the neighborhood for 18 years. As a leading member of the “Yang Gang”, she’s supported husband Andrew in his campaigns for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States and to become New York Mayor. This is Evelyn’s West Side Story.…
Travelers Can Now Take the (New) ‘A’ Train — But it May Require Some Patience…
Duke Ellington immortalized it in a famous tune, now MTA has unveiled a fresh new remix — but you’ll need your wits about you and a little luck if you want to Take the ‘A’ Train, 2023 style! Reporter Sarah Beling went on a weekend quest to find the elusive, newly-released R211 subway car. The…
‘‘In the Days of Porn Stores and Movie Theaters, Nobody Bothered You’’ — Paul Ford on the Changing Face of Hell’s Kitchen
Paul Ford played piano for Broadway shows for over 40 years, with Stephen Sondheim publicly declaring him the “indefatigable master of the musical theatre”. Paul has lived in Hell’s Kitchen since the 1970s — this is his West Side Story. So, what’s your New York story? Born here, or just arrived?I’m from Atlanta and moved…
Just How Many Empty Storefronts are There in Hell’s Kitchen? We Walked the Blocks to Find Out
How many storefronts sit vacant in Hell’s Kitchen? With the help of a West Side Community Fund Grant, the W42ST team surveyed all of the neighborhood’s empty businesses — and counted more than 200 across the area’s four zip codes. While some windows have long been gathering dust, prompting residents and lawmakers to search for…
‘‘What is This Magic?’’ Joseph Pilates’ Hell’s Kitchen Legacy Lives on at New Studio
Hell’s Kitchen has had a huge part to play in the history of Pilates — its creator Joseph Pilates opened his first studio in 1926 at 939 8th Avenue and lived and worked there for 40 years. His legacy is continuing in the neighborhood with Plaza Pilates, a new boutique studio for all abilities, just…
‘‘There’s Always Some Good Trouble to Get into Here’’ — Why Benjamin Hey! Lives for the Neighborhood Vibe
Actor, recording artist, songwriter and model Benjamin Hey! was born in Brooklyn but has fallen in love with Hell’s Kitchen and feels right at home here. Benjamin shares his West Side Story. So, what’s your New York story? Born here, or just arrived?I’m a “True Yorker!” I was born in Brooklyn and I’ve been living in…
Clothes Encounters of the Stylish Kind as PDL Vintage Joins Fine and Dandy on W49th Street
Hell’s Kitchen is a step closer to becoming a sartorial hotspot with the opening of PDL Vintage, a new clothing store run by Patrick Daniel Loughlin that’s set up shop on W49th Street with the support of local mainstay Fine and Dandy. Offering a select, smartly curated selection of seasonally rotating categories — which on opening…
Paul Devlin’s Hell’s Kitchen — “The Quintessential Combination of All the Great Things NYC Offers”
Much-traveled Hell’s Kitchen political activist and residential realtor Paul Devlin knows all about local land issues in the place he calls home. Here’s Paul’s West Side Story. So, what’s your New York story? Born here, or just arrived?I moved to New York City after time in DC, Toronto, London and my hometown of Boston. Since…
Undercover Commish: TLC Boss Gets Hack License to Hit New York Streets as Cabbie
Freshman Taxi Commissioner David Do says he wants to know what life on the road is like for drivers so he can make more informed decisions for the industry. The new head of the Taxi and Limousine Commission is not just at the wheel of the agency that licenses and regulates the city’s sprawling taxi…
Here Comes the Sun! Time to Embrace the Sidewalks as Pols Plan to “Shed the Shed”
New York’s ubiquitous scaffolding structures — officially known as sidewalk sheds — cast a giant shadow over the city’s streets, where some sheds have been obscuring businesses (and photo opportunities) for decades. A short walk on 9th Avenue displays a patchwork quilt of sheds, where large-scale structures like the one obscuring the Film Center Building…
Why Hell’s Kitchen Takes Center Stage in Orietta Crispino’s “Art of Gathering”
On International Women’s Day, we talk to Orietta Crispino, Artistic Director of Theaterlab, which has just celebrated 10 years at its W36th Street home. Here’s Orietta’s West Side Story. So, what’s your New York story? Born here, or just arrived?I was born in Italy. I came to study English for three months in 1997 and…
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