Good morning and happy Saturday. The weekend weather is predictably unpredictable! Hot, humid and the chance of a thunderstorm at pretty much anytime. Prepare to be wet through sweat or showers…
Don’t miss the final weekend of dining in Tulcingo Del Valle’s popular outdoor cabin. The long-established Mexican restaurant is being forced to dismantle its beloved shed next week due to the new 10th Avenue bike lane. And they are not the only ones… Read more…
Here’s the rest of the news from Hell’s Kitchen this week.
Restaurant Row has a brand-new addition — and S’Aimer is owned by a familiar face. It is the latest venture for Jasmine Gerald, who already owns Jasmine’s Caribbean Cuisine across the street. Read more…
A temporary court order bolsters efforts by delivery apps to stop a law that would require them to pay workers $17.96 an hour and make New York the first major US city to set a wage floor for them. Read more…
Residents of a former school that was converted into a luxury condo in the Gotham West complex are giving the developer a failing grade, alleging that the building has significant “design and construction defects.” Read more…
Author and weight management expert Bobby Hold has lived in Hell’s Kitchen for 10 years. He loves the neighborhood for its color, nightlife and open spaces, among other things. Read Bobby’s West Side Story…
It’s bad news for rodents… This week, Council Member Erik Bottcher led New York City’s Rat Czar Kathleen Corradi on a tour of Hell’s Kitchen’s rat hotspots — in the hope that something can be done about the infestation of vermin that has plagued the neighborhood for years. Read more…
On Tuesday night, the Community Board delivered what might be the first bar in Hell’s Kitchen (and New York) that can only be open until 10:30! When did HK become rural England!?
The application for a beer and wine license for a new Pocket Bar on W57th Street floundered amid comments ranging from “who would want to live above a bar?” and would you want this on your “beloved block?” — to folks saying this bar “revitalized the block.” Others remarked that the business was “aggressive by signing a lease!” and the “caliber of clientele does not attract noise.”
We have put in a Freedom of Information Request to see the letters from the community that have stymied this application. Meanwhile, the CB4 Business Licenses & Permits Committee session is available on YouTube (it’s just over an hour). Watch here…
The final decision is down to the Full Board on July 26 at 6:30pm — mark your calendars (and grab some popcorn).
Yep, look closely. Those spotted lanternflies are gathering. Thanks to Catie Savage for this picture of the currently wingless “fourth instar” stage nymphs hanging out on W49th Street and 10th Avenue. Have you been seeing them too?
There have been calls for urgent action after two children aged three and six were given an electrical shock by a fence at Mathews-Palmer Playground on Sunday. The youngsters were unhurt, but concerns over the safety of the fence and the park remain. Read more…
A potentially dangerous situation in Times Square was averted yesterday morning thanks to vigilant photographer Richard Moore who alerted the NYPD about a man menacing a group of musicians with a knife, leading to his swift arrest. Read more…
Check out Sarah’s latest edition of “Make Way for the Weekend” for ideas of what to do around New York. Read more…
Police are searching for five suspects after a 35-year-old New Jersey man died following a stabbing at Pier 84 in Hudson River Park just before 6am on Thursday — a murder investigation is underway. Read more…
Retired medical professionals Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen have lived in Hell’s Kitchen together for 26 years. They write together too and are the authors of six wine and cookbooks. Let’s raise a glass as the pair share their West Side Story.
What we’ve been reading
* Stories that might be behind a paywall are marked with a 💰
Forced to hold multiple jobs to make ends meet, EMTs and paramedics are suing for better pay. (THE CITY)
Not a great first review for the reopened Central Park Boathouse catering. (New York Post)
What if your beloved pet outlives you? Read about tortoise estate planning. (WSJ)
The Public Theater has laid off almost a fifth of its staff, citing falling revenue and rising costs. (New York Times💰)
Who took the very first selfie? (Mashable)
Freeze Frame
It’s nice to see Hell’s Kitchen through a new set of eyes. Californian photographer Steve Fellon has been out in the neighborhood with his camera and spotted this bit of West Side heritage. Oh, I do miss the coffee and sugar rush from Underwest Donuts…
Happy birthday tomorrow to Edward Enrique.