Good morning and happy Saturday. We’re having a little weekend break — so it’s just a roundup of the week today. Here goes…
We asked W42ST readers for their favorite wine bar in Hell’s Kitchen — and this is what they told us. Let’s raise a glass to all of these neighborhood establishments!
The Manhattan Community Boathouse has added Monday and Tuesday evening hours to their calendar — and they are around this weekend if you want to get cool on the river. It’s a great way to get in some exercise and see Hell’s Kitchen from the water.
The Annual Steve Olsen Run for Rogosin was founded by the owner of the West Bank Cafe. Steve is a kidney transplant recipient. This is the 12th year of the event — and this time it’s virtual.
Up until tomorrow (Sunday), you can put on your running/walking shoes, set out on the path (or treadmill) of your choice, and complete the 5K distance. Karin Schall accompanied Steve last weekend — “catching up and enjoying a beautiful Sunday morning in NYC,” she said. Sign up for the Run for Rogosin here…
The US Small Business Administration updated its list of Shuttered Venue grants this week. Another 50 local arts organizations have been collectively awarded over $100m from the federal government’s initiative. Read the highlights (from Playwrights Horizons to Russian Samovar) and full local list here…
Climate change has driven a week of heatwave advisories — and it’s been important to take care of those pandemic pups in the rising temperatures. Climate Central reported that when the air temperature reaches 77°F, asphalt surfaces can reach 125°F. That’s enough to burn human skin and is dangerous for the unprotected paws of your pet. As air temperatures rise, pavement gets much hotter in the sunlight. At 86°F, the surface temperature jumps to 135°F. At 87°F, only one degree more, the asphalt temperature rises to 143°F. Read more…
From Monday, August 23, NYC Ferry is starting a service from Hell’s Kitchen to Staten Island. The service expands the options for locals who want to use the ferry to commute or explore the 5 boroughs. Last month we reported on the NY Waterway weekend service sponsored by IKEA to let shoppers visit Red Hook in Brooklyn for free at weekends. Ride details here…
Two cool guys have set up shop in the old Cakes ‘n’ Shapes space on W51st Street. The neighborhood has gained two world-class specialty shops in one with the arrival of Rubber N’ Road — an establishment that celebrates global coffee and cycling gear. Read more…
It’s a week to celebrate wine — five Hell’s Kitchen restaurants have received prestigious Awards of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine. Read more…
New Yorkers were asked to limit their use of electricity — and Times Square Alliance made a special request for billboards to be dimmed — after successive days of excessive heat in the city. More here…
How’s your Excelsior Vaccination Pass experience been? Mine has been a little tortuous. I put the continued rejection down to me rushing to getting my first vaccination in the Bronx, and then transferring for my second jab to a Walgreens in midtown. Even though I tried every name combination — Phil or Philip, O’Brien with and without the apostrophe and zipcodes old and new — I was not going to get a pass.
However, discovering the zero-dollar invoice from Walgreens buried in a pile of papers on my desk has solved the problem. I am now the only PHILLLIP in the world with three L’s!
What next? Should I change my name or go into battle with the Excelsior folks?
W51st Street is becoming popular with film and TV crews. You might remember when Second Wave made their home on the street for several months during the pandemic. On Thursday, Blues Clues took up residence in the Hell’s Kitchen brownstone that we featured recently after artist Gwyneth Leech recorded its restoration. Thanks to Catie Savage for the pic!
What we’ve been reading
Distrikt Hotel on W40th Street heads towards foreclosure. (The Real Deal)
Suburban railroads will no longer require bike permits to ride the train. (Streetsblog)
How is the vaccine mandate going to be enforced around the city? (Grub Street)
NYC grew by over half a million people according to the 2020 Census — here’s a report into the work that went into finding and recording those folks. (Story Maps)
The Jazz Age Lawn Party is at Governors Island this weekend. (TimeOut)
Freeze Frame
Thanks to Peter Shankman for his stunning image from the top of One River Place on W42nd Street looking up the river. It kinda sums up this week when Hell’s Kitchen overheated! “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s been an honor. As the world ends in the next ten minutes, I want to thank you for allowing me into your lives,” said Peter — who’s undoubtedly a survivor!