Good morning and happy Saturday. It will be hitting the mid-80s this weekend, with today being the hotter of the two days. Get out and enjoy this summer sun…

Dave’s Hot Chicken set up shop on 8th Avenue on Friday afternoon — and New Yorkers lined up to sample the “Reaper” hot food in the summer heat. Read more…

Dave's Hot Chicken

Here’s what has been happening in Hell’s Kitchen this week.

If you are looking for some shade, check out the new block of Bella Abzug Park which has just opened. Thanks to HYHK Alliance for continuing to add a little green to our concrete jungle. Read more…

Bella Abzug Park Block 4 1064

A serendipitous Facebook post, a shared love of song and after-rehearsal happy hours brought four disparate New Yorkers together to become the “Hell’s Kitchen Supremes” – the unofficial West Side contingent of the city’s Gotham Rock Choir. Read more…

Gotham Rock Choir

As sharks circle Rockaway Beach, a friendlier fin made an appearance on the Hudson River last weekend, with lucky kayakers capturing footage of several dolphins frolicking on the West Side on Sunday afternoon. Read more…

Dolphins Paddlers Hudson River

Tuesday would have been Julio Ramirez’s 26th birthday, his case remains unsolved. Nearly four months after his mysterious disappearance and death, family and friends celebrated his life and birthday. Read more…

Long Live Julio Ramirez 2022 photo

Remember Alex Ringler and his dress made from Target bags? Check out his new video in the 10th Avenue store.

Alex Ringler

It’s time to vote in the Democratic primary for New York District 12. We asked the three main candidates to tell us their West Side Stories. Check out what Carolyn Maloney, Jerry Nadler and Suraj Patel had to say.

Suraj Patel
Congressman Jerry Nadler
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney at Manhattan Plaza

But seriously, folks — Mayor Eric Adams announced the return of the New York Comedy Festival this fall, ahead of Carolines on Broadway’s 40th anniversary year. Read more…

Mayor Eric Adams and Caroline Hirsch launch New York Comedy Festival

Grammy Award-winning pop sensation Ed Sheeran is heading to the West Side this fall — and he’ll surely be bringing his Galway Girl along as he headlines this year’s Irish Arts Center anniversary gala. Read more…

Ed Sheeran Wembley 2017

A long-vacant MTA parking lot in Hell’s Kitchen is officially set to become affordable housing after the City Council voted to approve construction on The Lirio project — and Stile’s Farmers Market will be offered the retail space at the site. Read more…

The Lirio MTA Site on 9th Avenue and W54th Street Hell's Kitchen

There was outrage throughout the neighborhood a month ago when the New York City Districting Commission released their first draft map of new City Council districts. Under the proposal, Hell’s Kitchen would be split between three Council Members — currently, the majority of the area is represented by one, Erik Bottcher.

Check out the explainer video below to see what you can do in the next few days to protest this and make sure that Hell’s Kitchen remains whole. Activists have even rented a school bus to take locals to testify at Monday’s public hearing in Harlem. For more information head to onehellskitchen.org

Keep Hell's Kitchen Whole

Two new names are joining the roster of New York’s Off Broadway theaters – and the back stories of the West Side venues couldn’t be more different. One is pretty much a single man’s vision, while the other is a corporate project. Read more…

Al Tapper AMT Theater

This week, we asked Hell’s Kitchen restaurant owners for their reactions to Mayor Eric Adams’s announcement about the future of outdoor dining sheds. Read more…

Mayor Adams Outdoor Dining

There’s stargazing, speed dating, dirty dancing, Madonna… and so much more in Sarah’s “Make Way For The Weekend” newsletter. Check it out…

Stargazing High Line

What we’ve been reading

These New Yorkers would like the Mayor’s sledgehammer taken to all outdoor dining sheds. (The Village Sun)

Readings for Rushdie on the steps of the New York Public Library. (New York Daily News)

Has a secret billionaire saved Central Park’s Boathouse? (New York Post)

Did Trader Joe’s wine store close to keep the unions out? (Huffpost)

Empanada Mama brings its “big flavors in small packages” to the East Village. (What Now NY)

Freeze Frame

NYPD Traffic Cop Ticket

We always enjoy the @whatisnewyork “Friday Photo Dump”. This week’s included this snap by Ty O’Toole of an NYPD Traffic car parked in a bus lane on W42nd Street outside Port Authority with a ticket! There is justice…

Happy birthday to Stanford Friedman.