I’ve been reading this week about Hell’s Kitchen superheroes. Back in 1932 when the McGraw-Hill building opened at 330 W42nd Street, Room 1010 was occupied by Timely Comics (which went on to become Marvel). If you didn’t know the story, this explains why Hell’s Kitchen features throughout the Daredevil series on Netflix. It was the view from their office window! Back when the Lincoln Tunnel was just a plan, that area was the center of Hell’s Kitchen, and was filled with an abattoir, an overhead railway, Paddy’s Market and low-cost housing.
Now, Daredevil is under some threat, fans have launched a #SaveDaredevil campaign after rights to the character reverted from Netflix back to Marvel Studios. Netflix canceled its Daredevil series in November 2018, and after a two-year wait, Marvel has regained control of the character in live-action form. Watch this space…
Last night, I binge-watched three hours of an online Hell’s Kitchen superhero series. I’m talking about the final episode of Manhattan Community Board 4’s 2020 schedule – a Full Board meeting. The series is available for streaming on YouTube (along with spin-offs like “Housing Health & Human Services Committee”).
It may be more like reading Tolstoy than watching Jessica Jones, but the characters are great and I am grateful for the service of these local folks who, after a day of work, will then sit on another zoom call to help make this area better for all of us.
SPOILER ALERT 1! The highlights of last night for me were hearing about the renovations of the Windermere Hotel on W57th Street and 9th Avenue (I’ll be writing a story on that), updates on how the NYPD Tow Pound at Pier 75 is finally getting handed back to benefit the Hudson River Park, and dissent on a letter adding more nit-picking restrictions to struggling restaurants trying to survive the winter.
SPOILER ALERT 2! My journalism training taught me to arrive early and stay to the end. If you cannot find the time to watch to the finale, I’ll share this with you. “The Waltons” ending of the session. Oh, Jeffrey… that yawn… 🤣
Thank you all for your superhero service in 2020!
If you’re not quite ready to join CB4, then how about giving blood? The city is in need, and if your holiday gift this year is donating, you might even get a gift back. Read on…
Here’s the final installment in the Rockefeller Center Tree soap opera.
SPOILER ALERT 3! It has a happy ending! The 50,000 LED lights look fabulous. Enjoy🎄
What we’ve been reading
It’s rumored that the first show to return to Broadway could be… Wait For It… Hamilton! (Page Six)
“Whatever rosy feelings I had about serving food and wine as some kind of calling have vanished” – so says one New York–based restaurant worker. (Alicia Kennedy)
Landlords have started taking small businesses to court over rent arrears. (The City)
How the COVID pandemic has made crossing New York’s streets even more hazardous for blind pedestrians. (New York Times)
How New Yorkers got their Christmas trees more than a century ago. (Ephemeral New York)
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