Good morning and happy Wednesday. Did you have a good sleep? Winter Solstice also brings us the longest night of the year…

If the long testing lines and the cascade of Broadway show closures brought awareness of the severity of the Omicron variant — the data released yesterday by the city more starkly illustrated the exponential growth of COVID in our neighborhood. In other news, one gay bar has decided to cancel its drag shows! Details here…


Somehow, some way — we’ve made it to the end of 2021! In a year that felt simultaneously lightning-fast and (at times) excruciatingly slow, we’ve arrived at another holiday gift-giving season. Despite the uncertainty of the current moment, there is still plenty of reason for joy, and the simple act of gifting your friends and family with tokens of cheer is a reliable way to keep spirits bright. But if your usual holiday shopping routine has evaded you this year, fear not — we have a last-minute Hell’s Kitchen gift guide that will help you to support neighborhood businesses while checking everyone off on your list! Details here…


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What we’ve been reading

Six adds to the lengthening list of Broadway shows closed until after Christmas. (Broadway News)

Thousands of New York homeless are bussed to new locations after contract dispute. (Eyewitness News)

Did SantaCon really contribute to the surge in COVID cases? (EV Grieve)

Trevor Noah is suing a local hospital for negligence. (NBC)

That’s one way to stay socially distanced during the pandemic — paddle across America. (New York Times)


Freeze Frame

It’s great to see that work is finally underway on Pier 97 (at the end of W57th Street). We reported back in June that Hudson River Park was to begin work this summer with a planned opening of the pier next fall. Onward…

Happy birthday to Elizabeth Moss.