Good morning and happy Friday. We’re taking a long weekend — so today you’re getting the weekly roundup a day early. We’ll be back on Tuesday.
We spent yesterday checking in to see how everyone had coped with the visit of Ida. Luckily, Hell’s Kitchen was not hit as badly as other parts of the city. Over at Scruffy Duffy’s they had a small flood — but regulars and staff took it in their stride as they played Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head.
One local restaurant owner shared his experience: “We were very lucky last night and escaped any damage and we did not experience any flooding. However, it never ceases to amaze me that some people will call when their delivery is 10 minutes late during a hurricane when the outdoor weather is most comparable to an automatic car wash set to turbo: ‘Hi there! UberEats said my delivery would be here at 8pm and now it is 8:10pm… Do you know how much longer it will be??’ If anything shakes my faith in the continued survival of our species, it is phone calls like those.”
We are republishing a report from our friends at THE CITY. The record-breaking deluge that pummeled the city overnight Wednesday revealed weaknesses in the city’s infrastructure and planning following the second historic weather event in less than two weeks. More here…
Also, national television meteorologist and author Bonnie Scheider lives in Hell’s Kitchen and saw first hand the devastating effects of Hurricane Ida earlier this week. She gave us her take on how our weather is changing — and what it could mean for the future of New York. Read here…
Our hearts go out to all those New Yorkers less fortunate than us.
It describes itself as a “hybrid fast-casual ghost kitchen created by locals for neighbors” — so let’s offer a neighborly hello to Swift Eats: Hell’s Kitchen! You’ll find the newly opened eatery on 9th Avenue, sandwiched between Vivi Bubble Tea and Dalton’s, in the space previously occupied by Chimichurri Grill that shuttered during the pandemic. Details here…
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Here’s what’s been happening this week in Hell’s Kitchen.
Last Sunday, we warned to keep the storm drains clear. Maybe that’s the reason HK came off so lightly with Ida! Although we’re not doing the newsletter until Tuesday, W42ST will still be active on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook through the holiday weekend.
The 2020 census held some surprising news for New York City. The City’s population, thought for years to be in decline, had actually grown significantly since 2010. NYC added around 629,000 residents in the past decade, defying predictions that the city was shrinking.
With a third of Hell’s Kitchen rent burdened and the neighborhood population up, Jeremiah Johnson questions where are the homes?
Uncle Mario’s Brick Oven Pizza on the corner of 9th Avenue and W50th Street has closed its doors after 15 years. Owner Mario Abitino told us high rents meant that he shuttered the popular Hell’s Kitchen pizzeria. More here…
Jon Stewart said goodbye to The Daily Show and Hell’s Kitchen six years ago. Now he’s set to return to television later this month with The Problem With Jon Stewart — and he’s recording the first episodes of the show on W57th Street. More here…(including how to get tickets)
We attended the NYC Tourism is Back celebration at One World Observatory this week. Hell’s Kitchen neighbor André De Shields made a grand entrance. He’s such a wonderful man and exudes everything that’s great about New York and Broadway. Last night, he was back on stage as Hadestown reopened on W48th Street.
New mural alert! Check out the fresh art at Cafe Grind on W43rd Street and 9th Avenue. “One Day at a Time” by Jason Naylor.
After 9/11, a small band of gardeners started planting daffodils in public spaces as an act of healing and hope … 20 years on, more than 20 million blooms have stood as a testament to their faith. The very first planting happened in DeWitt Clinton Park, a site selected because families had come to the Family Assistance Center at Pier 94 in Hell’s Kitchen to gather and wait for information about their missing loved ones. More here…
For a city that considers itself the capital of nightlife, New York has held on to some unusually stringent laws around dancing — but that may soon change. Plans are underway to repeal the last remnants of the city’s antiquated Cabaret Law.
Jacqui Squatriglia, the owner of Flaming Saddles which is famed for its dancing bartenders, told us: “NYC is the most vibrant city in the world! It represents freedom… We all deserve the freedom to dance… To me, dance equals happiness — and that is what we need more of… Let us dance, let us be free, and let us be happy… All and everybody! 5, 6, 7 and 8!” More here…
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Summer is drawing to a close and Labor Day is the last chance for New Yorkers to sit out on The Green at Lincoln Center. More here…
Welcome back to The Brazen Tavern on W44th Street between 9/10th Avenue. They reopened on Tuesday evening. “We’re ready for you! Our kitchen is not yet open — we’re working out the kinks on a menu that brings back old favorites and introduces new delights, but we’d love to get you a drink,” they said. The bar is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 4pm to 2am. Sláinte!
The Theatre Development Fund announced that they will be reopening their TKTS booth under the red steps in Times Square. During its 18 month closure, the landmark location has served as a barometer of New York life. Check out our story and photo/video gallery of the iconic red steps during the pandemic.
Charlamagne Tha God is following in the footsteps (and billboard space) of Jon Stewart and Trevor Noah on 11th Avenue. The host of The Breakfast Club radio show is launching his new Comedy Central series, Tha God’s Honest Truth, in Hell’s Kitchen this month. More here…
With the highly contagious Delta variant still spreading, many employers are slowing down their return-to-office plans. A survey completed by the Partnership for New York City between August 9 and 20 found that only 41% of Manhattan office workers will return to their workplace by September 30, down from a projection of 62% in a similar survey done by the organization in late May. More here…
What we’ve been reading
New York is seeing an uptick in tourism. (Market Watch)
New York’s eviction moratorium has been extended until 2022. (Bisnow)
If there’s a list of outstanding pies across the US, you just know Little Pie Company is going to be in there. (Robb Report)
The city is buzzing about NYPD’s new head beekeeper. (New York Post)
Tales of Hudson Yards, a diner and birds… (Splice Today)
Freeze Frame
Stephen Webber, the boss of the Power Station at Berklee NYC, launched their new campus yesterday. “Energy is off the charts as we welcome the first cohort of exceptionally talented students,” he said after the first day of orientation.
Happy birthday to Danny Fishman, Charles Sammann, Isaac Halpern, John Harrison and Geert DeBecker.