Happy Christmas Eve! Are you tuning in to It’s a Wonderful Life this evening?

The movie is being reenacted this year in Hell’s Kitchen by Tom and Michael D’Angora as they lead the fundraising for Steve Olsen at West Bank Cafe and Laurie Beechman Theater. The telethon starts tomorrow at midday with a HUGE guest list including everyone from Oscar winner Al Pacino to Tony legend Andre De Shields. Estimated run time — 9 hours!

Meanwhile, there was amazing news yesterday that one of Hell’s Kitchen’s oldest restaurants had been rescued from imminent closure by Dave Portnoy’s Barstool Fund. Connie Rogers, a member of the Schiattarella Family who started Mama Mia 44SW in Hell’s Kitchen back in 1971 made a video appeal for help this week — and her wishes were granted. A true George Bailey moment!


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Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a Grinch. This year that comes in the form of NYPD Traffic cops who have been ticketing and booting teachers on W52nd Street.

Local CBS2 reporter Dave Carlin spoke with outraged teachers at Blessed Sacrament School.

“We’ve been getting not just ticketed but booted and towed,” fourth grade teacher Kathryn Gomes said. She’s been hit with $500 worth of tickets, even though she has an official city placard and parks in a zone outlined by a sign that says “School Faculty.”


What we’ve been reading…

Mom and pop stores are not the only ones being affected by this pandemic, chains are shuttering too. (6sqft)

Here are two people moving to NYC — but will it last!? (New York Post)

NYPD are looking for a man who mugged an 88-year-old woman on Sunday lunchtime. (W42ST)

Looking back at how New York tackled a mass vaccination program in 1947. (New York Times)

They’ve announced the most popular New York baby names of 2020 – and it’s good to see that some things haven’t changed this year! (NBC)

Andrew Yang has filed papers and is now a “participant” in the race for New York City Mayor 2020. (W42ST)


Freeze Frame

This looks like the ideal Hell’s Kitchen apartment to snuggle up and watch It’s a Wonderful Life. Expect your doorbell to ring just before 8pm tonight, Denis Malinin.

Merry Christmas. We will be here tomorrow for a very brief Friday newsletter. Have fun today…