Good morning and welcome to the weekend. The rain is going to be with us all day today (with thunderstorms forecast at lunchtime). However, Sunday will be sunny and mid-70s — so a better day for hanging out at the 9th Avenue Food Festival (a rain-or-shine event!).
Hell’s Kitchen has one less smoke shop — after a landlord took court action against tenants who had converted their deli into an illicit weed store. Read more…

Here’s the rest of the news from Hell’s Kitchen this week…
New York’s finest farm ingredients find their way to the table at classic burger joint Creamline, Hell’s Kitchen’s newest arrival! Read more…

Lawyer-turned-social media manager Wesley Pedroso moved from Brazil to Hell’s Kitchen in 2019 and has fallen for the neighborhood —“I love the sense of community and the local businesses,” he says. Read Wesley’s West Side Story…

There’s sad news for homesick Indonesians and Hell’s Kitchen foodies — the much-loved Warkop NYC has left Hell’s Kitchen for Greenpoint, Brooklyn, after delighting West Siders with traditional coffee and cafe shop cuisine for just over a year. Read more…

Texan Pamela Milam helps choose great reads for book clubs nationwide. She loves living in Hell’s Kitchen – “It’s the best of both worlds.” Read Pamela’s West Side Story…

W52nd Street restaurant enthusiasts mourning Warkop’s closure, Casellula’s demise and a fire shutting down the popular Danji may grieve further at the news that well-loved French cafe La Bergamote has shut its doors. But there’s light at the end of the side street, because the team behind Ardesia Wine Bar is planning to replace La Bergamote with a new daytime cafe that will keep the corridor humming with hospitality. Read more…

If you ask a local where to get your nails done, they’ll probably reply “Nam’s Nails”. Tibetan-born entrepreneur Nam Tsering has built a loyal following of clients in her near decade in Hell’s Kitchen. We caught up with Nam and daughters Pempa and Namgail as the family-run, woman-owned business celebrated its first weeks at a new 10th Avenue location. Read more…

We’re getting many emails about issues with bikes on sidewalks, motorized scooters in bike lanes along with use and abuse of the new 9th Avenue “super sidewalk”. Hit reply and tell us what you think — and your ideas for solutions to these problems. We’ll pull together a story…

Here’s news that’s fresh out of the oven — after 11 years in the neighborhood, Hell’s Kitchen’s favorite cookie shop Schmackary’s plans to expand its fanciful treat offerings across the US. Read more…

The refurbishment of Hell’s Kitchen Park’s sports area is back on track following delays caused by poor weather and infrastructure issues. Read more…

Check out Sarah’s latest edition of “Make Way for the Weekend” for ideas of what to do around New York. Read more…

We got a first look at Taylor Swift: Storyteller at the Museum of Art and Design at Columbus Circle. It’s a chance to peek into the eclectic wardrobe of one of the world’s most popular singer-songwriters. Read more…

Yes, when you cross Hell’s Kitchen this weekend, you will discover the 9th Avenue Food Festival in full swing from W42nd Street up to W57th Street. It’s open (and the streets are closed) from 10am-6pm. We will be roaming the event with cameras in hand — and you can follow what’s going on via our social media on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Meanwhile, check out the history of the festival to whet your appetite. See you there…

Next week we are celebrating 10 years of Citi Bike in New York. What are your favorite memories of using the service? This is one of mine, taking a ride on a deserted snowy West Side bike path back in December 2013. Hit reply or email sarah@w42st.com. Ride safely…

What we’ve been reading
United is ending services from Westchester Airport. (CBS)
This New Yorker used ChatGPT to contest his parking ticket successfully!(Fast Company)
Record breaker rode the whole of the NYC Subway system in less than 24 hours. (NY1)
What NYC could achieve if it repurposed 3 million parking spaces… (City Limits)
The initial lineup for free summer concerts at Hudson Yards has been announced. (Brooklyn Vegan)
Freeze Frame

Congratulations to Tommy Williams, “everyone’s favorite bartender” at Scruffy Duffy’s, who graduated yesterday. Go and buy him a pint!
Happy birthday this weekend to Joe Sallabi, Hope Kaye and Heather Weiss.