Happy Happy Monday. It doesn’t seem like three weeks that I’ve been away — and even after all that preparation time, I was still up until midnight last night getting everything ready for our daily comeback!
If you want to hear about my healthcare adventures (and discover the cost of a vacation heart attack complete with a helicopter ride) — the details are all here!
Back to business! I’m feeling at 100% and we’re ready to launch the 2nd Annual W42ST Best of Awards — sponsored by Wells Fargo with support from HYHK Alliance and The Durst Organization.
The W42ST Best Of Awards 2021 are different — this community is the very special judging panel. YOU nominate and award the winners. Last year, our community of 35,000 strong picked the neighborhood favorites. It’s time to do it again!
Nominations are open and you can make your choices across seven categories:
Best Bar
Best Place to Eat
Best Place to Work Out
Best Coffee Shop
Best Retail Store
Best Service Provider (e.g. nail salons, dog walkers, dentists, etc)
Best Newcomer (businesses that opened since March 2020)
The first round of nominations for the W42ST Best of Awards 2021 will officially close at 5pm on Monday, November 22. Your votes will lead to the shortlists for each category. After that, we’ll hold a final vote across all seven categories.
Now tell us about your absolute favorite places on the west side!
Suzy Darling might have pocket-sized bars, but she’s always thinking big. When she reached out to world-renowned artist fnnch, she didn’t hold out much hope of getting him to create a mural at the Back Pocket Bar, but she succeeded! See the results and read the story.
If you need an excuse to go take a look, then the Back Pocket Bar is hosting Sexy Bingo this evening from 6-8pm at their W49th Street home.
SPONSORED POST

What we’ve been reading
It’s true — your bus ride is definitely taking longer. (amNY)
A restaurant worker shares their views on outdoor dining. (Politics NY)
Records were broken in September as US workers rushed to quit their jobs. (New York Times)
Good news — crime on the subway is on a downturn. (New York Post)
These amazing 19th century images conjure up a very different New York City. (Newsweek)
Freeze Frame

Congratulations to Brian Costello and Rachel Hoffman on their engagement. Saying it with Scrabble (with Jamaica as the venue) seemed to do the trick for Rachel to say “I Do”!