Viewing NYC Articles by Matt Coneybeare

[WATCH] The best long bike route in New York City

2026-10-14T12:00:00-04:00

This video showcases the Brooklyn-Queens Greenway, a 40-mile bike route that prioritizes serene spaces and protected lanes over battling city traffic. The route begins on the boardwalk of Coney Island in Brooklyn and travels northeast through 13 parks to end in the very north of Queens. Highlights include the historic Ocean Parkway bike path, the scenic Prospect Park (passing the Brooklyn Museum), the tranquil Forest Park, and Flushing Meadows Corona Park, home to the iconic Unisphere and the Queens Museum. Riders will also traverse the old Vanderbilt Motor Parkway and finish at the historic Fort Totten Park, enjoying diverse neighborhoods, cultural institutions, and iconic landmarks along the way.

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[VIDEO] How Brooklyn’s Best Jerk Chicken is Made

2026-10-13T12:00:00-04:00

Chef Niki Gordon of Irie Jerk in Brooklyn demonstrates how to prepare authentic Jamaican jerk chicken, emphasizing the importance of proper cleaning and a thorough 24-48 hour marinade. The marinade includes a blend of dry seasonings like ground allspice, ginger, and garlic, complemented by a wet blend of fresh scallions, scotch bonnet peppers, pimento peppers, and Sorrel drink for a unique tang. The chicken is then slow-cooked on custom-built barrel grills over lump charcoal, infused with pimento berries to replicate the traditional Jamaican pimento wood smoke flavor, ensuring it is cooked thoroughly and moist, not dry. They prepare hundreds of pounds daily, opening six days a week, with plans to expand to seven to meet demand.

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[WATCH] NYC's Biggest Spanish Food Destination

2026-10-12T12:00:00-04:00

In this Eater video, chefs José Andrés and Nico López showcase the vibrant culinary traditions of Spain at Mercado Little Spain, a sprawling Spanish food hall in New York City. The market features multiple restaurant concepts, bars, and kiosks under one roof, offering everything from a steakhouse with dry-aged rib-eye and traditional suckling lamb (the only place in NYC to get this dish), to a lively tapas bar with classics like gazpacho, croquetas de pollo, and braised ibérico pork cheeks. Guests can also enjoy specialties ranging from freshly sliced jamón, churros, and paella Valenciana cooked from scratch over an open fire, recreating a little Spain in the heart of the city.

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[VIDEO] A Day Making NYC’s Most Viral Burritos

2026-10-11T12:00:00-04:00

Chef Annisha Garcia, co-owner of Son Del North in New York City's West Village, takes viewers behind the scenes of her viral burrito shop. Known for selling up to 10,000 burritos weekly, including their internet-famous bean-and-cheese burrito, the restaurant draws inspiration from Garcia's childhood in Tijuana and Northern Mexican grilling traditions. The video showcases a day of intense food preparation, from cooking massive batches of beans and Son Del North's signature green salsa to grilling various proteins like chicken and steak, and mashing fresh guacamole. It highlights the efficient assembly line production needed to fulfill high-volume lunch rushes and catering orders, emphasizing the dedication and teamwork involved in crafting these highly sought-after burritos.

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[WATCH] The Vanderbilts Built Something Under New York in 1899 — And Why Nobody Can Visit

2026-10-10T12:00:00-04:00

This video explores the hidden underground network beneath Grand Central Terminal in New York City, a massive project initiated by the Vanderbilt family in 1899. Initially conceived as a way to electrify rail lines and bury the train yards, the project expanded into a sprawling subterranean 'Terminal City.' This invisible infrastructure includes hidden power stations like M42, which was so secret during WWII that guards had shoot-on-site orders, and private platforms like Track 61, notably used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to discreetly enter and exit the city via the Waldorf Astoria without public visibility. The video reveals how this intricate web of tunnels, passages, and sub-basements connected numerous surrounding buildings, allowing the city's powerful elite to move unseen, and questions why much of this historical network remains undocumented and inaccessible to the public over a century after its construction.

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[VIDEO] How New York City Housing Actually Worked

2026-10-08T12:00:00-04:00

This documentary delves into the historical evolution of housing in New York City, tracing its roots from modest Dutch settlements to the dense metropolis it became. It explains how the 1811 Manhattan grid system initially spurred the popularity of efficient row houses, but a population boom, fueled by the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825, led to severe overcrowding. Property owners began to maximize profits by subdividing existing buildings into tiny, airless, and windowless apartments, known as tenements. These "lung blocks," notorious for spreading diseases like tuberculosis, starkly contrasted with the spacious, light-filled homes of the wealthy elite just a few streets away. The video highlights how reformer and photographer Jacob Riis exposed these squalid conditions, leading to public outcry and the eventual passage of the Tenement House Acts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which mandated improvements like running water, indoor toilets, and windows in every room. While many old tenements were torn down, some still stand today, adapted into small studios, reflecting a continuous, albeit less visible, divide in the city's housing landscape.

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[WATCH] This Historic 110-Year-Old NYC Business Is Shutting Down

2026-10-07T12:00:00-04:00

Step inside the final days of American Wood Column Co., a historic family business in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, that is closing its doors after 110 years. Owner Thomas Lupo, whose grandfather started the company, reflects on its long legacy, the unique architectural woodworking they've performed using molds over two centuries old, and why it's time to retire. The factory has provided bespoke columns, decorative moldings, and other ornate wooden pieces for countless projects, from Best & Co. department store to sets for Saturday Night Live and even the Corleone grave in The Godfather. Lupo fondly remembers the close-knit neighborhood of his youth and his family's deep connection to the business, which served as a constant throughout his life, and expresses his hope for a graceful closure.

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[VIDEO] What It Was Like Living in a House in New York in 1900

2026-10-06T12:00:00-04:00

This video, using AI reconstruction, offers a glimpse into daily life in New York City in 1900, just two years after its five boroughs were consolidated. It contrasts the opulent, electrified mansions of Fifth Avenue with the crowded, windowless tenement bedrooms of the Lower East Side. The documentary explores the intricate details of tenement life, including "railroad flats," cold-water taps, cast-iron coal ranges, wooden iceboxes, and shared water closets, where a quarter of a million Jewish, Italian, Irish, and German immigrants resided. It highlights the work of journalist Jacob Riis, whose photographs in How the Other Half Lives exposed these conditions. The video also covers the middle-class brownstone rowhouses of Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, and the Upper West Side, detailing their domestic staff and the emerging "national cuisine." It visits bustling locations like the pushcart markets of Hester Street, German bakeries in Kleindeutschland near Tompkins Square, and oyster cellars on Canal Street, showcasing the city's diverse foodscape. The film concludes on the cusp of the New Tenement House Act of 1901, foreseeing the electrification and modernization that would transform New York's domestic interiors and urban landscape.

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[WATCH] Action Bronson Live at Katz's Deli

2026-10-05T12:00:00-04:00

The video features a live concert by Action Bronson and the Human Growth Hormone band at the iconic Katz's Delicatessen on New York City's Lower East Side. The deli, established in 1888, served as a unique venue for the performance and is celebrated for its rich history and traditional deli fare. Before the show, Action Bronson and his bassist, Nick Coleman, sat down with owner Jake Dell to discuss the deli's legacy, its famous pastrami and turkey sandwiches, and the vibrant atmosphere it offers to its diverse clientele. The event highlights the blend of food, music, and local culture that defines Katz's, making it a legendary space for both dining and entertainment.

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[VIDEO] Why the Bronx Zoo is unlike any other zoo in America

2026-10-03T12:00:00-04:00

Discover the unique story of the Bronx Zoo in this revealing documentary. Hidden in plain sight within New York City, this institution is not just a place to see animals; it's a global leader in wildlife conservation. The video explores its origins more than a century ago, highlighting the vision of pioneers like William Temple Hornaday, and its pivotal role in protecting endangered species, such as the American bison, from extinction. Home to approximately 11,000 animals across 600 species, this urban oasis offers a rare opportunity to experience wildlife in naturalistic habitats. The film also delves into the Wildlife Conservation Society's broader impact, overseeing five parks across New York City's boroughs and operating conservation programs in over 50 countries worldwide. From its historic Rainey Memorial Gates to its groundbreaking educational initiatives and ongoing rescue efforts, the Bronx Zoo stands as a testament to how a zoo can be a world within a city, leaving a lasting legacy in wildlife protection and research.

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