Viewing NYC Articles by Maggie Jeffers

This New York-Based Design Pair Blends Urban and Rural With NYC Water Tower Planters

2020-06-30T16:00:00-04:00

We all know that New York City is home to many architectural icons and renowned urban design. However nobody knows this better than design partners Tracy Ong and William Ngo, who came to the City to study architecture and interior design respectively. After completing a number of building design projects, both in the City and without, the pair have turned their attention to Etsy. Recently they've come up with a unique product that blends their appreciation for City architecture with their lesser-known appreciation for nature.

Through their shop TO+WN DESIGN Ong and Ngo have begun selling these mini NYC water tower planters.

Borrowing from the roof-scape of water towers across the city, the team launch pieces from their first Home Collection with "Water Towers". The collection consists of three water towers of varying sizes. Each is 3d printed in their studio and designed to contain soil and grow wheatgrass. The project attempts to overlay the warmth and beauty of nature with traditional icons of urban architecture.

The tower replicas are 3D printed in-office and are designed to contain soil for growing wheatgrass, showing purchasers that urban and natural life can in fact coexist. Check out their shop on Etsy to purchase one for your apartment.

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[REPOST] Union Square's "Mother Pigeon" Determined to Transform Popular Opinion Through Stuffed Birds

2019-11-20T16:00:00-05:00

For many New Yorkers, pigeons are a nuisance: dirty, thieving, and constantly in our paths. But artist and animal rights advocate Tina Piña Trachtenburg, better known as Mother Pigeon, is challenging this popular conception by making the oft-reviled creatures the subject of her art.

Originally from Texas, Trachtenburg moved to NYC in the late 1980s and was immediately taken with the flying city-dwellers. Now she carries a sack of bird feed with her wherever she goes, like a modern-day Mary Poppins "Bird Woman". Instead of moving people with song, however, she moves them with street art installations of her acrylic felt pigeon sculptures, which prove to any passersby that pigeons can be beautiful.

If you want to have your vision of pigeons revolutionized and catch Mother Pigeon living our her dreams, follow the artist on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and catch her in person regularly in Union Square Park.

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Photography Team Creates a Stunning 60-foot Mural of New York City Skyline

2017-02-15T13:00:00-05:00

Wife and husband photography team Donna Dotan and Brian Podnos created a 60-foot-long wall mural of the New York City skyline, featuring Citifield in sharp focus. If this seems like a difficult task to you, that's because it is; Dotan's photo is more than your regular iPhone panorama pic (as wonderful as those are). The shot required the use of a medium format camera and is comprised of seven panels, all stitched together seamlessly in the editing room.

Dotan got her start as an architectural photographer when her parents decided to sell their New York apartment; she was intrigued by the clarity and vibrancy of the professional real estate photos, and soon realized that this was the kind of work she wanted to do. Her husband Podnos joined the team, and the pair have since done beautiful shoots all over the City, from Madison Square Garden to Park Hyatt New York.

Last year, Dotan was commissioned to capture an image of the skyline from a new development project in Flushing, Queens. To create the final product, she and her team staked out on the fifteenth floor of the construction site with their pricy rental equipment, hoping that they would manage to get the shot during the fifteen-minute window of time they had: twilight. The project was a success, and every detail of our infamous skyline is visible in this incredible mural, pictured above.

Check out the full article at PetaPixel to learn more about how this feat was accomplished, or watch the behind-the-scenes video below.

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Brew at the Zoo To Bring Over Forty Beer Vendors to the Bronx Zoo

2016-09-28T10:37:05-04:00

Get a sneak preview of the Bronx Zoo's highly anticipated upcoming event Brew at the Zoo. Taking place on Saturday, October 29, the event brings over forty beer vendors and more than one hundred selections of beer to the zoo premises.

In addition to the beer samples, there will be food trucks, live music, costume contests, and, of course, animals. This is sure to be a memorable affair!

With the purchase of a VIP ticket, you'll also get access to our exclusive Glow in the Dark Party, plus a VIP area with premium beer and hors d'oeuvres.

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Watch These Little Girls Try On the Most Expensive Jewelry in New York City

2016-07-16T08:32:29-04:00

In this video from Harper's BAZAAR, five young girls pay a visit to the famous Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry store. They take turns trying on a variety of necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings, and are very pleased with the "fabulous" results.

This silly segment is sure to put a smile on your face!

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Battery Park to Undergo $4M Renovation

2016-07-08T09:14:30-04:00

The Battery Conservancy has big plans for Battery Park, which has been a staple playing location for many Downtown families, but suffered damage at the hands of Hurricane Sandy nearly four years ago.

The park is being turned into a "Playscape", which will triple the size of the current park and include new features such as elevated playhouses, "Adventure Bluffs" with slides of varying sizes, and the "Jewel Box", a space for children to perform their own theatrical shows.

The new and improved park will also have "rain gardens": added greenery that will help the park recover from floods and heavy rain. Get ready for a bigger and better Battery Park!

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President Obama Designates Manhattan's Stonewall Inn As America's First LGBTQ National Monument

2016-06-28T09:57:56-04:00

The Stonewall Inn is a small bar with a huge significance. Located on Christopher Street in the West Village, it served as a gathering place and safe haven for members of the LGBTQ community during a very homophobic time in America's history.

The Inn was also the site of the 1969 Stonewall Riots. What started as a protest against the frequent police raids turned into six days of rioting and demonstrations, and ultimately the beginning of the modern LGBTQ civil rights movement.

In recognition of the Stonewall Inn's crucial importance to our nation, and in response to the lack of LGBTQ American monuments, President Obama has designated the bar as a national monument.

This symbolic decision comes at a time when our nation is struggling to maintain its promise of equality for all, but also during a week in which NYC is celebrating its LGBTQ pride.

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Brooklyn Brunch Spot Creates Outrageous Chocolate Brioche

2016-06-25T06:48:33-04:00

In this video from our friends at INSIDER, get an in-depth look at the creation of an amazing chocolate-stuffed brioche. The delectable pastry is made by Clinton Hill brunch spot Tilda All Day.

The cafe was opened in part for chefs whose intense working hours normally prevent them from getting to experience the joys of brunch. Lucky for us, this decision to cater to chefs is reflected in Tilda All Day's exquisite menu, and in their stunning pastry creations.

Be sure to follow @tildaallday on Instagram for some drool-worthy photos!

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Photographer Creates Stunning NYC Nighttime Photography Series

2016-06-18T06:25:47-04:00

This is New York City as you've never seen it before--rather, as you've never seen it photographed before.

Multi-award winning photographer Franck Bohbot has created "Light On", a nighttime photography series featuring NYC street corners after hours. The series, which took nearly two years to produce, centers everything from landmarks such as the Apollo Theater and Katz's Deli to anonymous laundromats and storefronts as the symbols of New York's constant vivacity.

The photos evoke feelings of grandeur and romanticism, drawing from Bohbot's background in cinema.

Be sure to follow Franck Bohbot on his website, Facebook, Instagram and Behance for more.

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Mad. Sq. Eats Is Back In Full Force for the Spring 2016 Season, Is Not to be Missed

2016-05-02T13:34:53-04:00

(All photos by Suzy Jeffers for Viewing NYC)

Mad. Sq. Eats has returned to the Flatiron district, and it's better than ever. Located in Worth Square, the festival has clearly become a favorite of many New Yorkers: the crowd on opening day (April 30th) was massive and brimming with excitement.

Mad. Sq. Eats, which is put on biannually by Urbanspace and the Madison Square Park Conservancy, has earned its success. As always, this Spring's list of vendors is comprised of top-notch restaurants and chefs from all over the City. Newcomers and returning favorites alike set up shop in the park and thrilled festival-goers with delicious treats of the highest quality.

Here are some of the great selections from the Spring 2016 festival.

The Beatrice Inn forsook their fine dining West Village location for the streets, but absolutely maintained their high quality of food with Beatrice Burger.

This stand has the best burgers you'll ever taste, and easily solidified its position as one of the festival's standouts. The 45-day aged dry beef burger, served with red wine caramelized onions and d'Affinois cheese, offers all the complexity of flavor that its name promises. The "Animal Style" Burger--an off-menu option at The Beatrice Inn--is topped with a Smoked Thousand Island dressing and offers a slightly more savory but equally exquisite option. The meat from both burgers simply falls apart in your mouth. Meat aficionado and Chopped Champion Angie Mar has come prepared.

Flatiron District natives Ilili Box showed up ready to share their "inspired Mediterranean takeaway".

The Mediterranean flavors definitely shined in their dishes. The pork belly and pita with pickled vegetables was a perfect combination of textures and tastes: the tender meat mixed well with fragrant and fresh sides. The Phoenician Fries, topped with sumac salt and a noteworthy aleppo garlic whip, are not to be missed, and the Green Lemonade was the delicious kicker to this meal.

Chingdu Korean Ramen and BBQ was there with ramen, Bibimbap, and Korean Double Fried Chicken Wings, all available in a variety of inventive flavors.

The Mandoo Spicy Pork Dumplings certainly captured all the flavors of Korea in a single bite.

Red Hook Lobster Pound made it all the way from Brooklyn with their signature seafood.

The Maine Lobster Roll was vibrant both in color and in taste, and featured a perfect blend of textures. The lobster was fresh and springy and the homemade lemon mayo was light, while the scallions and toasty bread added crunch to the blend.

Ono Hut by AsiaDog was present exclusively for the Mad. Sq. Eats Spring 2016 season, serving up delicious Hawaiian-inspired treats.

The Ono Dog presented a New York classic with a twist: the hot dog was topped with a tangy slaw. It was an unusual combination, and Ono Hut pulled it off.

The health-and-taste-conscious Two Tablespoons came to the festival with their commitment to serve wholesome and delicious vegetarian options.

The Tofu, Quinoa, and Almond Milk Summer Roll was the perfect vehicle to transport the rich, nutritious ingredients from the table to your mouth in one bite. The tofu was creamy and satisfying, and the rice paper was silken and perfectly sticky.

As their name promised, The Cannibal Butcher and Beer came from their 29th Street location with a selection of meaty sandwiches and cold beers.

The Pigs Head Cuban was outrageously good, featuring succulent pig's head, Vermont ham, and melted Gruyere between a toasted flat bun. This sandwich achieved the perfect balance of meat and bread, despite the intimidating name.

Arancini Bros. was back with their famous Sicilian Rice Balls.

The Ragu and Pizza Balls delivered the taste of Italy inside a perfectly crusted exterior, and the Nutella Ball gave its delicious filling new life in this creative dessert.

Masa, the new concept from Jicama "California Street Food", inhabited a small stand, but there was nothing small about their flavors.

The Spicy Chicken Tamales were an absolute standout at this festival. The corn-based masa exterior had a perfect starchy texture and sweet taste without overdoing it in either of those areas. The spicy shredded chicken, chili dusted avocados, and jalapeños created multiple layers of spice, which added maturity to this delicious dish.

Macaron Parlour never fails to excite and delight.

The Strawberry Macaron was exquisite, delicate, and sweet, and the Candied Bacon With Maple Cream Cheese kept the magnificence of the macaron while adding a fun twist. The cookies were a wonderful maple flavor, and there was a surprise nugget of candied bacon in the center of the dessert.

Finally, Ice & Vice and Squish Marshmallows caused quite a stir with their sweet treat combos and unique flavorings.

The Detention Ice Cream Sandwich flavor--a malted vanilla, Mexican chocolate brownie, and fruity pebble dust mixture available only at Mad. Sq. Eats--was seriously delicious, and the handcut Birthday Party Marshmallow, torched behind the counter to give it a bit of a burnt flavor, was melt-in-your-mouth and fluffy.

These are only a small selection of the vendors that have set up shop at this Spring's Mad. Sq. Eats. Check out the event page for the complete lineup of restaurants and chefs.

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