Come with me as I explore New York City's Newtown Creek. Newtown Creek is one of the most heavily polluted industrial waterways in the United States, but that didn't stop me from wanting to venture into the area via kayak. This creek separates Brooklyn and Queens and connects to the East River. In 2010 Newtown Creek was officially designated as a Superfund site and is scheduled to be cleaned up by the EPA in 2032. Organizations like the Newtown Creek Alliance have also been formed to revitalize and improve the creek. Despite the heavy contamination, there were many interesting sights to see along the way and it was a unique experience.

Our friends at Great Big Story recently put together drool-inducing video collection showing off five unique stories about food and restaurants in New York City. Check it out!

New York might be the city that never sleeps, but it’s definitely the city that eats. On today’s menu, bite into chopped cheese sandwiches, rare and decadent truffles, Cuban-Chinese cuisine and so much more.

In 1992, 14-year-old Fernando Ponce Sosa immigrated from Mexico to New York City in search of opportunity. Hailing from a family of bakers, he took an entry level job at Kam Hing Bakery, a longstanding institution in Chinatown. There, he trained under Mr. Tsang, the founder of Kam Hing whom Fernando lovingly refers to as “xi fu,” Cantonese for “master.” After nearly 20 years of working at Kam Hing, Fernando became fluent in Cantonese and an expert in the art of making sponge cakes. In 2020, with the encouragement and blessing of Mr. Tsang, he opened Spongies Cafe.

Follow along to watch how Fernando and his wife, Sasinee, run Spongies Cafe seven days a week. His customers include Chinatown locals who have known him since he was a teenager, eager tourists who make time in their trip to try his famous sponge cakes and New Yorkers traveling across boroughs to try his pastries. Over the years he has become a local celebrity, but despite all the buzz and attention, Fernando is only focused only on two things: innovating his sponge cake flavors and serving the Chinatown community he says has adopted him as their own.