Watch-Blog
One-time Open-air Trolley Waiting Room Still a Good Spot to Rest & Enjoy View
By Claudie Benjamin It may be a bit odd to consider now, but before the 1960s raised concerns about security, waiting rooms, hotel lobbies and department store lounges were commonplace. Some were for the public, others intended for “ladies” were common in New York...
Horses Will Live to Neigh Another Day
Many were horrified when the loved, but worn horses (sometimes called llamas by residents because they were missing so many features due to years of neglect) by artist Costantino Nivola were unceremoniously removed from the playscape at Stephen Wise Towers. In an...
The New David Geffen Hall is Coming
By Sarah McCully The home of the New York Philharmonic has undergone many facelifts over the years, but its latest redesign is nearly ready to be revealed. On Wednesday, Lincoln Center announced that the long-awaited renovation of David Geffen Hall would be...
Magic of Elegantly Designed eBikes
By Claudie Benjamin People often want or need an extra boost, and the possibility of biking to a destination without being sweaty. Also, it’s not unusual for orthopedists and cardiologists to consult with Lou Jacob, Sales Manager of Trek at 231 West 96th Street and...
People, Their Passions and Buildings are a Large Part of What Defines a Neighborhood
By Claudie Benjamin Hicks Stone is a NYC-based architect and author of Edward Durell Stone: A Son’s Untold Story of a Legendary Architect (Rizzoli: 2011). Recently talking about the influences on his famous father's work, Hicks said, "Dad lived in the Torre...
Who or what is Gladys Glover?
By Claudie Benjamin Loopholes have been the name of the billboard game from the 1940s when government policy was enacted to limit this form of advertising within the city and along highways. But, although many billboards were not taken down in Columbus Circle, as one...
Ever-expanding and Kaleidoscopic Change
By Claudie Benjamin Columbus Circle has been a moving target for decades with its character and the geography of its traffic routes changing over time. In the early 1940s, artist Henry E. Schnakenberg (1892-1970) who then lived on West End Avenue, captured the...
Think Local First: The Ukrainian Cathedral of St. Volodymyr in NY
LW! Supports our Ukrainian Neighbors and Friends The ongoing aggressions in the Ukrainian region have underscored the interconnected nature of our lives and the fragility of our collective whole as humans. While headlines sometimes feel far away, there are always...
Joyfully Using American Sign Language
By Claudie Benjamin When Lora Heller's two sons who are now in their early 20s were only six months old, they were using American Sign Language to communicate. Neither one was Deaf or hard of hearing, but as a board-certified music therapist with a master’s degree...
Barsotti: Hero who Cared about Cultural Heritage
By Claudie Benjamin Christopher Columbus may have his statue up in the middle of Columbus Circle, but he is a myth, not a hero. The real man, as all school children have come to know, was horrific in many ways. Earlier generations were taught admiringly and...
