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NYC To Install 7 Miles Of A Special Kind Of Pavement To Combat Flooding
We’ve seen time and time again heavy rain to bring substantial flooding to NYC–these photos and videos blew our minds back in September of last year–and NYC officials have just unveiled their plan to combat flooding: porous pavement. The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Department of Design and Construction (DDC) have announced that “work is underway to install seven miles of porous pavement along area roadways to help better manage stormwater and reduce flooding and sewer overflows,” according to a press release. Unlike traditional asphalt, porous pavement allows stormwater to pass through and be absorbed naturally into the ground. This means that stormwater drains that lead into the sewer system aren’t as necessary, which in turn will help prevent flooding, sewer backups into homes and businesses, and overflows into waterways. The porous pavement, which can withstand the weight of motor vehicles, will be installed along street curb lines where stormwater typically drains. It can prevent millions of gallons of stormwater from overwhelming the sewer system annually.
A Sonic Drive-Through Has Opened In NYC For The First Time Ever
Though fast food chain Sonic already had two locations in NYC–South Williamsburg and Long Island City–what neither of those locations had was a drive-through. And yes, while we know most people in NYC don’t even have a driver’s license let alone a car, NYC’s first Sonic drive-through has made its way to Brooklyn. The new location features both drive-thru and dine-in service with seating for up to 20 people. Plus, hungry guests can place an order online or through the SONIC App to beat the wait. Patch writes that franchise partner Jonathan Gensler stated: We are so excited to continue to expand SONIC’s presence in the Metro New York City area with this new location. The Brooklyn SONIC will offer everything our customers know and love with the added convenience of a drive-thru to enjoy their meals on-the-go. Our team’s looking forward to serving the community both within and beyond our restaurant doors for years to come.
This Is The Reason NYC Is So F&%*ing Hot Right Now
Each year when the summer hits many New Yorkers pack their bags and wave sayonara to the city, and they do so for one reason: to escape the scorching heat. As we profusely sweat through the third heat wave of what is one of the hottest summers of our lifetime, we’re just over here wondering “why is NYC so damn hot?!” Four words for you: urban heat island effect. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, urban heat islands are “are urbanized areas that experience higher temperatures than outlying areas.” When natural land covers are replaced with dense concentrations of pavement, buildings, and other surfaces they absorb and retain heat and then re-emit the sun’s heat more than natural landscapes, making these areas hotter than rural environments.
5 Cent Hot Dogs Are Back At Nathan’s For Today Only
After recently hosting the annual Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, Nathan’s is back with even more summer fun by dropping franks down to their original price of 5 cents, like they were in 1916. For context, the beloved hot dog typically puts you out about $5 in today’s age. Hot dog lovers can take advantage of this deal on Nathan’s Famous regular hot dogs today only, Wednesday, July 17th, from 11am – 1pm at participating Nathan’s locations. It’s all in celebration of National Hot Dog Day which was first established in 1991 by the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council—yes, that’s a real thing. Participating nearby Nathan’s locations include: See the full list here.
Try Our Secret, Off-Menu Cocktail Now Available At Bandits—& It’s Only $10
Whether you’re looking to impress a date or simply your tase buds, we know just where to recommend! From Wednesday, July 17th until Saturday, August 17th, New Yorkers can order an off-menu cocktail at Bandits known as the Secret Mai Tai. A confidential blend of rum pairs perfectly with Aperol, coconut, allspice and lime to make you feel like your on vacation mode even though you haven’t left the city. At Bandits, guests can dance beneath the disco ball or cozy into a booth with a cutie, all within the walls of its retro meets tiki bar interior. So what makes the Secret Mai Tai so secret? Well, besides not being found anywhere on the menu, there’s also an exciting upgrade you can add by supersizing it to serve a group. The extra large version comes served in funky hula girl glasses, ON FIRE.
A Blazing 38,000MPH Meteor Lights Up Sky Above Statue Of Liberty, NASA Reports
If you were among those who heard a loud boom between 10am and noon on Tuesday, July 16th, no it wasn’t an alien invasion (though we’re only two hours away from the UFO capital of the East Coast), but what NASA’s claimed to be a “fireball” or meteor passing over NYC. According to the NASA Meteor Watch on Facebook, the knowledge of the meteor’s trajectory is very rudimentary due to no currently available camera or satellite data. But with the help of eye witnesses and the American Meteor Society, they’ve been able to come to an understanding. NASA originally estimated “that the fireball was first sighted at an altitude of 49 miles above Upper Bay (east of Greenville Yard).” From there, they believed the meteor passed over the Statue of Liberty after moving a little east of North and descending at 18 degrees from vertical, where it finally disintegrated 29 miles above Midtown, Manhattan. With additional data coming in, NASA since believes that the meteor originated in New York City and moved west over Jersey. From the data collected, the meteor was moving at an update speed of 38,000 miles per hour.
Here’s Why NYC Has Never Hosted The Olympics—& Probably Won’t Anytime Soon
Since the first Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, NYC has never once hosted the worldwide tournament. Other U.S. cities such as Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, and Georgia have hosted the games, and even Lake Placid, New York was home to the 1980 & 1932 Winter Olympics, but never the city of New York. So why is that and will NYC ever be home to the Olympic rings? Let’s get into it! NYC made a bid to host the 2012 Olympics (along with Madrid, Moscow and Paris) but got beat out by London. And though the bid was unsuccessful, the infrastructure plans set forth for hosting the event were still brought to fruition for the most part. For example, without the Olympic rezoning efforts from 2012, Hudson Yards would not be the booming neighborhood it is today, nor would we have Hunter’s Point South Park or most likely the extension of the 7 train. On many accounts, London was described to have a stronger final presentation and lobbying to win the bid over NYC. London already had much of the transportation and infrastructure to host the games, whereas NYC required many new builds.
10 Fantastic Kid-Friendly Day Trips From NYC To Plan This Summer
With school officially being out for summer, you may be thinking about a new way to entertain your kid in the city! Sure there’s so many great things to do with kids in NYC, but why not try something a little beyond city limits? We put together a list of family-friendly day trip ideas that are just a short drive or train ride away, and which range from awesome museums to thrilling amusement rides. Here’s our guide of best day trip adventures to plan with your children near NYC: Spend a day at New Jersey’s American Dream mall, where a brand new immserive experience Bubble Planet just opened! Perfect for the kiddos, this place is truly bubble paradise…a wild planet filled with bubble-themed VR technology, themed rooms and fantastical landscapes. Children can spend a full day hopping throughout the different areas and letting their senses run wild with oversized bubbles, balloons, soap, and more! The sensory universe is a true one-of-one and is worth spending a day across state borders! Learn more about Bubble Planet (and how you can even go in a hot air balloon simulator) here.
Michelin-Recognized Mission Ceviche To Bring Deliciously Vibrant Peruvian Fare To Union Square
When Mission Ceviche first walked into the NYC dining scene in 2015 it did so via a little ceviche booth in the Gansevoort Market. Their mission was to connect NYC foodies through the unique lens of Peruvian cuisine, and once opening their first brick and mortar on the Upper East Side in 2019 they not only garnered Michelin recognition but also received a star from New York Times food critic Pete Wells. And now, acclaimed Chef Jose Luis Chavez and partner Brice Mastroluca are set to debut their second Mission Ceviche location in Union Square this July! What will claim the title as the largest Peruvian restaurant in Manhattan, Mission Ceviche’s Union Square location will expand on their menu, paying homage to Peruvian and Nikkei fare, a culinary style that blends Japanese and Peruvian techniques, ingredients, and flavors. But don’t worry–all those original dishes that have been wowing New Yorkers (and Pete Wells) will still be on the menu!
You Can Mine For Glistening 500 Million-Year-Old Herkimer Diamonds In NY
We’re trying to fill our summer bucket lists with new experiences and things we haven’t done before, and New York just so happens to be filled with exciting places to visit, like Herkimer Diamond Mines! Herkimer Diamond Mines are above ground “surface mines” that give visitors the unique opportunity to search for 500 million-year-old Herkimer Diamond quartz crystals hiding in the rocks. According to the website, the “bedrock in which the quartz crystals are found began forming approximately half a billion years ago as the Cambrian Sea lapped against the southern shores of the Adirondack Mountains.” Sediments then slowly began to accumulate beneath the sea’s waters and were gradually compacted under the weight of thousands of feet of additional sediments, creating a layer of rock called dolostone. As water seeps through the pores of this rock and dissolves it forms small cavities in which Herkimer diamonds are found.
This Charming Historic Seaside Village Is Just A 3 Hour Train From NYC
Spend your summer in Greenport, where the streets are lined with art galleries and ice cream shops and the water is always just a hop, skip and a jump away. As of 2022, this little village only had a population of 2,583 folks. Find all of the magic that awaits within this little village with all of the best things to do in Greenport and how to get there from NYC below. Greenport is a quaint seaside village located on the North Fork of Long Island within the Town of Southold. To get from NYC to Greenport by public transportation, you can take the LIRR from Penn Station to Ronkonkoma then from Ronkonkoma to Greenport. The journey by train is about three hours. Otherwise, you can get from NYC to Greenport by car in a little over two hours.
This 60-Foot-Tall Sparkling Emerald Waterfall Oasis Is Under 3 Hours From NYC
It isn’t summertime without hiking some beautiful trails around New York. And though some trails offer llamas and alpacas as company, we know about a little place where you can discover a glittering waterfall not far from NYC! It’s known as Bash Bish Falls, right near the border of New York and Massachusetts. Bash Bish falls is located near Egremont, Massachusetts, only a little over a two-hour drive from NYC. Bash Bish Falls is home to the tallest single-drop waterfall in Massachusetts, reaching 60-feet in height. The trail in which you take to get to the waterfall is 3.4km (a little over 2 miles). It’s about an hour and 10 minutes to walk the entire Bash Bish Falls Trail. To get from NYC to Bash Bish Falls, you’ll need to take a car. Since Bash Bish Falls is near the border of New York and Massachusetts (sorta like America’s longest zipline), you can enter from Taconic State Park in New York to head to Bash Bish Falls.
Stroll Beneath A Dazzling Canopy Of 100+ Colorful Lanterns Lighting Up The Garment District
The Perseid meteor shower isn’t the only thing lighting up the sky this month–a dazzling canopy of colorful lanterns are now lighting up Broadway in the Garment District, and New Yorkers can stroll beneath them! The dazzling display is part of the Garment District Alliance’s (GDA) latest public art installation, New Start, New Hope. Created by local artist Xin Song, the installation brings light–both literally and figuratively–to the Broadway plazas in the heart of Midtown by way of 135 colorful lanterns. Song, who currently resides in Brooklyn, drew from her personal experience working in the Garment District during the pandemic to create the exhibition. She graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing in 1994 and has since had works exhibited across the world in venues such as the Venice Biennial, Musée du Louvre in Paris, National Art Museum of China, and the Paper Art Biennial in Bulgaria.
The Most Dazzling Meteor Shower Of The Year Has Arrived–Here’s How To See It In NYC
Not one but two meteor showers are heading to NYC this July to dazzle skywatchers, and as of July 14th the first one has arrived! The Perseid meteor shower is one of the most dazzling showers of the year, and you won’t want to miss it. Here’s everything you need to know about the Perseid meteor shower: The Perseid meteor shower (also known as the Perseids) is one of the best shooting star displays of the year with “swift and bright meteors frequently leav[ing] long ‘wakes’ of light and color behind them as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere,” according to NASA. Space writes, “The Perseids are caused by Earth passing through debris — bits of ice and rock — left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle which last passed close to Earth in 1992.”
‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show’ Returns To NYC & Tickets Are On Sale
See “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” through a new lens as the beloved book is turned into an enchanting show with over 75 magical puppets! Tickets are now available to this wonderful family experience which will take place at The Duke on 42nd Street at NEW 42 Studios! Eric Carle’s classic story follows one very hungry caterpillar as he eats a variety of food before becoming a butterfly. The story teaches children about a butterfly’s life cycle but also incorporates counting, days of the week and food. Alongside The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the show features three other Eric Carle stories, with...
These Items Will Be Banned In All NY Hotels Starting Next Year
We’d neverrrr encourage swiping those small shampoo bottles you find in the showers in your hotel room, but we will say if you were planning on using them to restock your own bathroom toiletries your hotel room won’t do you any good beginning next year. That’s because on January 1, 2025 New York State will officially ban single-use toiletry bottles under 12 ounces. According to The Department of Environmental Conservation, the toiletry bottles will be banned from hotels with more than 50 rooms, though by 2026 all New York hotels will have to comply. The bill, which was first introduced in 2019, is part of an effort to cut down on single-use plastic. First-time offenders that don’t comply with the bill will receive a warning with 30 days to “correct the violation.” However, if they don’t correct the violation, they’ll have to pay a $250 fine. After another 30 days hotels still not complying will be hit with a $500 fine.
New Yorkers Are Paying 58% More In Food Delivery Fees Than Last Year
Following a report from New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), food delivery fees have spiked 58% since the minimum wage was increased to $16 in NYC. And though earnings for delivery workers have been significantly raised, there’s been a 9% drop in active worker accounts since last year. “DCWP predicted in its 2022 study that couriers would earn more, but that earning opportunities would be concentrated in fewer hands,” shared a GrubHub spokesperson, and so far that’s proving to be the case. “The couriers who are still able to work need to work much harder, doing...
Virtual Cashiers Zoom Into Work At This NYC Fried Chicken Shop
If you had a hankering for fried chicken recently and went to Sansan Chicken to get your fix, you’d be surprised to find that there is no physical cashier to take your order. In fact, the cashier at Sansan Chicken is actually all the way in the Philippines, taking your order via zoom. Sure, we’re familiar with automats, even robot waiters, but people seem to think remote cashiers are a whole new level of madness. Bret Goldstein posted a photo of the remote cashier system to X, explaining the company behind it is called Happy Cashier. When asked in the thread how Goldstein found the service to be, he replied “it was a better experience tbh…more friendly + had more access to info i needed.” When performing a quick google search, you’ll find bits of information about Happy Cashier. Their website states that they’re “revolutionizing your business with 24/7 virtual cashiers.”
7 Places To Go Whitewater Rafting & Tubing Near NYC This Summer
Listen up New Yorkers, if you’re looking for an exhilarating adventure beyond city limits this summer, we’ve got you. Whitewater rafting and tubing are two of the most exciting ways to not only cool off, but get up close and personal with the beautiful nature of our surrounding lands. No matter age or skill, challenging yourself to a day on the rapids is an incredibly fun outdoorsy way to get your heart pounding. Making for the perfect weekend trip or even short day trip, we’ve thrown together some spots you should consider booking as a getaway. Here are our favorite...
The UFO Capital Of The East Coast Is Only 2 Hours From NYC
Each year visiting Earthlings, extraterrestrials, and other-worldly beings head to the annual UFO Fair in Pine Bush, New York, but the fair isn’t actually the only chance you have of catching a glimpse of an alien in this town. There’s a reason the town holds a UFO Fair each year: the town is actually the UFO Capital of the East Coast–and perhaps the entire country! According to Haunted History Trail, the Hamlet of Pine Bush has “witnessed some serious activities and strange sightings over the years,” and extra-terrestrial enthusiasts have been flocking there since the early 1960s. Times Union states that in the 1980s and ’90s, the Hudson Valley had one of the biggest clusters of UFO reports in history. A New York Times article circa August 1984 wrote how in the span of a few years more than 5,000 people–including highly reputable sources–reported seeing a “gigantic triangle with lights, about 30 feet off the ground – hovering. Then it turned off its lights and shot straight up.”
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Secret NYC is your local guide to the best things to do in the 5 boroughs, from new restaurants and unique bars to the best shows, exhibits, and nightlife.
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