This is not your typical house. This is an octagon house. But this isn’t your typical octagon house either. This is the Armour-Stiner Octagon House in Irvington, New York, about a half-hour outside of New York City. It was built in 1858 for Paul J. Armour, a New York City banker who got caught up…
Continue reading ➞ An Unusually Shaped NYC Day Trip: The Armour-Stiner Octagon House
On a recent day of subway rides through New York City, I counted no fewer than ten passengers (myself included) wearing Timberland boots, or as New Yorkers refer to them, Timbs. Along with the black puffer jacket, Timbs are part of the unofficial winter uniform of New Yorkers. On the 50th anniversary of the creation…
It's natural to be focused on the future at the start of the year, but as a history buff, I can't help but be curious about the past, specifically the distant past of 100 years ago. So after an afternoon of time traveling via the New York Times archives and the small collection of NYC…
Continue reading ➞ What was NYC Like 100 Years Ago? Notable Events from New York City in 1923
Are you familiar with each paint chip flaking off the ceiling of your apartment, but not familiar with all the streets in your neighborhood? Do you catch yourself looking at the subway map longingly, wondering what you would see if you spontaneously decided to get off the train a few stops early instead of going…
Continue reading ➞ New Year’s Resolutions for New Yorkers Who Want to Explore NYC More
Note: This is sponsored post, but the opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own. In an era where companies think that an immersive experience means having people take selfies around a room with a few projectors aimed at the walls, this murder mystery comedy show in Bushwick has shown what it means to…
Continue reading ➞ An NYC Immersive Experience Done Right: The Art of Killin’ It
With New York's history of being a cultural trendsetter both in the US and around the world, is it that surprising that the city has had an outsized effect on Christmas? Here are three things that New York has contributed to Christmas culture. "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" Poem ‘Twas the night before Christmas and…
Continue reading ➞ Three Christmas Things You Can Thank NYC For
Every holiday season, an estimated 150,000 people make the journey to the Brooklyn neighborhood of Dyker Heights to admire its houses decked out with lights and holiday decorations. That number may not sound like a lot compared to the 6.5 million people who visit New York City overall during the holidays, but this is quite…
Continue reading ➞ Dyker Heights Christmas Lights: What to Know Before You Go
In a city/country/world with such an unfathomable amount of need, it's not surprising that New York City is home to at least 35,000 non-profit organizations. I actually thought that number would be a lot higher. Regardless, it doesn't make it any easier to decide which organizations you should donate to on Giving Tuesday (or any…
Continue reading ➞ NYC Organizations to Donate Your Time and/or Money to This Holiday Season
An article from Curbed once said that when taken as a whole, the buildings surrounding the High Line are what would happen if you invited too many historical figures to a dinner party. Their massive egos would get in the way and they'd all be shouting over each other. And that's what it feels like…
Continue reading ➞ A Slightly Snarky Tour of the Most Unusual Buildings Along the High Line
If there was a competition for NYC neighborhoods with the weirdest backstories, Marble Hill would definitely be a strong contender for the top prize. Read about Marble Hill's neighborhood history below and then let me know which borough you think it should belong to. Marble Hill Neighborhood History Tiny by NYC standards, with around 10,000…
Continue reading ➞ The Curious Case of Marble Hill: A Neighborhood Caught Between Two Boroughs
