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Okiboru is bringing its popular Japanese noodles to Time Out Market New York
For Justin Lim, it all started with a noodle. Fifteen years ago when he was living in Los Angeles, he made a visit to Tsujita, a Tokyo import that focused on tsukemen. Translating to “dip noodles,” tsukemen is a popular dish in Japan served with two bowls: one, filled with a piping hot gravy-like broth, the other, a chewy, thick noodle made for soaking up as much broth as possible. With one taste, he fell in love—so much so that he and his friend, fellow chef Sean Lim, traveled to Japan to find the best in the country. Training under master chefs and tasting at up to 30 shops in a day, together they hunted for the perfect blend of noodles and broth to bring back home.
“Tsukemen was something I’ve never had before. I wanted to introduce that particular dish to the American audience,” says Justin Lim.
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Finalizing their mix of noodles and broth, the duo opened their own tsukemen shop in L.A., Okiboru. With just a small location to work with, the restaurant specialized in only two noodle dishes: ramen and tsukemen. With noodles made onsite daily, the restaurant drew fans from far and wide, earning them a Michelin Bib Gourmand award in 2019. Unfortunately, the initial L.A. outpost closed during the pandemic.
But in 2023, the Okiburu concept came to New York with Okiboru House of Tsukemen in the Lower East Side. Of the noodles, Pete Wells of the New York Times said, “I have never had tsukemen noodles that cling to their sauce as well as Okiboru’s.” Even with just 30 seats inside, Lim estimates that they serve up to 600 to 700 servings a day. In March of this year, the group opened another hit in the East Village, this time showcasing the Himokawa udon noodle at Okiboru House of Udon. To this day, both locations generate steady lines going out the door, no matter sun, snow or sleet. And later this month, the duo is bringing more of Japan to New York, this time to Brooklyn.
On Saturday, July 27, Time Out Market New York will welcome Okiboru to its marketplace in Dumbo. With a focus on chicken broth, Okiburu will serve its beloved noodle dishes, including Tan Tan Tsukemen and Tori Paitan Ramen. Catering to all appetites, its Vegan Tsukemen will also be available as well as its cold noodle Matcha Zaru Udon served on ice, just in time for summer. Beyond noodles, gyoza—both steamed and fried—chicken tempura bao buns and garlic nori fries will round out the options.
“We’re thrilled to join Time Out Market New York,” says Lim. “We can’t wait to serve our tsukemen and ramen to all and delight our guests in this part of New York City.”
An affordable housing lottery just opened up on the Brooklyn waterfront
As much as we love Brooklyn, the rents are getting way out of hand—especially if you’re a little pickier about living somewhere with air conditioning and no roaches. Luckily, the city still has programs that set aside a certain amount of units in brand-new luxury buildings for all of us who aren’t millionaires (yet).
One waterfront building in Brooklyn, The Dupont, is now accepting applications to its affordable housing lottery that would make it significantly cheaper to rent there.
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Where is it?
The Dupont is located at 16 Dupont Street in Greenpoint.
How many units are available?
115 affordable housing units are available out of the 381 units in the building.
Five percent of affordable housing units in the buildings have been set apart for people with mobility-related disabilities, 20% have been set aside for Community Board Residents and 5% are for NYC employees, according to NYC Housing Connect.
What units are available?
Twenty-eight studios, 29 one-bedroom and 58 two-bedroom apartments are available.
How much do they cost?
This lottery seems a bit costlier than others. It depends on income and household size, but the studios will be listed between $1,782 to $3,128 per month; the one-bedrooms will be listed at $1,904 to $3,345 per month; the two-bedrooms will be listed at $2,272 to $4,001 per month.
How do I qualify?
To apply, you have to create an account on NYC Housing Connect, the main portal for the city’s affordable housing lotteries.
Your household must make between $64,012 and $218,010 in order to qualify. If you’re interested, you can apply online through the portal or you can request an application by mail in a self-addressed envelope to The Dupont Apartments C/O Reside Affordable, 349 Keap Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211.
What else do we know about this building?
The Dupont is the Rockefeller Group’s first residential rental tower at 41 stories tall and was created in partnership with Park Tower Group at Greenpoint Landing, a 22-acre planned community in North Brooklyn, according to the Rockefeller Group website. The building is set to be completed in the first quarter of 2025.
It also has an impressive array of amenities, including a pool, gym, recreational room, media room, game room, party room, business center, shared laundry room, dog washing station, children’s playroom, and more. Best of all, every unit is equipped with a washer and dryer!
What’s nearby?
The Dupont is located at the northern tip of Greenpoint, a neighborhood that’s known for its blossoming culinary scene and calm, residential vibe, while still having easy access to Williamsburg and Queens. If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll be within walking distance of Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop as well as Karczma, one of the most iconic Polish restaurants in the city. Check out our full guide to Greenpoint here.
How do I apply and by what date?
If you’re interested in throwing your hat into the ring to this affordable housing lottery, make sure to act fast—they tend to be pretty competitive and this building’s prime location probably means that the units won’t take long to get snatched up. The lottery ends on September 18, 2024.
Tickets for ‘The Last Five Years’ on Broadway starring Nick Jonas are now on sale
Pop star Nick Jonas and Tony Award winner Adrienne Warren (Tina) will star in a Broadway production of The Last Five Years in 2025—and tickets are finally on sale.
The Last Five Years, the breakthrough work for Tony winner Jason Robert Brown (Parade), examines whether a couple can make it once their dreams take them in separate directions. The story tracks the doomed relationship between up-and-coming author Jamie (Jonas) and actress Cathy (Warren). In the show’s unusual structure, his story moves forward while hers is told in reverse (like last season’s Merrily We Roll Along); the two timelines cross when the couple gets married in the middle of the show.
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Both stars have appeared on Broadway several times before. Jonas was a child actor in Les Misérables, Beauty and the Beast and Annie Get Your Gun before returning to the Great White Way in 2012 to replace Daniel Radcliffe in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. In addition to Tina, Warren has starred in the musicals Bring It On and Shuffle Along.
The Last Five Years premiered at Chicago’s Northlight Theatre in 2001 and headed Off Broadway in 2002; it had an Off Broadway revival at Second Stage in 2013. It was also made into a movie in 2014 starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan (The Great Gatsby). Whitney White will direct the Broadway production at the Hudson Theatre, which was also home to Merrily.
Previews of The Last Five Years will begin on March 18, 2025, with an opening set for April 6. It will be a strictly limited 14-week engagement.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, July 26, at 10am EST, but presale tickets for American Express card members are available now at TheLastFiveYearsBroadway.
New York City is expected to have rain all week long
If you had outdoor plans this week, you might want to consider rescheduling or moving them indoors. After weeks of unbearable heat, Mother Nature is putting yet another damper on our hot girl summer with a weeklong forecast of nothing but rain.
In fact, you can expect rain every day from now until Friday, according to the latest weather reports.
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You’ll likely see the worst of the week’s rain tonight before 11pm when thunderstorms are expected to hit the NYC area and continue into the early morning. Tuesday’s rain is also expected to come in the morning and night hours after 8pm. Then, showers are expected to hit Wednesday before 2pm and return again at night. Showers are expected throughout all of Thursday afternoon.
Then, finally, we’ll see some relief just in time for the weekend, with actually bearable temperatures. Friday through Sunday are expected to be sunny, with temperatures hovering around the low 80s, which means you’ll finally be able to enjoy the city’s many outdoor activities.
Even though you might have to move around some of your plans during the week, the good news is that all of this rainy weather is creating a temporary respite from the unbearable heatwaves we’ve seen so far this summer. In the past two months, we’ve experienced three heatwaves, and this year is on track to being one of the hottest years recorded in the city.
Temperatures throughout this week will hover around the mid-70s and low 80s, and will dip as low as 69 on Friday night—hard to comprehend, considering that we saw days in the past month when the temperatures climbed over 100 degrees.
Just because it’s going to rain all week, though, doesn’t mean you should stay home and mope about it. There’s actually a lot to do throughout the city on a rainy day, like going on a trippy tour at the House of Cannabis, getting a massage, checking out a museum, or taking a rock climbing lesson. You can check out our full guide of rainy day activities here.
6 Captivating VR Experiences In NYC To Step Into Right Now
NYC is home to so many options of entertainment, it’s kind of overwhelming! From live entertainment like Broadway to individualized experiences like escape rooms and virtual reality adventures, there’s so much fun to be had. We’re talking thrilling and immersive games and simulations that can take you out of the Big Apple for a little while and into a brand new world.
Perfect for date night, a work outing, or even just a fun activity with some friends, the city’s VR studios are such a mesmerizing way to transport to a different environment without ever leaving NYC. Here’s our favorite places to book a VR experience right now.
1. Escape Virtuality
Get ready to break into the unknown as you take on cutting edge VR experiences with Escape Virtuality. They offer 1 hour, 2 hour, and all-day passes where you can choose your adventure…including “thrilling first-person shooters, cosmic space travel, adrenaline-pumping extreme sports, heart-pounding racing simulators, and spine-tingling horror experiences.”
They have both stationary and free-roam VR experiences which make for some of the most memorable and mesmerizing challenges, walk-throughs, and games in the city. Play Fruit Ninja, walk an 80 story high plank over skyscrapers, or even try to stay sane in the free-roam Insantitarium…there’s so much to pick from.
Check out Escape Virtuality’s full list of experiences and book your visit here!
Where: 130 W 29th St
2. Tidal Force VR
Tidal Force VR is right in the heart of Manhattan, and their multiplayer VR experiences make for lots of fun with groups of up to 6. For $50/hour you can chose 1, 2, or 3 hour long sessions where you can compete (or work together) with your group to take on challenging worlds.
Their VR games are all made in-house with a motto of “multiplayer, walk-the-room, immersive” in the forefront. Some of their most popular worlds include the namesake “Tidal Force” world which is an escape room-style adventure with timed challenges, as well as “Defense” a co-op style world where you and your crew aim to defend oppressors from taking over a space station.
Learn more about Tidal Force VR and see all of their awesome experiences here.
Where: 166 5th Ave, 2nd Floor
3. Bubble Planet
As you can imagine, Bubble Planet is a step right into a world of magic and fun. It’s happening at the American Dream mall in New Jersey right now, and alongside their playful bubble installations like a “Bubble Ocean,” LED room, and massive “Bubble Bath” ball pit (plus more), they have a rad VR experience which lets you virtually hop into the Bubble Planet head first.
In the 10 minute experience, you yourself become a bubble as you navigate a world full of exuberant colors and elements. Float through celestial spheres, underwater utopias, and outer-planet worlds like never before. Learn more about Bubble Planet and how to book your visit here!
Buy your tickets to Bubble Planet here!
Where: 1 American Dream Wy, East Rutherford, NJ
4. Immersive Gamebox
This spot in the Lower East Side has locations around the world, and their NYC location is full of 30, 60, and 90 minute virtual reality experiences that are worth your while. Perfect for all ages, you can choose from their catalogue of games which ranges from Black Mirror-branded experiences to virtual renditions of Tetris.
Sessions start at just $42.99 for adults and they even offer a special “Summer Pass” right now which grants kids 6 visits to Immersive Gamebox for only $100! Check out all of their virtual reality experiences and book your time here.
Where: 81 Essex St
5. Sandbox VR
You’ll have to head outside of the city to visit Sandbox VR, but it’s totally worth the under 1 hour drive to Paramus, New Jersey. Their futuristic VR experience is perfect for groups (can support up to 6), where their Hollywood motion capture cameras, 3D precision body trackers, custom hardware, and haptic suits actually make you feel completely full-body immersed.
The VR studio itself is inspired by Star Trek’s Holodeck according to their website, and their experiences they provide have been carefully created by the world’s most renowned video game developers like EA, Sony, and Ubisoft. Their most notable adventure right now (which we highly recommend) is an officially Netflix-partnered Squid Games experience, but there’s plenty of others too like a Star Trek journey and kid-friendly pirate hunt. Learn more about Sandbox VR’s experiences and plan your visit here!
Where: 305 Route 17 South, Paramus, NJ
6. RiseNY
RiseNY’s virtual reality experience is a bit more unique in that it’s more than just through a headset…it’s a full blown ride through the history of NYC! Once you take a seat on their immersive VR ride set, you’ll be taken through a 4D experience on their 180-degree, 40-foot projection dome. You’ll go soaring over 1950s New York and see 8K aerial footage of the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Central Park and more iconic landmarks of NYC.
The immersion here is next level…giving you the sights and smells of the Big Apple like never before. We’re talking virtual views of iconic NYC events like the 4th of July Fireworks and the New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square, from a bird’s eye view. Learn more about RiseNY (and all their other amazing NYC-themed exhibits) here!
Where: 160 W 45th St
The post 6 Captivating VR Experiences In NYC To Step Into Right Now appeared first on Secret NYC.
Here Are The Top Free Things To Do At World Trade Center This Summer
Get a little slice of relaxation in the heart of bustling Downtown. There are many free things to do this summer at the World Trade Center Oculus. From enjoying wellness activities to shopping, film, and food, there’s plenty that will enrich the rest of your summer. The World Trade Center Oculus is located at 50 Church Street.
For the rest of the summer and into the fall, Wellness Wednesdays offers a wide range of fitness and wellness classes. Go here for a full list of programming here! Join in Sputnik Flow yoga, Somatic Movement which combines dance and yoga, and Elevé Sculpt which is a full-body workout. You can even learn Argentine Tango at an introductory class and Yang Yin which involves breathwork and longer balancing yoga.
On certain Friday Nights and Saturday afternoons during the summer, film fans will get a taste of Oculus Outdoors which will show different films. Bring chairs and blankets and get comfy at this unique movie experience! RSVPing is recommended which you can find out about here as well as the full list of films shown.
Wellness Wednesdays and Oculus Outdoors occur at the North Oculus Plaza. This is located outside the Oculus on Fulton St., between Church and Greenwich Streets.
From fitness and film to food! Under the wings of the Oculus, find the Greenmarket at the Oculus open every Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There are dairy products from New York family farmers at GrowNYC and a variety of seasonal produce, baked goods, and more!
Also for foodies, Smorgasburg is back on Fridays and select Thursdays over the summer featuring eats from over 30 local vendors. From C Bao, D’Abruzzo, Everything Oxtail to plenty of BBQ options, seafood bites and so much more! A full list of vendors and more info can be found here. Everybody is a summer body so bring on that Lobster Roll!
Get a little slice of community and even tranquility in Downtown Manhattan throughout the week at the World Trade Center, go here for a full calendar list of events and additional info.
Don’t miss out on all of these exciting happenings at the Oculus!
See Also: Free Outdoor Movies Coming To NYC Parks This Summer
The post Here Are The Top Free Things To Do At World Trade Center This Summer appeared first on Secret NYC.