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NYC to ‘indefinitely’ pause Manhattan congestion pricing scheme
Earlier this week, Governor Kathy Hochul shocked New Yorkers and local lawmakers by pausing the much-talked-about Manhattan congestion pricing plan that was to go into effect in just a few weeks.
“After careful consideration I have come to the difficult decision that implementing the planned congestion pricing system risks too many unintended consequences,” Hochul said in a pre-taped message on Wednesday. “I have directed the M.T.A. to indefinitely pause the program.”
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The scheme, until now scheduled to kick off on June 30, would charge drivers a toll when entering Manhattan’s central business district, defined as the area below 60th Street.
Although the plan wasn’t without its critics, the effort put behind it (it was said it would bring in $15 billion annually for the MTA) and the announcements regarding its impending arrival make Hochul’s 11th hour decision very hard to understand.
Hochul explained the rationale behind her decision in the pre-taped recording earlier this week, mostly focusing on the economic repercussions of a would-be toll.
“I understand the financial pressures you’re facing,” Hochul said. “I cannot add another burden. […] Let’s be real: A $15 charge may not seem like a lot to someone who has the means, but it can break the budget of a hard-working middle-class household.”
Although her reasoning touched upon the major complaints that locals have been voicing throughout the past few months, many found the Governor’s message to be evasive and not really touch upon the politics behind the move.
Why is the Manhattan congestion pricing plan on hold?
According to ABC News, Hochul’s decision was spurred by two different factors. Economically, she found Manhattan businesses had “not fully recovered from the pandemic.”
In addition, Democrats are predicted to have a hard time winning House races in the NYC suburbs where the congestion pricing plan was not popular, the outlet says.
What is the reaction to Governor Hochul’s decision to pause the congestion pricing plan?
The public was pretty surprised about the last-minute change, mainly because the congestion pricing plan has been in the works for half a decade and was already in motion by the time Hochul made her announcement (some cameras had already been installed around town).
Public transit gurus in particular seems to be frustrated about the pause, mostly because the scheme was meant to relieve some of the agency’s financial burdens.
“Congestion pricing is a $15 billion lifeline for the MTA—critical funding that will be lost if the program is stalled,” said Elizabeth Adams, the deputy executive director for public affairs for Transportation Alternatives, a non-profit that advocates for public transit, said in an official statement. “The next time your train is late, your bus is trapped in traffic, your subway station is still missing an elevator, you know who to blame: Governor Kathy Hochul.”
For what it’s worth, in her recorded address this week, Hochul mentioned that the state had set aside budget for the MTA in case the congestion pricing plan didn’t go through.
The Basilica Of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral: Explore A Medley Of History, Beauty & Spirituality
The Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral has been a beacon of religious freedom and spiritual bliss for over 200 years to a diverse community of Catholics. A grand Gothic Revival structure in Lower Manhattan’s Nolita Section, St. Patrick’s was New York’s first cathedral and is famed as the resting place for many faithful, departed souls. A historic landmark in the Big Apple, St. Patrick’s is the perfect place to seek peace in the midst of urban noises, attend mass, light, explore catacombs, and enjoy different events.
Background on the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral
Constructed between 1809 and 1815, the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral was designed by the French-American architect, Joseph-François Mangin. After surviving anti-Catholic riots in 1836, it went on to build a unique legacy. Until 1879, the cathedral was the seat of New York’s archdiocese and witnessed the annual parade on St. Patrick’s Day till 1830. Over the years, the Cathedral witnessed many significant events symbolizing faith and community.
Today it is a key attraction and sanctuary for believers, history buffs, and architecture enthusiasts. As one of the oldest Catholic churches in New York City, it has played a vital role in the city’s religious and cultural heritage.
Where is the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral and how do you get there?
The Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral stands tall on 263 Mulberry Street, with its entrance on Mott Street, between Prince and Houston. If you take the subway, the closest stations are the W and R on Prince Street, 6 on Bleecker Street, and B, D, F, and M on Broadway-Lafayette. You can also drive to the cathedral from the Holland Tunnel, West Side Hwy, or FDR Drive. While onsite parking is not available, you can park your car on Mulberry Street.
What to expect when you visit the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral?
The sprawling cathedral is a photographer’s delight with its pointed arches, steep roofs, and intricate stonework. Inside the massive inner vault and gorgeous lights will take your breath away. The large and historic pipe organ built by Henry Erben in 1868 is a masterpiece you cannot miss while visiting the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral. Composed of around 2,500 pipes, this organ has been used in countless concerts, rehearsals, and liturgies over the years and is still active. The Hall & Labagh chancel organ, built in 1859 and introduced to St. Patrick’s in 2016, is another gem here.
A tour of the underground catacombs is the special attraction at the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral where you can explore many off-limit and private spaces. Take a walk through the labyrinth of crypts housing the remains of bishops and eminent New Yorkers. Countess Anna Leary, Charles DelVecchio and Francis Cooper are some of the notable personalities interred on the cathedral’s grounds.
What else can you do when you visit?
The Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral hosts soul-stirring musical events now and then so you can catch one if you are lucky or time your visit accordingly. You can also attend musical educational programs. Step into the gift shop to take your pick from beautiful souvenirs like magnets, keychains, cards, rosaries, coasters, books and miniature statues.
Outside the cathedral, there are plenty of eateries and pubs where you can grab a bite or enjoy a drink. You can also explore the vibrant cultural scene of Lower Manhattan with nearby attractions including the iconic New York City Hall and the historic City Hall Park.
Get your tickets to visit the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral.
A trip to the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral is undoubtedly an exquisite experience, whether you have lived in Manhattan all your life or are visiting. From the spiritual atmosphere, stunning architecture, and intriguing history to the quiet catacombs and unforgettable musical performances, the basilica offers so much for everyone. Remember to check the timings for mass, readings, and confession if you are inclined to attend or participate.
Catacombs by Candlelight Tour
June 7, 2024 12:00
FAQs
What are the weekday mass timings at the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral?
Mass is held every day at 12:10 PM from Monday to Friday.
Is there an admission fee to enter the Basilica?
While there is no admission fee to enter the Basilica, donations are appreciated to support the maintenance and preservation of this historic landmark.
What is the Aula at the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral?
It is a 4,000-square-foot stage and studio space on Mulberry Street, where musical performances, film shoots, art exhibitions, and other events are organized.
The Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral boasts an interesting history besides offering hope, and strength to its believers and visitors alike. From capturing its structural highlights on your camera to attending musical events to exploring special remembrances at the gift store, you can spend a memorable day here. A candlelight tour of the catacombs will help you decode the secrets of the cathedral and appreciate its role in New York’s religious evolution over the last couple of centuries.
The post The Basilica Of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral: Explore A Medley Of History, Beauty & Spirituality appeared first on Secret NYC.
Rave & Eat Ice Cream With Viral House DJ Mochakk In Dimes Square Tonight
Brazil’s viral breakout electronic music star Mochakk is about to begin a weekend long takeover here in NYC, bringing his high energy house beats to the Big Apple like never before.
He’s set to bring his extremely popular “Mochakk Calling” campaign and party series to the city for the first time ever, with an even more exciting event beforehand…combining music and ice cream!
In partnership with W Hotels, Soundcloud and Renegade NYC, Mochakk is set to redefine the “multi-stop tour experience”…bringing a pop-up ice cream truck experience around NYC on Friday (June 7)!
It will start at W New York – Union Square at 3 pm where the man himself will be passing out ‘Mochakk Calling’ branded ice cream to fans. Then, it will continue onto the Washington Square Park Ice Cream Truck Stop at 4:15 pm before ending up in Dimes Square for a free performance at 6 pm!
Along the way, fans can keep tabs on Mochakk’s current ice cream truck location, as he’ll send out different coordinates that fans can track in real time.
After all the tasty treats, he’ll perform a free pop-up set at MJ Cafe (70 Hester St) in the trendy Dimes Square neighborhood in collaboration with Renegade NYC!
To conclude this weekend’s festivities, he’ll play a pair of more shows on Saturday including his official “Mochakk Calling” day party from 3 – 10 pm as well as an afterparty at Brooklyn Storehouse.
Stay up to date on all of Mochakk’s weekend happenings here!
The post Rave & Eat Ice Cream With Viral House DJ Mochakk In Dimes Square Tonight appeared first on Secret NYC.
This massive sculpture of animals hanging out on a couch is debuting in Manhattan
Gillie and Marc Schattner, the husband-and-wife artist duo behind the giant sculptures of endangered animals that were installed in Greenwich Village a few years ago and the massive statue of Ruth Bader Ginsburg in downtown Brooklyn, are about to celebrate the installation of their latest work: Wild Couch Party, a bronze sculpture featuring some of the most endangered animals in the world just hanging out, set to debut at 28 Liberty Street in the Financial District on June 10.
Rabbitwoman and Dogman, the anthropomorphic characters brought to life by the artists as vessels for their own messages regarding the current world order, are the hosts of the couch party, each one sitting beside an African elephant.
“We created Rabbitwoman and Dogman as human-wildlife hybrids, our bridge between the human and wild worlds,” said Marc in an official statement. “They have become our alter egos and wildlife protectors. They travel the world spreading inspiration to love and protect our planet and its wildlife. We love watching people interacting with them and having fun while learning about wildlife conservation.”
Wild Couch Party also features a hippo, a Masai giraffe, a Bengal tiger, a koala, a chimpanzee, Grevy’s zebra, a Northern white rhino, a lion, a mountain gorilla, an orangutan and an Arabian red fox.
“They have each been invited to the party as representatives of some of the best-known species in the world,” reads a press release. “And yet they all are dangerously close to the same threat, extinction.”
In addition to Wild Couch Party, folks will be able to gaze at three other sculptures by the artists all throughout Liberty Plaza. Watch out for Paparazzi Dog and Watch out for Paparazzi Rabbit also focus on Rabbitwoman and Dogman, each one depicted as emerging from manholes holding cameras as commentary on the power of fame and the spotlight.
“The camera symbolizes the tool to showcase our passions, talents, and achievements, inspiring others and leaving a lasting cultural impact,” explains the release.
In Friends Forever Bench, folks are actually encouraged to sit between Rabbitwoman and Dogman and perhaps even talk to them. The interactive sculpture sheds light on the importance of creating new friendships.
The installation will be on view in downtown Manhattan through May 28, 2025.
Puerto Rican Day Parade in NYC: Everything you need to know
Giant puppets, reggaeton bands, salsa dancers, and floats will take over Fifth Avenue in Manhattan this Sunday for the National Puerto Rican Day Parade. More than a million people typically participate in and attend the parade, making it the largest demonstration of cultural pride in the nation. An iconic institution for over half a century, the parade seeks to raise awareness of Puerto Rican culture and history and highlight the community’s contributions to the world. Here’s everything you need to know about this incredible event.
When is the National Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York?
The parade is on Sunday, June 9, and kicks off at 11am.
What is the parade route?
The parade route marches along Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 79th Street in Manhattan.
What’s the theme this year?
This year’s theme is “Boricua de Corazón” (“Puerto Rican in my heart”).
Who is the grand marshal?
Acclaimed salsa singer Tito Nieves will serve as the 2024 Grand Marshal. Born in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico and raised in Brooklyn, Nieves spent his formative years in the musical scene of New York City. He trained as a musician as a young child, demonstrating tremendous talent and vocal power by the time he was a young teen. He started performing professionally at 15 years old.
Today, he has an accomplished career that spans over four decades, with multiple Billboard and Grammy-nominated hit songs, including “Fabricando Fantasías.“
What’s the history of the parade?
The parade is now in its 67th year. It honors the 5 million people of Puerto Rican descent living in the United States and the 3.5 million inhabitants of Puerto Rico.
Will there be any street closures from the parade?
Yes, and quite a few. Learn from the crew in Seinfeld, and don’t plan on driving near the area on Sunday. The Department of Transportation says that the NYPD will close streets at their discretion between June 7-9.
Formation:
- West/East 44th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- West/East 45th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- West/East 46th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- West/East 47th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- West/East 48th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
Route:
- 5th Avenue between 42nd Street and 79th Street
Dispersal:
- 5th Avenue between 79th Street and 86th Street
- East 79th Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
- East 80th Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
- East 81st Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
- East 82nd Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
- East 83rd Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
- East 84th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- East 85th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
Miscellaneous:
- Madison Avenue between East 42nd Street and East 86th Street
- 6th Avenue between West 42nd Street and West 49th Street
- West/East 43rd Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- West/East 42nd Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- West 51st Street between Rockefeller Plaza and 5th Avenue
- West 58th Street between Grand Army Plaza and 5th Avenue
- East 60th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- East 63rd Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- East 64th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- East 66th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- East 69th Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
- East 70th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- East 72nd Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
- East 74th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
Little Flower Cafe is popping up at this Queens museum all summer
Along with world-class artworks, innovative films and some of the finest museum exhibitions on display, New York’s best museums and galleries also offer some seriously great grub. And now one of our favorite local institutions has welcomed a killer Queens bakery to sell their sweet wares on premises all summer long.
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After popping up at Museum of the Moving Image on May 4 with its high-quality drip coffee, specialty drinks and signature soft and airy firni doughnuts (an Afghan-inspired treat made with sweet ground rice), the Astoria-based Little Flower Cafe will officially open a summertime satellite location inside the media museum. As of May 18, the coffee shop and bakery from Ali Zaman—whose family owns fellow neighborhood spot Sami’s Kabab House—will be setting up camp every weekend until October at MoMI from noon to 9pm.
As part of the museum’s Open Worlds initiative—”an accessible, 15,500-square-foot, climate-controlled, WiFi-enabled community resource for visitors of all ages looking to convene”—the museum lobby and courtyard will be open and free to the public during this period, which means that you can stop in to try coffees, herbal teas, juices and pastries from Little Flower Cafe sans paid museum admission.
Alongside those lightly spiced doughnuts (filled with a sweet cardamom and rose water custard and topped with a crumble of pistachios), the pastry rotation at the modern halal cafe regularly includes stuff like strawberry Danishes, cardamom knots, lemon olive-oil cake, turmeric buns, pistachio croissants and the like. So grab a cool drink and a yummy pastry from Little Flower, enjoy free WiFi, take in some movie trivia or simply relax in MoMI’s al fresco space all summer long.
I went to the Café Carlyle and was reminded of the New York that once was—and still could be
I almost don’t want to write about the Café Carlyle.
First opened back in 1955, the supper club inside the legendary hotel on the Upper East Side is an iconic New York destination in and of itself, but one that hasn’t been obsessed over in recent times—which is probably why the space has retained its glory for almost 70 years.
In a culture now defined by the new, the immersive, the visually (and virtually) pleasing, the Café Carlyle, a cavernous space featuring a simple stage and seating for up to 90 people, doesn’t necessarily fit the bill when it comes to must-visit lists developed, mostly, by new New Yorkers.
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And, yet, almost paradoxically, the supper club is the exact kind of venue that people flock to New York for: it’s exclusive but not hard to get into, it reeks of culture, will likely be the site of celebrity sightings on any given night, it has yet to drench TikTok and it’s simply marvelous in its straightforwardness.
Café Carlyle is a big night out without the fuss: the menu is as old-school as the space (prix-fixe options served by white-gloved waiters include steaks, salmon, oysters and cheesecakes), the martinis reign supreme and the 90-minute acts are mostly stripped down of the technological pyrotechnics that bigger concerts now rely on.
The carefully chosen, varied roster of performers throughout the decades adds to the allure of the experience: Elaine Stritch, Judy Collins, Chita Rivera, Isaac Mizrahi, Alan Cumming and Sutton Foster are just some of the folks who have a Carlyle residency under their belts.
On a recent Tuesday night, 35-year-old actress and, well, nepo baby (more on that later) Rumer Willis made her Café Carlyle residency return eight years after first performing there.
Wearing an organza-like bright pink dress, Willis, daughter of uber-famous actors Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, quickly proved that raw talent is, indeed, genetic.
Nepo baby or not, Willis earned her spot on that stage, singing classic tunes by Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin and the Jackson 5 (her rendition of “I Want You Back” was just as good as the original) but also delving into the Broadway classics that the crowd that regularly frequents the Café Carlyle probably grew up singing.
Willis’ mom More was present during her daughter’s opening night alongside pal Zac Posen of fashion design fame—the sort of celebrities-in-the-wild sightings that New Yorkers like to pretend to be unaffected by but actually prove to them that they selected the right venue for their night out.
Following her performance, Willis stepped down and mingled among the handful of people still there gathering their credit cards and bracing for a warm summer night walk home or, perhaps, a nightcap at Bemelmans Bar, another timeless destination within the Carlyle Hotel.
In a way, spending the evening at the Café Carlyle feels like stepping into a time capsule, when New York wasn’t just about what’s next but felt more like a celebration of what actually is. We were running to our jobs and to our not-as-overpriced apartments back then also, but we were actually enjoying the in-between moments as well, perhaps because they weren’t strictly defined by endless scrolling on hand-sized screens.
A feeling of nostalgia most aptly defines the uptown destination, but it’s more than a yearning for a return to the past. In a way, catching a show at Café Carlyle feels like the ways of the past aren’t lost on us and that there is room for both modernity and tradition. Be prepared for a sense of earnestness to shake you up after an evening here, when you will realize that dwelling on what once was is not as efficient as trying to savor the very things that still make New York feel special amid the day-to-day chaos that also defines it. Look around: there are still plenty of them.