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Real estate porn is real. Case in point: Katherine Hepburn’s former NYC townhouse, which is now on sale for a cool $7.2 million.

Can we afford it? Obviously not, but that certainly doesn’t stop us from staring at the photos of the 164-year-old, 4,650-square-foot property at 244 East 49th Street by Second Avenue in Turtle Bay Gardens. 

We imagine ourselves sipping on a Manhattan while getting cozy in front of one of the six fireplaces on site, snagging books from the rear library, stocking up the wine cellar, asking our in-house cook to toss a salad together in the eat-in kitchen, getting our makeup done by professionals (why not?) while looking into Hepburn’s still-there mirrored vanity and meeting like-minded New Yorkers at Turtle Bay Gardens, the shared private park that only owners of the twenty townhouses around it have access to.

A bit of history: according to Crain’s, the iconic actress’ estate sold the property to its current owner back in 2004, about a year after she passed, for $3.9 million. Clearly, the real estate market has been on the upswing ever since.

You can read more about the beautiful townhouse on the official listing right here.

Below, check out some photos of both the inside and outside of the home:

* This article was originally published here

Every food lover and their mother has a best-of list these days—we certainly do, with our 50 best restaurants in NYC right now ranking—and the restaurant goers over at Yelp are no exception. The crowd-sourced review platform recently unveiled their list of the top 100 best restaurants in the country and while it was no surprise that several New York City-based venues were accounted for, it might surprise you exactly which restos made Yelp’s list. 

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Coming in at number 91 is Bua Thai Ramen & Robata Grill, the contemporary Thai joint that doles out dumplings, curries, fried rice and oodles of noodles over on the Upper East Side. Yelp users singled out the restaurant’s “excellent and speedy” service as well as its yummy pineapple fried rice and sweet details like an Instagram-ready flower wall.

A fellow Thai-inspired concept took the number 72 spot: THEP in Lenox Hill, praised for its “irresistible” version of Pad Thai, its flavorful Pad See Eiw and its sweet-and-tangy, tamarind-sauced chicken wings. Zen Ramen & Sushi in Herald Square clocked in just a few rankings above at number 69, thanks to its “phenomenal food” like spicy tonkotsu bowls, seafood ramen and sushi like the King Kong roll (shrimp tempura, spicy tuna and lobster salad, topped with avocado and wrapped with soybean paper). 

But the highest New York City showing on the nationwide list was courtesy of Los Tacos No. 1, which was featured not once but twice on Yelp’s rankings at number 15 and number 30. (There are several Los Tacos locations around NYC, hence the multiple showings.) The Cal-Mex chainlet fires up a wide variety of tacos, tostadas, quesadillas and more, with fillings ranging from classic carne asada to grilled cactus. 

So which restaurant in the U.S. claimed the top spot among Yelp users? That would be Toa Luau in Haleiwa, Hawaii, which features a full outdoor feast as well as a live Polynesian show. Looks like NYC has to ramp up its dinner-theater options!

* This article was originally published here

The Tribeca Festival has long prided itself on having something for everyone. But what it has most of all is, well, everyone: A-listers dotting intimate indies, career conversations delving deep, professional panels packed with celebrity insights.

This year’s festival begins on June 5 with the biographical documentary Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge—to be followed, through June 16, by a tremendous lineup of streaming, gaming, podcast, music, and design events.

That said, Tribeca Festival really does remain a film festival at heart. What’s more, the added bonus is where TF forever excels. Want some standup with your screening? Judy Gold, Margaret Cho, and Joel Kim Booster will deliver exactly that before the documentary Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution, about the cultural influence of queer comics. How about a live concert after your concert movie? Consider one of the festival’s many music docs: premieres about Ani DiFranco (1-800-On-Her-Own), Melissa Etheridge (I’m Not Broken), and Renée Elise Goldsberry (Satisfied) will be followed by performances from their very subjects.

And that’s just for starters. Michael Angarano, who directed and stars in the road trip dramedy Sacramento, acknowledges that “audiences have a lot of ways to view something these days. But seeing a film at a festival is like going to an off-Broadway play: it’s appreciating the art form, rather than just pure commerce. It’s also exciting to experience things before others have. It gives you a chance to form your own opinion before popular opinion shapes it.” Plus, he points out, “Getting the experience of viewing the film and then the insight into how it was made is double the fun.” 

Seeing a film at a festival is like going to an off-Broadway play: it’s appreciating the art form, rather than just pure commerce. It’s also exciting to experience things before others have.

Indeed, most premiere screenings will be followed by a Q&A or conversation, so Angarano, for example, will be sticking around to chat with costar Michael Cera. Just a few of the others you’ll be able to hear from are Andrew McCarthy—who revisits fellow

and Demi Moore in the Gen-Xtravaganza Brats—Jake Gyllenhaal, who’s bringing an episode of his upcoming series Presumed Innocent, and Norman Reedus, returning in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon-The Book of Carol. Dave Eggers will talk about the book bans he explores in To Be Destroyed, and In the Arena: Serena Williams will be followed by a convo with the GOAT herself.

While most of these screenings will be sold out, don’t assume any event is truly out of bounds. As festival director Cara Cusumano notes, “Always remember the rush line! If something is reading as sold out or ‘on rush’ online, it just means we aren’t issuing any more advance tickets. Any open seats will be sold at the show start time, and we’re almost always able to admit most or all of the rush line.”

And sure, it’s always fun to be the first to see something special. But don’t overlook the chance to rediscover old favorites, either. This year’s retrospectives include so many treasures it’ll be tough to choose: A Sopranos 25th anniversary reunion—after Wise Guy, Alex Gibney’s new doc on the series–will welcome creator David Chase and several cast members; Nas is introducing 1984’s Bronx-set hip-hop classic Beat Street; and Melissa McCarthy marks the “Criminal” podcast’s 10th year with a live show.

By the way, did you know that Robert De Niro co-founded this festival? You certainly will before it’s over because the last two days are dedicated to the icon in honor of his 80th birthday. From June 14 to 16 he’ll be everywhere, including at screenings of Jackie Brown (in conversation with Quentin Tarantino), Mean Streets (chatting with Martin Scorsese), and The Deer Hunter (introduced by Christopher Walken).

Kinda hoping to skip the movies and get straight to the talking? No problem: this year’s fest features career conversations with celebs like Kerry Washington—who will also appear with Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins and public health advocate Perri Peltz in a special event sponsored by Chanel–Alison Roman, Kieran Culkin, Laverne Cox and Michael Stipe.

Oh, and we haven’t even gotten to the exclusive gaming demos, the always-intense VR experiences, or the panels with Jon Bon Jovi, Jenna Lyons, Brooke Shields, Terry Crews—actually, you should probably take a look yourself. But do it soon: you won’t be the only one who wants to hear Jude Law and Alicia Vikander talk about their Tudor drama Firebrand or watch Footloose alongside Kevin Bacon. Or…well. You’ve got the idea. Now go make your plans.

The Tribeca Festival runs from June 5 to June 16. Tickets are available at tribecafilm.com. Rush tickets will be offered when advanced tickets for a screening or event are no longer available, at venues other than the Beacon Theatre.

* This article was originally published here

Two of our absolute favorite things—fresh-from-the-oven pizza and Summer Fridays—are coming together over at Dante on MacDougal Street, as the Italian café-turned-cocktail bar welcomes one of the city’s buzziest slice joints to sling ‘za every Friday afternoon this season. 

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Fini Pizza—the Brooklyn-bred pizza spot that has locations in Williamsburg (305 Bedford Avenue), at Barclay’s Center and in Amagansett (237 Main Street) out on Long Island—will be collaborating with the folks behind the Greenwich Village bar-restaurant for a pizza aperitivo of sorts. Kicking off on Friday, June 7, the Summer Fridays series will feature $9 slices from the pizzeria from noon to 6pm (or while supplies last) every week this summer.

On the menu, you’ll find tasty options like a classic cheese, peppy pepperoni, a square Sicilian (sprinkled with parmigiano and garlic breadcrumbs) and a white slice (fontina, parmigiano, mozzarella and brightening lemon). And you can pair Fini’s excellent New York pizza with some Italian aperitivo cocktails from Dante, like a refreshing on-tap spritz or Negroni Bianca (Brooklyn Gin, Quinquina, Alessio Bianco, Carpano dry, lemon bitters and verjus). 

But if you’re not located in NYC, don’t fret: Dante will return the favor over Fourth of July weekend by popping up at Fini Pizza’s Amagansett location in the Hamptons and bringing their aperitivo sips with them. 

Both brands aren’t new to cool collaborations: Dante frequently partners with local bars and restaurants, most recently taking over the iconic Bemelmans Bar for a weeklong cocktail residency at The Carlyle Hotel on the Upper East Side, and Fini Pizza opened its Williamsburg kitchen to Shukette chef Ayesha Nurdjaja in January of this year for a shakshuka-inspired bagel pop-up. Check out the event poster for the Dante x Fini Pizza Summer Fridays series below:

* This article was originally published here