For decades, folks have come to see the psychic in the West Village—but it’s not a fortune that they seek. Past the psychic’s chair, a hidden speakeasy lies one of the very first in New York to set the standard. Of course, we are talking about Employees Only.
Since its inception, Employees Only has helped to set the speakeasy trend in NYC, from smartly dressed bartenders to actually making a hidden entrance. Marking a stunning 20 years in business, the bar is celebrating all week long and inviting you for the ride. For its birthday week, the speakeasy is inviting OG bartenders, industry legends and international guests from across the world to tend bar. So mark your calendars as cheers are in order.
Monday, December 2: West Village Block Party at 5pm Bartenders from Dante, Angel’s Share and Katana Kitten will be picking up a guest shift for one night only. Try a few signature cocktails from each!
Tuesday, December 3: From NYC to the World at 8pm Some of the world’s top players will be shaking it up at EO. Gina Barbachano from Hanky Panky (Mexico City), Iain McPherson from Panda & Sons (Edinburgh) and more international figures are expected to drop by, bringing their cocktail creations with them.
Wednesday, December 4: EO Around the World at 6pm-8pm Throwing it way back, Employees Only’s founders will be behind the bar, mixing up classics from over the years. Giving a taste of the past and present, EO’s international locations will be attendance—including EO Los Angeles, Sydney and Singapore—presenting cocktails that showcase the flavors of their local scene.
Thursday, December 5: EO 20-Year Anniversary Celebration at 9pm Naturally, EO’s anniversary party will coincide with Repeal Day. Held at sister bar Macao Trading Co., industry vets, regulars and VIPs are welcome to gather for a raucous night out that embodies the spirit of EO’s legendary gatherings.
Yes, it’s freezing outside, but we promise that this new immersive art installation at Pier 17 by Fulton Street and Seaport Square is worthy of a trek into the cold.
MoonGARDEN, which originally debuted in Montreal, is made up of 20 spheres that range from 6 to 30 feet in diameter. Each one responds to light sources, from flashlights to smartphones, allowing folks to interact with the surfaces in their own way.
Within the cluster of spheres, find the largest one boasting a 30-foot-long diameter and holes all throughout its perimeter. Gaze inside to be mesmerized by a scene reminiscent of the snow globes that you grew up shaking.
According to a press release, the structures call out to “abyss walkers, beings who emerged from the shadows of an imagined ocean world.”
Inside the largest sphere, visitors will get to see these beings in their element. “Part organic, part mechanical, [abyss walkers have evolved from the remnants of a past civilization,” reads the release. “Wheels, gears and metallic fragments have become extensions of their bodies.”
Photograph: Courtesy of MoonGARDEN
As creatively exciting as those descriptions sound, it’s the look of the giant, colorful spheres against New York City’s nighttime skyline that will truly take your breath away (the freezing temperatures may be contributing to that as well). Needless to say, the installation, on view through February 2025, is the ideal photo op for Instagram.
Free and open to the public, MoonGARDEN comes courtesy of Lucion, an immersive experience design company made up of set designers, musicians, videographers, interactive media specialists and more.
Just a few weeks after the brand-new Louis Vuitton cafe debuted on Fifth Avenue to much fanfare, another luxury brand goes all in on New York City’s culinary world: the upscale Armani/Ristorante is officially open at 760 Madison Avenue by 66th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
Photograph: Danilo Scarpati for Beehive Studio
This isn’t Giorgio Armani’s first foray into the lifestyle space: Armani Hotels have been operating successfully in cities across the world—from Milan to Dubai, Miami, Mumbai and Istanbul—for years now.
“This opening, on the eve of my 90th birthday, is an important personal milestone because it crystallizes my vision of style in the city that was perhaps the first to truly embrace it,” Armani said in an official statement.
Photograph: Kat Sheldon
The new restaurant, found inside the namesake boutique, currently serves a pre-fixe lunch service of two, three or four courses, plus an a la carte dinner menu. Standout dishes includes the steak tartare with saffron crumble and bone marrow, an eggplant served with datterino jus and mozzarella absolute and a Maine lobster prepared with grapefruit and zabaione.
Drink-wise, creative concoctions like the Garibaldi In Love (Tito’s vodka, Campari, yerba mate, lemon and grapefruit) and the Antarctic martini (chilled -40 Chopin family reserved and a drop of Sicilian olive oil) share menu space with more traditional cocktails.
Photograph: Kat Sheldon
But most impressive of all are the 4,156 square feet of space on the ground floor of the boutique that make up the restaurant as a whole. Expect large marble slaps all over, with mirrored walls that “evoke the timeless elegance of the 1930s and 1940s,” according to an official press release.
Upon entering, you’ll be greeted by a striking curved staircase with lucite railing that looks over the main dining room, itself overlooking Madison Avenue (the large windows throughout the space will help you properly people watch).
Photograph: Kat Sheldon
To the right, a cozy five-seat champagne bar is sure to become a go-to among the city’s “it” crowd alongside the private second dining room find just beyond the bar.
The second-floor mezzanine might feel a bit more personal: with 40 seats in total and a glass wine display where 400 bottles are currently on view, the area also features trinkets and books from Armani’s own travels. In a way, you’ll feel like you’re inside of Armani’s own house—and we imagine that is exactly the point.
Photograph: Kat Sheldon
At the moment, Armani/Ristorante is open for lunch service from noon to 2:30pm and for dinner from 5:30pm to 9:30pm from Mondays through Saturdays.
You’ve probably seen The Old Town Bar even if you don’t realize it. Images of its tiled floors, reddish pressed tin ceiling and wooden bar have long been visual staples of the American cultural diet. Its neon sign and welcoming interior were emblazoned across the opening sequence of The Late Show with David Letterman. Its other credits include the movies The Devil’s Own and State of Grace, as well as the music videos for House of Pain’s “Jump Around” and Madonna’s “Bad Girl.”
Old Town’s appeal runs deeper than its classic New York aesthetic, however. True to its name, The Old Town Bar has proudly stood on 18th Street between Broadway and Park Avenue for over 130 years. It’s long been a spot where New Yorkers have long come to gather, talk and connect.
This fall, I had the privilege of speaking with the co-owner of Old Town, Gerard Meagher, to learn more about the bar’s history, its patron saints, and, of course, its secrets.
A Bar for Everyone
Old Town was originally established in 1892 as a German restaurant called Viemeister’s. The first floor was a saloon for the men while the upstairs dining room operated as a more respectable restaurant for both gentlemen and ladies. To this day, the ladies’ room is still on the second floor while the men’s room is on the ground floor.
For the first 80 or so years of its existence, the fortunes of Old Town were tied to the subway. The restaurant began prospering in 1904 when the now-forgotten 18th Street and Park Avenue subway stopopened, which served the city’s original subway line the IRT. However, by 1920 the bar had been sold and the new owners—who re-named it Craig’s Restaurant—were concerned with surviving Prohibition. They made do, in large part, by fitting their booths with secret compartments under the seats in which they stashed bottles of alcohol for their loyal patrons.
After Prohibition, the restaurant changed hands again and was renamed Old Town Bar – Restaurant. It was a fitting rebranding because, by that point, the bar had become a cornerstone of the neighborhood. A menu from 1937 shows you could buy a pint of beer for a quarter and the special of the day—a sliced steak sandwich on toast with fresh mushrooms and French fried potatoes—for 50 cents.
However, hard times fell on the bar in 1948, when the 18th Street and Park Avenue subway stop closed and the Union Square neighborhood it calls home began to slip into disrepair. The bar stopped serving food and it shortened its hours to 9-5, as its only patrons had dwindled to the union men who worked in the area. The lone bright spot during these years was when Andy Warhol opened his studio, The Factory, nearby. Gerard said that he remembers Warhol, with his unmistakable bob of white hair, frequently patronizing Old Town where he’d sit elbow-to-elbow with tough union men, drinking beer.
Gerard’s father, Larry, began working at the bar around this time. Like many of the bar’s patrons of that era, he was a union man. Larry worked as a photo engraver for the New York World-Telegram and was the union representative. The union’s office was around the corner from Old Town, and Larry began to frequent the joint. Larry liked the place so much he began bartending and eventually bought the bar in 1985. Larry’s tenure coincided with the neighborhood’s revival, and he re-opened the bar at nights as well as reinvigorated the food service—initially relying on a Bunsen burner he stashed behind the bar until he could renovate the second-floor kitchen. Gerard followed in his father’s footsteps. After launching a successful advertising career, Gerard began bartending at Old Town for one night a week until he eventually took over for his father in 2007.
Photograph: Walker Schulte Schneider for Time Out New York
Literary Haven
The Old Town Bar is also writer’s bar. The reason is simple: as Frank McCourt, the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Angela’s Ashes and a regular visitor to Old Town put it: “The king of New York bars—where you can still talk!” That’s not to say the bar has the atmosphere of a crypt—it’s just Old Town understands volume control. The hum of conversation blends in seamlessly with the tunes, creating a melodic undercurrent that buoys and propels conversation.
McCourt wasn’t the only writer to appreciate Old Town’s appeal. In fact, Old Town might be the unofficial bar of Irish and Irish-American writers. The poet Seamus Heaney visited whenever he was in town—he confided in Gerard that Old Town was his favorite bar in New York City. Billy Collins still comes by regularly. Jim Dwyer, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author, has a signed book jacket on the wall. And the late, great Pete Hamill—witty chronicler of the city and an acclaimed drinker turned teetotaler—said that if he were to ever drink again, it’d be at Old Town.
Marvelous Fixtures
For the past 130 years, Old Town has remained a relative secret among both tourists and locals alike. Its location just north of Union Square, tucked between Broadway and Park Avenue, contributes to its low-key nature. But inside there are marvels.
The mahogany bar runs an impressive 55 feet long. At one end sits what may be the city’s largest and best-preserved dumbwaiter, which is still used to ferry food between the first and second floors.
Tucked at the far end of the bar, to the drinker’s right, the old workhouse sits snugly in custom made cabinetry. It has been transporting hot meals from the second-floor kitchen to hungry patrons for as long as the bar has been around.
For fans of such miniature freight elevators, the best seats in the house are the tables in the back room on the right-hand side. From there, you can get a clear view of the dumbwaiter in action.
Photograph: Walker Schulte Schneider for Time Out New York
The Old Town Bar is also something of a pilgrimage site for admirers of great porcelain. It boasts what may be the only two surviving Hinsdale urinals on the east coast. Each urinal stands about 4 feet tall and is nearly just as deep. The tops of the urinals are curved inwards, as if inviting the user to step into an experience. In this way, their silent majesty turns a routine act into something a bit more mystical. The New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells once commented “They’re so grand they turn the act of urinating into something sacramental.”
Wells is not wrong—the urinals were specifically invented to elevate the experience. The Hinsdale urinals were patented in 1910. Their inventor, a Manhattanite named Winfield E. Hinsdale, wrote that his urinals were specifically designed to “embrace a body” and provide “a more sightly appearance.”
The urinals are an attraction unto themselves. Gerard held a 100th anniversary gala in 2010 to celebrate the urinals hitting the century mark. As fitting with the gravity of the occasion, then-mayor Michael Bloomberg sent a letter to Gerard with his congratulations.
Mystery Monks
If you ever make your way up to the second floor (whether to dine or to use the restroom), look up. You won’t find God in the Old Town Bar, but you may find His servants.
Under the eaves, lit by the south-facing stained-glass windows, sit five weathered murals of monks engaged in all sorts of imbibery. In one, three monks ponder an eel with a telltale beer bottle on the left. One monk lifts his spectacles to get a good look at the eel while the eel looks back in defiance. In another, a lonely monk is splayed out on a chair, glass knocked over—its contents about to drip off the table’s ledge. The culprit, a barrel of beer, sits innocently beside him. Gerard doesn’t know who painted the murals or when they’re from. As far as he knows, they’ve always been here, silent yet animated companions to 130 years of diners.
Photograph: Walker Schulte Schneider for Time Out New York
Like any great bar, the longer you stay at Old Town, the more you notice. One glass pane behind the bar is labeled “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” I’d advise against looking into it—especially after a few pints.
A discolored campaign poster hangs high on the wall above one of the booths. If you peer closely, you’ll notice it’s stumping for William J. Meagher, who was Gerard’s great-uncle and the former Democratic boss of Williamsburg. (He won that election.) Noting my interest, Gerard proudly explained that his great-grandfather, Mattie Meagher, was also a political boss in Brooklyn, and the inspiration for the character Mattie Mahoney in Betty Smith’s beloved novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
Photograph: Walker Schulte Schneider
Before I left, I asked Gerard about his favorite aspect of Old Town. His answer came quickly and decisively. “It’s a place where everyone feels comfortable.”
I turned on my stool to look around. Sure enough, Gerard was right. The bar was packed with all sorts of patrons. An ancient-looking gentleman nursed a beer in the corner. Two fathers shared a booth with their adult sons. A stylish couple cozied up to the bar after an afternoon of shopping. A group of friends chatted noisily in the back room. And two young parents sat at a table, feeding fries to a pair of rosy-cheeked toddlers.
Old Town’s recipe for success isn’t hard to divine. In a city obsessed with exclusivity and the next great thing, Old Town has carved out a legacy by being one of those rare, special places where anybody can walk in, order a beer or a hot sandwich, and feel welcomed.
Hani’s (pronounced “Honey’s”) Bakery is whisking New Yorkers off their feet with an incredibly complex menu of pastries you never knew you needed. Opened by husband and wife duo, Miro (former pastry chef of Gramercy tavern) and Shilpa (Senior Food Editor at Bon Appétit magazine) Uskokovic, Hani’s is an homage to Miro’s late mother who had always aspired to own a bakery.
Growing up in Serbia, Miro would unfailingly come home to a cake made my his mother on the table. Baking was not only her joy and escape but a respite from work on the family farm. This new bakery honors her and a dream fulfilled.
Hungry customers can find Hani’s located in a former Dunkin’ at 67 Cooper Square. The bakery has been retrofitted to seat 14 people, with the best spots found right up at the counter.
Admire the enormous pastry case full of mouthwatering creations. The bakery will eventually offer more than 30 daily items, ranging from cakes and rugelach, to hand pies and pinwheels. Whether you like savory or sweet, Hani has something for everyone—and then some!
Mark Weinberg
For those with a sweet tooth, sink your teeth into their now viral Malted Cinnamon Roll, Brown Butter Carrot Cake with Pear-Ginger Jam, Sour Cherry-Coconut Granola, Peanut Butter-Blueberry Crunch Cake (think of it like a PB&J cake) and Hani’s Honey Cake to name a few.
Mark Weinberg
For savory lovers, try their Black Truffle Baked Potato Bun, Turkey Reuben Pinwheel, or the Broccoli-Cheddar Sausage Scone.
Plus, keep coming back for seasonal specials like festive cookies and sufganiyot for Hanukkah.
Mark Weinberg
If its big lines and sold out items don’t already tell you, Hani’s has a very prosperous future ahead. One thing customers can look forward to is a takeout coffee window once weather permits. Learn more on their Instagram.
In this charming New York City village, Santa drives a taxi, a nutcracker runs a hot dog cart and snowmen hang out at the Snoball Fight Club. The local cafe sells North Pole Holiday Blend hot chocolate, polar bears run the neighborhood bagel shop and the I Want a Hippopotamus Gift Store does a bustling business. This is GingerBread Lane, a confectionary creation by Jon Lovitch who holds the record for the world’s largest gingerbread village.
You can step into Lovitch’s whimsical world inside The Shops at Columbus Circle. Find this four-tiered gingerbread village on the second floor of the mall. It’s free to visit and will be on view through January 5, 2025. If you want to learn to make your own gingerbread house, Lovitch is hosting classes for $35 per person; you can grab a ticket here.
Each year, Lovitch combines his experience as a chef and baker to create GingerBread Village. It’s a year-long process during which he turns the basement of his Queens home into a workshop packed with gingerbread creations on every imaginable surface. He shops for expired candies each holiday season to transform inedible treats into a visual spectacle. By the fall of each year, he’s working 100-hour weeks to finish every intricate detail.
This year, his display has found a home in Columbus Circle where you can walk through shelf after shelf of his artistry, admiring the details at eye level. Just remember: Look and don’t touch!
Photograph: Rossilynne Skena Culgan for Time Out New York | Jon Lovitch stands next to his creation.
“It’s the easiest it’s ever been to get up close to the display,” Lovitch tells Time Out New York. “We tried to pay homage to the rich culture history that abounds in this neighborhood. We did everything we could to try to bring New York City into GingerBread Lane.”
Given the cultural relevance of the neighborhood as a center for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Lovitch added an even bigger turkey to the display. As an homage to the nearby Lincoln Center and its famed Nutcracker ballet, even more gingerbread nutcrackers fill the scene. A subway sign looks reminiscent of the Columbus Circle station.
Given the size and scale of the display, we wanted to discover some of the facts and figures that make GingerBread Lane what it is, and the numbers of gobsmacking.
Photograph: Rossilynne Skena Culgan for Time Out New York
NYC’s GingerBread Lane by the number
23,000 jelly beans
12,0000 M&Ms
3,500 sticks of gum
1,920 pounds of icing
1,120 candy canes
780 gingerbread structures
700 egg whites
520 square feet of gingerbread
425 pounds of candy
800 hours of labor
20 pounds of food coloring
1 Gingerbread Man — Jon Lovitch!
Photograph: Rossilynne Skena Culgan for Time Out New York
We’ve already made it to December (how?!) and with that comes the winter weather bringing snow and frigid temps to NYC. In other words, it’s time for us to fork all our money over to Con Edison to heat our homes (especially considering NYC is going to be colder than Alaska for much of this week). Though, thankfully, New York has a program that makes it a bit cheaper to keep your heat on through the winter.
NY’s Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) helps low income residents pay the cost of heating their homes, and the application is now open for the season. Here’s what you need to know:
How does HEAP work?
The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federally funded program that helps low and middle-income households as well as individuals aged 60 and above pay the cost of heating their homes. Eligible residents may receive one regular HEAP benefit per season.
You could also be eligible for an emergency HEAP benefit if you’re in impending danger of running out of fuel or having your service shut off.
Shutterstock / lazyllama
Who is eligible to receive HEAP in NYC?
You may be eligible to receive HEAP according to the following guidelines:
You and the members of your household are U.S. citizens, U.S. non-citizen nationals, or qualified non-citizens; and
You provide a valid Social Security number for each household member; and
You receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Temporary Assistance, or Supplemental Security Income; or
Your monthly household income is at or below the HEAP income guidelines
Keep in mind that you may be eligible for HEAP even if you own your home, pay for heat as part of your rent, or have money in the bank, stocks, bonds or other resources.
Are there any HEAP monthly income limits?
Yes, there are HEAP monthly income limits. Your total household gross monthly income for your household size must be at or below the guidelines in the following table:
Source / NY.gov
Are HEAP benefits available year-round?
No, HEAP benefits are not available year-round. The eligible period typically begins in early to mid-November and continues into the winter until program funding runs out.
Does it matter what my home’s heating source is?
HEAP may be of assistance to you if you heat your home with any of the following methods:
Electricity
Natural Gas
Oil
Coal
Propane
Wood/Wood Pellets
Kerosene
Corn
How much can I receive in HEAP benefits?
Eligible households can receive up to nearly $1,000.
How many people benefit from HEAP?
Last winter more than 1.7 million HEAP benefits were issued, putting more than $397 million dollars back in the pockets of families across New York State.
Source / NY.gov
How can I apply for HEAP?
You can apply for HEAP benefits in the following ways:
New Yorkers should not have to choose between heating their home or putting food on the table, and we’re offering critical financial assistance to protect vulnerable New York households as the weather gets colder. The Home Energy Assistance Program puts money back in the pockets of New Yorkers — helping households stay warm through the winter and providing much-needed financial relief.
If you notice a dull in the twinkle lights, it’s because the coziest Christmas getaways have been revealed, and NYC shockingly did not earn a top spot on the list. If you’re wondering why we’re sulking like Scrooge, consider this it.
From tree lightings and Christmas shows to igloo dining and ice skating, NYC is home to plenty of seasonal goodness, but our east coast winter wonderland was shockingly not in one of the top five holiday destinations, according to a new study from Bet MGM. Those who worked on the study took a couple of factors into consideration before determining the results: snowfall, venues, “cozy” Christmas vibes, and temperature.
So, if you’re curious which cities beat our beloved metropolis, have a gander at the results for yourself.
The top 10 coziest Christmas getaways
North Pole, Alaska
Park City, Utah
Denver, Colorado
Kennebunkport, Maine
Asheville, North Carolina
New York, NY
Branson, MO
Seattle, WA
Newport Beach, CA
Nashville, TN
Perhaps the temperature or snowfall factors caused us to dip in our standing, but if you ask us, we’re pretty satisfied with our venues and cozy Christmas vibes. (Hey, we are home to some of the most Instagrammable holiday markets in the U.S., so we’re certain we have “venues” on lock.) Plus, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree pretty much speaks for itself, no?
Alright, so we’re a little bitter, but we promise we won’t be a Grinch and spoil our holiday cheer — there’s entirely too much to look forward to. If you’re interested in seeing the results in full and want to start planning a trip, have a look at the study on BetMG.
Over the past decade, New York Nico, the online personality and filmmaker who constantly champions New Yorkers while showcasing snippets of city life, has become synonymous with the attitude and style that makes our town cool.
If you’ve been meaning to up your fashion game and mimic New York Nico’s own vibe before the end of the year, now is the time: this Saturday, December 7, the star is opening up his closet to the masses, letting all shop for items straight from his wardrobe.
From 12pm to 6pm, head to Shopify at 131 Greene Street in SoHo to browse through Nico’s collection, which will include plenty of brands from New York entrepreneurs, including Aaron Wiggs, Eric Emanuel, Greg Yuna, Jaeki Cho, Nolita Dirtbag, Neighborhood Spot and others.
The pop up event will include free pizza, cookies, hot cocoa and a potential surprise appearance by a certain bearded celebrity (no, not Jacob Elordi). This is the perfect event if you’ve been meaning to discover cool, under-the-radar New York brands expertly curated by someone with boots on the ground, knee-deep in New York culture.
Do try to get the early: the first few people who get in line will receive an old-school style skeleton key made from a NYC subway token, courtesy of Greenwich Locksmiths.
Bonus points: the entire event benefits a great cause: all money raised will be used to buy toys for children’s hospitals as well as Sugarplum Sled, an organization that purchases gifts for low-income New York City students and their families.
The NY Red Bulls have defied expectations, securing their place in the 2024 MLS Cup Final. As the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, the team’s incredible postseason run has made history, and fans are eager to support their quest for their first-ever MLS championship.
How many championships have the Red Bulls won?
This is the team’s second MLS Cup Final appearance, the first since 2008. They are in search of their first title. Despite being the lowest seed ever to reach the final, the Red Bulls have embraced their underdog status and captivated fans with their tenacity and determination.
How did the NY Red Bulls reach the MLS Cup Final?
The Red Bulls entered the playoffs as underdogs but showcased resilience and tactical discipline throughout their postseason campaign:
Whether you’re a long-time supporter or new to soccer, this final is a chance to witness history. Get ready to cheer as they aim to lift the MLS Cup for the first time and bring another championship to NYC.
67 Cooper Square
8 am – 5 pm everyday
Conference Semifinals: A stunning win 
Conference Finals: A 1-0 victory against Orlando City, with Andrés Reyes scoring the decisive goal.
Date: Saturday, December 7, 2024
Time: 4:00 PM ET
Location: Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, CA
Streaming: Apple TV (Free)
TV Coverage: FOX, FOX Deportes, TSN, RDS.