Following his Tony Award winning run in Merrily We Roll Along, Broadway darling Jonathan Groff is set to return to the stage this upcoming spring to take on the role of Bobby Darin in a bio-musical called Just in Time.
The show, set to begin previews on March 28 and open on April 23, will play at the Circle in the Square Theatre at 1633 Broadway by 51st Street. The space will actually be turned into an immersive nightclub-like destination, boasting two separate stages, cabaret-style seating and an on-stage big band.
“Bobby Darin was a supernova,” Groff said in an official statement about the musical’s subject, who rose to fame in the 1950s and 1960s with songs like “Splish Splash” and “Beyond the Sea” before passing away from a heart condition at the age of 37. “He blazed his way through every corner of the entertainment industry, but his enormous talent, charisma, and pure genius were most on display when he was letting it rip in front of a crowd. This primal passionate love affair he had with the audience was the inspiration for our show’s conceit.”
Groff actually previously took on the role of Darin in 2018, when the show was mounted at the 92nd Street Y as part of a five-performance concert titled “The Bobby Darin Story.”
General tickets for Just in Time will go on sale at 10am on October 23 right here.
Say goodbye to your money, shopaholic New Yorkers: Primark, the international clothing retailer known for its value prices, just announced that it will soon open a flagship at 150 West 34th Street in Herald Square, right across the street from Penn Station. This will be the brand’s first-ever store in Manhattan.
“Opening a location in the epicenter of US fashion is going to be an exciting milestone for Primark US,” said Kevin Tulip, Primark US President, in an official statement. “When the opportunity arose to bring Primark to Herald Square in Manhattan, a store with exceptionally high foot traffic, national influence, and perfectly located to attract customers who already know us from other Primark stores in the boroughs and surrounding areas, we knew it was the perfect fit.”
The new 54,000-square-foot shop will eventually be Primark’s 11th in the state of New York, following the debut of another address at the Queens Center later this year. Other New York locations include ones in Brooklyn and Queens.
Although no official opening date has yet been announced, we’re already dreaming of the closet revamp that will follow our first excursion to the retail giant.
From fashion finds for men, women and children to beauty and home decor finds, expect to spend your entire afternoon perusing through Primark’s relatively affordable aisles.
The New York Jets made a significant move by firing head coach Robert Saleh after a disappointing start to the 2024 season. The decision came just one day after team owner Woody Johnson met with star QB Aaron Rodgers, though Johnson emphasized that Rodgers had no input in the firing.
Why was Robert Saleh fired as Jets head coach?
Robert Saleh’s tenure with the Jets saw a 20-36 record, never leading the team to a winning season. Despite fielding one of the top defenses in the league, the Jets struggled offensively, especially with the quarterback position. In 2024, the team started 2-3, including a recent loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London.
Johnson confirmed that the firing was his decision alone, despite speculation surrounding his meeting with Rodgers. Saleh and Aaron Rodgers’ relationship had been under scrutiny throughout the season. Everyone remembered the awkward moment in Week 3 against the Patriots, where Rodgers appeared to reject a hug from Saleh. Although both downplayed the incident, it fueled rumors about tension between the two.
Who will be the next Jets head coach?
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has been named the interim head coach as the Jets aim to salvage their season. The defense has been the best part of the Jets roster and it is being seen as a promotion for Ulbrich as he will now be the new head coach of the team.
With Jeff Ulbrich now at the helm, the Jets’ schedule remains challenging as the team looks to turn things around. Their next NFL game is a crucial matchup against the Buffalo Bills, followed by a road game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Week 6: vs. Buffalo Bills (Monday Night Football) Week 7: at Pittsburgh Steelers (Sunday Night Football)
The season is still young, and with Rodgers at the helm, the Jets have every intention of being a playoff contender. Fans eager to support the team should mark their calendars for these critical games as they fight for a turnaround.
There’s just something about living in close proximity to some of the best bars in the world that tickles our fancy, especially when an official voting body confirms that.
World’s 50 Best Bars, the same operation that names the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, just released a portion of its annual ranking and the United States takes the lead once again, appearing seven times across four cities in the top 51 to 100 list.
Even more specifically, New York is home to four of the seven mentions. The outstanding bars are Dante at number 79 (which actually disappeared from the list last year), Katana Kitten in the West Village at number 80, and beloved speakeasy-style destinations Attaboy (number 84) and Employees Only (number 97).
A panel of over 700 independent bartenders, educators, drink experts, cocktail specialists and award-winning writers comes up with the list each year.
Although there are no pre-determined criteria that voters are asked to keep in mind, there are strict rules to follow: the experts must have visited the bars they are praising during the 18-month voting period, they are not allowed to self-nominate or mention a destination in which they have a financial interest. One more thing: pop-ups do not qualify.
The organization will announce the top 50 list during a live awards ceremony on October 22 in Madrid.
The 51 to 100 best bars in the world:
51. The Bar in Front of the Bar in Athens 52. Kwãnt Mayfair in London 53. Freni e Frizioni in Rome 54. The SG Club in Tokyo 55. Arca in Tulum 56. Cat Bite Club in Singapore 57. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar in Bangkok 58. Argo in Hong Kong 59. Little Red Door in Paris 60. The Clumsies in Athens 61. A Bar with Shapes For a Name in London 62. Mirror Bar in Bratislava 63. Hope & Sesame in Guangzhou 64. Thunderbolt in Los Angeles 65. Angelita in Madrid 66. Café La Trova in Miami 67. Native in Singapore 68. Barro Negro in Athens 69. Carnaval in Lima 70. Bar Pompette in Toronto 71. Bar Cham in Seoul 72. Svanen in Oslo 73. Wax On in Berlin 74. Night Hawk in Singapore 75. Hero Bar in Nairobi 76. LPM Dubai in Dubai 77. Bird in Copenhagen 78. L’Antiquario in Naples 79. Dante in New York 80. Katana Kitten in New York 81. Sin + Tax in Johannesburg 82. The Savory Project in Hong Kong 83. Baltra Bar in Mexico City 84. Attaboy in New York 85. Vesper in Bangkok 86. Smoke & Bitters in Hiriketiya 87. Rayo in Mexico City 88. Pacific Cocktail Haven in San Francisco 89. The Bellwood in Tokyo 90. Amaro in London 91. Zapote Bar in Playa del Carmen 92. Camparino in Galleria in Milan 93. Hanky Panky in Mexico City 94. Red Frog in Lisbon 95. Nouvelle Vague in Tirana 96. Cantina OK! in Sydney 97. Employees Only in New York 98. Penrose in Kuala Lumpur 99. Viajante87 in London 100. Above Board in Melbourne
A home for all things very mindful, very cutesy and very daring over demure is Susan Alexandra (33 Orchard Street on the Lower East Side). Known for her whimsical bags and playful jewelry, the brand is all about everything beaded and bright. Its bejeweled nature has attracted many famous faces, including Gigi Hadid and Hailey Bieber.
The Lower East Side Shop is a spectacle to behold with technicolor dog collars and leashes, bejeweled peacock fruit bowls and hand-beaded bags made to look like slices of watermelons. Even the door handle is beaded—a beaded peeled banana, that is. A few nights a week, this colorful wonderland hosts “Bead Nights” for a DIY evening of crafting and cocktails, a perfect fit for our Back to Class series.
Photograph: Morgan Carter| Hand-beaded bags at Susan Alexandra
While it’s a bit of a narrow space, like most places in NYC, the store squeezed in two long tables flanking the checkout counter for class. Covered with yellow checkered tablecloths and white trim, each table held a range of jars and chalices filled with beads of aquamarine blues, juicy oranges and deep green, really, no color was lacking. While the largest jar on the table held a medley yet to be sorted, it housed the most interesting finds—flower petals, oyster shells, dog paws and strawberry gems. With the option to make two necklaces or a necklace and bracelet at the $78/person class, we were left to craft at our own pace.
As we worked, conversations naturally sparked at the table. One woman across from me spoke about her dachshund as she beaded her a collar. Friends who clearly hadn’t seen each other in a while talked future wedding plans while sorting beads and sipping on canned drinks, one spirited, one spirit-free. To my right, a couple hunted for the right letters to pay homage to the internet’s favorite butterball, Moo Deng.
In this way, this crafty evening seemed like the perfect third space for gathering. The associates told me that the store has previously hosted birthdays and bachelorette parties to companies looking for a stress-free team-building exercise. While at times I wished I had brought a friend of my own to chat with, sourcing the next beads for my creation kept me plenty occupied.
Inspired by the beaded watermelon bags around me, my first necklace played with a color palette of reds and greens with a few flowers thrown in. Thanks to the discovery of coffee bean gems, my bracelet took on a more neutral turn with brown and gold beads peppered throughout. Noting my interest, my table mates helped to dig out the caffeinated beads. Truly, a sisterhood.
Photograph: Susan Alexandra| Charm bar
Before we strung together our jewelry, we were invited to peruse the charm bar found at the checkout counter. The bar had a little bit of everything—tiny fried eggs, peas in a pod and perfume bottles to large gold letters and zodiac signs. For an extra fee, you could add as many jewels as you like. While the pomegranate with little ruby gems stood out to me, it didn’t exactly fit with my watermelon theme, so I fought the urge.
At the end of the evening, I left with my fruit-inspired necklace in a bag, my coffee bean bracelet fresh on my wrist and a calm feeling that only comes after a night of crafting.
Forgive us for thinking of our very own New York as a hotel paradise. Home to over 700 hotels according to a 2020 Department of City Planning report, the city is filled with beautiful potential lodgings for both tourists and locals seeking wonderful staycations.
So being voted the very best hotels in NYC is, of course, a big deal—especially when the ranking is determined by a panel of actual travelers.
Condé Nast Traveler just released its 37th annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey, tallying up a total of 575,048 votes to come up with its list of 25 best hotels in New York City.
The Ritz-Carlton in NoMad earned top praises—and we’re not surprised. The 50-story luxury hotel opened just two years ago, adding a new 500-foot structure to the city’s skyline and plenty of internal opulence to boot.
Designed as an “oasis of modern luxury,” the destination is also home to novel culinary concepts by celebrity chef José Andrés, including D.C. transplant Zaytinya, rooftop bar Nubeluz and fine dining eatery The Bazaar by José Andrés.
Perennial local favorites also made the list, including The Plaza, Mandarin Oriental, Aman and the Four Seasons Hotel. Didn’t we say we live in a hotel paradise?
Read on to see the whole list—our own hotel reviews are linked so you can discover why they may have made this list.
The 25 best hotels in NYC according to Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards:
From Harlem to Williamsburg to Hudson Yards, NYC has been listing some pretty incredible affordable housing lotteries, and considering us city dwellers are paying 164% more in rent than the average American, we’ll take all the affordable housing we can get! And we have some good news: a Gowanus Affordable Housing Lottery has just opened!
Being called the 420 Carroll Street Apartments, the lottery is actually comprised of two buildings located along the Gowanus canal, so beyond stunning luxury units residents will also have access to a beautiful waterfront promenade. The latest housing gem has 90 affordable units available, and New Yorkers making an income between $31,200 and $181,740 are eligible.
Source / Housing Connect NYC
The pet-friendly building (with large dogs allowed!) is designed for comfort and convenience and offers an amazing array of amenities–and way more amenities than we’re used to seeing! They include, but aren’t limited to:
Garages & covered parking
Bike storage lockers
In-unit washers & dryers
In-unit dishwashers
Patio or balcony
Gymnasium
Yoga/dance studio
Media room
Party room
Doorman
Elevator
Of the 90 available units 12 are studios starting at $784, 50 are one bedrooms starting at $828, 21 are two bedrooms starting at $967, and 7 are three bedrooms starting at $1,093.
Source / Housing Connect NYC
And considering apartments.com notes that the average monthly rent for a studio in NYC is $3,133, and less than 5% of rents are affordable for New York City dwellers making the city’s average salary, you definitely won’t want to miss this lottery!
Interested residents have until October 28, 2024 to apply to the Gowanus affordable housing lottery. The lottery doesn’t require deposits or application fees and, in addition to rent, selected tenants will be responsible for electricity, electric stove, and electric heat. 20% of the building’s units are preferred to go to Brooklyn Community Board 6 residents, 5% of the units are preferred for NYC employees, while 2% is for vision/hearing and 5% for mobility. Apply here.
Week 6: vs. Buffalo Bills (Monday Night Football)
Week 7: at Pittsburgh Steelers (Sunday Night Football)
424 Carroll Street & 436 Carroll Street, Brooklyn
Deadline to apply: October 28, 2024