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Drenching rain, ice and snow might hit NYC tonight through tomorrow
If you’re planning to go out straight from work today, we hope you brought an umbrella along with you: according to the AccuWeather Global Weather Center, “New York City is one of the major metro areas that could experience a wide range of precipitation with drenching rain to ice and snow” late tonight through tomorrow night.
The severe weather prediction is part of a cross-country storm, the same one that thankfully brought much-needed rainfall in Souther California and snow in certain parts of the Southwest.
Beware that icy conditions are very likely to impact upstate New York in particular so take appropriate precautions when traveling through the area. According to AccuWeather, a general 1-3 inches of snow is currently forecast for parts of northern upstate New York.
“Watertown, New York, is getting hammered by snow, with 9 inches already piling up and another 5-10 inches possible,” reports the New York Post. “A winter storm warning remains in effect there until 1am Thursday.”
Following the next few days of potential precipitation, New Yorkers will be treated to a sunny Saturday, with high temperatures reaching 40 degrees on Sunday as well.
Monday and Tuesday of next week will be even warmer, with highs reaching the mid 50s.
As usual, though, Mother Nature will keep us on our toes: more snow is expected to hit us towards the middle of next week. Winter in New York is, clearly, in full swing.
Brooklyn favorite Gertie is hosting a weekly bagel pop-up in Prospect Heights next month
Everyone in New York loves Gertie, the modern Jewish-American deli that opened in Williamsburg back in 2019, and for good reason: the space is welcoming and the food is always top-notch.
Since then, the business has expanded in more ways than one, hosting different types of dinner series and opening sister restaurant Gertrude’s in Prospect Heights in 2023.
That growth continues next month, as Gertie gears up for a weekly bagel pop-up that will be delighting locals every Friday in February at Amorina in Prospect Heights. Located at 624 Vanderbilt Avenue, the hosting restaurant is just a five-minute walk from Gertrude’s.
According to an official press release, the bagel pop-up will operate every Friday starting February 7 through February 28 at 8:30am in the morning until sell out.
Guests will be able to order four different types of sandwiches: a classic bagel with their choice of schmear, the popular Gertie’s bagel (scallion schmear, tomato, red onion, capers and the option to add lox), Hy’s bagel (house-smoked whitefish salad, scallion schmear and pickled peppers) and the pastrami, egg and cheese (house beef pastrami, two eggs and schmear with Gertie hot sauce and pickled peppers). Each order can be prepared with a plain or everything bagel.
Known for its hand-rolled, kettle boiled bagels, Gertie has really made a name for itself across local culinary circles, so being able to snag the eatery’s creations in additional parts of town feels like a real New York win.
The Future Of Travel Includes Beauty Voyagers & Nano Neighborhoods, According To New Trends
Tripadvisor is looking into a crystal ball, and what it’s seeing is that the future of travel includes beauty voyagers and nano neighborhoods. Don’t know what that is? Don’t worry, we’ll back up a bit.
Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel platform, recently launched its first ever Trendcast report, which explores the trends reshaping travel and predictions for the years ahead. The Trendcast is based on search, booking and behavioral data, and user generated content from the platform’s one billion+ reviews and contributions, and it’s using travel trends to map out the destinations, experiences, and motivations that are redefining the art of travel.
Hilary Fischer-Groban, Head of Research & Insights, Tripadvisor, stated:
The Tripadvisor Trendcast isn’t your typical yearly trends report – it’s a glimpse into the future of travel and the consumer behaviors that we believe will shape our industry in the years ahead. Exploring first-hand insights from millions of travelers across the globe has revealed interesting trends and massive cultural swings shaping travel.
From “beauty voyagers” scouring the globe for unique treatments, to those exploring “nano neighborhoods” one block at a time, the Trendcast serves as a roadmap for travelers seeking inspiration for their next vacation. These are the the top travel trends:
Beauty Voyagers
Mentions of skincare treatments are up 87% in Tripadvisor forums, and beauty bookings are up a staggering 400%, which can only mean one thing: this travel moment is all about self care and seeking out unique treatments you can only get in faraway places. As New Yorkers we know all about traveling for self care, what with all the fabulous wellness retreats near NYC!
Time Tripping
With many still working hybrid or totally remote, “work-cations” have become quite the norm, with travelers “looking to maximize experiences outside the 9-to-5.” Like, imagine your 5-to-9 looked something like exploring the Vatican or walking across frozen glaciers in Iceland rather than getting winded from your seven-story walk up! Tripadvisor searches for “open late” and “24-hours” have more than doubled over the last year (110%).
Written in the Stars
Have your cauldron handy? Tripadvisor searches for bookings containing words like “astrology,” “tarot” and “full moon” have gone up over 500% in the last two years. Looks like many travelers are interested in mystical, cosmic, and spiritual experiences, and they’re certainly willing to travel for them.
If this piques your interest, be sure to check out which three star signs were made for NYC.
Investigative Eating
Conversations around food sustainability are up 65%, and searches for farms and farmers markets are growing a whopping 1,400% faster than the broader food and drink experience category as people seek out more ethically sourced dining options on their travels. Looks like the future is all about farm-to-table!
Nano Neighborhoods
Rather than trying to cram their itineraries with plans, travelers are opting to ditch the typical tourist trails and take things at a slower pace, taking the time to fully explore specific neighborhoods one street at a time. Neighborhood attraction pages on Tripadvisor have grown 134% faster than the average for attractions.
If you’re interested in exploring specific neighborhoods one street at a time right here in NYC, check out some of our neighborhood guides:
Solo Social
As it turns out, solo travel doesn’t actually have to be solo–over one third (36%) of solo travelers said “meeting new people” was a primary motivation for their travels, and they’re also 60% more likely to mention “making friends” in their reviews. If you’re interested in turning your independent adventures into shared experiences, these are the five easiest European cities for expats to make friends, and if you’re looking for more than just a friend, these are the most popular countries for singles to passport to.
Ready to book your vacation? Lucky for us, one of the most convenient airports in the U.S. is right here in NYC, aaand the U.S. passport is one of the world’s most powerful!
The post The Future Of Travel Includes Beauty Voyagers & Nano Neighborhoods, According To New Trends appeared first on Secret NYC.
NYC Wants To Give First-Time Homebuyers $100,000 Toward Their New Place
NYC living comes at a price, but programs like the HomeFirst Down Payment Assistance Program are certainly worth bookmarking.
The initiative — like the popular affordable housing lotteries — is meant to make setting up shop in NYC a little more accessible. Through the program, first-time homebuyers who qualify could receive up to $100,000 toward the down payment or closing costs on a 1-4 family home, a condo, or a co-op throughout the five boroughs. Hey, every lil’ bit counts!
All about the HomeFirst Down Payment Assistance Program
Considering 2025 housing predictions indicate that affordability is the biggest driving force, why not give this program a consideration? Here’s what you need to do in order to qualify, according to the city:
- Be a first-time homebuyer
- Complete a an HPD-approved counseling agency’s homebuyer education course
- Complete a loan application
- Make a minimum down payment of 3% of the purchase price
- Pass a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection
- Have a maximum household income up to 80% AMI (Area Medium Income)
Of course, there are a few important factors to note: those filling out the application will be expected to live in the house 10 years if the loan received is less than or equal to $40,000, and 15 years if it’s greater than $40,000. Applicants must purchase an existing home at or below 95% of the HUD purchase price limits.
Head to NYC.gov to learn more and start your application.
Should you be interested in renting, broker fees have been eliminated beginning June 2025. If you’re thinking about venturing outside of the five boroughs, have a look at our favorite cheap towns outside of NYC.
Interested in NYC real estate? These are the 10 hottest NYC neighborhoods to watch in 2025, according to StreetEasy
The post NYC Wants To Give First-Time Homebuyers $100,000 Toward Their New Place appeared first on Secret NYC.
Free Shakespeare in the Park returns this summer with a very starry cast
After taking last summer off for renovations to the open-air Delacorte Theater in Central Park, the Public Theater‘s cherished annual series Shakespeare in the Park will return from August 7 through September 14 with Twelfth Night, one of the Bard’s most popular plays. And no shortage of stars will shine their light on this free outdoor production: The cast will be led by Lupita Nyong’o, Sandra Oh, Peter Dinklage and Jesse Tyler Ferguson.
Saheem Ali, who holds the title of Associate Artistic Director/Resident Director at the Public and who directed the 2021 show Merry Wives at Shakespeare in the Park, will helm the production. Nyong’o will play Viola, a shipwrecked maiden who disguises herself as a boy to serve the man she loves, Orsino (Khris Davis), who dispatches her to court the wealthy and beautiful noblewoman Olivia (Oh) on his behalf, only for Olivia to fall for the boy that Viola is pretending to be—who is not to be confused, but inevitably is confused, with Viola’s twin brother, Sebastian, whom she closely resembles and falsely believes to be dead. In a neat twist of casting, Sebastian will be played by Nyong’o’s real-life brother, Junior Nyong’o.
Dinklage will costar as Olivia’s pompous major domo, Malvolio, who harbors secret romantic designs on his mistress; Ferguson will be Sir Andrew Aguecheek, a hapless fop who also fancies the well-favored Olivia, and Bill Camp will be Olivia’s ne’er-do-well uncle, Sir Toby Belch. Daphne Rubin-Vega and Moses Sumney help fill out the principal cast as Maria and Feste, mischievous members of Olivia’s household. The remaining cast members have not yet been announced.
The Public’s summer series has offered free stagings of Shakespeare plays since 1962, except for last summer and the pandemic summer of 2020. The Public has released several artist’s renderings of the renovated Delacorte. Here are two more. See you at Central Park this summer!
