The New York Women’s Foundation (NYWF) held its annual Radical Generosity Dinner in New York City to celebrate the work of the Foundation and honor visionary women who are advancing justice at the intersection of art, activism, and philanthropy. The 2023 honorees were Bisa Butler, an award-winning African-American textile artist; Molly Gochman, award-winning artist, activist and founder of Stardust;…
Founder of youth media program, HarlemLIVE, Rich Calton, announces the launch of the book, “The Legacy of HarlemLIVE: Empowering Youth Through Journalism and Experiential Learning”, co authored alongside the HarlemLive alumni.
This book traces the journey of New York City teens who created the web magazine, HarlemLIVE, one of the earliest ventures into online youth-produced publications.
From the inception of HarlemLIVE to its evolution over the years, the book details the hurdles faced along the way and offers a look into the organizational and interpersonal challenges that were overcome to achieve success.
“The legacy we’ve created with HarlemLIVE is a testament to the enduring spirit of young people,” said Calton. “Their resilience, creativity, and unwavering commitment to a mission have shown us that when youth are empowered, they can achieve extraordinary results.”
The book also delves into how participants went on to influence their communities and excel in their respective fields and bring about change.
“Let Me Tell You” is a series of columns from our expert editors about NYC living, including the best things to do, where to eat and drink, and what to see at the theater. They publish each Tuesday so you’re hearing from us each week. Last time, Things to Do Editor Rossilynne Skena Culgan explored why Picasso is having a moment at so many NYC museums.
Nobody sings it better than Billie Holiday when she croons, “It’s autumn in New York. It’s good to live it again.” It sure is, Billie.
To make the most of these days with their “glittering crowds and shimmering clouds,” we’ve compiled two festive fall itineraries. First, there’s one if budget is no option and you want to truly treat yourself. In our second itinerary, we’ve prioritized free and cheaper options. Finally, keep scrolling for a bonus itinerary for those who’d rather stay in.
Photograph: Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental
Itinerary 1: Treat yourself
Ready to drop some coin and make this season a memorable one? From a stunning tea party to an elevated movie experience, add these to your calendar this weekend.
Afternoon activity: Tea at Mandarin Oriental
Spend your afternoon enjoying the finer things. Tea at the luxurious Mandarin Oriental Hotel is always a treat, and they’ve even tailored the experience for fall with seasonal colors. Plus, don’t miss the the Autumn Leaf, a handmade pastry with hazelnut meringue, praline cream and milk chocolate mousse. While the tea is as much a treat for the eyes as it is for the stomach, your gaze will also be drawn to the the windows overlooking Central Park where you can see the leaves in their vibrant finery. Afternoon tea costs $110 per person or $140 with a glass of champagne. Here’show to book.
A stroll: Haunted Broadway walking tour
What’s Halloween season without something a little spooky? During this two-hour Haunted Broadway Walking Tour through New York’s busiest part of town, you’ll learn about Broadway and Vaudeville Stars from the great beyond, dance the Time Warp, sing songs from Phantom of the Opera and visit legendary haunted theaters. The tour’s $50/person; book here.
Photograph: Courtesy of Classic Harbor Line
Leaf peeping: Fall foliage boat tour
Admire the jewel tone trees from the water on a cozy fall foliage sightseeing cruise with Classic Harbor Line. Climb aboard an elegant 1920s-style yacht for a front row seat to the colorful leaves in the Hudson Valley. In addition to gawking at the leaves, you’ll also get to see iconic landmarks such as the George Washington Bridge, the Cloisters, the Palisades and the Little Red Light House. Tickets start at $108/person, bookable here; some options for a slightly higher price include lunch or brunch.
Movie night: Rooftop Cinema Club
For a truly elevated movie experience, head to Rooftop Cinema Club perched atop at midtown roof. Screenings this month include Rosemary’s Baby, Paranormal, The Exorcist, The Shining, American Psychoand other cult classics as well as family favorites likeCocoandMonsters, Inc. That all leads up to All Hallow’s Eve’s screenings ofHocus PocusandHalloween. Beer, wine, cocktails, popcorn, pretzels and nachos are on the menu. So grab a hoodie and get ready for the show. Tickets, available here, range from $19.50 to $28.50.
The newly announced Autumn Parfait has made its debut at Momoya Soho. Served in a wine glass, this decadent dessert layers whipped cream, fruit and sweet treats for a gorgeous and delicious delight. The parfait costs $28 before tax and tip. Make a reservation here.
A seasonal drink: Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew Martini
Loreley Beer Garden on the Lower East Side goes all out for the holidays. This year, they’re serving beer in their traditional pumpkin kegs as well as Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew Martini with Tito’s, Rise Nitro Cold Brew, pumpkin puree, Baileys and Kahlua. Starbucks could never. It costs $20 before tax and tip. Book a table in advance.
Decorative gourds: Greg’s Great Pumpkin Patch
It’s decorative gourd season, and you can pick from more than 4,000 pumpkins at Greg’s Great Pumpkin Patch in Williamsburg. You’ll find carving pumpkins, Greg’s Sugar Pumpkins, field pumpkins, Long Island Cheese pumpkins, Cinderella pumpkins, bright Lumina White pumpkins and teeny-tiny Baby Boos. Stock up to fill your home with some Pinterest-worthy seasonal decor. Prices vary.
Photograph: By littlenySTOCK / Shutterstock
Itinerary 2: Bougie on a budget
For those who want to save a little cash but still make some memories, we got you. With this list of free and budget-conscious ideas, you’ll be able to start saving up for holiday gifts without sacrificing any fun.
Afternoon activity: Union Square farmers market
Sure, you could rent a car and drive up to the Hudson Valley for that rural feel, but you could also just head to the totally free Union Square Greenmarket. Hosted Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays year-round, this massive market offers fresh apples, flowers, root vegetables, plants and all the holiday decor you could dream of. While browsing is free, of course, we recommend bringing some cash for a cup of hot cider and an apple cider donut or two.
Let somebody else blow their cash on Halloween decor that you can admire for free. The Upper East Side is putting on quite a show this Halloween season with flying bats, technicolor skeletons and even creepy light displays. The blog UES Things rounded up some addresses of where to go for a DIY walking tour.
Photograph: Virginia RollisonAutumn in Central Park
Leaf peeping: Central Park
Central Park makes leaf peeping easy with a free-to-download fall foliage map, plus a fall foliage tracker you can get via email. Whether you choose to follow the map or just meander on your own, you’re bound to witness spectacular colors this fall as many of Central Park’s roughly 18,000 trees transform into vibrant shades of yellow, orange and red.
Movie night: Free movies at Hudson Yards
On Friday nights in October, catch a free flick in Hudson Yards. On October 20, see The Witches; on October 27, see Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride. The movies are projected on a giant outdoor screen, so be sure to bring a blanket and a hoodie to stay warm. That’s a cheap date night right there.
A sweet treat: Pumpkin Spice Pudding
For fall, the beloved Magnolia Bakery released a pumpkin pudding flavor so delicious it might just rival the traditional pumpkin pie. It’s packed with cookie butter and flavors of vanilla, nutmeg, cloves and more. Pricing in-store ranges from about $6-10 depending on the size.
A seasonal drink: Oktoberfest beers at Torch & Crown
For a taste of Munich right here in NYC, Torch & Crown Brewing Company delivers. The Manhattan brewery’s serving two seasonal beverages: High Brau Festbier, a traditional Bavarian Festbier, and Low Brau Helles, a German Helles Lager. Try one (or both) at the brewery’s locations in Soho and Union Square. Drafts start at $10.
Decorative gourds: Pumpkin Point on Governors Island
Bringing home a pumpkin to decorate your apartment is always fun, but bringing home a free pumpkin is even better. You can choose from thousands of free pumpkins at Pumpkin Point on Governors Island on October 21-22 and October 28-29. (A suggested donation is encouraged, just fyi.) In addition to picking your favorite pumpkin in the patch, the celebration also includes magic performances, a bubble show and pumpkin painting.
Photograph: By Elya Vatel / Shutterstock
Bonus: The introvert’s version
Perhaps all of those activities make your head spin. We get it. For the introverts among us, we have a suggestion that might just do the trick. Adopt a cat or dog from our sadly very full local shelters and enjoy endless cozy cat naps or brisk dog walks this autumn. Bonus points for adopting a black cat. Billie Holiday was singing about skyscrapers when she said, “They’re making me feel I’m home,” but coming home to a pet will make you feel exactly the same way—and that’s a feeling that will last even after the leaves fall.
It may have rained on the parade during Total Equity Now’s (TEN’s) 11th Annual Literacy Across Harlem March on Saturday, Oct. 7, but more than 60 intergenerational, literacy-loving community members carried Ziploc-bag-covered books through the streets of Harlem to promote reading and writing, show their enthusiasm for Black and brown literature, and share TEN’s vision of universal literacy.
The event began with separate pre-march rallies hosted by El Museo del Barrio on the East Side and Sister’s Uptown Bookstore & Cultural Center on the West Side. El Museo del Barrio educator Edwin Gonzalez highlighted the museum’s origins and its longstanding commitment to educational programming as an accessible vehicle for visual and literary arts. Sister’s Uptown president and founder Janifer Wilson, who opened her bookstore 23 years ago, spoke about her vision for her store and the significance of the march.
“We are a people, Black and Brown people in particular, of stories. Some of those stories we share in the written word and some of them we have shared through our oral traditions, “ said TEN Founder and Executive Director Joe Rogers, who kicked off the event with a livestream from Marcus Garvey Park’s amphitheater. “Each one of these raindrops, to me, represents a powerful story of our history, of our culture, of our future, of our vision for what we know and anticipate our community will become and what we are building here today through the Literacy Across Harlem March.”
TEN dedicates each year’s march to the memory of Harlem literary superstars Pura Belpré, an Afro-Puerto Rican author and storyteller who served as the New York Public Library’s first Latina librarian, and New York Times bestselling author Walter Dean Myers, raised in Harlem and known for penning more than 100 children’s and young-adult books, many set in Harlem.
Bill Moore photo
TEN leaders guided two groups of marchers—one on the East Side and one on the West Side—to inspiring literary landmarks, including writer and social activist Langston Hughes’s house on 127th Street; P.S. 24, the elementary school attended by writer James Baldwin, which today houses Harlem Renaissance High School; the Aguilar Library, where Belpré worked; and the First Spanish United Methodist Church, also known as “the People’s Church,” a historical landmark featured in The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano, the East Harlem-centered coming-of-age novel by Sonia Manzano, who was known for playing the role of “Maria” on Sesame Street.
The march also included special stops at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the Center for Puerto Rican Studies.
The event culminated with the marching groups entering Marcus Garvey Park from opposite sides, harmonizing their reading-related chants, and carrying gift-quality books to donate to children in Harlem-based homeless shelters. TEN volunteer and educator Oceana James poured libations as she encouraged participants to call out the names of Black and brown literary ancestors. Community members enjoyed listening to three poets: 16-year-old Chassidy Lucas of the Brotherhood Sister Sol; filmmaker, author, and media entrepreneur Kimberly Singleton, who read an excerpt from her 2023 book-length poem I Love My People; and nine-year old New York State poet laureate Kayden Hern, the youngest member of the Harlem Bomb Shelter. Participants also played literacy trivia games and broke into intergenerational reading circles to read to each other from the books they carried along the march route.
The “World’s 50 Best Bars,” always at the center of the world’s boldest scare quotes, is back again, shaking up its list like the world’s booziest margarita and garnishing it with the world’s biggest grain of salt.
The annually updated index is under the umbrella of The 50 Best Brand, which also produces scrolls of the supposed 50 finest bars on North America, and inventories of the globe’s purportedly greatest restaurants. That’s all in the grasp of the food and drink sector data and events business, William Reed. And this edition of the corporation’s compilation of the Earth’s most esteemed watering holes was arranged by what it calls The World’s 50 Best Bars Academy, which numbers 680 “drinks experts” from 28 geographic regions who shan’t consider any consumer experience dating farther than than 18 calendar months back, for voting purposes, per a press release.
Anywho, 2023’s honorees include just three from NYC. The Lower East Side’s Double Chicken Please—number one on the aforementioned North America roundup announced this past May— clucks in at number 2. Overstory (NA’s number 7) in the Financial District soars at number 17. And Katana Kitten (3) roars from the West Village in the planet’s 27th spot. In 2022, the trio was ranked at numbers 6, 34 and 9, respectively, and also joined then by Attaboy, Dante and Employees Only, each absent this iteration.
This year’s top nod went to Sips in Barcelona. “The bar seamlessly translates contemporary innovation and technical precision into a playful cocktail programme, accompanied by the warmest hospitality, making it a worthy winner of The World’s Best Bar 2023 title,” 50 Best director of content William Drew is quoted as saying in the release.
IMPACCT Brooklyn, a nonprofit committed to helping residents and small businesses build and sustain flourishing communities, and Ring, an Amazon company, announced a collaboration to help keep small businesses in Central Brooklyn more secure.
Ring is making a donation of 200 Ring device bundles (including Ring Alarm Kit, Ring Stick Up Cams, and an Alarm Glass Break Sensor) to small businesses in need. Ring will cover the installation cost associated with the donated devices as well as a Ring Protect Basic subscription for the life of the camera devices. Ring will also provide a one-year subscription trial for Ring Pro Protect Subscription for the Alarm Kit.
“Small businesses are a central part of every neighborhood and we are committed to empowering entrepreneurs by providing security solutions to help protect their businesses,” said Karla Torres, Head of Community Engagement at Amazon Devices & Services.
IMPACCT Brooklyn will distribute devices to new and existing Small Business Assistance Program clients and will evaluate additional eligibility for the future. Amazon also donated IMPACCT Brooklyn with a $20,000 donation.
“We’re very happy to thank Amazon and Ring for their collaboration with our community partners. When our businesses are safer, everyone benefits,” said Bernell Grier, Executive Director of IMPACCT Brooklyn. “We hope these Ring devices will provide business owners peace of mind that will help foster a positive business climate. Ultimately, collaborations like this help make our communities safer, and bring jobs and economic prosperity to Central Brooklyn.”
Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman praised the collaboration in an effort to help small businesses in her district with security.
“The 56th Assembly District is home to vibrant commercial corridors and dedicated merchants who work hard to provide quality goods and services to our residents,” said Zinerman. “We know that small businesses thrive in a clean and safe environment, which makes Amazon’s investment in Ring Devices to Central Brooklyn businesses an invaluable asset.”
IMPACCT Brooklyn works with educators and local business mentors to launch workshops such as the Rolling Up the Gates/Project Restart. Through a range of informative courses, this program helps get small businesses off the ground and continue to thrive. Learn more about our Small Business Assistance Programs here.
Just a few months after the “Georgia O’Keeffe: To See Takes Time” exhibit wrapped up at the MoMA, Bar Calico at 23 Lexington Avenue by 24th Street, inside the Freehand Hotel in Gramercy, has added a new cocktail inspired by the iconic artist to its menu.
Dubbed Prickly Pair, the drink pays homage to the late O’Keeffe in more ways than one. As explained in an official press release, visually, the sip reminds of the floral motives that characterize many of the painter’s works.
The name is also a reference to her marriage to Alfred Stieglitz, responsible for her very first show in New York.
“The relationship was complicated, due in part to O’Keeffe’s career eclipsing Stieglitz’s,” reads the press release, “enter the ‘Prickly Pair.'”
Prepared using a vodka base, the cocktail features a sweet prickly pear puree, which is actually a watermelon-like fruit that grows in the arid climate of the Southwestern desert, near New Mexico, which is where O’Keeffe owned a house that she used as a private escape. See what they did there?
Bonus points: Bar Calico will donate $1 of every Prickly Pair ordered to the Breast Cancer Alliance throughout the month of October.
Head to the drinking den to enjoy a freshly made version of the cocktail right now or, perhaps, concoct your own at home. Here is the full recipe:
Ingredients:
1.5 oz St. George Basil Eau de Vie .75 oz Absolut Elyx Vodka 1 oz prickly pear juice .75 oz lime .75 oz Orgeat Egg white Lime zest
Method:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker without ice first and shake to emulsify the drink. Next, add ice to the shaker and shake to dilute. Strain into a nick and nora or coupe. Garnish by grating lime zest over the cocktail.
Laura Jackson became seriously concerned about her daughter and math when the girl was in third grade. While many of her classmates flew through multiplication tests, Jackson’s daughter relied on her fingers to count, had difficulty reading clocks and burst into tears when asked at home to practice math flashcards.
At school, the 9-year-old had been receiving help from a math specialist for two years, with little improvement.
“We hit a point where she was asking me, ‘Mom, am I stupid?’” Jackson recalled.
One day, when having lunch with a friend, Jackson heard about a disorder known as dyscalculia. She later looked up a description of the learning disability that impacts a child’s ability to process numbers and retain math knowledge. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is my kid,’” Jackson said.
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The Education Reporting Collaborative, a coalition of eight newsrooms, is documenting the math crisis facing schools and highlighting progress. Join our live expert panel for families, “Solving The Math Problem,” at 8 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, Oct. 17, at https://st.news/mathwebinar. Members of the Collaborative are AL.com, The Associated Press, The Christian Science Monitor, The Dallas Morning News, The Hechinger Report, Idaho Education News, The Post and Courier in South Carolina, and The Seattle Times.
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Nationwide, hundreds of thousands of students face challenges learning math due to disabilities like dyscalculia, a neurodevelopmental learning disorder caused by differences in parts of the brain that are involved with numbers and calculations. There are often obstacles to getting help.
America’s schools have long struggled to identify and support students with learning disabilities of all kinds. Kids often languish while waiting to receive a diagnosis; families frequently have to turn to private providers to get one; and even with a diagnosis, some schools are unable to provide children the help they need.
That’s slowly changing — for some disabilities. Most states have passed laws that mandate screening early elementary students for the most common reading disability, dyslexia, and countless districts train teachers to recognize struggling readers. Meanwhile, parents and experts say schools neglect students with math disabilities like dyscalculia, which affects up to 7% of the population and often coexists with dyslexia.
“There’s not as much research on math disorders or dyscalculia,” as there is on reading disabilities, said Karen Wilson, a clinical neuropsychologist who specializes in the assessment of children with learning differences. “That also trickles down into schools.”
Math scores in the U.S. have remained dismal for years and only worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning struggles for some may be due to dyscalculia or other math learning disabilities, yet few teachers report their students have been screened for dyscalculia.
Experts say learning the most effective methods for teaching students with math disabilities could strengthen math instruction for all students.
“If it works for the students with the most severe disconnections and slower processing speeds, it’s still going to work for the kids that are in the ‘middle’ with math difficulties,” said Sandra Elliott, a former special education teacher and current chief academic officer at TouchMath, a multisensory math program.
Some signs of dyscalculia are obvious at an early age, if parents and educators know what to look for. Young children might have difficulty recognizing numbers or patterns. In elementary school, students may have trouble with math functions like addition and subtraction, word problems, counting money or remembering directions.
Even after Jackson learned about dyscalculia on her own, her daughter’s Seattle-area public school was doubtful the third grader had a learning disability because she was performing well in other areas. Teachers suggested Jackson spend extra time on math at home.
“For so many parents, they assume the school would let them know there’s an issue, but that’s just not how it works,” said Jackson, who ultimately wrote a book, “Discovering Dyscalculia,” about her family’s journey.
Students with dyscalculia often need a more structured approach to learning math that involves “systematic and explicit” instruction, said Lynn Fuchs, a research professor in special education and human development at Vanderbilt University.
Part of the problem is that teachers don’t receive the training needed to work with children with math disabilities. At least one state, Virginia, requires dyslexia awareness training for teacher licensure renewal, but has no similar requirement for math disability training.
“It’s pretty rare for undergraduate degrees or even master’s degrees to focus on math learning disabilities with any level of breadth, depth, quality or rigor,” said Amelia Malone, director of research and innovation at the National Center for Learning Disabilities.
Without more widespread knowledge of and support for dyscalculia, many parents have had to look for specialists and tutors on their own, which they say can be particularly challenging for math, and costly. In 2019, Jackson started pulling her daughter out of school for part of each day to teach her math at home.
“I am not a math teacher, but I was so desperate,” Jackson said. “There’s no one who knows anything, and we have to figure this out.”
At the tutoring organization Made for Math, specialists have found children with dyscalculia need repetition, especially to understand math facts. Some students attend tutoring up to four days a week, at a cost of up to $1,000 a month.
“It’s hard because it’s not something schools are offering, and kids deserve it,” said Heather Brand, a math specialist and operations manager for the organization.
There are pockets of progress around the country in screening more children for math disabilities, but movement at the federal level — and in most states — is “nonexistent,” said Malone, of the National Center for Learning Disabilities.
New York City is one district that has prioritized math disability screening and math instruction in the early years. In 2015 and 2016, the city spent $6 million to roll out a math curriculum featuring games, building blocks, art projects and songs. The district has also introduced universal math and reading screeners to try to identify students who may be behind.
There are ways that all schools can make math instruction more accessible, experts say. In elementary schools, activities that involve more senses should be used more widely, including whole-body motions and songs for teaching numbers and hands-on materials for math operations.
Jackson said her daughter could have benefited from a wider variety of methods at school. When the teen returned to school-based math classes in high school, after several years of learning math at home, she achieved an A in algebra.
“When you really understand what it is to be dyscalculic, then you can look around and decide what this person needs to succeed,” Jackson said. “It’s not just that you’re ‘bad at math’ and need to buckle down and try harder.”
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The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Mads Refslund, chef and co-founder of the Copenhagen restaurant Noma, the “World’s Best Restaurant,” just opened ILIS, a new wood-fired kitchen and restaurant in Greenpoint, and if there’s one thing we can say about it it’s that they’re offering New Yorkers a pretty unique dining experience.
And, considering Refslund has been working on the restaurant for years, we wouldn’t expect anything less.
ILIS, from the Danish words for fire (“ild”) and ice (“is”), focuses on plants, seafood, and wild and sustainable North American bison and venison, the only four-legged animals you’ll find on the menu.
Source / ILIS
The ingredient-forward dishes will be served raw/chilled (incorporating the “is”) or cooked over a large open fire (bringing in the “ild” aspect).
What makes the space unique is their dining policy–guests are required to order at least five dishes (a minimum of $150) in the dining room.
It’s not exactly a tasting menu, however, as there’s flexibility on choice of course, manner of preparation (i.e. hot or cold), and length of the dining experience. Whether a guest wants to dine for 1.5 hours or 4 hours, Refslund doesn’t want them to feel trapped by a set menu or time.
Source / ILIS
To begin the dining experience, carts of seafood and produce are presented tableside. Afterwards, guests select the ingredients of their choosing as well as deciding whether they’re prepared hot or cold (or both).
Opening menu dish examples include Shigoku Oysters with green almond and cucumber, a Surf Clam fashioned into a flask, sealed with beeswax, and filled with a chilled clam drink with tomato water and smoked dashi, and BBQ Eel “On The Cob,” wild caught and brought to chefs live, brined for 48 hours, then smoked. A marigold flower is used by the guest to brush it with tare (a savory Japanese glaze).
Source / ILIS
There will also be a shared dish for the table, which is only served in one preparation (such as a whole roast wild duck). Each dish is delivered personally by the chefs.
As for the restaurant itself, it’s housed inside a 4,500-square-foot former rubber factory warehouse. The open concept space features a 14-seat bar and a lounge situated at the entrance and a large open kitchen in the center with 58 wrap-around seats.
According to Mads and the team all the best dinner parties wind up in the kitchen, and that’s exactly what they want ILIS to feel like.
Source / ILIS
Aging compartments for meat, game, and fish, as well as temperature controlled compartments for plants and flowers can also be found in the space, and plants and flowers will be dried on workstations and hanging from walls and the ceiling beams, doubling as eye-catching art pieces.
Reservations can be made on ILIS’ website, and a very select amount of lounge tables are available for walk-in. The bar is also fully walk-in.
A casual Saturday service will eventually be offered, and a 1,500-square-foot private dining room space adjacent to the restaurant is set to open later in the season.
150 Green Street, Greenpoint
Tuesday – Friday, 5:30 p.m. – 12 a.m.