When booking a vacation we’re typically used to pulling up hotel websites or Airbnb when looking for a place to stay, but this home swapping platform gives you a unique opportunity to explore a new city like a local rather than a tourist!

Inspired by the flexibility remote work offers, co-founders Justine Palefsky and Tasneem Amina created home swapping network Kindred.

During the pandemic both Palefsky and Amina looked for ways to take advantage of their remote work flexibility and spend more time in different cities, but they quickly realized all existing solutions were either wildly expensive or required giving up their homes completely, they told Forbes.

Tackling this issue is essentially what skyrocketed them into creating Kindred, a members-only home swapping network which isn’t like any vacation rental platform you’ve seen before.

For starters, there’s no financial exchange between guests and hosts on Kindred, unlike typical home rental platforms. Rather, the focus is on sharing rather than monetizing, and members “give” nights in their home in order to “earn” nights at others.

That’s to say there are no membership fees on the platform–the only fees you have to worry about are a cleaning and a service fee. To put things into comparison, a 7-night hotel rental can cost upwards of $2,000 while a 7-night home swap could cost less than $500.

Secondly, Kindred’s main focus is trust and they connect members who have something in common, such as mutual friends, and organize a video chat introduction before confirming stays. To ensure they maintain this environment of trust, they primarily grow their network through referrals. Each accepted member is given a unique code to share with others they think would be a great fit. Those who apply using that code will then be added to the top of the review queue.

Those interested in applying that don’t have an invite code can still join the waitlist as the platform accept homes on a rolling basis.

And while the network has mostly been used by remote workers so far, their goal is to make it possible for anyone to use the network and share their home.

Using the Kindred home swap network is as easy as following these steps:

1. Apply to unlock access – they’re looking for safe, well-cared-for homes occupied by people who love to travel

2. Book available homes – new members can book up to 5 nights before they host

3. Host and earn travel credits – earn credits each time you host

30,000+ homes are available to choose from in over 100 cities.

Co-founder and president Tasneem Amina told Forbes, “We started Kindred with the goal of making travel a way of life, not just an occasional escape.” They added, “Many of our members are drawn to Kindred because they want a travel experience with warmth, character, and the comforts of home. They want to feel like they are really living somewhere, not just traveling there as a tourist.”

So if you’re looking to explore new cities without blowing your entire savings, Kindred is definitely something worth looking into!

For more information on the Kindred home swap network and to find out if your home is a fit to swap, you can visit their website.

The post You Can Stay 7 Nights In This Parisian Home Near The Eiffel Tower For Less Than $400 appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

New York loves brunch—the sheer breadth of top-notch brunch spots in NYC is proof. But apparently not all NYC brunch spots are created equal, as a new study by entertainment site JackpotCity found that two local spots in particular have captivated brunch lovers all across the country. 

RECOMMENDED: Even the most ardent brunch-hater will love the 15 best boozy brunch spots in NYC

According to the new research—speaking of, the company gathered a seed list of 124 popular brunch spots in the US, analyzed the number of Instagram posts tagged with each relevant hashtag for each brunch spot and then ranked them—Central Park landmark Tavern on the Green and modern Mexican dining room Cosme are in the top ten most popular brunch spots in the county. The former, a favorite for its scenic locale and fire-driven dare, came in at number three in the rankings, with 33,688 Instagram posts to its hashtag. The latter, beloved for its sleek digs and elegant, high-gear small plates, clocked in at number eight, with 6,086 Instagram posts. 

Coming in at number one on the list was Malibu Farm in Malibu, California, with 55,866 Instagram posts. You can check out the full list of the top 10 popular brunch spots in the US below:

And along with analyzing the most popular brunch spots, the new study also revealed which are the most “brunch-obsessed” states in the U.S., looking into the number of Google searches for brunch in each state. Unsurprisingly, New York, tied at first with Texas and California, is leading the brunch craze, each with 201,000 monthly Google searches for “brunch near me.” Florida follows in second place with 135,000 monthly searches, while Georgia and Illinois tie for third with 74,000 searches each. 

* This article was originally published here

For decades, Madison Square Garden was home to the legendary Westminster Dog Show, which displays the most elite specimens from different dog breeds each year and sets the rigorous standard for purebreds all across the country. 

Because of the COVID pandemic, though, the event was moved to Tarrytown in 2021 and 2022, and then to Queen’s Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens this years and last. After several years hopping around different venues, the famous dog show just announced that it’s finally returning to its rightful home in Madison Square Garden next year.

RECOMMENDED: The best things to do with a dog in NYC

The Westminster Dog Show its making its grand return to MSG on February 8, 10 and 11 of 2025, bringing back the classic group judging phase of the event and the best in show ceremony while debuting smaller events across other venues, including the 12th annual masters agility championship at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on February 8. 

As for the next year’s judges, the organization announced that America’s Dog will be selected by Mrs. Paula Nykiel, a veteran breeder and handler who has been judging dog shows since 1990. 

Other confirmed judges include Mr. Harold Tatro for the Hound Group; Mrs. Angela Pickett for the Toy Group; Mrs. Vicki Seiler-Cushman of Xenia for the Non-Sporting Group; and Ms. Janina K. Laurin of Ashford, CT for the Herding Group. 

The Westminster Dog Show involves seven group competitions across several categories including obedience, agility, dock diving and more. 

To learn more information about scheduling and stay up-to-date with announcements in the lead up to the 2025 show, visit the Westminster Dog Show’s website or follow them on social media. 

* This article was originally published here

If there’s anywhere in New York that knows how to deli, it’s Russ & Daughters. And if there’s anywhere in New York that knows ice cream, it’s Morgenstern’s Finest. So fittingly, the two local icons have come together to do what both do best to create the most New York sweet treat in recent memory. 

RECOMMENDED: The 12 best ice cream shops in NYC include both modern parlors and old frozen favorites

Beginning on Tuesday, June 18, and stretching until the end of summer, Russ & Daughters and Morgenstern’s are collaborating on a collection of NYC delicatessen-inspired ice creams, based on some of the classic Jewish comfort foods that you’d find down at the century-old Lower East Side appetizing shop: you know, stuff like bagels and halva and babka (chocolate always!).

Among the new collab treats are a Sesame Bagel Ice Cream Sandwich, made with sesame cookie and cream cheese
ice cream; a five-layer Halva Ice Cream Bar inspired by Russ & Daughters classic seven-layer halvah, made with vegan chocolate and halva ice cream, chocolate fudge and dipped in dark chocolate (fun fact: it’s also gluten-free!); and a Chocolate Babka Ice Cream Pop, made with the appetizing store’s iconic chocolate-laced loaf and coated in toasted babka crumbles and dark chocolate dip. 

Each frozen treat is $8 a pop (no pun intended) and will be available for purchase at Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream (88 West Houston St) as well as at all Russ & Daughters locations. (Along with the LES original at 179 E Houston St, the deli brand also has outposts at Hudson Yards (502 West 34th Street) in Manhattan and at the Brooklyn Navy Yard (41 Flushing Avenue Building 77) in Brooklyn. 

It’s the second bagel-related ice cream collaboration of the summer so far: earlier this month, the Museum of Ice Cream partnered with Ess-A-Bagel for an “Ice-A-Bagel” treat that features a mini pink bagel stuffed with sweet Philadelphia cream gelato and topped with everything-bagel seasoning. 

* This article was originally published here

The New York food world is in mourning this week after the unexpected loss of James Kent, the acclaimed NYC-born chef behind such high-profile restaurants as Crown Shy, the two-Michelin-starred Saga (one of our most anticipated restaurants of 2024) and Overstory. He died at age 45 this past Saturday, June 15, his restaurant and hospitality group announced in a statement. 

“We are heartbroken to share that James Kent passed away unexpectedly earlier today,” wrote Saga Hospitality Group in an Instagram post announcing the chef’s passing. “The Saga Hospitality Group family is focused on supporting each other and most importantly Kelly, Gavin and Avery as we grieve James’ loss,” the post said, adding that the group’s restaurants would be closed in tribute the following day. “Celebrate Father’s Day with your loved ones,” the message ended. 

Born and raised in New York City, Kent kicked off his cooking career as a summer apprentice at Bouley when he was fifteen years old. After training at Le Cordon Bleu in London and Paris, he spent time in big-name kitchens like Babbo, Jean-Georges, and Gordon Ramsay. He then oversaw the kitchen of The Nomad and Eleven Madison Park, leading the latter to three Michelin stars and a place on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants List. 

Kent was building one of the most exciting restaurant empires in the city. And local chefs have come out in mass to pay tribute to the late chef. Daniel Boulud praised Kent’s “evolution, talent, ambition, determination and accomplishments” and wrote that his “artistic creativity, energy and generosity was an inspiration to his team and to us all.”

Marcus Samuelsson posted on Instagram that the two toques had “just had dinner a few weeks ago,” where they had talked about their shared love for the arts and food. “We would talk for hours about my love for Basquiat and his love for graffiti (he was [an] artist himself).”

* This article was originally published here

Kith Treats is whipping up something big over in Dumbo: now inside Empire Stores adjacent to Time Out Market New York, the brand is introducing not only its fourth NYC location but also its largest ice cream bar yet.

RECOMMENDED: The 12 best ice cream shops in NYC include modern parlors and old frozen favorites

At 55 Water Street, the cereal-infused ice cream parlor from luxury lifestyle and fashion brand Kith has opened inside of the second standalone Kith Kids storefront. (Visitors can either enter the Kith store from within the Empire Stores or from the street.) Inside, you’ll find a 508-square-foot space decorated with marble countertops, banquette seating and Kith Treats’ signature parlor-style cereal dispensers.

The goodies inside those dispensers are used to jazz up the brand’s menu of Signature Specials (including partnerships with Action Bronson, Virgil Abloh, LeBron James and other notable folks), Build Your Own creations (visitors can choose from a bevy of ice cream, milk, cereal and mix-ins choices, plus dairy-free alternatives) and Waffle Program options. The latter includes three waffle cone variations (each dipped in various chocolates and toppings), as well as a whole made-to-order branded Belgian-style waffle that features debossed Kith logos and comes topped with rotating ice cream specials.

And, as is Kith Treats tradition, there will also be a location-specific ice cream special available exclusively at the new Dumbo outpost: Named M², the offering is served in two kid-sized Kith Treats cups and features two swirls: one with vanilla and chocolate ice cream infused with Cocoa Puffs, Oreos, and mini M&M’s, topped with a chocolate drizzle; and the other featuring vanilla ice cream infused with strawberries, Frosted Flakes and mini marshmallows, topped with a strawberry drizzle.

Both the Kith Kids retail store and Kith Treat bar will be open daily from 11am to 8pm. Check out the treat bar and those exclusives below: 

* This article was originally published here