In true New York fashion, the weather just unexpectedly turned… very weird? 

Despite local forecasts predicting highs in the 70s and eternal sunshine today through the upcoming holiday weekend, the sky in the New York area just turned a light shade of black while rain and, yes, hail, started pouring down on confused New Yorkers. It’s also very windy out there.

Before you start despairing: forecasters are warning that the very worst part of the storm will take place between right now and 1pm. It’s pretty bad at the moment, so try to stay indoors if you can—perhaps dreaming of better weather days that are actually not that far away. 

Although a severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Manhattan and parts of Long Island earlier this hour, things should be looking better by the early afternoon. Don’t rule out the chance of a few storms this evening as well. 

This Memorial Day weekend, though, will likely be a (mostly) beautiful one: according to the National Weather Service, today’s rain will give way to a dry Friday with temperatures reaching the low 80s. Saturday will be a bit colder, perhaps in the high 70s, with a low chance of rain—same with Sunday.

On Monday, the actual holiday, expect to frolic in shorts—temperatures will reach about 75 degrees—but perhaps carry an umbrella with you as meteorologists are warning about a slight chance of rain.

While you’re hiding from today’s surprisingly wet weather, you might want to start planning the upcoming weekend. To that intent, check out our list of best Memorial Day weekend events in NYC. Enjoy the time off!

* This article was originally published here

A decade after he shuttered his three West Village dining rooms—Perilla, Kin Shop and The Marrow—and took a temporary leave from the New York food scene, Harold Dieterle is back with a brand-new restaurant concept: a Southern Italian stunner called Il Totano, with a focus on aged seafood and “a stylish Sicilian sensibility.”

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Best known as the first-ever winner of Bravo’s long-running cooking competition Top Chef, Dieterle debuted the new eatery in—where else?—the West Village earlier this week, at 154 West 13th Street by 7th Avenue.

Despite its downtown NYC surroundings, you’d be forgiven for thinking you stumbled upon the Italian coast, given the menu featuring dishes like dry-aged bluefin tuna with fried capers and fig leaf oil; a grilled branzino with blistered Sicilian green beans; a crispy pork-chop cotoletta with white anchovies and Calabrian chili dressing; and a “fake” affogato, made with fior di latte ice cream and Manhattan Special espresso soda. There will also be a new version of the chef’s famed spicy duck meatballs, here served with mint cavatelli, water spinach, and quail eggs.

Overseen by interior designer Sasha Bikoff, the digs also give off la dolce vita vibes: taking a page from the Italian fashion brand Marni, the walls are dressed up in bold, blue-and-white hand-painted wallpaper, made even more nautical when paired with a dark walnut bar (to “evoke a sleek Riva boat zipping through the Amalfi Coast,” naturally). Speaking of the bar, there are also several Southern Italian-inspired tipples to enjoy, including the Bitter Giuseppe (Chaparral liqueur, orange, and grapefruit) and the Capri (Probitas rum, Blackpool Spiced Rum, J.M. Creole Shrubb, Orchard Amaro, lemon and mint).

Il Totano will be open for dinner Sundays to Thursdays from 5pm to 10pm and Fridays and Saturdays from 5pm until 11pm. Check out the space and some of the food-and-drink offerings below: 

* This article was originally published here

Want to chill on the edge of the iconic Prospect Park Lake but can’t find a place to sit?

A new installation by the Prospect Park Alliance, NYC Parks and CJ Hendry Studio will help you out: a pair of charismatic and fully functional pink chairs are now part and parcel of the on site scenery. Unsurprisingly given their color, size and overall vibe, they are already going viral online. 

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The sculpture-slash-bench, aptly named “Pink Chairs,” is part of a artist CJ Hendry’s “Inflatable” series, which seeks to reimagine public art through the lens of utilitarian public spaces, according to the Prospect Park Alliance.

Fair warning: although the chairs may look like inflatables made of plastic, they are actually rock solid—so don’t throw yourself on them as if they were bean bags! 

Just like the Australian artist’s other large scale, hyperrealistic projects, the pink beauties are experiments in weight and scale, playfully subverting expectations.  

While in the area, make sure to check out public art pieces currently on display at nearby parks, including “Community Heroes” at Fort Greene Park, just a few minutes away. The exhibit brings together residents of Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and Farragut to celebrate the very people that make up each neighborhood through a series of beautiful portraits. 

But back to those adorable pink chairs: find them by the lake through October but try to head there in the next few weeks to thoroughly enjoy them as the weather turns warmer.

* This article was originally published here

This summer—from July 3 to August 24, to be precise—the Park Avenue Armory will play host to what is sure to become the next big thing on Instagram: Balloon Story, an interactive ballon art exhibition featuring over 600,000 eco-friendly latex orbs.

Tickets for the experience, which will last about 70 minutes, are already on sale right here. Depending on the type of pass you opt for, you’ll be spending between $36 and $66 to get in.

If the success of the Balloon Museum is of any indication, Balloon Story is poised to go viral on social media, so try to secure your ticket before all the influencers hear about this.

Once inside the Armory at 643 Park Avenue by 66th Street on the Upper East Side, you will walk through a series of beautiful inflatable sculptures and installations created by 200 different artists, each one telling a story of their own. Among the explored themes are iconic monuments from around the globe; an Americana display celebrating July 4; a space installation; an Antarctica-like, snowy wonderland and “magical under the sea moments,” according to an official press release.

Since Internet virality seems to be directly related to the presence of a ball pit no matter the occasion, expect just that on premise as well, alongside a “selfie square” featuring 12 installations that guests can take pictures of and in. Remember: immersive is the name of the game. 

“This exhibition is a celebration of art and imagination,” said Erica Domesek, the creative producer of the experience, in an official statement. “Each installation is designed to evoke joy and wonder, providing a magical experience for visitors of all ages.”

Although, as the weather turns warmer, we like to spend our days hanging out by the beach or perusing outdoor art pieces, we’ll make an exception and head indoors for this pretty creative show inside an iconic NYC building.

* This article was originally published here