Toast to the vibrant flavors and rich traditions of Mexican distilled spirits at the Panorama Mezcal Festival, the largest mezcal tasting event on the East Coast and the only one that happens to take place on a three-story yacht. 

RECOMMENDED: The best boat bars in NYC for water-top sips, snacks and scenic views

Yes, on Sunday, June 23 from 5pm to 8:30pm, you can step aboard La Barca Cantina—NYC’s only floating Mexican restaurant and mezcal bar—for a boozy fiesta that gives attendees the chance to taste over 300 top-tier mezcal, tequila, sotol and other agave spirits from more than 100 high-end producers, such as Rey Campero Mezcal, Mijenta Tequila, Cinco Sentidos and Siete Misterios Mezcal. Along with those exclusive tastings, ticket holders will have the opportunity to hear from some of the foremost names in the mezcal-making business, like Lucas Assis, Niki Nakasawa and David Suro-Pinera, in a series of enlightening seminars throughout the evening. 

Attendees will enjoy full access to the three-level luxury yacht throughout the festival, including an expansive outdoor top deck, three bars, and two air-conditioned decks. And when you’re not busy sipping world-class spirits, guests can savor Mexican-inspired light bites, get down to Latin music and browse hand-made pieces from Mexican art vendors including Tuyo, a company known for their handmade porcelain copitas (traditional glasses for tasting mezcal) and mezcal pairing salts.

Tickets for Panorama Mezcal Festival are on sale now; they begin at $99 for general admission and $149 for VIP access, which includes an additional hour of tippling and access to all three seminars, as well as a VIP swag bag with a complementary copita, a tasting booklet, a mezcal flavor wheel, a reusable branded tasting glass, and a $20 gift card with two free La Barca Cantina boarding passes to use at a later date. General Admission guests will have the chance to enjoy all tastings, gain access to one seminar and will receive a reusable branded tasting glass.

Check out scenes from previous editions of Panorama Mezcal Festival below and get ready for a good time!

* This article was originally published here

Night markets are the new roller rinks this summer in NYC, with another open-air market heading to Lincoln Center just after the announcement of Union Square’s first ever night market by Urbanspace.

The nightly food market will be in part of Lincoln Center’s ‘Summer for the City program. It will feature local food vendors like Bunnan, Harlem Seafood Soul, Jerrel’s Betr Brgr, Maya’s Snack Bar, Yakitori Totto, Taqueria al Pastor and more.

Still hungry after hearing some of the vendors? Well, the night market will offer even more food with a tent full of rotating bites to match the programming of each week.

New Yorkers can check out the food market Wednesday – Sunday from 5pm-10pm, now through August 10. *The night market will be closed on June 16 & July 4.* And after taste testing all of the vendors, be sure to vote on your favorite with Lincoln Center’s own “People’s Choice Award.” The winning purveyor will be featured in Newark Airport‘s Terminal C by United Airlines.

If you stop by the campus before the night market opens you can grab a bag of the first-annual “Lincoln Center” coffee from Joe Coffee, Wednesday through Saturday from 9am-5pm. $1 will be donated from each bag purchase to the Young Artist Pipeline program.

To learn more about Summer for the City and the night market here.

The post Lincoln Center Launches New Night Market On Summer Evenings appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

Though many people have opted to ditch their masks post-Covid, some still do choose to wear them, particularly on the NYC subway–but that may soon come to an end.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced during a news conference at the state Capitol on Thursday, June 13th, that she’s considering banning face masks in the NYC subway system. The announcement comes shortly after videos and images of masked anti-Israel protesters chanting on a train circulated around social media earlier in the week.

Hochul stated:

We will not tolerate individuals using masks to evade responsibility for criminal or threatening behavior. My team is working on a solution, but on a subway, people should not be able to hide behind a mask to commit crimes.

According to the Associated Press, the last time a law was passed to ban face masks in New York was back in the 1800s as a response to rent-related protests. That law was suspended in 2020 by former Governor Andrew Cuomo as a response to the pandemic before masks were eventually made mandatory for subway riders through September 2022.

The exact details of the policy are not yet clear, but Hochul stated she’s in talks with lawmakers on potentially crafting a bill. Hochul did note, however, the bill would contain “common-sense exemptions” for health, cultural, or religious reasons.

Hochul also added that she understands reinstating the ban would be difficult.

“We understand how complex this issue is, and we’re just listening to people and addressing their needs and taking them very seriously,” she stated.

The post Masks May Soon Be Banned On The NYC Subway appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

Shortly before NYC’s congestion pricing was about to go into effect Governor Kathy Hochul indefinitely paused the program. And while the pause will unfortunately have negative effects on the NYC subway system, not pausing it can cause NYC pizza prices to rise.

And if there’s one thing you shouldn’t do, it’s get between a New Yorker and their pizza.

While further explaining her decision to pause the congestion pricing program last minute, Governor Hochul stated in a conference on Thursday, June 13th, that the cost of the program would trickle down to consumers, meaning more than just New Yorkers driving cars will have to cough up some extra cash.

“Everything from the cost of a piece of pizza is going to go up because there’ll be charges imposed that’ll be passed onto consumers. This moment in time is not the right time to put that on the backs of New Yorkers,” stated Hochul.

The pizza comment is Hochul’s latest in a string of comments used to justify her decision to pause the congestion pricing program in the first place.

And with NYC already holding the title of “The Priciest Pizza City In The Country”–the cost of a slice has jumped 19% over the last eight years–and a law went into effect this past April requiring pizzerias to knock down their smoky pollutants 75%, effecting the cooking process for many, we’re left wondering when pizza will simply be left out of the equation.

The post Would NYC Pizza Prices Rise Due To Congestion Pricing? appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

The first official day of summer is still a week away but New Yorkers are urged to prepare for extremely high temperatures starting Tuesday of next week, when a heat dome is expected to settle across the Northeast. 

The heat dome—which usually happens when a pocket of extremely hot air is quite literally “trapped” above a region—will bring 90-degrees-plus temperatures to New York City starting Tuesday, capping out at an expected 95 degrees by Thursday, according to the New York Post.

Although things can obviously change, meteorologists expect the temperatures to stay in the 90s all through next weekend as well. 

What is perhaps most noteworthy is the fact that New Yorkers will still be very hot when the sun sets: experts are forecasting temperatures in the mid-70s every night next week as well. 

The National Weather Service has issued a moderate risk of excessive heat warning through, at least, next Friday, June 21. 

Needless to say, we urge New Yorkers to take appropriate measures given the weather forecast: try to stay indoors or head to a cooling center if your home isn’t properly ventilated (you might even qualify for a free air conditioner!). If you must be outside, try to stay in the shade, drink a lot of fluids and avoid working out. Wearing light clothes and taking cool showers may help as well.

We officially welcome you to summer in New York!

* This article was originally published here