by BCB Property Management | Sep 28, 2018 | New York City
New York City is known for many things: lively streets, exceptional food, a forward-looking culture, and all things fashion. Throughout the centuries, the combination of elegance, edginess, and creativity has made New York a hotbed for fashion–both on the streets and the runway. No two New Yorkers have quite the same style, and true fashionistas have unique interpretations of what is “in”.
From Sarah Jessica Parker to Audrey Hepburn, it’s undeniable that fashionable women have made a home for themselves in New York. Everyone has his or her favorite, but here are six unforgettable fashion icons who have awed, inspired, and set the runway that is New York ablaze.
Audrey Hepburn
In Breakfast at Tiffany’s Audrey Hepburn’s character redefined the modern New York woman on the go. Pastry in hand with oversized sunglasses, chunky pearls, and a chic black dress, this fashion moment has no doubt been replayed by stylish women everywhere. Off screen, she was said to reach for the understated, yet classic garments–like ballet flats, cigarette pants, and simple black tops. But regardless of what fashion persona she donned, Hepburn inspired the rise of black as the go-to color for New Yorkers.
Sarah Jessica Parker
For years she played Carrie Bradshaw on Sex In The City. Her character’s look was a swirl of fur coats, tousled hair, silky slips, rock tee-shirts, designer handbags, and Manolo Blahniks. For Carrie, anything could be high-fashion if you styled it the right way. Sarah Jessica Parker, like Bradshaw, spent the majority of her adult life roaming the streets of Manhattan. She is always on-trend and has a similarly adventurous style as her TV character in real life. To showcase her eye for shoes, she launched her own shoe line in 2014, which quickly became a favorite of celebs.
Grace Jones
No list could be complete without the powerhouse of style who is Grace Jones. In the ‘70s and ‘80s, she was frequently sighted at Studio 54, Andy Warhol’s Factory, and the hippest nightclubs. Her striking androgynous style was a photographers dream, and left magazine editors clamoring for more. While Grace Jones can pull off just about anything, the boxy blazer and crew cut was definitely her signature look.
Patti Smith
Patty Smith burst onto the NYC music scene in 1975 with her album Horses. Her attitude is punk-rock, but her captivating style is casual and effortlessly thrown together. She favors men’s button-down shirts and baggy blazers paired with her signature dark tousled waves and piercing gaze. It’s been more than 40 years since her launch to stardom, but she’s still inspirational to women who aim to be unabashedly themselves.
Edie Sedgwick
Edie Sedgwick is easily recognizable by her dramatic eyeliner, dark eyebrows, and bleach blonde pixie cut which still inspires with many YouTube tutorials. She was a major face of New York party scene in the ’60s and rubbed shoulders with stars and musicians from Andy Warhol to Bob Dylan. Her mod, chic look is one that will inspire high fashion for years to come.
Diana Vreeland
Diana Vreeland was one of the most influential figures the fashion industry has ever seen. She was an editor for Harper’s Bazaar followed by Vogue, and is credited with discovering Hollywood legend Lauren Bacall and ‘It” girl Edie Sedgwick.
She provided style advice to the New York fashion elite, and is credited for making the Met Gala into the star-studded event it is today. Through Vogue and Harper’s magazines, her avant-garde approach captivated women all over the country.
These are just a few New York City fashion icons from a very long list, all with one thing in common: fearlessness. As long as women get dressed in the morning, the New York look will continue to innovate our closets, and inspire us to look a little bit cooler, and be a little bit bolder.
by BCB Property Management | Sep 17, 2018 | New York City
Much has been written over the past several years about the extinction of what was once a city staple: the greasy-spoon diners and unassuming luncheonettes of yore. It’s true. So many of the idiosyncratic places that used to form the fabric of New York City have been replaced with more stylish, homogeneous versions of themselves. The NYC diner isn’t completely dead, but its heyday has seemingly come and gone.
Recent closures include Chinatown’s nearly 70-year-old The Cup and Saucer, the Lyric Diner in Gramercy, the 40-year-old Del Rio in Brooklyn, the Village’s Joe Jr., the 53-year-old Market Diner in Hell’s Kitchen and, of course, the much maligned closure of Broadway’s 34-year-old Cafe Edison, an absolute institution in the heart of the Theater District.
Diners have been upended for a variety of reasons, usually some combination of lower receipts, higher rent, and competition from ubiquitous chain eateries. Those factors, plus the reality that a new generation of college-educated professionals is proving reluctant to run family businesses that involve long, hard hours and slim margins, are converging in what has felt like a massive diner die-off.
It’s no wonder that city staples have been replaced by glossy alternatives like Pret a Manger and Le Pain Quotidien. In fact, a recent Crain’s article said that while the city had over 1,000 diners and coffee shops 20 years ago, today that number has been whittled down to fewer than 400.
And, while many New Yorkers are lamenting the loss of their favorite spots for affordable comfort food, overall, the population’s tastes have changed. Some diners have struggled to keep pace by switching to upscale ingredients or replacing meat-heavy dishes with vegan and vegetarian options. Champ’s Diner in Brooklyn specializes in vegan fare. The Empire Diner in Chelsea offers upmarket menu items like tuna “poke” bowls, beef carpaccio and antibiotic-free chicken. Some might argue that menu items in the $30-range go against the spirit of the diner, while others are thankful for the cozy, retro atmosphere and the ingenuity.
Thankfully, there are still some old-time diners that grace our great city. More of them tend to be located in the outer boroughs rather than Manhattan, but there are diners to be found in either case. Favorites include the appropriately named Manhattan Diner, Broadway Restaurant, Comfort Diner, Bel Aire Diner, and the Neptune Diner.
For most of us, the days of walking a few blocks to get to our neighborhood diner, a place chock-full of friendly and familiar faces, may be over. But that doesn’t mean that the experience is lost entirely. If we’re willing to travel a little farther and perhaps endure a little anonymity, we can still bask in the warmth and comfort of eating scrambled eggs on a vinyl seat, surrounded by chrome and Formica.
Hopefully, the high-profile closures have generated enough interest to convince a large customer base to patronize our remaining local treasures. Perhaps NYC’s remaining diners can survive against the odds, pouring coffee and grilling burgers in perpetuity.
Looking for a different type of NYC eating experience? Read about ethnic food enclaves in Brooklyn and the Bronx, or satisfy your sweet tooth at one of our most instragrammable dessert spots.
by BCB Property Management | Aug 13, 2018 | Neighborhoods, New York City
As the summer heats up, many New York City residents head for the hills (or the Jersey Shore) for a weekend getaway and fun in the sun. But for those of us staying in the city, there are still plenty of summertime vibes to be found. Strolling the boardwalk at Coney Island, sipping frosé at a sidewalk cafe, rowboats on central park lake and our favorite past-time: Grilling meats in the open air!
An outdoor bbq with friends and family is the quintessential American summer activity. Luckily for New Yorkers, there are 1,700 parks stretched across the five boroughs! Large, small, wooded, or oceanfront, here are just a few of the parks that allow public grilling:
Manhattan
Inwood Hill Park (enter at Dyckman Street & Hudson River)
Inwood Hill Park is a 196.4-acre slice of New York History with sweeping vistas, dramatic caves, valleys, and ridges. The park offers athletic fields, playgrounds, dog runs, and a barbecue area, in harmony with its natural assets and striking views of the Hudson.
Morningside Park (enter at Morningside Avenue & West 121st Street)
Close to Columbia University, the Apollo Theater and the northern tip of Central Park, Morningside Park stretches thirteen blocks through the neighborhoods of Harlem and Morningside Heights. This nicely landscaped community park has playgrounds, jogging and bike paths, ballfields, picnicking, cliff-like hillsides with unique views, and even a waterfall. And the bonus feature: there’s a farmers market on Saturdays.
Randall’s Island:
Randall’s Island Park (enter at the waterfront near the south end of the park).
Randall’s Island Park is a recreation hub in the middle of the East River that has all things that make summertime a beloved New York season! With incredible flora, athletics, urban farming, and fantastic waterfronts, this is a great place to plan a large all-day get-together.
Queens:
Queensbridge Park (enter at Vernon Blvd and 41st Avenue)
Conveniently located on the East River waterfront, Queensbridge Park is a community park with great views from the Queens side of life, and a couple of great spots to grill! This park has a seawall, playgrounds, handball courts, dog-friendly areas, and convenient bathrooms making it easier for the older and younger members of the family.
Brooklyn:
Manhattan Beach Park (enter northeast of the promenade, median adjacent to the parking lot)
This is a popular stretch of beach great for picnicking, swimming (yes, people do actually swim in the water. It’s warm!) and volleyball. Manhattan Beach is a good alternative spot for grilling because it isn’t allowed on the beach at Coney Island. And as a reminder, for better or worse, there is no amplified sound permitted.
Now for the bad news, here is a short list of the parks that do not allow outdoor grilling:
Central Park (with the exception of Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day)
Coney Island (but between the surf, the rides, and the iconic boardwalk, you’ll have plenty else to do)
Washington Square Park
East River Park also disallows grilling without a permit, so be sure to grab one if you’re looking to cook out in the shadow of the stunning Manhattan Bridge!
Don’t forget that there’s plenty more to do in NYC world-class parks system! For even more activity ideas, check out our Summer 2018 events that aren’t to be missed!
by BCB Property Management | Jul 9, 2018 | New York City
While the movie industry calls Los Angeles home, there’s no city that’s been better showcased and paid tribute through the big screen than New York. From Times Square to the furthest reaches of the five boroughs, there’s no shortage of fascinating stories to be told about NYC, and filmmakers for over a century have taken advantage of this one-of-a-kind city as the ultimate backdrop. Here are just 5 outstanding examples of great films that helped to define New York City for audiences around the world.
The Naked City (1948)
Every great NYC film captures something about the city that words can’t describe, and the cinematography on display in The Naked City more than any other film does justice to the unique scenery of the Big Apple. This Academy Award-winning film turned 1940s New York into a film noir dreamscape, featuring real people and places shot with a documentarian’s eye. The story of a hard-boiled NYPD detective and a winding story of murder and deception, the film is most memorable for the on-location filming that captured a side of the city few Americans had previously observed.
All About Eve (1950)
The allure of Broadway is something that’s drawn hearts and minds to New York for decades, and no film inhabits that world quite like this story of Bette Davis as a star of the stage fighting to stay on top. As Margo Channing, she’s the toast of the city, but her place in the world is thrown into disarray when an ambitious young fan inserts herself into her life, ultimately attempting to snatch away her crown. Outside of the interpersonal drama, this movie uses the setting of the Theater District to full effect, showing that the bright lights don’t always illuminate the whole story. A tale of intrigue, yearning and competition, it couldn’t have happened anywhere but New York City.
The Warriors (1979)
This gangland exploitation flick contains equal parts grit and kitsch, capturing a long-gone New York City that many old-time residents were glad to see gone. The Warriors takes viewers on a treacherous subway ride from the Bronx to Coney Island, through the eyes of a tough but overmatched street gang eager to reclaim their home turf and clear their names after being wrongfully accused of a murder. They encounter an array of colorful but dangerous characters along the way, and the late-70s NYC locations mean much of the grime onscreen is the real thing. While most of us may not find ourselves caught up in the world of street violence, any New Yorker who’s taken a way-too-long subway ride can at least partially identify with the travails of the Warriors.
Ghostbusters (1984)
Even the toughest New Yorker needs a laugh sometimes. While many movies showcasing the city choose to focus on dramatic realism, sometimes NYC can be the perfect backdrop for a battle between a few average joes and the forces of galactic evil. In this laugh-a-minute ghost story from the mid-80s, there are only four men protecting the citizens of New York from a full-on paranormal invasion: the self-appointed Ghostbusters. From real locations like the Columbia University campus and the New York Public Library, to a confrontation with an interdimensional supervillain on the roof of 55 Central Park West, the Ghostbusters could have only come from one place. In a city where you never know what’s around the corner, we can all be thankful that these four are keeping us safe from paranormal dangers.
Paris is Burning (1991)
New York is a city of many subcultures: small movements bubbling beneath the surface that eventually grow to something no American can ignore. Back when this documentary was filmed in concert halls around Times Square and Harlem, LGBT rights weren’t on even most progressive citizens’ radar, and the ballroom culture featured in Paris Is Burning, a lifeline for many, was an obscurity to most. The film reveals a stunningly colorful world, where drag balls populated by mostly nonwhite gay performers and audiences were an underground phenomenon that would soon reach mainstream America. With Madonna copying their dance moves within a few years, and RuPaul’s Drag Race now in living rooms nationwide, this film captivatingly showcases the nascent stages of one of the most fascinating cultural movements that couldn’t have started anywhere but New York City.
by BCB Property Management | May 30, 2018 | New York City
Visitors from around the world come to New York City in droves to take in the sights and sounds of Broadway, with over 11 million theater fans visiting in 2017. But for one night, all those stars hop over to the screen for a celebration of everything that makes Broadway theater an exciting tradition.
This year’s 72nd Annual Tony Awards will be hosted by Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban and air live on CBS from Radio City Music Hall on June 10th at 8PM EST. And yes, those are facts the casual observer may already know. But here are 8 some theater lovers may not!
Who is Tony?
The prestigious award was posthumously named after Antoinette “Tony” Perry, an actress, director, producer, and co-founder of the American Theatre Wing. The award was named to honor her for her charitable work with the ATW during WWII.
Tony, She Hosts
Angela Lansbury, best-known for her portrayal of J.B. Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote, has taken to hosting or co-hosting duties more than anyone else: a record 5 times in 1968, 1971, 1987, 1988, and 1989. Neil Patrick Harris and Hugh Jackman are right behind her with 4 hosting appearances each.
The Music of the (Tonys) Night
To date, the Best Musical with the longest run on Broadway is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. The iconic show opened in 1988 and has garnered 7 Tony Awards so far.
All In The Family
Amanda Plummer, best known for her film roles in Pulp Fiction and the Fisher King, is the only Tony Award winner whose parents, Christopher Plummer and Tammy Grimes, are also Tony winners for their contributions to the stage.
What Goes Around…
What a whirlwind the Tonys are–the award night and the award itself. The pendant-like trophy emblazoned with the masks of comedy and tragedy on one side, and the name of the winner and the year on the other, has been in ‘rotation’ since 1967. Though the trophy itself didn’t always move, the addition of a curved iteration lets Tony spin!
Lucky Number 6
2018 is sure to make history (or herstory?) at the Tonys. For the first time ever, six women have been nominated in the Best Leading Actress in a Musical Category. Having six nominees in any category is uncommon, so this is a powerful testament to how much talent roamed the stages this past year. The first time six performers were nominated for a single category was for Best Actress In A Play. The winner that night was Julie Harris for The Lark in 1956.
The Night of the Big Show
The first ever Tony Awards were presented at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City on April 6, 1947. At the time, anyone could purchase a ticket to attend the ceremony for $7. Those hoping to get a ticket this year to see the show at the Radio City Music Hall would need to shell out more than a hundred times that amount.
Lights! Cameras! Tonys!
The Tonys were broadcast to TV audiences for the first time in 1956. At the time, the award show could only be seen by those tuning into the now-defunct DuMont Network–a CBS rival at the time–where the Tonys currently air.
Regardless of whether they’re attending the show in person or from the comforts of home, New Yorkers and their fellow Broadway aficionados are sure to enjoy this annual night at the theater!
