B.A.B.E. of Brooklyn is a beloved brand and barbershop. But the original babe? That’s co-founder Wil Allen’s mom, a licensed cosmetologist. Mrs. Gracie Allen began doing hair in the 1960s in her Crown Heights house and a local salon (her late husband was a Navy seaman who served in WWII and the Korean War). With … Read more
Their new album may be called “Moon Music,” but Coldplay took the stage at a strangely sunny hour for a rare club show at Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg on Monday. I mean, it was still late afternoon, not even evening yet, when the alt-rock giants shrunk themselves down to everyday life size at the … Read more
They’re tipped off! Some local coffee shops are doing away with gratuities, removing tip jars and — more importantly — prompts for automatic gratuities on iPad payment portals. Most customers are thrilled. “I don’t have to decide how much to tip, I don’t have to do math, enthused Anu Mohan, a 34-year-old who works at … Read more
Each week, Alexa is rounding up the buzziest fashion drops, hotel openings, restaurant debuts and celeb-studded cultural happenings in NYC. It’s our curated guide to the very best things to see, shop, taste and experience around the city. What’s making our luxury list this week? The UES gets another dose of Danny Meyer deliciousness, a … Read more
The hottest item at New York bars and restaurants isn’t not on the menu, it’s on the hostess stand. Matchbooks are all the rage. Regular diners are collecting them, trading them with fellow enthusiasts and showing off their finds on TikTok, where the hashtag #matches has more than 64,000 posts. Restaurant owners are struggling to … Read more
This is not your grandmother’s bingo. Bongo Bingo — a game night that features rave music, dance-offs, confetti and wacky prizes — is one of the city’s most winning new parties. “It’s just so random and weird and fun,” said Dara Pollak, 39, a content creator who attended the most recent Bongo Bingo, held Thursday … Read more
A popular New York City restaurant is turning into a literal hole in the wall – serving Merlots, Syrahs and other vintages through a booze-to-go “wine window,” Side Dish has learned. Please Tell Me More owners Eric Griego and Austin Woolridge have dusted off the centuries-old wine window concept as a way to increase revenue … Read more
It’s time to paw-ty. The Big Apple’s first dog cafe reopened this week after announcing it would be closing for good in February — following a six-figure fundraiser by loving locals. “The reopening kind of felt like returning to school after summer vacation. We’re all re-energized, so excited to see each other and the customers … Read more
Libra author, straw hat enthusiast and father of new journalism Truman Capote maintained, “New York is not a city, it’s a world.” The roughly 340 neighborhoods found within this world, this sprawling, five borough constellation, are defined as much by their physical properties and energetic feel as they are the people who inhabit them. … Read more
He received a calling — to the kitchen. As pastor at Williamsburg’s Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Annunciation Parish, a chaplain to the FDNY and chairman of Emmaus Center, a Catholic arts organization, Jamie Gigantiello is one Monsignor with a whole lot on his plate. And when he’s not feeding his flock spiritually, he’s … Read more