Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Eric Adams Update; Truth be Told, Harlem Fine Arts Show & MODArts Dance Collective in Manhattan; Kofago Dance Ensemble, Winter Children's Fest LIC, Modern Dance & Irish Indian Fusion Concert in Queens; Dance Medicine Performance, Ramadan Bazaar and Brooklyn Marine Terminal Talk in Brooklyn; Hostos Center for Arts & Culture, Hot Food & Flea Market, Winter Workshops at BRAC, Next Week Last Ponce Bank Small Business Boot Camp in the Bronx; Winter Industrial Waterfront Walk & Zine on Staten Island & Charter Revision Committee in LIC Queens Monday, Ramadan Starts Next Week in NYC & Spanish / English Play at Thalia in Queens

February 21, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. Sunrise 6.40 am. Sunset 5.48 pm. We're getting an hour and fifty three more minutes of sunlight than we were the weekend of the Winter solstice in late December. Spring Forward Daylight Savings Time is Sunday, March 9th, 2025 - only two weeks away.

Unlike last weekend, this weekend will be dry and sunny, but with some cloud cover on Sunday. Temperatures will rise from the mid 30's on Friday to the low and then mid 40's on Saturday and Sunday. The low temperatures will follow suit, climbing from the low 20's on Friday, to the mid and then high 20's on Saturday and Sunday. Wind will be 10 - 15 mph on Friday and then will settle back to about 7 mph for the rest of the weekend. The humidity will stay within the range of 40% - 60% all weekend.

The photo above or at right shows a fairly active downtown Flushing in Queens around mid afternoon earlier this week. The Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations are over.

Saturday Very Early AM Edition @ 12.15 am. We have a bit of work to do on some of the inside pages, but this is done. FYI - there are many more events coming in March, which is only a week away, as we ramp up to the robust level of activity in Spring, as people start moving out and about.

Is Eric Adams Using the Mayor's Office in Pursuit of Personal Interest, instead of the Public Interest?

This was quite a week for Mayor Eric Adams. Starting a week ago, on Thursday, February 13, 2025, SEVEN U.S. Department of Justice attorneys decided to hand in their resignations, rather than file a motion to drop the case of the United States vs Eric Adams.

Eric Adams was indicted on federal corruption charges, which according to a February 15, 2025 report by the BBC include,

" ...  five separate criminal counts, including "conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal program bribery, and to receive campaign contributions by foreign nationals", wire fraud, two counts of solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national and bribery ...".

In resigning, the now former U.S. Attorney Hagan Scotten wrote,

" ... If no lawyer within earshot of the President is willing to give him that advice, then I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion ...".

The U.S. Attorneys were asked to file the motion to withdraw the case by acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove. Apparently, Edward Sullivan stepped up to file the motion, reportedly to spare the firings of many of the other attorneys in the Public Integrity section of the Department of Justice [DOJ] where the case and subsequent motion were filed.

A Sad Litany of Events Reveal Eric Adams' Lack of Integrity

Trump Tries to Withdraw Adams Case without Prejudice. So, consider this, these seven highly paid professional U.S. federal prosecutors are willing to forfeit their income and their positions, because they won't follow the orders of Trump's Acting Deputy Attorney General who wants the case withdrawn without prejudice.

This is an important detail, because to withdraw the case without prejudice means, " ... terminate[s] a case, allowing the plaintiff to refile the claim in the future. This dismissal is not an adjudication on the merits, meaning the court has not addressed the substantive issues. It often arises from procedural or technical deficiencies, such as improper service of process or lack of jurisdiction ...". 

Trump's Judicial Extortion? So Trump has not offered to pardon Adams, and he has not even offerred to completely drop the case. Apparently the seven prosecutors in the U.S. Attorneys Office who are familiar with the case, appear to believe it is very, very strong or they wouldn't have quit their jobs over the Trump DOJ effort to withdraw the case.

Trump is offering to withdraw the case, without prejudice [which means dropped only for the time being], so Trump still has the option to file the case against Adams again. This strikes me as judicial extortion by Trump, because if Eric Adams doesn't follow Trump's orders, Trump will likely refile the case against Adams. The attorneys in this case appear to have a lot of integrity, which unfortunately appears to be a very important character trait lacking in both our Mayor, Eric Adams, and our President, Donald Trump.

The Wrong People are Quitting, While the Alleged Criminals Hang onto their Jobs. While Adams appears to come up short on personal integrity, it appears some of his staff do not. On Monday, four of the eight Deputy Mayors said they were resigning, but would stay on until Adams can find their replacements. The Deputy Mayors include 1) first deputy mayor, Maria Torres Springer, 2) deputy mayor for operations, Meera Joshi, 3) deputy mayor for health and human services, Anne Williams-Isom and 4) deputy mayor for public safety, Chauncey Parker.

On Monday, following the resignation announcements by the four of Adams' deputy mayors, NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, called for Eric Adams resignation. As we said last week, we're living in a Bizarro world [Superman definition] where everything seems turned upside down.

Governor Hochul Installs Some 'Guardrails' on Adams

The Nightly Nonsense on TV News. I've not yet had a chance to familiarize myself with the legally viable options for ousting a potentially criminal Mayor in NYC. But based on the TV News hearsay, which I oftentimes find unreliable because they don't appear to do a very good job of fact checking, there is said to be several legal mechanisms available at the state and municipal levels to oust an elected NYC Mayor. None of those mechanisms have yet been set in motion.

Governor Hochul Avoids Making Things Worse by Trying to Remove Adams & Instead Installs Guardrails. But on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 18 & 19, 2025 NYS Governor Hochul met with a number of community leaders to discuss what to do about Eric Adams' alleged criminality and Trump's extortion scheme to use Adams as his political puppet. Hochul emerged on Thursday, announcing she would work with local officials to keep 'guardrails' around Adams, including providing funding for attorney's fees to the NYC Comptroller and the NYC Public Advocate to use to take the federal government to court should they infringe on the NYS and NYC jurisdiction vis-a-vis the Mayor's duties. And she is also going to appoint a special inspector to the NYC Department of Investigations to direct efforts to ensure that Trump doesn't interfere with Adams' responsibilities to the people of New York.

'Doth the Mayor Protest too Much' or is Adams Innocent?

Adams continues to protest the claims that he's corrupt. He also protests the claim that he struck a Quid Pro Quo deal with the Trump Administration Department of Justice [DOJ] regarding helping round up illegal immigrants in NYC.

Why then, did Adams change his cell phone password, and conveniently 'forgot it' just before he handed his cell phone over to the FBI last Fall?

And why have at least five other members of Eric Adams's Administration / inner circle been indicted on criminal charges?

And why then did Adams not seek help from the President of his own [at least for the moment] Democratic Party, while Biden was in office?

And why then is Adams unwilling to allow the judicial process - aka the wheels of justice - do their slow methodical work?

Adams told us that he didn't strike a Quid Pro Quo deal with Trump regarding a pardon in exchange for how he / NYC would work with Trump vis-a-vis immigrants.

So why then, did Adams travel down to Mara Lago on the Friday of the MLK weekend, to spend some time with Trump?

And why then, at the last minute on the Sunday night of the MLK weekend, did Adams ditch his friends at local events on MLK Monday, to attend the Trump Inauguration?

After the Inauguration, the Trump Administration 'coincidentally' ordered the Department of Justice to drop the charges against Adams. At first the Administration said the charges were being withdrawn because they had been filed too close to an election [about 9 months before the primary]. But lately they have changed their story and are now saying that pursuit of the corruption charges was interfering with Adams' ability to carry out his duties as NYC Mayor vis-a-vis immigration.

Soon after, again 'coincidentally', Adams announced new major efforts to crack down on illegal immigrants including opening Rikers to ICE agents and embedding the NYPD with ICE task forces.

In the graphic at right, a smiling Eric Adams appears on an Adams-friendly conservative TV network with acting Director of Homeland Security, Tom Homan.

According to a February 14, 2025 Gothamist report, headlined 'Mayor Adams plans executive order allowing ICE presence at Rikers Island' tells us the following, "... A 2014 law prohibits the city Department of Correction from cooperating with ICE unless an individual has been convicted of a serious or violent crime. The 2014 measure, however, allows the mayor by executive order to allow ICE to have an office on Rikers Island "for purposes unrelated to the enforcement of civil immigration laws. ... Adams also said he discussed with Homan [acting director of Homeland Security] ways to embed more NYPD officers into federal task forces, to quash “violent gangs” and criminal activity. ... The announcement comes days after the U.S. Department of Justice ordered federal prosecutors in New York to drop federal corruption charges against Adams. A letter from the acting deputy attorney general of the DOJ said the charges should be dropped in part so Adams could pursue the president’s immigration agenda...".

In the Shakespeare's Hamlet, Queen Gertrude says, " ... Methinks the lady doth protest too much ..." meaning the lady is overacting in an insincere, manipulative manner. 'Doth Mayor Adams protest too much?'

Federal Law Rule 48 & the Mayor of Limbo in NYC

Apparently the Judge, to whom the Adams case withdrawal was brought, understands the serious nature of the issues currently at play - not just in NYC - but also in the nation. And what is at play is the integrity of the American judicial system which is an important component of our democratic republic government, that neither Donald Trump nor Eric Adams appear to give a crap about.

Rule 48 states that a State Attorney General or a U.S. Attorney may only withdraw a criminal case with permission from the Court. And while the two parties involved in the case, Donald Trump's Justice Deparment and Defendant Eric Adams, would both like to see the case withdrawn, they still need the permission of the court.

The Judge decided to take the time to consider all aspects of what he's been asked to do - given what's REALLY going on here - which is that both Trump and Adams are willing to sacrifice the integrity of the judicial system to get what they want, just as both men sacrificed their own integrity, a long, long time ago.

Stay tuned ...

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in NYC

February 28 to March 30, 2025 - Ramadan Observed & Celebrated - various locations in NYC and around the world. Ramadan is a lunar based religious tradition, so depending on where you live, Ramadan may start and end a day later. Ramadan is a day of fasting, prayer, reflection and community for Muslims worldwide. Muslims fast during the day during Ramadan and then gather for dinner [an Iftar] when the sun sets. At the end of Ramadan Muslims celebrate Eid with a large sumptuous community dinner, oftentimes inviting non-Muslims to the feast for a communal celebration.

January 23 thru December, 2025 - Buried Beneath the City - at NYC Municipal Archives at 31 Chambers Street in the 1st Floor Gallery in Manhattan. All about the history buried beneath New York City from Indigenous peoples, to the early Dutch and English settlers including the slave trade to today. Free. For details see - https://a860-collectionguides.nyc.gov

Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Gotham Buzz NYC including the Alliance for Quality Education calling on Eric Adams to resign, and Open Letter to the Mayor regarding blatant and continual illegal parking in front of fire hydrants in neighborhoods that have experienced deadly fires, a call for the rescinding of the new Department of Sanitation rules for multiple reasons, and the Exposure of the Chelsea NYCHA Demolition Project as More Costly, Lengthier and Unfair to residents.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in Manhattan

February 21 - 23, 2025 various events at various times, but opening night is from 6 to 10 pm - 17th Annual Harlem Fine Arts Show - at the Glass House at 660 12th Avenue between 48th & 49th Streets in Midtown Manhattan. Over 100 artists and galleries are participating. The exhibition runs all weekend, there's an opening night reception, and various other programs including one on healing and another on African Americans in Finance.  For details and $40 admission & other event tickets see - https://www.hfas.org/2024/07/31/new-york-city-2025/

Wednesday - Sunday, February 19 - March 9, 2025 at 7.30 pm Weds - Sat & 2 pm Matinees on Saturday & Sunday - Truth be Told - at the Gene Frankel Theatre at 24 Bond Street in the Village in Manhattan. The play is described as follows, " ... a gripping psychological drama that unravels the aftermath of an unspeakable tragedy through the eyes of two mothers on opposite sides of a devastating event ...". For details and $37 tickets see - http://www.genefrankeltheatre.com

SOLD OUT _ February 22, 2025 beginning at 3.30 pm MODArts Dance Collective - at St Mary's Episcopal Church at 521 West 126th Street in West Harlem in Manhattan. Free. For details see - https://www.modartsdance.com

The photo above or at right shows an Impressionist photo of the West Village looking downtown in Manhattan in the early evening a few weeks ago.

CLICK here to view our reports of St Patricks Day parades in Manhattan NYC.

Gramercy Theater concerts - https://www.thegramercytheatre.com/shows

• Click here for Manhattan Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2025. There are Mom's Day gift markets.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Manhattan NYC.

• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Manhattan Buzz NYC - see top of this report under NYC, for the headlines of them.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Manhattan Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Manhattan Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in Queens NYC

Friday & Saturday, February 21 & 22, 2025 beginning at 8 pm - Kofago Dance Ensemble & FANIKE! African Dance Troupe - at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center at 153-10 Jamaica Avenue in Queens. There's a different West African dance performance each night in celebration of Black History Month.  For $10 / $30 tickets and details copy & paste - https://jcal.org

Upcoming February 21 & 22, 2025 - Mid Winter Children's Festival - at the NY Irish Center at 1040 Jackson Avenue in LIC. For details and tickets copy & paste - https://www.newyorkirishcenter.org

CLICK here to view our reports of St Patricks Day parades in Queens NYC.

Thursday, February 27, 2025 beginning at 7 pm - Concert of Irish & Indian Fusion - at the NY Irish Center at 1040 Jackson Avenue in LIC. For details and $29 tickets copy & paste - https://www.newyorkirishcenter.org

Monday, February 24, 2025 from 5 to 8 pm - Charter Revision Committee Public Hearing in Queens in LIC - at NYC Department of Design and Construction on the 1st floor in the Multi-purpose room at 30-30 Thomson Avenue [entrance on 30th Place] in LIC Queens. Our government officials keep changing the NYC charter to serve the interests of the rich and powerful, because 'The People' of "the government by, for and of 'The People' " has been operating on auto pilot, because the younger generations haven't been stepping up, and the older generations haven't been helping / motivating / mentoring them. For details see - https://www.nyc.gov/site/charter/index.page
Virtual Meeting Details (Zoom)
https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1601716863?pwd=m7Abp0tD6jNFUnv3aEc6BAG5aRQDzB.1#success

• Click here for Queens Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Queens NYC.

• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Queens Buzz NYC - see top of this report under NYC, for the headlines of them.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Queens Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Queens Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups. This month includes TBD.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in Brooklyn NYC

POSTED LATE _ Friday, February 22, 2025 from 6.30 to 9.30 pm - Dance Medicine - at Alchemia Studio at 119 Knickerbocker Avenue in Bushwick Brooklyn. For $32 tickets and details see - https://www.danceentropy.org

Saturday, February 22, 2025 from 11 am to 9 pm - Ramadan Celebration & Bazaar - at the Muslim American Society at 1933 Bath Avenue in the Bath Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn NYC. There are six different programs scheduled separately during the day, while the bazaar runs the entire time. For details see - https://www.masnewyork.org/centers/

Wednesday, February 26, 2025 beginning at 6.30 pm - Brooklyn Marine Terminal Redevelopment - via Zoom. Experts weigh in on a massive 122 acre redevelopment project in Brooklyn. Organized by the City Club on NY. To register for the Zoom call see - https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1017398015068/WN_qZoNiWgJSBqYp_ZNbsVseQ#/registration

CLICK here to view our reports of St Patricks Day parades in the Brooklyn NYC.

The photo above or at right was taken aboard one of the many trains making their way underneath NYC sidewalks and streets. It's really the most efficient way to travel within the city, assuming your departing and destination points are within easy walking distance of a subway stop.

This week the Donald attempted to take presidential power down to a municipal level, by signing an Executive Order rescinding Governor Hochul's signing of the Congestion Pricing plan for Midtown Manhattan, which began at the beginning of January. I'm no fan of the congestion pricing plan, because it's impact on climate change is minimal [disperses traffic not stops it], and its impact will decline as vehicles go electric. In the short term it actually adds a burden to public transit, as presumably drivers will ditch their cars around the outer perimeter of the congestion pricing zone. And it fails miserably to address what is really needed - and that is the expansion of the subway system throughout the outer boroughs and beyond.

So I agree with the Donald that Congestion Pricing really shouldn't be law, but I disagree with the process in which he's handling this [as well as his approach to issuing Executive Orders instead of legislating on a whole host of other things]. We live in a democracy, which means you don't get to do things unilaterally. Democracy is an ongoing, inclusive conversation. You have to convince people that such and such is the right direction, then get that direction detailed and articulated into a legislative bill, and then get enough votes to pass it. Dictators do things by fiat and Executive Orders, while Presidents of real democracies do things by convincing enough people to support something.

Two Plays - Polonsky & Billie Holiday Theater.

• Click here for Brooklyn Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Brooklyn NYC.

• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Brooklyn BLVD - see top of this report under NYC, for the headlines of them.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Brooklyn BLVD New Member Sign Up. Click this link Brooklyn Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups. This month includes TBD.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in the Bronx NYC

CLICK here to view our reports of St Patricks Day parades in the Bronx NYC.

In the photo above or at right is an atom-sized peak inside one of our writer's many cluttered minds ... on an average day.

Saturday, February 22, 2025 from 10 am to 4 pm - Hot Food & Flea Market - at Brady Court Community Center on 768 Brady Avenue [Antin & Holland Avenue]. They tell us vintage, hand crafted, dolls and collectibles, sports and entertainment memorabilia, jewelry, plants, furniture, baked goods and food. Free entry. For details see - https://www.facebook.com/BradyCourtCommunityCenterBX/ | Please look for Jeanette Wilson and tell her the Bronx Buzz sent you. Thanks.

Saturday, February 22, 2025 beginning at 7.45 pm - This is Ecuador - at Hostos Center for Arts & Culture at 450 Grand Concourse Avenue in the Bronx. This is a dance performance that encapsulates the, "... evolution of Ecuadorian cultures, from the pre-Hispanic era to the dynamic blend of indigenous, European, and African influences that define the country’s unique heritage. For $30 / $35 tickets and details see - https://hostos.cuny.edu/

Friday, February 28, 2025 beginning at 7.30 pm - Bacharatengue Dominicano- at Hostos Center for Arts & Culture at 450 Grand Concourse Avenue in the Bronx. They describe the event as follows, "... Experience the artistry of bachata and merengue with bachata pioneer Leonardo Paniagua, merengue megastars Richie Cepeda and Monchy Capricho, and rising sensation Jerry Zyno....".  For $20 / $25 / $30 tickets and details see - https://hostos.cuny.edu/

Fridays, February 14, 28 & March 14 & 21, 2025 from 6 to 9 pm [adults] & 5 to 8 pm [families] - Bronx River Art Center Winter Workshops - at the Bronx River Art Center at 1087 East Tremont Avenue in the Bronx. For free family or $20 adult [wine sipping included] workshops and details see - https://www.bronxriverart.org/

Wednesday, February 5, 12, 19, 26, 2025 beginning at 6 pm - Ponce Bank Small Business Boot Camp - at a central location in the Bronx. The first of a four part series which includes 1) getting the most from your bank, 2) accounting - knowing your numbers, 3) growing your business, and 4) preparing for a business loan.  For details see - https://www.poncebank.com/financial-mastery-series/small-business-bootcamp

• Click here for Bronx Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in the Bronx NYC.

• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Bronx Buzz - see top of this report under NYC, for the headlines of them.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Bronx Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Bronx MCAL Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

*** In the February MCAL - Click the MCAL link above for details about
Saturday, February 8th, For the Love of Chocolate;
Tuesday, February 11th, Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association Meeting
Saturday, February 15th Winter Walk; and
Monday - Wednesday, February 17 - 19, Stop Motion Time Travel Mini Camp.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week on Staten Island NYC

Saturday, February 22, 2025 from 11 am to 12.30 pm & 1 to 2 pm - Industrial Waterfront Photo Walk & Zine Making - at the Alice Austen House at 2 Hylan Blvd in the Shore Acres / Rosebank neighbohood of Staten Island. Free. Bring your camera. For details and to rsvp see - https://aliceausten.org

Saturday, February 22, 2025 from 11 am to 9 pm - Ramadan Celebration & Bazaar - at the Muslim American Society at 1933 Bath Avenue in the Bath Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn NYC. There are six different programs scheduled separately during the day, while the bazaar runs the entire time. For details see - https://www.masnewyork.org/centers/

CLICK here to view our reports of St Patricks Day parades on Staten Island NYC.

The photo above or at right was taken during the snowfall last Saturday afternoon and evening. Thankfully, after a very long dry spell, we received some precipitation, but it was far from enough to bring water levels back to normal. This weekend warmer temperatures return, and I suspect our 'two weeks of winter' is over.

November 2024 was the driest NYC November on record, January 2025 was the second driest NYC January on record; and January through December 2024 was the warmest on record in the U.S. as a whole.

Drought conditions are already impacting the planetary food supply in a number of places. This situation will only get worse, the only question is how quickly. I would argue far more quickly than anyone is currently contemplating. As an example, in recent years drought has negatively impacted California food production. California produces 4x more than the next nearest state in the Union [Illinois is #2]. We humans need to wake up and accelerate our transition to clean energy or only a few of us will survive to tell the tale.

• Click here for Staten Island Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend on Staten Island NYC.

• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Staten Buzz - see top of this report under NYC, for the headlines of them.

MCAL _ MEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Staten Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Staten Island Events - Member Events to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups. This month includes TBD.

So on the happy note above, I bid you adieu, and hope you have a nice weekend.

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Eric Adams Reportedly Explores Running on the Republican Ticket; Happy Valentines Day, Happy Presidents Day, Jazz Power Concert, Japanese Film Triology ending, BIPOC Dance Residency Try Outs, Lunar New Year Parade in Chinatown, Buried Beneath the City in Manhattan; Blarney Concert & Lunar New Year Lamp Festival in LIC, Workforce Fair in Jackson Heights & Art Opening Astoria / Sunnyside / LIC in Queens; Performance of Remembering at BAM in Brooklyn; Winter Workshops at the Bronx River Art Center, Winter Walk & Next Week Mini Camp & Ponce Bank Small Business Boot Camp in the Bronx; Historical Lecture at the National Light House Museum on Staten Island & Trump / Musk Budget Cuts to Fund More Billionaire Tax Breaks?

February 14, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. Sunrise 6.51 am. Sunset 5.29 pm. We're getting an hour and twenty three more minutes of sunlight than we were the weekend of the Winter solstice in late December. Spring Forward Daylight Savings Time is Sunday, March 9th, 2025 - only three weeks away.

We're expecting less than two inches of snow beginning around 1 pm Saturday, turning into an additional half inch of rain on Sunday before winding down around 8 pm.

The temperature highs will be in the mid 30's on Friday and Saturday, rising to the low 40's on Sunday. The temperature lows will be in the high 20's on Friday and Sunday, rising to the mid 30's on Saturday. It's going to be a windy weekend with winds between 5 - 13 mph Friday, between 7 - 11 mph on Saturday and then rising to between 10 - 17 mph on Sunday. The humidity will range from 40 - 50% on Friday, from 50% - 90% on Saturday and between 80 - 90% on Sunday.

The photo above or at right was taken earlier this week at the Downtown Independent Democratic Club, which seven of the nine candidates running for Mayor attended. We'll post a full report Sunday evening, so you can begin doing your homework prior to voting four months from now in the primary. While Mayor Adams was not in attendance, these seven candidates were: NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, NYS Assemblymember Mamdani, Former Vice Chair of the DNC Michael Blake, Former NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, Former Hedge Fund Manager Whitney Tilson, NYS Assemblymember Jessica Ramos and last but not least NYS Senator Zellnor Myrie.

Saturday Early Morning Edition @ 1.30 am. Done.

The Two-Faces of Eric Adams

Adams Reportedly Exploring a Mayoral Run on the Republican Ballot

Law Enforcer or Law Breaker? Well, it seems we're beginning to uncover all of the deceptive masks Eric Adams has been wearing most of his adult life. He went from being a member of the NYPD to allegedly being a criminal of an unknown degree - because he sought a pardon, even before he went to court.

Democrat or Republican? In the late 1990's Eric Adams became a Republican, then switched [back] to becoming a Democrat in early 2000. He's now reportedly exploring a second bid for Mayor, possibly as a Republican, given how badly he has alienated the Democrats who voted for him in the last election.

To show how quickly things are unraveling for Eric Adams, consider this. The Reverend Al Sharpton, one of Adams strongest supporters, criticized the Department of Justice for dropping the case against Adams. As recently as MLK Day [January 20th, 2025], Sharpton wanted Adams to attend an MLK event in NYC. But Adams ditched his pre-scheduled MLK events in NYC to attend Trump's Inauguration in Washington, D.C.

In the graphic above or at right is a smiling Eric Adams, who according to the headline is reportedly exploring a mayoral run on the Republican party ballot.

While Adams may have disappointed a lot of moderate voters with his City of Yes zoning law changes, he has greatly pleased the very wealthy real estate industry investors and developers who have funded his campaigns and legal bills. With their funding, Adams may be able to flood the media airwaves with enough paid narratives about who he is and what he has done, to make a credible second run - even as a Republican.

Is Adams Now Revealing Who he Really is? There appears to be a Quid Pro Quo between Trump and Adams, as Adams has been stepping up NYC collaboration with ICE in an effort to round up illegal immigrants in the city. Adams claims it's just the criminal element, but the City Hall Memos distributed encouraging collaboration with ICE, do not appear to discriminate between law abiding and law breaking immigrants.

The graphic above or at right, was taken from an African American media outlet, that expressed its disatisfaction with how Eric Adams is representing not just himself, but all African Americans, because he has a very public profile. In my travels around the boroughs of NYC, I keep finding what I once considered a surprising amount of frustration and anger directed toward him, by black and brown people who had trusted and voted for him.

But today their anger and frustration no longer surprises me. Reverend Sharpton's rebuke of Adams noted above, is a good example of the kind of reassessment of Eric Adams that is now percolating in the black and brown communities - if not throughout NYC as a whole.

Definition. NYC is a Sanctuary City and NYS is a Sanctuary State. Specifically what this means that both the city and state have adopted policies which limit municipal and state cooperation and use of local resources to help federal authorities round up immigrants.

What Actions are Taken as a Result of being a Sanctuary City or State. The limitations may include prohibiting access to state and municipal buildings, not sharing state and municipal information about illegal immigrants, and non-cooperation by state and city employees with federal authorities - unless the federal authorities have a court ordered warrant.

Why Sanctuary Laws were Passed. Sanctuary city and state laws gained popularity in the 1980's in order to assimilate immigrants into American society by strengthening ties between immigrants and government officials involved in law enforcement, education / schools, and healthcare / hospitals.

The goal is to assimilate and empower resident immigrants in order to prevent the development of a social, psychological, educational and healthcare disadvantaged and alienated, second class of human beings in our country. The Declaration of Independence declares that "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" are inalienable rights for all - not just some.

Essentially being a sanctuary city or state means that all humans living in an area are treated decently so they may develop mentally, physically and financially in a reasonably fair manner, so that if they end up staying here they become an asset - not a liability. But more than that it's about maintaining certain standards of public health, education / workforce readiness and public safety for the entire community.

Illegal immigration should be stopped at the borders and entry ways into the country - not hunted down in schools, hospitals, and places of worship in the middle of our communities, which is sure to traumatize citizens as well as illegals.

The photo above or at right, was taken of the Mayor at the InterFaith Breakfast at the NY Public Library in Bryant Park in late January. The Mayor spoke to a couple hundred people - mostly of folks who either work for him or have been supportive of him. In spite of the audience composition, there were people there congregated around a protest sign expressing dissatisfaction with the Mayor's governance.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in NYC

January 23 thru December, 2025 - Buried Beneath the City - at NYC Municipal Archives at 31 Chambers Street in the 1st Floor Gallery in Manhattan. All about the history buried beneath New York City from Indigenous peoples, to the early Dutch and English settlers including the slave trade to today. Free. For details see - https://a860-collectionguides.nyc.gov

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in Manhattan

Click here for Valentines Day restaurants in Manhattan.

Things to do in Manhattan Presidents Day Weekend events in Manhattan nyc.

Sunday & Wednesday, February 15 & 19, 2025 - Jazz Power with the James Zollar Band Zollar Systems - at The National Jazz Museum 58 West 129th Street in Harlem from 4 - 6 pm and at Alianza Dominicana Cultural Center at 530 West 166th Street in Washington Heights from 7 - 9 pm respectively. Free. For free tickets and details see - https://jazzpower.org/jazz-power-concerts/

Sunday, February 16, 2025 beginning at 1 pm - 27th Chinese Lunar New Year Parade - "... starts at Hester and Mott Streets ending on Broome Street near Sara D. Roosevelt Park ..." according to https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/nyc-lunar-new-year-parade-and-festival-year-of-the-snake/. The cultural / merchandise / food booths are on Bayard Street between Mott and Mulberry in Chinatown in Manhattan. For details see - https://betterchinatown.com

Friday thru Friday, February 7 - 14, 2025 [not Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday] at various times - Obayashi '80s: The Onomichi Trilogy & Kadokawa Years - at the Japan Society at 333 East 47th Street in Midtown Manhattan. They describe the film series as follows, " ... The teenage symphonies of Nobuhiko Obayashi (1938-2020) are wound in a melancholy nostalgia for a period indelibly lost to time, neatly occupying the inexpressible gap between adolescence and adulthood. Woven through visually expressive fantasias with striking formal experimentation and pop-art boldness, Obayashi’s idiosyncratic cinematic language would produce some of Japan’s most beloved seishun eiga (youth films) throughout the 1980s, captivating generations of filmgoers with his earnest portrayals of young love and the vanished worldviews of youth ...". For details and tickets see - https://japansociety.org

Saturday, January 25 & February 1, 8 & 15, 2025 from 2 to 5 pm - BIPOC is Black, Indigenous and People of Color identifying dancers and choreographers age 18+ / Collective Thread Residency. Free. St. Mary's Episcopal Church 521 West 126th Street in Washington Heights / West Harlem. Details coming or see for yourself - Harlem Arts Alliance & https://www.modartsdance.com

The photo above or at right shows one of the contingents of the Chinese New Year Parade in Flushing [where the streets are wider] Queens in an earlier year. Some of the Chinese march in both parades.

Gramercy Theater concerts - https://www.thegramercytheatre.com/shows

• Click here for Manhattan Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2025. There are Mom's Day gift markets.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Manhattan NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Manhattan Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Manhattan Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Manhattan Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in Queens NYC

Click here for Valentines Day restaurants in Queens.

Things to do in Queens Presidents Day Weekend events in Queens nyc.

Friday, February 14, 2025 begins at 7 pm - Blarney Star Concert Series - at the NY Irish Center at 1040 Jackson Avenue in LIC. Dairmuid, Franke & Matt play accordion, fiddle and keyboards respectively, of traditional Irish music. For details and $23 tickets copy & paste - https://www.newyorkirishcenter.org

Saturday, February 15, 2025 from 3 to 10 pm - Lunar New Year Lamp Festival - at Culture Lab at 5-25 46th Avenue in LIC Queens. An Asian Art Exhibit in the year of the dragon. They describe the event as follows, "... a dazzling array of traditional and contemporary performances, delicious food, unique artisan vendors, and a hilarious stand-up comedy show ...". For $12 tickets [$39 for family of 4] and details copy & paste - https://www.culturelablic.org

The photo above or at right was taken a week ago Saturday evening, as a few inches of snow fell in Queens.

Thursday, February 20, 2025 from 3.30 to 6.30 pm - Turner Construction & NY Football Club Workforce Resource Expo - at the Bulova Corporate Center at 75-20 Astoria Blvd South in Jackson Heights. It is not a job fair, but rather an information session to raise awareness of what they are doing so that the community may be informed including trade partners, unions and organizations offering apprenticeship programs. Turner was selected to build the Soccer Stadium at Willets Point.  Use the 25th Street entrance and free parking.  Free. For details and to rsvp, copy & paste - https://www.queenschamber.org

Thursday, February 20, 2025 from 6.30 to 8.30 pm - Exhibition Opening: Unraveling Threads - at Materials for the Arts at 33-00 Northern Blvd in LIC Queens. They describe the event as follows, " ... Gallo [of Italian and Puerto Rican descent originally from the Bronx] takes everyday, inconsequential debris and robust construction materials such as trash bags, plastic netting, and caution tape, to create gargantuan tapestries with lush textural weavings. Inciting feelings of uncanny familiarity, Gallo’s work disrupts conventional assumptions about what we consider valuable or discardable ...".  Free but rsvp.  For details and to rsvp, copy & paste - https://www.materialsforthearts.org/

Upcoming February 21 & 22, 2025 - Mid Winter Children's Festival at the NY Irish Center - see above listing for details.

• Click here for Queens Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Queens NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Queens Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Queens Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Queens Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

• Click the MCAL link above for details regarding auditions for the Queens Choral Society on January 7, 27 & 29, 2025.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in Brooklyn NYC

Click here for Valentines Day restaurants in Brooklyn.

Things to do in Brooklyn Presidents Day Weekend events in Brooklyn nyc.

Friday & Saturday, February 14 & 15, 2025 beginning at 7.30 pm and 2 pm respectively - Remembering - at the Brooklyn Academy of Music at 30 Lafayette Avenue in the Fort Green neighborhood of Brooklyn. The performance is described as follows, " ... a multimedia production exploring the Middle Passage, slavery, and emancipation ... the event blends  contemporary and African dance with spoken word, music, and African drumming, bringing American history to life through African voices and dynamic audiovisual elements ...". For $45 / $75 tickets and details see - https://www.bam.org

NYS Senator Zellnor Myrie of Brooklyn, one of about nine candidates for Mayor, is shown in the photo above or at right, speaking to a live and Zoom audience of between 300 - 500 people at Downtown Independent Democrats Club on the Lower East Side earlier this week. We hope to post a full report about all of the candidates on Sunday evening. It's not too early to do your homework / research on the mayoral candidates, as the Democratic Primary is only four months away.

Two Plays - Polonsky & Billie Holiday Theater.

• Click here for Brooklyn Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Brooklyn NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Brooklyn BLVD.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Brooklyn BLVD New Member Sign Up. Click this link Brooklyn Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups. This month includes x.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in the Bronx NYC

Click here for Valentines Day restaurants in the Bronx.

Things to do in the Bronx Presidents Day Weekend events in the Bronx nyc.

Sunday, February 16, 2025 beginning at 3 pm - Nai Ni Chen Dance Company - at Hostos Center for Arts & Culture at 450 Grand Concourse Avenue in the Bronx. A dance performance mixing classical Chinese with modern.  For $12 / $10 / $5 tickets and details see - https://hostos.cuny.edu/

Fridays, February 14, 28 & March 14 & 21, 2025 from 6 to 9 pm [adults] & 5 to 8 pm [families] - Bronx River Art Center Winter Workshops - at the Bronx River Art Center at 1087 East Tremont Avenue in the Bronx. For free family or $20 adult [wine sipping included] workshops and details see - https://www.bronxriverart.org/

Wednesday, February 5, 12, 19, 26, 2025 beginning at 6 pm - Ponce Bank Small Business Boot Camp - at a central location in the Bronx. The first of a four part series which includes 1) getting the most from your bank, 2) accounting - knowing your numbers, 3) growing your business, and 4) preparing for a business loan.  For details see - https://www.poncebank.com/financial-mastery-series/small-business-bootcamp

Saturday, February 15, 2025 from 10 am to 11 am - Winter Walk - at the Bartow Pell Mansion at 895 Shore Road in Pelham Bay Park. Free. For details and to rsvp copy & paste - https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org or Click MCAL link below.

Monday - Wednesday, February 17 - 19, 2025 from 10 am to 1 pm - Stop Motion Time Travel Mini Camp - at the Bartow Pell Mansion at 895 Shore Road in Pelham Bay Park. For details and to rsvp $400 tuition copy & paste - https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org or Click MCAL link below.

The photo at right was taken earlier this week, on a subway slinking its way underneath the streets of NYC. Be careful of your health when using public transit this winter, as respiratory illnesses are on the rise again.

• Click here for Bronx Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in the Bronx NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Bronx Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Bronx Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Bronx MCAL Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

*** In the February MCAL - Click the MCAL link above for details about
Saturday, February 8th, For the Love of Chocolate;
Tuesday, February 11th, Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association Meeting
Saturday, February 15th Winter Walk; and
Monday - Wednesday, February 17 - 19, Stop Motion Time Travel Mini Camp.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week on Staten Island NYC

Click here for Valentines Day restaurants on Staten Island.

Things to do on Staten Island Presidents Day Weekend events on Staten Island nyc.

Sunday, February 16, 2025 from 2 to 4 pm - Professor Joseph Henry's work at the U.S. Light House System Depot - at the National Lighthouse Museum at 200 The Promenade at Lighthouse Point in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island. A talks about the professor, a physicist, and his work with the USLHS Department to develop state of the art equipment back in the 19th century.  For details and $5 / $10 tickets copy & paste - https://lighthousemuseum.org.

• Click here for Staten Island Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend on Staten Island NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Staten Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Staten Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Staten Island Events - Member Events to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Have a nice weekend.

Why Isn't TV News Talking About the Real Reason for American Budget Deficits & Debt?

Which are the Huge Republican Tax Cuts for Billionaires that Started with Ronald Reagan in the 1980's, Continued with George W. Bush in the 00's and got a Huge Third Boost from Trump in 2017

Why aren't the billionaire controlled TV networks talking about WHY Trump is cutting so many people and other resources from the federal government? Why are they aiding and abetting the unsubstantiated, and hence to date false, narratives that Trump and Musk are cutting fat, bureaucracy and corruption.

Why are they failing to inform the nation that a lot of the federal government programs that are being cut are dedicated to helping people elevate themselves and achieve the American Dream? The priority targeted departments that Trump / Musk are trying to cut enable Americans to stay healthy, get a good education and avoid being ripped off by nefarious financial institutions. These categories appear to be the priority targeted cuts announced so far.

To date Trump has signed and announced nearly 100 Executive Orders - some of which appear to be illegal - and are being contested in the courts. Among the Executive Orders are some, that are cutting programs designed to help people stay healthy, get a good education and avoid abuse by financial firms. Here are just a few of them. Trump announced that the U.S. is exiting from the World Health Organization [WHO - helps manage global disease breakouts], cutting the budgets of the National Institute of Health [NIH - health / scientific research] and cutting the Center for Disease Control [CDC], without doing some sort of in-depth analysis first. Trump announced he's cutting most of the Department of Education. And he's announced he's going to try to cut the entire Consumer Financial Protection Bureau [CFPB].

As we saw in this last election, TV News fails to do an effective job of informing / educating Americans. In the election they failed to inform Americans about the state of the economy [good] and currently they are failing to inform Americans as to why these federal agencies and departments perform important functions that help keep America the promised land, by protecting our collective health, investing in our nation's education / future and protecting consumers from financial abuse.

TV Network News doesn't say a single word about why Trump / Musk are REALLY cutting so many federal government services so quickly.

The Answer - so billionaires like Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the owners of the TV Networks can continue to pay taxes at lower rates than working class Americans, and continue receiving TRILLIONS in tax cuts for the remainder of Trump's second term.

This Time Around Trump Can't Borrow his Way into Another Tax Cut & Strong Economy

During the first Trump presidency, Trump's Finance Ministers funded the billionaire / trillionaire tax give away by taking on $8 TRILLION in NEW public debt that future generations of Americans will have to pay.

This time around they can't do that, because the Trump tax cut, which Biden let ride, has so wrecked America's finances, that they cannot give away more money to billionaires by borrowing even more.

America had less than $20 trillion in debt when Trump first came to office [see box in first chart showing debt at the beginning of Trump's first term], which ballooned up to $28 trillion in debt by the end of Trump's first term [see box in second charts below or at right]. It's worth reminding people that as a businessman, Trump has been involved in multiple bankruptcies and multiple sales of distressed assets / companies. Contrary to what he says, he's not the great businessman he makes himself out to be, but he does appear to be a black belt in swindling.

Biden added about the same amount of debt as Trump did [$8 trillion], because he let the Trump tax cut ride, but also because he invested a couple of trillion in clean energy and modernizing the nation's infrastructure via the 'Build Back Better' and 'Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act'. Thus, as of February 2025, America owes $36 trillion dollars, and the size of our economy is only about $30 trillion. So we owe a lot more than we make. But not to worry because that's not likely to deter these two billionaires working in the White House getting what they want - which is even more money that they don't need.

Where's the All the Fraud & Corruption Amplified by the Billionaire Controlled TV Network News?

I'm all for identifying real fraud and real waste in the federal government budget. But I want it done thoughtfully, carefully, intelligently - and not led by a couple of money-hungry billionaires who really don't seem to give a crap as to what they cut, just so long as they get their tax cut payout.

To date nothing specific has been identified, just noise-making, distracting headlines amplified by the ratings-chasing, sensationalist media. I hypothesize that the real corruption and fraud at the federal level may be found in the one place that Trump and Musk will never look ... and that's into the businesses and affairs of the two men occupying the Oval Office, who have too many conflicts of interest, for me to even begin listing them at present.

Important Question the Billionaire Controlled TV News People aren't Asking, but that Voters Should be Asking Themselves. So the question voters making under $400,000 per year need to ask themselves, is why Trump and Musk don't just let the $4 TRILLION IN TAX CUTS for the richest people on the planet expire at the end of this year, instead of cutting the the U.S. federal government budget and services to the bone?

The sad news is that, even if the tax cuts are allowed to expire, the billionaire class would still pay taxes at lower rates than the rest of us.

Have a nice Presidents Day weekend.

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Eric Adams & Donald Trump; Lunar New Year Fair & Lion Dance in / near Chinatown, BIPOC Dance Residency Try Outs, Buried Beneath the City, Final Weekend for Edges of Ailey at the Whitney in Manhattan; Brooklyn Wine Fest & Rachel Wren Art Opening Party at the Shirley Project in Brooklyn; Last Weekend of the Triborough Film Festival in Astoria, Modern Dance & Blarney Concert in LIC in Queens; Chocolate & Wine at the Bartow Pell Mansion, MLB Yankee Stadium Tours & Next Week Ponce Bank Small Business Boot Camp in the Bronx; Lighthouses are for Lovers at Francesco's & Galentines Day at Casa Belvedere on Staten Island. Work in Progress 2025 Year Round Indoor & Outdoor Markets and Some Open Calls

February 7, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. Sunrise 7 am. Sunset 5.20 pm. We're getting an hour and five more minutes of sunlight than we were the weekend of the Winter solstice in late December. Spring Forward Daylight Savings Time is Sunday, March 9th, 2025 - only four weeks away.

Saturday evening we're expecting about 5 inches of snow between the hours of 6 pm and Sunday 8 am. The temperature highs will hit 40 on Friday before descending into the mid 30's the rest of the weekend. The temperature lows will remain between 25 and 30 degrees all weekend. The humidity will range from 30% - 40% Friday, rising from 30% to 70% on Saturday, before tapering off between 50% - 60% on Sunday. The winds will be 10 - 15 mph Friday, falling to 5 - 10 mph for the rest of the weekend.

The photo at right was taken at the Georges Berges Gallery at 462 West Broadway [at Houston] in SoHo a couple of weeks ago. There's a group show, entitled Tarot, at the gallery, which runs through February 28th, and it's well worth a visit. The images in the painting change when you move.

Friday Evening Edition 11.15 pm. Done with this Weekend report so you're good to go. Some related work in progress should finally commence con brio this weekend.

Eric Adams & Donald Trump - Who They Say They Are vs Who They Really Are

In the image at right, the NY Post reports that Adams had the unconscionable audacity to liken himself to Martin Luther King over the MLK holiday weekend. This statement is reminiscent of Donald Trump's sardonic claim that Trump is the greatest president in American history.

On the one hand, both of these comments are so outrageous as to be laughable. But on the other hand, they are also very disrespectful to the monumental historical figures who made a real contribution to future generations of Americans.

The closest that either Adams or Trump will ever get toward achieving anything near what MLK and America's great presidents did - is at the very least, a couple of solar systems away. As the moral compasses of both of these men, appear to be malfunctioning so badly, that they've strayed into their own Bizarro universes [use the Superman comic book definition of Bizarro].

Trump Supports Netanyahu / Israeli Imperialism, Embracing Full Displacement of Palestinians from their Gaza Homeland

Trump's inverted moral compass was put on full display Tuesday, February 4, 2025 when he took ownership of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to complete the mix of the genocide and the displacement of the Palestinian people from their Gaza homeland. The mainstream American media errantly attributed the plan to Trump - not Netanyahu. Sadly, our American TV Network News outlets, are at least as much contributors to the Bizarro information world in which we live, as any of the social media outlets that they continually disparage.

Adams Abruptly Cancels Pre-Scheduled MLK Events to Kiss the Donald's 'Ring'

The headline in the image at right, provides a sharp contrast between Adams, who was reported by the NY Post as likening himself to Dr. Martin Luther King [see image above], and the King Legacy.

King did time in jail for defending all Americans' civil liberties, while Adams is trying to get out of doing prison time for multiple alleged self-serving criminal acts. Adams is alleged to have taken $100,000 in illegal foreign campaign donations - which, if true, were fraudulently matched by yours and my tax dollars eightfold [$800,000] - in exchange for special favors performed by Adams and his Administration.

So King fought for the rights of all Americans, while Adams appears to be fighting for the self-serving wrongs that he has allegedly done to his fellow New Yorkers. Adams has not only disgraced himself, but he has also disappointed a great many of the New Yorkers who trusted him.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in NYC

Tuesday, February 11, 2025 beginning at 6.30 pm - NYC Mayoral Debate - at the Educational Alliance / Manny Cantor Center at 197 East Broadway on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Free, but few tickets remain as of Friday night 2.7.25. For details see - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/downtown-democratic-mayoral-candidate-forum-tickets-1215758910629

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in Manhattan

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, February 7, 8 & 9, 2025 from 11 am to 7 pm daily, except Sunday closes at 5 pm - Lunar New Year Fair - in Gotham Park at Rose Street and Avenue of the Finest just south of Chinatown between the NYPD and City Hall in Manhattan. Enter via Park Row, Rose Street or the Brooklyn Bridge stairs. There will be 17 vendors including merchants from Chinatown. For details see - https://welcometochinatown.com/lunarnewyear

January 23 thru December, 2025 - Buried Beneath the City - at NYC Municipal Archives at 31 Chambers Street in the 1st Floor Gallery in Manhattan. All about the history buried beneath New York City from Indigenous peoples, to the early Dutch and English settlers including the slave trade to today. Free. For details see - https://a860-collectionguides.nyc.gov

Friday thru Friday, February 7 - 14, 2025 [not Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday] at various times - Obayashi '80s: The Onomichi Trilogy & Kadokawa Years - at the Japan Society at 333 East 47th Street in Midtown Manhattan. They describe the film series as follows, " ... The teenage symphonies of Nobuhiko Obayashi (1938-2020) are wound in a melancholy nostalgia for a period indelibly lost to time, neatly occupying the inexpressible gap between adolescence and adulthood. Woven through visually expressive fantasias with striking formal experimentation and pop-art boldness, Obayashi’s idiosyncratic cinematic language would produce some of Japan’s most beloved seishun eiga (youth films) throughout the 1980s, captivating generations of filmgoers with his earnest portrayals of young love and the vanished worldviews of youth ...". For details and tickets see - https://japansociety.org

Saturday, February 8, 2025 beginning at 10.30 pm - NY Chinese Free Masons Athletic Club [NYCFAC] Lion Dance - in Chinatown, south of Canal along Bowery Street at Pell Street / Chatham Square. About 20 groups of Lion dancers parade around Chinatown blessing and eating offerings. NYCFAC is only one of the 20 plus groups and each is responsible for obtaining the 5th Precinct parade permit. This is a good chance to mingle with the Lion Dancers vs the Chinese New Year Parade next weekend 2/16 where attendees are held behind the NYPD barricades. For details see - https://www.facebook.com/ChineseFreemasons/ or https://www.liondance211.org/supersaturday

Ending Sunday, February 9, 2025 beginning at 5 pm - Edges of Ailey - at the Whitney at 99 Gansevoort in the West Village.  The Village Preservation Group describes it as follows, " ... Edges of Ailey is the first large-scale museum exhibition to celebrate the life, dances, influences, and enduring legacy of visionary artist and choreographer Alvin Ailey. This dynamic showcase brings together visual art, music, a range of archival materials, and a multi-screen video installation drawn from recordings of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) repertory to explore the full range of Ailey’s personal and creative life ...".  For details see - https://whitney.org

Saturday, January 25 & February 1, 8 & 15, 2025 from 2 to 5 pm - BIPOC is Black, Indigenous and People of Color identifying dancers and choreographers age 18+ / Collective Thread Residency. Free. St. Mary's Episcopal Church 521 West 126th Street in Washington Heights / West Harlem. Details coming or see for yourself - Harlem Arts Alliance & https://www.modartsdance.com

Sunday, February 16, 2025 beginning at 1 pm - Chinese New Year Parade - on Bayard Street between Mott and Mulberry in Chinatown in Manhattan. For details see - https://betterchinatown.com

Gramercy Theater concerts - https://www.thegramercytheatre.com/shows

• Click here for Manhattan Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2025. There are Mom's Day gift markets.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Manhattan NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Manhattan Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Manhattan Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Manhattan Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in Queens NYC

January 24 - February 9, 2025 at various times - Triborough Film Festival - at the Hellenic Cultural Center Thespis Theater in the AFC [Astoria Filmmakers Club] Headquarters at 25-02 Newtown Avenue in Astoria. A wide variety of mostly locally produced independent films. For mostly $15 tickets and details see - https://www.astoriafilmmakers.org

Sunday, February 9, 2025 beginning at 7 pm - Fertile Ground - at Greenspace at 37-24 24th Street, Suite 211, in LIC in Queens. A showcase for modern emerging dancers and choreographers. Six separate performances. For details and $18 tickets copy & paste - https://www.greenspacestudio.org.

Thursday, February 13, 2025 beginning at 7 pm - Thursday Night Jazz - at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center at 153-10 Jamaica Avenue in Queens. For details & to rsvp $5 - $10 tickets, copy & paste - https://jcal.org

Friday, February 14, 2025 begins at 7 pm - Blarney Star Concert Series - at the NY Irish Center at 1040 Jackson Avenue in LIC. Dairmuid, Franke & Matt play accordion, fiddle and keyboards respectively, of traditional Irish music. For details and $23 tickets copy & paste - https://www.newyorkirishcenter.org

Upcoming February 21 & 22, 2025 - Mid Winter Children's Festival at the NY Irish Center - see above listing for details.

In the photo above or at right, MoMA PS1 in Long Island City, makes a statement about who they are.

• Click here for Queens Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Queens NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Queens Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Queens Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Queens Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

• Click the MCAL link above for details regarding auditions for the Queens Choral Society on January 7, 27 & 29, 2025.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in Brooklyn NYC

Friday, February 7, 2025 from 6 to 9 pm - Art Opening Party featuring Rachel Wren in Group Show - at Shirley Project Space at 609 Washington Avenue in Prospect Heights / Crown Heights in Brooklyn. Free admission. The group show, entitled Homecoming, runs through March 9th. For details see - https://www.theshirleyprojectspace.com

Saturday, February 8, 2025 beginning at 1 pm and 6 pm - Brooklyn Wine Fest - at Industry City in Building 5 at 33 35th Street in the Greenwood Heights / Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. For $19 tickets and details see - https://winefestnewyork.com/#restaurant-section

Monday, February 10, 2025 from 6 to 8 pm - Tours of EPA’s TAGA (Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer) Bus - outside of Evalyn's Tap House at 236 Butler Street in Gowanus Brooklyn. The Voice of Gowanus describes the event as follows, " ... There will be tours of EPA’s TAGA (Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer) Bus - one of only two in the country, parked on the corner. It is being deployed in our community for air monitoring and scientists will be on hand to discuss monitoring of the air around the nearby sewage retention tanks as construction and excavation enter their next phase. Dangerous toxicants are being released into the air as the site sits on the location of a former Manufactured Gas Plant... ".

Tuesday, February 11, 2025 from 5 to 8 pm - Charter Revision Committee - at the NYC Fire Department at 9 Metrotech [Enter via the court yard off Flatbush Avenue]. Our government officials keep changing the NYC charter to serve the interests of the rich and powerful, because 'The People' of "the government by, for and of 'The People' " has been operating on auto pilot, because the younger generations haven't been stepping up, and the older generations haven't been helping / motivating / mentoring them. For details see - https://www.nyc.gov/site/charter/index.page

Two Plays - Polonsky & Billie Holiday Theater.

Click here for the Things to do MLK Day & Weekend in Brooklyn NYC.

• Click here for Brooklyn Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Brooklyn NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Brooklyn BLVD.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Brooklyn BLVD New Member Sign Up. Click this link Brooklyn Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups. This month includes x.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in the Bronx NYC

Saturday, February 8, 2025 from 4 to 6 pm - For the Love of Chocolate - at the Bartow Pell Mansion at 895 Shore Road in Pelham Bay Park. A talk and tasting of chocolate and wine. For details and $50 tickets copy & paste - https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org.

Saturday, February 8, 2025 from 3 to 8.30 pm - The Stigma of Mental Illness on Black & Brown Men - at Hostos Center for Arts & Culture at 450 Grand Concourse Avenue in the Bronx. The program starts with a Resource Fair, followed by the film Perdido, and ending with a talk / discussion / conversation. For details and to rsvp see - https://hostos.cuny.edu/

February 1 - 9, 2025 on at various times - Yankee Stadium Tours - at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. See the Yankees Museum, the ball park including both the dugout a press box or VIP suite for $41 / adult and $30 / child. For details and online tickets [only] see - https://www.mlb.com/yankees/ballpark/tours/public/classic-tours-tickets

Tuesday, February 11th, Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association Meeting - click the MCAL link below for details.

Wednesday, February 5, 12, 19, 26, 2025 beginning at 6 pm - Ponce Bank Small Business Boot Camp - at a central location in the Bronx. The first of a four part series which includes 1) getting the most from your bank, 2) accounting - knowing your numbers, 3) growing your business, and 4) preparing for a business loan.  For details see - https://www.poncebank.com/financial-mastery-series/small-business-bootcamp

Fridays, February 14, 28 & March 14 & 21, 2025 from 6 to 9 pm [adults] & 5 to 8 pm [families] - Bronx River Art Center Winter Workshops - at the Bronx River Art Center at 1087 East Tremont Avenue in the Bronx. For free family or $20 adult [wine sipping included] workshops and details see - https://www.bronxriverart.org/

• Click here for Bronx Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in the Bronx NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Bronx Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Bronx Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Bronx MCAL Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

*** In the February MCAL - Click the MCAL link above for details about
Saturday, February 8th, For the Love of Chocolate;
Tuesday, February 11th, Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association Meeting
Saturday, February 15th Winter Walk; and
Monday - Wednesday, February 17 - 19, Stop Motion Time Travel Mini Camp.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week on Staten Island NYC

Wednesday, February 12, 2025 beginning at 6 pm - Lighthouses are for Lovers - by the National Lighthouse Museum but held offsite at Francesco's Supper Club at 3555 Victory Blvd. Francesco's is located on the former U.S. Lighthouse Services Depot [1864 - 1939]. Once a bustling sight of 18 buildings, only six of which remain today. Familes with kids are welcome. For $75 tickets and details see - https://lighthousemuseum.org

Thursday, February 13, 2025 from 7 to 9 pm - Galentines at Cafe Espresso - at Casa Belvedere at 79 Howard Avenue in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Staten Island. The evening centers around learning to make Espresso-cello, a rich, aromatic, after-dinner drink with decorations. For $80 / $90 tickets and details see - https://casa-belvedere.org/product/02-13-espresso-cello-making/

• Click here for Staten Island Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend on Staten Island NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Staten Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Staten Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Staten Island Events - Member Events to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Have a nice end of January / early February weekend.

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

NYC Boat Show, the Winter Show, Dance Residency Try Outs & Femme Collective Performances Continue at the 14th Street Y in Manhattan; Exponential Theater Festival at the Brick in Brooklyn; Special Night of Interactive Dance Performance at Green Space, Auditions for the Queens Choral Society & Curators Choice Films Continue at MoMI in Queens; Van Cortland House Museum Connections to the Caribbean & Latam in the Bronx; Chinese New Year Celebration on Staten Island. Next Week Chinese Dance by Nai Ni Chen & Chinese Firecracker Celebration & Next Weekend Flushing Chinese New Year Parade & as we Slowly Ramp Up for 2025 Year Round Indoor & Outdoor Markets and Some Open Calls are coming ... possibly as early as this weekend or the next

January 25, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. Sunrise 7.12 am. Sunset 5.04 pm. We're getting 37 more minutes of sunlight than we were the weekend of the Winter solstice in late December. The temperature highs will be in the 30's rising to the low 40's on Sunday and the temperature lows will be in the 20's. No precipitation is in the forecast. Winds will be 4 - 12 mph. And humidity will range from 45% - 60%. So, generally all good.

The photo above or at right was taken this week in Queens, from the #7 subway line elevated platform, looking west toward Manhattan. Real estate developers have been trashing the NYC skyline with luxury skyboxes that obscure the architectural gems of NYC, like the Empire State Building, which you can barely make out these days, in the background to the left.

Saturday Late Afternoon Edition at 4.15 pm. Done. More coming next week.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in NYC

NYC Boat Show and Winter Show - see below.

Next Week Chinese Firecracker event in Manhattan & Next Weekend Flushing Chinese New Year Parade. Details coming.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in Manhattan

Saturday, January 25 & February 1, 8 & 15, 2025 from 2 to 5 pm - BIPOC is Black, Indigenous and People of Color identifying dancers and choreographers age 18+ / Collective Thread Residency. Free. St. Mary's Episcopal Church 521 West 126th Street in Washington Heights / West Harlem. Details coming or see for yourself - Harlem Arts Alliance & https://www.modartsdance.com

The photo at right was taken this week in downtown Manhattan near City Hall, at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. The weather was easily doable and I subsequently walked across the Brooklyn Bridge on a bright sunny day. I was not alone by any means, although most of those amongst us, seemed either to be tourists or NYC's energetic youths.

Wednesday thru Sunday, January 22 - 26, 2025 from 12 noon to 8 pm except Saturday & Sunday when it opens at 10 am & on Sunday it closes at 6 pm - The NYC Boat Show - returns to the Javits Center at 655 West 34th Street. For $20 tickets and details see - https://www.nyboatshow.com/about

Wednesday, January 29, 2025 beginning at 11 am - Chinese New Year Firecracker Celebration - at Sara D Roosevelt Park along Chrystie Street near Grand Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. For details see - https://welcometochinatown.com/news/lny-events-in-chinatown-2025

Wednesday, January 29, 2025 beginning at 5.30 pm - Lunar New Year Gala of Music and Dance - at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music at 450 West 37th Street in Manhattan. For details and tickets see - https://www.nainichen.org

Friday thru Sunday, January 24 to February 2, 2025 begins at 12 noon & ends at times ranging from 4.30 to 8 pm - The Winter Show - at the Park Avenue Armory at 643 Park Avenue on the UES. For $40 tickets and details see - https://www.thewintershow.org

Thursday, January 9 - Saturday, February 1, 2025 at various times - The Femme Collective - at the 14th Street Y at 344 East 14th Street in the Village. Three separate plays - Broken Thread, January and She Wolves - are collaborations by Multistages, Neo Political Cowgirls and the Eden Theatre Company, which will be performed this month. For details and $25 - $75 tickets see - https://ci.ovationtix.com/36649

Gramercy Theater concerts - https://www.thegramercytheatre.com/shows

• Click here for Manhattan Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2025. There are Mom's Day gift markets.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Manhattan NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Manhattan Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Manhattan Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Manhattan Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in Queens NYC

Saturday, January 25th, 2025 from 7 to 10 pm - 15 Minutes of Fame & Cross Pollination - by Dance Entropy at Green Space at 37-24 24th Street Suite 211-212 in Long Island City. Improvisational, music and dance, audience interactive and free. For details see - https://www.greenspacestudio.orgl

January thru Friday, January 31, 2025 - Curators Choice - at the Museum of the Moving Image is at 35th Avenue and 36th Street in Astoria / LIC Queens. These are films shown in 2024 that the staff of MoMI selected as some of their favorites for viewing. For $10 - $17.50 tickets and details see - https://movingimage.org/series/curators-choice-2024/

Saturday, February 1, 2025 beginning at 11 am - Queens Chinese New Year Parade in Flushing - at Main Street & Roosevelt Avenue. Details coming next Friday 1/31/2025.

• Click here for Queens Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Queens NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Queens Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Queens Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Queens Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

• Click the MCAL link above for details regarding auditions for the Queens Choral Society on January 7, 27 & 29, 2025.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in Brooklyn NYC

The photo at right was taken this week in Brooklyn, looking south toward Brooklyn Borough Hall.

January 23, 24 & 25, 2025 beginning at 7 pm with a 3 pm matinee Saturday only - The Exponential Festival - at the Brick Aux Studio Theater at 628 Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn. Happy Birthday Curiosity Rover is described as follows, " ... A robot on a mission and a wandering alien find each other on Mars. A play with music about getting your solitude punctured, about the strange in stranger, about loving what will always go away ...". For $17 - $37 tickets see - https://www.bricktheater.com or https://www.theexponentialfestival.org

Two Plays - Polonsky & Billie Holiday Theater.

Click here for the Things to do MLK Day & Weekend in Brooklyn NYC.

• Click here for Brooklyn Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Brooklyn NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Brooklyn BLVD.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Brooklyn BLVD New Member Sign Up. Click this link Brooklyn Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups. This month includes x.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in the Bronx NYC

Saturday, January 25, 2025 beginning at 1 pm - Van Cortlandt Connections to the Caribbean and Latin America - at the Van Cortlandt House Museum at 6035 Broadway [at Post Road which is between West 242nd & 246th Streets], Bronx. They describe the event as follows, " ... What does the Van Cortlandt House, built in rural New York in 1748, have to do with the Caribbean and Latin America? It turns out quite a lot. The people who lived there, the wealth of its inhabitants, and the wars that were fought here all had important ties to the southern hemisphere. Join VCHM Site Historian Nick Dembowski for this special one-hour tour to learn about an often overlooked crucial aspect of New York's history ...". For $5 tickets and to rsvp see - http://www.vchm.org

• Click here for Bronx Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in the Bronx NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Bronx Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Bronx Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Bronx Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

In the January MCAL - Click the MCAL link above for details.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week on Staten Island NYC

January 25, 2025 from 11.30 am to 12.30 pm and from 3 pm to 4 pm with the main event between 12.30 to 3 pm - Chinese New Year Celebration - at the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art at Snug Harbor in Building C. They describe it as follows, " ... performances, treats, tales, and traditional crafts ... one of the biggest cultural celebrations in the world ... The Year of the Earth Snake. For $14 tickets see - https://snug-harbor.org

The photo at right was taken this week from atop the Brooklyn Bridge. In the distance, is the Statue of Lady Liberty, standing tall and strong in the NYS Harbor, reminding us of our Constitutional philosophy and promise.

• Click here for Staten Island Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend on Staten Island NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Staten Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Staten Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Staten Island Events - Member Events to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Have a nice January weekend.

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

MLK Holiday Weekend in NYC, Femme Collective Performances Continue at the 14th Street Y in Manhattan, Last Weekend for Techni Digital Illustrations at BAM in Brooklyn; Concert at Flushing Town Hall, Auditions for the Queens Choral Society & Curators Choice Films Continue at MoMI in Queens; Holiday Train Show Continues at the NYBG in the Bronx; MLK Day of Service on Staten Island & Year Round Indoor & Outdoor Markets [coming] and Some Open Calls [coming], as we Slowly Ramp Up for 2025. Next Week the NYC Boat Show & the Winter Show Return, and then onto the Chinese New Year of the Snake (c'est appropo)

January 17, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. Sunrise 7.16 am. Sunset 4.56 pm. We're getting 25 more minutes of sunlight than we were the weekend of the Winter solstice in late December.

This weekend we could get 1/10th inch of rain concentrated between 1 and 4 pm Saturday or none at all. And on Sunday there's an 80% - 90% chance we'll get two or more inches of snow between 1 pm and 9 pm. Monday is cloudy, but no precipitation is expected.

The temperature highs will be in the mid 40's Friday, the low 40's Saturday, falling to the mid 30's on Sunday and then to the mid teens on Monday. The temperature lows will be in the low 30's on Friday and Saturday, falling to the high teens on Sunday and dropping to about 10 on Monday. Most of next week will range from the high single digits up to 30 by next Friday, so enjoy the weekend, as it will be followed by a cold week. The winds will be 5 - 12 mph all weekend, at the lower end on Friday and Saturday, and at the higher end on Sunday and Monday. The humidity will rise from between 50% - 60% Friday, up to between 70% to 80% on Sunday, and again dropping to 50% to 60% on Monday.

The graphic at right depicts a man whose actions reflected his words. A rarity in any age, but even more so these days.

Saturday Early Afternoon edition at 1.30 pm. This is a fair start to the weekend, with more coming this Saturday afternoon. Most of what will follow will be MLK Day related events which you'll be able to access by clicking the links to the MLK Day & Weekend Things to do pages for each borough as shown below or following this report. We'll have these done by mid afternoon, and they are mostly in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in NYC

Monday, January 20, 2025 is a federal holiday, and as such, the Post Office and non-essential federal offices will be closed. Most non-essential NYS & NYC offices will also be closed and many large companies and some small ones also close for the holiday commemorating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King. See graphic above.

In the graphic above or at right, a British newspaper informs us how Eric Adams is spending one of his MLK Holiday Weekend 'Days of Service'. Unlike the man in the first graphic of this report, Adams too often appears to be a man who presents himself as someone he is not.

Wednesday thru Sunday, January 22 - 26, 2025 from 12 noon to 8 pm except Saturday & Sunday when it opens at 10 am & on Sunday it closes at 6 pm - The NYC Boat Show - returns to the Javits Center at 655 West 34th Street. For $20 tickets and details see - https://www.nyboatshow.com/about

Friday thru Sunday, January 24 to February 2, 2025 begins at 12 noon & ends at times ranging from 4.30 to 8 pm - The Winter Show - at the Park Avenue Armory at 643 Park Avenue on the UES. For $40 tickets and details see - https://www.thewintershow.org

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in Manhattan

Thursday, January 9 - Saturday, February 1, 2025 at various times - The Femme Collective - at the 14th Street Y at 344 East 14th Street in the Village. Three separate plays - Broken Thread, January and She Wolves - are collaborations by Multistages, Neo Political Cowgirls and the Eden Theatre Company, which will be performed this month. For details and $25 - $75 tickets see - https://ci.ovationtix.com/36649

In the graphic at right, a respectable British newspaper asks voters and all American citizens an important philosophical question.

Gramercy Theater concerts - https://www.thegramercytheatre.com/shows

Click here for the Things to do MLK Day & Weekend in Manhattan NYC.

• Click here for Manhattan Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2025. There are Mom's Day gift markets.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Manhattan NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Manhattan Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Manhattan Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Manhattan Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in Queens NYC

January thru Friday, January 31, 2025 - Curators Choice - at the Museum of the Moving Image is at 35th Avenue and 36th Street in Astoria / LIC Queens. These are films shown in 2024 that the staff of MoMI selected as some of their favorites for viewing. For $10 - $17.50 tickets and details see - https://movingimage.org/series/curators-choice-2024/

Saturday, January 18, 2025 beginning at 1 pm - DoYeon Kim meets Cooper-Moore - at Flushing Town Hall at 137-35 Northern Blvd in Flushing Queens. This is described as follows, " ... DoYeon Kim, a virtuoso of the gayageum, the traditional Korean zither, whose innovative performances bridge centuries-old traditions with contemporary flair, and Cooper-Moore, a visionary multi-instrumentalist renowned for his mastery of the diddly bow, a one-stringed instrument rooted in African-American blues heritage ...". For details and $15 / $17 tickets see - https://www.flushingtownhall.org

The photo at right was taken on the subway returning to Queens, following a visit to the Polar Bear Club event at Coney Island on New Years Day. That's sand on the soles of the shoes.

Click here for the Things to do MLK Day & Weekend in Queens NYC.

• Click here for Queens Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Queens NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Queens Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Queens Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Queens Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

• Click the MCAL link above for details regarding auditions for the Queens Choral Society on January 7, 27 & 29, 2025.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in Brooklyn NYC

Wednesday, January 8 - 19, 2025 at various times - Techne: The Golden Key - at BAM Fisher at 321 Ashland Place in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. There are four immersive digital illustrations that keep evolving via AI-like whatever. Each illustration is shown for about three days apiece. For details and $10 tickets see - https://www.bam.org

Two Plays - Polonsky & Billie Holiday Theater.

Click here for the Things to do MLK Day & Weekend in Brooklyn NYC.

• Click here for Brooklyn Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Brooklyn NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Brooklyn BLVD.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Brooklyn BLVD New Member Sign Up. Click this link Brooklyn Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups. This month includes x.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week in the Bronx NYC

Thru January 20, 2025 from 10 am - 6 pm [open some nights] - NYBG Holiday Train Show - at the New York Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Blvd in the Belmont Neighborhood. Bronx holiday events & things to do nyc. Central Bronx. For details see below or - https://www.nybg.org

The photo above or at right was taken in the subway on a wintry January day traveling underneath the streets of NYC.

Click here for the Things to do MLK Day & Weekend in the Bronx NYC.

• Click here for Bronx Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in the Bronx NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Bronx Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Bronx Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Bronx Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

In the January MCAL - Click the MCAL link above for details.

Things To Do This Weekend & Next Week on Staten Island NYC

Monday, January 20, 2025 from 1 to 3 pm - MLK Day of Service / Coastal Clean Up - meet at the north gate to Snug Harbor. Free but rsvp required at - https://snug-harbor.org/event/mlk-day-of-service-coastal-cleanup/?instance_id=8039

Click here for the Things to do MLK Day & Weekend on Staten Island NYC .

• Click here for Staten Island Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend on Staten Island NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Staten Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Staten Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Staten Island Events - Member Events to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Have a nice January weekend.

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Buried Beneath the City & Baby Bonds in NYC; Winter Jazz Fest in Brooklyn & Manhattan, Mulchfest in NYC, Femme Collective at the 14th Street Y, Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library in Manhattan, Digital Illustrations at BAM in Brooklyn; Curators Choice Films at MoMI & last Weekend of the Affordable Art Fair in Queens; Holiday Train Show at the NYBG in the Bronx; Hot Rock Yacht Revue on Staten Island & Year Round Indoor & Outdoor Markets [coming] and Some Open Calls [coming], as we Gear Up Again for 2025, beginning with MLK Day next Weekend, followed by the Chinese New Year of the Snake (c'est appropo?)

January 10, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. Sunrise 7.19 am. Sunset 4.48 pm. The days are longer by 14 minutes of sunlight, versus the week of the Winter solstice in late December. Yahoo?

The temperature highs will be in the mid to high 30's on Friday and Saturday, rising to 40 on Sunday. The temperature lows will be around 30 all weekend. The winds will be 5 - 10 mph all weekend, at the lower end on Friday and Sunday and at the higher end on Saturday. The humidity will generally range between 55% - 65%, except in the latter part of Friday when it will dip into the low 40% range. No precipitation is expected.

The photo at right was taken along Park Avenue near Lever House in Midtown Manhattan, on the last weekend of December. The MetLife Building [renamed in 1992], which was originally erected in 1963 as the PanAm Building, is located in the background, colored in blue light.

Saturday late morning edition at 11.15 am. Mostly done except the markets and open calls which will be updated over the weekend and coming week.

Things To Do This Weekend in NYC

Ending Saturday & Sunday, January 11 & 12, 2025 from 11 am to 2 pm - Mulchfest NYC - at various parks in all five boros around NYC. Mulch your Christmas trees, wreaths and similar items into wood chips you can take home for your garden or donate to the park to use for their grounds. Free. For details see - https://www.nycgovparks.org/highlights/festivals/mulchfest

Tuesday, January 14, 2025 from 1 to 2 pm - Buried Beneath the City - Zoom Lunch & Learn. Author Archaeologist Amanda Sutphin will talk about the history buried beneath the city from Indigenous peoples, to the early Dutch and English settlers to today. Free. To register see https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lunch-learn-buried-beneath-the-city-tickets-1058614858539?aff=eblast

Thursday, January 16, 2025 from 1 to 4.30 pm - Baby Bonds - at the Federal Reserve Bank at 33 Liberty Street in lower Manhattan. They describe the program as follows, " ... Baby bonds are an innovative policy tool that provides children with publicly funded investment accounts that can be accessed at age 18 for specific uses, including education, homeownership, small business, and retirement. The funds are intended as a long-term investment designed to narrow the wealth gap and address generational poverty. California, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C. have passed baby bonds legislation. This event will be of interest to researchers, nonprofit leaders, and policymakers. ...". For details and to rsvp by January 14th see - https://www.newyorkfed.org/newsevents/events/regional_outreach/2025/0116-2025

Monday, January 13, 2025 beginning at 6.30 pm - The Korean American Association of Greater NY Gala - at the Zeigfield Ballroom at 141 West 54th Street in Midtown Manhattan. For details and $600 & up tickets see - https://secure.givelively.org/event/korean-american-association-of-greater-new-york-inc/65th-anniversary-kaagny-gala

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan

Click here for the Manhattan holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Manhattan holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

Thursday thru Wednesday, January 9 - 15, 2025 at various times - Winter Jazz Fest - at various venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn. For tickets ranging in price from $40 to $300 [all in] and details see - https://www.winterjazzfest.com

Saturday & Sunday, January 11 & 12, 2025 from 1.45 - 3.45 pm and 4.15 - 6.15 pm - AAPI Dance Festival - at Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theatre at 405 West 55th Street in Midttown Manhattan. For details and $25 - $30 tickets see - https://www.aaartsalliance.org/events/aapi-dance-festival-at-apap-day-1-1c5f37a1-4ce9-4835-a382-fa33b2f9ce29

Thursday, January 9 - Saturday, February 1, 2025 at various times - The Femme Collective - at the 14th Street Y at 344 East 14th Street in the Village. Three separate plays - Broken Thread, January and She Wolves - are collaborations by Multistages, Neo Political Cowgirls and the Eden Theatre Company, which will be performed this month. For details and $25 - $75 tickets see - https://ci.ovationtix.com/36649

Tuesday thru Sunday, December 10, 2024 - January 12, 2025 at 7 pm weekdays, at 7.30 pm Friday & Saturday, with 3 pm matinees Saturday & Sunday - Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library - at the WP Theater at 2162 Broadway at 76th Street in Manhattan. The show is described as follows, "... Berlin 1933.  With martial law in effect, political activism has become a capital crime. A young Gestapo officer arrests a graduate student suspected of illegal research. This interrogation promises to be most challenging as he faces the iconic 20th-century thinker Hannah Arendt.  Is she innocent? Or an enemy of the state? ...". No show on New Years Eve and it's at 3 pm - not 7 pm - New Years day. For details and $39 - $129 tickets, see https://www.mrssternwanders.com

Gramercy Theater concerts - https://www.thegramercytheatre.com/shows

• Click here for Manhattan Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2025. There are Mom's Day gift markets.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Manhattan NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Manhattan Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Manhattan Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Manhattan Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC

Click here for the Queens holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Queens holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

The photo at right was taken in mid December of 2024 in the Ditmars neighborhood of Astoria, Queens. It captures some of the cloudy greyness we've been experiencing lately.

January thru Friday, January 31, 2025 - Curators Choice - at the Museum of the Moving Image iat 35th Avenue and 36th Street in Astoria / LIC Queens. These are films shown in 2024 that the staff of MoMI selected as some of their favorites for viewing. For $10 - $17.50 tickets and details see - https://movingimage.org/series/curators-choice-2024/

Thursday, November 7, 2024 to January 12, 2025 - open Thurs thru Sat from 10 am to 6 pm - Off the Wall Affordable Art Fair. Opening Reception 11.23.24 from 7 to 10 pm. Over 100 local Long Island City Artists [aka LICA] feature their works for sale at Culture Lab LIC at 5-25 46th Avenue in Long Island City, Queens. The fair continues thru January 12th, with an art talk event on January 11th from 2 to 3 pm. All art work priced under $999. For details see - https://www.culturelablic.org OR https://www.licartists.org/off-the-wall-2

• Click here for Queens Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Queens NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Queens Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Queens Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Queens Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

• Click the MCAL link above for details.

Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

The holiday markets and events are too numerous to list on the front page, so use these links to peruse all of them.Click here for the Brooklyn holiday market this weekend nyc. And click here for Brooklyn holiday events nyc.

Thursday thru Wednesday, January 9 - 15, 2025 at various times - Winter Jazz Fest - at various venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn. For tickets ranging in price from $40 to $300 [all in] and details see - https://www.winterjazzfest.com

Wednesday, January 8 - 19, 2025 at various times - Techne: The Golden Key - at BAM Fisher at 321 Ashland Place in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. There are four immersive digital illustrations that keep evolving via AI-like whatever. Each illustration is shown for about three days apiece. For details and $10 tickets see - https://www.bam.org

Two Plays - Polonsky & Billie Holiday Theater.

• Click here for Brooklyn Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Brooklyn NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Brooklyn BLVD.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Brooklyn BLVD New Member Sign Up. Click this link Brooklyn Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups. This month includes x.

Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx NYC

Click here for the Bronx holiday market this weekend nyc. And click here for the Bronx holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

The photo at right was taken in December of 2024 - 'this must be the place'. Who am I to argue?

Saturday, November 16 - 30, 2024 [Ends January 20, 2025] from 10 am - 6 pm [closed holidays] - NYBG Holiday Train Show - at the New York Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Blvd in the Belmont Neighborhood. Bronx holiday events & things to do nyc. Central Bronx. For details see below or - https://www.nybg.org

• Click here for Bronx Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2025.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in the Bronx NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Bronx Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Bronx Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Bronx Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

In the January MCAL - Click the MCAL link above for details.

Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC

Click here for the Staten Island holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Staten Island holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

Sunday, January 12, 2025 beginning at 5 pm - Yacht Rock Revue - at the St. George Theatre at . The performance is described as follows, "... hailed by Rolling Stone as the “world’s premier soft-rock party band,” ... [they take] listeners on a nostalgic voyage through the sun-soaked melodies of the ‘70s and ‘80s ...". For $60 - $90 tickets and details, see - https://stgeorgetheatre.com/events-main/

The photo at right shows Lady Liberty standing in the New York Harbor, reminding us that a free people must always be vigilant and unafraid to stand up for truth and justice. We, the American People, have been tested over the past decade and have earned only a marginally passing grade. I know we are capable of far better.

A nation of, for and by the People requires the people to pay attention, get involved, and participate in the discussion of how we are going to allocate resources, so that we will continue to function properly as a society, and move in a productive and rewarding direction, while staying true to our respect for universal human values. A true democracy requires human intelligence, and cannot function on auto pilot / artifical intelligence.

• Click here for Staten Island Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend on Staten Island NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Staten Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Staten Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Staten Island Events - Member Events to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Have a nice January weekend.

New Years Resolutions 2025: The Road Ahead

A Few Axioms To Keep In Mind Throughout The New Year

January 1, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Holidays / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

For all of us, today starts the beginning of a new year. It's an opportunity to start anew. And even if we don't fulfill our highest expectations, moving the needle in the right direction, is always a good thing.

The rest of this report is about some of the things you can do personally to make 2025 a better year for you.

• CLICK here to read the rest of our report on New Years Resolutions 2025 - The Road Ahead.

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Winter Solstice Saturday 12/21/24, Holiday Events & Markets in all Boros - see each Borough Below including Manhattan; Queens; Brooklyn; Bronx; and Staten Island

December 20, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather Forecast as of 12.20.24. Sunrise 7.16 am & Sunset at 4.31 pm. There's a chance of snow or rain between Friday evening and Saturday morning at 8 am. Thereafter the rest of the weekend is dry. The temperature highs will be in the mid 30's on Friday and Saturday, descending to the high 20's on Sunday. The temperature lows will be in the low 30's on Friday, descending into the mid to high teens on Saturday and Sunday. The humidity is 60 - 90% on Friday, descending to 50% - 80% on Saturday and then 30% - 50% on Sunday. The winds will be 10 mph on Friday and Sunday, climbing to between 10 - 20 mph on Saturday. So wear something warm that shields you from the wind, including a hat and gloves, to best enjoy your time outside.

The photo above or at right, taken in a prior year, shows the Christmas tree all lit up at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. The tree was lit up this week and will remain so, in the evening, thru Christmas.

Saturday AM Edition at 10.15 am. Done, but added a couple of photos Saturday evening. It looks to be another seasonal, but generally good weather weekend. Enjoy.

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan

Click here for the Manhattan holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Manhattan holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

In the photo above or at right, taken earlier this month, you can see visitors to St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC make offerings to honor / remember their loved ones. This year Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa all occur in the middle of the coming week.

Manhattan Holiday Markets this weekend are too numerous to recite here, so please use the link above to browse through all the holiday markets [about a dozen and a half of them], many of which stay open until Christmas or the end of the year. The following are limited time markets that just opened and will close this week / weekend.

• Click the link above to view one and a half dozen different holiday markets operating in Manhattan this weekend.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. TO SEE ALL EVENTS or MARKETS, click into that page. Few of the many holiday markets are shown here, so if you're looking for a holiday market, I highly recommend you click into the markets page.

• Sundays ONLY, December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2024 from 10 am - 5 pm - Vintage Subway Car / Nostalgia Subway Holiday Train Rides

• Saturdays, December 7, 14 & 21, 2024 from 3 to 7 pm - La Marqueta Night Market in East Harlem.

• Fridays, December 13 & 27, 2024 from 5.30 - 7 pm - Birdland Big Band Jazz - at the Birdland Jazz Club

• Friday, Saturday & Sunday, December 13, 14, 15, 20, 21 & 22, 2024 beginning at 3 pm & 7 pm - Home for the Holidays theatrical performance - at Harlem School of the Arts

• Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday, December 19, 20, 21 & 22, 2024 beginning at 7 pm on Thursday, Friday & Saturday, also at 2 pm Saturday, and at 12 noon and 5 pm on Sunday - Dances Patrelle Yorkville Nutcracker - at the Gerald Lynch Theatre at John Jay College

• Monday, December 23, 2024 beginning at 7 pm - Handell's Messiah - at Carnegie Hall

• Tuesday Night / Wednesday Morning, December 24 / 25, 2024 - St. Patrick's Cathedral Midnight Mass

• Saturday, December 21 - Thursday, December 26, 2024 - Yiddish Festival at the 14th Street Y and Hebrew College

Sundays ONLY, December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2024 from 10 am - 5 pm - Vintage Subway Car / Nostalgia Subway Holiday Train Rides - along the F and Q subway lines in Manhattan. Uptown ridges begin on the even hours and downtown rides begin on the odd hours. Holiday events / things to do in Midtown Manhattan NYC. Ride in older subway cars for the normal subway line ticket price. Many folks dress up in vintage outfits for kicks. For details, times, route and subway station stops, see - https://www.nytransitmuseum.org/holidaynostalgiarides/

Thursday, November 14, 2024 - February 2025 - The 20th Annual Holiday Toy Train Show at Grand Central Terminal. Midtown. For details see Midtown events below or https://grandcentralterminal.com/event/new-york-transit-museums-holiday-train-show/

Gramercy Theater concerts - https://www.thegramercytheatre.com/shows

• Click here for Manhattan Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2024. There are Mom's Day gift markets.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Manhattan NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Manhattan Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Manhattan Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Manhattan Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC

Click here for the Queens holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Queens holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

The photo above or at right was taken in Flushing this week. Near the end of January, the Chinese New Year celebrations begin. And Flushing is perhaps the most Chinese neighborhood in Queens, rivaling the Chinatown in Manhattan, and still eclipsing the Chinatown in Brooklyn. Although it's worth noting that the Chinatown in Brooklyn has grown significantly in stature over the past decade.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. TO SEE ALL EVENTS or MARKETS, click into that page.

• Thursday, Friday, Saturdays & Sundays, December 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21 & 22, 2024 - It's a Wonderful Life Radio Play - at Queens Theatre

• Sundays, December 8, 15 & 22, 2024 from 2 to 5 pm - Photos with Santa Event - at the Tangram Mall

• Tuesday, December 24, 2024 beginning at 7.30 pm - Christmas Carols - at Redeemer Church at 36-01 Bell Blvd in Bayside

• Wednesday thru Sunday, December 25, 2024 thru March 23, 2025 from 5 to 9 pm - Lektrik Festival of Lights - at the Queens Botanical Garden

• Thursday, December 26, 2024 - Animal Meet & Greet & Winter Wildlife - Seasonal Changes - at Alley Pond Environmental Center. For details see - https://www.alleypond.org or use the MCAL link below.

Thursday, November 7, 2024 to January 12, 2025 - open Thurs thru Sat from 10 am to 6 pm - Off the Wall Affordable Art Fair. Opening Reception 11.23.24 from 7 to 10 pm. Over 100 local Long Island City Artists [aka LICA] feature their works for sale at Culture Lab LIC at 5-25 46th Avenue in Long Island City, Queens. The fair continues thru January 12th, with an art talk event on January 11th from 2 to 3 pm. All art work priced under $999. For details see - https://www.culturelablic.org OR https://www.licartists.org/off-the-wall-2

• Click here for Queens Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Queens NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Queens Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Queens Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Queens Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

• Sunday, December 15, 2024 concert beginning at 4 pm by the Queens College Choral Society performing Haydn's Nelson Mass in a Concert for Unity and Peace [$6 - $18]. Click the MCAL link above for details.
• Saturdays, December 7 & 21, 2024 there will be a breakfast at Applebee's with Santa [$15 including photos w/ Santa]. Click the MCAL link above for details.
• Aromatherapy with Annie Dec 7, Intro to Vet Techs Dec 14, Furry Friends Dec 15, Programs Animal Adventures: Animal Meet & Greet Dec 26 & Winter Wildlife - Seasonal Changes Dec 26 - All at Alley Pond Environmental Center. Click the MCAL link above for details.

Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

The holiday markets and events are too numerous to list on the front page, so use these links to peruse all of them.Click here for the Brooklyn holiday market this weekend nyc. And click here for Brooklyn holiday events nyc.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. TO SEE ALL EVENTS or MARKETS, click into that page. Only one of the numerous RECURRING holiday markets are shown here, so if you're interested in finding holiday markets I highly recommend you click into the markets page, as there are at least 10 of them.

Here's the latest market addition.

Fridays, November 29 & December 27, 2024 from 4 to 10 pm - DeKalb Night Market at DeKalb Market Hall - at 445 Albee Square

And here are the most recent events.

• Friday, Saturday & Sunday, December 20, 21 & 22, 2024 beginning at 7.30 pm Friday, 3 pm on Saturday & Sunday & also at 12 noon Sunday - The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

• Saturday December 21, 2024 from 2 to 3.15 pm - Caroling with the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music - meeting at the Old Stone House

• Sunday, December 22, 2024 beginning at 4 pm - Handel's Messiah with Grace Chorale of Brooklyn - at St Ann & the Holy Trinity Church

• Tuesday, Dec. 24 at 9 pm - Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra Concert - at All Saints Episcopal Church

• Daily beginning Wednesday, December 25, 2024 thru January 1, 2025 - beginning at 4 pm the 1st night & 6 pm all other nights except Friday 3.30 pm, Saturday 7.15 pm & Sunday 5 pm - Lighting of the Largest Menorah in Brooklyn - at Grand Army Plaza

• Saturday & Sunday, December 7 & 8, 14 & 15 and 21 & 22, 2024 - Walk the Windows Along Atlantic Avenue

• Friday, November 29, 2024 - January 2, 2025 - Dyker Heights Neighborhood Christmas Lights. - in Dyker Heights with the epicenter generally between 11th - 13th Avenues and 83rd - 86th Streets. Free holiday things to do in South & West Brooklyn NYC. There isn't any official website for this organic holiday lights competition among neighbors.

• Friday November 22, 2024 through January 5, 2025 from 4.30 to 8.15 pm - Lightscape Show - at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden at 990 Washington Avenue in Prospect Heights. Holiday things to do in Brooklyn. For details see - https://www.bbg.org

• Coney Island _ Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, November 23 to January 7, 2025 [also Holidays except Thanksgiving & Xmas and Weekdays from 12/25/ 24 - 1/1/2025] - 2nd Annual Frost Fest - at Luna Park on Coney Island. This event includes select rides, holiday lights and décor, seasonal food and a holiday market. For details and tickets see - https://lunaparknyc.com/

Two Plays - Polonsky & Billie Holiday Theater.

• Click here for Brooklyn Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Brooklyn NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Brooklyn BLVD.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Brooklyn BLVD New Member Sign Up. Click this link Brooklyn Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups. This month includes x.

Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx NYC

Click here for the Bronx holiday market this weekend nyc. And click here for the Bronx holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

In the photo above or at right, taken earlier this week, you can see NYC subway riders all bundled up, as they carry on with their lives, not letting a bit of cold weather slow them down.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. TO SEE ALL EVENTS or MARKETS, click into that page.

• Saturday, December 21, 2024 from 5.30 to 8.30 pm - Winter Solstice Pub Night - at Wave Hill at 4900 Independence Avenue in Riverdale

• Saturdays, December 14 & 21, 2024 from 4 to 7 pm - Self Guided Candlelit Tours - at the Van Cortlandt House Museum

• Sundays, December 8, 15, 22 & 29, 2024 from 12 noon to 6 pm - Bronx Holiday Market at Fordham Plaza.

• Bedford Park / Belmont _ Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, November 22, 2024 to January 5, 2025 from 3 to 9 pm - Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights - turn on at dusk at 4.30 pm, and you have between 3 and 4 pm to visit the animals in the buildings before they close at 4 pm. Holiday lights and events near the Belmont and Bedford Park neighborhoods in the Central Bronx. For details and $57 / $52 / $42 [kids] tickets, see - https://bronxzoo.com/holiday-lights

• Saturday, November 16 - 30, 2024 [Ends January 20, 2025] from 10 am - 6 pm [closed holidays] - NYBG Holiday Train Show - at the New York Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Blvd in the Belmont Neighborhood. Bronx holiday events & things to do nyc. Central Bronx. For details see below or - https://www.nybg.org

• November & December 2024 on various days and at multiple times - Yankee Stadium Tours - at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. See the Yankees Museum, the ball park including both the dugout a press box or VIP suite for $41 / adult and $30 / child. For details and online tickets [only] see - https://www.mlb.com/yankees/ballpark/tours/public/classic-tours-tickets

• The Bartow Pell Mansion Holiday Events & Market - Holiday Luncheon 11/26, Jazzy Holiday First Friday 12/6, Holiday Party 12/7, Holiday Gift Fair 12/8, Selfies w/ Santa 12/14, BAE Holiday Concert w/ Robbie Pat 12/15, A Christmas Carol 12/11 & 12/17 and Holiday Cookies & Crafts 12/21. The details to all of these are posted in our Member Calendar as well as on their website - https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org/events-2/

Click here for Bronx Halloween parties, parades & events Bx NYC.

• Click here for Bronx Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in the Bronx NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Bronx Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Bronx Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Bronx Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

In the December MCAL - The Bartow Pell Mansion Holiday Events & Market - Holiday Luncheon 11/26, Jazzy Holiday First Friday 12/6, Holiday Party 12/7, Holiday Gift Fair 12/8, Selfies w/ Santa 12/14, BAE Holiday Concert w/ Robbie Pat 12/15, A Christmas Carol 12/11 & 12/17 and Holiday Cookies & Crafts 12/21. And Sunday, December 8, 2024 there's a Holiday Gift Fair at the Riverdale Y. On Sunday, December 22, 2024 there will be a breakfast at Applebee's with Santa [$15 including photos w/ Santa] near Fordham Plaza. Click the MCAL link above for details.

Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC

Click here for the Staten Island holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Staten Island holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

The photo above or at right, taken earlier this year, shows the entrance to the Staten Island Ferry, on the north shore in St. George.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. TO SEE ALL EVENTS or MARKETS, click into that page.

• Friday, December 20, 2024 beginning at 7 pm [doors open at 6 pm] - Universal Temple of the Arts & the 36th Staten Island Jazz Festival - at the St. George Theatre

• Saturday, December 21, 2024 from 3 to 6 pm - Holiday Tree Lighting and Celebration - at William H. Pouch Scout Camp

• December 21 & 22, 2024 beginning at 2 pm & 5 pm both days - the Nutcracker by the Staten Island Ballet Dancers - at the Williamson Theater at the College of Staten Island

• Sundays, December 1, 8, 15 & 22, 2024 from 11 am to 2 pm - Holiday Sunday Brunch with Santa - at The Historic Old Bermuda Inn

• Sunday, December 22, 2024 from 1 to 5.30 pm - The Miracle of Christmas - at Fellowship Baptist Church at 3036 Richmond Terrace in Mariners Harbor

• New Springville / Heartland Village _ Daily, mid November - December 24, 2024 - Pictures with Santa & extended hours - at the Staten Island Mall

• Thursday, December 26, 2024 from 6.30 to 10.30 pm - 3rd Annual Kwanzaa & Community Celebration - at the Central Family Life Center at 50 Wright Street in Stapleton

The photo at right shows one of the sea worthy steeds that ferry Staten Islanders to and fro the Big Apple daily.

• Click here for Staten Island Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend on Staten Island NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Staten Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Staten Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Staten Island Events - Member Events to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Have a nice first full weekend of December.

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Christmas Weekend with Holiday Markets, Holiday Events & NYE Parties - are Some of the Top Things to do this Weekend & Next Weekend in NYC

December 24, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. Sunrise 7.18 am. Sunset 4.33 pm. The temperature highs will rise from the low 40's on Friday, to the mid 40's on Saturday, to the high 40's on Sunday to the low 50's on Monday. The temperature lows will rise from the low 30's on Friday, to 40 on Saturday, to the mid 40's on Sunday and Monday. The winds will be below 5 mph all weekend, including Monday which is a national holiday. The humidity will rise from 60% on Friday, to 70% on Saturday, to 80% on Sunday and Monday. No precipitation is in the forecast. These temperature statistics are highly unusual for this time of year.

The photo at right, taken in Sunnyside Queens this week, shows an example of the holiday home decorations one can find in the five boroughs of NYC.

This weekend use the links below to find holiday events, holiday markets and look for things to do over the New Years Eve weekend. While all done for Manhattan, Staten Island, Queens and Brooklyn and mostly done for the Bronx, we'll be completing the NYE parties options sometime Sunday 12/24/23.

• CLICK here to view the rest of our report about things to do Christmas / New Year week in NYC - Events NYC the last week of December.

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Holiday Events & Markets in all Boros - see each Borough Below including Manhattan; Queens; Brooklyn; Bronx; and Staten Island

December 14, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather Forecast as of 12.13.24. Sunrise 7.11 am & Sunset at 4.29 pm. The temperature highs will be in the mid 30's on Friday and Saturday, rising to about 40 on Sunday. The temperature lows will climb from the mid 20's on Friday, to the high 20's on Saturday to the high 30's on Sunday. The humidity will rise from 40% to 50% on Friday, to 50% to 60% on Saturday to 60% to 70% on Sunday. The winds will die down on Friday from 10 mph to 5 mph where they will remain for the rest of the weekend. No precipitation is expected until Monday.

The photo at right shows a daughter and mother [relationship not confirmed] skating at Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan. The rink is open daily through the winter months. See details on the Manhattan holiday events page [link below].

Saturday Afternoon 4th Edition at 2.15 pm. This is a pretty solid draft of the weekend. We'll be adding a few new events that are happening next week, during the weekdays, by Sunday noon. It looks to be another seasonal, good weather weekend. Enjoy.

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan

Click here for the Manhattan holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Manhattan holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

The photo at right was taken at the opening reception of the Winter Show at the National Art Club at 15 Gramercy Park South. The show began December 3, 2024 and continues until January 31, 2025 and admittance is free on weekends. For details see - https://www.nationalartsclub.org or visit the monthly events calendar by clicking the Manhattan weekend events link below.

Manhattan Holiday Markets this weekend are too numerous to recite here, so please use the link above to browse through all the holiday markets [about a dozen and a half of them], many of which stay open until Christmas or the end of the year. The following are limited time markets that just opened and will close this week / weekend.

• Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, December 11, 12 & 13, 2024 from 10 am - 5 pm - NY Trunk Show: Native American Jewelry of the American Southwest

• Saturday & Sunday, December 14 & 15, 2024 from 11 am to 5 pm - Renegade Craft Fair

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. TO SEE ALL EVENTS or MARKETS, click into that page. Few of the many holiday markets are shown here, so I highly recommend you click into the markets page.

• Sundays ONLY, December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2024 from 10 am - 5 pm - Vintage Subway Car / Nostalgia Subway Holiday Train Rides

• Saturdays, December 7, 14 & 21, 2024 from 3 to 7 pm - La Marqueta Night Market in East Harlem.

• Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, December 11, 12 & 13, 2024 from 7 to 10 pm - Handel's Messiah Holiday Concert - at Trinity Church

• Fridays, December 13 & 27, 2024 from 5.30 - 7 pm - Birdland Big Band Jazz - at the Birdland Jazz Club

• Friday, Saturday & Sunday, December 13, 14, 15, 20, 21 & 22, 2024 beginning at 3 pm & 7 pm - Home for the Holidays theatrical performance - at Harlem School of the Arts

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 10 am to 5 pm - St. Nick on St. Nick's Extravaganza

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 4 to 5.30 pm respectively - Holiday Concert - at St. John the Divine

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 10 am - 8 pm - Santa Con Costume Party / Bar Hopping Event

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 7.30 to 9.30 pm - An Evening of Holiday Classics, Gospel and Jazz Celebrating the Holidays - at the Salvation Army

• Sunday, December 15, 2024 from 4 to 6.30 pm - The Riverside Church Candlelight Carol Service

Sundays ONLY, December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2024 from 10 am - 5 pm - Vintage Subway Car / Nostalgia Subway Holiday Train Rides - along the F and Q subway lines in Manhattan. Uptown ridges begin on the even hours and downtown rides begin on the odd hours. Holiday events / things to do in Midtown Manhattan NYC. Ride in older subway cars for the normal subway line ticket price. Many folks dress up in vintage outfits for kicks. For details, times, route and subway station stops, see - https://www.nytransitmuseum.org/holidaynostalgiarides/

Thursday, November 14, 2024 - February 2025 - The 20th Annual Holiday Toy Train Show at Grand Central Terminal. Midtown. For details see Midtown events below or https://grandcentralterminal.com/event/new-york-transit-museums-holiday-train-show/

Gramercy Theater concerts - https://www.thegramercytheatre.com/shows

• Click here for Manhattan Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2024. There are Mom's Day gift markets.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Manhattan NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Manhattan Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Manhattan Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Manhattan Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC

Click here for the Queens holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Queens holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. TO SEE ALL EVENTS or MARKETS, click into that page.

• Saturday & Sunday, December 7, 8 & 14, 2024 from 12 noon to 2 pm - Ditmars Street & Broadway & Steinway Street Holiday Caroling, each street with each dates respectively

• December 8 & 15, 2024 from 12 noon to 6 pm - Astoria Market Holiday Market - at Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden

• Sundays & Wednesday, December 8, 11 & 15, 2024 from 1 to 3 pm, 7.30 to 9 pm & 2 to 5 pm - Bayside Historical Society Quilting, Concert & Crafting

• Thursday, Friday, Saturdays & Sundays, December 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21 & 22, 2024 - It's a Wonderful Life Radio Play - at Queens Theatre

• Friday, Saturday & Sunday, December 13, 14 & 15, 2024 from 5 to 9 pm, 11 am to 7 pm & 12 noon to 5 pm respectively - 15th Annual Holiday Craft Show - at LIC Brickhouse Ceramics

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 11 am to 4 pm - Comics & Crafts Holiday Market - at Flushing Town Hall

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 12 noon to 4 pm - 7th Annual Douglaston Winter Festival - at 235th Street and 41st Avenue in Douglaston.

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 1 to 3 pm - Mariachi Performance on Steinway Street in Astoria

• Sunday, December 14, 2024 beginning at 2 pm - Scrooge - at Black Spectrum Theatre in Jamaica.

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 1 to 2.30 pm - Gift of the Magi Reading - at the Queens County Farm

• Sunday, December 15, 2024 from 4 to 6.30 pm - The Nutcracker by the Joffrey Ballet - at The LaGuardia Performing Arts Center

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 beginning at 9.30 am - Kwanzaa Celebration at the Langston Hughes Library & Cultural Center

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 beginning at 6 pm - Closing Reception for Trickle Down - at Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 7 - 10 pm [UNCONFIRMED] - A Queens Holiday Caroling / Sing-Along tradition that begins at Cassidy's Ale House

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 beginning at 6 / 7 / 8 pm - Burstin' Boots in Queens by Jalopy Theatre - at Flushing Town Hall

• Saturday & Sunday, December 14 & 15, 2024 beginning at 7.30 pm - Reenactment of the Nativity Scene - at Redeemer Church

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 10 am to 4 pm - 1st Annual Holiday Craft Market at the Queens County Farm

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 12 noon to 5 pm - Queens Craft Brigade - at Katch Astoria

• Sunday, December 15, 2024 beginning at 4 pm - Queens College Choral Society performing Haydn's Nelson Mass in a Concert for Unity and Peace - at the Kupferberg Center for the Arts

• Sunday, December 15, 2024 beginning at 2 pm - Poppenhusen Holiday Concert - at Poppenhusen Institute

• Thursday, December 19, 2024 beginning at 8 pm - Meet the Playwright of Pansy Craze - at Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning

Thursday, November 7, 2024 to January 12, 2025 - open Thurs thru Sat from 10 am to 6 pm - Off the Wall Affordable Art Fair. Opening Reception 11.23.24 from 7 to 10 pm. Over 100 local Long Island City Artists [aka LICA] feature their works for sale at Culture Lab LIC at 5-25 46th Avenue in Long Island City, Queens. The fair continues thru January 12th, with an art talk event on January 11th from 2 to 3 pm. All art work priced under $999. For details see - https://www.culturelablic.org OR https://www.licartists.org/off-the-wall-2

• Click here for Queens Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Queens NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Queens Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Queens Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Queens Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

• Sunday, December 15, 2024 concert beginning at 4 pm by the Queens College Choral Society performing Haydn's Nelson Mass in a Concert for Unity and Peace [$6 - $18]. Click the MCAL link above for details.
• Saturdays, December 7 & 21, 2024 there will be a breakfast at Applebee's with Santa [$15 including photos w/ Santa]. Click the MCAL link above for details.
• Aromatherapy with Annie Dec 7, Intro to Vet Techs Dec 14, Furry Friends Dec 15, Programs Animal Adventures: Animal Meet & Greet Dec 26 & Winter Wildlife - Seasonal Changes Dec 26 - All at Alley Pond Environmental Center. Click the MCAL link above for details.

Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

The holiday markets and events are too numerous to list on the front page, so use these links to peruse all of them.Click here for the Brooklyn holiday market this weekend nyc. And click here for Brooklyn holiday events nyc.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. TO SEE ALL EVENTS or MARKETS, click into that page. Few of the many RECURRING holiday markets are shown here, so I highly recommend you click into the markets page, as there are at least 10 of them.

• Friday, December 13, 2024 from 5 to 7 pm - Christmas Tree Lighting at Grand Army Plaza

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 1 - 6 pm - Tents of Kedar Holiday Market

• Saturday & Sunday, December 14 & 15, 2024 from 12 noon to 7 pm - 8th Annual Give Back Holiday Market - at the Textile Arts Center - in Gowanus - see photo at right

• Saturday & Sunday, December 7 & 8, 14 & 15 and 21 & 22, 2024 - Walk the Windows Along Atlantic Avenue

• Daily, Thursday - Sunday, December 12, 13, 14 & 15, 2024 at 7 pm and at 2 pm on Saturday & Sunday - Brooklyn Ballet Nutcracker

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 11 am to 6 pm - PowerHouse Arts x Brooklyn Pop Up Holiday Market

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 7.30 to 9 pm - A Very Merry Brooklyn - Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra Christmas Concert

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 1 to 3 pm - Green - Wood Cemetery Trolley Tour

• Sunday, December 15, 2024 beginning at 11 am and 4.30 pm - Bay Ridge Ballet Performs the Nutcracker - at Our Lady of Angels Parish

• Saturday December 15, 2024 from 3 to 5 pm - Multi-cultural Holiday Extravaganza - at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music

• Sunday, December 15, 2024 from 2 to 3.30 pm - the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra Holiday Concert

• Friday, November 29, 2024 - January 2, 2025 - Dyker Heights Neighborhood Christmas Lights. - in Dyker Heights with the epicenter generally between 11th - 13th Avenues and 83rd - 86th Streets. Free holiday things to do in South & West Brooklyn NYC. There isn't any official website for this organic holiday lights competition among neighbors.

• Friday November 22, 2024 through January 5, 2025 from 4.30 to 8.15 pm - Lightscape Show - at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden at 990 Washington Avenue in Prospect Heights. Holiday things to do in Brooklyn. For details see - https://www.bbg.org

• Coney Island _ Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, November 23 to January 7, 2025 [also Holidays except Thanksgiving & Xmas and Weekdays from 12/25/ 24 - 1/1/2025] - 2nd Annual Frost Fest - at Luna Park on Coney Island. This event includes select rides, holiday lights and décor, seasonal food and a holiday market. For details and tickets see - https://lunaparknyc.com/

• Friday, November 29 to December 15, 2024 at various times - Flip Circus in Brooklyn. At the main field in McCarren Park on the south side of the park. For details and tickets ranging from $30 for kids to $60 / $65 for adults, see - https://www.flipcircus.com

Two Plays - Polonsky & Billie Holiday Theater.

• Click here for Brooklyn Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Brooklyn NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Brooklyn BLVD.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Brooklyn BLVD New Member Sign Up. Click this link Brooklyn Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups. This month includes x.

Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx NYC

Click here for the Bronx holiday market this weekend nyc. And click here for the Bronx holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. TO SEE ALL EVENTS or MARKETS, click into that page.

• 12/7/24 & 12/8 & 12/15 & 12/17/24 _ Updates coming next week by 12/6/24 _ Saturday, December 2, 2023 from 7.30 to 8.30 pm Bronx Arts Ensemble Performs the Holiday

• December 12 & 13, 2024 at 10.30 am both days and at 2 pm Thursday only - Nutcracker Ballet - by the Westchester Ballet Company at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts

• Friday, December 13, 2024 beginning at 3 pm - Winter Wonderland - in the Great Hall at Yankee Stadium

• Sundays, December 8, 15, 22 & 29, 2024 from 12 noon to 6 pm - Bronx Holiday Market

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 11 am to 2 pm - Wreath Making Workshop at the Van Cortlandt Golf Lake House

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 beginning at 2.30 pm - Bronx Concert Singers 43rd Holiday Concert - at St. Helena's Church

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 10 am to 1 pm - Veterans & Family Toy Giveaway - at the Bronx Zoo

• Sundays, December 8, 15, 22 & 29, 2024 from 12 noon to 6 pm - Bronx Holiday Market

• Bedford Park / Belmont _ Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, November 22, 2024 to January 5, 2025 from 3 to 9 pm - Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights - turn on at dusk at 4.30 pm, and you have between 3 and 4 pm to visit the animals in the buildings before they close at 4 pm. Holiday lights and events near the Belmont and Bedford Park neighborhoods in the Central Bronx. For details and $57 / $52 / $42 [kids] tickets, see - https://bronxzoo.com/holiday-lights

• Saturday, November 16 - 30, 2024 [Ends January 20, 2025] from 10 am - 6 pm [closed holidays] - NYBG Holiday Train Show - at the New York Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Blvd in the Belmont Neighborhood. Bronx holiday events & things to do nyc. Central Bronx. For details see below or - https://www.nybg.org

• November & December 2024 on various days and at multiple times - Yankee Stadium Tours - at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. See the Yankees Museum, the ball park including both the dugout a press box or VIP suite for $41 / adult and $30 / child. For details and online tickets [only] see - https://www.mlb.com/yankees/ballpark/tours/public/classic-tours-tickets

• The Bartow Pell Mansion Holiday Events & Market - Holiday Luncheon 11/26, Jazzy Holiday First Friday 12/6, Holiday Party 12/7, Holiday Gift Fair 12/8, Selfies w/ Santa 12/14, BAE Holiday Concert w/ Robbie Pat 12/15, A Christmas Carol 12/11 & 12/17 and Holiday Cookies & Crafts 12/21. The details to all of these are posted in our Member Calendar as well as on their website - https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org/events-2/

Click here for Bronx Halloween parties, parades & events Bx NYC.

• Click here for Bronx Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in the Bronx NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Bronx Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Bronx Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Bronx Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

In the December MCAL - The Bartow Pell Mansion Holiday Events & Market - Holiday Luncheon 11/26, Jazzy Holiday First Friday 12/6, Holiday Party 12/7, Holiday Gift Fair 12/8, Selfies w/ Santa 12/14, BAE Holiday Concert w/ Robbie Pat 12/15, A Christmas Carol 12/11 & 12/17 and Holiday Cookies & Crafts 12/21. And Sunday, December 8, 2024 there's a Holiday Gift Fair at the Riverdale Y. On Sunday, December 22, 2024 there will be a breakfast at Applebee's with Santa [$15 including photos w/ Santa] near Fordham Plaza. Click the MCAL link above for details.

Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC

Click here for the Staten Island holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Staten Island holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. TO SEE ALL EVENTS or MARKETS, click into that page.

• Friday, Saturday & Sunday, December 13 - 15, 2024 beginning at 7 pm Friday, and at 2 pm and 6 pm on Saturday & Sunday - 21st Annual Christmas Show - at the St. George Theatre

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 12 noon to 3 pm - Conference House Holiday Splendor Tour

• Saturday & Sunday, December 14 & 15, 2024 beginning at 2 pm, 5 pm, & 2 pm respectively - Suessical Kids performed by the Spotlight Repertory Theatre - at Empire Outlets

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 beginning at 10 am and 12 noon - Holiday Wreath Making Workshop - at the Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve

• Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 12 noon to 3 pm - ‘Aura Photos' Day - at the Alice Austen House Museum

• Sundays, December 1, 8, 15 & 22, 2024 from 11 am to 2 pm - Holiday Sunday Brunch with Santa - at The Historic Old Bermuda Inn

• New Springville / Heartland Village _ Daily, mid November - December 24, 2024 - Pictures with Santa & extended hours - at the Staten Island Mall

• Monday & Tuesday, December 16 & 17, 2024 from 6.30 to 10 pm and from 6 to 10 pm respectively - Christmas Concert and Christmas Tree Lighting - at Monsignor Farrell High School

• Friday, December 20, 2024 beginning at 7 pm [doors open at 6 pm] - Universal Temple of the Arts & the 36th Staten Island Jazz Festival

The photo at right shows one of the sea worthy steeds that ferry Staten Islanders to and fro the Big Apple daily.

• Click here for Staten Island Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend on Staten Island NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Staten Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Staten Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Staten Island Events - Member Events to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Have a nice first full weekend of December.

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Holiday Events & Markets in all Boros, Vintage Subway Car Rides & Toy Train Show in Manhattan; Affordable Art Fair in Queens; Dyker Heights Neighborhood Christmas Lights, Frost Fest @ Coney Isle, Lightscape Show @ BBG, Brooklyn Flea & Flip Circus in Brooklyn; NYBG Holiday Train Show, Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights & Yankee Stadium Tours in the Bronx; and Holiday Events & Markets on Staten Island

Updated December 8, 2024 vs 12.6.24 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather Forecast as of 12.6.24. Sunrise 7.06 am & Sunset at 4.28 pm. The temperature lows will be in the low 30's on Friday, rising to about 40 on Saturday and then nearing 50 on Sunday. The temperature lows will rise from the low 30's to the mid 30's to the high 30's over the weekend. We will tend to experience windy weather on Friday when the winds will range from 10 mph to 20 mph, and then settling down a bit at between 10 - 15 mph for the rest of the weekend. The humidity will rise through the weekend starting at 35% - 45% on Friday, settling at 45% on Saturday and then rising again to between 45% - 60% on Sunday. There isn't any precipitation in the forecast until Monday through Wednesday next week.

The photo above or at right was taken in Midtown Manhattan on Thursday evening on the steps of St. Patrick's Cathedral looking south along 5th Avenue toward Rockefeller Center. The streets were packed and the holiday influx has begun. Oh, joy?

Sunday Afternoon Edition around 2.45 pm. This is fairly good draft of the weekend, with still a tiny bit more work to do in the Bronx, Brooklyn & Queens. We'll finish this up Sunday morning. It looks to be another seasonal, good weather weekend. Enjoy.

Things To Do This Weekend in NYC

Tuesday, December 10, 2024 from 1 to 8.30 pm - Art Demonstration & Rally to Save NYCHA Section 9 - at the Fulton Elliott-Chelsea Houses at 119 9th Avenue in Chelsea. The art effort runs from 1 - 4 pm, there's a development walk through from 4 - 6 pm, press conference at 6 pm, followed by the Illuminator from 6.30 - 8.30 pm. For details see - https://www.savesection9.org

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan

Click here for the Manhattan holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Manhattan holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

Manhattan Holiday Markets this weekend are too numerous to recite here, so please use the link above to browse through all the options, many of which stay open until Christmas or the end of the year.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. TO SEE ALL EVENTS or MARKETS, click into that page. Few of the many holiday markets are shown here, so I highly recommend you click into the markets page.

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 4 to 5.30 pm - Ukrainian Folk Art & Alexandra Exte

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 4.30 – 6 pm - Holiday on the Hudson Christmas Tree Lighting - in Riverside Park

• Sunday, December 8, 2024 beginning at 5 pm - Carl Schurz Park Holiday Tree Lighting Event

• Sunday, December 8, 2024 from 4.30 to 7 pm - Park Avenue Holiday Tree Lighting - at Brick Presbyterian

• Sunday, December 8, 2024 between 12 noon and 6 pm - Open Street along Fifth Avenue

• Sundays ONLY, December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2024 from 10 am - 5 pm - Vintage Subway Car / Nostalgia Subway Holiday Train Rides

Sundays ONLY, December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2024 from 10 am - 5 pm - Vintage Subway Car / Nostalgia Subway Holiday Train Rides - along the F and Q subway lines in Manhattan. Uptown ridges begin on the even hours and downtown rides begin on the odd hours. Holiday events / things to do in Midtown Manhattan NYC. Ride in older subway cars for the normal subway line ticket price. Many folks dress up in vintage outfits for kicks. For details, times, route and subway station stops, see - https://www.nytransitmuseum.org/holidaynostalgiarides/

Thursday, November 14, 2024 - February 2025 - The 20th Annual Holiday Toy Train Show at Grand Central Terminal. Midtown. For details see Midtown events below or https://grandcentralterminal.com/event/new-york-transit-museums-holiday-train-show/

Gramercy Theater concerts - https://www.thegramercytheatre.com/shows

• Click here for Manhattan Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2024. There are Mom's Day gift markets.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Manhattan NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Manhattan Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Manhattan Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Manhattan Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC

Click here for the Queens holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Queens holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

The photo above or at right was taken in Sunnyside less than three weeks ago. The City of Yes zoning changes, now allow property owners to erect buildings in a neighborhood with little or no input from the community. The changes could be startling.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. TO SEE ALL EVENTS or MARKETS, click into that page.

• Saturday December 7, 2024 beginning at 6 pm - Parish Tree Lighting at Our Lady of Grace Church

• Friday, December 6, 2024 from 6 to 7 pm - Whitestone Holiday tree lighting

• Saturday December 7, 2024 beginning at 6 pm - Parish Tree Lighting at Our Lady of Grace Church

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 10 am to 4 pm - All Saints Episcopal Holly Bazaar

• Saturday December 7, 2024 from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm - Sunnyside Artists Crafts Fair

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 10 am to 3.30 pm - Christmas Fair

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 4 to 5 pm followed by caroling, hot cocoa and treats - Jackson Heights Beautification Group Holiday Tree Lighting

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 with the market beginning at 5.30 pm and the Concert beginning at 7 pm - Braata Productions Holiday Market & Concert

• Saturday & Sunday, December 7, 8 & 14, 2024 from 12 noon to 2 pm - Ditmars Street & Broadway & Steinway Street Holiday Caroling, each street with each dates respectively

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 6 to 8 pm - Woodside on the Move Holiday Tree Lighting

• December 8 & 15, 2024 from 12 noon to 6 pm - Astoria Market Holiday Market - at Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden

• Sunday, December 8, 2024 from 12 noon - 4 pm Queens St. Nicholas Day at Ridgewood Historical Society - at the Vande Ende-Onderdonk House

• Sunday, December 8, 2024 beginning at 4 pm - Astoria Park Holiday Festival and Tree Lighting

• Sundays, December 8, 15 & 22, 2024 from 2 to 5 pm - Photos with Sanata Event

• Sunday, December 8, 2024 from 12 noon to 4 pm - Historic Holiday House Trolley Tour

• Sunday, December 8, 2024 from 3.30 to 5.30 pm - Bayside Village Annual Holiday Party & Tree Lighting Event

• Tuesday, December 10, 2024 from 3 to 6 pm - 82nd Street Winter Festival in Jackson Heights

• Wednesday, December 11, 2024 beginning at 7.30 pm - Jackson Heights Orchestra Holiday Concert

• Thursday, December 12, 2024 from 6 to 8 pm - Kwanzaa Celebration - at Rufus King Manor

• Sundays & Wednesday, December 8, 11 & 15, 2024 from 1 to 3 pm, 7.30 to 9 pm & 2 to 5 pm - Bayside Historical Society Quilting, Concert & Crafting

Thursday, November 7, 2024 to January 12, 2025 - open Thurs thru Sat from 10 am to 6 pm - Off the Wall Affordable Art Fair. Opening Reception 11.23.24 from 7 to 10 pm. Over 100 local Long Island City Artists [aka LICA] feature their works for sale at Culture Lab LIC at 5-25 46th Avenue in Long Island City, Queens. The fair continues thru January 12th, with an art talk event on January 11th from 2 to 3 pm. All art work priced under $999. For details see - https://www.culturelablic.org OR https://www.licartists.org/off-the-wall-2

• Click here for Queens Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Queens NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Queens Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Queens Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Queens Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

In December, the Member Calendar MCAL events include a Sunday, December 15, 2024 concert beginning at 4 pm by the Queens College Choral Society performing Haydn's Nelson Mass in a Concert for Unity and Peace [$6 - $18]. Also on two Saturdays, December 7 & 21, 2024 there will be a breakfast at Applebee's with Santa [$15 including photos w/ Santa]. Aromatherapy with Annie Dec 7, Intro to Vet Techs Dec 14, Furry Friends Dec 15, Programs Animal Adventures: Animal Meet & Greet Dec 26 & Winter Wildlife - Seasonal Changes Dec 26 - All at Alley Pond Environmental Center. Click the MCAL link above for details.

Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

The holiday markets and events are too numerous to list on the front page, so use these links to peruse all of them. Click here for the Brooklyn holiday market this weekend nyc. And click here for Brooklyn holiday events nyc.

The photo above or at right was taken in Bay Ridge a few months back. The City of Yes zoning changes, now allow property owners to erect buildings in a neighborhood with little or no input from the community.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. TO SEE ALL EVENTS or MARKETS, click into that page. Few of the many holiday markets are shown here, so I highly recommend you click into the markets page.

• Friday, December 6, 2024 from 6 to 8 pm - Tree Lighting with Sinterklaas at the Lott House

• Friday, December 6, 2024 beginning at 4 pm - The Fort Hamilton Tree Lighting and Holiday Market.

• Friday, December 6, 2024 from 3 to 6 pm - Holiday Tree Lighting Event - at Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

• Friday, Saturday & Sunday, December 6, 7 & 8, 2024 beginning at 7 pm on Friday & Saturday and at 2 pm on Saturday & Sunday - Narrows Community Theater Performance of 'The Best Christmas Pageant Ever'

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 4 to 5 pm - Fort Greene Park Holiday Tree Lighting

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 2 - 4+ pm - 22nd Annual Meet St. Nicholas on Horseback - at the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museu

• Saturday & Sunday, December 7 & 8, 14 & 15 and 21 & 22, 2024 - Walk the Windows Along Atlantic Avenue

• For this & Other Holiday Markets see the Holiday Markets Page _ Brooklyn Navy Yard _ Saturday & Sunday, December 7 & 8, 2024 from 12 noon to 5 pm - 7th Annual Brooklyn Navy Yard Wallabout Holiday Market

• Sunday, December 8, 2024 from 12 noon to 4 pm _ St. Nicholas Day at Ridgewood Historical Society - at the Vande Ende-Onderdonk House

• Saturday & Sunday, December 7 & 8, 2024 from 9 am to 3.30 pm and from 10 am to 1 pm respectively - Bay Ridge Ballet Nutcracker Bake Sale

• Friday, December 13, 2024 from 5 to 7 pm - Christmas Tree Lighting at Grand Army Plaza

• Friday, November 29, 2024 - January 2, 2025 - Dyker Heights Neighborhood Christmas Lights. - in Dyker Heights with the epicenter generally between 11th - 13th Avenues and 83rd - 86th Streets. Free holiday things to do in South & West Brooklyn NYC. There isn't any official website for this organic holiday lights competition among neighbors.

• Friday November 22, 2024 through January 5, 2025 from 4.30 to 8.15 pm - Lightscape Show - at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden at 990 Washington Avenue in Prospect Heights. Holiday things to do in Brooklyn. For details see - https://www.bbg.org

• Coney Island _ Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, November 23 to January 7, 2025 [also Holidays except Thanksgiving & Xmas and Weekdays from 12/25/ 24 - 1/1/2025] - 2nd Annual Frost Fest - at Luna Park on Coney Island. This event includes select rides, holiday lights and décor, seasonal food and a holiday market. For details and tickets see - https://lunaparknyc.com/

• Friday, November 29 to December 15, 2024 at various times - Flip Circus in Brooklyn. At the main field in McCarren Park on the south side of the park. For details and tickets ranging from $30 for kids to $60 / $65 for adults, see - https://www.flipcircus.com

Two Plays - Polonsky & Billie Holiday Theater.

• Click here for Brooklyn Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Brooklyn NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Brooklyn BLVD.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Brooklyn BLVD New Member Sign Up. Click this link Brooklyn Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups. This month includes x.

Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx NYC

Click here for the Bronx holiday market this weekend nyc. And click here for the Bronx holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

In the photo at right, taken this week, you see a night time subway car reasonably full of rail riders, like myself.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. TO SEE ALL EVENTS or MARKETS, click into that page.

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 4 pm - 6 pm - Arthur Avenue / Bronx Little Italy Christmas Tree Lighting

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 1 to 3.30 pm - Winter Wonderland - at the Bronx Terminal Market

• Sunday, December 8, 2024 from 3.30 to 5 pm - Christmas Tree Lighting Holiday Event in Morris Park.

• Sunday, December 8, 2024 from 11 am to 4 pm - Winter Haven Opening Weekend Holiday Events & Holiday Market - at Wave Hill.

• * Coop City _ Sunday, December 8, 2024 - Braata Productions Holiday Market & Concert in Coop City.

• Sunday, December 8, 2024 from 9 am to 2 pm - Riverdale Y Temple Holiday Gift Fair

• Thursday, December 12, 2024 at 6 pm - Bronx Holiday Tree Lighting Event by CB7 Norwood Bx & Friends of Mosholu Parkland

• 12/7/24 & 12/8 & 12/15 & 12/17/24 _ Updates coming next week by 12/6/24 _ Saturday, December 2, 2023 from 7.30 to 8.30 pm Bronx Arts Ensemble Performs the Holiday

• 12/12 & 12/13/24 Nutcracker at Lehman College.

• Bedford Park / Belmont _ Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, November 22, 2024 to January 5, 2025 from 3 to 9 pm - Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights - turn on at dusk at 4.30 pm, and you have between 3 and 4 pm to visit the animals in the buildings before they close at 4 pm. Holiday lights and events near the Belmont and Bedford Park neighborhoods in the Central Bronx. For details and $57 / $52 / $42 [kids] tickets, see - https://bronxzoo.com/holiday-lights

• Saturday, November 16 - 30, 2024 [Ends January 20, 2025] from 10 am - 6 pm [closed holidays] - NYBG Holiday Train Show - at the New York Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Blvd in the Belmont Neighborhood. Bronx holiday events & things to do nyc. Central Bronx. For details see below or - https://www.nybg.org

• November & December 2024 on various days and at multiple times - Yankee Stadium Tours - at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. See the Yankees Museum, the ball park including both the dugout a press box or VIP suite for $41 / adult and $30 / child. For details and online tickets [only] see - https://www.mlb.com/yankees/ballpark/tours/public/classic-tours-tickets

• The Bartow Pell Mansion Holiday Events & Market - Holiday Luncheon 11/26, Jazzy Holiday First Friday 12/6, Holiday Party 12/7, Holiday Gift Fair 12/8, Selfies w/ Santa 12/14, BAE Holiday Concert w/ Robbie Pat 12/15, A Christmas Carol 12/11 & 12/17 and Holiday Cookies & Crafts 12/21. The details to all of these are posted in our Member Calendar as well as on their website - https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org/events-2/

Click here for Bronx Halloween parties, parades & events Bx NYC.

• Click here for Bronx Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in the Bronx NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Bronx Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Bronx Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Bronx Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

In the December MCAL - The Bartow Pell Mansion Holiday Events & Market - Holiday Luncheon 11/26, Jazzy Holiday First Friday 12/6, Holiday Party 12/7, Holiday Gift Fair 12/8, Selfies w/ Santa 12/14, BAE Holiday Concert w/ Robbie Pat 12/15, A Christmas Carol 12/11 & 12/17 and Holiday Cookies & Crafts 12/21. And Sunday, December 8, 2024 there's a Holiday Gift Fair at the Riverdale Y. On Sunday, December 22, 2024 there will be a breakfast at Applebee's with Santa [$15 including photos w/ Santa] near Fordham Plaza. Click the MCAL link above for details.

Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC

Click here for the Staten Island holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Staten Island holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

In the photo above or at right is one of the buildings of Historic Richmond Town, where the past comes alive. This weekend they are hosting a number of Christmas holiday related events.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. TO SEE ALL EVENTS or MARKETS, click into that page.

• Sundays, December 1, 8, 15 & 22, 2024 from 11 am to 2 pm - Holiday Sunday Brunch with Santa - at The Historic Old Bermuda Inn.

• Friday & Saturday, December 6 & 7, 2024 - from 6 to 9 pm, and 9 am to 3 pm respectively - Christmas Tree & Wreath Sale and Vendor Craft Fair.

• Historic Richmond Town _ Friday, Saturday & Sunday, December 6, 7 & 8, 2024 from 4 to 5 on Friday and from 12 noon to 5 pm Saturday & Sunday - Christmas in Historic Richmond Town.

• Friday, December 6, 2024 beginning at 11.30 am - Holiday Golf Outing - National Lighthouse Museum Holiday Golf Outing

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 9 am to 3 pm - Holiday Fair at Immanuel Union Church

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 beginning at 1 pm - Holiday Performances of A Christmas Carol - by Sundog Theatre Company

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 beginning at 2.30 pm, tree lighting at 5.15 pm and ending at 7 pm - Westerleigh Park Christmas Tree Lighting

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 beginning at 6.30 pm - Holiday Tree Lighting at Empire Outlets Mall

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 12 noon to 3 pm - Unwrapping Yule Log Traditions at the Conference House

• Saturday & Sunday, December 7 & 8, 2024 from 11 am to 4 pm - Holiday Hop Holiday Market at Snug Harbor

• Saturday, December 7, 2024 beginning at 7.30 pm - Holiday Concert in New Brighton

• Sunday, December 8, 2024 from 11 am to 4 pm Holiday Market & at 4.30 pm the Grand Illumination at the Conference House

• Sunday, December 8, 2024 from 10 am to 4 pm - JCC Holiday Gift Fair

• Sunday, December 8, 2024 from 9.30 t0 4.30 pm - Christmas Fair / Market at Monsignor Farrell

• Wednesday, December 11, 2024 from 5 to 7 pm - Christmas Tree Lighting & Celebration

• Friday, Saturday & Sunday, December 13 - 15, 2024 beginning at 7 pm Friday, and at 2 pm and 6 pm on Saturday & Sunday - 21st Annual Christmas Show - at the St. George Theatre

The photo at right shows one of the sea worthy steeds that ferry Staten Islanders to and fro the Big Apple daily.

• Click here for Staten Island Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend on Staten Island NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Staten Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Staten Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Staten Island Events - Member Events to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Have a nice first full weekend of December.

City of Yes Passes by a Vote of 31 - 20

Stephen Ross, REBNY Members & the Adams Family Won & NYC Lost

December 6, 2024 / NYC Real Estate & Business / NYC Government & Politics / City of Yes Special Section / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz.

The City of Yes for Housing Opportunities bill passed yesterday afternoon / evening in the City Council Chambers at City Hall. The City of Yes or NYC Municipal Legislative Bill - L.U. 181 & Res 689 - App. N 240290 ZRY (City of Yes Zoning for Housing Opportunity) amendment of the Zoning Resolution of the City of New York, modifying multiple Sections to expand opportunities for housing within all zoning districts, Citywide. *

The photo snapshot at right shows the NYC Council voting on the City of Yes.

City of Yes [Wo]Men - Roll Call Vote Tally 31-20

Voting For the City of Yes Members. Carlina Rivera District 2, Eric Bottcher District 3, Keith Powers District 4, Julie Menin District 5, Gale Brewer M District 6, Shaun Abreu District 7, Diana Ayala District 8, Yusef Salaam M District 9, Carmen De La Rosa M District 10, Kevin Riley Bx District 12, Pierina Ana Sanchez District 14, Oswald Feliz District 15, Althea Stevens District 16, Rafael Salamanca Bx District 17, Amanda Farias District 18, Francisco Moya Q District 21, Tiffany Caban Q District 22, Shekar Krishnan Q District 25, Julie Won Q District 26, Nantasha Williams Q District 27, Speaker Adrienne Adams Q District 28, Selvena N. Brooks-Powers Q District 31, Lincoln Restler District 33, Jennifer Gutierrez District 34, Crystal Hudson District 35, Chi Osse District 36, Sandy Nurse District 37, Alexa Aviles District 38, Shahana Hanif District 39, Rita Joseph District 40, Justin Brannan Bk District 47.

Pay attention to the delineation of NYC Council members by the boroughs noted above by letters. Speaker Adrienne Adams delivered enough Queens council member votes (7) in favor of the legislation, which had they voted as their Community Boards did, would have killed the City of Yes bill.

Did Adrienne Adams and these NYC Council members betray the people of Queens they were elected to represent? Well, if so, keep in mind they are up for re-election in June 2025. So please educate yourself, fact check the statements made herein by using the power of the internet, and then after you've done enough research to know what's true, start spreading the news and get behind people who will represent you, the voters, not the big money that funded their campaigns.

Voting in the Negative. Joann Ariola District 32, Chris Banks District 42, Joseph C. Borelli District 51, David Carr District 50, Eric Dinowitz District 11, James Gennaro District 24, Kamillah Hanks District 49, Robert Holden District 30, Linda Lee District 23, Farah N. Louis District 45, Kristy Marmorato District 13, Christopher Marte District 1, Diane Mealy District 41, Mercedes Narcisse District 46, Vickie Paladino District 19, Lynn Schulman District 29, Sandra Ung District 20, Inna Vernikov District 48, Kalmar Yeger District 44, Susan Zhuang District 43.

We will keep this roll call of the vote on our site indefinitely in the City of Yes Special Report Section, because you, the voters, can use it as one benchmark vote, that helps you understand who is representing you, and how they are representing you. This becomes particularly important as there is the Democratic Primary in June 24, 2025 and the general election is November 4, 2025. Almost all of the elections are decided in the June primary because 56% of NYC is Democratic and only 26% is Republican. The remaining 18% are independent.

* Editor's Note.  The summary of the bill leaves out the part about the NYC Council members forfeiting their power, and because they represent us, they are forfeiting our power and legal rights to weigh in on new developments in our neighborhoods.  The summary also leaves out the part where by rushed passage of the 1,388 bill, the real estate developers and international investors can harvest a huge amount of tax abatements for 'affordable housing' that would be 'affordable' to individuals making up to $141,000 and a family of three making up to $183,00 per year or making rental payments of $4575 per month.  And the summary leaves out the part about the negotiated deal, wherein how Eric Adams is going to miraculously fund the $4 billion, that magically appeared just by Eric Adams promising it, after Eric Adams tried to cut $100 million from the budgets of public schools in January 2024 and cut $22 million from the budget for public libraries as recently as November 2023.  Adams promise of $4 billion is just that, and only that - a promise - as it is NOT IN THE BUDGET. And we all know the value of a politician's promise, especially when it's made by someone like Eric Adams, who has a documented history of lying, and is managing a tight budget that doesn't have $4 billion of funding lying around. He's going to have to take that funding from other places like public schools, public libraries and the NYPD.

Just Saying No to the City of Yes

See What's Driving the Urgency to Pass the 1386 Page 'City of Yes' Bill Now ...

... in Addition to being a Dishonestly-Sold, Anti-Democracy Bill, that Strips Communities of their Rights, Guarantees NO Affordable Housing, Likely will Inflate the Cost of NYC Real Estate, and Mostly Benefits the Elite, Super Rich Class of Real Estate Donors who Staffed the Group that Wrote the 1386 Page Bill & Funded the Campaigns of Mayor Adams and Numerous NYC Council Members, and Deprives NYC & NYS of Much Needed Future Tax Revenue for 10 to 40 Years

December 3, 2024 vs 11.29.24 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

The photo above or at right shows NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who made an effort to rectify some of the deceitful promises of the City of Yes zoning changes, by negotiating some changes which are more likely to result in the creation of some truly affordable housing - but still very far short from justifying the incredible amount of government tax abatement giveaways that the City of Yes will enable, in light of the 421a NYS property tax law extension, wherein the taxpayers give the rich developers' properties 10 - 40 years tax free, in exchange for the real estate developers building apartments for tenants who earn up to between $141,000 and $183,000 per year.

Is this kind of public policy borderline or outright insane?

I STILL HAVE THE GRAPHICS TO DO, BUT THE VOTING BEGINS NOW, SO UP WE GO.

A democracy is only as good as the people who comprise it. 

The incredibly thoughtful and well written documents upon which our democracy was founded, as well as our historical precedent, help. 

But in the end, all of the earlier work that went into creating and maintaining our democracy, will be rendered meaningless, if the current and living heirs to our democracy, fail to pay attention to what their elected officials are doing to them - not for them. 

And once aware - or even awake - those people must then take intelligent, courageous and decisive action to quickly correct abuses of power, by those who have been entrusted with it. Generally a population doesn't lose the protection of the rule of law, and fall back into servitude, in one swell swoop.  They fall back into poverty and servitude, 1) one executive action, 2) one legislative action, and 3) one institutional action, at a time. And that is what we are witnessing on a local and national scale simultaneously.

Mayor Adams and his Cohorts Draft City of Yes without Community Participation

Campaign Funding in 2021.  After winning the Democratic primary in June of 2021, Adams continued on fundraising efforts, even though he had essentially won the Mayoralty, meeting with wealthy real estate developers and millionaires and billionaires out on Long Island and at Martha's Vineyard. I reckon the further away from the public eye, the better

Year One - Drafting the City of Yes Proposal 2022.  After raising the millions he didn't need to ride onto victory, and interacting with the well heeled developers, Adams set to work on their agenda.

During the first year of the Adams Administration, the Mayor met with members of the Real Estate Board of NY, representatives of large businesses, as well as representatives of a few non-profits and community groups that have been funded in part by these wealthy people.  They called themselves the New New York.

The New New York began setting up its goals for the Adams Administration, which focused almost entirely on zoning legislation.  Rank and file New Yorkers were NOT involved in helping the New New York draft the City of Yes legislation; and as far as I know, neither were any NYC Council members nor any board members of the 59 community boards that represent the people of NYC in conducting zoning and real estate related matters. 

Mayor Adams' Deputy Mayor, Maria Torres-Springer, reportedly led the effort. 

One could very reasonably ask whether the City of Yes zoning law changes are a quid pro quo between Mayor Adams and people like Stephen Ross and other REBNY members who supported Adams' bid for Mayor.

Mayor Adams & Garodnick of City Planning Plot Their Sales Approach

Year Two - Figuring Out How to Sell It to the Public 2023.  According to a January 2024 presentation by Alicia Boyd of MTOPP, a Brooklyn based community organization, the New New York group came up with a 111 points or text amendments they wanted to make into NYC zoning laws. This became the City of Yes legislative proposal. There are those who believe it was named City of Yes to psychologically suggest to legislators that they vote yes in favor of the zoning changes.  But that was only the beginning of the various manipulative sales techniques and deceits used to convince both the public and the NYC Council to approve it.

Mayor Adams and his cohorts at the Department of City Planning met with members of the community and boards - but only AFTER the bill had been drafted.  So, folks knew they weren't being asked for their input to solving NYC's 'affordable housing crisis' but rather used as focus groups by Daniel Garodnick and Adams, to figure out how to sell this real estate developer and billionaire-crafted legislation, to the public.

Thirty Eight Community Boards Say No to City of Yes

Year Three - Seeking Passage of the Bill 2024.  There are 59 Community Boards which are comprised of volunteers who represent the various neighborhoods located in the five boroughs.  The community board members are chosen by the Borough Presidents in tandem with the local NYC Council members.  These community board members are generally longstanding residents, closely connected to their communities, and somewhat knowledgeable through experience, about zoning regulations in NYC.

So, why did only one of these Community Boards recommend passage of the City of Yes without conditions, while 38 of them flat out said no [this is of 59 boards documented by Streets Blog]. And another 20 of them said they would consider passing it, but only if certain conditions were added to the bill.  Be advised that when conditions attached to bills are not in the interest of the rich and powerful, they are rarely acted upon.

Doesn't it seem that if the Adams Administration had any respect for our democratic processes, they would have scrapped the bill at this point and started over?  No and they didn't.  They put a fresh coat of lipstick on the legislative pig, and kept marshalling it through the approval process, to where we are today.  One vote away from it getting approved - or shot down.

Adams' Effort is Aided and Abetted by Real Estate Industry Millionaires & Billionaires Funding of Numerous NYC Council Members Campaigns & Many of Those Pols Won

But the real estate industry wasn't taking any chances, that NYC Council members would actually represent the people who voted for them, instead of the people who funded their campaigns. So, in the last municipal election in 2021, the real estate developers used their wealth to back NYC Council candidates they believed would work on their behalf and vote for the City of Yes. This is why the City of Yes is expected to be passed by the NYC Council - because many NYC Council members been signfiicantly funded by the people pushing the City of Yes.

The Dishonest Sales Promotion of the 'City of Yes' Legislation

There were a number of things the Adams Administration did, to try to deceive New Yorkers into thinking that the City of Yes would solve the 'affordable housing crisis'. 

First, they promised this will solve the affordable housing crisis, by igniting an affordable housing boom of some 109,000 units, when in fact there are no guarantees that any affordable housing will be built at all because of the zoning legislation.

Speaker Adrienne Adams corrected part of that dishonesty by negotiating for more money [$5 billion] and more truly affordable housing units [some available to folks making 40% of the AMI, which is an income of $43,500]. This resulted in the lowering of the estimate of the 'affordable housing' units the City of Yes will produce by 29,000 units down to 80,000 units - see our prior report dated November 27, 2024 in our City of Yes Special Reports section.

In a NY Minute, the Mayor Miraculously Comes up with $4 Billion, After Trying to Cut Millions from Public Schools & Libraries

So, one of the questions I have to ask, is how did Mayor Adams go from cutting $100 million out of the public schools budget and $36 million out of the public libraries budget about a year ago; to coming up with $4 billion of the $5 billion [NYS chipped in $1 billion] to get the City of Yes through the NYC Council Committee on what seemed a moments notice, during the negotiations with the NYC Council Speaker. When NYC public schools and libraries need funding, Adams says money is hard to find, but when the Mayor's millionaire / billionaire real estate developer funders / friends need it, POOF the money magically appears.

Editor's Note. You can Help by Taking Action. Henceforth if any NYC or NYS government official or any candidate running for office in NYC or NYS uses the term 'affordable' with housing - DEMAND that they give you monthly rental prices and unit sizes - or this rampant deceit of the Electorate vis-a-vis fraudulent 'affordabe' housing, will go on endlessly. Hold the tricksters, like Mayor Adams, accountable.

Where's the Fine Print?

NYC City Planning Leaves Key Points Out of Presentations - Taking Power Away

In their presentations to Community Boards, the Department of City Planning left out a HUGE number of relevant details, including that they essentially want to put the Community Boards out of business, and somewhere between minimize and eliminate, any input into zoning for new developments from the City Council. 

This, in essence, transfers all of the power over new developments or changing developments to, what today seems like an incredibly corrupt, Mayor and his Administration.  All of these changes are anti-democracy, anti-people, anti-community-engagement by and for New Yorker residents and businesses, vis-a-vis what the billionaire developers and their international investors can do to the streets and neighborhoods, we - not they - live and work in.

The Adams Administration told folks that a poll showed most New Yorkers were in support of City of Yes.  What they didn't and wouldn't [I asked and received no response] tell folks is who funded that poll, and that that poll was done using experimental methods.

The 1,386 page City of Yes Kitchen Sink Legislation isn't Ready for Passage

There are still too many issues with the huge legislative package for the NYC Council to pass it. Of course that doesn't mean they won't. The following are a few of them, provided to me by a community board consultant, George Janes, and a Brooklyn activist, Alicia Boyd.

Janes says that the bill doesn't provide any guidelines nor minimum requirements for how many units a huge buildings with few units should provide.  Conversely, it allows for the creation of buildings which could be comprised entirely of studio apartments, essentially ensuring that the people who live there, have lower incomes and less space.

It does nothing to address housing unit losses via conversions.

There aren't any mandates for affordable housing units, as in many [most?] other jurisdictions, including Westchester.  This is a way to not only fund affordable housing units, but also to ensure there's some level of integration between lower / middle income residents, with higher income residents in a building / neighborhood.

In his testimony before the NYC Council, Janes said, " ... COYHO changes basic zoning standards, reducing sizes of rear yards, side yards, legal windows, courts, and open space. City of Yes changes the fundamental building blocks of the City without conditioning those changes on the creation of affordable housing.  It creates new CPC [City Planning Commission] authorizations, where the Council would cede their power to an unelected and unaccountable CPC, which would hold no public hearings on those authorizations ...".

Brooklyn community activist, Alicia Boyd of MTOPP, said in her presentation in January of 2024, that the Adams Administration wants want to remove Environmental Assessment Statements (EAS) and Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) as a requirement for the development of a large class of large buildings.  Assuming I understand this correctly, [I'm reaching out to her] this means you could be living next to a toxic dump that has been dormant for decades [so no problem to date], but then a new building is planned on your block, which opens up the toxic site, and you don't get to know about it and react to it, before it becomes your problem.

Media Failures & Where's the Supporting Infrastructure?

The traditional media coverage of the City of Yes by TV and newspapers, has been somewhere between inadequate to ignorant to dishonest. It's worth pointing out that newspapers like the NY Daily News and NY Post are owned by billionaires who travel in the same social circles as the billionaire and millionaire real estate developers behind this plan, and with whom they share some of their media ownership.  And it's possible that Mayor Adams is using the NYC local ad spending, provided for in Local Law 83, to pressure the smaller ethnic and community media outlets to tow the Administration's party line on this bill.

The City of Yes is a 1,386 page document. So what's been identified above, is the only a small sampling of the issues we're going to have to deal with to compensate for the real estate developers and investors' tax abatement and housing windfall. For example, without Community Boards reviewing developments, public lands can be taken away from a community without them even knowing, like they could have been in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, had it not come to the attention of local pols via the community board. And without community board input, the infrastructure to support real estate developments likely won't be addressed until after the fact, at best causing temporary hardship, while forcing government spending in support of private industry without community input.

The Dirty Little Secret Driving the Urgency of the City of Yes

This brings us to the last City of Yes [COY] issue for you to consider and that's funding. Why are we, the taxpayers, giving all of this money to the richest people among us, to build expensive luxury apartments? Some will argue that the new tax abatement schedule, 425a, only gives tax abatements for between 10 - 40 years of property tax free ownership, to those developers who are creating apartments that are affordable to people making 60% or 80% of the AMI [Area Median Income].

My response to that is two fold - 1) Dishonest & Exaggerated HPD Area Median Income Numbers. The numbers they use to calculate AMI or Area Median Income are so dishonest that they are laughable. It's generally believed that the Area Median Income for an individual in NYC is about $ 60,000 to $65,000. The HPD chart says that half of the people in NYC make over $108,000 - not $65,000 - and they use their higher number, not the real one, to calculate the tax abatement numbers. I can only hypothesize that the real estate industry exercises an incredible amount of influence over the conjuring up of those numbers.

2) NYS Extension of 421a Tax Breaks Means Huge Loss of Tax Revenue for COY 'Affordable' Luxury Apartments. In April the NYS legislature approved the extension of 421a Tax breaks for another five years to June 2031. The 421a allows for tax abatements of between 10 - 40 years for the creation of affordable apartments which may be defined by apartments that are 'affordable' for those earning up to 130% of the AMI, which for an individual [using the HPD chart] is $141,000 and for a three person family is $183,000. The assumption is that they then spend up to 30% of their income on rent - or $4,575 / month for the $183,000, and that's what they are calling an 'affordable' apartment. You tell me if you think that's what most New Yorkers would consider an affordable apartment.

So why are taxpayers going to pay all of this money for these rich developers to create apartments for rich tenants? This makes no sense, when you consider that this loss in funding is coming from public education, libraries, sanitation, healthcare, the NYPD, the NYFD, social services and the creation of real affordable housing - not the dishonest kind, as just described above.

Will somebody please get an estimate of how much this will cost taxpayers and what we will get. And don't tell me 80,000 units of affordable housing because 'affordable' the way NYC and NYS government officials use it, is absolutely meaningless. Tell me 30,000 studio apartments at $2,700 / month, 30,000 one bedroom apartments at $3,500 / month and 20,000 two bedroom apartments at $4,500 / month.

What's wrong with the 'mainstream' media that they're not reporting this? And what's wrong with our elected officials that they are doing this to us? And ultimately, you have to ask yourself, what's wrong with us in the electorate, that we let these sorts of abuses go unchecked. There's an election coming up in June 2025 - the Democratic primary. And if anyone out there is thinking of running for NYC Council or Mayor, pay attention to this issue and this vote, because this could easily be made into the defining issue of the year.

A Few Last Things To Consider

Pols are Transferring Your Money & Power to the Rich Who Fund Their Campaigns & Compromising Our Future

First former Governor Cuomo tried to get $20 billion in funding included in the NYS budget, and then Hochul tried to get $25 billion in the budget to fund 'affordable housing'. NYS and NYC government officials cannot seem to give away tax revenue fast enough to the billionaires, and real estate developers and investors fast enough. If you want to understand why rich people don't pay taxes at the same rate you do, this is just one - but a glaring one - example. And you're responsible in part, because you keep electing people who work for those who fund their campaigns instead of for those who voted for them.

The unrelenting greed of Wall Street and REITs will, over time, outbid everyone else for all the land in America. Left unchecked, they will make all Americans tenants, unless, we the people, get the government to step in and regulate REITs and similar entities.

Is Eric Adams to be trusted? After convincing NYCHA residents to give up their rights, Adams facilitated the transference of those rights to rich real estate developers. Adams seems to encourage those who have placed their trust in him, to sell now and pay later.

When Adams was Brooklyn Borough President, he encouraged the Brooklyners to relinquish ownership of the property upon which the Brooklyn Library once stood, in exchange for some fast cash.

Why have 5,000 NYCA Housing units become vacant since Adams took office, if we're really in an 'affordable' housing crisis?

And a little known / discussed fact is that Adams spent some time in real estate while on the NYPD and while a State Senator. According to a January 19, 2024 report in the Real Deal, "... The mayor worked as a broker in the 1990s when he was off-duty from the New York Police Department, according to a City Hall spokesperson. He also disclosed work as a real estate consultant when he was a state senator ...".

The 'Affordable Housing Crisis' Government Sponsored Lies?

The Hugely Inflated AMI ...

Make no mistake about it, the media in NYC and NYS isn't doing a very good job of covering one of the most important issues of our present time. They just repeat - without thinking - whatever the government or big business tells them - like they're reading it off of a teleprompter.

The real estate industry's influence within HPD seems visible in the AMI's published by HPD, which are so out of touch with the economic reality of most New Yorkers. I don't know how they get away with it. HPD states that the AMI income is $108,700, while all other estimates I find are far below that ranging from $40,000 which is wrong, but less wrong than the HPD figure, and the figure I find most often is in the $65,000 range. Google AI says that 80% of NYC salaries fall between $34,000 and $74,000, so how HPD comes up with $108,700 as the median income, that we use to provide tax forgiveness to the rich real estate developers and investors would seem terribly erroneous, if not corrupt.

... and the Hugely Deflated 1.4% Vacancy Rate

The real estate industry's influence over what I've come to believe are the brain dead teleprompter readers on TV is also very recognizable, as much of what I see presented on their media outlets appear to be pretty close to unedited publicity pieces. So caveat emptor - buyer beware - reader / viewer beware of who you're trusing to provide you with intelligent and reliable information.

One of the statistics the TV folks have been repeating like a parrot press, is the 1.4% vacancy rate in NYC. Thankfully, not all of the media is brain dead yet.

There were some 42,860 vacant rent stabilized apartments in 2022 per the Census Bureau. In 2023 the Census Bureau said that there are only about 26,310 vacant apartments, of which about 3,000 were categorized as uninhabitable. These numbers are not factored in when the Census Bureau published that NYC has a 1.4% vacancy rate. So note that we have a vacancy rate if you don't include all of the rent stabilized apartments being warehoused by the land owners in this city. Use this link to learn more about the vacancy rate lie.

https://www.thecity.nyc/2024/02/14/rent-stabilized-apartments-vacant/

... And Incompetently Managed & Completely Ineffective Tenant Protection Bureaucracies

Based on reliable anecdotal reports, neither the NYC nor NYS tenant protection units, HPD and the DHCR, actually do what they falsely claim / advertise they do. Instead of protecting tenants, they seem to be agents of the real estate industry and landlords. Why aren't NYC and NYS officials talking about actually enforcing the tenant protection laws, which I know for a fact anecdotally that they don't do.

To give you an idea of how ineffective the DHCR and HPD are consider this. New York has lost over ONE HALF MILLION rent stabilized apartments since 2000. Possibly more because the agencies entrusted to track this information in NYC and NYS, which are HPD and DHCR respectively, don't seem very competent at anything, except perhaps kowtowing to the landlords and real estate industry.

Alternative Approaches to Solving the 'Affordable Housing' Crisis without Providing Huge Free Passes on Taxes to Some of the Richest People in NYC, NYS, USA and the World

The City of Yes is expected, probably dishonestly, to generate the creation of 80,000 'affordable' housing units over the next 15 years that may not honestly be truly affordable to the average New Yorker at all. That translates into 5,333 per year. Here are a few remedies, off the top of my head, that will result in far more real rent stabilized / affordable housing availabilities than the stinky City of Yes. in the nearer term, and they'll cost very little

1. YEAR ONE. Use the 5,000 NYCA units that became vacant since Eric Adams took office to house people.

2. YEAR TWO. Legislate Huge & Escalating Rent Stabilized Apartment Vacancy Penalties. Why hasn't Adams and the NYC Council imposted a vacancy fee on all rent stabilized apartments in NYC that have been vacant for more than a year? Why doesn't Adams implement an escalating fee that rises for each additional vacant unit in any rent stabilized building, because these landlords are in the process of destroying existing rent stabilized apartments and likely in the process of attempting to harass the rent stabilized tenants out of their homes.

There are currently an estimated [but we don't really know because HPD and the DHCR don't really seem to know] 26,000 plus vacant rent stabilized apartments [it was as high as 42,000 in 2019 but it is believed that landlords are 'hiding' them] and some of those should shake loose, and in the meantime begin investigating those landlords' actions vis-a-vis their rent stabilized tenants, and you'll likely find a lot of harassment that hasn't been remedied by HPD or the DHCR. That should help stem the loss of rent stabilized units because the tenants will be more likely to stay.

3. YEAR TWO. Stop or Moderate the Rent Stabilized Rent Increases like Mayor de Blasio did. These unrelenting rent increases, particularly during the Bloomberg years, forced thousands out of their rent stabilized apartments. This will stem the losses of rent stabilized housing, as we saw after Mayor de Blasio came to office and moderated / stopped the price increases on rent stabilized units.

4. Use Real Economics - Not the Pseudo 'Silent Hand' Economics to Create Real Affordable Housing Supply. Why doesn't NYC and NYS stop giving tax breaks to rich developers to rent to people, and instead invest the money to create new truly affordable housing units, where the purchase price is pegged to the real - not HPD - Area Median Income. This would foster a city of owners, not a city of tenants. This proposal shares some characteristics with the Mitchell Lama housing units, a small amout of which Speaker Adrienne Adams negotiated into the City of Yes deal.

The Mayor and Governor keep wanting to throw billions of taxpayer funded abatements in the direction of the real estate industry that funds their campaigns, instead of doing their job which is to make those bloated ineffective bureaucracies HPD and the DHCR actually do their jobs. This could be kicked off by setting up a dashboard of all complaints filed with each agency and then record tenant / landlord satisfaction. Currently I'd wager it's 85% landlord satisfaction and below 15% tenant satisfaction [if not ZERO].

5. Implement the Low Hanging Fruit of the City of Yes Proposal. Why doesn't the NYC Council scrap the City of Yes, and implement the low hanging fruit outlined in that package in separately drafted bills - written by the NYC Council with community input.  Examples of the low hanging fruit seem to be no parking for housing near public transit, allowing for adjacent dwellings in those neighborhoods that agree to them, and basement apartments outside of flood zones. And instead of transferring NYCHA development rights, use them to create affordable housing units, with sales prices pegged to the AMI.

Mayor Adams has Agreed to Cede Our Power & Funding to the Real Estate Industry - What Will the NYC Council do?

That the Mayor and legislators allow private industry to write - not comment - on legislation they drafted, shows who is in control of our government. And it's an indication of how close we all are - because they represent us - to relinquishing theirs and our role in the governance process. Those who give up their power - and because they represent us they are giving up our power - don't deserve to be re-elected. The Democratic primaries are only 6 months away. 

Watch this vote, because it will tell you a lot about who is who, and what is what.

UPDATED NEW LINK _ Click this link to go to the NYC Council votes on the City of Yes tomorrow, Thursday, December 5, 2024.

LINK

The 'City of Yes' is an All Around Bad Deal

Novelist Rita Mae Brown said, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results." Based on that definition, I'd say NYC municipal government efforts to solving NYC's affordable housing crisis - including the City of Yes - are insane. Six months from now we get to again choose who will represent us. Pay attention to this vote and decide for yourself whether these people are solving our problems, or making not just housing, but all of them worse, by giving away so much future tax revenue, for so very, very little in return.

A child not beholden to the real estate industry for funding could negotiate a better deal.

2025 NYC Mayoral Candidates are On Board with REBNY, Stephen Ross & Company

If you're looking for a paladin in the upcoming 2025 NYC Mayoral primary, thus far none has materialized. All five of the announced candidates for NYC Mayor already appear to be beholden to the big money real estate, big money investors, that seem to have an outsized influence throughout a good portion of NYC government. As the graphic above or at right indicates, all are on board for the City of Yes.

But it's not too late for someone like Kathryn Garcia to set foot in the race. And she could be just what the doctor ordered to clean up all of the ineffective - if not corrupt - enforcement agencies in NYC that are part and parcel of NYC's housing problem.

Stay tuned.

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Thanksgiving End and Black Friday Begins (see holiday market links for each boro), Holiday Markets, Vintage Subway Car Rides Begin and Toy Train Show in Manhattan; Affordable Art Fair in Queens; Park Slope BID Tree Lighting, Dyker Heights Neighborhood Christmas Lights, Frost Fest @ Coney Isle, Lightscape Show @ BBG, Brooklyn Flea & Flip Circus in Brooklyn; NYBG Holiday Train Show, Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights & Yankee Stadium Tours in the Bronx; and Holiday Markets on Staten Island

Updated _ November 30, 2024 vs 11.29.24 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather Forecast as of 11.29.24. But first - Sunrise 6.59 am & Sunset at 4.29 pm. The drought continues with no precipitation in the forecast. The temperature highs will be in the high 40's on Friday, and then about 40 for Saturday and Sunday. The temperature lows will be in the mid to low 30's all weekend. The winds will be 5 - 10 mph all weekend. It's going to be a very dry weekend with the humidity generally ranging from 20% - 30%.

The photo at right shows pedestrian traffic in Grand Central Terminal in November around the Thanksgiving holiday. This year Americans are expected to break Thanksgiving travel records again, with some 71 million traveling more the 50 miles from home by car, and an additional 18 million Americans flying over the holiday. Thanksgiving is the busiest travel holiday of the year.

Saturday Afternoon Edition around 2 pm. We're mostly done for this weekend, but then again, we're never really done as this is an ongoing continuous work in process ... kind of like life itself. It looks to be another busy and good, but back to seasonal, weather weekend. Enjoy.

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan

Click here for the Manhattan holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Manhattan holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. These are many of the events.

• Sundays ONLY, December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2024 from 10 am - 5 pm - Vintage Subway Car / Nostalgia Subway Holiday Train Rides

• Monday, December 2, 2024 at 5.30 - 8 pm [time unconfirmed for 2024] - Tavern on the Green Tree Lighting Event.

• Tuesday, December 3, 2024 beginning at 6 pm / Line starts forming at 4 pm - Bryant Park Holiday Tree Lighting Event.

• Tuesday, December 3, 2024 begins at 3 pm - South Street Seaport Holiday Tree Lighting Event.

• Tuesday, December 3, 2024 from 4.30 to 5.45pm - Madison Square Park Holiday Tree Lighting Event

• Wednesday, December 4, 2024 from 7 - 9 pm - Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Event.

• Thursday, December 4, 2024 from 3 pm to 7 pm - NYSE 101st Annual NYSE Tree Lighting Event

• Thursday, December 5, 2024 from 5.30 - 6.30 pm - Dana Discovery Center Tree Lighting Event

Manhattan Holiday Markets this weekend are too numerous to recite here, so please use the link above to browse through all the options, many of which stay open until Christmas or the end of the year.

Sundays ONLY, December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2024 from 10 am - 5 pm - Vintage Subway Car / Nostalgia Subway Holiday Train Rides - along the F and Q subway lines in Manhattan. Uptown ridges begin on the even hours and downtown rides begin on the odd hours. Holiday events / things to do in Midtown Manhattan NYC. Ride in older subway cars for the normal subway line ticket price. Many folks dress up in vintage outfits for kicks. For details, times, route and subway station stops, see - https://www.nytransitmuseum.org/holidaynostalgiarides/

Thursday, November 14, 2024 - February 2025 - The 20th Annual Holiday Toy Train Show at Grand Central Terminal. Midtown. For details see Midtown events below or https://grandcentralterminal.com/event/new-york-transit-museums-holiday-train-show/

Gramercy Theater concerts - https://www.thegramercytheatre.com/shows

• Click here for Manhattan Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2024. There are Mom's Day gift markets.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Manhattan NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Manhattan Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Manhattan Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Manhattan Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC

Click here for the Queens holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Queens holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

• Saturday, November 30, 2024 - the Queens Craft Brigade - at Katch Astoria - see holiday markets.

• Sunday, December 1, 2024 from 12 noon to 6 pm - Woodbine 5th Annual Holiday Market - see holiday markets.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs. These are many of the events.

• Sunday, December 1, 2024 from 5 to 7 pm - Annual tree lighting at Poppenhusen Institute

• Sunday, December 1, 2024 from 11 am to 1 pm - Wreath Making Workshop - at the Ridgewood Historical Society & Onderdonk House

• Sunday & Tuesday, December 1 & 3, 2024 from 12 noon to 2 pm & from 6 to 8 pm - Steinway Street Holiday Caroling

The photo above or at right shows some holiday decorations adorning a local home. The Christmas season wastes no time in following on the heels of the non-commercialized Thanksgiving holiday.

Thursday, November 7, 2024 to January 12, 2025 - open Thurs thru Sat from 10 am to 6 pm - Off the Wall Affordable Art Fair. Opening Reception 11.23.24 from 7 to 10 pm. Over 100 local Long Island City Artists [aka LICA] feature their works for sale at Culture Lab LIC at 5-25 46th Avenue in Long Island City, Queens. The fair continues thru January 12th, with an art talk event on January 11th from 2 to 3 pm. All art work priced under $999. For details see - https://www.culturelablic.org OR https://www.licartists.org/off-the-wall-2

• Click here for Queens Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Queens NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Queens Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Queens Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Queens Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

In December, the Member Calendar MCAL events include a Sunday, December 15, 2024 concert beginning at 4 pm by the Queens College Choral Society performing Haydn's Nelson Mass in a Concert for Unity and Peace [$6 - $18]. Also on two Saturdays, December 7 & 21, 2024 there will be a breakfast at Applebee's with Santa [$15 including photos w/ Santa]. Aromatherapy with Annie Dec 7, Intro to Vet Techs Dec 14, Furry Friends Dec 15, Programs Animal Adventures: Animal Meet & Greet Dec 26 & Winter Wildlife - Seasonal Changes Dec 26 - All at Alley Pond Environmental Center. Click the MCAL link above for details.

Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

The holiday markets and events are too numerous to list on the front page, so use these links to peruse all of them. Click here for the Brooklyn holiday market this weekend nyc. And click here for Brooklyn holiday events nyc.

• Sunday, December 1, 2024 from 12 noon to 6 pm - Woodbine 5th Annual Holiday Market - see holiday markets.

• Friday, December 6, 2024 beginning at 4 pm - The Fort Hamilton Tree Lighting and Holiday Market.

• Brooklyn Flea in Dumbo [under the arch] is now open Saturdays & Sundays 8 am to 5 pm thru 12/22. Details coming shortly. For details see - https://brooklynflea.com

The photo above or at right shows the Brooklyn Botanical Garden in the Fall, just prior to getting all it up for the holidays.

Likely more holiday events coming later today or early Saturday morning. Use links above to view both holiday markets and events.

• Friday, November 29, 2024 - January 2, 2025 - Dyker Heights Neighborhood Christmas Lights. - in Dyker Heights with the epicenter generally between 11th - 13th Avenues and 83rd - 86th Streets. Free holiday things to do in South & West Brooklyn NYC. There isn't any official website for this organic holiday lights competition among neighbors.

• Saturday, November 30, 2024 beginning at 4.30 pm / lighting at 5.15 pm - Park Slope 5th Avenue BID Holiday Tree Lighting at the Old Stone House - located at 336 3rd Street in Central Brooklyn NYC. For details scroll down or see - INST https://www.instagram.com/oldstonehousebklyn/ OR https://theoldstonehouse.org

• Friday November 22, 2024 through January 5, 2025 from 4.30 to 8.15 pm - Lightscape Show - at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden at 990 Washington Avenue in Prospect Heights. Holiday things to do in Brooklyn. For details see - https://www.bbg.org

• Friday, December 6, 2024 beginning at 4 pm - The Fort Hamilton Tree Lighting and Holiday Market.

• Coney Island _ Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, November 23 to January 7, 2025 [also Holidays except Thanksgiving & Xmas and Weekdays from 12/25/ 24 - 1/1/2025] - 2nd Annual Frost Fest - at Luna Park on Coney Island. This event includes select rides, holiday lights and décor, seasonal food and a holiday market. For details and tickets see - https://lunaparknyc.com/

• Friday, November 29 to December 15, 2024 at various times - Flip Circus in Brooklyn. At the main field in McCarren Park on the south side of the park. For details and tickets ranging from $30 for kids to $60 / $65 for adults, see - https://www.flipcircus.com

Two Plays - Polonsky & Billie Holiday Theater.

• Click here for Brooklyn Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Brooklyn NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Brooklyn BLVD.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Brooklyn BLVD New Member Sign Up. Click this link Brooklyn Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups. This month includes x.

Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx NYC

Click here for the Bronx holiday market this weekend nyc. And click here for the Bronx holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

At right or above is a photo of the Dollar Savings Bank building along the Grand Concourse at Fordham Road in the Bronx. The building was first erected in 1932 - 1933 and modified periodically over the following decade. It was built in the Art Deco style, which was architecturally consistent with most of the other buildings of the time which ran along the Grand Concourse.

Likely more holiday events coming later today or early Saturday morning. Use link above to view the holiday markets.

• Bedford Park / Belmont _ Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, November 22, 2024 to January 5, 2025 from 3 to 9 pm - Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights - turn on at dusk at 4.30 pm, and you have between 3 and 4 pm to visit the animals in the buildings before they close at 4 pm. Holiday lights and events near the Belmont and Bedford Park neighborhoods in the Central Bronx. For details and $57 / $52 / $42 [kids] tickets, see - https://bronxzoo.com/holiday-lights

• Saturday, November 16 - 30, 2024 [Ends January 20, 2025] from 10 am - 6 pm [closed holidays] - NYBG Holiday Train Show - at the New York Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Blvd in the Belmont Neighborhood. Bronx holiday events & things to do nyc. Central Bronx. For details see below or - https://www.nybg.org

• November & December 2024 on various days and at multiple times - Yankee Stadium Tours - at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. See the Yankees Museum, the ball park including both the dugout a press box or VIP suite for $41 / adult and $30 / child. For details and online tickets [only] see - https://www.mlb.com/yankees/ballpark/tours/public/classic-tours-tickets

Click here for Bronx Halloween parties, parades & events Bx NYC.

• Click here for Bronx Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in the Bronx NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Bronx Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Bronx Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Bronx Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

In the December MCAL - The Bartow Pell Mansion Holiday Events & Market - Holiday Luncheon 11/26, Jazzy Holiday First Friday 12/6, Holiday Party 12/7, Holiday Gift Fair 12/8, Selfies w/ Santa 12/14, BAE Holiday Concert w/ Robbie Pat 12/15, A Christmas Carol 12/11 & 12/17 and Holiday Cookies & Crafts 12/21. And Sunday, December 8, 2024 there's a Holiday Gift Fair at the Riverdale Y. On Sunday, December 22, 2024 there will be a breakfast at Applebee's with Santa [$15 including photos w/ Santa] near Fordham Plaza. Click the MCAL link above for details.

Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC

Click here for the Staten Island holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Staten Island holiday events nyc. These are also simultaneously a work in progress.

Click into the holiday events link above for details on the following holiday events this weekend and coming week. And click into the holiday markets link for the holiday fairs.

• Sundays, December 1, 8, 15 & 22, 2024 from 11 am to 2 pm - Holiday Sunday Brunch with Santa - at The Historic Old Bermuda Inn.

• Monday, December 2, 2024 from 5 - 7 pm - Victory Blvd Holiday Tree Lighting Event

• Wednesday, December 3, 2024 from 6.30 to 8 pm - SI Borough President Vito Fossella's Christmas Tree Lighting.

• Thursday, December 5, 2024 from 6 to 10 pm - Christmas Tree Lighting at Monsignor Farrell.

• Friday, December 6, 2024 beginning at 11.30 am - Holiday Golf Outing - National Lighthouse Museum Holiday Golf Outing - at Grand Oaks Country Club.

• Friday & Saturday, December 6 & 7, 2024 - from 6 to 9 pm, and 9 am to 3 pm respectively - Christmas Tree & Wreath Sale and Vendor Craft Fair.

• Historic Richmond Town _ Friday, Saturday & Sunday, December 6, 7 & 8, 2024 from 4 to 5 on Friday and from 12 noon to 5 pm Saturday & Sunday - Christmas in Historic Richmond Town.

• Sunday, December 1, 2024 from 11 am to 4 pm - National Lighthouse Museum Holiday Market - at 400 The Promenade in the St. George neighborhood of SI. Staten Island holiday fairs and markets nyc. North SI. For details see below or - https://lighthousemuseum.org/events/

The photo at right shows one of the sea worthy steeds that ferry Staten Islanders to and fro the Big Apple daily.

• Click here for Staten Island Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend on Staten Island NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Staten Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Staten Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Staten Island Events - Member Events to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups. This month includes Saturday, November 16, 2024 there's a Happy Play Day Thanksgiving Family event at JCC.

Have another great November weekend.

Why a Supply-and-Demand Approach Alone Cannot Solve the Housing Affordability Crisis

Posted 11.28.24 _ November 20, 2024 By Layla Law-Gisiko, President. The City Club of New York

"Buy land; they're not making it anymore" - Mark Twain

The conventional supply-and-demand approach, which presumes that increasing the housing supply will lead to greater affordability, fails to address the root causes of the housing affordability crisis. This approach, while seemingly primal and basic, is actually specious. Drawing on the theories of Adam Smith, David Ricardo, Thomas Piketty, Joseph Stiglitz, and Ryan-Collins, Lloyd, and Macfarlane in Rethinking the Economics of Land and Housing, critics argue that the conventional approach fails to account for the unique characteristics of land and housing as commodities. They highlight how financialization, speculation, and wealth concentration distort housing markets and exacerbate inequality. The housing crisis cannot be resolved simply by increasing supply without additional interventions that address the influence of land values, speculative investments, and inequality in the housing market and that in certain circumstances, increasing supply will actually exacerbate the housing crisis.
In modern housing policy, increasing the supply of housing is often cited as the primary solution to the affordability crisis. According to a basic supply-and-demand framework, a larger housing stock should reduce prices by creating competition and addressing housing scarcity. However, housing and land are not commodities like others in the market. Land is fixed in supply, derives its value largely from its location and external factors, and is influenced heavily by speculative and financial practices. This analysis reveals that, contrary to the assumptions of traditional economics, increasing the housing supply is unlikely to resolve the crisis unless additional policies address the complex dynamics of land values, speculation, and market concentration.

1.     The Distinct Economic Characteristics of Land 
Adam Smith, in The Wealth of Nations, identifies that land is economically unique due to its immobility and finite supply. In his example of the Shetland Islands, he notes that the value of land depends not only on the potential productivity of the land itself but also on the resources available in the surrounding environment (Smith, 1776). Smith explains that in Shetland, the high rent was determined not by what could be produced on the land alone but by the fish resources in the adjacent sea that residents relied upon. This example reflects the way land values are often tied to external factors that drive up prices independently of actual housing demand or productivity on the land itself. In urban housing markets, this idea manifests in the form of location premiums—factors like proximity to employment, schools, and amenities—which increase land values beyond what housing construction alone would justify.

David Ricardo builds on this by developing the concept of economic rent in Principles of Political Economy and Taxation. He argues that the increase in land value does not necessarily correlate with improvements or investment in the land. Instead, as demand increases, the price of land rises even when its productive potential remains constant, a phenomenon that primarily benefits landowners without contributing to the general welfare (Ricardo, 1817). This effect is most pronounced in high-demand urban centers, where scarcity of land intensifies competition for available housing and drives up prices. Ricardo’s insights show that demand-driven policies, like increasing housing supply, do not directly address the escalating land prices that underlie much of the housing affordability problem. Without interventions to moderate land prices, even substantial increases in housing supply will fail to bring about affordable housing options.

2.     Wealth Inequality and Housing Speculation: Piketty’s Perspective 
Thomas Piketty, in Capital in the Twenty-First Century, emphasizes how wealth concentration leads to distortions in housing markets. Piketty’s fundamental inequality, r > g (where the return on capital exceeds the growth rate of the economy), highlights how individuals with access to capital—such as the wealthy, venture capital, hedge funds—can acquire assets, including housing, at a rate that far outpaces the general economic growth (Piketty, 2014). This imbalance allows wealthy individuals and entities to invest in property as a speculative asset rather than a necessity, leading to increased prices that are often untethered from the local economy or the needs of residents.
Piketty’s analysis illustrates that when the wealthy can accumulate multiple properties, invest in high-end housing, or when corporate landlords acquire housing portfolios, the supply of homes for the general population does not increase in a way that supports affordability. Instead, housing becomes a repository for wealth and a hedge against inflation, leading to a form of wealth concentration that exacerbates inequality. For instance, investment in luxury developments intended for high-net-worth individuals contributes little to the affordable housing supply, yet it drives up the average price level and decreases the accessibility of housing for lower-income households. As a result, increasing the housing supply without controlling speculative behavior and wealth concentration fails to address the root causes of unaffordable housing. (Piketty, Thomas. Capital and Ideology. Harvard University Press, 2020.)

3.     Financialization of Housing and Market Distortions 
Ryan-Collins, Lloyd, and Macfarlane, in Rethinking the Economics of Land and Housing, argue that housing has become heavily financialized in recent decades, meaning it is increasingly treated as a financial asset rather than a basic need. Financialization encourages speculative investment in property, decoupling property values from local income levels and skewing affordability. The authors state that “the financialization of land and housing has encouraged banks to prioritize mortgage lending over other forms of productive lending,” which inflates housing prices due to increased credit availability rather than genuine demand (Ryan-Collins et al., 2017). This speculative demand, driven by banks and financial institutions, promotes the accumulation of housing assets as investment tools, reinforcing rising land values and reducing the stock of affordable housing. 
The process of financialization also introduces greater volatility into housing markets, as housing prices become more sensitive to interest rate changes and global financial trends than to local housing needs. Financial institutions have a vested interest in maintaining high property values because it supports mortgage lending as a lucrative revenue stream. This alignment between the banking sector and rising land values perpetuates high prices, particularly in areas with strong investment interest, making affordability elusive for average households. In this context, simply increasing the supply of housing without addressing financial speculation and land valuation practices will not make housing accessible to the general population.

4.     The Adverse Effects of YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) Movements
The YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) movement, which advocates for increasing housing supply in urban areas, has gained significant momentum in recent years as a response to growing housing shortages. While the movement’s goal of promoting denser housing development is well-intentioned, it often neglects the underlying economic forces that drive housing unaffordability. The assumption that building more housing will automatically lead to lower prices is, in many cases, overly simplistic and flawed. By prioritizing unrestricted development without addressing factors like land speculation, financialization, and wealth concentration, YIMBY policies can inadvertently exacerbate the problem (Ryan-Collins, Lloyd, & Macfarlane, 2017).

In cities where speculative investment is widespread, increasing the housing supply can actually lead to higher land values, as developers focus on constructing luxury units that cater to wealthier individuals and investors, rather than meeting the needs of middle- and low-income households. This phenomenon is particularly evident in areas where financialization has decoupled housing from local income levels, creating a housing market that benefits investors rather than residents (Piketty, 2014). Moreover, YIMBY initiatives that focus exclusively on expanding housing stock may fail to address critical drivers of unaffordability, such as the displacement of existing communities through gentrification. This narrow focus risks exacerbating inequality and driving market-based displacement, ultimately deepening the housing crisis rather than solving it (Wyly, 2021)

5.     Policy Implications: Addressing the Roots of Housing Affordability Issues 
The insights of Smith, Ricardo, Piketty, and Ryan-Collins and colleagues illustrate that housing markets require a more nuanced approach than simply increasing supply. Smith and Ricardo’s discussions of land’s unique characteristics underscore the need for policies that specifically address the scarcity and value of land in urban areas. Ricardo’s theory of economic rent suggests that mechanisms such as land value taxes could help capture some of the unearned increases in land value, directing it toward public benefit rather than pure profit for landowners. By reducing the potential for speculative gain, land value taxes could moderate price escalation in high-demand areas.
Piketty’s findings highlight the necessity of wealth redistribution measures to curb the effects of speculative investment in housing. Policies that restrict or tax multiple property ownership, as well as taxes on luxury developments, could mitigate the influence of wealth concentration in housing markets and make more housing available for those who need it for shelter rather than investment. 
Ryan-Collins et al. suggest regulatory interventions to limit the financial sector’s influence on housing, such as prioritizing lending for first-time homebuyers or restricting lending practices that encourage speculative investment. Addressing the financialization of housing could help shift the focus of housing markets from wealth accumulation toward meeting residents’ needs. 

The simplistic supply-and-demand framework is inadequate to solve the housing affordability crisis. As insights from Adam Smith, David Ricardo, Thomas Piketty, and the authors of Rethinking the Economics of Land and Housing demonstrate, housing and land markets operate under unique economic pressures that are distinct from other goods in the market. The scarcity and fixed nature of land, speculative investment behavior, and financialization of housing markets all contribute to a system that drives up prices even when housing supply increases. To address affordability, policies must go beyond supply expansion and tackle these underlying dynamics. Through a combination of land value taxation, anti-speculative regulations, limits on the financialization of housing, and support for public housing, policymakers can develop a comprehensive approach that promotes genuine affordability and ensures that housing serves its intended purpose: providing secure, affordable shelter for all.


References:
Piketty, T. (2014). Capital in the twenty-first century. Harvard University Press.
Piketty, T. (2020). Capital and ideology. Harvard University Press.
Ricardo, D. (1817). Principles of political economy and taxation. John Murray.
Ryan-Collins, J., Lloyd, T., & Macfarlane, L. (2017). Rethinking the economics of land and housing. Zed Books.
Smith, A. (1776). The wealth of nations. W. Strahan and T. Cadell.
Wyly, E. (2022), YIMBY: The Latest Frontier of Gentrification. Int. J. Urban Reg. Res., 46: 319-330. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2427.13067

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Mexico Now Festival, Holiday Toy Train Show & Holiday Markets in Manhattan; Affordable Art Fair, Flip Circus and Quintet of the Americas concert in Queens; Frost Fest & Lightscape Show begin & Brooklyn Flea open in Brooklyn; NYBG Holiday Train Show & Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights begin, Bay Plaza Mall Tree Lighting & Yankee Stadium Tours in the Bronx; and Holiday Markets Galore on Staten Island; Next Week Thanksgiving Day Dinner and Parade & Black Friday

November 22, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analytis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather Forecast as of 11.22.24. But first - Sunrise 6.51 am & Sunset at 4.32 pm. The temperature highs will be in the high 40's all weekend and the temperature lows will be in the mid to high 30's all weekend. It's going to be a windy weekend with the winds kicking up from 10 - 20 mph Friday, falling back to about 15 mph on Saturday, and then falling back a bit more to 10 - 15 mph on Sunday. The humidity will fall from about 90% on Friday, to about 80% on Saturday and then down to 60% - 70% on Sunday. There's less than 1/3 inch of rain expected Friday and then it should be dry the rest of the weekend.

The photo above or at right was taken a bit earlier this year in the subway station at 42nd Street. The crossroads of the world, so they say. That becomes especially true around the holidays, when people from around the planet come here to celebrate their holidays and the new year.

Friday Early Afternoon Edition just after 12 noon. This is a solid first pass, with some more additions coming by the end of the business day and / or by the end of the calendar day 11.22.24, as we continue updating holiday markets and holiday events. It looks to be another busy and good weather weekend [excepting Friday]. Can you believe that Thanksgiving is less than a week away?

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan

Many of the seasonal holiday markets are beginning to hit their full stride. We provided the short updates of them last week, and we'll provide the full updates for this weekend, along with some new additions and updates. We're also beginning to ramp up for the holiday events, which are beginning now, but accelerate very quickly next week and the following weekend. Click here for the Manhattan holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Manhattan holiday events nyc.

Manhattan Holiday Markets this weekend are too numerous to recite here, so please use the link above to browse through all the options, many of which stay open until Christmas or the end of the year.

Thursday, November 21 - 24, 2024 at various times - Mexico Now Festival - at the Chelsea Factory at 547 West 26th Street in Chelsea. A cultural celebration of all things Mexicano. Free. For details and to rsvp tickets see - https://www.chelseafactory.org

Thursday, November 14, 2024 - February 2025 - The 20th Annual Holiday Toy Train Show at Grand Central Terminal. Midtown. For details see Midtown events below or https://grandcentralterminal.com/event/new-york-transit-museums-holiday-train-show/

Gramercy Theater concerts - https://www.thegramercytheatre.com/shows

• Click here for Manhattan Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2024. There are Mom's Day gift markets.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Manhattan NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Manhattan Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Manhattan Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Manhattan Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC

Many of the seasonal holiday markets are beginning to hit their full stride. We provided the short updates of them last week, and we'll provide the full updates for this weekend, along with some new additions and updates. We're also beginning to ramp up for the holiday events, which are beginning now, but accelerate very quickly next week and the following weekend. Click here for the Queens holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Queens holiday events nyc.

The photo above or at right was taken in Queens at twilight earlier this month. I have always enjoyed the overlooked spaces in the city, that with nature's help, capture and create their own beauty.

Thursday, November 7, 2024 to January 12, 2025 - open Thurs thru Sat from 10 am to 6 pm - Off the Wall Affordable Art Fair. Opening Reception 11.23.24 from 7 to 10 pm. Over 100 local Long Island City Artists [aka LICA] feature their works for sale at Culture Lab LIC at 5-25 46th Avenue in Long Island City, Queens. The fair continues thru January 12th, with an art talk event on January 11th from 2 to 3 pm. All art work priced under $999. For details see - https://www.culturelablic.org OR https://www.licartists.org/off-the-wall-2

Sunday, November 24, 2024 the Quintet of the Americas will be performing at Maple Grove Cemetery's Celebration Hall at 127-15 Kew Gardens Road in Richmond Hill, Queens in celebration of Latin American Music. Free and a reception follows where you can meet the musicians. For details see - https://www.queensbuzz.com/MemberEventsCalendarQueensNYC

Friday, November 8 - 26, 2024 at various times - Flip Circus in Queens. At the cricket fields in Forest Park. For details and tickets ranging from $30 for kids to $60 / $65 for adults, see - https://www.flipcircus.com

• Click here for Queens Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Queens NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Queens Buzz NYC.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS - Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Queens Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Queens Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups.

This month the Member Calendar includes November 13 - 17, 2024 Circus of 2nd Chances at 3AM Theater in LIC. Sunday, November 24, 2024 the Quintet of the Americas will be performing at Maple Grove Cemetery's Celebration Hall at 127-15 Kew Gardens Road in Richmond Hill, Queens in celebration of Latin American Music. Free and a reception follows where you can meet the musicians.

In December, the Member Calendar events include a Sunday, December 15, 2024 concert beginning at 4 pm by the Queens College Choral Society performing Haydn's Nelson Mass in a Concert for Unity and Peace [$6 - $18]. Also on two Saturdays, December 7 & 21, 2024 there will be a breakfast at Applebee's with Santa [$15 including photos w/ Santa]. Click the MCAL link above for details.

Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC

Many of the seasonal holiday markets are beginning to hit their full stride. We provided the short updates of them last week, and we'll provide the full updates for this weekend, along with some new additions and updates. We're also beginning to ramp up for the holiday events, which are beginning now, but accelerate very quickly next week and the following weekend. Click here for the Brooklyn holiday market this weekend nyc. And click here for Brooklyn holiday events nyc.

The photo above or at right was taken a month ago at an outdoor art event in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn. The talented, but humble, artist shown here, specializes in lacquer and ceramics.

Friday November 22, 2024 through January 5, 2025 from 4.30 to 8.15 pm - Lightscape Show - at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden at 990 Washington Avenue in Prospect Heights. Holiday things to do in Brooklyn. For details see - https://www.bbg.org

Brooklyn Flea in Dumbo [under the arch] is now open Saturdays & Sundays 8 am to 5 pm thru 12/22. Details coming shortly. For details see - https://brooklynflea.com

Coney Island _ November 23 to January 7, 2025 - Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays [except Thanksgiving & Xmas] and Weekdays [12/25/ 24 - 1/1/2025] - 2nd Annual Frost Fest - at Luna Park on Coney Island. This event includes select rides, holiday lights and décor, seasonal food and a holiday market. For details and tickets see - https://lunaparknyc.com/

Friday, November 29 to December 15, 2024 at various times - Flip Circus in Brooklyn. At the main field in McCarren Park on the south side of the park. For details and tickets ranging from $30 for kids to $60 / $65 for adults, see - https://www.flipcircus.com

Two Plays - Polonsky & Billie Holiday Theater.

• Click here for Brooklyn Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in Brooklyn NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Brooklyn BLVD.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Brooklyn BLVD New Member Sign Up. Click this link Brooklyn Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups. This month includes x.

Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx NYC

Many of the seasonal holiday markets are beginning to hit their full stride. We provided the short updates of them last week, and we'll provide the full updates for this weekend, along with some new additions and updates. We're also beginning to ramp up for the holiday events, which are beginning now, but accelerate very quickly next week and the following weekend. Click here for the Bronx holiday market this weekend nyc. And click here for the Bronx holiday events nyc.

The photo above or at right was taken in Bronx Little Italy along Arthur Avenue. NYC began removing street side dining structures beginning August of this year, the last of which will come down at the end of this month [11/29/24]. Sidewalk dining, as pictured in the photo above, continues year round. Street side dining will be permitted again, come April 1, 2025, but with new rules regarding the street side dining structures.

Friday, November 22, 2024 beginning at 5 pm - 7th Annual Tree Lighting at Bay Plaza Mall - in the Baychester neighborhood. They describe the event as follows, " ...  event with our enchanted holiday princess, multi-talented elves, a stilt walking toy soldier, The XFactor Drumline, and a parade with Santa! Enjoy music, dancing and giveaways for children with DJ Omar ...". Baychester free holiday events in the East Bronx. For details see - https://mallatbayplaza.com/event/7th-Annual-Tree-Light-Event/2145586107/

Bedford Park / Belmont _ Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, November 22, 2024 to January 5, 2025 from 3 to 9 pm - Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights - turn on at dusk at 4.30 pm, and you have between 3 and 4 pm to visit the animals in the buildings before they close at 4 pm. Holiday lights and events near the Belmont and Bedford Park neighborhoods in the Central Bronx. For details and $57 / $52 / $42 [kids] tickets, see - https://bronxzoo.com/holiday-lights

Saturday, November 16 - 30, 2024 [Ends January 20, 2025] from 10 am - 6 pm [closed holidays] - NYBG Holiday Train Show - at the New York Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Blvd in the Belmont Neighborhood. Bronx holiday events & things to do nyc. Central Bronx. For details see below or - https://www.nybg.org

November & December 2024 on various days and at multiple times - Yankee Stadium Tours - at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. See the Yankees Museum, the ball park including both the dugout a press box or VIP suite for $41 / adult and $30 / child. For details and online tickets [only] see - https://www.mlb.com/yankees/ballpark/tours/public/classic-tours-tickets

Click here for Bronx Halloween parties, parades & events Bx NYC.

• Click here for Bronx Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend in the Bronx NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Bronx Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER CALENDAR EVENTS. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Bronx Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Bronx Member Events Calendar to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups. This month includes the Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association (PPNA) is hosting Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson at its monthly meeting.

In the December events calendar, on Sunday, December 8, 2024 there's a Holiday Gift Fair at the Riverdale Y. On Sunday, December 22, 2024 there will be a breakfast at Applebee's with Santa [$15 including photos w/ Santa] near Fordham Plaza. Click the MCAL link above for details.

Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC

Many of the seasonal holiday markets are beginning to hit their full stride. We provided the short updates of them last week, and we'll provide the full updates for this weekend, along with some new additions and updates. We're also beginning to ramp up for the holiday events, which are beginning now, but accelerate very quickly next week and the following weekend. Click here for the Staten Island holiday markets this weekend nyc. And click here for the Staten Island holiday events nyc.

The photo above or at right was taken on the Staten Island Ferry, showing a couple of passengers enjoying a distant view of the Statue of Liberty, which is a distant reminder of who we were as a nation.

Please note that the following is a sampling of the holiday fairs and markets to be found on our holiday markets page - see link above.

Saturday, November 23, 2024 from 10 am - 4 pm - Moore Catholic High School Christmas Fair - at 100 Merrill Avenue in the Bullshead neighborhood of Staten Island NYC. North & West SI. For details see - https://www.moorecatholichs.org

Saturday, November 23, 2024 from 10 am to 5 pm - St John's Holiday Fair at St. John's Episcopal Church at 1333 Bay Street on Staten Island. Vendors, crafts, raffles and likely food and beverages. For details see - https://www.facebook.com/stjohnssiny/ or https://www.stjohnssi.org/

Saturday, November 23, 2024 from 10 am to 3 pm - Great Kills Moravian Church Holiday Fair - at 62 Hillsdale Terrace. Holiday markets in Central Staten Island. For details see below or - https://www.greatkillsmoravian.org/events/2024-11-23/

Saturday, November 23, 2024 from 11 am to 4.30 pm - Pre Holiday Market at Willowbrook Park - at 1 Eton Place near the entrance to the Carousel for All Children in Willowbrook Park. Holiday markets on Staten Island. For details see - https://www.google.com/search?q=willow+brook+si+holiday+fair

• Click here for Staten Island Parades and large Ethnic / Cultural Festivals NYC.
• Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.
• CLICK this link to view things to do this weekend on Staten Island NYC.
• Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Staten Buzz.

MCAL _ MEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR. Use this link for new member sign up and posting - Staten Buzz New Member Sign Up. Click this link Staten Island Events - Member Events to view free posts made by arts, cultural and community groups. This month includes Saturday, November 16, 2024 there's a Happy Play Day Thanksgiving Family event at JCC.

Have another great November weekend.

Click this link for holiday parties, party venues, party halls and catering halls in Jackson Heights Queens NYC.

Stats & Facts Missing in the City of Yes Proposal

Have Mayor Adams & Daniel Garodnick been Selling Us 108,000 Units of Hooey?

November 12, 2024 / NYC Government & Politics / NYC Real Estate & Business / News & Analysis / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Adams Administration Fails to Provide Straight Answers Two Very Specific & Very Basic Questions - 1) How Many Affordable Housing Units Guaranteed by Passage of this Legislation & 2) a) What Size Units, b) at What 'Affordable' Price and c) in What Borough?

What 'Affordable' Housing Guarantees? It is being sold as a cure-all for NYC's housing crisis, yet when I asked the Adams Administration Department of Planning how many units of affordable housing would we be guaranteed by passage of this legislation, the answer that came back to me was a long-winded form of 'none'.

I'll say this again - No 'affordable' housing units are guaranteed by passage of the City of Yes legislation.

What Size Apartment, at What Price & in What Borough? When I asked the Adams Administration's Department of City Planning to provide me with details of how many units of affordable housing would be built, at what 'affordable' price, for what size apartment, and in what borough - I again received another round-about answer via a link they sent me, to one of their selling pitches on a website, where I found no specifics related to the question above.

Let me say this again - No description of what sized units, at what 'affordable' price and in what borough. I found this hard to believe, since for the past year Mayor Adams and Daniel Garodnick of the Department of City Planning have been publicly selling this legislation, by promising it will result in over 108,000 new units of 'affordable' housing being built.

My papa once told me, "No proof. No sale."

Or as the 1980's Reagan commercial asked, "where's the beef?". In this case 'beef' = 'affordable housing'.

Squeaky Chairs And Stubborn Hearts: The City Of Yes Hearing

Delayed Post _ October 24, 2024 / NYC Government & Politics / NYC Real Estate & Business / News & Analysis / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Editor's Note. We're publishing this two and a half weeks after the fact, as the 2024 federal elections consumed our time and attention. But it has come time again to refocus our attention on one of the most important legislative efforts in decades, which is working its way through the NYC Council, in what appears to be a major effort by international investors, developers and billionaires - aided and abetted by Mayor Adams and the Department of City Planning - to strip away a lot of local voters' rights to make meaningful comments about any new real estate developments or major construction efforts proposed in ALL NYC neighborhoods. The bill is expected to come up for a vote before the end of the year, and possibly as soon as this month.

By Layla Law-Gisiko, President of the City Club of New York.

Another epic hearing wrapped up Tuesday evening [10.22.24], a few minutes short of midnight. This was the grand finale of public hearings on the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity. At 9:37 AM, Council Member Kevin Riley, chair of the Subcommittee on Zoning and Variances, called the hearing to order. He solemnly announced that over 600 people had registered to speak.

In the course of the long day, approximately 320 people spoke. Though the split between supporters and opponents was fairly even, the strong presence of special interests and developers highlighted that most regular New Yorkers opposed the proposal.

When the doors of the City Council chamber opened at 9 AM, the room quickly filled, as the public bravely endured the torment of those infamous plastic squeaky chairs—perfectly designed to make you question all your life choices.

They could have enjoyed glorious fall weather and comfortable seating, but New Yorkers took time off their busy schedules to speak up. Renters, homeowners, public housing tenants, and SRO residents—New Yorkers from all walks of life and from all boroughs— voiced their fears about why they believe the plan will fall short of its promises and will hurt them. Overall, the mood was serious, and at times even anxious. New Yorkers expressed fear of displacement and gentrification, fear of a city ever more driven by real estate profit, fear of deregulation in the name of a laudable goal that many fear the proposal will never reach.

The chamber was full of public members, and sparse with council members. Council members came and went in a calm ebb and flow. The few who managed to stick around for most of the day included Council Members Marte, Brewer, Narcisse, Joseph, Osse, and Abreu, proving that endurance isn’t just for runners. And the marathon champion title went to the ever-calm Chair Kevin Riley, who somehow managed to steer a 14-hour hearing without losing his cool—or his sense of humor.

The City Club of New York voiced its opposition to the text as currently drafted. https://www.youtube.com/live/9E4Q2P6OyRY?t=10223s

We reminded Council members, with unwavering firmness, that the intricacies of housing economics defy simplistic solutions; research shows that mere supply does not mend the rift of affordability.

Council Member Brewer challenged the supply/demand dogma, asking: “I want affordable housing. We got the schools we got the transportation and I'm just tired of been told over and over again just market [rate housing], because I'm all for rezoning. I've been doing this for a long time, I got the rezoning but why are we doing it if we're not getting to the affordable housing.”

The City Council will accept written testimony until end of day Friday [10.25.24]. It can be sent to landusetestimony@council.nyc.gov

Now, the negotiations begin. There is no deadline to write or call your council member.  The City Council is expected to vote in mid-November.

To learn more about City of Yes, watch our webinar with Council Member Chris Marte. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z1WFQ25RNU

The "City of Yes for Housing Opportunity" is the Adams Administration zoning proposal aimed at increasing the housing supply by easing rules on development and encouraging new construction, all over New York City. The initiative seeks to address the city's ongoing housing shortage, making it easier to build a wider variety of housing
types, such as smaller units and mixed-use buildings, with the hope of accommodating more residents. While supporters argue that the plan is necessary to increase the overall housing stock and help alleviate the affordability crisis, critics are concerned that the proposal doesn't sufficiently guarantee affordable units and may lead to unchecked development, displacement, destruction of historic buildings and strain on infrastructure in certain neighborhoods. The proposal emphasizes the city's push for a more flexible zoning framework but has sparked debate about the best approach to balance growth with affordability and quality of life.

This report was written and contributed by Layla Law-Gisiko who is the President of the City Club of New York, which is a non-profit civic organization that evolved out of a social club, founded decades ago.

How Believable is Donald Trump's Denial he's not Behind Project 2025?

Quick & Dirty Review of What Trump & Elon Appear to be Planning - Especially #2 & 5

November 3, 2024 / U.S. Government & Politics / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz.

Project 2025 was put together by a group, of very conservative, right wing groups working in concert. This includes, according to a CNN report, 140 Trump affiliates, of which more than a dozen played some role in the first Trump Administration.

To see this yourself, visit https://www.project2025.org.

1. They say they want to secure the border, but when a bi-partisan bill was generally agreed upon by both parties in both houses and ready to be passed into legislation, they / Trump nixed it, so Trump could use it as a campaign issue against Joe Biden. This is just a gimmick, because if they really wanted it, they could have had it over six months ago. As for deporting over 10 million immigrants who are already here ... think long and hard about what that looks and feels like - not just here, but abroad. It will probably look and feel a bit like the Nazis rounding up the Jews, back in the 1930's.

This is a nation of immigrants, and we should be happy that so many people are willing to pick up, and move themselves, to live and work here. In 2023 the U.S. had a population growth of just 1.2%, so we need immigrants to help power the labor force, help pay our retirements, and help pay our national debt. When we no longer look like a destination to move peoples' lives to, we're going to be in big trouble. And deporting over 10 million people, many of whom grew up here, really isn't thinking this thing through.

2. They want to 'de-weaponize the Federal Government by increasing accountability and oversight' of the FBI and Justice Department. Both agencies are already managed by the Executive Branch of government, and monitored and funded by the Senate and Congress. Specifically, the Senate and House both hold hearings, review agency policies, monitor agency enforcement, oversee agency functions, and perhaps most importantly is that they have the power of the purse in terms of reviewing appropriations. So the question here is - TO WHOM - do they want to make them accountable? The answer is to the very rich people who are supporting Trump, like Elon Musk.

It appears to me that they should reword this demand to reflect what they really want, which is to defang / cripple federal law enforcement.

3. Unleash American energy and reduce American energy prices. This is their way of saying 'drill baby, drill'. They don't want more clean energy, they want more dirty energy, by deregulating the oil industry, What we should be doing is taxing this cash cow [fossil fuels] out of existence, and refunneling the higher taxes into clean energy incentives, to accelerate the transition to powering society cleanly, before we run down the clock and it's too late.

4. 'Cut the growth of the federal government to reduce inflation'. First take note that the last time Donald Trump was president, he significantly increased government spending, and super-sized the national debt from $20 trillion to $28 trillon - breaking all records by a landslide. So quite frankly, this is simply not believable.

What makes this statement even more of a lie is that the inflation they plan to reduce is currently running at 2.1%, which isn't much different from the Federal Reserve's target rate of 2.0%. So maybe they want to take credit for reducing inflation, but reducing inflation any more than the Biden Administration already has would probably not be good, as 2% is the Federal Reserve's target rate for a smooth running economy.

Also recognize that inflation was a worldwide phenomenon caused by the pandemic, because worldwide production slowed / stopped for CoVid. Consumers and businesses began to bid up the prices of the things that had already been produced that were available, because they didn't know when production would resume. And after production recommenced, then the international shipping carriers and ports had to catch up on the back orders. Today, all of that has long been sorted out, which is why current inflation, using last month's reading was 2.1%. Again, not believable.

5. Make the bureaucrats more responsible to the President and Congress. They already are.

But this is where the hard right and Elon Musk, emasculate the federal government and make it work for them, and them only. Pushing the pain and hardship as far as the American people will tolerate, without rising up and taking to the streets in rebellion.

I don't have time to do #6 and #7, which are [#6] to move control and funding of education to the states [Education of a society is very complicated, so I haven't the time to properly address this, but local governments and states are already mostly in charge of education, and the Federal Government incentivizes programs and curricula they think are in the national interest [like math & science] which local schools may or may not participate in], and [#7] ban biological males from competing in women's sports [don't know enough about this, except to say that local institutions, if they clearly define who may participate on sports teams, should be able to manage this issue. This as a major point of Project 2025 vis-a-vis the other points, seems more designed to be an attack on the hot button issue of gender identity].

• CLICK here to view the rest of our report on How Believable is Donald Trump's Denial he's not Behind Project 2025?

The Brain-Dead, Kiddie-Hosted, TV News

They Televise Musk Giving Out Millions of Dollars, & None Ask Why

October 31, 2024 / U.S. Government & Politics / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz.

Background Regarding the Crumbling News Foundation, Upon which TV News Once Relied

If you've been reading my work, especially in recent times, you'll notice how increasingly frustrated I have become with TV News. If you want to know why America doesn't seem quite right, it's because the TV folks rarely seem to do any real reporting. In times gone by, the real reporting was done by the journalists working for the newspapers, and then the TV newspeople essentially rewrote and then reread the newspaper journalists' work on air.

Newspapers have been decimated by the search engines, specifically Google, undermining the newspaper business models, by using newspapers' content to create a really wonderful apparatus - internet search. But the problem is that the technologists reap most of the advertising revenue, and virtually all of the profit, so that most newspapers can scarcely afford to do much real news anymore, because their staffs are being cut, and they can't invest in real journalism, which costs money.

Fast Forward to the State of Modern TV News Rooms Today

TV News used to generate much larger audiences, and hence ratings and revenue, than they do today. This is because most folks are spending far more time on their cell phones or on their computers, and thus watching far less TV. Part of the reason is the new technologies, but ...

But the other part of the equation is that the content on TV has growing incredibly old and stale. You can probably find as much content on TV today that was created in the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, 1980's and 1990's as you can find content created in the first quarter century of this millenium. And moreover, most of the content created for TV in this millenium are those super cheap-to-produce games shows, that some segment of the population has the time, interest and / or boredom to watch. And a lot of the rest of the content produced today is either hospital or law enforcement shows, which really narrows the field in terms of viewing options, if you're interested in anything else.

Back to TV News. If you read our reporting on government and politics the past few months, or over the years, we are constantly in pursuit of the back story. Unfortunately, TV News which reaches a far larger audience than we do, make their living reciting headlines, which is not the same as reporting the news. This brings me to telling you why I'm writing this report.

The Real Swamp & The Real Story of Trump and Musk & Why They 'Need' to Win

Musk Didn't Think Trump was the 'Right Guy' in 2016 & Trump Called Musk a "Bullsh@t Artist"

It takes one to know one.

Back then, they were both right. But things have changed. At present both have a common interest in social media and in that business their respective fortunes seem somewhat aligned, as they are both seek to attract the white uneducated males in our country, to whom they have been feeding misinformation and propaganda, as if it were real news. And while financially, that business model doesn't appear to be working, perhaps they can make it work by getting Trump elected.

• CLICK here to read the rest of our report on what seems Putin's role in why Elon Musk is trying to help Trump win election 2024.

Get it While it's Hot - 'Affordable Housing' Lottery in LIC

150 'Affordable Housing' Units Available for Folks w/ Incomes of 'Only' $99K to $250K

October 23, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Real Estate & Business / Gotham Buzz NYC.

'Better hurry' to participate in this 'affordable housing' lottery for apartments in the Jasper at 49-20 5th Street in Long Island City, Queens. Studios are renting for the 'low, low price' of $2,900 per month and two bedroom apartments are a 'steal' at only $4,400 per month.

To qualify you 'only' need to be earning between $99,000 and $250,000 per year. These annual incomes, which are an eligibility requirement, are only 'slightly' higher [+50% to +291%] than the median NYC salary of $64,000 per year.

But don't worrry, if you miss this 'great' opportunity for 'affordable housing', because the real estate developers, real estate investors, billionaires, property owners and Mayor Adams, are pushing hard to get through the City of Yes Zoning Law changes, which will provide huge tax breaks to investors, billioinaires and real estate developers to make even more of this kind of 'affordable housing' available all over NYC.

Isn't that 'exciting'? It looks like more 'affordable housing' is finally on its way ...

See related stories below and in our City of Yes Special Report section on Gotham Buzz.

And you still have time to be heard by the NY City Council regarding your opinion of the City of Yes. Written Testimony is accepted for 72 hours after the hearing that was held Tuesday 10.22.24. Use this email address to send them your opinions - landusetestimony@council.nyc.gov. I believe the comment period expires at the close of business on Friday 10.25.24.

Trump Presidency Deficits Cost Each American Household $62,000

Trump Talks about how Great the Economy was While he was President

What he and Network TV Nothingness News don't talk about, are the Deficits he Incurred to Fuel Spending

October 22, 2024 / Government & Politics / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

The graphic at right shows your household share of the debt racked up by the federal government while Trump and the Republicans were in charge.

Trump Breaks Record for the Greatest Deficits in American History

Donald Trump keeps heralding the economy during his presidency 2016 - 2020, but what he doesn't talk about is how he put each household in America on the hook for $62,000 within just four years, or $23,188 per person. We know the Billionaires received that and then some via the 2017 tax cut, but most of the rest of us received pennies on the dollar - at best.

So why haven't the TV Networks newspeople talked about this or questioned Trump or Vance about this? Trump and Vance are both Republicans, and much of this debt was incurred while Republicans also controlled both the Senate and House. The Trump presidency $8 trillion deficit incurred within four years, was equal to 40% of all debt accumulated [and still on the books] by America's 44 previous presidents in the prior 225 years of the nation's existence.

The graphic at right shows the federal government debt trendline ending at the end of the Trump Administration.

Trump Calls for the FCC to Revoke TV News Licenses - I Agree, but for Different Reasons

So why aren't the TV Networks newspeople informing the American public and telling people about this when the subject of the 'Trump Economy' arises?

Probably because they are too busy looking in people's backyards in Springfield, Ohio for non-existent bones of the dogs and cats that Trump told their TV audience were eaten by Haitian immigrants. Or because they just had to cover the Donald doing a photo op flipping burgers at a McDonald's, propagandistically showing he's a working man. Or because they've buried their ostrich heads so far in the ground that they can't get them out when it really matters. They've taken the nation along with them into the black hole of nothing-newsworthy-news.

Trump has repeatedly suggested that the FCC licenses of TV News should be revoked. While his reasons are that they didn't give him a sycophantic, slatheringly obsequious interview; one of my reasons is that they have been failing the American public for decades, by not presenting real news, and also when they do, it's not done in a fair and balanced manner.

But my primary reason is that they are not owned by, nor do they represent, the various demographic groups / voices in the nation. Like their news coverage, they put a glossy shine on the appearance of representation, just as they pretend to do real journalism; but when you scratch the surface, it becomes very apparent, that just as it's not real journalism, their broadcasts do not give voice to the various demographic groups within the country.

I think we may be on a roll until election day.

The LIC Summit 2024

The Changing Cultural and Real Estate Landscape in Long Island City

October 8, 2024 / LIC Neighborhood / Queens Real Estate & Business / Queens Buzz.

A. Prelude to Attending the LIC Summit 2024

It was a beautiful, sunny, dry day as I walked over to the Museum of the Moving Image in LIC / Astoria.  I arrived around 11 am to attend part of the second half of the LIC Summit, which is a real estate and business conference which examines in depth, an LIC centric world, but also mindful of the surrounding environment.

After I made my way through a flawless check-in, I found my way into the theater and sat down to listen in on the panel providing a Long Island City real estate update.  These panels are structured such that the moderator serves up a number of questions to the panelists for comment, which is then followed by audience questions, which sometimes are the best, because they are asked by people like you and me, who have lived and worked in the area for a long while and witnessed and have adjusted to the huge changes that have occurred in Long Island City over the past couple of decades.

I.  First Panel - LIC Residential Real Estate Update

This panel included Patricia Dunphy of SVP of Rockrose Development, Eric Benaim CEO / Founder of Modern Space, Dan Mogolesko SVP of the Durst Organization, Peter Papamichael Principal of the VOREA Group and Crystal Xu Director of Business Development United Construction & Development Group.

As I came in at the end of the panel presentation, I only caught the Q&A portion of the program, which follows.

A performance theater / school owner pondered aloud whether the developers were still interested in involving and supporting the arts and culture scene in Long Island City.  At the turn of the century LIC was well known as a thriving artists community, as it offered very competitive rents and good access to mass transit.  In the near quarter century since then many - if not most - of the artists have moved out of the area as they can no longer afford the rents, which have skyrocketed from under $1,000 / month to over $4,000 per month.

One of the panelists said they are interested in supporting the arts and he mentioned Culture Lab LIC as one of the arts institutions that has survived the changes.  But that was pretty much the full extent of the conversation surrounding the arts community.  So I reckon the short answer would be no.

• CLICK here to read the rest of our report on the LIC Summit 2024 - Real Estate Development in LIC Queens NYC.

Coney Island - Final Fireworks of the Summer 2024

August 30, 2024 / Coney Island / Brooklyn / Brooklyn BLVD.

On Friday night, the final fireworks show by the Alliance for Coney Island, started around 10 pm on the Reigelmann Boardwalk just east of the Steeple Chase Tower and adjacent to the Luna Amusement Park. It was a comfortable evening, with a slight, cool breeze coming in off the water. There were hundreds of spectators who came to see the show and enjoy an end of the summer ride and snacks at Luna Park. I shot the 10 - 15 minute show from various locations around the Boardwalk, water and Luna Park and then edited it down to about 2 - 3 minutes, ending with a bit of island music. Enjoy the show.

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Last MoMA Summer Sounds Concert & Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit Closed in Manhattan; Oracabessa Festival, Rockaway Beach Music Series, U.S. Open, Sri Krishna Janmashtami, Queens Boro Dance Festival & Queens Jazz Trail Concert in Queens; West Indian American Day Parade & J'ouvert, Battle of Brooklyn, 24th Street Festival and Coney Island Fireworks in Brooklyn; Latin Foto Festival in Hunts Point, Bronx Writers' History at the Bronx Historical Society and Orchard Beach in the Bronx; and Do Portugal Circus at Staten Island Mall, the British are Coming & the Richmond County Fair on Staten Island

August 30, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analytis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather Forecast as of 8.30.24. Sunrise 6.20 am & Sunset at 7.31 pm. Some rain expected Saturday night and early Sunday morning, so it should be a good weekend. Temperatures in the 80's during the day and 70's at night. A gentle breeze and humidity climbs gradually during the weekend, falling again on Monday.

In the photo at right, is one of Historic Richmond Town's finest citizens, doing his thing in the woodwork shop. The man reminded me of, Geppetto, the kind and fatherly woodcarver who created Pinocchio, the fictitious wooden puppet who comes alive.

Saturday 8.31.24 Final Weekend Edition @ 11.45 am. All done. Looks to be a fair weather weekend with plenty of fun things to do as the unofficial end of the summer arrives. Enjoy your three day / end of summer weekend. Fall events to follow in September.

Things To Do This Weekend in New York City

Saturday, May 25 - September 8, 2024 from 10 am to 6 pm - NYC Beaches and public swimming pools are Open all Summer.

• CLICK here to view our weekly reports about things to do each weekend in August in all five boroughs of NYC.

* How Dense are the Self-Defeating, Biden-Denying, Democrats?

Why aren't Democrats Promoting the 'Biden Team' Accomplishments, instead of Undermining the Top of their Ticket?

Updated July 19, 2024 vs 7.18.24 / National Politics / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz.

Democratic Leadership Deeply Disappoints - Schumer & Jeffries et al

I am very disappointed in the behavior of the Democratic Leadership, including U.S. Senate Majority Leader (D-NY) Chuck Schumer, U.S. Congressional Minority Leader (D-NY) Hakeem Jeffries, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) for making public their calling for Biden to step down, right in the middle of the presidential race.  Note that these Democrats are - like the corporate mass media - urban and bicoastal - not from the Midwest / heartland / swing states.

A day after first posting this, a friend sent along a political cartoon published in The Week [shown at right]. It seems to capture the sentiment expressed above pretty well and shows all of the above named Democrats seated in the train, mentioned in order, from right to left.

Lincoln Said "It's Foolish to Change Horses in the Middle of a Race"

There's an old adage that goes something like this, "never change horses in the middle of the race".  That quote is attributed to President Abraham Lincoln, who is said to have used it to persuade voters to re-elect him, rationalizing that, "... it would be foolish to change leaders in such a turbulent time ...". It seems the same wise advice has some relevance to today.

Since both Biden and Trump became their parties' presumptive presidential nominees on 'Super' Tuesday, March 12, 2024, the presidential race began that day.  And since election day is approximately eight months later, on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, we have already passed the midway mark for this presidential race, which ends only three and a half months from now.

• CLICK here to read the rest of our report on How Dense are the Self-Defeating, Biden-Denying Democrats.

Coop City Fireworks in the Bronx

July 6, 2024 / Coop City / Bronx Buzz NYC. I attended and recorded the Coop City fireworks in the Bronx this year. The fireworks display was launched from the Coop City Field located along the Hutchinson River which empties into the Long Island Sound.

They started around 9.30 pm and went for about 15 - 30 minutes, and I fouind it to be a fireworks display worth watching. Check out a few clips we put together from the show.

Cable TV's Knucklehead News

CNN's SuperFantastic Debate Fiasco

The CNN Presidential TV Debate Between President Joe Biden & "Former" President Donald Trump Showcased how Disinformative Modern TV News can be, Particularly When Moderated by Anchors who Don't Seem to Know Who the Current President is

June 27, 2024 vs 6.21.24 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

I was horrified Thursday night, as I watched the CNN TV debate unfold between President Joe Biden and 'FORMER' President Donald Trump. Not only because of Joe Biden's performance, but even more so because of CNN's performance, including Jake Tapper's and Dana Bash's mega journalistic failure, for moderating a show, advertised as news [which is supposed to be about facts], that disinformed their TV audience.

Improper Sound Set Up - CNN Technical Failure?

The horrors started with the sound [wo]man's failure to properly amp or set up Joe Biden's microphone so that it properly projected his soft spoken voice at a level audible to the TV viewing public. I had to ratchet up the volume on my TV to twice the level I normally use, to hear what President Biden was saying.

No Fact Checking the Biggest Liar in Presidential History? Only on TV 'News'

Then there's the incredible failure by the TV anchors to properly moderate the debate. First of all they should NEVER have agreed to moderating a debate where fact checking was not a part of the process. I mean really, how can CNN look itself in the mirror tomorrow morning and tell everyone they are a news organization, when facts don't matter in of all things, a Presidential Debate?

And then add to that, that one of the candidates is known to be one of the biggest liars on the planet. According to a January 24, 2021 Washington Post report, they noted that Donald Trump had lied 30,573 different times, in the four years he was president.

Former President Trump went off on some of his predictable mendacious campaign tirades, about January 6th, abortion, immigration, the economy ... and pretty much everything else - without any corrections - save from President Biden, who quite frankly, in part because of his stutter, and in part because it was difficult to hear him, didn't do a very good job.

• CLICK here to read our report on CNN's News Failure on the 1st Presidential TV Debate of 2024 - Knucklehead News.

Juneteenth - Things To Do NYC

Juneteenth Things to do in NYC, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx & Staten Island

June 17, 2024 / Things To Do NYC / Holidays, Parades & Ethnic Culture / Gotham Buzz.

Over the past ten years or so, interest and awareness of Juneteenth has grown fast. Juneteenth commemorates American slaves obtaining their freedom on June 19, 1865 in Texas, when Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation, wherein President Abraham Lincoln officially freed the slaves effective January 1, 1863. Unlike today, word didn't travel so fast, and in the Confederate states, the white slave owners did their best to keep the slaves from learning of Lincoln's Executive Order. Juneteenth is a word blend denoting June [nine]teenth. President Biden declared Juneteenth a federal holiday on June 17, 2021, taking effect immediately and in time for folks to first celebrate the holiday two days later, on June 19th, 2021.

In the photo at right is John Watusi, who was a Founder and the Executive Director of the Afrikan Poetry Theatre in years gone by [now deceased]. John was a poet and a civil rights activist who recognized, along with others, the important role that history and culture play in people's lives. So, while Juneteenth is a celebration of an African American liberation day, it is also a celebration of African American culture.

This year NYC Mayor Adams cited a number of NYC cultural and historical sites and tours related to Juneteenth and the African American experience in NYC. In an OpEd he penned and we published Monday, you'll find links to some of the sites and tours he references of interest. Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Gotham Buzz NYC.

Juneteenth Historic Sites in NYC - Brooklyn, Manhattan & Online

Here are a couple of African American Historical Sites in NYC, some of which are referenced in the Mayor's OpEd. Brooklyn Juneteenth Historic Sites - Juneteenth Grove at Cadman Plaza in Downtown Brooklyn. It's there 24/7. Manhattan Juneteenth Historic Sites - African Burial Ground - located at Elk and Duane Streets just a block north of City Hall in downtown Manhattan. Online Juneteenth Historic Sites - African American Landmarks and Historic District Interactive Map & Seneca Village Online - created by the Landmarks Preservation Committee.

• CLICK here to view the rest of our report about things to do on Juneteenth NYC - Juneteenth Events.

Click Manhattan 4th of July fireworks for Manhattan independence day fireworks or click July 4th fireworks in NYC for NYC independence day fireworks in the 5 boros of NYC.

Saying No to the City of Yes

City of Yes is ...

• An Attempt to Overcome NIMBY [Not in My Back Yard] in Favor of YIMBY [Yes in My Back Yard]

• Yes to the Billionaires & Developers Who Created the Plan

• No to the New York City Residents Who Already Live & Work Here

May 15, 2024 / NYC Real Estate & Business / NYC Government Media & Politics / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Since the beginning of the new year I've attended over a half dozen different lectures, presentations and community discussions, about the City of Yes and related topics. Two of them were presentations given by the NYC Planning Department who are selling the plan, one by the Federal Reserve which took a stance that leaned pro business but did not ignore the possible destructive ramifications of passing the legislation, one by a community activist group in Brooklyn, another by a Community Board in Manhattan, and two others by a civic group, also in Manhattan.

I tried to keep an open mind about the pros and cons of the legislation, but I couldn't help but begin forming opinions about the proposed legislation, as I collected, sorted and analyzed the legislation and information surrounding it. Over time, the ramifications of actually passing this legislation have begun to appear.

The Mayor's Rationale for Pushing Legislation Created by and for the Billionaires & International Real Estate Development Community

The legislation was concocted by billionaires, real estate developers and the NYC Planning Department, headed by Daniel Garodnick. As such, it reflects their interests, and seems to almost completely ignore the interests of the communities that the NYC government is supposed to be serving.

The Mayor has been pushing the City of Yes, because he believes it will eliminate the 'Not in My Back Yard aka NIMBY' that many infrastructure projects [including affordable housing] encounter when the government or real estate developers are trying to foist them on a community. Hence this would have the effect of enabling projects to move more quickly from conception to fruition, and at a lower cost to the government, billionaire or real estate developer pushing the project. The Mayor also believes that this will enable the creation of more affordable housing.

It might enable the creation of more affordable housing, and it might not. It could just enhance the bottom lines of the billionaires and developers pushing the plan, which in my mind is the more likely scenario.

The Downside of Passing Legislation that Usurps the Power of the People

But, more importantly, it would usurp the power that the people living in these communities currently have, to voice their concerns about new construction projects like affordable housing, commercial buildings or transit, being built within their neighborhoods. While I appreciate the Mayor's interest in reducing the time and cost of getting things built - like affordable housing - I don't think that taking away the power a community has over what is developed within their midst, is the right answer. And perhaps even more importantly, I think any time you're transferring power from the little people to the rich and mighty, you're moving power in the wrong direction.

City Club of NY - ReThinking the Housing Crisis

So, with this in mind, I'm going to take you into a Zoom conference hosted by the City Club of New York which was entitled ReThinking the Housing Crisis, held on May 7, 2024. While not specifically about the City of Yes, it provides some contextual background which should help in evaluating it. And later this month we'll also have a report on the Federal Reserve's April 25, 2024 conference entitled 'Fostering Neighborhoods: Faith-Based Organizations and the Development of Affordable Housing' which was largely about the proposed City of Yes legislation. At that conference there were several speakers who promoted the legislation, but not without reservations, both of which we'll include in our report.

• Later this week you can - CLICK this link to read the rest of our report on ReThinking the Housing Crisis.

The Queens World Film Festival Mirrors the Changing World

The Queens World Film Festival 2024 Opened Up Deep & It Has Enabled a Number of Queens Youths to Venture into the Wily, Woolly, Whale of a Tale, World of Cinema

April 23, 2024 / Queens World Film Festival / Queens Film Scene / Queens Buzz NYC.

Last Wednesday, April 17, 2024 I headed over to the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria / LIC, to catch the opening night of the Queens World Film Festival. To be perfectly candid, I had a lot of other things on my mind, as I'm in the midst of several big projects that require my full attention.

I entered the museum close to the beginning of screen time and noted a fairly subdued mood relative to the festivals I had previously attended, which were all prepandemic. I then made my way into the theater and found a spot where I could camp out with my camera and notebook, where I wouldn't disturb my fellow viewers.

The festival began with opening remarks by some of the Queens World Film Festival alumni, all from Queens, who talked about their voyages into the world of cinema, led by Captains Katha and Don Cato, the Founders of the Queens World Film Festival.

As a bit of history, the festival began in 2011, some 13 years ago and I'm happy to report that we were there. I covered the festival in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2024. That's seven out of a total of about [I'm guesstimating, pending receipt of confirmation] nine or ten - as the festival went on hiatus during the pandemic, like just about everything else during that time.

We'll have more later on in the week. In the meantime I've aggregated our previous coverage into this report, so you can sift through prior festival reports we published. The festival runs through Sunday, April 28, 2024. Tickets are $23 which you may purchase at https://queensworldfilmfestival.org

CLICK here to read the rest of our report, as well as view a history of the Queens World Festival for 2024 and back to its inception.

City of Yes or Planning Mess? Zoom Conference with City Club NY

Three Presentations [Awaiting a Fourth] About the City of Yes Proposal

April 16, 2024 / City of Yes Special Report Section / NYC Real Estate & Business / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Last Thursday, April 11, 2024, I attended a Zoom Conference Call hosted by the City Club of NY, wherein four zoning experts presented their assessments of the sweeping zoning changes proposed in Mayor Adams' City of Yes zoning legislation.

The City of Yes zoning proposal is being pushed hard, and it is being pushed fast, by the Adams Administration in tandem and with the strong support of the billionaire class and the real estate development industry. These two groups are supportive of Mayor Adams' proposal because it will free them from the time, expense and hassle of answering to us, the locals ... the people who actually live in the places, where the uber rich and real estate developers want to transact business.

Remember - Democracy Doesn't Work on Auto Pilot

So you'd better pay attention before the people's [aka your] input - into the sorts of structures and activities allowed in their [your] communities - is rolled back sixty years, and possibly far further back. The City of Yes legislation will provide the super wealthy and the real estate developers, from all around the world, with the power to dictate to NYC community neighborhoods what structures they're going to erect, in many cases where, and what sorts of activities will take place on the property - within the very lax parameters embedded into the City of Yes legislation.

We've been tracking this legislation for a couple of months now. First via Alicia Boyd of MTOPP [Movement to Protect the People], a community activist in Brooklyn; then via the Mayor's Office of Ethnic & Community Media [MOECM] via Zoom; then via Community Board Meetings in Sunnyside Queens where the NYC Planning Department presented the City of Yes, followed by a Community Board Six in Manhattan Zoom Conference Call; and most recently with the City Club of NY, whose presentations are being published today.

We are thankful to these people and organizations for investing the time to help do the work of a functioning democracy, which is to engage and inform the people about the decisions being made by those in power on their behalf that - may or may not - be on their interest.

• CLICK here to view the slide show presentations given at the City of Yes or Planning Mess NYC Zoom conference call on April 11, 2024.

Solar Eclipse Grazes NYC

There was a Partial Eclipse in NYC & a Total Eclipse in Buffalo

April 9, 2024 / NYC Parks & Environment / NYC Neighborhoods / Queens Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather as of 4.9.24. Sunset 7.30 pm. Sunrise 6.24 am. Other than a forecast of nearly an inch of rain between 8 pm Thursday and 11 am Friday, the rest of the week should be dry. The temperatures will hit 70 today and possibly Sunday, otherwise in the 60's, while the lows will be in the 50's. The winds will range from 5 - 10 mph, except from the evening of Thursday, through Friday, and descending into the weekend. The humidity will rise through the week, until Friday when it hits about 60% and then begins dropping into a very dry Saturday [35%], before climbing on Sunday.

The image at right shows a number of New Yorkers out in the park observing the solar eclipse on Monday.

• CLICK here to read the rest of our report on NYC Solar Eclipse & NYC Earthquake.

City of Yes Text Amendments - Huge Zoning Changes in the Works - Part II.

The Proposed 'City of Yes Text Amendments' will Roll Back Local Community Board [and Hence Communities] Input into What is Built & What Activities are Allowed in Their Communities

April 2, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Real Estate / NYC Government & Politics / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Just over a week ago I attended a Zoom call, organized by Community Board 6 in Manhattan, regarding the proposed City of Yes Text Amendments Part II being promulgated by Mayor Adams and his Administration. We collectively sat through about an hour long presentation, which I found to be most enlightening as well as a bit disconcerting should the proposed changes pass without significant alteration.

I have obtained permission to publish the slides, which due to technical issues, I have had to publish in the three [vs one] slide shows you see below [they are in chronological order].  I'll post my full report early next week, but in the meantime the slides should give you an idea of how big the changes really are and has been done in such a manner that you can begin to figure out how these changes may affect you.

Whether you are a tenant, landowner or real estate developer - and no matter in which borough you live - these changes, if passed unalterred, are going to significantly change how things are done in NYC. And the more I dig into this, the more it seems to be a roll back of community input, which is - in my mind - an essential / core element of any democratic process.

Isn't it?

While I'm still not done with the research, these changes look to be quite harmful to the people of NYC, in so many different ways, while failing to provide any sure path to growing our inventory of truly affordable housing.

Much more coming next week and over the next couple of weeks.

•  CLICK here to view the slide show presentation made regarding the City of Yes at the Manhattan Community Board 6 Meeting on March 25, 2024.

NYS Primary Voting Tuesday, April 2, 2024

In addition to the presidential primary, there are also NYS primary races on the ballot.

City of Yes Text Amendments - Huge Zoning Changes in the Works

How Much Will the Proposed 'City of Yes Text Changes' Strip Communities of Input into What is Built in their Communities & What Activities Take Place within Each Property?

Updated March 9, 2024 from 3.6.24 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Real Estate / NYC Government & Politics / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

On Thursday, February 1, 2024 I attended a Community Board 2 Queens meeting about the proposed City of Yes Text Amendments at the Sunnyside Community Services Center. The presentation was given by the Department of City Planning and the focus was the second piece of the massive, nearly 1,157 page City of Yes Text Amendment proposal.

The photo at right shows two City Planning Department representatives fielding questions from the audience following their presentation of the zoning law changes proposed in the City of Yes Text Amendments - Part II - Economic Development.

What are the City of Yes Text Amendment Zoning Law Changes?

The first segment of the proposal included changes to zoning in order to enable green energy powered buildings. The second segment of the proposal, which was what this meeting was all about, was to make changes to zoning laws to provide more zoning flexibility to enable more economic opportunity. And the third segment of the City of Yes Text Amendments is to address the need for affordable housing. As previously mentioned, for the purposes of this report, we're sticking to the second segment of the three part proposal, which moved front and center following the passage of the green energy initiative passed by the City Council in December of 2022.

City of Yes Text Amendment Changes - Part II - Economic Development

I am including a slide show from the February 1st, 2024 meeting mentioned above. And I have also reached out to Alicia Boyd, a Brooklyn activist in this area, and have obtained her permission to post a slide show she presented on January 16, 2024 at the Richmond University Medical Center on Staten Island. By providing you with both slide shows you'll obtain both a 'Pro' perspective and a 'Con' perspective. The Pro perspective, provided by the City Planning Department, also includes a description of the specific changes to the zoning laws for which they are advocating. We'll have more on this in the coming weeks because we think it is one of the most important issues of the day and the City Council is expected to vote on it in April 2024.

• CLICK here to read the rest of our report, including competing slide shows about the proposed City of Yes Test amendments - Part II - Economic Development. As of this post we've not yet heard back from Alicia Boyd of MTOPP, but expect to hear from her today / tomorrow or by the end of the week. So please stay tuned.

* Updated - How Many Stops Act Veto Overridden & Was the Mayor Justified in Vetoing the How Many Stops Act Bill [586-A]?

And Did Corporate TV News Inform or Distort the Issue by Televising the Yusef Salaam Stop?

Updated February 1, 2024 from 1.30.24 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Law Enforcement / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

The NYC Council voted to override Mayor Adams veto of the How Many Stops Act - Bill 586-A by a margin of 42 to override the veto and 9 in support of it, with 0 abstentions. The City Council also revoked the use of solitary confinement at Rikers. A number of the councilmembers stated an interest in working with Mayor Adams on implementation of the changes, to ensure there's no degradation of law enforcement effectiveness because of the change.

Some council members shared negative experiences of their own and their constituents, of being stopped by the police. Many NYC Council members also commended NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams for drafting and pushing the legislation through the council.

The photo at right was taken at City Hall in December of 2023, when the Mayor met with members of the ethnic and community media, to discuss past, present and future issues and efforts.

CLICK here to read our report about why we think the Mayor was right in vetoing the Too Many Stops Act.

What They’re Saying: New York Leaders Continue to Voice Opposition to City Council Bill That Could Make NYC Streets Less Safe

This is a Reprint of a Press Release Issued by the Mayor's Office Regarding the How Many Stops Act

January 29, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Law Enforcement / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

The Following is a Press Release issued by the Mayor's Office

NEW YORK – Following today’s veto on City Council bill Intro. 586-A — which could make New York City less safe by forcing New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers to spend more time filling out reports after Level 1 interactions with the public instead of patrolling the street and keeping the public safe — faith leaders, community advocates, business organizations, district attorneys, law enforcement professionals, and everyday New Yorkers voiced their opposition to the bill.

Here is what New York leaders are saying. What follows is the full reprint of a press release issued by the Mayor's Office on January 19, 2024. 

• CLICK here for a press release by the Mayor's Office regarding community leaders' response to Mayor Adams Vetoing the How Many Stops Act - 586-A in NYC.

* The Federal Reserve in NYC Assesses the Risks due to Climate Change

Climate Change is Real. Its Impact is Already Affecting Economic Investments & Outcomes. The Federal Reserve Shared a Closer Look with us in October 2023.

January 23, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Issues / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

On Monday, October 2, 2023 I headed down to the Federal Reserve Bank in NYC to make a withdrawal. Not a withdrawal of money, but to collect some information about Climate Change, at a Conference they hosted for local media outlets.

Keynote Speaker - Economics Professor Stiglitz

The Keynote speaker was Joseph E. Stiglitz, a professor at Columbia University, who participated in a discussion with John C. Williams, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of NY.

Informational Economics - Investment & Business Decisions are Based on Imperfect Information

The keynote speaker, Joseph Stiglitz, has expertise is in economics, and more specifically, informational economics. Stiglitz was preceded by economist George Stigler [not to be confused with the keynote speaker Joseph Stiglitz] who is credited with first developing 'The Economics of Information' in 1961 while a professor at the University of Chicago. This was the beginning of an entire area of study of how information and information systems affect economic decision making.

In the 1970's three researchers, one of whom was Joseph Stiglitz [the keynote speaker], is credited with developing the theory of 'Asymmetric Information' which posits generally that one of the parties - in a two party transaction - has better information. For example the seller of a used auto knows more about the car than the buyer, or a borrower likely has better information about whether there will be problems in repaying the loan than the lender.

• CLICK here to read the rest of our report on a cursory assessment of the risks associated with climate change at the Federal Reserve Bank in NYC.

* Exclusive: One on One Interview with the Mayor

The Eric Adams Story - Part I

Mayor Adams is a Complicated Man, Who Rose from Poverty, to the Highest Office in NYC

November 6, 2023 / NYC Government & Polltics / NYC Neighborhoods / Gotham Buzz. News Analysis & Opinion by Michael Wood.

This past summer, while working on another story in collaboration with the Mayor's Office of Ethnic & Community Media [aka MOECM], I entered into discussions with the MOECM, about the possibility of an exclusive interview with the Mayor. The Mayor's Office of Ethnic & Community Media was created a couple of years ago, to enhance local media access to the goings on at City Hall, in order to better inform the public. Under the Adams Administration, part of that program included providing greater government official availability to somewhere in the neighborhood of 250 local media outlets.

Famod Konneh, Associate Director for Outreach and Engagement collaborated with me to make arrangements for the interview, which took place on Friday, October 20, 2023. It's worth noting that every reporting story done live, is a collaboration of a sort, between the journalist and the subject(s) covered.

The photo at right shows Jose Bayona, the Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Ethnic & Community Media [aka MOECM], at the MOEDM operations cener which is in the basement of City Hall, while he was setting up the video conference.

Interview Preparation - Doing My Homework

I did a considerable amount of research into the Mayor's past, while preparing for the interview. I did all this prep work, even though Famod had told me I would be limited to 20 minutes via a Zoom video call, as I was pitching him for more time. When I first first started the research, I did it in preparation for the interview, but, as sometimes happens with the kind of reporting I do, the more I learned, the more I became interested in learning even more about the Mayor and his life story.

Initially I thought I would do a standard hard news interview about key topics of the day including immigration, crime, the public schools and the budget. But, as I journeyed into the Mayor's past, I became more intrigued with the idea of doing a different story.

The Adams Administration's Unheralded Herculean Effort Managing the Immigrant Influx

As I conducted my research, I decided that NOT to inquire about the Mayor's - seemingly unappreciated or underappreciated - Herculean effort to manage the huge influx of immigrants into NYC. This situation, turned crisis, began when Texas Governor Greg Abbott began bussing immigrants from Texas border towns, beginning in August 5, 2022, to NYC. Governor Abbott began transporting immigrants here without any communication nor coordination with NYS Governor Hochul or NYC Mayor Adams.

Nonetheless, Mayor Adams somehow found enough lodging for somewhere between 65,000 - 125,000 immigrants bussed in since then, who arrived in the city within the past year or so. The Mayor also managed to carve enough funding out of the NYC budget to provide security, food, healthcare and logistics for the newcomers, with what - until fairly recently [the past three months or so] - appeared somewhere between scant and lagging help from the likes of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and NYS Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY), respectively.

In spite of this gargantuan challenge, Mayor Adams made sure NYC didn't miss a step. His Administration kept the influx of immigrants mostly off the streets, and appeared to ensure they were't coopted into criminal activities by providing for them, in spite of laws which forbade them from earning a living. This nearly heroic effort has mostly gone unheralded by the corporate media.

The photo above right shows the Mayor pondering a question I posed to him, during our Zoom interview. He's in the Mayoral limo enroute to his next event.

CLICK here to read the rest of the story about my exclusive interview with Mayor Adams about his life - profile.

NYC Things to do in November in All 5 Boros of NYC

November Events in NYC by Week

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

NYC Marathon & Daylight Savings Time Sunday, Dia de los Muertos in Times Square Thurs Nite, Comedy Festival, Park Avenue Art Show, Washington Heights Jazz Fest, NY Comedy Fest & Bryant Park Winter Village Shops & Baltic Film Fest [Nxt Wk] in Manhattan; Diwali Festival in Jackson Heights, Off the Wall Affordable Art Fair and International Food Expo Next Week in Queens; Brooklyn Folk Music Festival and FAD Holiday Market in Brooklyn; Veterans Memoral Event in Van Cortlant Park & Universoul Circus at Orchard Beach in the Bronx; Holiday Market, Cranberry Festival & Fall Retreat on Staten Island

November 3, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the low 50's on Thursday, rising to the low 60's for the rest of the weekend. The temperature lows will be in the low 40's on Thursday, rising to the high 40's for the rest of the weekend. The winds will be about 4 - 6 mph all weekend. The humidity will be 40% - 60% on Thursday, rising to 50% - 60% on Friday and Saturday, and rising again to 60% - 70% on Sunday. No rain is in the forecast this weekend ... finally.

Sunrise / Sunset Times. On Thursday 11/2/23 the sun rose at 7.27 am & the sun set at 5.51 pm. But note that because of Daylight Savings Time, this Sunday, 10/5/23 the sun will rise at 6.31 am and the sun will set at 4.48 pm.

The photo at right was taken at the 2011 NYC Marathon as the marathoners were coming across the Pulaski Bridge which connects Greenpoint in Brooklyn to Long Island City in Queens.

CLICK here for things to do in things to do in November in NYC - ALL weekends Events NYC in November.

Oktoberfest Parties & Celebrations in NYC including in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx & Staten Island

Oktoberfest Begins Mid September in NYC and run thru October

UPDATED October 7, 2023 from 9.19.23 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

The official / unofficial kick off to the month and a half of Oktoberfest events in NYC begins in Manhattan with the Steuben Parade. This report identifies a number of Oktoberfest events around NYC beginning mid September and running through the end of October.

The photo at right shows one of the floats in the Steuben Parade celebrating the consumption of bier, which in tandem with consumption of bratwurst, is an integral part of Oktoberest. One thing the photo doesn't show is the music, that also goes hand in hand with Oktoberfest.

A Brief History of Oktoberfest in NYC

Coming with time. We've posted a number of Oktoberfests in this report, but a few more are coming. Also watch the front page, as this year [only] they are likely to be posted there first.

• CLICK here to view the rest of our report on Oktoberfest in NYC, including the boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island.

911 Commemoration Events & Remembrances in NYC & Boros

911 Commemorations this Weekend and Monday

September 10, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

This weekend, there are a number of events around the five boroughs commemorating the losses of 911. The following are a few of those events.

The collection of photos at right shows an cultural performance at Lincoln Center honoring the victims of 911. The performance returns Monday at 8.05 am.

911 Remembrances / Commemorations NYC

Ongoing _ Daffodil Project in NYC Parks. For details see - https://www.nycgovparks.org/highlights/sept-11-memorials

• CLICK here to view our report on 911 Memorial and Commemoration events in all 5 boroughs of NYC.

Easter & Passover Celebrations in NYC & Boros

Next Sunday is Easter for Western Christians and the Following Week it's Easter for Orthodox Christians

April 3, 2023 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC / 438

Very Brief Introduction to Christian Easter Traditions

On Friday, April 7th, Christians observe Good Friday, which is when the Bible tells us that Jesus died on the cross. On Sunday, April 9th, Christians celebrate the Biblical account of Jesus rising from the dead.

Emperor Constantine became the Roman Emperor in 306. In 324 Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Empire. In 1054, the Great Schism occurred, wherein Christianity split into two different sects - Roman Catholic Christians [primarily in Western Europe] and Orthodox Christians [primarily in Eastern Europe]. The traditions have much in common, but one of the differences is in how they calculate the time of Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The Western European Christians [Protestants and Catholics] use the Gregorian Calendar which was created in the 16th century and made the official calendar by Pope Gregory, while the Orthodox Christians use the Julian Calendar which was made law in the Roman Empire in 45 B.C. by Julius Caesar.

Thus there are years where the Western European and Eastern Orthodox Easter events fall at the same time, and there years where they do not. This year [2023] the celebrations of the two traditions are separated by a week, with the Western European Christians celebrating next weekend and the Orthodox Christians celebrating a week later.

• CLICK here to view our report on NYC Easter events, Easter parades, Easter egg hunts, Easter brunches & Greek Orthodox Holy Friday processsions in NYC, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx & Staten Island.