Scabby the Union Rat Stands Vigil Over Two Trees Management in Flatiron District

Despite rumors early this year that Scabby the labor union rat might be on the verge of retirement, it turns out the activist animal is alive and well. In fact, the inflatable rodent has taken up residence right here in … Read More

The 2013 NFL Draft at NYC’s Radio City: An Outsider’s Perspective

By Samantha Weiss

For three days in April, the area surrounding Radio City Music Hall becomes a sea of jersey-clad football fans, anxiously waiting for their chance to watch the NFL Draft.  The congregation of die-hards is forced to wait … Read More

Flatiron Social Media Startup Romio to Showcase All Your Neighborhood Has To Offer

On the internet, quality content does not necessarily translate into a high number of hits. For hyper-local bloggers just getting their foot in the door, social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook can often amount to a whole lot of work with very little payoff. Although both websites boast many users, they’re just not designed to spread the word about the kinds of neighborhood events and locales that are our stock and trade. As a blog dedicated in part to highlighting what the Flatiron District has to offer, we understand this better than anyone.

For every 5,000 Twitter followers you cultivate, perhaps a handful will bother to click on your link. For better and for worse, conventional social media platforms cater to casual conversation, at the expense of those looking for in-depth and/or specific information on, say, local pawn shops or concert venues. The end result? Lots of wasted hours promoting articles that may not receive the attention they deserve. That’s where Romio comes in. Read More

Artist Orly Genger’s “Red, Yellow and Blue” to Grace Madison Square Park

Hot on the wings of William Ryman’s Bird sculpture, New York City’s Flatiron District will be graced with the work of another renowned artist in the spring and summer months ahead.

From May 2 – September 8, Madison Square Park will serve as a canvas for Orly Genger’s latest creation: Red, Yellow and Blue.  Genger’s stock in trade is using commonplace materials in unique and unexpected ways. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Madison Square Park Conservancy‘s Mad Sq Art, park visitors will have the privilege of viewing her latest colorful work right here in the Flatiron District. Read More

New York Review of Books Celebrates 50th Anniversary With Discussion on Future of Literary Journalism

Is Editing a Lost Art in the Digital Age?

On Wednesday, April 3, in the New York Public Library‘s Celeste Bartos Forum, the New York Review of Books, in collaboration with the Cullman Center for Scholars, marked its 50th anniversary with a panel discussion featuring some of the publication’s most renowned writers. Ian Buruma, Andrew Delblanco, Alma Guillermoprieto, Zoë Heller, and moderators Robert Silvers and Josephy Lelyveld discussed the future of literary journalism. Read More

William Ryman’s “Bird” Sculpture Lands in Flatiron Near Madison Square Park

Let’s welcome artist William Ryman’s “Bird” sculpture to the Madison Square Park area and the Flatiron District for the next few weeks!

The imposing creation, composed of oversized nails, is a welcome companion to the flesh, blood, and feathered avian variety all of us at the New York City Seminar and Conference Center (NYCSCC) fraternize with in our sojourns through Madison Square Park. Along with our fellow New Yorkers, we hope that it is a harbinger of spring. Read More

“Drink Another Bottle” with Indie Rock Duo Pretty in Blue

A music critic walks by an Irish pub called Paddy Reilly’s Music Bar on Second Avenue and 29th Street when something catches his ear. It’s jarring, immediate, clearly live. Bare bones, just guitar and vocals. A sign on a chalkboard next to the entrance reads “Pretty in Blue.”

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2013 Oscars: The Onion’s High-Tech Lynching of Beasts of the Southern Wild Star Quvenzhané Wallis

During the 2013 Academy Awards ceremony (sorry, the Oscars), satirical publication The Onion set Twitter ablaze with an outrageous – and, many claim, racially-charged – tweet about 9-year-old Beasts of the Southern star Quvenzhané Wallis. And just what were those 17 inflammatory words that sparked such an uproar on the night of the Oscars?

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