Hot! Spots
William Ryman’s “Bird” Sculpture Lands in Flatiron Near Madison Square Park
March 26, 2013 | Tod ShapiroLet’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
March 21, 2013 | Eric Shapiro
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.”
Kipsey’s Restaurant Brings Fresh Comfort Food, Laid Back Atmosphere to Kips Bay
March 4, 2013 | Eric ShapiroFor a lot of new restaurants, trendy is the name of the game. “What kind of gimmick can we come up with to get a bunch of impressionable tourists off the street into our establishment?,” you can almost imagine the … Read More
2013 Oscars: The Onion’s High-Tech Lynching of Beasts of the Southern Wild Star Quvenzhané Wallis
February 25, 2013 | Eric ShapiroDuring 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?
Brooklyn Nets Turn Up The Heat: A History, Part 2
January 29, 2013 | Flatironhot ContributorBy Wyatt Erchak
After joining the NBA in 1976, the New York Nets lost their star player, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, to heavy-handed association politics (some would say extortion). In their first season in the new organization, the team finished with the worst record in the league after their other big player, Nate Archibald, was injured. Fortunately, new talent, particularly in the form of European star Dražen Petrović, would help the Nets reclaim some of their former glory.
Superman at 75: Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster and the Jewish Roots of the Man of Steel at the Center for Jewish History
January 27, 2013 | Eric ShapiroDid you know Superman was Jewish? Well, not quite, but his creators, comic book giants Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, certainly were, and they imbued the world’s first superhero with more than a little bit of Jewish identity.
Stand-Up With an Edge: A Taste of Cringe Humor at The Stand Comedy Club and Restaurant
January 25, 2013 | Paul HerzichOriginally Published in Town & Village
Southern Manhattan is not lacking in full-time comedy clubs and bars.. Until now, however, it has not had a stand-up venue quite like The Stand Restaurant and Comedy Club. This thoroughbred comedy club was sired by Patrick Milligan, founder of Cringe Humor, which garnered the reputation of presenting excellent stand-up comedy shows in several NYC comedy venues as well as colleges around the country.
The Stand Comedy Club and Restaurant Brings New Edge to New York City Comedy Scene
January 18, 2013 | Eric ShapiroThe Stand Comedy Club and Restaurant, located in the heart of Gramercy at 239 Third Avenue, may be a relatively new establishment, but it is the culmination of years worth of hard work on the part of some dedicated and talented individuals.
Young Visionary Hatches Reading at Strand Bookstore feat. Ben Gibbard & Ron Currie, Jr.
January 11, 2013 | Eric ShapiroThe Strand Bookstore may be home to many old, musty works of literature, but walk inside and you’ll notice that it employs a whole lot of young people. Some of them are aspiring writers, while others simply relish the opportunity to work in one of New York City’s most eminent bookstores. Often, young people mean fresh ideas. Andrew Boye, currently a manager on the main floor, has worked at the Strand for three years. Recently, Andrew hatched the idea to host events combining book readings (a mainstay at the Strand for years) with other artistic mediums.
Boye’s idea came to fruition with last night’s event, featuring Ron Currie, Jr, the author of such acclaimed novels as God is Dead and Everything Matters and musician Benjamin Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service. Flatiron Hot! News had a chance to talk to Andrew a few minutes before the event began. He and his colleague, Emily Simpson, along with event coordinator and author Jessica Strand, hope Wednesday’s pioneering artistic venture will be the first in a series of events showcasing the ties between authors and their creative kin in other mediums.
Flatiron Hot! Q&A: Jazz Musician Matt Wilson
December 28, 2012 | Eric ShapiroFans of modern pop and rock music may tend to see the drummer as secondary to the rest of the band, but in the world of jazz, there are many exceptions to this “rule.” Case in point: Matt Wilson. A world-renowned musician, Wilson has played with many of the great jazz artists of the day (and a few from yesteryear).