We got the story behind the best poem we saw all National Poetry Month:

http://wnyc.org/2C782

-Sean, Sideshow
(h/t Amy Pearl)

For me, the turning point in watching HBO's Silicon Valley can be traced back to the Burger King subplot in the third episode.

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The people at Milkmade Ice Cream create two unique, hand-crafted flavors every month—in order to taste them, you need to become a member ($30/month). After you sign up, just sit back and wait for them to be delivered to your door. In the past they've had black & white cookie, wine & brie cheese (we tried this and it was pretty damn amazing), Dough donut, and other flavors that make the membership fee well worth it. But they just raised their own bar—one of this month's flavors is RAMPS ICE CREAM. [ more › ]

There is a magic road in The Bronx.

At first, it seems like just an ordinary road through the woodsy Pelham Bay Park. But then, after a short ways, an old bridge appears in the distance.

Though you probably won’t notice it, the magic happens just as you cross the midway point of the bridge.

All of a sudden, you’ll start to notice that the landscape looks decidedly not-New York:

Squat buildings pass by with little nautical details: a captain’s wheel…

On a large mansion, a figurehead and portholes for windows.

Seafood restaurants begin to appear, their oversized names emblazoned on large frames…

…along with worn, sandswept homes…

…and shops offering marine supplies:

By the time you come to the quaint downtown area, with it’s shingled storefronts, you’ll have realized the truth: that unassuming bridge is actually a magic portal to a New England fishing village.

Er, or City Island in The Bronx.

City Island is easily one of the most unusual neighborhoods in New York City. It’s the sort of place where you’ll happen to glance in the window of a random building…

…and see someone sewing together an enormous sail:

Just one mile long by a half mile wide, there are places on the island where you can see from one side to the other quite easily.

Originally settled by the Lenape Indians, colonists began arriving on City Island (then known as Minnerfers Island, after a local Native American) in the 1600s; by 1685, there were several homes and farms on the island. The first main road was laid out in 1811, and the bridge to the mainland built in 1873. Over the years, City Island has been home to such industries as salt evaporation, oystering, and shipbuilding, as well as serving as a resort community for New Yorkers escaping the city.

I’ve been scouting on City Island over the past week, and I’ve been amazed at the number of deja vu moments I’ve had to growing up on the north shore of Massachusetts.

The central downtown area certainly has all the hallmarks of a seaside New England town: rows of two-story clapboard or shingled storefronts…

A high-steepled church with a white fence and nicely manicured lawn…

A quaint wood-frame real estate office…

A corner diner complete with striped awnings…

Restaurants that would look at home in Martha’s Vineyard…

Be sure to glance in the window to see some of the island’s original street signs:

And of course, the cute ice cream shack, which I found hidden behind a school bus (Lickety Splits, sadly closed for the season).

The houses along City Island Ave, like #295 (built in 1931), only add to that otherworldly New England feel.

Is there a cuter house in New York City than 351 City Island Avenue, built in 1920?

At #377, a great shingled home with that strong nautical feel:

And I love the little miniature house at #377, built in 1920 and just 594 square feet. Did I mention this is The Bronx?

Further down is City Island’s second tallest building.

Built in 1898, the five-story brick building – appropriately fish-scaled – lost its Tallest Building title in the 1960s to a modern highrise on Pilot Street. Yes, that’s a little porthole at the tip of the roof:

Finally, no Amity Beach-style town would be complete without a tree-lined park, represented on City Island by the nautical-themed Hawkins Park.

Be sure to note the plaque for City’s Island’s veterans of “The World War,” erected obviously before anyone knew there was a second one coming.

Lining the main drag are numerous marine-oriented shops offering everything from bait and tackle…

…to diving gear…

…to general supplies. Many have been here for decades, like Burck’s, which dates to 1928…

…and stepping inside is like a trip back in time.

Be sure to check out the store’s collection of items found in the harbor on display in the windows:

City Island is also the only place in New York City that I’ve ever seen vending machines offering live bait and tackle:

Finally, no trip to City Island would be complete without a glance into the store at #239…

…which has to be the most crowded store in New York City.

I’m not kidding – you literally cannot move.

I’d say the merchandise is stacked floor-to-ceiling, but there’s at least a few more feet to cover before they hit the tin:

I glanced in the yard next door – perhaps to be seen on a future episode of Hoarders?

Moving beyond the main drag, some of City Island’s most beautiful treasures can be found hidden on its side streets.

One of my all-time favorite houses in all of New York City can be found at 141 City Island Avenue, a gorgeous flat-roofed Italiante home dating to 1862.

Small and simple, with selective ornamentation, it’s the definition of charming.

Another gem can be found at 586 City Island Ave. A 15-room captain’s home dating to 1876, it was built for oysterman Samuel Pell, who lived there until 1907. It was later seen on the 1969 television show Arsenic and Old Lace, and served as a bed and breakfast in the 2000s.

The oldest home on the island is the Schofield farmhouse at the corner of Schofield and William.

Built in the 1840s by William Schofield (hence the intersection), one of the island’s original settlers, it is now being restored by its new owners after having fallen into complete disrepair:

Another beautiful house nearby, with rocking chairs swaying on the porch in the breeze. I mentioned this is The Bronx, right?

I’d love to know what the house at 562 City Island Ave was originally built for – almost looks like a train station:

There are a number of enormous Victorians along King Ave on the Western Side of town…

…including this gorgeous coastal property that was given a very distinctive paint job in recent years:

Nearby is the School of St. Mary…

…featuring a great design over the door.

Perhaps the only school in New York City whose backyard is the water?

The actual St. Mary’s “Star of the Sea” church has a pretty neat emblem:

The oldest church on the island is the Episcopal Grace Church at the corner of Pilot and City Island Ave, built circa 1867 in the Gothic Revival style:

One last beauty is this home at 21 Tier Street, built in 1894. “A shingled jewel,” writes the AIA Guide to NYC. “To own this would be reason enough to move to City Island.” Recognize it? It was used as the summer home in The Royal Tenenbaums, and was also featured in the 1962 film version of A Long Day’s Journey Into Night.

The property has its own dock and waterside gazebo:

At the opposite end of the spectrum are the rows of bungalows:

These can be found scattered on both sides of the island, often wedged into the most unlikely of nooks and crannies.

Some owners clearly take a lot of pride is their design and upkeep:

And then there are the quirky houses…

I happened to pass by this somewhat creepy, dilapidated home…

…and was amused to see this sign over the door:

On the east side of the island is the picturesque Pelham Cemetery, a rare waterfront cemetery for NY.

Dating to the 1880s, the cemetery is home to generations of City Islanders.

While in the cemetery, be sure to walk down to the shore for a great view of a place you’ll probably never get to visit…

Hart Island, home to New York’s potter’s field (burial site for over 1,000,000 unclaimed/indigent corpses) and a small town of unbelievably gorgeous abandoned buildings (I swear I will someday figure out a way to get out there…).

Another off-limits island is just out of reach on City Island. Go to 700 King Avenue, and you’ll find a gate…

…and just beyond, a small causeway leading to the privately owned High Island. Once referred to as Shark Island due to the sand sharks in Pelham Bay, the island is now owned by the radio station WCBS, from where it broadcasts (note the antenna through the trees):

Finally, go all the way to the southern tip…

…and in the distance you’ll see the cute little Stepping Stone lighthouse, dating to 1877.

Nearby is the City Island Nautical Museum at 190 Fordham Street. Housed in the island’s former public school building dating to 1897, its exhibits will tell you pretty much everything you need know about the island’s past.

One last note: when walking along the coast, try to spot the numerous boat wrecks in the harbor.

Not sure who’s responsible for cleaning these up, but there are a surprising number floating about.

If you’ve never been to City Island, the best way to experience it is on a bike. Though most articles don’t mention it, the majority of homes and buildings on the island are more traditional New York City fare, some very nice, some not so nice. The historical gems are mixed into the bunch – you just have to take the time to find them. But it’s worth it, if only for the otherworldly feeling that City Island brings.

Then, head back through that magic portal to New York City.

-SCOUT

Facebook reported quite a successful Q1 2014, especially on mobile. Facebook executives said Wednesday that mobile app install ads have led to 350 million installs and that the company now has more than 1 billion mobile monthly active users.

Facebook Strategic Preferred Marketing Developer AdParlor put together an infographic showing Facebook’s Q1 results in a visually-pleasing manner.

AdParlor also released their own stats from their clients, mainly e-commerce, mobile game developers and major bands:

• In Q4 2013, 55 percent of AdParlor revenue came from mobile. In Q1 2014, the company saw a jump to 62 percent.
• Focusing on the Mobile App Install ad unit, AdParlor saw a quarter-over-quarter increase in CPM and CPI rates and a quarter-over-quarter decrease in CTR globally for AdParlor clients.
• For AdParlor advertisers, in Q1 2014, the average CPM rate for the mobile app install ad unit was $4.25 globally and $5.52 in the U.S. The average CPI (cost per install) rate was $3.07 globally and $3.63 in the United States.
• Also for AdParlor advertisers, Marketplace (right hand column) Ads continued the trend in Q1 of a decreasing CPM rate ($0.14) and CTR (0.016 percent) in the United States.

Look below to see the infographic.

Top image courtesy of Twin Design / Shutterstock.com.

If you’ve been wondering who is behind those light shows on the Empire State Building, all of your answers are here:

The Empire Lights Back

—Sean, Sideshow

braiker:

tomfuckinmison:

this is a religious experience

this is great.

Feverish anticipation for North America's first cat café, the Purina One Cat Café at 168 Bowery, resulted in predictably long lines of, well, mostly cat ladies yesterday. There were so many on line, in fact, that the four day pop-up cafe was forced to turn away hundreds of hopefuls. But some lucky cat-lovers returning today will be whisked past the long lines thanks to an exclusive Cat Cafe VIP Pass. It's like Extra Meowga! [ more › ]

There's a lovely little Indian joint on Henry Street in Brooklyn Heights which serves up the best Indian food in the neighborhood. It's called Asya, and recently they started experimenting with something called the Sloppy Pav, which we tried out the minute it hit the menu. [ more › ]

Less than two weeks ago the first rumors surfaced that Pearl Paint on Canal Street was shuttering, and by the end of last week the store did indeed shut its doors. It was a tearful goodbye, according to the Tribeca Trib. [ more › ]

Wowza. The design firm AMLGM designed these “Urban Alloy Towers” to rise above the Woodside Long Island Railroad and 7 train station. (Curbed calls this “the most exciting and completely insane thing ever proposed for Queens.” AMLGM, on the other hand, calls this “symbiotic re-purposing of the air rights above transportation corridors in New York.”) These designs aren’t meant to be actually built, but it sure is fun pretending. The facade of these tubular towers, which shift from cylindrical to triangular shapes from bottom to top, is made of metal fins with their own specific “solar orientation.” The interior holds luxury, market-rate and SRO apartments, retail, office space, a central atrium and transportation infrastructure. The idea is to bring housing close to transportation hubs, and offer “a wide range of living conditions… within the one development.” You can read all the architectural details over at Design Boom. Meanwhile, we’ll just drool… Read More

handsomedogs:

Meet Walter White, AKA Heisenberg / / Jonathan Dixon

Happy Friday! Here’s Realistic Mario to set the tone for the weekend.

-SR, S360

Why Are My Sneakers Fuzzy?

Following yesterday’s post on sneakers, I thought I’d share this great find by GazEtc. If you look at the bottom of your Chuck Taylor All Stars, you’ll notice that certain parts of the sole are fuzzy. The hairs are hard to notice at first, especially if you’ve already worn your shoes, ‘cause your soles will just look like they’ve collected gunk off the street. If you look closer, however, you’ll notice that little hairs are embedded into the rubber.  

Why? GazEtc investigated the patent for Chuck Taylors and found that they’re actually classified as house slippers with fabric bottoms, rather than sneakers with rubber soles. As he explains: 

Since my shoes were made in China, they were subject to an import tariff when they were shipped to the United States. And the import tariff is much lower for shoes with fuzzy fabric soles (like house slippers) than it is for shoes with rubber soles (like sneakers). According to the inventors, changing the shoe material can lower the duty from 37.5% down to just 3%. 

To benefit from a lower tariff, it isn’t necessary to cover the entire sole with fabric. According to the inventors, “a classification may be based on the type of material that is present on 50% or more of the bottom surface.” This explains why the “fabric” fuzz extends mostly around the edges of my shoes, where it can take up a lot of area without interfering too much with the traction of the bare-rubber centers.

So the invention embodied in my shoes is not a technological advancement. It actually seems to be a small step backward in quality. Instead, my shoes embody an advancement in “tariff engineering.” But perhaps, by putting up with a bit of fuzz, I can pay just a bit less for each new pair of sneakers.

You can see the original patent for Chuck Taylors here. The Smithsonian also has an interesting clip about how Marvel went to court to argue that the the X-Men weren’t human in order to get lower tariff rates.

The only time I ever take a cab is when it's late, I'm alone, and I have put too much alcohol into my body. And even then, it's only when I'm further than a 25 minute, fairly straightforward walk home. And that's because I'd rather walk than deal with finding my credit card in a purse which I have not kept organized all night. It's just so dark in the cab. So even if I find the card it'll be a goddamn miracle if I can locate the correct area to swipe it. And time's-a-wastin'! [ more › ]

Attendees at the 2014 Social Media Marketing World convention—that's a real thing!—were treated to a rousing song called "Let's Get Social," about getting social. Tickets to the event cost $1,300, and literally everyone who sat through this is now dead.

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manchannel:

Scrumptious

The next time someone from your hometown compliments you for toughing out X amount of years in New York City, show them this video of a train full of adults squealing and laughing in ebullient terror on their way to work. Far better than blankly staring at an ad for a degree in criminal justice and muttering expletives after someone's shoe gently grazes your heel. [ more › ]

The long awaited movie version of “The Catcher in the Rye” will begin shooting in Long Island City this June.  Martin Scorsese is slated to direct, and in his first-ever starring role on the big screen, Justin Bieber has been signed on to play Holden Caulfield.  There will be a casting call next week for a local girl to play Phoebe, a concession requested of the producers by local councilman Jimmy Van Bramer.

J.D. Salinger famously refused to sell the movie rights to “Catcher.”  But in a chance coincidence, one of Salinger’s offspring bumped into Harvey Weinstein  at Salinger’s shiva.  Days later, after many seconds of debating how long the super-low interest rate environment would remain¹, his numerous heirs came to the realization that nothing would be a greater tribute to Salinger’s legacy, than to have his self-described ‘novelistic novel’ enshrined on DVD.

And in a now common Hollywood refrain, two sequels in the “Catcher” series will also be filmed back to back in the neighborhood for budgeting purposes.  Once the movie begins shooting, Center Boulevard will be closed for parking until December.

The Catcher in the Rye – the official trailer

M. Wells Will Build A Burger Stand in Dutch Kills- Hugue Dufour states that “after many years of experimentation, we’ve come to the conclusion that Ray Kroc was right, ‘there really is nothing better than a hamburger, fries, and a shake’  If this works out like we expect, we’ll be  following it up with a red sauce joint in Hunters Point.”

NewsCorp to Merge With LICtalk – Bloomberg reports that in a merger of equals, NewsCorp and LICtalk have secretly decided to tie the knot.  In 2015, Rupert Murdoch will step down as CEO of the new combination, and the current Editor of LICtalk,…

The Dalton School to Open an Annex in Long Island City – “the outstanding caliber of the parents, not to mention their overall attractiveness, warrants our first ever expansion.”  Tuition starts at $90,000 and kindergarteners will be expected to be fluent in Mandarin.

Hunters Point Library to Be Completed This Century – April Fools!

Donald Trump to Develop Phase Three of Hunters Point – we plan to build the most luxurious apartments ever known to man, lease them out to the hard working people of New York …but not too hard working, at a significant discount to the market rate, and still make an obscene fortune.  The Art of the Deal!

 

 

 

1. in a tip of the hat for setting it all up, Ben Bernanke will play “Maurice,” the elevator operator

The post CATCHER IN THE RYE: THE MOVIE, TO BEGIN SHOOTING IN LIC appeared first on LICtalk.

peterfromtexas:

80 Amish people pick up and move a house in Sparty, PA.

Cool.

-Jody, BL Show-

Construction has started on the City of Dreams Hotel Tower by Zaha Hadid Architects in Cotai, Macau.

Project description

Melco Crown Entertainment, a developer and owner of casino gaming and entertainment resort facilities in Asia, has unveiled the project details and design of the fifth hotel tower at City of Dreams, the company’s flagship property in Cotai, Macau.

With 40 floors and a gross floor area of 150,000 square meters, the tower houses approximately 780 guestrooms, suites and sky villas. The hotel also includes a variety of meeting and event facilities, gaming rooms, lobby atrium, restaurants, spa, and sky pool. Including extensive back of house areas and supporting ancillary facilities, the tower’s design resolves the many complex programs for the hotel within a single cohesive envelope.

The design combines dramatic public spaces and generous guest rooms with innovative engineering and formal cohesion. The rectangular outline of the site is extruded as a monolithic block with a series of voids which carve through the its centre of the tower, merging traditional architectural elements of roof, wall and ceiling to create a sculptural form that defines many of the hotel’s internal public spaces.

The tower’s exposed exoskeleton reinforces the dynamism of the design. Expressive and powerful, this external structure optimizes the interior layouts and envelops the building, further defining its formal composition and establishing relationships with the new Cotai strip.

The project is expected to open in early 2017.

Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects

All together now! Jermaine O’Neal trolls the NBA with his weird foul-line rhythms. :40 after is amazing.

-Jody, BL Show-

Maybe you got the idea from GIRLS. But the North Fork has been a great escape for city folk for decades. With inexpensive mom-and-pop motels, farmers and oystermen working land and shore, and a truly unpretentious vibe, The North Fork, is an all-season destination. The only downside to this bucolic, charming stretch of Long Island is many of the area beaches are a bit rocky. [ more › ]