The Mystery Ballroom on East 125th Street
For the past week, I’ve been going into Manhattan via the Triboro, and each time I drive down 125th Street, […]
The Complete Guide To New York City Horror Movies!
Looking for something spooky to watch this Halloween? Why not pick a horror movie set in New York! Longtime Scouting
The Best Horror Fiction Set In New York City
With Halloween just around the corner, I figured it’s the perfect time to put together a list of the best
Searching For The Remains of Manhattan’s Bloomingdale Insane Asylum
I was up scouting the Columbia University campus last week… …and in the spirit of Halloween, I decided to swing
Spiders on Sutton Square
I’m always on the lookout for creative Halloween decorations every year, and I thought this was neat… Spiders have taken
The Secret Courtyard On Perry Street
I was scouting in the West Village last week… …when I happened to notice a cute stuccoed building on Perry
The 10 Most Dangerous Places In New York City
Though I always try to keep Scouting NY as positive as possible, I have to make an exception with this
What The Monopoly Properties Look Like In Real Life
Whenever I played Monopoly as a kid, I used to love imagining what the game’s city would look like in
The 8 Best Fake Storefronts & Phony Building Facades In New York City
Way way back, when I first started Scouting NY, I did a post about a great tailor shop window I
Why You Should Visit The Times Square Visitor Center (Even If You Live In New York)
UPDATE: This is now closed, sadly. OK, I’ll admit it: I was a Times Square Visitor Center snob. From my
The Mystery of the Broken Players Club Window
For the longest time, I’ve been wondering about a legend I heard involving the Players Club, a New York social
Is This Times Square Grate A Portal To Another Dimension?
Last week, I was scouting a building in Times Square. After, I was standing on that large grate on the
The Bronx Is The Friendliest Borough In NYC
Of all the Boroughs, the one I’ve barely touched in my career as a scout is the Bronx. Sure, I’ve
The Apartment Building In the Shadow of Yankee Stadium
For the past five months, I’ve been working on a movie shooting exclusively in the Bronx, and almost every day,
The Strangest Neighborhood In New York City
Last week, I was driving around in a southeastern area of the Bronx… …when the road I was following came
An Abandoned Stone Mansion Hiding In The Bronx
I’ve been doing a lot of scouting in the Highbridge Section of the Bronx, a neighborhood largely composed of large
How To Visit All 7 Continents On The Island Of Manhattan
Where did Scouting NY go on vacation? The American Museum of Natural History, of course! Of all New York’s museums,
Contest! Where Did Scout Go On Vacation?
I have a confession to make: about a year ago, I was ready to leave New York. For some reason,
The 1930s Bus Station Hidden In A Times Square Hotel
The other day, I received an email asking if a bus station, dating to the 1930s, still existed at the
Was This Midtown Hardware Store Once A Theater?
So here’s a mystery. A few months ago, I got an email from reader Matthew J. advising me to check
Where New York City Begins
One of my favorite ways to drive into New York is via Jerome Avenue in the Bronx. As you head
Live Q&A on Gizmodo
Hey everyone – At 10:30 am today, I’ll be doing a live Q&A session on Gizmodo! Feel free to ask
The Ruins of Old Union Square
A couple of weeks ago, I was taking pictures in Union Square for my article on The Warriors filming locations,
How A Beautiful 19th-Century Marble Archway In Manhattan Became An Auto Body Shop
The other day, I was driving up Broadway toward the northern tip of Manhattan when something caught my eye off
A Rare Time Machine Sighting In The Bronx
In my 7+ years of scouting in New York City, I’ve only seen a handful of time machines. They’re just
Google Map of The Warriors Filming Locations
To cap off The Warriors week on Scouting NY, here’s a map of all known filming locations in New York
The New York City Filming Locations of The Warriors – Part 3
This is Part 3 of a then-and-now look at the New York City filming locations of The Warriors. Click here
The New York City Filming Locations of The Warriors – Part 2
This is Part 2 of a then-and-now look at the New York City filming locations of The Warriors. Click here
The New York City Filming Locations of The Warriors – Part 1
The Warriors never set foot in the Bronx. This might come as a surprise, seeing as how the movie revolves
Why I Love Scouting Apartment Lobbies In The Bronx
I’ll never forget the first time I walked into an art deco apartment building in the Bronx. I was taking
How To Ride The El Tracks Like A Boss
Haha, this guy knows how to roll: Testing out the new Greenwich Street El, circa 1870. -SCOUT
Is This The Weirdest House In New York City?
I’ve been doing a lot of scouting in the Bronx recently, which is great because it’s the borough I know
Is This Sign Really Necessary?
Saw this in a Bronx apartment building: I love the idea that so many people were riding outside of the
At The Corner of Ampere & Ohm In The Bronx (Yes, This Intersection Actually Exists!)
Ha, OK, this is the strangest thing. Last week, I was driving around the east side of the Bronx when
How To Turn Your House Into A Castle
Last week, I was scouting around the Bronx’s Country Club neighborhood, when I happened to turn down Clarence Ave, a
A Ghost Railway Line In The Bronx
Last week, I was scouting for woodland trails, which brought me up to Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. I’d
The Creepy Book-Reading Gargoyle at West 181st Street
I was waiting at a light yesterday at the corner of 181st and Fort Washington Ave, when I happened to
Memories From An Insane Asylum: Stories From Rockland County Psychiatric Center
Two years ago, I wrote a post about Rockland County Psychiatric Center, an abandoned insane asylum complex that is easily
Gone Forever: The Ghost House In Queens
In June ’11, I wrote about one of my favorite “haunted house”-like properties in New York City, a dilapidated yet
The Little Townhouse In The Shadow Of 30 Rock
Last week, I was scouting office space in midtown, and I stopped by one of my favorite buildings on Sixth
A Haunted Mansion In The Bronx
This is why I love scouting the Bronx. Because you’ll be driving down a street lined with typical Bronx apartment
Where To Buy Your Next Pair Of Pants
That is actually the name of this store: Seen in the Bronx. -SCOUT
The Filming Locations of Eyes Wide Shut
I happened to read an article about the new documentary Room 237, which delves into the wild conspiracy theories people
The Fanciest Diner In New York: The Polish Tea Room of Times Square
Some time ago, I was meeting up with some friends to eat in Times Square, and they suggested we go
The 145-Year-Old NYC Gas Station That Started Out As A Blacksmith Shop
Last week, I spent a few days scouting the College Point neighborhood of Queens. As I drove down 15th Ave,
Stumbling On The Abandoned Ruins Of King Zog’s Long Island Estate
I’ve recently been scouting around the Syosset area of Long Island, and have frequently found myself driving north on 106.
The Forest In The Hills
This past fall, my fiancee and I went to Europe. Among our many stops, we visited this really charming medieval
Love & Sex on the Upper West Side: The Filming Locations of The Apartment
Billy Wilder’s The Apartment is my all-time favorite romantic comedy set in New York City (sorry, Harry and Sally!). If
The Best Hospital Ever
A few weeks ago, I was scouting a long defunct hospital when I noticed a whiteboard that still had doctors’
But Do They Have Bookworms?
I was scouting a nice event space recently when I saw something unusual on the mantle… Plants growing out of
The Little Greenhouse Across From The Cemetery
Last Saturday, I had the always enjoyable task of going to Time Warner Brooklyn, where I waited for an hour
Stopping By Archie Bunker’s House in Queens
Last week, I was scouting in the Middle Village/Glendale area of Queens when I realized I was close to an
The Queens Movie Theater You Will Not Believe – Scouting The Valencia Movie Palace
Last week, I was scouting on Jamaica Ave when I noticed a movie-theater-turned-church up the block. This is pretty common
Want To Take A Trip To 1940s New York? Step Into Mishkin’s Drug Store
UPDATE: This is now gone. Last week, I was scouting around 145th Street at night, which gave me the perfect
Why Everyone Films At The Same Damn New York Chinese Restaurant
So the other day, I finally saw Men In Black III, and there was one location that stood out: Located
Is That A Woman Holding A Decapitated Head on the New York Public Library?
The other day, I was scouting the steps of the New York Public Library main branch. I’ve had to do
Finding “The Shining” in New York City
Last week, I was scouting an empty townhouse on the Upper East Side. I turned into a room on the
NYC Holiday Shopping Suggestion: The Compleat Strategist
If this is your idea of a board game… …you really, really need to take a trip to one of
A Secret World on the Upper West Side: A Trip Down Pomander Walk
When you first turn onto West 95th Street from Broadway, it seems like pretty much any Upper West Side block:
New York Noir: The Filming Locations of Pickup on South Street (NY, You’ve Changed)
The other day, a Netflix movie showed up in my mail that, for the life of me, I couldn’t remember
And To Think That I Saw Bees On Mulberry Street
I was just going through an old hard drive when I came across some pictures of one of the odder
Escape From New York: Roadtrip Pennsylvania!
Looking to get out of the city, but not sure where to go? I’m a big fan of mini-roadtripping outside
Stumbling Upon An Underground River In Manhattan
For the longest time, I’ve been fascinated by the fact that underground rivers are said to flow deep below Manhattan,
The Complete Guide To New York City Horror Movies
Frankenstorm threatening to ruin your Halloween this year? No problem! Why not stay in, pop some corn, turn off the
Something Wicked To Bleecker Street Comes
Every October, I make it a point to take a walk down Bleecker Street and check out the Ralph Lauren
The Smallest Graveyard In Manhattan
One of my favorite cemeteries in New York is so small, I must have walked by it dozens of times
Where Did Half Of This House Go?
I was driving with my fiancee to visit Stony Kill Falls, a gorgeous waterfall a couple hours north of the
The 200-Year-Old Hotel On East 61st Street
I was walking around East 60th Street and 1st Avenue when I suddenly realized I’ve rarely explored this area of
The Filming Locations of North By Northwest, Part 2 – New York, You’ve Changed
“New York, You’ve Changed” is a Scouting NY feature in which the New York depicted in classic movies is compared
The Complete NY Filming Locations of North By Northwest
North By Northwest spends only one-third of its 2 hour 16 minute running time in New York. So why devote
The Last Dirt Road In Manhattan
The other day, I was out scouting alleys, and decided to take a walk up to Broadway Alley, which runs
Planes, Trains and Owls: Art Deco Awesomeness at 20 Exchange Place
Last week, I took a trip down to the Financial District to scout 20 Exchange Place, a building you’ve almost
The Adventure of Travel
In my post on Bloomingdale’s Le Train Blue restaurant, I mentioned how much I love old travel advertising. To me,
The Secret Train Car in Bloomingdale’s
The other day, I was searching for restaurants around midtown when something came up on my phone that seemed too
An Open Letter To Express: Will You Help Save A Times Square Treasure?
Dear Express, The other day, I was walking through Times Square and discovered you are signed on to be the
A Golden Elevator In Prospect Park South
I always enjoy scouting apartment buildings around the Prospect Park South area. They don’t look especially interesting from the outside…
The Floating Farmhouse on East 29th Street
The other day, I was scouting on Third Avenue when I noticed something on East 29th Street… …Was that a
The Secret Pool In The Woolworth Building
Recently, I had the pleasure of scouting the Woolworth Building, which, as far as I’m concerned, is as close as
Is This George Jetson’s New York City Apartment??
The other day, I was scouting a midtown office space with some pretty great views. As I was taking pictures,
The Long Death of the Sad Little Diner On West Street
One of my favorite diners in New York is so small, you could literally blink and miss it while driving
A Surprise In The Freight Entrance
Last Friday, I was walking down West 37th Street off of Eight Avenue when I happened to pass by this
The Filming Locations of Annie Hall, Part 2 – New York, You’ve Changed
“New York, You’ve Changed” is a Scouting NY feature in which the New York depicted in classic movies is compared
The Filming Locations of Annie Hall, Part 1 – New York, You’ve Changed
“New York, You’ve Changed” is a Scouting NY feature in which the New York depicted in classic movies is compared
The Brooklyn Car Dealership Caught In A Time Warp
Updated with car models and years, thanks to diligent Scouting NY readers! Let me know if I got any wrong!
Bringing Chicago to New York: How To Make Great Deep Dish Pizza At Home
A few years ago, I went to Chicago for the first time and fell in love with deep dish pizza.
The Skinniest Store in Manhattan?
Last week, I was scouting around the Upper West Side when I noticed something nestled in the miniscule gap between
Kermit The Frog In Queens
So I’ve been scouting rooftops in Queens recently. Quick question: am I nuts… …or does it look like this lawn
The Saddest House In New York City
This is the story of a little house in Queens that broke my heart.
The Most Impressive Party Boat In Florida: A Trip To Vizcaya
Though we were fighting the clock to get to Orlando for our flight back to NY, we made sure to
Abandoned On A Desert Island: A Trip To Dry Tortugas
Back to the New York stuff next Monday, but I wanted to close my series of road trip posts with
Key West
We started off our day in Key West on Duval Street, the main drag… …and immediately saw a rooster nearly
The Most Unlikely Highway in America
I was really excited for today’s 97 mile drive from Key Largo to Key West, because it would take us
Coral Castles, The Everglades, Robert Is Here, and Bogie in Key Largo
We sat in the car eating our lunches while watching the exploded van burn across the street. This got more
The Oldest Building In The Western Hemisphere Is In North Miami Beach
Today, our goal was to make it to Key Largo, and I was excited. For the first time, we’d be
Back In Time In South Beach
We took off for Miami via the Turnpike – unfortunately, not the prettiest drive… A lot of people (including Vanilla
The Best Sandwich in the Universe, Plus Gatorland, Orange World, & Other Orlando Tidbits
Before I get to our other Orlando stops, I need to make a quick mention of one of the all
What Happened To Tomorrowland? (Plus A Quick Trip To Mount Everest)
On Saturday, after a 29 hour flight, my girlfriend and I landed in Tibet for our long-awaited vacation. And despite