A 1920s Hotel Lobby Hidden In An Upper West Side Apartment Building
Some time ago, I was scouting Upper West Side lobbies when I came to the apartment building at 253 W […]
A Peek Inside The World’s Largest Armory
There is nothing more seemingly antithetical to New York than its armories. In a city where every building strains toward
Drying Your Clothes The Old (Old!) Fashioned Way on the Upper West Side
This past weekend, I was scouting one of those gargantuan pre-war beauties along Riverside Drive. While in the basement, I
There’s A Private Island Home Off The Coast of New York City
A few months ago, I had to charter a boat to take scout pictures of Davids Island, located in Long
There’s A 200-Year-Old Haunted Well In This Soho Clothing Store
Last month, COS (H&M’s sister brand) opened a store at 129 Spring Street in Soho, and it’s definitely worth checking
Rattlesnakes and Buffalo on the Upper West Side: A Southwestern Art Deco Masterpiece
Last week, I was taking pictures of the bridge over 96th Street on Riverside Drive… …when a detail caught my
A Mental Asylum Cemetery Hidden In The Woods
On Call Hollow Road, in the Pomona/Stony Point area about 25 miles north of the city, there is a trail
Century-Old Steampunk Hiding In A Hospital Basement
Last week, I was scouting a hospital basement for interesting spaces when I happened to notice something lurking in one
Visit The Abandoned Ellis Island Hospital While You Can!
One of my all-time, hands-down, most favorite places to explore in New York City is the abandoned hospital complex on
The Largest Pizzeria In The United States Is In A 19th Century Times Square Church
When you first come to Eighth Avenue between 43rd & 44th, it appears to be nothing more than a strip
What Will Happen To Times Sq’s Historic Embassy Theater?
Last year, I wrote a post encouraging everyone to visit the Times Square Visitor Center, regardless of whether you were
The Hidden Courtyard At The Plaza Hotel
A few months ago, I was scouting some apartments in the Plaza Hotel when my guide asked if I wanted
How To Visit New York’s Nuclear Lake (Yes, This Exists)
A few weeks ago, I was using Google Maps to search for lakes north of the city. Most seemed to
Inside the Paramount Theatre, Shuttered For Over 25 Years
Whenever I drive down Bay Street in Staten Island… …I always wonder about the boarded-up movie theater between Union and
Searching For An Underground River in Morningside Heights
About a year ago, I got a letter from a reader about an underground river hidden somewhere in Morningside Heights:
A Trip To Execution Rocks: New York’s Most Unusual B&B
Over the past week, I’ve been scouting for islands around New York City, easily one of the more fun scouting
The Incredible Secret of the Pool at the Hotel St. George
On Monday, I wrote an article about the Hotel St. George’s former pool and my attempts to find any hidden
Searching for the Lost Pool at the Hotel St. George
A few months ago, I was researching Brooklyn’s Hotel St. George for my article on The Godfather’s shooting locations… …and
A Visit To The Daily Planet
A few weeks ago, I was scouting office spaces during a particularly ugly snowstorm, and found myself heading to an
A Very Unusual Marriage Proposal in Queens
For the past week, I’ve been searching meticulously through Google Maps satellite view for a particular style of rooftop, and
NYC Holiday Shopping Suggestion: Fantasma Magic
This year’s holiday shopping suggestion is one of my favorite stores in New York, and I highly recommend a visit
There’s A Subway Car Inside This Manhattan Office
Last week, I was scouting some studio spaces in a Chelsea office building when I happened to notice a vacant
Scouting The Remains of Brooklyn’s Incredible Paramount Movie Theatre
In my travels through the city, I’ve driven down the northern end of Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn roughly eight billion
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
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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:
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 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
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
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 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
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 Most Beautiful McDonald’s In America
Last week, I was out in Long Island scouting around Jericho Turnpike, which, if you’ve never had the pleasure of
Hidden Treasures In A Brooklyn Public School (Including The Coolest Stained Glass Window Ever!)
Today (Monday) is the FINAL DAY to vote for a Partners in Preservation site! Click here to vote now –
Exploring Hangar B, Where Dying Airplanes Return To Life
This article was produced in participation with the Partners in Preservation program, which will be awarding $3 million in grants
Woolworth’s Insane Egyptian Temple Mausoleum (And A Few Others)
As I was exploring New York City’s cemeteries for my recent article on the Titanic, I ended up shooting a
Holy Crap! There’s An Outhouse In New York City!
Last week, I was out scouting a semi-abandoned farmhouse in the outer boroughs dating to the early 1900s. After touring
Sniffin’ Around Sniffen Court
The best way to encounter Sniffen Court is to stumble upon it by accident…which is exactly what I did the
The Secret of Building B: Scouting Brooklyn’s Incredible Atrium Train Station
Standing outside the Brooklyn Army Terminal’s “Building B,” you might assume it to be just another of the many warehouses
An Art Deco Masterpiece in the Bronx
Right before Christmas, I was scouting up along Grand Concourse in the Bronx near 166th Street, where you find a
Happy Holidays From Bellevue Hospital
The old Administration Building at Bellevue Hospital, America’s oldest public hospital, is one of my favorite buildings in New York
Puzzler Answer! Where Is This Photogenic NY Lake?
Director: I need an upstate New York lake. Foliage. Picturesque, secluded, quiet, and NO city buildings on the horizon. Producer:
The Most Amazing Room In Queens
Last week, I went the New York Hall of Science in Queens to take some scout pictures, my first time
The Ghost of Spring Street
Though Manhattan Bistro might seem like your typical Soho eatery, hidden beneath its dining room lies a secret…
The Creepiest Statue in New York City
The other day, I was scouting the old Customs House building when I suddenly got the feeling I was being
Awesome Art Deco WPA Painting Hidden in a NYC Post Office
Last year for Open House NY (happening soon – get your tickets now!), I wrote about the 8th Avenue Post
The Coolest Elevator in New York
Last week, I was scouting office space in a building in Queens. My guide brought me to this totally unassuming
How To Leave New York via 1940: Scouting LaGuardia’s Marine Air Terminal
If you ever want to experience what flying was like in the 1940’s, simply take a trip to the Marine
Sylvan Terrace: A Hidden Gem In Washington Heights
Last week, I was scouting up in Washington Heights and found myself heading south down Amsterdam. As I was walking,
Back In Time At The Catalina Beach Club
If you’ve ever dreamed of going back in time, forget the DeLorean and simply drive out to Atlantic Beach to
How To Land A Plane On A New York City Skyscraper
For over 40 years, a mysterious World War I fighter plane perched on the roof at 77 Water Street has
Exploring An Empty Hundred-Year-Old McKim, Mead & White Mansion
Last fall, I was scouting Westchester for period upscale homes when I happened to find a gem, located far back
The Incredible Aztec Theater Hidden in Queens
One of my all time favorite theaters isn’t located in Times Square, or even Manhattan. To find it, you have
After Hours At An Amusement Park: Exploring Rye Playland In The Dark
It’s after hours at the amusement park. The rides have all been shut down. Everyone’s gone home. The ticket windows
From The Hundred Acre Wood To Midtown – Winnie The Pooh in New York
To see one of the most important exhibits at the New York Public Library, skip the main entrance… …and take
New York City Firehouse Actually Has A Pet Dalmatian!
I was driving down Houston the other day when a firetruck raced by, sirens blazing… Nothing unusual about that. But,
The Sideways Library
When is a bookcase not a bookcase? When it’s the floor… ..and ceiling and walls to D’Espresso cafe at 317
The Last Arcade in Chinatown – A Trip To Chinatown Fair
Note: Chinatown Fair closed for good about two weeks after I posted this article. It’s in Chinatown, and it’s best
Fancy Water Fountains In A NY Public School
I love scouting turn of the century public schools in New York because you find all these neat little details
NYC Subway Now Takes You Around The World
On my way out of the city for Christmas, I had to take the Shuttle train to Times Square, and
Houdini’s Final Vanishing Act in Queens
Cypress Hills Street might as well be called the Graveyard Highway. A wide, four-lane thruway located in Glendale, Queens, it
The View From An A-Lister’s Hotel Room
Bonus points if you can guess the hotel without looking at a map! Paid for by the same studio that
A Secret in the Walls
A great day is getting to scout an empty 19th century mansion… …and coming across a secret wall panel! A
On Top of An Old Elevator
The other day, while scouting a rooftop, my guide took me through an old elevator room and showed me the
This Guy Has His Own East Village Cube!
For the past few weeks, I’ve been scouting north of the city in the White Plains/Harrison area. The other day,
Pirate Treasure at Dungeon Rock
During the Thanksgiving break this year, I took some time to visit the Lynn Woods in Lynn Massachusetts, a beautiful
Williamsburg’s Secret Beach
Though it borders the East River, no one really thinks of Williamsburg as a beachside community. But go behind some
In Search of Ichabod Crane
At the corner of Richmond Ave and Amsterdam Place on Staten Island… …is a decaying graveyard known as New Springville
Magic In An Old Vacuum Bag Factory – The World of Tom Otterness
Down among the industrial warehouses in Gowanus… …bordering on the canal… …is an old vacuum cleaner bag factory. Today, there’s
The Prettiest Cab Stand In New York
I swear I’ve gone by the Yakuel cab stand on 12th Street and the Queensboro Bridge a million times without
The Most Famous Classroom In New York City
If you believe Hollywood, every single college lecture hall in New York City looks like the one below: Rows of
Inside The Fletcher Mansion on Fifth Avenue
If you’ve ever been annoyed at the fact that most of Fifth Avenue’s mansions probably don’t want you knocking at
Awesome NY Souvenir Map From The 50’s
This past Christmas, my aunt gave me a really neat gift she found in storage. Apparently, my grandmother took a
Scouting A Crypt
Nothing beats days when you’re asked to scout something as unusual as a crypt. Though you’d expect location scouting would
A Secret Courtyard Just Blocks From Times Square
I was walking down West 46th Street in Hell’s Kitchen recently when I noticed a break in the buildings… Most
Inside the Clocktower
When it was completed in 1909, the original Met-Life headquarters at 5 Madison Ave was the tallest building in the
The 1920s Movie Theater Hidden In A Rite Aid
Don’t let the squat little Rite Aid storefront on Manhattan Ave in Greenpoint fool you… It has a big history.
Where Racquetballs Go To Die
I’ve been scouting warehouse rooftops in Brooklyn on the East River recently. Though this one in Greenpoint has a pretty
The Annunciator Box
A few weeks ago, I was working on a shoot in an amazing 100+ year-old mansion in Long Island. In
Stumbling On A Prohibition-Era Bowling Alley Speak-Easy
I received a very unexpected email last week asking if I’d like to check out a hidden prohibition-era bowling alley in
The Hidden Cemetery on Second Avenue
I must have walked past the entrance to Marble Cemetery on Second Ave (btw. 2nd & 3rd Sts.) countless times
They Don’t Make ‘Em Like They Used To
It’s amazing what you find still working in old houses in New York City. It blows my mind that this
Frenchie’s Gym – Not Your Local Crunch
Hidden on the second floor of this building adjacent to the JMZ elevated train line in South Williamsburg is Frenchie’s
What Happened To This Williamsburg Cemetery?
The two square blocks bordered by Union and Lorimer Aves. and Devoe and Powers Sts. in Williamsburg are as pleasant
The Hidden Owl at Columbia University
One of the most beautiful and pleasant places in the city is the campus of Columbia University. It is simply
The River Below Fifth Avenue
One of the things that absolutely fascinates me about Manhattan is the idea that streams and rivers that once flowed
A (Bath)Room With A View
It probably goes without saying that this is quite the view to have while taking a bath (or sitting on
Clean Hands Protect Health!
This was painted on the tile wall of a kitchen that probably hasn’t been used in about 60 years: I
Grove Street Surprise
I love being surprised by the city. Living in New York, you somehow adopt a jaded attitude that you’ve seen