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 full tour coming soon! -SCOUT
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 machinery, which he said mostly dates back to the 1920’s. I’m always amazed when such old technology is still in working use today… But my favorite bit was this panel, which looks almost steampunkish in…
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, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye while driving… …peeking through the trees… The East Village Cube! On some guy’s lawn! If you’ve never been to NY, the iconic Astor Place Cube…
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 nature reservation encompassing lakes, swamps, rock formations, a small mountain, endless woodland… …and, according to legend, a pirate treasure that has been buried for centuries. Growing up near Lynn, I’d always heard the stories about…
Williamsburg’s Secret Beach
Though it borders the East River, no one really thinks of Williamsburg as a beachside community. But go behind some of the buildings on Kent Ave, climb down this rickety ladder taking care not to kill yourself on the rocks below… …and you’ll find that Williamsburg does indeed have its own beach! Sure, it’s not…
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 Cemetery: The deteriorating fence alone gives a pretty good indication of what awaits inside: The first section of the cemetery is in decent shape… As you make your way back, however, you soon come across…
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 something very special going on inside: This is the studio of artist Tom Otterness. Even if you don’t know the name, you’ve almost certainly run into Otterness’s sculptures on the streets of New York (or…
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 ever looking inside. Other than the bright new paint job and the nice potted plants, it really doesn’t seem any different from most cab stands in this area of Queens. Except, the plants outside… …are…
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 individual wooden desks and tiered seating… …an enormous wood-framed green chalkboard with sliding panels for additional writing space… …a wood-paneled front desk for the lecturer… …and even one of those little doors that swings back…
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 their front door, do yourself a favor and check out one most don’t realize is open to the public: the Ukrainian Institute at the corner of 79th Street and Fifth Ave, built in 1899 as…