The New York Minute Show

Columbus Circle On A Summer Day

Rob Safuto — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 12:33:52 +0000

This is a view of Columbus Circle at the southwest corner of Central Park on a summer day.

Buon Italia At Chelsea Market

Rob Safuto — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:04:37 +0000

A walk through Buon Italia with Chef Mark. Buon Italia is an Italian food store located in Chelsea Market.

Sammy’s Romanian Steak House

Rob Safuto — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 18:42:58 +0000

Sammy’s is on the Lower East Side at 157 Chrystie Street New York, NY 10002.

New York Minute Show On Hiatus

Rob Safuto — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:50:39 +0000

The blog and podcast has been silent for awhile now so it’s time that I got my act together and provided an update to the many wonderful people who subscribe and stop by the site. Don’t expect any new content on The New York Minute Show anytime soon.

I really love producing this blog but circumstances make it impossible to keep up with right now. When I started blogging and podcasting here way back in 2005 my first child was yet to be born and I was living on the doorstep of the city. Times have changed. I’m living further from the city, have two children and am also going to graduate school at night. That all adds up to little opportunity to do something interesting and no time to post updates. So that’s the bad news.

The good news is that I’m leaving the site up. So if you’re new to the site by all means explore the content. There’s a lot of good stuff here. More good news is that I am maintaining the site and domain because I know the day will come when I can get back into it again. There’s more good news in that people can feel free to leave comments here, as I will be watching the posts or email me at rob[at]newyorkminuteshow.com with any questions. I can’t promise the best answer but I’ll always do my best to help.

Finally, I am completely open to guest posts by bloggers and podcasters who know a thing or two about New York City and have something to share. If you’re one of those potential bloggers think of it as a great way to promote your own site. As long as the content is relevant and helps my audience I’m glad to include it here. Just email me to get started.

Thank you all and have a great holiday season.

Free Bon Jovi Concert In Central Park

Rob Safuto — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:00:16 +0000

In an event that will likely vie with the Billy Joel concerts at Shea Stadium for the title of biggest summer event, Bon Jovi will play a free concert in Central Park. The concert will take play on July 12th at 8PM.

According to the official announcement on MLB.com, “No more than 60,000 fans will be allowed to attend the event, which Bloomberg said he hoped would be the largest concert in the history of Central Park’s Great Lawn.”

Concert goers must have a ticket to attend the event. Tickets will be distributed starting at 9AM on July 2nd at four locations throughout the city. This is going to be a super hot ticket so you might as well start camping out now if you want to pick some up.

Ticket Distribution Outlets

Bronx:
Yankee Stadium
E 161st St. & River Ave., Bronx, NY 10451
Queens:
Shea Stadium
12301 Roosevelt Ave., Flushing, NY 11368
Staten Island:
Home of the Staten Island Yankees
75 Richmond Ter., Staten Island, NY 10301
Brooklyn:
KeySpan Park
1904 Surf Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11224

Crazy Pizza Guys

Rob Safuto — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:26:48 +0000

Back by popular demand. This is the tale of an unassuming gentleman who just wants one slice of pizza. Unfortunately a pair of crazy pizza guys have other ideas.

New York City Waterfalls

Rob Safuto — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:38:14 +0000

Waterfalls are coming to New York City. This is likely to be the biggest city attraction in the summer of 2008. A series of waterfalls are being installed in the East River at the following locations:

The Brooklyn Anchorage of the Brooklyn Bridge;
Between Piers 4 and 5 in Brooklyn Heights;
Lower Manhattan at Pier 35 (north of Manhattan Bridge);
The North Shore of Governors Island.

The falls will be on display from June 26th to October 13th, 2008. You can get a good view of the spectacle by taking either the Staten Island or Governors Island ferries. Both ferries are free so the experience will be light on the pocket book.

The project was designed by Olafur Eliasson and is being financed by the Public Art Fund. More information and photos are available at http://nycwaterfalls.org and via the press release.

Walking From Manhattan To Brooklyn And Back

Rob Safuto — Sun, 04 May 2008 16:03:39 +0000

Henry from Poland sent me a question about my recent Brooklyn Bridge video.

I liked the post about the Brooklyn Bridge trip. It also made me think of a question to you. Is it possible to make a walking trip, crossing Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan, walk up to Manhattan Bridge (my map shows it’s only a few blocks) and come back to the Manhattan borough using Manhattan Bridge.

You can most definitely do this. In fact, when you are walking across the Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn you see a sign for the Manhattan Bridge walking path as well. Based on the map below I estimate the distance of the trip to be about 2.5 miles, assuming your starting point is at City Hall in Manhattan.

Video – George Washington Bridge

Rob Safuto — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 01:57:58 +0000

This is a video of the George Washington Bridge. It was taken from inside an Amtrak train heading south. The combo of the bridge, the sun and the Hudson River makes for a really nice setting I think.

Video – Walking Over The Brooklyn Bridge

Rob Safuto — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:36:47 +0000

I walked over the Brooklyn Bridge this past weekend. It was a great experience. A Brooklyn Bridge walk is one of the great free attractions in New York City.

View The Video

YouTube Video

Download The Video

Quicktime/iTunes/iPod Video (right click and ’save as’)

New York Minute Show #76

Rob Safuto — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 16:58:15 +0000

Join me on a soundseeing tour across downtown Manhattan. I start at City Hall Park and make my way up into Tribeca. After a break in the action I get started up again in Greenwich Village.

Tour Map

Download audio file (PodcastNYC-NYM-76.mp3)

Listen Now

Download

MP3 File (right click and “save as”)

Brooklyn Bridge Walk

Rob Safuto — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 11:55:39 +0000

A quick audio blog post captured while walking over the Brooklyn Bridge.

Around The Corner With Ralph Lauren

Rob Safuto — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:24:15 +0000

Ralph Lauren is producing a video series called Around The Corner which aims to provide some insider info on various destinations. The video embedded below shows a young lady stopping by a vegan bakery, a barber shop and a Mexican Cuban restaurant. These spots were all new to me so it’s worth taking a look.

In other news. I will be out and about in the city this weekend with video camera in hand. I hope to capture a couple of short videos to share with you here really soon.

The Seasons Of Central Park

Rob Safuto — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 23:29:15 +0000

My good friend Dave Rimington is working on a very nice gallery of photos from Central Park that I just had to share with you. You can view the original gallery at full size here.

Lodging Near The City and U.S. Open Tickets

Rob Safuto — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:27:56 +0000

A couple of good questions from Ray in United Kingdom.

To try and keep down the cost, we are considering staying outside of the main island and traveling in and I wondered what your thoughts of this are? Is it worth it to save decent money or should we just bite he bullet and make the most of our few days?

It really depends on what deals you are able to find within a decent proximity to the city. Some people stay over in Secaucus, NJ which is about fifteen minutes by bus to Manhattan with a little traffic. To the north of the city there is a Residence Inn by Marriott in White Plains that offers rooms with kitchens and is a couple of minutes walk from the Metro-North train into Grand Central Station. The ride is about thirty to forty minutes.

There are some other options in Queens as well if you stay at a hotel near La Guardia airport. The ambiance isn’t that great though and public transport from there is limited. The Best Western City View hotel in Long Island City might be a good option as well. It is close to Manhattan and is about half a mile from the Number 7 train into Manhattan. Take a look at Jersey City hotels as well. There is convenient access to lower Manhattan from there via the PATH train system.

I would advise that you shop around and see if the prices you find are considerably less that the deals available in Manhattan hotels. I would compare the outlying hotels with ones in Manhattan that are outside of the Midtown hot zone, especially avoiding from Times Square up to Central Park. Once you have a comparison that includes the lesser price hotels in Manhattan you can start to figure out if the travel time and cost will be worth it.

In general, I’d recommend staying someplace where you can catch a train into town, rather than relying on the buses. Bus service to outer areas can take a long time if there is traffic and might not run as frequently as the Metro-North or New York City subway trains.

We will also catch the start of the US Open Tennis and again wondered if you had any particular tips for getting tickets/visiting to see the stars in action.

The U.S. Open is a great sporting event. I’ve attended several times and always enjoy it. I believe that tickets for the event go on sale in May or June. You can typically buy them online via Ticketmaster. You can set up an alert on the Ticketmaster site to remind you of the on sale date. My advice is to know the date when tickets go on sale and be online and ready to buy at the time when the tickets go on sale. They do go fast! I remember that they have special early on-sale dates for American Express credit card holders. So keep an eye out for that if you happen to have one of those cards.

If you want to be able to relax and mingle with the players I recommend going for a day session early in the tournament. There are a lot of matches going on at that time. There are certainly a lot more players around. And during the day it’s easier to recognize the different tennis pros and personalities walking the grounds there.

Video – Central Park Carousel

Rob Safuto — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:54:43 +0000

On a warm summer day last August the family went to Central Park and our daughter got to experience the lovely and classic Central Park Carousel. The carousel in Central Park is a real fun experience for both kids and adults.

Ramble Through New York City

Rob Safuto — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:58:27 +0000

Fellow New York City podcaster Frank Nora has started a series of videos that he calls InRamble. Frank gives some nice, short glimpses of the city in his videos. In the clip below he gives you a view of Times Square.

In another recent episode Frank gives you a glimpse of his ride on a subway train.

Trata Estiatorio Restaurant Review

Rob Safuto — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 06:43:41 +0000

Another video blogger that I follow has posted a review of a Manhattan restaurant called Trata Estiatorio. Trata Estiatorio is a seafood restaurant on the Upper East Side. Looks like a good place to get a bite to eat.

View The Video

Video – Meatpacking District and Apple Store

Rob Safuto — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 20:57:16 +0000

In this video I take a look at an area of Manhattan known as the Meatpacking District. I take a closer look at the Hotel Gansevoort and then head up to the new Apple Store on the corner of 14th St. and 9th Ave.

Download audio file (PodcastNYC-NYM-75.mp3)

Video – Hotel Gansevoort

Rob Safuto — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 17:58:55 +0000

The Hotel Gansevoort is a very hip place in a very hot location. Rooms are sure to be priced accordingly.

The Gansevoort Hotel from Rob Safuto on Vimeo.

Video – Meatpacking District

Rob Safuto — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 18:48:12 +0000

I took a stroll for some holiday shopping in the Meatpacking District of New York City yesterday. I took this video clip at 9th Avenue and Little West 12th St. Things have changed a bit since I made a stop there for an earlier podcast. A new building is up. And there are new restaurants. Not too far away form where this was shot there is a new Apple Store at the corner of 14th St. and 9th Ave.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.

NYC Meatpacking District from Rob Safuto on Vimeo.

New York Minute Show #75

Rob Safuto — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 18:31:14 +0000

We take a look at New York City ice skating rinks on this episode.

The Rink at Rockefeller Center
The Pond at Bryant Park
Wollman Rink in Central Park
Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers
Kate Wollman Rink – Prospect Park
World’s Fair Ice Skating Rink – Flushing Meadow Park
Parks Department Ice Skating Rinks

Music by Orange Park.

Listen Now

Video – Main Post Office

Rob Safuto — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:31:05 +0000

I was walking to Pennsylvania Station the other day and noticed that the scaffolding had come down from the main branch of the post office in New York. So I stopped for a few moments and took a video.

Madison Square Garden

Rob Safuto — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 22:09:38 +0000

Madison Square Garden bills itself as the world’s greatest arena. I’m sure that assertion could start a good argument. There’s no denying that MSG is a top shelf venue. Bands know they’ve made it to the big time when they sell out at The Garden. For bands like The Police selling out MSG is easy.

I’ve seen many great shows at The Garden including, Billy Joel, Billy Joel & Elton John, The Who (giving away my age here) U2, and now The Police. Here’s a clip from the show last night. If you come to New York City I definitely recommend seeing a music show at MSG if at all possible.

Video – Sea Lions At Central Park Zoo

Rob Safuto — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 02:38:54 +0000

Spend a few minutes with the sea lions at the Central Park Zoo. They have twice-a-day feedings at the pool in the middle of the zoo. The crowds can get large, especially in the summer when the weather is warm and the kids are off from school.

Download audio file (PodcastNYC-NYM-74.mp3)

New York Minute Show #74

Rob Safuto — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:45:44 +0000

Let’s call this podcast the taxi-cast. In this podcast I give some critical tips on hailing a taxi cab in New York City. See my hailing a taxi faq at New York Is My Kind Of Town as well.

Includes music by Natalie Gelman and a shout to the Regional Music Show.

Listen Now

Video – Columbus Circle

Rob Safuto — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 15:25:33 +0000

A quick look at Columbus Circle at 59th Street and 8th Avenue in New York City. Columbus Circle has a nice fountain and stands at the gateway to Central Park and the Upper West Side.

Click To Play

Download audio file (PodcastNYC-NYM-73.mp3)

New York Minute #73

Rob Safuto — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 20:01:08 +0000

Talking about things to see and do around 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan.

Show Links
Columbus Circle
Angelo’s Pizza
Time Warner Center
Buckingham Hotel
Holiday Inn Midtown
Le Parker Meridien
Ritz Carlton Central Park

Listen Now

Download audio file (PodcastNYC-NYM-73.mp3)

Video – Chelsea Market Walk

Rob Safuto — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:28:25 +0000

This is a shorter (and larger resolution) version of a tour we’ve previously released on Chelsea Market in New York City. Chef Mark Tafoya acts as a guide walking through this wonderful market located at 9th Avenue and 15th Street in New York City.

Click To Play

Video – Grand Central Terminal

Rob Safuto — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:51:13 +0000

Please join me on a walk through the main hall at Grand Central Terminal.

Click To Play

New York Is My Kind Of Town

Rob Safuto — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 19:12:04 +0000

We’d all love for things to stay the same in this life. Unfortunately they rarely do, especially on the web. That can be a good thing though.

I’m announcing via the blog, and soon via the podcasts, that I’m going to let The New York Minute Show go dormant while I focus on another project. The site will stay as is. I will still moderate comments and leave all files and feeds available as usual. There just won’t be any new content.

The good news is that the mission continues. I’ve decided to heed the same advice that I give to many others and focus. Lucky for you the focus will continue to be on New York City.

My mission is a simple one. Transfer my knowledge and passion for the city over to you. The new destination I’ve been working on is over at http://www.newyorkismykindoftown.com. I’m not finished with the branding yet but the guts of the site is in place. Please have a look and let me know if you find it useful.

Coney Island Rockabilly Festival

Rob Safuto — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 11:44:31 +0000

I got word via email of the Coney Island Rockabilly Festival. Its happening in Coney Island from August 16th – 19th. Info here.

Video – Niagara Falls

Rob Safuto — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 13:55:09 +0000

I recently went on a trip to far Upstate New York and made a stop at Niagara Falls. Niagara Falls is about an 8 hour drive from the city.

Download audio file (PodcastNYC-NYM-72.mp3)

New York Minute #72

Rob Safuto — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 15:26:01 +0000

Join me on a walking tour of the Chelsea area in New York City. I walk from 8th Avenue and 14th Street to 8th Avenue and 33rd Street.

Listen Now

Video – Macy’s Fireworks Spectacular

Rob Safuto — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 23:14:58 +0000

This video was actually shot in 2004. I have shown a small clip of it previously but now technology has allowed me to pull the full seven minutes together into a reasonably sized file.

What you are looking at is the Macy’s Fireworks Spectacular on July 4th, 2004. This video was shot from a bridge in Greenpoint, Brooklyn looking out towards the East River. I love the fact that you can hear all the explosions. Enjoy!

Download audio file (PodcastNYC-NYM-71.mp3)

New York Minute #71

Rob Safuto — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 18:14:09 +0000

What do you do when its hot in the summer in New York City? Get wet!

City Area Beaches

Pools

Kayaking

NYC Downtown Boathouse

Music

Iroquois by HER & Kings County

Listen Now

Sky High View

Rob Safuto — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 00:19:37 +0000

This is a view of the Hudson River and New Jersey from the 40th floor of the Hearst Tower at 57th Street and 8th Avenue in New York City. You can see the outside of the building during my recent Midtown Walk video podcast.

Video – Javits Convention Center

Rob Safuto — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 16:32:09 +0000

A look at the Jacob Javits convention center on the far west side of Manhattan.

Download audio file (PodcastNYC-NYM-70.mp3)

New York Rock Benefit Jam

Rob Safuto — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 13:10:42 +0000

Video from the Blubrry Jam To Fight Cystic Fibrosis. This was a musical concert event held at the Canal Room on April 7th. Featured performers were HER & Kings County and Brother Love.

Comedy podcasters Keith and the Girl emceed the event. Jerry Cahill of the Cystic Fibrosis podcast thanked the crowd for their support. A good time was definitely had by all.

Live Acoustic Music from Natalie Gelman

Rob Safuto — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:29:24 +0000

Found this New York based musician on YouTube and just had to share her music.

New York Minute #70

Rob Safuto — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 00:02:42 +0000

Live from the west side of Manhattan. Topics on this episode include:

New York City brunch tips

Florent

B&H Photo Video store – link.
Jacob Javits Convention Center – link.
Hudson River Park – link.

Listen Now

Video – Midtown Walk

Rob Safuto — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:55:25 +0000

Without further delay please join me on a walk through Midtown Manhattan. I start at Penn Station, head north to the new New York Times building, go over to Times Square, up Broadway then make my way past the very cool Hearst building up to Columbus Circle. It’s a lovely day so I’m glad to have you along.

Download audio file (PodcastNYC-NYM-69.mp3)

A Walk Through The City

Rob Safuto — Thu, 31 May 2007 15:07:07 +0000

I took a nice walk from Penn Station, up through Times Square and then up the West Side to Columbus Circle yesterday. I had my camera with me and shot several clips along the way. So look for a video podcast on that very soon.

New York Minute Show #69

Rob Safuto — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 01:19:03 +0000

Spotlight on Tribeca on this episode of the show.

SHOW NOTES

Tribeca stands for TRIangle BElow CAnal Street.
Two nice hotels – Tribeca Grand and SOHO Grand.
Tribeca Film Festival
Canal Street and West Broadway – map.
Also check out – Show #60.
Accessibility in New York City.

Plan ahead by doing extra research.

Call the hotel.
Review major sites and events you plan to attend.

MTA Guide to Accessible Transit.

Music by The Apple Bros.

Listen Now

Technorati Tags: New York City, NYC, Travel, Podcast, Tribeca, Tribeca Film Festival, Hotels, Handicapped

Video – Grand Central Terminal

Rob Safuto — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 11:33:53 +0000

Join me on a walk through the lower level of Grand Central Terminal at 42nd St. and Park Ave. in New York City.

Upstairs you’ll find great architecture, fine dining options and bustling crowds. Downstairs you’ll find lots of more casual food options including the world famous Oyster Bar.

View The Video

Panoramic City Photos

Rob Safuto — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 20:16:27 +0000

New York Minute Show follower Andre from Germany was nice enough to send me a bunch of wonderful panoramic city shots like this one taken at Top Of The Rock looking south with the Empire State Building in view. Click here or on the photo to view the full set.

Help Support A Great Cause

Rob Safuto — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 16:02:37 +0000

We’re bringing together podcasting, a New York Charity and a New York musician for a great cause. Blubrry, Brother Love and The Boomer Esiason Foundation are teaming up to raise money to benefit the Exercise For Life Scholarship fund.

The campaign, running from March 15th to May 15th is called The Blubrry Jam To Fight Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis is a debilitating lung disease that ultimately proves fatal, cutting the life span of those afflicted to 37 years. This campaign is raising funds to help provide financial support for young people living with this disease.

You can support us by making a donation online via PayPal or by attending our musical benefit event in New York City on April 7th. The live event will be a great show and features Brother Love performing in his usual awesome style and playing songs from his new CD. Every paying entrant to the event gets a free CD.

You can find out more, make a donation and buy tickets to the live show at www.blubrryjam.com.

Thanks in advance for supporting this very worthy cause.

Video – Slush Storm In New York Area

Rob Safuto — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 03:40:47 +0000

I got caught in a wild one while attempting to travel to Atlanta this weekend. Have a look at Newark Airport and environs as the biggest storm of the winter hits just a few days before the start of spring!

View The Video

Download audio file (PodcastNYC-NYM-68.mp3)

New York Minute #68

Rob Safuto — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 02:10:04 +0000

What would you do in New York City if you were only here for a day or even just a few hours? What should you do? Listen in to hear a New Yorker’s perspective on the ultra short trip to the Big Apple.

Listen Now

New York City Taxes Are Crushing

Rob Safuto — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 15:12:57 +0000

While I try to be as much of an optimist about New York City as possible, it is important to acknowledge the drawbacks of life in NYC.

Costs for just about everything including food, housing and transportation are high. Taxes are high too. At 8.625% the sales tax in New York City is probably higher than anywhere in the country.

A new report confirms that taxes in New York City are higher than anywhere in the United States. The New York Post wrote an editorial on the topic yesterday. The news is not good.

According to their editiorial, “New York state and city taxes consumed $9.02 of every $100 earned during the 2003-2004 tax year – far above the big-city average of $6.16. “No other city even comes close” to New York, the report concludes.” Ugh!

The upside, if there can be one, is the fact that the city provides many services as a result of these tax dollars. The Parks Department alone spends a considerable amount maintaining our many city parks including Central Park. Tax money also goes to paying for our many Public Schools and Libraries around the city.

In a city like New York the taxes need to be high in order to support the massive services required by over 8 million residents.

Should you avoid moving to New York City due to the high taxes? I say no. Instead you should plan ahead. Learn about budgeting for personal finance. Create a budget and include taxes as one of your major expenses. This will help make your plans realistic and increase the chances that your experience in the city will meet your expectations.

Video – Main Post Office

Rob Safuto — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 22:30:28 +0000

A quick stop at the main branch of the post office on 33d St. and 8th Avenue. The building is open 24 Hours A Day serving the postal needs of New Yorkers. The structure is magnificent but currently covered in scaffolding. Madison Square Garden and Pennsylvania Station are right across the street.

View The Video

Download audio file (PodcastNYC-NYM-67.mp3)

New York Minute #67

Rob Safuto — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 02:29:48 +0000

What would you do if you were sitting in a restaurant in New York City and after the meal the check had an 18% tip automatically added to the bill? I tell you what I would do.

In the past I’ve mentioned taking the JFK Air Train from the airport to save time and money. But in what situations should you skip the Air Train? I’ll let you know my opinion.

Listen Now

Technorati Tags: New York City, NYC, Travel, Podcast, Restaurants, Tipping, Airport, Transportation

Video – Port Authority Bus Terminal

Rob Safuto — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 16:09:48 +0000

A walk through the south building of the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 40th Street and 8th Avenue in New York City. We also get a look at the newly constructed New York Times headquarters across the street.

View The Video

http://www.onnyturf.com/subway/

Subway Map Mashup

Rob Safuto — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 19:03:14 +0000

Combine a Google Map with a New York City subway map and you get a very cool and useful resource for getting around town.

Video – Warm Winter Day

Rob Safuto — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 01:17:13 +0000

People are saying that the temperature peaked over 70 degrees (about 20 celsius) here in New York City today. I believe it because I was on the streets and it felt like spring.

Strolling through Bryant Park I found out that the Wi-Fi access was down and the free ice skating rink was turning into a lake. Over in Times Square the post-matinée crowd was filling the streets and enjoying the respite from winter.

Lucky for you I had my new Samsung BlackJack with me to help record the events of the afternoon. The resulting video podcast is a bit low-fi, but the scene comes across real good.

View The Video

Technorati Tags: New York City, New York, NYC, Times Square, Bryant Park, Travel, Video

Lights Of The Season

Rob Safuto — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 18:52:05 +0000

For the first time in recent memory the Empire State Building was dark yesterday evening. The top of the building is always lit from nightfall to midnight. Then I realized that it was probably due to the funeral services for President Ford. The color scheme at the top of the building changes quite often due to holidays and special events. You can check the schedule here.

I just love watching the lights flick off at midnight. That’s the New York geek in me I guess. I’m also a big fan of Christmas lights. We made sure to walk our neighborhood often during this Christmas season so my daughter could check out the lights.

The picture above shows the Empire State Building from the New Jersey side of the Hudson River during one of our walks. Click the image to see more photos taken by my wife on that night. Frankly, the Christmas lights in my old neighborhood in Queens put the folks in my new neighborhood to shame .

Technorati Tags: New York, New York City, NYC, Empire State Building, Lights, Christmas Lights, Travel, Photo

New York Minute #66

Rob Safuto — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 03:03:46 +0000

Happy New Year folks!

Show Notes

Recent News

44 Million Visitors to New York City in 2006. Why did (or why will) you come to New York City?
NYPD subway sting operation. Bags with cell phones are bad news.

New Year’s Tips

Go out (especially to restaurants) early.
Don’t pay in advance for all you can drink events.
Be flexible and consider going to a show.

Saint Patrick’s Day 2007

Falls on a Saturday.
Tips in the forum.

Download audio file (PodcastNYC-NYM-66.mp3)

Technorati Tags: New York, New York City, NYC, Travel, New Year’s, Saint Patrick’s Day, News, Audio, Podcast

Digg The New York Minute Show

Rob Safuto — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 16:29:49 +0000

The very popular social news site called Digg has started up a podcast directory where people can submit and “digg” their favorite podcasts.

Lots of diggs are a great way to help raise the profile of this site. So I would appreciate it if you could take five minutes of your time to Digg The New York Minute Show.

I have no doubt that Santa will take note of this kindness and reward you accordingly

Technorati Tags: New York, Digg, Podcast

Video – Walking Fifth Avenue Part Two

Rob Safuto — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 04:27:48 +0000

This is part two of the Fifth Avenue walking tour video. The first part of the tour was published in October and featured a walk from 34th St. to 51st. with lots of great sights along the way.

Part two includes the walk from 51st to 59th Streets and includes sights such as Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Cartier, Trump Tower and The Apple Store.

Background music comes courtesy of Australian singer/songwriter Bianca Jade.

View The Video

Technorati Tags: New York City, NYC, New York, Travel, Fifth Avenue, Shopping, Sights, Apple Store, Cartier, Trump Tower, Plaza Hotel

NYC 2030

Rob Safuto — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 03:04:37 +0000

What will New York City be like in 2030? Its a question that New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg and his planning team have been pondering.

There are many challenges in dealing with a growing metropolis. The top three in the list that the city planners came up with should come of little surprise to anyone familiar with big city life:

The city will get BIGGER (as in a lot more people).
The infrastructure (the rails, the roads, the bridges) will get much OLDER.
The (already strained) environment will be AT RISK.

Kudos to the Mayor and the planning team for getting started on this effort. Unfortunately, identifying the problems is a lot easier than being able to take successful action to avert a crisis. So there’s a lot of hard work ahead. But lord knows that if any city can rise to a challenge than New York surely can. It’s all about the people.

The city has launched and official PLANYC2030 site to provide information and keep interested parties abreast of the situation.

Technorati Tags: New York, New York City, NYC, Plan 2030

iTunes Video Back In Action

Rob Safuto — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 23:52:24 +0000

We had some problems recently with the link to our video podcasts within iTunes. For over a month the link to the video was pointing to the audio channel.

So for a while I actually had two audio channels in iTunes. Something like this is definitely not good for subscribership. Luckily the folks at the iTunes podcast directory were able to help me and get the video channel restored. This link will take you there.

Taxis Cost More, MTA Fare Hike On Hold

Rob Safuto — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 18:09:11 +0000

The new taxi fare rate hike went into effect yesterday. I reported on this back in September. You’ll now pay double the amount ($.40 vs. $.20) for the time you’re sitting in traffic. Some initial test runs by local reporters indicate that the effect on the overall fares is pretty significant. Not a shock. They tend to sell these things as a drop in the bucket and when they’re enacted you really see how much it hurts.

We got better news on the bus and subway front this week. Planned fare hikes have been put on hold until 2008. So it seems like a smart move to skip the cab fares and pick up a MetroCard.

Technorati Tags: New York, New York City, NYC, Travel, Subway, Taxi

New York Minute #65

Rob Safuto — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 14:35:38 +0000

A bit of a special show this week as I play some soundseeing from my trip to San Francisco. Join me as I prowl the Laughing Squid party at a venue called Mighty, which is located on Utah Street. Thanks to Chris, Martin, Jeremiah, Eric Rice and the rest of the folks who were so hospitable on my trip out west.

Plus a hidden dining pick over at the Fairway Market Cafe and Steakhouse. You can’t beat their $29 prix fixe dinner menu.

And if you’ve got plenty of cash to throw around on your next visit to the city, consider taking a US Helicopters flight from JFK to Manhattan. gets you there in 8 minutes but costs about $160 each way.

Download audio file (PodcastNYC-NYM-65.mp3)

Technorati Tags: San Francisco, Mighty, Laughing Squid, New York, New York City, NYC, Travel, Food, Restaurant, Transportation, Helicopter

New York Minute #64

Rob Safuto — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 03:53:54 +0000

This is as close as we’ll get to a New York City Marathon special this year on the show. Not bad though. In association with my friend Jerry Cahill, host of the Cystic Fibrosis Podcast, I covered the Team Boomer post marathon fund raiser.

The event was held at a very nice Irish Pub called Mr. Dennehy’s. The pub is located at 63 Carmine St. near 7th Avenue South.

And yes I did interview one actual runner in the marathon. I also talk with Jerry about Team Boomer and mix with some locals who talk about their experiences around town.

This episode also includes a promo for an upcoming show by my pal Brother Love.

Download audio file (PodcastNYC-NYM-64.mp3)

Technorati Tags: New York, New York City, NYC, Travel, Marathon, Benefit, Cystic Fibrosis, Irish Bar

Video – Hamptons Getaway

Rob Safuto — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 03:30:11 +0000

Some video from my recent trip to Amagansett, NY. Includes footage from the beach and the Lighthouse at Montauk, NY. Music by Little Red King.

View The Video

Technorati Tags: New York, Travel, Beach, Montauk, Amagansett, Podcast, Video

Intrepid Taking Off

Rob Safuto — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 14:08:20 +0000

The USS Intrepid, a retired aircraft carrier and one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions will soon be towed to Bayonne, NJ for some much needed maintenance.

According to the official museum website, “Unfortunately, the huge amount of silt that has accumulated underneath and around Intrepid over the past 24 years prevented the ship from being successfully removed.”

So although the Intrepid may be docked on the west side it is not open for business. The Intrepid is expected to return to duty in the Fall of 2008.

That’s a long time. I hope that they can get the museum back in business on schedule.

Technorati Tags: New York City, New York, NYC, Travel, USS Intrepid, Museum

Free Ice Skating In Bryant Park

Rob Safuto — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 14:34:53 +0000

I was walking by Bryant Park recently and noticed that they now have a large ice skating rink in the center of the park.

According to the official Bryant Park website, “The 170′ x 100′ rink features free admission ice skating, in addition to high quality rental skates, skating lessons, skating shows, special events and activities.”

As I walked by I was tempted to rent some skates and hit the rink. Skate rentals will cost you $8.75 per pair. Bring a lock to use the free lockers if you have some things you don’t want to skate around with. The rink will be open until January 15, 2007.

More details on the official website here.

Technorati Tags: New York City, NYC, Travel, Bryant Park, Park, Ice Skating, Free

New York Minute #63

Rob Safuto — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 02:58:30 +0000

Join me for a side trip to Amagansett, NY on the east end of Long Island. This area is also known as “The Hamptons.”

Getting There

Staying There

Sea Crest On The Ocean

Things To Do

Fishing
Shopping
Horseback Riding – Deep Hollow Ranch
Wine Tasting – Duckwalk Vineyards, Wolffer Estate
Apple and Pumpkin Picking
Surfing
Art Galleries
Lay On The Beach!

Local Info

Dans Papers

Download audio file (PodcastNYC-NYM-63.mp3)

Technorati Tags: New York, Hamptons, Amagansett, Montauk, Beach, Soundseeing, Vacation, Audio, Podcast

NYC WiFi Access Lags

Rob Safuto — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 15:37:19 +0000

The New York Post reported recently that the state of wireless internet access in city parks is not good.

According to the report, “Parks spokesman Ashe Reardon conceded that only a handful of “hot spots” in Central Park currently work. Wi-Fi Salon, the company awarded the contract two years ago to take the parks wireless, claims Battery Park also is online.”

One place where I know the wireless works is in Bryant Park.

This is very disappointing news and goes hand in hand with some classicly botched city projects like the Wollman Rink renovation. In that case Donald Trump saved the day after years of cost overruns and many delays.

Hopefully the city can turn this one around as a I hate to see New York lag behind in availability of WiFi compared to other major cities.

Technorati Tags: New York City, New York, NYC, Wireless, Wifi, Parks, Bryant Park

Mozzarella On Arthur Avenue

Rob Safuto — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 04:34:20 +0000

On the heels of my show highlighting some great things from the Bronx I came across the Off The Broiler blog which includes some nice posts about NYC area dining. There’s also a video section that includes this clip from Mike’s Deli on Arthur Avenue. Enjoy!

Direct Link

Technorati Tags: New York, New York City, NYC, Italian, Bronx, Mozzarella, Food, Off The Broiler

New York Minute #62

Rob Safuto — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 04:53:39 +0000

This episode focuses on five things to do in The Bronx, NYC.

Show Notes

Quick fact: The Bronx is named for a Swedish immigrant by the name of Jonas Bronck.
Five Things To Do

The Bronx Zoo: [link] – [map]
Van Cortlandt Park: [link] – [map]
Yankee Stadium: [link] – [map]
Bronx Little Italy: [link] – [map]
Fordham University: [link] – [map]

Music by Slau.
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