Lauren Fleishman

​After freelance photographer Lauren Fleishman's grandfather died, she found a book next to his bed containing love letters written to her grandmother. "That inspired me to start seeking out couples that have been married for over 50 years," she told Runnin' Scared on the phone today. Fleishman has been working on the project for three years, and is now seeking funds on Kickstarter to help her photograph more couples and turn her work into a book. We admit we have been cynical about the current onslaught of love-themed media, but we are smitten with these stories of long-lasting New York-area romance.

More >>

via

​Valentine's Day might have lost the allure of romance (or, rather, sex) for some people, but there is still some hope in the city. We checked in with site HowAboutWe -- which encourages the lovelorn to post ideas for dates -- and were told that New York postings have been steadily rising since January 13. That's when, as HowAboutWe.com media director Erin Scottberg said, holiday malaise has run its course, those "why are you still single?" questions are still on the brain, and Valentine's Day hype starts getting going. Last year, according to Scottberg, there was an increase in the number of dates posted through Feb. 14 (the big day). That then leveled out until the beginning of March when people started to embark on finding springtime beaus. But what have New Yorkers been wanting to do on their posted dates recently? Go tour a sewage plant? Not exactly, but let's just say that New Yorkers have been looking for something more than just a pleasant time with another person.

More >>

via

​This blogger doesn't like football. If she's going to watch a sport it's going to be baseball and she's going to root for the Yankees. Therefore, this Super Bowl Sunday, this blogger is not going to tell you which players to watch. In fact, the only ones she really feels qualified to even mention are Eli Manning and Gisele Bündchen's husband. (Just kidding, she totally knows that his name is Tom Brady.) That said, she is going to care about the Super Bowl outcome, and New Yorkers, you should too.

More >>

via

​Valentine's Day can elicit strong emotions. For a holiday purporting to celebrate the sweetest of emotions, vitriol seems just as common as saccharine. MyBlockNYC, an interactive mapping website" that encourages users to post videos corresponding to certain NYC blocks, is hosting a Valentine's Day contest that hopes New Yorkers share both their objects of adoration and revulsion with a camera. To enter the contest, competitors are supposed to ask New Yorkers what they love and hate and record and upload videos of the answers.

More >>

​Comedian Mark Malkoff is known for pulling various stunts around the city. We last wrote about him when he commandeered a taxi for one day in order to give New Yorkers free cab rides. His most well-known move was living in IKEA for a week in 2009. Today, Malkoff is spending his time touring New York City -- in a mobile plexiglass cube.

More >>

​In my story in the Voice last week, inspired by Joan and Leslie Rich's 1964 book, How to Be a New Yorker, I talked to longtime New Yorkers, former New Yorkers, new New Yorkers, and even a few people who've never lived in this town, about what they think it takes to be "a real New Yorker." As expected, the article spurred plenty more discussion on the topic, ranging from emails (thanks, all who sent notes!) to comments on the piece online. Among the responses was this gem:

More >>

Courtesy Milton Glaser

​Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing Milton Glaser, the 82-year-old graphic designer behind, to name just a few, the "I Love New York" logo, the DC Comics "DC bullet" logo, the famous Bob Dylan poster, and, of course, New York Magazine, which he founded with Clay Felker in 1968, for my article in this week's issue of the Voice, "How to Be a New Yorker."

Glaser spoke of the early years of New York Magazine and revealed his amazement over the success of his "I Love New York" logo, which he did for free in 1977. (Hilariously or not, the state came after him for copyright violation when he did "I Love New York More Than Ever" after 9/11.) He also shared what he thinks it means to be a New Yorker -- and why this is the only place for "real New Yorkers" to live.

Our interview, after the jump.

More >>

DorothyParker.com

​Sad news today for the old(er) New York includes Cooper Union denying St. Mark's Bookshop a lower rent to help keep them in business. And in other news of historic import, Dorothy Parker's childhood home, a 1890s limestone row house at 214 West 72nd Street, is slated for possible tear-down, with a 12-story luxury apartment complex to be put in its place. Kevin Fitzpatrick, president of the Dorothy Parker Society, is fighting the demolition with a letter-writing campaign to Community Board 7. He asks all fans of Parker to join him in writing a letter, or an email.

More >>

​You know how one of the signs that separates the tourists from the locals is an inherent understanding of how to hail a cab? For example, in New York, you know that if the off duty light is on, the cab is off duty. And therefore, you do not hail it, although you will tell the guy where you're going, and hope he says yes, if he stops to ask you. And then you will feel oddly rejected if he says no and drives off without you, and you will think to yourself, What an asshole. This is just how we do things. However, there are signs that the Taxi and Limousine Commission is at least considering maybe doing things differently down the road. Today we received a survey asking for input on the taxi roof light. Do we feel confused about it? Do we like it? Do we understand its varied uses and protocols? Would we hate it if the taxi roof light system changed?

More >>

Williamsburg's Nighthawk Cinema, by Ty Cole

​Open House New York, a yearly opportunity for you to creep into the secret, often forbidden or under-acknowledged corners of the city, a/k/a, a celebration of the city's architecture and design, is being held this year on October 15 and 16. With the support of home owners, architects, cultural institutions, volunteers, and the public, the ninth year of the event brings access to hundreds of sites, plus tours, talks, performances, and family and kids activities. Some you have to reserve and pay a nominal ($5) fee for; others (including all the family/kids events) are free.

More >>