Thanks to our roving photographer Nicole Rubens for another beautiful photo of the city we love. Check out more of her photos today. And Valerie Smaldone shares a stunning photo retrospective of the city during the pandemic. Get this: there’s a new restaurant on Restaurant Row you should know about. While you’re in the neighborhood, check out the new street art exhibit on Broadway. We love that Martin Luther King Day has become a day of service to others. There are several ways you can be of service. And make sure to check out Part 2 of the Broadway Babes best free theater entertainment from 2020.

Celebrating Martin Luther King Day

The best way we can honor Dr. Martin Luther King is by being of service to others, and there are several ways you can that this week in NYC. Help rangers clean up our city parks; there are free resources like food and coats for those in need; a historic walk in Harlem; and a virtual concert by the Harlem Gospel Choir. Get details here.

New Caribbean Restaurant Opens on Restaurant Row

Well chefs hats off to these two women, Jasmine Gerald and Linda Salamon, who opened up Jasmine’s Caribbean Cuisine in November. Yep – during the pandemic. The food is authentic Caribbean cuisine with flavors hailing from Dominica, Antigua, St. Thomas, Trinidad, and Jamaica. You can find the full menu here – from appetizers, soups, entrees, desserts, to the bright cocktails and mocktails they offer a taste of the Caribbean with every item. Their biggest sellers are their Oxtail dish and Jerk wings! There are also many vegan options — from Jackfruit Curry with Quinoa to Jamaican Jerk Grilled Eggplant. Right now they are strictly takeout (pickup or delivery) and we can’t wait to visit them when indoor dining resumes! Located on Restaurant Row at 371 W 46th St, New York, NY.  Get the details.

Roving Photographer

Our roving photographer, Nicole Freezer Rubens shares some beautiful photos of NYC transformed with snow. Nicole is the author of the beautiful and poignant book of poems and photos, The Long Pause and the Short Breath (The Three Tomatoes Book Publishing.) Nicole’s favorite pastime is exploring New York City’s neighborhoods. Follow her on Instagram@nfrconsult.

Hello New York. The Big Apple is still standing tall. While many defining parts of city life have changed so much and so fast, the essence of New York is inherent in its eternal flame and can never be extinguished.

Now to Jan. 30.  Prismatica and Maple Syrup Taffy

Make sure to stroll to Broadway between 39th and 40th Streets, where you will find a glimmering winter kaleidoscope. Prismatica, is an immersive art installation comprised of 25 pivoting prisms that reflect the colors of the rainbow. As pedestrians walk through the exhibition, the six-foot-tall, multi-colored prisms fill the plazas with reflections and musical sounds, creating an ever-changing light show. The exhibit is a collaboration with The Québec Government Office in New York and will kick off the unveiling with fresh Canadian maple syrup taffy made by Chef Dominic Sylvain at the Cabana a Sucre, a pop-up sugar shack. Get more details.

Part 2. Best of 2020 FREE Theatrical Entertainment Online

Here is part 2 of Randie Levine Miller’s favorite streaming show picks from 2020.  When the shutdown started, she compiled some wonderful free theatrical entertainment that can be found online….And with a lot of investigating and unearthing, on YouTube, she has become a theatrical “excavator”…and have found shows that you wouldn’t  believe are out there..but they are. Get the picks.

Get the book.