Transit Hub, NYC, earlier...

#wtc

The 2016 Untapped Cities Holiday Gift Guide for Curated NYC Gifts: STORE FRONT II, NEW YORK NIGHTS & BROKEN WINDOWS

Thank you Untapped Cities!

"This year, we’re very excited to announce the relaunch of the Untapped Cities Shop, a curated gift shop of New York products by artists, food purveyors, photographers, and writers we have featured on Untapped Cities like the photography books by James and Karla Murray (who also give our Food Tour of the Disappearing Storefronts of the East Village), Boundless Brooklyn’s DIY water towers, Bronx Hot Sauce, and more. We’re also very pleased to be able to offer gift cards for our Untapped Cities tours, a popular request from our readers.

Here are thirteen products that we think your friends, family and loved ones will love for the holidays. As a special for the season, we’re also offering a 15% discount on Untapped Cities tours with purchase from the gift shopand free shipping for orders $50 and up (and $5 flat shipping for anything below).

http://untappedcities.com/2016/11/29/the-2016-untapped-cities-holiday-gift-guide-for-curated-nyc-gifts/

Toast of the Town Bar Grill Pizzeria and Clam Bar in New Jersey

When you can't decide what to have we can't think of a better place to eat and drink 🍸🍺🍔🍕🍤. We absolutely love this huge overhanging #neonsign with the 🍸and curvy arrow ⤵️.

As photographers we are small business owners too and celebrating Cyber Monday!

As photographers we are small business owners too and celebrating Cyber Monday with a special 11x14 inch print release of our best-selling Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York images, including Vesuvio Bakery, Zig Zag Records, Ralph's Discount City, M&G Soul Food Diner an many more.
All signed archival 11 x14 prints are $99/print with free shipping in the continental U.S. We also have larger print sizes available in limited editions including 20 x 24 inch , 24 x 36 inch and 32 x 48 inch widths.
Please contact us at jandkphoto@att.net for more information and payment can be made through Paypal to the same address.

Please join us on Sunday, December 4th at 12pm as we lead a Storefront: A Historic East Village Food Tour for Untapped Cities.

On this walking and tasting tour of some of our favorite East Village food establishments, you can discover the food, history, and diverse culture of our neighborhood while tasting delicious specialties from at least 6 different tasting stops. We will also be highlighting the neighborhood's evolving demographics, as shown in this before/after photo Ukrainian Stage Restaurant vs the new Kati Roll. On this tour you will learn about the diverse German, Italian, Jewish and #Ukrainian history of the East Village and also try some fresh homemade mozzarella, drink an authentic New York City egg cream, have a pierogi with toppings, sample a freshly baked Jewish sugar cookie, enjoy an authentic New York hot dog 🌭and tropical drink 🍹 and taste a freshly baked cannoli. Enough food will be sampled so that for most people lunch afterwards is not needed.
Tickets for this tour are $40 (food included) and can be purchased at: http://untappedcities.com/storefront-a-historic-east-village-food-tour-with-james-karla-murray/

Little Cupcake Bakeshop in NoLita, NYC.

This #bakery specializes in traditional American desserts using only the freshest and sustainable ingredients, many of which are sourced from local farms. All of the baking including their amazing #cupcakes, cookies 🍪 and cakes 🎂 is done in small batches on premises. We love their cupcakes and their #neonsign.

Turkey's Nest Tavern is one of the oldest dive bars 🍻 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

We couldn't think of a better place to visit this weekend to recover from a turkey-induced coma from Thanksgiving. We love the #signage with its unique #font and 2 turkeys . The second-generation owner told us they are "one of the last local drinking bars in the neighborhood and also the cheapest bar in Williamsburg".

Photo and full interview appear in our book "Store Front II- A History Preserved." #storefront

Hudson. Over at the Flatiron, NYC, earlier...

 #flatiron #nyc

A Morning at the The 90th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The 90th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade today included these amazing Giant Balloons and Novelty Balloons: (from top to bottom photos)
Angry Birds' Red, Skylanders' Eruptor, Ice Age's Scrat and his Acorn, Felix the Cat, Harold the Fireman & Harold the Policeman, Dino, Trolls, Spongebob Squarepants, Rex the Happy Dragon, Happy Hippo, Pillsbury Doughboy, Charlie, Kit & CJ Holiday Elves and to end the parade, Santa's Sleigh.  Happy Thanksgiving to all of our friends and followers! #macysparade #happythanksgiving

Hudson. Happy Thanksgiving from The Ukrainian East Village Restaurant, NYC!

@hudsonpittienyc on instagram #thanksgiving #happythanksgiving

Lenox Lounge update!

The writing on the boarded-up door says it all, "1939-2012, 80 Years For This". We started revisiting and photographing many of the small independent businesses we documented over 10 years earlier for our book "Store Front:The Disappearing Face of New York" and this photo is truly one of the saddest. After Alvin Reed was forced out of the Lenox Lounge #storefront in 2012 after a rent increase of $10,000 to $20,000 a month, he took most of the iconic Art Deco interior and facade including the #neon #signage with its amazing #font. He hoped to reopen the #jazz lounge nearby but money troubles and litigation with his original landlord has delayed those plans. The landlord leased the original space to Richie Notar, of restaurant Nobu fame so that he could reopen the jazz #bar but that deal also fell through and now the original Lenox Lounge has sat abandoned since 2012. We just heard that sadly its building may be demolished and replaced by a 4-story chain store. #Harlem truly lost a piece of its history! #disappearingfaceofnewyork

Please join us on Sunday, December 4th at 12pm as we lead a Storefront: A Historic East Village Food Tour for Untapped Cities.

Tickets for this tour are $40 (food included) and can be purchased at: http://untappedcities.com/storefront-a-historic-east-village-food-tour-with-james-karla-murray/ 

Tacos vs Burritos #neonsign and an illuminated Luchador mask #signage for the Lower East Side location of El Luchador @elluchadornyc!

We can't think of a better way to advertise this Mexican restaurant where everything is made from scratch!

Clayton Patterson's Outlaw Art Museum, Lower East Side, NYC

Bowery Boogie reports that the relaunch at 161 Essex marks the “first day of a long term plan to keep the gallery and storefront open to the public as a resource to learn about the neighborhood, Patterson and [wife Elsa] Rensaa’s artwork, and a glimpse into a community that continues to work together amidst the continuing changes that surround this historical building and it’s contents.

Hudson. On the Iron Throne from Games of Thrones...

#gameofthrones #GoT6Dvd #WinterisHere #hbo #GoT #GoTBehindtheScenes #nyc @GameOfThrones

Historic East Village Food Tour with James & Karla Murray: McSorley's Old Ale House in the East Village with our dog @hudsonpittienyc sitting outside on one of the 🍺barrels.

 We are happy to share that although McSorley's was forced to close for a few days, they are now again open for business. Please join us on Sunday, December 4th at 12pm as we lead a Storefront: A Historic East Village Food Tour for Untapped Cities. @untappedcities On this walking and tasting tour of some of our favorite East Village food establishments, you can discover the food, history, and diverse culture of our neighborhood while tasting delicious specialties from at least 6 different tasting stops. We will be stopping and talking about McSorley's interesting history but because this tour is open to all ages we cannot sample their beer 🍻  On this tour you will learn about the diverse German, Italian, Jewish and Ukrainian history of the East Village and try some fresh homemade mozzarella, drink an authentic New York City egg cream, taste a hot Ukrainian potato pierogi with toppings, sample a freshly baked Jewish sugar cookie, enjoy an authentic New York hot dog 🌭and tropical drink 🍹 and taste a freshly baked cannoli. Enough food will be sampled so that for most people lunch afterwards is not needed.  Tickets for this tour are $40 (food included) and can be purchased at:
http://untappedcities.com/storefront-a-historic-east-village-food-tour-with-james-karla-murray/

Profile Motel, NH

#neon #vintageneon

Three Lives & Company Booksellers, a small independent 📚 bookstore in Greenwich Village that was founded in 1978, shared some very good news with us.

Despite the building being sold recently to new owners, and the #storefront on a tenuous month-to-month lease, owner Toby Cox told us that he just signed a new lease and that their future is now safe and secure! We couldn't be happier for this #bookstore as so many independents have closed in recent years.

This photo from 2011 and full interview with Toby appear in our book "Store Front II-A History Preserved" (which they sell in the store). #shopsmall

Lower East Side Coffee Shop, East Village, NYC

Lower East Side Coffee Shop glowing in the evening. We love the oversize #neonsign in this #coffee shop ☕️ and were told by its manager that it brings in a lot of customers. This #neon beauty definitely attracted us to this #storefront. Photo appears in our book "New York Nights".

Hotel New Yorker, Midtown, NYC

#rooftop #nyc #hotelnewyorker

Sunset. Autumn, Central Park, NYC.

Circo's Pastry Shop is a family-owned business that was founded in 1945.

This Bushwick #bakery specializes in #Italian 🇮🇹 pastries and cakes 🍰 and their most popular item according to the second-generation owner Anthony Pierdipino is their "Cannoli a la Siciliana". Everything they sell is made by hand, on premises. In addition to their delicious pastries, we love their #vintage #neonsign that was recently restored (as seen in this photo). When we originally photographed the #storefront in 2004 for our book "Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York" their #neon sign with its unique #font and #script lettering was covered with wire mesh for protection reasons. A full interview with the 2nd -generation owner appears in our book too.

Midtown, NYC, earlier...

Happy Veteran's Day!

Thank you to all who have served or are currently on active duty! Kaufman Army and Navy from our book STORE FRONT II: A History Preserved along with an interview with the third generation owner. #veteransday

Manhattan, NYC, last night...

Ravioli Fair, Bath Beach, Brooklyn

Ravioli Fair in Bath Beach, Brooklyn was established in 1978. It specializes in #Italian 🇮🇹 goods including homemade #ravioli and tortellini and also sells meat and pork 🐖 products. We love its colorful #signage with its unique #font. #storefront

Election Day 2016, USA Motel

#election2016  #Vote2016 #vote #election

Lafayette Avenue Meat Corp., Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Lafayette Avenue Meat Corp. in Fort Greene, Brooklyn has a great #handpainted #sign with #script lettering. Even though the #storefront functions more as a #deli rather than a butcher shop, we were happy that they kept the #vintage signage.

Loft's Candies, Financial District, NYC.

Loft's Candies #vintage #neonsign with block and #script metal channel lettering uncovered on Nassau Street in the Financial District. Hidden underneath a vinyl awning for years, this #neon beauty was recently uncovered when the #storefront was leased by Two Boots Pizza @twobootspizza who hired our friend @steveespopowers to create a new #sign for the store. Instead of just removing the #signage, the good news is that Two Boots will be restoring the sign! @steveespopowers convinced them to restore it with the help of @lettherebeneon. We love when we hear that a new tenant appreciates the history of a store and its signage. In this case, the Loft's sign features the #candy store's mid century logotype.

Autumn. New York Harbor, NYC, earlier...

Lenox Lounge circa 2013.

 The writing on the boarded-up door says it all, "1939-2012, 80 Years For This". We started revisiting and photographing many of the small independent businesses we documented over 10 years earlier for our book "Store Front:The Disappearing Face of New York" and this photo is truly one of the saddest. After Alvin Reed was forced out of the Lenox Lounge #storefront in 2012 after a rent increase of $10,000 to $20,000 a month, he took most of the iconic Art Deco interior and facade including the #neon #signage with its amazing #font. He hoped to reopen the #jazz lounge nearby but money troubles and litigation with his original landlord has delayed those plans. The landlord leased the original space to Richie Notar, of restaurant Nobu fame so that he could reopen the jazz #bar but that deal also fell through and now the original Lenox Lounge has sat abandoned since 2012. #Harlem truly lost a piece of its history! #disappearingfaceofnewyork

Lenox Lounge, Harlem, NYC

Lenox Lounge in Harlem was founded in 1939 by the Greco family. It was named for its location on Lenox Avenue in #Harlem. Billie Holiday, John Coltrane and Miles Davis performed in this iconic #jazz club. Alvin Reed purchased the lounge in 1988 and restored much of its original #ArtDeco interior including the famous "Zebra Room" where live music 🎶 was played nightly. Sadly, #LenoxLounge was forced to close in 2012 after the rent was increased from $10,000 to $20,000 a month. Alvin Reed took the original #neonsign and much of the interior in hopes that he could reopen the club at another location but to this date, Lenox Lounge has not reopened. Photo from 2004 appears in our book "Store Front:The Disappearing Face of New York".

Hudson. Autumn, Tompkins Square Park, East Village, NYC, just now...

In honor of #nationalsandwichday yesterday: Woodside Delicatessen in Queens

We love the interesting #font on its #signage and even the missing letters "E" and "I".

To celebrate the upcoming #presidentialelection while in NYC...

You can visit Delmonico's in the Financial District, which was established in 1837 by brothers John and Peter Delmonico. The 3 1/2 story building it occupies was built by the brothers at a cost of $360,000 with an entrance featuring marble pillars imported from Pompeii. Delmonico's was the first restaurant in the U.S. to offer fine dining and became the birthplace of many signature dishes including the "Delmonico Steak," a boneless rib eye that is considered the best steak cut. The Baked Alaska dessert was created at Delmonico's to celebrate the purchase of Alaska from Russia 🇷🇺 in 1867. Delmonico's has also served a long line of U.S. Presidents including Martin van Buren, Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy. From now until Tuesday, November 8th, they are serving a special Presidential Palates Menu of a la carte #presidential hits. Photo from 2010 appears in our book "New York Nights" along with a more detailed history of the restaurant.

Our book "Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York" is this month's shop highlight at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum Store.

Purchasing the book helps support the Lower East Side Tenement Museum on the corner of Orchard Street and Delancey, America's first urban living-history museum dedicated to the life of immigrants.

http://shop.tenement.org/books-media/books/store-front-mini-002618.html