I love reading menus and today I’ve lost myself in the New York Public Library’s mind-boggling collection of vintage Thanksgiving menus, some dating as far back as 1840! They’re a window into the food fashions of the time and what’s remarkable from a quick glance is that all of New York’s legendary hotels were serving ... Keep reading
Why do suburbs get a raw deal? I’m not just talking New York. London, Paris, Rome, Sydney… even in my hometown of Brighton which is small enough to walk from one end to another just about, people overlook them; some shudder at the thought of them, even. This is why photographer William Meyers is special. ... Keep reading
A film location scout in New York has discovered a beautiful 1920s hotel lobby hidden in an Upper West Side apartment – behind the beautiful Ansonia building – at 253 West 73rd Street. The entrance might look like a typical building lobby on first look, with a desk to one side, an alcove with mailboxes ... Keep reading
When your favourite series ends, typically the denial kicks in first, followed by several other stages of grief and withdrawal. But I’ve come across something that might be able to help us victims suffering from television show withdrawal to deal with their nostalgia. Enter Rolling Stone magazine’s black-and-white behind-the-scenes photographs from the filming of Mad ... Keep reading
With her wavy brown hair and unforgettable eyebrows, that unmistakable sultry gaze and husky smooth-talking voice, Lauren Bacall was the silver screen’s most distinctive starlet. If looks could kill… (or melt your heart). She became a film noir icon and married 47-year-old Humphrey Bogart when she was just 19. She starred with Betty Grable and ... Keep reading
I’d like to be on holiday right now so I can send one of these beautiful vintage postcards from the Greenwich Letterpress to somebody. (Photo via Paper Pastries) ... Keep reading
I love finding out about new restaurants, exhibitions and things to do in New York, but there’s something exciting about hunting out old New York, those lesser known gems only the locals know about – it might be a dusty old bookshop, a leafy hidden square, a time-worn diner, a deli institution, an ‘old-money’ hotel ... Keep reading
I’ve just discovered this captivating and beautifully illustrated book. Have you heard of it? It’s a collection of essays from The New Yorker archives which represents a fascinating decade of change, and also a time many critics say the magazine came of age. Divided into seven sections – The War, American Scenes, Postwar, Character Studies: cinema, books, theatre, art ... Keep reading
When you imagine a bygone New York, what do you see? The Mean Streets of the 1970s? Crowds flocking to jazz-filled Harlem dancehalls in the Roaring Twenties? Low-life 19th-century gangs of New York? I picture a giant 1940s Film Noir set; Gotham deep-shadowed in black and white, burly taxis prowling the streets, Bogart and Bacall ... Keep reading
Hello! I'm a journalist based in England and welcome to my NYC blog. I fell for New York hard in my early adult life and now visit every year - so I'm always planning my next trip. Rather than an overarching guide to New York, my blog features my regular hang-outs and personal favourite discoveries - I read about while planning and visit - particularly local favourites and little-known hidden gems.
My New York: Robin Hirsch
Ever wanted a New Yorker’s opinion on something? Where...
Meet the Ghosts of Ellis Island
Ellis Island in New York was once the gateway to Americ...
Fabulous Behind-The-Scenes Photos from Mad Men Season Four
When your favourite series ends, typically the denial k...
Five free things to do in New York in June
I love some of the major tourist sights in New York – I...
Dreamy Photographs of a Brooklyn Night Owl
If Edward Hopper was alive today and working as a photo...
