WFUV's Cityscape Podcast

[Editor's Note: This is an encore presentation of "Cityscape" from July 24, 2019.]

Thousands of people flock to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx every baseball season to take in a game. Many, of course, will purchase something while there — perhaps a hot dog, a beer, or a hat.

On this week's "Cityscape," we’re looking at Yankee Stadium, not from the fan perspective, but from the view of a vendor, and a longtime one at that.

Stewart J. Zully began vending at Yankee Stadium when he was just 15, and he continued working there into his fifties. Zully describes his experiences as a vendor in his new book, "My Life in Yankee Stadium: 40 Years As a Vendor and Other Tales of Growing Up Somewhat Sane in The Bronx."

[Editor's Note: This is an encore presentation of "Cityscape" from May 19, 2021.]

The new album "Songs for Unconventional Vehicles" is a collection of music about some of the strangest cars, trains, planes, submersibles, dirigibles and rockets. It's a companion to Brooklyn-based musician, composer and author Michael Hearst's children's book "Unconventional Vehicles." Hearst is also the brains behind some other very cool book and music projects, including "Unusual Creatures," "Extraordinary People" and "Curious Constructions." He's our guest on this week's "Cityscape."

[Editor's Note: All month, FUV is celebrating Women's History Month, including with some encore presentations of "Cityscape." This episode is from February 6, 2019.]

In her novel, Flying Jenny, author Theasa Tuohy tells the story of barnstorming pilots who thrilled the public with their daring feats in cities large and small in the 1920s.

Flying Jenny follows fictional character Jenny Flynn. She’s a 17-year-old pilot who’s based on real-life pilot Elinor Smith. While not as well known as Amelia Earhart is today, Smith did an amazing thing in October of 1928. She flew her plane under New York City’s four East River bridges.

Tuohy joins us on this week's "Cityscape" to talk more about that story and her novel, Flying Jenny.

[Editor's Note: All month, FUV is celebrating Women's History Month, including with some encore presentations of "Cityscape." This episode is from January 20, 2021.]

The music industry still has a long way to go for gender equality. Research shows that women remain woefully underrepresented in the industry.

Enter All the Ladies, a new children's album that was created in protest of the lack of female representation in the music industry.

The collection of 11 songs is focused on general equality, female empowerment and breaking glass ceilings. In this edition of Cityscape, we're talking with the album's creator, Joanie Leeds.

[Editor's Note: This is an encore presentation of "Cityscape" from October 19, 2019.]

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most instantly recognizable symbols of America.

But, how did Lady Liberty find her home in the waters of New York Bay?

It’s a story of hopes and dreams and failures and successes, and one that features a number of significant people in history.

A new book takes a deep dive into the history of the Statue of Liberty. It’s called Lady Liberty: An Illustrated History of America’s Most Storied Woman. The book includes essays by Joan Marans Dim and paintings by Antonio Masi. Joan and Antonio are our guests on this week's Cityscape.

[Editor's Note: This is an encore presentation of Cityscape from December 22, 2019.]

New York City is home to famously unique bookstores like the Strand, Argosy Bookstore, and the Drama Book Shop. But it’s no mystery why one specialty bookstore in NYC has been open for forty years.

The Mysterious Bookshop is one of the oldest and largest mystery fiction specialty bookstores in the United States. It was originally located in midtown when it opened in 1979, but it now calls Tribeca home. We joined Otto Penzler, the owner, at the shop to talk about the store’s collection of whodunits.

New York City is famous for a lot of things — great pizza, great theatre, and definitely great fashion. For over a century, New York has been a major hub of innovations in the fashion world. In this episode of Cityscape, we're talking about why.

Joining us is Ariel Viera, a videographer with a special interest in New York City's fashion history. We're also chatting with street style photographer Johnny Cirillo (@watchingnewyork on Instagram) and New York-based TikTok fashion icon Clara Perlmutter (@tinyjewishgirl).

[Editor's Note: This is an encore presentation of Cityscape from January 29, 2020.]

People move to New York City for a variety of reasons -- for a new job, to make it on Broadway, to go to college. But, for novelist, playwright and activist Joseph Caldwell, it was largely about finding sexual freedom.

Caldwell's new memoir In the Shadow of the Bridge details his life as a gay man and lovestruck writer in New York City. His story captures the before, during and after of the AIDS epidemic, taking us all the way back to when you could rent an apartment in Manhattan for a mere $24 a month.

[Editor's Note: This is an encore presentation of Cityscape from November 20, 2019]

Many of the neighborhoods in New York City’s five boroughs have a rich and storied history, including Parkchester in the eastern Bronx.

Parkchester was built as a planned community. It opened in 1940 and was celebrated as a “city within a city.” But, the neighborhood’s early history involved the exclusion of African Americans and Latinos. It was a “whites only” development until the late 1960s.

Author Jeffery Gurock takes readers through the history of Parkchester in his new book "Parkchester: A Bronx Tale of Race and Ethnicity." Gurock is our guest on this week's Cityscape.

[Editor's Note: This is an encore presentation of Cityscape from September 18, 2019.]

Questions like “how’s your social life?” or “did you spend time with family this weekend?” aren’t typically asked during an annual checkup at the doctor’s office. Most physicians tailor their questions to asking how a patient is physically feeling, not the status of their social calendar. But our guest on this week's "Cityscape" focuses on how factors like friendship and compassion can lead to a healthier life.

Dr. Kelli Harding is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Her new book is "The Rabbit Effect: Live Longer, Happier, and Healthier with the Groundbreaking Science of Kindness." It focuses on the science of human connection rather than traditional biological health.

We all have stories from the pandemic. What was the last fun event you attended before going into quarantine? Did you reconnect with an old friend on Zoom to pass the time? What went through your mind when you got your first vaccination?

Our guest this week has penned a book reflecting on her experiences during the pandemic, and she’s encouraging others to put their pandemic stories on paper too. Kate Walter’s new book is called "Behind the Mask: Living Alone in the Epicenter."

Bronx Bound Books is the newest bookstore rolling through the Bronx. The mobile store runs out of a bus and makes affordable reading material accessible to Bronx neighborhoods that otherwise lack independent bookstores. Books Through Bars NYC is a nonprofit organization that sends free books to people in prisons all over the country. People who are incarcerated can write letters to the organization requesting reading material, and Books Through Bars NYC fills those requests with everything from history books to comics to dictionaries. Joining us on this edition of Cityscape is Latanya Devaughn, owner of Bronx Bound Books, and Victoria Law, a co-founder of Books Through Bars NYC.

Celebrated actress Tovah Feldshuh has played some big names, including Golda Meir, Katherine Hepburn and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. But in her first book, Tovah introduces us to perhaps the biggest character in her life: her mother, Lily. In her memoir, “Lilyville: Mother, Daughter, and Other Roles I’ve Played,” Tova explores the bond between mother and daughter, and how we grow to understand our parents better as we age. Tovah joins us this week to talk about her new book and her latest show, "Becoming Dr. Ruth." The limited-run show runs through Sunday, January 2, 2022 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park City.

Coney Island has a long and storied history. While its heyday may be long gone, the seaside area is still known as a place for fun and excitement, as well as a good hot dog!

Photographer Larry Racioppo has captured images of Coney Island during some of its darkest and brightest days. His new book "Coney Island Baby" includes photographs depicting Coney Island in the late 1970s, when a series of fires devastated its amusement area. But, it also shows happier times, including images of the early days of the famed Mermaid Parade, one of the events that helped to usher in a new era on Coney Island.

Larry Racioppo is our guest on this week’s Cityscape, along with writer, historian and journalist Kevin Baker and Dick Zigun, Founder of Coney Island USA. Both Kevin and Dick contributed essays to Larry’s book.

In the early 1900s, if you walked around Sunset Park, you might have heard Finnish being spoken on the streets. That's because the neighborhood was home to the largest concentration of Finns in New York City, and though most have since gone from Brooklyn, they left behind their co-operative spirit. The Finns built the first non-profit co-operative apartment buildings in the nation, many of which are still standing today.

WFUV's Cityscape is pleased to bring you Building Brooklyn, a mini-series from Brooklyn Public Library about four neighborhoods that made Brooklyn the vibrant, diverse borough it is today. Episode #2: At the start of World War II, 200 women were employed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. That number ballooned to 7,000 at the height of the war, but afterward, women workers were gone as rapidly as they appeared. We tell the story using oral histories from women who worked at the yard, and an interview with author Jennifer Egan, who helped create the collection and used it as research for her award-winning novel, Manhattan Beach.

WFUV'S Cityscape is pleased to bring you Building Brooklyn, a mini-series from Brooklyn Public Library about four neighborhoods that made Brooklyn the vibrant, diverse borough it is today. Episode #1: In the middle of the 20th century, a ten square block area in North Gowanus was home to the largest Mohawk settlement outside of Canada. We hear about the Mohawk women who built that community while their husbands and fathers were building skyscrapers. And, we go back hundreds of years in Gowanus and tell the story of the original inhabitants of Brooklyn: the Lenape people, who gave the neighborhood its name.

It’s hard to think of a sector that was not impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. But, thanks to innovative thinking and persistence, the beat went on for many industries and establishments, including Cowboy Technical Services in Brooklyn. Eric Ambel and Tim Hatfield opened their recording studio more than 20 years ago. On this week’s Cityscape, Eric and Tim share the story behind Cowboy Technical Services, how music production has evolved over the years, and what steps they took to make sure COVID-19 didn’t silence the making of new albums.

For the past 20 years, photographer Frank Ritter has been documenting the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, as well as the rebuilding efforts at the World Trade Center site. His photos capture acts of remembrance, celebrations of heroism, and many other scenes that tell the continuing story of the 9/11 tragedy. Frank's photos are now featured in a new book called 9/11 Remembrance. Renewal. Hope. A Twenty Year Journey. Frank is our guest on this week’s Cityscape.

Curtains are rising again at New York City theaters.

Epic Players is among the companies returning to the stage after the COVID-19 pandemic upended live performances. The Brooklyn-based theater company was founded five years ago to provide opportunities for performers with developmental disabilities to represent themselves on stage and screen.

Epic Players will be performing its show EPIC Villains: A Wickedly Inclusive Cabaret at Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater on October 24th and 25th at 8 pm.

Joining us on this week’s Cityscape are Aubrie Therrien, Executive Artistic Director at EPIC Players, and Ellie Sondock, a New York-based neurodiverse actress and proud member of EPIC Players.

Hummingbears, a red wish tree, and a gorilla who lives in a shopping mall. You'll find all of these fantastical images and more in the children's books of Katherine Applegate. Applegate is a New York Times best-selling author. Her book "The One and Only Ivan" won a Newbery Medal. Applegate is now out with a new book called Willodeen. It's the story of an 11-year-old girl who loves animals and wants to care for the earth. On this week's Cityscape, Applegate shares how she aims to inspire kids to foster a love of reading and a curiosity about the world around them.

Conversations about criminal justice reform often revolve around police and prosecutors. But, our guest this week says it's high time to take a different approach to helping untangle people who are caught up in cycles of criminalization, poverty and incarceration.

Emily Galvin-Almanza is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Partners for Justice. She's been a public defender in California and New York.

Dan and Claudia Zanes are our guests on this week’s Cityscape to talk about their new album, Let Love Be Your Guide from Smithsonian Folkways. The album was conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 Black Lives Matter uprisings, and includes themes of anti-racism, social justice and the joys of community.

*** If the name Dan Zanes is familiar to you, it’s because he’s the former lead singer of the 1980s rock band The Del Fuegos.***

In the last decade, it's become easier than ever to find romance without leaving the comfort of your couch. Online dating sites and apps have become increasingly popular, but there are still New Yorkers keeping it old school in their dating lives. On this week's Cityscape, we're delving into the world of matchmaking, relationship coaching and speed dating in New York City to find out why some people are taking a less conventional approach to modern dating.

Even in the concrete jungle, nature is far from elusive. The New York City Parks Department oversees more than 30,000 acres of land in all five boroughs. Parks have long provided a welcome respite from busy street life, but for a lot of people they became even more vital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Urban Park Rangers have been helping New Yorkers and visitors discover and explore the city’s natural world since 1979. In this episode of Cityscape, Urban Park Ranger Andrew Brownjohn talks about his role as an Urban Park Ranger, and discusses some of the most fascinating natural wonders New York City has to offer.

If you’re in Brooklyn this September, don’t be surprised if you pass a few people on the streets in sky-high wigs and even higher heels. Bushwig, an annual festival of drag, music and love takes place September 11th and 12th. The event draws hundreds of drag performers of all styles and sizes. This is the festival’s 10th edition.

But if you can’t make it, don’t worry. The vibrant and ever-changing New York City drag scene always has something new and exciting going on, no matter what time of year.

This week, we’re exploring the origins of drag in New York City, how it has evolved in the last few decades, and meeting some of the drag performers bringing their own flair to the city’s drag scene today.

From cancel culture to COVID-19 shutdowns, comedians and club owners have had to roll with the punches, while keeping their punchlines sharp.

Our guest this week knows quite a bit about the comedy industry and its many phases. Al Martin is a New York City stand up comedian turned comedy club owner. He joins us to talk about the impact of COVID-19 on the comedy business, as well as to reflect on his over 30-year career making people laugh.

For centuries people have had a fascination with gemstones. They've inspired myths, been used for medicinal purposes, as well as to create jewelry. After all, a kiss on the hand may be quite continental, but diamonds are a girl’s best friend, or so sang Marilyn Monroe.

But, where do gems that wind up on your ring or necklace come from, and how do they form?

On this week’s show, we’re digging into the world of gems and minerals with Doctor George Harlow. He’s a curator emeritus in the American Museum of Natural History’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Division of Physical Sciences.

Dr. Harlow joins us to talk about his own journey in geology, as well as the re-opening of the museum’s Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals. The 11,000-square-foot Halls are now back in business after a major overhaul.

If you regularly cross over the George Washington Bridge, then you know that even in a pandemic, traffic can be plentiful.

The GWB is one of the region’s most iconic structures. The span connects Fort Lee, New Jersey to Washington Heights in Manhattan. It’s become the busiest bridge in the world, with more than 100 million vehicles crossing it ever year.

Michael Aaron Rockland is a writer and professor of American Studies at Rutgers University. In his book, The George Washington Bridge: Poetry in Steel, Rockland details the bridge’s history, its longstanding rivalry with the Brooklyn Bridge and its place in American culture.

We spoke with Rockland just before the pandemic took hold in February of 2020.

According to the U.S. government, overdose deaths soared to a record 93-thousand last year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Floyd Mitchell is a harm reduction coordinator at The Alliance for Positive Change in New York City. Given the surge in opioid use – and overdoses nationally – his work has become even more vital. Floyd is a part of the Alliance’s Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center. He is our guest on this week’s Cityscape.

It’s not everyday we think about the role smell plays in our lives. But, its scents like sunscreen that transport us to a day at the beach, or pine that reminds us of summer camp. Scents hold many of our best memories, and perhaps no one knows this better than Sue Phillips. She’s the founder of Scenterprises. Sue has created fragrances for the stars. She’s also helped to develop and market perfumes for companies like Tiffany & Co., Lancome and Elizabeth Arden. Sue is our guest on this week’s Cityscape to talk about how she how she became a "Scentrepreneur," and how she’s now helping people stricken with COVID-19 learn to smell again.

Our guest this week is in the business of helping at-risk kids get on more stable ground.
Gabriele Delmonaco is President and Executive Director of A Chance In Life. The international nonprofit provides shelter, food and education to nearly 4,000 homeless, vulnerable and refugee youth in nine countries. They recently opened a facility in the North Shore of Staten Island where 1 out of every 3 kids lives in poverty -- that's twice the national rate. Nearly 20% of the area’s young people are disconnected from school and employment. At A Chance in Life, young people ages 12-24 take part in programs that offer tutoring, financial literacy, mental health counseling, leadership development and more.

Theatre has long helped to break barriers and build community. Queens Theatre is a great example of that. It’s been training Deaf and disabled theatre professionals for years. Their services have become that much more important as people with disabilities grapple with significant job losses due to the pandemic.

As cultural institutions continue to reopen, Queens Theatre recently hosted two weeks of workshops to build skills, knowledge and confidence to support participants.

Our guests this week are Gregg Mozgala, who leads the Theatre for All programming at Queens Theatre, and Alejandra Ospina, one of the first graduates of the program. They’re with us to talk about the challenges those with disabilities face, how the pandemic has impacted them, and how the Theatre for All program is working to effect changes in the larger industry.

After a year of isolation, a lot of us want nothing more than to get out there and interact with other people.

New York City’s public markets are one way to ease your way back into socialization.

The company Urbanspace is the brains behind some very nifty food halls and seasonal markets in locations such as Times Square, Bryant Park, Union Square and Columbus Circle.

Our guest this week is Urbanspace President Eldon Scott.

Bars and nightclubs took a big hit during the pandemic. Many were forced to close their doors for good.

But, the shuttering of Lesbian bars, in particular, is something that has been an ongoing trend, even before COVID-19 gripped the nation.

There are now just over 20 Lesbian bars in America. Three of them are in New York City.

Enter filmmakers Erica Rose and Elina Street. They’re on a mission to celebrate, support and preserve the nation’s remaining Lesbian bars.

We recently caught up with Erica and Elina to chat about their documentary titled The Lesbian Bar Project, as well as the importance of queer spaces.

At a time when many businesses were shutting their doors, LeAnn Darland and Tara Hankinson were opening their flagship brewery and taproom in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. LeAnn and Tara were both avid homebrewers. They met after leaving their corporate jobs in tech and media to join the beer industry. They opened TALEA in March of 2021. LeAnn and Tara are our guests this week to talk about their craft beer journey.

Musician Tracy Bonham rose to fame in 1996 with her hit single Mother Mother. Bonham says a lot of her early music was driven by anger, but her sound today is fueled by joy. Over the past several years, Bonham has been busy teaching music to kids at the Brooklyn Preschool of Science. She is also now a mom and has recently released a new children’s album called Young Maestros Vol. 1. Tracy Bonham is our guest on this week's Cityscape.

She’s known as the Sausage Queen. Cara Nicoletti is a 4th generation butcher. She and her company Seemore Meats and Veggies have been breaking new ground in the meat industry. Cara, who lives in Brooklyn, is one of the few women who own and operate a butcher business in the United States, and her company is all about making eating meat less of a burden on the environment. Cara is our guest on this week’s Cityscape to talk about what it was like to grow up in the meat industry and her mission to make eating meat more sustainable.

As New Yorkers prepare to elect a new mayor for the first time in 8 years, a new book provides a deep dive into how the city evolved under four previous administrations -- Koch, Dinkins, Giuliani and Bloomberg. It’s called New York, New York, New York: Four Decades of Success, Excess and Transformation. Author Thomas Dyja says over the last few decades, three different New York Cities have emerged. He joins us on this week's Cityscape to talk about these different versions of New York and more.

"C is for Cookie" and that’s good enough, well, for a lot of us. On this week’s Cityscape we’re checking in with Zachary Schmahl, a self-described born cookie monster. Zachary is the owner of Schmackary's in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. You’ll often see a line of folks outside the shop waiting for their chance to bite into one of Zachary’s "Lip-Schmackin’ good cookies." Zachary joins us to talk about how he built his business and how he managed through the pandemic.

On this week's Cityscape we’re checking in with one early childhood education program in Brooklyn that uses classic songs and original ones to create a unique music-centric learning experience for young ones. Alex Branson, creator and host of Lavender Blues, joins us to talk about her journey from being a nanny to becoming the "baby singer," and the benefits of music classes for young children, or “bunnies,” as she calls them.

Libraries have long been a great escape for a lot of people – the perfect place to slip away from the hustle and bustle of life. But, when the pandemic forced libraries to shut their doors, library leaders had to move swiftly to make sure they could still serve their communities. Our guest this week is Dennis Walcott, President and CEO of the Queens Public Library. He joins us to talk about how the Queens Library pivoted during the pandemic, and how COVID-19 isn’t putting a damper on the Library’s125th anniversary celebrations.

As theaters crawl to a comeback in the pandemic, a former Rockette is among those kicking their way back onto a live stage. Lillian Colon was Radio City Music Hall’s first Latina Rockette. But, the road to Radio City wasn’t an easy one for Colon. She's now telling her story in a one-woman show at the Thalia Theater in Queens. But, before the curtain rises on her next performance, she’s talking with us on Cityscape.

The pandemic has had a profound effect on many industries and organizations, including nonprofits.

Joining us this week to talk about the ripple effects of a pandemic on nonprofits, and the work her organization is doing to help them rebound is Danielle Holly. She’s the CEO of Common Impact . The organization helps nonprofits grow to achieve greater success in the communities they serve by connecting them with corporate experts.

Over the past year a lot of people have found sanity in new hobbies like puzzles, coloring, knitting and crocheting.

On this week’s Cityscape, we’re talking with Felicia Eve. She’s the owner of String Thing Studio, a yarn shop and haven for all kinds of crafters, located in Brooklyn. She joins us to talk about her journey to a career in crafting, popular pandemic projects and the diverse community of crafters she’s built through her shop.

It's "game back on" for an indie arcade gallery and bar in Brooklyn. Wonderville is now open again after shutting down amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

On this week's Cityscape, we’ll plug into the history of Wonderville with the creative couple who brought the concept to life.

Also, T-shirt weather will be here before you know it. One New York City shop likes to keep things old school when it comes to the tee. Metropolis Vintage is known for its collection of vintage concert and band T-shirts. Owner Richard Colligan joins us to talk about the history of the shop, how it’s been managing in the pandemic and, of course, their tees.

Born and raised in Greenwich Village, and still living there today, Donna Florio has amassed a collection of tales about her life on Bank Street.

Over the years she's encountered a large cast of characters, from Sid Vicious of Sex Pistols fame, to John Lennon and Yoko Ono, to activist and politiician Bella Abzug. But, her new memoir Growing Up Bank Street, also shares heartwarming and fascinating stories about her lesser-known neighbors, like Tisch, a female-impersonator who became a life-long friend.

Donna is our guest on this week's Cityscape.

Breathing is something a lot of us take for granted, but our guest on this week’s Cityscape says the way in which we breathe, could improve our physical health and state of mind, and not just during a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Richard Brown is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and co-author of “The Healing Power of the Breath.” Dr. Brown teaches advanced breath techniques to help people relieve stress and improve mood, mental focus, empathy and performance.

Our interview with him as part of WFUV’s Strike a Chord campaign focused on efforts to help improve our mental and emotional well-being.

In America they’re called row houses, but across the pond in England, a row of wall-sharing homes is called a terraced house.

Regardless of what you call them, it’s part of what separates cities like London, New York, Boston and Amsterdam from places like Paris and Minneapolis.

In his new book, The North Atlantic Cities , author, planner and historian Charles Duff explores row house cities from 1600 to now. He’s our guest on this week’s Cityscape.

Jigsaw puzzles are an age-old pastime, and with more people staying home during the COVID-19 pandemic, they’re seeing a resurgence in popularity.

British mapmaker and engraver John Spilsbury is credited with making the first jigsaw puzzle in 1762. He was a cartographer, and created what he called "dissected maps" to teach kids geography.

On this week's show, we’re talking with modern-day puzzle makers Adam Silver and Sarah Dickinson. They’re the founders of the New York Puzzle Company .

In times like these, the gentle flickering of a candle can help you feel at ease. And if that candle also has a delightful fragrance, your spirits could be lifted to a whole ‘nother level.

On this week's Cityscape, we're talking with a Bronx native who's fanning the flames of a successful candle making business.

And taking wax to a different extreme, we’ll check in with the folks at Madame Tussauds.

You can’t have a conversation about historical architecture without referencing Stanford White. He was one of the most prominent architects of the Gilded Age. White was a partner in the firm McKim, Mead and White, which built some of the most iconic institutional and domestic buildings of the early 20th century.

White’s great-grandson Samuel G. White is out with a new book about Stanford’s work. It’s called Stanford White in Detail . Samuel is our guest on this edition of Cityscape.

The music industry still has a long way to go for gender equality. Research shows that women remain woefully underrepresented in the industry.

Enter All the Ladies , a new children's album that was created in protest of the lack of female representation in the music industry.

The collection of 11 songs is focused on general equality, female empowerment and breaking glass ceilings. In this edition of Cityscape, we're talking with the album's creator, Joanie Leeds .

Now that we’re heading into the thick of the winter season, who couldn’t use a warm cup of tea? What about a cup while seated on antique furniture? Our guest this week can offer you both.

Honey Moon is the owner of both Brooklyn High Low, a new tea spot located in Prospect Heights, and 1 of a Find , a vintage shop that’s just down the street from the tea room.

Brooklyn High Low puts a New York twist on two classic English traditions: Low Tea and High Tea. 1 of a Find offers vintage clothing and vintage home decor, as well as unique gifts.

After sitting on a jury in a trial involving a double homicide in East Harlem, Efrem Sigel wanted answers. He wanted to know more about the circumstances that led the young people involved to engage in a life of crime and violence.

The killings took place in the courtyard of the East River Houses, a public housing complex located on 1st Avenue between 102nd Street and 105th Street in Manhattan.

Efrem Sigel recounts his experience as a juror in the trial and his subsequent examination of the link between poverty and violence in his book Juror Number 2: The Story of Murder, The Agony of a Neighborhood .

What do George Carlin, Barack Obama, Humphrey Bogart and Billie Holiday all have in common?

They all once resided on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

A new book highlights nearly 600 hundred notables who at one time or another lived on the Upper West Side. It’s called Notable New Yorkers of Mahattan’s Upper West Side: Bloomingdale and Morningside Heights .

The author is Jim Mackin. He’s a New York City historian and founder of WeekdayWalks , which provides tours of New York City neighborhoods. Mackin is our guest on this week's Cityscape.

A lot of names come to mind when we think of people who have shaped New York City history -- John D. Rockefeller, Edith Wharton, and Robert Moses, for instance. But there are many names you might not know. And too many of those names belong to people of color.

Do you know the name of the person who helped desegregate New York City public transportation? What about the person who helped invent the lightbulb with Thomas Edison?

Did you know that New York City was home to the first Black doctor in the United States? Do you know his name?

In You Should Know Their Names , we explore the remarkable stories of seven Black New Yorkers whose names we think you should know.

The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the developed world, and black women are several times more likely to die in childbirth than white women.

Bruce McIntyre is trying to do something about that. His partner died after an emergency C-section at a Bronx hospital in late April. He says her death is an example of long-standing inequities in the health care system for women of color.

That's why McIntyre founded the Save A Rose Foundation. It’s dedicated to shedding light on issues of maternal mortality among women of color in the U.S.

We recently talked with McIntyre about the love of his life, Amber Rose Isaac, and his efforts to prevent other families from going through similar heartache.

With COVID-19 cases on the rise, what are the challenges older New Yorkers are facing as the pandemic rages on?

According to a new AARP Foundation and United Health Foundation report, the pandemic has resulted in an “epidemic of loneliness” among older adults.

Joining us this week to talk more about this and other issues related to the impact of the pandemic on older New Yorkers is AARP New York Director Beth Finkel.

The bookstore scene isn’t what it used to be, but New York City is still home to some remarkable booksellers, including Argosy Books, the city’s oldest independent bookstore and the Strand, arguably the most recognizable bookshop in the city.

In this episode, we’re diving into the story of Café Con Libros , an intersectional Feminist community bookstore and coffee shop in Brooklyn. It aims to create “a vibrant community space where everyone; specifically female identified folx, feel centered, affirmed and celebrated.”

Kalima Desuze is the owner of the shop. She joins us this week to talk about the inspiration behind Café Con Libros, the recent “Boxed Out” campaign, and what it means to be a Black female business owner in 2020.

New York City has long come to life during the holiday season. Between the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree and the elaborately decorated holiday windows at stores like Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Big Apple, even in the midst of a pandemic.

But, until the late 19th century it wasn’t Christmas, but rather New Year’s that generated the most excitement in New York City.

We'll hear about that and more this week with our guest Anthony Bellov. He's a long-time volunteer and board member of the Merchant’s House Museum , the only 19th century family home in New York City preserved intact -- both inside and out.

With the COVID-19 pandemic having brought the curtain down on performances across New York City, The Center for Traditional Music and Dance is launching an online series to provide a stage for immigrant artists, especially vulnerable members of the creative community.

More than 50 leading traditional instrumentalists, dancers, singers, poets and more are featured in Beat of the Boroughs: NYC Online.

The Center for Traditional Music and Dance's Executive Director Pete Rushefsky and Project Director and Staff Ethnomusicologist Andrew Colwell join us on this week's Cityscape to talk about the series, which features immigrant performers from around the world.

2020 has been anything but an easy year -- you know with a pandemic and all. But, a little humor can go a long way. Enter award-winning writer, illustrator, and cartoonist, Bob Eckstein . Bob has had his cartoons published in the New York Times, MAD magazine and the New Yorker. Bob's a regular guest on Cityscape, and joins us this week to talk about what he’s been up to during the pandemic, including putting out a new book with famed New Yorker cartoonist, Michael Shaw. It’s called The Elements of Stress and the Pursuit of Happy-ish in this Current Sh*tstorm .

"Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses." It’s a quip attributed to writer, poet and critic Dorothy Parker. She also once said “a silver cord ties me tight to my city.” Her city being New York City.

Dorothy Parker lived an extraordinary life in the Big Apple, but what happened after she died is also extraordinary. It’s a story that was literally put to rest this summer amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 53 years after her death, Dorothy Parker’s ashes were interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.

It’s a tale only our guests on this week's Cityscape could tell well. Kevin C. Fitzpatrick is the head of the Dorothy Parker Society . He’s also a professional tour guide and author. He along with The New Yorker Writer, Laurie Gwen Shapiro , brought Parker’s cremains to the Bronx from Baltimore, where they had been interred at NAACP headquarters. It’s quite the story!

There’s no denying that the COVID-19 pandemic has placed a dark cloud over New York City, and the rest of the world for that matter. But, bright spots still shine through each and every day. Among them, community gardens that have long been a place of comfort and hope for weary New Yorkers.

A new book celebrates New York City’s community gardens, as well as the people who create, cultivate and enjoy them. It’s called Rooted in the Hood. On this week's Cityscape, we're talking with the author, Anna Angelidakis.

A lot of people working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic have traded their traditional workplace clothes for more comfortable and leisurely apparel -- sweatpants, T-shirts, slippers, etc. But, a new book takes a closer look at how what we choose to wear can affect how we think and work. It's called Dress Your Best Life: How to Use Fashion Psychology to Take Your Look -- and Your Life -- to the Next Level. In this episode of Cityscape, we're talking with the author, New York City-based fashion psychologist Dawnn Karen .

Will they come back?

Midtown Manhattan, the center of business in New York City, is still looking pretty empty these days. Office workers have yet to come back in large numbers. Is the shift to working from home becoming permanent and what will this mean to corporate efforts to diversify the workplace?

For years there’s been talk that automation and digital technology would have a tremendous impact on our nation's workforce, not only eliminating jobs, but also fundamentally changing how and where work is done. COVID-19 has accelerated these trends.

Our guest this week is Dr. Arthur Langer, Chairman and Founder of a nonprofit organization called Workforce Opportunity Services . Workforce Opportunity Services has helped hundreds of young people from underserved and underrepresented communities, as well as post 9-11 veterans, get good jobs at companies like Prudential, Bristol Myers Squibb and others throughout the nation.

Dr. Langer is also a professor at Columbia University, Langer's research focuses in part on reinventing education and the US workforce.

The W-O-S model, developed by Dr. Langer, focuses on offering support for underserved communities from the beginning of their training all the way through employment.

Like many small businesses, Economy Candy , on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, has had to pivot to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.

The iconic New York City candy shop is making the most of online sales, but also going old school. They’ve stationed a pushcart outside of their store dubbed ‘Economy Candy To-Go.” And to make candy shopping super easy, they’ve been selling specially-curated candy packs since March. And yes, they now have Halloween-themed packs for the season.

We recently had the chance to catch up with the folks currently holding down the fort of this long-standing family-owned business, third-generation owner Mitchell Cohen and his wife Skye Greenfield Cohen.

For the first time in its history, New York City’s Central Park is home to a monument depicting real-life women.

This summer, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, a statue of women’s rights pioneers Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Sojourner Truth, made its debut on Central Park’s Literary Walk.

The nonprofit organization Monumental Women was instrumental in seeing the project through.

We talked with Monumental Women’s President Pam Elam and board member Namita Luthra about their efforts to break the bronze ceiling.

The COVID-19 pandemic has crippled New York City’s street vendors. With foot traffic slowed to a crawl in many neighborhoods, vendors are struggling to make ends meet, and some have decided not to return to the streets because the dollars and cents just don’t add up.

On this week's show, we’re talking with Mohamed Attia, Director of the Street Vendor Project , along with Ahmed Ebrahim, a hot dog vendor at New York’s Rockefeller Center and Alex Simon-Fox, a program officer with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation , The global philanthropic organization has partnered with the Street Vendor Project to employ street vendors to cook and distribute meals to communities in Brooklyn and the Bronx.

Our guest this week knows a thing or two about second chances.

When Coss Marte went to prison in 2009, he was faced with not one, but two big challenges: lose weight and discover a legitimate career upon release. Luckily for him, overcoming the first obstacle helped him find the answer to the other. Coss, a former drug kingpin, is now helping others get into shape through his fitness company -- ConBody . It markets a "prison style" boot camp based Coss' former prison workout routine. The company also provides opportunities to formerly incarcerated individuals by hiring them as trainers.

Coss is now doubling down on his commitment to helping ex-inmates turn their lives around with Second Chance Studios . It’s a nonprofit digital media company that trains and employs formerly incarcerated people in audio engineering, podcasting, video production and other in-demand technical skills.

Matt Bocchi was nine-years-old when his father perished in the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001. What followed for Matt was a life filled with psychological and emotional torment.

Matt got involved with alcohol and drugs after an uncle through marriage took advantage of his vulnerability and sexually abused him.

Now as we mark the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Matt is more than five years sober and the author of a new memoir titled Sway. He joins Cityscape host George Bodarky to talk about it.

If you’re like the team at Cityscape, you’ve had your fair share of ice cream this summer. It’s the perfect treat on a hot summer day, but then again, if you ask us, it’s the perfect treat anytime. In this edition of Cityscape, we’re checking in with a unique ice cream shop that’s serving both delicious ice cream and the community at large.

Sugar Hill Creamery is located in Harlem. It’s owned and operated by husband and wife duo Nick Larsen and Petrushka Bazin Larsen. They describe the shop as “a love affair between community and food," and serve dozens of flavors of handmade ice cream and non-dairy frozen desserts inspired by their Caribbean and Midwestern cultures, as well as the Harlem community they’re a part of.

We recently talked with Petrushka and Nick about the shop and their recent partnership with Ice Cream for Change to help fight racism.

For emerging artists, securing a residency can be transformational. And now in New York City, a new artist-in-residence opportunity has emerged in perhaps an unlikely place -- Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.

Green-Wood Cemetery recently announced a new nine month long artist-in-residence program. The chosen artist will have the opportunity to use a private studio on the property to create art inspired by the historic cemetery.

In this edition of Cityscape, we're talking with Lisa Alpert and Harry Weil. Lisa is the Vice President of Development & Programming at Green-Wood, and Harry is the Director of Public Programs & Special Projects. He’s in charge of all special programs and events at Green-Wood, including the artist-in-residence program.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of people have been leaving New York City for greener pastures, whether it be for a day trip or something more permanent. But, even within the big city you can find greener pastures, and we’re not just talking about Central Park and Prospect Park.

New York City is home to a working farm with animals and everything.

On this edition of Cityscape, we're paying a virtual visit to the Queens County Farm Museum .

We'll also talk with Courtney Wade , who lives on a farm in the Catskills in upstate New York. Courtney is a chef, photographer, graphic designer and the author of The Catskills: Farm to Table Cookbook .

New York City has long been a backdrop for television shows and movies, making it an ideal place for someone like Georgette Blau. She’s the founder of On Location Tour s, an award-winning TV and movie tour company. But, one scene Georgette never expected to find herself in is the owner of a tour company in the midst of a pandemic.

In this edition of Cityscape, Georgette shares how she’s rewriting the script for her company, including creating a Friends virtual tour to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the classic TV comedy.

New York City is known as “the city that never sleeps.” But since the coronavirus pandemic hit, nightlife venues and organizations have had to go to bed, leaving venues struggling to stay afloat.

House of Yes in Bushwick, Brooklyn is slowly awakening from its slumber, having recently reopened for outdoor activities. But, the venue, which has been described as a mix of “Studio 54 and Cirque du Soleil” is far from returning to normal.

We recently caught up with Kae Burke, one of House of Yes' founders, via Zoom. We talked about how House of Yes is doing amidst the pandemic, the origins of the venue, and what nightlife in New York City might look like in the future.

New York City has long been known for its bustling nightlife scene.

We're familiar with images of people dressed to the nines packed into posh clubs dancing the night away and jazz musicians performing before more intimate crowds at venues in Greenwich Village. But, the coronavirus pandemic has put the city that never sleeps to bed, leaving its vibrant nightlife scene in a deep slumber.

Even as the city continues to re-open, it’s unlikely nightclubs, music venues and performance spaces will return to normalcy anytime soon.

A group of individuals and venues associated with New York City’s nightlife scene have launched an emergency relief fund to help venues as they struggle through the COVID-19 pandemic. On this week's Cityscape we'll talk with Ric Leichtung, a founding partner of NYC Nightlife United .

We'll also hear from J.C. Diaz, president of the American Nightlife Association .

COVID-19 and AIDS are, of course, different diseases, but those who have been on the front lines in the battle against HIV/AIDS see parallels between the crises.

Our guest in this episode is Sharen Duke, Executive Director and CEO of The Alliance for Positive Change . She joins us to talk about how the early years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic compare to now, and the challenges New Yorkers with HIV/AIDS and other chronic health conditions are facing with coronavirus.

Today Lower Manhattan residents seeking to escape the city in the hot summer months may head to the Hamptons or the Jersey Shore, but in the 1800s, midtown Manhattan was the place to go for a quick getaway.

Between 1826 and 1833, The Mount Vernon Hotel on East 61st Street was the go-to place for New Yorkers looking to escape the hustle bustle of the city, which at the time extended only as far north as 14th Street.

The hotel is now a museum.

Unfortunately, the museum is temporarily closed to due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but its virtual doors are open. Cityscape host George Bodarky recently talked with the museum’s director, Terri Daly.

For a lot of New Yorkers, the city’s parks have become sanctuaries, providing a much needed escape from the confines of their homes during the coronavirus pandemic. But advocates are concerned tough economic times ahead could mean less funding for our urban oases.

In this episode of Cityscape we'll hear from Adam Ganser, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Parks and Michelle Luebke, Director of Environmental Stewardship with Bronx River Alliance .

The curtain is coming up on some aspects of life in New York City, but you can expect it to remain down on Broadway for a while longer due to the coronavirus pandemic. And if you’re wondering how long a while is. Well, that remains to be seen.

In this edition of Cityscape, we'll talk with Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League , about the future of the Great White Way.

We'll also hear from photographer Peter Pabon , who has been traversing New York City to document life amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

This has been a school year like no other. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, schools were forced to switch to remote learning. But, the reviews on how that has gone over the last few months are mixed to say the least.

The organization Teaching Matters has been helping schools in some of New York City’s poorest districts navigate the challenges of having to quickly pivot to online learning, challenges the non-profit expects to continue into the new school year.

Lynette Guastaferro is CEO of Teaching Matters. Cityscape host George Bodarky talked with her about her organization’s work in helping teachers switch from a brick and mortar classroom to teaching online.

A lot of us are dealing with the challenges of reemerging into society after months of quarantine, but reentry during a pandemic poses much greater challenges for individuals getting out of prison. Enter the Fortune Society , a New York City based organization that provides essential support for people getting out of prison and promotes alternatives to incarceration.

In this episode of Cityscape, host George Bodarky talks with JoAnne Page, President and CEO of the Fortune Society.

The coronavirus pandemic has hit small businesses across the country hard. They were forced to quickly shut their doors with no clear timeline for when they could re-open. In New York City establishments that sell food and drink were among those deemed essential, and that proved to be an accidental lifeline for one Brooklyn shop.

Jane Motorcycles in Williamsburg is not your ordinary retail store. In addition to selling motorcycles and apparel, they have a coffee bar, and because of that, Jane Motorcycles was allowed to stay open during the pandemic. They even added gourmet sandwiches and other food items to their menu in the midst of the outbreak. Citycape host George Bodarky recently talked with the founders of Jane Motorcycles on Zoom.

With nearly 51,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19, Brooklyn is one of the most impacted areas in the hardest-hit city in the United States.

Cityscape Host George Bodarky recently talked with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams about a wide range of issues, from racial disparities in the age of coronavirus to how the city should look to shore up an economy in crisis. They spoke via Zoom.

Like many cultural institutions, Flushing Town Hall in Queens had to quickly pivot to online programming in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

While its physical doors might be closed, its virtual doors remain wide open. Cityscape Host George Bodarky recently talked with Flushing Town Hall’s Executive and Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek, a self-proclaimed hugger, about how she and her institution are managing in the age of social distancing.

New York City is full of things to see and do, but these days, well -- coronavirus! The pandemic has brought so much to a halt, including tours of iconic landmarks and historic neighborhoods.

Cityscape host George Bodarky recently talked with tour guide Jeremy Wilcox about how the coronavirus outbreak is affecting him and others in the industry. Jeremy is a lifelong New Yorker and treasurer of the Guides Association of New York City . They chatted via Zoom.

The frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic include a long list of characters from healthcare professionals to grocery store workers to truck drivers. But, there’s also an army of girls and young women doing their part to help the nation through this challenging time. In fact, for more than 100 years, the Girl Scouts have been pitching in during all kinds of crises.

Meridith Maskara is the Chief Executive Officer of the Girl Scouts of Greater New York . Cityscape host George Bodarky recently talked with her via Zoom about the organization’s long-standing tradition of helping out in times of turmoil.

Between two world wars, the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, the September 11th terrorist attacks and Superstorm Sandy, the Third Street Music School Settlement on Manhattan’s Lower East Side has seen a lot in its 125 year history.

But just how is the nation’s longest-running community music school weathering the storm of the coronavirus outbreak?

Cityscape host George Bodarky recently talked with Third Street’s Executive Director, Valerie Lewis, via Zoom.

In times of crisis, strong leadership is critical for an organization. But, how can a leader lead when facing a terrifying illness?

Eric Yaverbaum is the CEO of Ericho Communications in New York City. In the midst of leading his company through the coronavirus crisis, Eric himself was diagnosed with COVID-19. Cityscape host George Bodarky talked with him via Zoom about how he’s navigating his company through these challenging times, and to get his advice on how other leaders can do their best in unchartered territory.

Empty sidewalks in New York City mean few if any customers for street vendors. In fact, most street vendors are staying inside themselves. The idea of lugging out their carts for a few dollars and putting themselves in jeopardy of getting sick provides little incentive.

To learn more about the impact the coronavirus outbreak is having on street vendors, Cityscape host George Bodarky talked with the Director of the Street Vendor Project , Mohamed Attia, via Zoom.

New York is a great city for the arts, but just what the art scene will look like in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic remains to be seen. The outbreak is having a devastating impact on the art world. The lights on Broadway have gone dark, museums remain shuttered, and gallery walks have come to a halt. The New York Foundation for the Arts is taking several steps to help artists get through this crisis. On this week's Cityscape, we talk with NYFA’s Executive Director Michael L. Royce via Zoom.
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George Bodarky

4.08.20 6:00am

New York is a great city for the arts, but just what the art scene will look like in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic remains to be seen. The outbreak is having a devastating impact on the art world. The lights on Broadway have gone dark, museums remain shuttered, and gallery walks have come to a halt.

The New York Foundation for the Arts is taking several steps to help artists get through this crisis. On this week's Cityscape, we talk with NYFA’s Executive Director Michael L. Royce via Zoom.

***music for this episode is courtesy of Blue Dot Sessions***

Magazines still line newsstands and you’ll see some of them at the checkout counter at the supermarket, but the industry is not as glossy as it used to be. While many magazines have folded, others have transitioned to a digital format.

On this week's show, we're looking back at 50 years of magazine making with Walter Bernard. He's been the designer and art director of many of the best known magazines and newspapers in the United States, including Time, Fortune and the Atlantic.

He also worked at New York Magazine in its early days. The job was offered to him by New York Magazine co-founder Milton Glaser. Bernard and Glaser recount their days working together at New York Magazine and their work on many of the nation’s other best-known publications in a new book called Mag Men .

Brooklyn resident Jonathan Samson is the first board-certified music therapist in history to receive a Grammy for Best Children's Album.

Jonathan is the founder of CoCreative Music , a private practice in Brooklyn where he offers a unique combination of music therapy, audio/video production, artistic mentoring and life coaching to inspire "The Child Archetype" in all ages.

He joins us this week to talk about his music and music therapy practice.

Even in a city as densely populated as New York, people can be — or at least feel — very alone. And the fact of the matter is loneliness can have serious consequences on a person’s physical and mental health.

Jillian Richardson is on a mission to make the world less lonely. She's the founder of The Joy List. It’s described as a resource for people to find events that they can go to by themselves, and leave with a new friend. Jillian’s also the author of the book Unlonely Planet: How Healthy Congregations Can Change the World . She's our guest in this special presentation, produced in conjunction with BronxNet Television .

A favorite family recipe has the power to pass love and culture down through generations.

Our guest on this week's Cityscape believes in this power so much that he decided to write a book about it, highlighting his own heritage and hoping he can reach a new audience with it.

Kevin Noble Maillard’s new children’s book Fry Bread is a celebration of Native American family tradition through a delicious dish. With Juana Martinez-Neal’s illustrations, the book shows a culture Maillard says is all too often excluded from children’s literature.

Our guest this week Bob Eckstein, an award-winning writer, illustrator and cartoonist. Bob's had his cartoons published in the New York Times, MAD Magazine and the New Yorker. They’ve also been featured in the Cartoon Art Museum of San Francisco, the Smithsonian Institute, and the Cartoon Museum of London.

Bob's also a snowman expert. He wrote a book called The Illustrated History of the Snowman . Bob’s latest book is Everyone’s a Critic: The Ultimate Cartoon Book . It features a collection of New Yorker cartoons that celebrate “the art of the drawn critique.”