More Americans are coping with the economy's crash by chasing a sugar high, if sales data on mass-produced proletariat candies are to be believed. Up until the fourth quarter of last year, sales of candies like Hershey Kisses, Gummy Bears, and Jelly Bellies were losing out to fancy, high-end brands; now, according to Edgar Roesch, a food analyst with Soleil Securities, that trend has been reversed. Cadbury reported a 30% rise in profits for 2008, and Nestle’s profits grew by 10.9%. At Economy Candy on the Lower East Side, owner Jerry Cohen has had to increase his orders by 10%. Of course, there's always a down side to the sugar high. Liz Josefsberg, who runs Weight Watchers meetings in Manhattan, tells the Times candy talk has dominated recent meetings: "I’m hearing a lot about Skittles and Mary Janes." (Though if Mary Jane's your problem, you're probably in the wrong meeting.) And there may be a historical precedent for the current candy renaissance; it's worth noting that Snickers, Tootsie Pops, Mars bars with almonds, and Three Musketeers were all introduced during the Great Depression. more ›

The New York Times has an interesting story today on Sion Misrahi and the Lower East Side he helped transform. If you've walked down Rivington St. a few times, you've probably noticed the Misrahi Realty storefront business. Its owner is Sion Misrahi, who sold pants for his father in the neighborhood when he was fourteen. When it began to gentrify, he worked to classify the old bargain-shopping district as a landmark area. Then he decided to start marketing real estate in the neighborhood to nightlife businesses. The Times separates the changes into four parts: "shmattes to hipsters to bulldozers to tourists." more ›

- Beautiful panoramic shots of some iconic places, such as Grand Central and Economy Candy more ›

When was the last time you had Fun Dip, or those wax candy lips . . . or what about a Cadbury Crunchie bar? Whatever your candy craving, you'll most likely find it at Economy Candy, a Lower East Side institution since 1937. If you haven't made it down there, it's certainly worth the trip, whether you're looking to stroll down a sugar-paved memory lane or you just want a new way to get your carb fix. Sugar-free? They've got it. Bulk candy? Sure. Giant Pez dispensers and Pixy Stix? Yup. more ›

H & H Bagels and Junior's Cheesecake are usually the "no-brainer" stops for Gothamist's holiday gifts for transplanted New York foodies. This year, however, we thought that our gourmet buds in far-off lands like Maryland, Florida, Arizona and beyond would appreciate epicurean delights that focus on a well-loved culinary corner of our fair city: the Lower East Side. more ›

Trying to figure out what to do this Halloween weekend? We've got some ideas that are just slightly better than *bobbing for PBR... more ›