Bryant Park has been around for ages, first called Reservoir Square, around 1847 when the Croton Reservoir was there. Prior to that it was still wilderness, until 1823 when it was designated a potter's field, which it remained through 1840. It wasn't until the bodies were (probably!) moved to Wards Island that it became a public park. But let's flash way forward, to the 1970s, when the park became overrun by drug deals and prostitutes.
1
Results tagged “needlepark”
The 1980s, When Bryant Park Began To Shed The Nickname "Needle Park"
Old Naughty NYC Vs. Current Boring, Safe NYC
Last year around this time, the Observer pitted Williamsburg hipsters and Park Slope yuppies against each other. This year, the Observer tackles the yearning some native New Yorkers have for when NYC was bad (sorta like Michael Jackson video Bad!). Summer of Sam, Needle Park, Ford telling the city to drop dead, all of it seems better than it is now. Here's what some people told the Observer:
- “I was flashed all the time—that’s how a true private all-girl kid learned about the male anatomy,” wrote Liz Alderman, 32, a television producer and former Brearley lass, in an e-mail.more ›
Best Decade For NYC Movies: 1970s
After all the comments on yesterday's post about books set in NYC, we got to thinking, has anyone bothered to come up with a list of all the movies set in the city? The answer, of course, is yes-- at Wikipedia, of course. What an amazing site-- it's like having a genie who's only job is to distract us with useless NYC trivia! They've probably missed a couple of movies here and there, but the list looks fairly comprehensive. Absolute, undisputable fact: the 1970s was far and away the most interesting time for NYC movies-- check these out:
The Paradox Of A Safer New York
How do you stay safe? We think that McGruff the Crime Dog's tips for safety for women actually have great application to mean. The "scary NY" (think dirtier, grittier) is the New York seen in Midnight Cowboy, Panic in Needle Park, Serpico or Crocodile Dundee. And those who think that Sex and the City is NYC: In one episode, Carrie was mugged for her purse and shoes. For more "scary" city stories, check the archives of Scary NY. People - just because you have a cellphone doesn't mean you're safe. And our own Laren teaches a self defense class at Prepare and reminds us that there's an open house/graduation on Tuesday, 8:00 pm at 147 W. 25th St. (between 6th & 7th Avenues). Another new resource for getting home safe is Right Rides.
Village Voice Best of 2003 Series Draws to a Close
The Village Voice Best of 2003 series at BAM draws to a close tonight with a screening of one of the best independent films of last year, Raising Victor Vargas. Directed by Peter Sollett, the film is an emotive coming-of-age story set in the LES. What makes Vargas work are the performances which Sollett successfully inspired from his virtually unknown cast. He first found these actors while working on his student short, Five Feet High and Rising, which was based on the same premise as Vargas. A Q&A with Sollett will follow tonight's 6:45pm screening.
« Previous
1
Next »
send a tip
tips@gothamist.comsubscribe
Use an RSS reader to stay up to date with the latest news and posts from Gothamist.