Cityscape

The New York Times recently named the South Bronx as one of the 52 places travelers should plan to visit in the coming year. Now, if you're hung up on images of what the South Bronx looked like in the 1970s and early 80s when burned-out buildings and gangs dominated the area, that probably comes as a big surprise. But, the South Bronx has come a long way over the years. It's no longer burning -- it's gentrifying. Take a walk around and you'll discover trendy coffee shops, galleries and boutiques. Public radio station, WNYC, is documenting the affordability crisis and changing neighborhoods across New York City. They're doing this one by one, and kicked things off with Mott Haven in the South Bronx. WNYC associate producer Sophia Paliza-Carre joins us on this week's Cityscape to talk about the project. We're also joined by a Bronx native on a mission to open an independent bookstore/wine bar in the South Bronx. Right now the Bronx doesn't have a single bookstore.

People from all over come to New York City for the various networking opportunities it provides. But what people may not know is that when they ride the subways or check their emails, they’re involved with different kinds of networks. On this week's Cityscape, we're exploring the networks that makeup our city, from bridges to broadband, and how they impact the hustle and bustle that New York is known for.

Rock and roll and drugs have, historically, often gone hand in hand. Many musicians are dealing with, have dealt with, or have died from addiction. The list is long and includes names like Amy Winehouse and Janis Joplin. But, while the lifestyle of a musician can be supportive of addiction, it could also be used to help combat the problem. Enter Road Recovery, an organization that helps young people recovering from addiction and other adversities by harnessing the influence of entertainment industry professionals who have confronted similar crises and now wish to share their experience, knowledge, and resources. Road Recovery co-founder Gene Bowen and board member Simon Kirke are our guests on this week's Cityscape. Simon is a drummer best known as a member of Free and Bad Company.

He is one of the most recognizable names in music history. Paul Simon has had a long and illustrious career both as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel and as a solo artist. Simon has earned 16 Grammy awards, and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, first with Simon & Garfunkel in 1990 and then solo in 2001. A new book explores Paul Simon's journey to musical greatness -- a journey that essentially begins in Queens, New York where Simon grew up. Peter Ames Carlin, the author of Homeward Bound: The Life of Paul Simon, is our guest to this week's show.

New York City’s skyline is forever evolving, but the churches that dot the city’s streets are lasting reminders of the Big Apple’s rich and varied religious and cultural history. On this week’s show, we’re talking with Richard Panchyk. He’s the author of Manhattan Churches, which is part of Arcadia Publishing’s Postcard History Series.

Anyone can visit the Statue of Liberty or gawk at the Eiffel Tower, but if the typical tourist hotspots don’t do enough to feed your curiosity or sense of adventure, you’ll want to join us for this week’s Cityscape. We're talking with Ella Morton. Ella is in the business of guiding people to the road less traveled. She is Associate Editor at Atlas Obscura and co-author of the Atlas Obscura book.

When something momentous happens in our lives, we often turn to the written word to share our enthusiasm. For a lot of people today that means a text, an e-mail or perhaps a Facebook post. A new book explores how time and time again everyday folks turn to storytelling, more specifically poetry, to record and respond to what’s happening in their lives. The book is called The Poetry of Everyday Life: Storytelling and the Art of Awareness. The author is folklorist, writer, and cultural activist, Steve Zeitlin. Steve is the founding director of the nonprofit cultural center City Lore in Manhattan. He's our guest on this week's Cityscape.

You might not know his name, or recognize his face, but more than likely you’re familiar with his work. Joel Beckerman is an award-winning composer, music producer for film and television and founder of Man Made Music, a company that specializes in what’s known as sonic branding. They’ve produced sounds for global giants like Disney, NBC and AT&T. We recently caught up with Joel at Made Made Music’s studios in Lower Manhattan to talk about the power of music and sound in our lives, as well as his advice for success.

eBooks and on-line retailers have put a strain on independent booksellers around the globe, but mom-and-pop book shops still hold a special place in the hearts of many people, and a lot of them are holding strong against the competition. Illustrator, writer and New Yorker cartoonist Bob Eckstein pays tribute to the independent bookstore in his new book Footnotes from the World’s Greatest Bookstores: True Tales and Lost Moments from Book Buyers, Booksellers and Book Lovers. Bob is our guest on this week’s Cityscape.

As the holidays approach, shoppers will be on the hunt for a bargain. But, not all of them will just be sifting through the clearance rack. Some will hit the streets of New York City in search of a steal on the black market. On this week’s Cityscape, we’re talking about con men, hustlers, and the black market.