Cityscape

What do a dead giraffe, a robot hand and a grand piano have in common? They’re all objects found in the waterways around New York City. A digital journal called Underwater New York publishes stories, art and music inspired by objects discovered in the shadowy depths of the city’s waterways. On this week's Cityscape, we're talking with founding editor Nicki Pombier Berger and editor Helen Georgas.

The Bowery in Lower Manhattan is New York City’s oldest thoroughfare. The 1.25 mile stretch has a rich and storied past with strong connections to vaudeville, beat literature and punk rock. But nowadays the Bowery’s history has somewhat faded into its present, which includes high-end shops, bars and eateries. The Bowery Alliance of Neighbors is working to preserve and protect the history of the legendary street. The Bowery Alliance recently sponsored a project involving 64 window placards celebrating the Bowery’s remarkable, but largely forgotten contributions to American culture and history. It’s called Windows on the Bowery. On this week's Cityscape, we're talking with the President of the Bowery Alliance of Neighbors, David Mulkins.

We are a society addicted to our cell phones. Take a look around the streets of New York City and chances are the majority of people around you will be staring down at their palms, checking e-mails or texting with friends or family. But, when we spend so much time staring at that glowing screen in our palms, we’re missing out on all that’s around us, including some pretty magnificent gardens and wildlife you may be surprised to see in a city like New York. On this week’s Cityscape we’re exploring unexpected greenery and bird species in the Big Apple.

A recent study found that lawyers struggle with substance abuse, particularly drinking, and with depression and anxiety more commonly than some other professionals. Our guest on this week’s Cityscape knows all too well about problem drinking in the legal profession. Lisa F. Smith was addicted to alcohol and drugs while working at prominent New York City law firms.  Lisa has been sober for just over 12 years, and shares her story of addiction and recovery in her new memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar.

When you think about bath time, what comes to mind? If you’re a parent of a young child, perhaps it’s the challenge of getting your kid into the tub. If you grew up watching Sesame Street, it might be Ernie and his rubber ducky. And if you’re someone who loves the 80’s, maybe it’s the phrase “Calgon, take me away!” Bathing has meant different things to many cultures over the centuries. Doctor Paulette Kouffman Sherman, a psychologist in New York City, dives deep into the history and power of a mindful soak in her new book – The Book of Sacred Baths: 52 Bathing Rituals to Revitalize Your Spirit. She’s our guest on this week’s Cityscape.

New York City is bursting with history.  You can still see some of it with your very own eyes. For instance, you can pay a visit to what’s billed as Manhattan’s oldest house, the Morris-Jumel Mansion. But, some of the Big Apple’s history is no longer visible, like the prison where the crooked politician William "Boss” Tweed died in 1878. Greg Young and Tom Meyers are good friends who dive deep into the history of New York City in their hit podcast – The Bowery Boys. Since they started in 2007 they’ve produced more than 200 episodes, and are now making the rounds promoting their first book Adventures in Old New York. Greg and Tom recently dropped by our studios to talk about their ongoing exploration into the city’s rich past.

It can be a challenge for any kid to head back to school after summer break. After all there is something to be said for lazy days hanging out with friends at the park, beach or pool. But, summer only lasts so long, and soon kids will be trading in their beach balls for notebooks. For a lot of families in New York City, the cost of getting a child ready for a new school year can be out of reach. Enter – Operation Backpack. The initiative provides backpacks stocked with grade-appropriate school supplies to kids living in homeless and domestic violence shelters. On this week's Cityscape, we're talking with the program's founder, Rachel Weinstein.

Before Central Park and before Prospect Park, there was Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery.  With its rolling hills, majestic views and beautiful monuments, the cemetery was once one of the nation’s greatest tourist attractions – right up there with Niagara Falls.  Green-Wood doesn’t pack in as many tourists today, but it still remains a popular destination. The roster of those interred at Green-Wood Cemetery reads like a “Who’s Who” of great New Yorkers. We recently dug into Green-Wood's history with a guy who knows quite a bit about it -- the cemetery's historian, Jeff Richman.

What do Tootsie Rolls, Jujubes and Hot Tamales all have in common? They’re candies that originated right here in New York City. On this week's Cityscape we're taking a bite into candy history. Our guest is Susan Benjamin. She’s the author of Sweet as Sin: The Unwrapped Story of How Candy Became American’s Favorite Pleasure.

It’s taken Broadway and much of the nation by storm.  The musical Hamilton has sparked renewed interest in the man whose face graces the $10 bill. And perhaps it was bound to happen, but we at Cityscape, have finally caught Hamilton fever.
On this edition of Cityscape, we’re diving into the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton.