Cityscape

New York City will soon be among the places where people can acquire medical marijuana with a prescription. The city’s first marijuana dispensary is scheduled to open in January near Manhattan’s Union Square. Under a law signed by Governor Cuomo in June 2014, five companies will be allowed to grow cannabis and operate 20 dispensaries throughout New York State. Many have slammed the legislation as being the most restrictive in the country. On this edition of Cityscape, we're exploring the issue of medical marijuana in New York.

In the age of e-books and digital information, are libraries still relevant? The answer is a resounding yes if you ask Michael D.D. White and Carolyn McIntyre. The Brooklyn residents are the founders of the group Citizens Defending Libraries. They're our guests on this week's Cityscape, along with the author of a new book about an especially fierce battle against a project that would have demolished the beloved stacks at the main branch of the New York Public Library on 5th Avenue at 42nd Street in Manhattan. We'll also dive into the history of the marble lions that stand guard outside what's officially known as The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. 

As summer comes to a close, it’s likely that orders of cold beers will turn into orders of hot toddy’s. But regardless of your drink of choice, there are no shortage of places in New York City to throw one back. On this edition of Cityscape, we’ll delve into the history of some of New York City’s most noteworthy bars, and talk with a local bartender who holds the Guinness Record as the world’s fastest.

New York City is constantly evolving -- both above ground and underground. On this edition of Cityscape, we’ll hear about efforts to construct what’s billed as the world’s first underground park in an abandoned trolley terminal on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, as well as other efforts to re-invent under-utilized spaces in the Big Apple. We'll also delve into a little bit of history, or rather mystery. Are there cow tunnels under the streets of New York City?  Yes – cows as in "moo."

Samuel Battle is far from a household name in New York City, yet he holds a very important place in the Big Apple’s history. Battle was the first African-American to join the NYPD. But, the road to becoming a police officer was not an easy one for Battle, and even after he got on the force, the challenges continued. He had to deal with racist colleagues, death threats and government corruption, along with criminals and gang members. A new book traces Samuel Battle’s amazing journey. It’s called One Righteous Man: Samuel Battle and the Shattering of the Color Line in New York. The author is New York Daily News Editorial Page Editor, Arthur Browne. Browne joins us on this edition of Cityscape.

New York City is home to a wide variety of clubs where you can mix and mingle with people with similar interests and backgrounds, some more exclusive than others. In fact, the city has a rich history of elite social clubs dating back to the 1830s.  On this edition of Cityscape, we're exploring that history and taking a peek inside a couple of clubs that have been around for quite some time. 

Out of all five boroughs in New York City, the Bronx is often not the first that comes to mind for visitors to the Big Apple.  Manhattan is typically the big draw.  With places like the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty getting a whole lot of love.  But, the Bronx has a lot to offer tourists and locals alike. A new guidebook spotlights a wide variety of cultural and historical attractions in the Bronx.  It’s called The Bronx: The Ultimate Guide to New York City's Beautiful Borough, and it’s written by Bronx Borough Historian and Fairleigh Dickinson University History Professor, Lloyd Ultan and former University Professor Shelley Olson. Lloyd and Shelley are our guests on this edition of Cityscape.

When it comes to Bourbon, Brooklyn resident Reid Mitenbuler is giving it to us straight. Mitenbuler’s written a book about Bourbon.  Its called Bourbon Empire: The Past and Future of America’s Whiskey. Mitenbuler is our guest on this week's Cityscape.

Brooklyn wasn’t always a borough known for art and culture. But, today it’s bursting with it. Brooklynites are doing a wide range of interesting things in some pretty interesting places. Just ask Oriana Leckert.  She writes about this kind of stuff on her blog called Brooklyn Spaces. Oriana also just published a book by the same name. She joins us on this edition of Cityscape to talk all about what she calls Brooklyn's "hubs of culture and creativity."

Jerome Charyn is an award-winning American author who’s published nearly 50 books. Throughout his career, he’s written novels, memoirs, graphic novels, short stories, plays and non-fiction works. Born and raised in the Bronx, Jerome hasn’t forgotten his roots. The Bronx consistently seeps into his writing. His latest work is a collection of thirteen stories called Bitter Bronx. Jerome is our guest on this edition of Cityscape.