Author

Sydney Hargrove

Sydney Hargrove is a current Media Studies student at Hunter College. A New York City native currently living in the Upper East Side, she got her start in the journalism field through social media management and has explored the world of on camera hosting and on the scene reporting since then.

EntertainmentLifestyle

On The Scene: Legasea Bar and Grill Unveils New Menu Items and Celebrates Midtown Comeback

by Sydney Hargrove
written by Sydney Hargrove
Midtown is back and better than ever! A fan-favorite location, Legasea Bar and Grill, provides visitors with a fun-filled environment and delicious food that gives the perfect New York City vibe. Located right in the heart of Midtown, it’s perfect for any time of day.  The menu is a fresh take on American bar and grill-favorites with light seafood influences. Menu highlights include the wagyu pigs in a blanket, crispy blooming onion, spicy crab beignets, and wagyu steak frites with the choice of green (salsa verde) or gold (Bernaise) sauce.  

The restaurant is a neighborhood staple just blocks from New York City’s most popular destinations, including Madison Square Garden, Penn Station, Theater District, and Times Square. The design by Rockwell Group amplifies the convivial and approachable vibe. Guests are greeted by a spacious atrium whose globe pendant lamps float beneath a generous skylight. Subway tiles, polished copper and leather accent, and antique mirrors provide a warm, tactile environment. The elegant private dining room has a woven cane ceiling, painted lacquered wall panels, and embossed leather chairs. It’s warm and beautiful, and such a titular midtown dining experience.
Legasea offers a Pre-Fixe Lunch menu, available on Mondays through Fridays Monday – Friday from 11:30AM – 3PM ,where diners can choose from either two or three courses, and enjoy an appetizer, a main course, or a choice of two. The prices are unbeatable, ranging from $24 for the two courses, and $29 for the three.
The meal started in the best way possible, with rolls! The hand-crafted bread was topped with a blend of poppy and sesame seeds, and uniquely paired with tzatziki, a combination that I hadn’t thought to try before but absolutely loved.
For our appetizer, we started off with the Tuna Tartare as our appetizer, which was atop an avocado base and paired with an aged soy vinaigrette, with lavash crackers on the side. The combination of flavors was delicious, and the perfect start to the meal. For the main course, we enjoyed Daves Bar Burger, which was complete with American cheese, grilled onion, and thousand island dressing, paired with a side of fries. It was perfectly seasoned and the delicious classic that we all know and love.
Hear more about Legasea Bar and Grill here!
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ArtEntertainmentEventsEvents

On The Scene: Candy Crush Hosts Ten Year Anniversary Carnival and Drone Show!

by Sydney Hargrove
written by Sydney Hargrove

What’s the only thing better than a carnival celebrating all things candy? One that ends in a sky-high drone show, of course! Only candy crush can pull off such a thing, and on Wednesday, New York City’s battery park was transformed into the ultimate candy destination. Upon arrival, guests were immediately met with an adult-sized ball pit and a series of slides to slide right into. If you looked closely, you’d see that the balls were modeled after Candy Crush’s iconic color bombs. The cute details didn’t stop there, however, as right past the DJ to the right of the ball pit was the entrance to the game area, which gave the carnival its name. You could play the classic water gun or basketball carnival games and compete for the cutest candy crush-related prizes, including beanies, tote bags, and pillows shaped like the iconic candies. There was a make-your-own hot chocolate station as well as a station where you could be treated to all of the candy your heart desired, and guests enjoyed delicious candy crush-themed food and drinks all night long while listening to a live DJ, Luda Love.

Candy Crush Saga has become a global phenomenon, attracting hundreds of millions of players from around the world. As one of the most played mobile games year in and year out, it’s been downloaded more than three billion times since it launched in 2012. As of Q2 2022, Candy Crush was the top-grossing game franchise in the U.S. app stores for the 20th consecutive quarter. To date, over five trillion levels of Candy Crush Saga have been played in 200 countries and territories.

Over a thousand people joined in on the fun at Battery Park, and for 10 sweet minutes, candies were matched at over 1,000 times the size seen on a mobile phone in a stunning performance by 500 synchronized drones. From electrifying Color Bombs to a larger-than-life Tiffi, some of the game’s most iconic elements took flight in the night sky.

“We are honored to celebrate such an incredible milestone for Candy Crush Saga,” said Fernanda Romano, Chief Marketing Officer at King. “Candy Crush Saga is one of the most beloved mobile games of all time and remains a daily source of fun in millions of peoples’ lives. We wanted to mark this momentous anniversary by showcasing some of Candy Crush Saga’s most iconic elements in a larger-than-life way above the world’s most iconic city skyline. We’re incredibly thankful to our players around the world who have kept us thriving for the last 10 years, and we are committed to continue making the world more playful for many years to come.”

“We wanted to help tell the Candy Crush Saga story in the most breathtaking way possible,” said Jeff Kaplan, General Manager, Pixis Drones. “The game is brimming with beautiful iconography, but bringing that to life required months of collaboration and the full breadth of Pixis’ engineering and design expertise. The end-product is one of the most sophisticated and vibrant performances we’ve executed, and we’re thrilled to have partnered with Candy Crush Saga to help mark such a special moment.”

Follow @candycrushsaga or visit www.candycrushsaga.com to stay updated on all of the incredible global activity to celebrate ten years of Candy Crush Saga.

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EntertainmentThe LatestTV

Exclusive: Pauline Chalamet, Reneé Rapp, Alyah Chanelle Scott and Amrit Kaur talk Season 2 of The Sex Lives Of College Girls

by Sydney Hargrove
written by Sydney Hargrove

It’s a new semester at Essex College and Kimberly, Bela, Leighton, and Whitney are up to even more in the highly anticipated second season of the fan-favorite The Sex Lives of College Girls. From the exquisite minds of Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble, the series once again follows the four roommates as they navigate sex, relationships, passions, futures, and so much more. The show perfectly captures the ever-so-unique time period of being a college freshman, something that isn’t exactly comparable to anything else in life. The beauty of the series is that pretty much any viewer can see a representation of themself on screen, in the high highs and the low lows of the time in which the girls are constantly navigating.

In Season two, we meet the girls right as  Thanksgiving break draws to a close and It’s time for a new semester. The girls (Pauline Chalamet’s Kimberly, Amrit Kaur’s Bela, Alyah Chanelle Scott’s Whitney, and Reneé Rapp’s Leighton) are not the same people that they were at the beginning of last semester, especially Kimberly, who is navigating the many changes that her life has seen. “You’ll see a Kimberly that’s facing much bigger problem and who is growing into herself,” Pauline said. “She’s forced to kind of grow up a little.”

We sat down with Pauline, Renee, Alyah and Amrit to talk all about season two! Check out the conversation below!

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EntertainmentEventsFilmThe Latest

Exclusive: Taylor Russell, Luca Guadagnino and David Kajganich talk Bones And All

by Sydney Hargrove
written by Sydney Hargrove

It’s rare to find such a strong feeling of humanism in a horror film, even if the true meaning of horror is up to interpretation, but if anyone can do it, it’s Luca Guadagnino. The Call Me By Your Name director has one again joined forces with Timothée Chalamet to bring audiences an unconventional love story that you are simply unable to get out of your head, even long after you’ve left the theater.

Taylor Russell Stars as Maren, who harbors a secret that is, quite literally, eating her up inside. After being abandoned by her father, Maren is forced to go off on her own to find a place where she belongs. It’s somewhere down the road that she meets Timothée’s Lee, who shares her secret. Within each other they find a solace that they never expected to have with another person. The two connect with each other through everything from car rides to carnival rides, and as their time together stretches on they begin to learn that they are not as alone in the world as they once thought. At its very core, the film shows a story of first love in its most vulnerable light. Combine it with the magic of Guadagnino’s directing and Chalamet and Russell’s unparalleled performances, and it’s truly not something you’ll want to miss.

We sat down with the unparalleled cast and crew of Bones and All, check out the conversation below!

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MusicThe LatestVideo

Exclusive: “Evergreen” singer Omar Apollo Talks Touring, Inspiration In His Music, and More

by Sydney Hargrove
written by Sydney Hargrove

If you’ve been on Tiktok at all lately, you’ve definitely heard Omar Apollo’s voice. He’s the singer of “Evergreen,” a track that has gone viral on TikTok and listeners truly can’t get enough of the beautiful mellow beat and stunningly written lyrics. The track’s widespread popularity has helped boost the song to enter the Spotify and Apple Music charts and eventually debut on Billboard Hot 100 at number 62 for the week ending of October 1st, earning Omar his first-ever entry on the chart. In response to the rising success, the song was chosen as the album’s next single and was later sent to contemporary hit radio on October 4th, making it his first-ever radio single. It’s been an incredible year for him, as in addition to his solo tours, Omar has also performed at Coachella, Something In The Water and All Points East festivals.

Omar has partnered with Buchanan’s Scotch Whisky for their upcoming Buchanan’s 200% Futuro campaign, celebrating those who are embodying 200% spirit – proudly living a 100% Hispanic and 100% American, and shaping today’s future. As one of music’s most exciting new artists, the Indiana-raised first generation Mexican-American artists’ 200% spirit shines in his unique musical style that bends genres and blends languages.
Hear more about Buchanan here!
We sat down with Omar to talk all about his music and what it all means to him. Check it out!

The Knockturnal: First of all, congratulations! I’ve been hearing the song all over tiktok, that’s so exciting. This is your first time charting on the billboard 100 with your recent chart breaking song evergreen, how does that feel?


Omar Apollo: I mean it feels really great because I feel that evergreen wasn’t me trying to make a song that was going to go on billboard. It came from a real place, and I really love soul music, so it’s really cool to get to make soul music.

The Knockturnal: You have a lot of really exciting things coming up, the deluxe edition of your album and your solo tour coming up, tell me a little about that.

Omar Apollo: In the summer I released the deluxe edition and now I’m getting ready to go on tour. I’ve been working on it for awhile, I’ve been working on stage design. It’s called the prototype tour, and I leave in like a week or something like that. Yeah, I’m excited. 

The Knockturnal: You talked a bit about Evergreen being soul music and how when you were writing it, you wanted to channel something a little more. Tell me a bit about what you think that song means.

Omar Apollo: I feel like a lot of my music in the past few years has been about longing, and these torch songs. It was, I feel like, influenced by the music that my parents played me growing up. They’re all these romantic love songs from the 50’s in mexico. 

The Knockturnal: You’re supporting some businesses through the 200% Futuro campaign,why would you say that it’s important to fuel the futures of these businesses and nonprofits? What does it mean to you?

Omar Apollo: I usually only want to partner with brands that i feel are are aligned with what I want to represent, and Buchanan’s has been a part of, I’ve seen my uncles drinking it since forever, so it’s been cool to partner with The Plant Shop and Tacos Sublime, and The Futuro Fund which is a fund that Buchanan started that basically donates one million dollars over the course of five years to these latino owned businesses and supporting these creatives, which I think is really sick.

The Knockturnal: What would you say it means to you to be a 200%er through your lens, being 100% Mexican and 100% Midwest?

Omar Apollo: I think it just means that in the land of cultures, I was fully born in Indiana but I had the influence of my parents and my cousins. The culture was still very much alive and brought to Indiana,and it still is and is surfaced in many different ways. Like the restaurants, the stores, the events, all those things are a new culture. We have spanglish, I go to Mexico and they probably won’t know some of the things I say, it’s a new thing I hear. 

The Knockturnal: How would you say that you embrace your culture through your music/fashion/style?

Omar Apollo: For sure. My mom, she’s known that I’ve loved dressing myself for as long as I can remember. When I was younger I did a lot of Baile folklórico, mexican folk ballet, and since then I’ve been able to bring that kind of thing to stage, as well as the mariachi clothes and things like that.

The Knockturnal: What’s it like to be on tour? What are the emotions associated with that?

Omar Apollo: Being on tour, you definitely have to build a new tolerance for things. You have to go in knowing it’s going to be a stressful environment. This will definitely be a better experience because I have two tour buses now, before everyone was cramped in one. You have to be kind if you build this tolerance of preparing yourself mentaly. As long as you do that it’s very fun and rewarding for sure. 

The Knockturnal: You’re absolutely blowing up lately. What do you want new listeners to know about you?

Omar Apollo: The way that things are represented, I think would be nice to have when I wanted to be in the music industry, I wish there were more latinos. So I hope that in that way I could inspire or push something and make somebody want to wake up and do something. I know that sounds corny but we all gotta do something, everyones gotta make money you know?

The Knockturnal: What are you most excited for in the coming weeks?

Omar Apollo: I have a Jimmy Kimmel performance that I’m rehearsing for today and then touring. I think all of my energy has been going into it, all of the specific styling and stuff. I think that’s what I’m most excited for?

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Exclusive: Chlöe Grace Moretz, Jack Reynor, Gary Carr and Cast Talk The Peripheral

by Sydney Hargrove
written by Sydney Hargrove

Chlöe Grace Moretz’s extensive resume of genres will be getting a new addition on October 21st, as she steps into the action packed and incredibly layered role of Flynne Fisher in Scott B SMoth’s The Peripheral. Alongside Chlöe, the series also stars Jack Reynor (Midsommar), Gary Carr (The Deuce), Eli Goree (One Night in Miami), Louis Herthum (Westworld), JJ Feild (TURN: Washington’s Spies), T’Nia Miller (The Haunting of Bly Manor), Charlotte Riley (Peaky Blinders), Alexandra Billings (The Conners), Adelind Horan (The Deuce), Alex Hernandez (UnReal), Katie Leung (Chimerica), Julian Moore-Cook (Peaky Blinders), Melinda Page Hamilton (Messiah), Chris Coy (The Deuce), and Austin Rising (Alt).

It follows Chloe’s Flynn, who lives in the rural American South, working at the local 3D printing shop, while earning much-needed extra money playing VR games for rich people.  One night she dons a headset and finds herself in futuristic London—a sleek and mysterious world, alluringly different from her own hardscrabble existence.  But this isn’t like any game she’s ever played before:  Flynne begins to realize it isn’t virtual reality… it’s real.  Someone in London, seventy years in the future, has found a way to open a door to Flynne’s world.  And as utterly beguiling as London is… it’s also dangerous.  As Flynne searches to discover who has connected their worlds, and for what purpose, her presence here sets dangerous forces into motion…forces intent on destroying Flynne and her family in her own world.

The series is so action packed that you truly never know what’s coming next, and it’s nothing if not worth the watch. We sat down with the incredible cast, check out the conversation below!

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LifestyleThe Latest

Review: The Chick-Inn Opens Ambient New Location in Kips Bay

by Sydney Hargrove
written by Sydney Hargrove

With the success of its Harlem location, the team behind the chicken-any-way-you-like-it restaurant has expanded (or, in more proper terms, spread its wings) at an all-new location in Kips Bay.  Located at 415 3rd Ave, the brand-new spot is the perfect mix of ambiance and comfort, with its beautiful, trendy interior and delicious food that will remind anyone of home with its many customizable options.

Opened just one year ago, The Chick Inn gained popularity for its fresh approach to comfort food classics, served in a country-style environment. Founded by chef and industry vet Steven Gallo and partners Pierluigi Ossani and Francesco Capolongo, the new restaurant will bring an inviting atmosphere to the neighborhood for customers to feel right at home.
Starting in the restaurant industry as a young kid, working every job in his family’s restaurants – from dishwasher, busboy, server, bartender and manager– Gallo learned at an early age that sticking to the basics by offering great food and service results in a great restaurant. The Chick Inn will be inspired by the comfort that comes from staying at a cozy ‘inn’ (bed and fireplace not included)with charming features with elevated farmstead decor- such as wildlife mosaic busts, key rings with tassels – for your check in- and artwork and paintings with landscapes and outdoor portraits framed in gold on white washed brick and brown spotted accent walls. The bright and chirpy space all adheres to the neutral palette of white, beige and brown, brightened up with green plants hanging from doors and the back bar.

The new location is absolutely beautiful, the first thing you see is the beautifully crafted exterior with chic plants and a very open atmosphere. Inside, the dim lighting and candles provide a cozy yet trendy and beautiful atmosphere. Everyone was buzzing with conversation and excitement when we visited the spot for dinner on Friday evening, and we were far from disappointed by the upbeat mood of our surroundings.

The extensive menu included a variety of high-quality quicken dishes, including their Rotisserie (served as a whole, half or quarter), marinated for 24-hours and seasoned with a Peruvian rub, then charred on the outside and served with a cilantro sauce. The Fried Chicken is battered in buttermilk resulting in a flaky, crunchy bite on the outside and a tender juicy bite on the inside and comes in a variety of forms including Fried Chicken Sandwiches and Wings. In addition, to offer something for everyone, the restaurant offers other sandwiches including a Lobster Roll for endless summer inspired dishes, and Vegan options with fried cauliflower prepared in a buffalo wing sauce, Vegan Sandwich served with soy protein, flame roasted red peppers, shredded romaine, and a basil pesto aioli and many more mouthwatering Bites like their popular spicy vodka rice, mac & cheese or chicken cheese balls.
We started off with the classic chips and guacamole, the delicious comfort food adding to the atmosphere. For dinner, I went with The Sweet Chick, a crispy chicken sandwich complete with avocado, smoked bacon, lettuce, honey mustard. The sandwich was carefully crafted and bursting with flavor, which makes perfect sense considering the restaurant’s attention to detail. For desert, we enjoyed a deliciously rich chocolate mousse cake, which did not disappoint.
We can’t reccomend trying out The Chick Inn for yourself! The restaurant’s hours of opperation are Hours of operation are Sunday-Thursday, 11a-10pm, Friday-Saturday, 11-11pm, Happy Hour Mon-Fri (4-7p) with discounts on food and drink selections with wine, beer and the inn spritz. Sunday Night special for $15 (4-10p) will include ½ Chicken and any 2 sides. Hear more about it here!
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EntertainmentThe LatestTV

Exclusive: Sisi Stringer, Daniela Nieves, Kieron Moore, André Dae Kim and More Talk Vampire Academy

by Sydney Hargrove
written by Sydney Hargrove

An all new adaptation of Richelle Mead’s iconic series Vampire Academy has hit the screens, and viewers can’t get enough of the thrilling saga. The series follows Lissa, a royal vampire, and her best friend and protector, Rose, as they navigate romance, class politics and ancient magic at their boarding school St. Vladimir’s Academy. As Rose trains to be a guardian, a mysterious bond develops between the two friends and they must work together to decipher it, all while facing threats like the bloodthirsty and undead strigoi. The series stars Sisi Stringer (Mortal Kombat), Daniela Nieves (Sex Appeal), Kieron Moore (Sex Education), André Dae Kim (Degrassi), and many more. 

“Though we have loved Richelle Mead’s wholly original book series since it came out 15 years ago, it has never been more timely,” showrunners Julie Plec and Marguerite MacIntyre said. “A brilliant exploration of an inherently unbalanced class-based society, with pampered Royals on one end, and a Guardian class whose sole purpose is to protect them on the other, as well as an ugly dynastic change on the horizon, it’s a world teetering on the edge. And though set in an enclave (most) Humans are unaware of, it’s a world that’s all too recognizable.  Shot in a castle in Spain, filled with grandeur, palace intrigue, exciting fight sequences, and romance, at its heart VA is a story about the revolutionary power of friendship, particularly female friendship as we follow the extraordinary Rose Hathaway and Lissa Dragomir, two young women on the brink of inheriting a world order they never questioned until now. And as they begin to see their world for what it is, not only do idols fall, but they realize even their own friendship isn’t immune to the cruelties of the system they were born into. A hard truth with the power to tear them apart, or spark a revolution.  As friends ourselves for almost two decades, we recognize the inimitable power of female friendship not only through life, love, and loss, but as a spur to urge each other to do better. Rose and Lissa believe they can make the world they want to see. We can’t think of a better message to send out into the world.”

We spoke to the brilliant cast of Vampire Academy! Check out the full conversation below!

 

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On The Scene: Documentary ‘All The Beauty and The Bloodshed’ NYFF premiere

by Sydney Hargrove
written by Sydney Hargrove

The entire crowd at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall was on their feet on Friday evening after the credits played for Laura Poitras’ stunning documentary All The Beauty And The Bloodshed. Though standing ovations have been far from uncommon throughout the sixteen days of the festival, this one was particularly special. Not only was the crowd applauding Poitras, they were also clapping for Nan, and some members of P.A.I.N. (Prescription Addiction Intervention Now), the group that she started that’s helping to fight the opioid crisis and remove the Sackler name and funding from a variety of places. Goldin, who rose from the New York “No Wave” underground to become one of the great photographers of the late 20th century, put herself at the forefront of the battle against the Sacklers, both as an activist at art institutions around the world that had accepted millions from the family and as an advocate for the de-stigmatization of drug addiction.

Separated into chapters and switching back and forth between two narratives, the film focuses on the then and now of the life of esteemed photographer Nan Goldin. Nan’s life has been far from ordinary, and half of the film focuses on the way her life was as she grew up, come of age, and built a life for herself in the seventies and eighties. Primarily, her close relationship with all of the friends she made throughout the years and how her life experiences influenced her work. The chapters in between take place in modern day, as Nan works with the members of P.A.I.N. to stage protests in museums throughout the city, primarily the Guggenheim and The Met, who both removed the Sackler name from parts of the museums and are no longer receiving funding from them.

The film was beautiful, and the mix of both past and present in Nan’s life created a portrait of an incredible life, one that is both heart wrenching and heart warming. The chapters that the film is separated into each begin with a “slide show” photographic sequence or archival footage of a period of Goldin’s life and then transitions to footage of her more recent protests with P.A.I.N.  The slideshow are based on Goldin’s own work, as she would often create slideshows early on in her career, which were so loved because of how unique they were, as they were often taken of people simply living their lives and were not often posed.

We had the incredible opportunity to speak with Laura and some members of P.A.I.N, check out the conversation below and hear more about Nan here!

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EntertainmentEventsLifestyle

On The Scene: City Pickle Opens Up In Hudson Yards

by Sydney Hargrove
written by Sydney Hargrove

Midtown Manhattan just got a lot more fun. Manhattan’s Hudson Yards has never had a shortage of fun things to look at, between the Vessel, the massive bee hive like structure that can be seen from blocks away, and the Edge, one of the city’s highest observation decks, but now there’s an all new attraction that adds so much life to the area. CityPickle is New York City’s home for the country’s fastest growing sport, and is  a part “of Power Hour at the Backyard” at Hudson Yards, and will be presented by Wells Fargo. From now until October 31st, city goers will have the opportunity to receive lessons, purchase merchandise, or just bring their friends along to play!

The fun thing about pickle ball is it can be enjoyed by pretty much everyone. The sport is adaptable to those of all ages or skill levels, and it combines the skills of tennis, ping-pong and badminton. It’s fast paced, exciting, and a great workout, and can be enjoyed by up to 4 people! It’s the perfect post work activity, exercise, or just fun way to spend a day.

“We’re excited to host CityPickle for the month of October as they open a pickleball court for Power Hour at the Backyard at Hudson Yards,” said Stacey Feder, Chief Marketing Officer of Hudson Yards, “Pickleball is one of the most popular sports in the world right now and we’re thrilled to bring pickleball to the public with our partners at Wells Fargo.” 

CityPickle at Backyard at Hudson Yards will be open Monday-Friday from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Free 1-hour court reservations are available by visiting the CityPickle website City-Pickle.com. CityPickle custom paddles are available to rent for $10 per paddle, or players are welcome to bring their own. In addition, hour-long clinics taught by USA Pickleball Manhattan Ambassador Katherine Hedden are available for $100 per hour and can be booked by visiting the website.

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