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Crowne Plaza HY36: Where Luxury Meets Convenience in the Heart of Hudson Yards

by Avyana Chapman
written by Avyana Chapman

Nestled in the vibrant and chic Hudson Yards neighborhood of New York City, Crowne Plaza HY36 stands as a beacon of luxury and convenience. As a pop culture journalist with a penchant for the finer things in life, I recently had the pleasure of experiencing this gem of a hotel firsthand, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

Location, Location, Location

One of the many highlights of Crowne Plaza HY36 is its prime location. Situated in the trendy Hudson Yards area, the hotel offers unparalleled access to some of the city’s best attractions. Whether you’re in the mood for indulgent shopping at the nearby Hudson Yards Mall, craving a culinary adventure at one of the area’s renowned restaurants, or seeking awe-inspiring views from The Vessel and The Edge observation deck, everything you desire is just a stone’s throw away.

A Stay Like No Other

Stepping into Crowne Plaza HY36 feels like entering a sanctuary of modern elegance. The sleek and stylish design of the hotel exudes sophistication, while the warm and welcoming atmosphere instantly puts guests at ease. During my recent stay, I was thoroughly impressed by the impeccable service provided by the friendly and attentive staff. From check-in to check-out, every interaction was met with genuine hospitality and a genuine desire to ensure a memorable experience.

Rooms Fit for Royalty

As I made my way to my room, I couldn’t help but admire the sleek and contemporary decor that adorned the hallways. Upon entering my spacious accommodation, I was greeted by a serene oasis that boasted modern amenities and luxurious comforts. The plush bedding, ample workspace, and state-of-the-art technology were just a few of the many touches that made me feel right at home. And let’s not forget the breathtaking views of the city skyline that served as the perfect backdrop to my stay.

Indulgence at Every Turn

Crowne Plaza HY36 goes above and beyond to cater to every whim and desire of its guests. Whether you’re looking to maintain your fitness routine at the expansive gym or unwind with a delicious meal and craft cocktail at the attached Burgerology Midtown restaurant and bar, the hotel leaves no stone unturned when it comes to providing a truly exceptional experience. Check out this Reel on our experience!

Photo Credit: Crowne Plaza HY36

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FeaturedLifestyleThe Latest

BLACKBARN Launches the Den and Hudson Valley Location

by Megan D'Souza
written by Megan D'Souza

On Thursday night, we returned to one of our favorite spots in the city: BLACKBARN threw a celebration to launch their new intimate event space: the Den. The Den sits at mezzanine level, a step above the lively dining room below but still enveloped in the restaurant’s cozy barn-chic aura. 

 

An exciting new launch, the Den was introduced as the perfect location for intimate dining affairs, birthday dinners, business meetings (it’s equipped with a wall-mounted TV). With its sliding full-length glass doors and hidden satellite bar, the Den is a welcome addition to BLACKBARN’s other event spaces poised to host every occasion. 

For those who aren’t familiar, BLACKBARN is an American restaurant situated right by Madison Square Park, home to gorgeous views overlooking the park. Its event spaces and coveted vistas are only the beginning of what the restaurant has to offer, though. Their farm-to-table menu delights clientele with local ingredients, artisan flavors and techniques, and a cozy “modern barn” interior that feels like a special treat and makes you feel right at home. We’ve been in the past to sample their summer menu and their wine collection, but this was the first time we got to try their winter selection. 

When we arrived at the restaurant, we were escorted upstairs and greeted with fresh wines and their signature apple whiskey cocktail while we took in the calming atmosphere of their Loft event space. An array of wondrously delicious appetizers floated around the room during the entire night: fried artichoke with goat cheese, black truffle egg yolk souffle served in eggshell cups, breaded lamb-stuffed olives, and many more.

Halfway through the event, Chef / Owner John Doherty came out to tell us about some of the exciting initiatives they are undertaking. A recent event with Netflix’s Blue Zones documentary inspired the kitchen to create more plant-based, gluten-free, and vegetarian menu options. Their new Hudson Valley location at Diamond Mills Hotel in Saugerties offers a dazzling experience: from spa treatments with non-toxic, science-backed products from Comfort Zone to a waterside massage to a personal ferry ride from the spa to the restaurant. We can’t wait to make the trip upstate to try it out!

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Film

Maddie Ziegler Learns That ‘Fitting In’ Is Bloody Hell

by Brittany Skyler
written by Brittany Skyler

Think back to the trials and tribulations of being sixteen years old—navigating yourself, friendships, and relationships. Now add a reproductive disorder that will jeopardize all three; that’s the reality for Lindy (Maddie Ziegler) in Blue Fox Entertainment’s coming-of-age traumedy Fitting In.

Blue Fox Entertainment

Lindy is your oh-so-typical new girl—a track star, best friends with Viv (Djouliet Amara), crushing on Adam (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), and keeping her relationship with her mom, Rita (Emily Hampshire), afloat. After seeing the doctor for birth control, though she has never gotten a period before, Lindy realizes something is wrong.

After a series of tests, including an MRI featuring the sounds of Aqua’s “Barbie Girl,” which, given what we know and love about the Barbie movie, is the perfect touch to this story. Lindy then learns she has MRKH, a rare reproductive disorder causing the vagina and uterus to be underdeveloped or even absent.

Since learning this diagnosis from a less-than-stellar male gynecologist, Lindy’s life is turned upside down, as she was just planning to have sex with her now-golden retriever boyfriend Adam and realizes she will never be able to have children.

Blue Fox Entertainment

When he delivers the news, director and writer Molly McGlynn does an impeccable job of utilizing camera movements to capture the “world crumbling around you.” A feeling that most of us have experienced at least once.

Lindy’s life continues to change as this diagnosis becomes too much to bare. She pushes away those closest to her, including her best friend and boyfriend. Between painful dilations that had viewers next to me wincing, tears, and modern loneliness, Lindy finds herself in a much different spot than the prior months.

Along the way, she gets to know Jax (Ki Griffin), an intersex individual, sharing their story with others. Despite only passing by each other in the pharmacy at the top of the film, Lindy confides in Jax about her condition, and soon after, one too many shots at a party, a few of the guests.

Blue Fox Entertainment

Soon enough, the entire grade finds out about the condition Lindy has and, like most high schoolers, acts like menaces over it. With courage, clarification, and a little help from her friends, Lindy owns up to her condition (in a stereotypical high school one-against-many standoff).

The film concludes with a content Lindy looking at us from the inside and Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” playing us out. 

Over the 105-minute film, McGlynn makes the audience feel something and even jerks some tears, but the tears don’t last long because there is a punchline just around the corner, ensuring that viewers get the message but don’t dwell on a sad moment.

The writing is authentic to the current Gen-Z culture, which Ziegler commended McGlynn on in the post-screening Q&A with Ziegler and Amara.

“It was just about being a human, rather than ‘I’m a teen.’ It was a human experience, and I thought, ‘That’s why she’s so brilliant,’” said Ziegler. “Being 16 is so high cringe… A lot of people are trying to write these really cool teenagers, but teenagers are not cool,” Amara chimed in.

Speaking of Ziegler, her acting has soared to new heights. While she became a household name in 2014 after starring in Sia’s “Chandelier” music video, many OGs met her as a nine-year-old dressed in powder blue and white, a la Dorthy and The Wizard of Oz, on Lifetime’s Dance Moms. From there, we knew there was a star in the making. Her comedic timing, coupled with her dramatic monologues, is a display of her growth.

Blue Fox Entertainment

Ziegler’s star shines alongside the rest of the cast, including Hampshire, whose character starts as a fit yet unsteady mother who is met with mediocrity in her work as a therapist and her love life when she fails to find a partner. However, toward the middle of the film, we start to see more layers of Rita when we dive into her previous journey with breast cancer and the lengths she will go to to help her daughter.

Rita is the only parent we’re introduced to, as Viv’s homelife was cut from the final script (it would’ve been great to see more background, but the film was already jampacked.) What we do know, from what Amara discussed in the panel, is that Viv had more absentee parents. We learn that her mother is away on business while her daughter competes in one of her biggest track events.

Nonetheless, the dynamic between Lindy and Viv is the epitome of a genuine high school friendship; even when things hit the fan, they have one another’s backs– even if the other one doesn’t know it at the time. The chemistry between the two is evident both on and off-screen, with Amara calling Ziegler “a f*cking lovely gem” and describing the overall filming process as “summer camp.”

Fitting In is Molly McGlynn’s semi-autobiography, and she turns her pain into passion and passion into an exceptional film. For Ziegler, bringing this story to life and raising awareness of this condition was a transformative experience.

“I was so specific about getting it right for Molly, and I wanted to do her story justice as best as I could. Something I’m so thankful that she did [for all of us] was, ‘As much as this is my story, it’s yours now too,’ and she gave us the freedom to explore the characters in a way she might not have even thought of,” she explained.

Regardless of opinions on the plot, audience members can agree that they walked away educated about this condition that society has buried for too long. Ziegler herself discussed the importance of women being able to talk about their bodies without the fear of “being taboo.”

Fitting In is a hilariously sad, honest rollercoaster that impeccably shows, rather than tells, the story of overcoming adversity in the face of one of the worst times in people’s lives: being a teenager. In a time when movie-goers long for the return of the next Y2K-esque coming-of-age film, Fitting In is an exceptional addition to that modern-day lineup.

Fitting In is in theatres now. Find a screening near you here.

 

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ArtKoncertsLifestyleMusic

When NYC Culture Meets Hip Hop and Cannabis

by Kiara Montero
written by Kiara Montero

When considering what makes up NYC culture, there’s various elements you can think of. The bright lights, the skyscrapers, the hustle culture, the one-of-a-kind pizza, shows on Broadway. Yet, for me the heart beat of the city will always be rooted in the origin of hip hop. Regardless of your demographic or your music taste, everyone is usually able to connect and feel the rhythmic beats and powerful lyrics in hip hop, in a way that connects us all together. 

Last Wednesday evening, The Knockturnal joined Gotham NY and Landmark at the House of Cannabis to celebrate artists paying homage to New York’s most iconic hip-hop landmarks. This evening was exactly what you would consider to be a GRAND opening. Between the empowering art exhibit, upbeat DJ lineups, and special performance by the legend Pharoahe Monch, it was an opportunity to immerse in the NYC hip hop culture with a hint of green. 

Being a younger generation I didn’t have as much knowledge of old school hip hop as those next to me who grew up on it, but I still found myself feeling connected to the music, the art pieces, and the strangers around me. There was so much power in art Wednesday evening. Every form of art in the building told a story, a story of the realities of growing up in NYC during an era that shaped the roots of hip hop. The vibrant beats and rhythmic flow of the music, the graffiti-laden art pieces that covered the walls, and the diverse crowd sharing the space all became threads weaving together a narrative. It wasn’t just about the past; it was a collective expression of resilience, creativity, and the shared experiences of navigating the dynamic streets of New York City. 

Pharoahe Monch is the perfect example of a storyteller through both audio and visual. His immersive art piece “Framing my Own Narrative” was on display and represented a story that required no verbal articulation because the piece spoke for itself. Luckily for us, we had the best of both worlds. Between his live performance at the center of his art piece, he told the story of key events of his teen years that played a huge part to the trajectory of his life and how he was molded into the man he is today. There was not a single person in the room who did not feel empowered and connected to those who filled the space through this art. 

If you find yourself in the NYC area and a lover of all things hip-hop and Mary Jane, check out the month-long exhibit at the House of Cannabis to immerse yourself into NYC culture through art.

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EntertainmentEventsLifestyleThe LatestTV

So This Is How It Feels to Personally Know The Chef

by Ishan Wankavala
written by Ishan Wankavala

Picture this: you walk into a family restaurant with four of your closest buddies. The individual that greets you is immediately at attention, and politely says, “We’ve been waiting for you.” You follow him to a secluded upstairs table, as he gently picks up and removes the placard that says, “Reserved.” As you take a seat, he announces, “There will be a special menu for you all tonight.”

Bruschetta Pizza: simply delectable

This scenario seems to be straight out of an episode of The Sopranos, and yet there I was, living it in real life. I had been invited to Da Nico Ristorante in downtown Manhattan, which possessed “Tony’s Table”, a special table used as a shrine to The Sopranos and surrounded by The Sopranos memorabilia. Here, in honor of the 25th anniversary of the show, we received a special menu that contained items named with references to the show, such as the Vesuvius Scrapiello or the Not For Tony. A cocktail menu with a similar naming system was provided as well. I felt like I had the power and luxury of a gangster, and for once could understand what it felt like to be in Tony’s shoes.

Not For Tony, but for me

The waiter started us off with a bottle of wine and several appetizers, including a bruschetta pizza, a plate of cold cuts and cheeses, and a plate of hot antipasti that included samples of chicken or cheese finger food. Everyone was extremely attentive and constantly brought new and exciting things for us to try, and we loved every bite of it.

Each plate was perfect

When it came time for the entrees, I know I had to get the Not For Tony, a Sopranos-spin on the classic Eggplant Parmesan. My friends ordered Carmela’s Baked Ziti and an Agent Harris Marsala, and like family, we shared it all.

Cheers.

After that terrific meal, the waiters brought over some desserts, which included a plate of fresh fruit and a plate of zeppole, an italian pastry covered in powdered sugar. We also each were given a shot of a green sweet liquor, which we cheersed and downed simultaneously. As I sat back, I reflected upon the parallels between where I was now and Tony’s restaurant frequents with his friends. Sure, I did not have a criminal empire, but I had friends that I treated like family, laughs, and good food, all of which Tony was very familiar with.

Visit Da Nico Ristorante to see Tony’s Table for yourself, and try some of the best food I have had in recent memory for yourself.

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EntertainmentEventsThe Latest

On The Scene: Bumper Cars on Ice at Bryant Park!

by Sydney Hargrove
written by Sydney Hargrove

As the first few weeks of the new year settle in, it can be difficult to find the kind of fun activities that you’ve enjoyed the past few months, even in the liveliest of cities. In New York, the exiting of holiday fun to make way for what awaits in January can not only be sad, but can make it seem like there’s not much to do in your free time, especially with our recent icy temperatures. 

But Bryant Park is always a staple of year round fun, no matter the season or the weather. Thankfully for anyone looking for a little bit of winter cheer, one of the most anticipated NYC activities, Bumper Cars on Ice, recently made its return to the Bank of America Winter Village. It’s an ideal time to check out the cars, as the holiday shops, and other various attractions have come down for the season, making crowds at a minimum and fun at a maximum. 

Even though it may be a little cold to head to Coney Island right now, you can still experience a carnival classic in a whole new way. Now through March 2nd, participants can experience classic bumper cars on new terrain, making for a slippery good time. This unique experience allows individuals to glide and bump into each other on the ice, ensuring greater speeds than the typical ride, and some gorgeous views as well.

One of the best things about Bryant Park is how much there is to do, even after the holiday season. After enjoying the bumper cars or a whirl around the park’s free admission ice skating rink, guests have the perfect opportunity to continue their winter escapade at The Lodge. Situated rinkside, The Lodge is a cozy après-skate escape that beckons visitors to unwind and immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere. It’s an open-air environment, creating the perfect setting to savor a delightful cocktail and relish delicious food. The Lodge stands out as the ultimate winter destination, offering both outdoor and indoor bars, providing a comfortable retreat for New Yorkers and visitors alike.

The bumper cars will be open from 1 pm to 7 pm, Monday through Thursday, and from 11 am to 5 pm, Friday through Sunday.For those eagerly awaiting this winter treat, tickets are now officially available for purchase. To secure your spot on the ice and partake in the joyous escapade of Bumper Cars on Ice, check out their website here!

The Rink at Bank of America Winter Village is located between 40th Street and 42nd Street on 6th Avenue. Whether you’re a seasoned skater or a first-time participant, Bryant Park’s Winter Village offers a delightful blend of winter activities to create lasting memories.

 

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