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More events and news in today’s issue. Let’s get to it.
– Sofia Kurd.
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New York Trivia
Answer to last week’s trivia: (C) About 55% of NYC households don’t own a car.
Question
What major financial panic began in NYC in 1929 and spread globally?
A) The New York Liquidity Crisis
B) Black Tuesday
C) The Savings & Loan Crisis
D) The Gold Reserve Act
Reply to this email with your response. The answer will be revealed in the next newsletter. No cheating!
Thanks for participating!
Best Events March 2-5
Mon, Mar 2 – Well People Reishi Tea Latte Pop-Up (Free Mascara): A limited-edition Reishi Tea Latte — black loose-leaf tea topped with cold foam or steamed milk — lands at Cha & (51 Essex St) inspired by functional ingredients and daily ritual. The first 50 guests today will also receive a Mini Expressionist Curling Mascara. 8am–6pm.
Multiple Dates – Handmade Gnocchi Class: Learn to make homemade pillow-soft gnocchi from scratch with Chef Sandro, paired with a classic Pomodoro and cheese sauce. Casual, interactive, and beginner-friendly — all equipment provided. The Breakfast Room (NYC). 21+ (drinks available for purchase).
Wed, Mar 4 (7–9:30pm) – New York Philosophy Club (LES): Three rotating half-hour discussion sessions designed to spark thoughtful conversation across a broad range of perspectives, with most guests staying after to continue talking. 167 E Broadway (Lower East Side). Free (waitlist may apply).
Mon, Mar 2 (7–9pm) – Reading Rhythms Williamsburg: A social reading party with guided silent reading periods, curated music, and small-group discussions. Bring any book and read alongside others before unpacking ideas together. recess grove (327 Grand St, Brooklyn). $25.
Tue, Mar 3 (6:30–9:30pm) – OpenClaw Show & Tell Night: A hands-on demo night exploring OpenClaw, an open-source AI assistant focused on productivity, sovereignty, and privacy. Learn setup tips and real-world use cases from NYC’s Freedom Tech community. Fat Cat Fab Lab (West Village). $10 ($15 with pizza).
Carreau Club – Indoor Pétanque at Industry City: The nation’s first pétanque bar now has an indoor Brooklyn location with more space to play the French bocce-style sport while sipping craft beer, wine, cocktails, and deli bites. Industry City (Brooklyn).
Swingers Crazy Golf – Midtown West: A London-born “crazy mini-golf” entertainment complex spanning 23,000 square feet with three nine-hole courses under 20-foot ceilings. Expect wild routes, obstacles, windmills, and craft cocktails served by caddies on the course. 21+. Midtown West.
A Scandinavian-inspired winter escape in the city: The Winter Pool House at The Rockaway Hotel and the Winter Spa at The William Vale channel Nordic hygge with heated pools, spa treatments, and cozy design. It’s the closest you’ll get to a cold-weather retreat without leaving NYC.
Tribeca’s Muku earned a Michelin star just two months after opening — the fastest on record in NYC. Chef Manabu Asanuma’s kaiseki tasting counter moves across raw, grilled, simmered, steamed, and fried courses with quiet precision. Standouts include flame-kissed rockfish in white miso, buckwheat soba sourced from his family farm in Yamagata, and a refined cold crab soup layered with salinity and cured egg yolk. 412 Greenwich St. $295 per person.
Date night idea: Great Jones Distilling Co. A 28,000-square-foot Manhattan distillery with full production on-site, cocktail-making classes, tasting experiences, and multiple bars and dining spaces. Book a class, learn to make proper drinks, and skip the predictable dinner reservation.
Local News
NYPD boosts NYC security after U.S.–Israel strikes on Iran: The NYPD says it’s enhancing patrols at diplomatic, cultural, religious, and other sensitive locations across the city as tensions from coordinated U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran rise. Officials say the move is precautionary and part of standard global-tension protocols.
Iran conflict sparks mixed reactions among New Yorkers: Residents gathered in Times Square and elsewhere to protest U.S. military strikes in Iran, with some condemning the attacks and calling for peace rather than military action.
Hundreds of Iranian-Americans celebrate reported death of Ayatollah Khamenei: A large group marched through Midtown and toward Times Square celebrating the reported death of Iran’s supreme leader after joint U.S.–Israeli strikes, carrying pre-1979 Iranian flags and chanting pro-U.S. slogans.
OpenAI secures record-breaking $110B funding round: OpenAI announced a massive $110 billion private financing round led by Amazon, Nvidia, and SoftBank, pushing its valuation to about $840 billion, a signal of continuing momentum in AI investments that reverberate in NYC’s tech ecosystem.
Nvidia develops new AI processor as industry race intensifies: Nvidia is reportedly building a next-gen AI chip to speed up inference and support rapid AI model response times — a development watched closely by tech hubs including NYC investors and startups.
Affordable housing push at City Hall: Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled an ambitious plan to transform Sunnyside Yard in Queens into NYC’s largest affordable housing project in decades, seeking billions in federal funds and promising thousands of new units.
Historic restaurant Barbetta closes after 120 years: Manhattan’s oldest Italian restaurant shut its doors this week after more than a century in operation; part of a broader trend of long-standing restaurants closing across the city.
New Yorkers In History
Eleanor Roosevelt wasn’t just kind — she was strategic. Born into a wealthy New York family, she used her position to build real influence. While her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was in office, Eleanor built her own network of journalists, reformers, and activists. Her daily newspaper column, My Day, reached millions and let her speak directly to the public without going through politicians or the press. She also traveled constantly, visiting coal mines, schools, and prisons to understand how ordinary Americans lived. She used the information she gathered to quietly push the White House to support women’s rights, workers, and racial equality. Later, as chair of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, she helped write the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — a document that still shapes international law today.
Good Reads
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