The City Council voted to bring year-round roadway dining back. Restaurants would be able to keep street setups open through winter and add weather protection, reversing the seasonal rule that required them to remove structures after November. The legislation still needs the mayor's signature, and the city will write the final design and safety rules.

The city is moving toward a public "land bank" for properties with unpaid tax and water debts. The plan would replace the old practice of selling liens to private debt collectors with a public body that could offer owners payment plans and move neglected buildings toward preservation or new housing. Supporters say it could protect homeowners from aggressive collection; the details of how properties enter and leave the bank are still being worked out.

Mayor Mamdani's administration is asking Albany for tougher rules on buy now, pay later products and the power for New York City to enforce them. The city says the short-term loans can hide their true cost and push people into overlapping payments; the industry says the products can be a cheaper alternative to credit cards. Any change would need state action.

The city's latest management report says 12 miles of bus lanes were added in the last fiscal year, more than double the year before but below the 30-mile target in the Streets Master Plan. The administration says stalled projects on Fordham Road and Tremont Avenue are moving again. Transit advocates want the city to use its new staffing and funding to catch up by the end of the year.

The UN General Assembly is in session this week, and the city has declared several Gridlock Alert Days. Expect street closures and frozen zones around Midtown East, especially near First Avenue and the UN. The practical answer is simple: take the subway and leave extra time.

Tue, Sep 22, 6-8pm: Bea Scaccia: Groomed — Gagosian opens Scaccia's gallery debut, seven new paintings built from wigs, costume jewelry, faux fur and other codes of feminine style, curated by Francesco Bonami. Upper East Side.

Wed, Sep 23, 5-9pm: Wardrobe Rescue — Shop rescued designer pieces from Mara Hoffman, Tory Burch, Theory, LoveShackFancy, and more, with proceeds supporting fashion workforce training. Garment District.

Wed, Sep 23, 6:30pm: Azita Ardakani, Oliver Jeffers, and Rujeko Hockley — A conversation on art, culture, and how ideas move through public life. Seaport. Free with RSVP.

Wed, Sep 23, 5-7pm: Urbani Truffle Lab Aperitivo — A proper Italian aperitivo with truffle bites, complimentary prosecco and 20 percent off the truffle shop, inside Urbani's sleek tasting lab. Lincoln Square.

Fri, Sep 25: Psychedelics and the Counterculture of Aging — Author Abbie Rosner leads a discussion on psychedelics, later life, and changing ideas about mental health and aging. Manhattan.

Fri, Sep 25, 6-8pm: After Hours: Downtown Gallery Night — Dozens of Tribeca galleries stay open late for the second edition of this self-guided downtown art night, organized by YveYANG with Showrunner. Tribeca.

Sat, Sep 26, 9am-5pm: Strong New York — The city's largest fitness and wellness festival fills the glass-walled Glasshouse with leading trainers, 100-plus wellness brands, Pilates, strength sessions, recovery treatments and the New York debut of Adidas-backed ATHX Games. Hell's Kitchen.

Mon, Sep 28, 6:30pm: Breath & Movement as Medicine — Tibetan physician Dr. Nida Chenagtsang and yoga teacher Liz Sung teach a movement practice built around breath, energy, and traditional Tibetan medicine. Chelsea.

Mon, Sep 21 - Sun, Sep 27: Gogojang Cafe x Oatly — The retro Korean cafe on West 55th is pouring 130 free gochujang iced lattes all week, the same sweet-spicy collab from the Oatly x Yaeji pop-up, while supplies last. Midtown. Free.

Wed, Sep 23, 9:30am-12:15pm: Nature Your City at NYBG — Free grounds admission for Climate Week, plus an urban-ecology keynote from NYU's Timon McPhearson and the annual Lovejoy-Wilson panel on cities as climate catalysts in Ross Hall. The Bronx. Free with RSVP.

Fri, Sep 25 - Sat, Sep 26: Literary Fall: Imaginary Worlds — Villa Albertine's free two-day literary festival brings award-winning authors, translators, critics and publishers from France and the US to its Fifth Avenue mansion. Upper East Side. Free.

Sat, Sep 26, 9:30-10:30am: Morning Yoga in Brooklyn Bridge Park — A free all-levels flow with Abhaya Yoga on the Pier 3 lawn, harbor views included; bring a mat and sign the season waiver once. Brooklyn Heights. Free.

Sat, Sep 26, 10am-5pm: Play at Brooklyn Children's Museum — Explore World Brooklyn, Totally Tots, the NEST climber, ColorLab art workshops, and hands-on STEM projects. Crown Heights. Museum admission.

Sat, Sep 26, 11am-3pm: Hudson Canyon to NY Harbor Festival — A family STEM day on ocean life, marine science, and the giant canyon just offshore. Brooklyn Bridge Park. Free.

Sat, Sep 26: Family Program: Skyscrapers — Kids study New York's skyline, then design and build a tower of their own. Greenwich Village. Ticketed.

Sat, Sep 26: Family Afternoon: Tarot! — A hands-on art program using symbols and storytelling from the Morgan's tarot exhibition. Murray Hill. Museum admission.

Sun, Sep 27, noon-4pm: Museum on Wheels at Atlantic Antic — Make manga-inspired characters and art with the Brooklyn Museum's traveling studio. Boerum Hill. Free.

Sun, Sep 27, noon-6pm: Kid Fest at Atlantic Antic — A full block of crafts, music, active play, and a kids' bike track. Boerum Hill. Free.

Sun, Sep 27: Kids Mid-Autumn Festival — Make mooncakes and lanterns in a family celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Midtown East. Ticketed.

Legion — A Southern restaurant drawing from Charleston and New Orleans, with an à la carte menu and a tasting option. West Village.

Cafe Charmant — A new coastal French brasserie from Catch Hospitality with a wider, global take on brasserie food. West Village.

ÓOL — A two-floor cacao shop and cafe focused on single-origin cacao from Ecuador, Colombia, and Belize, with Breads Bakery pastries made for the space. Soho.

Galo — Chef Nuno Sousa follows his Portuguese taberna Leitao with a plush Lisbon-designed adega serving petiscos, razor-clam rice, whole stuffed rooster and more than 100 Portuguese wines. West Village.

Ayune — The owners of longtime Greenpoint sushi spot Wasabi return with hand-roll sets, Japanese vegetable fillings, and zero-proof yuzu and shiso drinks. Greenpoint.

Rewind — Enter this underground restaurant, cocktail bar, and karaoke lounge through an '80s boombox door, then find tea-driven cocktails, Taiwanese food, and eight private rooms. Long Island City.

Sep 21, 1897: The New York Sun published its answer to eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon's question about Santa Claus. The editorial, now known by its most famous line, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus," became one of the most reprinted newspaper pieces in American history.