Good Morning, New York!
Did you know? On today’s date, November 5, 1940, New Yorker, Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to an unprecedented third term as President of the United States — the only U.S. president ever to do so.
In today’s NYC Newsletter:
Best NYC events this week
Mamdani Elected Mayor of NYC
Sweepstakes Poll: Win $75 Amazon Gift Card
Let’s get to it.
– Sofia Kurd.
New York Trivia Question Of The Day
The answer from last week’s trivia question was B - The Statue of Liberty!
Congrats to Joe, Jamie, Barbara, Rosanie, Tim, Dominic, Tony, Georganne, Yvonne, and Ashley for answering correctly!
Want to participate this week? Reply A, B, C or D directly to this newsletter. No cheating!
Before it was called New York, what was the city’s name?
A) Yorktown
B) New London
C) New Rotterdam
D) New Amsterdam
Click reply, send me your answer, and the correct answer will be revealed in the next newsletter.
Top 10 Best Events
Thu, Nov 6 (6–8 PM, monthly): DUMBO First Thursday Art Gallery Walk – Optional ‘insiders’ tour at 7 PM (RSVP required). Free admission.
Wed, Nov 5: Knicks vs Timberwolves – 7:30 PM, Madison Square Garden.
Fri, Nov 7: Candlelight Concert – Queen vs ABBA – Church of the Heavenly Rest, Upper East.
Wed, Nov 5: Solana × Raposa Pop-Up – free coffee & matcha at 35 Wall St, 9 AM–5 PM.
Thu, Nov 6: Radio City Christmas Spectacular – 100th Anniversary Opening Night – Radio City Music Hall.
Wed, Nov 5: Startup Pitch & Networking NYC – connect with founders, investors & creatives at Whiskey Cellar, Manhattan, 6 PM.
Wed, Nov 5: Wall Street Rocks – live music for charity at Sony Hall. Midtown.
Wed, Nov 5: Free Freestyle Watercolor Paint & Sip – 11 AM creative session, Midtown.
Wed, Nov 5: Constellation Prize – astrology-based comedy game show. Starr Bar, Bushwick, 8 PM. $10.
Wed thru Nov 16: Queens World Film Festival – 124 films from 17 countries. Museum of the Moving Image & Kaufman Astoria Studios.
Top 5 Links
Best Quiet Spots in NYC — A list of the city’s most aesthetic and quiet places to read, write, or work.
Rooftop Cinema Schedule — Track every outdoor movie night across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens this season. View here.
Hidden & Abandoned NYC Map — Explore ghost subway stations, secret tunnels, and forgotten theaters.
$20 Off-Broadway Tickets — Through Nov 9, Snag $20 walk up tickets to 40 participating off-broadway shows.
Free and Suggested Admission Page — List of all the arts and culture spots in NYC you can visit for free.
NYC Mayoral Election Outcome
Zohran Mamdani has been elected mayor of New York City, becoming the city’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor and its youngest in over a century at 34 years old.
He won with 50.4% of the vote, defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo (~40%) and GOP candidate Curtis Sliwa (~7%).
Notably, turnout surpassed 2 million ballots, the highest in a mayoral race in decades.
Mamdani’s campaign focused on affordability: rent freezes, free bus service, higher taxes on high earners, and city-run groceries. Supporters see it as a course correction for working-class New Yorkers; others worry about fiscal feasibility. Read more.
With Mamdani’s win, NYC’s business community is bracing for policy shifts.
Taxes on high earners are on the table; early polls show over half of voters support an additional tax on millionaires in NYC.
Developers and landlords are closely watching his rent-freeze promise — while politically popular, it may reduce incentives to build new housing, at a time when vacancy is very low.
Capital flight: one poll found 26% of New Yorkers say they’d consider leaving the city if Mamdani wins, a signal that high-income households are already factoring in risk.
For real estate investors: expect more scrutiny on zoning changes, new-construction approvals and city liens; the incoming administration will likely shift toward increased control and regulation.
What to Watch Next
Appointments: The selection of commissioners for Housing, Finance, and the NYPD will reveal the administration’s managerial style.
Budget Talks: The preliminary FY 2026 budget, due in January, will show how the administration plans to pay for new programs.
State Coordination: Albany’s response will matter; many tax and transit changes require state approval.
Business Confidence: Commercial leasing, new-construction permits, and job-growth data through mid-2026 will indicate whether investors remain committed.
Public Perception: Polling over the first 100 days will test whether optimism about affordability outweighs concerns about cost and delivery.
NYC Fact Of The Day
Did you know? It’s technically illegal to honk your horn in New York City unless it’s an emergency—though it’s easily the most ignored law in the five boroughs. The rule was originally meant to curb noise pollution and carries a fine of up to $350. In the 90s, the city even posted “Don’t Honk” signs at intersections—until they were quietly removed in 2013 after officials admitted no one paid attention to them anyway.
Famous New Yorkers
Robert Moses
Robert Moses built much of modern New York City. From the 1920s to the 1960s, he led the construction of major bridges, highways, and parks, including the Triborough Bridge and Jones Beach. He never held elected office but controlled huge budgets through public authorities.
Moses wanted to make the city faster and more efficient, built for cars and growth. But his projects often destroyed neighborhoods and forced people from their homes.
He was both a builder and a bulldozer—his work gave New York its shape, power, and ambition, but also its scars.
Sweepstakes Poll
Participate in this week’s poll for a chance to win a $75 Amazon Gift Card:(must be submitted before Nov 8, 2025 for entry).
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