It used to be that the lazy girl's makeup routine consisted of a bit of tinted moisturizer and mascara. Nowadays, it's a bit of tinted moisturizer, mascara, a little highlighter — and a whole lot of brow.
We've said it a million times: Good brows can make a world of difference. But going bold can be intimidating — you never want to look like you've taken a Sharpie to 'em. That's why we've put together this 30-second guide to Instagram-worthy arches using products you probably already have in your kit.
Step 1: Brush your brows upward and outward using a clean spoolie.
Step 2: Apply a brow powder that matches your hair color with a flat, angled brush, focusing on the bottom line of the arch first.
Step 3: Brush more powder through the outer half to the tapered end of the brow.
The final step: Tap on concealer around the edges of the brows to emphasize them. Dab some highlighter on your cheekbones, and head out looking like Brooke Shields. Watch below for the full video tutorial.
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A recent photo posted to the Humans of New York Facebook page depicts a couple, laughing into the camera, standing in the middle of a park pathway. The accompanying text reads like a rom-com that needs to be made ASAP — and includes a relationship tip that's honestly pretty smart.
"We met in college. He walked me home from school every day for five years. We would talk about everything: how many kids we wanted, how we wanted to raise them, our roles in the home, where we wanted to live, and even where we wanted to go on vacation. So there really haven’t been many surprises," the post begins.
"A lot of couples only seem to talk about important things if they’re forced to make big decisions. And there can be this moment of: ‘I didn’t really know you.’ And there’s pressure to make a decision. And that’s when the biggest arguments seem to happen. We've luckily managed to avoid that because it’s all been discussed before."
You're not alone if these two just became your new relationship role models. Not only do they know that they're on the same page when it comes to major life decisions, it appears that they figured that out gradually and naturally — all thanks to their commute.
As simple as it may sound, spending time together regularly, no matter how brief, can have a major impact on your relationship and happiness. If you rarely make time to see your S.O., that can easily make already big conversations (whether about careers, kids, marriage, or anything else) feel much bigger than they need to be.
It looks like this park-strolling couple has managed to sidestep surprises in their relationship because they've worked these sorts of conversations into their daily routine. And, if they weren't adorable enough already, get ready to feel extra warm and fuzzy: They've been married for 15 years and still walk each other home.
Check out the photo and the full post below.
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Today, Kanye West released his Yeezy Season 4 collection on a quaint little island nestled between Manhattan and Queens. More precisely, he held the outdoor fashion presentation on Roosevelt Island, near an old smallpox hospital. In attendance was nearly all of the Kardashian crew — Kim, Kylie, Kendall, Tyga, Scott Disick, and even a few of their friends. However, a few notables were missing — Kourtney Kardashian and the matriarch herself, Kris Jenner. The two had previously attended Yeezy Season 3, so what gives?
It turns out they were in a much more relaxing setting, thousands of miles away. The two, along with Corey Gamble, and Kardashian's kids, Mason and Penelope, are sailing along the Mediterranean coast. According to their collective Instagram posts, the family has traveled from Italy's Capri to Ponza to Portofino, to, the latest, Antibes, France.
If you thought their stateside life was luxurious, then you have to see the pictures they've shared of their lavish getaway. If given the choice between the Yeezy life or the yacht life, I'd choose the yacht life, too.
The two had some mother-daughter bonding and took the opportunity to match a little bit, wearing big shades and colorful prints.
It's safe to say this city has it all: local artists, amazing music, and all the yoga a person can handle. What more could you want?
We teamed up with Destination Canada to see how Vancouver inspires its thriving creative community. Follow along with fashion correspondent Carly Cristman as she takes us on a tour of V-Town to check out the local sites. As potential locals, we can call it V-Town, right?
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Before models even hit the open-air catwalk on Roosevelt Island Wednesday afternoon, Kanye West's Yeezy Season 4 presentation had already lived up to the artist's over-the-top reputation: A controversial casting call, a mysterious bus ride, and major delays (including the belated arrival of the designer's family).
Yeezy Season 4 was, in a word, about suffering: West staged an outdoor fashion show that started an hour and 40 minutes late on a muggy, mid-80s day, after all. For showgoers, it took an hour to get past the multiple stages of security (not counting the hour-long bus ride to Roosevelt Island, if you took West up on his shuttle). Scores of models, in the ballpark of 100 by our estimations, had to stand in full-on midday sun wearing thong-cut bodysuits, sheer tanks, and no shoes. Dangerous? Absolutely — at least three models had to be escorted off the field. But it wasn't hard to imagine that West, whose relationship with the fashion industry has been self-characterized as full of suffering, would want to return the favor.
A photo posted by openingceremony (@openingceremony) on
It's the first time we can recall West doing an actual catwalk, versus the static, lined-up rows of models shown in seasons past. There was a slew of hoodies and parkas (sound familiar?), first shown in a palette of white and off-white. Styling-wise, there was some lampshading action. The overall look was all very...Kardashian. In terms of accessories, Adidas-branded fanny packs were slung over some models' shoulders, while others sported wide, rectangular backpacks. A number of models sported jewelry (designed by West, we're guessing).
Pre-show, a few models fainted. Fellow models ran out to fetch water as the show began, and one was eventually walked off the field by Yeezy producers. Model Amina Blue took off her lucite heels in the middle of the catwalk, finished traipsing barefoot, and was wearing flat slides on her next appearance on the runway. Sofia Richie, Teyana Taylor, and Chanel Iman also walked. The show's celeb attendees included some Kardashian-Jenners (Kendall, Kylie, and Kim), Desiigner, Winnie Harlow, La La Anthony, Pusha T, 2 Chainz, Tyga, Jordyn Woods, Vic Mensa, Virgil Abloh, and Spike Jonze.
There was a lot to talk about, beyond the streetwear- and Spandex-filled collection and arduous conditions. Let's recap: Despite industry-wide skepticism, the Yeezy show remains one of the most sought-after tickets during New York Fashion Week. Never mind that the announcement comes sporadically (and seemingly without the CFDA's knowledge or approval), with any actually helpful information — such as time and venue — sent to attendees on the day of. (This year, editors and industry folk only got official confirmation that they were, indeed, invited in the wee hours of the morning, with a call time of 1:30 p.m. Even then, the show's location was kept a secret until a couple hours before.) The unpredictable nature of it all gives the event a unique pang of exclusivity, despite the fact that West himself prefers not the deem his collection "a fashion proposition," but rather "a human proposition," according to Vogue, because of its (somewhat ironically) egalitarian intent.
This year, Yeezy was controversial since its planning stages: A casting call for "multiracial models" was met mostly with disapproval, discomfort, and protest. (The Fashion Law even evaluated the legality of it all.) Still, people showed up, lined up, and waited for hours for the chance to happen upon 'Ye himself. Of the backlash, West offered to Vogue that the "ten thousand people that showed up didn't have a problem with it." He simply was trying to articulate "the idea that [we] want all variations of Black."
Undeterred invitees lined up to board the buses to Roosevelt Island. Turns out, when you herd hundreds of media folk onto tour buses winding through New York's weekday traffic to a show they know very little about, the results (as chronicled on social media) can be pretty amusing. Even before they hopped on the Yeezy Express, industry folk considered the field-trip vibe of the whole situation (also, what was probably the most stressful game of "who's my bus buddy?" ever) — and the fact that they still didn't know where they'd be dropped off.
Bus pick up is West Side. Fishy. Maybe bus ride is part of today's narrative. https://t.co/wCqdozH9Ij
Things got even more interesting (read: hilarious for those following along) once the wheels started turning and fashion's who's-who got shuttled across Manhattan. They don't seem like the sing-along type.
Overheard on the Yeezy Season 4 bus: "It feels like we're being kidnapped."
The ride was reportedly "themed" for the show, with the help of longtime collaborator (and controversial figure in her own right) Vanessa Beecroft. This was probably met more in jest than 'Ye hoped, though.
Once the crowds descended on Roosevelt Island, guests were told to queue up at the venue (a former smallpox hospital which, again, super-reassuring) and were informed that the show was running a tad late — as in "hair and makeup just arrived" late. Cue more great tweets.
Being herded in a line in the hot sun and yelled at is the great equalizer of #NYFW#YeezySeason4
For most of us, a headache is a painful and annoying — but ultimately harmless — experience. But for retired U.S. soccer star Lauren Holiday, her lingering headache was a sign of something more serious, The Times-Picayune reported Sunday. The cause of her pain turned out to be a benign (non-cancerous) brain tumor.
Luckily, doctors say her tumor is operable. But the 28-year-old is also eight months pregnant. So she'll wait to have surgery until after giving birth.
Although headaches can be a symptom of brain tumors, these aren't the same kind of headaches that most of us get from being dehydrated, stressed, or over-caffeinated. Those tend to come and go in predictable patterns.
Instead, a headache due to a tumor sticks around — and it'll feel different. It's "usually a new headache that you’ve never had before," Robert Martuza, MD, at Massachusetts General Hospital told Self. "It’s more of a dull ache." The headache may also come with more severe symptoms, such as seizures, vomiting, or a loss of hearing or vision.
However, it's important to note that brain tumors are (thankfully) quite rare. But if any of your headaches have you worried, it's worth getting checked out by a doctor. Even if they're not due to a brain tumor, the doc may be able to help you manage them better — so you can get on with the rest of your life.
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From buying Emily Blunt's house to dating Harry Styles, it might seem like at age 20, Kendall Jenner's done everything. But there is one thing she wants to do before her life is complete, and it's surprisingly simple: She wants to visit the Museum of Sex in New York City.
The museum is known for its breast-themed moon bounce, its gallery of animal mating rituals, and its comprehensive fetish exhibit. Jenner posted on her app that she's hoping to make it there soon.
She also talked about her favorite things to do in New York, like wandering around Central Park and catching Knicks games at Madison Square Garden.
When she visits the city, she stays in Kim and Kanye's Soho apartment.
Her post reminisced on her first visit to the Big Apple, which included pretty much the polar opposite activity of visiting the Museum of Sex: browsing the American Girl doll store. She was only 12 then, and apparently, she's ready for a more adult activity.
Since she's in NYC for Fashion Week, she just may have the chance to check this item off her bucket list.
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About six months ago, Lisa Williams of Lisa Says Gah, a San Francisco-based online women’s clothing store, signed up for the third-party shopping app Have2Have.It in hopes of streamlining the shopping experience for her customers. And why not? She had over 40,000 followers on Instagram, her stock is limited, and items often sold out quickly. There had to be a better way than posting “link in profile” to sell clothing through the social-media site.
Williams was skeptical. First, Have2Have.It charged a fee. (Soldsie, the company that created HaveToHave.It, charges shop owners $49 a month with a 5.9% transaction fee, according to its website.) Secondly, customers would have to click a few times to get to the product. But Instagram didn’t have its own click-to-buy option — at least not one she knew of at the time. So she signed up for a free trial — and it worked. In fact, it worked well: Now, 50% of her traffic comes via Have2Have.It.
Since 2015, when Instagram rolled out its “Shop Now ” software, the app has focused on recruiting businesses. It makes sense that the photo-app would turn in that direction; it has 500 million users, and 50% of those follow business accounts. 75% of users say after seeing an Instagram post, they're more likely to visit a website or shop or tell a friend. Just over a month ago, Instagram for Business was launched; like Facebook Insights, the program allows companies to track customer information within the app.
“Businesses have always been an important part of our community and the majority of Instagram's 200,000 advertisers are small businesses,” an Instagram spokesperson told Refinery29. “Helping them be successful on the platform is a priority for us.”
Yet, for all of its efforts, Instagram seems to be facing an uphill battle with small business owners. Rather than turning to the app for help promoting their companies, many shop owners have signed up for third-party shopping apps like Have2Have.It. (Third-party apps aren’t direct links — an Instagram post takes you to a secondary page. That secondary page links you to the shop owner’s website.) Probably the largest and most successful of the third-party shopping apps is RewardStyle’s LikeToKnow.It, which Vogue uses as its shopping platform.
In 2014, LikeToKnow.It hit the big time, The Wall Street Journal reported; retail partners banked millions of dollars in sales. Currently, LikeToKnow.It is working with 9,000 bloggers, magazines, and over 4,000 retailers, including Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Net-A-Porter. Plus, it has a very exclusive customer base, Amber Venz Box, RewardStyle’s cofounder and president, told the WSJ — it only accepts 10% of applicants. Meaning: A lot of small businesses don't make the cut.
Though the shop owners I spoke with were open to using some of Instagram’s new tools, they weren’t exactly jazzed. Williams, for example, saw Instagram’s sponsored post option, but she didn’t love how much it felt like an advertisement.
“I’ve seen Cult Gaia ads 85 times in a week, because I engaged with it at some point. It was a ‘Shop Now’ sponsored link. Now, I’ve seen the same image over and over,” she says. The Instagram ad, she adds, felt forced. So for now, she’s hesitant. “I feel like Have2Have.It is a little bit more organic and less in your face than a sponsored ad,” she says.
Other business owners, however, are shirking Instagram’s advertising efforts altogether. Ft. Lonesome, a self-described “thread-based storytelling” company out of Texas that custom-stitches denim and other fabrics (and recently partnered up with Madewell) held an Instagram “auction” as recently as June to sell two limited-edition embroidered sunset and moonrise denim jackets. Just a few weeks ago, it was selling landscape patches through the app. Four were available — if you wanted one, you had to comment on the post with your email address.
Beverley Ragon, co-owner of Fox & Fawn, a vintage clothing store with two Brooklyn locations, is also sticking to the old-fashioned methodology: To buy an item through her shop, you have to be “on file.” (To get on file, you call the store and give your credit card information.) If you want to purchase something, you comment “Ring me up,” and cross your fingers you’re the first to do so.
Ragon, however, says she’s content with her company's current shopping system and that her main concern regarding Instagram is the app's change from a chronological feed to an algorithm-based one. (The new algorithm change means you’re not going to see your feed in the order it was posted by people you follow. You’ll see it based on Instagram’s own formulation.)
“The disruption of the chronological feed definitely makes us wary as to what other future changes they’ll make to further monetize the app,” she says. “Aside from the obvious, which would be switching the feeds back to chronological or giving deals on sponsored content, I think there's nothing Instagram can specifically do to help smaller stores. We took a purely visual platform and turned it into a marketplace. It was never intended as that, but it gives us so much freedom.”
For Sara Villard, owner of Worship, a vintage clothing store with one location in Brooklyn and one in Los Angeles, Instagram sales aren’t a huge percentage of business. Instead, Villard sees her visual presence on the app as more of a marketing tool. “It makes people want to come into the store to look at the item. And then they shop and it helps us promo more than anything,” she says. “Especially on a really hot day, when people aren’t really shopping for clothes, or in the middle of winter when you can still make a couple of hundred bucks, it’s a valuable tool.”
Other shop owners see it as a case of if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. One shop owner, who holds Sunday shopping auctions for one-of-a-kind items through her Instagram “shop,” declined to be interviewed for this article. Why? She didn’t want to disrupt what is already a successful sales model.
So who is advertising with Instagram’s sponsored posts? I searched through the app regularly over the course of a week and found mostly larger companies, like Talenti gelato, Pure Leaf Iced Tea, Magnum Ice Cream, and Target. In other words, in my very, very tiny research model, it appears to be places with large advertising budgets. If the new algorithm is based on what Instagram thinks you want to see and its priority is to push brands paying for “sponsored” posts, some of your favorite artists and quirky shop owners will most likely become buried in your feed. This means there’s a great possibility that your own feed will push you to the same fast-fashion retailers that everyone else sees, because they have more money to spend. With an app that's so heavily utilized for discovery, especially when it comes to clothing and accessory labels and designers, that might mean you're not being exposed to a majority of the creators and innovators both promoting and selling through Instagram.
I spoke to California-based artist Lauren Williams, of Boho by Lauren, about this issue. Williams makes stunning hand-dyed tapestries and I started following last year when I became obsessed with not just the finished work, but her process. Back in February, Williams bypassed her Etsy shop to sell items straight through Instagram. She announced that she had eight pieces available starting at 3 p.m. and tagged it #instasale. Willams’ tapestries aren’t cheap; they sell for around $400 to $500 (or more). Yet, in a few hours, her stock was wiped. In other words, she killed it.
Williams told me that she didn’t really need to advertise; she was just trying to keep up with her orders. However, if Instagram's advertising algorithm continues to play out, will it affect (or rather, hurt) the small businesses that currently use the app as their main source of exposure and income? And for consumers, will it hinder how we're able to find the brands we support; the indie labels making products you actually can't find anywhere else? If we lose our sense of discovery through Instagram, where will we all go?
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Ice cream is good for you. It lights up the pleasure centers in your brain. If you’re not feeling 100%, treating yourself to your favorite flavor can be the best self care imaginable, generally speaking. For some, a delicious creamy scoop is what makes life worth living.
Ice cream is also bad for you. It’s not particularly nutritious. If you stuff your face until you’re bloated every time you’re depressed, ice cream can become a crutch. Without balance and self control, too much dependence on ice cream can hinder your ability to self-soothe.
Like many people out there, I fucking love ice cream. I like to treat myself.
I think of my love of porn in much the same way.
I like to watch porn as a reward after a hard day at work. Porn is perfect for the lazy afternoons when I’m horny and feeling like thinking about nothing but sexuality. I pop in an old DVD or login to a membership site and just enjoy other humans having sex.
That’s all porn is, after all. People associate porn with all kinds of negative things — sexism, racism, transphobia, to name a few — some of which can be accurate, depending on the particular porn in question. But in order to really put it in perspective, you have to break it down to the simple, secular truth: Overall, porn is a type of media that provides a consensual, entertaining way to satisfy sexual curiosity.
This is why I was so disappointed to read the anti-pornography op-ed written by former Playboy model Pamela Anderson and Rabbi Shmuley Boteach for the Wall Street Journal last week. In the piece, the co-authors argue that porn is “a public hazard of unprecedented seriousness given how freely available, anonymously accessible and easily disseminated pornography is nowadays” — and they use Anthony Weiner as proof. As a lover of porn, an avid sexter, and a retired sex worker, I scoffed my way through the piece, which calls readers to “take the pledge” to avoid porn. I’ve heard all of this baseless fear-mongering before, of course, but it never ceases to amaze me when mainstream publications print moralizing sermons where critical journalism is supposed to be. (And for whatever it’s worth, I certainly wasn’t the only person who felt outraged by the narrow-minded, shaming assertions made in the piece.)
Anderson and Rabbi Boteach’s op-ed inexplicably conflates all commercially produced porn with Weiner’s specific sexting boundaries, which is kind of like calling for a ban on the ballet because some people puke when they go out dancing.
“We are a guinea-pig generation for an experiment in mass debasement that few of us would have ever consented to, and whose full nefarious impact may not be known for years,” they write. “How many families will suffer? How many marriages will implode? How many talented men will scrap their most important relationships and careers for a brief onanistic thrill? How many children will propel, warp-speed, into the dark side of adult sexuality by forced exposure to their fathers’ profanations?”
Anderson and Rabbi Boteach’s op-ed inexplicably conflates all commercially produced porn with Anthony Weiner’s specific bad sexting boundaries.
They call names in a racist and childish manner. The children of people who enjoy porn are "crack babies." Porn consumers are "losers." Maybe worst of all, they not-so-subtly frame their argument as if gay people, female lovers of porn, and people who have sex for reasons other than procreation do not exist. (I bet most of you fall into at least one of those categories.)
“With porn, it's of very limited usefulness to think of it as a drug,” Dr. David Ley, a clinical psychologist and author of The Myth of Sex Addiction and the upcoming Ethical Porn for Dicks, told me in light of Anderson and Rabbi Boteach’s op-ed. “People who have problematic porn or sex behaviors always have other problems — lack of other coping skills, social isolation, lack of sex education, sexual desires which are socially suppressed, or other personality/psychological issues”
He added: “Blaming these complex issues on porn is just like during the Prohibition era, when crime, divorce, mental illness, and other social ills were blamed on alcohol. Porn is the modern scapegoat. Instead of addressing the complicated issues of mature, modern sexual behaviors, it's easier to blame such problems on porn.”
I don’t know why Anderson has chosen to bite the hand that has fed her for decades — according to Playboy, she’s posed for 15 pictorials and 14 covers, including the cover for the very last nude issue, which came out just last year. I do know that anti-porn pundits love a story of regret. The perfect weapon against people who are pro-porn and pro-decriminalization of sex work is a “reformed” sex worker who has been there and wants to tell people from the inside how horrible it is. (For the record, I’m certainly not counting Anderson’s leaked sex tape as part of her work in the industry. That tape was stolen from her and its distribution continues to be a complete violation of her privacy.)
The perfect weapon against people who are pro-porn and pro-decriminalization of sex work is a 'reformed' sex worker who has been there and wants to tell people from the inside how horrible it is.
Here’s my suggestion: Instead of listening to the preaching of someone who is working out her complicated feelings about her career by calling her fans “losers,” why not read the extensive works of people who currently work in the industry? They are beautiful, complicated people with beautiful, complicated thoughts about the work they are doing right now. I recommend the anthologies Prose & Lore from the Red Umbrella Project and Coming Out Like A Porn Star, which was edited by Jiz Lee, for original writing by folks working in the sex industry.
If I squint, I suppose I can see what concerns the likes of Rabbi Boteach and Anderson. Like I said, some porn is unquestionably sexist, racist, transphobic, and just plain artless. And some people areusing smartphones and online dating as excuses for alienation, rather than tools for connection. I’m concerned about those tendencies, too. I don’t think that porn is for everybody any more than I think other crass forms of entertainment, like reality TV or WWE, are for everybody. (Those two things are totally not for me, but I would never begrudge someone else their brain candy.) I was also pretty damn disturbed by Weiner’s choice to include his child in the erotic pictures he sent. But censorship and shaming is never the answer to the misbehavior of one.
Which is one of the reasons why the so-called “sensual revolution” Anderson and Rabbi Boteach propose (in light of “gender rights and freedoms now having been established”) feels so misinformed. They write, “The sensual revolution would replace pornography with eroticism — the alloying of sex with love, of physicality with personality, of the body’s mechanics with imagination, of orgasmic release with binding relationships.”
As I’ve written before, the idea that “porn,” as a whole, represents degradation, while “erotica” describes something pure and healthy, is a totally bunk proposition. It’s based on a subjective and classist idea of taste — how can Anderson (or anyone) tell us what distinguishes “porn” from “erotica”? We should always be suspicious of such assertions, because who ultimately gets to dictate what is “good” sex and what is “bad” sex? The powerful people, the people with social capital.
The idea that 'porn,' as a whole, represents degradation, while 'erotica' describes something pure and healthy, is a totally bunk proposition. It’s based on a subjective and classist idea of taste.
Look no further than this op-ed’s outdated bias towards sex within heterosexual marriages and the preposterously untrue assertion that the gender rights of the sexual revolution have been “established.” Women aren’t stupid enough to think the sexual revolution is a done deal. Get back to me when white rapists caught in the act aren’t released after three months. Get back to me when trans women aren’t being murdered in disproportionately high numbers. Get back to me when Planned Parenthood isn’t under attack. Get back to me when people stop telling our first female major party presidential candidate to talk less and smile more. Please. “Established,” my ass.
As Dr. Ley told me, “Instead of shaming certain behaviors, it would be nice if we idealized and prioritized attention to consent, honesty, self-awareness, negotiation, integrity, and mutuality in sexuality. Then, we could look at [people like] Weiner and say, ‘This was unhealthy because it wasn't honest and didn't have integrity,’ as opposed to saying, ‘Don't do that!’”
Perhaps the saddest thing about Anderson and Rabbi Boteach’s call for a “sensual revolution” is that it already exists. There are countless places online and in stores to find pornography that depicts love, personality, and imagination (warning: link NSFW). If you have never found a commercial porn video you enjoyed, then you now have an even better option: making customized, personalized porn with your personal communication device. Contrary to the lurid stories most often reported about sexting, most naked selfies and screenshots of dirty talk conversations are shared joyfully between consenting adults.
So I urge you to push back against this creepy conservative doublespeak in three concrete ways:
1. Learn how to be an ethical consumer of pornography. When you’re concerned about exploitation in the garment industry, you buy ethically produced clothes. When you’re sickened by the state of the food industry, you buy ethically produced food. So if you’re concerned that porn is not ethically made (meaning: it’s produced in safe, consensual working environments, and it avoids the aforementioned problematic messaging), it’s up to you, the consumer, to create demand for porn that reflects your tastes and values. There are numerous online resources for pornographers who are transparent about business practices and who identify as feminists. Read what pornographers have to say about working in the industry today. Pay for memberships. Buy DVDs. Buy clips. Hell, commission custom clips from industrious porn performers!
2. Experiment and have fun with sexting. I might be biased, since I wrote an entire book about the ethics and etiquette of sexting, but I happen to think of erotic digital communication as fun, creative, and healthy. Some conservatives would have you believe that taking a naked selfie when you’re feelin’ yourself and sharing it with someone who wants to see it is morally degrading. Luckily, those people don’t get to tell you what to do with your sex life. If you have a partner, text them the deliciously filthy thoughts you’re having about them in real time. If you’re single, use your phone and computer as a tool for getting to know people, deepening your connections, and getting off. (Just make sure to exercise caution when dealing with strangers, depending on your particular preferences, like you would in any other situation.)
3. Consider the specifics of what monogamy means to you. People in relationships (or traditional monogamists in general) often assume that what monogamy means to one person will mean the same to another. Maybe you feel totally comfortable with your partner watching porn, but you would feel betrayed if you knew he or she occasionally swiped his way through Tinder for entertainment. Maybe you think it’s adorable that your girlfriend or boyfriend loves supporting enterprising dancers by making it rain at the local strip club, but your blood would run cold if they platonically shared a bed with an ex. Take the time to think deep thoughts and talk specifics with your partner. Remember, Weiner’s ethical transgression was not in sexting with strangers, but in (presumably) lying to his wife. He reportedly knew that extramarital sexting would be hurtful to her and he did it anyway.
But lest you get caught up in the nuances of the arguments for and against porn (and all of the strings attached to them), let’s return to the subject of ice cream. Porn and sexting are treats, just like ice cream. So treat yourself in moderation, if you’re so inclined. And don’t let anyone shame you — you deserve it.
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Halloween is still several weeks away, but you can bet that Heidi Klum's costume is well underway. The supermodel and TV personality would sooner vote for Trump than turn up to her annual Halloween soiree in a cape and mask hastily picked up at the CVS around the corner. Seriously. Hair and makeup effects people have won Oscars for doing less work.
It's anyone's guess as to how Klum will follow last year's XXX-rated Jessica Rabbit getup. This is a woman who has passed as a senior citizen, a robot, and a Hindu goddess, so really, the sky is the limit. She could turn up looking like the monster from Stranger Things, a dinosaur, or the Red Priestess in the middle of an aging transformation. We can't wait.
Klum is no doubt subjecting herself to body casts, prosthetic makeup, and fittings ahead of the big day. Until then, we're happy to look back at the bonkers costumes that have come and gone. These suckers must be destined for a museum exhibit one day, right?
Behold, some of Klum's most stunning creations.
Halloween 2001: Lady Godiva
Despite dressing up as noblewoman Lady Godiva, Heidi Klum did NOT show up to her second-ever Halloween party naked. However, she did show up on the red carpet riding an ACTUAL horse and wearing a beautiful nude bodysuit with gorgeous crystals.
"In 2001, I really kicked it up a notch," Klum said about her costume in an interview with Fast Company. "I was Lady Godiva in white and rode in on a big horse. It was so fun and unexpected! Since then, I’ve tried to outdo myself every year."
Photo: Gregory Pace/BEImages.
Halloween 2002: Betty Boop
We don't remember this cartoon cutie having fangs, but Klum otherwise nailed it with this early effort. A coiffed wig, sparkly red shadow, and the perfect dress created the ultimate Boop shout-out.
Photo: M BARON / BEI/REX/Shutterstock.
Halloween 2006: Serpent With Forbidden Fruit
In 2006, a pregnant Heidi Klum turned the red carpet into the Garden of Eden when she showed up as a serpent in green body paint. This costume is the start of Heidi's truly creative streak. Why? Because instead of just dressing as a snake, Klum dressed as a snake wrapped around forbidden fruit, with then-husband Seal as Eve.
Photo: Jim Smeal/BEImages.
Halloween 2010: Robot
It took five hours to transform Heidi Klum into a red-and-purple robot superhero in 2010, according to Fast Company.
"I actually did my own makeup that year. You can imagine the amount of glitter all around," Klum told the magazine. "I wanted to literally loom over everyone, so I learned in my backyard how to walk on stilts until I was walking on them like it was nothing."
The end result was an incredible 8-foot-tall robot that peered over all partygoers.
Photo: Henry Lamb/Photowire/BEImages.
In addition to copious amounts of purple glitter, Klum relied on red contacts and fake teeth to perfect the bold look.
Photo: Henry Lamb/Photowire/BEI/REX/Shutterstock.
These stilts were not made for walking, but the model managed.
Photo: Henry Lamb/Photowire/BEI/REX/Shutterstock.
Then-husband Seal played along in his own sparkly sci-fi outfit.
Photo: Henry Lamb/Photowire/BEI/REX/Shutterstock.
Halloween 2011: Cadaver
What’s scarier than a corpse? A corpse without skin. Heidi Klum shocked fans — and blew away her costume competition — with this amazing get-up.
Photo: Broadimage/REX/Shutterstock.
Klum was so dedicated to her role as a skinless cadaver that she was wheeled in on a stretcher by two “doctors” in white coats.
Photo: Broadimage/REX/Shutterstock.
A close-up of Klum's red contacts and discolored teeth.
Photo: Broadimage/REX/Shutterstock.
The view from the back was just as detailed.
Photo: Broadimage/REX/Shutterstock.
Halloween 2011: Ape
Two days after killing the competition with her cadaver costume, Klum donned an ape suit along with then-husband Seal. Once again, you have to applaud the dedication here. Not only is her entire body covered in hair, but Klum has has amazing prosthetics on her face — and even ape-like feet.
Photo: Gregory Pace/BEImages.
Klum told Us Weekly that her makeup took almost six hours.
Photo: Gregory Pace/BEI/Rex/Shutterstock.
Project Runway alum Nick Verreos helped her plan the look, which involved prosthetic breasts and false teeth.
Photo: Marion Curtis/StarPix/REX/Shutterstock.
Seal certainly enjoyed himself. Check out the fangs!
Photo: Marion Curtis/StarPix/REX/Shutterstock.
Halloween 2012: Cleopatra
In 2012, Heidi Klum decided to postpone her big shindig due to Hurricane Sandy. "When Sandy hit, I was like, 'I cannot do a Halloween party. I can't have fun when so many people's lives have been destroyed,'” Klum told Us Weekly at the time.
The party was pushed back until December, and Klum did not disappoint fans. She stepped out as Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Perhaps the best part of this look are the hundreds of crystals individually placed on Klum's face.
Photo: Erik Pendzich/REX USA.
Halloween 2013: 95-Year-Old Woman
Have you ever wanted to know what Heidi Klum will look like when she gets old? Here’s your answer. Klum pulled all the stops to dress as an old woman, complete with age spots, varicose veins, and milky eyes.
Photo: D. DaSilva/Rex/REX USA.
"I think one of my favorite costumes was the year I was a 95-year-old version of myself," Klum told Fast Company. "I was turning 40 and everyone kept asking me how I was feeling about it, so I wanted to show them I wasn’t afraid of aging or showing what I would look like as an older person."
Photo: Henry Lamb/Photowire/BEImages/BEImages.
Her favorite thing about the costume? "When I pulled up in the Phantom Rolls Royce, it took a few minutes for people to realize it was me. I loved it!"
Photo: Henry Lamb/Photowire/BEImages/BEImages.
No detail was overlooked, with pronounced veins, liver spots, and flaky skin and nails added.
Photo: Amanda Schwab/StarPix/REX/Shutterstock.
Halloween 2014: Butterfly
After a daunting five-hour process, Klum was transformed into a beautiful butterfly in 2014. The look included elaborate makeup, body paint, colorful wings, and prosthetics.
Photo: Henry Lamb/Photowire/BEImages/BEImages.
Klum told E! News that her own children couldn't recognize her under all the makeup. "They said, 'Are you really in there, Mama?' They weren't scared at all, but the one time that I [looked] like me, but older, they were scared."
Photo: Broadimage/REX/Shutterstock.
The getup included insect-inspired eyes and lots of contouring.
Photo: Henry Lamb/Photowire/BEImages/BEImages.
Trust the former Victoria's Secret Angel to rock a pair of wings.
Photo: Broadimage/REX/Shutterstock.
Halloween 2015: Jessica Rabbit
Where's Roger? Klum donned layers of latex, a red-hot wig, and blue contact lenses to play the foxy female from Who Framed Roger Rabbit? She's not bad. She's just drawn that way.
The queen of Halloween celebrated with Gigi Hadid, in costume as Sandy from Grease.
Photo: Hunter Abrams/BFA.com/REX/Shutterstock.
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Stephanie Kurlow has wanted to be a ballerina as long as she can remember.
"I have been dancing since I was two years old," the Australian dancer told Refinery29. "It's always been a huge part of my life and a passion of mine."
But she said her pursuit of that passion hit a rough patch in 2010, after she converted to Islam. While Kurlow, now 14, continued to perform in films, musicals, and talent competitions, she was shocked to find that there were "no full-time ballet studios that readily accepted me wearing hijab."
Determined to dance, she refused to back down.
"I found it very unfair towards girls who do not fit the mold of a stereotypical ballerina and decided to pursue my dreams, whatever challenges I might face," she said.
So Kurlow decided to take matters into her own hands. She created a LaunchGood crowdfunding campaign to raise money to support her dream of training full-time to be a professional ballerina — and eventually open a new performing arts academy that will cater to students of all religions.
Kurlow knows that this is just the first of many en pointe steps she must take to achieve her dream. There might need to be some adjustments to her performances, modest costumes and, in some cases, special choreography. And, as with any trailblazer, she's already faced some pushback. But she's committed to leading the way.
"Being the first Muslim hijabi ballerina is quite challenging, because the world hasn’t seen it yet," she said. "The traditional image of a ballerina is slowly changing and there is still a long way to go. The ballet world needs a little catching up to do, but it's definitely happening."
Kurlow shared her story with Refinery29 from her home in Australia. Ahead, her thoughts on her journey, her hopes for the future, and more.
Why did you decide to convert to Islam?
"First, I wanted to be like my mum, but later I started to read a lot and everything made sense for me in Islam. For example, I like to be modest and I like to keep my dignity, I like to know the purpose of my life. I like to live a healthy lifestyle and avoid harmful things. The hijab is so important to me because it's a part of who I am and represents the beautiful religion that I love. If people have the right to dress down, then I have the right to dress up and my hijab is my expression of love to my creator. I believe it covers my body but not my mind, heart, and talent."
I don’t need to take my hijab off and sacrifice my beliefs just to fit the mold and be like everyone else.
What changed to inspire you to begin working toward your dream of being a professional dancer again?
"I saw Michaela DePrince and Misty Copeland as the first African-American ballerinas and thought that was phenomenal, the ballet world is slowly changing and it's something I definitely want to be a part of.
"My other inspirations are [dancer] Li Cunxin, Zahra Lari, the first Muslim figure skater from the United Arab Emirates, Amna Al Haddad, a weightlifter from UAE, and the first [fencer] in hijab, Ibtihaj Muhammad. They're training so hard for the Olympics now and they have opened so many doors to young people who often miss out.
"You don’t need to sacrifice your beliefs and your way of life to do something you love. You can combine both. It is difficult but it is possible. ... I want to find some appropriate options for me to express myself and do what I love and help girls like me. So I have decided to start a crowdfunding campaign to fulfill my dream to train in a top ballet school to receive qualifications to be able to open a diverse performing arts school, where everyone is welcome."
A video posted by sᴛᴇᴘʜᴀɴɪᴇ ᴋᴜʀʟᴏᴡ (@stephaniekurlow) on
What's the biggest challenge you've faced so far?
"I have received a lot of anti-Muslim comments. I understand — all they know about Muslims is from TV and social media. They’re ignorant and don’t bother to pick up a book and do research or go and meet some Muslims in person and see that we all have the same values and same feelings like love and kindness.
"I think that Islamophobia is something we're still tackling. It's definitely happening, but people need to be more aware of different religions and to respect other peoples' views. The anti-Muslim comments make me more determined to change the world for the better and make people more educated about the beauty of Islam.
"The biggest misconception of being a hijab-wearing ballerina is that you can’t be a professional ballerina. I disagree and so do thousands of my supporters that I’m so grateful for. I can become an amazing professional ballerina and still keep my faith. I don’t need to take my hijab off and sacrifice my beliefs just to fit the mold and be like everyone else. Ballet is so graceful and modest and that’s something I can do in hijab.
"I know I am not perfect and I have long way to go. I am going to strive hard to become a better ballerina and a better Muslim."
How did you feel when you learned thatBjörn Borgdecided to offer you a scholarship?
"I felt so amazed and it was such an incredible feeling. It's truly changing my life, which in turn I hope to change other peoples' lives. Together we can change the world to be a better place and change ourselves to be better people.
"I would like to thank Björn Borg so much for awarding me with their 'Game Changer' scholarship — Mr. Borg is an inspiration himself. He was an athlete that always did things his own way. He changed the way people viewed tennis and opened the sport up for everyone. Now that I received the scholarship, my life has completely turned around. Now all the hard work begins to become a professional ballerina so I can open my own performing arts school where everyone's welcome."
Look outside the box and see possibilities where others see problems.
What message do you hope to send to young girls who see you dancing while wearing your hijab?
"Ballet is acting and telling stories and emotions through movement. How a simple turn of your head or the height of your arm can express a completely different emotion is amazing. Ballet is so graceful and modest and that’s something I love. I want people to see that being different isn’t something you should be ashamed of — people need to realize that being different is something you should be proud of and embrace. Women should not have to dress a certain way they aren’t comfortable with in certain sports and the performing and filming industries.
"I want young people to be proud of their identity and looks and find a way to achieve their dreams and stay unique. Be yourself and be proud of your identity, [whether you're] Muslim, Sikh, Aboriginal, Jewish, Christian, atheist, or anyone else. This isn’t just about me becoming the first hijabi ballerina. It's about young people who often miss out wanting to become ice skaters, journalists, and actors to pursue their dreams. Us young people can do anything and everything and nothing can limit you from being yourself and at the same time achieving your dreams.
"Some young people are saying that after seeing my story they have hope to do something they love without being afraid of anti-Muslim discrimination and being a victim of their own fears and self-consciousness because of the hijab they wear. Breaking boundaries and stereotypes is difficult but us young people can do anything and everything — nothing can limit you from being yourself and at the same time achieving your dreams."
Photo: Courtesy of Stephanie Kurlow.
What has the response been so far?
"I received so many beautiful messages, all the way from America to Europe to Asia to Australia telling me I’m an inspiration to them, telling me that they want to pursue their dreams, that they feel empowered, which in turn makes me feel more empowered. That what I am doing as the first Muslim ballerina in hijab — changing people’s lives and their perceptions of Muslims.
"People of different backgrounds and beliefs are sending me their own stories and how I inspired them to strive towards they dreams. Some Muslim girls are saying they don’t see the hijab as an obstacle anymore and they have started wearing hijab and have become proud of their identity. I want everyone to live in a world with greater acceptance, I think that’s extremely important."
What is your advice for young women who have big dreams?
"My advice would be to not give up and not let major or minor setbacks let you not feel passionate or motivated to pursue your dreams. Some things are meant to happen, and when god doesn’t give you a certain opportunity you wanted, he replaces it with something even better and more rewarding. If you have a big dream and are passionate about it, then go for it, because not only are you making yourself happy, you are inspiring other people to do the same; and that is very important.
"My advice for young girls who hope to start a career in the performing arts would be to be persistent and every day to take a step — even if it’s a very small step — toward your dream. Never wait for the perfect moment – it may never come. Don’t make excuses: I wear hijab so I can’t do it. Or, I will do it when I lose some weight, or it is too late for me to start. Instead of sacrificing your values, beliefs or looks, think how can your dream and your faith complement and benefit each other. Look outside the box and see possibilities where others see problems."
To learn more about Kurlow's dream and crowdfunding campaign, visit her LaunchGood Page. You can also follower her on Instagram here.
Editor's note: This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
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Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to eat roasted guinea pig in Flushing, Queens. Oh, is that not how the Statue of Liberty poem goes? Either way, New York’s melting pot is reflected best in its culinary offerings — from 99 cent pizza to the tasting menu at Eleven Madison Park. If you've exhausted your Seamless queue and Yelp recommendations, that means it's time to venture outside of your comfort zone. Take a look at our list of the weirdest, craziest, most insane dishes in New York City, and gird your stomach. It's going to be a mouthwatering ride.
What: Mystic Pizza Bagel
Where: Baz Bagel
Baz Bagels has not only sized up a childhood food favorite ( Bagel Bites, anyone?), but it's also named the dish after a classic Julia Roberts throwback, Mystic Pizza. This is food nostalgia at its best. And if you're not into pizza for breakfast, then check out any of the other wacky bagel mashups (e.g. The Pretty in Pink with beet and horseradish cream cheese).
Baz Bagel, 181 Grand Street (at Mulberry Street); 212-335-0609.
Wilma Jean is a casual burger and fried chicken joint located in cozy Carroll Gardens. The menu is run-of-the-mill solid Southern fare — but for those not born and bred below the Mason-Dixon, the fried pickles may come as somewhat of a strange surprise. But these crispy, crunchy, generously beer-battered, and properly deep-fried delicacies are not to be passed up. The buttermilk ranch dipping sauce complements the sour flavor perfectly.
Wilma Jean, 345 Smith Street (at Carroll Street); 718-422-0444.
Photo: Via @badgalnj.
What: Ramen Burger
Where: Smorgasburg
If you have yet to know (or taste) NYC's famed Ramen Burger, here's the 411: Keizo Shimamoto made this food fantasy a reality through a little inspiration from his dual cultural heritage — Tokyo born and California raised. Although simple in execution, a ramen bun with burger interior, the public has gone wild for these savory sliders. If you're interested in joining this cult following, stop by Smorgasburg this Saturday for a bite.
Smorgasburg, Williamsburg, East River State Park, 90 Kent Avenue (at N. 7th)
How do you take a New York institution, like Katz's Deli, and turn it on its head? By wrapping its staple food up in an egg roll. The rich appetizer is just one of the standout dishes serving up a fresh take on dim sum. Guests line up nightly to order the Jewish-Chinese mash-up, as well as RedFarm's other quirky dishes, like filet mignon tarts and Pac-Man dumplings that are almost too cute to eat.
RedFarm, 529 Hudson (between 10th and Charles Streets); 212-792-9700.
Dirt Candy's broccoli dogs are far from the only quirky item on the menu. The Lower East Side spot has been making headlines for chef Amanda Cohen's inventive use of vegetables, from a kale matzo ball soup to onion chocolate tarts. But her broccoli dog is in a class of its own for actually managing to taste like a hot dog, which is far more than a lot of soy or tofu dogs can claim. The dog is primarily a long stalk of broccoli that manages to somehow have the snap and flavor of our favorite ballpark franks, making it as mind-bendingly weird as it is tasty.
Dirty Candy, 86 Allen Street (between Grand and Broome); 212-228-7732.
What: Everything donuts
Where: Flex Mussels
We’re patiently waiting for doughnuts to become the cupcakes of this era in NYC eating. Flex Mussels is doing their part with these puffs, which are covered in everything-bagel seasoning and seeds. Oh, and mirroring jelly doughnuts, a curl of scallion cream cheese on the end alerts you to the stuffing therein. Why choose between two balls of dough when you can have the best of both worlds?
Flex Mussels, 154 W. 13th Street (between Sixth and Seventh Avenues); 212-229-0222, and 174 E. 82nd Street (between Lexington and Third Avenues); 212-717-7772.
Their standard pork and veggie dumplings are little pockets of heaven, but it’s the announcement of a new special on the first of every month that breaks out the lines of East Villagers. The choices of Cubano (pictured) or cheeseburger could easily be a gimmick, but the carefully crafted recipes are standouts in their own right. A chicken parm dumpling, stuffed with organic chicken and mozzarella and dipped in tomato sauce, is so wrong it’s entirely right.
Of all the euphemistic terms for foods that would make a 6-year-old diner throw a tantrum — sweetbreads ain’t so sweet, kid — none is more adorable than trotter, as in what a pig trots on, as in pig feet. This new Brazilian-Latin American restaurant serves up those little footsies in a pancake, with ancho pepper BBQ sauce and aioli to help you forget what you’re eating.
Chef Amanda Cohen’s whole M.O. is to prove that vegetables can be the star of the meal, not relegated to side status. This dish is a strong opening statement for the prosecution, with rainbow-bright colors and innovative use of radish in all its forms (including, cheekily, horseradish flavoring).
Dirt Candy, 86 Allen Street (between Grand and Broome Streets); 212-228-7732.
Photo: Courtesy of Dirt Candy.
What: Onion carpaccio
Where: Atera
Any one of the eighteen dishes on Atera’s tasting menu is a gorgeous little miracle, with painstakingly arranged blossoms or sublime rings of vegetables. Pretty enough to be a painting is the onion carpaccio, a wispy suggestion of onion that resembles a hot-air balloon in flight on your plate. This level of artistry is what you’re paying for—it’s why you come to New York!
Atera, 77 Worth Street (between Church Street and Broadway); 212-226-1444.
Photo: Courtesy of Atera.
What: Calf’s Brain Cream
Where: Takashi
The whole point of going to Takashi, aside from the actually enjoyable food, is the shock and awe of the menu, which lists beef tongue, testicles, and every other squicky item you can imagine that might be pulled from a cow. The brain cream, however, is next level: It comes in a toothpaste-style tube, with an accompanying dish of black caviar. We dare you!
Takashi, 456 Hudson Street (between Barrow and Morton Streets); (212) 414-2929.
Photo: Courtesy of Takashi.
What: Chorizo Ice Cream
Where: Oddfellows
Leave it to the masterminds at Oddfellows to concoct a pork sausage-flavored ice cream. The chorizo-caramel combo brings you the best of both sweet and savory worlds, and is made with real sausage. So don't be shy, give your tastebuds a run for their money.
Oddfellows, 175 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn; 347-599-0556; 75 East 4th Street (between Bowery and Second Avenue); 917-475-1812.
Photo: Courtesy of Oddfellows.
What: Burrata Soft Serve
Where: Dominique Ansel Kitchen
Just when you thought we'd found a way to put cheese on everything, Dominique Ansel, the magical genius behind the cronut, introduced cheese-flavored ice cream. It's not just EZ Cheese in a cone, of course. DA is tres sophistique. This 'scream is burrata, as in, the cheese your mouth waters for at every single Italian restaurant.
Dominique Ansel Kitchen, 137 Seventh Avenue South (between Charles and West 10th streets); 212-242-5111.
Photo: Courtesy of Dominique Ansel Kitchen.
What: Golden Opulence Sundae
Where: Serendipity 3
When the giant chalice of frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity 3 is indulgent enough for your liking, go hard with a sundae that contains dessert caviar, imported Parisian candies, Venezuelan cocoa, and 23 carats of edible gold leaf. It may cost $1,000, but the restaurant swears they sell at least one a month.
Serendipity 3, 225 East 60th Street (between Second and Third avenues); 212-838-3531.
Photo: Courtesy of Serendipity 3.
What: Korean Fried Chicken
Where: Talde
Top Chef contestant Dale Talde has made a small restaurant empire in Park Slope, where his trademark is creative Asian flavors. The big crowd pleaser at his eponymous outpost is the Korean fried chicken, which is perfectly battered with a generous dollop of spicy sauce.
The adorably bright Jamaican love shack that is Miss Lily’s puts a Caribbean twist on every dish, and a prime example is the corn cob side.“We char the corn on a hot grill, turning it for even cooking, then brush on our jerk mayonnaise, before tossing it in roasted coconut flakes and serving with lime,”says Chef AdamSchop. If your mouth didn’t water with that description, check your pulse.
Octopus is a key item in the Mediterranean diet, and you probably stopped being freaked out by the little tentacles in your calamari basket a while ago. But, what if the octopus was freakin’ alive when it was dropped on your table? You’ll have to hike out to Woodside to watch the thing get boiled in front of you, but it’s definitely NYC bucket-list material.
Sik Gaek, 49-11 Roosevelt Avenue (between 43rd Avenue and Queens Boulevard), Queens; 718-205-4555.
Photo: Courtesy of Sik Gaek.
What: Masala Mac and Cheese
Where: S’MAC
No, there is nothing more delightful than a restaurant dedicated to mac and cheese. Except maybe the playful portion sizes — nosh, major munch, mongo, and party! — and the ingenious variations, like Buffalo, Cajun, and Parisienne. The most boundary-pushing is the Masala variation, which blends warm Indian spices with all that gooey, cheesy goodness.
S’MAC, 345 East 12th Street (between First and Second avenues); 212-358-7912.
Photo: Courtesy of S'MAC.
What: Kangaroo Loin
Where: Burke and Wills
Go ahead and name some Australian things. Vegemite. Hot surfer guys. Kangaroos! Burke and Wills is one of the most wonderfully sophisticated Aussie-inspired places in the city, where you can dine on this kangaroo loin under a glass roof. Sorry, cuddly marsupial friends.
Burke and Wills, 226 West 79th Street (between Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway); 646-823-9251.
Photo: Courtesy of Burke and Wills.
What: Chapulines Taco
Where: Toloache
The three locations of Toloache offer wonderfully unique Mexican food—sides of avocado fries, a bone-marrow quesadilla—but the coolest dish has to be the chapulines taco, a traditional filling of little toasted grasshoppers. It looks freaky, but it tastes crunchy and generally wonderful.
Toloache, 166 East 82nd Street (between Lexington and Third avenues); 212-861-4505.
Photo: Courtesy of Toloache.
What: Smoked Whole Goat Neck
Where: Ducks Eatery
Not all barbecue joints are created equal. Ducks Eatery gives you the requisite hickory-smoked wings and ribs, but there is also a duck confit waffle and the most adventurous, an entire goat neck. It’s for two, of course, and is accented with bing cherries and coconut rice.
Ducks Eatery, 351 E. 12th Street (at First Avenue); (212) 432-3825
Photo: Courtesy of Duck's Eatery.
What: Strawberry-Cinnamon Glazed Berkshire Baby Back Ribs
Where: Traif
The fascinating treatment of the ribs at Traif has a lovely story to go along with it, from a time chef Jason Marcus traveled to Vietnam in 2002. "Being lovers of all things spring roll, [my friend and I] went to a restaurant that night honoring the month-long spring roll festival,” he says. “They had a special dish that caught out eyes: ‘strawberry-honey ribs.’ The dish sounded different but, exactly why I came to Vietnam — for inspiration.” He experimented with Vietnam spices and strawberry before stumbling on this “simultaneously comforting and exotic” dish.
Traif, 229 South 4th Street (between Roebling and Havemeyer streets), Brooklyn; 347-844-9578.
Photo: Courtesy of Traif.
What: Pez Globo
Where: Toro
Everything is good when fried and with a squirt of lemon. The most fun dish at this tapas restaurant is the pez globo — crispy blowfish tails sprinkled in Moroccan spices like cumin. There are loads of other small seafood dishes on the menu, so slip this one into the mix, and don't tell the scaredy-cat picky eater at your table.
Everything about this Carroll Gardens spot is cozy and special, from the minimal seating (12 people!) to the artfully-arranged American plates. Their most interesting dish these days is the pickled mussel, served with mustard seed and mustard flower, which Chef Elise Kornack says was inspired by memories of Nantucket. "My mother and I would collect mussels together along the jetty and bring buckets-full back to the house to steam and eat," she recalls. "Often I would eat them with heirloom tomato salad and dip the mussels in the vinegar left behind once the tomatoes were finished. This dish is my homage to those summer nights."
Take Root, 187 Sackett Street (between Hicks and Henry streets), Brooklyn; 347-227-7116.
Photo: Courtesy of Take Root.
What: Salted Caramel Chicken Fingers
Where: Sticky's Finger Joint
The ultimate bar food gets an upgrade at Sticky's, which is dedicated to nothing but chicken fingers. Of course, that hardly means they’re boring, with Mexican-, Japanese-, Chinese-, and Italian-style delights to choose from. But, the most out-of-the-box dish is the salted caramel fingers, which are coated in crushed pretzel, dipped in salted caramel, and sprinkled with salt.
As you may have guessed from its name, Shalom Japan is one of those restaurants that fuses two totally incongruous cuisines and cultures. Our favorite example is the lox rice bowl, which combines smoked fish, avocado, cucumber, spicy mayo, and rice. Sort of like a sushi roll, but in a bowl.
Shalom Japan, 310 South 4th Street (between Keap and Rodney streets), Brooklyn; 718-388-4012.
Photo: Courtesy of Shalom Japan.
What: Zillion Dollar Lobster Frittata
Where: Norma’s
Bring your very best brunch posse to Norma’s, an opulent mecca for fancy breakfast foods housed in Le Parker Meridien. The pièce de résistance is the zillion dollar lobster frittata, which boasts 10 ounces of caviar and a $1,000 price tag. "We wanted to create something decadent and over-the-top," says executive chef Emile Castillo. "Our menu is all about fun and different, and the zillion dollar frittata is just that. Plus, it's delicious."
Norma’s, 119 West 56th Street (between Sixth and Seventh avenues); 212-708-7460.
Photo: Courtesy of Norma's.
What: Huarache de Nopal
Where: The Black Ant
Chef Mario Hernandez traveled to the city of Tepoztlan last summer and was inspired to grill some cactus. "I met a sweet lady named Doña Chavela who has the most amazing fruit and vegetable stand where she sells a delicious cactus mushroom stew used for the filling in quesadillas," he explains. Comprised of cactus pad, figs, asadero cheese, and marmalade, the dish is "crispy, fresh, light , spicy, sweet and salty." In other words: "All flavors that a chef strives for in a dish!”
The Black Ant, 60 Second Avenue (between 3rd and 4th streets); 212-598-0300.
Photo: Courtesy of The Black Ant.
What: Foie Gras Doughnut
Where: Do or Dine
Your days are numbered, cronut. The hippest pastry hybrid in town is officially the foie gras doughnut at Do or Dine, a punk-rock outpost in Bed-Stuy. The richness of the duck takes well to the sugary fried dough, but really, what doesn't take well to sugary fried dough?
Do or Dine, 1108 Bedford Avenue (between Lexington Avenue and Quincy Street), Brooklyn; 718-864-2290.
Photo: Courtesy of Do or Dine.
What: Mapo Tofu Chili Cheese Fries
Where: King Noodle
It's always fun to plop different junk on top of french fries. King Noodle innovates with their unique Asian poutine. "The dish is a combination of two Sichuan specialties — Mapo tofu and stir-fried potato slivers, the latter of which is like a pile of tiny, thin cut french fries cooked with Sichuan peppercorns," they explain. "We wanted to be able to reference some of our favorite dishes while making the atmosphere fun and pub-like. Enter: cheese." Indeed!
King Noodle, 1045 Flushing Avenue (at Vandervoort Place), Brooklyn; 718-456-6543.
Photo: Courtesy of King Noodle.
What: Chocolate Chunk Pizza
Where: Max Brenner
Right this way, choco-holics. Max Brenner is the haven for all things chocolate (drinks, ice cream, desserts), and it has pretty great "normal" food as well. Their chocolate pizza combines the two, making for what the restaurant calls "the epitome of the Max Brenner experience."
Max Brenner, 841 Broadway (between 13th and 14th streets); 646-467-8803.
Photo: Courtesy of Max Brenner.
What: Extra Virgin Olive Oil Ice Cream
Where: Oddfellows
Many of the rotating ice cream flavors at Oddfellows seem to make zero sense; it's like they're basically daring you to taste them. Chef Sam Mason tried an olive oil ice cream in Spain and never forgot it. "I always wanted to do it as a flavor because I love the taste of it, but also because the texture of olive oil ice cream is unique," he says. "It pairs perfectly with a lot of our other flavors as well, especially some of the citrus sorbets we've done."
Oddfellows, 175 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn; 347-599-0556; 75 East 4th Street (between Bowery and Second Avenue); 917-475-1812.
Photo: Courtesy of Oddfellows.
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We won't call this list definitive, because rooftops are, after all, all about spontaneity. And, with three summer months to get your toes wet (literally and figuratively), there's just enough time to dabble in all of the different vibes this city's sky-high spots have to offer. Spend the rest of June drinking fancy cocktails and dancing the night away by a moonlit pool. In July, consider an elevated brunch, where the Benedicts and Bloodys only rival the views. By August, we'll all be ready to cut the frills, grab a seat, and chow down on tacos on a terrace in the clouds.
Allow these 13 spots to satisfy your deep-diving, fun-loving, hard-partying summer cravings. Cheers to raising the bar — on the roof.
Gallow Green
Perfect for: Getting lost within the vines while sipping swanky punch and chatting with mysterious (and chic) strangers. This rooftop has major secret garden vibes — but it's only open in the sizzling summer season, so take the elevators up while you still can!
Soak in views of: Manhattan's West Side
Signature cocktail: "Something Wicked" — corralejo, tequila with fresh pineapple, peri peri & tamarind infused agave.
Perfect for: A joy-filled night in the open-air with cocktails, beer, friends, and mixed modern antiques. This Williamsburg rooftop spot is comfortably and cooly situated above the BQE.
Soak in views of: Manhattan skyline and grafittied Brooklyn brick walls.
Signature cocktail: Night of Joy states that all cocktails are "inspired by the classics" with fresh twists of "botanical ingredients and herbal infusions". We're talking bison grass beverages with goji berries.
Night of Joy, 667 Lorimer Street (at Meeker Avenue) in Brooklyn.
Perfect for: Catching the sunset over Manhattan with a few of your closest (and coolest) pals. The Ides is an industrially chic rooftop bar space situated atop the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg.
Soak in views of: Surrounding Brooklyn area and the island of Manhattan.
The Ides Bar, 80 Wythe Avenue (at N. 11th Street) in Brooklyn; 718-460-8006.
Photo: Courtesy of Wythe Hotel.
Hotel Chantelle
Perfect for: A weekend brunch OR late night table with a group of friends looking to pop bottles whilst the DJ spins. This Parisian-inspired hotspot boasts an ambiance that is both parts "elegant and comfortable". So stop on by for a climate-controlled seat beneath the stars.
Soak in views of: Downtown manhattan.
Signature cocktail: The "Saints & Ginners" — Bombay Dry Gin, St. Germain, basil, fresh lime, and orange essence.
Hotel Chantelle, 92 Ludlow Street (at Delancey Street); 212-254-9100.
Photo: Courtesy of Hotel Chantelle.
Berry Park
Perfect for: A day trip to a hip rooftop beer garden in Williamsburg — no frills, just fun. You'll find soccer games played across the big screens and DJs spinning music on the weekends.
Soak in views of: Brooklyn AND the Manhattan skyline.
Signature cocktail: The "Rum Away" — santa teresa añejo rum, suave, orange, lemon.
Berry Park, 4 Berry Street (at N. 14th Street) in Brooklyn; 718-782-2829.
Photo: Courtesy of Berry Park.
Azul On The Rooftop
Perfect for: Feeling like you've been transported out of NYC and right into a breezy lounge in Little Havana. Set at the tip top of the Hugo Hotel in Hudson Sqaure and inspired by "Cuban cantinas", Azul Rooftop is the perfect spot for a city staycation.
Soak in views of: Full views of the hudson river, Lady Liberty, and of course Manhattan.
Signature cocktail: The cocktails are all fantastic, but the signature staple here is all in the bar food — delicious Cuban bocaditos, tasty tacos, and more.
Perfect for: Catching up with friends in a relaxed, less crowded but still lively bar scene — complete with plentiful (and strong) drink options, umbrellas to block out the hot summer sun, and fireplaces for those colder months or chilly nights.
Soak in views of: The unobstructed NYC skyline.
Signature cocktail: Any hand-crafted cocktail by the beverage director, Ted Kilpatrick, is sure to hit the spot.
Roof At Park South, 125 E 27th Street (between Park and Lexington avenues); 212-204-5222.
Photo: Courtesy of Roof At Park South.
Brooklyn Crab
Perfect for: Transporting you to a crab shack on the shores of Maryland. Crack some shells and a few cold brews on the upper deck or travel down into the sand underneath for a casual game of corn hole. Not your average NYC, sky high, rooftop — but it's a damn good time.
Soak in views of: Red Hook and the New York harbor.
Signature cocktail: The "Crab Cooler"— Critrus-Ade (lemon, lime, seasonal fruit and lemonade) mixed with either gin, bourbon or rosemary infused vodka.
Brooklyn Crab, 24 Reed Street, Red Hook; 718-643-2722.
Photo: Courtesy of Brooklyn Crab.
Mr. Purple NYC
Perfect for: Seeing and being seen. This new and entirely hip rooftop lounge is nestled atop the Hotel Indigo in downtown Manhattan. Hang inside or poolside with your purple house drink in hand.
Soak in views of: The whole NYC skyline, we're talking all 360 degrees
Signature cocktail: The "Mr. Purple" — Casamigos reposado tequila, cranberry liqueur, allspice dram, apple, and lemon.
Mr. Purple NYC, Hotel Indigo, 15th floor, 180 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002
Photo: Courtesy of Mr. Purple NYC
Cantina Rooftop
Perfect for: Pretending New York is far, far away. This Hell's Kitchen newcomer feels more spring break than summer Friday, making it the perfect escape in the middle of Manhattan. Head here for tons of DJ-headed events, copious tequila shots, and a pretty unbeatable happy hour deal — $6 margaritas from 5 to 7 p.m.
Soak in views of: The Hudson River
Signature cocktail: The "Cantina Margarita" — mezcal, lemon, lime, and agave with a tajín-spiced rim.
Cantina Rooftop, 605 West 48th Street (between Eleventh and Twelfth avenues); 212-957-1700.
Photo: Courtesy of Cantina Rooftop.
La Piscine
Perfect for: Design lovers. The Hotel Americano, the bar's nesting ground, has won numerous awards for its sleek, contemporary design. So, there's no better place to cool off, take a dip, and indulge in some Mediterranean cuisine once you've exhausted Chelsea's bustling gallery scene.
Soak in views of: The Hudson River
Signature cocktail: "Anna's Choice" — house-infused vodka, elderflower, white cranberry, and apple.
La Piscine, 518 West 27th Street (between Tenth and Eleventh avenues); 212-216-0000.
Photo: Courtesy of Hotel Americano.
Northern Territory
Perfect for: A boozy brunch outdoors and making friends with out-of-towners; the Australian fare — meat pies, burgers with eggs, kale, and baked beans — lends itself to a crowd of folks from down under. Our recommendation? Post up at the D.I.Y.-bloody bar, and spice up your life as you please.
Soak in views of: The East River
Signature cocktail: "Territory's Tea" — vodka, iced tea, and kiwi.
Northern Territory, 12 Franklin Street (between Meserole Avenue and Quay Street), Brooklyn; 347-974-7664.
Photo: Courtesy of Northern Territory.
Zona Rosa
Perfect for: Actually eating. Many rooftop bars have decent small-plates and bar snacks, meaning the focus on food tends to come second to the killer cocktail list. With house-made tortillas, killer guac, and six taco varieties to offer, Zona Rosa takes their grub just as seriously as their fresh mix of margaritas.
Soak in views of: Williamsburg
Signature cocktail: The Watermelon Jalapeño Margarita — enough said.
Zona Rosa, 571 Lorimer Street (at Metropolitan Avenue), Brooklyn; 917-324-7423.
Photo: Courtesy of Zona Rosa.
The Beach
Perfect for: Your staycation. If you're going to make the effort to get into any club at Dream, you might as well be in it for the long haul. Get a group of friends together and book a 10-person cabana to cut the lines. Then, dip your feet into some imported-from-Montauk-sand, and get a break from the sun.
Soak in views of: The Hudson River
Signature cocktail: The "Poolside Pitchers" — choose from sangria, the "Wet Dream" (black cherry vodka, cranberry, and St. Germain), "Edelweiss" (champagne, St. Germain, and lemon), or "Strawberry Fields" (tequila, strawberries, and basil).
Perfect for: A new spin on the Meatpacking. On sweltering nights, you'll feel refreshed to find yourself at Zerzura, the new, reportedly just-for-summer pop-up at the Gansevoort Hotel. We recommend you get there fast — Meatpacking lines are notoriously long, and the scene is bound to be packed — and bumping.
Soak in views of: The Hudson River
Signature cocktail: The "Coconut Cartel Coconut" — coconut water and rum served in, you guessed it, a real coconut.
Zerzura, 18 Ninth Avenue (between Gansevoort and West 13th streets); 212-206-6700.
Photo: Courtesy of the Gansevoort Hotel Group.
Refinery Rooftop
Perfect for: Shaking off Midtown. Life between 23rd and 59th streets has a way of wearing you out, which is why you need a strong cocktail list like Refinery's to take the pressure off. The decor and vibes are fun yet relaxed, plus, we have to put a plug in for the name.
Soak in views of: The Empire State Building
Signature cocktail: The "Baby Doll" — vodka, fresh watermelon, lemon, and pineapple.
Refinery Rooftop, 63 West 38th Street (between Fifth and Sixth avenues); 646-664-0310.
Photo: Courtesy of the Refinery Hotel.
The Gorbals
Perfect for: The happiest — and most patient — of New York hipsters. The Gorbals is located inside Space Ninety 8, a super cool concept venue from Urban Outfitters, but rumor has it that service here tends to be slow.
Soak in views of: The East River and Williamsburg Bridge
Signature cocktail: "The Pineapple Darby" — lime, pineapple, almond milk syrup, and cinnamon.
The Gorbals, 98 North 6th Street (between Berry Street and Wythe Avenue), Brooklyn; 718-387-0195.
Photo: Courtesy of the Gorbals.
Loopy Doopy Rooftop Bar
Perfect for: Fraternizing with Wall Street bankers, in their buttoned-down moments. Remember, the Financial District is getting trendier by the second and jumping on the bandwagon is always best with waterfront views.
Soak in views of: The Hudson River and the Statue of Liberty
Signature cocktail: "Prosecco and Ice Pop" — an alcohol-infused People’s Pop served in a glass of Prosecco.
Loopy Doopy Rooftop Bar, 102 North End Avenue (between Murray and Vesey streets); 212-945-0100.
Photo: Courtesy of the Conrad New York Hotel.
The Jane Rooftop
Perfect for: A members-only feel. In the past, The Jane's rooftop bar was only available by reservation. This summer, that's changed — the Jane now accepts walk-ins to its swanky, early 1900's inspired space. While you get down, you can try out abbreviated offerings from the famous Café Gitane downstairs.
Soak in views of: The Hudson River
Signature Cocktail: "The Summer Solstice" — bourbon, cider, ginger beer, orange juice, and ginger.
The Jane Rooftop, 113 Jane Street (between Washington and West streets); 212-924-6700.
Photo: Courtesy of the Jane Hotel.
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The Kardashians are once again keeping it all in the family. Insert your own Kylie-Tyga-Blac Chyna-Rob joke here.
Yesterday news emerged that Tyga, who is dating Kylie Jenner, has signed to her brother-in-law Kanye West's record label, G.O.O.D. Music. West made the announcement at a pop-up show at New York City's Highline Ballroom, as Complex reports.
Did Kylie Jenner pull some strings, or is Kanye really just a big Tyga supporter? We won't hate on him either way. If we had a link to Yeezy, our wish list would be huge.
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This may be news to you, but living in New York is kind of expensive. But, while it may always be the land of $17 cocktails and unmentionable rents, the scenery isn’t all bleak. The sheer number of restaurants in our proximity means at least a few of them have to be affordable, right? When you finally discover these gems, it can feel like winning the lottery — but we’re helping tip the scales by giving you this list of New York's best spots for cheap (and delicious!) eats.
Macbar
Only in our wildest dreams did we think we'd find an entire bar dedicated to mac and cheese. But Macbar has made those dreams an incredibly delicious reality. On top of the cheesy menu offerings (e.g. mac reuben, cheeseburger mac, mac quack, and more), the prices at this place can't be beat (ranging between $5.99 to $8.99).
Macbar, 54 Prince Street (at Lafayette Street); 212-226-0211.
This Brooklyn burger joint is not messing around with their patties — all beef is freshly ground from the legendary neighborhood butcher, Paisanos, and will cost you around $10 or less. Not too shabby for some seriously quality grub. And if you're feeling wild with a little extra cash to spend, throw in a side of fries with a beer too.
Two8Two Burger, 282 Atlantic Avenue (at Smith Street); 718-596-2282.
Photo: Courtesy of Two8Two Burger.
Fish Market
Fish Market is the definition of a hole-in-the-wall restaurant — well it's not quite a restaurant, it's a bar with some tables in the back for grabbing your grub. Hidden inconspicuously on a street in Manhattan's southern seaport, Fish Market does not disappoint in the cheap, delicious eats department. Order just about anything off of "Mama's Menu" and prepare to be seriously wowed — the food is really that good.
Fish Market, 111 South Street (between Beekman Street and Peck Slip); 917-363-8101.
Photo: Via @foodiemagician.
Court Street Grocers
This isn't your average grocery. Court Street Grocers is a cool and casual breakfast and lunch destination in Brooklyn's Carroll Gardens. Come here for the insane sandwiches (try the Turkey Durkee or Macho Woman) and stay for the gourmet grocery treats (Zapp's Cajun Dill chips and Boylan Creme Sodas).
Even in the land of cheap food, Vanessa's is a standout. Considering four of its oversized pork and chive dumplings run you $1.50, it's the perfect destination for when you're literally counting your pennies. An order of those plus a sesame pancake sandwich (starting at $2) is enough to fill you up. But the dumplings are great for sharing — bring a group and order a variety, from veggie to spicy wonton, and still run a bill less than dinner for one at many NYC restaurants.
This cutie-patootie shop looks like a New England beachside clam shack, but seafood doesn’t have to be expensive. All the dishes but two are under $18, like a $14 lump crab roll. Add fries, wash it down with a cheap beer, and just pretend you're a Kennedy.
Like many places in Astoria, Il Bambino is unpretentious and unbelievably delicious. Their concept is Italian food served Spanish tapas-style, which really means one million variations on bread and cheese. There are panini and crostini in every combo you can imagine, plus cheap beer, wine, and cocktails. Done.
Not all casual pizza places were created equal. This place looks so normal from the outside that you might be wondering why there's constantly a line stretching along its West Village block. The difference is in the quality of the ingredients—the light, crisp crust, tangy sauce, and lush mozzarella.
Joe's Pizza, 7 Carmine Street (near Sixth Avenue); (212) 366-1182 and 150 E. 14th Street (between 4th Avenue and Irving Place); (212) 388-9474
This tavern wants to honor the history of Brooklyn, which it accomplish with an old-timey saloon atmosphere and decor. To complement the look, you’ll get fancy bar food. They’re most famous for their turkey-leg sandwich, so you might want to start there.
Henry Public, 329 Henry Street (between Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street); 718-852-8630.
Photo: Courtesy of Dan Hallman.
Mission Cantina
The happiest little Mexican place in New York serves up colorful, playful dishes with a slight Vietnamese influence and gourmet touches. The options are cheap enough to share and experiment, like the bone marrow fajitas and lamb breast tacos with raisins.
Mission Cantina, 172 Orchard Street (at Stanton Street); (212) 254-2233
Put down the pad thai. It's not even on the menu at this East Village gem. Here, you’re getting a giant plate of pork, squid, crab, beef, accented with sweet chili lime juice or tamarind chili sauces, all for $11 or less. Not too shabby.
Zabb Elee, 75 Second Avenue (between 4th and 5th streets); 212-505-9533 and 71-28 Roosevelt Avenue (at 72nd Street), Queens; 718-426-7992.
Photo: Courtesy of Zabb Elee.
Parm
This restaurant may be the only stop from the Carbone-Torrisi food empire that you can actually afford (or at least feel less guilty about). The interior gives off the vibes of an Italian-American diner in the 50s, and the menu is filled with Staten Island favorites like chicken parmesan and sausage and peppers sandwiches, which both cost $9.
There are a million places in the city to go for amazing pasta, but this café celebrates all the other things Italy does perfectly — like cured meats, mozzarella di bufala (imported weekly from the motherland), homemade cookies, and pastries stuffed with Nutella. If that’s not enough, there are $5 paninis stacked with ingredients like prosciutto, marscapone, taleggio, eggplant, pesto, and black pepper.
Gaia Italian Café, 251 East Houston Street (between Norfolk and Suffolk streets); 646-350-3977.
Photo Courtesy of Gaia Italian Cafe.
Wilma Jean
Named for chef/owner Rob Newton’s grammy, Wilma Jean is an expert at southern comfort food; namely golden-brown, crunchy, finger-lickin’ fried chicken. Of course, like the best southern food, it’s all about the sides: go for the fried okra chips and cornbread served with salted molasses butter.
Wilma Jean, 345 Smith Street (at Carroll Street); 718-422-0444.
Photo: Courtesy of Wilma Jean.
Porchetta
Yes, there is such a thing as Italian fast food — sort of. The simple menu at Porchetta is based on the street food of central Italy, where a roast pig is rolled around on a cart. Every dish revolves around the skin-crackled, salty, generously seasoned meat, and you won’t find anything else like it in New York (especially at these prices).
Porchetta, 110 East 7th Street (between First Avenue and Avenue A); 212-777-2151.
Photo: Courtesy of Dining with Skyler.
B&H
In the East Village stands the Yiddish diner of your dreams. Walking into this old-fashioned greasy spoon is like stepping back in time, or to the old country at least. There are Eastern European favorites like pierogis, borscht, and one epic grilled cheese (on challah, of course).
B&H, 127 Second Avenue (between East 7th Street and Saint Marks Place); 212-505-8065.
Photo: Courtesy of Jessica Nash.
Blue Collar
This Williamsburg burger joint is most often compared to Shake Shack, but since the latter has gone nuclear, you can still feel like you’re getting an insider experience here. The prices are nearly fast-food level, with the most expensive-possible burger coming in at $9.
Blue Collar, 160 Havemeyer Street (between South 2nd and 3rd streets); 347-725-3837.
Photo: Courtesy of Nicolas Bloise.
Brooklyn Taco
Amidst the bustle of the Essex Market, there is a tiny taco stand that you don’t want to miss. Brooklyn Taco serves up monstrous eats for $5, with a dozen different combinations and descriptions that will make your mouth water. Pork shoulder braised in a citrus and cola broth with pineapple salsa, cheese, and habenero sauce? Excuse us, we’ve drooled.
Brooklyn Taco, Essex Street Market, 120 Essex Street (between Rivington and Delancey streets); 646-820-8226.
Photo: Courtesy of Brooklyn Taco.
Bobwhite Lunch and Supper Counter
This Southern-style eatery has beloved proteins like pulled pork and catfish on the menu, but it’s really all about the chicken sandwich and all its varieties. For $11.50, you can try their fried chicken platter, which gets you multiple pieces, grits, and a biscuit. Mmmm, good.
Photo: Courtesy of Bobwhite Lunch and Supper Counter.
Black Seed Bagels
New Yorkers take their bagels seriously, so it takes a bold group to say they’re reinventing the wheel (of bread). These puppies are wood-fired and smaller than those inflated balls of dough you’ll get elsewhere. Stand in line for one of its signature sandwich combos and you’ll feel like you’re finally ahead of a food craze.
Black Seed Bagels, 170 Elizabeth Street (between Kenmare and Spring streets); 212-730-1950.
Photo: Courtesy of Black Seed Bagels.
Taquitoria
When a taco or a burrito just seems like too much of a commitment, stop by this tiny spot on the Lower East Side and grab some taquitos. The little, rolled-up tacos are stuffed with meat and cheese and come three for just $6. Pop by while bar-hopping and eat as you stroll.
Taquitoria, 168 Ludlow Street (between East Houston and Stanton streets); 212-780-0121.
Photo: Courtesy of Taquitoria.
The Commodore
It’s Williamsburg, so forgive this restaurant for doing a meta take on a dive bar. The wood paneling, red leather booths, and kitschy art is all about irony, but the the food is definitely not. A full meal of chicken and biscuits, with honey butter and hot sauce, will run you $10, and there ain’t nothing silly about that.
The Commodore, 366 Metropolitan Avenue (between Havemeyer Street and Marcy Avenue); 718-218-7632.
Photo: Courtesy of The Commodore.
Pok Pok
Located on the waterfront in Cobble Hill, this outpost of the Portland phenomenon serves up Northern Thai food with wildly unique flavors. Thankfuly, there are long explanations written for each dish, so you know the amazing concepts behind the combinations. A fan favorite is the pork shoulder and pork belly curry, with ginger, palm sugar, Burmese curry powder, and more.
Pok Pok, 117 Columbia Street (at Kane Street), Brooklyn; 718-923-9322.
Photo: Courtesy of Pok Pok.
Egg Shop
A married couple opened this eatery inspired by their one true love: the egg sandwich. There are tons of egg dishes to choose from, obviously, but you can also customize your own egg and cheese. Have you ever considered dousing yours in a Meyer lemon citronette? Probably not. But, you should.
Egg Shop, 151 Elizabeth Street (between Kenmare and Broome streets); 646-666-0810.
Photo: Courtesy of Egg Shop.
Sigmund's Bar
What's better than a salty carb? Nothing. Located right in Alphabet City (perfect for a post-happy hour snack), this bar has a full menu of sandwiches and salads, but you’re going to want to focus on the fresh-baked pretzels. There are incredible flavors like feta olive and truffle cheddar, in addition to a variety of dipping sauces.
Sigmund’s Bar, 29 Avenue B (between 2nd and 3rd streets); 646-410-0333.
Photo: Courtesy of Sigmund's Bar.
Mimi Cheng’s Dumplings
The sweet, sunny interior of this little restaurant is almost as adorable as the story behind it: It’s a family affair, with two sisters sharing their mom’s recipes for Taiwanese-Chinese cuisine. There's also a story on the menu behind every dumpling, and they run six for $8, despite being handmade daily, using organic meat.
Mimi Cheng’s Dumplings, 179 Second Avenue (between 11th and 12th streets); 212-533-0169.
Photo: Courtesy of Mimi Cheng's Dumplings.
El Aguila
Competition may be stiff in Spanish Harlem, but one of its most beloved Mexican restaurants is El Aguila. Is it the gargantuan helpings of meat, beans, and rice? The taco al pastor special, two tacos for $2? The fact that it’s open 24 hours a day? You could try to figure it out, or you could roll home from 116th Street, stuffed beyond belief.
El Aguila, 137 East 116th Street (at Lexington Avenue); 212-410-2450.
Photo: Courtesy of El Aguila.
Dos Toros Taqueria
Big portions, for tiny price. burrito, taco, quesadilla, mere pennies to add guac, which is really important, great for quick meal, can of Tecate for less than $3.
Dos Toros, with locations in the West Village, Union Square, Upper East Side, Battery Park City, Williamsburg.
Photo: Courtesy of Dos Toros Taqueria.
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Eighteen years after You've Got Mail, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are sharing the big screen once again. This time, however, Ryan is calling the shots. Ithaca, in theaters September 9, marks her directorial debut.
Based on the 1943 novel The Human Comedy by William Saroyan, the film follows Homer Macaulay (Alex Neustaedter), a teenage boy who dreams of being the fastest telegraph messenger in World War II-era Ithaca, NY. His brother Marcus, played by Ryan's real-life son Jack Quaid, is at war and writes Homer letters full of advice on life, love, and happiness. Their mother (Meg Ryan) tries to hold the family together in the wake of her husband's (Tom Hanks) death, all while waiting for news of her son on the front lines.
It's a tough project for any director to tackle — but in Ryan's hands, the result is a quiet but powerful film that emphasizes the bond between mothers and the sons they can't protect forever.
Refinery29 caught up with Ryan over the phone to ask her about directing for the first time, reuniting with Tom Hanks, and whether men and women can really be friends.
You had a kind of rocket trajectory to fame. What was it like to go from being unknown to the It Girl of the moment?
"That’s a difficult question. I never wanted to be an It Girl. I never read press about myself, I tried to be as unaware of that as possible. I was lucky because I had my son in the middle of all of that, and that really grounds you. Now I feel like I’ve been to the moon and I don’t need that again. I just want to live my life, and a lot of that was really fun. What I really loved from that time was, a movie set is like a little family. You live these short little lifetimes with this particular family, and you come away different every time. I love that part of it."
How do you deal with all the media attention, and your every move being scrutinized on social media?
"I don’t actually pay that much attention to it. I kind of feel that there’s so much noise. There’s so many channels, there’s so much space on the internet, there’s so much information, so many people, that it’s kind of gotten very defused, and in some crazy way sort of silent, because there’s so much of it. You can really turn off from it — I can, anyway."
What was it like to be reunited with Tom Hanks on screen?
"Oh, fun! He’s such a doll, really. He came to the set, worked for one day, flew himself down there. At the end of the day, I remember him saying to everybody, he gathered the crew around and he goes, ‘Okay, we’ve really gotten to know each other well in these past 10 hours, and I just want to thank you for helping my friend Meg.’ So, that’s a mensch. I’m just so happy, he did me such a huge favor by coming and being so good in it."
I feel like I’ve been to the moon and I don’t need that again. I just want to live my life.
So, does this mean men and womencanbe friends?
"It does! It does. Finally answered."
This is your directorial debut — what made you decide to start directing at this point in your career?
"I got involved with the project eight years ago, and it took that amount of time to get money and get financing and put it together. I love the story so much, [and] I felt like I could handle it because it’s basically a simple story about complicated things. We shot the whole thing in 23 days, and we didn’t have a big budget. That’s why it’s my first — it sustained my interest for all of this time."
What drew you to this particular story?
"I love this little protagonist who has this impossible dream, has this impossible desire to protect everyone he loves from anything bad happening to [them]. I just found him so compelling and I loved how the people around him are all so imperfect, but they all do their best to help him through this transition in his life. I just found it really moving. My son is 25 years old now, but I think there’s a lot of stuff that I learned as a parent when I read the book."
You said it took a while to get it made — can you talk about that process? Was it difficult as a woman and first-time director to get a movie made in Hollywood?
"It’s hard to do a movie like this. It’s slow and it’s deliberate and it’s definitely a throwback, and it’s about ideas. It’s a movie — even though, hopefully, it feels like life — about death. It’s not an easy film. Saroyan writes so visually, and it reminded me of a lot of the same reasons why I love To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s really just hard to sell that idea in Hollywood right now, so that’s, I think, why it took so long."
The fiercest I ever am in my life is when I’m a mom.
The final scene in this movie, in which your character finds out that her son is dead, is so intense, especially because your son Jack plays Marcus. What was going through your mind, and what perspective did you bring to this film about mothers losing their sons?
"The book that Saroyan wrote is dedicated to his mother, so there’s real DNA in the movie between mothers and sons. When my son was young, and I got a divorce and I read the book, I kept thinking, How is he going to grow up to be a man of integrity? It’s going to take a village. So much of that is in this movie. It’s not a secret that Marcus’ time is coming. It’s an incredibly complicated little moment that the whole movie leads you up to. It’s very maternal, it’s fiercely told, from a mother’s perspective — that’s the fiercest I ever am in my life is when I’m a mom."
Over the course of your career, you’ve worked with a number of female directors. What did you learn from them?
"I’ve worked with Diane Keaton and Jane Campion and Nora Ephron — all of those women did it differently. Jane Campion gave me great advice, about [how] you need a certain brand of concentration on a set. Nora — I remember that the force of her was so intellectual and it was so powerful. She was so smart and so funny that there was never a time, working with any of these women, that it felt different than, or less than, working with a man. Never. In fact, I was sitting around talking with Sam Shepard one day in the middle of the shoot going, ‘What am I doing telling this story, my god. This boy is becoming a man, what do I know about that?’ And he goes, ‘Meg, what the hell is wrong with you? Who else is going to do this? Women are the making of men, women make men men. Women should tell the stories of men, about men.’ That was great."
We're celebrating the biggest movie season of the year with a new series called Blockbust-HER. We'll be looking at everything film-related from the female perspective, interviewing major players in the industry and discussing where Hollywood is doing right by women, and where (all too often) it is failing them. And now...let's go to the movies!
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We are not robots. We feel things. We can't survive on comedic bromances and CGI-ed action sequences alone. We like our joy, but we need our sadness, too. So bring a box of Kleenex and settle in for some melancholic movie-watching. It's not about wallowing in misery. It's about getting lost in a story that captures the full human experience, with all of its highs and lows.
A good drama hits you right where it hurts, whether it's Blue Valentine 's broken romance or Fruitvale Station 's sense of injustice. If these cinematic tear-jerkers don't have you crying, keening, and curling up into a little ball, we don't know what will.
Doubt(2008)
Stealing the show from Meryl Streep is no small feat, but Viola Davis did just that with her searing portrayal of a mother whose son, Donald, is thought to have been abused by his priest. Donald's story and the cloud over his future really is the emotional center of this powerful morality tale.
Pictured: Viola Davis as Mrs. Miller
Photo: Snap Stills/REX/Shutterstock.
I Am Sam (2001)
Sean Penn plays a father with a developmental disability who must fight to keep custody of his young daughter in this tearjerker co-starring baby Dakota Fanning.
Pictured: Sean Penn and Dakota Fanning
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
A River Runs Through It(1992)
Who knew fly fishing could make us so weepy? This Robert Redford-directed drama about two very different brothers requires hankies.
Pictured: Craig Sheffer and Brad Pitt
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
Away From Her(2006)
Julie Christie earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her role as a Canadian woman whose Alzheimer's disease changes the dynamics of her picture-perfect marriage.
Pictured: Julia Christie and Gordon Pinsent
Photo: Moviestore Collection/Rex/Shutterstock.
Bright Star(2009)
Who doesn't love a heart-crushing romance between a sickly poet and his muse? Ben Whishaw and Abbie Cornish play John Keats and his true love Fanny Brawne in this stunning drama directed by Jane Campion.
Pictured: Cornish and Whishaw
Photo: Snap Stills/REX/Shutterstock.
Cinema Paradiso(1988)
There are plenty of joyful moments in this Italian film about a young boy's friendship with the local film projectionist. It's the final scene, featuring a grown-up Toto, that'll kick you in the gut.
Pictured: Philippe Noiret and Salvatore Cascio
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
Glory (1989)
The film that gave Denzel Washington his first Oscar should be mandatory viewing in classrooms, thanks to its moving portrayal of an African-American regiment fighting for the Union during the Civil War. Morgan Freeman, Matthew Broderick, and Andre Braugher co-star in the war drama.
Pictured: Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Assuming that the gory Saturday Night Live parody didn't ruin it for you, expect major emotions from this drama about a teacher who changes the lives of his students forever thanks to Walt Whitman.
Pictured: Robin Williams stars alongside Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, and Josh Charles
Photo:Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
The Hunt(2012)
Hannibal has feelings, y'all. Mads Mikkelsen stars as a man shut out by his friends and community after being falsely accused of molesting a young girl in this Danish drama. The ensuing witch hunt is upsetting and truly hard to watch.
Pictured: Mads Mikkelsen
Photo: Moviestore/Rex/Shutterstock.
Marley & Me(2008)
It's like Old Yeller for millennials, right down to the snotty ugly-crying. Who'd have thought an Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston film could make us feel so many feels?
Pictured: Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston
Photo: Moviestore/Rex/Shutterstock.
Mrs. Miniver (1942)
We know this Oscar-winning classic set during World War II is all about maintaining that British stiff upper lip, but the series of tragedies always turn us into a wobbly mess.
Pictured: Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon as the Minivers
Photo: Snap/Rex/Shutterstock.
Life as a House (2001)
Terminal illness, divorce, and a complex father-son relationship: This drama ticks all the tear-inducing boxes. Both Kevin Kline and Hayden Christensen (yes, Anakin himself) were nominated for acting awards for their moving performances.
Pictured: Kevin Kline, Hayden Christensen, and Kristin Scott Thomas
Photo: Snap Stills/Rex/Shutterstock.
Me Before You(2016)
Like, puddles. We won't give away any spoilers, but let's just say that this Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin romantic drama will make your tear ducts feel like they've been set on fire by Daenerys.
Pictured: Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin
Photo: Warner Bros/Moviestore Collection Ltd/REX/Shutterstock.
45 Years(2015)
More bleak and quietly disheartening than boo-hoo, this British drama earned Charlotte Rampling a Best Actress Oscar nomination earlier this year. It was well deserved, too, with the legendary actress beautifully conveying emotions like romantic disappointment and jealous irritation.
Pictured: Charlotte Rampling
Photo: Moviestore Collection/Rex/Shutterstock.
Jack (1996)
For the most part, this is a light comedy about a young boy with Werner syndrome, which ages him to the point that he looks like Robin Williams. It's all very bittersweet, though, culminating in a graduation speech that's sure to set off your facial sprinkler system.
Pictured: Diane Lane and Robin Williams
Photo: Moviestore Collection/Rex/Shutterstock.
Project Nim(2011)
This heart-wrenching documentary follows the story of a chimpanzee raised with a human family before becoming the subject of an extensive research project in the 1970s. Long story short: Nim Chimpsky gets let down by pretty much everyone.
Pictured: Nim Chimpsky with a researcher
Photo: Moviestore Collection/Rex/Shutterstock.
Rabbit-Proof Fence(2002)
Kenneth Branagh plays the baddie in this Australian drama about three mixed-race Aboriginal girls who try to make their way home after being ripped from their families and placed in a settlement camp for "half castes." The film is loosely based on a true story.
Pictured: Everlyn Sampi and Tianna Sansbury
Photo: Moviestore Collection/Rex/Shutterstock.
The Book Thief(2013)
Based on Markus Zusak's bestselling book of the same name, this story about a book-loving orphan entrusted to a German family in 1938 strings together a series of heartbreaking plot points. Star Sophie Nélisse is a wonder as the lead character Leisel.
Pictured: Sophie Nélisse
Photo: Moviestore Collection/Rex/Shutterstock.
The Danish Girl(2015)
Eddie Redmayne's Einar Wegener struggles to find love and acceptance as he transitions into a woman, while Alicia Vikander, playing Wegener's wife Gerda, beautifully captures a sense of loss. The train station scene is brutal.
Pictured: Eddie Redmayne
Photo: Moviestore/Rex/Shutterstock.
Schindler's List (1993)
Unless you're Jerry Seinfeld, this Oscar-winning story about heroism during the Holocaust will have you weeping uncontrollably right down to the end credits.
Pictured: Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson
Photo: Snap/Rex/Shutterstock.
The Pursuit of Happyness(2006)
Just keep reminding yourself that this based-on-a-true-story film has a happy ending as you watch Will Smith constantly struggle to support his son (a pre-Louis Vuitton Jaden Smith) and get a pinky toe on the corporate ladder.
Photo: Snap Stills/Rex/Shutterstock.
Southpaw (2015)
Consider this a sucker punch to the heartstrings. A surprise twist elevates this 2015 hit from a mere boxing flick to an emotional drama about love, family, and discipline.
Pictured: Rachel McAdams and Jake Gyllenhaal
Photo: Rex/Shutterstock.
The Constant Gardener (2005)
Beyond the intrigue, this political thriller digs deep into heartbreak, questions of fidelity, and devotion.
Pictured: Rachel Weisz
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
Frozen River (2008)
Melissa Leo and the late Misty Upham star in this bleak drama about two women (one a down-and-out single mom, the other a Mohawk bingo parlor employee separated from her son) going to great lengths to make ends meet.
Pictured: Melissa Leo
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
Still Life(2013)
Eddie Marsan stars as a government employee tasked with sorting out funerals for deceased citizens who have no loved ones. One final case prompts him to investigate the death of a man who died in squalor. Trust us when we tell you that the ending will hit you like a ton of bricks.
Pictured: Eddie Marsan
Photo: Redwave Films/Embargo Films.
Philadelphia (1993)
We still can't listen to Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen without welling up, and it's all due to this tearjerker. Tom Hanks won his first Oscar for playing an AIDS-stricken lawyer suing his old firm for discrimination, with Denzel Washington as the "ambulance chaser" leading the charge.
Pictured: Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks
Photo: Moviestore/REX Shutterstock.
Fruitvale Station (2013)
If you sobbed when Wallace got shot on The Wire, this other Michael B. Jordan vehicle will no doubt have you in the fetal position for days. Even more heartbreaking is the fact that the events in the Ryan Coogler-directed drama actually happened.
Pictured: Michael B. Jordan
Photo: Snap Stills/REX Shutterstock.
All Is Lost (2013)
What this Robert Redford drama lacks in dialogue, it compensates with edge-of-your-seat drama and an overwhelming sense of weariness and frustration. Will Redford save his broken boat? Maybe. Will you ever go sailing again? Probably not.
Pictured: Robert Redford
Photo: Moviestore/REX Shutterstock.
About Time(2013)
On its face, this is a rom-com with a time-traveling twist. Perhaps that's why the built-in life lessons and a plot about terminal illness hit us like a ton of bricks.
Pictured: Domhnall Gleeson and Bill Nighy
Photo: Moviestore/REX Shutterstock.
Still Alice (2014)
Julianne Moore earned her Best Actress Oscar for playing an active and intelligent 50-year-old woman diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Her struggle is heartbreaking, from having to tell her grown children that the disease is genetic, to making a list of questions she must answer every day to keep her memory sharp.
Pictured: Julianne Moore
Photo: Moviestore/REX Shutterstock.
My Girl (1991)
Although the 1991 coming-of-age film is billed as a comedy-drama, director Howard Zieff certainly pulled out all the stops when young Vada Sultenfuss (played by newcomer Anna Chlumsky) had to deal with the tragic loss of her friend (Macaulay Culkin) while growing up in her father's funeral home in the '70s.
Pictured: Macaulay Culkin and Anna Chlumsky
Photo: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures.
The Elephant Man (1980)
David Lynch's 1980 biopic of Victorian freak-show exhibit John Merrick, a man suffering from severe elephantiasis, is a stark indictment of the inhumanity and moral exclusion people routinely inflict on others.
Pictured: John Hurt
Photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
Blue Valentine(2010)
Michelle Williams certainly earned her Oscar nomination in this 2010 film documenting the gut-wrenching dissolution of her character's marriage to a violent alcoholic played by Ryan Gosling.
Pictured: Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling
Photo: Courtesy of The Weinstein Company.
Steel Magnolias(1989)
Few movies portray the bonds of female friendship quite like this 1989 ensemble dramedy, adapted from the eponymous Robert Harling play. The film — which features a magnificent cast, including Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, and Dolly Parton — tells the story of how a tight-knit group of Southern women support each other through the various peaks and valleys of their lives. Some of the saddest moments are watching Sally Fields' grief as her daughter, a pre- Pretty Woman Julia Roberts, dies of complications from diabetes. Talk about an emotional gut punch.
Pictured: Olympia Dukakis, Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Daryl Hannah, and Dolly Parton
Photo: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures.
P.S. I Love You (2007)
This movie is explicitly designed to turn on the waterworks. It's the story of a young widow (Hilary Swank) who receives posthumous letters of encouragement from her late husband (Gerard Butler) after he dies of a brain tumor.
Pictured: Gerard Butler and Hilary Swank
Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
My Life (1993)
This under-appreciated 1993 gem features Michael Keaton as a high-powered PR executive and expectant father who is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Fearing that he will not live long enough to see the birth of his son, Keaton records a video documentary of himself so that his child can get to know him.
Pictured: Nicole Kidman and Michael Keaton
Photo: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures.
Magnolia (1999)
Paul Thomas Anderson's 1999 drama features an interconnected group of characters in L.A, who are forced to grapple with forgiveness, desperation, and the search for happiness when their lives intersect around the death of a terminally ill quiz-show producer played by Jason Robards. The scene where Tom Cruise's pick-up artist character breaks down by the death bed of his estranged father is one of the great emotionally affecting scenes (and Cruise won his third Golden Globe for the role).
Pictured: A theatrical poster for Magnolia
Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema.
Atonement(2007)
The iconic Vanessa Redgrave delivers a somber and arresting performance as a novelist who used fiction to atone for the young lovers whose lives she ruined when she mistakenly accused a man (James McAvoy) of a sex crime at the onset of World War II. Adapted from the 2001 Ian McEwan novel, the film deals with decades' worth of grief as a result of a youthful flight of fancy that contributed to the premature death of her sister (Keira Knightley) and the false imprisonment of her sister's lover.
Pictured: James McAvoy and Keira Knightley.
Photo: Courtesy of Universal Pictures.
Beaches (1988)
It is absolutely impossible not to cry during this 1988 drama where the deeply complicated 30-year-friendship between a brash actress (Bette Midler) and a privileged lawyer (Barbara Hershey) is brought to an abrupt end when the latter is diagnosed with a rare heart disease. The opening bars of Midler's performance of "The Wind Beneath My Wings" are usually all it takes to open the floodgates.
Pictured: Barbara Hershey and Bette Midler
Photo: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures.
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Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Hilary Swank is a bit of a staple in the tearjerker genre. This time around she's a scrappy boxer who eventually develops a bond with her hard-nosed boxing coach, played by Clint Eastwood (who also directed the film). The movie has all the makings of your typical sports drama with a triumphant underdog — until it delivers an emotional sucker punch at the end.
Pictured: Hilary Swank
Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
Up(2009)
We have to hand it to this 2009 Pixar offering for completely reinventing the formula we've come to know and expect from sad movies. While most tearjerkers save the most gut-wrenching developments for the third act, this beloved animated feature has both kids and adults reaching for the Kleenex within the first 10 minutes.
Pictured: A scene from Up
Photo: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
The Fault in Our Stars(2014)
As this 2014 romantic dramedy proves, the only thing more tragic than a fresh-faced teenager with terminal cancer is a fresh-faced teenager with terminal cancer in love. This film though? Doubles down: It features two terminally ill teens in love, played by Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort.
Pictured: Ansel Elgort and Shailene Woodley
Photo: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox.
Life Is Beautiful (1997)
The Italian film's director and star Roberto Benigni took home the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance of a father trying to distract his son from the horrors of life in a Nazi concentration camp.
Pictured: Roberto Benigni with Nicoletta Braschi and Giorgio Cantarini
Photo: Courtesy of Miramax Films.
Boys Don't Cry(1999)
Hilary Swank makes yet another appearance on the list in this indie biopic of Brandon Teena, a trans man whose blossoming romance with a karaoke singer (Chloë Sevigny) was cut short after he was brutally murdered in small-town Nebraska. The movie is not only heartbreaking because of it's ill-fated love story, but also because it illustrates the bigotry and threats that many trans people have historically endured and continue to face.
Pictured: Chloë Sevigny and Hilary Swank
Photo: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures.
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)
Dear Zachary is a unique entry on this list because it's a documentary. The 2008 film starts off as a video diary to the infant Zachary from friends and family giving testimonials about the murdered father he'll never meet. Events take an unexpected, true-crime turn however, and tragedy further compounds itself by the film's end.
Pictured: Zachary with his grandparents
Photo: Courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories.
Dancer in the Dark (2000)
Leave it to Lars von Trier to make arguably the most depressing musical ever filmed. Things start out pretty bleak, with Björk starring as an impoverished factory worker who is pinching pennies to pay for an operation that will save her son from the same genetic, degenerative eye disease that is causing her to go blind. If that doesn't sound upsetting enough, things only go downhill from there.
Pictured: Björk
Photo: Courtesy of Fine Line Features.
Sophie's Choice(1982)
Thanks to this critically lauded 1982 drama, the term "Sophie's Choice" has entered the lexicon to stand for any scenario where one must make an impossible decision. In this case, Meryl Streep's Sophie was forced to choose which of her two young children would be sent to the gas chamber when the family was imprisoned in Auschwitz. Streep brought home an Oscar for her performance, and the film as a whole pretty much set the gold standard for tearjerkers.
Pictured: Meryl Streep
Photo: Courtesy of Universal Pictures.
12 Years a Slave(2014)
One could argue that the saddest movies on the list are the ones depict the inhumanity of people or institutions in power. Steve McQueen's 2014 Best Picture winner is not only heartbreaking because it depicts the plight of one man sold into slavery, but because it depicts the cruelty that was once an accepted as status quo.
Pictured: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Photo: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
Bicycle Thieves(1948)
Vittorio De Sica's 1948 Italian neorealist film is widely lauded as one of the best movies ever made. A young father is desperate to feed his impoverished family, so he scrapes together the money to buy the bicycle necessary for his new job hanging advertisements around the city. As luck would have it, his bike gets stolen on his first day on the job. With his young son in tow, the man sets out on a near impossible mission to get it back.
Pictured: Enzo Staiola and Lamberto Maggiorani
Photo: Courtesy of Umbrella Entertainment.
Amour(2012)
Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke isn't known for making particularly uplifting films, and 2012's Amour is no exception. This Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Film takes a profoundly sad and somber look at how an elderly Parisian couple fares when one half slips into dementia after a series of strokes.
Pictured: Emmanuelle Riva
Photo: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Terms of Endearment(1983)
No list of sad movies is complete without this 1983 dramedy. Shirley MacLaine's performance, particularly the part where she's dealing with the loss of her daughter, is the barometer against which all other sad-movie performances must be measured.
Pictured: Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger
Photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)
If Sophie's Choice and Life Is Beautiful taught us anything, the surefire formula for a devastating tearjerker combines the Holocaust with child mortality, and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas has both. Nine-year-old Bruno's family relocates near a concentration camp when his father, an SS officer, is given a promotion. Little Bruno sneaks off and befriends a prisoner his age near the edge of the camp, where they play checkers through the barbed wire. Although the two boys become great friends, little Bruno learns some hard truths about what his father does for a living, and why his new friend wears what he mistakenly assumes are pajamas.
Pictured: Jack Scanlon.
Photo: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
The Road(2009)
In this adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name, this film's grim, post-apocalyptic vision makes the dystopia of The Hunger Games look downright desirable. The unnamed father and son duo do their best to keep hope alive in a bleak world where roving bands have turned to cannibalism in the bleak hellscape left over from an unspecified disaster.
Pictured: Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee
Photo: Courtesy of The Weinstein Company.
The Day of the Locust(1975)
John Schlesinger's 1975 adaptation of the Nathanael West novel of the same name is a grim look at Hollywood in the '30s, particularly at a group of broken has-beens and never-were who failed to make their show business dreams come true.
Pictured: A scene from The Day of the Locust
Photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
The Notebook(2004)
Sure, we all like to think of 2004's The Notebook as an enduring love story first and foremost, especially given the fantastic circumstances leading up to Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling's sexy, rain-soaked kiss. However, we have to hand it to James Garner and Gena Rowlands for effectively reducing us all to tears at the end.
Pictured: Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling
Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema.
Brokeback Mountain(2005)
This heartbreaking love story of the 20-year affair between two ranch hands, played by Jake Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger, was easily the most talked-about movie of 2005. Ledger and Gyllenhaal began an affair on a job site on the movie's titular mountain, before being fired by the summer's end. The pair continue with a shaky and sporadic relationship, despite their attempts to marry women and live lifestyles that society deemed more acceptable in the '60s to the '80s.
Pictured: Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger
Photo: Courtesy of Focus Features.
Stepmom(1998)
Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts play the respective ex-wife and fiancée to Ed Harris. The tension between the two is heightened when Sarandon passive aggressively uses her children as pawns in her quiet war with her ex. However, the women are forced to make peace when Sarandon is diagnosed with terminal cancer and they realize the family dynamics really will change forever.
Pictured: Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts
Photo: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures.
Precious(2009)
This is easily one of the hardest movies on the list to watch. The 2009 Lee Daniels films tells the story of Claireece Precious Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), an illiterate, pregnant 16-year-old who regularly escapes into her own fantasy world when faced with emotional, physical, and sexual abuse from her family. Despite being in the eighth grade at 16, Precious is tasked with getting her GED and ultimately changing her life's direction so that she can escape her abusive home and provide for her children.
Pictured: Gabourey Sidibe
Photo: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
The Champ (1979)
Franco Zeffirelli's 1979 remake of the 1931 film of the same name features a young Ricky Schroder in his film debut. The movie details the dysfunctional relationship between young T.J (Schroder) and his dad (Jon Voight), a former boxer turned alcoholic horse trainer with a gambling problem. However, things get more complicated as T.J.'s estranged mother (Faye Dunaway) comes back into the picture. Despite being just 9 years old, Schroder gives an incredibly impressive onscreen cry. In turn, it will definitely get your waterworks going.
Pictured: Ricky Schroder and Jon Voight
Photo: Courtesy of United Artists.
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It’s called the city that never sleeps for a reason. On any night of the week, New Yorkers are enjoying a cocktail, a dance party, a special meal, a karaoke session, and so much more. In fact, there are so many ways to cut loose, it can be a little overwhelming to choose just where you'll do it. Fear not, though: Here's a whole list of places where you can get down for any occasion, whether it's your 21st birthday party, your wedding, a holiday party, or a get-together "just because."
Kings County Distillery
Tucked away in the industrial Brooklyn Navy Yard, Kings County is way more than just a whiskey distillery. Set up a private group tasting and touring event within the historic former bank building — or just celebrate a special occasion over creative cocktails in their gatehouse turned back garden bar. This place has some serious hidden charm.
Located just next door to the beloved Park Slope cafe, Stone Park, this inviting space offers all the seasonal dining and ambiance of the restaurant in a private space. A backyard garden could be the ideal spot for an intimate wedding, with seating for up to 50 people. Looking to throw a more low-key, cocktail-heavy affair? Up to 75 guests can enjoy the space.
Yes, it’s for grown-ups, too. You can eat in the dining room or reserve the private dining room (accessed through the candy store) at this mecca for all things sugar. With drinks made of literally liquified lollipops, and a milkshake named after Barbie, this would be a great spot for the girliest bachelorette party ever.
As one of the beloved hubs of the New York rock scene, this club is so iconic that Saturday Night Live has filmed cast members hanging out there in their opening montage. Bands are booked every night of the week, but you might not know that you can also host events in the private room. You’ll have a bar all to yourselves and even have the option of charging cover.
Arlene’s Grocery, 95 Stanton Street (between Ludlow and Orchard Streets); 212-358-1633.
Photo: Courtesy of Arlene's Grocery.
Bushwick Country Club
You might want to judge your friend group based on how they handle this place, with its layers and layers of hipster irony. It’s a dive bar named like the typical enclave of the wealthy, with a mini golf course in the back comprised of ripped pieces of turf. The broken furniture inside doesn’t fare much better, but there is a frozen-drink machine serving whiskey slushies. So just try not to think about it all too hard.
Bushwick Country Club, 618 Grand Street (between Lorimer and Leonard Streets); 718-388-2114.
Photo: Courtesy of Bushwick Country Club.
The Wooly
A place to party in the Financial District—yes, it’s possible! This speakeasy is hiding inside the landmark Woolworth Building (the old skyscraper with the pointy, aged-copper roof to you), and the feel is adorably funky. With two rooms, you can relax at the bar or tear up the little dance floor.
The Wooly, 11 Barclay Street (between Church Street and Broadway); no phone.
Photographed by Daniel Cavazos.
Up and Down
It’s your party and you’ll make everyone get dressed up and hit a nightclub if you want to. You’ve got a serious scene on your hands at this place, but the two glossy levels have slightly different vibes. We prefer the one with the circa 2000 rap music.
Up and Down, 244 W 14th Street (between Sixth and Seventh avenues); 212-242-4411.
Photo: Courtesy of Up and Down.
Franny’s
It’s very farm friendly at Franny’s, where the food is local, sustainable, and organic. They even convert the kitchen grease to biodiesel fuel! The restaurant is a great place to dine on veggie-tastic pastas and pizzas, or you can use the cellar for private meals, from birthday dinners to weddings.
Franny’s, 348 Flatbush Avenue (between Sterling Place and 8th Avenue), Park Slope; 718-230-0221.
Photo: Courtesy of Franny's.
Cienfuegos
Named after the Cuban resort city, this restaurant feels like an old Caribbean manse, with bold green walls and bright white furniture. The decor is enough to transport you, but the food is incredible. There’s an emphasis on rum drinks, naturally, and did we mention the guacamole with pork belly? Consider moving up your birthday drinks, so you can have the dinner here, too.
Cienfuegos, 95 Avenue A (at 6th Street); (212) 614-6818.
Photo: Courtesy of Cienfuegos.
NoMad Hotel Rooftop
Holy moly, is the NoMad Hotel beautiful. It’s decorated in rich velvets and warm leather, with jewel-tone colors and quirky art, and that special touch extends to the rooftop. You can sit with friends at tables divided by little grassy knolls, or rent the special event space — the latter makes for one epic dinner party.
Planning a party doesn’t have to be a whole fuss. No matter what feel you’re going for, you can achieve it at Lavender Lake, a strikingly low-key gastropub with a fun backyard. Hang out, sip some beers, try the unreal brussels sprouts, feel that sunshine, and you’ll have such a great time you’ll forget you’re the hostess.
Lavender Lake, 383 Carroll Street (at Bond Street), Brooklyn; 347-799-2154.
Photo: Courtesy of Lavender Lake.
Rainbow Room
Old New York is getting harder and harder to come by, but it’s alive and well at the top of 30 Rock. The iconic restaurant opened in the 1930s, and not much has changed. You can still get white linen tablecloths, a revolving dance floor, a glittering chandelier, and lovely views. You can stop in for brunch on Sundays and dinner on Mondays, but every other night is reserved for special events — maybe yours should be one of them?
Rainbow Room, 30 Rockefeller Plaza (between West 49th and 50th streets); 212-632-5000.
Photo: Courtesy of Rainbow Room.
Crown Victoria
If the best present you can imagine for your birthday this year is all of your best friends day drinking under the sunshine, then Crown Victoria is your place. There is a bar, yes, but it’s really all about the outdoor space: a whopping 10,000-feet of it! There are picnic tables, colorful umbrellas, bocce courts, and more, which makes it really easy to meet people (or take over tables and only talk to your friends, if that’s more your speed).
Crown Victoria, 60 South 2nd Street (between Kent and Wythe avenues), Brooklyn; 917-719-6072.
Photo: Courtesy of Crown Victoria.
The Penthouse at Hotel on Rivington
There are rooftops, and then there's this Lower East Side hotel's penthouse: three stories of glass, all for you, if you want it enough. While the views are amazing during the day, surrounding yourself with 360 degrees of twinkling NYC lights is even better.
Hotel on Rivington, 107 Rivington Street (between Ludlow and Essex streets); 212-475-2600.
Photo: Courtesy of Hotel on Rivington.
Gallow Green at The McKittrick Hotel
By now you’ve probably heard of (or experienced) the theater experience Sleep No More, housed in the gothically gorgeous McKittrick Hotel. But what about its rooftop? Gallow Green is similarly theatrical, with draping vines creating a roof garden look, and you can hang out or host an event there.
The expansive space of this pub, with its high ceilings, brick walls, and dangling bulbs, is unlike most NYC watering holes in that it allows you to hang out and actually breathe. Its beer-garden-esque feel, however, translates surprisingly well to private events, where the warm wood and quiet surroundings will make your party feel especially intimate.
61 Local, 61 Bergen Street (between Boerum Place and Smith Street), Brooklyn; 718-875-1150.
Photo: Courtesy of 61 Local.
Barcade
Here’s the natural upgrade from your dream birthday party in the third grade. There are tons of vintage arcade games, scores of beer options, and, most important, lots of space to run around — a rare and beautiful thing in this city. Why didn’t anyone think of this bar-and-arcade concept sooner? It’s the perfect setting for a fun, low-key night.
Ask your boss if your next client presentation (or deal-sealing meal) can be held at Bouley Botanical, a bright, airy space that accommodates 8 to 100 people for dinner and 150 for receptions. You can customize the space with LED lights, music, projectors, and more, though all those technical possibilities contrast with the look of the place. Plus, there are 400 species of plants in "vertical gardens" lining the windows, so take a nice, deep breath.
Bouley Botanical, 281 Church Street (at White Street); 917-237-3205.
Photo: Courtesy of Bouley Botanical.
Mondrian Soho Penthouse and Terrace
The trademark Secret Garden –like entrance to the Mondrian Soho is mirrored on its leafy terrace, which offers spectacular views of the city. The minimalist penthouse, which opens onto the patio, lends itself to customized decor and can be booked for a private party, fancy meal, or even an intimate wedding.
There are many reasons to love Tutu’s — its proud hangover-fighting brunch menu and its beer-and-burger happy-hour deal are just a few. The name of this spot comes from the Hawaiian word for grandmother, and this place indeed hugs you like a granny. It makes party-planning just as comforting, too, with a team that’ll help you personalize the space for any event, price point, or menu.
Tutu’s, 25 Bogart Street (at Varet Street), Brooklyn; 718-456-7898.
Photo: Courtesy of Tutu's.
Wallflower
The fact that there’s a cocktail named after Betty Draper on the menu tells you everything you need to know about this place. It’s elegant, old-fashioned (with decor like a speakeasy), and feminine in a completely charming way. The bar is the perfect place for girls’ night, with fancy seafood bites and creative drinks with unexpected touches like corn purée or lemon sorbet.
Wallflower, 235 West 12th Street (between West 4th Street and Greenwich Avenue); No phone.
Photo: Courtesy of Wallflower.
Sheltering Sky at McCarren Hotel and Pool
You might know that the best views of New York City come from outside Manhattan, and one place where you can catch such a glimpse is Sheltering Sky in Williamsburg. Watch the island, sparkling away, from the comfy couches at this rooftop bar, which overlooks McCarren Park. It shares a creative director with the Gramercy Hotel’s Rose Bar, so you can expect similarly chichi opulence.
This spot is one of those places that made the Meatpacking District a "thing" not so long ago. And, as you would expect, the space is dark, slick, and chic, with a French-South American fusion reflected in the drinks and food. The bar is now open only for private events, so you don’t have to feel too bad about not getting in these days.
Bar Naná, 63 Gansevoort Street (between Washington and Greenwich streets); No phone.
Photo: Courtesy of Bar Naná.
Charlie Bird
You can rent out the entirety of this slim little restaurant or, if your pockets aren’t incredibly well lined, take over the private dining room with 14 people or fewer. The neon lights and jazz theme will make you feel like the hippest host of all time. There are small and large plates, which are great for sharing, with an emphasis on seafood and Italian fare.
Charlie Bird, 5 King Street (at Sixth Avenue); 212-235-7133.
Photo: Courtesy of Charlie Bird.
Brooklyn Winery
You don’t have to get on a plane to tour a winery. Just hop on the L train. Visit the premises of this small-batch winery in Williamsburg to learn how the vino is made, and then chill out at the attached wine bar. You could make an afternoon of it or host an event here. If you pour the wine, they will come.
Brooklyn Winery, 213 North 8th Street (between Driggs Avenue and Roebling Street); 347-763-1506.
Photo: Courtesy of Brooklyn Winery.
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I recently found myself shamelessly staring at a girl on the subway. Yes, she was a total babe with a cool outfit, but it was her pigtail buns that I couldn't take my eyes off. I had hearts in my eyes, and I took mental notes: They were high, full, and perfectly imperfect, like she had tried — but not that hard.
Well, it turns out morphing into the coolest girl on the train is a lot easier than I had anticipated. In fact, all it takes is an old pair of tights you don't mind cutting up, two hair elastics, a few bobby pins, and a little patience. Think of it as the sock bun 2.0.
Simply snip the ends of your old pair of tights at the foot and cut two pieces of fabric a few inches in length — taller for bigger buns, shorter for smaller ones. Pull your hair into two high pigtails, place the fabric around one pigtail, and slide it to the very ends of your hair. Then, simply roll the fabric down the pigtail, gathering hair as you go. Pin when you reach the base of your pony (feel free to poke into the fabric for more hold), and repeat on the other side.
Press play below for the full rundown, then start turning heads...
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A lot of people have feelings about the end of Hiddleswift. For some, that feeling is relief. For others, it's schadenfreude. For Stephen Colbert, it's heartbreak and confusion.
"Hiddleswift has called it Hiddlesplits," he announced during last night's Late Show monologue, while the audience offered up a respectable imitation of sad, consoling noises. "And Taylor has sent Hiddleston packing back to Asgard, or Hogwarts, or wherever he's from. And I'm especially sad about this news, because their love was in the press so much I thought I was part of it. In a way, it feels like they broke up with me.
"In fact, I'm so upset that I did what Taylor does when she goes through a breakup," he continued. "I wrote a song about it."
Colbert then grabbed a stringless guitar and expressed his sense of loss in this little ditty. Spoiler: The lyrics are about kissing on the rocks. Photoshopped pictures of the former couple hanging out with Colbert appear in the background.
Ready to, er, cry? Watch the late-night host perform "Taylor, Tom, and Me (Goodbye Hiddleswift)." Oh, the feelings.
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