Natalia Alvarez, Author at Secret NYC

Food & drink Music Things to do

In 1999, two employees took over a small jazz joint on Duke Ellington Boulevard; 27 years later, the legendary SMOKE features a stunning candlelit dining room and a GRAMMY-nominated label

Jazz clubs are notorious for serving awful food. SMOKE leads the vanguard in changing that expectation. It originally operated as Augie's jazz club back in the day. Then, two employees took it ove...

Food & drink Top news

After nearly 100 years, beloved Jersey City landmark Boulevard Drinks is packing up to make room for 840 new apartments and a massive Whole Foods

Boulevard Drinks is ending its current run to make room for a massive new 55-story luxury apartment tower and a street-level Whole Foods. Owner Victor Victoratos confirmed its final day of operation at...

Sports Things to do

Citi Field is hosting an exclusive ‘trick-or-treat’ event for young New York Mets fans this Saturday

New York Mets fans just got a little cuter! The Mets Kids Club Trick-or-Treating event is taking over Citi Field this Saturday. This gives young fans a unique chance to celebrate Halloween while ex...

New York’s historic Tompkins Square Park is getting a $10 million makeover; the 18-month project brings a new in-ground kids’ pool and hides eco-friendly storm basins beneath the East Village basketball court

Tompkins Square Park is gearing up for a significant transformation. The parks committee of an East Village community board recently backed a nearly $10 million renovation plan. The project aims t...

Nearly half of NYC adults struggling with mental health weren’t getting care; this new digital tool connects them to 600 local providers

Navigating behavioral health care in the city just got a whole lot easier. The Mamdani administration rolled out NYC Mental Health Connect, a brand-new digital database designed to help locals quickly...

Food & drink

Harlem’s historic comfort food institution Melba’s is transforming its 300 West 114th Street flagship with an inclusive new Braille menu rollout for blind diners

Melba’s Restaurant is taking a massive step for inclusivity. The iconic Harlem comfort food destination just introduced Braille menus at its flagship location. sitThis launch coincides perfectly w...

The Bronx is getting a $4 billion Bally’s casino resort, and a reimagined Ferry Point Park is coming with it in a $160 million waterfront upgrade

A waterfront stroll, a pickleball match, and a few rounds of blackjack could soon share the exact same Bronx address. Ferry Point Park is slated for a $160 million makeover tied directly to Bally’s mas...

Cinema Food & drink Things to do

Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett’s new thriller ‘Verity’ filmed at this hidden Lower Manhattan cocktail lounge; it opens nightly at 6 pm for fans to drink on the actual movie set

With the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s 'Verity' hitting screens, you can experience the psychological thriller in real life. Starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett, the movie...

Food & drink Top news

Newark Airport is getting a 30,000-square-foot, two-story Centurion Lounge inside Terminal A; set to open in 2027, the luxury passenger oasis will feature three distinct bars and James Beard-winning chefs

American Express is bringing its largest Centurion Lounge yet to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). Set to open in 2027, the 30,000-square-foot space will span two floors inside Terminal A. ...

Escapes Things to do

During the 18th-century French and Indian War, upstate New York’s Fort William Henry and Bloody Pond saw extreme warfare and casualties; centuries later, the surrounding Lake George area has transformed into a Halloween road trip filled with ghost tours and heavily supernatural encounters

As October descends upon the Lake George Area, tales of yesteryear and ghost stories are ready for Halloween. If you are looking for a fall escape that offers more than foliage, this upstate region is...