Watch-Blog
A Bit of Glitter Shine
By Claudie Benjamin On a balmy spring day Ruth and Scott Bienstock are standing at the open doorway of Outlette, their jewelry store at 220 Columbus Avenue. Locals stop by to chat or wave hello as they go by. This is totally Columbus Avenue's small...
Crème Brûlée enrobed chocolates & Ruby Bars
By Claudie Benjamin Kee's Chocolates are the creme de la creme of chocolate morsels and bars. These handmade chocolates that have secret recipes created by Kee Ling Tong are sold in a tiny store at 228 Columbus Avenue opened in October 2019. Kee tends to speak...
Plant-Based Dining Prescriptions
By Claudie Benjamin Imagine a creative who travels the world inspired by the sights, sounds and aromas he encounters but he’s flummoxed by the lack of one fundamental thing he cares passionately about. It seems almost impossible to find plant-based food...
Sailing the Seas Via Columbus Avenue
By Claudie Benjamin Passing on foot, bike or car Lokal's outdoor dining shelter at 83rd Street and Columbus may remind you of a totally different means of conveyance. Lokal Mediterranean Restaurant co-owner Serhat (Sergio) Cetin credits co-owner Murat Aktas for...
Nomads and Romantics
By Claudie Benjamin By some subtle magic, everything at the Peruvian Connection at 341 Columbus Avenue looks desirable. The beautifully hued flower patterned or woven geometric fabrics that look slightly bleached by the sun suggest that the wearer is a sophisticated...
Brazilian Jui-Jitsu Helps Master Frustrations of Daily Life
By Claudie Benjamin It is not obvious from the street but the large impressive Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu gym spreads out large in bright white and blue in the sub basement of 246 Columbus Avenue. Luca Atalla, called “Professor” by his students is thoughtful, engaging...
Working Toward the American Dream
By Claudie Benjamin Elegant Barbershop opened at 118 West 72nd Street in December 2020. "We'd been looking on the Upper West Side and especially on 72nd Street for a year but the rents were too high. The pandemic was not a good time to open,...
Envisioning Smiles and Making them Happen
By Claudie Benjamin ProSmile is a family dental practice whose partners are brothers Drs. Slavko and Val Duzdevich. Slavko specializes in orthodontics and Val in implants. The open plan office has partitions strategically designed to ensure privacy, while still...
Upper West Side embraces Mamoun’s 11th
By Claudie Benjamin The 11th restaurant and in a sense the newest baby of the Chater family, has been welcomed with open arms by Upper West Siders, says Galal Chater. He is one of four brothers who opened their UWS Mamoun's Falafel shop, at 508 Columbus Avenue, in...
Longing for Firenze (Florence, Italy) or a Spot in Campagna (countryside)
By Claudie Benjamin Firenze (Florence) is one of the most iconic of Italy’s many romantic destinations. Can you imagine how very wonderful it would be to sit at a wine bar in a popular bordered piazza (square) in town or in...
