One of the most beautiful abandoned buildings in Queens: The New York Architectural Terra Cotta Works Building. Owned and preserved by Silvercup Studios, yet the building itself is fenced off and boarded up. It would make an awesome museum.
When Queensbridge Baby Park reopens this month part of a public green space that existed from 1941 into the 1980s will finally be open once again.
I think the game day experience is always elevated by the presence of a clown. And at my first New York City FC game of the year last night I loved that the team finally has a mascot: Sky the pigeon.
In the sold out crowd last night for Kona Morris’s one-woman show How to Poop in an Outhouse at -72°F at Under St. Marks. Part of the 2026 New York City Fringe. Kona performed an excerpt of the show at The Astoria Bookshop Storytelling Show a few months back. I was so glad to catch the whole thing.
Today Veselka resumes 24/7 service for the first time since 2020.
An upside of being 40 in grad school: Witnessing an uplifting class discussion where several Gen Z students said why they prefer the tactility, collectibility, and overall experience of reading a printed text over something on a screen.
The other day I time traveled back to the start of the year.
Koronet Pizza is coming soon to the Times Square subway station. The jumbo slice shop, a Morningside Heights mainstay since 1981, will take over the space where Record Mart was until they closed in June 2020.
In the crowd last night for Every Brilliant Thing on Broadway. A great one-man show anchored by Daniel Radcliffe’s layered and warm performance. Hearing the varied voices of my fellow audience members was really moving. My first time at the reopened Hudson Theatre, which has impressive leg room.
These look and sound fantastic! Love Nats Park having an Ethiopian food stand! Seed planted on coaxing me down for a game this summer!
I checked in on the lobby at 85 East 4th Street, the former Kraine Theatre. The box office and theatre entrance used to be on the right. There’s now a new wall, two new doors, and a gate. I’m not sure what the state of programming is inside the theatre itself.
I got to see my beloved, hometown Washington Capitals play live last night. They came into the game one point out of the playoffs. 8 goals allowed later and the Rangers likely ended their postseason hopes. I wonder if it was the last time I’ll see Alex Ovechkin out there on the ice.
In the crowd last night for My Joy is Heavy at New York Theatre Workshop. A “memoir musical” with good songs, performed by two likable performers and a solid band. It gave voice to 2020-2021 experiences and feelings I’ve wanted to hear more stories onstage about. It closes next weekend.
For the third night of Passover I took my parents to Reunion at Film Forum. A great movie about exodus to celebrate this holiday about exodus. It is a movie from 1989 not currently available on steaming or physical media. Happy Pesach. פֶּסַח שָׂמֵחַ.
Last night at The Astoria Bookshop Storytelling Show we heard about knowing an Epstein victim, a dispensary bust, bad Ellis Island gig, bad modeling gig, void filling gig, an LIRR apology, influencer fame, opening a bag decades later, turnstile hopping, having a knife pulled on you. Next show 5/7.
“April is the cruellest month”
TOMORROW at 7pm is the April 2026 @astoriabookshop.bsky.social Storytelling Show! Free storytelling open mic! RSVP to david@dtlawson.com! Then show up, throw your name in the bucket, and perform a true, no theme, 5 minute story about something that happened to you! See you tomorrow!
I’m happy to see a PR push to get more composting in the city. The brown city containers certainly make it easier, but I still compost on Saturdays where I have since 2020: The green bin at 38th Street and 30th Avenue in Astoria, Queens run by the group Astoria Pug.
I’ve thought this about both Walton Goggins and Michael Ironside.
Flowers left at the site of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, which happened 115 years ago last week.
15 years ago the first movie Paige and I ever saw together was After Hours. She showed me it on the DVD copy she grew up with. For years we’ve been meaning to catch it on the big screen. We did tonight at IFC Center as a celebration of 15 years of knowing each other.
#FridayReads: For my Policy Analysis class at Baruch we were assigned to study this 2024 dystopian science fiction novel as if it was a real ethnography. A family story of bad decisions within a not-too-distant future where AI, smart phones, and climate change have progressed in concerning ways.
A WEEK FROM TONIGHT is the April 2026 @astoriabookshop.bsky.social Storytelling Show! RSVP email to david@dtlawson.com if you want to show up, throw your name in the bucket, and perform a true, no theme, 5 min story about something that happened to you! Free! See you at the show!
I appreciate the integrity of Mayor Mamdani remaining “Yankees Suck” even when announcing a fully-protected two-way center running bus lane for the Bx6 in The Bronx. Happy MLB Opening Night everybody.
The beautiful power of a black pen.
From McDonald’s to comedy club: The Comedy Cellar’s expansion into the former McDonald’s at 136 West 3rd Street appears to be moving along.
In the crowd tonight for the Hot Guy Draft hosted by Kenice Mobley at Littlefield. On Instagram Mobley has a series where she posts things she’s doing to stave off depression. Hearing wonderful jokes and sincere expressions of desire at her show certainly staved off mine today.
A round trip flight from New York City to Los Angeles is expensive but physical media is free at the New York Public Library. An incredible story of a place misunderstood at the international and national level, told by a longtime seasoned local. An urbanist cinephile must see. And I’m proudly both.
Last night I saw One Sings, the Other Doesn't at Film Forum as a part of their Agnès Varda retrospective. I loved the movie. The 12th Varda I’ve seen. I want to see them all. Today begins an exciting initiative by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment: The inaugural Art House Cinema Week
TWO WEEKS FROM TONIGHT is the April 2026 @astoriabookshop.bsky.social Storytelling Show! RSVP email david@dtlawson.com if you want to show up, throw your name in the bucket, and perform a true, no theme, 5 minute story about something that happened to you! FREE! See you there!
