But can we talk about last Wednesday night in The TC?

It wasn’t just the ideal weather. It was that everyone seemed happy… the kids, the puppies, the squirrels... And it was enhanced by the music wafting between the buildings. My partner and I heard it and decided to walk over to the South Park to see the SouthBay Trio. They were ideal for the evening. I loved all the people on the sidewalk that were stopping and taking it in. And even though they did not perform an Unsane cover, there were a ton of people out enjoying every song they did play.

The Tudor City Greens folks were there and if you feel like donating and missed your chance then, the Venmo is @Tudor_City_Greens.

After hanging out there, we walked over to Malone’s for dinner and to watch the second half of Ghana vs. Panama. And there was a great crowd there - very friendly, not too raucous and focused on the match. I could not have asked for anything more.

The weather is aces, the magic of the parks and the people… followed by jumping out to an pub to watch football? Best. Our neighborhood truly creates incredible moments.

Oh! I apologize for not catching the change of date on the SouthBay Trio show. I will do better and make sure I’m on top of date changes and adjustments.

And then, of course, the Knicks parade was the following day… what a beautiful shit-show zoo the city was. I was gonna go but I woke up at 7 a.m. and apparently downtown was effectively shut down by then.

No biggie, watching on TV was its own really good time.

CIVICALLYS

• This Wednesday, the 24th of June is Tudor City Fest! Did you get your ticket yet? There’s a band, there’s food, there’s drinks! And most importantly, the people who advocate for our neighborhood are throwing it. (Those people being the Tudor City Association, natch)

• Election Day is on June 23rd. Find your polling place here and go and vote.

• The Tudor City Greens have Kid’s Potting Day on June 27th from 1 to 2 p.m. in the South Park. Everyone can learn about our beautiful gardens whilst “participating in a crafty planting activity!”

• Be on the lookout for the first Tudor City View interview this week. It’s with Donna & Rona who were responsible for the Art in the Park event.

TO DO

• World Cup action this week sees the USMNT vs. Türkiye this Thursday the 26th at 10 p.m. EST. We’ve already moved into the next round, so this match matters less than the third round games have in past years, but still, it’ll probably be a good time at the local bars. (Side note: This is the best US Men’s Soccer team I have ever seen.)

• The Big Pride parade is Sunday June 28th! Go rock out down in the Village and celebrate at what will likely be the second most joyous parade of the year.

• Punk Island 2026 is a free music festival on Randall’s Island. Easily the most unique and wild festival of the summer. I always thought the bands at the Brooklyn TransCore stage were the best, but there’s like eight others stages of awesomeness. All the info is here.

• Yo. It’s summertime. Here’s the way to get setup for free tickets to Shakespeare in the Park.

• Slum Village is playing two shows at the Blue Note on Saturday the 26th.

• And speaking of parks, grab some cheese and crackers, grab a seltzer, hide some wine in a thermos and go spend some time in The TC’s parks. Seriously, the livin’s easy right now.

BODEGA OF THE WEEK

45 Deli. There’s a few bodegas around us. And I miss our local on 43rd and Tudor City Place, although it felt really sparse. Convenience. The bodega in 5 Tudor City Place feels like it just belongs to the residents. So I hit up 45 Deli.

The sandwich team are great dudes. The owners are nice. The flowers are inexpensive and can last up to a week and there’s no kratom to be found. Once they started stocking the “Just The Fun Part” snacks, I was all in.

The #20 sandwich is my go-to like “this always works sandwich”. Turkey, Honey Mustard, and Avocado on a wedge. Some Hal’s chips, too, but only if I’m not trying to lose weight.

-TCV

That was an absolutely killer post-season. I haven’t seen our city that joyously unified, maybe ever. Possibly the 2003 blackout? Whatevs, this was way better. The TC seems alight. Even the JP Morgan Death Star building bathed in Orange and Blue made me happy.

There is so much chaos in the world and I really don’t care if that has been one of the drivers that made us more in love with the Knicks and each other. It just feels nice to experience joy with all the other people who live here. Strangers being nice to one another. That’s my shit.

But all due praise to the Knickerbockers. There really isn’t another sports team that unifies New York quite like the Knicks. Orange and Blue bring the people together. Lotta smiles, lotta people giving each other props for just wearing the jersey.

And on those vibes, that unbridled sports joy, last week I wrote about how much I hate the World Cup this year because FIFA sucks and the price gouging is horrendous. Those things are still true, but me thinking I wouldn’t watch the World Cup was bullshit. And totally out the window.

The soccer has started and I am obsessed again. #USMNT haven’t looked better in my lifetime. The only real difference this year is that I’m watching the Telemundo broadcasts on Peacock. Alexi Lalas is an embarrassment to America.

Lastly! And I think I mentioned something about a mission statement. Meh, I’ll get to that next week. No rush, right? Too much celebrating to do.

CIVICALLYS

• Knicks ticker-tape parade is on Thursday. This is a DO NOT MISS Event. Starts 10 a.m. on Broadway and goes north through the Canyon of Heroes. I’ll probably get getting lunch somewhere in Chinatown afterwards.

• Tickets for the Tudor City Fest are HERE. It’s happening on the 24th and it’s gonna be a great evening. Come hang with your neighbors, eat some food, drink some wine, listen to some music. Me? I will be chillin’ on a bench, soaking it all in. Metaphorically. I don’t actually want to get soaked.

• The Summer Book Talk Series is happening once a month this summer. The first is tomorrow, Tuesday, June 16th @ 6 p.m. in the North Park. The book is The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. You got one day to read it. I believe in you.

• Do you have a Tudor City event coming up? Email tudorcityview@gmail.com to get it listed!

TO DO

• The Pride Month radness continues this week. Although I am a Mets fan, the Yankees Pride night is Wednesday, 6/17. That should rule. I’ve always felt the pinstripes could use some color.

• Dance Storytime with Dinita Clark is part of the Lincoln Center’s Summer For the City Events. It’s a free event for everyone to learn the fundamentals of House Dance. Looks like there are two sessions on Wednesday the 17th at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

• World Cup Games are on, every day. It’s kind of bonkers. This is where to go to check your daily matches. Please note I am not sending you the FIFA website. I never thought I would miss Sepp Blatter. If you want the true experience, pick your country and find the corresponding neighborhood in NYC. Head up to Astoria for Greece, Central Harlem for Senegal, or Bay Ridge for Italy. OR NOT. Maybe ignore that last suggestion.

• Smorgasburg is up and running all summer. It’s down near the World Trade in Manhattan on Thursdays and Fridays. That’s probably a bit less bonkers than the one in WIlliamsburg or in Prospect Parks.

• San Pedro, California’s own Toys That Kill are playing at The Broadway on Thursday, 6/18. See you in the pit or wherever the old punks hang out when the band is on.

BAR OF THE WEEK

Strangelove!! OK, this is pretty far from The TC. It’s up on 53rd between 2nd and 3rd. Liberty-spiked residents will think to themselves “53rd & 3rd, eh? Sounds like a good place to have a punk rock bar”.

Right down the street from the inspiration corner for one of Dee Dee Ramones’ best songs, Strangelove is, in fact, a punk rock bar. I had initially thought it was a punk rock cosplay bar, because, what the hell is a bar with great music doing in Midtown? It’s legit. Friendly bartenders, cheap beer, and the music rips… lotsa punk and metal.

Sure, the crowd might not be what you’re gonna find in East Williamsburg, but at this rate, East Williamsburg is starting to look more like Midtown. So it makes sense that we’d get a good bar from some back flow. So, go there. Tip well, and tell ‘em Tudor City View sent you!

-TCV

Bing Bong!

And Goddam! The Knicks are up 2-0, the weather has been epic and the city is bouncing. Friday night was insane. So jump into the fire with us snakes and city-rats and go with the flow. Whole lotta Knicks love is kinda wonderful thing.

There is more beyond basketball, though. If you haven’t been crushed by or lost in the giant soccer display at the 42nd Street CVS, you probably know the World Cup is about to start. My recommendation here is to gather with your neighbors and watch in your homes or various building social areas. You’ll save about a million dollars by not going out.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the beautiful game. I’ve been to more RBNY matches than I can count. Hell, I even saw the Round of 16 match of Spain vs. Switzerland in D.C. the last time the World Cup was in the States. (which would have been 32 years ago. Jeez.) But FIFA has pretty much proven itself to be an agent of Satan and the way that every stadium and agency has jacked up their prices is just gross. So part of me wants to loudly proclaim I will not be watching it. But that ain’t gonna happen. Catch me in the local, rooting for USMNT & Belgium.

It does seem like everything fun gets ruined by people who think that the concept of fun is just an identifier for a new market to exploit. Let’s aim to never let that happen in The TC. Our parks are open, our events are free or reasonably priced, and good people create their own joy.

Not to get too historicals, but we really have to thank the people who laid down in front of the bulldozers in the 90’s for the best parts of our neighborhood. The current awesomeness stands on the shoulders of those who didn’t let Helmsley money buy up our parks. And as such, it’s our responsibility to preserve that for future generations.

Thank you for attending my TED Talk. And, yes, I am aware that this is a Wendy’s.

One thing I’d love for help with: The Restaurant of the Week section. It will evolve into Bar of the Week, Bodega of the Week, Philanthropic Organization of the Week, etc. Kindly send me your recommendations and I’ll be happy to give you credit! The email here is tudorcityview@gmail.com.

Trust me, my taste should not be dictating all of the best spots in the neighborhood. Like I mentioned before, if I only did what I wanted, John’s Coffee Shop would be the “Best of” every week.

CIVICALLYS

• Good stuff going on this week in the Tudor City parks. First up, on this coming Wednesday June 10th at 6:30 p.m. is the SouthBay Trio. Luckily for our memory’s echo… this concert will be in the South Park. The flyer says they’ll be playing all of our favorites so I’m holding out for a cover of “No Chance” by Unsane. Rain date is the 11th if the sky gods don’t bless us on Wednesday.

• On Saturday, June 13th is the ART IN THE PARK SHOWCASE. Taking place from Noon to 4 p.m. with the raffle at 3 p.m. This is in the North Park. It looks like it is not supposed to rain, so that rules. Reach out to donna.nitzberg@gmail.com with any questions.

• The Summer Book Talk Series is happening with a date across each month this summer. The first is on Tuesday, June 16th @ 6 p.m. in the North Park. The book is The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. You’ve got two weeks to get up on that one.

• June 24th will be the Tudor City Fest! This will rule.

TO DO

• Go watch the Knicks LITERALLY ANYWHERE except maybe in front of MSG. Monday and Wednesday night for sure are going to be bonkers around the city.

• Humid Traces at the Ford Foundation Gallery wraps up on June 20th. Definitely get over there to see it.

• During June and July, Criterion and Angelika are showing A David Lynch Retrospective. I mean, Mulholland Drive is one of the best films ever made, but I am very much looking forward to seeing Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces. Inland Empire is phenomenal if you happen to be totally out of your mind.

• PRIDE MONTH is raging. The Brooklyn Twilight Pride March is on Saturday, June 13th. Starts at 7:30 p.m. You’re guaranteed to see lots of amazing eyeglasswear.

• Boriqua!! The Puerto Rican Day parade is Sunday, June 14th. This is one of the epic NYC parades that will roll down 5th avenue from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. But guaranteed we’ll be hearing music bouncing off the bricks all day.

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK

Here’s the best spot for pizza in our hood: The Amish Market. Sure, the market itself is a bit pricey (I am being generous) but those pizzas are fuggin’ delicious. The margherita with some jalapeno toppings? Best.

So yes, it’s a market… but I’m specifically focusing on the pizza. I mean, slices are damn expensive these days so a full small pie for eleven bucks truly does feel like a deal. Not sure about the salads, just going all-in on the pizzas. Those pizzas are very popular on a particular roof deck in The TC. When you see those boxes in the trash, you know a good time was had by all.

MELLOW JAM FOR THE PEOPLES

Was listening to this last Wednesday on headphones chilling in the park. Really hit the mood.

Zero 7 - Morning Song

Happy Summerings, y’all!

-TCV

So I guess getting a gajillion shots of the Sun dropping down on 42nd street makes sense if you’re from Denmark or Budapest or some shit but if you’re from Brooklyn? My goodness, dear Zoomer, have some self respect and go vape in Prospect Park instead.

And this was only on Wednesday which was… wah-wah.

Also, if I saw anyone standing on top of my car to get a better photo, the rules about yelling at people in The TC would go out the window. Seriously, who does that?? Getcher ass on the ground.

Anyways, all my whining aside, I promised some editorial goals for Tudor City View. Let’s see how these go.

The truth is, I’m a total bozo so keep your expectations low. BUT I do love this neighborhood, want everyone to get along, and hopefully raise up a feeling of community.

1. This starts and end by first and foremost remembering that we are all neighbors and love our community. All else from there is gravy except for my possibly infuriating opinions on what constitutes good music. My favorite concert of 2026 so far has been Sunn O))) So… yeah. Take that for what it’s worth.

2. I will make sure all information is sourced properly, not engage in gossip, and keep an open mind to all sides of issues. These neighborhood things can go off the rails really easily, so I invite you to keep me honest if things (or I) get weird. (very good chance of this happening, fyi)

3. If I get something wrong or make some unfortunate off-color joke, I will call out myself and issue a correction.

4. This will hopefully be fun. At the very least, I’m gonna have fun, not take any of this too seriously and treat this newsletter like I hope we all treat our few blocks of green midtown - everyone who checks in is welcome. Unless their dogs piss in the flower beds. Then, knives are out. (metaphorically, of course.)

5. No AI-generated anything on here. Please expect spelling errors, strange-word-usement-structurings, and fuzzy pictures from an old phone.

That’s some editorial goals. Broad, but clean. Working on the mission statement next. Please expect some evolutions.

CIVICALLYS

• Second weekend of the month will be the ART IN THE PARK SHOWCASE. Saturday, June 13th from Noon to 4 p.m. Forgive the all caps, but I am excited. Get on this and show up for your neighbors. Reach out to donna.nitzberg@gmail.com with any questions. It’s free, but you can always donate to the Greens. Speaking of…

• All due respect to the Tudor City Greens. The north and south parks have never looked better. And if I mention TCG, I have to…

• Shout out the Tudor City Association! It’s about stewardship, people! Get involved with your community at the source.

TO DO

• Go out to a local watering hole and root for the Knicks! Malone’s or Wheeltapper are probably a good choice because Overlook will be crowded af with a bit more of the young bro-y types. Finals start on June 3rd. GO KNICKS!

• Tribeca Film Festival Starts this week and runs through the 14th. Check out the guide here: https://tribecafilm.com/festival/film

• It’s PRIDE MONTH!! Happy happy joy joy to all my LGBTQIA+ folk. I can’t wait for the parade and there’s all sorts of great stuff happening all month. Queens Pride is the unofficial kick off around my household… it’s this Sunday, June 7th.

• The Earth Wind & Fire documentary followed by live performances by Earth Wind & Fire AND The Roots at the Beacon this week?? It’s probably already sold out but I might just go hang out out front and see if the sound emanates out into the UWS.

• Governor’s Ball next weekend! Looking at the lineup… Freddie Gibbs, Fcukers, and Amyl & The Sniffers are all great. I’m sure there are some other killer bands on there, but I’m gonna plead ignorance via age because I don’t know 94% of them.

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK

Pho Avenue. It gets mad crowded for the lunch rush, but after 5 pm, it’s an easy duck-in for a delicious meal. I’m a seasonal eater there. Pho in the winter and Bahn Mi in the summer. Depending on my mood and whether or not I’m a vegetarian that week will determine what I order.

It’s a little sparse to eat in at, aka it’s definitely more of a lunch place, but the folks who work there are nice and always hook up extra red or brown sauce if you need it.

-TCV

The first posting of Tudor City View. Sign up and register to make sure you’re getting this in your inbox every Monday. And if you have anything you want to promote in the neighborhood or you want someone from the neighborhood featured, hit me up at tudorcityview@gmail.com.

And wishing you and yours a very solemn and dignified Memorial Day. Remember those who served while you get drunk and barbecue.

Next week I will outline the editorial goals for this here newsletter. I haven’t really thought of any yet other than to be a loud-mouthpiece for myself in service of this great neighborhood. I do love this oasis in Midtown East.

TO DO

• It’s Manhattanhenge Week! So best to stay away from Tudor City Place and enjoy a nice walk in Sutton Place or down by the river. Thursday the 28th it’s half-henge and Friday the 29th it’s the full-henge. If you’re a real one, you know Wednesday or Saturday are actually the best days to check it out.

• If you enjoy generic throwback rock, Greta Van Fleet is playing at the Bowery Ballroom this week. It might be your best chance for pseudo-nostalgia because Wolfmother moved back in with their respective Moms and Buckcherry is doing a stint at rehab. Yes, again.

• Thursday the 28th, Wycliffe Gordon is playing a free show with no tickets needed over in Bryant Park. Probably a bit more sophisticated of a crowd. But likely not as much dumb fun.

CIVICALLYS

• June 13th from Noon to 4 p.m. is the Tudor City Art in the Park Showcase. Specifically, in the North Park. Although donations to the Greens are welcome, the event is free, there’s a raffle at 3 p.m. and it’s likely to have a good collection of the more interesting peoples that live in the TC. Reach out to donna.nitzberg@gmail.com for any questions.

• Also, I just noticed that the Murray Hill Neighborhood Association referred to us as “Tutor City” in a post about last year’s Art In The Park.

  YO. DO THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE DEALING WITH???

• It’s a bit early, but I’m pretty sure there is a Tudor City Fest happening in June. I’m sure there will be a big announcement and I’ll make sure it is reposted with a ticket purchase link. Last year was pretty damn fun.

• So many of our buildings are doing great work on their flower beds. Make sure your dogs aren’t peeing on them. And if you see someone’s dog urinating in a nice flowerbed, you have my permission to shame them. Maybe try shaming the dog, too?

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK

It’s not just that it’s local or a great diner with delicious food. It’s that the whole staff is like family. It is John’s Coffee Shop on 2nd avenue. Open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and holy smackers, those blueberry pancakes are incredible. I hear the omelettes are epic, but I’m anti-egg. The lunch is equally as awesome as I am partial to the chicken gyros.

Just watch out on weekends. It’s always worth taking a stroll by and seeing how long the line is but some European Tourist Instagram account really blew up that spot so you’ll hear a lot of accents and see a lot of low-tippers on the weekend.

So tip well, and support the local scene! Honestly, with the way I eat there, this newsletter’s restaurant of the week recommendation might always be John’s.

-TCV

Share

Leave a comment