SPIN, Flatiron-based ping pong social club, has launched a new partnership with Eatside at SPIN—an online food hall featuring Il Gusto, Naked, Dolores, and The Originals. Although SPIN is currently unable to reopen their venue, their mission to encourage human connections no matter what age, ethnicity, or gender remains unchanged. And what better way to connect than over a good meal? 

The virtual food hall offers a wide variety of cuisines. Il Gusto serves up classic Italian favorites like various pizzas and pastas, Naked promises healthy grain bowls, Dolores' menu features staple Mexican dishes like tacos, burritos, and churros, and The Originals offers American classics like burgers, wings, and apple pie. There's something for everyone at this one-stop-shop. You can order different cuisines from one place, which makes the "what should we eat tonight?" debate a lot easier. And there's more food concepts coming soon like a kids-centered menu and a menu all about desserts.

The food hall's menus are specifically crafted to ensure freshness for delivery and to-go service, and eco-friendly packaging is used. Plus, Eatside will be donating $1 for every meal ordered to No Kid Hungry, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending child hunger.




We spoke to one of the original founders of SPIN, Jonathan Bricklin, to ask a few questions about the exciting collaboration: 

What inspired the SPIN team to launch this partnership?

"SPIN was excited to partner with Eatside because of their exquisite restaurant portfolio. We just really love all their food. We also passionately share their commitment to making our community and the world better than we found it."

What dishes are especially popular?

"The Originals’ burger (above) is as good as it gets. Dolores’ mushroom tacos (below) are a game-changer. Il Gusto’s pizza is perfect. And after eating any of the Naked bowls, you feel like a million bucks."

Why did you choose SPIN's Flatiron location for the virtual food hall? 

"The Flatiron neighborhood of NYC is as iconic a neighborhood as it gets. The Flatiron Building and Madison Square Park are both on our block. We are so proud this is where our first, and flagship, ping-pong club is located. We even have a glass window view of the 6 train from inside our club.""

When SPIN's venue reopens, you can expect ping pong courts, a full bar, restaurant, private rooms, and event spaces that attract both casual and professional players through nightly events and tournaments. Be sure to add SPIN to your list of things to do post-COVID. In the meantime, check out the virtual food hall and treat yourself to food that reviewers are raving about. 

The virtual food hall is available for delivery or pick-up via their direct website,  DoorDash, UberEats, and Grubhub.

The virtual food hall is open Wednesday through Sunday from 12 pm to 9 pm.

Eatside at SPIN NYC 23, 48 East 23rd Street Between Madison and Park, @the.eatside  

Gyms and fitness centers were allowed to start reopening as of September 2nd after submitting appropriate paperwork to the NYC Health Department. All gym services must exclude indoor pools and indoor fitness classes. Below is a list of gyms that have reopened for in-person visits. Stay tuned for additional reopenings. 

Equinox | 315 Park Avenue South | COVID-19 Safety Guidelines
This Grammercy location offers spacious workout areas and top-notch equipment to strengthen both the body and mind.



Iconoclast Fitness | 210 Fifth Avenue | COVID-19 Safety Guidelines
Iconoclast is a Black-owned fitness studio owned by Ngo Okafor who is famous for training drastic body transformations and receives praise from celebrity and model clients alike. Private training available. 



Jane DO | 24 West 23rd Street | COVID-19 Safety Guidelines
The studio empowering women to reach new levels of strength and confidence has reopened for one-on-one personal training. Virtual live-stream classes are still available. 




New York Sports Club | 113 East 23rd Street | COVID-19 Safety Guidelines
A membership at the NYSC Flatiron location translates to fully equipped facilities and certified fitness experts to assist you on your fitness journey. 

August's news media updates highlight museum, restaurant, and bar reopenings, continued support for NYC DOT's Open Streets: Restaurants program, and the All in Flatiron Dining Deals program. Stay up-to-date with the latest Flatiron District News. 

Restaurants & Bars

• Flatiron Hall makes the "5 Best Beer Halls" List by Kev's Best. The hall takes pride in its Victorian style bar from the Commodore Hotel, and is a go-to for those who enjoy art and style (via Kev's Best).
• Serra Fiorita by Birreria opens, a blooming greenhouse restaurant on Eataly’s 14th-floor rooftop brings Italian summer to Manhattan with a seasonal menu, build-your-own gin drinks, and a flowery decor inspired by a 3D paper book (via 6sqft).
• Daniela Soto-Innes, chef at Cosme, the boundary-pushing Mexican restaurant, is one of the most exciting chefs working today according to the New York Times (via New York Times).
• Young Kim, beverage director at The Flatiron Room, weighs in on her rum of choice for the best value (via Uproxx).
• Despite their own economic worries during the pandemic, several restaurateurs are stepping up to provide aid to Beirut, Lebanon, including Philippe Massoud, a native of Beirut who is the chef and owner of ilili (via New York Times).
• Fashion and wine come together through Cedric Nicaise, the sommelier and wine director at Eleven Madison Park, who “paired” towers of wine with clothes at Rosie Assoulin's New York Fashion Week presentation last February (via Vogue).
• Nomad Italian restaurant, Scarpetta has launched several meal kits which include ingredients for pasta, a market salad, olive oil, espresso budino, and an apron (via Eater NY).
• Shake Shack partnered with NYC pizzeria, Mama's Too for the ultimate collaboration: a giant pizza burger. For one day only, Shake Shack's original burger joint in Madison Square Park served up this cheesy, saucy sandwich (via Thrillist).

District Businesses

• The James Hotel NoMad reopened its doors on August 1st, and the hotel's Italian eatery, Scarpetta has opened the Scarpetta's Outdoor Garden Cafe, an al fresco dining concept launched in partnership with rose wine brand Whispering Angel (via Travel Weekly).
• Fotografiska, which opened last December, reopened its doors on Friday, August 2th at a much smaller capacity and with timed entry to keep capacity at 25 percent (via Time Out New York).
• Homeis, a Flatiron District-based mobile app facilitating community building among immigrants, allows people to meet others who share their culture after settling in a new country. The social-networking app is addressing immigrants' needs during COVID-19 by being a knowledge center for immigrants in their native languages (via Crains NY).
• Poster House, the first museum in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to posters, reopened for members on August 27th to 30th and to the general public on August 31 (via 6ftsq).
• Deborah Koenigsberger, long-time owner of the Flatiron-based fashion boutique Noir et Blanc and the adjacent upscale resale shop Thrifty HoG, discussed her experiences with the lows of March and April and her plans going forward (via amNY).
• Neil Schneider and Tina Burke of J&M Hardware and Locksmith, the oldest running business in Flatiron, shared their hardships during the pandemic and how they help their community (via amNY).

Real Estate

• REBNY named CBRE brokers Richard Hodos, Joel Stephen and Michael Remer as the winners of the Most Ingenious Retail Deal of the Year award for their role in bringing the country’s first official Harry Potter flagship store to the Flatiron District. The Wizarding World will span three floors at 935 Broadway, and the 20,000 sqft space will be the Warner Bros. brand's biggest store in the world (via Bisnow).
• As part of its larger production hub deal, Netflix will lease around 100,000 square feet in the Flatiron District at 888 Broadway (via Curbed NY).
• During a pandemic, lobbies set expectations for how buildings tackle virus contamination, including Madison House, a 200-unit luxury condominium by JD Carlisle at 15 East 30th Street slated to open in 2021 (via Mansion Global).
• In the previous quarter, 35% of all rentals in Manhattan were discounted, the largest of which were in the heart of white-collar office districts, including the Flatiron District at -45% (via Property Shark).
• Madison House at 15 East 30th Street makes 6sqft's "New York City's Top 30 Condos" list. This 805-tall condo tower in Manhattan’s buzzy Nomad neighborhood–6sqft’s 2019 Building of the Year–is instantly recognizable by its glassy facade designed by Handel Architects (via 6sqft).

Around the Neighborhood 

• Global design firm WATG’s team of urban planners, landscape architects and designers came up with a "green, car-less, al fresco-hopping" streetscape vision for the intersection in front of the Flatiron Building. The firm says they chose the area for its concept the area and the Flatiron Building itself is an iconic symbol of New York City (via Time Out New York).
• Design firm, OSD drafts an open street plan to help Flatiron and NoMad business owners thrive in a new world defined by social distancing and the necessity of open space (via amNY). 
• Craig McDean releases a filmic tribute shot in a four block radius around his studio in the Flatiron District with New York City Ballet dancers for a socially-distanced celebration of the arts (via Vogue UK).
• Through the "Preview Club", a lavish fifth-floor space in the Flatiron District, Islanders owner, Ledecky created a mockup of the arena’s aesthetics to give high-end sponsors, advertisers, and potential suite buyers a taste of what the UBS Arena will be like (via New York Post).
• James Mettham, executive director of the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership, discusses the long and gradual recovery process that we all face post-COVID-19 (via New York Times).

Header Photo Credit: Sasha Maslov via The New York Times
Thumbnail Photo Credit: Nicholas Calcott via The New York Times

• 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon deggi mirch powder (or paprika)
• 1 teaspoon Amchur (or lemon or lime juice)

Directions:

1. Combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, and spices, and mix well until you have a smooth, bright red marinade.
2. Coat the chicken with the marinade on all sides and under the skin. Use roughly ½ a cup of marinade for a 2.5 lb bird. Transfer the marinated chicken to a bowl covered in plastic or a ziplock bag and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days. 
3. Preheat the oven to 425F. Remove the chicken from the fridge, pat dry, and allow to come to room temperature. 
4. Season the chicken on all sides with 3 tablespoons of the magic masala until fully covered. Transfer to a sheet tray lined with a rack.
5. Roast for 20-30 min, or until a thermometer registers 165F.
6. Allow the chicken to rest for 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
7. Garnish with an additional sprinkle of magic masala. 

Chef Sydne Gooden pictured below:

Fotografiska New York | Opens August 28th | Wed-Sun: 11 am - 9 pm | COVID-19 Safety Guidelines | Purchase Tickets Here

Fotografiska New York will reopen with five exciting exhibitions. One of the exhibitions is Martin Schoeller's Death Row Exonerees. The exhibition consists of ten moving digital portraits of individuals who were convicted and sentenced to death for crimes they did not commit. Schoeller collaborated with Witness To Innocence, a non-profit led by exonerated death row survivors who work to abolish the death penalty in the US.



“I wanted to present viewers with a harrowing, interactive account of the stories of innocent people forced to endure government-sanctioned horror in nightmare conditions. These women and men bear dignified witness to the unacceptable costs of a misguided system of laws in desperate need of revision and a prison system that focuses on punishment, rather than on rehabilitation,” says Schoeller.

Martin Schoeller is a world-renowned contemporary, portrait photographer, and is known for his close-up portraits of celebrities and public figures including Barack Obama, Angelina Jolie, Oprah, and Willie Nelson. Schoeller is also known for his work in commercial photography–including the iconic portrait of Colin Kaepernick for Nike’s campaign commemorating the 30th anniversary of “Just Do It.” The stylistic consistency of his work creates a democratic platform for comparison between his subjects that challenges the viewer’s existing notions of celebrity, value and honesty.

Museum of Sex | Opens August 27th | Thur-Sun: 2 pm - 9 pm | COVID-19 Safety Guidelines | Purchase Tickets Here

The Museum of Sex recently launched an exhibition entitled, On Abortion: And the Repercussions of Lack of Access, displaying Laia Abril's career-long research exploring the debate over abortion restrictions worldwide. The work documents and conceptualizes the dangers and damages caused by women’s lack of access to legal, safe, and affordable abortions. Abril draws on the past to highlight the long, continuous erosion of women’s reproductive rights to the present-day. Her collection of visual, audio, and textual evidence weaves a net of questions about ethics and morality, and reveals a staggering series of social triggers, stigmas, and taboos around abortion that have been invisible until now.

“Laia Abril’s careful global exploration of the past and present of contraception and abortion re-frames the issue, showing us that abortion is, first and foremost, not a political currency but a vivid lived experience for women around the world and throughout history. Abril’s work looks at the long struggle to obtain rights to family planning for women and demonstrates the complicated decisions women make when choosing to end a pregnancy, with their very health and survival on the line” said Lissa Rivera, Curator at the Museum of Sex.

Laia Abril is a multidisciplinary artist working with photography, text, video, and sound. Her research-based projects focus on uneasy and hidden realities related to biopolitics and gender equality. Abril’s new long-term project "A History of Misogyny", is a visual exploration of misogyny on a global scale through historical and contemporary comparisons.

Poster House | Opens August 27th to Members & September 3rd to General Public | Thur-Sun: 11 am - 7 pm | COVID-19 Safety Guidelines | Purchase Tickets Here

Tickets must be purchased online ahead of time. For the first month of reopening, Poster House is offering suggested donation tickets ranging from $0–$10.

One of two current exhibitions at Poster House, The Sleeping Giant: Posters & The Chinese Economy, explores China’s economic relationship with the world through poster design. By the 20th century, Western powers had already forced their way into the Chinese market. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, foreign and local companies rapidly expanded their commercial activities in China and experimented with Western marketing ideas. The most popular posters, called yuefenpai (calendar posters), were a marketing sensation and became key publicity tools to promote everyday products including cigarettes, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

In 1949, with the establishment of the People’s Republic under Mao Zedong, public posters made a stark turn towards Socialist Realism. Later in the 1980s and '90s, Chinese graphic design embraced a more internationally modern look as globalism brought the far reaches of the world together.

After your trip to one of the museums, grab a bite at one of 30 local restaurants offering food & drink promotions as a part of our All in Flatiron Dining Deal program. 

Header Credit: Poster House by Kudos.NYC

As a part of the All in Flatiron Dining Deal Campaign, the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership is hosting an Instagram Giveaway in collaboration with Scarpetta, an 'All in' participating restaurant. Now through September 30th, Scarpetta is offering an All in Dining Deal: One complimentary dessert of your choice with the purchase of any food item while dining outdoors. 

The Italian restaurant located at 88 Madison Avenue at the corner of 29th Street is offering one lucky winner a $150 gift certificate. The certificate can be redeemed in-person for outdoor dining at Scarpetta's Outdoor Garden Café, or for pick-up orders. Pick-up orders will be directly coordinated with Scarpetta via email.

How to Enter & Eligibility Requirements: 

• This Campaign is open to public and private Instagram users who post a comment tagging at least one other account on the prize announcement Instagram post. One entry per person. You may only enter once.
• Eligible winners: Entrants must be 18 years of age or older as of the date of entry. This Campaign is only open to legal residents of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut (The Tri-State Area), and is void where prohibited by law.
• Entries will be accepted online starting on Monday, August 24, 2020 at 12 noon EST and ending September 2, 2020 at 11:59 pm EST. All online entries must be received by September 2, 2020 at 11:59 pm EST.
  
• An alternate form of contest entry for non-Instagram users: You may email the Flatiron Partnership at info@flatirondistrict.nyc using the subject line “All in Flatiron Contest”. The entry must fulfill all Campaign requirements, as specified, to be eligible to win a prize. 
• A winner will be selected by a random drawing of eligible entries under the supervision of The Partnership. The winner will be notified by Instagram Direct Message and/or email within five (5) days following the selection of Winner. 

Click here for official contest rules.

** Congrats to our winner, Instagram user @kathy.ledan, who was selected via a random drawing on 9/6! @kathy.ledan will be emailed the $150 gift certificate to Scarpetta.** 

Photo Credit: Scarpetta by Brent Herrig