Pulse

Koreatown Museum Bridges the Cultural Gap for Americans, Koreans

Koreatown Museum Bridges the Cultural Gap for Americans, Koreans

Karen Madsen leaned over the glass case, peering with great interest at the assortment of colorful knots; clumps of jewel-colored tassels all consisting of a single, long thread. As she considered the traditional Korean knots, called norigae, Robert Turley explained the knots’ incredible value as artifacts that were difficult to come by and owned only by those who were royal or extremely wealthy.


Youth Homelessness Declines during the Holiday Season

Youth Homelessness Declines during the Holiday Season

Covenant House makes the holiday season special for homeless youth who have nowhere to go. With the number of intakes expected to decline for Christmas, Covenant House is more than prepared for anyone who shows up.


Retired at Twenty: New York City Carriage Horses

Retired at Twenty: New York City Carriage Horses

The debate over the iconic New York City carriage horse continues to be waged. Yet it leaves out one crucial question: where do these horses go to retire? The answer is a bit more complicated than you might think.


Natural Sapphires Versus Treated Sapphires

Natural Sapphires Versus Treated Sapphires

Looking for sapphire jewelries in Manhattan’s Diamond District? Be careful. Do you know the difference between a natural piece and a treated one? Can you distinguish them? How do you feel about the fact that most of the sapphires in the 47th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenue are heat-treated? Read this and find out the truth about “natural sapphires.”


The Chameleon

The Chameleon

A profile of boxer, model and up and coming actor Ngo Okafor as he tries to adapt once more and tackle a new career.


Giving the Gift of Self-Defense

Giving the Gift of Self-Defense

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a $43.85 pink pepper spray gun. Odd as this choice of gift may sound- even compared to piping pipers and milking maids- pepper spray sellers say the holiday season is their busiest time of year.


Activists Unite Against AIDS Stigma

Activists Unite Against AIDS Stigma

New York City heralded World AIDS Day 2011 with film screenings, art exhibitions and group discussions. Supporters of HIV/AIDS awareness and education are seeking new and novel ways to promote their cause.


Nine Lives? This One, Not That Fun

Nine Lives? This One, Not That Fun

Matilda, the storied Algonquin Hotel cat, has been forced to adapt to strict New York City Health Department regulations and stay way from Algonquin guests.


Empire State Building, New York City Mark World AIDS Day

Empire State Building, New York City Mark World AIDS Day

The Empire State Building is floodlit red to mark World AIDS Day on December 1, and many other events take place around the city. New York City has very high HIV infection rates so awareness campaigns are an important way to remind people the disease is still a problem both in New York and globally.


Faces of the Fashion Industry

Faces of the Fashion Industry

Patricia Harper has had her studio in the heart of the Garment District for five years. But as the area changes, she worries about being left behind. Story by Kate Racovolis and Laura Fosmire. To read more about this story, click here. Jeffrey Schwager runs a business selling designer clothing in the Garment District, which [...]


William Wai’s Four Decades in the Garment Industry

William Wai's Four Decades in the Garment Industry

Can you imagine the life of a Chinese immigrant who has been working in the Garment District of Manhattan for four decades? Here is the story of 61-year-old pattern maker William Wai, who came here in 1971, did odd jobs, attended school, married and divorced, earned citizenship, opened design companies and failed, and kept working.


Arrivederci, Garment District

Arrivederci, Garment District

VIDEO: Waves of Italian immigrants in the 1960s and 1970s brought a sidewalk cafe culture to Seventh Avenue. Watch the last remaining tailors, patternmakers, and other fashion professionals share their stories, espressos in hand.


Winning at FIT…and Looking Good Doing It

Winning at FIT...and Looking Good Doing It

Athletic director, Kerri-Ann McTiernan takes a “win at all costs” attitude to succeed with a sports program at a school known more for prowess at the sewing machine than on the field.


Calorie Bomb: Snack at Your Own Peril

Calorie Bomb: Snack at Your Own Peril

So, where are you going to eat on Black Friday? It’s not just clothing stores that plan to gear up for the big day. Restaurants and food stands also prepare for the rush of shoppers.


Black Friday Buyers: Too Big a Secret to Tell

Black Friday Buyers:  Too Big a Secret to Tell

Ever wonder what it’s like to be a fashion buyer during Black Friday? Keep wondering, because fashion buyers from the Garment District will not reveal their secrets as we head into the biggest shopping season of the year.


Harry Potter Comes to New York

Harry Potter Comes to New York

Quidditch is an imaginary sport in the Harry Potter books, or is it? The Badassalisks, a New York quidditch team, sees things differently. They, along with a hundred other teams, attended the Quidditch World Cup this past weekend at Randall’s Island.


ICE Ignores Guidelines Protecting Same-Sex Couples

ICE Ignores Guidelines Protecting Same-Sex Couples

When the Department of Homeland Security announced new prosecutorial discretion guidelines over the summer, many bi-national same-sex couples were optimistic. As some couples later learned, federal policy still stood in their way.


With Borders Gone, Readers at a Loss

With Borders Gone, Readers at a Loss

Six weeks after the closing of the Borders bookstore in Time Warner Center, many residents are at a loss about where they can buy books.


Gloves, Bicycles and One Hell of a Night

Gloves, Bicycles and One Hell of a Night

You never know who you’ll meet in Times Square: A couple of tough-guy bantamweights, a couple of celebs, and not a soul who wants to watch boxing on TV, not even in a boxing bar. One reporter’s odyssey along the not-at-all-mean streets of midtown.


Bryant Park Ice Skating Rink Opens Ahead Of Wintry Weekend

Bryant Park Ice Skating Rink Opens Ahead Of Wintry Weekend

As the snow fell in Manhattan on Saturday, Bryant Park’s newly opened ice-skating rink experienced a lull in visitors.


Acupuncture in New York

Acupuncture in New York

Bill Cosby has taken acupuncture for 20 years. He says he knows for certain it works well for him. But 40 years after the practice arrived in the United States, many U.S. insurers still refuse to cover the procedure, and sometimes even the ones who do will try to avoid paying the bill, acupuncturists say.


Capturing Hell’s Kitchen flavor

Capturing Hell's Kitchen flavor

A three-hour walking tour aims to capture Hell’s Kitchen’s unique flavor and rich history, from the crowded restaurant blocks of Ninth Avenue, to the artisanal bakeries and unpretentious delis on the side streets that lead to the river.


The Host of Hell’s Kitchen

The Host of Hell's Kitchen

Thrift and New, a resale shop at the corner of Ninth Avenue and 43rd Street serves as a salon for neighborhood residents and customers.


One Man’s Loss is Hallmark’s Gain

One Man's Loss is Hallmark's Gain

As unemployment rates remain at a staggering 9.1 percent, Hallmark has created a series of sympathy and humor cards designed to offer comfort to those who have lost their jobs. The problem is, not everyone is laughing.