Manhattan Neighborhood Acronyms

Neighborhoods don't stay unnamed for a long time in New York City. It's astounding that such a small landmass keeps reinventing itself - new neighborhood acronyms pop up every year. Some of these acronyms are rather boring, like Midtown, which is obviously in the middle of the town. In that case it's easy to guess where the certain neighborhood is located, but what about SoHo, for instance. It's hard to tell where this neighborhood is located if you are not familiar with the area at all - it's short for "South of Houston". Same with TriBeCa, short for "Triangle Below Canal Street", or Nolita for "North of Little Italy". Brooklyn's DUMBO is really hard to guess as it's for "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass". More recently, the acronym NoMad popped up, created by a real estate developer who tried to attract condo buyers and new businesses. NoMad stands for "North of Madison Square Park" and is a good example that his plan seems to work out well, as NoMad is becoming quickly one of the hottest neighborhoods of Manhattan.

New Amsterdam Plein & Pavilion

The New Amsterdam Plein & Pavilion is a gift from the Netherlands to New York, to honor 40 years of friendship. The Pavilion designed by Ben van Berkel is located in Peter Minuit Plaza, just outside Battery Park in Manhattan. The Pavilion is equipped with different displays and functions that are supposed to encourage visitors to interact with them. There is a display that provides information about the surrounding neighborhoods, another one serves as a information desk and another one gives information about events in the Netherlands. There's even one facade that will present a food and beverage outlet; seats and tables can be found outside. The Pavilion's wings represent a well thought out design as they point towards historical places. One wing, for instance, points toward Hudson and another one points toward the future skyline. Furthermore the pavilion is equipped with an electronic facade LED system that creates a changing light show at night.

New York Penthouse turns into a Child's Paradise

Manhattan's skyline is well-known for its extremely luxurious residences - one more expensive than the other. Money is no object, what usually counts is: who has the biggest room, the highest ceiling, the best whirlpool. The penthouse we're talking about today is different though. It's not about creating a ultra luxury residence, it's about a child's dream coming true. The owners of the home intended to create something completely new, something exciting and advanced. The New York Architect David Hotson made their dream come true. He created a penthouse that seems to be a three-dimensional puzzle. Being inside the apartment can be very confusing as Dave Dotson combined childlike playfulness with mathematical complexity. Walking around you can sometimes look through to other levels, but you don't understand why and how it's possible. The highlight of the child's paradise penthouse provides the 80-foot slide that wends its way through the 4-story residence.
 
To get a better impression of how it looks like, watch the video below:
 

What is a cond-op?

Probably most of you have already heard the term "cond-op". The question is, do you actually know what it stands for? A common misunderstanding is that it’s a co-op that runs with condominium rules. That's how it works in many cond-op buildings but basically the rules have nothing to do with what makes the building a cond-op. The facts that a building requires a board interview or allows rentals are legally not the determining factors defining what a cond-op is. A cond-op is a condominium building in which residential and commercial units are separated. Typically the commercial units are sold separately by the developer and a co-op corporation controls the residential units. The commercial units can include retail space, office space and a parking garage. Furthermore cond-ops are known for being investor friendly and their right of 1st refusal. Compared to condos, cond-ops usually have the same unlimited sublet policy and amenities like condos.

Johnnie Walker’s Diamond Jubilee Whisky



To celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 60 years of

reign, John Walker & Sons produced the Diamond Jubilee. There’s only a limited edition of 60 bottles available for sale. Each decanter is priced with an incredible value of $156,000. It’s the whiskey inside the decanter that justifies the price as it’s a special blend of grain and malt whiskies, all distilled in 1952 – the year Queen Elizabeth acceded the throne. All the profits will be directed to a royal charity, the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, which supports British craftsmen and women. The crystal diamond-shaped decanter from Baccarat is enclosed in a cabinet which has been made with wood from two of the Queen’s estates. Hamilton & Inches has fashioned the collars set with a half-carat diamond and each crystal decanter is accompanied by two hand-engraved lead crystal glasses.