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Featured Lifestyle Living NYC

“Lights of Hope”

"Lights of Hope"

Long gone are the days when Downtown was dominated by the financial industry and the sidewalks were rolled up at 5:00 p.m., after the final call of the day. New businesses like Condé Nast, Seaport, Group M, Spotify, 10 Corso Como, Uber, Zola, have brought a vibrant, young and family-focused workforce with them.

Once again, Downtowners have banded together to send a message to the world. We have been publishing for 11 years now, and the changes we have witnessed and been a part of are epic. It’s difficult to report on the tragic news but, with tragedy, there is always triumph. Here in Lower Manhattan, like the rest of New York, we bounce back.

“Lights of Hope” Buildings in Lower Manhattan to Shine in Red, White, and Blue

 

Lights of Hope
Photo by Kirit Prajapati

 

One World Trade Center, Pier 17 at the Seaport District, Brookfield Place, 111 and 115 Broadway, 55 Water Street and 20 Exchange Place will be lighting up in red, white, and blue to show hope and solidarity, while other Downtown buildings are working to join them over the next several days. Buildings throughout the entire city are encouraged to follow suit and add their own “lights of hope.”

“This is a moment to band together, show pride in a tough time, and light up the Lower Manhattan skyline with hope,” said Jessica Lappin, President of the Alliance for Downtown New York. “Whether it’s red, white and blue or with a single white beacon, buildings across Lower Manhattan will light themselves in honor of our determination to endure and recover.”

One of the initiating property owners offered this:

“In this time of need, we as New Yorkers and Americans are looking for symbols of hope – both in our communities and across the country,” said Saul Scherl, President of the New York Tri-State Region of The Howard Hughes Corporation. “We Wanted to unite our community and light up the buildings of Lower Manhattan together to show our solidarity, our resiliency, and our persistent hope for the future.”

We as a city and world have gone through a lot in the past 20 years, the greatest trait is that we always come out on the other side stronger and better than before. Thank you to our leaders mentioned in this piece, and thank you to all who believe in hope!

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Categories
Design Featured Lifestyle

Stickbulb Lights Up Long Island City Prior to Amazon’s Arrival

Stickbulb Lights Showroom
Ambassador

When it comes to serendipitous decisions, minimal lighting design brand, Stickbulb, is right on target. Earlier this fall, co-founders Russell Greenberg and Christopher Beardsley opened up their first gallery/showroom in Long Island City just steps away from MoMa’s PS1. The gallery, which forms part of 10,000-square-foot comprehensive design studio and production facility, opened a mere three months before e-commerce giant Amazon confirmed the waterfront neighborhood as one of its secondary headquarters.

Stickbulb lights

Long a creative hub for artists and designers alike, the brand is deeply engrained in the fabric of the industrially chic neighborhood. “Our roots run deep here,” says Greenberg,“because we carefully built Stickbulb around a network of local vendors.” 

founders of Stickbulb Lights

Co-founders Russell Greenberg and Christopher Beardsley.

The creative, yet in some cases neglected, laboratory that is Long Island City, beautifully intertwines with Stickbulb’s sustainably-minded ethos of creating cutting-edge lighting while preventing waste. The ideology of the brand—salvaging wood from fallen trees, dilapidated buildings, and old, abandoned water towers to build light—aptly extends into their current space. Stickbulb is housed in a former industrial factory that overlooks a metal scrapyard facing the Queensboro Bridge. When visitors enter, they are greeted by one of the brand’s most stunning examples of adaptive reuse.

Stickbulb Ambassador

Ambassador, the colossal yet fully functional illuminated archway seen above, was crafted from 300-year-old Redwood beams. The sculpture is so visually stunning it won NYCxDesign’s Best in Show in 2017. Set against the showroom/gallery’s raw space, the dichotomy exemplifies Long Island City to perfection—while also making a strong case for Stickulb’s scraps to splendor notion. Considering the changing dynamic of the neighborhood (luxury residential buildings and all) it’s quite uplifting to see brands that stick to their original intent. “We love our neighbors” says Greenberg. “There is a sense of ‘being at the right place, at the right time’ in LIC. We are dedicated to being active, engaged, and responsible members of the community.”

Stickbulb’s gallery/showroom

Just how much the neighborhood changes with the arrival of Amazon remains to be seen, but at Stickbulb, it’s comforting to know the creative culture will remain the same.

Categories
Culture Entertainment Events Music

PHASES’ Z Berg talks Irving Plaza show, life after JJAMZ and The Like, music veteran status

Photo: Courtesy of Vincent Perini
Photo: Courtesy of Vincent Perini

Featuring members of Rilo Kiley, The Elected, Phantom Planet and The Like, PHASES may be pegged by some as an “L.A. all-star band.” But keeping in mind that four-fifths of PHASES previously played together in JJAMZ, who had a hit in 2012 with “Heartbeat,” PHASES is indeed a real band without nostalgic intentions. The first single off of their forthcoming album For Life, “I’m In Love With My Life” – as endorsed by Jessica Alba, Buzzfeed and Flavorpill – suggests that plenty more hits are to be expected from the members of PHASES.

Having recently announced touring in support of their debut full-length for Warner Bros. Records, PHASES is hitting the road this fall with LIGHTS and The Mowgli’s. PHASES comes through town on November 18th with a support slot at Irving Plaza. In advance of both For Life and the gig on Irving Plaza, Z Berg – who shares lead vocal duties with Alex Greenwald – answered some questions for Downtown over e-mail.

Do you view PHASES as an entirely new band from JJAMZ?

PHASES’ Z Berg: I mean, it shares four out of five members with the recently-deceased JJAMZ, but its sound, strength, and vision is incomparable.

phases for life

How would you describe PHASES to someone who didn’t hear the “Suicide Pact” album by JJAMZ?

Z: Even if they had heard it…I’d say it’s future funky dance pop with sweet melodies, positive vibes, and a bittersweet dark undercurrent. Kinda like if Blondie made Thriller. In the future.

You are under 30 years old, yet have now been on three different big record labels with three different bands. Do you see yourself as a music business veteran?

Z: It’s hard to call yourself a veteran of anything at my age, but MAN, I sure have been doing this a while! It’s the only job I’ve ever had. The only thing I know how to do. And I love it so.

What do you hope to accomplish with PHASES that you didn’t necessarily accomplish with JJAMZ or The Like? Or are you more of a “music first” type of person?

Z: I’m definitely a “must first” type of person, and our passion for the music we’re currently making is definitely what drives this whole enterprise, but there certainly are world domination goals in place.

Is there something that you wish more people knew about PHASES?

Z: We’re big hard cider and natural spring enthusiasts!

What is your favorite part of being a career musician?

Z: I truly love music more than anything. It’s all I know, it’s the majority of who I am. It’s pretty amazing that I’m allowed to just do what I love and nothing else. I’m incredibly suited to this life, I’m a nomad who loves to live out of a suitcase, and also I have no other appreciable skills!

What do you recall from your first-ever gig in New York?

Z: I was wearing a white tank top, white Balenciaga pirate pants — borrowed from my best friend Courtney — and knee high caramel colored riding boots. I had a haircut I had done myself in the middle of the night, copying the style of a beautiful girl named Nadine that I had recently met. The memory of the show is just a flash of feeling. Good feeling. Annnnnnnnnnnd that’s all from fashion “rain man” over here.

As a lifelong resident of Los Angeles, what do you miss most from L.A. when you’re not in your hometown?

Z: L.A. is my favorite city in the world, but I’m an explorer. I rarely miss it when I’m gone, but boy do I love to come back to it. Like a merciless philanderer.

When you’re not tied down with recording or touring, what do you like to do with yourself?

Z: I read voraciously, hike, run, do a lot of yoga… But most of the time I’m playing or recording or writing music in one way or another.

Finally, Z, any last words for the kids?

Z: Stay in school? Don’t get pregnant? Remember that this is your one shot at being you and living this life; always be present, never forget that it could end at any moment. Even at the darkest of times, try to step back and experience it to the fullest. I’m constantly overcome by how beautiful everything is, even when I feel completely hopeless. Being human is INCREDIBLE, if you only pay attention.

Oh, and go get our record!

-by Darren Paltrowitz