PROS: Ian Schrager design, style & vibe…read moreClean, beautiful lobbies & rooms (and great views from higher floors) Great location (Chrystie & Houston) convenient to subway and EV Loved the recessed/back-lit room, the smart controls for lights, shades and climate, as well as the modern shower with 1-way mirrored glass CONS: has a bit of a party/club atmosphere (especially if you like a quiet hotel). ex: starting at 5pm there is a stantion and bouncer for roof bar access more/less self-serve Yes, please note, while there is staff, you essentially check yourself in online and then at a kiosk upon arrival to get your key and similar for check-out (simply a key drop box), which is fine as long as you are aware. Unsure if you could get help with your luggage when arriving or leaving, but for sure don't expect that. Overall, a good stay and will come back.

I really enjoyed my stay at the public. The walkway up is a little hidden, with a nice garden that…read morefeels very serene. When you come in, you are greeted by a very aesthetically pleasing interior including the iconic escalators that were designed with care. I was a little frustrated because our room which was supposed to be ready at 3 pm wasn't ready till closer to 3:15 as it was going through cleaning inspections. I will say the room was VERY clean so at least there's that. We stayed in the loft and it offered a great amount of room, esp for a New York hotel. The floor to ceiling windows are gorgeous. I appreciate that you can fully black out the rooms with curtains for quality sleep. I loved the lighting in the rooms and the bathrooms. I also loved that the shower had a single on/off control button and full sized products in lieu of minis. The room comes with the basic towels, tp, iron and then also includes a steamer! There is an amenity room on each floor where you can get more towels, an ironing board, and filtered water. The lobby bar is so fun to hang out at in the evenings. I loved the large couches. The staff was also really nice both and check in and check out. They held our luggage on both ends and were very nice to deal with. Finally, the location is amazing. You are close to so many bars and restaurants without being stuck in the hustle and bustle of midtown. Overall I really enjoyed my stay at the public. I would recommend to anyone traveling to New York!

Banksy popped into my radar one day and I bookmarked it. I forgot all about visiting this public…read moreart until today when it showed up nearby in my search. It's unusual so I felt lucky I saw it as I passed by. It's been covered in plexiglass for protection against the weather. It appears people and businesses are rallying to keep it from removal. It fun to photograph public art or as some call his work Graffiti. I'm glad I have the photos in my collection. It's my first Banksy.

Banksy made this public art in 2013 and it's still intact. It's covered by an acrylic shield…read more Pretty hard to find unless you're using a map app or Yelp. Check it out on the UWS and get some cool pictures in front of here. The art doesn't look like it's complex, more of like a commentary that's the more complex thing about this. It somehow has become a thing to check out, because it's one of the few surviving pieces of Banksy public art. Officially it's titled Better Out Than In #20, and was part of a series. These appeared on the UWS in October 2013 and most disappeared soon after that. An acrylic panel protects it from graffiti artists...such as Banksy. So ironic. Zabar's put up the protection and has made the public aware of this. Cool that a great place like that takes an interest in art. They have some of the best bagels so be sure to go get some. As Banksy has gone onto bigger things it's cool that one of his older projects is around. It's at Broadway and 79th on the side of a building. This is a few blocks from Zabar's.

ABC Gum Wall was also recommended to me by Robert L. It's something you can't miss. My friend's…read moreHusband decided to check it out while we were finished with dinner at Mangia Mangia since the address showed it was just a few doors down. A couple of minutes later he came back and couldn't find it. So, off we go in search for this Gum Wall that the kids were so anxiously awaiting to see. Me too but I definitely wasn't going to admit THAT!! We go into the Patchogue Theatre of Performing Arts which was directly next to the restaurant. We spotted a sign about the Gum Wall outside of this Theatre but nobody there seemed to know what I was talking about. I asked three people and they never heard of it. I went outside again to read this poster making sure it did exist and it obviously did. Well, two other children at this point caught on to what we were trying to find and somehow convinced their parents to find it too because now the thirteen of us were walking up and down the street looking for this stupid wall. At last, we found it. A little alley right next to the Congregational Church. Very big problem, we forgot the gum. These two stranger children and their parents were now running towards this Gum Wall and our kids are now starting to get hysterical. Thank G-d my friend's Husband spotted a convenience store across the street and we are now all starting to run towards this wall, our kids screaming with excitement. We were actually standing there for a while deciding what shape to make our piece of "Art". Our kids were so amazed that we were actually letting them do this and even more amazed when they watched us doing the same thing!! It was very interesting to see what everyone was going to put up there and of course my perverted friend had to make hers stand out. It was a lot of fun and a chance to be a kid again if only for 5 minutes. Again, a very big "Thank You" to Robert L. and a "Must See", if anything, just to view my Friend's "creation" (if it's still up there when you go)!!

This fine example of public art and literal "Local Flavor" predates the recent restoration of the…read morePatchogue Theatre for Performing Arts, and to present, its tradition has survived the Village's gentrification process, despite periodically having been scraped off. It is located in the alley to the east of the Theatre, which runs between the Municipal parking lot and East Main Street. The "Already Been Chewed" Gum Wall (see pics) is an ever-changing and growing artistic work that both demands attention and inspires community participation and collaboration.

OK, if you do the research on the LES/ East Village Community Gardens, you can't help but be…read moretouched. This one, in particular, was started by an apparent Superwoman named Francoise Cachalin, who defended this Safe-Haven from Ye Ole gentrification and didn't live to see the fruits of her labor. I'm so glad she fought for it. *Especially* during COVID/ post-lockdown era, I and other New Yorkers I've observed have come to appreciate the sacred outdoors. In the NE, we don't have good weather often, so Summer is the *best* time to take advantage of the lil free NYC perks like these. Anyway: I stumbled upon this place during my recent exploratory strolls through the East Village. What a cute gem. Ample seating for such a small space, mild greenery (we're not talking a jungle and that's OK). Some lil trinkets and garden art throughout. Totally serene, I don't see any justification for negative reviews. IF I lived down here I would *definitely* be in a place like this every. single. morning. PS: They have great deals for membership if you have a green-thumb and want to literally cultivate this atmosphere. Also, you can have group gatherings here for a *very* reasonable price, which I think is a great resource during these dark days of anti-socialization.

I wish I had one of these little gardens nearby right now because today has been one big bucket of…read morestress. But if you *do* live (or travel) near Creative Little Garden, you're in for a treat. This place is adorable and oh-so tranquil in the middle of a concrete heaven. I'm not sure who maintains this sweet little place, but it's charming, well-groomed, and the perfect spot to hide out in for an hour or two and shed all your worries. Check it out! I'm sure the set-up is ever-evolving.

Amazing public art. Also, the area is also very well kept & nice. I enjoyed coming here. Adults &…read morechildren alike like going underneath the art work to enjoy it also.

Before today, my review would've likely been glowing. The artwork in that's been associated with…read morethem in NYC is almost always spectacular and a welcome addition to the city-scape. Unfortunately I found out recently that they're actually quite shady and manipulative. They don't actually create or curate the art in Little Italy - they pretend to support it, plaster it on their social media, and try to profit from it. At the expense of the actual artists that create the art they're showcasing. They've gotten into legal action with artists over marketing rights for the art that they claim to "support", but essentially want to mooch off of and shake down for $$$. A lot of the gorgeous art, such as the Audrey Hepburn picture on Mulberry St, are examples that they claim to be big endorsers of - but have actually fought the artists over, to win sole rights to commercializing posters etc. They've tried to destroy murals & privately commissioned public art without consent or notification to the artists themselves. Again, mostly for the chance to bring in new art and profit from online sales of merchandise / picture rights. And they're more than happy to block/ban/remove you from any of their social media if you even think of leaving a vaguely negative comment (even a politely-worded one). A word to the wise: good, wholesome, community-minded organizations NEVER block or throttle people into silence because they might disagree with them. And they NEVER treat artists like they're disposable sources of income. This organization does not represent Little Italy in the slightest. Be very, very careful if you're ever asked to work with them. Better yet, stay clear of them altogether.

The L. I. S. A. Project NYC…read more I'm not sure about the politics of what's behind this organization. There appears to be some controversy in the Yelp Reviews. I'm just a huge fan of graffiti. I love the color it adds to the city. I love the smile it puts on my face. I like the happy feeling I get inside when I see it. I also like the legal authorization of the activity. For many years it was an offense to express yourself and your artistic talent in this manner. I'm glad Little Italy has embraced this organization and the art they promote. Please Visit Little Italy and keep your eyes open for the murals. They are here, there, and everywhere! I'm posting photos I've taken in the past couple years. I hope you enjoy. I can't wait to return!

Another one of those oddities in the line of 'world's biggest ball of yarn', and/or 'world's…read morebiggest thermometer'. Diagonal from the Astor Place Theatre, this is a simple yet fun visit. It's supposed to rotate, but it didn't move for me, maybe I wasn't pushing hard enough, but it also started to pour when I was looking at it, and I didn't want to get soaked trying.

A popular meet up spot, you can't miss this bronze cube set precariously on its corner, on the…read morenorthern corner of the block of Astor Place between Cooper Square and Lafayette St. It invites you to interact, a push and it spins, just be careful to keep your balance as it goes around! Titled "The Cube" or "Alamo", this 15 foot tall, 2400 pound rotating cube was the first contemporary sculpture purchased by the City of New York, and also the first sculpture that artist Tony Rosenthal created as a public art piece not commissioned by an architect. Interesting enough, this cube was originally supposed to be installed in Ann Arbor, where the University of Michigan is located and from where Rosenthal was an alumnus, however Cooper Union students petitioned to keep the sculpture in NYC. So he created a second one installed in 1968 in Michigan and commissioned by the U of M Class of 1965, officially titled "Endover." Fun fact: in total there are not only two--but actually three versions of the rotating cube, one in New York, one in Ann Arbor and another in Miami. More info at: https://tonyrosenthal.com/the-alamo/

I live 2 blocks away and there are always tourists coming in to see it. They offer tours to come…read morehere and take photos. Cars use to park here blocking the image but no more. A short walk from here in the LoX mural also behind White Castle. Beautiful way to honor the Bronx legend

Perfect spot to visit and to take pictures if you're in the area. It is next to a gas station and…read moreparking lot so cars may be in the way but you can still get some good angles.

A fun neighborhood walk that encompasses a 4-6 block perimeter of graffiti street art, featuring…read morefictional characters, music icons, and everyday people. Much of the street art is incredibly detailed, and you can see much of the culture of Brooklyn/Bushwick as you search for hidden gems. Lots of small local businesses and restaurants to check out as well while you walk.

Lovely space and worth it for a visit and to walk around. It's great that the artists are allowed…read moreto tag them selves and have a space where they can express themselves.