1. NYPLMaps shares a few details about one of the oldest streets in New York City, Maiden Lane, which was also known as T’Maagde Paatje.

    nyplmaps:

    Appleton’s Dictionary of Greater New York And Its Neighborhood (1905):

    Maiden Lane

    A Street running from Broadway between John and Liberty Sts., east to the East River, is one of the most ancient in New York. It was established as a road in the earliest times of the Dutch, its course through a valley being the easiest route of passage from the two great highways along the North [ Hudson ]and East River sides and was from the first used as such. It was then known as “T’Maagde Paatje,” or the Maidens Path. It was laid out as a street about 1693, during the governorship of Colonel Fletcher, when it received its present name. At present it is lined with substantial stores and is the center of the wholesale jewelry trade.     

    Plan of the city of New York in North America (1776)

    Maiden Lane, New York. Jewelry centre of the world (ca. 1885)

  2. In case you missed it, on the front page of today’s New York Times is the amazing story of Kirsten the American Doll who has been in circulation with little girls at the Ottendorfer Branch of The New York Public Library for 8 years!!!! It’s an amazing story about a library, a librarian, and a community. 

    In case you missed it, on the front page of today’s New York Times is the amazing story of Kirsten the American Doll who has been in circulation with little girls at the Ottendorfer Branch of The New York Public Library for 8 years!!!! It’s an amazing story about a library, a librarian, and a community. 

  3. Just a reminder that tonight at 6:30pm at The Seward Park Library there will be a free screening of the 1980’s classic DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN that will feature a Q&A with the film’s director Susan Seidelman!!! This screening is part of the new Lower East Side Heritage Film Series: The 80s. Seats are on a first come, first serve basis. 

    Just a reminder that tonight at 6:30pm at The Seward Park Library there will be a free screening of the 1980’s classic DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN that will feature a Q&A with the film’s director Susan Seidelman!!! This screening is part of the new Lower East Side Heritage Film Series: The 80s. Seats are on a first come, first serve basis. 

  4. 1980’s lovers do we have an absolute gem of a program for you this Tuesday, November 20 at 6:30pm at our Seward Park Library. As part of the Lower East Side Heritage Film Series: The 80s there will be a free screening of the classic  DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN, starring Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn, and the one and only Madonna. Oh but it gets better because following for the screening there will be a Q&A with the film’s director Susan Seidelman!!! So GET INTO THE GROOVE and come on down to the Seward Park Library and get a chance to watch this classic Lower East Side film… in the LOWER EAST SIDE!!! Seating is on a first come, first serve basis.  

    1980’s lovers do we have an absolute gem of a program for you this Tuesday, November 20 at 6:30pm at our Seward Park Library. As part of the Lower East Side Heritage Film Series: The 80s there will be a free screening of the classic  DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN, starring Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn, and the one and only Madonna. Oh but it gets better because following for the screening there will be a Q&A with the film’s director Susan Seidelman!!! So GET INTO THE GROOVE and come on down to the Seward Park Library and get a chance to watch this classic Lower East Side film… in the LOWER EAST SIDE!!! Seating is on a first come, first serve basis.  

  5. In honor of Bram Stoker, born 165 years ago today and best known for his novel DRACULA, we thought we’d share an old favorite, this Kenn Duncan photo of the late Raul Julia in the 1978 stage production of Stoker’s novel. This photograph is part of our Kenn Duncan collection which is housed at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Billy Rose Theatre Division. You can see more photos from this production at the NYPL Digital Gallery. Tell us your favorite vampire moments in film, books, television or anything else…

    In honor of Bram Stoker, born 165 years ago today and best known for his novel DRACULA, we thought we’d share an old favorite, this Kenn Duncan photo of the late Raul Julia in the 1978 stage production of Stoker’s novel. This photograph is part of our Kenn Duncan collection which is housed at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Billy Rose Theatre Division. You can see more photos from this production at the NYPL Digital Gallery. Tell us your favorite vampire moments in film, books, television or anything else…

  6. For all you Katharine Hepburn fans out there, please note that The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts has just opened an amazing free exhibition entitled KATHARINE HEPBURN: DRESSED FOR STAGE AND SCREEN which examines the influential fashion style of the iconic actress. Over 40 original Hepburn dresses and costumes are on display including pieces from THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER, ON GOLDEN POND and from the still above WITHOUT LOVE. Check out Cathy Horyn of The New York Times article on the exhibition.

    For all you Katharine Hepburn fans out there, please note that The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts has just opened an amazing free exhibition entitled KATHARINE HEPBURN: DRESSED FOR STAGE AND SCREEN which examines the influential fashion style of the iconic actress. Over 40 original Hepburn dresses and costumes are on display including pieces from THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER, ON GOLDEN POND and from the still above WITHOUT LOVE. Check out Cathy Horyn of The New York Times article on the exhibition.

  7. This awesome photograph of Columbus Circle in 1978 was taken by the renowned photographer Philip Trager whose early works are currently on display in the exhibition ECHOES OF SILENCE: PHILIP TRAGER, EARLY PHOTOGRAPHS, 1967-83 . The exhibition includes seldomly seen landscape studies and celebrated architectural studies shot in Connecticut and New York City in the 1970s. ECHOES OF SILENCE: PHILIP TRAGER, EARLY PHOTOGRAPHS, 1967-83  is on view October 12, 2012–February 17, 2013, in the Prints and Stokes galleries located on the third floor of The New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. Admission is free.

    This awesome photograph of Columbus Circle in 1978 was taken by the renowned photographer Philip Trager whose early works are currently on display in the exhibition ECHOES OF SILENCE: PHILIP TRAGER, EARLY PHOTOGRAPHS, 1967-83 . The exhibition includes seldomly seen landscape studies and celebrated architectural studies shot in Connecticut and New York City in the 1970s. ECHOES OF SILENCE: PHILIP TRAGER, EARLY PHOTOGRAPHS, 1967-83  is on view October 12, 2012–February 17, 2013, in the Prints and Stokes galleries located on the third floor of The New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. Admission is free.

  8. Before we met the robots - and excuse me androids - in STAR WARS, BLADE RUNNER, THE TERMINATOR, SHORT CIRCUIT, WALL-E, heck even WEST WORLD (underrated gem) and CAPTAIN EO (oh yeah I went there) there was the fascinating Off-Broadway stage production of R.U.R. in 1922. Debuting 90 years ago today and written by Czech playwright Karel Capek, R.U.R. was one of the earliest sci-fi stage productions and also introduced the word “robot” to the english language. The history of R.U.R. is written about in an absolutely fascinating blog entry written by Jeremy Megraw, from The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Billy Rose Theatre Collection. Let the machines rise! 

    Before we met the robots - and excuse me androids - in STAR WARS, BLADE RUNNER, THE TERMINATOR, SHORT CIRCUIT, WALL-E, heck even WEST WORLD (underrated gem) and CAPTAIN EO (oh yeah I went there) there was the fascinating Off-Broadway stage production of R.U.R. in 1922. Debuting 90 years ago today and written by Czech playwright Karel Capek, R.U.R. was one of the earliest sci-fi stage productions and also introduced the word “robot” to the english language. The history of R.U.R. is written about in an absolutely fascinating blog entry written by Jeremy Megraw, from The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Billy Rose Theatre Collection. Let the machines rise! 

  9. Here is a photograph of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor fooling around on the set of Private Lives in 1983. The photograph was taken by the amazing Martha Swope. Swope’s photographs of various dance and theater rehearsals are on display now at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in Martha Swope: In Rehearsal. 

    Here is a photograph of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor fooling around on the set of Private Lives in 1983. The photograph was taken by the amazing Martha Swope. Swope’s photographs of various dance and theater rehearsals are on display now at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in Martha Swope: In Rehearsal. 

  10. A cool now-and-then pic of a building on W. 72nd Street that used to be an Automat, courtesy of Landmarks West!. A few of their summer interns came to visit Lunch Hour NYC, where we have a restored Automat machine on display, and were inspired to write a very kind blog post. Glad you loved the exhibition!

    A cool now-and-then pic of a building on W. 72nd Street that used to be an Automat, courtesy of Landmarks West!. A few of their summer interns came to visit Lunch Hour NYC, where we have a restored Automat machine on display, and were inspired to write a very kind blog post. Glad you loved the exhibition!