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☆ How a Foodie and Business Promoter in Queens Spends His Sundays
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Dirk McCall de Palomá is a serious epicurean seeker of spicy and ethnic food, and a passionate connector of people. For the past two years, he has also been the executive director at the Sunnyside Shines business improvement district, a nonprofit funded by the city that promotes Sunnyside, Queens, as a destination. “I help businesses and empower communities,” said Mr. McCall de Palomá, 55, who plans cultural celebrations. “People come to me with problems; I find solutions.”The foodie in him loves that he runs the Taste of Sunnyside Restaurant Week. In 1994, he began renting his one-bedroom apartment in Astoria, Queens, on the top floor of a four-story walk-up.

Persons: Dirk McCall de Palomá, ”, McCall de Palomá, “ Organizations: Sunnyside, Columbia University Locations: Sunnyside, Queens, Georgia, New York, Astoria , Queens

☆ It’s Never Too Late to Be a Style Influencer
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

“It’s Never Too Late” is a series that tells the stories of people who decide to pursue their dreams on their own terms. Lyn Slater will be the first to tell you her life has been a series of happy accidents and purposeful metamorphoses. “Because I’m constantly reinventing myself, my life is always a surprise. I’m very in the moment,” said Ms. Slater, 70, a former professor of social work at Fordham University in New York. It has created endless adventures, surprises, incredible friendships and profound learning.”

Persons: “, Lyn Slater, I’m, ”, Slater Organizations: Fordham University Locations: New York

☆ How a Weekend News Anchor Who Wakes Up Before Dawn Spends Her Sundays
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“I’m more of a morning than a night person,” Shannan Ferry said. That’s lucky for her, since she has been getting up at 1:47 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday for the past two years. “The early hours work against your body clock, but I’ve trained mine to it,” Ms. “When people are waking up, I’ve lived most of my whole day.”Ms. In November 2021, the station, part of Spectrum News, launched the weekend show.

Persons: “, I’ve, Ferry, Rocco Vertuccio Organizations: NY1, Spectrum News Locations: Shannan, Chelsea, Queens

☆ Wedding Fashion Goes Beyond the Binary
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Moments before MJ Zayas and Donald John Krams exchanged vows on Sept. 24, 2022, at the Loft by Bridgeview, an events space in Island Park, N.Y., Mr. Krams was brought to tears when he saw his soon-to-be spouse for the first time. “The green was a must. “Wearing this ensemble and seeing my husband cry at how beautiful he thought I looked in it were the most affirming and unforgettable moments of my life.”Mx. They accessorized with combat boots and a large, exaggerated black bow that hung purposefully around their neck — a stark but complementary contrast to Mr. Krams’s rented suit from Men’s Wearhouse. (Mr. Krams, 34, is an operations associate for Moncler, the luxury coat company.)

Persons: MJ Zayas, Donald John Krams, Krams, ”, Zayas, “, Krams’s, Wearhouse Organizations: Bridgeview, Moncler Locations: Park, N.Y, Plainview

☆ How a Law School Student at N.Y.U. Spends Her Sundays
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

She is a dual-degree graduate student at New York University, where she attends both its business and law schools. “I’m always in need of sleep, but I’m OK with sacrificing sleep,” said Ms. Scott, 26, who grew up in Harlem. “I wanted to help other Black women have an easier, better experience than I had,” she said. “Most people are like, ‘It’s crazy you’re doing all of this,’ but they’re not surprised knowing who I am. I’m surpassing society’s expectations of me.”Ms. Scott lives in a two-bedroom apartment in campus housing in NoHo in Manhattan.

Persons: Talia Scott, “ I’m, ”, Scott, “, they’re, Ms Organizations: New York University Locations: Harlem, Black, NoHo, Manhattan

☆ How a Friend of the High Line Spends His Sundays
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Alan van Capelle spends a lot of time trying to foster equality and a sense of belonging as the executive director of Friends of the High Line, the nonprofit that oversees the park’s operations. He grew up on Commack, Long Island, and is now living a life he never thought possible as a Jewish, biracial, gay man. “You either died early of AIDS or were alone, abandoned by family,” he said. “I’m living the dream because I never knew I could have a husband and two kids.”Mr. van Capelle was one of the lead architects of the marriage equality campaign in New York, and is married to Matthew Morningstar, 48, an executive vice president at LPL Financial, a financial services firm in Manhattan. They live in a two-bedroom on the Lower East Side with their sons Patrick, 9, and Ethan, 12, whom they adopted at birth.

Persons: Alan van Capelle, ”, van Capelle, “, ” Mr, Matthew Morningstar, Patrick, Ethan Organizations: LPL Locations: Long, New York, Manhattan

☆ Trudging Through Sobriety and Other Challenges, One Step at a Time
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

In March 2018, Morgan Olivia Hartman, who was new to Alcoholics Anonymous, attended the Miami district annual A.A. banquet dinner. Phillip Xavier de Amezola, who had been sober for four years at the time, was also there, seated at another table. Though the two had been attending the same local morning meetings since the previous October, they had not truly connected. Until, that is, each observed the Swedish ivy plants serving as centerpieces on the banquet tables. “Part of what makes the plant special and significant is that people are supposed to cut the leaves off, replant them, and let the plant continue to grow.”

Persons: Morgan Olivia Hartman, Phillip Xavier de Amezola, “, W, Ms, Hartman Organizations: Anonymous Locations: Miami, A.A

☆ From Sketch to Runway, the Making of a Bridal Collection
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“I start with the fabric, that’s most important,” said Ms. Schoneveld, 40, who usually begins working on her collection around six months before the presentation. “It’s the visual and textural foundation.”This year, Ms. Schoneveld presented her spring 2024 line at New York Bridal Fashion Week, which took place Oct. 10-12. She debuted her designs at the Horizon Bridal Showcase, a white-box space near Hudson Yards in Manhattan that some bridal designers have used to showcase their newest collections. To get an insider’s feel for what goes into presenting a collection, I followed Ms. Schoneveld’s journey to creating her line, from conception to completion — and every step in between. Here is an edited and condensed summary, in Ms. Schoneveld’s own words, about how the collection took shape.

Persons: Rebecca Schoneveld, “, ”, Schoneveld, Schoneveld’s Organizations: York Locations: Pleasantville, N.Y, Hudson Yards, Manhattan

☆ The Making of a Custom Wedding Veil
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Wedding dresses involved many different fittings and customizing to a person’s body — there was a tremendous amount of work, which was hard to keep up with. Creating a custom veil is an intimate and unique experience where the bride and I are designing together. I send videos of me making the veil, and I show the bride the veil before I box it up and send it off. For custom orders, the timeline depends on the complexity of the lace and handwork involved, typically four to eight months. It can take over 10 hours for a simple veil or 65 hours for a three-tier blusher — a superlong, cathedral-like veil.

Persons: Covid Locations: Etsy

☆ How an Ice Cream Scooper and Aspiring Actor Spends His Sundays
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Denzel Rodriguez has mastered the ice cream scoop. “The flick of the wrist is important,” said Mr. Rodriguez, 21, who goes by Zel. And once the ice cream is in the cup or cone, give it a tap with the scooper to make sure it’s a perfect circle.”This is his third summer practicing his technique, working May to September at the family-owned scoop shop Sugar Hill Creamery in Harlem. Mr. Rodriguez, whose parents immigrated to the United States from Honduras, grew up in public housing. “That’s taught me that life isn’t about your environment, and your environment doesn’t define who you are.

Persons: Denzel Rodriguez, ”, Rodriguez, Zel, Michelle Williams, Hong, “, “ I’ve, “ That’s Locations: Harlem, Hong Chau, United States, Honduras

☆ How the Artistic Director at SummerStage Spends Her Sundays
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It is no surprise that Erika Elliott, the executive artistic director at SummerStage, celebrates New York through music. “There’s this cathartic, exciting and energetic feeling in an all-green public space when the audience and the artist and the stage all come together.”The music festival, run by the City Parks Foundation, started in 1986. This summer there are nearly 80 SummerStage shows in 13 parks across the city. The season, which started on June 3 with a performance by the band Hippo Campus in Central Park, ends Oct. 2 in Coney Island with the Yeshiva Boys Choir. In between are some standout superstars: Grandmaster Flash in Crotona Park; Tanya Tucker in Central Park; and Grand Wizzard Theodore and Monie Love, who are part of the festival’s 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop celebration.

Persons: Erika Elliott, “, ”, Elliott, Grandmaster Flash, Tanya Tucker, Theodore, Monie Love, Estarlin Trejo, Ethan, Ellie Organizations: SummerStage, City Parks Foundation, Yeshiva Boys, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Locations: New York, California, Central Park, Coney Island, Crotona, Mott Haven, Bronx

☆ For Luck in Love, Couples Are Breaking Plates (On Purpose)
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The act of breaking plates is believed to represent a couple’s first moment of unity and teamwork. “I’m known for mixed-culture weddings,” Ms. Lee-DePasquale said. “Blending those cultures together is best done by understanding customs, traditions and rituals.”For the past 13 years, Ms. Lee-DePasquale has worked with couples to incorporate their cultures into modern celebrations. The more shards, the more luck the couple would experience.”Centuries later, a second step in this ritual emerged. “The couple sweep up the broken shards together to chase away the evil spirits and to represent their first shared task,” Ms. Lee-DePasquale said.

Persons: Harrington, ”, Meena Lee, “, Ms, Lee, DePasquale Locations: Manhattan, American

☆ How a Creator of a Women-Centric Whiskey Brand Spends Her Sundays
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Kate Rosante’s passion for cocktails is thanks to her father, who built a bar in the living room of her childhood home. “I loved gathering around the guests and fetching drinks,” said Ms. Rosante, 43, a co-founder of the bourbon brand Boss Molly (slang for a stubborn female mule). “The bourbon world is hypermasculine and very niche,” she said. “We have respect for the tradition, but we didn’t feel it spoke to us. For the past seven years they have spent their summers in Amagansett, where they own a two-bedroom 1940s cottage.

Persons: Kate Rosante’s, “, ”, Rosante, Molly, Ms, Boss Molly, Brandi Bowles, Victoria Horn, Adam Rosante, influencer Organizations: Lexington Locations: Long, Amagansett

☆ Why Do Couples Tie Cans to Wedding Cars?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Weddings are steeped in tradition, but where did those rituals come from? “Traditions,” a new column, explores the origins of various wedding customs from around the world. “The cans were my idea,” said Ms. Frye, 38, an actress. “I wanted a visual that symbolized the joy of our relationship.”She added that “the car was a chance to honor my dad. The cans spoke to my marriage, Nick’s last name, Andy Warhol and our passion for art.” Mr. Campbell, 36, is the founder of two art consultancy businesses, Narcissus Arts and Campbell Art Advisory.

Persons: Kelly Frye, Nick Campbell, ”, Frye, “, Nick’s, Andy Warhol, Mr, Campbell Organizations: Rothko, Hudson, Narcissus Arts, Campbell Art Locations: Houston, Austin , Texas

☆ It’s Never Too Late to Become a Nurse
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Since, on your first nursing job, you unexpectedly found yourself assigned to the I.C.U. floor and caring for Covid patients, did you ever regret your decision to become a nurse? I wasn’t afraid to be the person watching someone die, or being with them when they were. I was good at being present as they passed, and I could work under a tremendous amount of stress. Once you were accepted into a nursing program, you realized you were one of the oldest people attending.

☆ How a Recycling Leader Spends His Sundays
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

PROCESS We meet in the back room of the Revision Lounge, a bar in the East Village, where one of the members works. As a theater company, we’re still learning what life after the pandemic is like. POOR PLAYERS We usually break out our scripts and refine what we’ve done or are transforming. Our next play is Macbeth, which we perform at various places, the bar, Sure We Can, or at people’s homes. Every actor learns the complete text of the play and we change roles on impulse so it’s constantly shifting.

Persons: we’re, it’s, They’re Locations: East

☆ The Bridal Industry Is Having a Swimsuit Moment
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Marigo Mihalos Sfaelos brought many outfits to her four-day, event-filled wedding in Karpathos, Greece, last year. There was the silk citrine Greek goddess-style dress, a floral appliqué Estee Couture bridal gown, and a disco ball-inspired floor-length dress for the after party. “I wanted it to be a bridal look that stood out, and the bride should stand out,” said Mrs. Mihalos Sfaelos, 35, a senior director of talent relations at SiriusXM radio in New York. “You can’t just wear a white bathing suit.”Other brides seem to feel the same way, especially with destination weddings, and designers and stylists are paying close attention. Today’s bridal swimwear are not just fashion-forward white bathing suits — they are beaded and bedazzled, fancy and frilly, lacy and Lycra-fitted, and custom made.

Persons: Marigo Mihalos Sfaelos, Karen Sabag’s Rêver, ”, Mihalos Sfaelos, Spiro Sfaelos, lacy Locations: Karpathos, Greece, New York

☆ The Tempestuous Lives of Secondhand Furniture
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“When I saw how this apartment was staged before I rented it, I was inspired to do the same layout, so I knew what kind of table I needed,” she said. Two months into her search, she saw a post that promised a gorgeous, 42-inch walnut wood and brass dining room table in good condition. It was part of the décor at Günter Seeger, a Michelin-starred restaurant that was closing in the West Village. “I met the owners and could tell they were sad about selling these pieces. There’s romanticism and story behind them,” said Ms. Lobel, who has learned that anything and everything is findable — and sellable — on e-commerce sites, especially Facebook Marketplace.

Persons: Jacqueline Lobel, Günter Seeger, “, ”, Lobel Organizations: Michelin, Facebook Locations: Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, West

☆ The Relief: Finding an Apartment. The Remorse: Living In It.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

She had a deep and important relationship that lasted four years — with her studio apartment in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. It was an open layout with two huge closets and a separate, small kitchen,” said Ms. Strassberg, 31, who is a branded content editor at the Hearst Corporation. In April 2021, she met William Muschinske, a 30-year-old graphic designer from Oklahoma, on the dating app Bumble. Their relationship grew quickly. Most of his time was spent working and living at Ms. Strassberg’s.

Persons: Rebecca Strassberg, “, ”, Strassberg, I’d, Ms, William Muschinske, Muschinske, Fran Organizations: Hearst Corporation Locations: Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, Midwood , Brooklyn, Oklahoma, Bazaarvoice, Gowanus , Brooklyn

☆ How a Neurodiverse Musical Theater Artist Spends Sundays
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

This month, Sarah Kaufman will play the witch in the musical “Into the Woods” at the A.R.T./New York Mezzanine Theater in Midtown Manhattan. EPIC Players, a nonprofit theater company based in Brooklyn that features neurodiverse actors, is producing the musical, which is running June 8-18. Three years ago, the theater artist and writer was diagnosed with autism. “Before getting diagnosed and getting the correct help, I was unaware of the ways my environment was affecting me,” Mx. Kaufman, who, along with Shane Dittmar, the musical director for “Into the Woods,” started a nonbinary writing team called They & Them, as well as a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired fantasy musical podcast, “The Reality Shaper.”

Persons: Sarah Kaufman, Kaufman, “, Shane Dittmar, ” Organizations: EPIC, Mx, “ Locations: New York, Midtown Manhattan, Brooklyn

☆ How the Head of a Filmmaking Center Spends His Sundays
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Making the documentaries “was like waving a magic wand,” he said. “We began winning the fights and realized the power we had.”They also realized they had power as a couple. Mr. Alpert and Ms. Tsuno married in 1971 and the following year founded the Downtown Community Television Center, a community hub that produces award-winning documentaries and offers screenings and classes. Some 10,000 high school students have taken free documentary filmmaking classes there, said Mr. Alpert, a renowned director and producer himself. Ms. Tsuno, 78, visits them every week from her home in northern New Jersey, or sometimes they will visit her.

☆ This Designer Wants You to Look ‘Powerful’ on Your Wedding Day
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Alix Strauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When you’re attached to someone so closely there’s no way you can’t lose a piece of yourself. We were together for 10 years and married for four. People are doing shotgun weddings or going to Vegas. Weddings don’t have to be this big production. I love wearing a suit to weddings.

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