Little Amal visits the Lower East Side

New York has had a very special visitor this month... Little Amal! She is the giant puppet representation of a 10 year old Syrian refugee girl, at the heart of a global event called 'The Walk'. The unique puppet is larger than life, at 12 feet (3.65 meters) tall.

Since July 2021 Amal has travelled through 85 cities, and been welcomed at 190 unique events, reaching an estimated 1 million people along the route of the 12 countries she has visited. Her visits represent all children fleeing war, violence and persecution and each with their own story.

Today, Amal visited a neighborhood that has, for nearly 200 years, been home to immigrants seeking a new life in the United States... the historic Lower East Side. I was so excited to be there this afternoon, to help welcome Amal. She began her journey by the Tenement Museum, where she heard of the immigrant families who used to call that building home. Then she journeyed down Broome Street, welcomed with celebratory music, past a historic synagogue, greeting the community there. Finally she continued down Broome Street, to meet the crowds in Chinatown.

Her events have been a fun gathering of communities across the city this month, but one that makes us remember the plight of those escaping horrors in search of a better life.

My video features the highlights of her journey today.

Schedule Updates

Thank you all once again for your support!

As we head through 2022 and then into 2023, we have made some changes to our schedule. Our main schedule moving forward after the Summer will be:
-Central Park: available Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
(2pm Central Park available by request)
-Art Deco & Midtown Landmarks: Available 10am Monday, Wednesday, Friday
-Victorian Flatbush: Available 10am on most Sundays, except during winter

Our street art tours, our High Line & Hudson Yards tour, Billionaires Row, Prospect Park, and other popular tours remain available upon request. We also continue, of course, to accept other private or custom tour inquiries.

We look forward to seeing you soon on tour!

In The News

This past week, I was interviewed by Crain’s New York about the state of the NYC tourism industry. Like all aspects of the tourism and hospitality industries, this crisis has remained turbulent for working tour guides, with this winter extra hard. We are still operating, and still safely providing excellent experiences in the city we love. And I will continue to let the world know that tour guides are passionate career professionals!

Also, The Jewish Chronicle’s latest roundup of all the newest attractions + sites in NYC featured me in their “Insider hot list” of their personal recommendations.

We hope to see you in NYC this year for one of our many great tour experiences!

Unsung Hero on BBC's Elis James and John Robins Show

This past week, I was interviewed by Elis James and John Robins on their BBC radio program. Each week they do a segment called “Unsung Heroes”, where they talk to various people who have played a big part in something well known to the public, but also not very recognized. This week, they featured NYC tourism (one our city’s top industries!) and interviewed me from my perspective on this industry as a professional guide.

You can listen to the episode here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001092g

My segment starts at 34:34

A Look Inside A Victorian Flatbush Mansion

My Victorian Flatbush walking tour is available most weekends, and is a great way to explore a lesser-known historical section of Brooklyn, and of course see some beautiful homes on a pleasant walk. It was named in 2017 by Time Out New York as one of "10 fascinating architecture tours in NYC". Come discover why!

One house that always stands out during the tour is 1305 Albemarle Road. This home is a huge mansion in Prospect Park South... the ritziest of the many developments that comprise "Victorian Flatbush". This was a development planned at the end of the 19th century by Dean Alvord. This area was landmarked in 1979. This particular home was originally built for a wealthy individual named George E. Gale and dates back to 1905.

(Right across the street is the other 1905 Victorian treasure best known for the amazing annual Halloween decorations done every year by its current owner, playwright David Lindsay Abaire)

The house is currently on the market. While my tour does not go inside any of these private homes, I did have an opportunity to tour it recently. Below is a video I filmed of my walk around this mansion. Not easy to cover every room in just 10 minutes!

It still has many of its original details + fixtures, though the appliances and bathrooms have all been beautifully modernized. It last sold in early 2017 for $3.2 million... they are now asking $12 million, which would be easily an all-time Victorian Flatbush sales record if they get even close to that ask. The current homeowners did significant restoration and repair work to this mansion during their time here.

What would YOU pay for this home?

Destination New York

I was featured in the latest episode of Destination New York, a monthly series highlighting tourism + travel opportunities throughout this state. In it, I discuss the importance of hiring a live tour guide. In the segment, the reporter followed me on a recent one of my Victorian Flatbush tours, in which I spotlight a neighborhood with numerous hidden gems of history and architecture.

Booking a tour guarantees a personal experience guided by a friendly & knowledgeable local, who can show you and teach you things that even most locals do not know. I am continuing to offer such experiences, and I thank Destination New York for spotlighting live tours.

Thank You!

I have been so grateful for the amazing feedback we keep receiving week after week from customers on my tours. Over what has been a very difficult year and a half now, I am proud to still be operating and providing 5-star experiences. Travel and exploration remains one of the great pleasures that helps fulfill our lives. I have adapted where necessary, and continue to keep up evolving safety guidance, but my passion for this city remains unchanged. Thank you to all who have supported Custom NYC Tours, and I can’t wait for another season of helping folks make New York memories.

Here is a sampling of some reviews from the past year:

Rediscovering New York: Highbridge and Concourse

I was once again back on the “Rediscovering New York” podcast this week. This episode covered two neighboring sections of the Bronx… Highbridge and Concourse. The origins of both neighborhood names are very literal!

This is probably the most visited part of the Bronx, as it is home to Yankee Stadium. And yet outside of that famous attraction, most New Yorkers know very little about the neighborhood! I was happy to help fill in some blanks in my segment, discussing not just the unique history, but also the gorgeous Art Deco treasures that came by found in our northernmost borough.

I have done private Bronx Art Deco walking tours in the past, and am always happy to take a request for another!

You can listen as a podcast here: The Grand Concourse and Highbridge, The Bronx
(Or: Find the show via Spotify, or on Apple Podcasts)

Rediscovering New York: Dyker Heights

I returned again to the ‘Rediscovering New York’ radio program yesterday, this time discussing a lesser-known Brooklyn neighborhood… Dyker Heights! This is a neighborhood almost exclusively known to outsiders for its famed residential Christmas lights displays. On the program, I discussed this neighborhood’s history, and how a slow-to-develop corner of Brooklyn became a highly sought-after suburban starting at the end of the 19th century. From New York’s only remaining active military base to a large public golf course and massive homes, Dyker Heights stands out amongst many other neighborhoods.

Every December, I offer personalized, private walking tours of Dyker Heights and its world-famous Christmas pageantry. If interested, you can book your tour on our seasonal tours page.

You can listen as a podcast here: A Little Bit Of Italy In Southwest Brooklyn
(Or: Find the show via Spotify, or on Apple Podcasts)

Rediscovering New York: Red Hook

I was back on the ‘Rediscovering New York’ radio program yesterday, this time discussing one of my favorite Brooklyn neighborhoods… Red Hook! It was a fun episode to do, with me discussing the area’s storied history, and the owner of the local Red Hook Lobster Pound discussing Red Hook’s unique businesses and culture.

Once home to dock workers and the nation’s busiest container port, Red Hook reinvented itself in the last 15 years as a hub of small-batch manufacturing, art, and trendy eateries. Massive artist studios, whiskey distilleries, small urban wineries, chocolate factories, ice cream factories, custom furniture & glass-blowing artisans, and a picturesque view of the Statue of Liberty and harbor… all this and much more awaits you in Red Hook. It has the feel of a New England cape town tucked away in a corner of Brooklyn.

Contact us for a custom tour of Red Hook this Spring or Summer!

You can listen as a podcast here: Red Hook
(Or: Listen via Spotify, or on Apple Podcasts)

Rediscovering New York: Brooklyn's Own Bushwick‪‬

I was back on the “Rediscovering New York” radio show again this week… this episode’s neighborhood focus was historic Bushwick, in Brooklyn. While my tours there focus on the vibrant street art scene, the area’s history and culture goes on and on. I discuss the 17th-century origins of Bushwick, how it has evolved over centuries, and the debates over its current changes today.

You can listen as a podcast here: Brooklyn's Own Bushwick‪‬
(Or: Listen via Spotify)

What's THAT building?

When I do tours in lower Manhattan, I always discuss the very famous landmarks that we pass. But I also get many other questions about the less-than-famous, but still striking and important, buildings we pass along the way. Here's a collection of some of these interesting buildings, with photos taken on my walk yesterday:

Photo 1: The Manhattan Municipal Building (today, formally known as The David N. Dinkins Municipal Building), completed in 1914 on plans by McKim, Mead & White. This building is just a block northeast of City Hall. After the 1898 consolidation of the five boroughs, it became clear that the now much, much larger city needed more space for its growing government. At 40 stories high, it is a rare municipal skyscraper. It was constructed at the end of the nationwide City Beautiful movement, which pushed for grand civic architecture: beauty not only for its own sake, but also to create moral and civic virtue among urban populations. The statue atop the building is known as Civic Fame.

2: The E. V. Haughwout Building stands out among the many buildings of the SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District. Built in 1857, it originally housed Eder V. Haughwout's fashionable emporium. What the building is most famous for is having been the home of the world's first passenger elevator when it opened, a hydraulic lift designed by Elisha Graves Otis (it was powered by a steam engine in the basement). At just five stories, the building hardly required an elevator, but Haughwout knew that people would come to see the new novelty, and stay to buy his goods. In modern times, the building housed an Artists & Fleas location on the ground floor, with offices above.

3: 240 Centre Street, as the old signage on the building reads, was formerly the headquarters of the New York City Police Department (from 1909 to 1973). Much like the Municipal Building, after consolidation, the city required a bigger HQ for its police. After the police moved downtown, the building became a landmark, and was eventually converted into luxury condominiums in 1988. Recent sale prices in the building range from $1.6M last year for a 1-bedroom to $27.9M for a 5,500 ft² penthouse in 2017.

4: This famous corner building is the financial district (at 56 Beaver St) is best known as the home of Delmonico's. The original Delmonico's opened in 1827 in this area, before eventually moving to this famous corner, where it gained a nationwide reputation. This current building came decades later. Delmonico's is credited with being one of the first American restaurants to allow patrons to order from a menu à la carte (ordering individual dishes), as opposed to table d'hôte (a prix fixe menu offering that had previously been the norm). The corner building also shows the landmarked colonial-era street pattern of this part of Manhattan. Due to its look, it is nowadays often mistaken as the building used for the facade of the fictional The Continental hotel in the "John Wick" movies which is actually a few blocks north on Beaver Street...

5: 1 Wall Street Court, also known as the Beaver Building, was once the home of the New York Cocoa Exchange... and in the "John Wick" films is a hotel for assassins run with strict rules by its manager, Winston. The building dates back to 1904. Most of the building today is residential, with restaurant space on the main floor. Most of the interior scenes (and roof scenes) for the Continental were shot elsewhere-- from the old Cunard Building to Rockefeller Center -- or on sets.

6: 32 Avenue of the Avenues, also known as the AT&T Long Distance Building, is an Art Deco telecommunications building completed in 1932. The building has two twin antennas on the roof. No longer owned by AT&T, it has several high-profile tenants today, including several of the city's top FM radio stations. It is in Tribeca, at the intersections of 6th Ave, Lispenard St, and Beach St. Like many Art Deco buildings, its landmarked lobby features gorgeous murals and mosaics.

7: 33 Thomas Street, formerly known as the AT&T Long Lines Building, is the Brutalist cousin to the previous building, and was completed in 1974. It is said to be one of the most secure buildings in America, and was designed to be self-sufficient with its own gas and water supplies along with generation capabilities and protected from nuclear fallout for up to two weeks after a nuclear blast. It is still a secure telecommunications building, with many rumors for years about other uses, leading to pop-culture depictions ranging from the obscure 1979 film "Winter Kills" to episodes of "The X-Files" and "Mr. Robot" in modern times. Modern exposes peg it as the likely location of a NSA mass surveillance hub codenamed TITANPOINTE.

8: The "Jenga Building" is what locals have dubbed this Tribeca residential skyscraper at 56 Leonard Street. Completed in 2017, it was designed by the Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron, which described the design inspiration as "houses stacked in the sky." With most modern residential skyscrapers adopting fairly uniform designs, the unique architecture of this building has helped it stand out amidst an increasingly crowded skyline (you can its much taller neighbor to the south-- One World Trade Center-- in this shot). Recent sales price have ranged from $2.975M for a 1-bedroom to $21.5M for the 5,252 ft² top penthouse on the 57th floor.

9: A look up at "houses stacked in the sky" at 56 Leonard.

10: This gorgeous landmark is right across the street from our first building, at 31 Chambers Street. The gorgeous Beaux Arts building was completed in 1907 as the Hall of Records, and today is The Surrogate's Courthouse. The building today also houses the city's Municipal Archives in the basement, which is open to the public. There are dozens of sculptures on the facade, including eminent figures from the city's past, such as Peter Stuyvesant, DeWitt Clinton, David Pietersen De Vries, and mayors Caleb Heathcote, Abram Stevens Hewitt, Philip Hone, Cadwallader David Colden, and James Duane. The building has (in this guide's opinion) one of the most gorgeous lobbies in New York City.

That's it!

Anyone have a favorite building in lower Manhattan?

Onward to 2021!

Thank you to all who have supported Custom NYC Tours over the past year. It was truly appreciated, now more than ever.

I am proud that I remained a strong ambassador for this city that I love. A city I believe in. And I am proud of every single tour I gave this year, largely to locals who share my love of discovering new things about this city. I look forward to welcoming back groups from afar next year.

As we soon enter 2021, I urge all to support local businesses and neighborhoods first. The road to recovery begins there. And, as the year goes on, the doors of the wider world will reopen. I look forward to seeing you there!

In addition to my usual public tours (see our tour menu above), we have expanded dates for our special tours through the end of June. All tours— whether public or private— will operate with 10 people max, to ensure an experience that is both safe and personalized. These special tours are: a private version of our Central Park tour, a private version of our Midtown architecture tour, our Lower East Side Street Art tour, our Brooklyn Street Art tour, a private version of our Prospect Park tour, our Queens World’s Fair Nostalgia Tour, and our Bronx Art Deco Architecture tour.

We hope to see you on tour in 2021, and we wish everyone a new year of recovery and happiness.

Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Tour

Thanks to my friend Megan for producing this wonderful video from one of my Dyker Heights Christmas Lights tours! Every December, I love showing locals or out-of-town visitors what is NYC’s most festive holiday lights tradition. I have been giving this walking tour since 2016, and it is a favorite of mine.

I offer a private walking tour, to ensure the most personalized experience of these lights, bringing people to the best blocks in the area. Discover amazing homes most of the other big-group tours skip! You can book your own tour HERE, or contact me with inquiries.

Rediscovering New York: New York as a Colony

I was back on the “Rediscovering New York” radio show again this week… the topic this time was the Dutch and British colonial era of New York. I was honored to be on the show with Russell Shorto, author of “The Island at the Center of the World”, the seminal work on the New Amsterdam colony of the 17th-century that would change the world forever. I was in the final segment, discussing the British era that gave rise to a revolution that founded our nation.

You can listen as a podcast here: New York as a Colony - When the Dutch and the British Ruled