Summer Streets

Photo and Video by Rebecca Collins-Pfeiffer

Though many New Yorkers try to escape the city in the summer, we are enjoying all the city has to offer this season. For most of the year, outdoor activities are not conducive to busy New York streets, but for a few weekends of the summer the Department of Transportation runs “Summer Streets,” shutting down miles of city streets to traffic for residents to enjoy.

Walkers, runners, bikers, and even roller skaters can take advantage of these street shutdowns for a few more weeks and take in the city from a different perspective. The last days to enjoy the closures are August 17th in Manhattan, and August 24th in Brooklyn and the Bronx. Whether you go by foot, bike, or roller skate, you are sure to enjoy the summer treat.

“Les Voyageurs” by Bruno Catalano

Photos by Misia Delgado

Walking along Park Avenue in Manhattan, you may notice people are missing parts of themselves. Fortunately, you have not taken a turn into the Twilight Zone but have come across “Les Voyageurs”, or The Travelers, an installation by Bruno Catalano.

The artist, who settled in Marseille after leaving his homeland of Morocco at the age of ten, was a sea traveler who worked on boats. His first torso-less statue was the result of a casting accident, but now the gaps in these bronze statues are a signature of the sculptor.

Drawing from his own immigration journey when creating “Les Voyageurs”, Catalano’s statues depict the bodies of weary travelers, clutching onto a piece of luggage with a gap in their torso. Despite losing a part of themselves, these travelers move forward, luggage in hand.

USCIS California Service Center is Moving to a New Address

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced that the California Service Center will be moving to a new address, beginning Monday, August 12, 2024.  The  new address is  2642 Michelle Drive, Tustin, CA 92780.   

2024 Summer Olympics

Much like the rest of the world this week, we are all enjoying the Olympics. In New York, we watched the fan favorite women’s gymnastics all-around final right in our neighborhood, at Hudson Yards, cheering on American gymnasts Simone Biles and Suni Lee. The big screen under The Vessel offered a dramatic viewing experience while the gymnasts faced off. 

Across the pond in London, we tuned in from Grosvenor Square, the former home of the US Embassy in London, to watch the Women’s Swimming preliminary heat, while enjoying drinks and snacks from the surrounding food trucks. Fans of the Olympics in London and New York can enjoy these pop-up Olympic screenings through the closing of the games on August 11th.