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Unpacked, Five Questions: The Secret Life of New York's Oldest Businesses

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Manage episode 504561798 series 3354098
Content provided by AFAR Media. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by AFAR Media or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

Welcome to Unpacked, Five Questions, a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of one great travel story. In this episode, host Katherine LaGrave sits down with feature writer Harrison Hill, who is working on his forthcoming book The Oracle's Daughter.

For his latest Afar feature celebrating New York City's 400th birthday, Harrison embarked on a borough-hopping journey to visit the oldest family-owned businesses across all five boroughs—from record stores and restaurants to bars and delis beloved by locals.

Harrison reveals how these century-old institutions survive by constantly evolving while maintaining their authentic character, and shares his surprising discoveries about the precarity and resilience of New York's most iconic establishments. He also opens up about approaching his home city of 19 years as a travel destination for the first time.

On this episode you'll learn

  • Why New York's oldest businesses are both unchanging foundations and constantly evolving enterprises
  • How iconic places like Katz's Deli and Sylvia's restaurant nearly didn't survive the pandemic
  • The secret subway trick to see NYC's original City Hall station
  • What "New Yorkness" really means according to longtime residents and business owners
  • Why Staten Island should be your next NYC adventure

Don't miss these moments

  • [02:33] Harrison's revelation about Katz's Deli serving a century-old vegan dish that's back on the menu
  • [03:33] The easy (but little-known) way to get from Brooklyn to Staten Island via the Verrazzano Bridge
  • [07:52] The semi-secret subway loop that reveals NYC's original City Hall station
  • [10:13] Meeting 91-year-old Mike Amedeo, the beloved "mayor" of Casa Amedeo in the Bronx
  • [14:04] How owning their building saved Sylvia's restaurant during COVID—and the precarity of even iconic NYC institutions
  • [16:14] Harrison's best advice for New York visitors: "Always look both ways before crossing a one-way street"

Resources

⁠Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our other podcasts, View From Afar, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.Unpacked by Afar is part of ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  continue reading

118 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 504561798 series 3354098
Content provided by AFAR Media. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by AFAR Media or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

Welcome to Unpacked, Five Questions, a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of one great travel story. In this episode, host Katherine LaGrave sits down with feature writer Harrison Hill, who is working on his forthcoming book The Oracle's Daughter.

For his latest Afar feature celebrating New York City's 400th birthday, Harrison embarked on a borough-hopping journey to visit the oldest family-owned businesses across all five boroughs—from record stores and restaurants to bars and delis beloved by locals.

Harrison reveals how these century-old institutions survive by constantly evolving while maintaining their authentic character, and shares his surprising discoveries about the precarity and resilience of New York's most iconic establishments. He also opens up about approaching his home city of 19 years as a travel destination for the first time.

On this episode you'll learn

  • Why New York's oldest businesses are both unchanging foundations and constantly evolving enterprises
  • How iconic places like Katz's Deli and Sylvia's restaurant nearly didn't survive the pandemic
  • The secret subway trick to see NYC's original City Hall station
  • What "New Yorkness" really means according to longtime residents and business owners
  • Why Staten Island should be your next NYC adventure

Don't miss these moments

  • [02:33] Harrison's revelation about Katz's Deli serving a century-old vegan dish that's back on the menu
  • [03:33] The easy (but little-known) way to get from Brooklyn to Staten Island via the Verrazzano Bridge
  • [07:52] The semi-secret subway loop that reveals NYC's original City Hall station
  • [10:13] Meeting 91-year-old Mike Amedeo, the beloved "mayor" of Casa Amedeo in the Bronx
  • [14:04] How owning their building saved Sylvia's restaurant during COVID—and the precarity of even iconic NYC institutions
  • [16:14] Harrison's best advice for New York visitors: "Always look both ways before crossing a one-way street"

Resources

⁠Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our other podcasts, View From Afar, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.Unpacked by Afar is part of ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  continue reading

118 episodes

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