Yonkers, in the early afternoon, is the sound of landscapers and slowly driven cars. A mere 20-minute walk from the city line, the area seems calm and distant. Yet in one of the large, well-kept houses that line the roads is an artist filled with the excitement and verve that comes from growing up in New York City. That artist is Julia Eisen-Lester. more

Given everything that tends to happen in horror films, a cemetery is perhaps the last place someone would want to be after dark. Yet, on a brisk late autumn night, a group of some 30 people piled into a trolley in the dark of night to traverse through Woodlawn Cemetery. more

Thanksgiving is here, and planning is underway for the festive meal traditionally shared with family and friends. more

A half mile from the Hudson River is a decades old music group that harvests relationships with the community at large to create an area rich and bountiful with classical music. Their cornucopia of work has been performed throughout New York City, but their home is the Northwest Bronx, and it is here where di.vi.sion showcases most of its orchestral work. more

The conductor stood in all black before the white-shirted sea of student ensemble percussionists. From the first motion of the director’s fist, the Hearth Room at Lehman College was filled with a frenetic yet carefully balanced and coordinated wave of excited Latin music. As they played, the director stood to the side, his head bent, evaluating the performance of his musicians. more

The art world can seem like a place far removed from the everyman. As a branch of academia’s ivory tower — with its galleries and shows, exclusive parties and galas — most of the art world stands aloof from the very idea of accessibility. more

If you shudder at the thought of sitting through three hours of Shakespeare, think again. If you’re disappointed after witnessing a mediocre production of Shakespeare, rejoice. Or, if you are simply curious and wonder what the fuss is all about, start making plans: A new king is in town. more

Late summer was clearly yellow jacket season. Exactly where they spent the earlier warm months was unclear, but by late August they were buzzing around beneath the park benches, busily crawling on discarded sugary snacks. more

The café is an important fixture in the urban culture. It’s a place where the monstrous echoes of elevated trains and the bustle of frustrated commuters fade away in favor of conversation, contemplation, and a certain sense of calm. more

A 1 train pulls into the West 231st Street station in Kingsbridge. On the side of it, rainbow flag decals in the shape of hearts. more