Kick Arse

I’ve long been obsessed with secret babies and taboos. Thus, my love for artist Federico Clapis. His babies aren’t the polished perfection of society’s status quo.

Mario Gonzales paints monsters and men. There’s little difference between them in his edgy, intriguing work. Famous for his tagline When it Reigns, I’m Poor, Mario makes art that speaks to the city.

New Yorkers know the name Dyckman. But many aren’t aware that this notoriety started with Dyckman Farmhouse. Luckily, it endures as a vital, engaging museum in Upper Manhattan.

WaterColor by Antonio lifts and lightens bodies with his work. There’s profound depth as well. That’s because strong lines and archetypal themes ground the work.

The Met Cloisters Museum graces Upper Manhattan with art, peace, and quiet. Not a religious place, it still feels like a spiritual sanctuary. That’s thanks to the calming spaces and extraordinary art collection.

The Henrick I. Lott House makes the long trek into Deep South Brooklyn well worthwhile. This 1719 home itself makes history.

Painter Nathan McKenney, AKA @early_touch, creates engrossing artwork. If you love to dive into a painting and get lost in multiple meanings, this is the painter for you.

Tom Otterness charms with The Real World. Bronze whimsical miniature figures tell funny stories. But there’s an undercurrent of conflict too.

American History resonates throughout Fraunces Tavern. Sons of Liberty plotted our Revolutionary War. Then at its end, George Washington bid his troops farewell here.

Iconoclast Alice Austen captured her world with a keen photographer’s eye. Ahead of her time, Austen started taking pictures at only ten years old. Lucky for us, she never stopped.

Veterans Day only comes once a year. But memorials are with us every day. In fact, Battery Park in lower Manhattan teems with veterans memorials.

The initial American Lefferts in the family was a first namer, Leffert Pietersen Van Haughwout. He arrived here on the Spotted Cow ship in 1660. The journey took seventy days across the Atlantic. Thank goodness he made it and then proceeded to marry and have 14 children. Brooklyn’s better off thanks to them. That’s true today due to the Lefferts Family Farmhouse landmark in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

‪The Little Red Lighthouse, a 40 foot wonder, saved lives along the Hudson River. In the 1800s, the river teamed with boats doing New York City business.

If the concept of Pompeii creeps you out, you should still go. We’ve all heard the tragic story of Pompeii. But misconceptions are prevalent.

Philipsburg Manor nestles beautifully in historic Sleepy Hollow, New York. It lies about a half hour train ride outside upper Manhattan. This landmark estate tour isn’t like the others.

Imagine capturing a hundred years in a townhouse time capsule. That’s what it’s like at the Merchant’s House Museum, thanks to Gertrude Tredwell.

La Basilica de la Sagrada Familia represents the culmination of Antoni Gaudi’s mastery. This glorious church lives and breathes. It’s a sacred place, even for a heathen like me.

Art is everywhere. But appreciating it takes thought and time. That means looking up from the phone and away from the screen… at least some of the time.

A focused figurative artist, Crixtover Edwin paints magical portraits. This painter bridges the fantasy reality gap with a delicate touch and bright details.