Tap Into Untapped Cities
We’ve been reviewing some of the blogs that we here at Off the Grid like to follow to keep ourselves up-to-date on happenings both community-centered and across New York City. So far we have explored EV Grieve, the blog that is a must-follow for anyone interested in the East Village. We have also investigated Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York, which sadly laments vanishing businesses and buildings across New York City.
Today we thought we’d share a little love for untapped cities, a blog that helps its readers discover New York’s architecture and culture from the perspective of both experts and citizen journalists. We might be a little biased—founder Michelle Young interned with the Greenwich Village Society a number of years ago—but you can’t argue with their legions of fans both following the blog itself and on social media.
Of course the posts we tend to view most on untapped cities usually involve the Village. Some recent posts explore the history of Grove and MacDougal Streets and the concert venue the Fillmore East. Of course, other content occasionally catches our eye. The blog recently explored the photography of Aaron Rose, whose Coney Island photographs of the 1960s are currently on display at the Museum of the City of New York now through August 3. And perhaps my favorite feature is a series on the city’s “micro neighborhoods,” with posts that explore some of the ethnic enclaves in our neighborhoods.
One of the more interesting aspects of untapped cities is its myriad of contributors from all walks of life. The blog purposely blends contributions by experienced journalists along with posts by citizen contributors interested in sharing their local perspective. And while the blog primarily explores the confines of New York City, it also offers guides that can take you off to Rome, Melbourne, and Seoul, without leaving your desk. Its tagline, “urban discovery from a New York perspective,” does not disappoint. In fact, many of the blog’s contributors have traveled extensively to other cities.
If you are looking to explore somewhere new right here in New York City or abroad, untapped cities a definite must-read.