7-Eleven Expands in Manhattan

7-Eleven, America’s beloved convenience store, has been working hard to expand in Manhattan since 2011. Though the chain struggled a bit in the beginning, it has since opened 37 stores in NY, with its five newest venues opening in the past six months.

In lieu of its rapid expansion, 7-Eleven launched an innovation group aimed at testing new digital offerings for customers. The project, which began two years ago, has tested products ranging from Amazon Lockers to automated key-making kiosks.

"When a retailer comes to New York City, you have to win over the city and earn your spot- you can’t just come in with your normal concept,” Johannes Leonardo’s chief executive Mike Duda said. “Utilities like the Amazon Locker and other things are something smart and extra that you can’t get somewhere else.”

The chain is also making some changes, including its new fresh salad options as well as craft beer sales. It will be changing its appearance a bit as well, softening harsh lighting and colors with new awnings and other aesthetic features. In the past, the convenience store chain has dealt with complaints from local blogs and activists. The store hopes its new improvements will help ease some of the neighborhood’s concerns while continuing to attract business from both Midtown residents and visitors.

 

New York Ancient Art Gallery Unveils New Exhibition



'Sacred Scents and Flames from the Ancient World'-
Phoenix Ancient Art

Phoenix Ancient Art, a dealer of rare and exquisite antiquities, recently unveiled a new exhibition called “Sacred Scents and Flames from the Ancient World.” The gallery, which will be displayed at the art dealer’s New York gallery, will showcase numerous items that were previously unpublished.

“The exhibition gives a fascinating opportunity to see an important selection of ancient lamps and the incense burners and to explore how the ancient civilizations of Pre-Classical and Classical world designed their lighting devices,” explained Ali Aboutaam, president of Phoenix Ancient Art.

“From the very beginning, various religions worshipped the eternal, divine flame, and even the most powerful kings had to pay a tribute to a flame. Incense, which is closely linked to fire and flame, quickly became the important element in the liturgical ceremonies in various religions,” he continued. “An Islamic bronze censer shaped as a feline, which is dated to the 11^th century A.D., is a masterpiece of the bronze cast technique; its surface is an open work in the shape of floral motifs, which allowed the perfumed smoke to escape and spread.”

Mr. Aboutaam went on to say that “Beside sensational gold and silver incense burners, elaborate and also expensive bronze lamps, there is a great number of rather simple clay Roman lamps which were apparently affordable for many at that time, but what an amazing information a contemporary collector can get looking at their reliefs. The bucolic scenes inspired by Virgil’s verses; a libation onto a small altar accompanied by a music; the images of Capitoline deities, the gladiatorial fight- it is like the life of the great Rome is reviving on these small representations.”

Sculpture Aims to Help New Yorkers Think Big

A new sculpture is up in Manhattan, and it is impressing Midtowners and tourists alike. Made from bronze and standing 12 feet tall, Jim Rennert's "Think Big" is located on 57th, and aims to encourage passersby to think big, and realize what people can accomplish both as individuals and as a race.
According to Rennert, the sculpture took five months to make.

IDT Energy Offers Incentives to New Customers

Electricity consumers living in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Illinois are eligible to participate in an innovative money saving plan when they sign up as a new customer with IDT Energy. There are two parts to the offer for new customers:

• A maximum of $50 on one month of electric service to be paid in the form of a rebate after the third billing cycle. In addition a second month of free electricity will be given, also with a maximum of $50, which will be rebated during the ninth month after sign-up.

• For no additional cost IDT Energy is offering an appliance protection plan for 6 months. Customers can choose to insure either their washing machine, dryer, oven or refrigerator. The plan does not require the customer to pay a deductible payment, nor are there any exclusions if the appliance has any pre-existing conditions. The plan covers both parts and labor, providing the customer with no unexpected or sudden bills for repairing their appliance.

Customers who already receive their electricity from IDT Energy are also eligible for a different money-saving plan. These customers can enjoy a 10% rate discount for any monthly Home Services plan which IDT offers through their Complete Protection service.

Residents of New York State are not yet eligible for either offer yet, but this program should be available to New York residents soon.

New York Religious Awakenings

The city that never sleeps could also be described as the city that always philosophizes.  At least, there are certainly a whole slew of opportunities for those who enjoy talks on different subjects who find themselves in the Big Apple.

For New Yorkers seeking to explore their Jewish routes, the Jewish Center provides “advanced educational initiatives, offering engaging and relevant courses on a wide variety of Jewish topics.” Located in the heart of Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the goal of the center is to “make the study of Torah and the pursuit of wisdom accessible to our members and the broader Jewish community.”

Rabbi Tully Bryks is another address for Jewish soul searchers in New York.  He can be reached online at all times with any questions on life, the world and the universe. The self-described “Rabbi With Answers,” Bryks’ focus is on a whole slew of philosophical subjects ranging from faith in God to finding one’s soul-mate. Bryks is also available to come to you to give a talk on your chosen subject related to religion.

For New York Christians – or just New Yorkers who want to get more involved in establishing a Christian presence, in their lives – New York’s Crenshaw Christian Center established more than a decade ago by Dr. Frederick K. C. Price offers training programs, baby dedications, classes for children, study sessions for adults and more.

Wannabe Buddhists can check out the city’s Eastern States Buddhist Temple of America, Inc. that offers daily Buddhist devotions, documentaries, celebrations and more.   For those specifically seeking happiness through Buddhism, Happy Science was established “to create utopia on Earth – to save all humankind through the worldwide dissemination of the universal Truth as taught by El Cantare, the Lord of all Gods.”

Midtown Manhattan Hosts Children's Literature Exhibit

The New York Public Library is celebrating children's literature with a new exhibit in Midtown Manhattan. The project, which features books ranging from 'The Cat in the Hat' to 'The Hobbit', lists 100 great books from the last 100 years.
The list also included books such as 'Where the Wild Things Are', 'Pippi Longstocking' and 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.'

Beloved children's author Eric Carle, famous for books like 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar', and 'Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?', as well as Judy Blume, author of  'Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing' and 'Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret', joined several librarians for a reading and panel discussion.

Leonard Marcus, moderator and curator of the exhibit, said: "Viewed over time, children's books are the collected memory of our hopes and dreams. They are the message in a bottle that each generation tosses out to the next generation in the hope that it may wash ashore and be read and be taken to heart."

Blume discussed her book 'Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing', explaining that when she was in fourth grade, the stories were already forming in her head. "But I never told anybody about them because I thought if I did they would think I was weird," she said.

Carle talked about his first book, 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar', revealing that the character was first created by folding paper. Carle originally thought he would be a bookworm, named Willie the Worm. "And I had this wonderful editor and she didn't like the worm so much," Carle explained.

Carle also read his new book 'Friends' to his young audience, a story about a boy on a journey to find his friend.

Midtown Manhattan Time Lapse

City time-lapse videos have been growing in popularity, with one of the latest ones capturing Midtown Manhattan in all it's glory. Even the most indifferent New Yorkers have been moved by the incredible shots, gleaming lights and familiar sounds of the City that Never Sleeps.

What about you?