PHOTOS: Incredible LEGO Sculptures by Nathan Sawaya Hit Times Square

PHOTOS: Incredible LEGO Sculptures by Nathan Sawaya Hit Times Square

NYC LEGO fans won't want to miss famed brick artist Nathan Sawaya's latest batch of incredible LEGO sculptures, which popped up last week at Discovery Times Square. Called “The Art of the Brick,” the exhibition is a tour through Sawaya's creations depicting famous art works and sculptures throughout history using the colorful bricks. The installation, which is Sawaya’s largest to date, will be open to the public until January 5, 2014.

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6 Hot Ways to Stay Cool in NYC

6 Hot Ways to Stay Cool in NYC

New Yorkers experienced a bit of a breezy streak the past few weeks but it looks like the temps are about to soar once again. If you want to stay cool but aren't keen on blasting your air conditioning 24/7, check out our six fun and simple ways to escape the heat in NYC without wasting excess energy. From testing out your swimming skills to mastering the art of popsicle making, click through the gallery below for our best heat-beating tips.

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Mayor Bloomberg Set to Announce All-Borough Composting Program in NYC

Mayor Bloomberg Set to Announce All-Borough Composting Program in NYC

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is planning to announce a citywide composting plan that would divert 100,000 tons of food scraps from landfills annually. Tested through a spring pilot program on Staten Island in which 43 percent of residents participated in composting

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TRANSported Transforms Shipping Containers into Green-Walled Artist Habitats in NYC [PHOTOS]

TRANSported Transforms Shipping Containers into Green-Walled Artist Habitats in NYC [PHOTOS]

If you could hardly "contain" yourself (sorry) when you saw the shipping container food hall and beer garden that recently popped up at Southstreet Seaport, you'll love TRANSported, an art installation that graced Brookfield Place Plaza last month. Commissioned by Arts Brookfield, the riverfront public exhibition parked two 20-ft-long shipping containers right outside the former World Financial Center and filled them with thought-provoking art based on the theme of “Untapped Capital.” Inhabitat explored the containers and all that they had to offer including a vertical garden, solar energy harvesting, a coin-minting station and interactive crafts. Click through our gallery to see what we discovered.

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Could This Massive “Seaport City” Save NYC from Future Storms?

Could This Massive “Seaport City” Save NYC from Future Storms?

Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg revealed a detailed plan to protect NYC from the effects of climate change, and we're still trying to digest the whole thing (it's 397 pages long). One of the initiatives that stood out to us right away, however, was "Seaport City", a proposal for what would essentially be a new neighborhood along the eastern edge of Lower Manhattan. The idea is that the city would (subject to funding) build a multi-purpose levee to guard against future storm surges and then erect residential buildings atop that newly created land to subsidize some of the costs of the levee.

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6 Ways to Spend Father’s Day with Your Dad in NYC

6 Ways to Spend Father’s Day with Your Dad in NYC

Forget socks, ties or power tools; what your dad really wants for Father's Day is to spend it with his favorite kid - you! Whether you're 5 or 50, New York City will be buzzing with worthwhile things to do with your dad this Sunday, June 16th, and we've narrowed it down to our top 6 picks. From foraging for wild edibles to kayaking down the Hudson, check out our suggestions and enjoy them with your daddy-o.

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Black Tree Serves Up Yummy Sandwiches in a Cozy Reclaimed Interior on the Lower East Side

Black Tree Serves Up Yummy Sandwiches in a Cozy Reclaimed Interior on the Lower East Side

The Lower East Side just got a little more delicious thanks to the new Black Tree Sandwich Shop on Orchard Street. In addition to its menu of mouth-watering delights, the shop also boasts an interior that is made largely from upcycled materials. From handmade reclaimed wood tables to vintage speakers salvaged from a friend’s grandmother’s basement, Black Tree is a quaint place to get a tasty bite, or grab a refreshing drink from their well-stocked bar.

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PHOTOS: MoMA Store Windows Show Off Dynamic Moving Sculptures Made with littleBits

PHOTOS: MoMA Store Windows Show Off Dynamic Moving Sculptures Made with littleBits

littleBits may be small, but they're changing the way kids (and adults) learn and play in a big way. Like LEGO blocks - but dynamic - littleBits is a library of electronic components such as motors, lights and buzzers that allow users to take their creativity to the next level with light, motion and sound. To demonstrate some of the endless possibilities that can be unlocked with littleBits, the MoMA Design Store recently curated several animated displays made with the kits for their windows. Explore our gallery to see them all.

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Pinkcloud’s Pop-Up Hotels Turn Vacant NYC Offices into Instant Accommodations

Pinkcloud’s Pop-Up Hotels Turn Vacant NYC Offices into Instant Accommodations

Danish design firm Pinkcloud has come up with a unique pop-up hotel solution that can help save business owners money by converting empty Midtown Manhattan offices into temporary accommodations. With many NYC office buildings suffering from high vacancy rates, turning the disused spaces into hotel alternatives for tourists to generate income makes a lot of sense. Click through our gallery to see these instant pod hotels in action.

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NYC Officials Introduce New Bill to Regulate 3D-Printed Guns

NYC Officials Introduce New Bill to Regulate 3D-Printed Guns

Yesterday, Council Member Lewis Fidler (D-Brooklyn) introduced a new bill to regulate 3D-printed guns. The bill calls for regulation to make it illegal for anyone but a licensed gunsmith to produce a firearm using a 3D printer. With gun control laws currently

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Drive Change Food Truck Helps Former Youth Inmates Serve Sustainable Food

Drive Change Food Truck Helps Former Youth Inmates Serve Sustainable Food

New York-based start up Drive Change offers formerly incarcerated youngsters the opportunity to serve up locally-sourced food with a side of social justice. With the already competitive job market, finding employment as a former youth inmate can be very difficult,

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NYC Lawyers Argue to Bring Back Bloomberg’s Soda Ban

NYC Lawyers Argue to Bring Back Bloomberg’s Soda Ban

Apparently, Mayor Bloomberg isn’t quite ready to give up his fight against sugary sodas. City lawyers approached the appellate courts on Tuesday in an attempt to reinstate the soda ban (which was overturned by courts nearly three months ago) once again

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Harlem Grown Urban Farm Gives Unemployed Single Moms a Chance to Earn Some Green

Harlem Grown Urban Farm Gives Unemployed Single Moms a Chance to Earn Some Green

Harlem Grown is giving out-of-work, single moms a chance to earn some green while growing greens at their neighborhood urban farm. Four mothers whose children attend P.S. 175 Henry H. Garnet School of Success will serve as trainees for the program, which

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NYSERDA Announces $10 Million in Funding for Best Proposal to Upgrade New York’s Electric Grid

NYSERDA Announces $10 Million in Funding for Best Proposal to Upgrade New York’s Electric Grid

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority is calling for proposals to re-engineer New York State’s electric grid using smart grid technology, and they’re offering the winner $10 million in funding. Applicants are being asked to submit

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New FEMA Report Increases NYC Flood Danger Zone to Include 400,000 Residents and 70,000 Buildings

New FEMA Report Increases NYC Flood Danger Zone to Include 400,000 Residents and 70,000 Buildings

Yesterday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency proposed changes to NYC’s decades-old flood zone maps that nearly double the number of people and buildings at risk to 400,000 residents and 70,000 buildings. Though a two-year review is still required

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Annual PlaNYC Report Shows NYC is Set to Exceed Climate Change Goals by 2030

Annual PlaNYC Report Shows NYC is Set to Exceed Climate Change Goals by 2030

According to an annual progress report released last week, PlaNYC is on track to exceed its greenhouse gas reduction goals by the year 2030. The paper measured progress on more than 100 citywide initiatives launched by the mayor’s office to meet its

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Santiago Calatrava’s World Trade Center “Oculus” Transportation Hub Begins to Take Flight

Santiago Calatrava’s World Trade Center “Oculus” Transportation Hub Begins to Take Flight

Santiago Calatrava’s World Trade Center Transportation Hub was nothing more than a series of beams and cranes until recently, but now the essence of the structure is finally beginning to emerge. The Port Authority released new images this week of the interior

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6 Can’t-Miss Outdoor Bars to Experience This Summer in New York City

6 Can’t-Miss Outdoor Bars to Experience This Summer in New York City

The weather has finally warmed up in NYC, and what better way to celebrate than by sipping a cocktail al fresco? Whether it’s poolside on a roof or in an easy chair along the Hudson, there’s nothing like breathing in the Big Apple from an outdoor perspective - especially with your favorite drink in hand! We’ve rounded up six of our favorite outdoor bars in NYC for your imbibing pleasure - click through our gallery to see them all.

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E-Hail Taxi Apps Ruled OK (For Now) by NYC Court

E-Hail Taxi Apps Ruled OK (For Now) by NYC Court

New Yorkers can shout a big “hail yes!” in response to a recent court ruling, which overturns a temporary restraining order blocking users from hailing yellow cabs via their smartphones. The Appellate Division’s First Department granted permission for

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12 Things to Know Before Using NYC’s New Citi Bike Share Program

12 Things to Know Before Using NYC’s New Citi Bike Share Program

NYC's new Citi Bike stations have been met with a mixed bag of reactions that span from excitement and joy to "let's use them as garbage cans", but a portion of the negative end of the spectrum may actually be due to misunderstanding. To be fair, the Citi Bike folks have tried to communicate with the public as best they can, but as with any brand new system, it's going to take a bit of time before people learn the ins and outs. If you're thinking about hopping on one of NYC's 6,000 blue bikes soon, check out our photo tutorial of quick tips to know before you ride to make the best of your first Citi Bike experience.

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Bummer Alert: Cicadapocalypse Cancelled for NYC

Bummer Alert: Cicadapocalypse Cancelled for NYC

We’ve got some pretty disappointing news today for New Yorkers who were expecting to see a swarm of cicadas overtake the city – they’re probably not coming. Apparently, the noisy bugs RSVPed to the party but aside from making an appearance in Staten Island, scientists

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NYC Build it Back Program Provides Funds for Homeowners to Rebuild After Hurricane Sandy

NYC Build it Back Program Provides Funds for Homeowners to Rebuild After Hurricane Sandy

Mayor Bloomberg recently announced the launch of the “NYC Build it Back” program to assist homeowners, landlords and tenants whose homes were impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Affected residents who have been waiting in limbo with no money to repair their homes

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Frank Gehry Set to Design Facebook’s New NYC Campus

Frank Gehry Set to Design Facebook’s New NYC Campus

Facebook has tapped renowned architect Frank Gehry to design the interior of its newly leased New York office, a 100,000-square-foot space set on two floors at 770 Broadway (a LEED Silver-certified building with ultra-efficient lighting and water systems).

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Shane Hope Uses 3D Printing to Synthesize Nano Digital Data into Intriguing Organic Art

Shane Hope Uses 3D Printing to Synthesize Nano Digital Data into Intriguing Organic Art

So far, 3D printing has given us solutions for creating food, intricate parts, on-demand toys, body parts and even guns. Now the technology is being used to create delicate and organic art. Shane Hope is a digital designer, printmaker and painter who synthesizes raw digital data into art. Using RepRaps 3D printers, Hope prints out tiny parts, objects and bits of molecules, DNA, nanotubes and much more, which are then assembled in a painterly style into chaotic collages.

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Upper East Side Residents Fight to Protect Kids From Damaging Health Effects of Planned Trash Station

Upper East Side Residents Fight to Protect Kids From Damaging Health Effects of Planned Trash Station

Residents of Manhattan’s Upper East Side are fuming over the Marine Transfer Station that is being planned to transport garbage in and out of a location at East 91st St. Opponents of the facility are mainly concerned about the station’s proximity to a

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