The New Yorkers Podcast

In this Episode, Kelly is joined by Melissa and Jae as they all answer your questions! Melissa tells us how she and Kelly met. She talks about her love for New York City, and how she discovered more of it thanks to Kelly's private tours. Melissa talks about being from Buffalo New York, and how she loves to travel to the city a few times a year to see various sites and do various activities. For th...

In this episode, Kelly is joined by Ed Welter. Ed has operated a construction company for more than 40 years, worked as the chief dialysis technician at Kings County Hospital and has volunteered at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. He is also a licensed New York City tour guide who leads tours of the historic Woolworth Building. Kelly asks Ed about growing up in Alphabet City, where one of his earli...

On this episode of  The New Yorkers Podcast , Kelly Kopp sits down with Dan from  All Day NYC  for a funny, nostalgic, and very New York conversation about growing up in Bensonhurst and Gravesend, Coney Island summers, Canal Street, pizza, bagels, the subway, viral NYC moments, the Knicks championship parade, and what it really means to be a New Yorker. Dan also shares how All Day NYC got started,...

The New Yorkers are on Summer Vacation this week. So join them as they look back on a previous episode while they look forward to the Halloween season!  **************************************** In this episode, Kelly is joined by Zombie Papas Jorge and Todd, the organizers of Thriller NYC!  Join them as they introduce themselves. Jorge tells us how he came to New York, and what it was like moving...

In this episode, Kelly is joined by Dan Rimada! He is the founder of Bodega Cats NYC, Author of the book, and started a campaign to pass the first legislation in New York City surrounding Bodega Cats!  Kelly asks Dan about growing up! Dan talks about what it was like to grow up in the same neighborhood as The Wu Tang Clan! He talks about going between Brooklyn and Staten Island, and where his pare...

In this Episode, Kelly is joined by writer Gabriel Rotello! He is the author of two books: Sexual Ecology: AIDS and the Destiny of Gay Men and The CBGB Conspiracy. He became the first openly gay op-ed columnist for a major American newspaper and is the founder of Out Week Magazine. He has also written, directed, and produced dozens of TV documentaries for major networks like HBO, Netflix, and the...

In this Episode, Kelly is joined by Sara Lind! She is the Co-Executive Director of Open Plans: A New York City based advocacy organization working to make streets and public spaces more livable. Sara is a frequent media source on Urban Planning and policy, with appearances on WPIX 11, ABC7, WNYC, and NY1. And she holds a JD from the University of Chicago, an MIA from Columbia SIPA, and a BS from t...

On this Episode, Kelly is joined by the one and only: Ricki Lake! She is a TV and film actress, producer, and television show host. You can see her star in Hairspray, or host her Ricki Lake talk show, which ran for 12 seasons and aired over 2,000 episodes! Kelly starts by asking Ricki where she was born. Ricki tells him about growing up and going to school in Westchester and the city. She talks ab...

In this episode, Kelly is joined by Alan van Capelle!  He is the executive director of Friends of the High Line, the former deputy comptroller for the City of New York, and the chief architect of New York’s historic marriage equality bill.  Kelly asks Alan where he's from. Alan talks about growing up on Long Island and realizing that he was gay. He talks about pretending to be Miss America while h...

In this episode, Kelly is joined by NYC Historian Peter Aigner! He is the director of the Gotham Center for New York City History, and the co-founder of “Echos of Revolution: NYC,” A new immersive walking tour experience that uses geolocation to put you in the world of historic New York. Join them, as Peter talks to Kelly about the process of obtaining his PHD. Peter talks about why he decided to...

In this episode; Kelly is joined by: Kim Lee! She is the owner and founder of Kawaii Coffee, and an immigrant from Vietnam.  Kim recently opened her coffee shop in the west village, which had been a dream of hers for a while. After attending business school and working in midtown at a nail salon, she decided her next step was to run her own business. Kelly asks Kim about moving from Vietnam to the...

With me today, I have Jim Somoza! He is the Managing Director at Industry City.  Join them on this episode where they go back in time. Jim tells us what it was like growing up in New York in the 70s and 80s. He talks about how his dad moved to an apartment on the upper west side, overlooking central park. He tells us how he would spend his afternoons in the parks, and weekends in the west village...

In this episode, Kelly is joined by Zombie Papas Jorge and Todd, the organizers of Thriller NYC!  Join them as they introduce themselves. Jorge tells us how he came to New York, and what it was like moving here. Todd on the otherhand, talks about being third generation from Brooklyn. They tell us about how they met, as well as their costume wedding. They talk about how they found Thriller NYC and...

In this episode, Kelly is joined by author Andy Fisher! He is the retired founding executive director of the Lavelle Fund for the Blind. He has 35 years of experience in New York City charitable foundations, and is a winner of the Helen Keller International’s Humanitarian Award. Inspired by the humanitarian efforts of the past, he has written his first book about an unsung New Yorker: Nathan Strau...

In this week's episode, Kelly is joined by community builder Maryam Banikarim! She was the former Chief Marketing Officer of many global organizations, She is the Co-Founder of Longest Table, and Host of the podcast “The Messy Parts”.  Kelly asks Maryam about coming to The United States from Iran. Maryam talks about her experience living in Iran and in California. She talks about her first trip to...

Due to the hustle and bustle of city life, the New Yorkers have to take a leave of absence this week. Please enjoy this episode we did back in September with the brilliant Madelyn Wils. And tune in next time for a brand new episode! ****************************************** In this Episode: Kelly is joined by Civic Leader, Madelyn Wils! She was on the Tribeca Community Board, Head of the Hudson R...

In this episode, Kelly is joined by James "Murr" Murray From the hit TV show "Impractical Jokers"! He is also an executive TV and Film producer as the President of Impractical productions. He is a best selling author of 9 published titles and tours the world telling jokes to sold out arenas. Kelly starts off the show by asking Murr where he was born and what it was like growing up on Staten Island...

Join us for the last highlight of Season 2! The New Yorkers Podcast will be back for Season 3 in two weeks! Until then, please enjoy this episode on the tantalizing tale of New York City in the 1980s from the brilliant Jonathan Mahler.  ******************************* In this episode, Kelly is joined by Jonathan Mahler! He is a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine, his sports journalism ha...

In this episode: Kelly is joined by Anthony Mangieri! He is a Chef, Businessman and Pizza Connoisseur. Join them, as Anthony tells us about how he got his start in the resturaunt industry in his late teens! Anthony talks about his first buisness baking bread, and how that grew into owning his own Pizzaria. From there, Anthony talks about wanting to move his buisness to New York, and how he gained...

In this episode: Kelly is joined by Richard Hayden! Richard is the Senior Director of Horticulture at the High Line. Join them, as Richard teaches us about the profession of gardening. He tells us about how he got into horticulture, and what it does for him. He talks about his staff and how dedicated they are to maintaining the wonderful vision of the High Line. Kelly asks Richard how the High Lin...

In this episode, Kelly is joined by Hillary Wallace! She is the principal designer at her own firm: Simon-Wallace Design. And she pulls out all of the stops decorating her New York City home for the holidays.  Kelly starts the episode off by talking about the only way two true New Yorkers could meet: Yelling at each other from a window!  Hillary talks about where she was from and how from when she...

In this Episode, Kelly is joined by CEO of American Christmas: Dan Casterella! He has been the leader of the company since 2017 which is responsible for all of the incredible Christmas decorations around midtown that we know and love.  Kelly starts the episode off by asking Dan about how he started working with the company. Dan talks about how he loved decorating houses for Christmas since he was...

During this busy Holiday Season, the New Yorkers have their plates full. So please sit back and enjoy a great episode from last Thanksgiving! In this episode, Kelly is joined by John Friia! He is a digital creator, New York City historian and featured on PIX11's New York Living! Kelly asks John about his New York Story: Where he's from, What kind of content he does, and why he has such a profound...

In this Episode, Kelly is joined by historian, Justin Southern!  Join them as Justin tells Kelly how he first became a tourguide. He talks about his time teaching English in Italy, responding to an ad to become a tourguide while living in Italy, and how he came to New York.  Kelly asks Justin about imigration before Ellis Island. Justin talks about the different ways that people emmegrated from th...

In this episode, Kelly is joined by Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.  Join them as Mark tells Kelly and Jae about how he got his start in politics: His origin as a teacher, in the south Bronx, and how he saw a need in his community and filled it.  Kelly asks Mark about his journey to where he is now. What his early campaigns were like, the first races he ran, and what kept him in it even w...