Month: August 2022

Want to travel back in time? Then grab your favorite stole, slap on a fedora, and make sure you remember the password to one of the authentic speakeasies that dot the island of Manhattan. Keep reading for a brief history of Prohibition as well as Algin Management’s selection of the best speakeasies operating around New York City.

While selling and imbibing alcohol is perfectly legal today, a hundred years ago, the Volstead Act had just slammed down, kicking off an iconic era in American culture defined by daring smugglers, hard liquor, and a hot jazz soundtrack. The most enduring invention of the Prohibition era was the speakeasy, a sub rosa drinking establishment, often disguised as a legitimate business that revealed a packed barroom when a bouncer was given the password. A few of these hidden barrooms still exist, including some that were doing illegal business a hundred years ago. Manhattanites have the unique opportunity to travel back in time to the Roaring Twenties simply by entering one of these establishments.

Known in the 1920s as “The Back of Ratner’s,” The Back Room on the Lower East Side was home to countless “business meetings” attended by Jazz Age gangsters like Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky. Today, guests access the barroom via one of the bar’s many secret entrances and select their drinks from a menu of Prohibition era-inspired cocktails. No matter what you order, it will come in a plain white teacup, a throwback to the vessels used to disguise alcoholic drinks from prying eyes. (If you order a beer, you’ll receive your beverage in a brown paper bag.) Keep an eye out for a certain bookcase which, when pushed, will open to reveal The Back Room’s hidden VIP area.

While The Back Room’s entrance is marked by a faded sign for a toy company, our next speakeasy, Keys & Heels on the Upper East Side, takes the subterfuge one step further, hiding its lavish barroom behind a locksmith/shoe repair shop that even has its own Instagram page. Once you’re inside, though, abandon all hope of finding a cobbler, and settle in at one of the spacious barroom’s well-appointed tables. Keys & Heels also hosts live magic shows and music nights featuring surprise performers, making every night in the subterranean space an adventure.

For a modern take on speakeasy culture, try neon-lit Not a Speakeasy, also on the Upper East Side. The newest addition to our list is also one of the hippest, complete with an Instagram-worthy mural featuring famous gangsters and a selection of cocktails served in time-period-appropriate vessels, like a cough medicine bottle prescribed for one Alphonse Capone.
Just like knowing the password to get into a speakeasy, there are some unwritten rules to finding the right no-fee apartments in NYC. So, reach out to Algin Management today and tap into our expertise. Your secret will be safe with us.

The perfect summer day in NYC starts with a caffeine fix, and Algin Management’s Properties puts you just moments from the city’s hottest coffee spots, where the iced coffee is as refreshing as the atmosphere is inspiring.

You will fall in love with local favorite Sorella, a gem of a shop on 27th Street near Third Avenue. This small business does everything with a personal touch, with coffee beans from Brooklyn’s Partners Coffee, outdoor space, an old-fashioned time card puncher for regulars — who can earn a free drink by racking up 10 punches — and a cozy indoor window seat. Pair your coffee with a gluten-free croissant and you’ll have a gourmet start to your morning. It’s a nice complement to the boutique atmosphere of the no-fee apartments at The Townsway, where the intimacy of a quaint neighborhood and the excitement of Manhattan strike a perfect balance.

With its Mercer Street address in Greenwich Village, Hilary Gardens is at the heart of one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the world. Living here, you’ll be just minutes from the best version of almost everything, including the luxury shopping of SoHo, the foreign films at the Angelika Film Center, the gardens and outdoor music of Washington Square Park, and the beloved coffee at Irving Farm. Started as a labor of love on Irving Place by founders Steve and David in 1996, Irving Farm has grown into a roasting company with its own roastery in Millerton, New York. The flavor profile favors the balanced and sweet, and the personal attention to sources and roasting beans is apparent in every sip. Known for sleek and minimalist interiors, Irving Farm is the kind of place you can call your morning go-to as well as a great place to meet a friend or work on your novel. Order your iced coffee along with a ham and cheese croissant and grab a seat in the park for a morning routine that is pure Downtown New York.

Another iconic spot that helps define life at the no-fee Algin residences in New York City is Riverside Park, which is a short distance from Sessanta and other select Upper West Side Algin residences. And on Riverside Boulevard, right by the park, you’ll find Blu Café, where you can check in for just-right iced coffee, hot matcha, or a pear tart slathered with whipped cream. Come for the coffee and stay for the outdoor seating, where the people-watching is as enticing as the city views. It’s all a part of the lifestyle at Algin Properties, where the best of New York becomes your community, your neighborhood, and your daily routine. Contact our team today to experience it for yourself!