NYC NOW - Midday News: City Braces for First Heatwave of the Season, No Trash Pickup on Juneteenth, and Hidden Dining Gems in Times Square

Episode Date: June 18, 2025

The New York City Office of Emergency Management is urging residents to prepare for the first major heatwave of the season, expected next week. Meanwhile, the Department of Sanitation says there will be no trash, compost, or recycling pickup on Thursday in observance of Juneteenth. Plus, food writer Robert Sietsema takes us to overlooked dining spots in the heart of one of the city’s busiest areas: Times Square.

Welcome to NYC Now, your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Wednesday, June 18th. Here's the midday news from Michael Hill. Officials are urging us to prepare for the first series heat wave next week. The New York City Office of Emergency Management says, now is the time to start checking air conditioners, identifying cooling options, and reviewing safety plans. We should also plan to check on elderly neighbors or people with health,

risks. Meteorologist Dave Redell says we should prepare for temperatures in the 90s and even around 100 degrees in some parts of the city. Loose-fitting clothing and light-colored, comfortable attire is what you want. And really, first thing we always say, you know, kind of limit your outdoor activity if you're able to, especially during those afternoon hours. So noon to six or seven. The heat may not be severe enough to trigger an emergency in the city, but many facilities such as libraries and senior centers can operate as cooling centers during regular hours. The National Weather Service says Monday and Tuesday will be the hottest days. With temperatures in the high 90s, the humidity will make the air feel more like 100 degrees.

Tomorrow's June 10th and city sanitation officials are reminding New Yorkers there won't be any pickup of trash, curbside compost, or recycling for the holiday. The city sanitation departments, says residents who normally get trash and compost pickup on Thursday should put out their materials tomorrow. night for when collection resumes on Friday. And those who normally get recycling pickup on Thursday should hold on to those materials until next Wednesday for collection next Thursday. Officials say there could be some delays in pickup after the holiday because of the volume. 73 with clouds now. Showers likely, maybe afternoon thunderstorms. Cloudy and a high near 80 today.

Tomorrow we have to be on a lookout for hazardous weather, the threat of it. Stay close. There's more after the break. On WNYC, I'm David First. Over the last couple of months, food writer Robert Seitzema has been visiting some of the most overlooked dining destinations in New York City. Ironically, they're hidden in some of the city's most visited neighborhoods, absolute centers of travel, tourism, and entertainment. And today, we head to a little known off-the-beaten path place called Times Square.

Once again, we're joined by Robert Seitzima. Welcome back. Hi, David. So kidding aside, we are headed into the belly of the beast, arguably... Malmstrom. The most crowded few blocks in the city, the crossroads of the world. This is a neighborhood a lot of people love, but a lot of people try to avoid. Partly because it's just so busy.

But come on, Robert, this is peak New York, isn't it? It is the most famous destination. in the city, probably even more than the Statue of Liberty. It's a place where tourists are just drawn as if by a giant flesh magnet. New Yorkers avoided, if they possibly can, although they may be secretly drawn there. It's like Pose Man of the Crowd, a guy who just, it's a short story where there was this crazy guy who had to be in the middle of a crowd all the time, and he could have just gone to Times Square and just stood in the middle of it, because you're surrounded by all sorts of people. I mean, the people watching is unparalleled.

Are you recommending that people make a special trip to Times Square to eat? Or are these recommendations for people who happen to find themselves in Times Square and are looking for food? These are all destination restaurants. They're places that should cause you to brave Times Square to go to them, not only because they tend to be inexpensive, but also because they're historic or they're just plain fascinating or the food is scrumptious. Well, you have a full list of picks up on our news site Gothamist right now. So help us out. Where should we go? Let's see. Where can I start? Tri-Margone, M-A-R-G-O-N, which is on West 46th Street, but ironically on the east side of Times Square, you have to walk down to get to it. It's one of those wonderful New York City

storefronts. It's kind of like a half-level down. which is maybe why it's persistent. It's unbelievable that it's still in Times Square. It's one of those places that reflects the Cuban people coming to Times Square, coming to New York in the 1950s, the 1940s, the era of Ricky Ricardo. Times Square used to be covered with Cuban institutions. It was a style. There were Cuban dance clubs.

This place in particular is a working-class lunchroom. And if you've never seen a New York lunchroom before with its long formic counter, in the front there's a sandwich station where you can just get your Cuban sandwich. But if you go in the back, that's the best because you line up and you get your chicken friccassie or your codfish salad. And you'll be surrounded by the broadest collection of New Yorkers because no tourists go there for gosh sakes. That sounds fabulous.

What's the name again? Margon, M-A-R-G-O-N. Absolutely wonderful. Founded in 1972, a little after the Cuban era, but that's another reason it might still persist. Okay, so let's now push our way through the crowd on the sidewalk. Where should we head next? Let's take a walk on the wild side and go to Lagos T-S-Q. Upstairs, it's a glitzy nightclub. Downstairs, it's a restaurant and a bar. So you can go there if you need your you know, middle of the day mohito or whatever. But the best thing is that they have real un-reconstructed Nigerian food, which includes goat pepper soup, which might be the hottest dish in the city.

If you're one of those people that likes to test yourself, if you want something bland or get the joll off rice and the smothered chicken. Okay, so because of the spice level, this is a walk on the wild side. Exactly. It's called Lagos TSQ, and that's on 7th Avenue. 727, 7th Avenue, so it's really up at the top of Times Square. Okay, so let's grab one last bite before maybe we head for a quiet park to regroup. Yeah, speaking of the quiet park, there is a new place, Madras Dosa Company.

It is from a Boston chain that is just arrived in New York City, and they're serving the most famous dish of Southern Indian cooking. It's vegetarian. This wonderful crepe, it has a little bit of a sour flavor, but inside is a masala, in other words, a spiced potato mixture. And the best part is you're supposed to eat it with your fingers. There's plenty of stuff to dip them in. And it comes as in this amazing box with like a groove for the two-foot-long dosa. Robert's full list of Times Square Picks. If you'd like all the details, it's up on Dothymus right now. You can also check out his substack, Robert Sietzima's New York. Robert, good to see you again. Thank you as always, David.

Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WMYC. Check us out for updates every weekday, three times a date for the latest news headlines and occasional deep dives. And subscribe wherever you get your podcast.