Hell's Kitchen neighborhood: Everything to know 🫡

Hi again,

NYC just experienced its hottest stretch of weather in almost 15 years (you could literally cook an egg on the street), and the current cool temps are a welcome respite.

While we’re a little late for this recent scorcher, be sure to check out next week’s podcast, where we cover how to beat the heat in the city. 👀

And now…

In this week’s newsletter:

🎫 Events We Love This Week: July 8-15 - Fun & Dumb Improv Festival returns & a silent disco on the Hudson River

🐾 You’ll Have to Check It Out - One of the world’s most famous dogs, memorialized in Central Park

😈 Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Guide - Our top spots in this food mecca, right near Times Square

Ready to ride? 👇

Notes: As always, this email was written by an actual human who lives in NYC, not artificial intelligence. 🥸

And as a subscriber, you can always access all your free NYC resources here.

Events We Love This Week: July 8-15, 2026

In the city this week? Here are some fun events we’re keeping an eye on.

Fun and Dumb Improv Festival - July 9-12

Life has too much seriousness – Taxes, politics, your mother-in-law’s unsolicited advice – to name a few things. We all need a break for fun and laughs.

This coming weekend, let loose at the Fun and Dumb Improv Festival for plenty of what they call the ‘silly stupid good stuff we just can't get enough of’. 😆

With over 200 shows and 750 improvisers, there will be plenty of good times to go around.

See all ticket options here. 👈

Silent Disco at Riverside Park - July 11 @ 6-10 pm

Dancing is necessary, but some clubs and dance parties can be overwhelming with nowhere to escape the noise and chaos.

The answer? Silent disco. 🪩

Near Pier I on the west side of Manhattan, you can snag special headphones that let you switch between one of the three live DJs spinning tunes. The three DJs typically include:

1. Current hits

2. Classics

3. World

Bored of the current hits? Switch to classics. It’s truly unbeatable.

You’ll find kids, seniors, and even dogs jamming on the pier.

Get all the info here.

You’ll Have to Check It Out - Balto Statue

In the winter of 1925, the remote town of Nome, Alaska, was facing a diphtheria outbreak, and the only available serum to treat the disease was in Anchorage, nearly 1,000 miles away. With the town cut off from transportation due to harsh weather conditions, a relay of dog sled teams was organized to deliver the life-saving medicine.

Balto, a Siberian Husky, was the lead dog of the final team that completed the grueling journey, traversing treacherous terrain and braving blizzard conditions.

If that description transports you back to watching the Balto cartoon movie as a kid, you won’t want to miss the Balto Statue in Central Park.

The Balto Statue, one of our favorite statues in the entire park, is located on the eastern side of Central Park, about even with 67th Street. You can enter the park from 5th Avenue between 66th and 67th Street!

It’s incredibly close to the Literary Walk & The Mall. You can see a few of Central Park's most popular spots in a short time!

Learn the history & must-know info about the Balto Statue here.

Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Guide

Hell’s Kitchen is a top destination in New York City, primarily because of its vast array of bars, restaurants, and activities.

Neighborhood boundaries are always debatable, but the area from 34th to 58th Street between 8th Avenue and the Hudson River is considered Hell’s Kitchen.

You’ll love exploring Hell’s Kitchen because if one restaurant is at capacity, you can walk about 30 yards in either direction and find a handful of just-as-tasty (or better) spots.

The bar scene is also thriving.. including two spots with some of the cheapest drinks in all of Manhattan. 🤑

Oh, and you’ll be surprised at how many fun daytime activities are worth doing in this neighborhood!

Note: Another subscriber perk! We’ve curated all our favorite Hell’s Kitchen spots into one Google Maps list, accessible to newsletter subscribers.

Catch ya next week,

Ashley & Devin from Better Together Here 🕺

PS- Traveling to NYC with a friend? Forward this email. 🫶