Latest from Time Out
Time Out
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Socio's team opens cocktail bar and nightclub hybrid, Gossip in Central
We've all seen Socio and its queues outside that trails out along Staunton Street. If you enjoy their sustainability-forward Asian-inflected cocktails, then you'll be glad to know that the people behind Socio have a brand-new concept in their latest nightlife destination named Gossip. Knowing that cocktail bars don't usually have good music to vibe to, and that nightclubs usually only serve overpriced but uninspired drinks and pricey bottles with sparklers, Amir Javaid and Max Bajracharya have decided to give Hong Kong's night owls the best of both worlds by combining these concepts into a premium cocktail club. Their drinks menu is inspired by the many traditional masks of Asia, each with its own personality and story, and giving rise to its accompanying cocktail made with distinctly Asian ingredients such as mango sticky rice, Korean gochujang, and Sichuan pepper. Thotsokan, a lemongrass and coconut-washed Tanqueray gin-based cocktail, contains Thai flavour profiles with kaffir lime distillate, mango sticky rice, sparkling wine, and a piece of dehydrated fruit – it's light, refreshing, and the perfect first drink to start with. Some of our other favourites include the creamy, Japanese-inspired Hannya, made with yuzu koshō and kombu-infused Bacardi, lichiko, dry sherry, clarified pear, white chocolate, and topped with a foamy puff of matcha air. One of Gossip's best on the menu is the Nuoxi, which is a delicately savoury mix of Sichuan pepper-infused Ketel One, elderflower, fermented tofu, sesame oil, lemon, and pickled cucumber. Its tasting notes read somewhat like a grocery list, but the Chinese-inspired blend of florals, fermented fruit, and umami notes just work. The cocktail lounge hosts live music performances on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and when the clock hits midnight from Thursday through the weekend, Gossip transforms into a clubby atmosphere with the tables and chairs moved aside for a dancefloor and multicoloured light strips pulsing overhead. If you're bored of the thumping, techno-heavy beats that are spinning in most clubs, then you'll appreciate that Gossip focuses on playing R&B and hip-hop – a win in our books! Gossip is now in its soft-launch period and will officially open to the public in mid-July.
Time Out
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Lego Play Pavillion
Central London should be significantly more fun for kids this summer thanks to this extremely fun looking collaboration between the Lego Group and the Serpentine Gallery. Deisgned by architect Sir Peter Cook, the Lego Play Pavillion is a public artwork partially made of Lego bricks that will sit in Kensington Gardens for much of the summer and play host to various free – but booking advised – events that range from crafting workshops to 'a Lego-inspired music production showcase'. On the whole the events are aimed at an older, 12-plus audience, although the Pavilion itself can be enjoyed by all ages. See official website for schedule and booking of sessions.
Time Out
10 hours ago
- Business
- Time Out
Chicago-area home prices are rising four times faster than the rest of the U.S.
For years, Chicago's housing market lagged behind in price growth. Not anymore. In May, home prices in the Chicago metro area rose nearly four times faster than the national average, marking the sixth straight month the city has led the country in home price gains. That's according to fresh data from Illinois Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. While national home prices rose just 2.1-percent year-over-year, Chicago clocked an 8.7-percent increase. The median price of a home in the nine-county Chicago metro area (Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will counties) hit $379,900 in May—its highest monthly median ever. In the city itself, homes sold for a median of $390,000, just shy of April's all-time high. Even though prices are slowing across the country, Chicago's market isn't hitting the brakes nearly as hard. That's what's creating this growing gap between the Chicago area and the rest of the U.S. So, what's behind the surge in home prices? Affordability plays a big role. Compared to places like New York or San Francisco, Chicago homes still feel like a deal. Add low inventory, strong local demand and steady mortgage rates, and you've got a tight, competitive market. Buyers are showing up ready—and often fighting it out over well-priced listings. Sellers, on the other hand, are seeing big opportunities. Homes in popular neighborhoods like Logan Square, West Town, Lincoln Park and Wicker Park are flying off the market, often with multiple offers. Yes, higher prices can be rough for first-time buyers. But they're also a sign of growing economic strength and renewed confidence in Chicago as a place to live, work and invest.
Time Out
11 hours ago
- Time Out
Queens bus routes will get a complete overhaul this weekend—here's what to know
Queens' bus network is about to hit refresh. Starting Sunday, June 29, the MTA is rolling out the first phase of its long-awaited Queens Bus Network Redesign, a complete overhaul that will touch all but three of the borough's bus routes. The changes aim to simplify service, improve frequency and better connect riders to subways and key destinations across the city. It's the first comprehensive revamp in decades and if you're one of the nearly 1 million daily bus riders in the borough, your commute is about to change. 'Queens is the bus borough,' said MTA Chairman Janno Lieber at a press conference. 'In Queens, there are 800,000 daily bus customers. They need fast and frequent service, and they are going to get it with this redesign.' The redesign introduces 124 total routes—94 local and 30 express—up from the current 113. That includes 14 brand-new routes debuting Sunday and a fresh class of 'Rush' routes designed to shuttle commuters more quickly to subway and rail hubs. Six current routes will be discontinued and another (Q21) will phase out in August when the second part of the plan goes into effect. Among the headline perks: An estimated 124,000 more people will now live within a quarter mile of a bus arriving every 10 minutes or less during daytime hours and 68,000 more residents will gain access to 24/7 bus service. Sunday's changes largely focus on eastern Queens and Ridgewood, with western Queens seeing shifts in Phase 2 on Aug. 31. The MTA has launched an arsenal of digital tools —including a route look-up engine, an interactive map and a trip planner—to help riders navigate the transition. This overhaul has been years in the making, following a 2019 proposal that was widely panned and a 2020 pandemic pause. Since then, the MTA has hosted over 250 community events and reviewed more than 18,000 public comments to refine the final plan. 'There are things that need to be tinkered with in the plan,' acknowledged State Senator Leroy Comrie, 'but we do have a promise, once the plan is implemented, that there's an opportunity for tinkering to be done.'
Time Out
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
NYC Pride March this weekend: guide to route, headliners, and the official theme
Pride Weekend is here! Of course, New Yorkers have been celebrating all month long, but this weekend—with multiple marches and special events—makes for an epic grand finale. While this weekend is certainly about fun, remember that Pride is a protest. After all, the first Pride march held a year after the Stonewall Uprising was an unpermitted political protest against anti-LGBTQ+ policies and attitudes; this Saturday's Dyke March is still an unpermitted protest. When thousands take to the streets for Sunday's Pride March, it will be part of a crucial annual civil rights demonstration. Here, we've rounded up everything you need to know about the event. When is the NYC Pride March? The NYC Pride March is on Sunday, June 29, 2025, starting at 11am. What is the theme for the 2025 Pride March? NYC Pride 2025's theme is "Rise up: Pride in Protest." It's a more defiant stance compared to recent years. "As the LGBTQIA+ community faces increasing hostility and legislative attacks, this year's theme is a reflection of the Pride movement's origins in protest—and is a powerful call to action for our communities and allies to rally and march in defiant celebration, advocacy and solidarity," their website reads. Who are the 2025 Pride March Grand Marshals? President Joe Biden's Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has been named as one of the grand marshals for the NYC Pride March. Other grand marshals this year include Marti Gould Cummings, DJ Lina, Elisa Crespo and Trans formative Schools. NYC Pride selects the grand marshals, "to recognize their resilience, activism and diverse contributions to uplifting the queer community and advancing LGBTQIA+ progress in New York City and beyond," per NYC Pride. Is NYC Pride March free? Yes, it is! How long does the NYC Pride March last? In past years, the Pride March celebrations have gone on for between six and 12 hours. Be prepared for the many unofficial afterparties, too! What's the weather looking like? As of now, the weather looks pretty perfect for Sunday's March. Manhattan is in for 87-degree temperatures with some clouds and sun, per AccuWeather. And, thankfully for anybody who doesn't want their makeup to melt off their face, it's going to be less humid—whew! What's the NYC Pride March route? The Pride March kicks off at 26th Street and 5th Avenue, then continues through the city until dispersing at 15th Street and 7th Avenue. What streets will be closed? Here's the full list of the street closures, per NYC DOT. Formation: 5th Avenue between 33rd Street and 25th Street West/East 33rd Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue West/East 32nd Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue West/East 31st Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue West/East 30th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue West/East 29th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue West/East 28th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue West/East 27th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue West/East 26th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue West 25th Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue Route: 5th Avenue between 25th Street and 8th Street West 8th Street between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue Greenwich Avenue between 6th Avenue and Christopher Street Christopher Street between Greenwich Avenue and 7th Avenue South 7th Avenue between Christopher Street and 16th Street Dispersal: 7th Avenue between 15th Street and 19th Street 16th Street between 8th Avenue and 6th Avenue 17th Street between 9th Avenue and 6th Avenue 18th Street between 8th Avenue and 6th Avenue 19th Street between 9th Avenue and 6th Avenue Miscellaneous: Christopher Street between West Street and 7th Avenue South Greenwich Avenue between 6th Avenue and 8th Avenue How can I watch the march on TV? If you can't make it in person along the route, the NYC Pride March is typically broadcast on ABC-7. What other Pride events are happening this weekend?
