By Gus Saltonstall
New York Knicks mania has taken over the city, including on the Upper West Side.
On Monday, the American Museum of Natural History announced that it would light up its Hayden Planetarium Sphere orange and blue in honor of the Knicks each evening for the rest of the NBA Finals.
You can catch a glimpse of the sphere from West 81st Street, between Columbus and Central Park West.
The New York Historical is also getting into the action. The statues of President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, which sit outside of the museum and library at 170 Central Park West, between West 76th and 77th streets, are now sporting Jalen Brunson and Karl Anthony Towns jerseys.
Lincoln is in the Towns uniform, and Douglass is in the Brunson jersey.
And then there are cookies. Lots and lots of cookies.
Zabar’s, Fairway, and Silver Moon Bakery all have limited-time New York Knicks cookies.
Zabar’s is offering six “Gigantic Orange-and-Blue Cookies,” which is a play on their black and white cookies, for $29.98. The purchase also comes with a Zabar’s tote bag.
Fairway, on the other hand, is selling a package of 10 smaller Knicks cookies for $10.99.
Silver Moon Bakery at 2664 Broadway, between West 101st and 102nd streets, is offering its own handmade Knicks cookies.
It would not be an Upper West Side list without bagels making an appearance.
Kossar’s, which has a neighborhood outpost at 270 West 72nd Street, is currently offering orange and blue bagels in honor of the city’s basketball team.
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There is also the New York Knicks bear, which the Rag previously reported on, at the corner of West 82nd Street and Columbus Avenue, connected to Q Florist.
Let us know in the comments if we missed out on any other New York Knicks material on the Upper West Side.
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William Greenberg also has Knicks’ themed cookies.
Abe Lincoln outside of the New York Historical I’d-like-to-buy-a-noun is wearing a Knicks jersey
They rioted in Bryant Park last night.
Knicks Mania has disgraced NYC.
Historically, New York City celebrated victories with ticker-tape parades, proudly mocking “lesser cities” that resorted to violent riots. Last night, that pride vanished into sheer disgrace.
The violent chaos in our streets is absolutely abhorrent. Deploring the destruction of public property and the assault of visiting fans is not enough. We must address the rotten political culture that enabled it.
The hypocrisy of our city leadership is stunning. They eagerly grandstanded to condemn the President, a lifelong Knick fan and native New Yorker, for attending the game. Yet, when a violent mob trashes our neighborhoods and assaults police officers, these same politicians fall completely silent.
This lawlessness is the direct result of anti-police rhetoric. For years, politicians have undermined law and order and tied the hands of the NYPD. Rioters feel emboldened because leadership has created an environment that tolerates chaos.
New Yorkers are sick of the double standard. It is time for city leaders to stop pandering, unequivocally back the NYPD, and restore order to our streets.