Aimee Ortiz

We stand with you, @postguild.bsky.social

We stand in solidarity with the @postguild.bsky.social. Democracy dies in darkness, and it's a lot harder to shine a light from a shrinking newsroom. #SaveThePost

In a Harlem Church, a Free Three-Course Dinner, No Questions Asked Two nights a week at Refettorio Harlem, chefs turn donated food that would otherwise go to waste into a multicourse dinner that is served to anyone who is hungry.

Two nights a week at Refettorio Harlem, a nonprofit restaurant and food pantry, chefs turn donated food that would otherwise go to waste into a multicourse dinner that is served to anyone who is hungry. The chef Massimo Bottura said he wanted to “create places where food becomes a connector.”

The dining room at Refettorio Harlem. A set dinner table with white linens, polished glasses and embroidered napkins waiting for guests to arrive

One of the volunteers at Refettorio Harlem told me the work he does there feels akin to divinity. I could see it in the way he took time to speak with every guest he served.

I looked for the helpers and I found them.

They reminded me of what @pattonoswalt.bsky.social said, “it’s chaos, be kind.”

Refettorio Harlem almost entirely funded by private donations and run by mostly volunteers.

“Harlem takes care of Harlem” was the vibe I got, and it was tender, kind and empathetic. No one gets turned away

A dinner guest who was there with her little girl told me that while she gets many of her meals at churches, there’s nothing that comes even remotely close to what Refettorio provides.

At Refettorio, “people love my baby, they love me,” she said. “It has to do with respect.”

At Refettorio Harlem, everyone is treated to a gourmet three-course meal surrounded by art and beauty.

As one person told me, this place can make the overwhelming challenges of food insecurity, waste and loneliness “feel a little lighter,” as if “it’s possible to have change.”

In a Harlem Church, a Free Three-Course Dinner, No Questions Asked

Amid the chaos, I’ve been thinking a lot about what Mr. Rogers said: “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

So I did just that. And I found them in Harlem, feeding body and soul. This is the story of Refettorio Harlem

New York Times Op-Ed headline by Michelle Goldberg that reads “We Should All Know Less About Each Other”

Regina Hall on video conferencing with her arms wrapped over her head and making a concerned or distressed face

Drought Mutes Leaf-Peeping Season A prolonged drought and other factors have muffled the kaleidoscopic blend of reds, oranges and yellows in some areas of New England this fall.

A prolonged drought and other factors have muffled the kaleidoscopic blend of reds, oranges and yellows in some areas of New England this fall. As a result, disappointed leaf peepers have been left to wonder what fall will look like in a changing climate.

Ancient Roman Gravestone Found in New Orleans Backyard Touches Off a Mystery

“Memory is the way you have an afterlife in the Roman world,” she said. “To be remembered is to exist beyond your regular lifetime.” @aimee-ortiz.bsky.social in @nytimes.com

Print hub is the best crew in the biz (and thanks to our presses for holding)

I should really stop listening to my running playlist while I can’t run

U.S. Is Trimming Back Its Collection of Consumer Price Data

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is cutting back its collection of data on consumer prices, raising questions about the reliability of federal economic statistics under President Trump. #EconSky
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/04/b...

The New York Sumo Club has grown steadily since its inception, even accounting for hiccups, Mr. Dolan said. The club has about 100 wrestlers, with around 20 regulars. When it first started, members met and grappled on the meadow in Prospect Park

Daniel Douglas, right, and Angelo Lizardi, left, face off during an open-weight division match. Lizardi, who is much smaller than Douglas, slammed into his chest as they fought for dominance at an amateur sumo tournament.

The community built by the club is an inclusive one, where “all body types, all gender expressions” are welcome, said Daniel Robert Douglas, the club’s vice president

At This N.Y.C. Sumo Club, ‘Everybody Gets Thrown’

This one is about the first amateur sumo club in NYC.

When Oscar Dolan realized there were no amateur clubs in the city, he begrudgingly started his own. That was three years ago. Earlier this month, the club held its first tournament.

But this about more than sumo. It’s about community

At the Gecko Gallery NYC there are New Caledonian giant geckos, psychedelic rock geckos, monkey-tailed skinks, giant leaf-tailed geckos, peacock day geckos, and even a tiny juvenile (although almost fully grown) carpet chameleon that can easily curl up on your fingertip — just to name a few

A Chinese crocodile lizard sits on a log above running water. The lizard is one of dozens of animals featured at The Gecko Gallery NYC

Geckos are diverse, funny little creatures. They’re also very old. One expert told me they’ve been around since before dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

Meet Dozens of Gecko Species at a Tiny Brooklyn Zoo

This one is about a tiny zoo that’s opening in Brooklyn.

Earlier this month I got a preview of The Gecko Gallery NYC where visitors will get a chance to hang with about 150 lizards in a roughly 400-square-foot room. It opens this weekend

A gloved hand over different traditional Chinese medicine herbs. The T.C.M. sector is one of many industries that could be upended by Trump’s trade war

Traditional Chinese medicine boomed over the last two decades. Most shops and practitioners are small, operating on slim margins. Trump’s tariffs threaten both that growth and consumers’ access to this type of health care

‘How Do I Survive?’: Tariffs Threaten U.S. Market for Traditional Chinese Medicine

This one is about traditional Chinese medicine shops, tariffs, and access to health care

Ben Affleck smoking a cigarette on a balcony. He has a pensive but pained existential look on his face.

Incredibly honored to have joined @jholman.bsky.social (the 🐐) on this important piece. Give it a read.

Why Consumers Are Cutting Back on Shopping and Embracing ‘No Buy 2025’ (Gift Article) Marketers followed consumers to social media and their phones. “Low Buy 2025” influencers are sharing tips for how to resist them.

This one is about overspending, overconsumption, shopping addiction, marketing, and consumers who are pushing back.

Should Tulips Replace Roses for Valentine’s Day? Florists Think So. (Gift Article) Roses have long been the flower of choice for the holiday, but some see an opening for the humble tulip.

This one is about roses, tulips, sustainability, and love (all kinds of it).

I know there’s a lot going on in the world, but there’s also some beauty. Come for the details on the tulip’s quiet war on roses, stay for the absolutely gorgeous photos 🌷

The night before a story runs: 😳🤢🤢🤢🥴🥴🥴😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

How to Help Victims of the Fires in Los Angeles (Gift Article) Raging fires have left five people dead, destroyed or damaged thousands of homes and other buildings and consumed thousands of acres. Here’s how you can help the victims.

Southern California is burning. Here's how you can help:

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