Marathons, mayors & monsters
We have your last minute Halloween & marathon plans set!
This week we’re sharing a fun new giveaway, highlighting the coolest Halloween and NYC marathon plans this weekend, featuring our monthly favorite things column and introducing you to our cool new friend: Cristobal Velasquez.
Salvo’s
At long last, the formerly delivery-only, one-man Italian sandwich empire, Salvo’s, has opened up a brick and mortar location in Ridgewood. Currently open Thursdays-Mondays from 11:30a-4p, you can expect twists on classics like their Reginella: a ciabatta based sandwich with mortadella, burrata, pistachio pesto, lemon zest and parm. Polish it off with a strong espresso and you’ve got the perfect lunch in our book. All happening at 6601 Forest Avenue.
abc kitchen Brooklyn
Manhattan’s famed abc kitchen is making its way to Brooklyn with an outpost in Dumbo. Situated along Dumbo’s historic waterfront across from Jane’s Carousel and St. Ann’s Warehouse theater at 55 Water St, abc kitchens is the next evolution of the abc experience; Jean-Georges first introduced abc kitchen in ‘10, followed by abc cocina in ‘13 and abcV in ‘17. In Dumbo, the seasonally-driven menu brings together the best of the trio: from abc kitchen’s approach to farmers’ market fare to abcV’s innovative plant-based dishes and abc cocina’s Latin flavors with menu items like Peekytoe Crab Toast, Dosa, Organic Arroz con Pollo & Caramel Popcorn Sundae. The space is features a glass-enclosed inner room houses a shoppable collection of vintage glassware and a floral atelier by day, and serves as a private dining room by night.
We’re offering up a pair of tickets to the coolest wine fair of them all – Raw Wine!
Focusing on low-intervention, organic, biodynamic and natural wines, RAW WINE is bringing tons of the world’s coolest winemakers directly to NYC Nov 9th & 10th (next week!) Legendary winemakers like Frank Cornelissen and Gut Oggau will showcase alongside newcomers with exciting new discoveries from all!
What you can win:
Two tickets to this year’s RAW WINE festival in Brooklyn (either Nov 9th or 10th)
One year of a full access subscription to the coolstuff.nyc newsletter
How to enter:
Follow @coolstuff.nyc & @rawwineworld
Tag the person you’ll bring if you win in the comments of the post (1 tag = 1 entry)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Must be 21+ to enter. Tickets can be redeemed for either day of the festival in New York City 11/9/2025 or 11/10/2025. Winner contacted directly on 11/3/2025 by coolstuff.nyc
FIFTEEN at Sommwhere
A group of interdisciplinary artists are coming together for a group show connected by an undercurrent of optimism. FIFTEEN has no imposed theme - just the belief that making, sharing, and showing up can be acts of resistance and renewal. Stop by to see the show tomorrow night from 5-9p at Sommwhere on Ludlow Street!
Anders Scrmn Meisner at Isabel Sullivan Gallery
Orange Blossom Water (Like Wild Horses) is the New York solo exhibition debut of Danish painter Anders Scrmn Meisner at Isabel Sullivan Gallery in Tribeca. Meisner’s 14 new paintings conjure a world of vineyards, waterlilies, romantic bridges, and flamenco shoes as symbols of joy, longing, and the fleeting sweetness of summer. Inspired by his time in Seville and his family’s seasonal returns, the works are steeped in color, memory, and what he calls a “European lust for life.” Head over to see the show, through November 29th!
You definitely already know this…but on Tuesday, November 4th, we elect a new Mayor, among a handful of other important elections and city ballot measures. Create a plan to vote, then get out and make your voice heard! Check out nycvotes.org to see what’s on the ballot, find your polling place, and get hours for early voting (which extends through Sunday!)
Meet Cristobal, a Colombian-born, New York–based artist working across photography, fashion, media, and dance. His work is all about capturing emotion, identity, and movement - blending storytelling with style in a way that feels both personal and powerful. His background as a dancer influences how he sees the world through rhythm, energy, and detail. After studying Advertisement Photography and earning his business degree from EAFIT University in Colombia, he is now based in NYC and continues to tell stories that celebrate people, culture, and the beauty of being seen.
How did your career as a photographer begin?
Photography has been part of my life since I was a kid. My dad was a photographer and publicist, so I basically grew up in his studio. I remember coming home from school and being surrounded by models, makeup artists, and set builders—it all felt like family to me. When I got to junior year of high school, I decided to learn from him directly. It was around the time social media was taking off, so I started creating content with my friends—little editorials that we’d post on Instagram and Tumblr. That’s really where it all began. After high school, I took a year to travel and study photography in Argentina and California, which helped shape my style and solidify my passion.
Tell us about how your background in dancing and childhood in Colombia informs your photography style!
Dance taught me that the best images aren’t posed—they’re felt. When I direct someone during a shoot, I think of it like choreography. I guide them through movement, intention, breath, and emotion, because when someone feels something in their body, it always shows on camera. Growing up in Colombia also shaped my eye for beauty. I was surrounded by women—my mom and grandma especially—who always carried themselves with elegance and pride, even just going to the grocery store. Glamour wasn’t just about appearance, it was about how it made them feel. That energy influences my work: I love building characters through makeup, styling, and accessories that bring something powerful out from within.
What’s your favorite part about the New York creative community?
What I love most about New York’s creative community is how everyone is constantly evolving and pushing themselves. Every person you meet brings a fresh perspective and inspires you to be better. There’s a deep sense of mutual respect and support here—people genuinely want to see each other grow. It’s a city full of ambition, but also camaraderie, and that’s rare.
We love how your photo work always portrays the liveliness of the moment. How do you capture moment and action while working in a still medium?
For me, it’s all about creating a space where something real can happen. I don’t like to overly stage things. Instead, I invite my subjects to move, play, and feel something in the moment, and I try to capture that in-between space—when they’re truly present. That’s where the magic is. A still image can hold so much movement and emotion when it’s born from something authentic.
Do you have a favorite photographer that you turn to for inspiration?
So many! Social media has opened the door to discovering new artists every day, which keeps me constantly inspired. But I always go back to Peter Lindbergh—his images feel so raw and honest. I also really admire Colombian photographer Andrés Oyuela, who I’ve had the honor of assisting. He’s a master at creating powerful work with simplicity, and watching him in action reminds me that the most impactful art often comes from trusting your instincts.
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@cvrphoto
P.S. Upgrade to paid to make sure you aren’t missing out on the rest of this newsletter including TONS of the coolest Halloween & marathon events happening this weekend, food pop-ups & restaurant collabs, creative workshops, our list of favorite places we went to this month &&& more!