Walking Manhattan Sideways

In 2011, Betsy Bober Polivy had a crazy idea to walk the entire original Manhattan Grid - from 1st Street to 155th. As she traversed the side streets - from the East River to the Hudson - documenting her journey on her website (sideways.nyc), she had the amazing opportunity to meet the owners behind each of the small businesses. She listened to their stories and shared them on her site. Throughout the pandemic, Betsy has continued to be a dedicated advocate for small businesses. In March of 2020, she made the decision to self-publish Walking Manhattan Sideways - Side Street Businesses That Have Stood the Test of Time. The book showcases the quintessential businesses that have survived over the course of many decades. While some are beloved and well-known establishments that continue to garner recognition, the book also shines a light on the astounding number of places that perennially fly under the radar. This has been a passion project that people have enjoyed simply flipping through to read stories that spark their interest, or to embrace it from cover to cover. There have been television interviews including NBC, several articles have been written about the book nypost.com, and the book was featured in all of the NY taxis! The flood of gratitude and appreciation for the first book inspired Betsy to begin working on another this past spring. In addition to shining a light on many more scrumptious restaurants, splendid neighborhood bars and one-of-a-kind shops that have survived on the side streets for decades, The Art of Walking Manhattan Sideways features magnificent places of worship, fascinating not-for-profits, and the Arts – in all its forms. Betsy will spend time chatting about her adventures walking while also sharing a personal glimpse into the lives of some of the extraordinary people she met along the way. Her stories are entertaining and inspiring. For more events like this, become an Untapped New York Insider! https://untappedcities.com/become-a-member/