Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons

Some city gyms have all the bells and whistles, while others take the no-frills approach. Then there’s the whole continuum in between. You can find just about anything you can dream up in NYC, but ultimately what you want from a workout is a personal choice. Furthermore, what may seem thrilling at signup, can quickly devolve into more of a burden than a blessing when you just want a quick lunch hour workout. Below is a variety of hot NYC gyms from the over-the-top extravagant to the stripped-down, bare bones, in-and-out experience, all for a reasonably good deal for what they offer.

(by Alissa Fleck)

1. Ludlow Fitness ($49/mo, LES)

One major perk to Ludlow is it’s open 24/7 on weekdays, which cannot be said for many City gyms. The size is small, but the crowd (generally young) moves quickly, and a recent expansion makes for more open space. There’s lots of equipment, clean amenities and a variety of classes, which gym-goers describe as “intense,” but in a good way. Staff is reportedly very friendly and helpful. One major bonus according to a Ludlow reviewer: “non-pretenious yoga classes.”

2. Yoga Vida ($110/mo/unlimited yoga, Union Square)

We thought we should include an alternative type of gym on here, particularly because Yoga Vida is such a popular choice among local yogis. Yoga Vida continuously has great deals on classes for people looking for all sorts of yoga-related experiences. Deals on unlimited yoga are always changing, and Yoga Vida offers great startup packages for people just looking to get their toes wet first. A variety of classes target every skill level in a beautiful, relaxing setting.

3. The Sports Center at Chelsea Piers ($160/mo, Chelsea) 

Okay so this massive gym is on the expensive end, but we couldn’t pass it up with all the stellar reviews it’s garnered (it seems to have something of a cult following). The Sports Center is definitely for the “sportier types,” as it has just about everything you could possibly imagine in a gym. There are tons of classes, a boxing ring, an eight-lane swimming pool, a climbing wall, a food and juice lounge, a sundeck, etc. Most classes do not cost extra and the weight room reportedly does not get overly crowded. Sports Center members also report the “beautiful” gym is regularly kept very clean, and there are tons of complimentary amenities. “The only problem with Chelsea Piers is that it will ruin every other gym for you,” writes one reviewer on Yelp.

4. Blink ($20/mo, NoHo)

Blink is the ideal gym for the less hardcore crowd. Owned by Equinox, it’s the less roomy, cheaper offshoot, with fewer extravagances, but which gets the job done nonetheless. The amount of cardio equipment is reasonable for a large crowd, but weight availability may be more limited, particularly during peak workout hours. Locker rooms are small and do not offer the amenities available at larger, pricier gyms. Unfortunately it sounds like Blink’s offer is almost too good to be true, as members report it’s only getting more and more crowded (with possible new locations to open soon, unless that’s wishful thinking).

5. Mid-City Gym ($20/mo, 42nd St., 49th St.)

Mid-City Gym does not boast the amenities of many other gyms—there is no TV for instance—but customers report for price and location, the gym is a deal. It’s never too crowded, say gym-goers, and the facilities are clean. Weights, free and not, are plentiful. “No-frills whatsoever,” but everything you’d need in a gym, describe users. It’s also welcoming to everyone on the workout spectrum.

“I wanted to do something else and realized it’s time to start the next chapter,” Duane said in a recent interview. “I would say ‘retire’ is not a completely accurate term; I’m just not ready for re-election. I plan to continue working in my own small way to make the world a better place.”

Duane, who was elected in 1998 and was New York’s first openly gay senator, was the first senator to introduce the Marriage Equality Act in 2001 and continued to push for its support until it was passed last year. He also made waves in 1991 when he won election to the City Council after disclosing his HIV-positive status, and in the Senate he passed legislation expanding routine HIV testing.

Duane said he is proud to have passed laws that directly impact his constituents as well as serve as models for other cities.
“I supported the Midwifery Modernization Act to allow nurse midwives to practice in New York State. I’ve supported routine HIV testing and helped lessen the stigma, particularly within correctional facilities. I also supported the prohibition of insurance companies to create tier four drugs with incredibly expensive co-payments,” Duane said of his accomplishments.

He also introduced the anti-bullying Dignity for All Students Act in the Senate and fought for its successful passage, helped secure passage of a law that eliminates the criminal statute of limitations on many serious sex crimes and worked on measures that toughened laws against hate crimes and discrimination.

Duane’s announcement to leave public office after the current Senate term, which ends Dec. 31, has many already lamenting his departure and others scrambling to replace him.

“I am sad to hear of Tom Duane’s departure from public life,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, whose district overlaps Duane’s, in a statement. “Locally, he has been a powerful and unyielding advocate for affordable housing and tenants’ rights, serving his constituents as only a truly committed and compassionate public servant can. In Albany, Tom has been a legendary champion for civil rights, sponsoring and supporting legislation over the years to benefit all New Yorkers.”
Public Advocate Bill de Blasio also praised the senator, singling out his contributions to gay rights in the state.

“Today’s generation of LGBTQ youth will grow up in a world made more free and more fair because of Tom’s service,” de Blasio said in a statement. “He will always be remembered for his pivotal role in securing marriage equality for all New Yorkers.”

Hoping to follow in Duane’s footsteps, current chair of Community Board 2 and longtime Democratic activist Brad Hoylman has already officially declared his candidacy for the seat. Hoylman is promising to bring reform to Albany and continue Duane’s legacy of fighting for equality at the state level, and political players expect him to receive the coveted endorsement from Duane himself.

City & State also reports that a woman named Tanika Inlaw has been going to local Democratic clubs to seek support for a 29th District candidacy that she announced on Facebook last week.

Duane said that for the time being, he’s focused on finishing out his final term strongly. But he said that he’ll definitely miss parts of the job.

“I’ll miss the challenges of garnering the widest possible support for issues I believe in, especially from people who have not shared my points of view,” Duane said. “I’ll miss finding that common ground and working with people in a collegial manner to pass bills that help people in a way they should be helped.”

By Carson Griffith

Photos by Aram Bedrossian

For maybe the first time in her career, Leandra Medine is showing signs of opening up. The 23-year-old blogger, known to readers of her site as “The Man Repeller,” has followed a strict mantra of “personable over personal” that has made her irresistible, if not entirely accessible, to her fans.

But with a recent engagement and an upcoming wedding at the St. Regis, she’s slowly coming out of her Thakoon cocoon.

Over a latté at The Smile in Noho the Friday before Fashion Week, Medine almost looks like she’s wearing a disguise. Having made her living for over the past two years on the promotion of fashion-forward, often wacky attire, it’s slightly disappointing to find the native New Yorker in an oversized sweater and scarf. But a large, sparkly engagement ring and an “arm party” of bracelets—a term Medine herself coined—make up for the lack of a tufted skirt with multiple layers or high-waisted shorts.

The Upper East Sider has made time for me in her morning between a flurry of meetings, including styling a Lila Horn show for Fashion Week, and working on her popular blog, which garners 2 million hits a month and helped her top Adweek’s “Fashion’s Power 25 list” last September, beating out Lady Gaga, Anna Wintour, Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton.

“I’ve RSVPed to, like, 50 shows,” she admitted when I asked her for her Fashion Week schedule. Among them are Calvin Klein and Derek Lam, both coveted first-year invites for the blogger, but she did not attend the show of one of her favorite young designers, Alexander Wang. Strangely enough for Medine, she missed the hot ticket, which took place Saturday, Feb. 11, to attend her own engagement party.

In a short white Marchesa dress at 583 Park, Medine brought friends and family to celebrate her engagement to her long-term, on-and-off boyfriend, whom she keeps anonymous on her blog and won’t name here. When I asked what he does for a living, she said, “We’re fulfilling all the New York stereotypes, which means…” she trailed off. “Finance,” I said.

But getting back to fashion, the open-faced, long-legged brunette will not be slipping into a dress designed by Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig for her nuptials. While her millions of readers and 60,000 Twitter followers have waited with bated breath to hear who will be designing her wedding dress, it sounds as if she’s narrowed it down to one hot designer, one she also considers a friend: Prabal Gurung.

“We’re actually talking about the prospect of him doing my wedding dress,” she smiled, almost shyly, at the thought of a custom-made gown on a girl’s biggest day by one of fashion’s most popular men. “I think Prabal Gurung is probably going to be the most relevant and important designer in fashion five years from now. His collections are insane.”

As for any woman who has made her career in fashion, it is easy for Medine to tick off a litany of favorite designers. The difference, however, is that a number of them, such as Gurung, are personal friends with the famous blogger. Last fall, Medine walked the catwalk for Rebecca Minkoff’s Fashion Week show, after, Minkoff tells me, she challenged Medine to a walk-off after dinner on a rainy night. Medine concluded her audition runway strut with a funny routine from Saturday Night Live, which she watches regularly. It sealed the deal.

“I love Becky,” Medine said, calling the designer by a pet name when I inquire about the relationship.

The feeling is mutual. “Leandra reminds me of what Katharine Hepburn was to fashion in a time when women only wore skirts and she wore pants. She stood for the modern woman in an era of glamor,” Minkoff enthused. “I appreciate her singular point of view; women love the trends men hate. She’s fearless and empowers other people to be the same.”

Minkoff keeps Medine on her mind in the workplace as well. “We consider her part of the brand’s family. Our barometer. We always ask ourselves, ‘How would the Man Repeller wear this?’”

Danielle Snyder, of the jewelry line Dannijo, which she created with her older sister Jodie, has developed an almost sister-like relationship with Medine since meeting her a year ago at a party for the blogging forum Tumblr. “It was love at first sight,” Snyder said, adding she thinks they’ve spent “364 out of the 365 days” that they’ve known each other together.

“She’s like a fox on oversized clogs,” she said about the blogger’s ability to actually not repel men. “I never tease her because just when I think she’s looking too hot, I realize she hasn’t shaved her legs in way too long.”

“I feel so blessed I’ve become so close with [Danielle and Jodie],” Medine said earnestly, despite Snyder’s joking commentary and despite the fact that she has never in her life owned a pair of clogs. Medine helped host a dinner with the sisters the night before Fashion Week began last season and has another collaboration with Dannijo due out next month, called Mr. Dannijo’s Eye Spies, a takeoff of their original Mr. Dannijo collaboration.

She admits not everyone is singing her praises, though. The “haters,” as she calls them, are still lurking on the Internet, ready to pounce on her every move, due to her quick, though not unwarranted success. Despite receiving lengthy and numerous congratulations upon posting news of her engagement on her website, other sites condemned her for it as if it were a kind of betrayal. “I didn’t mean for the ‘Man Repeller’ to be me [initially],” she said, explaining that the name of the site and online persona was about making a “social comment about fashion.”

This story first appeared in the March issue of AVENUE. For the rest of the story, visit avenueinsider.com