The Brooklyn social club welcoming newcomers for more than 50 years

Plus, why the city will start giving tours of the Cross Bronx Expressway. [View this email in a browser.]( Gothamist relies on your support to make local news available to all. Not yet a member? [Consider donating and join today.]( [Williamsburg mainstay Toñita's attracts a new generation to the social club]( [first image]( [Today's newsletter curated by Emily Nadal]( Weather: ⛈️ The heat wave may be waning, but we're now bracing for days of rain. Expect a sticky, humid day with scattered storms and a high of 89 degrees. Happy Friday in New York City where a 50-year-old [Brooklyn social club continues to make newcomers feel welcome.]( A lot has changed in Williamsburg since Maria Antonia Cay first opened the Caribbean Social Club, better known as Toñitas, in the 1970s. Once a neighborhood home to mostly Puerto Ricans, Williamsburg is now one of the city’s most coveted real estate markets. But that hasn’t changed Toñitas, which still remains a place to go to be reminded of home. With mementos decorating the wall, free home-cooked meals and cheap beers, the club is now ushering a new generation of patrons seeking community. Here’s what else is happening: - This fall, the city will be hosting a series of fall weekend “walkshops,” or tours across the Cross-Bronx Expressway, as part of a [plan to reimagine the highway]( which has long been a source of environmental racism. - Yesterday’s U.S. Open semifinal match was [brought to a halt by climate protesters]( donning shirts that read “End Fossil Fuels” as they rallied against the government’s response to the climate crisis in the stadium stands. - NYC Fashion Week kicks off today and while many fashion shows may be for insiders only, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy the event. [Here’s a guide to help figure it out.]( - One fashion show that is open to the public is also trying to break records. The [Dreamland Fashion Week show in Central Park this weekend]( is hoping to shatter the Guinness World Record of "The Largest Attendance at a Fashion Show" with 5,000 attendees. - New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is [set to announce the appointment of Secretary of State Tahesha Way]( as the state’s next lieutenant governor today. - A Rolling Stone report accused Jimmy Fallon of [fostering a toxic workplace]( for staff of "The Tonight Show." Hours after it was published, Fallon [called employees to a Zoom meeting]( to apologize for his behavior. - The case of a New Jersey baby that was found dead in 1984 has finally been solved. The newborn’s mother was [charged with manslaughter in a juvenile delinquency complaint.]( - The mother of a man who allegedly died after a Peloton bike fell on him and sliced open his artery, [filed a lawsuit against the exercise equipment company.]( - A Bronx [judge has dismissed 67 cases]( that relied on the work of former NYPD detective Joseph Franco who is accused of lying to secure drug arrests. Hundreds of other convictions have been tossed across the city because they may have been tainted by Franco before he was fired in 2020. - Rescue efforts are underway for a New Jersey researcher who became trapped 3,000 feet below the [entrance of a Turkish cave]( after becoming ill. - The first day of school was a bit hectic for some NYC students between a looming [school bus driver strike causing delays]( and [broken air conditioners in classrooms]( during a heat wave. - Money actually does buy happiness in New York City, $145,028 is the price to be exact, [according to a new study]( which also found Santa Barbara, California to be the most expensive place to be happy. - Luckily French fries also bring happiness, and they’re pretty cheap. [Here are the best in the city]( according to the New York Times. - A new report from the Department of Justice says NJ Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration [violated the constitutional rights of veterans' homes residents]( in the state during the pandemic, and that the homes are still not providing adequate care despite new management. - MTA’s promise to increase midday R train service starting August 28 was a broken one, [according to State Sen. Andrew Gounardes of Brooklyn]( who called the plan a “bungled” effort. - More people are traveling by air these days, which means there are [more gross incidents]( happening on airplanes. “They could offer me $100 million. I’m not selling." - Maria Antonia Cay, owner of Toñitas, [ON HER LOVE FOR THE SOCIAL CLUB.]( More from Gothamist [second image]( [NYC's community gardens overcame obstacles, including Rudy Giuliani]( In the 1990s, the former mayor sought to sell off the lands that were community gardens. [Manhattan BP urges City Hall to use alternative to X amid antisemitism concerns]( Mark Levine proposed the city start including Threads, a social media platform owned by Meta, in its 311 inquiries. [We Rely On Your Support]( [Mayor Adams ignites controversy after saying the migrant crisis will 'destroy' NYC]( Republicans were quick to praise the mayor while members of his own party reacted with scorn. [MTA eases rules for ‘fare capping’ on NYC subways, buses]( It’s now easier for subway and bus riders to score a discount on their weekly fares when using OMNY. [Instagram]( [Instagram]( [Facebook]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Twitter]( [New York Public Radio] [WNYC]( | [WQXR]( | [NJPR]( | [GOTHAMIST]( [WNYC STUDIOS]( | [THE GREENE SPACE]( Copyright © New York Public Radio. All rights reserved. 160 Varick Street, New York, NY 10013 [TERMS OF USE]( You can update your [PREFERENCES]( or [UNSUBSCRIBE]( from this list.