Here are this month’s top picks from Metro.us and more highlights you may have missed from November:
NYC
Young New Yorkers fight for stability through unionized labor Rudy Mulligan never expected she would trade in ten years of experience as a social worker for safety glasses, a tool belt and a hard hat. Read more PHOTOS: Burial vaults discovered below Washington Square Park The New York City Department of Design and Construction found two burial vaults below Washington Square Park that could date back to the 19th century. Read more EXCLUSIVE: Most precincts in NYC’s anti-gun violence program see drop in shootings An 8 percent reduction in shootings across specific precincts in the five boroughs boosted by City Hall funding has officials claiming success even as the relationship between the program and recent crime rates remains blurry. Read more Nina Keneally wants to be the mom you left behind in your hometown — but she’s neither your therapist nor your maid. Read more Winter’s must-see, most beautiful art exhibitions in New York City From fairytale couture to photos of Elizabeth Taylor’s closet, here’s a look at winter’s most gorgeous shows. Read more Women raise $16K for cricket-infused cocktails made out of Bushwick apartment Two women have raised more than $16,000 to take their cricket-infused bitters operation out of a Bushwick apartment and into the mainstream with a product they hope will become the “gateway” to eating insects. Read more PHOTOS: The Force has nothing on costumes to bring alive ‘Star Wars’ You probably didn’t trust Han Solo when he first appeared in “Star Wars.” Yes, he was armed and sitting in the back booth of a seedy cantina, but that’s not why. It was the vest. Read more NYC’s best holiday markets for gifts and seasonal treats Looking for one-of-a-kind gifts that will impress even your trendiest friends? Head to these holiday markets for memorable stocking stuffers and seasonal eats. Read more PHILLY
For women in weed business, the sky is the limit As marijuana laws change across the country, there’s a group out there making sure women get a seat at the table. Read more Meet the young Philadelphians who actually want to be cops When William McGuckin, started in the Philadelphia Police Department’s Explorer Cadet program, he wasn’t sure he wanted to be a cop. Read more Renewed push for Broad Street Line?
Plans for a 1.5 mile extension of the Broad Street Line to the Philadelphia Navy Yard appear to be moving forward — incrementally, at least. Read more Football team’s championship dreams dashed Ask the 9-year-old football players on the West Philly Tarheels what they think makes their team unique, and they sound like a pro football team. Read more In ‘Rocky’ update, dirt bikes get a prominent role on Philly streets In the famous training montage of the 1979 film Rocky II, Sylvester Stallone’s character runs through Philadelphia, followed by a mob of kids cheering him on. Read more Paesano’s Peter McAndrews is now selling late-night tacos in Fishtown Whether he’s reimagining classic Philadelphia sandwiches at Paesano’s Philly Style or crafting crazy good menus at Modo Mio, chef Peter McAndrews has a knack for understanding local palates. Read more Fly on over to Little Bird Bakery
Jessica Nolen’s dreams of owning a bakery began at a young age with a concept she dreamed up called Bob and Anne’s, named for her grandparents. Read more BOSTON
Opioid warrior: ‘Heroin is Killing My Town’ goes headlong against ongoing opioid epidemic Frances Armstrong’s 15-year-old daughter had been missing for 34 days after she took off with a friend who was caught up in the riptide of the ongoing opioid crisis. Her daughter was afflicted by addiction too, and was in over her head. So Armstrong called in reinforcements.Read more Cold War crackers stashed in City Hall unearthed for taste test Video put Boston government hub’s stockpile of nuclear fallout rations back in the spotlight. Read more Boston bans fake guns in public places
Sometimes crafted out of heavy pieces of metal and fitted with all the features of a real weapon, replica firearms can be nearly identical to the real thing. Read more Government Center murals commuting to new homes
Big rectangular windows to 1970s Boston, the murals hung for decades in Government Center, slowly collecting grime and cementing their place in the minds of Hub commuters as iconic pieces of public art.Read more Why now is the time to sell in Greater Boston One mother was able to take advantage of a blossoming real estate market and get a great deal on her Boston home. Read more PHOTOS: Ben Affleck shoots ‘Live By Night’ in Lawrence Ben Affleck was on set bringing Dennis Lehane’s 1920s gangster novel “Live By Night” to life in the streets of Lawrence. Read more High-heeled hilarity runs amok in ‘Casa Valentina’ Politics, pornography and financial ruin all threaten the safe space George/Valentina (Thomas Derrah) and his seemingly saintly wife Rita, (Kerry Dowling), have created for the hetero-normative gang. Read more ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE
Reversible Picasso nude sells for $67.5M
A Picasso work with a history fitting of the artist who created the piece was the highlight of a Sotheby’s art sale that brought in more than $300 million. Read more Famous writers and celebrities give their ‘Best Advice In Six Words’ It can just take one piece of advice to change your entire life. Whether it’s from your mom, a friend, mentor or some random dude on the subway, words of wisdom can come from even the unlikely of places. Read more My movie date with Shia LaBeouf On a rainy Tuesday afternoon troubled film actor and performance artist Shia LaBeouf sat down in a small theater at the Angelika in SoHo to watch every single one of his movies.Read more Eddie Redmayne on what he learned from the transgender community Eddie Redmayne is very aware of how much has changed in the last couple years. Read more Tiesto, David Guetta and Calvin Harris make between $350,000 and $400,000 per gig. Read more Seven minutes in heaven with The Fat Jew We sit down with Instagram star The Fat Jew to talk about his debut book “Money Pizza Respect,” his favorite NYC strip clubs, drugs of choice and more. Read more 5 ways the Bond movies have changed over 53 years
The James Bond films have survived over the last 53 years because they’ve been willing to change. Read more Why your next condom should be vegan
Going into business with family has its challenges, but getting into the condom and lubricant business with your father? That’s not only hard, it’s also pretty odd. Read more EXCLUSIVE: Christina Aguilera on The Voice’s ‘first love connection’ Millions of Americans might be watching “The Voice” every week, but Christina Aguilera certainly isn’t.Read more Kathy Griffin isn’t running for president
Kathy Griffin talks Trump, the Oscars and death threats from Demi Lovato fans. Read more VIRAL VIDEO: Cat bobs head to Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’ A video showing a cat bobbing its head to Drake’s new and catchy tune, “Hotline Bling’ has gone viral — and for good reason. Read more Expert advice for making your friends and family feel right at home (or even better).Read more SPORTS
2016 NFL Mock Draft: Jared Goff, Paxton Lynch, Connor Cook top college QB list An obscenely early look at who will be the top picks next spring. Read more Burke: Bill Belichick hates the troops?
The NFL having its players and coaches wear camouflage and pink once a year has much more to do with a marketing dude in its New York City office thinking it looks “cool” on TV than it does the world’s most profitable sports league giving one damn about our troops and breast cancer. Read more Frugal teams, like Red Bulls, win in MLS but league might suffer because of it “Moneyball” had been an outlier in baseball, as traditionally, the biggest spending teams were the ones to win divisions, make deep runs in the playoffs, and win the World Series. That is still mostly true in the NBA, where the league has been dominated for years by “Dream Team” ambitions and superstar-laden squads. Read more