Mac King
Characters make a story memorable: jokesters, geniuses, gossips, children, octogenarians, your neighbor Maureen, your uncle Jerry, cobblers, clock-winders, professional foosball players, artisan mayonnaise-makers. In this job (and in life), I like to think I seek out characters. I'm a reader (fiction, non-fiction, books, magazines, the entire Internet). I'm a TV/movie-watcher. I'm a former camp counselor. I'm an intramural sports enthusiast. Every story of my little league career is at least mildly exaggerated. I grew up on Bainbridge Island, Wash., with two sisters, Newfoundland dogs and Siamese cats. My parents still live there with all of those pets and all of my favorite sports teams. I went to high school at Andover, where I spent more time playing stickball than studying for chemistry (Mr. Cardozo gave me a C). I then attended Bates College, where I wrote a sports column for the school paper filled with more drinking jokes than game stats (thankfully, the online archives seem to have vanished). I went to graduate school at Northwestern, where I once submitted a story about the most delicious cinnamon brioche in all of Chicago.
The latest from Mac King
Pandemic and now cold weather batter NYC restaurants
Last New Year's Eve, Bella Luna on the Upper West Side seated more than 200 people. This year, it hopes to seat 20.
Pandemic shrinks New Year's crowds at gyms
The New Year is typically when gyms see a rush of new memberships, but it's far from the usual because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Gingerbread house artist gets back to work New Year's Day
Jon Lovitch, a gingerbread house artist based out of his basement in Forest Hills, gets cracking for the next holiday season by New Year's Day.
British brothers traveled the world to research their book about pizza
A publisher told Thom and James Elliot that pizza as a subject probably couldn't carry an entire book but the brothers disagreed.
Legendary music venue 'The Bitter End' looks to new beginning
The music venue that helped launch the careers of artists like Lady Gaga is hanging on by a thread due to the financial strain of the pandemic.
Resurgence of cassette tapes keeps Brooklyn manufacturer busy
In 2019, Domenick Salvatore manufactured 1 million tapes.
Real estate firm leverages social media for its commercial clients
Current Real Estate Advisors helps clients find spaces that maximize sales and profit potential, which is also — in theory — what every other commercial real estate firm does.
Queensboro FC holds tryouts for its academy squad
Queensboro FC won't play its first match until 2022. But the organization is taking steps to find local talent to develop.
How the world is watching the 2020 Election
People from all around the world are paying close attention to the U.S. Election.
NYC's last chess parlor holds out amid pandemic
The pandemic forced many businesses in New York to close. Chess Forum is the city's last chess parlor.