January 2020

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ALL OF US IN NEW YORK CITY!
 

   An iconic Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration is not only a New York tradition, it’s a global phenomenon. About 2 million people spent their New Year's Eve in the Times Square area, with millions more watching at home on TV.  Some notable performances included LL Cool J, Sam Hunt, and Post Malone. Add this to your Bucket List!

TIPS FOR A POSITIVE NEW YEAR!

   1. Stay positive. You can listen to the cynics and believe that success is impossible, or you can trust that with faith and an optimistic attitude all things are possible
   2. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants, and less foods manufactured in plants
   3. Get more sleep. You can't replace sleep with a double latte (We’re talking to you New Yorkers.)

  In the sixth episode of  The Real Deal’s “Brokers In Cabs” series, Douglas Elliman broker and ‘Million Dollar Listing New York’ star Ronita Kalra reveals how she got into the real estate business, her philosophy on the most important piece of making real estate deals (it’s all about the relationships, people!), and why motherhood has made her totally unflappable. “I mean, you can’t offend me if you tried...” she said. 

   Watch the full video above to see Kalra share her philosophy on her NYC real estate work, how she and fellow Million Dollar Listing NY star Luis Ortiz scored business from a Plaza Hotel doorman, and more! 

   You can watch the video here.

   This new American farm-to-table restaurant is located at the Standard Hotel in The East Village, Manhattan. Although it’s a hotel restaurant it’s not stuffy or presumptuous. Instead, with a ton of vegetables on the menu and a comfortable ambiance it was a very enjoyable dinner. If you get one appetizer, the Japanese sweet potato should be it! Mashed on the inside they are topped with creamy pesto and chili to add a kick. 

    We also shared the stracciatella & cool mint which comes with Calabrian chili, black lime, and some bread. As well as, the wild mushrooms over green tahini and sesame oil. The fava dip was also a crowd-pleaser. The icing on the cake- while I was there with my girlfriends, David Schwimmer aka Ross from Friends was eating directly in sight of us! Only in New York!

PROPERTY OF THE MONTH 
 214 WEST 11TH STREET 

Inside this corner 20' wide Manhattan townhouse is a brilliantly renovated triplex, complete with traditional finishes and two wood-burning fireplaces. Welcome to this stunning 4 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home located in prime Manhattan, New York. Other notable features include central AC, 11' ceilings, and a Lutron lighting system. This home includes just under 2,300 square feet of living space.

Upon entering into the parlor level, you're welcomed by vast living area and a lovely half bathroom. Further on is the striking and newly transformed kitchen, fully equipped with Miele appliances.

Venturing to the second floor, you have the first two bedrooms, accompanied by custom closet space and a newly finished full bathroom.

Lastly, the third floor- which is showered with natural brightness from a skylight- brings you another bedroom and full bathroom. And finally the master suite, with a walk-through closet, excess storage, and modernized en-suite bathroom.

The West Village- in one of the best locales the city has to offer, 214 West 11th is steps away from fine shopping, dining, and a few blocks from the 1,2,3, A, C, E, F, M, L trains.

December 2019

HOLY APOSTLES SOUP KITCHEN
 

   Once a month my real estate team volunteers at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen in Chelsea. We are fortunate enough to have the time and resources to serve others and I feel it is our duty to do so. I came upon this organization a year ago and I love the work they do in New York City. 

   Every weekday at 10:30 a.m. sharp, hundreds of hungry and homeless New Yorkers walk through the doors of Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen to get a warm nutritious meal and seek help in finding their way. But 45 minutes beforehand, another crowd is gathering: 50-60 volunteers who will make sure that happens.
   
   From greeting guests to serving food, cleaning tables to passing out haircut vouchers, it is the volunteers who enable them to be here for the guests every day. One of the most important things they do is to treat the guests with dignity and respect.

   A warm smile or some friendly conversation can really help brighten the guests’ days – and as an NYC volunteer you might be surprised at how much this experience will brighten yours as well!

You can sign up to volunteer any weekday. You’ll need to be available from 9:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Click Here  to sign up and make a difference today! 

BYE BYE BARNEYS

   With Black Friday and Cyber Monday just behind us, retailers and department stores are hanging on by a thread. By now you know that Barneys, the beloved department store that has enchanted New York shoppers since 1923, is closing. And while this is incredibly sad for the city — a long list of Midtown megastores have left us in recent years (Henri Bendel, Lord & Taylor, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein) — A cultural touchstone for generations of New Yorkers and followers of fashion, Barneys filed for bankruptcy protection in August, citing rent hikes as a factor.

   Authentic Brands, which bid roughly $271 million for Barneys (what a real estate sale!) said it will turn the Madison Avenue location into a pop-up store. The firm plans to license the Barneys brand to Hudson’s Bay co-owned Saks Fifth Avenue and will open shops in Saks locations across the United States and Canada.

   That will start with an attempted Barneys reboot on the fifth floor of the Saks Fifth Avenue location in Manhattan. Remaining Barneys stores are expected to close.  Lucky for us, it was also announced Friday that the store’s flagship Madison Avenue outlet in Manhattan New York will remain open for at least another year in a slimmed-down form, which means we will be able to have our beloved Fred’s chopped salads and those ridiculously good fries a few more times. Phew! Who wants to schedule lunch!?

THE GAMECHANGERS

   Speaking of food, I recently watched Game Changers. If you’ve seen this on Netflix you have probably turned your life around and are now plant based. I have watched, and have decided to stop eating meat. I was raised a vegetarian by Indian parents so for me its an easy transition. I only started eating meat while in college and was doing it because after refraining  for so long the curiosity won and I had to give it a shot. Now that I've experienced it, I’m ready to go back to my roots. 

   Here’s more on the movie - Directed by Oscar®-winning documentary filmmaker Louie Psihoyos and executive produced by James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan, Lewis Hamilton, Novak Djokovic, and Chris Paul, The Game Changers tells the story of James Wilks — elite Special Forces trainer and The Ultimate Fighter winner — as he travels the world on a quest to uncover the optimal diet for human performance.

   Showcasing elite athletes, special ops soldiers, visionary scientists, cultural icons, and everyday heroes, what James discovers permanently changes his understanding of food and his definition of true strength.

PROPERTY OF THE MONTH 
527A HANCOCK

   527A Hancock is a magnificent, completely renovated two-family townhouse nestled on a quiet tree-lined street on one of the most beautiful blocks of Stuyvesant Heights, Brooklyn. Originally built in 1899, this gorgeous four-story Brooklyn brownstone has over 4,200 square feet of living space. The property is comprised of an exquisite owner's triplex with 5 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms, plus a beautiful 2 bedroom duplex garden apartment, ideal for an in-law suite or an income-generating rental unit. This masterfully developed Brooklyn brownstone combines classic townhouse living with state-of-the-art technological conveniences for today's modern NYC lifestyle.

   As you enter the parlor floor of the owner's unit, you are greeted with dramatic 10' high ceilings, over-sized windows, a spectacular decorative fireplace with ornate hand carved details and stunning 4-inch wide plank white oak floors. The breathtaking floor-through parlor level is the perfect place for either hosting parties or peaceful tranquility after a long day at work. The expansive open-concept living room and dining room are flooded with natural light and lead to an exquisite, state of the art eat-in kitchen. The kitchen boasts professional stainless steel appliances, including Electrolux ICON oven and microwave, Thor 6-burner range, LG Studio refrigerator and Bosch dishwasher. The imported Italian kitchen cabinetry are made of Palomino Noche & Cashmere Opaco by Stosa. The white-tiled backsplash and white Carrera Quartz counter tops complete the flawlessly designed chef's kitchen. Directly off the kitchen are beautiful french doors which open onto a spacious 16 ft. wide deck which overlooks the backyard and is perfect for entertaining or al fresco dining. The stairs off the deck lead down to a beautifully landscaped fenced-in garden.

   The third floor is comprised of 3 spacious bedrooms, an en-suite bathroom, an additional spa-like bathroom and a laundry closet. The bedrooms offer walk-in closet space and over-sized windows.
    
   The mouth-dropping top floor features a full-floor master suite where natural sunlight pours in through multiple skylights, as well as over-sized north and south facing windows. The extravagant en-suite bathroom is a place of tranquility and features a beautiful black, white & teal tiled floor with deep-soaking bathtub, a luxurious glass-enclosed rain shower and his-and-her vanity sinks. There is also a sitting room, which can easily be used as a home office, nursery, gym or library. A tremendous walk-in closet with dressing room is any homeowner's dream.

   The duplex garden apartment boasts 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom, access to the private backyard and a spacious open-concept living room and kitchen. The kitchen features stainless steel appliances, white subway tile and granite counter tops. The apartment has a private entrance, conveniently accessed by the tenant as well as the owner from the lower level. Additionally, the home features a huge finished basement with a recreation room, laundry closet, powder room and lots of storage space.

   No expense was spared in this impeccable renovation. The NYC property has a new roof, all new electrical wiring, new plumbing, new mechanicals, new hardwood floors and new architectural-series Pella windows. The home also has modern amenities such as 5-zone central heating and air conditioning for year-round climate control, four high-res security cameras with smartphone integration throughout the exterior of the home and indoor/outdoor audio capabilities with a state-of-the-art 3-zone speaker system.

   527A Hancock is conveniently located within a few blocks of some of Brooklyn's most popular restaurants, grocery stores, cafes and craft cocktail joints. Some local favorites nearby include Saraghina, Peaches, L'Antogoniste, Tepache, Nagle's Bagels, Eugene & Co. and Bed-Vyne Cocktail. The Decatur playground, the Raymond Bush playground and the Brooklyn Public Library Macon branch are also located within just a few blocks. The property has very easy access to Manhattan with close proximity to the Kosciuszko Street J train station and the Utica Avenue A and C train station. This is the one you've been waiting for!

   Click here to see the listing 

November 2019

The Ronita Kalra Team

   On the season finale of Million Dollar Listing NY, Luis exposed that he’s moving to Puerto Rico. I know this may be a bit confusing, so I really want to clear things up. Luis and I have decided to part ways as real estate business partners. Myself and my NYC real estate team will remain in business and in action, while Luis works on other projects in PR. Don’t be sad, this is good news for everyone on all fronts. Luis is spending quality time with his new baby- which is amazing- and I’m taking my career at Douglas Elliman to new levels. There’s tremendous things coming soon. We’re turning it up a notch and I’m really excited for 2020!

   Read press article from The Real Deal: HERE 

THANKSGIVING

   It's about that time of year... Thanksgiving. If you're planning on spending this Thanksgiving in New York City​, you won't want to miss the 93rd Annual New York Macy's ​Thanksgiving Day Parade​, which begins at 9 a.m. on Thursday, November 28, 2019.

   The parade travels down Central Park West from 77th Street to Columbus Circle, then along Central Park South to 6th Avenue, down 6th Avenue to 34th Street, and finally along 34th Street to ​Macy's​ Herald Square. This year's festivities will feature giant character balloons, numerous floats, over 1,000 dancers and clowns, and 12 marching bands. Not to mention the incredible line-up of celebrities such as Kelly Rowland, Lea Michele, Natasha Bedingfield, and even Santa Clause!

   To stake out a good viewing spot along the parade route, many people arrive before 6:30 a.m. on the morning of. Be sure to dress warm and bring a thermos with hot coffee or something stronger- wink wink- as it can be quite cold in NYC right now.

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE OF NY

   November begins the giving season, with Thanksgiving and the holidays just around the corner. This time of year reminds us of how fortunate we are for everything that we have. Becoming a mom was life changing for me, and everyday I am thankful for my daughters health and happiness.

   The Ronald McDonald House provides families with kids suffering from cancer a place to stay while their children receive treatment in nearby hospitals.

   It costs the organization $315 per night to host a family and you can help by donating as little or as much as you want once, twice or on an ongoing basis.

   This year, our team decided to donate by purchasing tickets to their annual gala. It was a humbling experience, as we watched the faces' of kids and families brighten, by the ability to use the services and accommodations provided by the Ronald McDonald House. I hope to make this an annual tradition for myself and my team.

PROPERTY OF THE MONTH
106 WEST 123RD STREET, 4 - HARLEM, NEW YORK

A rare find in prime South Harlem location!

   At approximately 1,500 square feet, this charming 2 bed/2.5 bath duplex condo offers endless possibilities making it the ideal home for all — a beautiful property in Harlem, New York .

   The lower level offers an airy, open layout affording comfort and function. Generous living & dining space flows into the chef's kitchen featuring polished granite counter-tops and stainless steel appliances. The living room showcases three large windows with northern exposure, a wood burning fireplace, extra high ceilings & hardwood flooring throughout.  

   On the top level, southern exposure boasts throughout the master bedroom with a 132 square foot private terrace facing a beautiful 95 year old church. The master also presents an en-suite bath with a deep soaking tub and a walk-in closet.

   Bedroom two is separated by a long hallway where you will find a washer and dryer as well as a hall closet. The second bedroom has two balconies with views of the NYC skyline that gives off an abundance of natural light. This bedroom also features an en-suite bathroom and custom cabinets situated in the wall.

   This charming Harlem brownstone is situated on a quiet tree lined block, just a stone's throw from the vibrant community of South Harlem. Enjoy all the rich culture NYC has to offer, convenience and delicious eateries that manifests just down the block. With close proximity to express subway systems, Fifth Avenue shopping, Central Park, Marcus Garvey Park and the new Whole Foods, living in the heart of Harlem has never been more desirable.