Day: November 20, 2024

Bay Ridge embraced Greek street fashion on Nov. 15, as Greek-American streetwear designer Despina Kotsis brought her urban wear collection to Third Avenue. The 24-year-old hosted a pop-up event titled “I’m Happier in Greece” outside Omonia Cafe, drawing Greeks and non-Greeks alike for an afternoon and evening of mingling and fun.

The Bay Ridge native told Brooklyn Paper that her passion for fashion began at an early age. In 2018, she launched her streetwear label, Minx New York, while simultaneously earning a master’s degree in childhood education to satisfy her parents’ wish for a fallback plan in case her design career didn’t work out.

The self-taught designer has embraced the motto “spread your wings” and uses the pigeon — New York City’s most iconic bird — as the symbol of her fashion line.

“I want people to realize in their lives [that] they all have their own set of wings, like the pigeon,” Kotsis said. “I want to really inspire people to follow their dreams, just like I am. I did this [fashion line] without a degree. And you don’t need a degree to follow your dreams to be successful.”

Minx New York blends Kotsis’s Greek heritage with Gotham streetwear. The collection includes hoodies, shirts, crewnecks, sweatpants, backpacks, and hats with a luxury edge and has been worn by celebrities such as actor Jake T. Austin.

“So that’s the route I’m following,” Kotsis said. “It’s stylish but definitely a New York vibe with a flare of Greece.”

Among her most popular designs is the “Dope Eye,” a playful twist on the traditional Greek evil eye, mati. The design replaces the usual blue hues with a rainbow of colors, while the eyelashes resemble the New York City skyline.

“[The evil eye] is really big in Greek culture. And this actually represents me because the lashes are the city skyline, New York City, and you get New York City in a Greek vibe,” Kotsis said. “So you know, Greek-American, Greek girl from New York—that’s how I got the Dope Eye.”

Other standout designs include “Greek Street,” which features a Spartan warrior, and slogans like “I’m Happier in Greece” and “AMERIKANÁKI,” the line’s latest addition.

Kotsis, whose streetwear has been featured in Teen Vogue and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,” hosted the event to celebrate her fashion line and unite New York City’s Greek community. She also launched a project called “Greeks Supporting Greeks New York City,” where Greek businesses pledge to support each other and their community.

“We have all this love for our country. We need it for each other,” Kotsis said. “So that’s why I started [the pledge]. We’re here as a new movement, a new generation, and we’re just here to do big things and support each other.”

Kotsis’s mother, Maryann Kotsis, expressed pride in her daughter’s achievements.

“This is something that she started from a very young age, and the passion continues, even though she’s gotten her education from college,” Maryann Kotsis said. “But that passion lives on, and we’re here to support her and be by her side.”

Kotsis will host a second pop-up event on Nov. 30 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 22-78 35th St. in Astoria, Queens. For more information, visit her Instagram, @minxnewyork, or her website, minxnewyork.com.

New York City’s prolonged drought will finally get some relief tonight and tomorrow, as up to 2 inches of rain is expected to soak the Big Apple, according to forecasters.

The National Weather Service indicates a storm system is moving toward the metropolitan area that will arrive at about 10 p.m. tonight, Nov. 20, and provide heavy rain well into Thursday. “The rain could be heavy at times,” the weather service indicated.

Thursday is expected to be a raw, rainy day in the Big Apple. There will be rain throughout, and temperatures will not rise above 51 degrees. By the time the storm clears out, the National Weather Service predicts the city will receive between 1 and 2 inches of rain, with localized higher totals possible.

The oncoming storm will provide much-needed relief to a city that hasn’t seen significant rainfall in more than two months, but it will not break the historic drought currently gripping the five boroughs and — more importantly — the upstate reservoirs that supply our water.

As of Nov. 19, the city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) reported that the city’s water supply system is at 59.8% capacity — nearly 20% below the 79.2% normal capacity for the system at this point in time.

Between September and October 2024, just 2.23 inches of precipitation were recorded at the reservoirs — well below the historic September-October average total of 8.84 inches. So far this month, just 0.21 inches of rain has fallen in the city’s watershed.

The situation prompted Mayor Eric Adams to declare a drought emergency on Monday, enhancing previous City Hall efforts to conserve water citywide. The city uses about a billion gallons of water each day.

Moreover, the dry conditions have resulted in hundreds of brush fires at public parks and other wooded areas of the city this month alone. The most recent blaze occurred on Tuesday afternoon at Highbridge Park in upper Manhattan.

For the drought to finally break, the city and its reservoirs will need to see several more heavy rainstorms like the one expected to hit tonight and tomorrow in relatively rapid succession. 

The city provided additional steps New Yorkers can take to help preserve water:

• Report open fire hydrants and street leaks to 311.  
• Don’t flush the toilet unnecessarily. 
• Take shorter showers, which the city says can save five to seven gallons a minute. When taking a bath, fill the tub only halfway and save 10 to 15 gallons.  
• Don’t run the tap while shaving, washing hands, or brushing teeth. Faucets use two to three gallons per minute.   
• Fix leaks. A leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year, according to the EPA.  
• Run the dishwasher and washing machine only when full. Use short cycles if available. Turn off the water while washing dishes.  
• Install water-saving fixtures, including low-flow toilets and showerheads, as well as faucet aerators.  
• Sweep driveways and sidewalks clean rather than washing them down with a hose.  

More information is available on the DEP’s website at nyc.gov/dep.