Undiscarded: Stories of New York

Aug 01 2023 16

Undiscarded: Stories of New York Podcast artwork

A ticket stub, a bottle cap, a piece of fabric, a plastic souvenir, a lightbulb… these simple things hold power – they capture moments in time and the stories of people’s lives. Undiscarded: Stories of New York is a new podcast series that celebrates the extraordinary history behind seemingly mundane objects, telling absorbing and absolutely unique stories that shed new light on the people whose lives have always made New York so alive, exciting, and gloriously messy.

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Display Cake

Aug 01 2023 31 mins

In Undiscarded’s Season 1 finale, Tania sits down with author Richie Narvaez to discuss one very striking display cake. Adorned with a scantily clad doll, Xoxa, the cake graced the La Villita bakery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Unraveling the layers of gentrification, the two reflect on the neighborhood's transformation from a predominantly Puerto Rican community to the realm of hi

Very Old Shovel

Jul 18 2023 22 mins

In this week's "Undiscarded," rock out with Tania and geologist Nik Sokol as they excavate the history of New York City's underground. With a meaningful artifact in hand—a very old shovel, discovered by Nik during the rehabilitation of the New Croton Aqueduct—they discuss the work of past generations to bring water to millions of inhabitants. Unveiled are the invaluable contrib

Subway Token

Jul 04 2023 33 mins

This week on "Undiscarded," join Tania and The Reliquary's Director of Outreach & Programming, Jacob Ford, as they uncover the history of the subway token and the transition into the digital realm. Discover the "SJD" token (which were the initials of one, Sylvester J. Dobosz), how these small, metallic discs transformed public transportation, and how the development of digital

Newsstand

Jun 13 2023 23 mins

This week on Undiscarded, join Tania and The Reliquary’s founder, Dave Herman, as they unpack the history of Petrella’s Point, a newsstand like no other. Barnyard red amidst the concrete jungle, the humble yet mighty kiosk stood at the corner of Bowery and Canal for thirty years. Owner Adam Petrella delighted visitors with whimsy and charm, inviting them to take a seat as the g

Letters to a Hero

May 31 2023 21 mins

This week on Undiscarded, meet the unsuspecting family with an uncanny name who found themselves in a web of confusion. Fan mail, requests, and even some generous checks kept turning up to the Parker family’s home in Forest Hills, Queens… all addressed to Spider-Man. What was initially dismissed as a prank turned out to be comic book canon. Tune in as Tania and guest Pamela Par

Rollerskate

May 16 2023 30 mins

Strap on your skates and get ready to roll back in time! In today’s episode, Tania joins rollerskating legend Eric Alston to take a spin through the history of the Brooklyn’s iconic Empire Rollerdrome, the surprisingly deep intersections of roller disco, urban communities, the Civil Rights movement, and how rollerskating continues to be a deep source of joy and self-expression.

Model Buildings

May 02 2023 27 mins

A riddle: when are tiny models more than tiny models? Answer: when they were once part of a HUGE model. In the case of these unprepossessing little wooden and plastic buildings, probably the greatest scale model ever built: the Panorama of the City of New York. In this episode, Tania talks to Lynn Maliszewski of the Queens Museum about the crown jewel of their collection and the ex

Stuffed Alligator

Apr 18 2023 29 mins

“Alligators thriving in the sewers of New York City” –– one of the most famous and persistent urban myths. But could it be… true? Well, according to former Manhattan Borough Historian Michael Miscione, it’s at least “true-ish”! Learn more as he and Tania go down the manhole to find a truly epic tale of boys vs. beast.Look at photos of this object and more at at http

Pigeon Tags

Apr 04 2023 26 mins

“Why would pigeons need tags?” Tania asks in this episode, and it’s a natural question – pigeons are underfoot everywhere in big cities, and claiming one as your own might seem as silly as claiming a particular dead leaf or piece of litter. But popular urban naturalist Gabriel Willow joins her to explain how domestic pigeons have been an important and versatile part of huma

Letters from a Sign

Mar 21 2023 32 mins

Who’s hungry? In today’s episode of Undiscarded (produced with the collaboration of the New York Historical Society) Tania joins Jack Lebewohl of the famous 2nd Ave Deli to talk about the rise and decline of the delicatessen, the great culinary contribution of one of the immigrant groups that most dramatically shaped New York as we know it: the Yiddish-speaking Jews of Eastern