Hell Gate

Darude, AKA Toni-Ville Henrik Virtanen, the author of the masterpiece "Sandstorm." (Kimberli Mäkäräinen) A week ago today, Coney Island beachgoers were suddenly hit with what can only be described as a Darude "Sandstorm." With just a whisper of notice, building almost imperceptibly, within 30 seconds the sky was dark with swirling sand.

Moko Fukuyama's piece, titled "Old School." (Alisha Allison / Hell Gate) Get in loser—we're playing ping-pong. At Beach 67 in the Rockaways, amidst the sunbathers, sand-castle builders, and surfers racing to catch some sick waves, six unique ping-pong tables have been planted in the sand.

(Lissyelle Laricchia) A Synthpop Musician Drops $388 on Credit Consolidation and Gets a Piece of Gear for Free 9:10 AM EDT on July 10, 2026 Give us your email to read the full story Sign up now for our free newsletters. Sign up Great! You’ve successfully signed up. Welcome back! You've successfully signed in. You've successfully subscribed to Hell Gate. Your link has expired. Success! Check your email for magic link to sign-in. Success! Your billing info has been updated. Your billing was not updated.

As the sun begins to set on Hell Gate's Beach Week, we think it's only appropriate to invite you to spend the next two evenings with us on Rockaway Beach. We're thrilled to be partnering with the gang from the booking collective (and erstwhile, if-you-know-you-know DIY venue) Shea Stadium to host a concert of local bands at burger shack Rippers at Beach 86th in the Rockaways.

(Simon & Schuster) For years, Hell Gate has relied on Janet Fash, New York City's first female chief lifeguard, for insight into how New York's lifeguard system has become so broken, and how her own union stood in the way of safety. This summer, Fash turned the spotlight on herself, with her new memoir "LIFEGUARD: A Love Story," co-written by Clio Chang. It's an absolute blast.

In 2024, 32-year-old indie folk singer-songwriter Tasha Viets-VanLear, who goes by Tasha, moved to New York to continue her role as Nacna in "Illinoise," choreographer Justin Peck's Tony-winning adaptation of Sufjan Stevens's album about Illinois. But now that her own fourth album, "You Are Spring!," is out on Bayonet Records, she's spending more and more time in Ridgewood.

Cap'n Crunch and Berries from Dolly's. (Scott Lynch / Hell Gate) Ice Cream: A Love Story 9:39 AM EDT on July 09, 2026 Give us your email to read the full story Sign up now for our free newsletters. Sign up Great! You’ve successfully signed up. Welcome back! You've successfully signed in. You've successfully subscribed to Hell Gate. Your link has expired. Success! Check your email for magic link to sign-in. Success! Your billing info has been updated. Your billing was not updated.

(Michael Appleton / Mayoral Photography Office) 8:45 AM EDT on July 09, 2026 This week's episode of the Hell Gate Podcast arrives this weekend. Make sure you never miss an episode by subscribing here, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's officially summer, and what better way to celebrate than in the Rockaways with your friends at Hell Gate, Rippers, Shea Stadium, and a bunch of great bands.

(Photos by Helen Cook, Canva / Collage by Hell Gate) The Hell Gate Guide to Getting Drunk With a Backpack On 3:02 PM EDT on July 08, 2026 Give us your email to read the full story Sign up now for our free newsletters. Sign up Great! You’ve successfully signed up. Welcome back! You've successfully signed in. You've successfully subscribed to Hell Gate. Your link has expired. Success! Check your email for magic link to sign-in. Success! Your billing info has been updated. Your billing was not updated.

(Hamilton Park Pool / Hell Gate) This week may have begun with heavy rainfall, but New Yorkers hoping to take advantage of the City's newly-revitalized Adult Lap Swim program weren't deterred, with a good number of swimmers donning their goggles and their swim caps and jumping into some orderly swim lanes. According to the Parks Department, 178 people citywide swam on Monday morning, the first official day of Adult Lap Swim, despite a torrential downpour and local flooding.