In this Episode, Kelly is joined by CEO of American Christmas: Dan Casterella! He has been the leader of the company since 2017 which is responsible for all of the incredible Christmas decorations around midtown that we know and love.

Kelly starts the episode off by asking Dan about how he started working with the company. Dan talks about how he loved decorating houses for Christmas since he was a kid and how he would even cut class in high school in order to decorate houses!

Dan talks about his journey through the company; starting as an installer and working his way up to becoming CEO! He talks about how he runs the company, and what it means to be in a seasonal buisness. Dan talks about how he and his employees deal with the stress of Christmas and what it means for them and their families.

Kelly asks Dan about The Headquarters in Mount Vernon, Westchester. Kelly talks about his visit to the facilities and all of the different iconic fixtures of Christmas in NYC that he got to see. Dan talks about how they let visitors tour the facilities and on the weekends kids take pictures with Santa Clauese. Dan donates all of the proceeds from santa clause to local organizations that help local youth.

Kelly asks Dan about instalations. How long they take, what the planning process is like and where they go around the City. Dan talks about some of the world famous fixtures that they do, such as the one at Saks 5th Ave, Radio City Musica Hall and all over 5th and 6th ave in midtown.

Dan talks a bit about the other work that they do all over the country. He tells us which state has the biggest market for christmas in the country, and what the second biggest city that they decorate is.

Jae asks about some more details regarding the creation process, and Dan talks about the two different ways that they work on projects: Clients come to them with the idea that they have to execute, or their prefered way which is doing all of the creating and designing themselves. He talks about what that process is like too.

Finally, Kelly asks him what his favorite christmas decoration is in New York and Dan surprises us and says that it's one that he doesn't do!

But above all else; Dan Casterella is a New Yorker.

Kelly Kopp's Social Media:
@NewYorkCityKopp

American Christmas on Social Media:

@AmericanChristmas

Jae's Social Media:

Studiojae170@gmail.com

• (00:00:00) - The New Yorkers: Dan Castorella
• (00:02:10) - American Christmas: Celebrating the Holidays
• (00:05:24) - How to Win at Your Job
• (00:09:21) - How to Create a Holiday Installation in New York
• (00:14:30) - Santa Claus and the Mount Vernon Christmas
• (00:15:57) - Christmas decorations on display in New York
• (00:17:33) - Tree Lighting in New York
• (00:19:57) - American Christmas Expands
• (00:21:28) - Christmas in America: Dan Lowe
• (00:25:08) - How To Put Up a Christmas Tree!
• (00:28:24) - What is the biggest project that you do?
• (00:29:41) - Favorite Decorations in New York
• (00:31:53) - Do You Design Christmas Decorations?
• (00:34:07) - An Installation With a Proposal
• (00:36:21) - Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Display
• (00:40:34) - The New York City Holiday Decorations
• (00:42:19) - Favorite Subway Line in New York
• (00:44:17) - Christmas in New York

During this busy Holiday Season, the New Yorkers have their plates full. So please sit back and enjoy a great episode from last Thanksgiving!

In this episode, Kelly is joined by John Friia! He is a digital creator, New York City historian and featured on PIX11's New York Living!

Kelly asks John about his New York Story: Where he's from, What kind of content he does, and why he has such a profound interest for New York City History.

Kelly tells us about his time as a balloon handler in the Macy's Thanksgiving day Parade. How he got the position, which balloons he got to handle, and he tells the story about the time he almost got to High Five a Rockette!

Kelly and John give tips about where to go to see the parade the best. Where has the best view, how to go so you can leave early, and where the best place to go to the bathroom is.

John tells Kelly about the history of the parade. When it started, the original parade route, how the Central Park Zoo was involved. John also tells us about the lengthy process that the balloons and floats go through before they can make it to the day of the Parade.

Kelly also tells John about the inflation ceremony, where thousands of people from around the world gather to see the balloons inflated. He gives the listeners tips on the best places and times to see this too.

But above all else; John Friia is a New Yorker!

Kelly Kopp's Social Media:
@NewYorkCityKopp

John Friia's Social Media:
@Here_in_NY on Instagram
@hereinnyc on TikTok

Jae's Social Media

@Studiojae170

• (00:00:00) - The New Yorkers Podcast
• (00:02:33) - TikTok Cops: Tell us Your Story
• (00:05:32) - I Surprising Drew Barrymore With a Broadway Playbill
• (00:08:47) - Can You Officiate A Wedding?
• (00:10:39) - New York City Legends on Social Media
• (00:13:06) - Mickey Mouse in the Macy's Parade
• (00:15:17) - Hello Kitty Balloon Impressions
• (00:18:32) - The History of The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
• (00:22:27) - The New Year's parade balloon deflation
• (00:24:40) - How the Float Is Made
• (00:27:02) - The 2013 Macy's Parade
• (00:30:24) - How to watch the Macy's Parade Grandstand Tickets
• (00:34:20) - How to Watch the Macy's Parade in NYC
• (00:37:10) - Thanksgiving and Christmas: Where to Eat in NYC With Frank Sin
• (00:39:44) - Carol Ann on the Thanksgiving Day Parade
• (00:40:29) - The Best Place To See the Parade
• (00:40:56) - How to Get to the Parade
• (00:41:38) - Where to Sit During the Pride Parade
• (00:43:09) - When Will Restaurants Be Open in Times Square?
• (00:43:51) - The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
• (00:44:15) - How Long Does It Take for a Parade Balloon to Be Intox
• (00:46:28) - How to Watch the Macy's Parade
• (00:50:04) - A Thanksgiving Talk With John McCain
• (00:50:34) - John Freya on What It Means To Be A New Yorker
• (00:51:44) - New Yorkers Podcast: Episode 291

In this Episode, Kelly is joined by historian, Justin Southern!

Join them as Justin tells Kelly how he first became a tourguide. He talks about his time teaching English in Italy, responding to an ad to become a tourguide while living in Italy, and how he came to New York.

Kelly asks Justin about imigration before Ellis Island. Justin talks about the different ways that people emmegrated from their home countries before the US created a way, on the federal level, for people to immigrate to the United States.

Justin talks about the creation of Ellis Island and the first ship that landed on the island. He talks about how many immagrants went through Ellis Island during its peak use. Then he talks about how many immigrants were turned away from staying in the US due to sickness, and puts into perspective how small a number that is.

Kelly asks Justin what people did while they were on Ellis Island. Justin tells him how they had different wards of the hospital and the different patients they took at each. He tells us about how due to the previlance of disease, children had to be seperated from their families.

He also talks about how nurses and doctors made huge advancements in health during this time period because they were able to study so many patients. Justin also gives somes stories about how nurses befriended their patients and stayed connected even after they made it back to the mainland.

Finaly, Kelly asks Justin about the Hard Hat Tour, Justin tells everyone what they can experience when they take the tour. He also gives some great tips for visiting Ellis Island and the stature of Liberty. He also tells everyone how they can take the hard hat tour.

Kelly also tells everyone about his experience taking the hard hat tour. He talks about what he saw on the tour as well as what it felt like to be in the space that so many immagrants went through.

But above all else; Justin Southern is a New Yorker.

Follow Justin Southern

@Southbysouthern

Follow Kelly Kopp's Social media

@NewYorkCityKopp

Follow Jae's Social Media

@Studiojae170

• (00:00:00) - New Yorkers: Episode 1
• (00:01:04) - Hard Hats at Ellis Island
• (00:01:39) - I Made A Lady Cry In My First English Teacher Lesson
• (00:04:59) - Telling stories of Ellis Island
• (00:10:49) - How Ellis Island Changed the Immigration Process
• (00:16:28) - Immigrant Customs Agents on the Titanic
• (00:21:33) - Ellis Island: A story of the hospital
• (00:27:34) - Ellis Island: The Stories of the Nurses
• (00:31:22) - How Would an Imm Get to America?
• (00:34:41) - The story of the girl with the boat
• (00:41:34) - The story of Ellis Island
• (00:43:44) - The Ellis Island Hardhat Tour
• (00:45:46) - What It Means to Be a New Yorker
• (00:48:11) - Ellis Island Tours