Latest news with #GeckoGallery
New York Times
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Spectating a Tournament of Strength and Solidarity
Times Insider explains who we are and what we do and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. I am a breaking news and general assignment reporter for The New York Times, which means I have written about nearly every conceivable topic, be it cicada invasions, product recalls, the retail evolution of Halloween or Lego pieces that were lost at sea. The one exception, however, is sports. The topic rarely comes up in my coverage, which is perhaps a good thing. I don't watch any sports. I can barely throw a ball, never mind tell you in detail how to shoot an impressive home run. But sometimes the stories worth writing find you, even in the middle of reporting on a different one. In early May, I was visiting the Gecko Gallery NYC, possibly the world's smallest gecko zoo, when the photographer Ann Hermes told me about an amateur sumo club elsewhere in the city. The club was holding its first-ever competition in just a few days. Immediately I knew this was a 'yarn,' as my editors call it. After all, how does a city known for having everything not have this one particular sport? But the more I found on social media about the club, the more I realized this was not just an article about a sport, but one about community, New York and resilience. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Time Out
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
A new gecko gallery filled with rare species is opening in Brooklyn
Brooklyn's wildest new attraction has scales, sticky feet—and may be snoozing in a sweatshirt hood. Opening early next month (tentatively, the second week of May) in East Williamsburg, the Gecko Gallery will showcase NYC's largest public collection of rare and endangered geckos—around 150 of them—all inside a single 400-square-foot basement below the McKibbin Lofts at 255 McKibbin Street. The pint-sized reptile museum is the passion project of two local biologists and lifelong animal lovers, Richie Laleh, 29, and Joseph S. Migirov, 19, who say their fascination with geckos started as kids. 'Where some people look past them, we share a common fascination,' Laleh tells Time Out. 'Geckos are some of the most diverse animals in the world.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Gecko Gallery NYC (@thegeckogallery_nyc) What began as a private collection in their Brooklyn apartments has now evolved into a public venue, following encouragement from building management to open the space to the public. Visitors can expect to see show-stealers like the nearly extinct Madagascar leaf-tailed gecko, a giant day gecko (yes, the Geico one), and a cuddly New Caledonian giant gecko named Kermit, who's been known to nap in Laleh's hoodie. The geckos are sourced from zoos, licensed breeders and occasionally through wild rescues, with the goal of strengthening captive gene pools and promoting conservation. 'We envision a future where our efforts bring often overlooked species into the spotlight,' Laleh says. Though small in size, the Gecko Gallery is big on mission: education, conservation and sparking a little wonder. Tickets are $20, and the duo is already booking visits from curious school groups and local colleges. With its mix of science, spectacle and pure gecko charm, this quirky basement menagerie might just become your new favorite rainy-day spot.
