Secrets, Lies & Grand Designs
The buildings that lied to your face. Walk two and a half miles from the Flatiron to the Waldorf and discover the unhinged decisions behind New York's most iconic stretch of real estate — a secret spire raised in ninety minutes, a librarian who burned her own diaries, and a hotel built entirely out of spite.
Start This ExperienceWhat You'll Experience
A taste of what you'll hear
9 stops, each with its own story. Here's a preview.
"Midtown Manhattan has a problem. It's full of buildings that are lying to you. That dome you're about to see? Cast iron painted to look like marble. The ceiling at Grand Central? Backwards."
"Bryant Park. Nearly ten acres of green chairs, French plane trees, and the world's most aggressively pleasant public space. It was not always this pleasant. Stand where you are and picture this."
"All right. You made it. Seven stops. Two and a half miles. Some of the most ambitious, eccentric, stubborn people who ever lived in this city. Now let's talk about the lies. I told you eighty percent of this tour was true."
Part tour, part game
Most of what you hear is true. But we slip in a few things that aren't. At the end, there's a quiz — can you tell which facts were real?
It makes you pay attention. And it's way more fun than just listening.
Have questions? Just ask.
Curious about something you heard? Want to know more about a place? Ask us anything — we have a lot to say. It's more fun when it's a conversation.
Ready?
Download the app, head to the starting point, and press play. The stories start themselves.
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