A decorated townhouse stoop Upper East Side has become a viral sensation, drawing tourists and locals alike for photo opportunities.
Why It Matters: The Instagram-famous stoop at 241 East 78th Street between 2nd and 3rd avenues is bringing unexpected joy to the neighborhood, transforming a simple home entrance into a community gathering spot that attracts visitors from around the world, including tourists from France, reports ABC7NY.
Driving the News: Photographer Kristi Hemric, who lives in the townhome with her husband David and their four children, started decorating the stoop with flowers to hide scaffolding. The project evolved into elaborate seasonal displays that she changes every few weeks, documented on the Instagram account @stoopandthecity.
What They’re Saying: “I get a ton of joy out of this and at first I thought our neighbors would think I’m extra and wouldn’t like it, but it’s been the opposite,” Hemric said told the news station. One passerby exclaimed, “Christmas is the best! Have you seen Christmas?”
Zoom In: David Guttag created one of the most impressive displays by assembling 120,000 Lego pieces to look like real flowers covering the stoop. “One of the great things was the ah-ha moments when someone came close and realized they were Legos, not real flowers,” he added.
The Big Picture: What started as Hemric’s creative outlet has grown beyond her expectations. The couple encourages photos on the stoop, which has even hosted an engagement. They’ve even installed a ring camera to watch visitors, some of whom leave messages.
