Etceterology
Items that defy easy classification.
More NY: Ugly Betty's office, Muni Art Society awards
Inside the Woolworth Building (aka the "Ugly Betty" office for Season I) during Open House NY. Amy Langfield/NewYorkology.
NY-set "Ugly Betty" to move to New York (Bloomberg)
ABC's ``Ugly Betty'' television series plans to move filming to New York City to take advantage of tax credits in a switch that will create more than 200 full- and part-time jobs.
Red Hook ballfield food vendors to make pre-June cameo at Brooklyn Flea (Grub Street)
As of next Sunday, look for some vendors at Brooklyn Flea in Fort Greene, which already offers a great mix of eats (Cuban sandwiches! Organic ice cream! Hot bread!) along with the vintage furnishings and hipster crafts.
IAC Building, new NYT top Muni Art Society awards (Brownstoner)
The Floating Pool lady, moored at the future Brooklyn Bridge Park last summer (and now in the Bronx), won for best neighborhood catalyst along with The New Museum. Diane von Furstenberg's DVF Studio Headquarters in the Meatpacking District and the Museum at Eldridge Street won for best historic renovation.
NYC & Co. happy with "Sex and the City" pimping their brand (USA Today)
There could be no better advertising campaign for New York City," says Chris Heywood of NYC & Company, the city's tourism arm. Sex and the City: The Movie promotes the city's attractions "without costing us anything," Heywood says.
New public access for the monument at Fort Greene Park (Brooklyn Paper)
November will mark the centennial of the monument’s dedication (it was a big deal; President Taft was there!), and there’ll be a huge party to celebrate the occasion — including a look inside the crypt, where the remains of 8,000 of the 11,000 Americans who died on British prison ships during our Revolution, are kept.
Visiting Bayside, Queens (Forgotten NY)
Oakland Lake is the largest of a number of small "kettle ponds" left over from the passage of a glacier that stopped its southern progress in the middle of Long Island 15,000 years ago. According to the NYC Parks Department, it was once thought to be fully 600 feet deep, but the lake bottom was found to be just 20 feet in 1969.
May 12, 2008 09:18 PM Comments (0)
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More NY: Hallo Berlin Express, No. Brother Island
Red Hook, Brooklyn, Amy Langfield/NewYorkology
Food-cart fave Hallo Berlin Express opens on 9th near 50th (Eating in Translation via Midtown Lunch)
Hallo Berlin Express has seats for about 30 diners and elbow-benders, if they squeeze in tight. The menu isn't quite as broad as at the larger Hallo Berlin, on Tenth Ave., but unlike the famous food cart near Fifth, Hallo Berlin Express prepares schnitzel, spaetzle, soup, and German fish sandwiches.
"Little Mermaid" ensemble cast member hurt on stage (Playbill)
Bailey, according to a press statement, "was injured after a fall through a trap door prior to the start of the Saturday matinee. The actor, who fell approximately 20 feet on to the stage, was conscious and taken to Bellevue Hospital for evaluation."
At least one, maybe more, wrong-turns incidents at Newark Airport (AP)
A new takeoff pattern aimed at easing congestion at Newark Liberty International Airport has confused some pilots and led to several incidents in which planes turned in the wrong direction, according to the union that represents air traffic controllers.
B&W pictures of North Brother Island, substations and the High Line (Christopher Payne)
The subjects I photograph are on the verge of obsolescence. Designed for specific functions, they have outlived their usefulness and now sit empty and deteriorating.
Restored map of NY Watershed comes to Queens Museum (NY Times)
Seventy years after it was booted out of the World’s Fair and 60 years after it was last seen by the public, a gorgeously sculptural relief map of the New York City watershed has finally reached its intended destination: the New York City Building, now the Queens Museum of Art, in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
Ex-Del Posto chef not the only big name linked to JFK Terminal 5 food projects (Grub Street)
A source close to the Aero Nova project tells us Ladner isn’t the only Manhattan chef heading to the JetBlue terminal. This food-court whisperer is saying that some of the talent behind Balthazar may be in with a bistro concept, the STK folks could be working their expected angle, and someone from Tía Pol might be bringing tapas to the party
May 11, 2008 08:04 PM Comments (0)
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More NY: Ciprianis, Sinatra, Haring, subway bedbugs
Subway Inn. Amy Langfield/NewYorkology
Picture gallery of Bklyn Designs weekend offerings (Brownstoner)
We just got back from Dumbo where we were checking out Day 1 of the annual BKLYN Designs show of furniture and accessories by, you guessed it, Brooklyn Designers. There are 70 exhibitors this year, so our slide show is just a taste.
State Liquor Authority threatens to revoke revoke Ciprianis liquor licenses (NY Times)
The Ciprianis may have to stop serving their celebrated bellini cocktails and other alcohol at the Rainbow Room, Harry Cipriani, and the rest of the family’s empire of Manhattan restaurants and catering halls that are favored sites for prominent society events.
Keith Haring Foundation gives $1 mln to New Museum (Crain's)
The gift coincides with what would have been the deceased artist’s 50th birthday. “(We) are delighted to initiate what we hope will be a long-term collaboration with the New Museum,” said Julia Gruen, the foundation’s executive director. “The museum supported Keith’s work from the beginning and was an integral part of the downtown renaissance that nurtured his work as an artist.”
Frank Sinatra will grace new 42 cent stamp (Sun)
Ten years after Ol' Blue Eyes's death, the United States Postal Service will issue a full-color, 42-cent stamp emblazoned with his image.
An expert weighs in on the subway bedbug hullabaloo (NY Times)
... “This is still probably a rare occurrence and people shouldn’t stop riding the subway.” His point is that yes, it is possible in theory, that bedbugs pass through train stations and reports have surfaced recently but it’s not very common.
Chashama gallery show on NY tourism (Gothamist)
The exhibit is modeled after the dozens of stores in the neighborhood selling the same inane souvenirs, which play off of tourist's preconceived images of New York. In an attempt to create new icons for the city, Rubino's installation will consist of his 'souvenirs' as well as hand drawn screenprints that recreate pieces of New York's everyday scenery, i.e. maps, advertisements, and signage.
May 9, 2008 05:19 PM Comments (0)
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More NY: civil disobedience, Veniero's, High Line
Berlin Wall sections on 53rd Street between 5th and Madison. Amy Langfield/NewYorkology.
Sharpton-led protest ties up traffic at Manhattan bridges and tunnels (NY Times)
Several hundred protesters briefly shut down traffic at entrances to the Queensboro Bridge, the Triborough Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge and the Holland Tunnel and Queens-Midtown Tunnel this afternoon as part of a coordinated series of protests over the acquittal of three New York City police detectives in the fatal shooting of Sean Bell in 2006.
Dept. of Health closes Veniero's (Eater)
Yesterday, the DOH shuttered the 114 year-old East Village pastry house Veniero's. A sign in their window announced that the health violations and pest problems were due to a "Capital Improvement Project." Sure, that could account for some of the violations, but no renovations should lead to mice droppings in the chocolate. Get it together guys.
High Line park to get awesome rolling lounge chairs on the tracks (Curbed)
No good train track should go unused, so the brains at the High Line have decided to install some loungers on wheels. High Liners will be able to slide them together for impromptu sexy sunbathing parties, or spread them apart for some quiet time in which to ponder the looming Standard hotel. This one is just a prototype, so the final results may vary, but your brain now has permission to explode.
Polar Bear Club, Coney Island USA among groups planning anti-developer freak-in (Post)
Community organizations with 4,000 members combined told The Post yesterday that they plan to turn the May 22 opening of Coney Island's beach into a freak show to protest the city's revision of a rezoning plan that reduces a planned 15-acre amusement park to nine acres.
Digging the "you go girl" graffiti around New York City (CityRag)
Sources close to Discosalt have told us there is just one prolific guy responsible, running around the country spreading his national message of girl power like some feminist Johnny Appleseed. You Go Girl!"
Airport cabbies get free thank-you concert from forgetful violinist (Reuters)
A Grammy-nominated violinist who left his $4 million, 285-year-old Stradivarius in a taxi repaid the driver who returned it with a free concert at an airport taxi stand on Tuesday.
May 7, 2008 06:54 PM Comments (0)
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More NY: The Police, baby hawks, tow pound blues
Bryant Park at lunchtime. Amy Langfield/NewYorkology
The Police will play last show ever in NY (Billboard)
More details about the benefit show, including venue and ticket
information, will be released at a later date. As of today, the last Police
date on the books is Aug. 5 at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre in Wantagh, N.Y.
Floating Pool moving to Bronx, possibly permanently (Daily News)
The Floating Pool Lady, a seven-lane, 82-foot pool that docked in Brooklyn Heights last summer, is scheduled to open for business in Hunts Point June 27 as schools close and summer heats up.
Although Pale Male and Lola were disappointed, other city birds are busy with new ones (Urban Hawks)
Although these photographs may imply it is easy to see the young ones, it isn't. They're rarely active and except for feedings which occur about every two hours are hard to see.
A visit to the Manhattan tow pound (A VC)
Like many government run operations, its not particularly efficient. The line is long and full of pissed off people. No wonder the workers are behind bullet proof glass. It takes about 45 minutes from the time you arrive until you get your car back if you have all your paperwork. You must have your drivers license, your registration, and your insurance card if you want to get your car back.
Ratner's monster Nets arena in Brooklyn not taking shape as planned (Gothamist)
The MAS renderings take as a starting point Ratner’s recent admission that the economic downturn will stall most of the proposed construction for the time being. But since he still intends to raze everything in the project’s footprint and break ground on the stadium and one building, the MAS slideshow envisions a desolate expanse of vacant lots surrounding a lonely arena for decades to come.
United Nations renovation begins; projected completion: 2013 (Sun)
An ambitious $2 billion project to refurbish the aging U.N. building was launched yesterday with the ground-breaking for a temporary building on the northern lawn of the U.N. campus, east of First Avenue.
May 6, 2008 01:35 PM Comments (0)
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More NY: Whitney downtown, De Niro off Wall Street
Demolition below the Brooklyn Promenade, making way for the park. Amy Langfield/NewYorkology
Whitney reveals Renzo Piano plans for Meatpacking District outpost (NY Times)
Rising among the derelict warehouses and hip boutiques of the rapidly changing neighborhood, the museum’s monumental exterior forms are conceived as a barrier against the area’s increasingly amusement-park atmosphere. It makes a powerful statement about the encroaching effects of the global consumer society. Inside, Mr. Piano has created a contemplative sanctuary where art reasserts its primary place in the cultural hierarchy.
Robert De Niro planning Nobu Hotel at 50 Broad Street (Post)
The "Raging Bull" star - who already owns several restaurants and hotels - will open a Japanese-themed condo-hotel complex in Financial District. His Nobu Hotel will offer condos as well as hotel rooms, a spa - and, not surprisingly, a Nobu restaurant.
Seven new walking tours, including the $1 Chinatown eating tour (Time Out NY)
Bring your appetite and start at Prosperity Dumpling (46 Eldridge St between Canal and Hester Sts, 212-343-0683). The dingy interior is not much to look at, but a fresh batch of crispy pork-and-chive dumplings (five for $1) is worth the cramped seating, as is the scallion-filled golden sesame pancake (60¢), a doughy triangle reminiscent of a pizza slice.
Latest Coney overhaul forsees Hard Rock, Knitting Factory, Madame Tussauds (Brownstoner)
We received a draft proposal a source said outlines examples of retail the city envisions for the indoor portion of the amusement district: Hard Rock Cafe, Knitting Factory, AMC cinemas, Virgin Records, ESPN Zone, Madame Tussauds, Bliss spa, tattoo parlors, a clothing store "such as Lola Staar," and jet ski rentals, amongst others
Ozone, yeah we got that (Sun)
In the metropolitan area, the average number of high ozone days was 12.2 a year, compared to 12.7 in the previous report. Statewide, seven out of 33 counties earned "failing" grades, based on an analysis of air quality.
Harlem's 125th Street rezoning blasted as 'sellout' (Village Voice)
The rezoning has stirred months of rallies and protests, which Harlem's city councilors had hoped to quiet after they made significant modifications to the plan last month. At the 11th hour, Councilwoman Inez E. Dickens, whose district encompasses the commercial core of 125th Street, brokered a deal that lowered maximum building heights from 29 stories to 19, mandated significantly more affordable housing, and called for the renovation of the community's beloved Marcus Garvey Park. While the modified plan sounds good on paper—the 46 percent affordable housing clause has been hailed repeatedly as an unprecedented—opponents say it's largely smoke and mirrors.
May 1, 2008 05:56 PM Comments (0)
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More NY: civil disobedience, pot busts, empty BoltBus
Copper roofers working on the renovation of Central Park's Heckscher Playground Building, which caught fire in 2005. Amy Langfield/NewYorkology.
After officers' acquittal, Sharpton plans civil disobedience (NY1)
"There will be several actions within the next ten days,” said Sharpton in a press conference. While Sharpton gave no specific details, some attendants had ambitious ideas. "We’re gonna close down the George Washington Bridge at 5 o'clock in the evening or maybe 7 o'clock in the morning. ..."
Alone on BoltBus: 1 Passenger and 50 Empty Seats (AP)
As we rolled down the highway, Gil and I had his 51-seater BoltBus all to ourselves. I was thrilled with the $2.50 round-trip fare from New York to Philadelphia, bought online, and I was looking forward to checking out BoltBus' promised Wi-Fi service. But I never dreamed I might be lonely, or that I'd have such an extravagant choice of places to sit on a 100-mile bus trip.
No strike at Bloomingdale's (Crain's)
Bloomingdale’s averted a strike with union workers at its flagship store, just hours before their current labor contract was set to expire.
Go-to gadgets slideshow (NYT biz travel special section)
The latest electronic devices for multitasking travelers, including a multicharger.
First retailer to open at The Plaza is Vertu mobile phones (Racked)
There is also a 'craft unit' featuring components from the handsets, including the bespoke farmed crystal quartz used for the screens, and samples of the precious metals forming the body of each Vertu phone."
97 marijuana arrests a day in NYC (Gothamist)
Chances are you probably smoke pot, you are probably smoking it right now...at least according to the latest reports, which say that "the number of people arrested for small amounts of marijuana in New York City has increased tenfold in the past decade."
April 30, 2008 05:25 PM Comments (0)
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More NY: A Voce, Arbus, Pelham 1/2/3, Gravesend
NYC cab TV screens are now offering restaurant reviews -- and Russian-language business news. Picture by Christopher Langfield.
A Voce expanding into Time Warner Center (NY Times)
A Voce, the restaurant that has been a showcase for Andrew Carmellini’s refined Italian food for the past two years, will be getting a twin. The second A Voce will take over the space on the third floor of the Time Warner Center that is now occupied by Cafe Gray. Mr. Carmellini may come along for the ride. Then again, he may not.
"Taking of Pelham 1/2/3" on location in Brooklyn (Gothamist)
Following an announcement last September of the film getting the remake treatment, The Taking of Pelham 123 started scouting NYC nooks and crannies to film in. Now shooting has commenced, and today Denzel Washington & Co. can be found in DUMBO.
Arbus gallery of "Hubert's Freaks" in Times Square (Boing Boing)
Hubert's Museum was a Times Square dime museum open from the mid-1920s until 1965. This cabinet of curiosities was an icon of sideshow culture, featuring a flea circus, sword swallowers, contortionists, and other fabulous freaks. During its later years, the museum was frequented by my favorite photographer, Diane Arbus.
Detailed walking tour of Gravesend (Forgotten NY)
The original town of Gravesend was first settled in 1643, making it not only the oldest settlement in Brooklyn, but the oldest in Long Island, and the original town's square shape has never been compromised as Brooklyn grew up around it. Dutch provincial governor of New Netherland William Kieft donated a small tract of land in what became Gravesend to a British immigrant, Lady Deborah Moody, and her son, Sir Henry, in 1643. Amazingly the square town plan of Gravesend has survived the imposition of Brooklyn's street grid surrounding it, much as Jersey City's Bergen Square has.
Developer seeks Hard Rock Hotel for Aqueduct Race Track (Crain's)
Under its proposal, SL Green would install, 4500 video lottery terminals at Aqueduct, and build a Hard Rock hotel, as well as other retail and outlet stores
WTC dust settled, not by a long shot (Manhattan User's Guide)
Earlier this week, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the lawsuit against Christie Todd Whitman, former EPA administrator, whose pronouncements after the September 11th attacks misled both workers on the pile and nearby residents on the crucial subject of air quality safety. As a result, thousands have become gravely ill and some have died. Did we say misled? We meant lied. She lied to the city.
April 28, 2008 04:56 PM Comments (0)
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More NY: Schwarzman Library, Brooklyn's Mario Bros.
The new home of the Museum of Arts and Design says howdy in advance of September opening. The current location will close Sunday. Amy Langfield/NewYorkology
NY Public Library on 42nd renamed Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (NY Times)
The main building of the library is being renamed in his honor after Mr. Schwarzman, a Wall Street financier, contributed $100 million to the institution, one of the largest gifts to a cultural institution in New York City
Little Owl in the West Village no longer dinner-only (Eater)
Yes, yesterday's reports were true. Yes, The Little Owl is open for lunch until 2pm. And yes, oh yes, they have wifi.
The history of New York City in video games (Bowery Boys)
As far as I can tell, the first video game to be circumstantially set in New York City is the original Mario Brothers game from Nintendo. Not the Super edition, involving Mario and Luigi in an acid-trip world of fire flowers and dragons, but the regular arcade version. The Mario Brothers are Brooklyn plumbers who clearly take their jobs seriously, scouring the sewers of the city for pesky critters transformed by an unexplained ooze.
Met Opera ends ban on solo encores for Juan Diego Flórez (NY Times)
He sang the aria “Ah! Mes Amis” again, nailing the difficult note — a kind of tenor’s macho proving ground — nine more times. It was one of those thrilling moments that opera impresarios live for.
New York's Desmond Tutu Center is Actually a 60-Room Hotel (Hotel Chatter)
The hotel sits in a massive Gothic-style stone building, outfitted with wrought iron bannisters, a "Refectory" right out of Oxford University, and enough stained glass and "olde-worlde" touches you'll hardly believe you're in Manhattan. There's even a British-style green quadrangle in the center.
Bloomingdale's workers to take strike vote ahead of April 30 contract deadline (Crain's)
Union workers rallied Tuesday at the Bloomingdale’s flagship store on East 59th Street to turn up the heat on contract negotiations with the store. As many as 500 members of Local 3 of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union demonstrated in front of the store between 11:30 and 2:30 p.m., union officials say.
April 23, 2008 09:35 PM Comments (0)
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More NY: Free 'Cry-Baby," BoltBus' broken wi-fi
Construction isn't always pretty at the Columbus Circle subway station. Amy Langfield/NewYorkology.
Shuttered Cheyenne diner will move to Red Hook (Urbanite)
One of New York’s last railcar-style diners will live on, but hash will now be slung on the Red Hook waterfront, miles from its 68-year midtown home.
Cry-Baby on Broadway Presents: Facebook Night! (Facebook)
Cry-Baby is reserving 200 seats for Facebook night. Each of the first 20 friends to rsvp will receive a pair of free tickets to see the show on Weds, April 30 at 8pm. The remainder of the tickets will be only $20 each at the box office, plus a facility fee of $1.50 because they have to keep the joint looking good.
$1 BoltBus to D.C. not yet kink-free (Gadling)
I suppose once the internet is working properly the Boltbus will be a significant improvement over other Chinatown buses. But until they get their wireless working properly, you're probably better off going with whatever best fits your schedule.
Despite new caps, airlines adding flights at NYC airports (Wall Street Journal)
The number of departures scheduled in July at New York's three main airports is higher by nearly 2%, or an average 28 additional flights per day, according to data compiled by consulting firm Oliver Wyman. Schedules aren't as full between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. because of caps, and that should reduce delays in theory. But airlines have pumped in lots more flights on either side of the late-afternoon rush, risking even more congestion.
Am. Society of Landscape Architects find a design winner on a Brooklyn rooftop (Garden Design Online)
The design includes a specially-commissioned poetry wall, shown at left, amid a series of unfolding decks that create specific spaces amid the adjoining views of industrial-like rooftops. Terrain NYC says "the landscape itself is spectacle, and the landscape frames the spectacle of the city."
Koch buys Trinity burial plot at 155th and Broadway (NY Times)
“The idea of leaving Manhattan permanently irritates me,” said Mr. Koch, who represented the East Side in the City Council and in Congress before being elected to the first of three terms as mayor in 1977.
April 22, 2008 06:58 AM Comments (0)
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