Urbanite

Weekend train tie-ups nearly double in a year

Thursday February 26, 2009 2:29 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

The weekend subway shuffle has gotten a lot worse — and don’t expect the time-consuming tie-ups to end any time soon.

The number of route changes on weekends nearly doubled between this January and last, according to an amNewYork analysis of MTA service advisories.

Straphangers have had to make sense of service advisory signs, and hopscotch through an average of 32 system changes on weekends last month, up from 17 in January 2008.

“You’re looking at a wall full of (signs saying) ‘don’t take this train, take that train,’” said Sabrina Chapman, 26, of East Harlem. “It’s like trying to decipher another language ... How do I even get anywhere?”Taking the No. 2 downtown from the Bronx, for example, required catching a No. 5 train instead, then switching to a shuttle bus at 149th Street. Those looking to go to the World Trade Center station had to swap the E for the A.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board President Howard Roberts Jr. admitted that the MTA should do more to ensure passengers know the hurdles that await them after a MetroCard swipe.

“We don't always get (the advisories) right,” Roberts said at a board meeting this week.

The MTA is cramming in weekend work to spend its allotted $10 billion under its 2005-10 capital plan. Crews are upgrading stations, replacing signals and conducting maintenance on the aging infrastructure.

The MTA believes it will take until 2030 - at the earliest - to bring the system into good repair. With weekends the preferred time for work, expect diversions for years to come.

“There is tremendous amount of work to do,” said Larry Gold, the MTA coordinator for service diversions. “Almost every train route has some disruptions on it during the weekends.”

Slowing the pace of work is undesirable, Gold said, because the MTA gets more bang out of its diversion buck by stringing several projects together. Crews will work at several stations on a line once its power is cut, or fix the signals and tracks on one segment, he said.

Still, some transit advocates fear all the work could turn people off from the subways at a time when ridership is declining.

“When a passenger walks into a station and sees walls of diversion, they turn off,” said Andrew Albert, a nonvoting MTA board member. “It's bewildering.”

“Service is bad on the weekends,” said Treniese Ladson, 26, of the Bronx. “Everything’s just wrong.”

Casey Feldman contributed to this story.

Tags: transit

Car ban plan will also limit traffic on B'way up to 59th

Thursday February 26, 2009 2:15 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

As part of the city’s plan to ease congestion in Herald Square and Times Square, car traffic on Broadway will be limited all the way north to Columbus Circle.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled a proposal Thursday that would narrow Broadway to two driving lanes from 47th to 59th streets and create a left-turn lane and a parking lane. This would be in addition to the mayor’s plan to prohibit cars on Broadway in Times Square and Herald Square starting Memorial Day weekend.The $1.5 million pilot program calls for:

- cars between 47th to 42nd streets to be diverted to Seventh Avenue.

- vehicles between 33rd and 35th streets to be diverted to Sixth Avenue.

- completion of landscaped pedestrian plazas in Times Square and Herald Square by the end of summer.

The traffic changes would require the MTA to alter bus routes that carry about 75,000 daily passengers. Exact details on those changes have not been worked out.

Tags: mayor michael bloomberg, cars, broadway, traffic

Atlantic Yards wins legal victory

Thursday February 26, 2009 1:42 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

The $4 billion Atlantic Yards project cleared a hurdle Thursday when a state appellate court dismissed a legal challenge by the development’s opponents.

The ruling upheld a lower court decision that the state acted properly in approving the project’s environmental impact study. A separate case challenging the state’s use of eminent domain in taking land for the project, slated to include an arena for the Nets, is also being heard by the appellate court.

Developer Bruce Ratner, who has been locked in a long-running battle with community groups over the project, said in a published report that it’s “time to put these cases behind us and get to work.”The group that brought the case vowed to take it to the Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court.

“The Court of Appeals is the only court that can break the chain of previous cases, and we eagerly await our opportunity to argue before it," Jeffrey S. Baker, the attorney for Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn, said in a statement on the group’s Web site.

Both Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz praised the court’s decision.

In addition to the arena, plans for the 22-acre site include 6,000 apartment units.

Tags: atlantic yards, nets, bruce ratner, development

amNewYork Letters to the Editor

Thursday February 26, 2009 12:10 PM By Sara Baumberger

What about drug testing the bailed-out bankers?

Re Brill Branger’s letter “Drug screening for those on public assistance,” Feb. 25: I’m surprised Mr. Branger did not also suggest similar tests for the management of banks receiving bailout money, which is also funded by taxes. With all those toxic assets, there must have been some serious substance abuse going on.

— David Terhune, Brooklyn

Sharpton gives silent masses a voice

Re Eddie Sun’s letter, “Protests are Sharpton’s effort to stay relevant,” Feb. 26: I wonder how Mr. Sun would feel if the racial slurs were directed toward him, and no one cared enough to speak out against it. How relevant would his situation be then? I applaud the Rev. Al Sharpton, his Action Network and how he is the one shining that light on people who feel that everyone else’s feelings are irrelevant.

— Yvonne McQueen, Manhattan

The NAACP is an embarrassment

The “new” NAACP has long been a laughingstock — now, it is a national embarrassment. Jealous of the publicity other groups got by protesting a NY Post cartoon — which they falsely claimed was racist — the NAACP joined the fray and upped the ante with the charge that the cartoon was in effect an invitation to assassinate President Obama. The last thing intelligent civil rights advocacy needs is grown-ups chasing after a silly cartoon.

— Michael Meyers, executive director, New York Civil Rights Coalition, Manhattan

Tags: letters to the editor

A hotel deal for baseball fans

Thursday February 26, 2009 11:43 AM By Lucy Blatter

Are you a (shudder) Red Sox fan? Or maybe just a Yankees fan that likes to watch your arch nemeses lose?

Either way you can advantage of a deal at the Hotel Commonwealth, located just steps from Boston's Fenway Park, in which an overnight stay comes with two baseball game tickets.

Accommodations and tickets are available on a limited basis for the following weekend series:

http://ui-blogs.trb.com/mt-static/images/formatting-icons/bold.gif

: Red Sox vs. New York Mets

July 3-4: Red Sox vs. Seattle Mariners

July 24-25: Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles

September 11-12: Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Prices start at $359 plus tax. Call 617-933-5000.

Tags: travel, red sox, baseball, commonwealth hotel

Viral video: Warthog attack

Thursday February 26, 2009 8:08 AM By Sean Joseph

A man calls 911 to report that a warthog attacked his wife “real bad.” Hilarity ensues.

Tags: viral video, television, warthog, animals

The legacy of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing: Choosing knowledge over fear

Wednesday February 25, 2009 7:00 PM By Rolando Pujol

The following is a guest column by Joe Daniels, President & CEO, National September 11 Memorial & Museum

On Feb. 26, 1993, the world shook when terrorists detonated bombs at the World Trade Center. At the time, former New York Governor Mario Cuomo said in response, “We all have that feeling of being violated. No foreign people or force has ever done this to us. Until now we were invulnerable.”

Although the horror of that day faded in the memories of many, on Sept. 11, 2001, the entire country re-awakened to the indiscriminate brutality of terrorism. We were reminded of al-Qaida’s hate-filled ideology and the innocent people who become victims of their agenda.

Today, we still struggle to come to grips with a world in which terrorism is a reality. We have a collective obligation, however, to respond to that reality in some way.

One such response is to choose knowledge over fear.

Let us take a moment to remember what happened 16 years ago today: on Friday, Feb. 26, 1993, at 12:18 pm, a small cell of terrorists with links to a local radical mosque and broader Islamic terror networks detonated explosives in the underground parking garage of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Six people were killed, one of whom was a pregnant woman. The victims included a visitor to the World Trade Center, an employee of the Windows on the World restaurant, and four Port Authority employees. Thousands of people were injured.

The history we choose to safeguard of what happened that day must extend further than these basic facts; further even than remembrances of the victims or commemorations on the anniversaries. It’s important that we try to understand who was responsible and how the attacks continue to impact today’s world.

Core to our mission at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum will be the education of the millions of people who will visit this institution each year. We are embarking on fulfilling this mission by presenting a series of interviews with experts that explore the emergence of al-Qaida and the ramifications of the attacks of February 1993 and September 2001 on the United States and the global community. These webcasts, available on www.national911memorial.org, explore the complexities of security, culture, and politics that are undeniable realities in our interconnected global community.

By critically examining these varying opinions, we can explore how the world has changed and the actions we can take to build a better society. Without understanding the framework and mission of the terrorist organizations bent on destruction, we cannot work to prevent further attacks. In informing ourselves and others, we can use our shared history as a lesson – one that has the potential to challenge and inspire the way we interact in the world today.

Tags: world trade center, 1993 wtc bombing, manhattan, history

Media frenzy surrounds Octomom

Wednesday February 25, 2009 4:12 PM By Jason Fink

File photo of Nadya Suleman, left, speaking with Ann Curry in New York. AP photo

By Jason Fink

Among the millions following the bizarre saga of “Octomom” Nadya Suleman, some see a deluded woman unnaturally obsessed with motherhood. Others see a shameless publicity seeker looking for fame.

What few doubt is that seemingly overnight, Suleman has become the target of a media frenzy, with perhaps a dose of exploitation thrown in.

“It’s now a tragedy-train wreck with a tremendous amount of rubber necking,” said Gail Saltz, a psychology professor at New York Presbyterian Medical Center.

Perhaps the exclamation to Saltz’s point came today when adult film producer Vivid Video offered Suleman, 33, $1 million to appear in a pornographic movie.“It’s a sad case in which no one is thinking about what this woman really needs,” said Paul Applebaum, head of the Division of Psychiatry, Law and Ethics at Columbia University.

The media storm has only intensified since Jan. 26 — when Suleman gave birth to her six boys and two girls — with paparrazzi staking out her home and blogs lighting up daily with the latest outrage.

Today, TV’s Dr. Phil broadcast an interview with Suleman in which she defended herself, saying that she only wanted one child and had six embryos implanted because she didn’t want them destroyed.

“I understand everyone’s judgement,” she said. “I hope (the media attention) is going away.”

But much of the exposure so far has been Suleman’s choice: She granted half a dozen interviews and was reportedly in talks about a reality TV show.

Suleman, of Whittier, Calif., was initially portrayed as a miracle mom. As more information came to light — she is single with six other children, receives food stamps and lives with her mother in a house facing foreclosure — public opinion quickly shifted and scrutiny focused on the fertility doctor who twice implanted six embryos in her.

Today, it was reported that the hospital is considering not releasing the octuplets to her until officials feel that she has “a better living arrangement.”

Marcia Pappas, the New York state director of the National Organization of Women, came to her defense.

“She is going to need money and they are obviously targeting her,” Pappas said of the porn film offer.

Vivid, which has made other celebrity sex movies, disagrees.

“The exploitation has already taken place and we are trying to help her and her family,” the company said in an e-mail response.

Tags: nadya suleman, octomom, media, zany

New city public school brings video games into the classroom

Wednesday February 25, 2009 3:44 PM By Garett Sloane

By Garett Sloane

and Mark Brooks

Video games. Web surfing. Social networking. Activities that once distracted kids from their studies will be the focus of their education when a new Manhattan public school opens in September.

The middle/high school, called Quest to Learn, is slated to launch in District 2 and will accept only sixth-graders its first year.

The Institute of Play, a New York-based nonprofit organization that advocates online play as a learning tool, and The New School developed the curriculum that will use innovative programs to teach math, science and the humanities, among other disciplines. Students also will create their own video games.“Students today can and do learn in different ways, often with digital media,” said principal Aaron Schwartz, stressing that “this is not a school about playing games.”

The video games they do offer will have educational value, said Katie Salen, the executive director of the Institute of Play.

“Simply bringing games into the classroom doesn’t work. If it’s not supported in the right way it’s out of place.”

The school touts “strong college- and career-focused academics,” and offers wellness/sports programs, internships starting in eighth grade and early college admissions.

“It’s a career and technical school, which means students will come out with an employable skill,” said Melody Meyer, a spokeswoman for the city’s Department of Education. “Students will get a lot of background in a very exciting industry.”

The School for Digital Kids, as it is also called, will likely be located downtown, though an exact building has not been selected.

A Web site similar to Facebook will allow teachers to assign projects and engage students online.

Other parts of the curriculum will transform classrooms into “game rooms.” One potential lesson would teach students about the Peloponnesian War through role-playing.

“The whole school is set up to be a gamelike environment,” Schwartz said.

Tags: quest to learn, new york city public schools, department of education, the new school, the institute of play, video games, the school for digital kids, economy, manhattan, technology

Billions lost to plane delays

Wednesday February 25, 2009 1:33 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Delays at LaGuardia, Kennedy and Newark airports combined cost the regional economy more than $2.6 billion last year, according to a report issued yesterday.

The Partnership for New York City, a nonprofit alliance of business leaders, which released the findings, looked at diminished productivity, costs for grounded containers and expenses to business travelers.

Passengers were delayed by more than an hour on average, with evening flyers waiting for 130 minutes, the report found. The sluggish takeoffs rippled throughout the nation because of the large amount of air traffic moving through the city.

Tags: transit

Bus driver a quick thinking hero

Wednesday February 25, 2009 1:30 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Anthony Mocerino thinks of himself as just a good Brooklyn boy, but leaders of the nation’s biggest transportation system call him a hero.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board yesterday recognized Mocerino for coming to the rescue of a woman who had her purse snatched last month.

“I was happy, shocked and overwhelmed,” said Mocerino, 42, a father of two and an MTA driver since 2002.

On Jan. 19, Mocerino’s B36 bus had broken down in Coney Island and he was sitting in the bus waiting for a tow truck when he heard a woman scream. Looking outside, he spotted a teenager grab the purse of a middle-aged woman walking down the street, according to the MTA.As the thief fled, Mocerino quickly jumped out of the bus in pursuit, the MTA said. He flagged down a police car during the chase, and as officers approached, the boy ended up running directly toward Mocerino. The driver grabbed him and held on until police arrived.

“It was just a reaction,” Mocerino said. “My nature is to help people out if I can.”

The woman’s purse was recovered, the teen arrested and Mocerino returned to his bus. But Mocerino’s actions continued to resonate with the victim’s son, who called New York City Transit to report the driver’s good deed.

The MTA board yesterday called Mocerino a hero, applauding vigorously before giving Mocerino a blue glass plaque. The agency has recognized 19 workers for going above the call of duty in the last year.

Tags: transit

Big, unhealthy apple

Wednesday February 25, 2009 1:27 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

New Yorkers are creatures of habits - bad ones.

A poll residents released yesterday found that nearly half claimed being overweight, while six out of 10 reported drinking in the last year.

About 20 percent of the 1,000 people surveyed by the Siena College Research Institute, a private university near Albany, described their health as “fair” or “poor.”

“New Yorkers are highly achieving and motivated people,” said Dr. Pete Kanaris, a program director for the New York State Psychological Association. “Sometimes, that shows up in drinking too much or eating too much.”

About a fifth of reported drinking daily, and more than half didn't see any problem in imbibing once a day.About one out of five New Yorkers said they smoke, with 22 percent of men smoking compared to 15 percent of women. Of those who said they were in just fair or poor health, nearly half said they smoked more than 10 cigarettes a day.

Kanaris expected people's unhealthy behaviors to compound with the tanking economy.

“People are being affected in unprecedented way in our lifetime,” he said.

Tags: health

'L&O: SVU' makes Ice-T lose his cool

Wednesday February 25, 2009 1:01 PM By Julie Gordon

By Julie Gordon

It takes a lot to rattle tough guy Ice-T, but even he gets shaken up by the outrageous, ripped-from-the-headlines plots on his show, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

“I just kind of look at the s--- and go, ‘OK. What do I say?’” he said of the long-running police drama that focuses on sex crimes. “But it’s real. That’s what makes it scary.”

The rapper-turned-actor, whom we recently caught up with at Chelsea club Cain Luxe, predicts the next news story to make it to “SVU” will be U.S. Airways pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberg’s landing on the Hudson River in January.

“You didn’t know that while that plane was crashing, somebody be getting [attacked],” the 51-year-old said.

The fashion cops v. a TV cop

Playing a cop on TV doesn’t give Ice-T an automatic pass with the fashion police, but he said men have it easier anyway when it comes to red carpet critiques.

“I could show up at the motherf------ Oscars in a T-shirt and the magazines would go, ‘Wow, innovative,’” he said. “They don’t destroy men in the magazines."But his blonde bombshell of a wife Coco, 29 — who is known for wearing body-hugging dresses and extremely low-cut tops — told us the red carpet fairies aren't always on her side.

"They never like to put the good pictures online," she lamented. "They want the outrageous outfits. They want the wild Coco."

But her hubby's motto? Ignore 'em.

"As long as your comfortable, f--- what everybody else says," he said.

Coco's favorite thing to shop for is shoes; she owns hundreds of pairs.

"My shoe size doesn't get bigger, so I've been collecting since I was 15 years old. I consider myself like a baseball collector. They'll spend $20,000 on one card, so I'll spend $600 on one shoe," said Coco, whose favorite brands are Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo and Giuseppe Zanotti.

Ice-T doesn't pay much attention to what he wears, and prefers buying cars (he only has two right now because he only has two parking spots).

"I'm not a designer kind of cat," he said.

(Photo: Getty)

Tags: ice-t, coco, law & order, law & order: special victims unit, television

amNewYork Letters to the Editor

Wednesday February 25, 2009 11:09 AM By Sara Baumberger

Those on public assistance can’t be drug tested

Re Bill Branger’s letter, “Drug screening for those on public assistance,” Feb. 25: Branger says people receiving “welfare” should undergo drug testing. Branger probably works for a nongovernmental company that has the right to subject its employees to tests to keep their jobs. Public assistance is administered by the government, which is supposed to adhere to the Constitution, which states: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated.” Of course, as we have seen, inferior and corrupt government officials violate that stricture and, so far, have gotten away with it.

— Ed Corey, The Bronx

Protests are Sharpton’s effort to stay relevant

The so-called protests at the New York Post are not about racism, it’s the Rev. Al Sharpton and company’s desperate way to stay in the limelight. Stop reporting about this non issue and stop pandering to Sharpton.

— Eddie Sun, Manhattan

Jail might be good for children, society

Re John Clemente’s letter, “How can we try children as adults?” Feb. 24: A child is taught what right and wrong means. There isn’t a child who has committed a crime who doesn’t know what they’ve done. If they commit a crime they should do the time just like adults. Maybe if they go to jail they’ll return to society better people.

— Ronald T. Stuart, Manhattan

Tags: letters to the editor

Sample some late-night delights

Wednesday February 25, 2009 10:43 AM By Lucy Blatter

The Stanton Social's sweet and sour chicken and cashews spring rolls

By Emily Mathis

Special to amNewYork

In the city that never sleeps the standards of late-night dining go far beyond Taco Bell. We’ve highlighted a few of the best spots to grab some grub way after dark.

Dell’anima

38 Eighth Ave. at Jane St.,

212-366-6633

Kitchen closes at 2 a.m.

Grab a spot at the chef’s counter and try dishes such as charred octopus with rice, beans, chorizo and chicory ($16), or Chicken “al Diavolo” with braised escarole and raisins ($20).

Employee’s Only

510 Hudson St., 212-242-3021

Kitchen closes at 4 a.m.

It isn’t a psychic you’ll find behind the neon red “Psychic” sign hanging in a closet-size storefront window in the West Village, but a $15 hand-cut Steak Tartar made tableside. Founded as a post-work hangout for restaurant industry workers, it’s the spot for late-night delights.Fishtail

135 E. 62nd St., btwn Park and Lexington aves., 212-754-1300

A special late-night menu is offered until 1 a.m.

David Burke’s seafood joint serves the freshest fare from Hunts Point fish market and his own boat out of Brielle, NJ. Choose from the $10 “snack” section or one of the fishtail towers for 1-4 people ($26 to $62) featuring a selection of lobster, crab, shrimp oysters, clams mussels and bulots.

French Roast

2340 Broadway at 85th St., 212-799-1533

78 W.11th St. at Sixth Ave.,

212-533-2233

Open 24 hours

From midnight until 7 a.m. the overnight menu features a variety of croquets ($12), duck pate ($8.75), sandwiches and burgers ($10), or a “supper” section with omelets and pancakes ($10).

Hill Country

30 W. 26th St., btwn Broadway and Sixth aves, 212-255-4544

The kitchen closes at 1 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights

Dig into authentic Texas BBQ from 10:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays. The late-night menu includes buckets of pit-smoked chicken wings and mac ‘n’ cheese with chili. Margaritas are $5, a two-for-one PBR special is $4 and shots are $2.

The Lovin’ Cup Café

93 N. Sixth St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 718-302-1180

Kitchen closes at 4 a.m. Thurs. – Sat., 2 a.m. on Sun., Mon. and Wed., closed Tues.

This Rolling Stones namesake serves straightforward goodness and plenty of vegetarian options, such as veggie burger sliders or spinach and artichoke mac n’cheese, mostly around $10-$12.

Macao Trading Company

311 Church St. btwn Lispenard and Walker, 212-431-8750

Kitchen closes at 4 a.m.

Fusion is the theme at this 1940s warehouse-style spot from the owners of Employee’s Only and the culinary team of Chanterelle. Many dishes are offered in both Chinese and Portuguese styles and almost everything’s under $30.

Sarge’s Deli

548 Third Ave., btwn 36th and 37th sts,, 212-679-0442

Open 24 hours

Serving serious comfort food for more than 40 years, this all-night diner quenches any and every craving from matzo brie ($8.95) to barbequed ribs ($16.95).

The Smith

55 Third Ave., btwn 10th and 11th sts, 212-420-9800

Kitchen closes at 12 a.m. Sun. – Tues., at 1 a.m. on Wed. & Thurs. and 2 a.m. on the weekends.

Classic diner meals such as mac ‘n’ cheese ($10), burger deluxes ($14), and chicken potpies ($17), are served at this upscale East Village spot.

The Stanton Social

99 Stanton St., btwn Ludlow and Orchard sts, 212-995-0099

Kitchen closes at 2 a.m. Sun.-Wed. and 3 a.m. from Thurs.-Sat.

Hits here include sweet and sour chicken and cashew spring rolls ($8) and the Stanton Social sliders ($7-$9), which include kobe beef burgers, lobster rolls and grilled cheese with jalapeno bacon.

Tags: late-night eats, dining out, late-night food, restaurants

Fresh Prince of folk

Wednesday February 25, 2009 8:52 AM By Emily Hulme

Kay Pettigrew covers the theme song to the “Fresh Pince of Bel Air.”

Tags: viral video

Vivid offers Octomom $1 million to star in porn

Wednesday February 25, 2009 7:16 AM By Julie Gordon

Nadya Suleman, left, talking to Ann Curry on "Dateline," which aired on NBC on Feb. 9 and 10. (AP)

By Julie Gordon

Adult film company Vivid Entertainment is offering Octomom Nadya Suleman $1 million plus a year of health insurance to star in one of its movies. Suleman should receiver her offer today, a rep for Vivid told us.

"We've had many single mothers work with us over the years and their income from Vivid has been very important to them," Steven Hirsch co-chairman of Vivid said in a statement. "We would schedule production so that the movie could be shot in less than one week."

Hirsch said Suleman would have her choice of partners, including "Octodad."

The film would be released under Vivid-Celeb, which released the famous Pamela Anderson and Kim Kardashian videos.

For foodies: This week's dining events and news

Wednesday February 25, 2009 6:48 AM By Lucy Blatter

By Emily Mathis

Special to amNewYork

It’s Fondue Month — Three years ago, Aristanal Bistro’s founder/chef Terrance Brennan dubbed February official fondue month — celebrating with fondue dishes that change daily. Upcoming flavors include appenzeller with spiced venison jerky, taleggio with beef tips, and emmenthaller with apricot schnapps. Each comes with complimentary bread and wine. The $24 petite serves 1-3 people, with 2 glasses of wine, the $40 grande serves 4-6 people, with 4 glasses of wine.

Through Saturday.

2 Park Ave., entrance on 32nd St., 212-725-8585

Savoy’s Fifth Annual Cassoulet Festival — Southern France’s slow-cooked stew will be celebrated at Savoy until the middle of March with $25 lunches and $35 dinners – but the last days of the Carcassonne-style cassoulet — braised lamb shoulder and house smoked pork belly — are fast approaching. On March 3rd, the Toulouse-style- smoked pork goose confit and garlicky goose sausage – takes over until March 15th.

70 Prince St., 212-219-8570

Second Annual New York Wine Expo — This weekend (Feb. 27- March 1), the Jacob Javits Center turns into a wine enthusiast’s paradise. The grand tasting features 600 wines from 170 wineries around the world. Extra features include seminars with wine experts, including Mark Oldman, wine columnist for Everyday with Rachael Ray, and Kevin Zraly, founder of Windows on the World Wine School. There will also be chocolate and cheese food booths. Tickets are $75 - $95.

655 W. 34th St., 1-800-544-1660

Stinky Cheese Festival 2009 — Committed to bringing authentic French flavor to the city, the Tour De France cluster of restaurants (TourdeFrancenyc.com) – including both French Roast locations – has organized a festival offering rinds, slices, and recipes at nine venues. It ends February 28th.

Red Hook sandwich spot takes Manhattan — After 87 years, legendary Red Hook sandwich shop, Defonte’s has branched out to Manhattan. Opened on Tuesday, the new spot serves the same timeless hero combinations like fried eggplant and roast beef at a smaller space.

261 Third Avenue at 21st St.

Tags: fondue, artisanal, cassoulet, wine expo, stinky cheese festival, defonte's, food

City trying to get handle on resurgent bed bugs

Tuesday February 24, 2009 2:05 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

For more and more New Yorkers, it is no longer possible to sleep tight — the bed bugs are biting.

As complaints about the tiny bloodsuckers skyrocket, the City Council Tuesday took up a package of proposals aimed at curbing the nocturnal nuisances, which many say are rampant.

“I’m petrified to turn the lights off at night,” said Mary Pane, 50, of Manhattan, who’s had bed bugs for more than a month. “I’m not getting proper sleep, I can’t concentrate at work.”Complaints to the city about bed bugs in private apartments and hotels have more than doubled during the past two years, to 9,213 in fiscal year 2008. City officials and advocates for victims say the number of cases is likely higher because a lot of people don’t lodge complaints and infestations in public housing are referred to a different agency.

In 2008, there were 22,218 bed bug-related calls to 311, though some were repeat callers or simply people seeking information.

Jody Gangloff-Kaufman, an entomologist at Cornell University, who testified before a joint City Council committee, said bed bugs, once nearly eradicated in New York, have re-emerged in recent years. The banning of certain chemicals, like DDT, is among the reasons for the resurgence, experts say.

“They’re nearly impossible to get rid of,” said Gangloff-Kaufman. “Our grandparents knew how to deal with it. We don’t.”

Four bills sponsored by Council member Gale Brewer (D-Manhattan) would create a bed bugs task force, ban the sale of used mattresses, establish training for exterminators and regulate the disposal of infected mattresses.

Dr. Edgar Butts, an exterminator and veterinarian for the city health department, said his agency would support the task force but stopped short of endorsing the other proposals.

Those who have lived with the pests say it often takes multiple exterminations – and sometimes thousands of dollars – to get rid of them.

“I threw away everything,” said Sirajul Laskar, 42, of Jackson Heights, who added that 22 of the 52 apartments in his building have had bed bugs. "They sprayed three times and still bedbugs.”

Marlene Naanes and Melinda Hsia contributed to this story

Tags: bed bugs, city council, health, city hall dispatch

amNewYork Letters to the Editor

Tuesday February 24, 2009 1:42 PM By Sara Baumberger

Drug screening for those on public assistance

When I got my job (which I am still at eight years later) I had to

undergo a drug screening process. The company I work for also has the right to randomly drug test me at any time. I think it is time, in these tough economic hardships that recipients of welfare checks need to be drug tested each time they apply, and/or pick up their checks. I have no problem with people receiving public assistance, but if it is my taxes being used, then I think I should be able to have a say in how people will receive their assistance. If a recipient does not pass, then they just don’t get a check for that week or month. How much will that save the government?

— Brill Branger, Weehawken, N.J.

Train schedule data skewed to favor MTA

Re “New train sked has winners and losers,” Feb. 24: Who are they kidding? The A line currently averages an eight-minute wait? Most weekday evening rush hours I wait at 34th Street up to 20 minutes. Data can be manipulated to put the best foot forward. I would like to put my foot in play with the MTA! The 4 line is so crowded we have to let trains go by till there is one with room. Timing the arrivals on that line is misleading also.

— Philip C. George, The Bronx

Tags: letters to the editor

Subsidies to flow to subway line

Tuesday February 24, 2009 1:36 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

The Second Avenue subway is on track to get $278 million in funding, its largest infusion of federal cash.

The House will consider legislation today that includes money for the $4.3 billion project that will provide service between 63rd and 96th streets on the East Side. The bill is expected to pass, according to sponsor Rep. Carolyn Maloney, (D-Manhattan).

The earliest the line, called the T, will open is 2015.

The long-discussed project has received less than a quarter of its necessary funding. Lawmakers believe the Senate version of the bill — slated for a vote next week — will contain the funding.

The legislation also includes $210 million for extending Long Island Rail Road service to Grand Central Station.

Tags: transit

F train changes on their way

Tuesday February 24, 2009 1:17 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Brooklyn F train riders: savor normal service while you can.

In 2011, the Smith-9th Street station will be closed for nine months because of construction, according to Metropolitan Transportation Authority documents.

To get to that station, riders will have to get off the train and take a shuttle bus from the previous stop.

Also, straphangers that use the 15th Street and Fort Hamilton stations to go north will actually have to travel south to the Church Avenue station to grab a northbound train.

“It will take some adjusting to,” said Craig Hammerman, Brooklyn Community Board 6 district manager.

The MTA is renovating the Culver Viaduct, an 80-year-old cement structure that carries the F and G lines past the Gowanus Canal. The MTA board is likely to approve a $179 million contract today for the four-year project.The MTA is replacing the tracks, signals and concrete on the crumbling viaduct that stands at the highest point in the subway system. The agency said it will consider returning express service on the F line - long discontinued - once work concludes in the winter of 2013.

Tags: transit

Scaly, slithery and for sale

Tuesday February 24, 2009 1:13 PM By Perrie Samotin

A Pueblan Milk snake

Credit: Big Apple Pet Supply

By Perrie Samotin

psamotin@am-ny.com

Snakes have gotten a reputation for being creepy, cringe-inducing creatures. However, there are a large number of enthusiasts — New Yorkers included — that keep the reptiles as pets because they are inexpensive and easy to care for.

Before becoming a snake owner, there are a few steps to take to ensure you’re getting the safest, best quality reptile you can get.Step 1: Find a reputable vendor

The best bet is to find your snake through a breeder, who often will have more information about your animal’s past than general pet stores, experts say.

“Consumers really need to talk to who it is they’re purchasing from,” says Steven Spitz, owner of Big Apple Pet Supply in Hauppauge, Long Island, who has bred more than 100 types of reptiles.

He recommends asking a series of questions before settling on a breeder. “Do they have a Web site where you can see photography? Do they breed themselves or purchase? Are there records of when the snake last ate? If there are no records, walk away,” Spitz says.

Another crucial factor when it comes to choosing a breeder is how much they know about caring for snakes. “You don’t buy from someone who doesn't have correct information and equipment to care for your snake,” Spitz says.

Potential owners also have to be aware that a snake has the lifespan of more than 20 years with proper care.

Step 2: Choose your snake

Of the overwhelming number of types to select as a pet, Spitz recommends neophytes stick with king snakes, milk snakes and corn snakes.

While still visually striking, these snakes are a breeze to care for and stay between 3 ½- to 5 feet long - a crucial factor for snake owners in New York City, where keeping reptiles over 6 feet is against city laws.

If you’re looking to buy more than one snake, Spitz advises going for corns and milks, which can be kept in tanks together. Kings need to be separated, as they’re known to eat one another as well as other types of snakes. Spitz points out that at feeding time, all snakes must dine separately, regardless of type, so as not to view each other as prey.

Kings, corns and milks typically run between $50 and $300 each.

Step 3: Getting set up

Unlike cats and dogs, snakes are cold-blooded and unable to regulate their own body temperature, so their environment will provide the temperature and humidity that their body can’t self-regulate, explains Garret Pachtinger, chief resident of emergency and critical care at the University of Pennsylvania veterinary hospital.. Keeping this in mind, Spitz recommends a 40-gallon tank with a front-opening enclosure, such as sliding glass doors.

Once you’re set with the tank, you’ll need something to heat it from above, such as a ceramic emitter, which produces no light, just infrared heat that mimics the sun. The heating element must be placed flush right or flush left, giving the snake one side of the tank to cool down, according to Spitz. The warm side should hit 86 degrees and the cool side 78 degrees. Buyers should also pick up a water bowl, a hiding place and some bedding to put in the tank. In total, expect to pay around $200 for a basic setup, Spitz says.

Step 4: Food and fun

After the initial costs, the only thing left to buy is food - thawed-out dead mice bought in bulk are the norm, Spitz says. Snakes need to be fed a mouse once every 5 to 7 days. A year’s worth of mice may cost under $100.

While snakes aren’t as playful as other pets, Spitz encourages owners to take them out of the tank to play and points out that while the reptiles are not especially personable, it’s important to connect with them. “If you handle your snake often, it will stay calm and chill out with you. It will recognize you’re not food,” Spitz explains.

Pachtinger agrees. “They won’t play fetch, but they’ll appreciate the interaction,” he says.

Tags: snakes, pets, reptiles, owning, breeder, milk, corn, king, self-regulating, petropolis

Sample wines from around the world without going broke

Tuesday February 24, 2009 12:53 PM By Lucy Blatter

Kevin Zraly is a spokesman for the New York Wine Expo, which will take place at the Javits Center this weekend. Credit: Jennifer May from “Windows on the World Complete Wine Course: 25th Edition”

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

Looking for a great bottle of wine under $20? Kevin Zraly, founder of the Windows on the World Wine School and author of “Windows on the World Complete Wine Course”— the 25th edition of which will be published in the fall — has suggestions. “There are hundreds of really high-end wines for under $20 around the world,” he said. Here are a few:Chile

From Chile, Cabernet Sauvignon — in the $15-$20 range — offers some of the best values in the wine world right now, according to Zraly. He recommends Concha y Toro specifically.

Argentina

Some of the best wines from Argentina come from the Malbec grape variety. In his book, Zraly points to Malbec, specifically to Malbec Alamos.

France

Cotes du Rhone, from France’s Rhone region, are great under-$15 bottles. One step higher, in the $15-$20, try the Crozes Hermitage.

The Cru Bourgeois classification, within usually pricey Bordeaux wines is another good bet. In particular he recommends those from Chateau Greysac and Chateau Larose-Trintaudon. “They’re unbelievable wines for under $20.”

California

California has 5,000-plus wineries. Some of the highest quality and highest value wines come from the Beringer winery, Zraly said. The Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Founders Estate is his red recommendation. For whites, he recommends the Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay or Chateau St. Jean Sauvignon Blanc.

Italy

Two high-value Tuscan wines that are Chianti Classico Reserva and Rosso di Montalcino

Spain

Two from the Rioja region of Spain are Rioja Crianza (the cheaper of the two) and Rioja Reserva.

Zraly adds that getting the right vintages is important. He recommends erobertparker.com’s vintage chart

Tags: wine, bordeaux, windows on the world wine school, food

Mickey Rourke's necklace gifted by Queens woman

Tuesday February 24, 2009 11:00 AM By Julie Gordon

Mickey Rourke thanked Queens resident Bettina Wassermann for sending him a necklace with a picture of his deceased chihuahua, Loki.

By Julie Gordon

It was doggone good luck for Flushing's Betina Wassermann when Mickey Rourke wore a necklace she made to the Oscars last Sunday to honor his deceased chihuahua, Loki.

“I recently lost a dog myself,” Wassermann told us. “I just wanted to do something nice for a fellow dog lover who is heartbroken.”

The 44-year-old designer sent a pendant to Rourke’s publicist and to her “complete amazement,” the actor, who was nominated for his comeback role starring in the “Wrestler,” called the next day to thank her.

“I’m just a chick from Queens selling my jewelry at flea markets and craft fairs,” she said.

"Mr. Rourke actually took time out of his busy schedule to call and thank me personally. I was shocked,” she said. “Imagine how busy he must have been with the Oscars around the corner. I honestly do not believe that would have happened if it had been anyone other than Mickey Rourke."

Wassermann, who wears a similar necklace around her neck with a picture of her Chinese Crested dog, Igor, said the Loki pendant — two 1-by-1-inch images soldered between glass (front and back) — is not being reproduced. However, custom styles are available for $30 at wickedworld.etsy.com.

"This was meant to be a token of love from one dog lover to another," Wassermann said.

Tags: mickey rourke, loki, oscars, academy awards, entertainment, pets

A food lover's guide to Atlantic Avenue

Tuesday February 24, 2009 10:19 AM By Lucy Blatter

By Linda Perney

Special to amNewYork

Atlantic Avenue takes you from the Middle East to the South of France. Start at the beginning, between Henry and Clinton Streets, and move on into Boerum Hill, and you’ll come up with everything you need to cook up a feast — not to mention a few takeout places, and some wine bars and cafes to take the edge off the shopping.

Heights Chateau is a great spot for wine. (Andrew Hinderaker)

Heights Chateau

123 Atlantic Ave., 718-330-0963

Choose your wine at this meticulous liquor store. Tastings are held periodically, whether you want to sample the vino or the Scotch.

ChipShop

129 Atlantic Ave., 718-855-7775

If you don’t feel like cooking, you can pick up perfectly fried fish and chips from this Brit outpost. The fried Mars bars are a favorite among the Kindergarten set.Floyd

131 Atlantic Ave., 718-858-5810

If you want to take a break from the stores, settle in for a beer and a game of bocce.

Oriental Pastry & Grocery|

170 Atlantic Ave., 718-875-7687

Whatever you need to put together a Middle Eastern meal, you’ll find it here.

Malko Karkanny Bros.

174 Atlantic Ave., 718-834-0845

One of the oldest Middle Eastern outposts on the avenue; people swear by the honey cake.

Green Pea

181 Atlantic Ave., 718-596-4624

The stands outside are inviting any time of the year, but go inside and you’ll find just about all the produce your looking for.

Sahadi

187-189 Atlantic Avenue, 718-624-4550

Before there was Trader Joe’s or Fairway, there was Sahadi. Much loved in the neighborhood for its bins of nuts, coffee, prepared foods and terrific prices on all kinds of imported groceries and chocolates. Did we mention the fresh halvah? The only downside: the crowds. Closed Sunday.

Damascus Breads and Pastry

195 Atlantic Ave., 718-625-7070

This has been a neighborhood stalwart since the 1930s, selling just-baked pita bread, plus baklava, spinach pies and the like.

Cook’s Companion

197 Atlantic Ave., 718-852-6901

Some say it’s the best kitchen store in the city. Certainly, it’s one of the friendliest and best-stocked stores anywhere. As for the merch, there’s everything from pots and pans to the most esoteric gadgets. Closed Tuesday.

Soul Spot Restaurant

302 Atlantic Ave., 718-596-9933

Take home some excellent fried chicken, tasty meat loaf, collards, yams and mac and cheese.

Nicky’s Vietnamese Sandwiches

311 Atlantic Ave., 718-855-8838

Dying for a banh mi? Nicky’s crusty take on the classic has found a home away from home. Closed Monday.s

Jolie

320 Atlantic Ave., 718-488-0777

Stop for a little Gallic joie de vivre: a late-afternoon glass of wine or a bowl of the house’s warming onion soup.

Brawta Caribbean Café

347 Atlantic Ave.; 718-855-5515

Pick up an order of jerk chicken or curried goat and take it home for a feast. Closed Monday.

Downtown Atlantic Bakery

364 Atlantic Ave., 718-852-9945

Whatever homey sweets you might want — Buttery almond-flavored cookies dipped in chocolate; cupcakes topped with clouds of coconut — are on sale in the bakery. The restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere and a menu ranging from tagliatelle to roasted chicken, from shrimp rolls to samosas. Takeout, too. Closed Monday.

Bacchus

409 Atlantic Ave., 718-852-1572

This is a great place to stop for a leisurely weekend brunch and a glass of crisp Sancerre.

Blue Marble Ice Cream

420 Atlantic Ave., 718-858-1100

We all scream for it, and Blue Marble has it – and it’s organic. Plus brownies, cookies, muffins, and other treats all served in a cheerful white space that’s truly family-friendly.

Tags: atlantic avenue, brooklyn, food

Viral video: World's smallest escalator

Tuesday February 24, 2009 8:44 AM By Sean Joseph

You have to ask, what's the point?

Tags: viral video, television, escalator

Obama makes speech tonight; bipartisan efforts scrutinized

Tuesday February 24, 2009 8:11 AM By Emily Ngo

By Emily Ngo

President Barack Obama tonight delivers his first address to a joint session of Congress, where Republicans are wondering whether his bipartisan efforts will help dig the country out of its deepening recession.

The televised, State of the Union-style speech will tackle “the economy, the economy, the economy, because that’s what’s on people’s minds,” said political consultant Hank Sheinkopf. “He sees the economy as almost a wartime issue, and he’s the commander in chief for the economy.”

Obama’s momentum and his 63 percent approval rating are tied to public confidence in his $787 billion economic stimulus, experts said. His toughest task is to reassure Americans his measures will work.

“A lot of it is still psychological; a lot of the public thinks it’s not worth it,” said Joseph Mercurio, a New York-based political consultant. “It’s a hard sell.”

Especially to conservatives, the administration’s harshest critics and most essential allies.The stimulus package passed in the House with no Republican support.

Several GOP governors, including South Carolina’s Mark Sanford and Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal, said they might reject part of the stimulus funds. The plan wastes money and could ultimately hurt more than help, they insisted. (Others, like Florida’s Charlie Crist and California’s Arnold Schwarzenegger, said they would support the president.)

“It would be like spending a dollar to make a dime,” Jindal said on “Meet the Press.”

Earlier this month, New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg, who was to be a Republican addition to the Cabinet, dropped his bid for Commerce secretary over irreconcilable differences. Additionally, the Republican National Committee has issued a statement saying the Obama’s first month was about “wasteful spending, failed bipartisanship and questionable ethics.”

“This bipartisan thing is not working out so well,” said Kevin Wardally, a government affairs expert with Bill Lynch Associates. “I don’t think he needs to go overboard, but it’s great that he believes it’s a realistic goal.”

James Morone, an authority on bipartisan relations at Brown University, also questions the success of Obama’s olive branch, but said the president is expected to reiterate his message of cooperation tonight.

“He’ll say, ‘Let’s begin by being respectful and why don’t you come to me with your ideas, but don’t give me the same old ideas you had for George Bush,’ ” said Morone, author of “Hellfire Nation.”

Experts said they expect no surprise announcements in tonight’s address, which begins at 9 p.m., but said health care reform and fighting in Afghanistan will also likely be mentioned, experts said.

On Thursday, Obama will outline his first budget as president. He wants to halve the $1.3 trillion deficit by the end of his first term, and will scale back Iraq war spending and increase taxes on the nation’s wealthiest, experts said.

For goals this ambitious, Obama will need the support of Republicans – and not just the few votes required to break Senate filibuster. Experts predict his attempts at bringing the parties together are only beginning.

“If you’re trying to flip the page, like Reagan did, like Roosevelt did,” Morone said. “You have to appear above partisanship and make it part of something that’s patriotic.”

Jindal is scheduled to rebut Obama’s address tonight on behalf of the Republicans.

Tags: politics

Fantasy Wall Street games allow players to trade stocks and never lose their shirts

Monday February 23, 2009 4:03 PM By Garett Sloane

By Garett Sloane

On fantasy Wall Street the trades are real but the money isn’t.

If you blow your $100,000 wad, just hit restart and play again. If only the real world had such an escape hatch.

There are a number of Web sites that offer users a virtual trading experience, where they compete with other traders for cash and prizes.

A pioneer in the growing fantasy realm was Stock-Trak, which has teamed up with colleges for years to simulate the trading experience in classrooms. However, the company launched Wall Street Survivor two years ago, and “it was aimed at brining fantasy stock market to the public,” said CEO Rory Olson.In two years, the site has grown to more than 100,000 players who conduct trades in real time, short stocks, trade options and have a full-blown Wall Street experience.

“[The site] is sophisticated and comprehensive. It’s as deep as you want your experience to be,” Olson said.

Fantasy trading is not just for big-shot investors. Olson said 80 percent of users at Survivor are novices who want to learn about the market. That interest is up since Wall Street went haywire last fall.

“What’s happening is you’ve got people that are lining up to learn,” he said. “They don’t understand, they’ve seen their 401(k)s get smashed quarter over quarter.”

Survivor and other sites, such as TheSpartanTrader.com, which launched in November, offer users news, information and analysis on companies to base their fantasy stock picks on. Users build a portfolio and then see how it performs. The top performers are eligible for cash and prizes.

“It’s a good option for novice and experienced traders to get in there and test strategies before they risk real money,” said Marcus Thorne, a partner at Spartan Trader, which was started by the Wall Street firm Gryphon Holdings.

Spartan Trader is a new site and relatively small so far with about 750 users, but Thorne said there is a growing market for fantasy stock-picking just like there is for fantasy sports. Spartan charges between $19.95 and $39.95 depending on what type of game you enter — daily, monthly or quarterly. Survivor is a free site.

There is zero risk playing the virtual market, but that also means little reward. At Spartan the top player in the ongoing monthly tournament is up 21.5 percent, that’s a lot of real money that hasn’t been made.

Tags: wall street, wall street survivor, the spartan trader, rory olson, fantasy games, fantasy stock market, fantasy wall street, economy

Ten minutes a train for lettered lines

Monday February 23, 2009 1:44 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

The MTA will space all lettered trains — except for the L — to run on 10-minute intervals on weekends starting in June.

The A, E, G, J, M and Q trains currently average an 8-minute wait. Meanwhile, the straphangers on the C, D, F, N and R, will find quicker service since these lines currently run at 12-minute intervals.

Officials yesterday said the schedule reflects the delays most straphangers already endure because of weekend construction.

“All we’re trying to do is put on paper what people are already experiencing,” said New York City Transit spokesman Paul Fleuranges.The proposal is expected to save the MTA $4.5 million.

Board member Andrew Albert argued that the plan will cause riders to further suffer on the weekends.

“It’s a major service cut for folks,” Albert said.

The change will not affect the numbered lines.

Tags: transit

From bad to worse for MTA budget

Monday February 23, 2009 1:32 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

The MTA's bleak budgetary outlook is worsening, though officials aren't ready to say what that means for straphangers.

The agency's $1.2 billion deficit could increase by as much as $650 million this year if three back-to-back months of record low tax revenues continue, Chief Financial Officer Gary Dellaverson said during a board presentation Monday.

“It's obviously breathtaking,” he said.

The MTA's taxes on real estate revenue dropped by 70 percent from last year's collection between November and January. Dellaverson attributed the plunge to the unwillingness of banks to grant loans.

But even if banks start to lend later this year, Dellaverson said total revenue could still slip by $326 million, a nearly 4 percent drop.Dellaverson called the presentation an “exercise” and not a budget forecast. But ridership has also started declining, with 1 million fewer trips taken in January as the city experiences job losses.

MTA spokesman Jeremy Soffin said the agency stands by its 2009 budget that predicted a $1.2 billion deficit. The MTA is not mandated to update its budget until July.

“It's way too early to talk about what would happen” if revenues decline, Soffin said.

Still, Soffin said the agency's fiscal health will continue to sour with the economic decline, and appealed to state lawmakers to adopt new sources of revenue outlined in the Ravitch Commission proposal. The plan specifies a payroll tax and tolls on East and Harlem river bridges.

“People need to realize we have a big problem,” said board member Jeff Kay. “We need Albany to act to provide a new stable source of funding.”

Tags: transit

amNewYork Letters to the Editor

Monday February 23, 2009 11:18 AM By Sara Baumberger

Be thankful for extra cash

Re “Thanks for ‘nothing,’ Bam,” Feb. 23: Rachel Thomas, a 21-year-old Manhattanite, made a comment regarding the addition of a $65 cushion in the new economic stimulus package. Where do you spend $65 on three drinks? Sixty-five dollars for dinner? When I was 21, I spent $1.50 on a 40 oz. beer and 65 cents on Top Ramen (and that wasn’t all that long ago). It’s unfortunate that some people can’t appreciate an additional $65 in their pockets every month.

— Jahn Hall, Brooklyn

Where does increased taxi fare go now?

One reason given for the taxi fare increase was that it was due to the increase in gas prices, which are now lower. Where does the extra money now go? I offer the following suggestions: 1. Index the fare to the price of gasoline. Or 2. save the monies to support “green initiatives.” 3. Use the money as a subsidy for mass transit. Let’s have tax increases that make sense and don’t have to last forever.

— Steve Stulbaum, Manhattan

How can we try children as adults?

It is horrific when an 11-year-old boy shoots a woman in the head while she sleeps, or when children commit murder or other terrible crimes. They are tried as adults, but these are children. And children are simply incapable of understanding the implications of what they’ve done. Why then does society say that a 16-year-old can’t consent to sex, get married, vote, buy alcohol, etc.? It’s time we make up our minds.

— John Clemente, Annandale, N.J.

Tags: letters to the editor

Make the visit to Stile's Farmers Market

Monday February 23, 2009 8:46 AM By Emily Ngo

The well-guarded sign outside of Stile’s Farmers Market in Hell's Kitchen (352 W. 52nd St.) touts the store as New York City’s “#1 Original Farmers Market.”

(Photos: Curtis Dann-Messier)

Under the tented roof, though, the prices of cheap produce are affixed to clapboard walls. Whether for the food or the ambiance, you can’t go wrong shopping in Stile.

But beware, no dogs allowed.

— Curtis Dann-Messier

Tags: manhattan

Viral video: Wii be lazy

Monday February 23, 2009 7:19 AM By Sean Joseph

We may know somebody who tried playing Wii like this over the weekend. It didn't work too well...

Tags: viral video, television, wii, videogames

Caribbean travel deals

Monday February 23, 2009 6:18 AM By Lucy Blatter

The 7 Mile Beach Resort and Club in the Cayman Islands is offering a $75-per-night credit.

By Emily Mathis

Special to amNewYork

Jamaican family vacations for less: A Time to Travel’s Sun and Fun promo offers five nights at three different all-inclusive Jamaican resorts for $469 to $565 per person. Deals are valid for travel between March 9 and April 30.

Call 954-575-6101 or 800-551-5118 or go to A-timetotravel.com.

Half off your better half: The following ClubMed Caribbean locations are offering 50 percent off a second person for all-inclusive stays of 7 nights or more in Columbus Isle, Bucanners Creek, La Caravelle and Punta Cana. Book by Saturday for travel now through October 30th, 2009.

Call 888-WEB-CLUB or go to Clubmed.us.

Four nights for $449: Travel to Puerto Rico’s Wyndham Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa now through June 30, 2009. Use promo code PR100. Call 800-915-2322 or CheapCaribbean.com.

Resort credits for the Cayman Islands: A variety of resorts in the Cayman Islands, from the Ritz-Carlton to the Caribbean Club, are offering $25 to $100 per night resort credits. Earn up to $400 or $700 depending on location.Book by March 14 for travel through April 30. Call your travel professional or go to Caymanislands.ky.

Hilton rewards for booking in advance: Hilton Advance Purchase – Get up to 30% off Hilton hotels in the Caribbean and Latin American when you book three weeks or more in advance. Using booking code SO Book by March 31st. Call 800-HILTONS or go to Hilton.com.

JetBlue’s Bermuda birthday deal: JetBlue is celebrating Bermuda’s 400th Birthday with one-way $99 flights from JFK. Keep your ticket stub and get 15% off bills of $20 or more at participating restaurants – unlimited times. Book through March 31 for travel through May 21. Call 800-JETBLUE or go to Jetblue.com/Bermuda.

Tags: cayman islands, caribbean, jetblue, hilton, club med, travel

6 reasons to go to the Caribbean

Monday February 23, 2009 4:57 AM By Lucy Blatter

A beach at St. John. Credit: U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism

By Linda Perney

Special to amNewYork

Everyone knows why you go to the Caribbean: sun, sand, and surf. But there are other things that appeal too. We’ve listed six irresistible places and what makes them special.

1.Go Green: St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

No casinos. No golf courses. No airport. But in the cool of a morning there are salt ponds to explore, with herons, sand pipers and pintail ducks.

There are bike or jeep rides up into the mountains that drop into the sea. There are shady groves and mangrove forests, and hikes that lead past petroglyphs – rock carvings, evidence of the ancient civilization that thrived here before the European colonists arrived in the 17th century.Much of the island is now a national park, which protects the natural heritage – all 140 species of birds; 302 of fish; 22 of mammals, not to mention its 740 species of plants. All of which make for a laid-back getaway far from the stresses of the city.

Where to stay: Maho Bay offers simple green living at two locations on St. John, and several choices of accommodations and price ranges. There are tent cottages as well as studio apartments; all have great views and outdoor space. $135-$250 per night. 800-392-9004; Maho.org

For more hotel choices go to: stjohnusvi.com

2. Follow in Columbus’s footsteps: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Narrow streets wind through a neighborhood of ancient stone; from here, Cortez set off to colonize Mexico, and Ponce de Leon left to search for the fountain of youth in Florida.

This is the colonial zone of Santo Domingo, part of the oldest city in the New World, a fine place to discover the roots of the Americas.

Stop to roam through the loggias of The Alcazar de Colon on Calle La Atarazona, where Columbus’s son Diego reigned as governor; today, its dozens of rooms show off the paintings, tapestries and furniture of the 16th century.

Elsewhere in the city are the ruins of the Monastery of San Francisco, destroyed by hurricanes and French guns during the battle for this island of Hispaniola. Santa Maria la Menor is the cathedral, on the Place de Colon, begun just 20 years or so after Columbus first sighted the island in 1492.

Walk the Calle des Damas, where the noble ladies of the Spanish court once strolled. At the Museo de las Casas Reales, also on Calle Las Damas, there are replicas of the Nina, Pinta, and the Santa Maria; and out at the lighthouse, some say, the remains of the great explorer rest.

Where to stay: Sofitel runs two restored historic hotels right in the Colonial Zone: The Frances, where rooms go for $195 per night (809-685-9331); and the more elaborate Nicolas de Ovando, with a pool and several bars, $287 per night (809-685-9955). For more information, go to sofitel.com.

3. Hit the beach: Rincon Puerto Rico

This is surfer heaven – particularly during February, but not bad in March, either. Still, you don’t have to be a surfer to love the beach here.

Simple beachcombing is always an option, or soaking up the sun from a comfortable beach chair.

You can hike out to Spanish Wall Beach – in fact, you have to hike; there’s no other way to get there.

Once you do, you can try your luck with the waves – or just do a little seashell collecting.

Domes Beach is one of the best surfing areas – but it’s also a great place to do some whale watching; the season lasts through March.

If it’s diving you want, the best place is off Desecheo Island, a nature reserve closed to all but accredited scientists. However, sign up with one of the dive shops and head out into the waters around the island.

Rincon’s public beach is a fine place for swimming or collecting beach glass. Farther south, check out Almirante or Carrero Beach for palm trees and plenty of untenanted white sand.

And if you still want more water, how about a sail into the sunset with a couple of long, cool cocktails?

Where to stay: The Pineapple Inn is a small inn with a beach and swimming pool; rates range from $105-$150 per night; 787-823-1430. For more information, go to ThePineappleInn.net. For more hotel choices, check www.rincon.org.

4. Party in Montego Bay, Jamaica

Montego Bay’s Hip Strip is the place to go for clubs, restaurants, bars and shopping. But it’s certainly not the only game in town.

For golfers, there’s Half Moon Bay – the classic Robert Trent Jones course that’s consistently rated among the top courses in the world 876-953-3105.

Or you can saddle up with up Chukka Caribbean Adventures (876- 979-6599; ChukkaCaribbean.com). to go for a horseback ride through a tropical rainforest then on out into the Jamaican countryside and along a cliff overlooking the coast.

If that’s not enough adventure, try tangling with the White Witch at Rose Hall Great House. In the early 1800s, Annie Palmer was mistress of the sugar plantation here; during her reign of terror, slaves were mistreated and three of her husbands died at her hands.

She was finally murdered in 1831, but her reputation has long outlasted her: You can tour the restored house, with its antique furniture, gardens and walkways – as well as a pub in the dungeon.

Later, raise your spirits with a little shopping: Rose Hall is also home to several boutiques and gift shops: Déjà vu has upscale shoes, handbags and shawls; Tina’s has local crafts.

Where to stay: Breezes Montego Bay is $1665 for a six-night stay for two, including drinks, meals, and transfers in April. For more info, go to: SuperClubs.com. For more hotel chopices, go to: www.montego-bay-jamaica.com.

Note: Air Jamaica offers daily nonstop flights to Montego Bay from JFK, and starting in May Jet Blue will begin nonstop service JFK to Montego Bay.

5. Get a taste of France in Martinique

Martinique is one of the prettiest islands of all.

Beaches are superb, with fine white sand; there is a lush rainforest, and in keeping with its nickname as “The island of flowers,” there are gardens where poinsettias, bougainvillea, and hibiscus.

The island also delivers on a promise of Gallic style: In the streets of Fort-de-France, you’ll hear more French than you will English. Spend some time strolling the streets, window shopping the upscale products on sale – Chanel to Limoges porcelain — and taking in the lovely old houses, with their elaborate iron grillwork.

Elsewhere on the island there are traces of France’s history – both cultural and artistic. Just south of Fort-de-France is Les Trois Ilets, once the home of Napoleon’s Josephine, who reigned as empress of France for five years.

At the Musee de la Pagerie, there are scraps of her childhood – such as her bed and the church where she was baptized, not to mention a love letter from her husband.

Carbet, a little village on the Caribbean coast, was once home to the painter Paul Gaugin; a museum there commemorates his four-month stay in 1887. Today, the town also has two remarkable gardens – a onetime sugar plantation, Latouche’s Creek, overflowing with remarkable plantings among the ruins; and an ecologically correct butterfly garden.

Martinique also offers sophisticated cooking from chefs trained in the best restaurants of Paris. If you’re planning a visit later in the spring, consider going during Sainte-Marie Culinary Week (May 18-24).

Held in the small northern coastal town of Sainte-Marie, this weeklong festival is a Gallic Iron Chef — a cooking competition that pits local chefs against one another in preparing a meal using local ingredients. This year’s ingredients: coconut, sweet potatoes and dasheen.

Just as wine lovers tour the Route des Vins in France, when in Martinique, they follow the Route des Rhums, which wends its way around the island, stopping at the various award-winning distilleries for tours and tastings of the 17 varieties of rums du terroir.

Where to stay: The new $60 million Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek debuted last December. This sprawling property stretches along a 55-acre coconut palm grove complete with oceanside pool, Club Med Spa, fitness facilities and three restaurants. ($3,816 all inclusive weeklong stay for two, not including airfare; for more info, go to ClubMed.us). For more hotel choices, go to Martinique.org.

6. Life is a beach: Antiqua and Barbuda

Count them: 365 beaches on Antigua alone, which means you could visit

one each day for a year and never cross your own path. The sand is fine,

white and powdery, the water is clear. A perfect place for a beach lover,

whether you want to swim, snorkel, dive – or just sunbathe.

You can also take a Pirates of Antigua sail, aboard a motorized pirate ship; kick back with a tasty rum drink, and take in the view.

If you want to stick to dry land, there is a Jeep tour, which roams around the island, giving you a look at the scenery as well as the remains of the area’s historic sugar

mills.

By far, though, the island’s biggest attraction is Nelson’s

Dockyard National Park, in English Harbor. This was where the British navy

anchored during the Napoleonic wars; today, the dockyard museum recounts those

days of derring-do.

If you’re after even more beach, there’s the neighboring island of Barbuda, with its 17 miles of sand – and snorkeling, too.

Where to Stay: Sandals Grand Antigua Resort Near one of Antigua’s

top beaches, Dickenson Bay, the resort is all-inclusive, so your room rate

includes all food, drinks, and activities. $844 per night, per couple

in March. For more choices, go to Antigua-barbuda.org

Tags: caribbean, jamaica, montego bay, st. john, martinique, puerto rico, santo domingo

Pales, reds star on Oscar red carpet

Sunday February 22, 2009 4:39 PM By Pete Catapano

Virginia Madsen (AP Photo)

By Perrie Samotin

psamotin@am-ny.com

Next to which movie will win Best Picture, the biggest question going into Oscar night was “what will they wear?”

While there wasn’t a ton of “wow” moments on the red carpet last night, two of the clear trends were gowns in ethereal shades of pale or “va-va-voom” reds.

• Best Supporting Actress nominee Taraji P. Henson looked chic in a tightly layered white Roberto Cavalli gown and unfussy bob, while Anne Hathaway, also a nominee, appeared in her typical old Hollywood-style in an Armani Prive jewel-encrusted white gown.

• Who knows if “Wrestler” actresses Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood discussed their gown choices, but they both chose white. It was a slightly odd choice for Wood, who looks like she hasn’t seen the sun since Tomei won her only Oscar in 1993.

• The other big trend was red, red, red, as seen on Heidi Klum, whose fashion-forward structured gown was reminiscent of origami. Virginia Madsen, Phoebe Cates and “Mamma Mia!” cutie Amanda Seyfried also dazzled in show-stopping red.• The award for red-gone-awry went to Amy Adams, whose Carolina Herrera gown was nice enough but a tad too busy with its black piping along the bodice and heavy Fred Leighton necklace.

Of course, there were a few who strayed from the red and white pack, namely Freida Pinto in a disappointing blue John Galliano one-shouldered lacy number, and Kate Winslet in an uninspiring black and gray gown.

Tags: virginia madsen, phoebe cates, manda seyfried, mama mia, amy adam, academy awards, oscars, mickey rourke, marisa tomei, evan rachel wood, heidi klum, taraji p. henson, anne hathaway, entertainment

For New Yorkers, Obama's tax break may not add up to much

Sunday February 22, 2009 2:18 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

New Yorkers to Obama: Is that all we get?

The tax plan laid out in the economic stimulus package President Barack Obama signed last week will give a “typical” family an extra $65 a month, starting April 1, which won’t buy you very much in New York.

“That's nothing, $65 can't go very far at all,” said Rachel Thomas, 21, of Manhattan. “It'll buy you dinner — or maybe three drinks.”

In fact, it isn’t even enough to purchase a monthly MetroCard, which is $81 and rising soon; pay your ConEd bill, which averages just under $80; or the average cell phone bill, which is $73, according to JD Power and Associates, a marketing services firm“Sixty-five dollars can't get you nothing,” said Andrew Seenarine, 23, of Brooklyn. “That's really low. Maybe that'll get you a hot dog.”

And with the state proposing 137 new or increased taxes and fees to close its budget and the city raising property taxes and most likely the sales tax as well, it may seem like one hand is giving while the other is taking away.

Gov. David Paterson is pushing for taxes on everything from iPods to movies to cable TV, which would likely up the monthly cost of one of the more common digital cable packages beyond the current $63, more than what the federal government is giving back.

Obama did not say exactly what he meant by “typical” family but such figures are usually based on median income, which for a family of four in the United States is $67,019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In New York, it is slightly higher, at $72,170.

What’s good for the average American family won’t cut it in a place as expensive as New York, many local residents say.

“That’s too little, not enough for New York,” said Leila Hamadi, 21, of Manhattan. “I spend a lot of money in one week.”

Of course, given how quickly life’s daily costs add up in New York, some yesterday said they would be grateful for any little bit.

“It’s OK,” said Adrian Blanc, 24, of Brooklyn. “It’s better than nothing.”

Andrew Breiner contributed to this story

Tags: president barack obama, taxes, stimulus, economy

Lamp designer sees the light in Long Island City

Sunday February 22, 2009 1:38 PM By Garett Sloane

Gordon Joseph opened his lamp-design shop in Long Island City in October 2008. (Photo by Marie Claire Andrea)

By Lana Bortolot

Special to amNewYork

Lamp designer Gordon Joseph saw an opportunity when he moved his shop, Lightbox Home, from the East Village to Long Island City, where a housing boom was under way.

The neighborhood overlooking the Manhattan skyline from the East River in Queens is bursting with new residential development.

Joseph is a retail pioneer at 1207 Jackson Ave. — where there are few home furnishing options — a couple of blocks from bustling Vernon Boulevard.The move to Long Island City, in October 2008, came with reasonable rent and the prospect of thousands of new residents/customers looking to furnish their brand new condos.

“I see a real synergy between my product and the style of real estate being marketed here,” Joseph said. “It’s given me an opportunity to add something to design and style that’s in tune with what people are utilizing.”

Joseph’s lamps incorporate the spirit of modernist sculptor Isamu Noguchi — also a renowned lamp master — who once kept a studio in Long Island City.

“[Noguchi] was the only person who really understood the spirituality of lighting,” said Joseph, who works in translucent materials such as acrylics. “Like him, I was looking for that product that expressed the [lamp] material and spirituality that goes beyond the commercial aspect.”

The hand-finished lamps range from $40 for a small 4 x 4 table lamp to $500 for a floor lamp. He said most of his sales are done in the store to a domestic clientele, but he plans to start marketing online to a global audience.

The lamp designer has about 40 models in his portfolio, which he is constantly tweaking and expanding. He also custom-designs lamps within three to five days.

Though the local real estate market and related discretionary buying are in a slump, Joseph remains optimistic. He said sales have been better than expected given the economic conditions.

“I think the challenge is to stay current and positive. The opportunity is out there, but you have to be smart about seeing it,” he said.

Tags: lightbox home, long island city, lic, isamu noguchi, gordon joseph, lamps, home furnishings, long island city development, retail, queens, economy

South Ferry Station Faces More Delays

Sunday February 22, 2009 1:09 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

The South Ferry subway station makeover is looking to be on track - for more delays.

Last held up in January when it was discovered the gap between the platform and train was too big, an engineering firm hired by the MTA said work at the station be finished a month late.

The $530 million project overhauling the termimal for the No. 1 train will likely wrap up by May, according to the report by Jacobs Carter Burgess.

However, the station will likely be open and operational before all the work is done. MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz would not say when the station will open.

“Downtown is now famous for delays and overly costly projects,” said Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign advocacy group. “You want some sense of forward motion.”The MTA has not announced the project's opening date since snafus derailed its debut originally scheduled for December.

Ortiz declined to comment on the engineer's findings.

Besides the one-inch gap that was found in the platform — which reportedly cost $200,000 to repair and sent more heat the MTA’s way — water was also discovered to be seeping in the station’s walls.

Today, Jacobs Carter Burgess will present its analysis of South Ferry and other major construction projects at the agency's committee meetings.

The engineer's report also faulted the MTA for employing “insufficient” management in its project expanding Long Island Rail Road service to Grand Central Terminal.

Tags: transit

New Job Countdown: Taking steps toward a new job

Sunday February 22, 2009 12:21 PM By Lucy Blatter

McBane and Safani strategize. Photo credit: Dave Sanders

By Karen Tina Harrison

Special to amNewYork

Welcome to New Job Countdown, in which we’ll chronicle a reader’s job hunt every other Monday.

Are you on career search yourself? Our MO can work for you. Remember, The economy is tough, but New Yorkers are tougher.The seeker:

Allegra McBane, 27, a poised and confident Manhattanite, studied theater at the University of Southern California and has specialized in public relations for performing arts companies. Downsized in December, she seeks a PR or marketing spot in a creative field, earning at least 65K.

The expert:

Job-hunt consultant Barbara Safani, author of “Happy About My Resume,” owns Career Solvers in midtown (CareerSolverscom). “I teach clients to break out of the pack, get noticed and get hired,” she says.

The goal:

Allegra hopes “to climb the job ladder through PR and marketing, eventually running an arts organization.” Talking with Barbara, she realized that the ladder could include jobs not just in the arts but media, fashion and nonprofit world.

The plan:

Barbara will help Allegra “create a strategy to become visible to people with hiring power.” Her method is four-fold:

• Team up with a recruiter, if possible

• Work those online job boards and ads

• Cold-call, but the right companies and managers

• Network “everywhere from Facebook to alumni events,” says Barbara. “Most jobs are gotten through someone you know.”

The homework:

Part I: Barbara asked Allegra to list her network.

• Break it up into “inner circle” (friends, family, community, clubs); “professional contacts”; and “online world.”

Part 2: Barbara assigned Allegra a focusing exercise.

• This “trains candidates to promote not their personal attributes but their value to employers’ bottom line.”

ª For every job you’ve had, write three “task success stories.”

Describe the specific challenge, your action and your result.

On Monday March 9, New Job Countdown will check back in with Allegra, taking in her homework, strategy, resume and network.

Tags: new job, job search

amNewYork Letters to the Editor

Sunday February 22, 2009 11:27 AM By Sara Baumberger

Another question about the chimp cartoon

Suppose Travis the chimp had been shot dead two months ago. Would the New York Post have run this same cartoon while President Bush — whom some called “Chimp” — was pushing his stimulus bill? The Post should realize, intentional or not, the racial overtones of the cartoon and the implication of assassinating Obama.

— Melanie N. Lee, Corona

Cartoonist, Post meant no harm

When I saw the cartoon in the NY Post, I thought the cartoonist was lambasting the Democrats in congress for their poorly written legislation. As a white person, perhaps I am not hypersensitive to the slights felt by African-Americans, but to assume that the cartoonist meant to portray Obama (who I support) as a chimp is wrong. Obama may work to get a bill written, but he doesn’t write it. Black people may see it as an insult, but it was not designed as such.

— Allen Aigen, Staten Island

Job growth should be Obama’s priority

The U.S. needs to put Americans back to work. My first move if I were Obama would be to suspend dividends if a company outsources labor or imports. Tariffs on imports should be at least 200 percent because Americans are not working. Lastly the income tax paid should be raised 100 percent. Will it collapse the stock market initially? Yes. Will it recover the American economy? Yes. Jobs bring taxes, spending and paying of bills.

— Pat Rauch, The Bronx

Tags: letters to the editor

Job fairs -Week of February 23

Sunday February 22, 2009 9:07 AM By Lucy Blatter

Monday – CareerMD NYC Career Fair

Location: Hilton New York, 1335 Avenue of the Americas (Sixth avenue at 54th street)

Time: 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

To register: Free registration at careermd.com

Tuesday– Women for Hire Career Expo

Location: Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers, 811 Seventh Avenue at 53rd Street

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

To register: Free, no pre-registration

Wednesday-New career in new economy- Alternative energy

Location: Paradise East, 1223 Coney Island Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11230

Time: 7:30 p.m.

To register: FREE orientation. Ask for Vlad Licko, 347-563-2543

Friday – Careers Outside the Academy: Sociology and Social Science Options

Location: NYU's Wasserman Center for Career Development, 133 East 13th Street, 2nd Floor

Time: 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

To register: Pre-registration required at nyu.edu/careerdevelopment/students/sociological/registration.php

Saturday – Education and Human Services Careers

Location: The Wasserman Center for Career Development, 133 East 13th Street, Presentation Room A

Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7;00 p.m.

To register: Free, no pre-registration

Saturday - Electrical Industry Sponsored Career Fair

Location: 67-35 Parsons Blvd. Corner of Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Avenue Flushing

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

To register: Free registration at alfredstate.edu/events

Tags: jobs, job fairs, careers

New job site alert!

Sunday February 22, 2009 9:04 AM By Lucy Blatter

Looking for part-time work? Some extra cash?

Urbaninterns.com is a new Web site aimed at connecting small business owners and professionals with those seeking part-time flexible work.

Internships are both paid and non-paid. Members must be at least 18-years-old, college students and above.

Tags: interns, internships, urbanintern.com, careers

Urban archaeology: Turn this doorknob for a trip to New York City's public-school past

Sunday February 22, 2009 8:43 AM By Rolando Pujol

Anyone who grew up in New York City and went to public school likely remembers the highly detailed doorknobs. This doorknob, possibly 100 years old, was spotted recently in Harlem.

Text and photo: Jefferson Siegel

Tags: urban archaeology, history, real estate, public schools, door knobs, manhattan

Fashion Week: Mark Indelicato dishes on the future of 'Ugly Betty' at Christian Siriano

Friday February 20, 2009 9:19 AM By Julie Gordon

By Jessie Pascoe, Metromix

Last night at Christian Siriano, we caught up with a tired Mark Indelicato, who plays Betty's fashion-obsessed nephew on “Ugly Betty.”

“This is my last show. Christian Siriano is closing it up for me and I am so happy,” exclaimed Indelicato. “Fashion Week has been great, but I am tired. I am done!”

Thankfully, the star’s not done on “Ugly Betty.”

“Everything has been really crazy,” said Indelicato. “Some one turns evil! Some one is going to die! It is pretty crazy and intense. My character is not turning evil or dying. Thank God!”

Photo: Brian Ach/WireImage.com

Tags: fashion week, christian siriano, shopping

For 20 young girls, a visit to Google — and a path to their future

Friday February 20, 2009 8:00 AM By Rolando Pujol

A lesson on algorithims. Designing interactive animations. And lunch at the vaunted (and free) Google Cafe.

Twenty young girls from the Bronx and Manhattan got a taste of a Google engineer's life at the search engine giant's Manhattan headquarters Thursday during Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day.

The day was part of Google's K-12 program, which is trying to turn around declining enrollment rates of girls and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and math programs. Google says less than one-sixth of jobs in technical fields are held by women.

This is the fifth year that Google has participated nationally in the program Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day. Find out more about the day here.

Tags: google, introduce a girl to engineering day

City Agrees to Change Taxi Policy

Thursday February 19, 2009 2:39 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

In a victory for cab drivers and disabled New Yorkers, the mayor’s office agreed late Thursday to change the way garages dispatch handicap-accessible taxis.

Last year, the city implemented a system where the disabled could call 311 and handicapped-accessible taxis tracked through BlackBerries would be dispatched to them based on location. Cabbies protested that it was dangerous to fumble with their BlackBerries while driving, and many refused to participate.

“We had tons of complaints,” said Michael Harris, executive director of the Disabled Riders Coalition. “Every single time I called, there were no drivers available.”

After pressure from the taxi union, the city agreed to rout cars based on GPS during a meeting brokered by the New York Taxi Workers Alliance.Under the city program, 311 calls for wheelchair-accessible taxis were dispatched by zones. Van drivers had to constantly report their zone location to dispatchers through BlackBerries. But many drivers considered it an inconvenience.

“Driving and fiddling with a BlackBerry is very dangerous,” said Beresford Simmons, 60, a driver who bought a wheelchair-accessible taxi but refused to participate in the dispatch program.

Only 10 percent of the handicap-accessible taxis ended up enrolling in the system, which wasn’t mandatory, Harris said.

In another wrinkle, the city allowed wheelchair-accessible taxis to cut in line at Kennedy Airport to pick up fares and thereby encourage service to the transportation hub. But the move took more accessible vans off city streets as the taxis flocked to the airport for profitable airport fares, drivers and advocates say.

Animosity between drivers of regular and wheelchair-accessible taxis grew, and hacks planned to boycott JFK this month, said Bhairavi Desai, director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance.

“Drivers without those vans would get three or four trips in same time period that a regular taxi would wait for three hours for one fare,” Desai said.

The union collected 1,000 signatures from drivers against the arrangement, Desai said.

In a win for the union Thursday, the mayor’s office agreed to start a pilot program in March to dispatch some of the vans based on a GPS instead of the BlackBerries, said mayoral spokesman Marc Lavonga. The Taxi and Limousine Commission will decide later whether to use GPS for all dispatching.

Additionally, handicap-accessible taxis will only be allowed to move into the priority line at JFK after they have picked up a regular dispatch in the city, Lavonga said.

Tags: transportation

100-Hundred-Ton Drill Descends into Manhattan

Thursday February 19, 2009 2:01 PM By Heather Haddon

Workers lower a drill Thursday to dig the No. 7 extension

Associated Press

By Heather Haddon

Work on the No. 7 subway extension was ramped up Thursday as the 100-hundred-ton drill that will slice through Manhattan’s bedrock was brought to 11th Avenue.

While elected officials lauded the start of the second phase of the $2.1 billion project, critics of the one-station extension say it serves Javits Center conventioneers rather than city residents.

The 7,100-feet tunnels will bring service to the far west side at West 34th and 11th Avenue. The drill will start breaking ground in April.

During a ceremony Thursday, crews lowered the 22-foot circular head of the machine that will bore twin tunnels between West 25th Street and Times Square. Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the digging “the most dramatic” phase of the project.“We are expanding our subway network into an entirely new area of the city,” Bloomberg said.

The project originally contained a shell for a station at West 40th Street and 10th Avenue, but it was removed in September because of costs.

“It's an abomination,” said MTA board member Andrew Albert. “The extension is just for conventioneers.”

The project is scheduled to be completed by 2013. But transit watchdogs believe it could take far longer because the city has not budgeted for cost overruns.

The MTA will discuss the status and cost of its major capital projects during board meetings Monday.

Tags: transit

Critics hit city on food stamp work rules

Thursday February 19, 2009 1:53 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum slammed the Bloomberg administration Thursday for keeping a policy requiring some food stamp recipients to work.

The federal stimulus bill axed a rule that able-bodied adults with no dependents must work if they’ve been on food stamps for more than three months during a three-year period.

Gotbaum said the city loses $155 million in federal funds by keeping the rule.

"Food stamps are an essential part of the stimulus because the money ultimately goes to our city’s small businesses: grocery stores and bodegas, green markets and vegetable stands," she said.

The city denied it’s turning down money.

"These policies, including work experience programs for people who are not able to comply with the requirements, have a proven track record of helping people out of poverty,” said Barbara Brancaccio, a spokeswoman for the city's Human Resources Administration

Tags: public advocate betsy gotbaum, food stamps, stimulus, mayor michael bloomberg, city hall dispatch

'Racist' cartoon draws second protest

Thursday February 19, 2009 1:23 PM By Marlene Naanes

By Marlene Naanes

Enraged about an editorial cartoon they deemed racist, about 300 protesters picketed The New York Post’s midtown offices Thursday, shouting “Don't buy the Post. Shut down the Post.”

The Rev. Al Sharpton and elected officials called for a boycott of the newspaper and promised more protests, including one with director Spike Lee Friday afternoon.

The object of their ire is a cartoon by Sean Delonas published Wednesday depicting two police officers who just shot dead a chimpanzee saying “They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill.” A chimp was killed in Connecticut after attacking a woman Monday, and President Barack Obama signed off on the economic stimulus bill Tuesday, leading some to infer that the chimp represented the president.

“I guess they thought we really were chimpanzees,” Sharpton said. “They will find out that we're lions, and we're getting ready to roar.”

Elected officials and protesters asked businesses to pull their ads and promised an organized effort to picket newsstands and dissuade people from buying the Post. Sharpton also said he would call for a hearing on Post owner Rupert Murdoch’s FCC waiver, which allows him to own the newspaper and television stations in the same market.“Apparently the New York Post feels that they don't have to talk to people, that what we get is what we deserve, and that we are helpless and mindless. ... What they could have met with dialog they have chosen to meet with confrontation,” Sharpton said.

The newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Col Allan, said Wednesday that the cartoon was a parody on the chimp shooting and a criticism of Washington’s efforts to revive the economy. Allan also called Sharpton, who was also the subject of another controversial Delonas cartoon, a publicity opportunist.

The paper did not offer further comment Thursday.

Tony Murphy, 43, a syndicated cartoonist attended Thursday’s protest, carrying a sign reading “Cartoonists Against Racism.” Murphy, who lives in Park Slope, said he and other cartoonists felt the drawing was racist and they planned to hold their own protest.

“I'm always shocked when I see such an abuse of a form that should be used for truth and justice,” he said.

While many passersby stopped to offer support, others criticized Sharpton and the reaction stemming from the cartoon.

“I thought it would get the animal rights people out,” said Brian McCaffrey, 55, Manhattan. “It required the readers to think too much, which is asking too much in America right now. The Post overestimated their audience.”

Tags: al sharpton, new york post, racist, cartoon, sean delonas, barack obama, chimpanzee, media

amNewYork Letters to the Editor

Thursday February 19, 2009 11:07 AM By Sara Baumberger

Time to stop campaigning and be president

Will someone — hello, Michelle — tell President Obama that he won the election, that he is the President of the United States and that he should turn off the campaign mode and go into winner mode! If people don’t like what he does, hey, he is president of the United States and does what he wants.

— Suzy Sandor, Manhattan

America needs universal health care

I think as a nation, we have reached the time to move forward and structure our health care system like all other advanced nations. We need universal health care. As someone who is currently unemployed and preparing to start up a new business, this is yet another headache to endure. COBRA coverage is prohibitively expensive and

private insurance options are limited — most are only available if one is self-employed. Think about our businesses, small and large — what a boost they would get if the burden of providing health insurance were lifted? Let’s move into the 21st century by catching up with what almost every other advanced nation

has done.

— Kurt Marin, Manhattan

U.S. must set a better example

An example needs to be set for illegal activity such as torture and spying on Americans as well as misleading the American public into the war in Iraq. If we do nothing, what type of example are we setting for future generations?

— Shawn Smith, Union City, N.J.

Tags: letters to the editor

Another restaurant week extension!

Thursday February 19, 2009 9:52 AM By Lucy Blatter

Le Cirque will offer its Restaurant Week menu in the restaurant’s wine lounge for the rest of 2009. The three-course prix-fixe menu will change monthly, and will cost $24.07 for lunch and $35 for dinner.

The wine lounge is a more casual option for diners — jeans are allowed and men don’t have to wear jackets.

Tags: le cirque, restaurant week, restaurants

Happy hour spotlight: Lower East Side pubs

Thursday February 19, 2009 9:15 AM By Lucy Blatter

By Casey Feldman

Special to amNewYork

Spitzer’s Corner

101 Rivington St., btwn Essex and Orchard sts., 212-228-0027.

Monday to Friday, noon to 7 p.m. $3 weekly tap beer specials from their “eccentric” and diverse selections.

The Whiskey Ward

121 Essex St., btwn Rivington and Delancey sts., 212-477-2998.

Monday to Friday, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Half-price well drinks and draught beers, $15 sangria pitchers.

Parkside Lounge

317 E. Houston St., btwn Clinton and Attorney sts., 212-674-9308.

Seven days a week until 8 p.m., includes $3 Pabst Blue Ribbon pints.

Epstein’s Bar

82 Stanton St., btwn Orchard and Allen sts., 212-477-2232.

Monday to Friday, 5 to 11 p.m., Monday to Friday 5 to 11 p.m., $4 well drinks and $3 Rolling Rock pints. More specials on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Tags: happy hour, bars, nightlife, lower east side, pubs

Mulled wine: Warming up the cold nights

Thursday February 19, 2009 9:08 AM By Lucy Blatter

By Alexis Korman

Special to amNewYork

Drinkers in chilly Nordic countries have long known how to spice up cold nights with glögg, a warm mulled wine drink. Chef Marcus Samuelsson, of famed Scandinavian restaurant Aquavit, (65 E. 55th St., 212-593-0287)‮, gave us the scoop on how New Yorkers can bring the Nordic tradition to their own homes.Glögg recipe by Marcus Samuelsson (makes about 1½ quarts)

Ingredients:

2 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces

1 teaspoon cardamom pods

1 small piece ginger, peeled

Grated zest of ½ orange

6 whole cloves

½ cup vodka

1 750-ml bottle dry red wine

1 cup ruby port or Madeira

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla sugar

½ cup blanched whole almonds

½ cup dark raisins

Directions:

1. Crush the cinnamon and cardamom using a mortar and pestle (or put them on a cutting board and crush them with the bottom of a heavy pot). Put them in a small glass jar and add the ginger, orange zest, cloves and vodka. Let stand for 24 hours.

2. Strain the vodka through a fine sieve into a large saucepan; discard the spices. Add the red wine, port or Madeira; and the sugar, vanilla sugar, almonds, and raisins. Heat over medium heat just until bubbles start to form around the edges.

3. Serve hot in mugs, with a few almonds and raisins in each one; keep any remaining glögg warm over very low heat until ready to serve (do not let boil).

Q&A WITH MARCUS SAMUELSSON

Growing up, was glögg a part of your family’s festivities?

Glögg is something me and every other Swede grew up with. The odor of wine, spices and almonds invades homes throughout Scandinavia.

Do you have any secrets for our readers in making glögg at home?

Don’t buy expensive wine because you’re adding sugar and spices which will

mask the taste. Don’t boil — you’ll destroy the alcohol. Just heat up. Spend the money you save on wine on quality spices because that’s the flavor that counts.

What kinds of red wine can be used to make mulled wine?

Cheap red wine — any variety — and port wine.

MULLED WINE AROUND THE CITY

Don’t feel like attempting to make glögg at home? We rounded up several places where you can sample delicious mulled wine for $10 or less.

Café Sabarsky

Neue Galerie, 1048 Fifth Ave. at E. 86th St., 212-288-0665

Gluhwein: $9.50

Located in the Neue Galerie, this luxurious Viennese cafe serves coffee and other Austrian treats such as sacher tortes and strudels. The affordable gluhwein is further enhanced with spiced tea packs.

Anyway Cafe

34 E. 2nd St. at Second Ave., 212-533-3412w

Glintwine: $8

This laid-back, intimate East Village cafe features a rotating roster of live music acts. It serves up strong drinks, including a variety of Russian-style infused vodkas and hot glint wine.

Oro Bakery and Bar

375 Broome St., btwn Mott and Mulberry sts., 212-941-6368

Mulled wine: $8

At this French bakery and wine bar, where everything is made by hand and artisanal ingredients are utilized, the mulled wine is made to order, and features organic wine, juices and a variety of spices.

10 Downing

10 Downing St. at Sixth Ave., 212-255-0300

Glu wine: $9

This much buzzed about West Village eatery, run by the talented chef Jason Neroni, serves up American nouveau cuisine in a homey, eclectically decorated space. Though most patrons at the bar order highbrow beer, the traditional Austrian mulled wine, made with Blaufrankisch and elderberry syrup, is a seasonal treat.

Tags: marcus samuellson, mulled wine, glogg, nightlife

Combine Snuggies and beer for maximum impact

Thursday February 19, 2009 8:54 AM By Emily Ngo

The sensational blanket with arm holes that's making it easier for couch potatoes across the nation to hold the remote control while comfortably covered in plush is arranging a Snuggie pub crawl. The date is still TBD, but when it is D'd, we'll be there.

— Emily Ngo

Viral video: Bernie Madoff's ballad

Thursday February 19, 2009 8:14 AM By Sean Joseph

Here is a parody of the those annoying freecreditreport.com commercials, except this time it's "Bernie Madoff" singing the tune that will be stuck in your head all day.

Tags: viral video, television, business, madoff, economy, music, wall street

Fashion Week: Ivanka dishes on the newest Donald Trump

Thursday February 19, 2009 7:24 AM By Julie Gordon

By Julie Gordon and Jessie Pascoe

Ivanka Trump was all smiles at Brian Reyes Thursday morning following the recent birth of her brother's second child, Donald Trump III.

"I was over at the hospital first thing at like 5:30 [Wednesday] morning," she beamed.

So what's the newest Donald Trump like?

"He couldn't be sweeter. He's a very, very handsome young boy. And healthy most importantly," she said.

The baby was born a little after midnight on Wednesday.

Photo: Getty

Tags: fashion week

Mayor Bloomberg unveils plan to retool Wall Street

Wednesday February 18, 2009 3:28 PM By Garett Sloane

By Garett Sloane

During these down times, the mayor sees an opportunity for businesses to start up right here in the city.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled yesterday the city’s response to the collapse of the financial sector — a rescue plan five months in the making — and it includes fostering new businesses, retraining Wall Street refugees, luring foreign companies and retaining the title of “Financial Capital of the World.”

"It is going to be tough times. We are going to downsize. But so is everybody else," Bloomberg said at a news conference alongside city officials and business leaders. "Our objective has to be, in a relative sense, making sure that we stay No. 1."One of the biggest initiatives announced yesterday was to try to transform the city into an entrepreneurial hotbed, where new companies can start up and venture capital flows.

The city will offer workstations to new businesses for $200 a month. There will be about 1,000 desks available at a few sites around the city, including the incubator unveiled yesterday at 160 Varick St.

The New York City Economic Development Corp. helped devise the 11-point initiative to retool the financial sector, which the city has relied on for one-third of private-sector income.

The sector will shed about 65,000 jobs, and officials hope the new initiatives will create 12,000 jobs in five years and 25,000 in 10, according to Seth Pinsky, executive director of the city’s Economic Development Corp.

The city’s biggest players have deliberated on this rescue plan since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September, when crisis mode set in, Pinsky said.

“We wanted to study the problem so that whatever solution we came up with addressed the actual problem, and not just what we thought the problem was,” he said.

What they came up with was an approach to keep New York the financial heart of America and the world despite having lost its storied investment banks.

They identified three threats: the corroded financial eco-system here, the implosion of the capital markets and the brain drain of Wall Street workers.

The new plan tries to address these issues by reforesting the financial sector with new markets such as exchanges to trade carbon credits and other creative instruments; encouraging entrepreneurship; and retraining laid-off Wall Streeters so that they stay here rather than relocate.

One of the initiatives is to encourage more venture capital and angel investors to spread wealth in the city. The city's development corporation will start the spending by offering $3 million to start-ups and hopes the private sector contributes double that.

In all, the mayor's plan will spend more than $50 million — $30 million in federal money and the rest from the city and private sector.

“There is a big opportunity here to create a bit of a hub of entrepreneurial activity here in Manhattan,” said Barry Silbert, the CEO of SecondMarket, a firm that in many ways embodies what the new initiative represents. Silbert attended the mayor’s news conference.

SecondMarket, a marketplace for illiquid assets, was both a start-up and an innovator in the financial sector.

Silbert and others noted that with the city in a rut the cost of living is coming down, that’s actually what helped the city find the office space for the incubators, and new companies may find it more affordable to set up shop.

“There is no reason why in this environment the city can’t be successful,” Silbert said.

Tags: mayor michael bloomberg, mayor bloomberg, new york city, wall street, secondmarket, barry silbert, business incubator, manhattan, economy, banks

Lawmakers Look for a Bridge Tolls Pitch

Wednesday February 18, 2009 3:03 PM By Heather Haddon

BY Heather Haddon

Wary state legislators urged the MTA and other transportation officials to help them convince colleagues and constituents that a package of taxes and bridge tolls need to be enacted to stave off the worst of the subway and bus fare hike.

“Several of my colleagues ... say they cannot vote for these recommendations,” state Sen. Martin Malavé Dilan (D-Brooklyn), said yesterday during the first public hearing on the Ravitch Commission proposals. “Who is responsible for selling this plan?”

Facing a $1.2 billion budget gap this year, The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is considering a fare increase of 23 percent. If Albany approves of the commission’s revenue-raising proposal by March 25, the hike may result in an 8 percent increase only.“Everybody is benefiting from this system and everybody has to contribute to it,” former MTA Chairman Ravitch said, pointing out that nearly 85 percent of commuters to Manhattan use public transportation.

The commission is proposing to:

– raise $1.5 billion by taxing state payrolls by percent. The money would eliminate the MTA’s deficit this year and contribute to the agency’s capital plan.

– net $600 million by tolling the free bridges across the East and Harlem rivers. The money would pay for a regional bus system and the city’s bridge maintenance costs.

State senators said they would need more ammunition in convincing outer borough residents to accept the bridge tolls.

MTA CEO Elliot Sander reiterated yesterday that the package must be passed as a whole, but said the MTA would be open to variable-rate tolling.

Senators hold another commission hearing in Harlem today.

A bill on the proposal is expected to come out of Paterson’s office in the coming weeks.

Tags: transit

Fans sad as Conan packs up for L.A.

Wednesday February 18, 2009 2:43 PM By Pete Catapano

(AP Photo)

By Pete Catapano

There’s always been something very New York about “Late Night with Conan O’Brien.”

From the comedy bits around Rockefeller Center to conversations with New Yorkers on the street, O’Brien’s off-the-wall show connected with the city since it first started in 1993.

But tomorrow, O’Brien will say good night from his midtown studio for the last time as the show packs up for Los Angeles, where he will become the new host for “The Tonight Show” beginning in June.

While his fans in the city are fairly confident Hollywood won’t change Conan too

much, they say he belongs in New York City.

“It’s sad to see him go. He seems more New York, but you’ve got to take the opportunities where they come,” said Heidi Newhart, 28, a fan from Astoria who’s watched the show for 10 years.

Last night Mayor Bloomberg appeared on “Late Night” and gave Conan a key as a gift. When Conan said, "I'm stunned. I'm receiving a key to New York City," the mayor replied it was actually the key to the Port Authority men’s bathroom.“It’s really sad he’s going to go because he’s done so much comedy related to New York,” said Kumar Kintala, 25, of the Upper East Side.

O’Brien, who took over “Late Night” in 1993 when David Letterman moved to CBS, will take his band and most of his writers to California with him. He’s assured fans the change of scenery won’t change him.

“It would be a mistake to reinvent myself as a completely different person now,” he told the AP.

It’s not as if fans didn’t try to convince NBC execs to keep the wildly popular host in town.

Aaron Weyenberg, a 33-year-old web programmer from Connecticut, got 318 signers to his online petition at www.keepconan.com, which he started three weeks ago.

“The goal was to let the network and Conan know that they’re part of the city now,” he said, adding that when Conan leaves “a slice of the city will go with it.”

“I was hoping it be in the thousand to get some traction,” said Weyenberg, who’s spent a lot of time in the city. “The idea was to get a mention on there (Conan’s show).”

He also said he’s worried that the new “Tonight Show,” with its 11:30 p.m. timeslot and new location won’t be the same as the “Late Night” Conan fans have grown to love.

Mary’s Fish Camp, a restaurant in the West Village, also had its own petition. The eatery got more than 70 signatures in one day, and when Conan found out, the show did a segment on it, which resulted in hundreds of more signatures, waitress Marianne Shiel said.

“I was pretty surprised by the enthusiasm and zeal that people has to sign,” Shiel said “It was fun, even though we knew it was a lost cause.”

“It would be nice if he stayed,” she added. “His own kind of idiocy works well in New York City.”

O’Brien reportedly joked on the show that he would need 1 percent of the world’s population to sign keep him in New York.

An NBC spokesman said Conan and his staff have “truly enjoyed” their 16 years in the city and will be sad to leave Rockefeller Center’s studio.

(Marlene Naanes contributed to this story)

Tags: conan o'brien, mike bloomberg

'Racist' cartoon angers New Yorkers

Wednesday February 18, 2009 1:54 PM By Marlene Naanes

By Marlene Naanes

Angry New Yorkers yesterday called for a boycott of The New York Post, the firing of the paper’s editor and cartoonist and even a criminal investigation into an editorial cartoon they considered racist.

The cartoon shows two police officers who just shot dead a chimpanzee saying “They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill.” A chimp was shot dead in Connecticut after attacking a woman Monday, and President Barack Obama signed off on the economic stimulus bill Tuesday. The cartoon led some to infer that the chimp represented the president.

“This is nothing more than a sick racist mind at work. … Not only should the editor be fired, but there should be a front-page apology to the president of the United States who you have characterized as a primate,” Councilwoman Letitia James (D-Brooklyn) said at a protest of about 25 people outside the Post’s headquarters yesterday. “You not only have offended people of color, you have offended millions of people who voted for the president of the United States.”

The elected officials will also have a noon protest today in front of the newspaper, and some are calling for a U.S. Department of Justice Investigation, saying the cartoon went beyond just racism and depicted the president’s assassination.“I’m insulted, and I’m very upset,” said Stephanie Woods, 42, of Coop City. “[The cartoon is] not funny — it’s very offensive. It’s a very tragic story with the monkey. I’m upset on both ends.”

The New York Post’s editor-in-chief, Col Allan, said the cartoon was a parody of the chimpanzee’s shooting while criticizing the stimulus bill.

“It broadly mocks Washington’s efforts to revive the economy,” Allan said.

The cartoonist, Sean Delonas, has drawn controversial depictions before, once overemphasizing the size of The Rev. Al Sharpton’s rear-end and another time commenting on same-sex marriage with an image of a man and a sheep donning a bridal veil. Sharpton and his National Action Network, along with many other black groups, denounced the cartoon.

Cartoonist Ted Rall, a syndicated editorial cartoonist for Universal Press Syndicate and Association of American Editorial Cartoonists President, said he does not believe Delonas, who he does not know, meant to be racist. He used a common ploy of combining two big news stories into one cartoon, however, he noted a cartoonist tries to avoid using stereotypical caricatures of minorities.

“Normally you end up with a dumb joke — in this case it’s racially insensitive,” Rall said of the technique.

Rall added that it is an editors’ job to reign in their cartoonist.

Free speech advocates noted that the flap ironically may invigorate the First Amendment, the whole purpose of which is to invite, dispute and exchange views.

"Newspapers shouldn't be timid,” said Ronald Collins, of the First Amendment Center in Washington, D.C. “That defeats the purpose of having editorial cartoons. On the other hand, if they can dish it out, they should be able to accept it. ... They'd better be ready to put on their flak jackets."

Emily Ngo contributed to this report.

Tags: new york post, delonas, barack obama, racism, cartoon, politics

amNewYork Letters to the Editor

Wednesday February 18, 2009 12:35 PM By Sara Baumberger

Let’s elect blue-collar people who’ll represent us

I hope come the next November election the people/voters realize,

regardless of the change promised in this past year’s election it’s still

the “Old Boys’ Club.” The only way we can show the “old boys” we mean business when we say we want change is to vote all the incumbents who are running for re-election out of office. Let’s elect the blue collar people who will fight for real change and the middle class. No more special interests! Do what’s right for America!

— Bernie McGrath, Holbrook

Get to the bottom of Bush, Cheney scandals

It should have been Congress’s duty to impeach Bush and Cheney when we had the chance. Now it’s up to us to demand that justice be done. Please support Sen. Leahy in his efforts to get to the bottom of the scandals (e.g., funding of Cheney’s Halliburton buddies at taxpayer expense) and untruths/half-truths told by the previous administration during the prosecution of the illegal wars. Above all, we should hold the Bush and Cheney administration accountable and prosecutable.

— Paul Corell, Brooklyn

Insurance bureaucracies bog down doctor offices

Please pass HR 676! As a family physician, I say we need relief from the bureaucratic nightmare that bogs us down in our offices with all the different payers and their different specialty networks, formularies, prior authorization rules, etc., and takes us away from caring for patients. The single-payer solution is simple, and will cut the huge expense of the administrative waste we have now.

— Dr. Linda Prine, Manhattan

Tags: letters to the editor

For foodies: This week's dining briefs

Wednesday February 18, 2009 9:24 AM By Lucy Blatter

Photo credit: Melissa Hom/Metromix.com

By Emily Mathis

Special to amNewYork

Fight the Monday Blues with a Burger and Beer – Mondays just got a little better thanks to Irving Mill’s $15 burger-and-beer special prepared by Metromix.com’s chef of the year, Ryan Skeen.

116 E. 16th Street btwn Irving Place and Union Square East, 212-254-1600

February is Pancake Month – In the shadow of presidents and candy hearts, pancakes are often forgotten in February. Clinton Street Baking Company keeps the spirit alive with a new pancake flavor — such as roasted apples & pears with cinnamon sour cream and fresh coconut pancakes with roasted caramelized pineapple and macadamia nuts — every other day. Served weekdays between 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

4 Clinton St. btwn E. Houston & Stanton, 646-602-6263Pay like its 1989 at the W Hotel – Olives New York is offering a “Throwback Tuesday Menu” with original menu items at original prices. Each week features a dish from the classic menu such as Beef Carpaccio with Roquefort Polenta for $5.50, Grilled Octopus with Chickpeas for $5.95, Brick Oven Roasted Half Chicken for $12.95, and Olives Bouillabaise for $15.95.

W Hotel, Union Square 201 Park Ave. South, 212-353-8345

Cheese course at the concourse – On the first and third Saturdays in March and April, join Murray’s Cheese and Charlie Palmer’s Metrazur for a wine and cheese pairing class. Classes will take place at Metrazur (404 Grand Central Terminal, East Balcony, 212-687-4600), and will be led by a fromager and sommelier. Each

costs $75, features a wine and cheese sampling and runs from 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling Murray’s at 212-243-3289 x12 or online at Murrayschese.com.

Tags: murray's, irving mill, metrazur, pancakes, olives, w hotel, food

Sensational seafood: The city's best fish spots

Wednesday February 18, 2009 9:16 AM By Lucy Blatter

BLT Fish's tuna tartare

By Emily Mathis

Special to amNewYork

With Lent fast approaching — it's less than a week away — the devout have several fish-full days ahead of them. We’ve arranged some top city seafood joints, from established favorites to those just breaking in.

Atlantic Grill

1341 Third Avenue at 77th Street, 212-988-9200

Last year Zagat voted Blue Water Grill’s Upper East Side cousin one of New York’s top 50 restaurants. Indulge in such favorites as the Maryland Crab Cake with Grilled Corn Salsa topped with Chipotle Remoulade.Aquagrill

210 Spring Street at Sixth Avenue, 212-274-0505

Since opening in 1996, this chic but friendly Soho raw bar/seafood restaurant has earned nine Best Of awards, including the Village Voice’s Best Sluck & Slurp Oyster Bar and three Zagat Best Brunch awards.

Bluefin

1567 Broadway at 47th Street, 212-918-1400

The experience at Bluefin is multi-sensory. Located in the Times Square W Hotel, the restaurant offers great seafood and views (not to mention a floating staircase).

Blue Water Grill

31 Union Square W. at 16th Street, 212-675-9500

Unique creations such as a Lobster Salad Sliders with Avocado, Tomato, Arugula and Applewood Bacon made this Union Square establishment the golden child of the 2008 Zagat survey – where it was voted the 11th most popular New York restaurant and praised as one that never disappoints (especially for dates).

BLT Fish

21 W. 17th Street btwn Fifth and Sixth aves., 212-691-8888

The middle-child of the famous Bistro Laurent Tourondel lineage showcases the owner and executive chef’s true love: the sea. Located in a Flatiron townhouse, it offers a New England-style seafood shack downstairs and elegant dining room upstairs.

Esca

402 W. 43rd Street, btwn Ninth and Tenth aves., 212-564-7272

Another Italian hit from the famous duo who brought you Babo, Del Posto and Otto. This one offers a $75 tasting menu, including a sampling of the day’s raw seafood, a Sicilian style shark with cauliflower, and a selection of famous deserts.

Grand Central Oyster Bar

Grand Central Station 212-490-6650

Since 1913 this New York City landmark has delighted a vast clientele with their old New York feel right underneath the bustling Grand Central terminal. Their menu features some 20 daily catches and a raw bar.

The John Dory

85 10th Avenue, btwn 15th and 16th sts., 212-929-4948

The follow-up to West Village hot spot The Spotted Pig opened in November 2008 to rave reviews. It offers a 900-gallon fish tank, raw bar and late night menu from midnight to 2 a.m.

London Lennie’s

6388 Woodhaven Blvd., 718-894-8084

The chronically crowded mom n’ pop’s seafood mecca of Forest Hills offers a $25 3-course prixe-fixe deal Seafood on a String Monday-Thursday from 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Le Bernardin

155 W. 51st Street, btwn Sixth and Seventh aves., 212-554-1515

Internationally known for serving the best seafood dishes New York has to offer, this 4-star restaurant consistently pleases. Forbes called it the gold standard of seafood.

The Mermaid Inn

96 Second Avenue, btwn 5th and 6th sts., 212-674-5870 568 (East Village) Amsterdam Ave btwn 87th and 88th sts. 212-799-7400 (Upper West Side)

More adventurous but equally as comforting as the common neighborhood joint, the Mermaid Inn serves extra-large scallops. Plus, this month’s Blue Plate special offers their famous lobster sandwich with a Blue Point beer for just $20.

Pearl Oyster Bar

18 Cornelia Street, 212-691-8211

This Greenwich Village staple is credited with bringing the lobster roll from New England to Manhattan some 13 years ago. A quaint, down-home feel with open kitchen and mostly bar seating, the menu changes daily so check the blackboard.

Tags: seafood, lent, restaurants

Fashion Week: Benicio del Toro is fashion's newest poet

Wednesday February 18, 2009 9:12 AM By Julie Gordon

Benicio del Toro at G-Star (Getty)

By Julie Gordon and Jessie Pascoe

Surprise ending at G-Star last night! After a long, boring show set to live classical piano music, actor Benicio del Toro took center stage and gave a dramatic reading of band Joy Division's song "Candidate." Strange? Yes. But del Toro is the new face of the brand — and G-Star has a history of staging stunts like this. In February 2008, then-spokesman Dennis Hopper ended the show with poetry.

Tags: fashion, fashion week, shopping

Bloomberg's super-styling Web site

Wednesday February 18, 2009 9:03 AM By Emily Ngo

Mayor Bloomberg, with an eye fixed on more mayor-time, has a Flash-y and styling new campaign Web site. He's also looking for an volunteer or two.

— Emily Ngo

Tags: mayor bloomberg, web site, media, politics

Fashion Week: Mischa Barton's royal ways

Wednesday February 18, 2009 8:51 AM By Julie Gordon

By Julie Gordon and Jessie Pascoe

Mischa Barton has Anglo-dar. “Brtish people tend to be quite eccentric and risk-taking in the way they piece things together,” she dished about how she picks out a Brit on the street.

Her take on that aesthetic? “I quite like that,” she told us from the front row at G-Star. So much that her handbag line is only available overseas. “I didn’t want to work with a huge American corporation,” said Barton, who was born in London and spends a considerable amount in time in Europe. “I wanted to do something that would express my own personal sense of style.”

But if Barneys came calling, she just might change her mind. “If it grows and it gets picked up by other outlets, or whatever, that’s great,” she confessed.

(Photo: Getty)

Tags: mischa barton, g-star, fashion week

Fashion Week: Nanette Lepore draws TV newscasters

Wednesday February 18, 2009 8:04 AM By Lucy Blatter

The first look of the Nanette Lepore show. The Today show’s Natalie Morales said it was her favorite look of the collection, and liked how it channeled the 1930s. Photo credit: Getty.

The front row of today’s bohemian chic Nanette Lepore show was filled with TV newscasters. There was the Today show’s Natalie Morales and CNN’s Soledad O’Brien and Alina Cho. Cho and O’Brien nudged each other and whispered that they loved a black mini dress with a very low back.

A chat with Morales at the end of the show explained why it was such a popular destination for the TV news crowd. “She designs clothes that work well with what I do — her suits fit well and are tailored well.” Morales said she often wears Lepore’s suits on the air.

Also in the front row: Mad Men Star John Slattery and his wife, actress Talia Balsam.

Lepore’s collection showed off a haute hippie sensibility too, with plenty of loose, flowing fabrics, and models sporting long, wild, au natural-style hairdos (topped with wool hats in many cases).

There was also a lot of tweed and plaid, and generally wearable clothes.

But they weren't just sartorial statements Lepore made at her show. The designer directed attention to the “Save the Garment Center” movement, by handing out addressed and stamped postcards urging Mayor Bloomberg to support the garment center, New York factories, shops and emerging talent.

-Lucy Cohen Blatter

Tags: fashion week, nanette lepore, john slattery, alina cho, soledad o'brien, natalie morales

Viral video: Alternate uses for your phone’s video screen

Wednesday February 18, 2009 8:02 AM By Sean Joseph

Not getting enough use out of your cell phone’s video screen? Maybe this video will give you some ideas.

Tags: viral video, television, technology, animals, cell phones

A-Rod Faces the Fire on Steroid Use

Tuesday February 17, 2009 1:59 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Calling his decision to juice “immature,” Yankees star Alex Rodriguez appealed for understanding yesterday while detailing how a Dominican cousin injected him with performance-enhancing drugs.

Some New York fans said A-Rod deserved a second chance, but also lambasted his first news conferencesince confirming he used steroids during his Texas Rangers years.

“Who is he apologizing to?” asked Jeff Mayer, 33, of Astoria. “It’s not going to affect his salary, and other teams will still pay for him, so he’s not sacrificing anything.”

Flanked by Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and manager Joe Girardi, A-Rod read from a prepared statement and dramatically paused before thanking his teammates clustered to his right. The two-time MVP winner reveled new information about his use of illegal steroids since the news broke 10 days ago:• A Dominican cousin supplied and injected Rodriguez with an over-the-counter enhancer twice a month during the 2001-2003 seasons

• The drug was called “boli” or “bole” in the Dominican Republic

• Rodriguez stopped juicing because of a neck injury and Major League Baseball’s move to regularly test for steroids

• While playing for the Seattle Mariners, he also used an over-the-counter supplement now banned by the league called Ripped Fuel

• Rodriguez denied every using human growth hormone

Rodriguez would not reveal his cousin’s name. He said the drugs provided more energy, but was vague about the exact results. Rodriguez said he had “no regrets” at the time, but also called himself young and foolish.

“Initially I was curious,” said Rodriguez, 33, speaking before 200 reporters gathered at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. “I just gave it a try.”

Fan Carlos Alvarez didn’t think naivety flew as an excuse.

“He was young, but not oblivious to what’s right and wrong,” said Alvarez, 30, of Manhattan.

Rodriguez denied using performance-enhancing drugs for years, but Sports Illustrated reported he tested positive for Primobolan and testosterone during a 2003 round of anonymous testing.

A-Rod said other players did not influence his juicing, and that the secret stayed between him and his cousin.

“He lost the love of the game and that’s why he did what he did,” said fan Jesus Acosta Jr., 26, of Manhattan.

Yankees historian Peter Golenbock thought the scrutiny of A-Rod would die once the season starts April.

“What’s important is what’s on the field, not what A-Rod did back in 2003,” Golenbock said from St. Petersburg.

Rodriguez said its up to others to decide if the stats from his steroid-abusing years should count toward his record. He repeatedly appealed for forgiveness from his teammates and fans.

“I’m here to take my medicine,” he said.

(Andrew Breiner contributed to this story)

Tags: sports

Tenants sue to end landlord 'harassment'

Tuesday February 17, 2009 12:40 PM By Marlene Naanes

By Marlene Naanes

A landlord called police on tenant meetings, took down Chinese New Year decorations on apartment doors and refused to do repairs, according to lawsuits filed by 19 Chinatown residents yesterday.

Elected officials, community organizers and attorneys announced the lawsuits in front of the apartment buildings with the tenants, many holding signs in English and Chinese.

"It’s absolutely unacceptable for landlords to come in and try to get to that point where they can cash in off of the suffering of tenants," said state Sen. Daniel Squadron (D-Manhattan), who represents Chinatown. "The idea you cant celebrate your religious and cultural history in a building in New York City is shocking."

The residents, who live at 55 and 61 Delancey St., sued under the Tenant Protection Act, passed by the City Council last year. A lawyer for the tenants said the suits could end the alleged harassment, levy fines against the landlord and force the owner to make repairs.Tenant representatives said the police were called on tenant meetings three times last year. Three separate 911 calls were made on the dates--August 14 and 19 and September 17--and no summons or arrests resulted, police said.

"There’s been so much change in the neighborhood in the last few years," Zhi Qin Zheng, one of the tenants in the suit, said through a translator. "We have to stand up and fight for what’s ours. If we don’t, this area will be picked clean."

An attorney for the landlord, Madison Capital, located at East 59th Street, said the company will address the needs of every tenant and the actions of some of the residents are “regrettable and meritless.” Since the company took over the buildings in April, more than $550,000 has been spent on common-area renovations, repairs and security, the attorney said in a statement, which did not address the 911 calls.

"Madison’s goal is to provide a clean and safe environment to all of its tenants who call the property home," the statement said.

Tags: tenant, landlord, chinatown, lawsuit, tenant protection act, city council, real estate

amNewYork Letters to the Editor

Tuesday February 17, 2009 11:14 AM By Sara Baumberger

Now is the time to crack down on illegal workers

Re “Land of little opportunity,” Feb. 16: While further evidence that illegal immigrants cannot be allowed to stay in this country indefinitely is unnecessary, your article reiterates just this point. Immigrant Jamie Romero states that he “should be sending them (his family) money” to support them, an idea which is status quo for immigrant workers. This mentality further illustrates what happens to U.S. dollars paid to illegal immigrants. Not only are tax paying Americans undercut out of jobs in these trying economic times, but salaries paid to immigrants fly swiftly out of employers’ accounts and into foreign countries, instead of staying in America to circulate among struggling businesses. If ever there was a time to crack down on illegal immigration, let it be now.

— Deborah Fenker, Manhattan

Octuplets’ grandmother seeing dollar signs

Octo-grandmother Angela Suleman says she no longer resents her daughter for giving birth to eight more children. Angela filed for bankruptcy last year, and she is retired. I am not saying that she doesn’t love her daughter or all her grandchildren, but could the reason that she saw the light be because of all the publicity? There would be some mighty big dollar signs in the not-so-distant future.

— Nancy Miller, Glendale

Bloomberg does not deserve my vote

Mayor Bloomberg is seeking a party, but he says that my vote and voice at the ballot box meant nothing when I voted for term limits. He doesn’t deserve my vote on any political party that might choose him.

— Brian Hochberg, Richmond Hill

Tags: letters to the editor

Fashion Week: Miss J. goes wild

Tuesday February 17, 2009 9:29 AM By Julie Gordon

By Julie Gordon

Expect even more over-the-top kookiness from J. Alexander on the upcoming season of "America's Next Top Model."

"[I keep things fresh] by being goddamn ridiculous but making sense," Miss J. told us about the show, whose 12th cycle premieres Feb. 25. "Anything I wear on that show, I make myself."

One thing to keep an eye on? "Pay attention to my neck."

Tags: fashion week

Mardi Gras: Food fit for a celebration

Tuesday February 17, 2009 9:06 AM By Lucy Blatter

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

King cake is a Mardi staple. Photo credit: Kit Wohl

Mardi Gras is next Tuesday. Those with homes on the parade route will likely have a big pot of gumbo on the burner and a king cake in the oven. But even if you live in the Big Apple, not the Big Easy, you can get the flavorful aromas and tastes of N’Orleans food.

According to Kit Wohl, a New Orleans native and author of several cookbooks (the most recent of which is “New Orleans Classic Gumbos & Soups”), gumbos are the ideal parade-route food because they are easy to make and to hold. They also get better as they cook on the burner — good news, since parades last hours.The basis of gumbo is usually roux, a labor-intensive ingredient that Wohl describes as being “made by cooking equal parts flour, oil and patience.”

For a good gumbo it’s essential not to have a scorched roux, so the cook has to stir it constantly. “I use it as a personal quiet time,” Wohl said, saying it can take anywhere between 15 and 45 minutes.

After the roux comes “what we call the trinity — green bell pepper, onion and celery.” Then, there’s stock. “Shame on you if you use water,” she said.

Then it’s up the chef if they want to fill their gumbo with seafood, meat or a combination of the two.

Wohl describes New Orleans foods as “rich, dense and has a high flavor profile.” But she points out that, while New Orleans food calls for lots of seasoning, that doesn’t mean just pepper — it means a diverse mix of spices.

She laments the fact that food designated as “creole” is often too spicy and not flavorful enough. “People who don’t know how to do Cajun food give it a bad name,” she said.

If you don’t want to make your own creole seasoning she recommends Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning or Chef Paul Prudhomme’s seasonings.

For the ultimate Mardi Gras dessert, the coffee cake-like traditional king cake, Wohl offers some time-saving techniques.

“Making a yeast cake is really time consuming. You can either use a box of Pillsbury hot roll mix as the base or pop and fresh dough rolls. Then you pull the biscuits apart and roll them up into a braided rope, add cinnamon and spices.”

RECIPES:

Turkey (or chicken) and Andouille Sausage Gumbo

Executive Chef Robert Barker

1 whole turkey carcass or two rotisserie chickens

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups corn oil, to make roux

2 large yellow onions, chopped

3 green bell peppers, chopped

4 celery stalks, chopped

1-1/2 gallons turkey or chicken stock

2 cans your favorite local beer and an equal amount of stock or water

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup Tabasco or Crystal hot sauce

1 tablespoon corn oil, to sauté sausage

1 pound andouille or Hillshire Farms

smoked sausage, thinly sliced,

cut crosswise into half-moons

DIRECTIONS

1. Strip off any cooked meat. Cut the turkey carcass in half and, in a large 2-gallon pot, simmer the halves in water to cover until the remaining meat falls off the bones.

2. Drain and reserve the cooking water. This should provide about 1-1/2 gallons of stock.

3.Remove the meat from the bones and discard the bones. Shred the meat. (If this does not yield 2 to 3 cups of turkey, add any poultry meat such as chicken breasts, cooked and cut into pieces.)

4. In a heavy skillet or saucepan, make the roux by heating the 2 cups of corn oil over medium heat, adding the flour and cooking, stirring frequently, until the roux reaches the color of milk chocolate. Be careful not to let it scorch. (Completing the roux will take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes. Cooking slowly and stirring constantly on low heat is the secret to succeeding with roux.)

5. Add the chopped onions, peppers and celery to the roux. (This will temporarily stop the cooking process.) Cook the roux until the vegetables are tender, stirring constantly.

6. As the vegetables cook, their sugar will be released and the roux will darken even more as the liquid evaporates. Stir in the beer or water, the Worcestershire and the hot sauce. In a large Dutch oven or the original soup pot, sauté the sausage and garlic in one tablespoon of oil until the garlic is translucent and soft. Carefully add the roux mixture to the pot, stirring. (It will spit and sputter.)

7.Warm and slowly add the turkey stock and stir in the basil, oregano, thyme and cayenne pepper. I’ve seen Chef Robert add the leftover turkey gravy to the gumbo. Simmer, covered, for one hour, then add the shredded turkey or chicken) and cook for 20 minutes more.

8.Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as desired.

Serve in bowls over cooked rice

King Cake

KING CAKE

1 box Pillsbury® Hot Roll Mix, 16 ounces

1/2 cup granulated sugar for filling

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon for filling

1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Cream the butter, sugar, and cinnamon together until soft enough to spread easily.

Follow directions on the Pillsbury® Hot Roll Mix package. Turn one third of the dough onto a floured surface, and roll into a 2- foot x 1- foot rectangle. Spread half of the butter and filling mixture on top of the dough.

Beginning at the wide edge, roll the dough toward you into a long cigar shape approximately 2 inches in diameter. Do the same with the second and third pieces of the dough. Loosely braid the three rolls together. Place dough roll seam side down on a well greased baking sheet, and curve each roll, pinching the ends together to make oval ring. Cover, and let rise in warm place for 20 minutes or until doubled in size. Bake at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until a straw inserted into the dough comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool.

Taking a good thing a step farther, many bakeries now stuff their King Cakes with ingredients such as apple, peach, or cherry pie filling, cream cheese, or chopped pecans with cinnamon sugar. Use your creative imagination.

Another really fast way to make a King Cake is to use two or three cans of the pop out canned Pillsbury dough cinnamon biscuits, roll the biscuits together into three strips, braid and continue as below, eliminating the cinnamon and glaze but do color the sugar crystals.

GLAZE

2 cups confectioners’ sugar,

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons water

1 cup granulated sugar, large crystals

3 or 4 drops purple food coloring

3 or 4 drops green food coloring

3 or 4 drops yellow food coloring

To prepare the glaze, combine sugar, lemon juice, and water mixing until smooth. Slowly add more water by the teaspoon until it spreads as easily as a thin icing.

Place 1/3 cup sugar in each of three small jars with lids. Add three drops of food coloring in each one. Cover with lid, and shake until color is evenly distributed throughout the large sugar crystals. Add food coloring, drop by drop until the desired shade is achieved.

Coat the top of the oval king cake with glaze. Immediately sprinkle the colored sugars in 2- to- 3 inch alternating rows of purple, green and gold. Cut and serve.

Tags: mardi gras, new orleans, kit wohl, gumbo, king cake, food

What's in season: bean sprouts

Tuesday February 17, 2009 7:05 AM By Lucy Blatter

By Ben Muessig

Special to amNewYork

New Yorkers might be most familiar with these bean sprouts as a garnish atop an order of Pad Thai, but these healthy morsels can find their way into a number of delicious dishes.

Bean sprouts are versatile veggies most popular throughout Asia.

"You can eat them raw, put them in salads or stir fry them with rice and vegetables, chicken or shrimp," said John Adams, who grows bean sprouts year round at his Ulster County, New York, farm.Each delightfully crunchy sprout — whether it's mung bean, adzuki bean, or lentil — is cholesterol free, and low in calories, carbohydrates and fat.

Bean sprouts are loaded with protein and they contain more vitamin A and C than regular beans — plus they're easier to digest.

Try serving a super-healthy salad with bean sprouts in place of lettuce, blanching these nutrient-packed treats for a Japanese-influenced salad, or making your own Vietnamese-style pho soup with raw bean sprouts as a topping.

Fresh mung bean sprouts, adzuki bean sprouts, and lentil sprouts cost about $2 per pint.

Tags: bean sprouts what's in season, food

Fashion Week: Kellie Pickler can't get enough of the Tents

Tuesday February 17, 2009 6:26 AM By Julie Gordon

Kellie Pickler at Badgley Mischka, left, and Tracy Reese (Getty)

By Julie Gordon

Just like Misshapes' Leigh Lezark attended show after show after show last season, former "American Idol" contestant Kellie Pickler is storming the front row this go around.

So, why, oh why, did she attend Badgley Mischka, Tracy Reese, Farah Angsana, Lela Rose, Barbie, Georges Chakra AND BCBG? (Excuse us if we're forgetting anything). Well, she's promoting a laundry list of projects.

"I just released my new single to Country Radio, "Best Days of Your Life." Taylor Swift and I wrote it together. We're getting ready to go on tour together. We kick that off in April. I just signed with Big Sexy Hair as their new face. The new ads come out in April," she told us at (where else?) the Tents.

With all that going on, she hasn't had time to watch the new season of "American Idol," though she did offer some advice for contestants: "Just pick songs that complement your voice and you love — and have fun." If only it were that easy.

Tags: kellie pickler, badgley mischka, tracy reese, farah angsana, lela rose, barbie, georges chakra, bcbg, fashion week

Fashion Week: Paris Hilton's male-order model

Monday February 16, 2009 6:53 PM By Julie Gordon

By Julie Gordon

Q: What's the only thing that can distract a male model strutting down the runway? A: Paris Hilton. At least that was the case at Justin Timberlake's William Rast show on Monday night. Paris winked and smiled at a very stern male model at the end of the show — and he actually cracked a huge smile and laughed back at her. We applaud you, Paris, for breaking the model code of extreme seriousness.

(Photo: Getty)

Tags: paris hilton, justin timberlake, william rast, fashion week

Celebrity chimp mauls woman before police kill him

Monday February 16, 2009 2:47 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

A celebrity chimp with a penchant for finding trouble attacked a woman in Connecticut today, seriously injuring her before police shot and killed him.

The 175-pound ape, who had a run-in with police in 2003, mauled the 55-year-old woman’s hands and face, reports said.

The victim was visiting the Stamford, Conn., home of the chimp’s owner when the attack occurred, around 3:30 p.m., according to published reports.

The owner tried to stop the attack by stabbing the chimp, named Travis, with a butcher knife after calling 911.When police arrived, Travis tried to open the door of the cruiser and, after finding it locked, came around to the side and ripped off the mirror.

"He had no choice but to pull his pistol and fire several rounds," Police Capt. Richard Conklin told the Stamford Advocate, speaking of the responding officer. "The EMS personnel were reluctant to go in because there was an enraged chimpanzee on the loose."

The 15-year-old animal was toilet trained, dressed himself, ate at the table and even drank wine from a stemmed glass, the Advocate reported.

When he was younger he appeared in commercials and was on the Maury Povich show.

In 2003, Travis escaped from his owners’ car and was found at an intersection, where police had to subdue him with a stun gun, reports said.

Tags: chimpanzee, animals

Cover story: State lawmakers likely to bail out MTA, kill East River toll plan

Monday February 16, 2009 2:28 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

Facing deadline next month to pass a rescue package for the MTA, the state legislature will likely kill a proposal to toll East River bridges and go ahead with a payroll tax on businesses.

Revenue from the payroll tax would more than cover the MTA’s $1.2 billion budget gap – averting the need for a threatened 23 percent fare increase.

Though it faces stiff opposition in suburban communities, the idea enjoys more support in the city, even winning the endorsement of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, which represents businesses.

But straphangers shouldn’t get too excited — even if the MTA's budget gap is closed, fares would still probably rise 8 percent, the fourth hike since 2003.

Both the payroll tax and the tolls were suggested by the governor-appointed Ravitch Commission, which released a report in December recommending ways to shore up the MTA’s finances. The senate transportation committee will hold a hearing Wednesday in Brooklyn on the Ravitch report.The toll plan never sat well with many powerful Democrats, and political observers agree it’s probably a nonstarter.

“There are several senators who are not on board and if they're not on board it's not going to happen,” said state Sen.Martin Malave Dilan, (D-Brooklyn), chairman of the transportation committee.

Lawmakers have until March 25 to pass a bill that would stave off severe service cuts and the 23 percent increase, which take effect in June if passed.

“The payroll tax will happen and the bridge tolls will die of its own weight,” predicted City Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing), who chairs the council transportation committee.

If the payroll tax passes, business would pay 33 cents on every $100 in salary.

A spokesman for the MTA, Jeremy Soffin, said the agency wants the Ravitch plan approved as a whole, something executive director Elliot Sander has lobbied lawmakers to do.

“The whole package is critical for operating the system,” Soffin said.

Money generated by East River tolls would be used to expand rapid bus service in the outer boroughs and surrounding counties, among other things. Lawmakers may seek new revenue sources in addition to the payroll tax, such as charging higher vehicle registration fees for large cars, a plan pushed by city Comptroller William Thompson, who will testify at tomorrow’s hearing. Some have also suggested bringing back the commuter tax, though that idea is toxic to many suburban legislators.

“In the end we’re going to have to make a choice between unappealing alternatives,” said Assemb. Richard Brodsky (D-Westchester).

Heather Haddon contributed to this report

Tags: mta, subways, state legislature, transportation

Upper West Side's West-Park Presbyterian Church to take step Tuesday toward landmark designation

Monday February 16, 2009 2:22 PM By Rolando Pujol

West-Park Presbyterian Church is at West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue

By Lana Bortolot

Special to amNewYork

A distinctive Upper West Side church that could take its first step Tuesday toward landmark designation may still not have a prayer, preservationists say following a false alarm last week about a clandestine demolition.

Preservation group, Landmark West, issued an emergency alert last week raising concerns that the 119-year-old West-Park Presbyterian Church at West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue was being prepared for demolition, despite a stop-work order issued last year.

A spokeswoman for the Landmarks Preservation Commission said the panel will vote Tuesday to calendar a public hearing on the church. Once the vote is calendared, a hearing considering landmark designation would be scheduled.

The long-vacant building has been slated for redevelopment. Local residents opposed plans for a condo tower, and have lobbied the city Landmarks Preservation Commission to save it.Lack of permits and a stalled economy halted activity at West-Park until last week, when neighbors reported seeing a work team hauling debris into unmarked panel trucks over 10 days, raising suspicions of an under-the-radar demolition. The church confirmed the clean-up activity, but the pastor said it was related to three burst water pipes.

Rev. Robert Brashear said the breaks, which happened between Jan. 19 and 24, resulted from age and cold weather. The crews, supervised by Westfair Restoration Services, have been removing wet material and on Friday, were still running wet vacuums and pumps.

“The main point is to preserve the building and make sure no further damage takes place,” said Brashear in a phone interview on Friday. “We have no intention of doing anything out of bounds.”

But members of the Friends of West-Park see it differently.

Thomas Vitullo-Martin, co-chair of the preservation group, says that while he believes the current activity is not a “demolition per se,” he calls the current conditions “demolition by neglect … by 1,000 cracks. [The building] is not being taking care of and it will be destroyed.”

West-Park was determined eligible for the State and National Registers of Historic Places in 2001, and has been under review at the landmarks commission since 2007.

A number of preservation experts have filed letters in support of landmarking.

“Our concern is that landmarking without a cash infusion into the congregation isn’t going to save the church. But while there is a hiatus in the development plans, I think it’s good time for the commission to take a look at this. The real fear is the threat that if this project fails, the building can be demolished,” said Peg Breen, president of the New York Landmarks Conservancy.

Tags: west-park presbyterian church, endangered nyc, history, preservation, architecture, manhattan

amNewYork Letters to the Editor

Monday February 16, 2009 2:22 PM By Sara Baumberger

Backroom politics alive and well in D.C.

Why did Congress need to pass a $787 billion stimulus bill in the dead of night this past Friday? President Obama is out of town for a long weekend and will not be available to sign any bill until Tuesday. Members of Congress, the media, government watch dog groups and ordinary citizens have had no time to go over this 1,071 page bill line by line. Who knows what last-minute treats totaling billions of dollars that Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid added to this bill on behalf of their constituents. Only the Washington pay-for-play contributors, unions, K Street lobbyists and other special interest groups know what surprises are in store for taxpayers, when everyone finally has the time to read the fine print. Congress normally takes months to review each far smaller federal agency appropriation bill before adoption. While President Obama has talked about change, it is backroom politics as usual in a Democratic Party-controlled Congress. So much for the reform, change and open government promised by Democrats in the election.

— Larry Penner, Great Neck

Penalize the bankers and real estate

There should be a “budget deficit” fine or tax on the bank and real estate employees responsible for making defaulted loans, which is how we get into this economic mess. Don’t further the tax on the wealthy, who are motivated and work hard for their money.

— Ruth A. Unterberg, Manhattan

Tags: letters to the editor

Fashion Week: Robert Verdi on recession style

Monday February 16, 2009 1:25 PM By Julie Gordon

Robert Verdi at the Tents on Monday

By Jessie Pascoe, Metromix

To say Bryant Park is a sartorial circus is an understatement. There are few events that inspire people to dress to the nines, well, at 9 am on Monday morning.

"Two-turned heads is all I ever ask for," stylist Robert Verdi confessed at the Tracy Reese show. "You know you've gone to far, if three heads turn when you walk in the room."

How to achieve this grace during a recession? "Accessories! It is all accessories-driven during a depressed economy," Verdi noted. "Take a great belt and using it on your coat, giving your coat a new shape and look. It's wearing jewelry over basic, classic pieces and adding an arm of bangles or a great necklace with some beads. Tights with last year's shoes, can make them feel like new shoes. Alter a skirt length. These accessories can make outfits new again."

His recession-fashion advice couldn't come at a better time: Hue tights were handing out chic (and free!) black lace tights to anyone who walked by the tents on Monday.

Photo credit: Getty

Tags: fashion week, tracy reese, robert verdi, shopping

Obama brings Black History Month to life

Monday February 16, 2009 12:44 PM By Marlene Naanes

Tonea Melvin, 13, an eighth grader at The Children’s Storefront school in Harlem, teacher Candace Cardwell, and Michael Williams, Assistant Head of School at the Children's Storefront, Friday, February 13, 2009. (Photos by Kristy May)

By Marlene Naanes

Black History Month has leaped from the pages of textbooks into the lives of New York City students, making this year’s celebration perhaps the most meaningful ever while raising questions about the commemoration’s future.

The rise of Barack Obama, the nation’s first African-American president, posed unique opportunities for educators this February. The significance of the commemoration this year was not lost on students witnessing history, and changed the way many see their course work -- and their own futures.

“I didn't really understand the purpose of Black History Month and why we had to do it,” said Rashaan Stembridge, 10, an African-American fifth grader at Corpus Christi School in Morningside Heights. “I think I understand it more than I did before. I think I'm really part of it.”

When Obama's election entered the annals of black history, teachers used the milestone to show how far African Americans have come. Many students chose him as the topic of their research papers and class speeches, writing about how Obama has influenced them.“I think there's an excitement,” said Suzie Schugt, a kindergarten teacher at Corpus Christi School. “I think it's more real for them -- they can see it. Before it was something they read in a book.”

The election also taught many students a lesson that transcends the classroom.

“I can see there is no excuse. If you want to be a lawyer and writer, you can do it,” said Tonea Melvin, 13, an African-American eighth grader at The Children's Storefront school in Harlem. “I think there's going to be a lot more to come, especially with African Americans or any other minority.”

Educators there said they celebrated the election and inauguration but kept the emphasis of their Black History Month lesson plans and activities on African-American literature.

“We feel the best way to honor him is to carry on what we are doing,” said Michael Williams, assistant head of school at The Children's Storefront. “We didn't feel the need to change our formula. We think it was what he would want us to do … history has clearly influenced him and his career goals.”

Some teachers wonder about Black History Month’s future. Williams and other educators at The Children's Storefront hope that other months honoring communities, such as Hispanic Heritage Month and Women's History Month, will gain as much recognition as Black History Month now that an African American has reached the ultimate milestone.

“I've begun to question the legitimacy of Black History Month,” said Candace Cardwell, a sixth-grade teacher at The Children's Storefront. “I feel it should be integrated and not segregated to a month. I feel that it's kind of hard to justify having Black History Month when you have a black president.”

Others disagree, saying Obama's presidency is an important step, but there is much more to accomplish and celebrate.

“It's not a final point,” said Michel Joseph, a Corpus Christi school seventh-grade teacher. “It's just a comma in the life of the world. It will go beyond the four years.”

Sixth graders Kevin Moncrief, left, and Donoven Adams, right, rehearsing for a Black History Month performance at The Children's Storefront, Friday, February 13.

Tags: black history

Unattended Sound Gear Closes Bridge Deck

Monday February 16, 2009 10:03 AM By Marlene Naanes

A set of “musical equipment” inadvertently caused the closure of the lower level of the Manhattan Bridge for nearly two hours Monday, police said.

A subway rider called police about 11:30 a.m. with a report of a suspicious backpack, prompting a police investigation and the rerouting of the N and Q trains in both directions between Canal Street and Dekalb Avenue.Police said an investigation of the backpack turned up a set of instruments that were later identified by their owner. Normal train service resumed by 1:30 p.m.

(HEATHER HADDON)

Tags: transit

Fashion Week: Michelle Trachtenberg caught up in a love octagon

Monday February 16, 2009 9:52 AM By Julie Gordon

Michelle Trachtenberg at Jill Stuart

By Julie Gordon and Jessie Pascoe

We know about "Gossip Girl" couples Penn Badgley and Blake Lively, Ed Westwick and Jessica Szohr, and Leighton Meester and Sebastian Stan. Now we can add Michelle Trachtenberg and ... everyone?!

"I'm actually dating the whole cast, girls included," she jokingly confessed at the Jill Stuart show. "It's awesome."

Taking a cue from her on-screen character Georgina Chapman, she took a stab at gossip writers for their relationship-obsessive coverage.

"I know you kids like to tie everyone, create some scandal, have everyone dating each other," Trachtenberg told a group of reporters. "There's bound to be love on and off camera, whatever set that you work on. You spend such close time with everyone."

Photo credit: WireImage

Tags: michelle tractenberg, jill stuart, fashion week, television, media

Fashion Week: Wallflower Reggie Bush blossoms

Monday February 16, 2009 9:49 AM By Julie Gordon

By Julie Gordon

Football player Reggie Bush got over his bashful side for the new season of his girlfriend Kim Kardashian's reality show.

"I thought he would be really shy but he wasn't as shy as I thought," Kardashian said about her BF having more screen-time than in past seasons of "Keeping up with the Kardashians."

Regarding the new season, Kim — who we caught up with at the Tracy Reese show — said she and her sisters are even more comfortable on camera than before. So, we can expect even more drama, silliness and fighting from the trio, their mom, Kris, and stepdad, Bruce Jenner.

The new season premieres on March 8 at 10 p.m. on E!

(Photo: Getty)

Tags: fashion week

Fashion Week: Show off that ring, Bethenny!

Monday February 16, 2009 9:36 AM By Julie Gordon

Apparently Bethenny Frankel's face wasn't the only thing she was supposed to show off at the Jill Stuart show Monday. We overheard someone (a publicist, we assume) not-so-loudly whisper, "Show your f------ ring," when "The Real Housewives of New York" star was getting her photo snapped. Finally, Bethenny posed with her giant cocktail ring in view.

Tags: jill stuart, bethenny frankel, fashion week

Viral video: Obama beat box

Monday February 16, 2009 8:48 AM By Sean Joseph

Here’s a version of Obama’s inauguration speech you haven’t heard before: beat-box style.

Tags: viral video, television, barack obama, politics

Why waste a perfectly good awning?

Monday February 16, 2009 6:50 AM By Emily Ngo

Thakali Kitchen, in Jackson Heights, serves delicious Nepalese, blank and Tibetan cuisine. "Indian" was obviously whited-out. Saved a perfectly good awning, booted a not-so-good Indian cuisine chef? Probably not, but it's fun to speculate.

— Emily Ngo

Tags: queens, food, jackson heights, signs, restaurants

Pink is the new ... snack truck

Monday February 16, 2009 6:41 AM By Emily Ngo

Looking for elote or maybe some cotton candy sold from a pink ’80s Wrangler? Sunset Park in Brooklyn offers some of the best Mexican street food in the city. The sidewalks are filled with shoppers and vendors on weekends and evenings. Take the B63 bus to 44th Street and Fifth Avenue or walk from the R train.

— Curtis Dann-Messier

(Photos: Curtis Dann-Messier)

Tags: sunset park, brooklyn, food, cars

Florida travel deals

Monday February 16, 2009 6:09 AM By Lucy Blatter

The newly-refurbished Fontainebleau is offering a "Rediscover" deal. Photo credit: Patrick McMullan

Fontainebleau for less — Book two or more nights at $349 per night (weekday — $399 on Friday and Saturday) by March 1 and you get a $50 daily resort credit, until May 31. Refer to Fontainebleau “Rediscover” rate when booking.

www.fontainebleau.com

$99 Miami Hotel – South Beach’s chic Clinton Hotel & Spa is offering $99 rates Sunday – Thursday through May 31st.Add $40 for weekend nights. Blackout dates: 2/20-22, 3/25-28, 5/22-24

Clintonsouthbeach.com, 305-938-4040

New waterfront hotel offers 20 percent off everything — EPIC, a new boutique waterfront hotel in downtown Miami, is offering 20 percent off the entire stay — including room rate, room tax, in-room dining, parking, in-room movies, bar and restaurant tabs and parking. Savings are available with a minimum two-night stay, between now and April 30. Guests will also receive a complimentary coffee and tea service in the morning, a complimentary wine hour in the evening, daily newspaper delivery, wireless Internet access and 24-hour access to the on-property fitness room. Blackout dates apply.

866-760-3742 or 305-424-5226 or epichotel.com.

Miami Resort and Spa deal —Miami Beach Resort and Spa is offering a $99 midweek special available through May 14. Add $30 for weekends. Book by Friday and get a $50 credit with every 2-night stay. Blackout dares apply.

877-201-4159 and mention Travelzoo Winter Paradise, miamibeachresortandspa.comBook it now:

Public schools are closed from Thursday, April 9th – Friday, April 17th for spring recess. Book now for Florida vacation steals:

$59 per night per person at Orlando’s Nick Resort – The Ultimate Nick Package includes four unlimited passes to the resort’s 4-D Spongebob Square Pants theater, a pizza party, and a free buffet breakfast every morning. The resort has two water parks and is just a shuttle from other Orlando attractions.

877-NICK-111 ask for Ultimate Nick or nickhotel.com/specials//

Four Points Sheraton Miami Beach is offering free stays for up to 2 kids under-18, and every 6th night is free.

spiritvacations.com/deals or 407-583-5216

One child (0-15) stays free for every full-paying adult at Club Med Sandpiper. Book by February 28th.

888-WEB-CLUB or clubmed.com

Tags: fontainebleau, miami, panama city beach condo, clinton hotel & spa, miami beach resort and spa, travel

A drive through the Keys

Monday February 16, 2009 5:59 AM By Lucy Blatter

Sunset in Key Largo. Photo credit: Bob Krist/Florida Keys News Bureau

By Linda Perney

Special to amNewYork

You come here for the water. Not the beach, necessarily, although there are those. This chain of islands extends some 113 miles south of Miami, all linked together by one of the country’s most remarkable roads — the Overseas Highway — surrounded, naturally, by water. To make the drive takes about four hours if you do it all in one go.

But if you do, you miss the sense of a place removed from anywhere else. This is a place where nature takes its own course: where mangrove swamps and coral reef rule; where manatee and dolphin thrive; where the clear blue of the Florida straits defines the territory.About an hour out of Miami, you hit Key Largo, and when you get there, your first stop should be John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the first underwater state park in the country. You can follow the wooden walkways as they wind through the wetlands. But the real show here is underwater: Go snorkeling along the only living coral reef in the continental US — or, better, learn to dive.

Farther south, you come to Islamorada, sport-fishing capital of the world. Or at least that’s what they call it. You can go for sailfish, tuna, dolphin, kingfish, snapper, grouper and shark.

If it’s dolphin you’re interested in, head for the Dolphin Research Center in Marathon, where you can swim with them. But Marathon’s biggest attraction is actually just outside town: the Seven Mile Bridge.

Arcing over the water, it leads to Little Duck Key. The new bridge was opened in the early 1980s, but it’s also an older part of Florida’s history. In 1912 the original bridge was opened -- built by the legendary railroad man, Henry Flagler, who pushed his Florida East Coast Railway through the state, and then on down through the Keys.

Flagler’s dream was wiped out by the hurricane of 1935. But the bridge remained, converted from track to roadway. Driving over it now, you can get lost in the blue of the water, the pale, soft haze of the sky, above the water, but somehow, part of it.

In Big Pine Key, get out of the car and off the water for a few hours. Rent a bike for a close-up look at the National Key Deer Refuge, a pine forest that’s home to the miniature Key deer. Just two and a half feet tall, they were almost extinct when the refuge opened in 1957; now there are 700 of them.

Key West is the last stop on the highway. Once a refuge for grifters and those who plain didn’t fit any place else, it later became respectable: Harry Truman spent time here during his presidency, a familiar sight in Hawaiian shirt and two-tone shoes.

It’s now a brassy tourist town, where cruise ships spill thousands of visitors out into the town’s quaint streets. Needless to say, there are T-shirt vendors and souvenir hawkers to take advantage of them.

But wander the palm-lined streets after the cruisers have returned to their ships, admire the gingerbread houses, and the gas lights. Stop off for a quiet drink and take in the sunset over the water, and you begin to understand the pull of the place.

WHERE TO STAY

There are hundreds of resorts, hotels, motels and B & Bs in the Keys. Here are a few mid-price places to stay. For more choices, go to www.fla-keys.com; make sure to check the ‘Valucation’ section for deals and special packages.

Dove Creek Lodge is a resort-style hotel; most rooms have balconies or porches; fishing trips can be arranged.

$199-$399 per night

147 Seaside Avenue, Key Largo

800-401-0057

www.dovecreeklodge.com

Drop Anchor Resort is a cool-looking resort with a Caribbean feel, surrounded by gardens landscaped with jasmine, gardenia and bougainvillea.

$129-$219 per night

84959 Overseas Highway

Islamorada

305-664-4863

www.dropanchorresort.com

Paradise Inn is a collection of Conch-style buildings, including beautifully restored cigar-makers’ cottages and Bahamian-style houses.

$269-$599 per night

819 Simonton Street

Key West

305-293-8007

www.theparadiseinn.com

Angelina Guest House In the bad old days it was a bordello (or so they claim); now it’s a relaxed guest house with hammocks out by the pool. Note: those $99 rooms have shared bathrooms.

$99-$199 per night

302 Angela Street

Key West

305-294-4480

www.angelinaguesthouse.com

WHERE TO EAT

Alabama Jack’s

58000 Card Sound Rd., Upper Key Largo

305-248-8741

Laid-back and relaxed for a late lunch; plus, there’s live country Western music. Conch fritters with two sides, $7.95. Go early, though, they close at 7 PM.

7-Mile Grill

1240 Overseas Highway, Marathon

305-743-4481

Open-air and beachy. Seafood dinners go for $9.95, and there’s great Key lime pie.

Tags: key west, key largo, islamorada, florida keys, travel

A weekend around Miami

Monday February 16, 2009 5:49 AM By Lucy Blatter

Miami Beach is filled with Art Deco-style hotels. Photo credit: Getty

By Linda Perney

Special to amNewYork

All you need is one night, when the air is soft and the neon is bright and the palm trees sway and the martinis go down easy.

Never mind that there may be a few too many cars on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, never mind that the clubs are crowded, never mind that there’s a bit too much hype about the place. It's still a cool place.Cooler even by day, when you can wander around among the pastel deco beauties in South Beach, all 800 or so of them, restored to perfection.

The walking tour offered by the Art Deco Welcome Center is a fine way to get your bearings, but after that, take a little time on your own to soak up the atmosphere, say, over an iced drink on a sunny hotel terrace.

Miami’s glamorous past can be seen through the first great house, built in 1916, for James Deering, who had made his money selling tractors in the Midwest. His mansion — a free-form interpretation of an Italian palazzo called Vizcaya Museum and Garden — holds an eclectic collection of fragments and furniture from all over Europe, a mixture of stuff from the 15th to the 19th century. The gardens, though, are the main draw — chock a block with fountains, statuary, archways, columns, stonework, even a maze garden — a spectacular example of gilded age excess.

It isn’t, of course, just the history that brings you to the city. There’s also the ocean. Admire the undersea architecture of the coral reef at nearby Biscayne National Park, 170,000 acres of watery wilderness where you can snorkel, dive, or take a glass-bottom boat.

NECESSARY NUMBERS

Art Deco Walking Tours

1001 Ocean Drive

Admission: $20

www.mdpl.org

Vizcaya Museum and Garden

3251 South Miami Avenue

Admission: Adults, $15; kids, $6

305-250-9133

www.vizcayamuseum.org

Biscayne National Underwater Park

9710 Southwest 328th Street

305-230-7275; 305-230-1100

www.nps/gov/bisc

WHERE TO STAY

Whitelaw Hotel

808 Collins Ave.; 305-398-7000, www.whitelawhotel.com

The Whitelaw, in the Art Deco District, has Barbie pink walls in every room, plus crystal chandeliers, elaborate mirrors, and a white-on-white lobby with even more chandeliers, plus free drinks starting at 7 p.m. and an outdoor patio with great people watching. (Rates range from $150-$375 per night, but check for special deals.)

Cadet Hotel

1701 James Ave., 305-672-6688, www.cadethotel.com

A nicely refurbished hotel in the Art Deco district. The place was built in the ‘40s and retains some of its original detail. (Rates range from $130-$300 per night; www.cadethotel.com)

Fontainebleau

4441 Collins Ave., 800-548-8886, Fontainebleau.com)

In its day, Fontainebleau was the greatest of resort hotels, swankiest of the swank, with its stairway to nowhere (you took the elevator to the second floor coat-check, left your stuff behind, then came swanning down the stairs); its swooping architecture; its movie stars – everyone from Elvis to Marilyn to The Rat Pack; they even filmed part of Goldfinger out by the pool. After a three-year, billion-dollar makeover, the hotel is back, its stairway intact. You might make a pilgrimage over to the place and have a drink at Bleau Bar in the lobby.

WHERE TO EAT

Joe’s Stone Crab

11 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; 305- 673-0365; www.joesstonecrab.com

For almost a century, Joe’s has been serving its signature stone crabs, and they’re still packing them in, which is worth something. (Expect to pay about $75 per person for a three-course meal.)

Tags: miami, fontainebleau, ocean drive, south beach, travel

Fashion Week: Lindsay Lohan and crew give the luke-warm shoulder

Monday February 16, 2009 2:47 AM By Julie Gordon

By Julie Gordon

Some big stars were at the Matthew Williamson store opening in the Meatpacking District on Sunday night, but they were clearly in no mood to talk to reporters.

A micro-mini dress-clad Lohan made her big entrance and stopped to answer one question from Elle before being whisked off by a publicist type to the back of the store. So, what's an amNY writer to do? Follow that Lohan! We asked if she had time to answer a quick question, to which she replied (nicely, we will admit), "Sorry, I can't right now." She then proceeded to hang out and pose for pix with Matthew, and sign a little girl's autograph book. Cute.

Next celebri-snub? Heidi Klum. The always bubbly supermodel breezed in and out of the soiree in three minutes flat, answering a lonely one question in the process.

The most annoying blow-off was season five "American Idol" runner-up Katharine McPhee, who said she would only discuss fashion. The gist of our convo: She loves Matthew Williamson, wants lots of clutches for spring and isn't curbing her shopping habits because of a little thing called the recession. How nice for her.

(Photo: Getty)

Tags: matthew williamson, lindsay lohan, katharine mcphee, heidi klum, fashion week, shopping, entertainment

20-pound lobster headed for Maine instead of main course

Sunday February 15, 2009 3:24 PM By Ryan Chatelain

By Heather Haddon

Craig the Crustacean is getting a new lease on life.

The 20-pound lobster will be sprung from his tank in a Brooklyn restaurant Tuesday and returned to the open waters off Maine.

The owners of Halu Japanese Restaurant and Grill in Dyker Heights purchased the mammoth sea creature for $100 just last week. Craig found a watery home in a window display to reel in business for the new three-floor eatery. But the owners say they soon got a case of the guilts.

“It's really not good for Craig,” said co-owner Gina Ng, 27.

Craig is upward of 80 years old, and features claws that are larger than a person's face. Finding such a large lobster is rare, said John Peng, of TJ Kings Lobster, the Brooklyn wholesale company that fished up Craig.“I've only seen three in my 20 years in the business,” Peng said.

Another 20-pound lobster made headlines last month when City Crab and Seafood on Park Avenue caved in to protests and released the behemoth creature. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals had sought the liberation of George from a tank.

Ng said that she stumbled onto George's saga in researching care for Craig, and contacted PETA to pick him up during a late-night change of heart. She had quickly grown fond of his crusty ways, Ng said, and wanted him to enjoy his twilight years.

“I decided to release him to find a mate,” she said.

A PETA spokeswoman said activists will transport Craig to waters in southern Maine that prohibit the fishing of large lobsters.

“He deserves to spend his remaining days in an ocean home,” Ashley Byrne said.

(Photo by Andrew Hinderaker)

Tags: lobster, restaurants

Broken dreams: The struggle of NYC working-class immigrants

Sunday February 15, 2009 3:22 PM By Emily Ngo

By Emily Ngo

Working-class immigrants who arrived in New York City with big dreams are finding the recession is turning their lives into a nightmare.

Some observers say the problem has reached unprecedented proportions, with construction and other jobs that were the lifeblood of immigrants suddenly scarce.

“We haven’t, since our existence, seen as dire an economic situation,” said Chris Newman, legal director for the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, which was formed in 2001. “More people looking for work on a given day. Fewer people looking for workers. There’s more competition for jobs.”

Some of the jobless are returning to their home countries. Others who are not already homeless are struggling to find shelter each night.

“They pay $50 to sleep on a little space,” said Colombian immigrant Jaime Romero, draping his coat on the floor to demonstrate the conditions.

Romero is out of work, but considers himself lucky because he still draws a disability check.

It’s $170 a week, hardly enough to support his wife, grandmother and young sons in Queens. So he finds himself turning to relatives back home.

“Family, relatives in Colombia are sending money for my rent and food,” said Romero, 53, who used to earn between $800 and $1,000 weekly as a parking attendant. “I should be sending them money.”

(Marie Claire Andrea)

Perhaps the crisis is most vividly seen in the drop-off in work for day laborers. Until recently, day laborers such as those clustered along Roosevelt Avenue in Queens found plentiful jobs every day during the city’s building boom. But now, the men — their ranks thinning — anxiously wait for work that will not come, said Luis Alfonso, a construction worker who declined to give his last name. They can go two weeks without work, he said.

“No work, no money, no good,” said the Colombian native who cares for three daughters. “It’s big problems.”

In New York City, immigrants make up 37 percent of the population and contribute to 46 percent of the labor force, according to a 2007 report by the Fiscal Policy Institute. (The city’s undocumented workers make up 10 percent of the resident work force.) But experts say those numbers are falling as the joblessness rates rise.

Employed immigrants aren’t necessarily working in good conditions, said Wing Lam, executive director of the Chinese Staff and Workers’ Association. “The wages are going down. Jobs that pay more now pay less.”

Every sector in the Asian-American business community, from nail salons to restaurants, has been hurting since September, he said.

“People are having a difficult time. The government doesn’t care about the lower-wage end,” Lam said.

Newman’s day-laborer group plans to compile statistical evidence of the slump this summer, the prime time for construction work.

The New York Immigration Coalition, with Make the Road and other social service organizations, are lobbying for improved worker conditions. They also want President Barack Obama’s stimulus plan to carve out a role for immigrants in an economic recovery.

Ricarda Guzman, 35, a laundress who has been unable to find work for four months, said she has faith in her future in New York.

“It’s a bad economy now. It will be better in maybe a year,” said Guzman, a Mexican immigrant whose Spanish is translated by her 7-year-old son. “We have a different president. ‘Si, se puede.’ ”

Unfortunately, time is running out for many.

“My thinking was that I would come here, make money and go to college, and then go home,” said Romero, who said he must either find work despite knee and back injuries or return penniless to Colombia. “Now I just don’t know what to do.”

Tags: immigrants, queens, economy

Soho cafe trying to find its niche

Sunday February 15, 2009 2:30 PM By Sean Joseph

Elisa Cecola opened her cafe, Petal Belle, in SoHo last July. (Photo by Marie Claire Andrea)

By Lana Bortolot

Special to amNewYork

When Elisa Cecola opened Petal Belle, her SoHo cafe, she knew only two things for sure: she wanted to serve good coffee and she wanted to live above her restaurant in the style of old-world Europeans.

Cecola, a Philadelphian, married into one of New York’s famed restaurant families: Lombardi’s Pizza. She and her husband, Michael, managed Lombardi’s Philadelphia pizzeria for seven years, and relocated to Manhattan when that restaurant closed. Though Michael Cecola returned to the family business, Elisa Cecola wanted something of her own, where she could combine good cafe fare, neighborhood vibe and a European aesthetic. She had dabbled in real estate development, and had a background as a medical assistant, but sought something more creative.

“I didn’t want to open just another spot,” she said. “ I wanted it to be a conscious decision.” When she and her husband found the tiny spot—a former fish store—on the corner of Sullivan and Houston streets, she saw the potential for a charming place for local residents, artists, tourists and coffee connoisseurs. The makeover included restoring the exposed brick walls and installing tiny bistro tables and an antique counter.

The cafe opened in July featuring organic coffee roasted in Philadelphia, pastries sourced from local purveyors, fresh panini and Lieges, small Belgian waffles commonly eaten like street sweets out of the bag. The latter two have become Petal Belle specialties and the café is becoming known for its cappuccino with its extra-fine microfoam.Cecola says plans for the cafe are still evolving: like many other small business owners, she’s holding her breath during the current economic downturn and curtailing expansion plans. The cafe hits its numbers on the weekends with increased traffic from tourists and during the week serves the local morning-coffee clientele.

“Some days its tough to be in here, but we knew we were hitting a rough patch at a time where everyone is hurting,” she said. She has a 10-year lease on the store and hopes that after a full year of business, she’ll know how and where to expand her offerings.

“Coffee is somewhat recession-proof. People will come out to meet for coffee even when they’re not spending $50 on a meal,” she said. “But we can’t make the rent on just cappuccino.”

She’d like to open the walls up to local artists for display and host gallery openings, and at some point, host on-site art classes, live music or readings in the spirit of a European salon. For now, though, Cecola is concentrating on building a clientele to see the café through the winter and spring.

“We didn’t have a goal for the first year. I was more about the aesthetics and having a comfortable place for people to enjoy.”

Tags: soho, money, small business, food, manhattan, economy

Chris Brown apologizes, is 'saddened' over Rihanna incident

Sunday February 15, 2009 1:00 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

R&B performer Chris Brown, accused of beating his singer girlfriend Rihanna, has apologized — though he didn’t say for what, exactly.

“Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired,” Brown said in a statement released today. “I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerging a better person.”

Meanwhile, the Sun newspaper reported that Rihanna has split with Brown over the alleged incident, quoting her father, Ronald Fenty, who said his daughter will speak out soon. “She doesn’t want to speak to Chris,” Fenty said.Brown, 19, allegedly left Rihanna, 20, bruised and cut on her face early on the morning of Feb. 8 after a music industry party in Los Angeles the night before the Grammies. Both had been scheduled to perform.

Police charged Brown with making a criminal threat and he was released on $50,000 bail, but the L.A. District Attorney’s office has not yet filed charges. Rihanna is recovering in her native Barbados, family said. Her father told the Sun she has “some bruising. She will be all right.”

In the statement released today, Brown did not admit to anything specific but he said much of what has been reported in the media is wrong.

“While I would like to be able to talk about this more, until the legal issues are resolved, this is all I can say except that I have not written any messages or made any posts to Facebook, on blogs or any place else,” the statement said. “Those posts or writing under my name are frauds."

Tags: chris brown, rihanna, crime, arts

amNewYork Letters to the Editor

Sunday February 15, 2009 12:29 PM By Sara Baumberger

Story insults Americans and immigrants

Re “C’est la vie,” Feb. 12: Just because someone was born in America doesn’t mean they’re selfish, unable to relish life despite financial concern and unused to hardship. This generalization of the American-born public compared to immigrants is even harder to swallow in light of the fact that legal and illegal immigrants have been the hardest hit during this recession.

— Gadi Rivkin, Manhattan

Mayoral election not fair when Mike spends

Why does everyone fall for the hype that it is legal for Mayor Michael Bloomberg to spend five times more money than his opponents in elections? The sole reason Mike does this is to subvert elections. Fair elections are the law, and anyone trying to cheat that fairness is guilty of many crimes, including, perhaps, treason. We all know why Bloomberg spends so much more than his opponents: He knows he cannot win in a fair fight. He promised us in 2001 that he wouldn’t cheat the 2005 election as he had done in 2001. And again he spits in the face of democracy and says he’ll buy another election.

— Milton Katsis, Manhattan

Government needs health care reform

It’s time to keep promises. Is the government going to give back to us, and guarantee us our basic rights to health care? Or are we simply expendable fodder for profit and industry? The people demand socialized medicine, whatever the elite media might spout.

— Robert Garot, Manhattan

Tags: letters to the editor

Viral video: Inspired by kittens

Sunday February 15, 2009 12:05 PM By Sean Joseph

This little girl desperately needs a pet...

Tags: viral video, television, kittens, animals, pets

Career closeup: Fashion consultants

Sunday February 15, 2009 12:04 PM By Lucy Blatter

By Karen Tina Harrison

Special to amNewYork

Why give away fashion advice when you can make a lucrative career of it?

What fashion consultants do

These one-on-one pros “are more than personal shoppers,” says Kelly Cordero, of the Association of Image Consultants’ New York/Tristate chapter. “We help clients maximize their appearance and self-esteem.”

Photo: Kalyn Johnson. Credit: Malcolm KostuchenkoMost are self-employed and attract business via networking, word of mouth and Web sites.

Jobs entail discussion of goals and budget, wardrobe appraisal, shopping and outfit creation.

Some gigs are one-time and others are ongoing.

“Today, a third of clients are men,” notes Cordero.

“Many clients prefer to work with you after 5 and on weekends,” she adds.

How to get started

Some consultants begin with friends and colleagues, while others take courses to become certified image consultants.

It is often a second career, says TriBeCa-based fashion consultant Kalyn Johnson, a former lawyer. “I realized that fashion is my passion,” she says.

Who makes a good fashion consultant

“You need an instinct for self-promotion,” says Johnson. “And you must be the consummate customer-service professional: understanding, positive, discreet. You also need a great eye and fashion sense,” she says.

“But unlike those TV shopping shows, you don’t criticize or dictate. You work with your client’s style,” Johnson says.

Adds Cordero, “An image consultant’s own look is a billboard for their business. We don’t dash outside in yoga pants.”

What’s in it for you

In-demand consultants typically bill between 10 and 20 hours a week at $100-$300 per hour.

“Your income grows with your reputation. Down the road, you might clinch fashion sponsors and seminar gigs, and become a high-profile personal stylist,” says Johnson.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to see your clients blossom. Not only am I sort of a fashion therapist, I get paid to shop. I love this job!”

Tags: fashion consultant, kalyn johnson, careers

Extreme commuter: a tiring commute from South Jersey to Midtown

Sunday February 15, 2009 10:00 AM By Marlene Naanes

BY MARLENE NAANES

In the best-case scenario, Kenneth Chomicki makes it between home and work in just under three hours. The worst case once took 11 hours.

Chomicki, 45, who commutes between Southern New Jersey and midtown, once made it home at 4:30 a.m. because of a bus crash at the Port Authority.

“When we finally got onto the \[NEW JERSEY\] Turnpike, the driver had been driving too long,” Chomicki said. “We pulled into a rest area, and we had to wait another two hours to get another driver.”

Chomicki, a financial analyst, leaves his Williamstown, N.J. home every morning at 6:15 and drives 40 minutes to catch a 7 a.m. Greyhound bus to midtown Manhattan.

Repeating the lengthy commute five days a week can be exhausting, he said. One night he even fell asleep on the bus while drinking a cup of of coffee.“I just woke up and caught it in time before it spilled,” Chomicki recalled.

Chomicki traded a shorter commute for a larger home for him, his wife and their three children. The children have their own bedrooms, and the family has room to spread out on a deck and backyard in the quiet Jersey suburb.

“People ask me about [THE COMMUTE],” Chomicki said. “They say, ‘Oh, you’re crazy.’ But life has tradeoffs — you trade off a little more time for a little comfort. Even though I’ve been doing it for 2 1/2 years ..., knowing what I know now I would make the same choice I made then.”

If you would like to have your extreme commute profiled, contact Marlene Naanes. For more amNewYork videos, go to our youtube channel.

Monthly cost:

Greyhound monthly pass $370

Gas $60-$80

Total $430-$450

Tags: extreme commuter, new york city, new jersey, williamstown, bus, car, walk, port authority, greyhound, transportation

Investing in women's futures

Sunday February 15, 2009 9:20 AM By Lucy Blatter

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

Though her background, and day job, is in public relations, Gabrielle Bernstein has always been passionate about her other roles — as a life coach and motivational speaker.

It was her desire to empower women that led to the launch of Herfuture.com. “The idea is to be a safe space for women to communicate with one another,” she says.The site, which launched last August, has a similar functionality to Facebook: People create profiles and join groups to connect. Groups are based on shared interest and called “power posses.”

There are mentors — mostly women from Generation X and Baby Boomers — and mentees — primarily Gen Y-ers — who share experience and advice.

Bernstein’s already seen her site’s connections translate into real jobs and internships, through postings on the home page as well as in the Career Connection power posse.

But, Bernstein stresses that while internships and jobs will inevitably come out of the site, it’s about more than just professional connections.

“The site is about empowering a woman, not just about getting a job,” she says.

Photo: Gabrielle Bernstein

Tags: herfuture.com, gabrielle bernstein

This week's job fairs and events

Sunday February 15, 2009 9:16 AM By Lucy Blatter

Tuesday –Resume Rescue Makeover for a Financial Crisis

Location: Office of Ruth Shapiro, Career Counselors Consortium, 290 Ninth Ave. at 27th St.

Time: 7-9 p.m.

To register: Phone Ruth Shapiro at 212-633-0270, $60

Tuesday –Long Island Career Showcase

Location: Hilton Long Island, 598 Broad Hollow Road

Time: 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

To register: Free registration at Careershowcase.com

*Resume required

Tuesday – Federal Law Enforcement Career Fair

Location: York College Atrium, 94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd., Jamaica, Queens

Time: 11:00 a.m. – 2 p.m.

To register: No registration

*Students and alumni only

Wednesday – NYC Career Fair

Location: Radisson Martinique, 32nd Street and Broadway

Time: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

To register: Free registration at Nationalcareerfairs.com

Thursday – Long Island Career Fair

Location: Hilton Long Island, 598 Broad Hollow Road

Time: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

To register: Free registration at nationalcareerfairs.com

Friday – Baruch College/Graduate School – Government Career Fair

Location: The William and Anita Newman Conference Center, 151 East 25th Street, 7th Floor

Time: 3:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.

To register: Free, no registration

*Open to public affairs graduate students and alumni only

Saturday – Annual National Minority Careers in Education Expo

Location: New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge, 333 Adams Street Brooklyn

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

To register: $20 on-site registration opens at 8:30 a.m.

(Emily Mathis)

Tags: job fairs, looking for a job, employment, careers

Fashion Week: Tim Gunn's Valentine's Day

Saturday February 14, 2009 1:26 PM By Julie Gordon

Tim Gunn at the Heart Truth Red Dress show

By Jessie Pascoe, Metromix

It's February 14 and we just spotted Tim Gunn outside the Verrier line at Bryant Park. He was feeling the Cupid spirit, as he was all smiles while posing with an adoring fan. Aw.

Tags: fashion week

Fashion Week: J.R. swaps Natty Light for sparkling wine

Saturday February 14, 2009 11:55 AM By Julie Gordon

By Julie Gordon and Jessie Pascoe

We guess "The City's" J.R. got tired of drinking watery beer at Brother Jimmy's, where he tended bar in last week's episode. We spotted him sipping Martini & Rossi's new sparkling rose wine at a soiree at The W New York on Friday. On-again, off-again girlfriend Erin Lucas was not in tow; this gentleman definitely preferred blondes, as he was accompanied by a platinum pixie.

PS: If you ever want to experience a true staycation, book the newly renovated, huge "Wow" suite at this W on 49th and Lex.

Tags: fashion week

Fashion Week: Near riotous conditions at Barbie

Saturday February 14, 2009 11:44 AM By Julie Gordon

By Julie Gordon and Jessie Pascoe

The runway at Barbie

"This is the most depressing thing in America," muffed a disgruntled blonde. No, she's not taking about the recession or the war or even subway delays. This was the general reaction at the Barbie Fashion Show at Bryant Park on Saturday. It seems the show was way overbooked so hundreds of doll fans were left crushed together in a chaotic line. No one one got a break, not even the dozens of kids brought along to the show at the invitations' request. Other audience reactions included declarations of "I have heat stroke," "Get off my shawl," "This is most ridiculous line," "This isn't a fashion show, this is a publicity gimmick" (this from a security guard!) and "These organizers are so incompetent." Of course, none was dramatic as the blonde's, but we have to agree that we haven't seen this crazy a line since Heatherette showed at the Tents — when the crowd was so tight our scarf ended up in someone's pants.

Photo credit: Getty

Tags: barbie, fashion week, riots, shopping

Fashion Week: Love still feelin' the love

Saturday February 14, 2009 7:48 AM By Julie Gordon

By Julie Gordon

Newly single Jennifer Love Hewitt isn't letting a little thing called Valentine's Day bring her spirits down. In fact, she's still feeling the love: The "Ghost Whisperer" star and her best friend are having a girls night out in New York to celebrate.

"Guys never get it. It always gets to be drama. We're not having any drama," Hewitt said.

The two gals exchanged gifts Saturday morning — Hewitt received a scarf and candle, and her pal got a necklace engraved with the words "I love you more."

Besides heading out for a night on the town with her BFF, Hewitt must do one thing before heading back to Los Angeles on Monday: chow down at John's.

"I love John's Pizza," she said.

But by the amazing way she looked in her tight Dolce & Gabbana dress at the Georges Chakra show, we bet she'll only have one slice.

(Photo: Getty)

Tags: jennifer love hewitt, fashion week, georges chakra, shopping, pizza

Fashion Week: The future of menswear at Duckie Brown

Saturday February 14, 2009 7:40 AM By Julie Gordon

Patrick McDonald at Duckie Brown

By Jessie Pascoe, Metromix

Duckie Brown designers' Steven Cox and Daniel Silver seemingly simple declaration that their fall collection is about "overcoats and jackets that keep you warm and fashionable" belie the fashion forward details the duo have become known for. Not only did their diverse casting pique the interest of New York Times writer Guy Trebay, but the details (hats resembling British guards), blankets as scarfs, turtlenecks covering half of the face) created strong shapes for fall. We spotted Patrick McDonald, the quintessential dandy about town, and asked him what he thought about Duckie.

"I think they are innovators.They take chances and create new silhouettes that are amazing. Someone just asked me if they are trendy and I said, "no, they're not, they are trend-setters. They set the trends and others follow."

One wonders if the whole blankets as scarves look takes to the street. But at least this accessory is recession-friendly: it can double as an actual blanket when needed.

Tags: fashion week, duckie brown, patrick mcdonald, shopping

Fashion Week: Ashley Dupre at the Tents!

Saturday February 14, 2009 6:27 AM By Julie Gordon

Yigal Azrouël with Ashley Dupre

By Jessie Pascoe, Metromix

Our first show at the Tents was the Yigal Azrouël show. The Israeli-born designer spun a collection that was definitively “dark and romantic.” However, we couldn’t help notice the front row guest Ashley Dupre (of Spitzer infamy) and Andre Leon Tally from Vogue (note: they DIDN’T arrive together). Ashley Dupre did seem chummy with the designer, while Andre rocked an Obama toque and looked to clutching an Obama tote. We glad the glossy’s editor-at-large is continuing the sartorial fanfare he debuted last season.

For the full scoop on the Dupre sighting, check out WWD

Photo Credit: Brian Ach/WireImage.com

Tags: fashion week, ashley dupre, spitzer, shopping

Fashion Week: Joanna Garcia is always in character

Friday February 13, 2009 11:12 AM By Julie Gordon

Joanna Garcia at BCBG (Getty)

By Julie Gordon

If you adore Joanna Garcia's kooky, bubbly character, Megan Smith, on "Privileged," chances are you'll adore Joanna Garcia.

"I'm [like Megan] in every way — every sad, scary, neurotic way. That's me, pathetically," Garcia told us before the BCBG fashion show on Friday afternoon.

And it's not just a coincidence. Garcia said there's a "synergy of two crazy girls" between herself and head writer Rina Mimoun.

"She writes this piece of tidbit that she would like to see me do and somehow my air-humping or this terrible song I'm singing will make it into the show," she said.

(Photo: Getty)

Tags: bcbg, joanna garcia, fashion week, shopping

Fashion Week: Hip kids: The new must-have accessory?

Friday February 13, 2009 7:26 AM By Julie Gordon

A look from Built by Wendy's fall 2009 collection

By Jessie Pascoe, Metromix

The tents are up, the runways out and Fashion Week for fall 2009 is off! The week-long event might begin today, but we got our fashion fix early last night at indie design label Built by Wendy. Held in a gallery space on Mulberry Street, the designer Wendy Mullin created a fall collection that melded soft floral prints with vibrant, punchy reds found in opaque tights and lady-like heels (Was Mullin taking a sartorial hint from Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl, perhaps?).

The ideal woman for this fall line? According to Mullin, "this season's Built by Wendy woman is modest and winsome,a girl as much at home at her French boarding school as she is traveling the world."

Speaking of school kids, we counted help count FOUR very hip middle-school age kids in near the front rows with their stylish moms. Could fashion forward kids be the new must have accessory for fall?

Tags: fashion week, shopping

Fashion Week: Christian Siriano says it's rough out there

Friday February 13, 2009 6:48 AM By Julie Gordon

By Julie Gordon

It's hard out there for a "Project Runway" winner — and Christian Siriano isn't afraid to admit it.

"I don't fund my whole business based on my clothes. I obviously have to do tons of other projects," Siriano told us at the Heart Truth's Red Dress Collection Friday morning.

Thursday marks Siriano's first time at Bryant Park's Tents. Last season, he showed his duds at an off-site location in Chelsea. And while the tons of fashionistas at the show may have applauded Siriano's work, it didn't exactly translate to huge sales.

"Selling wise, I will say I didn't get tons and tons of stores picked up," Siriano said. "I got really good stores and I've done a few trunk shows and the trunk shows were really lucrative. But I was prepared for a lot less. But hopefully this season will be better even though the economy's worse."

One goal? Getting his clothing into Saks.

"I really, really love them, and last season they were really into [my collection], and hopefully this season they will be as well," Siriano said.

We hope so, too!

Tags: christian siriano, hearth truth red dress, fashion week, shopping

Fans hungry for baseball season to start

Thursday February 12, 2009 3:14 PM By Pete Catapano

Mr. Met is pumped — are you?

BY PETE CATAPANO

An eroding economy. Weeks of freezing temperatures. Meltdowns by the Giants and Jets. Lackluster seasons by the New York basketball and hockey teams. No question, it’s been a depressing couple of months.

But there’s light at the end of the winter for many New Yorkers who are hungrier than ever for baseball’s spring training to get underway, which it finally does this weekend.

“I can’t wait,” said Ed Lefkowitz, a 71-year-old Mets fan from Brooklyn. “It’ll take my mind off of the rest of the crap.”

New Yorkers have no shortage of pro sports teams to root for, but the city has always held its baseball franchises near and dear, from the Dodgers and Giants of yesteryear to the Bronx Bombers and the Amazin’s of 2009.“Baseball was important during the big depressions, so it should be now,” Lefkowitz said.

While the Alex Rodriguez steroid scandal and the Joe Torre tell-all book has put a damper on the new season, there’s still plenty left for Yankee fans to be excited about. Besides a new stadium (although there’s many who will long for the old one), there are two new aces in CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett and a new big-time slugger in Mark Teixeira.

If odds makers are right, Yankee fans are right to have hope — they’re the favorite to the win the World Series at 5-2 odds.

The Mets, meanwhile, have added stars Francisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz to bolster the bullpen. The team, which will also have a brand new ballpark, is at 7-1 odds to win it all.

“I've been looking forward to the season starting,” David Kalinowski, 39, of Queens. “Baseball and warm weather, that’s two things to root for.”

Both the Mets and the Yankees are coming off frustrating 2008 seasons. The Mets broke fans’ hearts by blowing the playoffs for the second straight year on the final day of the season. The Yankees, meanwhile, missed the post-season for the first time since 1993.

Even with the economy tanking, the national pastime will likely stay strong in New York and across the U.S, according to baseball historian Peter Morris. A Mets source said he didn’t expect a drop off in New Yorkers heading to Florida this spring. And the new stadiums in Flushing and the Bronx are sure to keep attendance high throughout the year.

“Baseball, it tends to keep its fans very well,” Morris said.

At least one New Yorker said he isn’t ready to sink his sorrows into the game.

“It seems irrelevant with everything going on now,” said Matt Wolf, 27, of Manhattan. “Major League Baseball is tarnished and pro sports seem foolish in the context of the economic climate.”

While the Yanks will play two preseason games at their new stadium, they will open the season in Baltimore on April 6. The Mets, who will also play two preseason games at Citi Field, head to Cincinnati on April 6 to open the year.

Andrew Breiner contributed to this story.

Tags: yankees, mets, citi field, aj burnett, cc sabathia, mark teixeira, francisco rodriguez, j.j. putz, mr. met, media

A call for anarchy on St. Mark's Place

Thursday February 12, 2009 2:42 PM By Rolando Pujol

As economic turmoil continues, graffiti may be re-emerging. This wall is on St. Mark's Place at Ave. A in the East Village. The 'circle-A' is the symbol for anarchy.

Text and photo: Jefferson Siegel

Tags: grafitti, st. mark's place, east village, crime, manhattan, neighborhoods

Valentine's Day for the broke hearted

Thursday February 12, 2009 1:18 PM By Rolando Pujol

By Sophia Tewa and Joe Walker

Special to amNewYork

The recession has lovers -- and city businesses -- in a pinch this Valentine’s Day.

Businesses that usually count on the holiday of red hearts to bring in the green are bracing for disappointing sales while lovebirds are planning creative and cost-efficient ways to pay homage to Cupid.

Gary Bauer plans to give his wife of 24 years something for every year that they have been married — but the tokens of his affection won’t come from Hallmark. “There isn’t a lot of money to go around,” said Bauer, “so I’m going to put together 24 little sayings about how I love her and give them to her one at a time over the course of the day.”

Thrifty paramours like Bauer are bad news for city retailers who can expect a 16 percent decrease in consumer spending this Valentine’s Day, according to the National Federation of Retailers.Along with Mother’s Day and New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day is usually the hottest night of the year for restaurants, said Chuck Hunt of the New York State Restaurant Association. But if New Yorkers follow the lead of Nick Baitoo, there could be a lot of empty tables at city eateries come Saturday.

“Because money is tight, my girlfriend and I have decided to cook a meal together,” said Baitoo, who is looking for work. “It doesn’t cost as much as going out and when a couple cooks together it activates all the senses and it builds an excitement.”

Employees at Osso Buco, a popular Italian restaurant near Union Square Park, won’t have much to be excited about. “We expect 20 to 30 percent less business than last year,” said Steven Haxhi, the manager.

Then again, one restaurant’s loss might be Godiva’s gain. “It’s too expensive now to take a girl out to an expensive dinner,” said Mike Hughes, who owns a saltwater aquarium business. Instead of dinner, Hughes’ girlfriend will be getting a box of chocolates.

Fewer men are buying sexy lingerie for their ladies this year, said Rebecca Aspan, owner of the La Petite Coquette lingerie store in Greenwich Village. “We gave a men’s only lingerie party last week and the spending just wasn’t strong,” said Aspan, whose sales are down 15 percent.

She has noticed, however, that some women are buying fancy lingerie to get their husbands’ minds off of money. “I think there’s a lot of sex going on,” she said.

A couple of doors down University Place at the family-owned University Floral Design, business is anything but blooming. “This year is very different than any other year,” said Eli Karounos, one of the store’s owners.

“We should’ve started receiving orders a week ago and we haven’t,” he said, estimating that sales are down 30 to 40 percent. Karounos cut the amount of roses he usually orders from his wholesaler by half. “I want to be sure I’m not going to get stuck” with a lot of unsold flowers, he said.

He’s not going to get any help from Bauer, who told his college-age son to go to Costco to buy flowers for his girlfriend. “They’ll be a lot less expensive, you just got to keep them in the refrigerator until Saturday,” he said.

Even for couples relatively unscathed by the financial crisis, anxiety about the future is causing adjustments to their holiday plans.

Charles Stallings and Tina Boykin originally hoped to hit Las Vegas for the weekend. Instead, they’ve decided to go to Philadelphia – the City of Brotherly Love -- where Stallings has relatives. “We decided to do something more local, somewhere that we can travel to by train or bus,” Boykin said.

“Who knows what’s going to happen next week?” said Stallings, a UPS driver. “People are losing their jobs left and right.”

“Love doesn’t pay the bills,” he added.

Tags: valentine's, economy, recession, advertising, holiday traditions, manhattan

Selling NYC at $10 a dot

Thursday February 12, 2009 12:47 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

New Yorkers may soon get to buy some prime real estate for $10.

No, it’s not a foreclosure sale but the chance to snap up a new Internet domain name. The agency that licenses Web suffixes like .com and .org plans to offer .nyc among a slew of new city-based names set to go online this year.

And in a bid to generate much-needed revenue, the city plans to partner with a private company to sell the Web addresses to businesses and individuals alike for an average of about $10 a year.

“A local business won’t have to outbid a guy in Kansas to get Tony’s Pizza dot com,” City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said today during her state of the city speech. “They’ll be able to get Tony’s Pizza dot NYC.”

A company called dotNYC wants to buy the domain name, spend millions marketing it and then turn over a third of its profits to the city. It is expected to produce about $3 million for the city after the third year and up to $10 million annually after that. The city would have to approve the company and would also get to use the domain name free.“I walk around the city and I see whole lot of people with NY on the front of their heads on their baseball caps,” said Antony Van Couvering, the CEO of dotNYC. “People here love New York.”

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, now owns the domain and will begin taking applications in July for city-based domain names.

Van Couvering said using .nyc could help businesses land at the top of Google searches and will lend them a certain cachet.

“Just like a 212 telephone number is a good telephone number to have,” he said.

Tags: internet, nyc, domain names, technology

Back to the future for Beacon Theatre

Thursday February 12, 2009 12:16 PM By Ryan Chatelain

The restored Beacon Theatre. (Photos of restoration by Kristy May; before photos courtesy of Madison Square Garden Entertainment)

By Ryan Chatelain

For once, the 80-year-old Beacon Theatre got a little more than a patch job.

As a seven-month, $16 million restoration of the iconic former Vaudeville theater and movie palace was unveiled Thursday, the theme of the Beacon’s decades-long deterioration was evident: “It was a minimal investment. ‘What can we do to get by?’ said Marc Tarozzi, vice president of facility development for Madison Square Garden, which acquired the Beacon in 2006.

In fact, the star of Thursday’s press tour of the Upper West Side theater, now a 2,800-seat live-music hall, was a gold-painted coffee can used to hold a crystal ball at the bottom of the rotunda’s chandelier. (A brass fixture has since replaced it.)

There were other reasons why MSG officials felt a need to restore the Beacon, designated a city landmark in 1979, to its original architectural vision — an eclectic mix of Greek, Roman, Renaissance and Rococo styles.For instance, decades of indoor smoking left murals, the ceiling and fixtures so darkened that details could not be seen. And the bases of large columns near the stage were covered with plywood painted black.

“The theater did suffer from some questionable repairs,” Tarozzi said.

The project required extensive research of photos and records and the work of more than 1,000 artisans, craftsmen and tradesmen.

As Paul Simon headlines the Beacon’s reopening celebration Friday and Saturday, visitors will be welcomed by the rotunda lobby, its walls returned to their original bronze color (instead of cream) and adorned by drapes that were removed over the years.

When they enter the main room, the four murals, the ceiling’s artwork and the large pendulum hanging from the ceiling — all cleaned, retouched and accentuated with improved lighting — will seem more vibrant. Even the seats will seem more comfortable now that old movie theater chairs have been replaced with ones made of red velvet.

“Over the past two decades, the Beacon Theatre had become adored by music fans and performers alike, but we knew, we knew we could make it better,” said Jay Marciano, president of MSG Entertainment.

Tags: beacon theatre, landmarks

Harrah's to give out free Atlantic City hotel rooms tomorrow!

Thursday February 12, 2009 11:30 AM By Lucy Blatter

On Friday, February 13, Harrah's will hand out 5,000 guest room keys for their Atlantic City hotel.

The keys will be handed out by "Sweet Dreams" models from 8- 10 a.m. at the corner of 48th Street and Avenue of the Americas, and from 12- 1 p.m. at Jacques Torres Hudson Store (350 Hudson at King St.)

It's all part of a promotion for Temptations Fine Chocolate and Coffee at Harrah's Resort Atlantic City, which will feature chocolate from the chocolate master himself.

Tags: harrah's, jacques torres, chocolate, atlantic city

Winds Unleash Transit Delays

Thursday February 12, 2009 11:21 AM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

High-speed gusts closed down the Throgs Neck Bridge and upper deck of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge today, causing backups of vehicles and several bus lines.

The MTA reported delays of the S53 and S93 buses from Staten Island to Brooklyn after winds caused the closure of the Verrazano at 2 p.m. Delays also occurred on the S89 bus to New Jersey, said MTA spokesman Charles Seaton.The Verrazano was reopened at 4 p.m. Seaton could not predict how long the delays would last Thursday afternoon.

Bus delays because of wind were unusual, but not unheard of, Seaton said.

Tags: transit, weather

amNewYork Letters to the Editor

Thursday February 12, 2009 11:13 AM By Sara Baumberger

A-Rod, Alomar: Which sports figure is worse?

What’s worse? Alex Rodriguez taking steroids as recently as 2003 (as did hundreds of other professional athletes) or Roberto Alomar allegedly forcing his ex to have unprotected sex when he had AIDS? At the time of use, the steroids were not formally banned in Major League Baseball. Was it wrong? Yes. Banned? No. From a humanitarian point, just like the athletes themselves, the answer is a no-brainer.

— Kevin Brandes, N. Bellmore

Stimulus package will only hurt the economy

Beware the deceit. In the guise of stimulating the economy this hard-pushed government bailout does nothing to promote economic stimulation. Just take a look at where the money is going. It simply sends money to bail out programs suffering from the lack lack of existing government funding. So instead of tax increases, which would surely catch the attention and turn the heads of American taxpayers, our illustrious government hides this massive increase in taxation in the form of deceitful rhetoric, using fear as a weapon, to take our hard-earned dollars in another way. Any true economist knows that you can not stimulate an economy by burdening it with added and excessive debt. Why isn’t the media pointing this out to the dim-witted American sheep who blindly keep allowing this deception? Our Constitution is no longer “We the People.” It is now “WE THE POLITICIANS.”

— John Clemente, Annandale, N.J.

Tags: letters to the editor

Viral video: Beer bottle dominoes

Thursday February 12, 2009 8:07 AM By Sean Joseph

Ever wondered what to do with all those empty bottles after a party? Lining them up for a “domino rally” is so much more fun than cleaning up.

Tags: viral video, television, dominoes, beer

Joaquin Phoenix trashes Hollywood

Wednesday February 11, 2009 1:24 PM By Julie Gordon

Joaquin Phoenix in October 2007, left, and November 2008 (Getty)

By Julie Gordon

Makeovers usually turn ugly ducklings into stunners, but in the case of Joaquin Phoenix, it’s the complete opposite — and it seems that his recently acquired scruffy look is here to stay.

At a Manhattan press event for his film “Two Lovers” Wednesday, the once clean-cut Oscar nominee walked into the room looking unkempt, lit Camel cigarette in hand.

And he was more than ready to defend his October declaration that he’s quitting the film business in favor of a rap career.

“I don’t f--- around. I only do s--- I really mean,” Phoenix said.Phoenix, 34, made the movies-to-songs switch because music represents his true self more than any character ever has, he said. He even said that acting is a form of lying and that preparation is over-emphasized.

“You say you have nightmares and s--- [when playing a role] so you get a Globe,” he said.

“Look, you see movies and get affected by performances and you’re like, ‘That motherf----- went through some s---,’” he continued. “But I know you do these scenes and then you’re, like, digging around the craft service table and wondering if there are any pretzels with peanut butter.”

Documenting Phoenix’s transformation on camera is pal Casey Affleck, who plans to release the footage in theaters.

"Joaquin is probably as committed as an actor you'll find and the truth is some days you go to f------ work and ... five minutes before the take you were pawing through the M&Ms," Affleck said.

In the next few months, Phoenix said he hopes to release an album — with the help of Diddy — of humorous tunes, rhymes about his childhood, one love song, dance/club beats and “sexy stuff.”

Not so sexy? Phoenix's scraggly beard.

"I don't know if subconsciously [the beard] is a way to distance myself from how people have perceived me," he said. "Hopefully they can let that go and start taking me as J.P. and start listening to the music."

Tags: joaquin phoenix, two lovers, casey affleck, diddy, entertainment

Council speaker proposes tax increase for top earners

Wednesday February 11, 2009 1:09 PM By Jason Fink

Council Speaker Christine Quinn. AP file photo

By Jason Fink

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is proposing to raise income taxes for those making over $297,000 a year.

In her state of the city address tomorrow, Quinn will ask that rates be hiked for the top three brackets, from about a half percent to just under 1 percent for those earning $1.2 million or more.

The proposal would raise $1 billion and would make a planned sales tax increase unnecessary, she said. Quinn is also proposing to eliminate income taxes for low-income households that don’t pay state and federal income tax.

"Right now, New York City taxes everyone making above $90,000 the same," Quinn will say, according to excertps of the written remarks. "It’s shameful – Bernie Madoff pays the exact same tax rate as a public school principal. That’s not sharing the burden. It’s a slap in the face."

The city is facing a $4 billion budget deficit for fiscal year 2010 and Mayor Michael Bloomberg has proposed raising the sales tax by a quarter of a percent.

A spokesman for the mayor declined to comment on the tax proposal.

Tags: christine quinn, taxes, budget, city hall dispatch

amNewYork Letters to the Editor

Wednesday February 11, 2009 11:32 AM By Sara Baumberger

From the terrorism beat to the street beat

Re “City axes entire police class,” Feb. 11: If I am not mistaken the 1,000 new cops that would be lost by canceling the new class is exactly equal to the number of officers Police Commissioner Kelly frequently states are working on counter terrorism. I think the federal Homeland Security Department is doing an effective job and does not require the level of duplication that presently exists at the NYPD. Let’s get those guys back on the street protecting us — that’s where they belong.

— John Ost, Manhattan

Police ‘show of force’ is a waste of money

We can’t find the money to have police officers patrol neighborhoods but we can find the money to have them drive their patrol cars on these “Hercules Anti-Terrorism” missions where 50 or so squad cars are backed up onto the sidewalk blocking both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. They ride around Manhattan in a paradelike style with their emergency lights on as a “show of force.” These officers are on overtime! And we should be voting for this mayor who claims to know how to manage money?

— Brian Whalen, Staten Island

It’s alcohol, not pot that destroys people

Regarding Michael Phelps’ pot-smoking “incident”: I have been a nurse for many years. I took care of many many patients suffering from alcohol poisoning and alcohol-related diseases. How many pot overdoses or related diseases? None.

— Pattie Spuma, Bayonne, N.J.

Tags: letters to the editor

Report pushes furloughs for city workers

Wednesday February 11, 2009 10:59 AM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

Perhaps taking a cue from cash-strapped California, New York City’s Independent Budget Office suggested today that city workers take an unpaid furlough to help save money.

The proposal would require about 40,000 non-emergency workers to take one unpaid day next year, saving $9 million. It was part of a package of 70 recommendations released by the IBO for closing the city’s $4 billion deficit in fiscal year 2010.

Among the new cost-cutting proposals were:

-Eliminate the film production tax credit ($30 million)

-End sponsorship of the Fashion Institute of Technology ($7 million)

-Raise the retirement age for civilian employees to 62 ($5.1 million)

-Defer health insurance for city employees for three months

-Establish a four-day week for some city workers ($32.6 million)

There were also recommendations to restructure pension plans, which Mayor Michael Bloomberg is also seeking to do.

Tags: budget, mayor michael bloomberg, city hall dispatch

Recession special alert- Halfsteak opens tonight!

Wednesday February 11, 2009 9:42 AM By Lucy Blatter

Halfsteak will open tonight in the front dining room of Craftsteak (85 Tenth Ave.)

It's a more affordable alternative to Craftsteak, with a menu including snacks and small plates, individually sized desserts and half-pints of beer.

The namesake dish is a half-portion of steak, served with hand-cut fries for $14 1/2.

All dishes are under $15.

Tags: craftsteak, halfsteak, restaurants

Eat (something else’s) heart out

Wednesday February 11, 2009 9:38 AM By Lucy Blatter

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

Candy hearts not authentic enough? Plenty of New York City restaurants offer the real thing:

Japanese restaurant Mr. Jones (243 E. 14th St) serves Hatsu - chicken hearts in yakitori sauce ($3).

At New American spot Dovetail (103 W. 77th St.), duck hearts are served with a poached egg, cream of wheat and watercress ($14).

"Coeurs Et Gesiers" at West Branch (2178 Broadway at 77th Street), features red wine braised duck gizzards and grilled duck hearts ($16).

The under-$10 menu at Damon: Frugal Friday (47 E. 19th St., open Fridays only), features a ragout of duck hearts with saffron duck egg and faro ($9).

Craftbar (900 Broadway near 20th Street) serves a duck heart terrine with quince butter for lunch and dinner ($11).

Tags: restaurants

Labor and love

Wednesday February 11, 2009 9:25 AM By Lucy Blatter

Deborah Williamson and Bryan Calvert of Prospect Heights' James

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

For most restaurateurs, job demands are high and the lines between work and life are blurred. But for these city couples, who work with the ones they love, the lines are not even there.

David and Karen Waltuck, co-owners of Chanterelle

David and Karen started dating in their early 20s, they got married in 1978 and opened Chanterelle in November 1979.

Since then, their restaurant’s reputation has grown alongside their family (their son Jake is 17, their daughter Sarah is 19).

David is the chef and is in charge of the kitchen. Karen handles all matters related to the the front of house.

Asked how they’ve managed to stay and work together throughout the years, when so many others have not, David said, “I think it helps that we have different domains.”

The biggest advantage to working together? Said Karen: “You actually see each other. So many people who have demanding jobs absolutely don’t see each other. I have really enjoyed spending my life with him.”Deborah Williamson and Bryan Calvert, co-owners of James

This husband-and-wife team also split duties, with her handling front of house and him in charge of the food. They first began working together with an event business called Williamson Calvert, where she handled the production and styling of events and he cooked (it’s still in existence).

In June 2008, the two opened James, in the commercial space below their apartment.

“Our talent and skills sync up really well together,” Deborah said.

They both stressed the importance of spending time apart with other friends when they’re not working, but admitted that keeping this separate is a constant challenge.

“The advantage, though, is that I get to see my beautiful wife every day,” he says. “The collaboration is really nice.”

Gabe and Katherine Thompson, executive chef and pastry chef at L’Artusi and dell’anima

Introduced by a friend who worked at Del Posto with both of them (at different times), the two now work together at L’Artusi and dell’anima.

“Right now, our restaurants are our children. It’s all we think, talk and breathe about. Fortunately, we’re both really into it,” Katherine says.

Some logistical problems do arise, though, “It’s difficult to get a day off together,” Gabe laments.

On the other hand, Katherine says, “Usually relationships are very difficult in this industry. Doing the same thing certainly makes it easier.”

Tags: chanterelle, james, dell'anima, l'artusi, valentine's day, restaurants

Mysterious relics resurface on 42nd and 14th streets

Wednesday February 11, 2009 9:19 AM By Rolando Pujol

A little Art Deco typography resurfaces on 42nd Street. (Photos by Rolando Pujol)

Here are two ghost signs that intrigue us. The one above is on 42nd Street, on the south side of the street between Sixth Avenue and Broadway. It was a neon beaut at one point, but right now, it's a curious fragment.

Down on 14th Street, the shadows of an old sign have been uncovered on a building on the north side of the street, just west of Sixth Avenue.

Can anyone shed light on the names of these vanished businesses, and their history?

-- Rolando Pujol

Tags: urban archaeology, signs, real estate, advertising, architecture, development, entertainment, manhattan

“Top Chef Masters” secrets divulged!

Wednesday February 11, 2009 8:47 AM By Lucy Blatter

Bravo has announced the host and judges of “Top Chef,” spin-off "Top Chef Masters." Food journalist Kelly Choi (host of NYC TV’s “Eat Out NY”) will host the show, which will feature world-renowned chefs competing for the charity of their choice. Judges will include former New York Magazine restaurant critic Gael Greene, Saveur magazine editor-in-chief James Oseland and British food critic Jay Rayner.

The show is being co-produced by “Top Chef” judge Tom Colicchio.

Photo: Kelly Choi. Credit: Getty

Tags: top chef, top chef: masters, tom colicchi, food

Viral video: Hacked road signs

Wednesday February 11, 2009 8:31 AM By Sean Joseph

Imagine passing road signs referring to zombies on your way home from work. That’s what happened in Austin, Texas, after hackers got into the traffic system.

Tags: viral video, television, traffic

Will Smith ranks top of Forbes' "Star Currency" list

Tuesday February 10, 2009 3:29 PM By Garett Sloane

Will Smith topped the Forbes list followed closely by Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio and Angelina Jolie. (Getty)

By Garett Sloane

gsloane@am-ny.com

Hollywood ranked its players and Will Smith is its MVA: Most Valuable Actor.

Forbes, the financial magazine, introduced its most comprehensive entertainment list yet with a database that ranks more than 1,400 actors.

It’s a database of “Star Currency,” as Forbes calls it, and it attempts to measure which actors bring the most value to their movies. Smith was No. 1 with a perfect 10, followed closely by Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.“We tried to take a look at the actor and see what their impact is on the life of a film,” said John Burman, special project director at Forbes.

He headed up the survey that questioned about 1,500 industry insiders who ranked the stars by their ability to attract financing for a movie, how much they drive box office revenue, their ability to draw other top talent, and other categories.

The result was a database of how the actors are perceived in Hollywood, and it will evolve as it gets updated periodically. That’s where it will get interesting, Burman said.

For instance, Mickey Rourke stands at No. 348, but the survey was conducted from September to November, well before his Golden Globe nomination but after he re-entered the scene with “The Wrestler.” One would expect his star to rise by the next survey.

Rourke is the classic example of how an actor can reinvent himself, said Amanda Sanders of New York Image Consultant.com.

“He really came back. He did reinvent himself,” she said. “I think it should be interesting — the next few movies he does. He wouldn't be on the radar at all, so now I’m curious.”

S.T. VanAirsdale, a senior editor at Defamer.com, said the list is a conversation starter, but it doesn’t accurately reflect who can bring in the bucks. He would point out someone like Kat Dennings, a rising star ranked at 896, while Jennifer Lopez is at 99.

His thoughts while perusing the database: “I was just glad to see Steve Guttenberg there at the 1360 spot. He’s just a quarter point below Tara Reid.”

The list is fodder for pop-culture sites like Defamer to snark at but also presents a new social perspective for sites like FameGame.com. The Brooklyn-based site tracks celebrities and ranks them according to media exposure. Smith is ranked 258 there, while Rihanna is ranked 110 out of more than 100,000 celebrities.

Seth Aylmer, co-founder of FameGame.com, said the Forbes list offers a unique glimpse into star power.

“It directly shows how money moves in Hollywood and it’s all based on perception, which is surreal,” he said. “When Tom Hanks signs his name to a contract, you have a script that goes from $100,000 to $10 million.”

Burman said the list will help people in pictures target the right stars for their movies. Over time it will show who’s coming and going and it also shows who has appeal in different parts of the world.

Jessica Simpson’s “Major Model” was huge in Russia but went straight to DVD here, he said. Who knew?

Marlene Naanes contributed to this report.

Tags: will smith, brad pitt, angelina jolie, leonardo dicaprio, johnny depp, jessica simpson, forbes, star currency, tom hanks, mickey rourke, the wrestler, movies, media, entertainment, economy

Market research: Olive oil 101

Tuesday February 10, 2009 1:26 PM By Lucy Blatter

By Erin Lindholm

Special to amNewYork

Olive oil may be one of the most misunderstood products in a grocery store. Dozens of brands wrapped in pretty labels, priced erratically and stamped with designations like “organic,” and “cold pressed,” all just distractions from the decision at hand — to choose the best bottle of oil based on your needs and budget.

Rule no. 1: Not all extra virgin olive oil is created equally. The designation is not a mark of quality, but of a physical process — the first cold pressing of an olive. Nearly all olive oil is extra virgin.FRESHNESS

When it comes to choosing olive oil, price is secondary to freshness and origin. Olives are harvested annually — much like wine grapes — but whereas wine matures with age, olive oil is never more vibrant and flavorful than when first pressed, as Fairway Market’s “Novello” Extra Virgin Olive Oil ($18.99/L), the youngest of all the olive oils we sampled,

attests.

A bottle’s expiration date is a reliable indicator of its vintage: Expiration dates are generally set about two years from bottling.

ORIGIN

Most of the world’s best olive oil comes from the Mediterranean, and savvy marketing teams play to this fact. If the label says, “Imported from Italy” — Bertolli EVOO ($10.49/500 ml) and Filippo Berio EVOO ($8.39/500 ml) are two such examples — take a closer look.

The fine print on the back of both of these supermarket brands discloses that these are a blend of EVOO from Italy, Greece, Spain and Tunisia. Compared to the Novello — and such smooth, balanced, perfectly suitable middle-range oils as Spectrum Naturals Organic EVOO ($14.99/750 ml), a product of Spain, or Fairway Market’s EVOO ($8.99/L), a product of Italy — these big-brand oils don’t seem like such a value.

Nor is the dull, oily aftertaste they both leave behind.

PRICE

There is no reason to spend big if you’re simply using the olive oil for cooking. High heat dissipates its complexity.

Yet a fine olive oil is a worthy condiment in itself. The differences between, say, the piquant Novello of Sicily and the gentle, faintly sweet L’Estornell EVOO ($18.99/500 ml) from the Catalonia region of Spain are dramatic.

Note: At this level, a bottle should delineate the region of its origin. It’s no longer enough to list the country only.

Stocking up:

Steve Jenkins, the mastermind behind Fairway’s series of artisanal olive oils, suggests keeping an ordinary oil next to a really good one so you can taste the difference. “Every time you do, you will start to perceive subtle differences,” he says.

“Eventually, I want you to have three olive oils in the kitchen. I want you to have a gentle one, … a real spicy and robust one, [and one] like Fairway’s standard EVOO that’s inexpensive enough that you can use it to sauté and fry. … The third oil you need in the kitchen is to cook with,” he says.

Tags: olive oil, steve jenkins, fairway

Police cuts draw fire

Tuesday February 10, 2009 1:26 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

Critics slammed the Bloomberg administration today over its plan to cancel next January’s police class, which would cut the force by 1,000 officers.

The decision, announced by Police Commissioner Ray Kelly at a City Council hearing, comes after last month’s class and the July class were each slashed to 250 from the traditional 1,000.

“It’s very disconcerting to learn that after decimating this year’s police class, there is no plan to replace the lost officers in 2010,” said Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., the public safety committee chairman.

A spokesman for Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the cut would bring the force to 34,771, but Vallone said that with retirements during the next year, it could be closer to 32,000, which he said is about its size in the early 1990s.

“It is time to stop cannibalizing the NYPD for the sake of the budget,” said Patrick Lynch, head of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association.The mayor’s spokesman, Jason Post, said a class of 1,600 is budgeted for July 2010. He also said there have been fewer retirements recently because of the shrinking job market.

The cut will save $48 million and is part of Bloomberg’s plan to cut the city’s $4 billion deficit.

The city may be able to hire an additional 440 cops with money allocated in the federal stimulus package passed by the Senate.

Both the House and Senate version of the bill includes funding for the Office of Community Oriented Policing Service, or COPS program, which had been discontinued by the Bush administration.

“We have a lower head count now than we had before Sept. 11 and I think it’s pretty important that we get that back up,” said Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn/Queens).

Tags: city hall dispatch

Soon livery cab passengers will have their own bill of rights

Tuesday February 10, 2009 12:55 PM By Mae Cheng

By Heather Haddon

Car service drivers beware: Treat your passengers well or you’ll be fined.

The City Council is expected to pass legislation today that will require the posting of a livery cab “bill of rights” in the 40,000 private cars for hire that troll city streets.

The 11 rules of conduct largely mirror those in yellow cabs, instructing riders to complain about drivers who yap on their cell phones, overcharge or blast their stereos.

“There shouldn’t be any mystery of what awaits you when you step into a for-hire vehicle,” said Council Member Dan Garodnick, bill co-sponsor, during a City Hall announcement yesterday.The city’s approximately 500 livery cab companies provide some of the only access to car service in many neighborhoods, especially the outer boroughs.

The city Taxi and Limousine Commission reported receiving 330 complaints about for-hire vehicles in the fiscal year ending in 2008. Council members expect the number of complaints to increase because of the additional awareness.

“Many of the bases have been operating without regulations,” said Jose Viloria, president of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, which represents about 50 livery companies and which is supportive of the proposed bill.

If adopted, the legislation would require all livery drivers to post inspection records, their driver’s license and phone numbers for complaints. The commission has not yet set a possible fine for offenders, but it charges yellow cabs between $25 to $50 for slights of their bill of rights.

The mayor is expected to sign the legislation once it passes the City Council.

Meet Jason Fink

Tuesday February 10, 2009 12:45 PM By Mae Cheng

Jason Fink is City Editor at amNewYork. He covers City Hall, politics and a host of other topics. Born and raised New York City, he previously worked at The Jersey Journal, just across the river in Jersey City, N.J. He encourages readers to contact him at jason.fink@am-ny.com

Tags: jason fink, city editor

Free $4 Metrocards!

Tuesday February 10, 2009 12:19 PM By Julie Gordon

Get a free $4 Metrocard on Feb. 17, courtesy of Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge. The bowling alley's mascot, Mr. Pin, will be handing out cards to the first 1,000 passersby from 7 to 9 a.m. at 50th Street and Sixth Avenue and at 57th Street and Sixth Avenue. And, nope, you don't have to bowl to get your complimentary rides.

Tags: subway

2 Manhattan skyscrapers landmarked

Tuesday February 10, 2009 9:58 AM By Ryan Chatelain

By Ryan Chatelain

The city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday designated as landmarks the Consolidated Edison Building near Union Square and One Chase Manhattan Plaza in the Financial District.

The classically inspired 26-story Con Ed tower, on Irving Place between 14th and 15th streets, was built for the Consolidated Gas Company in stages between 1910 and 1929. The limestone-clad building’s architects were Henry Hardenbergh, who designed the Dakota Apartments and the Plaza Hotel, and Warren & Wetmore, one of the two firms responsible for Grand Central Terminal.

The 60-story One Chase Manhattan Plaza, built between 1957 and 1964, sits between Pine, Liberty, Nassau and William streets. The international-style tower was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, whose resume includes the Time Warner Center and the Manhattan House, as well as Chicago’s Sears Tower.The commission also designated Alice and Agate Courts in Bedford-Stuyvesant as a historic district. The 36 Queen Anne-style row houses have stood since the 1880s.

“These three designations reflect the remarkable transition that took place in New York architecture between the historic revival styles of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the bold aesthetic strategies of mid-20th century modernism,” said Robert B. Tierney, chairman of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Tags: landmarks

Viral video: Not a two-way microphone

Tuesday February 10, 2009 8:26 AM By Sean Joseph

Even if there wasn’t a language barrier, we’re pretty sure the way this guy is holding his microphone would prevent us from understanding him.

Tags: viral video, television, microphone

Another recession special!

Tuesday February 10, 2009 7:13 AM By Lucy Blatter

This spring, Olives New York will introduce the "Throwback Tuesday Menu," featuring original menu items at original 1989 prices.

Dishes will include Beef Carpaccio with Roquefort Polenta for $5.50, Grilled Octopus with Chickpeas for $5.95, Brick Oven Roasted Half Chicken for $12.95, and Olives Bouillabaise for $15.95.

Photo:Grilled octopus with chickpeas

Tags: olives new york, recession special, food

Wine for every couple

Tuesday February 10, 2009 6:58 AM By Lucy Blatter

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

Gary Vaynerchuk, wine expert and host of “The Thunder Show” on winelibrarytv.com, has suggestions for every couple on Valentine’s Day.

For the starving artists (or anyone on a budget):

Vaynerchuk suggests red wines from Portugal, specifically from the Dao and Douro regions, which hover in the $8-12 range. “Portuguese red wines are so undervalued it’s scary.”

He explains that wines are like handbags, where you pay for the label, and Portuguese wines have just not been discovered as much as those from their European neighbors.

“A lot of the great port vineyards are now playing around with red wines,” he said.

If it’s white wine you seek, try Gavi, from the Piedmont area of Italy. The wines, which Vaynerchuk describes as tasting like “straw-meets-pear-meets a little bit of appleseed,” range from $10 to $13.For the foodie couple that want to enhance their meal:

“Rieslings are the ultimate food-pairing wines,” Vaynerchuk said. “Their high acidity allows food to sing.”

Vaynerchuk suggests the ’06 German Riesling, in the $11-$17 range. “What’s good about ’05 or ’06 vintages is that if you go into the $20-25 range, you’ll be hard-pressed not to find a good one.”

The couple that's just having desserts and chocolates:

“A lot of people go with dessert wine, but I suggest Grenache, from Spain and Rhone in France.” This grape, with hints of strawberry, complements chocolate well. “If you don’t want to buy a separate wine for dinner and dessert, it’s a versatile choice that can be a great transition wine,” Vaynerchuk said.

The couple that’s more mature (in palate and pocketbook):

“The 2005 Bordeaux is one of the five or six best vintages in the last 100 years. It’s big time,” he said.

Vaynerchuk even suggested it as a gift for Valentine’s Day, since it’ll go up in value and “get better and better.”

He says you can get very good ones starting at about $50. And for $100, “You get ‘oh my god, this is the best wine I’ve ever had’ wine."

Tags: gary vaynerchuk, valentine's day, wines, food

Fashion Week tightens its belt

Tuesday February 10, 2009 6:04 AM By Julie Gordon

Betsey Johnson, left, and Vera Wang are skipping Bryant Park this season.(Getty)

By Julie Gordon and Robert Kahn

As a seamstress somewhere once said, "This needs to come in a few inches."

The players in New Yorks Fashion Week, which starts Friday in Bryant Park, are cinching their belts, tailoring shows to reflect the struggling economy, all the while still trying to maintain some of the pizzazz of the semi-annual event.

"Were not in favor of overly conspicuous consumption in a difficult economic period, but making people feel good is what our industry is about," said Bud Konheim, chief executive of Nicole Miller.Some 64 designers have rented space in the three cavernous Tents, compared to 68 last February. While a half-dozen or so regulars wont be back in the park, a handful of high-profile couture-ati are returning after an extended absence.

Taking a break from Bryant Park are regulars such as Betsey Johnson, Vera Wang and Carmen Marc Valvo, all of whom will put up smaller-scale offerings off-site. Tommy Hilfiger and Narciso Rodriguez will make up for some of that lost luster, each returning to the Tents after three years.

It costs between $28,000 and $58,000 to rent one of three spaces in Bryant Park. Still, when you factor in the cost of models, DJs, make-up and hair, the price to put on a single show can balloon beyond $500,000.

"These times force designers to be more focused and in touch with their customers ... to perhaps not order extra fabric or trims that will never get used," said Fern Mallis, senior vice president of IMG Fashion, which organizes the shows.

Labels like Tracy Reese are staying in Bryant Park, but downsizing to a smaller space. Still other designers will hold joint shows to defray expenses — or pursue other creative solutions.

Stacey Bendet, the designer and owner of alice+olivia, said her show will feature a photo presentation instead of models.

"Paper is cheaper than people," she said.

Contemporary women’s label Tibi usually hires outside firm AO Productions to handle invitations, RSVPs and guest check-in. Instead, those duties will be picked up by in-house staffers and interns, who will be paid with a $300 store gift certificate, a Tibi spokeswoman said.

And while Tibi’s model budget was cut, it will still be significant, with big names including Coco Rocha, Jessica Stam and Behati Prinsloo gracing the catwalk at Tibi's Bryant Park show.

As to not disrupt the look of the her show, designer Rebecca Taylor made budget cuts on backstage catering and runway set design.

"Of course we had to make budget cuts," Taylor said. "We decided that we would not touch any expenses that relate to the integrity of the product or the visibility of the brand."

Of this season's collections in and outside the tents, 131 are runway offerings and 66 are less costly presentations, where clothing is displayed on mannequins and its the guests who do the strutting.

Meanwhile, Konheim, of Nicole Miller, said the company is skipping its usual soiree, a post-show dinner with glitterati. Other fashion houses, including Marc Jacobs and Calvin Klein, have reportedly also canned their bashes.

Robert Kahn is a Newsday staff writer.

Tags: betsey johnson, carmen marc valvo, tommy hilfriger, tibi, vera wang, rebecca taylor, nicole miller, fashion

Housing Works to open new location

Tuesday February 10, 2009 5:53 AM By Julie Gordon

By Julie Gordon

One of the city's best thrift shops — Housing Works — is expanding come Feb. 24 with a location in Tribeca.

The new shop, located at 72 Warren St., btwn West Broadway and Greenwich St., will sell used furniture, clothing, artwork, housewares and books — likes its counterparts in the West Village, Brooklyn, Chelsea, Gramercy, Brooklyn Heights, the Upper East Side and Yorkville and the Upper West Side.

All Housing Works profits go toward homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS. All staffers are volunteers.

Tags: housing works, shopping

Will A-Rod bombshell blow up in Yankees' face?

Monday February 9, 2009 5:42 PM By Jason Fink

Alex Rodriguez during an interview today on ESPN in which he admitted using steroids. AP photo

By Jason Fink

The Yankees signed Alex Rodriguez to baseball's richest contract no doubt envisioning him wearing the team's uniform as he broke some of baseball's most storied records.

Now, the Yankees will be forced to deflect criticism from those who accuse Rodriguez of not earning his achievements fairly.

“They’re just going to have this blanket cloud over my career," A-Rod said yesterday. "They may have their own point."

Rodriguez’s bombshell admission today on ESPN that he used steroids will no doubt turn the Yankees’ Spring Training, which begins next week, into a media circus, hogging much of the spotlight from the team’s newest stars.

But the revelations are unlikely to seriously derail the team’s push for a championship, observers and fans say.

“A-Rod’s continuing fiesta of off-field distractions has never been much of a problem for the Yankees,” said John Thorn, a baseball historian, referring to tabloid stories about Rodriguez’s infidelities and feuding with teammates.

“I don’t think it will affect how the players treat him because this happened before he joined the Yankees.”

Thorn said Rodriguez’s sometimes frosty relationships with other players – particularly Derek Jeter – has more to do with his “distance in the clubhouse” than with any of the scandals in his personal life.“He’s such a lightning rod for attention, a lot of it negative, I don’t think it will affect him that much,” said Joe Pietaro, editor of New York Sportsscene magazine.

In the interview yesterday with ESPN, Rodriguez said he expects to be able to keep his focus on the game and predicted that Yankees fans will forgive him.

“New Yorkers like honesty,” he said. “I think they like people that say the truth. I also think they like great players that know how to win. I think winning is the ultimate medicine we can take here.”

And while Rodriguez’s use of performance-enhancing drugs from 2001 to 2003 while on the Texas Rangers is more directly related to baseball than, say, his fling with Madonna, he is just the latest high-profile player to be linked to a banned substance, perhaps lessening its impact.

“It’s not a surprising development,” blogger Mark Townsend wrote on Bugs and Cranks. “It was 2003. Everybody and their mother were on steroids in 2003.”

Indeed, Rodriguez was one of 104 players to test positive in 2003 as part of a trial program meant to lay the ground work for the testing policy put into place a year later.

With home-run king Barry Bonds and former Yankees and Red Sox great Roger Clemens, among many others, already embroiled in the steroids scandals, fans have come to label the whole era chemically enhanced.

“We are going to keep hearing about the steroid issue until Major League Baseball releases the names of players that tested positive,” said Cliff Parks, the webmaster of Yankeeshomeplate.com. “A-Rod will be asked about it at almost every interview during spring training but I think he is the type of player that can put it aside and go out there and help the New York Yankees.”

Tags: sports

Berlin by bike

Monday February 9, 2009 2:01 PM By Rolando Pujol

By Laura Silver

Special to amNewYork

The wall is gone, but bicycles are everywhere.

Less than an hour after arriving in Berlin, one of them nearly took me down. (How was I to know that a meter-wide swath of sidewalk next to the street was consecrated to those on two wheels?)The fleet of helmetless riders zipping around the vast German capital — 28 miles wide and 24 miles long — is impossible to ignore. So why not join in?

Berlin’s fine fendered friends are sturdy, upright affairs (think Pee Wee Herman’s ride, minus the handlebar streamers) with bells affixed to the handlebars and generator-driven lights in the front and back.

One can be yours for an afternoon, or longer. Silver and red techno-studcycles, sponsored by Deutsche Bahn or German Rail, dot street corners.

You can see the entire city from the saddle of a bike: the television tower at Alexanderplatz in former East Germany, The Brandenburg Gate, Charlottenburg Palace, galleries of hip international artists, outdoor cafes, Karl Marx Allée in former East Berlin, the Kurfürstendamm shopping street (though it’s crowded and not recommended for riding) and Museum Island with its five cultural institutions.

You can also bike along the banks of the Spree River and take in the Turkish Market. It’s safe and not too crazy to pedal on Unter den Linden, a main boulevard roughly equivalent to a cross between Park and Fifth avenues.

Wanna take a look inside one of the city’s tourist attractions? You can secure the bike — to a pole or to itself — by inserting the cable into the silver lock box. You’ll still be on the clock, but the bike will be waiting for you when you return (Make sure to keep your start-up code; you’ll need it to put the bike back into action.)

For more: Go to Callabike.de

Photo credit: Laura Silver

Tags: berlin, call a bike, travel

amNewYork Letters to the Editor

Monday February 9, 2009 12:13 PM By Sara Baumberger

Phelps not in the same league as Bonds, A-Rod

Re “Sports heroes to zeros,” Feb. 9: How can you put Michael Phelps — who is in hot (bong) water over recreational marijuana use — in the same category as performance-enhancing dopers; Mike Tyson, a convicted rapist who threatened to eat an opponent’s children; and O.J. Simpson and Jayson Williams, two athletes who were on trial for murder. If there were a publishing “hall of shame,” that comparison would be in it. While marijuana use isn’t legal, it’s about as criminal as jaywalking: Don’t make it a habit and watch for cops.

— James Van Aken, Jersey City

Big difference between athletes’ drug use

I would take issue with your placing Michael Phelps in the same category as Barry Bonds or Alex Rodriguez. There needs to be a clear distinction made between performance enhancing drugs, which may have been used by Bonds and Rodriguez, and recreational drugs, which do nothing to improve your athletic abilities.

— Gregory B. Holman, Manhattan

Extend statute of limitations for Bush

There’s a legal glitch in holding Bush, Cheney and company accountable for torture, wiretapping, outing of a CIA agent and the rest of it: The statute of limitations is about to run out. Rep. John Conyers has proposed extending the deadline. Let’s support him — otherwise these crimes will dramatically undermine our Constitution and our balance of power.

— Andy Wanning, Manhattan

Tags: letters to the editor

Best Western Hotel deals abound

Monday February 9, 2009 11:53 AM By Rolando Pujol

Hotel prices are falling! From now until Friday, more than 1,200 Best Western hotels in the U.S. and Canada will be "on sale" at Best Western.

Here are some of examples the deals that will be offered:

New York from $69 per night

Napa from $89 per night

Orlando from $53 per night

Destinations and travel deals will be posted on the Web site along with a "countdown to savings" clock to alert travelers when the limited, two-hour window to book designated travel will begin.

-Lucy Blatter

Tags: travel

Office Taste Test: Delicious cookie alert!

Monday February 9, 2009 10:08 AM By Rolando Pujol

We just received a couple of boxes of Downtown Cookie Company's cookies and it's unanimous — they're delicious. The cookies, which come in six varieties, taste like they just came out of the oven.

Founder Dan Guerrera's cookies were such a hit among friends, that, a few months ago, he moved from his tiny village kitchen to a commercial one and hired staff to handle orders until he gets a storefront. The cookies, which are $24 per dozen, are a bit pricey, but they'd make a nice alternative to Godiva for Valentine's Day.

-Lucy Blatter

Tags: food

Fishs Eddy dishes out novel sales campaign

Monday February 9, 2009 10:03 AM By Rolando Pujol

Photos by Rolando Pujol

Fishs Eddy, that wonderful emporium of quirky kitchenware, sure got our attention the other day. In the distance, we saw the words "going out of business" plastered across its windows on Broadway and 19th Street and immediately recoiled in horror. To add to the appearance of doom, some of the store windows had been covered in newspapers.

But on closer inspection the signs actually read "Not going out of business." In fact, it was part of a fun sales campaign that delivers such gems as "Chase Bank not coming soon sale" and "Duane Reade not coming soon sale."

Who can't relate? Or chuckle?

-- Rolando Pujol

Tags: advertising, retail, real estate, fishs eddy, duane reade, chase, business, recession, economy, manhattan

Traveling in ’09? Suggestions and predictions

Monday February 9, 2009 9:33 AM By Rolando Pujol

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

According to Yahoo’s travel expert, Pablo O’Brien, vacation booking is down, and the average getaway is about one day shorter than last year. But people are indeed still searching for deals — possibly more need of a vacation than ever before.

He offered amNewYork readers his suggestions and predictions:

FINDING A BARGAIN

1) Go touristy. O’Brien recommended traveling to destinations that are popular with tourists, such as Hawaii and Mexico. Spots like Puerto Vallarta, Cancun and Cabo San Lucas are most likely to lower their rates. “Those places have a lot of hotels they need to fill,” he said.

2) Package deals help you save big. “Hotels are reluctant to lower their room rates too significantly, but they’re more flexible with package deals with airlines, so look for those,” he said.

3) It’s all about the hotels. Across the board, it seems as though airfares aren’t down significantly, but hotel prices are, in some cases drastically. “In Vegas, for example, midweek prices at top hotels are in the double digits per night.” Look for midweek dates for the best deals.PREDICTIONS

O’Brien said that fuel prices will ultimately decide the future of airline prices, but as for destinations, he predicted that Canada, with its low-value dollar, and England, with the decreasing value of the pound, will become more popular.

Photo: Cabo San Lucas. Courtesy of iStockPhoto

Tags: travel

A little MoMA in Brooklyn

Monday February 9, 2009 9:17 AM By Emily Ngo

As if scoring deals at Target wasn’t enough incentive to hang around Brooklyn’s Atlantic Avenue station, here’s one more reason: The Museum of Modern Art opens its mini-exhibition there Tuesday.

Reproductions of Monet, Van Gogh and other masters will adorn the walls of the transit hub. You'll even be able get art information via cell phone, like a museum audio guide, according to Crain's.

If you’ve passed through the station in recent weeks, you’ve seen it coming:

Image via Flickr

— Emily Ngo

Tags: brooklyn, moma, arts

Viral video: Pizza Party

Monday February 9, 2009 8:10 AM By Sean Joseph

gidgetsparks - za party from prettydamnnotbad on Vimeo.

Not only will this video make you crave a huge slice of New York pizza, you’ll also want to find your old Pizza Party board game from the ’90s.

Tags: viral video, television, pizza, food

This week's online travel deals

Monday February 9, 2009 7:11 AM By Rolando Pujol

By Emily Mathis

Special to amNewYork

New Orleans King Cake and Cocktails package: The W New Orleans French Quarter is offering a special Mardi Gras package between Feb. 15 – Feb. 25, which includes a drink, a king cake and accommodations for two for just $259 a night. The person who finds the plastic baby in the king cake gets a free stay at the W in 2010 — instead of being forced to make the cake next year as tradition dictates. Use promo code WSK.

1-877-822-0000 or starwoodhotels.com

Germany air/car deal from $769: EuropeASAP’s German package includes round-trip airfare from New York to Munich or Frankfurt and a six-night rental car with unlimited mileage from Alamo, Budget, or Hertz to help you discover Germany’s hidden treasures. Travel the Romantic Road — a medieval trade route between Frankfurt and Munich – stopping along the way at Rothenburg or Stuttgart, and take a slight detour from Munich to see the famous Neuschwanstein Castle. Book by Feb. 23 for travel through March 31.

415-750-5449 or europeasap.com

Lima Getaway: LAN Airlines is offering round-trip airfare to Lima, Peru, four nights accommodations and breakfast for $749. Take a day trip to nearby ruins, view the city’s modern architecture or venture to Machu Picchu or the Inca Trail. Book by Thursday for travel until May 26. Travel from June 1 – December 18 is just $10 more.

1-800-435-3593 or lanvacations.com

Flight and a night for under $200: The Accent Inn Vancouver Airport, voted the best Vancouver Airport hotel, is offering a nights stay and hour-long Flight Adventure experience in a Boeing 737 flight stimulator model for $192 a night for two people. Offer is valid through April 30 and again from October 1 to December 1. Book 30 days in advance.

1-800-663-0298 or accentinns.com

Tags: travel

Capt. Sully honored with key to the city

Monday February 9, 2009 6:27 AM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

Hero on the Hudson pilot Chesley Sullenberger and the four crew members from US Airways Flight 1549 were given the keys to the city this morning by Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

They will also be treated to dinner and a show tonight, at Blue Fin restaurant and then to "Chicago" on Broadway, part of a whirlwind reunion in Manhattan that also includes several TV interviews.

In the packed Blue Room at City Hall this morning, Sullenberger, First Officer Jeffery Skiles and the three flight attendents faced a blinding wall of camera flashes as they recounted those tense moments before the plane safely landed in the Hudson River on Jan. 15 after both engines were struck by birds.

"I knew from the sounds that the engine made, the vibrations we felt and the smell of birds," Sullenberger said. "Leading up to the landing I was intensely focused."Flight attendents said they heard the thump of the birds hitting the engines but did not know the plane would be brought down into the river until Sullenberger told the whole plane to brace for impact.

"It was actually not a bad landing at all: I was surprised," said Skiles. "I said to Sully, 'that wasn't bad.'"

The crew also thanked the rescuers and first responders who arrived on the scene in boats.

"We got ourselves into the river but you got us out," said Skiles.

Tags: city hall dispatch

Sully will take Manhattan on Monday

Sunday February 8, 2009 3:01 PM By Rolando Pujol

Capt. Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger, accompanied by the crew of US Airways Flight 1549, returns to New York Monday for a hero’s welcome and honorary keys to the city. Mayor Michael Bloomberg will host a ceremony at City Hall for the crew, which is slated to appear on “Good Morning America,” “The Early Show” and the “Late Show with David Letterman.” (amNY)

Tags: manhattan, stuff that's cool, today's check it out, zany

Boss flap has pols probing Ticketmaster

Sunday February 8, 2009 2:57 PM By Pete Catapano

By Heather Haddon

Bruce Springsteen may be the Boss, but two local pols are the ones calling for a federal probe into Ticketmaster's partnership with a subsidiary reselling tickets at inflated prices for the rocker’s new tour.

"It's a classic bait and switch," said Sen. Charles Schumer, standing with New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. outside Madison Square Garden Sunday.

After Springsteen tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. last Monday for his “Working on a Dream Tour”, many fans trying to buy seats on Ticketmaster.com were instead directed to TicketsNow.com, where they found seats for nearly five times the price, said Pascrell, a Democrat who represents Passaic County.

TicketsNow is a resell web site owned and operated Ticketmaster.

Tickets originally ranged from roughly $40 to $100 for the shows, including ones at the Meadowlands and Nassau Coliseum.

(AP Photo)Pascrell said he received hundreds of calls and letters from frustrated fans across the country. The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs also reported getting more than a thousand complaints.

"You've got thieves on Wall Street and thieves on Main Street, now there's thieves on Broadway," Pascrell said.

Springsteen also criticized the ticketing practice last week, and Ticketmaster issued an apology and agreed to not direct fans to TicketsNow.

Ticketmaster charges facility, convenience and order processing fees, adding as much as 20 to 30 percent to the seat price. The company has stated it usually receives a 15 percent commission on sales at TicketsNow.

Ticket reselling is legal, but officials have called for the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Ticketmaster's promotion of TicketsNow for the Springsteen tour, the profit earned and why so many seatswere being resold so quickly.

Schumer and Pascrell saidthat Ticketmaster has steered fans to TicketsNow for previous shows.

Ticketmaster and TicketsNow did not return calls for comment Sunday. On Friday, TicketsNow issued a statement saying that it has prohibited the sale of tickets before seats become publicly available "to prevent the posting of speculative tickets."

Schumer and Pascrell also criticized a possible merger between Ticketmaster and Live Nation, the largest producer of live concerts in the world. The companies were reported to announce the $400 million merger as soon as today.

Pascrell and Schumer wrote to the FTC and the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division to investigate whether the merger could create a monopoly that would inflate ticket prices.

In conversations with Ticketmaster last week, Pascrell said that the event giant agreed to reimburse fans who bought overly costly tickets.

"They have admitted that this is a convoluted process," Pascrell said.

The four-month tour for Springsteen and the E Street Band kicks off in April.,

Tags: ticketmaster, charles schumer, bruce springsteen, ticketsnow

From revered to reviled?

Sunday February 8, 2009 2:53 PM By Marlene Naanes

By Marlene Naanes

Where have all the sports heroes gone?

In the span of a week, two of baseball’s all-time greatest players, Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds, and the winningest Olympian, Michael Phelps, all fell from their lofty pedestals. A photo surfaced of Phelps taking bong hits and A-Rod and Bonds were reported to have test positive for taking steroids in 2003.

“It hasn’t been a good week for heroes,” said Juan Espin, 27, of Brooklyn. “They’re still there, but ... it depends on how you define hero ... A-Rod was the non-steroid using hero, and there he goes.”

Fans of Yankees slugger Rodriguez are facing the double whammy of revelations that the $300 million man may have tested positive while he was with the Texas Rangers and the embarrassment of former Manager Joe Torre’s book, which revealed A-Rod’s notorious clubhouse nickname — A-Fraud.The Yankees did not return requests for comment yesterday.

The mythic idea of the hero is at risk of going extinct in contemporary culture, experts say, as increasing steroid use, combined with the media’s willingness to report on such scandals, have forced the shortcomings of great athletes into the harsh light of day.

“When you find out about their personal flaws it sort of ruins the whole idea that there is such a thing as heroism,” said Elayne Rapping, a University of Buffalo professor who specializes in media and popular culture.

Peter Addhin, of Manhattan, however, said that learning about missteps like Phelps smoking pot does not necessarily diminish an athlete’s status as hero.

“The guy won eight gold medals,” said Addhin, 60. “If he’s on the bong maybe other people should be too. I want whatever he’s smoking.”

Some fans have opted simply to shift their definition of hero, looking to people like Derek Jeter, who may not be the best player but who is perceived as a nice guy and a team player, said A.J. Daulerio, editor of Deadspin.com, a sports blog.

“Our prototypical heroes, like being home run hitters, I think they’re going to have other qualities we’ll have to look for,” Daulerio said.

Baseball historian John Thorn said it is up to adults to be more realistic about what they expect from athletes and to explain to children the difference between myth and reality.

“You can admire Barry Bonds’ raw ability,” Thorn said. “You don’t have to buy the whole package.”

Andrew Breiner contributed to this story.

Tags: alex rodriguez, a-rod, michael phelps, barry bonds, yankees, steroid, marijuana, sports

New York City's garment industry sees opportunity amid the pain

Sunday February 8, 2009 2:41 PM By Garett Sloane

By Garett Sloane

New York’s garment industry is always facing one existential threat or another — globalization, greedy landlords, 9/11, and now global financial collapse.

The latest troubles are taking their toll on the Garment District, as retailers, contending with tight consumers, cut back on orders to factories and hit designers with fees for unsold goods.

“There have been a lot of cancellations from stores and a lot of stores are buying more conservatively,” said Samanta Cortes, owner of Fashion Design Concepts and leader of the group Save the Garment Center.

The stress is evident in the industry’s employment numbers: The average number of apparel manufacturing jobs in New York City was down more than 12 percent in 2008. That’s not so far from the historical norm, but a marked difference from 2007 when the sector was only down about 6 percent.James Brown, the city’s jobs counter at the state Department of Labor, called it a “significant drop.”

Yet despite the adversity, many in the industry see opportunity.

For one, landlords, facing a declining real estate market, aren’t so quick to toss out factories now.

“Right now landlords are not fighting so much for rezoning to happen,” Cortes said.

Kevin Chu, head of business development at Garment Industry Development Corp., said that landlords are willing to maintain and attract factories. He is dealing with a landlord that has several spaces open that could house manufacturers, he said.

There may be need for more factories, because New York stands to gain more orders as retailers change their buying habits — at least that’s what people in the industry hope. The stores are placing smaller orders and looking to have them filled in a shorter amount of time, which means they may want to use factories closer to home.

“With the global slowdown, where retailers are placing less orders, it may have a good potential for New York City factories,” Chu said. “If the orders are small sometimes it’s not feasible to go overseas. So there is an upside.”

To cope, the industry is turning to cost-cutting. Chu is seeing businesses band together to share space and cut overhead, but they are also cutting back on workers’ hours and resorting to four-day weeks.

Last week, Brown detected a bright spot for the city’s fashion industry: Macy’s is cutting thousands of jobs, but not here.

“Macy’s is consolidating some of the office functions so we were actually going to gain a little,” he said.

Here’s one point Garment District supporters may want to emphasize when arguing for the need to keep the area intact: “[Macy’s] retail buying operations, based in New York City, are here partly because we are a fashion capital,” Brown said.

Outside the factories, design shops are facing myriad challenges. “Charge backs,” fees retailers force on designers when products don’t sell or aren’t made exactly to order, are a pronounced nuisance.

If clothes are selling at 70 percent discounts in stores, then the savings are usually passed off to the wholesalers, Chu said.

Elizabeth Gillett, who owns an apparel and accessories business, never used to think about bills when times were good. Her rent check sat on her desk last week waiting to be hand-delivered on the last possible day before she would have to pay a fee. She’s behind because her customers are behind.

“Some are even coming and saying, ‘You know the invoice I haven’t paid for since October? Can we work out a discount on that?’ ” she said.

She’s losing customers as they close their stores — 20 out of 800 of her clients have shut down since the year began.

“I will survive, but some of my competitors might not survive,” she said.

Many people in the fashion industry say the crisis will inevitably lead to a shake-up with stronger players buying up weaker ones. Cortes said she is negotiating a potential takeover with two competitors who are on the brink of failure.

With all the uncertainty there is the promise of new life to take root, Gillett said.

“By cleaning out the market, it will bring innovation. It will bring opportunity. But it’s a painful process,” she said.

Tags: garment district, garment center, save the garment center, elizabeth gillett, samanta cortes, fashion, fashion design concepts, economy, retail

Bloomy working weekends as campaign season approaches

Sunday February 8, 2009 2:16 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

With the election year now upon us, Mayor Mike is working weekends.

After months of light public schedules on Saturdays and Sundays, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been quite visible the last two weekends, turning up at two church services, a parade, a Jewish Center in Hollis and the Queens Village Republican dinner Sunday.

He even took in a basketball game Saturday at Lehman College in the Bronx.

Over the past two weekends, Bloomberg’s public schedule has included 14 events, not counting his weekly radio show. Before that, he had no public events on weekends in New York this year. Bloomberg also laid low on the weekends this fall, scheduling a total of seven public events from the middle of October through early December – four of them on the day of the marathon.Coming on the heels of his hiring several big name staffers to work on his re-election and the opening of a campaign office in midtown, Bloomberg, who successfully pushed to overturn term limits last year, is looking more and more like the candidate he is.

“He’s playing traditional retail politics,” said Douglas Muzzio, a political analyst and professor at the Baruch College.

Evan Stavisky, a Democratic political consultant, said “it’s good politics to be out there talking to constituents” and noted the billionaire businessman is usually working 24 hours a day anyway.

Democratic mayoral contenders Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn/Queens) and city Comptroller William Thompson are also campaigning, raising millions of dollars and hiring consultants.

Weiner, a prolific holder of news conferences, has begun releasing his own public schedule, which yesterday had seven events, including speeches at two Democratic clubs.

A spokesman for Weiner said the congressman is always busy with community events and brushed aside any suggestion that he is kicking into campaign mode.

When asked if Bloomberg’s weekend appearances indicated a more intense focus on the November election, his spokesman, Stu Loeser, has a one-word response: No.

Tags: city hall dispatch

Lindsay Price in 'Lipstick' limbo

Sunday February 8, 2009 12:29 PM By Julie Gordon

By Julie Gordon

The uncertain future of NBC’s “Lipstick Jungle” upset star Lindsay Price so much, she temporarily swapped living in New York, where the show was filmed, for Los Angeles.

“We’d pass a restaurant or a store, and it was almost like getting broken up with or dumped. It was too painful,” Price told us at a party for MAC Cosmetics’ Hello Kitty collection Thursday.

The series’ last episode aired Jan. 9. Reportedly, “Jungle” may air on one of NBC’s sister networks or on DirecTV and then on NBC (à la “Friday Night Lights”) to save money.“I have a good feeling about it,” said Price of “Jungle,” based on a book by “Sex and the City” scribe Candace Bushnell. "If we can come back I’d be over the moon, but if not i’ve never been one to hang onto things that we have no control over."

During the last few months, more than 26,000 fans have signed an online petition to save the show.

Read more buzz about the Hello Kitty party here.

Meet Lucy Cohen Blatter

Sunday February 8, 2009 12:06 PM By Mae Cheng

Lucy Cohen Blatter is the features editor at amNewYork, where she oversees the Job Front, Travel, Eating and Dining Out sections. She uses Urbanite to update readers on all of the city’s food goings-on, travel deals and more. Before joining amNewYork, Lucy was an editor for the New York Sun’s city section. Prior to that, she was an editor for a television trade publication. Born and raised in Manhattan, she still lives here.

Viral video: Digital consequences

Sunday February 8, 2009 9:04 AM By Sean Joseph

This hilarious video illustrates why the switch to digital TV had to be delayed until June.

Tags: viral video, television

An inside look at the Apollo Theater

Thursday February 5, 2009 2:29 PM By Marlene Naanes

By Marlene Naanes

The epicenter of black culture and the heart of Harlem, the Apollo Theater has launched the careers of countless performers and created legends for 75 years.

Though the theater was built in 1914, it did not become the Apollo as we know it until 1934. “This is a very special place,” said Billy Mitchell, the Apollo tour guide who first worked there as an errand boy for performers in 1965.

As the theater celebrates its anniversary, Mitchell is performing free tours during four open houses this month and in March.

amNewYork recently took a tour of the theater where stars are born and legends are made.

The Tree of Hope

It’s the first thing a nerve-wracked amateur touches before facing the famously tough Apollo audience.

The tree once grew outside the famous Harlem Lafayette Theater, and unemployed performers would sing and dance under it for money, Mitchell said. When the tree was cut down to widen Seventh Avenue, it was brought to the Apollo, and performers have been rubbing it for luck since 1934.

The decorative details

Murals line one side of the lobby, graced with the faces of the legends who once took the stage of the Apollo. Ella Fitzgerald and James Brown are some of the famous faces that look back at you.

The elaborate interior of the theater includes flourishes along the walls and balconies, such as neoclassical gold leafing.

Chandeliers dripping with sparkling glass are found throughout the theater. The decadent fixtures were imported from Venice in 1986 at a whopping $5,000 a piece.

The original dressing rooms

These rooms’ surprisingly simple decor belies their true significance.

Dressing room 1, for instance, hosted the likes of Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and the Godfather of Soul, James Brown.

Today, new state-of-the-art dressing rooms lies just under the stage. They have showers, DVD players and mini fridges, but many artists still prefer the old ones for their history, Mitchell said.

Lower mezzanine

You can take in the majesty of the Apollo from one of the best views in the house. The lower mezzanine allows views of crews working in the wings and celebrities taking in the show in the balconies.

And, since lights from the ground floor hit performers in their eyes, they often avert their gaze to the lower mezzanine.

“It seems like they’re singing directly to you,” Mitchell said.

Want to take a free tour? Call 212-531-5305 for details.

Tags: apollo theater, harlem, james brown, anniversary, history

Coney Island hopes rezoning will give economy a jolt

Thursday February 5, 2009 2:17 PM By Ryan Chatelain

(Photo by RJ Mickelson/AMNY)

By Ryan Chatelain

While most New Yorkers and tourists trek to Coney Island to enjoy the surf, sand and thrill rides, it’s easy to forget that more than 50,000 people call the storied peninsula home.

During the past several decades, even as the waterfront amusement district was prospering, the residential areas of Coney Island were struggling economically. Today, city officials estimate the neighborhood’s unemployment rate could be as high as double the city average of about 7 percent, vacant lots along Surf and Mermaid avenues are a common sight, and residents complain they must often travel to other neighborhoods for basic necessities.

“We do need a lot more businesses out here,” said Amalia Leon, 50, a lifelong Coney Island resident and manager of Bargain Variety store on Mermaid Avenue. “Clothing, shoe stores, things like that.”

Residents are hoping a 19-block rezoning proposal for Coney Island, which extends beyond the iconic amusement area, will cure the neighborhood’s ills.While the thrust of the plan is to turn the waterfront into a year-round amusement destination, it also aims to develop Surf and Mermaid avenues into major retail corridors, bringing hotels, restaurants, movie theaters and more stores into the area. Including the amusement district, the city estimates the project would create 25,000 construction jobs and 6,000 permanent jobs — a significant number of which officials hope will be filled by Coney Island residents.

“If you were to visit a town of 50,000 people, it’s likely that you would find a whole range of services and retail available that is not available at Coney Island,” said Seth Pinsky, president of the city’s Economic Development Corp.

To be sure, the Bloomberg administration’s rezoning proposal has its critics, but their gripes largely center on the amusement district.

For instance, Dick Zigun, founder of the arts organization Coney Island USA, said he would like to see proposed hotels shifted from the south side of Surf Avenue to the north, commitments made to preserve historic buildings and more acreage devoted to outdoor thrill rides.

Before the vision shown in city renderings can even begin to be implemented, the rezoning plan must be considered by the local community board, the Brooklyn borough president, the Planning Commission and the City Council. A community board public hearing will be held March 3.

Of course, there’s no guarantee the city’s plan will rescue Coney Island from its decades-long funk.

Kathryn Wylde, president of Partnership for New York City, a business group that promotes economic development, said the peninsula, where one in five residents live in public housing, needs an infusion of residents of all income levels who can give the area some “purchasing power.”

The Bloomberg administration’s plan also calls for new mixed-income residential developments.

“Despite a lot of public investment [in the past] in both housing and attempting to get commercial development going, it’s never been successful,” Wylde said. “And I think that’s because it never got sufficient residential density to work.

“It can’t survive as simply an entertainment destination.”

Tags: coney island

amNewYork Letters to the Editor

Thursday February 5, 2009 11:20 AM By Sara Baumberger

Give him a little time before you start criticizing

Re Michael Chimenti’s letter, “Prez runs for cover when things go bad,” Feb. 5: We all understand Chimenti’s deep frustration of having a president he didn’t vote for. But after eight years of the worst presidency in the history of the U.S. the new guy deserves at least a few months of a grace period without having his likes sitting on his tail and hoping for his failure. Lick your wounds quietly and give us a break.

— Ralph Farrel, Manhattan

Michael Phelps is still a role model

Michael Phelps wowed the whole nation at the 2008 Olympics. And in his off time he relaxes by indulging in a substance used and enjoyed by millions. Yet there is great hand-wringing and talk of punishment because Phelps is supposed to be a role model. He has accomplished great things and has the discipline to stay focused without letting his “recreational” activities get in the way. That makes him a better role model. Both the stoners and the jocks could learn from him. Get off the guy’s back.

— Chris Sorochin, Farmingdale

In this economy, everyone suffers

Re “Performer tips hit low note,” Feb. 5: The subway performers might be getting fewer tips from subway riders these days, but at the rate the economy is going, New Yorkers are going to resurrect the old Depression song “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” and be singing it in unison very shortly. We’ll sound better than a Broadway show.

— Brian Hochberg, Richmond Hill

Tags: letters to the editor

Viral video: 'Man vs. Wild' by the highway

Thursday February 5, 2009 10:20 AM By Sean Joseph

This clip from the Discovery Channel's "Man vs. Wild" isn't as far from civilization as it may seem.

Tags: viral video, television, man vs. wild

Introducing...The Waffle Breakfast Sandwich

Thursday February 5, 2009 10:13 AM By Lucy Blatter

Looking for the ultimate decadent breakfast? Dunkin' Donuts has answered your prayers. Today the chain unveiled its Waffle Breakfast Sandwich, featuring cherrywood smoked bacon, scrambled eggs and American cheese between two maple-infused waffles.

Sound familiar? McDonald's McGriddle has the same fillings, sandwiched between two maple-infused pancakes.

To save our hearts (and our waistelines), we didn't compare the two. But luckily, blog Serious Eats did.

And you never know, maybe after a debaucharous weekend we may try one of our own. Stay tuned.

Tags: waffle breakfast sandwich, dunkin' donuts, mcgriddle, mcdonald's, food

Source of city's maple syrup smell solved: Blame it on New Jersey

Thursday February 5, 2009 6:14 AM By Mae Cheng

By Jason Fink

Blame Jersey!

That's what officials are saying about the mysterious maple syrup smell that has wafted through the city at least nine times since 2005.

Experts sniffed out the odor and traced the most recent incident, on Thursday, to a North Bergen, N.J., food additive company that was processing fenugreek (FEN’-yoo-greek) seeds, which add flavor and fragrance to - among other foods - maple syrup.

After the latest reports of the odor last Thursday, inspectors from the city Department of Environmental Protection went to the Upper West Side - where most compliants had originated -and took air samples that were then analyzed over the next 40 hours.Earlier in the month, following a separate set of complaints, the city had developed a new protocol for responding to the smell that included arriving on the scene after the very first complaints to the 311 line and having inspectors take home their sampling cannisters so they could arrive faster.

Previously, the smell had dissipated before samples could be taken, officials said.

"Having put our noses to the ground to develop these leads we put our noses in the air," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said during a news conference today at City Hall.

Based upon data that included the prevailing winds and other weather conditions at the times the smell occurred and where the complaints came from, the DEP narrowed it down to a few food manufacturing facilities in Bergen and Hudson County, New Jersey, and with the help of that state's DEP determined it was coming from a company called Frutarom.

The city said Frutarom does not appear to be breaking any laws and the odor, as determined after it was first reported in October 2005, is not harmful.

The company later put out a statement saying it was not aware Bloomberg was going to name it.

"We have been made aware of the statements made by Mayor Bloomberg this morning regarding the source of the maple-syrup odors in NYC," the company said in a statement. "The naming of our company as one of those potentially contributing to this condition came as a surprise to us."

A spokesman for the mayor, Stu Loeser, said the city is still investigating the possibility that other companies also contributed to the smell, though at the news conference today Bloomberg said: "We are officially closing the case."

"It just happens to be one of those odors we have to live with," said Bloomberg. "We are officially closing the case."

Tags: maple syrup, smell, zany

Drink some tea for a cause

Thursday February 5, 2009 5:49 AM By Lucy Blatter

Carrington Tea has kicked off its Pennies Per Cup campaign to benefit food pantries across the city.

The campaign, which runs through March 31, will benefit Food Bank For New York City and other member food banks of the national organization, Feeding America.

For every 100 boxes of tea purchased in New York City, Carrington Tea will donate 100 cups to Food Bank For New York City. So drink up!

Tags: carrington tea, food

City beekeepers hoping to go legit

Thursday February 5, 2009 3:59 AM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

New Yorkers are about to get a little more buzzed.

A bill before the City Council would legalize beekeeping, a pastime with a devoted following that is already thriving on rooftops from Brooklyn to the Bronx.

Councilman David Yassky (D-Brooklyn), who is sponsoring the legislation, said the production of local honey is an example of “niche manufacturing” and should be legalized and licensed.

“Right now we have the worst of both worlds because lots of people do it but there’s no regulation that makes sure people know what they’re doing,” he said.Yassky said he was approached at a community meeting by a woman who wants to keep bees but does not want to break the law. The non-profit Just Foods, which advocates for locally produced food, has circulated an online petition in support of the bill and has collected 496 signatures.

Currently, the city classifies bees as animals “naturally inclined to do harm” and prohibits people from keeping them.

Such characterizations bother John Howe, of Fort Greene, who founded the New York City Beekeeping Meetup Group and tends to three hives containing anywhere from 120,000 to 180,000 bees on his rooftop.

“Bees are harmless, they’re very gentle,” Howe said. “They’re very defensive of their hives but you have to practically kick their hives to get them to sting you.”

He said no one in his group has reported any complaints from their neighbors.

Neither Howe nor Yassky could say how many beekeepers currently operate in the city but Howe’s group boasts 270 members.

Currently, keeping bees in the city carries fines ranging from $200 and $2,000.

Tags: city hall dispatch, animals

City sued over rezoning for Lower East Side

Wednesday February 4, 2009 4:09 PM By Rolando Pujol

A coalition of community groups sued the city yesterday to block building-height limits on the Lower East Side, arguing the regulation pushes large-scale development into nearby Chinatown. The plaintiffs argue that the rezoning failed to consider the impact on minority communities. A city attorney said the law department had not yet received the legal papers.

-- Jason Fink

Playing Ain't Paying: Street performers feel the pinch

Wednesday February 4, 2009 3:55 PM By Rolando Pujol

By Katie Molinaro

Special to amNewYork

Chris Thomas remembers the flush times when his hip-hop dance group Breeze Team Entertainment only had to dance five hours on the city’s subway platforms to take home $150.

But those days ended this fall with collections plunging by almost half — and that’s on a good day.

Bluesman Floyd Lee, sporting a thick white goatee and black bowler hat, knows that agony all too well.

"No bills. They put their little pennies quietly so you don't hear the cheapness sound," Lee said.

Facing a difficult living even in boom times, buskers — or performers who "pass the hat" in the New York City streets and subways — are now working more days and longer hours.

Buskers understand donations are as unpredictable as the weather. But even with the daily fluctuations in tipping, many of the city’s buskers have noticed the hard times seeping into their open guitar cases and donation buckets.“When you used to get a dollar, now you get 50 cents,” said Dexter Jones, 48, a Bronx resident who was playing the steel drum at the Columbus Circle subway station yesterday. He said some people can make $400 or $500 a day during better times, but while he would not divulge his earnings, he said he’s not that lucky.

Stephen Baird, founder and executive director of Street Arts and Buskers Advocates, a nonprofit that provides resources for street performers, said most performers make under $20,000 a year.

It is impossible to know the exact number of street artists, but Baird, who began performing on the streets in 1970, estimates that there are a couple hundred "hardcore" full-time buskers in New York City.

One of the most recognizable buskers is Times Square fixture Naked Cowboy, who said he hasn’t noticed a change. "I'm recession proof," he said. Far from the average New York City busker, he said he usually makes about $150 an hour.

For those performers who are feeling the strain of the economy, they’re taking it in stride.

"This is not the type of occupation you get rich in, even when the economy is good," said Gibran Soul, a singer/songwriter. "You want to do it because you hope it means something to someone. If it was about the cash I would have quit a long time ago."

Straphangers yesterday said they appreciate how hard buskers have it, but that doesn’t mean they’re giving like they used to.

“Money’s so tight right now,” said Spencer Barros, 45, an artist who lives in Harlem. “Unless I’m really moved, I don’t necessarily give. I used to give a dollar and now it’s whatever change I can grab out of my pocket.”

Marlene Naanes contributed to this report.

So you want to be a busker?

Fast facts about making passing the hat for a living.

* Street artists only need a permit to perform if they have amplified sound.

* Music Under New York (MUNY), begun by MTA Arts for Transit in 1985, lists about 100 performers on its roster.

* Buskers are not allowed to perform on subway trains or buses or within 25 feet of a token booth.

* Most buskers earn extra money on the side by selling CDs, performing at clubs and private events, writing jingles for commercials or working other odd jobs.

Tags: subway, neighborhoods, entertainment, economy

Banks on Bam's plan to cap salaries: It's payback time

Wednesday February 4, 2009 3:17 PM By Emily Ngo

By Garett Sloane

Wall Street banks are chafing under Washington’s increasingly punitive bailout rules, and some executives are now itching to pay back taxpayers as quickly as possible. To that, lawmakers say: “Great.”

President Barack Obama on Wednesday laid out his plan to cap pay at $500,000 for companies that receive bailout funds going forward — not retroactively.

"This is America. We don't disparage wealth. We don't begrudge anybody for achieving success," Obama said. "But what gets people upset — and rightfully so — are executives being rewarded for failure. Especially when those rewards are subsidized by U.S. taxpayers."

Goldman Sachs CFO David Viniar said Wednesday that his bank now plans to payback $10 billion in bailout funds this year to avoid the leash that the federal government is proposing.

“We would like to get out from under that," Viniar said at a Credit Suisse Financial Services conference.

A number of companies — big and small — either can’t wait to be out from under the government’s power or are refusing to join the bailout.

One of the most vocal critics of Wall Street executives has been Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.). She proposed a bill that would limit pay to $400,000 for executives at companies that receive bailouts, and her office said reactions from banks like Goldman are the whole point.

“It’s an incentive for the companies to pay back the federal government and pay them quickly,” said Maria Speiser, McCaskill’s spokeswoman.Paying back the government might be an option for some of the healthier banks and other companies, but the ones with the most struggles will still have to contend with the Feds, said Alan Johnson, CEO of Johnson Associates, a Wall Street pay consultancy.

“It’s going to put a red ‘A’ on the firms that are really sick,” Johnson said. The government’s original bailout plan encouraged relatively healthy and sick banks alike to participate in order to limit the stigma, but the new rules will change that, he said.

Some lawmakers don’t think that Obama’s plan goes far enough. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) has a bill that would reach back and grab bonuses from 2008.

"It's not enough to say these bonuses are wrong — they must be paid back," Wyden said in a press release Wednesday.

With all the competing legislation on how far to punish companies, Wall Street is dealing with a lot of uncertainty, Johnson said.

“We’re at [Compensation] 2.0, but eventually we’ll have Comp 3.0 and Comp 4.0,” Johnson said. “The rules will only get worse and more uncertain going forward.”

amNewYork letters to the editor

Wednesday February 4, 2009 1:52 PM By Sara Baumberger

Prez runs for cover when things go bad

President Obama demonstrated his skill on his toughest day in office so far by running for cover in a second-grade classroom. Reports say he left the five network anchors waiting in the lurch while he decided to handle the situation by doing what he does best — creating a cheap photo op. I guess he’s looking for a bump in his already dwindling approval rating. Better be careful, Barack — you could wind up the target of the next movie by Michael Moore.

— Michael Chimenti, Oakland Gardens

Howard Dean is not the man for the job

I shudder when I hear Howard Dean’s name come up as a possible replacement for Tom Daschle. Please, President Obama, we had our fill of a screwy president who gave us eight years of screw ups. The last thing we need is to carry on W’s “legacy!”

— Herb Stark, Massapequa

Blagojevich, Palin spewing nonsense

Gov. Sarah Palin has a competitor for the title of “most well-delivered superfluous words with the least factual content.” That challenger is Gov. Rod Blagojevich. What a formidable pair they would make as leaders of our country. How could our enemies possibly hate us if they don’t know what we’re saying? Brilliant! They both bask in the limelight and continue to spew rhetoric nonsense which has nothing to do with the subject matter nor the questions asked. Let’s pray that these two TV twits will go away.

— Arlene Pilomena, Bayside

Tags: letters to the editor

A feast for four senses

Wednesday February 4, 2009 1:17 PM By Lucy Blatter

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

Usually, not knowing what’s on your plate is a bad thing. But in the case of Dark Dining, it’s just par for the course.

Typically each month at Camaje bistro and lounge in the West Village, guests are blindfolded and led into the restaurant, where they proceed to eat — and touch — their way through four courses. And they never get to see a thing.The idea is that because of sight deprivation, you’ll rely more heavily on other senses — touch, taste and smell.

Dana Salisbury, the creator and director of organizer Dark Dining Projects, admits that it would take years of blindness to truly heighten other senses.

What you discover from one meal, however, is just how reliant you are on sight when you eat — it’s hard to identify exactly what you are tasting while blindfolded. (You only see the night’s menu at the very end.)

Salisbury says she blindfolds guests from the beginning because, “I think it’s really important to have a sense of that you’re floating.”

While preparing a dance piece years ago Salisbury, who is a choreographer, decided to peel an orange with her eyes closed. She immediately discovered that her sense of smell and touch were heightened. And Dark Dining Projects was born.

“What attracted me was the emphasis on experience and sensation,” she said.

As for the menu, Camaje’s chef-owner Abigail Hitchcock keeps it seasonal. She stays away from organs and other very unusual foods, but otherwise experiments a lot, changing the menu each time. She likes to use food with large bones, since most people tend to use their hands while eating.

The focus for the kitchen is the same as it is for the diners — not on presentation, but taste and smell.

But Salisbury hasn’t completely overlooked sound or touch either — musicians perform at various intervals and “embodiers” lightly massage diners during the meal, creating the sense that you’re attending both an art event and a sensory feast.

Amazingly, Salisbury says spills are rare — they even serve red wine. “We’ve never had a major disaster. Once, a waiter dropped a tray of glasses, but he wasn’t blindfolded,” she said with a laugh.

Tags: camaje, dark dining projects, food

Viral video: Falling asleep on camera

Wednesday February 4, 2009 8:33 AM By Sean Joseph

We can’t tell what this newscaster is saying, but she passes out and takes the show’s set down with her.

Tags: viral video, television

For foodies: This week’s dining briefs

Wednesday February 4, 2009 8:26 AM By Lucy Blatter

By Emily Mathis

Special to amNewYork

Make the food match the wine: The Astor Center is holding a series of classes this month that flips the school of thought that says food first, wine second. In these classes the wines are the focal point and recipes are found to complement their flavors. The first class features recipes to match Riesling. The $145 class lasts from 12 – 4 and is taught by personal chef Carl Raymond. .Astorcenternyc.com/, 212-674-7501, 399 Lafayette St. (at East 4th)

Upper West Side lobster craze: Compass Restaurant, located on 70th Street between Amsterdam and West End avenues, is offering a special “Lobster Sample Sale” from now until February 15th. Highlights include a three-course lobster tasting menu for $35, specially imported Belfast Bay Lobster Ale and a Lobster Martini complete with top-shelf vodka and pickle lobster garnish.

208 West 70th Street, 212-875-8600

Kid's cooking classes: The Jewish Community Center in Manhattan will host a series of classes where children age 4 to 6 actually get to cook. Sixteen sessions — from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. — run through June 2. The price is $610 for members and $760 for nonmembers. A series of 15 classes held at the same time for kids 7 to 9 will last through June 3. The price is $570 for members and $730 for nonmembers. 334 Amsterdam Avenue (at 76th Street), jccmanhattan.org

Tags: compass restaurant, astor center, jcc, food

Goodbye Parkway, Hello new train to AC

Wednesday February 4, 2009 5:41 AM By Lucy Blatter

ACES's first class section

By Karen Tina Harrison

Special to amNewYork

Atlantic City is the Madonna of destinations—a longtime favorite that keeps reinventing itself. The latest surprise from Jersey’s gaming and dining mecca is a glamorous train direct from NYC to AC. Beginning this Friday, the new ACES train furnishes a classy alternative to the usual bus or car shlep.ACES—Atlantic City Express Service—runs Fridays through Sundays from Penn Station, also stopping in Newark. Coach fare ($50 each way) or first-class seating ($75) offers cushy leather recliners and a hangout snack bar. (Don’t miss Selma’s brownie.) When you arrive, your complimentary hotel transfer awaits.

ACES is masterminded by AC's top casino resorts: Caesars Atlantic City,

Harrah's Resort Atlantic City and Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. If you haven't

frolicked on AC's boardwalk lately, get a room, book an ACES seat and load Madge

onto your iPod.

For ACES details, schedules and reservations, visit www.acestrain.com.

Tags: atlantic city, aces train, travel

A simple life told in puppetry

Tuesday February 3, 2009 3:59 PM By Emily Ngo

(Courtesy: St. Ann's Warehouse)

Theater fanatics — and even those who dabble — have only days to catch "Disfarmer," the most recent production at DUMBO's "St. Ann's Warehouse." Its run ends on Feb. 8.

The play focuses on the lonely life of Mike Disfarmer, a small-town photographer with an irrational fear of tornadoes. It drags a bit — after all Disfarmer's life is not meant to be exciting, but masterful puppetry, a spirited soundtrack and the weaving-in of photographs keep the audience engaged.

The New York Times and Gothamist liked it for the most part. It's worth checking out.

— Emily Ngo

Tags: theater, brooklyn, arts

New Yorkers turn homes into movie sets

Tuesday February 3, 2009 3:55 PM By Garett Sloane

"Adam," a film that won high praise at this year's Sundance Film Festival,

was filmed on location at an Upper West Side church in 2007.

By Rebecca Wolfson

Special to amNewYork

Some New Yorkers get paid to mingle with movie stars.

With a vibrant film production industry in the city, crews are always scouting for homes, stores or restaurants to shoot in. For the owners of these locations it can mean a big payday.

“You’ll have a big crew come into your apartment for the day and transform your home, and leave you at the end of the day and it looks like it did before, and you’re holding a check in your hand,” said John Hutchinson, a location manager in the city.Ravi Derossi, owner of the Bourgeois Pig and Death & Co., earns $3,000 to $10,000 a day when he rents his two East Village bars for shoots. Crews from MTV, Vogue magazine and Hennessy have found inspiration at his bars.

The city doesn’t track how many times film are shot at private locations, but the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting said they probably trend the same as public shoots. Last year, the city logged 27,251 location shooting days, which was down from a peak of 34,718 in 2006 but still well above the low of 14,848 in 2002.

Leslie Urdang, a film producer, shoots heavily in New York City. She recently produced “Adam,” a Sundance Film Festival favorite, and it was filmed at the Church of Saint Paul and Saint Andrew on the Upper West Side.

The film crew worked at the church for about two weeks and the producers paid to relocate some of the residents to hotels. Urdang did not say how much or if the church was paid, but said, in general, pay ranges from $500 a day for small productions to tens of thousands of dollars for bigger ones.

She said locations can be found through realtors or through the mayor’s film office, but they are also discovered randomly.

“Sometimes it’s about knocking on the doors of total strangers and asking if they’d like to have their home, store, restaurant, corner deli in the movie,” she said.

For some people, hosting film crews is worth the hassle while others — in typical New York fashion — would rather not be bothered, Hutchinson said.

“Some people love it,” he said. “Their kids get a kick out of it, eat at the catering truck with the crew, take pictures with stars and see how a film is made, other people see it as an invasion.”

Laura Wagner, the director of film locations at Sotheby’s International Realty, specializes in matching film crews with locations.

“New York is a special city, there is no other city like New York,” it offers a range of places to film from lofts to bistros, uptown, downtown and outlying boroughs, she said.

Sotheby’s deals with luxury locales, but less-polished New York spaces are in demand, too, Hutchinson said.

“There’s a need for every kind of location eventually,” Hutchinson said. “Sometimes they need something really big, or small, or elegant, or really drab. Sometimes they want a place that looks like a grandmother has lived there for 6o years and hasn’t changed.”

Tags: movies, movie set, on location, new york city, film shoots, restaurants, economy

Yankee fans hot and cold on Torre book

Tuesday February 3, 2009 2:36 PM By Pete Catapano

Joe Torre is driven around by the Cardinals mascot in 2005. (Getty Photo)

As Joe Torre returned to New York on Tuesday to promote his controversial memoir of his time in the Bronx, the "The Yankee Years," we asked fans around town to chime in on the book:

“I’m ambivalent. It’s just to sell books. I don’t think I’ll read it.”

— Jim Booth, Red Bank, N.J.

“I don’t think people should talk until they’ve read the book. I don’t want to hear what other people have to say about it. I want to read it.”

— Mike Eppler, Flemington, N.J.

"Joe Torre was a good coach, and he did everything he could. They shouldn’t even bother him about it. You always have the good and the bad."

- James Hicks, Manhattan

"I want to read it. I’m sure even though he didn’t write it, he is likely to give insight into what the players like A-Rod are really like. You get an insider story. He doesn’t have an axe to grind, I believe what he says."

— Albert Von Chorba, Jersey City

“He was too scared to do it when he was coach, so why now? He doesn’t have any new information, he’s just trying to sell books.”

— Harriet Bush, Manhattan

“I think it’s unusual coming from him, given things he said in the past, about what stays in the clubhouse. A lot of people could have written this book but they didn’t. I’m surprised he’s still managing after this.”

— John Predmore, North N.J.

(Compiled by Andrew Breiner)

Tags: joe torre, yankees

A defensive Torre returns home to promote book

Tuesday February 3, 2009 10:07 AM By Emily Ngo

By Emily Ngo

Joe Torre defended his Yankees memoir yesterday, facing fans for the first time since leaked excerpts began raising the ire of some New Yorkers and players.

At a midtown book-signing, Torre emphasized he had no regrets about the harshness of “The Yankee Years,” co-authored with Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci.

“I can’t help how other people look at the book,” said Torre, who managed the Yankees for 12 years, leading them to four World Series championships. “I know what I wanted the book to be, and I’m pretty comfortable with where it ended up.”

The book blasts third baseman Alex Rodriguez, saying that he was obsessed with Derek Jeter and that teammates called him “A-Fraud,” and questions the judgment of general manager Brian Cashman.

Nasty weather, an hours-long wait and even reports of his less-than-complimentary words about their beloved Yankees, however, couldn’t keep hundreds of supporters from turning out to greet Torre on the day the was book dropped in stores.

“A lot of this stuff is said on the field anyway,” said David Kagan, 37, who arrived seven hours early to claim the first spot in line. The Upper East Side resident asked fellow fans not to judge Torre, who now manages the Los Angeles Dodgers, but “to wait and see what he has to say.”The line of fans, most sporting Yankees caps and carrying the maximum three copies, snaked around the aisles of the Barnes & Noble on Fifth Avenue — the first stop on Torre’s promotional tour — and down the sidewalk outside. Not all of them were fully confident in Torre’s motivations.

Mordy Rothman, 30, admitted that trash-talking belonged in the dugout. “Whatever’s in-house should stay in-house,” said Rothman, of Flatbush. “He should have waited until he was retired [to release the book], but he had something to get off his chest.”

Torre insisted he didn’t breaking clubhouse conduct codes by disclosing information about his 2007 exit and other controversial details.

“I don’t think I violated anything,” he said. “At least, that was my intention.”

Later while being interviewed on WFAN, Torre said he wouldn’t take back anything in the finished product.

“I feel good about it and wouldn’t change anything in it,” he told Mike Francesa. “The stuff I talked about in the clubhouse, it was more to give people a taste and a flavor of what it’s like to be down in the bowels of the ship on everyday basis.”

Torre also told Francesa he didn’t intend for the book to be a tell-all and felt badly when the negative passages were first made public.

Kagan, in line since 5:30 a.m., said he believes in Torre, “a consummate New Yorker” even since his relocation to the West Coast. After scoring an autograph, Kagan said, “He was very nice, and he looks tan.”

Tags: joe torre, sports, yankees

Hot chocolate 101: The ultimate comfort drink

Tuesday February 3, 2009 9:43 AM By Lucy Blatter

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

Throw out the Swiss Miss packets this Valentine’s Day and make hot chocolate from scratch instead.

The packaged variety can’t hold a candle do the decadent, thick and creamy deliciousness of the real thing.

Scott Campbell, executive chef at New Leaf Restaurant and Bar in Fort Tryon Park, offers eight varieties of cocoa on his hot chocolate menu, both virgin and alcoholic. Flavors include lavender and chipotle-cinnamon as well as Frangelico and Grand Marnier.Campbell uses Valrhona Chocolate, but recommends using any chocolate with around 72 percent cocoa content.

His classic hot chocolate (recipe below) features few ingredients — whole milk, cocoa powder, sugar, bittersweet chocolate pieces and vanilla — and serves as a base for other varieties.

Why not add peanut butter or caramel? Campbell suggests adding peanut oil to the peanut butter hot chocolate to homogenize it.

If you like things a bit spicy throw, in some black pepper, or try some cardamom.

In his restaurant Campbell tops his hot chocolate with lavender-infused marshmallows (recipe below) and whipped cream (tips: use high fat cream — around 40 percent fat — and make sure that it’s not overly pasteurized or it won’t whip as well).

Campbell also offers another tip: Pour hot water in and out of a mug before filling it with hot chocolate. This way the drink won’t lose any of its warmth.

Recipes:

Scott Campbell's Hot Chocolate

1 quart milk

3 ounces Valrhona Cocoa Powder

1 1/2 ounces Sugar, Caster

6 ounces Valrhona Chocolate, chunks

1-Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

* Pour milk, sugar and cocoa into a saucepot and bring to a

simmer and add Vanilla extract.

* Reduce heat and add chocolate stirring occasionally until

melted about 3-5 minutes.

* Hot chocolate can be topped off with homemade marshmallows or

whipped cream.

SERVES 6

Lavender Marshmallows

20 Ounces Water

2 Ounces Lavender Flowers,

10 Gelatin Sheets

7-Ounces Water

14-Ounces Sugar

8-Ounces Light Corn Syrup

2 Pounds Powdered Sugar

* Bring 6 ounces of water to a simmer, add lavender flowers and

set aside for 20 minutes to steep.

* Pour 7 ounces of water over gelatin sheets set aside for 20

minutes to absorb water and then drain off excess water.

* Pour 7 ounces of water, 14 ounces of sugar, and 4 ounces of

light corn syrup into a heavy stainless saucepot. Bring to a simmer and

cook mixture until it reaches 240 degrees or softball stage.

* Pour softball stage sugar mixture into a mixing bowl with

lavender Flower water, gelatin mixture and 4 ounces of light corn syrup.

* Start mixing ingredients at low speed and as mixture starts to

become frothier, increase speed of mixer. When marshmallow reach stiff

peaks and are firm pour marshmallow over a half of box of sifted

powdered sugar and spread out with a palate knife until it reached _

inches thick and cover with the remaining box of sifted powdered sugar.

*Refrigerate for an hour or overnight and cut into 1-inch

cubes.

SERVES 6

Tags: hot chocolate, scott campbell, new leaf restaurant and bar, food

Lego New York

Tuesday February 3, 2009 9:26 AM By Emily Hulme

By Emily Hulme

Artist Christoph Niemann blogs over at the New York Times about missing NYC and recreating his beloved city out of Legos. Above, is his facsimile of a sidewalk full of newspaper boxes, including amNewYork! We're free and we're awesome!

Here's another favorite of mine:

Tags: stuff that's cool

Served with a side of love

Tuesday February 3, 2009 8:10 AM By Lucy Blatter

The Social Table is offering a "Guy's Night: How to Cook for Two" class for Valentine's Day. The city is full of cooking classes next week. Photo credit: Josh Merwin

By Elaine Paoloni

Special to amNewYork

In light of the weak economy, home kitchens will be heating up this Valentine’s Day.

If your idea of cooking is making your mom’s green bean casserole, you might want to think again.

While you’ll still have to fork over some money, taking a one-time class can teach valuable lessons on how to dazzle your loved one’s palate for days to come.

Here are a few to check out:

French-kissed

You’ll feel right at home in Miette Culinary Studio's quaint Village townhouse.

At its “Food and Wine Pairing for Valentine’s Day” class, head chef Paul Vandewoude will demonstrate French cooking techniques.

Worried about wine pairing? Consult the on-site sommelier about the three wines offered with the meal. On the menu is black bean soup, chicken potpie, arugula salad and crème brûlée. (109 Macdougal St., 212-460-9322, Mietteculinarystudio.com; Feb. 13, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.; $130 per person)Just for men

Ladies beware — the men are taking over the kitchen at The Social Table’s “Guy’s Night: How to Cook for Two” class.

Chef-owner Rebecca Goldfarb will help them win women’s hearts with dishes such as seared scallops with beurre blanc and parsnip puree, crispy duck breast with Port reduction and chocolate soufflé. The class is BYOB, with pairing suggestions provided beforehand. (646-649-4533, 306 W. 51st St., Thesocialtable.com; Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.; $75 per person)

Keep the fire burning

Learn the art of creating aphrodisiac delights at Pamplona’s “Seduce Your Spouse” event.

Chef-owner Alex Ureña and his partner, Martine Gren Ureña, will teach a hands-on class focused on Spanish cuisine and wines. (37 E. 28th St., 212-213-2328, Pamplonanyc.com; Feb. 7, noon to 4 p.m.; $65 per person)

Kitchen companion

If you don’t mind shopping for the groceries and cleaning up, Home Cooking New York's two-and-a-half-hour class brings the fun home.

One of three staff chefs will cook with you in your own kitchen and recommend wines. The “Romantic Dinner for Two” includes goat cheese soufflé, filet mignon with wild mushroom ragù, string beans with pistachio-shallot butter and dark chocolate mousse, but students can edit the menu. (917-803-6857, Homecookingny.com; call to schedule; $300 per one or two people)

Classic Love Story

“A Menu for Valentine’s Day” at Camaje is nothing short of romantic, with some delicious French favorites. Chef-owner Abigail Hitchcock will show a class of six students how to make dishes such as oysters mignonette, black sea bass, raclette potatoes and crème brulee. (85 Macdougal St., 212-673-8184, Camaje.com; Feb. 11, 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.; $105 per person or $190 per two people)

Tags: just for men

Viral video: Taking the tricycle to another level

Tuesday February 3, 2009 8:04 AM By Sean Joseph

Stuntbiker Travis Pastrana makes riding a tricycle cool again for people older than five by landing a backflip on one.

Tags: viral video, television, travis pastrana, tricycle

What's in season: Kale

Tuesday February 3, 2009 6:33 AM By Lucy Blatter

By Ben Muessig

Special to amNewYork

Spring is still weeks away, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy fresh greens. Kick off your February with kale, a tough and tasty leaf vegetable.

Kale grows year round, but it's more tender and savory in the winter. This dark green leaf veggie, which is packed with protein and vitamins A and C, is a delicacy throughout Asia and Europe.Chefs often serve raw baby kale in place of lettuce in salads, where it provides a more earthy and bitter flavor. Mature kale is too coarse to be served raw, but it tastes great in soups and stews, or steamed, boiled or sauteed as a side.

"It's best if you sautee it with a lit but of olive oil and a lot of garlic," said Lisa Ossiboff, of Philips Farms in Milford, New Jersey.

Fresh kale costs about $2.75 per bunch.

Kale with garlic and cranberries

Ingredients:

2 pounds kale, stems and center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely torn

1 tablespoon minced garlic 5 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preparation:

1) Cook kale in a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until almost tender (5 to 7 minutes).

2) Drain in a colander then immediately transfer kale to an ice bath to stop cooking.

3) When kale is cool, drain but do not squeeze.

4) Cook garlic in oil in same pot over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

5) Add kale, dried cranberries, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and cook, tossing frequently with tongs until kale is heated through and tender (about 4 to 6 minutes).

Recipe courtesy of epicurious.com

Tags: what's in season, kale, food

New York taxpayers to face audit push

Monday February 2, 2009 4:47 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

New Yorkers, prepare for the great tax hunt of 2009.

The state is looking to audit more taxpayers this year, and it is hiring an additional 300 people to help do it, said Tom Bergin, a spokesman for the Department of Taxation and Finance.

With the state facing a record $15 billion budget deficit and the weakening economy cutting into revenue, going after tax cheats is a sure-fire way to bring in money.

“There is a big push at the IRS and at the state to use the collection ability to help reduce the budget deficits,” said Donald Koch, a CPA and tax attorney in Manhattan. “They see the collection of tax debt and the creation of debt as a means to alleviate the inability to collect enough taxes.”

The additional full-time hires by the state, Bergin said, would increase the staff charged with “audit, collection and enforcement” to about 5,000.

Bergin would not say how many additional audits the state plans — or who they will go after — but accountants and lawyers say people who are self-employed, own small businesses or work from home are likely to be targeted for audits. Uncle Sam readily admits that this is a group that will see increased scrutiny this year.

“Underreporting in the self-employed area is higher than people who get a W2 and work for a boss,” said Kevin McKeon, a spokesman for the IRS.The federal government overall has been increasing audits for the last decade: In 2007, the agency examined 0.9 percent of tax returns in the United States, more than double the percentage in 2000.

“They’re really cracking down,” said Craig Venokur, a Manhattan-based accountant.

Venokur said one of his clients claimed deductions for a home office and the IRS recently sent someone to his apartment to check it out.

“This is the first time in 15 years I’ve seen them want to go to the taxpayer’s residence,” he said.

For the state, collecting unreported sales tax from businesses is also a high priority, according to accountants, as is going after the “use tax,” which must be paid on certain goods purchased either outside the state or over the Internet.

Venokur said he was at a conference recently at which a state tax official told accountants they would not be spared the aggressive push.

“He said they have no problem putting (tax) preparers in jail and they won’t think twice about it,” Venokur said. “They want their money.”

Tags: economy

Subway lost and found goes on-line

Monday February 2, 2009 4:45 PM By Marlene Naanes

By Marlene Naanes

New York City Transit’s archaic lost and found system is about to enter the 21st century.

A new Web site being launched today, http://advisory.mtanyct.info/lostfound/, will allow riders who forget items on buses or subways to submit an online inquiry and receive an email response if there is a match.

Those who choose to venture to the depths of the 34th Street and 8th Avenue station to the actual lost and found can use a kiosk to submit an online inquiry and, if the item is there, pick it up. People can also track their requests online.Previously, riders had to navigate a frustrating route that often included numerous phone calls and trips to check if their belongings had turned up.

“Over the years, Transit’s Lost Property Unit has been the last stop for all things left on subway trains, in stations and buses,” said agency President Howard Roberts. “But it has been done pretty much the same way it was when the system was opened more than a century ago."

Riders lose about 19,000 pieces of personal property a year. Last year, 42 percent of them were returned.

At 2007 MTA Inspector General report criticized that record and blamed inefficiency in the system.

Tags: mta, lost and found, subway, new york city transit

Plastic bag tax would apply citywide

Monday February 2, 2009 2:27 PM By Jason Fink

A proposed plastic bag tax would hit shoppers not just at grocery stores but at all retailers, a change expected to bring in vastly more money to the cash-strapped city.

Facing a deficit that has now ballooned to a projected $4 billion for next fiscal year, the city has revised its bag tax and now expects it to generate $84 million, up from the $16 million the mayor’s office estimated in its November budget plan.

“When we went back to study the plastic bag fee proposal, we broadened who the proposal applies to,” said Jason Post, a spokesman for Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “We want to use the fee to discourage use of plastic bags from more sources than just grocery stores.”

The fee is actually a tax, and as such would require state legislative approval.

Shoppers would pay 5 cents per plastic bag, down from the 6-cent charge proposed in November.

The tax is one of a slew of measures laid out in Bloomberg’s Fiscal Year 2010 budget proposal, unveiled last week, aimed at helping the city shore up its finances.

Bloomberg also proposed cutting 23,000 city jobs — including 14,000 teachers and 1,000 police officers — asking municipal employees to contribute to their health plans and raising parking meter rates.

-Jason Fink

Tags: city hall dispatch

Viral video: The hamster did it

Monday February 2, 2009 10:44 AM By Sean Joseph

A hamster, who is apparently serving time in a Florida jail, is also a suspected kidnapper, according to a Massachusetts TV station.

Tags: viral video, television, hamster

Valentine's Day travel deals

Monday February 2, 2009 10:30 AM By Lucy Blatter

AppleWood Manor Inn in North Carolina, offers a romance package.

By Emily Mathis

Wanna go away for a little relaxation and romance? These deals are or you:

Romance in D.C.

From February 9th to February 15th the Willard InterContinental — located a stone’s throw from the White House, Smithsonian museums, and downtown culture — is offering several romantic get-away packages.

For $419 the “Heart to Heart” package includes one night’s accommodation for two in a superior guest room, breakfast for two, and champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries. Upgrade to the $820 package and get romantic goodies and a 50-minute couple’s massage.

Or for $2,500 stay in the one-of-a-kind Jenny Lind Suite, complete with unprecedented views, a sunken Jacuzzi for two, and multi-level rooms, plus get an American breakfast in bed, romantic bath amenities, a poetry book and CD, and a return visit gift certificate. The hotel also offers a three- or five-course dinner package and numerous spa treatments. 202-628-9100, 1-800-827-1747, or washington.intercontinental.comA quiet Vegas getaway?

From now through March 31 the Signature at MGM is boasting a $159 per night package that promises to offer an intimate getaway to the Sin City. Upon arrival, couples are given chocolate covered berries and champagne and at night are offered a rose petal turn-down service.

For $100 more, get a private in-suite dinner for two or tickets to a Billy Joel concert (ranging from $75 to $125). The hotel’s spa is offering chocolate truffle pedicures, raspberry truffle massages, or a couple’s chocolate treatment. 1-877-727-0007 (use booking code "ROMNC09").

Love in the mountains

One of Asheville, North Carolina's oldest Bed and Breakfasts, the antique AppleWoodManor Inn, is offering a $450 two-night romance package. Begin each day with a three-course breakfast, take advantage of the nature, history, and culture of Asheville, and come back for a formal afternoon tea. The deal also includes a dozen roses and in-room beverages.

800-442-2197 or visit applewoodmanor.com

Southwest vacation

The Enchantment Resort located on 70 acres of the Coconino National Forest in Sedona, Arizona, is offering a couple package for Valentine’s Day that’s activity-filled. Stay in an adobe-style room with outdoor deck, take a sweetheart yoga class, attend a chocolate-cooking demonstration, go to an Aura Soma Color Reading, and listen to a lecture on valuing each other for just $295 per night. 928-204-6000 or enchantmentresort.com

Tags: valentine's day vacations, travel

India, with a Portuguese twist

Monday February 2, 2009 9:25 AM By Lucy Blatter

Fisherman line the beaches in South Goa. Photo credit: Lucy Blatter

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

Made famous in the 1960s as a haven for hippies, Goa is a go-to resort for Indian and foreign tourists alike.

The influence of the Portuguese, who controlled Goa for 450 years, can still be seen its architecture, food, and large Christian community.The northern and the southern parts of this relatively small Indian state have very different vibes — they both have beaches, but the north has more of a party atmosphere, with the largest share of bars and clubs. The south is filled with lower-key resorts.

While there, be sure to sample fresh fish curries. The brave can try Feni, a potent liquor that comes in cashew and coconut varieties.

To stay

Accommodations in Goa run the gamut from beach huts to upscale resorts, many of which offer all-inclusive packages.

Like everything in India, hotel prices are negotiable.

Beach huts

For a real adventure, stay in one of Goa’s many huts right on the beach — and steps away from the Arabian Sea. The simple, no-frills spaces cost about $20 a night. www.goa-beaches.com

Heritage Village Club

An all-inclusive package, a pool and a private beach make this South Goa spot ideal for families. Rooms are modern and clean, with a nightly rate (including all meals and drinks) around $180. Most guests book package deals, so the price can be less.

Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa

One of South Goa’s very best hotels, this luxurious spot has a world-class spa and spacious rooms. Expect to pay Western prices. Goa.park.hyatt.com

Don’t miss

Dudhsagar Falls

Chilling water cascades almost 2,000 feet down a cliff at this beautiful spot where monkeys and wildlife abound.

Palolem Beach

Dubbed “Paradise Beach,” white sand, palm trees and low green mountains combine to make this one of the best beaches in India.

Savoi Plantation

This 100-acre organic plantation features spices and fruits such as pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla, bananas and guavas. www.savoiplantations.com

Anjuna Flea Market

Every Wednesday, Anjuna is the place to go for bargains on everything from colorful sarongs to metal bangles.

Jungle Book tour

During this overnight adventure, guests stay in mud huts built on an elephant conservation center. They ride elephants and, in the morning, get a “power shower” straight from the elephants’ trunks. The Jungle book package is 6,500 rupees per person, and includes four meals and many activities. Goaecotourism.com

For more information, go to findall-goa.com

Know Before You Go

Currency: At press time, 48.9 rupees = 1 dollar (check xe.com for up-to-date conversion rates).

Getting there:

By air: There are no direct flights from New York to Goa. You’ll have to fly into Delhi or Mumbai and make your way from there. Kingfisher, Jet Airways and Air India are among the carriers that’ll take

you. Prices are reasonable too.

By train: The train, albeit more affordable, can take between 12 and 17 hours to and from Mumbai. Be forewarned: Indian trains are much more “rustic” than European trains, so you might want to go with first class.

Getting a visa:

Travisa Outsourcing handles visas for India. While in most cases you can drop off your visa application and passport and pick up your passport with visa in the afternoon, leave plenty of time for delay, just in case. Applications sent by mail take about three to five working/business days to process from the date of receipt. A 6 Months Multiple Entry visa is $60.00, plus a $13 transaction fee. https://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com

Tags: goa, india

Olympian Phelps in hot water over photo

Monday February 2, 2009 5:39 AM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

It’s a long way from the cover of a Wheaties box.

The bombshell photo published yesterday of swimmer Michael Phelps smoking a marijuana pipe — and his subsequent admission of “regrettable” behavior — seems to have tarnished the golden boy, whose eight first place finishes at the Beijing Olympics broke a world record.

“It’s bad only because he’s a role model,” said Ricardo Figueroa, 29, of Manhattan.

Phelps, who has developed a reputation for hard partying since the summer games in Beijing, released a contrite statement.

“I’m 23 years old and despite the successes I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way,” he said. “For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.”

The photo, published in the British tabloid, News of the World, was reportedly taken at a November party in South Carolina and shows him inhaling from a bong. The newspaper also quoted people at the party saying he was knocking back shots of liquor.

It is not the first public blemish for Phelps, whose image as a wholesome momma’s boy was cemented by shots of his mother cheering him on poolside in Beijing during the summer.It’s yet not clear how much his wild antics will damage his endorsement value, estimated just after the Olympics to be about $40 million.

“Being linked to drug use is, of course, a potentially bigger blow to his marketing star, although history shows that marketers will often keep signing checks to even problematic athletes if they continue to perform at such a rarified level as Mr. Phelps has,” according to an article posted yesterday on the Advertising Age magazine Web site.

David Salvage, a Manhattan psychiatrist who has treated athletes and actors for substance abuse, said that someone with as rigorous a training regimen as Phelps can only sustain that level of discipline for so long.

“We often see after a particular event or award or something, the id reasserts itself and says, ‘I want pleasure,’” Salvage said.

It remains to be seen, he added, whether the incident represents “playful exploration” or something more serious.

Yesterday, the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency said that unlike performance-enhancing drugs, marijuana use would not trigger any sanctions against Phelps unless it was during competition, so his Gold medals appear to be safe.

However, that didn’t stop the U.S. Olympic Committee from expressing disappointment.

“Michael is a role model and he is well aware of the responsibilities and accountability that come with setting a positive example for others, particularly young people,” the USOC said. “In this instance, regrettably, he failed to fulfill those responsibilities.”

Emily Ngo and the AP contributed to this story.

Tags: sports

Extreme commuter: $34, three hours to get to work

Monday February 2, 2009 5:15 AM By Marlene Naanes

By Marlene Naanes

Joseph Ambrose gave up a 30-minute commute to work two years ago for a dream job in Manhattan that cost him three hours and $34 each way from his home in a Philadelphia suburb.

“It’s probably the last hurrah, big hurrah of my career,” said Ambrose, 52, vice president of an insurance company in Lower Manhattan. “It’s the job I want to retire from ... and that’s why you do it.”

To get to work by about 8:35 a.m., Ambrose leaves his Swarthmore, Pa., home at 6 a.m. and takes a total of four trains: two subways, Amtrak and SEPTA (Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority). His commute home can last up to three hours, depending on train schedules.Then there’s the time lost with his two teenaged children. Ambrose said he tries to make the most of it after work and on the weekends.

“You really have to trade quantity for quality with family,” he said.

For the most part, the commute is swift and filled with friendly people who can relate to the travel woes, Ambrose said. Typically, the hour-and-a-half trip on the Amtrak is mundane, with many people trying to catch up on sleep during the ride.

However, last year, then vice-presidential hopeful Joe Biden brought some excitement and star power to a few of Ambrose’s Amtrak trips.

“He doesn’t even sit in business class. He sits normally in regular, so he’s a pretty cool guy,” Ambrose said. “He says hello to people and people would say hello to him.”

If you would like to have your extreme commute profiled, contact Marlene Naanes. For more amNewYork videos, go to our youtube channel.

Tags: transportation

'Hair' actor: Let the Bam shine

Sunday February 1, 2009 2:01 PM By Julie Gordon

Gavin Creel (Claude) from "Hair" (AP)

By Julie Gordon

We’re pretty sure President Barack Obama’s social calendar is booked solid, but hopefully he’ll consider this plea from a cast member of the upcoming Broadway revival of “Hair.”

“I’m going to hang [Obama’s] picture on my mirror and stare at it every day and will him to come to the show,” actor Gavin Creel (Claude) told us at a meet-and-greet with the cast on Friday. “Then I’ll invite him to my dressing room for a glass of wine and we can talk about marriage equality and things that are important to me.”

Hair, dubbed "The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical," opens on March 31, with previews starting on March 6.

Tags: hair, gavin creel, theater

Viral video: Angry skater

Sunday February 1, 2009 10:34 AM By Sean Joseph

This skater can’t land his jump and hurts himself even more by throwing his board in disgust.

Tags: viral video, television, skateboard