Urbanite

NYC cemeteries dying from neglect

Wednesday May 27, 2009 7:47 PM By Pete Catapano

A view of the overgrown graveyard at Prospect Cemetery in Jamaica, Queens. (Photo RJ Mickelson/amNY)

By Rolando Pujol

The deceased outnumber the living in New York, a reminder that the city is as much a metropolis as it is a necropolis.

That reality is easy to miss, yet tiny cemeteries lie tucked on Manhattan side streets, and 20,000 souls rest fitfully beneath Washington Square Park. 

But then there are dozens of smaller historic cemeteries, some of which have been neglected. In certain cases, these outer-borough cemeteries have become trash dumps and havens for drug addicts. They become overgrown with weeds, trees, or worse, attract grave vandals.

Neglected sacred ground

As even more small cemeteries become full and thus lose income, the problem may only worsen, activists say. Solutions can be elusive, and were it not for volunteers and preservationists who essentially adopt them, their descent could be unstoppable.Several other factors shape their fate -- demographic changes, ownership questions and scarcity of funds among them.

"Everyone thinks it's sinister or horrible, but basically, it's a business. They can't sell new graves, they can't have an income, they can't hire a maintenance guy," said Lynn A. Rogers, executive director of Friends of Abandoned Cemeteries of Staten Island.

Prospect Cemetery in Jamaica

Cate Ludlam understands these problems all too well. She has led an effort to restore Prospect Cemetery in Jamaica, where her forefathers are buried.

Ludlam has rescued Prospect by raising funds and marshaling volunteers. The centerpiece is a once derelict 1850s chapel, which gleams anew as a performance venue.

A landscape architect will craft plans to restore the grounds, thick with vegetation despite earlier clearings.

Bayside Cemetery in Ozone Park

In Ozone Park, Bayside Cemetery, a Jewish burial ground, has fallen into a breathtaking decline, with vast vegetation overgrowth and vandalized crypts. A lawsuit against the Manhattan synagogue that founded it in the 19th century, Shaare Zedek of the Upper West Side, awaits a court hearing next month.

John Lucker, who filed the class-action suit, sees no excuse. His grandparents are buried there.

The suit’s allegations include that the synagogue ignored legal obligations to preserve the graves and misappropriated funds for their care.

The synagogue is fighting the allegations and is seeking a motion to dismiss. Rabbi Julia Andelman calls Bayside’s state distressing but the suit destructive. She said most of the cemetery was sold to scores of now defunct burial societies, which once looked after their parcels. A new nonprofit group to aid Jewish cemeteries, CAJAC, has begun restoration.

Friends of the dead on SI

On Staten Island, Friends of Abandoned Cemeteries has been rescuing cemeteries since 1981.

Aside from marshalling volunteers and focusing on maintenance, it’s vital to tease out the stories of the dead and publicize them, Rogers said. "You need to make it a productive, useful place."

Still, simple societal callousness may ultimately be to blame.

"Young people are not being raised with a sense of their own history or sense of roots … I know people who don't know where their parents are buried. I think that's very sad," Ludlam said.

***

New York is home to many famous bones, and they reside in some of the most unexpected places. Let's forget Green-Wood and look at some interesting celebrities who are buried in our midst:

1.) Ichabod Crane

Yes, a fellow by that name did exist, and his appearance is said to have in part inspired Washington Irving's schoolteacher in "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."

Cemetery: New Springville Cemetery (Asbury Methodist), Staten Island status: semi-abandonded.

2.) Preserved Fish

Yes, he may not be famous today, but his name always draws guffaws. Preserved was once a common name, and Fish just happened to be the poor guy's last name.

Cemetery: The New York City Marble Cemetery, East Village Status: Protected

3.) Clement Clark Moore

The Chelsea resident is often credited with writing " A Visit from St. Nicholas." You and I know it as "'Twas the Night before Christmas.:"

Cemetery: Trinity Church Cemetery and Mausoleum, Washington Heights Status: Protected

4.) Peter Stuyvesant

Stuyvesant Town. Stuyvesant High School. Bedford-Stuyvesant. His Dutch name is everywhere, and "Old Peg Leg" was a crucial figure in early Gotham history.

Cemetery: St. Mark in-the-Bowery, East Village Status protected

5.) Former President Ulysses S. Grant

This is but an excuse to trot out an old joke. Who's buried in Grant's Tomb? Nobody. But the Civil War general and his wife are entombed there.

Grant's Tomb, Morningside Heights Status: Protected

Blink and you’ll miss them: 4 Manhattan cemeteries you probably never heard of but have walked right past

1.) The two Marble Cemeteries of the East Village

They are separate cemeteries, but are located near each other in the East Village. New York Marble Cemetery is between East 2nd and 3rd streets, between Second Avenue and Bowery. New York City Marble Cemetery is at 52 to 74 E. First St., between First and Second avenues.

2.) Twenty First Streeet in Chelsea,Cemetery

On West 21st Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues, Congregation Shearith Israel’s third city cemetery was closed to burials in 1851 when Manhattan burials south of 86th Street were prohibited.

3.) Milligan Street Cemetery

It’s the second cemetery of Congregration Shearith Israel and hasn’t seen a burial since 1829. Find it on 11th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues.

Sources: “The Graveyard Shift” by Carolee Inskeep and Forgotten NY

Tags: grant's tomb, cemetery, clement clark moore, ichabod crane, friends of abandoned cemeteries, endangered nyc

City to roll out cab sharing program

Wednesday May 27, 2009 7:44 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

The city has a hunch that cab riders won’t mind cozying up to save cash.

The Taxi and Limousine Commission is looking to usher in two fare-sharing programs this fall that would allow strangers to double up or in same cases triple or quadruple up to save on fares.

“In these tough economic times, it’s not bad for passengers to pay less and for drivers to earn more,” said TLC Commissioner Matthew Daus.

The innovative programs would:

• Install fare-sharing meters in 1,000 cabs to allow strangers to split ride costs• Put up LED signs on cab roofs that display where the car is heading

• Set up group cab stands at six midtown locations that operate during the morning rush hour

• Establish a fixed set of rates between major destinations, including Penn Station, the Port Authority and Grand Central

A ride from Penn Station to 59th and Sixth Avenue, for example, would cost $4 a person instead of the average of $6, according to a TLC presentation to be introduced during a meeting Thursday. The $45 flat fare, plus tolls, to JFK airport would plunge by one-third.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg pushed for the plan, which will be tested for one year, to decrease pollution and build on the cab sharing that took place during the 2005 transit strike, Daus said.

Up to four riders could board one cab in the group-ride scenario. Currently, the average is 1.4 passengers per trip, the TLC said.

The programs look to increase cab availability while making rides cheaper. The TLC said drivers would benefit from more revenue because of the steadier stream of trips and multiple fares.

The programs would be open to all drivers, the TLC said.

Tags: cabs, new york, transit

Clean energy options, close to home

Wednesday May 27, 2009 7:24 PM By Emily Ngo

(Getty)

President Barack Obama toured a field of solar energy panels Wednesday in Nevada, but you can have a look at alternative energy options a little closer to home.

Local business leaders, members of PAC MoveOn.org and other New Yorkers are hosting a showcase of clean energy businesses in the area Thursday night. Pointing out that "investment in a clean energy economy will have quick economic benefits and create jobs here at home," the event will feature the city's first solar-powered "Green Energy, Arts, and Education Center."

Who: Progressive political action committee MoveOn.org

What: Clean Energy Jobs Day

When: Thursday, May 28 at 6 p.m.

Where: Solar1, on the East River below 23rd Street

For more on the campaign, visit MoveOn.org.

Tags: moveon, solar power, media, manhattan, environment

Comptroller's race shaping up as most heated campaign of summer

Wednesday May 27, 2009 6:30 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

With the Democratic nomination for mayor all but locked up by Comptroller Bill Thompson, the race to succeed him appears to be the most competitive primary, as the four front-runners try to position themselves as the party’s future stars.

“This is really Round 1 for the next generation of Democratic politicians,” said Doug Birdsell, dean of the Baruch College for Public Affairs.

Thompson, the party’s presumed mayoral nominee, is facing an uphill battle against billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who may spend $100 million on his campaign.Whoever gets the Democratic nod to replace Thompson will not face much opposition in November and can spend the next four years gearing up for 2013, political observers say.

“The comptroller’s race is the big game in town and that’s going to be the thing that probably defines the next mayoral campaign,” said Joe Mercurio, a Democratic political strategist.

Wednesday, following Rep. Anthony Weiner’s (D-Brooklyn/Queens) withdrawal from the mayor’s race, the four top comptroller candidates - city council members John Liu, 42, of Flushing; Melinda Katz, 43, of Forest Hills; David Weprin, 56, of Hollis and David Yassky, 45, of Brooklyn – showed unity by endorsing Thompson on the steps of City Hall, even as they answered questions about their own contest.

“The comptroller’s race will shape the future of the party,” Yassky said.

Liu called it “the hottest race in town.”

There is a primary for public advocate, though Mark Green, who held the position for two terms,

appears to be the front-runner, with the backing of 42 percent of voters in a four-man race, according a recent Marist poll.

Thompson will face Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside) in the primary but few expect it to be close.

Tags: comptroller, mayor's race, primary, politics

MTA moves to reduce "eyes and ears" of system

Wednesday May 27, 2009 6:09 PM By Heather Haddon

MTA station agents will likely be reduced to help the agency cut $200 million in expenses. (Photo by Andrew Hinderaker)

By Heather Haddon

The MTA voted Wednesday to phase out its subway station agents jobs, despite the concerns of rider advocates that fewer eyes underground will make the system less safe.

The MTA plans to eliminate 150 station agents through attrition this year and 120 more in 2010, according to agency documents. At an average loss of 10 agents a month, the red vested subway reps will vanish from city platforms within the next seven years, a NYC Transit spokesman said.

“While it makes sense to look for imaginative ways to save money, this is not a smart way to do it,” said city Comptroller William Thompson.

MTA officials pledged to man all 468 stations with at least one full-time token clerk 24 hours a day.

The agency moved forward with the $3 million cut yesterday along with 105 other cost-cutting measures to help close a $200 million budgetary hole remaining after a state bailout, officials said. In total, the MTA expects to eliminate more than 1,200 jobs next year across its divisions.“We have to have a balanced budget and the economy is slipping away from us,” said MTA board chair Dale Hemmerdinger, while discussing the cuts last week.

Transit started the station agent program in 2005 as MetroCard machines made token clerks more obsolete. The agents assist passengers with directions, opening security gates and radioing in security hazards.

“I’m worried about it,” Valentina Nezaj, 19, of Brooklyn, said of the agent cuts. “They say in the posters, if you need to report something, tell the station agent.”

Norman Pou, a current station agent who has worked in the subways for 18 years, said he calls for help at least four times a day to report accidents, lost children and unruly passengers.

“Many stations are desolate,” Pou said. “If there’s no one there, there’s no one to help.”

Tags: subways, station agents, new york city, transit

Tim Zagat talks restaurants

Wednesday May 27, 2009 5:56 PM By Lucy Blatter

Tim Zagat is the creator of Zagat Survey.

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

As a rule, Tim Zagat, founder of Zagat Survey will not divulge his favorite restaurants. He leaves that to the reviewers.

But we asked Zagat to give us some of his honest opinions on those that rank highest in his book, the city’s restaurant bible.

Top deli: Barney Greengrass

541 Amsterdam Ave., btwn 86th and 87th sts., 212-724-4707

“It’s a wonderful place to get Jewish soul food,” said Zagat. “It’s like they’ve been pouring brine over the floors for 100 years. It’s a favorite overall on the West Side,” he said.

Top pizza: Lucali

575 Henry St., btwn Carroll St and 1st Pl., Brooklyn,718-858-4086

Zagat admits that he’s never been there, but has heard the square, thin-crust pizza is great. One of his absolute favorites is Patsy’s pizza [in East Harlem], which he grabs every time he’s on his way to his country house in Duchess Country. “It’s thin crust and it’s very well toasted,” he said. But, he added, “nothing divides people like their taste in pizza.”Top seafood: Le Bernardin

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

Zagat described this French restaurant as “elegant to the nth degree French seafood, done by one of the best chefs in America,” referring to Eric Ripert. Zagat also pointed out that very different places, like Milos and Pearl Oyster Bar, often rank second and third. “There’s a lot of really good Greek seafood in the city,” he said.

Top steakhouse: Peter Luger

178 Broadway, Brooklyn, 718-387-7400

“I think we should give them the award in perpetuity,” said Zagat, mentioning that this Williamsburg landmark has ranked No. 1 for more than 20 years. “There’s no one else who’s even close. Year after year they’re running away with it,” he said.

Top Italian: Babbo

110 Waverly Pl.,btwn MacDougal St and Sixth Ave., 212-777-0303

For years, the top Italian honors belonged to Il Mulino, but for the past several years it’s been Babbo. “Between Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich, they are producing brilliant food,” he said. But in the classic style of the Zagat guide, Zagat mentioned one drawback too: “It’s so popular that it can be hard to get in,” he said.

According to Tim …

Tim Zagat’s outlook on the restaurant climate is more positive than many media reports have shown.

“You may become more selective on the menu and you may go to less expensive restaurants,” he said, “but we all have to eat.”

Zagat contends that there’s a huge value in going out to eat. “The vast majority of New York City restaurants are ‘BATH’(Better Alternative To Home) restaurants. Over 500 restaurants in Zagat are less than $25 for dinner. That’s less than you can make it for, especially when you take into account the time it takes you to prepare and clean up,” he said.

Zagat said he’s been through three recessions, and found that generally there are more openings than closings.

Now, he said, is actually a good time to be in the business. “We’re in a restaurant revolution in America,” Zagat said. He cited tax laws that favor eating out(business-related meals can be expensed), white collar jobs that pay their employees’ restaurant meals if they work after 9 p.m. and the largest increase in women in the workforce.

Tags: babbo, peter luger, barney greengrass, lucali, le bernardin, restaurants

Murals murals on the wall

Wednesday May 27, 2009 5:55 PM By Sean Joseph

Tats Cru co-founder Nicer Navario works on part of a 188-foot-long mural for a McDonalds in the Bronx. (Photo by Marie Claire Andrea)

By Sean Joseph

They work long hours and have to put up with rain, sleet, snow and hail — but unlike postal workers, they have to do it while hanging on the side of a building.

New York’s mural artists are hardly a vanishing breed — this boutique business is still a big draw among companies looking to stand out amid the city’s sea of billboards and hanging mesh ads.

But having good artistic skills isn't enough. Painting the side of a building requires strength, endurance and speed.

“What we do is a lot more organic and created to fit in with the surroundings,” said Adrian Moeller, president of Colossal Media, a Williamsburg-based company specializing in hand-painted advertising. “I think that makes gives it more of an impact. It has a viral thing that goes along with it and it resonates with people more.”

Recently, Tats Cru, the graffiti-inspired self-described mural kings, painted a 188-foot-long wall for a McDonald’s in the Bronx. The task was to wipe out old drawings of Grimace and the Hamburglar and replace them with images of the chain’s new healthy menu items. The job was completed in two days by the five-man team, a typical window for project.

McDonald's asked the five-member Tats Cru to leave their tag on their mural so others would be less likely to vandalize it. (Photo by Marie Claire Andrea)

“In the summer time it can be 120-130 degrees with the sun baking buildings,” Moeller said. “We’ve also worked through some brutal winter conditions. One time we painted during an ice storm, and when the ice melted it washed all the paint off the building.”

Most ad space is booked in four-week increments, so a job must be done as soon as possible to ensure advertisers get their money’s worth, Moeller said.

Painting murals also requires strength as equipment and paint may need to be lugged up 30 floors, Moeller said. All Colossal painters are certified riggers, trained to set up scaffolding and lifts.

“The whole trick to painting on a large scale is to take a couple steps back,” said Tats Cru co-founder Nicer Navario. “But when you’re hanging on the side of a wall you don’t have that luxury.”

But no matter where the job is, it always attracts a crowd.

“People are always stopping to take pictures and see how it’s done,” Navario said. “It’s like juggling in front of people — this is our street performance.”

Navario said local graffiti artists are always coming by and asking him how he turned his passion for street art into a business. The companies were pretty mum on what they charge, but a Tats Cru project can run from between $1,000 and $60,000.

“I got the best training — on the side of New York City subway cars,” said Navario, who met the other two Tats Cru co-founders in the 1980s while attending high school in the Bronx. “Little mom-and pop shops started asking us to paint on store-fronts, and we started to find ourselves in demand for bigger projects.”

But these works of art are never long for this world.

“We paint over our stuff all the time; we know it’s not going to be permanent.” Navario said. “It’s not like an artist painting on a canvas that can wrap their arms around it and call it their own property.”

How they do it:

Colossal Media and Tats Cru start with a bare wall as their canvas. But that is where the similarities end. Here is a look at the processes they use:

Colossal Media:

- A client provides the company with artwork for an ad campaign and chooses a location.

- The picture is projected onto a gigantic role of paper.

- Section by section, an outline of the image is created using charcoal dust.

- The 4-by-10 foot sections are pieced together to create a grid for painters to use while working on the wall.

Tats Cru:

- The client describes its ad campaign and may provide a few required images to be used in the mural.

- A simple mock-up, show where some basic images will be located in the project, is created on a computer and sent to the client for approval.

- Once approved, the mock up for the whole project is printed out on one 8-by-10 inch piece of paper.

- The painters free-style the project, referring only occasionally to the mock-up to see where things go.

Tags: tats cru, colossal media, mcdonalds, murals, bronx, manhattan, brooklyn, arts, advertising, signs, neighborhoods

Paella lovers rejoice!

Wednesday May 27, 2009 5:21 PM By Lucy Blatter

The Paella Parade will take place June 7, and attendees will be able to taste nine different chefs' versions. Credit: Getty

Sunday, June 7 marks the first-ever Paella Parade at the new Water Taxi Beach. We spoke to Odila Galer-Noel of Frederick Wildman and Sons, Ltd., importers of El Coto de Rioja wines, the sponsor and organizer of the event.

What will the Paella Parade entail?

Nine restaurants are participating, and each chef will create their own paella.

Some may be very traditional, others might be different. The public will come in, taste them all and wine will flow fairly freely (there will be 2 ounce pours per person with 4 different Spanish wines — white, rose and 2 reds from El Coto De Rioja). They can vote on different categories.What will winners receive?

A five-liter bottle of a Spanish wine (worth about $180-$200). There will be at least 4 or five winners.

What sparked the idea for a Paella Parade?

This is something that we wanted to do for a long time. I got the idea from Valencia, where I went on my honeymoon. There’s a man there who makes the largest pan of paella in the world, and there’s a festival around it.

We wanted to get the Spanish chefs together. There isn’t an association for Spanish chefs, the way there is for French chefs.

Where will the proceeds go?

All the proceeds are going to two organizations: Action Against Hunger and New York City College of Technology (because their students are involved in a lot of the work they do. And they have a wine program in their culinary department).

Paella Parade will take place June 7, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. At the New Water Taxi Beach at Pier 17, South Street Seaport. $25, unlimited paella and wine. Under 12 get in free. (Lucy Cohen Blatter)

Tags: paella parade, food

amNewYork letters to the editor

Wednesday May 27, 2009 4:06 PM By Sara Baumberger

Russia, China empower N. Korea

North Korea can’t survive without the help of China and Russia. Also, Pakistan and Iran for their help in building nuclear weaponry. That’s the problem Washington won’t admit to. Put the squeeze on China, Russia, and you lose potential allies in an area where they have almost none. Cut off all supplies, and maybe the North Koreans will take back their isolated country to join the rest of us. It’s time to serve notice to China, Russia and Iran. They’re using N. Korea to keep the U.S. off balance in order to maintain their own influence as major players in the world.

— Michael Perez, Manhattan

Justices shouldn’t be ‘ordinary’

They say Sonia Sotomayor has “an understanding of how the world works and how ordinary people live.” Maybe these credentials are essential for a community organizer, but definitely not for a Supreme Court justice.

— Victor Maltsev, Rego Park

Cheney’s actions were criminal

Dick Cheney: You protest Obama “criminalizing” your administration’s actions. Outing CIA agents, warrantless wire tapping and torture are crimes! You actually want memos released proving torture yielded information — Republicans don’t get it: The ends don’t justify the means. Why talk all over TV anyway — and not before Congress under oath — when as VP you were nowhere?

— J. Andrew Smith, Bloomfield, N.J.

Tags: letters to the editor

For foodies: This week's dining events and news

Wednesday May 27, 2009 3:17 PM By Lucy Blatter

The Greene Ice Cream launches this week: Nick Morgenstern, pastry chef and owner of Fort Greene’s The General Greene, officially launches The Greene Ice Cream this week. In addition to selling the ice cream to various city restaurants, Morgenstern will offer six rotating flavors of ice cream out of a cart in front of The General Greene. Inaugural flavors include burnt honey vanilla, salted caramel pretzel, the Elvis and bourbon raisin. Mango, blackberry, strawberry rhubarb, raspberry rosewater and lemon vanilla frozen yogurts will also be available. The cart will feature two sizes: one scoop, mini-cones ($2) or standard ($3), additional scoops are $1.50. The cart will be open Mon.-Thurs.,3-11 p.m. and Fri.-Sun., noon-midnight.

229 Dekalb Ave., 718-222-1510

NY’s first Sake Week begins Monday: For five days, the five boroughs will be immersed in sake with a slew of sake-focused activities, such as special menu pairings, special cocktails, and educational events. Highlights include Kyotofu’s strawberry nigori sake parfait, SushiSamba’s cocktail tree filled with sake cocktails, and Alpha Fusion’s complimentary Gekkeikan Sake tasting on June 4 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.Second annual New Taste of the Upper West Side: This Saturday, from 7-9:30 p.m. mingle with 30 celebrated Upper West Side chefs and representatives from more than twenty Long Island vineyards under one tent. Guests can chat with those behind legendary restaurants such as BarBao, Blue Ribbon Sushi, Dovetail, Jacques Torres, Jean Georges, Rosa Mexicano and Shake Shack. The event, which features a food and wine tasting, raises money for the Business Improvement District’s Neighborhood Streetscape Beautification Program. Tickets in advance are $85 for one ticket or $150 for two. Space permitting, $100 tickets will be available at the door. NewTasteUWS.com, 212-721-5048

New York Yoga and Raw Food Expo: This weekend, the New Yorker Hotel (481 Eighth Ave.), transforms into a temporary paradise for yogis of all sorts with yoga classes such as Bikram and Yoga-Pilates fusion, food/diet exhibits and vendors, discussions and workshops with a variety of gurus such as raw foods expert Viktoras Kulvinskas, and a cameo by the 120-year-old yogi Swami Bua. Three-day passes are $30 in advance or $35 at the door. One-day passes are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

NYYogaExpo.com, 516-897-0900

Whole Foods’ Monday cooking classes: Whole Foods Market’s three-part chef series, How I Cook At Home: Recipes from the Home Kitchens of New York Chefs will feature three culinary stars showcasing how they prepare their favorite ingredient at home. From 6:30-9 p.m. on June 1. Julia Jaksic of Employees Only will lead a class on polenta - from picking out the ingredient in the grocery store aisles to preparing it at home. The two and a half hour sessions are limited to 12 people so there is plenty of time to ask one-on-one questions. Tickets are $50

WholeFoodsMarket.com/Stores/BoweryCulinary, 212-420-1320 ext 245

Tags: whole foods, sake, the greene ice cream, sake week

Broadway closures cause some bumps along the ride

Tuesday May 26, 2009 7:35 PM By Heather Haddon

Pedestrians take a break on lounge chairs in the middle of Broadway in Times Square. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

By Heather Haddon

It wasn't quite a nightmare for drivers, but cabbies still griped about the first workday closure of Broadway Tuesday.

“I hope the mayor changes his mind for those who are trying to make a living,” said Nick Pierre, 55, who struggled to pickup passengers at the Marriot Marquis on Broadway Tuesday.

The Department of Transportation has implemented a six-month car ban on five blocks of Broadway in Times Square and two blocks in Herald Square to increase pedestrian space and clamp down on pollution. Chairs and benches now sit where cars once drove between 42nd and 47th streets and 33rd and 35th streets.

“Instead of reading in the train, and getting a headache, I can study here for 15 minutes,” said Paul Son, 29, of Midtown, as he sat in Times Square.Broadway north of 47th street experienced some delays periodically throughout the day, with four lanes of traffic having to merge into two, said Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance. Traffic flowed smoothly down Seventh Avenue, he said, but volume was lighter than usual after the holiday weekend.

“We'll have to see how things go on the weekend,” Tompkins said.

Cars turning off of Broadway at 35th Street experienced some backup at the busy intersection, which runs next to Macy's and leads to the Lincoln Tunnel, said corner coffee vendor Mohammad Mahdi. Cars must maneuver through one lane on 35th, as workers are digging next to an entrance to the Herald Square subway station.

“The traffic is always so bad here,” Mahdi said.

About 50,000 vehicles a day travel through Seventh Avenue and Broadway in Times Square, the DOT estimates. More than 350,000 people walk through the congested area daily.

Traffic moved well through both intersections and the DOT is not planning any immediate changes to the six-month plan, said spokesman Montgomery Dean.

“It's still a work in process and we'll make an adjustments in the coming weeks or months,” Dean said.

Anastasia Economides contributed to this report.

Tags: times square, broadway, transportation

Report: Improve inspections of subway platform saftey

Tuesday May 26, 2009 7:28 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

The MTA needs a sharper ruler in determining what constitutes a safe platform edge, an analysis found.

A report released yesterday found that NYC Transit overlooked safety defects in subway rubbing boards at 16 of the 23 stations surveyed by MTA inspector general’s office.

“We found that this (repair) plan was simply not effective,” said Inspector General Barry Kluger.

The MTA has pledged to fix all of the system’s 1,120 wood and plastic rubbing boards by December. But Kluger questioned whether the agency was detecting all the weak platform edges, which can cause injuries to passengers. Last year, a Q train nearly hit a 14-year-old Brooklyn boy who fell onto the tracks when a wooden board gave way.

Among stations surveyed last year, investigators found:- A transit supervisor decided that a rubbing board hanging off the platform at 116th Street on the C train didn’t need emergency repair

- An edge at the Newkirk Avenue station on the No. 2 line was evaluated as “OK,” “loose” and “in need of repair” by different inspectors, but no one fixed it during the 19-day period.

MTA officials agreed that their approach suffered from “weaknesses,” including a safety requirement that inspectors stand more than two feet away from the platform when assessing the edges.

Going forward, maintenance personnel will examine the rubbing boards up close and from the track level before issuing a report, Transit President Howard Roberts wrote in his response.

“We are developing a process to ensure Stations staff has knowledge of the proper definitions, reporting and notification procedures for platform edge defects,” the MTA said in a statement Tuesday.

Tags: mta, subway, platform, transit

Nightmare MTA cuts live on in street map

Tuesday May 26, 2009 7:07 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

The doomsday service cuts have hit Manhattan — at least on paper.

The most recent edition of the STREETWISE Manhattan map reflects the cuts to bus and subway lines approved by the MTA in March but reversed earlier this month after the state delivered new funding.

The 2009 edition of the ubiquitous laminated street maps show the M line truncating at Broad Street instead of continuing on to Brooklyn during rush hour. Meanwhile, the W and Z lines have simply vanished, as the MTA originally proposed.

“These doomsday maps show how close New York came to subway apocalypse,” said Gene Russianoff, of the Straphangers Campaign.The M6, M8, M10 and M30 bus routes also have disappeared on the flip side of the pocket map, since the MTA was on the brink of eliminating two dozen local bus routes.

A spokeswoman for STREETWISE Maps Inc. said the Sarasota-based company scraped the lines on an early 2009 print run. With Albany unable to agree on funding, the printers didn’t want to advertise service that could vanish. The company would not say how many of their accordion-folded, $6.95 maps were printed with the service cuts.

“This wasn’t an easy decision to make,” spokeswoman Andrika Brown said.

The subway and bus routes will be returned to subsequent editions of the map. Brown did not indicate when this would occur, but said the map is printed frequently because of its popularity.

The MTA declined to comment.

Tags: maps, new york city, transit

Bronx native tapped for high court, would be first Latina justice

Tuesday May 26, 2009 7:01 PM By Jason Fink

President Barack Obama talks with his Supreme Court choice Sonia Sotomayor during the announcement in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

By Jason Fink

and Marlene Naanes

She is a diehard Yankees fan, a self-described “Nuyorican” and a tough judge with a sharp legal mind whose no-nonsense manner was born in the South Bronx of her childhood.

And if President Barack Obama has his way, Judge Sonia Sotomayor, 54, will be the next U.S. Supreme Court justice, completing an incredible journey that began in the Bronxdale Houses public housing complex and found her Tuesday in the East Room of the White House, beaming as she stood next to the president.

“I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences,” said Sotomayor, who will be the first Latina judge on the High Court if confirmed.Those who know her describe Sotomayor, a federal appeals court judge, as a confident, practical jurist who controls the courtroom and focuses on the arguments before her with laser-like precision.

“Her probing mind is very much a trait of her background,” said Cesar Perales, who knew Sotomayor when she served on the board of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund in the 1980s, when he was CEO. “I would hope that during the confirmation hearings, people don't start saying she's pushy. That's the way New Yorkers are.”

While Sotomayor's nomination is expected to pass the Democratic-majority Senate, critics Tuesday blasted what they called an overtly ideological tenure as a judge.

"Judge Sotomayor is a liberal judicial activist of the first order who thinks her own personal political agenda is more important that the law as written," said Wendy Long of the Judicial Confirmation Network. "She thinks that judges should dictate policy, and that one's sex, race, and ethnicity ought to affect the decisions one renders from the bench.”

Thomas Dupree Jr., a deputy assistant attorney general under President George W. Bush, said what he most remembers about Sotomayor, before whom he argued five cases at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, were her rapid-fire questions and ability to get to the heart of a case quickly.

“She will call upon you to defend . . . the weakest parts of your argument and that's what a good judge does,” he said. “When you argue in front of Judge Sotomayor you better be prepared.”

Sotomayor, whose parents came form Puerto Rico, had said she knew she wanted to be a judge when she was 10 years old, the year after her father died and shortly after she was diagnosed with diabetes. Her mother, Celina, worked six days a week to send her and her brother to Catholic school and education was a top priority in the Sotomayor household, former neighbors at the Bronxdale Houses said Tuesday.

“They were a nice family,” said Lorelei McGhee, who grew up with Sotomayor and still lives at Bronxdale. “(Celina) was an excellent mother. She was one who made sure you did your homework.”

Jeri Faulkner, 52, served in student government with Sotomayor at Cardinal Spellman High School, where she is now dean of students.

“She seemed to have the entire package,” Faulkner said. “She was smart, approachable, she was someone who would laugh with you not at you. She always had time for your questions, no matter how silly they seemed to be.”

Even those too young to have known Sotomayor said her nomination is an inspiration for those with similar backgrounds.

“I'm basically speechless right now,” said Bronxdale resident Fernando Ares, 19. “It gives hopes to so many people that they can change their lives. It doesn't matter where you come from, you can dream.”

Pervaiz Shallwani contributed this story

Tags: sonia sotomayor, supreme court, politics

It's high time for tea

Tuesday May 26, 2009 5:12 PM By Lucy Blatter

Tracy Stern is a big fan of tea. She argues that tea parties can be a fun, casual and less expensive alternative to dinner parties.

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

If you’re looking for a new way to entertain friends, you might want to take a cue from 19th century British high society and throw a tea party.

“Dinner parties are common; sharing tea with someone is a special ritual,” said Tracy Stern, owner of Tracy Stern SalonTea Tea Bar on the Upper East Side and author of “Tea for You,” a book about custom-blending tea and “Tea Party,” a book about throwing tea parties.

A tea party is also a less expensive alternative to a dinner party.To make it as economical as possible, Stern suggested substituting fresh-cut (and pricey) flowers, with creative, budget-friendly decorations.

She suggested filling a martini glass with colored sand, lentils and aquarium salt, or buying a green topiary tree, which will last forever.

Sometimes, she said, she’ll use a single rose and scatter rose petals around the table. “The main idea is to be imaginative.”

Oftentimes, Stern allows food to take center stage, stacking an array of sandwiches, macaroons and scones on a three-tiered tray that doubles as an elegant centerpiece.

When it comes to her tea party food staples, Stern suggested white bread, cucumber and mint sandwiches (with salted butter). She also serves petite quiches (either homemade or store-bought frozen ones) and scones (which can be made from scratch or bought), served with double Devonshire cream and jam. (Tip: To make it even more elegant, she suggests sprinkling Smucker’s jam with lavender.)

“You can gourmet everything up as much as you like,” she said.

In terms of the tea itself, Stern suggested using loose leaves, and letting them steep for 3 to 6 minutes. “That’ll give you an opportunity to talk,” she said.

12 tips for a successful tea party

1. Calm host with an organized plan

2. Invitations: Make sure to include the theme on the invites

3. Food items that are simple and can be pre-made

4. Décor: Theme is everything, even if it’s a color

5. Setting the table: Make it colorful and fun, something unusual and creative

6. Music: Use CDs, iPods, high school cello player, piano, harp, or DJ

7. Create a signature drink for guests

8. Party favors: They’re a great way for guests to remember the fun they had

9. Guest list: Eclectic and fun mix of people, guests will meet new people

10. Entertainment: Hire a tea leaf reader, fortune teller

11. Pictures: Have disposable cameras on hand or rent a photo booth for an over-the-top addition.

12. Thank you notes: Send to each guest after the party along with photo

Items To Always Have On-Hand

1. High quality loose tea

2. Tea pot and cups

3. Fancy sugar cubes (Rock amber sugar cubes)

4. Sugar cookie dough (pre-made and store in the freezer so cookies can easily be made)

5. Unique toppings for sugar cookies such as lavender, ginger crystals, or tea leaves

6. Scones with raisins, ginger, currants, bananas or chocolate chips (pre-made and store in the freezer)

7. Tea sandwiches: combine white or wheat bread with cucumbers and cut with fun cookie cutter shapes

8. Alouette cheese, butter, salmon, egg sandwiches, honey mustard, and assorted jams

City tea spots

Amanzi Tea

TriBeCa’s five-month old tea bar and shop offers more than 100 custom blend teas such as Rooibos and Yerba Mate as well as tea smoothies, frappes, and lattes, sparkling tea, and bubble tea.

166 Chambers St., 212-227-2744

T Salon of Chelsea Market

T Salon’s three-story tea lover’s paradise in Chelsea Market will open an outdoor patio for the summer months.

75 Ninth Avenue, 212-243-0432

Radiance Tea House and Books

This tea house offers snacks, light meals, books, in addition to a large assortment of teas. Special tea tasting events regularly occur.

158 W. 55th St., 212-217-0442

Tags: tea party, tracy stern

amNewYork letters to the editor

Tuesday May 26, 2009 4:43 PM By Sara Baumberger

Foreign prisoners must stay out of U.S.

Whether or not suspected terrorists were tortured at Gitmo, they were foreigners captured by U.S. soldiers off U.S. soil. As such, they should be treated as military prisoners. Why transfer them and risk them mixing with domestic inmates, whom they might indoctrinate? Our security needs should trump world opinion.

— Steven Kalka, East Rockaway

Gov’t crimes should not go unpunished

When grievous crimes have been committed by a nation, and the revelation of those heinous actions are made known to the sleeping public, correction must be applied. Otherwise, all public law becomes a travesty for the majority of law-abiding citizens. When a handful of powerful, evil-intentioned decision makers are allowed immunity from prosecution it sends a powerful message to the rest of the world.

— Michael Hussein, Union City, N.J.

Catholicism’s views clear on abortion

Re “Notre Dame students activists fighting wrong battle with Obama,” May 15-17: Ellis Henican sympathizes with Joe Biden, Mario Cuomo and Nancy Pelosi, who “struggle” with their Catholicism because of their pro-abortion stand. The Catholic Church consistently has condemned abortion since the first century. If the aforementioned cannot grasp this, refrain from calling yourselves “ardent Catholics” and move on to another religion.

— Melissa Smith, Manhattan

Tags: letters to the editor

What's in season: Chandler strawberries

Tuesday May 26, 2009 3:44 PM By Lucy Blatter

By Ben Muessig

Special to amNewYork

For many New Yorkers, summer unofficially started on Monday with Memorial Day. For many foodies, summer unofficially began last week when locally grown strawberries started to arrive at the city's farmers markets.

Growers are already harvesting some varieties of the iconic summer snack — like the bright red Chandler strawberry.

"Chandlers are a good-tasting, sweet strawberry - and they come in season early," said Bill Maxwell, of Maxwell's Farm in Jameswater, New Jersey.Chandler strawberries are packed with the antioxidant vitamin C, and they taste great raw, served with cream or yogurt, blended into smoothies, mashed into jellies or jams, or diced into a salad with fresh greens, vinaigrette, and a crumbly goat cheese.

Locally grown strawberries are available at farmers markets and specialty groceries around the city for about $4 per pint.

Tags: strawberries, summer fruit, food

Obey Giant/Mayor Bloomberg

Tuesday May 26, 2009 2:44 PM By Emily Ngo

Shepard Fairey (or someone very closely mimicking his style) has found a local target! It's Mayor Mike Bloomberg! "Oyvey"? I'm hoping someone can explain this sticker I found in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens.

— Emily Ngo

Tags: mayor michael bloomberg, brooklyn, shepard fairey, politics

High Line park coming on line, facing uncertain economy

Tuesday May 26, 2009 1:59 PM By Jason Fink

Design by Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Courtesy of the city of New York

By Jason Fink

Even as the flatlining economy silences construction projects, one of the city’s most unusual and ambitious new developments is set to open next month: The High Line park.

Conceived in flusher times, the park — and its financial patron, the non-profit Friends of the High Line — will face the immediate challenge of raising millions of dollars for upkeep during the worst recession the city has faced in decades.

“It’s definitely difficult,” said Robert Hammond, co-founder of the Friends of the High Line. “(But) Central Park was opened in an economic tough time and has weathered many storms.”

The mile-and-a-half long park, built on a defunct elevated railroad line that cuts the center of the block between 10th and 11th avenues from 34th Street to Gansevoort, is a floating pathway of wild flowers and grass. It’s opening will be the culmination of one of the most pitched battles in the city’s recent land use wars.“I hope New Yorkers really love it,” said Hammond, whose group fought efforts to tear down the freight tracks during the Giuliani administration.

After several delays, the southern half of the park will open in June. Neither the city nor the Friends will give an opening date, and there is no precise timetable for when the second phase, from 20th to 30th streets, will be ready, though it is expected by next summer. The plan is for the park to feed into the planned Hudson Yards residential community.

Since the final zoning was approved in 2005, 31 development projects have been planned or completed along the high line, according to the city Planning Department, including a satellite of the Whitney Museum, now under construction, and the luxury Standard Hotel, which opened earlier this year.

“It’s a fabulous thing for the neighborhood,” said Ralf Kvettel, manager of the Trestle on Tenth, at 24th Street, a restaurant that changed its name to capitalize on the High Line. “Tenth Avenue on a Sunday evening is a wasteland here and this will bring people in.”

The $170 million construction cost for the park has been taken of, with the city putting up $98 million, the federal government committing $22 million and the Friends of the High Line and others footing the rest of the bill.

However, the city will have to come up with 30 percent of the park’s annual $2 million to $3 million operating budget. And the Friends, which will oversee the 6.7-acre open space, is responsible for the remaining portion.

Hammond would not specify how much his group has already raised but said that they are aggressively working to secure next year’s budget through membership dues and other donations.

If the similarly membership-based Central Park Conservancy is any indication, the Friends could face a drop off in fundraising in 2010 because of the economy.

“(Donors) are meeting their commitments right now but next year they’ve let us know it’s going to be different,” said Douglas Blonksy, president of the conservancy, which is already looking at a 5 to 10 percent dip in revenue this year.

The park will have entrances spaced every two blocks but will offer little in the way of amenities.

Concrete planks will be surrounded by vegetation meant to evoke the natural growth that took over before the train tracks were restored and new drainage put in. There may eventually be food concessions but there will be no dogs, bicycles or rollerblading allowed.

“It’s about meandering,” said City Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden. “There is nothing like this anywhere in the city.”

Paris has a similar park, the Promenade Plantee, which was also built on an old freight line and is popular with residents and tourists.

While many local business owners and residents say the park will be a boon to south Chelsea and the Meatpacking district, others fear eventually being priced out of the neighborhood.

“It could definitely be a draw, a destination” said Tony Cloer, 43, who lives in the Caledonia at 17th Street, a new condo building which touts its access to the High Line as a selling point.

But for Brian Freeman, 41, of Chelsea, the High Line, in combination with the galleries that have sprouted up in recent years, has only made the area more expensive by speeding up gentrification.

“Not everyone will be able to afford the types of businesses it helps,” he said.

Tags: parks

Dialing up old telephone exchange in Financial District

Monday May 25, 2009 6:36 PM By Rolando Pujol

Here's a good old-fashioned mural, advertising office space downtown. Nothing too fancy as far as graphics and presentation go.

But what makes it a keeper is the old OX (Oxford, we presume) telephone exchange in the number.

Priceless.

-- Rolando Pujol

Tags: signs, old school, history, endangered nyc

Broadway car ban meet rush hour traffic Tuesday

Monday May 25, 2009 6:07 PM By Heather Haddon

Chris Hrones, 32 of the Wall Street reads a book while reclined on Broadway between 46th and 47th Street in Times Square. The City is testing out a pilot program entitled "Green Light for Midtown" where vehicular traffic is prohibited from traveling up Broadway between 42nd St and 47th Street. (Photo by RJ Mickelson/amNY)

By Heather Haddon

Let the honking begin.

The city's car ban on five blocks of Broadway in Times Square and two blocks in Herald Square will face its first true test Tuesday as thousands of vehicles attempt to navigate around the newly created pedestrian plazas.

Light holiday traffic flowed smoothly Monday around the closed section of Times Square between 42nd and 47th streets, a surreal vista of pedestrians lounging in lawn chairs and dancing to the rhythms of street musicians smack in the middle of Broadway.

But motorists at times struggled to clear the closed section of Herald Square, right by Macy’s on Broadway between 33rd and 35th streets, with drivers waiting for throngs of pedestrians to cross 35th Street before turning on to the cramped side street.

“How can the traffic move,” asked Balbar Sing, 50, a cab driver driving near Herald Square Monday. “We need wider streets.”The city’s $1.5 million pilot program will last six months, and is meant to create new open space while cutting pollution and actually easing traffic. Shutting the pockets of Broadway and increasing green light timing will cut waits by 17 percent on Seventh Avenue in Times Square and 37 percent at Sixth Avenue in Herald Square, according to the Department of Transportation.

But hacks Monday said they had to sock passengers with higher bills after having to take multi-block detours around Broadway.

About 50,000 vehicles a day drive through Seventh Avenue and Broadway in Times Square, according to DOT figures. More than 350,000 people walk through the congested area daily.

The agency installed signs instructing drivers to detour onto Sixth and Seventh avenues, and stationed dozens of traffic cops along Broadway. The areas won’t be totally shut. Cars on cross streets can still drive through the sectioned-off areas.

“We definitely know \[today\] is the first work day,” said DOT spokesman Seth Solomonow. “We will be out there to see how traffic looks.”

Kiosk manager Mohammad Rahman had hoped the pilot program would last just one day, not half a year.

“It's not good for us,” said Rahman, whose Broadway newspaper stand sits just south of 42nd Street. “How can I get my deliveries?”

Other business owners thought the traffic ban would drive more foot traffic their way.

“I'm all for it. We need some change,” said Eric Rager, the manager of a Foot Locker store in Times Square. “If you are a New Yorker, what are you doing driving in Times Square anyway?”

Pedestrians and bike riders reveled in the three acres of new open space Monday.

“I never dreamed this would be possible,” said Sam Green, 47, of the Upper East Side, pedaling his scooter down Broadway.

Tags: broadway, herald square, times square, transit

Go somewhere — This week's travel deals

Monday May 25, 2009 4:58 PM By Lucy Blatter

By Emily Mathis

Special to amNewYork

Orbitz Deal-O-Rama:Orbitz.com has lots of deals this summer. Las Vegas’s five-star Bellagio hotel, located at the heart of the Vegas strip, is offering 20 percent discounts on stays. As part of a special deal, fly from New York to Vegas on June 15, and get a three-night stay at the Bellagio (including the flight)for $450/person. Orbitz is also offering 35 percent discounts on stays at Chicago’s four-star Whitehall Hotel, a downtown landmark, and one of the eight great small hotels of the U.S. according to Fortune Magazine. Book any flight and hotel package on Orbitz by May 31 and receive a $50 Restaurant.com gift certificate.

Deal.Orbtiz.comSingle wine lover’s Danube cruise: Single Travel International’s seven-night cruise along the Danube from Budapest to Prague features stops in Vienna, the Wachau wine valley, and several small, charming villages. All meals on the cruise and complimentary wine are included, as well as a special winemaker’s dinner. Optional, additional excursions are available.

July 12-19, $1,499. SinglesTravelIntl.com

Atlantic City golf packages: Now through Aug. 31, enjoy two nights at either Fairfield Inn by Marriott, Comfort Inn, or Ramada Inn, and receive a deluxe continental breakfast each morning, a round of golf at Mays Landing Golf and Country Club (with complimentary cart and lunch), a round at The Links at Brigantine Beach (with complimentary cart), and one round at Sand Barrens Golf Club (with complimentary cart) for $199.

AtlanticCityNJ.com, 800-465-3222

Virginia’s statewide 40 off program: In honor of the 40th anniversary of the “Virginia is for Lovers” motto, the state’s hotels, museums, and other attractions are offering four-themed discounts. For example, Pembroke, VA’s The Mountain Lake Hotel that was the site of Dirty Dancing, is offering guests a fourth-night free and all-inclusive meals through Oct. 31. Other attractions are offering 40 percent off.

Virginia.org/40Off

NY college student travel site offers real discounts: StudentUniverse.com negotiates with airlines to offer exclusive deals for students and college faculty. Features such as the FarePlay button allows students to search for trips by themes — whether it’s party spots, backpacking, study abroad, cheap destinations, or top ten world cities. June roundtrip airfare deals include Miami ($152), Las Vegas ($225), Amsterdam ($476), U.K. ($450), and Germany ($488).

StudentUniverse.com

Tags: travel deals, orbitz, student travel

Buffalo: A summer art escape

Monday May 25, 2009 4:51 PM By Lucy Blatter

The one-year-old Burchfield Penney Art Center is a must-see in Buffalo.

By Jessie Pascoe

Special to amNewYork

Buffalo, once an industrial city, might not appear to be that arty. But recent developments, like the newly opened Burchfield Penney Art Center, are slowly changing people’s perception.

This summer, experience Buffalo’s artistic offerings outdoors at the city’s many festivals. They’re ideal places to shop for original art, and Buffalo’s summer art festivals also provide much-needed cardio after indulging in Western New York’s gluttonous delights.

Get Cultured

Allentown Art Festival

It just wouldn’t be summer in Buffalo without the annual Allentown Art Festival. Held in Allentown—a pseudo-East Village nabe—the AAF draws thousands of visitors to what is considered the largest and oldest art festival in the country. Expect to find everything from watercolor paintings to jewelry and pottery to stain-glass fixtures. June 13-14; allentownartfestival.org.Buffalo Infringement Festival

Satiate your inner avant-garde artist at the Infringement Festival. For one week, Allentown kicks into creative-high drive with local cabaret, comics, dance, puppet shows, media art displays and some self-promoted “miscellaneous insurrectionists.” July 23-August 2; infringementbuffalo.org

Elmwood Festival of the Arts

Over 170 artisans and craftspeople are set to participate this year, as the Elmwood Festival celebrates its 10 anniversary. It may be smaller than the Allentown Art Festival, but art aficionados will delight in the 16 artistic mediums represented. August 29-30; elmwoodartfest.org

Burchfield Penney Art Center

A summer trip wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the year-old Burchfield Penney Museum—even if it is indoors. The spot in Western New York for art from the 19th century onwards, the museum houses a permanent collection of the area’s most talented, from the watercolors of Charles Burchfield to the photographs of Cindy Sherman.

Eat

Duff’s

Forget what you think you know about buffalo wings. Until you’ve had them in Buffalo, you haven’t truly tasted them. The recipe might have been invented at Buffalo’s Anchor bar, but locals call out Duff’s Famous Wings as the spot to sample some near-perfection. 3651 Sheridan Drive, 716-834-6234

Charlie the Butcher

Another culinary curiosity of Western New York, the beef on weck has been busting belts for over a century. The reason? Imagine a salty caraway seed-dusted Kaiser roll filled with roast beef, pickles, horseradish and soaked with beef jus and you’ll understand that the beef on weck is not for the carb conscious. Throw caution to the wind and grab one to go. 1065 Wehrle Dr., 716-633-8330; charliethebutcher.com

Stay

Buffalo’s blessed with architectural gems, from grand Victorian homes to Art Deco railroads. Experience history at the Mansion on Delaware Avenue. Restored to its Second Empire glory, this 28-room luxury hotel attracts guests from across the U.S. with personal butler services, shoe-shines and complimentary evening cocktails. Room rates average $195, with suites going for $375 414 Delaware Ave., 716-886-3300; mansionondelaware.com

Know Before You Go

Spare yourself eight hours on a train and book a flight. Round trip flights

go for under $160 round-trip on JetBlue and other airlines. You'll arrive in an

hour and a half and be able to hop on-board the frequent express bus service

from the airport to downtown.

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) offers an All Zone

Weekend Pass for $7. Purchase one at the airport and start enjoying

unlimited rail/bus rides as soon as you arrive. Nfta.com

Tags: buffalo, allentown art festival, burchfield penney, travel

Yankees in red - you're not seeing things

Monday May 25, 2009 3:02 PM By Pete Catapano

Yankees pitcher Phil Hughes wears a red cap on the mound Monday in honor of Memorial Day (AP Photo)

By Pete Catapano

Here's a weird sight. That's Yankees pitcher Phil Hughes wearing a red Yankees cap while on the mound this afternoon against the Rangers in Texas.

It's not about style, it's about honoring Memorial Day in a league-wide showing of respect to the country's fallen soldiers. The umpires are also wearing red today in Texas. (The Rangers already wear red)

For those keeping score at home, this is the first time the Yanks have worn red hats.

The league will also do this on July 4 and Sept. 11

Tags: yankees, memorial day, phil hughes, holiday traditions

Urban archaeology: 'Checks Cashed' on the Upper West Side

Monday May 25, 2009 2:59 PM By Rolando Pujol

Photos by Rolando Pujol

Checks Cashed is an old-school Amsterdam Avenue standby. Its name and purpose couldn't be clearer, and its signage bares a treasure trove of defunct or now quaint corporate names that were once in common parlance.

For instance, at Checks Cashed, you can pay your New York Telephone bill, the sign tells you. (In the years since, New York Telephone has become Nynex, Bell Atlantic, and now, for almost a decade, Verizon.)

What's more, you can pay your Paragon Cable bill. (Time Warner anyone?) And even pay your AT&T bill, back when AT&T really was Ma Bell, not the big cell-phone company it essentially is today.

Check Cashed also offers a "Fax Service," and you can play Keno, the "numbers," and New York Lotto. Indeed, its facade and windows are adorned with stickers that offer a lesson on the evolution of the New York Lottery logo.

Exterior wood paneling completes the retro look. Find Checks Cashed on Amsterdam Avenue between West 82nd and 83rd streets.

-- Rolando Pujol

Tags: urban archaeology, signs, manhattan

Viral video: Exercise ball stunt actually goes as planned

Monday May 25, 2009 1:32 PM By Sean Joseph

We have seen too many exercise ball stunts go wrong to recommend them for a use other than ab crunches, but this gymnast actually manages to safely land a flip off one.

Tags: viral video, television

Broadway shows find 3-D opportunity with movies

Thursday May 21, 2009 7:54 PM By Garett Sloane

A new company, Fugobi, is introducing technology to produce

3-D film versions of Broadway shows.

By Danielle Sonnenberg

Special to amNewYork

A new venture hopes to take Broadway productions to the movies in 3-D.

Dale Smith, a partner at Fugobi, promises a “larger than live” experience for moviegoers.

“Audiences will feel like they are on set with the actors,” Smith said.Smith said Fugobi is working with 10 Broadway shows to film 3-D versions, but has yet to announce which ones. He said an announcement could come next week.

“Audiences will get to know the story in another way and they will be more likely to embrace it on stage,” said Marcus Cheong, a producer who is filming his show for the 3-D format, but spoke on the condition that the title be withheld.

The 3-D movies would be shown in limited engagements. Smith would not estimate how much it would cost to film, but said the shooting would be done off stage using the same cast as the Broadway show.

The idea of releasing a 3-D movie of a production had some producers intrigued, but a little skeptical.

“It’s a great idea. However, I think there is something to be said for a show to establish a firm foothold within the theater community first,” said Barry Habib, producer of “Rock of Ages.” Still, he said it’s important to embrace technology and stay on the cutting edge.

For the moment, however, he’ll resist turning his shows into 3-D movies, he said.

Ken Davenport, producer of “Altar Boyz,” said he might not go the 3-D route just yet either, but recognizes the power movies have to promote Broadway.

“That kind of marketing power helps us. Our title becomes much more familiar to audiences,” he said.

Tags: broadway, theater, shows, plays, productions, 3-d, fugobi, broadway goes 3-d, ken davenport, altar boyz, barry habib, rock of ages, technology, movies, entertainment, economy

Henican: Obama reclaims war on terror from those who ignored our basic values

Thursday May 21, 2009 7:30 PM By Rolando Pujol

No one was waterboarded. No secret tribunals were held. The word “Guantanamo” wasn’t even mentioned.

It was old-fashioned police work, overseen by a civilian federal court, that busted open America’s latest terror plot. Investigation, arrest, arraignment, evidence, prosecution and defense — the time-honored techniques of the justice system serve us well again.

This is worth remembering as Barack Obama tries to reclaim the war on terror from the political scaredy-cats, those nervous Nellies who think we have to trade in our basic American values in order to be safe.

It’s a false choice, the president made clear.Our leaders went “off course” in the war on terror, he said Thursday at the National Archives. Waterboarding and other torturous techniques “did not advance our war and counterterrorism efforts — they undermined them.” And the “mess” at Guantanamo Bay “has weakened American national security” by handing our worst enemies their easiest rallying cry.

And yet 10 blocks away at the American Enterprise Institute, there was Dick Cheney, still defending the discredited tactics of the past.

“They were legal, essential, justified, successful, and the right thing to do,” the former vice president said.

It’s an important debate, this question of exactly what we believe in and exactly what we will do. But like most such debates, it’s unlikely to change many minds.

Maybe this will: a confidential informant. A careful surveillance program. A crafty sting. And the fine, quiet work of the New York Police Department and the FBI.

Thanks to the tools of traditional law enforcement, four alleged terrorists were taken off the streets Wednesday night and are likely on their way to long prison terms.

The scaredy-cats keep telling us that basic American justice doesn’t work anymore, that concepts such as evidence and proof and constitutional rights are just too risky for such a dangerous age.

They say we just can’t afford the values we used to afford.

Well, some hardworking cops and agents had a well-worn answer for that kind of thinking.

“You’re under arrest,” they said.

Tags: henican

For Memorial Day, honoring young New York soldiers

Thursday May 21, 2009 6:24 PM By Heather Haddon

Spc. Juan Arango, 24, of Elmhurst, served as a gunner in Afghanistan with the New York National Guard last year.

By Heather Haddon

Memorial Day evokes images of weekend cookouts, but the holiday strikes a personal chord with New York's thousands of veterans. As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan soldier on, an increasing number of young city dwellers have gained an intimate perspective on combat, along with the quieter struggles of transiting home.

Spc. Juan Arango, 24, Elmhurst

Manhattan gridlock can feel uncomfortably similar to traffic in Kabul. But here, drivers do not defer to American Humvees and pedestrians need not be frisked for bombs.

“I get a lot of flashbacks when I'm driving,” said Juan Arango, a National Guard grunt with the 69th Infantry Regiment. “You have to control the feelings, even though you want to ram that yellow taxi off the road.”

The Colombian native fought on the frontlines of Afghanistan in 2008, the deadliest year for foreign soldiers since the war began. Shortly after his brigade arrived, 400 Taliban fighters and 700 criminals escaped from prison. His job as a gunner on long-distance convoys became harrowing.

“I had my mother’s face in mind all the time,” Arango said. “We were just waiting for attacks to happen.”Arango lost one of his best friends, a Bayside father whose name, Jasson, lives on in a tattoo. But Arango returned home unscathed to his parents and wife in January. Then, new struggles arose: crowds elicited paranoia; a door slam caused him to bolt out of sleep.

Arango's outlook has improved in the past two months and he has applied to law enforcement jobs.

“You learn a lot from people over there,” said Arango, recalling that little boys often wore dresses for a lack of pants. “You appreciate every piece of clothing you have.”

Sgt. Annmelissa Harvey, 29

Annmelissa Harvey had hit a wall in juggling full-time work and college. She found a break from the burnout, unexpectedly, in the military.

“When I first joined, there hadn't been a war and no one expected a war,” said Harvey, who enlisted with a Bronx Army recruiter in 2000. “When the war started, then I was scared.”

The Jamaica native shipped out in 2002, the year before the war, with the 3rd Corps Support Command, helping to run logistics at the Balad military base in northern Iraq. She moved everything from “toilet paper to military parts.”

The ceaseless heat and 14-hour days made for a trying three years. But Harvey learned to relate to people of all stripe. Out in Iraq, her livelihood depended on it.

“You had to trust people like you knew them forever,” she said.

Harvey returned home safe in 2005, her mother ecstatic to count her “10 fingers and 10 toes.” She enrolled at Hunter College, joining 114 other student veterans. Next Thursday, Harvey graduates with a degree in social work.

“It taught me how to take one day at a time and be thankful,” said Harvey, who hopes to work in social service. “It changes your whole perspective on life.”

76: New York City soldiers who died in Iraq and Afghanistan since start of wars

74,000: New York state residents deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan since Sept. 11

10,700: State soldiers currently in Iraq or Afghanistan

240,000: Total number of living New York City veterans

Tags: politics

Stephanie Pratt: My life fell apart

Thursday May 21, 2009 6:05 PM By Julie Gordon

By Julie Gordon

"The Hills" star Stephanie Pratt admits she's going through an extremely rough patch — and there aren't even cameras around to catch the drama.

"All of the sudden my life just fell apart," she said, pointing to guy troubles and getting canned from her internship at public relations firm People’s Revolution as reasons. "But the mercury's in retrograde, so it'll be OK June 1."

According to Stephanie, the guys in Los Angeles, where she lives, “are just bad now” — most of them immature or just using her to get on TV.

“It’s really, really hard because most of them stay away because they’re scared and stuff,” said Stephanie, 23. “The other ones, the first thing out of their mouth is, ‘I’m at blah blah blah agency and want to be an actor.’”But listen up, New York men. Stephanie thinks she could find Mr. Right on the East Coast.

“They’re so cute, there are the hottest guys in New York,” she said.

One person Stephanie dishes about her problems to is Lauren Conrad, the show’s star who is ending her run on the fifth season’s finale next Sunday, May 31. Stephanie called the sensitive Conrad “the therapist of us all.”

Replacing Conrad this fall is a familiar MTV face: party-girl Kristin Cavallari, who got her TV start in 2004 with Conrad on the reality show “Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County.” Stephanie got a taste of Kristin’s attitude at the recent, on-camera wedding of her brother, Spencer Pratt, and Heidi Montag: the hated/loved “Hills” couple.

“Kristin’s been saying she’s going to drink and fight on the show,” Stephanie said. “That’s kind of scary.”

Watch it

The season finale of “The Hills” airs Sunday, May 31, at 8 p.m. on MTV.

City lawsuit saves historic Windermere apartments in Hell's Kitchen

Thursday May 21, 2009 5:49 PM By Marlene Naanes

The Windermere was once home to actor Steve McQueen, below. (Windermere photo courtesy of Landmarks Preservation Commission)

By Marlene Naanes

A long-dilapidated Hell’s Kitchen landmark was saved from total decay in a case that ended with the largest-ever fine for neglecting a city treasure, authorities said on Thursday.

The Windermere apartment complex owners, Toa Construction Co. Inc. sold the 127-year-old Queen Anne-style structure to new owners in conjunction with $1.1 million in civil penalties for not complying with the landmarks law. The city filed a landmarks lawsuit in March 2008 to force the owner to stabilize and repair the historical buildings.

The new owner, Windermere Properties LLC, agreed to shore and brace the Windermere by Sept. 30 and make other repairs.

Toa also was ordered to pay six former tenants of one of the buildings $2.6 million in a settlement of a civil lawsuit filed by the residents after the fire department deemed the apartments uninhabitable in 2007.“This settlement sends a message to owners of landmarked buildings that they must keep them in a state of good repair,” said Robert B. Tierney, chairman of the Landmarks Preservation Commission. “Buildings like the Windermere are an indispensable part of New York City’s architectural heritage and must be preserved for future generations.”

Theophilus Smith designed the complex of three buildings, which once housed actor Steve McQueen and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Quinto Magnani. They were completed in 1881 to accommodate the growing middle class and were popular with single, self-supporting women, such as waitresses, nurses and teachers.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission granted the Windermere landmark status in June 2005. The complex is one of the oldest remaining large apartment houses in the city.

Tags: windermere, landmark, lawsuit, hell's kitchen, landmarks

Summer bar preview

Thursday May 21, 2009 5:05 PM By Julie Gordon

Hudson Terrace features a rooftop and an inside area. (Marie Claire Andrea)

By Alexis Korman

Sick of grabbing drinks on the same old rooftops, patios and terraces summer after summer? Well, these newbies can inject a little flair into your nightlife routine. From beer gardens to rooftop lounges, you’ll be sure to find a place to chill out — with a drink in hand — when the heat rises.

675 Bar

675 Hudson St., at 13th St., 212-699-2410

Located in the former Level V lounge space below the restaurant Vento, this latest drinking den in the Meatpacking District gives imbibers a chill space for summer drinking — and gaming — without requiring bottle service. Separate rooms offer familiar, unpretentious games such as foosball, Ms. Pacman, Jenga and billiards. Mixologist Eben Klemm serves up cocktails such as the Algerian Typist ($10), made with mezcal and harissa, while the kitchen turns out fun treats, including chocolate-covered bacon-and-prosciutto-wrapped hot pockets ($8 each). (Open)

Der Schwarze Koelner

710 Fulton St., at Greene Ave., Fort Greene (no phone yet)

This Fort Greene beer garden, named after a gothic cathedral in Cologne, Germany, is slated to offer beer and dishes from the region, along with a family-style atmosphere. “It’s going to be an authentic German beer garden,” said owner Dale Hall, who is Koelner (a person from Cologne). “Our waters, sodas and beers are all coming from Cologne.” The garden, run by Hall and his girlfriend, will feature 18 beers on tap, including Gaffel and Reissdorf — the only two brews currently available from the region. Though light snacks will be served upon opening, Hall projects that the kitchen will be ready to serve currywurst and other regional treats — all for less than $10 — in July. (Opening in late May)Entwine 765 Washington St., at W. 12th St., 212-727-8765

This antique looking, bi-level space will combine a backyard garden, petite bar and downstairs tasting room. Unique features include a state-of-the-art cuvinee cabinet for wine tastings (which keeps uncorked bottles fresh), a weekly sampling menu and brunch and tea in the garden. With throwback drinks like the gin-based Monkey’s Gland cocktail and rare spirits such as the Mediterranean raki, Entwine promises to give drinkers something new to talk about this summer. (Open)

Hudson Terrace

621 W. 46th St, btwn 11th and 12th aves., 212-315-9400

Experience a bi-level party space that has a retractable roof. So even if there’s a summer storm, you can still sip your sangria and watch the gorgeous views of the Hudson from this roof deck’s oversized windows. In addition to a bar, the top level features lounging areas, a dance floor, cabana-side bartenders and a menu of gourmet snacks (such as nachos with caviar, $14) — along with daily drink and music specials. Inside, you’ll find burgundy banquettes, wood accents and a marble bar. (Open)

The Rooftop at Ravel

Ravel Hotel, 8-08 Queens Plaza South, btwn 9th St. and Vernon Blvd., 718-289-6101

Long Island City’s first luxury boutique hotel offers killer views of the Manhattan skyline from its Miami-themed, 6,000-square-foot rooftop lounge. “The Rooftop at Ravel is a venue with endless possibilities,” said owner Ravi Patel. We agree, since the space offers creative cocktails (The blueberry mojito, $12, is our personal fave), a banging sound system and a rotating list of DJs and live music acts. Daily specials include movies on Mondays and a prfoessional cigar roller on Tuesdays. (Open)

The Second Floor Bar at The Cooper Square Hotel

25 Cooper Sq., btwn 5th and 6th sts., 212-475-5700

The sleek, minimalist Second Floor Bar at the Cooper Square Hotel features light-wood floors, floor-to-ceiling glass, modern leather banquettes and book-lined shelves (courtesy of Housing Works). The lush, 50-seat terrace is the perfect venue for sipping classy cocktails, which complement a new lounge menu (burger, short-rib grilled cheese) from Chef Govind Armstrong’s Table 8 (also at the hotel). (Open)

Studio Square

35-33 36th St., at 35th Ave., Long Island City, 718-383-1001

Giving Bohemian Beer Hall a run for its money, this 30,000-square-foot beer garden features a self-serve, cash-only menu ($8 for everything but $3 for sides), with grilled Bratwurst, burgers and chicken kebabs, along with nearly 20 beers on draft (including German suds such as Spaten and Fransiskaner). For those who prefer fruitier drinks, the sangria ($6/glass) is served from a custom-made tap system, said co-owner Steven Tallides. “The house made sangria is a big hit,” he said. The open-air space also offers communal picnic tables, an iron fire pit and a cobblestone courtyard. There’s also an indoor bar in case the sun — and sauerkraut — get to be too much. (Open)

Tags: bars

Viral video: Rappin' in diapers with K-Smooth

Thursday May 21, 2009 2:34 PM By Sean Joseph

Rap knows no age limit. K-Smooth is droppin’ albums and trying to go platinum before he is even three months old.

Tags: viral video, television, music

Summer Guide '09: Do it outside at these new bars

Thursday May 21, 2009 1:02 PM By Perrie Samotin

A kitsch-free beer garden? It's true! LIC's Studio Square seats 1,000 and is devoid of lederhosen and glockenspiels.

By Perrie Samotin

Now that Memorial Day's around the bend, it's time to consider viable alfresco options to take you through the summer. Since nothing beats the glamour of sky-high rooftops or the charm of sweeping balconies, we've highlighted a handful of outdoor spots to heighten your open-air cocktail sensibilities.Water Taxi Beach Governors Island

An expansion of Long Island City's popular and (very) crowded water taxi beach is set to open on Governors Island on July 4. Amenities will be pretty similar to its predecessor, with the addition of beach volleyball, an outdoor grill, a stage, basketball courts and a cafe serving food with a focus on "sustainability." (Still no swimming.) The Governors Island Ferry leaves from the Battery Maritime Building.

Water Taxi Beach South Street Seaport

Clearly, Water Taxi beaches are taking over the city this summer, with another one set to preview this weekend at the South street Seaport, at the North end of Pier 17 (in the space previously held by the beloved Spiegeltent). This version will have a mini golf course, Ping-Pong, Skee-Ball and a boatload of summery grub, such as hot dogs, a raw bar and beer-battered fish and chips. The official opening is May 30, but tickets Saturday's preview party are available for $20.

Above Allen

Scenesters have been lapping up Above Allen's hipper-than-thou vibe since January, but this summer, the space — located atop of the Thompson LES hotel — will open its retractable roof Sundays through Wednesdays. You might want to head there on the early side, when the doorman is more likely in let you in.

190 Allen St., 212-460-5300

Cooper Square Hotel

Grab a cocktail at this intimate, glass-enclosed bar perched on the second floor of the sleek new Cooper Square hotel. The patio, which seats about 50, serves up a variety of concoctions, including sangria, house-made cocktails and wine by the glass. Voyeurs heed the fact that the terrace looks into neighboring apartments. For those looking to eat, there’s no food at the moment, but Govind Armstrong’s much-anticipated Table 8 is now open in the hotel.

25 Cooper Sq., 212-475 5700

The Sky Terrace

You might as well pretend you’re in Miami at this urban oasis on the 15th floor of the perpetually chic Hudson hotel. It used to be only for guests, but now anyone can enjoy it, with reservations. The terrace itself is exposed to the sun offering daytime patrons an ideal excuse to work on their tans, while lazing in a hammock. At night, enjoy sweeping city views and tasty (if pricey) cocktails, light grub and a scene-y clientele.

356 W. 58th St., 212- 554-6000

Studio Square

If the thought of dealing with hordes of folks at Astoria’s Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden is exhausting, this new 18,000-square-foot Long Island City biergarden has emerged as a more-than-viable alternative with room for over 1,000 patrons. Devoid of lederhosen, faux glockenspiels and other German kitch, the industrial space offers 18 imported, domestic and craft beers on tap, a traditional beer garden menu (kraut, wurst, soft pretzels) and a vast indoor area, to compliment the outside.

35-33 36th St., Long Island City, 718-383-1001

Tags: food

Summer guide '09: Free film festivals

Thursday May 21, 2009 12:48 PM By Perrie Samotin

Movies with a View is at Brooklyn Bridge Park from July 9 to Aug. 2.

By Perrie Samotin

psamotin@am-ny.com

We’re all for DVDs, Netflix and Apple TV, but sometimes when it comes to movies, there’s nothing quite like watching outdoors with the city as your backdrop.

This summer, check out free festivals set to show eccentric, classic and fabulous films on rooftops, in parks and on sand. Face it — no matter how big your flat screen is, it doesn’t compare.Movies With a View

brooklynbridgepark.org

Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Movies With a View returns for its 10th season. Every Thursday, July 9-Aug. 27, expect too see flicks including “Raising Arizona,” “Paper Moon” and “Edward Scissorhands.” Each movie is preceded by a short film.

DJs from Brooklyn Radio will kick things off at 6 p.m., while RICE will sell grub on-site. Also, a free bike valet will be provided by Transportation Alternatives. Movies start at sundown.

NYC Food Film Festival

nycfoodfilmfestival.com

Foodies and film buffs will delight in this multi-sensory experience in which folks watch food films then sample the food portrayed — yum! The festival will screen films for five nights at Water Taxi Beach in LIC and at the new Water Taxi Beach on Pier 17. Created by filmmaker George Motz and chef Harry Hawk, some of this year’s titles include “Beef Is Bueno,” “Clam Pie” and “Thanksgiving."

From June 13 to June 19.

Central Park Film Festival

centralparknyc.org

Head to Rumsey Playfield (enter the park at Fifth Avenue and 69th street) Aug. 18-22 and catch films such as “Desperately Seeking Susan,” “Goldfinger,” “Twilight” and “Sex and the City.” Gates open at 6 p.m. and all films start at 8 p.m. Check the Web site for a full schedule.

Rooftop Films

rooftopfilms.com

Rooftop Films is known as one of the most dynamic film festivals around.

This summer expect 20 feature films to be screened among several NYC rooftops — almost all of which are New York, U.S. or world premieres.

More than 150 short films and themed programs are on tap, too. Check the Web site for locations and times.

Bryant Park Summer Film Festival

bryantpark.org

Perhaps the best-known outdoor festival, this year’s films start on June 15 and include “The Sting,” “Kramer vs. Kramer” and “Dog Day Afternoon.” The lawn opens at 5 p.m. and the films start between 8 and 9 p.m.

This year, ’withcraft is providing picnic pickups on film nights. Call or go to wichcraftnyc.com, place an order and pick it up at an on-site kiosk.

Bicycle Film Festival

bicyclefilmfestival.com

BFF is a pretty awesome international celebration of bikes through film, art and music. The NY dates are: June 17-21, though full schedules have not been announced. Check the Web site for info.

Tags: entertainment

Summer Guide '09: Local surf and sand

Thursday May 21, 2009 12:25 PM By Perrie Samotin

Coney Island beach is a favorite summer spot among New Yorkers. Photo: Getty

By Perrie Samotin

psamotin@am-ny.com

For New Yorkers without summer shares or vacation homes, bumming around the beach isn’t as easy as opening a back door. Good thing there’s enough nearby sand to sustain us through the summer. Go ahead and plan a day trip to any of these affordable and super-close beaches.Long Island

Long Beach

Get there: LIRR to Long Beach

Every summer, a mix of Long Islanders and day-trippers hit Long Beach for its stretch of sand and bustling nightlife. For city folks, getting there is a cinch on the LIRR. Enjoy a 2-mile-long boardwalk where beachcombers can stroll or bike. Beach passes are typically $10 day.

Jones Beach

Get there: LIRR to Freeport, then transfer to the N88 Jones Beach bus

Famous for both its 2,413-acre beach as well as its theater, Jones Beach State Park boasts eight beaches for both swimming and surfing. Not into sand? There are two pools as well.

Fire Island

Ocean Beach

Get there: LIRR to Bayshore, then a ferry to

Fire Island

A viable alternative to the scene at the Hamptons, Fire Island’s charms are many, including a no-car policy, laid-back beach bars and Ocean Beach’s lively scene.

New York City

Orchard Beach

Get there: No. 6 train to Pelham Bay, transfer to Bx12 or Bx5 bus

The only public beach in the Bronx, Orchard Beach, or the “Bronx Riviera” as it’s sometimes known, is a mile-long strip created during the 1930s.

Expect crowds of locals catching rays, a promenade, a central pavilion with food and specialty shops, two playgrounds, picnic areas, a large parking lot, and 26 courts for basketball, volleyball and handball.

South Beach

Get there: Staten Island Ferry to the S51 or S81 bus

It might not be the South Beach you prefer, but this underappreciated gem of a beach offers fishing, a boardwalk, bocce and shuffleboard.

Brighton Beach

Get there: B, Q trains

to Brighton Beach

Apart from its sand and surf, Brighton Beach has always been a popular summer spot for New Yorkers, offering a boardwalk filled with authentic Russian restaurants boasting ocean views, shops and lots of lively nightspots.

Coney Island

Get there: D, Q, N or F train to Stillwell Ave.

Apart from three miles of sandy beach, the famous Coney Island offers plenty of recreation, such as volleyball, handball and basketball, as well as a long boardwalk and Astroland’s beloved amusement rides.

Jacob Riis Park

Get there: No. 2 train to Brooklyn College-Flatbush Ave., transfer to Q35 bus to Riis Beach

Carved from a naval airfield, this beach has fallen into slight disrepair, though it still draws tons of local families looking to barbecue and catch rays without fanfare.

New Jersey

Sandy Hook

Get there: SeaStreak Ferry from Pier 11 or E. 34th St., then a short bus ride

Expect seven miles of peaceful beach at this New Jersey summer destination, including a nude perch at Gunnison Beach, a family-oriented North Beach and striking views of Manhattan .

Tags: entertainment

Summer guide '09: Music, theater

Thursday May 21, 2009 12:09 PM By Perrie Samotin

The Rock the Bells hip-hop festival comes to Jones Beach on July 19. Photo: Getty

By Elaine Paoloni

Special to amNewYork

There’s definitely no lack of live entertainment venues throughout New York City. But this summer, performers are set to pour into the streets and parks, providing top-notch entertainment at little or no cost.

In addition to the widely popular SummerStage, Siren Music Festival, Shakespeare in the Park and Lincoln Center Out of Doors programs, here are some of our favorite upcoming outdoor concerts and theater productions slated for this summer:THEATER

Shakespeare in Riverside Park

hudsonwarehouse.net

Located on the north patio of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument at West 89th Street, Hudson Warehouse presents “The Tempest” (June 4-28), “Hamlet” (July 9-Aug. 2) and “Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Aug. 6-30).

Shows run Thursdays through Sundays and begin promptly at 6:30 p.m.

Free!

‘The School

for Husbands’

newyorkclassical.org

Shakespeare isn’t the only playwright in Central Park this summer. New York Classical Theatre presents Moliere’s “The School for Husbands.” Open rehearsals (July 2-29, check times) and performances (Thursdays-Sundays, July 30-Aug. 23, 7 p.m.) take place in Central Park at West 103rd Street.

Free!

‘Tally Ho!, or Navigating the Future’

theaterforthenewcity.net

Theater for the New City presents “Tally Ho!” a musical that weaves through the city’s streets, parks and playgrounds from Aug. 1 to Sept. 13.

The on-the-go street theater is written around current events, and even brings props to the pavement, employing items such as trapdoors, smoke machines and an oversized background to move the story along. To see where to catch the action, check out the company’s Web site. Free!

‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’

plazatheatrical.com

The Long Island company Plaza Theatrical returns to the city this summer with a childhood favorite, “Willy Wonka.” Bring the whole family to Alley Pond Park in Queens (76th Avenue and Springfield Boulevard) on July 31 at 7 p.m. Hibachis are available for barbecuing, and no golden tickets are required. Free!

‘Dirt Rich’

cityparksfoundation.org

Chisa Hutchinson’s play “Dirt Rich” focuses on a group of urban kids who find money buried under their playground. It’s the City Parks Foundation’s first commissioned play, and it’s touring local parks: Herbert Von King Park in Boerum Hill, (July 23); Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem (July 29-30), East River Park on the LES (Aug. 5) and St. Mary’s Park in Mott Haven, the Bronx (Aug. 11). Shows at 8 p.m. Free!

MUSIC/CONCERTS

‘Today’ Concert Series

msnbc.msn.com

If you work in midtown, some of the top names in pop may be putting a little hop in your morning commute.

Pretty much every Friday through Aug. 21, starting at 7 a.m. in Rockefeller Center Plaza, you can hear acts such as the Dave Matthews Band (June 5), the Jonas Brothers (June 19) and Jason Mraz (Aug. 7). This Friday, catch Fall Out Boy.

Free!

Harlem Meer Performance Festival

centralparknyc.org

On Sundays, June 21 to Sept. 6, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., up-and-coming and veteran artists perform Latin, jazz, world and gospel music outside the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (inside Central Park at 110th Street).

To kick off the season and celebrate Father’s Day, treat dad to an afternoon of African music by Feraba on June 21.

Free!

Naumburg Orchestral Concerts

naumburgconcerts.org

If classical music is more your speed, take a seat before the grand Naumburg Bandshell inside Central Park, just south of 72nd Street.

The Knights with Lara St. John start the venerable series with music by J.S. Bach on June 23. Stephen D’Agostino leads the Naumburg Orchestra in works by Mozart on July 7.

Also on tap: The Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players (July 21) and the Imani Winds (Aug. 4). Shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Free!

Broadway in Bryant Park

bryantpark.org

See some of theater’s hottest acts belt out show tunes from Broadway and off-Broadway musicals. The hour-long concerts, which begin at 12:30 p.m. on Thursdays (July 9 to Aug. 13), are a fabulous way to spend your lunch hour.

Check the park’s Web site soon to find out information about this year’s lineup. Free!

Siren Music Festival

siren.villagevoice.com/siren

An icon of New York indie/alternative culture, The Village Voice makes a splash at Coney Island again this summer with the Siren Festival.

The July 18 event showcases international, national and local bands, with DJs between two stages, from noon to 9 p.m. Among the performers slated to appear: Built to Spill, The Raveonettes, Frightened Rabbit, Grand Duchy and Monotonix.

Rock the Bells

rockthebells.net

Since its inception in 2003, this renowned hip-hop festival has seen the likes of Busta Rhymes, Lauryn Hill, Jurassic 5 and Dilated Peoples, to name a few.

This year, the July 19 festival will host bona fide genre royalty: Nas, Common, KRS-One, Ice Cube, Damian Marley and tons more.

Shows start at 12 p.m. $40-$130, Jones Beach Theater.

4 men busted in alleged plot to bomb Jewish temple in Riverdale, shoot down military planes

Wednesday May 20, 2009 11:26 PM By Rolando Pujol

(AP) — The FBI arrested four men Wednesday in what authorities called a plot to detonate a bomb outside a Bronx Jewish temple and to shoot military planes with guided missiles.

Officials told The Associated Press the arrests came after a long-running undercover operation that began in Newburgh, N.Y., about 70 miles north of New York City.

James Cromitie, David Williams, Onta Williams and Laguerre Payen, all of Newburgh, were charged with conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction within the United States and conspiracy to acquire and use anti-aircraft missiles, the U.S. attorney's office said.

The men had planned to detonate a car with plastic explosives outside a temple in the Bronx neighborhood of Riverdale and to shoot military planes at the New York Air National Guard base at Stewart Airport in Newburgh with Stinger surface-to-air guided missiles, authorities said.

The investigation had been under way for about a year.

Rep. Peter King, the senior Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, was briefed on the case following the arrests.

"This was a long, well-planned investigation, and it shows how real the threat is from homegrown terrorists," said King, of New York.

The four arrested men were jailed Wednesday night and couldn't be contacted for comment. The FBI didn't immediately return a telephone message Wednesday night seeking information on whether the men had lawyers.

New rules tighten reins on credit card companies

Wednesday May 20, 2009 6:45 PM By Jason Fink

Associated Press photo

By Jason Fink

For the 19-year-old college student who uses plastic to pay for books and living expenses, the credit card overhaul passed by the House Wednesday is bad news.

For the salesman who works on commission and missed one payment after a bad month, the new rules offer protection against huge increases and some breathing room to rein in costs.

And for the credit card consumer who likes to pay bills over the phone, there will no longer be any penalty at all.

With President Barack Obama set to sign the , sweeping new credit card rules, the government has fundamentally shifted the relationship between the companies and their customers, especially those who carry debt from month to month.“I'm a huge fan (of the new rules), I hate credit card companies,” said Rachel Murphy, 27, of Red Hook, who has three credit cards and keeps a balance of about $3,000.

A few months ago, she said, one company tried to raise her interest rate but backed off when she threatened to cancel the card.

“I don't want to say they prey on people because everybody knows what they're getting into, but it's similar to the way mortgage lenders made it too easy for people to borrow money,” Murphy said.

The bill, which takes effect in nine months, imposes a slew of new restrictions on credit card companies, including a requirement that companies give 45 days notice before raising rates, a prohibition on rate hikes on existing balances unless they are 60 days overdue and the extension of the amount of time to pay bills to 21 days.

The companies would also have to be clearer about their interest rates and will not be allowed to raise rates on customers based on their payment histories with other types of credit.

Credit cards would not be available to those under 21 with no verifiable source of income unless a parent or spouse signs off on it.

“This is going to make companies be more fair with people,” said Paul Muwanga, 29, of Brooklyn. “They're trying to make a profit but in the wrong way.”

Critics of the bill fear that customers who pay up every month and don't carry debt may wind up getting hurt by the legislation with annual fees or reduced rewards programs.

Edward Yingling, CEO of the American Bankers Association, which lobbied against the legislation, said the rules limit companies' ability to price according to risk.

"Less credit will be available generally, which means some consumers and small businesses will not be able to obtain credit cards at all, particularly younger people and start-up small businesses," he said.

Garett Sloane and AP contributed to this story

Tags: economy, congress, credit cards

$1 flip-flops at Old Navy

Wednesday May 20, 2009 6:45 PM By Julie Gordon

Get your dollar flip-flops!

Old Navy is once again selling its solid-color adult and kids flip-flops for just $1. They're available all day on Saturday, May 23, while supplies last. The limit is six pairs per customer.

Tags: shopping

Sarah Jessica Parker scared for safety of surrogate

Wednesday May 20, 2009 6:41 PM By Julie Gordon

Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick (Getty)

By Julie Gordon

Sarah Jessica Parker is scared for the safety of the surrogate carrying her twin girls.

“She’s had her phone hacked, her personal computer information hacked, she’s had threats against her and true harassment,” Parker, 44, told “Access Hollywood.”

The West Village resident said it “keeps me up every night” to think about the damage that fear and stress can do to a pregnant woman. She said it is a “real possibility” that the surrogate will go into early labor.Earlier this month, Star magazine revealed the identity of the surrogate, saying she’s

bisexual and into fetish gear. Parker called reports “slander and libel.”

“I’m beyond comfortable with who she is,” Parker said. “We haven’t been reckless, we haven’t been cavalier. She hasn’t been reckless."

Parker and her husband, Matthew Broderick, chose surrogacy after unsuccessfully trying to expand their family for “a number of years,” Parker said.

“Yeah, I mean I couldn’t pretend otherwise,” she said. “It would be a complicated – it would be odd to have made this choice if I was able to, you know, have successful pregnancies since my son’s birth.”

The couple has a 6-year-old son named James Wilkie, with whom Parker said she has discussed the surrogacy openly.

“I’ve been pretty candid with him,” she said. “I kind of chartered my own course with him because we wanted to keep this quiet and so I wanted to be very careful about telling him so he wasn’t burdened with a secret. On the other hand, I wanted him to have time to adjust to the idea of sharing his mama and his papa.”

Tags: entertainment

Belated Fulton Street Transit Center to wrap up by 2014

Wednesday May 20, 2009 6:29 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

The Fulton Street Transit Center will be five years late and will cost nearly double its original budget, but now the project finally has a deadline that MTA officials Wednesday insisted they can keep.

Work on the $1.4 billion project, which promises to smooth transfers between nine subway lines and provide a new connection to the N, R and W trains, will conclude by 2014, MTA officials announced yesterday.

“What I present today, I stand by,” said Michael Horodniceanu, head of MTA Capital Construction. “I expect you to hold me accountable to it.”

The project, which broke ground in 2004, was originally scheduled to wrap up this year. That deadline was “totally unrealistic,” Horodniceanu said.

A three-story, rectangular glass building featuring 25,000-square-feet of retail space will be built on the street level, above the station. Soaring costs forced the MTA to scale back on a glass dome topping the building.“They over-promised in terms of design,” said William Henderson, executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA. “It was a great big crystal palace thing, and now you basically have a glass box.”

Some service disruptions will take place during the work, mostly on the weekends and evenings, MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz said. Officials have not determined when the service changes will begin.

Straphangers using the system’s 10th busiest station will also have to maneuver through work sites, particularly during the 40 months of construction on the platform serving the A and C lines. Officials insisted that the work will not cause hazards or dangerous crowding.

Meanwhile, the MTA also decided yesterday to permit the sale of lottery tickets at eight stations. The agency would receive a 3 percent cut from sales.

The six-month pilot, to start later this year, is the first time in decades straphangers will have access to lottery tickets underground. Sales were permitted in the late 1960s but were later banned because of littering and crowding near ticketing locations.

Tags: fulton street, subway, manhattan, transit

Q and A: Robert Hesse and Seth Levine of Georgica Restaurant and Lounge

Wednesday May 20, 2009 5:15 PM By Lucy Blatter

"Hell's Kitchen" alums Robert Hesse and Seth Levine will be chefs at Georgica Restaurant and Lounge, opening Friday in East Hampton.

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

Despite the recession, hordes of New Yorkers will likely descend upon the Hamptons this weekend, looking for the next big thing.

The brand new Georgica Restaurant and Lounge (opening Friday) should get plenty of attention, thanks to the reality star power of its chefs — Former “Hell’s Kitchen” contestants Robert Hesse and Seth Levine. We asked Hesse and Levine to tell us a bit more about the restaurant.

What kind of food will you serve?

Modern American with an exotic blend of North American and European flavors.

What will your signature dishes be?

Local watermelon and heirloom tomato salad; grilled marinated pork tenderloin with honey and Kentucky bourbon glazed apples and red cabbage; and Fennel sausage and little neck baby clam rigatoni.

How will you take advantage of all the fresh produce available in the Hamptons?

We plan to scope out the local farmers markets in East Hampton for our unique dishes.What kind of ambiance will it have?

Upscale casual dining restaurant located in a historic Tudor mansion. In the evening the restaurant will turn into an elegant and sophisticated lounge overseen by nightlife guru Matt Levine (of Eldridge and Levant East).

Is there a niche you are trying to fill in the Hamptons?

We wanted to create a casual atmosphere with a dash of elegance and sophistication for anyone looking for a refreshing summer meal or a late night cocktail.

108 Wainscott Stone Road. Dinner is served Monday through Sunday. Brunch is also served on Saturday and Sunday. Prices range from $14 - $40. The lounge is open Fridays and Saturdays from 11 p.m.-4 a.m.

Tags: restaurants

City spots offer free food (it’s no joke!)

Wednesday May 20, 2009 3:55 PM By Lucy Blatter

Chickpea fritters come free with a drink at Counter. The restaurant is one of several that offer free eats. Credit: Ryan Thatcher.

By Alexis Korman

Special to amNewYork

They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch. That may be true, but we’ve discovered that there is free food to be found in NYC—and it can be revealed at some unlikely, upscale eateries, with purchase of a drink, of course. Here’s the low down on where you can score gratis grub.

Centro Vinoteca

74 Seventh Ave. South (near Barrow Street), 212-367-7470

Recession specials are everywhere, but we particularly like the one at this West Village favorite. Along with a great selection of red and white vino quartinos for $7 and cocktails for $8, like the refreshing Centriolo—pairing Hendrick’s Gin, muddled cucumber, and sweet basil—small bites will be offered free of charge seven nights a week from 5-7 p.m. The list includes a trio of truffled deviled eggs, shrimp and chickpea fritters with lemon aioli, and a BLT stacked with pancetta, frisee and tomato confit. Note: Centro Vinoteca’s sister restaurant, Gusto Ristorante (60 Greenwich Ave., 212-924-8000), also offer free bites from 5-7 p.m. everyday. Among them, parmesan beignets, arancinis and a selection of bruschetta.

Counter

105 First Ave.,

212-982-5870.

This meat-free standby — known for its sophisticated atmosphere, circular bar and extensive organic wine selection — gives East Village vegetarians something to cheer about. From Sunday to Thursday, a nice selection of appetizers are served free of charge to those buying drinks at the bar (including herb-infused martinis). The gratis bites include marinated olives, chickpea fries with aioli, fried mushrooms, corn beignets, and winter squash cigars. Yum!Armani/Ristorante

717 Fifth Ave., 212-207-1902

We love happy hours. But what about Apertivo Hours? Every Thursday from 6:30-9 p.m., the venerable fashion designer’s ritzy Fifth Ave. eatery offers a spread of comped bites that hail from different regions in Italy, free to those who buy a drink at the bar. A happy hour here is like an Italian culinary class—one Thursday’s menu included crocchette di pancetta (an Italian bacon croquette) and crostini con funghi (toasted bread smothered with sautéed mushrooms from Garfagnana, in Northwest Tuscany).

The Mermaid Inn

96 Second Ave., btwn Fifth and Sixth sts., 212-674-5870

568 Amsterdam Ave., 212-799-7400

A free mini-serving of chocolate pudding is offered every night of the week at each of Mermaid Inn’s locations. And thanks to a blossoming relationship with Magnolia, a mini-cupcake comes is offered, for free, on Monday nights. Now you can have your cupcake, and eat it, too.

The Watering Hole

106 E. 19th St., btwn Park Ave. So. and Irving Pl., 212-674-5783

Formerly known as Tracy J’s, but now under new management, this Union Square bar is a favorite destination for karaoke — and free food. In addition to a lengthy happy hour (3-7pm Mon.-Thurs., noon-7pm on Friday) where wines and mixed drinks cost just $4 a pop, this bar also offers a complimentary buffet from 5:30-6:30p.m. daily with the purchase of a drink. Gratis items include all-you-can-eat, filling pub fare like chicken wings, sliders, and French fries—so get there early.

Tags: armani/ristorante, the mermaid inn, the watering hole, centro vinoteca, free food

Coming this weekend: Jacques Torres ice cream

Wednesday May 20, 2009 3:35 PM By Lucy Blatter

The first of two Jacques Torres ice cream carts will be unveiled this weekend. This one will be at the 350 Hudson St. location.

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

If you want to kick off your Memorial Day weekend with some homemade ice cream (and really, who doesn’t?) head down to Jacques Torres’s Hudson Street location, where the chocolatier and pastry chef will roll out the first of two new ice cream carts.

The carts, which a rep described as French-style, wooden carts complete with old-fashioned awnings, will eventually be in both Torres’s Hudson Street and Upper West Side locations. But starting this Friday, the store at 350 Hudson (at King St.) will begin offering the frozen treats straight from the cart.

Torres also plans to open an ice cream parlor, Jacques Torres Ice Cream in DUMBO on Saturday, May 30 (Torres will sell scoops, sundaes, sandwiches and pints at that location.)His ice cream offerings will include 12 flavors, offered as scoops, in sandwiches (available pre-made and made-to-order) and in homemade waffle cones. At some point, there will also be Belgian waffles topped with scoops of ice cream.

Not all flavors will be available this weekend, but you can sample a few sorbets and ice creams. Eventually, he’ll offer four different sorbet flavors, and 12 flavors(including wicked chocolate, based on the Torres’s signature wicked hot chocolate).

Tags: jacques torres, restaurants

For foodies: This week's dining events and news

Wednesday May 20, 2009 3:09 PM By Lucy Blatter

The Russian Tea Room has begun serving a children's tea, for $25 per child.

By Emily Mathis

Special to amNewYork

Montenapo opens in NY Times building: Opened yesterday, Montenapo is an upscale Italian bar/restaurant occupying the 5,200-sq.-foot glass-enclosed dining space overlooking the birch and moss garden in the center of The New York Times Building.

Executive Chef and Bice Restaurant veteran German Lucarelli is offering traditional Italian dishes and focusing on natural, organic ingredients. Pasta dishes are broken up into The Classics, with dishes such as vongole linguini with Spumanti wine sauce, and The Modern, with dishes such as dry vermouth and lemon zest trofie pasta with baby scampi bisque. Customized menus and chef visits are available to tables of eight to 12. Lunch and dinner is served daily from 11:30 a.m. to midnight.

250 W. 41st St., btwn 7th and 8th aves.

212-764-7663 (reservations) or 212-764-7227 (take-out).

Cooking with cheese class and tasting: From 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Monday,

June 1, Dirt Candy’s Amanda Cohen and cheese expert Max McCalman will

lead a cooking class at Artisanal Cheese Center. The $85 class will feature a half-hour fondue reception with cheese and sparkling wine, a goodie bag, and a three- course cooking class featuring onion soup with brown butter cheddar, a kumquat marmalade appetizer, tarragon and beet green pesto, and zucchini cake with cream cheese ice cream, all paired with wines selected by McCalman.

500 W. 37th St., second floor entrance on Tenth ave., 212-871-3141 or

ArtisanalCheese.com/Cheese_Classes/Dom DeLuise Memorial Day BBQ: The late comedian who starred in classics such as Cannonball Run and Robin Hood: Men in Tights will be remembered on Saturday (3 p.m.) at Brooklyn’s The Bell House with $1 hot dogs and burgers and $2 cans of Presedente and Modelo. 149 Seventh St., Gowanus, 718-643-6510,

Riesling Week through May 24: Craft, Bar Olivino, Le Colonial, Spice

Market, Union Square Wines, and Long’s Wines & Liquors are just a few

of the dozens of restaurants and wine retailers offering free tastings, discounts, food pairings, and wines by the glass as part of the fifth annual Riesling Week.

DestinationRiesling.com for a complete list of participants and schedules.

Mixing cocktails for charity: Release your inner mixologist at "Mix, match and splash,” a benefit Dress for Success. For a $60 entry fee, up to 5 people can enter as a team competing to create the best cocktail. Each entrant will be given a mystery box of spirits and mixers with 30 minutes to create their cocktail. The winning drink will be determined by popular vote and featured at New York's silverleaf tavern for the month of June, with proceeds benefiting Dress for Success. 100% of the entry fee benefits Dress for Success. The winning team receives a private cocktail party for 10 at silverleaf tavern. While cocktail mavens mix it up, guests can bid on fashionable clothes and accessories from famous designers as well as luxurious getaways. General admission is $10 (for anyone not competing), and includes cocktail samples and hors d'oeuvres. For more, contact Ilana Alperstein at ialperstein@baltzco.com, 212-982-8300. Thursday, May 28, 6 p.m. at silverleaf tavern at 70 Park Avenue and 38th Street.

Russian Tea Room offers children’s tea: The Russian Tea Room's new Children's Tea is for kids 12-years-old and under. The two-course menu is served High Tea style. The first course includes PB&J on a Blini, a Miniature BLT, and a Little Pig-in-a-Blanket. The second course features sweet treats such as a red velvet cupcake with sprinkles and chocolate mousse topped with mixed berries. There’s a choice of six decaffeinated teas or hot chocolate, served with whipped cream and marshmallows. And get this … a special Paddlefish Caviar offering can be for an additional $10.

Children's Tea is offered daily from 2-4:30 p.m., for $25 for each child. 150 W. 57th St., 212-581-7100.

(Emily Mathis)

Tags: amanda cohen, dirt candy, riesling, dom deluise, montenapo, russian tea room, restaurants

The public advocate: High power in an obscure post

Wednesday May 20, 2009 1:55 PM By Pete Catapano

By Pete Catapano

The person who holds this position is second in line to the mayor, gets paid $150,000 a year, oversees a staff of about 40 and a budget just under $3 million.

Yet few seem to know what the public advocate does, and others wonder whether it’s a position worth keeping.

"I definitely don't know what that is. … it advocates public things?” said Nidia Medina, 24, of Brooklyn.

"Yes, Betsy Gosbourne (sic) used to work there,” said Benjamin Arnold, 55, of the Bronx. "Actually I'm not sure."

The race for the public advocate is one of the mostly hotly contested in the November election, as politicians line up to replace Betsy Gotbaum, who isn’t running for a third term. The only other person to hold the position was Mark Green, who became the first public advocate in 1993 when it replaced the City Council President.

(Betsy Gotbaum/RJ Mickelson, amNewYork)For the record

The public advocate responds to New Yorkers’ complaints about city agencies, presides over the City Council and keeps tabs on the mayor.

It’s function is often confused with the city’s 311 information/help hotline, which has a nearly $50 million budget, but is largely a referral service.

“The city gets a big bang for its buck … from a small, tiny budget and you need to have oversight over a real powerful mayor,” Gotbaum said.

Almost Abolished

In 1999, then-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani tried to obliterate the position, fearing that his nemesis Green would become mayor if he was elected to the senate — but a referendum to amend the City Charter was voted down.

In 2005, Jim Lesczynski ran for the public advocate as a Liberterian, vowing to dissolve the “worthless” office.

“Green had the job for eight years and did nothing with it and Gotbaum is going on eight years and has done nothing,” Lesczynski said. “There’s nothing they can do with it, it’s a fairly toothless position.”

Denora Getachew, director of public policy for the good government group Citizens Union, said: “We can’t say wholeheartedly that it’s not a useful office. We need to look at the way the city offices are overlapping and working together and what’s the best way to deliver services to the people.”

Success on a tight budget

Sarah Krauss, spokeswoman for the public advocate, stressed the office’s efficiency — 82 percent of complaints were settled in a New Yorker’s favor last year.

“We get 12,000 complaints a year,” she said. “Unlike 311, we see them through … until there is some kind of resolution.”

“That’s why I think all this conversation about not having it is ridiculous,” Gotbaum said. “People don’t know about us, but if we could advertise we’d have an increased volume of calls.”

Krauss added that it’s problematic to be keeping tabs on the mayor when he plays a role in their funding.

The mayor, though, doesn’t have the only say in the public advocate’s budget.

“The budget is set in collaborative process with the City Council,” said Bloomberg spokesman Marc Lavorgnia.

Richard Brown, a 55-year-old retired Brooklyn cop, is a supporter. “If they see the public being cheated, they make themselves a pest until they do something. … We need noisemakers."

Five candidates running for public advocate tell amNewYork why they want the job:

Alex Zablocki, Republican candidate

“The main character of the office is to answer complaints about city agencies and it’s something I’ve been doing for six years working (as an excutive assistant for Staten Island state senator and former Councilman) for Andrew Lanza. I want it because of a genuine need to help people.”

Norman Siegel, civil rights lawyer

“I want the position to: A) protect and enhance the rights of all New Yorkers and B) hold city government accountable.”

Eric Gioia, City Councilman

“There are too many people in this city who feel invisible … I’m running for public advocate to ensure that they have a voice at City Hall.”

Bill De Blasio, City Councilman

“As public advocate, I want to continue to do what I have done my entire life - bring families and communities together to change New York for the better.”

Mark Green, former public advocate

“I'm running because our city is in trouble and struggling New Yorkers need a strong advocate in government.”

What the office does

The public advocate’s office helps everyone from business owners who’ve been denied permits by the Buildings Department because of paperwork mess ups to residents who’ve gotten parking tickets they don’t deserve.

Tags: norman siegel, rudolph giuliani, mark green, betsy gotbaum, public advocate, politics

Oscar Mayer to give away $1 million in hot dogs

Wednesday May 20, 2009 11:26 AM By Lucy Blatter

Just in time for Memorial Day, Oscar Mayer is giving away $1 million worth of Jumbo Beef Franks. Go on to oscarmayer.com for a free coupon for a pack of franks.

The giveaway is in honor of the company's dog beating out all others in a national taste test.

Tags: oscar mayer

New artists embrace online to promote music from the start

Tuesday May 19, 2009 8:55 PM By Garett Sloane

Bulletproof Messenger has the most investors — 1,171 "believers" — on the crowd funding site SellaBand.

By Ryan Bonner

Special to amNewYork

Mr. Ozwald, aka Kyle Jekielek, tried to build a fan base for his music the old-fashioned way: selling CDs on city streets.

Now, he’s learned the art of online promotion. Ozwald, as he likes to be called, is trying to make it big using the route that so many new artists are trudging, generating fans through social network sites, giving away music free online and more recently using Twitter.

If Ozwald, 26, gives away his music, then maybe his next show downtown is that much more popular.

“You pay attention to your fan base,” Ozwald said. “People aren’t going to pay for music, but they may pay 10 or 20 bucks to see a show. It’s important to give yourself as many avenues as possible to expose yourself to more people.”Another emerging revenue generator for musicians is SellaBand, which facilitates crowd funding — harnessing groups of people who invest small amounts of money to finance a venture. In the case of music, investors finance albums and get a piece of the profits. This way they’re also incentivized to blog, tweet and hawk the group online.

Bulletproof Messenger, a Long Island-based rock band, rounded up the most investors — 1,171 “believers” — on SellaBand.

“We knew we had a good first album so we weren’t surprised when people put their money where their mouth was,” said Matt Litwin, the DJ and programmer of Bulletproof.

When the band hit the target $50,000, it hit the studio and finished recording its latest album, “Arm Yourself,” in January.

Other striving artists, who see the shift in the industry, recognize that technology may have taken away some avenues to riches, but it has opened others.

Anamanaguchi, a city-based electronic band comprised of four college buddies, tweets, leaks its music online and fully embraces the Internet model of success.

“As new tools come up, we try to get involved in as many ways as possible,” said the band’s guitarist, Peter Berkman, 20. “We grew up with all of this technology.”

Tags: twitter, crowd funding, changing music industry, free music, facebook, social networking bands, bulletproof messenger, anamanaguchi, mr. ozwald, sellaband, media, entertainment, economy, technology

Graduates march into tough job market

Tuesday May 19, 2009 8:08 PM By Garett Sloane

New York University graduation was held last week at Yankee Stadium. (Jefferson Siegel)

By Garett Sloane

Facing a brutal job market, many of the city’s college grads are dreading the real world.

Some have already felt its sting and others are avoiding it altogether — they’re putting the job search on hold, according to a number of students and advisers.

“Every city college is grappling with the downturn in the economy,” said Sophia Demetriou, the director of City College’s career center. “We have seen significant drops in [job] offers from last year.”Lawrence Almanzar, an NYU grad, is among those students — he doesn’t have a full-time job lined up and said most of his friends are in the same boat.

“A bachelor’s is a step, but nowadays you need more than that,” he said.

Indeed, the numbers look bleak in the face of the Big Bust economy. Nationally, 20 percent of college grads who have looked for a job already have one, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. That’s down dramatically from two years ago, when 51 percent had jobs by graduation.

This year’s class is facing unique challenges. Not only are fresh-faced former students going up against the growing ranks of the hardened unemployed, they are facing a bottleneck created from last year’s grads who have yet to find jobs. In New York, the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book — a snapshot of the economy in different regions published eight times a year — noted the backlog as a significant challenge to the region’s employment problem.

Career advisers are meeting an already weary class of 2009.

“They hear how tight the job market is,” said Patricia McManus, director of career services at St. John’s University. “They see any type of rejection as something bigger than it is.”

At NYU’s graduation, Dalton Lai, 21, who earned a bachelor’s degree in film, said there’s “a lot of dread.”

He doesn’t have a post-graduation plan, and said he could wind up in Shanghai, sensing opportunity in the Far East.

Instead of rushing into the job market, many students had similar short-term aspirations to travel and ride out the recession.

Other graduates said the world they are entering is broken, and they see a chance to fix it.

“The recession, ironically enough, encourages our class to take action rather than succumb to it,” said NYU grad Thomas Miller.

Tags: class of 2009, recent grads, job hunt, recession, unemployment, st. john's university, cuny, city college, new york university, nyu, new york city, economy, job market, graduates, schools, job front, education

Fossil could be crucial link in human evolution

Tuesday May 19, 2009 6:33 PM By Jason Fink

The fossil dubbed Ida, a common ancestor between the two primate groups, which was unveiled Tuesday at the American Museum of Natural History. AP photo

By Jason Fink

She may be the mother of us all.

Or at least the aunt.

Scientists yesterday unveiled a 47-million-year-old fossil they say could be the elusive missing link, the smoking gun of human evolution.

“This is the first link to all humans . . . truly a fossil that links world heritage,” said Jorn Hurum, of the University of Oslo Natural History Museum, one of the scientists reporting the find.The fossil, found in Germany in 1983 and unveiled Tuesday with great fanfare at the American Museum of Natural History, is a common ancestor of the two branches of primate: The one that eventually produced humans, and the line that led to lemurs.

Nicknamed “Ida,” after Hurum’s 6-year-old daughter, the specimen is about 95 percent complete and includes gut contents, showing that it ate fruit and leaves.

Jens Franzen, another scientist on the research team, called Ida — whose technical name is Darwinius masillae — “the eighth wonder of the world,” according to published reports.

The 2-foot-long skeleton, which is probably of a 9-month-old female, doesn’t look very human, with its four legs, long curling tail and protruding jaw. But scientists say its opposable thumbs and fingernails combined with other features give it the characteristics of later primates, including us.

The fossil was unearthed by a private collector in 1983 and remained in private hands until Hurum’s museum bought it in 2007. Studying the volcanic rocks around where the Ida was found helped scientists to determine the fossil’s age, according to reports.

Despite the massive publicity — Mayor Michael Bloomberg attended the unveiling and pronounced it an “astonishing breakthough” — some scientists not connected with the find played down its significance.

“I actually don’t think it’s terribly close to the common ancestral line of monkeys, apes and people,” said K. Christopher Beard of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh.

Rather than a long-ago aunt, “I would say it’s more like a third cousin twice removed,” he said.

The media rollout Tuesday came in advance of a special on the History Channel, which will be aired on Memorial Day and which the A&E-owned network is promoting as “the most important find in 47 million years.” There is also a book planned.

A scientific paper about the fossil was published in the journal, Public Library of Science.

Hurum defended the public relations blitz.

“That’s part of getting science out to the public, to get attention. I don’t think that’s so wrong,” Hurum said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story

Tags: american museum of natural history, fossils, human evolution, science

City continues to track swine flu as second death suspected

Tuesday May 19, 2009 6:05 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

As the city health department investigates the death of a 16-month-old boy in Queens from suspected swine flu, officials Tuesday expressed some concern about the pace with which the illness is spreading, particularly this late in the season.

“It seems to spread a little bit more rapidly than the garden variety” flu, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

Still, despite what appears to be two deaths, Bloomberg and other officials stressed that the swine flu has been less virulent than seasonal influenza, which kills between 1,000 and 2,000 New Yorkers every season.An assistant principal in Queens died from swine flu on Sunday.

Bloomberg said warmer weather and the upcoming three-day weekend, when schools are out and many offices closed, could help slow the spread.

On Tuesday, a private school in Riverdale, Horace Mann, announced it would close until after Memorial Day, bringing to 18 the number of schools that have canceled classes because of the virus.

Officials also said there are four confirmed and four suspected cases among inmates at Rikers Island.

“We will continue to experience outbreaks periodically,” said Bloomberg. “It is still unknown and unpredictable.”

Hospital visits in Queens, where most of the cases have been, have shot up by 50 percent among adults and 100 percent among children, according to Alan Aviles, president of the city Health and Hospitals Corp. The vast majority of those, he said, were mild illnesses and did not require hospitalization.

Tags: public health, swine flu

B. Smith's Memorial Day cocktails

Tuesday May 19, 2009 6:01 PM By Lucy Blatter

B. Smith is a lifestyle expert. She offers us some Memorial Day cocktail suggestions. align="left"

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

Memorial Day weekend is the perfect time to throw back some drinks with friends.

But why stick to the same old wine and beer? Lifestyle expert B. Smith suggested two special Memorial Day cocktails.

"These drinks are perfect for an outdoor gathering on Memorial Day; They can be made in large quantities, and can be made alcoholic or non-alcoholic depending on the audience; perfect for a gathering for friends or family,” she said.Sparkling Pear Sangria

1 bottle sparkling white wine (a prosecco or spumante)

1 bottle sparkling pear cider

¾ cup triple sec

¾ cup pear brandy

Add ice cubes, diced mango and a few white grapes to a large glass and serve.

Berry Tea Punch*

**Depending on which flavor you choose, the recipe can be modified (seltzer, fruit, garnish, etc). If you want to give this non-alcoholic drink a little kick, add rum, vodka or your favorite spirit.

8 Raspberry, Blueberry, or Strawberry tea bags

4 cups boiling water

1 cup sugar or sugar substitute

1 (750 mil) bottle chilled sparkling cider

3 cups chilled flavored sparkling seltzer water

1 cups Fresh fruit, diced

Citrus slices, to garnish

Place tea bags in a large container. Add the boiling water and let steep 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags; add the sugar while the tea is hot. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Add the sparkling seltzer water. Serve in tall glasses over ice, add the diced fruit. Garnish with citrus slices.

Tags: punch, sangria, memorial day, food

What's in Season: Green garlic

Tuesday May 19, 2009 5:30 PM By Lucy Blatter

By Ben Muessig

Special to amNewYork

As vegetables grow, they don't just change in size — they change in taste. Now is the best time to sample some of the region's more mild baby veggies before they grow into full-flavored adults.

Green garlic differs greatly from the cloved garlic that is commonplace in kitchens around the city. Unlike mature garlic, the pale white bulbs of green garlic plants have not yet separated into cloves - and they come attached to lengthy edible stalks.Those discrepancies mean that green garlic doesn't just have a different taste than cloved garlic - it has a different use.

"You can use it as a vegetable - not just a condiment," said John Schmid, of Muddy River Farm in Goshen, N.Y., who recommends sauteeing green garlic with spinach or swiss chard to make a healthy vegetable medley.

This more mild variety of garlic - which some say tastes like a cross between cloved garlic and scallions - can be served in any number of dishes. Try dicing it into soups, slicing it into salads, or mincing it into omelets.

Look for veggies with a dark green stalk that shows no signs of yellowing, and a pale white bulb.

Mild bunches of green garlic sell for about $2.50 apiece at farmers markets around the city.

Tags: green garlic, food

Broadway car ban starts Sunday

Tuesday May 19, 2009 5:25 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

The curtains open Sunday night on one of the biggest revamps to the city grid in recent memory.

Cars will be banned from Broadway at Herald and Times squares under a city pilot program intended to curb traffic and make room for Midtown’s pedestrian throngs.

And to sweeten the controversial plan, the city yesterday announced a lineup of performances along Broadway this summer. Events include lunchtime concerts by buskers in Times Square and a simulcast of the Tony Awards in Broadway Plaza.

Under the proposal, Broadway traffic will be rerouted to Seventh Avenue between 42nd and 47th streets and to Sixth Avenue between 33rd and 35th streets. In its place, the city is building pedestrian plazas in three acres of space.

“I am sure there will be some bumps in the road,” Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance, said at a news conference yesterday. But no one is “well served by the congested streets and spaces we have now.”

Shutting the diagonally-running street and increasing green light timing will cut waits by 17 percent at Times Square and 66 percent at Herald Square, according to city Department of Transportation.The MTA voted to eliminate the M6 bus on Broadway and reroute seven other lines down Seventh Avenue to accommodate the overhaul.

Thousands of fliers about the street closures have been distributed to area businesses and taxi drivers, DOT said.

The city will evaluate the $1.5 million program by the end of the year.

(Photo courtesy DOT)

Tags: cars, new york city, broadway, transit

Secrets of food stylists

Tuesday May 19, 2009 5:25 PM By Lucy Blatter

Stylist Delores Custer creates the perfect grill marks on a burger. Credit: Saori Kurioka

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

lucy.blatter@am-ny.com

A model would never take part in a photo shoot without being prepped first. The same holds true when the model happens to be a hamburger or an apple pie.

In order to look right for the cameras, dishes are prepped by food stylists, who ensure that the food in cookbooks, magazines, advertisements, and packaging looks as good as possible under hot lights.

The perfect look used to be the goal. Now, casual-looking food is in, but the work of food stylists is as important as ever.ETHICAL ISSUES

Food stylists sometimes get a bad rap, with the assumptions that they use tricks to make food look better. “What food stylists really do is develop ways to hold food so that it looks good over time,” said Delores Custer, who’s been working as a food stylist since the 1970s.

Magazines don’t want stylists to use fake food and companies are not allowed to overpromise. So if, for example, a company is selling a primavera sauce, the stylist can’t add more vegetables. What they will do, stylist Lisa Homa said, is “go through many jars to find one with everything you need in it.”

Stylist Sarah Brian said the food that stylists cook is almost never cooked exactly according to the recipe. “For example, if you cooked all the vegetables in stir-fry together, they would get soggy and none of the ingredients would stand out.”

TECHNIQUES

Ice cream is a notorious fake food. The melt-less concoction is made of Crisco, confectioners sugar and Karo syrup. The ice-cream technique isn’t used much these days. However, stylists do still employ tried-and-true techniques. Here are a few:

Acrylic ice. Ice cubes don’t sink, and they’re not completely clear, so stylists use hand-crafted acrylic cubes that allow for light to shine through.

Half-cooked poultry. When you cook a turkey or Cornish hen through, they tend not to brown evenly and the skin pulls away from the bird. To fix that problem, stylists will often leave a bird half-cooked. To get that perfect brown look, they’ll brush on a mixture of Angostura bitters and kitchen bouquet (a coloring used in gravy).

Glue as milk. A glass of milk is always a glass of milk, but milk in cereal? That’s a different story. Oftentimes stylists will use Elmer’s Glue, so the cereal won’t get soggy.

Making perfectly seeded buns. A big part of a stylist’s job takes place in the supermarket, where they must look for the perfectly round orange, the best wine label or, the perfectly seeded bun. If a hamburger bun doesn’t have enough seeds, stylists will often use Elmer’s Glue to create the appearance of more. The nice thing about Elmer’s, Custer says, is it dries clear.

Stacking a sandwich up high. Stylists will often use toothpicks to boost lunch meat.

Making a drink look chilly. Custer uses Karo syrup and water and brushes the mix on the glass to look chilled. She also said that adding some detergent makes a drink look just poured.

Making pizza cheesier. To make a pizza slice coming out of the oven look really good, the stylists will cut a slice out of the pie before cooking it, fill the slice with extra cheese and then tuck it back into the pie. When the pie is baked, this slice can be pulled out and the cheese will ooze.

Instant mashed potatoes to the rescue. Instant mashed potatoes were once used as a stand-in for ice cream. Now they’re often used as a sculpting base to prop up another dish. “Sometimes we’ll use them to fill a bowl of something else halfway. Recently, I used them to fill an apple pie (later topped with the apples),” Homa said. She stressed that it was not an ad for an apple pie.

Melting butter. Everyone likes melted butter on the top of their pancakes. To do that, stylists will warm up a spatula with a torch, and right before shooting, they’ll tap a pat of butter.

Giving swiss cheese more holes. Custer makes holes with pastry tips.

Crust fixes. Brian said she’d often glue together broken crust with Vaseline, as glue doesn’t stick well to pastry.

Tags: food stylists, food styling

Subdued Fleet Week descends on the city

Tuesday May 19, 2009 5:14 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Bring on those white caps and crisp sailor suits.

Thousands of visitors will start strolling into town today for Fleet Week, the six-day toast to America’s naval might that brings in big ships and portside sailors.

Budget constraints have made for subdued festivities this year, with the Navy sending 13 vessels, including three warships that make up the smallest contingent of major combat ships to New York Harbor in the event’s 22-year history. Previously, several nations sent a dozen or more warships from several nations to take part in Fleet Week, but the numbers have dwindled in recent years.

Fleet Week will still feature showstoppers like the freshly renovated Intrepid museum, which is back in the lineup after a two year renovation project, as well as the 40,500-ton USS Iwo Jima meandering up the Hudson River. First-time additions include the missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf and destroyer USS Roosevelt.On tap for his week are dozens of concerts, military demonstrations and ship tours. Here are some of the highlights:

— Today, 10:30 a.m. Parade of Ships sails into New York Harbor to the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum at West 46th Street

— Tomorrow, 9 a.m. Central Park hosts bands, martial arts demos and military working dogs at Fifth Avenue and 72nd Street

— Tomorrow, 11 a.m. The Growler, a retired nuclear-launch submarine, reopens at the Intrepid after an overhaul

— Friday, 11 a.m. The U.S. Coast Guard shows off its aerial landing skills at the Intrepid

— Saturday, 7:30 a.m. The Navy and Marine Corps face off in a tug of war at Rockefeller Plaza

— Sunday, 3 p.m. Military personnel face off in the “Best Chow” competition at the Intrepid

— Monday, 11 a.m. Ceremonial wreath laying, military flyover in the missing man formation and other Memorial Day commemorations on the Intrepid

AP contributed to this story

(Photo courtesy Associated Press)

Tags: traffic

amNewYork letters to the editor

Tuesday May 19, 2009 4:51 PM By Sara Baumberger

Bloomberg is good for city’s finances

Re “Mike to middle class: I’m on your side,” May 18: I would vote for Bloomberg again. You forgot to mention he declined his mayoral salary. He accepts only $1 of his $195,000. Being that he is a billionaire he has no need to use taxpayer money. Using his own private jet is a great thing! If he can make money for his company, he would do the same for the city. Go Bloomberg!

— Susana P. Corey, Brooklyn

Mayor Mike is a hypocrite

Mayor Bloomberg is spending obscene amounts of money with his Orwellian ad campaign selling his bogus message to the middle class, but his administration crushed the middle class. Mike’s message is like the seats in the new Yankee Stadium — nice, but most New Yorkers can’t afford them. He prides himself on being an environmentally conscious mayor, but he flies around on his private jet.

— Suzannah B. Troy, Queens

Media should focus on other candidates

The media refuses to give much attention to the other, superior, candidates for mayor and then they have the nerve to run stories about how voters don’t know any of the other candidates? I bet if you listed any of the Democrats’ platforms against Bloomberg’s you’d find his approval rating drop to about zero. Did you not see what 16 years of Republican rule of NY has done to us? Eight years of Republican rule in D.C. destroyed America and that can’t be refuted.

— Kevin Kuber, Manhattan

Tags: letters to the editor

Wendy's offering a Frapuccino-like drink

Tuesday May 19, 2009 2:42 PM By Lucy Blatter

Wendy's new Frosty-Cino looks a lot like McDonald's new iced mocha.

On the way to work this morning, I passed a Wendy's and noticed that the "waaaay better than fast food" chain is jumping on the coffee bandwagon, offering a caffeinated twist on its signature Frosty.

The Frosty-Cino is mixed with coffee syrup from real-brewed coffee, hand-spun and topped with a drizzle of chocolate.

While it's more of a milkshake with a coffee flavor than a specialty espresso drink, it sure does look a lot like McDonald's new iced mocha.

Tags: frosty-cino, wendy's, food

Campaign launches to calm unruly bikers

Tuesday May 19, 2009 2:26 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Bicyclists—behave!

Transit advocates launched a campaign Tuesday to keep bikers from becoming street menaces as their numbers swell. The main theme is to respect pedestrians—do not hit them!

“Here's a simple proposition for NYC cyclists: always yield to pedestrians,” states “Biking Rules,” a Web site launched by Transportation Alternatives for the campaign. “As our potential to cause harm increases on the street, so does our responsibility to others.”

An estimated 185,000 New Yorkers commute by bike daily. TA handed out 5,000 guides to better riding last week, and hundreds of volunteers will keep up the effort this year, the group stated.

The guides instruct bikers to:

- Back up behind the crosswalk to keep it free for pedestrians- Ride on the street, not the sidewalk

- Pedal with traffic

- Don’t run red lights

For more information, see www.bikingrules.org.

Tags: new york city, biking, transit

More pinkberry locations to offer delivery

Tuesday May 19, 2009 1:56 PM By Lucy Blatter

You can now enjoy Pinkberry from the comfort of your own home

Hooked on Pinkberry? Don't want to leave the house? You're in luck.

The company has announced that, in addition to the Midtown East store, which launched the 'Swirls on Wheels' program in April, Pinkberry delivery will be available in most of Manhattan by late May.

The Hell's Kitchen location kicked off delivery yesterday, with subsequent roll-outs planned for Gramercy, Chelsea, Greenwich Village and Columbus Avenue.

Tags: swirls on wheels, pinkberry delivery

Diamond district high-rise could be boon for New York's jewel biz

Tuesday May 19, 2009 1:29 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

It may seem like an unusual time to spend money on the luxury jewelry industry but that's what city officials were touting Monday as they unveiled plans for a new 34-story office building in the heart of the diamond district.

Construction is about to begin on the International Gem Tower on West 47th Street, a high-rise that will house office space, vaults and retail for diamond dealers. The city plans to provide some $50 million in tax incentives for the project, being built by Extell Development.

"Diamonds are one of New York's best friends and one of our most enduring industries," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Extell is also seeking "free trade zone" status, which would allow companies to import, cut, and then export stones without paying import duties.

The city tax breaks will come only if the building is 85 percent occupied by jewelry related businesses and if 50 percent of the businesses are either new or expanded from existing locations, rather than simply relocated.Bloomberg said the city's diamond industry is facing increased competition from international cities such as Dubai. Giving tax incentives, he argued, will keep diamond dealers in the city and help anchor the industry during a period of economic distress.

The city said the new project, expected to be complete by 2011, will provide 3,000 jobs with some 250 businesses. Many of those will be taken by workers coming from oversees, Extell officials said.

Tags: development, diamond district, real estate

Viral video: Mentos, the next generation

Tuesday May 19, 2009 1:15 PM By Sean Joseph

Mentos helps Captain Kirk and the “Star Trek” crew get the job done.

Tags: mentos, advertising, star trek, television, viral video

Union ad campaign blasts city's use of contractors

Monday May 18, 2009 6:44 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

The city's largest municipal workers union launched an ad campaign Monday slamming the city over its use of outside contractors.

The subway ads, paid for by District Council 37, show a variety of city workers and text saying they save taxpayers' money. Other ads feature the slogan “Cut private contractors not public service.”

The ads appear on 570 cars and will be up for a month.DC37, which represents 125,000 of the city's 300,000 workers, also published a highly critical report in February about the use of private contract employees, who work across a wide range of departments.

The report said the city spent $9 billion this year on contractors - up from $6.7 billion in 2005.

“This is a misuse of taxpayers' dollars and it's just the tip of the iceberg," said Lillian Roberts, head of DC 37.

The city disputes the union's numbers.

“This report overestimates savings and underestimates cost, and doesn't account for burdensome pension obligations,” said the spokesman, Jason Post. “We encourage DC 37 to come to the table with ideas on pension and health care savings."

A union spokeswoman declined to reveal how much the ad campaign costs.

Tags: budget, municipal union, advertising, politics

Auto pilot on the L line causing sudden jerks

Monday May 18, 2009 6:04 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Straphangers are having a wobbly ride late at night on the L train — and not because of stiff drinks before the ride home.

The shift to auto pilot on evening L trains has come with an “uncomfortable jerk” at station stops, according to an engineer's report.

“I'm telling straphangers to hold on tightly to the bars,” said Gene Russianoff, of the Straphangers Campaign.

In February, NYC Transit started running some overnight L trains on “automatic train operation,” where a driver simply taps a button as a computer handles most of the driving.

So far, the software may need tweaking to stop the jerking motion, along with braking errors at fast speeds, according to a report prepared by McKissack + Delcan, engineers hired to oversee the MTA's major projects.The snafu has not endangered passengers, NYC Transit spokesman Paul Fleuranges said. Siemens Transportation Systems, the contractor, will be held responsible in refining the software, he said.

Last year, Siemens received a $28 million contract to equip 64 subway cars on the L line with the computer equipment, which is currently from about 2 to 5 a.m.

Later this year it could be used on some cars on the No. 7 line.

Union officials view the shift to automatic train control as risky.

"We continue to have serious safety concerns,” said Curtis Tate, acting president of TWU Local 100, who called for a full report on the L train incidents.

Transit advocates have frequently slammed Siemens for dropping the ball on other city projects, including digital bus locator maps and the subway's public address system.

“This has been an ongoing saga,” said Karyl Cafiero, a researcher at the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA. “Is this fine tuning going to take a month or six months?”

Siemens did not respond to a request for comment. The engineer's report will be discussed during MTA's board meeting tomorrow.

Tags: transit

This week's travel deals

Monday May 18, 2009 5:22 PM By Lucy Blatter

STA Travel is offering $30 roundtrip tickets to London and Paris Wednesday only. Credit: Getty

$30 round-trip airfare to London and Paris: In celebration of its 30th anniversary, STA Travel is offering $30 round-trip airfares (including taxes and fees) to London or Paris on Wednesday only, while supplies last. The tickets are available to anyone who is under 26 and/or is a currently enrolled student or teacher. Travel must commence before June 15, 2009.

STA is also offering $30 off all flights over $300 (mention promo code $30OFF). A valid ISIC/IYTC/ITIC identity card is required to purchase a ticket and is available for $22 if the traveler doesn’t currently have one. Visit your local STA Travel branch or call 800-360-9273.Three new deals from the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas: This lakeside resort, located 17 miles from the Las Vegas Strip, is offering three ways to save this summer.

Rates with the Reflection Bay Summer Golf package begin at $229/night and include one round of golf; rates of $299/night come with two rounds of golf. Available June 1-Aug. 30.

From now until Sept. 30, rates with the Resort Reconnect package begin at $219/night and include breakfast for two and a $50/night resort credit for dining, spa treatments and more.

For longer trips, take advantage of the Peace of Mind package (beginning at $259/night). Until Sept. 30, guests receive three nights for the price of two, five nights for the price of three, or seven nights for the price of four, and daily American breakfast for two. Go to RitzCarlton.com/en/Properties.LakeLasVegas or call 702-567-4700.

Travel-Ticker.com has airfare and six nights’ accommodations in Ireland for $599: Valid for travel now until March 31, 2010 (based on availability), this three-city Irish deal lets you fly out of NYC or Boston, stay two nights in Limerick, Mayo and Dublin, get a rental car and a $500 value discount book for just $599/person. Go to Travel-Ticker.com, AerlingusVacationStore.com or call 800-495-1632.

Airfare and four nights in the Dominican Republic for $411 on Travel-Ticker: American Airlines and Vacation Travel Mart have teamed up to offer airfare from New York City to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and four nights at the all-inclusive Caribe Club Princess for $411/person. Book by May 27 for travel June 15-July 31. Go to Travel-Ticker.com or VacMart.com or call 800-288-1435.

Fly to Israel, get seven nights accommodations, guided tours and meals for $2,315 on Travel-Ticker:The deal applies to June 27 departure from New York City to Tel Aviv on Lufthansa. It includes seven nights’ accomodation in Tel Aviv, Galilee and Jerusalem, daily breakfasts and dinners, and six days of guided tours. Book by May 29. Go to Travel-Ticker.com or call 800-995-7997. (Emily Mathis)

Tags: cheap airfare, deals to london, deals to paris, travel deals, sta

There's adventure just north of the city

Monday May 18, 2009 5:14 PM By Lucy Blatter

Clarke Outdoors offers kayaking and canoeing on the Housatonic.

By Linda Perney

Special to amNewYork

Looking for a little adventure this summer? You don’t have to go far.

There’s rock climbing in the Catskills, not to mention canoeing and kayaking in Connecticut.

There are also flights in an antique biplane, and plenty of hiking, too. Here’s where to find it all.

Canoe the Housatonic

Tucked into the foothills of the Berkshires, in the northwestern part of Connecticut, the Housatonic River provides scenic daytrips for canoers and kayakers.

ARRANGE THE TRIP

In addition to renting canoes, rafts and kayaks, Clarke Outdoors offers instruction and guided trips.

(860-672-6365, clarkeoutdoors.com, 163 U.S. 7, West Cornwall, Conn., canoe rentals $55 on weekends)STAYING OVER

Camp out along the banks of the river at one of the sites at the well-maintained Housatonic Meadows Campground. Try your hand at catch-and-release fishing. There are flush toilets and showers, too. (860-672-6772, U.S. 7, Cornwall Bridge, Conn.

$18 per night, Note: Make reservations online through Reserve America at reserveamerica.com)

Climb the Gunks

The Shawangunk Mountains, south of the Catskills, are a nearby resource, and there’s plenty of adventure there.

Among our favorites is rock-climbing, but you can also just go for a hike.

The most famous hiking is in the Mohonk Preserve, but you needn’t pay the day-use fee to hike in nearby Minnewaska State Park (a parking fee applies).

ARRANGE THE TRIP

If rock climbing is what you’re after, contact High Xposures Adventures, which leads classes all summer. Family rates are available. (800-777-CLIMB,

Mohonk Preserve,high-xposure.com)

STAYING OVER

Nearby is the KOA campsite, located a short distance from the town of Newburgh.

The site has two swimming pools, catch-and-release fishing and mini-golf.

As an added bonus, there are showers, toilets and a Laundromat.

With 65 wooded acres, the site is a pleasant place to stay, stroll or go for a bike ride. (800-562-7220, 119 Freetown Hwy., Plattekill,

newburghkoa.com,$48.59 for two during June weekends)

AIRBORNE ADVENTURES

In Hudson Valley, head to the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome for a ride in an old-fashioned biplane. Besides the ride, there are air shows every weekend.

(Season starts June 13, 845-752-3200, oldrhinebeck.org)

Another way to take to the air in the Valley is with Enchanted Balloon Rides, which lifts you up above the area’s magnificent landscape, wafting you along in a gentle flight. Sunrise and sunset flights are available, starting at $225 for an hour-long flight. (845-649-9654, 577 Ridgebury Rd., Slate Hill, balloon-rides-ny.com)

In Ellenville, in the Catskills, Mountain Wings Hang Gliding Center can arrange a hang-gliding course for you. (845-647-3377, 77 Hang Glider Rd., mtnwings.com)

Tags: catskills, housatonic, travel

amNewYork letters to the editor

Monday May 18, 2009 5:05 PM By Sara Baumberger

Prez should have been challenged

Re “Notre Dame anti-abortion activists fighting wrong battle with Obama,” May 15-17: Ellis Henican purposely sets up a straw argument. If he had done his homework, he’d understand that opponents of President Barack Obama’s invitation do not believe he should be “forbidden to speak,” but rather question giving him an unchallenged platform. Because his policy pronouncements on life profoundly clash with those of the Catholic faith, a debate where Obama would have to explain his position on a critical moral issue (rather than gloss over it with the glib response that abortion is “above my pay grade,” as he told Pastor Rick Warren) would be more appropriate.

— Gilbert Colon, Manhattan

Palestine is still a real place

Re “Pope backs ‘Palestine,’” May 14: Why was it necessary to put quotes around the word Palestine in the headline? To do so introduces an editorial bias that suggests a certain skepticism of the place. While Palestine no longer exists on most U.S. maps, it certainly exists on maps in most of the rest of the world, and it was the name of that small sliver of land up until the creation of Israel in 1948. More important, it remains very real in the minds of those who were driven from Palestine in 1948 and 1967, and those who strive to live freely in a future Palestinian state.

I wonder if you would have put quotes around: “Pope backs ‘heaven.’”

— Kathryn Casa, Manhattan

Tags: letters to the editor

Flight attendant tips

Monday May 18, 2009 4:50 PM By Lucy Blatter

Yigal Levy is a flight attendant for El Al.

We asked Yigal Levy, chief flight attendant at El Al, for some of his traveling tips.

Do you have any advice for traveling with children?

For a baby you want to give them a bottle for takeoff and landing, but you want to start feeding ahead of time.

For older children, bring toys they know and recognize. Airline stuff is not necessarily appropriate for all ages.

Don’t pull the toys out right away, though. Keep kids busy at first by explaining the flight and aircraft.

With children, also, try to board as early as possible, so you can get better settled.Any seat selection suggestions?

For long-haul flights, try to get a window seat. It gives you a few more inches at the wall, and you won’t be woken up by someone sitting next to you who needs to get out.

Some people think emergency exits are best, but for 757s and 767s they’re by the galley (the kitchen area) and it’s lighter and often noisier. Also, sometimes the seats don’t go back.

If the aircraft has two emergency exits, the one in front won’t go back.

Do your homework. Go on the airline’s site and look at their seating plan.

What should people wear on a flight?

Wear something soft and comfortable, and be sure to layer. Wear layers that have zippers and are easy to take off.

For shoes, wear sandals, or sneakers, something that’s wide enough because your feet get swollen in the air. (Lucy Cohen Blatter)

Tags: travel advice, flight attendant, flights

New York's electronic alert system will go citywide

Monday May 18, 2009 4:16 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

An alert system that sends text messages, emails and voicemail to New Yorkers about everything from natural disasters to subway delays will be available citywide at the end of the month.

The program, Notify NYC, will be open to all residents beginning on May 28, and will allow users to register multiple email addresses or phone numbers, city officials said Monday.

Currently, the alerts are only available to residents of four neighborhoods.“You can be just about anywhere and receive instantaneous information about events of concern in your community, or any other area of the city,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Subscribers can sign up for different types of alerts: Serious emergencies, such as hurricanes or AMBER alerts; non-emergency updates about mass transit disruptions, power outages and public health alerts; and notices about parking rules and school closures.

People can sign up by going to nyc.gov or calling 311.

Since the pilot program began in December 2007, the Office of Emergency Management has sent out 70 alerts to 12,800 subscribers.

Tags: emergency, technology, city hall dispatch

Sneakers for spring

Monday May 18, 2009 3:12 PM By Julie Gordon

By Julie Gordon

Make a sneaker style statement this spring in one of these stand-out pairs.

Original Jams for Converse unisex sneakers, $70; at Urban Outfitters

Adidas x Jeremy Scott men's high-tops, $198; at Memes, 3 Great Jones St., 212-420-9955

Keds women's sneakers, $40; at Macy's

Nike women's high-tops, $108; at Lady Foot Locker

Matthew Williamson for H&M men's sneakers, $69.90; at H&M

Clae men's sneakers, $110; at Barneys

Billionaire Mayor Bloomberg pushes middle class image in campaign

Monday May 18, 2009 2:30 PM By Jason Fink

Mayor Michael Bloomberg taking the subway. AP photo.

By Jason Fink

As Mayor Michael Bloomberg ramps up his re-election campaign, a slew of TV ads and his new direct mail brochures reinforce a central theme: He understands the average New Yorker.

It may be a tough sell for a billionaire mayor who once told a radio interviewer that “we love the rich people” and has fought a reputation for arrogance.

“He's not in touch with the people,” said Andrew Wells, 58, a retired federal worker from Marine Park, Brooklyn. “Look at taxes, traffic fines. The man lost touch a long time ago.”But even as some New Yorkers say Bloomberg, who is seeking a third term, can't relate to them, it may not matter, as the mayor still enjoys a commanding position in the race.

With a near-60 percent approval rating and a reported willingness to spend up to $100 million -he has already spent $18.5 million - some wonder whether an “I feel your pain” tone is necessary.

“The whole campaign at this point is overkill,” said Bruce Berg, chairman of the political science department at Fordham University.

In an ad titled “Middle Class Squeeze,” the mayor, wearing a leather jacket, is seen talking to people on the street while in voiceover he discusses the economy, saying, “it's hard to make ends meet . . . I understand these challenges.”

“If there is a weakness in his attractiveness to voters, it is in the outer boroughs, where he can be seen as not one of us,” said Berg.

The Bloomberg campaign responded that the mayor has made development in the outer boroughs a centerpiece of his economic policy and points to lending programs and job training for small businesses as measures that will help middle class New Yorkers.

The images in the ads are not spin, they say.

“The mayor visits different neighborhoods every week,” said Sylvia Alvarez, a campaign spokeswoman. “Looking at some of the endorsements he's gotten, people say the reason they want to re-elect him is because he shares their concerns.”

A recent Marist poll showed Bloomberg with a 59 percent approval rating (61 percent for each borough except the Bronx, where he got 49 percent) though on the question of whether he “cares about people like you” his score dropped to 50 percent.

Some policies may have hurt Bloomberg with middle-income constituents and those beyond Manhattan.

Property taxes have gone up 18 percent since he became mayor and he is trying to

raise the sales tax to help balance the budget while ruling out proposals to raise the income tax on top earners, which his likely opponent, Democrat Bill Thompson, supports.

The property tax, as well as a failed attempt last year to charge drivers coming into Manhattan, would hit outer borough residents particularly hard: Manhattan has the lowest percentage of both owner-occupied houses and workers who commute by car.

“He doesn't relate to the people in our community,” said Wayne Danglade, 53, of Crown Heights.

Tags: election, mayor michael bloomberg, city hall dispatch

viral video: One-man a capella group

Monday May 18, 2009 1:17 PM By Sean Joseph

This street performer doesn't just do a mean beat box, he sings on top of it.

Tags: viral video, television, music

Sample sales: May 18 to 24

Monday May 18, 2009 11:39 AM By Julie Gordon

Cole Haan

May 18 to 20, 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; May 21, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 317 W. 33rd St., at Eighth Ave., 718-747-1656

Men's and women's outerwear, shoes, handbags and leather goods are up to 75 percent off. Styles include sling-back, peep-toe wedges for $139 instead of $278 and a leather tote for $210 instead of $525.

Mackage

May 18 and 19, noon to 7 p.m. 275 W. 39th St., 7th Fl., btwn Seventh and Eighth aves., 212-391-5287

Gorgeous outerwear from Canadian favorite Mackage is half off. Women's leather jackets and coats range from $176 to $440, and men's pieces range from $300 to $495.

Miss Sixty & Energie -- Shown left

May 18, 3 to 7 p.m.; May 19 and 20, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; May 21, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 435 Hudson St., Suite 400, btwn Leroy and Morton sts., 212-597-0800

Get clothing and accessories for up to 90 percent off. Jeans and bags are $20; shoes and dresses are $25.Giuliana Teso

May 18 to 20, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 584 Broadway, 5th Fl., btwn Prince and Houston sts., 212-920-1211

Furs, shearlings and fur accessories are up to 70 percent off. Mink, fox, sable, Persian lamb, rex and more are available.

White + Warren

May 19, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; May 20, noon to 8 p.m. 80 W. 40th St., 3rd Fl., btwn Fifth and Sixth aves., 212-398-3295

Get cashmere tees for $55 (marked down from $200), wraps for $50 (marked down from $90) and summer-weight cardigans for $50 (marked down from $120).

Nanette Lepore

May 20 to 22, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. 225 W. 35th St., 4th Fl., btwn Seventh and Eighth aves., 212-594-0012

Grab up Nanette Lepore's feminine pieces. Dresses are $140 to $150 instead of $335 to $595. Skirts are $100, marked down from $195 to $295. Shoes are $130 to $250, normally $255 to $525.

MINT Jodi Arnold

May 20 to 22, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 230 W. 39th St., 2nd Fl., btwn Seventh and Eighth aves., 212-997-2329, ext. 24.

Pieces from the girly brand MINT's spring collection are up to 75 percent off. Dresses start at $150 (regularly $375 to $560), jackets start at $200 (regularly $500) and sweaters start at $120 (regularly $375 to $560).

Photo: At the Miss Sixty spring '09 fashion show in New York (Getty)

Send sample sale listings to jgordon@am-ny.com.

Tags: sample sales, diane von furstenberg, tracy reese, furla, the nest, catherine malandrino, mackage, shopping

Brooklyn tombstone store lightens up with fresh bread

Sunday May 17, 2009 8:26 PM By Garett Sloane

Jerry Ragusa owns Grande Monuments, which now sells fresh bread, in Williamsburg. (Diedre Schoo)

BY DANIELLE SONNENBERG

Special to amNewYork

The mood is a little lighter at Jerry Ragusa’s tombstone store in Brooklyn; maybe it’s because of the fresh bread he now sells alongside the deathly monuments.

The bread brings a light air to an otherwise solemn business, said Ragusa, 48, the owner of Grande Monuments at 382 Graham Ave. in Williamsburg.

The tombstone store has been in the family since 1958, and selling bread was a way for him to bring his daughter into the fold.Angela Ragusa, 18, works at Il Fornaretto, a bakery in Bensonhurst.

She noticed that many bread shops in Williamsburg were closing, and she approached her boss about selling out of her family’s grave-marker store.

The pairing of bread and tombstones, which began in February, appears to be working out. More than 500 loaves are sold a week, and they cost $2 each, Jerry Ragusa said.

“It started with a little sign in the window and then it just spread like wildfire,” said customer Jimmy Salatino.

Ragusa said he didn’t start selling bread to make money or attract attention.

“Part of the motivation was to get closer with my daughter. She’s my baby girl, the only gift you get from God,” he said. His daughter — still a teenager — used to just come home, go to her room and shut her door, he said.

The bread has changed that.

“We created something interesting together and a bond developed,” Ragusa said. He meets his daughter at 9 a.m. daily to receive the paninis, and Tuscano, French and Sicilian loaves.

He hopes she’ll take over the store one day, and she’s open to the idea.

“I definitely want to carry on the business and maybe open up bakeries, too. You never know what can happen,” Angela Ragusa said.

Tags: grande monuments, tombstones for sale, fresh bread, il fornaretto, retail, small business, bakery, headstones, grave markers, father-daughter relationship, family business, brooklyn, williamsburg, economy

Pols: Slashing station agents makes for unsafe subways

Sunday May 17, 2009 6:18 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Transit groups and some city officials are blasting the MTA's plan to shrink the number of station agents roving the system, saying the cut saves little money while putting riders at risk.

In an average year, the red-vested station agents signal for emergency responders 85 times per station, according to the most recent data available from the Straphangers Campaign.

“All the statistics in the world about crime being down is not going to take that fear and concern (about security) away,” said Bobbie Sackman, an advocate with the Council of Senior Center and Services.

Last week, the MTA announced it was looking to reduce its 570 station agents through attrition. Officials said the move was necessary to help fill a $200 million hole in its budget not covered by Albany’s $2.3 billion bailout.But it would take years for the agency to reap the roughly $50 million in savings it estimated would come from eliminating the agents entirely, advocates say.

MTA officials have said that the station agents do not directly impact service, though a 2005 NYC Transit press release heralding the new program called it “a renewed commitment to customer service.”

“An agent who gives you a map or directions - if that's not direct service, what is it?” asked Gene Russianoff, of the Straphangers Campaign.

The MTA, which declined to comment Sunday, has stated that one full-time token clerk would remain on duty at all times in each station.

Opponents of the plan will protest Monday outside the No. 6 stop at 77th Street. Among the protesters will be City Comptroller Bill Thompson, who decried the move in a letter his office will send to the MTA board chair Monday morning.

“Service includes much more than how often a subway arrives,” the letter states.

Additionally, Thompson is looking into the MTA's budget to determine if the upcoming fare increase and service cuts were appropriate, a spokesman said.

The MTA board is likely to vote on the cut later this month.

Tags: transit

Celebrity face-off: Woody Allen to meet fashion exec in court

Sunday May 17, 2009 6:11 PM By Jason Fink

Woody Allen in a file photo. AP

By Jason Fink

In a highly anticipated showdown featuring two celebrities with a history of embarrassing tabloid escapades, filmmaker Woody Allen's lawsuit against Dov Charney’s clothing company American Apparel is set to begin Monday in Manhattan.

Allen, a New York icon with dozens of films to his credit, is seeking $10 million from the company for the unauthorized use of his image - a still from the movie “Annie Hall” - on a billboard two years ago.

Charney, whose history of alleged sexual indiscretions has stirred up considerable controversy, shot down reports that he would call to the stand Allen's former partner Mia Farrow and his wife, Soon-Yi Previn, who was Allen's stepdaughter when their relationship began.In suing American Apparel for using his photo without permission, Allen labeled the company's ads - which often feature scantily clad models - “sleazy” and “infantile.”

An attorney for American Apparel, Stuart Slotnick, initially indicated he would bring up Allen's past in an effort to show the director's reputation was already damaged - and therefore not worth $10 million - when the ads went up in May 2007 in New York and Los Angeles.

But last week, Slotnick said neither Farrow nor Previn would be called.

“This case is centered on freedoms provided by the First Amendment,” he said. “At trial, American Apparel will explain how the images . . . were used to make a social statement and address social issues.”

Allen's lawyer did not return a call seeking comment.

Charney is expected to argue that the photo - in which Allen's character appears as a Hasidic Jew in the eyes of his girlfriend's family - was meant to be commentary on Charney's own reputation and the misperceptions people have about him.

Charney has been sued several times for sexual harassment, has reportedly conducted job interviews in his underwear and openly dates employees.

Tags: woody allen, dov charney, american apparel, lawsuit, court

Banish worry with three budgets for life

Sunday May 17, 2009 4:41 PM By Lucy Blatter

To get your finances in order, it's important to have three budgets ready so you can prepare for many scenarios.

By KAREN TINA HARRISON

Nowadays, no matter your job situation, you need to take advantage of every financial tool available.

“A personal budget protects you when you have money coming in — and when you’re in transition,” said Dennis Garritan, chair of the Department of Leadership at NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS).

“The safest plan is to have three budgets ready for changes in your life and finances.

“A savings cushion can minimize pink-slip panic,” he added.Stephen Wetzel, a financial planner and president of Prometheus Capital Management, noted “if your budget puts away savings, you’ll be prepared for anything.”

Baseline budget

“This is your basic budget, when you’re employed at a decent, make-do level,” said Garritan. “List all your monthly expenses, from rent down to batteries.”

Wetzel advised putting savings as your top outlay. He recommended a 401(k) that comes right out of your paycheck “painlessly.”

The overall idea, Garritan said, is to live within your salary, so baseline expenses should be moderate — reasonable rent, modest vacations and occasional nights out. Wetzel said splurges “are like dessert. Enjoy them once in a while, and you won’t feel deprived.”

Living-large budget

This is your budget when you suddenly have a lot more income, thanks to a major promotion, better job or inheritance. Even if this budget is just hypothetical, you should have it at the ready.

Your living large budget should merely upscale items in your baseline, advised Garritan.

Going crazy with purchases or increasing housing costs will only multiply debt. “Most lottery winners end up broke, and regret having won,” Wetzel said.

Possible living-large enhancements include a better school or camp for your kids.

“Just be sure to increase your savings to meet increased taxes and to give you insurance for a downturn,” Wetzel said.

Bare-bones budget

This is the budget to use if you’ve been downsized, or if you see a big outlay looming, such as a wedding or grad-school tuition.

“Lock up your credit cards and whittle your budget,” Garritan said.

“Make frugal substitutions. Resale shops instead of Saks ... apartment swaps instead of hotels,” he said.

The silver lining: “Living modestly lets you discover what has meaning to you,” Garritan said.

Tags: budget, saving money, job front

This week's job fairs and events

Sunday May 17, 2009 3:47 PM By Lucy Blatter

There are lots of job fairs and events going on in New York City this week. So if you're looking for a job, check them out.

Monday, May 18 - Peace Corps information session and "Bridge The Gap"

Movie Screening

Location: Marymount Manhattan College, Regina Peruggi Room, 2nd Floor,

Main Building , 221 E. 71st St.

Time: 6:40 p.m. (refreshments), 7 p.m. (movie screening), followed by speakers

To register: Free, more information at PeaceCorps.gov

Monday, May 18 - Buying a Business: New Opportunities in Today’s Environment

Location: TD Bank, 2 Wall St., 3rd Floor,

Time: 5:30-7:30 p.m.

To register: Pre-registration required, FWA.org, $25 Financial Women’s

Association members, $35 non-members

Tuesday, May 19 - Choice Career Fair (Long Island)

Location: Melville Marriott, 1350 Walt Whitman Rd., Long Island

Time: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

To register: Free, ChoiceCareerFairs.com

Tuesday, May 19 - Maximize Your Human Capital - Navigating Your

Business Through Turbulent Times

Location: NYC Business Solutions, Brooklyn Center, 9 Bond St., Fifth floor

Time: 8:30-10 a.m.

To register: Free, 718-875-1000 for more information

Wednesday, May 20 - Navigating Credit & Capital: What You Need to Know

About Financing in 2009

Location: Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Plaza, Community Room, 1386 Fulton St.

Time: 8:30-10:30 a.m.

To register: Free, more information Jnigro@brooklynchamber.com

Thursday, May 21 - Choice Career Fair

Location: Radisson Martinique on Broadway, 49 W. 32nd St

Time: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

To register: Free, ChoiceCareerFairs.com

Thursday, May 21 - Advanced Interviewing Techniques

Location: CUNY Graduate Center, C-198, 365 Fifth Ave.

Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.

To register: $50, FiveOClockClub.com, 212-286-9332

Thursday, May 21 - Queens Business Expo

Location: CitiField, Roosevelt Ave., Queens

Time: 9 a.m.-2p.m.

To register: For more information QueensChamber.org

Tags: job fairs, job search, job front

New job site alert: Bintro offers business matchmaking!

Sunday May 17, 2009 2:55 PM By Lucy Blatter

'Matchmaker, matchmaker make me a job match.'

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

There’s a new job site on the scene, and this one takes its cue from matchmaking Web sites.

Bintro.com users fill out profiles in which they indicate what they’re looking for professionally, as well as what they can offer.

Bintro than makes matches, suggesting people who might be compatible. (Bintro's CTL, Marcus Trevisiani, is the former vp of engineering at EHarmony.com.)

“It’s like having a digital assistant,” said Richard Stanton, Bintro.com’s CEO. “You can look for a job without having to sit at the computer and keep refreshing a job page.”

Added bonus: It’s anonymous, and you don’t have to divulge any personal information about yourself until you choose to. The site, which launched last Wednesday, is free to use.

Tags: bintro, job search, internet job search, business matchmaking

Viral video: Mentos, soda, and a world of pain

Sunday May 17, 2009 1:44 PM By Sean Joseph

This guy tries the classic Mentos and soda trick, but it goes terribly wrong.

Tags: television, viral video

Bus ridership into Manhattan soaring

Sunday May 17, 2009 1:15 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Everyday, a population rivaling the city of Cincinnati crosses the Hudson River into Manhattan — by bus.

A new report found that more than 315,000 commuters hop on buses to travel to city job in the weekdays, up by nearly a fifth in the past five years.

Tri‐State Transportation Campaign, an advocacy group that published the study, is calling on the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to build another express bus lane and expand the aging bus.

“Bus travel has experienced ridership increases that may soon reach a tipping point,” said Kate Slevin, Campaign executive director.

In other report tidbits:

- More than 9,000 buses cross the Hudson River into Manhattan each weekday- Without buses, traffic would be 84 percent higher than it is today

- The Lincoln Tunnel express bus lane is the most efficient stretch of roadway in the country, carrying 62,000 people every morning

- The average bus emits less than one-fifth the carbon dioxide per person as a solo driver

Tags: transit

Summer movie preview

Friday May 15, 2009 10:10 AM By Julie Gordon

Sacha Baron Cohen as Bruno

By Mina Hochberg

From dying comedians to apocalyptic landscapes to secretly slaughtered dolphins, this year’s summer movies skew surprisingly dark. Still, there is plenty of blockbuster escapism to be had. There are the highly anticipated franchises (“Terminator Salvation,” “Harry Potter”), the promising comedies (“Bruno,” “Funny People”) and the good old-fashioned romantic comedies (“The Proposal,” “The Ugly Truth”).

‘Terminator Salvation’

Satisfy your fix of post-apocalyptic eye candy with the long-awaited third “Terminator” sequel. Christian Bale plays a grown-up John Connor who’s finally fulfilling his fate to take down Skynet and its militia of Terminators. (May 21)

‘Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian’

The motley historical crew is up to after-hours hijinx again, this time at the Smithsonian Institution. New additions include Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart and Christopher Guest as Ivan the Terrible. (May 22)

‘Up’

Pixar’s follow-up to “Wall-E” is about a geezer who ties a mass of balloons to his home and floats off to South America. His flight plans change when a young stowaway gets all up in his business. (May 29)

‘Land of the Lost’

The Sid and Marty Krofft television series is finally hitting the big screen. Will Ferrell stars as scientist Rick Marshall, who accidentally gets transported through time to a world filled with wacky creatures. (June 5)

‘Away We Go’

Following “Revolutionary Road,” Sam Mendes takes a noticeably lighthearted turn in “Away We Go.” In search of a new city to call home, a young couple with a baby on the way (John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph) visits their kooky friends around the country. (June 5)‘The Hangover’

When three men take their pal to Vegas for a rowdy bachelor party, they wake up the next morning with groggy memories, a tiger in the bathroom and a mystery baby in the closet. And the groom is missing. (June 5)

‘The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3’

This remake of the 1974 classic stars John Travolta as a loco New Yorker who takes a subway train hostage and demands 1 million dollars. Doesn’t he know how annoying those police investigations can be during rush hour? (June 12)

‘Year One’

Set in the Stone Age, “Year One” is about a couple of hunter-gatherers who stink at both hunting and gathering. Banished from their clan for their utter uselessness, they wander off into the prehistoric wilderness. Stars Jack Black and Michael Cera. (June 19)

‘Whatever Works’

Two of New York City’s most famous neurotic Jews unite. Woody Allen directs Larry David as a New Yorker who gets entangled in a complicated love story in which the woman (Evan Rachel Wood) is, of course, less than half his age. (June 19)

‘The Proposal’

Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds? Smells like a romantic comedy. Bullock plays an aggressive book editor who forces her assistant (Reynolds) to marry her when she faces deportation to Canada. (June 19)

‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’

In this “Transformers” sequel, Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox are still on the run from the Decepticons. Bound to be as deafening as the first film, the movie treats us to a little more Transformers mythology. (June 24)

‘Fireflies in the Garden’

This long-delayed drama, based on a poem by Robert Frost, stars Julia Roberts as the matriarch of a troubled family. Also stars Ryan Reynolds and Willem Dafoe. (June 26)

‘My Sister’s Keeper’

After directing “The Notebook” five years ago, Nick Cassavetes returns with another tearjerker. Based on the Jodi Picoult novel, the story centers on a couple that struggles to keep their terminally ill daughter alive by turning her younger sister into a donor. (June 26)

‘The Hurt Locker’

This Iraq war film zeroes in on the work of an elite bomb-defusing unit dispatched on the streets of Baghdad. Written by journalist Mark Boal. (June 26)

‘Public Enemies’

Michael Mann directs this flick about John Dillinger, the notorious 1930s bank robber. If that’s not enough to grab your attention, maybe the good-looking cast will: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard and Billy Crudup. (July 1)

‘Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs’

The “Ice Age” movies keep on coming, and at the rate those glaciers melt, they’ll probably keep on coming. (July 1)

‘Bruno’

Borat is so 2006. This is the year of Bruno. Posing as his clueless, shallow fashionisto alter ego, Sacha Baron Cohen is up to his mockumentary pranks again. (July 10)

‘I Love You, Beth Cooper’

When a high school valedictorian professes his love for the most popular girl in school (she’s a cheerleader, naturally), his wishes are fulfilled in a night of revelry. Stars Hayden Panettiere. (July 10)

‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’

As Potterphiles know, this penultimate Harry Potter installment requires hankies as Lord Voldemort continues to wreak havoc at Hogwarts. Hormones manage to do some damage, too. (July 15)

‘(500) Days of Summer’

Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a hopeless romantic who’s left going “huh?” after his girlfriend (Zooey Deschanel) dumps him. As he tries to figure out where things went wrong, he revisits the highs and lows of their relationship, in no particular order. (July 17)

‘The Ugly Truth’

When a morning show hires a male chauvinist shock jock (Gerard Butler) to boost ratings, a producer (Katherine Heigl) goes ballistic. When he bets his job that he can improve her dating life, she plays along. (July 24)

‘Funny People’

A comedian dying from a terminal illness? It may not sound like a Judd Apatow film, but it is. The dramedy stars Adam Sandler as the ill comedian, plus Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill and other Apatow regulars. (July 31)

‘The Cove’

This depressing documentary about dolphin exploitation was a hit at the Sundance Film Festival this year. Led by a renowned dolphin trainer, a team of activists and divers uncovers the brutal dolphin slaughtering that takes place in a cove in Japan. (July 31)

‘G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra’

A special ops military team battles a mysterious crime organization that threatens the safety of the entire world. And yada yada. CGI eye candy guaranteed. (Aug. 7)

‘Julie & Julia’

Nora Ephron directs Amy Adams and Meryl Streep in a movie that juxtaposes the life of two cooking fiends in two vastly different decades: In the 1950s, Julia Childs, and years later, Julie Powell, a devout fan of Childs’ who vows to cook all 524 recipes in Childs’ “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” In one year. (Aug. 7)

‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’

This teary love story, adapted from the Audrey Niffenegger novel, stars Eric Bana as a man cursed with an unfortunate condition: He gets pinballed back and forth through the timeline of his life. Which can be hard on a wife (Rachel McAdams) who’s stuck living a linear life. (Aug. 14)

‘Taking Woodstock’

Elliot Tiber, credited with saving the Woodstock Festival when it was on the verge of being nixed, gets his due in Ang Lee’s latest film about the genesis of the festival. Comedy Central wunderkind Demetri Martin stars as Tiber. (Aug. 14)

‘Inglourious Basterds’

As the typo-riddled title indicates, Quentin Tarantino’s latest oeuvre isn’t your typical World War II film. A team of Jews known as “The Basterds” seeks revenge on the Nazis by infiltrating their ranks. Stars Brad Pitt and Diane Kruger. (Aug. 21)

Tags: entertainment

Henican: Notre Dame anti-abortion activists fighting wrong battle with Obama

Friday May 15, 2009 1:41 AM By Rolando Pujol

It’s one of the great things about America’s Catholic universities, one of many -- the long coexistence of intellectual openness and faith.

We Catholics are not expected to shut ourselves off from honest discussion. We are not taught to close our minds but to open our hearts.

Someone really ought to mention this to the ardent band of anti-abortion activists trying to turn the University of Notre Dame into a Catholic madrassa – and boot Barack Obama as commencement speaker on Sunday.

What are they so afraid of?Most college seniors, including those at Notre Dame, would be honored to receive a commencement address from a president of the United States.

Especially this president.

He won with wide support from college-age voters. He’s inspired a sense of public spiritedness in young people everywhere. He certainly isn’t known for boring speeches.

But these one-issue activists, many from nowhere near campus, insist that the president be forbidden to speak because he hasn’t campaigned to overturn legal

abortion rights.

Even though Obama’s not a Catholic, he is somehow expected to embrace every teaching of the church?

Father John Jenkins, Notre Dame’s president, begs to differ. He believes the president should be welcomed. He understands the difference between civil and religious leadership. He’s confident in his university’s core beliefs.

Now this kind of rigidity can turn Catholics into a political fringe group. It’s been especially hard on Catholic politicians. Just ask Joe Biden or Geraldine Ferraro or Mario Cuomo.

No one objected in October when New York Cardinal Edward Egan invited candidate Obama to speak at the Al Smith Dinner along with pro-choice politicians Al Gore and Tony Blair. Why the sudden outrage now – and on a college campus?

Father Thomas Reese, the Georgetown theological and former editor of the Jesuit magazine America, said it best in an essay this week: “If Catholic universities are afraid to have people on campus who challenge our views, then we are not training students to listen and think critically. We are admitting that our arguments are not convincing.”

We’d be closing our minds – and our hearts.

Tags: henican

Swine flu outbreak the city's worst

Thursday May 14, 2009 7:56 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Facing its worst outbreak of swine flu to date, the city Thursday closed three Queens schools where hundreds of students reported flu-like symptoms and an assistant principal fell critically ill.

In a flare-up of swine flu Mayor Michael Bloomberg called “troubling,” four students and a staff member tested positive for swine flu at Intermediate School 238 in Hollis, officials said. More than 50 students have been sent home sick from the school this month.

During a new conference, Bloomberg said the assistant principal was hospitalized, though it was also reported that he was near death. The school official, whose name was not revealed, reportedly had pre-existing health problems.“[The flu] appears to spread rapidly,” Bloomberg said.

Bloomberg said there was no evidence yet that the flu had mutated into a more virulent strain, nor had it widely spread beyond the schools.

At Intermediate School 5 in Elmhurst, 241 students were absent yesterday, and dozens more were reported sick at Public School 16 in Corona.

The schools, with a total population of 4,500 students, will remain closed until next Friday.

Officials did not immediately know why all the cases had occurred in Queens.

Swine flu first broke out last month in the city in a Queens Roman Catholic high school. The infected students recovered and the school has reopened. There have been more than 4,000 cases nationwide, with three deaths.

“We encourage everyone to remain alert, rather than alarmed,” said Gov. David Paterson.

Tags: swine flu, politics

Bronx murder victim was tracked down by online 'buddy'

Thursday May 14, 2009 7:33 PM By Jason Fink

Nimzay Aponte on her MySpace page

By Jason Fink and

Rocco Parascandola

A Bronx woman’s dying words — “Mike did it” — was the clue that police said led them to her killer, an AOL chat buddy who hunted her down and stabbed her after she spurned his advances.

The murder of 23-year-old Nimzay Aponte Tuesday in a Bronx park is the latest in a string of grisly crimes to have begun with an online connection between killer and victim.

“This is a phenomenon that is with us,” Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said Thursday. “This is the world in which we live.”Police say Raymond Dennis, 35, an ex-con who did time for drugs and assault, attacked Aponte in broad daylight while she and a friend sat on a park bench in Mott

Haven during a break from a career conference.

She had chatted with Dennis on AOL’s instant messaging service and met with him once, police said. She then rebuffed any further advances.

Dennis knew she would be at the career conference Tuesday, Kelly said.

He found her and stabbed her twice, police said. Before she died, Aponte named Dennis by his online handle.

Cops interviewed her friends — including William Sherief, 25, who was with her in the park and suffered a minor injury when he was stabbed in the arm. They checked computer records and was able to track down and arrest Dennis Thursday morning. He was charged with second-degree murder.

The incident highlights the dangers that can arise as people become more accustomed to building relationships online.

“The more information you have out there, the more ammunition for the bad guys,” said Rob Nickel, a cyber security expert and a former police officer in Ontario, Canada. “Somebody can get fixated on you and they can find out about you, where you’re going what you’re doing.”

Last month, Philip Markoff, a Boston medical student was charged with shooting to death Manhattan masseuse Julissa Brisman, who he met through a Craigslist ad.

And Queens teen John Katehis, 16, is accused of stabbing to death WABC newsman George Weber in March after responding to Weber’s Craiglist ad seeking kinky sex in exchange for $60.

“The bad guys are doing their dirty work on the Internet now,” Nickel said.

The AP contributed to this story.

Tags: aol, murder, the bronx, crime

Viral Video: Real-life Twitter

Thursday May 14, 2009 7:03 PM By Ryan Chatelain

Think Twitter is annoying? Imagine if people shouted random short thoughts in real life? CollegeHumor.com gives this a shot, even shouting at one point, “The guy next to me has some crazy BO.”

Tags: viral video, twitter

Bar Q&A: Delicatessen's Damon Dunay

Thursday May 14, 2009 6:57 PM By Julie Gordon

Damon Dunay, beverage director at Delicatessen (Photos: Marie Claire Andrea)

By Casey Feldman

As beverage director for comfort-food restaurant Delicatessen, Damon Dunay can’t stand it when a patron orders a drink purely to get wasted. “It’s OK to get drunk, but maybe we can enjoy ourselves at the same time,” said Dunay, 33.

In that spirit, Dunay created a summer beverage menu for the SoHo spot that’s filled with fresh, flavorful ingredients, such as hibiscus, strawberry, pear and basil.

What’s your favorite drink on the menu?

The Cold Toddy. It’s a variation on a hot toddy for the summer. It’s bourbon with lemon, honey syrup infused with vanilla and clove. I spend time two days beforehand … creating this really nice syrup.

What’s the most popular drink?

The Zen Martini. It’s the anchor. When I first came to Delicatessen, it was a construction site, and I had no idea what I was walking into. I saw [the location in SoHo] and I pictured people sitting outside. Then I knew the experience that the guests could have. [The Zen Martini is inspired] by that. It’s been on the menu since we opened [in July 2008].How do you pair the drinks with Delicatessen’s food: fried chicken, cheeseburger spring rolls, ribs, meatloaf?

I work with the chefs. I use the fruit and vegetable walk-in [refrigerator] and see what we have. I see a cucumber, I use it. The cocktail list is an extension of the menu. The great thing about the Zen Martini, for example, is if you have fried chicken, it’s oily, and if you drink this, it cleans your palate.

Do you drink on the job?

Not really. I kind of equate it to if a chef is making food for people all night long. The chances of him sitting down and having a steak are less likely. And then at the end of the night, he’ll sit down and have a meal. There’s nothing like having a cocktail at the end of the shift.

What’s your favorite part of the job?

When I spend time creating things and someone really genuinely comes up to me and tells me that [that drink was their] favorite part of the night. Times are tough, so I’m fortunate enough to work in a place where we see the best side of [people]. I see them when they’re letting off steam and they’re coming to enjoy themselves and get away from whatever they’re going through. With that comes a lot of fun and a lot of responsibility. Whether they’re going to work tomorrow, I don’t know, or whether they’re going to get laid off tomorrow, I don’t know, but they’re gonna have a good time while they’re here.

Delicatessen is located at 54 Prince St., btwn Mulberry and Lafayette sts. Get in touch at 212-226-0211.

Recipe for a Zen Martini ($12)

Ingredients:

2 oz. organic cucumber vodka

¾ oz. lime juice

¾ oz. simple syrup

¼ oz. cucumber juice

Fingerful of mint

Directions:

1. In a pint glass, build ¾ oz. each fresh lime and simple syrup, ¼ oz cucumber juice, mint and 2 oz. cucumber vodka.

2. Add ice.

3. Shake vigorously in a cocktail shaker and strain into a martini glass.

4. Garnish with a cucumber wheel.

Tags: bars

Bus service suffers with driver shortage

Thursday May 14, 2009 6:10 PM By Heather Haddon

(Photo by Jefferson Siegel)

By Heather Haddon

The doomsday MTA cuts never materialized, but bus service has still been whittled down behind the scenes.

More than 230 bus driver positions are unfilled, up from 75 in January, according to agency figures.

Fewer drivers means longer waits for riders, and it will take weeks for the MTA to hire enough manpower to get service back to normal.

“It's a reduction and we're not happy about it,” said William Henderson, executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA.

NYC Transit stopped filling vacant bus driver slots last year, as the agency planned to reduce bus service in light of a $1.2 billion budget deficit.“It would have been fiscally irresponsible for us to have filled positions we would have cut,” said Paul Fleuranges, NYC Transit spokesman.

Facing a manpower crunch, the MTA reduced the number of trips on dozens of bus routes throughout the city, union officials said.

“It's been really slow in the last week,” said Ta-Nia Brown, 18, a frequent rider of one of the scaled back Brooklyn bus lines. “They need to add something, more buses or drivers.”

More than 2.5 million New Yorkers ride city buses during the week, an increase of nearly 3 percent from last year, according to recent agency figures.

“You can't afford any service cuts whatsoever,” said Harry Wills, a Brooklyn bus driver running as a union candidate.

With $2.3 billion in new funding headed to the agency through the state bailout, the MTA is getting bus routes back to normal through overtime and substitute drivers, said John Paul Patafio, union chairman for Transit's bus division.

Transit will begin hiring drivers in June until it meets its quota, and will train a class of 320 by August, an agency spokesman said.

“We are working hard to manage the issue,” Transit spokesman Charles Seaton said.

Meanwhile, NYC Transit is looking to save $4.8 million by scaling back bus trips on 35 routes across the city to “more closely align service with customer demand,” according to MTA board documents. The move, which includes 17 increases in service, will take affect next month if the agency's board approves it.

Tags: transit

The G line grows in Brooklyn

Thursday May 14, 2009 6:06 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

G train riders, for once, can expect some good news.

The MTA board is looking to extend the G line five stops deeper into Brooklyn to Church Avenue.

If approved, the new service will begin July 5. G commuters will gain a free transfer to the M and R lines at the 4th Avenue stop.

The $2.5 million change is a necessary first step in overhauling the Culver Viaduct, an 80-year-old cement structure that carries the F and G lines past the Gowanus Canal.

The MTA is replacing the tracks, signals and concrete on the crumbling viaduct that stands at the highest point in the subway system.

The MTA board will vote on the changes later this month.

Tags: g train, brooklyn, transit

Greenpoint and Williamsburg: 'Where are our parks?'

Thursday May 14, 2009 4:39 PM By Ryan Chatelain

By Ryan Chatelain

As New Yorkers are encouraged to celebrate their local parks Saturday, community activists in Greenpoint and Williamsburg are asking, “Where are ours?”

Four years ago, the Bloomberg administration promised three waterfront parks along the north Brooklyn waterfront as part of a rezoning that allowed condos on land previously dedicated to industrial uses. But to date, those parks have not been built.

“We worked a lot with the city in 2005 to make sure there was going to be some kind of balances written into the rezoning to give the residents here a break,” said Emily Gallagher, an organizer for Neighbors Allied for Good Growth (NAG). “The fact of the matter is that not one of the promises has been fulfilled.”Greenpoint and Williamsburg are among the neighborhoods with the lowest per-capita open space in the city – 0.6 acres per 1,000 residents at the time of the rezoning.

“I’m just sick and tired of the government agencies saying, ‘We’re going to do this, we’re going to do that, ’ And then years go by, and it doesn’t happen,” said City Councilman David Yassky (D-Brooklyn).

Partnership for Parks is sponsoring It’s My Park! Day on Saturday. In Greenpoint and Williamsburg, however, protesters will meet at 2 p.m. at the site of the proposed Bushwick Inlet Park and then march past the other locations where open spaces were promised – at the end of Greenpoint Avenue and at Commercial Street. They’re calling the event Where’s My Park? Day.

In a prepared statements, the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation said it was “committed to expanding open space” in Greenpoint and Williamsburg and highlighted several projects that have been completed or are under way, including improvements to McCarren Park and the acquisition of land at the Bushwick Inlet.

“Despite delays, including unanticipated environmental remediation at some sites and overall cost escalation, the City is committed to expanding open space,” the statement read.

Tags: greenpoint, williamsburg, parks

amNewYork letters to the editor

Thursday May 14, 2009 4:20 PM By Sara Baumberger

Let adults do what they want to do

Re “Craigslist takes off pimp hat,” May 14: Why should it be the government’s business (or anyone else’s) what two consenting adults do in private? Politicians, in particular, are playing with fire on this issue. We all need sex and if politicians weren’t able to pay for it, a great number of them would never get any.

— Michael Martin, Jackson Heights

Israel needs more friends, not fewer

As a Jewish senior citizen with a strong general Zionist background, I am dismayed at the way the self-righteous Israeli political and religious leadership have handled the pope’s visit, criticizing almost every word of the pope’s address. Although Pope Benedict was born in Germany, and drafted into the Hitler Youth corps, you can’t expect him to go further than his predecessors and issue a personal apology for the Holocaust because of his birthplace. Israel needs friends.

— Stan Zinder, Manhattan

Making exceptions to God’s will

“It is about what I believe God wants,” explained NY Assemblyman Dov Hikind in support of his stance against same-sex marriage. Of course, his God also professes “you shall not kill,” and yet war and the resulting deaths are seen as justified in defense of our freedoms and safety. If an exception to God’s will is made for killing, why would not the same allowance be made for a statement of love and commitment?

— David Terhune, Brooklyn

Tags: letters to the editor

Newspaper news: Frank Bruni to end his restaurant-reviewing career

Thursday May 14, 2009 1:59 PM By Lucy Blatter

The New York Times' esteemed restaurant critic Frank Bruni will leave the beat and become a writer-at-large for the Times Magazine, according to the Times' Diner's Journal.

Bruni's memoir, “Born Round: the Secret History of a Full-Time Eater,” will be published in late August.

Breakfast-in-bed suggestions from the bald man himself

Thursday May 14, 2009 12:40 PM By Lucy Blatter

Max Brenner, of Max Brenner, Chocolate by the Bald Man, gave us some recipe ideas for breakfast in bed.

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

Wedding season is approaching, which means it'll also be anniversary season soon. While chocolates and roses are easy options, why not surprise your partner with breakfast in bed? We asked Max Brenner, the bald man behind the eponymous restaurant, for tips on creating a great breakfast-in-bed. Unsurprisingly, his is heavy on chocolate.

Truly decadent hot chocolate

Max’s hot chocolate is so thick, he suggested serving it in a bowl rather than a mug. The simplest way, he said, is to find a good chocolate bar (milk, white or dark, depending on your partner's tastes) with a high percentage of cocoa.Mix ½ milk and ½ heavy cream and bring it to a boil. For extra flavor, add mint or tea leaves (sieve before serving).

Then, stir in chocolate. It should measure half the amount of liquid (ie. if you use 3 ounces of milk and 3 ounces of cream, you should use 3 ounces of chocolate). “Topping it with marshmallows will make it even better,” he said.

Pancakes, French toast with a twist

Max suggested making a simple recipe like pancakes or French toast and, instead of maple syrup, drizzling it with a decadent chocolate sauce.

To make the sauce, simply boil milk, add the same measurement of chocolate and mix (you can also infuse the milk with other flavors). Cover the pancakes or French toast with strawberries, bananas and the chocolate sauce, and you’re good to go.

Tags: max brenner, mother's day, chocolate, food

Burn baby, burn - by biking

Thursday May 14, 2009 10:58 AM By Heather Haddon

Transportation Alternatives will help New Yorkers get geared up for biking to work during free events Friday

(Photo courtesy Nick Goddard)

By Heather Haddon

If miles of new bike lanes weren’t enough, city transit officials think vanity might encourage more New Yorkers to commute by two wheels.

The average roundtrip bike commute burns 440 calories, according to city figures released in tandem with Bike Month.

The Department of Transportation and transit groups have organized more than 200 rides and events to celebrate biking in May. On Friday, Transportation Alternatives will give away breakfast and free biking advice to celebrate “National Bike to Work Day.”

“Bike Month is a great occasion for New Yorkers … to hop on a bike, and see just how fun and welcoming the streets, bridges and parks have become," said DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan.

In other city biking news:

* The average bike commute takes 30 minutes, as compared to the average overall commute of 45 minutes for New Yorkers* The average cost of owning a car in New York City is $5,569, as compared to about $260 for a bike (with insurance).

* There are 185,000 cycling commuters in the city, up from 75,000 daily riders in 1992

* New York City currently has more than 620 lane miles of bicycle paths, lanes and car-free greenways

For more information about events, see www.bikemonthnyc.org.

Tags: biking, new york city, transit

New threat to Underground Railround stop

Wednesday May 13, 2009 9:02 PM By Ryan Chatelain

Abigail Hopper Gibbons hosted hundreds of slaves at 339 W. 29th St. in Chelsea, documents show. (Photo by RJ Mickelson/AMNY)

By Ryan Chatelain

Fern Luskin thought she was well on her way to protecting the former home of a well-known abolitionist and a stop along the Underground Railroad.

Then she saw the cement mixer in front of 339 W. 29th St. in Chelsea.

“I can’t tell you how totally demoralized all of us are,” Luskin said. “I say I will never quit, and they can’t get away with this.”

Since the fall of 2007, Luskin has spearheaded an effort to halt renovations to the 1840s row house where Abigail Hopper Gibbons and her husband, James Sloan Gibbons, lived in the mid-19th century, hosting hundreds of slaves.Not only would the work compromise the building’s historical integrity, Luskin argues, it would also violate zoning laws because the structure would stand significantly higher than the homes around it.

Last October, the city’s Department of Buildings revoked a permit to construct an additional floor and penthouse there, saying the plans violated the city’s so-called sliver law, which prevents tall, slender buildings. But after the property’s owner nixed the plans for the penthouse, city officials gave the project the green light.

However, a stop-worker order was issued Tuesday because the site’s structural plans still did not meeting zoning standards. It remained unclear last night if the additional floor would be built. The four-story building, which stands about 52 feet high, cannot exceed 60 feet tall, Department of Buildings spokeswoman Kate Lindquist said.

“For me, it’s mostly the hallowed history of that building,” Luskin said. “I can’t tell you how sad I am when I go in it and see how it’s been ravaged by these people.”

The building is owned by 339 W 29 LLC, which state records show is affiliated with Manhattan law firm Leuzzi & Leuzzi. A man who answered the phone at Leuzzi & Leuzzi declined to comment before hanging up.

Since the work began, efforts also have been made to protect a dozen homes on West 29th Street, once known as Lamartine Place, by designating them as a historic district. A vote by the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission is expected early this fall, said LPC spokeswoman Elisabeth de Bourbon. Any renovations made to the Hopper Gibbons home would not impact its inclusion in the district, she added.

For more info visit: http://saveabolitionisthome339w29stnyc.blogspot.com

Tags: underground railroad, landmarks, preservation, endangered nyc

Craigslist to police sex ads, critics call changes "half-baked"

Wednesday May 13, 2009 7:30 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

The “Internet brothel” is closing for business ... or will it?

After two high-profile sex-related slayings, Craigslist officials agreed to shutter its “erotic services” section next week and substitute it with an “adult” category that will be screened for illegal content, Illinois authorities announced yesterday.

The shift follows increasing heat from several states to bag the ads, which feature titles like “best prostrate massage” and “soapy body slide (with) blond.”

But skeptics said the shift will do little to curb thinly veiled prostitution requests, and slammed it as a last-minute attempt to avoid legal action.

“In the middle of the night, Craigslist took unilateral action which we suspect will prove to be half-baked,” said state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who is seeking to sue the Web site in a prostitution case.In March, the Cook County sheriff in Illinois sued Craigslist over alleged prostitution ads. Last month, 26-year-old Julissa Brisman, of Manhattan, was allegedly shot dead by the “Craigslist Killer,” a 23-year-old medical student who responded to her massage-services ad. In March, George Weber, a 47-year-old New York radio anchor, was stabbed to death by a 16-year-old boy who responded to his Craigslist ad for sex, according to authorities.

Under the deal, site employees will review each ad before they are posted and ferret out those that feature pornography or advertise sex for money, the company said, insisting the changes were voluntary.

“We are optimistic that the new balance struck today will be an acceptable compromise,” the company stated through a spokeswoman.

But Craigslist employees will have their hands full reviewing the ads. Nearly 3,000 posts were placed on a single day earlier this week. The company didn’t explain why it revamped its policies, a move it resisted before, or just how it would check every ad.

“Do they have the resources to screen all of these ads,” asked Sonia Ossorio, a spokeswoman for New York City chapter of the National Organization for Women. “They can't possibly do it well.”

The new “adult” site is advertised on the main Craigslist page and has a nearly identical interface to the old “erotic” category. The deal also does nothing to address child trafficking and pornography ads.

Last year, a Queens pimp was convicted of forcing a 16-year-old girl to have sex with nearly 200 men in two weeks through Craigslist posts, in part.

“It's no 'Pretty Women' thing out there,” Ossorio said.

Tracy Quan, a former sex worker and Manhattan author, characterized the attack against the site's erotic section as a “witch hunt.”

“It's a way of exploiting hysteria,” Quan said. “If there weren't these absurd laws around sex work, there wouldn't be this push to go online.”

State authorities said they will continue to monitor the revamped adult section to ensure it is properly monitored.

“These measures are a solid next step, not a solution,” Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said.

Tags: craigslist, ads, politics

Belgium, NYC: Bites and brews

Wednesday May 13, 2009 5:46 PM By Lucy Blatter

Markt's mussels are a big draw to the Belgian spot.

By Tina Benitez

Special to amNewYork

It’s not uncommon to find four- or six-packs of Duvel, Leffe and Hoegaarden at local convenience stores, and pommes frites have made their way onto many city bar menus.

But lesser-known Belgian brews such as Maredsous and La Chouffe, and traditional fare such as toast cannibal are rarer finds.

That is unless you’ve stumbled into one of these hidden dining coves, offering authentic Belgian fare with plenty of brews to match.

Markt

676 Sixth Ave., near 21st St., 212-727-3314

Black-and-white photos of Belgian sea captains cover the walls at Markt.

The restaurant, whose name is Flemish for “market,” offers extensive bières belges (Belgian beer) and wine lists.

Mussels come steamed with cilantro, curry and cream or cooked in Hoegaarden. Also available is a raw fish bar and other dishes prepared in traditional Belgian style.

On tap are two selections of Leffe (Blonde and Brown), Hoegaarden, De Koninck and Stella Artois.Beer prices vary from $5 to $14.

For dessert, try the moelleux au chocolat — a warm chocolate tart with homemade pistachio ice cream — paired with a chocolaty brew such as the Duchesse De Bourgogne ($12).

On weekends, Markt serves brunch (starting at 10 a.m.) and dinner; during the week, there’s breakfast, lunch and dinner.BXL

125 W. 43rd St., 212-768-0200

Duck into BXL to escape the Times Square crowds.

The narrow bar area gets crowded during happy hour, so grab a table in back to enjoy toast cannibal (toast topped with minced meat and onions) or a rich Maredsous beer paired with any one of six, two-pound mussel selections. Bottled beers range from $7 to $12; a large frites plate goes for $6.50.

BXL serves lunch and dinner every night and brunch and dinner on weekends.

Vol de Nuit

148 W. Fourth St.,

212-979-2616

Hidden in a small courtyard in the West Village, Vol de Nuit is well suited for smaller eats and more beer tasting.

The food selection is small — mussels and frites only — but the beer menu is plentiful (32 beers by the bottle and eight Belgian drafts). Try brews such as Cinq Cents Chimay and enjoy the candlelight scattered through the tiny bar.

It’s open from 4 p.m. every day.

Tags: bxl, markt, vol de nuit, religion

Celebrating France's party people

Wednesday May 13, 2009 5:30 PM By Lucy Blatter

By Karen Tina Harrison

Special to amNewYork

New Yorkers have a thing for Bretons, the people of the Brittany region of northwest France.

Philippe Fallait of Cafe Triskell is a Breton chef.

Like us, Bretons express themselves uniquely. They even have their own ancient Celtic language, Breton.

The Big Apple’s original crop of French chefs were Bretons who came in the ’50s and ’60s. Their native dishes — onion soup, crepes, “croque monsieur” ham and cheese sandwiches — became classic New York comfort foods.

This Sunday through the following Sunday, May 17-24, marks Breton Week here in New York, featuring concerts of Brittany’s Celtic bluegrass music and special prix-fixe menus at Breton-owned eateries.Check out Tout Va Bien (311 W. 51st St., 212-265-0190, letoutvabien.com) and Café Triskell (33-04 36th Ave., Long Island City, 718-472-0612, cafetriskell.com).

“Bretons have the best food in France,” said Philippe Fallait, Breton chef-owner of Café Triskell. “Brittany is like a giant farm surrounded by the sea,” he said.

“Fast food to a Breton, is fresh sardines grilled on the dock by the fisherman’s wife.

“Bretons get crazy at all-night parties called fest noz,” said Fallait.

“We’re the party animals of France. So New York feels good to a Breton.”

For more information on Breton Week in the city, see bzh-ny.org.

Tags: breton week, brittany, restaurants

For foodies: This week's dining events and news

Wednesday May 13, 2009 5:26 PM By Lucy Blatter

Smith is offering a two-person, three-course meal for $35 on Monday and Tuesday.

Two can dine for just $35 at Smith in the East Village: On Mondays and Tuesdays, Smith’s new chef, Doug Psaltis, is offering a Spring Chicken for Two deal, a three-course menu for two featuring an appetizer salad with shaved vegetables and herbs, sides of polenta and mushrooms and chocolate mousse with pistachios for dessert, for $35.

Best meatballs in the boroughs: From 6-9 p.m. on Tuesday, 10 restaurants will battle it out at the Astoria World Manor (25-22 Astoria Blvd.) for Dish Du Jour Magazine’s first-ever Meatball Melee of the Boroughs, part of the eighth annual Cuisine of Queens & Beyond Food and Wine Gala.

Attendees will sample meatballs and other bites from more than 55 local restaurants,including Trattoria L’incontro, 718 Restaurant, JJ’s and London Lennie’s. Meatball finalists include Carmine’s, Campo and Agnanti Meze. Tickets are $55 before Monday. $65 at the door (cash only). To purchase, go to DishDuJourMagazine.com or call 718-777-7918.

Maslow 6’s Spring Seminar — Karen King on summer wines of the Loire: On Tuesday, sommelier Karen King will guide guests through a 2 ½-hour tour of the Loire Valley’s summer wines — from Sauvignon to Muscadet. Traditional foods from the area will be sampled and paired as well.

King is the former wine director at Gramercy Tavern. She designed the wine list at Union Square Café and has taught at NYU and the American Sommelier Association. The event will take place from 6:30-9 p.m. at 66 W. Broadway, Ste. 206. It is $100. Go to Maslow6.com.Free tasting event at Grand Central Market: On Monday, from 3-6 p.m., celebrate the kick-off of grilling season at Grand Central Market with samples from food vendors such as Murray’s Cheese, Li-Lac Chocolates, Zaro’s Bread Basket, Ceriello Fine Foods, Pescatore Seafood and Koglin Royal Hams. Grand Central’s grill week, which will include shopping savings, is Monday through May 25.

Lexington Ave. and 42nd St.

Ortine opens in-ground vegetable garden: Prospect Heights’ Ortine has opened up its backyard, which features an edible herb garden, Cherry and Spruce trees, a rose bush and complimentary Wi-Fi, for breakfast, lunch and dinner.The eco-friendly café features hormone, antibiotic, and pesticide-free ingredients. 622 Washington Ave., near Pacific St., 718-622-0026

Two can dine for just $35 at Smith in the East Village: On Mondays and Tuesdays, Smith’s new chef, Doug Psaltis, is offering a Spring Chicken for Two deal, a three-course menu for two featuring an appetizer salad with shaved vegetables and herbs, sides of polenta and mushrooms and chocolate mousse with pistachios for dessert, for $35.

79 MacDougal St., 212-260-0100

Tribeca Treats offers ‘Summer Hostess Totes’: On the way out of town, stop by Tribeca Treats and pick up a tote bag of goodies. A prepackaged assortment (ideal for hostess gifts) is $45 and includes a large box of nut bark, a dozen sandwich cookies, a dozen scooped cookies and a dozen brownies. You can also create your own assortment. Simply purchase the tote for $8 and receive 10 percent off all the treats. Totes can be custom-ordered now and will also be available for walk-in customers after May 20. 94 Reade St., 212-571-0500 or TribecaTreats.com (Emily Mathis)

Tags: smith, tribeca treats, maslow 6, grand central, food

Shanna Moakler resigns from Miss Cali director spot

Wednesday May 13, 2009 4:26 PM By Julie Gordon

Carrie Prejean, left, and Shanna Moakler on Tuesday at Trump Tower (Photo: Getty)

By Julie Gordon

Only a day after Carrie Prejean was allowed to retain her Miss California USA title, the co-executive director of the pageant, Shanna Moakler, stepped down from her post.

Prejean’s eligibility was questioned after topless pix leaked online. Contestants sign a contract saying they have never taken nude or semi-nude photos.

"Since the press conference yesterday, I had a chance to think about what has taken place, and I feel that at this time it is in my best interest to resign from the Miss California USA organization," Moakler told us in a statement.

Donald Trump, co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization, said Tuesday that Prejean could keep her title, and that the photos were "fine" and "acceptable." Moakler was present at the announcement at Trump Tower."I cannot with a clear conscience move forward supporting and promoting the Miss Universe Organization when I no longer believe in it, or the contracts I signed committing myself as a youth. I want to be a role model for young women with high hopes of pageantry, but now feel it more important to be a role model for my children," Moakler continued. "I am sorry and hope I have not let any young supporters down but wish them the best of luck in fulfilling their dreams."

Prejean first stirred controversy when she revealed her stance against gay marriage in response to a question from Miss USA judge Perez Hilton.

Pageant officials declined to comment.

Tags: entertainment

Free summer rides to Water Taxi Beach in LIC

Wednesday May 13, 2009 3:23 PM By Rolando Pujol

You'll be able to take the New York Water Taxi for free during weekend evenings this summer to the original Water Taxi Beach in Long Island City, NewYorkology reports.

It's usually a $5 ride, and to get the free ride, you have to take the taxi from the East 35th Street launching site on the East River. Starting May 23, the free rides run from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and until 3 a.m. on Saturdays. They'll continue through Labor Day.

We told you last month that the Water Taxi Beach empire is expanding, with a South Street Seaport location opening on Memorial Day, and a Governors Island one ready to go on July 4.

-- Rolando Pujol

Viral video: '24' meets 'The Office'

Wednesday May 13, 2009 1:11 PM By Sean Joseph

What happens when you mix the terrorist-fighting action in “24” with the dry comedy of “The Office”?

Tags: viral video, television, 24, the office

As real estate market sinks, New Yorkers wonder if it's time to buy

Tuesday May 12, 2009 10:21 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink and

Garett Sloane

To buy or to rent? For many New Yorkers, that is the question.

After the bursting of a real estate bubble that kept many on the sidelines - priced out of the market to buy and barely able to keep up with skyrocketing rents - many wonder if now is the time to get in the game.

“You're seeing a softening in the market for the first time in years,” said Jack Nyman, head of the Real Estate Institute at Baruch College. “This is the time to act.”Industry officials say that while it is foolish to predict a bottom to the market, lower prices and lower rents will last for at least the rest of the year, meaning those ready to buy can be deliberative and wait for the right deal.

With rents dropping and landlords open to negotiations, those who don't find their dream home shouldn't worry about renewing a lease and continuing to shop.

“Be patient,” counseled Bill Staniford, founder of propertyshark.com. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with looking for the ideal situation and making aggressive offers.”

Prices are down in the city by about 25 percent from the peak of the boom years of 2006 and 2007, and brokers say apartments that once would have been snapped up in bidding wars are staying available longer, especially in Manhattan. Rents have dropped significantly as well.

According to figures provided by Ardor New York Real Estate, landlords are paying brokers' fees about 35 percent of the time, up from 12 percent a year ago.

“People who have been renting for a long time are really looking [to buy] right now,” said Therese Bateman, a broker with Corcoran. “They've been quietly saving and they're really in a good position.”

That describes Michael DelGaudio, 30, and his wife, Tricia, 29. Renters in Kips Bay, they are about to close on a two-bedroom apartment in Chelsea.

“I don't think we could have gotten into a two-bedroom a year ago,” DelGaudio said.

First-time home buyers, who don't need to sell another property before moving, are

in the best position, experts say.

Brokers caution that only those planning to stay in a home - rather than looking for an investment property - ought to be in the market.

With lenders more conservative in the wake of the credit crisis, buyers should expect to put down no less than 20 percent.

Some say the bottom is still a ways off and advise sitting tight.

“The market went up for 10 years and it's not going to come down quickly,” said Andrew Caplin, an economics professor at NYU. “Just wait. Hang out. Watch it all go down.”

Tags: real estate

'America's Next Top Model' fires Paulina Porizkova

Tuesday May 12, 2009 9:44 PM By Julie Gordon

Contestants aren't the only ones getting the boot on "America's Next Top Model" this season.

Judge Paulina Porizkova said she was fired from the show via telephone on her birthday — April 9. Her last episode will air Wednesday.

“The reason I was told I was fired was because it seemed that 'America’s Next Top Model' has gotten too fat and they needed to cut some fat and the fat was me," Porizkova said in an interview that aired on "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" Tuesday night.

She went on to say, “So I figured it was either that or my gigantic huge ego. Which I wasn’t aware of until I was told by the producers that I have an ego problem.”

"Top Model's" other judges are Tyra Banks, fashion photographer Nigel Barker and runway coach J. Alexander.

Photo: Paulina Porizkova (Getty)

Tags: entertainment

Broker helps businesses lower their rents

Tuesday May 12, 2009 8:16 PM By Garett Sloane

Michael Jackowitz co-founded ReduceYourRent.com (RJ Mickelson/amNY)

Garett Sloane

A new real estate service in the city, born of the recession, hopes to help businesses keep their doors open by renegotiating leases for them.

ReduceYourRent.com, which launched here six weeks ago, is a brokerage firm “just not in the traditional sense,” said Michael Jackowitz, the company’s co-founder. The firm re-strikes deals for tenants who can’t afford their rent.

“Retail tenants are in the most dire need,” he said. “They are suffering from above-market rents and a tremendous drop in revenue.”Jackowitz said he has renegotiated three leases so far and is in renegotiations on about eight more. Last month, he helped Center Stage NY, a nonprofit theater in Chelsea, get a deal to cut the rent by $2,000 from about $9,000.

Jill DeArmon, the director of the theater, said Jackowitz was a “friend of a friend” and helped her pro bono. She said lowering her rent helped save the company.

“A friend who saw that I was in trouble said, ‘I know somebody who can maybe get your lease down,’ and I said, ‘I’ll try anything at this point,’” DeArmon said.

The deal was structured so that she would pay back a portion of the discount over the remainder of the lease. In other cases Jackowitz said he negotiates flat-out rent decreases. He is paid only if he succeeds, in which case he takes 10 percent.

Jackowitz realizes there is some tension in the New York City real estate world.

“It’s a bit of a battle between landlords and tenants,” he said, but the service is meant to be win-win: Landlords keep cash flowing while tenants stay open.

Tags: real estate, retail, renegotiating leases, reduceyourrent.com, rents, landlords versus tenants, new york city, economy

Gov. looks far and wide for new MTA chief

Tuesday May 12, 2009 6:49 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

While Gov. David Paterson confirmed yesterday he’s considering a close adviser as the next MTA chief, his staff is already hunting for other candidates because insiders say his pick is a non-starter.

Sources say Paterson’s staff is now scouring transit systems across the globe to replace CEO Elliot Sander, who resigned under political pressure last week.

Top candidates include Nathaniel “Nat” Ford, director of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and Beverly Scott, CEO of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.

The successor “will share the governor’s goal of reforming and changing the way the MTA operates,” said Erin Duggan, a Paterson spokeswoman.Paterson’s pick, Marc Shaw, has been rumored for weeks in Albany as Sander’s successor. A fiscal whiz, Shaw led the MTA from 1996 to 2001 and helped hammer out the state bailout that spared straphangers from the “doomsday” fare hike.

Shaw is popular with state Republicans, but he irked Democrats for being heavy-handed during the bailout negotiations and is unpopular with rider advocates who blasted his prior tenure with the MTA.

Shaw also represents the status quo, something Paterson is trying to banish from the MTA, according to a source close to the discussions.

Shaw did not return a call for comment yesterday.

Ford, a former New York City train conductor, was a candidate to lead Transit in 2007. Paterson officials have not contacted him, his spokesman Judson True said.

Meanwhile, Scott, who previously oversaw bus operations in New York City, and was a high-ranking official in the Washington, D.C. and New Jersey transit systems, is not interested in the post, her spokeswoman said.

Other possible candidates include bailout mastermind Richard Ravitch, former London Underground director Tim O’Toole and prior MTA financial officer Jay Walder.

Sander’s last day with the MTA is May 22.

(Photo above: Marc Shaw, courtesy www.streetsblog.org)

Tags: transit

What's in season: Asparagus

Tuesday May 12, 2009 5:11 PM By Lucy Blatter

By Ben Muessig

Special to amNewYork

If every person has 15 minutes of fame, it's safe to say that every veggie has about 15 minutes of flavor. Even though many varieties of produce remain in season for months, most taste best for just a few weeks — or days.

Now is the time to stock your kitchen with fresh asparagus, because the year's first crops are often the finest.

Early season asparagus boasts such a tender and succulent flavor that it should be served as simply as possible, according to Ryan Race, of Blairstown, N.J.’s Race Farms."It's got a real nice flavor this early in the season, so I don't like to doll it up too much," said Race, who brought some of the season's first fresh asparagus to the Union Square Greenmarket a couple of weeks ago.

"I'd just steam it and serve it with a little bit of butter," he said.

Whether you're planning to serve asparagus steamed, diced into a light Mediterranean pasta, stir fried in an Asian-style entree, or wrapped in prosciutto for a hearty snack, this tasty shoot is a great addition to your diet.

Asparagus is low in calories, free of fat and cholesterol, and packed with nutrients including folic acid, potassium, and the amino acid asparagine - which lends the shoot its name. It's also a great source of vitamins A, B, C, and K.

Fresh asparagus sells for about $3.50 per pound at farmers' markets around the city.

Tags: asparagus, farmers markets, seasonable foods

A food lover's guide to Jackson Heights

Tuesday May 12, 2009 4:56 PM By Lucy Blatter

Patel Brothers Market in Jackson Heights sells hard-to-find Indian produce. Credit: Marie Claire Andrea

By V.L. Hendrickson

Special to amNewYork

You don’t need to travel abroad to experience international cuisine: A trip to Jackson Heights can satisfy your cravings for authentic, tasty food from all over the globe.

From Indian sweets to pig skin served Colombian-style, the neighborhood boasts an eclectic and excellent collection of eateries and street vendors.

If you’re coming from Manhattan, ride the no. 7 train To Jackson Heights/Roosevelt Ave. — the views are great.

Here’s a run-down of some of the neighborhood’s best food:

Patel Brothers Market

32-27 74th St., 718-898-3445

From Indian mangos and karelas (a bitter gourd) to flattened rice and chutneys, Patel Brothers Market has all the ingredients a budding Indian chef would ever need. The market also offers an array of spices, seeds, nuts, and Indian snacks.

The Jackson Diner

37-47 74th St., 718-672-1232

This restaurant started out serving American fare 25 years ago. The menu soon offered only Indian cuisine, but the old name stuck. This cash-only, family-run establishment has a daily lunch buffet ($9.95 on weekdays/$10.95 on the weekends) and traditional recipes that haven’t changed since it opened.Al-Naimat Sweets and Restaurant

37-03 74th St., 718-476-1100

Here, visitors are greeted with brightly colored Indian cakes and cookies, including burgee, a fluorescently-colored fudge, jalebi orange and red cookies made from flour and spices, and milk cake, which is moist and not-too-sweet.

Mustang Thakali Kitchen

74-14 37th Ave., 718-898-5088

Proving that Indian delicacies are just some of the offerings here, Mustang Thakali offers Nepalese and Tibetan Cuisine, like momos, savory meat dumplings, and Yhosi, smashed buckwheat with chicken and vegetables.

Jahn’s Family Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor

81-04 37th Ave., 718-651-0700

Jahn’s was once part of chain, now this is the only remaining location. It serves up shakes, egg creams, and huge sundaes, like The Kitchen Sink, which serves eight for $47.95, and the Hot Maine Blueberry Sundae, smothered in blueberry sauce.

Cositas Ricas

79-19 Roosevelt Ave., 718-478-1500

For authentic Colombian food, like whole, fried red snapper or grilled meat with plantains and pig skins, try Cositas Ricas. The name translates to “delicious little things,” but they serve up huge portions for reasonable prices. The atmosphere is busy and family-friendly.

La Pequena Colombia

83-27 Roosevelt Ave.,718-478-8700

La Pequena also offers Colombian cuisine, but in a quieter, more refined setting. The restaurant has affordable daily specials and entrees that take traditional fare to a new level.

Jose’s Fish Market

81-04 Roosevelt Ave., 718-478-0232

Check out Jose’s for fresh seafood. There’s an assortment of fried fish, clams, and shrimp for those who want to eat in, and fresh, uncooked varieties to take home. Ask about the catch of the day.

Farmers market in Travers Park

Between 77th and 78th Streets, on the north side of 34th Avenue

During summer months, visit this farmers market, known for a great selection of baked goods, as well as flowers and produce. The market is open Sundays only from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tags: jackson heights, patel brothers, indian food

Viral video: 'Wolverine fan' makes his own claws

Tuesday May 12, 2009 3:14 PM By Sean Joseph

This devout “Wolverine” fan demonstrates his homemade claws by slashing several objects.

Tags: movies, television, viral video

Tracking New York City Council earmarks online

Tuesday May 12, 2009 2:52 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

Want to know where City Council members are directing taxpayer funds?

Councilman David Yassky, as part of his campaign for city comptroller, has created a Web site that lets users search legislative earmarks - the discretionary funds doled out by council members to non-profit organizations in their districts.

In the current fiscal year, council members have directed some $40 million to hundreds of groups, from the Pulaski Day Parade Committee of Staten Island to the Park Slope Child Care Collective.Yassky said his goal for the site - which also lists information about the city's entire $60 billion budget, broken down by department - is to allow people to track government spending more easily.

"Right now it’s impossible for the average New Yorker to understand where their tax dollar is going,” said Yassky. "Now they can see, in plain English, the details of the city budget.”

He said he believes the council ought to "roll back considerably the use of earmarks" but as long as they exist, he's going to take advantage of it.

For the record, Yassky sponsored 59 earmarks for a total of about $637,000.

Tags: city council, earmarks, budget, comptroller race, dabid yassky, city hall dispatch

Economy causes a lull in all modes of traffic

Tuesday May 12, 2009 1:17 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Planes, trains, automobiles — the economy is affecting all of them.

Traffic plunged at the region’s tunnels, bridges, airports, seaports and the PATH system during the first quarter of 2009, according to numbers released by the Port Authority reported Tuesday.

“The Port Authority isn’t recession proof and that's becoming more and more clear,” said Port Authority Executive Director Chris Ward said.

Among the big declines:

The number of people flying from JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports dropped 12 percent compared to last year.

- Bridge and tunnel traffic declined 5 percent, mostly from a big drop in truck use.

- Ridership on the PATH trains declined 2 percent, the first drop in nearly six years.- Cargo flowing through the New York and New Jersey ports plunged by 17 percent, the biggest quarterly drop in more than 15 years.

Tags: transit

Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back: Patsy's on West 56th displays never-before-seen pictures of Frank Sinatra

Tuesday May 12, 2009 12:20 PM By Rolando Pujol

Frank Sinatra participates in a recording session at Mediasound Recording Studios at 311 W. 57th St. on Feb. 16, 1977. (Photos courtesy Bobby Bank)

Patsy's on West 56th Street was one of Frank Sinatra's favorite haunts, so it's only appropriate that a display of never-before-seen photos of the crooner should go up at the famed Italian eatery. The 15 photos were taken just around the corner from Patsy's as Sinatra did his thing on Feb. 16, 1977 at Mediasound Recording Studios.

The images, taken by Bobby Bank, are among the celebrity photographer's favorite photos. They show Sinatra recording Paul Anka's "Everybody Ought to be in Love" for Warner Brothers Records.

The photos will be on display through May 21 at Patsy's, 236 W. 56th St.. See two more photos after the jump.

-- Rolando Pujol

Tags: frank sinatra, patsy's, endangered nyc

Tasti-D-Lite to expand in the metro area

Tuesday May 12, 2009 12:05 PM By Lucy Blatter

Many metro-area Tasti-D-Lite's will be redesigned.

It seems that everywhere you look, there's a new frozen yogurt place setting up shop.

The recent trend in New York City has been toward Pinkberry and Red Mango copycats, but Tasti-D-Lite is still pushing on.

The original New York City fro-yo fave just announced a development agreement, which will see the addition of 35 franchised locations in the metro area over the next 10 years.

Those converting from license to franchised stores will be refreshed or renovated to reflect a new design.

Tags: tasti-d-lite, pinkberry, red mango, food

Mob princess Victoria Gotti could lose house

Monday May 11, 2009 7:45 PM By Jason Fink

By Jason Fink

Reality bites for mob princess Victoria Gotti.

The star of “Growing Up Gotti” and daughter of “the Dapper Don” may get kicked to the curb after a Brooklyn court found she owes JP Morgan Chase a jaw-dropping $650,000 in late loan payments, according to documents released Monday.

In a May 5 court ruling, the four-judge appellate panel found that the bank can begin foreclosure proceedings on the five-bedroom Long Island mansion, made famous on the A&E series that took viewers inside the opulent house and the over-the-top lifestyle she led on the four-acre estate with her three sons.The ruling overturned a 2007 Nassau County Supreme Court decision delaying JP Morgan Chase’s efforts to seize the property. Now, a court-appointed referee will determine if the house can be sold as one parcel.

The Old Westbury grounds include waterfalls, a tennis court, a guest house, a gazebo with a pond and a playground.

“I'm bitter," said Gotti, who has been trying to unload the mansion for years, most recently for $3.2 million. "The house, all the marital assets are part of a divorce package \[settlement\] I have never seen yet."_

She said her ex-husband, Carmine Agnello, took out a loan secured by the property for about $700,000 without her knowledge. She added that while she had the right to bring charges against him for taking out the loan, he agreed to payments.

Agnello pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in 2001 and served time in a halfway house.

Gotti, 46, became the owner of the property following her 2003 divorce and had agreed to make payments to the bank of $25,000 a month, reports said. She didn’t say what if anything she’d do next. Her lawyer or representatives from Chase could not be reached yesterday.

The full loan became due on Feb. 1, 2006, according to court papers. The appellate court shot down Gotti's request for more time.

Gotti, a former New York Post columnist and author, starred on the series with sons Carmine, Frank and John for three season starting in 2004. The program provoked a rash of criticism that the family was profiting from her late father John Gotti’s blood money.

Anthony M. DeStefano contributed to this story

Tags: victoria gotti, real estate, television

Fare increases, fewer station agents, coming soon to the MTA

Monday May 11, 2009 5:43 PM By Heather Haddon

MTA station agents will likely be reduced to help the agency cut $200 million in expenses. (Photo by Andrew Hinderaker)

By Heather Haddon

Despite the bailout, straphangers will probably still wind up paying more for less.

Yesterday, the MTA approved a less-severe fare hike to take effect June 28, but suggested it will reduce the number of red-vested station agents roaming the subway.

Avoiding the harsh “doomsday” hikes thanks to last week’s state bailout, the MTA board voted to raise subway and bus fares from $2 to $2.25 starting June 28, with monthly MetroCards rising from $81 to $89. Weekly unlimited passes will increase the least, moving from $25 to $27.

“There is nothing to be happy about,” said MTA Chairman Dale Hemmerdinger, after the 11-2 vote. “Who would be happy about raising fares? Who would be happy about letting people go? But it's the best we got.”

Tolls on the MTA’s major bridges and tunnels will rise from $5 to $5.50 July 12, and regional rail lines will increase by about 10 percent starting June 17.The $2.3 billion state bailout will allow the cash-strapped agency to rescind all proposed cuts that directly affect service, officials said yesterday. The W and Z trains will remain, as will 24 bus routes across the city that were slated to be eliminated.

But to meet its budget the agency will likely shave $200 million by reducing the number of station agents through attrition and other ”administrative savings,” officials confirmed yesterday.

“You are impacting your riders in a negative way,” Andreeva Pinder, a union official, told the board. “What in the hell are you thinking?”

Transit advocates and station workers believe that the MTA wants to eliminate the entire program, which employs 570 agents to assist customers and keep an eye on entrances that lack token clerks. As previously proposed, the plan, which would save $52 million, would also close 42 token booths.

Current agents will be shuffled to other positions in the MTA by July if the plan goes though.

“Their goal all along is to have human-less entrances,” said Gene Russianoff, of the Straphangers Campaign. “The financial crisis is allowing them to move forward with that.”

The MTA stopped replacing station agents who called out from work beginning last month. The agency recently ceased filling shifts of those on vacation, workers said.

“They are opening up the subways for problems,” said Norman Pou, a Brooklyn station agent.

The MTA has said it would maintain at least one full-time attendant in all subway stations if it eliminated the clerks. The board will unveil its cost-cutting proposals next Wednesday.

Tags: transit

Flight attendant tips

Monday May 11, 2009 5:30 PM By Lucy Blatter

Air France's Gwenael Tanguy had plenty of advice for long-haul flights.

We asked Gwenael Tanguy, a flight attendant with Air France, for her travel tips. Because no one knows travel better than those who do it for a living.

1) Any tips for enduring a long-haul flight?

First tip is to travel wearing comfortable clothes. Make sure you have at least one warm item of clothing with you as it can sometimes get cold in airplanes.

Second, bring a good book! And ,if you have one, a portable DVD player as you can never be sure what the in-flight entertainment is going to be like.

Why not also pack a toothbrush, hairbrush, facial toner, and deodorant? This will enable you to freshen up whenever you feel like it.

2) Is it really important to walk around? Why?

Yes, it is very important to walk around. Traveling in the same position for several hours is not good for your blood circulation and can cause DVT,or Deep Vein Thrombosis, which can be fatal.

So in between the meal services, don't hesitate to get up and stretch your legs.

If you don't feel like walking around or if you are stuck next to sleeping passengers and can't leave your seat you can always do a few simple exercises in your seat: ankle, wrist and neck rotations as well as leg rotations.

Some airlines have a "wellness" channel in their in-flight entertainment which takes you through a few simple exercises to do in your seat and others have examples in their in-flight magazine.

Tags: air france, flight attendant, traveling tips

Slums and millionaires side-by-side in Mumbai

Monday May 11, 2009 5:21 PM By Lucy Blatter

Mumbai's Dhobi Ghat is an open-air laundry where many Mumbaikars send their clothes to be cleaned and dried.

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

Mumbai, like all of India, is a feast for the senses.

The intensely hot air is filled with the pungent smells of spicy foods and the sounds of constantly honking car horns.

The food is wonderfully flavorful and bright colors are everywhere — from the saris women wear to fruit sold on the side of the roads.

Formerly known as Bombay, Mumbai is India’s largest city and its financial capital.

So, extreme wealth and intense poverty are on display, side-by-side.

You can choose to dine at “It” restaurants, or dirt-cheap street vendors, sip cosmos at rooftop bars or buy cheap (and very good) Kingfisher beers at a dingy corner stores, shop at crowded street bazaars or peruse designer boutiques.

TO SEE:

Marine Drive

This boulevard is nicknamed “The Queen’s Necklace” because at night it is lit up to resemble a strand of pearls. It’s a great place for a sunset stroll and is home to some of Mumbai’s most upscale hotels.

Dhobi Ghat

There are rows upon rows of clotheslines in this open-air laundry, where the majority of Mumbaikars send their clothes. They are soaked in soapy water, thrashed on flogging stones, tossed into vats of starch and hung out to dry.

Dharavi slums

Made famous by “Slumdog Millionaire,” Dharavi is Asia’s largest slum. Amongst the incomprehensible squalor, residents run industries (like pottery, embroidery and recycling). To gain access, visitors must enter with a guide. Reality Tours and Travel (realitytoursandtravel.com) offers a two-and-a-half hour tour through Dharavi that starts at 400 rupees (about $10).

Elephanta Caves

Elephanta Island is only an hour-long boat ride away from the Gateway of India monument in Central Mumbai, but it feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city. There’s a collection of rock caves and statues of Hindu deities, not to mention several monkeys jumping about.

The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower

Before it was the site of the horrific terror attacks in November, the Taj was Mumbai’s most iconic hotel. Since 1903, it’s been host to world leaders and celebrities. Stop by to marvel at its impressive architecture, or go in for a meal, drink or tea.

TO STAY:

Hotels in Mumbai are not cheap. But don’t worry, almost everything else is. Even with the high-priced accommodations, you can still manage a 4-star vacation for the price of a 2 or 3-star European vacation.

Intercontinental Marine Drive

Mumbai.intercontinental.com

This is one of the most luxurious (and elegant) hotels in Mumbai, with large, modern rooms with sea views, and one of Mumbai’s premiere rooftop bars, Dome. But this kind of luxury is going to cost you — most room are between $350 and $600 a night.

VITS

lotussuites.com

Located close to the airport, this business hotel also offers good transportation links to the main city sights. Rooms are clean and simple and the hotel has a pool too. Double rooms are available for about $120 a night.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

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 visa in the afternoon, leave plenty of time for delay. A Six Months Multiple Entry visa is $60.00, plus a $13 transaction fee. indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com

Haggling:. In India, all prices are negotiable — and that applies to hotel rates, cab fares and souvenirs.

Know when to go: Wait until the fall or winter for a trip to Mumbai, as it’s very hot during the summer.

Eating safely: Street food has been known to get people sick (with sicknesses as severe as Hepatitis), so take precautions. If you insist on trying something, make sure you’re buying it at a clean stall.

Drinking the water: You’ll have to buy bottled water in India. Western stomachs can’t take the tap water. Don’t try.

Preparing for a long flight. The flight to India is about 20 hours long (and there aren’t that many direct flights), so you’ll lose over a day. India, Delta and Continental offer direct flights between New York City airports and Mumbai.

Currency: At press time, the currency rate was 49 rupees to the dollar.

Go to Cleartrip.com: You can research and book hotel rooms, domestic flights and train tickets on this site.

Tags: mumbai, taj mahal hotel and tower, dharavi slums, dhobi ghat, marine drive, elephanta caves, gateway of india, travel

Awkward retro video: George Plimpton for Intellivision

Monday May 11, 2009 3:18 PM By Rolando Pujol

As a kid, we knew nothing of the Paris Review, but we did know George Plimpton. In the 1980s, he was busy hawking the doomed Intellivision home video-game system and later, microwave popcorn.

But it's as the Intellivision pitchman that we most fondly remember Plimpton. This ad has to be the strangest of the lot, and quite likely, one of the strangest in the annals of TV commercials. It deserves a special Clio award all its own.In the ad, Plimpton steps out of a Checker Cab in a leafy suburb and runs into actor Henry Thomas, flush with his "E.T." fame. As ominous music plays, he offers to give Henry, who was innocently riding a bike, a copy of the game Lock and Chase, which isn't available in stores yet. Henry wants it autographed, and Plimpton obliges. But when Plimpton logically asks for his name, Henry gets uncomfortable and asks sheepishly, "My name?" Then the commercial ends with a freeze frame of Henry.

What was that all about?

Based on what we've been able to surmise, this was a tweak at the folks at Atari, who around this time had secured exclusive rights to the "E.T." video game. According to a commenter on the YouTube video, Intellivision could not mention Henry's role in "E.T." or even the actor's name, because of Atari's exclusive hold on "E.T."

By the way, some coup the "E.T." game proved to be for Atari. It was one of the greatest flops in video-game history, and many of the unsold cartridges were said to be buried in a New Mexico desert.

This commercial seems baffling and disturbing today for various reasons, (see "Disturbing Strokes" for a similar creep-out) but we do wonder how audiences would have perceived it in the early 1980s. Would they have been in on the joke, or would they have been just as baffled and disturbed as we are today?

-- Rolando Pujol

Tags: henry thomas, george plimpton, intellivision, atari, e.t., throwback thursday

Wanna get away? This week's travel deals

Monday May 11, 2009 2:49 PM By Lucy Blatter

Great Wolf Lodge in Concord, N.C., is offering a $179-per-night deal through ResortsandLodges.com

Discount North Carolina vacation: ResortsandLodges.com is offering 45 percent off stays at Great Wolf Lodge in Concord, N.C., with rates beginning at $179 (based on a family of four). The price also includes passes to Concord Waterpark for each day of stay and daily activities at the resort’s Cub Club kids’ program. Available for travel through June 19. To book, call 866-940-1278 or ResortsandLodges.com, use promotional code Great.

Montreal Jazz Fest, from $144: The Special 30th anniversary $144 package includes two nights’ accommodations at Days Inn Montreal Downtown (upgrade to the Hyatt for $110 more per person or Le Dauphin for $21 more), daily breakfast, a ticket to a concert in the Jazz d’ici La Presse or Rhythms Bell series, a 25 percent discount on admission to the Musee d’art Contemporain and more. Available July 1-12. Price will fluctuate with currency exchange rate. Book at 888-515-0515 or MontrealJazzFest.com.Free Friday nights all summer long at Radisson Hotels & Resorts: From May 15-Sept. 15 guests staying two or more consecutive nights can take advantage of free Friday night stays at participating Radisson Hotels & Resorts in North, Central, and South America; Asia Pacific; and Radisson Edwardian Hotels in the U.K (Thursday or Saturday stays required). Booking now available and stays must be booked seven days in advance. Book at Radisson.com/FreeFriday or call 800-333-3333.

Two Sheraton Atlantic City discount packages: As part of the Next Stop —Savings! package, guests can get a $25 credit at the Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel — connected to AC’s transportation hub — by presenting an ACES or NJ Transit train or bus ticket through Dec. 30. As part of the Econo ”me” Savings Package, rates begin at $99/ night and include $5 off a facial or massage at Larimar Spa, a $5 gift card to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory at The Walk, and the chance to win $600 in shopping savings. Eligible for Sunday – Friday stays through Dec. 31. To book, call 866-716-8115, 609-344-3535 or Sheraton.com/acoffers.

BedandBreakfast.com’s Tanks for Traveling promotion: Bedandbreakfast.com is trying to entice travelers to cut down on their driving with several incentives. For example, The William Seward Inn Bed and Breakfast in Westfield, NY, located near the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Chautauqua and the Rails-to-Trails route, offers guests who bring a bike a gourmet picnic lunch for two with cheese, fruit, and a bottle of wine. Nightly rates range from $100 - $185, and the deal’s available through June 30. A two-night stay required. To see a complete list visit BedandBreakfast.com and click on the fuel gauge graphic or call 800-462-2632.

800-338-4151, WilliamSewardInn.com (Emily Mathis)

Tags: travel deals, north carolina, montreal jazz festival, bedandbreakfast.com, atlantic city

Viral video: There has to be a law against this

Monday May 11, 2009 2:12 PM By Sean Joseph

What is more dangerous? This guy reading a novel and taking notes while driving 75 miles per hour down the highway, or the people driving right next to him filming it?

Tags: viral video, television, driving

Cupcake cook-off tonight!

Monday May 11, 2009 11:29 AM By Lucy Blatter

New York is cupcake crazy. If you’re hooked on the sugary stuff, you’ll want to stop by The Brooklyn Kitchen's third annual Cupcake Cook-Off tonight from 7pm to 9pm at Union Pool (484 Union Avenue in Williamsburg).

You can cast your own vote for the people's choice award. Since the event is a fundraiser for the Greenpoint Soup Kitchen, votes will be sold.

The grand prize winner will receive a Cuisinart stand mixer, and 12 lucky guests will receive the Harold Imports Cup-A-Cake Cupcake holder pictured here.

Tags: cupcakes, the brooklyn kitchen, cupcake cook-off, food

Legacy of Pullman porters: Honoring the roots and future of overnight train travel

Sunday May 10, 2009 8:40 PM By Rolando Pujol

By Heather Haddon

Once upon a time, the well-heeled traveled the country on sleeper cars, with uniformed porters on duty to carry luggage, mend clothes and shepherd passengers to elegant dinning cars.

Only a handful of these Pullman porters are alive to tell the tale of America’s railroad heyday. But today’s rail employees are witnessing a renaissance, with growing federal support and public interest in trains.

“It's absolutely a new era,” said Ross Kapon, president of the National Association of Railroad Passengers, an advocacy group.

In the last year, Amtrak has sought to honor Pullman Porters, the uniformed attendants who road on sleeper cars operated by the Pullman Co. from 1868 to 1968. Only about 40 of them are alive today, according to Larry Tye, author of a history on the attendants.In the 1920s, nearly 21,000 blacks worked as porters, the largest category of employed blacks in the country. The work was grueling - at least 400 hours per month - but provided the perk of travel.

“You were able to see the country from one side to the other,” said William Henry Mack, 92, a Brooklyn native who worked as a porter during the 1940s and 1950s.

Mack remembers serving packed trains, especially sun-worshipers traveling between New York City and Miami.

Ridership on the sleeper lines hit its peak of 31 million at the end of World War II, but slowly declined with surging car sales. By the 1960s, air travel put Pullman out of business.

But in recent years, rising gas prices and the increasing headaches associated with airports have fueled a renewed interest in long-distance rail service, transit observers say.

Amtrak experienced record ridership in the past six years, according to agency statistics. Passengers on the 15 overnight routes jumped by 11 percent from late 2007 to 2008.

“I love riding the trains. You just get to see the scenery,” said Barbara Graham, Mack's daughter, a Brooklyn resident who frequently takes overnight train trips.

The stimulus package gave Amtrak its biggest shot in the arm in more than a decade. The agency received $1.3 billion for station rehabs, new trains and infrastructure improvements, including the purchase of several sleeper cars for New York City. In March, Amtrak added overnight service between Chicago and Boston.

“The psychology is changing,” Kapon said. “Frugality is the new cool.”

Photo above: Pullman Porters served generations of Americans riding on overnight trains. (Library of Congress)

Hatmaker fits into a Lower East Side tradition

Sunday May 10, 2009 8:03 PM By Rolando Pujol

David and Jody Rodriguez own Casa de Rodriguez, a hat shop on the Lower East Side. (Willie Davis)

By Rolando Pujol

The mere mention of a Lower East Side hatmaker prompts images of Orchard Street pushcarts — lost symbols of the downtown garment trade.

David Rodriguez, 45, and his wife, Jody, represent a small revival of lost Lower East Side traditions. Their shop on Stanton Street, Casa de Rodriguez, is where David custom manufactures hats, usually in 24 hours, that are billed as "a cool funky, eclectic style with a classic twist."

"When you buy a Rodriguez hat, you're buying a serious design aesthetic and you're also buying some of my energy," David said.The couple picked the neighborhood six years ago partly because of how the shop fit into local lore.

"I think I'm reliving that American dream," he said.

The Rodriguez story begins in the Los Angeles of the early 1990s, when the couple met and worked in the sportswear business. Their shared passion for fashion soon led to the hat business. They moved to New York, with stops in Harlem, SoHo and Chelsea before eventually settling on the Lower East Side.

These days, the neighborhood is in a retail rut. Rodriguez said a number of fashion-related shops have closed in the past few moths, victims of the recession.

The downturn is forcing Rodriguez to reposition his business, where hats sell from $120 to about $368.

He saw business fall off last summer and pick up around Christmas, but March was the worst month since the shop opened in 2002.

The key to surviving the crisis lies in new networking efforts among the loyal customer base, a revived Web site, and viral marketing on e-commerce sites, David said.

Sometimes, extra long hours do the trick.

The neighborhood may be a "ghost town" during the day, but the bar and club scene gives it a nighttime bustle. They’ll stay open sometimes until midnight to pick up some of the foot traffic.

"We've been through the ups and downs of the economy before, and we've been able to make it. Because we have such a strong sense of quality and originality in our product," Jody said.

They've also had their share of celebrity fans (Leonardo DiCaprio was an early supporter.) What's more, hats have grown in popularity, with many customers upgrading from ubiquitous caps to something classier.

One customer, David Burger, 54, of TriBeCa, recently found himself "jonesing" for another Rodriguez design.

"My first hat was a gift. We went to the store to choose a style, fabric, lining, feather, etc. It was cool to walk into an old-fashion store like that," Burger said. "To get measured, come back for your own, unique hat, not mass marketed."

That's the mom-and-pop tradition that the Rodriguez stores represents, and it's something the neighborhood needs more of, Rodriguez said.

"I think that's exactly what the Lower East Side needs to become again."

Tags: hatmaker, casa de rodriguez, lower east side, small business, retail, custom hats, garment history, leonardo dicaprio, old-time trade new york city

Reality TV: Believe it... or not

Sunday May 10, 2009 7:38 PM By Pete Catapano

By Pete Catapano

Susan Boyle, who may be the unlikeliest star reality TV has ever given birth to, completes the journey from obscurity to celebrity with an appearance today on Oprah.

While her fame can’t be denied now, TV critics have questioned the role of “Britain’s Got Talent” in her meteoric rise. The skeptics wonder whether a 47-year-old, frumpy woman really shocked the show’s judges with her amazing voice and sad tales of never being kissed, or was she just a pawn in an elaborate publicity stunt.

The show’s creator, Simon Cowell has said Boyle’s performance was a shock to him.

“This woman just walks out with this weird walk and the first thing that goes through your head at that point is ‘How quickly can I get this person off because I know this is going to be terrible’,” he told GMTV, which airs the show.

Susan Boyle (AP Photo)But Sarah Kimball, 45, of Manhattan still has her doubts.

“With Susan Boyle, they knew she could sing before she got in front of the judges,” Kimball said. “Maybe they didn’t think she would do as well as she did though.”

If Boyle’s appearance on the show wasn’t orchestrated, it helps shatter conventions of talent being intertwined with youth and beauty, while giving hope to millions of wanna-be stars. But if it was cooked up by producers, it just confirms what many viewers already believe about reality TV: That it’s all fake and stardom doesn’t come without someone pulling strings.

“It was contrived back on the ‘Real World’ in 1992," said Daniel Manu, site editor for tvwithoutpity.com. “Those seven strangers didn’t accidentally wind up living together, and there’s always cases where producers are manipulating things behind the scenes.”

“In the case of ‘America Idol’ the judges watch these performances and they come out, with these great little one-liners and zingers, and what most people aren’t aware of is there are rehearsals of that during the day,” Manu said. "It’s not the first time they are seeing the singers. Even something like that is a little bit contrived.”

Generally accepted as fiction is MTV’s “The Hills,” which is touted as the real life escapes of California rich kids. The show’s reality façade is embodied by “stars” Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, complete with clearly staged fights.

There is no shortage of other examples in which purported “reality” shows blur the line between fact and fiction.

A recent “Rolling Stone” article quoted a former crew member of “Hogan Knows Best” saying that the show was loosely scripted and that sometimes Hulk Hogan’s wife Linda would ask the crew “How was that?” following taped fights with her husband.

Then there was the finale of NBC’s “Average Joe,” which had a disclaimer that read, “Participants may have been consulted with producers regarding their choices and decisions,” the Fort Worth Star Telegram reported.

Heidi Bressler, a season one contestant on “The Apprentice,” said the show was actually more real than she expected, but she now believes most reality TV is pretty orchestrated.

“When I did the show there was nothing that was fake,” Bressler said.

Andrew Breiner contributed to this story.

Other unlikely reality stars

William Hung, “American Idol”

Lacking any singing skills and saddled with awkward rhythm and moves, Hung got a cult following with his bizarre rendition of Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs” on “American Idol.” “You can’t sing, you can’t dance, so what do you want me to say?" Cowell told him.

Omarosa Manigault Stallworth, “The Apprentice”

A former staffer for Vice President Al Gore, Omarosa got famous not for her skills, but for fighting with pretty much everyone on Season 1 of “The Apprentice.” Stallworth continued to clash with co-stars when was she was brought back for “Celebrity Apprentice” in 2008 and when she appeared in cameos on other reality shows like “The Surreal Life” and “Fear Factor.”

David “Puck” Rainey, “The Real World”

A cast member on the “Real World: San Francisco” in 1994, Puck became notoriously ostracized by his roommates for his personal hygiene and had numerous clashes with castmember Pedro Pablo Zamora, an AIDS activist who died a day after the season’s final episode aired.

Ozzy Osborune, “The Osbournes”

Black Sabbath frontman and self-proclaimed “Prince of Darkness,” created a new career for himself with the MTV’s “The Osbournes.” The show gave an inside look at the travails and often slapstick adventures of a aging rock star coping with teenage bratty kids, his manager/wife Sharon and countless dogs.

(Pete Catapano)

Tags: susan boyle, american idol, britain's got talent, william hung, ozzy osbourne, omarosa, the hills, heide montag, the apprentice, average joe, television

Honoring the roots and future of overnight train travel

Sunday May 10, 2009 7:01 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Once upon a time, the well-heeled traveled the country on sleeper cars, with uniformed porters on duty to carry luggage, mend clothes and shepherd passengers to elegant dinning cars.

Only a handful of these Pullman porters are alive to tell the tale of America’s railroad heyday. But today’s rail employees are witnessing a renaissance, with growing federal support and public interest in trains.

“It's absolutely a new era,” said Ross Kapon, president of the National Association of Railroad Passengers, an advocacy group.

In the last year, Amtrak has sought to honor Pullman Porters, the uniformed attendants who road on sleeper cars operated by the Pullman Co. from 1868 to 1968. Only about 40 of them are alive today, according to Larry Tye, author of a history on the attendants.In the 1920s, nearly 21,000 blacks worked as porters, the largest category of employed blacks in the country. The work was grueling - at least 400 hours per month - but provided the perk of travel.

“You were able to see the country from one side to the other,” said William Henry Mack, 92, a Brooklyn native who worked as a porter during the 1940s and 1950s.

Mack remembers serving packed trains, especially sun-worshipers traveling between New York City and Miami.

Ridership on the sleeper lines hit its peak of 31 million at the end of World War II, but slowly declined with surging car sales. By the 1960s, air travel put Pullman out of business.

But in recent years, rising gas prices and the increasing headaches associated with airports have fueled a renewed interest in long-distance rail service, transit observers say.

Amtrak experienced record ridership in the past six years, according to agency statistics. Passengers on the 15 overnight routes jumped by 11 percent from late 2007 to 2008.

“I love riding the trains. You just get to see the scenery,” said Barbara Graham, Mack's daughter, a Brooklyn resident who frequently takes overnight train trips.

The stimulus package gave Amtrak its biggest shot in the arm in more than a decade. The agency received $1.3 billion for station rehabs, new trains and infrastructure improvements, including the purchase of several sleeper cars for New York City. In March, Amtrak added overnight service between Chicago and Boston.

“The psychology is changing,” Kapon said. “Frugality is the new cool.”

Photo above: Pullman Porters served generations of Americans riding on overnight trains. (Library of Congress)

Tags: transit

Schumer: Feds must crack down on rampant car-warranty phone scam

Sunday May 10, 2009 6:23 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Even Sen. Charles Schumer isn't immune from an phone scam pitching bunk car warranties.

Perpetrators have bombarded his and thousands of other cell phones across the country despite federal laws banning unsolicited calls to those on a federal registry.

During a news conference yesterday, Schumer demanded that the Federal Trade Commission investigate the scam, which has generated more than 140,000 inquiries to the Better Business Bureau, according to his office.

“It's just unacceptable that they are getting away with driving New York cell-phone users nuts,” said Schumer. “The FTC needs to seek out these crooks and shut them down.”

How does the scam work?

A computerized voice calling from an unrecognizable phone number says something like, “You are still eligible to reactivate warranty coverage. This is the final call before we close the file.” The recording typically gives a fake option to be removed.

Who is targeted?

Cell phone and landline users, drivers and people without cars. The companies call randomly generated phone numbers, and have managed to reach those on the National Do Not Call Registry.

What's the harm done?

Victims have purchased car warranties for hundreds of dollars that turn out to be useless. The calls also strip people of their cell phone minutes.What can people do?

As of now, phone owners can't avoid getting called, so just ignore the calls. Victims should file an official complaint with the FTC at www.donotcall.gov.

Tags: politics

amNewYork letters to the editor

Sunday May 10, 2009 6:05 PM By Sara Baumberger

No reason to spend money on bike lanes

Re “Rough ride for NYC bicyclists,” May 6: Cyclists not only do not pay to bring a fast-moving vehicle into this city, but most of them break every traffic law on the books in the process. Indeed, the city has spent and is spending millions to make this a bicycle city when we have the greatest public transit in the world and relatively small groups of citizens want to, or are able to, ride bikes. Taxpayer money should only go for public transit and making the streets safer and smoother for pedestrians who bring only themselves into the crowded city.

— Bette Dewing, founder and director of Safe Traveling First, Manhattan

City needs to change security methods

My wife was recently stopped by four police officers checking bags at the Astor Place 6 station. They looked at the top of her bag and waved her on without opening the bag. How did it make our subways safer? I would be surprised if any of those searches have foiled an attack and proved worth the taxpayers’ money. NYPD and MTA, give us real security or get out of our way.

— Noah Levin, Manhattan

European-style insurance works

European single-payer health care works! France’s mortality rate for treatable diseases is the lowest in the industrialized world, while in the last eight years the U.S. has fallen from 15th place to dead last. The only beneficiaries are the insurance companies.

— Beatrice Williams-Rude, Manhattan

Tags: letters to the editor

Avoid the ax by standing out at work

Sunday May 10, 2009 5:25 PM By Lucy Blatter

Offering to help out another team on a different project shows initiative.

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

Now more than ever, it’s important to stand out at your job.

“People tend not to get laid off if they have a network of allies at their organization,” said Jodi Glickman Brown, founder of Great on the Job, which provides communication training and consulting to junior-level execs and students, among others.

Here are some of Brown’s tips to help get you noticed:

Ask what more you can do

If you’re not busy, reach out to your bosses and tell them you have time and can take on new projects.

“But do it in a smart way,” Brown said. “Say, ‘I’m working on x, y and z, but I do have some additional capacity, so let me know if there’s anything I can help you out with,’ or say ‘I know the Unilever team has a lot of work. Is there a way I can help them?’”

It shows you have initiative, are proactive and have a sense of what’s going on around you, she said.

Take calculated risks

Volunteer for projects that you’re not necessarily expert at. That will show you’re willing to stretch beyond your comfort zone.Be an instigator

If things are really quiet, organize something, especially if there’s no cost involved.

You could offer to put together case studies so you’re out there interacting with management, for example.

“Start a mentoring program for junior employees or a brown-bag lunch series where you bring in speakers. There are ways you can bring value to your company without costing money,” Brown said.

Network

In this economy, people must network more than ever.

Brown suggested taking advantage of downtime to focus on building networks in the organization and in the industry.

“People like to be thought of as experts. Asking someone for opinion and advice makes them feel good,” Brown said.

Don’t slack off

Come in early and stay late if you have things to work on. Nothing should be beneath you.

Be enthusiastic about all the work you have to do. That enthusiasm could help set you apart.

Tags: keeping your job, staying employed, great on the job, jodi glickman brown, job front

MTA approves fare hike of about 10 percent

Sunday May 10, 2009 5:18 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Get ready for the end of the $2 subway fare.

The MTA board voted Monday on transportation hikes for both straphangers and drivers, with officials approving the following:

- Base subway and local bus fares increasing from $2 to $2.25. Rides on Access-a-Ride will go up by the same rate.

- Unlimited weekly MetroCards growing from $25 to $27, 14-day passes from $47 to $51.50, monthly cards from $81 to $89 and one-day passes from $7.50 to $8.25

- Pay-per-ride cards maintaining the bonus of 15 percent with a purchase of $8 instead of $7. Riders would get a bonus fare with a $15 purchase

- Tolls and express bus service rising from $5 to $5.50

Subway and bus fares will change on June 28, with the tolls increasing July 12.

"It will - at least for the short term - prevent the Armageddon that loomed large," said MTA board chair Dale Hemmerdinger.

A state bailout of the MTA enacted last week spared commuters larger fare increases and dozens of service cuts.

Tags: mta, fares, subways, transit

Career Closeup: A career you can count on

Sunday May 10, 2009 5:08 PM By Lucy Blatter

Accounting is a secure job that pays well, too.

By KAREN TINA HARRISON

Special to amNewYork

While it’s not the most glamorous job, accounting is a stable, secure profession with lots of growth opportunities.

“Wherever there’s money, you need an accountant,” said Fidel I. Swana, a Certified Public Accountant, and chair of the Young CPA Committee of the New York State Society of CPAs.

What the job entails

Accountants organize, maintain and “audit” (examine) financial records for individuals, companies, government agencies and others.

Many work for accounting firms that are structured like law firms, with junior associates and senior partners.

Others work in a company’s accounting department or controller’s office.

Some accountants run their own private practices, working on taxes and financial planning with individuals as well as business owners.Getting trained as an accountant

Accountants with bachelor’s degrees work on bookkeeping, financial statements, tax returns and more.

The one-fifth of accountants with a CPA “are the elite, the ones who sign off,” said Swana.

A CPA requires a bachelor’s, two years in an accounting firm, 150 hours of further coursework and passing a rigorous exam.

“CPA status opens doors,” Swana said.

An MBA further enhances job opportunities.

Transitioning into accounting

The most effective route for a career-changer with no accounting background is to get an MBA in accountancy or taxation and then sit for the CPA exam, said Masako Darrough, chair of the department of accountancy at Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College of CUNY.

Zicklin’s MBA may be achieved full-time or part-time. (Go to zicklin.baruch.cuny.edu/faculty/accountancy for more information.)

What to expect from the job

“The workload is steady,” said Swana. “Then your friends will hardly see you during tax season — January till April 15th.”

Aside from tax season, though, you can expect pretty regular hours.

Solo practitioners are their own bosses. “Beyond taxes, you can get into financial planning and small-business advising with your clients,” said CPA Ginger Broderick, whose midtown firm, Broderick & Company, draws media and art people.

“Some numbers-crunching is inevitable. But it’s rewarding to see your clients go from panic to security. You are their advocate.”

The stereotypical image of accounting as a boring, solitary job is simply not true, as the job requires lots of face-to-face time with clients.

“Accounting is quite social in its own way,” Broderick said.

Tags: accounting, accountant

Rep. Weiner says he will decide on mayoral run in weeks

Sunday May 10, 2009 4:41 PM By Jason Fink

Rep. Anthony Weiner earlier this year. AP file photo

By Jason Fink

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brookyln/Queens), who appeared to abandon his mayoral hopes earlier this year, said Sunday he will decide at the end of the month whether he is running for the city’s top job.

Weiner, 44, sent a letter to supporters in March saying he would suspend his campaign for the Democratic nomination to challenge Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is seeking a third term.

Weiner, who has raised $5 million for the campaign, said he will make his decision when Congress goes into recess the last week of May.“At that point I’m going to make an announcement one way or the other,” he said.

City Comptroller Bill Thompson is running for the Democratic nod.

If Weiner runs, the two will face off in a primary in September. Bloomberg is running on the Republican and Independence Party lines.

Tags: 2009 mayoral race, anthony weiner, politics

Looking for work? Upcoming job fairs and events

Sunday May 10, 2009 4:36 PM By Lucy Blatter

There are plenty of New York City job fairs and events for the unemployed.

Monday, May 11:

Twitter for Business: Brandhacker Meetup

Location: Legends 33, Empire Room, 6 W. 33rd St.

Time: 6-9 p.m.

To register: $10, 917-257-3523 or brand.hacker@gmail.com

Wednesday, May 13: Successful Website Marketing

Location: Science, Industry & Business Library, Lower Level, 188 Madison Ave.

Time: 10:15 a.m.-1 p.m.

To register: $49 in advance, $59 at the door, info@scorenyc.org or 212-264-4507

Wednesday, May 13th: Technology, Engineering, and Security Clearance Job Fair

Location: Madison Square Garden, 4 Penn Plaza, Garden Terrace

Time: 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.

To register: Free, TargetedJobFairs.com

Thursday, May 14th: Putting America Back to Work in Long Island

Location: Citi Field, 126th St. at Roosevelt Ave., Flushing

Time: 9 a.m.- 12 p.m.

To register: Free, EmploymentGuide.com

Thursday, May 14: Procurement Opportunities for Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprises

Location: Bank of New York/Mellon, 10th Floor, 101 Barclay St.

Time: 8:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m.

To register: Free, for more information: 212-868-1373 or info@awib.org

Thursday, June 4: Multi-School Alumni Job Fair*

Location: Baruch College, 55 Lexington Ave. (24th Street)

Time: Choose preferred session: 1:00PM-2:45PM 3:15PM-5:00PM

To register: You must register. $10, MyWorkster.com/jobfair. Registration now open. Attendance is capped at 5,000.

*Featuring nearly 30 schools including Adelphi, Hofstram Long Island University, New York University, Baruch, Notre Dame, U. of Miami, U. of Southern California, and 60 already registered employers

Tags: job fairs, job events, new york city job fairs, job front

Sample sales: May 11 to 17

Sunday May 10, 2009 3:04 PM By Julie Gordon

Be & D

May 13 and 14, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. 35 W. 36th St., btwn Fifth and Sixth aves., 10th Fl., 212-629-3242

Handbags, shoes, belts and other accessories are 30 to 75 percent off. A portfolio is $200 instead of $595, while a clutch is $125 instead of $595.

Gant

May 13 and 14, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; May 15, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 20 W. 55th St., btwn Fifth and Sixth aves., 212-230-1949

Men's and women's button-downs, polos, blouses, cardigans and v-necks are 80 percent off. Swimwear, shorts are skirts are just $19 to $25, down from $99 to $175. Blazers, trenchcoats and lightweight jackets that were $395 to $895 are now $50 to $95.

Tibi (photo from spring '09 show shown left)

May 13, 1 to 7 p.m.; May 14, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; May 15, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 409 W. 39th St., btwn Ninth and Tenth aves., 212-966-3773

Spring pieces are up to 75 percent off. A silk chiffon gown is $189 instead of $695, and a silk organza blouse is $64, reduced from $248.

Inhabit

May 14 and 15, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 1411 Broadway, btwn 40th and 41st sts., 24th Fl., 212-575-8668

Get men's and women's cashmere and cotton pieces. A cotton tunic that was $268 is now $40, and a cotton dress that was $298 is now $60.LaRok

May 15 and 16, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; May 17, noon to 6 p.m. 70 Wooster St., btwn Spring and Broome sts., 212-388-0339.

Prices on dresses, tops, T-shirts and more are slashed. A miniskirt is only $20, down from $168. A $348 dress is just $40.

Fred Flare

May 17, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 131 Meserole Ave., at Leonard St., Greenpoint Brooklyn, 718-349-1257.

Quirky boutique Fred Flare offers its already affordable home accessories, clothing, trinkets and books are even cheaper. Junk Food tees that were $24 are just $10. Lomography cameras are $10, down from $75. Sunglasses are $5 instead of $11. Paul Frank swimsuits are $10, dropped from $76.

Send sample sale listings to jgordon@am-ny.com.

Photo: A model at the Tibi spring '09 fashion show in New York (Getty)

Tags: shopping, fashion

viral video: "My Little" horror movie

Sunday May 10, 2009 2:13 PM By Sean Joseph

What if every little girls dream of owning a pony turned into mankind’s worst nightmare? “My Little Pony: Reign of Buttercup Sprinkles” is coming to theaters everywhere this Veterinarian’s Day.

Tags: viral video, television, my little ponies, movies

amNewYork wins 'Friend from the Media' award from city preservation group

Thursday May 7, 2009 10:00 PM By Rolando Pujol

amNewYork accepted an award Thursday from a noted city preservation group for the newspaper's ongoing Endangered NYC project and neighborhood coverage.

The Historic Districts Council honored amNewYork with its "Friend from the Media" award for the paper's "role in informing and interesting the public about historic neighborhoods and buildings."

The Council, which works to preserve neighborhoods and quality of life in the city, cited amNewYork's Endangered NYC series, which examines threats from development and neglect to the city's historic character, as well as coverage in our weekly real estate report, City Living, which profiles neighborhoods, some of which rarely receive media attention.amNewYork also has created Web multimedia presentations focusing on development and preservation.

Diane Goldie, the paper's editor in chief, Rolando Pujol, a managing editor and Ryan Chatelain, a reporter, attended the ceremony at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery.

"amNewYork has been sounding the alarm about rampant overdevelopment and the destruction of the historic character of many neighborhoods since 2005, a time of unprecedented growth that has too often erased character and history from our streets," said Pujol in accepting the award on behalf of the paper.

Tags: real estate, manhattan, endangered nyc, development

Stores set sights on Manhattan as rents fall

Thursday May 7, 2009 9:00 PM By Garett Sloane

La Crepe Parisienne was able to move to 51 Spring St. thanks to the softer retail real estate market. (Jefferson Siegel)

By Garett Sloane

Businesses once priced out of Manhattan are finding the time is right to get a foothold in the borough now that rents are falling, a new report says.

The average asking rent in Manhattan is down 11 percent from just six months ago, with some areas showing much steeper declines, a study released Thursday by the Real Estate Board of New York shows.

“It’s more of a correction than anything,” said Ben Fox, president of Winick Realty. “The rents in many cases were very, very high.”

Rents have dropped as much as 22 percent on the West Side.

The “correction” has opened up opportunities for some retailers from the outer boroughs to set up shop in Manhattan.“You have had a reverse migration of retail from outer boroughs to the Manhattan marketplace,” said Faith Hope Consolo, head of the retail division at Prudential Douglas Elliman. “Smaller niche retailers are going into Nolita, the Upper East, Upper West Side — retailers who were shut out for the last few years because rents were not within reach.”

In some cases, landlords are even taking on tenants they might not have considered just months earlier.

In SoHo, chain eatery La Crepe Parisienne is taking root. Co-owner Andres Mier y Teran said the slumping market made his first U.S. store possible at a prime location, 51 Spring St. Mier y Teran owns 70 branches in Mexico.

In the past the landlord would not have welcomed a restaurant, said Mier y Teran, who signed for $250 a square foot. The space could have fetched 20 percent more just six months ago, said Consolo, who brokered the lease.

Consolo has represented tenants making a foray into Manhattan from Brooklyn, including Hayden-Harnett, an accessories label; the boutique Smith + Butler; and Buffalo Exchange.

Still, the climate is most favorable for the big national brands that provide value in the down economy. Discount apparel stores and drugstores are showing desire to grow in Manhattan. The big names of late have been Forever 21 and H&M, a brand that has announced a new location on the Upper East Side.

Some brokers said other national names may also find their way into Manhattan, including Nordstrom Rack and Wal-Mart.

The deal-making has generated plenty of interest among prospective tenants, who are at least looking if not leasing, said Patrick Breslin, president of East Coast retail division at Grubb & Ellis.

“For smart retailers looking to when we emerge out of this black cloud, some of them can be in pretty good shape in nailing deals in the down period,” Breslin said.

Tags: retail, real estate, manhattan, rents, asking rents, real estate board of new york, asking rents down new york city, prudential douglas elliman, winick realty, grubb & ellis, real estate trends, restaurants, economy

MTA chief steps down as state seeks agency shakeup

Thursday May 7, 2009 6:57 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Hours after Gov. David Paterson called for a shakeup at the MTA, agency chief Elliot “Lee” Sander resigned from the top post Thursday to explore “opportunities in the private sector,” a spokesman said.

Paterson’s office declined to comment on when a new agency head will be appointed.

A leading candidate to replace Sander is Marc Shaw, a Paterson advisor who previously led the MTA from 1995 to 2001. But transit advocates doubted that Shaw would want to take the post given the state of the agency’s budget woes.

The MTA bailout enacted yesterday consolidated the part-time, unpaid MTA chairman job with that of the full-time salaried CEO.

Sander, who earned about $340,000 in compensation, is credited with warming relations between the agency and the transit workers union, and keeping an open ear to advocates and academics.

MTA board chair Dale Hemmerdinger said he will be leading the agency on an interim basis.

Tags: mta, transit, sander

MTA bailout, finally, a reality

Thursday May 7, 2009 6:36 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

With the stroke of a pen, the MTA bailout finally became a reality Thursday afternoon.

Gov. David Paterson signed a 40-page bill Thursday that spares straphangers from doomsday subway and bus fare hikes and dozens of transit cuts by raising about $2.26 billion annually through the following:

- A payroll tax of .34 percent for all employers in the MTA service area. The tax is retroactive to March for most businesses.

- A fare and tolls increase of about 10 percent that will likely begin mid-June.

Commuter rail prices probably won’t rise until July 1. The base fare will increase from $2 to $2.25. Monthly MetroCards will probably jump from $81 to $89. Other hikes will be unveiled Monday, when the MTA board meets to approve new fares.

- An additional $25 slapped onto motor vehicle registration costs starting Sept. 1.

- A 5 percent increase in car rental taxes starting Sept. 1.

- A $2 supplemental fee on driver’s licenses starting Sept. 1.

- A 50-cent surcharge that taxi owners will collect from passengers beginning in November.

The new funding streams do not sunset.

“Everyone is breathing a sigh of relief,” said MTA board member, Andrew Albert.Under the legislation, there also will be fare increases of 7.5 percent in both 2011 and 2013.

About 1,000 workers slated for layoffs will be spared their jobs, but the MTA may still shrink the number of red-vested station agents through attrition, said a source close to agency officials.

Tags: mta, bailout, subway, transit

New Yorker designs new Love stamp

Thursday May 7, 2009 4:32 PM By Ryan Chatelain

By Ryan Chatelain

A lifelong New Yorker is behind the latest stamps in the U.S. Postal Service’s venerable Love Series.

Jeanne Greco designed the two 44-cent commemorative stamps, which go on sale Friday nationwide, featuring the King and Queen of Hearts. The price of all first-class stamps will rise from 42 cents to 44 cents Monday.

“Love stamps have featured the usual vocabulary of hearts, flowers and cherubs,” said Greco, owner of Caffe Greco Design in SoHo. “I wanted to create something different.”While the king and queen “meet” on 20-stamp sheets, they each appear on their own stamp.

“In a way, it’s sad that the King and Queen will usually be used separately, but I hope they’ll find each other in the same mailbox from time to time,” Greco said.

With Valentine’s Day cards in mind, The Postal Service created the Love stamp in 1973 and has released a new design every year since. The stamps have also become a staple on wedding invitations and Mother’s Day and Father’s Day cards.

Tags: stamp, postal service, artist, arts

Bloomberg to Obama: Don't worry about that plane thing

Thursday May 7, 2009 4:11 PM By Jason Fink

Though he was "furious" when it happened, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the Air Force One clone that buzzed lower Manhattan last week, causing panic, is now "long gone in history."

Following a meeting Thursday at the White House with President Barack Obama, Bloomberg played down the rift over the photo-op gone wrong.Asked about the plane by reporters after the meeting, which was about education reform, Bloomberg responded: “the planes are long gone in history. We gotta get worrying about things– kids are much more important than that kind of stuff,” according to Fox News.

Tags: mayor michael bloomberg, president barack obama, air force one, city hall dispatch, politics

amNewYork letters to the editor

Thursday May 7, 2009 3:57 PM By Sara Baumberger

Bikes, cars must learn to coexist

Re “Rough ride for NYC bicyclists,” May 6: I own an automobile, but I am also a bicycle commuter. I bike at least three days a week. I began my bike commute during the MTA subway strike and found it quite doable. I continued on afterward and have been consistently riding for about a year. It’s faster than the subway! There should not be a fight between motorists, businesses or bikers — we need every form of transportation!

— Israel Martinez, Woodside

Bikers often don’t use bike lanes

The only bike-lane users have been groups of tourists. Regular riders, and messenger and delivery bikes still use the shortest distance between two points, and it isn’t in a bike lane. There has been a car/anti-car schism. Instead, all who use the roads should do so with safety and courtesy especially to pedestrians.

— John C. Jeannopoulos, Manhattan

Palin changes sides to fit parents’ views

Bristol Palin’s interview, in which she espoused the virtues of abstinence, lacked credibility. Especially given her February declaration that abstinence is “not realistic at all.” Given that her only source of financial support for herself and baby is her parents, it would seem logical she would assume any stance that would ensure her survival. That she would sell herself to maintain support for herself and her child isn’t a surprise.

— Gregory B. Holman, Manhattan

Tags: letters to the editor

Stimulus cash for Second Ave subway

Thursday May 7, 2009 3:34 PM By Jason Fink

The long-delayed Second Avenue subway will receive $79 million from the economic stimulus bill passed this year, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan), announced today.

The money will be used for the first phase of the project, which includes stations at 96th, 86th and 72nd streets on Second Avenue. This section is expected to be complete by 2016.The full $16 billion project, currently under construction, will run from 125th Street to Hanover Square.

Tags: second avenue subway, stimulus, transit

Viral video: All-you-can-eat mouse trap

Thursday May 7, 2009 1:06 PM By Sean Joseph

This mouse gets its fill and even leaves with some leftovers before the trap springs.

Tags: viral video, television, mouse trap, failblog, animals

It's a subway map ... no, it's a wallet

Thursday May 7, 2009 9:57 AM By Julie Gordon

By Julie Gordon

If you've been known to accidentally hop on the M train instead of the N, keep reading.

The new Subway Map Mighty Wallet is made to look like an actual subway map, showing 80 stops in Mahattan on the outside of the wallet and key stops in Brooklyn and Queens on the inside. And, while it's as thin and lightweight as a map, it's thankfully a lot sturdier, made from the same material used to make express mail envelopes (Tyvek).

An eco-friendly bonus? It's made from 25 percent recycled materials, including milk and water bottles, and can be recycled.

Dynomighty Designs' Subway Map Mighty Wallet, $15; at dynomighty.com

Tags: shopping, transit

Sarah Palin accused of using Bristol for political gain

Wednesday May 6, 2009 7:45 PM By Pete Catapano

Bristol Palin with ex boyfriend Levi Johnston (AP file photo)

BY Jason Fink

When Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin entered the national stage last year as the Republican vice presidential nominee, she often spoke of her family as a way to connect with voters.

Yesterday, as the governor's daughter, 18-year-old unwed mother Bristol Palin, hit the national TV circuit to promote abstinence, many saw the political calculations of a 2012 White House run.

“Everything Sarah Palin does is based on political opportunity, even getting her child involved,” said Mike Edelman, a New York-based Republican political consultant. “This is her way of shoring up her chits with the hard-right base.”Y

Reversing herself from statements she made in February, when she called abstinence “not realistic at all,” Bristol Palin yesterday said during interviews on two morning shows that avoiding sex should be the only option for teens.

“Regardless of what I did personally I just think that abstinence is the only way that you can effectively, 100 percent foolproof way you can prevent pregnancy,” she said on “Good Morning America.”

It was a different take from Levi Johnston, the father of her 4-moth-old son Tripp, who went on “The Early Show” on CBS yesterday and said abstinence “(is) not going to work.”

Politicians, from Barack Obama to John F. Kennedy, have routinely benefited from being photographed with their families. Though rarely have the children of such a high-profile figure grabbed such salacious headlines.

Some questioned whether the focus on Bristol's pregnancy - which elicited a torrent of media attention last year - would help her mother regardless of its intent.

“Who's not going to see through that?” said Karol Sheinin, a New York-based blogger and ardent Palin supporter. “It just reeks of political motivation.

Bristol Palin walked the red carpet in midtown with Hayden Panettiere of NBC's "Heroes" and Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Matt Garza before addressing a town-hall meeting for teenagers organized by Candie's Foundation, which works to prevent teen pregnancy. Yesterday was National Teen Pregnancy Awareness Day.

Neil Cole, co-founder of Candie's, which does not promote abstinence-only education, said his organization contacted Bristol and that Sarah Palin was not involved.

“It's not a political issue,” he said.

But most agree the media blitz would have been unlikely without Gov. Palin's approval.

Using Bristol's pregnancy as a platform to promote abstinence could be a way for Sarah Palin to turn a political liability into an asset, said Patrick Egan, an assistant professor of politics at NYU.

“This is consistent with her making her personal life part of her political identity,” he said, mentioning Gov. Palin's own decision to have a child with Down syndrome, which she has emphasized in speaking about her opposition to abortion.“ Part of her appeal to the Republican base has to do with her being a strong pro-life advocate.” he said.

A woman who answered the phone in Gov. Palin's press office declined to comment and messages left with her political action committee were not returned.

Tags: sarah palin, bristol palin, levi johnston, barack obama, john f. kennedy, matt garza, hayden panettiere, politics

Bang & Olufsen's 103-inch TV with a price tag of $93,000

Wednesday May 6, 2009 7:38 PM By Garett Sloane

Bang & Olufsen showed off its 103-inch plasma-screen TV.

The only thing as big as this TV is its price: $93,050 for 103 inches.

Bang & Olufsen is taking its luxury liner of a flat-screen on tour throughout the United States, and started with a showing in midtown yesterday.

The timing wouldn’t seem right to show off such a decadent item, but then again the Dow is up.

“It’s not that our customers don’t have the money to spend, they just don’t have that feel-good feeling,” said Zean Nielsen, president of Bang & Olufsen’s North American division. “We just need the Dow to tip over 10,000 again.”The uber-flat-screen comes with all the added features that the luxury brand is known for, such as anti-glare technology used on jetfighters and Automatic Color Management, which prevents screen degradation.

Each 103-inch TV will be made to order. Nielsen said this is likely as large a commercial television as the company will make.

This TV is a better option than a projection screen, because it doesn’t require a dark viewing room; you watch it like any other TV, he said.

Next question: Will it fit into a six-floor walk-up studio apartment? No.

Tags: bang & olufsen, 103-inch tv, flat-screen, luxury retail, plasma tv, television, technology, entertainment

Straphangers spared second fare hike

Wednesday May 6, 2009 6:54 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Rest assured straphangers, subway and bus fares will only go up once this year.

Albany’s $2.26 billion MTA rescue plan is enough to spare riders a second fare hike later this year, said transit officials who had begun considering another increase later this year to fill the agency’s growing budget deficit.

Under the bailout deal, straphangers face one fare hike of roughly 10 percent this year, along with 7.5 percent increases in both 2011 and 2013. The plan proposes to raise funds for the MTA through a payroll tax, a 50-cent taxi surcharge and increased motor vehicle fees.

“At least we’re not going to suffer those egregious fare hikes and service cuts,” said MTA board member Andrew Albert.The bailout bill had not been passed by either the state Senate or Assembly as of presstime last night, though it looked likely to become law.

As a result, straphangers would see base fares increase from $2 to $2.25 starting probably in July. Meanwhile, monthly MetroCards are reported to increase from $81 to $89, and the MTA will likely boost the bonus on pay-per-ride cards from 15 percent to 20 percent.

The MTA is looking to hold a special board meeting Monday to approve the new fares and scrap dozens of proposed service cuts.

“It’s something you have to adapt to,” said Larry Taylor, 53, a Bronx commuter. “An apple doesn’t cost a nickel anymore.”

Transit advocates yesterday were miffed that the bailout includes just two years of funding for major system improvements, since, they said, the political war that erupted over the funding will make it difficult to get additional cash for the five-year plan.

“I’m not sure it’s the case that flowers of cash will bloom again,” said William Henderson, executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA.

The bailout will fund $6.5 billion in system improvements. Likely, officials will have to focus on immediate maintenance work, rather than new projects like easing subway crowding in Queens, southeast Brooklyn and the Upper West Side, transit observers said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Tags: mta, subways, fare hike, transit

amNewYork letters to the editor

Wednesday May 6, 2009 5:50 PM By Sara Baumberger

Why not have more pedestrian malls?

Re “Rough ride for NYC bicyclists,” May 6: Having visited several European and South American cities with dedicated bike lanes and pedestrian malls, it always puzzles me as to why merchants in New York would protest closing streets to vehicular traffic. One can visit any number of places around the world where pedestrian-only streets have become major centers for commercial activity, and in all of those that I have seen, businesses along those thoroughfares seem to do quite well. Maybe these people need to get out more often.

— Gregory Holman, Manhattan

Commuter tax would have fixed mess

Re “Doomsday hike averted by bailout,” May 6: We wouldn’t have been in this predicament with the MTA if some New York state senators and assemblymen, led by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, had not stabbed their constituents in the back by voting to repeal the commuter tax.

— Stan Zinder, Manhattan

Albany should be going green, too

Once again Albany blew it. In an age when we are trying to go green, the auto registration fees for six- and eight-cylinder autos and for SUVs should have been doubled for four-cylinder cars. It only makes sense to discourage people from buying more polluting vehicles.

— John Ost, Manhattan

Tags: letters to the editor

Jennifer Aniston: My life is a man-made soap opera

Wednesday May 6, 2009 5:39 PM By Julie Gordon

Jennifer Aniston (Getty)

By Kara Warner

Though Jennifer Aniston has been a tabloid fixture for longer than we want to remember, it’s easy to forget she didn’t necessarily get in the biz for the media attention.

“There are moments I do get a little holed-up and I just don’t want to deal

[with the attention],” she told us at a press day for her new film, “Management,” this week. “Fans I love,” she said. “[It’s] just this sort of man-made soap opera that has been written and I’ve been assigned a certain part and everybody has their characters.” (Lightly hinting at the tabloid-fueled Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie drama).

All things considered, Aniston takes the scrutiny in stride and is down-to-earth in person. Incidentally, one of her favorite things about her motel art-dealing character in “Management” was the wardrobe: “Oh, J.C. Penny’s is the best!”

Tags: jennifer aniston, entertainment

Midtown’s bargain lunch bites

Wednesday May 6, 2009 5:08 PM By Lucy Blatter

Lazzara's Pizza Cafe offers generous personal pizzas for $8-9.

By Erin Lindholm

Special to amNewYork

Midtown is not exactly a foodie’s paradise. But a common misconception is that the stretch between Penn Station and Port Authority — covering most of the Fashion District and into Hell’s Kitchen — is among the worst of the lots.

We’ve compiled a week’s worth of savory, affordable (under $10!) lunch options with, dare we say it, character that will save you from ever having to turn to Subway again.

MONDAY

Aura Thai

462 Ninth Ave. (btwn 35th and 36th sts.), 212-971-8530

With its sunny-yellow walls and cheerful lunchtime clamor, Aura Thai is a bright spot on any day. But there’s something about slurping up a giant bowl of soulful, savory broth — laden with noodles and a combination of wontons, pork, chicken or duck ($6.95-$8.95) — that chases away even the worst case of the Mondays.

TIP: It’s tiny. Be prepared to wait if your group is three or more. Aura also does a brisk take-out business.

TUESDAY

Macaron Café

161 W. 36th St. (btwn Seventh and Broadway), 646-573-5048

The quickest ticket out of Midtown is Macaron Cafe. The whimsical décor, the charming French staff, the chalkboard menu of Parisian-style sandwiches, salads, croissants and crepes — and of course the macarons, which are lined up like jewels in a display case — it’s plenty of fodder to inspire a little mid-day escapism. Most of the menu items, priced between $6.50 and $9.50, will leave you with enough pocket change from your $10 spot for a macaron to-go. May we suggest the Bourbon Vanilla?

TIP: Tuesday’s special, a warm Croque Monsieur sandwich and side salad ($8.50) beats out any prepackaged Pret à Manger option.

WEDNESDAY

Las Poblanitas

302 W. 38th St. (btwn Eighth and Ninth aves), 212-629-0090

If it wasn’t for the man who stands with a sign advertising incredibly cheap lunch specials on the southwest corner of Eighth Avenue and 38th Street, no one would ever know there’s a restaurant on this barren block — let alone a good one. Las Poblanitas turns out no-frills, homestyle Mexican food at unbeatable prices: At lunch, a chicken burrito is $4, tacos run $5-$6 for three.

TIP: Stray from the lunch specials if you please; there’s a whole menu filled with options that still don’t break $10.

THURSDAY

Norimaki

224 W. 35th St. (btwn Seventh and Eighth aves.), (212) 967-8177

It’s no Nobu, but the sushi at Norimaki is fresher than any market sushi, the kitchen that makes it has been awarded a “Golden Apple” for food safety from the Health Department and the lunch specials can’t be beat. For less than $8, you have your pick of three set-lunch specials that include 12 pieces of sushi and either miso soup or a side salad. At that price, it’s even possible to add on another roll from the à la carte menu and still get out for under $10.

TIP: Other lunch specials not listed on the take-out menu include an udon soup and sushi combination ($9.75) and a hand-roll (2) and miso soup combination ($10.85).

FRIDAY

Lazzara's Pizza Café

221 W. 38th St. (btwn Seventh and Eighth aves.), 212-944-7792

Don’t go for the 99-cent slice. At least not every week. For pizza that’s a bit more homemade and a lot more original, head to Lazzara's, the dusky, tin-ceilinged, old-timey place upstairs from Djerdan. The personal size ($8-$9), three large, square slices, can be topped with just about anything you want from prosciutto to jalapenos. And a “half” is truly a half, which means that if you order solo, the cheese and sauce still oozes off one end like a slice should.

TIP: Lazzara’s also does take-out by-the-slice orders. Head to the cashier to place your order.

Tags: midtown, penn station, port authority, lazarra's macaron cafe, aura thai, norimaki, las poblanitas

Attention foodies: Cocktail classes, meze madness, wine seminars and moms eat free

Wednesday May 6, 2009 3:28 PM By Lucy Blatter

Pera is offering three dishes for $9 in May.

Three dishes for $9 during May Meze Madness: Through May 30, Pera Mediterranean Brasserie will offer three dishes for $9, from a 15-item menu including fried artichoke hearts, soujouk air dried lollipops, grilled calamari salad, roasted whipped eggplant, and Mediterranean meatballs. The deal is available Monday through Friday from 3:30 p.m. to closing and Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to closing. Until 7 p.m., enjoy a bottle of wine for an additional $30 or glass of wine or cocktail for $9.

303 Madison Ave. btwn 41st and 42nd sts. 212-878-6301

Maslow 6’s Spring Seminar Series kicks off next week: From 6:30-9 p.m on May 12, experience an in-depth tasting of one of Italy’s most famous red grapes, the Nebbiolo grape. The class is led by David Lynch, two-time James Beard Award winner and John Dory’s current wine director and general manager.

This is part of the four part Maslow 6 Spring Seminar Series held through June at the offices of T. Edward Wines, 66 West Broadway Suite 206. Individual session tickets are $100, or $325 for all four. To register visit Maslow6.com or email Events@Maslow6.com.Cocktail classes at Rouge Tomate: From 5 – 6:30 p.m. on May 9th the restaurant will offer a signature cocktail class with beverage director, Rainlove Lampariello. The class will focus on gin, vodka, and rum to teach you how to personalize Mojitos, Cosmos, and South Sides. The class is $35 or can be purchased as a four-part package for classes on May 16, May 30, and June 6 for $125.

Tickets purchased by phone at 646-237-8977.

10 East 60th Street

Moms eat free at Toloache: Mom’s can eat free when their family takes them to brunch this Saturday or Sunday from 11:30am-3pm at Mexican restaurant Toloache. 251 W. 50th St. (212) 581-1818

Tags: mother's day, wine tastings, cocktail classes

'wichcraft now serving dinner

Wednesday May 6, 2009 11:47 AM By Lucy Blatter

Can't get enough 'wichcraft? You're in luck. The Flatiron location (11 E. 20th St. btwn Broadway and Fifth aves.) has begun offering table-service dinner six days a week.

The menu features plated dishes (no sandwiches), broken up into sections of salads and sides, meat and fish and "on grilled bread."

The "on grilled bread" section features combinations of meats, cheeses, and vegetables served over country bread.

Several bottled beers will be available and wine is offered too.

Guests can choose to dine in the candle-lit upstairs dining room or 14-seat al fresco-dining patio. The restaurant hopes to expand into Sundays, take-out, and delivery options.

Hours: Mon – Thursday 6-10 p.m., Friday & Saturday 6-11 p.m.

212-780-0577, accepts reservations for parties of 6-12 people.

(Emily Mathis)

Tags: 'wichcraft, tom colicchio, restaurants

Prepaid wireless plans from MetroPCS, Boost Mobile prosper

Tuesday May 5, 2009 8:10 PM By Garett Sloane

Sprint Nextel signed up 764,000 prepaid subscribers last quarter. (AP)

BY JESSICA TROIANO

Special to amNewYork

Wireless wars are heating up in New York City.

Unlimited prepaid plans are the latest innovation in wireless, with carriers such as MetroPCS, Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile entering the crowded New York City market.

The relatively inexpensive plans are attracting thousands of penny- and minute-pinching users.Last quarter, MetroPCS, a Dallas-based company, made its first push into the Northeast and added 684,000 customers. The company has been aggressive in New York, opening nine storefronts and planning five more this year.

“Right now people are very cost-conscious,” said Dan Olmetti, vice president and general manager of MetroPCS’s New York division. “The value of our service resonates extremely well with customers.”

Boost Mobile, the prepaid division of Sprint Nextel, added 764,000 prepaid subscribers last quarter. Boost was dealt a blow, however, when users reported texting-delay problems last week. The company has said it will fix its network by tomorrow.

The prepaid market, which doesn’t require long-term contracts, has traditionally attracted less financially stable customers, according to James Brehm, an industry analyst with Frost & Sullivan.

“Historically, the prepaid plans have been for the credit-challenged and the younger customer that may not have unlimited income,” Brehm said. “In the U.S., we’re going to see that change due to the economy.”

Tags: prepaid wireless plans, wireless competition, boost mobile, metropcs, virgin mobile, unlimited, calling plans, cell phones, retail, economy, technology

Straphangers rejoice: Massive MTA fare hike averted!

Tuesday May 5, 2009 7:54 PM By Heather Haddon

By Heather Haddon

Straphangers will be spared a transit doomsday fare hike after all.

State lawmakers announced last night that they had come to an agreement on a bailout for the MTA that would increase subway and bus fares by 10 percent, raising it from $2 to $2.25 a ride. Tolls would also rise by 10 percent.

The deal would prevent dozens of service cuts and a fare increase of up to 30 percent, the “doomsday” scenario that transit officials have painted over the last few months.

A bill had yet to surface at presstime, but the bailout also appeared to provide two years of funds for system improvements, something the MTA and the Assembly had been advocating.

“It’s good news for riders,” said Gene Russianoff, of the Straphangers Campaign.

The MTA said it welcome news of the deal.

The total bailout was estimated at $1.9 billion, with revenue coming from a payroll tax, a taxi surcharge, and higher motor vehicle fees.It was unclear if the rescue plan would prevent a second fair hike this year, a proposal the MTA floated last week because of its rapidly ballooning budget deficit. The deal, however, does call for 7.5 percent fare increases in both 2011 and 2013.

Lawmakers are expected to vote on the bill Wednesday.

Tags: mta, fare hike, subways, transit

Bike lanes inspire love from cyclists, grousing from neighbors

Tuesday May 5, 2009 7:03 PM By Heather Haddon

A bicyclist makes her way east on the new Grand Street bike lanes in the Little Italy neighborhood of Manhattan. (Photo by RJ Mickelson/amNY)

By Heather Haddon

The city has called a truce in the Williamsburg bike lane wars, but more turf battles could erupt as miles of new cycling paths surface around town this year.

The Department of Transportation's push to paint 200 miles of bike paths by the end of 2009 has thrilled cyclists, but ruffled the feathers of some drivers, business owners and neighborhood groups.

And in such a dense city, every inch of road is sacred and parking spots are gold.

“The city has been so lawless about the bikers for so long, it's going to take some time to adjust,” said Peter Traub, 52, near a new bike lane on Grand Street yesterday.

The bike lanes have sparked protests in at least two neighborhoods, Williamsburg and Little Italy.The DOT intends on building another 33 miles of new bike lanes this year. It’s hard to predict which will cause controversy, as neighborhoods only feel the impact of lost road space once the paint dries.

But earlier this week, community leaders bristled when the DOT presented plans to ban cars from two exits in Prospect Park.

“They present it as a done deal,” said Jeremy Laufer, the district manager Community Board 7 in Windsor Terrace. “They spring it on the community rather than seeing what local concerns and needs are.”

Last fall, Williamsburg businesses and drivers flipped out when the city removed 340 parking spaces along Kent Avenue to make way for a 1.5-mile bike route.

The city created a “no standing” zone on both sides of the busy street that stripped 30 manufacturers of their loading docks. It also stoked tensions between biking hipsters and the Hasidim, many who drive.

“You can't uproot people because of a bike route,” said Simon Weisser, a community board member who represents the Hassidism. “How can you live in such a place where you can't stop your car?”

With resentment still smoldering, the DOT started shopping around a new bike lane design to community leaders last week. The proposal puts a buffer of parked cars between a two-way bike lane and cars moving in one direction up Kent Avenue, according to those who attended the meeting.

The design is common in Europe but a novelty in New York. The city recently installed one-lane buffered bike lanes on Grand Street and Ninth Avenue in Manhattan.

Injuries to cyclists plunged by 57 percent after the installation of the 9th Avenue pathway, according to DOT statistics. Pedestrian accidents dropped by nearly a third.

Bikers on Grand Street yesterday had mixed reactions to pedaling next to a fleet of parked cars. Some felt safer, while others feared getting “doored.”

“People open their doors without looking,” said Marlowe Hargrove, 30, a Brooklyn bike messenger. “Honestly, the lane makes no sense.”

Wiley Norvell, of the Transportation Alternatives advocacy group, said it will take time for bikers to adjust to the adjacent parking, but the design is meant to protect them.

DOT spokesman Seth Solomonow said the agency will consult with community groups in the coming weeks regarding its plans for Kent Avenue.

Andrew Breiner and Melinda Hsia contributed to this report

The city intends to install bike lanes along the following roads this year:

8th Avenue in Chelsea (.4 miles)

Adam Clayton Powell in Harlem (4 miles)

Avenue A in the East Village (1 mile)

West 10th and Christopher streets in the West Village (1 mile)

Streets surrounding Washington Square Park (.8 miles)

Prospect Park West (2 miles)

Grand and Driggs avenues in Williamsburg (4 miles)

34th Avenue in Astoria (4 miles)

28th and 29th Streets in Astoria (2 miles)

Grand Concourse in the Bronx (6 miles)

Tibbett Avenue in the Bronx (3 miles)

Avenues in Staten Island (5 miles)

Source: city Department of Transportation

Tags: bike lanes, williamsburg, hipsters, transit

Feminist icon Gloria Steinem to be honored by New York City Council

Tuesday May 5, 2009 6:37 PM By Jason Fink

Feminist icon Gloria Steinem will be honored Wednesday by the New York City Council.

Steinem will be honored for her "many years of dedicated activism and leadership," according to Council Speaker Christine Quinn's office, which announced the ceremony Tuesday.

The honor celebrates Steinem's 75th birthday, which was in March.The found of Ms. magazine, Steinem was one of the country's leading women's rights figures of the 1960s and 70s.

She has remained politically active, writing a widely discussed op-ed piece in the New York Times during the 2008 Democratic primary in which she argued that gender was "probably the most restricting force in American life," igniting a debate about the prejudices faced by the two front-runners: Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Tags: gloria steinem, new york city council, politics, city hall dispatch

Market research: Meal replacement shakes

Tuesday May 5, 2009 6:22 PM By Lucy Blatter

Slim Fast is one of many meal-replacement shakes out there. But it's geared specifically toward dieters.

By V.L. Hendrickson

What do you do when you’re in the middle of an errand-filled day, your stomach is grumbling, and there’s no time to sit? These days, there’s a hand-held shake to fit the needs of every New Yorker. Convenient and tasty, meal replacement drinks offer protein, vitamins, and minerals on the run.

Here is a rundown of options available for shaken meals (they are all available in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, with additional flavors indicated):

Don’t skip breakfast

Carnation Instant Breakfast Essentials are a quick way to get out the door in the morning without an empty stomach. When the powdered mix is blended with fat-free milk, it delivers five grams of protein and 220 calories. It has 18 grams of sugar (a small apple has about 15 grams, said nutritionist Lara Metz).

It offers about 25 percent of the daily value of 21 vitamins and minerals it contains and each box ($5.49) has 10 servings. It can taste a bit gritty, so mix well. It doesn’t fill you up any more than a glass of skim milk would, but it does help get your vitamins in.

The old-school shake

Ovaltine was developed in Switzerland in 1904 as an après-ski drink; it hit U.S. shelves by 1915. Rich Chocolate Ovaltine is fortified with 12 vitamins and minerals, has 170 calories, 18 grams of sugar and no fat when made with fat-free milk. The Classic Malt flavor is fortified with only eight vitamins and minerals, but offers a higher percentage of the daily value for each.

The directions call for four tablespoons of the powdered mix, but it’s enough to make your teeth fall out, so use less. A tin containing 16 servings costs $5.29.

Most satisfying

A 12-ounce can of Nutrament ($2.29) contains 24 vitamins and minerals, offers 16 grams of protein, and, in addition to the classics, comes in Banana, Coconut, Eggnog and Dulce de Leche flavors.

It also has 47 grams of sugar and 360 calories. The drink is thick and satisfying, and the protein staves off hunger after the sugar-high fades.

Skip this shake

Sport Shake ($1.59) offers fewer calories than Nutrament (250), but a single-serve can is only 7.5 ounces. The shake has eight grams of protein and 40 grams of sugar, and doesn’t offer significant amounts of vitamins or minerals. Its sugar gives a quick burst of energy, but only enough to get your teeth brushed. After that, it’s over.

Doctor recommended

Developed for hospital use, Ensure is a lactose- and gluten-free option that promises 24 essential vitamins and minerals in its 250-calorie shake. It has a smooth texture and doesn’t taste too sweet, though it contains 22 grams of sugar. An eight-ounce shake ($1.99) offers nine grams of protein and about a quarter of the vitamins and minerals it is fortified with. There is also a Butter Pecan flavor.

For dieters

SlimFast shakes contain 220 calories, three grams of fat, 10 grams of protein and 34 grams of sugar.

The company’s Web site offers a diet and exercise program, which involves regularly replacing meals with a shake. SlimFast is available in cans ($1.59) and as a powdered mix ($9.49 for 14 servings) that is added to skim milk. In addition to the traditional flavors, cappuccino flavor is available.

The shake has a chemical taste and only staved off hunger for about an hour.

Nutritional advice:

According to Lara Metz, a nutritionist at A Nutritious Life, these shakes shouldn’t take over your diet. “These shakes may be balanced in terms of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, but very often they are high in sugar, and it’s not natural sugar, it is added sugar.” Metz also recommends checking that your drink of choice isn’t full of saturated fats.

Tags: ovaltine, meal-replacement drinks, slim fast, carnation instant breakfast

Mayor Bloomberg shows domestic side, baking with Martha Stewart

Tuesday May 5, 2009 6:18 PM By Jason Fink

Anders Krusberg/The Martha Stewart Show

By Jason Fink

He ran a multi-billion dollar corporation before serving two terms as New York City’s mayor, but few probably know that Michael Bloomberg can also bake cookies.

Bloomberg, who is running for a third term, showed off his domestic side Tuesday by taping an episode of the Martha Stewart Show, helping the famous home design and cooking whiz make a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies.

The hour-long episode, which will air May 13, had a New York theme and was filmed in front of an audience that included street vendors, taxi drivers, cops, and firefighters. Other guests included documentary filmmaker Ric Burns, urban garden designed Lynden Miller and the subway bandEbony Hillbillies, who performed.

Tags: mayor michael bloomberg, martha stewart, entertainment, city hall dispatch

Contest alert: Name Mrs. Butterworth!

Tuesday May 5, 2009 4:40 PM By Lucy Blatter

Until now, Mrs. Butterworth's name has remained a secret. Now, the company is asking the public to guess her name and enter to win $500 and a year's supply of syrup.

Submit your guess (with a 100-word explanation) at mrsbutterworthsyrup.com/namecontest .

Be a Starbucks tea snob

Tuesday May 5, 2009 2:45 PM By Emily Ngo

For those of you still keeping Starbucks afloat with your business, there's been a name change on the menu. The London Fog is now called the "Earl Grey Tea Latte," effective Monday. Much less dreary, more more ... marketable!

Order it correctly, or the baristas will sneer at you.

Viral video: Torry Holt's trophy

Tuesday May 5, 2009 1:47 PM By Sean Joseph

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Torry Holt has been playing in the NFL for 11 years, and what does he have to show for it? One Super Bowl ring and a messed up finger to put it on.

Tags: viral video, television, sports, football, nfl, torry holt, jacksonville jaguars

James Beard Awards crowns its winners

Tuesday May 5, 2009 1:06 PM By Lucy Blatter

Drew Nieporent, the restaurateur behind Nobu and Corton, was honored with the Outstanding Restaurateur award at the James Beard Awards on Monday night.

On Monday night, the country’s top restaurateurs and chefs were recognized at the 2009 James Beard Foundation Awards. The prestigious event honored lots of New Yorkers. Here are a few:

Outstanding Restaurant: Jean Georges (Chef/Owner: Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Owner: Phil Suarez, New York, NY)

Outstanding Chef: Dan Barber (Blue Hill, New York, NY)

Best New Restaurant: Momofuku Ko (Chef/Owners: David Chang and Peter Serpico, New York, NY)

Outstanding Restaurateur Award: Drew Nieporent (Myriad Restaurant Group)

Outstanding Wine Service Award: Le Bernardin (Wine director: Aldo Sohm)

Outstanding service award: Daniel (Owner: Daniel Boulud)

Best Chef, five boroughs: Gabriel Kreuther (The Modern)

Outstanding pastry chef: Gina DePalma (Babbo)

Totonno's pizzeria in Coney Island was named among America's Classics.

(Lucy Cohen Blatter)

Tags: restaurants

Yankees will have hands full with latest A-Rod controversy

Monday May 4, 2009 7:08 PM By Jason Fink

Derek Jeter, left, and Alex Rodriguez, in 2007. Newsday file photo

By Jason Fink

The Yankees' season is about to get a lot more interesting.

With injured star Alex Rodriguez set to return within a week, experts say the Bombers will have their hands full, as the controversial slugger and his teammates cope with the onslaught of negative publicity over the explosive tell-all bio published Monday.

Besides alleging more extensive steroid use than A-Rod has admitted to, the book portrays him as insecure superstar whose jealousy of teammate Derek Jeter borders on obsession.“It's a gossip cauldron and it could turn into a fire pit if not properly managed,” said John Murray, a sports psychologist. “Everybody will say it doesn't matter and talk is cheap but this is the biggest stage in the world and these players know what's being said about them.”

In one telling scene from “A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez,” author Selena Roberts describes how on the night of the 2008 All-Star game at Yankee Stadium both players hosted parties with celebrity guest lists.

“Not even Madonna stopped by (A-Rod's party), and most of Alex's teammates skipped the bash in favor of the All-Star celebration hosted by Derek Jeter,” Roberts writes. “Alex was last seen sitting in a back booth at the 40/40 Club with his mother.”

A-Rod, 34, was constantly comparing himself to the team captain, Roberts writes, revealing something of an inferiority complex.

When out at nightclubs, according to the book, A-Rod would ask women: “'Who's hotter, me or Derek Jeter?'”

“'The Jeter thing ate Alex alive,'” a friend of Rodriguez told Roberts. “'It was always about Jeter.'”

In what could prove a continuing distraction, Roberts writes that the rift between the two stars split the team.

“The tension between Jeter and Rodriguez escalated to the point where the clubhouse - and management - began to take sides,” the book says. “In the middle was a team that, (outfielder Gary) Sheffield says, 'didn't know what to think about the soap opera.'”

All of this has left fans wondering whether the team, which has battled tabloid stories about A-Rod before, can ignore the sideshow.

“It's never good to have rivalry within the team,” said Mike Cioli, 36, of Manhattan. “I think they will be distracted but I don't see how it will affect the performance.”

Sports psychologist Robert Udewitz, who practices in Manhattan, said the hype surrounding A-Rod's off-field peccadilloes - which include a highly publicized divorce and alleged affair with Madonna, as well as the steroids admission - may well hurt the team.

“These little stressors become bigger and bigger,” he said. “You don't see too many teams who thrive on adversity.”

Melinda Hsia contributed to this story

Tags: alex rodriguez, derek jeter, yankees, steroids, sports

New York's July 4 fireworks to move to Hudson River

Monday May 4, 2009 6:36 PM By Jason Fink

Crowds watch fireworks over the East River in 2002. AP file photo

By Jason Fink and Marlene Naanes

The city’s July 4 fireworks display will be shifted to the Hudson River this year, angering some New Yorkers who have come to expect the show over the East River.

“It’s unfair,” said Johnny Scott, 51, an Army veteran who lives in Long Island City. “The West Side Highway, it’s crowded and congested. They should put it in a central spot where everyone could see it.”

Macy’s, which sponsors the fireworks, will have six barges in the Hudson, from 24th to 50th Street.The annual pyrotechnics, which have been launched from the East River almost every year since 1983, were moved to honor Henry Hudson. This year marks the 400th anniversary of Hudson’s exploration of the waterway that now bears his name.

The 26-minute show, starting at 9 p.m. on July 4, will feature some 40,000 shells, and viewing areas will be set up along the West Side Highway, Orlando Veras, a Macy’s spokesman, said yesterday.

Tony Raouf, who owns the Riverview restaurant on Long Island City, said the fireworks had been a boon to his business.

“It’s a big day for all of the neighborhood,” he said. “We wait for that day. It’s like New Years Eve.”

Of course, residents of the Upper West Side, who will now have a front row seat to the show, embraced the shift.

“That would be swell,” said Claudia Gowling, 58. “I usually go up on the roof and watch the fireworks in New Jersey but this will be better.”

Melinda Hsia contributed to this story.

Tags: fireworks, july 4, hudson river, east river, holiday traditions

amNewYork letters to the editor

Monday May 4, 2009 5:07 PM By Sara Baumberger

Biden’s mouth not good for presidency