Urbanite

Henican: Beauty supply stores have ugly potential

Thursday September 24, 2009 8:17 PM By Ellis Henican

Told you they had some scary stuff in those beauty supply stores.

Hair dyes, face creams — weapons of mass destruction!

Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh had his ag-store farm fertilizer and his 55-gallon drums. Now, if the NYPD and FBI can be believed, alleged terror plotter Najibullah Zazi was brewing his own deadly boom-boom with large quantities of hydrogen peroxide or acetone — purchased off the shelves of local beauty supply stores.

Products made for beauty, turned ugly indeed.

Was Zazi a very busy cosmetologist — or a very explosive guy? Either way, shopping for shampoo at the neighborhood beauty supply store never will be the same.

The experts explained: Hydrogen peroxide and acetone are good for removing nail polish — and just as good for making things blow up.

Who is this guy? As Zazi was arraigned Thursday at the federal courthouse in Denver, he didn’t seem like the sort of man who’d indulge in frequent manicures.

Fussy wasn’t the word to describe him. Vacant was.

And yet, in the past two weeks, court documents said, he diligently prowled beauty supply stores in Denver. Friends from New York came out to help. He might have even done some shopping here during a recent visit to Queens.

Authorities said he put out an “urgent” plea for his own Terry Nichols, the man who taught Oklahoma’s McVeigh how to turn legal chemicals into deadly homemade bombs.
This may not be as far-fetched as it sounds.

The 24-year-old airport shuttle driver, who allegedly received al-Qaida weapons training in Pakistan and visited New York last month, now has been charged with conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction. His lying-to-investigator arrest last week in Denver set off raids in several suspected terror spots — and national warnings about attacks on transit systems, sports stadiums and entertainment halls.

Attorney General Eric Holder tried to keep things calm Thursday, saying, “We believe any imminent threat arising from this case has been disrupted.” Give the AG points for trying.

But who could ever walk past another beauty supply store without a furtive glance inside?

Email ellis@henican.com. Follow at twitter.com/henican.

Tags: Terror suspect, Henican, terror plot, New York City

World leaders plead their cases at United Nations

Thursday September 24, 2009 1:32 PM By Emily Ngo

President Barack Obama chairs the U.N. Security Council summit on Thursday, the first U.S. president to do so. (Photo: AP)

Leaders from across the globe — both allies and adversaries of the U.S. — made their pitches before the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday.

Nuclear weapons, the failing world economy and peaceful relations were the most talked-about topics, and even the most reviled leaders had civil words for President Barack Obama. The day, however, wasn’t without theatrics.

Here’s a look at what some representatives said:

Barack Obama, U.S.
Distancing himself from his predecessor, Obama urged multilateralism in a new era.

He declared that the burden of creating a better world, one free from nukes and full of economic opportunity, should not be solely a U.S. responsibility.

“Those who used to chastise America for acting alone in the world cannot now stand by and wait for America to solve the world’s problems alone,” he said, later adding, “Nothing is easier than blaming others for our troubles.”

Obama also referenced his Mideast meeting with Israeli and Palestinian Authority leaders, emphasizing that the Palestinians have legitimate rights and that Israel must recognize them amid U.S. commitment to its security.

Moammar Gadhafi, Libya
In an address that lasted 96 rambling minutes, the leader formerly ostracized for harboring terrorists used his first appearance to blame the U.N. for failing to prevent 65 wars since its founding.

Fumbling with pages of handwritten notes and tearing the U.N. Charter, Gadhafi criticized the veto-wielding countries of the U.N. Security Council, calling it the “terror council” and saying it misrepresents developing nations.

The African leader, however, did have compliments for Obama, calling him “our son.”

Nicolas Sarkozy, France
Sarkozy focused on economic improvements on the world stage, slamming “the behavior of those who still continue to grow indecently rich, after leading the world to the brink of disaster.”

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia
In his first showing at the U.N., the Russian leader appeared to step out from Vladimir Putin’s shadow. He praised the Obama administration’s recent scrapping of missile defense plans in Eastern Europe. The proposed shield had worn at Russian-U.S. relations.

Medvedev sidestepped discussion about curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions, but earlier hinted at supporting new sanctions against the rogue nation.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran
The U.S. delegation walked out on his speech, but Ahmadinejad perhaps was encouraged by Obama’s willingness to engage him and said he would “shake all those hands which are honestly extended to us.”

Widely condemned for his anti-Israel rhetoric, he assailed the Jewish state for what he said was a “barbaric” attack on the Gaza Strip last winter.

(With AP)

emily.ngo@am-ny.com

Tags: President Barack Obama, politics, world affairs, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Moammar Ghadhafi, France, Russia

A lobby worthy of an Empire

Thursday September 24, 2009 1:14 PM By Garett Sloane

A re-created mural was revealed Wednesday on the lobby ceiling of the Empire State Building. (Photo: RJ Mickelson/amNY)

Maybe when you work in the World’s Most Famous Building, the extraordinary becomes the mundane.

Even when the building’s lobby is restored from its drab 1960s look to its Art Deco origins, you might not notice.

A number of employees who work at the Empire State Building hardly paid attention to the new lobby — or old lobby, rather — after it was unveiled Wednesday. Tourists seemed to notice, even if they didn’t know the look was brand new.

After two years and a $550 million renovation to the entire building, the crown feature of the project — a re-created mural on the lobby’s ceiling — was finally revealed. The mural, an aluminum leaf and gold glaze on canvas representation of the universe as cogs and wheels, is a third the size of a football field. The original fresco, which could not be restored, lies 6 inches above the new one in its deteriorated state.

“The irony is, as famous as it has always been on the outside, [the building] has never been as well known inside,” said Frank J. Prial Jr., the head architect on the project with the firm Beyer Blinder Belle.

The restored lobby, which now evokes the spirit of the original that opened in 1931, is meant to draw more attention to the historical interior, Prial said.

For some people who work here it might take a few days — or someone to point it out — before they realize the giant gold painting unfolding over their heads.

“Typical New Yorkers. Always in a hurry,” Prial said.

Iwona Zielinska, 27, has worked at the building for 3½ years and she didn’t take note of the lobby’s new luster.

When it was pointed out to her, she said, “I have to walk around and really pay attention to it.”

Rey Lynn Goessling, 32, a tourist from Sacramento, had her camera pointed to the ceiling.

“I just think it’s really beautiful,” she said.

What she didn’t know was that she was among the first tourists to see it. She figured it had always been there, but the original was covered in the 1960s with a drop ceiling.

Not all workers interviewed was disinterested in their historically accurate office space.

Clara Kim, 31, and Michael Venezia, 32, who work in the building, were curious about the new look.

“We never look up,” Kim said. “ We were like: ‘Has it always been there?’”

One person who is more than familiar with the new lobby is Anthony Malkin, a managing partner in Wien & Malkin, which owns the building and oversaw the renovations.

“The idea behind the lobby here is we have an absolute gem. One of the most important pieces of Art Deco in the city that had basically been adulterated,” Malkin said. “We looked to bring it back.”

At the same time, the rest of the building’s interior has been — or in is in the process of being — upgraded all the way to the 102nd floor observation deck. The building now features the most modern green standards, Malkin said, and the office floor plans have been opened up to accommodate larger tenants.

“The old Empire State Building is completely modernized for the 21st century, but at the same time is being restored to its original condition,” he said.

gsloane@am-ny.com

Tags: Empire State Building, architecture, New York City, tower

Restaurateur Q and A: Russell Bellanca of Trattoria Cinque

Wednesday September 23, 2009 6:24 PM By Lucy Blatter

Trattoria Cinque specializes in thin-crust Roman-style pizzas.

Russell Bellanca is the owner of TriBeCa’s new Italian spot Trattoria Cinque, a restaurant where the focus is on five — five appetizers, five entrees, five desserts and five white and red wines and it changes five times a year. We spoke to him about his new venture.

What was the vision behind the restaurant?
A trattoria, which is usually more casual and homestyle, was something I wanted to do. People are not interested in overpaying for food now. Also, TriBeCa worked because it’s a strong family neighborhood.

One thing we had talked about was doing something they were doing in Europe, which are small, limited menus. That keeps costs down and quality high.

Our tagline is: “Less reading more eating.”

What's the atmosphere like?
We have 9,000-plus square feet. My inspiration was old car factory in Northern Italy. We have images of automobiles and one of private dining rooms is called the Garage. Sections are dedicated to the Vespa and Cinquecento (the first smart car kind of thing); there are old farmchairs painted with Ferrari paint. We’re paying homage to Italy and Italy’s iconic brands. But it’s all done in a subtle, elegant way. [Bellanca’s father owned four of the biggest car dealerships in Rome during the 1960s.]

What are some of your favorite dishes?
There are not many dishes, so we picked extremely carefully. The Caesar salad will be made from scratch in front of people. There are thin-crust Italian pizzas, like the kinds you get in Rome. There’s a gorgonzola, mascarpone, truffle oil and pears that’s really popular. We have the best lasagna. It’s second to none.

Also, we wanted to have a wonderful steak and a chicken. Served whole and roasted. It’s 20-ounce prime-aged rib-eye $25. Nothing is over $25.

What should we expect from the wine list?
We tried about 400 wines and only picked 10. We sell quartinos instead of glasses, so you get more.

Tags: Trattoria Cinque

TWU contract dispute spills over into the streets

Wednesday September 23, 2009 6:25 PM By Heather Haddon

Transit workers handed out anti-Bloomberg leaflets at a contract protest Wednesday.

The TWU contract fight is starting to get ugly.

Members of the Transportation Workers Union Local 100 protested outside the MTA’s board meeting on Madison Avenue Wednesday, the first public sign of the union’s growing discontent that the agency wants to overturn its contract settlement.

“You should be ashamed,” said Andreeva Pinder, a union representative. “Apparently, legally binding (arbitration) applies to mere mortals, not the MTA.”

Earlier this month, the MTA filed suit against the contract awarded through binding arbitration that granted 11 percent raises to the largest union representing transit workers. The MTA claimed that the three-year contract would blow a hole in its budget, which only factored in raises of about 6 percent.

Helena Williams, the MTA’s interim executive director and CEO, said yesterday that the award would have “an impact on our financial plan,” but declined to say specifically how it could affect fares.

The MTA’s board considered a resolution last week to scrap the suit because of its legal cost and bad impact on labor relations, but decided to table it until incoming chief Jay Walder starts work next month, sources said. The next court date is expected for Oct. 20.
hhaddon@am-ny.com

For foodies: This week's dining briefs

Wednesday September 23, 2009 6:10 PM By Courtney Crowder

Xie Xie is offering a bun and beer for $5.

The ninth annual Pickle Day: Come and celebrate everything brine! This free festival will take place Sunday, Oct. 4th, from 11-4:30 p.m. in the parking lot on Broome Street between Essex and Ludlow. The free samples will include pickle flavors from India, Haiti, Malaysia and the traditional kosher dill of the Lower East Side. In addition to pickles you can taste many other pickled items including okra, tomatoes, lettuce, fish, meat, eggs and limes. There will be music, children’s activities, walking tours and cooking demos too. The festival happens rain or shine. Call the NY Food Museum at 212-966-0191.

Drink wine for charity: On Tuesday, from 6:30-9 p.m. Amanti Vino is hosting it’s first ever wine expo to benefit the New York City-based charity MOSCOT Mobileyes Foundation, which provides free eye care and prescription eyeglasses to New Yorkers who would otherwise not have access to the care. The expo will include tastings of over 150 wines and a chance to mingle with some of the world’s biggest winemakers like Whetstone Cellars and Vineyard 29. Entry is $75 and the night’s profits will go to the Foundation. The event will take place at Irving Mill, 116 E. 16th St. Registration is limited to first 150 people. Call 973-509-9463.

Try 30 different kinds of sake: EN Japanese Brasserie will host a tasting of 30 different kinds of their sake and shochu (a distilled alcohol) on Wednesday from 6-8 p.m. Takahiro Okada, EN’s sake sommelier, and many sake brewers and distillers will be on hand to answer any of your questions. Along with the alcohol, Chef Abe Hiroki will serve small plates from EN’s menu, including asparagus with a tofu and sesame dressing and deep-friend shrimp fritters. The event costs $40. EN Japanese Brasserie is located at 435 Hudson Street. Call 212-647-9196.

$5 for a beer and a bun: Everyday from 3-7 p.m., Xie Xie, the Asian-inspired sandwich shop by Angelo Sosa, is offering diners the chance to try sandwiches for almost half off. You can choose from the Sweet Glazed Pork, Vietnamese BBQ Beef or Shredded Braised Chicken all served in a Chinese bun, which is less like a hamburger bun and more like a pita, paired with a frosty bottle of 33 Export Lager. 645A 9th Avenue. For more information call 212-265-2975.

Become a cheese connoisseur: Want to learn about cheese? Try Murray’s Cheese’s Cheese 101, to start your connoisseur quest. The class will be held on this Friday, and Tuesday, from 6:30-8 p.m. For $50 you will be served some of the store’s best cheeses while the staff takes you through different types, keys to cheese making and successful cheese pairings. Murray’s is located at 254 Bleecker St. To register visit murrayschees.com or call 212-2443-3289.
 

Thompson: MTA slow on fixing station defects

Wednesday September 23, 2009 6:15 PM By Heather Haddon

An audit of station conditions found needed repairs, such as these stairs on the 33rd Street stop on the No. 6 line. (Courtesy the Comptroller's Office)

Lead paint. Cracked floorboards. Hanging electrical wires. Broken steps.

Welcome to the New York City subway.

A damning audit released Wednesday by city Comptroller William Thompson found that widespread maintenance defects across city subway stations often remain unrepaired for months.

“It’s as if New York City Transit is looking the other way,” Thompson said in a statement.

During the year-long audit of 50 stations begun in July 2007, Thompson’s office identified 100 defects — including corroded metal, platform holes and unstable platform edges — that transit officials had not reported broken. In addition, 15 percent of defects reported in transit’s maintenance database had not been fixed after more than two months.

“It’s true. It’s all true,” said Andrew Albert, a MTA board member. “We’ve seen unbelievable conditions in stations that haven’t even been targeted for renovations.”

In response, transit officials said they are training supervisors to better identify maintenance defects and ensure that stations are inspected at least every 72 hours. Additionally, the MTA will begin overhauling components of stations instead of waiting for full rehabs, which will allow them to respond to problems faster, officials said.

hhaddon@am-ny.com

Downtown Brooklyn's best lunch bites

Wednesday September 23, 2009 6:01 PM By Erin Lindholm

 Nicky's Vietnamese serves great banh mi sandwiches and pho soups.

Between the cool austerity of civic buildings and the fast-food kingdom that is the greater Fulton Street Mall area, Downtown Brooklyn isn’t known for a wide array of lunch options. But that doesn’t mean good spots don’t exist; the key is to look outward. Here are our picks for a week’s worth of lunches for $10 or less.

LOOK WEST
Curry Spot
151 Remsen St.,
718-260-9000
Tucked away on a lonely block west of Cadman Plaza, this new Indian restaurant is one of the neighborhood’s best prospects. The food is adeptly seasoned, and all veggie entrees and most of the meat curries slide in under the $10 mark. A side of basmati rice is included.

LOOK SOUTH
Pacifico, Cafe Bueno, Since 1963
102 Smith St., at Pacific St., 718-237-3141
There is something unusual happening on the northwest corner of Smith and Pacific streets. What used to be a single restaurant has become a cluster of restaurants with a faux-ramshackle vibe. You have plenty of options, including Pacifico (Mexican) and Café Bueno (Euro bistro), but one of the best might be Since 1963, a new barbecue joint that offers a trio of sliders ($8) — chopped brisket with sauerkraut, pulled chicken with coleslaw and pulled pork with pineapple salsa.

LOOK EAST
Nicky’s Vietnamese
311 Atlantic Ave., 718-855-8838
A short walk east along Atlantic Avenue will take you to this eatery, which was selling banh mi sandwiches in the same fresh, Vietnamese flavors long before this trend swept the city. In addition to classic meat and veggie sandwich options ($5-$5.50), the menu includes hot entrees, salads and pho soups.

Bedouin Tent
405 Atlantic Ave.,
718-822-5555
The smell of fresh-baked pita bread will stir up hunger pangs as soon as you walk into this eatery, a few blocks farther east along Atlantic. The hot-from-the-oven pita is omnipresent, in the form of “pitzas” — pizzas made with pita bread ($7-$9) — as well as stuffed pita sandwiches and generous salads and meat plates.

LOOK CENTRAL
Souvlaki House
158 Lawrence St.,
718-852-0443
For every rule there is the exception, and in the case of the Fulton Street Mall area, the exception is this old-fashioned, counter-deli-style restaurant in the middle of it all. For more than 37 years, this spot has been serving souvlaki (gyro) meat pita sandwiches ($6) and platters — as well as kabobs, burgers and piping hot fries. Hey, if you’ve got a good thing, don’t change it.
 

Tags: Downtown Brooklyn

What's in season: Apples

Wednesday September 23, 2009 1:41 PM By Lucy Blatter

Considering that yesterday marked the beginning of fall, it's only fitting that the season's most famous fruit is making its first appearances at farmers markets around the city.

"Apples are just starting to come in now," said Ryan Race, of Race Farms in Blairstown, New Jersey, who was hawking early-season apples at the Union Square Farmers Market on Monday.

Two particularly early varieties of these fall favorites are honey crisp and empire apples.

Honey crisps boast a firm texture and a partly sweet, partly tart flavor — perfect for eating raw. You'll know these red and green fruits by their distinctive two-toned coloration.

Empire apples are sweet and juicy, with a crisp taste that makes them tasty out of hand, diced into salads, or even sliced onto sandwiches. These fruits can also be used in applesauces.

Fresh empire apples cost about $2.50 per pound at farmers markets and greengrocers, while honey crisps retail for around $1.75 per pound.

Roaches a pesty problem on city buses

Tuesday September 22, 2009 7:37 PM By Heather Haddon

It’s a cockroach’s paradise: a warm nook with fresh food and freedom to roam.

But to the disgust of many commuters, this roach motel is the city bus.

Roaches have taken to NYC Transit buses, and the pest problem has hit high season, according to bus operators, mechanics and union leaders. Students traveling on buses tend to leave food, and roaches are happy to gorge on scraps left there for hours.

“The buses are pretty dirty,” said one rider, William Carswell, 55, of Washington Heights, who added that he’s seen roaches on the M100 buses.

Infrequent extermination and a shortage of bus cleaners have made the fight against creepy crawlies more difficult, union leaders said.

“You name it. You find Rice Krispies to pizza to Chinese food,” said Israel Rivera, a Bronx bus driver running for union office. “You have to find a cleaner to sweep them out.”

The roaches tend to congregate in the back of buses near the engine, a warm environment for breeding, drivers said. Commuters also can inadvertently bring roaches on the buses, where the pests survive on discarded food, said Frank Betancourt, of Absolute Death exterminators in Brooklyn.

One Bronx NYC Transit driver said his bus was chronically infected with hundreds of roaches during overnight runs, when they would crawl up the dashboard.

“The buses are really, really dirty,” said Jaleesa Gomez, 21, a Bronx bus rider. “It is really disgusting.”

MTA buses are swept out each night, with each cleaner responsible for 63 vehicles per shift, Transit spokesman Charles Seaton said. Cleaners also periodically wash the floor, windows, seats and exterior of buses.

But the agency is down 100 bus maintenance staff, according to the most recent agency figures. This strains the cleaning staff and has lead to even less frequent full bus scrubdowns at two depots, union officials said.

To improve bus cleanliness, NYC Transit will hire 40 new bus cleaners shortly, Seaton said, and the agency has retained an entomologist to improve its extermination process.

“We have identified some buses that were not treated properly … and some cases where the buses were not cleaned completely,” he said.

Transit will exterminate its buses four times a year in 2010, up from every four months now, according to Seaton. Still, Betancourt thought the buses would benefit from extermination weekly.

“They like sugar, they like salt, they like everything,” Betancourt said. The buses are “a perfect environment for them.”

Courtney Crowder contributed to this story.

hhaddon@am-ny.com

German cockroach at-a-glance:
— Been in existence for 350 million years
- Believed to have arrived in North America on European trading ships during the colonial period
- Are brown and about half an inch in length
- Are attracted to heat and emerge at night
- Are scavengers that eat human food
(Compiled by amNY)
 

Monserrate shown pulling girlfriend in court video

Tuesday September 22, 2009 7:05 PM By Heather Haddon

New York State Sen. Hiram Monserrate (AP)

A video played in state Senator Hiram Monserrate's assault trial yesterday shows the Queens Democrat wrestling his girlfriend out the door as she seemingly tries to pull away from him on the night he allegedly attacked her.

The one-minute video depicts Monserrate's girlfriend, Karla Giraldo, leaving his Jackson Heights apartment and running down the stairs with the senator following her. Giraldo holds a white towel to her face as tries to dodge into another apartment.

Before she can flee, Monseratte grabs her by the arm and steers her toward the building's front door. Giraldo appears to scream in the building's vestibule and tries to grab onto the front door. Monseratte manages to get her outside and the pair is shown walking down the empty street.

The video, which has no sound, was taken in the former police officer's apartment building on Dec. 19 and made available online at news sites yesterday. The grainy video also seems to show Monserrate yanking Giraldo away from a neighbor’s door.

Monserrate, 42, is on trial for cutting Giraldo's face with a broken water glass after finding an officer's union card in her pocketbook, according to prosecutors.Giraldo later said it was an accident.
 

Cops out in force for terror threat, U.N. meeting

Tuesday September 22, 2009 6:33 PM By Jason Fink

It’s all hands on deck this week for the NYPD, as a heightened terror alert connected with an alleged bomb plot, combined with the president’s visit to the U.N. general assembly and a rash of protests against world leaders is creating a security headache.

“There’s no days off,” Roy Richter, president of the police captains’ union, said Tuesday, referring to the police department. “The resources, of course, are strained.”

Another union official, Thomas Sullivan, who represents NYPD lieutenants, noted that extra patrols have also been deployed because of the Jewish holidays.

“There’s a lot of sensitive areas that have to be covered,” he said. “There will be a greater police presence.”

The MTA said Tuesday it has beefed up its police presence at “key locations” because of the terror plot, which law enforcement officials told the Associated Press may have involved detonating backpack bombs on the city’s trains.

Counterterrorism officials yesterday raided several city apartments as part of its probe. Published reports also quoted sources close to the investigation saying 16 to 20 people are under surveillance in the city.

On Saturday, three people - one in Queens and two in Denver - were charged with lying to the FBI in connection with the same investigation.

The FBI is also telling cops to be on the lookout for signs of bomb-making at self-storage facilities.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly would not comment on the specifics of the probe but said: “There's a lot more work to be done.”

Security bulletins to police around the country have described terrorists' desire to attack stadiums, entertainment complexes and hotels.

A joint statement from the federal Department Homeland Security and the FBI said while the agencies "have no information regarding the timing, location or target of any planned attack, we believe it is prudent to raise the security awareness of our local law enforcement partners regarding the targets and tactics of previous terrorist activity."

In the city, rallies protesting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will be held Wednesday and Thursday in front of the country’s mission and near the U.N. A rally is also being held today in protest of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi near the U.N.

President Barack Obama is scheduled to speak at Wednesday's opening of the general assembly about nuclear nonproliferation, peacekeeping, development and climate change. Gadhafi, making his first visit to the U.N. despite 40 years as the country’s ruler, will speak right after.

The AP and Emily Ngo contributed to this story

A guide to lox, nova, smoked salmon and more!

Tuesday September 22, 2009 5:29 PM By Lucy Blatter

Len Berk, 79, has been working at Zabar’s for 15 years. The self-described foodie answered an ad for a lox slicer, after running his own accounting firm for 40 years.

“I get more compliments slicing lox than I did from saving someone $100,000,” Berk said.

Berk learned most of what he knows now on the job, but he always had a penchant for fish. “I’m a fish person,” he said. “I used to slice my own lox at home.”

On his first day on the job, a Chinese man by the name of David Yan gave him all the advice he needed, saying simply: “Watch.”

“It’s been fun ever since,” said Berk, who works two days a week. “If I worked three, then it would be a job.

“Most of the fun is in meeting people,” he said.

“Buying salmon is very serious to a lot of people,” Berk said. Below, Berk’s guide to navigating your lox counter.

Smoked salmon: Smoked salmon is typically a filet of salmon that’s been cured in a sugar, water and spice mixture. Then, it’s cold smoked over wood chips, such as hickory, which helps it retain a smoky flavor.

Lox: Lox is salmon that’s bathed (or brine cured) in a salt solution for up to 24 hours. Unlike smoked salmon, it isn’t smoked. It’s often whiter than smoked salmon because it sits in a salt water and gets bleached. It’s also much saltier because of that. Berk advised against thinking pinker salmon is better. “The color is not important,” he said.

Belly lox: Belly lox is a fatty part, from the belly of the salmon, and it has a very full, delicate and salty flavor. A lot of people who consider themselves traditional lox connoisseurs for it, Berk said.

Nova: Nova is the mildest of the smoked salmons. At Zabar’s, “Zabar’s Nova” is the most popular smoked salmon by far, he said.

Scotch-cured (or Scottish) salmon: This smoked salmon has a much smokier flavor than nova and is a bit drier. In Scotland, salmon is smoked using oak.

Pastrami cured salmon: This smoked salmon is rubbed with the spices similar to those used to make pastrami, so it’s reminiscent of the deli meat.

Trimmings: Most people don’t even know these are available, because they have to be asked for, and aren’t listed on menus. Trimmings come from the very bottom of the fish, right on top of the skin, and is separated from the more prime cuts. Chewier and made up of darker meat, Zabar’s sells them for $7.95 per pound compared to $34, an option for the cash-strapped New Yorkers who need their smoked salmon fix.

Gravlax: Gravlax is cured but not smoked. It’s cured in sugar, salt and dill and covered in dill. People often serve it with a mustard dill sauce.

Keeping Smoked salmon and lox properly
Keep it in a tight package in the fridge (Zabar’s sells ready-made vacuum-packed salmon). “It can last in the fridge for about a week,” said Berk.“But it is best eaten as soon as possible since the intensity of flavor and firmness of texture will diminish as the days go by.”

Great spots to grab smoked salmon and lox in the city
Russ and Daughters, Murray’s, Zabar’s, Barney Greengrass

Tags: Zabar's, smoked salmon, nova, lox

Vendy Awards pay tribute to street food

Tuesday September 22, 2009 5:17 PM By Courtney Crowder

Steamy hotdogs, tangy gyros, crispy falafel, savory kebabs — and that's just the food on 34th street.

New York City is known for its high-quality street food and the lively vendors that dish it up on the sidewalks.

This Saturday, the 26th, at 2 p.m., the king of all vendors will be crowned, when the fifth annual Vendy Cup is handed out at the Queens Museum of Art.

The Vendy Cup is one of four titles given out at the Vendy Awards. There’s an also an award for the best dessert vendor, rookie vendor of the year and the crowd’s favorite taste award.

“This year we have a new, high-profile taste award that will be voted on by all the attendees,” said Amy Kantrowitz, the managing director of the Vendy Awards. “We also added the rookie of the year award to help single out the entrepreneurs who are making a go of it in this tough economic time.”

The food served by this year's finalists represents the melting pot of New York City and includes Indian, Middle Eastern, Asian dumplings, Jamaican and Mexican fare.

The five Vendy Cup finalists and three dessert finalists will have their carts on hand for the five judges to taste and for attendees to enjoy. In addition to the all-you-can-eat carts, there will be an open bar of beer and wine.

The event helps raise money for the Street Vendor Project, a non-profit organization that helps New York City street vendors understand their legal rights.

This year, organizers expect 700 attendees, the largest turnout ever, Kantrowitz said.

“Five years ago, the Vendy Awards were 100 people in an east village garage,” Kantrowitz said. “And now it is this big event with international coverage. I think it is so popular because the event taps into the heart of New York City, it doesn’t matter who you are, for the subway and for street food, everyone has to wait.”

Street foodies can purchase tickets for $80 at streetvendor.org/vendys. More than half of the tickets have already been sold and Kantrowitz anticipates selling out completely, so get them while they’re hot.

Tags: Vendy Awards

NYPD going high-tech, as some fear 'Big Brother'

Monday September 21, 2009 7:32 PM By Jason Fink

 
Computer software that can recognize faces from grainy surveillance video and match them to massive databases.

Digital three-dimensional images of footprints that can identify a person by the way they walk and the type of shoe they wear.

These are the latest “CSI”-like tools the mayor proposed Monday for the NYPD in the department’s increasingly high-tech fight against crime. Critics pounced on the news, with some accusing the city of adopting “Big Brother” tactics.

“We’re already in a police state in our community,” said City Councilman Charles Barron (D-Brooklyn). “What about finding a way to track police brutality?”

Norman Siegel, former head of the New York Civil Liberties Union, added that the technology would need to be carefully monitored.

“Historically, there have been substantial questions about facial recognition software, specifically with high false positives,” he said.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who unveiled the proposals at a new conference announcing that his re-election campaign has received the endorsement of three police unions, argued for the use of the technology.

“We have made New York the safest big city in the nation and we will continue to combat crime on every city street and protect New Yorkers from outside threats,” Bloomberg said.

Campaign officials could not provide specifics about the cost of the new measures and would only say that they would be “implemented in the months ahead.”

The facial recognition software would be integrated into the NYPD’s Real Time Crime Center, a data warehouse that police across the city can use to access millions of records and track crime statistics in real time. Images from surveillance cameras, for instance, would be cross-checked with police mug shots.

Other initiatives will include:

- A “footwear database,” that will store images of footprints at crime scenes that police can check against the markings of common types of shoes to identify a suspect’s footwear. Cops could also analyze the prints and identify suspects by the angle of the footfall and weight distribution.

- Asking cell phone companies to provide consent forms for people to allow cops to track their phones. This could be used in missing persons cases.

- Use GPS to track people who have been ordered by a judge to stay away from known gang members.

Shayana Kadidal, an attorney for the Center for Constitutional Rights, said such technology can lead police “wildly astray.”

“The people selling this technology have an incentive to overstate its reliability,” he said.

MetroCard replacement system to expand later this year

Monday September 21, 2009 6:32 PM By Heather Haddon

The MTA has been slowly digging the MetroCard’s grave, and now it’s  getting a lot deeper.

The agency is finally pushing forward with the next phase of its “Smartcard” program, a quicker payment method that automatically draws money from a user’s bank account.

Riders tap their credit card or key-chain tag on the turnstile to pay -- no MetroCard required.
New transit chief Jay Walder launched a similar payment system, the Oyster card, while running London’s transit system. He has advocated the introduction of a similar payment system in New York.

London’s is among several other transit systems that have already started using such payment methods, and the MTA has been criticized for the pilot’s slow expansion.

“They've been pretty leisurely about doing this,” said William Henderson, executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA.

Later this year, NYC Transit will install Smartcard readers on eight city bus lines: the M14, M23, M79, M86, M101, M102, M103 and BxM7, officials said yesterday. More than 175,000 riders use these lines on average weekdays.

Smartcards can speed up bus travel by eliminating the cumbersome process of dipping MetroCards into fare boxes, Henderson said.

“The reward is huge. You gain so much by speeding up the boarding,” Henderson said.

New York has some of the nation's slowest buses, with a number of routes barely traveling faster than a pedestrian, according to the MTA.

In 2006, NYC Transit started the Smartcard pilot on the Lexington Avenue lines. The first phase, which was discontinued in May, was limited to riders with Citibank MasterCards.

Later this year, commuters with any credit or pre-paid card equipped with a payment device can participate. PATH riders and those using the JFK Airtrain will also be able to use Smartcards, as the Port Authority is implementing the technology, officials said.

In other fare news, the MTA is struggling to keep up with the mountains of quarters rolling into the system since fares rose to $2.25. The agency hopes to purchase two coin sorters for $19,000 to handle a 20 percent increase in change, according to documents. 

Tags: mta, metrocard

'30 Rock' and 'Mad Men' tops at Emmys

Monday September 21, 2009 1:18 AM By Pete Catapano

 "Mad Men" and "30 Rock" led a pack of Emmy winners who successfully defended their titles at Sunday's show, while Australian Toni Collette of Showtime's "United States of Tara" was honored as best lead actress in a comedy series for her role as a mother with multiple personalities.

"Wow, this is insanely confronting," said a beaming Collette. She thanked series creator Diablo Cody, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of "Juno."
AMC's glossy 1960s Madison Avenue saga "Mad Men," which last year became the first basic cable show to win a top series award, won the best drama trophy for a second time.

"It is an amazing time to work in TV," said "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner. "And, I know that everything is changing, but I'm not afraid of it because I feel like all these different media is just more choice and more entertainment. It's better for the viewers in the end and I'm glad to be a part of it."

NBC's "30 Rock," a satirical take on life inside a TV variety show, was honored for the third time as best comedy series, while star Alec Baldwin won his second award as best comedy actor.

"We want to thank our friends at NBC for keeping us on the air ... even though we are so much more expensive than a talk show," said "30 Rock" creator and star Tina Fey, referring to Jay Leno's new daily prime-time comedy show, which NBC likes to note is cheaper to produce than a scripted series.

Baldwin, accepting his acting trophy for "30 Rock" from "Brothers & Sisters" star Rob Lowe, joked, "I'll be honest with you. I'd trade this to look like him."

Glenn Close's performance as a ruthless trial attorney on "Damages" and Bryan Cranston's turn as a meth-making, cancer-stricken teacher on "Breaking Bad" were honored with the top drama series acting Emmys, the second consecutive trophies for bot

Partial List of Winners:

Drama Series: "Mad Men," AMC.
Comedy Series: "30 Rock," NBC.
Actor, Drama Series: Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad," AMC.
Actress, Drama Series: Glenn Close, "Damages," FX Networks.
Actor, Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock," NBC.
Actress, Comedy Series: Toni Collette, "United States of Tara," Showtime.
Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Michael Emerson, "Lost," ABC.
Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Cherry Jones, "24," Fox.
Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men," CBS.
Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Kristin Chenoweth, "Pushing Daisies," ABC.
Miniseries: "Little Dorrit" PBS.
Made-for-TV Movie: "Grey Gardens," HBO.
Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Brendan Gleeson, "Into the Storm," HBO.
Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Jessica Lange, "Grey Gardens," HBO.
Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Ken Howard, "Grey Gardens," HBO.

(AP)
 

Aaron Karo has more fun than you

Sunday September 20, 2009 6:04 PM By Julie Gordon

Comedian and Long Island native Aaron Karo’s new book, “I’m Having More Fun Than You,” will either make you laugh or make you cry — or do a little bit of both.

Why? It’s basically a tribute to single guys in their late 20s and early 30s who can’t stomach the idea of being in a serious relationship, and who ponder their next walk of shame more than a walk down the aisle.

The unattached Karo gave us insight into the male mind.

Some guys want to get married while some want to play the field. How can a woman tell which type she is seeing?
Call the guy and don’t say your name. Just say, “It’s me.” If he doesn’t get you confused with another girl he’s seeing and doesn’t freak out that you’re getting so comfortable, congratulations — he’s marriage material.

Do "feelings" talks usually turn a guy off?
If you’ve already hung out together under one of the following conditions – outdoors, during the day, or sober – then he’s as good as yours.

Here's something that baffles women. Why does a guy suddenly disappear after dating a girl for a while?
There are only three possibilities. One, he was already seeing someone else and that relationship has since gotten more serious. Two, you didn’t sleep with him. Or three, you did sleep with him. I realize those last two are confusing, but those are the facts of life when dealing with single dudes.

A theme in the book is that one of the best things about being single is that you don't have to "answer" to anyone. Why is this such a positive thing?
I hate having to ask permission to do anything. Operating completely autonomously is glorious. When you’re in a relationship, you’re now responsible for another person’s happiness.  Screw that. When I go to a party, I don’t even want to be responsible for the camera.

Tags: Aaron Karo