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May 14, 2008
The Whitney, being so modern, has joined forces with The Gap, the founders of which talked about opening their own museum just last summer. The retailers aren't quite trying to set up shop in the new downtown outlet, but they are getting their T's imprinted with famous artist designs thanks to the museum (and the nonprofit Art Production Fund). The Artist Editions T-Shirts feature 13 contemporary artists who were previous Whitney Biennial participants: Chuck Close,...
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| The elegant 7th floor roof garden at Rockefeller Plaza is usually off limits, but for the next two evenings the general public is invited up to sip cocktails while savoring the twilight view. The only catch is that you have to absorb a lot of information about Canada, because our northern neighbor's tourism board is the one footing the bill. But since their national sales pitch comes with free food, music, drinks and hand massages,...
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BENEFIT: Tonight go out in the name of pot, at the New York Benefit to Celebrate Recent Medical Marijuana Successes. The evening includes music and comedy with the hopes of pushing the cannabis campaign to victory! The Marijuana Policy Project will host the spring soiree, which benefits its "efforts to protect seriously ill New Yorkers from arrest and jail if they use medical marijuana with their doctor's recommendation." Some of the bold face names on...
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It says a lot about Harvey Fierstein's distinctiveness that it's almost impossible to even say the name 'Harvey' without thinking of that endearingly gravelly voice. Whether you know him as Homer Simpson's assistant Karl, Robin Williams's brother in Mrs. Doubtfire, or Hairspray's Edna Turnblad, the Brooklyn-born actor's uninhibited, self-assured persona is thoroughly his own. Now the four-time Tony winner is back on Broadway with A Catered Affair, the musical adaptation of the 1956 film...
Continue Reading "Harvey Fierstein, Actor"May 13, 2008
For the past few years, Andrew W.K. and friends have been working at opening their venue at 100 Lafayette. Finally the space officially opens tonight, following a few days of confusing press. Yesterday it was reported that the original name of the space, Santa's Party House, was dropped for the simpler 100 Lafayette name; this came with a glitzy gold logo and promises of table service. Then W.K. himself cleared things up, saying the name...
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May 13, 2008
Residents of Washington Heights and the Lower East Side may be noticing some production crews in their 'nabe this week, as filming begins for the redux of PBS's The Electric Company, which ended its series in 1977. The NY Times reports that the the show will be "refitted for the age of hip-hop and informed by decades of further educational research on reading." In addition, it will reportedly be accompanied by interactive online elements and...
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Pictured: Jon Crow entering Union Hall; from surveillance video. Before the big meeting tomorrow at Borough Hall, the Brooklyn Paper weighs in on the great Union Hall debate of Aught Eight. Recently some neighbors, led by Jon Crow, rallied together to stop the renewal of the establishment's liquor license at the end of the month; one neighbor, who has since moved, told us, "This place had a serious impact on my life, on my...
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Groundbreaking postwar artist Robert Rauschenberg died last night at the age of 82. The adventurous painter, photographer, printmaker, choreographer, set designer and composer was born Milton Ernest Rauschenberg on Oct. 22, 1925, in Port Arthur, Texas, a small refinery town with little cultural stimuli. (In his adult life he took the name Robert.) His father worked for a local utility, and the family’s lifestyle was so financially tight that, according to the Times, Rauschenberg’s mother...
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COMEDY: Demetri Martin (pictured) and some (we hear, A-list) friends will be delivering some new material tonight at Rififi. Can't make it? He'll be back the 20th, 27th and June 3rd. 10 p.m. // Rififi [332 E 11th St] // $5 EVENT: Sure, YouTube is good for a laugh or two during the workday, but as an artistic muse? Artists Sue de Beer, Matthew Higgs and Matthew Ronay have all (against all odds) found art...
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Entering its 21st season, MTV's The Real World returns to New York for a third time...but for the first time it's headed to an outer-borough. That's right, the seven generic, good-looking roommates will be heading to Brooklyn. Shooting begins this summer, and will result in 12 hour-long episodes. In the press release we received, Jon Murray, co-creator of the show, says "The Brooklyn season, like the Hollywood season, will focus on what people loved...
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Remy Ma, better known for her court hearings than for her Grammy nomination, is having trouble becoming "an honest woman," as the saying goes. The rapper was supposed to be married on Rikers Island yesterday to her fiancée Papoose -- but when her groom brought a questionable gift for his bride, the wedding was called off. The Daily News reports that he showed up with a handcuff key; they were told by a correction official...
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Gawker is stoking the debate over whether street artist Nick Walker is in fact the mysterious millionaire street artist Banksy; we continue to disagree. Nick Walker and Banksy are definitely, positively two different people – although they are both English graffiti artists, and they are friends. Here in New York, Walker’s been a busy bee, branching out from last week’s work in the West Village to Williamsburg, where aptly-named blog Williamsburg is Dead documented...
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The 2008 Tony Award nominees were just announced, and looking over the list we’ve got to admit that it was a pretty good year for Broadway, at least in terms of quality. The phenomenal rock musical Passing Strange picked up seven nominations, including Best Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Lead Actor (Stew, pictured). Also competing in the Best Musical category are the tepidly received Cry-Baby, the harmless Xanadu, and the underdog Latino musical In...
Continue Reading "2008 Tony Award Nominees Announced"May 12, 2008
The long-awaited, much-hyped Sex and the City Movie premiered in London and the film's stars strutted their stuff on the red carpet. In particular, Sarah Jessica Parker wore not only a Alexander McQueen dress and Fred Leighton jewels but a whimsical chapeau as well. Created by go-to-milliner Philip Treacy, the hat is like a garden scene--butterfly, flowers, and maybe a mound of moss attached to Parker's head (it's all very fashion forward) Anyway, Premiere.com...
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Last year, after Stanley Bard was ousted by the board as manager of the Hotel Chelsea and replaced with BD Hotels -- who just got ousted themselves, filmmaker Abel Ferrara moved back in to his old digs. The NY Post reports that the move was to help in the making his documentary, Chelsea on the Rocks"I lived on the floor with the ghosts," Ferrara tells Page Six. "I didn't come in with a point to...
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May 12, 2008
The Bronx houseboat, measuring in at only 250-square-feet, really should have cleaned up ship and entered this contest. Apartment Therapy's Smallest, Coolest Apartment Contest is underway for a fourth year, and below are some of the New York City entries, all under 850-square-feet. Design solutions for cramped living quarters never cease to amaze, and apparently a key factor to maximizing your minimal space is to add a sheepskin throw -- as just about every entrant...
Continue Reading "NYC's Smallest, Coolest Apartments"The farewell party for the famous "Toy Tower" at the Avenue B and 6th Street community garden took place yesterday. Vanishing New York estimates about 100 well-wishers were in attendance to eulogize the found object art tower, which rose to a height of 65 feet over the course of two decades. The eclectic structure is the work of the colorful East Village character Eddie Boros, who passed away one year ago this month. Adrian Benepe,...
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Rappers Remy Ma and Papoose are finally tying the knot today at a ceremony on the exclusive Rikers Island, and the rain is the least of their problems. Papoose, who recently duped the Bed-Stuy volunteer EMTs for his video, has been planning the big day as his lady resides behind bars. This would have made for a fantastic hour of reality television had they filmed the process for Bridezillas, considering on just an average night...
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THEATER: One of the most anticipated theatrical events of the year comes to DUMBO next month when St. Ann’s Warehouse presents a highly acclaimed production of Macbeth by the Polish company TR Warszawa. Staged for just 12 performances at an outdoor theater in the Civil War-era Tobacco Warehouse across the street from St. Ann’s, the bold production “reinvents the classic with a dramatic two-story set, video walls, special effects, and an extraordinary, layered soundscape.” Tonight...
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The U.S. Postal Service has increased first class stamp rates one penny to 42 cents and printed over one million extra one-cent stamps for people who didn't buy the Forever stamps. For those of you thinking, "Another stamp increase? Again?" the last increase was in May of last year. To ease the pain of a more expensive stamp, the USPS is also rolling out the Frank Sinatra stamp tomorrow. USPS Board of Governors Chairman Alan...
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At a press conference set to take place today, it's expected that Jimmy Fallon will be announced as Conan O'Brien's successor on the "Late Night" show. WNBC reports that the early chatter came in from an anonymous source. The announcement doesn't come as a surprise, since reports of the late night changes began to leak last year; last month Fallon's new position was all but confirmed. The NY Times reports that Fallon will be formally...
Continue Reading "Fallon Finally Makes "Late Night" Position Official"May 11, 2008
Photo courtesy Carol Rosegg. Elmer Rice's 1923 play The Adding Machine is an expressionist parable about a miserable bean counter named Mr. Zero who, after twenty five years at the same desk, is replaced by the titular technological marvel. For Rice, the roar of the twenties was the sound of capitalism crushing workers' souls; his play would go onto inspire Tennessee Williams and presage Death of a Salesman. Now a musical adaptation of Rice's play,...
Continue Reading "Opinionist: Adding Machine"Grand Theft Auto gets an '80s redux (heroin for 20 bucks back then seems a little unrealistic, however). If you ever wondered what the game would have looked like on the original NES, this one's for you: Undoubtedly "the most violent game on the original Nintendo, besides Duck Hunt." [via Kottke]...
Continue Reading "Video of the Day: '80s Grand Theft Auto"May 10, 2008
Jason Polan has undertaken a project that seems nearly impossible; on his website he states:I am trying to draw every person in New York. I will be drawing people everyday and posting as frequently as I can. It is possible that I will draw you without you knowing it. I draw in Subway stations and museums and restaurants and on street corners. I try not to be in the way when I am drawing or...
Continue Reading "Drawing Every Person in NYC"May 9, 2008
Speed Racer, from the mysterious sibling filmmakers behind the Matrix trilogy, is opening to well-deserved critical derision. It’s a 135-minute insipid, soulless commodity that lifts some of the Japanese original’s storyline but absolutely none of the charm. The movie opens with a 34% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes; perhaps J. Hoberman’s pan gets it best: “Ideologically anti-corporate, previous Wachowski productions aspired to be something more than mind-less sensation; Speed Racer is thrilled to be...
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May 9, 2008
Amstel's Beer Bike As far as marketing ideas go, this one may just take the beer-battered cake. May 15th marks a Dutch invasion of the Upper West Side in celebration of Dutch heritage, and the Amsterdam-brewed Amstel Light has kicked in with a takeover of Amsterdam Avenue on that day. They'll be giving away 150 bicycles (which should never be driven after imbibing their brew), offering up drink specials, and doing other things that...
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What happened to Panic(!) at the Disco? It wasn't very long ago...like last year? Panic! at the Disco was an over-stylized, super-popular circus/emo band who, believe it or not, had some pretty great songs under their young white belts. Not satisfied with their remarkable success, however, they decided to take things in a completely different direction in 2008. The exclamation point and the Moulin Rouge antics have been dropped, and their new record sounds more...
Continue Reading "Gothamist's Week in Rock: No Need to Panic Edition"It's Bike Month NYC 2008, which means the five boroughs are doing their best to make cycling appealing, safe and fun. There are all sorts of events, including "commuter pit stops" where cyclists can get water and "literature (and mega safety schwag!)" – according to StreetFilms' Clarence Eckerson Jr., who filmed this video of some such pit stop in Queens....
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ART: We've been loving the Love=Love show at Jen Bekman Gallery, which just opened earlier this week. The exhibition by Kent Rogowski is comprised of six large-scale photographic prints based on altered puzzles, as well as a selection of the original objects. Think of a puzzle collision resulting in collage art; also: see pictured. Friday and Saturday // Noon to 6 p.m. // Jen Bekman Gallery [6 Spring St] // Free DESIGN: This weekend brings...
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Today, in the wake of the CB6 meeting that took place last night, Eugene Mirman tells us what he really thinks of his nagging neighbors; sentiments that are surely being echoed from his speech last night. Put in some earplugs and read carefully Crow & Co.I feel bad that some people are genuinely bothered by the noise outside the bar — and Union Hall has done a lot to remedy the situation. I don’t live...
Continue Reading "Eugene Mirman Stands Up Against His Neighbors"Banksy may have stopped by New York City recently, but a Gawker tipster thought he saw the British street artist last night in the West Village. The tipster reported that Banksy was putting up a piece outside of Thunder Jacksons, saying, "He looks like a guy you would see in the cheap seats at a soccer game...He did come in and have a couple beers at Thunder Jackson's afterwards but he doesn't like to chat."...
Continue Reading "Nick Walker, Not the "Elusive Banksy" on Sullivan "New Yorker and Polaroid appreciator, Joe Howansky, has started a project to commemorate the soon-to-be-extinct Polaroid film, while simultaneously connecting with strangers through the medium. He explains:I will send you a Polaroid of anything anywhere in New York City. I don’t already have these stocked up - each one will be taken just for you. You will have the only copy in the entire world of a picture that was taken by someone else for...
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Pictured L-R: Anti-Union Hallers Roberta Lehrner and Jon "Old Man" Crow -- and their laundry list of complaints. Late last month some residents of Park Slope secured themselves a Community Board meeting with CB6 to air their complaints about Union Hall, and attempt to stop their liquor license from getting renewed. The meeting took place last night, lasted more than two hours, and to everyone's surprise -- the board voted against Union Hall. The...
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You may know Adam Green as one half of The Moldy Peaches (the other half being Kimya Dawson), who recently got a lot of attention for the Juno soundtrack despite having gone on "hiatus" four years ago. Green also stands on his own as a solo performer; he just released his latest album Sixes & Sevens, and tomorrow night celebrates it with a performance at Town Hall (tickets). Recently he told us about some of...
Continue Reading "Adam Green, Musician"May 8, 2008
Glory Days, the new musical written by a pair of twenty-somethings from Virginia, closed after its official opening night last night, joining such Broadway flops as Moose Murders and Teaneck Tanzi in the illustrious "Open/Close Club." The negative reviews proved too much for producers, who chose to pull the plug and eat their $2.5 million investment. In writing his delicate pan, Ben Brantley noted that the producers “have done this little, hopeful show no favors...
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