Gothamist

Last Night's Action: The Brooms Came Out

Tom Boorstein — 2009-07-10T00:01:00-05:00

Yankees 6, Twins 4: Alfredo Aceves gave up four runs in 3 1/3 innings. Then the bullpen came to his rescue. David Robertson walked in two of the Aceves runs, but the relievers combined to throw 5 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball. Jonathan Albaladejo, Phil Coke, Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera did the honors. The Yankees got some pop from Mark Teixeira, who ended the longest homerless drought of his career (96 at-bats and 23 games). Now it's on to Los Angeles of Anaheim for a three-game set with the Angels before the All-Star break. With Boston's loss to Kansas City, the Yankees are tied for first place.

Dodgers 11, Mets 2: All that good will created by Wednesday's win and Daniel Murphy's play went up in smoke early. Livan Hernandez gave eight runs and four walks in four innings of work. His ERA is now 5.10. It has risen by 1.06 in his last two starts. With Tim Redding out of the rotation already, Oliver Perez still demonstrating no ability to throw strikes and Fernando Nieve hardly a sure thing, the Mets have some serious starting pitching problems. They get the Reds at home before a much-needed break.

Sparks 69, Liberty 60: Janel McCarville had 18 points, but they weren't enough to down the visiting team from Los Angels. New York is 3-7 on the year.

Extra, Extra

Billy Parker — 2009-07-09T19:11:53-05:00

Photo taken in Greenpoint by Katie Sokoler

From the Gothamist Newsmap: an escaped EDP at 35th St and 2nd Ave, a bank robbery on Jackson Ave in Queens and a person under a train at Jay and Willoughby Sts in Brooklyn.
A 3-year-old special needs child was left on a school bus unattended for five hours.
A Hoboken garbage truck ran a red light and struck a NJ Transit train this morning.
The owner of two Nargilla Grill restaurants has admitted evading hundreds of thousands of dollars in corporate and sales taxes from his businesses.
As the month of madness in the state senate (hopefully) began heading toward its conclusion today, Governor Paterson tweeted away about hanging out with good ol' Joe Biden.
According to the early stages of this poll, most people say they wouldn't pay to subscribe to the NY Times online.
Joe Torre doesn't know if he'll ever step inside Yankee Stadium again—not that he'd mind being forced to this October.
Today is Day Two of the controversy surrounding whether Nike confiscated a videotape of a college student dunking on LeBron James.
James Bond and Wolverine are teaming up to star in a new Broadway play this fall.
And don't forget to dress like a cow tomorrow for a free meal at Chick-Fil-A. Now, the fast-food chain's only location is inside NYU's Weinstein Food Court, so here's hoping no ill-fated student occupations stand between you and your chicken sandwich.

Ravitch Was Secretly Sworn In At Peter Luger's

Billy Parker — 2009-07-09T18:51:12-05:00

It's unclear whether Governor Paterson's appointment of Richard Ravitch will ever hold up as being legal, but at least the pair can rest knowing this—they pulled it off like pimps. Soon after Paterson went on television and made his announcement yesterday and before the GOP could mount a court challenge to block it (way back when they were allied with Sen. Pedro Espada), Ravitch was secretly sworn in while having dinner at Peter Luger Steak House in Williamsburg. When Ravitch's 7:45 reservation for four added a mysterious fifth person, the group explained what was going on and said they were in a hurry. The president of Peter Luger's told the Times, "They drew out some documents, and they were very excited and everything. Mr. Ravitch said, ‘This is my favorite restaurant, and I wouldn’t take the oath of office anywhere else.’ People around them were trying to figure out what was going on.” While there's no word on what Ravitch ordered, he did pose for a picture as he signed his oath, hopefully with the blood of an $85 steak.

O'Reilly Has Rep. King, Rev. Sharpton Discuss Michael Jackson

Jen Chung — 2009-07-09T18:31:48-05:00

Last night, Bill O'Reilly had two very vocal figures discuss Michael Jackson on his show last night—Rep. Peter King (R-Long Island), who blasted the media attention devoted to a "pedophile" "lowlife", and Rev. Al Sharpton, who told Jackson's children that there was "nothing strange" about their father. First, O'Reilly had King on; O'Reilly pointed out that Jackson was acquitted of molestation charges and that settling the other case "doesn't mean you're admitting anything" (which the talk show knows about first hand). King responded:

Bill, I would say an adult male who sleeps with young boys is a child molester. If nothing else, he's molesting and abusing their psyche. How are those children going to possibly grow up normal after spending nights in bed with Michael Jackson? So — and I would say also there's not a daycare center in the United States that would be allowed to hire him...

Listen, if Michael Jackson had died, it got one or two days of coverage, that would have been fine. But the way it went on and on with this wall to wall, round the clock coverage, and at the same time we have Americans dying in Iraq and Afghanistan, we have the president in Russia trying to negotiate arms control, nuclear arms control. To me it was a real reflection on the culture of our country.

[Video of King's segment, as well as video of Sharpton's after the jump.]

Then Sharpton was brought on—and it's a shame that he was on separately from King. Sharpton had fierce criticism of King, "The issue is that it is totally irresponsible for a lawmaker to disregard the law. Charges were made against Michael Jackson, a mostly non black jury, you talked about 9 out of 10, let's try 12 out of 12 in a jury said he was not guilty of child molestation. That's all. And it's reckless and irresponsible to say he's a child molester, as it would be for me to come on here and say Dick Cheney shoots his friends hunting." Ha!

Then O'Reilly asked Sharpton about Jackson as an African-American icon and his children:

O'REILLY: Answer me this. I heard a lot of people yesterday — and I think you were one of them, but correct me if I'm wrong — saying that Michael Jackson was some kind of African-American icon.

SHARPTON: Yeah, he was.

O'REILLY: Well, then why did he have white children?

SHARPTON: What does that have to do?

O'REILLY: What does that have to do? He chose to have in vitro by a white woman and a white man. What does that have to do?...

SHARPTON: Well, we didn't say he was an African-American — father of African-American children. We said he was an African-American icon.

O'REILLY: An icon? But why would he have white kids then?

SHARPTON: What he did in his personal life and his personal — has nothing to do with his iconic status.

O'REILLY: It doesn't?

SHARPTON: If I said that Bill O'Reilly has a hot television show, does that mean I have the right to go to your house and say but how come his kids chew bubblegum?

Here's the full transcript.

King on the O'Reilly Factor:

Sharpton on the O'Reilly Factor:

]]>

City Schools Local Fishermen To Be Wary Of Deadliest Catch

Billy Parker — 2009-07-09T18:14:50-05:00

Photo taken by Matt Semel on flickr

People, throw the fish back in the water. That is what the city is making sure to remind New Yorkers of with new signage going up at fishing spots around town. This comes after the Daily News discovered that old signs had worn away or were non-existent while fishing for food among lower-income New Yorkers is on the rise. The signs warning of high levels of carcinogens such as PCBs and mercury don't sound likely to deter the fishermen though—they tell the paper that contaminated fish beats an empty dinner plate. While Senator Schumer is asking the federal government to update its guidelines on what fish is safe, the mayor has basically said pish posh to all this, that people should "use common sense" when dealing with city waters. Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum is taking him to task for that, calling the mayor "out of touch" with the low-income fishermen, whom she says "we need to protect." A spokesman from the mayor shot back, "There are actually still a lot of people in government who work on solutions instead of just calling people names."

New Restaurants on the Radar: Cellar 58, The Mott, André

John Del Signore — 2009-07-09T17:55:28-05:00

Cellar 58 (John Del Signore/Gothamist)

Cellar 58: The wine bars are coming for you; they're coming for us all! The latest vino dispenser to descend upon the East Village is Cellar 58; but this one has a lot going for it. One, it's run by real Italians who run around talking at each other in their glorious native tongue. Two, there's a really cute back room, seen here, that fills with diffused, late afternoon light and feels sort of other-worldly. Three, during the opening party last night, we heard the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio, Radiohead, and not a single Andrea Bocelli torch song. Fourth, besides the 120+ international wine selection, they're doing a pretty extensive small plates menu (flatbread pizzas, pastas, bruschetta, etc.) which doesn't set them apart from other wine bars (like the one right across the street) but we felt great amore for everything we tried. 58 Second Avenue; (212) 420-1300

The Mott: We're told his militantly seasonal new 38-seat Nolita restaurant is "fully committed to locally sourcing all ingredients and ONLY serving what’s in season on the menu." It's got so much farm-to-table cred that Chef Brian Bieler was even born and raised on a farm in Kansas. Your move, Blue Hill. Bieler says he's going to personally visit green markets "just about every morning" to scout out the freshest, locally sourced ingredients. He even vows, "In my restaurant you will never find a tomato in January or a strawberry in the Fall." The summer menu consists of just six appetizers and six entrees, with starters including Soft Shell Crab Tempura with homemade tartar sauce and frisee and Tomato Coulis, a raw combination of pureed red and yellow heirloom tomatoes topped with opal basil. There's an entrée of Roasted Chicken, made from free range Bell and Evans chickens; and a Seared Halibut with asparagus and sunchokes. But is chicken in season? 173 Mott Street at the corner of Broome; (212) 966-1411

André: Located inside the new Renaissance Hotel, this upscale bistro finally gives Wallace Shawn fans a chance to have their own dinner with Andre. Also serving breakfast, brunch, and lunch, the space is connected to the newly-relaunched Opia Lounge, so you can even get drinks with André after your dinner. Chef Ted Pryor's menu emphasizes "classic French principles with an American accent"; main courses include a Warm Poached Lobster Salad with Baby Golden Beets, Osetra Vinaigrette for $28; Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb, Sage Pulp New Potatoes, Snap Peas, Black Cherry Jus for $32, and appetizers such as Lobster Ravioli with Summer Squash, Baby Basil and Lobster Bisque ($14). Lunch sandwiches include a Smoked Salmon Club Sandwich on grilled bread with avocado, red onion, tomato and lemon vinaigrette; and for breakfast there's Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes with apple butter and spiced apple compote. 57th Street and Lexington Avenue; (212) 688-3939

H1N1 Vaccine On the Way As Nine More Flu Deaths Reported

Jon Hill — 2009-07-09T17:30:44-05:00

Brockenbrough's Flickr

Swine flu relief might be coming soon in the form of a shot. NY1 says that White House officials are laying plans for distribution of an H1N1 vaccine by as early as October, with priority going to at-risk groups like pregnant women. That, of course, assumes no hitches in vaccine production or testing, which Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius confirms will soon be underway: "We're moving towards the likelihood of a specific vaccine for H1N1...What we need to do is make sure we have a safe vaccine." That likelihood is particularly welcome news following today's Health Department announcement of nine more New York City deaths linked to the H1N1 virus. But, as Newsday reports, the city's new swine flu death toll of 47 could get much worse if the virus mutates in time for the fall flu season, a possibility that Mayor Bloomberg says alarms him: "We're certainly worried about what happens in the fall and we're making sure that we have, to the extent we can, facilities to treat people." The latest H1N1 victims were not identified by the Health Department, but they range in ages from 25 to 65.

Flashback: Remember New York Airways?

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-09T17:14:43-05:00

As noted in our newsletter this morning, on this day in 1953, the first commuter passenger service by helicopter began. New York Airways provided a lift for busy folks who wanted to avoid traffic.

Just a little over 10 years after launching, one of the flights from Idlewild Airport (now JFK), en route to Newark via Wall Street, crashed and killed all six on board. In the late '70s, the landing gear failed on a plane taking on passengers at the Pan Am building. "It tipped over; its spinning rotor blades killed four passengers waiting to board (including movie director Michael Findlay) and injured a fifth, and parts of a broken blade fell into the streets below, killing one pedestrian and injuring another. The accident precipitated the closure of the heliport for good." Yikes!

There's a great collection of old schedules and brochures here. Would you have ever gotten on this thing?

No Pooper Scooper Laws for Horses

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-09T16:54:52-05:00

Photo via f.trainer

Uh oh, seems both dogs and horses are marking their territory in Brooklyn... but only one animal's owners are obligated by law to pick up their pet's mess. The Brooklyn Paper reports that a common sight in Kensington and Park Slope is that of horse waste. Yuck. The paper note that "the decades-old city law mandating pet owners to remove excrement from sidewalks applies to dogs and dogs alone, according to the Sanitation Department." Do the main culprits at the Kensington Stables feel any pangs of guilt for not cleaning up after their horses? Apparently it falls on the city, but they do say, “Generally, the barn hands pick up around the neighborhood. I have made it a general policy to handle this. We don’t make a stink out of it.” Time is off the essence, however, and reportedly it takes hours or more for a volunteer to come and scoop the poop—one resident told the paper, “It smells like a toilet" in Prospect Park.

Stalled Condos Will Become Affordable Housing in City Plan

John Del Signore — 2009-07-09T16:33:12-05:00

krzysztof.poluchowicz's Flickr

Bad news for squatters and survivalists: Instead of just letting abandoned condo developments turn into illegal havens for trespassers, the city is starting a $20 million pilot program to turn unsold condominiums, unrented apartments and stalled construction sites into affordable housing for middle-income families. Yesterday Mayor Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced the plan, called the Housing Asset Renewal Program (HARP), in which the city will negotiate with developers and banks to turn the unoccupied units into affordable housing.

Quinn says the average cost to the city of $50,000 per unit would be less than the $75,000 to $100,000 it usually costs the city create an affordable housing unit from scratch. With HARP, the city won't actually be buying the properties, and the program will focus on neighborhoods outside of Manhattan to turn around two types of developments: completed projects with a high number of vacancies and stalled sites that are still under construction. (There are a lot of them these days!) Bloomberg told reporters yesterday, "Private developments that sit vacant or unfinished could have a destabilizing effect on our neighborhoods, but we’re not about to let that happen." As many as 400 units could be converted as part of the pilot program.

Vincent Riso, a Queens developer, predicts that developers and banks will want to cut their losses and participate in the program. He tells Crain's, "At some point, a developer has to be a practical person and say, 'I don’t see the economy coming back for a year, two years, let me get out of it whatever I can.'" Last year the city announced plans to use $24 million in federal money to buy more than 100 foreclosed homes and create 300 low- and middle income housing units. And last month another program that turned an empty luxury condo in Brooklyn into a homeless shelter drew outrage from some neighbors.

NYC Now Has 200 More Miles of Bike Lanes!

John Del Signore — 2009-07-09T16:16:33-05:00

City officials and cycling advocates gathered in The Bronx yesterday to celebrate meeting the goal of adding 200 bike-lane miles in all five boroughs in three years. Dr. Thomas Farley, city health commissioner, was on hand to trumpet the health benefits of cycling; Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe praised the bike lanes connecting the city's parks and waterfronts; and DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan declared New York "the bicycling capital of the United States." The bike lane network is now the equivalent length of a bike lane running from New York City to Boston! The 200-mile initiative was launched after a 2006 report [pdf] determined that cyclists were safest in bike lanes and wearing helmets. The project cost $8.8 million, and included installing 6,100 bike racks and 1,000 guide signs. According to the DOT [pdf], there are now 70.9 miles of bike lanes in The Bronx, 138.9 miles in Brooklyn, 90.4 miles in Manhattan, 96.7 miles in Queens, and 27.6 in Staten Island. And besides helping cyclists, they make for great parking spots, too!

New Mural Replaces Haring Tribute on Houston

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-09T16:01:02-05:00

Photo by Will Sherman/AnimalNY

So the Keith Haring tribute mural has been buffed, and currently the Brazilian street art duo (and twin brothers) Os Gemeos (real names Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo) are creating their own mural in its place (Animal has photos of the work in progress).

If you've been to Coney Island anytime in the past four years, it's likely you've already seen Os Gemeos' work, they have a mural opposite the Coney Island subway station that Creative Time sponsored.

As for this new one, it's sponsored by Deitch (who also commissioned the Haring piece). They tell us it will "blend ideas from artist's daily life with the fantasy or 'ludico' world where the recognizable is harmonically blended with the abstract." And the artists are doing this as they go, the duo don't work off sketches, so we'll just have to wait and see!

NJ Gov Hopeful Christie: No Palin, But Maybe Rudy

Jen Chung — 2009-07-09T15:47:25-05:00

NJ gubernatorial Chris Christie reassured NJ voters that he's not interested in having soon-to-be former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin stump for him this fall. The Republican challenger did offer one familiar name—the Star-Ledger reports that Christie told 101.5 FM, "This is about New Jersey issues and New Jersey, and I don't think having Governor Palin here would do me, or frankly the state, a whole lot of good in the sense that we need to talk and focus on what the New Jersey issues are. I hope Mayor Giuliani will continue to be supportive and be here and work with me, but other than that, I think the people of New Jersey have to hear from me and that's the person they'll be electing. I'll be sitting in the chair, and I want them to spend most of their time getting to know me." Giuliani endorsed Christie back in February. Governor Jon Corzine, who trails Christie in the polls, is optimistic about his chances, "We have a national recession, we have a global recession. The public understands that President Obama and the Democratic policies are not how we got into this mess."

Coney Wants More Neverland Rides

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-09T15:31:46-05:00

Coney Island already has Michael Jackson’s Dragon Wagon Kiddie Coaster (albeit only temporarily), but now they want another piece of the King of Pop! Don't stop til you get enough, etc. ATZ reports there's an opportunity to snag a Neverland ride on a permanent basis, as the bumper cars designed for and by Michael Jackson are up on the auction block at eBay. The man behind the auction is carnival owner Earl “Butch” Butler, who brought the aforementioned Dragon Wagon to town. The bidding is currently at $46,100.00 (and has not met the reserve price), and the Coney folks are suggesting Mayor Bloomberg buy it as a gift for the City of New York. Should Coney Island consider a new design plan: Neverland II?

How Valuable Is It To Be Friends Of Friends Of The High Line?

Billy Parker — 2009-07-09T15:16:26-05:00

A city committee has paved the way for the Parks Department to come to terms with the Friends of the High Line on a ten-year, noncompetitive deal for the group to get exclusive rights to sell food and merchandise at the newly-opened park. And now City Controller and mayoral candidate Bill Thompson is crying foul, saying, "It almost appears to be some sort of back-room deal." Founders of the Friends of the High Line have already given endorsements to Mayor Bloomberg and board members have contributed over $100,000 to Speaker Christine Quinn. Thompson added, "We should not let the beauty of the park overshadow our obligation to ensure transparency and accountability regarding the operation and use of a public park.” A spokesman for the mayor calls Thompson's comments "politically transparent," noting that he has backed similar deals at other parks and that unlike Bloomberg, Thompson has taken contributions from private groups that conduct business with the city.

SHO Shaun Hergatt Goes For The Gold In The Financial District

John Del Signore — 2009-07-09T15:00:08-05:00

]]>

Down the block from the New York Stock Exchange, across the street from Claremont Prep School, and hidden behind construction scaffolding on the second floor of the Setai Hotel, you'll find one of the city's best new fine dining restaurants: SHO Shaun Hergatt, which quietly opened last month. And despite its elegant interior and formal service, it's not as out of touch with the economy as you might expect; at $69, Chef Hergatt's three course prix fixe is actually a good deal, considering the impeccable quality of the ingredients and dazzling execution.

During a recent visit, Hergatt, an intense Australian who did time at the now-closed Atelier in midtown, let us sample some of the dishes and took us for a tour of the gigantic, gorgeous space, pointing out that the ceiling tiles hanging on the wall were recovered from a temple in Thailand that was being demolished. Other design elements include enormous fountains, antique Chinese calligraphy brushes, mother of pearl table tops and shell dessert trays, Sanskrit prayer scrolls from Burma, lots of Brazilian walnut, and a Tibetan bell hidden in salt to ward off bad spirits.

But does Hergatt have a prayer bell to draw in good, paying customers? He's hoping the restaurant's versatility will appeal to a broad crowd, so the space is divided up into a relaxed bar and lounge, a formal dining room with a commanding view of the open kitchen, a second smaller bar, and a glassy wine tasting room. And if the food we sampled off Hergatt's "modern French, Asian-accented" menu was at all representative, we think he may actually pull this off. (Blogger Always Hungry NY predicts SHO will be Frank Bruni's last four star review before stepping down.)

The Slow Roasted Langoustines with Potato Lace, Burmese Lobster Bisque was rich and unforgettable; and the Slow Poached Halibut with silky Celeriac, White Asparagus, and Black Truffle was tender as a cloud. And the Peekytoe Crab with Galangal Gelee and Santa Barbara Uni isn't exactly the sort of thing we eat every day, and that's an outrage. At the bar, cocktails are a cost-prohibitive $14, but a Tennesse Trader (Bourbon, White Peach Puree, Honey Syrup, Ginger Ale) was smooth, sweet and didn't disappoint. The bottom line here is that Hergatt's a seriously ambitious chef, and if you've got a hundred bucks or so to drop on a fancy dinner, you'll get your money's worth here. Peruse the menu below.

SHO Shaun Hergatt // The Setai, New York, Second Level 40 Broad Street (at Exchange Place) // (212) 809-3993

The menu at SHO Shaun Hergatt is served á la carte, but is also recommended as a two course prix fixe for $57 and a three course prix fixe for $69. Appetizers: $16 - $20 Main Courses: $25 - $35 Desserts: $12

Appetizer

Kona Kampachi

Live Geoduck, young Ginger and Soy

Salad of Organic Tokyo Turnips

Baby Beets, Garden Radish, Persian Feta

Spiced Double Duck Consommé

Ravioli Filled with Chicken and Truffles

Zucchini Blossoms filled with Blue Prawns

Lemongrass and Kaffir Lime leaf Scented Sambal

Salt Pressed ‘Petuna’ Tasmanian Ocean Trout

Nashi Pear, Kalamansi Dressing

Hand Picked Peekytoe Crab

Galangal Gelee, Santa Barbara Uni

Red Chili and Coconut Milk Glazed Quail

Shiitake, Wilted Tetragonia

Millefeuille of Foie Gras

Pain D’Epices Tuiles, Banyuls Reduction

Slow Roasted Langoustines

Potato Lace, Burmese Lobster Bisque

The Golden Egg

Cauliflower Puree, Caviar

(Supplement 15)

Main Course

Caramelized Scottish Salmon

Hon Shemiji, Tatsoi, thai Basil Froth

Steamed Black Bass

Ginger Infused Broth, Scallion Oil, “Nishiki” Rice Wafer

Slow Poached Halibut

Silky Celeriac, White asparagus, Black Truffle

Maine Lobster “Poêlé”

English Peas, Saffron and Verjus Emulsion

(Supplement 10)

Yogurt Marinated Poussin

Urfa Spice, Adzuki, Grain Mustard

Muscovy Duck Breast

Sautéed Foie Gras, Red Hibiscus, Sauce Bigarade

Milk Fed Veal Tenderloin

Pommes Almondine, Mirepoix Vegetables, Morels

Thai Pepper Dusted Beef

Glazed Beef Cheek, Pearl Onion Soubise

“River and Glenn” Rabbit Loins

Coco Beans, Parsnip Roesti, Natural Sauce

Pearl Barley Risotto

Maitake Mushrooms, Baby Swiss Chard

Chef Shaun Hergatt

Dessert Wines

ChÂteau Guiraud, Sauternes 1998 $26

Petit Manseng, ‘Symphonie de Novembre,’ Domaine Cauhape, Jurançon 2005 $14

Braquetto d’Aqui Braida, Piemonte 2007 $12

Gewurztraminer, ‘Passito,’ Francis Tannahill, Oregon 2006 $20

Fortified Wines

Coume del mas, ‘quintessence,’ Banyuls 2005 $22

Graham’s 20 year tawny, Oporto NV $19

Dow’s ‘quinta do bonfim,’ Oporto 1996 $18

Campbell’s, Muscat, Ruthgerglen, NV $9

Fortified Sake

Katsuyama Genroku Aged Junmai, Miyagi $22

Desserts

Chocolate and Jasmine Inspiration

Pomelo Confit, Floral Jasmine Tea Sorbet

Rhubarb Tart

Ginger Cremeux, Lychee Sorbet

Citrus Palette

Milk Chocolate Ganache, Passionfruit Ice Cream,

Java Sphere

Candied Cocoa Nibs, Mandarin Chantilly

Rosella Tapioca

Lemongrass Consommé, Pink Guava Sorbet

Banana Millefeuille

Jackfruit Confit, Crème Fraîche Sorbet

Cheese

Farm House Cheeses

Fresh Honeycomb, Cranberry and Pecan Loaf

New York Traffic Congestion Second Worst In Nation

Jon Hill — 2009-07-09T14:42:04-05:00

Photo via mariab3bx's Flickr

It might not come as a surprise to anyone who's ever been stuck in the Lincoln Tunnel on a late Friday afternoon, but a new report from the Texas Transportation Institute shows New York drivers lost a staggering 380 million hours stuck in rush hour traffic in 2007, the second-highest rate in the nation. (Just think about the waste—that's enough time to build 11 full-size Great Pyramids or watch almost every episode of Law & Order!) No matter how bad that sounds, though, at least drivers idling on the Cross Bronx Expressway can be thankful they're not in Los Angeles. As Newsday reports, the TTI found the City of Angels had the nation's worst traffic congestion, costing its motorists more than 485 million hours and $10 billion in travel time and extra fuel. The other piece of good news from the report is that, while New York drivers themselves may not be improving, the traffic is. City congestion has fallen for two years now from its peak in 2005, a trend Kate Slevin of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign chalks up to a strong public transit system: "People want to be on transit. They like having options and transportation choices, and that's reflected in these numbers."

Arrested Pug Owner Fired Over Anti-Semitic Allegation

John Del Signore — 2009-07-09T14:22:42-05:00

Chrissie Brodigan

A Greenpoint woman's altercation with a police officer over carrying her sick dog through the subway has put her out of a job. To recap: Chrissie Brodigan, a VP for Online Media at Plum TV, says that after she argued with Officer Joel Witriol while trying to carry her pug out of the subway, he arrested her, grabbed her breasts, and punched her in the back while saying, "If you're going to act like a woman I'm going to treat you like a woman." Other witnesses corroborated Brodigan's account, but one witness and an unidentified source told the Post that Brodigan yelled at Witriol, the city's first Hasidic officer, "You f---ing Jew, you're not even human. Jewish people think they own everything."

Brodigan initially said that although she yelled at Witriol, she "did not recall" saying anything anti-Semitic. (The following day she e-mailed us to firmly deny saying anything anti-Semitic or about Witriol's Jewish identity. Other witnesses backed her up.) But it seems that her initial Reaganesque denial is what cost her her job; she tells us today:

I was terminated for "equivocating" in the press. My boss [Chris Glowacki] is threatening to not offer an agreeable severance package, including health insurance, which is crucial because i have cystic fibrosis and he is aware. He's angry that this is out in the press. I think he made a judgment based on perceived bigotry.

UPDATE: A publicist for Plum TV writes: "Chrissie Brodigan is no longer employed by Plum. Her employment was terminated for valid reasons, unrelated to the determination of whether or not she made the objectionable statements as alleged in the press. We will have no further comment." Post reporter Reuven Blau has not responded to our inquires about the article; according to his Post colleague Reuven Fenton, Blau is the one who "found" the mysterious witness Viane Delgado in the narrow window of time between when we broke the full story and when the Post print edition went to bed.

No other media outlet has quoted Viane Delgado, and we're still trying to obtain a copy of the police report to see if Delgado was quoted there. (Though an NYPD spokesman's comment that the anti-Semitic charge "sounds like something you're reading in other papers" leads us to suspect there is nothing about that in the police report.) Of course, Blau is under no obligation to elaborate on his witness or "source" or even return our phone calls, but a source tells us the Post is full of shit. (Our source also tells us that dogs bite men.) Below, Chrissie's long open letter to the media about her termination.

An Open Letter: How I Got Slandered By the New York Post & NYPD

"On Monday, June 30, I was wrongfully arrested and physically abused by the NYPD. The arresting officer who manhandled happens to have been the first Hasidic cop on a force of more than 30,000.

In the days that followed the incident, which became well-publicized, because bystanders photographed the arrest and called the "police" on account of the improper behavior of the arresting officer, and because I had the courage to defend my rights and resisted abuse with the support of these witnesses, the situation has become an unimaginable nightmare for me.

I have been falsely accused of being a bigot by the New York Post in an act of the most irresponsible journalism I have ever experienced, and now I have been fired from a job I loved and was great at on account of these vicious accusations and my alleged failure to respond "vigorously enough" to them.

Here is what happened:

Two days after my arrest the New York Post came out with a vicious article in which anti-Semitic remarks were attributed to me by an alleged witness.

Either the Post fabricated the existence of this witness, who despite an exerted effort by both journalists at Gothamist and myself has never been located, or they fabricated her remarks.

There were witnesses at the scene and these witnesses did not hear me make any anti-Semitic remarks and specifically did not recall the existence of the Post's alleged witness. I do not believe that this witness was at the scene nor did any witness hear me make antisemitic remarks.

The truth is that smearing the victim is a classic police technique to cover up abuse and protect the arresting officer.

I am not a bigot, and accusations of bigotry are so absurd that I did not think it even necessary to respond to them.

My "suspension" and now my firing requires that I make things clear to the public.

During the course of my arrest, I did not:

Utter the words "Jewish" or "Jew."
I did not say, "You Jews think you own the world."
I did not use the phrase "You fucking Jews . . . "
I did not say anything that any person, reasonable or not, could have interpreted to mean any reference whatsoever to the obvious religion of the cop who was manhandling me.

These anti-Semitic comments printed by the New York Post never crossed my lips on the day I was wrongfully arrested and physically abused. And, to be even more succinct, those words and statements have NEVER crossed my lips on any other day in my life. EVER.

I believe that ultimately the evidence will come out that the police were involved in the Post's smear job of me, which was an effort to cover up police misconduct.

Under these circumstances it is important that you know who I am:

My academic background at George Mason University involved an undergraduate degree in English with a minor in African American studies that culminated in an honors thesis about the civil rights movement. My graduate studies and masters degrees, I focused my coursework on the history of immigrants, gay, lesbian, black, hispanic, disabled and other oppressed people. My masters thesis and subsequent doctoral dissertation focused on gender discrimination and women's rights in the workplace. Indeed, I note that my principal doctoral advisors were all Jewish.

I have devoted my adult life to studying and supporting the civil rights of minorities.

To smear me as an anti-Semite is both cowardly and a disgrace and victimizes me once again. I expected more from a community to whom I have devoted my best efforts."

]]>

Espada Steals Paterson-Ravitch Thunder, Says He'll Return To Dems

Jen Chung — 2009-07-09T14:05:34-05:00

Photograph of Richard Ravitch and Governor Paterson this morning by Hans Pennink/AP

Just as we were getting used to the idea of a "Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch"—secretly sworn in by Governor Paterson last night—now here's another curveball for New Yorkers: State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. tells the Post he's leaving the Republican coalition and will rejoin the Democrats! He said, "I'm going to tell (Republican leader Sen.) Dean Skelos that I have a handshake agreement with (Democratic leader Sen.) John Sampson to become the majority leader." Keep in mind that Espada and fellow Democrat Hiram Monserrate's alignment with Republicans help send the State Senate down this rabbit hole.

In the meantime, as the legality of Ravtich's appointment is debated, Paterson's decision has been getting accolades (well, not from Republicans). State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. liked that Paterson took action enough to claim credit for it while even Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, who opposed Ravitch's MTA bailout suggestions, said Ravitch is "the finest public person in the state over the last quarter century." And one pundit told WCBS 2 that Paterson's move "in a strange and even perverse way this could turn out to be his political 9/11 the way the real one was for George Bush and Rudy Giuliani. It's a chance for him to step up, to show leadership, to show he's in charge, he's in command and that he's at least trying to get something done."

The NY Times' editorial said, "We don’t know yet whether it was legal, but Gov. David Paterson of New York was right to take the plunge and name a lieutenant governor in an effort to break the increasingly damaging stalemate in Albany. He chose wisely, too, in picking Richard Ravitch for the post." The Daily News' editorial: "In a bold and masterful stroke, Gov. Paterson is moving to end the madness in Albany with the superb appointment of Richard Ravitch as lieutenant governor. This move is an all-around winner, and thank goodness Paterson had the guts to make it in the face of quibbling and questions about his legal authority. The benefits are manifold." But the Post's editorial board is wary of the legal road: "Now, it's true that the crisis revolves around rival claims to the Senate presidency -- and, once again, it is to be hoped that Paterson's action quickly resolves that question. But if it does not, lawsuits are certain. This will further muddy the waters -- and, sad to say, probably sully Ravitch's sterling reputation along the way, for Albany tarnishes everything it touches."

Will Smith To Star In World's Dumbest Movie?

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-09T13:41:45-05:00

Reportedly Will Smith and I Am Legend director Francis Lawrence may be teaming up for another Manhattan-centric blockbuster called The City That Sailed. The plot involves Smith, once again, destroying New York... but this time for love, not zombies. You see, according to Variety, his street magician character is also a father, "who lives on the opposite side of the ocean from his daughter. Their bond is so strong that it causes Manhattan to split off and float across the Atlantic." A strong bond, indeed, but is it as strong as Americans' bond to ridiculous blockbuster star vehicles? Count us in! We're excited to see it just to find out how the hell Manhattan squeezes between Governors and Ellis Islands.

Madoff News: Bernie Won't Appeal Sentence, Ruth Moving On Up?

Jen Chung — 2009-07-09T13:25:43-05:00

A lawyer for the $65 billion-dollar Ponzi scheme man says that there will be no appeal for 150-year sentence handed down to Bernard Madoff last week. Ira Lee Sorkin said, "The decision has been made, and that's it." Next up for Madoff is finding out where he'll spend the rest of his life—he requested to be sent to the Otisville federal prison. CNN Money notes that it's "70 miles northwest of New York City, where he used to reside in a $7 million apartment, ...and one of the closest medium-security prisons to New York City, where Madoff has family." Also, there's a "prison camp, textile factory, a full-time rabbi," and, according to a prison consultant, "one of the largest and most active religious programs for Jewish inmates in the Bureau of Prisons."

Speaking of apartments, Madoff's wife Ruth has been trying to look for an apartment, while denying any involvement in her husband's scheme. According to the Post, her broker just took a look at a one-bedroom place, going for $465,000, on East 90th Street—"The only unit listed for sale there is a one-bedroom, one-bathroom that takes up just 481 square feet -- 3,529 square feet less than her former four-bedroom duplex atop 133 E. 64th St., which federal authorities seized July 2. The fixer-upper is in serious need of renovations"—the listing mentions the unit needs "TLC"—"The hardwood floors are crying out to be refinished and repaired, the ceiling is missing large chunks of plaster, the walls are scuffed, the paint is peeling paint, and the cramped kitchen features orange linoleum on the floor and yellow Formica counters."

However, Madoff's lawyer scoffs, "Given her economic circumstances, it's completely ridiculous to even suggest that she would be looking to buy something." Yeah, she's totally looking for a rental—she knows how to ride the F train now, so maybe it's an outer-borough option!

Pencil This In

2009-07-09T13:21:25-05:00

We're bringing Pencil This In to you earlier with our new newsletter, GothamList. Sign up below for the daily scoop on concerts, readings, performances, and other events, which will arrive in your inbox first thing every morning Monday through Friday. You can get today's newsletter when you sign up.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email us at info(at)gothamist(dot)com

Judge Tells Gotti Jr. To Pass His Stones In The Hole

Billy Parker — 2009-07-09T13:10:11-05:00

Despite his claim that he had kidney stones that were more painful than going into labor, John Gotti Jr. was denied bail yesterday as he awaits his racketeering trial to start this September. A judge in Manhattan federal court yesterday said that there was no amount he could set bail at that "can reasonably assure the presence of the defendant and the safety of persons in the community." The Daily News said that Gotti showed up in court "in greenish prison garb that resembled hospital scrubs" and the paper agreed with Junior's claim that stones were more painful than childbirth. Also taking Gotti's side was arch-nemesis Curtis Sliwa, who nonetheless seemed to take glee in knowing how much pain the mob boss was in. Sliwa said, "I'm hoping they come at a prolific rate ... He can't have enough pain." Gotti's lawyer said that they do not plan to appeal the bail denial and that he believes his client has now fully passed the stones while he's been behind bars.

Bronx Zoo Debuts New Baby Sea Lion!

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-09T12:54:39-05:00

Photos by Julie Larsen Maher/WCS

Awww, the Wildlife Conservation Society has released the first photos of the new Bronx Zoo sea lion pup! Born to mom Clarice on June 23rd, you can see the little one (and the other sea lions) get fed at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. We have yet to hear back about the name or sex of this new pup, what do you think (s)he should be called?

Woman, Missing Since Tuesday, Presumed Dead

Jen Chung — 2009-07-09T12:37:03-05:00

A woman, last seen at a lower Manhattan office building on Tuesday night, is presumed to be dead, according to WCBS 2, which says the police are treating Eridania Rodriguez's disappearance as a homicide. A Gothamist reader mentioned on Contribute, "My building (2 Rector st) was completely shut down [Wednesday] with everyone evacuated. The story we got is that a cleaning woman didn't sign out last night and they had to shut it down to search for her. The family was apparently there this morning looking for her." A lawyer for Rodriguez's family says that the building's surveillance cameras caught her working, but did not capture her leaving the building. Also: "Relatives tell CBS 2 that the married mother of three, who was also a grandmother, didn't feel safe on the job and that a man who worked inside the building was scaring her. She had recently told her bosses she was going to leave her job because she feared for her safety."

Early Addition

Jen Chung — 2009-07-09T12:19:30-05:00

Photograph by ipodipoor on Flickr

From the Gothamist Newsmap: A large fight at W 184th St & St Nicolas Ave in Manhattan, a bank robbery at Jackson Ave & Pearson St in Queens and an MVA at River Pkwy & E233 St in the Bronx.
The Albany stalemate means NYPD recruits don't get to start. A 22-year-old Air Force veteran who was looking forward to being a cop said, "I was told because of what's going on in Albany, how they're being irresponsible, the class can't start."
The NYPD admitted it should have made the DWI arrest of a sergeant public sooner; the sergeant hit a pedestrian. Spokesman Paul Browne said, "There was a short period when there was additional investigation underway that required a short delay in making it public. Normally, I make such information public in a timely fashion. I should have done it sooner. I didn't."
After falling in the courthouse bathroom yesterday, 85-year-old Anthony Marshall is back on trial for allegedly stealing from his mother's fortune.
My Name is Earl star (until it was cancelled) Jason Lee got into a fight at Max Fish. It's unclear if the other patron was disparaging Scientology or saying Archie was screwing Mr. Weatherbee.
The NBA's lowering of the salary cap can only mean one thing: David Stern does not want LeBron to go to the Knicks!
A drug suspect was shot in the Bronx after pulling a fake gun.
For $7.5 million, you can get a three-story penthouse at Mulberry and Houston—easy access to San Gennaro!
Another crash on Waverly Avenue prompts a Brownstoner reader to ask if the Brooklyn street is now being treated as an Indy 500 track.
Blondie & Brownie gives the thumbs up to the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck's soft-serve vanilla with curried toasted coconut.
Senator Tom Coburn allegedly told Governor John Ensign to end his affair and pay his mistress and her husband millions to move from Las Vegas.

A Day Later, Hail Still Shocks Yonkers

Jen Chung — 2009-07-09T11:54:17-05:00

The hailstorm that hit Yonkers on Monday definitely left a trail of destruction in Yonkers. Thanks to the 80 MPH winds, a tree fell into Jennifer Crespo's home's chimney, which then crashed into her 7-year-old son's bedroom. Thankfully, little Trent slept in the basement—his parents didn't want to move him since he looked so peaceful; the boy told the Daily News, "I would be dead, and my mommy would be crying a whole lot," while his mom wept, "I'm just so grateful my son wasn't in his bed because it's covered with bricks." And 89-year-old Grace Martini shared a photograph of her basement—filled with three feet of hail! The NY Times spoke to the National Weather Service's Joe Polina, who said El Nino and global warming weren't the culprits, "Normally, we do see thunderstorms, some of which do become severe in spring and summer, but this year, especially with the amount of rain, it’s been a little on the abnormal side." Further, "The culprit is the polar jet stream: a fast-moving air current that controls the movement of fronts and weather systems and is usually north of New York by summer, he said. This year, the jet stream has stayed on a southerly course, causing more storms to develop."

NYCLU: Schools Are Safer Without Metal Detectors

John Del Signore — 2009-07-09T11:35:21-05:00

The NYCLU, the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, and Make the Road New York have released a report arguing that schools can create a safer environment without metal detectors and harsh discipline. The study, called "Safety with Dignity: Alternatives to Over-Policing Schools," is based on a year-long examination of six NYC schools with "at-risk" student populations that do not use metal detectors. According to the report, these schools have improved attendance, better student retention and graduation rates, and "dramatically fewer" criminal and non-criminal incidents and school suspensions than schools equipped with permanent metal detectors.

The Department of Education says that the study's claim to better graduation rates is false, and the NYPD counters that metal detectors have helped schools confiscate 22 guns last year and six guns so far this year. But NYCLU director Donna Lieberman says, "The schools profiled in this report prove that there are effective, real-world alternatives to making schools feel like jails. They show that treating students with dignity and respect is the best approach to producing good, safe schools." In a statement, Lieberman adds:

Students, some as young as five, that's kindergarten, were handcuffed or assaulted or taken to jail for infractions like cursing, talking back, writing on the desk, refusing to show ID, or turn over cell phones. And we've seen the emergence of a terrible phenomenon known as the school-to-prison pipeline, where instead of graduation and employment or college, large numbers of children, overwhelming low-income, Black and Latino children, are groomed for jail.

The NYCLU is recommending that the Department of Education discontinue metal detectors and emphasize alternative strategies to intervene with troubled students. According to NY1, the six schools in the study—Progress High School for Professional Careers (Brooklyn), Urban Assembly for Careers in Sports (Bronx), Humanities Preparatory Academy (Manhattan), Urban Academy and Vanguard High School (Manhattan), and Lehman High School (Bronx)—use student safety officers "who employ conflict resolution techniques, such as fairness counsels, where both students and teachers discuss infractions and how to deal with them."

The study also highlights an interesting stat: Since 1998, when Mayor Rudolph Giuliani transferred school security responsibilities to the NYPD, the number of police personnel in the schools soared by 62 percent, from 3,200 to 5,200. The police force in New York City schools is now the fifth largest police force in the country—there are more police in New York City schools than there are on the streets of cities such as Baltimore, Las Vegas, Boston and Washington D.C. Even schools like the elite Stuyvesant High School have been using metal detectors—not to detect weapons but to disarm cheaters who might use their mobile devices during a test.

]]>

Summer Restaurant Week Kicks Off Today With Hair!

John Del Signore — 2009-07-09T11:21:41-05:00

Peter Kramer/AP

If you're by Columbus Circle today you can get some free food with Hair! The cast of the hit Broadway revival will be performing at 12:45 to launch NYC's summer Restaurant Week at The Shops at Columbus Circle in the Time Warner Center. And if a stirring rendition of the show's popular "Sodomy" ditty isn't enough to pique your interest, be advised that the free event also includes free lunch: Five NYC Restaurant Week eateries—Tribeca Grill, Porter House New York, Spice Market, Bice Ristorante and DB Bistro Moderne—will be offering free tastings from noon to 2 p.m. (Free Coca-Cola, too, people!) Reservations are now being taken for Restaurant Week, which takes place from July 12th through July 31st, excluding Saturdays. (Some restaurants offer the deal on Sundays.) Prices at participating restaurants are $24.07 for three-course prix-fixe lunches and $35 for three-course prix-fixe dinners (excluding beverage, tax and gratuity). Peruse the full list of restaurants here, and head on over to the Time Warner Center (Broadway at 60th Street) now to crack wise about finding hair in your food. (NYC GO has a handy Twitter feed, too.)

Teens Throw Rock at Israeli Soldier... On The Upper East Side!

John Del Signore — 2009-07-09T10:48:27-05:00

An Israeli Army major, on vacation in New York with her family, was injured in the head when a giant rock smashed the windshield of the cab she was riding in on the FDR Tuesday night. The rock, allegedly dropped by two teens from an overpass near 71st Street, sent shards of glass into Gilat Raz's face above her left eye. Her 11-year-old daughter, Raz's sister and nephew were in the back and were unharmed. Raz, 41, tells the Daily News, "I've been driving in the West Bank, I've been in Gaza. I never imagined that New York would be where I'd get hit by a rock. It was scary how much I bled. The children were hysterical."

The cabbie rushed Raz to New York Hospital, where she received a couple stitches. Speaking to the Post, which got striking photos of a bloodied Raz and the damage to the cab, a witness says, "There was so much blood." Police say Caesar Estrella, 16, and Bajran Taipi, 15, dropped rocks on seven vehicles, five of them taxis, but Raz was the only one injured. A witness led cops to the suspects, who were caught hiding behind an SUV near the overpass; they're to be arraigned as adults on felony assault and reckless endangerment charges.

A police source says, "They were aiming for the cars, like target practice, and didn't care who they hurt." Raz's frightened children are now begging her to take them back home, and she may cut her vacation short and return to Israel before her July 20th departure. She says, "Listen, I love New York, but this changed something for me. I'm scared stiff right now."

Turtles Chose JFK Runway As Mating Spot

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-09T10:27:12-05:00

Ew, the Daily News uses the word "randy" to do so, but aw they tell us that the nearly 80 turtles who crawled onto the runway at JFK yesterday were there to make baby turtles! They were rudely interrupted however, when the "Port Authority workers rushed to the shell-covered runway about 8:30 a.m. and scooped up 78 diamondback terrapins." (According to WCBS 2, a "chorus of pilots" had radioed the tower to chime in about the "massive numbers" of turtles.) The breeding turtles, which are about 8 inches long and weigh 2 to 3 pounds each, were put into a pickup truck and moved back to Jamaica Bay. One Port Authority spokesman said, "Everybody had a good attitude considering it was turtles going off to hatch more turtles." And if they weren't, then what.... they get the Canada Geese treatment?

Cab Jumps Curb, Hits Four Pedestrians, No Charges Filed

John Del Signore — 2009-07-09T10:08:02-05:00

Courtesy Marc M.

A tipster sent us this photo of the aftermath of an accident yesterday on the Upper West Side, in which a cab jumped the curb on West 86th Street and struck four pedestrians. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured; paramedics took two men and a street vendor to St. Luke's with minor injuries, and a fourth pedestrian refused medical attention. Cabbie Hafiz Faheem tells the Daily News that a beer truck clipped him as he turned off Amsterdam Avenue: "He came behind me so fast, and he hit me. He was not paying attention or he was doing something." It's not yet clear what brand of beer was involved, or if any of the precious cargo was damaged in the incident.

State Senate GOP Stops Ravitch Appointment (For Now)

Jen Chung — 2009-07-09T09:46:31-05:00

While Governor Paterson may have appointed Richard Ravitch as his lieutenant governor, Senate Republicans are stopping that, by way of a court order signed at 12:23 a.m. "after a petition from the leaders of the Republican-dominated State Senate coalition, Pedro Espada Jr. and Dean Skelos," PolitickerNY reports. A hearing will be held in Mineola, NY tomorrow, because Skelos sought the order in his home county. Skelos, who would be majority leader if the Republicans do control the Senate, said of Ravitch's appointment, "I think it's a publicity stunt and totally illegal." Ravitch, the former head of the MTA, was sworn in at 8 p.m. last night, just three hours after Paterson's announcement.

Bullet Fragments Injure Cops As They Fire At Pit Bull

Jen Chung — 2009-07-09T09:20:30-05:00

Last night, three police officers were hit by bullet fragments when, WABC 7 reports, "they tried to thwart an attack by a pit bull terrier in a public housing complex on the Upper East Side." The pit bull's owner, who police say deliberately set the dogs on the cops, was also hit by a fragment. NYPD spokesman Deputy Commissioner Paul Brown said, "The bullets fragmented and shattered. They were in the hallway, a very confined space."

The cops were responding to a call about an assault at the First Avenue building between 93rd and 94th Streets. According to the Daily News, "When they got to the 11th floor of the 20-story building and knocked on the door of the apartment in question, a woman opened it and the snarling pit bull leaped out. All six cops went for their guns while trying to fend the dog off with their hands and feet, police said."

The cops fired at the dog, which was killed, while the other people in the apartment "barricaded themselves inside for about a half-hour" before later surrendering. The dog's owner Milagros Martinez was hit in the hand, while one cop was hit below the eye, another in the hand, and another hit on the nose by bullet fragments. Martinez may be charged today. Neighbors were not surprised, with one resident telling the Post, "That apartment has always been trouble. There's something always going on over there." And a young teen said of one of cops, "He's real nice. He always works on the block and he always has something nice to say."

Tim Hortons To Open Thirteen NY Stores On Monday

Hugh Merwin — 2009-07-09T08:50:55-05:00

Pat Kiernan will be very happy: The Riese organization, operators of scores of NYC chain restaurants, is closing its 13 Dunkin' Donuts outlets on Friday and re-opening them as brand-new Tim Hortons on Monday morning. The Nation's Restaurant News' story suggests someone's maple leaf prophecy has come to pass. After being dropped from Riese's roster, Dunkin' released a statement yesterday that alleged, among other things, they're still awesome and "in the past five years 244 new Dunkin’ Donuts shops have opened in New York City." The company also explained that a 2004 lawsuit citing "health and safety violations" led to the disenfranchisement decision; Riese denies it and says a five-year contract expired. With Dunkin' dissed and Starbucks plugging away at yet another reformulation, expect an onslaught of free coffee promotions in the next few weeks from all sides, especially around Midtown. The announcement comes on top of previous news that Tim Hortons will open three more locations to be co-branded with Cold Stone Creamery in August, including one inside Cold Stone's flagship Times Square store. Tim Hortons is a megapopular Canadian coffee and snacks chain named for its founder, an NHL record-holder who died in a 1974 car accident.

TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi, Comedians

Billy Parker — 2009-07-09T08:30:21-05:00

TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi first came into town from Chicago in 2003 to perform "TJ and Dave" at a couple of the local improv theaters, blowing away improv regulars and longtime performers alike with their two man show, the closest thing most people had seen to a legitimate, improvised one act play. For the last three and a half years, they've had a run at the Barrow Street Theater, where they've been able to draw theater crowds beyond the usual improv comedy variety. Their show has been described by a Chicago weekly as "an hour of subtle character development, verbal facility, and pantomimic agility that anticipates and plays off the audience's reactions" and by our own John Del Signore when he reviewed it as "a boldly imaginative high-wire act." This weekend they'll be performing it at the Barrow Friday through Sunday.

This weekend also finds the pair at 92Y Tribeca where they will be screening a documentary made about their Barrow Street show, "Trust Us, This Is All Made Up." The pair talked to us about the difficulty of bringing improv to film, why their style is the opposite of DIY and how their trips through town have a way or crossing paths with both drama and drag queens alike.

You guys come to town for the weekend every couple months to do your show. What's the adjustment to New York like? D: Well a couple of years ago, I got brought in to audition for a big shot filmmaker and it was a big thrill. A car came to get me at the airport. I'm feeling like I'm on top of the world. So at some point, I tell the driver, "You know what? It's a lovely day. I'm gonna go out and walk these extra couple blocks." I get out and I'm on top of the world and I stop to wait for the light. And there's a guy across from me in the passenger side of a work van. I'm just standing there and he's about three feet away from me. And he just says to me, "Nice nose. Fuck you." And off he drove. Makes me warm all over just thinking about it.

Do you both have families back in Chicago? D: I have the trappings of a family. I have a wife and two kids here in Chicago...that I live with. TJ: I am unwed, but I live with my brother in Chicago. The rest of my family is back in Massachusetts—in Holyoke, Mass. So they'll come visit. They'll take the train down and see the shows in New York usually. My mom literally loads up a van of 40 to 50 people—they'll load up a bus. My dad will cook up a bunch of snacks and they'll drive in during the day, all go out to eat in Little Italy, see the show and then go home. So these people ranging in age from 19 to 82 get back home at 4 in the morning and then drive home from the Holyoke Mall parking lot. They rally.

I've often thought TJ and Dave sounds like a fun buddy cop picture. Do you guys have a favorite buddy cop movie? D: They're not both cops, but if I had a favorite, it would be Midnight Run. TJ: Freebie and the Bean, I guess. James Caan, back in the '70s, one of the first supercop movies. "Hey, you guys. You gotta follow the book. I'd fire you except you're such great cops. Boy, you're mavericks. I've got the commissioner's foot up my ass. And the commissioner's got the mayor's foot up his ass. And the mayor's got the president up his ass." D: "This town's up to its armpits in dead supermodels!"

What's the greatest compliment you guys have ever received from another improviser? D: I stayed awake the whole time. TJ: I have a buddy now, Tim, who started coming to the show at the beginning of the Chicago run, so seven years ago now. And every once in a while, we'll recount a show pretty much top to bottom. So when he was touring with Second City, someone who was touring with him would say, "Oh my God, you don't know how often he would get in the van and recount the whole show for us on the drive." And to recap an hour-long improv show for people who didn't see had to be freakin' torture. But as an improviser who I respect so much, that he still has so much fondness and recall for that, that would be one of the highest.

D: And also really that improvisers and just folks I admire come and come back. They're not there out of duty, they're there cause they genuinely seem to enjoy themselves and there's a big compliment just in that. It's easy to get tired of improvisation when you're doing it and watching it and teaching it all the time. And they choose to watch our show and that's an honor.

Do you have any favorite improvisers here in New York? TJ: Most of my favorites have just recently left New York, but I love watching Kevin Dorff play. I love watching Scott Adsit and Brian Stack, Amy Poehler, (Jack) McBrayer. I knew the Chicago transfers a lot more than I know the New York folk. D: Lutz, Ali Farahnakian. Last time I saw him, he was doing a sketch show. He fuckin' cracks me up. TJ: Gethard—I like watching Chris Gethard a bunch.

What has led you to coming to New York to do this show on a regular basis versus doing in LA where it seems like it would be more pragmatic for your careers? D: Well, Los Angeles is a shithole. I don't think I'm letting the cat out of the bag on this one. Also, what's pragmatic and what's good for career doesn't often factor into our decision making. It's a horrible place. The crowds are not the same there. One of the things about New York audiences—this shows is heavily dependent on the participation, support and interest of an audience. And we find that here in Chicago and there in New York and don't find it in Los Angeles. The crowds are there for different reasons.

Have you guys ever considered taking the show on the road, touring with it? D; We have been around to different festivals to varying success. If people don't know what they're coming to, they're sadly disappointed. Especially at a comedy festival...especially at a comedy festival, especially at a comedy festival in another country just north of us in a theater off the beat and track when they're there to see stand-up and, say, we come out in the sweltering heat. TJ: "Theoretically"

Maybe they're there "just for laughs"...theoretically. D: And if they were to see us, they would sit there and stare, theoretically. TJ: What's French for "Just Not For Improv"?

Summer improv without an air conditioner is tough, man. Sometimes it seems like a competition between the performers and the audience as to who feels grosser. TJ: Even at our well-temperatured shows, it's a competition of who feels grosser. D: We usually do things that make us feel—well, make us all feel gross. TJ: But in all honesty about touring the show, I think both David and I feel too detached if we're away from Chicago for too long. I'm involved with other improv shows and David for work and the family, four weeks in a van sounds like a long time to be away. D: We do occasionally go somewhere to perform for a weekend. We've taken a dozen or so trips. TJ: As for what's good for career, I don't think we're savvy or motivated enough to seek out booking a bunch of venues. I think most of the time we've been places, it's been because someone's been nice enough to invite us. D: Yeah, maybe if they could all get it together and put a bunch in a row, in geographically successive places. TJ: And tell us how to drive there.

Funny, I think I bring up the road in search of some link between comedy and punk, the DIY nature of touring. And what you just described sounds like the antithesis of DIY. D: Which is basically our theory regarding improvisation as well—we don't have to do anything. TJ: We do YDFU—You Do it For Us.

Did you guys train with Del Close? TJ: I only had Del for a very short time. D: I did, for about five years. He directed me at Second City and we wrote a show together and performed it and performed as fellow actors in a play. Our show was called "Del and Dave in a Rehearsal for the Apocalypse." We did monologues and conversations and a little scene, told stories.

People love sharing crazy Del stories. Do you have any you could pass along? I think he was done with his craziness, the adventurous roller skating with a torch on his head in the sewers. I didn't do any of that with him. Just being around him was interesting. He was a smart guy.

As someone who knew him, do you feel like you've watched him become more of a myth over time? No—when he was around, he was a myth. I think it's wholly justified that he is always associated with long-form improvisation because it's his. For anyone doing long-form improvisation, they are the beneficiaries of his hard work and influence.

How did this documentary come about? TJ: Alex Karpovsky, a filmmaker in New York, was dragged to our show, does not care for and does not see much improvisation. Someone else who doesn't see much improv had seen our show and told him he should go see these guys. And he came with no other intention other than fulfilling an obligation. But then he did and he contacted us and asked us to make a documentary about it.

Was there any hesitation about filming improv and knowing how difficult it is to make that translate? TJ: Absolutely, that was most of the conversations that we had. Because people had expressed interest before and come in and shot it and it doesn't look good when you shoot improvisation conventionally. And he didn't. He brought in eight cameras and set em up all over. Some of em were manned and some of em were locked down. We know what shitty improv looks like on camera—I've been in plenty of it. He made it look very cinematic. It's still a live performance and there's no editing for content. But the way he moves around with the camera, I think it's interesting.

Did he just tape one show? TJ: In large part, the film is one performance. It's us walking around beforehand, getting ready for the show, one entire performance and then some talk after. D: It's like a concert film.

Did you guys think it was a good show? TJ: I think it's representative of the kinds of shows we do. It's one show out of...how many have we done? 500? But yeah, I think it's representative. D: He's a very good filmmaker and having watched other things Alex has made, he's got great ideas and he knows what he wants and he's got good ideas about how to get that. And on top of that, he's just a really nice fella as well. A talented man. TJ: We did what we do, but he did a great job.

TJ, I know you do you've been in those Sonic Drive-Thru commercials for years. They're finally opening one in our area after years of people saying, "Why do they air those commercials here?" Yeah, and they seem to take out their anger at me specifically. But this is interesting because my friend Maureen just called me yesterday and told me that there's one opening up in Michigan and my friend Karen called me last week and told me that there's one opening up outside of Boston. So I don't know if there's a big push northward or what. D: Now does that jive with their politics? TJ: Well I believe they call it not "the war of Northern Aggression" but "the war of Southern Discomfort."

Do you guys have a favorite "only in New York" story? TJ: A few years back, we used to walk past St. Vincent's Hospital on the way to work, from Chelsea down Seventh to the theater. What was it, gay pride weekend? D No, Halloween. TJ: Halloween, whatever. They're interchangeable. That emergency room now has tinted windows or blinds, but it used to just be like a fishbowl. And on Halloween night at around 2 a.m., the waiting room at St. Vincent's Hospital was just tremendous. D: We would walk by and play "Guess That Ailment." Stab wound. Poisoning. Domestic battery. TJ: Drama queen.

Drama queen's a chronic illness. TJ: Oh man, it's brutal. And apparently it needs emergency attention on occasion. Halloween certainly being one. Yeah, there's too much attention being spread elsewhere.

D: I used to work in Atlantic City and the girl I was dating who I'm now married to used to live at 82nd and Central Park West. And I used to get off at the Port Authority and walk up Eighth, twenty-something years ago. That was crazy. It was just great, insanity. Some lady, some lady-lookin' thing would come up to you and grab your...uhh, grab your joint and say, "You want a blow job?" And your response is always, "No thank you, sir." That doesn't happen to me elsewhere.

I don't think it happens here anymore. Eighth Avenue isn't Eighth Avenue anymore.

]]>

Stephen Baldwin's "House Guest" Arrested

Jen Chung — 2009-07-09T08:18:47-05:00

Actor Stephen Baldwin had invited a homeless man to live in the cottage on his Rockland County estate—and now that cops have arrested the man on heroin charges. Apparently Baldwin, aka the youngest Baldwin, met the 51-year-old Jimmy Parks who was living in a tent near a McDonald's in Central Nyack; Baldwin, a born-again Christian, offered him shelter at his home in Upper Grandview. However, police became suspicious after people started to head to the cottage—Parks was allegedly dealing drugs. State Police Capt. Joseph Tripodo said, "Mr. Baldwin didn't have anything to do with this. He's says he's deeply religious and tried to help the guy out. The guy was down on his luck and he loaned him some money and gave him a place to live." Related: The actor has recently been having some mortgage problems.

Last Night's Action: Mets Win! Mets Win!

Tom Boorstein — 2009-07-09T00:01:00-05:00

Photograph by Frank Franklin II/AP

Mets 5, Dodgers 4: Oliver Perez returned and threw five decent innings as the Mets got some offense to snap a four-game losing streak and win for just the third time in 12 games. A three-run third that included RBIs from David Wright, Ryan Church and Jeremy Reed helped the Mets open this game up. Staked with a two-run lead in the ninth, Francisco Rodriguez gave up a homer to Manny Ramirez and then needed a double play to wriggle off the hook. Livan Hernandez faces Randy Wolf in Thursday's finale.

Yankees 4, Twins 3: Alex Rodriguez -- yes, him -- had the deciding RBI as the Yankees won their second straight in Minnesota. A.J. Burnett uncorked three wild pitches and didn't have his best stuff but still got the win. He walked four and struck out only two as he pitched into th e seventh. Phil Hughes picked up Phil Coke, who served up an opposite-field homer to Joe Mauer, and Mariano Rivera got a four-out save. Alfredo Aceves starts Thursday's matinee.

Greenpeace Scales Mt. Rushmore For Climate Change

Jen Chung — 2009-07-08T21:30:21-05:00

Photograph from Greenpeace

With President Obama in L'Aquila, Italy for the G8 Summit, three Greenpeace activists unfurled a banner on Mount Rushmore, next to Abraham Lincoln's likeness. The Washington Post reports, "The banner showed President Obama's face -- Greenpeace said it was an unfinished portrait, implying that Obama's legacy was in question -- and the words 'America honors leaders not politicians: Stop Global Warming.'" And soon after, the three climbers and other Greenepace activists were arrested.

Greenpeace's Carroll Muffet states on the organization's website, "We are at a key moment in history when we must challenge our president to take real leadership. The steps taken so far have been frankly inadequate. If President Obama wants to take his place among the great leaders of history, he must take aggressive measures to combat climate change and prioritize a strong deal in Copenhagen. We're here at Mount Rushmore to inspire Americans to take action, and remind the world that heroism and leadership are part of our nation’s history — and must be a part of our future." Here's video:

The activists were charged with illegal climbing and trespassing, each facing a max of six months in prison and possibly up to $5,000 in fines. According to CNN, "The charged protesters came from eight states, including California and New York. The banner was up for an hour before it was seized." Apparently the National Park Service is holding the 2,275 square foot banner as evidence.

Extra, Extra

Billy Parker — 2009-07-08T19:00:10-05:00

Photo taken in Coney Island by MelissaJMurphy on flickr

From the Gothamist Newsmap: a shooting on 93rd St in Brooklyn, pedestrians struck at 86th St and Amsterdam Ave in Manhattan and a suspicious package at Wave St and Bay St on Staten Island.
The 5 train will begin extending its service into Brooklyn during the hours in between morning and evening rush hours.
A former Monmouth County, NJ police chief has been indicted on charges of sexually assaulting a girl between the ages of 12 and 14.
Mayor Bloomberg may have announced plans to help the media industry, but will it be enough?
Basil thievery in Carroll Gardens is getting so serious that it's beginning to leave children disturbed.
A photographer snuck some Photoshopping into the NY Times Magazine.
Even though he's still in the hospital recovering from heart surgery, Ed Koch got in his endorsements for the comptroller and public advocate races...along with a Brooke Astor joke.
The woman accusing Marion Barry of stalking her released tapes of voicemails so salacious that they shut down the server of the newspaper that released them, as web surfers came just to hear what sex act turned the pair into a modern-day Ike and Tina Turner.
In case you blinked and missed it, today included the moment 12:34.56 7/8/9.
Nails in the coffin of a financial analyst's career: Lenny Dykstra has filed for bankruptcy protection.
Police have confirmed that the Steve McNair-Sahel Kazemi case was a murder-suicide. After shooting McNair in his sleep, it's believe Kazemi sat on the couch next to him and positioned herself for her head to fall in his lap upon shooting herself.
Before passing away, the grandson of Oscar Mayer specifically requested that the Wienermobile not make an appearance at his funeral.
And the Oversharer of the Week Award goes to this young woman who reveals all the gritty details of what it was like to have a one night stand with Screech.