To celebrate the organization's centennial, the Boy Scouts of America are holding their annual Jamboree in Virginia. But for city scouts who couldn't make the schlep, there's always the great wild wonder of...Times Square. Scouts from Troop 36 of Pearl River in Rockland County camped out in the middle of Manhattan this weekend, setting up ropes courses and canoes during the day. But though it seems like a lot of fun, there's a lot at stake for some local scouts. more ›

Listening to Philadelphia duo Pattern is Movement for the first time can perhaps best be described as taking a ride through Disney's "It's a Small World After All", with each country representing a different period of music. It's a lot to take in, as sounds of the past are layered upon each other to create modern arrangements unlike anything you've heard before, while somehow remaining distantly familiar. more ›

Last week the Origami Tree went up in all its folded glory, and pretty soon all eyes will be on the "most famous tree in the world" when the Rockefeller Center's spruce gets lit up (with LEDs!). amNewYork spoke to David Murbach, the gardens manager at Rockefeller Center, who drives the back roads of the Northeast looking for trees each year prior to doing an aerial survey in the winter months to see which evergreens... more ›

With the NJ Supreme Court decision that gay couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples just one day old, it's still unclear whether or not New York will accept a NJ same-sex civil union or marriage, though it has with other states. Mayor Bloomberg said, "New York City has a policy of accepting bona-fide marriages from other jurisdictions. I've always believed it's not the government's business whom you marry." And City Council Speaker Quinn who is openly gay said, "New York State's Legislature must also act to address this injustice in New York so that all citizens are treated equally on both sides of the Hudson River." more ›

It's my name, Daniel Smith. I really had no choice in the matter. Christopher is my middle name; that's the secret part. more ›

On Sundays, Gothamist runs opinion pieces, mostly to amuse ourselves. Don't blame us for anything written below. more ›

Kerik and Von Essen's actions came under the most fire during the hearings, with Commisssioner John F. Lehman saying their planning was faulty, not worthy of the Boy Scouts, let alone this great city." Von Essen then responded, "You make it sound like everything went wrong on Sept. 11. I think it's outrageous that you make a statement like that." When current police commissioner Raymond Kelly testified, he admitted that the city wouldn't be prepared to deal with 10,000 possible victims today, as well as emphasized the city's need for more federal dollars towards protection. more ›