The Department of Transportation will begin construction on much-needed safety improvements along Delancey Street next week, according to a spokesman. In addition to different signal timing and improved traffic patterns, the city will widen sidewalks and thus shorten crosswalks at 14 of 19 locations, most notably at Clinton Street and Delancey Street, where a pedestrian plaza of sorts will shorten the crosswalk by 49 feet. A source familiar with the project says it should take no longer than a month to complete. more ›

Around 8 a.m. this morning we received an alert that a man was threatening to jump from his balcony on the Lower East Side. Now the NY Post has more details (and a photo), reporting that the incident took place at 257 Clinton Street, where the unidentified man was hanging from a 16th floor balcony allegedly readying to jump. But by 9:50 a.m. he was safely in police custody after he "gave up and he decided to go back into the apartment"—not before pointing to one of the Post's photographers, however. more ›

Around 4:30 p.m., a shooting was reported on East Houston near Clinton Street. According to police radio, two men fled the scene and one of the perps went into a building on Clinton. We received two tips from readers: "Shooting on Clinton St. - block between Houston and Stanton shut down. Residents can't enter their apartments" and "Gun shot through the window of banco popular on Houston & D. Swat teams moving in, dogs, crazy!" more ›

Yesterday Gawker posted about a little-known LES space that, if you know the secret handshake, will open its doors to you. Once inside you'll find a reception room, a capacious old theater space... even fishtanks. The night Gawker stumbled in they found a band playing, and in booze-induced wonderment, took a short video clip. The clip was included in the post yesterday but now both have disappeared, becoming as mysterious as this secret club itself! more ›

Community Food & Juice: If you like the Clinton Street Baking Company, you'll like Community Food & Juice. DeDe Lahman and Neil Kleinberg bring the magic uptown with not only the same delicious comfort food, but this time with spot that meets Green Restaurant Association guidelines. 2893 Broadway, between 112th and 113th Streets, 212-665-2800. more ›

On tap for this year’s 33rd Annual Atlantic Antic festival, taking this Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM (rain or shine, buddy) is the usual bonanza of pony rides, live music, and balloon animals. This year’s Antic has an added emphasis on food, which should hopefully make it a remedy to all the street fair food fatigue that’s been going around recently. more ›

FUNDRAISER: It's the 3rd Annual Summer, Sex and Spirits cocktail and shopping extravaganza. Planned Parenthood of New York City (PPNYC), in conjunction with Brooklyn Indie Market join forces for the fundraiser, "an evening of mixing and mingling with retail therapy!" There will be $4 drink specials, 1/2 price sangria pitchers, a deejay and a giveaway...we're also guessing everyone will walk away with at least one free condom. more ›

Sad news about Sludgie the whale: The baby minke whale, who captivated our attention as he frolicked in the Gowanus Bay, died yesterday afternoon. He beached himself near Clinton Street around 5PM. more ›

EVENT: Charles Ray, who is thirty years deep in the art world, will be at the New School tonight for a Public Art Fund talk. The leader of the "conceptual realism" movement with a "lively, self-deprecating sense of humor" will discuss his "virtuoso craftsmanship" and his depiction of "familiar elements of everyday life and modern art in disarmingly altered ways." more ›

Without much fanfare last July, Alex Stupak replaced Sam Mason as pastry chef at Wylie Dufresne's Clinton Street avant-garde institution WD~50. Prior to arriving in New York, Stupak, who will turn 27 later this month, had already accrued a blockbuster resume- most notably he was the pastry chef at Alinea in Chicago, named the #1 restaurant in the United States by Gourmet magazine in 2006. Last week, Stupak talked with Gothamist while plating one his desserts at WD~50. more ›

run in the travel section. more ›

Or at least you can get your fat on. You can start by hitting up the newly opened Popeye's Fried Chicken at 40th Street between 7th and 8th. And of course you'll need to follow it up with some pancakes. Lucky for you, IHOP is giving them away free until 10 p.m. today! Here's a list of nearby IHOPs, for your convenience. more ›

There's always some sort of trouble in West Chelsea. Last night, two off-duty police officers were assaulted by a group around 4AM. Officers Richard Lomax and Robert DeFazio, friends who both graduated from the Police Academy last year, were in a Ford Explorer that apparently slid on ice at West 28th Street and 10th Avenue. They rear-ended a Nissan Maxima, whose driver and passengers were not happy: Lomax, who was driving, and DeFazio got out of the car, and the Maxima's passengers attacked them as Lomax was dialing 911. more ›

Gotta love an event called "Gluttony," although we were sad to learn there wasn't any food involved. Atlantic food writer Corby Kummer pulls together chefs Mario Batali and Dan Barber (pictured), and James Beard Award winning writer Barbara Kafka to discuss whether the newest high-tech equipment glorifies or destroys the freshest low-tech ingredients. 1:00 PM in South Court Auditorium of The New York Public Library. Arrive early for best seat selection; doors open 30 minutes prior to event. $15 general admission and $10 library donors, seniors and students with valid identification. Tickets available online; use discount code LIVE2 for $5 off the ticket price. more ›

Yesterday, a jury found 21 year old Rudy Fleming guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Nicole duFresne. Fleming was also found guilty of various robbery and weapons charges stemming the January 2005 incident on Clinton Street. He and his friends had been robbing and scaring people, and when they came across duFresne, her fiance, and their friends; Fleming pistolwhipped fiance Jeffrey Sparks and duFresne reportedly confronted Fleming, saying, "What are you going to do, shoot us?" Fleming did shoot duFresne, but his defense attempted to argue that the gun went off by accident (witnesses disagreed). Fleming, who did not attend the trial, had been on parole for gun possession during the shooting. He now faces a maximum of life in prison without parole; his sentencing will be on November 30. The cases of his accomplices are sitll pending. more ›

The owner of Lower East Side bar Barramundi has sued over the liquor license moratorium the State Liquor Authority enacted in Manhattan in September. The SLA has indefinitely halted new licenses for any establishments within 500 feet of other watering holes - and in the Lower East Side, it's like you can't trip without running into a place that serves a drink. Anthony Powe was given community board approval to take over the bar in the spring, so he closed on the 67 Clinton Street building - and took on a $4.15 million mortgage. The NY Sun reports that even four months after Powe applied for a license, the SLA hadn't done anything, so when the agency said no more licenses would be issued, Powe realized he might get screwed as his temporary licenses expired last month. That is a problem - we wonder if there are more establishments left in a lurch. more ›

If you’ve been to Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, or Carroll Gardens and kept your eyes open while you were there, you’ve noticed that empty yellow cabs are always cruising up Clinton Street on their way back to Manhattan. What you might not have noticed is that they often make pit stops for a quick bite before crossing the bridge. Quite a few of my cabbie colleagues are Middle Easterners, and they each have their own personal favorite amongst the cluster of cheap, authentic, and delicious Middle Eastern restaurants along Atlantic Avenue. Having tried a number of their recommendations over the years, I’ve chosen my own favorite: Waterfalls Café. more ›

- Have Metrocard, will eat: the Taste of the New York Subway guide is a directory of New York City restaurants within 200 meters of a subway station organized by stop. more ›

Just over a year old, but with a window full of gastronomic accolades, former Le Cirque pastry chef Iacopo Falai's eponymously named Clinton Street joint radiates with new flavor and experimentation of Florentine style brought to the Lower East Side. With white tile, white tables, white chairs, white candles, and a white-bricked garden, Falai relies upon the reflections of dining patrons in the mirrors and the color of food on plates to bring color where color is due. When Gothamist visited on a recent night, reservations were required even for an early seat--upon sitting waiters hovered with the night's menu, immediately taking beverage orders and reciting the evening's specialties. more ›

When a restaurant like Frankies 457 in Carroll Gardens decides to open another outpost, it's like bringing the world its younger, addictive, potentially more endearing younger brother. Welcome Frankies 17. A 26-seat rustic sliver at 17 Clinton Street, the new Frankies-- the little Frankies--boasts an identical menu cooked up by the Franks: Frank Castronovo (formerly of Bouley and Bocuse) and Frank Falcinelli (formerly of Moomba). more ›

DeDe Lahman, Co-Owner, Clinton St. Baking Company more ›

Gothamist loves indulging in weekend brunch just as much as the next person, but the hour long lines that linger outside downtown favorites like Clinton Street Baking Co. and Prune, can drive even enthusiasts away. Head up Avenue B and you'll find yourself at Rue B, where an all-inclusive $10 covers a breakfast cocktail, endless cup of coffee, and generously sized entree, served without the rush of those scowling at you from the long line awaiting outside. "Eggs Corleone," a house variation of eggs benedict, is served atop sheer slices of prosciutto with slightly sweet blood orange hollandaise. Rosemary speckled hash browns accompany, though this can be replaced with a mixed green salad at one's request. Another entree pairs lightly grilled asparagus with freshly shaved parmagiano, two eggs cooked to order, and two thick wedges of toasted Italian bread. For those with a sweet tooth, vanilla french toast comes with a side of bacon (and for $2 more, two eggs), and fresh fruit pancakes arrive three-to-a-plate. With variations on reliable favorites, like fried eggs with truffle oil, and overstuffed omelettes filled with a smattering of meat, cheese, and vegetable fillings, Rue B offers both a satisfying menu and a leisurely weekend crowd happy to savor each bite. more ›

Ask.Metafilter is our favorite answer site-- the NYC tag provides a weekly dose of New York questions and answers. This week, the theme seems to be food: more ›

Payard Pâtisserie & Bistro will be hosting a Christmas Eve lunch with a Bûche de Noël tasting. Warm Maine crab with oakwood shiitake, Kalijira rice galette and mushroom broth will begin the meal followed by roasted pheasant breast with leg confit, Hokkaido squash, baby brussel sprouts, apples, sage and black truffle jus. Then, it's on to the Bûches de Noël -- in more than one variety! You can taste the Saumur chestnut version with ginger syrup and candied chestnut cream or the Louvre yule log filled with hazelnut and chocolate mousse with hazelnut dacquoise. If neither of those rock your world, try the White Christmas log filled with white chocolate mousse and Mandarin jelly with crispy layers of white chocolate or the Beaux Art with Cassis mousse, passion fruit cream and sablé Breton. $35 per person, 12 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Call 212-717-5252 for reservations. Payard Patisserie & Bistro, 1032 Lexington Ave. more ›

Gothamist has been on a perpetual quest to find the perfect Bloody Mary for about 3 years now. Perhaps this quest has been created as an excuse to drink before noon, but it seems that in a city with over 2,000 brunch options, finding a good Bloody Mary has resulted in the Goldielocks complex. They have been too spicy, too bland or have enough horseradish in them to choke, well a horse. Recently, Gothamist’s luck has changed – and it’s about bloody time. more ›

- An Eater reader spotted a sign on the window of the space that was briefly Yumcha from Marc Murphy, the chef and owner of Landmarc, announcing his intention to open a new oyster bar after minimal renovation. Andrea Strong now reports that it will be named Watermarc. more ›

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It's unclear why the Snack Dragon Taco Shack even has a listing on Menupages, because there's not much of a menu, per se. They sell four types of "California-Mexican/New York Style Tacos": Carne Asada, Chicken Verde, Quinoa Pilaf & Bean (vegetarian), and Carnitas. But if you're only going to do one thing -- do it well. And Snack Dragon does. more ›

Any restaurant whose URL reads greatbiscuits.com is worthy of review and Gothamist is happy to report that the Clinton Street Baking Co. does, in fact, have great biscuits. A plate of five buttermilk mini biscuits, served in lieu of rolls at the start of the meal is part of the rave-reviewed Lower East Side locale’s recently expanded dinner menu. more ›

The NY Times noted the similarity between this incident and Burke O'Brien's death on Orchard Street two years ago. The O'Brien murder also occured in the early morning, around 4AM. This makes Gothamist think that even though the Lower East Side is hopping with bars and activity, like any part of the city, it's vulnerable at night. more ›