Results tagged “doorsopen”

Last year we visited 1520 Sedgwick Avenue's past and uncertain future. The "Birthplace of Hip Hop" was, and still is, in danger of losing its lifeblood when the landlord (BSR Management) announced they wanted to abandon the Mitchell-Lama program. Essentially buying out of the program and leaving the doors open for a rent increase. Then things got worse when BSR made it clear they would be selling the building to a real estate mogul Mark Karasick, which was set to happen next month.

When the stagehands’ strike ended late Wednesday night, the general consensus was that not all Broadway productions would be able to pull it together in time for Thursday night re-openings. But as it turned out, all 27 strike-darkened shows were up and running last night, despite the challenges that larger productions faced after 19 dormant days. Chicago, for instance, had two stars joining the cast – Vincent Pastore and Aida Turturro of “The Sopranos” –...

A report compiled by New York City Transit indicates that delays in on-time performance by subway trains have increased every since 2004. According to The New York Times, the delays are worst during the subway rush hour, when 8% of trains fail to perform according to schedule. The NYC Transit report cited track work as by far the largest cause of delays, as transit employees attempt to modernize or even repair the subway. But...

A Columbia Law grad is suing a cabbie for grabbing her by the hair and bashing her head against his cab's partition after calling her and her friend "bitches." According to The New York Post and court papers filed by 25-year-old Mei Ying Lai, cab driver Fazal Wali picked up the young woman on West 51st St., but became impatient when asked to wait for her friend, Nancy Hon, at West 29th St. Hon reportedly wandered off from the meeting point and Wali became infuriated.

We're just going to get this out of the way: Justin Timberlake is bringing deep-fried pickle-sicles back. The modern day song and dance man has gone and opened his very own restaurant called Southern Hospitality (at 1460 2nd Ave and 76th St). It opened last night to a crowd of A-listers people you may have heard of, hankering for some barbecue. Amongst the items offered are deviled eggs, pulled pork, mac-n-cheese, fried catfish, and yes...the aforementioned pickle treat (we hope JT took his indigestion pills last night).

Some venues close and reopen in lower rent areas (like Luna Lounge) and some shut their doors forever (CBGB). Most recently, the Roxy called it quits and Sin-e and Tonic have announced their closings as well. Tonic was saved two years ago (we interviewed one of the owners at the time), and they have not yet announced why they're closing for good this time (they'll shut down in two weeks). As far as smaller downtown venues go, we're left with some less than ideal spaces: the Annex, the Delancey and Fat Baby - none of which have ever been a favorite to see a show at. Seems if Pianos, Cake Shop and the recently made-over Knitting Factory can manage to keep their doors open, they'll be the places to go (though the Todd P shows and their ever-changing venues are probably the best option in town).

City Councilwoman Gale Brewer is introducing an intriguing bill: Business owners would be fined if they keep their windows or doors open while the air-conditioning is on. The NY Sun reports that the bill would "make it illegal for windows to be open while an air conditioner is operating and would require all doors to be closed except to allow people to enter or exit a building." The fine would be $200 per open window or door!

NYC Sunset: streaks in the sky, by Sidewalk Story. Tag yours "gothamist" on Flickr if you want us to use them.

We stopped by 11 Spring yesterday for a quick visit. Lines around the block, but everyone was polite and things seemed to be moving pretty fast. If you come on Saturday, please try to be patient-- and if you're in a hurry, get there early! The doors open at 11am.

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.

Funny - the Daily News reports that subway conductors were told to hype the "Top of the Rock" observation deck when they pull into the 47-50 Streets Rockefeller Plaza station. While motormen and conductors think the "order is unprecedented," MTA spokesman Tom Kelly explains that it's just a free "courtesy" to let people know about attractions.

A spokeswoman for Tishman Speyer, co-owners of Rockefeller Center, was tight lipped. "We are declining to comment," the spokeswoman said.

Continue reading "Hyping Attractions on the Subway PA"

Are you a fantasy baseball nut who finds your loyalties divided between your fantasy team and your real team? Are you a Mets fan who “owns” Chipper Jones, a Yankee fan with Curt Schilling on the roster? Maybe you are one of the millions who hate Duke Basketball.

A five-alarm blaze hit a historic building in SoHo last night that injured six firefighters and one civilian. The fire was brought under control this morning by 198 firefighters and 44 units. 1010 WINS is reporting that the fire is being called "suspicious" as it started in a utility room and spread through the building's ventilation system. The historic 575 Broadway, estimated to be worth $15 million, is home to the flagship $40 million Prada store designed by Rem Koolhaas. The building structure is safe, but a FDNY representative told the Post that "It's pretty nasty."

Since it's obviously National Hangover Week and no one does hangovers better than New York artists, it's a rather slow week (again!) in readings and literary events. Next week looks like it's picking up a fair bit, though, and we're excited about several events, so tune in next Tuesday.

It's the holidays, and we're pretty sure that most of you are still comatose on the couch suffering from either an eggnog overdose or a family overdose, pick your poison! But in case there are still five or six of you wondering what you'll do without a reading, here's your solution.

NY Times food critic Frank Bruni's review of Japanese eatery Ninja made the downtown sub-basement restaurant sound so awful that Gothamist is tempted to go there ourselves. Instead of shelling out $110 for a ticket to see Wicked on Broadway, you can travel through a warren of Shoji screens and have ninjas wait on you hand and foot! Bruni writes, "Each party of diners receives its own nook, which quickly takes on the aspect of a jail cell as the ninjas, delivering and removing dishes, laboriously slide the latticed doors open and closed, closed and open, ad infinitum." It's just like going to Japan, except without the geishas or jetlag! Sure, the sushi isn't that great, but don't you want your servers to be screaming in your ears for a purpose? And don't you want to have a dessert in the shape of a bonsai tree? We'd splurge on an insane night of dining because we're never going to save enough to be rich for the rest of our lives. Admit it - you're intrigued now as well.

The MTA's newfound riches of $833 million (from unexpected tax revenues) met a chorus of different ideas, from no fare hike in 2007, more security, improving reliability. The Daily News say Mayor Bloomberg would like the MTA not to hike fares in 2007, however Newsday says that City Council Speaker Gifford Miller explicitly said 2007 fare hikes should be avoided and Mayor Bloomberg "stopped short" of saying the MTA shouldn't raise 2007 fares. Okay, we get it - the pols want to earn voters' good will by keeping fares down. Gothamist wondered why the money couldn't defray the planned 2006 fare hike as well (and the NY Times says the MTA could do that "if it chose to" even with its plans to spend money on other areas), but given that the MTA has serious fiscal problems, we'd just be getting higher fares in a couple years. If only they could sell railyards for cash every year!

Yesterday, the subways were plagued by problems, from a track fire in Brooklyn that caused problems for the 2, 3, 4, and 5 trains to an investigation at Columbus Circle that held up B and C service. So, in the past week, the 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 trains, plus B and C, have been affected. Number 1 train, you're next! (Gothamist actually hopes not.) The Brooklyn track fire was caused by garbage ignited by the third rail. Gothamist implores any inventors, tinkerers or high school students who want to win science competitions to please please please develop a machine that can sweep garbage off subway tracks. It's unclear who has been leaving garbage in subway tunnels (the MTA crews? the mole people? the rats?), but it is clear that track fires suck. The City Council will be convening a special meeting to discuss the state of the subways next week; at this point, it seems like the state of the subways needs to be a monthly meeting.

Gothamist (and, um, not ALL of Gothamist - but this part) has a love-hate thing with Conor Oberst. He is talented, but he doesn't really live up to the insane number of magazine covers he's been on this year [] we liked what we heard, but ultimately left wondering how he sold out Town Hall three nights consecutively.

take them to a nice Christmas dinner on the 25th. Do you know of any restaurants that have special Christmas menus on the big day?

Monday: you're tired, you slept in too late, you were late for work (well, those things apply to us today)... you just know it's going to be an uphill battle all week. Turn that frown upside down, people! Because tonight local comedian Eugene Mirman celebrates the release of his new two-disc comedy CD/DVD, .

Don't blame yourself. Gothamist was fooled too. We thought the fancy-schmancy food court at the Time Warner Center was going to be the second coming. But with Thomas Keller's Per Se going up in smoke in its first week, Frank Bruni's one-star spanking of Jean-Georges Vongerichten's V Steakhouse, and openings for Charlie Trotter and Gray Kunz still months away at best, things are looking glum on the upper floors of the Columbus Circle über-mall.

There was the infamous episode of L.A. Law where Rosalind fell down an elevator shaft to her death; many think that's when the show jumped the shark.