Elettaria: Hendrix shredded here once upon a time, when it was a music venue called The 8th Wonder, but now the stage is an open kitchen and South Asian-spiced American dishes are the stars. Decorated by the man behind Allen & Delancey, the seductive 72-seat interior (pictured) features a rustic reclaimed barn-wood ceiling, plush banquettes, old-world paintings and exposed brick walls. Appetizers include a dish of dayboat sea scallops with celery root puree, oxtail, Meyer lemon and cilantro leaves, while entrées like roasted chicken with sweet and sour tomato ravioli and smoked sunchokes sound irresistible. Behind the 14-seat steel bar, Death & Co. alums concoct their fancy cocktails. 33 West Eighth Street, (212) 677-3833. more ›

8th Street Wine Cellar: This long awaited cozy wine bar is a welcome addition to the block between 5th and 6th Avenues in Greenwich Village. Union Square Cafe alums Michael Lagnese and Jonny Cohen are offering an excellent and diverse selection of wines both by the glass and by the bottle, in addition to a full bar, and have a tasty-looking small plates menu, featuring cheese, charcuterie, oysters sandwiches, and even pigs in blankets. 28 West Eighth Street, (212) 260-9463. more ›

A bicyclist and three pedestrians were injured as a man driving a stolen van jumped a curb in an attempt to escape the police. The incident occurred on Eighth Street, as the police - driving one of those undercover patrol cars that look like taxis - were pursuing the van up University Place. The driver "made a hard right onto Eighth," according to the Post, which also has pictures. more ›

BusinessWeek assistant managing editor and blogger Bruce Nussbaum may have been one of the 40 most powerful people in design (back in 2005), but he was no match for State Supreme Court Justice Edward J. McLaughlin. more ›

With the Bowery Hotel now open, Gothamist thought it was worth taking one final look at the Bowery of the 1970s and '80s through the lens of Luc Sante, author of Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York. more ›

A horrifying tragedy in Brooklyn: Sadier Jean Noel, who had jumped in front of a train on Monday as her 9 year old son's dead body was found in her apartment, admitted that "demons overtook her" and that she killed her son. Sadier Jean Noel said that son Knil was brooding about his birthday celebration from the day before - the family went to Junior's but Knil was upset an invited friend wasn't able to come. Noel told police that she reacted by smothering him with a pillow. more ›

The overwhelming amount of development in Williamsburg and Greenpoint development gets a NY Times write-up today. Not only are residents are getting evicted or priced out of their apartments, construction has been damaging adjoining buildings. Which makes area residents wonder if the Department of Buildings can handle overseeing all the new construction.

Last year, the department issued 24,610 permits in Brooklyn, including 1,924 for demolition and 1,740 permits for new buildings. That was roughly double the demolition and new construction of five years earlier, and it was all handled by 25 inspectors. more ›

+ The New York Sun calls the Queens Museum of Art building "fascist" and its redesign renderings "weak." Rare feat. more ›

-- Tomorrow is Columbus Day, if that is your thing. more ›

Along with the "Broken Windows" crime prevention theory, one of the big success stories of Gotham's dramatic revitalization over the past two decades has been the BID (that's Business Improvement District, FYI) where business and property owners in a designated area work with the City and make a collective effort to boost business. The most famous BID success is probably Times Square, but they're all over the place nowadays (of the 53 BIDs in New York State there are 45 in NYC), and often are quite successful. Which is why this article on the Village Alliance BID in this week's Villager is so interesting: Efforts to revitalize West Eighth Street have been an unmitigated disaster:

As anyone who has recently walked down Eighth St. between Fifth and Sixth Aves. can’t help but notice, the block resembles a retail ghost town, as if the Great Depression had hit all over again. Virtually every other store is vacant, with For Rent signs prominently posted. In all, about 20 stores were empty when a reporter walked the street two weekends ago. On Sixth Ave., the former Sam Goody space, also in the BID’s district, is vacant.

Be still our beating heart: The ever-so-successful builders of McMansions is coming to NYC. The NY Times details the Big Apple Dreams of the Toll Brothers. Chances are, if you've driven through the 'burbs in NJ, Pennsylvania, NY, and about twenty other states, you'll have seen a Toll Brothers home (oversized, gleaming homes clumped together). The company's website says this about it's "City Living" concept in NYC:

Toll Brothers, America’s Luxury Homebuilder, will soon bring its signature quality and design to the greatest city in the world with homes in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. The unparalleled amenities, spectacular architecture and unsurpassed expertise that has become familiar to discerning homebuyers across the country will become available to New York homebuyers through our City Living brand. more ›

Wine. more ›

Word on the street is that Otto Enoteca Pizzeria is changing their menu. As of Monday, Otto will be removing the daily (fried dish) and adding pastas to their menu. Gothamist looks forward to checking out the new additions, carbs be damned. more ›