The U.S. Postal Service has increased first class stamp rates one penny to 42 cents and printed over one million extra one-cent stamps for people who didn't buy the Forever stamps. For those of you thinking, "Another stamp increase? Again?" the last increase was in May of last year. To ease the pain of a more expensive stamp, the USPS is also rolling out the Frank Sinatra stamp tomorrow. USPS Board of Governors Chairman Alan......

SECRET MEETING: Drambuie, the honey and herb-flavoured scotch whisky with a golden hue, will be poured tonight. Into your glass. For free! The catch is that you have to RSVP to find out the details that will lead you to the correct location. Mysterious! Time TBA // Location TBA // RSVP here READING: Legends of the Chelsea Hotel has hit the bookshelves and is telling all from the inside of the legendary building. You may......

The New York Times looks at the Market Diner today, the Hell's Kitchen restaurant that occupies the corner lot on 43rd St. and 11th Ave. The diner closed in 2006, but has thus far avoided the wrecking ball, while grass sprouts from cracks in the parking lot where large sedans used to pull in 24 hours a day. The Times says the Market Diner opened in 1962, but the painted glass window out front......

Hardly content with his career as one of the most fascinating actors in the business today, John Turturro continues to make his mark as director of a growing catalog of boldly independent films. His searing debut, Mac, drew deeply from his experiences in a Brooklyn family cast adrift after their father’s death. Six years later, Turturro reveled in his love for theater with Illuminata, which Salon called “a heartbreakingly beautiful tragicomedy about art, love and......

A look at some noteworthy television this week: The Star Jones Show (Monday, 3:00 p.m., CourTV) Star Jones returns to the talk show racket with her own talk show focusing on pop culture, crime and law. Secrets of New York - New York Connections: The Bridges of New York (Tuesday, 8:00 p.m., WNYE 25) In light of recent events, this look at the secrets of the city's bridges should be a must watch. God's Warriors......

Submitted for your consideration: menu choice #93 at Carluccio’s Italian Hero Shop in Bensonhurst, the Joey Fatone: “This hero is really N SYNC”- Bologna, pepperoni, yellow American cheese & mustard. $8.00 All the sandwiches at Carluccio’s are named after famous Italians, or Italian-Americans. The epic menu starts with the Frank Sinatra (salami and fresh mozzarella), and ends with Joe Pepitone (smoked mozzarella and dressed veggies). Joey Fatone, who was born in Bensonhurst, seems to have......

Blender has a list of 100 Days That Changed Music, and not surprisingly a good amount of them took place in New York. Here are a few, see any missing? 99. December 11, 1965: The Velvet Underground play their first show, which was actually at a high school dance in Summit, New Jersey. The following year however, the Velvets became the house band at Warhol's Factory. 96. December 14, 1977: "Saturday Night Fever debuts in......

The Copacabana, perhaps best known as the muse for Barry Manilow's song of the same name, is closing this weekend (the papers are reporting last night, however their website has a flyer for a Last Dance, tonight). The club has been around since WWII, and was at one point a staple stop in New York's nightlife circuit. Having already had to move three times, finding a new home isn't something new for owner (since 1976)......

A look at some noteworthy television this week: Drive (Sunday and Monday, 8:00 p.m., WNYW 5) Sunday has the two hour debut of Drive crossing the starting line. The show is a drama that follows the participants of an illegal cross country road race who aren't like those you would find in The Cannonball Run. One of the forces behind the show is Tim Minear who has worked on shows like Firefly and Wonderfalls, which......

Battlestar Galactica Marathon (Sunday, 6:00 p.m., WPXN 31) Five episodes of not the recent revival, but the camp Lorne Greene and Dirk Benedict show from 1978. The Frank Sinatra Show: Welcome Home Elvis (Sunday, 8:00 p.m., NJN) Elvis and Frank sing duets of Witchcraft" and Love Me Tender in this episode of his 1957 variety show. The Sopranos (Sunday, 9:00 p.m., HBO) Is there any relevance to the first episode of the final season airing......

A look at some noteworthy programs this week: The Morning Show With Mike & Juliet (Monday, 10 a.m. WNYW 5) Fox takes another stab at a morning show. Just the thought of a Fox morning show brings back memories of the insipid Fox After Breakfast from the mid 90s that had Tom Bergeron and Viki Lawremce hosting from a faux Manhattan loft. The new entry is fronted by Mike Jerrick and Juliet Huddy of the......

When the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel opened in October of 1931, it was the world's largest and most luxurious hotel, affording a grand introduction by President Herbert Hoover over broadcast radio. Now with an established 75-year old tradition of elegance and grandeur behind it, the Waldorf continues to impress in its present-day incarnation. Though once the home of three five-star generals (Dwight Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur and Omar Bradley) and the catalyst for the careers of Diana......

It's Memorial Day in the city, and there are many events, from parades to concerts - a commemoration at the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monuments in Riverside Park at 10:30AM, a parade on City Island at 2PM, a concert with Frank Sinatra Jr. at 3PM in Little Italy, and a free concert from the Philharmonic at St. John the Divine at 8PM. For more info, check out NYC Visit and go to their calendar of......

In this heartily American week some of the most appealing things to see are foreign, at least in part. For a more delicate food-related experience than Thanksgiving usually turns turn out to be, consider Lao She’s Teahouse, set in a Beijing establishment over the course of some fifty years that encompass three important moments in modern Chinese history, beginning in 1898. Sixty-plus characters that embody the vast changes in China come to life via the......

It's true-- we often tell people that if there was any justice in this world, Hoboken would be New York's sixth borough (along with Bayonne, Jersey City, Weehawken, etc-- seriously-- check out this map-- the border between the states should have been drawn at the river on the other side of Jersey City, not in the middle of the Hudson, which should belong 100% to New York State.) Anyway, until we go to war......

In a shocking move, Infinity Radio has dumped oldies from their stalwart station WCBS FM 101.1. Out with "The Greatest Hits of All Time" and in with Jack FM which is "the best songs from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, right up through today." So long Harry Harrison, Ron Lundie, and Cousin Brucie. The Daily News reports that they ended the oldies format with Frank Sinatra's "Summer Wind" and entered the Jack era with "Fight for......

A widow in a wheelchair is suing the Waldorf Towers, the residential part of the Waldorf-Astoria, for discrimination, claiming the WT did not accomodate her disability. Rose Gutmacher is suing for $8 million, with the thinking going that $37,500 a month should bring a little more service than what was offered, but the WT, perhaps fed up with her requests, raised rent to $63,500. What Gothamist found interesting is that the Post mentioned old school......

It's finally 2005, and many New Yorkers enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather (50 degrees) and headed up to Times Square for the festivities. It's unclear whether they were there for Lindsay Lohan or Reege. Perhaps it was to see Mayor Bloomberg and Secretary of State Colin Powell who, as the NY Times put it, "locked arms and swayed awkwardly to Frank Sinatra's version of New York, New York," because maybe they thought Powell would......

As the DNC winds down today, you might still have politics on the brain. Lucky for you and your closeted conspiracy theory leanings, Jonathan Demme's remake of the paranoid classic The Manchurian Candidate hits theaters today. Starring Denzel Washington in the Frank Sinatra role, as a former military man plagued with unsettling dreams about a nefarious political conspiracy, this production was one of the big local independent shoots from last summer. The question regarding all......

Stanely Kowalski, Johnny Strabler, Terry Malloy, Vito Corleone, Colonel Kurtz, Dr. Moreau... Marlon Brando died today in Los Angeles. All obituaries, articles, and remembrances will mention his acting style and strange behaviors (kissing Larry King?). The best thing to do is appreciate the great moments he's given us. Besides his truly iconic known leading roles, Gothamist recommends seeing Guys & Dolls (Frank Sinatra's in it too), The Freshman (a classic, if only about wide-eyed NYU......

With the New Jersey Nets and Detroit Pistons face-off in second round the NBA playoffs being one of the most exciting match-ups (well, before game 1, at least), Gothamist and Whatevs have decided to have a friendly wager. If the Nets win, Whatevs will send over some Vernors Ginger Beer, some music from Detroit (Motown, MC5; no ICP, please), and a t-shirt. If the 'Stons win, Gothamist will send over from salt water taffy......