Who will stand up for the children in the $550 strollers? The Hudson River State Park Trust. Singer and guitarist David Ippolito, who has performed at Pier 45 at Hudson Square Park for a decade was fired last month "in response to repeated complaints from park users that he made them feel unwelcome and embarrassed them by singling them out over an open mic when they or their children made noise in the park," according a statement from the Trust. Take THAT, musician who asks for a modicum of public decency while performing! more ›

The Hudson River Park dog run at Pier 40 and Leroy Street is being painted as a canine cage match in the NY Post today. The paper reports that dog owners who use the run are fighting for a separate area for the small pups to enjoy, away from the bigger dogs that are allegedly attacking them; one owner likens the scenario for the petite pooches as "going up against Muhammad Ali." more ›

Pier 25 in the Hudson River Park has had a long history. For years the pier off North Moore Street was home to everything from a run-down mini-golf course to a children's playground to a double-decker seating area at the end where students from neighboring Stuyvesant would go to *cough* *cough* get some "fresh air." After 9/11 the pier was temporarily closed when it was used to help clear debris from the attack and it was closed again in 2005 for a refurbishment. It finally reopened to the public in November and now it seems more history is on the way! The park has decided to give South Street Seaport and its bevy of historical boats a run for its money. more ›

On Saturday, it appeared that the Parks Department had instructed Doe Fund workers to cut the locks and confiscate perhaps a dozen bikes that were locked near the West Side bike path. Today we have an explanation from Hudson River Park spokesman for David Katz, but first a quick lesson on the distinction between city-run parks and places like Hudson River Park. Get out your pad and pencil! more ›

If you rode your bike over to Hudson River Park on Saturday, you might have returned to find it disappeared, depending on where you locked it. As you can see, Parks Department employees confiscated over a dozen bikes that were locked along the West Side bike path. We can't blame Obama for this one. Our source, who asked that we not reveal his name, tells us what he saw: more ›

In a tactful move yesterday, Governor David Paterson cut the ribbon on a new section of the Hudson River Park in Chelsea, just as the state was forced to shutter 41 parks and 14 historical sites. Paterson did show remorse for the cost-cutting measure at the opening, telling reporters, "This kills me!... It's just that that's how dire our financial situation is," but other state pols weren't buying it. Assemblyman Herman Farrell, whose constituents are angry over cuts to the Riverbank State Park, said, "It's not smart politics, and it's not good politics either. The governor should know this community is constantly concerned that they're not getting their fair share." more ›

If you thought his troubles with designer Jack McCollough were resolved, you were wrong. Kiefer Sutherland had been waiting to find out if the misdemeanor assault charges against him would be dropped until just now. Good thing we weren't holding our breath. TMZ reports that Sutherland is totally in the clear for the incident that took place back in May. An incident that would have been way more interesting if the actor were more Jack Bauer in real life, or even if he channeled his previous Christmas tree attack. So let's get on to the juicier Kiefer news. Page Six reports that he was spotted making out in public! With his girlfriend! Stars, they're just like us but with headlines. He and Siobhan Bonnouvrier lost themselves in a "hot make-out session" on on the lawn of Hudson River Park near 12th Street this past Saturday. An eye witness told the rag, "They had their hands all over each other. They really got into it. One young mom breast-feeding her baby nearby was like, 'Go Kiefer!'" Our sources who were on the scene with said breast-feeding mom say there was even a thong-flashing involved. more ›

After a long dispute with the Hudson River Park Trust, the heliport operator at West 30th Street and the Hudson has agreed to phase out its flights for tourists by 2010. The NY Times reports Air Pegasus will cut its tourist flights over the next two years, "capped at 25,000 for the year that ends on May 31, 2009, then to 12,500 over the next 10 months, then halted completely." more ›

Mark Gibian's sculpture in Brooklyn (entitled "Crescendo") became the latest part of the Williamsburg waterfront in mid-May; "the four-ton, crescent-shaped stainless steel sculpture was hoisted over the East River and installed on new 400-foot pier that's been constructed at Northside Piers." The sculpture is functional, providing shade and including a bench; the Brooklyn Eagle reports that a shade structure was required under the zoning. While an exact date hasn't been set, the Piers (a direct result of the city's Greenpoint-Williamsburg Rezoning of 2005, which will also include 800 homes) will open up to the public sometime this summer. You may recall when one of the Northside Piers buildings went up in flames last Fall. more ›

The Frying Pan, the party boat known for its rusty charm in a sea of slick Chelsea nightclubs, hasn't invited anyone to come aboard in quite some time. Last year it moved from Pier 63, its home for a decade, to Pier 66...but never reopened due to lack of permits. more ›

Over the weekend, hundreds rallied for Pier 40's next transformation to be a park. This Thursday, the Hudson River Park Trust is meeting to discuss two existing bids for the pier located off Houston Street, but a more recent plan, from a group of local parents who hope their $120,000 study, has been gaining some recent momentum. more ›

The fate of Pier 40, located at West Houston Street on the Hudson, was much discussed and debated last year, and 2008 seems to be a year of further reflection. At one point, there was a $625 million idea for it to become an elaborate entertainment venue with a Cirque du Soleil theater, restaurants, and more, while opposing forces wanted there simply to be more green space. more ›

The Critical Mass Halloween Ride is tonight! If you go, get some good pictures! more ›

Five architectural firms have banded together to brainstorm ideas for adding green space to the far west side from the Village to Tribeca, also known as Hudson Square. A plan to add more garbage trucks to the neighborhood, writes Downtown Express's Patrick Hedlund, led local stakeholders to elicit architectural visions. Five firms - Arquitectonica GEO , FLAnK, LTL Architects, SPaN and Zakrzewski + Hyde (in association with Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners) - were asked to assume two still-up-in-the-air events: that the city will rezone the northern part of the neighborhood and that the Sanitation Department will not build a proposed facility. more ›

MUSIC: Scottish indie sensations Camera Obscura bring their pop and their rock to the Seaport tonight. They're joined by The Last Town Chorus. After that, there's only one more show down there this season! more ›

MOVIE: The 2006 Clark Kent hit the big screen in Superman Returns. Tonight catch the superhero do his thing all over again at the River Flicks outdoor film series. Free popcorn, free film and a nice cold summer breeze. Bring a blanket! more ›

August 19: 8th Annual Blues & BBQ more ›

We've said before that Mayor Bloomberg's girlfriend (or companion, which is what the NY Times refers to her as) Diana Taylor seems like a classy lady, unlike some other mayor's girlfriends. But we don't know much about her, except that she went to Dartmouth (Mayor Bloomberg accompanied her on an alumni weekend there), she worked in senior management at Keyspan, she was the state's superintendent of banking under Pataki, she was shortlisted by President Bush to run the FDIC but then her nomination got nixed, and she was recently named to the Hudson River Park Trust. more ›

READING: Check out today's interviewee, Peter Yarrow, tonight at Barnes and Noble where he'll be performing and signing the recently published Puff, the Magic Dragon book. C'mon, you know you've always wanted to hear that song live! more ›

PARTY: It's hot out, so what better way to cool down than with a pool party? Impetuous Theater Company is having a fundraiser tonight on the roof of the Holiday Inn Midtown. Scenes from the upcoming aquatic theater festival will be performed, there will be free beer and wine from 7 to 9pm, and there will be a pool in which to fully submerge yourself (who needs a/c?). more ›

Although after this weekend the days will begin to get shorter, there's still plenty of evening sunlight left for a picnic. Grab some wine, a blanket and some friends and get going. One of the most unique yet practical picnic items we've seen in some time is this picnic saddlebag set ($79.95), designed to fit on a bicycle luggage rack. One side contains cutlery, plates, glasses and napkins for four, salt & pepper shakers, a wooden cutting board, a cheese knife and a bottle opener. The other is insulated for food. It can also hold two thermoses in the pouches on the back of each side. more ›

READING: Today NY Mag asks, "What does Tina Brown have to do to get some attention?" Well tonight she's signing copies of her new book (a tell-all on Princess Di) called The Diana Chronicles. more ›

As of last night, Pier 54 became a temporary home for the band Cartel. Haven't heard of them? That's probably why they opted for this reality show/publicity stunt thing. more ›

The weather this weekend will be pleasant, so we recommend going to the Science Barge from New York Sun Works. The barge produces vegetables using "recirculating hydroponics" and is powered by solar panels, wind turbines and a bio-fueled generator. Or, as the website explains, "We grow food in the city with no carbon emissions, no water use, and no waste stream." more ›

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Horse home, sweet horse home. Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg opened the new stables for the NYPD's Mounted Unit at Pier 76, near 36th Street. The new stables had to move after being faced with eviction by the Hudson River Park Trust, which wanted to continue renovations to the park and take over the space near 23rd Street. more ›