Yesterday, the police arrested the personal assistant to "broker to the stars" Linda Stein in connection with Stein's October 30 murder. Stein, who had also managed the Ramones and later parlayed her connections to sell real estate to celebrities, had been found bludgeoned to death in her Fifth Avenue apartment by her daughter. The police revealed that assistant Natavia Lowery confessed to them that Stein's abuse pushed her over the edge. Police Commissioner Ray... more ›

Watch where you throw your umbrellas away, especially if you're in Williamsburg late at night. Early Sunday morning, a 30-year-old man was stabbed in the back with his recently discarded umbrella while walking on Metropolitan Avenue near Berry. more ›

It was reported last week that the 71 year-old Hartsdale, Westchester Carvel -- the very first outpost of the ice cream shop -- will likely be demolished at the end of next summer to make room for businesses that presumably make more money. Yes, the 68% milkfat solid, sidereal softy known as Cookie Puss is crying tiny crunchy tears as we speak; Flying Saucers are slowing down for their final approach. While the building’s current location is the site of the original Carvel store, the fact that it has been renovated over the years to look more retro apparently complicates bids for historic preservation. Tom Carvel, the chain’s gravelly voiced founder who also used to narrate its television commercials (vintage WPIX, anyone?) once lived with his wife Agnes in quarters behind the shop. more ›

Gothamist finally made the trip to Queens to drink and dine at Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen, a stylish spot that looks more SoHo than Forest Hills. Some of you may recall that this eatery located across the street from Councilwoman Melinda Katz's office caught the attention of Daniel Boulud back in May. The French megachef was steamed that Danny Brown, the chef-owner, uses almost the same lowercase "db" on its signage as Boulud's db bistro moderne. more ›

Located on a stretch of Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills better known for antique stores and Eddie's Sweet Shop, a turn-of-the-century soda fountain, is Ran, a small storefront that offers some of the best sushi in Queens. Gothamist isn't sure if the name comes from the Kurosawa flick whose title has been translated to mean chaos or wretchedness, but there's nothing wretched or chaotic here. It's all about impeccably fresh fish expertly prepared. Last week, we sampled some sushi and some hot food from this seven-month old spot. more ›

The police raided the office of Queens City Councilman Dennis Gallagher yesterday - and they were looking for DNA evidence of a sexual assault. The Juniper Park Civic Association President Robert Holden told the Sun he saw police officers taking evidence, "They just had boxes they were carrying. Bags and boxes of their tools." The Post got details of the alleged crime:

Gallagher met the woman at Danny Boy's, a bar where he's a regular, on Dry Harbor Road near both his district office on Metropolitan Avenue and his family's home, according to several sources. The sources said the two had apparently noticed each other on earlier visits to the bar. more ›

THEATER: Theodora Skipitares is a Greek-American playwright, director and puppeteer who uses near life-size puppets and Greek tragedies to look at our current situation in Iraq. (Her rendition of the Iliad and the Odyssey was a sold-out hit at La MaMa last year.) Her new show, which features puppetry and video, is The Exiles, an adaptation of the Orestes/Electra myth. “In this particular story of betrayal and vengeance, these puppets are an eerie construction of facade and public display, while their operators are a shadow of primal, often raw emotions and personal desires.” (Read last month's Times profile of Skipitares here.) - John Del Signore more ›

The New York Times is reporting that...Williamsburg has high rent. Shocking. Apparently this "Bedford Avenue" is getting pretty popular. more ›

CarFreeBedford, the site dedicated to removing automobiles from the main stretch of Williamsburg, has put up some pretty new renderings. more ›

We interviewed co-owner of Luna Lounge Rob Sacher in 2004, and he told a little story about Elliott Smith (who wrote his album XO at the bar at Luna). The story starts out, "Before I knew who Elliott Smith was, I knew him as this very quiet guy that had discovered the bar (at Luna) and would stay there till closing or near closing most nights, writing constantly in a journal with some kind of dark whiskey drink on the rocks or straight-up in front of him; he always had some kind of bourbon or something like that in front of him. Week after week after week." more ›

Eep! An off-duty police officer was stabbed in the chest by another person at Kellogg's Diner in Williamsburg around 4:30AM yesterday with a folding knife. And what started this confrontation? According to the NY Times, when "one person bumped into someone from the other party on his way to the bathroom." Kellogg's Diner manager Theodora Fiotos told the Times, "Basically, they exchanged some words. They were yelling and screaming and pushing each other." more ›

READING: The reclusive "Lemony Snicket" (known to grown-ups and non-believers as Daniel Handler) will be showing up - hopefully in a cloak and mustache disguise! - at Barnes and Noble tonight to celebrate the release of The more ›

The city is no longer awash in saffron, but we promise there is still a lot to do this weekend... more ›