Results tagged “opening”

                     

New York's newest Apple Store, at West 67th and Broadway, is officially opening up its doors this Saturday at 10 a.m. (we're told they will be giving out t-shirts). We're about to head inside for a special sneak peek, and will be updating with more images over the course of the day. First impression: that's a lot of glass! And the roof is glass, too. And this is their fourth glass staircase.

    

Click on the images here for more details on The Vanderbilt in Prospect Heights, Bill's Burger in the Meatpacking District, Corsino in the West Village, and Giano in the East Village.

Recently we got a glimpse of the glass roof sheltering the new Apple Store, courtesy of a remote control helicopter. Now we learn that this latest store will officially open in November. The company recently went on record saying during yesterday's investor call, "We plan to open our first two stores in France, including one at the Louvre as well as our fourth high profile store in Manhattan on the Upper West Side." Let the hype begin!

Gansevoort 69: Last summer, when Florent ended its decades-long run as a 24/7 Meatpacking District oasis, the building's owner Joanne Lucas saw her hopes of finding an upscale boutique tenant evaporate. Then Lucas's attempt at running a restaurant (under the original name R&L) came off like a depressing ghost of its former self, and the space closed again. The new venture, Gansevoort 69, looks a lot better than the previous effort, with a design that keeps some of the old (the original bar and terrazzo flooring) while creating something new.

The Met opened its season last night with Puccini's Tosca, by risk-taking Swiss-born director Luc Bondy. But opera is no place for risks, and according to the Times, the well-heeled audience booed the hell out of Bondy when he emerged at curtain call. The message from the Met audience was clear: Mess with our favorite classics again, and we will cut you up like Gilda in Rigoletto.

             

Click on the film stills above for more on this week's new releases and repertory screenings, which also include Jennifer's Body, Bright Star, Harmony and Me, Disgrace, Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, The Burning Plain, Love Happens, Paris, The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, Made in Jamaica, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Fat City.

Motorino: This top-notch thin-crust pizzeria was an instant hit in East Williamsburg, but will it compete in downtown Manhattan, which is now flooded with "artisan" pizza options? Anyone who's eaten at the original knows the answer's hell yes, and chef Mathieu Palombino is confident his authentic Neapolitan pizza will make its mark. He has the added advantage of inheriting a space already known for pizza excellence; it was previously the home of Una Pizza Napoletana, which left behind its Acunto wood-burning oven, handcrafted in Naples. Palombino's filled the 36-seat space with marble-topped tables and kept the vibe comfortably casual, with shiny subway tiling and wooden bistro chairs. Motorino's Manhattan menu is slightly smaller than the original, and includes seven classic pies, plus a variety of seasonal pizzas. 349 East 12th Street; (212) 777-2644

Williamsburg Waterfront, you are growing up so fast! The area, drowned in luxury condos, will soon have its first chain store grand opening! Brownstoner recently spotted the shiny, new Duane Reade, "one of the three businesses signed up for retail space at Northside Piers on Kent Avenue, set to open on Saturday. Word of the ubiquitous drugstore chain's arrival on the Brooklyn waterfront first broke over a year ago; signage confirmed the news back in June." Their first space in the neighborhood is located at North 5th and Kent, a grueling 15 blocks from the closest Chase Bank. Meanwhile, just four blocks away is the current establishment hipsters get their Adderall refilled at, King's Pharmacy. Will their customers remain loyal?

       

Opening "softly" tomorrow, A Voce Columbus is the new big sister location of the cozier A Voce in the Flatiron District. The original location made a big name for chef Andrew Carmellini, who is currently saving Robert De Niro's restaurant reputation at Locanda Verde in the Greenwich Hotel. Then came chef Missy Robbins, who joined A Voce after her tour as Executive Chef at the Obamas' favorite Chicago restaurant, Spiaggia.

Yesterday we got a press release announcing the imminent arrival of TGI Friday's in Union Square and thought, ho-hum, so it goes. Others were less complacent, and have vowed to thwart the militantly upbeat chain's plan to push Jalapeño Poppers by the historic old potter's field. These dissidents are fighting by any means necessary, including Twitter. The group Save Union Square says "follow us and help send a loud and clear message to The Riese Organization that we don't want their TGI Friday's. SAVE THE SQUARE!" Because if a corporate chain opens across the street from Union Square, it will be ruined—just like it is every morning when Babies R Us, Staples, Starbucks, Petco, DSW, Best Buy and Barnes & Noble fling open their doors. But if the Twitter account proves unable stop this suburban abomination, the Friday's will open in the space formerly occupied by Zen Palate, at a time of their choosing. And just to piss off everyone even more, the Riese Organization will also include a Tim Hortons in the same building, so opponents can wash down their rage with some weak Canadian coffee. But hey, at least TGI Friday got its start in NYC.

              

Click on the film stills above for more details and reviews on this week's new releases and repertory screenings, which also include Adam, Fragments, Flame & Citron, You the Living, Lorna's Silence, Ghosted, Thirst, Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story Of OZploitation!, Gotta Dance, Raising Arizona, True Romance, and a retrospective of Ang Lee's films.

Bhatti Indian Grill: This good-looking newcomer to Curry Hill marks the U.S. debut for chef Gaurav Anand, who comes from a culinary family in north India renowned for their catering and restaurant empire. Named for the lava-stone open fire grill originated in Punjab, the gourmet restaurant aims to make bhatti cooking more popular here. An exception is the Gilouti Lamb Kebab, which is specially prepared on a "mahi tawa" griddle and seasoned with a blend of 160 spices. Said to be so tender it doesn’t require chewing, the dish was created in honor of an old Lucknow king who refused to give up lamb after losing his teeth. The extensive menu includes a wide range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian kebabs, with entrees ranging between $9 - $15. 100 Lexington Avenue at 27th Street; (212) 683-4228

Organika: This new organically-oriented Mediterranean restaurant opens today next door to Sushi Samba in the West Village. Restaurateur and designer Marcello Assante (Boom, Bacco, Porta Toscana) promises "quintessential cooking with an emphasis on Italian cuisine, approached in the most sustainable way." Salads and appetizers range from $5-$14, pastas and pizzas from $13-$16, and the entrees are all daily specials determined by the local markets. The menu currently features pastas like Tagliatelle al Salmone Affumicato (Tagliatelle, Onion, Smoked Salmon, Chives, Cream) for $15 and Tronchetto (Rolled Pizza stuffed with Rocket, Fresh Tomatoes, Mozzarella) for $14. There's no liquor license yet, but cocktails will one day feature fresh juices, rotating to highlight seasonal fruits and vegetables. The kitchen stays open nightly until 1 a.m. 89 Seventh Avenue South; (212) 414-1900

Yay, New York's getting more generic convenience stores like the rest of mini-mall America! Because the city has more retail vacancies and rents are down, the 7-Eleven chain is capitalizing on the changing market to aggressively expand in the metropolitan area, which had 431 stores at the end of 2008. Executives at the company, which was founded in Dallas in 1927 but is now a subsidiary of the Japan-based Seven & i Holdings Company, plan to open at least 44 more 7-Elevens around the area this year, more than twice the number that opened last year. And they promise 350 more to come in the next five to seven years! An article in the Times offers an interesting look at 7-Eleven’s business conversion program, in which the owner of an existing convenience store gets an average of $280,000 to convert his or her space into a 7-Eleven. Holy smokes, we'd open a 7-Eleven in our apartment for half that...but first we need to get rid of the Starbucks location that's still operating out of our kitchen.

Cellar 58: The wine bars are coming for you; they're coming for us all! The latest vino dispenser to descend upon the East Village is Cellar 58; but this one has a lot going for it. One, it's run by real Italians who run around talking at each other in their glorious native tongue. Two, there's a really cute back room, seen here, that fills with diffused, late afternoon light and feels sort of other-worldly. Three, during the opening party last night, we heard the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio, Radiohead, and not a single Andrea Bocelli torch song. Fourth, besides the 120+ international wine selection, they're doing a pretty extensive small plates menu (flatbread pizzas, pastas, bruschetta, etc.) which doesn't set them apart from other wine bars (like the one right across the street) but we felt great amore for everything we tried. 58 Second Avenue; (212) 420-1300

       

The Statue of Liberty's crown reopened to the public this morning after being closed down since 9/11, making today possibly the biggest reason to celebrate the Fourth inside Lady Liberty since she turned 100 and reopened from renovations in 1986.

Cookie Road: Sometime last winter, a building on the corner of Franklin and Oak in Greenpoint was cryptically painted with happy illustrations about a mythical "Cookie Road." But it was many months before that road finally led to the promised land: a cozy bakery just down the block specializing in cookies, cakes, pastries, tea, and first-rate espresso. The charming Polish owners, Aneta and Jerzy Szot, tell us they opened the establishment at the bidding of friends who just couldn't get enough of their baking. There are a few chairs by the window inside, and several benches for relaxing under shady awnings outside. Selections last week included a rich but not-too-sweet lemon chocolate cheescake, red velvet cupcakes, hand-decorated cookies, key lime pies, and chocolate chiffon cakes. And if you take a jaunt down Cookie Road, definitely order one of their excellent espressos; the Szots say they have their beans regularly shipped overnight from the renowned Counter Culture coffee in North Carolina. 94 Franklin Street, Greenpoint; (718) 383-8094

   

Click through the images above for details on this week's newcomers, which also include Calexico and The Pod Cafe.

La Taverna: This unpretentious new Italian-Mediterranean restaurant, located in a former Polish bookstore, opened on Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint over the weekend. Owner Robert Tripak, who doubles as the hotel manager at the Da Vinci Hotel in midtown, tells us he came to New York from Poland as a teenager, and his place is the fulfillment of a dream to own a restaurant "that can be affordable and still provide great service." No liquor license yet, but there is an espresso machine behind the bar, and the menu is definitely "affordable"; the only entree over $10 is the grilled steak served with roasted potatoes ($12.95). There is also a mussels marinara, sautéed in a marinara sauce over linguini pasta ($8.45); pork chops stuffed with mozzarella and prosciutto, served with mushroom sauce ($8.95); and among the pizzas there's a Mediterranean Pie with spinach, plum tomato, kalamata olives, pesto, feta and parmesan cheese and basil ($6.95/$9.95). 946 Manhattan Avenue; (718) 383-0732

                     

Looks like the High Line opened to the public one day ahead of schedule! This park really knows how to keep us guessing. We headed over there earlier today, and will be updating with more photos soon—but why not go have a look for yourself?

Finally, the opening date for the High Line has been announced! Our sources tell us the Mayor will be doing the ribbon cutting on June 8th, followed by a public opening on Tuesday the 9th. No word yet on a comeback of David Bowie's High Line Festival.

Instead of boarding up an unoccupied luxury condo in Crown Heights and letting it fall into disrepair, the owner has done the unthinkable: arranged to let homeless people live there. The new apartments, which were originally priced up to $350,000, seem pretty nice; one resident who moved in with his wife and two young daughters tells the Daily News, "When I first saw it, I was like, 'Damn, everything is brand new.' It has marble counters and marble floors in the bathrooms, too. I like the big kitchen. That's my favorite." Another new resident, an out-of-work truck driver from Miami who's living with his teenage son, crows, "The closet in the main room is so big you could put a twin bed in there." Lucky homeless!

Jacques Torres Ice Cream: Unbroken by Hershey's cease and desist order, chocolate maker Jacques Torres has expanded his ice cream operation, making it even harder for some of us to squeeze into that Speedo. His new DUMBO ice cream shop (just blocks from Gothamist's offices—thanks a lot Jacques) is located next to the original Jacques Torres Chocolate he opened nine years ago. The shop sells an assortment of 12 to 15 ice cream flavors, three to four sorbet flavors and a frozen yogurt. We're told that each flavor is made with all natural ingredients custom blended with Torres's own unique proprietary starter mixes, "never a prefabricated starter as is common among most ice cream makers." You can get it in a cone, a pint, a cup, or made-to-order sandwiches. There's also cotton candy, milkshakes, cupcakes and other assorted treats, and some ice cream varieties are now being sold at the two Manhattan Jacques Torres Chocolate locations. 62 Water Street, Brooklyn

       

The High Line is set to open on some closely-guarded secret date (though we hear it's around June 15th), and until then, it's the A list, the rich, and Kevin Bacon only! Curbed has some shots up provided by an insider at a special event that took place on the Line last night, and included guests like Martha Stewart, Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg. For the rest of us non-celebs, we'll have to be content with these various spy cam shots, and maybe this recent interview with the founders of Friends of the High Line, who teamed up all those years ago to save and re-purpose the defunct elevated train line.

Brooklyn Star: Former Momofuku partner Joaquin Baca has gone solo in Williamsburg, with this handsome little restaurant a few blocks from the L train. The Southern comfort menu includes options such as corn bread ($4), Dr. Pepper Ribs ($16), Fried Pig Tails ($11), BBQ Catfish with grits and fried cucumbers ($13), and Smothered Porkchop with scalloped tomatoes and string beans. Inside the open kitchen, a 100-plus-year-old oven, a relic from when the place used to be a pizzeria, imbues the food with the appropriate degree of smokiness. NY Mag finds out how much money Baca spent to make his dream a reality, and here's the menu from Brooklyn Star's website. No liquor license yet, but they do have plenty of cool, refreshing ice tea and root beer! 33 Havemeyer Street, Brooklyn; (718) 599-9899

Opia: With eight years under their belts, the owners of this popular French restaurant recently gave the place a major facelift, reopening last week with three expanded terraces, two private rooftop decks, and a private banquet room. But it's not just about a new look; they've also brought on new Executive Chef Ted Pryor (formerly of La Goulue, Orsay and Les Halles) to streamline the menu. While keeping popular offerings like the “Sushi Corner” and “Le Coin Japonais,” Pryor has brought in signature dishes like his Crab Cake made with buttery brioche and served with celery remoulade. There's also a three-way Battle Royale between L’American Sliders with American cheese, onions and pickles on a potato roll; Le French Sliders with Béarnaise and Comté cheese on a Brioche roll; and Le Lobster Sliders with fresh lobster meat, chives and chervil. Opia's open for breakfast through dinner Monday through Friday, with brunch and dinner on the weekends. 130 East 57th Street, (212) 688-3939

The Today Show is broadcasting live from the Statue of Liberty's crown this morning with an exclusive scoop from Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar: For the first time since 9/11, the general public will be allowed up into Lady Liberty's diadem, starting July 4th. Officials hope the news will give a little boost to New York’s tourist industry, but really it's all worth it just to see this goofy video of NBC's morning show hosts gabbing from the crown.

Clerkenwell: Named for a London district that was once that city's Little Italy, this new 40-seat homage to the "English" gastropub opened last week on the Lower East Side. The menu, obtained by Grub Street, emphasizes traditional fare like Slow-roasted belly of pork; IPA ale and beef pie; and Yorkshire toad in the hole with English sausages, cream mashed potato and gravy. Brunch began last weekend too, and includes items like eggs and soldiers; fish n’ chips; and walnut crusted chicken served with classic Waldorf salad of celery leaves, Sweet Granny smith Apples and mixed baby lettuce. Eater has photos and notes that Clerkenwell is doing a weekend late-night menu as well, with just the libations you'd expect: Boddingtons, Guiness, and Bass (and more imports on the way). 49 Clinton Street, (212) 614-3234

Someone has added some new theme music to the Diff'rent Strokes opening, and even he admits, "This has turned out far more creepy than I thought it would." Aside from the new music, the video is unedited except for some color hue alterations.

Vutera: The sibling owners of Rose Live Music on Grand Street in Williamsburg have given quite the face-lift to their eponymous subterranean restaurant. The intimate urban-rustic haunt has been renamed Vutera, and the exposed brick walls and wooden beams are now bathed in a candlelit glow for your dining pleasure. New chef Molly Del Monte, the former sous chef at Little Giant, is introducing a Mediterranean menu with a local-and-seasonal angle, complemented by a wine list curated by manager Hugh Crickmore (Mas). Grub Street has photos and the full menu, which features such delicacies as parsnip gnocchi with beet-green pesto, braised lamb shank with red wine and creamy polenta, and an appetizer of Spanish-mackerel escabèche. An early review on Strong Buzz deems the place "immensely comforting. It’s the kind of place that beckons like a blazing hearth in an ice storm." 345 Grand Street, Williamsburg; (718) 599-0069