If you had a part of your adolescence in or around the city in the past fifteen years you probably spent a night or two (or five) at Sahara East, the East Village joint where the hookahs were cheap and underage drinking was frequently ignored by the surly staff. But, it seems, those days are over. EV Grieve notes that the hookah lounge has been seized by the taxman. Now where will 16-year-old kids go to feel adult while coughing up flavored smoke, sneaking joints in the back and sipping Heinekens? more ›

You've seen the photos and heard the NYPD's half-assed explanation, now enjoy the Time's Up video of cops nonchalantly sawing off bike locks and confiscating property last Thursday along President Obama's motorcade route. Our favorite part is perhaps at the 45 second mark, where the woman shooting the video asks, "How come they don't put up a notice, you know?" The response (silence) speaks volumes. more ›

Newsday is reporting that beloved coal-oven pizza institution Grimaldi’s was shut down today by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. The paper's website has it that the Brooklyn restaurant was seized because of over $150,000 in tax warrants. Agency spokesman Tom Bergin told Newsday that Grimaldi's has been in a dispute with tax officials over allegedly unpaid state sales and withholding taxes for two years. more ›