Ok, so we understand the knocks on Gossip Girl. It's an awful, vapid, shallow show...which would be all fine and good if it wasn't for the poor writing, empty characters and boring, predictable plotlines. YET, what trumps all is that it is filmed on location in New York City. The shows shortcomings aside, it is a genuine local show with some great city scenes. So we trudge on... more ›

THEATER: We like our comedy like we like our women: black and absurd. So it’s promising that the press release for a new play by Kevin Mandel uses those two irresistible words to describe A New Television Arrives, Finally. The strange story concerns “an American couple visited by a charismatic man presenting himself as a television set. Is the handsome stranger a charlatan or a guru?” Emmy award-winning actor Tom Pelphrey [Guiding Light] leads the cast at tonight’s premiere performance. - John Del Signore more ›

People are still airing their thoughts on The Sopranos finale - NYMag is personally feeling a bit betrayed by David Chase, and The Observer is left needing therapy, not closure. We're more interested in what's left of the show...in other words: The Sopranos are having a yard sale (thanks for the tip, Logo)! The sale is listed on Craiglist (it doesn't specify it's for The Sopranos, but it is), and states there will be "plenty of furniture, lamps, rugs, antiques, books, kitchen and bathroom accesories etc. - a warehouse full of everything you can think of." more ›

There were a number of people injured or killed during vehicle crashes over the weekend. Yesterday afternoon, a livery cab went out of control at Flatbush and Glenwood in Brooklyn. The cab jumped a curb, after, per WABC, taking down a traffic light and street sign, and hit three pedestrians before crashing into a nail salon. A 51-year-old man and 16-year-old are in critical condition; a 15-year-old boy is in stable condition with a head injury. It's unclear why the cab was out of control, but police believe speeding may have played a part. more ›

Hopscotch, by Wayne's New York. Tag yours "gothamist" on Flickr if you want us to use them. more ›

For the next four months, the 145th Street Bridge will be closed to traffic and pedestrians as the Department of Transportation reconstructs the bridge. And it is a total reconstruction - new bridge arrived on barge and is parked nearby. From the NY Sun:

Once the old bridge is disassembled and disposed of by the contractor, Kiewit/Pully, the new trusses will be floated in at high tide. more ›

Last night was an unfortunate one for drivers. Not that there aren't a lot of accidents all the time sadly, but the early hours had some particularly upsetting stories: more ›

If you needed a reason to look to the skies, now you have one. The folks over at New Era, Major League Baseball's official cap supplier, are donning two Manhattan watertowers with inflatable baseball caps in time for Opening Day. A Mets cap will be fitted on a watertower near the 59th Street Bridge this week, while the Yankee cap won't be up in midtown until next week. New Era says there will be two more inflatable caps on Manhattan watertowers later. If you think you have a large hat size, you ain't seen nothing. The inflatable hats are a size 61.5 (we would think larger) and are 14' high by 16' wide. more ›

- And sometimes we wish this bus driver was our bus driver - unless we're the guy outside more ›

A bunch of people have written in to ask if the Roosevelt Island Tram is running. The answer is yes-- it is not operated by the MTA (it's run by JWP and overseen by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation.) Some tram info: more ›

Oh, yes, it's on. After 3AM this morning, the Transport Workers Union announced they would strike a couple hours after rejecting the MTA's latest offer. Thousands of subway and bus workers walked off the job, leaving millions of New Yorkers to find new ways to go to work (sneakers, meet 60 blocks of walking). Now, New York City is in a state of emergency, in its special "contingency plan," with restrictions on vehicles (only cars with at least four people inside) for most of the morning, people trying to hail cabs, and Fifth and Madison Avenues closed to traffic. Transit workers, though, did finish their routes and close up stations carefully, at the union instructed; one station's sign read, "Strike in Effect. Station Closed. Happy Holidays!!!!" The city is trying to convene an emergency court session to stop the strike, but who know, this could go on for days. more ›

One of the best views of the Marathon was from the Medical Tent at mile 15. Along with a motley crew of other physicians and health professionals, Gothamist cheered on the runners while playing doctor on the Queens side of the 59th Street Bridge. While most of the racers that came through were just looking for a band-aid for a new blister, some Vaseline for their chafed nether-regions, or some Icy Hot for a cramp, there was definitely some drama that most didn't get to see. more ›

Registration for the Southpoint Arts Center competition, sponsored by the Center for Architecture in New York City, closes on November 18th (final designs are due in January). Southpoint is a massive area-- basically everything on Roosevelt Island south of the 59th Street Bridge, and this arts center will act as the anchor for a rejuvenation of the entire area. So if you are an architect, design student, Roosevelt Island history buff, or just enjoy putting together 30"x40" presentation boards, you should definitely consider registering for the competition. [More on Southpoint at Forgotten-NY, and some pictures at Bluejake.]
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The City Council said that any renaming discussion would have to be open to public debate. Gothamist would love to see that: The George Washington Bridge Brought to you by Washington Mutual Bank. more ›