On Sunday, the Sabolenko family returned to their Long Island home to find their kitchen flooded, and all their Christmas gifts stolen. The water damage and the missing TVs, X-Box, and computers totaled $5,000. "It's just wanting to do damage," Detective Brian McMenemy tells Newsday. "Some people aren't feeling the Christmas spirit." To put it mildly! But Seaford resident John Theissen, of John Theissen's Children's Foundation, couldn't let the injustice stand, and gave the kids gifts and a check for $5,000. "This shouldn't happen," he said. "This is something I had to do." more ›

The Broadway stagehands strike may not be a hit with audiences, but it’s settling in for a long run anyway. Day eleven of the strike is dominated by the dashed hopes of children who’d been promised a visit to Whoville. Yesterday James Sanna, a producer of “The Grinch”, announced that because the show had a separate contract with the stagehands’ union, they’d reached an agreement that would let the kid-friendly musical continue its brief... more ›

Just a week after making headlines for unveiling the world’s most expensive dessert – $25,000! – the popular Upper East Side restaurant Serendipity 3 has been shuttered by the New York City Department of Health. Could all the hoopla surrounding the Frrrozen [sic] Haute Chocolate have brought some unwanted attention to the establishment? The shutdown went into effect last night and calls to the restaurant have thus far not been serendipitous. We do know that... more ›

NYC Sunset: streaks in the sky, by Sidewalk Story. Tag yours "gothamist" on Flickr if you want us to use them. more ›

So many long-hyped shows are in the giddy last throes of previews on Broadway, we’re a bit afraid it might just pop and cover everything in its surrounds with tiny microphones and flakes of pancake makeup. Better stay far away – philosophically if not physically. 61 Dead Men looks like a great way to do so. It’s the first show we’ve ever seen billed as an “improv tragedy,” and that alone piques our interest. Janus Surratt developed and directs the production, which has as its center an artist named Haml who decides creation is the wrong way to go about changing the world, and that destruction is the way to go. That’s the anti-Broadway spirit we like! more ›

And, of course, Blossom, Buttercup and Bubble must save the day. more ›