In 1987, Russian immigrant Nataliya Dyakovskaya moved into a rent-stabilized apartment on the Lower East Side, scoring a dirt-cheap rent-stabilized apartment in the Vladeck Houses. In the years since, she's gone on to live the American dream, using income from her successful real estate company to buy a $700,000 Upper West Side condo, and a house in the Hamptons. And all the while, she held onto that $400-a-month subsidized apartment on the LES, bilking the NYC Housing Authority out of $79,000 over the years, federal prosecutors allege. more ›

Cathie Black was "not incapacitated" on Sunday night, her personal publicist tells the Post. And she says "she was not inebriated." And yet still the former Schools Chancellor reportedly "practically hit every tree in the driveway" while leaving a Bastille Day party in the Hamptons. Her publicist explains that she was simply "not familiar with the driveway." more ›

It isn't just the LES that is feeling getting pressure from the law to stop serving booze to minors—it is happening in the Hamptons, too. Just as the NYPD is cracking down on underage drinking in town, police in the Hamptons fired a summer salvo police last weekend arrested six bartenders in three locations for serving booze to minors. more ›

Courtney Love, now a scribe at the new Jane Pratt venture, hates the Hamptons just as much as she hates the band Muse! She writes: more ›

In his first visit to a synagogue since taking control of the state, Governor Paterson told a crowd of around 1,000 in Westhampton that he supported the Orthodox community's struggle to erect an eruv, a symbolic fence around the synagogue. He then revealed that he felt a special connection with Jewish community not only because of his longtime friendship with Rabbi Marc Schneier, but also because he shares some lineage with them. Paterson told the congregation that a DNA test six months ago revealed that he had "two hits of Jewish origin." more ›

The NY Sun details Senator Hillary Clinton's fundraising agenda in the NY area. Most notably, she and former President Bill Clinton will be on a "48-hour, six fund-raiser blitz" in the Hamptons that includes events at billionaire Ron Perelman's East Hampton home and Entenmann's heir Robert Entenmann's North Fork vineyard. From the Sun:

The Hamptons trip highlights just how crucial New York's wealthy donors are to Mrs. Clinton, and to all of the 2008 presidential candidates. Not only do they write large checks, but they serve as rainmakers who can secure donations from their wealthy network of friends. more ›

MOVIE: Last week Bryant Park was packed as Annie Hall played on the big screen. This week grab someone who's hand you'll be able to squeeze tight as the classic horror flick, The Thing, plays in the park. The timeless flick watches the sci-fi terror unfold as "scientists at an Arctic research station discover a spacecraft buried in the ice. Upon closer examination, they discover the frozen pilot. All hell breaks loose when they take him back to their station and he is accidentally thawed out!" more ›

The Hamptons may reek of money, but Coney Island is getting its very own scent, courtesy of downtown fragrance company Bond No. 9. Inspired by all the recent development along Brooklyn's bayshore, parfumeur Richard Harpin designed a location-based scent that is the borough's first from the company. It will retail for $40 an ounce, $125 for 1.7 ounces or $180 for 3.4 ounces, indicating to us that the value lies in the increasing size of the bottle, rather than the contents inside. more ›

Untitled, by Shveckle. more ›

Pink Ski Mask, by Webchango. Email your pix to photos@gothamist if you want us to use them. more ›

It was bound to happen. The Hamptons, or as Gothamist likes to think of it, a displacement home for wealthy New Yorkers, finally got their own wine and food festival. The talent read like a who’s who of the food and wine circuit: Rick Moonen, Michael Romano, Steven Jenkins and Floyd Cardoz all boarded the Hampton Jitney to share their secrets with those who could afford the $150 ticket. Or for the big spenders $650 gets you the VIP Platinum Pass that includes access to the Bentley Tailgate Party and Mojito Barbecue (unfortunately the Bentley’s were only for show and were not included in the $650 ticket – such a tease). more ›

On Seinfeld, Jerry, Kramer, and George all had cars. That's something I never understood. Why? If you live in Queens or Brooklyn, that's understandable. But why have a car in Manhattan? It's more a pain in the ass then anything. I say that as someone who freaks out at all the cars causing the traffic while in a cab, desperately trying to get somewhere. The Times tries to delve deeper in the minds of the crazy Manhattanites who do have cars. One is New Yorker humorist Bruce McCall. Gothamist speculates that one thing New Yorkers are jealous (relative to non-New Yorkers) is just being able to drive...not that rush hour traffic on 78 is fun, but there is that liberating feeling of being out on the road, miles of highway and not a care in the world. more ›