A cyclist is seriously injured today after colliding with a barrier on Varick Street near the Holland Tunnel. DNAinfo reports that the unidentified man was headed south on Varick Street around 2:30 p.m. when he tried to make a right turn onto Dominick Street. But there was a divider in the middle of the street that the cyclist either didn't see or underestimated, and he went down hard on the pavement. more ›

The push to shut down a little-known immigrant jail in the West Village has been complicated due to the poor health of detainees—some of whom allege their medical problems have been overlooked by jail officials. Though Friday marks "the official end of detention operations" at the Varick Federal Detention Facility with the scheduled transfer of the remaining 300 detainees to New Jersey, authorities have struggled to find new places to hold non-citizens with illnesses and mental problems, the Times reports. And more detainees are arriving every day. more ›

Ever wonder what occupies that prime piece of real estate on the corner of West Houston and Varick streets in the West Village? Apparently a chronically overcrowded jail for "illegal immigrants, asylum-seekers and legal immigrants who face deportation because they have past criminal convictions," the Times reports. more ›

Last night the City Winery opened its slightly unfinished doors to the press, revealing New York's only fully functioning winery/venue. Downstairs in a temperature-controlled room, casks of wine made on the premises were being stored...some of it for customers who had already purchased their own. (Customers like Lou Reed.) That's right, possibly the best thing about this place is that you can put your name on a barrel and come tap into it whenever you like...for a price, of course. more ›

The Gothamist Newsmap noted a report of a "possible armed man" around 1 p.m. at King and Varick Streets in downtown Manhattan. Various readers tell us that the police are swarming the area over reports of a "pissed off sniper." We heard that one, perhaps two people were on a roof, possibly with a rifle, hence the NYPD helicopters. more ›

Crave on 42nd: Top Chef Season One's Dave "I'm not your bitch, bitch!" Martin has found a home in New York serving comfort-driven American bistro fare. He reprises one of his Top Chef dishes -- the Black Truffle Mac ‘n’ Cheese, with black truffles, brandy and fontina slow cooked with fresh thyme and oregano, and the menu offers wood grilled pizzas, burgers, and hearty entrees, like "Sassy Sea Bass," farm raised bass, dry rubbed and... more ›

A basket of country bread and baguette slices come to the table in a basket on a wooden cutting board. To one side of the bread is a shallow ramekin of homey duck rillette, made with shredded leg confit and duck fat. A few squares of butter, cornichons, and a dish of tiny pickled onions complement the breadbasket. more ›

This weekend Hollywood says what moviegoers liked once, they'll sure love twice as the sequels hit theaters. Now you may be asking yourselves, did we really need another movie about bad boys in fast cars or another flick about a fat, talking cat? Apparently, we did and they both needed to be set in an exotic international local, Japan and England, respectively. more ›

Everett, Washington (population 97,000) is a tranquil town that hosts blue collar workers, beautiful scenery and, once a year, The Outdoorsmen Championship. Invented 14 years ago by a group of high school friends (of course), the event allows men to be men and boys to be boys. Perfect fodder for a film, no? more ›

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If you have any questions on volunteering you can head over to the Tribeca Cinemas this Monday to meet up with the volunteer manager and coordinator over drinks. Details: Monday March 7 from 6:30-8:00 pm at Tribeca Cinemas [54 Varick Street (at Laight Street)] more ›