He also said the failing Moynihan Station project and the potential to rebuild Penn Station should take priority over the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the city's plans to develop Hudson Yards, and he said the Port Authority should take the leadership role on the Moynihan Station project — a position opposed by Mayor Bloomberg.

Published by New York Sun on May 13, 2008.

He also said the failing Moynihan Station project and the potential to rebuild Penn Station should take priority over the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the city's plans to develop Hudson Yards, and he said the Port Authority should take the leadership role on the Moynihan Station project — a position opposed by Mayor Bloomberg.

Published by New York Sun on May 13, 2008.

He also said the failing Moynihan Station project and the potential to rebuild Penn Station should take priority over the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the city's plans to develop Hudson Yards, and he said the Port Authority should take the leadership role on the Moynihan Station project — a position opposed by Mayor Bloomberg.

Published by New York Sun on May 13, 2008.

The notoriously isolated neighborhood of Red Hook in Brooklyn is about to get a bit more accessible, compliments of Ikea.

Published by New York Sun on May 13, 2008.

The water taxi will leave from Pier 11 in Lower Manhattan and go straight to Ikea's own dock, with boats leaving every 40 minutes. Additionally, there will be shuttles from three separate subway stations in Brooklyn: the Smith and 9th streets stop on the F and G lines, the Fourth Avenue and 9th Street stop on the R, and Borough Hall, which is a major subway hub. Ikea is also extending the B61 and B77 bus lines, which will reach the store. A spokesman for Ikea, Joseph Roth, said the new services would be available to everyone. "We are opening Red Hook up to all New Yorkers, not just the customers," he said.

Published by New York Sun on May 13, 2008.

Additionally, there will be shuttles from three separate subway stations in Brooklyn: the Smith and 9th streets stop on the F and G lines, the Fourth Avenue and 9th Street stop on the R, and Borough Hall, which is a major subway hub.

Published by New York Sun on May 13, 2008.

Additionally, there will be shuttles from three separate subway stations in Brooklyn: the Smith and 9th streets stop on the F and G lines, the Fourth Avenue and 9th Street stop on the R, and Borough Hall, which is a major subway hub.

Published by New York Sun on May 13, 2008.

Additionally, there will be shuttles from three separate subway stations in Brooklyn: the Smith and 9th streets stop on the F and G lines, the Fourth Avenue and 9th Street stop on the R, and Borough Hall, which is a major subway hub.

Published by New York Sun on May 13, 2008.

Hell's Kitchen has changed a lot in the more than 20 years since Willie Reale started the 52nd Street Project, a program that brings professional actors together with children from the neighborhood to create original plays.

Published by New York Sun on May 13, 2008.

The area is now called Clinton (if mostly by real estate agents and developers). And instead of being known for its crime rate, it's known for great restaurants and the large number of new condominiums rising into the sky.

Published by New York Sun on May 13, 2008.

Delays at ground zero could be getting very expensive, with Mayor Bloomberg saying yesterday that the city would avoid paying penalties for development delays at the former World Trade Center site, but leaving open the possibility that the state could owe Goldman Sachs tens of millions of dollars.

Published by New York Sun on May 13, 2008.

"We committed to have security in Lower Manhattan in place by the end of 2009, and we are on schedule to do that," Mr. Bloomberg said.

Published by New York Sun on May 13, 2008.

The bureau, which will be just three blocks from the current, dingy bureau at the City Clerk's Office at 1 Centre St., is set to be a world away in terms of looks.

Published by amNY.com on May 13, 2008.

An attorney for Caliente Cab Company did not immediately return a call for comment.

Published by amNY.com on May 13, 2008.

The body of one young hawk was recovered at Riverside Park on the west side of Manhattan. Two others have gone missing from their nest. Bird-watchers say the eyas fear they have died as well.

Published by amNY.com on May 13, 2008.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority could lose tens of millions of dollars if its tentative deal with Tishman Speyer to develop the West Side rail yards collapses, according to a number of sources. Representatives of the MTA and Tishman Speyer are scheduled to meet today to try to salvage the deal. A failure could lead the MTA to reopen the bidding process, or possibly approach one of the runner-up bidders. Both scenarios, observers say, leave the MTA with reduced bargaining leverage.

Published by Gotham Gazette on May 13, 2008.

On the Manhattan end, advocates believe that closing the Kips Bay facility, which has 850 beds in addition to being an intake center, will mean that more homeless people are on the street.

Published by Brownstoner on May 13, 2008.

last week.) On the Manhattan end, advocates believe that closing the Kips Bay facility, which has 850 beds in addition to being an intake center, will mean that more homeless people are on the street. On the Brooklyn end, City Councilmember Letitia James calls the proposal "misguided" since Crown Heights is “oversaturated” with social services. The city wants the new intake center to be in the armory at Bedford and Atlantic avenues, which already has a men's shelter. Dept. of Homeless Services Commissioner Rob Hess defends the move by saying that “People living on the street are not going to a centralized intake center.” The topic's been debated in comments here before, so we decided to open it up to a poll:

Published by Brownstoner on May 13, 2008.

Remember when the city Economic Development Corporation was trying to evict American Stevedoring and its hundreds of longshoremen employees from the Red Hook Piers? Neither do we.

Published by Brownstoner on May 13, 2008.

A bill that would preserve affordability at Starrett City, the largest federally subsidized rental complex in the United States, was overwhelmingly approved in the House last week.

Published by Brownstoner on May 13, 2008.

The new Rockaway ferry set sail from Breezy Point, at the tip of the Rockaways, to Lower Manhattan, with a stop in Brooklyn along the way. A total of 51 commuters were aboard for the first two trips, putting on brave faces and rain-slicked coats, and carrying umbrellas. Many residents of southern Queens might find the $12 round-trip fare daunting.

Published by New York Times on May 13, 2008.

The new Rockaway ferry set sail from Breezy Point, at the tip of the Rockaways, to Lower Manhattan, with a stop in Brooklyn along the way. A total of 51 commuters were aboard for the first two trips, putting on brave faces and rain-slicked coats, and carrying umbrellas. Many residents of southern Queens might find the $12 round-trip fare daunting.

Published by New York Times on May 13, 2008.

Under a 2005 deal, the city and state agreed to pay Goldman Sachs about $320 million in penalties if they failed to complete by 2010 road and transit projects, as well as a security plan, related to rebuilding at the World Trade Center site. Now, with nearly all those projects running behind schedule, city and state officials have begun talks with Goldman Sachs in the hope of identifying its major concerns and negotiating a new agreement that would avoid those hefty penalties.

Published by New York Times on May 13, 2008.

Three nestlings born in recent weeks to a pair of red-tailed hawks in the south end of Riverside Park are believed to have died. (See related blog post.)

Published by New York Times on May 13, 2008.

A new waiting room in the Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan includes a retrofitted, antique organ designed by David Byrne, the former lead singer of the band Talking Heads. [New York Post]

Published by New York Times on May 13, 2008.

Despite MTA efforts to revive a plan for development of the West Side rail yards, it appears after negotiations today with developers that the deal is dead.

Published by amNY.com on May 13, 2008.

A teen was stabbed one block from Richmond Hill High School in Queens this afternoon.

Published by ABC News (Channel 7) on May 13, 2008.

Detectives believe the same suspect is responsible for ten robberies since 2006, including two in New Hyde Park this week.

Published by ABC News (Channel 7) on May 13, 2008.

Upon her discharge from the hospital on May 11, 2008, Zheng took the baby home. However, before her husband returned home that day, she took the baby to Holly Avenue, to the home of her pastor, allegedly with the intent of abandoning the baby.

Published by ABC News (Channel 7) on May 13, 2008.

The agency that owns 26 acres of rail yards on Manhattan's Far West Side is beginning talks with other developers after last week's failure of a $1 billion deal with Tishman Speyer Properties.

Published by CBS News (Channel 2) on May 13, 2008.

Tishman Speyer and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority failed to reach an agreement to develop the Hudson Yards and the MTA says it has re-entered discussions with other developers for the project.

Published by Crain's New York Business on May 13, 2008.

The incident happened on Thursday near 54th Street and 39th Drive in the Woodside section.

Published by WNBC on May 13, 2008.

The agency that owns 26 acres of rail yards on Manhattan's Far West Side is beginning talks with other developers after last week's failure of a $1 billion deal with Tishman Speyer Properties.

Published by WNBC on May 13, 2008.

Uviller promptly slammed the 27-year-old rapper - whose real name is Remy Smith - with an 8-year sentence for shooting Makeda Barnes-Joseph last July following a night of drinking in the Meatpacking District.

Published by New York Daily News on May 13, 2008.

Khadijah Farmer has settled her suit against the Caliente Cab Co. on 7th Ave. after she was accosted by security when she tried to use the women's bathroom.

Published by New York Daily News on May 13, 2008.

Mary Lee Clark, 52, remains in comatose two years after the May 7, 2006 shooting at the East New York apartment that Waiters was sharing with another cousin.

Published by New York Daily News on May 13, 2008.

Here's a rendering for a trio of green, modular townhouses planned for a plot of land in Bed Stuy across the street from Restoration Plaza. Designed by Garrison Architects, the 2,000-square-foot houses have highly efficient heating, insulation and lighting systems.

Published by Brownstoner on May 13, 2008.

We've been here since 2002, and have worked on the garden incrementally since then. Closest to the house is the concrete patio, which is as we found it. Here we have the shed, the grill, the patio table, the herb garden and the grape arbor. The central area consists of small plantings with a brick path and flower boxes on either side. Finally the 'lawn', which is a mix of grass, dandelions, plantain (the weed) etc.

Published by Brownstoner on May 13, 2008.

At last week's Real Estate Roundtable held at the Brooklyn Historical Society, developer and film industry entrepreneur Doug Steiner gave an update on his 80 Metropolitan project that jibed pretty closely with what we gleaned last month. According to Steiner, "about 25%" of the 114 units have sold, with studios and one bedrooms proving the most popular so far.

Published by Brownstoner on May 13, 2008.

Some weird—and possibly illegal and highly dangerous—stuff is going down at a construction site in Windsor Terrace. According to a message sent out to the Windsor Terrace Alliance email list, illegal demolition activity was occurring yesterday at 1216 Prospect Avenue , the old Elks Club building on Vanderbilt Street. Last week, according to the message, demolition "was shut down on 5/9/08 for illegal mechanical demolition with a Stop Work Order and 2 ECB violations issued by DOB.

Published by Brownstoner on May 13, 2008.

This wood-paneled three-bedroom at 90 Prospect Park West is a looker, for sure, but its initial asking price of $1,400,000 was more than the market could bear. The eight-unit limestone building, overlooking the park between 4th and 5th streets, hasn't had any turnover in the last couple of years; Apartment 4L, the most recent unit to change hands, sold for $1,187,500 back at the end of 2005.

Published by Brownstoner on May 13, 2008.

Despite having been chopped up into four units, the brownstone at 468 Henry Street in Cobble Hill appears to have retained much of its original detail (or at least the parlor floor, which is all that's shown in the photos, has.) Given the configuration, however, and the potential expense involved in turning it into a two-family, we suspect that the $2,600,000 asking price is a bit of a stretch for the 3,000-square-foot building.

Published by Brownstoner on May 13, 2008.

The nail salon on Lincoln Road in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, where manis and pedis could be had for a mere $15 (the trick is to ask for three coats), closed down two weeks ago. A note was attached to the door announcing the closure "because of a change in lease" and thanking customers for years of support.

Published by Brownstoner on May 13, 2008.

The European editor-at-large for U.S. Vogue has gone to contract on a $1.5 million, two-bedroom, eighth-floor co-op at 45 East 9th Street, city records show. The 1,500 square-foot, duplex apartment is outfitted with “all the bells and whistles” one would expect of a male fashionista’s residence, according to the Corcoran listing: A gracious entry foyer leading to a spacious double-height living room with domed decorative ceiling and romantic Juliet balcony overlooking the living room with a wall of windows.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

Republican City Council candidate Robert Hornak of Astoria is having a birthday party fund-raiser on May 21.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

Republican City Council candidate Robert Hornak of Astoria is having a birthday party fund-raiser on May 21.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

In an inevitable, perhaps even overdue collision of reality and lifestyle, this morning MTV announced it has greenlit the 21st season of The Real World. It will be filmed in Brooklyn, the reigning home turf of post-teen drama, and broadcast in 13 one-hour episodes in early 2009. No word yet regarding in which neighborhood the attention-seeking hopefuls will reside and manufacture identity-based conflict. We are hoping for the corner of Smith and Carroll but will also settle for Bedford and North Sixth.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

In an inevitable, perhaps even overdue collision of reality and lifestyle, this morning MTV announced it has greenlit the 21st season of The Real World. It will be filmed in Brooklyn, the reigning home turf of post-teen drama, and broadcast in 13 one-hour episodes in early 2009. No word yet regarding in which neighborhood the attention-seeking hopefuls will reside and manufacture identity-based conflict. We are hoping for the corner of Smith and Carroll but will also settle for Bedford and North Sixth.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

An Italian-American bluesman records a song in Florida. An Irish-American disc jockey plays it at a radio station in Woodstock, N.Y. He tells a bunch of pals from the old neighborhood in the Bronx about this song. Before you know it, Mexican teenagers whose families replaced the Irish in the tenements and row houses of Mott Haven are tapping their toes to the tune.

Published by New York Times on May 13, 2008.

Now the strip of apartment buildings on East 138th Street, around the corner from Alexander Avenue — known as the Irish Fifth Avenue in its day — is home to new families trying to get ahead. Just like the Irish before them, the church is the focus of their lives, and not just on Sundays. A community center, where residents learn English and about computers and take citizenship classes, has opened in recent years.

Published by New York Times on May 13, 2008.

A West Village restaurant where a woman was ejected last year, on the grounds that she looked too much like a man, has reached a settlement [pdf] with the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, part of which includes the restaurant’s agreement to adopt more nondiscriminatory workplace practices. In addition, the restaurant, Caliente Cab Company, will pay $35,000 to the woman, Khadijah Farmer of Brooklyn, and $15,000 in legal fees to the defense fund.

Published by New York Times on May 13, 2008.

How much would an acre of raw, undeveloped land next to the Empire State Building cost? This is not a trick question. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has put a price tag on just such an acre: more than $90 million, as of the middle of 2006.

Published by New York Times on May 13, 2008.

Michael R. Bloomberg ’s last-ditch effort to revive the West Side rail yards project ended in failure today after Tishman Speyer Properties failed to come to terms with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on a $1 billion deal.

Published by New York Times on May 13, 2008.

Borough Park is such a photogenic place for outsiders. It feels as if you’ve stepped back in time to an eastern European shtetl: store signs and street posters and fliers in Yiddish; women in wigs and long skirts and pushing strollers; men in the traditional Hasidic black hat style gathering in tight groups for animated discussions in Yiddish. Boys on bikes wearing long forelocks of hair. Everyone staring unabashedly with the guy with the press pass and camera.

Published by New York Times on May 13, 2008.

Glen Bolofsky, who has made a two-and-half-decade-long career of fighting City Hall, or at least the parking tickets it issues, unveiled his latest weapon Tuesday morning: a Web site. Actually, the site, parkingticket.com, which was introduced in the Plaza Hotel in Midtown to a small conference room of reporters, is basically the same one he has offered since 2001, but it now boasts a new feature that assesses users’ chances of successfully challenging a ticket before enlisting Mr. Bolofsky to do it for them.

Published by New York Times on May 13, 2008.

The tragic friendly fire death of a suburban police officer leads to a call for change in police training. Tuesday marked day two of weapons of mass destruction training for recruits at the Westchester County Police Academy. By contrast - recruits here get just a half-day training on so called off-duty confrontations - when on-duty officers respond to calls involving off-duty cops.

Published by CBS News (Channel 2) on May 13, 2008.

The Mets' new stadium is starting to look like a ballpark. Rows of seats, forest green in tribute to the New York Giants' Polo Grounds, have been installed in the right field upper deck at Citi Field.

Published by CBS News (Channel 2) on May 13, 2008.

The serial robber is on the loose on Long Island. CBS 2 HD has obtained video of one of his recent robbery attempts, at the Roslyn Savings Bank in New Hyde Park.

Published by CBS News (Channel 2) on May 13, 2008.

After more than 160 years, St. Saviour's in Maspeth has been deconstructed and is awaiting a new life at a nearby cemetery. Click here for a photo gallery of the final steps of the dismantling, courtesy of Christina Wilkinson. And click here for a gallery of the church as it looked when it had been stripped down to its austere wooden beauty.

Published by amNY.com on May 13, 2008.

To build upon last week’s episode, as well as offer all of ya’ll another warm, local place to step into and get out of this unseasonably cold weather we’re having, this week’s neighbor has also set out to bring steaming cups of coffee to Bed Stuy’s previously caffeine-deprived denizens. In a cozy space on Malcolm X Blvd. that features exposed brick walls, Wifi, and a seating area with colorful pillows and cushions, our next neighbor can often be found chatting with customers about politics (she and her business partner are Barack Obama supporters), planting new flowers in the giant wooden barrels on the sidewalk in front of her business, and serving up a myriad of breakfast pastries, bagels, fruit smoothies, and lunch. Ready to meet a new neighbor?

Published by Bed-Stuy Blog on May 13, 2008.

Remy Ma's wedding plans are up in the air. But a judge has made definite plans for the Grammy-nominated rapper: eight years in prison for shooting a woman outside a Manhattan nightclub. The state Supreme Court sentence was handed Tuesday to the 26-year-old rapper, whose real name is Remy Smith, for assault, weapon possession and attempted coercion.

Published by New York Post on May 13, 2008.

The other shoe has dropped. CBS 2 HD has learned of a criminal indictment in the case of the bogus dental practice in Midwood.

Published by CBS News (Channel 2) on May 13, 2008.

Two years ago, an effort to preserve two nondescript brownstone facades forced the Whitney Museum of American Art to drastically revise a plan to expand its Madison Avenue home; ultimately that project was scuttled. The group seems as open to the notion that cities can change as some biblical fundamentalists are to evolution.

Published by New York Times on May 13, 2008.

The recent battle over the Parke-Bernet Gallery building, an austere 1950s-era limestone structure on Madison Avenue between 76th and 77th Streets, is a case in point. When the British architect Norman Foster first presented his proposal to erect a 30-story glass tower atop the existing building, many neighborhood residents were outraged. “A glass dagger plunged into the heart of the Upper East Side,” one said.

Published by New York Times on May 13, 2008.

Planting modern appendages on top of old buildings is an unnerving trend these days in Manhattan real estate, where soaring prices can make any empty space look like a money-making opportunity. Just two years ago Mr. Foster completed a faceted glass-and-steel tower that pierces the core of the 1928 Hearst Building, a low limestone structure that looked a bit like a mausoleum, anyway. And plans are in the works for a 40-story office tower atop the Port Authority bus terminal and a 140-room hotel on the Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan.

Published by New York Times on May 13, 2008.

By comparison with the Hearst Tower’s faceted exterior, the Parke-Bernet project’s oval form seemed rather slick and subdued. Still, the idea — held by most serious architects today — was that the best way to respect the past is not to mimic it, but to weave a contemporary vision into the historic fabric with sensitivity.

Published by New York Times on May 13, 2008.

The Hamilton Grange National Monument, designed by John McComb, Jr. 1801-02, will be moved from its current site at 287 Convent @ W. 141st Street, on June 7th.This will be the second move for this historic structure–the first was in the 1880s from Convent Avenue and 143rd Street.Following below is a press releasefrom the National Parks Service outlining the move schedule, street closings, and traffic pattern for the duration.

Published by UPTOWNflavor on May 13, 2008.

Fairway Market is opening its sixth and largest store in Pelham Manor, just over the Bronx border in Westchester County, marking the budding chain’s first foray north of the city.

Published by Crain's New York Business on May 13, 2008.

A year ago the Hong-Kong based hotelier signed a management deal in New York with development partners RFR Holding and Clarion Partners to open a hotel at 610 Lexington Ave. and East 53rd St. in back of the landmark Seagram building. The site was a formerly occupied by a YWCA. Plans involve transferring air rights from the Seagram building.

Published by Crain's New York Business on May 13, 2008.

A popular Greenwich Village restaurant has settled a lawsuit with a lesbian who said a bouncer chased her out of the women's bathroom and forced her to leave because she looked masculine.

Published by amNY.com on May 13, 2008.

Prosecutors say a man has been convicted of fatally shooting a 3-year-old girl and wounding her grandmother and two other children at a Brooklyn family gathering. Thirty-eight-year-old General Waiters faces the possibility of life in prison for the May 2006 murder of Tajmere Clark, his girlfriend's niece. Waiters is set to be sentenced June 2.

Published by amNY.com on May 13, 2008.

Uviller promptly slammed the 27-year-old rapper - whose real name is Remy Smith - with an 8-year sentence for shooting Makeda Barnes-Joseph last July following a night of drinking in the Meatpacking District.

Published by New York Daily News on May 13, 2008.

Also on Friday, May 9, the Chelsea Hotel’s grand ballroom was opened for the first time in years, hung with more than 100 photographs of the ancient bohemian enclave and its many edgy inhabitants, including rockers Patti Smith and Dee Dee Ramone.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

10 a.m. Bridge and tunnel officers are honored for their life-savings actions at Bridge and Tunnel Officers Benevolent Association and MTA Bridges and Tunnels awards ceremony; Robert Moses Building on Randall's Island.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

1 p.m. Union cafeteria workers at CBS rally for a fair contract; Carnegie Hall, 881 Seventh Ave., at 57th Street.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

Noon. Associated Buildings and Owners of Greater New York luncheon; The National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park South.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

6 p.m. Metropolitan Black Bar Association dinner; "Stage 6" at the Steiner Studios, 15 Washington Ave.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

6 p.m. Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard Gottfried and Council Speaker Christine Quinn are honored by Primary Care Development Corporation; Bridgewaters, 11 Fulton St.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

Two of the city’s greatest public-private projects on Manhattan’s West Side have suffered setbacks in recent weeks. First, various government entities have hinting that Moynihan Station—a $900 million project that ballooned into a $14 billion mega-development—will never see the light of day. Then, a deal between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and a real estate developer to create office towers, apartment buildings and parks over the rail yards on the far West Side collapsed. Both projects, Moynihan Station and Hudson Yards, reflect the determination to get things done on a grand scale which has characterized New York in the 21st century. And both have come too close to fruition to fall back now.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

Two of the city’s greatest public-private projects on Manhattan’s West Side have suffered setbacks in recent weeks. First, various government entities have hinting that Moynihan Station—a $900 million project that ballooned into a $14 billion mega-development—will never see the light of day. Then, a deal between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and a real estate developer to create office towers, apartment buildings and parks over the rail yards on the far West Side collapsed. Both projects, Moynihan Station and Hudson Yards, reflect the determination to get things done on a grand scale which has characterized New York in the 21st century. And both have come too close to fruition to fall back now.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

With Tishman Speyer out of the picture at the West Side rail yards, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is now headed back to the other three bidding teams (Extell Development, the Related Companies, and a joint venture of the Durst Organization and Vornado Realty Trust); that is, if they’re still interested.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

Florida developer Gerardo Capo has paid $3.5 million for a 12th-floor condo at 15 Central Park West, city records show, moving about as far from Miami's bottomless housing market as one can get--metaphorically speaking.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel cleared a hurdle today in his effort to build a skyscraper taller than the Chrysler Building next to the Museum of Modern Art, as the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission today voted 7-0 to allow the tower to go forward, according to agency spokeswoman Lisi De Bourbon.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

In a recent filing with the SEC, Vornado Realty Trust wrote off $23 million associated with the “abandonment” of the so-called Moynihan East portion of the Penn Station redevelopment plan.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

Senator Schumer yesterday also called for the Moynihan Station plan to proceed with some sort of major renovation in Penn Station, starting with removing the 200,000 square feet of office space and other uses that crowd the station.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

Bulging tights—and wallets—will be in ample evidence tonight at the American Ballet Theatre’s 68th Annual Spring Galaat the Metropolitan Opera House, featuring dinner and dancing (first by the professionals, and later, the dermatologically stiffened pharmaceutically perked-up masses) and a showcase of luminaries such as first daughter and Obama supporter Caroline Kennedy; socialites Blaine Trump Lauren Santo Domingo, and Anne Grauso; socialite-turned-fashion titan Tory Burch; NBC franchise; Tina Fey adorable Nina Ricci designer Olivier Theyskens—who looks like a medieval pirate—and, awesomely, Taylor Momsen from Gossip Girl!

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

Dumbo continues to assert itself as a place for culture, not just glassy condos stuffed full of bankers and their sticky-mat wives, with a New York Photo Festival, a four-day event that ends, as art is wont to these days, with war: The Aperture Foundation hosts a discussion on modern war photography, Picturing Iraq.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

Farm Sanctuary hosts a NYC Gala for Farm Animals at Cipriani, featuring Paul McCartney’s ex, Heather Mills, emcee Melissa Rivers (Alicia Silverstone must have been busy) and a three-course vegan dinner, not to mention a performance by ’90s mainstay Shawn Colvin and appearances by animal lovers such as Kristen Bell, Jennifer Coolidge, Ally Sheedy and Swoosie Kurtz.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

Finally, members of a singularly annoying New York tribe that we’ll loathe for the next 10 years before invariably joining—yep, the Brooklyn writer-moms!—stage a terrifying gathering at the Montauk Club in Park Slope (wait, we’re retching up our frozen burrito) called I Am Edgy Mom, Hear Me Roar: Tales of Motherhood Without Sanctimony.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

Daniel Selznick will be on hand to tell the full story of the nine-minute screen test. The screening will be held at the Walter Reade Theatre on Amsterdam Avenue and 65th Street.

Published by The New York Observer on May 13, 2008.

The sole drinking establishment on the boardwalk is South Fin Grill (300 Father Capodanno Boulevard, 718-447-7679), a seafood restaurant that shares a front porch with a catering hall popular with the Bar Mitzvah and Confirmation crowd.

Published by Village Voice on May 13, 2008.

One block from the Stillwell Avenue subway station—a sprawling depot meant to evoke Europe's massive train halls—stands a crumbling façade at the corner of Surf Avenue and West 12th Street. The windows of the two-story structure are plastered over with newspaper, and penny pinchers pick aluminum cans out of the trash in front.

Published by Village Voice on May 13, 2008.

Your anthropomorphic beverage should last you long enough to cruise over Brighton Beach. Hang a left at Coney Island Avenue, and stop in for a game or two at Club Boardwalk (3200 Coney Island Avenue, 718-934-7777). The five ping-pong tables are hard to snag, but ten 42-inch TVs, 20 billiard tables, four Russian-pyramid tables, and two snooker tables make this one of the best-equipped halls serving South Brooklyn. Boardwalk carries bottled beers (all $4), and games start at $4.50 per person per hour.

Published by Village Voice on May 13, 2008.

Mom may tell you to wait 30 minutes after eating before you can take a swim, but does that apply to those of us on a liquid diet, too? Aquatic expert Katie Kime, a 22-year-old lifeguard from New Jersey, sounds positively appalled at the very notion. "Drinking?!," she scolds. "It's never good to put yourself in the water where you are not 100 percent in control." How Red Cross–certified of Katie. Nevertheless, while the blissful combination of sun, surf, and Sauza tequila may seem an enviable one, do yourself (and those nubile lifeguards) a favor and wait till your dip is done before hitting up the drinking joints we found along New York City's sandy bits.South Beach, North Bars don't exactly overwhelm Staten Island's east coast—at least not within walking distance of the shore. Don't expect to get too far without a set of wheels (and a designated driver, of course). But the S51 bus departs every half hour from the Ferry Terminal, and after 45 minutes reaches Sand Lane, the stop for South Beach. Miami fantasies won't last too long; instead of the chiseled chests of Cuban hunks, this South Beach is more likely to have dog-walking wives with fake-tanned arm jiggles. For a city shore, South Beach is relatively pristine—Great Kills and Wolfe's Pond, two beaches a little further south are filthy. (Did we expect anything named "Great Kills" would be clean? We're just thankful it's not blood-drenched.) Yet its position on the Lower New York Bay doesn't let sunbathers forget where they are: The Verrazano Bridge looms large and the whimsical spires of Coney Island gleam in the distance. Seeing as how Staten Island is nearer the Jersey Shore than most of New York, it ought to know a thing or two about throwing a good beach party. Yes, the newish construction on South Beach is a boardwalk in the sense that it's a place to walk and it's made of boards. It's named after FDR, but Roosevelt liked a bit of fun as much as the next polio-stricken, wartime pres. Were he here to see it, he might bemoan his namesake's grievous lack of beer, corn dogs, and unwinnable ring tosses. The sole drinking establishment on the boardwalk is South Fin Grill (300 Father Capodanno Boulevard, 718-447-7679), a seafood restaurant that shares a front porch with a catering hall popular with the Bar Mitzvah and Confirmation crowd. A man in top hat and tails will direct you to the correct entrance and settle you in the lounge section where you can perch fruity drink on one of the checkered, sand-strewn chairs. On Fridays and Saturdays, the outdoor deck becomes a "tiki bar" with live music, cocktails in the $8 to $11 range, and perfect views. Brooklyn Freak-Out If Staten Island disappoints with its pristine and nearly alcohol-free planks, dirty, boozy Coney Island is another story. Yes, there's litter on the sand, cigarette butts on the seesaws, toothless women offering palm readings, and men who scratch themselves before handing you a paper basket of fried shrimp. Let's face it—you don't come here for good, clean fun. One block from the Stillwell Avenue subway station—a sprawling depot meant to evoke Europe's massive train halls—stands a crumbling façade at the corner of Surf Avenue and West 12th Street. The windows of the two-story structure are plastered over with newspaper, and penny pinchers pick aluminum cans out of the trash in front. Under a plain black awning, it's easy to miss the glowing "Open" sign and the doorway leading to the Coney Island Museum, where, for 99 cents, visitors can glimpse historic ephemera from the beach's heyday. By Memorial Day, the building will boast a ground-floor Freak Bar expanded from eight stools to 20, plus ice-cream-parlor-style tables, a vintage jukebox, a Coney Island pinball machine, and an upright piano. For now, enter on West 12th, and grab a bottle of Coney Island Lager before watching the fire eater and sword swallower at the upstairs freak show. With the threat of its demise, there's lots of talk about what makes Coney Island such a great place. Mermaids and indie-music shows aside, there's no better pleasure than walking in the sun on a city block with a beer in your hand. Better yet, make that a $4 pint. Better yet, make it a two-foot-tall piña colada in a plastic cup shaped like a naked man's body—available at the beachside refreshment stands. Your anthropomorphic beverage should last you long enough to cruise over Brighton Beach. Hang a left at Coney Island Avenue, and stop in for a game or two at Club Boardwalk (3200 Coney Island Avenue, 718-934-7777). The five ping-pong tables are hard to snag, but ten 42-inch TVs, 20 billiard tables, four Russian-pyramid tables, and two snooker tables make this one of the best-equipped halls serving South Brooklyn. Boardwalk carries bottled beers (all $4), and games start at $4.50 per person per hour. As you stroll back to the subway, grab a snack on Brighton Beach Avenue, a thoroughfare dotted with Slavic grocery stores and restaurants. Bronx Beers No scent of piss and pretzels? No disgusting sights? Is this even New York? Set within the woods of Pelham Bay Park, itself a tranquil destination on a sunny day, Orchard Beach is a little over a mile of smooth sand and jewel-blue sea. There's barely a tide due to its Long Island Sound setting; the beach is man-made, built by Robert Moses in the '30s with sand from the Jersey Shore and the Rockaways. The area is a popular mating spot for horseshoe crabs—the prehistoric sea creatures come up onto the beach to frolic in May and June. The beach itself resembles a horseshoe, and a monumental two-story pavilion spoons it. The crumbling structure houses stands selling cheap beer and ice cream. Beyond the beach, Pelham Bay Park offers facilities for volleyball, canoeing, paddleball, barbecuing, and lazy days on the grass. From the beach, the islands of the sound dot the horizon. City Island is the most prominent, its wooden shanties lit by fluorescent signs noting "LOBSTER" served within. If this tantalizes, hop back on the Bx29 bus (which connects with the No. 6 train) or bike over the bridge to this fantasy world of stately homes, valet parking, and strong Mafia feel. The main avenue has no shortage of restaurants with fully stocked bars, and there are even a couple of dives mid-island. Every establishment at the south end of the island is part of the Sammy's conglomerate: Shrimp Box, Lobster House (currently closed for renovations), and Fish Box (41 City Island Avenue, 718-885-0920). Just for sitting down at a Sammy's, would-be diners are presented with a "relish tray," including a warm loaf of bread, a hunk of cheese, fresh cornbread, and a plate of pickled vegetables. The drinks here and at Sammy's Tropical Bar—a hole-in-the-wall with a takeout counter—are pricey and weak, but the freebies are a nice touch to soak up the cooling alcohol while you broil in the scorching sun.

Published by Village Voice on May 13, 2008.

The main avenue has no shortage of restaurants with fully stocked bars, and there are even a couple of dives mid-island. Every establishment at the south end of the island is part of the Sammy's conglomerate: Shrimp Box, Lobster House (currently closed for renovations), and Fish Box (41 City Island Avenue, 718-885-0920).

Published by Village Voice on May 13, 2008.

But for those free from social-anxiety disorder, the second annual New York City Dance Parade floods the streets of Manhattan and Tompkins Square Park with nearly 5,000 dancers this Saturday, in celebration of culture, community, and the art of movement—which you still can't "celebrate" in most of the city's bars and clubs, since the lawsuit regarding the unconstitutionality of the cabaret law was denied its appeal last year.

Published by Village Voice on May 13, 2008.

Fifty years ago, few would have predicted that the scrappy, idealistic, primarily African-American troupe would still be around in 2008, much less the most popular dance company in the world. The extensive anniversary plans include a return to BAM after a 38-year absence, with a "Classic Ailey" sampler of the late founder's oeuvre and a best-of program of recent repertory. For the commemorative Barbie doll, you'll have to wait until the fall. & BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, 30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn.

Published by Village Voice on May 13, 2008.

You'll encounter the first chance to feed your face when you reach the corner of 60th Street, where Lan Zhou Handpull Noodle (5924 Eighth Avenue, entrance on 60th) and Quickly (same address) are found side by side, the first stretching excellent handmade wheat noodles, the second specializing in bubble teas and miniature buns that squirt creamed corn custard when you bite into them.

Published by Village Voice on May 13, 2008.

You're steps away from one of the best pan-Italian restaurants in town, Roberto (603 Crescent Avenue), where there's a no-reservations policy. The best dishes are found on the specials chalkboard, including the pastas al cartoccio ("in a bag") or anything featuring bunny or lamb.

Published by Village Voice on May 13, 2008.

Alternately, start out at Calandra's (2314 Arthur Avenue), where many of the cheeses—including fresh and smoked mozzarella, fleecy ricotta, basket cheese, and the chile-encrusted Calabrese—are either made on the premises, or at the store's dairy farm in eastern Pennsylvania.

Published by Village Voice on May 13, 2008.