Union Square Gears Up For Spring With a New Playground and More

Union Square is no longer just for market vegetables and artisanal breads.
The Parks Department and the Union Square Partnership officially opened a new 15,000-square-foot playground this week, just in time for spring.
This playground is three times larger than the previous one. And play equipment (including swings and climbing rocks) is just the beginning—certain features will make their debut when it gets (even) warmer.
The new playground has three separate “rooms” dedicated to different age groups and equipment. Toddlers get swings and climbing platforms; school-age kids are offered play equipment and a spray shower; and the last area offers more of a free-for–all experience with monkey bars and a tube slide. Landscaped gardens surround the area.
In addition, the whole north side of the park will be renovated: A newly overhauled pavilion will offer a district office, a recreation space and perhaps a café starting in early summer.
The Greenmarket itself is also gearing up for spring with a wider selection of fruits and vegetables as the weather warms up. (In coming weeks, expect asparagus, new potatoes, and perhaps artichokes.) The Market is open for business Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, from 8 am – 6 pm.
Want to know more about the square and its origins? Free walking tours depart every Saturday at 2 PM; they leave from the Abraham Lincoln Statue near 16th Street. Participants will explore the social, political, and architectural history of the area--expect plenty of discussion along the way. (Reservations are required for groups, but not individuals.)
And, oh yes, perhaps the best news of all for patrons? Five new bathrooms will be added, three of which will make their debut next month in the new comfort station.

Going Green's in Fashion, Even at the Library

It’s a big week for going green--and we don’t just mean because of Saint Patrick’s Day.
A new Public Library opened yesterday in Battery Park City, and it will be one of the city’s “greenest” libraries. An all-day series of events celebrated the library’s official opening.
The branch, the city’s 88th, incorporates such green technology as energy-efficient heating and cooling systems and lighting; it was built with recycled and renewable materials. The floor? Made from wood scraps from window-frame manufacturing. The upstairs carpet? Car tires. If you were wondering, the sanitary fixtures are low-flow, which reduce water consumption. It will receive LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Council.
We’re not sure what that means, but doesn’t it sound impressive?
The $6.7 million enterprise includes a two-story, 10,000 square-foot library with 24,000 items. It offers three dozen public computers, a large space for various programs, and separate reading areas for kids, teens and adults. Another groovy feature: two self-checkout machines—plus plenty of windows. It’s a heartening development in an economically troubled time; especially when so many public services are being shuttered. (More good news: This branch is actually open until 8pm Tuesdays and Thursdays.)
The library will offer a wide range of classes, workshops, and community programs.
It’s located at 175 North End Avenue at Murray Street. Call (212) 790-3499 for more information.
Another welcoming fact about the library? It plays host, rising many stories above it, to the city’s newest--and greenest--residential high-rise.

Give Me An A: That's the New Rallying Cry for New York Restaurants

A-OK: That’s what restaurants across New York City are hoping health inspectors will say after a new ruling that went into effect this week.
Starting in July, all restaurants will have to display a letter grade near their entrances, giving potential patrons immediate information about whether they want to keep their reservation--or keep walking. Signs will be dated and prominently displayed in the window or vestibule. The new ruling applies to all restaurants, from swanky four-star establishments to that local falafel joint on your corner. The system will measure how clean a restaurant is.
Other cities, such as Los Angeles, use similar systems.
Although the New York Restaurant Association has protested the new rule, officials countered by pointing out that after L.A. started using the system (it has been in effect for more than a decade there), the number of restaurants that met higher standards went up.
The Health Department says that most restaurants it inspects have good health conditions, but about a quarter aren’t up to speed in food safety practices. At this point, officials say that about 30 percent of New York eateries would earn an A grade. Restaurants that receive less than an A will have time to, yes, clean up their act before grades are posted. Restaurants can also appeal their grade, much like in middle school. A ‘Grade Pending” sign will then be posted. (But hmm, wouldn’t that make you wonder, just a tad, what was going on?)
Can't wait to see the results? They’re already posted online, at nyc.gov/health.

It's the Wearing of the Green, so Get Out Those Shamrocks

Green hat? Check. Carefree attitude and sparkling shamrock pin? Check. Small leprechaun to accompany you? Check. (Just seeing if you were paying attention.)
Faith and begorrah, it’s St. Patrick’s Day, and if you didn’t know by the calendar, you could certainly tell by the plethora of green-clad revelers.
The parade, which began 249 years ago (and you can bet someone is already preparing for the 250th anniversary) starts at 44th Street at 11:00 am today, and wends its way up New York’s Fifth Avenue; as you’ll note, no floats, balloons, cars or other “commercial aspects” are involved. It marches past St. Patrick’s Cathedral on 50th Street, past the American Irish Historical Society on 83rd (who knew?) as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and finishes up on 86th Street in the late afternoon, usually around 4:30 or 5:00 pm.
(By the way, St. Patrick’s Day is held every March 17 except when it falls on a Sunday; then it takes place the day before.)
Anyone actually know why the parade is held? It honors the patron saint of Ireland as well as the Archdiocese of New York, and also, of course, celebrates Irish faith and history.
Who knows who the Grand Marshall is?
Yes, if you said Honorable Raymond Kelly, New York City’s Police Commissioner, you’d be right.
One word of advice: Whether you’re Irish or pretending to be, going to the parade or avoiding it all costs, leave your car at home and take public transportation.
You'll thank us, honestly.

If Rock Rolls and Rebels, it Doesn't Do it at the Waldorf Astoria

Rock and roll is about rebellion, anarchy, playing really loud music...and apparently, about putting on a tuxedo and sitting politely in one of New York’s priciest and most famous hotels.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place last night in Manhattan’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel, in front of a moneyed crowd, and was carried live on TV's Fuse. The inductees included performers such as Genesis (four of the original members showed up, but Peter Gabriel was nowhere in sight), ABBA (Mama Mia, anyone?), popsters The Hollies, reggae great Jimmy Cliff, and punk rockers the Stooges, along with their fearless leader Iggy Pop. (Would you ever see these people on the same stage at any other time??) Some of the winners performed--members of ABBA (along, for some reason, with country singer Faith Hill), and Jimmy Cliff among them--he sang a rousing version of “Many Rivers to Cross.”
Non-performers from the music business were inducted as well: They included mogul David Geffen (can he be described any other way?), as well as songwriters such as Otis Blackwell, Jesse Stone and writing team Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry. Rob Thomas, Chris Isaak, and Ronnie Spector were among those who performed in the tribute to the songwriters, ad Carole King, one of the all-time greats, saluted them as well.
And why the art-deco, world-famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel as a venue, instead of some grungy, grass roots, underground hole?
Well, given that rock stars are pretty much treated as royalty, why not?

Prepare to Be Unsettled at a New MoMa Exhibition

If you’re planning a visit to New York’s Museum of Modern Art any time soon, brace yourself. No, we mean that literally—you’ll have to pass through two naked people flanking a doorway if you want to see “Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present,” which opened yesterday.
The “performers” will alternate, and include both opposite and same sex participants: It’s all part of a retrospective.
The museum is presenting an exhibition of approximately 50 of the Yugoslavian born artist’s works, and includes video works and photographs, as well as “re-performances” of her works. The artist will also perform a new solo work. It will be the longest duration of time that she has performed a single solo piece.
All performances will start before the museum opens and stop after it closes each day, to help viewers experience the timeless of the works.
Spoiler Alert: You may also see a nude woman on a bicycle seat and another nude performer lying under a skeleton.
Visitors at a preview were a bit unsettled, to say the least--which may be part of the point.
Warning: If you don’t like audience participation, watch out.
A series of lectures and gallery talks will accompany the exhibition. The Museum of Modern Art is at 11 West 53rd Street. Call (212) 708-9400 for more information.
And don’t forget that you can visit late one day a week: MoMa nights are the first Thursday of each month, when the museum stays open until 8:45 PM.

The Taxi Fare is How Much? Check Your Figures Carefully

Taxi Passengers in New York City who couldn’t believe how much their fare was may have been on to something—the Taxi and Limousine Commission revealed this past week that close to 36,000 yellow taxicabs in the city overcharged passengers by about $8.3 million over the past two years. That's roughly three quarters of all yellow cab drivers, if you were wondering. Approximately 3,000 of those drivers overcharged passengers more than 100 times. All in all, about 1.8 million passengers were overcharged. How? The drivers switched their meters to higher out-of-town rates that should only apply outside the five boroughs. That means that rates for 1/5 mile doubled from 40 cents to 80 cents. Passengers were overcharged about five dollars per ride.
Criminal charges will in all likelihood be brought against some of the drivers, according to Mayor Bloomberg.
The New York Taxi Workers Alliance blamed the GPS meters, saying it was technological failure and that there were no witnesses. (The “no witnesses” part seems to make their case a little shaky, no? And by the way, the dog ate my homework.)
The TLC actually made the discovery using the GPS technology.
A number of cab drivers came forward to say they were outraged by the scam.
Incidentally, former city councilman David Yassky will replace Matthew Daus as head of the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission. He ran (unsuccessfully) for city comptroller lat fall.
All we can say is—take public transportation when possible—and when you do take a cab, keep your eye on the meter--and on your wallet.

Take in Women's History Month Events All Across New York

March is Women’s History Month, and New York offers a wide range of opportunities to explore the achievements and advances of women in the arts, politics, education and other fields.
The ACA Gallery (529 West 20th Street; 212 206-8080) in Manhattan offers the work of artists Faith Ringgold (best known for her children’s’ books and quilts) and Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson (paintings, sculpture, woodcuts).
On March 25, a panel of scholars will gather up at Barnard College to discuss the life and work of Jane S. Gold, the first director of the Bernard Center for Research on Women. (Barnard Hall, Sulzberger Parish; 7 PM; free; 212 845-2037)
Down at NYU, the Fales Library has the new Riot Grrrl collection, featuring works related to the Feminist Punk movement. (212 998-2596-call ahead for any restrictions on visitors). It’s at 70 Washington Square South.
At El Taller Latino Americano (2710 Broadway; 212 665-9460) a non-profit cultural arts center, an exhibit called “Women-Made” focuses on the work of three artists and their approach to gender roles and femininity.
At the Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Parkway; 718 638-3000), you’ll find the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art; the famed Judy Chicago installation “The Dinner Party” is on view, along with works by Kiki Smith. El Museo del Barrio (1230 Fifth Avenue 212 831-7272) also features the work of a number of Latina artists.
And tomorrow in Central Park (bring an umbrella) listen to "The Fascinating Tales of Women” at 11:00 am, which focuses on prominent women in history. (212 628-2345.) The tour meets at Bethesda Fountain.
Other events for Women’s History month can be found at nycgovparks.org

Where's Conan? At the Home of the Rockettes, Thank You Very Much

Do you miss Conan and his witty banter (O’Brien, that is)? Wondering what he’s been up to since his unfortunate banishment from late-night TV? Well, New York, despair no more—Conan is headed your way.
The (former) TV funnyman announced yesterday that he is embarking on a two-month, 30-city road show tour, featuring comedy and live music. He’ll be at Radio City Music Hall this June 1 and 2. The show will include his sidekick, Andy Richter, as well as the former “Tonight Show” band. If you were wondering if O’Brien has lost his edge, his tour will be starting in...Eugene, Oregon. Yup, you read that right. The tour will cover 20 states and two Canadian provinces, and will primarily include cities and college towns.
O'Brien, for those of you who have stopped reading AOL headlines, left his post as host of “The Tonight Show” in January, when he was unceremoniously usurped by Jay Leno. Leno, of course, had hosted a daily 10 pm show with notoriously low ratings. He was given the coveted night-night slot--leaving O’Brien essentially nowhere to go on television.
As part of his contract, O’Brien is prohibited from returning to the small screen until September 1 of this year.
O’Brien has been in the news a fair amount lately--he recently announced that he would follow a randomly chosen woman on Twitter.
O’Brien held the coveted 11:35 PM TV time slot starting in May 2009. Does he harbor hard feelings towards the whole fiasco and his exodus from TV?
Well, his tour is called the “Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on television” tour--so you decide.

What's in a Name? In This Case, Everything

The never-ending saga of New York’s Tavern on the Green sale and potential loss of name (reported extensively here since last summer…) actually has an end--at least in part.
A judge ruled yesterday that the city, not the operators of the restaurant, holds the rights to the famous name, which has been valued at $19 million.
The restaurant closed New Year’s Eve after a long series of legal problems that culminated in an auction of all the furnishings. More than 20,000 items were up for sale; the high bid was $180,000 for a Tiffany glass ceiling. The court-ordered auction was held to help erase the owners’ $8 million in debt.
Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum ruled that the city had licensed the facility and retained control. That included the right to end the license if it found that the restaurant was not being operated in a satisfactory manner. The “Tavern on the Green” name has been associated with a Central Park restaurant since 1934.
Prior to the recent recession, the restaurant had been one of the most famous in the country. It brought in $38 million a year in revenues, and served a staggering 700,000 meals a year.
The license was awarded last August to Dean Poll, who operates the Boathouse restaurant in Central Park. He won the license after the LeRoy family, which had operated the restaurant sine the 1970s, lost its bid renew the lease. He still plans to reopen the restaurant this spring. He will spend $25 million to refurbish the space, which clocks in at 27,000 square feet.

The New Yankee Stadium Will Host More Than the Yankees

A swing--but no miss--was in full form yesterday at the site of the old Yankee Stadium, as a portion of the upper deck was destroyed as part of the demolition of the old stadium; it's being razed to make room for parks.
The new Yankee Stadium (home of last year’s World Series champions, of course) which opened last year, hosts its opening day game on April 13. (Spring training is already underway. Yay!)
But the stadium will play host to more than just baseball teams this year. Part of the agreement when the new stadium was built was that uses would be found for it year round. The inaugural New Era Pinstripe Bowl (college football; who knew?) is scheduled for December 30 of this year. It will host the third-best Big East team against the sixth-best Big 12 team. ESPN will televise it (Unlikely if it were not being played at the home of the Bronx Bombers…)
We don’t make up these things; we just report them.
Team officials say that in part because of the college bowl game, employment will now be available year round, and that free tickets to the game will be given out to local residents.
A major boxing match is also planned at the stadium for this June, as is the Notre Dame-Army game in November.
College and professional games were also played sporadically at the old Yankee Stadium.
In the meantime, play ball!

For Current Fashion, JC Penney Wants to be Your Retailer

Who are you wearing? It’s a common question on the red carpet (as well as occasionally among us ordinary folk) and the answer is often some high fashion designer. But JC Penney (yup, JC Penney) is aiming to change that.
The mid-level retailer, which has a store at 901 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan; (212 295-6120), recently held a fashion show at New York’s Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. (Bet you never thought you'd read the words “Fashion show” "JC Penney” and Alice Tully Hall” in the same sentence…)
The store has teamed up with some big-name designers in order to offer designer fashion at affordable prices--and in the process, change their image from a store more aligned with Kmart than Bloomingdales in many people’s minds.
Current hot designers include Charlotte Ronson, Nicole Miller (who has dressed such celebrities as Halle Berry and Felicity Huffman) and Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, who already have two successful clothing lines elsewhere. (They attended the JC Penney Discover Spring Style Event at Alice Tully Hall last week.)
Uber model Cindy Crawford, who also attended the show, has a line of furniture for the store, and is developing a jewelry line as well--and she swears that she mixes clothing from stores like JC Penney with investment pieces, and has been doing so since she was a teen. A number of high-society fixtures like Tinsley Mortimer also attended the show, to promote (you read about it here) the new reality show “High Society.”
Get thee to JC Penney, ladies!

Alice in Wonderland? New York's Been a Fan All Along

Now that Tim Burton’s big-screen version of “Alice in Wonderland” has officially opened, New Yorkers are going all out for Everything Alice. But as many New Yorkers already know, we’ve had a monument to Alice—literally--all along.
Wander to the northern end of Conservatory Water (known to many people simply as the boat pond) around East 74th Street, and you’ll see what is perhaps the most famous and certainly the favorite Central Park sculpture of most kids, an homage to Alice in Wonderland.
The statue was commissioned in 1959 by George Delacorte to honor his wife, Margarita. The design is taken from John Tenniel's original drawings for the first edition of the book.
The bronze statue shows the well-known characters that populate the story: Alice, of course, surrounded by The March Hare, The Cheshire Cat, The White Rabbit, Alice’s cat Dinah, and the Dormouse.
The sculptor, José de Creeft, included lines from Mrs. Delacorte’s favorite Lewis Carroll poem, “Jabberwocky,” around the base of the statue.
The surface of the 11-foot-high sculpture has been worn down by the thousands of children who have climbed, scrambled and swung from it.
Of course, if you’re looking for something a little more avant-garde, you can pop into almost any New York drugstore for a selection of one of the limited-edition lines of nail polish or makeup palettes that have been inspired by the film.
And if you want to dine in “Alice” fashion, check out one of the three Alice’s Tea Cup restaurants/stores. (102 West 73rd Street; 212 799-3006; 156 East 64th Street; 212 486-9200; and 220 East 81st Street; 212 734-4TEA.)
Their specialty? Tea, of course--with an equal dose of whimsy.

Swindler's Remorse: The Bling's the Thing at Today's Auction

Those in the market for jewelry today may find themselves with a steal—literally—if they make the trek to New York’s Belvedere Hotel at 319 West 48th Street at 3 pm.
If you’ve been begging for a bracelet or are choosy about your chains, this is your opportunity.
A cache of high-end jewelry is up for auction today in New York City--courtesy of the Manhattan DA’s office. The eye-catching baubles and bling were taken as part of investigations against two stock traders—who were involved in two separate scams.
The quarter million dollars of high-end jewelry includes Van Cleef and Arpels earclips, a gold Cartier watch, and Hermes enamel cuffs. (Pssst-if you want something with the Hermes name but not the price tag, those are expected to start at only $25.) Loose diamonds can be had for only $4,000; they were originally appraised at far more.
Proceeds of the auction will go to the victims.
Former equities trader David Holzer is serving 5-15 years for stealing $16 million--from friends--that he had convinced to invest in “real estate” and other deals. He used the money to purchase topline vacations, a Porsche, an Aston Martin, and other pricey baubles.
Richard Garaventa, a former Morgan Stanley securities biggie, is serving 2-6 years for stealing $2.5 million. Both men pleaded guilty to grand larceny.
Literature for the Belvedere Hotel (212 245-7000), built during the 1920s and within walking distance of the theater distinct, describes it as--wait for it—“a hidden jewel.”

Craving Strawberries Above 110th Street? Now They Can Be Yours

Buying fresh produce and gourmet food was a challenge in upper Manhattan...until now. A Best Yet Market, part of a Long Island-based chain, opened yesterday on Frederick Douglass Boulevard between 118th and 19th Streets in upper Manhattan.
The store, which took approximately $2 million to open, offers such delicacies as fresh produce, olives, cheese and fresh fish to a fresh-food starved neighborhood. Half of the money needed for the opening was loaned from the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone.
About 140 employees work at the store, which is located two blocks from a subway station, and about half of those are from the immediate neighborhood.
The First Bet Yet store originally opened in Brooklyn and sold fruits and vegetables. This evolved into a Long Island supermarket, and then into a chain of about 11 stores across Long Island.
Before the new store opened, neighborhood residents would often have to walk or take public transportation 10 or even 20 blocks downtown in order to purchase affordable (or even available) strawberries, melons, salad materials and other garden produce. Organic produce is also available.
Reaction from neighborhood residents has been overwhelmingly positive, with customers saying that the need for such a local emporium has existed for a long time. Most of the local food stores in that area tend to focus on staples, not fresh produce.
And if that display of lettuce and tomatoes looks so good that customers end up buying more than they can carry? Delivery options are offered from 96th to 125th Streets, between Fifth Avenue and the Hudson River.

Spooky and Ooky, Charles Addams' Creations Are Having a New York Moment

The incomparable “New Yorker” cartoonist Charles Addams is having a moment, with an exhibit that opened yesterday at New York’s Museum of the City of New York (1220 Fifth Avenue; 212 534-1672) and a Broadway show of “The Addams Family” opening on Broadway next week.
The MCNY exhibition focuses on Addams’ New York cityscapes, with his particular weird, dark, ironic commentary on the world around him.
Pencil sketches, watercolors, “New Yorker” covers and completed cartoons are all included in the exhibit, which runs though May 16.
No aspect of New York City life escaped Addams’ pen or his observant eye, from subways and buses to department stores and parks. A number of workshops, lectures and screenings will be presented in conjunction with the exhibition, including a gallery tour this Sunday, March 7 at 3 pm.
One section of the exhibit is dedicated to Addams’ most famous creations: The Addams Family, stars not only of the page but also, of course, of a much-loved TV show, two big-screen movies, and the upcoming musical.
And speaking of the musical…starring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth, previews of the musical begin on Monday at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater (205 West 46th Street; 877-250-2929) with the official opening on April 8.
Addams himself had an output that spanned almost 60 years and contained, by some estimations, several thousand works. Interestingly, The Addams Family characters actually appear in only about 50 original works.
Addams’ work is best known for combining the macabre and the mundane, the creepy and the delightful--much like life.

Love The Plaza, Hate the Lawn Chairs? Your Time Has Come

So we recently reported, fearless readers, on the fact that the pedestrian plaza in New York’s Broadway area is going to stay a pedestrian plaza for the foreseeable future, as per Mayor Bloomberg’s announcement last month. Reaction to the plaza has been mixed—drivers, especially cab drivers, loathe it for the traffic snarls it offers--but many tourists like it and gravitate to the area. In addition, store and restaurant owners in the area are pleased with the extra income derived from curious passersby who stop to shop, eat, and spill over into the areas with tables on nice days. The area is a huge draw with its plethora of theaters and restaurants, huge splashy shops, ranging from the M&M store to Sephora to Toys R US, and its larger-than-life ads and billboards.
One thing pretty much everyone agrees on, however, was that the dingy metal lawn chairs and café tables were an eyesore.
Now, however, the city is launching a design competition (for people who live or work in New York) to redesign the squares in light of the permanent installation in 2010. The competition covers the five pedestrian plazas that stretch from 42nd to 47th Streets along Broadway. Designs are due by April 16, and the winner receives $15,000. Applications are available at wnyc.org. If you’d like to share your ideas with the public at large, you can post them on WNYC's flickr page.
Whether you love or hate the plaza, at least you won’t have to look at the lawn chairs forever.

It's Art for Arts Sake This Week in New York

Mayor Mike Bloomberg launched a week of cultural activities (March 2-7) across New York City yesterday—they include everything from special tours to museum discounts, performances to open arts studios. Close to $44 million is expected to be generated by 60,000 visitors partaking of the city’s cultural offerings. In addition, the event is expected to bring in $1.8 million in tax revenues.
Among the goodies offered? Rare looks at the studio of artist Christo and the Alexander Calder Foundation.
The Art Dealer’s Association of America’s Art Show at the Park Avenue Armory, one of the week’s highlights, includes 70 exhibitors who represent the nation’s top art dealers, 55 of whom are from New York. In addition, the (separate) 12th annual Armory show will take place March 4-7 at Piers 92 and 94, and will feature art from the 20th and 21st centuries. Other art shows this week include the Dutch Art Now and Korean Arts Shows.
Other programs around the city this week? Soho Night (March 4); Chelsea Day and Brooklyn Night (March 6) and Lower East Side Day (March 7).
Museums are also getting in on the act, with the recently opened Whitney Biennial; the Target First Saturdays program at the Brooklyn Museum; and MoMa's Performance Series program on March 4
Despite the recession, attendance at cultural institutions was up last year in New York.
For more information, check out nycgo.com

High Society? We'll Hang Out with The Regular Folks, Thanks

“Jersey Shore,” look behind you. “The Real World,” step up the pace. “Dancing with the Stars,” watch your step. A new breed of reality show is coming to town, and it’s the New York bluebloods who will be in the spotlight. And no, it’s not "Gossip Girl”: This is the real deal.
Premiering March 10 on the CW, “High Society” looks at the infighting, cat-fighting and general, well, fighting, of a group of upper-crust society ladies.
Tinsley Mortimer, 35, the uber-blonde, extra-skinny New York socialite, is the star of the new series, which focuses on Mortimer’s forays into society and dating as well as her high-profile divorce from Topper Mortimer (no, these names are not made up,) a descendent of John Jay, the first Supreme Court Justice. Her entry into high society started when she married him.
Other cast member? Society seekers? include Mortimer’s sister Dabney, her friend Jules (already infamous--more on her later), and her mother Dale.
Finding a socialite who would star in this series was apparently not easy—but viewers will not be disappointed. There’s as much—or more—backstabbing, name calling, and maneuvering than you would find in a high-school cafeteria. See Mortimer fight with the editor of "Hamptons" magazine! See rich people behave badly!
Mortimer's friend Jules Kirby, by the way, is already known for her declaration that she uses racial epithets, her yelling at hotel employees, and her throwing of drinks in nightclubs. Charming.
Well, it should certainly give “The Surreal Life” a run for its money.

The Tram? It's Scrammed--At Least for the Next Six Months

Even if you’ve never actually ridden the Roosevelt Island Tram, you may well have seen it, wending its way--sometimes majestically, sometimes shakily--across New York’s East River.
Riders--and gawkers—had their last tram experience for a while yesterday (Sunday, Feb. 28) since the tram will be out of commission for the next six months, undergoing repairs and renovation. Service on the tram was suspended starting at 2 am today (March 1).
The renovation project, which is estimated to cost $25 million, will overhaul everything except the three bases of the towers that support the cars. A backup power system will be in place should the cars malfunction, the way they did in the spring of 2006. Seventy passengers were left hanging (literally) for seven hours. In the event of such an emergency, the car will be able to return to the nearest station.
Service should be more reliable when the cars are refitted--and the cars themselves will be more comfortable. Loading people on and off the trams, which carry more than two million people a year, will also be easier.
So what are commuters to and from Roosevelt Island to do in the meantime?
Put it like this: The Q102 bus, two shuttle buses, and the F train will become very familiar to them. Commuters, however, are concerned because not only does the renovation eliminate a convenient form of transportation, but many say the F train frequently doesn’t run.
They should take heart, though: Service is supposed to resume September 3--just in time for the back-to school, after-summer rush.

New Visitor Center Showcases the Pasts of New York's African Americans

In a fitting sendoff to Black History Month (February), a new visitor center in lower Manhattan opened in New York City yesterday—it’s at the African Burial Ground National Monument, on Broadway between Duane and Reade Streets.
In the Center, visitors can learn how the burial ground was discovered in 1991 during construction on a federal building. Information also details the history of both free and enslaved African Americans in what was first New Amsterdam, and later, New York City. It also focuses not just on the lives of the African Americans in New York, but also on their backgrounds in Africa.
Approximately 15,000 African Americans were buried in the more-than-six-acre area for about 100 years, from about the 1690s until the 1790s. The space, right outside the boundaries of what was New Amsterdam, was later lost because of landfill and development.
The visitor center, which includes many interactive elements, offers a theater, four exhibition areas, and a store. A resource library and tours are also available. The burial ground was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1993; it’s also a National Monument. Original and replica artifacts are on view, ranging from textiles to maps. Recreations of scenes, such as depictions of mourners gathered at a burial, are also included.
Admission to the center, which is part of the National Parks of New York Harbor, is free. The center is located inside the Ted Weiss Federal Building. More information can be found at nyps.gov.

Come On, Everyone: Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve for New York

Do you love New York? Or, rather, do you (heart) New York? The creator of the iconic New York logo, Milton Glaser, has just been awarded the National Medal of Honor by President Obama.
Glaser created the logo in 1977 pro bono for advertising agency Wells, Rich, Greene. The agency had been hired by New York State's Department of Commerce to develop a marketing strategy for New York. Glaser is quoted as saying that he thought the image would be used briefly, and then disappear. Now, the image is so familiar it can be seen pretty much everywhere in the city, everyday. It has also spawned pretty much an entire industry of other "I (heart)---" logos.
Glaser is also known for founding “New York” magazine, along with Clay Felker, in 1968, as well as creating the “DC Bullet” logo used by DC Comics for almost 30 years. He also designed the “Brooklyn Brewery” logo, a graphic black, green, white and yellow image that can be seen hanging in Williamsburg, Brooklyn; as well as a striking, near-psychedelic profile of Bob Dylan for a poster.
The “I (heart) NY” logo is set in a typeface called American Typewriter. It is still used to promote tourism in New York. Although the image was intended to promote New York State as a whole, it is now thought of largely as a tribute to New York City, and the image on t-shirts, bumper stickers, and mugs is ubiquitous. It was widely used after the September 11 attacks in 2001 to rally support for New York City.

Catch the Letters of a Reclusive Author at the Morgan Library

Some of the personal letters of iconic author J.D. Salinger, who died last month, will be on view for the first time at New York’s Morgan Library and Museum.
The letters were written to his Connecticut neighbor and friend Mike Mitchell, who was also the illustrator of the image on the cover (a carousel horse—fervent readers will immediately understand the allusion) of the first edition of Salinger’s “Catcher in the Rye.”
Although the library was given the letters more than 10 years ago, the decision to let the public view them was not made until after Salinger’s death on January 27. They deal with such seemingly mundane issues as parenthood and marriage, but also touch on writing, middle age, and issues with his publisher. They’re revealing because Salinger was so deeply private that not much is known about the everyday details of his life. (The letters were not previously put on view out of respect for his deep need for privacy.) One set of letters will be on view from March 16-April 11. A second set of letters goes on view from April 1-May 9.
Salinger was known as much for his reclusive behavior as he was for “Catcher in the Rye,” a novel that all but defined the coming-of-age story and is now rightly considered a classic. His other works include another classic, the dark “Nine Stories.”
The Morgan Library and Museum is at 225 Madison Avenue and 36th Street (212 685-0008.)

Happy Hour May Be a Little Less Happy, Thanks to a New Tax

That daily beer at your nearby bar in New York may come with a heftier price tag in the near future, thanks to a new projected tax on liquor: The Health Department is considering a tax increase on alcohol.
Supporters are hugely in favor of the tax--they it’s a step towards encouraging New Yorkers to drink less and generally get healthier.
Among the increases being considered: A 10-cent tax on a bottle of Budweiser, bringing the total tax to 17 cents on a bottle of beer. Some bottles of wine could see an increase of nearly 50 cents.
What are the current taxes? Well, if you’ve bought a bottle of beer in New York lately, you paid 7.4 cents tax on it. And if you’re buying hard liquor, you could be paying--get ready--more than three dollars in taxes on it.
The state loves its so-called sin taxes—it collected more than $260 million in taxes from alcohol alone last year. But health advocates say that more than just money is at stake. They claim that hitting New Yorkers where it hurts--in their wallets—will be the most effective and efficient way to see a change in people’s behavior: In other words, taxes go up, drinking goes down.
Taxes on soda and sugary items are also being considered, and are strongly favored by Mayor Bloomberg.
Seventeen hundred deaths were attributed to alcohol in New York in 2008. Supporters of the bill say it will also reduce high-school drinking as well as drinking-related hospital visits.

For Street Vendors, Taking a Break Comes at a Price

File this under the “More than you ever wanted to know about the people who sell you hot dogs on the street” category.
Starting January 1 of this year, food carts in New York that are left unattended can be seized by officials from the Department of Health.
Street vendors protested yesterday in downtown Manhattan, claiming they are being unfairly singled out. They say they could lose their licenses if they even run into a store or restaurant, to, um, use the facilities. Vendors sometimes ask a friend to watch their carts while they’re away, but that’s not always possible. They say the law should be eliminated, or at least changed, to provide for necessary time away from the cart, like a bathroom break, health issue, or emergency.
One peanut vendor near City Hall had his license taken away last week after leaving his cart to use a bathroom. (The vendor, who has worked for the last 12 years, was gone for about half an hour--he said that long lines prevented him from returning earlier.) Many supporters say that actually seizing the license was a first.
Supporters of the law, however, say that leaving carts unsupervised, even briefly, is a public safety hazard. Department of Health of officials countered the vendors’ arguments by saying that short breaks are allowed (although the exact time vendors are allowed away from their carts has never been specified), but that the food must be secured before the vendors leave.