Speak Softly, and Point Out Those Sights in a Whisper

What did she just say? Carrie Bradshaw did what over there? Who ate at that Italian restaurant?
If you’re planning on hopping aboard a New York City sightseeing bus for a tour, questions like that may become more commonplace in the future. The City Council is expected to vote into law today a new rule banning open-air tour bus guides from conversing with the tourists aboard with a loudspeaker. City councilwoman Gale Brewster, who represents part of the West Village, sponsored the bill, saying that the noise from the loudspeakers is so loud it can be heard inside buildings.
Another supporter points out that the bus engines also contribute a huge amount of noise. Residents from a number of (largely upscale) neighborhoods have protested the noise from the buses for quite a while, saying that if you live on or near a bus route, the noise can be heard no matter what floor you live on. The noise also affects those who live near historic districts that are often pointed out on bus tours. Areas such as SoHo and the Village are among those affected.
The tour bus companies, not surprisingly, are not too happy about the proposed law; some officials estimate that it will cost between three and five million dollars to install a new system in which riders would listen through headphones to the guides.
New York has 250 licensed tour buses, about 150 of which have tops that are open in warm weather.
Mayor Mike Bloomberg is expected to sign the bill into law; if it passes, buses will have several years in which to comply.

Want to Film in New York? You May Have to Pay a Fee

Film and TV crews are a common sight in New York City, as a slew of TV shows, commercials, and movies are regularly shot all across the five boroughs.
Until now, however, the right to film here has largely been free.
That’s right--access to city-owned parks, streets and other locales have been there for the taking to TV and movie producers and even students making independent films or music videos.
Budget cuts, however, are forcing the city to come up with new ways to make up the lost revenue, and film permits may now be subject to a $300 fee.
If the fee is approved, TV producers would have to pay the amount once per season, while filmmakers would pay the fee once for the duration of shooting--no matter if it’s an NYU production or the sequel to a major zillion-dollar blockbuster.
While the fee may seem surprisingly low, it’s meant to make it easier for smaller producers and directors to be able to come up with the money and not look elsewhere to film.
Some exceptions would apply: Films using hand-held cameras or taking up a tiny amount of space wouldn’t have to pay the fee, and producers can apply for an exemption based on financial hardship.
The Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting had to cut $155,000 from its $2 million budget this year. Most city agencies were ordered last month to cut 7.2 percent of their budgets
TV Shows like “Gossip Girl” and big-budget films such as “Sex and The City” regularly film in New York.

Shut Off a Light, Save the Planet: It's Earth Day

OK, New York: Flick off those lights, turn off that faucet, pick up that litter. Yes, you should do that every day, but today is Earth Day (the 40th anniversary, no less) so it’s time to take stock of your impact on the planet.
For starters, you can head over to Grand Central Station (42nd Steeet and Park Avenue). Two days of Earth Day events start tomorrow: The Earth Fair (Friday; 12-7 pm; Saturday; 11-5 pm) celebrates with music, art, “green” vendors and more. But you don't have to wait until then: Earth show images are being projected onto two of the north columns of the concourse, and will run 10 hours a day.
In New York’s Central Park, free Earth Day events are happening all day. Check out the Chess & Checkers House (mid-Park at 64th Street); where you can participate in eco-friendly crafts from 2-4 PM. (Call 212 794-4064.)
You can also view an exhibit called “Under the Canopy: Caring for Central Park’s Trees” at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (110th Street and Lenox Avenue); learn about the Park’s 24,000 trees. (Go to centralparknyc.org for more information on Earth Day events.)
Stores around the city are also getting involved: you can visit a green pop-up shop at the Port Authority Bus Terminal (625 8th Avenue) through May 1; or, for a larger-scale event, stop by Times Square between 11am and 2 pm for a public celebration today
FYI, Earth Day began in April, 1970 as a way to raise awareness about such environmental problems as pollution and ozone depletion.
Forty years later, everyone’s involvement is no less important.
Tomorrow: How museums and arts organizations around the city are getting involved in preserving the planet.

Gun Control Laws Use Haunting Images to Make Their Point

Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a gun control organization partly overseen by New York's Mayor Mike Bloomberg, is using footage from the Columbine High School shootings to get their point across. The organization counts more than 500 mayors from across the country as part of their group, which seeks to prevent the purchase and dissemination of illegally obtained guns by criminals. Their aim is to develop laws, practices, and policies that will allow Americans to own guns, but prevent criminals from possessing them illegally. Mayors who belong to the group come from a diverse range of locations , including Orlando, Florida; Portsmouth, VA; St. Paul, MN; and Vista, CA.
More than $250,000 will be spent on ads to air on cable TV stations. The ads, which feature video shot by surveillance cameras at Columbine High School, started running yesterday in states including Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts and Virginia, in order to reach the senators of those states.
The ads make the point that four of the guns used in those horrific shootings were purchased at gun shows, where background checks are not required when purchasing a firearm.
Last year, more than $1.5 million was spent by New York City on detectives who went undercover at gun shows and bought weapons. The detectives even told the sellers that they wouldn’t pass a background check.
Congress has not been able to push through laws requiring background checks for gun purchasers. A spokesman for the National Rifle Association (NRA) said that background checks at gun shows would take too long, and also hamper the rights of gun owners who purchased their weapons legally.

Take Out Their Own Garbage? As a Strike Looms, New Yorkers May Have to

A million New Yorkers may soon be opening their own building doors, taking out their own garbage, doing their own repairs, and hailing their own cabs, as 30,000 workers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island prepare to go on strike. The contracts for the workers at 3,200 apartment buildings across the city expire on Wednesdays; workers include doormen, concierges, porters, and handymen.
The workers, who largely serve upscale buildings, are members of 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union. They have voted to walk off the job if contract negotiations reach an impasse.
Meetings were held across the city this past week, as they discussed both picket line rules and legal issues.
Building owners say they have been affected by the recession, and are asking that the workers reduce the number of sick days from 10 to five, and also pay for 10 percent of family health insurance. Eliminating pensions for new employees is also under consideration, as is denying new workers full pay for five years. The Realty Advisory Board, which represents the building owners, says that costs are going up and income is going down, with real estate taxes rising, rents being cut, and apartments losing value.
Workers say that their current salaries are not enough to cover the costs of raising a family in the city. In addition, they worry that older workers have a strong chance of being laid off, since hiring new ones would ultimately cost less.
Contract negotiations are taking place at the Sheraton Hotel in midtown Manhattan.
Stay tuned—and get ready to pick up your own dry cleaning…

Governors Island Finally Has a Plan--and College There May be an Option

New York’s Governor David Paterson and New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg released a plan yesterday for the future of Governors Island, the former military base that sits a half mile off the edge of lower Manhattan. It served first as an army base, and later, as a base for the Coast Guard. Negotiations over the future of the island went on for more than a year.
A 2.2 mile promenade will be developed along the waterfront, and 87 acres will be preserved as open space. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2012. Other possible additions include a high school, some commercial areas, and a satellite campus of New York University. Other tenants are also being sought.
Mayor Bloomberg will appoint nine of the Board's 13 new members, and the redevelopment is seen as a huge coup for his administration--and his legacy.
Under the transfer agreement a casino is not an option.
In 2003, most of the island was given to New York State; New York City will be primarily responsible for developing the island. A battle for control of the island has been waged for some time.
The 22-acre Governors Island National Monument is managed by the National Park Service.
The island can be accessed by a free ferry service and is open to the public during the summer and early fall. It opens in June for the season.
Last year, more than 275,000 visitors took the ferry to Governors Island, to attend concerts and festivals, visit the monument, which includes two historic forts--or simply hang out and admire the views.
The redevelopment is expected to cost $200 million.

Bee Season: Welcome the Bees and Their Hives Back to New York

Get your buzz on: Bees are making a re-entry into New York City.
Last week, the Board of Health in New York voted to once again make beekeeping legal in the city. (Whoo hoo! And for the record, who knew it wasn’t?)
Why, you may ask, were the bees not previously free to show their stripes in our fair city? Well, laws defined honeybees as--are you ready? Dangerous wild animals.
Yes, bees and rampaging grizzles, joining forces once again.
The fine for operating a hive in the city was as much as $2,000. Despite it, many beekeepers (and, don't tell, one or two restaurants) still raised bees here. (Estimates put the number of beekeepers in New York at about 600, but it’s hard to really know.)
Cities including Seattle, San Francisco and Chicago already allow hives in their cities.
Now, beekeepers will have to register with the city, but they will not have to be licensed.
The new ruling is good news not just for the beekeepers, but also for the bees: Since 2006, a largely unidentified problem has been destroying bee colonies in North America. This collapse has caused a chain reaction that has affected honey production; and, in turn, foods that are made or sweetened with honey.
And, oh yes, if beekeeping has now piqued your interest and you’re looking for the names of famous beekeepers, look no further than the White House: The Obamas have a colony in the organic garden there.

For a New Career in Film, New York's the Place to Be

Ever thought about a career in film? Wondering what exactly a rigger does on a film set? Well, now may be your chance to find out.
A program is being launched by Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s administration to help train women, minorities, and New Yorkers who are struggling job-wise to train for jobs in New York’s film and TV production industry.
The training will include teaching hands-on skills like rigging (whatever that may be) and dolly operation. (In other words; you won’t be learning how to be Sandra Bullock’s stand-in, but you will be learning what all that cool equipment does.) Teachers are members of the International Alliance of Theatrical & Stage Employees. It also includes a placement service for mid-level film jobs in those areas.
The first classes launch this spring, and will have about 24 participants. A recruitment event is also being held later this spring, sponsored by the city and held at the New York City College of Technology.
New York is home to a thriving TV and film industry. TV shows from “Sesame Street” to "Ugly Betty” and "Gossip Girl” have filmed (and continue to film) here, while endless movies use the city as a locale, including such recent entries as the “Sex and the City” movies (the latest opens in May) and “Percy Jackson and the Last Olympians: The Lightning Thief.”
While many film and TV shows now shoot in other cities as stand-ins for New York, we know that there's nothing like the real thing.

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.

Barbie Has a New Career, Lego Comes Out to Play at Toy Fair

Technically Barbie may be in her dotage, but this year she also has a new career as a TV news anchor (her 125th--she's fickle, that girl.) She comes, of course, with the all-important desk and microphone.
The word comes from New York’s Toy Fair, which opened yesterday and runs through Wednesday, Feb. 17 at the Javits Center.
While the general public doesn’t have access to the show, many of the toys will become available by the end of the year. The event showcases the toys that are destined to be under the tree next Christmas, and presages the bestsellers throughout the year.
From Lego we’ll see new Duplo building blocks aimed at younger kids, as well as new Mindstorm robots.
And a new updated version of Chinese checkers is being released by toy company Pressman (what can they possibly do to it??). With the economy the way it is, more families are rediscovering game night, so their timing is canny.
More than 1,100 exhibiting toy manufacturers, distributors and agents set up shop at the event, which feeds into the $75 billion toy industry; almost 32,000 people from almost 100 countries are expected to attend. It’s the largest international toy trade show in the western hemisphere.
Programs throughout the week include such events as the "Toy Trends Tea”; a session on environmentalism and toys; and a guide to exporting.
So even if you can’t be there, the buzz will start soon--so avoid the hassle, parents, and pick up the toys as soon as they hit the market, rather than waiting furtively on line next Christmas Eve.

Turn in a Car Seat, Ride a Ferris Wheel at New York's Toys R Us

Out with the old, in with the new: In New York City as well as across the country, Toys R Us is spearheading an initiative so parents and caregivers can trade in potentially unsafe, old, and used baby products as part of “The Great Trade In” event. Items that can be traded in include used car seats, strollers, play yards, high chairs, toddler beds, and cribs. (Many of these items are old and still in circulation, but should not actually be used or passed on to someone else.)
In exchange for turning in these products, consumers will receive a 25 percent savings on certain new baby items.
The program began yesterday, and continues through Feb. 20.
During the first trade-in event, in Sept. 2009, tens of thousands of items were brought in; used car seats were the number one item brought to stores--as well as the number one item purchased.
In New York, the place to head, of course, is the Toys R Us in Times Square. (1514 Broadway at 44th Street; 1-800-TOYSRUS). In addition to ridding yourself of those baby products that have been sitting in the attic, kids can partake of the giant Ferris wheel; walk-in Barbie Dream house; and the "R Zone," a 5500-square megalopolis of the newest in electronic games, DVDs, and other tech gizmos. Customers can play on giant plasma screens (and those over 30 are guaranteed to walk out with unsteady balance and buzzing in your ears, not to mention your brains, so be forewarned.)
Oh yes, watch out for the 5-ton, 20-foot-high, 34-foot long animatronic dinosaur inspired by “Jurassic Park.”
If you weren’t unsteady on your feet after the Ferris Wheel and the game room, you will be after an encounter with him.

In New York, Even Scaffolding Can Get a Makeover

Walking under an ugly piece of scaffolding, or “sidewalk shed,” is as much a part of many New Yorkers' days as the morning subway ride or the line at the bank. But now, in an effort to make those dark, creepy, ramshackle enclosures less, well, dark, creepy and ramshackle, a new design is set to be unveiled.
The sheds are designed, ostensibly, to protect walkers from being hit by runaway debris while a building is being renovated or repaired. They’re found on both residential and commercial properties.
An international design competition was held to determine a new design: The winner was Young-Hwan Choi, a first-year architecture student at the University of Pennsylvania.
The design, entitled “Urban Umbrella,” will have customizable, transparent roofs. A UV-stabilized film could be used for the application of either different colors or a variety of art work; in other words, the roofs would become the basis for public art projects.
Mayor Bloomberg issued a statement saying that although the city changes, the sheds themselves have not. (Wouldn’t faster, more efficient work also be a solution, to get rid of the sheds faster? But we digress.)
A prototype should be up this summer. Supposedly more than 6000 sheds exist in New York City--this works out to more than one million linear feet. (You’re welcome for doing the math.)
So keep your eyes open—but your head covered--when you approach a sidewalk shed in upcoming months.

A New York Novel for Children Takes the Newbery Award

A novel set in New York, and written by an author who was born in the city and resides on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, has won the Newbery Award, the most prestigious award given for children’s literature.
The announcement was made Monday that the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature was given to Rebecca Stead for “When You Reach Me.” The novel takes place in 1979, on the Upper West Side, and focuses on the story of Miranda, a sixth-grade girl whose best friend stops taking to her; she also starts receiving notes telling her that it’s up to her to figure out how to prevent a tragic event from happening in the future.
The novel deals with issues of time travel, class, and friendship; has a rich, complicated structure; and has spent eight weeks on "The New York Times" best-seller list for children's chapter books. The classic children’s book “A Wrinkle in Time,” which itself won the Newbery Award in 1963, also plays a vital part in the novel.
The neighborhood in the book resembles the one in which Ms. Stead grew up, she has said, and the lives of the characters are modeled on her own experience growing up in the city. The apartment in the story was inspired by her mother’s apartment; the school was patterned after the one she attended on New York’s west side.
In fact, Manhattan becomes as much a character in the novel as any of the characters themselves.
So congratulations to Rebecca Stead--and to New York for being such a great role model.

Times Square Adds Criminals to its List of Billboards

If you go to New York’s Times Square in part to gaze at the never-ending display of oversized billboards featuring lingerie ads, celebrities gleaming down at you, and skinny sullen teenagers hawking perfume, you’re in for something different.
Starting today, the FBI will display an enormous billboard in Times Square near the TKTS Booth on 47th Street. The digital board will display a rotating list of New York fugitives as well as the number of an FBI tips hotline. Images of missing children will also be displayed. In addition, the board will take advantage of the number of international tourists by featuring information about criminals from abroad.
The billboard is being provided free of charge by advertiser Clear Channel Outdoor.
The nationwide project was launched in December of 2007. It’s now active in 20 cities, and features more than 1,000 billboards across the country, including many on major highways.
Believe it or not, at least 14 criminals have been apprehended through the use of the billboards, including those whose crimes have included money laundering, armed robbery, and kidnapping.
It’s hoped that the sheer number of people who pass through the Time Square spot, one of the most crowded corners in the city, will lead to some good tips.
In Albuquerque, NM, a mother and son were driving by a billboard when the mother noticed that the image on the board looked like her son.
It was. She took him into the local police station.

Project Runway Struts its Stuff in New York Again

Like many transplants, “Project Runway” just couldn’t make it away from the Big Apple, so for its seventh season, it has returned to New York City. The show kicks off its new season tonight on Lifetime TV. Yesterday was declared “Project Runway Day” in New York, in celebration of the show’s return, and Fashion Avenue was renamed “Project Runway Avenue.” (Don’t streets in the city have real names any more?) The day highlighted the show’s contribution to fashion in New York--the retail industry provides jobs for more than 175,000 people.
The show foundered in LA, losing viewers as well as a real sense of drama and purpose.
Regulars Heidi Klum (supermodel et al), Tim Gunn (snarky-but-kind mentor), Nina Garcia (fashion director for “Marie Claire” Magazine) and Michael Kors (uber-successful designer) will be back this season, and Nicole Ritchie, celebrity-for-no-real-reason, will be showing up as the first celebrity guest judge--just, gasp, four months after giving birth.
Sixteen new designers will compete for their shot at a chance to show their collection during New York Fashion Week and the tents in Bryant Park. They will also receive the chance to sell their line on the web site Bluefly, as well as a cash prize and other goodies.
Viewers familiar with the show will recognize the Atlas Apartments, Parson's School of Design, and other New York landmarks previously featured on the snow.
Let the snarking and backstabbing begin!

Absolutely Love Eloise? Head to the Plaza Hotel

If you are in search of a rawther precocious shopping experience in New York City, then you must hurry hurry hurry to the new Eloise Shop at the Plaza Hotel (Fifth Avenue at Central Park South and 58th Street; 212 759-3000). The 2,100-square-foot shop opened last month, and it’s a tribute to Kay Thompson’s famous little girl who made her home at the even more famous hotel with her Nanny, dog Weenie and turtle Skipperdee.
With its child’s-playhouse-feel, the shop evokes the illustrations magically brought to life by Hilary Knight. The original series of books was written in the 1950s and has become legendary.
The store features a sea of pink in various colors—the full Pepto-Bismol experience awaits in the form of furniture, drapes, carpet, bean bags, and more.
A portrait painted on the wall mimics the original in the lobby; this one was painted by a local artist.
Mums and their darlings will enjoy the Fashion Room, with its tiaras, tutus, sweatshirts, bathrobes, and more, many with the Eloise logo. Across the floor, the Tea Party Rom will soon start offering private tea parties and other special events. A reading room offers Eloise books to read and DVDs to watch; computers will soon be installed.
Also upcoming: A beauty salon as well as an Eloise-theme suite designed by Betsey Johnson.
A ”Live Like Eloise” package was offered by the hotel starting June 1.
And if your little darlings want get in touch with the famed six-year-old directly; a pink mailbox beckons for their notes.
Perhaps, if they’re lucky, a pink note will await them in return.

Stand Up and Be Counted: The 2010 Census Kicks Off

Times Square is having its moment: First New Year’s Eve, now the Census Bureau has kicked off its national tour there.
The Census Bureau revved up its “Census Portrait of America Road Tour” in New York City’s Times Square this week, starting the trip across the country to remind people to fill out their census forms--and mail them in. A 46-foot trailer and 12 vans will traverse the USA in the coming months. The trailer is nicknamed “Mail It Back” (catchy..yes? no?) and offers an interactive representation of the census form. The smaller vans offer technology that allows participants to track the tour online as it happens. Updates will be available on social media postings through outlets like Twitter and Facebook.
Well, it beats doing the laundry.
The population count takes place once a decade, and this tour will be part of the largest civic outreach program in US history. It will stop at more than 800 events during the next four months, including the Super Bowl and the NCAA Final Four, as well as smaller venues like local parades.
The 10-question forms (one of the shortest ever) will arrive in your mailboxes March 15-17; they're supposed to be an account of everyone living in the United Sates. Results are used to reapportion congressional seats and decide how more than $400 billion a year in federal funding is distributed to local and state governments.
So stand up and be counted, New York!

Cleveland Rocks More Than New York? Say It Ain't So

New York, you didn’t rock--so the Hall of Fame is rolling on out.
Just a year after opening up in New York City, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex, located in SoHo, is gone. The doors closed on Sunday for the last time.
While the original Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is still going strong in Cleveland, the satellite just couldn't make a go of it in the Big Apple. The stagnant economy and fewer tourists over the past year are most likely to blame. (Surely it couldn’t be New Yorkers’ inherent lack of rock-fabulousness? Let’s hope not.) More likely were the pricey tickets ($26.50, $4.50 more than the price of admission in Cleveland.) In a time when attractions are competing for tourist dollars, the not-that-well-known museum in a somewhat-out-of-the-way location (Mercer Street, not necessarily a mecca for tourists) clearly suffered.
The museum had a wide array of memorabilia, ranging from the king’s jumpsuit (that would be Elvis, folks) to a tribute to John Lennon’s years in New York and Bruce Springsteen’s Chevy. It opened to huge press in 2008, and was hailed by Mayor Bloomberg as another must-see stop for tourists.
The Cleveland museum employs more than 900 people and adds $100 million to Cleveland’s economy every year.
Those of you who missed the wooden phone box from the music club CBGB at the New York branch need not despair—opportunities to take the objects on tour are currently being reviewed.

Engine Companies Add Back Staff in the New Year

New Yorkers who read about the cuts in firefighting teams at engine companies last month can rest easier. Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano has restored the fifth member to teams that were reduced to four people.
The change to a four-person team at approximately 49 out of the 194 engine companies across all five boroughs was made after a record number of firefighters called in sick during the last months of the year, taxing the overtime budget. (The companies that were affected the most significantly were those in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan, with 15, 14, and 12 companies respectively.)
The Fire Department insisted that the cuts wouldn’t affect response time to fires. The union, however, protested that reducing staff members increases the time it takes firefighters to start properly attacking the fire.
By last December 1, the annual medical-leave rate for firefighters in the city had risen above 7.5 percent. That’s the number at which the New York Fire Department begins to cut staff. The Fire Department made these cuts for the third time in seven years.
Since the cuts were made at about a quarter of the engine companies, however, absenteeism has been lowered significantly, by about sixteen percent, allowing staff to be added.
The city has about 8,800 firefighters. The average number of them out of work during the last three months of November due to various forms of sickness was 500-700 people.

Yet Another Top Ten List for 2010, New-York Style

Happy 2010! Whether you’re recovering from last night’s revelries, wondering if you can forget that second resolution, or hopping on the treadmill to keep your first one, the year has that unused feeing that signifies that anything is possible.
And since it’s the time of top ten lists, we hereby offer 10 ten great things you should see, do, or remember about New York this upcoming year, in no particular order:
1. How many boroughs except Manhattan and maybe Brooklyn have you actually been to? Uh huh, we thought so. Go discover the amazing array of foods in Queens or the shoreline in Staten Island.
2. If you only go to the big-name museums in the city, check out one of the smaller ones, like the Rubin or The Jewish Museum.
3. Rent a rowboat in Central Park. (When it’s warmer.)
4. Take a backstage tour: Radio City; Madison Square Garden--you’ll be amazed at the choices.
5. Eat something you’ve never eaten, whether from a restaurant in Chinatown or a sushi restaurant in midtown.
6. Find somewhere in the city and take a hike. We mean that literally.
7. Go to one of the Botanical Gardens in the spring (Bronx; Brooklyn) and see either the cherry blossoms or the roses.
8. Check out Times Square on a Wednesday afternoon when the matinees let out and all the lights are coming on and simply drink it all in.
9. Trace your history: Visit Ellis Island and discover your family tree.
10. Open a guidebook, close your eyes, point at random, and go do whatever you pick.

This is New York after all. If you can’t be adventurous here, then there’s really no point at all.
Happy 2010!

That Drawer Full of Useless Receipts? Today's the Day to Say Goodbye

That tax return you’d rather not look at again? Get rid of it. The receipt for the engagement ring your former boyfriend returned? Chuck it out. Your to-do list from the beginning of last year? Toss it away. Today at noon, New Yorkers have the chance to bid good riddance to paper memories they’d rather see relegated to the trash. It’s “Good Riddance Day,” on 46th Street and Broadway, in Duffy Square.
New Yorkers can shed themselves of everything they'd rather never see again with an industrial shredder and a dumpster. Got something other than paper? For harder-to-destroy items, a sledgehammer is available. (Is this safe??) Caution: It’s intended for things like electronic devices that got the better of you. (Goodbye, Palm Pilot...)
If unloading your trash isn’t enough of an incentive, the Times Square Alliance is giving out a $250 prize for the most creative memory. Participants can write down their worst memories on a piece of stationery, which will be provided. (You can also submit online, at timessquarenyc.org). Past creative entries included all the unmatched socks in someone’s drawer (winner of the creativity award); as well as good riddance to being single (this person was getting married.)
The first 100 participants will receive a special gift (their own paper shredder, perhaps?).
Organizers caution that the event is not meant to be used as a means of dumping all your trash. It’s about bad memories, people, not getting rid of the contents of your trash can.
So grab that nasty memo from your boss and go!

New York's Randall's Island Under Scrutiny Again

New York’s Randall’s Island--which contains dozens of acres of parkland off the Triborough Bridge in Manhattan--is under attack once again.
A judge ruled last week against the city’s plan to give certain private institutions in New York City near-exclusive access to most of the sports fields on the island. Twenty such institutions would have paid for almost full rights to use the fields during after-school hours, due to the use of an exclusive lease.
Randall’s Island is one of those oddly little-known spaces in New York. It holds not only sports fields, but Icahn Stadium, a modern track stadium; wetlands; and venues for concerts and Cirque du Soleil. Its sports facilities include 26 baseball and softball fields; 18 soccer fields (some of which are under construction); a golf center; a tennis center; a playground; and picnic areas, many which are free and open to the public.
A judge has ruled that the plan must go through a community and environmental review. While on the surface it seems that such a plan is blatantly unfair, it would actually bring in money from the private schools, which would, in turn, allow the fields to be renovated. Much of the money would go towards the refurbishment of 63 fields, which would eventually open the playing field, so to speak, for public schools and the public as well. Free programs are already provided for many public schools kids, and the Island hosts more than 7000,00 visitors annually, including spectators to the events.

In 2010, the Trend is to Read the Menu--Carefully

Merry Christmas! While New Yorkers are opening presents, strolling down Fifth Avenue to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree and the department store windows, and generally displaying holiday-ish behavior, we’ll offer our holiday gift to you--a little insight into the minds of those trying to get you to spend money for meals out. Those savvy enough to plan ahead can think about facing the New Year and a new trend in restaurants: The menu gambit.
It is no shock that New Yorkers are eating out less frequently and spending less money when they do. In order to tweak this trend, restaurants have taken all sorts of steps, from re-pricing items to offering specials and tinkering with their service. In order to part you from your hard-earned dollars, restaurants have pulled out the big guns to entice you to order more, differently, and most important, more expensively. The most recent approach is to target the menu itself.
Take New York’s Tabla, for instance, one of restaurateur-extraordinaire Danny Meyer’s places. As reported in a recent "New York Times" article, you can see the thinking at work. No dollar signs appear next the prices, for example; you won't see a zero as part of a price; and the name of the chef’s mother is heavily invoked beside a dish.
Diners will also notice such tricks at New York restaurants as using more descriptive language for higher-priced items or setting them off somehow. Using brand names (made with Aunt Mollie’s flour!) and nostalgic names (made with Aunt Mollie’s chocolate!) are also ploys.
(The trend also applies to national chains and restaurants in other cities as well.)
So Merry Christmas--and may your future eating out be merry, bright--and aware of the tug on your wallet strings.

Take Your Bike to Work Days Kick in Across the City

Lots of bike-related news in New York lately: First came the study about bike lanes being blocked frequently (you read about it here...) and now comes a new law that mandates bike access to office buildings.
The law went into effect last Friday; it states that building managers must make bike access plans and allow bicycles in freight elevators. (The law, as makes sense, only applies to buildings with freight elevators.)
But like most New York City laws, there’s a catch: Employers don’t have to actually make a space for the bikes to be stored. So you can ride your bike to work, get it upstairs to your office--and then you’re on your own. (Perhaps it can share your cubicle?)
Another drawback: Access only has to be granted during the hours the freight elevators run, which can sometimes end as early as 6 pm. Plus, of course, there's paperwork—bikers may need to fill out forms asking landlords to create a bike access plan, and some buildings may be exempt (for instance, a freight area may not be safe.)
Still, the law at least makes a start in allowing New Yorkers a greener (and often faster) way to get to work. In addition, it eliminates the worry of having to park a bike on the street.
And should you decide to join the cycling hordes, when all around you are gnashing their teeth waiting for the next bus or subway car, you can smile smugly and pedal on.

On the Move? Make Sure That Pedicab is Licensed

New Yorkers have many ways to traverse the city, from subway to cab to bus to their own two feet--but one of the newest ways is someone’s else’s--feet that is.
You’ve probably seen the person-drawn cabs hanging out at tourist sports like museums, near Central Park, even on Fifth Avenue. But until recently, many of the drivers (?) runners? pullers? were unlicensed. This past weekend was the deadline for them to apply for medallions, which indicate that the pedicabs have been inspected and have rate cards posted. In addition, the licenses mean that they’ve passed safety inspections on tail and headlights, seatbelts and brakes. City laws also require pedicabs to have insurance that covers both riders and drivers.
Estimates indicate that there are thousands of pedicabs on the road; drivers had a 60-day period in which to complete the applications for licenses.
More than 150 businesses applied for close to 850 licenses; prior to last Friday, 943 pedicabs were registered. More than 300 have applied for licenses.
While the pedicab industry probably began as early as 1995 down in the East Village, it really took off in the last few years. Many pedicab drivers have actually asked for the regulations, since so many unregistered cabs have flooded the streets in recent years. A number of people view them as a nuisance, while others admire the easy-going attitude that characterizes this unorthodox form of transportation.
Our advice? If you do choose to travel under someone else’s steam, make sure they have a license—and a lot of stamina.

Nothing Says the Holidays Like a Two-Ton Snowflake

What with the commercials, Sidewalk Santas, holiday windows, and endless catalogues, Christmas in New York seems to be in attack mode this year, earlier than ever—we haven’t even reached Thanksgiving yet.
And the bulk of the holiday madness is yet to come.
Still, if you'd like to ease into the holidays more gradually, and remember what they’re really about, check out the UNICEF snowflake on 57th street and 5th Avenue, near the Louis Vuitton Store.
Last night Lucy Liu (“Charlie’s Angels,” etc.), a UNICEF ambassador, flipped the switch that lights up the enormous crystal snowflake that hangs high above 57th Street. (It’s hard to see during the day; try planning to be there early evening if possible.)
The snowflake weighs in at more than 3,300 pounds, contains 16,000 Baccarat crystals, and is 23 feet in diameter and 28 feet tall. It’s also billed as the largest outdoor chandelier of its kind. Yes, that gave us pause too. (Are there many more of their kind?? It makes them sound kind of like aliens, and that attack-mode comment was just a joke…)
If there seems to be a disconnect between the Baccarat crystal part, the fact that the reception was held in the Louis Vuitton store, and the relationship with UNCIEF, remember that in fact UNICEF has helped save the lives of more kids worldwide than any other humanitarian organization.
The snowflake will remain lit until January 3rd.

Wondering Where Your Train Is? A New Clock May Help You Figure It Out

In the never-ending annals of the never-ending plans for New York’s vastly complicated transportation system comes some (potentially) good news: Countdown clocks will be arriving at several subway stations by the end of next month, with others to follow.
An announcement was made Monday that subway riders on the number 6 train will be the first to utilize the countdown clocks. Three stations in the Bronx will lead off, followed by the rest of the 6 line and all other lines by the end of 2010 or beginning of 2011. Nearly 150 other stations along the 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 lines will be rolled out in addition to the 6 line.
Wondering about the 7 line? It was supposed to get the clocks as part of a separate project that was due to be completed in 2006. It’s now (obviously) many years overdue, and the original price tag of $170 million is now projected at closer to $200 million--just for that line.
The separate $200 million project for the other lines has encountered a number of snafus, including a serious flaw in the software that was discovered a year into the project.
At the moment, countdown clocks can be found only on the L and the 34th Street bus corridor.
Bus riders, take heart--clocks are due to be installed at the 50th Street route as well—but no launch date (surprise, surprise) has been set.

Craving a Gallon of Salad Dressing? Costco Comes to NYC

Admit it: you’ve woken up at 3:00 AM longing for a giant tub of mayonnaise. Or maybe it was the 10:00 AM craving for 20 rolls of toilet paper. Whatever the desire for the oversized; the excessive amounts; or just the proverbial low, low prices, your wishes have been fulfilled: The first Costco has opened in New York City.
The mega-deal store is the first tenant in the new East River Plaza, a “big-box” shopping center off the FDR Drive on 116th street. The store, clocking in at 110,000 square feet, will also welcome neighbors Best Buy, Marshalls, and—be still my heart--Target in the next few months.
Costco execs looked for years to round out their offerings of Costco stores in the city (the others are in Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island). The same spot was deemed too pricey a few years ago--but thanks to the recession, the space is now going for 30 percent less than was originally offered.
Buyers must fork over an annual membership fee—but at the Manhattan location, offerings include wildly reduced Ugg Boots and Seven for All Mankind jeans—not to mention Cartier jewelry and Rolex watches.
Is it too far uptown for many New Yorkers? We’re willing to bet that for off-price designer goods, discounted bestsellers, coveted makeup brands and oversized boxes of pasta, New Yorkers will go just about anywhere--especially if it’s in their own backyard.

The Tree We've All Been Waiting For Has Arrived

It’s heeeeere! The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has arrived.
The 76-foot-high Norway spruce, which belonged to fifth-grade teacher Maria Corti, was cut down in Easton, Conn. yesterday. It was transported to New York City on a special flatbed truck, and was hoisted into place this morning. (The tree generally travels during the night with a police escort; it usually takes 15-20 people and a 280-ton crane to handle the behemoth.)
The tree clocks in at more than 10 tons; it's 40 feet in diameter. Minimum requirements say that the tree must be at least 65 feet tall and 35 feet wide; although between 75 and 90 feet high is favored. A Norway spruce is generally preferred (they’re not native to this country, but many were planted ornamentally), and if you were wondering, no money changes hands--it’s the pride of having your tree assume its place near the Prometheus Statue and the ice skating rink.
The tree will be covered in scaffolding as workers start adorning it--over five miles of lights are used to decorate the tree every year.
The first Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was erected in 1931 as workers were building the complex during the depression. First tree lighting? 1933.
The tree is located in the center of the plaza, at 50th Street and 5th Avenue. The official tree lighting is on December 2.

Elmo Doesn't Look A Day Over 3, But Sesame Street is 40

In the beginning, Cookie Monster smoked a pipe (only occasionally, and only in character as Alistair Cookie), the streets were dirty, and buildings were covered in graffiti. For four decades, however, generations of kids have known how to get to “Sesame Street,” which celebrates its fortieth anniversary today. Mayor Bloomberg has declared Broadway and 64th Street--you guessed it--Sesame Street, and today is officially ”Sesame Street Day” in New York City.
The show, which films in New York, has been gussied up through the years and, some may argue, is less appealing for its PC focus. (Yoga? Tofu? Really?) But as, perhaps, the best loved, most popular, and most influential children’s show ever, still known for its trademark goofiness, it deserves every accolade it’s afforded.
The special guest today is Michelle Obama; she suggests that Oscar the Grouch take a bath, and he is understandably concerned by this notion because he might get clean.
If it weren’t for “Sesame Street,” we wouldn't have Elmo or Big Bird or the Muppets. We wouldn’t have seen a children’s show cross boundaries of race and deal with issues like the death of a character, long before other shows tackled those issues. Numerous kids wouldn't have seen their own urban environment reflected on TV, and adults wouldn't have known that children’s shows could be for them, too.
But most of all, we wouldn’t have had the sheet revelry and zaniness that is the show’s hallmark. Generations of kids would still have learned their ABC’s—but perhaps not with as much sheer delight as they did on Sesame Street.

Goodbye to the Stables? Carriage Horses Will be Trotting Away

What’s more iconic than a horse-drawn carriage ride around Central Park? What says “New York” more then the clip clopping of horse’s hooves near the Plaza?
OK, maybe many things, but that’s certainly up there.
It turns out that, as of this winter, more than two dozen New York City carriage horses may be out of a home and therefore, will be out of work (as will their drivers.)
Shamrock Stables, home to the carriage horses, has been ordered by the city’s Housing Preservation and Development Agency to vacate its current space by the end of December.
Thirteen hundred units of affordable housing, 10,000 feet of retail space, and a new school will be moving into the space on West 45th Street.
Manhattan does have four other stables—all located in the west 30s, 40s and 50s--but they’re all full up, especially during the holidays.
It’s not just that the horses themselves take up a lot of room--the 700 bales of hay they eat every two weeks, as well as a great deal of equipment, also needs to be factored in.
The stables will most likely remain open through the holidays, a peak time for the horse-drawn carriages because of both the influx of tourists and the holiday spirit that seizes many New Yorkers. (Ah, a winter ride through the snowy park…)
Animal-rights activists have long protested the stables and working conditions of the horses in the city, while others feel they are an essential part of New York.
In addition, the stables were definitely ready for their close-up: The long-running TV series ”Law and Order” filmed there several times.

Coolest iphone App Yet? It Might Be The Museum of the Phantom City

This is New York, so you can go on pretty much any kind of walking or bus tour in the city you can dream up, from "Sex and the City” venues to lower east side foods. But a tour of places that never were?
Welcome to the very cool new iphone app “Museum of the Phantom City.”
The app examines 50 architectural sites in New York that never got off the drawing board, from Buckminster Fuller’s plan for a “Mini Earth”—a miniature globe suspended by cables across from the United Nations Building—to a heliport on top of Bryant Park that could have doubled as an air raid shelter. A number of the proposals from the mid-twentieth century, in fact, show unease over the Cold War and potential attacks.
Got some time on your hands? You can walk around the city and actually check out the sites where the projects would have been, if you want, using your phone like a museum audioguide of sorts.
The plan was developed by Irene Cheng and Brett Snyder, founders of a design studio, in conjunction with The Van Alen Institute, a nonprofit architectural institute.
Don’t have an iphone or can’t borrow one? Check out phantomcity.org.
So are these things-that-never-were a missed-the-boat alternative future? Lost opportunities? Monstrosities that are better relegated to the drawing board?
Whatever they are, this intersection of architecture and technology is whole lot more interesting than apps for finding the nearest deli.

USS New York Has Docked At Its Namesake

Utilizing 7.5 tons of steel from the World Trade Center, the USS New York steamed into New York on Monday, paused at the World Trade Center site, and finally docked in midtown Manhattan.
The 684-foot ship (an amphibious assault dock, a kind of warship, for those who wish to be specific) will spend the week in New York before being officially commissioned on Saturday. The steel from the Twin Towers was welded into her bow after the attacks of September 11, 2001. She’s here for a full military commissioning ceremony on November 7 before entering active service with the US Navy. Her homeport will be in Norfolk, VA.
For information on public visits, check out ussny.org., where you can also find other info. and cool facts about the ship.
Oh, and if you feel the urge to do something nice for the ship, to give a little something to her--for whatever reason—the ship has its own Tiffany registry.
Yes, really.
The wish list includes a sterling silver Chippendale tray (listed at $2,868.75); a Queen Anne teapot ($4,250) and, for penny pinchers, a $173.75 Hampton fish knife. What a deal!
Don’t worry--she does come with something of a dowry, including about 15 serving pieces passed on from the last USS New York, commissioned in 1911.
And if that’s more than you gave your best friend for her wedding, well, you can always just go peek at her in the harbor.

No, You're Not Imagining It: That Taxi Ride Costs More

If your taxi ride seems pricier than it did last week, you’re not hallucinating: A fare increase went into effect in New York City yesterday (Sunday, Nov.1). Merely getting into a cab will now cost you 50 cents more than it did on Saturday: The fare has been raised from $2.50 to $3.00.
But the extra money isn’t going into the drivers’ pockets: the surcharge was ordered by state officials to help the MTA with a massive (1.8 billion dollar) shortfall.
Although it may seem like fares get higher and higher every day in New York, this is actually the first fare increase since the $2 fare was raised in 2004.
Each additional fifth of a mile will stay at 40 cents.
The city has 13,237 licensed yellow cabs; the surcharge on fares will bring in about $85 million.
Other parts of the plan include a payroll tax of 34 cents per $100 on employers in 12 counties served by the authority. An increase on bus and subway fares went into effect last June.
No one said New York was cheap, but this kind of increase will most definitely be felt by riders. It’s being done without a huge amount of fanfare, either, so many who glance at the fare maybe surprised.
While you’re saving your quarters, may we suggest walking?

Get Your Scare on and Join the Village Halloween Parade

You either love it or you hate it, but it’s probably safe to say that Halloween in New York is not like Halloween anywhere else. Today’s the big day, and with the plethora of catalogues that start arriving in July, pop-up Halloween stores, and events around the city, Halloween has reached the status of a seriously major occurrence. (Many of us grew up in an era where our moms just threw together a few sheets to make us into ghosts, and that was it.)
And with Halloween comes the biggest Halloween event of all—New York City’s Village Halloween parade.(It's included in the book "100 Things to Do Before You Die."
This year marks the event’s 36th anniversary, with the theme “Terra Incognita”; it celebrates the ancient mariners exploring undiscovered waters. (Interpret as you wish.) The parade, which wends its way up Sixth Avenue, starts south of Spring Street and north of Canal Street. Revelers can gather between 6:30 and 8:30 pm; the parade officially kicks off at 7:00 PM.
The spectacle offers one of the more over-the-top, exhibitionist Halloween events anywhere in the country—all in the confines of an organized event. Along with the marchers, musical acts, circus performers and puppeteers--one of the parade’s highlights—join the throngs.
Parade-ers have to be in costume to join, but spectators--sometimes more than 2 million of them--are welcome. Only costumed participants are allowed in the parade itself. Abandon normal clothing, all ye who enter there.
Not brave (or foolish) enough to participate or watch it in person? Never mind--it’s being broadcast on NY1 from 8-9:30 pm tonight.

There's No Place Like a Train for the Holidays: Get on Board for "A Christmas Carol"

So you still haven’t decided where to put Uncle Mel at the Thanksgiving table, but never mind--wire your brain to skip ahead, because big Christmas movie releases wait for no relative.
This Friday–Sunday (Oct. 30-Nov.1) Disney’s “Christmas Carol” Train pulls into New York’s Grand Central Station, the last stop on its 40-stop tour across the country. (Track 37; 9 am -7 pm, Fri and Sat; 9 am-4 pm on Sun.) The occasion? The upcoming release of Disney’s big holiday movie "A Christmas Carol.”
The tour started in Los Angeles’ Union Station last May (no, really), and spent the summer and early fall traveling across the country, covering more than 16,000 miles of track and touching in points from Santa Fe to St. Louis, Oklahoma City to Omaha.
Each train car (yes, they will remain stationery) showcases a different aspect of the film’s production, and activities galore are on board for guests of all ages; you can check out objects from the Charles Dickens Museum in London; wander through digital galleries; and even be serenaded by holiday carolers. And yes, you can also(no surprise) catch a glimpse of a pivotal scene (so we’re told) in the 3-D film.
The walk-through takes about an hour; lines are expected to be long; but--on the upside—the tour is free, and no reservations are needed.
So get into the holiday spirit--even if you’re still several holidays behind.

Feel the Earth Move? It's the New York City Police

It’s not an earthquake or the fallout from a noisy party--it’s the New York City Police, and while they might not have their phasers on stun, they now have their cars on vibrate. Twenty-five New York City police cars were outfitted last week with a device called "The Rumbler," and another hundred plus were added earlier this week. The devices were tested in precincts throughout the city for almost a year before they were rolled out.
What’s the point? Well, gabbing on your cell or to a friend next to you; texting; listening to your ipod; or merely being lost in a fantasy of moving to Barbados will no longer be enough to distract you from police vehicles trying to get through city traffic.
The device emits a low-frequency sound wave that can be felt by pedestrians as well as drivers up to 200 feet away. In the car? No use trying to turn up your stereo to ear-popping levels, yelling at the kids in the backseat, or rolling up your windows—the vibrations can still be felt; it’s rumored that they may even be strong enough to rattle a rear-view mirror. Hmm.
The system makes sense, sort of, since many New Yorkers seem oblivious to police cars trying to get by, especially at crowded intersections. Will the vibrations cause pedestrians to jump aside in panic or merely stand there dumfounded?
Well, the new system will certainly grab everyone’s attention.
Note: Any jokes—lewd or otherwise—that you are thinking of making have undoubtedly been made, most likely by the police themselves.

Halloween Frights Galore Set Sail on the USS Intrepid

You may have noticed a distinct uptick in the number of witches, ninjas, and French maids on the streets of New York--and yes, that could just be everyday wear, given that it is New York, but in this case, it does mean that Halloween doth approach, so get thee to a pumpkin-carving class, or at least, get yourself some bat ears and try to feel festive.
To get you in the proper ghoulish mood, The USS Intrepid (Pier 86; West 46th Street and 12th Avenue; 877-957 SHIP; or 212-245-0072) has started the festivities early, with “Haunting on the Hudson,” a week of Halloween-y fun, running through Sunday, November 1.
The Haunted House part of the festivities allows guests to meander through the frightfully decorated Combat Information Center (there’s a joke in there somewhere…) and every day this week, visitors can catch a “Grumpkin” carving demonstration. (What is a Grumpkin? Well may you ask. They’re weird sculptures carved from giant fruit, and, as you can tell by their names, smiling cheerily is not in their nature.)
Things get creepier as the week progresses, with the bulk of the events happening, of course, on October 31. Magic Shows, stilt walkers (scary? who knows); face painting; storytelling; crystal balls or fortunetellers; and “Interactive Statue Scarecrows” all abound. That last one is enough to have us running from the ship.
If you’re made of stronger stuff, “Operation Slumber” commences on Halloween night; visitors can spend the night (ooh, creepy!), and also participate in a treasure hunt; watch a movie; hear haunted tales about the Intrepid; and finally, go to sleep (or not) on the aircraft carrier.
Well, it’ll make a good story.

Got God? Maybe Not on the New York City Subway System

If you’re used to seeing ads for community colleges, lurid best bestsellers, and video game systems on the New York City subway system, get ready for something completely different: Ads for a coalition of eight atheist organizations start running today, October 26.
About a dozen subway stations across the city will start running the ads, which bear the tagline: “A million New Yorkers are good without God. Are you?” The words appear over a blue sky with fluffy white clouds.
The Big Apple Coalition for Reason decided that putting up the ads in the subway provided the most potential viewership—and since the New York City subway system serves more than 5 million riders per day, they’re probably right. The groups in the coalition include the Secular Humanist Society of New York and the New York Center for Inquiry.
The campaign came about when The United Coalition of Reason, a national organization, approached the New York atheist associations over the summer. An anonymous source had offered to help pay for the subway campaign, and thus were the ads born.
Will we see a backlash? In a city that regularly sees ads for strip clubs and escort services splashed across public areas, is religion the last taboo?
Well, an American Religious Identification Survey released earlier this year showed a shift in religious identity in this country: Those checking "none" for religion rose from 8 percent in 1990 to 15 percent in 2008.
We’ll see if atheist-themed blue skies or bedroom-eyed blondes cause more of a ruckus.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Spiralling Legacy: The Guggenheim Turns 50

New York’s legendary, can’t-miss-it, doesn’t-look-like-anything-else-in-the-world Guggenheim Museum turned 50 last week. If you missed the glowing red lights on top of the Empire State Building in honor of the event, don’t worry--great stuff is happening all year long.
For starters, the Guggenheim highlights the paintings of Vasily Kandinsky, whose work has been an intrinsic part of the Museum’s history. Kandinsky’s work, which focuses on non-objective painting, represents a kind of abstraction in which no recognizable imagery can be seen; before the Guggenheim was, well, the Guggenheim, it was The Museum of Non-Objective Painting, in large part due to its focus on Kandinsky’s work.
As you travel up and down the famous spiral ramp in the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building, you can also catch a sculptural installation by Indian-born artist Anish Kapoor, who has had a profound impact on modern sculpture with his fresh approach to material, color and scale. “Memory,” which was commissioned by the museum, is on view through March 28.
While you’re there, take a moment to stand on the ramp and gaze upwards at the extraordinary views and use of space. Wright was not a fan of New York or cities in general, so the museum was built near Central Park to take advantage of its proximity to nature. We can only be glad that it was.
The museum is located at 1071 Fifth Avenue at 89th Street. Call 212- 423-3500 for more information.

The Tent is Up and the Trapeze is Swinging: The Big Apple Circus is Back

We’ve had three-ring circuses, new-wave circuses, and backyard circuses--but for many of us, the most charming has to be the one-ring show, as exemplified by The Big Apple Circus; it has just set up shop in New York City for a three-month run, through Jan. 17.
The familiar big tent behind Lincoln Center plays host to this season’s incarnation, “Bello is Back,” and for many New Yorkers, that’s big news. The legendary performer with the sky-high hair defected for a while to the Ringling Bros. Circus, but has returned to perform his feats of derring-do in an arena where no seat is more than 50 feet away from the action. For those who follow such things, “Time” Magazine recently named him “America’s Best Clown.”
This year, the performers include juggler Picasso Jr. from Spain; the Russian Aniskan troupe (trampoline and trapeze); and perennial favorite Grandma the Clown. (Thank goodness, no scary, leering clowns at this circus). And all the action takes place in one ring, so no one in the audience is frantically trying to see the pink poodles and the guy on the tiny bike at the same time. (No, thankfully, this circus actually has neither.)
The Big Apple Circus, FYI, also manages some stellar community programs throughout the city, going into schools and hospitals. Big-name performers; even bigger hearts.
To order tickets, call 888-541-3750; to enter the big tent, go to 62nd Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues.
You can't miss it.

Will it Play in Peoria? Shrek the Musical to Close on Broadway

He may have survived any number of obstacles to win the heart of his true love, Princess Fiona, but New York’s Broadway stage seems to have been unconquerable—the announcement was made by the producers yesterday (Oct. 21) that Shrek would be galloping across his swamp no more—“Shrek the Musical” will end its run on Jan, 3, 1010.
The musical, which encapsulates several of the plots about the ogre and his exploits from the “Shrek” movies, will have had 441 performances and 37 previews at the Broadway Theatre when it closes.
The musical received eight Tony Award nominations in 2009 (and won one for Best Costume Design in a Musical). Although it had a very strong holiday season last year, "Shrek" never received either the critical or word-of-mouth encouragement it needed to stay afloat. The musical received only lukewarm reviews, at best, when it opened, and with the economy in freefall, parents are being more discerning about what kind of family entertainment they choose and where to put their dollars.
Insiders--and those who simply read the newspaper--may have figured out recently that something was up--a near frenzy of special promotions have been advertised or hinted at lately.
Is there life for Shrek, Fiona, Donkey and the rest after New York? Maybe Midwesterners will prove to have different tastes: A limited national tour of “Shrek” will run from July 13-Sept. 5, starting at Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre.

El Museo del Barrio Reopens to the Public

After completing the first phase of extensive ongoing renovations, New York’s El Museo del Barrio has just reopened to the public in the first phase of their ongoing redevelopment. (It’s located at 1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street; 212 831-7927.)
The city’s only Latino Institution on Museum Mile (a group of Museums on Upper Fifth Avenue) is also marking its 40th anniversary, with a year-long display of exhibitions, performances and public programming.
The Museum was founded in 1969 by artist/educator Raphael Montanez Ortiz and a group of parents, educators, activists and artists who wanted more focus on Latin artists by mainstream museums. It now houses more than 6,500 objects that span more than 800 years of Caribbean, Latin American and Latino art, including pre-Columbia Taino objects; contemporary prints and photographs; and documentary films and video.
With Phase 1 complete, the Museum showcases its new Carmen Ana Unanue galleries that will host its permanent collection. The next phase will concentrate on the 104th Street lobby of the Heckscher Building as well as work in El Teatro.
The Museum reopens with an exhibition titled “Nexus New York: Latin/American Artists in the Modern Metropolis,” which focuses on the Caribbean and Latin American artists who lived in New York pre-World War 1, and were instrumental in shaping the American avant-garde.

Lock Up Your Livestock! Monty Python is Back For One Night Only

Can it be? Can the creators of the Ministry of Silly Walks, the search for the Holy Grail, the flying cows over the battlements and other classic bits really be turning 40 this year? Indeed, they are: Monty Python celebrates the big 4-0 with a one-night-only reunion event at New York’s Ziegfeld Theater this Thursday, October 15, at 7:00 PM. Five of the original founders (John Cleese; Terry Gilliam; Eric Idle; Terry Jones; Michael Palin) will celebrate with a shortened screening of the documentary “Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer’s Cut)”; followed by a Q&A session and reminiscences from the troupe. The film includes appearances by Lorne Michaels (“Saturday Night Live”); Eddie Izzard; and Jimmy Fallon, among others.
Oh, yes, word on the street is that there will also be a presentation of some type of award---but with the Pythons, who knows what that means.
Organized by the Independent Film Channel and The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), the event is scarce on tickets, but you can try calling the theater at (212) 765-7600.
And, in a spirit befitting the group, rumor has it that the sixth Python, Graham Chapman, who died in 1989, will also (somehow) be incorporated into the evening’s festivities.
Don’t ask.
A six-hour version of “Almost the Truth” will air on IFC on October 18.

One Ring to Rule Us All: Lord of the Rings Takes Over New York

Frodophiles, Tolkien lovers, followers of Middle Earth and Ring questers, unite: It’s a “Lord of the Rings” weekend in New York.
Tonight and tomorrow (Oct. 9 and 10) is the big event: a screening of the movie on a 60-foot screen at Radio City Music Hall (7:30 pm) while the complete original score (written by Howard Shore) is performed by a live orchestra. Singers including the Brooklyn Youth Chorus and the Collegiate Chorale will accompany Switzerland’s 21st Century Orchestra.
The screening of the 178-minute version of “The Fellowship of the Ring” will include (whew) an intermission, and Maestro Ludwig Wicki will conduct using a laptop computer that will run Auricle, a system that will indicate starting and stopping points as well as tempo. Radio City is located at 1260 Avenue of the Americas (between 50th and 51st Streets; call (212) 247-4777 for more information.
For the more aesthetically inclined, an exhibit entitled “The Beginnings of a Masterpiece: Original Manuscripts from The Fellowship of the Ring” will be on view at the Gerald M. Quinn Library at Lincoln Center (113 West 60th Street) through November 19. Forty items will be on display, including Middle Earth calendars; notes about Tolkien's invented languages; plot notes, and original drawings. (A valid ID is needed to enter the Library.) The manuscripts are part of Marquette’s University’s extensive JRR Tolkien Collection; it's the first time these works have been on view in New York. Admission is free; call (212) 636-6538 for more information.
Everyone together now: One ring to rule them all….

The Recession's Still Here? Let's Open a Store! Tommy Hilfiger on Fifth Avenue

If you are a retailer or designer and the economy is in terrible shape, you
A) Lie low, eat a lot of cookies, and hope the recession ends soon
B) 2) Open a multi-million dollar retail emporium on New York’s Fifth Avenue
C) 3) Start manufacturing rayon socks to sell in 99-cent stores
The answer is B—at least if you’re Tommy Hilfiger (or at least his sportswear company), whose company recently opened just such a store on Fifth Avenue in New York City in the middle of the worst recession in years.
Hilfiger is best known for his mid-priced American sportswear, and while Fifth Avenue may not seem like a natural habitat, stores like Abercrombie and Fitch and even the Gap have found a home there; it’s a natural Mecca for tourists. The 22,000 square-foot store (681 Fifth Avenue; between 53rd and 54th Streets) occupies the space formerly held by Fortunoff for 30 years. The store offers four floors of goods, and is the first to offer everything Tommy Hilfiger, from men and womenswear to accessories, denim and its home collection.
How much will this gambit cost? Estimates put the rent at around $1500 per square foot. If you're feverishly doing the calculations, trust us--that’s a lot of sunglasses he has to sell every year.
His clothes may not be couture--but opening a store like that in the middle of this economy is certainly a luxury.

Carnegie Hall Opens Its New Season

According to many classical music buffs, with New York’s Carnegie Hall opening its season tonight, Thursday, October 1, the fall cultural season in the city has officially begun.
Kicking off the 119th season is Opening Night with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, led by Daniele Gatti, with the renowned Evgeny Kissin on piano.
The program includes Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture, Op. 62, and Debussy’s La Mer; as well as the New York premiere of John Williams’ On Willows and Birches. (Yes, that John Williams; let no one say that the man who wrote the “Star Wars” theme isn’t diverse.)
While Carnegie Hall is of course best known for classical music, it offers a surprisingly wide repertoire of events for all tastes.
When December rolls around, do you crave loud, glitzy holiday cheer? Celebrate with The New York Pops on December 19, conducted by John Morris Russell.
Looking for something a little more cutting edge? Try out "Ancient Paths, Modern Voices: Celebrating Chinese Culture,” from Oct. 21-Nov. 10. Carnegie Hall has teamed up with other cultural institutions to present a lineup of music, exhibitions and theater, ranging from marionettes to art exhibits.
Jazz, children’s programs, and even tap, courtesy of Savion Glover (April 14) are all on the menu as well (who knew?), so check out Carnegie Hall this season--it might surprise you.

Has Global Warming Met Its Match? Climate Week Comes to Town

It’s Climate Week in New York, and no, that doesn’t mean you can change the weather—at least not right off the bat. It does mean that now is the time to have your consciousness raised about global warming (if it hasn't been already), and a whole slew of events are planned to accomplish just that. Climate Week has been timed to coincide with the United Nations General Assembly, which is in the city this week, so if you notice a preponderance of men in suits and guys with earpieces following them, that’s why. (Interesting Numbers Department: 140 heads of state; 31 protest groups.)
Most of these week’s events are by invitation only. Events open to the public include a symposium at Columbia University about economics and climate adaptation on Thursday, Sept. 24; and a five-day bike ride from New York to Washington DC that kicks off on Friday. (For a complete listing of events, check out climateweeknyc.org)
Climate Week comes approximately two months before world leaders are scheduled to meet in Copenhagen to draw up a plan that will halt climate change. In the meantime, you know what to do to go green: Turn off lights; don’t run the water more than necessary; carpool or take public transportation when you can.
Because you don’t need to be a world leader to save the planet; you just need to want to make a difference.

Live From New York, It's Oprah

Dozens of New Yorkers may suddenly “decide” to walk through Central Park Friday morning in the hopes of glimpsing America’s reigning talk-show host, but sadly, chances are slim and tickets are reserved when Oprah Winfrey comes to town tomorrow.
Winfrey is heading to the SummerStage at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park to broadcast; the show will air live on Friday at 10 am Eastern time. (Again, spots in the audience are by reservation only; don’t expect just to show up.)
Winfrey’s guests will include Mariah Carey, the top-selling female recording artist in history, who will most likely perform a song from her new album, “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel.” She will also give Oprah an exclusive interview (topics are expected to include, no surprise, her career and marriage to Nick Cannon.)
Ever-perky Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa are also expected to pop in after doing their own show that morning.
Other (famous) unannounced guests will undoubtedly show up, and Winfrey will also announce her 63rd book club selection. The enormously influential book club has helped a number of books achieve bestseller status, and has also uncovered some controversial selections, like James Frey’s largely made-up “A Million Little Pieces.” Selections from 2008 included "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle,” by David Wrobleski, and Eckhart Tolle’s “A New Earth.”

Amtrak is on the Move--to the Post Office

All aboard: Amtrak will most likely be chugging into a new home...across the street. New York City’s main post office will house Amtrak’s ticketing, boarding, and waiting areas, which will move from Penn Station to the James A. Farley Post Office directly across the street; a date for the move has not been set. The new station will be named after Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who died in 2003. Moynihan was inspired by the impressive former Penn Station, which stood above ground but was demolished in 1963.
Amtrak originally pulled out of the project several years ago, citing the enormous costs associated with the move. Under the new proposal, which was arrived at after six months of negotiations, Amtrak will have the opportunity to share revenue from retail outlets in the new space, and will also have a voice in some design changes. As part of the move, a splashy new entrance will be built for Penn Station, and capacity will be expanded. New tracks will also be built for the railway’s high-speed trains.
The project, estimated at more than $1 billion, still has a way to go—most of the money still needs to be raised. At the moment, more than $200 million in federal funds has been designated for the project, and stimulus funds are a possibility--but that still leaves a lot of money to be found.
Higher train fares, anyone?