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Daily Archive

June 2009
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Monthly Archive

June 23rd, 2009

Falai Prevails Before Community Board 3

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Community Board 3 signaled its support tonight of the Clinton Street restaurant "Falai's" application to upgrade to a full liquor license. Earlier this month, the CB3 committee that evaluates liquor licenses deadlocked on the Falai application. In spite of the fact that there's a moratorium on new licenses in the area, some board members argued an exception should be made in this case because the restaurant is "world renowned" and it has been a good neighbor. The committee chair, Alexandra Militano, argued vigorously against the approval. She said Clinton Street is overcrowded and overwhelmed largely due to "successful" businesses like Falai. Unlike most other restaurants on the block, however, Falai is only able to serve wine. Representatives of the restaurant have argued that, in a tough economy, they need the additional revenue a full liquor license would provide. The application now goes to the State Liquor Authority.

There was lots of other news at tonight's Community Board meeting, including the re-election of Dominic Pisciotta as chairman and the announcement that funds have been approved to give Luther Gulick Park a much needed facelift. More details tomorrow.

June 23rd, 2009

New Section of East River Park Promenade Is Open

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We were excited to see a section of the new East River Park Promenade  is finally open to the public.  The project has been fraught with delays, as it was previously scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2006. 

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The section that was just opened extends 640 feet behind the track heading south along the water.  Grass is still being planted but there are nice new tables and benches and a much wider walkway.

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A sign from the Parks & Recreation Department notes sections will be opened as they're completed.  The scheduled completion date is bumped back to December 2009.  The promenade will connect on the south end to the East River Ballfields – one of a number of projects included in Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Lower Manhattan Redevelopment Park Projects.

June 23rd, 2009

Essex Street Market Report

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It's Tuesday. That means we headed over to the Essex Street Market for a look at what's new and interesting this week.

  • Saxelby Cheesemongers has a delicious new arrival. Mettowee, a fresh, creamy goat's milk chevre from Consider Bardwell Farm in Vermont. Good with strawberries and champagne, or nice sprinkled in a salad. $6.99/pound.
  • The Tra La La Bakery recommends their "Into the Woods" blackberry muffins. Muffin baker Ronald says chefs have unsuccessfully begged him to reveal the secret ingredients. $3.00 each.
  • Over at Roni-Sue Chocolates, the "anti-matter" caramel walnut chews are back after a one-year absence. They're the exact opposites of the buttercrunch- the walnuts embedded on the inside. $1.50 for a single piece or $26/per pound.
June 23rd, 2009

Educational Alliance Holds Parenting Workshop

Parenting experts Hannah Wiltshire and Ruth Wyatt will discuss how to set limits for your children at a workshop the Education Alliance is sponsoring July 8th. Wiltshire and Wyatt, of Everyday Parenting,  will talk about how to incorporate discipline into your home without locking horns with your child. They will walk participants through strategies to convey what behavior you expect, what is unacceptable and how to follow through with realistic consequences. The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Educational Alliance's web site.

June 23rd, 2009

“Showdown in Chinatown” Returns For a Second Year

Nashsoccer "Showdown in Chinatown," a celebrity soccer match will be played tomorrow night in Roosevelt Park. It's a charity event benefiting foundations run by soccer star Claudio Reyna and two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash. Among the players taking part are Thierry Henry, Tony Parker, Javier Zanetti, Raja Bell, Adrian Mutu,
Chris Bosh, Ivan Cordoba, Grant Hill, and Giovanni van Brockhurst.

"This event gets right at two of my passions — football (soccer) and
helping improve conditions for kids," Nash says. "The Showdown shows
off what the world's top athletes can do, what they're willing to do to
help, and I can't wait to get on the field. We'll be right in the
middle of the Lower East Side, a phenomenal neighborhood in a beautiful
city, just a couple of guys getting a match on.''

It's a free event, kicking off at 6pm.

More information about the event and the charities can be found here.

June 23rd, 2009

Tuesday News Links

Will the feuding State Senate reach a deal before the gavel comes down on the Governor's special session at 3pmET? The Daily News is not mincing words: "Get them into the chamber, Governor Paterson, and nail their juvenile derrieres to the chairs for as long as it takes
to force these 62 sorry excuses for senators to live up to their oaths."  Clyde Haberman of the Times says: "Recent events have crystallized the difference between Tehran and
Albany. In one place, political developments are being shaped in part
by Twitter.  In the other, they are shaped by twits."

Mike Bloomberg and Sheldon Silver are setting their differences aside to speak with one voice on the redevelopment of the World Trade Center site.

The Rent Guidelines Board meets today to vote on a proposal to raise rents on the city's subsidized apartments.

Examiner.com recommends: The Bowery Poetry Club and the Nuyorican Poet's Cafe.