The "I'd Like to Report a UFO" Edition
The "I'd Like to Report a UFO" Edition
The state's budget, Fort Greene Park's future, hot summer, the Met Gala returns, outdoor movies, where to go on a date, and more
Today - Low: 48˚ High: 57˚
Rain throughout the day.
• Dead trees are being "installed" in Madison Square Park in an installation called "Ghost Forest." The intention is to show the effects of climate change. The trees, which are dead, are originally from New Jersey. A soundscape will accompany the dead trees, which is comprised of the calls of NYC native endangered and extinct animals. Listen, I love public art a lot, but couldn't we just put new trees in the park and not have all this effect in displaying dead ones? The installation will be in the park through the fall. (Ben Yakas for Gothamist)
• It's bad news for people who hate good news. On April 8, the subways hit two million riders for the first time since the start of the pandemic. (amNewYork Metro)
• The ten zip codes with the most pandemic move outs, which are mostly in Manhattan, and one in Long Island City. (Jake Offenhartz for Gothamist)
• Countering the argument that this story portends is the "New York Isn't F*cking Dead" exhibition, featuring paintings by Brooklyn-based artists Rachael Tarravechia and Anthony Eslick. Where is the exhibition? Well, it's only online, so it's not technically in New York. (Anna Ben Yehuda for Time Out)
• Feels Good: 9-year-old Gianna Solitario spent her pandemic selling bracelets and donating the profits. Gigi's Creations has donated over $1,300 to various charities. (Jaime DeJesus for The Brooklyn Home Reporter)
• Sustainable Williamsburg makes the case against rezoning River Street in Williamsburg and is looking for you to get involved in the fight. All you have to do is sign the petition, they're not asking you to show up anywhere. (Brooklyn Based)
• Brokers fees are back. "Weren't they made illegal?" I can hear you ask? They were, but last week a judge in Albany stated the 2019 law can't prohibit brokers from collecting fees from renters and that the law was not explicit enough in banning fees from brokers. (David Cruz for Gothamist)
• If you're disappointed in Andrew Yang and Eric Adams currently being in the lead in the mayor's race, you're not alone. There's a real feeling of disappointment from activists, who are holding out hope as New Yorkers begin to pay attention to the race. (Katie Glueck and Data Rubenstein for NY Times)
• Welcome to Brooklyn’s City Council District 44, where one man is on the ballot as a Democrat, Republican, and Conservative. Even with ranked-choice voting, the neighborhood can't escape Kalman Yeger. (Gabriel Sandoval for The City)
• "Orpheus and Apollo," installed in 1962 after being specially designed for Lincoln Center by the acclaimed New York sculptor Richard Lippold, was removed without a stated reason in 2014 and never returned. It will have a second life when it is installed in LaGuardia Airport's new Terminal B. Elizabeth Kim for Gothamist)
• The history of the Greek “We Are Happy to Serve You” coffee cups. (Devin Gannon for 6sqft)
• A Neil Diamond musical is likely coming to Broadway. (Anna Ben Yehuda for Time Out)
• The DOT unveiled plans for the Brooklyn Bridge's bike lane, which won't be happening until September at the earliest. (Dave Colon for Streetsblog)
• Where to meet up with people for exactly one hour before going home because quite honestly you don't want to be out any more. (Hannah Albertine for The Infatuation)
• The city unveiled a second plan to renovate Fort Greene Park after the first stalled in court. (Kevin Duggan for Brooklyn Paper)
• Curbed calls Staten Island's Every Thing Goes "one of the best furniture stores in New York", which is run by a commune on the North Shore. A look at the store and the commune that runs it. (Katy Schneider for Curbed)
• The Met Gala is happening this year but in September instead of May. (Will Gleason for Time Out)
• Real Estate Lust: A tiny $1.6 million two bed, one bath house in Red Hook, but with a detached studio, roof deck, two decks, a covered patio, and a fire pit. (Dana Schulz for 6sqft)
• Expect the state's supply of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to drop next week. There was no given reason for the drop and no appointments are expected to be canceled. (David Cruz for Gothamist)
• Always read the plaque! Next time you're in Boerum Hill on the corner of Pacific and Bond, check out the plaque noting the site of an 18th Century well, constructed as part of a Revolutionary-War fort. (Ben Verde for Brooklyn Paper)
• Photos: Coney Island's reopening. (Ben Yakas with photos by Scott Heins for Gothamist)
• The Farmers' Almanac is expecting a hot summer, especially in August and September with a higher than usual potential for severe storms. (Gus Saltonstall for Patch)
• Sunday Read: How a hot new restaurant can be a double-edged sword. (Chris Crowley for Grub Street)
• The "Asian Art SPA" exhibition at Carlton Fine Arts Ltd. is the result of artist Linjie Deng being attacked while being referred to as "yellow." The exhibition features yellow as the main color and seeks to pay respect to the pain the Asian community has felt. (Anna ben Yehuda for Time Out)
• A pair of taxi drivers filed a $2.56 billion lawsuit against New York City accusing officials of profiting off inflated medallion prices and cites the city intentionally overstated the value of taxi medallions from 2004-2017. (Matt Troutman for Patch)
• Police officer and narcotics detective, Joseph E. Franco was charged with 26 criminal counts in 2019, including perjury and official misconduct. As a result, the Brooklyn DA is looking to erase up to 90 convictions in cases Franco was involved in. (Troy Closson for NY Times)
• The state AG's lawsuit against Amazon over unsafe working conditions at two city facilities will stay in New York instead of being moved to federal court, as Amazon was arguing. (Sophia Chang for Gothamist)
• Eight spots showing outdoor movies. (Hannah Albertine for The Infatuation)
• Want to believe? UFO reports doubled in New York over the last year. (Sarah Maslin Nir for NY Times)
• State leaders announced they reached an agreement on a $212 billion state budget that includes tax increases on the wealthy as well as substantial relief for renters, undocumented immigrants and business owners hit hardest by the coronavirus. (Luis Ferré-Sadurní and Jesse McKinley for NY Times(
• The Brooklyn Public Library is launching a curated "audio experience" at 10 library branches, which will hide speakers outside and play music, poetry, oral histories, podcast excerpts, and spoken literature. Each of the libraries in the Whispering Libraries experience will have playlists that reflect their neighborhoods. (Shaye Weaver for Time Out)
• Brooklyn's first "skate garden" is up for a vote in District 39 through the participatory budget election. (Meredith Craig de Pietro for Brooklyn Based)
• Where to go on a date right now. (Nikko Duren for The Infatuation)
Featured Pet: Lola!
Thanks to reader Kent for sending in this photo of Lola enjoying the spring. Email in your photo to be featured to thebriefly@gmail.com!