The "My Dinner With Cuomo" Edition

Rover the eagle, subway fires, the city says "no" to Hochul's Penn Station plan, Gloria's in Crown Heights gets a new life, a look at Two World Trade, ten cozy bars, and more

Today - Low: 23˚ High: 54˚
Rain in the morning and afternoon.
This weekend - Low: 18˚ High: 32˚

The latest seven-day positivity rate: 6.38%
75.21% of city residents have received two shots, 84.54% of city residents have received one or more shots. Source: NYC Department of Health.

Thank you to reader Jenny for this photo of a totally rad car. Look at all those flames! Is that Saint Michael sending the devil to hell? With a PAL sticker? I have so many questions about this. This car must go so fast. Send your NYC photos to thebriefly@gmail.com

• Renderings: The latest design for Two World Trade, at 1,350 feet tall, would make it just shy of One World Trade, which is 1,368 without the spire. (Michael Young for New York YIMBY)

• Photos: "Midnight Madness" on Mott St to celebrate the Lunar New Year. (Photos by Adrian Childress for amNY Metro)

• Queens Representative Grace Meng introduced new legislation to create a federal holiday for Lunar New Year. (Carlotta Mohamed for QNS)

• Video: NYC Chinatown Firecracker Celebration. (ActionKid on YouTube)

• What the Hell is This Guy Thinking: Mayor Adams went to dinner with Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday night. The mayor spent part of his Thursday defending the dinner. (Matt Troutman for Patch)

• While we're on the subject of "is this guy for real?," here's a Q&A with Andrew Giuliani, who is still running to be the governor of New York. (John Besche for Gotham Gazette)

• And now for something unbelievable in a good way: Check out this ice skating dog in Central Park. (Shaye Weaver for Time Out)

• Did you miss the $11.7 million 24-karat gold cube in Central Park? The cube, considered a statue, was accompanied by 29 security guards. Somehow this is NFT related, but ultimately this is a story about someone putting a block of gold in Central Park. (Bobby Panza for I Love the Upper West Side)

• The scientists that study our sewer water (yes, they exist) have discovered some true mysteries, called "cryptic lineages," surrounding Covid-19 that have yet to be solved. Next time you poop, remind yourself that it might end up studied in a lab. (Emily Anthes for NY Times)

• Bird Alert: The Central Park bald eagle is now named Rover. (Anna Rahmanan for Time Out)

MichaelRapaport @MichaelRapaport

Some a$$hole threw a snowball at me while I was in the middle of my rant. Does anyone know who this is? I’m very upset by this

lolololololol

• Staten Island Chuck, surviving another year away from Bill "The Marmot Grim Reaper" de Blasio, predicts an early spring. (Lynn Lieberman for GothamToGo)

• The Grand Prospect Hall will be turned into condos. The dream is dead for 147 residences and 180 parking spaces•. (Brooklyn Magazine)

• Yes, you can spend hundreds of dollars to have omakase sushi delivered, but should you? (Ryan Sutton for Eater)

• City schools are going vegan on Fridays. (Matt Troutman for Patch)

• Interview: City Councilmember Rita Joseph, head of the education committee on transitioning from the classroom to politics, safety protocols, remote options, and more. (Christina Veiga for Chalkbeat)

• A Hasidic school in Brooklyn will stop teaching non-religious classes to eighth-graders. Isn't that against state law? Yes, it is, but Mayor Adams traded endorsements for mayor in exchange for looking the other way when it came to enforcing the law. (Reuven Blau for The City)

• The City Planning Commission is withholding support for Governor Hochul's Penn Station redevelopment plan over uncertainties around funding and a lack of improvement to transit and the public realm. The city is looking for the state to "optimize place and movement by improving and creating new open spaces, walking routes, and pedestrian amenities." (Aaron Ginsburg for 6sqft)

• Locals are calling for support for Two Bridges Diner on Canal St after its owner recovers from injuries from being pinned by his food truck. (EV Grieve)

• Lessons learned about the pandemic after eating at 26 restaurants in five days. (Tammie Teclemariam for Grub Street)

• Ten secrets of Greenpoint. (Laura Itzkowitz for Untapped New York)

• Subway fires are up, even as ridership is down. (Jose Martinez for The City)

• Aaron Mostofsky, the idiot dressed as a caveman at the January 6th attack on the U.S Capitol, pleaded guilty to three charges and is facing between 12 and 18 months in federal prison and must pay $2,000 in restitution. (Jake Offenhartz for Gothamist)

• You can get married at L'Industrie this Valentine’s Day. Who wouldn't want to be married in a pizza place? I was married at Brooklyn Borough Hall, so take my enthusiasm with a grain of salt. (Anna Rahmanan for Time Out)

• Review: Gloria's in Crown Heights rose from the dead as Gee's with the same staff, same chef, and same managers as Gloria's with a new owner. (Scott Lynch for Brooklyn Magazine)

• Can you ban someone from real estate? It turns out the answer is yes, as East Village nightmare landlord Raphael Toledano is banned from the real estate industry for five years after he violated an agreement put in place after the last criminal investigation into him by the state. (Caroline Spivack for Curbed)

• Real Estate Lust: A $12 Park Slope townhouse that used to be eight apartments with 6,300 square feet, four terraces, garage, gym, spiral staircase, wine cellar, and more. It's a 6,300 square foot home. (Michelle Cohen for 6sqft)

• What is considered a legal bedroom in NYC? (Brick Underground)

• Ten cozy bars to stay warm in. (Lidia Ryan for 6sqft)

Featured Pet: Flippy!

Thank you to reader Robin for sending in this photo of Flippy!

Send your pet photos to thebriefly@gmail.com.

---

Thank you so much to the readers who contributed to The Briefly using this Ko-Fi link! Your contributions keep my dogs up to their ears in new toys, amongst other things.