The "Power Blip" Edition
Adopt this adorable puppy, a cougar in the Bronx, where to get challah, more death at Rikers, Wegman's watch, the BQE work begins, secret tunnels of Grand Central, and more
Today - Low: 72˚ High: 83˚
Mostly cloudy throughout the day.
A note from Rob: I’ll be taking Labor Day weekend off from The Briefly (and my day job), so the next edition you’ll receive is Tuesday, September 7. Have a great Labor Day weekend and be safe!
• If your lights flickered on Sunday night around 8:30, you're not alone. As a result of the "power blip," the subways experienced a cascade of failures that resulted in backup systems not providing power and eight train lines going dark with five trains stuck outside of subway stations. Governor Hochul didn't distance herself from the MTA and acted like she's actually in charge of the MTA, unlike her predecessor. (Dana Rubenstein and Emma G. Fitzsimmons for NY Times)
• Get ready for the remnants of Hurricane Ida. Heavy rain is expected late Wednesday to Thursday. (Matt Troutman for Patch)
• J’Ouvert and the West Indian Day Parade are canceled this coming weekend. (Jake Offenhartz for Gothamist)
• Wegman's Watch: Work permits are now on file with the city. (EV Grieve)
• The New York Blood Center needs your blood. A blood emergency was declared on August 23, which means its stock was down to a two-to-three-day supply. There's a pop-up donation site on Atlantic Ave in Boerum Hill if you're in Brooklyn and want to help. (Gabriel Sandoval for The City)
• Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon's Upper West Side Life, as remembered by their daughter Nicole. (E.L. Danvers for I Love the Upper West Side)
• It's official: Barry the Owl was killed by a collision with a Central Park Conservancy pick-up truck, according to a state necropsy. If Barry was flying low or the pick-up truck was going fast is unresolved. (Eve Kessler for Streetsblog)
• The work on the BQE under the Brooklyn Promenade has begun, with the road being reduced to two lanes in hopes of prolonging its inevitable self-destruction. (Gabby DeBenedicts for Patch)
• An 80-pound cougar was removed from a Bronx apartment. The owner called it in when it became apparent that "a wild cat is not fit to live in an apartment." Sasha the cougar was initially taken to the Bronx Zoo before being transported to a wildlife refuge in Arkansas. (Jen Chung for Gothamist)
• Photos: A farewell toast to The Baroness, who closed her latex boutique in the East Village over the weekend. (Stacie Joy for EV Grieve)
• The New York State Bar Association announced support for employer-mandated vaccines in a report, noting that "the science and the law are on our side." (Nick Reisman for NY1)
• "I think that’s a great question whether the facade could be saved. I certainly would love to see that happen." -Mayor de Blasio announced support for saving Grand Prospect Hall the same day as a rally outside the building in hopes of saving it. (Ben Verde for Brooklyn Paper)
• The best places in New York City to get challah bread. Rosh Hashanah is coming up. (Dana Schulz for 6sqft)
• The apparent suicide of a detainee at Rikers Island is the sixth death inside the jail since March. A recent federal report on Rikers notes mismanagement and staff failures and a "disturbing rise in the level of security lapses." (George Joseph for Gothamist)
• Fix the damn MTA. A transportation to-do list for Governor Hochul. (Benjamin Kabak for Second Ave. Sagas)
• The Times takes a look at the governor's first week on the job and focuses on how she is differentiating herself from Andrew Cuomo. (Luis Ferré-Sadurnà for NY Times)
• How to rent an apartment without a job during the pandemic. (Jordi Lippe-McGraw for StreetEasy)
• Real Estate Lust: A $10 million Hudson Square penthouse with 1,650 square feet on terraces with a Hudson River view, three bedrooms, home theatre, bedrooms with their own patios, and more. (Dana Schulz for 6sqft)
• The egg cream. Have you ever had one? No, there are no eggs in it. Where to get yourself an egg cream, one of the most New York drinks you can find. (Carina Finn Koeppicus for The Infatuation)
• Eight secret tunnels of Grand Central Terminal. (Noah Sheidlower for Untapped New York)
• In time for the reopening of Broadway: The Resy guide to Theater District dining. (Noëmie Carrant for Resy)
• Photos: Bushwick Collective Block Party featuring Ghostface Killah. (Scott Lynch for Brooklyn Magazine)
• The Daffodil Project will plant one million daffodils around the city to honor the victims of September 11, 2001. (Devin Gannon for 6sqft)
• If you've been wondering this, you're not alone. What does a lieutenant governor actually do? (Ben Yakas for Gothamist)
• Real Estate Lust: A $1.8 million Midwood Victorian with floral wallpaper (it's not hideous), six bedrooms, a covered porch, two-car garage, is right near Di Fara Pizza, and more. (Dana Schulz for 6sqft)
• Ten secrets of Bay Ridge. (Bella Druckman for Untapped New York)
• The best brunch in NYC. (Nikko Duren for The Infatuation)
Featured Pet: Adopt Midori!
Thank you to reader Aaron for sending in this photo of the endlessly adorable Midori (@puppyplace75)! Midori is available for adoption. Someone, please adopt Midori!
Send me pet photos! Send me photos of pets available for adoption! Send them to thebriefly@gmail.com.
Thank you to the three readers who contributed to The Briefly since the last email by buying me a coffee.
