The "Spit, Shit, and Grime" Edition

The latest on legal marijuana, Big Pun Plaza, Cuomo dodges taxing the rich, free cheesecake for the vaccinated, and more

Today - Low: 41˚ High: 62˚
Rain until evening.

Thanks to reader John for today’s featured photo! Send in your photo to thebriefly@gmail.com to be featured.

• The governor and legislature have reached an agreement on legal marijuana, as was previously reported, and the Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act appears to actually be happening. The bill is expected to pass this week. (Sydney Pereira for Gothamist)

• The city's most recent opt-in period to bring students back to school buildings may have been a bit premature. The city can't make decisions like this without the state's approval and the state is still reviewing the new CDC guidelines and has not approved the city's changes. (Sophia Chang and Jessica Gould for Gothamist)

• Alibi Lounge needs your help. It's one of the city's only Black-owned LGBTQ bars and to sign a lease renewal, they need to raise $12k by the end of the month. In an unexpected turn in these types of stories, the landlord donated $500 to the campaign, as the landlord and bar owner has a good relationship. (Erika Adams for Eater)

• The intersection of East Fordham Road and Grand Concourse is now known as Big Pun Plaza. (Andrew Sacher for BrooklynVegan)

• The mayor announced the formation of a Racial Justice Commission who will be tasked with making policy recommendations designed to “dismantle structural racism." The Commission will be an 11-member commission and proposals could end up as ballot proposals in this year's election. (Emma G. Fitzsimmons for NY Times)

• It's a restaurant, and a book store, and a record shop. A Novel Kitchen in Brooklyn Heights really lives up to its name. (Will Gleason for Time Out)

• Ranking the brisket sandwiches in four new BBQ spots. The Hudson Smokehouse took the #1 spot. (Robert Sietsema for Eater)

• With this weekend's first peek at truly warm temperatures, it's time to look at when the city's floating bars and restaurants are opening for the season. (Will Gleason for Time Out)

• Governor Cuomo "identified" an extra $5 billion in the annual budget so he can avoid taxing the rich. Taxing New Yorkers making over $2 million was going to raise $7 billion in revenue. (Christopher Robbins for Gothamist)

• In praise of the Little Chef Little Café's bacon, egg, and cheese on two waffles instead of bread. (Anna Ben Yehuda for Time Out)

• Free 3-K education will go universal in New York City starting in September. (Matt Troutman for Patch)

• Photos: The "Goodnight House" at Fort Makers on Orchard St puts you inside a life-size recreation of the bedroom scene of Goodnight Moon. Make sure to bring your Instagramming device with you. (Shaye Weaver for Time Out)

"This is a very real issue in this country and this city, and we need to confront it and encourage more Asians to speak out, to stay safe but at the same time stand up for ourselves and others bravely. I feel like it’s the chicken and the egg. Why do we get attacked? Because we appear not to be strong. After this attack, I feel it’s really important to send a message to the whole Asian community that we need to stay strong and stand up for ourselves when this kind of incident happens. Don’t be scared; be vigilant."
-Caroline Spivack, I Was Attacked for My Anti-Asian-Hate Sign — and Fought Back, for Curbed

• Three new breweries coming to the city in Bushwick, Red Hook, and Sunnyside. (Brew York)

• A look at the last wooden bridge in NYC, which crosses the Gowanus Canal. (Michelle Young for Untapped New York)

• Apartment Lust: A $10 million Flatiron loft with three bedrooms, 7,100 square feet of space, private elevator, dressing rooms, a yoga room, was one the home and studio of Julian Schnabel, and more. (Dana Schulz for 6sqft)

• Edith's, the sandwich counter and deli that put a focus on contributions of women to modern Jewish cooking and was previously run out of Paulie Gee's, is now open on Lorimer St. (Luke Fortney for Eater)

• Photos: A beautiful collaboration that photographed burlesque performers around the spaces where they had performed before live shows were shut down. (Emmett Linder with photos by Kholood Eid for NY Times)

• The city is pushing towards a Broadway opening in the fall, building a dedicated vaccination site on Broadway for theater workers, a mobile unit for Off-Broadway, pop-up testing sites next to theaters, and developing crowd management plans for before and after shows. (Shaye Weaver for Time Out)

• Photos: Sally Davies's striking portraits of New Yorkers at home. (Will Gleason with photography by Sally Davies for Time Out)

• Where to eat and drink when you're remembering how to socialize. (Hannah Albertine and Nikko Duren for The Infatuation)

• A new Staten Island ferry boat will be named after Dorothy Day, a long-time resident, social activist, and co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement. A touch of trivia while you wait for your boat. (Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech for amNewYork Metro)

• If you've stepped onto the subways in the last year and marveled at their cleanliness, it's the mostly low-income immigrant overnight workers who've cleaned them working for minimum wage, scrubbing spit, shit, and grime without special training or equipment. These are their stories. (Annie Correal for NY Times)

• If you've gone down Eastern Parkway, you'll probably notice a series of roads named for upstate towns. Wonder why? They're named as a tribute to the Erie Canal in 1835. (Roger Clark for NY1)

• Daniel Pantaleo, whose illegal chokehold killed Eric Garner, lost a court case to get his job back. (NY1)

• The average bonus paid to employees in New York City’s securities industry in 2020 rose by 10% to $184,000. The total amount of bonuses totaled $31.7 billion. (NY1)

• Vaccinated? Junior's is giving away mini cheesecakes to vaccinated New Yorkers between March 29 and Memorial Day with proof. (Shaye Weaver for Time Out)

• The owner of a Tribeca building is suing tenant, and asshole, Kurt David for repeatedly throwing illegal parties with hundreds of attendees during the pandemic. (Sophia Chang for Gothamist)

• Photos: The first full week of spring. (Shaye Weaver for Time Out)

• Excelsior Pass is a free, voluntary platform that confirms recent negative PCR or antigen test results or vaccinations. You can download it from the iOS or Google Play app stores. (Emily Davenport for amNewYork Metro)

• Let the competition begin! A Christmas tree was spotted on the sidewalk in the East Village. (EV Grieve)

• The best halal restaurants in the city. (Jiniya Azad and Sameen Choudhry for The Infatuation)

• Where to eat, drink, and shop at Essex Market. (Carlo Mantuano for The Infatuation)

Featured Pet: Harvey!

Thank you to reader Marissa for sharing Harvey with us! Harvey was adopted from Brooklyn ACC. His hobbies include chasing his bird toys, staring out the window, and waiting for his parents to go to bed so he can scavenge through the trash. Send your pet photos to thebriefly@gmail.com to be featured!