The "We Bought A Boat and Need Help" Edition
The "We Bought A Boat and Need Help" Edition
The best new brunch spots, State Senator Jessica Ramos on The Blueprint to End Gun Violence, the Delacorte Theater renovations get approved, a free-standing home for sale in Soho, and more
This week’s podcast edition of The Briefly: State Senator Jessica Ramos on The Blueprint to End Gun Violence, bail reform, Raise the Age, and the importance of listening to science instead of emotion when making laws. Available anywhere you get podcasts.
Today - Low: 19˚ High: 25˚
Clear throughout the day.
The latest seven-day positivity rate: 9.06%
74.88% of city residents have received two shots, 84.29% of city residents have received one or more shots. Source: NYC Department of Health.
• Governor Hochul extended new York State's mask mandate to February 10. Further extensions will happen in two-week increments. (Jon Campbell with contributions from Caroline Lewis for Gothamist)
• 75% of the city's public schools enrolled fewer students this year. The decrease was more pronounced with lower-income families. Chalkbeat breaks down each school. (Alex Zimmerman with contributions from Amy Zimmer for Chalkbeat)
If you feel overwhelmed, or if you think there’s a better use of your time right now, don’t be afraid to take a leave of absence — just decide soon. NYU’s tuition refund deadline is quickly approaching. NYU can wait a few more months for their 80 grand.
-Jules Roscoe, NYU’s handling of COVID-19 is a valid reason to take a leave of absence for Washington Square News
• Rendering: This "upside-down" building being proposed near the Hudson Yards, if approved, would make it the second tallest building in the city, just shy of 113 feet of One World Trade. (Anna Rahmanan for Time Out)
• How are Colin Jost and Pete Davidson turning an old ferry into a comedy club? Well, they're not quite sure either, which is why they're asking the city for help when it comes to docking, licenses, approvals, and more. (Vince DiMiceli for The Real Deal)
• Renovation plans for Central Park's Delacorte Theater were approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, with construction set to start this fall. (Ben Yakas for Gothamist)
• Where to go when you don’t want to feel stupid for dressing up. (Matt Tervooren for The Infatuation)
• Real Estate Lust: A $1.36 million Roosevelt Island co-op with three beds, two baths, river views, open kitchen, breakfast bar, marble bath, and all the fancy building amenities you can think of, including a pool. (Michelle Cohen for 6sqft)
• The Resy guide to celebrating Lunar New Year. (Noëmie Carrant for Resy)
• This week's restaurants ordered closed, no one touches the 2022 high score of 112, but 218 (that’s the name of the place, not the score) comes in at 84 violation points in this week's high. (Kayla Levy for Patch)
• David Byrne's "How I Learned About Non-Rational Logic" will open on February 2 at Pace Gallery on W 25th. It runs from February 2-March 19, with an opening reception on February 1. (Amanda Hatfield for BrooklynVegan)
• The new jail in Chinatown threatens the future of artist Kit-Yin Snyder's "Judgement," completed in 1992, which sits outside the Manhattan Detention Complex. As a part of construction on the new jail, Snyder's art will be removed without plans of reinstalling the piece anywhere. (Clifford Michel for The City)
• Ahead of Rikers Island's closure in 2027, there is an open question of what will happen to all of the art on Rikers Island? (Diana Budds for Curbed)
• Bianco Latte is bringing a focus on Venetian treats to Williamsburg. The cafe, owned by award-winning pastry chef Andrea Zanin, opened last month. (Anna Rahmanan for Time Out)
• Real Estate Lust: A $7.25 million free-standing home in Soho(the only one) with 3,430 square feet, a 280 square-foot terrace, wet bar, central air, wood-burning fireplace, two beds, a 2,500 bottle wine cellar, and more. (Michelle Cohen for 6sqft)
• Is a bar a "secret bar" if it's only separated from a restaurant by velvet curtains? Judge for yourself at Saint Theo's, where you can find Venice Bar "hidden" in the back. (Anna Rahmanan for Time Out)
• NYCHA began firing people they say falsely claimed OT they did not earn. Sixty-six workers were identified, with 18 fired and four demoted in an ongoing investigation. The 22 either fired or demoted took home over $1.4 million in overtime they did not earn. (Greg B. Smith for The City)
• Birds: Peregrine Falcons in Central Park. (D. Bruce Yolton for Urban Hawks)
• The best new brunch spots in the city. (Nikko Duren and Kenny Yang for The Infatuation)
Featured Pet: Pearl!
Thank you to reader Carly for sending in this photo of Pearl, wishing us all an early Happy Valentine’s Day. Look for Pearl’s friend Baci in a future edition.
Thank you for your contributions to The Briefly. Launching the podcast wouldn’t have been possible without them.