The "Wonderful, Weird, and We'll Never See Again" Edition
The "Wonderful, Weird, and We'll Never See Again" Edition
Restaurant Week is back, the Running of the Goats, the best restaurants in West Harlem, bike demand stays high, Bensonhurst goes bananas for Italy, and more
Today - Low: 73˚ High: 74˚
Humid and overcast throughout the day.
• Restaurant Week is back for five weeks at the end of the month through August with $21, $39, and $125 tiers. (Amber Sutherland-Namako for Time Out)
• The Astor Place Kmart closed on Sunday. Employees were given two days notice and by Monday they were selling off the mannequins and shelves. The Penn Station Kmart closed early last year. Kmart was a weird but welcome addition to Astor Place and I doubt the city will see another wonderful mismatch like that again. (Jake Offenhartz for Gothamist)
• Governor Cuomo is already thinking of a fourth term but the president of the Transport Workers Union says his union won't support Cuomo no matter what. Bring on the 2022 election! (Zack Fink for NY1)
• Body Painting Day is coming back on July 25, bringing 50 nude models to have their bodies painted in Union Square. There's a little-known law in the city that permits public nudity, for those of you wonder how it's legal, and founder Andy Golub has been utilizing it since 2011. (André Wheeler for Time Out)
• A look back at NYCs first subway: A privately-owned pneumatic tube that moved passengers 312 feet. (Diane Pham for 6sqft)
• The Torn Out Theater is bringing a nude staging of Antigone to Prospect Park this summer on August 19 - 22 at the Music Pagoda. (Adam Feldman for Time Out)
• The best coffee shops for getting work done. (Nikko Duren and Bryan Kim for The Infatuation)
• The next New York City Council is on track to be the most diverse and the most left-leaning in the city's history. I'm interested to watch them clash with the new mayor. (Gwynne Hogan and David Cruz for Gothamist)
• An audit from the city comptroller's office revealed significant deficiencies in the Property Evidence Tracking System (PETS), the NYPD’s computerized system meant to track this inventory, which compromises the NYPD’s ability to track and account for it on a centralized, aggregate level. (Brooklyn Eagle)
• Wednesday is the Running of the Goats in Riverside Park. The goats are back in Riverside Park to munch on the invasive plants in the park between 119th and 123rd. (Shaye Weaver for Time Out)
• Photos: Crowds are back for Williamsburg's Giglio Lift. (Scott Lynch for Gothamist)
• The Times has noticed something important: Covid-19 didn't kill cities. The anti-urbanism narrative goes back all the way to the founding of America and yet NYC still stands. (Emily Badger for NY Times)
• Is any mismanagement from NYCHA surprising anymore? NYCHA ignored warnings about ventilation during the pandemic, endangering tenants, despite making public statements that poor circulation did not contribute to the pandemic's spread last year. (Greg B. Smith for The City)
• Real Estate Lust: A $1.7 million Park Slope loft in Ansonia Court with two balconies, rustic touches, brick walls, two beds, a sculptural staircase, and more. (Dana Schulz for 6sqft)
• Having trouble finding a bike? You're not alone because demand is still high across the city and in some places bikes are sold out through February. (Kevin Duggan for amNewYork Metro)
• Six Chinese phlebotomists employed by BioReference Laboratories are alleging years of unequal pay and work conditions compared to non-Chinese employees. The employees are being represented by the Legal Aid Society. (Christine Chung for The City)
• As you might expect, Bensonhurst went absolutely bananas for Italy's football win over England. (Christopher Bonanos for Curbed)
• Photos: A first look at Putting Green, the climate-themed mini-gold course on the North Williamsburg waterfront. Shaye Weaver for Time Out)
• There are a few natural springs remaining in Central Park, including Tanner's Spring, which brought fresh water to Seneca Village in the 19th century. You can still find it today, although I wouldn't recommend drinking from it. (Ephemeral New York)
• La Fruteria on Rockaway Beach has an excellent new vegan menu with very high praise from reviewer Scott Lynch. (Scott Lynch for Gothamist)
• The best restaurants in West Harlem/Hamilton Heights. (The Curious Uptowner for The Infatuation)
Featured Pet: Jeter!
Thanks again to reader Eliot for sending in photos of his cats. If you read the last edition you know he’s a huge Yankees fan, so hearing that this lounging cat is named Jeter shouldn’t be a huge shock.
Send in your pet/animal photos to thebriefly@gmail.com to be featured!