The Calendar May Say Otherwise, But Tonight It's Winter's Eve

Winter may not make an official appearance for another few weeks, but in New York, at least around Lincoln Center, it’s already Winter’s Eve.
The tenth annual Winter’s Eve Festival takes place tonight at Lincoln Square, with entertainment and happenings occurring from Columbus Circle to Broadway and 68th Street.
The evening starts with a neighborhood tree-lighting ceremony at Dante Park, located at Broadway and 63rd Street. (Sadly, the Lincoln Center Christmas Tree has taken the year off due to economic factors.)
Festival highlights include entertainment, food tastings (either free or at a substantial discount), kids’ activities, and special shopping discounts.
Want a sample? Participating restaurants include Bar Boulud, Landmarc, and Magnolia Bakery; not to mention Picholine; Soutine Bakery and ‘wichcraft. Participating stores and cultural institutions offering discounts include the American Folk Art Museum (Broadway between 62nd and 63rd Streets); Kiehl’s (154 Columbus Avenue): and the TD bank at 62nd and Broadway, which is offering crafts projects.
And we promised entertainment, no? Joy Behar, co-host of ABC's “The View,” will light the 25-foot Balsam fir at 5:30 PM, and performances by The Flaming Idiots (juggling; antics; shenanigans), Chinese Lion Dances (costumed dancers), and others will be featured.
Our pick? It’s got to be the ice sculpture and demonstrations in front of the Time Warner Center.
Talk about Winter’s Eve.

Window Dressing Has Taken on a Whole New Meaning on Fifth Avenue

So we’ve previously filled you in on the more traditional holiday department-store windows in New York...and now for something completely different. As you stroll along Fifth Avenue, admiring the various dancing snowflakes and singing candy canes, you may be brought up short by a display in a window on 38th and Fifth. Yes, those mannequins are live, for starters. And yes, depending on the time of day, they are indeed getting dressed.
The live display features two young women hanging out in what is supposed to be a trendy girl’s apartment. (Clearly these young women don’t have jobs, or responsibilities. or a kitchen.) They are seen mostly hanging out, doing their nails, reading magazines, and generally lounging around. At a certain point, however, they decide it’s time to get primping, and they strip down to their underwear and start getting ready for the evening ahead. Much of the display is taken up with their dressing, accessorizing, and changing into evening clothes.
The whole set-up, which is there until December 6, is an attention-getting ad for xoxo clothing, a line of trendy clothes aimed at young women (and seen on celebs like Jessica Alba.)
Not surprisingly, the windows are aimed at gift-buying boyfriends, and not surprisingly, men make up the lion’s share of the gawkers, especially at getting-dressed time.
One irate female pedestrian called the police last week--but word has it that the men in blue merely looked, smiled, and moved on.

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus--But He's Gone High-Tech

It had to happen: New York’s famous holiday windows have gone high-tech. Department stores have caught up with the digital age, no longer content to feature mere winter wonderlands or smiling Santas. Here, a look at the must sees:
Over at Bloomingdale’s (59th and Lexington Avenue), happy famous couples fill the windows, from Batman and Robin to Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Check out the Smile-O-Matic, in which passersby can see themselves on a screen surrounded by digitally remastered versions of famous art work, such as Botticelli’s “Venus.”
The perennially hip Barney’s (Madison Avenue and 61st Street) has bypassed holiday themes altogether in favor of the 35th anniversary of "Saturday Night Live.” You’ll find The Coneheads, Wayne’s World, even The Church Lady, in a bizarre blizzard of paper mache ornaments.
The children’s story ”Twinkle, Twinkle Little Flake” gets a digital boost with the help of 20 video monitors that animate scenes from the book at Saks Fifth Avenue. (Yes, Windows 7 powers the windows…) Shoppers can even tweet their wish list and have it appear in the yes, windows (It's at 611 Fifth Avenue.)
Over at Bergdorf Goodman, it’s not space age as much as it is surreal, with a nod, perhaps, to Tim Burton’s upcoming film "Alice in Wonderland”: watch for the receding staircase and the edgy guests dressed in fashionable Alexander McQueen.
Macy’s (34th Street and Herald Square) also goes interactive by letting shoppers assemble letters to Santa with ready-made phrases that pop up on touch screens.
And even the goody-goody Lord & Taylor (424 Fifth Avenue at 38th Street) has recognized the computer age this year. Nothing too risqué, of course, but the Victorian skaters in the windows move on a screen, while pelted by a digital snowstorm.

Feeling Festive? Holiday Trees Across the City Now Beckon

Let others fight their way through the madding crowds at stores today—you take the more peaceful path and shuffle off to see one--or several—well-known Christmas trees now alight across New York.
For starters, there’s the wonderfully quirky Origami Tree at the American Museum of Natural History (Central Park West and 77th Street). This year’s theme, Origami A-Z, features folded paper letters that alphabetically correspond to an animal. (Yup, the aardvark is there, and so is the Tasmanian wolf. More than 500 volunteers, including students from Goddard Riverside’s Head Start program, made the ornaments. Call (212) 769-5100 for more details.
Over on the east side, The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Neapolitan Baroque crèche and tree are now open to the public. The 18th-century nativity scene features beautifully clothed attendant figures and angels hovering above the crèche, as well as recorded holiday music and periodic tree-lighting ceremonies. Get as close as you can (without pitching headfirst into the tree). The details on the costumes are exquisite. (Call 212 879-5500).
And for a tree that’s really away from the midtown frenzy, The South Street Seaport Tree Lighting ceremony is today (Pier 17; Fulton and South Streets). The tree lighting occurs at 6 pm, but festive events will be held throughout the day. At 3 and 5 PM, for instance, the Neptune High School Marching Band will perform. (Check out southstreetseaport.com for more info.)

It's Thanksgiving Night: Strike Up the (Marching) Band

Missed New York’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? Haven’t had your fill yet? Can’t get enough of marching bands?
You’re in luck—the 77-piece Majestic Marching Knights Band from Ballou Senior High School in Washington, DC, will finish up their stint in the parade and then appear tonight at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. Part of the Target Free Thursdays series, the band, under the direction of Darrell Watson, will appear at 8:30 PM (Doors open at 7 PM.)
The Atrium, a new public space at Lincoln Center, is located on Broadway between 62nd and 63rd Streets.) Upcoming concerts (all are free) include flutists Aaron White and Shawn Wyckoff (Dec. 3); the ZigZag Quartet (piano, guitar, bass, percussion; Dec. 10); and the Ted Rosenthal Trio (piano; bass, drums; Dec. 24). Performers are culled from community arts organizations, Lincoln Center's resident organizations, and events programmed by the director of Public Programming there.
The band has performed at The White House and in the Tournament of Roses Parade, and has appeared on “Good Morning, America,” as well as at a rally for Hillary Clinton. They were also featured in the documentary "Ballou," which shows viewers the enormous odds the band members and the band itself have overcome.
Expect lots of loud, celebratory, rousing music--perfect to get you geared up for Black Friday.

Forget the Turkey: It's the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

So Thanksgiving is finally here (OK, tomorrow): The turkey, the stuffing, the fight with Cousin Bert over which football game to watch. But all that plays second fiddle to the real star--New York’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The big news this year is that the parade route has changed—No longer just on Broadway and Central Park West, the parade will begin at its usual spot—77th street and Central Park West--but will now meander down Central Park South and turn south on Seventh Avenue. From there, it will turn east on 42nd Street, mosey on to the Avenue of the Americas, and proceed down to 34th Street and 7th Avenue.
The parade starts at 9 am, and both parade familiars and those new to it will have to scramble to find the best viewing spots--since the route is new, it’s hard to say where those will be. Our advice: Go early (more than 3 million spectators are expected to show up); have fortitude; bring snacks. (You can call the parade hotline for info at 212 494-4495). What to look for? How about the first new Santa float in almost 50 years? And don’t forget favorites like the Kermit the Frog and Spider Man balloons, as well as countless marching bands, clowns, and celebrity entertainers.
For an insider’s view, try wandering over to the balloon inflation site later today, around 77th Street and Central Park West. But Caveat Balloon Gawker: As the evening wears on, only those with invitations are generally permitted onto the street. You can still get a good view from a little further away, however, and it’s a quintessential New York experience to say you were part of it.

On the Move? Make Sure That Pedicab is Licensed

New Yorkers have many ways to traverse the city, from subway to cab to bus to their own two feet--but one of the newest ways is someone’s else’s--feet that is.
You’ve probably seen the person-drawn cabs hanging out at tourist sports like museums, near Central Park, even on Fifth Avenue. But until recently, many of the drivers (?) runners? pullers? were unlicensed. This past weekend was the deadline for them to apply for medallions, which indicate that the pedicabs have been inspected and have rate cards posted. In addition, the licenses mean that they’ve passed safety inspections on tail and headlights, seatbelts and brakes. City laws also require pedicabs to have insurance that covers both riders and drivers.
Estimates indicate that there are thousands of pedicabs on the road; drivers had a 60-day period in which to complete the applications for licenses.
More than 150 businesses applied for close to 850 licenses; prior to last Friday, 943 pedicabs were registered. More than 300 have applied for licenses.
While the pedicab industry probably began as early as 1995 down in the East Village, it really took off in the last few years. Many pedicab drivers have actually asked for the regulations, since so many unregistered cabs have flooded the streets in recent years. A number of people view them as a nuisance, while others admire the easy-going attitude that characterizes this unorthodox form of transportation.
Our advice? If you do choose to travel under someone else’s steam, make sure they have a license—and a lot of stamina.

A Holiday Under the Stars--But This One Also Offers Retail

The stars are often hard to see in New York City--unless you stop by the Time Warner Center one evening between now and January 3.
The “Holiday Under the Stars” show features 14-foot glass Moravian stars hanging from the 150-foot-high ceiling. Each star weighs approximately 1,000 pounds. (Don’t think about that part too much.)
The stars are so enormous they can easily be seen from outside. Every night at 5:00 pm (something to keep you homeward-bound commuters going) the stars are front and center in a holiday show featuring displays of light and color set to holiday music. Each number, created by a 12-piece orchestra, has its own choreographed light display; you can stand there entranced until midnight, if you wish, when the display ends for the night.
Each star can create literally millions of color combinations; the show itself is made up of 8,500 LEDs (light-emitting diodes; an electronic light source); 11,000 fiber optics; and 156 strobe lights.
Now in its fourth year, the show takes place in what is known as “The Great Room,” the enormous public space at the entrance to the Time Warner Center.
For the uninitiated, high-end shops and restaurants ranging from Coach leather goods to Dean & Deluca foods to Thomas Keller’s Per Se Restaurant inhabit the space.
So it has to be asked: Winter wonderland or thinly disguised prod to shop?
Either way, it’s certainly festive.

Church, Club, Marketplace: The Many Lives of the Limelight

That’s the thing about New York department: First an Episcopal Church; then an infamous nightclub; next a retail marketplace: Where else but New York City could such a reinvention take place?
The reinvention in this case belongs to what was originally the Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion, a historic 19th century church. Located at West 20th Street and Avenue of the Americas in Chelsea, the church was later, in what can only be termed severe irony, converted to the Limelight Club, a nightspot, in 1983. Known primarily for drug-infused parties, the club was also associated with Michael Alig, the party promoter who was convicted of murdering a club regular; the event became the basis for the film “Party Monster.”
In a sign of the economic times, the building is now set to become a marketplace for small business owners, especially those who may be having trouble getting the finances to open a full store. Cupcake Stop, for example, which has been doing business out of a truck, has already signed on. About 20 tenants in total have committed to taking on space, including Mari’s New York Brownies; the B.R. Cohen Winery; and J. Sisters Beauty Salon.
The project (not surprisingly, given its history) has been fraught with building issues, from work being done without a permit to a denial of approval to make certain exterior changes.
The complex is now slated to open in March. (It was pushed ahead from this month.)
Will it proceed on schedule?
Well, if history provides a lesson, it’s that the building may have several more lives ahead of it, in any case.

Remember Records and 45s? The Record and CD Show Has Them All

Not quite ready to be assaulted with the Christmas trees and dancing elves that have proliferated across New York? Looking for something a little more gritty and nostalgic? Wondering in the back of your mind what to get your third-cousin-once-removed for the holidays?
Wonder no more. (Hey, wasn’t he the one who liked hard-to-find Jimi Hendrix recordings?)
Today is The New York City Record & CD Show (10 am-4 pm; Holiday Inn New York City; 440 West 57th Street; 973-209-6067), the answer to your what-to-do-today-that’s-slightly-hipsterish-and-cool dilemma.
It’s one of those just-under-the-radar events that make New York like a giant treasure trove--you just have to know where to look.
(The show is open to the public, but there’s a $6 admission fee.)
Dealers from many northeastern and mid-Atlantic states will be attending; merchandise will include (take a breath) records, CDs, DVDs, 45s (remember those?) singles, posters, t-shirts and more. (What more is there?)
Out-of-print and rare tracks will be available (otherwise, what’s the point, really?) and music from rock to jazz to soul to new age to classical will all be included.
So while everyone else is knocking down his or her neighbor at some one-day sale at a headache-inducing mega store, you can slip into midtown and rest secure in the knowledge that you’re hip--and you’ve gotten your cousin something he’ll really appreciate.

Nothing Says the Holidays Like a Two-Ton Snowflake

What with the commercials, Sidewalk Santas, holiday windows, and endless catalogues, Christmas in New York seems to be in attack mode this year, earlier than ever—we haven’t even reached Thanksgiving yet.
And the bulk of the holiday madness is yet to come.
Still, if you'd like to ease into the holidays more gradually, and remember what they’re really about, check out the UNICEF snowflake on 57th street and 5th Avenue, near the Louis Vuitton Store.
Last night Lucy Liu (“Charlie’s Angels,” etc.), a UNICEF ambassador, flipped the switch that lights up the enormous crystal snowflake that hangs high above 57th Street. (It’s hard to see during the day; try planning to be there early evening if possible.)
The snowflake weighs in at more than 3,300 pounds, contains 16,000 Baccarat crystals, and is 23 feet in diameter and 28 feet tall. It’s also billed as the largest outdoor chandelier of its kind. Yes, that gave us pause too. (Are there many more of their kind?? It makes them sound kind of like aliens, and that attack-mode comment was just a joke…)
If there seems to be a disconnect between the Baccarat crystal part, the fact that the reception was held in the Louis Vuitton store, and the relationship with UNCIEF, remember that in fact UNICEF has helped save the lives of more kids worldwide than any other humanitarian organization.
The snowflake will remain lit until January 3rd.

The Holidays Must Be Close: The Rockettes Have High-Stepped It Into Town

Say what you will, but there’s really nothing like it: The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is once again at, yes, New York’s Radio City Music Hall, heralding the holiday season and bringing high-kicking glory to our fair city once more.
What visitors seem to love is the combination of spectacle and nostalgia; pageantry and familiarity; and of course, the vision of the scantily-yet-absolutely-appropriately-dressed Radio City Rockettes themselves.
Oh-so-familiar numbers include “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers”; Santa’s ride to his workshop at the North People (wait for the rag dolls); and the reenactment of the first Christmas in ”The Living Nativity”(present in the original 1933 version, as were the wooden soldiers!)
It's a truly weird mix of the sacred and the profane, from giant LED screens and 3D glasses to the birth of Christ; showgirls to "The 12 Days of Christmas."
The Spectacular, which is seen by more than a million people each year, runs through Dec. 30; Radio City is at 1260 Avenue of the Americas, between 50th and 51st Streets. The Holiday hotline (no, really) is at 212 307-1000. A touring version of the show also plays in selected venues across the country.
Dancing Santas! Falling soldiers! Live camels and sheep! Endlessly smiling dancers! All on a giant stage!
How much more Christmas-y can you get?

Wondering Where Your Train Is? A New Clock May Help You Figure It Out

In the never-ending annals of the never-ending plans for New York’s vastly complicated transportation system comes some (potentially) good news: Countdown clocks will be arriving at several subway stations by the end of next month, with others to follow.
An announcement was made Monday that subway riders on the number 6 train will be the first to utilize the countdown clocks. Three stations in the Bronx will lead off, followed by the rest of the 6 line and all other lines by the end of 2010 or beginning of 2011. Nearly 150 other stations along the 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 lines will be rolled out in addition to the 6 line.
Wondering about the 7 line? It was supposed to get the clocks as part of a separate project that was due to be completed in 2006. It’s now (obviously) many years overdue, and the original price tag of $170 million is now projected at closer to $200 million--just for that line.
The separate $200 million project for the other lines has encountered a number of snafus, including a serious flaw in the software that was discovered a year into the project.
At the moment, countdown clocks can be found only on the L and the 34th Street bus corridor.
Bus riders, take heart--clocks are due to be installed at the 50th Street route as well—but no launch date (surprise, surprise) has been set.

Think Small This Week, and Support Your Independent Bookstore

We love Barnes& Noble, we really do, but let’s face it, especially in a huge city like New York, it’s great to support the little guy--in this case, your local independent bookstore.
So you’ll be happy to learn that it’s the first ever Independent Bookstore Week NYC, ending on Saturday, Nov. 21 with America Unchained Day. (No actual chains are involved in this event.) Consumers across the country are urged to break free (Get it? Yes, it was an analogy…) of gigantic mega chain stores, and shop at neighborhood institutions.
Independent booksellers have banded together to promote interest in and awareness of their stores, and have tossed author appearances, readings, and special events galore into the mix.
Participating stores include veterans like Three Lives and St. Marks, as well as newbies such as Idlewild in midtown Manhattan. Other well-known names include Bank Street Books; Bauman Rare Books; the Scholastic Store; and the Argosy Book store.
There’s even a photo scavenger hunt for the plucky: To enter, participants take photos of themselves with various objects at designated stores across the city. (For more info. go to ibnyc.wordpress.com)
Despite the state of the economy and the inevitable closing of several independent stores, other bookstores in the city, continue, oddly enough, to thrive. Some stores, like Book Culture in the Columbia University area, are actually expanding.
So forego the big guys this week, and pick up that bestseller for Uncle Fred at that little shop around the corner, not the one with the two aisle-wide shopping carts.

Put Down That Custard Pie Until You've Been Properly Trained

Being a clown takes more than sticking on a funny red nose--at least if you want to be one of the clowns in the Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (and, we suspect, elsewhere as well.)
With New York’s most famous parade looming at the end of next week, wanna-be clowns got a crash course this past weekend in, well, clowning around, from the masters themselves—professional clowns from The Big Apple Circus.
The “Clown U” Program (Well, what did you think it would be called?) was held in Macy’s in preparation for the 83rd annual Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 26. During the two-hour workshop, the volunteers learned pratfalls, sight gags, comedic timing, various silly tricks, and clown do’s and don’ts. They report for duty at 6 AM on parade morning, rain or shine—in full clown regalia, of course.
Almost 850 clowns will march next week. They will divide into 25 different groups, ride uptown on the Clown Bus, gather at "Clown Corner,” and get ready to chuckle.
Some of the clown groups? Pirate Prankster Clowns; Malt Shop Clowns; Safari Clowns with Butterfly Kites; Half-Baked Holiday Sweet Clowns; and Silly Seaside Clowns. Really, it doesn’t get any better than that.
All we can say is, that’s a lot of banana peels.
Check back here next week for details on the parade itself…

Ready For a Revival, Coney Island Gets a Reprieve

Be honest, now: When you think of New York City’s Coney Island, do you think, “Ah, now there’s a destination?” Or do you think, ”Hmm, dated relic of ancient amusement park days?”
Well, all that is about to change. Last week, Mayor Bloomberg announced that the city has made a deal to acquire almost seven acres in Coney Island in order to expand and renovate the amusement park area.
The acquisition will allow the city to create a 12.5-acre amusement park as part of an amusement and entertainment district of almost twice the size; three waterfront areas are included in the addition.
The plan is expected to bring in more than $14 billion in economic activity for the city over the next 30 years.
In recent years, the so-called amusement district has shrunk to a barely-there three acres and a rather meager and decrepit offering of boardwalk fun; the expanded version will include stores and nearly 5,000 new units of housing (and, ideally, many new jobs) in addition to the “amusements.” Well-loved attractions such as the Cyclone and Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park are expected to remain in place.
Coney Island became a resort after the Civil War, reached its peak of popularity in the early twentieth century, and continued to decline in popularity after World War II.
The name, if you were wondering, most likely comes from the Dutch words meaning “Rabbit Island.”

Craving a Gallon of Salad Dressing? Costco Comes to NYC

Admit it: you’ve woken up at 3:00 AM longing for a giant tub of mayonnaise. Or maybe it was the 10:00 AM craving for 20 rolls of toilet paper. Whatever the desire for the oversized; the excessive amounts; or just the proverbial low, low prices, your wishes have been fulfilled: The first Costco has opened in New York City.
The mega-deal store is the first tenant in the new East River Plaza, a “big-box” shopping center off the FDR Drive on 116th street. The store, clocking in at 110,000 square feet, will also welcome neighbors Best Buy, Marshalls, and—be still my heart--Target in the next few months.
Costco execs looked for years to round out their offerings of Costco stores in the city (the others are in Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island). The same spot was deemed too pricey a few years ago--but thanks to the recession, the space is now going for 30 percent less than was originally offered.
Buyers must fork over an annual membership fee—but at the Manhattan location, offerings include wildly reduced Ugg Boots and Seven for All Mankind jeans—not to mention Cartier jewelry and Rolex watches.
Is it too far uptown for many New Yorkers? We’re willing to bet that for off-price designer goods, discounted bestsellers, coveted makeup brands and oversized boxes of pasta, New Yorkers will go just about anywhere--especially if it’s in their own backyard.

A Chicken-Stealing Fox Takes Over a Famous Men's Store

At the Men’s Store at Bergdorf Goodman, one of New York’s poshest department stores, you might expect impeccably tailored designer clothing; high-end accessories; and eccentric, rather pricey gifts...but Claymation figures from a children’s book?
Yup.
The sets from the movie “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” which opens today in New York and L.A. and nationally on November 25, and had its premiere at the famed men’s department store this week, are on display through early January, thus providing the store’s all-important holiday display. Directed by Wes Anderson (“Rushmore,” “The Royal Tenenbaums”), and based on the best-selling, classic children’s book by Roald Dahl (“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “James and the Giant Peach”) the movie tells the story of the title character, a rascally, chicken-stealing-thief-turned-journalist-turned-chicken-stealing-thief-again who puts his family’s life in jeopardy. Mr. Fox and his friends and family join together to fight the three evil farmers—Boggis, Bunce, and Bean—who are set on capturing Mr. Fox and putting an end to his chicken-stealing ways. George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Michael Gambon, and Bill Murray are among the high-profile cast members.
The store, located on Fifth Avenue and 58th Street, features 12 windows with exquisite sets from the generally well-reviewed film, which was done in painstaking stop-motion animation. Anderson, known for his whimsical, odd, offbeat sense of humor, was responsible for building and designing all the objects in the film; it’s his first foray into animated movies.
Why the tie-in? Movies have provided fodder for store windows before (remember “Harry Potter”?). And it’s certainly more interesting—and guaranteed to get people to stop and look--than a display of suits and sweaters, no matter how nicely designed.

The Tree We've All Been Waiting For Has Arrived

It’s heeeeere! The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has arrived.
The 76-foot-high Norway spruce, which belonged to fifth-grade teacher Maria Corti, was cut down in Easton, Conn. yesterday. It was transported to New York City on a special flatbed truck, and was hoisted into place this morning. (The tree generally travels during the night with a police escort; it usually takes 15-20 people and a 280-ton crane to handle the behemoth.)
The tree clocks in at more than 10 tons; it's 40 feet in diameter. Minimum requirements say that the tree must be at least 65 feet tall and 35 feet wide; although between 75 and 90 feet high is favored. A Norway spruce is generally preferred (they’re not native to this country, but many were planted ornamentally), and if you were wondering, no money changes hands--it’s the pride of having your tree assume its place near the Prometheus Statue and the ice skating rink.
The tree will be covered in scaffolding as workers start adorning it--over five miles of lights are used to decorate the tree every year.
The first Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was erected in 1931 as workers were building the complex during the depression. First tree lighting? 1933.
The tree is located in the center of the plaza, at 50th Street and 5th Avenue. The official tree lighting is on December 2.

Give Us Some Lip, and Pucker Up for the Troops

Here’s a new spin on Veteran’s Day in New York City: Choose a lipstick, pucker up, and kiss a postcard.
Well, there’s more to it than that: Cosmopolitan Magazine and Maybelline New York have teamed up with the USO for “Kisses for the Troops,” a program designed to deliver “kisses” to troops serving overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Here’s how it works: The “Cosmo Kisses for the Troops” van will be roaming around the city today with a military escort and uniformed personnel. Those New Yorkers who are lip-ready and willing to participate will be offered a choice of Maybelline lipsticks with which to smack a postcard; the cards will be delivered to the troops in time for New Year’s Eve.
In addition, Cosmo and Maybelline will donate one dollar for each kiss to the USO.
But wait--there’s more! All kisses logged in between 7 am and 7 pm today will count towards setting a new Guinness World record for most lip prints collected in 12 hours. (Have many people tried to set that one??)
Want to get in on the action? The van will be found at various points across the city today, including Times Square (8:30-10:30 am); Union Square (11:00-1:00 PM); NYU, near West 8th Street and 6th Avenue (3:30-5:30 PM); and the Meat Packing District (6:00-7:00 PM). Call (212) 649-2577 for more information—and pucker up for Veteran’s Day!

Elmo Doesn't Look A Day Over 3, But Sesame Street is 40

In the beginning, Cookie Monster smoked a pipe (only occasionally, and only in character as Alistair Cookie), the streets were dirty, and buildings were covered in graffiti. For four decades, however, generations of kids have known how to get to “Sesame Street,” which celebrates its fortieth anniversary today. Mayor Bloomberg has declared Broadway and 64th Street--you guessed it--Sesame Street, and today is officially ”Sesame Street Day” in New York City.
The show, which films in New York, has been gussied up through the years and, some may argue, is less appealing for its PC focus. (Yoga? Tofu? Really?) But as, perhaps, the best loved, most popular, and most influential children’s show ever, still known for its trademark goofiness, it deserves every accolade it’s afforded.
The special guest today is Michelle Obama; she suggests that Oscar the Grouch take a bath, and he is understandably concerned by this notion because he might get clean.
If it weren’t for “Sesame Street,” we wouldn't have Elmo or Big Bird or the Muppets. We wouldn’t have seen a children’s show cross boundaries of race and deal with issues like the death of a character, long before other shows tackled those issues. Numerous kids wouldn't have seen their own urban environment reflected on TV, and adults wouldn't have known that children’s shows could be for them, too.
But most of all, we wouldn’t have had the sheet revelry and zaniness that is the show’s hallmark. Generations of kids would still have learned their ABC’s—but perhaps not with as much sheer delight as they did on Sesame Street.

Take a Whirl, Buy Aunt Edna a Gift: Holiday Pastimes at Bryant Park

No, you haven’t missed Thanksgiving, and yes, part of New York’s Fifth Avenue is already decorated for Christmas, so it shouldn’t come as a shock that the holiday shops at Bryant Park are open as well. The shops, which opened last week and will remain open through January 3, feature more than 100 little shops, designers, craftspeople and food merchants from around the world. (If the thought of rushing headlong into your holiday shopping at a huge department store terrifies you, this is a nice way to ease into it gently.) You can call 212 661-6640 for more information; the shops are located at Bryant Park; 42nd Street and Sixth Avenue. They include Annie’s Dog Bakery and Boutique; Ireland in Prints; Max Brenner-Chocolates by the Bald Man; and Santa’s Workshop. (No, we can’t vouch that it’s the original, one and only Santa.)
Plus, if that isn’t enough enticement, the city’s only free ice skating rink—The Pond at Bryant Park--opened there for the season last Friday as well.
And yes, you read that correctly--free. Skates can be rented (for a fee; you can’t have everything), and the 170’ x 100’ rink also features occasional skating shows, events and activities.
Because it’s free, of course, you can expect longish lines and largish crowds, but hey, it’s all part of the holiday sprit.

Craving a New Lipstick? Bloomingdale's Has Made Over Your Makeup

In a recession, big-ticket items like houses by the beach and Fendi purses may be shelved, but often, it’s the little luxury items, like lipstick, that do well.
Maybe that’s part of the thinking behind the major renovation of New York City’s Bloomingdale's’ BWAY, the famous makeup area, a few weeks ago.
The department store’s flagship store has added six new cosmetics brands (yes, a big deal if you’re a makeup junkie); and completely transformed the 25,400-square-foot area; the renovation began in 2004.The new brands include Jo Malone; Sisley; and shu uemura.
The cosmetics and skin care department has been transformed from one gigantic open space to three separate rooms. The point? Each shop has been raised in height, and black glass trim has been added above each shop up to the ceiling. Each room now has a separate look and feel--one has black and silver leaf; another, white glass; and the third, black glass. Oh, and you can breathe a sigh of relief: The famous black-and-white floors remain.
So where did all this extra space come from? Sorry, guys—some of the menswear department was moved to the lower level, thus adding an adding 4,400 square feet of space. This round goes to the ladies.
Large aisles also make movement easier.
Lest you thought this was all for show: Vanity, they name is not Bloomingdale’s (well, not entirely): The moody diffusion lighting eliminates shadows on the floor and creates a drop in electric consumption.
Bloomingdale’s, you're not just pretty, you’re energy efficient!

Goodbye to the Stables? Carriage Horses Will be Trotting Away

What’s more iconic than a horse-drawn carriage ride around Central Park? What says “New York” more then the clip clopping of horse’s hooves near the Plaza?
OK, maybe many things, but that’s certainly up there.
It turns out that, as of this winter, more than two dozen New York City carriage horses may be out of a home and therefore, will be out of work (as will their drivers.)
Shamrock Stables, home to the carriage horses, has been ordered by the city’s Housing Preservation and Development Agency to vacate its current space by the end of December.
Thirteen hundred units of affordable housing, 10,000 feet of retail space, and a new school will be moving into the space on West 45th Street.
Manhattan does have four other stables—all located in the west 30s, 40s and 50s--but they’re all full up, especially during the holidays.
It’s not just that the horses themselves take up a lot of room--the 700 bales of hay they eat every two weeks, as well as a great deal of equipment, also needs to be factored in.
The stables will most likely remain open through the holidays, a peak time for the horse-drawn carriages because of both the influx of tourists and the holiday spirit that seizes many New Yorkers. (Ah, a winter ride through the snowy park…)
Animal-rights activists have long protested the stables and working conditions of the horses in the city, while others feel they are an essential part of New York.
In addition, the stables were definitely ready for their close-up: The long-running TV series ”Law and Order” filmed there several times.

Going Crosstown in Midtown? You Might Want to Walk

Think you can walk faster than a crosstown bus can take you to your destination?
You’re right.
The Straphangers Campaign and Transportation Alternatives group announced their Pokey, Trekkie, and Schleppie Awards yesterday for New York’s worst bus rides--the slowest, longest, and most unreliable bus service in the city.
The winner (loser?) of the Pokey Award went to the M42, which goes (slowly) across 42nd Street. It now carries the notoriety of being the slowest bus in New York: At noon on a weekday, it traveled a majestic 3.7 miles an hour. Yes, you can walk that fast, if not faster.
Why does it take so long?
Mix midtown congestion (read: traffic) with a healthy helping of many riders, all of whom have to put their metro cards into the slot, and bingo! A recipe for a two-book, three-newspaper, 12-phone-call, 50-songs-on-the-ipod journey.
This year’s Trekkie (longest scheduled running time) goes to the M4, which runs between Penn Station and Fort Tryon in Manhattan, clocking in at a grueling, mind-numbing, one hour and 50 minutes.
You could be in another state--several other states—by then. (Not counting despair, agony, and downright frustration).
The Schleppie (least reliable bus route) went to the B44 in Brooklyn.
The MTA says it hopes to improve bus speed and reliability. Plans for new payment methods, a system that should let riders know when their bus is coming, and better enforcement of bus lanes is also in the offing.
In the meantime, buy a pair of sneakers.

Coolest iphone App Yet? It Might Be The Museum of the Phantom City

This is New York, so you can go on pretty much any kind of walking or bus tour in the city you can dream up, from "Sex and the City” venues to lower east side foods. But a tour of places that never were?
Welcome to the very cool new iphone app “Museum of the Phantom City.”
The app examines 50 architectural sites in New York that never got off the drawing board, from Buckminster Fuller’s plan for a “Mini Earth”—a miniature globe suspended by cables across from the United Nations Building—to a heliport on top of Bryant Park that could have doubled as an air raid shelter. A number of the proposals from the mid-twentieth century, in fact, show unease over the Cold War and potential attacks.
Got some time on your hands? You can walk around the city and actually check out the sites where the projects would have been, if you want, using your phone like a museum audioguide of sorts.
The plan was developed by Irene Cheng and Brett Snyder, founders of a design studio, in conjunction with The Van Alen Institute, a nonprofit architectural institute.
Don’t have an iphone or can’t borrow one? Check out phantomcity.org.
So are these things-that-never-were a missed-the-boat alternative future? Lost opportunities? Monstrosities that are better relegated to the drawing board?
Whatever they are, this intersection of architecture and technology is whole lot more interesting than apps for finding the nearest deli.

September 11 Memorial Damaged in Deliberate Arson

A temporary New York City chapel containing unidentified remains of September 11 victims was set ablaze last weekend in what police are calling a definite case of arson. Although the remains themselves were untouched, most of the mementos and candles left by loved ones were either damaged or stolen. The tented building (which was also largely undamaged) serves as a temporary resting place for the remains until they are moved to a permanent location at Ground Zero; it stands behind the chief medical examiner’s office on East 30th Street in what is known as Memorial Park.
Twenty-six-year-old Brian Schroeder, who’s originally from Texas, was arrested in connection with the crime. The Harvard Law School graduate supposedly set the memorial on fire as part of a drunken prank. Firefighters responded to a call before 9 am last Saturday (Halloween) and found remains of the fire still smoking.
How Schroeder was able to simply walk into what was supposed to be a high-security area is uncertain, to say the least. He turned himself into the police on Sunday.
Not surprisingly, the posh New York law firm that had made him a job offer—and in which he worked last summer--has since rescinded it.

USS New York Has Docked At Its Namesake

Utilizing 7.5 tons of steel from the World Trade Center, the USS New York steamed into New York on Monday, paused at the World Trade Center site, and finally docked in midtown Manhattan.
The 684-foot ship (an amphibious assault dock, a kind of warship, for those who wish to be specific) will spend the week in New York before being officially commissioned on Saturday. The steel from the Twin Towers was welded into her bow after the attacks of September 11, 2001. She’s here for a full military commissioning ceremony on November 7 before entering active service with the US Navy. Her homeport will be in Norfolk, VA.
For information on public visits, check out ussny.org., where you can also find other info. and cool facts about the ship.
Oh, and if you feel the urge to do something nice for the ship, to give a little something to her--for whatever reason—the ship has its own Tiffany registry.
Yes, really.
The wish list includes a sterling silver Chippendale tray (listed at $2,868.75); a Queen Anne teapot ($4,250) and, for penny pinchers, a $173.75 Hampton fish knife. What a deal!
Don’t worry--she does come with something of a dowry, including about 15 serving pieces passed on from the last USS New York, commissioned in 1911.
And if that’s more than you gave your best friend for her wedding, well, you can always just go peek at her in the harbor.

No, You're Not Imagining It: That Taxi Ride Costs More

If your taxi ride seems pricier than it did last week, you’re not hallucinating: A fare increase went into effect in New York City yesterday (Sunday, Nov.1). Merely getting into a cab will now cost you 50 cents more than it did on Saturday: The fare has been raised from $2.50 to $3.00.
But the extra money isn’t going into the drivers’ pockets: the surcharge was ordered by state officials to help the MTA with a massive (1.8 billion dollar) shortfall.
Although it may seem like fares get higher and higher every day in New York, this is actually the first fare increase since the $2 fare was raised in 2004.
Each additional fifth of a mile will stay at 40 cents.
The city has 13,237 licensed yellow cabs; the surcharge on fares will bring in about $85 million.
Other parts of the plan include a payroll tax of 34 cents per $100 on employers in 12 counties served by the authority. An increase on bus and subway fares went into effect last June.
No one said New York was cheap, but this kind of increase will most definitely be felt by riders. It’s being done without a huge amount of fanfare, either, so many who glance at the fare maybe surprised.
While you’re saving your quarters, may we suggest walking?

Run, Run, As Fast As You Can: Welcome The New York City Marathon

After you have fallen back (Daylight Savings) and had a complete sugar rush (Halloween) you should surely have enough energy to rouse yourself for today's big event: The ING New York City Marathon, sponsored by New York Road Runners. One of the world’s premiere road races, the New York Marathon draws more than 36,000 runners, 2 million spectators, and more than 300 million TV viewers worldwide.
Race coverage will be presented on WNBC-TV (Channel 4) from 9:00 am–2:00 PM in New York; nationally, from 2:00 pm–4:00 PM.(And of course, you can always try to weasel your way in and watch it in person.)
The time limit for the course is 8½ hours from the 10:10 am start.
The race begins in Staten Island, runs (pun intended) through all five boroughs, and ends up near West 66th Street in Manhattan. Originally, the race course (in 1970) had runners repeatedly dashing around Central Park; it now involves crossing major bridges (going across the East River on the Queensboro Bridge is considered one of the most challenging parts of the race), zooming through residential and commercial neighborhoods, and finishing near Manhattan's Tavern on the Green Restaurant in Central Park. A staggered start sends everyone off in waves.
Along the way, entertainment (music ranging from Hip Hop to Jazz to Dance to R&B); free food and water samples; and the sheer high of watching the racers race keeps viewers enthralled.
Yes, it blocks traffic and makes getting anywhere in the city today a nightmare, but really, when can you see 30,000 runners dashing through all five boroughs just because they can?