NYC pulls trigger on mass execution of geese

by Tom Johansmeyer on

For the past several weeks, the last thing you’d want to be is a goose in New York City. Hundreds of them have been “euthanized,” in an attempt to keep the skies safe. You may remember the impact that geese can have on a plane from a year and a half ago, when an unlucky bird forced a US Airways plane out of the sky and onto the Hudson River.

According to the Associated Press:

Carol Bannerman, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services, said Monday the department was asked to remove Canada geese from more than a dozen locations within seven miles of city airports.

In Brooklyn‘s Prospect Park, for example, around 400 geese were rounded up and killed using carbon dioxide – “because they are a risk to planes,” the article continues. Last summer, the body count hit 1,200, which is what it’s expected to reach this year.

[photo by mikebaird via Flickr]

Five Manhattan cafes with free Wi-Fi

by Alex Robertson Textor on

On Tuesday, I looked at Brooklyn cafés with free Wi-Fi. Here I turn to a few Manhattan cafés that have come to the obvious conclusion that free Wi-Fi translates into happier and more loyal customers.

Anyone interested exclusively in free Wi-Fi and less in small, locally run cafés with tons of ambiance (no judgments here) should know that Starbucks now offers free Wi-Fi in all its stores.

Kinski, 128 Rivington. Lower East Side.

This little Austrian café, which opened earlier this year, really does feel as if it has been teleported ready-made from Vienna’s supercool Leopoldstadt neighborhood to the Lower East Side. The aesthetic is austere and fresh. Think plywood walls, communal tables, and dangling light bulbs. And after your delicious Marillenknödel and bracing Einspänner, you can whip your laptop out and enjoy the free Wi-Fi.

Ace Hotel, 20 W. 29th Street. Madison Square North.

A welcome blast of Pacific Northwest cool saturates the Ace Hotel. You know it. Everyone knows it. The Ace is one of the most exciting newish hotels in the city. And with the purchase of an item from the hotel’s café or restaurant, you can sit in the lobby and absorb all that West Coast energy while trying out different Tumblr themes.

Birch Coffee, 7 E. 27th Street. Madison Square North.

Then again, if the Ace is too crowded with design magazine editors or visiting musicians, you can always decamp to the Gershwin Hotel a few blocks away. On the Gershwin’s ground floor is the absolutely lovely Birch Coffee. Birch’s eco-credentials are solid. Menu items are sourced locally and wines and beers on offer are organic. The atmosphere is friendly, even folksy. There are Friday events on the calendar at Birch, as well.

McNally Jackson, 52 Prince. Nolita.

One of Manhattan’s best bookstores, McNally Jackson is a fabulous place to simply hang out and get lost in the stacks. Its café takes up a tiny piece of the store, and is typically crowded with patrons ordering off the small but appealing menu. Happily, there is free Wi-Fi throughout the bookstore here, so even if the café area is terribly crowded you’ll be able to perch on a chair and type away.

AQ Kafe, 1800 Broadway. Columbus Circle.

Since September 2008, Marcus Samuelsson’s impressive empire has included this low-key café on Columbus Circle. AQ Kafe introduces a certain Swedish élan to Columbus Circle. Pale wood features, well-spaced tables offering better-than-average privacy, and expansive floor space make for an agreeable place to hunker down and take advantage of the free Wi-Fi.

Image: Flickr/aturkus)

New York airport police turning theft complaints into lost property complaints

by Scott Carmichael on

Something fishy is taking place at New York area airports. According to the New York Post, New York Port Authority cops regularly downgrade theft at the airport to “lost property” cases, artificially lowering the crime rates at the airports they protect.

By changing the statistics, crimes are no longer being accurately reported. According to the Post, Port Authority police captains regularly tell officers to rewrite reports. When filing reports, victims would report the events, and upon receiving the final report, things like grand-larceny turned in a basic lost property report.

Of course, with actual theft being reported as lost property, crime statistics are skewed and there will be no follow-up actions at the airport, allowing crooks to continue stealing from passengers without the true scale of their crimes becoming apparent.

When asked about the story, a Port Authority spokesman denies all the claims, saying “Every criminal complaint made to the PAPD receives a careful investigation.” Bottom line is simple – keep a close eye on all your belongings, and if something is stolen, be sure to verify that the police report stays accurate.

[Image: Flickr/Pheezy]

Daily Pampering: Champagne brunch at Arabelle Restaurant at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée, New York

by Annie Scott on


Everyone likes a champagne brunch, but it’s infinitely better when you’ve got champagne surroundings, as well.

Arabelle Restaurant (above) at Hôtel Plaza Athénée in NYC is offering a Sunday brunch you’re likely to treasure well into the following week. The brunch, described as “lavishly presented,” features a buffet with Steamed Lobster, Chilled Gulf Shrimp, Smoked Salmon, and Charcuterie, which you enjoy while you wait for your entrée of Plaza Athénée Eggs Benedict, Roasted Tomato and Asparagus Omelet, Vanilla Brioche French Toast with Fresh Berries, Blueberry Pancakes With Chantilly Cream and Warm Maple Syrup or the Chef’s daily special. A dessert table with pastries, tartlettes, cakes, fruit and, of course, coffee and tea, awaits you at your leisure.

This indulgent, Upper East Side Sunday Champagne Brunch is $69.00 per person and includes a glass of house champagne. The brunch is only served from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, so be sure to call ahead (800-447-8800) for reservations.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Harlem welcomes Aloft; first new hotel in more 40 years

by Melanie Nayer on

Starwood’s budget brand Aloft will make its New York debut this summer, opening up a stylish hotel in Harlem. The Aloft Harlem will be the first Aloft property in New York City and the first hotel to open in Harlem in more than 40 years.

Aloft was created to offer guests an urban-inspired hotel at a budget price. The Aloft hotels feature stylish guest rooms, up-to-date technology and public spaces for guests to mingle and make plans. Currently, there are more than 40 Aloft hotels open around the world since the brand’s launch in June 2008, but New York was a market the hotel was eager to tap.

The 124-room Aloft Harlem will open in August 2010 with easy access to Columbia University some of Harlem’s most frequented tourist attractions, including the legendary Apollo Theater to the acclaimed Studio Museum. The Aloft Harlem hotel is steps away from the 125th Street subway station, which means guests can be in downtown Manhattan within minutes.

To celebrate the pending opening, Aloft held a job fair at the Apollo Theater. Aloft partnered with recruitment firm NYC Business Solutions to draw local candidates to mix and mingle with senior managers, participate in contests, giveaways, and interview sessions.

In addition to the Harlem hotel, Aloft will also open a second New York property in Brooklyn. Set to welcome guests in October 2010, the Aloft Brooklyn is located just next to Flatbush Avenue and Fulton Mall, and offer 176 loft-like guest rooms, as well as a roof terrace bar.