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)

Daily Pampering: Relaxed French dining … in Brooklyn

by Annie Scott on

Sometimes, the lap of luxury pops up in unexpected places. Moutarde, Le Bistro de la Rue, a fine French restaurant in Brooklyn, is a perfect example of this phenomenon.

Previously known simply as Cafe Moutarde, the Park Slope bistro has recently received a makeover and new moniker inspired by Parisian neighborhood bistros. Moutarde, Le Bistro de la Rue hopes to bring the relaxed and familial, yet extravagant feel of French dining to the foodies of Brooklyn and Manhattan and beyond.

Despite the cosmopolitan concept of the restaurant, you’ll find the menu surprisingly affordable, with items like escargot appetizers at just $6.75 and homemade crème brûlée for just $6.50. Entrees will run you $16-$20.

This is a terrific way to “travel” to France on a budget: just go to Brooklyn and pretend. Moutarde, Le Bistro de la Rue is a fantastic new place to do so. Not all luxuries have to cost arms and legs.

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

[Photo credit: See-Ming Lee]

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]

Listen up: America’s top 10 outdoor concert venues

by Gadling Staff on

Outdoor arenas, beach-side stages, amphitheaters under the stars – the sounds of summer are everywhere, you just have to buy a ticket. So where do you go to hear the best music and see the best concerts? Next time you want a little groove in your summer night, take a trip to one of the top outdoor music venues in America and enjoy the sounds of summer.

Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, New York. The primary summer stop for every major act in the New York Metropolitan area. Everyone from Phish to Rush has rocked the beach. The stage is surrounded by the open water of New York‘s Great South Bay. Boats often cruise close for a listen.

The Greek Theatre, Berkeley, California. The “home field” of the good ol’ Grateful Dead is in California. Stunning acoustics, the mellowest, intimate crowds and that unique University vibe – it’s on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley. Home to the annual Berkeley Jazz Festival.

The Gorge Amphitheater, George, Washington. Perfectly situated over the Columbia River, The Gorge Amphitheater in Washington is widely regarded as the most inviting outdoor venue in the country. Scenery, sound and weather are routinely picture perfect. Pearl Jam recorded their monstrous box set here.

Buckeye Lake Music Center, Hebron, Ohio. Thanks to a steep open-air “mountainside”, a rainy night turns this Oregon Ohio concert venue into a true mudslide/madhouse. Spacious camping and tailgating scenes outside make this venue a total summer free-for-all.Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga, New York. Security is mellow here and the scene outside is always friendly. The venue itself features a well covered and expansive pavilion with open lawn seating behind it. Frequenters include James Taylor, Carly Simon and Carole King.

Summerstage, Central Park, New York City. “Hot town, summer in the city…” A truly intimate outdoor venue, if there is such a thing. Tucked away in a corner of the park on the Upper East Side, surrounded by trees and wonderful breezes is Summerstage in New York City. Once the gig ends, you can spill out into the streets of the greatest city in the world to keep the party going.

Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland. Wide open green spaces, surrounded on all sides by breezy trees and forest of the most pristine variety. The venue itself is small but has great acoustics. For sonic reference, dig The Jerry Garcia Band’s recorded and released performance.

Alpine Valley Music Theater, East Troy, Wisconsin. Wisconsin in the summertime equals bright sun, low humidity, and clean air, which makes for an awesome evening under the stars at Alpine Valley. Every major rock act you can think of swings through during the summer, including Dave Matthews, who has long considered it his favorite place to play.

 Red Rocks Amphitheater, Morrison, Colorado. The mecca of American outdoor music, this venue is embedded in multi-hued mountains and stone monoliths, surrounded by breathtaking views of..well…the red rocks of Colorado. It’s acoustically perfect and a majestic experience. U2’s legendary documented performance still sets the standard.

Drew Moss is a Seed.com contributor.