Monday, February 28, 2011
Film / Music Anne Hathaway, This Song's for You
Posted by Lauren Beck on Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 4:37 PM
Anne, you were radiant. Cute as a button. You joked, you sang, you laughed, you changed your outfits a bunch, you twirled in a gold dress so we could see how the sparkly fringe would flare outward. You razzled and dazzled, without the 1920s damsel in distress shtick or the help of a quack lawyer like in the clip above. Chicago ain't got nothing on you.
Film / Music James Franco, This Song's for You
Posted by Lauren Beck on Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 4:16 PM
It's ok, buddy. You were going to host the Oscars, but then, you know... you had to study for your final exams.
Film / Music Natalie Portman, This Song's for You
Posted by Lauren Beck on Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 4:03 PM
I wanted to be you, Natalie, when I first saw you in Where the Heart Is and then heard power-pop underdogs Ozma sing this song in your honor when they opened for Weezer in 2002, and I wanted to be you last night, Natalie, when you waddled onstage and cried while thanking your make-up artist for making you look like a scary ballerina and your parents for giving you life. You were a vision in tasteful fuchsia and dangly earrings.
Music Would it be OK With You Guys if We Talked About Baseketball for, Like, Two Seconds?
Posted by Mike Conklin on Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 3:47 PM
We don't usually post things like this, obviously, but while everyone was busy watching the stupid Oscars, Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and your resurgent New York Knickerbockers were defeating LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and the rest of the Miami Heat, whoever those guys are. With just a few seconds left on the clock and the Knicks up by one in an uncharacteristically low-scoring game, LeBron drove to the basket for the would-be go-ahead score. Melo kept him just far enough to the outside to give Amare the extra split second he needed to get over for the timely blocked shot. It was awesome, and it would have been even better if they'd been at the Garden. But at least Spike Lee was there.
Music Announcing the 2011 Northside Festival
Posted by Lauren Beck on Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 3:22 PM
Politics / Special Events / Sex / News Women Rally, Tell GOP: "Respect the Cunt!"
Posted by Nadia Chaudhury on Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 2:53 PM
“My womb is my womb,” said Councilmember Deborah Rose. “No one tells me what to do with my womb.” That was the sentiment throughout the Rally for Women’s Health on Saturday in Foley Square, as thousands gathered around the fittingly named Triumph of Human Spirit sculpture to fight against proposed legislation that would defund Planned Parenthood, make abortions inaccessible, and cut Title X (The Family Planning Program).
Many women depend on Planned Parenthood for their health care—for cancer screenings, family planning, even free condoms. The organization offers safe and cheap care to help those who can’t afford more.
News New Mini-Park Planned for Manhattan Bridge's Brooklyn-Bound Bike Ramp
Posted by Benjamin Sutton on Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 2:01 PM
If you ride over the Manhattan Bridge at all regularly you'll have noticed that while its Brooklyn end has a big circular meadow where people actually sit in the sun sometimes when the weather's nice, the Manhattan side has a strange, trash-strewn triangular public space about ten feet above street level that's rarely occupied, except by homeless sleepers. That's all about to change, reports DNAinfo, as the city plans to refurbish the disused terrace—although the headline "City to Create Mini High Line in Chinatown" is a little misleading.
News Queens Assemblyman's Crazy Bike Registration Bills Headed to Albany
Posted by Benjamin Sutton on Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 1:12 PM
As if the already-overblown New York City bike wars really needed to escalate to the state level, assemblyman Michael DenDekker (D-Queens) has introduced a bill in Albany that, if passed, would require all recreational bicycles in the state to be registered much like cars. Predictably the Post is all for it, as well as another bill DenDekker has introduced regarding insurance for "commercial" bicycles.
Politics / News Why is a Brooklyn Congressman Running for District Leader?
Posted by Henry Stewart on Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 12:24 PM
We asked the only district leader we know—Lincoln Restler, whose victory last year was seen as a blow to the Lopez machine.
Music And Now, Let Us Watch Academy Award Winner Trent Reznor Scream "Fist Fuck"
Posted by Mike Conklin on Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 11:33 AM
During last night's abysmal, damn near unwatchable Academy Awards ceremony, Trent Reznor took home the Best Original Score statue for his work on The Social Network. In his acceptance speech, he did all the same things everyone always does: he thanked the academy, he explained how honored he was to be around incredibly talented people, like Sandra Bullock and Marky Mark, etc. And because the whole thing was sort of sad, in that he was just so full of reverence for a world that is so obviously silly, we will now console ourselves with the video for "Wish," from the 1992 Nine Inch Nails EP, Broken, which has aged remarkably well. Pay close attention to the crazy pause 43 seconds in, and then pay even closer attention to the entire second verse. Then imagine the singer in your high school friends' cover band changing the line "26 years on my way to hell" to "16 years, on my way to hell." And then cringe, just a little. But not nearly as much as you did last night.
Theater Spider-Man Musical Opening Almost Certainly Delayed Till Summer
Posted by Benjamin Sutton on Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 10:45 AM
When we last checked in on Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, all of ten days ago, the Julie Taymor-directed Broadway mega-spectacle had hired an actual Spider-Man comic book writer to revise Julie Taymor and Glen Berger's book, and though no delays due to rewrites were announced it hardly seemed unlikely that the March 15 opening date would get pushed back again. On Saturday ArtsBeat reported that the musical's opening might be delayed until June.
Music Stream the New Mountain Goats Album, All Eternals Deck, at NPR
Posted by Mike Conklin on Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 9:53 AM
Art New Subway Billboard Artist Makes Advertising Cyborgs
Posted by Benjamin Sutton on Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 8:58 AM
On Friday the Subway Art Blog noticed that several billboards in a Sixth Avenue station had been terminated, the faces on many of its posters and small ads adorned with clever Schwarzenegger-style cyborg eyes stickers. The robot invasion continues after the jump.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Food & Drink Tonight: Boozy Benefit for Williamsburg's City Reliquary Museum
Posted by Keith Wagstaff on Fri, Feb 25, 2011 at 4:33 PM
Need a place to get all liquored up tonight? Tired of sucking down cheap PBRs at your local Brooklyn faux-dive? Destroy your liver for a good cause by checking out the City Reliquary's Booze and Schmooze event where the focus will be on ... well, boozing and schmoozing. Yes, the $75 tickets might seem a bit pricey, but you'll certainly get your money's worth alcohol-wise. Manning the five cocktail tables will be expert bartenders from The Richardson, Rye and Sunny's in Red Hook. Local spirits like whiskey from Kings County Distillery and gin from Breuckelen Distilling will also be on offer. There is a beer table as well, which will be serving one of my all-time favorites, Brooklyn Brewery's Sorachi Ace, as well as their Local 1 and 2, while Red Hook Winery will be serving sips of vino. The bartenders and distillers will also be holding court, talking about how they make their drinks and giving useful tips. Serious history nerds can listen to Manhattan Borough Historian Michael Miscione talk about the cornerstone of our city's beer and bagels, the New York City water supply. Paaarty!
Boozing on an empty stomach usually isn't a good idea, as anyone who has woken up next to the toilet can tell you. It's a good thing they've lined up some pretty good food vendors as well: The Meat Hook, Saltie, The Commodore, The Roebling Tea Room and Momofuku Bakery. Tickets available at the door or right here.
Brooklyn Kitchen, 7pm-11pm, 100 Frost Street, Williamsburg
News City Debuts "Wrong Way" Signs for Cyclists?
Posted by Benjamin Sutton on Fri, Feb 25, 2011 at 3:55 PM
We've always been very supportive of the city's new bike lanes, provided they're ridden in the correct direction—which is to say, unless they're two-way lanes, Kent Avenue and Prospect Park West style, in the same direction as car traffic in the adjacent lane. Wrong-way riders are a dime a dozen, and dangerous for any number of reasons, a hazard the city's Department of Transportation seems to finally be doing something about. On Wednesday Flickr user c34 snapped this photo, at Broadway and 18th Street, of new signage warning would-be wrong-way lane-takers. It's a little too subtle for the likes of TrustoCorp, so it must be the real deal. More please! (Streetsblog)
Music Didn't Get Jeff Mangum Tickets? Watch This "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" Cover on YouTube Instead!
Posted by Sydney Brownstone on Fri, Feb 25, 2011 at 3:02 PM
In honor of today's Jeff Mangum ticket crisis: Every indie kid carries around a musical boner in his or her belt for Jeff Mangum and Neutral Milk Hotel. And it's custom that after he or she learns four chords on the guitar, he or she will cover something off of In The Aeroplane Over the Sea to play in front of fellow indie kids during free period, at parties, in bedrooms. But some take it to the next level. Some take it to Youtube.
Music Watch Conor Oberst Briefly Headbang on Letterman
Posted by Lauren Beck on Fri, Feb 25, 2011 at 2:11 PM
Have you guys noticed how once Conor went back to recording under Bright Eyes, his hair retuned to its most handsome, most emo-esque cut? It's the perfect length for him to toss it around a bunch, like he did last night on Letterman during an impassioned performance of "Jejune Stars," a highlight from his new album, The People's Key.
News Supporter and Opponent of Prospect Park West Bike Lane Pen Dueling Op-Eds
Posted by Benjamin Sutton on Fri, Feb 25, 2011 at 1:34 PM
Yep, we're still talking about this thing: today the Brooklyn Paper published competing opinion pieces from Councilman Brad Lander and Neighbors for Better Bike Lanes member (and Brooklyn College dean) Louise Hainline about the awesome two-way bike lane on Prospect Park West. Neither really says anything new: Lander explains how he and fellow Councilman Steve Levin and Community Board 6 surveyed Slopers and found them mostly in favor of the lane; Hainline reiterates her bike lane-hating group's proposal to reduce the lane to one direction while making some incomprehensible claims.
Film Your Weekend at the Movies Where Nicolas Cage Drives Angrily
Posted by Jesse Hassenger on Fri, Feb 25, 2011 at 12:45 PM
Art Woman Dragged from Chelsea's Gagosian Gallery During Protest Is Suing
Posted by Benjamin Sutton on Fri, Feb 25, 2011 at 11:58 AM
On the last day of Anselm Kiefer's exhibition at Gagosian Gallery's 24th Street location back in December 2010, a group of peaceful protesters from U.S. Boat to Gaza wearing black shirts printed with the words "Next year in Jerusalem" (the title of the exhibition, pictured) were standing among the glass cases, talking to the hundreds of gallery-goers there to catch the show before it closed. The gallery eventually called the NYPD to remove the protesters, and an officer grabbed non-protester Ingrid Homberg, dragging her from the gallery. Now, ArtInfo reports, Homberg is suing the gallery.
