News about the F train express, which would offer faster service between Church Avenue and Jay Street-Metrotech, is tearing Brooklyn apart, pitting neighborhoods to the north like Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Kensington and Gowanus against south Brooklyn, which would reap most of the benefits (7th Avenue in Park Slope would be included in the express stops). Now that the MTA released its report (PDF) on the F train express—here are the main takeaways: [ more › ]
When Council Member David Greenfield excitedly announced that the F train express would return for this summer, he thanked the MTA and a number of elected officials for "join[ing] him in this fight," including State Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon and fellow Council Member Brad Lander. Well, Lander's reaction was more like this: "I am extremely dismayed by the atrocious MTA process regarding proposed new F-express service." [ more › ]
Elliot Boblittright next door to your old place!
Elliot BoblittFRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Music Series
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Celebrate Brooklyn! has announced their summer lineup, which kicks off at the Prospect Park Bandshell on June 8th. The 38th annual outdoor season-long event features a variety of events, including both free and ticketed concerts. The latter will features performances by Tame Impala, Ray LaMontagne, case/lang/veirs, Beirut, The Lumineers and Herbie Hancock—however, some of these are already sold out. [ more › ]
A Long Island resident has won a $1 million lottery jackpot... for the second time in four years. Bruce Magistro said, "I scratched the ticket at home, looked at my fiancée and said, ‘I won!’ She said, ‘No way!’ and we started jumping around the house excited, crashing around the living room." [ more › ]
A recent New York Times article highlighted the current "it" plant of the home design world: the fiddle-leaf fig plant. Dark green leaves and height create a bold statement in any home. But have we arrived at "peak fiddle-leaf"? I've observed another plant taking center stage in interiors recently. A beautiful, dramatic plant addition to any home—but without the price tag (or sometimes-fickleness) of fiddle-leaf plants.
Are you relatively new to this bustling metropolis? Don't be shy about it, everyone was new to New York once upon a time, except, of course, those battle-hardened residents who've lived here their whole lives and Know It All. One of these lifers works among us at Gothamist—publisher Jake Dobkin grew up in Park Slope and still resides there. He is now fielding questions—ask him anything by sending an email here, but be advised that Dobkin is "not sure you guys will be able to handle my realness." We can keep you anonymous if you prefer; just let us know what neighborhood you live in. [ more › ]
The kidnapped kitten at the center of Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peel's Keanu is about to steal our hearts forever. We'd probably join up with drug dealers to save him too. Theoretically.
But let us not forget the many feline thespians who paved the way for this tiny tabby. Cats, after all, don't just belong in the realm of YouTube videos and Instagram. They have a great and storied history in the cinema, dating back to Thomas Edison's first experiments in moving pictures. Then there was something of a golden age of cats in Hollywood from the '50s through the '70s, when cats slinked onto the screen in grown-up films like Breakfast at Tiffany's and practically every animated movie of the era.
Naturally, there have also been some box-office duds in this catalog (looking at you, Garfield), but we'll channel our feline friends here and ignore the existence of such failures (although it's harder to forget that one of our childhood faves, The Adventures of Milo & Otis, supposedly involved considerable animal cruelty.) Ahead, we honor the 20 best cats in movies.
Professor Welton's Boxing Cats (1894)
The first cat video of all time was shot by none other than Thomas Edison in his New Jersey studio. We can still watch those champs go at it on a loop, more than 120 years later, though it would be nice if we knew their names.
The Cheshire Cat, Alice in Wonderland (1951)
It's hard to imagine any cat we've seen grinning like the Cheshire in any of his onscreen incarnations, but his disappearing act and nonchalant riddles perfectly illustrate the feline attitude as it pertains to petty human problems.
Watch Alice in Wonderland on Amazon.
Si and Am, Lady and the Tramp (1955)
So, we included these crafty kitties to remind everyone of 1) how racist Disney movies used to be, and 2) despite this awful Orientalist treatment, these cats seem kind of awesome. Bold move, trashing the place and blaming everything on that sappy little dog.
Watch Lady and the Tramp on iTunes.
Pyewacket, Bell, Book and Candle (1958)
Gillian's (Kim Novak) familiar, another Siamese, is a great asset when helping her cast a love spell on her frenemy's fiancé (Jimmy Stewart). Sometimes a magical feline friend makes the best wingman.
Watch Bell, Book and Candle on DVD.
Cat, Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
This ginger is amazingly tolerant of his, er, roommate Holly Golightly, her raging parties, and her refusal to name him. It's a wonder he comes back to her after she abandons him in an alley on her way to a better life. A less forgiving creature would have tried his luck with someone new.
Watch Breakfast at Tiffany's on Amazon.
Mewsette, Gay Purr-ee (1962)
If, like us, you had never heard of this animated feature (voiced by Judy Garland and Robert Goulet) until this moment, your reaction to watching this trailer might be, "What the actual f...?!?" But who better to play a country girl making it in the big city but Garland?
Watch Gay Purr-ee on Amazon.
DC, That Darn Cat (1965)
The multiple Siamese cats who play DC (Darn Cat) are beautiful specimens of the breed. At the same time, they're also the poster pets for outdoor cats, who get to roam free and enjoy adventurous lives away from their so-called owners — you know, knocking up the neighbor's Persian, helping to save a kidnapped lady from fugitive bank robbers, the usual stuff.
Watch That Darn Cat on DVD.
Abraham de Lacy Giuseppe Casey Thomas O'Malley, The Aristocats (1970)
This rugged, seductive (for real, why did Disney movies of a certain era give cartoon animals sex appeal? It's so confusing to developing minds!) alley cat was quite the hero to posh, displaced Duchess and her kittens. Voiced by Phil Harris (who also was Baloo in the Jungle Book and Little John in Robin Hood), this cat could sing too.
Watch The Aristocats on YouTube.
Fritz, Fritz the Cat (1972)
So, the adventures of this counter-culture cat (originally from a Robert Crum comic) were actually rated 'X' when they hit the screen. That's what happens when you anthropomorphize animals this much (the female cats have boobs! Which, gross.) On the other hand, we've really got to applaud the way this guy blazed the path for all those cats you hear yowling away on any given summer night. Free love, man.
Watch Fritz the Cat on DVD.
Tonto, Harry and Tonto (1974)
You wouldn't automatically think of a cat as the perfect cross-country traveling companion until you saw this movie about an older man (Art Carney), who gets evicted from his New York City apartment and makes his way to Los Angeles (visiting his children and assorted other characters) with his leashed buddy in tow.
Watch Harry and Tonto on Netflix.
Jake (a.k.a. Zunar-J-5/9 Doric-4-7), The Cat from Outerspace (1978)
Haven't you always kind of suspected that cats aren't actually of this world? Talking alien cat Jake and his telekinetic collar don't seem all that fantastical.
Watch The Cat From Outerspace on YouTube.
Jones, Alien (1979)
We'd question the wisdom of keeping a cat on a spaceship, but, unlike Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), we're not rocket scientists. Her pet is of no interest to the Alien attacking the Nostromo, which makes us wonder about the real origin story of this space kitty.
Watch Alien on Amazon.
Dragon, The Secret of NIMH (1982)
This movie was one of our childhood faves, and its story of lab rat experimentation gone wrong has probably inspired a few generations of animal rights activists. As adults, however, we might be inclined to take the side of grisly, mean farm cat Dragon, who's really just doing his part to control an infestation of mice and rats in his territory.
Watch The Secret of NIMH on Amazon.
Catbus, My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
Cats are lots of things to lots of people. This is the first time we've seen one so accommodating you could commute comfortably inside him and never worry about the traffic again.
Watch My Neighbor Totoro on DVD.
Sassy, Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
We do not recommend revisiting this movie, as it's actually a bit disturbing to watch animals being voiced by Michael J. Fox, Don Ameche, and Sally Field (she's the cat, of course). Allow the childhood recollection of this film to remain untouched, and consider this film a great service to any child whose cat has gone missing. She's really just trekking across a mountain range to get back to you, kid. Don't worry!
Watch Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey on YouTube.
Orion, Men in Black (1997)
This loyal companion couldn't bear to leave his owner's side, accompanying the disguised alien all the way to the morgue. The fact that he is keeping an entire galaxy safe in his collar is beside the point.
Watch Men in Black on Amazon Prime.
Mr. Bigglesworth, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
Due to "feline complications" in being cryogenically frozen and then reanimated, Dr. Evil's white Persian lost all his hair (although he now seems much better suited to being an villainous sidekick).
Watch Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery on YouTube.
Mr. Jinx, Meet the Parents (2000)
Not only is Jack's (Robert De Niro) Himalayan extremely well trained at using the toilet and waving, he's also quite good at sniffing out and exposing any possible weaknesses of his owner's daughter's suitors. He would make the ideal companion for any parent of a teenager.
Watch Meet the Parents on Netflix.
Puss in Boots, Shrek 2 (2004)
This swashbuckling cat (hammily voiced by Antonio Banderas) straddles so many identities — is he a hero or is he a villain? Is he a cat or an anthropomorphized cat? The fact that he really is still a cat is why we love him most. Also, those eyes.
Watch Shrek 2 on Amazon.
Crookshanks, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
This fearless half-kneazle's intelligence and instincts get Harry, Hermione, and Ron out of more than one sticky situation. He's not exactly a lap-cat, but who in this world has time to sit around?
Watch Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban on Amazon.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Southside With You Trailer Turns The Obamas Into A New Rom-Com Ideal
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Today, the Wildlife Conservation Society announced that visitors to Prospect Park will be able to see two adorably tiny foxes, now that two itsy bitsy male fennec foxes now joined the zoo's Hall of Animals. [ more › ]
Name: Gary Marshall
Location: Poplar Dock Marina, London
Size: 92 square meters (or just under 1000 square feet)
Years lived in: 3 Months
Have you ever dreamed of living on a boat? I know I have. But while it sounds romantic, I've always been worried about having to live in a too-cramped space or a home filled with too many "nautical" themes. Gary's houseboat blows any preconceived notions about a houseboat right out of the water! (Pun very intended.)
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Ben & Jerry's founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield love fellow native Brooklynite and Vermont transplant Bernie Sanders so much, they made him his own ice cream, a mint chocolate chip flavor where "all the chips have somehow floated to the top." And lucky fans of ice cream and single-payer healthcare alike can get a taste of "Bernie's Yearning" today—both Ben and Jerry'll be in Union Square handing out free sundaes starting at 5 p.m. today! [ more › ]
Park Slope gets flak for its "Mommy Mafias," babyccinos, grocery store politics, and giant baby-eating rats. But aside from the stroller wars and super-twee brownstones, the neighborhood is full of history, once playing home to baseball teams and former presidents alike. Here's some lesser-known trivia about the de Blasio family's old stomping grounds—let us know some other factoids we missed in the comments. [ more › ]
The reviews for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice have not been favorable, to put it mildly. It clocks in at 30% rotten on Rotten Tomatoes, the Times called it "overstuffed and preposterous," and one online reviewer went so far as to label it "the worst superhero film of all time." These reviews seem to make the film's Batman, Ben Affleck, quite sad. How sad? This sad: [ more › ]
Imagine the most over-the-top hotel you’ve ever seen, and then multiply it by 100. That’s what you’ll find at Sandals’ just announced foray into the luxury all-inclusive space.
The view of the bungalow at night. Each suite features ambient lighting, so you can fully appreciate your surroundings at all times. The outdoor infinity pool and lounge areas are seriously speaking to us.
Inside, you'll find a cushy looking king size bed and glass floors through which to view a steady stream of natural marine life.
This is everything.
Even the dining area is impressive. It boasts neutral tones and tasteful, calming textures.
How are we ever going to focus on anything ever again, knowing that this is out there?
Yesterday, in need of a chance to think, inspired by a friend's recent long run, and in celebration of no longer being sick (mostly), I took the A train up to the last stop at 207th St, got out, and started walking down Broadway. Some observations:
When we first moved to NYC in late 2002, Meg and I did an "urban bushwhack" in Manhattan, very much like the one described here. We hiked around upper Manhattan for 15 miles -- the heel on my right foot hurt for months afterwards -- but it remains one of the best activities I've ever done in the city.
Broadway is the oldest north/south road in NYC. It was originally a Native American trail called Wickquasgeck. Today, even though it runs the length of the island, I'm not sure it's in any way representative of Manhattan or NYC as a whole. As a main thoroughfare, it's mostly businesses; there's very little in the way of residential.
I walked past approximately 50,000 nail salons, most of them north of 125th St. Also a lot of tax prep places up there, although I don't know if that's seasonal or what.
I totally forgot to jog over a couple of blocks in the 140s to see the house from The Royal Tenenbaums and Alexander Hamilton's house. :(
Times Square was the worst stretch of Broadway by a wide margin.
The weather was nice and for a stretch in the 120s, 130s, and 140s, people were out sitting on the sidewalks, eating, playing dominos, shooting the shit. I passed a group of guys talking about the Bulls/Knicks rivalry from the late 80s and early 90s, about whether Scottie Pippen was actually a good player.
The increasing number of chain stores and restaurants as you travel south is striking. Relatively speaking, Manhattan below 86th St. is all chains.
I ended up stopping at Houston...my legs were getting kinda sore and I didn't want to push my luck. I walked home from there, which as I look at the map now, turns out to be about the same distance as if I would have walked the rest of the way down Broadway. Oh well. Perhaps next time. 200+ blocks and about 10.7 miles total.
Tags: NYC
