TKTS For The Best Seat In Town

There’s a new "smash hit" on Broadway … Broadway and 47th Street, that is. The star is a new TKTS booth in Duffy Square, Manhattan. Not only does it sell discounted tickets to Broadway shows inside, but it offers free seating on its stepped-roof enabling viewers to look down on the world-famous "Broadway and Times Square Show" below. Customers and pedestrians are equally enthusiastic in their praise of this unique edifice. Though the project was beset with delays and cost overruns, it’s a welcome addition to NYC; another bright light on Broadway.

Bucks For Blaze Boys

New York City’s firefighters got a well-deserved contract increase. No amount of money can adequately compensate these brave men and women of the NYFD who run towards fire that most humans instinctively know to run away from. Let’s hope that the economy and improved budget management by city officials permit additional raises for them and other vital city workers in the near future.

Bloomberg Wonder Wheels And Deals

New York City purchased a prime acre of Coney Island real estate for $11 million. This maneuver prevents Thor Equities, CEO Joe Sitt, from moving forward with his plans to develop a Vegas-like entertainment complex. It also boosts city policy to build a new amusement park in Coney. The city owns 4 of 9 acres needed to do just that. Sitt owns most of the present-day amusement area. He reportedly did not see Bloomberg "strolling down the Boardwalk" with this bold action. The carnival game between the city and Sitt will go on. Now that Mayor Bloomberg will likely be mayor another four years, it’ll be interesting to see if Sitt will "sit still" in the city’s "dog house" or make a shrewd move to go back into his "life is wonderful in Coney" funhouse once again

Fountains For The Five Boroughs

Bottled-water in the boroughs? Fuhgeddaboudit! The Riverkeeper environmental group wants to see more public fountains in public places to reduce bottled-water use. They claim that only 15% of plastic water bottles get recycled. Their plan will reduce litter and CO2 emissions throughout New York City. This seems like a very good "quality-of-life" idea worth drinking to.

Brooklyn Means Business

The cash is greener on the other side of the East River. That’s what the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership plans to tell Manhattan and New Jersey business owners in 2009. The idea is to attract them to Brooklyn. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz loves the upcoming “Brooklyn business blitz.” In the last four years, extensive rezoning efforts by Mayor Bloomberg created a development boom in downtown Brooklyn. The area’s downfall has been too much residential growth and not enough office and retail space. Maybe the Partnership could target home business entrepreneurs until the proper building mix is reached?

Blood Banks Drying Up

Dracula might have a tough time making a blood withdrawal in this town. The New York Blood Center says blood reserves in the NYC metropolitan area are draining away faster than a retiree's 401(k) because of the financial crisis. Financial service companies were among the largest corporate blood donors. Now, many have reduced or canceled their blood drives. Ironic how these financial groups, greedily and without much concern, sucked away some of our life’s investments but can’t donate to the community now. Former Wall Street employees may soon sell their own blood to make ends meet. In the meantime, all New Yorkers are urged to donate blood at their nearest blood collection centers.

Chomping Champ Chestnut Swallows Victory

Look out stomach! There he goes again! Nathan’s two-time and defending champion hot-dog eater, Joey Chestnut, ate 45 slices of pizza in 10 minutes to win the Famous Famiglia World Pizza Eating Championship. That’s the equivalent of 5 ½ 16” diameter cheese pies! Godzilla eating his way through Tokyo had a snack compared to Chestnut gorging on "cheesy triangles" in formerly sleazy Times Square! It’s his first pizza pie contest victory. Joey’s chestnuts may soon be in the fire though from new competition. With the fast-rising cost of food in New York City, many city residents may soon be looking to enter food contests just for the “free eats!”