Torontoist » “The Big Apple”

Elsewhere in the Ist-A-Verse

Miles Storey — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 01:00:00 +0000

Torontoist is one of fourteen cities in the worldwide Gothamist network. Once a week, the editors of each site—from LAist to Londonist—compile some of their most interesting posts into a brief blurb. It’s Elsewhere In The Ist-A-Verse, and it appears, across the network, every Sunday.

Austinist attended a town hall meeting about proposed noise ordinances that could undermine the city’s future as the Live Music Capital of the World, and lamented the possible loss of Texas’s only feminist bookstore. Throughout the week, they interviewed a bunch of indie fashion designers and D-I-Y websites—Etsy, Ornamental Things, 31 Corn Lane, and Aorta Designs—for the upcoming Stitch Fashion Show. They also did some extensive coverage of last weekend’s Fun Fun Fun Fest, which featured over 80 indie rock/electronic/punk bands like Girl Talk and Battles—there’s also a video recap of the festival, viewable in HD.
After initial reports of a container ship ramming into the Bay Bridge without much fuss, SFist saw the South Korean Cosco Busan spill over 58,000 gallons of oil into the San Francisco Bay, causing widespread devastation to wildlife. Ick. Moving on from ecological crises and onto to existential ones, they also witnessed a UC Hastings law student’s suicide attempt successfully thwarted. Top Yahoo executives apologized to the mother of a Chinese journalist that they helped imprison for pro-democracy effots. And does an abnormal amount of falafel purchasing lead to a trail of terrorist activities? At one point, the FBI sure thought so. Oh, and much to no one’s surprise whatsoever, Mayor Gavin Newsom won four more years after last Tuesday’s election. Ta-da.
Torontoist ended the week right, with an interview with Our Lady Peace’s Raine Maida. They also featured a gorgeous VR panorama of the Four Seasons Centre, the city’s beautiful new(ish) opera house; surveyed an old strip club ad; and dashed the hopes of Canadian Apple fans, who’ve been waiting for an iPhone for, like, ever. Oh, and their city totally set a record for the world’s largest stocking.

New York City was at its strangest and swellest this week. On Sunday, tens of thousands people ran in the NYC Marathon, including Mrs. Tom Cruise, aka Katie Holmes, who ran it in just under 5 hours, 30 minutes. Gothamist also found out that limes in Corona are sometimes illegal, the weird maple syrup might be back and a famous punk music pioneer-turned-real estate broker was possibly killed by her much-abused assistant. The Big Apple blog spoke to Debbie Harry before her concert as well as SNL star and head writer Seth Meyers while on the WGA strike picket line. But the big awwww-inducing story might be the one of the Subway Cyrano, who spotted a girl on the subway, created a website, found her, and told the story to Diane Sawyer.
This big news this week for DCist was the largest public corruption scandal in city history, with two Office of Tax and Revenue employees indicted on charges of embezzling more than $20 million. They also had photos of a big coal train derailment over the Anacostia river, debated the merits of turning driver’s licenses into Metro fare cards, and got the goods on what celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain thinks of D.C. dining. And of course, the Redskins’ Clinton Portis’ crazy press conference characters are back.
LAist is all over the Hollywood writer’s strike with daily coverage. One of the best explanations of why all this is happening comes from NBC’s The Office. In other Hollywood fun, TMZ went real-time reality with the internet when they released their “spy” cameras at Urth Cafe hoping to catch some stars, all sponsored by AT&T. Nothing comes cheap in Los Angeles either: Whole Foods is getting fancier and fancier while one new exclusive club in the reviving Downtown neighborhood is charging members $4,950 to gain access (Red Bull not included). In news you didn’t hear, 200 people watched a woman drive her car into a crowd, hit a pregnant woman, drag her down the street, and then backup and reverse the car over her fallen body again. They watched and did nothing. The media did the same. Eeek! Lastly, interviews this week included Loudon Wainwright III and Taylor Hanson of Hanson.
This week Phillyist rocked it like a wizard, took a tour of the local (and not so local) food blogs, enjoyed some simulated Eagles victory after staying up late watching them lose, and tried to train the humans to behave properly at the dog park.
Bostonist has been busy celebrating Movember, or Mustache Month. However, they’re still trying to get over the mind-boggling revelation that a local priest allegedly stalked Conan O’Brien. Conan O’Brien doesn’t even have a mustache! Meanwhile, Bostonist witnessed some election shenanigans, MIT got pissed off at Frank Gehry over Gehry’s funky Stata Center, Ghidorah has been kicking everyone’s ass, Manny Ramirez is selling more stuff on eBay, and one of the Aqua Teen guys is back in the news––and it has nothing to do with getting arrested. And an important message: Tyra Banks, be careful if you visit Boston. An entire burlesque troupe is unhappy with you.
But wait… that’s not all! Check out this week’s favorites on Chicagoist, Houstonist, Sampaist, Seattlest, and Shanghaiist. Compiled by Brock Keeling (SFist).

Elsewhere In The Ist-A-Verse

David Topping — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 16:00:00 +0000

Spring is when we get busy here in the Ist-A-Verse. Very busy. But, after staying bundled-up indoors all winter, it’s nice for us to be out, about, and collecting things to write about for you. Here’s a glimpse at what’s been keeping your favorite citybloggers busily away from home and out of bed.
For LAist, strong winds attacked LA on the same day the Feds raided the Crips. Not to fear, though: the Japanese version of 7-11, called Famima!!, is spreading around town. That and celebrating National Grilled Cheese month with a different style everyday will make things better, not to mention the glory hole action over at UCLA. Ack!! With that image stuck in your head, maybe a beautiful rock-climbing hike 25-miles from downtown will clear your mind.
Spring may be happening somewhere, but it sure isn’t at Bostonist HQ. Ugly weather may descend on the Boston Marathon runners, and the Red Sox got rained out. It’s also raining a little bit on the inside: Dice-K was supposed to shine in his home debut, but another pitcher cast some clouds his way. And then a local actor discovered that Cadbury is pulling a fast one on us with its luscious creme-filled eggs. Staying inside with a sunlamp seems like a good idea.
Torontoist is also still patiently waiting for spring to arrive, but in the meantime, they declared a winner of their poetry contest (April isn’t the cruelest month, as it turns out), overheard children solving mysteries, pointed out a particularly awkward example of architecture and praised a half-decent name for a really crappy downtown development. All of this, and they still had time to make great puns about their beloved hockey team.
Chicagoist bode farewell to Vonnegut, leaked the Lolla line-up and argued about whether or not they want the Olympics. They also wondered, if they got the Olympics, whether it would be a big enough deal to add another star to Chicago’s city flag.
SFist had a busy week this week, but too bad their public transportation system had a meltdown. Also, according to the head of the Police Union, Gen X-ers are too busy to becomes cops, while the city decides whether everyone is too busy to close a street in the park on Saturdays.
Londonist wasn’t sure if it was safe to venture outside. Not with so many loaded breasts on the streets. And if you don’t get hit by a mammary, you still have to get past the zombies. And don’t mention all the unexploded bombs from WWII. Although they would risk it to visit a real world Flickr Gallery or for a spot of civil disobedience.
Houstonist welcomed spring with news of a nurse who was really afraid of being fired, an interview with Rhett Miller and a shocking expose about people Googling their dates (don’t worry, it’s a computer term) in an effort to avoid bad love decisions. Just one thing about spring confused them, though: When one gets hold of a chocolate Jesus, which end does one eat first?

DCist felt like the world was going a little crazy with the change of season. First they discovered that local amateur photographers were being harassed by the Metro Transit Police. Then they found a D.C. judge who thinks a pair of his pants are worth $67 million. Trying to insert a little sanity into their spring, they dove into a debate over using your cell phone in cafes and gave you a list of reasons to come out to march for District Voting Rights on Monday.
Austinist mourned the passing of a literary titan, and finally welcomed the arrival of spring. They were also relieved that locally-filmed Friday Night Lights was renewed for more episodes. Meanwhile, state troopers discovered a serious stash of weed while the politicos in the Capitol continued with their silly antics.
The Big Apple spring fever means a garden variety of happenings in Gothamist‘s neck of the woods. There’s a couple who hired a cabbie to drive them from Queens to Arizona and finally, officially, allowing dogs to run off-leash in the parks. Shoe companies decide to have graffiti artists tag a fake subway car, while the MTA breaks ground—for the fourth time in thirty-three years—on the Second Avenue Subway. The fever also means even the naked photographs of a law student’s Playboy TV romp pale compared to an aging shock jock’s remarks.
Phillyist was also stunned and sad over news of Vonnegut’s death, but didn’t let it stop their momentum, whether they were keeping busy covering the future of the rock musical, or a local music fest, or the very best (and absolute worst) of the Philadelphia Film Festival. They also spent some time loving their skyline, not giving all their lovin’, and debating the merits of the last winner of a certain televised musical competition—we’re sure you’ve all heard of him.
Want to know what’s going on in the rest of the Ist-A-Verse? Check out this week’s readers’ favorites on Sampaist, Seattlest, and Shanghaiist.
Compiled and edited by Jillian Ashley Blair Ivey. Top photo of Malibu Creek’s Rock Pool by LAist Zach Behrens. “Blue Monday” by Flickr user Vandelay Industries via Phillyist.

Elsewhere In The Ist-A-Verse

David Topping — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 03:52:18 +0000

We don’t know about where you are, but it seems like spring can’t decide whether or not to happen. Some days are warm, some days are cold, and sometimes you aren’t sure which. Baseball may have started up (and soccer/football winding down) but it still seems cold out there. Unless it’s not. Anyway, onto the -ists.
Austinist happily anticipated fall’s Austin City Limits, even though they’re not fully recovered from South By Southwest. In other music news, a Texas country legend got in hot water after shooting a stranger in the face and a young singer songwriter prepared to embark on another zany tour. Some downtown pranksters pulled off a funny April Fools joke, but Austinist wasn’t laughing when ’04 Democratic hopeful John Kerry flip-flopped on his Texas appearance.
As Bostonist handed out tips on how not to be “that guy” they watched as the city looked for a few good men as the murder count kept climbing and they mayor tried to put on a happy face. But crime won’t get them down, it’s Spring and the Boys of Summer are in full force and coming home to Fenway next week. In the meantime they’ll be happy not to see any bloody socks and very happy that the butt-load of money spent in the off season seems to have gotten a 10k return.
DCist was feeling confrontational this week. First they told San Diego, and their supposedly superior panda sperm, to get bent. Next they jumped into the fray of the American University students vs. Karl Rove showdown, and then got testy about Inside Edition’s Rat Patrol’s visit to D.C.. Finally they wrapped up by challenging Metro to make their Knight Rider-style bus upgrades the real deal.
Chicagoist saw their top cop resign after police officers were caught on tape in beer brawls on multiple occasions. They also appeared as guest on Chicago Access Network Television’s “Talkin’ Funny” and got excited about Theatre Seven of Chicago’s new show “Is Chicago.”
Houstonist was all about conflict this week: a man vs. his prized cockatoo, a woman vs. a really sucky carjacker, the suburbsvs. enormous presidential busts, classic architecture vs. the wrecking ball and a neighborhood vs. a herd of cows.
Phillyist had ~~Phestival Phever~~, err, Festival Fever, what with both music and movie festivals hitting the city. When they weren’t out using their press passes to have fun, Phillyist staffers were trying not to get stuck in public restrooms, photographing big, tall buildings, getting upset about repackaging, watching their beloved hometeam, and gettin’ excited for some unibrow action.
LAist crashed the red carpet premiere of Year of the Dog before heading to the 2007 US Sumo Open and watching the female matches. An Angels baseball player refused to take part in a Jackie Robinson tribute, so they visited the best drive-in movie theatre around – one that happens to be in a suburb called City of Industry (eek!). They tried e-mailing City Council, but the e-mails bounced, so they rocked out on Broadway with Mars Volta.
Gothamist got into the swing of April with the opening of Coney Island, where the famous Astroland amusements may be open for the last time. The Big Apple blog chatted with the guys behind Human Giant, the new MTV show, contemplated NYU’s minority magazine with its Yellow Fever cover, and visited the Auto Show where really young girls shilled and activists protested against gas guzzlers. And a warning to folks visiting Chinatown just to buy fakes: You may be locked in a basement for hours during police raids.
Londonist Londonist feared for its health after learning that their city is a more unhealthy place to live than the environs of Chernobyl. But we still love this city, where a simple photoshopped image of St Paul’s can land us with a TV slot Meanwhile, a white London councillor who blacked up to look like Nelson Mandela got support from the former South African president.
SFist was stuck in the middle of a lot of things. Like the great battle between cars and bicyclists after a driver either ran over a biker or was assaulted by a wild pack of bikers. Then they got themselves in the middle of the debate over the release from prison of video blogger Josh Wolf. Luckily, to lighten things up, their Mayor did something stupid again.
Torontoist got stylish as they checked out some “street furniture,” suggested healthy Easter alternatives, and pondered whether they really are a “capital of style.” Elsewhere, somebody posted fake street signs and somebody else responded to them.
Photo by Gothamist’s Tien Mao. Written by SFist’s Jon Shurkin