MADE IN TRIBECA
Nicki Francis (left) cooks up most of her all-natural Khushi line of spa products right in her own Hudson Street kitchen—I know, because I watched as she made a batch of her bestselling product, Healing Balm.

HOT TICKETS
How to buy your way into the Tribeca Film Festival, including advance opportunities for Amex cardholders and locals. The TFF also made news this week for announcing which movie will premiere on opening night—and let’s just say it ain’t exactly an indie desperate for a big break—and that the festival is getting into the distribution game.

TONIGHT AND THIS WEEKEND
••• What’s playing in local movie theaters.
••• R 20th Century’s new exhibit of contemporary Korean design. (Presumably South Korean. Why is it that so many people just say “Korean” when there are two countries whether we like it or not?) The table/stool at right is part of the show.
••• Tribeca Cinemas Kids Club: Animal footage and The Muppet Movie.
••• The acclaimed play Glee Club opens.
••• Happiness Is premieres at Tribeca Cinemas on Saturday.
••• Kiva Cafe is embracing the spoken word.

SNOOPING
Not only is something happening in the old Franklin Station Café space, it’s opening next week (or so the guy working on the façade told me, and given the language limitations—his and mine—I could be wrong about any or all of what I think I learned).

IN THE NEWS
••• Soho Rep scored a major grant. Drinks on them! Top shelf!
••• New York mag profiled people who bought real estate at the right time, including one in Tribeca, the lucky schmucks.
••• Developer mutiny at Tribeca Summit, says Curbed.
••• Pen Parentis announced a fellowship.
••• The Daily News profiled the upcoming Craic Festival.
••• Recapping the kindergarten lottery situation.
••• The BPCA is very close to having a new chair.

RESPECT WHERE IT’S DUE
••• The new visitor center for the African Burial Ground National Monument opened, and the curators (rangers?) did an excellent job of bringing the story—not just of the burials and the Africans’ early way of life, but also of the monument itself—to life. Anyone interested in local history will find it not only interesting but highly engaging. Click here for more photos (and a bit of whining about how hard it was to deal with the security on the center’s first day).

COMING UP
••• The agenda for the next meeting of the CB1 Tribeca committee includes a liquor-license request for Duane Street Hotel. Plus: big plans for the Warren Street dog run?
••• The Craic Festival: How do you say “quack, quack” in Gaelic?
••• 92YTribeca updated its March schedule.
••• Marissa Vicario is taking reservations for her next round of group health counseling sessions.
••• And Alycea Ungaro is taking her show on the road (uh, by plane, I hope).

PIP, PIP, CHEERIO
••• At this point none of us are all that excited when a movie shoots in the neighbor—oh my god is that Kate Winslet?! Um, as I was saying, all it means is trailers, lots of crew members standing around, and crappy food on a table. But I was amused by what Ugly Betty did to Front Street, near the Seaport, the other day—Jack’s, for one, got a bit of a British makeover.

EVERYONE LIKES A BARGAIN
••• Tribeca Spa of Tranquility’s March special.
••• This might be a good time to shop for furniture, given the sales.
••• Go see the ballet and get a discount at dinner.

SHOP LOCAL
••• Cute shirt!
••• Done detoxing? Well, for Pete’s sake, take it slow….
••• Cookies to help you make it through a three-plus-hour show.
••• My favorite sandwich ever this week.

FIVE YEARS LATER
••• I was walking up Hudson when I saw that the streetscape next to the Holland Tunnel off-ramp is coming along nicely….