In the News: Fireball!

Albert Trummer (photo courtesy BlackBookmag.com)

••• Albert Trummer, who is opening Theater Bar on Franklin in the fall, was arrested at his Chinatown bar Apotheke: “Mr. Trummer, who is 40 and Austrian born, also gained notice for occasionally pouring alcohol along the bar top and setting it aflame. This delighted patrons, but not the Fire Department. Early Sunday, fire marshals arrested Mr. Trummer at the bar, at 9 Doyers Street, minutes after he drizzled various liquors and, apparently, ignited them. ‘It was a huge fireball,’ said Robert Byrnes, the city’s chief fire marshal. ‘It was in close proximity to decorations, curtains and combustible materials. This type of reckless conduct is not tolerated.'” […] “Mr. Trummer said in a telephone interview after his release on Sunday night that he might find ‘a different stage’ for his work and that he respected the Fire Department. ‘My intention was not to hurt anybody,’ he said. ‘I’m an artist. I’m a mixologoist. I’m a cook. But I’m not a pyrotechnic maniac.’ Um, this BlackBook video—skip to 2:00 to minimize your exposure to the hosts—might prove otherwise. (The New York Times)

••• “Brooklyn-bred emcee Kid Cudi can add a new rap to his résumé after he was nabbed yesterday for trashing a gal pal’s Chelsea apartment while carrying drug gear, authorities and sources said. […] The rapper allegedly became so enraged that he smashed the woman’s cellphone against a wall and ripped a door from its hinges. Mescudi, who comes from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, but now lives in a tony Tribeca pad, was charged with criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance, officials said.” (New York Post)

••• “Mario Batali is a big chef and a big guy. So it comes as no surprise that the portly pasta purveyor”—find me an editor, stat!—”has been checking out some super-sized Tribeca real estate. He recently visited the $14.95 million penthouse duplex at 33 Vestry St. The 4,062-square-foot condo in the new V33 development has four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a Bulthaup B3 kitchen and 3,487 square feet of outdoor space, including a private 16-by-8-foot pool. The seven-unit building (five apartments are in contract) was designed by starchitect Winka Dubbeldam and has an exterior made of translucent stone sheaths and glass and metal panels set at alternating angles.” (New York Post)

••• Forest City Ratner, the developers of Beekman Tower—the Frank Gehry skyscraper under construction—plan two plazas that will be open 24–7 but with no security presence; the CB1 Seaport/Civic Center committee is unhappy, for good reason. (Broadsheet Daily)

••• Ninja New York made Budget Travel‘s list of “world’s weirdest restaurants.” There’s irony in that sentence.

••• The Urban Vogue (“the New York daily fashion photo blog”) snapped this pic at Canal and Broadway: “With everyone in tee shirts and short short cutoffs. She shows you can go short, cool and classy.”

••• Tribeca Grill is featured in a New York Post article about “linner”—the so-called meal between lunch and dinner: “‘We’re here because it’s not that touristy,’ says Natasha Miller, 21, a Columbia student dining around 4 p.m. with her friend Simone Wilson, visiting from Asheville, N.C.” Also mentioned: Plein Sud.

 

4 Comments

  1. I considered Ninja as my last Tribeca meal before heading out, but chose Max instead. (Hadn’t been to either) Did I make the right choice?

  2. We walked into ninja not knowing what to expect. Then we were taken upstairs to the restaurant and “greeted” by the “host.” It didn’t seem like the Japanese inspired evening we were looking for, so we tip toed into the elevator down and made an excuse to the hostess about out baby sitter.

  3. I would chose Ninja over Max (though there is a huge price differential) Ninja is a fun experience restaurant and Max’s is just another Italian place. And Max’s is sadly slipping in service and food. Had a bad experience with them just this week and won’t be ordering from them again.

    But neither of them are quintessentially Tribeca, both fairly recent additions (I don’t think either of them are open longer than 5-6 years) . I would go to Gigino’s over both of them, and sit outside, across the road from Washington Market park, and see everyone walking by… that feels more Tribeca to me.

  4. Skip them both and head on over to Maryann’s and sit outside and watch the baby stroller brigades march on by. Remember to bring your paint brush, trowel and stucco, so you can lend a hand in helping to finish the facade work while you’re waiting on your apps.