••• “Thurber, Whyland Co, which erected the 1874 building at 16 Hudson, promised its tonic ‘wine of coca’ would give a ‘feeling of pleasantness.’ Doubtlessly one ingredient—cocaine—aided in that result.” —Daytonian in Manhattan

••• “When Tribeca’s PS 234 reopens its doors to students next month, there will be a new woman at the helm to welcome them. Dana Rappaport, 54, is the recently appointed interim acting principal, replacing Lisa Ripperger, who after 12 years resigned to lead a school in Dubai. One of three assistant principals at the much larger PS 321 in Park Slope for the past five years, Rappaport has spent most of the past 30 as a 1st and 2nd grade teacher at the Brooklyn school.” —Tribeca Trib

••• “On a recent brisk morning”—there was a brisk morning recently?—”Fatherly, a Web site [based on Broadway] for dads, convened twenty-eight academics and professionals at a Tribeca café to discuss how to raise boys to be better men and how existent men might conduct themselves better.”  —The New Yorker

••• “A man’s body was discovered floating in the East River off Manhattan on Wednesday morning, police said. The body was found near Pier 6 and South Street in the Financial District just before 9:30 a.m.” —New York Post

••• Recent thefts. —Tribeca Trib

••• A New York Times look at some of the city’s tennis courts includes the Washington Market Park one on Chambers: “Competition for time slots is fierce, and certain locals always seem to be on the same schedule and one step ahead of you (I’m looking at you, Rita). The park ranger in charge of the list told me he recently had the sign-up sheet crumpled up and thrown in his face by a frustrated player. The park ranger told me he is ‘a black belt in verbal karate’ but isn’t allowed to direct his skills toward the local tennis-playing community per the guidelines set forth during the five days of conflict resolution training he is required to take as a parks department employee.” Great photo, too.