Atlantic Yards photo of the day (VV)
Just what the Upper East Side needs: a 16,000 square foot spa garden--not to mention an 8,000sf "indoor gym"--will open with the new condo at 550 East 72nd. Thanks to an Arizona company named Miraval, this baby will be the largest of its kind in the city. And thanks to the lucky brats in the new condo at 550 East, everyone else will be viciously jealous that they can't enjoy a cucumber mint coat mist from the comfort of their own condo. (Real Deal)
The Village Voice looks into the Brooklyn Academy of Music's new Fort Greene "cultural district," and finds hefty doses of class conflict, racial conflict, Robert Moses and Bruce Ratner. Most interesting of all is an examination of the young Museum of Contemporary Diasporan Arts, a tenant of the new 80 Hansen Place--or, excuse us--80 Arts. (Village Voice)
Frank Bruni begins a bi-monthly Q&A series with Manhattan's best chefs. Yesterday he asked Pearl Oyster Bar's Rebecca Charles about her kitchen etiquette, embarrassments, and guilty secrets. ("Guilty?" Ms. Charles answers. "Not really. And hardly a secret.") Sometimes Bruni can be so charming. (New York Times)
The snappily-named Museum of the City of New York gets a $70 million renovation. What will that mean for the East Harlem "landmark"? Mostly a big lobby, new exhibition spaces, and fancy storage areas. To celebrate, Mayor Bloomberg cuts a cake, and shouts: "It's a living museum." (NY1)
The International Brotherhood of the Teamsters comes to friendly terms with Waste Management, and--presto!--10,000 New York business get back their "helpers who collect trash" after four months. (The title "garbage man" is obviously sexist and offensive.) (New York Times)
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Max Abelson
Don't forget, disgraced AOL founder Steve Case owns Miraval, now.