Good morning! Well done on surviving Winter Storm Gail. It was the biggest snowfall we’ve had in nearly 5 years, but a walk around the neighborhood showed a couple of damaged outdoor dining areas and some very slushy corners!
Our local eateries are hibernating or innovating, and have hardly been helped by local government during this crisis. This morning they woke to a brand new NYC Executive Order saying that outdoor diners can no longer use the toilets in eateries.
“I read the new outdoor dining rules this morning, and now restaurant owners can’t allow customers to use the restrooms,” said Kiara Clark from Hold Fast on Restaurant Row. “That is illegal! The city is destroying the hospitality industry. We have been following all the safety guidelines, so now people are denied the right of a basic human function, not to mention that they cannot wash their hands? Sounds truly backward to me.”
This Christmas there will be no RESTROOMS at the Inn!

Everybody needs good neighbors, right? Gail Ingram knows that Trevor Noah is always watching over her (even during Winter Storm Gail). It’s not that her apartment is below his penthouse in Stella Tower — she just lives next door to The Daily Show on 11th Avenue…
What We’ve Been Reading
The NYPD Tow Pound controversy at Pier 76 rumbles on. (NY1)
If you really want to, there’s a way to get to Times Square on New Year’s Eve. (6sqft)
Remember our W42ST columnist Jaci Stephen? She’s now got her own blog (sign up for regular updates). Yesterday, she was talking snowflakes ❄️
A campaign to #SaveNYCmusicians has been launched. (Broadway World)
And suddenly, there’s a glut of luxury apartments. (Slate)
Freeze Frame
