Did you miss Michael Pollan and Dan Barber discussing sustainable eating last week at the 92nd Street Y? You can catch a video clip on their blog. Fresh Direct is jumping on the sustainability train and fend off some of their criticism from environmentalists by running their delivery trucks on a biodiesel fuel blend. In addition, they have been donating their leftover kitchen cooking oil to the same biodiesel supplier and are introducing technology to......

Last night, Stephen Colbert had a reading for his book I Am America (And So Can You) that was full of fans of truthiness and enemies of bears. The Washington Square News reported that the erstwhile maybe-presidential candidate said, "It's time to impregnate this country with my mind." Unexpected, though, were probably the members of a theatrical anti-war group, Sparkle and Cybil War, who were decked out as "patriotic Texas oil baronesses with patriot......

EVENT: We're sponsoring, and our publisher is hosting, the NYC Photobloggers event tonight. Come over to the Apple Store to see a dazzling display of digital images and the faces behind the photos: Eliot Shepard, Jay Parkinson (yes, that Jay Parkinson) and a whole lot more will be on hand. There will also be a special presentation by Jen Bekman of 20x200, Hey Hot Shot, and the Jen Bekman Gallery and an after party at......

MUSIC: Courtney Love makes her return to the New York stage tonight for a little birthday celebration show at Hiro Ballroom. The rocker turned 43 on Monday of this week, and there's only one way to see if she's acting her age! Last time she got a little crazy at a suprise show at Plaid, and when she turned 40 she took a trip to Bellevue. 10pm // Hiro Ballroom [371 W 16th St] //......

MOVIE: By now you've all seen, memorized and lived your own version of neurotic New York love story Annie Hall, the classic Woody Allen film that's stood the test of time. But have you seen it under the open night sky? Didn't think so. Get there early for a seat. Get there even earlier for knitting lessons! In an unrelated event earlier in the day, the folks from Knit New York will be teaching those......

Last week at the 92nd Street Y some people took time to hear the fantastic Mike Colameco host the legendary chef Jacques Pepin, critic Gael Greene (now of the Insatiable Critic blog), food maven Arthur Schwartz, and old-school restaurant mogul Michael Whiteman hash out whether NYC dining scene was better then ever. Pretty cut and dry, no? Schwartz and Greene mostly argued that it is not a better scene today, lamenting the arrival of the......

May 26 - 27 Barbecue at Flatbush Farm The gang at Flatbush Farm hosts a barbecue the last weekend of every month, including this one. Feast on grilled clams, barbecued chicken legs and ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, veggie chili and more. 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. 76 Saint Marks Avenue, Brooklyn. Call 718-622-3276 for details. May 29: Is New York Dining Really Better Than Ever? Ask the experts! Mike Colamenico will moderate a panel discussion......

May 3: Cheezapolooza III: Naked vs Cooked Nolita House hosts cheese gurus Waldemar & Nadia as they feature six of spring's best artisanal cheese both unadulterated and then all hot and melty. Nibbles include Piave Vecchio and Pancetta Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches; Mini Valdeon Blue Cheese Burgers on Brioche and Four Year Aged Gouda Mini Mac & Cheese. You'll get drink tickets for a glass of wine or beer selected to pair with the each......

THEATER: Biography is a largely forgotten 1932 comedy by S. N. Behrman, who wrote witty and flattering plays for high society. In the Pearl Theatre’s current revival, Carolyn McCormick (Law & Order) plays Marion Froude, a free-spirited, liberated lady in her 40s who draws heat when she decides to write a tell-all about her eccentric life. One of the colorful characters from her past who dreads the exposure is a U.S. Senate hopeful; sparks fly......

March 22: World Water Day As we've mentioned before, today is World Water Day. Over 290 local restaurants are participating in the Tap Project -- just fork up $1 for the tap water that's usually gratis and UNICEF will donate that money to help provide clean drinking water to children around the world. March 24: Spring Cooking Class Join Executive Chef Franck Deletrain from Café Centro to learn how to prepare a menu focusing on......

February 17-18: Year of the Pig at The Spotted Pig The good folks at The Spotted Pig are ringing in the Year of the Pig with, you guessed it, a pig roast. 314 W. 11th Street at Greenwich. Call 212-620-0393 for details. Feburary 18: Year of the Pig at LeNell's LeNell's brings on the swine with free tastings of pork-related booze, including Wild Hog pinot noir and Pig Nose Scotch. 416 Van Brunt St between......

We thought of one thing after reading the NY Times article about 92nd Street Y nursery school students' drivers clogging up the streets outside the school: Home schooling. Actually, we also thought "congestion tax," but reading about chauffeured SUVs for tiny children would drive most anyone crazy. The competitive (which also means prestigious) 92nd Street Y Nursery School sent out a letter to parents warning them that if their cars still caused gridlock, then their......

January 19: Fondue Night at Riverdale Garden It may be cold outside, but it's perfect fondue weather. Riverdale Garden will be serving up classic cheese, hearty herb flavored oil with beef and chicken and, of course, bittersweet chocolate. Complete dinner is $29 including house wine and draft beer, or just drinks and music for $15. Dinner starting at 7PM, music at 8:30PM. Reservations are recommended and can be made on Open Table or by calling......

To correspond with its 50th anniversary celebration reading tonight, the 92nd Street Y Blog created this map of Beat Generation spots. The map is based on a Post article from Saturday that mentions addresses and events in the history of "all those crazy hepcats who turned postwar America on its head." It's a very cool map, but it's missing one thing (perhaps because the article didn't have it): A marker for where Lucien Carr......

Earlier this week, we reported on the 92nd Street Y event where New York magazine co-founder Milton Glaser attributed the low number of high-profile female designers to the fact that women who have children and stay at home with them are less visible professionally. First, some clarification (for The NY Times’ Tom Zeller, Jr. ): the comment came during the Q&A; session following lectures by Glaser, Chip Kidd and Dave Eggers. An audience member asked......

Yesterday, hundreds protested the police shooting death of Sean Bell with signs like "2 Drink Minimum, 50 Shot Maximum" A bicyclist whose foot was amputated when a city bus hit him was awarded a $11 million settlement (the bicyclist did run a red light, but the bus driver didn't realize someone was hit and so the rear tires also hit the cyclist); the MTA will appeal The city files another lawsuit against retailers who......

Graphic designers tend to be an even-keeled lot, unless you mess with their precious Futura typeface plans. So at Monday night’s The Art of the Book: Covers With Dave Eggers, Chip Kidd and Milton Glaser, moderated by designer Michael Bierut at the 92nd Street Y, we weren’t surprised that book jacket designer and author Kidd made nice with Panelist Four – a man well into his senior years who boosted the show from the first......

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a high-rise fire on 31st and Broadway, a pedestrian struck by car on Hester and Bowery, and a "missing prisoner" (!) in the West Village. Charlie Rangel wants to reinstate the draft: "he sees his idea as a way to deter politicians from launching wars and to bolster U.S. troop levels insufficient to cover potential future action in Iran, North Korea and Iraq." Yikes! Two Long Island pilots are......

THEATER: A new multimedia opera called Violet Fire centers on legendary inventor Nikola Tesla, who not only claimed over 700 patents but also inspired basically the most wicked band ever. Part of the BAM Next Wave Festival, the show conceptualizes the inner life of the man whose famous “waking hallucinations” led to great breakthroughs in electricity (alternating current, hydroelectric power), wireless broadcasting (radio transmission), robotics (remote control), and mind-blowing guitar riffs. (Ends Saturday!) - John......

READING: Got some free time on a Thursday afternoon? Then head up to the 92nd Street Y at lunchtime to hear readings from former poet laureate Billy Collins and novelist Francine Prose. - Krissa Corbett Cavouras 1pm // 92nd Street Y [Lexington Ave and 92nd St] // $17 THEATER:If ventriloquist dummies haunt you like Mr. Marbles, here’s a golden opportunity to overcome your fears. The promotional blurb for Jay Johnson: The Two and Only! asserts......

READINGS: Another double-bill this week at the 92nd Street Y - Janet Fitch (White Oleander, and her new novel, Paint it Black) and A.M. Holmes (The Safety of Objects, This Book Will Save Your Life) are reading from new work tonight, introduced respectively to the stage by Will Allison and Ben Marcus. Plus, the under-35 gets a limited number of tickets for just ten dollars. - Krissa Corbett Cavouras 8pm // 92nd Street Y [E.......

THEATER: P.S. 122’s Fall Season opens tonight with the U.S. premiere of “Tower of Babel” by Dutch artists Lidy Six and Robert Steijn. Running four nights only - for only 25 audience members at a time – the event is described as “a one-of-a kind, full immersion theatre experience”. Each audience member will be personally welcomed with tea and tucked into one of twenty-five individual beds (complete with nightstands). A live VJ and DJ will......

- Yes! Let the discussion on medium rare pork begin. At the very least the dining populous may end up ordering fewer well done pork chops. Hopefully a conversation will follow in the near future about the acceptable light pink hue that properly cooked chicken and turkey breast can have. Get yourself a meat thermometer so you can nail the right temperatures. - Gotta love a good “who was first” Ray’s pizza rehash. The Times......

July 11 - 13: Chianina at at Maremma Join Tuscan native Chef Cesare Casella and his team at Maremma as they make special dishes featuring the traditional Tuscan beef -- Chianina (pronounced kee-a-nee-na). Chef Casella raises his herd of Chianina at Thanksgiving Farm in the Catskills regions of upstate New York. 228 West 10th Street, 212.645.0200. July 13: A Celebration of Simple Pleasures This panel discussion features Ruth Reichl, Anne Patchett, Jane and Michael Stern,......

- Enter the Phat Index: How do the values of New York politicos compare with the median home values in their district. Interesting... - Bitch about your hotel experiences on your blog... get a refund? - Explaining why so many venues have such lousy acoustics. - The NY Culinary Food Festival, a disaster? - The 92nd Street Y says goodbye to the Steinhardt Building. Sigh. - Finally, Curbed points out the crazy Ikea trimmed......

We've got a packed week of awesome events for you, so start tonight (5/10) at McNally Robinson NYC to catch Welsh author Niall Griffiths in a rare U.S. appearance, reading from his latest, Wreckage, starting at 7PM. Tomorrow night (5/11), head over to the 92nd Street Y to catch former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright discuss religion and world politics with James Hoge - it's the subject of her latest book, The Mighty and the......

- The Smoking Gun has a transcript of United Flight 93; prosecutors also showed a collage of almost all the September 11 victims to the jury - Good one, NYPD: The assistant chief of police was driving the SUV that plowed into another car, pedestrians and dos Caminos - Embattled gossip writer Jared Paul Stern talks to the press and we learn that he has a dog and many bars - Romona Moore's murderers......

March 31: A Short Introduction to Wine Join the folks at Tasting World as they give you a down and dirty wine primer in just an hour. By the end, they claim that "you will exit the class knowing how to taste, evaluate and communicate about wine." This is all fine and good, but what really caught our eye was that they are looking for wine pourers for future events -- which means you get......

Cool stuff: The 92nd Street Y/ Makor has a Roosevelt Island Hike this Sunday. As per the 92nd Street Blog, Roosevelt Island is more than just the decaying old hospital, the Island once had the "city’s main prison, a smallpox hospital, a disease research laboratory, an insane asylum, a fort and a lighthouse." There are some new development planned for Roosevelt Island (great midtown views!) but the movie Dark Water took the depressing approach......

If we ever left the house, we'd definitely check out the Israeli Hip-Hop night at the 92nd Street Y's Steinhart Building on March 11th. In the clip above, Y-Love explains his cross-cultural rapping style-- it's pretty impressive to see someone lay down rhymes in English, Aramaic, and Hebrew all at the same time. [Related: hundreds of Matisyahu clips at YouTube.]......