Hey Gothamist - Do you guys know what's up with the yellow cabs that have flowers painted on their hoods? Personally, I think they're pretty tacky- and so do a lot of people I know, but no one I've asked knows exactly why they've been painted. Well dear reader, we wrote about the flower covered cabs last year, but since we're getting several e-mails a day about it, we're going to revisit the issue.......

I just got my tickets for Glastonbury Festival and I'm really excited. But I need a tent and a backpack. I don't really want to buy either because of the cost and the issue of storing them when I'm not really sure I'll ever use them again. (Unless for Glastonbury next year) Is there anywhere in New York that will rent you tents and backpacks? Tent & Trails offers equipment rentals for things such as......

A friend of mine is turning 30 and wants to find a space to throw a party. Do you know of any bars/clubs in the city or Brooklyn that are relatively cheap to rent out for a night and will let her have her own DJ? A backroom or downstairs would be ideal. Any suggestions would be great. Sadly, all we do for birthdays is gather people at a bar, not rent out a room.......

On my ConEd bill there is always a line at the bottom that reads "Go to a new supplier to reduce charges…" I looked into this and apparently in NYC we are able to purchase our energy through parties other than ConEd—some of them I assume offer energy from renewable sources. ConEd still charges a delivery fee, so you get two bills—one from ConEd and one from the energy supplier. I did a little research,......

Dear Gothamist, I am wondering if you can shed some light onto the topic of strollers on the subway specifically during rush hour. This morning on the the 4 train there was a woman with an infant in a stroller blocking one entire half of the doors. At the 59th Street stop, people literally had to crawl over her to exit the train, thus causing much added annoyance among the already sardine-packed passengers. She clearly......

I just did my taxes and I am going to get a refund this year. I'd really like to get a fancy toy, but I feel like I should do something responsible with the rest. What are your suggestions? First off, congratulations on your refund! We are a firm believer that you should not feel guilty about treating yourself for a year of hard work. However, it's also very important to not overlook some important......

I want to make some custom t-shirts for my team. Is there a way to do it myself, or have it done cheaply by someone else? Funny that you should ask, we were just researching that for our own purposes. There seems to be a few ways to do it, depending on your design, what you have on hand already, and how fast you need the shirts. For plain old letters and numbers, you can......

I'm writing on behalf of a special friend I met who is wanting to become a photographer in NYC. Well I have worked with her much and have landed her a few jobs, but how in the heck do you find a decent place to live on a "starving artist budget?" What if any links, resources, and/or advice would you be willing to share to help us find some low budget housing that is safe......

My apartment is freezing. It's freezing outside. I just can't win. How can I keep my apartment warm and not break the bank?With Friday feeling like the first official day of winter, it's good to address the heating issues in your apartment. Now is a also good time to replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. First off, dress appropriate for the season. It is the perfect time to make use......

I'm a fairly new employee in my office and I have no idea what to get for my coworkers. Any suggestions? One of the joys of the season is the tricky situation of who do you give gifts to without looking like a suck-up, and still avoiding not leaving other people out? Offices can make it more complicated with so many people (or so few) sharing close quarters. We have found that often, group gifts......

#1 I have a coworker who is running the marathon on Sunday. Where are some good locations to cheer the runners on? #2 Is there a better map of the course out there? The official map is missing an amazing amount of information about the actual roads of the course? The ING New York City Marathon is one of the world's great road races, attracting more than 90,000 applicants from all over the world.......

I just moved into my first apartment all to myself. It's really small (like 250 sq. ft), but I'd still like it to look nice. What are some tips for cool design without breaking the bank? We feel your pain, but congratulations on your first place! Living alone can be great - you can express your personal style without compromise. However, it will also mean you'll be footing the bill for your creativity on......

I'm really into halloween costume and want to go to a good Halloween Costume Contest this year. I'd like to avoid Webster Hall, so do you know any others that are happening? The biggest event in New York City is the Village Halloween Parade, with around 45,000 participants. If you dress up, you are welcome to join the parade. And, as you mentioned, Webster Hall hosts the Village Halloween Parade after-party. JoonBug Productions is......

I keep hearing people talk about training for the marathon, I'm wondering what are some good places to run. Not 26 miles or anything, just some fun places or some good running resources. New York is a great place to run, whether you are a beginner or veteran. Not only can you explore the city in a whole new way, as this Brooklyn runner is doing, but it's something that you can do on......

Cold season is quickly arriving, are vitamins going to actually do anything to keep me from getting sick? Can you really OD on vitamins? According to WebMD, the number one thing you can do to prevent a cold is to wash your hands frequently. Since colds are caused by a virus, antibiotics will not help to prevent, or alleviate your illness. A healthy and well-nourished immune system can help you to fight off viruses, so......

I want to check out the colors changing in the fall leaves. When/Where should I go?The Autumn Equinox, marking the beginning of Autumn, is on September 23rd. What better time to check out the changing foliage throughout the state? I Love NY Autumn tells you when and what region you should visit for best foliage color. Depending on where you are in the state, the leaves will change anywhere from the last half of......

I'm looking for drop-in figure drawing classes around the city. I can't commit - or afford - a class at SVA or one of the college classes. Where else can I go? We found a comprehensive list here, of sessions and walk-ins throughout the NYC region. There is contact information, directions, as well as class times and fees. One thing we did notice, however, is that the Forum section where they have comments and......

Though I have my tenant's cell phone number and that of her co-tenant's she refuses to give me her work number or name of her employer. Am I not entitled to that info? According to the woman at the Attorney General's office, no, you are not entitled to that information. It is logical that you would want that before a potential tenant moved into your apartment, in order to check their credit history and......

Are there any good options for shedding books, clothes, and other goods that one doesn't need anymore before or after a move in NYC? I am about to move and have a lot of books, clothes, CD's, and other items that I'd like to sell or donate. The problem with the Salvation Army in NYC is that it doesn't pick up, and transporting boxes of heavy goods to their office is difficult. I know......

Where's the best place to buy a keg (or 2) in Manhattan?If you are not lucky enough to have a kegerator, you might want to pick up a keg of beer for some celebrating. It seems like the largest places with the most selection are going to be outside Manhattan, but we did find out that Heartland Brewery sells kegs, and they have locations all throughout the city. (And we find their beer mighty......

I'm aware of Randall's Island and Coney Island having miniature golf available. Short of these, is there anywhere else in NYC to play? I've had no luck doing the research myself, and frankly, my "regular golf" experience is limited to playing Tiger Woods on the PS2.After doing some research, we were able to find a couple other options for miniature golf around the city in addition to Randall's Island and Coney Island. The first place......

What's the deal about dogs in apartments? I know that there is a public leash law - but does that apply to apartment building common spaces, like the lobby/hallways etc? Asking cuz my neighbors have some noisy pitbulls known for chomping on body parts. Occasionally they let 'em run around the hallways and up and down the stairs unleashed. We can speak from experience that seeing pitbulls roaming unattended can be very unnerving. And it......

Is there some way to find rooms/shares in New York, other than Craigslist? I've waded through all the listings, the deceptive ads, and the perverts for the last few moves, and before that I used a fee-based roommate service. What other secrets of finding a decent share are lurking out there? We understand the hesitation of finding a potential roommate on Craigslist and roommate services. You really never know what you are going to get,......

I have a really puzzling situation that seems to arise often when I ride the subway. You know how the conductors tell us to "step aside and let 'em off"? Here is what happened yesterday, which is pretty typical: I was trying to change to the express train from the local, and as we pulled into the station I saw my train across the platform. I was not the only one. There were a whole......

What exactly ARE the "public drinking" laws? Bagged 40's seem to be fairly regular all over the city...do the cops just don't like it when you take an actual cocktail glass out for a jaunt? We had a hard time finding anywhere where it said what the specific open container and public drinking laws were, so we called our local precinct and got the scoop. Ultimately, open containers of alcohol in public places is illegal.......

How does Zipcar work? Is it really worth it? Zipcar is a great option for people who want the flexibility of having a car to drive without actually owning one. It's a car share program with cars available throughout NY and NJ, as well as several other cities throughout the US. Anyone who is 21 or over with a license and a clean driving record can become a Zipcar member after paying a one-time application......

You posted about finding a vet for my sick pet, but what about a doctor for me? You're under the weather, and New York is a big place, with tons of doctors. Again, as with finding a vet, we would start by asking around for referrals. But that still doesn't always get you what you need, especially if you need a specialist. You should consider talking to any doctors you already have a relationship with.......

I need to find a good vet for my cat, but I have no idea where to start. Where should I look? We would always start by asking friends and coworkers for referrals and checking out the reviews of various clinics on Citysearch. The Humane Society of the United States gives a thorough checklist for choosing a veterinarian, including things such as the state of the facilities and special interests of the veterinarians there......

Can you do a post about swimming pools with lap swimming? Finding an affordable pool (well, any pools really) with lap swimming in the city is a difficult endeavor. Ok, we covered local gyms in the NY City area, it's only logical to discuss the options for getting your lap swimming in. Some of the gyms in the city have pools, but another option is to check out the New York City Department of Parks......

Is there a place where you can view membership rates for area gyms? None of their websites mention anything. We checked around, and were not able to find any one site that listed membership rates for gyms around the city. Even most of the clubs' web sites themselves don't list their prices in hopes of getting potential members into the gym where they can dazzle them with the latest equipment and current specials - if......