Tag Archives: esplanade

A Smoke Free Esplanade?

Battery Park City Esplanade (Credit: saitowitz/Flickr)

Finding a place to smoke is becoming a real drag. After banning smoking in bars and restaurants, Mayor Bloomberg has announced plans to introduce legislation making it illegal to smoke in public areas.

The legislation will be introduced in City Council today, and if approved will go into effect in approximately 3 months after being signed into law.

Violators of this proposed law will be fined $50 by either a Police or Parks Department official.

The pedestrian plaza at Times Square, Central Park and other major public  parks and areas, conceivably even the Battery Park City esplanade could be part of the smoking ban.

How do you feel about this new legislation?

Friends With Benefits Set

Basketball Courts on the Esplanade?!

Friends With Benefits Set
Basketball Set for Sony Pictures "Friends With Benefits"

Before you run out and bring your trusty basketball today to live up your hoop dreams — this isn’t what you think it is…

…and for all the volleyball lovers, don’t worry your net is coming back.

Justin Timberlake fans, on the other hand, pay attention.

The esplanade space located immediately south of the North Cove Marina will be a film set for the Sony Pictures movie, “Friends With Benefits” starring Justin Timberlake. The basketball court will obviously not be for public use, but you can be sure to catch a glimpse of the actors putting up their best lay ups for the next two days.

The film purportedly stars Mila Kunis, Emma Stone, Cam Gigandet, Patricia Clarkson, Lisa Kudrow, Thomas Haden Church and Stanley Tucci.

Co written and directed by Will Gluck, Friends with Benefits is about the relationship between two good friends (Timberlake and Kunis) who take it to the friends with benefits level, who surprise surprise — are secretly in love. Which obviously ruins their good thing.

For those who live on South End Avenue, the taxi stand will be parking for the movie set trucks. Parking on either side of South End Avenue between Liberty and Albany Streets will be limited during the next two days.

Not quite sure how basketball plays into this, but if you happen to catch the filming of the scene between today and tomorrow, let us know in the comments!