Volume 18 • Issue 47 | April 7 – 13, 2006
The medium’s message
Television reporters may have a reputation for bubbly optimism, but that wasn’t the mood at all as several left last week’s Port Authority meeting where leaders said that there was still no deal between developer Larry Silverstein and the Port to rebuild the World Trade Center site.
“We’ll all be sitting at home retired and this will still be going on,” said one middle-aged reporter who predicted that there will be never-ending disputes even after the current one is resolved.
When one cheerful tech person said “with all that is happening it’s amazing they have gotten as much done as they have,” two on the elevator replied in unison, “they haven’t gotten anything done.”
“If Pataki would just give up on the Freedom Tower they’d have a deal like that,” suggested another reporter.
Halle & Larry
Speaking of Larry Silverstein, he may have his hands full with negotiations, but Halle Berry told the developer that his long-term quest to make it to the silver screen may finally be fulfilled. While Berry and Silverstein filmed a scene from the “The Perfect Stranger” at 7 World Trade Center recently, Silverstein told the sex symbol that he always winds up on the cutting room floor. Berry assured Silverstein that the director only got one shot of her entering the building and according to the developer, she said, “‘I think you’re safe. If they throw you out, they’ve got to throw me out.’”
Jacob Elliot Smith wasted no time coming into the world on March 25. The little tyke was delivered in less than half an hour – and almost on the bedroom floor. “They say the second one goes fast, but you never expect it to go that fast,” said Maria Smith, 37, who gave birth after a grand total of four contractions at 3:08 a.m. Her husband, Dominic, a 41-year-old stockbroker, delivered little Jacob while 2 /12 year old sister Emily slept in the next room.
Maria Smith, founder and program director of Downtown Babies, a social club for tots, attributes her speedy delivery to her rigorous exercise regime. She’s been practicing yoga for 16 years. “It’s just the whole way my body is,” said the London native. “The doctor said the next time, we’ll just bring you in and get you started on your own.”
Now that Jacob’s made his grand entrance, he’s down for the count. “He’s so content. I have to wake him up to feed him,” said Smith.
Passover the celebrities
Michael Dorf is gearing up to celebrate Passover. But it’s not just matzoh and Manischewitz for the founder of the Knitting Factory. No, he’s celebrating the first night of Passover three nights early with 400 of his closest friends at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. Lou Reed, Dr. Ruth, D.J. Spooky and Daniel Libeskind are all expected to attend the April 9 celebrity-studded blowout. Dorf is so excited about his big bash — which happens to be sold out — that he even invited George W. Bush, sending the Commander-in-Chief a personal letter, that extended the invitation to “anyone else from your administration” and all of Congress. Dorf’s invite was more tongue-in-cheek than genuine, comparing Bush to Egyptian pharaohs. But he does clarify: “Please don’t consider this an attack against you, Mr. President, but rather a difficult examination of the realities of our current struggles.” Hmm, we wonder if he’ll R.S.V.P.
WWW Downtown Express
