Murderer Loose in the Kitchen

cityfile · 02/03/09 08:57AM

Here's something to keep in mind if you've ever had a meal at Nisos, the tacky Greek restaurant along Eighth Avenue in Chelsea: A murderer may have cooked your dinner! A reader tells us the restaurant featured prominently in a recent episode of the A&E show Manhunters. It seems one of the restaurant's cooks just so happened to be Greece's "Most Wanted" fugitive, having been implicated in a murder, kidnapping, and extortion scheme. The good news? He was caught and will now be serving up moussaka to his fellow prisoners.

Big Cut on Fifth, Alan Alda Sells in Sag Harbor

cityfile · 02/03/09 08:18AM

• Former Wall Street big-wig Marshall S. Cogan is re-listing his apartment at 810 Fifth Avenue. Cogan put the sixth-floor spread on the market for $40 million two months ago, but pulled the listing soon after. It's now up for sale again, although the price is now just $25.5 million. [P6, BHS]
• James Craige, a partner at Stone Harbor Investment Partners, paid $7.5 million for a four-bedroom duplex at 170 East End Avenue. [Cityfile]
• Alan Alda and his wife Arlene have sold their three-bedroom home in Sag Harbor for $550,000. [Newsday]

Know Your Hedge Fund Wives

cityfile · 02/03/09 07:52AM

Some of these women are still riding high. Some may soon be packing up their homes in East Hampton and taking a final spin on the Gulfstream jet. Their identities after the jump.

Happy Birthday

cityfile · 02/03/09 07:30AM

Nathan Lane turns 53 today. Public relations maestro Howard Rubenstein is 77. Blythe Danner is turning 66. Author Paul Auster is turning 62. Real estate heiress Denise LeFrak Calicchio is 67. Actress (and Sacha Baron Cohen fiancée) Isla Fisher is 33. Morgan Fairchild is celebrating her 59th. Actress Maura Tierney is celebrating her 44th. Daddy Yankee is turning 32. And Tallulah Belle Willis, the daughter of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis, turns 15 today.

Olivia & Whitney Take a Stand

cityfile · 02/03/09 07:14AM

• Olivia Palermo and Whitney Port are "horrified" that MTV producers have been pressuring them to get into a physical fight at "work" for an upcoming episode on The City and they've even threatened to walk off the set if they're forced to participate. How principled! [P6]
• Lindsay Lohan "stomped around" and "caused chaos" after finding out she'd have to sit in economy on a flight home from Tampa on Saturday. (She also told a friend to "come and visit me back there in case I die.") Horrified flight attendants eventually found her a seat up front. [Fox News]
• Things seem to be heating up between Madonna and Jesus Luz. Also, she took the model to brunch at Macelleria on Sunday, so you know. [DM, NYDN]
• It looks like Julie Janklow's new paramour is none other than surfer Scott Murphy, who split with Marci Klein back in December. [P6, previously]

Scam Artist and Lousy Tipper

cityfile · 02/03/09 06:58AM

And we were thinking Bernie Madoff's rep couldn't get any worse. David Patrick Columbia reports that Madoff typically paid with his American Express black card when he went out to eat, but he usually left peanuts for the people who served him. Reports a waiter at an unnamed Midtown eatery: "Everyone knows those people with that black card are the world's worst tippers. Bernie Madoff never once even left ten percent on his bill, and he came in here all the time." [NYSD]

Phelps Tried To Cover Up Pot Pics

Ryan Tate · 02/03/09 06:40AM

Sometimes you just want to be left alone. Michael Phelps reportedly tried to pay to make pictures of his bong hits go away; John Mayer wants a lower profile than Jennifer Aniston offers.

A Call from Washington, UBS Scrambles for a Partner

cityfile · 02/03/09 06:20AM

• The chief executives of nine Wall Street banks have been "summoned" to Washington to testify before Congress next week. [BN]
• UBS has held talks with Wachovia about combining their wealth management units; this comes amid the news UBS tried to sell its brokerage unit to Morgan Stanley late last year. [NYP, Reuters]
• After repeatedly saying it wasn't a possibility, Citigroup is now contemplating backing out of the $400 million deal to name the Mets' new stadium. [WSJ]
• Under pressure to boost lending, Citigroup says it will spend $36.5 billion to issue new mortgages and make credit card loans. [AP]
• Credit Suisse is cutting bonuses by 55%. [BN]
• What's BofA been doing with its bailout cash? Hosting parties. [ABC News]

Hero Pilot Cheats on Katie Couric

Ryan Tate · 02/03/09 02:02AM

After promising himself to CBS, pilot Chesley Sullenberger gave an interview to ESPN. Katie Couric should have known. "Sully" may be dreamy, and is definitely a hero, but he's also a media heartbreaker.

Sad Fashion Week's Relocation To Ruin Anna Wintour's 2010

Ryan Tate · 02/02/09 11:42PM

When Bryant Park Corporation tried to evict New York Fashion Week in 2006, Anna Wintour wrote to the mayor; the alternative, Lincoln Center, was said too small. Funny how a recession can change things.

Michael Phelps Sponsors Are Chill About the Weed

Ryan Tate · 02/02/09 10:58PM

So far, so good: Speedo and watchmaker Omega said they're keeping endorsement deals with Michael Phelps, despite pictures of the champion swimmer smoking pot. But he must pretend to quit weed forever.

Citi's Pawn Problem Now Multiplying

cityfile · 02/02/09 10:30PM

Looks like Citigroup's attorneys at Skadden Arps have some more work to do! Last week, the bank slapped Brooklyn's All Citi pawn shop with a lawsuit for allegedly infringing on its trademark. But a reader points out that All Citi isn't the only pawnbroker using the "renowned" Citi name. There's also Citi-Pawn in Davie, Florida. If you work at Skadden and you bump into Ken Plevan in the hallway, please pass along the word. [Previously]

How Angelina Pays For Orphans, By Country

Seth Abramovitch · 02/02/09 08:59PM

· Did you notice any promotion for NBC's David and Goliath show, Kings, on the Super Bowl? No, you didnt. THR wonders if that has something to do with its quality.
· Here's the legendary Bill Hicks's Letterman set, introduced by his mom 16 years later, that we told you about on Friday. The most amazing thing? That the Billy Ray Cyrus bit is as topical as ever, even though Miley was just a twinkle in her father's pants at the time.
· The Summit/Lionsgate merger is not happening, from what we hear, and what Deadline Hollywood Daily hears, too.
· Jesse Metcalfe's fur-flecked manjugs distract you momentarily from the world's stupidest fucking tattoo.
· We dare you to reach in there and grab some melon tonsils.