TriBeCa’s bi-level Puerto Rican restaurant Sazon has been having problems with its neighbors since it opened but rather than continue work it out the restaurant’s owner is so fed up today he filed a multi-million dollar federal civil rights suit accusing the city, the State Liquor Authority and members of lower Manhattan’s Community Board 1 of discriminating against the restaurant because its customers aren’t “from this neighborhood .” Owner Genaro Morales explained to us that the suit was a last resort, ” we’ve made several attempts at mediating meetings with the CB and the community and nothing has gotten better .” [ more › ]

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Puerto Rican Restaurant Sues, Says Manhattan’s CB 1 Is Racist

A woman who accused former NYPD officers Kenneth Moreno and Franklin Mata of rape has released a statement in response to the jury’s acquittal of the men on the charges of rape and burglary last Thursday. In it, the unnamed accuser says, “I know that in a criminal trial a verdict of not guilty does not necessarily mean the defendants were found innocent, but I am devastated and disappointed by the jury’s decision. I have waited two and half years for closure that will now never come… [The verdict] brought me back to my bedroom that awful night when my world was turned upside down by the actions of two police officers who were sent there to protect.” [ more › ]

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Woman Who Accused Cops Of Rape: "Public Opinion Will Be The Ultimate Verdict"

Remember Jeb Corliss ? The daredevil that dared attempt to jump off the Empire State Building back in 2006 is back in the papers, with word that the $12 million lawsuit the landmark building filed against him is about to be settled. According to the NY Post , the civil case was closed last week, and Corliss’s lawyer Mark Jay Heller says a confidential deal was reached… though building owners say it’s not finalized (until next week sometime). [ more › ]

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Empire State Building And Daredevil Jeb Corliss Close To Reaching Settlement

Another day, another pissed off Italian speaking out against the cast of Jersey Shore , who are currently filming in Florence despite displeasure from pretty much everyone around them. [ more › ]

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Neck Brace-Wearing Snooki Deemed "Worst Ever Export" To Italy

Everyone knows that jetskis are toys, which is why even people who cannot swim seem compelled to buy them. A couple had to be rescued from the NewYork Harbor yesterday after their jetski began taking water near Liberty Island. A first responder told The Post that “[The wife] was very scared. The guy was trying to be cool about it, but he was panicking.” Yeah we’d be panicking if our bodies touched that water too. [ more › ]

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Couple That Can’t Swim Capsizes Jetski Near Liberty Island

Over the weekend 28-year-old Jeff Gurwin proposed through the most amazing Scrabble-themed mural on Avenue A and 2nd Street in the East Village, which spelled out the big question. She said yes, but if she didn’t, we’re betting Gurwin wouldn’t have any problems finding someone else… because, right? Just watch: [ more › ]

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Video: Did You See This East Village Mural Proposal… It’s Adorable!

Because no one ever gets tired of hearing about Sarah Palin, ever, we thought you’d like to know that she has included one of Donald Trump’s vulgar apartment complexes as “one of the great things in America” to visit on her non-publicity tour. She’ll be here TONIGHT, to eat at a “low-key” restaurant with Donald Trump, “not one of New York’s more upscale dining establishments,” according to ABC News. We expect to see paparrazzi lined up outside Gray’s Papaya within the hour! [ more › ]

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Feel That? It’s Sarah Palin & The Donald Dining In NYC Tonight

We never held out much hope for a Coachella East, and while many festivals can boast a stellar, eclectic bill, they’re not in the desert. If you refused to shell out airfare and the mildly outrageous $269 weekend pass this year, you’re in luck: according to its website, Coachella is going to be set over two weekends in 2012, April 13-15 and April 20-22. That’s right, “that means same lineup, same art, same place, different people,” and double the money for Coachella and its parent company, AEG Live. [ more › ]

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Coachella Will Happen Twice In 2012: Will It Be Half As Cool?

Click here to view the full photogallery. With their famously long vacations—a government mandated 30 days of vacation per year—the French are well-versed in the fine art of kicking back and relaxing in the summer. Well-heeled Parisians regularly flee the heat of the city, taking up summer residence in the pastoral hinterlands or the sunny Côte d’Azur. For those averse to the glitz and glam of the Riviera, the quiet countryside of Normandy beckons with this 300-acre estate. On the market for just under $9M, the grand 17th-century chateau features 11 bedrooms, eight bathrooms, well-proportioned public rooms, thatched-roof pool house, and spacious barn. It’s in need of some renovation, but with a full month of vacation, there’s plenty of time for elbow grease. Click here to view the full photogallery. ↑ With pale blue shutters, beige facade, and a tile roof, this country house in Aix-en-Provence strikes the perfect French country pose. The well-worn spread, currently on the market for $5.4M, looks to be in need of a touch up, but the rustic swimming pool fringed by wildflowers is country chic at its best. There aren’t many interior photos—which is always a bit worrying—but the charming look and views of the oft-painted Mont Sainte Victoire are enough to trick anyone into buying a lemon. Click here to view the full photogallery. ↑ Deep-pocketed buyers looking for more space would be wise to head inland from the pricey properties on the Mediterranean to Lorgues. For $16.4M, this country compound offers the amenities of a resort in the guise of a private home. From the vaulted wine cellar to the heated swimming pool with faux beach, this estate has plenty to woo buyers away from sea views. Unlike many Provencal properties, this one has been fully updated with modern electronics and finishes. Click here to view the full photogallery. ↑ The storybook French look can be found in Cap d’Ail, just outside of Monaco, where traditional pomp-and-circumstance meets the Mediterranean. That rare combination doesn’t come cheap, as this five-bedroom Belle Epoque mansion can attest. It is currently listed at $23.4M, which, like the frou-frou decor, seems a bit much. Click here to view the full photogallery. ↑ Located just outside the famed surf spot Biarritz, this modern villa boasts broad panes of glass that capture hilltop views of the surrounding countryside. Unfortunately, prospective buyers will have to ask to see the price, which is somewhere between $3.3M and $7.2M. Given the condition, we’re going to guess the upper range, because, in this ritzy area of southwestern France, eight bedrooms, seven baths, and a swimming pool don’t come cheap. · Chateau Louis Xiii – Louis Xv [Sotheby's] · Aixoise [Sotheby's] · Lorgues [Sotheby's] · Cap d’Ail [Sotheby's] · Arbonne [Emile Garcin]

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Globe Trotting: Quintessential French Vacation Homes: Normandy to the Riviera

Hello, we have decided to give our readers GothamList events for the entire week . You can check them out below (the picks include men who cook in the kitchen, an Afro-Latin party, a crawfish boil, Deepak Chopra and more and more.) but you can also get listings a day earlier by signing up for the Gothamist Daily newsletter— sign up here . [ more › ]

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Pencil This In: Comics, Cabaret and Planetariums!