NYC News You Might Have Missed in August

This is our monthly recap of recent NYC news you might have missed during the last few weeks. As usual, our list is heavy on foodie news, real estate and shopping, plus other tidbits. We identify our sources, too. No spins, no leaks, no lies, no fake news on NYC on the Cheap.

No tips – A lawsuit charges that Hudson Terrace, the popular rooftop bar and event space overlooking the Hudson River has been stiffing its waiters and waitresses, food runners, bridal attendants and maître’ds. The lawsuit claims that the mandatory “service charge” on bills for banquets, weddings and other catered events, including corporate events, is not shared with those who serve the customers, as the phrase “service charge” implies. The lawsuit claims the owners kept the money. The lawsuit claims several dozen current and former employees have been stiffed since 2011, when the “service charge” was instituted. (DNAInfo)

Speaking of no tips – Do you leave a tip for a $24 bar tab? Apparently, the rich and famous Kendall Jenner does not. The bartender at Broolyn’s Baby’s All Right shamed her by posting her credit card receipt with no tip on social media, and of course it went viral. She claims she left cash. The bartender claims she didn’t. (NY Daily News)

No promotions – Camera and electronics mega-retailer B&H has agreed to pay $3.2 million to settle a federal suit alleging discrimination against Hispanic, black, female and Asian employees at its Brooklyn Navy Yard warehouse. It was the second time in 10 years the company has settled a discrimination case brought by the government. The money, and what’s called “other relief”, including bathrooms for women employees, is to 1,300 current and former employees. B&H has $46 million worth of federal contracts with the FBI and General Services Administration, which gave the government leverage in settlement talks. (Crain’s)

Kushner rent gouging – A lawsuit by tenants of a Brooklyn building owned by the family of Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner claims they have been over-charged more than $1 million in rent. The Kushner family has bought a lot of commercial and residential real estate in Brooklyn recently, most notably the former Jehovah’s Witnesses headquarters, known as the Watchtower Building, for $340 million last year. The apartment building in the lawsuit, 89 Hicks St., is one of six the Kushner family bought in 2014 for $36 million from Brooklyn Law School. (Crain’s).

Getting smashed – Vent your rage at the system, your ex, your landlord or mortgage broker, the four-letter-word who dented your car, the hackers who stole your identity, or anybody or anything else at the new Wrecking Club in Midtown. It’s the latest thing in anger management, where you can attack things with anything from a foam baseball bat to a crowbar. The price of admission includes safety glasses, a hard hat, and the weapon of your choice. (NY Times)

More BBQ for Brooklyn – Seasoned Pit Masters and siblings Carline Jefferson and Louis Sigue are planning to open an outpost of their Dickey’s Barbecue Pit to open this fall right across from Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets and New York Islanders. The fast-casual chain, which serves Texas-style ribs, has more than 600 outlets in 44 states, which means yet another national chain is eating up NYC real estate. (Restaurant News)

Rock ‘n’ roll renovation – Webster Hall, the legendary East Village club and concert venue, has closed for a full rehab that could take as long as two years. When it re-opens, it will be flying the corporate ownership flag of Barclays/ AEG/Bowery Presents, which likely means more famous acts and higher ticket prices. The building, which dates from 1866, operated as a club through Prohibition. During the 1980s, when it was rechristened The Ritz, it introduced or reintroduced the world to rock groups and performers including Aerosmith, Prince, Iggy Pop, Depeche Mode, Guns N’ Roses, U2, Run-DMC, Ozzy Osbourne, The Dictators, UB40, Bo Diddley, Kiss and even Tina Turner. (The Villager)

Winging to NYC – The Buffalo restaurant that claims to have invented Buffalo wings is opening an outpost on West 57th St. Anchor Bar claims its original owners created the Buffalo wing in 1964 by deep frying chicken wings and topping them with a “secret sauce,” according to the restaurant’s website. It’s now a mini-chain with nearly a dozen locations around the US. (DNAInfo)

Check our Vanishing NYC for other going, going, gone but not forgotten NYC favs, including the Waldorf-Astoria hotel and Carnegie Deli.

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Anger cartoon courtesy Disneyclips.com