1. Terrifying: the entire lawn at Cadman Plaza has been astroturfed! [Via Brownstoner.]
2. Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a bank robbery in Staten Island, a suicidal member of service on the George Washington Bridge, and a perp search down by the Manhattan Bridge.
3. Foreign tourists are bum-rushing New York because of the weak dollar: "For example, the Microsoft Zune player - a rival to Apple's iPod - sells for $442 in London but can be found in New York stores for about $249." And worth every penny!
4. The outgoing Pataki administration is rushing the Atlantic Yards plan through the environmental impact review process-- they even made state employees work through the Thanksgiving weekend finishing the paperwork. Incoming Governor Spitzer has expressed some reservations about the project.
5. The Whitney seems to be moving forward with their Meatpacking plans-- they've signed a deal to replace the Dia Foundation at the Gansevoort Street entrance to the High Line.
6. New York Mag caught up with Tom Wolfe, who penned a recent criticism of the city's landmarking process-- and asked him what he thought of the Whitney's plans. He said their best move would be to tear down the current museum of the Upper East Side, because it looks like "a WWI machine gun emplacement set up to drive away all the bourgeoisie who are trying to get into the boutiques across from it."
7. Did anyone else notice this outrageously huge billboard that went up on the corner of Prince and West Broadway today? The scale is insane for a residential neighborhood.
8. Silliest guerilla marketing ploy of the week: "Give Us Back New York" aims to rename the city New Amsterdam. But what product are they promoting?

Port Authority 9:45am, by Travis Ruse.