Neighborhood Watch

Gingerbread Houses Rise in Midtown; Russ & Daughters Will Toast Your Bagel

Chelsea: The seasonal pumpkin bar at Billy’s Bakery is squat squares of cake topped with cream-cheese frosting. [Serious Eats NY]
East Village: The hirsute staff at the Sunburnt Cow and Bondi Road are growing mustaches for Movember, a charity that raises awareness for men’s cancers. Proceeds from special $1 shots served Friday and Saturday nights go the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG. [Grub Street]

Greenpoint: The owners of Glasslands Gallery scored a white baby-grand piano off of Craigslist for their new bar, the Manhattan Inn, and now feature live music. [Moment/NYT]
Hell’s Kitchen: New lunch-box special at Xie Xie: Half fish or chicken sandwich, a pint of chicken soup, and a bag of chips for $8.50. [Midtown Lunch]
Lower East Side: Russ & Daughters now toasts bagels. [ Feed/TONY]
Midtown West: The gingerbread-house display returns to the Parker Meridian December 1 through January with displays by Magnolia Bakery, Soutine, Tribeca Treats, and others. The $1 fee to vote for the winner goes to City Harvest. [Grub Street]
Park Slope: A new tapas bar called 161 replaced a Japanese restaurant at 161 Seventh Avenue and serves Spanish tortilla alongside sushi. [Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn]
West Village: On Thanksgiving eve, Cabrito runs an all-day happy hour starting at noon with $5 margaritas, and the Fatty Fix (a pint of Fatty Side Stepper Ale and a shot of Fatty Bourbon) for $12. Just wake up in time to put the turkey in. [Grub Street]

Gingerbread Houses Rise in Midtown; Russ & Daughters Will Toast Your Bagel