Smoker’s paradise on Pearl St.
By ELIZABETH O'BRIE
Swan’s Bar doesn’t tout its top attraction. The Pearl St. pub relies solely on word-of-mouth and a small chalkboard sign to convey its weighty message: “Smoking Permitted.”

City approves sale of Independence Plaza North
By ALBERT AMATEAU
New York City last week approved the sale of Independence Plaza North, setting the stage for the end of middle-class rent protections for many of the 3,000 residents of the Tribeca complex.

$30 million needed for pier-park w/o Home Depot
By ALBET AMATEAU
Ann Ketring, 8, who lives on Hanover Sq., presented a bouquet to Her Royal Highness Princess Anne on the damp afternoon of April 29 at the ceremony announcing the creation of the British Memorial Garden in Hanover Sq.

Kayakers ready for new season in Tribeca
By CHRISTINE LEAHY
When New Yorkers daydream about escaping to the sun, water, and open air, most are probably not thinking about the Hudson River. But thanks to the Downtown Boathouse, which opens for the season on May 15, there are a growing number of ways to enjoy a paddle and a splash within city limits.

Laight St. project divides C.B. 1 committee
By JOSH ROGERS
The boarded-up site across from the Holland Tunnel exit rotary may have graffiti and posted bills, but some members of Community Board 1’s Tribeca committee are opposing the development of the site because they don’t think the developer should change the number of apartments in the proposed building after he already has approval to build five luxury lofts there.

Gerson outlines plan for his Downtown district
By JOSH ROGERS
Councilmember Alan Gerson, whose district includes the World Trade Center site and all of its surrounding neighborhoods, last week released a “blueprint” on how to make Lower Manhattan a more livable place as the grandiose plans to rebuild Downtown proceed.

Ceremony to honor 17th century Jewish cemetery
The cemetery was the resting place of members of the first Jewish congregation in the city, founded in 1654 by a group of Spanish Jews who came to New Amsterdam from Recife, Brazil.

Some residents oppose more housing in north Hudson Sq.
By ALBERT AMATEAU
The City Planning Commission heard conflicting opinions last week on whether to allow residential development in the north and south ends of the Hudson Sq. manufacturing district.

Room For Improvement

Finding the wares to put atop the table
By BETH LEE SEGAL
We had a long, cold, stay-in-the-house winter, but people are finally on the streets again, rollerblading as they window shop. Grilled fish and vegetables are replacing stew as the special of the day, and sturdy houseplants have given way to vases of brightly colored flowers. It’s the perfect time to throw open the windows and invite your friends over for a dinner party. If you discover that three of your best dishes are chipped or that you’re missing several wine glasses, before you venture out to buy new things for your table, take a deep breath and do a bit of research. This is a great opportunity to learn how to create a formal place setting and which items a truly furnished table should have.