Hizzoner In California Not Running For President

Because of course New York City mayors always travel to California for photo-ops with other independent-minded elected officials:

Mayor Bloomberg outlined an ambitious environmental agenda for New York City yesterday while standing next to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a move designed to raise the mayor’s national profile as speculation mounts about his potential bid for the White House in 2008.

. . .

Schwarzenegger, who is facing reelection this fall, said Bloomberg is “not only a fantastic mayor of New York City, but he’s also a great national leader.”

When a reporter asked whether Bloomberg was in California to test the waters for a 2008 presidential bid, Schwarzenegger responded facetiously.

“What? I can’t believe that. This is unbelievable,” joked the governor, drawing laughter. Asked if he would urge Bloomberg to run for President, the governor said he and the mayor haven’t discussed the issue. But he described himself as a “big fan” of Bloomberg’s because he said the mayor is “interested in getting the job done.”

“I admire Mayor Bloomberg,” Schwarzenegger said. “He’s my soul mate. He’s the man.”

Meanwhile, Mayor Bloomberg announced several environment-related initiatives, including creating an “Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability” that will evaluate the environmental soundness of the city’s land-use plans.

First the New York City Department of Homeland Security, then the War on Poverty, now the local version of the EPA. Next up, expect the mayor to announce a stem-cell initiative . . .

[Adjusts Monocle] “I Do Say, Driver, What Is That Fanciful Poured Concrete Rising Forth From The Van Wyck?”

A tale of two airport commutes, from Sunday’s FYI column:

Though I often go to the airport, I don’t know anyone who has used the AirTrain to get from Jamaica to Kennedy Airport. Do many people ride it, and does it make any money?

Grrr . . . why don’t you just get back in your helicopter, jackass?

And here’s what you’re missing.

The Hank Greenberg Of Israeli Real Estate*

In case you were unaware, Mayor Bloomberg has international cachet:

A new luxury apartment complex rising in Israel is using Mayor Bloomberg’s name to promote its multimillion-shekel apartments.

While Mr. Bloomberg says he has never even stepped foot in the “Jerusalem of Gold” complex on Rabbi Akiva Street in Jerusalem, its Web site links to an article in a local newspaper claiming that the mayor was about to seal the deal on a penthouse apartment.

The front-page article features a photo of the mayor smiling, his arms outstretched and thumbs thrust in the air. It said Mr. Bloomberg was “in negotiations” to buy the apartment and that his representatives had been to Israel to look at the project and scope out the security situation.

“The mayor is not buying a home in Jerusalem” and “is not buying real estate in Israel,” a spokesman for the mayor, Stuart Loeser, said when asked about the article.

. . .

A managing partner at the Manhattan firm Massey Knakal Realty Services, Shimon Shkury, who is Israeli, said he didn’t know anything about Mr. Bloomberg’s involvement in the project. But, he said, Mr. Bloomberg is “highly appreciated in Israel” and any project would benefit from an association with him.

*Title rejected on the grounds of being too obscure and perhaps too logically inconsistent: “Bloomberg As The Blomberg Of Israeli Real Estate”.

My 9/11 Mixtape May Include Anthrax But You Win, Lehrer . . . You Sicko!

Today, WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show is playing meaningful music in honor of the fifth anniversary of Sept. 11. They just played “Teardrop” by Massive Attack.

Very funny, Lehrer.

If I Had A Dime For Every Time Some Dirtbag Tried To Get Me Into Serendipity, I Could Buy Myself A Sixpack . . . But Then That Would Make For A Better Night Than Most Of These Ideas

Thanks to the Daily News (“We asked six single guys to pick their favorite first-date boites, along with the sexy dishes that they believe are sure to help them score”), next time a guy takes me out on a date, I’ll know what he’s trying to suss out:

The food at Tao is amazing. It’s a high-energy place where anyone can have a great time. If a girl doesn’t have a good time there, she’s probably not worth going out with again.

Or:

The waiting area [at Rosa Mexicano] stinks. It’s always packed, which allows you to test your date’s temperament based on the way she reacts to getting jostled. If she has no patience and gets irritated, then I know I don’t want a second date. The food is good, not too cheap, not too expensive. If the night goes well, the margaritas can get you drunk in a hurry, and if the night goes poorly, the margaritas can get you drunk in a hurry. It’s close to Serendipity, so if you really like the girl, you can take a leisurely stroll and get dessert or even walk over to Fifth Ave. or by Central Park.