The Villager, DEC. 5, 2013

The Paper of Record for Greenwich Village, East Village, Lower East Side, Soho, Union Square, Chinatown and Noho, Since 1933

December 5, 2013 • $1.00 Volume 83 • Number 27

Pols push D.O.E. to fund new school at the SPURA site

BY SAM SPOKONY

T

PHOTO BY Q. SAKAMAKI

As the Thanksgiving Parade balloons were being inflated some blocks north of 14th St., a Spidey fan showed his colors.

Blogger skewers conservancy over hot dog purge in the park

BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

C

ould this be the Washington Square Park equivalent of a major WikiLeaks information

spill?

A muckraking local blogger has obtained e-mail correspondence between the Washington Square Park Conservancy and the Parks Department that, she charges, shows the new organi-

zation is already starting to call the shots on what goes on in the landmark Greenwich Village park.

No, not Julian Assange, but Cathryn Swan, who operates the Washington Square Park Blog, obtained the e-mails through a Freedom of Information Law request. She first tipped off The Villager about her findings on Nov. 21 at the Community Board 2 full board meeting.

Among the things she says she discovered in the messages are that the conservancy pushed to reposition the park’s vendors, and to upscale them, too; also, that back in March, a conservancy board member wrote to Parks saying that the group was eager to sign a license agreement to operate the park — something the conservancy CONSERVANCY, continued on p. 15

he city’s Department of Education is not planning to fund a public school within the Seward Park Urban Renewal Area, or SPURA, until at least 2020. But local politicians and Lower East Side school advocates say the commitment

should be made right now.

A recent D.O.E. statement on the issue came in response to this newspaper’s question about why funding for the future school was not included in the agency’s proposed 2015-2019 capital budget, which will be finalized next summer.

SPURA, continued on p. 3

SantaCon begone!

Some bars will ban sloshed Claus crawl

BY HEATHER DUBIN

S

antaCon is coming to town, and not everyone is thrilled about it. The annual booze-fueled bacchanal features large crowds dressed in Santa Claus costumes who travel from bar to bar throughout the city for a day.

A national and international event, SantaCon started in Manhattan in 2000, and has since boomed from a small group of merrymakers to a throng of thousands. This year, the army of alcohol-seeking St. Nicks are slated to start knocking them back on Sat., SANTACON, continued on p. 27

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developer has filed plans for a six-story, 70-foot-tall residential building on a contested lot that was part of a Lower East Side community garden for more than 30 years.

Supporters of the Children’s Magical Garden, at the corner of Stanton and Norfolk Sts., were dismayed this spring when Serge Hoyda fenced off part of the garden’s land that he purchased in 2003. The sliver has been privately owned for decades, according to city records, but it was used continuously by the garden.

In May, Kate Temple-West, C.M.G. director, right, Both before and after Hoyda fenced watched in dismay as workers fenced off the prioff the lot, supporters of the garden vately owned parcel. tried to convince him to agree to a “land swap” to keep C.M.G. fully intact.

But on Nov. 22, Hoyda’s representatives den, and for the many children who confiled an application with the Department of sider our garden to be their second home,” Buildings, seeking approval to start construc- C.M.G. Director Kate Temple-West said in a tion. On Nov. 26, D.O.B. assigned a plan ex- Nov. 26 statement. “Soon we’ll be convenaminer to evaluate the application. A decision ing a town hall meeting to share our ideas is pending, according to city records. with the wider community. We welcome The address of the new building — with and will hold a place at the meeting table six full-floor apartments — would be 157 for the developer.”

Norfolk St. This summer, C.M.G.’s city-owned por“The community gardeners are meeting tion was included in the city’s GreenThumb after the Thanksgiving holiday to vote on program, giving it permanent community the best solutions for the community gar- garden status.

MOTHER OF ALL AUCTIONS: Talk about some boldface names! To help fund its ongoing legal fight against N.Y.U.’s 2031 megadevelopment plan on the university’s two South Village superblocks, N.Y.U. Faculty Against the Sexton Plan is holding a massive online holiday auction featuring a starstudded galaxy of artists, actors, writers, professors and businesses. And it’s right in time for the holidays — a perfect gift for a loved one or — heck, why not? — yourself. Up for bids is a private hour-and-a-half acting lesson with Academy Award winner “The Master” himself Philip Seymour Hoffman. Also on the block is a two-hour shopping spree to curate your pantry and spice collection with “Top Chef” ’s Padma Lakshmi. Or how about a basketball game with John Leguizamo? (We hear he’s pretty quick on the court.) Or play two hours of ping-pong, with drinks for four, for free at Susan Sarandon’s Flatiron table tennis club, SPiN. O.K., so maybe you don’t want to work up a sweat. How about lunch with Bill Moyers, Fran Lebowitz or Lewis Lapham? Or dinner with Richard Hell? If the price is right you — yes, you! — can win a weekend for two at any of Andre Balasz’s hotels. (However, we hear there’s no guarantee Lindsay Lohan will be there at the same time.) Books, you ask? Ho boy…there are ones signed by E.L. Doctorow, Junot Diaz, Zadie Smith, Erica Jong, Andrew Ross, Naomi Wolf and on and on. There’s a manuscript page from Philip Glass, an

uncorrected galley from Art Spiegelman’s “Maus, Vol. 1,” an Alex Katz print, a photograph of William S. Burroughs by Gary Indiana, a painting by actor Joel Gray, all of Eric Bogosian’s works, a one-year membership to Anthology Film Archive, and a signed personal photo by actor Matthew Modine from the set of “Full Metal Jacket.” Looking for the “write stuff”? You could become the owner of the rare Omas fountain pen that former U.S. Poet Laureate Philip Levine used to write his Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of poems, “The Simple Truth.” Or you could bid on a chance to tour the best hamburger restaurants in the Village, or have a private makeup application lesson with Hollywood makeup artist Nicki Lederman (“Boardwalk Empire,” “Side Effects”). You can even try to win walking tours of Florence, Paris, Dublin and Shanghai, and much, much more… . More than 130 individuals and businesses, and counting, have donated items to the auction, with values ranging from $25 up to $8,000. “I can think of no worthier cause than saving the Village from overdevelopment,” said Lakshmi. “This neighborhood is one of the most iconic parts of the city and precisely what makes New York so special.” Modine, a Villager for 30 years, said, “In a city filled with continuous change, it’s comforting to know there is one constant. Greenwich Village…with SCOOPY’S, continued on p. 25

Pols demand D.O.E. fund school at SPURA SPURA, continued from p. 1

SPURA is mentioned in the capital budget, but that is as far as D.O.E. has gone, with regard to the potential school.

“Based on our understanding of the housing to be built in the SPURA redevelopment area, and the existing school capacity in that area, we believe a new school will not be needed until the 2020-2024 Capital Plan period,” said D.O.E. in the Dec. 3 statement.

“As noted in the Capital Plan, we are watching this development closely, and update our projections annually.”

However hesitant D.O.E. may be to fund a school as part of the development project, a 15,000-square-foot space at the corner of Clinton and Grand Sts. was, in fact, set aside for a new school when the city announced the overall SPURA development proposal earlier this year.

Along with various retail and commercial components, a total of 1,000 new residential units are planned to be built at SPURA, a 1.65

million-square-foot swath of land around Delancey St. near the foot of the Williamsburg Bridge. More than half of those residential units are expected to be completed by summer 2018, according to the city’s Economic Development Corporation.

Out of the total number of new housing units, 100 will be designated solely for senior citizens — a factor that may have contributed to D.O.E.’s views on the potential need for a new school within the development.

In fact, the current text of D.O.E.’s proposed budget for 2015-2019 states that cityowned land at the SPURA site has been reserved for future school construction “should it be deemed necessary.”

But many local school advocates and elected officials believe that a school within SPURA is not only necessary, but should be funded as soon as possible.

“Smart development means anticipating and addressing projected community impacts before they reach a critical point,” said

Councilmember Margaret Chin. “That is why I worked with the SPURA Task Force to strongly advocate for a public school as part of the project — to serve the hundreds of working families that will make this community their home in the coming years. It is important that the city develop these new school seats in the SPURA site now, rather than waiting until school overcrowding is at a crisis.”

Chin had previously signed on to a Nov. 27 letter to D.O.E. — along with state Senator Daniel Squadron (who organized the letter), Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Borough President Scott Stringer and Councilmember Rosie Mendez — urging the agency to include funding for the SPURA school in its 2015-2019 budget.

Lisa Donlan, president of the District 1 Community Education Council, summed up the collective frustration of school advocates by stating that they simply don’t trust D.O.E.’s decisions on this — or practically any — issue of new school construction.

“D.O.E. has been wrong on so many of their

projections in so many neighborhoods, regardless of what kind of data parents have shown them, so it’s just hard to have any confidence at all in what they’re stating in this case,” she said.

While explaining her fears of future overcrowding for Lower East Side schools, Donlan alluded to another Lower Manhattan neighborhood that has already suffered from a lack of school seats while its residential population quickly swelled.

“We keep telling D.O.E., ‘Don’t make us the next Tribeca,’ ” she said.

With all this in mind, the fact remains that, by the time D.O.E.’s budget is finalized next summer, Bill de Blasio will already have taken office as the city’s next mayor. At that point, he — and whoever he may choose to replace current Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott — will have the final say on the plan that is sent to the City Council for approval.

However, de Blasio is already taking some heat for not being open enough about who he’s considering to appoint chancellor.

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December 5, 2013

3

D.A. and partners go to the mat to fight elder abuse

BY HEATHER DUBIN

M

ore than warm holiday meals were delivered last week to those in need, thanks to a partnership that is raising awareness about elder abuse. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, Citymeals-on-Wheels and the Weinberg Center for Elder Abuse Prevention at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale have joined forces to help train staff and volunteers to recognize signs of elder abuse, which is a frequent and underreported problem.

Rachel Sherrow, chief program officer at Citymeals-on-Wheels, discussed the ongoing program.

“Over Thanksgiving the city shuts down, and meals served to the homebound are done by us,” she said. “We made sure people had food the day before, day of and day after, because some places were closed last Friday.”

In addition to providing 20,000 meals throughout the five boroughs for three days to seniors, including 18,000 homebound and walk-ins, Citymeals-on-Wheels staff and hundreds of volunteers also distributed placemats designed by the Manhattan D.A.’s Elder Abuse Unit.

“We created these placemats in Spanish

and English, which give basic information — what is elder abuse, who to contact and don’t be afraid — in larger font,” Sherrow said. “It’s to go along with their lovely meal to keep, in case they, or someone they know, is a victim of elder abuse.”

The placemat prominently displays a hotline number from each partnership member that seniors can call anonymously. After they do, an assistant district attorney from the Elder Abuse Unit will investigate the case.

According to the D.A.’s Office, 20 attorneys who are specially trained in elder abuse work on roughly 900 elder abuse cases per year, on top of their regular caseload.

Since the partnership began in 2011, more than 300 Citymeals-on-Wheels staff and regular volunteers have been trained to look for evidence of physical, verbal or financial abuse in meal recipients.

“They’re the first line of defense,” Sherrow said. “They would notice if something wasn’t right. They’re there every day, and they develop relationships.”

There have been seven trainings so far led by a representative from the D.A.’s Office or the Weinberg Center, who outlined specific cases and examples of elder abuse.

“We want people to understand elder abuse can happen to anyone,” Sherrow

“Outside people see them as caregivers, and can’t see them as abusers. We want to break them from these ideas.”

Sherrow noted that age should not be a factor when it comes to guaranteeing people’s rights; exploitation has no bounds, especially with seniors.

“It’s mostly financial, physical, verbal and mental abuse, but sexual abuse does happen, and no one believes them — it’s very intense,” she said.

The initiative has been successful, and the training sesA Citymeals-on-Wheels volunteer recently delivering a sions are making an impact. hot meal to a local senior. During Thanksgiving, the volun“We’ve gotten some feedteers also handed out specially designed placemats from back from supervisors at the District Attorney’s Elder Abuse Unit sporting phone agencies that there’s a lot more numbers for seniors to call to report any abusive behavior talk about what their delivertoward them. ers have seen, and a lot more questions,” Sherrow said. Sevsaid. “There isn’t one type of a person who eral deliverers have called the D.A.’s hotis abused.” line to report abuse incidents, but Sherrow Elder abuse is often perpetrated by se- did not have follow-up information on nior citizens’ own family members and whether action had been taken. children.

The D.A.’s Office will conduct trainings “There’s so much shame and stigma for other groups soon, while Citymealsinvolved because elders don’t want to on-Wheels plans to do one more session get their relatives in trouble,” she said. next year after it secures funding.

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December 5, 2013

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December 5, 2013

new york university & the nyPD 9th Precinct Present their AnnuAL

Holiday Toy drive The NYU Office of Government and Community Affairs and Administrative Management Council are helping collect toys for the children of 9th Police Precinct and the Herbert Birch Childhood Center.

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December 5, 2013

5

Toad bank protest lands Reverend Billy in hot water

BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

R

PHOTO BY ERIC MCGREGOR

everend Billy and His Stop Shopping Choir are known for mixing soulful music, satirical shtick and righteous politics in their performance art and protest actions.

But a manager of a Midtown JPMorgan Chase bank branch and the Manhattan district attorney claim that Reverend Billy, a.k.a. Bill Talen, was the “ringleader” of a “violent and tumultuous” action that caused “public alarm” and placed one or more persons in “fear of death,” and reduced at least one bank customer or employee to tears.

At Talen’s arraignment on Oct. 28, an assistant district attorney charged, “This was a criminal stunt, Your Honor.”

And now Talen, in the most serious charges he’s ever been slapped with, is facing up to a year in jail.

Talen readily admits he led a protest at the bank branch, at 56th St. and Sixth Ave., on Sept. 12. On that date, he and 14 singers from his choir entered the location — Billy in his usual pompadoured Elvis / evangelical preacher getup and the singers wearing enormous, bug-eyed, golden toad hats. They rode an escalator up three flights and freely entered the bank office, where clients were

Reverend Billy preaching against climate change during the Sept. 12 action as his choir members, in golden toad hats, cavort.

making transactions with tellers or seated at desks talking with financial advisers.

The golden toad is an icon of the environmental movement. Native to Costa Rica, it hasn’t been seen since 1989.

“It’s widely felt that the golden toad was

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December 5, 2013

driven into extinction by climate change...

El Niño-like winds,” Talen said, speaking to The Villager last week. “JPMorgan Chase is a top investor in industrial projects that cause climate change — gas, coal, hydroelectric, fossil fuels,” he noted. “They’ve always been a fossil fuel bank.”

As Talen tells it, for 15 minutes, the “toads” hopped about and sang while he preached against the big bank, calling on it to repent from its global-warming ways.

The song they performed was “We Surround You,” which Talen explained, “is from the point of view of threatened animals.” He said he warned the bank’s staff and clients that their children’s lives might be cut short if climate change continues unchecked. They set up a small white camping tent and left some potted plants around it.

Then, without incident, they exited. Soon afterward, Talen and Nehemiah Luckett, the choir’s musical director, were arrested and handcuffed by police on the F train platform at 56th St. and Sixth Ave. They were caught red-handed holding several of the golden toad hats. Both were charged with riot in the second degree, menacing in the third degree, disorderly conduct and unlawful assembly.

“Unlawful assembly of extinct toads,” Talen said incredulously.

He got out of jail after posting $30,000 bail. Luckett only faces up to three months in prison.

Why such a harsh penalty this time for Talen?

“I’ve been arrested 75 times and I’ve never faced more than three days in jail,” he said, “and I think it’s because we interrupted rich people! JPMorgan Chase is a wealth-management bank.

“The toad heads are beautiful and we think they’re comic,” he continued.

However, he said, “We saw a woman running down the hall from us. ... We assume she was an employee and that she called the cops.”

In addition, the D.A.’s complaint states that the toad headdresses weren’t hats but rather masks, which are presumably more threatening.

Yet, Savitri D, Talen’s wife and the choir’s director, said, “We have been doing these kind of creative protests and actions in banks, in retail shops, government agencies and lobbies and offices of senators for a dozen years, and it’s not a threatening act. And we are singing the entire time.

Our faces were showing — these are hats, not masks. I would stress that our history is nonviolent. It’s a group of people in papier-mâché hats — toads — it’s fairly nonthreatening. We’re handing out fliers about who we are, we’re totally transparent about what we’re doing.”

O.K., someone may have been a bit frightened by the protest, she said, but climate change is a lot scarier.

“We’re concerned about climate change, and this is the route we take to talk about it.”

Robert Bongiorno, the branch’s manager, further claimed to police that the toads raced around the office, jumped atop bank furniture and shouted in people’s faces, “We are coming for you!”

Talen and D both deny any toads hopped on furniture, though Talen does admit he stood on a low ledge by a window as he preached.

“Yes, I’m sure Billy was shouting, but that’s not against the law,” added D, who was not actually at the action.

Attorney Wylie Stecklow, who is representing Talen and Luckett pro bono — though he hopes it will become “low bono” — said the D.A. has clearly overcharged the two, likely because the wrong individuals are on the case.

“I do think they have people in the D.A.’s Office that handle protest cases,” he said.

“They’re handling it as a normal case — that people thought they were going to be robbed, that people were wearing masks.

But these were hats. This was expressivespeech activity protected by the Constitution. Until someone asks them to leave [the premises] and they refuse, they have broken no laws.”

If anything, the charge could be trespassing, he said, but only a violation, not a criminal charge.

“It’s an open space,” he asserted. “They have the right to enter. They left before the police arrived.”

Furthermore, Stecklow maintained, “You’re allowed to conduct small offenses to fight larger crimes — climate change.

“I have a hard time believing that when the trial day comes, these will be the charges the district attorney presents,” he said.

The next step is that, on Monday, Bongiorno must swear to the truth of his claims, in order to validate his complaint. The next court date is Dec. 9.

A defense fund for Talen is being raised on the crowdfunding site indiegogo at http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ please-donate-to-reverend-billy-s-legalfund .

TheVillager.com

PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

St. Mark’s Bookshop co-owner Terry McCoy, wearing protective gloves, holds several of the books to be auctioned this Thursday. Art Spiegelman’s “Maus” has the highest reserve — the starting price below which bids won’t be accepted.

‘Maus’…going once, going twice!...

Bookshop’s new bid to raise bucks

BY BOB KRASNER

W

hy a book? For that matter, why a bookshop? If you are holding this newspaper in your hands, you probably already have an answer to those questions.

For Terry McCoy and Bob Contant, the owners of the struggling St. Mark’s Bookshop, there is no question that the East Village needs them, and they are turning to the community for help.

Faced with rising costs and lower sales, the much-loved, 36-year-old establishment is “seriously looking to move soon,” according to McCoy. Since several possible locations have fallen through in the last two years, he is unwilling to say where that new space might be, other than that they are not looking anywhere outside the East Village. Publishers Weekly recently reported that E. Third St. and Avenue A could be the store’s new home.

In an effort to stay afloat and finance the move, they are holding an auction (both online and live) of more than 50 rare, signed and annotated first editions and ephemera from some of New York City’s best-known writers. Included are works from Junot Diaz, John Ashbery, Patti Smith, Art Spiegelman, Yoko Ono, Paul Auster, Lydia Davis, Richard Hell, Wayne Koestenbaum, Phillip Lopate, Sam Shepard and Peter Straub. The online event has already begun and continues until Sun., Dec. 15.

On Thurs., Dec. 5, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. potential buyers are welcome to contribute

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$5 and enjoy wine and cheese while viewing the available lots. Six of the books (not yet chosen at press time) will be auctioned live that evening.

Beyond the move, according to McCoy, one possibility is that the enterprise will become a nonprofit sometime soon.

As for the future, is it all going the way of the Kindle? For many, including this writer, there is nothing quite like holding a book in one’s hands.

McCoy concurs, noting that “a book is an object — you can invest that object with your feelings. It’s a presence in your home.”

And the brick-and-mortar store itself?

It’s certainly convenient to grab something on Amazon, but its algorithms don’t equal the feeling of being in a shop surrounded by millions of words and ideas and pictures and knowing that you may well take some of them home.

The experience of shopping at St. Mark’s Bookshop has always been a special one and McCoy knows why.

“We feature the most interesting books, when we are at our best,” he said.

Whether their picks come from a university or mainstream press, their aim is for customers to be “surprised by what they find,” McCoy explained. “We don’t use demographic charts. We have a sense of our community.”

For more information visit http://benefitevents.com/auctions/stmarksbooks/. St. Mark’s Bookshop, 31 Third Ave., at Ninth St., 212260-7853.

Washington Square Park Tree Delivery MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2013 4:00 AM

Washington Square’s annual Christmas Tree, a 45-foot tree from Vermont, will arrive early Monday morning.

Holiday Toy Drive MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2013 through FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

NYU’s Office of Government and Community Affairs and the NYU Administrative Management Council are collecting new, unwrapped toys to be distributed to over 1,500 children at the 9th Police Precinct Community Holiday Party. Call 212.998.2400 or visit nyu.edu/nyu-in-nyc to make a donation.

Washington Square Park Tree Lighting WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2013, 6:00 pm

Gather by the arch in Washington Square Park for the lighting of the Christmas Tree. The Rob Susman Brass Quartet will perform and there will be a special visit from Santa! The Washington Square Association will provide complimentary songbooks. The tree will be relit from 4:00 pm to 1:00 am daily.

Winter Choral Concert FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 7:30 PM FREDERICK LOEWE THEATRE, 35 WEST FOURTH STREET $10 GENERAL ADMISSION; $5 STUDENTS AND SENIORS

Mark your calendar for the annual Winter Choral Concert featuring the NYU Chorale, University Singers, Women’s Choir, Madrigal Singers, Jazz Choir, and Men’s Glee Club. For information and ticket sales, visit nyu.edu/ticketcentral call 212.352.3101.

Christmas Eve Caroling in Washington Square Park TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2013 5:00 PM

Meet by the arch in Washington Square Park for caroling on Christmas Eve! The Rob Susman Brass Quartet and song leaders will lead revelers in singing holiday favorites. The Washington Square Association will provide complimentary songbooks.

The Washington Square Association, Inc., founded in 1906, is one of the city’s oldest community organizations. For 89 years, it has sponsored carol singing under the arch. Other activities concern the continued improvement of Washington Square, the administration of the Washington Square Music Festival, and the fostering of neighborhood spirit.

December 5, 2013

7

James Gallagher, 61, Downtown actor turned therapist OBITUARY

BY ALBERT AMATEAU

J

ames Gallagher, who attracted a legion of devoted friends during his years as an actor in the Theatre of the Ridiculous in the 1970s and later as a psychotherapist, was finally laid to rest Thurs., Nov. 21, a year after he was found dead at the age of 61 in his Perry St. apartment.

He had been buried in a potter’s field in New Jersey until childhood friends were able to establish his right to a family plot, and had him reburied along with his father and mother in Mount St. Mary Cemetery in Flushing.

“Jamie was a brilliant, charming, multifaceted and very talented guy,” said Gary LeGault, an artist and filmmaker in Los Angeles with whom Gallagher often visited. “He was a darling to the gods of Off Off Broadway — Jackie Curtis, Charles Ludlam, Holly Woodlawn, Harry Koutoukas, Jimmy Camicia and Elaine Stewart,” LeGault said.

David Kaufman, a Perry St. writer who, along with Justine Pippett, another neighbor, discovered Gallagher’s body, recalled that Gallagher had had a hip replacement a few years before he died.

“He lived on the top floor of the walk-up, no place for someone with a hip that gave him pain,” Kaufman said. “But he loved his apartment.

“When I first moved here in 1986, we had problems with the building, and Jamie had the kind of street smarts that enabled us to deal with it,” Kaufman added.

Holly Woodlawn, who attended Gallagher’s formal introduction to the world of transvestite theater at a celebration of his 21st birthday in 1973, recalled him as “a lovely, sweet guy,” who always took everyone seriously.

“He led a straight life during the day and partied and played with us at night,” she said.

Gallagher never mentioned that he was in pain when Woodlawn would see him later on her trips back to New York from Hollywood.

“He was beyond brave,” she said.

“Jamie had a booming, resonant voice that could have filled the Metropolitan Opera,” LeGault said. He recalled that Gallagher was a close friend of Jackie Curtis, acted in some of his plays at La MaMa and co-wrote a Curtis play. Gallagher was also a friend of Marsha P. Johnson, a transvestite Village character, and appears in a documentary about her, “Pay It No Mind: The Life and Times of Marsha P. Johnson,” which can be seen on YouTube.

As a teenager, Gallagher got a job backstage at the Winter Garden during the 1965 run of “Funny Girl,” walking Barbra Strei-

sand’s dog, Le Gault said. It was there that he first met Curtis, who was working at the Winter Garden’s candy counter, LeGault added.

Joey Miller, who grew up with Gallagher in Astoria, recalled that they used to come to Manhattan as teenagers to “second act” Broadway shows by joining the crowds reentering after intermission.

“We were about 15 when we lied about our ages and got jobs as pages in Rockefeller Center,” Miller said. “Jamie didn’t last long because he really wanted to be on the stage.”

When Gallagher was working with Curtis at La MaMa, they used to hang out at Slugger Ann’s bar on E. Third St. near Avenue C. “Jackie Curtis lived in an apartment above the bar,” Miller said. “Slugger Ann was Curtis’s grandmother. It was her bar.”

Jamie Gallagher was born in 1951 to James Sr., a page copy editor at The New York Times, and Beatrice Quinn Gallagher, a former Ziegfeld Girl in the Ziegfield Follies.

He went to Immaculate Conception parish school in Astoria and then to Rice, a Catholic high school in Manhattan, Miller said. Later, Jamie attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

He met Joan Crawford many times as an adolescent when his sister worked as a receptionist for Pepsi Cola, where Crawford had become an executive after she retired from film, LeGault recalled.

“He cherished a cigarette lighter that Crawford gave him,” LeGault noted.

“Jamie had a huge collection of Greta Garbo memorabilia,” Pippett recalled. “He also had stuff relating to Marlene Dietrich, whom he loved.”

Gallagher’s career took a new turn when he went back to school after a recurring struggle with alcohol. He went first to John Jay and then to New York University, where he earned a master’s of social work and became a therapist. His first job after graduate school was managing the psychology department at Gracie Square Hospital, according to LeGault. Until shortly before he died he also had a private practice in an office on W. 14th St. at Eighth Ave. “He helped a lot of people stay sober,” said Yvonne T, a friend from Alcoholics Anonymous. “He was a very funny guy and could provoke sidesplitting laughter,” Yvonne said.

Diane Greenspan, a Charles St. resident who met Gallagher in 1990, recalled that he had an alcohol relapse in 1998.

“Still, he was a great friend,” Greenspan said. “He could engage people on the street in conversation. When Hillary Clinton was campaigning for the Senate in the Village in 2000, he got her to pose with him for a photo,” Greenspan recalled.

“He was loved and respected by all who knew him,” said LeGault.

The Shrine Church of Saint Anthony of Padua invites you to

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December 5, 2013

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TheVillager.com

Store tax hike is raising anxiety

BY GERARD FLYNN

W

ithin the last few weeks, small business owners along E. Fourth St. and First Ave. have been getting news in the mail that is making quite a few concerned and some outright fearful.

Storefront lessees have been learning from their landlord, the Cooper Square Mutual Housing Association, a low-income housing organization, that a longterm tax impasse with the city has been settled — for better and for worse.

According to the M.H.A.’s executive director, Val Orselli, Cooper Square would not have to pay a $10 million tax demand from the city, going back nearly two decades.

Following lengthy negotiations, a deal was struck and passed by the City Council last year, allowing a retroactive tax abatement for all the M.H.A.’s tenants — both residential and commercial. But there’s a cruel caveat.

Although the “Article 11” settlement lets residents in the 342 low-income units off the hook, the letter announces that, going forward, commercial tenants, who are already feeling the pinch in the economic downturn, will have to pay an additional and substantial property tax, and may have to come up with creative ways in order to meet it.

While market-rate commercial rents around the corner on E. Fifth St. can go for thousands more, the M.H.A.’s commercial tenants, on a strip that 30 years

ago was derelict, pay only a couple of thousand a month, Orselli said.

While tenants were only notified recently, the property tax payments go back to Jan. 1 of this year and will be levied annually. Some tenants have been hit with a tax bill of nearly $7,000, adding more than $600 on top of a monthly rent of more than $2,500, one tenant said.

While the M.H.A. has offered one cashstrapped merchant a plan to pay off the tax bill incrementally, even then, the business faces an uncertain future.

Orselli said the organization was working with tax attorneys to negotiate with the city to lessen the impact on its tenants, but that tenants’ leases indicate they may have to pay taxes, and that since this is a city tax demand, there is little he can do.

Although Cooper Square has a preference for low-income tenants, it will consider market-rate leases when replacing commercial tenants, Orselli said. The M.H.A. and its sister organization Cooper Square Committee are nonprofits, he noted. As such, they rely on a not-so-lucrative revenue base, as is, and additional revenue is needed, even if it means market-rate commercial tenants, he noted.

Alex Harsley, a celebrated photographer, founded the Minority Photographers in 1971, and two years later opened 4th Street Photo Gallery in a nondescript storefront at 67 E. Fourth St. Harsley called the tax hike “a scary story, basically.” He said he’s “counting on” Cooper Square locating discretionary funding to give assistance.

Two pedestrians killed by vehicles

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wo people were killed in recent weeks after being hit by motor vehicles in the Downtown area, police

said.

On the afternoon of Nov. 22, a Harlem man, Cheikh Mbaye, was crossing Canal St. near Greene St., when he was struck by a westbound Ford Econoline van. The impact threw Mbaye, 23, into the middle of the street, where a westbound tractor-trailer also hit him, police said.

When cops arrived on the scene around 2:30 p.m. after a 911 call, they found Mbaye unconscious in the street. He was rushed to New York Presbyterian / Lower Manhattan Hospital but pronounced dead on arrival.

Both vehicles remained at the scene.

Though an investigation is ongoing, no arrests have been made and no criminality is suspected, police said. Police believe Mbaye was crossing Canal St. midblock, not at a crosswalk.

Less than a week later, on the evening of

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Nov. 27, Stella Huang, 88, was killed after she was hit by a Con Edison truck at the intersection of E. 16th St. and Avenue C, police said.

Huang lived at 271 Avenue C in Stuyvesant Town — steps away from the site of the incident.

Following an investigation, police determined the Con Ed truck was turning left onto E. 16th St. when it struck Huang as she was crossing Avenue C. Police arrived around 5:15 p.m. after receiving a 911 call and found the elderly woman unconscious on the ground. She was pronounced dead on arrival after being rushed to Bellevue Hospital.

The Con Ed truck stayed at the scene, and no arrests were made, police said, although an investigation is ongoing.

“We are cooperating fully with the N.Y.P.D. in their investigation of this tragic accident,” said a Dec. 2 e-mailed statement from Con Ed. “Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of Stella Huang.”

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Named best weekly newspaper in New York State in 2001, 2004 and 2005

by New York Press Association PUBLISHER JENNIFER GOODSTEIN

EDITOR IN CHIEF LINCOLN ANDERSON

ARTS EDITOR

SCOTT STIFFLER

REPORTERS

HEATHER DUBIN SAM SPOKONY

CONTRIBUTORS IRA BLUTREICH TERESE LOEB KREUZER JEFFERSON SIEGEL JERRY TALLMER

ART / PRODUCTION DIRECTOR TROY MASTERS

SENIOR DESIGNER MICHAEL SHIREY PHOTO BY MILO HESS

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS CHRIS ORTIZ ARNOLD ROZON

SENIOR VP OF ADVERTISING / MARKETING FRANCESCO REGINI

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

SCENE

ALLISON GREAKER MIKE O’BRIEN ANDREW REGIER REBECCA ROSENTHAL JULIO TUMBACO

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

RETAIL AD MANAGER COLIN GREGORY

CIRCULATION SALES MNGR. MARVIN ROCK

PUBLISHER EMERITUS JOHN W. SUTTER

Member of the New York Press Association

Member of the National Newspaper Association

The Villager (USPS 578930) ISSN 0042-6202 is published every week by NYC Community Media LLC, 515 Canal Street, Unit 1C, New York, N.Y. 10013 (212) 229-1890. Periodicals Postage paid at New York, N.Y. Annual subscription by mail in Manhattan and Brooklyn $29 ($35 elsewhere). Single copy price at office and newsstands is $1. The entire contents of newspaper, including advertising, are copyrighted and no part may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher - © 2011 NYC Community Media LLC.

PUBLISHER’S LIABILITY FOR ERROR

The Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher’s liability for others errors or omissions in connection with an advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue.

Published by NYC Community Media, LLC 515 Canal Street, Unit 1C, NY, NY 10013 Phone: (212) 229-1890 • Fax: (212) 229-2790 On-line: www.thevillager.com E-mail: news@thevillager.com © 2012 NYC Community Media, LLC

10

December 5, 2013

After searching in vain for unicorns for years, the photographer finally found one last Friday on West Broadway in Soho.

“Elusive, but finally saw one,” he said.

The large and the small of it To The Editor: Re “East Villagers map out a plan to keep chain stores in check” (news article, Nov. 28): Whether “small is beautiful” or not is a judgment based on one’s value of heterogeneity, creativity, community and intimacy versus... all those things I think less of. Try to leave your keys at The Source Unltd for a friend to come feed and walk your dog — and say hi to Santo. Then try to leave them at Kinko’s. It’s all one’s choice.

We choose, in the East Village Community Coalition, for the intimacy of community. A local business owner shops in stores nearby, eats in neighborhood restaurants. Their children play in the park.

Or send community profits to Bentonville, Arkansas, the home of Walmart. Ours is serious analysis — not “M.B.A. speak” of efficiency.

As to E.V.C.C., it is the same organization that achieved landmark status for the old P.S. 64, the former CHARAS / El Bohio. It’s the same organization that spearheaded the successful rezoning of 111 square blocks of the Lower East Side. It’s the same organization that took critical steps in the saving of St. Brigid’s Church — and took steps with wonderful other groups and individuals in the community’s larger landmark zone. And more.

As for me as a dreaded “developer”... such nonsense. Most of my Lower East Side (and New York) real estate development was building housing for women exiting the prison system, shelter for beaten women, New York City Partnership and Lower East Side People’s Mutual Association housing, housing for homeless veterans and homeless people with H.I.V. and more.

I developed one residential building in the Lower East Side. I spent more years as a community orga-

nizer and writer in the Lower East Side than as a developer. Now I am building an agriculture company here in Vietnam. Wonderful street life here in Hanoi. Hello to my friends back home.

Michael Rosen Rosen is a founder, East Village Community Coalition

LETTERS, continued on p. 25

EVAN FORSCH

TheVillager.com

How to achieve zero traffic deaths in New York City TALKING POINT

BY KEEGAN STEPHAN

B

De Blasio has committed to Vision Zero, but does he have the political will to make it a reality?

warn drivers of the illegality and danger of their two most deadly behaviors: speeding and failure to yield.

Speed limit and “Yield to Pedestrians” signs reinforce the rules of the road and remind motorists of the dangers they could pose to others — yet they are almost impossible to find in New York City. These signs should be ubiquitous across the five boroughs.

As for engineering, the city needs more so-called “complete streets.” The city has identified and proven which street redesigns save lives. It has also identified its most deadly streets.

Many communities have even gone to great lengths to request the installation of those lifesaving street features in their neighborhoods. Yet, the city has not touched many of its most dangerous streets, and has specifically denied applications in some areas for “slow zones,” stop lights and speed humps.

The city’s reluctance to inconvenience drivers should not take precedence over safety. If the city has identified things it can do to save scores of lives, it should just do them. For example, the city has said that lowering the speed limit to 20 miles per hour would save scores of lives, but it worries that doing so would violate state vehicle and traffic law. Why not pass, post and enforce a citywide 20-mile-per-hour speed

TheVillager.com

PHOTO COURTESY RIGHT OF WAY

ill de Blasio promises to eliminate traffic deaths by 2024. He calls this plan “Vision Zero” after the successful campaign launched by Sweden in 1997 that has been modified and implemented in cities around the world.

A cornerstone of Vision Zero — and the entire urban planning and Safer Streets movement — is that cities can calm traffic using the “Three E’s”: Education, Engineering and Enforcement. The Bloomberg administration improved our city’s engineering and, to a lesser extent, its education about street safety, but it failed to motivate the New York Police Department to improve enforcement.

Over all, traffic fatalities have decreased 30 percent over the last seven years. But, as the New York Post reported this past Saturday, pedestrian fatalities are on the rise, and more than 220 New Yorkers have been killed in traffic this year alone — more than 220 families, neighborhoods and communities have been left grief-stricken. Just last week, four people were killed by drivers within a 30-minute span. One was an 88-year-old woman hit on Avenue C on Nov. 27 at 5:15 p.m. by a Con Ed truck driver making a left-hand turn onto E. 16th St. It is abundantly clear that de Blasio must do more in all three categories to end these tragedies and achieve Vision Zero. Here’s what needs to be done in each category: In terms of education, more signage is critical. In the last five years, our city changed the layout of its streets more than it did over the previous 50. Yet there are very few signs educating people about these redesigns, and even fewer that

Right of Way members stenciling at the scene of a child fatality during their recent “8 Under 8” action. The activists biked more than 50 miles, to eight sites where young children — all under 8 years old — have been killed by automobiles in New York City this year, painting a stencil at each fatal crash site. They say the Police Department must increase enforcement and investigations for traffic violations and serious accidents.

limit and see if the state sues the city for making its streets safer and saving lives?

Regarding enforcement, the three key words are Enforce, Investigate and Automate. Proportionally to the danger they pose, drivers who speed and fail to yield are rarely ticketed, and even when they injure or kill people while breaking these laws, they are almost never charged with a crime. This must change. The N.Y.P.D. must target the most deadly driving behaviors, thoroughly investigate injuries and deaths, and release those investigations to the public, so we can further sharpen education and engineering practices.

The N.Y.P.D. can be aided in this effort by legislators, who can designate speeding and failure to yield as crimes instead of violations, and make drivers criminally liable when they break these laws and injure or kill.

Installing speed and red-light cameras would also calm traffic and save lives. Albany routinely pushes back against the city’s request for traffic cameras. However, one pillar of de Blasio’s Vision Zero plan is the simple but brilliant idea that New York City have home rule over the placement of traffic cameras on its own streets.

Yet, none of these changes will come easy. There will be pushback from some drivers, industries, politicians and tabloids. The most important thing we need to end traffic violence on our streets by 2014 is political will, but it is not clear where it will come from.

Bill de Blasio has committed to Vision Zero, but we do not know if he has the political will to make it a reality.

Members of the City Council have proposed lifesaving legislation, but it is often watered down or rejected because of technicalities or lack of support. The city’s Department of Transportation and the N.Y.P.D. have made improvements and touted their successes, but our streets are still unsafe, and our fellow New Yorkers are still dying. Thankfully, one unwavering voice has grown more loud and clear than ever before — that of activists for safer streets.

The movement for safe streets has grown in remarkable ways this year alone. In addition to the ever-present work of Transportation Alternatives, a political action committee called StreetsPAC was formed specifically to endorse candidates who support safer streets. Also, families of victims have become leaders in the movement, while communities in every borough have organized locally, and direct action has flared up across the city.

The Tao-Liam family, whose 3-year-old daughter, Allison, was killed by a driver who failed to yield right of way, published a powerful op-ed in the Daily News calling for better traffic enforcement citywide. The CohenEckstein family, whose 12-year-old son, Sammy, was killed by a driver reportedly going the speed limit, have led the push for a 20-mile-per-hour limit on all residential streets in New York City.

Two new groups — Three Children Too Many and Make Brooklyn Safer — formed and organized rallies exactly one week apart from each other in Jackson Heights, Queens, and Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Each rally drew more than 100 people, and these groups are not going away. Activists with Right of Way have created guerilla signage, infrastructure and memorials that highlight lack of enforcement and prosecution at sites like that of the 88-year-old woman killed last Wednesday whose family will likely never see justice.

The safer streets movement is poised and ready to support every grieving family and every advocacy effort that could save a life. We will put pressure on every politician and agency we must to make Vision Zero a reality. We will support Bill de Blasio and others when they fight for the change we need, and call them out on it when they do not.

Continuing to let people be killed on our streets is not an option.

Stephan is a member, Right of Way, an advocacy group for safer streets in New York City December 5, 2013

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TheVillager.com

Explore. Imagine. Create.

PHOTO BY SAM SPOKONY

David Hitchner, a co-owner of ABC Beer Co., says that a new wine license will help expand his business’s “educational clout.”

East Village’s educational beer joint hopes wine is next on tap

Creative Steps Early Care & Education Center: A play-based and child-centered program that supports children’s exploration and learning.

Our state-of-the-art facilities with four preschool classrooms and one infant/ toddler classroom at 4 Washington Square Village opens January 2014.

BY SAM SPOKONY

O

ne of Downtown’s hottest craft beer purveyors is hoping to liven up the mix by adding wine to both its menu and its drink-friendly educational programming.

A year after recovering from the impact of Hurricane Sandy flooding that submerged parts of the East Village, the owners of ABC Beer Co. — at 96 Avenue C, near E. Seventh St. — are now planning to offer new classes in which bartenders and customers can discuss pairings of both beers and wines with cheeses or other foods.

“Getting a wine license will definitely allow us to expand our educational clout a bit,” said David Hitchner, a co-owner.

“And from a business standpoint, we just want to be able to offer some more options to people who come here.”

Hitchner, an East Village resident, is no stranger to fermented grapes. He’s also a co-owner of ABC Wine Co., at 100 Avenue C, and also In Vino, a wine-centric restaurant on E. Fourth St., between Avenues A and B. ABC Wine Co. offers both wine and liquor, as well as free tastings on Thursdays and Fridays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Since it opened in May 2012 — and barring those tumultuous post-Sandy months — ABC Beer Co. has become a prime local watering hole. It boasts around 350 craft beer varieties that cater to both casual and hardcore brew lovers, while also offering a selection of meats and cheeses.

Now, ABC Beer Co. representatives will go to Community Board 3’s State Liquor Authority Committee on Dec. 9 to request support for their application for an up-

TheVillager.com

grade to a beer and wine license.

Hitchner explained that he and business partner Zach Mack plan to start slowly with the Beer Co.’s alcohol expansion, by offering one house and one premium variety of both red and white wines, as well as a sparkling option and possibly a New York State wine.

The Beer Co. currently offers classes — generally once a month, at about $40 per ticket and 90 minutes long — in which customers can learn more (and taste more) about the fundamental differences between various types of beer, as well as classroom-type discussions in which certain beers are paired with cheeses.

With wine on tap, Hitchner said their educational programming would benefit by allowing customers to learn about the differences between beer and wine pairings — and why wine and cheese may not always be the most optimal match.

“The French drink wine and the French eat cheese, so most people assume that it’s a good pairing, but that’s generally not the case,” said Hitchner. “So it’ll be fun to try matching some cheeses with a beer and with a wine, to see what people really think about it, and allow them to talk about why they think that.”

And with some experience of the stresses of Community Board S.L.A. applications already behind him, Hitchner also noted that he has no plans of trying to get a full liquor license at ABC Beer Co. “We’re not slow-playing the wine alteration just to try to get liquor in here two years from now,” he said, laughing. “We have a really good crowd of people who come here, we’re a neighborhood place, and we don’t need to have liquor to keep that going.”

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December 5, 2013

13

Amid a sea of de Blasio blue, Lhota takes Pier 40

BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

B

14

December 5, 2013

VILLAGER GRAPHIC BY PASHA FARMANARA

ill de Blasio won more than 73 percent of the vote in New York City on Nov. 5 in his landslide victory against Joe Lhota. The pattern more than held true in Downtown Manhattan, where Democrat de Blasio practically swept the grid from river to river.

After the election, The New York Times created an interactive map, with election districts won by de Blasio shown in blue and those by Lhota in red. One can “mouse over” the E.D.’s and see the numbers for the individual districts. Using the Times map as a template, The Villager created its own map.

Red E.D.’s don’t even begin to crop up until the 30s, in areas like Tudor City.

Farther Downtown, there are some scattered red regions in spots like Battery Park City and the Financial District and near City Hall.

But in between those rare red patches the map is saturated with a solid swath of de Blasio blue.

Parts of the East Village, Lower East Side, Soho and, to a lesser extent, the West Village went even more heavily for the public advocate than the citywide average, supporting him with 80 percent or more of the vote.

However, on the edge of this unbroken blue expanse, one lonely speck of red stands out — namely, the 70th Election District in the 66th Assembly District, in Hudson Square. Here, Lhota actually won, with 24 votes to de Blasio’s 15 (14 on the Democratic Party line and 1 on the Working Families Party line).

Adolfo Carrion, Jr., the former Bronx borough president, got 1 vote on the Independence Party line.

Could this red anomaly be the start of the Republican revival in Downtown Manhattan that new G.O.P. District Leader Richard Stewart recently told The Villager he is hoping to spearhead?

“It may be a spark — I did notice that,” he said of the 70th E.D. He said the Republican County Committee gives the election results to its members, which is how he had noticed it.

However, as for the wider area, he noted, the idea of flipping all that blue over to red remains more than daunting.

“I think, demographically, there are very few Republicans in the Village,” he admitted.

Arthur Schwartz, who recently regained his Democratic district leader post, chalked up the 70th E.D. going for Lhota to shifts in the area’s population.

When Schwartz bought his townhouse in the Village in 1991, he noted, his five tenants were artists, but over the last 10 years, four of the five have been replaced by international corporate types.

His immediate guess was that the re-

A map of Manhattan south of 18th St. showing how people voted on Nov. 5. The 70th Election District, won by Joe Lhota, includes Pier 40. No one lives on the pier, though — at least not yet.

sult in the 70th E.D. was a product of new luxury residential buildings there, including the 142-unit Morton Square, which fills the block bounded by Morton, Washington, Leroy and West Sts., as well as the Urban Glass House, at Spring and Washington Sts. The New York Times’s map is a little unclear on whether the Urban Glass House is actually in the 70th E.D. But Tim Gay, a deputy chief clerk at the city’s Board of Elections, confirmed that both 330 Spring St. (the Urban Glass House) and Morton Square are in the election district. Pier 40 is also included the E.D., though no one lives on it.

While the Election Day numbers were

indeed low for the 70th E.D. compared to others, it wasn’t only due to low voter turnout. According to Gay, most E.D.’s have around 850 to 1,000 registered voters, but the 70th E.D. has only 298.

Maria Passannante-Derr, former president of the Village Reform Democratic Club, owns a condo in Morton Square, though she lives elsewhere in the Village. She couldn’t really explain the results for the red anomaly by the river.

“Maybe Lhota had a contact over there,” she speculated. “I would think over there would be Democrat.”

Some locals declared that Lhota’s win in the 70th E.D. was backlash over Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s ap-

proval of the new megagarage at Spring and Washington Sts. for three districts’ worth of Sanitation Department garbage trucks.

“There’s been some change in the neighborhood. There’s been some new people,” acknowledged Eli Hausknecht, the wife of former Democratic District Leader David Reck. However, she added, “I wonder if there was some reaction to the Sanitation garage. That was an issue down here. It will continue to be an issue until it’s done.”

As she spoke recently while standing outside the door of her Greenwich St. home, Spring St. nearby was snarled with construction work. It’s for a steam pipe that is being extended to the new Sanitation garage. Posted prominently inside the front window of her and Reck’s home were campaign signs for de Blasio and Councilmember-elect Corey Johnson.

Similarly, Victoria Faust, an artist who lives at 533 Canal St., and Martin Sheridan, the owner of the Ear Inn bar and restaurant, just east of the Urban Glass House, both felt the 70th E.D. result was tied to the hated garage project.

“Look at the Urban Glass House — they really got screwed,” Faust said.

“Christine Quinn got slapped [in the primary] — I’m so glad.”

And yet, the neighborhood’s complexion is changing, as well, she noted.

“It’s an interesting area,” she said, adding, “I mean, I’m eventually going to move. Because all these wealthy people...the neighborhood’s really changed.

Thank God for the Ear Inn, it still has a community feeling to it. But not much anymore, because people who are buying all these things, they’re just buying them for investment — we call them ‘black houses.’ They come in once in a while, they’re not involved in the community at all.”

Sheridan, who described himself as not just a Democrat, but a socialist, said he shunned the polls this year because of his anger over the garage project. He lives just outside the 70th E.D. “Quinn pissed so many people off down here in the political world — and that carried on against de Blasio,” he explained. “They didn’t vote ‘blue’ because they were pissed off at Quinn.”

For his part, Tony Hoffmann, president of the Village Independent Democrats club, didn’t make much of the one small district going red.

“I joined V.I.D. in 1976,” he said. “As long as I’ve been involved in politics, I’ve heard, ‘The Village is changing. The Village is getting more conservative.’

But it’s not changing.

“Maybe it’s self-selection,” he said.

“The people that live in the Village, as opposed to the Upper East Side, are more liberal.”

TheVillager.com

Blogger blows the lid off hot dog purge in the park CONSERVANCY, continued from p. 1

TheVillager.com

PHOTO BY PASHA FARMANARA

and Parks officials subsequently publicly pledged that the conservancy expressly would not do.

In June, after what many felt was an overly rushed process lacking sufficient vetting, C.B. 2 voted 31 to 13 to recommend approval of the conservancy.

One of the key provisions of the community board’s resolution stated: “[Manhattan Borough] Commissioner William Castro of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation confirmed that W.S.P.C. [the conservancy] will have no formal agreement with Parks — neither License Agreement, Memorandum of Understanding, nor Contract — now or in the future, and that Parks will maintain its authority and operational jurisdiction over W.S.P. [the park].”

However, Swan said that two months earlier, Gwen Evans, a founding member of the conservancy, had e-mailed a Parks official, stating, “We look forward to agreeing [to] a license agreement with the City. Please send us a proposed draft. We will make sure that the [conservancy’s] bylaws are changed before the license agreement is executed, so that should not be a concern.”

As for the vendors, they were recently repositioned from the north and south sides of the fountain plaza to its east and west sides, so as not to “block views” of the arch and fountain. In addition, Swan noted, the hot dog and creamsicle vendors will be replaced by a cart for Melt, a fancy ice cream bar she said costs $5.

Swan also charged that New York University is funneling $500,000 directly into the conservancy’s coffers.

Furthermore, the blogger added, the new group is spearheading a French film festival for the park.

Swan also reported that the group has four new board members, including restaurateur Mario Batali.

But conservancy members and the Parks Department were quick to refute the blogger’s assertions.

Phil Abramson, a Parks spokesperson, told The Villager in an e-mail on Nov. 26, “What we have been saying all along is true: The Parks Department operates and makes all decisions related to the operation of Washington Square Park, not the conservancy.”

Last Sunday, the New York Post reported that the two hot dog vendors will be booted from the park by the end of this month. The Post quoted Batali saying some neighbors had felt the frankfurter carts were “unsightly.” The tabloid noted that Batali’s gelato cart, though, will continue to operate in the park.

However, the Parks spokesperson maintained that the conservancy is not the primary party behind the hot dog purge.

“Since the first phase of the park’s renovations opened in 2009, and we placed food carts in the fountain area,” he said, “we have received calls and inquiries from the community regarding the carts interfering with

There was one hot dog vendor in Washington Square Park this Wednesday. He said he didn’t speak English, and declined to be in the photo.

The Parks Department plans to move the hot dog carts out of the park by the end of this month.

views of the fountain and arch. At that time, we reduced the number of carts, and we have repositioned them from time to time, years before the formation of the conservancy. The Parks Department routinely repositions food carts in our parks.”

Abramson added that the New York Dosa cart will continue to operate in the park’s southwest corner, and that Batali’s Carozza Gelato cart will also remain in the park.

“In the spring, the park will welcome Melt, in its eastern end, specializing in ice cream cookie sandwiches,” he added. “The cost of the cookies will be $4 — not $5 — and they are nicely sized. This is part of a broader initiative that has been in place since 2008 at parks throughout New York City, to move beyond the standard hot dog carts, and bring a more diverse selection of food choices to New Yorkers.”

Abramson said that N.Y.U., in fact, has not contributed half a million dollars to the conservancy. It is known that the university has set aside this amount of money, though, with the intention of contributing it to the park.

“N.Y.U. has not made any additional contributions to the park at this time,” he said.

“However, if N.Y.U. does decide to make a new donation for Washington Square Park, it would be directed to the Parks Department, through a fund for the park set up by the City Parks Foundation.”

As for Evans’s e-mail regarding a licensing agreement between the conservancy and Parks, the spokesperson said, “We are not working on any license agreement with the conservancy. The Parks Department will continue managing Washington Square Park.”

Regarding the French film series, he said, the park has already been hosting one the past several summers.

“If the conservancy is interested in hosting a potential film series in the park,” he added, “we think this would be a good idea that we

would be interested in reviewing. It is in line with the conservancy’s aim to provide programming at the park.”

Yet another concern of park watchdogs is that the conservancy’s bylaws be made public. Abramson said the new group has told

Parks that its bylaws are being made available to C.B. 2, and to anyone who requests to see them.

In addition, during a phone interview CONSERVANCY, continued on p. 27

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POLICE BLOTTER L.E.S. rapist sentenced Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, Jr. on Dec. 4 announced the sentencing of Kevin King, 27, to 25 years in state prison and 20 years of post-release supervision for raping a woman in the stairwell of a New York City Housing Authority building on the Lower East Side in 2012.

Last month, King pleaded guilty in State Supreme Court to rape in the first degree.

In his plea, King, a Queens resident, admitted that at around 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 8, 2012, he followed a woman into the elevator of a Lower East Side NYCHA development.

When she exited the elevator on an upper floor, he dragged her into a stairwell, choked her nearly unconscious, and then sexually assaulted her. He stole the victim’s ID and credit cards, and used the latter to make purchases at a pet store. The victim sustained serious injuries from the attack.

Mugging trio Police are searching for three suspects who allegedly attacked and stole property from a man as he was leaving his Lower East Side home on Nov. 23.

ing the welfare of a child, reckless endangerment, assault and attempted assault.

Fragile relationship

Police surveillance images of the three suspects in a Nov. 23 mugging in a lobby entrance at Henry and Clinton Sts.

The victim, 45, was exiting an elevator in his building near the corner of Henry and Clinton Sts., around 11:15 p.m., when he was grabbed from behind and choked by an unknown man, police said. Another man and a woman then reportedly teamed up to steal items from the victim’s pockets, after which all three suspects fled.

Whole Foods swindler Police arrested Andre Small, 22, on Dec. 2 after he allegedly swindled his Union Square employer out of nearly $2,000 over more than a month.

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Small worked for the Whole Foods Market at 40 E. 14th St., and was apparently caught forging catering orders and processing money from the fake orders directly into his personal bank account, police said. The supermarket’s manager told cops that the alleged criminal activity went on from Oct. 7 to Nov. 30, and he reported the details to authorities on Dec. 2 after discovering the bogus orders.

Small was charged with grand larceny.

Grope ’n’ glass throw Olufemi Odunuga, 33, was arrested on Nov. 30 after he groped a woman and attacked a man in a South Village bar, police said.

Odunuga was in Falucka Lounge, at 162 Bleecker St., around 3:15 a.m. when the woman, 28, claimed he grabbed and squeezed her butt. After some dispute, the alleged pervert then threw a glass at a man, 36, which shattered on his forehead and left a threeinch cut, police said. The victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital and received stitches.

Police quickly responded to a call from the bar’s staff and apprehended Odunuga at the scene. He was charged with assault, forcible touching and sexual abuse.

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December 5, 2013

Police arrested Luis Gonzalez, 50, on Nov. 29 after he accidentally fired a rifle into the ceiling of a Lower East Side public housing residence, which left his grandson injured by falling debris.

Gonzalez, who lives Upstate, was visiting relatives at the Jackson St. building in the Vladeck Houses, when the gun discharged around 10:40 a.m., police said.

The 4-year-old boy was struck by pieces of metal that fell from the ceiling, and was later treated at New York Presbyterian / Lower Manhattan Hospital for minor cuts.

Gonzalez was charged with endanger-

Janise Germosen, 25, was arrested Nov. 27 after allegedly smashing a bottle over her boyfriend’s head while the couple were arguing in a West Village restaurant.

The victim told cops that he and Germosen were sitting in Bread, at 450 Hudson St., around 10:30 p.m. when the dispute began. He claimed that Germosen suddenly grabbed the glass bottle and broke it on the back of his head, leaving him with a cut that required stitches from emergency medics who responded to the scene once the incident was reported to police.

Germosen was charged with assault.

Soho shoplifters Two thieves snatched pricey handbags off the racks of Soho outlets last week, but only one got away with it, police said.

On Nov. 27, an employee of Legacy, at 109 Thompson St., told officers that an unknown person walked into the store around 5 p.m. and made off with a $4,500 purse. The employee couldn’t provide a description of the shoplifter because, she said, there was a lot of foot traffic in the busy store, and she couldn’t get a good look at the perpetrator.

That same day, police arrested Daniel Cedeno, 50, for allegedly stealing a $1,500 bag from Ralph Lauren, at 109 Prince St., two days earlier on the afternoon of Nov. 25. Although Cedeno eluded store employees on the day of the crime, he was identified through video surveillance footage, police said.

Lost focus…lost camera A man’s camera equipment was stolen from right under his nose — or in this case, his stool — at a South Village coffee spot on Dec. 1, police said.

The 23-year-old victim told police he was sipping joe and charging his phone inside Aroma Espresso Bar, at Greene and W. Houston Sts., around 6 p.m. when he set his camera bag on the ground beside his stool. Minutes later, he realized the bag — containing two cameras and lenses worth nearly $2,000, plus his wallet — was gone. The man said he never spotted the thief, so couldn’t provide a description.

Sam Spokony and Jefferson Siegel

TheVillager.com

Choose a ‘Carol’ that fits your bill Short, solo and musical takes on a much-told tale

BY SCOTT STIFFLER

“A CHRISTMAS CAROL” AT THE MERCHANT’S HOUSE MUSEUM PHOTO COURTESY OF NEW YORK CLASSICAL THEATRE

S

econd only to Shakespeare when it comes to inspiring liberal (often horrendous) adaptations, there really is no excuse for going rogue on Charles Dickens’ beautifully structured tale of Ebenezer Scrooge’s overnight conversion from stingy misanthrope to kind and generous soul.

Mr. Magoo and Alastair Sim did very well by the source material, while Fred Flintstone and Kelsey Grammer dropped the ball. As for 2013’s bumper crop of NYC stage productions vying for your hardearned shillings (and their own place in the cannon of “Carol” lore), three Downtown takes on the Dickens classic caught our attention. Let’s all make a Christmas wish and hope they’re more holly than humbug.

Limited time and space — but NY Classical Theatre’s two-person “Christmas Carol” gets the job done.

NEW YORK CLASSICAL THEATRE’S “A (15-MIN!) CHRISTMAS CAROL”

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PHOTO COURTESY OF NEW YORK CLASSICAL THEATRE

The George C. Scott 1984 TV movie version is so long and torturous, it was still playing as we went to press. So it comes as a tremendous relief to hear that New York Classical Theatre (whose summertime production of “The Tempest” roamed Battery Park) is bringing back their brief, but loyal, two-person version of the often-overlong holiday favorite.

Brevity and wit are on the menu of “A (15-Min!) Christmas Carol,” in which Scrooge will act rotten, see ghosts and change his ways — all before you can finish your lunchtime sandwich.

Free. At 12:30 & 1:15pm, Dec. 10-12, at One Liberty Plaza (meet by the cafe tables). Also, at 12:30 & 1:15pm, Dec. 18-20, at Brookfield Place (220 Vessey St. — meet by the Winter Garden escalators). For more info, visit brookfieldplaceny.com/15minCC and newyorkclassical.org.

Scrooge goes from grump to goose-buyer, in 15 minutes.

Built a full 11 years before Ebenezer Scrooge first saw the light of day on the printed page, the 1832 red-brick and white-marble row house on East Fourth Street — now known as The Merchant’s House Museum — has period credibility to burn.

Back in 2011, Kevin Jones began to develop his intimate, one-man “Carol” with the goal of performing it in people’s homes during the holiday season.

He’ll be doing that, in a very real sense, when he brings the Summoners Ensemble Theatre production to the Greek revival double parlor that has long served as the social center of Merchant’s House.

Home to the prosperous Tredwell family for nearly a century, it survives today as New York City’s only family home preserved intact from the 19th century. Sitting among the Tredwell family’s furnishings and personal possessions, it’s natural to feel as if you’re helping to write a chapter in the house’s living (and dead) history. Since opening as a museum, dozens of visitors have reported seeing, hearing and sensing long-dead family members, servants and caretakers.

Jones’ production is acutely aware of the fact that audiences will be experiencing a classic holiday ghost story told in what the New York Times has declared to be “Manhattan’s Most Haunted House.”

Additional resonance comes from the production’s unique connection to its author. Jones notes that this solo show “is my adaptation, taken directly from Dickens’ personally edited performance version of his work — although I did dip DICKENS, continued on p.18

December 5, 2013

17

Dickens gets his Downtown due

PHOTO BY KELLY MARSH

The Ghost of Christmas Present, and Scrooge, from the Literally Alive production of…you know.

Surrounded by ghosts of the past: Kevin Jones’ solo show takes place in “Manhattan’s Most Haunted House.”

DICKENS, continued from p. 17

back into the novella itself to add back a plot point or two that I consider to have particular relevance to today’s audience, such as how timely Dickens’ works still are today given the disparity between the very wealthy and…well, the rest of

us.”

Wed., Dec. 11–Sat., Dec. 14 and Tues., Dec. 17–Fri., Dec. 20. Regular performances, 7:30pm. At Merchant’s House Museum (29 E. Fourth St., btw. Lafayette& Bowery). For info, visit summonersensemble.org and merchantshouse.org. Tickets are $37.50, except for the 7pm Dec. 12 performance, benefitting Merchant’s House ($100 for performance and holiday reception, $150 also includes a oneyear membership to the Merchant’s House Museum). For reservations (strongly recommended due to limited seating), call 800-8383066 or visit christmascarolnyc.bpt.me.

reassuring to know that Michael Sgouros and Brenda Bell’s “Carol” scored a 2010 “Best Musical” Innovative Theatre Award. This lively musical adaptation is from Literally Alive (the children’s the-

atre company-in-residence, at Players Theatre).

Although it takes you through all of the familiar narrative paces, there will be no traumatic frights in this production — just a cautionary journey that plays up Scrooge’s clear choice between living forever as a friendless miser and saving his soul by embracing the holiday spirit.

Appropriate for all ages, recommended for five and up. Through December 30.

Thurs. & Fri. at 7pm, Sat. at 11am & 2pm and Sun., at 11am (family workshop one hour prior to 11am performances). Additional holiday shows: Dec. 27 at 3pm/5pm, Dec. 29 at 11am & 2pm and Dec. 30 at 2pm. No show Dec. 8. At The Players Theatre (115 MacDougal St., btw. Third & Bleecker Sts.). For tickets ($25-$45), call 866-811-4111 or visit ovationtix.com. Ticket price includes pre-show arts workshop at 11a family matinee on Sat & Sun. For info, visit scroogeinthevillage.com. Also visit literallyalive.com.

LITERALLY ALIVE CHILDREN’S THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS “A CHRISTMAS CAROL, THE MUSICAL”

Silent and draped in black, that Ghost of Christmas Future has been known to give grown adults nightmares that rival those of old Ebenezer himself. So it’s

PHOTO BY KELLY MARSH

The Ghost of Christmas Future is plenty imposing, but Literally Alive’s family-friendly musical won’t give the kids nightmares.

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December 5, 2013

TheVillager.com

Double pleasure An accessible, giddy spin on a pair of Shakespeare classics

THEATER RICHARD III & TWELFTH NIGHT In repertory, through Feb. 16 At the Belasco Theatre 111 W. 44th St. (btw. Broadway & Sixth) Tickets: $25-$137 Call 212-239-6200 or visit telecharge.com For a schedule, visit shakespearebroadway.com Twitter: @ShakespeareBway Facebook: Shakespeare on Broadway

BY DAVID KENNERLEY

I

n recent months, New York has produced a head-scratching array of shaken-up Shakespeare. A “Macbeth” set in an insane asylum featuring a single actor playing every role. A hunky Romeo in torn jeans riding a motorcycle. A “Julius Caesar” staged in a high-security women’s prison.

Just to name a few.

But before you lump in the all-male “Richard III” and “Twelfth Night,” now playing in repertory at the Belasco Theatre, with the others, remember: that’s how the works were staged in Shakespeare’s day.

In fact, the many flourishes in these eloquent Shakespeare’s Globe productions, imported from London’s West End under the expert guidance of Tim Carroll, are not gim-

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Good thing nobody bothered to inform British thespian Mark Rylance, for he plays the vengeful megalomaniac with a wry, devilish twist that extracts fresh bursts of comic flavor from the tragic narrative.

“Murder her brothers, and then marry her. Uncertain way of gain,” he quips, eliciting a peal of laughter from the audience. Rylance supplies Richard with the occasional manic giggle that makes his misdeeds all the more chilling.

Within this Richard, a heart does beat beneath the treachery and bombast, and his motivations are laid bare early on. A hunchback with a hideously deformed left arm, he is a misfit bullied all his life.

His lust for power is only surpassed by his hunger for revenge.

Of course, we have seen magnificent scoundrels from Rylance before, like Johnny Byron in “Jerusalem” and Valere in “La Bête.” But seeing him put his tour-de-force stamp on such a dramatic icon is one of the highlights of this Broadway season. The former artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London has appeared in more than 50 productions of plays by the Bard and his contemporaries.

Rylance is supported by a top-notch company that includes Angus Wright as the

Duke of Buckingham, Joseph Timms as the reticent and doomed Lady Anne, Samuel Barnett as the seething Queen Elizabeth, and Kurt Egyiawan, who doubles as the Duchess of York and Richard’s foe, Richmond.

Comedy is catapulted to new heights of delirium in “Twelfth Night.” This knotty romp — featuring a young woman named Viola who dresses as a man to broker a love connection between the Duke of Orsino (Liam Brennan) and Lady Olivia — is even more delectable with a male actor (the gifted Barnett) in the role.

And while Rylance is sublime as the lovestruck Olivia, he’s in plenty good company.

As the boozy, buffoonish knight, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Wright manages to be even more entertaining than the Fool (Peter Hamilton Dyer). Paul Chahidi brings a brash charm to the officious Maria, Olivia’s conniving chambermaid.

If this back-to-basics Bard ramps up the authenticity, it also enhances the intimacy and emotional impact. Besides soliloquies directed to the audience, occasionally actors interact with individual theatergoers.

Somehow, we feel as if we are conspiring with the company, not simply being entertained by it. The effect is both disarmingly accessible and transporting.

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micks at all. Rather, they’re an earnest effort to restore the works to their original experience. The results are no less than astonishing.

In addition to all parts being portrayed by men (plastered with beautifully spooky white makeup), the score is performed live by a small band playing Renaissance-era instruments in a gallery above the stage. This may well be the first time a shawm, recorder, lute, rauschpfeife, and sackbut have been showcased on Broadway. Lighting is chiefly provided by scores of wax candles in enormous chandeliers.

In perhaps a nod to the immersive theater trend invading New York these days, upon entering you can observe actors onstage conducting the ritual of putting on their costumes and makeup. The period-perfect costumes, hand-stitched using only materials available in the late 16th century, are breathtaking and well-deserving of the pre-show showcase. One night, I saw awestruck audience members being allowed to touch an actor’s sumptuous silk robes.

Two galleries flank the stage where lucky theatergoers can witness the proceedings up close and become, in effect, part of the show. The backdrop is a replica of a carved oaken screen found in an Oxford University hall, where the Bard’s works were often performed. Aside from an occasional chair, bench, table, or casket, there is no scenery, allowing the rich dialogue room to breathe. Jenny Tiramani is credited as production designer.

“Richard III” has long been hailed as one of Shakespeare’s great historical tragedies.

After all, the power-crazed Duke of Gloucester leaves a bloody trail of corpses, including sundry lords, ladies, brothers, and nephews, in his path to the throne as King Richard III of England.

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Yule be swell

PHOTO BY WAYNE VALZANIA

PHOTO BY KEN HOWARD

You would even say it glows: The Washington Square Park Christmas Tree lighting ceremony happens at 6pm on Dec. 11.

BY SCOTT STIFFLER

It’s been standing tall and looking good since arriving at 4am on Monday — but

the time comes to throw the switch, Santa Claus will lead the children in an illumination countdown. Then, on Christmas Eve (at 5pm), those complimentary songbooks make another appearance, along with the Brass Quartet — as revelers fill the park with musical sentiments of peace on earth and goodwill to all.

Both events happen at the Washington Square Park Arch (at the foot of Fifth Ave., one block south of Eighth St.). The Washington Square Park Christmas Tree is lit from 4pm-1am daily, through the season. For info, call 212-252-3621 or visit washingtonsquarenyc.org.

WEST VILLAGE CHORALE’S ANNUAL OPEN SING OF HANDEL’S “MESSIAH”

If you’re the type who’s been humming seasonal tunes since taking down the Halloween decorations, this annual event from the West Village Chorale confirms that you’re by no means alone. On Sunday afternoon, dozens of kindred spirits will raise their voices to sing as one — filling the atmospheric sanctuary of Judson Memorial Church with a joyful rendition of Handel’s “Messiah.” You bring the vocal cords and the desire to make new friends. Scores, piano accompaniment and intermission refreshments will be provided.

Sun., Dec. 8, at 3pm. At Judson Memorial Church (55 Washington Square South, at Thompson St.). General admission: $15 ($10 for students/seniors). For info, call 212-5171776 or visit westvillagechorale.org.

ARC’s HOLIDAY RECORD & CD SALE

If Noah had a surplus sale — and if his ark gathered the popular music of all cultures and races instead of all creatures great and small — the scene might resemble what goes down at Tribeca’s ARChive of Contemporary

20

December 5, 2013

IMAGE COURTESY OF ARCHIVE OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

WASHINGTON SQUARE TREE LIGHTING AND CAROLING

you’ll have to wait until 6pm on December 11 to see the Washington Square Park Christmas Tree in all its spruced up glory. That’s when the lights on this 45-foot-tall Vermonter will first begin to sparkle and shine. To mark that occasion, the Rob Susman Brass Quartet will accompany the crowd in the singing of holiday songs (with lyric sheets provided by The Washington Square Association). When

Help raise the roof of Judson Memorial Church on Dec. 8, when Michael Conley conducts the West Village Chorale’s annual open “Messiah” sing.

They take two, and then sell the rest to you: ARChive of Contemporary Music’s surplus is up for grabs, Dec. 7-15.

Music every December. More than 250,000 recordings are donated to the not-for-profit music library and research center annually.

They keep two of each, and then sell off all remaining copies. The desperate need of these purpose-driven hoarders to create more shelf space means your own collection can grow to include any number of over 25,000 LPs, 45s, CDs, cassettes, books, posters, magazines, VHS tapes and DVDs that are up for grabs.

Standouts from this year’s sale include a collection of punk/new wave 45s and a special Lou Reed section. Not a music lover? Then peruse the vintage flea market and yard sale.

Join ARC as a member, and you’ll score an invite to their December 5 pre-sale party (with food, drink, early shopping and spirited discussion with fellow enthusiasts).

Sat., Dec. 7 through Sun., Dec. 15, 11am6pm daily. At the ARChive of Contemporary Music (54 White St., btw. Broadway & Church St.). Visit arcmusic.org, call 212-2266967 or send email to info@arcmusic.org.

YULE, continued on p.21

TheVillager.com

Holiday essentials

PHOTO BY CHRIS KREUSSLING (FLATBUSH GARDNER)

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

“Shadow of David,” by Diana Sierra — who’ll be among those with products on display (and available for purchase), at Dec. 9’s Female Makers Holiday Market.

YULE, continued from p. 20

FEMALE MAKERS HOLIDAY MARKET: BRINGING WOMEN IN TECH TOGETHER

CANDLELIGHT CAROL SERVICE

The nondenominational Chelsea Community Church’s 39th Annual Candlelight Carol Service provides ample opportunity for spiritual reflection, plus music and a literary from St. Nick. Under the direction of Larry J. Long, the choir will perform music from early German Baroque to early American shape-note to gospel (including “And the Glory of the Lord” from Messiah by George Frederic Handel, the familiar Basque carol “The Angel Gabriel” and David von Kampen’s jazzy take on the traditional Austrian carol “Still, still, still.” Organist Christopher

TheVillager.com

PHOTO BY RAFAEL INFANTE

People of all genders and levels of technical ability are welcome to attend New York City’s first–ever holiday market designed to spotlight female creators and innovators. This fun combination of shopping, product testing, expert advice and shared stories serves as a platform to connect woman entrepreneurs with professionals. In the “Expert’s Room,” tech business leaders (including Flexcel Networks CEO Sophie Wade) will answer questions about funding, creating and selling products. An array of tech and non-tech goods made by NY companies founded and run by women will be available for purchase — including chic, sustainable artisan jewelry from Brooklyn’s Judi Powers, global handcrafts by Parcel & Journey industrial designs byDiana Sierra. Gift-wrapping will be provided, upon making a donation to the Lower Eastside Girls Club — whose members will need no hard sell to move their supply of Gingerbread Brownstone cookies.

Mon., Dec. 9, from 7-9pm. Presented by Tekserve, NY Tech Meetup and Plum Alley. At Tekserve (119 W. 23rd St., btw. Sixth & Seventh Aves.). Tickets are free, but event registration is required (do so at eventbrite.com). For info on the event sponsors, visit meetup.com, nytm.org, plumalley.co. and tekserve.com.

From 2012: Larry Long directs the Chelsea Community Church Candlelight Carol Service choir. The annual service happens this year on Dec. 15.

Get out for the holidays: The Youth Pride Chorus sings pop and seasonal tunes, in their Dec. 7 concert.

Houlihan, (“dazzling,” according to the Wall Street Journal) will accompany. Actress Jeanne Ruskin will read Clement Clarke Moore’s famous poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas” — in the church that stands on the very land that was part of Moore’s estate.

Sun., Dec. 15, at 6pm. At St. Peter’s Church (346 W. 20th St., btw. Eighth & Ninth Aves.). Free (offerings accepted). For info, call 212-886-5463 or visit chelseachurch.org.

YOUTH PRIDE CHORUS

With all due respect to Lady Gaga and the Muppets, this may be the tune-filled holiday spectacular we’ve

been waiting for. Yes, Gaga had Elton John and Joseph Gordon-Levitt on her Thanksgiving special — but the out and proud singers of Youth Pride Chorus have the visionary post-religious gospel stylings of Our Lady J and the fierce physicality of youth dance troupe New Agenda. Comprised of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight youth ages 13-22, YPC will tear up the stage with their own formidable set list of pop hits (plus a few electrifyingly queer takes on classic holiday tunes).

Sat., Dec. 7, at 6 & 8pm. At The Kitchen (512 W. 19th St., btw. 10th & 11th Aves.). For tickets ($20-$45), visit youthpridechorus.org.

December 5, 2013

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NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a restaurant wine license, #TBA has been applied for by No Moore Oysters & Maritime LLC d/b/a Smith & Mills to sell beer and wine at retail in an on premises establishment. For on premises consumption under the ABC law at 137 Sullivan St New York NY 10012.

Vil: 12/05 - 12/12/2013 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an on-premise license, #TBA has been applied for

by Alegre Orchard LLC d/b/a Alegre to sell beer, wine and liquor at retail in an on premises establishment. For on premises consumption under the ABC law at 146 Orchard Street New York NY 10002.

Vil: 12/05 - 12/12/2013 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF UNIVET OPTICAL TECHNOLOGIES NORTH AMERICA LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/15/13. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 1745 Broadway, 17th Fl., NY, NY 10019. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o BCRA CO., Attn: Shelley Clifford, 161 N. Clark St., Ste. 4300, Chicago, IL 60603. Purpose: Distribution of dental devices.

Vil: 12/05 - 01/09/2014 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF TWO TWO FOUR WEST 18, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/19/13. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Fitapelli Kurta, 475 Park Ave. South, 12th Fl., NY, NY 10016. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Vil: 12/05 - 01/09/2014 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF 22 BEAVER ST LLC Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 11/19/2013. Office location: 22 Beaver St, NY, NY County.

SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. The address to which SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC is to: 22 Beaver St LLC, 3430 208th Street, Bayside, NY 11361. Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity.

Vil: 12/05 - 01/09/2014 LIBERTY ENDO, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/22/2013. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 535 Fifth Ave. 4th Fl, NY, NY 10017. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

Vil: 12/05 - 01/09/2014

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF BGCH ALEMBIC LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/21/13. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o Alembic Community Development, 11 Hanover Square, #701, New York, NY 10005. Purpose: any lawful activity.

Vil: 12/05 - 01/09/2014

PAULSON RECOVERY FUND II LP Authority filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/23/13. Office location: NY Co. LP formed in Delaware (DE) on 9/25/13. SSNY designated as agent of LP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to The LP 1251 Ave of the Americas New York, NY 10020. DE address of LP:

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF BGCH APARTMENTS MM LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/21/13. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o Alembic Community Development, 11 Hanover Square, #701, New York, NY 10005. Purpose: any lawful activity.

Vil: 12/05 - 01/09/2014

1209 Orange ST Wilmington,

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an on-premise license, #TBA has been applied for byThe House of Health, Healing and Happiness Inc. d/b/a Caravan of Dreams to sell beer, wine and liquor at retail in an on premises establishment. For on premises consumption under the ABC law at 405 East 6th Street New York NY 10009.

Vil: 11/28 - 12/05/2013

process against it may be

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an on premises license, #TBA has been applied for by TodosMex, LLC d/b/a Pinche Taqueria to sell beer, wine and liquor at retail in an on premises establishment. For on premises consumption under the ABC law at 103 W. 14th Street New York NY 10011.

Vil: 11/28 - 12/05/2013 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an on premises license, #TBA has been applied for by Azasu Inc. d/b/a Azasu to sell beer, wine and liquor at retail in an on premises establishment. For on premises consumption under the ABC law at 49 Clinton Street New York NY 10002.

Vil: 11/28 - 12/05/2013 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a license, number #1273879 for on-premise liquor has been applied for by the undersigned to sell beer, liquor and wine at retail in a restaurant establishment under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 229 Dyckman Street, New York, NY 10034 for on premises consumption.

Maja’s Tapas Restaurant Bar Inc. Vil: 11/28 - 12/05/2013

December 5, 2013

DE 19801. Arts. Of Org. filed with DE Secy. of State, PO Box 898 Dover, DE 19903.

Purpose: any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/28 - 01/02/2014 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF CO3 FINE ARTS, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/23/13. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o Cahill Partners LLP, 70 W. 40th St., New York, NY 10018. Purpose: any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/28 - 01/02/2014 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF CHELSEA COLLABORATIVE MEDICAL CARE, PLLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/13/13. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 455 W. 37th St., Apt. 2207, New York, NY 10018.

Purpose: practice the profession of medicine.

Vil: 11/28 - 01/02/2014 NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF CINEREACH FELLOWSHIPS PSC, LLC Authority filed with NY Dept. of State on 10/23/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in DE on 10/23/13.

NY Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to the principal business addr.: c/o The Manhattan Family Office, 405 Lexington Ave., 43rd Fl., NY, NY 10174.

DEaddr. of LLC: c/o National Corporate Research, Ltd. 615 S. Dupont Hwy., Dover, DE 19901. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Sec. of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901.

Purpose: any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/28 - 01/02/2014

NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF NEPU LLC Authority filed with NY Dept. of State on 10/24/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in DE on 8/22/13.

NY Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: c/o CT Corporation System, 111 8th Ave., NY, NY 10011, regd. agent upon whom process may be served. DE address of LLC: 1209 Orange St., Wilmington, DE 19801. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Sec. of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901.

Purpose: all lawful purposes.

Vil: 11/28 - 01/02/2014 NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF TECH OPPORTUNITIES LLC Authority filed with NY Dept. of State on 11/8/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in DE on 11/4/13.

NY Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: 777 Third Ave., 30th Fl., NY, NY 10017, principal business address. DE address of LLC: 615 S. DuPont Hwy., Dover, DE 19901. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Sec. of State, P.O. Box 898, Dover, DE 19903. Purpose: all lawful purposes.

Vil: 11/28 - 01/02/2014 NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF WATERMAN 400 PARK JV LLC Authority filed with NY Dept. of State on 10/21/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in DE on 10/18/13.

NY Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: CT Corporation System, 111 8th Ave., NY, NY 10011. DE address of LLC:The Corporation Trust Co., 1209 Orange St., Wilmington, DE 19801. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Sec. of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901.

Purpose: all lawful purposes.

Vil: 11/28 - 01/02/2014 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF DOORBROOK LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/22/13. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 410 E. 57th St., 10th Fl., New York, NY 10022. Purpose: investments.

Vil: 11/28 - 01/02/2014 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF CAHOKIA LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/14/13. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Wolf Family Management Company, LLC, 700 Louisiana, Ste. 1100, Houston, TX 77002. Purpose: any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/28 - 01/02/2014

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF GGR MADISON LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/20/13. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o BCRA CO., Attn: Shelley Clifford, 161 N. Clark St., Ste. 4300, Chicago, IL 60603. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/28 - 01/02/2014 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF WORLD FOODS AND FLAVORS USA LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/22/13. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Gleason & Koatz, LLP, 122 E. 42nd St., Ste. 518, New York, NY 10168. Purpose: any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/28 - 01/02/2014 NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF ARC FDCCSNY001, LLC Authority filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/12/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 05/23/13. Princ. office of LLC: 106 York Rd., Jenkintown, PA 19046. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o CSC, 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207.

DE addr. of LLC: 2711 Centerville Rd., Ste. 400, Wilmington, DE 19808. Arts. of Org. filed with DE Secy. of State, Div. of Corps., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901.

Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013 NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF ARC DBPORBR001, LLC Authority filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/13/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 11/12/13. Princ. office of LLC: 106 York Rd., Jenkintown, PA 19046. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o CSC, 80 State St., 6th Fl., Albany, NY 12207. DE addr. of LLC: 2711 Centerville Rd., Ste. 400, Wilmington, DE 19808. Arts. of Org. filed with DE Secy. of State, Div. of Corps., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013

NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF BOP ONE NORTH END LANDLORD LLC Authority filed with NY Dept. of State on 11/19/13. Office location: NY County. Princ. bus. addr.: 250 Vesey St., 15th Fl., New York, NY 10281. LLC formed in DE on 11/05/2013.

NY Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: c/o Corporation Service Company, 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543, regd. agent upon whom process may be served. DE addr. of LLC: 2711 Centerville Rd., Ste. 400, Wilmington, DE 19808.

Cert. of Form. filed with DE Sec. of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: all lawful purposes.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013 NOTICE: The name of the foreign Limited Liability Company is AHR ENTERPRISES LLC. Applic. for Auth. filed with NYS Dept of State on 9/30/13.

Jurisdiction: Delaware & date of organization is 8/15/13.

Office location in NY State: NY County; street address - 255 Hudson Street, Apt. PHB, New York, NY 10013.

NY Sec. of State (SOS) is designated as agent of the LLC for service of process.

SOS to mail a copy of any process against LLC to c/o Anthony Heifara Rutgers, 255 Hudson Street, Apt. PHB, NewYork, NY 10013 within or without NY State. Address maintained in its jurisdiction is: Secretary of State, John G. Townsend Bldg, 401 Federal St. – Suite 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: any lawful act or activity which limited liability companies may be organized.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013 NOTICE: The name of the foreign Limited Liability Company is AZTECH MOUNTAIN LLC. Applic. for Auth. filed with NYS Dept of State on 10/1/13.

Jurisdiction: Delaware & date of organization is 8/15/13.

Office location in NY State: NY County; street address - 255 Hudson Street, Apt. PHB, New York, NY 10013.

NY Sec. of State (SOS) is designated as agent of the LLC for service of process.

SOS to mail a copy of any process against LLC to c/o Anthony Heifara Rutgers, 255 Hudson Street, Apt. PHB, NewYork, NY 10013 within or without NY State. Address maintained in its jurisdiction is: Secretary of State, John G. Townsend Bldg, 401 Federal St. – Suite 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: any lawful act or activity which limited liability companies may be organized.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013

NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF 136 GREENE LLC App. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) 11/1/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 11/27/12. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o Thor Equities, LLC, 25 W. 39th St., NY, NY 10018. DE address of LLC: c/o National Registered Agents, Inc., 160 Greentree Drive, Ste. 101, Dover, DE 19904. Arts. of Org. filed with DE Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901.

Purpose: any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF BOURNE & ZAKHEIM, LLP Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 08/06/13. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against the LLP may be served. The address to which SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLP is to: Bourne & Zakheim LLP, 733 THIRD AVENUE, New York, NY 10017. Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013

NOTICE OF QUAL. OF VALINOR CAPITAL PARTNERS SPV XIII, LLC Auth. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 5/17/13. Office loc.: NY County. LLC org. in DE 5/16/13. SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of proc. to Att: David Angstreich, 510 Madison Ave., 25th Fl., NY, NY 10022. DE off. addr.: CSC, 2711 Centerville Rd., Wilmington, DE 19808.

Cert. of Form. on file: SSDE, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purp.: any lawful activities.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013 NOTICE OF QUAL. OF VALINOR CAPITAL PARTNERS SPV XIV, LLC Auth. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 5/17/13. Office loc.: NY County. LLC org. in DE 5/16/13. SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of proc. to Att: David Angstreich, 510 Madison Ave., 25th Fl., NY, NY 10022. DE off. addr.: CSC, 2711 Centerville Rd., Wilmington, DE 19808.

Cert. of Form. on file: SSDE, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purp.: any lawful activities.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013

NOTICE OF QUAL. OF TWO SIGMA LUNA, LLC Auth. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 5/6/13. Office loc.: NY County. LLC org. in DE 5/3/13.

SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of proc. to Att: Matthew Siano, Esq., 100 Ave of the Americas, NY, NY 10013.

DE off. addr.: CSC, 2711 Centerville Rd., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. on file: SSDE, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purp.: any lawful activities.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013

NOTICE OF QUAL. OF VALINOR CAPITAL PARTNERS SPV XV, LLC Auth. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 5/17/13. Office loc.: NY County. LLC org. in DE 5/16/13. SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of proc. to Att: David Angstreich, 510 Madison Ave., 25th Fl., NY, NY 10022. DE off. addr.: CSC, 2711 Centerville Rd., Wilmington, DE 19808.

Cert. of Form. on file: SSDE, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purp.: any lawful activities.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013

NOTICE OF QUAL. OF TWO SIGMA HOLDINGS VC ACQUISITION FUND, LLC Auth. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 5/6/13. Office loc.: NY County. LLC org. in DE 5/3/13.

SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of proc. to Att: Matthew Siano, Esq., 100 Ave of the Americas, NY, NY 10013.

DE off. addr.: CSC, 2711 Centerville Rd., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. on file: SSDE, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purp.: any lawful activities.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013

NOTICE OF QUAL. OF VALINOR CAPITAL PARTNERS SPV XVI, LLC Auth. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 5/17/13. Office loc.: NY County. LLC org. in DE 5/16/13. SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of proc. to Att: David Angstreich, 510 Madison Ave., 25th Fl., NY, NY 10022. DE off. addr.: CSC, 2711 Centerville Rd., Wilmington, DE 19808.

Cert. of Form. on file: SSDE, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purp.: any lawful activities.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF FARMMAVEN LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/7/13. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: National Corporate Research, Ltd., 10 E. 40th St., 10th Fl., NY, NY 10016, the registered agent upon whom process may be served. Purpose: any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013 NOTICE OF REGISTRATION OF BUTLER SNOW LLP Authority filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/4/13. Office location: NY County. LLP registered in Delaware on 10/10/13. SSNY designated as agent of LLP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o Thomas E. Williams, 1020 Highland Colony Parkway, Ste. 1400, Ridgeland, MS 39157. Principal office of LLP: 1700 Broadway, 41st Fl., New York, NY 10019. Purpose: practice the profession of law.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF SDF64 MERMAID AVENUE LLC Arts. of Org. filed with NY Dept. of State on 11/4/13.

Office location: NY County.

Princ. bus. addr.: 825 3rd Ave., Fl 37, NY, NY 10022. Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: c/o CT Corporation System, 111 8th Ave., NY, NY 10011, regd. agent upon whom process may be served. Purpose: any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013 NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF PILLAR CAPITAL FINANCE LLC Authority filed with NY Dept. of State on 10/4/13. Office location: NY County. Princ. bus. addr.: 330 Madison Ave., NY, NY 10017. LLC formed in DE on 4/1/13. NY Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: c/o CT Corporation System, 111 8th Ave., NY, NY 10011. DE addr. of LLC: 1209 Orange St., Wilmington, DE 19801. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Sec. of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: all lawful purposes.

Vil: 11/21 - 12/26/2013

TheVillager.com

NOTICE OF CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORITY OF FOREXLIVE MEDIA LLC Certificate of Authority filed with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 11/8/2013. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. The address to which SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC is to: c/o Delaware Intercorp Inc., 113 Barksdale Professional Ctr., Newark, DE, 19113. Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity.

Vil: 11/14 - 12/19/2013 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF MANDER JEWELRY, LLC Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 07/15/13. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. The address to which SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC is to: Mander Jewelry LLC, 400 Convent Avenue #52, New York, NY 10031. Purpose:To engage in any lawful act or activity.

Vil: 11/14 - 12/19/2013 NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF 200 CAPTAINS NECK LANE LLC Authority filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/05/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 09/23/13. Princ. office of LLC: 681 5th Ave., 11th Fl., NY, NY 10022. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Apex Bulk Carriers LLC at the princ. office of the LLC. DE addr. of LLC: 2711 Centerville Rd., Ste. 400, Wilmington, DE 19808.

Arts. of Org. filed with DE Secy. of State, Div. of Corps., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/14 - 12/19/2013 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF 613 WEST 46, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/02/13. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: c/o Sanders Ortoli VaughnFlam Rosenstadt LLP, 501 Madison Ave., 14th Fl., NY, NY 10022. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Sanders Ortoli Vaugh-Flam Rosenstadt LLP, 501 Madison Ave., 14th Fl., NY, NY 10022. As amended

by Cert. of Correction filed with SSNY on 10/16/13, the process addr. is: c/o Sanders Ortoli Vaughn-Flam Rosenstadt LLP. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/14 - 12/19/2013

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF HUDSON TECH RESIDENTIAL LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/01/13. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 826 Broadway, 11th Fl., NY, NY 10003. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Hudson Companies at the princ. office of the LLC. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/14 - 12/19/2013 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF 175 W 137 ST LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/31/13. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: c/o Gerald Migdol, Esq., 223 W. 138th St., Ground Fl., NY, NY 10030. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/14 - 12/19/2013 NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF KAPLAN INTERNATIONAL NORTH AMERICA, LLC Authority filed with NY Dept. of State on 4/5/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in CA on 12/31/12. NY Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: c/o CT Corporation System, 111 8th Ave., NY, NY 10011, regd. agent upon whom process may be served. Principal office address: 1015 Windward Ridge Pkwy., Alpharetta, GA 30005. Cert. of Org. filed with CA Sec. of State, 1500 11th St., Sacramento, CA 95814. Purpose: all lawful purposes.

Vil: 11/14 - 12/19/2013 NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF KLEOS MANAGED SERVICES, L.P. Authority filed with NY Dept. of State on 9/12/13. Office location: NY County. Princ. bus. addr.: One Liberty Plaza, 49th Fl., NY, NY 10006. LP formed in DE on 3/31/04.

NY Sec. of State designated agent of LP upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: c/o CT Corporation System, 111 8th Ave., NY, NY 10011, regd. agent upon whom process may be served. DE addr. of LP: 1209 Orange St., Wilmington, DE 19801. Name/ addr. of genl. ptr. available from NY Sec. of State. Cert. of LP filed with DE Sec. of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: all lawful purposes.

Vil: 11/14 - 12/19/2013 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF MIV BLUE LLC Arts of Org filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/22/13. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to principal business address: 333 E 91st St APT 14C NY, NY 10128. Purpose: any lawful act. 2174399 w.o Vil: 11/07 - 12/12/2013

SCEC MANAGEMENT LLC Art. of org. filed with SSNY on 10/03/2013. office location: New York county. SSNY is designated agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail the process to: The LLC, � Edmond Cho CALAMO SILK INC 55 West 39th Street New York NY 10018.

Purpose: any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/07 - 12/12/2013 NOTICE OF QUAL. OF TOMS RE MANAGEMENT LLC Auth. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 9/11/13. Office loc.: NY County. LLC org. in DE 9/6/13. SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of proc. to c/o TOMS Capital, 450 W. 14th St., 13th Fl., NY, NY 10014. DE off. addr.: CSC, 2711 Centerville Rd., Wilmington, DE 19808.

Cert. of Form. on file: SSDE, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purp.: any lawful activities.

Vil: 11/07 - 12/12/2013 NOTICE OF QUAL. OF VALINOR CAPITAL PARTNERS SPV XI, LLC Auth. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 3/4/13. Office loc.: NY County. LLC org. in DE 2/28/13. SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of proc. to Att: David Angstreich, 510 Madison Ave., 25th Fl., NY, NY 10022. DE off. addr.: CSC, 2711 Centerville Rd., Wilmington, DE 19808.

Cert. of Form. on file: SSDE, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purp.: any lawful activities.

Vil: 11/07 - 12/12/2013 NOTICE OF CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORITY OF FXDD BULLION LLC Certificate of Authority filed with Secretary of State of NewYork (SSNY) on 10/28/13.

Office location: NY County.

SSNY has been designated as an agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. The address to which SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC is to: Delaware Intercorp Inc., 113 Barksdale Professional Ctr., Newark, DE, 19113. Purpose:To engage in any lawful act or activity.

Vil: 11/07 - 12/12/2013 LEVER AND BEAM MUSIC, LLC Art. Of Org. Filed Sec. of State of NY 08/22/2013. Off. Loc.: New York Co. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY to mail copy of process to The LLC, C/O Alexander Kadvan, 325 West 38Th St., Ste 1101, New York, NY 10018. Purpose: Any lawful act or activity.

Vil: 11/07 - 12/12/2013 THE VAGABOND TAPAS CAFE LLC Art. Of Org. Filed Sec. of State of NY 07/29/2013. Off. Loc.: New York Co. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY to mail copy of process to The LLC, 7 Cornelia Street, New York, NY 10014. Purpose: Any lawful act or activity Vil: 11/07 - 12/12/2013

NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF VIRGO PENN BUSINESS CENTERS LLC Authority filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/16/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 02/27/12. Princ. office of LLC: 225 W. 34th St., 9th Fl., NY, NY 10122.

SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served.

SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 575 Lexington Ave., 4th Fl., NY, NY 10022. DE addr. of LLC: Corporation Service Co., 2711 Centerville Rd., Ste. 400, Wilmington, DE 19808. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State, State of DE, Dept. of State, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. As amended by Cert. of Correction filed with SSNY on 10/22/13, name changed to VIRGO PENN BUSINESS CENTERS, LLC. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Vil: 11/07 - 12/12/2013 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF CPVT GROUP LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/7/13. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 381 Lenox Avenue, 1st Fl., NY, NY 10027.

Purpose: any lawful purpose.

Vil: 11/07 - 12/12/2013 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF DENT LLC Arts. of Org. filed with NY Dept. of State on 10/18/13.

Office location: NY County.

Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: 184 Thompson St., 5A, NY, NY 10012. Purpose: all lawful purposes.

Vil: 11/07 - 12/12/2013 NAME OF LP: BLACK BEAN CAPITAL L.P. Cert. filed with NY Dept. of State: 8/28/2013. Office loc.: NY Co. Sec. of State designated agent of LP upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: c/o Business Filings Inc., 187 Wolf Rd., Ste. 101, Albany, NY 12205. Name/ addr. of genl. ptr. available from Sec. of State.Term: until 12/31/2053. Purpose: any lawful act.

Vil: 11/07 - 12/12/2013 NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF QUEENS BOULEVARD APARTMENTS, LLC. Authority filed with NY Dept. of State on 9/19/13. Office location: NY County. Princ. bus. addr.: c/o A&E Real Estate Holdings, LLC, 1065 Ave. of the Americas, 31st Fl., NY, NY 10018. LLC formed in DE on 9/3/13. NY Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: CT Corporation, 111 8th Ave., NY, NY 10011. DE addr. of LLC: c/o The Corporation Trust Co., 1209 Orange St., Wilmington, DE 19801. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Sec. of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901.

Purpose: organized for any lawful act or activity permitted by limited liability companies organized under the laws of the State of Delaware that are related or incidental to and necessary, convenient or advisable to owning real property.

Vil: 11/07 - 12/12/2013

NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF CLARE V., THE SHOP, NEW YORK, LLC. Authority filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/4/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in DE on 9/30/13. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to: Clare V., LLC, 3249 Casitas Ave, #210A, Los Angeles, CA, 90039. Principal business address: 239 Elizabeth St, NY, NY, 10012. DE address: National Registered Agents, Inc., 160 Greentree Dr, Ste 101, Dover, DE, 19904. Cert. of LLC filed with Secy of State of DE: 401 Federal St, Ste 4, Dover, DE, 19901. Purpose: any lawful act.

Vil: 10/31 - 12/05/2013 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NAME: 2 WEST 45TH STREET LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/18/13.

Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, c/o Wohl Loewe Stettner Fabricant & Deitz, P.C., 9 East 40th Street, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10016. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Vil: 10/31 - 12/05/2013 BTED GROUP LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 06/28/2013. Office loc: NY County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served.

SSNY shall mail process to: 347 W. 57th St. Apt 11E, NY, NY 10019. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

Vil: 10/31 - 12/05/2013 NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF FLAT BOX RECORDINGS, LLC Authority filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/4/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 10/2/13. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 1875 Century Park East, Ste. 800, Los Angeles, CA 90067, Attn: Mark Robbin, Esq. Address to be maintained in DE: 160 Greentree Dr., Ste. 101, Dover, DE 19904. Arts of Org. filed with the DE Secretary of State, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901.

Purpose: any lawful activities.

Vil: 10/31 - 12/05/2013 NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF CRUNCH RICHMOND HILL, LLC Authority filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/30/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 5/28/13. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 22 West 19th St., 3rd Fl., NY, NY 10011. Address to be maintained in DE: National Registered Agents, Inc., 160 Greentree Dr., Ste. 101, Dover, DE 19904. Arts of Org. filed with the DE Secretary of State, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: any lawful activities.

Vil: 10/31 - 12/05/2013

NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF VIRGO 575 BUSINESS CENTERS, LLC Authority filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/18/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 06/11/10.

Princ. office of LLC: 575 Lexington Ave., 4th Fl., NY, NY 10022. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the princ. office of the LLC. DE addr. of LLC: Corporation Service Co., 2711 Centerville Rd., Ste. 400, Wilmington, DE 19808.

Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State, State of DE, Dept. of State, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Vil: 10/31 - 12/05/2013

NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF SHIEL HOLDINGS, LLC Authority filed with NY Dept. of State on 10/10/13. Office location: NY County. Princ. bus. addr.: 920 Winter St., Waltham, MA 02451. LLC formed in DE on 9/30/13.

NY Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: c/o CT Corporation System, 111 8th Ave., NY, NY 10011, regd. agent upon whom process may be served. DE addr. of LLC: 1209 Orange St., Wilmington, DE 19801. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Sec. of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901.

Purpose: all lawful purposes.

Vil: 10/31 - 12/05/2013

NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF NYMT RESIDENTIAL TAX 2013-RP2, LLC App. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) 10/15/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 8/16/13. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Capitol Services, Inc. (CSI), 1218 Central Ave., Ste. 100, Albany, NY 12205. DE address of LLC: CSI, 1675 South State St., Ste. B, Dover, DE 19901. Arts. of Org. filed with DE Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: any lawful act or activity.

Vil: 10/31 - 12/05/2013 NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF NYMT RESIDENTIAL TAX 2013-RP3, LLC App. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) 10/15/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 8/16/13. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Capitol Services, Inc. (CSI), 1218 Central Ave., Ste. 100, Albany, NY 12205. DE address of LLC: CSI, 1675 South State St., Ste. B, Dover, DE 19901. Arts. of Org. filed with DE Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: any lawful act or activity.

Vil: 10/31 - 12/05/2013 NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF 57TH ST. PARTNERS, LLC Authority filed with NY Dept. of State on 10/15/13. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in DE on 9/19/13.

NY Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: 1700 Broadway, 41st Fl., NY, NY 10019. DE address of LLC: 2711 Centerville Rd., Ste. 400, Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Sec. of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901.

Purpose: all lawful purposes.

Vil: 10/31 - 12/05/2013

December 5, 2013

23

No to removable storm barriers ACCOUNTING PROCEEDING FILE NO. 2012-47/A CITATION THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

TO:

Unknown Distributees, Attorney General of the State of New York, Albert F. Nika, Teri St. Hilaire, as guardian of Norma Nika, Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, Crestwood Memorial Chapel, Jewel Bachrach.

Dated, Attested and Sealed. November 18, 2013. (Seal).

Hon. Nora S. Anderson, Surrogate. Diana Sanabria, Chief Clerk.

Schram & Graber, P.C. Counsel to the Public Administrator, New York County 22 Cortlandt Street, 16th Floor New York, New York 10007 (212) 896-3310 Note: This citation is served upon you as required by law. You are not required to appear. If you fail to appear it will be assumed that you do not object to the relief requested. You have the right to have an attorney-at-law appear for you and you or your attorney may request a copy of the full account from the petitioner or petitioner’s attorney.

Vil: 11/28- 12/19/2013

December 5, 2013

BY ROBERT S. TRENTLYON

I

And to the heirs at law, next of kin and distributees of Elizabeth Goodman, if living and if any of them be dead, to their heirs at law, next of kin, distributees, legatees, executors, administrators, assignees and successors in interest whose names and places of residence unknown and cannot, after diligent inquiry, be ascertained by the petitioner herein; being the persons interested as creditors, legatees, devisees, beneficiaries, distributees, or otherwise in the estate of Elizabeth Goodman, deceased, who at the time of his death was a resident of 542 E. 5th Street, New York, New York 10009.

A petition having been duly filed by the Public Administrator of the County of New York, who maintains an office at 31 Chambers Street, Room 311, New York, New York 10007.

YOU ARE HEREBY CITED TO SHOW CAUSE before the New York County Surrogate’s Court at 31 Chambers Street, New York, New York, on January 24, 2014, at 9:30 A.M. in Room 509, why the following relief stated in the account of proceedings, a copy of the summary statement thereof being attached hereto, of the Public Administrator of the County of New York as administrator of the goods, chattels and credits of said deceased, should not be granted: (i) that her account be judicially settled; (ii) that the above named person(s) be cited to show cause why such settlement should not be granted; (iii) that the Court dispense with service upon Norma Nika if deemed unnecessary; (iv) that the claim of Crestwood Memorial Chapel and Jewel Bachrach for decedent’s funeral expenses be rejected; (v) that the claim of Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in the amount of $ 23,151.47 for nursing serviced be allowed; (vi) that the Surrogate approve the reasonable amount of compensation as reported in Schedules C and C-1 of the account of proceedings to the attorney for the petitioner for legal services rendered to the petitioner herein; (vii) that a hearing be held to determine the identity of the distributees at which time proof pursuant to SCPA Section 2225 may be presented, or in the alternative, that the balance of the funds be deposited with the Commissioner of Finance of the City of New York for the benefit of the decedent’s unknown distributees; (viii) that the persons above mentioned and all necessary and proper persons be cited to show cause why such relief should not be granted; (ix) that an order be granted pursuant to SCPA Section 307 where required or directed; and (x) for such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper.

24

TALKING POINT must differ with The Villager editorial of Oct. 31, “Being prepared for the hurricane next time,” specifically, the statement, “We think Mayor Bloomberg’s idea of removable storm barriers along Lower Manhattan’s edge is a good idea.”

These fences would consist of 6-foottall stanchions permanently installed along the west side of Route 9A. Between every two stanchions an aluminum sheet would be slid into place prior to the storm and removed after it. However, over time, some of the hundreds of aluminum sheets would become damaged by constant insertion and removal or by incorrect placement. Then, the water would be able to enter through cracks

and spread out on the other side.

Further, a late storm warning could lead to a rush panel-insertion job, resulting in flawed placement of some panels.

Also, if a storm predicted to completely miss this area suddenly veered our way, we could be caught with no protection in place. Remember: We were prepared for Irene and it passed over us, but we were not prepared for Sandy and it hit us. I have no problem with Con Ed and Verizon putting aluminum sheets around their buildings on a permanent basis.

With Category 4 and 5 hurricanes predicted for this century, we should go with the most proven protection — storm surge barriers. The cost of storm surge barriers is always less than the cost of post-storm repairs. Remember, Katrina was only a Category 3. And who had ever heard of a 240-mile-per-hour tornado like the one that, with wind and storm surge, wrecked the Philippines?

We have federal money now for protection. Spend it on storm surge barriers!

Helping kids is the go-o-o-oal!

TALKING POINT

BY CHRIS MCGINNIS

I

’m a board member of Downtown United Soccer Club. We want to thank The Villager for recently highlighting some of our programs at Pier 40 and J.J. Walker Field (“DUSC program kicks youth soccer movement up a notch,” sports article, Nov. 28).

Our volunteer-directed 501(c)(3) nonprofit has been fortunate to be part of a vibrant Lower West Side community that has made children’s issues like sports a priority. We believe in sharing our local community resources, such as the Hudson River Park, which includes Pier 40, and Parks Department facilities, like J.J. Walker, with all of the city’s constituents.

This makes for healthy and vibrant parks.

We support our baseball players, basketball players, bench sitters, bikers, boaters, dog runners, footballers, joggers, nature lovers, skateboarders, sunbathers, rugby players, tennis players, walkers and water lovers, to name a few.

Our focus and that of our children’s sports brethren in the Pier 40 Partnership (Downtown Little League, Downtown Soccer League, Giants Football, Gotham Girls F.C., Greenwich Village Little League and Xavier High School) has been on children’s team sports. This comes down to making sure that fields that we have access to are saved, and new fields are created.

Resonating with the children and the

families of our growing community, our league has grown, as have our brother and sister organizations. DUSC also believes in giving back to the greater community. Many members of our late-afternoon, nighttime and weekend coaching staff have given their time to work during the day with underserved schools in Chinatown, Harlem, Hell’s Kitchen and other parts of the city.

As these schools’ athletic programs were shut down, our coaches reached out to offer to teach the children what they know — soccer. This spirit and approach is now reaching out across the country to other underserved areas. It’s part of a worldwide movement.

Our academy, camps, recreation and travel programs are designed to offer the greatest value to neighborhood parents.

For those who can’t afford our programs, we offer scholarships. For teens who need jobs, we offer work in our camps and as referees in our games.

When our local public parks needed soccer goals, we provided them for anyone to use. When Hudson River Park needed a new indoor field surface, we worked with local politicians to get the funding.

When it comes to the children of our city, our country and our world, we are focused on creating contexts for them to play.

We want to thank all the members of our community for everything they do to help our city’s children thrive.

McGinnis is a board member, Downtown United Soccer Club (www.dusc.net)

TheVillager.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Continued from p. 10

Smaller businesses do it right To The Editor: Re “East Villagers map out a plan to keep chain stores in check” (news article, Nov. 28): Small business makes the world turn. It is the main economy. As a small business owner and employer of 16 people in the East Village for the past 10 years, I can tell you that my employees have been much better paid, by far, and much better treated, by far. Why would they stay with me for four, five, six — and some, seven years? Can they make $9.50 an hour as a starting salary, $13.50 as a salesperson and $18.50 as a manager at a big-box store? I don’t think so.

My friends who work in large corporations, which I have done as well, are envious of my ability to actually make decisions, to turn on a dime, and to actually take advantage of market trends. Small businesses are, ounce for ounce, 10 times more productive than big ones.

Illegal hotels hurting Little Italy To The Editor: Re “Illegal hotel operator is gone — but so are rentregulated units” (news article, Nov. 28): Thank you for this helpful and informative article. Little Italy’s affordable housing stock has been decimated by this black-market activity of illegal hotel rentals, in some cases, with the collusion of landlords. And many of us wonder when our elected officials will step forward to do something about it.

Community Board 2 held a special meeting on Nov. 4 about the fate of the Elizabeth St. Garden, one of the precious few, open green spaces in our area, which is being eyed for affordable senior housing by Councilmember Margaret Chin. If the illegal hotel rentals were ended, we would have a treasure trove of residential units that could be repurposed to their original intended purpose: affordable housing. Groundfloor units could be offered on a first-rights basis to elderly individuals who may have trouble with stairs.

I have not heard that adage in awhile that seems readymade for this situation: Housing for People, Not for Profit.

Dominique Camacho

Georgette Fleischer Fleischer is founder, Friends of Petrosino Square

I didn’t call him ‘Boss’ Johnson!

E-mail letters, not longer than 250 words in length, to news@ thevillager.com or fax to 212-229-2790 or mail to The Villager, Letters to the Editor, 515 Canal St., Suite 1C, NY, NY 10013.

Please include phone number for confirmation purposes. The Villager reserves the right to edit letters for space, grammar, clarity and libel. The Villager does not publish anonymous letters.

To The Editor: Re “The Schwartz-Schulkin shift” (Scoopy’s Notebook, Nov. 28): While I did have the discussion with Lincoln Anderson about my new position, I don’t recall using the term “boss” regarding Councilmember-elect Corey Johnson. I think that was Lincoln’s comment. I also wanted to thank Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, state Senator Brad Hoylman and the four district leaders, John Scott, Jean Grillo, Keen Berger and Arthur Schwartz. They all had the confidence I would do a good job and work well with them and, of course, my co-state committeeperson, Rachel Lavine. A special thanks to Corey Johnson, who did everything he could to get me in place for the coming year. He will be a strong leader for the people in the Third Council District, but not the boss (LOL).

Alan Schulkin

Schulkin simply spilled the beans To The Editor: Re “The Schwartz-Schulkin shift” (Scoopy’s Notebook, Nov. 28): Actually, the hearsay printed in Scoopy’s Notebook is far more accurate than the quotes given in response in both the actual Scoopy’s item and in The Villager’s comments section. Two other candidates and I weren’t even consulted by the four district leaders, nor were we given any notice that a meeting was to take place, nor made aware that Arthur Schwartz was preparing to resign at a future date. While I regard the new state committeeman as a friend, and have faith that his 30-plus years of activism will allow for him to do a remarkable job, it cannot be denied that he simply spilled the beans when initially speaking with Lincoln.

Dodge Landesman

TheVillager.com

SCOOPY’S, continued from p. 3 human-scale buildings, carriage houses, stoops and winding streets. N.Y.U. has moved from being a friendly neighbor to a power-hungry, land-grabbing, politician-buying, bullying Scrooge. I encourage everyone that loves the Village to lend their support and voice to protecting this beloved oasis of Manhattan.” The items will be sold in a silent online auction from Mon., Dec. 9, through Wed., Dec. 18, giving bidders worldwide plenty of time to place their bids. Bidders will be notified by e-mail when they are outbid. For a preview of auction items and more information, go to nyufasp.com/ auction/#preview .

www.reddenfuneralhome.net

CHAIRPERSON CHATTER: Never one to be cowed by convention, David Gruber, Community Board 2 chairperson, is planning to have the board consider putting off its board officer elections from June, when they’re usually held, till as late as next October. Gruber tells us other community boards have made this switch, and he thinks there’s some logic to it. Mainly, it gives new board members, who are appointed in April, a chance to get to know their colleagues so they can make informed votes in the election. However, one C.B. 2 member we bumped into recently told us she believed Gruber, in fact, wants to go for a third one-year term, which would break with the board’s unofficial chairperson term limit of two one-year terms in a row. (Shades of Quinn and Bloomberg???) Nope, Gruber said. He told us while, personally, he’s “agnostic” on the idea of a third term for C.B. 2 chairpersons, he will be stepping down after his current term — that is, whenever it actually does end. “I’m not ready for a third term,” he stated. Meanwhile, we hear some people still hope to recruit Terri Cude to run for board chairperson. Sorry to all the Cude fans out there, but she’s not running — yet. “It’s not my time,” she told us.

December 5, 2013

25

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TheVillager.com

Conservancy members feel SantaCon begone! some say blogger will never back them SANTACON, continued from p. 1

CONSERVANCY, continued from p. 15

with The Villager on Nov. 26, Veronica Bulgari and Betsey Ely, two founding conservancy members, offered to provide a copy of its bylaws to The Villager. This Monday, Bulgari hand-delivered a hard copy of the bylaws to The Villager’s office. In the spirit of transparency, The Villager has scanned the document and is making it widely viewable on its Web site, thevillager.com.

Ely and Bulgari blasted the notion that the conservancy has been pulling the strings regarding the park’s food offerings.

“We have no control over the park’s hot dog vendors,” Ely said. “I think I was quoted [on Swan’s blog] saying, ‘Have you moved the vendors?’ or something. A lot of people tell us things. A lot of people take pictures through the arch. Somebody probably said to me, ‘Why don’t you move the vendors?’ ” Bulgari said Swan quoted Ely’s e-mail “out of context.”

They noted that George Vellonakis, who led the park’s redesign, has also always been very concerned about opening up “sight lines” in the park.

As for the flap around Melt, Bulgari said, “I’ve never even heard of Melts [sic].”

“The first time I read about it was on the blog,” added Ely. As for the $500,000 from N.Y.U., Ely concurred with Parks, saying, “It’s going to the City Parks Foundation...” “...earmarked for the park,” added Bulgari.

“And we have no control over the money,” Ely stressed. She speculated that the cash could be used for “extra cleanup services” in the park.

As for the four new board members, they said, they include Batali, John Van Name, Doug Evans (no relation to Gwen) and Emily Folpe. Van Name is a lawyer and N.Y.U. Law School alumnus, though doesn’t live in the neighborhood. Evans is the former chairperson of the Grace Church School board of directors and the current chairperson of the Washington Square Association. Folpe is a historian and the author of “It Happened in Washington Square Park.”

Batali lives in the area and, of course, runs local restaurants Babbo and Otto. In addition, Maria Passannante-Derr has been appointed as C.B. 2’s representative on the conservancy board.

What about Gwen Evans’s saying that the conservancy was ready to sign a license to take over operations of the park?

“It was a joke,” Ely responded.

“We have no agreement with the Parks Department,” Bulgari stated.

“And we’re not planning to,” Ely added.

So Evans was just, well, goofing around maybe?

“Who knows?” Ely answered. “Gwen’s not here [right now]. It was taken out of context. … All of these different conser-

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vancies have different arrangements,” she said, referring to conservancies in Madison Square and Riverside parks, among others.

“We have nothing in writing with the Parks Department,” Bulgari explained.

“There’s no formalized agreement. It’s a gentleman’s agreement.”

Regarding the French film series, Bulgari said, “We have nothing to do with it.”

“It’s done through the French government and the Parks Department,” Ely chimed in.

As for why they don’t have their bylaws posted on their Web site, Bulgari responded, “None of the other conservancies have their bylaws on their Web site.”

Ely then noted that they would give a copy of the bylaws to The Villager and also to C.B. 2. In its resolution, C.B. 2 had requested that the bylaws be posted on the conservancy’s Web site.

Regarding Swan, they said, her recent exposé just seems to be a continuation of what she’s been doing ever since she started her blog a number of years ago as a critique of the park’s renovation project.

“This is a democracy. Let her do what she wants,” Ely said. “I can’t control what she wants to do with her time. I just wish she would work with us.”

“She’s never really going to say anything positive about [the conservancy],” Bulgari said.

Swan said her findings show Parks and the conservancy haven’t been forthcoming.

“Information uncovered reveals how the city’s Parks Department, with the founders of the Washington Square Park Conservancy, misrepresented and concealed information that was known to them at the time of two public meetings,” Swan said, “including their intentions, financial information, and larger agenda for Washington Square Park. They had bylaws and budgets and all this documentation that they said they did not have and / or did not provide. Community Board 2 lapsed in its role of oversight; it should have pressed further on getting this information before the rush to vote.

“The community board needs to revisit this, rescind its approval of the conservancy, and start over,” Swan asserted. “Washington Square Park is too important a public space to let private, corporate and real estate interests have even a chance of taking it over and gaining control.”

In other park-related news, Sarah Neilson, who is both the conservancy’s executive director and the park’s administrator, recently asked C.B. 2 to consider holding a forum on whether the park’s entrances should be closed with chains at curfew, rather than the moveable barriers used now.

“Chains cannot be moved or removed, as barricades can,” Neilson noted, “and hence offer the advantage of a clear message that the park is closed, enabling law enforcement to issue summonses to trespassers.”

Finally, completion of the third and final phase of the park’s renovation project is expected to be only a few weeks away.

Dec. 14, at 10 a.m.

SantaCon’s Web site requests a $10 donation for charity, in exchange for secret SantaCon venues to frequent.

Technology has amplified the fun, as participants are instructed by the Web site to text for the event’s starting point.

In anticipation of a roving drunkfest, several Downtown bar owners are gearing up to take precautions.

Douglas Bunton, co-owner of the Grassroots Tavern, a 38-year-old bar on St. Mark’s Place near Third Ave., recalled his first experience with SantaCon. “It wasn’t going to happen,” he said. “A crowd of people came in and were chanting, ‘Santa Claus doesn’t pay! We’re a charity!’

And then a guy a poked me with his candy cane — and that was that. From that day to this, we just lock the door until they go away.”

Bunton’s tactic works, and SantaCon has spared the Grassroots Tavern in recent years. Regulars will be welcome on Saturday, but Santas will be stopped at the door. Other area bars are also intent on discouraging the mass groups from entry.

“People don’t want to deal with it, and don’t want a place roaring. They don’t like the atmosphere,” Bunton said. “I don’t need money that bad.

“When a crowd like this behaves like this, it’s a mob of people too big to mess with,” he said. “And they stiff the bartender. It’s hell on earth.”

Rich Corton, co-owner of Josie’s, Mona’s and Sophie’s bars in the East Village, shared their game plan for SantaCon. “We’re incapable of servicing large groups, and we’re looking out for overly intoxicated people,” he said.

They have hosted SantaCons in all three bars before, and found it overextends their staff.

“The bar will fill up with 60 people, it’s terrible,” Corton said. “We kind of get overwhelmed. It’s for a brief period of time, maybe an hour, but it’s an hour of bedlam.”

Corton noted that staff members who have worked SantaCon for 10 years, “aggressively” do not want the shifts. They also tell him that SantaCon Santas are notoriously bad tippers.

“I’m kind of hoping there’s enough pushback that they’ll end up in another neighborhood,” Corton added.

However, there are some places in the East Village that welcome SantaCon. Brendan Cregan, a daytime bartender at Bull McCabe’s, an Irish pub across the street from the Grassroots Tavern, had a different take.

Cregan has worked during SantaCon in the past, and will do so on Dec. 14.

“We let them in, and we’re very supportive of it,” he said. According to Cregan, the bar gets a huge and older crowd of Santas, and lots of money has been raised for charity.

“Santas do tip — every crowd is different,” Cregan said. “The crowd we got last year was unbelievable, all the bartenders were happy.

We had three bartenders, a barback and a doorman. We were ready for it.”

While the bar was prepared, Cregan did have some advice for parents on Dec. 14.

“If anybody has kids in the neighborhood, tell them to not bring them out that day,” he said.

At the Continental, on Third Ave. near St. Mark’s Place, bar owner Trigger is also SantaCon friendly. In an e-mail, he wrote, “Make no mistake about it — Trigger and Continental LOVE SantaCon!!!”

“I didn’t start NYC’s SantaCon, but they came to Continental their very first year — when they could all fit into my little bar!” he said.

Trigger has not had problems with the Santas in the past, and claimed his bartenders all want to work the event.

The Continental offers several drink specials, such as five shots of anything for $10.

But Trigger has his staff make sure the Santas do not get drunk enough to pass out.

“We don’t let in the wasted Santas, helpers or elves,” he said. “We’re nice about it, but strict when they stumble up. It goes with the territory.”

The Santas do not just inundate the East Village. Maureen Remacle, president of the Sixth Precinct Community Council, said they usual flood the block where she lives, Bleecker St. between LaGuardia Place and Thompson St., because it has wall-to-wall bars.

“Every year, without a doubt, they hit Bleecker St.,” she said. “And there are some bars that won’t let them in. Other bar owners want to make every penny.”

A SantaCon representative, who signed an e-mail response to interview questions “Santa,” has hopes this year’s event will be a real departure from the consecutive-drinking theme of years past.

“Santa” was unable to estimate the number of people at SantaCon this year since the event is nonticketed and open to the public.

When asked if the recommendation from a local police precinct to ban SantaCon from bars and lounges in Midtown and Hell’s Kitchen would only cause an influx of Santas Downtown, “Santa” replied that no ban exists, and attached a YouTube video from New York 1 touting SantaCon as a fun time.

“However, Santa is working with local community boards, police precincts and the NY Parks Department to make this a different kind of SantaCon,” he said. “One that is about gifts, charity, carols, celebration and general merrymaking.”

To do this, social media orchestrating the event is spreading the word that bad behavior is not Santa-worthy. There is a “Santa Code” on the Web site with practical suggestions, including, “Santa spreads JOY. Not terror. Not vomit. Not trash.” The code also cautions Santas not to mess with “kids, cops, bar staff and NYC,” in general.

“Outreach has expounded the virtues of being a respectful Santa — not getting trashed and not trashing the city,” he said. “Gifting, giving, participating, creativity are our focus.”

December 5, 2013

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Home for the Holidays!

Chips and Salsa Platter

Party Platters

Cocktail Sandwich or Wrap Platter

An elegant selection of bite size gourmet sandwich or wraps, freshly prepared with an array of cold cuts and assorted cheese from around the world on a bed of lettuce and tomatoes. (served with mayonnaise, mustard and honey mustard on the side)

Sm $50.00 (35 pcs) Md $65.00 (45 pcs) Lg $80.00 (65 pcs)

Large Shrimp Cocktail Platter

The perfect platter for any occasion.

Choose one of the following homemade fresh salsas: mild, medium or hot, plus complimentary guacamole.

Sm $30.00 (6-8p) Md $45.00 (10-12p) Lg $55.00 (15-18p)

Crudité Platter

A wide variety of crispy fresh vegetables.

Complimentary with the platter is a choice of two dips.

Sushi

Finger Food

20 pcs rolls- California Rolls

(Chicken or beef) $8.99 p/p

California Roll Platter $35.00

Amish Sushi Platter

70 pcs rolls- Tuna, salmon, ebi, eel, yellowtail, avocado and cucumber

$85.00

Sushi Delight Platter

Poached large shrimp beautifully arranged and garnished with lemon wedges and cocktail sauce.

Sm $50.00 (8-10p) Md $65.00 (12-14p) Lg $85.00 (16-18p)

35 pcs rolls- Tuna, salmon, eel, avocado, cucumber. 10 pcs nigiri- Tuna, salmon yellowtail, shrimp, octopus, squid.

Sm $70.00 (6-8p) Md $90.00 (10-12p) Lg $130.00 (15-20p)

Heroes By Foot

$65.00

Fresh Mozzarella Platter

The perfect appetizer: homemade mozzarella cheese, sliced Holland stem tomato, sun dried tomato, fresh basil with olive oil and balsamic vinegar elegantly designed in a floral display.

Pick from these delicious options; Amish Style, American, Vegetarian and Italian (served with mayonnaise, mustard and honey mustard on the side).

Chicken Cutlets, grilled or fried (served with roasted vegetables and fresh mozzarella).

Sm $45.00 (8-10p) Md $55.00 (10-12p) Lg $70.00 (14-18p)

2 foot $45.00 (6-8p) 4 foot $90.00 (12-14p) 6 foot $130.00 (18-20p)

Assorted Cheese Platter

Royal Sandwich or Wrap Platter

A unique selection of imported and domestic cheeses garnished with fresh fruits or a gourmet selection of olives with assorted crackers or sliced bread on the side.

X-Sm $40.00 (4-6p) Sm $60.00 (8-10p) Md $80.00 (12-14p) Lg $100.00 (16-18p)

Oven Baked Hors D’oeuvres

A delightful selection of bite size, handmade hors d’oeuvres, including potato puffs, spinach turnover, mini meatballs, mushroom crowns and pigs in a blanket.

Md $55.00 (50 pcs, 8-10p) Lg $110.00 (100 pcs, 16-20p)

An endless array of fresh cold cuts and wraps, all made with assorted cheeses served on a variety of artisan breads and wraps with lettuce and tomato. (served with mayonnaise, mustard and honey mustard on the side)

$8.49 (p/p)

Dessert Platter

A delicious assortment of brownies, cookies, and chocolate garnished with fresh berries.

Salmon Platter

Served chilled or poached with dill sauce, or grilled with teriyaki glaze.

Sm $60 (6-8p) Lg $100 (10-15p)

Meat Entrees

Mini Kebab

Chicken fingers

with special house sauce $8.99 p/p

Mini shrimp kebab $11.99 p/p Stuffed chicken breast

with spinach and feta cheese $8.99 p/p

Mini meatballs $8.99 p/p Buffalo chicken wings with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing $7.99 p/p

Eggplant rollatini $7.99 p/p

Hot Pasta Trays

Marinara, Ala Vodka, Alfredo Siciliana, Milanese Suggested with penne

Baked Ziti

Ziti Baked with Ricotta, Mozzarella, Romano Cheese, Spices with Red Sauce

Half Tray $40.00 (8-10p) Full Tray $80.00 (20-30p)

Stuffed Turkey or Chicken Breast with Spinach and Feta Cheese

Chicken Parmigiana Chicken Franchese in Lemon Sauce Chicken Marsala Swedish Meatballs Italian Meatballs

For all meat entrees please choose one side dish: mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, white or yellow rice.

Half Tray $55.00 (8-10p) Full Tray $100.00 (18-20p)

Meat Lasagna

Half Tray $50.00 (8-12p) Full Tray $100.00 (18-25p)

Salads

Arugula Salad

Mushroom, Cherry Tomato, Parmesan Cheese

Mediterranean Salad

Romaine, Onion, Olives, Cucumber, Tomato, Feta

X-Sm $35.00 (4-6p) Sm $50.00 (8-10p) Md $65.00 (12-14p) Lg $85.00 (16-18p)

Fancy Mesclun Salad Cucumber, Tomato, Mixed Bell Peppers.

Md $40.00 (10-12p) Lg $50.00 (15-18p)

Please check out our full Holiday Menu at www.amishintribeca.com.

Amish Market Tribeca 53 Park Place, New York, NY 10007 T: (212) 608-3863 • F: (212) 608-3864 • amishcatering@gmail.com

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December 5, 2013

TheVillager.com