CHELSEA NOW by Schneps Media

Pirate Adventure, p. 14

VOLUME 5, NUMBER 08

THE WEST SIDE’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

DECEMBER 26, 2012 - JANUARY 8, 2013

Photo by Erik MacGregor

On the night of Dec. 21, Reverend Billy and his Church of Stop Shopping brethren swarm Times Square to search for signs of the Mayan apocalypse. Gazing skyward, they “look past a thousand corporat logos” to find a strip of sky heralding the end...of Consumerism?

Spectra Pipeline Case Fuels Big Day for Attorneys BY EILEEN STUKANE Lawyers were out in force on Tuesday, December 18, when State Supreme Court Justice Eileen A. Rakower heard the petition presented by Sane Energy Project — in association with five other environmental groups and several individuals — against the Hudson River Park Trust for granting an easement for Spectra Energy’s high-pressure gas pipeline.

Sane Energy is bringing suit against the Trust on the grounds that the authority failed to comply with New York State’s Environmental Quality Review Act, or SEQRA, when it allowed Spectra to lease the Gansevoort Peninsula for its natural gas pipeline. In addition to the environmental issue, Sane’s legal filing also states that

Pols Renew Calls for Gun Control in Wake of Tragedies BY SAM SPOKONY For state Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh and state Senator Daniel Squadron, the push for gun control has been like a record on repeat. Back in October, both led the unsuccessful call for a legislative special session to pass laws strengthening New York’s restrictions on firearm sale and possession — already some of the

strongest in the nation — and Squadron published an op-ed in the Daily News to argue the “common sense” perspective behind added gun control measures. “Before another drop of blood is spilled and another innocent life is lost, New York’s Legislature must do our job and pass these bills,” Squadron wrote in the op-ed.

This was more than two months before the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut that left 26 people — including 20 children — dead, and re-energized the gun debate across the nation. That tragedy was most recently followed by another shooting on Monday in the Upstate town of Webster, NY, in which a 62-year-old man shot

Continued on page 6

December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

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BY PAUL SCHINDLER Seven months after Corey Johnson, the chair of Community Board 4 in Chelsea, officially announced his aim to succeed Speaker Christine Quinn in the City Council’s District 3 seat, Yetta Kurland stepped up to say she too would contest the seat in 2013. The December 10 City Hall press conference at which the out lesbian civil rights attorney and community activist threw her hat into the ring was hardly surprising; in fact, it was long expected. In 2009, Kurland took on Quinn, who had then been speaker for four years, and earned a third of the vote in a threewoman race, holding the incumbent to just over 50 percent. Since then, Kurland’s visibility has remained undiminished — tackling issues like the closure of St. Vincent’s Hospital and the rights of Occupy Wall Street participants to hold their ground in Zuccotti Park, and also hosting a weekly radio show on WWRL AM 1600. In announcing her candidacy, Kurland evoked her now familiar combatively progressive tone. Saying New York, her home for the past two decades, is “the greatest city in the world,” she warned, “We’re heading toward becoming a place where only the richest can afford to live and where our public resources are being converted into private profit.”

The closing of St. Vincent’s and the damage Lower Manhattan and other parts of the city suffered from Hurricane Sandy, she said, represented “critical points in our sustainability.” Kurland’s press conference included fullthroated endorsements from Cathy MarinoThomas, the co-president of the board of Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA), David Braun, the co-founder of United for Action, an anti-fracking group, and Penny Landau, a West Village resident and theater world publicist. Voicing the Kurland campaign’s outsider message, Braun said. “We don’t need leaders who come here with a certain set of goals and them watch themselves get corrupted.” During the press conference itself, which drew roughly 50 Kurland supporters who stood behind her, the candidate took no questions. Asked afterward how she expected the debate in the primary campaign to take shape, she responded, “I honestly don’t know who’s running,” and then lauded “active democracy where the more candidates the better.” On Johnson’s role as her only declared opponent to date, Kurland said, “I haven’t seen Corey’s full set of issues yet.” The candidate released a list of 65 supporters — each of whom were quoted — that

Continued on page 3

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December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

Kurland joins Johnson in race for District 3 Democratic Nomination Continued from page 2 included a number of other prominent LGBT New Yorkers, such as civil rights attorney Tom Shanahan, author and gender theorist Kate Bornstein, Queer Rising grassroots activist Jake Goodman, playwright Barbara Kahn, AIDS activist Andrew Velez, and MEUSA’s former executive director Ron Zacchi. Attorney Christopher Lynn, who served as transportation commissioner in the Giuliani administration and ran against Quinn in her first election to the Council in 1999, was on hand for the press conference. Producing blizzards of endorsements has become something of the standard in the nascent District 3 race. Earlier this year, Johnson, who is gay, issued a list that numbered nearly 600 names. Among many leaders in the LGBT community, Johnson announced support from Henrietta Hudson owner Lisa Cannistraci and former Human Rights Campaign leader Elizabeth Birch, as well as many gay men with high visibility, including Evan Wolfson, the founder of Freedom to Marry, Herndon Graddick, the executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), where Johnson formerly worked, Sean Strub, the creator of POZ magazine, Mitchell Gold, a worldwide premier furniture retailer who founded Faith in America to challenge religious anti-gay bigotry, and four former executive directors or board chairs of the Empire State Pride Agenda.

Photo by Donna Aceto

Yetta Kurland (r.) greets a supporter during her December 10 City Hall campaign kick-off.

Community Board 4 chair Corey Johnson announced his candidacy early this year.

Both candidates boast endorsements from outside District 3, but Johnson’s list, at this point, is heavier on that score. In an email message to our sister publication, Gay City News, he highlighted his support from out gay U.S. House Representatives Barney Frank of Massachusetts, Jared Polis of Colorado, and David Cicilline of Rhode Island and Academy Award-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black — even as he pointed, as well, to endorsements from “PTA presidents, block association leaders, tenant association presidents” and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union and the United Food and Commercial Workers

service and accomplishments both as an activist and in leading a community board.” Johnson has scrambled to an early lead in campaign fundraising, reporting just under the legal limit of $168,000 in donations, which will allow him to gain the maximum public match of $92,400. According to the city’s Campaign Finance Board, Kurland has raised more than $75,000, or about 45 percent of Johnson’s private donations. She, too, will be eligible for the city’s generous public matching funds program. Next year’s primary date has not yet been scheduled and could happen in either June or September.

Union. Kurland has been endorsed by the Transport Workers Union and the Communication Workers of America. Johnson’s response to Kurland’s entry into the race mirrored the one she offered about him. “I’m looking forward to a spirited race focused on the issues that affect our neighborhoods and residents of West Soho, the Village, Chelsea, and Hell’s Kitchen,” he wrote. Like Kurland, Johnson said he was uncertain whether anyone else might jump into the race, adding, “I’ll be running on a long record of

December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

41 Lottery Winners Coming to 26th Street BY SCOTT STIFFLER Don’t let those last two digits scare you: 2013 is going to be a very lucky year for the winners of an affordable housing lottery. Applications are being accepted for apartments in the Chelsea Park building currently under construction at 260 West 26th Street (at Eighth A venue). A total of 41 affordable housing rental units are being made available, through the 80/20 Program of the New York City Housing Development Corporation (in exchange for taxexempt bonds to finance construction, 20 percent of the apartment units are reserved for low-income tenants earning no more than 50 percent of area’s median income). For more info on the program, visit nyc.gov/housing. The monthly rent for a studio is either $492 or $635. One-bedrooms go for $529 or $682, and two-bedroom units for $644 or $828. The maximum annual income ranges from $18,789 to 41,500. Gas, for heat and cooking, is included in the rent. The building will have an intercom system and laundry facilities, and the super will live on-site. Preference for 50 percent of the units will be given to those living within the Community Board 4 area.

Those displaced by Hurricane Sandy get preference for 25 percent of the units. New York City Municipal employees and households including persons with mobility impairments both receive five percent— and persons with visual and/or hearing impairments will receive preference for two percent of the units. The winners, chosen by lottery, should be able to occupy the units by April 2013. There is no broker’s or application fee. Unlike Powerball, you get only a single chance to play this lottery (submit more than one application per family, and you’ll be disqualified). To request an application by mail, send a self-addressed envelope to 37 West 65th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10023. A table listing all of the specific monthly rents, the minimum and maximum income ranges and the allowable household size (1-4 persons depending on the type of apartment) can be accessed at 26StreetAffordable.com. There, you can download an application and mail it in. Completed applications must be received by January 30, 2013. Register to receive information from the building owners, at chelseaparkrentals.com or by calling 212-206-0709.

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December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

Spectra Pipeline Case Fuels Big Day for Attorneys Continued from page 1 the Trust has violated the Hudson River Park Act by granting a 30-year lease to Spectra for nonpark use. The presence of the newly constructed Spectra natural gas pipeline, which crosses under the Hudson River from New Jersey to a terminal vault by the Gansevoort Peninsula, is raising concern among Greenwich Village residents in regard to possible health risks from the radioactive radon inherent in natural gas, and safety risks from possible explosions. These issues were referenced by lawyers at the December 18 hearing, but they were not the focus of the court case. With space at a premium in the hearing room, seven lawyers from Spectra Energy, the parent company to Texas Eastern Transmission and Algonquin Transmission, were seated as spectators along a wall in an area normally reserved for a jury. Seated before the judge were five lawyers representing various interests: Shira Rosenblatt for Con Edison; Jeffrey Loop for Texas Eastern; Elizabeth Knauer for the Trust; and Jeff Zimmerman and Jonathan Geballe for Sane Energy. Sane was the â&#x20AC;&#x153;petitionerâ&#x20AC;? but it would be a while before the Sane lawyer was heard. Knauer, the lawyer representing the Trust, was first to speak. She requested that the case be dismissed. Knauer argued that the Con Edison 1,500-foot extension of the Spectra pipeline from the West Side Highway to Con Edâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distribution terminal at West 15th Street was outside the Trustâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jurisdiction. She also cited the Natural Gas Act, previous legal cases and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s environmental impact statement, or EIS, as pre-empting any need for the Trust to conduct further environmental studies. As far as the issue of radon and the risk of explosion of the pipeline, she said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;FERCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s EIS takes care of that.â&#x20AC;? For those representing environmental groups, that was equivalent to hearing that the fox was guarding the henhouse. Rakower questioned whether the Trust could have refused to give Spectra Energy the 30-year lease to traverse Gansevoort Peninsula with its pipeline. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Two million dollars seems a little bit for 30 years,â&#x20AC;? she added. The Trust received just under $2.8 million from Spectra Energy at the leaseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signing. The lease states that this is â&#x20AC;&#x153;payment in lieu of taxes for the 30-year term.â&#x20AC;? Knauer responded that if the Trust had refused to allow an easement and not negotiated, Spectra would have taken over the land it wanted to use through eminent domain. During the hearing, a Spectra lawyer from the jury box stood to explain that Spectra usually does not negotiate or offer money since it has the right to eminent domain, and that Spectra wanted to work

Photo by Tequila Minsky

Opponents of hydrofracking and the Spectra pipeline project held a protest at Gansevoort Peninsula in early December.

with the Trust in regard to the digging area for pipeline construction, plantings, protections. What wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mentioned in court is that, according to the lease, Spectra still retains the right to eminent domain and can call upon it at any time. Getting back to environmental concerns, Con Edisonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rosenblatt said that the utility isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t required to do an environmental study in order to construct a pipeline from the highway (where the Spectra pipeline ends) along 10th Avenue to West 15th Street Department of Transportation permits for digging up the streets are all that is needed for the 30-inch pipeline to be installed, and there are thousands of feet of such 30-inch transport pipelines already in place throughout the city, she noted. Jeffrey Loop, a lawyer for Texas Eastern, reiterated that FERC had conducted an EIS and that the petitioners were seeking to halt the pipeline and nothing else. He also added that since Spectraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s was a federally approved pipeline, any legal action should take place in a federal court. Finally, Zimmerman, one of Saneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lawyers, stated that the FERC EIS was for an interstate pipeline, and that FERCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interstate authority ends at the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s borders. According to the Hudson River Park Act of 1998, the Trust â&#x20AC;&#x153;shall be subject to article 8 of the environmental conservation law,â&#x20AC;? which is now absorbed into SEQRA. Saneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s argument is that the Trust ignored its legal responsibility to address the environmental concerns of the park in its care. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There were measures that could have been applied but the Trust gave them away with the lease for the easement,â&#x20AC;? said Zimmerman. He also argued that, according to the park act, once the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Department of Sanitation facilities are removed from Gansevoort Peninsula, the park is to be used solely for park

use. Land used for the Spectra pipeline would not be â&#x20AC;&#x153;park use,â&#x20AC;? he declared. The arguments ended. No ruling was made. Rakower allowed all the parties to present their views and the hearing was over. The question now is whether she will dismiss the case or allow the environmental groupsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lawsuit to pro-

ceed. It could be weeks or months until the lawyers are notified of her decision. Since permits still have to be secured, Con Ed doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t plan to begin constructing its northward extension of the pipeline until this coming April. The new Spectra pipeline is in place on Gansevoort but not in service.

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December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

Pols Call for Gun Control in Tragedies’ Wake Continued from page 1 four firefighters — killing two — before committing suicide. Now Kavanagh and Squadron, whose districts overlap in the East Village, are reiterating their argument as part of a coalition of 63 lawmakers from both houses that is led by Kavanagh, Assemblymember Michelle Schimel and Senator Eric Adams of Brooklyn — the three of whom are co-chairpersons of State Legislators Against Illegal Guns. In a December 20 letter to both Democratic and Republican leaders in the Senate and Assembly, the coalition highlighted a package of bills that would strengthen the state’s ban on assault weapons (notably, without grandfathering previously legal guns), require universal background checks on the sale of all guns, and ban the possession and sale of all high-capacity ammunition magazines of more than 10 bullets. Among other things, the bill package also includes microstamping, a widely debated, new technology that imprints a unique code onto shell casings every time a gun is fired. Advocates for the technology believe it would allow law enforce-

Continued on page 7

Photo by Sam Spokony

Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh, flanked by fellow members of a legislative coalition for new statewide gun control, led a press conference outside City Hall on Dec. 20.

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December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

Revisiting Gun Control Continued from page 6 ment to more easily track and capture those responsible for gun crimes, but progun skeptics have claimed that it would hamper lawful firearm owners rather than cause a significant crime reduction. To Kavanagh and Squadron, the proposed reforms are all still simply common sense — but, in the wake of tragedy, the receptiveness to ideas behind gun control is gaining more traction both with other lawmakers and the general public. “These are obviously not new issues, and the Connecticut shooting certainly isn’t the first horrific incident to have taken place,” Kavanagh said after a December 20 press conference outside City Hall. “But I think there’s a growing sense of commonality around this now. The climate has changed since we called for the special session in October, and while we have an ambitious agenda, we think it’s doable.” There was brief talk of a special legislative session being held before the New Year, but those dissolved nearly as soon as they began. Governor Andrew Cuomo has instead said that he plans to outline his gun control proposal in his State of the State Address on Wednesday, January 9. And when Kavanagh and Squadron do go back to Albany in January for the start

of the next session, they will continue to face vastly different environments. The Democrat-led Assembly has already passed similar gun control measures in previous sessions, and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has been an outspoken supporter of the bills currently on the table. The Republican-led Senate, on the other hand, has consistently stymied past gun control efforts, often leading to a bill-killing stalemate. Senate Republican spokesperson Scott Reif has been quoted as saying that lawmakers should find “common ground” in pursuing laws to prevent future tragedies, but pointed out that Dean Skelos, the Republican Senate majority leader, believes the answer lies in “increasing penalties” and enacting mandatory minimum sentences for gun crimes. Of the 63 legislators currently signed on as part of the gun control coalition, none are Republicans. But Kavanagh said on Thursday that he and his allies have been actively communicating with their counterparts across the aisle. He had previously stressed his belief that political divides should not play a role in this debate. “Our message is not distinguished by partisanship,” he said at the December 20 press conference. “We do not believe this is a partisan issue.” And of the aforementioned coalition members, seven are newly elected law-

makers, the beginning of whose state-level careers will likely be colored by the outcome of this legislation. Senator-elect Brad Hoylman, who will replace the retiring Tom Duane come January, did not speak but was present outside City Hall on December 20. “I know we should’ve acted sooner to do something about this, and that’s why I was there with [Kavanagh and Squadron] when they were calling for a special session back in October,” Hoylman said after the press conference. “But now I think we’ve seen the issue crystallize, and at this point we just need to do whatever it takes to get it done.” Meanwhile, New York’s gun advocates still think that new restrictions on firearm use and sale aren’t so commonsense. “They’re looking to take the easy way out,” said Thomas King, president of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, “rather than looking at the core issues, which are the social problems that breed these horrendous acts. Simply put, gun control laws will make no one in this state safer.” King added that, by social problems, he was referring to treatment of the mentally ill, as well as the state’s criminal court system, which he believes is too lax when it comes to paroling convicts who have the potential to strike again. He cited the case of William Spengler, the shooter

in the recent Webster, NY, killings, who had been released after serving 17 years in state prison on manslaughter charges. Spengler was convicted of beating his 92-year-old grandmother to death with a hammer in 1980. It’s also apparent that many of the state’s gun advocates are flocking to organizations like King’s NYSRPA in the wake of the Connecticut and Webster shootings, anticipating the long battle of public opinion that will undoubtedly become even more heated once the legislative session begins. King admitted that he “doesn’t really know” whether or not his organization his seen an uptick in recent donations, but said that there has been a “big increase” in membership over the past few weeks.

December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

EDITORIAL NRA on the Ropes Following the horrific mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, the nationwide soul-searching and debate about gun control continues to widen. Last Friday, Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice president of the National Rifle Association (NRA), further fanned the flames of outrage when he declared that the only way to keep our children safe is to have a “good guy” with a gun posted in each school to match the firepower of the bad guys with guns. His remarks followed those of former U.S. Education Secretary Bill Bennett, who also said schools should hire armed guards. Some Republican officials have said even teachers could be armed. The NRA has helpfully offered to train these gun-toting guards on how to wield their weapons around young children. Some cities and townships, in fact, already do have armed guards and police in their schools. The most crime-plagued New York City schools do as well, but most city residents would say that we do not need any more. Sending another chill rippling through the country, on Monday, an Upstate man in his 60s with a Bushmaster semiautomatic rifle — the same weapon used by the disturbed Newtown shooter — ambushed first responders whom he lured with a fire, killing two of them and injuring two others. Meanwhile, as the NRA was lashing back against the growing calls for gun control, on Saturday, the suburban Journal News published a map with names and addresses of all licensed handgun owners in Westchester and Rockland Counties. Many readers objected, saying this was a violation of privacy — plus, some said homeowners without guns would now be targeted by criminals. The controversy, however, points to how gun control is so intensely in the forefront of our consciousness now. More locally, state Senator Dan Squadron, Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh and other state politicians are ratcheting up their advocacy for gun control, from microstamping bullets to a stiffer ban on assault weapons, including the model used in the Newtown and Webster, NY, shootings. Word is that Governor Cuomo is set to outline a tough new gun control policy at his State of the State Address on January 9. According to reports, he’ll call for a ban on magazine clips of more than seven bullets for handguns, among other things, which is a good start. Let’s face it, most Americans who die from gun violence are killed, not by assault rifles, but handguns. It’s the rifles and machines guns, however, that are often behind the worst incidents — the mass shootings. But handgun violence is the number one problem, and we are eagerly looking forward to what Cuomo will have to say on this subject — and looking for him to lead on this issue, just as Mayor Bloomberg has. New York already has some of the nation’s toughest gun control laws, but we must continue to raise the bar, because there is so far to go, as seen in LaPierre’s entrenched position. Shino Tanikawa, the head of the Community Education Council for School District 2, for one, said local parents definitely are not comfortable with the NRA honcho’s idea. She’s a native of Japan, which has very strict gun control and extremely low crime. “I’m not religious and am not driven by any religious doctrine, but ‘An eye for an eye makes you blind’ comes to mind,” Tanikawa told us. “Fighting guns with more guns? Teachers having guns in the classroom? Will it be locked up, in which case it would be useless against a gunman barging in? Or will the teacher wear a holster, while teaching our children not to hit back when a kid hits another kid? “I feel my kids are safe in their schools,” Tanikawa said. “I think we have to remember to be vigilant, though. After a tragedy like this we are all very diligent about security but after a while we tend to get lax. Having drills on a regular basis, as PS3 does, is also a good idea.” This is a historic moment for this country in terms of its relationship with guns. As seen in LaPierre’s agitated speech, the NRA is on the ropes. The momentum for gun control is building. The time to act — to create a safer, more sane nation — is now.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Remembering the remarkable Estelle Katz To The Editor: Re “Life of Estelle Katz Long on Good Causes, Great Friends” (obit, Nov. 28): Estelle was simply one of the most remarkable people I ever knew. She truly lived by the principles she believed it. She left behind a better world because of her 96 years with us. Doug Jones

Change the political climate To The Editor: Re “Sandy’s Surge Not Sinking Residential Urge at Pier 40” (news article, Dec. 12): As usual, it’s all blocking and no ideas or alternatives from Assemblymember Glick. It seems as if she believes she is some sort of visionary for opposing housing because of rising water levels and storm surge. For the rest of us who also support this idea, it is no great revelation. Opposing housing and building for high tides while fighting global warming has been part of the fiber of much of this community since well before Sandy. What is the alternative idea coming from her office? As for the Durst idea, we’ve been saying raise the entire thing and build for high water for years. Major League Soccer’s plan was to raise all of the fields, including theirs, and the park on top of it all, but that was opposed by the youth leagues, who advocated only for ground-floor fields with more open, ground-level views. I attended the soccer meeting in Flushing the other night and saw a community with a vision working in unison to get a job done, addressing concerns and advocating for a plan, making the formerly effective Village community leaders look pathetic. Unions, neighbors, youth leagues, state Senators Stavisky and Peralta, Councilmember Ferreras and Assemblymember Moya all showed up, shaming our elected officials. They aired their concerns and demanded accountability from soccer, while moving forward with a plan. Watching the Glicks, the Capsises and the HKreses oppose and oppose, with no viable plan of their own has been a nightmare. By “viable,” George, I mean a plan with money and backing — oh, and by the way, a wiser person would have moved his car up from Pier 40’s ground level before Sandy’s surge hit, instead of spending an entire edition complaining about what you could have prevented. Our local elected officials have graduated completely to political self-interest. Glick, with her pet and animal legislation, has put passionate selfinterest above the needs of this community. Pier 40 will never get done without some personal political damage being done; it is time. It is time for the neighborhood to build a coalition to find an alternative to Assemblymember Glick. If she stays in office, no plan, good or bad, will ever go into effect. Pier 40 is a big enough issue to force the end of an ineffective political career. It is time. Put your name on your posts HKres if you’re going to keep flaming. I do, Lincoln Anderson does, Madelyn Wils does. If you don’t want us to look at you as a wide-eyed conspiracy theorist, time

to ante up and become a public part of this effort. Pier 40 has gone on too long. A pathetic example of a community which has lost its way. The soul searching must begin, or the Greenwich Village we know and love will be lost. Patrick Shields

Highway better than high-rises To The Editor: Re “Sandy’s Surge Not Sinking Residential Urge at Pier 40” (news article, Dec. 12): Blocking the view of the river with a housing project on the Hudson River should be a dead issue now. Might as well have built Westway. You can only get so much out of a pier. Charlie Walker

We need this NID — now! To The Editor: As a residential property owner in the Village, a member of Community Board 2 and a lifelong resident of the Village, I fully support the creation of the Hudson River Park Neighborhood Improvement District. At a time when the community is severely deficient in the amount of open space available for residents and park users, the Hudson River Park is a quality-of-life necessity for Village residents. Further, among the NID’s proposals, improving pedestrian safety will make crossing Route 9A safer for all of us and connect our neighborhood with the park. While some may argue that protecting the park should be a government responsibility, the park is neither a city nor state park per se, but rather, is operated by a joint state-city authority. Moreover, with government budgets for parks decreasing yearly, it is clear that the city or state budgets will not suddenly allocate monies to the Hudson River Park. It is for this reason we need to act now! The establishment of a NID is an example where a public-private partnership can be extremely effective and can supplement the shortfalls of government. We need this NID and we need it now, before park maintenance declines and we see this treasure fall into disrepair. While I am in favor of the NID as one component to abate the shortfall in the park’s maintenance budget, I strongly oppose any residential development in the park. Maria Passannante-Derr Passannante-Derr is a steering committee member, Hudson River Park Neighborhood Improvement District

E-mail letters, not longer than 250 words in length, to scott@chelseanow.com or fax to 212-2292790 or mail to Chelsea Now, Letters to the Editor, 515 Canal St., Suite 1C, NY, NY 10013. Please include phone number for confirmation purposes. Chelsea Now reserves the right to edit letters for space, grammar, clarity and libel. Chelsea Now does not publish anonymous letters.

December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

Community Contacts To be listed, email info to scott@chelseanow.com. COMMUNITY BOARD 4 (CB4) CB4 serves Manhattan’s West Side neighborhoods of Chelsea and Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen. Its boundaries are 14th St. on the south, 59/60th St. on the north, the Hudson River on the west, 6th Ave. on the east (south of 26th St.) and 8th Ave. on the east (north of 26th St.). The board meeting, open to the public, is the first Wednesday of the month. The next meeting is Wed., Jan. 2, 6:30pm, at the Fulton Center Auditorium (119 Ninth Ave., btw. 17th & 18th Sts.). Call 212-736-4536, visit nyc.gov/ mcb4 or email them at info@manhattancb4.org. COMMUNITY BOARD 5 (CB5) CB5 represents the central business district of New York City. It includes midtown Manhattan, the Fashion, Flower, Flatiron and Diamond districts, as well as Bryant Park and Union Square Park. The district is at the center of New York’s tourism industry. The Theatre District, Times Square, Carnegie Hall, the Empire State Building and two of the region’s transportation hubs (Grand Central Station and Penn Station) also fall within CB5. The board meeting, open to the public, happens on the second Thursday of the month. The next meeting is Thurs., Jan. 17, 6pm, at St. Xavier High School (30 W. 16th St., btw. 5th and 6th Aves., 2nd fl.). Call 212-465-0907, visit cb5.org or email them at office@cb5.org. THE 300 WEST 23RD, 22ND & 21ST STREETS BLOCK ASSOCIATION Contact them at 300westblockassoc@prodigy.net. THE WEST 400 BLOCK ASSOCIATION Contact them at w400ba@gmail.com.

CHELSEA GARDEN CLUB Chelsea Garden Club cares for the bike lane tree pits in Chelsea. If you want to adopt a tree pit or join the group, please contact them at cgc.nyc@gmail.com or like them on Facebook. Also visit chelseagardenclub.blogspot.com. LOWER CHELSEA ALLIANCE (LoCal) This group is committed to protecting the residential blocks of Chelsea from overscale development. Contact them at LowerChelseaAlliance@gmail.com. THE GREENWICH VILLAGE-CHELSEA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Call 212-337-5912 or visit villagechelsea.com. THE MEATPACKING DISTRICT INITIATIVE Visit meatpacking-district.com or call 212-633-0185. PENN SOUTH The Penn South Program for Seniors provides recreation, education and social services — and welcomes volunteers. For info, call 212-243-3670 or visit pennsouthlive.com. THE BOWERY RESIDENTS’ COMMITTEE: HOMELESS HELPLINE If you know of anyone who is in need of their services, call the Homeless Helpline at 212-533-5151, and the BRC will send someone to make contact. This number is staffed by outreach team leaders 24 hours a day. Callers may remain anonymous. For more info, visit brc.org. THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL & TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY CENTER At 208 W. 13th St. (btw. 7th & 8th Aves.). Visit gaycenter.org or call 212620-7310. GAY MEN’S HEALTH CRISIS (GMHC) At 446 W. 33rd St. btw. 9th & 10th Aves. Visit gmhc.org. Call 212-367-1000. Member of the New York Press Association

THE WEST SIDE’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Published by NYC COMMUNITY MEDIA, LLC

Gay City

NEWS

Member of the National Newspaper Association Chelsea Now is published biweekly by NYC Community Media LLC, 515 Canal St., Unit 1C, New York, NY 10013. (212) 229-1890. Annual subscription by mail in Manhattan and Brooklyn $75. Single copy price at office and newsstands is 50 cents. The entire contents of newspaper, including advertising, are copyrighted and no part may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher - © 2010 NYC Community Media LLC, Postmaster: Send address changes to Chelsea Now, 145 Sixth Ave., First Fl., New York, N.Y. 10013.

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 other errors or omissions in connection with an advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue.

HUDSON GUILD Founded in 1895, Hudson Guild is a multi-service, multi-generational community serving approximately 14,000 people annually with daycare, hot meals for senior citizens, low-cost professional counseling, community arts programs and recreational programming for teens. Visit them at hudsonguild.org. Email them at info@hudsonguild.org. For the John Lovejoy Elliott Center (441 W. 26th St.), call 212-760-9800. For the Children’s Center (459 W. 26th St.), call 212-760-9830. For the Education Center (447 W. 25th St.), call 212-760-9843. For the Fulton Center for Adult Services (119 9th Ave.), call 212924-6710. THE CARTER BURDEN CENTER FOR THE AGING This organization promotes the well-being of individuals 60 and older through direct social services and volunteer programs oriented to individual, family and community needs. Call 212879-7400 or visit burdencenter. org. FULTON YOUTH OF THE FUTURE Email them at fultonyouth@gmail. com or contact Miguel Acevedo, 646-671-0310. WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE Visit westsidenyc.org or call 212956-2573. Email them at wsna@ hcc-nyc.org. CHELSEA COALITION ON HOUSING Tenant assistance every Thursday night at 7pm, at Hudson Guild (119 9th Ave.). Email them at chelseacoalition.cch@gmail.com. FRIENDS OF HUDSON RIVER PARK Visit fohrp.org or call 212-757-0981. HUDSON RIVER PARK TRUST Visit hudsonriverpark.org or call 212627-2020. SAVE CHELSEA Contact them at savechelseanyc@ gmail.com.

PUBLISHER Jennifer Goodstein ASSOCIATE EDITOR / ARTS EDITOR Scott Stiffler REPORTERS Lincoln Anderson Sam Spokony EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS

Lakshmi Gandhi Kaitlyn Meade PUBLISHER EMERITUS John W. Sutter

BUSINESS MANAGER/CONTROLLER

Vera Musa SR. V.P. OF SALES AND MARKETING Francesco Regini RETAIL AD MANAGER Colin Gregory ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Russell Chen Allison Greaker Julius Harrison Gary Lacinski Alex Morris Julio Tumbaco

CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER CHRISTINE QUINN Call 212-564-7757 or visit council.nyc. gov/d3/html/members/home.shtml. STATE SENATOR TOM DUANE Call 212-633-8052 or visit tomduane.com. CHELSEA REFORM DEMOCRATIC CLUB The CRDC (the home club of City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, State Senator Tom Duane and Assemblymember Richard N. Gottfried) meets monthly to exchange political ideas on protecting the rights and improving the lives of those residing in Chelsea. Visit crdcnyc.org or email them at info@crdcnyc.org. THE SAGE CENTER New York City’s first LGBT senior center offers hot meals, counseling and a cyber-center — as well as programs on arts and culture, fitness, nutrition, health and wellness. At 305 Seventh Avenue (15th floor, btw. 27th & 28th Sts.). Call 646-5768669 or visit sageusa.org/thesagecenter for menus and a calendar of programs. At 147 W. 24th St. (btw. 6th & 7th Aves.) THE SYLVIA RIVERA LAW PROJECT works to guarantee that all people are free to self-determine their gender identity and expression without facing harassment, discrimination or violence. Visit srlp.org.

FIERCE (Fabulous Independent Educated Radicals for Community Empowerment) builds the leadership and power of bisexual, transgender and queer youth of color in NYC. Visit fiercenyc.org.

QUEERS FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE is a progressive organization committed to promoting economic justice in a context of sexual and gender liberation. Visit q4ej.org.

THE AUDRE LORDE PROJECT is a lesbian, gay, bisexual, two spirit, trans and gender non-conforming people of color center for community organizing. Visit alp.org.

ART / PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Troy Masters SENIOR DESIGNER Michael Shirey GRAPHIC DESIGNER Arnold Rozon CIRCULATION SALES MNGR. Marvin Rock DISTRIBUTION & CIRCULATION Cheryl Williamson

CONTRIBUTORS Ryan Buxton Martin Denton Terese Loeb Kreuzer Kaitlyn Meade Duncan Osborne Paul Schindler Sam Spokony Jerry Tallmer Maxine Wally PHOTOGRAPHERS Milo Hess J. B. Nicholas Jefferson Siegel

December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

POLICE BLOTTER Criminal Mischief: Window Robbery: Random search was shattered by soused Santas a ruse The yearly bar crawl known as SantaCon (during which Claus-clad revelers roam Manhattan) may be a cash cow for tavern owners — but for parents, it’s becoming an annual challenge to shield impressionable tots from witnessing the bad behavior of countless Kringle doppelgangers. Merchants not in the business of serving spirits also dread the annual event, as they absorb collateral damage from the inebriated hijinks of those destined for the “naughty” list. One such incident occurred at 7:50pm on Sat., Dec. 15 — when an employee of Moschino clothing boutique (401 W. 14th St., at 9th Ave.) heard glass shattering. Looking outside, he observed two males (dressed as Santa Claus) fleeing westbound towards 10th Ave. It was at that point he also noticed the store’s front glass door had been smashed — damaging goods in excess of $250. A canvass of the area was conducted, with negative results (since there were too many drunken male Santas on the street to positively ID the perps). The store manager told police it did not appear that any property had been removed.

At 1:30am on Sat., Dec. 15, a male resident of W. 14th St. was walking back to his home, from the Dream Hotel (355 W. 16th St., btw. 8th & 9th Aves.). When in front of 315 W. 16th St., he was approached by three males — one of whom ordered, “Get up against the wall. We’re the police and this is a random search.” Suspecting he was being scammed, the victim asked for ID — at which point one of the perps displayed a black handgun while the others searched his pockets and removed a watch (valued at $5,000) from his wrist. Upon returning home, the victim called 911. Officers from the 13th Precinct responded, then drove the victim to the 10th Precinct, where a report was filed.

Grand Larceny: Lack of focus leads to camera crime While attending an event at the Actors’ Playhouse (100 Seventh Ave., btw. Bleecker & Grove Sts.) on Sat., Dec. 15, a Brooklyn shutterbug left

a bag unattended and returned for it 10-15 minutes later. It was gone — and he was out a hefty $1,982 in camera and tech equipment (including a Canon 6D SLR digital camera valued at $799, an iPod 5 worth $65, a $500 Canon camera lens and a portable disk drive valued at $80).

Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle: The never-ending test drive The owner of a blue 1998 Ford Windstar is still waiting for the return of her vehicle — after an acquaintance took what turned out to be a very long and involved test drive. The victim handed over the keys at around 5pm on Sat., Nov. 24 (at the corner of Ninth Ave. & W. 42nd St.) On Dec. 14, she filed a police report, noting that the acquaintance had yet to return the car (or pay for it). She also noted several attempts to contact the suspect failed, and their phone is now disconnected.

—Scott Stiffler

A Pair of Purse Problems

CASH FOR GUNS $100 cash will be given (no questions asked) for each handgun, assault weapon or sawed-off shotgun, up to a maximum payment of $300. Guns are accepted at any Police Precinct, PSA or Transit District.

CRIME STOPPERS If you have info regarding a crime committed or a wanted person, call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS, text “TIP577” (plus your message) to “CRIMES” (274637) or submit a tip online at nypdcrimestoppers.com.

THE 10th PRECINCT Located at 230 W. 20th St. (btw. 7th & 8th Aves.). Deputy Inspector: Elisa Cokkinos. Main number: 212741-8211. Community Affairs: 212-741-8226. Crime Prevention: 212-741-8226. Domestic Violence: 212-741-8216. Youth Officer: 212741-8211. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212-741-8210. Detective Squad: 212-741-8245. The Community Council Meeting takes place at 7pm on the last Wed. of the month.

THE 13th PRECINCT • A woman visiting town from Germany lost $70 in U.S. currency and $250 worth of Euros — as a consequence of practicing an illadvised method of camouflage while dining at Le Pain Quotidian (127 Seventh Ave., btw. 17th & 18th Sts.) at around 1pm on Fri., Dec. 14. The victim hung her purse on a chair, and then covered it with her coat. At some point, a person unknown to the victim went

Peter McManus Cafe Bar & Grill

through the purse’s contents and removed the cash as well as a credit card (which was, a short time later, used at a nearby Sixth Ave. location). A video provided to police by the establishment’s owners clearly showed the perp removing the victim’s property. • An area resident was shopping at Buy Buy Baby (270 Seventh Ave., btw. 25th & 26th Sts.) in the early

The McManus Family Tradition (Est. 1936)

Should Auld acquaintance be forgot...

Join us for a party-hearty New Year’s Eve!

We’ll be open all night till the wee hours of the morning - Lunch and Late Night Dinners -

152 Seventh Avenue (at 19th Street) 212-929-6196 After All in Heaven There is No Beer, That’s Why We Drink it Here!

evening of Thurs., Nov. 8. When she arrived at the register, she noticed someone had removed her wallet from her purse. In a report filed on Dec. 14, the victim told police that she did not remember being jostled — and also noted that after the theft, an attempt was made to withdraw cash from the TD Bank (at 200 Seventh Ave.), and a fraudulent check was deposited into her account, with her name on it.

Located at 230 E. 21st St. (btw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.). Deputy Inspector: Ted Bernsted. Call 212-477-7411. Community Affairs: 212-477-7427. Crime Prevention: 212-477-7427. Domestic Violence: 212-477-3863. Youth Officer: 212-477-7411. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212-4774380. Detective Squad: 212-4777444. The Community Council Meeting takes place at 6:30pm on the third Tues. of the month.

December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

Helping PS11 is Good for You presents

BRINGING COMMUNITY BUSINESS DOWNTOWN January 23, 2013, 6 - 8 pm EXCITING PRESENTATION ON

"HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE"

43 Murray Street (downstairs lounge) between West Broadway & Church Sts.

Great Drink Specials! Prizes! $5 Mixed Drinks s $4 Beer

Free Delicious Appetizers! Courtesy of Woodrow’s

Photo by Scott Stiffler

Now in its second year, the Farm Market run by students from Chelsea’s PS11 elementary school helps them develop entrepreneurial skills while educating their customers about how to use fresh ingredients from local sustainable farms to make healthy meals. The Farm Market dates currently scheduled for 2012 are Wed., Jan. 9, Feb. & March 13, and April 17, from 8-10am (at 320 W. 21 St., btw. 8th & 9th Avenues). There’s another way to support PS11, while promoting to your own health and wellness. On Jan. 7, from 6-9pm, the “First Mondays” fundraiser/shopping

party at Arcadia Spa & Home (249 W. 23rd St., btw. 7th & 8th Aves.) will benefit PS11’s Parent Teacher Association by donating 10 percent of the night’s sales and 100 percent of the raffle proceeds. The raffle prize, a free 60-minute Dr. Hauschka massage from Arcadia’s Day Spa, should give you plenty of energy to clean and cook all the good stuff you pick up at PS11’s Jan. 9 Winter Farm Market. For more info, visit firstmondaysps11.eventbrite.com and ps11chelsea.org.

—Scott Stiffler

Space is Limited! Please reserve at rsvp@downtownexpress.com BCBD Regularly Schedules Networking Events to Help Increase Your Business Downtown

December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

Benefit Helps Ali Forney Center Bounce Back from Sandy BY SAM SPOKONY The Ali Forney Center, which provides housing and services to homeless LGBT youth across New York City, has certainly been getting the help it needs after the organization’s Chelsea dropin center was destroyed by Sandy’s floodwaters. Executive Director Carl Siciliano announced several weeks ago that, through events and donations, AFC had already met the $400,000 fundraising goal required to move the organization into its new Harlem dropin center at West 125th Street and St. Nicholas A venue, which opened on December 18. Two days before, AFC raised even more funds to bolster its transition from the storm — this time,

with a benefit concert at XL Nightclub (located in THE OUT NYC on West 42nd Street, which is the city’s first gay hotel and resort). Organized by the It Gets Better Project (created to show young LGBT people the levels of happiness their lives will reach, if they can just get through their teen years), the evening was hosted by drag queen comedy duo The Haus of Mimosa — who performed a few of their own spirited songs between sets from upand-coming Broadway and TV musical talents, some former soap stars and National Public Radio White House correspondent Ari Shapiro (who’s a surprisingly good singer). For more info, visit aliforneycenter.org.

Photos by Sam Spokony

Drag queen comedy duo The Haus of Mimosa.

Cast members from Broadway’s “Bring it On: The Musical.”

Andrew Keenan-Bolger, who currently peforms in “Newsies” on Broadway.

NPR White House correspondent Ari Shapiro can carry a tune.

Ali Stroker, from TV’s “The Glee Project.”

December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

Two Good ‘Friends’ in Need Your company insurance changed again? Photo courtesy of Friends of Hudson River Park

Up for adoption: 1,500 trees in Hudson River Park.

BY SCOTT STIFFLER

HUDSON RIVER PARK’S VIRTUAL ADOPT-A-TREE PROGRAM Sure, you can go online and adopt a star. But the commute to visit your beneficiary is as long as it is logistically impossible. Better to stay close to home, where you can file the paperwork, shut down the computer and take a walk in the park — literally. Friends of Hudson River Park’s virtual Adopt-A-Tree program lets you sponsor one of the five-mile waterfront park’s 1,500 trees. Adoptions help provide year-round care for each tree and its surrounding area, and protect the park’s overall landscape and diverse

horticulture. The process is simple: Navigate the interactive online map, then pick the species and location of your tree as well as the level of your adoption. The Sapling, Shaded Canopy and Root Network levels have varying benefits, including a guided tour of the park to hand-pick your tree. As we went to press, Evergreen Tree #25 (Latin Name: Pinus flexilis) — planted in 2003 and located just north of the West 12th St. entrance — was still waiting for its virtual tree tag to be filled out by a generous friend of the park. For info, visit hudsonriverpark.org/support-thepark or call Development Associate Paul Dranginis at 212-757-0981.

Another reason to call.

You want an outstanding doctor and we can connect you with one who’s right for you. Whether near your home or office, doctors affiliated with Continuum Health Partners hospitals – Beth Israel Medical Center, Beth Israel Brooklyn, Roosevelt Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital, New York Eye & Ear Infirmary – are conveniently located throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. Our doctors participate in all major insurance plans.

Image by James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, courtesy of the City of New York and Friends of the High Line

Up for adoption: 1,500 trees in Hudson River Park. An interim walkway, at W. 30th Sat. & 12th Ave., provides visitors a new opportunity to experience the original railroad tracks and Hudson River.

FRIENDS OF THE HIGH LINE It’s never too early to help beautify the neighborhood while racking up a 2013 tax deductible charitable contribution. Consider making one of your first checks of the New Year out to the help open the High Line at the Rail Yards. Unlike previous sections, the elevated park’s third and final will be financed primarily with private gifts. Friends of the High Line wants, needs and values all the help it

can get to raise the $90 million it will take to fund construction and build an endowment for the park’s future maintenance and operations. Site preparation (removing ballast, cataloguing rails) is already underway. With your help, FOHL can provide public access to the entire High Line, from Gansevoort Street to West 34th Street, in 2014. Visit thehighline.org or call 212-206-9118 to make your donation.

Need a great doctor? Call 877.996.9336. w w w. c h p n y c . o r g

December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

BY SCOTT STIFFLER

Photo by Lisa Soverino

The Piccolini Trio returns to Canal Park Playhouse, Jan. 5-27.

Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Center

Find out how Jeremy became a pirate, Jan. 6 at BCPA. HOW I BECAME A PIRATE Omaha Theater Company’s new musical uses brassy pirate songs and bold choreography to bring Melinda Long’s popular children’s book to life. When Jeremy impresses Braid Beard with his knowledge of sand castles and moats, he becomes a valued member of the crew. But shortly after they set sail on a high seas treasure hunt, Jeremy realizes his adven-

ture of a lifetime isn’t going to be all fun and games. Can he convince the pirates to take him back home, where the real fun is? Sun., Jan. 6, at 2pm. At the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts Walt Whitman Theatre at Brooklyn College (2/5 trains to Brooklyn College/ Flatbush Ave.). For tickets ($7), call 718-951-4500 (Tues.Sat., 1-6pm) or visit brooklyncenteronline.org.

THE PICCOLINI TRIO: “CIRCUS IN A TRUNK” After a twomonth hiatus and extensive renovations due to Hurricane Sandy damage, Canal Park Playhouse is back — and so is The Piccolini Trio, whose third annual run at the theater combines contemporary big top hijinks with classic European style clowning. When the three mischievous friends arrive at the Playhouse and realize the circus they came to see isn’t going to show up, they decide to put on a show — by using all the fun and fantastic things they find in a huge antique trunk. Music, acrobatics, physical comedy, juggling and pantomime are all performed at a breathless pace by the Trio, who cut their clown teeth (and earned their big red noses) while studying with Circus Smirkus, the award-winning international youth circus. Brunch at the theater’s Waffle Iron Café is available before and after the show. The menu includes hot-off-the-waffle-iron frittatas, French toast, traditional Belgian Waffles and two famous house specialties: The Playhouse Pink Waffle (a pink waffle with strawberries and whipped cream) and the Decadent Dark Chocolate Waffle. Don’t have a sweet tooth? Really? Well, then, entree salads are also available! Jan. 5-Jan. 27, 1pm & 4pm, Sat. & Sun. At Canal Park Playhouse (508 Canal St., btw. Greenwich & West Sts.). For tickets ($20), call 866-8114111 or visit canalparkplayhouse.com. “TEEN READS FOR WINTER” AT BOOKS OF WONDER New York City’s oldest and largest independent children’s bookstore hosts Storytime every Fri. at 4pm and Sun. at noon, in their Children’s Room. Their frequent author events feature readings, Q&As and the chance to have your favorite book autographed. On Sat., Jan. 12, from 12-2pm, “Teen Reads for Winter” welcomes Elizabeth Laban — whose novel “The Tragedy Paper” refers to the prestigious Irving School’s highpressure version of a senior year thesis. Recent transfer student Tim, an albino, just wants to fly under the radar and graduate. But when his friendship with “it” girl Vanessa turns into a clandestine relationship, Duncan uncovers the truth and sees its potential for writing the greatest Tragedy Paper ever. Joining Laban on Jan. 12 will be Deb Heiligman (“Intentions”), Theo Lawrence (“Mystic City”) and Beth Ann Bauman (“Jersey Angel”). At 18 W. 18th St. (btw. Fifth & Sixth Aves.). Open Mon.-Sat., 11am-7pm and Sun.11am-6pm. For info, call 212989-3270 or visit booksofwonder.com. FANCY NANCY THE MUSICAL The Vital Theatre Company’s tuneful adaptation of the beloved book series finds the girl with a flair for fancy words, clothes and décor in the middle of a serious personal crisis. Along with good friends Bree, Rhonda, Wanda and Lionel, Nancy has landed a role in the school play (“Deep Sea Dances”). That’s the good news. The bad news: Nancy won’t be a glamorous mermaid, just a dreary and dull tree. After the initial disappointment, our heroine resolves to use her trademark flair to make the small part into something as entertaining and unique as she is. Through Feb. 24. Sat. at 1:30pm and Sun. at noon. At Culture Project, 45 Bleecker St. (btw. Mulberry & Mott Sts.) For tickets ($30), visit vitaltheatre.org,

call 212-579-0528 or visit the Vital Theatre box office (2162 Broadway) Mon.-Fri., 9am-5pm (or the Culture Project box office one hour prior to show time). SATURDAY FAMILY PROGRAMS AT THE SKYSCRAPER MUSEUM Dinosaurs aren’t the only big and tall creations to fascinate the very young and very short. Towering skyscrapers also have a pull on the seven-plus set — and there’s no better place to see them than right here, in the world’s foremost vertical metropolis. But why crane your neck looking upwards? Explore tall buildings as objects of design, products of technology, sites of construction and places of work and residence (and build one of your own!) at The Skyscraper Museum. Their winter/spring “Saturday Family Program” series features workshops designed to introduce children and their families to the principles of architecture and engineering through hands-on activities. On Jan. 12, the “New Year’s Calendar Construction” workshop challenges you to make an architectural calendar (also known as a 12-sided rhombic dodecahedron). Learn about geometric shapes used in architecture, and construct a 3-D calendar for 2013 that celebrates skyscrapers and geometry. On Jan. 26, “So Sew Tall” takes its inspiration from the museum’s current “Urban Fabric” exhibition— which tells the story of New York’s Garment District. Back in the 1920s, the area from 35th to 41st Sts., from Seventh to Ninth Aves., produced nearly three-fourths of the apparel worn by American women and children. After a series of activities exploring factory designs and production methods, build your own factory and organize the production of a product! All workshops ($5 per family) are for ages 7+ and take place at 10:30am. Registration is required. Call 212945-6324 or email education@skyscraper.org. At 39 Battery Place (btw. First Place & Little West St.). Regular museum hours are Wed.-Sun., 12-6pm. Admission is $5 ($2.50 for students/seniors). “KIDS CLAY” AT THE PENN SOUTH CERMAICS STUDIO This workshop encourages kids ages 7-11 to make a mess (and, eventually, something that flows from a lump of clay, their own imagination and a little supervised instruction). Eventually, the kids go home — but their work stays behind, where it’s fired in the kiln and available to pick up at the next month’s workshop. “Kids Clay” happens Sun., Jan. 13, from12-2pm, at the Penn South Ceramics Studio (Building 6B, 279 Ninth Ave., at 26th St.). The workshop is $22 for Penn South residents, $25 for nonresidents (a sibling can come along for half price). Email pennsouthceramics@gmail.com for an application. Also visit pennsouthceramics.com. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR LISTING IN CHELSEA NOW? Please provide the date, time, location, price and a description of the event. Send as far in advance of the event as possible, to scott@chelseanow.com.

December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

Sans Soda and Smoothies: Best Fast Food Options BY CARLYE WAXMAN, RD CDN Fast food isn’t all bad — unless you go into a fast food joint blind and have no idea what a calorie means. This article will serve as a guide for you to choose the best options from the menus of McDonald’s, Dunkin' Donuts and Subway so you won’t have to sabotage your diet when you don’t have time to cook. As you look through your options, notice the calorie content on many of these foods. If you choose the meal and have it with a soda, you could be doubling your calories before you hit the fries! One large 32 oz Coke from McDonald’s is 310 calories. That’s more than a Bavarian Cream Donut from Dunkin' Donuts. How many Donuts are you drinking per day? If you have more than one medium soda per day, that’s already a one pound weight gain per week, or 52 lbs per year. Since Mayor Bloomberg’s ban on large sodas was approved by the NYC Board of Health, sweetened drinks in containers larger than 16 oz will be banned in establishments that receive inspection grades from the health department — including movie theaters and:

MCDONALD’S Best Breakfast Options: • Egg McMuffin: 300 calories, 2g fiber, 18g protein • Blueberry Banana Nut Oatmeal: 290 calories, 5g fiber, 6g protein • Fruit and Yogurt Parfait: 150 calories, 1g fiber, 4g protein Worst Breakfast Options: • Big Breakfast (regular size biscuit): 740 calories, 3g fiber, 28g protein • Sausage Egg and Cheese McGriddle: 560 calories, 2g fiber, 20g protein • Bacon Egg and Cheese on a Bagel: 560 calories, 3g fiber, 24g protein Best Chicken Options: • Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich: 350 calories, 3g fiber, 28g protein

• Premium Grilled Chicken Ranch BLT Sandwich: 380 calories, 3g fiber, 31g protein • 6-piece Chicken McNuggets: 280 calories, 4g fiber, 13g protein Worst Chicken Options: • Premium Crispy Chicken Club Sandwich: 620 calories, 3g fiber, 31g protein • 5-Piece Premium Chicken Breast Strips: 640 calories, 1g fiber, 38g protein Best Beef Options: • 4oz Cheese Burger: 300 calories, 3g fiber, 15g protein • Big Mac: 550 calories, 3g fiber, 25g protein • Double Quarter Pounder: 520 calories, 3g fiber, 30g protein Worst Beef Option: • Angus Bacon and Cheese Sandwich: 790 calories, 4g fiber, 45g protein Best Dessert Options: • Baked Hot Apple Pie: 250 calories, 4g fiber, 2g protein • Snack-Size Fruit and Walnuts: 210 calories, 2g fiber, 4g protein • Fruit and Yogurt Parfait: 150 calories, 1g fiber, 4g protein • Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream Cone: 170 calories, 0g fiber, 5g protein Worst Dessert Option: • 16 oz McFlurry with any candy topping: A medium size is 700-1000 calories!

DUNKIN’ DONUTS Best Breakfast Options: • Egg White Turkey Sausage Flatbread: 280 calories, 3g fiber, 19g protein • Egg White Veggie Flat Bread Sandwich: 280 calories, 3g fiber, 16g protein • Brown Sugar Flavored Oatmeal with dried fruit: 300 calories, 6g fiber, 7 g protein • Southwest Steak Breakfast Burrito: 340 calories, 1g fiber, 14g protein • Southwest Veggie Breakfast Burrito: 330 calories, 2g fiber, 16g protein

• Bacon Egg and Cheese Wake up Wrap: 210 calories, 1g fiber, 10g protein Worst Breakfast Options: • Angus Steak and Egg Sandwich: 630 calories, 4g fiber, 34g protein • Sausage Egg and Cheese on Croissant: 710 calories, 2g fiber, 25g protein • Tuna sandwich on a bagel: 560 calories, 4g fiber, 22g protein • Multigrain Bagel with low-fat pumpkin cream cheese: 490 calories, 7g fiber, 12g protein Healthy Tip: If you’re dying for that multigrain bagel with low-fat pumpkin cream cheese, get the bagel scooped out and use half of the package of cream cheese. This will save you about 150-200 calories, depending on how much they scoop out! Best Beverage Options: • Large Hazelnut Coffee: 25 calories. Add skim milk and Splenda for a bonus 25 calories and 3-4g of protein • Medium Pumpkin Coffee: 160 calories • Large Toasted Almond Coffee: 30 calories

Continued on page 17

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December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

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December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

CHELSEA: ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Deconstruction Ahead COIL Fest springs, as PS122 stretches its muscles THEATER PERFORMANCE SPACE 122’S 2013 COIL FESTIVAL

January 3-19 At various venues in multiple boroughs Single ticket prices vary, ticket packages available For tickets, ps122.org or Call 212-352-3101

BY SCOTT STIFFLER Cast out of necessity in the role of a nomad determined to use his tribe’s time in exile to refine their mission and expand their territory, Performance Space 122 Artistic Director Vallejo Gantner’s vision for the future would be fully funded if potent metaphors had cash value. Consider this one a down payment: Tightly wound with thematically kindred works of dance and theater, PS122’s multiborough COIL Festival is set to spring. That, and opportunities presented by displacement, were the topics of our recent phone conversation with Gantner — whose signal remained strong as his cab entered a tunnel midway through the story of how 18 months spent rejuvenating the 150 First Ave. facade was a mere prelude to 24 more months of “meat and potatoes” work (beginning in February 2013) which will revitalize the venerable not-for-profit arts center’s interior. Meantime, the once and future home of PS122 isn’t entirely dormant. Its second floor space has gone from a functioning theater to a site-specific COIL venue. “There’s no seating,” explains Gantner, “so the audience is standing, and the performance happens amidst them. Hence the title.” The second installment of Czech-born, New York-based choreographer Pavel Zuštiak’s four-hour “The Painted Bird” trilogy, “Amidst” recalls the boundary-shattering experience of Part I (“Bastard”) — where dancers planted throughout the audience unexpectedly swarmed the stage. Furthering that notion of observer as participant, “Amidst” uses PS122’s gutted theater to encourage audience members to “move freely amidst a sensory immersive

Photo by Paula Court

“Inflatable Frankenstein!” mashes the monster’s fictional creator and Mary Shelley.

installation at the intersection of dance performance, visual art and live music” that (metaphor alert!) “focuses on nostalgia as a place of entrapment on a journey home.” With the return to First Ave. at least two years away, Gantner is firmly entrenched in the task of cultivating a more evolved aesthetic that should be in full effect when the staff, crew and artists return to their East Village home. “We’ve been planning on being out of the building for a long time,” says Gantner, “so we created seasons that really thought about what it meant to not have a historical home. We realized this was a huge opportunity to find new audiences in other boroughs and in other parts of the world. So we’re creating a touring program internationally and reconceiving how we operate as a presenter of live performance. What does it mean to be a commissioner? What does it mean to present and produce? We need to be asking bigger questions, to really be engaged with audiences in different and innovative ways.” And with that, Gantner lets go with his closer — which, if achieved across the board and with season-to-season consistency, will go a long way in addressing the fatal flaw that keeps so many Downtown endeavors from making the great leap from brilliant premise to skilled execution. “It can’t be half-baked,” he says of both production values and general preparedness. “We see this in a lot of work. It doesn’t have the time and capacity to finish itself. You can’t have a job and rehearse at night and on the weekend. Audiences aren’t served by that, because they’re not getting work that’s fully realized.” Artists, Gantner asserts, “need to be given economic and production tools. They need to be focused and obsessively making the work. They do not need to spend six hours a day hunting down free studio space. The whole Downtown experimental avantgarde; that sector is predicated on artists who work for free, who do not earn a living from their work. But the performing arts are valuable. They’re important and critical to the economy of New York. And at a certain point, we need to engage that, to make it sustainable.” To facilitate that, he notes, “We decided to pay people properly, everybody in the room who’s engaged in the show. So we’re putting a lot more money than we used to into projects.” Three times, more, estimates Gantner, who says they’ve hired two creative producers

Photo by Megan Green

Theater in the ruins: “Amidst” takes place inside PS122’s gutted second floor theater space.

Continued on page 19

December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

Far From Home, PS¹22 Refines its Mission Continued from page 18 “dedicated to making sure that every piece is realized to the fullest possible extent. That means finding co-producers and grants. That means making sure the way marketing talks about a show is actually what the show is.” As it applies to COIL, at least, PS122 seems to have nailed that last one. Asked if he set out to stack the festival with a specific point of view, Gantner maintains that any similarities to be found within the six dance and five theater works were happy accidents — but when pressed, he does cop to certain intriguing themes that emerge through even the most cursory glance at COIL’s press release. “It’s just the vibe at the moment,” observes Gantner of works that use iconic characters as a means to contemplate notions of self. “Maybe there’s something about the way we have virtual lives,” he offers. It seems like a reasonable (if only partial) explanation for why Brian Rogers’ drunken live performance of “Hot Box” invokes the physical trials actors underwent in making “Apocalypse Now,” or how Radiohole’s “Inflatable Frankenstein!” mashes the monster’s fictional creator and author Mary Shelley — whose imagination conjured both the mad scientist and his reanimated Id. And then there’s Kristen Kosmas’ “There There” — in which an ill-prepared female proofreader subs for an injured Christopher Walken after his mysterious fall from a ladder while touring Russia in a solo show inspired by sociopath Vassily Vasilyevich Solyony from Chekhov’s “Three Sisters.” The abundance of doppelgangers in COIL, says Gantner, could be a reflection of how “We’re kind of self-creating,” by invoking identities forged remotely through social media. “We’re branding ourselves. We see that in Tina Satter’s piece.” In “Seagull (Thinking of you),” writer and director Satter uses various translations of Chekhov’s 1895 work “The Seagull” as well as the playwright’s own letters to ponder what makes us human. Adding another layer of complexity, Satter has cast her “Seagull” with performers who are “oddly resonant counterpoints and matches” to the Chekhov characters. On the other end of the spectrum, 68-yearold actor, producer and playwright Peggy Shaw’s “Ruff” addresses the aftermath of her 2011 stroke by confronting, says Gantner, “the absences that are created by the loss of self, and having to reinvent one’s self and re-find one’s memories, friends and history.” Shaw’s fractured narrative quest to retrieve the eccentric personas that have lived inside her for decades while filling that post-stroke “blank space with new insights” fits nicely with the Gantner’s commitment to art that asks questions for the sake of evolution rather than endgame answers. “These works,” Gantner says, “exist in a space that’s idea-driven. I think are accessible and meaningful, but they don’t need to be literal. It gives the power of creation back to the audience.”

Photo by Michael De Angelis

The cast of Half Straddle’s “Seagull (Thinking of you)” compliments, and contrasts, their Chekhovian counterparts.

Photo by Alex Reeves

Peggy Shaw ponders post-stroke identity, in “Ruff.”

December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

Dear friends, neighbors and our beautiful community, It has been a month since Sandy swept through the city and took away our restaurant Barbarini Mercato on Front Street down at the South Street Seaport. Since then, we have been so touched to see so many of our friends, neighbors, customers and our community reach out to us in so many ways to help us in the recovery effort. The support has given us tremendous strength to look forward. However, due to the extent of the devastation to the area and the many limitations as a result, we have no choice but to look to the immediate future and work on a new project in Lower Manhattan. We have not given up on our old location, but need to find a way in the interim, to support our family of five. We hope for your continued support so that we can come closer to our goal of opening Da Claudio in the near future.

Dear Aunt Chelsea, I’ve been dating a guy for a little over a year, and he and I have become very close — boyfriend/girlfriend close. He lives out in Staten Island and is always staying over at my apartment. His lease will be up in February, so he’s been heavily hinting that he’d like to move in with me! I might want to do that, but not right now (maybe never). On the other hand, it seems impractical for him to take out another yearlong lease. What do I do? The Reluctant Roommate Dear Reluctant: Aunt Chelsea revels in the challenge of reading between the lines to suss out what’s really eating her beloved but deeply troubled letter writers. As any confidant worth their salt will tell you, it’s the still small silences between whimpers that reveal the true nature of one’s pain. Your problem, however, requires no such attention to subtleties. It’s glaringly obvious what’s going on here (clue: your anonymous moniker has the word “Reluctant” in it). Clearly, you don’t want a roommate — or, from the sound of it, a husband. Let’s give your Staten Island suitor the benefit of the doubt and say he’s been “heavily hinting” at cohabitation due to the looming specter of an expired lease.

The clock is ticking, and he’s stressing. That’s understandable. But pressure is for stopping the bleeding, not opening up a wound (yours, no less). Please, think about that red flag relationship dynamic before you pick out china patterns, hire a wedding planner or add his last name to the buzzer. Good luck, honey!

Dear Aunt Chelsea, Every year, I sign up at the gym (Crunch) to work out to lose weight and get in shape for the summer...but come February, I’m back on my old regular fatty diet and “no workout” routine. How can I stay strong past the first couple of months? Frustrated on Fourteenth Street Dear Frustrated: So, every year you renew that membership, only to throw in the towel come February. How long has this been going on? More than two years, I’ll bet… which tells Aunt Chelsea that you’re no stranger to patterns and routines (and, from the sound of it, cheeseburgers and milkshakes). Anyone capable of getting themselves into a rut need only exchange bad habits for good ones. When you wake up on January 1, pick at least three days a week to work out, at a set time, and stick to that plan for 14 days. Before you know it, ab crunches and squats will become the new normal…and the treadmill of paying for a gym membership and not using it will be replaced by, well, an actual treadmill. By the way, now that Chelsea has its own Crunch location, you have one less excuse!

Thank you to our dearest friends who encouraged us to move forward with this effort! We could not have gone this far without your love and support!

www.gofundme.com/1kynio Thank you,

Claudio and Linda Marini Thank you Francesco Regini and the Downtown Express for donating this piece!

Do you have a personal problem at work, the gym, the bar or the corner coffee shop? Is there a domestic dispute that needs the sage counsel of an uninvolved third party? Then Ask Aunt Chelsea! Contact her via askauntchelsea@chelseanow. com, and feel free to end your pensive missive with a clever, anonymous moniker (aka “Troubled on 23rd Street,” or “Ferklempt in the Fashion District”).

December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

c s e o o s p H ro Aries Don’t waste the first quarter of 2013 obsessively searching for that thing you lost. A trusted friend finds it in early May. Lucky craft item: Glitter. Taurus February favors you with the knack to the interpret dreams and apply them to real world situations. Use the power wisely. Lucky spread: Jam. Gemini The rapid mastery of a tricky skill required by your new summer hobby delights a potential love interest. Lucky 2013 pudding flavor: Butterscotch.

Cancer A midnight movie, viewed on a moonless September night, provides inspiration for a profitable new venture. Lucky hobby: Philately.

Leo Your love life heats up, to the boiling point, during a winter cold snap that comes without warning. Lucky ceramic cup color: Cobalt Blue.

Virgo In November, long-lost relative suddenly resurfaces — with a treasure map, a tall tale and an irresistible challenge. Lucky lawn tool: Hose. Libra Two objects offered as card game collateral hold the key to a vexing August crisis. Resist the urge to pawn them. Lucky hat: Bowler.

Scorpio The personal cost of making amends will plummet in the spring, then rise in the summer. Apologize, already! Lucky mountain: Pikes Peak.

Sagittarius Fret not over early 2013 disappointments. False starts and frustrations soon give way to new paths and big payoffs. Lucky author: Mark Twain. Capricorn A heated conversation, overheard while taking a brisk winter morning walk, compels you to take an uncharacteristic action. Lucky number: 5. Aquarius In June, a flighty Libra makes a series of tart observations that speak to that problem you’re keeping to yourself. Lucky crayon color: Magenta.

Pisces Politely decline an invite to travel in early March. Unexpected and fantastic adventures await, close to home, come mid-month. Lucky fish: Perch..

December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

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Ecstatic, Wise and Full of Grace Trio of gallery shows signal a strong 2013

Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery

Installation view of “El Anatsui: Pot of Wisdom.”

BY STEPHANIE BUHMANN

EL ANATSUI: POT OF WISDOM Born in 1944, the Ghanaian sculptor has spent much of his career in Nigeria. While in the past, some of his preferred materials have included clay and wood, his most recent installations incorporate a wide range of found materials. His best-known works are monumental wall sculptures that are made of thousands of discarded bottle tops. The latter are assembled into elegantly shimmering patterns, which generate a unique sense of color and movement. As all of El Anatsui’s works pay homage to traditional African art and craft, one can expect another interesting display of a vocabulary and imagination both foreign and otherworldly. Through Jan. 19. At Jack Shainman Gallery (513 W. 20th St., btw. 10th & 11th Aves.). The gallery will be open by appointment from Dec. 24 through Jan. 2. Call 212645-1701 or visit jackshainman.com.

namely the Impressionist Edgar Degas. Like Degas before him (in the 1870s), Leutwyler has found a rich source of inspiration in the world of ballet. After photographing the New York City Ballet for years, Leutwyler was granted unprecedented backstage access during the winter of 2012. Using his 35mm Leica, he created a series of intriguing portraits of no less than 91 company members. Because Leutwyler photographed his subjects during classes, rehearsals and performances, his portraits allow for a detailed and intimate overview of this continuously inspiring art form. Through Jan. 12. At Foley Gallery (97 Allen St., btw. Delancey & Broome Sts.). Call 212-244-9081 or visit foleygallery.com.

JULES DE BALINCOURT: “ECSTATIC CONTACT” Known for his abstract and figurative paintings that explore global anxieties, de Balincourt’s latest body of work continues this quest by narrowing in on the uncertainties of contemporary human life. A glimpse of hope is offered in “Ecstatic Contact” — a composition glowingly covered in florescent pink and red handprints, spray-painted dots and linear paint strokes. In de Balincourt’s own words, this work “emphasizes the metaphysical unity and underlying energy behind all exchanges and relationships, acting as the conductor, transmitter and orbital center to the entire show.” Through Jan. 13. At Salon 94 Bowery (243 Bowery, at Stanton St.). Call 212979-0001 or visit salon94.com.

HENRY LEUTWYLER: “BALLET” Foley Gallery’s newest project evokes an artist of a very different era,

Courtesy of the artist and Foley Gallery

Henry Leutwyler’s “Ballet” (2012, 60 x 40 inch, Chromogenic print).

Courtesy of the artist and Salon 94, NY

Jules de Balincourt’s “Ecstatic Contact” (2012, oil, acrylic and spray paint on wood panel, 96 x 120 inches; 243.8 x 304.8 cm).

December 26, 2012 - January 8, 2013

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* Warranty for life is available on ZWLJPÄ J ]LOPJSLZ YLZ[YPJ[PVUZ HWWS` HUK maintenance is not included. Please see dealer for complete details.

800-756-0113

Prices/Pymts include all costs to consumer. Tax, title, MV & Doc fees additional. 10k mi/yr $.15 each addt’l. Forester: $4,752 due at signing (incl. $3,999 cap cost reduc., $0 sec., $595 Acq fee, $158 1st pmt) Ttl/Residual $6,636/$12,719.30. Impreza: $4,712 due at signing (incl. $3,999 cap cost reduc., $0 sec., $595 Acq fee, $118 1st pmt) Ttl/Residual $4,956/$11,272.89. Outback: $4,802 due at signing (incl. $3,999 cap cost reduc., $0 sec., $595 Acq fee, $208 1st pmt) Ttl/Residual $8,736/$15,888.75. Legacy: $4,762 due at signing (incl. $3,999 cap cost reduc., $0 sec., $595 Acq fee, $168 1st pmt) Ttl/ Residual $7,056/$13,036.66. Lessee responsible for excess wear/tear/main/repair. See dealer for details. Dealer not responsible for typos. Offer expires 12/31/12.