Chelsea Now

YOUR WEEKLY COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CHELSEA, HUDSON YARDS & HELL’S KITCHEN

CB4 Holds Key to Flea’s Plea

BY SEAN EGAN It was a tale of two sides, told twice — as separate gatherings of Community Board 4 (CB4) heard testimonial from vendors and ownership associated with the permit-seeking Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market (HKFM). The open-air event, held weekends at W. 39th St. and Ninth Ave., has been the subject of controversy recently. At Dec. 7’s CB4 Quality of Life (QOL) subcommittee, the Market’s 2016 Street Activity Permit Office (SAPO) Continued on page 4

Shedding Light on NYCHA’s Future

BY YANNIC RACK To save and preserve the city’s affordable housing for future generations, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) needs to reinvent itself on many levels, according to Shola Olatoye, the authority’s chair and CEO. “Our salvation is in the light,” Olatoye said during a recent interview, referring to NYCHA’s need for more transparency — Continued on page 7

GAME ON!

Concerned about getting the gamer on your list the right holiday gift? Our empowering guide, for fans and the uninformed alike, begins on page 19.

Photo by Yannic Rack

A stableman leads a horse outside Chateau Stables in Hell’s Kitchen, one of only four traditional carriage stables left in New York City.

West Side Stables are Holdouts of Old New York

BY YANNIC RACK On Midtown’s bustling West Side, a lot of things are changing. Longtime residents routinely rattle off familiar complaints about rising rents and overzealous development in neighborhoods once characterized by seedy tenement buildings and an industrial waterfront.

But in Hell’s Kitchen, one traditional piece of the neighborhood’s fabric is holding on stubbornly: the carriage stables that have called the area home for generations and still delight tourists and New Yorkers alike with rides through Central Park.

Today, there are only four carriage stables left in the city, all privately owned and located within a 15-block stretch of the same neighborhood, between W. 37th and W. 52nd Sts., off of 11th Ave. “It’s very much a Hell’s Kitchen business,” said Conor McHugh, a carriage driver and the stable manager at

© CHELSEA NOW 2015 | NYC COMMUNITY MEDIA, LLC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Clinton Park Stables, which occupies a three-story gray brick building across from DeWitt Clinton Park on W. 52nd St. “A lot of carriage drivers used to live in the neighborhood back when I started,” he recalled. “This business, probably because it’s been around for 150 years, is part of the soul of New York.”

The largest of the four stables, Clinton Park is home to 78 horses that pull 39 carriages, out of only 68 that are licensed to operate in the city.

Like many of the men and women still working in the carriage industry, McHugh, an immigrant from Ireland and a 29-year veteran of the trade, reflects the history of the area as an ethnically diverse, working-class neighborhood.

A relative newcomer in contrast, Christina Hansen

Continued on page 12 VOLUME VOLUME 07, ISSUE 07, ISSUE 41 | 22 DECEMBER | JULY 10 16 - 16, 22, 2015

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: THE HOLLY JOLLY EDITION

BY SCOTT STIFFLER

PENN SOUTH CERAMICS STUDIO HOLIDAY SHOW

Photo by Pamela Parlapiano

The Clement Clark Moore Park Chanukah menorah shines daily, from 5 p.m. to dawn, during the festival.

Mom may still treasure that poorly painted, lopsided pencil holder you made as a kid — but the time has come to seriously upgrade the quality of your handmade gifts. Taking classes at Penn South Ceramics Studio will do the trick, eventually. In the meantime, their Holiday Show (and sale!) puts a reasonable price tag on one-of-a-kind bowls, plates, vases, mugs, platters, and jewelry created by Studio students and instructors.

Sat., Dec. 12 & Sun., Dec. 13, from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. in the Penn South Ceramics Studio (in Building 6B, 276 Ninth Ave., at the northeast corner of W. 26th St.).

For more info, email them at pennsouthceramics@gmail.com or visit pennsouthceramics.com.

CAROLING WITH THE W. 300 BLOCK ASSOCIATION

Photo by Zazel Loven

Have song, will travel: the 360 W. 22nd St. lobby is the starting and end point for Dec. 16’s neighborhood caroling stroll.

You’ve heard of singing for your supper? This is caroling for cocoa — hot chocolate, specifically, which will be waiting (along with other goodies) at the tail end of the 300 West 23rd, 22nd, 21st Block Association’s annual caroling stroll.

Don’t feel like joining, but want to listen?

Stake out a spot in front of PS 11 (W. 21st St., btw. Eighth & Ninth Aves.), which event organizers assert is known for its “excellent acoustics.” The brass quartet in tow will settle the matter.

Meet in the lobby of 360 W. 22nd St. (btw. 8th & 9th Aves.) at 6 p.m. on Wed., Dec. 16. For more info, email 300wba@ gmail.com.

HIGH LINE HOLIDAY CONCERT

Illustration by Lucia Franco

Dance up a pre-winter storm, at the High Line Holiday Concert (Dec. 12 at Leandra’s Garden).

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Friends of the High Line goes off their elevated grid and onto “one of our favorite neighborhood sites” — when they bring their annual holiday event to nearby Leandra’s Garden. There will be free hot chocolate and holiday treats, and the chance to shop at a pop-up Artisans Fair presented by the Puerto Rican Institute for the Development of the Arts (PRIDA).

Aurora Flores and the Zon del Barrio orchestra (zondelbarrio.com) will play dance style classic Afro-Boricua music, and the West Village’s own Valerie Ghent (valghent.com) will put a holiday twist on some of her funky, jazz-infused originals.

Free. Sat., Dec. 12, 2:30–4 p.m. in Leandra’s Garden (at the park behind

431 W. 17th St., btw. Ninth & 10th Aves., Fulton Houses). In case of rain, meet at the 14th St. Passage (on the High Line, W. 14th St. &10th Ave.). Visit thehighline. org. Follow @highlinenyc on Twitter for updates.

NYC COMMUNITY CHORUS WINTER CONCERT A yearlong 20th anniversary celebration concert series comes to a close, at this Dec. 12 presentation from the Chelseabased New York Community Chorus.

“In Search of a Vision” references the Native American Vision Quest — a rite of passage on the path to spiritual growth that resonates with Chorus director and co-founder, Jack Eppler. “Twenty years ago,” he recalls, “I had this idea that anyone could sing. That was my vision. So we started a no-audition chorus that turns no one away. Here we are in our transition to a third decade, in a vastly different Chelsea, and our mission of restoring singing to the community still resonates.” The concert’s centerpiece is American composer John McDowell’s “Woods Suite.” A meditation on finding meaning through contact with nature, it incorporates music from the Native American, African, and Middle Eastern traditions.

Sat., Dec. 12, 5 p.m. at Church of the Holy Apostles (296 Ninth Ave. at W. 28th St.). Suggested donation, $12. Visit nycccha.org.

CHANUKAH MENORAH & HOLIDAY PARTY IN CLEMENT CLARKE MOORE PARK One old tradition deserves a relatively new one — and that’s exactly what happened this past Sunday, when blessings were recited, songs were chanted, and the West 400 Block Association marked its second year of sponsoring a Chanukah menorah in Clement Clarke Moore Park (W. 22nd St. & 10th Ave.).

The Association’s holiday party happens in the park at 1 p.m. on Sat., Dec. 19.

After enjoying refreshments while decorating a tree (donated by Tom’s Trees, of W. 22nd St. & Ninth Ave.), neighbor Tony Torn will perform a reading of “The Night Before Christmas.”

The menorah will be lit daily, from 5 p.m. through dawn, for the duration of the festival. For info, email w400ba@ gmail.com.

Continued on page 23 .com

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Vendors Differ on Flea Market Management Style

Photo by Winnie McCroy

Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market owner Alan Boss, at the Dec. 2 full board meeting of Community Board 4.

Continued from page 1 permit renewal was the subject of extensive debate.

The meeting followed Dec. 2’s CB4 full board meeting, at which several vendors spoke about the abuse they’ve received while working at HKFM, at the hands of owner

Alan Boss and his wife Helene Boss.

Anthony DeVincenzo, a 10-year vendor, spoke of a movement to change up the management. “There is animosity among parties,” he said, “and vendors would like to see the market get its old vitality back.”

Mik Farkas, another vendor, said many are “fearful to speak up and

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lose what they have,” and claimed the market is no longer vital and that “it’s being milked for [the Bosses’] personal purposes. The character of the folks running the market is horrendous. I can’t believe some of the things I’ve heard with my own ears,” he said. He was supported by another vendor, David Bros, who relocated his business in response to the allegedly degrading treatment by Alan and Helene Boss. Another former vendor, April Summers, accused Helene Boss of harassing her and her 12-year-old daughter after she was late with rent, including cursing at the child.

Bad blood between Market vendors and the ownership was addressed in a Dec. 6 New York Post article, which also quoted Bros — who, along with others, detailed his grievances and articulated allegations against Alan and Helene Boss.

The Dec. 7 QOL meeting, however, had a slightly different tenor.

Held at CB4’s relatively small W. 42nd St. office space, an overflow crowd spilled out of the meeting room and well into the vestibule.

Representatives from SAPO — which is responsible for permitting on-street events such as farmers markets, block parties, and street festivals — were on hand to deliver a presentation about their department at the top of the meeting.

SAPO requires a nonprofit to sponsor an event in order to grant a permit. Even more relevant to the meeting, however, was the information that community boards can comment on applicants. If denied

or given stipulations by the board, SAPO would honor their decision.

Following the SAPO presentation, the stage was set for HKFM representative Scott Isebrand, who delivered a presentation pleading the Market’s case for their permit renewal. He highlighted Alan Boss’ longtime association with flea markets, including his famous Sixth Ave. one, which, after being established in 1976, became a notable location for the community, tourists, and luminaries like Andy Warhol.

The W. 39th St. location in question was opened in 2003, and according to the presentation, achieved profitability in 2011. Isebrand also attempted to contextualize the decline of the Market, citing factors such as changing tastes, the rise of online shopping, and weather as having a sizable impact on business — thus accounting for the dwindling customer and vendor base that critics have been citing.

He also documented the creation of the Hell’s Kitchen Foundation — the nonprofit organization founded

by Boss and his associates in 2012 to sponsor the Flea Market, in accordance with SAPO. According to a statement from a publicist for Boss, it was “created to foster the arts by providing financial support to local artists as they pursue their passion,” and it plans to give out grants to artists starting next year. However, the IRS did not approve the nonprofit until February 2015.

The members of the QOL committee, who had extensive questions for the applicant, expected Boss and co. to provide them with far more detailed plans for the future, as well as in-depth financial documentation pertaining to the running of the Market and the nonprofit.

QOL Co-Chair David Pincus criticized Boss and Isebrand’s plans and presentation as being “highly amorphous.” Both he and Co-Chair Tina DeFeliciatonio were wary of claims that Boss was “certainly receptive to the stips” because he wanted to “build the market up to what it was,” when it was clear the HKFM was not abiding by all the stipulations currently in effect — including not having the required security, or a full time manager (their current one splits his time between their two flea

Continued on page 17 .com

Hudson Yards Culinary Component Gets Beefed Up

BY YANNIC RACK The restaurants at Hudson Yards will soon be cooking up a worldclass storm, as two new chefs have signed on to bring their talents to the emerging neighborhood.

José Andrés, who is credited with bringing small-plate dining to the US, and Costas Spiliadis, the Greek chef behind the seafood mecca Estiatorio Milos, will both helm restaurants at the project’s one-million-square-foot culinary component, the Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards.

“Both chefs have shown a commitment to helping create the new heart of New York, and I could not be more proud of the collection we are creating,” said Kenneth Himmel, one of the project’s developers.

The two restaurants are among a dozen or so that will open in the retail complex in 2018, together with an American-style grill by renowned chef Thomas Keller, who is curating the space together with Himmel.

The pair has previously teamed up to open acclaimed restaurants

Courtesy Related-Oxford

Chef Costas Spiliadis will open a new outpost of Estiatorio Milos, his renowned Greek seafood restaurant, in 2018.

Per Se and Bouchon in Time Warner Center, but the Hudson Yards eateries will be less formal and expensive, according to The Wall Street Journal.

“We’ve already done our thing at the top,” Himmel told the Journal in an interview. “The idea here is to be much more engaging, much more affordable.”

Courtesy Related-Oxford

A plaza view rendering of the Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards.

A spokesperson for the project confirmed that the retail complex will feature six to eight quick-serve restaurants, two more locations for Bouchon, Keller’s café and bakery, as well as a restaurant located within Neiman Marcus, the luxury department store that will anchor the building.

Hudson Yards’ culinary component at the Shops & Restaurants has been overshadowed so far by the other buildings rising up across the 28-acre site.

Ten Hudson Yards, the first commercial tower, recently topped out at its southeastern edge, and the first residential building, 15 Hudson Yards, got a boost this month from a $1.3 billion financing deal.

The entire Eastern Yard of the new neighborhood between 10th and 11th Aves. and W. 30th and W. 34th Sts., which will also include a public square, a hotel and an arts and entertainment center, is set to open in 2018.

Renewing Struggling Schools

by Michael Mulgrew President, United Federation of Teachers

Cities and school districts across the country have tried a range of strategies to deal with the problems of poor children and struggling schools. Under former Mayor Bloomberg, New York City relied on a “shutdown” strategy, eventually closing 150 schools, including some that the Bloomberg administration itself had created.

While Bloomberg’s cheerleaders lauded his approach, the fact is that many of our schools – both older ones and those started during Bloomberg’s tenure – continue to struggle.

In contrast, the de Blasio administration has listened to teachers and members of school communities.We know that it is difficult, but struggling schools can succeed – if provided the proper support and resources, and a team approach that brings all a school’s stakeholders together.

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The city’s new Renewal program, created with input from stakeholders, is designed to focus on some of the neediest schools in the system. Early returns show that many of these schools have stabilized and in some cases are started on the road to improvement.

coaches, social workers and other professionals, along with professional development for the staff on the skills necessary to work with children facing these challenges.

While in 2013-14 nearly one-third failed to meet targets for student achievement, the 2014-2015 School Quality Report shows that now 87 percent of the renewal schools are moving in the right direction, measured by better attendance, more family involvement and other criteria. As a group, they showed gains in both reading and math on state tests.

Students in these schools start out with deficits.

Nearly 20 percent are English Language Learners and almost a quarter are classified as special education. Thousands live in shelters or are doubled up with relatives. Many are hungry, lack winter clothes, or have medical needs, including glasses and hearing aids. Many have parents who are Many of these schools have a long way to go. unemployed or who work long hours at minimumTurning them around is difficult, particularly in wage jobs. the face of years of cutbacks and systemic indifTeachers at these schools see these problems ference. These schools will require a multi-year not as excuses, but as issues that need to be strategic intervention built on sound education addressed to ensure that all kids have an equal practice, including custom-tailored supports for opportunity to learn. each school’s particular needs. With its Renewal program, New York City is taking on tough work Renewal schools are being paired with non-profit that no one in the country has attempted before agencies to deliver services like health care and on this scale. counseling to students and their families. What’s more, the nearly $400 million the administration is investing in these schools over the next three United Federation of Teachers years includes funds for hiring teachers, academic A Union of Professionals

December 10 - 16, 2015

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Paper Ballot, New Blood: CB4 Elects Leadership

Photos by Winnie McCroy

Outgoing CB4 Chair Christine Berthet (standing), and incoming Chair Delores Rubin (seated).

BY WINNIE McCROY A rainy night did not deter residents from gathering at the Fulton Center Auditorium (119 Ninth Ave. at W. 17th St.) for the Dec. 2 full board meeting of Community Board 4 (CB4).

With many agenda items tabled, withdrawn or sent back to committee, the business portion of the meeting

was quickly dispatched. The evening ended with a paper ballot election for new leadership for CB4. The only contested position was First Vice Chair, with Burt Lazarin and Ernest Moderelli vying for the win. Both men gave a short speech about their motivation for running, with Lazarin noting that he’s built upon what he’s learned in 10 years with CB4, saying,

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December 10 - 16, 2015

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City Councilmember Corey Johnson called outgoing CB4 Chair Christine Berthet “a relentless advocate” and “someone who wants to see results.”

“I like listening to the community, expanding on the skills I’ve developed as a negotiator in private business, as a group facilitator and city planner, a flâneur, someone who watches what happens in the city, and uses that info.

I think I will enjoy it.”

Moderelli said he was spurred to community activism by growing up in West New York, where “most people were not engaged, participated or concerned. Growing up in this area inspired in me a sense of civil engagement. I moved to the gleaming city, and after six years here, as a member of CB4 I’ve seen the district undergo a lot of changes and challenges.

Confronting them requires the participation of people like ourselves.”

Ambur Nicosia lead the voting, which returned the following slate: Delores Rubin as new Chair; Lazarin as First Vice Chair; Lowell Kern as Second Vice Chair; and Lily Fan and Michael Noble, both as Secretaries.

As Chair Christine Berthet steps down, there will be a commemoration of her work at January’s meeting.

But that did not stop elected officials from showering her with praise.

“I was Chair of CB4 before Christine, and although I’ve spent a little less than two years in office, I still hear from Berthet all hours of the day, because she is a relentless advocate for these neighborhoods,” said City Councilmember Corey Johnson.

“Over the 10 years she’s served on the Community Board, she has really shown her mettle. I’m going to miss working with her on a day-to-day basis, because she’s someone who wants to see results.”

“Berthet is one of the most com-

mitted public servants I’ve ever known,” echoed NY State Senator Brad Hoylman, to which NY State Assesmblymember Richard Gottfried added, “Christine goes to more meetings than anyone should have to. In an awesome group, Christine is one of the best. The fact that the Board and community have had the benefit of her for so long is something we should be enormously grateful for.”

“This is way too much,” whispered Berthet, barely audible, but smiling nonetheless.

As the meeting came to a close, incoming Chair Rubin vowed to follow in Berthet’s footsteps, saying, “I know that I haven’t been on the Community Board for very long, but I have been a lifelong resident of 55th Street, and I will continue to work hard for the benefit of my neighborhood.”

In an email statement sent to Chelsea Now on Dec. 7, Rubin noted that although the leadership has changed, “Christine Berthet and many other former Chairs of MCB4 [Manhattan Community Board 4] are still very active, which will make this transition seamless. MCB4 is made up of committed volunteers that represent our community well. I am happy to continue that legacy with their help.”

REPORTS FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS Councilmember Johnson tipped his hat to his Chief of Staff, Erik Bottcher, for his hard work in getting the City to turn the Empire State

Continued on page 10 .com

‘Structural Issues’ a Challenge for NextGen NYCHA

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Shola Olatoye, the chair and CEO of NYCHA, spoke with editors of NYC Community Media and Community News Group on Dec. 4.

Continued from page 1 which she cautioned must be balanced with finding new revenue streams, since the authority’s operating budget has been cut by $1 billion since 2001.

After years of declining federal and state funding, the authority now has around $17 billion in capital debt.

“You don’t make up $1 billion in funding. You just don’t…those are real structural issues. That’s less staff, less repairs, less supplies,” Olatoye said.

“We can’t do anything if we’re essentially, functionally bankrupt.”

Her comments, made during an interview at the Brooklyn offices of Chelsea Now and our sister publications, come at the end of a year of heavy criticism on many fronts — most prominently from City Comptroller Scott Stringer, who has audited NYCHA six times in the past two years.

At the meeting, Olatoye discussed a range of issues, but started off with an introduction to NextGeneration NYCHA, the plan that was launched earlier this year to revive the authority over the next decade.

Whereas many housing authorities across the country have changed and adapted in recent years, Olatoye said NYCHA has largely stood still.

“If the status quo were to continue, we project that there would be a $2.5 billion operating deficit going forward.

So we know that the status quo can’t continue,” she said.

To implement reform, the author.com

ity has identified 15 strategies that range from improving rent collection to connecting residents to employment opportunities.

The most challenging feat — getting back to a balanced operating budget — is to be pulled off with a combination of new revenue streams, including better management of the approximately 1.5 million square feet of ground-floor commercial space NYCHA owns, as well as coming up with potential uses for an additional 1 to 1.5 million square feet of non-residential community space.

“Like every plan, it’s somewhat of a financial exercise,” Olatoye said.

NYCHA estimates that the second stream could bring in $6 to 7 million in annual revenue over the next 10 years — peanuts compared to the hundreds of millions that the authority estimates could be raised over the same period by a third potential revenue source: an ambitious but controversial plan to develop under-utilized NYCHA-owned land.

In addition to locking down outside funding to support NYCHA’s most expensive properties — according to Olatoye, around 15,000 of NYCHA’s units take up 20 percent of the authority’s capital need, but only represent 6 percent of its actual building portfolio — the plan would create 10,000 units of affordable housing over the next decade.

NYCHA expects this to generate

Continued on page 15

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Rhymes With Crazy THE WEST SIDE’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

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Jennifer Goodstein

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Contributors

Stephanie Buhmann Sean Egan Michael Lydon Dusica Sue Malesevic Winnie McCroy Puma Perl Yannic Rack Paul Schindler Trav S.D. Eileen Stukane Zach Williams

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Give Us Our Daily Dread

BY LENORE SKENAZY Have we really all become convinced that we are under constant terrorist threat?

The New York Times seems to think so. In the wake of the San Bernardino shootings, it ran an article titled, “ ‘I Think About It Daily’: Life in a Time of Mass Shootings.”

But is this true?

Seems to me that since 9/11, we’ve learned we’re made of, if not sterner stuff, then at least more rational stuff.

We know that violence is random and rare.

Yes, rare. Especially here.

Let’s talk about local crime for a sec.

In New York City, as in most of the country, crime peaked around 1993 and has been going down pretty steadily since then. In 1990, there were 2,245 murders in the city. Last year, the number here was 333.

That’s an amazing drop.

But what about this very instant?

Isn’t crime suddenly “surging,” as the headlines suggest?

The Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law crunched the numbers we’re hearing about. It found that while the murder rate is projected to go up 11 percent in America’s 30 largest cities this year — a stat that does sound alarming — the numbers are still far lower than 10 or even five years ago. Here in New York, the projected number of murders by year-end is 357.

That is sad, of course. But as the report notes, “in absolute terms, murder rates are so low in many cities now that even an increase or decrease of just a few occurrences can cause a large change in percentage terms.”

For instance: If one person in a mil-

lion dies from a deadly spider bite, and the next year two people die this weird, icky way, that’s a 100 percent increase.

But it’s not as if deadly spiders are taking over America. (Yet!) The picture gets clearer if we think in terms of deaths per 100,000.

“In 1990, there were 29.3 murders per 100,000 residents,” according to the report, which cited FBI and police statistics. “In 2000, there were 13.8 murders per 100,000.

Now there are 9.9 per 100,000.”

So while the “Murder Rate Up!” makes for a paper-selling headline, “Americans Far Safer Than They Were 20, 10, and Even Five Years Ago!” is just as true.

When I spent 14 years at the New York Daily News, my editor would sometimes remind me that people read the paper because, “They want to know what can kill them.”

But that isn’t precisely the case. No one is writing thumb-suckers about the fear of heart disease. Only the most shocking and unpredictable deaths get this kind of treatment. And these reinforce the idea that simply by stepping out of your home — or, god forbid, letting your child step out of the home — death beckons.

The Times chose to reinforce the idea that not only we are all panicking about mass shootings, but that this dread is normal and perhaps even sensible after the California and Colorado murders. It did this by surveying the public with an online question: “How often, if ever, do you think about the possibility of a shooting in your daily

life?”

Naturally, the people who answered are those for whom this question resonates — many of them apparently crippled by an all-consuming fear of random violence.

“I would say I think about the possibility of a shooting in my life regularly,” wrote one 15-year-old.

The parents who responded sounded even more terrified. They wrote things like, “The oldest of my three children is in kindergarten. They have lockdown drills. I imagine the fear and chaos of a school shooting. The children, my son, the life and love that can be taken away. How will I live with myself if something happens to them?

I’m so scared.”

And another: “Is this the day? Will a shooter pick my daughter’s school because it only has one access road? What will she be thinking as she cowers in a closet?

Or under a desk? Will she be crying for me?”

But the odds overwhelmingly say she will simply go about her day and take her math test.

Crime is at historic lows. We are lucky to be living in such safe times.

Until we embrace reality instead of the headlines, we will not be able to enjoy life or let our kids outside.

That is a tragedy.

Lenore Skenazy is host of the reality show “World’s Worst Mom” on the Discovery Life Channel. She is also a public speaker who authored the book, and founded the blog, Free-Range Kids (freerangekids.com).

Happy Holidays from

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POLICE BLOTTER AGGRAVATED HARASSMENT: Blamed for Paris and everything else A resident of the 500 block of W. 42nd St. (btw. 10th & 11th Aves.) told police on Thurs., Dec. 3 that someone has been blasting him with a massive amount of emails since April.

Contents of the messages include accusations of culpability for terrorist attacks in Paris and other current events — though there was no overt threat to the messages’ recipient, according to a police report.

HARASSMENT: Shooed by foot from the viewing booth A man was enjoying some private time inside a viewing booth on Sat., Dec. 5, when an unknown person kicked in the door and demanded that he leave. Police have not yet determined whether the perpetrator is an employee of Rainbow Station (202 Eighth Ave., btw. W. 20th & W. 21st Sts.). No arrest was made in connection to the incident.

GRAND LARCENY: Left high and dry at Highline Hotel Online dating cost a New Jersey man a decent part of his wardrobe on Thurs., Dec. 3. He told police he met a stranger through a website devoted to gay men and took him back to a room at the Highline Hotel (180 10th Ave., btw. W. 20th & W. 21st Sts.). The long-term prospects of the relationship took a turn for the worse when the New Jersey man opted to leave his companion in the room alone while he walked his dog at about 9 a.m. His companion evidently sought a pre-emptive severance package as the canine and owner enjoyed a morning stroll, by allegedly taking off with a $1,000 Paul Smith

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overcoat, $700 in clothing, a briefcase, and $800 cash. His whereabouts remain unknown, according to a police report.

HARASSMENT: Tiff and a shove at Rite Aid Details are scant — but police do know that things got testy on Fri., Dec. 4, at a local Rite Aid (282 Eighth Ave., btw. W. 24th & W. 25th Sts.). A Chelsea man entered the store at about 11:30 p.m. and engaged a 35-year-old store employee in a verbal dispute. The employee ended the encounter with a solid shove, according to a police report. The victim suffered no injuries and the suspect remains at-large, police said.

LEAVING SCENE OF PROPERTY DAMAGE: Time to take some medicine An unknown person did not allow a Thurs., Dec. 3 traffic crash at the northwest corner of W. 42nd St. and 10th Ave. to get in the way of taking some medication. The two drivers involved were waiting for police to arrive at the scene, when one of the drivers informed a New Jersey man that he could wait no longer. He offered his registration information and promptly drove off a few minutes before 10 p.m., ostensibly to get medicine. A police report did not include details about the crash or vehicles.

—ZACH WILLIAMS

THE 10th PRECINCT Located at 230 W. 20th St. (btw. Seventh & Eighth Aves.).

Commander: Deputy Inspector Michele Irizarry. Main number: 212-741-8211. Community Affairs: 212-741-8226. Crime Prevention: 212-741-8226.

Domestic Violence: 212-7418216. Youth Officer: 212-7418211. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212-924-3377.

Detective Squad: 212-741-8245. The Community Council meets on the last Wed. of the month, 7 p.m., at the 10th Precinct or other locations to be announced. The next meeting is Dec. 30.

December 10 - 16, 2015

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Electeds Report to CB4 Continued from page 6 Building red in honor of World AIDS Day. “We are very proud that the City announced an additional $30 million to end the epidemic in the state with PrEP and meds, enhanced hours of STD clinics and rental assistance,” said Johnson. “Governor Cuomo also dedicated an additional $200 million, because we know how to end HIV/ AIDS. It’s a matter of resources and leadership.”

Johnson invited the community to a Town Hall meeting on January 13 at the LGBT Community Center on W. 13th St., starting with a resources fair at 5:30 p.m. They will offer free flu shots via Duane Reade, and the FDNY will distribute free smoke detectors.

Assemblymember Gottfried spoke about his struggle for campaign finance reform. He has been working for years to eliminate the LLC loophole that allows companies to make limitless contributions, saying, “Campaign finance is by far the most corrosive force in public policy. I also

believe it is time for New York to move to a full-time legislature with no outside employment…There will still be opportunities for people to be corrupted, but at least that one major one will be cut off.”

Senator Hoylman echoed this, saying, “I feel more resolved than ever to clean up this mess in Albany.” He supported legislation that prevented “moonlighting for either body,” so that legislators have no conflict of interest.

“Second, we are raising criminality for self-serving dealing among public officials, and third, I co-sponsored legislation with NY State Senator Daniel Squadron to close this LLC loophole.

One holding company can have innumerable LLCs, and each can contribute the maximum amount of $11,000, subverting the laws.”

After the tragic domestic violence-related murder of Deisy Garcia — whose husband killed her and their two daughters just days after she filed an untranslated violence report — Hoylman secured legislation requiring translation of these reports within a practicable period.

He also supported a bill allowing

Photo by Winnie McCroy

Assemblymember Richard Gottfried spoke in support of campaign finance reform.

nurses to test those entering the US for tuberculosis.

Andrew Lombardi, a represntartive of Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, noted that she told Clinton Towers their planned 20 percent rent increase was too steep, suggesting the management pick up the payment by renting out commercial space. Lombardi also gave an update on the Construction Safety Working Group led by their office, working with unions, the real estate board, industry leaders, CB Chairs and the DA’s office to come up with “mutually agreed-upon ways to reform construction safety in the city to keep

workers and residents safe.”

Edgar Yu from DA Cy Vance’s office spoke of sentencing Jeffrey Wong to 25-years-to-life in state prison for the murder of Khemraj Singh in October 2014, citing that the “viciousness of the crime was staggering; he beat, slashed and strangled the victim with enough force to crush the bones in the victim’s throat, even after the victim had been fatally stabbed.”

The next CB4 meeting will be held on Wed., Jan 6, 2016, at Mount Sinai West (1000 10th Ave. btw. W. 58th & W. 59th Sts.). Visit nyc.gov/mcb4.

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Photos by Yannic Rack

The calm before the morning rush to Central Park outside of Clinton Park Stables on W. 52nd St.

The interior of the Clinton Park Stables.

Conor McHugh (center), a carriage driver and the stable manager at Clinton Park

Carriage Houses Maintain a Stable Pre Continued from page 1 only came to the city three years ago. She grew up in Kentucky, but fell into the carriage business in Philadelphia more or less by accident, after breaking off her PhD studies in history.

Her background has proven to be a blessing, though; while showing visitors around Clinton Park Stables, she readily shares historical facts about New York’s carriage industry.

The current Clinton Park Stables, for example, were built in the 1860s for the city’s sanitation department, housing the horses that pulled street sweepers and garbage wagons.

The other three stables have been continuously used as such since they were built in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

“Hell’s Kitchen, for a long time, has had lots of stables,” said Hansen, who steers a carriage around the scenic slopes of the park five to six days a week. “I found an old picture of the 37th Street stable when it was the new building on the block, and it had stables all around it.”

Although they’ve been a part of city life for what seems like forever, the carriages have been in the spot-

12

December 10 - 16, 2015

light ever since Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged to drive them out of New York, supported by animal rights activists who have long pushed for a ban on the industry.

After a prolonged back and forth — with allegations of animal cruelty on the one side and charges of a political agenda driven and financed by real estate interests on the other — the mayor admitted this past summer that he didn’t have sufficient support for a ban in the City Council and the carriages were too popular anyway.

“This is something that we could have told him years ago, and it could have saved him and us a lot of trouble,” said McHugh.

The mayor has now signaled that he would rather aim to scale down the number of carriages on the street, which have already been limited to 68 since the 1960s.

Horse-drawn carriages, like motorized cabs, began being licensed under a medallion system when Fiorello La Guardia was mayor in the 1930s.

Asked about the administration’s current position on horse-drawn carriages, Wiley Norvell, a spokesman for the mayor’s office, wrote in an email that the city was continuing to work on “legislation that represents a humane and equitable solution that moves the horses off our streets, safeguards the animals, and protects the livelihoods of the men and women who provide carriage rides.”

“The thing is that, for 150-plus years, really almost 400 years now, the city has been very friendly to horses,” said Hansen. “It’s just this mayor has not been, and that’s a new thing.”

Not everyone is as concerned by the political situation, however. At Chateau Stables on W.48th St., where the McGill family has owned and operated the smallest stable in the neighborhood since 1967, nobody takes the whole debate seriously enough to lose any sleep over it.

“We just sit it out, and we never worry. We don’t even give it a second thought,” said Anita Gerami, who runs the stable with her husband Alex and her mother, Gloria McGill.

“It’s an icon, I don’t think we’ll ever go away,” added her mom, who at 83 still comes down from her home in the Bronx to help out on weekends.

A small woman with wisps of white hair, McGill started working for the stable’s previous owner in the 1950s, when it was still located on W. 98th St. and housed horses used by fruit peddlers and the like, who sold their wares off wagons.

The stable moved south in 1961, and six years later McGill and her husband, Buster, took over.

“It was very convenient in Midtown, because we got calls for Broadway shows, we got calls for film work,” .com

Tony Salerno, the stable manager at West Side Livery, learned the carriage trade in his native Sicily before coming to New York almost 40 years ago.

Photos by Yannic Rack

k Stables, during a pause on W. 59th St. opposite the Plaza Hotel.

Anita Gerami, with one of the horses at the Chateau Stables.

esence in Ever-Changing Hell’s Kitchen she said. “We could just walk over with our horses, and we still do.”

The film and theater work later dried up, so next to carriage rides the stable now specializes in horse riding and pony parties.

It is also the only location in New York City for horse-drawn hearses used in weddings and funerals.

A Chateau hearse brought James Brown’s body to a Harlem memorial service at the Apollo Theater, and Gerami said they also get a call every time a well-known rapper passes away.

On a recent Saturday afternoon, a birthday party was in full swing on the stable’s ground floor. RnB music blasted from the speakers, and girls took turns riding on the ponies, while Anita’s husband and one of the stablemen prepared a coach for a hayride around the block.

In the crammed office room next door, McGill, sitting under framed pictures collected over six decades, reflected on the changes in her adopted neighborhood.

Back in the ’60s, the street was still cobblestoned and lined with small businesses — a glass store, a radiator salesman, and several auto repair shops. Now there’s a nightclub across the street and hotels all around.

“Still, I feel like we’re a big part of the neighborhood. It’s a little piece of old Hell’s Kitchen that’s still .com

here,” Gerami said.

For 33 years, in addition to working as a stableman at Chateau, her father — the very image of a carriage driver, always dressed in tuxedo and top hat — took care of police horses as a hostler for the NYPD’s Mounted Unit at Pelham Bay in the Bronx.

The force once employed around 800 horses, and today the NYPD still keeps more than 100 of them in the city, according to a spokesperson for the department.

The animals are housed at four different stables in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan, where the unit’s new citywide headquarters opened this year on W. 53rd St. — only a block away from Clinton Park Stables.

In a sign of the times on the trendy West Side, the new police stable occupies the ground floor of a luxury apartment building, a location that’s out of reach for the private stables in the area.

Like McHugh and the McGills, the owners of West Side Livery on W. 38th St. are used to turning down offers to buy their property. The stable, sitting on a barren block dotted with auto repair shops not far from the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, has been in the hands of the same family for almost half a century.

Just a few blocks south, the first tower of the Hudson Yards development looms in the sky. Although the most

prominent, it is by far not the only redevelopment project in the area.

“A blind man can see what’s going on down there,” said McHugh, who bought the Clinton Park Stables in 2003 with roughly a dozen of his fellow carriage drivers.

They all felt their livelihood would forever be threatened unless they were independent from a landlord or leasehold.

The stable is now operated as a co-op.

“We thought that the West Side was rapidly changing, and we would eventually end up with nowhere to keep the horses because the properties were getting developed right, left, and center,” he said.

Next to West Side Livery on W. 38th St., four buildings are currently being demolished to make way for two 60-story residential towers.

Tony Salerno, the stable manager there, said the owners are not interested in selling, but he worries about the future anyway.

“There’s a lot of pressure. They wanna build really bad,” he said. “In the meantime we worry about where we go. We’re trying to stay as long as possible. Right now, we’re looking at the possibility of finding another

Continued on page 14 December 10 - 16, 2015

13

Will Central Park Stable End Horse Carriage Stalemate?

BY JOSH ROGERS Bill de Blasio had been mayor just over a month when Jon Stewart asked him if banning the Central Park horse carriages would turn out to be his Guantanamo — referring to President Barack Obama’s unfulfilled campaign promise to close the US detention camp there.

The mayor was willing to engage the joke from “The Daily Show” host during that February 2014 appearance, before saying, “Horses do not belong in the middle of traffic in New York City.”

The Daily News, by its own account, “raised a hue and cry” in its campaign to save the carriage industry, and the City Council opposed the mayor’s plan, which looked to be dead until last week, when reports surfaced that the mayor was quietly pursuing a plan to get the horses off city streets by building a stable in Central Park large enough to accommodate about 70 horses, roughly one third of the current number.

De Blasio acknowledged to reporters last week that he was talking to individual Council members about legislation that could pass. The New York Times, which first broke the story, reported that at least three unnamed members spoke to the

Photo by Yannic Rack

Every morning carriages line W. 52nd St. in Hell’s Kitchen, ready to set off from Clinton Park Stables, the largest of the four carriage stables left in the city.

mayor about the new idea.

Three who appear likely to be part of the group speaking to de Blasio are Councilmembers Dan Garodnick, Ben Kallos, and Corey Johnson. All have previously been reported to be undecided on the issue and have districts that either border the park or are close to it. They and their spokespersons did not return calls seeking comment.

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Horse-Drawn: Pony Parties Attract Business Continued from page 13

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Presumably, the mayor would only float the plan to members who agreed to keep it quiet.

Councilmember Helen Rosenthal, whose district includes the park, sounded a little annoyed that she had not heard from the mayor — but she told Chelsea Now’s sister publication, Manhattan Express, that it is something she potentially could support depending on the details.

She backs an outright ban, and the mayor may be calculating that she and her like-minded colleagues would end up supporting any limit that has more support.

Wiley Norvell, a de Blasio spokesperson, said in a statement, “We continue to work for legislation that represents a humane and equitable solution that moves the horses off our streets, safeguards the animals, and protects the livelihoods of the men and women who provide carriage rides.”

The compromise plan has been ridiculed by the News, the Post, and leaders of the carriage industry. NYCLASS, the advocacy group pushing for a ban, issued a more positive statement last week saying, “We need to see more details, and frankly, we need to see action and not just promises. But we will continue to work with the mayor and city leaders to protect the horses.”

De Blasio’s ride into City Hall two years ago was helped by the carriage opponents, who were the major backers of a PAC that ran ads against Christine Quinn, a carriage industry supporter who began the Democratic mayoral primary race as the clear frontrunner.

building. But it’s not easy.”

Salerno originally came to New York as a cabinetmaker almost 40 years ago. It was one of two trades his family practiced in his native Sicily — the other was driving carriages.

“And that time, we’re talking about 45 years ago, they used it for transportation, like a taxi,” he said, with an Italian accent so thick he might as well have stepped off a boat last week.

At 14 years old, his grandma would send him out to look for his grandpa, a carriage driver. He’d usually find him drunk at the local tavern, so he would load him into the back of the carriage and drive it home himself.

When he arrived in New York City, Salerno worked five days a week making furniture on the East Side, then came over to the stable on the weekends to drive a carriage in the park.

The mayor, reviving his seemingly lost cause to rein in the 220 horses still trotting the streets of New York City, now reportedly proposes to house a smaller number of them in a new stable in Central Park.

Asked about his take on that proposal, Salerno quickly did the math on how much room the carriages and horses, with all their feed and hay, would need.

After a minute, he dismissed the idea as too complex and space-consuming.

“There’s more chance he’s gonna get out of the city before the horses,” Salerno said of the mayor.

Like the other stables still holding on, he said West Side Livery won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. And like every other carriage driver, he feels like that won’t just preserve a big part of New York’s history, but also the best job in the city.

“Maybe if I stuck with my old job, I would be rich today,” Salerno said. “But my passion was here…when I jump in the carriage and drive my horse to Tenth Avenue, I feel like the richest man in the world.” .com

Juggling Funding, Transparency to Improve Public Housing Continued from page 7 around $100 to 200 million in revenue over the next 10 years.

The more controversial component of the plan, however, is the “NextGen Neighborhoods” program, which would allow developers to build half affordable and half market-rate housing on public land.

This so-called “infill housing” is a cornerstone of the mayor’s affordable housing plan, but many public housing residents are opposed to the proposal because it could cost them coveted green or parking space.

The affordable units would be capped at 60 percent of the Area Median Income (currently around $46,600 for a family of three) and NYCHA hopes that the developments would generate anywhere between $300 to 600 million for the authority.

“We’re committed to affordable housing, but we need to raise some money,” Olatoye said.

The program is already slated for two complexes, one in Brooklyn and another on the Upper East Side, and Olatoye said NYCHA would certainly look to expand it to other areas with “hot real estate markets” over the next 10 years — although she wouldn’t go into specifics as to where.

“I think this is a dynamic process, and we’ll be adding more sites to the program as we go on,” she said.

Regarding the concerns and fears of residents, she sympathized, but also reinforced that the need for new revenue is dire.

“It’s always easy to stand on the sidelines and scream, and it’s harder to come up with solutions,” she said. “And in the meantime, these buildings are literally crumbling. There is no sort of white knight, there is no silver bullet.”

One person regularly screaming has been comptroller Stringer, whose sug-

gestions for reform at NYCHA include requiring the authority to follow the same budgeting rules as every other city agency, including issuing quarterly reports and creating a four-year financial plan, as well as releasing more information on maintenance requests and repair records.

When prompted on this, Olatoye emphasized NYCHA’s recent strides at becoming more accessible — like launching the MyNYCHA app that lets residents schedule repairs — but also said that change takes time.

“I do believe that transparency is incredibly important…but we’re also trying to change culture,” she said.

Asked about her stance on the smoking ban proposed by Julian Castro, who, as the US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), oversees all local housing authorities, Olatoye remained vague.

“I think the real issue here is enforcement. And if you talk to my colleagues in the private sector, they’re gonna tell you about the same challenge — what are you gonna do, sniff people’s apartments? And with no additional resources?”

A spokesperson for NYCHA said the authority was currently reviewing HUD’s proposed new rule and plans to comment on it, although it was not immediately clear when that would happen.

Olatoye also admitted that there still is “huge room for improvement” in NYCHA’s relationship with residents and tenant associations overall, especially in the face of a move away from the traditional all-inclusive community model.

“I think while they’re incredibly frustrated [with NYCHA’s failings], they also want to make sure that it’s around for another generation, and I think that leads to some of that fear,” she said of the residents. “But there might be some glimmers of hope. And I hope they feel that.”

Photo by Peter Mikoleski, courtesy NYCHA

Formerly the site of a parking lot, the Elliott-Chelsea Houses (401 W. 25th St.) could get some market-rate units under NYCHA’s “NextGen LeslieLohman_MOD_12-2015.pdf 1 12/8/2015 12:28:02 PM Neighborhoods” plan.

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Flea’s Boss Talks Improvements to CB4

Photos by Sean Egan

Vendor David Bros, who relocated his business in response to persistent problems with HKFM management, spoke at the Dec. 7 QOL meeting.

Continued from page 4 market locations).

Furthermore, noting that the presentation stated that the Market achieved profitability in 2011, and that the Hell’s Kitchen Foundation was established in 2012, the board demanded to know why the foundation has not been making donations yet. Boss asserted he wanted to wait for IRS authentication before doing so — but that during the three-year interim, while still operating HKFM (using a temporary IRS EIN), he and the Market simply made charitable donations independently, and that the Market supported other nonprofits, including by giving them free space at the HKFM. The board was in agreement that they needed to see the Foundation and HKFM’s books to verify these claims, which Boss agreed to provide.

The board was also troubled to find out from Boss that the Foundation had been operating without a board of directors to determine how grants would be dispersed — a claim later refuted by a press rep of Boss’ stating that there was indeed a board of directors, but that the Foundation was looking for a selection committee with expertise in the arts to award grants.

To ameliorate the situation, the board and Boss agreed that it would be appropriate to retroactively direct .com

25 percent of profits from the interim years to the foundation, to be used for the grants.

Later, when confronted by the board about the recent allegations of abuse of and discontent amongst vendors, Boss, stating that a minority of vendors felt wronged, paraphrased Abraham Lincoln, saying, “You can’t make all of the people happy all of the time.”

“Do you recognize,” pushed Pincus, “there is a problem that needs work?”

“I recognize there is a problem from some people,” Boss replied, saying he’d do his best to improve relations “short of hiring Sigmund Freud.”

Other suggestions presented by Boss for improvement included reducing the current $90 rate for a 10x10 table (despite it being the lowest figure around), in order to attract more and varied merchants.

Following the board’s inquiry, the room was open to public comment.

One of the first to speak was a representative from Hyde Park, a parking garage whose business has been detrimentally affected by the Market, due to the restricted flow of traffic, who advocated for stipulations to be enacted to help improve his business when the Market was running.

Also present, and speaking against the Bosses again were David Bros and Mik Farkas, clad in yellow shirts from the Street Vendor Project (SVP). Also present was lawyer Sean

David Pincus, speaking for CB4’s Quality of Life committee, criticized HKFM plans as “highly amorphous.”

Basinski of the Urban Justice Center (the firm behind the SVP), who, as during the CB4 Full Board meeting, spoke against the Bosses’ practices, suggesting it might be time for a new manager of the market.

Despite this, though, the attitude in the room was overwhelmingly positive, and more than a dozen longtime Flea Market vendors came out to show their support — a good number of which had worked with Boss for decades, and followed him to the various locations at which his markets have taken place.

There were numerous heartfelt pleas to keep the market going, and people testifying to the mettle of Boss’ character as a fair and friendly owner throughout the years.

Their consensus was that though the Market wasn’t perfect, it was still a vital part of the community.

“It’s my little business,” Geisha Otera, a vendor for nine years, said of her space at the market. “It’s really my means of income, and I don’t want that taken away from me.”

Dawn, a vendor for six years, had no qualms with management, saying they’ve been “out of their way nice and professional” and calling the Market a “cultural stronghold.”

One vendor, Peter Farkas (no relation to Mik), went so far as to recriminate Bros, claiming he frequently got into arguments with neighbors.

Helene Boss also spoke up in defense of herself, calling the Post

“a rag” that published “unsubstantiated, untrue allegations.” While acknowledging that she is tough, she insisted, “I run a clean operation,” and had a vested interest in “protecting my vendors.”

In the end, the QOL committee saw the Market as an amenity for the community they did not want to risk losing, and passed a motion to draft a letter — with new and updated stipulations — approving Boss and the Market to SAPO. The letter would take the form of a “Deny Unless,” making the enforcement of the stipulations more stringent — with the QOL committee suggesting checking up on a monthly basis to ensure the stipulations are actually being followed, and reserving the right to withdraw approval.

Stipulations included finding a full-time manager devoted only to the W. 39th St. market location, and increasing security detail once the market exceeded 50 vendors. It was also contingent on Boss and co. providing the board with financial statements by the afternoon of Wed. Dec. 9, which would verify the charitable activities and use of funds he claimed throughout the meeting.

Time is quickly becoming scarce to sort this issue out, however, as the deadline for SAPO approval is Tues., Dec. 15.

Additional reporting for this article was provided by Winnie McCroy.

December 10 - 16, 2015

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ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

Rush to the Right Place: Company XIV Disciplined dance troupe has core strength to burn

BY SCOTT STIFFLER Once you get past leering at the bare buns, lean frames and tightly wrapped packages on display — which will take some time, but is

time very well spent — an immense appreciation sets in for the years of skill acquisition and the daily maintenance it must take for Company XIV’s “Nutcracker Rouge” cast to bend, stretch,

prowl and leap with such artistry, expression and precision.

Staring slack-jawed at this world-class display of fully realized human potential inspires silent promises to join that gym or hit that dance floor; or at least decide against a third pass at the holiday buffet table. Then, the realization sinks in that even if you’re able to reinvent yourself as a criminally smooth Fred Astaire, the 14-member ensemble is — to paraphrase an old argument for the superiority of Ginger Rogers — doing everything you can, but backwards…and in high heels!

That’s the point at which your mind undergoes a course correction, from dreams of self-improvement back to carnal fantasies — which is a very good space to occupy when in the company of this troupe that takes its cue (and name) from the decadent court of Louis XIV. Enthusiastic consumers of body-twisting acrobatics, pole dancing, fetish gear and good old-fashioned peep booth voyeurism will experience eye-popping flashes of recognition, and rushes of blood to all the right places.

As conceived, choreographed and directed by founder Austin McCormick, Company XIV’s dreamy, roguish, two-hour tour is steeped in tradition — and not just the type we’ve come to expect from Tchaikovsky’s oft-reimagined classic.

The familiar plot (girl gets toy nutcracker, navigates strange lands, finds her way home) is told, more or less, through burlesque and carnival-inspired acts of balance, upper body strength and uncommon endurance. The best of these take place while swinging from the rafters, alone or in pairs, and always without a net. (Marcy Richardson’s extraordinary turn suspended above a mirror, twirling on a hoop while filling the intimate Minetta Lane Theatre with her piercing operatic soprano, reaches its crescendo to thunderous applause.)

Down on the floor, but just as fully removed from the earth at times, the sexually fluid cast is thrust into Jungian dreamscapes filled with shadows, silhouettes, and backlighting — where the loss of innocence-cum-sexual awakening story arc of Marie-Claire (Laura Careless) is told through can-can, tap, fan dancing, and, at times, devoutly pure ballet — all performed with lusty grace by a cast decked out in set and costume designer Zane Pihlstrom’s high-functioning heels, glittery G-strings, and intricate corsets.

Like Marie-Claire’s internal struggle to break free (and boy does she, when a tepid attempt at handling a riding crop warp speeds into the realm

Photo by Mark Shelby Perry

L to R: Lea Helle, Marcy Richardson and Laura Careless.

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December 10 - 16, 2015

Continued on page 20 .com

Console-Able An empowering gamer gift guide

“Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection” brings the original three games to Sony’s newest console, the PlayStation 4.

All in one: “Halo: The Master Chief Collection” is a coveted compilation of previous games in the series, updated for the Xbox One.

BY CHARLES BATTERSBY Video games are ubiquitous during the holidays — but gamers frequently have to feign delight when they receive the dreaded “wrong game” from a well-meaning (albeit ill-informed) relative.

With dozens of seemingly interchangeable games on the market, it can be difficult to keep up with which game is the killer app for that new console under the tree. These recommendations will arm you with the knowledge to pick the right gift for the gamer in your life.

CONSOLE CONCERNS KontrolFreek thumbsticks clip onto controllers, and come with logos of popular games like “Call of Duty.”

Hardcore gamers will argue about the minute technical differences between a PlayStation 4 and an Xbox One. For many consumers, though, the choice of which console to buy comes down to which games are available for that system only. When the holidays roll around, gamers will often want these exclusive titles.

The first Halo game was the sole reason why many people bought the original Xbox back in 2001. This science fiction shooter series is known for both its multi-player experience, as well as the ongoing story that is continued from game to game. “Halo 5” is the first in the series to debut on the new Xbox One. People who are upgrading from an Xbox 360 are likely to have already played the previous games in the series, so “Halo 5” is the best choice for them. If this is someone’s first Xbox system, “Halo: The Master Chief Collection” is the way to go. This is a compilation of the previous games in the series, updated for the Xbox One.

ACTION WITHOUT ARMS “Rise of the Tomb Raider” will eventually come to PlayStation and PC, but for now it’s one of best reasons to own an Xbox One. .com

For people who don’t like shooters, there is another exclusive on the Xbox this season: “Rise of the Tomb Raider.”

“Tomb Raider” has been around for two decades, but the series has had a resurgence in popularity lately.

“Rise of the Tomb Raider” will eventually come to PlayStation and PC, but for now it’s one of the best ways to make people jealous of your new Xbox One. It’s also available for the old Xbox 360, for those who haven’t joined the current generation yet.

“Tomb Raider” inspired another big franchise: “Uncharted.” Instead of Lara Croft, “Uncharted” features a male protagonist named Nathan Drake, who raids tombs in exotic locations all over the world. This series was one of the PlayStation 3’s best exclusives, and a new “Uncharted” game is coming to PlayStation 4 next year. In the meantime, the newly released “Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection” brings the original three games to Sony’s newest console. Players who have a PlayStation 4 but never played the old “Uncharted” games will find this to be a must-have.

EXCLUSIVES A major exclusive for the PlayStation 4 is “Bloodborne.” This came out earlier in the year and might slip under the radar during the holidays.

Gift-givers should take care in who receives this game, though, because “Bloodborne” is for hardcore gamers only. From the developers of the notoriously difficult “Souls” series, “Bloodborne” has a merciless difficulty level that will be appreciated by players who pride themselves on their skill and dedication.

The Nintendo 3DS has been around for four years, but Nintendo keeps updating its hardware with slight revisions. The latest is the New Nintendo 3DS, which is fully compatible with all of the games for the previous versions (and most games for the original Nintendo

Continued on page 21 December 10 - 16, 2015

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Photos by Mark Shelby Perry

Steven Trumon Gray and Laura Careless as the Nutcracker Cavalier and MarieClaire.

The Company XIV cast are a talented bunch, for sure — such a shame about their bodies, though!

Sexually Charged ‘Nutcracker’ Delights and Delivers Continued from page 18 of gleeful expertise), “Nutcracker Rouge” is a flood of diverse images and influences, only occasionally overwhelmed by its desire to explore and experiment — as is the case with pop music in Act II’s trip to Sugarplum territory (“Material Girl,” “Peppermint Twist”), disappointingly presented with a winking silliness

that is incompatible with the evening’s sexually charged current and beautifully dark tone.

Quibbles aside, “Nutcracker Rouge” is a worthy addition to your holiday calendar — this year, or for years to come. It’ll give your out-oftown guests something to talk about, and it just might lead to some pillow talk with the person sitting next to you. All good theater should have that effect!

Marvelous Fiction Romance Novel in NYC Barnes and Nobles

“Different Minds.”

This marvelous novel by the youngest Lebanese Author Joyce E. Rayess captures New Yorker’s attention for fiction-romance lovers. “Different Minds” is available in Barnes & Nobles bookstores and in all e-bookstores.

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December 10 - 16, 2015

“Nutcracker Rouge” contains partial nudity (16 and over admitted). Tues.–Sat. at 8 p.m. and Sun. at 5 p.m., through Jan. 17, at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane, btw. Sixth Ave. & MacDougal St.). Tickets are $50–$85. Premium & VIP seating is $100–$175. To order, visit ticketmaster.com or call 800-745-3000. Rush tickets ($30) are available at the box office beginning two hours prior to curtain, for

patrons under the age of 30 (limit, one ticket per ID).

The next Company XIV production, “Snow White,” plays Jan. 26–March 12 at the Minetta Lane Theatre. Artist info at CompanyXIV.com.

Follow on Twitter: @Company_ XIV and on Instagram: @ CompanyXIV. Like them at facebook.com/CompanyXIV.

A benefit for

Judson Memorial Church 55 Washington Square South New York, NY

Directed by Russel Treyz Musical Direction by Brent Frederick

Friday December 18th at 8:00PM Saturday December 19th at 2:00PM

TICKETS $25 General Admission; $50 Premium Reserved Admission www.ChristmasRappings2015.brownpapertickets.com .com

Gamer Gift List In Play Continued from page 19 DS). While there are some newer, flashier games for this platform, “Animal Crossing: New Leaf” is the ideal gift for both kids and adults with their first 3DS. It is a cute, whimsical “life simulator” that is intended to be played a little bit every day — for years on end. Many other games can be “beaten” after a few hours, but “Animal Crossing” is a gift for the long run. But players who are dying to have something that takes advantage of the special features of the New 3DS will appreciate “Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate.”

Most games are not exclusive to any particular platform, though. “Fallout 4” was released last month, and is currently the big new game on both consoles and on the PC. It’s a free-roaming adventure through a post-apocalyptic wasteland, and players can spend hundreds of hours exploring it. Despite the post-nuclear setting, there is a heaping dose of humor to this game. Older teens and adults will enjoy the dark comedy, although its use of gore and drugs means that it’s not suitable for younger players.

KEEPING UP WITH THE DOWNLOADS Many of the best games from the past year aren’t actually available as physical gifts. Consoles, handheld platforms, and desktop computers can all download games without needing a physical disc. Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, Nintendo’s eShop, and the popular PC digital distributor Steam all sell physical gift cards that can be put under the tree or in stockings.

One notable game that can only be downloaded is “Life Is Strange.” It goes against some of the stereotypes about video games. There are no zombies or space marines — rather, it is a thoughtful and emotional story about a teenage girl who mysteriously gains the ability to rewind time. She uses her new power to address the countless “what if” situations that people encounter every day.

Eventually the story tackles more serious fare, like teen suicide, sexual assault, and euthanasia. It is highly recommended for teens, as well as adults.

PC PLENTY Plenty of people still play their games on PCs, and serious PC gamers will appreciate a mouse built specifically for their favorite game. Razer makes special mice with additional buttons intended for certain genres. The Razer Naga is designed for MMOs (massively multiplayer online games) like “World of Warcraft,” while the Hex is for MOBAs (multiplayer online battle arenas) like “League of Legends.” They’re a fun extravagance for someone who already has the game they want.

ALWAYS ACCESSORIZE Finally, for those who are stumped about what to get the gamer who already has everything, consider accessories for their existing controllers.

KontrolFreek thumbsticks clip onto controllers to add functionality and flair. They come with logos of popular games like “Call of Duty,” and are designed to enhance performance of specific kinds of games, like shooters.

Grip-iTs offer similar features, but at a stocking stuffer price point.

gameratedgames.com

The thoughtful and emotional story of a teenage girl who gains the ability to rewind time, “Life Is Strange” is a great alternative to games about zombies or space marines.

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December 10 - 16, 2015

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December 10 - 16, 2015

.com

HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES Continued from page 2

CANDLELIGHT CAROL SERVICE The nondenominational Chelsea Community Church’s 41st Annual Candlelight Carol Service offers spiritual reflection, scripture lessons, and congregational singing. Under the direction of Larry J. Long and accompanied by organist Christopher Houlihan and a string quartet, the choir’s selections include Hans Leo Hassler’s “Dixit Maria” and a playful arrangement of “Ding! Dong! Merrily on High” by Swedish composer Anders Öhrwall. Actor Isiah Whitlock Jr. (from HBO’s “The Wire”) will read Clement Clarke Moore’s beloved poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas” — in the church that stands on the very land that was part of Moore’s estate.

Sun., Dec. 13, 6 p.m. at St. Peter’s Chelsea (346 W. 20th St., btw. Eighth & Ninth Aves.). Free (offerings accepted).

For info, call 212-886-5463 or visit chelseachurch.org.

Photo by Zack Kron

The New York Community Chorus caps a year of 20th anniversary celebrations, Dec. 12 at the Church of the Holy Apostles.

Photo and pottery by Hanne Kjeldgaard

Glaze over your gift list, at the Penn South Ceramics Studio holiday show and sale (Dec. 12, 13).

Photo by Malcolm Ritter

Let there be candlelight: Chelsea Community Church’s annual Carol Service happens Dec. 13, at St. Peter’s Chelsea. .com

December 10 - 16, 2015

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