The
Red Hook StarRevue
NOVEMBER 2017
SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
FREE
NEW SENIOR CENTER TO OPEN REALLY SOON by George Fiala
T
he Star-Revue has obtained exclusive photos of the almost complete Red Hook Senior Center. The new center, located next to the Miccio Center, replaces the original Wolcott Street center which was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. All that remains to do now is to bring in the furniture and equipment. While NYCHA will not yet commit to an anticipated grand opening date—at least publicly—word on the street is that it should be ready in about a month. In the meantime, seniors have been congregating every morning for lunch and activities in the basement of the Miccio. The new center will be an upgrade, with a computer room among the goodies promised in a December 2014 meeting hosted by the then brand-new councilman Carlos Menchaca and NYCHA contractor Dawn Sanders. At that meeting, it was explained that NYCHA had already spent a year drawing up plans for the new center. At that meeting it was promised that the seniors could relocate by December 2015. The original Center, operated by RAICES, has been closed since November, 2012. The planning began after $2 million was granted by the City (continued on page 10)
This will be the lunchroom of the new Red Hook Senior Center on West 9th Street. (Star-Revue photo)
The Mexican artist who makes Red Hook his home by Ramaa Reddy Raghavan
B
old blazing splashes of red capture your attention at the Bosco Sodi studio in Red Hook. The color is everywhere, on the floor and on his many linen art works that form an organic pattern of randomness that is pleasing to the eye. “I love red,” said Sodi. “It means the sun, it means power, and force. In Mexico, it is an important color.”
This was the scene outside of Bosco Sodi’s studio right after Sandy, as the receding floodwaters carried his red paint oudoors.
Table of Contents Happenings ............................................2 UPS comes to Red Hook ......................7 Religious News....................................4,5 Sue Amendola Remembrance ................3 Columbia Street History......................15 Martine Bisagni ...................................22 Red Hook Star-Revue
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I met Sodi at his space on Van Brunt Street after he had just returned from Oaxaca, Mexico, where he was assisting in relief work related to the recent earthquake. Oaxaca’s city center was hit particularly hard. Sitting in the studio’s living room, I tried to comprehend Sodi’s work. The texture of his work looks clumpy, as if globs of clay had
been splattered all over the canvas, but Sodi says the material is not clay but a mixture of sawdust, pigments, glue, and latex that is applied by him in a sculptural kind of way. His work with sawdust goes back 20 years, and has evolved from dense, earthlike textures to these works which are filled with empty spaces. His current work is reminiscent of that of abstract expressionists, especially that of Jackson Pollock. The philosophy that guides Sodi is Wabi Sabi - an ancient Japanese aesthetic that follows the acceptance of transience and imperfection in life. “When you play with randomness the outcome is unique, and the passing of (continued on page 20)
October in Food Pantry Red Hook- on Richards pages 12 & 13
page 9 November 2017, Page 1
The
Red Hook StarRevue
481 Van Brunt Street, 8A Brooklyn, NY 11231
Nov. Happenings
(718) 624-5568
email happenings@ redhookstar.com to list your event. For more listings, check out our online community calendar at www.star-revue.com/calendar
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George Fiala R: Nathan Weiser Michael Cobb Ramaa Reddy Raghavan C: Halley Bondy, Arts Laura Eng, Religion Emily Kluver, Features Matt Caprioli, Arts Mary Ann Pietanza Sofia Baluyut Adrian Bacolo
FOR EDITORIAL, ADVERTISING OR EMPLOYMENT INQUIRIES, email info@redhookstar.com. The Red Hook Star-Revue is published monthly.
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Harold Ickes Playground (Hamilton Ave between Van Brunt and Woodhull St.) will host a visioning Fri. session and skate fair from 3-6 pm. You will be able to share ideas for the new upcoming skate park. Refreshments will be served.
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Spruce up Cobble Hill Park from 9 un�l 11 am. There will be weeding, loosening of soil, Sat. raking, mulching, trimming, plan�ng and general gardening. All are welcome, and you must work with your kids if you bring them. Clinton and Congress Street.
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Crochet Club. You will be able to crochet and talk with fellow fiber-arts lovers. Work on that Wed. blanket that you’ve been meaning to finish or start your next new project. Library, 7 Wolco� St. 1-3 pm
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Dan Blackberg’s “Radiant Others” will be part of the New York Klezmer Series Radiant Thurs. Others is from Philadelphia. The cost of the class is $25. Jalopy Theater & School of Music, 315 Columbia Street. 6:30 - 8 pm Virtual Bowling - a bowling compe��on. You will be able to play against people at other branches of the Brooklyn Public Library or beat your own best score. Red Hook Library, 7 Wolco� Street, 11 am - noon.
Founded June 2010.
Community Telephone Numbers:
Red Hook Councilman Carlos Menchaca (718) 439-9012 Red Hook Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (718) 492-6334 State Sen. Velmanette Montgomery (718) 643-6140 Gowanus Councilman Brad Lander (718) 499-1090 Park Slope Councilman Steve Levin (718) 875-5200 CB6 District Manager Craig Hammerman (718) 643-3027 76th Police Precinct, 191 Union Street Main phone (718) 834-3211 Community Affairs (718) 834-3207 Traffic Safety (718) 834-3226 Eileen Dugan Senior Center, 380 Court Street (718) 596-1956 Miccio Center, 110 East 9th Street (718) 243-1528
28 Tuesd.
The Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group will have a mee�ng from 6:30 – 9 pm at St. Mary’s Residence (41 First Street).
:
ONGOING
P:
November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and the Red Hook Diabetes Support & Educa�on Program (RHDSEP) will be having a few health mee�ngs. They will also film their #DiabetesDanceDare Challenge with a rewri�en rap song with Don Staxks performing on November 18. These are the RHDSEP mee�ngs that will happen in November: • 11/2 at the Red Hook Library, 6-8 PM Red Hook Eats its Greens mee�ng topic: Healthy Meal Focus
• On 11/4 in the library from 1-3 PM Red Hook Diabetes Support & Ed Program mee�ng topic will be a cut It video rehearsal and nutri�on discussion • On 11/18 in the Red Hook Library from 1-3 PM Red Hook Eats its Greens mee�ng topic will be cut it video recording for #DiabetesDanceDare Challenge • On 11/30 at the Red Hook Library from 6-8 PM Red Hook Diabetes Support & Ed Program mee�ng topic: Health coach Chinyere Williams
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The Miccio Community Center will be hos�ng ac�vi�es from 10 am - 5 pm. Ages 13 and up will be able to use the gym, Sat. theater, weight room and computers. This is a Good Shepherd Services program. Call 718-243-1528 for more informa�on.
12 Sun.
14 Tues.
Red Hook Open Studios 2017. 1-6 pm throughout Red Hook. Red Hook Open Studio’s A�erparty at Pioneer Works Second Sundays! 6 - 10:30 pm The Red Hook West Tenant Association will be having their monthly mee�ng hosted by Lillie Marshall. 428 Columbia Street tenant office room 1-C from 6:30 – 9 pm.
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The Red Hook East Tenant Associa�on will have their monthly mee�ng at 167 Bush Wed. Street 1B from 6:30 – 9 pm.
“Midwood” with Jake Shulman-Ment, Yoshie Fruchter and Richie Barshaw will be part of Thurs. the Klezmer Series at Jalopy Theater (315 Columbia Street). The workshop will go from 6:30 un�l 8 pm. The cost of the class is $25.
Red Hook East Dev. Office, 62 Mill St (718) 852-6771 Red Hook West Dev. Office, 55 Dwight St. (718) 522-3880
It’s not the water you should fear. It’s him. The Gowanus Golem is back in Tales of the Night Watchman Issue Seven, a direct sequel to 2014’s “It Came from the Gowanus Canal” one-shot! Join Gowanus Souvenir Shop and the ENTIRE CREATIVE TEAM as they celebrate the release of this new comic book published by So What? Press. Writer Dave Kelly, artist Brett Hobson, colorist Clare DeZutti, and cover artist Tim Hamilton will all be present to chat about its creation and sign a copy, if you’re so inclined. Tales of the Night Watchman series co-creator Lara Antal will be onhand to make some special cocktails! Gowanus Souvenir Shop, 567 Union Street near the Canal.
NYCHA Satellite Police Precinct, 80 Dwight St. Main Phone (718) 265-7300 Community Affairs (718) 265-7313 Domestic Violence (718) 265-7310 Youth Officer (718) 265-7314 Auxiliary/Law Enforcement Coordinator (718) 265-7378 Detective Squad (718) 265-7327
Page 2 Red Hook Star-Revue
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Novermber 2017
OBITUARY: SUZANNE AMENDOLA The following was written by Sue Amendola’s nephew, Andrew. The StarRevue knew Sue as a friend and a supporter and we will miss her.
S
ue, Suzanne, Susan, Assunta, my Aunt went by few different names depending on who she was dealing with and her mood on that day—but to us she was Aunt, Sister, Godmother, friend, second mother and to me just mother.. She never had her own biological kids but to us she was as close to a mom as you can get. There’s not a moment in our life both big and small that we cannot remember her being there. Birthdays, holidays (otherwise known as full scale Broadway productions in the Amendola house), vacations, Sunday dinners or just a regular Tuesday, she was there. She was faithful to everything and everyone that mattered to her in life. If I could use one word to describe Sue it would be Character. She was certainly a character but she also had a lot of character. Sue was pure hearted, honest and unabashedly herself all the time and that’s what made her so amazing. She let you know exactly who she was, take it or leave it, but in the end almost everyone took it with open arms. She left an undeniable impression on any-
one that ever crossed paths with her. And if she caught your ear, you were guaranteed to have an eventful conversation to say the least. A simple everyday task like going to Fairway or the 99 cent store was an adventure with Sue.............And This is the usually the part where I mention a story about her and everyone has a little laugh for some comic relief.... but I’m not going to do that for 2 reasons. First of all most of the story’s that come to mind would not be appropriate for the current setting we are in, and 2nd. There is no one story that I can tell that will ever live up to the numerous stories that each and every one of you have with her. She was a personality beyond belief that came out with with things you would never think at times you would never believe. And that was one of the most beautiful and loved traits she had But whatever your personal Sue story may be.....and whatever your relationship was with her, whether friend, neighbor, family member or the poor random guy walking down Van Brunt Street that she didn’t recognize and telt the need to interrogate, it was clear to everyone what an honest, selfless, giving and good hearted person she was........Sue lived simply, she didn’t need a lot of material things, except for when paper towels or toilet paper were on sale that week and I was tasked with taking her to Fairway and
met food because she needed 5 cases of them apparently and one store had a sale on one but not the other and viceversa. But she lived simply, because what mattered to her most was not the ma- Sue Amendola (r) could be seen at many community meetings. This terial things was a meeting on Van Brunt Street where Methodist Hospital honchos she could get tried to convince the neighborhood that they would be a good replacefor herself, ment for LICH. Also in the picture is John McGettrick and Sue’s sister but what Annette. a mark on everyone she met. mattered for her was what favors she could do and She’s in our hearts forever, which is what she could give to the people she where she always kept all of us every loved. She loved Brooklyn, she loved her day of her life. We won’t say goodbye church, she loved her friends at the VFW, she loved her cup of coffee and cake, she loved a good bargain at the Christmas Tree shop, and she loved Red Hook....... she WAS Red Hook.... but above all, she loved her family. And we loved her back. We may have lost our family matriarch, but I think a little piece of Sue will be left in all of us because she left
because we never said that to each other. I’ll say so long for now to our dear Madame President, and thank you for a lifetime of your kindness, your generosity, your twisted humor and most of all your unwavering love.
Marie Cantoni, Founder of Regina Opera, Dies at 86 by Nino Pantano
Marie Cantoni was born in November 1930 in Brooklyn, at home, on 75th Street between 11th and 12th Avenues, the youngest of four children. She passed away on Saturday, October 28th at the age of 86 in Brooklyn. Marie was introduced to opera by her maternal grandfather Giuseppe Ulla who was from Piemonte and who sang tenor in a church choir. He loved the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts, which began in 1931 and would listen to them with his grandchildren. Marie attended P.S.176 and New Utrecht High School and became a legal secretary for a large admiralty law firm. In 1957, she married Matthew Cantoni, whom she had met in first grade. She quit her job and gave birth to Linda in 1958 and Mark in 1960. In 1970, she started the Regina Opera with a neighbor Nick Tierno, whose brother was a fine tenor with no place to sing opera. The company originally gave little concerts with piano accompaniment at the Regina Pacis Youth Center. Many of the original singers were members of the Regina Pacis choir. The first full opera was La Traviata in 1971. According to her daughter Linda, until her retirement a few years ago, “Mom did just about everything for the company except sing - casting, scenery,
Red Hook Star-Revue
Marie Cantoni, doing what she loved.
set decoration, furniture, props, costumes, accounting, publicity, box office, administration—you name it! She was amazingly creative and could draw, paint, sew and wield a hammer with the best of them! She made beautiful props out of household items - a candle in a tuna can, glued on a dowel stick with some plastic fence material cut into spikes, spray-painted black, became a medieval torch.” “She and Fran (Garber) made an unbelievable team, both of them extraordinarily talented at organizing a growing company and keeping it afloat on a shoestring budget and she was the best “usher” on earth. She loved her Guild members. She was too shy to appear on stage, but once in a while she would throw on a costume and do a walk on for the good of the production.” Judy and I, as Guild members, have (continued on page 20)
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November 2017, Page 3
RELIGIOUS NEWS BY LAURA ENG laura.eng59@aol.com.
An Interview with Deacon Leroy Branch
DLB: I was ordained on May 23, 2009 in St. James Cathedral in Downtown
R
ed Hook resident Leroy Branch is a lay deacon of the Catholic Church, assigned to the Parish of St. Paul and St. Agnes in Cobble Hill. If you’ve ever attended a Mass with Deacon Leroy on the altar, either proclaiming the gospel, reading the Prayer of the Faithful or announcing “The Mass is ended, go in peace” in his booming voice, you will surely appreciate the experience. We recently spoke to Deacon Leroy who provided us with an in-depth look into his role as a deacon.
Red Hook Star-Revue: What prompted you to become a lay deacon? Was there anyone in particular who influenced your decision? Did you ever consider the priesthood?
RELIGIOUS SERVICES Christian River Of God Christian Center
110 Wolcott Street, 646-226-6135, Secretary, Sister Roslyn Chatman. Sunday- Family Worship 11 - 1 pm Scripture, read in English and Spanish Wednesday- At The Gate 12 noon, Prayer 7 - 7:30 pm, Bible Studies 7 - 8 pm, Thursday Prayer 7:30- 8:30 pm, Friday Youth ABLAZED Ministries 6 7:30pm, Senior Pastor, Donald Gray
Visitation Church
98 Richards Street , (718) 624-1572. Office open Mon-Thursday 9 am- 3 pm. Saturday Mass at 5 pm English; Sunday 10 am Spanish, 12:30 pm English. Community Prayer on Tuesday and Thursday at 8 pm. Baptisms are held every other month. Please call to arrange for Baptisms, First Communion, Confirmation and Weddings.
New Brown Memorial Baptist Church
609 Clinton Street, 718 624 4780 Pastor A.R Jamal. Sunday School at 9:30 am. Sunday Worship at 11 am. Bible Study-Wednesday at 7:30pm. Communion every first Sunday
Stretching Far and Wide Global Ministry, Inc.
382 Hamilton Avenue, Studio B 1-800-948-9042 Archbishop Dr. Barbara Jackman, Overseer Rev. Dr. Dwayne Barnes, Pastor Services are held every Sunday @ 10 am Communion every First Sunday stretchingfar.webs.com stretchingfar@aol.com
St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish
467 Court Street, (718) 625-2270 Rectory Hours: Monday-Thursday 9 am- 11:30 am, 1 pm-4 pm, Friday 9 am- 12 noon. Masses: Saturday 4 pm, Sunday 10 am, Monday- Thursday, 9:30 am.
Saint Paul and Saint Agnes Parish
Church Office 433 Sackett St (718) 625-1717 Hours: M-F 2 PM-5 PM. E mail: stpaulandstagnes@ gmail.com. Saint Paul, 190 Court Street- church open daily for prayer and meditation 7 am- 8 PM. Saturday Vigil Mass 5:30 PM (English), Sunday 7:45 am (English), 11 am (Spanish). St. Agnes, 433 Sackett Street Saturday Vigil Mass 4 PM (English), Sunday 9:15 am (English), 11 am (French), 12:30 PM (Spanish). M-T-TH-F-S 8:30 am St Paul’s Chapel 234 Congress St.; Wednesday 8:30 AM St Agnes.
Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary- Saint Stephen Roman Catholic Church
125 Summit Street at Hicks Street, (718) 596-7750, info@sacredhearts-ststephen.com Office Hours: Monday-Thursday 9 am- 5 am, Friday 9 am- 3 pm, Saturday 9 am- 1 pm Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:30 pm, Sunday Masses at 8 am, 10 am, and noon (Italian/English) Weekday Masses are Monday at 12 noon and Tuesday thru Saturday at 8:30 am. Confessions: Saturday at 4:45 pm and by appointment. Baptisms every third Sunday at 1 pm.
St. Paul’s Carroll Street
199 Carroll Street Parish Office: 718-625-4126 Sunday Mass at 10 am Weekday Morning PrayerMon.-Thurs. at 7:30 am Weekday masses as announced Holy Days as announced \Church open for prayer Tues. 6-8pm & Sat. 2-4pm http://stpaulscarrollst.weebly.com/
Jewish Kane Street Synagogue
236 Kane Street, 718 875-1550 http://kanestreet.org/ Friday night services, 6 PM Shabbat services, 9:15 AM Sunday Services 9 AM
Congregation B’nai Avraham/Chabad of Brooklyn Heights
117 Remsen St., 718 596 4840 x18 www.bnaiavraham.com, www.heightschabad.com Morning Services: Sunday: 8:45am Monday- Friday: 7:45am Holidays (during the week): 8:45am Saturday: 9:45am Evening Services: Sunday: Shabbat candle lighting time Monday- Thursday: 9 pm Friday: Winter: 5 minutes before Shabbat candle lighting time Summer:
Congregation Mount Sinai
250 Cadman Plaza West, (718) 875-9124, Rabbi Seth Wax Friday services at 6:30 pm; Saturday Prayer and Mysticism Class at 9 am, services at 10 am followed by kiddish lunch. All are welcome.
Page 4 Red Hook Star-Revue
Deacon Leroy Branch: Growing up as a pew Catholic and an altar boy in St. Agnes Church, I was always intrigued by the priests and the nuns who educated me in Catholic school. Two priests in particular who influenced me were Fr. George LaFlair, pastor of St. Agnes when I was in grammar school, and Monsignor Perfecto Vasquez. Msgr. Perfecto was the first priest that I saw who entered a New York City Housing Authority Development (Gowanus Houses) unafraid and associated one-on-one with the people. Both men showed their “human side” not just their alb-wearing altar sides. At one point I considered becoming a priest, but I always had the desire to have a family so becoming a priest was out of the question and at the time I had no knowledge of the diaconate whatsoever. I didn’t know that there were any Catholic lay deacons. In terms of the diaconate being a ministry of service, the last person who influenced me was my father, LeRoy Branch, Sr., who I saw growing up in Gowanus Houses actively implementing various sports and recreational programs for the youth to give them something positive to do. He helped many who were delinquent and didn’t have father figures to look up to. Indirectly, he helped them with all aspects of life’s trials and tribulations. RHSR: How long was the diaconate process and what did it entail? What are some of the requirements? DLB: The diaconate process is a total of five years; one year of aspirancy and four years of intense, higher-level educational instruction and training. A candidate must be between 35 and 60 years of age to apply, a Catholic in good standing, and he must be able to attend weekly classes and weekend retreats. And, if married, the wife must give her consent as well as attend classes once a month and participate in retreats during aspirancy. RHSR: When were you ordained?
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Deacon Leroy Branch receiving Shining Star Award from Bishop DiMarzio, Oct. 2016. (photo by Christian Lee Branch)
Brooklyn by Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio. RHSR: Were you allowed to choose where you would serve? Do you serve the parish or the diocese? DLB: Deacons serve at the pleasure of the Bishop of the Diocese, therefore we are not allowed to choose where we will serve. I was blessed to be allowed to serve in my home parish of St. Paul & St. Agnes. RHSR: Tell me a little about your personal life. DLB: I grew up in NYCHA Gowanus Houses, the third of four children of LeRoy and Laura Branch. I attended St. Agnes Church and school from childhood until I turned 17 and then started attending St. Peter’s-St. Paul’s Church on Court Street where I met Norma, my wife of 30-plus years. We have one son, Christian Lee. We married at St. Peter’s Church, which was on Hicks Street and was Norma’s childhood church. I went to George Westinghouse High School, attended Fredonia State University for two years and obtained my Bachelors of Arts from Brooklyn College. As a youth, I spent a lot of time in Red Hook Houses (another NYCHA development) because my maternal aunt and maternal grandmother resided there. We have lived in Red Hook for the last six years. RHSR: What are your main responsibilities as a deacon? How do your duties differ from those of a priest? DLB: The main responsibility of a deacon is one of service: to assist the priest and the parish in sacramental, social, and spiritual needs. As a deacon, I can perform any and all ser(continued on next page)
Novermber 2017
vices outside of mass, i.e. baptisms, marriages, prayer services, wakes, and funerals. We can also bless things and people. The priesthood and diaconate are two of the three holy orders in the Catholic clergy that are ordained. Priests are ordained to celebrate the Eucharist, preach, offer the sacraments, and lead the parish community. Priests make three promises: chastity for the sake of the kingdom, promise to pray the Liturgy of the Hours daily, and obedience to the local Bishop. Deacons are ordained for service. We also make a promise to be obedient to the local Bishop and pray the Liturgy of the Hours daily. We can be married, but once we are ordained, we cannot get married or remarry. We must be married before we are ordained as deacons. We cannot celebrate Mass, hear confessions, or anoint the sick. At Mass, we lead the Penitential Rite, proclaim the Gospel, preach, prepare the altar and the gifts, distribute communion, especially the precious blood, and give the dismissal at Mass. RHSR: Your whole family seems to be involved. How has being a deacon impacted your family life? DLB: Adjusting to my new responsibilities was easier due to the fact that we each had individual and combined ministries prior to my becoming a deacon and knew the dedication and commitment that it would require. I believe that our family’s spirituality deepened. We each dedicate more time to prayer in our daily lives. In fact, we always pray before meals even when out in restaurants or riding the bus. RHSR: What words of advice would you give others who might be interested in becoming a deacon and what do you find to be most rewarding about being a deacon? DLB: My advice would be Pray, Pray and Pray! A calling to the diaconate comes from our Father in heaven and in order to know His will in your life, you must be close to him - mind, body and spirit. To be able to be Jesus’ ears -- to listen and understand, His eyes -- to see what needs to be done, His mouth -- to be able to preach His word, and His hands -- to be able to give service to all those in need. To be able to see the face of those I help
or to be a part of an extended family when you baptize, marry or to be there to minister during a special moment or death to the same members of a parish family is one of the greatest blessings God could ever have given me. The most rewarding part of being a deacon is to be able to spread God’s message of Love, Forgiveness and Peace to the entire parish community and beyond. RHSR: You work full-time for the NYC DOT; and how do you manage to fit in your ministries as a deacon with your regular job? DLB: I am the Community Coordinator for the Brooklyn Borough Commissioner’s office. Gratefully, my job does not hinder me from my ministry at all. As a matter of fact, it afforded me the opportunity to ease the mind of a non-Catholic parent whose daughter was in Catholic school and wished to convert to Catholicism by my becoming her sponsor and to continue to help guide her on her faith journey. RHSR: Would you agree that there is a growing need for deacons in the Catholic Church, given the declining number of priests? And do you have any thoughts on women assuming a greater role in the Church and perhaps being allowed to become deacons? DLB: The need for more deacons is definitely growing. I think that a number of deacons are qualified and can take over the administrative aspect of churches freeing up the priests to devote more time to handle the pastoral aspects. I believe that women can and should take on a greater role in the church. In St. Paul’s writings and that of the early church, there’s mention of deaconesses who just like deacons provided for the needs of the women in the church. In these modern times I believe the Church could benefit from this ministry.
Upcoming Events
Congregation Mount Sinai 250 Cadman Plaza West Kristallnacht Observance on Sunday, November 12 at 5 pm. Eva Wiener will talk about her experience on the ill-fated voyage of the SS St. Louis in 1939. RSVP to 718-875-9124 Afternoon Film Festival featuring “Raise the Roof” on Wednesday, No-
vember 15 at 3:30 pm. Tot Shabbat - Join Dreamcoat Experience for a fun, interactive Shabbat for supervised children up to age 5 . Friday, November 17, 3:30 pm and Saturdays, November 4 and 18, 11 am. Free of charge. For information, email at info@congregationmountsinai.org.
Kane Street Synagogue 236 Kane Street Bialy Rock Music Class for Infants and Toddlers - Ora Fruchter and Ketchup the puppet are back on Fridays at 1010:45 am through December 22. Children sing, dance, play instruments and learn Jewish songs in English and Hebrew. Sacred Hearts/St. Stephen Church Summit & Hicks Street All Souls Day - Memorial Mass at 7:00 pm for all who have died this year. Health and Blood Pressure Clinic sponsored by NYU Langone on Sunday, November 5, 12, and 19. Flu Clinic will be held on Sunday, November 12 from 11 am-1 pm. To receive the flu vaccine, you must be 18 years of age and have your medical card available. In the back of church, near the statue of St. Rocco. Thanksgiving Eve Parish Mass on Wednesday, November 22 at 7:00 pm. Consumer Protection Tips for Older Adults - FREE workshop on Monday, December 4, 1-2 pm. In cooperation with NYC Dept. of Consumer Affairs, 76th Precinct, Con Edison and AARP. St. Agnes/ St. Paul’s Parish Hoyt & Sackett Streets Family Movie Night - Featuring Disney’s “Cars 3” on Saturday, November 11 after the 5:30 pm mass in St. Paul’s parish hall. FREE admission & FREE popcorn. Thanksgiving Day - please bring a dessert and place it on the altar. Father Nugent will be serving them to homeless families later that day. Monthly fundraising lunch on November 26. 1:30 - 3 pm in St. Agnes Hall, come celebrate a Thanksgiving lunch with your church family. $7! Eucharistic Adoration. Every first Saturday of the month, noon till 1pm; alternating churches starting Saturday November 4 at the chapel at St. Paul.
St. Mary Star of the Sea Church 467 Court Street Family Mass of Thanksgiving - Please join us on Thanksgiving Day, November 23 at 9 am. Check the bulletin on our website, stmarystarbrooklyn.com for more events. St. Ann and The Holy Trinity 157 Montague Street First Sunday Sandwich-Making and Welcome Table on November 3 and December 3 after Early Church, from 10:15 to 11:00 am for sandwich-making for those in need at The Gathering Place in East Brooklyn, a drop-in center for the homeless and working poor. And then, immediately following the 11:15 am Holy Eucharist, we’ll welcome one and all to a community meal for the parish family and our hungry neighbors Volunteers needed to set up, serve, provide beverages and dessert, and clean up. A sign up sheet will be available at coffee hour. New Faith Formation Series: “We Are Pilgrims” on Sundays from 10:15 am 12:45 pm on November 12 (St. Paul as Pilgrim) and December 17 (Pilgrimage in the Gospels). St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 199 Carroll Street Father Sean Wallace has been appointed to serve as interim priest. Fr. Wallace will celebrate his first mass at St. Paul’s on November 12. St. Paul’s 29th Annual Auction on Saturday, December 2. Tickets on sale after Mass. Great auction items, excellent food and fellowship! Visitation BVM Church 98 Richards Street Ask the Medical Professional - Blood pressure screening, questions answered about medications, diabetes, nutrition, etc. Every first and third Sunday from 11 am - 1 pm in the church vestibule. Healing Mass on Wednesday, November 8 at 7 pm in Spanish and on Friday, November 24 at 7 pm in English. Mobile Soup Kitchen on Tuesdays from 1 pm - 2:30 pm and Fridays from 10 am - 12 noon (except first Fridays of the month).
No job too big or too small
Toilets, Boilers, Heating, Faucets, Hot Water Heaters, Pool Heaters.
B & D HEATING 218 29th Street 718 625-1396
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November 2017, Page 5
BUSINESS TALK: Interview with Peter Ebright, Executive VP of NY Water Taxi by Michael Cobb
The yellow ferries of the NY Water Taxi have been familiar sights along the waters of Red Hook for the past decade. The Durst family, owners of the Water Taxi, were hopeful to parlay their experience into at least a partial management of the expanded NYC Ferry Services. However, that contract was won by the Hornblower company, and Durst sold the company to the Circle Line company. We called them to see what’s up in their Red Hook future.
STAR-REVUE: Do you have any plans for expansion of water taxi services given how successful Hornblower services have become? PETER EBRIGHT: Our port is in Red Hook, we consider it our home. We do service to Fairway and IKEA, and that really means a lot to us because it serves locals and tourists alike and gives us great exposure. SR: Will you become more tour and special event oriented?
PETER: We do service for events at Liberty Warehouse, a gorgeous space on the water, near the winery, which isn’t far and allows us to expand our reach. As Red Hook is in demand, we are always on the lookout for new ways to serve the area. SR: One of the reasons Durst sold is because they never got government subsidies. Are they talking to the city agencies such as the Economic Development Corporation about expanding ferry services with the help of a city subsidy? PETER: Water Taxi was founded under the Durst Real Estate Company. We had a fantastic home here for years. We are now part of NY Cruise Lines, so now there’s a much wider array of products and services we can offer. We are always on the lookout for contract services, such as the IKEA service. One thing that really ties into this is that the city is really rediscovering its waterfront. Previously it had been industrial—now these properties are being converted into different uses, including residential and commercial. As people rediscover the water, we hope to provide more services. We’ve made clear to the EDC that we’re eager to work with them, whether through expansion or any
other opportunity. SR: Have you thought about putting together another service that the city could subsidize, Red Hook to 34th Street, Governors Island in the off season, or other spots? PETER: We have a service for Randall’s Island; we have a charter service to Governor’s Island. Any time there’s a critical mass we are always eager to jump in and provide that service. SR: Will you be bringing some of Circle Lines services to Red Hook? PETER: That’s something that we see Water Taxi handling more of. SR: How do Water Taxi and Circle Line services differ? PETER: Both operate in the realm of sightseeing, but we have somewhat distinct products. Water Taxi has smaller, more modern boats that are designed to land “nose up” that also somewhat dictates which boats go where. There are separate but overlapping identities for both services. That said, for anybody looking for a good water experience, both are great. SR: When are the busiest times? PETER: Tourism is somewhat seasonal, but generally the peak is summer when a lot of people are on vacation. The rest of the year is busy as well, which is vital to the tourist in-
Peter Ebright has been with the Water Taxi since June, 2015. He is an attorney with a Masters in Urban Planning.
dustry. New Years and Christmas are also quite busy; we do a number of New Year’s Eve services. SR: With the rediscovery of the waterfront, are you seeing an overall increase in your business? PETER: Yes. Previously the water had been an under appreciated resource. We’d like to think we’ve been instrumental in helping folks rediscover. Waterfront development feeds into potential clientele and our services. We want it to be known for any development on our near the water, we are not only available and well suited to provide services for that clientele. Finally, I’d like to say, we’re a part of Red Hook, love it, and are here to stay.
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Novermber 2017
UPS signs deal to move into Red Hook
A
ccording to a number of published reports, the United Parcel Service has signed a long-term lease with the Sitex Group to rent out about a million square feet of industrial space on the Red Hook waterfront. These parcels, which include the Snapple plant had been sold to Sitex earlier this year by Estate Four, the Italian developer that specializes in repurposing industrial properties. Their original plan was to create a fashion hub in the neighborhood, bringing hordes of young urban pro-
fessionals into the neighborhood. The Italian developer decided to search for a partner to bring in more capital, but in the end sold most of their Red Hook property—all purchased since Sandy—at a nice profit. They did keep their building at 202 Coffey Street, across from Valentino Park, which they rent out for TV and movie shoots frequently. What many in the community fear, including activist John McGettrick, is an onslaught of new truck traffic. However, as Matthew Rosenzweig of Marcus & Millichap , an expert on real
estate and development in Red Hook tells the Revue, much of the UPS truck traffic will simply replace the Snapple trucks which have been part of the scene for a long time. Local businessman Jim Tampakas believes that barging UPS cargo to Manhattan and the Bronx from the Snapple pier would make a great deal of sense and be good for the overall environment as well as local street traffic. He has been speaking with the NYC Economic Development Corporation, the city agency that is running the new ferry services.
“Much of the UPS truck traffic will simply replace the Snapple trucks which have been part of the scene for a long time.”
The Star-Revue is looking for people to sell ads and write stories. These are paid positions. To apply please email George@redhookstar.com
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November 2017, Page 7
Neighborhood cops talk shop at the Red Hook library by Nathan Weiser
B
icycles were the hot topic at the Red Hook Library last month when officers from the 76th precinct hosted the quarterly Neighborhood Safety Meeting. Five Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCO’s) from the 76th precinct spoke to 17 community members, addressing local issues brought up by the community. Jerry Armer, who presides over the monthly precinct Community Council meetings held at the precinct’s Union Street office, also attended. A community member brought up that Chinese delivery bicyclists go too first when going through the area. He thinks it is a concern since he has seen it happen repeatedly. One of the officers then added that if someone is not using a human powered bike it is illegal, and that they have been confiscating the electric bikes in other sectors. Armer noted that bicycles often come down and speed on the sidewalks on the weekends. The riders are mostly people who do not live in Red Hook. It was also brought up that the bike tour groups have been an issue. Armer as well as others think that not enough people use the bike lanes in Red Hook and not knowing they exist might be a reason. He wants the city to tell the Department of Transportation to better advertise the bike lanes. A solution that was told to the officers and the DOT representative was to put a sign in
front of the TESLA dealership at 160 Van Brunt St near Imlay and 1st Place. Another bicycle related issue is that a young woman has noticed people stealing bikes from CitiBike stations. She was instructed by one of the officers to dial 911 when she sees this since stealing one of these bikes is illegal. A woman who lives on Van Brunt Street brought up the issue of the noise levels being too loud outside her second-floor apartment from 1:00 until 5:00 in the morning. She says what contributes to this elevated level of noise is speeding and construction in the middle of the night. The officers said that they will look into this speeding issue to try to reduce the issue in the early hours of the morning. This same woman who lives on Van Brunt Street said that she wants people who bike in the area to take a test similar to the test drivers take before getting their license. She thinks this would make sure that bikers know the rules of the road and thinks this would potentially prevent accidents. One officer emphasized that people not complain if they find that summons have been given for issues that were brought up at this meeting like the bicycle issues.
Van Brunt and other surrounding streets, and on the Dwight and Lorraine intersection cars will go the wrong way at this dangerous intersection. There was also a complaint relating to kids banging on a window at a bus station on Van Brunt Street near South Brooklyn Community High School and PS 15. Everyone thought that the individuals doing this are from SBCHS based on how old they are.
Officers Damien Clarke and Jonathan Rueda.
The officers informed the community members who were present that the burglaries that occur usually happen when there are unlocked doors or open windows. Officer Jonathan Rueda suggested that people put up a camera if they are concerned about a burglary happening and make sure to lock doors and windows. Rueda thinks the Neighborhood Safety Meetings have gone very well so far and hopes the turnout can even increase in the future.
“The meetings have gone better than I anticipated,” Rueda added when reflected on the first two. “Considering More transportation concerns that were the community council meetings averbrought up include school buses going age 10-15 people and our meetings are averaging the same, which is great.” too fast at 5:00 a.m. in the morning on T:9.75”
Rueda was impressed that the turnout was more than the average attendance at the council meetings. “We had 17 people come to the last meeting {at the Red Hook Library},” Rueda said. “Hopefully we get even more at the next meeting.” The officers had water and refreshments for those people who attended. Officers Rueda and Clarke are the two main officers assigned to Sector C. They are available by phone, text or email, which is a new police function that came into being with the new community policing policies. Officer Rueda’s number is 917-9412185 and his email is jonathan.rueda@nypd.org. Officer Clarke’s number is 929-287-7155 and his email is Damien.clarke@nypd.org.
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Page 8 Red Hook Star-Revue
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Novermber 2017
Food Pantry helps feed the neighborhood
I
f you look down the block on Van Dyke Street near Richards on Saturday mornings you will see all kinds of eager people waiting to get food to bring home. Every Saturday, the Red Hook Bethel Gospel Tabernacle on 72 Van Dyke Street has offered a vital and in demand food pantry for the people of Red Hook for the last 10 years. Volunteers will go pick up the food from Fairway Market a few blocks away and bring it back to the church at about 8:30 in the morning. There will be a line of people waiting to select their food out the door to the end of the block until about 11:15 and then some stragglers will continue to come until about noon. According to Pastor Dave Anderson, “the people who get food from the food pantry resemble the United Nations.” Minister Miles Mims added that all different ethnicities will come to receive food at the pantry and people will usually take as much as they can carry. A woman who regularly gets food at the food pantry lives in East New York but works in Red Hook. Her sister, whose name is Nancy, lives in Red Hook and they like that they are able to get food from this pantry. “We give according to how {much} we get,” Mims said. “Usually it comes out to two or three bags. Sometimes you get tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, we get deli foods, and we get prepared foods.” The organizers and volunteers will continue giving out food until they run out. When I visited there was a young woman waiting near the door to check people’s ID and see how many people were in their family. People usually take food based on how many people they are bring food home for. Red Hook Gospel Tabernacle will give out fresh vegetables, deli meat, bread, juices, fruit, etc. They distribute food to about 70 families each Saturday.
“We grate it and take out the bad stuff,” Mims said. “We separate it and then we bag it up and give it to the people. We usually go until noon or until the food is gone.”
by Nathan Weiser
They give out all they can in the morning because they don’t want any of the food to go to waste. Volunteers are key to helping the process go smoothly. “Everyone here is a volunteer and volunteers to help us out,” Mims added. “We give according to how {much} we get. Usually it comes out to two our three bags {per family}. Sometimes you get tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, we get deli foods, and we get prepared foods. As we get it we give it out.” Once they get the food delivered from Fairway they make sure the all of the produce is clean so they make sure it is fresh enough to give it and that it has a decent shelf life. They have also received food donations from neighborhood community members. Some people in Red Hook have given the pantry boxes of canned food that they give on Saturdays. They also sometimes get a 50-pound bag of rice that they will break up and give out to the guests. In the first few years the pantry got food given to them by Costo but they stopped donating food after going through new management, according to Mims.
Neighborhood businesses help
The Gospel Tabernacle was purely able to solicit businesses in the neighborhood that might want to be involved with feeding the needy. In the end, they were able to get food from a business that is much closer to the church. “We didn’t beg Fairway,” Mims said. “We just presented the need we had for this pantry and they caught on.” The food they receive from Fairway was able to increase as a result of a relationship the church started with Tom Hoover, who is a Fairway administrator and ex Knick. Hoover is on the NBA Retirement Players Board. “We were getting food from Fairway at first but then when he became knowledgeable of us and saw what we were doing he increased it through the NBA Association,” Mims added. Many of the same people will come every week. Some people tell their friends and some people in search of a quality pantry will even come from one of the four other boroughs, according to Mims. However, most of the people forming the line on Van Dyke Street are from the Red Hook Houses or live in the surrounding blocks. The pantry has people who come once or twice a month, and then they also have many who will come every week. The volunteers at the Gospel Tabernacle get to form a relationship with the guests.
Volunteers help prepare the donated foods.
Each Saturday recipients of the Gospel Tabernacle’s food donations line up peacefully along Richards Street. (photos by Nathan Weiser)
limited attendance of just people who lived in the surrounding area, but in the last three years the people have doubled. The minister remarked on the diversity of the people and that they will welcome anyone. All the people have to do to get food at the food pantry is show ID at the door. They will sign in with the high school volunteer, show ID, and inform the volunteers of how many people are in their family. “We have paper work to comply with the state because if we want to apply for a grant or another program that gives us more food, we have to show that we are servicing people,” Mims said. “We are here to serve and give,” Mims said. “That is our main thing.” Their goal is expand what they permanently have in their space so they will not have to throw out what isn’t distributed on Saturdays.
Looking to expand
“Fairway said that if you get some refrigerators, we will give you some refrigerated foods and frozen foods,” Minister Mims said. “We are working on getting refrigeration and expanding and getting shelving is needed because this is a tight space.” They have to give out everything that they get because they are not able to store much food in the facility. Sometimes they throw out food that spoils as a result of not being able to give it away but this happens less than it used to. According to Mims, the pantry serves on average 70 or 80 families a weekend but
“I get to know most of the people and they know me,” Minister Mims said. “Once they come a couple of times they know that they have to wait on line and they have to get a number and they know the procedures and that there is no cutting in line.”
the number can sometimes go up to 90 families. The food pantry often provides something additional to its guests for Thanksgiving as well as Christmas. Mims had been in touch with Fairway hoping that they could give some turkeys to the pantry. Also, some people in the neighborhood will often donate some turkeys that will then be a distributed to the guests.
“We didn’t beg Fairway,” Mims said. “We just presented the need we had for this pantry and they caught on.” “Around Christmas, Fairway has given us candies, cookies and cakes,” Mims added. “This year we are gearing up to give out a meal, not a hot meal, but the preparations to make their own meal so we can give rice, potatoes and the trimmings.”
Now featuring Friday night music Red Hook’s neighborhood bar, across from IKEA
In the beginning they had a
Red Hook Star-Revue
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November 2017, Page 9
Red Hook Senior Center to open soon (continued from page 1)
Council in March 2013. Despite all the touted plans—it turned out the planning and the funding was way short of what it turns out was necessary to complete the project.
The new dining room, just waiting for tables and food!
Delay upon delay occurred throughout 2015, 2016 and this year as contractors notified NYCHA that first the roof, and then the floors needed replacing. It is estimated that the original cost of $2 million to renovate the one story building has ballooned to perhaps $5 million. Whenever the opening occurs, the Star-Revue expects a large turnout of local dignitaries, include both Tenant Association presidents, all the local politicians, and possibly any NYCHA employee seeking credit for the renovation. The Star-Revue is excited to present its readers with these advance photos.
Dawn Sanders promising a great Senior Center to be ready by December 2015.
The seniors have been using the basement of the Miccio since Sandy.
CB6 Committee approves Gowanus zoning application regarding retention tanks by George Fiala
T
he goal of the Gowanus Superfund project is not simply to clean up the long-polluted canal, but to prevent it from being recontaminated. In addition to the toxic chemical poisons that lie at the bottom of the canal—deposited as a result of the manufacture of methane gas from coal—raw sewage is a problem. A problem throughout the city is Combined Sewage Overflow - CSO’s. This usually occurs during heavy rainstorms. What happens is that the added water from the rain overflows the normal sewage system and is shunted off into the closest body of water. In the case of Gowanus, this has meant that raw sewage, including human wastes, has been discharged into the narrow canal for many decades,
Richard Bearak, Land Use Director for the Brooklyn Borough President asks about the city plan. (photos by George Fiala)
Page 10 Red Hook Star-Revue
and continues to be discharged. The EPA, managers of the Superfund project, has ordered that New York City alleviate this problem by building two concrete retention tanks at two places near the canal. In the 2012 Record of Decision, the EPA suggested creating one of the tanks underneath the outdoor swimming pool at the Thomas Greene park, close to Wyckoff Gardens public housing. The rationale for that suggestion was that the city already owned the land. The pool had to be dug up anyway, because of a determination that the same toxic chemicals (coal tar) that polluted the Gowanus exist under the pool, making two birds accomplished with one stone. The city recoiled against the plan, arguing it made much more sense to build the tank across the street from the park, closer to the canal. However, this plan requires the city to either purchase that land (now home to manufacturing businesses), or seize it using eminent domain. The EPA attempts to only use eminent domain as a last resort. Their engineers also believe that a deep tank built close to the canal might not work because of the closeness of the water.
These are the buildings that the city will tear down to build the retention tanks.
The EPA also suspected that the city was attempting to avoid having to build the tank at all, so the two entities went into legal negotiation last year. The deal, signed last summer, allows the city to build where it wants to, but also insists that a fail-safe plan be prepared to use the park in case things don’t work out in time with the city’s choice. CB6 Landmark’s committee took up the city proposal for a zoning change needed to add the retention tank use to the property, currently zoned as manufacturing. A required environmental review
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study found two problematic situations. A historically significant building would have to be torn down, and there would be a lot of noise for the six years of construction. The committee approved the application with the proviso that the city try to work more quietly and preserve what they could. No doubt the change will be approved by the City Council as Brad Lander has always thought the city’s plan is be the correct plan. Whether the 2020 deadline for land acquisition can be met still remains to be seen.
Novermber 2017
Red Hook’s Cruise Terminal will be upgraded and more ships will be coming in in Fiscal Year 2017. The funds will be dedicated to improvements that increase the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal’s capacity and connectivity.
Borough President Eric Adams enjoys a turn at the helm of the Regal Princess. (photos by George Fiala)
N
ew York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams toured the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal and Regal Princess Cruise Ship at the end of October to celebrate the planned expansion of the terminal. “I am excited that the $2.2 million in capital grants that my administration allotted to the modernization of the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal was able to be leveraged into an additional $15 million commitment by Ports America, which will have a tremendous impact on attracting more ships, revamping operations, and creating quality maritime jobs,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. “This long-awaited project will help attract additional tourism to Red Hook and throughout the borough, as we showcase all that Brooklyn has to offer through new wayfinding initiatives. I thank the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), local stakeholders, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) for their continued partnership on this venture.” “Ports America is excited about the future of the cruise industry in Brook-
lyn,” said Steve Loevsky, Vice President - Cruise, Ports America. Ports American is the new stevedore chosen to operate the terminal. They have already been operating the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, and they have pledged to invest upwards of $15 million in the Brooklyn facility. “Ports America looks forward to our continued partnership with NYCEDC and our cruise line partners to provide a world-class facility at the Brooklyn Cruise terminal.” “Borough President Adams and the de Blasio administration have been committed to keeping Brooklyn’s waterfront a center for economic growth and employment,” said Louis Pernice, President, International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1814. “This public private partnership will provide the capital commitment needed to bring larger ships and more jobs to Brooklyn. This investment will help unleash the tremendous value our waterfront provides to our city.” This initiative comes as part of a $17.2 million investment to the cruise terminal, led by Borough President Adams, who made a $1.2 million capital allocation in Fiscal Year 2016 and provided an additional $1 million grant
In order to accommodate larger and more modern vessels, Ports America and NYCEDC will use this funding to construct a new apron up to 500 feet long, a passenger viaduct, and two new gangways. Cruise has long been a critical player in New York City’s economy. In 2016, over a million passengers cruised through New York City and the industry accounts for hundreds of millions of dollars in annual economic impact. New York’s cruise industry is also an important piece of South Brooklyn’s industrial sector, and accounts for over 1,000 fulltime jobs through the International Longshoremen’s Association, the Port Police and Guard Union, and employees in accommodation, retail, and food and beverage sectors.
connected more than 150 students from local high schools from around the city with two dozen organizations specializing in maritime-careers, including colleges, labor unions, ferry and excursion boat operators, major trade associations, plus the Coast Guard, FDNY, and NYPD. The designation of a single terminal operator for both Brooklyn and Manhattan will lower costs and streamline operations between the two terminals, which will create new opportunities to secure long-term agreements with cruise lines. Ports America has managed and operated the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in successful partnership with the NYCEDC for
In order to help Deputy Borough President Diana Reyna, Frank Agosto and Raul expand the reach Vasquez from the ILA, Local 1814 Ship Captain of the Royal Prinof these opportu- cess, Eric Adams and Steve Loevsky of Ports America pose for the nities, NYCEDC ceremonial presentation of a check for port improvement. hosted the first Maritime Career Awareness Fair at two decades, generating substantial the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, which growth in cruise volumes.
Local beverage moguls talk business with Eric Adams and Alicia Glen
B
by George Fiala
rooklyn Borough President Eric Adams came to Red Hook on October 25 for a “Craft Beverage Roundta-
the NY Distilling Company and the Brooklyn Cider House.
He brought with him Bill deBlasio’s Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development, Alicia Glen, plus some people from the chamber of commerce.
Mark Snyder of the Red Hook Winery, who earlier in the week spoke at another business meeting in Gowanus about Sandy recovery, complained of conflicting regulations he was trying to follow. He has had federal inspectors telling him one way to do things, while city inspectors demand an opposite way.
ble.”
Sitting around what was actually a rectangular table, in the small lounge of the Van Brunt Stillhouse, were the heads of 5 Brooklyn beverage manufacturers — the Red Hook Winery, the Stillhouse, Five Borough Brewing,
Borough President Adams shown around the Van Brunt Stillhouse. (photos by Fiala)
Red Hook Star-Revue
A wide range of topics ended up being discussed before the tour of the Stillhouse.
It turned out that everyone is having problems with inspections, and Adams tasked his Director of Economic Development, Josh Levin, with compiling information and creating a report with recommendations to the city. It was helpful to have a deputy mayor there representing the city administration. Glen had her notebook out and was busy taking notes. It seemed everyone had a story to tell about the Buildings Department and
its often arcane regulations. One of them spoke of how they had to hide their cooking stove when the inspectors came by. “We are often here working til three in the morning, and we get hungry. For many of us the office is our second home.” Another complained about a regulation against showers. “We had to simply build a false wall to hide the shower. The guys get up to their neck in brew and really need to clean up.” It was also pointed out that the city is very supportive of coming to work by bicycle. On the one hand they require businesses with bike racks to provide shower facilities for riders, but on the other hand showers are against a regulation. Electricity cost was another complaint. Daric Schlesselman of the Stillhouse said that he would gladly welcome solar energy into his utility mix, but most of the programs that help subsidize solar are useful only to larger businesses.
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Mark Snyder, Susan Yi, Alicia Glen and Eric Adams get ready to talk turkey.
Everyone seemed excited to meet Susan Yi of the Brooklyn Cider House. Susan and her brother Peter, both originally from Korea, bought an apple orchard in New Paltz and started Twin Star Orchards - planting another 8,000 cider and heirloom apple trees. They produce three varieties of cider which are already available in a variety of upstate outlets, and just beginning in the city. After a series of delays, which include many of the problems discussed at the roundtable, they are about to open in Bushwick.
November 2017, Page 11
Red Hook October a picture potpourri of the past month
That’s the new Commanding Officer of the 76th Precinct, Megan O’Malley, speaking next to John McGettrick at the monthly meeting of the Red Hook Civic Association. We went aboard a cruise ship for the first time, to report on planned improvements to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. Couldn’t resist taking a photo of this great view of the Atlantic Basin and the container terminal from out of the main deck window.
Speaking of the police, that’s Paul Grudzinski, the community affairs officer who recently retired. Here is he being feted by noted Red Hooker Leroy Branch. You can read more about Leroy in this month’s religious page at the front of this paper.
We got this from Officer Wilbert Louis. He writes: “On October 25, 2017 PSA1 Red Hook NCO Louis, Williams, Patel and officer Baptiste visited the Urban Assembly school for Law and Justice for lunch and an open dialogue with the youths. This event was set up by Sabrina Carter, Gleacy Mejia from the Red Hook Justice Center and Ms. Diana Moldovan from the school. We discussed community policing and the duties of the Neighborhood Coordination Officers. We also answered the youth’s questions about various topics and brought some clarity to things. We want the youths to know that officers want a relationship with them and we are there to serve and protect them so they shouldn’t be afraid to approach police officers. This kind of event encourages positive relationships between officers and the youths. We want to change their perceptions about police officers and maybe empower them to one day become officers themselves.”
Rocky Sullivan’s, who has taken over the bar once occupied by Lillies, has started having music again. Pictured above is Mary Elaine Jenkins and her band, who graced the Star-Revue music festival back in September. She will be back on December 15, along with the Star-Revue house band, Union.
Page 12 Red Hook Star-Revue
The above photos were taken at Red Hook VFW, Post 5195 on Saturday, October 28, when they held their annual Halloween party. These photos were taken by Patricia Belous. She writes: The couple in the gold I only know the guy. His name is Barry. As for the other picture the names from left to right are Jennifer, Christina, Jessie, Patricia, Daniele and Charlie and Cathy is the one wearing the Elvis outfit
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Novermber 2017
Red Hook October a picture potpourri of the past month
That’s our friend Nydia Velazquez with her trusted community coordinator Dan Wiley at a Sandy event in Gowanus. Organized by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, the focus was on small business and its recovery from the natural disaster - for which the Congresswoman played a large part. The event was held at the American Can Factory building which is close to Staples. On the right you can spot Mark Snyder from the Red Hook Winery.
The above photo shows some activity taking place on Columbia and West 9th Street, where NYCHA has been telling us for years those storefronts couldn’t be used. Looks like they are finally fixing them up! Time to let them know what we want ithere. The photo on the left is just my pretty shot of the month - I thought the sky was cool. As everybody knows, Red Hook has pretty cool skies pretty much all the time. That’s why we fight to keep away the skyscrapers!
These three photos were taken by me (George) at this year’s second Red Hook Walks. This is a community oriented street fair on Van Brunt Street where people meet their neighbors and have a good time. We met our friends and former softball teammates Tara and Mike with their two pretty cool kids. So you could say that three former Dirt Dawgs chilled out at Dolce. The fall Walks was a success for both young and old, and we look forward to next year, when maybe there will be three??? Jesse?
Red Hook Star-Revue
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November 2017, Page 13
Two barges find creative reuse on the Brooklyn waterfront photos and text by Ramaa Reddy Raghavan
into a tourist destination. Founded by Olga Bloom, a concert violinist and Red Hook resident, Bargemusic will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year. Bloom died in 2011, at the age of 92. Master violinist Mark Peskanov, a master violinist, now runs the venue, and shared some of its history as a unique location to hear chamber music. “When Olga started to play her violin in the barge, people from the neighborhood would come to listen, and sit on the wooden seats with the fireplace lighted—in the days when the fire department laws were not strict!” Peskanow, who came to this country as a refugee from Ukraine, was invited by Bloom to perform. At that time, he was busy touring but a shared passion for music bound them together.
Bargemusic has been a Brooklyn Heights landmark since 1977.
A
relic of the past has ascribed a cultural significance
in
Brooklyn. The Waterfront Museum Barge in Red Hook and Bargemusic moored at Fulton Ferry Landing, have emerged as vessels to entertain and resurrect Brooklyn’s waterfront.
In the 19th and 20th century, Brooklyn’s waterfront was the hub of America’s commercial wealth and capitalism, as the area between Red Hook and DUMBO were lined with warehouses storing countless tons of merchandize to be transported to other parts of the country. Many mechanisms—like floating grain elevators, boats and industrial rail lines—materialized to move these goods along the waterfront. Julie Golia, Director of Public History at the Brooklyn Historical Society, said barges became a significant mode of transportation during the era of the railways. They allowed the industrial rail in New Jersey to hook up with a floating mechanism to bring goods to various destinations along New York’s harbor. This lighterage era became obsolete in 1957 when containerization began. By the 1970s the shipping industry had moved away from Brooklyn to Newark, Port Elizabeth and Staten Island.
On board is an old cannon and two navigational systems—including an ancient bell and gong system that allowed captains and engineers to communicate. Sharps hosts many different cultural events in the barge. These have included a showboat circus, a pirate show, and an opera.
Page 14 Red Hook Star-Revue
Today he presents 200 concerts a year in his swaying metal barge that is paneled with wood, and affords Manhattan skyline views from its large glass picture window. The intimate space allows for interactions between the audience and performers, both before and after the concert. These barges have each found their use in Brooklyn as instruments of theater, maritime history, and chamber music. They have played a role in attracting people back to the waterfront. As Golia remarked: “A de-industrialized waterfront using the detritus or remnants of the past in a new way.”
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF CREATIVE REUSE
A juggler by trade, Sharps moved to Paris in his early years to study theater. After coming back to the States he worked as a caretaker of various barges in New Jersey until he bought the Lehigh Valley Barge, No. 79. At a South Street Seaport meeting in the 1980s that centered around ‘creating river lovers downstate,’ Sharps met Greg O’Connell, a Red Hook developer, who welcomed the idea of a showboat and museum on his port. “I believe that any development space should have space for artists, as they are pioneers,” said O’Connell. Since 1994, the barge has been docked off Conover Street in Red Hook. “I have 1500 students that come through this barge in a year. I believe that maritime and theater mesh in a fun way just like land and water mesh with the railroad. Barges are a mecca for the railroad marine fan,” says Sharps, enthusiastically.
Olga’s barge
Bargemusic, anchored by the Brooklyn Bridge, has been a significant force in transforming Brooklyn’s waterfront
THE FIREBOAT HOUSE
Opposite Bargemusic stands an old fireboat house that was built in 1926, and today is home to the Brooklyn Ice Cream shop. Julie Golia, Director of Public History at the Brooklyn Historical Society, said that the fireboat house was built two years after the Fulton Ferry terminal shuttered. “The Fireboat House was a place for storage, aired fire hoses and where the Abram S. Hewitt was docked from its opening till the 1950s, when it was retired. The most significant fire it put out was in 1904: The General Slocum disaster.” Golia recounted the story: In 1904, a German congregation in the East village chartered a boat called the General Slocum to take the congregation on a pleasure trip up the East River to Long Island. “As the boat was going through Hill’s Gate it caught on fire. The winds whipped up the fire and over a 1000 women and children died. It is the biggest loss of life in New York’s history til 9/11. The Abram S. Hewitt was the first fireboat to arrive at the scene.” The fireboat house closed in the 60s and in 1977 it became the Fulton Ferry Historic Landmark Museum. It shut down a few years later. In the late 70’s, the area was abandoned and nobody really went down there.
In part to rekindle interest in this era, David Sharps, owner of the Waterfront Museum Barge, operates his barge as a showboat and maritime museum. The barge rafters still have markings in chalk showing calculations of bundles and bags of material transported more than a century ago.
“Bargemusic is like a love-glue that brought people from different walks of
life. For instance, when I came to play here, I did it in-spite of it hurting my career, but others followed. Eventually we started attracting very high-level performers. Olga wanted Bargemusic to represent a high level of performance,” said Peskanow, proudly.
As part of the city’s revitalization project, the Fulton Ferry District got historical designation and since 2001, the fireboat house has been the Brooklyn Ice Cream shop. David Sharps aboard his barge
The Brooklyn Historical Society will be presenting an exhibition on ‘The history of the Brooklyn Waterfront,’ in January, 2018.
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Novermber 2017
Pozzallo Club celebrates special mass at Sacred Hearts photos by George Fiala
G
iovanni Barone, president of Carroll Garden’s Pozzallo Club welcomed the arrival of the Bishop from Isola Capo Rizzuto, Calabria. He was in Brooklyn to celebrate Italian Heritage month. The Society of The Citizen’s of Pozzallo United is at 504 Henry Street and is gearing up to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2019.
The Society was started in 1919 by immigrants from the Sicilian town of Pozzallo, Italy who formed an organization, to “promote fellowship and friendship amongst its members and to educate them to the American ideals in order to transition them to the American way of life and American citizenship.”
HISTORY PAGE BY TINA PORTELLI
I
A walk down Columbia Street
f you never saw Columbia Street before the BQE, you missed a lot. The street is still there; the sidewalks, the street signs, but the stores, the people, the charm are all gone. That strip of avenue is unrecognizable, now lined with barrack type housing and no character at all. The house where I was born, 11 Woodhull Street, no longer stands. Next door at 9 Woodhull was my grandfather’s candy store, Ralph’s. I can still picture him in his canvas Daily News apron and coin changer hanging from his belt, a Camel cigarette dangling from his mouth. Columbia Street was colorful, with old stores, old people, and lots of kids. It was a neighborhood of Italian and Puerto Rican poor people, produce, poultry and petty gossip. Everyone we encountered knew our names. My Mom might be known as Ralph’s daughter or Lefty’s niece, or Christina. On the corner of Columbia and Summit was Mr. Bell’s Pharmacy. This is a vague memory, I was very young. But, I do remember Mr. Bell’s shock of white hair and the glass counters with old medicine bottles lined like soldiers. And the big scale, which cost a penny to use.
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During a typical grocery-shopping afternoon with my mother, we’d first stop at the chicken market on Sackett, right off Columbia. As a kid I thought it was a pet store, hearing those live birds squawk, until my mother would walk out with one hand holding mine and the other carrying a bag with a freshly killed chicken.
cated—down by the screen, just to the right. The matron was mean and you couldn’t make a sound. After the movie, we’d stop next door at Izzy’s for a Charlotte-Rouse. At a dime apiece, it was mini layer cake with whipped cream, topped with a cherry, wrapped in a white cardboard cylinder, easy to hold and wonderful to eat.
On the corner of Columbia and Union was the open fruit market. The produce crates covered half the sidewalk, skirting the entire corner. With her hands full of bags, my mother would squeeze the fruit and inspect the vegetables. She would meet a dozen other women going through the same drill.
Everyone in the neighborhood eventually got framed. Anyone in the neighborhood who received communion or confirmation, got married and had a baby would all wind up hanging in Pamasano’s window, the local photo studio. I hated seeing my face up there, white veil, crossed eyes, and buck teeth framing a forced smile. The most beautiful photo to grace his window was that of my youngest aunt and future uncle, their engagement picture. Blue eyes sparkling right at you. Diagonal to Pamasano’s was the competition, Natoli Studios. Each of these two stores had their own loyal following.
Our next stop was on Union Street, to the original Mastellone, for some fresh cut bologna and American cheese; orange, not white. Thick and delicious, slapped on Wonder white with mayo, it was our Saturday lunch routine. I grew up on it, no baloney. On occasional Saturdays, my mother’s youngest sister Sophia, an aunt who is four years older than myself, would sometimes take me to the Happy Hour Movie House. We’d buy brown soft chocolate licorice, the kind with the two holes down each side. I’d suck the flavor right out of them. The concession stand was oddly lo-
In those days, no one had money, at least not my family. My parents furnished their entire apartment from Sokol Brothers Furniture Store. Furniture on credit, monthly payments, no interest, no contract, just an agreement kept track of on an index card. This was real old fashion mahogany,
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not the pressboard stuff passed off as furniture today. There on Columbia Street near Union stood the BIG Clock. If you ever had to meet anybody, it was always under “The Big Clock”. That’s where the Shoe Box shoe store was located. Every end of August my mother would take me in for school shoes. I would always wind up getting smacked because I wanted loafers and she insisted on ugly laced oxfords. I never won, but I do have a closet full of shoes today, and none of them have laces. My Easter outfit was always purchased at Mrs. Summers’, a small clothing store run by an elderly Jewish lady. Hers was another store I often got smacked in. I hated hats and every Easter my mother would insist I wear one, the most ridiculous assortment of bows and fake flowers. I looked goofy enough without that straw upon my head. On Easter Sunday, with my young aunt, we’d be on our way to Mass at St. Stephens Church, but when far enough from the house, I would pull the hat off and replace it with a tiny lace chapel cap. Making a left onto Union Street we’d BECheap” CONTINUED hitTO “Cheap Louie, where evNEXT MONTH! eryone in the neighborhood bought nylons, bloomers and aprons. My
November 2017, Page 15
OPINION: Saving Lives in Red Hook with HUD’s Smoke-Free Rule
Mike Drop: VOTING ON NOV. 7 by Michael Racioppo
But I can’t.... Many people don’t know that we have a general election coming up. Being a Democratic town, most of the races are decided by the September primaries, when Democrats challenge each other. Nonetheless, I still urge all to get out and vote DeBlasio, James, Stringer; and Levin, Lander, or Menchaca come Election Day. That is the front of the ballot. There is a whole different kettle of fish on the back. On the B-side (for those who remember vinyl) we get to decide whether or not to hold a constitutional convention. A constitutional convention is a gathering of elected delegates (anyone can run but they are usually elected officials) who propose revisions and amendments to our state constitution. In New York we are required to decide if a convention should be held every 20 years. This is a very exciting possibility and if I had a more faith and less cynicism I’d vote for it. After all who wouldn’t favor changing troubling aspects of the status quo. However, when I consider the potential mischief that could emerge, those negatives compel me to vote NO. One negative is that low voter turnouts across the state don’t bode well for a convention producing amendments that most people want—it would be what those who bother to vote want. Combine low voter turnout with the fact delegates will be elected along the gerrymandered lines of the Republican controlled State Senate and you’ve got two strikes against. There would be 3 delegates from each senate district and 15 at-large delegates statewide. Despite NY State’s largely Democratic/progressive leanings, the Republican Party has held the majority in the senate since World War 2. One might say this is an arrangement (sometimes corrupt) that the two legislatures along with the governor, maintain. Even in Brooklyn, where we vote 80/20 in favor of Democrats, 4 of the 9 State Senate seats are held by Republicans. Now I will concede that some pundit friends of mine, such as Howard Graubard, rightly mock some of the scare tactics (such as taking away worker pensions) that are used in the campaign to vote NO—but there are real risks involved that big monied interests may have an oversize influence in crafting amendments. There must be serious concern that obscure aspects of state law could be changed and people would barely know about. In a state that has a hard enough time paying attention to its two legislative bodies I really don’t think a third group of delegates will be taken more seriously.
by Shaneeka Stanley One day when I was about 10 years old, I remember my mother waking up and telling me that she couldn’t breathe. The sudden fright caused me to mature; I knew I had to take action, and fast. Being the oldest sister, I had to try to remain calm so I wouldn’t scare her or my two younger brothers. I then frantically got my two younger brothers dressed and rushed us to our local clinic. That’s when we found out that she was having an asthma attack.
The revelation was shocking; my mom never had asthma before in her life, but on this day, she was diagnosed. I had never felt more scared in my life; seeing my mom not being able to breathe was a terrifying and unforgettable experience. All her life my mother has always been a non-smoker, so I never understood how she developed asthma in such a late stage of life. As I got older I came to realize that her illness could have been from where we lived. Smoke from neighboring apartments had often seeped into our home, but I had always considered it more of an annoyance than a danger to our health. As an adult studying public health, I now realize that where a person lives should always represent the individual’s standard of health; it’s the reason smokefree policies should be implemented. This is why I was so relieved when I heard that HUD had passed a requirement for all public housing authorities to go smoke-free. We would finally live with the smoke-free protections that my family and neighbors have always so desperately needed. The benefits of living in a smoke-free environment will dramatically improve the health and longevity of the entire community.
Shaneeka Stanley is a Masters of Public Health student at Long Island University and a life-long Red Hook resident.
My family and I moved to Red Hook when I was about five. We, as Red Hook residents, have faced and still face a multitude of difficult living conditions which negatively impact our health and wellness. We live in close quarters in the Red Hook Houses, so our neighbor’s own choice to smoke can determine whether or not we will be exposed to secondhand smoke and tobacco pollution. Without smoke-free protections, all of us are potentially exposed to secondhand smoke that can travel through our windows, in our pipes, down our hallways and stairways and even inside our elevators. But we shouldn’t only examine just the direct short-term effects resulting from smoking and secondhand smoke. The longer-term impact of the normalization of smoking in the home is something that is often overlooked. Smoking and all its negative consequences is affecting our children, setting them up for disadvantages in health and life expectancy. Let’s protect our families from the influence of Big Tobacco. Supporting HUD’s smoke-free rule is one way we can reduce avoidable premature deaths of our younger generation due to secondhand smoke exposure. I look forward to July 2018, when the new rule will be fully implemented. We will finally all be able to breathe a little bit easier.
Sure I like to debate reforms such as California style run off /non partisan primaries and publicly financed elections but I have doubts (due to the still corrupt aspects of our state government that this could happen. The New York Civil Liberties Union says that a constitutional convention could risk already existing state protections for many things (labor protections, reproductive rights) that are stronger than those under federal law. So, like a person being reigned in by bureaucratic restrictions wishing to help you but unable to —I wish I could vote for a constitutional convention but, due to political realities, including the unprecedented situation of today’s federal government, I cannot. PS—the most I’ve doubted my position was when reading a NY Post editorial opposing the “Con Con,” but then again they may be using reverse psychology. https://www.google.com/amp/nypost.com/2017/09/07/ why-new-yorkers-shouldnt-fall-for-the-constitutional-convention-con/ amp/.
Women in Touch & The Red Hook Community Justice Center present
PUERTO RICO & MEXICO RELIEF SILENT AUCTION FUNDRAISER Join us for an evening of music, food tasting and the opportunity to bid on your favorite art pieces!
Michael Racioppo is the Executive Director of the Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation as well as the Vice Chairman of Community Board 6.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2017 RED HOOK COMMUNITY JUSTICE CENTER 88 VISITATION PLACE BROOKLYN NY, 11231
5:30–7:30 PM
Sponsored by The Latina Connect
All proceeds will benefit Organización Boricua Agroecológica farms and farmers devastated by Hurricane Maria and Catholic Church’s in Mexico devastated by earthquakes.
Page 16 Red Hook Star-Revue
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Novermber 2017
Digital Stewards showcase local talent by Nathan Weiser
T
he Red Hook Regatta saw hundreds of spectators gather on Valentino Pier to watch homemade boats navigate the rough seas of New York City’s shipping harbor.
as well as the current-day issues that it faces,” the Regatta website stated.
This community event happened for the third year in a row at Louis Valentino Pier at the end of September and is organized by Red Hook Initiatives (RHI) Digital Stewards.
Participating in the Red Hook Regatta is a requirement for Digital Stewards who are in the program with enough time to prepare the boat for the Regatta. The Digital Stewards will work on their 3D-printed boats at Pioneer Works.
Jaebi Bussey, who is the director of the Digital Stewards program at RHI and the Technology Design Learning Specialist, said that the preparation for the Regatta is eight weeks out of the 10 months that they 19-24 year old’s are in the Digital Stewards Program. The Digital Stewards meet four days a week. “The Digital Stewards program is about career readiness and awareness for people interested in digital careers,” Bussey added. “This is on the job learning to get skills in digital awareness for digital careers. The goal is that they will be able to turn those skills in future work.” The Regatta, which was held on the afternoon of September 30, is a milestone for a lot of the digital production that the Digital Stewards work on as they work with modeling and 3D printing and they develop their digital skills. The Red Hook Regatta is a major event that the Digital Stewards take part in during their time in the program. Digital Stewards as well as members of the community who participate make 3D-printed boats that are radiocontrolled. “The teams compete to transport “cargo” (foam containers with metal plates) from the beach to designated “crane operators”, who will be receiving the cargo on the pier using fishing rods equipped with red magnetic hooks,” according to the Regatta website. “At its core, the Regatta embodies a form of storytelling and media production that connects a community to its history, environment and culture
Each cargo container picked up by a crane constitutes one point for that boat’s team, and the boat with the most points is the winner.
David Shankof and Joel Diaz are two staff members at Pioneer Works who do the coaching and training to help the participants build and construct the boats. During the actual day of the Red Hook Regatta the boat competition is the main draw. People will also bring food to each while they watch the event. Many members of the community will come out to enjoy this event on the water. “This is a great day for the community to come out,” Bussey said. “This is the third year. There was a huge group the first year, a smaller group the second year and then a huge group the third year.” Besides the Red Hook Regatta, other events that the Digital Stewards might be involved with include making a screening if they are making movies. They always have showcase events to celebrate the work that they have done and the skills that they have developed. Aquan Phillips and Jemini Mitchell are two of the Digital Stewards who were involved with the Red Hook Regatta this year. Mitchell is a Red Hook native who went to South Brooklyn Community High School and before being enrolled in the paying Digital Stewards program he was employed at Blackwood, which is a furniture building place.
Phillips joined the Digital Stewards program because he has an interest in technology. He wants to get into the auto tech industry and wants to learn how to music produce. Phillips also has an interest in animation and now knows how to add The Scotto and Heyer Families cordially invite you and your family background music. to attend the 57th Annual Scotto Funeral Home Mass in memory of all our departed loved ones.
Mass will be celebrated at Noon on Saturday, November 4th, 2017 at Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary & St. Stephen Church 125 Summit Street at Hicks Street Light refreshments to follow in Cabrini Hall located directly below the church. We look forward to seeing you. Terry Scotto Spinelli, Debra Scotto John L. Heyer Sr. & John L. Heyer II
Red Hook Star-Revue
After Mitchell finishes as a Digital Steward he wants to go to college and then have a career in the tech industry. While Phillips has been involved with Digital Stewards he has gained many skills that can help him in the industry. “I have learned video production,” Phillips said in the Digital Stewards space on Ferris Street. “I have learned graphic design, and I have also learned tools around the film industry like sound and lights.”
Earlier during his time as a Digital Steward Phillips and Mitchell were involved in a digital boot camp at South Brooklyn Community High School. They did projects on film production and videos and got to practice making videos on a deadline. Even though it was mandatory for Phillips to participate in the Red Hook Regatta he still got a lot out of being involved in the program. He learned about the 3D Rhinoceros program, which was necessary for him to make the boat. He liked the 3D aspect of this project since it was brand new to him. “I learned how to 3D print, which was cool because I had never even done that,” Phillips added. “I had only seen videos. But actually doing it was cool, and actually taking part of the Regatta was even cooler because I got to race.” Phillips said he almost won the race but ended up falling short because the brick his boat was carrying was too thick for his boat. He had to glue down some packages to hold down the plastic brick. Phillips thought the 3D Rhinoceros program that the students used to make the boats was hard to understand at first but that it got easier the more he used it. Mitchell agreed with Phillips in thinking that with practice the program got simpler. “At first it was complicated, but after about two weeks we got really familiar with the icons and how to use it and it got easier all the time,” Mitchell said. Mitchell customized his boat by giving it a batman type of look. He made it all black and kind of futuristic. Mitchell, who is a basketball player, finished in third place this year and wants to participate again next year so that he can win the competition. He knows what to do next time to have better results. “This time it was that water was getting into it, so I would need to close up any little holes or go over it a couple of times with things that close holes,” Mitchell added. “That would make the difference.” Phillips liked being part of the Red Hook Regatta this year because he
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didn’t have a chance to participate last year. He also thought it was “cool” to be getting paid to participate in the program and liked that a many people watched. Mitchell added that he liked the energy he felt from all of the people who came to support the Red Hook Regatta. Phillip wants the Red Hook Regatta to continue to grow, so that it can get even more recognition. “They said every year it is getting bigger and bigger and we need to keep it up, so we can get national attention on the neighborhood and how it is changing,” Phillips said. As part of Phillips’s responsibility as a Digital Steward, he helped others with their boats during the actual Red Hook Regatta as well as helping in other ways any way he could. He added that some kids built their boats with their parents’ supervision. “There was a halftime show with kids dancing and rapping, which was nice for the kids,” Phillips added. Mitchell joined the Digital Stewards program last April. He has gotten a lot out of the program and has done things that he didn’t think he would ever do. The SBCHS graduate was originally not really into technology and initially came primarily for the paycheck. “But now I am here and a lot of people in my neighborhood don’t really get these things or don’t really understand anything that I am doing,” Mitchell added about the Digital Stewards and Red Hook Regatta. “It is like a big boost of confidence.” According to Bussey the aim is to have the Digital Stewards connected to other opportunities once they conclude the program. “The goal is to connect them with outside agencies, so they can continue to work to develop their skills and continue to build a professional network,” Bussey said. “Red Hook Initiative does a lot of work to help secure those spots and opportunities for people.
November 2017, Page 17
and nervous, he took on the small role. The part may have been small, but it was powerful. One night as he worked through a particularly heart-breaking monologue, he looked out and saw a woman in the audience weeping.
NEIGHBORHOOD PORTRAIT:
“That’s how I became an actor,” Lou asserted. “I thought, ‘Wow, I did that.’” From there, Lou’s career moved along slowly. He worked at all kinds of roles, dinner theater, children’s theater, regional theater… You name it, he tried it.
THE MANY FACES OF LOU SONES by Emily Kluver
I
n the backyard of his Red Hook home, Lou stood surrounded by a power tools and lumber scraps. He gestured towards his latest project, which would eventually be a little shelter for the neighborhood cat that comes to visit his yard.
“I’m terrible with this. Are you good with angles?” Lou asked without really waiting for an answer. “In high school I wanted to take shop or typing. My parents said, ‘We’re Jewish, you’re going to be a doctor.’ Now what do I need? Construction and typing.”
THE EARLY YEARS
Lou, an obvious story-teller, does not require much prompting. Before he had even sat down, Lou launched right in, talking about his growing up years in a rough neighborhood in Philadelphia. Traces of an old Philadelphia accent slip through on occasion. It’s subtle and largely buried by the places and years that Lou has seen since then, but it’s there. Growing up, Lou attended a high school for high achievers and spent much of his spare time practicing to become an accomplished springboard diver. From Philadelphia he went to college at Penn State and studied social work. Upon graduation, Lou headed for the Peace Corps. Though Lou had wanted to go to Africa, he was sent to South India instead. It didn’t matter. He just wanted to go somewhere, anywhere new and different. Lou left India with stories. He spoke of the local culture, vegetable gardening, smokeless wood stoves, and one particular Jesuit priest on a motor scooter that helped him through a rough patch. As he talked, each story tumbled out as easily as if it had happened just yesterday. At the end of two exciting and challenging years, Lou found he was ready to take a break from all the hard work and run wild for the first time in his life. “I came of age at one of the great times,” Lou noted, laughing at the memory of “group love and communes.”
Lou set off for Europe where he broke up with his then-girlfriend and jumped right into every activity you might imagine a young person in the 1960’s might. “I was a straight-shooter. I never raised any hell in my life,” Lou explained. “All those years I was so straight and I said ‘I’m making up for lost time.’” His visit to Europe was cut short when he got a telegram from his dad telling him to come home quick. He had been drafted for the Vietnam War.
TESTING NEW ROLES
Lou was determined not to join what he thought of as a “stupid idiot war.” He contacted a doctor he’d seen while working in the Peace Corps and managed to get a note that claimed he was not fit to serve. The physical examiner was skeptical, but he sent Lou on his way. Having dodged a bullet, Lou found work and began playing music with his roommate, a talented jazz singer. Though Lou was not particularly skilled on the guitar, he loved rock ’n roll and longed to become a musician. He met a killer guitarist while bartending at a large Pennsylvania resort. Along with Lou’s jazz-singing roommate, they started a band. After the trio began booking gigs, Lou knew he needed a new job, one that would free up his nights. The head chef offered him work in the kitchens and before long, Lou was flipping eggs for 1,200 people each morning. Not long after, Lou realized that he couldn’t keep up with his bandmates, who was increasingly interested in playing more complicated music. They urged him to stay, noting his energy and stage presence, but during one particular practice, Lou remembers he got fed up.
kitchen staff, Lou spent his summers in the Poconos and his winters in Florida. In only a year and a half, Lou rose the ranks to sous chef. “I did every job in the kitchen,” Lou reflected, smiling, “I loved it.” But before long, Lou was ready to expand. He headed out for California where he planned to expand his skills. After working out West at resorts and restaurants for a few years, Lou returned to the East coast. He moved to New York at the request of an ex-girlfriend who wanted to get back together. The girlfriend didn’t last long, but New York stuck.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Lou ended up returning to bar tending roles after New York kitchens proved to be a too small, too hot, and far too inadequately stocked for his tastes. That’s how he met his wife, serving drinks at the bar where her acting company would sometimes stop by. “I got married to one of the great ladies of all time,” Lou said, serious now. “She’s wonderful.” But his wife wasn’t the only person in that acting company who would change Lou’s life. The director had heard Lou was taking acting classes on the side and he happened to have a part that needed filling. When Lou had first arrived in New York, he had been crashing on the couch of some friend’s apartment. While there, he happened to pick up a book called “Respect for Acting.” It stuck with him. “I couldn’t admit to myself that I wanted to be an actor so I decided I wanted to be a filmmaker,” Lou reflected.
“I’m not a musician,” he recalled saying. “I threw my guitar on the chair and said, ‘You guys go ahead.’”
He started classes and found he loved being in front of the camera. One of his teachers encouraged him to keep going with his acting and he did, taking more classes and slowly creeping up on the stage career he knew deepdown that he truly wanted.
As the glimmer of his music dream died away, Lou discovered a new passion—cooking. With the rest of the
When the director of his now-wife’s acting company offered him a part in a Chekhov play, he accepted. Excited
After years of hard work, he was able to find a manager that would send him out for television auditions. It took a year of these casting calls before he booked his first television commercial. After that, he started booking minor roles in soap operas and television programs, most notably, Law and Order. Though acting was never an easy or stable way of life, he loved it just the same. For Lou, acting was about affecting people, making them feel and think. “I realized the music thing wasn’t about the music, it was the stories. I love telling stories,” Lou pointed out. “My wife says, ‘Lou, when you start telling a story, you start at the beginning of your life and the facts always change.’ ”
RED HOOK
A circuitous path led Lou and his wife, Pat, to the neighborhood they’ve called home for nearly 20 years. Gentrified out of two apartments, they were searching for somewhere to buy a place, when Lou visited Red Hook. Lou chose Red Hook when he came across the school grounds of P.S. 15 and saw the children playing there. “It reminded me of my growing up years, brought back good memories,” Lou recalled. “I could have gone other places, but I wanted to live in Red Hook because of that school yard. I wanted to live in a diverse community.” As Lou and Pat lived out their days in Red Hook, they became involved in the community. Lou led the fight against Mayor Giuliani’s plan to build a garbage transfer station in Red Hook. He was on the Community Board for 14 years. In his spare time, he coached baseball and softball for the MexicanAmerican league in Red Hook. Lou’s life became thoroughly wrapped up in his Brooklyn surroundings. Amidst the height of his involvement in the Red Hook community, Lou got a call from the owners of the Brazen Head bar on Atlantic Avenue. They needed someone to take over the bar, turn it around, and run the place. As much as Lou wanted to say no, it was hard to turn down a good salary after all those years of scraping by. Since then, Lou Sones has spent most of his waking hours working to keep the Brazen Head bar running smoothly. It was never supposed to take that much time, but everything else would wait for some other day. At least that’s what Lou told himself. Then last month, he decided that it was time to change course. Lou, now 73, has spent the last 17 years saying that he will return to being a fulltime actor someday, that he will return (continued on page 22)
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Novermber 2017
Maybe you’ve seen my stickers. I made a real push to get them on every lamp post & defunct emergency box in Red Hook. The time has come, however, to reach out via the long arms of the Red Hook Star Revue. I am pleased to announce an exhibition of my recent work, housed in Beriah Wall’s art studio on Seabring St. The opening is 11/6/17 @ 6 PM. The address is 41 Seabring St. My sleepless nights began 11/7/16. It wasn’t until 1/20/17 that I started to do something with these anxious hours. For the past eleven months (only 38 more to go!) I’ve been keeping my head down and holding my hand steady. I have painted a series of signs (Enamel Paint on Cardboard, 20”x 25”) suitable for a wide range of rallies. These paintings were created after-hours, in-a-haze, with little criticism requested or provided. The logos & slogans I painted were carefully culled from an ever-growing dossier of Wikipedia articles. Resistance isn’t recent. Fascism has been smashed before and can be smashed again. These are historical paintings. These are political paintings. These paintings are pop-art. These paintings are historical, political, pop-art.—Silas van der Swaagh
Red Hook Star-Revue
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November 2017, Page 19
A new old-style eatery comes to Columbia Street by Adrian Bacolo
D
on’t talk to Sebastiano Faraone about microwave ovens.
One doesn’t exist in his home—never has—so it’s no surprise that the appliance would not be welcome at his new restuarant located at 257 Columbia Street. “We don’t own a microwave oven here,” said Faraone. “I don’t even know how to use a microwave oven.” If Faraone sounds extreme in his rejection of a device found in 90% of American households, it’s just the way he was raised. Born in Palermo, Italy, he remembers waking up to the aroma of his mother’s cooking. The preparation began early with natural ingredients, and the multiple-course meal consisting of pasta, salad, an entrée, fruit and dessert “didn’t end.” “Every Sunday started at like 9 o’clock in the morning,” he recalled. “That’s what would wake you up—the smell. Today, everything is fast food.” Not at Sebastiano’s. Faraone, 56, opened his establishment in early October after witnessing two previous businesses fizzle, both of which also served food. He says they failed to deliver what the area needed: old-style Italian cooking.
sage—are chosen daily by Sebastiano’s head chef, Paul Ruggirello, from local markets in Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst. I stopped in twice to meet with Faraone and Ruggirello, 57. The first time was on a Wednesday evening, with my girlfriend. The restaurant was quiet with two other parties enjoying a late dinner, including a woman and child who split a pizza pie topped with thinly-sliced zucchini. Sebastiano’s possesses a familiar coziness with some contemporary touches, like the numerous outlets for customers to charge their phones. The vibe is casual dining. The restaurant holds 44 guests, plus four at the bar (a liquor license is currently in the works, Faraone tells me). There is only one television in a corner. An American flag stands between the bar and main dining area.
“Sebastiano’s takes its food seriously—from the daily bread and hand-selected ingredients, to the milk-made (not powder) gelato
Owner Sebastiano (l) with head chef Paul. (photo by Bacolo)
mitted. “You can taste the freshness.” That first night, we ordered a house salad, baked ziti ($12) for her and lasagna ($12) for me. I was kindly warned the lasagna, because it’s baked to order and not reheated, could take about 20 minutes. Faraone’s wife, Rita, who was helping that night, even delivered a warm plate of veal and broccoli rabe on the house while we waited. Garlicky and tender, the appetizer quickly disappeared. The entrées arrived in generous portions. The lasagna finely balanced its ingredients, and the cheese on the ziti was plentiful enough to twirl with a fork. While I finished my plate, my girlfriend needed a container for leftovers. (Faraone joked that some Italian food can taste better the next day.)
For Faraone, the recipe for success is simple: keep everything fresh. And it begins with the bread—which isn’t delivered early—only to sit outside until the restaurant opens, hours later.
imported from Italy twice a week,
“I physically pick it up,” said Faraone. “At 11 o’clock is when the rolls start coming out from Caputo’s,” the 113-year-old bakery on Court Street.
The menu at Sebastiano’s is similarly straight-forward, featuring limited but popular items like hot and cold heroes, antipasto, salads, baked-pasta dishes, and special pizza pies.
During my second visit, on a dreary Tuesday afternoon, I sat across from Sal Agosta who was taking a break from work at Cobble Hill Cleaners & Laundry. On this day, he already knew just what he wanted for lunch.
“Sometimes less is better,” Faraone ad-
“The only time I’ll eat broccoli rabe is
as he suffers from ADHT (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and is dyslexic. After high school, he did try to study chemical engineering but dropped out and decided to make art his profession. Before coming to Red Hook, Sodi spent many years living in Barcelona, Berlin and Paris. Today Sodi’s work can be found in collections all over the world, and his current untitled red works on linen will be exhibited this November at the Paul Kasmin gallery in Chelsea, New York.
gets together to decide that somet h i n g should not be there, it’s very easy to dismantle and take it out. Walls and obstacles can be dismantled when people unite,” said Sodi.
Then other ingredients—parsley, basil, peppers, red onions, eggplant, sau-
RED HOOK PAINTER LIKES RED! (continued from page 1)
time gives unpredictability to the outcome of work,” said Sodi. Since young Sodi has been researching these concepts and practices it daily. For instance, instead of planning he lets things evolve naturally. He uses his clothes for a long period of time because he believes ‘an old pair of pants has more personality than a new one.’ Similarly, when preparing a new set of art-works, he never has a specific plan, he just goes with the flow. Sodi is autodidactic and never attended art school, but says he was fortunate to have been born into a family that loved art, so visits to museums and galleries in Mexico City were commonplace. His mother initially had him attend art classes as therapy
Page 20 Red Hook Star-Revue
and, yes, even leftovers.”
This past September, Sodi transitioned to make his first political art statement. He installed an ephemeral brick wall, called ‘Muro,’ in Washington Square Park, N.Y. The idea came to him when he was crafting clay cubes in Mexico last year, which were made by craftsmen who had lived illegally in the U.S. and had shared their experiences with Sodi. When the cubes were done, they lay strewn in a random ‘Wabi Sabi way,’ that gave him the idea of making a wall, analogous to Donald Trump’s wall. The wall stood for a few hours, and then on-lookers were invited to dismantle it by taking bricks home. “I wanted to show that when society
While Agosta and I chatted about living in Brooklyn, Ruggirello came over to join us, followed by Faraone with a perfect plate of sliced tomatoes and mozzarella (simply drizzled in olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette) and a roomtemperature dish of grilled eggplant, cauliflower, peppers and more broccoli rabe. “Don’t get used to this,” he said, halfkidding. But one thing is not a joke: Sebastiano’s takes its food seriously— from the daily bread and hand-selected ingredients, to the milk-made (not powder) gelato imported from Italy twice a week, and, yes, even leftovers. On my way out, Faraone hands me a bag with the remnants of my lunch, and a parting reminder. “Just don’t put it in the microwave.”
Sodi in front of one of his paintings (photo by Raghavan)
M a n y have asked him to recreate the wall in other cities but Sodi is unsure. Sodi’s ties to Mexico are very strong. He directs an art foundation in Oaxaca called Fundacion Casa Wabi where six artists are invited annually to work with local communities. The foundation has a mobile library as well as a clay pavilion where children learn to work with clay. For the past seven years, Sodi has
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when my wife or mother makes it. I could go to the best restaurant in the city, and they just don’t make it the right way,” he told me. “[Sebastiano’s] makes it good.”
made Red Hook his work space and home. He moved from his first studio on Smith Street to this enormous old warehouse space on Van Brunt’s pier. During Sandy, his studio received five feet of water, which destroyed about 10 of his red paintings, making the waterfront awash with red pigment. “I love Red Hook. I always live in cities that are quiet and different; same in Berlin and in Paris. We still don’t have a subway station which is good, as I hate too many people.”
Novermber 2017
November is Open Studio time in Red Hook by Matt Caprioli
I
f you really want a unique apartment, forget Ikea. There will be a motley crew of local art for sale on November 12 from 1-6 pm. You will find it around warehouses on Van Brunt, including Door 14 and The Feinberg.
“Artists have to build relationships with the community and public, so this a really valuable opportunity to educate the public about your work.”
Red Hook Open Studios 2017, in its third year, offers a range of works— from jewelry and furniture to glassware, and paintings. All work is from artists practicing around Red Hook, including emerging and well-established artists such as Lizbeth Mitty.
“This lets us develop our elevator pitch, to say the who, how, and why in a concise and engaging way.”
Over 1,500 people passed through the Red Hook Open Studios last year, according to jewelry artist and organizer, Katie Lincoln. Another organizer, artist Deborah Ugoretz, said the team had 55 participating artists last year, and are expecting to have over 70 this year. Popular studios include Hot Wood Arts, where co-organizer and artist Megan Suttle practices. Fifteen other artists will have their works for discussion, display and purchase at Hot Wood Arts, located at 481 Van Brunt. Redu Studios is an active participant of Red Hook Open Studios. With the tagline, “Making Obsolescence Obsolete,” the studio recasts castoff materials into beautiful furniture. Their aim is to keep reusable materials out of landfills. Ugoretz says the Open Studio process is a great way for local artists to establish themselves in a competitive marketplace.
Artists also get feedback from their peers and the public.
This year, Red Hook Open Studios is working with Pioneer Works Second Sundays and will continue the festivities with an afterparty at 159 Pioneer Street from 6 to 10 pm. To advance their aim of curating and creating a space where artists can take their wares to a public space, the organizers reached out to businesses in Red Hook with positive results. Ugoretz said Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Corporation is helping with printing, Fairway and the O’Connell Organization with fiscal support, and NobleTree coffee with caffeine. Artists can still sign up. To sell work and mingle is $25. There’s a preliminary meetup on November 4th at Hot Wood Art from 4 to 6pm where artists pick up posters, greet each other, and discuss their practice. Registration is available at www.eventbrite.com. The organizers welcome any emails at redhookopenstudios@gmail.com. Maps of the for the event will be available throughout Red Hook.
Some of the studios on the map are (clockwise from top left) Megan Suttles, Ross Carlyle, Katie Lincoln, Ethan Cornell Studio and the woman in the blue top is Mia Berg.
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November 2017, Page 21
Brooklyn Workshop Gallery closes by Matt Caprioli
T
he artist Martine Bisagni, director of the closing Brooklyn Workshop Gallery, won’t be wearing mascara for q while. “There’s too many people who have known me for a very long time, and they’re sad I’m leaving, I am too, and I’m like I really don’t have a choice.” After nine years, the gallery’s space has been sold to a developer. “But, what can I say. It’s happening all over the city.” Brooklyn Workshop Gallery (BWG) has been a radically open community space for people of all ages in the Red Hook community. Nicknamed “the coal shop,” the railway style studio is a former coal and kerosene packing site. The gallery walls were once shrouded in tin to protect neighboring units from any accidental combustions; you can still see some tattered tin behind the knitted scarves, embroidered purses, azure ceramics, and abstract paintings that cover the walls of BWG. Near the entrance, the gallery has an old advertisement from The Brooklyn Eagle exhorting people to “Donate coal to a poor family this Christmas.” For the last nine years, BWG has kept its doors open to everyone in the community who wanted to create or display their art. “Literally, we have never turned down anyone in the neighborhood who wanted to do something here. If they can pay, great, if they can’t, we don’t care, which,” Bisagni continues with a laugh, “is part of the reason why we’re broke all the time.” They’ve exhibited artists who haven’t started producing anything until 66. Recently, BWG showcased the works of three weavers, a photographer, and a textile artist. “They’re people who live in the neighborhood,” Bisagni said. “They’re emerging and entering artists.” BWG’s windows face Hoyt Street, and display a few new works each week. The window had a piece by a flag Eveva Oleinic, made for an ACLU benefit, made for Gowanus…. they’re rifts on pledge of allegiance. Above her is a huge made-out-of-bullet casings. 22 caliber. The artists travels the world over to collect them and weaves them to protest war. She wanted these in the window because of how relevant in our day and age.
Parents work on their own project while children make art. “It’s not drop off, your parents do things with you. A lot of how the rugs get made is that the parents will sit and tie and cut and clip while the kids make art.” Bisagni has strong roots to the community (her grandmother went to middle school blocks from the gallery). “I’m very sad,” Bisagni said, “that it has become very difficult to run a community arts space in the way that the city I grew up in had them.”
Home Free
On Oct 20th, 20 people filtered into the small space to watch “Home Free” by the Belgian film student and Red Hook resident Marie Vanderrusten. A delectable combo of white wine and pizza was served. Children’s chalk drawings from last Saturday remained on the sidewalk. “Home Free” follows Jack (who prefers not to use his last name) choosing to live as a drifter and make money as the “Bubble Man” of Central Park. The film, narrated mostly by Jack, starts by answering a question most people have upon learning that someone’s living in Central Park: “Technically it’s illegal,” he says. The 15 minute documentary digs deeper into the life of the Bubble Man who has been in thousands of photos from travelers worldwide. Despite his popularity, Jack doesn’t always make money from these cameos. $50 is a slow day. On Sunday, $250 is typical. In his early 50s, Jack is happy living outside of society. He’d rather sleep outside where it’s quiet and free with easy access to the stars than spend a month’s salary on a room with creaky floors, loud neighbors, and the occasional roach. When Vanderrusten asks how he defines himself, he replies, “free.” In the film, Jack’s central struggle is what to do once he’s no longer physically strong. Grudgingly, he accepts the fact he’ll have to look for lodging soon. He does find a room, but moves back to Central Park within a couple weeks. Vanderrusten and Jack grow closer as he talks about his childhood. He also introduces the Belgian to American cuisine, such as Spam, which he defines as “an American ham product.”
“I feel that no one took the time to really know Jack, and to really give him a voice,” Vanderrusten says. “No one looked at him curious about his whole personality.” She filmed Jack because she was impressed with his intelligence, compassion, and unusual life style. “I felt like I had to tell the world his story.” Jack first slept in the park at 16, specifically under the mushroom of the Alice in Wonderland sculpture set. Adopted by a lawyer for the Beatles, Jack grew up in a luxury apartment building on 2nd Avenue and 67th Street. Musi- Martine Bisagni has made her mark in Brooklyn but has to cally gifted, he and take a forced hiatus for now. his brother, Tommy, the 2016-2017 academic year. “And it’s thought they’d easily become a big directly related to the price of real esrockstars. But life had other plans. tate,” she says. After joining the Coast Guard, Jack The rising rents make it that much drifted around the US. Talking about harder to make art, or just follow one’s his adolescence as a Manhattan teen, interests. Jack says: “Our view of the world was “The forces of development are so so twisted. The things we thought huge and so loud they override pretty were important really weren’t impormuch everything, and the money has tant at all.” become so huge, that even if we were In the Q&A after the film, Jack was able to raise the money to buy this asked about extending his bubble space I would question weighing that business. He has performed at the money against what it could do in a occasional birthday party and a few smaller town...where that would monfilms, but he’s weary of doing any- ey would buy significantly more space, more. funding for programs, artist residen“By leading this lifestyle, I know the cies—not just a space for a studio.” entanglements I’m avoiding. Even if Bisagni plans to spend the winter with it’s not ideal, I’m free of a car, a land- friends on a horse farm in Vermont. lord, of jobs I really don’t want to do. I She may return to the city; she may can stay in charge of myself.” not.
A New Home for BGW?
Bisagni picked “Home Free” as to be the final screening at BWG for its sharp imagery, memorable narrative, and social relevance. In her view, the responsibility of artists goes beyond making beautiful art. She noted that homeless level haven’t been this high since the depression. 10 percent of NYC school children were homeless at some point during
In a city wild over money, it’s the rare space where neighborhood kids can drop in (without money or an appointment) and make art while surrounded by a group of supportive people. “Little kids who came by are now coming by as teenagers,” says Amani Ansari, a ceramics artist and Bisagni’s niece who helped open and operate the gallery. “We’re lucky to have seen them grow into these wonderful human beings.”
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“I really have become a champion of an ordinary life in the arts. Not the lauded life, just the ordinary person making art.”
Lou Sones (continued from page 18)
to his creative projects someday, that he and his wife, Pat, will have the time to pursue their dreams someday. “I’m the oldest living man in my family,” Lou explained. “Someday might never come.”
The Bubble Man of Central Park
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Last month, Lou retired from his job managing the Brazen Head, deciding to turn his attention to the dreams, ambitions, and interests he has put off for years. He spends his days playing the drums, knocking around a new screenplay, and cultivating to his acting career. For Lou Sones, someday is just beginning.
Novermber 2017
Pilates is not a fad! It actually makes you feel good! by Halley Bondy
F
or recent or expecting moms, the pressure to exercise can be a cruel joke. It took a lot for A•line Pilates on Court Street to jostle me out of my postpartum potato phase (I have a 2-monthold screaming from her carrier into my face as I type this), but if I can ever conjure the motivation and the 55 minutes of childcare again, I’m a convert. Mamas, this class is great! If you’re like me, you barely know what Pilates are. That’s okay. Even after an entire session of learning about “diastasis recti” and working the “magic circle,” I still don’t quite know what happened to my body or why it felt so good. This is why there are experts. “No, pilates is not a fad,” said manager Lindsay Chapman. “Pilates is a system of exercises developed nearly a century ago using special apparatus, designed to improve physical strength, flexibility, and posture, and enhance the mind/body connection.” Since July 2016, A•line has lived in a converted brownstone apartment space on the corner of Court and Carroll Streets. It’s packed to the gills with mats, equipment, and gym goers who were lucky enough to get off the weeks-long waitlists. The room smells invitingly of grapefruit and eucalyptus, which are used during classes for therapeutic purposes. There are two classes going at once, with only a handful of women allowed in the pre-
Opportunities at the Justice Center The Red Hook Community Justice Center (as a project of the Center for Court Innovation) is a part of a new project in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice and John Jay College’s Research and Evaluation Center. This new initiative will support the Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety (MAP). MAP is a comprehensive strategy to enhance public safety and strengthen community capacity in 15 public housing developments across New York City, including the Red Hook Houses. A primary component of the program called Neighborhood Stat (NSTAT) aims to enhance safety by strengthening collaboration among community residents, police and city agencies. Since 2016, large, boroughwide NSTAT meetings have been convened quarterly at 1 Police Plaza to identify and assess large scale efforts at the sites. Now, the Center will help to coordinate a new phase of the project that will localize the NSTAT process at each of the 15 designated communities. To engage and empower community members and spur local problem solving, the Center for Court Innovation will be con-
Red Hook Star-Revue
natal/postpartum class at a time. The cost for mat classes is $22 per class, or $18 with a 10-pack deal. Machineoriented classes are pricier, beginning at $38 per class. The eternally perky owner/instructor (and mother of two) Carey Macaleer will take care of you for the next hour. Between incremental leg lifts and punchy breaths, this is the the type of workout in which you barely move (which is wonderful for expectant or recent moms), but you’re still targeting hyper-specific muscle groups, often quite intensely. “Prenatal sessions are specially de-
Postpartum issues including pelvic floor rehab, depression and diastasis” —a condition in which the abdominal muscles are separated postpartum — “are often neglected in America.” signed to prepare the body for the stress of labor and its aftermath,” said Chapman. “Postnatal sessions help new moms restore definition and lift to their abs by working breath and TVA exercises (transverse abdomi-
vening local stakeholder teams that will identify key concerns, collect and share data, develop action plans, leverage resources and support from city agencies, plan and coordinate initiatives to improve conditions, and track progress towards community goals. To support this initiative, there is an opening for one MAP Engagement Coordinator for each of the public housing communities, including one full-time Coordinator dedicated to the Red Hook Houses. The deadline to apply is December 1, 2017. You may fax your cover letter and resume to (212) 397-0985. Please email human resources with any questions or concerns: HR@courtinnovation.org. High priority is given to applicants from Red Hook who have lived in or currently live in public housing. A background in community organizing and interest in collaborative work with police, the Housing Authority and other city agencies is a must. Please circulate the posting with your networks and refer any qualified candidates to apply. If you’d like more information about the Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety, check out the MOCJ’s website here: http://www1. nyc.gov/site/criminaljustice/work/ strong-neighborhoods.page
nal)...Postpartum issues including pelvic floor rehab, depression and diastasis” - a condition in which the abdominal muscles are separated postpartum - “are often neglected in America.” For absolute beginners, there is a small learning curve. A familiarity with your body - as well as terms like “pelvic floor” - definitely helps, lest some of the more targeted instructions fly over your head. However, Macaleer uses simple The author with her new child. and sometimes adorable physical analogies - like tal health and rehabbing our bodies.” “shampooing your hair” or “finding something yummy” - to If nothing else motivates you to take guide you through things like sciatic this class, perhaps the waitlist, which massage. can be backed up for weeks, will Then of course, there’s the time hur- awaken your competitive nature. dle. Nobody has time to work out Somehow, some way, tons of moms postpartum, but unfortunately, that in the area are already doing this, and the folks at A•line want to spread their doesn’t make exercise any less vital. name even wider. “It seems as though women are kind to themselves while pregnant: having “We would like to be known in the massages, taking educational classes, community and those surrounding us and scheduling special workouts,” but we also want to be a place women Chapman said. “But after delivery, come to care for themselves and each we tend to exclusively focus on that other without judgement or guilt.” sweet, exhausting baby and our own A•line is located at 236 Carroll Street. needs fall by the wayside when actu- To book a class, visit http://www. ally we need to focus on our own men- alinepilatesnyc.com
Obituary (continued from page 3)
been attending operas at the Regina Opera for 40 years with a large group of friends. We look forward with great enthusiasm to the works in this new season, including La Traviata, Madama Butterfly and their first Aida. Their 30 to 40 piece orchestra of splendid musicians are superb. The Regina Chorus is especially noteworthy. Thomas Vilardo, former Met Opera baritone mentioned that Met Opera soprano Licia Albanese visited and the late basso Don Yule from New York City Opera attended many times and superbly sang Sparafucile from Verdi’s Rigoletto at the Regina Opera. Today’s Met opera super mezzo Dolora Zajick sang Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana at the Regina Opera early in her career as did baritone Mark Delavan who was an outstanding Danilo in The Merry Widow. Soubrette soprano Elaine Malbin visited this exciting company. Many of the Regina Opera stars had large followings and that still prevails today! They all followed the standard of talent and graciousness set by Marie Cantoni.
dreams. I am so confident that President Fran Garber-Cohen, Executive Vice President Linda Cantoni, Stage director, Linda Lehr, Maestros Alex Guzman and Gregory Ortega, Treasurer Joe Delfausse and all of the volunteers and staff will continue everything Marie started with a combination of Brooklyn grit and heavenly dreams. State Senator Marty Golden honored Marie Cantoni in Bay Ridge some years ago and we think she felt the love and appreciation of that sold out and wonderful event! We will all miss her very much but her indomitable spirit will soar with every note in the future. Whether it be La Bohème, Tosca or Aida, the tears will be half for the opera and the rest for Marie Cantoni whose passing leaves us with great sadness. She was a pioneer, a creator and a great Brooklynite. We all stand and shout “bravissimo Marie.” May you, dear and wonderful soul, rest in peace!
Whenever I embraced Marie upon greeting her, I felt I was in the presence of sweetness and the stuff of
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November 2017, Page 23
Page 24 Red Hook Star-Revue
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Novermber 2017