The Best Pediatricians In The City
page 52
OCTOBER 2013 established 1986
newyorkfamily.com
A Wtibn e r ak
Fas Sports iMult lass! C
Meet NYC’s Hippest Power Couple Hotelier Sean MacPherson, Nightlife Maven Rachelle Hruska-MacPherson, Their Incredible Adventure In Life, Love, And Family
&
MOMS REAL ESTATE
of
page 69
HALLOWEEN
MADNESS page 18
the of
JOY
DANCE page 32
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contents
OCTOBER newyorkfamily.com
pg.32
pg.47
pg. 20
pg.76 pg.18
FEATURES 47 | The Big Easy For a couple at the epicenter of the city’s social pulse, hotelier Sean MacPherson and nightlife doyenne Rachelle Hruska-MacPherson take a remarkably laidback approach to urban parenting
some of the city’s top real estate executives (who are also moms) to discuss their own living choices 76 | Quality Time Get frighteningly festive for Halloween with our top picks for perfect pumpkins, tasty treats, and cool costumes
52 | Doctors We Love Our guide to NYC’s most talented and dedicated pediatricians and pediatric specialists
COLUMNS
FAMILY FUN GUIDE
12 | Events & Offers A Fastbreak Kids giveaway, must-go G&T symposium, sneak peek at our picks for supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and a special Halloween party
14 | Ten Great Events For October Chile Pepper Festival, Gridiron Glory exhibit, “Little Red Riding Hood,” and more 18 | Ten Creepy, Crawly City Celebrations For Halloween Boo at the Zoo, Haunted High Line, Central Park Pumpkin Fest, and more 20 | A Victory For Children’s Theater No one pushes the potential of theater for young audiences like New Victory— and this season even babies and toddlers can enjoy the experience
HOME & AWAY 69 | The Moms Of Real Estate To explore the age-old question of where to raise your children, we asked
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New York Family | October 2013
10 | Editor’s Note I’ll have what they’re having
22 | It’s My Party Birthday celebrations at the Montclare School, Dylan’s Candy Bar, and PhotoOp 24 | Scoop Rosie Pope and Belly Bandit team up against breast cancer, opportunities for the whole family to give back, our guide to fall fun, and more 26 | A Special Place PhotoOp, and its owner Nathan Gindi helps NYC families get ready for their close-ups
30 | A Good Idea With its strong, creative leader, the Yorkville Youth Athletic Association has become a beacon in urban sports for kids 32 | Activity Of The Month: Dance In a city bursting with excellent dance programs, we asked some talented young dancers (and their teachers) to give us a peak at the magic 38 | Education A conversation with education expert ML Nichols’ on her new book and how to support your child’s education 42 | Education Big change in private school admissions testing 80 | The Last Word As her daughter builds a mini metropolis, one local mom discovers an unexpected life lesson Cover Photo by Karen Haberberg Photography On Rachelle Hruska-MacPherson: Rozae R.N. blouse, Rosie Pope Maternity jeans On Sean MacPherson: Diesel sweater, Elie Tahari shirt, Michael Kors Collection jeans On Maxwell MacPherson: Baby Gap sweater & jeans www.newyorkfamily.com
OCTOBER 2013 Editor and co-publisher Eric Messinger emessinger@ manhattanmedia.com senior Editor Christine Wei cwei @ manhattanmedia.com associate Editor Mia Weber mweber@ manhattanmedia.com Art Director George W. Widmer gwidmer@ manhattanmedia.com
Contributing PhotographerS Daniel S. Burnstein, Heidi Green, Thaddeus Harden, Michael Jurick Contributing Writers Leah Black, Tess Cobrinik, Stacey Gawronski, Alissa Katz, Gavriella Mahpour, Nadia Ramlakhan, Amy Renolds, Tali Rosenblatt-Cohen, Samantha Simon
Publisher John Hurley For Information On The Baby Show 212.268.3086, jhurley@ manhattanmedia.com Associate Publisher Mary Ann Oklesson maoklesson @ manhattanmedia.com Special Projects Director Alex Schweitzer aschweitzer@ manhattanmedia.com SALES ASSISTANT Erik Bliss ebliss@ manhattanmedia.com Circulation Aaron Pollard apollard @ manhattanmedia.com Business Manager Shawn Scott sscott@ manhattanmedia.com Accounts Manager Kathy Pollyea kpollyea @ manhattanmedia.com
Manhattan Media Chairman of the board Richard Burns Chief executive officer Joanne Harras Direcetor of digital Dennis Rodriguez
New York Family is a division of Manhattan Media, publishers of AVENUE magazine, Mitzvah magazine, and The Blackboard Awards. Š 2013 Manhattan Media, LLC | 72 Madison Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10016 | t: 212.268.8600 | f: 212.268.0577 www.manhattanmedia.com
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New York Family | October 2013
www.newyorkfamily.com
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editor’s note
My children have been back at school for a few weeks now; the pace at my job is accelerating madly after my summer vacation (and my wife’s even more so); my 13-year-old daughter, along with a few friends, was recently on the receiving end of some anonymous online bullying but is otherwise enjoying her return to school; and my 9-year-old son, much more so than last year, is trying to do all his homework before turning to my wife and me for counsel. In other words, fall is here, and as I consider the state of my family, I’m reminded of how pleased I am to be able to share our cover interview with Sean MacPherson and Rachelle Hruska-MacPherson (page 47). As you’ll see, there’s an admirable sense of openness, curiosity, and joy that informs their union and their parenting, and perhaps even their professional lives as well. When they agreed to come along on this adventure, we knew we were getting a couple with tastemaking chops—if you haven’t been to one of Sean’s hotels or restaurants, go; likewise, check out Rachelle’s website—but we had no idea that we’d be getting two of the most laidback successful folk in town. I want what they’re having—and I think their
Karen Haberberg
I’ll Have What They’re Having Our editorial team checks in at The Marlton Hotel alongside our dynamic cover family.
secret recipe may be hiding somewhere between the lines of our cover story. Enjoy! I also want to recommend a few more essential pit stops in this issue: Our Last Word this month (page 80) may be the most deceptively profound personal essay we’ve ever run about being a parent. Thank you, Heather Chaet, for going there. Our photo essay of great NYC dance programs (page 32) is a delight. The list of the city’s best pediatricians and pediatric specialists (page 52) is a keeper. And, finally, what would a family magazine be without all sorts of spooky ideas for a happy Halloween (pages 18 and 76)? Have A Good October, Eric Messinger Editor, emessinger@manhattanmedia.com
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New York Family | October 2013
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events & offers Win A Fastbreak Kids Multi-Sports Class We’re giving away a $720 Fastbreak Sports class to one lucky winner! If your young child has difficulty picking a favorite sport, or simply hasn’t had much exposure yet, this multi-sports program is just for them. Held at Fastbreak’s new 7,000-plus-square-foot facility—complete with a professional-level basketball court, seven baskets, and glass backboards—the class rotates through baseball, basketball, soccer, football, and floor hockey. All lessons develop age-appropriate skills, like agility and team play. The class starts in January 2014. Giveaway deadline is Friday, October 25th. To enter, visit newyorkfamily.com and click on the Contests & Giveaways link.
Join New York Family (And Our Super-Cool Cover Mom) At A Spooky Family Party! New York Family will be celebrating our October issue at Divalysscious Moms’ Halloween Spooktacular at Dylan’s Candy Bar on Thursday, October 31st! In special attendance at the launch will be our hip cover mom Rachelle HruskaMacPherson, featured with her family in our cover story this month. Besides meeting the savvy internet entrepreneur, families can enjoy some pumpkin carving, trick-or-treat bag decorating, groovy dancing, and live music by Little Maestros. Best for families with kids ages 6 months to 4 years. For more information and to RSVP, visit divamoms.com.
Everything You Need To Know About G&T Education The upcoming NYC Gifted & Talented Symposium, hosted by Parents of Accelerated Learners NYC, will focus on resources for parents to support our children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. Hear from teachers, principals, education consultants, and mental health professionals about everything from character development and finding the right school to a breakdown of the city’s G&T education landscape. The symposium runs from 8am to 5pm on Saturday, October 26th. For more information, visit palworkshopsnyc.org.
Supporting Breast Cancer Research There are many ways to support cancer research and awareness, from getting involved with charities to monetary donations. We encourage everyone to do their own research to find the best way for your family to contribute, but in the meantime, for those who like the idea of retail therapy with a cause, we’ve rounded up 10 gorgeous products that benefit the fight for a cure. See them at newyorkfamily.com/think-pink.
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New York Family | October 2013
www.newyorkfamily.com
come to the eighteenth annual
Thursday October 31, 2013 4-7 pm
come in your halloween costume!
Join us for loads of Halloween fun throughout the Museum’s halls, with trick-or-treating, live performances by David Grover and the Big Bear Band, craft activities, and roaming characters!
go green this halloween! Please bring your own bag for trick-or-treating.
Order yOur TickeTs TOday! call 212-769-5200 Or visiT amnh.Org Admission: $11 ($10 for Museum Members). Special Monster Meal + admission: $19.50 ($18.50 for Museum Members). Tickets also available at the door • Central Park West at 79th St This event is made possible with the support of The Rudin Foundation, Inc. With special thanks to Colgate-Palmolive Company and Smarties Candy Company.
family fun
MUSEUMS
MUSIC
THEATER
ATTRACTIONS
Linda Shockley
FOOD
10
Great Events for October Clockwise from left: Gridiron Glory (Liberty Science Center), New Hayden Planetarium Space Show, Story Pirates (Symphony Space)
By Gavriella Mahpour
Football Frenzy
An Itty Biddy Bash
Through March 2, 2014 [All Ages] Are you ready for some football? In honor of the Super Bowl coming to town next year, Liberty Science Center is hosting a game-centric Gridiron Glory exhibit. Football fans of all ages can learn about the game’s history through rare artifacts like the 1917 game ball used by Jim Thorpe and the Tiffany-crafted Vince Lombardi trophy. The exhibit also includes interactive elements such as an NFL Instant Replay Booth in which visitors can referee a real NFL play, plus an area where fans can try on vintage and new uniforms as well as protective gear. Free with museum admission; 9am-4pm Tuesdays-Fridays (5:30pm weekends). 222 Jersey Boulevard, NJ, 201-200-1000, lsc.org
October 4 [All Ages] Catch The Itty Biddies live in their Carnegie Kids concert at Hudson Guild. The band’s blend of folk and pop music make them a hit with kids and parents alike. The ladies will perform tunes from their latest children’s album, “Hello Hello Hello!” including “Safari,” “Jump Around,” and “Move Your Body.” Free; 10:30am. 441 West 26th Street, 212-760-9837, carnegiehall.org
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New York Family | October 2013
Hooked On Peter October 4-13 [Ages 7 And Up] Fly over to the New Victory Theater for Belvoir’s “Pan-tastic” production of Peter Pan, based on the classic J.M. Barrie play about of a boy who refuses
to grow up and his adventures with the Lost Boys, the Darling children, and his sworn enemy Captain Hook. This 85-minute Australian adaptation features mermaids, the ticking crocodile, and, of course, a sprinkling of pixie dust. From $14; various start times between 12pm and 7pm. 209 West 42nd Street, 646-223-3010, newvictory.org
Back To The Drive-In October 4-20 [All Ages] The good ‘ole days of the drive-in movie theater experience are all but gone. Luckily, the New York Hall of Science is hosting Empire Drive-In, an installation of a concept that began in San Jose, California. The outdoor drive-in movie continued on page 16
www.newyorkfamily.com
SF BALLET RETURNS TO NEW YORK
Jazz for Young People® Series
David H. Koch Theater
2 weeks only!
oct 16 – 27
8 new works including Christopher Wheeldon’s spectacular new Cinderella
meets
Photo: Maria kochetkova in wheeldon’s Cinderella (©erik tomasson)
Visit sfballet.org or call 212.496.0600 columbus Ave. & 63rd st.
GOSPEL
San Francisco Ballet’s New York City tour is made possible in part by Lead Corporate Sponsor First Republic Bank.
A Mesmerizing Story Told Through Music, Dance & Technology
K AN N FR GTO ELLIN E K DU
ON CTI LLE CO S GG DRI
Nov 9 • 1PM & 3PM
“Amazing, Electrifying, “Best New Act Fantastic, WOW!” in America!” Ellen DeGeneres, Ellen
Piers Morgan, America’s Got Talent
New World Stages 340 W. 50th St. (btw. 8th & 9th Ave.)
Telecharge.com 212-239-6200 iLuminate.com
Pianist and conductor Damien Sneed explores these two iconic genres through music by Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, and Wynton Marsalis CenterCharge 212-721-6500 Box Office Broadway at 60th, Ground fl
jalc.org
Preferred Card of Jazz at Lincoln Center MASTERCARD, PRICELESS AND THE MASTERCARD BRAND MARK ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED. ©2013 MASTERCARD.
Official Media Partner
Lead Corporate Sponsor
10 Great Events
family fun continued from page 14
Mike Ratliff
exciting is the post-show workshop on Saturdays, in which kids can take the stage to reenact all the drama from the show. Performances run approximately 45 minutes. Children $15, adults $20; 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays. 347 West 36th Street, 212-731-0668, gallitheaterny.com
New York Open House Chile Pepper Festival (Brooklyn Botanic Garden)
GETTING HOT, HOT, HOT! October 5 [All Ages] At Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Chile Pepper Fiesta, kids can taste chocolates and sweets from local vendors and plant their own pepper plant to take home, while older teens and adults can get a kick from various spices, salsas, and more. For more excitement, dance to the Afro-Brazilian beats from Dendê Macêdo & Band, marvel at the feats of two master flamethrowers, and admire the grace of traditional Chinese ribbon dancers. 12 and under free, students and seniors $14, adults $20; 11am-6pm. 990 Washington Ave., Brooklyn, 718-623-7200, bbg.org
Popular Pirates October 5 [All Ages] Shiver me timbers! The Story Pirates will take over Symphony Space for a day of music and comedy, kicking off the venue’s new Just Kidding children’s season. The Pirates will be performing two shows filled with sketches created from stories written by kids like your own—so we’re willing to bet that your
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New York Family | October 2013
youngster will leave with a smile on his or her face. Children $15, adults $20; 11am and 2pm. 2537 Broadway, 212-864-5400, symphonyspace.org
Spectacular Space Show Opens October 5 [All Ages] The new Space Show in the American Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium launches viewers through the galaxy like never before. Audiences will marvel at the Milky Way from the perspective of the Mt. Wilson Observatory in California and see Jupiter via NASA’s Galileo spacecraft. The show also explores phenomena such as dark energy and dark matter. Children $16, adults $27; show times vary. Central Park West at 79th Street, 212-769-5100, amnh.org
Into The Woods October 6-28 [Ages 4 And Up] Watch out for the big bad wolf—“Little Red Riding Hood” is coming to the Galli Theater. The Brothers Grimm tale of a girl on her way to her grandmother’s house is given a makeover with audience participation, but most
events
theater is made entirely out of recycled materials, and reclaimed cars provide vintage seating for the projected films. The screenings are grouped into themes such as “Bollywood Bash,” “Animation Flip Out,” “Youth Media Night,” and more. Prices and show times vary. 47-01 111th Street, Queens, 718-699-0005, nysci.org
October 12-13 [All Ages] Open House New York Weekend provides a rare opportunity for city-dwellers to tour the sites of some of the NYC’s architectural masterpieces. Kids will love touring the Little Red Lighthouse, the hydroponic greenhouse in the Manhattan School for Children, and il laboratorio del gelato, beloved gelato factory on the Lower East Side. Of course, the weekend wouldn’t be complete without family-friendly activities such crafts at the Children’s Museum of the Arts, drawing workshops at Kentler International Drawing Space and Woodlawn Cemetery, and scavenger hunts at the Museum of the City of New York. Free; times vary. Citywide, 212-991-6470, ohny.org
A Beethoven Bonanza October 27 [Ages 6 And Up] The music of Beethoven will come to life during “Beethoven with Orli Shaham” at 92Y. Little music lovers will learn about the master composer’s life and hear some of his most renowned pieces performed by Shaham, a classically trained pianist. She will be joined by on-air host of WQXR, Naomi Lewin and other guests. A Q&A session will take place after the program. From $18; 3pm. 1395 Lexington Avenue, 212-415-5500, 92y.org
For more event picks for families, check out our Family Calendar at newyorkfamily.com/events www.newyorkfamily.com
THE NEW VICTORY® THEATER
OCTOBER 4 – 13
“This is the playtime to end all playtimes.”
October 19 & 20
The theater you never outgrow!
“Such a rich piece of work ... had its young audience shrieking with delight.” Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
Belvoir
Time Out (Sydney)
Patch Theatre Company
646.223.3010
Age Recommendation: 1
2
3
7
N
Q R
S
A
C
ouR Ho
E
me ● 20+ acres ● 4 heat ed swimm ing pools ● Numer ous athletic fields/cour ts ● Stock ed pond fo r fishing and boating ● Full ad venture course incl udin rock wall an g d multiple zi p lines ● Air co nditioned indoor art studios ● And so much more…
7TH AVENUE
ligHtS m HigH n pRogRa ansportatio to Door tr ini vans ● Door m d ne itio in air cond gram ll lunch pro fu c ti as ● Fant ction in our swim instru ● Daily ls heated poo tios camper ra to f staf ● Small n ru t ul range of ad athletics ● Wide e arts, th in es ti vi acti e or adventur and outdo ts en y special ev ● Weekl ortunities nal trip opp ● Optio ng grade 4 ri te en for campers and above 8 week 5, 6, 7 and ● 2, 3, 4, e bl la ai sessions av
42ND STREET 8TH AVENUE
EVERYONE 7+
ART: TOM SLAUGHTER, PHOTOS: BRETT BOARDMAN, DAVE BROWN
NewVictory.org
Age Recommendation:
EVERYONE 4+ ®
next Step Call our office to arrange a private tour with our Owner/Director and discover for yourself why Blue Rill is the most popular summer destination for children ages 3-15.
2&3
week s session w o n ble availa
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family fun
EVENTS
Ivo M. Vermeulen
October 26 All-aboard for the fourth annual Haunted High Line Halloween celebration, in which the beautiful urban park transports brave souls to an eerie past where haunted trains rule and the ghosts of hungry workers roam. Trickor-treat your way through the park, sneak into a haunted train tunnel, snap pics of a “ghost train,” and construct your own train cars out of recycled materials. 11am-3pm, thehighline.org
New York Botanical Garden
Creepy, Crawly City Celebrations For Halloween By Tess Cobrinik Through October 31 New York Botanical Gardens’ annual Haunted Pumpkin Garden exhibition features over 500 intricately carved pumpkins that mesmerize and terrify alongside gargantuan pumpkin sculptures that impress with their size alone. Be prepared to brave scarecrows that live up to their name, plenty of ghastly ghouls, and more. Tues-Sun, 10am-6pm, nybg.org
October 26 Brooklyn Botanic Gardens’ muchloved Ghouls and Gourds fest returns with Brooklyn’s wackiest costume parade. Shake a tail feather, carouse with colossal puppets, groove to an orchestra of gourds, and explore a Victorian toy parlor, then flop down on the grass and enjoy the Garden’s gorgeous fall colors. 12-5:30pm, bbg.org
Through november 3 Boo at the Zoo, a true NYC Halloween tradition at the Bronx Zoo, gets a fiery Dinos & Dragons twist with an extended dinosaur safari and all-new komodo dragain exhibit. Delight in a family hayride, a mysterious maze, pumpkin carving, and a costume parade—then let a haunted mansion, spooky live music, and magic shows send even more shivers down your spine. 11am-5pm weekends, bronxzoo.com
October 26 Park Slope gets a mischievous makeover thanks to the Haunted Halloween Carnival. Little ones can enjoy scaretastic arts and crafts, a ghostly haunted house, and even a bounce castle! More to love: The party features a visit with the Staten Island Yankees and costumed Star Wars characters, not to mention a creepy costume contest. 11-3pm, puppetryarts.org
October 26 At NYC Parks’ Pumpkin Fest, the annual celebration of the fall harvest season in leafy Central Park, enjoy autumn traditions like pumpkin picking, carving, and decorating alongside a super-scary haunted house, and live entertainment! If that’s not enough, there are also Big Apple Circus performances, real-life Quidditch matches, and more. 11am3pm, nycgovparks.org
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New York Family | October 2013
October 27 Everyone’s invited to wear their wackiest costumes to the Queens County Farm Museum’s Fall Festival, where free games, bounce houses, magic shows, and a petting zoo await. All ages can also enjoy pony and hay rides, crafts shopping, local snacks, country western music, and dancing. 11am-4pm, queensfarm.org
October 31 One of the biggest Halloween celebrations in the city, the American Museum of Natural History’s Annual Halloween Party means the chance to trick-or-treat in the museum’s iconic halls, try your creative hand at themed crafts and origami, and meet and take pictures with your favorite characters like Clifford the Big Red Dog and Curious George, who will be roaming the grounds all night. Don’t forget your Halloween costume! 3-7pm, amnh.org October 31 The Greenwich Village Halloween Parade is an NYC Halloween classic. Join hundreds of puppets, dozens of live music performers, dancers and artists, and thousands of other costumed New Yorkers in the nation’s most wildly creative public participatory event. Creative costumes are a must! 6:309pm, halloween-nyc.com October 31 Join premier sports venue Asphalt Green as it transforms into a fun-filled afternoon and evening known as Asphalt Screams—a safe and healthy take on Halloween. Instead of gobbling sweets, visitors get active with games like Zombie Freeze Tag, Spook-tacular Soccer Shoot Outs, and Mummy Basketball. 3-7pm, asphaltgreen.org
Find more fabulously freaky fetes at newyorkfamily.com/2013nyc-halloween-partiesfor-children
www.newyorkfamily.com
ILLUSTRATION BY ANDREA DEZSÖ
Don miss ma’t pumpki ster n carve r RAY VILLAF A OctoberNE 19 & 20 !
September 21 – October 31 | Tickets and Info at NYBG.org Quick and easy to reach by Bronx River Parkway or on Metro-North to Botanical Garden Station. #hauntednybg
features
A Victory For Children’s Theater
A Victory For Children’s Theater
“Mother Africa,” shown above, is just one of the exciting new attractions from New Victory’s upcoming season.
No One Pushes The Potential Of Theater For Young Audiences Like New Victory— And This Season Even Babies And Toddlers Can Enjoy The Experience By Stacey Gawronski The New Victory Theater offices, on West 42nd Street in the epicenter of Times Square, are colorful and vibrant in a way that seems naturally fitting given the theater’s ambitious mission and diverse line-up of performances for the 2013-14 season. A “presenting house” (as opposed to a traditional “theater” company that produces its own work), New Victory handpicks shows that promise to appeal to a wide range of children while still entertaining the adults who accompany them. As Mary Rose Lloyd, the Artistic Programming Director, says, they offer multi-faceted work for a multi-faceted audience. The theater’s long-standing leadership team, which includes President Cora Cahan and Vice President Lisa Post in addition to Llyod, are deeply passionate about its special niche in the world of children’s theater. The hallmarks of a New Victory season are shows that are at once sophisticated and accessible, containing culturally rich, often globally sourced material that is a lot of fun. This season everything from movement, music, and marionettes to circus, cabaret, and Shakespeare will hit the stage—
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New York Family | October 2013
“Baby Rave” is sure to captivate young audiences.
not to mention an all-new baby rave. “What we’re seeking always is to break the mold in terms of what we put on the stage without it being too violent or erotic,” Cahan says. As head of programming, Lloyd spends a big part of her job traveling the world to discover shows that are right for the theater. Her hope is that their constantly evolving roster of engaging programming will inspire “empathetic souls [who] will grow up to be running the world.” Whatever their future brings, this much we can confidently tell you about New Victory’s young patrons: They really like the shows, and the adventure of coming to a theater in the middle of Broadway and Times Square is the icing on the cake. The mix of shows presented in the 2013-23014 season reflects the venue’s commitment to variety: their big holiday show, “Mother Africa,” melds circus arts with dance and music and traditional masks, highlighting performers from several African countries; www.newyorkfamily.com
Clockwise from left: Bello the clown returns to the stage; “Fluff” delivers some Aussie humor; the New Victory dream team of (from L to R) Lisa Post, Cora Cahan, and Mary Rose Lloyd.
a rendition of Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure” led by Fiasco Theater (a local ensemble theater company formed by Brown graduates); “Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds,” a jammin’ musical based on a children’s book written by Marley’s daughter Cedella, and featuring some of the legendary reggae musician’s classic songs; and the return of “Bello Mania,” the gravity-defying clown with the foot-high hair. This season, Australia—which is known for great children’s theater—is especially well-represented in shows like “Fluff,” a comic concoction about abandoned toys and the quirky family who cares for them; and a remake of “Peter Pan,” which one critic described as “the playtime to end all playtimes.” While New Victory has always aimed to please a wide range of ages, with a core audience of 4-yearolds to tweens, this season they’re planning some theatrical treats for even younger kids with three new shows: “Songs From Above,” “This [Baby] Life,” and “Baby Rave.” “Songs,” for ages 2-5, takes place in a magical tent where puppetry and animation are used to reveal special kid moments like the joy of splashing in puddles. True to their name, the Baby productions are recommended for little ones as young as four months—and true to the New Victory ethos, they are much more than generic baby fun. Another production from Australia, “This [Baby] Life,” is a contemporary dance piece that welcomes its very young audience, sitting on the floor with their parents and caregivers, to respond to its simple playful choreography. Complete with a DJ, tons of interactive activities, www.newyorkfamily.com
video projections, and a come-and-go-as-you-please vibe, “Baby Rave,” is easily going to be the coolest party around for babies and toddlers and the adults who love to dance with them. With her son beginning college this year, Post gets a bit nostalgic talking about these baby-centric offerings. “I only wish they’d been around when my son was a baby,” she says, noting that she sees nothing “crazy” about exposing infants to dramatic or edgy performances. In fact, for slightly older kids (4-plus) New Victory has also instituted a Bridge To The Big Theater series designed for young theater-goers ready to move from the company’s smaller studio spaces into its main theater. Paired with the new Baby shows, the Bridge productions—“Me And My Shadow,” and “Still Awake Still!”—demonstrate how carefully and creatively the New Victory cultivates its audience in ways that mirror children’s growing interest and intellect. After all, it won’t be long before those babies, toddlers, and preschoolers will become young teens ready for Shakespeare—and New Victory, of course, will be ready for them, with productions like this season’s “Measure For Measure,” the classic Shakespearean dark comedy and moral hypocrisy, which, for good measure, will be presented with live music. For more info about New Victory, visit newvictory.org.
FOR MORE CHILDREN’S THEATER FOR THE FALL SEASON, VISIT NEWYORKFAMILY.COM
October 2013 | New York Family
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birthdays
IT’S MY PARTY
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Zach Denbo celebrates his 5th birthday at the Montclare School with Applause NYC. 1. This gang of pint-sized super heroes is ready for some birthday fun with actors from Applause NYC. 2. Zach blows out his candles with some help from mom and dad’s super powers. 3. While he might not be teenaged yet, the birthday boy sure makes for a fantastic Ninja Turtle—his comic book-worthy family obviously agrees. Photos by Heidi Green Photography (heidigreen.com)
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Cate Robertiello celebrates her 1st birthday at Dylan’s Candy Bar. 1. It’s her party and she’ll snack on frosting if she wants to—Cate celebrates in the sweetest way. 2. The Robertiello fam gears up to help the birthday girl blow out her candle. 3. A dance party in a candy store? Now that’s what we call scrumptious celebration. Photos by Heidi Green Photography (heidigreen.com)
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Charlotte Kleeger celebrates her 9th birthday at PhotoOp. 1. The birthday girl jumps for joy on the set of her very own fashion photo shoot. 2. Popcorn and candy and chips, oh my! 3. With friends like these, who needs a celebrity entourage? Charlotte gets the VIP treatment from her besties. Photos by PhotoOp (photoopnyc.com)
Looking for a picture-perfect birthday venue? Visit newyorkfamily.com/birthday-parties 22
New York Family | October 2013
www.newyorkfamily.com
scoop
KEEPING PARENTS IN THE KNOW
MATERNITY BELLY BANDIT’S THE ORGANIC BY ROSIE POPE Belly Bandit, the brand behind the first-ever postpartum compression wrap, has partnered with pregnancy and parenting guru Rosie Pope to help new moms get in shape after baby comes—and for a good cause. Five percent of the proceeds from The Organic by Rosie Pope, a limited edition and pink-hued version of the original bestseller, will go toward the Shades of Pink Foundation, which provides temporary financial assistance to women battling breast cancer. The band provides safe, comfortable, and discreet support to let new moms confidently enjoy the early stages of motherhood. bellybandit.com; rosiepope.com
COMMUNITY SERVICE DOING GOOD TOGETHER There’s no shortage of weekend activities for New York families. But how many of those options give back to the community while still providing quality family time? Doing Good Together, a nonprofit founded to help parents raise socially conscious and compassionate children, is now offering a free monthly listing of volunteer opportunities specifically for families in New York. The kid-friendly events range from mentoring children and serving meals at homeless shelters to planting trees by the river. Parents looking for a fun and engaging way to give back with the kids can stay up to date by subscribing to the online list. doinggoodtogether.org
KITCHEN GEAR CAKE BOSS BAKEWARE AND SERVEWARE The Cake Boss is cooking up everything you need to sweeten up your kitchen this fall. The new family-friendly collection of bakeware and serveware—developed and endorsed by Hoboken’s own Buddy Valastro, the star of TLC’s hit show Cake Boss himself—includes durable, convenient, and high quality products available in three lines: basic, deluxe, and professional. The basic cookie pans feature drop zones to determine where to place cookie dough, especially helpful when the little ones are your assistant bakers. Once you’re done baking up a storm, serve the treats on colorful mix-and-match ceramic dishes. Little bakers are likely to find the dishes, which feature cheerful messages such as “Devoted To Dessert,” as hard to resist as the treats themselves. cakebossbaking.com
COOK BOOK WEELICIOUS LUNCHES: THINK OUTSIDE THE LUNCH BOX BY CATHERINE MCCORD Author, blogger, food aficionado, and mom of two Catherine McCord is once again delighting the taste buds of pickiest eaters—giving parents a leg up in the kitchen this school year with her latest cookbook Weelicious Lunches: Think Outside The Lunch Box. From inspired, kid-friendly recipes to tips on getting children to internalize healthy eating habits, this book is a must for any family kitchen. weelicious.com
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FALL FUN LOCAL HARVEST AND FOLIAGE PICKS Autumn is the perfect time to get outside the Big Apple in favor of sampling some little apples—and pumpkins and fall foliage. As the harvest time is upon us, we encourage you to check out a bounty of seasonal offerings all within an hour beyond NYC (or even in the city itself). Check out our website for our annual roundup of farm-fresh family fun that includes everything from pumpkin patches upstate to orchards in New Jersey. newyorkfamily.com/Fall
New York Family | October 2013
For more tips on local resources for families, check out newyorkfamily.com
www.newyorkfamily.com
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a special place
PhotoOp owner, Nathan Gindi, helps a customer make family holiday card selections.
Photo Finish Family Photography Studio PhotoOp Helps NYC Families Get Ready For Their Close-Ups By Elisabeth Frankel Reed “Do you have a ‘tickle-me’ belly?” photographer Katie Brill asks a 3-year-old. She then quickly turns her attention to the little girl’s 5-year-old brother and asks him to give her a high five, but moves her hand away quickly, jokingly shouting “Too slow!” Cheerful, giggling, and completely energized, the duo is all set for a photo shoot at PhotoOp, a Manhattan-based and kid-centric photography studio with locations on both the Upper East and Upper West sides. Furnished with sleek, modern furniture and pictures of smiling children all over the walls, PhotoOp’s Upper East Side location feels stylish and welcoming, exactly as owner Nathan Gindi intended. The inspiration to create a family photo studio came to Gindi when his own eldest child started to lose her baby teeth. The sudden change in her
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New York Family | October 2013
appearance made him realize how important it was to document these fleeting moments. As Gindi tells it, he then was unable to find a photo service that matched his standards for quality, kid-friendliness, and affordability. That’s when the former lawyer became inspired to switch gears professionally and focus on opening a studio of his own. “I really approached it from the standpoint of: ‘What do I want as a consumer?’” he says. One of the keys to PhotoOp’s success is that the staff is committed to forging a long-term relationship with their customers. Rather than charging steep prices to help families document once-in-a lifetime events like bar and bat mitzvahs, Gindi prides himself on having “accessible prices” so that families can afford to capture their children’s development periodically throughout the year (and through the course of childhood)—and then share it with family and friends through the PhotoOp’s selection of custom holiday cards and photo keepsakes. “My kids change every six months,” Gindi points out, referring to his brood of Lynn, Sam, and Hannah, who are 7, 5, and 2.5 respectively. While the core of the business is family sessions, most notably with young children, the company’s longtime clients often begin their photographic journey with maternity shoots, specifically the From Bump to Baby package, which includes a follow-up newborn session. “Maternity is a way of introducing moms and families to our studio as well as getting them comfortable,” Gindi says. Other first family experiences at the studio also include birth announcements, photo shoot-themed birthday parties for kids, or even head shots for working parents. As a family-focused studio, PhotoOp is about more than good photography technique. As Gindi explains, “I look first for photographers that are great with kids—then I ask if they are good photographers.” Whether it means getting down on the floor with children to form a connection, showing them the pictures as they are taken, or just being goofy, the photographers all know what it takes to get a smile. “It’s all about having fun,” enthuses Rob DeSantos, a photographer at the UES location. Most sessions take place at one of the PhotoOp studios, (rather than outdoors or in clients’ homes), with the priority on “classic, timeless photos” that can be produced using a simple studio background. PhotoOp does encourage small props or even dress-up outfits, especially when it helps capture aspects of the child’s personality or interests at their current stage in life. In fact, as soon as a reservation is made, PhotoOp sends out a flipbook describing what to expect and offers suggestions on how to prepare for a shoot, including what type of clothes to wear. After filling out a questionnaire, each customer has a consultation with the photographer a couple of days before the continued on page 29
www.newyorkfamily.com
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Holiday card options are some of PhotoOp’s most popular services.
appointment to discuss everything in greater detail. Of course, photographers are happy to travel to other locations on request—park series are often popular— or capture events like mitzvah celebrations, and even birthday parties, both at venues across the city as well as at the PhotoOp studios. Hosting parties in the studios offers parents the convenience of having the birthday venue and photography combined—and offers children a variety of unique themes to choose from. Younger kids especially love the dance-themed parties, which include a professional dance instructor to get them up and moving for great action photos. Another favorite is the glamour photo shoot theme, in which girls can pretend to be models after enjoying a style closet for dress-up as well as professional hair and makeup services. As the holidays approach, the demand for memory-making increases fiercely. PhotoOp offers a variety of festive seasonal cards for families to order during the holiday season. All customers have to do is describe what they are looking for and the staff will take care of the rest, from taking pictures to retouching the best ones to designing and printing the card. “We do all the work for you; it’s one of the easiest things you can do,” Gindi explains. But customer input is always welcome—just about any aspect of the cards can be customized, all the way down to the font, to produce a perfectly unique card for each unique family. Recognizing that each child and family is different, PhotoOp aims to celebrate that diversity in order to capture their essence. “We want to portray who you really are,” emphasizes DeSantos.
The JCC in Manhattan is an incredible resource for parents. Whether your child is a newborn or older, the JCC is here to help you every step along the way with workshops and classes.
FALL 2013 WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS • American Heart Association Heartsaver: Infant/Child/ Adult CPR w/ AED Certification 3 Tuesdays, Oct 1, Nov 5, Dec 10, 6:30—9 pm, $95/$115 • Developmentally Appropriate Discipline: Minimizing Power Struggles with Children Thu, Oct 10, 7—8:30 pm, $15/$20 • Preparing Yourself for the Difficult Questions Children Ask
• Mindfulness and Parenting: Stress Reduction for Parents 6 Mondays, Nov 4—Dec 9, 7—9:30 pm, $225/single; $400/couple • The Lunchbox and Beyond: Nutrition for Kids Wed, Oct 9, 7—8 pm, Free/$10 Thu, Nov 14, 6:30—7:30 pm, Free/$10
• Caregiver Chat
Mon, Nov 4, 7—8:30 pm, $15/$20
Wed, Nov 13, 11:15 am—12:15 pm, Free
• Weekly Meditation Just for Parents
• First Aid and Choking Workshop for Caregivers
8 Mondays, Oct 21—Dec 9, 9:15—10 am, $5 per session
Fri, Dec 6, 10—10:45 am, 11—11:45 am, Free
For a full list of programs, visit: jccmanhattan.org/parenting or call 646.505.5708.
SEE MORE FAB IMAGES FROM PHOTOOP AT NEWYORKFAMILY.COM
www.newyorkfamily.com October 2013 | New York Family
29
a good idea
Yorkvile Youth Athletic Association
Where Sports Meets
Community
With Its Strong, Creative Leader (Who Originally Started As A Volunteer) The Yorkville Youth Athletic Association Has Become A Beacon In Urban Sports For Kids By Stacey Gawronski “We provide the balls,” Arlene Virga says. Robust and energetic, Virga is a die-hard Yankees fan, devoted mother of three, nursery school teacher, and the executive director of the Yorkville Youth Athletic Association. The balls she’s referring to are, of course, basketballs, baseballs, footballs, and tennis balls. While she’s is being a bit cheeky, in actuality, to run one of the largest community-based sports programs for kids in the city, Virga and her team orchestrate a complicated logistical enterprise that insures that more than 6,000 children a year have access to sports leagues and programs, places to play them in, and quality umpires, referees, and coaches to make sure it all runs smoothly. “More than anything, I’m doing this so children can have a good time,” Virga says. “I think I’m the person I am today because I played sports when I was a kid, and I try to make it so our kids have the same kind of positive experiences.” Think of that classic childhood rite of passage when a child becomes part of a team thanks to Little League, a youth basketball program, or any other organized sport. In the city, it’s organizations like
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New York Family | September 2013
Yorkville (as YYAA is commonly referred to) that make those experiences possible. And what’s really wonderful is that they do it in a way that often allows parents to be involved as well. “It’s the grass roots feel that makes [the organization] unique. That’s the part I love,” Virga says. In Yorkville’s recreational leagues and programs, much of the coaching is handled by dedicated parent volunteers, with support and supervision from the organization. And, of course, many of the parents who aren’t coaching can be found on the sidelines rooting for their kids. It’s parent-child bonding of the highest order. “It was my first time as a coach, and I went into it with reservations. Between my own years in youth sports and reporting on athletes who were coached by their parents, I had decided it wasn’t a good idea,” says NYC dad and sports writer Joe Drape about his experience coaching flag football last fall at Yorkville. “But [my son] asked me to, and I had been around really good coaches for my last two books and saw firsthand what an impact they made on young people.” The books Drape is referring to are Our Boys: www.newyorkfamily.com
Andrew Schwartz Arlene Virga (center) strikes a pose with the YYAA staff.
A Perfect Season on the Plains with the Smith Center Redmen and Soldiers First: Duty, Honor, Country and Football at West Point. And the result of his venture into coaching? “It was rewarding beyond any of my expectations—not only having the time and common goal with my son, but also being able to put my theories on what makes for a positive sports experience to the test,” Drape says. “At 7 and 8, these kids just want to be encouraged and be part of the team and to have fun.” Testimony like this is exactly what Virga lives for. “You should hear the spiel we tell coaches about sportsmanship,” she says. “We do not care about whether you win or not. We’re teaching these kids about skill, character, teamwork. That’s what’s important to us.” Virga herself was a parent volunteer at Yorkville for seven years when her children were young, so she’s particularly proud of the way the organization— which was founded in 1968 as an all-volunteer group—still has a great deal of hands-on parental involvement today. In fact, she already had a very active volunteer role at Yorkville as the director of Youth Programming when the organization first started to pay her in 2005. Two years later, she became the executive director. Remarkably, it’s not her only day job; for the last 20 years, Virga has been a full-time nursery school teacher, after years of teaching physical education. Under her leadership, Yorkville’s growth has been literally exponential, and these days she oversees a staff of 10 full-time employees and 19 part-timers, who run programs for children from pre-K through high school in eight sports as well as in theater arts and afterschool programs. Baseball and basketball take the lead in popularity, and flag football is quickly gaining ground as the third most sought after activity. Their other sports offerings include dodgeball, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and tennis. It varies from sport to sport, but what Yorkville likes to do is offer different kinds of options within a sport, so children of varying interests and talents can find the right place for themselves. In baseball, for example, some children regardless of age will prefer recreational leagues where teams are www.newyorkfamily.com
coached by parents, while other baseball kids opt for more serious and time-consuming tracks through Yorkville’s Developmental League and Travel Baseball program, both of which have paid coaches with deep backgrounds in baseball. While Yorkville is predominantly a sports organization, its afterschool programs include academic as well as recreational activities. And it also has a thriving theater program, the Yorkville Youth Theatre Ensemble, now in its tenth year. The program teaches theater arts like singing, acting, and dance to children in grades 2-5 and in grades 6-10, with classes that culminate in a big end-of-semester performance. Kids come from all over the city to participate in Yorkville programs, but its biggest block of families by far is from the Upper East Side, where the organization was originally founded with the goal of giving boys, primarily from the Yorkville section of the neighborhood, an opportunity to play baseball. The gender lapse has long since been corrected, and one measure of how deeply embedded the group is in the community is that its essential infrastructure—all its leagues and programs—are run in school gyms and parks and fields throughout the area. Another sign of its presence is its pervasive logo. Walk around the Upper East Side on a pleasant weekend day and you’ll be all but guaranteed to spot a child wearing a Yorkville hat or jersey. As a not-for-profit with a community-minded ethos, Yorkville also offers something else that many parents appreciate: affordable prices. “We want everyone to play sports,” Virga says. “So we offer scholarships and financial aid, and we try to make sure that our prices are the lowest around.” Virga and her staff do much of their planning, coordinating, and brainstorming out of their basement office in a neighborhood brownstone. Virga tries to make sure they’re staying current with what families want. The most recent sport to be added to the menu was lacrosse. Lately, some parents have asked about wrestling and archery, but she seems to suggest that they are fleeting possibilities. Over the years, Virga has seen thousands of kids pass through her programs, and while she doesn’t know them all, many of them know who she is because of her regular presence at Yorkville games. Recently on a warm September afternoon, she was riding the crosstown bus at East 86th Street when she was spotted. “I get on the bus and all of the sudden, all these boys start talking to me like I’m the best looking woman they’ve ever seen,” she explains. “It was kids from one of the leagues. They wanted to tell me how well their team is doing. They know me. They know I’m there for them. It made me so happy.” To learn more, visit yyaa.org.
for more local sports resources, visit newyorkfamily.com
September 2013 | New York Family
31
activity of the month
Step By
Karen Haberberg
Step
APPLAUSE NYC
hop, ballet, jazz, house, popping, locking, and many more old and new styles, New York houses some of the most talented and inspirational dancers and choreographers in the world.” Trammell Logan, Dance Department Head
BALLET ACADEMY EAST Andrew Schwartz
In A City Bursting With Excellent Dance Programs, We Asked Some Talented Young Dancers (And Their Teachers) To Give Us A Peek At The Magic Edited by Mia Weber; Photography by Daniel S. Burnstein, Karen Haberberg, and Andrew Schwartz In this special photo essay, we stopped by eight of our favorite local dance programs to capture young dancers working with their instructors, and the results—as you can see—are a many-shaded montage of joy, beauty, and movement. We hope you’ll be inspired to share the story with children of any age interested in dance.
APPLAUSE NYC “My favorite moment [as a dancer] was being told that when dancing hip hop, you can let go and express yourself. I tried to let go and I’ll remember that moment forever.” Michelle Young, 16 “NYC is and will always be the home of dance. The heart of dance beats deep within our city. From hip
“A teacher once told me that dancers have to make the unnatural natural. Ballet requires a lot of hard work and perseverance, but when you are passionate about dance, all of it is enjoyable.” Chloe Harper, 14 “I love children. Even more important than teaching ballet, I relish the opportunity to nurture and encourage children.” Darla Hoover, Pre-Professional Division Associate Artistic Director continued on page 34
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New York Family | October 2013
www.newyorkfamily.com
Come Play Yoga at Karma Kids Yoga! Yoga for Babies Toddlers, Kids, Teens, Families Community Yoga Circus Yoga Prenatal Yoga Prenatal Pilates Free Story Time Yoga Yoga Birthday Parties Special Events Teacher Training Let your inner rainbow shine!
Bring the zen home with our new CD, Come Play Yoga!, Mom’s Choice Awards Winner, available at CDbaby.com, Amazon, selected tracks on iTunes and now playing on Pandora. Visit our website to learn about the benefits of yoga for children, our Class Descriptions, Special Events, other locations around NYC and Brooklyn, Children’s Yoga Teacher Training, and Yoga Birthday Party information.
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Voted “Best Kids Yoga” by TimeOut NY Kids and New York Magazine.
continued from page 32
THE BALLET CLUB ©Daniel S. Burnstein
NYC DANCE VENUES WE LOVE Just For Fun
“On the day of your first performance, if you make a little mistake, don’t panic. Just listen to the music and it will get you back on track.” Ella Viale, 8 “Ballet is so much more than being a ‘ballerina.’ For those who discover it, it is an astonishing and endlessly fascinating discipline that can become a lifelong practice, regardless of whether or not you make it your career.” Anne Easterling Freifelder, Director
Andrew Schwartz
BROADWAY DANCE CENTER
“The advice I’d give to kids wanting to dance is to always keep pushing. It’s going to get hard during your training, but to get to where you want to be, you need to work. You’re going to come across a teacher who’s going to push you, and you shouldn’t resist it.” Madison Forster, 16 “Imagine the self confidence, work ethic, and sense of self a child can have from training their bodies, minds, and souls through dance. It’s something special.” Stacie Webster, Children and Teen Program faculty
JOFFREY BALLET SCHOOL “I always heard many languages spoken in my house: French, Russian, English. This was sometimes
74th St. MAGIC, 74MAGIC.com 92nd Street Y, 92y.org apple seeds, appleseedsnyc.com Applause NYC (0-5), applauseny.com Church Street School for Music and Art, churchstreetschool.org Creative Play For Kids, creativeplayforkids.com Dance with Miss Rachel, dancewithmissrachel.com Discovery Programs, discoveryprograms.com The Early Ear, theearlyear.com Gymtime Rhythm and Glues, gymtime.net The JCC in Manhattan, jccmanhattan.org Jodi’s Gym, jodisgym.com Kidville, kidville.com The Sports Club/LA, thesportsclubla.com Reebok Sports Club/NY, reeboksportsclubny.com
Get Serious The Ailey School, alvinailey.org Albee School of Dance, albeedance.com American Youth Dance Theater, americanyouthdancetheater.com Applause NYC (5-teens), applauseny.com Ballet Academy East, baenyc.com The Ballet Club, theballetclub.com Ballet Hispanico, ballethispanico.org Broadway Dance Center, broadwaydancecenter.com Brooklyn Arts Exchange, bax.org Creative Arts Studio, creativeartsstudio.com Dancing Divas and Dudes, dancingdivasanddudes.com Downtown Dance Factory, downtowndancefactory.com Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet, gelseykirklandballet.org Joffrey Ballet School, joffreyballetschool.com Lower East Side Dance Academy, lesdanceacademy.com Lucy Moses School, kaufman-center.org Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, manhattanmovement.com Manhattan Youth Ballet, manhattanyouthballet.org Mark Morris Dance Group, markmorrisdancegroup.org Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, marthagraham.org New York Theatre Ballet and Ballet School NY nytb.org Peridance Capezio Center, peridance.com The School at Steps, stepsnyc.com The Shooting Stars Performing Arts Company, shootingstarsnyc.com
continued on page 36
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New York Family | October 2013
www.newyorkfamily.com
Kids at Art
www.kidsatartnyc.com 1412 Second Avenue (73-74th Streets) 212-410-9780 NYFamilyad10_05final.pdf
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three little birds music is now
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©Daniel S. Burnstein
©Daniel S. Burnstein
continued from page 34
confusing for visitors. I became fascinated by dance as it was a language everyone could understand.” Anna Fataliev, 12 “[Dance] gives a young mind and body a focus like no other sport because the training involves so much detail and so much multi-tasking. It gives young dancers the joy of movement, self discipline, and muscular strength through alignment and control.” Irene Hogarth-Cimino, Young Dancers Program instructor
NEW YORK THEATER BALLET AND BALLET SCHOOL NEW YORK
great friends and great teachers.” Catherine Cruise, 9 “The absolute best part of being a dance teacher is seeing a student take ownership of the material, particularly when [doing so] has required the student to go to his or her limits and then you see the light bulb go off—their eyes light up and their whole demeanor changes as they step into a move that is now theirs to play with, explore, refine.” Peter Brandenhoff, Peridance Core Program instructor
©Daniel S. Burnstein
Karen Haberberg
THE SCHOOL AT STEPS
“I love being able to dance on stage and tell a story without using words.” Alison Enters, 9 “I encourage [parents] to take advantage of the city’s diverse range of dance genres and bring their child to as many performances as they can. It’s important for [kids] to see dance live as an art form on stage and not just exercises in the classroom.” Elena Zahlmann, NYTB principal dancer and BSNY Children’s Division Ballet I instructor
PERIDANCE CAPEZIO CENTER “[I love] the fun of dancing in a beautiful studio with
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New York Family | October 2013
“My inspiration comes from the possibility to become a professional dancer and having my career be something I love so much.” Nicole Battaglia, 12 “As a teacher, I try to create a personal relationship with my students. I want to know who they are, not just how they do their dance steps.” Ashley Tuttle, ballet instructor
FOR MORE CHILDREN’S DANCE PROGRAMS IN NYC, VISIT NEWYORKFAMILY.COM
www.newyorkfamily.com
31
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education
education consultant and founder of The Parent Connection, a nonprofit parent education group—did plenty of research so you don’t have to. Her new book, The Parent Backpack for Kindergarten through Grade 5, offers insights into the ins and outs of the elementary school system as well as the role that parents should play in their children’s education. We got her advice on how you can help your kids make the best of their school years. Tell us more about the overarching theme of your book, that involved parents translate to better students. I’ve been involved in schools [in the Boston area] for over 12 years now, and I’ve read a lot of research on the subject of parent involvement. There are literally over 70 studies on the subject, and all point to the same conclusion: Once parents get involved with their kids’ education, their children will do better in school. I don’t know why they keep doing the research, to be honest!
Required
Reading Education Expert ML Nichols On Involvement, Parent-Teacher Tension, And Her New Book By Tess Cobrinik
Whether your little scholar is just starting kindergarten or gearing up for fifth grade, the modern elementary school world can seem like a maze of parent-teacher tension, learning style nuances, and questions of how involved parents need to be. Navigating all this can be intimidating and overwhelming, which is why ML Nichols—an
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What are some ways that a parent can be involved with their child’s education? First and most importantly, it really does make a difference what you do at home. Parents are at home with their kids three times longer than kids are in school—in waking hours, not just total time. [Parents] have a much bigger influence than teachers do. Making connections at home with what your kids are learning and tapping into what they’re curious about is so important. Another way [to be involved] is with the class and the teacher. A lot of parents don’t have the time to get in and volunteer, but that doesn’t lessen how you can be involved with your child… [Outside the classroom] the third way is through the school council, PTAs, and committees. Tell us about different learning styles. Visual-spatial learners learn the best from what they see. So, for example, when practicing spelling, visual learners have the need to write down the word; it’s not enough for them to spell it out loud. If they can just spell out words out loud, then they’re probably more of an auditory learner. They process by what they hear. And then there are kinesthetic learners, who are more physical and hands-on experiential. They need to see it, feel it, touch it, move it to really understand. continued on page 40 www.newyorkfamily.com
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continued from page 38
teacher needs to understand what your child’s needs are. You can check it to make sure it’s done and that there are no mistakes that happened because your child was rushing. Rather than doing the homework with them, promise to check in and see what they can do on their own—if they’re 10 years old, come back in ten minutes; if they’re 8 years old, come back in eight minutes.
No one child falls into one of these categories; they tend to migrate towards one or another. What if you disagree with your child’s teacher about something that’s happening in the classroom? It’s okay agree to disagree and take it to the next level. Any time you are going to take something to a principal, it’s really important [and respectful] to let the teacher know—if you go around them, they’re going to be angry. Ninety eight percent of the time, a principal will loop back to a teacher before they return a call or set up a meeting with the parent, because they want to hear it from the teacher’s perspective. I think there’s an inherent conflict between teachers and parents. Schools have the huge job of moving hundreds of kids from Point A in September to Point Z in June; they have the collective two dozen kids to worry about in one classroom. We as parents have one child to worry about, so we’re microfocused on that child. Hopefully that tension that inherently exists can be channeled constructively. What should parents keep in mind when communicating with their child’s teachers? The technique I use is called “The Power of P3.” Start out in a positive way. If you go in with the belief that there is an issue but that you’re going to come out in a positive way, you’ll be able to solve it together. It’s a very big difference from going in and demanding [something from the teacher]. Next, be professional. Be polite and respectful in your observations, so the teacher hears the concern as opposed to an attack. Lastly, be persistent. Teachers are busy, but if you’re concerned about something—and you’re positive, professional, and persistent—you will get your child’s needs met. How involved should a parent be with their child’s homework? Your role as a parent is to guide, not to do. It’s okay to have their homework go back to the teacher with a few mistakes. The temptation may be to fix it, but the
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New York Family | October 2013
What’s the deal with homework meltdowns? How should parents handle them? A lot of times homework meltdowns come from kids feeling stressed and overscheduled. If homework doesn’t seem like a priority at home [amidst all their other activities] but the teachers stress its importance, it’s hard for children to reconcile that and a lot of meltdowns happen. Have homework be a priority—and take it on with a positive attitude. If you talk about it in a negative way, it’s really hard for your kids to complete it. Any general tips for homework helpers? Break homework down into parts so it’s not overwhelming and take breaks on the downhill. If they do the hard parts first, they’re much more inclined to want to come back, because they feel like they can get [the rest] done with no problem. Praising effort is so important, much more so than the grade. Make sure they’re doing their homework on their own timing. If your fifth grader wants to come home and do his homework right away but your second grader is not in that mode and wants to go out and play before doing it, it’s important to recognize and honor that [as long as your second grader’s homework eventually gets done, too, of course]. You finish your book by emphasizing how important self-advocacy is for confident and responsible children who “stand up for what they need and want.” How and when should a parent introduce this concept? Before kids can actually advocate for themselves, they need to be comfortable raising their hand and saying, “I need something, I don’t understand this, can you explain it again?” There are some kids who are comfortable doing that in kindergarten, and there are some kids not comfortable doing that until fifth grade, if then. It’s important that parents understand where their kids fall on that continuum. The earlier you recognize where the comfort level lies, the earlier you can start role-playing with them a little bit, giving them information, and giving them the language to speak to their teachers and ask for help. For more education tips, resources, and news, visit newyorkfamily.com
www.newyorkfamily.com
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education
A Big Change In Private School Admissions The ERB May Be On The Way Out, But Tutoring Very Young Children Probably Isn’t By Eric Messinger There’s been a flurry of testing-related news in the last couple of months for both private and public schools. Of course, the news is always presented by educators as progress, though parents often find it unsettling. From their point of view, testing changes often feel like a case of “the devil you know” versus “the devil you don’t know.” The big news on the private school front is that the organization in charge of recommending admissions policies to the city’s independent schools has officially recommended that their schools no longer require a test that’s commonly known as the ERB for kindergarten admissions. (Technically, the ERB stands for the company, the Educational Records Bureau, which administers the test.) It’s up to individual schools whether they want to follow the recommendation or not. Schools also have the option of not requiring the ERB but still accepting ERB scores as another piece of evidence they use to get an accurate portrait of a child. Horace Mann, for example, is a prominent independent school that has indicated that they’re sticking with the ERB. This is a major policy change in the world of independent school admissions because the ERB score has been a very important admissions factor for most of these schools for many years. It wasn’t the only factor in the admissions process—private schools get to know their applicants and applicant families in a variety of ways, including child interviews, parent interviews, school tours, and recommendations from nursery school directors and others who know the child and family—but the ERB was long held as the most objective measure the schools had of a child’s academic ability. The reason why the Independent Schools Admissions Association of Great New York (ISAAGNY) is now advising schools not to use the
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ERB is because of the perception that private tutoring for the test has become pervasive, creating an unfair advantage for the tutored kids and calling into the question the validity of the scores. The independent schools have long advised parents not to have their kids tutored for the ERB because it would be a violation of the spirit of a test meant to offer an accurate snapshot of a child at their present age. For sure, there were always some parents who had their kids tutored anyway; but the perception now is that tutoring is so widespread that many parents feel like they have to do it to make sure their child is not at an unfair disadvantage. You can imagine the kind of anxiety this situation has created among parents in recent years. What’s next? I don’t think another universally accepted exam will pop up to replace the ERB, because ISAAGNY knows that parents will simply start prepping their kids for that one. More likely, schools will find other ways of enhancing their admissions process to gain the kind of insights they thought they were getting from the ERB. This could add more time to an admissions process that many parents find far too time-consuming already. On the other hand, sending a child to an independent school is a big family commitment in every way, not just financially—and it’s in everyone’s interest to make good matches between schools and students. So, yes, schools will adjust, possibly adding tests of their own, and parents will adjust too. But count on a lot of families still having their little kids tutored for skills-building and testing-taking in the hope that they will be well prepared for whatever kind of admissions testing comes their way. The simple fact that Horace Mann is sticking with the ERB—and that other schools will accept it even if they don’t require it—will still impel a lot of families to have their kids prepped for the test. What’s more, a lot of the same kids being tutored for the ERB are also being prepped for the admissions exams for public school Gifted & Talented programs, which persist and in fact recently went through their own changes (which probably only inspired more tutoring). So tutoring lives on, but I’m not sure parents need to fret too much about it. If it’s done by professionals in a low-key, age-appropriate, and engaging way, it can be just another fun activity for a young child. If it’s pressurized, and your 4-year-old is feeling that pressure, it’s time to make a change. Eric Messinger is the editor of New York Family. www.newyorkfamily.com
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Principal Alan Wilkinson with two world-class learners
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Learning One Of The Most Renowned International School Groups Is Creating An Oasis Of Academic Learning And Personal Growth In The City—And There’s Even An “Early Years” Program As Well By Lorraine Duffy Merkl
“Every child is potentially gifted or talented, and our job is to find what those gifts or talents are,” says Alan Wilkinson, principal of NYC’s World Class Learning Academy. Wilkinson is new to the city, but he’s a veteran educator whose background is as international as the school that he now heads. For two years prior to joining WCLA, he was a vice principal and primary school head at another international school in Abu Dhabi. Before that, he held a similar position at the British International School in Budapest. Between starting his teaching career in England more than 20 years ago and today, Wilkinson has taught thousands of students—yet, he says, “I’ve never met the same child twice.” His philosophy that every child is unique accounts for his belief in what he likes to call “bespoke education,” a style and standard for which WCLA is renowned—and will be even more so in a few short months. The World Class Learning Group, which the local WCLA is a part of, has now merged with Nord Anglia Education, a premier provider of private education with schools all over the world. WCLA will see a name change likely starting in January 2014, retaining its presence as an international school in Manhattan but reflecting this new union. Located on the Lower East Side near First Avenue and East 2nd Street, WCLA offers the space and stature of a traditional city school building with the welcoming vibe of colorful, modernized classrooms and vibrant hallways. The school, now in its third
New York Family Sponsor
year in the city, is currently accepting applications for: its Early Years program for kids 2-5; its Primary program, which runs from kindergarten through 5th grade; and the first year of its middle school (which will be introduced next year, and then grow one grade at a time annually until the student body reaches 8th grade). “We are moving forward in a lot of new and exciting directions,” says Director of Admissions and Marketing Clare Parry, a fifth generation New Yorker who hails from a long line of New York City Educators, including a grandmother who was not only the first female to receive an MBA from Columbia but was also New York City’s youngest female principal. And yet, for all that it benefits from its newness, the school’s essential attraction for parents, of course, is the outstanding track record and reputation of its curriculum. As a Nord Anglia Education school, WCLA follows a synthesis of the English National Curriculum (ENC), which is used in most schools in England, and the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), a very popular and highly-regarded approach taken at schools around the world. What that adds up to, in the hands of WCLA’s experienced staff, is what NYC parents would consider a mix of progressive and traditional aspects. There are school uniforms, for example, and the pace of learning is generally a grade ahead of most American schools. The high-tech classrooms are all equipped with smart boards, and students are given iPads for class work, but there is still an emphasis on being able to write in cursive. Most importantly, the school prides itself on really knowing and embracing their students and astutely guiding them through individual learning plans, all in an environment that is
at once challenging and supportive. “Families who are interested in the exceptional development and growth of their children are very pleased,” says Parry. “But we are not a pressure cooker school.” Or, as Wilkinson stresses: “The school doesn’t measure children’s progress against each other. We measure their progress individually.” In fact, as he did at his other schools, Wilkinson intends to set up a program where each student will be able to carve out some time from their regular schedules to discover and explore hobbies and passions that they might not even be studying at the moment—like archeology or architecture or any other subject that feels like a fruitful pursuit. School administrators are also rightly excited about WCLA’s facilities, which include: • A high school-size gym, with a standard basketball court, for all types of sports • A full library • A music room with a full set of violins for their strings program as well as brass band instruments (rather than occupying a separate space of its own, the art program is woven into the curriculum) • A rooftop play space and soon-to-open “green” roof • A playroom on the nursery floor exclusively for the little ones The bells and whistles are nice, of course, but Wilkinson has a very strong opinion on what the school’s best resources really are: its teachers. All the head classroom teachers have full United Kingdom teaching qualifications and experience, so, upon arrival, they are fully versed in both the ENC and IPC curricula—and, as you would expect, are passionate about teaching in an environment infused by global awareness “in all aspects of education.” “If your 4-year-old is studying clocks, they’re also learning about time zones,” Wilkinson says. In that same spirit, one plan on the immediate horizon is for WCLA students to start using the internet to meet with, share with, and learn from other students in Nord Anglia Education’s family of schools. In his experience, children who are the products of an international school setting have a special kind of worldly confidence and emotional intelligence. Growing up with a lot of other cultures and religions makes them more readily familiar and accepting of other ways of thinking and being. It’s an ethos that’s indivisible from the school’s more formal kinds of learning. “Respect yourself, respect others,” says Wilkinson. It sounds like his mantra—or at least a most important motto. With children who are lucky enough to have a seat at a school with ample resources and a community dedicated to their success and well being, it’s so important, he emphasizes, to teach them that with privilege comes responsibility. What he wants parents especially to know about WCLA, as it joins the Nord Anglia Education network, is this: “We’re in the business of turning out good people.” For more information, visit wclacademy.org.
the
On Sean: J.Crew shirt and pants, Original Penguin sweater. On Rachelle: BCBG Max Azria sweater dress, Pamela Love cuff. On Maxwell: Bitz Kids pants
BIG EASY
For A Couple At The Epicenter Of The City’s Social Pulse, Hotelier Sean MacPherson And Nightlife Doyenne Rachelle Hruska-MacPherson Take A Refreshingly Laidback And Joyous Approach To Family Life
By Christine Wei
Photos by Karen Haberberg Photography Styled by Monica Cotto Hair/makeup by Kim Baker for Glamazon Beauty
www.newyorkfamily.com
October 2013 | New York Family
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W
hat does it take to become a successful and happily married power couple in NYC? Spend any amount of time with Rachelle Hruska-MacPherson and Sean MacPherson and you’ll be inclined to think—as paradoxical as this might sound—that the answer is as much about adopting an easygoing outlook on life as it is about being passionately ambitious. Despite being nearly seven months pregnant with her second child, Rachelle is composed and cheerful when she arrives for our cover shoot in early September at the newly opened Marlton Hotel—her husband’s property awash in old world elegance and understated modern touches on West 8th Street. She’s the intrepid founder of Guest of a Guest, an online magazine that gives NYC denizens a glimpse into their hometown’s most exclusive happenings and tips them toward the hottest things to do and see. “Our tagline is ‘people, places, parties.’ Our millions of photos that live on the site are hopefully giving our users the opportunity to feel like they’re part of this community of people that’s sort of separate but symbiotic,” Rachelle explains. “I think we have the best calendar in the city, but besides just covering events, we also like to do a lot of interviews with local tastemakers.” The fair-haired Nebraskan transplant speaks with a quiet confidence that comes only from truly loving what you do as she discusses how her online business launched in 2007 as a simple hobby. “I was working in finance uptown, but all of my friends were downtown in creative jobs, so I was really curious about everything that was happening downtown,” she says. “There wasn’t a thought in my mind of monetizing it—we’re trying to monetize it now—but when I was a 24-year-old just writing, it was just pure.” It was this fresh perspective and genuine voice that had captured the attention of readers around the city, a quality Rachelle still maintains with the help of a crop of new contributors with varied perspectives. Seven years later, the site has expanded to include L.A., D.C., Hamptons, and global editions of its lively nightlife coverage. Rachelle’s husband, Sean MacPherson, has a lot of cachet himself as a classy tastemaker with a golden touch. The proprietor behind a host of popular boutique hotels and chic eateries in the city (and in Montauk and L.A.), he’s launched the iconic likes of The Bowery, Maritime, and Jane Hotels—not to mention the Waverly Inn, a culinary mecca for the media and cultural elite that he co-owns with Vanity Fair Editor-in-Chief Graydon Carter. The Marlton Hotel is his latest labor of love, and when Sean arrives on scene with their almost-2-yearold son Maxwell in tow, he’s nothing like the snazzy hospitality honcho one might have in mind. The tall, lean Malibu native is at once conversational and deliberative, open to sharing but never self-serious. “What I like about 8th Street is that it’s a little abandoned and derelict, a little bit how The Bowery was,” he says of the potential he’d seen in The Marlton, taking the time to choose his words carefully. “It’s
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neither here nor there, which gives it a more open canvas.” He savors the property’s storied past, with a list of residents who include Beat Generation writer Jack Keruoac and Andy Warhol’s shooter Valerie Solanas. Two years after Sean acquired the hotel, The Marlton now glows with what he cheekily likes to call a “Honey, I shrunk the Ritz” vibe. On the day of our cover shoot, construction is still being done and final décor touches are still in the works, but the cozy lobby beckons with rich wood paneling and guests have begun to stay in gilded rooms, furnished with luxuriously plush headboards and framed by intricate wall moldings. As with all his other properties, every tasteful design decision for this hotel was a personal and deliberate one. “We call it a ‘baby grand’ hotel because it’s an old building—it’s been there for over a hundred years—and it has very small rooms, but the idea was to make it a very elegant place,” Sean says. “The hotel is reasonably priced but furnished in a very high-end way. It’s accessible luxury.” It takes very little time to see that together Rachelle and Sean make up a delightfully openminded and creative couple—the kind who have become New Yorkers by choice and really enjoy the little serendipities of city life. And it’s an attitude that spills over into their parenting. “I don’t think we over-prepared [as parents], so we’re very comfortable with taking things as they come. Because you can’t plan,” Rachelle says. “The one thing I will say about New York is that everyone’s hyper-successful, so you have a lot of people who are just hyper go-get-y and are super ambitious. Sean has to remind me that it’s all going to work out, and he does a really good job at that.” “Both Rachelle and I believe that we can influence things but not determine them,” Sean adds. “We’re accepting that things don’t always go as expected— and there’s beauty in that.” Their zen-like approach is buttressed by a strong mutual commitment to their partnership. Sean wryly explains: “Rachelle and I are 18.5 years apart, and due to my delay in maturing—” “I’m the old one in the relationship,” Rachelle confirms. “—we entered this at a perfect time for both of us. We were all doing it by choice; it wasn’t like either one of us felt that we had to get married and have children on a schedule,” Sean says. “It’s collaboration. It’s not a competition, it’s not a coercion…” Of course, all this doesn’t mean that the couple sees eye-to-eye on every matter. A laugh slips into Rachelle’s voice as she sounds off on their wardrobe preferences. “Sean loves dressing Maxwell like a punk rock skater, so everything I buy he ends up tearing off the sleeves, and I prefer more preppy. But the mix of the two is kind of genius, and I think that as long as we can both give and take, we’re going to be okay.” Like many couples who hail from very different backgrounds, the duo brings the best of their own continued on page 50
www.newyorkfamily.com
Clothing: Same as cover. Hat: Children’s Place. www.newyorkfamily.com
October 2013 | New York Family
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continued from page 48
upbringings into their new family. “When we were in Malibu, it was two hours past Maxwell’s nap and Sean was on the beach playing with him and they’re just covered in mud and sand,” Rachelle recalls. “For Sean, it’s really important that he has that with his son; that’s what he had with his mom. For me, I really want to have family dinner every night, probably because I had it myself, as a time for us to all connect as a family.” One thing that they’ve firmly agreed on, however, is that New York City is an incredible place to raise a child. Though the family spends most weekends out in Montauk when they’re not traveling, they’ve made the West Village their home base. “I love that it’s so convenient, that there’s so much social interaction, intellectual opportunity,” Sean enthuses in his even way. “I grew up in Malibu and I’d be very scared to raise my kids in the suburbs. Kids get bored and they get up to things and they have to drive…so I’m super excited about raising a child here. New York at its best exposes one to every walk of life. That’s unbeatable education.” One of the biggest surprises that struck Rachelle when she moved to New York a decade ago is still the aspect of the city that delights her the most. “New York almost feels like more of a community than anywhere else I’ve lived. I know who my neighbors are, we run into people on the street every day—that would never happen as regularly [in Nebraska],” she says. “It’s very much the neighborhood I’ve always wanted for my children.” New York also brought them together for the first time, at a mutual friend’s party. As Rachelle tells it, they subsequently got together to network and discuss business—though Sean’s account is a little different. “I didn’t think it was a business meeting. I thought this woman was stalking me,” he deadpans. “Are you serious? That’s not very nice to say,” Rachelle says, admonishing him lightly. “…in a good way,” Sean finishes. “I definitely thought it was a business meeting,” Rachelle retorts. Whatever their original intent, one hour became five, paving the way for a whirlwind romance, a dreamy Hamptons wedding 1.5 years later, and the family they have today. “I always knew I wanted children, and I wasn’t necessarily planning on it happening right away, but I know the moment I knew I wanted a family with Sean,” Rachelle says. These days, Rachelle and Sean find great pleasure in taking Maxwell to walk the High Line, run rampant in the parks along the Westside Highway, and explore the city’s many restaurants and museums. “He oftentimes falls asleep in them,” Sean admits. “The museums are really more for us.” Of course, there’s always hopping on the wooden swing that sways from their living room ceiling. Sean had installed it as an homage to legendary early-20th century architect Stanford White, who designed the Washington Square Park arch and who also had a swing in his apartment. “I didn’t think of it this way [then], but it’s hopefully emblematic of our take on life
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New York Family | September 2013
that things don’t need to be so formal or regimented,” Sean says. “There’s no reason why you can’t have a swing in the house. Maxwell seems to have gotten the message. “He’s becoming more of a rascal,” Rachelle says. “We’ve started calling him ‘Dennis the Menace’—because he bears a striking resemblance to the character in both looks and mannerisms.” Soaking up the joys of toddler life apparently includes a penchant for drawing on the walls, too. “The more I tell him to stop, the more he laughs,” Sean says. “I try very hard to be stern, but it’s virtually impossible for me to not [laugh] along with him.” Rachelle is due on November 15th, and soon enough Maxwell will have to begin adjusting to life as a big brother. “We show him photos of himself as a baby, but he has no idea what’s about to hit him…” Rachelle says, amusement twinkling in her eyes. Sean nods. “Right now it’s all about Maxwell, and Maxwell really likes it that way.” When you see how at ease and in sync Rachelle and Sean are with each other, you can’t help but wonder what their secret formula is for keeping it light and loving, especially given the demands of their work lives. Sean, for one, believes it’s easier when everyone’s working toward the same goal, whether or not you know what that is. “We talk about work but we also talk about our lives,” he says, “and it’s all kind of the same—meaning we’re thinking about something that’s work but happens to be part of the giant puzzle of life.” Rachelle points to their upcoming London trip as an example of how they roll; what started out as a research project for Sean’s new restaurant at the Marlton has morphed into a joint business trip for Guest of a Guest as well as a family getaway with Maxwell to visit friends. In other words, their union is a bit of a work-life hybrid (to a point). ”We both have a lot of ambition, we both have control of our own companies… I love hearing at the end of the day what Sean’s doing and hopefully he loves hearing from me.” Come late fall and early winter, they’ll have to coordinate their busy schedules with more skill and patience than ever. As the new baby arrives, Rachelle will be juggling a full redesign of Guest of a Guest, launching a mobile app with which users can contribute to GofG’s events coverage, and expanding internationally beyond the site’s four stateside locales. At the same time, Sean has his eyes set on opening The Marlton’s restaurant sometime this month, after which the hotel will formally open its doors. Oh, and he’ll also be opening another property, The Ludlow, at the end of the year in the Lower East Side. The city’s most laidback power couple seems ready, willing, and hopeful about integrating their next child into their big adventure without slowing down— or at least not by too much, anyway. Sean has a way of describing his days with Maxwell now that we expect will soon be fully applicable to their new baby-to-be: “I like the idea of him growing up just being with us. He’s on our team. We enjoy having the life that we’ve always had and just bringing him along with us.” www.newyorkfamily.com
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doctors we love NYC’s Most Talented And Dedicated Pediatricians And Pediatric Specialists Edited by Alissa Katz
Whether it’s a check-up or specific concern you have in mind, all parents want the best of medical care for their children. Luckily, NYC is home to some of the most talented and dedicated doctors out there. Once again, we’ve partnered with Castle Connolly to highlight the best ones for families. This annual guide is a great resource for anyone looking for a pediatrician or a specialist—feel free to stick this on the fridge or bookmark the online version on our site.
Babu Bangaru, MD NYU Langone Medical Center Pediatric Gastroenterology
Francine Blei, MD
career that you’re especially proud of?
Vascular Birthmark Institute of New York Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
One patient named their next baby after me—her middle name is Blei. That was touching. If the patient moves to another country or to a home country and they make an extra appointment to see me before they leave, that’s gratifying, too. What should parents know about seeing a doctor in your specialty? Earlier is always better in terms of seeing a specialist, because there’s a lot that can be
Why did you choose this specialty?
done early in some patients that can ultimately
Long story! I went into pediatrics, because I
lead to a much-improved outcome. Parents’
liked kids. I come from India, and in India it’s
intuition is important. If they think something’s
very difficult to get pediatrics but I was able
wrong, many times the parents are really right.
to. With gastroenterology, I’m interested in Visit vbiny.org for more info
liver diseases, partly because my niece had a neonatal liver disease. Any exciting breakthroughs in this field
What are some of the challenges you must
since you started your career?
overcome, professionally or personally?
I think the whole field has exploded. I’m one
There are certain disorders with certain
of the specialists, since there weren’t many
patients that don’t fit in any neat box. So
fellowships when I started.
that’s frustrating when you can’t say what’s
Ilene Fennoy, MD Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia Pediatric Endocrinology
going to happen or not happen. Fantasy
Any exciting breakthroughs in this field
What makes you excited to go to work?
is always more frustrating than fact, and
since you started your career?
That’s quite simple: The kids.
sometimes we don’t have all the facts… That’s
Growth factors—which are proteins produced
frustrating both for the doctor and the family.
by cells that act on the cell that influence cell
Visit med.nyu.edu for more info
growth, cell division, and/or cell differentiaIs there one particular moment in your
52
New York Family | October 2013
tion—have turned out to be a very important
www.newyorkfamily.com
occur with illness that some adults and older
moving to New York. I’m from New Jersey,
individuals have. They want to do things and
which isn’t too far, but my wife’s from
they want to try things, so they’re really a joy.
Chicago, and I’ve trained in Los Angeles and Chicago. I’ve got two kids, a 2.5-year-
Visit childrensnyp.org/mschony for more info
old and a 1-year-old. So, balancing work with family life and living in the city, I’d say that’s probably been the biggest
VIKASH MODI, MD
challenge. But then, it’s also been the
KOMANSKY CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S HEALTH FOR NEWYORK-PRESBYTERIAN/ WEILL CORNELL MEDICAL CENTER PEDIATRIC EAR, NOSE & THROAT
greatest adventure. What makes you excited to go to work? I tell this to my wife all the time. I think I’ve got the best job in the country. I do little things that make kids feel a lot better, and
area affecting not only growth but also play-
it’s great to go home at the end of the day
ing roles in cancer, bone health, and other
feeling great about what you’ve done.
systems in the body. Then the whole obesity epidemic and its impact on cardiovascular
What’s something parents should know
risk for children—all of that is totally new.
about your specialty, in regards to getting their child tested or seen by a doctor?
What makes you excited to go to work?
Always pay attention to your child and how
I like helping people, and when [patients]
he or she is breathing. Whether it’s during
do well, it’s really exciting and rewarding.
the day or at night, if there’s any sort of
I’ve always liked interacting with children. I
warning sign, get evaluated. If anything lasts
think children can make you feel good even
longer than two weeks as far as breathing
when you’re feeling lousy. They have such an
issues are concerned, get it evaluated. Go to your pediatrician, go to your ENT, and really
upbeat approach to life… When they’re really feeling baldy, there’s no question they’re
What are some of the challenges you must
down, but [with kids] there’s not the same
overcome, professionally or personally?
kind of hang-ups on the changes in life that
I’d say the greatest adjustment would be
get to the bottom of things. Visit nyp.org/komansky for more info
continued on page 54
THE DOCTORS CARDIAC SURGERY
Disorders, Mood Disorders, ADD/ADHD)
Jan M. Quaegebeur
Hector Bird
(Tourette’s Syndrome, ADD/ADHD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Psychopharmacology)
Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of
NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University
NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia
Medical Center
Sarah J. Fox
3959 Broadway, 212-305-5975
300 West 72nd Street, 212-874-5311
NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia
Cardiac Surgery (Arterial Switch, Heart
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (ADD/ADHD,
University Medical Center
Valve Surgery, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery)
Anxiety & Depression, Personality Disorders,
210 West 89th Street, 212-874-4558
Conduct Disorder)
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (Anxiety
CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
& Mood Disorders, Eating Disorders, Roy J. Boorady
Psychoanalysis)
Reese A. Abright
445 Park Avenue at 56th Street
Elmhurst Hospital Center
212-308-3118
Vilma Gabbay
140 East 40th Street, 212-867-3131
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (Mood
(Psychopharmacology, Anxiety & Mood
1240 Park Avenue, 212-659-1660
Disorders, ADD/ADHD, Anxiety Disorders)
Disorders, ADD/ADHD)
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Abraham Bartell
Lynn Burkes
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
NYU Langone Medical Center
1275 York Avenue, 646-888-0060
185 West End Avenue, 212-362-5920
Jennifer Havens
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (Psychiatry
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (Diagnostic
Bellevue Hospital Center
in Cancer, Psychiatry in Physical Illness)
Problems, ADD/ADHD, Divorce/Family
One Park Avenue, 212-263-6622
Issues, Developmental Disorders)
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
(Depression, Mood Disorders, Tourette’s
Ina Becker
(Bereavement/Traumatic Grief)
NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia
Barbara J. Coffey
University Medical Center
Mount Sinai Medical Center
49 West 24th Street, 917-441-0880
1240 Park Avenue, 212-659-1663
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (Anxiety
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
www.newyorkfamily.com
Syndrome)
continued on page 54
October 2013 | New York Family
53
continued from page 53 Margaret Hertzig
Bennett Leventhal
Alan J. Ravitz
Komansky Center for
NYU Langone Medical Center
445 Park Avenue, 212-308-3118
Children’s Health of NewYork-
577 First Avenue, 212-263-8696
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (Autism, ADD/
(Psychopharmacology, Forensic Psychiatry)
525 East 68th Street, 212-746-5712
ADHD, Psychopharmacology) Jess P. Shatkin
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Owen Lewis
NYU Langone Medical Center
NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University
One Park Avenue, 646-754-4900
Glenn S. Hirsch
Medical Center
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (Behavioral
NYU Langone Medical Center
11 East 87th Street, 212-996-8196
Disorders, Anxiety & Mood Disorders, ADD/
1 Park Avenue, 212-263-8704
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
ADHD, Autism)
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (Anxiety
(Psychotherapy, Psychopharmacology)
(Developmental Disorders, ADD/ADHD)
Elizabeth Kay Spencer
& Mood Disorders, Tourette’s Syndrome, Jeffrey H. Newcorn
NYU Langone Medical Center
Mount Sinai Medical Center
121 East 31st Street, 212-684-3810
Harold S. Koplewicz
One Gustave L Levy Place
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
445 Park Avenue at 56th Street
212-659-8705, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
212-308-3118, Child & Adolescent
(Psychopharmacology, ADD/ADHD,
Stanley K. Turecki
Psychiatry (Anxiety & Mood Disorders,
Developmental Disorders,
Lenox Hill Hospital
Psychopharmacology, ADD/ADHD)
Behavioral Disorders)
136 East 64th Street, 212-355-2535
Leo L. Kron
Richard Perry
(Temperamentally Difficult Child, ADD/
St. Luke’s - Roosevelt Hospital Center -
Bellevue Hospital Center
ADHD, Parenting Issues)
Roosevelt Division
55 West 74th Street, 212-595-0116
30 East 76th Street, 212-861-7001
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (Pervasive
John T. Walkup
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Development Disorders, Behavioral
Komansky Center for Children’s Health of
(Psychopharmacology, Psychotherapy)
Disorders, Psychopharmacology)
Bipolar/Mood Disorders, ADD/ADHD)
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
continued on page 57 continued from page 53
NATALIE NEU, MD NEWYORK-PRESBYTERIAN/COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
In fact, we usually refer patients to other
What’s something that people would be
specialties. A tic isn’t always an infectious dis-
surprised is part of your job?
ease. And it’s okay to swallow some dirt; it’s
Most of what goes into my practice is not
good for you. In my house, we have the three-
commonly known to the general public,
second rule. Kids are too sanitized these days.
because it’s a very specialized area. Most people who don’t have experience with
Visit nyp.org/facilities/columbia for more info
oncology don’t have any idea what kind of side effects are caused or what has to be done to prevent or ameliorate the effects of
LAUREL STEINHERZ, MD
this toxicity. So it’s something that is very
MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY
different from general pediatrics and regular pediatric cardiology. Is there one particular moment you’re
Why did you
especially proud of?
choose this
It would be hard to isolate one. I’m certainly
specialty?
especially happy when I get to go to the
Why did you choose this specialty?
Part of it was
weddings of some of our patients, especially
Well, it was my dad [Harold Neu’s]
that it was so
the ones who’ve had cardiac issues, and
specialty. He became the chief of the
interesting!
I’ve been able to make a difference. That’s
infectious disease division here [at
And I had a
probably the highlight, going to special
Columbia] in 1971. So, I’ve always been
mother with a
moments in the life of the patients and
around it and I’ve walked these halls as a
heart disease
celebrating.
child. When he died while I was in school
since childhood and had the
at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, I had to come home—and decided this is
complications involved. When I was growing
where I should be, with my family.
up, I watched this go on and I decided that I
Visit mskcc.org for more info
was going to go into this field to help people
ANDREW TING, MD
What’s something parents should know
with similar problems. When I got older, it just
about your specialty, in regards to getting
became a fascinating field in which you could
MOUNT SINAI MEDICAL CENTER PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY
their child tested or seen by a doctor?
make a difference.
Not every parent necessarily has to see us.
continued on page 56
54
www.newyorkfamily.com
New York Family | October 2013
The Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine
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Zev Rosenwaks, M.D. Director Owen Davis, M.D. Ina Cholst, M.D. Pak Chung, M.D. Rony T. Elias, M.D. Dan Goldschlag, M.D. Hey-Joo Kang, M.D. Isaac Kligman, M.D. Glenn Schattman, M.D. Steven Spandorfer, M.D. Psychologists Linda Applegarth, Ed.D. Elizabeth Grill, Psy.D. Laura Josephs, Ph.D.
Weill Cornell Medical College 1305 York Avenue New York, NY 10021 (646) 962-2764 Weill Cornell Medical College 2315 Broadway, 2nd Floor New York, NY 10024 (646) 962-3767 Northern Westchester 657 Main Street Mount Kisco, NY 10549 (914) 242-3700 Garden City, Long Island 1300 Franklin Avenue Garden City, NY 11530 (516) 742-4100 Flushing Hospital Medical Center 146 -01 45th Avenue Flushing, NY 11355 (646) 962-5626
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continued from page 54 Why did you choose your specialty?
Is your child aged 13 - 17 diagnosed with ADHD?
I’ve always worked in New York City, and New York City has a huge number of asthmatics. It’s one of the greatest concentrations of asthmatics in the country, as compared to other cities like L.A. or Chicago. And I myself have a lot
You may be eligible to participate in a research study of an investigational medication.
of asthma and allergies, so I was already interested in the field and I figured I could learn a bit more about it from the inside, so to
Symptoms of ADHD include difficulty remembering information, difficulty
speak. So that’s probably a little bit of a selfish reason, but I also wanted to help out the city I worked in.
concentrating, trouble organizing or completing tasks, and procrastination.
What makes you excited to go to work every day?
Qualified participants may receive study-
I think that when we finally teach a family who has not been letting
related psychological evaluation(s) and
their kid ice skate or play soccer that, “Hey, you can play soccer and
may also receive compensation for time
ice skate if you use these medications,” that’s very exciting, because
and travel.
kids want to be active. I think kids want to participate. That’s a huge service to the kid going out to play. So just showing them the
For more information, please call Dr. Jeffrey Newcorn at 212-241-8012 Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1230 New York, New York 10029
medications and the correct way of using them and giving them something chronic, perhaps during soccer season, to get them out there and active. The parents love it; it also helps regarding any possible weight issues of obesity, and the kid can do what he loves! It’s very satisfying. You get an immediate result in terms of the kid being able to go out and play and keep up with his friends. Visit mountsinai.org for more info
Julie Wang, MD Mount Sinai Medical Center Pediatric Allergy & Immunology
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Have there been any exciting
Upper East Side Office
breakthroughs in the field since you started your career?
Chinese Medicine with Special Care for Children: Attention / Focus Issues Anxious Over Scheduling Stress
With food allergies, currently there is no treatment or cure. The management is strict avoidance of the food allergens that you’re allergic to and also being prepared with emergency medications such as self-injectable epinephrine in case there’s an accidental exposure. However, in recent years, there’s been a lot of research looking at potential treatments for food allergies, and it’s actually quite an exciting time to be in the
Call to discuss our use of Acupressure for Needle-phobic children and more.
field. We at Mount Sinai are involved in investigating several of
Parent Workshops upon request.
Generally just seeing all our families when they’ve achieved even
Carla Gervasio, L.Ac., MSTOM
travel outside of the New York area for the first time. Hearing those
55 East 73rd Street, Ste GR NY, NY 10021
stories really makes me happy that we’re able to help these children
Master of Science Traditional Oriental Medicine
212.603.9133 carla@urbanwellnessnyc.com
these types of therapies through clinical trials. Do you have any anecdotes that show why you love your specialty? minor successes in normal everyday life, in terms of when the child enters school or they go to [day] camp or sleep away camp or
and their families beyond just educating them about: “This is your food allergy and this is what you need to do.” Visit mountsinai.org for more info
continued on page 58
56 URBAN-QP.indd 1
New York Family | October 2013
www.newyorkfamily.com 9/23/13 1:25 PM
continued from page 54
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell 525 East 68th Street, 212-746-1891 Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (Anxiety Disorders) Peter Walsh NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center 115 Central Park West, 212-579-5552 Child & Adolescent Psychiatry CHILD NEUROLOGY Cigdem I. Akman Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian/ Columbia 180 Fort Washington Avenue, 212-305-8549 Child Neurology (Epilepsy) Jeffrey Allen NYU Langone Medical Center 160 East 32nd Street, 212-263-9907, Child Neurology (Neuro-Oncology, Brain Tumors, Neurofibromatosis) Alan Aron
Group classes and private consults available in-home or in-office at various locations around Manhattan. Taught by the creator Priscilla Dunstan.
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Child Neurology (Neurofibromatosis, Movement Disorders, Developmental Delay, Seizure Disorders) Claudia Chiriboga-Klein Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian/ Columbia 180 Fort Washington Avenue, 212-305-8549 Child Neurology (Developmental Disorders, Movement Disorders, Spasticity Management) Darryl C. De Vivo Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian/ Columbia 710 West 168th Street, 212-305-5244 Child Neurology (Metabolic Disorders, Neuromuscular Disorders, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)) Murray Engel Komansky Center for Children’s Health of NewYorkPresbyterian/Weill Cornell
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Learning Disorders, Autism)
continued on page 58
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October 2013 | New York Family
57
continued from page 56
STEVEN WOLF, MD BETH ISRAEL MEDICAL CENTER - MILTON & CAROLL PETRIE DIVISION PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGY
every day or one or two times a week, none What’s something people would be
of the medicines are working, we’ve done
surprised is part of your job?
surgery on them, and the kid isn’t even
Joking and teasing with the children. We’re
walking—then the kid comes back two
very light and try to make their visits fun. We’ll
months later and walks into your office. It’s
easily “gang up” against the parents and tease
the most rewarding thing. It’s those kind
the parents. And my practice is unique [in that]
of moments. Then Patty and I look at each
I don’t see everyone by myself. I have a partner
other and go, “This is why we do this.”
who is actually a nurse practitioner; her name is Patty McGoldrick. I’d like to say I got the Top
What’s something parents should know
Doctor [distinguishment] by myself but I really
about your specialty, in regards to getting
didn’t. She’s been my partner for 14 years, so I
their child tested or seen by a doctor?
can only take credit for half of what I do.
Here’s a really good one: Not every headache is a brain tumor. In fact, it’s very,
Do you have any anecdotes that show why
very rare. But, if the headaches persist, go
you love your specialty?
see a neurologist.
When you have a kid who’s been seizing Visit wehealny.org for more info
continued from page 57 Yasmin Khakoo
Steven M. Wolf
Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Beth Israel Medical Center - Milton & Caroll
Cancer Center
Petrie Division
1275 York Avenue, 212-639-8292
10 Union Square East, 212-844-6944
Child Neurology (Neuro-Oncology, Brain
Child Neurology (Epilepsy, Headache, Migraine)
Allery, Anaphylaxis, Immunotherapy) PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY Linda J. Addonizio Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of
Tumors-Pediatric) PEDIATRIC ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY Barry Kosofsky
NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia 3953 Broadway, 212-305-6575
Komansky Center for Children’s Health of
Paul M. Ehrlich
Pediatric Cardiology
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
NYU Langone Medical Center
(Transplant Medicine-Heart, Heart Failure,
505 East 70th Street, 212-746-3321
35 East 35th Street, 212-685-4225
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy)
Child Neurology (Developmental
Pediatric Allergy & Immunology (Asthma,
Disorders, Autism, Stroke)
Food Allergy)
Daniel K. Miles
Ronit Herzog
NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia
NYU Langone Medical Center
Komansky Center for Children’s Health of
3959 Broadway, 212-342-1560
223 East 34th Street, 646-558-0808
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Pediatric Cardiology (Congenital Heart
Child Neurology (Pediatric Neurology,
505 East 70 Street, 646-962-3410
Disease, Echocardiography)
Tuberous Sclerosis, Epilepsy)
Pediatric Allergy & Immunology (Asthma &
Karen Altmann Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of
Allergy, Sinusitis, Food Allergy)
Michael Argilla NYU Langone Medical Center
Walter J. Molofsky Beth Israel Medical Center - Milton &
Anna Nowak-Wegrzyn
160 East 32 Street, 212-263-5940
Caroll Petrie Division
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Pediatric Cardiology (Cardiac
10 Union Square East, 212-844-6910
5 East 98 Street, 212-241-5548, Pediatric
Catheterization, Heart Failure, Critical Care)
Child Neurology (Seizure Disorders,
Allergy & Immunology (Food Allergy) Rica G. Arnon
Headache, ADD/ADHD, Stroke) Hugh A. Sampson
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Ruth D. Nass
Mount Sinai Medical Center
1468 Madison Avenue
NYU Langone Medical Center
1 Gustave Levy Place, 212-241-5548
212-241-7672
1 Park Avenue, 212-263-6622
Pediatric Allergy & Immunology (Food
Pediatric Cardiology (Congenital Heart
Child Neurology (Autism, ADD/ADHD,
Allergy, Eczema, Atopic Dermatitis, Asthma)
Disease, Exercise Physiology)
Learning Disorders, Migraine) Scott H. Sicherer
Morton D. Borg
James J. Riviello
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Beth Israel Medical Center - Milton & Caroll
Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of
5 East 98th Street, 212-241-5548
Petrie Division
NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia
Pediatric Allergy & Immunology (Food
10 Union Square East, 212-844-8313
223 East 34th Street, 646-558-0808
Allergy, Drug Sensitivity, Eczema)
Pediatric Cardiology (Fetal Echocardiography)
Child Neurology (Epilepsy/Seizure Disorders, Epilepsy in Tuberous Sclerosis,
Julie Wang
Electrical Status Epilepticus Of Sleep)
Mount Sinai Medical Center 5 East 98 Street, 212-241-5548 Pediatric Allergy & Immunology (Food
58
New York Family | October 2013
continued on page 60
www.newyorkfamily.com
At Mount Sinai Women’s Health Program, we have excellent primary care physicians, world-class specialists and experts in women’s health all under one roof.
✓ So check off your check-up.
Call 212-241-5090 for an appointment Women’s Health Program at Mount Sinai www.mountsinai.org/whp
Make time for yourself. Make time for your health.
continued from page 58
David H. Brick
L Gary Steinberg
Mary P. Gallagher
Alfred E. Slonim
NYU Langone Medical
Komansky Center for
Morgan Stanley Children’s
Morgan Stanley Children’s
Center
Children’s Health of NewYork-
Hospital of NewYork-
Hospital of NewYork-
154 West 14th Street
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Presbyterian/Columbia
Presbyterian/Columbia
212-604-7880
525 East 68 Street, 212-746-3561
1150 Street Nicholas Avenue,
622 West 168th Street,
Pediatric Cardiology (Fetal
Pediatric Cardiology
212-851-5494
212-305-5717
Echocardiography, Congenital
(Echocardiography, Congenital
Pediatric Endocrinology
Pediatric Endocrinology
Heart Disease)
Heart Disease)
(Diabetes)
(Muscular Disorders-
Patrick A. Flynn
Laurel J. Steinherz
Brenda Kohn
Bowel Disease/Crohn’s,
Komansky Center for
Memorial Sloan-Kettering
NYU Langone Medical Center
Glycogen Storage Diseases,
Children’s Health of NewYork-
Cancer Center
160 East 32nd Street,
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
1275 York Avenue, 212-639-8103
212-263-3185
525 East 68 Street, 212-746-3561
Pediatric Cardiology (Cardiac
Pediatric Endocrinology (Growth
Ileana Vargas-Rodriguez
Pediatric Cardiology
Effects of Cancer/Cancer
Disorders, Pituitary Disorders,
Morgan Stanley Children’s
(Congenital Heart Disease,
Therapy)
Thyroid Disorders, Adrenal
Hospital of NewYork-
Disorders)
Presbyterian/Columbia
Metabolic, Inflammatory
Echocardiography, Kawasaki Disease, Cardiac
PEDIATRIC CRITICAL CARE
Catheterization)
MEDICINE
1150 Street Nicholas Avenue, Noel K. Maclaren
212-851-5494
Lenox Hill Hospital
Pediatric Endocrinology (Diabetes)
Bruce D. Gelb
Edward E. Conway
200 West 57th Street,
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Beth Israel Medical Center -
212-371-0658
1 Gustave Levy Place
Milton & Caroll Petrie Division
Pediatric Endocrinology
Maria G. Vogiatzi
212-241-8592
350 East 17th Street,
(Diabetes, Obesity, Metabolic
Komansky Center for
Pediatric Cardiology (Noonan
212-420-4018
Syndrome)
Children’s Health of
Syndrome, Marfan’s Syndrome)
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Barry A. Love
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill
(Neurologic Critical Care,
Maria I. New
Cornell
Respiratory Failure, Head Injury)
Mount Sinai Medical Center
505 East 70th Street,
5 East 98th St, 212-241-8210
212-746-3462
Mount Sinai Medical Center 1468 Madison Avenue
Bruce M. Greenwald
Pediatric Endocrinology
Pediatric Endocrinology
212-241-9516
Komansky Center for
(Adrenal Disorders, Growth/
(Growth Disorders,
Pediatric Cardiology (Cardiac
Children’s Health of NewYork-
Development Disorders)
Osteoporosis, Pubertal
Catheterization, Interventional
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Cardiology, Atrial Septal Defect,
525 East 68th Street,
Sharon E. Oberfield
Arrhythmias)
212-746-3056, Pediatric Critical
Morgan Stanley Children’s
PEDIATRIC
Care Medicine (Respiratory
Hospital of NewYork-
GASTROENTEROLOGY
Ira A. Parness
Failure, Sepsis & Septic Shock,
Presbyterian/Columbia
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Asthma, Diabetes Ketoacidosis)
630 West 168th Street,
Babu S. Bangaru
212-305-6559
NYU Langone Medical
1 Gustave L Levy Place
Disorders, Adrenal Disorders)
212-241-6640, Pediatric
Mayer Sagy
Pediatric Endocrinology
Center
Cardiology (Echocardiography,
NYU Langone Medical Center
(Adrenal Disorders,
530 First Avenue,
Congenital Heart Disease, Fetal
550 First Avenue, 212-263-2377
Neuroendocrine Disorders,
212-263-7868
Echocardiography)
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Growth Disorders)
Pediatric Gastroenterology
Robert J. Sommer
PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY
Robert Rapaport
Liver Disease, Nutrition,
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Endoscopy)
(Ulcerative Colitis/Crohn’s, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-
Ilene Fennoy
1 Gustave L Levy Place,
Presbyterian/Columbia
Morgan Stanley Children’s
212-241-8487
Keith J. Benkov
161 Fort Washington Avenue,
Hospital of NewYork-
Pediatric Endocrinology (Growth
Mount Sinai Medical Center
212-342-0886
Presbyterian/Columbia
Disorders, Thyroid Disorders,
5 East 98th Street, 212-241-
Pediatric Cardiology (Congenital
3959 Broadway, 212-305-6559
Diabetes)
5415
Heart Disease, Atrial Septal
Pediatric Endocrinology (Growth/
Defect, Cardiac Catheterization)
Development Disorders, Diabetes,
Charles A. Sklar
(Inflammatory Bowel
Klinefelter’s Syndrome, Obesity)
Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Disease/Crohn’s, Liver
Cancer Center
Disease, Celiac Disease)
Thomas J. Starc
Pediatric Gastroenterology
Morgan Stanley Children’s
Bonita H. Franklin
1275 York Avenue, 212-639-8138
Hospital of NewYork-
NYU Langone Medical Center
Pediatric Endocrinology (Cancer
Keith J. Breglio
Presbyterian/Columbia
109 Reade Street, 212-732-2401
Survivors-Late Effects of
Mount Sinai Medical Center
3959 Broadway, 212-305-4432
Pediatric Endocrinology
Therapy, Growth Disorders in
5 East 98th Street,
Pediatric Cardiology
(Diabetes, Growth Disorders,
Childhood Cancer)
212-241-5415
(Cholesterol/Lipid Disorders)
Thyroid Disorders)
60
New York Family | October 2013
continued on page 62
www.newyorkfamily.com
continued from page 60 Pediatric
William Spivak
1275 York Avenue, 212-639-2153
1275 York Avenue, 212-639-6793
Gastroenterology
Komansky Center for
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
(Crohn’s
Children’s Health of NewYork-
(Retinoblastoma, Brain & Spinal
(Neuroblastoma, Bone Marrow
Disease, Ulcerative Colitis,
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Cord Tumors, Brain Tumors,
Transplant, Immunotherapy)
Gastroesophageal Reflux
177 East 87th Street
Pediatric Cancers)
Disease (GERD))
212-369-7700
Judith R. Marcus
Pediatric Gastroenterology
Sharon L. Gardner
NewYork-Presbyterian/
Mirna A. Chehade
(Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s
NYU Langone Medical Center
Columbia University Medical
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Disease, Nutrition, Esophageal
160 East 32nd Street, 212-263-
Center
5 East 98 Street, 212-241-4880
Disorders)
8400
161 Ft Wasthington Avenue, 212-
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
305-5808
(Neuro-Oncology)
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
Pediatric Gastroenterology (Endoscopy, Food Allergy,
PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGY-
Esophageal Disorders)
ONCOLOGY
(Leukemia, Lymphoma, James H. Garvin
Bleeding/Coagulation Disorders, Thrombocytopenic Purpura)
Philip G. Kazlow
Alexander Aledo
Morgan Stanley Children’s
Morgan Stanley Children’s
Komansky Center for
Hospital of NewYork-
Hospital of NewYork-
Children’s Health of NewYork-
Presbyterian/Columbia
Paul A. Meyers
Presbyterian/Columbia
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
161 Fort Washington Avenue,
Memorial Sloan-Kettering
3959 Broadway, 212-305-5903
525 East 68th Street
212-305-5808
Cancer Center
Pediatric Gastroenterology
212-746-3400
Pediatric Hematology-
1275 York Avenue, 212-639-5952
(Inflammatory Bowel Disease,
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
Oncology (Brain Tumors,
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
Celiac Disease, Nutrition)
(Leukemia, Lymphoma, Bone
Pediatric Cancers, Bone Marrow
(Pediatric Cancers, Bone
Tumors)
Transplant)
Tumors, Sarcoma)
Morgan Stanley Children’s
Francine Blei
Patricia J V Giardina
Richard O’Reilly
Hospital of NewYork-
St. Luke’s - Roosevelt Hospital
Komansky Center for
Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Presbyterian/Columbia
Center - Roosevelt Division
Children’s Health of NewYork-
Cancer Center
21 West 86th Street
1000 10th Avenue, 212-523-8931
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
1275 York Avenue, 212-639-5957
212-305-5903
Pediatric Hematology-
525 East 68th Street, 212-746-
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
Pediatric Gastroenterology
Oncology (Hemangiomas,
3400
(Bone Marrow Transplant, Stem
(Celiac Disease, Liver Disease,
Vascular Anomalies, Vascular
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
Cell Transplant, Hematologic
Short Bowel Syndrome,
Malformations, Lymphedema)
(Thalassemia)
Disorders)
Joel E. Lavine
Nutrition) James Bussel
Linda Granowetter
Sujit Sheth
Joseph Levy
Komansky Center for
NYU Langone Medical Center
Komansky Center for
NYU Langone Medical Center
Children’s Health of NewYork-
160 East 32 Street, 212-263-
Children’s Health of NewYork-
160 East 32nd Street,
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
9660
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
212-263-5407
525 East 68th Street
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
525 East 68 Street, 212-746-
Pediatric Gastroenterology (Ce-
212-746-3400
(Bone Tumors, Lymphoma,
3400
liac Disease, Gastroesophageal
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
Sarcoma-Soft Tissue, Ewing’s
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
Reflux Disease (GERD), Nutrition
(Bleeding/Coagulation
Sarcoma)
(Sickle Cell Disease, Hemophilia,
in Autism, Inflammatory Bowel
Disorders, Platelet Disorders,
Disease/Crohn’s)
Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome)
Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Peter G. Steinherz
Steven Lobritto
William L. Carroll
Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Morgan Stanley Children’s
NYU Langone Medical Center
1275 York Avenue, 212-639-7250
Cancer Center
Hospital of NewYork-
160 East 32nd, 212-263-8400
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
1275 York Avenue, 212-639-7951
Presbyterian/Columbia
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
(Leukemia, Bone Marrow
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
3959 Broadway, 212-305-3000
(Leukemia, Hematologic
Transplant, Immune Deficiency,
(Leukemia & Lymphoma,
Pediatric Gastroenterology
Malignancies)
Stem Cell Transplant)
Pediatric Cancers, Wilms’ Tumor,
Nai-Kong V. Cheung
Kim Kramer
Thalassemia) Nancy A. Kernan
(Hepatitis, Liver Disease, Transplant Medicine-Liver)
Kidney Cancer) Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Tanya M. Trippett
Robbyn E. Sockolow
Cancer Center
Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Komansky Center for
1275 York Avenue, 646-888-2313
1275 York Avenue, 212-639-6410
Cancer Center
Children’s Health of NewYork-
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
1275 York Avenue, 212-639-8267
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
(Neuroblastoma, Pediatric
(Neuroblastoma, Brain & Spinal
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
505 East 70th Street,
Cancers, Clinical Trials)
Cord Tumors)
(Hodgkin’s Lymphoma,
Pediatric Gastroenterology
Ira J. Dunkel
Brian H. Kushner
(Celiac Disease, Crohn’s Disease)
Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Cancer Center
Cancer Center
646-962-3869
62
Pediatric Cancers)
New York Family | October 2013
continued on page 64
www.newyorkfamily.com
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Infections, Tick-borne Diseases,
Howard Trachtman
Presbyterian/Columbia
Tuberculosis)
NYU Langone Medical Center
Michael A. Weiner
3959 Broadway Street,
Morgan Stanley
212-305-9445
Children’s Hospital
Pediatric Infectious Disease (HIV,
of NewYork-
Vaccines, Hepatitis)
Presbyterian/Columbia
160 East 32nd Street PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY
212-263-5940 Pediatric Nephrology
Corinne Benchimol
(Electrolyte Disorders,
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Hypertension, Hemolytic
161 Fort Washington Avenue,
John G. Larsen
5 East 98 Street, 212-241-6187
Uremic Syndrome, Electrolyte
212-305-9770
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Pediatric Nephrology (Dialysis
Disturbances)
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
1245 Park Avenue, 212-427-0540
Care, Hemolytic Uremic
(Lymphoma, Lymphoma, Non-
Pediatric Infectious Disease
Syndrome, Glomerulonephritis)
Natalie M. Neu
Valerie L. Johnson
Leonard Wexler
Morgan Stanley Children’s
Komansky Center for
Max M. April
Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Hospital of NewYork-
Children’s Health of NewYork-
NYU Langone Medical Center
Cancer Center
Presbyterian/Columbia
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
240 East 38 Street
1275 York Avenue, 212-639-7990
3959 Broadway, 212-305-4558
505 East 70th Street
646-501-7890
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
Pediatric Infectious Disease
646-962-4324
Pediatric Otolaryngology
(Rhabdomyosarcoma, Bone
(AIDS/HIV, Sexually Transmitted
Pediatric Nephrology (Nephrotic
(Sinus Disorders, Neck Masses,
Cancer, Gastrointestinal Stromal
Diseases)
Syndrome, Glomerulonephritis,
Laryngeal Disorders, Sleep
Hypertension, Transplant
Apnea)
PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY
Hodgkin’s, Leukemia)
Tumors, Sarcoma-Soft Tissue) Roberto Posada
Medicine-Kidney)
Birte Wistinghausen
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Mount Sinai Medical Center
5 East 98 Street, 212-241-7968
Eduardo Perelstein
New York Eye & Ear Infirmary
1468 Madison Avenue
Pediatric Infectious Disease (HIV,
Komansky Center for
261 Fifth Avenue, 212-679-3499
212-241-7022, Pediatric
Lyme Disease)
Children’s Health of NewYork-
Pediatric Otolaryngology
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
(Ear Infections, Neck Masses,
Hematology-Oncology
Jay Dolitsky
(Sarcoma, Leukemia &
Alice S. Prince
505 East 70th Street
Choanal Atresia, Tonsil/Adenoid
Lymphoma)
Morgan Stanley Children’s
646-962-4324
Disorders)
Hospital of NewYork-
Pediatric Nephrology (Kidney
PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS
Presbyterian/Columbia
Failure, Glomerulonephritis,
Joseph Haddad
DISEASE
650 West 168th Street
Hypertension)
Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-
212-305-4558 William Borkowsky
Pediatric Infectious Disease
NYU Langone Medical Center
Jeffrey M. Saland
Presbyterian/Columbia
Mount Sinai Medical Center
3959 Broadway, 212-305-8933
550 1st Avenue, 212-263-6513
Lisa Saiman
5 East 98th Street, 212-241-6187
Pediatric Otolaryngology (Ear
Pediatric Infectious Disease
Morgan Stanley Children’s
Pediatric Nephrology
Infections, Sinus Disorders, Cleft
(AIDS/HIV, Congenital
Hospital of NewYork-
(Transplant Medicine-Kidney,
Palate/Lip)
Infections, Immune Deficiency)
Presbyterian/Columbia
Kidney Disease, Hypertension
3959 Broadway, 212-305-4558
in Children, Hemolytic Uremic
Anne A. Gershon
Pediatric Infectious Disease
Syndrome)
Morgan Stanley Children’s
(Cystic Fibrosis Infection, Fungal
64
New York Family | October 2013
continued on page 66
www.newyorkfamily.com
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continued from page 64 Jacqueline Jones
Hospital of NewYork-
(Arthritis, Scleroderma, Lupus/
Francisca T. Velcek
Komansky Center for
Presbyterian/Columbia
SLE, Dermatomyositis)
Lenox Hill Hospital
Children’s Health of
3959 Broadway, 212-305-5122
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill
Pediatric Pulmonology (Sleep
Cornell
Disorders/Apnea, Asthma)
1175 Park Avenue, 212-996-
965 5th Avenue, 212-744-9396 PEDIATRIC SURGERY
Pediatric Surgery (Anorectal Malformations, Pediatric
Lawrence Bodenstein
Gynecology, Neonatal Surgery, Hernia)
2559
Gerald M. Loughlin
Morgan Stanley Children’s
Pediatric Otolaryngology
Komansky Center for
Hospital of NewYork-
(Sinus Disorders/Surgery, Ear
Children’s Health of NewYork-
Presbyterian/Columbia
Infections)
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
3959 Broadway, 212-342-8586
525 East 68th Street
Pediatric Surgery
PEDIATRICS Dennis Allendorf
Vikash K. Modi
646-962-3410
Komansky Center for
Pediatric Pulmonology (Sleep
Arthur Cooper
Columbia University Medical
Children’s Health of NewYork-
Disorders/Apnea, Swallowing
Harlem Hospital Center
Center
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Disorders, Asthma & Chronic
506 Lenox Avenue
401 West 118th Street
428 East 72nd Street
Lung Disease, Breathing
212-939-4003
212-666-4610
646-962-3017
Disorders)
Pediatric Surgery (Endoscopy,
Pediatrics (Congenital
Trauma, Disaster Preparedness,
Anomalies)
Pediatric Otolaryngology
NewYork-Presbyterian/
(Airway Disorders, Airway
Andrew S. Ting
Reconstruction, Tonsil/Adenoid
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Disorders, Cleft Palate/Lip)
5 East 98th Street,
Howard B. Ginsburg
St. Luke’s - Roosevelt Hospital
212-241-7788
NYU Langone Medical Center
Center
Michael A. Rothschild
Pediatric Pulmonology (Asthma,
530 First Avenue, 212-263-7391
1111 Amsterdam Avenue
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Cystic Fibrosis, Bronchoscopy,
Pediatric Surgery (Neonatal
212-523-3847
1175 Park Avenue,
Cough)
Surgery, Tumor Surgery,
Pediatrics (AIDS/HIV)
212-996-2995
Child Abuse) Stephen Arpadi
Pediatric Urology,
Pediatric Otolaryngology
Alfin G. Vicencio
(Ear Disorders, Sleep Apnea,
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Sinusitis)
5 East 98th Street, 212-241-7788
Michael La Quaglia
530 1st Avenue, 212-263-7225
Pediatric Pulmonology (Asthma,
Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Pediatrics (Dysautonomia)
Bronchoscopy, Interventional
Cancer Center
Pulmonology)
1275 York Avenue, 212-639-7002
Staci M. Bodner
Pediatric Surgery (Cancer
Morgan Stanley Children’s
PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY Andrei E. Constantinescu
Gastrointestinal Surgery)
Felicia B. Axelrod NYU Langone Medical Center
Morgan Stanley Children’s
Andrew H. Eichenfield
Surgery, Neuroblastoma, Liver
Hospital of NewYork-
Hospital of NewYork-
Morgan Stanley Children’s
Cancer)
Presbyterian/Columbia
Presbyterian/Columbia
Hospital of NewYork-
3959 Broadway, 212-305-5122
Presbyterian/Columbia
William Middlesworth
212-988-6500
Pediatric Pulmonology
3959 Broadway, 212-305-9304
Morgan Stanley Children’s
Pediatrics (Neonatology)
(Cystic Fibrosis, Pulmonary
Pediatric Rheumatology
Hospital of NewYork-
Complications-Neurodisability,
(Juvenile Arthritis, Lyme Disease,
Presbyterian/Columbia
Bruce J. Brovender
Pulmonary Infections, Asthma)
Lupus/SLE)
3959 Broadway, 212-342-8585
Komansky Center for
Pediatric Surgery
Children’s Health of NewYork-
125 East 72nd Street
Mary Dimaio
Lisa F. Imundo
Komansky Center for
Morgan Stanley Children’s
Peter Midulla
1559 York Avenue
Children’s Health of NewYork-
Hospital of NewYork-
Mount Sinai Medical Center
212-585-3329
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Presbyterian/Columbia
5 East 98 Street, 212-241-1608
Pediatrics
1440 York Avenue
3959 Broadway, 212-305-9304
Pediatric Surgery (Hernia,
212-988-5008
Pediatric Rheumatology (Lupus/
Gastrointestinal Surgery,
Harris E. Burstin
Pediatric Pulmonology (Cystic
SLE, Juvenile Arthritis)
Minimally Invasive Surgery,
NYU Langone Medical Center
Neonatal Surgery)
317 East 34th Street, 212-725-
Fibrosis, Asthma, Allergy)
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Herbert Lazarus
6300
Meyer Kattan
NYU Langone Medical Center
Nitsana A. Spigland
Pediatrics (Asthma, Allergy,
Morgan Stanley Children’s
390 West End Avenue
Komansky Center for
Critical Care)
Hospital of NewYork-
212-787-1444
Children’s Health of NewYork-
Presbyterian/Columbia
Pediatric Rheumatology
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Michel A. Cohen
3959 Broadway, 212-305-5122
(Juvenile Arthritis, Lyme Disease,
520 East 70th Street, 212-746-
NYU Langone Medical Center
Pediatric Pulmonology
Pain-Musculoskeletal)
5648
46 Warren Street, 212-226-7666
Pediatric Surgery (Pediatric
Pediatrics (Child Development,
Thomas Lehman
Cancers, Minimally Invasive
Sleep Disorders)
Hospital for Special Surgery
Surgery, Pediatric Thoracic
Carin Lamm
535 East 70 Street, 212-606-1151
Surgery, Neonatal Surgery)
Morgan Stanley Children’s
Pediatric Rheumatology
(Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis, Chronic Lung Disease)
66
New York Family | October 2013
continued on page 68
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continued from page 66 Jennifer Cross
Neal M. Kotin
Meryl Newman-Cedar
19 West 34th Street,
Komansky Center for
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Komansky Center for
212-268-4440
Children’s Health of
1125 Park Avenue, 212-289-1400
Children’s Health of NewYork-
Pediatrics (Eating Disorders,
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill
Pediatrics (Asthma, Bronchitis,
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Obesity)
Cornell
Sleep Disorders, Pulmonary
215 East 79th Street,
525 East 68th Street
Disease)
212-737-7800
Marie V. Sanford
Pediatrics (Child Development)
Komansky Center for
646-962-4303 Pediatrics (Learning Disorders,
Signe S. Larson
Child Development, Behavioral
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Kevin C. Oeffinger
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Disorders)
1245 Park Avenue, 212-427-0540
Memorial Sloan-Kettering
12 West 72nd Street,
Pediatrics (Pediatric
Cancer Center
646-962-7800
Endocrinology)
300 East 66th Street
Pediatrics
Gary S. Edelstein
Children’s Health of NewYork-
646-888-4730
Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-
George M. Lazarus
Pediatrics (Cancer Survivors-
Barney Softness
Presbyterian/Columbia
Morgan Stanley Children’s
Late Effects of Therapy)
Morgan Stanley Children’s
125 East 72nd Street
Hospital of NewYork-
212-988-6500, Pediatrics
Presbyterian/Columbia
Eric Sin-Kam Poon
Presbyterian/Columbia
106 East 78th, 212-744-0840
New York Downtown Hospital
450 West End Avenue,
Pediatrics
170 William Street, 212-312-5350
12-769-3070
Pediatrics (Asthma, Pediatric
Pediatrics (Diabetes)
Genevieve E. Ferrier NYU Langone Medical Center
Hospital of NewYork-
46 West 11th Street
Susan E. Levitzky
Cardiology, Developmental
212-529-4330
NYU Langone Medical Center
Disorders)
Pediatrics (Developmental &
161 Madison Avenue
Behavioral Disorders)
212-213-1960, Pediatrics
Laura Popper
1125 Park Avenue,
(Asthma, Child Development,
Mount Sinai Medical Center
212-289-1400
Adoption & Foster Care)
116 East 66th Street
Pediatrics (Developmental &
212-794-2136, Pediatrics
Behavioral Disorders)
Stephanie B. Freilich Mount Sinai Medical Center
Barry B. Stein Mount Sinai Medical Center
1125 Park Avenue, 212-289-1400
Evelyn G. Lipper
Pediatrics
Komansky Center for
Paula J. Prezioso
Jennifer Trachtenberg
Children’s Health of NewYork-
NYU Langone Medical Center
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Judith Goldstein
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
317 East 34th Street
1125 Park Avenue,
Komansky Center for
525 East 68th Street
212-725-6300, Pediatrics
212-289-1400
Children’s Health of NewYork-
646-962-4303
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Pediatrics (Learning Disorders,
Harold S. Raucher
1559 York Avenue, 212-585-3329
Behavioral Disorders, Child
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Pediatrics (Neonatal Care,
Development)
1125 Park Avenue, 212-289-1400
Michael R. Traister
Pediatrics (Infectious Disease,
NYU Langone Medical Center
Travel Medicine)
390 West End Avenue,
Infectious Disease) Cecelia McCarton
Pediatrics (Parenting Issues, Weight Management)
Dyan S. Hes
Montefiore Medical Center-
Komansky Center for
Einstein Campus
Lori J. Rosello
Pediatrics (Adoption
Children’s Health of NewYork-
350 East 82nd Street
NYU Langone Medical Center
& Foster Care)
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
212-996-9019
46 West 11th Street, 212-529-
67 Irving Place, 212-473-4200
Pediatrics (Autism, Learning
4330, Pediatrics
Pediatrics (Obesity, Weight
Disorders, ADD/ADHD,
Management)
Developmental Disorders)
212-787-1444
Sylvain M. Weinberger NYU Langone Medical Center
Michael Rosenbaum
51 East 25 Street,
Morgan Stanley Children’s
212-598-0331
Sarla Inamdar
Margaret T. McHugh
Hospital of NewYork-
Pediatrics (Prematurity/Low
Metropolitan Hospital Center
Bellevue Hospital Center
Presbyterian/Columbia
Birth Weight Infants)
1901 1st Avenue, 212-423-6228
462 First Avenue
450 West End Avenue, 212-
Pediatrics (Rheumatology)
212-562-5524, Pediatrics (Child
769-3070, Pediatrics (Nutrition,
Michael Yaker
Abuse, Adolescent Medicine)
Growth Disorders, Obesity)
Mount Sinai Medical Center
NYU Langone Medical Center
Louis G. Monti
Suzanne Rosenfeld
212-874-4500
390 West End Avenue
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Komansky Center for
Pediatrics
212-787-1444, Pediatrics
55 East 87th Street, 212-722-
Children’s Health of NewYork-
0707
Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Sol S. Zimmerman
Pediatrics (Infectious Disease)
450 West End Avenue,
NYU Langone Medical Center
212-769-3070
317 East 34th Street
Pediatrics (Adolescent Medicine)
212-725-6300
Max A. Kahn
Marie B. Keith
620 Columbus Avenue
NYU Langone Medical Center 552 Broadway, 212-334-3366
Ramon J C Murphy
Pediatrics
Mount Sinai Medical Center
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Pediatrics (Growth/Development
1245 Park Avenue, 212-427-0540
Ira M. Sacker
Disorders, Behavioral Disorders,
Pediatrics
NYU Langone Medical Center
Cough-Tic Syndrome)
New York Family | October 2013
www.newyorkfamily.com
THE
MOMS OF
R E A L E S TAT E
Four Local Moms And Real Estate Power Players Explain What “Location, Location, Location” Means To Them By Eric Messinger As mothers across the city process the varying views on leaning in, opting out, and balancing it all, we turned to four power players in NYC’s fast-paced real estate industry to get their perspectives on work, motherhood, and making smart real estate choices for your family. If your idea of “having it all” means loving where you live, cherishing family time, and keeping on top of one of the most competitive fields in the city, these maverick moms have the market cornered (part one of two).
MARYANNE GILMARTIN, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF FOREST CITY RATNER COMPANIES
MaryAnne Gilmartin at New York by Gehry at 8 Spruce Street.
Describe your main professional responsibilities. After 20 years of working under Bruce Ratner, founding chairman and CEO of Forest City, he asked me to succeed him in running the day to day business. I am responsible for both the development business and the operating portfolio of the New York operation.
Tell us about any career highlights you’re proud of. There are three great New York icons I had the great honor of helping to shape—the New York Times building in Midtown, New York by Gehry at 8 Spruce Street, and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Each of these changed the city skyline and contributed nicely www.newyorkfamily.com
to the health of our city. This not only makes the work rewarding, but it also makes it easier for my kids to understand and appreciate what I do. Do you have any rules to help balance work and home life? First, I refuse to use the word “balance.” It sets me up to fail. I haven’t truly felt balanced in a long time. The work-life push-pull is more like a seesaw… This view has saved me from extreme guilt and hopelessness. Second, I cheat with sleep. The early morning is time for body and soul—that’s when I exercise. Late at night, I do my best thinking… Third, when I am with my kids, I am with them... This is a somewhat sacred rule, and it’s helped keep me whole as a working mom. Finally, I remember that my husband is always there for our family. As a stay-at-home dad, he is our quiet warrior and my secret weapon. He often coaches me to let go and let him take charge when it comes to the demands of home life. What neighborhood and in what kind of housing do you live? For over a decade, we raised our children in Westchester because when my husband and I decided to have kids, we couldn’t afford to live the life we wanted in the city. We decided the added space, the quality of life, and the grass between their toes would be better for them. But we stayed connected to the city through that period—so much so that a year ago our 15-year-old led a relentless campaign to move to Brooklyn. At the end of August, we moved to Park Slope and the kids just started school around the block from our brownstone. What do you like most about your neighborhood? What’s not to like about Park Slope? The brownstone continued on page 70
September 2013 | New York Family
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scale, the tree-lined streets, the park; great transportation, amazing food and culture—it’s simply divine. It’s close to my work, which has great benefits, but also drawbacks. Development can be controversial—and some folks like what we have done and some don’t. This means I have brought some of that tension closer to my family, but all in all, it feels great. Tell us about your kids and some of the neighborhood gems you like to share with them? Every street, park, and corner is a place of discovery. Sixteen-year-old Devin loves the French crepes around the corner, 14-year-old Aidan loves Bergen Comics, and 9-year-old Tess just loves her school… Tess’ beaming smile as she entered her first day of 4th grade was the ultimate validation for our family’s adventurous relocation to Brooklyn. While it’s still new to us as a family, the neighborhood gems will no doubt run far and wide—dog runs at Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and the [Brooklyn Museum] are just a few promising faves. What are some of your favorite pearls of advice for families figuring out whether to choose the city over the suburbs? Having lived in the ‘burbs, I appreciate the value proposition. But the commute to Brooklyn from Westchester was at times taxing; it created stress for me that at times made it very challenging as a working mom. The city today is so healthy and vibrant and it’s a cultural mecca for curious children and budding minds. I would say, if one can afford to raise a family in the city, there has never been a better time.
Melissa Pianco, Executive Vice President for Development at Gotham Organization
York. What that means is I take them through the entitlement phase, the acquisition, the financing, the joint venture negotiations, through the design, the oversight on construction through to marketing, and then ultimately to leasing the buildings. What are the biggest challenges of your job? The most difficult thing is keeping all the balls in the air and making sure that you toss the right one up at the right time. Tell us about one of your career highlights. The one I feel is my career highlight today is Gotham West. I was hired by Gotham Organization to work on that project about nine years ago. At that time, it was just an idea. I really nursed it through being built and to now getting leased. So it’s been an incredible opportunity to see a project from start to finish. How would describe the essence of Gotham West? Gotham West is a full-service luxury residential building [located on 45th Street and 11th Avenue]. It has a tremendous amount of amenities, including a playground and a playroom…in fact the toys for the playroom were actually selected by me, my 6-yearold, and my 3-year-old. Do you have any personal rules that help you balance work and home life? I think you’ve got to accept that not everything’s always going to be 100 percent… At work you’ve got to figure out how to delegate, and on the home front, it’s figuring out the things that matter to you. For example, I don’t cook… We’ve figured out how to make sure there’s dinner on the table every night, and my husband’s a good cook, but I gave up on being the host for holidays. I let my in-laws and parents handle that… For example, there was a big holiday and someone called me in the office and said: “How are you not home cooking?” And my response was: “I’m not the one who’s cooking. My kids are excited about the holiday and I’m going to feel good about the holiday, but I’m not going to be the one who made the turkey.” And that has to be okay. Tell us about why you chose the city over the suburbs. To be a working mom, I found it imperative to stay in the city and not move to the suburbs. Because if you work a lot of hours and you’re also not living somewhere close to where you work, the time that you might have had to see your kids is taken up with commuting. My husband and I are both urban people and we love being a part of New York. On a practical level, we decided to stay in the city because it was going to be much easier for our family.
Melissa Pianco with her children in the play room at Gotham West.
Where do you live, and how old are your children? I live on the Upper West Side in a condo. I have a little boy, who’s 3, and a girl who’s 6.
Describe your main professional responsibilities. I oversee all of our residential projects here in New
continued on page 72
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New York Family | September 2013
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What are some hidden gems on the Upper West Side that you and your family love? I think the thing that’s really been great for us is The JCC. My oldest went to preschool there and my other child still goes to preschool there, and it offers such an array of different activities—every Saturday they have free programming and you can just drop in… It’s called R and R and it’s a great resource for the community. Is there anything about your condo that is particularly conducive to family living? I don’t like to take my work home with me, so I bought a fully renovated unit. A long time ago we bought a co-op and I gutted it and spent time picking every fixture and appliance; that was before kids. [With] kids and a full time job, you just want to move into something that’s done. What is your advice for families who are deciding where to live in the city? When you first have a child, you don’t really think about what services you’re going to need as the child gets older—so you want to make sure there are people with older children also living in your neighborhood, so you know it’s going to withstand the test of time.
Tyson Reist
Tami Veikos, Senior Vice President at Related Management Describe your main professional responsibilities. I manage the operations of over 10,000 luxury residential units across the country. Tell us about one of your career Tami Veikos at the highlights. Westport in Midtown. Unlike other developers and property managers, Related has an extensive customer service platform, which is something I helped develop. Related is continuously looking to expand and enhance the resident experience, so much so that we conduct yearly surveys to understand how residents are interacting with our properties and their overall lifestyle experience. Do you have any personal rules or priorities to help you balance work and home life? I try to be patient with myself and try not to put too much pressure on finding that “balance,” because
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every day is different and you really have to roll with it. Somehow I have never missed an important doctor/dental appointment for my daughters and have attended every concert, recital, and back-toschool night. They know they are my priority, but there are times I just can’t be home for dinner. But my biggest asset is my husband. Where do you live and in what kind of housing? I left New York City in 1998 when my second daughter was almost a year old. We now live in Westport, Connecticut in a private home on a quiet cul-de-sac. What do you like most about your neighborhood? Other than great schools, Westport has a lot of town amenities. We live on the Long Island Sound, so we have great beaches and waterfront living. We have a town pool, golf course, skating rink and tennis courts galore. People ask me where I go on vacation and I say: “Why go anywhere when you live in Westport?” What do you like most about your home? I like rustic and antique décor, and I spent several years attending antique fairs buying one piece at a time. I also expanded the house and redesigned both the exterior and interior spaces that needed updating… I like to say we added the charm factor to a house that had great bones but little in the way of warmth and character. What motivated you to move to Westport? I always intended to stay in New York City after getting married and having my first child… I knew, however, that if I wanted another child we might have to move because the cost of school for two, not to mention the space needed, would stretch the wisdom of staying in the city. After looking at many towns along the 95 corridor [with my then-husband], I fell in love with Westport… When I got divorced six years ago, I actually moved back to the city. I put my house on the market and picked out an apartment. However, as people started traipsing through our home, my daughters and I became miserable and realized how much we loved our home and couldn’t leave it. Tell us about your children—what are some of the neighborhood places and activities you like to share with them? My oldest daughter Madeleine Rose is 19 and a sophomore at the University of Michigan. My youngest daughter Juliet Claire is turning 16 in November. When the girls were little, we would spend countless hours down at the Westport town beach where they have a fantastic playground right on the sand. Apple picking at Silverman’s Farms was a fave, as well as many library events where celebrities, musicians, and writers would perform… There are also great restaurants and shopping, which, as the girls grew older, have become more “important” to them.
continued on page 74
www.newyorkfamily.com
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NY Family Magazine: September
Photo: Jade Albert
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What are some of your favorite tips for families who are debating whether to raise city kids or move to the suburbs? Everyone has to make their own minds up depending on their own experiences, history, finances, and lifestyle expectations. I think the most important thing to do is consider you and your partner’s circumstances, not just now but in the next 5-10 years, and what will ultimately make you happy first. I truly believe children follow their parents, and if you are not happy, they won’t be either.
Andrew Schwartz
Tricia Hayes Cole, Executive Managing Director at Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group Describe your main professional responsibilities. Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group is the recognized leader in the planning, design, marketing, and sale of luxury residential real estate. As a managing director, I oversee a team of personnel in all capacities of our role as sales and Tricia Hayes Cole and her marketing agent daughter, Waverly, in the including all phases children’s room at Manhattan of the planning, House, designed by Roto Studio. design, marketing, and sales processes for new developments. Tell us about some career highlights. I have worked on dozens of condominiums over the past 13 years, and I take pride in all of them. Sort of like your children—you love them all equally even though they have different strengths and different personalities. Do you have any personal rules or priorities to help you balance work and home life? I try very hard to not allow work to interfere with focusing 100 percent on spending quality time with my kids on the weekends. Also, it is non-negotiable for me if one of my kids has a special school event or performance that being there will always take priority. I also make sure to put the Blackberry down and give them each one-on-one attention every evening when I arrive home, including checking on the status of all the homework. Where do you live and in what kind of housing? We live in the Flatiron District, right near Madison Square Park, in a doorman condominium high rise.
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We own a duplex with a small terrace facing south. What do you like most about your neighborhood? When I first moved to the building in 1993, I was working on Wall Street, single, and just out of business school. I moved to the building and rented an unsold sponsor apartment with a roommate... It is such a central location—it is very easy to travel uptown or downtown, east or west… Over the years, the neighborhood has changed dramatically and seems to have evolved in parallel to my life and needs. In 1993 no one wanted to spend time in Madison Square Park, but now it is a wonderful spot where my kids and I love to play and relax—and eat at Shake Shack. What do you like most about your home? What do you like least? I rented in my building for five years before my husband and I bought our home. With the birth of our daughter on the horizon, we decided it was time to renovate…then expanded by combining with the one bedroom next door that my parents own. We absolutely love our home, but the downside of that is a constant feeling of “new home envy.” I’m fortunate to work on some of the most incredible new developments the city has to offer, so it can be very tempting. Tell us about your family. What are some of the neighborhood places and activities you like to share with them? I have three kids: 10-year-old Mackenzie, 7-year-old Bromme II who we call “Bix,” and 4-year-old Waverly. My kids all enjoy the neighborhood parks, especially Madison Square Park and the playground at Union Square Park. They take classes and attend summer camp at Chelsea Piers. My son Bix loves [going to] Chess NYC on West Third Street. Chelsea Waterside Park is a big hit in the hot summer months, as well as the Hudson River Park. Over the years the kids have enjoyed New York Kids Club and are especially fond of apple seeds. Being a math major in college, I was so excited to learn of the National Museum of Mathematics on 26th Street. What are some pearls of advice for families who are figuring out where to live in the city, or choosing between the city and the suburbs? One thing that has become very apparent to me over the years is to think about how your choice of home location will impact the commute to and from school every day. With three kids currently in two different schools, this is something I recognize has an impact on many other aspects of your lives in a real way.
for more urban living tips, visit newyorkfamilY.com
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C O L L E C T
SHOW DESIGN COMMITTEE CHAIRS: ELLIE CULLMAN A N D M A R I O B U AT TA
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D E C O R A T E
PA R K AV E N U E A R M O RY 6 4 3 PA R K A V E N U E AT 67 TH STR E E T N E W YO R K C I T Y
Exhibitor images: (Clockwise) Sylvia Powell Decorative Arts, Bridgehampton Art Gallery, Gary Rubinstein Antiques, Richters
T H U R S D A Y, O CTO B E R 10 – S U N D A Y, O CTO B E R 13, 2013
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F O R I N F O R M AT I O N , E V E N T S A N D U P D AT E S , C A L L 6 6 4 . 4 4 2 . 1 6 2 7 O R V I S I T W W W. A V E N U E S H O W S . C O M
home&away
Beyond The Knife: Spookiness Is Skin Deep With This Cool Carving Tip By Mia Weber
Butter & Scotch
From tasty treats to crafty costumes, Halloween is all about using your imagination and celebrating the unique mood of the fall season. We have a few fun tricks up our sleeves that (unlike your little monsters’ candy stash) we’re more than happy to share!
quality time
Wicked Tasty Caramel Corn By Stacey Gawronski Admit it: No Halloween party would be complete without caramel corn. We turned to the caramel corn experts behind Brooklyn confectionery Butter & Scotch, Allison Kave and Keavy Blueher, and they offered us a pumpkin pie caramel corn recipe as a “treat” for kids and a tasty twist as a “trick” for grown-ups.
1/4 cup coconut oil 1 cup popcorn 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter 2 cups sugar 1/2cup light corn syrup 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
As parents everywhere gear up to teach their little ones the Halloween traditions of yore, those ubiquitous flimsy pumpkin carving knives are inevitably going to pop up. The time it takes to saw out one jagged line might actually be a spookier concept than your jack-olantern itself, so why not switch over to a new tool for a cool new look? A simple Speedball linoleum cutter— which will equip you with several sized tips to create different sized lines and is available at most hardware stores—is perfect for shaving layers of pumpkin off to achieve an ethereal glow. Dig in about half way through the wall of the pumpkin to get the desired effect.
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2 teaspoons salt 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons nutmeg 2 teaspoons dried ground ginger
Makes around 6 large bags Pop the popcorn with the coconut oil in a popcorn machine or on the stove. Spread out the popcorn in a large rectangular baking dish and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter, sugar, and corn syrup over high heat. Stir well to combine, then heat until the sugar has caramelized. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda, salt, pumpkin seeds, and spices. Pour the hot caramel over the popcorn and, using heat-proof spatulas or spoons, toss the popcorn to coat. Put the caramel corn in the oven for 10 minutes, then remove it and toss again. Return it to the oven and repeat the process two more times. Remove the caramel corn from the oven and spread it out on a sheet tray to cool and harden. For a grownup “trick,” follow the same directions for Pumpkin Pie Caramel Corn, but substitute 1/4 cup bourbon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, and 1/4 cup chopped pecans for pumpkin seeds and spices. www.newyorkfamily.com
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quality time
Our Top 5 Picks For A Frighteningly Festive Halloween Costume By Savannah Birnbaum Gone are the days of ill-fitting, mass-produced Halloween costumes. Your watchwords for costume shopping are: quirky, crafty, and imaginative. Instead of buying a new, ready-made costume each year, opt for bits and pieces that have more staying power (this year’s superhero can be next year’s space alien). These picks have endless DIY potential, and kids will love creating their own costumes to fit unique characters that you won’t see at every costume party. The accessories provide endless fun for pretend play all year ‘round, and once they’ve run their course for one child, they’re ideal hand-me-downs for siblings, cousins, and friends.
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5 FOR MORE HALLOWEEN TRICKS AND TREATS VISIT NEWYORKFAMILY.COM
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1. For the Speed Demon The Baghera Racing Hat and Goggles are an absolutely adorable pick for imaginative little daredevils. This set has vintage flair and personality to spare—just add some boots and a leather jacket, and your mini Evel Knievel or Amelia Earhart will surely win the race to the candy bowl. Perfect for fast-paced kids who like to live on the edge in style. Ages 3+; $48, usa.alexandalexa.com 2. For the Sci-fi Lover Land of Nod’s Alien/Superhero Mask Kit is DIY fodder at its finest. Kids will love crafting their own masks, and since the kits include only sticker-backed felt for construction, it’s a no-mess operation. Each kit comes with materials for one superhero mask and one alien mask, so whether its Star Wars or Superman they’re into, little ones will delight in these topnotch disguises. Ages 4+; $24.95, landofnod.com 3. For the Wild Child An endearing alternative to the classic animal costume, the Wolf Ears from the Brooklynbased Coral & Tusk are handcrafted and fun. Whether your pup is going for the ferocity of the Big Bad Wolf or the bravery of Balto, these little ears will transform them instantly into an adorably mischievous woodland creature. Easy to put on and totally reusable, they’re the saving grace of busy Halloween calendars and go with almost any costume in the closet. All ages; $38, coralandtusk.com 4. For the Cutie Pie Like a cartoon come to life, Tokidoki’s Donutella and SANDy headbands are for anime-loving kiddos looking for a flight of fancy. There’s sugary sweet Donutella or spunky SANDy to choose from—but either way these multicolored headbands are plush and funky. They’ll be the vibrant envy of every trickor-treater in the usual line-up of Halloween orange and black! All ages; $15, tokidoki.com 5. For Celebrating Halloween All Week Stella McCartney’s Bump Badges are a great way to build up Halloween spirit. Just iron them right onto a t-shirt and kids can sport a spooky bat or some ghoulish eyes whenever they wish. Attaching these badges is a fun activity to do with youngsters, a fun surprise to plant in their dressers as Halloween approaches, or even a great favor option for any Halloween parties you have planned. $30 for a set of 4, stellamccartney.com
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the last word
Welcome To Cathattan As Her Daughter Builds A Mini Metropolis, One Local Mom Discovers An Unexpected Life Lesson
“How many more blocks is it?” My 6-year-old daughter’s words teeter precariously close to The Whining Zone. It’s Friday, the end of a week that seemed longer than others. We’re walking home from a playdate. I almost turn the question into a teachable moment (such a wince-inducing phrase) to reinforce those math skills. But I don’t. I stop. I block myself. “Five,” I say. Up ahead, large blocks of concrete (or other sufficiently hard material) make up the structure we call home. “Can you see our building?” “Ooh! I can!” she says. Home’s proximity knocks on her mind’s door, enters and energizes her. She starts to skip. I keep her tethered, my grip on her hand tighter than needed. Others march past us, carrying tonight’s dinner, burdens, cares. “Mailboxes,” she says, motioning with her chin. I see the blue letter portal ahead, another missing element she must add to It. The It in question is a permanent fixture that she’s built atop her bookcase at home. It takes up the length of her room. It has, among other things, five apartment buildings, a water filtration system, and a sushi restaurant. Rumor has it a Trader Joe’s is coming soon. It is Kitty City, also known as Cathattan. Current population: 41 cat Squinkies, 17 Hello Kitty figurines. She built Kitty City with, among other things, 12 empty Kleenex boxes, 30 old paper towel tubes, nine Starbucks cups, one Rubik’s Cube, and 23 rolls of tape. “Of course, mailboxes,” I respond. “What will you use to make ‘em?” She shrugs. She doesn’t know…yet. At home, dinner is scarfed, PJs are donned, snuggles begin on the couch. “Only one show,” I say, dictating another block—this one of time. “Three.” “One, babe. It’s late.” “Two?” This time she remembers to add, “Please?” “One and a half.” She thinks. “Deal.” One show ends. A half of one show ends. We cuddle in her bed. The sound machine flicked on to block noise. The curtains closed to block light.
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The comforter pulled up to block chill. I say I love you, twice, then once more, to block any doubt she may have that I do. In the kitchen, it happens again. The race that is repeated many times, daily. Anxious thoughts speeding to that familiar part of my mind, finding the infinitely tall tower, built with blocks of fear and tiles of guilt. At its center, constantly flashing: a neon-bright beacon of worry. I pour myself a glass of wine. Over the years, there have been a few short visits of depression. Thankfully, it is not a usual guest. “Maaaa-maaaa!” She beckons from her bed. I’m at her doorway. “You know Daddy’s floss?” Her voice lassos my wrist and gently tugs me into the room. “Yeah?” “The green flip container thingy it comes in. I could use that for mailboxes.” “Great idea, babe.” I kiss her. “It’s time for sleep though.” I carefully navigate another structure on the floor: the Island of Meow-Meow, where Kitty City citizens vacation. As I pass, a few wooden blocks wobble. Through tired eyes, she sees this. “You know, it’s good to knock the blocks down, Mama.” “Oh?” “I can rebuild anything,” she says. “And make it even better. Like you always tell me.” I laugh a little. “Glad you were listening, babe.” I pull on the door until she gives me a thumb’s up; the proper open-shut ratio has been reached. It’s good to knock the blocks down, Mama. I replay her words, to remember when I encounter my own blocks—those invisible ones that seem too big, too permanent to topple. Not how I thought it would happen, or who I thought it would happen to, yet there was a teachable moment tonight. I don’t wince. Heather Chaet lives on the UWS with her filmmaker husband and cat-obsessed daughter. Read more of her work at newyorkfamily.com and heatherchaet.com. www.newyorkfamily.com
Illustration by Justin Winslow
By Heather Chaet
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my world view
Creativity matters.
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how do you develop a child’s world view? You give them a place in the world. Léman Manhattan Preparatory School pairs an international experience with custom-tailored learning that ensures each child not only understands the world, but realizes their unique potential within it.
Limited number of placements available for Pre-K through 12th grade. For a private tour, call 212.232.0266 or visit lemanmanhattan.org/worldview
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