New York Lifestyles Magazine - April 2016

Vol. 2 #4 | April 2016

TV’s Judge

Marilyn Milian...

Radiates New York Style

Pat Colllins

April Broadway Review

Sesame Street A world of “Sunny Days”

Lee Abbamonte Global Traveler’s Favorite Destinations

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Table of Contents FOLLOW THE

Sun.

21

Feature 10 12 15 21

15

27

Publisher’s Note April at a Glance Cover Story: Living the Dream at The People’s Court Sesame Street: Sunny Days from New York to Around the World

Fashion

25 New York’s Swing and Paris’ Bling

Travel 27 33 38 41 45

Ten Best Places to Sleep in New York City South Africa, a World in One Country A Friends Getaway at Woodloch New Yorker Around the World Start Summer Early with a Trip to Aquatopia

Real Estate

49 The Carlton House: Exclusive Luxury on East 61st Street 53 A Brooklyn Heights Gem at 138 Pierrepont Street 57 Unique Prismatic Design: 400 Park Avenue South

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Table of Contents PURSUE

perfection.

84 77 Spas & Health

90

61 65 67 68 69 71

10 Food Swaps to Lose 10 (or More!) Pounds Beauty Renewal The Vegan Diet and the Fast-Paced New Yorker Spring Back Into Step Avoid Triggers that Could Ruin Self-Improvement Resolutions Going Organic

73 77 80 82

Organic Dining at its Best: Foragers Market Mr. Purple: Lower East Side Chic Kola House : Pepsi’s New Hip Restaurant Rarities: A Hidden Private Lounge in Midtown

Dining

Theater & Arts

83 On the Big Screen 84 April Broadway Review with Pat Collins 87 Pat Collins’ Picks of New Home Video Releases

Business & Finance

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88 10 Steps to Becoming a Successful Entrepreneur 90 Selling Your Stuff Online

Family

94 Laughter is Good Medicine

New York, NY

96 15 Minutes with Sheldon Harnick

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Vol. 2 #4 | April 2016 President / Publisher Bill Mason Executive Publisher Ernie Anastos

Editor at Large Nina Anastos Floyd

Vice President of Sales Lyle Seltzer

Director of Operations Kurt Nesheim

Marketing Director Phillip Anastos

Arts & Entertainment Editor Pat Collins

Fashion & Style Columnist Miki Makrillos

Real Estate Editor Daniel Bollinger

Art Director Eric Duncan

For more than twenty years, Royal Shell Real Estate has curated irresistible opportunities in luxury properties. We bring the global branding and marketing expertise that will achieve the outcome you desire wherever you want to live.

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Chief Photographer David Handschuh Medical Editors Doris Day, MD, Devi Nampiaparampil, MD, MS Contributing Writers Lee Abbamonte, Sana Butler Kristen Carlucci, RD, Karen Feld, Laurie A. Guzda Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, Midge Leavey Sandra Mardenfeld, Anthony Rapacciuolo Marvin Scott, Jeffrey Sylva Stephanie Sylva, Christal Young Webmasters Scott Cuollo, Richard Austin Sales Bill Mason Sr. - Director of New Business Development John Miller - Director of Sales - Travel Michael Stulmaker - Director of Sales - Real Estate New York Sales Office (646) 259-2651

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Editorial/Sales Fax (212) 202-4888

For subscriptions, address changes or back issues, call: (646) 259-2651 newyorklifestylesmagazine.com Facebook: /NYLifestylesMag Twitter: @NYLifestylesMag All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue is expressly forbidden without permission of the publisher. Printed in the USA. New York Lifestyles Magazine is published 12 times annually. © 2016 New York Lifestyles Magazine

RoyalShellRealEstate.com 239.689.7653 Florida: Bonita Springs/Estero, Cape Coral, Captiva Island, Fort Myers, Naples/Marco Island, Ocala and Sanibel Island North Carolina: Cashiers, Franklin, Highlands, Lake Glenville, Lake Toxaway, and Sapphire Valley

Publisher’s Note

“New York Lifestyles Magazine is a continuation of my passion to share news, information, and lifestyle stories about where and how we live. This commitment reflects a positive approach to offering compelling features with the highest quality presentation. As executive publisher, I am proud of our professional staff and my family who are helping to reshape the way you read and enjoy this exciting magazine.”

In this issue, our cover story celebrates native New Yorker and popular TV host of The People’s Court, Judge Marilyn Milian.

Born in Astoria, Queens to Cuban parents, her unique style brings great success to courtroom television. Judge Milian is bright, animated, level headed and provides an entertaining interaction with everyone on her show. Also, proud of her Cuban heritage, she often makes a judicial point by quoting expressive phrases from her loving grandmother.

Outside the courtroom, Marilyn enjoys her family and lends support to many community and philanthropic organizations. We’re very proud of you!

Also this month, we salute a New York-based institution, Sesame Street, a true pioneer in children’s television programming. The show has won more than 100 Emmys throughout its illustrious history.

“Sesame Street” has been applauded by everyone from parents and teachers to community leaders and broadcasters. This unrivaled children’s program has inspired wonderful new ways to communicate with our young people and expanded its reach to families all around the world. Congratulations!

In the coming months, we will keep you in touch with great stories and ideas that, we hope, will joyfully contribute to your own New York lifestyle experience.

-Ernie Anastos

Executive Publisher

Ernie Anastos is a celebrated author and distinguished Emmy Awardwinning TV news legend in New York. He is recognized as a champion for promoting more positive news and an influential voice in the world of media.

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April at a Glance

By Sandra Mardenfeld

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT April 13-24

15th Annual Tribeca Film Festival

TFF 2015 Tribeca Talks Directors Series with George Lucas and Stephen Colbert ©Photo courtesy of @JoeCav

Check out the next big Hollywood hit at Robert De Niro and friends’ Tribeca Film Festival (see tribecafilm.com for more details) in Lower Manhattan. Since 2002, cinema lovers have watched more than 1400 films from over 80 countries. This year, nearly every movie is some sort of debut and many screenings offer a Q&A with the director, cast or crew after the flick (like soccer phenom Pelé discussing his life after screening Pelé: Birth of a Legend). You’ll recognize lots of names, including Katie Holmes as a first-time director with All We Had, Kevin Spacey as President Nixon in Elvis and Nixon, Kristen Stewart and Nicholas Hoult in Equals and Paul Rudd (or, at least, his voice) in the R-rated cartoon Nerdland. But Tribeca is more than just the big screen, the series, Tribeca Talks, features intimate conversations with stars such as Tina Fey and Tom Hanks, and the Tribeca Festival Hub lets you experience new storytelling technologies with 23 virtual reality exhibits and interactive installations.

New York TechDay

TECHNOLOGY April 21

Technology: New York TechDay

Imagine a giant science fair that features the newest group of start-up companies—all hoping to hit the big time. If this sounds intriguing, then TechDay is for you! For its fifth anniversary, NY TechDay 2016 anticipates the largest gathering yet with a predicted 30,000 attendees and more than 550 technology businesses featured. So, come down to Pier 94 and maybe you’ll meet the innovators behind the next Uber.

Or, if you have a new product to show off to investors, become an exhibitor and connect with press, investors and other entrepreneurs.

See techdayhq.com/new-york to register for the event.

COMEDY April 1 through April 30

L ’ A U G H

National Humor Month

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Take time to laugh this month. Kick off the fun with a great April Fool’s hoax and keep the chuckles coming by decorating a smiley face or bringing some playfulness to your workplace on April 5th during International Fun-atWork Day (see humormonth.com for hilarious ideas like teaching your employees the art of scarf juggling). National Humor Month is all about celebrating the fun in life, from organizing a hum-a-long (who can stress with all that lip vibrating!) to getting your dose of laughter by watching the live comedy of New Yorker Jerry Seinfeld at the Beacon Theatre (April 14). For more information, see www.beacontheatre.com t

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Living the Dream at The People’s Court

By Anthony Rapacciuolo

ost readers will recognize New York native Marilyn Milian as the sassy and outspoken judge who presides over the multiple Emmy-Award winning show The People’s Court airing on FOX each afternoon. What most aren’t aware of, however, is her story of how she arrived, her role as a devout mother, philanthropist, and role model. New York Lifestyles Magazine had the privilege of interviewing her and learning about the woman behind the gavel-including a guilty pleasure she herself says she’s never revealed in an interview before.

Born in Astoria, Queens Judge Milian moved with her family at the age of 8 to Miami, Florida where she later graduated the University of Miami summa cum laude. She then attended Georgetown University Law Center, and at the age of 23 earned her Juris Doctorate, again with cum laude status. She returned to Florida and worked her way up the ranks of the court system over the course of 10 years where she was eventually appointed by Governor Jeb Bush to serve on the Miami Circuit Court. Then in 2001, she was approached about the opportunity to take the helm as Judge of The People’s Court TV series, and now as she celebrates her 15th season with the show, that’s where we begin our conversation with her.

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 15

As a child what did you want to be when you grew up?

I recently came across an old book that my mother kept when I was a child, and back then I wanted to be a ballerina. Later on, I thought about becoming an actress, and when I was in high school I wanted to become a psychologist. I finally decided to go to law school, because my parents convinced me that was the right choice. As a lawyer though, you have to hope the judge does what you think is right, but as a judge you actually get to do what you think is right.

I actually found my old law school applications and in one of the essays I wrote about my wanting to be a judge later in life. I’d forgotten I’d even written it, but apparently the seed was always there.

Your parents played a big role in your decision to become a lawyer, were they a guiding force in your life in general, as well?

Absolutely, both of them in fact. My father was an incredibly hard worker who came to this country from Cuba without a penny in his pocket and without being able to speak the language, and he worked his way up the ladder of success.

My mother was the traditional stay at home mom who obsessed over her kids. Neither of my parents went to college, and in fact neither one of them finished high school. For that reason, they made all the children in my family go to college, none of us would even think about the possibility of not going to college; it wasn’t even an option.

Fast forward now after college, and tell us about the process and how it came to be that you were selected for The People’s Court on FOX? Harvey Levin (the show’s producer) had left me a lot of messages, and I didn’t have the opportunity to call him back because I was on the bench deliberating a first degree murder trial. Then one Saturday morning, three days after I had started receiving the calls, my neighbor was driving by my house. She rolled down her window and asked me ‘Why aren’t you calling Harvey Levin back?’ Turns out that she had auditioned for what she thought was a new court room series created to feature a Latina, because at the time none of the other programs featured Hispanics. When she left her audition, Harvey Levin asked her if she knew of anyone else who would be a good candidate for the show, and she gave him my name and number. I never knew any of this until that day when she drove by.

What does it mean to you to have been selected and then to be 16 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

the first Latina woman to preside over a nationally syndicated courtroom TV show?

I remember when I first got the job, people would tell me that it was going to be ‘my thing’, that I was going to be seen as kind of a role model for the Latina community, and I thought it was silly.

But then, the show started getting emails from young Hispanics, I received a lot of speaking opportunities and that’s when I realized that those people were right. I thought to myself, just don’t screw this up. It’s a big responsibility, but it’s also an honor.

I just try and do the right thing every opportunity I have.

March marked your 15th year at the helm of The People’s Court, what’s a memorable case you’ve encountered?

In the past 15 years I’ve had a few favorites.

Early on I had a case involving a Whoopi Goldberg lookalike, who was suing her talent agent for booking her at Foxwoods and not paying her. Her star witness was a Rosanne Barr lookalike, the talent agent’s star witness was a Joe Pesci lookalike and the talent agent herself was a dead ringer for Marisa Tomei. Everyone was in my courtroom in character, and needless to say it was not only funny but memorable.

Tell us what your typical day is like outside the courtroom.

I work out every day to keep my sanity. I also aim to see my mother every day. She’s 90 years old and lives about 15 minutes away from me. We probably play about 4 games of Chinese checkers a day because I like to keep her mind working. On top of that, I have three teenage daughters, which keeps me very busy whether it’s volunteering at their school, driving them to volleyball, or rowing practice. In fact, I was just in Orlando and spent about 10 hours a day for four days watching my youngest daughter’s volleyball tournament. I also enjoy charity work. My husband, children, and I work closely with the Children’s Cancer Caring Center. When I met my husband he was a counselor there, and now my two oldest daughters are camp counselors for them every summer as well.

Talk about what it’s like when you’re at your daughter’s school or sporting events given your celebrity profile.

I’m fortunate because it’s enough to be flattering, but not enough to be annoying.

It isn’t like its J.Lo walking into a volleyball game or anything like that, but there are always people who ask me to stop and take pictures and stuff. It’s actually nice because no one ever stops you because they hate you, they stop you because they love you, so I give them the love back. My daughters are very supportive when something like that happens. I mean I’m their mom and they’re teenage girls, so to them I’m boring, I’m technologically challenged, I’m old-fashioned and maybe even annoying. But then all of sudden when we’re somewhere and people recognize me, they look at me with different eyes. I become cool because I’m their mom and I’m on television.

My dream would be that South Park had a judge character and I was asked to be the voice, or that they did a parody of The People’s Court.

APRIL APRIL 2016 2016| |NEW NEWYORK YORKLIFESTYLES LIFESTYLESMAGAZINE MAGAZINE|| 17

I know that you enjoy going to Broadway Shows. Elaborate on that, and tell us if we should expect to see your name on a Playbill anytime soon?

In the age of technology, pause and rewind, and constant distractions, Broadway is different. When you’re there, you’re living in the moment for those few hours and it’s unparalleled.

One of my favorite plays is In The Heights written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. As far as my making an appearance on Broadway, I was born to do what I’m doing, unless of course Lin-Manuel were to write a play involving a judge! Then that would be a different story.

What have you learned from your experiences that you would like to share with our readers?

The two most important things I’ve learned is, number one, never let anyone pigeonhole you, or more importantly, don’t ever pigeonhole yourself. I had a very definitive career path planned for myself and when the opportunity for The People’s Court presented itself I was scared to death because I was going to give up my gubernatorial appointment as a judge, and the show could have been cancelled the next day.

The second thing I’ve learned is to never let anyone else put a glass ceiling over you. I use the example of my husband when he took a 18 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

few years off between college and law school. When he later went back to his dean to get a letter of recommendation, the dean said he didn’t think law school was for him. My husband not only went to law school but became a Federal Prosecutor, Spokesman for The United States Attorney’s Office, a terrorism prosecutor and now a judge for the last 12 years. Situations like that are why it’s important to never let anyone put an artificial ceiling over you.

Tell our readers something they don’t know, what’s the Judge’s guilty pleasure?

South Park. I’ve seen every episode. My dream would be that South Park had a judge character and I was asked to be the voice, or that they did a parody of The People’s Court. We’ve been parodied by SpongeBob SquarePants, MAD TV, Talk Soup, The Simpsons and a few others, but never South Park and that would be the ultimate compliment.

You’ve accomplished so much including 15 years at The People’s Court, what do the next 15 years hold for you?

I’m living the dream! People ask me all the time how long am I going to continue to do this, and I tell them until they pry my cold XIJUF LOVDLMFT PČ UIF HBWFM t

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Sesame Street: Sunny Days from New York to Around the World

By Ivette Manners

or over four decades, 46 years to be exact, Sesame Street has educated and entertained millions of children—through television. One big parenting no-no is plopping your little one in front of the television to keep them busy, however parents of all backgrounds, socioeconomic status, and cultures have trusted this Muppet-based television show to teach and amuse their children. The preschool educational show, which first aired on November 10, 1969, has introduced children to a neighborhood where furry creatures live happily among humans, new lessons are learned every single day, and compassion for our neighbors is cool. Popular children’s songs and games like “One of These Things [Is Not Like the Others]” came out of this show and almost everyone—young and old—has a fond memory of Big Bird, Cookie Monster, or Oscar the Grouch. Here’s a look at the pioneering children’s show that started in a studio in New York City and touched many a generation and homes around the world.

Early Start The idea for Sesame Street stemmed from Children’s Television Workshop’s cofounders Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett’s drive to prove television can be used to teach young children. They wanted to create a vehicle to help reach the millions of children in underprivileged communities around the world prepare for school. During a dinner party in New York in 1966, Cooney, then a public television documentary producer, and Morrisett, an experimental psychologist, discussed their mutual interest in finding an effective way to improve access to preschool learning for disadvantaged children. As vice president of the Carnegie

Corporation of New York, a philanthropic foundation focused on education, Morrisett conducted several experiments to test children’s responses to the current teaching methods. His aim was to find a way to reach the large number of children who didn’t have the resources for an early start in school; Cooney’s goal was to merge education with entertainment. Cooney teamed up with Morrisett on a study to test their theory, build a proposal, and raise funds for their project. Total funding of $8 million finally came in from the Carnegie Corporation, the U.S. Department of Education, the Corporation of Public Broadcasting, and the Ford Foundation; and in 1968 the duo formed Children’s Television Workshop (renamed Sesame Workshop in 2000), which produced its first series—Sesame Street.

The model for the show was quick-pace programming with different education segments to hold children’s interest. Cooney assembled a multicultural cast of actors and hired puppeteer Jim Henson to create the now-iconic Muppet characters. The setting of the show was, and still is, a friendly street in a New York neighborhood, complete with a subway station, corner store, and brownstones.

By the end of the show’s first season, it had reached millions of preschoolers. Cooney and Morrisett’s dream was in full force. In 1972, the show launched its first international co-productions with Brazil and Mexico. Today, Sesame Street is locally produced in more that 30 countries and watched in over 150.

It’s only fitting that Sesame Street was born in the 1960s, when there was a major shift in culture, especially in the United States.

Since then, Sesame Street has stayed ahead of the learning curve by combining the latest forms of media with education.

Above photo: Pop sensation Nick Jonas sings about shapes with Cookie Monster, Bert and The Count as part of Sesame Street's 46th season.

Photo by Jesse Grant.

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 21

Grammy Award-winning artist Gwen Stefani visits Abby as part of Sesame Street’s 46th season. Photo by Jesse Grant.

Musical sensation Fifth Harmony visits Elmo as part of Sesame Street’s 46th season. Photo by Jesse Grant.

Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross talks about bedtime with Big Bird and friends as part of Sesame Street’s 46th season. Photo Jesse Grant.

Socially Aware On Sesame Street, there are always sunny days; not in a naive way, but as a positive outlook on even the most difficult situations. In addition to teaching kids their A, B, C’s, the show has aimed and succeeded in breaking down stereotypes, discussing complicated issues that families face, and helping children understand their emotions. “From the start, everything that Sesame Workshop does—from the show to online content—is aimed at making children smarter, stronger, and kinder,” says Sherrie Westin, EVP of Global Impact and Philanthropy at Sesame Workshop. “We go beyond basic learning. We believe that child development is not just educational, but also social and emotional.”

death and grieving. Teaching these tough life lessons has become a trademark of the show. Sesame Street has helped parents face and discuss complicated situations with their children. “We have seen how by touching one child we reach parents and a whole community,” said Westin. “Our Muppets have become a powerful teaching tool to change the behavior in children and parents.”

Even with Sesame Street’s recognizable name, characters, and actors, most people don’t realize the amazing work the show does around the world. The multi Emmy Award-winning show has become a solid platform in initiatives that help young children, their families, and communities work through issues like coping with death, illnesses, and prejudices. After the death of one of the show’s main characters in 1983—Mr. Hooper, played by actor Will Lee—the producers took the opportunity to talk to kids about 22 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

The most recent initiative that Sesame Workshop has launched is “Sesame Street for Military Families: Transitions”, which is geared to help young children cope with issues, such as parents deployment, parents coming home injured, and grieving. “There is a large number of American military families transitioning out of their military base and back into civilian life, and we want to help make the process easier,” says Westin. “We want to offer parents the tools to help our children flourish. It’s all about giving children their best chance to succeed in life.”

Star Power From the very beginning, Sesame Street has incorporated celebrity guests to entertain children, as well as their parents. In 1960, actor James Earl Jones appeared as the first celebrity guest on the show.

With the help of Mucko Polo, played by Alan Cumming, Nina, Grover, Oscar and Elmo use their five senses to search for grouchy things as part of Sesame Streetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 46th season. Photo by Zach Hyman.

Since then, more than 500 big-name actors, sports figures, and musical artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;including Robert Di Niro, James Gandolfini, Alec Baldwin, Lupita Nyongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;o, David Beckham, B.B. King, and Usherâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;have visited Sesame Street. This has helped solidify the show as a major television program.

The Muppets have become celebrities themselves, appearing in not only their own Hollywood films and spinoff shows, but also guest starring on other popular shows like Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The show has even incorporated political figures to help children work through their everyday issues and stay aware of the world around them. In 2002, then United Nations Secretary - General Kofi Annam appeared on the show to help teach children about conflict resolution. And to help kick off the showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 40th season in 2009, President Barack Obama gave a congratulatory message reminiscing on how he himself grew up watching the show and how his own children learned from watching Elmo and his pals.

He also remarked on how â&#x20AC;&#x153;the world is a better place for the world [created] on Sesame Street.â&#x20AC;?

Cooney and Morrisettâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard work has paid off in spades; Sesame Street now reaches over 150 million children around the globe. Studies show that there are high early-academic success rates among children who watch Sesame Street in areas where there is little or no means of education. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In areas where there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t much access to television we reach children by radio. For example, in India we also broadcast over radio and children gather to hear Galli Galli Sim Sim, the Indian co-production of Sesame Street,â&#x20AC;? says Westin. Methods like this have been effective. In Bangladesh, 4-year-olds who watch their local version of Sesame Street have literary scores that are 67% higher than those who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t watch. Bringing it back home, American children who watched Sesame Street as preschoolers achieved almost a 16% higher grade point average than those who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.

Sesame Street may be disguised as a fun, innocent show for preschool learning, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a powerhouse that has helped change how teachers work in the classroom, raise childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s literacy, BOE VOJUF QFPQMF BSPVOE UIF XPSME PO POF IBQQZ MJUUMF TUSFFU t

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 23

I am

confident

healthy

happy

strong

funny

a super hero

and a million other things.

â&#x201E;˘/Š 2015 Sesame Workshop

New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Swing and Parisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Bling

By Miki Makrillos

ew York City kicks off the four-week mega fashion event that takes place around the globe, followed by London, Milan, and finally ending big in Paris. During New York Fashion Week, the city is bustling with creative energy, chic models, in-the-know editors, and celebrities vying to secure the best frontrow seat in top designersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; showcases. Stages with long catwalks set the dramatic backdrop for each designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seasonal creations that come to life as they move in front of their audience, pausing but just briefly as live display. Fashion is about timing, and New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s swing sets in motion what is to come in the trend forecast.

The opposing forces between minimalism and maximalism will be the focus of fall fashion this year. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be a season of extremes blended with traditional elegance, functionality, and a graceful minimalist mood.

This past February, New York fashion week showcased maximalist trends crafted from fabrics woven with plenty metallic shimmer, rich textures, and details. Plaid was the pattern that took over the runway, though there were simpler, cleaner iterations with a twist of schoolgirl style. Velvet, in basic black, as well as pops of color, was also a preferred texture. Saturated colors and sumptuous furs played up with patterns were also on the runway scene. Leather looks from the classic trench to street-style ready pieces also dominated. Shapes and cuts were altogether more sophisticated and groomed than theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been in previous seasons.

Fallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s silhouettes feature asymmetrical cuts with just one side revealing subtle sex appeal; and creative layering introduces the sophisticated, modern version of jumper dresses. The accessories trend alert is all about ribbon neckties and statement standout earrings.

These trends are familiar to the elaborate, but this season, a more

toned down Paris â&#x20AC;&#x153;blingâ&#x20AC;? exhibited during Paris Fashion Week.

This season, Paris Fashion Week surprisingly bridged the French flare for dramatics with American classic style. The looks were about wearability with artistry, leading to a creative combination of functional pieces. There was a focus on layering, as well as ease.

Lengths and proportions fell past the knee; while scarves, capes, sweaters, and necklaces were in abundance giving each outfit a comfortable and worn look with an air of practicality. In addition, soft floral prints, casual lace-up, and knits laden with hardware were eye catching. Chunky knits layered with slip dresses and leather pants and jackets with silk scarves prints are some of the hard vs. soft details shown, which created real-life wearable looks.

Black-and-white, layers of lace, and embellished tweed were all part of the current style trends that created a balance between a maximalist designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective and the more practical, yet creatively demanding consumer.

It appears as if the fashion industry is in a flux of dilemma and change. To be a minimalist, where less is more? To be a maximalist, where more is more? Historically, there were extremes of these style trends, which were evident within the different runway shows (New York and Paris); however this fallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion trends seem to blend both extremes into the new â&#x20AC;&#x153;maximalist minimalismâ&#x20AC;? perspective, where designers have found a creative balance uncompromising to limitations of previous extreme perspectives.

Fall 2016 will be a creative, yet practically stylish fashion season that will fulfill both designer and consumer expectations. Yes, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be a season of Paris â&#x20AC;&#x153;blingâ&#x20AC;? combined XJUI B /FX :PSL iTXJOHw t About Miki Makrillos Miki Makrillos is a commentator on style and fashion on her website: wonderwomantalks.com APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 25

Family Escapes & Romantic Rendezvous

SPRING

break

Every season (and

experience) is one to remember at the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel. We’re open 52 weeks a year—and so is our Victoria’s Restaurant.

Call (800) 33 BEACH or (302) 227-7169, or visit www.boardwalkplaza.com for great package pricing.

2 Olive Avenue & the Boardwalk Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

Ten Best Places to Sleep in New York City

By Sandra Mardenfeld

ew York City is full of iconic and legendary hotels (think: the Waldorf Astoria and The Plaza) but it’s also a hotbed of chic lodgings. This year alone brings a slew of new ones, from super cool to posh. Just because we’re known “as the city that never sleeps” doesn’t mean you won’t want to set down those shopping bags and recharge before heading back out into Gotham’s nightlife. Check out our current favorites of New York City hotels.

The New York Edition First built in 1909 as the HQ for MetLife, this luxury hotel in the Flatiron District retains its historic 41-story clock tower—a site that allows guests amazing 360-degree views of the New York skyline. The 273 guest rooms marry simplicity with sophistication and contain oak floors and dark oak woodpaneled foyers that create intimate spaces much like a private home with a modern feel. The oversized windows offer closeup perspectives of Madison Square Park and the Empire State Building. The Ian Schrager/Marriott collaboration opened in 2015 and, even, offers special amenities for your dog. Other services include around-the-clock room service, a 24-hour fitness facility, and a spa that offers everything from massage to personal training. The Clocktower restaurant dishes up re-imagined classics (smoked salmon benedict?) and British cuisine (black pudding with your breakfast?). Two bars keep you from getting thirsty: the modern Lobby Bar offers casual elegance with floor-to-ceiling windows that face the park.

Try their signature cocktail, Edition Owl (vodka, spiced rum, cardamom, coconut, lime, almond and peach)—$1 from each drink goes to protect New York wild birds. The Gold Bar, with its herringbone floors and three-foot fiberglass globe chandelier suspended over a 24K gold leaf horseshoeshaped bar, provides a sophisticated ambience to before- or after-dinner cocktails. editionhotels.com/new-york

Photo by Nikolas Koenig

Baccarat Hotel & Residences Ah, a Parisian boudoir or pied-a-terre on 53rd Street no less.

These light, airy guest rooms, or should I say, les chambres, favor subtlety with crisp hues of ivory, platinum, steel, and chocolate brown. Each space is full of lovely artisanal details: original prints, Baccarat crystal fixtures, white marble bathrooms with waiting plush Italian robes. Plus, guests can indulge in a vacation-like atmosphere without ever leaving the hotel: get a cabana by the pool for a day of relaxation or go for a beauty retreat at the Spa De La Mer. Then enjoy dinner or drinks at one of the three dining establishments. There’s the French cuisine of executive chef Shea Gallante (who earned a Michelin star while at Cru) at the intimate Chevalier. Or visit The Grand Salon and its splendor—from a 64arm Baccarat chandelier to Jouffre silk-covered walls and parquet floors to comfortable banquettes. You’ll have access to a full bar menu/dining service from the kitchen of Chevalier. Oh, and food requests are always honored. Les Boissons or The Bar nods to its French heritage with barrel vaulting and natural-wood walls. The 60-foot saloon carries an extensive collection of imbibes—served in Baccarat crystal (what else?). If you want to go out, make sure you leave in style with Baccarat’s on-call chauffeur-driven vintage Citroen DS. baccarathotels.com APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 27

The Knickerbocker Luxury comes to Times Square at the corner of Broadway and 42nd. The original Beaux-Arts façade with its red terra cotta watched the space go through many changes. Initially, a 556-room hotel built by society scion John Jacob Astor IV in 1906. Rumor has it that the martini was created here by bartender Martini di Arma di Taggia and first tasted by John D. Rockefeller, who named the tasty drink after its maker. The space closed 15 years later as Prohibition curtailed nightlife culture and the market declined. In 1920, the building became offices and housed Newsweek magazine through the ’40s and ’50s. The facility transformed again in the 80s into lofts and then studios. The Knickerbocker opened in February 2015 and now has 330-rooms with bespoke furnishings and beautiful skyline views. The hotel’s rooftop bar, St. Cloud, even offers first-rate glimpses of the New Year’s Eve ball. Guest accommodations all contain luxury linens and spacious bathrooms with marble sinks and walk-in rain showers. Other amenities include cuisine by master chef Charlie Palmer (choose from the signature restaurant Charlie Palmer at The Knick; the artisanal café, Jakes @ The Knick; or their rooftop bar, St. Cloud). theknickerbocker.com

Paper Factory Hotel This retro hotel has a historic feel—and it’s no wonder, the building’s beginnings goes back to 1922 when radios and audio parts, then communication devices and televisions and, finally, paper were manufactured here. In 2012, real estate developer Gal Sela bought the 86,000-square-foot industrial Long Island City facility and began its makeover into a boutique hotel. The 122 guest rooms feature original materials from the warehouse, such as its smooth concrete floors, exposed pipes and vintage metal doors and contain unique custom-designed furniture from around the world.

The 12-foot ceilings, coupled with giant windows, give the space a 28 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

lovely, airy look. Even the lobby takes its past seriously, displaying a 100-year-old paper machine next to its grand circular staircase and embedding vintage maps and papers into the floor. The amenities are quite modern though and include a 24-hour fitness center, Mundo—a restaurant offering food inspired by Mediterranean and Latin cultures, and its own Instagram hashtag #paperfactoryhotel where guests share their experiences. So, come by and play a few games of Ping Pong in the lounge or grab a lawn chair and bask in the sunshine at Romo Park—the hotel’s outdoor garden space— and don’t forget to post your selfie. paperfactoryhotel.com

The Bowery Hotel Part hipster, part Old World sophistication, this downtown hotel offers access to the Lower East Side and theatrical outposts, such as the Public Theater, New York Theatre Workshop and La MaMa. Designed so well by its owners Sean MacPherson and Eric Goode, you’ll marvel over the decor and want to take the look home with you. Mammoth floor-to-ceiling windows make the 135 guest rooms and suites bright and airy, and the marble bathrooms with antiqued brass fixtures and rain showerheads are pure luxury. So are the hardwood floors covered with signature Oushak rugs, the 400 thread count Egyptian linens and the velvety drapes. Some terrace suites also offer outdoor hot tubs. Amenities include

a fitness room, spa, 24-hour room and concierge service and complimentary bikes and a film library.

Built in 2007, the hotel’s centerpiece remains its sumptuous lobby that contains an inviting large fireplace, bookshelves, dark wood and tapestries as well as threadbare carpets, antique velvet armchairs and period paintings of New York that scream nostalgia.

Enjoy a drink at the popular, wood-paneled Lobby Bar or indulge in some antipasti, a charcuterie plate, pasta or pizza (Try the basil, artichokes, prosciutto, mushroom topped Four Seasons) at the Bowery’s Gemma Trattoria. theboweryhotel.com

Photo by Benoit Linero

The NoMad Hotel This stylish hotel on the corner of 28th and Broadway adds dashes of whimsy—like swagged drapes, mismatched interiors, and tattered Oriental rugs— to its emphasis on historical detailing. The BeauxArts building was reinvented in 2012 with the help of French designer Jacques Garcia, who based the interiors on a former Paris apartment he lived in during his youth. All 168 rooms feel homelike and special with custom furniture, handmade vintage Heriz rugs, embossed leather headboards and original artwork. Even the bathrooms are inspired

by Europe and generally contain walk-in showers with separate water closets. Plus, the waiting Sferra and Frette bathrobes are delightful. Dining at NoMad uses the same traditions chef Daniel Humm and restaurateur Will Guidara adhere to in their Michelin three-star rated, New York-based Eleven Madison Park. Garcia designed the restaurant as a series of rooms, emulating the atmosphere of a belle époque house with a glass atrium-type erection and delightfully-rich fabrics. There are also two bars for those needing their happy-hour fix. Try the Start Me Up, a delicious blend of honey, ginger, lemon with bourbon and rum. It’ll fix what ails you. For an evening full of illusion, buy tickets to see Dan White in The Magician. Shop early because the event sells out quickly. thenomadhotel.com

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 29

Photo courtesy of Christian Horan Viceroy New York Central Park, Carnegie Hall, Fifth Avenue, Radio City and the Museum of Modern Art are a stroll away at this upscale boutique hotel, which opened in 2013. You’ll love the lobby with its marble accents and city map. The spacious 240 rooms and suites contain rich woods and a clean elegance, offering features like a walk-in shower, Sferra linens and a special Beats by Dr. Dre Sound System. Amenities include 24-hour in-room dining and a fitness center that never closes. For magnificent city views, grab a drink at the 29th floor bar, The Roof (try the Spicy Paloma, a blend of Casamigos Blanco tequila, Thai Chile Aperol and grapefruit soda). The lounge appropriates a nautical theme, and you’ll see lots of brass. The terrace stays open all year and warms its patrons with heating lamps and woolen blankets during New York’s chillier months. There’s also Kingside, an all-day restaurant with a bar located at the hotel’s street level. Think New American cooking as interpreted by chef Marc Murphy—so you can expect a raw and crudo bar, appetizers, charcuterie and cheeses, as well as small plates and larger entrees meant to be shared along with the 32 oz. Cowboy Ribeye intended for two. viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/en/newyork

The Quin For the eco-conscious individual who enjoys both culture and luxury, the Quintessential, or Quin, combines hand-selected sustainable materials with the latest art finds. Constructed during the peak of the Arts and Crafts movement, the hotel once housed artists like Georgia O’Keeffe and Marc Chagall. Check out the lobby’s 15foot abstract video art wall or attend one of their ongoing intimate art salons, lectures or exhibits.

The hotel offers an artist in residence program and you’ll find the work of many of those individuals on display. The hotel’s location on 57th and 6th Avenue makes the Quin within walking distance to 5th Avenue shopping, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln and Rockefeller centers. The 208 rooms (28 suites!) feature the usual comforts along with direct dial private access to Bergdorf Goodman personal shoppers, a ceiling rain shower, city views and a tablet that allows you to control all lighting, climate, music and room service from your bed. Wellness is important at the Quin, and the facility offers a 24-hour fitness center, as well as personal trainers, yoga instructors and freshly-pressed juices available all day long. Dining options include 24-hour room service and the Meyer Davis-designed, two-story bar/restaurant, The Wayfar, which offers a classic American menu. thequinhotel.com 30 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

Photo courtesy of The Beekman

The Beekman This lower Manhattan hotel at 5 Beekman Street has some history: the granite, terra-cotta and redbrick building overlooked the city as one of its initial highrises in 1883 and earlier served as its first theatre, the Chapel Street Theater, premiering Shakespeare’s Hamlet in 1761. It also was the site of Clinton Hall where writers like Edgar Allan Poe worked. Opening in June 2016, The Beekman features a nine-story atrium, lined with cast-iron dragon arches and filigreed balustrades that lead to a pyramid-shaped skylight. The 287 rooms all have high ceilings, vintage furnishings, aged oak floors, craft cocktail tables with gourmet mini-bars and roomy Carrara marble-tiled baths with rain showers. Each custom-designed oak bed with its leather headboard is topped with satiny Sferra linens. If you really dig the hotel, you can opt for something more permanent with one of its private residences/luxury condos, which start at 172 feet up and offer 360 degrees of the Manhattan skyline (Now that’s a view). For dining, there is Chef/ Restaurateur Tom Colicchio’s Fowler & Wells, which will serve up New York classics, and The Bar on the ground floor of the atrium. Restaurateur Keith McNally’s Augustine will offer French fare by Chefs Shane McBride and Daniel Parilla. And, there’s also 24-hour in-room dining through Colicchio. thebeekman.com

The Mark This beautiful 1927 landmark building was reimagined as a luxury five-star hotel by designer Jacques Grange, and opened in 2009.

Located at the corner of 77th Street and Madison Avenue, the property sits less than one block from Central Park and less than four to The Whitney Museum. The 152 guest rooms and suites are art-deco inspired and decorated in custom furnishings with specially created art and lighting fixtures. Take a soak in the large marble bathrooms while you catch up on the news with its mini flat-screen TV. Visit the on-site Frederic Fekkai Salon or get a complimentary shoeshine before hitting the town. Guests will delight at the Mark Restaurant (enjoy a different dessert special every day) and the Mark Bar both by Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Later, grab a Mark bike, with its signature black helmet and basket, and have the best picnic ever with a “lunch-to-go” created by Vongerichten. Don’t worry about getting lost since the hotel also includes an illustrated bike map of Central Park for you. If you love those selfies, the hotel wants you to share your stay on Instagram or Twitter by tagging #TheMark, #TheMarkHotel and #LifeattheMark. themarkhotel.com t APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 31

Everything under the sun...

8501 Atlantic Ave (by Diamond Beach) Wildwood Crest, NJ 08260 l Coronado Resort is Wildwood Crest’s premier BEACHFRONT full-service FAMILY hotel. By Diamond Beach, we are just minutes from fine restaurants, downtown Wildwood’s historic nightlife & world-famous BOARDWALK and just a short drive to Victorian Cape May or Atlantic City’s dazzling casinos.

With a variety of AAA-rated accommodations (from single guest rooms to spacious 1, 2 & 3 bedroom suites), El Coronado can meet the needs of the most discerning traveler.

Our three indoor elevators will whisk you to one of 18 smoke-free unit-styles of your oceanfront or

in BEACHFRONT resort perfection!

oceanview room with private bath, efficiency or full kitchens & private balcony. All rooms come equipped with microwave, coffee maker, DVD player & refrigerators. Other on-site amenities include 24-hour Front Desk, ATM, in-house Café (with patio dining serving 4-Star breakfast & lunch), FREE in-unit WiFi, a wellequipped Exercise Room, Game Room, Gift Shop and 2 in-house guest laundries. FREE poolside movies, hot dog cookouts and LIVE entertainment are featured on our Pool Deck twice weekly in-season to pamper our guests. High-season also provides our own Children’s Activity Director on staff hosting 2 interactive events daily for the kiddies (M-F).

By the way, our spacious pool, kiddie

pool and hot tub are heated for your comfort.

Looking for a party venue during your vacation? El Coronado’s Fiesta Room can accommodate parties large or small (rental fees apply).

So whether a romantic rendezvous for two, a family reunion or a vacation getaway for “your clan”, El Coronado Resort has the comfortable accommodations you’ll need to create magical vacation memories for you and your family!

See you at the beach!

For more informtion, call or visit: 1.800.227.5302 www.elcoronado.com

Your premiere Oceanfront Destination... on the corner of Syracuse Avenue and the Beach...

South Africa, a World in One Country Story and photos by Marvin Scott

venture into the wilds of Africa is more than a journey. It’s an unforgettable experience. Teddy Roosevelt recognized it and the tales of his adventure inspired Ernest Hemingway to write about it. My beckoning call to the bush came from my wife seeking the fulfillment of a life-long dream.

Resistant at first - after all, I figured I’d seen all the animals at the Bronx and Central Park Zoos - why travel 8,000 miles to see them in Africa?

Was I in store for an awakening!

Going on safari in South Africa, seeing these same animals in their natural habitat was indeed a lifealtering experience. It was a stark reminder that we are not the only species on earth.

There’s an entirely different universe out there of lions, leopards, rhino, elephants, and giraffes. It’s their turf and we are the voyeurs.

The first game drive is unforgettable as we breathe the fresh scent of the morning dew, burning off as the fireball sun rises behind an Acacia Tree, and we listen to the symphony of the bush... the chirp of the Red Crested Korhaan, the snort of the impala, the bark of the baboon and the croak of the frog.

There’s something magical about the African bush, and a

contradiction of sorts. It’s a place where you can embrace the environment with all its beauty, as well as its harsh and unforgiving nature.

Safaris have become a major industry throughout Africa. There are hundreds of lodges that offer luxurious accommodations. There is Wi-Fi, but hardly a television in sight to compete with the best reality show of all - game watching.

Personal butlers attend to your every need; chefs prepare culinary delights beside open fires beneath a sparkling star-lit sky.

Any travel agency in New York can book a safari vacation, but we arranged ours through travel experts in Cape Town. Timeless Africa Safaris, (www. tasafaris.com) which books as many as a thousand visits a year, customizes each trip according to what you want to see, and spend. We chose to visit a few days in scenic Cape Town before embarking on our safaris. We stayed at an elegant boutique hotel located on the waterfront. The Queen Victoria offered large, comfortable rooms with contemporary design. Marco Van Embden, CEO of Timeless Africa assigned a personal guide to take us through the cosmopolitan city and drive along the scenic coast to the Cape of Good Hope, where we saw sea birds perched atop sea-swept rocks... and baboons racing down from the hillside to pursue the scent of food in a parked camper van.

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 33

There aren’t many places in the world where you can get up close and personal with penguins. Boulders Beach, about an hours drive from Cape Town, looks like a convention of comical little men in tuxedos, waddling along the white sandy beach.

No visit to Cape Town is complete without a cable-car ride to the top of Table Mountain, to see the majestic views from its 3,500-foot peak. In the distance, beneath a cloudless blue sky we could see Robben Island, which stands as a reminder of the darkest cloud hanging over South Africa’s unforgiving past—Apartheid. This is where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years along with hundreds of other political activists.

“South Africa is a unique country,” notes Marco Van Embden. “You can come here and have an amazing urban holiday and within a two hour flight in the same country, you can see the Big 5: lion, buffalo, elephant, rhino and leopard, in multiple ways.”

We had no idea of the adventure that awaited us as we boarded a South African Airways flight across the country to the first of three safari lodges that would be our gateway into the very soul of Africa. “& Beyond” is one of the top operators of lodges in the country. The luxurious Ngala Safari lodge, a resort consisting of 21 individual cottages, borders Kruger National Park... 37,000 acres of the richest wildlife land on the African continent. Our accommodations were air conditioned with all the modern-day comforts of home, plus our personal butler.

The sound of the stirring bush and the chirp of our alarm clock awakened us at 5 a.m. for our first game drive. After a cup of coffee 34 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

and a muffin, our ranger guide, Dan Fenton escorted us to the safari vehicle, a reconfigured open Land Cruiser that seated six passengers. The front left fender was specially fitted with a seat for Sam, a veteran tracker who was going to lead us into the mysterious wonders of the African bush.

It’s not long before Sam spots a paw print of a lion and he points, as Dan races ahead, kicking up dirt along the drought scorched road. The warble of a cape turtledove gets our attention as we spot a herd of impala huddled together. They, as we later learn, are ever so cautious because they are the favorite prey of the leopard.

Our pulse quickens as a lion comes into our line of sight. There he is, as large as life, all 500 pounds of him sitting beside the dirt road, and then slowly walking past our vehicle, undisturbed by our presence just feet away. Judging by his size and dark mane, Dan determines this is a male lion about 8-years-old and very thirsty, heading in the direction of a watering hole. A hyena emerges from the thick brush. The lion takes a leap forward, and the hyena was out of there. We marvel at the way this king of beasts moves, his gait so deliberate and slow. “He’s marking his territory,” Dan notes, explaining, “He’s spraying his scent, to leave a message that this is his turf.”

It is so serene, this untamed wilderness. There’s a steady rhythm here. The music of the birds contrasts the crunching sound of our vehicle cutting through the underbrush. There are surprises at every turn. “Look, a giraffe,” my wife exclaims excitedly. It’s long neck and head protrude from atop a Murula tree. Beside her stands a calf and nearby a journey of giraffe. It was amazing watching how

this animal slowly bends its long legs to soak in a drink of water.

We drive by a dazzle of zebra with their vibrant black and white stripes, grazing in nature’s arena, as we head to the dried up Timbavati river bed where Dan and Sam set up a small table with tablecloth to serve coffee, tea and refreshments. This was a daily ritual during each game drive. During the evening drives, we stopped somewhere in the vast wilderness to enjoy cocktails while watching breathtaking African sunsets. As the sun slips away, the sky comes alive in a dazzling array of hues.

We’re awe-struck as we watch a fully-grown leopard dragging the carcass of an impala up a Jackalberry tree, to protect it from being stolen by other predators. A female leopard and two young cubs had just taken turns feasting on the animal that was killed a short time earlier. That’s how it is in the wild... survival of the fittest. It’s all fascinating but difficult to watch, though we did just that for the better part of an hour.

Our safari vehicle drives over trees downed and splintered by the herd of elephants a couple hundred yards in front of us. We’re told they are completely dependant upon water and they form a long line, following one another, looking for the nearest watering hole.

On another game drive, we encounter a herd of water buffalo, soaking in a vast watering hole and cooling mud. Mingling in the crowd, we see a couple of rhinoceros. They’re an endangered species, illegally sought after by poachers who get upwards of $100,000 for their precious horns.

A chill fills the air as darkness sweeps across the wild, and with engine and headlights off, we indulge ourselves in the romanticism of the night sky full of twinkling stars in the crystal clear heavens.

What an awesome moment sitting there in the middle of the African bush, 8,000 miles from home, stargazing.

Beneath that same sky, a five-star dinner awaits us back at the Ngala lodge. Rack of lamb is being prepared over a crackling fire. Our tables are illuminated by flickering lanterns. We sip fine wines as we share tales of the day’s adventure with newlyweds on their honeymoon. We’re told South African safaris are a favored destination for many honeymooners.

Our ears are popping as our single engine Federal Airlines charter flight climbs to its cruising altitude over Kruger National Park.

We’re overwhelmed by the breathtaking beauty and expanse of the incredible landscape. There’s not a building in sight, just miles and miles of trees, dry riverbeds, and hundreds of species of majestic animals that call it home.

We land on a small airstrip in the Sabi Sands private game reserve, adjacent to Kruger National Park. Located here, the Singita Boulders Lodge was the ultimate in luxury. Our lodge was more like an exclusive villa with floor to ceiling glass walls, elegantly furnished with an exquisite bath, indoor and outdoor shower and our own private plunge pool. One morning we skipped the game drive to sleep in, to be awakened by a troupe of monkeys on our wooden deck, clawing at our wall of glass.

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 35

The Sabi Sands game reserve is known for its density of animals, particularly leopard, and lion that are nocturnal creatures. It wasn’t quite dusk when we came upon a pride of lions at rest. The female yawns, revealing her dagger-like teeth. We’re fascinated as we watch four cubs cuddle up alongside the lioness and begin to suckle. A few yards away, the male lion awakens and checks on his family. Darkness has set in and it’s time for them to hunt. Water buffalo and giraffe are the favored prey of lions.

Perhaps the most dramatic sighting came on our next to last game drive at “& Beyond’s” Phinda Forest Lodge, situated deep in one of the world’s remaining rare sand forests. This was the most rustic of the trio of lodges we visited. As elsewhere, luxury prevails with personal attention to every guest’s needs. We had to momentarily delay our landing on the small airstrip here because the runway was occupied by a couple of giraffe.

During a morning game drive our tracker leads us to a coalition of cheetah. They are magnificent animals, similar to the leopard but the spots on the cheetah differ from the rosette shape of spots on the leopard. As we were admiring how docile these cheetahs appeared to be, several from another coalition attacked, triggering an exciting catfight... and we had a ringside seat. Others jumped into the fight before they all backed off, breathing heavily. Our ranger explained that this was a battle over territory. The big cats pouted from exhaustion, but minutes later they were at each other again. The battle continued on and off for about an hour before

36 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

they went their separate ways. And we were left breathless, having witnessed something so seemingly incredible, yet so common in the African bush.

In all, we logged some 35 hours of game drives in six days at three different lodges. The memories and the kaleidoscope of images are everlasting.

This was an idyllic vacation that allowed me to see things I had never thought I would. It was an awesome, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Timeless Africa Safaris took care of every detail, including a representative to expedite us through the airport for the return flight home. We had ample time to think about our extraordinary vacation during our 15-½ hours in the air. While many airlines fly to Johannesburg, we chose South African Airways because it provided non-stop service from JFK. The flight attendants were most attentive to keep us comfortable throughout the duration of the flight. We were served hot meals in the economy cabin, with cocktails and fine wines. Sandwiches and snacks were available for those of us with a midnight appetite. And there was an abundance of movies to watch on the entertainment screen.

As I scanned the 800 photos I had taken, an old African proverb came to mind. “The eyes never forget what the heart has seen.”

Our eyes were filled with unforgettable images, our hearts filled with love for the animals and the once dark continent that had just illuminated our lives. t

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A Friends Getaway at Woodloch

By Laurie A. Guzda

pending time with friends can be enjoyed over a lovely dinner, watching a film or attending an art gallery opening.

As friends, we support each other’s causes, make it to one another’s functions and help each other overcome challenges.

There’s a whole new faction of 50 plus boomers out there that are entering a new phase of life where the kids are grown and even the grandchildren aren’t babies anymore. Retired, semi-retired or just pulling back, we find ourselves finally with the time to do the things we’ve always wanted to do. We’re volunteering and donating time and experience, we’re hungry for learning and exploring; and we look to our friends to help us along the way.

Friendship is as important now as it was through adolescence, we just have better toys. A true test of friendship, like any relationship, is discovering how well you can travel together. So, when eight friends from the New York metro area—Lynne Colatrella, Alon Marom, Carol Shwidock, Michael Turner, Anthony Palazzo, Todd Kosakowski, Philip Heilman and myself—decided to plan a “unweekend” getaway, we began pooling our resources. With so many schedules to coordinate and hours of endless emails and texts while 38 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

trying to decide on a location that offered fun, variety and comfort we finally stumbled on one of the best-kept secrets—Woodloch.

Only a two and a half hour drive away, Woodloch is a familyowned resort that has been operating since 1958. It’s actually three resorts in one: the original Pines, the Springs golfing community that rents houses and The Lodge at Woodloch, a destination spa resort. Although the Pines is predominately know as a family resort (voted the #1 family resort in the U.S. according to Trip Advisor) it’s a haven for adventurous adults during the week when kids are in school. If you have the ability to travel weekdays, then you can find some great deals like we found at Woodloch. Many resorts eliminate staff and activities during the week, but not here. In fact, they’ve amped up their offerings for newly or semi-retired folks; business owners; career people who need the Internet, but not an office; and people with jobs that allow for weekday travel.

Here, we discovered the AWAY package. AWAY stands for Art, Wine, Adventure and You. And we dove in to all of the offerings.

The wine tasting was fantastic. It was actually a wine-and-chocolate tasting that not only delighted my palette, but also taught me something new that I could bring home to share. It’s a little trick on

how you hold the wine and chocolate flavors in your mouth, time it just right to experience the full explosion of its essence. The tasting included four wines, four chocolates, cheese and fresh berries.

The wine was easy, something we all enjoyed and didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fear. Next, we headed to the Watercolor class. Several of us enjoy doing art and welcomed the class while others were maybe not so much afraid, as reluctant. This is when sharing with friends takes the edge off. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s frustrating to hear someone say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have no creative talent.â&#x20AC;? Most likely a teacher, parent, sibling or friend long ago instilled that thoughtâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; shame on them. Through nervous laughter we trusted the enthusiastic and animated instructor, John Leoni, as he guided us step-bystep along with his personal stories and antidotes. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t long before a beautiful painting began to emerge. They were all amazing. Todd and Lynne were probably the two most reluctant to paint and yet produced two of the most stunning pieces of art. Later at dinner, Todd commented on how much he enjoyed the class and would do it again the next day.

However, we had something else planned.

Fear is a funny thing. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a thought that gets into your head and can easily paralyze you. But, with trusted friends by your side you can face any fear head on. Carol was terrified to zip line. She was open and honest about her fear. Because she was surrounded by loving friends, she had the courage to face and overcome it. As far as zip lines go, this is a small zip line, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fast. And after you zip down the hill you then have to leap off a platform to be lowered to the ground. This is not something for the faint of heart. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think

Carol was the only one who had reservations, but she was the only one who was honest about it. Everyone zipped and our adrenaline was pumping. Carolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sense of accomplishment was obvious in her smile after completing the run. In fact, her whole face smiled and radiated her inner strength.

We did art, wine and adventure. We also enjoyed the nightclub, which featured a song and dance review that was delightful. It was followed by a comedian named, Eric Lyden, who was very funny. I still laugh remembering his jokes about the dating sites. The food was abundant and good. We had choices that served all of our needs.

Our rooms were very spacious and remarkably clean.

Speaking of service, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think you can talk about Woodloch without mentioning its exceptional customer service. People have been working here for years, some for over 25. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re so happy that it almost makes you think thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something in the water.

Woodloch is a happy place. I would imagine it starts with the owners who are clearly present and engaged. You feel like youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re invited into their home making you feel like you now have new friends.

The power of friends to make us laugh, learn something new, push boundaries and face fear is a gift. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to Friendship. Pass the DIPDPMBUF BOE XJOF QMFBTF t For more information, please visit: woodloch.com APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 39

The Harborside Resort Montauk offers a pleasant, friendly atmosphere. On-premise pool and tennis, attractive rooms, studios, suites and efficiencies - each offering many amenities.

Montauk is one of the beautiful resort destinations on the East Coast. Miles of breathtaking coastline, nature trails and preserves, varied watersports from famed surfing to water-skiing to whale watching.

World renowned fishing is found here, too as Montauk is well recognized as one of the top fishing capitals of the world.

For beach lovers, we provide our guestsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; access to Montaukâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest ocean and sound beaches. And, golfers, bring your clubs and golf at the magnificent Robert Trent Jones designed Montauk Downs State Park located just one mile from the Harborside. You can enjoy the pleasure of

nearby horseback riding, being pampered at a marinotherapeutic spa, great shopping and a trip to our treasured beacon - the Montauk Point Lighthouse.

Sample the gourmet delights of the finest restaurants, just a short walk or drive away.

You will never be at a loss of things to do in Montauk - where a great vacation begins!

New Yorker Around the World Text and photography by Lee Abbamonte

s a New Yorker who has traveled to every country in the world and makes a living by traveling, I feel like I give some pretty good travel advice. With Spring and Summer fast approaching and a new season of travel ahead, I thought I would offer up 5 places worth considering for your next trip in different parts of the world.

Dubai, UAE You’ve been hearing about Dubai for a decade now and if you don’t believe the hype then you don’t know what you’re missing. Dubai is over the top, yes; but at the same time it is over the top in a fun, non-offensive manner that makes you want to go there again and again to see what’s new. In fact, you could live in Dubai. It has everything you need and everything you don’t, plus it’s just really, really nice.

Dubai is the fastest growing transport hub in the world and soon will have the world’s busiest airport. Emirates also happen to be one of the best airlines in the world and there are direct flights from New York to Dubai everyday.

Dubai has something for everyone and people tend to forget that it has some really nice beaches and while it’s obviously in the desert, it’s also on the Gulf and the water is perfect. You can stay at any number of amazing hotels on the water or downtown in the city. My two favorites are Fairmont The Palm for a nice resort feel in the Palm Islands of Dubai just across from Dubai Marina. This hotel is fantastic, has amazing service, great restaurants and will let you feel like you’re really on vacation. Another excellent choice is the world famous seven-star Burj Al Arab Hotel. It’s possibly the most famous or at least most recognizable hotel in the world. The service is impeccable, the views are fantastic and the suites are to die for. The smallest suite is 1800 square feet. It’s as tacky and over the top as any hotel I’ve ever stayed in, but you’re in Dubai so embrace it and roll with it.

There is so much else to do in Dubai that it would take a whole feature, but here are a few to not miss. The Burj Khalifa is an architectural marvel and the world’s tallest building. The Mall of the Emirates is an opulent mall with an indoor ski hill in it. Dubai Mall is just ridiculous and at the base of the Burj Khalifa, so you’ll see it regardless. Also, get out into the desert and do some quad biking in the sand dunes or falconry. Plus you can always sky dive, as Dubai is one of the most popular sky diving destinations in the world.

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Colombia Colombia is a country on the northern coast of South America. It’s known mainly for amazing coffee and its past as an illegal drug-producing nation during the 1980’s. Many people have incorrect assertions about Colombia being dangerous or unfit to travel to. This is false. Colombia has something for everyone, including some of the best food in the world and unforgettable cities and islands.

Cartagena is the jewel of Colombia and one of my favorite travel destinations anywhere in the world.

The Old City is an incredible place to stroll around, do some shopping, eat at top restaurants and have a cocktail on the perfectly preserved ramparts of the walled city. For a tourist visiting, Colombia doesn’t get any better than Cartagena.

The capital city of Bogota, once feared and dangerous is now alive and very safe. Bogota is a city at altitude with a bit of an attitude about it. Explore the city on the clouds from the Main Square and trendy neighborhoods bustling with youth up to the church in the sky. Just don’t forget to look everywhere in between because Bogota has arrived.

Finally, a favorite of mine and an often-overlooked place in Colombia are the islands of San Andres and Providencia. It’s a short flight to San Andres, but the island is well worth a little effort to get there.

Great beaches, nice resorts, shops and restaurants greet you, but the star of the show is the beach. My favorite beach is Johnny Caye, just a short boat ride from the main beach on San Andres. It’s stunning and makes you feel like you’re in the South Pacific although the Caribbean is not a bad alternative.

Alberta, Canada Alberta is a province in Western Canada and in my opinion it is the most beautiful part of North America. Alberta possesses the Canadian Rockies, which are far more picturesque than their Colorado counterparts in the U.S. Alberta also features mindblowing places like Banff and Jasper. Banff is a full-on tourist town that has everything you’re looking for, from amazing scenery and great golf courses to challenging hikes and great restaurants and hotels. The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is unmistakably iconic and is the best place to base yourself while exploring Banff National Park.

Jasper is another stunning national park in Alberta that stretches to the British Columbia border. The small town of Jasper is a cute little western transport town with excellent restaurants, fun bars and is encapsulated by stunning mountain scenery. The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is where you want to stay for the incredible scenery, great service, and golfing—as it’s Canada’s top golf course.

Alberta is also the home of two fantastic cities that hockey fans may be familiar with—Calgary and Edmonton. Calgary is one of my favorite cities in the Americas. It was the host of the 1988 Winter Olympics and still has a lot of those facilities active for public use. It’s a modern city with some of the best restaurants of any North American city. If you head there in July, be sure to bring your cowboy boots for Stampede, one of the greatest annual events in North America. Edmonton is a city on the rise. It has really transformed itself from an oil town to a hip city with a lot going on. The revamp of downtown centered on a new stadium for the Edmonton Oilers has brought in tremendous investment to the city and people no longer ignore Edmonton. It’s here to stay and is only getting better.

42 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

Luang Prabang, Laos Have you heard of Laos? If not, you’re missing out on a great country in a great area of the world. It’s beautiful, it’s cheap, it’s interesting, it’s fun and you will not soon forget your time in Laos. My favorite spot in Laos is the enchanting town of Luang Prabang. Luang Prabang is the most unassuming town you’ll ever see. Set in the hills in central Laos, Luang Prabang is the most laid back place I’ve ever been. The feeling of peacefulness is intoxicating and you’ll be adjusted to the laid back vibe in no time. Even the hardest New Yorker will let their guard down and actually relax.

I suggest staying at the Belmond La Residence Phou Vao Hotel.

It’s a beautiful oasis and by far the most luxurious option in

Luang Prabang. It has great views, two pools and a fabulous restaurant with excellent breakfast. Not to mention the rooms are pure perfection.

Waking through the streets of Luang Prabang, you’ll need a few things: a bottle of water because it’s really hot and humid; a hat to protect your head; sun screen for your skin; and a camera because you’ll be snapping photos left and right. The best spot for sunset viewing is atop the Phusi Temple. Outside of town is where Luang Prabang really shines. The Tat Kuang Si Waterfalls are truly breathtaking and well worth the effort to get there. They’re located about 30 minutes out of town. Bring your bathing suit and a camera, as they are some of the most photogenic waterfalls you’ll ever see.

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Bermuda Bermuda is one of the best islands on the planet. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s less than a two-hour flight from New York and has some of the best beaches in the world. The island is chock-full of amazing restaurants, hotels and things to do. Did I mention itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s less than two hours away from New York?

New Yorkers often overlook Bermuda for a variety of reasons. I assume itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sound exotic enough or it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t far away enough. However, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exactly whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so amazing about it. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a secret destination that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a secret. You can either stay in the capital of Hamilton or over by the beaches. I recommend the Fairmont Hamilton Princess if you prefer to stay in town because you can walk around town. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a Marcus Samuelson restaurant in the hotel and transportation is easy from there. By â&#x20AC;&#x153;transportationâ&#x20AC;? I mean you should rent a scooter to get around the island. If you prefer the beach, check out the Elbow Beach Hotel. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a little pricy, but worth the splurge. The Elbow Beach Hotel also has some amazing restaurants and one of the best beaches in Bermuda.

44 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

You can make a weekend out of beach hopping, but there is more to do in Bermuda than just eating, drinking and lounging on the beach. Check out a scenic flight to really get your bearings on the island or do some caving in the immaculate caves far beneath the surface of the island.

Get on your scooter and just explore the beautiful island and enjoy the culture and scenery. You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get lost because every road eventually leads you back to a main road. Do wear a helmet though and be patient. Bermuda is extremely wealthy and first world, but JU TUJMM PQFSBUFT PO JTMBOE UJNF t New Yorker Lee Abbamonte is the youngest American to visit every country in the world. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is an entrepreneur, multimedia travel personality and global adventurer who frequently appears on national TV, including FOX 5 New York. You can find more about Lee at LeeAbbamonte.com and follow his adventures on Instagram @LeeAbbamonte.

Start Summer Early with a Trip to Aquatopia

By Sandra Mardenfeld an’t wait for summer to arrive? This spring get a head start on splashing at the pool with a trip to Camelback Resort’s year-old indoor waterpark, Aquatopia, the biggest one in the Northeast. Voted Best Indoor Water Park 2015 by USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards, it features 13 water slides, seven pools, a wave pool, a Bombora FlowRider and a myriad of other aquatic delights.

Located in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, just 10 miles west of the Delaware Water Gap and a few minutes off of Interstate 80, the $163 million resort project opened last May. The waterpark’s special transparent roof allows visitors to bask in the sunshine from inside—which is always 84-degrees—so, entering the park feels like a vacation.

Aquatopia is one of two waterparks at Camelback. The other, Camelbeach, is open just during the summer months and is the

biggest outdoor waterpark in Pennsylvania with 37 rides, slides and other wet attractions. Especially popular is its Vortex & Spin Cycle—the only duo bowl slides in the country—and Titan, a great family raft ride that takes you down Camelback Mountain as you travel the equivalent of three footballs fields.

The indoor waterpark is part of an ongoing expansion by Camelback Resort co-owners Arthur Berry III and Ken Ellis (also CEO/president of Aquatic Development Group, Aquatopia’s builder and lead designer). Friends since college, the twosome purchased the resort in 2005, and have expanded the outdoor waterpark, as well as created Camelback Mountain Adventures, a section open from June to November that offers zip-lining, tree-top courses, rock climbing wall and a 4,500 foot steel-track mountain coaster. Aquatopia was part of a 533,000-square-foot extension that included a hotel, gift shops, and adult and children’s spas. A guest can stay in one of 453 rooms and suites, available in 24 configurations—from family style suites with bunk beds and one- and two-bedroom executive suites.

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 45

The waterpark starts with a story. The legendary, but fictitious, explorer Kartrite Van Der Berris filled Aquatopia with some of the amazing souvenirs collected during his global expeditions.

Like the death-defying Venus SlydeTrap, which combines three thrilling experiences into one ride. Brave passengers board a circular raft—up to six at a time—and slide down a twisty tube into a 16-foot translucent sphere as they hit a mini-funnel, darkness and eventually rushing waters that lead to a pool.

Another thriller is Storm Chaser, a 756-foot long water coaster with five crazy drops. Yep, that’s FIVE. Oh, and it’s the longest watercoaster in the country. You’ll travel by tube (one or two people at a time) moving 35-feet per second up and down hills—in light and darkness—while you chase the storm.

Other adventures include: The Himalayan—the only indoor, headfirst mat waterslide in the region—will plummet you 300-feet downward past colored light strips. Outa-Space Race, a 294-foot long body slide with twists, turns and drops. Mountain Mayhem, a 54-inch fully enclosed aquatube that’s 403-feet long (not for the claustrophobic). Two free-fall body slides—the Paradise Plunge, which is 216-feet long with a 60-foot vertical drop and a trap-door that ensures your fall is a surprise every time, and the Skydive Plummet Free, a similar slide that’s 312-feet long with a 360-degree 46 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

figure-eight loop and trapdoor (Oh, and this one is translucent, so your friends can watch). Finally, the Bombora Flowrider is a boogie/flow boarding adventure in a safe, controlled environment.

You’ll feel like a star in its multi-colored spotlight.

For the more fearful at heart or just the younger set, there’s Kartrite’s Quest, a four-story play center with 84 interactive features, such as water cannons and guns to geyser jets. The site also contains five different water slides, a 1000-gallon dumping bucket 52 feet overhead and zero-depth pool at its base. Penguin Play Bay, a kid’s shallow lagoon play area, also provides the preschool group entertainment with a zero-depth interactive pool, sprinklers, geysers and other water spouts.

The Great Ka-Na-Gawa Wavepool, with an Artic Circle backdrop that Kartrite “brought” back from his travels provides good, wet fun for young and mature adventurers. This ocean simulator wave pool creates four-to-six feet waves in its deeper waters and onefoot waves in the shallow end. A good ride for all ages is The Lost River. Grab a tube, made for one or two, and let the rapids push you along. You can just laze and enjoy the water’s slight movement or try to get wet by its omnipresent sprinklers.

Finally, there’s Ally-Oop Lagoon - a court for playing water

basketball and Croc-O-Nile Crossing for swimming and challenging yourself as you try the-cross-the pool course. Top off the day with a visit to Mystic Springs, an indoor/outdoor spa with hydrotherapy jets thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll massage those aches from all those twisty rides.

For those who want a bit of private space amid this water wonderland, cabanas that seat eight are available for rent. Each one includes a TV, ceiling fan and a cabana person who is available to bring you food and other things you might need.

There are plenty of places for restoratives in Aquatopia: Flyboys, a swim-up bar and concessions stand, provides adults some child-free time; Colonial Commons, a quick-service joint, offers American comfort foods (think burgers, fries and the like); and Moroccan Nights, a bar on the mezzanine level that overlooks the waterpark and serves drinks and snacks (a great place to grab that frozen piĂąa colada). If shopping calms you down, visit Relic Retail, an archeology-themed shop where you can purchase all sorts of water-themed sundries.

Aquatopia is only accessible to hotel guests. Camelback Mountain or Camelback Mountain Adventures guests may buy a day pass after showing proof of purchase (based on Camelback Lodge and Aquatopia occupancy).

When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready to get out of the water, guests can head over to the Arcadia Family Adventure Center, which provides two levels of activitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;choose from more than 100 video, interactive and ticket redemption games to ropes courses and rock climbing for adults to mini-golf, black-light laser tag, bowling and paint your own pottery for kids.

If the amount of activity becomes anxiety provoking, be sure to include a visit to Serenity Spa (for adults) where there are nine treatment rooms ready to pamper you. Give the youngâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;uns a treat (in the form of manis, pedis or facials), too, with the Oasis Kids Spa for ages four and up. Or you can have a mommy/daughter treatment time together.

Three sit-down restaurants are also available for meals: Hemisphere, a buffet-style eatery ($23 each for adults and $11 for kids 4-12; ages 3 and younger eat free); Trails End Pub and Grille, a ski-in/ ski-out pub near the Stevenson Chair Lift; and Neptunes, a loungelike sushi, salad, flatbreads and small plates establishment that PWFSMPPLT UIF JOEPPS XBUFS QBSL t For more information, check out: camelbackresort.com/waterparks/aquatopia/

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 47

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The Carlton House: Exclusive Luxury on East 61st Street

By Daniel J. Bollinger

he Carlton House, located at 21 East 61st Street, is a wonderful luxury residence. Its location in the Upper East Side makes the Carlton House one of the most distinguished addresses in Manhattan. The building is set along Madison Avenue, which houses some of the most luxurious ateliers and boutiques in New York City and is among the world’s chicest shopping destinations. The proximity to Central Park, Midtown’s Plaza District, and Museum Mile makes The Carlton House an epicenter of culture, fine dining, and entertainment in the city. The first thing you’ll notice about The Carlton House

is the lobby. Although it’s the entryway to the building, with a 24-hour doorman and concierge, it’s very warm and personal.

The artwork and furniture that adorn the area makes it feel as if you’re in your own home. The Carlton House motif is inspired by two distinct design styles—Art Deco and Modern; and the designers have matched these two wonderfully. The Art Deco design enhances the fireplace, which sits adjacent to a courtyard garden with a beautiful stone fountain. By now, you know that this is not your typical lobby. It’s the first statement by the designers that you’re at one of the most premier luxury buildings in Manhattan. And it only gets better as you enter the actual apartments.

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 49

The Carlton House offers 68 luxury residences ranging from two to five bedrooms. I toured a three- and five-bedroom apartment, as well as a half-floor apartment. There are two interior design packages offered, Pearl and Mink. The Pearl is the lighter of the two palettes and Mink is a warmer palette. One construction aspect of all the spaces that is well thought out pertains to the layouts and windows. From a sound perspective, I felt like I was in a country estate far, far away from the bustling city. While Madison Avenue is a busy block, inside the Carlton House youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re free from the outside world and can enjoy your family time in a peaceful, quiet setting unencumbered by outside distractions.

Most of the residences are laid out gallery style with bedrooms on one side of the apartment and common space on the other. I really appreciate these layouts and I love how the Carlton House has an open layout in the common areas. Whether hosting guests in the oversized den or simply enjoying an evening at home with your family, these layouts are both spacious and cozy. The windows allow an ample amount of light in and the kitchen-den-dining layout is sizeable enough for comfort and keeps the whole family together in this openly designed space. One design detail worthy of calling out is the Butternut wood drawers ribboning the cabinets in the Pearl kitchen style. They bring an added sense of warmth to the kitchen, accentuating the white lacquered upper cabinetry and the reverse painted glass backsplashes.

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see this on some of the cabinet pulls, as well. Opposite sides of the kitchen cabinetry have different pulls, which is a very subtle, but very nice design detail.

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The bathrooms also have some great design elements. The water closets with glass partition doors and the art glass mosaic tile walls and ceilings are immaculate. The water closetsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rain shower is set flush to the ceiling for a seamless design and the drains are not center in the water closet, but offset. The medicine cabinets are works of art.

Art Deco themed with multiple panes of reverse painted glass, which are also on bathroom walls and in the kitchen, makes it more artwork than medicine closet. A concealed medicine closet exposes the walnut interiors, which help define the luxury experience youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find in the Carlton House bathrooms.

I could go on and on about the foyer and home office in the master bedrooms and the wraparound terrace on the half floor apartments, but I have to tell you about some of the completely unique amenities.

The Carlton House offers all of the basic amenities youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sure to find in all luxury dwellings in New York City, including bike storage, fitness center, and steam rooms. There are luxury buildings with amazing pools, but the Carlton Houseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pool is a salt-water pool. What can be more amazing than that? And the amenities that make the Carlton House truly stand out is its exclusive partnership with Barneys New York, located directly across the street. This partnership offers residents VIP access to Barneys Personal Stylists, access to the Barneys Penthouse Suite for private shopping and events, and invitations to exclusive Barneys private events and designer personal appearances. These are KVTU TPNF PG UIF BNFOJUJFT UIBU OP PUIFS MVYVSZ CVJMEJOH PÄ&#x152;FST t APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 51

Property Group

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A Brooklyn Heights Gem at 138 Pierrepont Street

By Daniel J. Bollinger

had the pleasure of touring a real gem this month—138 Pierrepont Street in Brooklyn Heights. This residence offers buyers a rare opportunity to own a unique and luxurious gem in the most exclusive area of Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights. In my opinion, Brooklyn Heights is the best section of Brooklyn to live.

The proximity to Manhattan is unparalleled, as it’s only one subway stop away. You’re also across the street from Downtown Brooklyn, where all your shopping needs can be met. The Promenade is your backyard, where all of south Manhattan (South Street Seaport and Battery Park) and the scenic Brooklyn Bridge can be viewed. The exclusiveness of Brooklyn Heights is unmatched, the neighborhood

is only twelve blocks deep and five blocks wide. Real estate rarely goes on the market here and owning something like 138 Pierrepont is pretty near impossible.

Strolling through this area takes one back to an “old” Brooklyn, as its quaint, quiet streets and historic architecture make it feel as if you are in another time period. Montague Street has a plethora of restaurants, cafes, shopping and more. If you’re not familiar with the area’s history, you can read up on it since you’ll be living across the street from the famous Brooklyn Historical Society. This museum is housed in an 1881 landmarked building and the society itself is a nationally recognized urban history center dedicated to preserving and encouraging the study of Brooklyn’s 400-year past.

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54 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

Residing here, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have the pleasure of living in a landmarked 1913 Italian high-renaissance style luxury building known as The Brooklyn Trust Company Building. Modeled after the Palazzo della Gran Guardia in Verona, 138 Pierrepont occupies a full Brooklyn cross street, with Chase Bank occupying some of the building. Walking through the Chase Bank and admiring its vaulted, coffered ceilings and mosaic tile floors you know 138 Pierrepont is in a class all by itself. The buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s façade is grand, the rusticated limestone base and piano nobileâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s double-height colonnade of smooth-faced limestone are well proportioned and denote timeless style. Then it only gets better and grander as you step further inside the building.

There are only twelve condominiums at 138 Pierrepont, categorized into three different types of unitsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;simplex, duplex and gallery.

The gallery condominiums are laid out in traditional gallery style with bedrooms on one side of the apartment and common space on the other. The layout of the kitchen, dining area and den are done rightâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one big room, so family time is together time. The master bedroom is well sized with two huge his-and-her walk-in closets leading to the bathroom. One thing that impressed me was the 10-foot ceiling in some of the master bathrooms. This high ceiling really opens up the bathroom, and combined with the walk-in shower featuring a rainfall showerhead itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a true mark of luxury that these condos emanate. The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;medicine closetsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; were also a nice touch, with full-sized doors that when opened reveal multiple glass shelving from top to bottom. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a unique design detail that adds to the character of the space.

The duplexes are extraordinarily designed, as well. The kitchen, dining area and den are laid out in the same fashion as the galleries, only much larger. If you have a big family and like to host get-togethers this is the space for you. With 10-feet high ceiling heights the space is open and airy and provides a lots of natural light with the scale and comfort of a Manhattan loft and the intimacy of a townhouse.

The layout of each dwelling has its own uniqueness, this is not a cookie-cutter design. There are some very unique characteristics in some of these spaces that others do not possess. For example, both the second and third floors are private and there are only four apartments on other floors. For those who seek more privacy these might be attractive options for you. Other finer details include the two residences with wood-burning fireplaces.

This is extremely rare in the city due to fire codes. Of these two apartments, one includes a master bedroom. However, both have the original mantels, which shows how Barry Rice Architects have retained some of the timeless details in this historic space and st combined them with 21 century design to create something truly special. The original â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;basket weave insetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in one of these fireplaces is another shining example of attention to historical preservation.

I rarely point out amenities since most luxury buildings today pride themselves in these extras and they have become pretty standard. Bicycle and stroller storage is as common as supplementary laundry rooms, lounges, yoga studios, gyms, pet spas and childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s playrooms. However, one amenity that I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen yet is the music practice room that 138 Pierrepont offers. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a soundproof room that is acoustically designed. A brilliant idea by the designers. Your nerves wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be challenged (nor your neighborsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;) as your child painstakingly learns the scales or practices his recital piece over and over and over again. Simply reserve a time slot in the music practice room and let your little one practice till his heartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s content.

By my definition, 138 Pierrepont is a true gem. Nowhere else in Brooklyn will you find such sleek 21st-century design and luxe amenities wrapped up in a historic building in an exclusive OFJHICPSIPPE t APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 55

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Unique Prismatic Design: 400 Park Avenue South

By Daniel J. Bollinger

he headline on the website for 400 Park Avenue South reads “Live Outside the Box”, and it’s an appropriate moniker because the building is anything but boxy. Located on the northwest corner of 28th Street and Park Avenue South, 400 Park Avenue South is actually an angular prismatic design. I was impressed by the fact that even though the building is architectonically unique with its irregular shape jutting out in angles, as opposed to the standard Manhattan ‘box’ configuration, it doesn’t stand out like a sore thumb, but blends seamlessly on the block with all of its surrounding buildings. This is another Toll Brothers Building and the Toll Brothers, as well as the architect Christian de Portzamparc, continue to amaze me. Every design element in this building matches, from the angular shape of the entire structure down to the minute details inside each condominium, all which compliment the building’s prismatic theme.

Located in NoMad, which stands for North of Madison Square Park, 400 Park Avenue South is in a great area of Manhattan. Close to Gramercy Park, Chelsea, Union Square and Midtown—almost all of the neighborhoods in the city are accessible from this part of town.

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The building consists of 81 condominiums, each with their own uniqueness. The condos feature many different types of layouts, therefore giving you a description of each of the residences would turn this article into a book. However, they do have some commonalities, such as open floor plans with floor-to-ceiling windows. The first condo that I entered took me into the kitchen, dining area and living room. All three rooms are part of an open layout, so they’re basically one space. Of all the buildings that I have toured in Manhattan this one stands out as the most unique. None of the rooms are completely square (except perhaps the bathrooms), and the main kitchen, dining area and living room areas probably feature the most unique shape of them all. You cannot put a name to it. It’s not a trapezoid, not a triangle, not a rhombus or a quadrilateral, but a combination of all of these. The impressive aspect of these oddly shaped rooms is that they are balanced. Your eyes are not drawn to one crevice or angle of the room because of the odd corner or line, but the space can be viewed as a whole with each unique angle enjoyed in the context of the whole.

The floor-to-ceiling windows combined with the angular structure provide spectacular views of Manhattan. There is even one condo that Toll Brothers received a variance for to extend over a setback requirement, so that the entire block of Park Avenue can be seen. I don’t believe there is any other building on Park Avenue that can boast that feature. The windows themselves have some great design details, as well.

Because some of the windows face other apartments these windows have been designed with ‘ceramic frit patterns’. Ceramic frit patterns are lines and dots that have been embedded onto the surface of the glass, which has both functional and aesthetic purposes. Functionally, these ceramic frit patterns work in conjunction with a low-E coating that helps keep heat in during the winter months and have the opposite effect in the summer. It’s a great energy-efficient detail and one of the reasons why this buidling is registered under the LEED green building program. Aesthetically, this design gives each resident some privacy from each other. The lines break up the vision, so that your neighbors aren’t in full view. There are also automatic floor-to- ceiling roller blinds in every unit, so that if complete privacy is needed it’s easily achieved.

The second aesthetic purpose of these lines and dots is for when the sun reflects off of these windows it’ll give more “pop” to the angular design of the structure.

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The bathrooms at this residence show attention to design that match the prism theme. Specifically, the building featured custom designed faceted porcelain bathroom tiles that are a testament to the level of detail and style that Toll Brothers and de Portzamparc have created. The angular face of the kitchen island showed me how dedicated the architects and builders were in continuing their theme of angles and prisms, but this bathroom detail blew me away.

Other details that make 400 Park Avenue South stand out include the Roman soaking tubs with marbles tops that speak of quality. Whereas most tubs have a wall thickness of about three to four inches, these tubs have twice as much. The separate rain showers are larger than most and make for a great his-and-her design.

This residence has a variety of amenities similar to many other luxury buildings in the city. Their fitness center is larger than most that I have seen and the screening room is a rare amenity, but two amenities that are worth mentioning are the virtual golf simulator (I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen that in any other building yet) and the massive 60-foot lap pool. This pool combined with the sauna, steam room and showered locker room will have you convinced that you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ever have to buy a gym membership again.

This building is described as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;living work of artâ&#x20AC;? and I entirely agree. Speaking of art, the tremendous mural in the lobby and the architectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sketches in the elevator accentuate the bold EFTJHO UIBU JT 1BSL "WFOVF 4PVUI t APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 59

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10 Food Swaps to Lose 10 (or More!) Pounds

By Kristen Carlucci, RD t’s time to say goodbye to excessively restrictive diets and focus on food swaps guaranteed to save calories without ever feeling hungry or sacrificing flavor. It’s as simple as making just five, 100-calorie swaps every day to lose one pound or more a week. My clients have lost 10, 50, even 100 pounds without ever feeling deprived or giving up their favorite foods, and so can you.

Here’s how: 1. 12oz can of soda (143 calories, 40g sugar) Simple Swap: 12 oz kombucha (53 calories, 3g sugar)

Forget that sugar-filled soda and choose a bottle of sweet and nutritious kombucha instead. This fizzy and fermented tea drink contains probiotics and antioxidants to help with digestion, boost your immune system, and improve energy levels.

2. Large bagel (360 calories, 70g of carbs) Simple Swap: English muffin (120 calories, 25g carbs) There’s no need to give up your beloved carbs forever. Just swap it out for a smaller alternative. English muffins have three times less calories and carbs than a large bagel. Bonus: If you choose whole wheat, you’ll also have the benefit of added fiber to keep you fuller and stabilize blood sugar levels.

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3. 2 tbsp mayo (180 calories, 4g saturated fat) Simple Swap: 2 tbsp hummus (70 calories, 1g saturated fat) Cut your calories in half while adding more flavor to your every day sandwich by switching from mayo to hummus. This condiment made of chickpeas, olive oil (a healthy fat), and spices will take your sandwich to a whole new level while also helping you shed the weight.

4. 1/2 cup white rice (148 calories, 32g of carbs, 0.5g fiber) Simple Swap: 1 cup riced cauliflower (60 calories, 10g carbs, 4g fiber) Double your portion of rice for over half the calories? Yes, please!

This low-carb rice alternative can be found in the frozen section of your local Trader Joe’s or try the Green Giant brand for the perfect side dish. You can also make it yourself by chopping cauliflower florets in a food processor and then sautéing it on the stovetop for five minutes.

5. 1 oz bag of potato chips (160 calories, 1g fiber, 170mg sodium, 2g protein) Simple Swap: 1 oz raw almonds (about 23) (160 calories, 3g fiber, 0mg sodium, 6g protein) While the calories are the same, that bag of salty potato chips will leave you feeling bloated and hungry 10 minutes later. The almonds will satisfy that crunchy craving while also keeping you full for hours due to its protein, healthy fat, and fiber content.

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6. 1 cup cooked pasta (220 calories, 43g carbs) Simple Swap: 2 cups spiraled zucchini noodles (63 calories, 13g carbs) Sneak in an extra serving of vegetables by whipping up a warm bowl of zucchini pasta. Using an inexpensive spiralizer or julienne peeler, wash two large zucchini, cut off the ends and place in the spiralizer and begin turning until spaghetti or fettucine shaped “pasta” is formed. Heat the pasta on the stove or microwave and top with a turkey bolognese sauce, or prep a cold pasta tossed with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp feta cheese.

7. 1 can beer (150 calories) Simple Swap: 1 glass white wine spritzer (70 calories) Losing weight shouldn’t mean skipping out on happy hour. Just swap out that beer for a refreshing and low-calorie spritzer made with white wine, seltzer water and a squirt of lemon. Not only will you save over 80 calories per drink, but the seltzer may also save you from that next day hangover.

8. 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream (270 calories, 11g saturated fat, 21g sugar) Simple Swap: 1 cup banana soft serve with dark chocolate chips (145 calories, 0g saturated fat, 18g sugar [14g natural sugar] ) Make dessert completely guilt-free by swapping out ice cream for banana soft serve. You and your family won’t even be able to tell that this treat is secretly healthy. The super easy way to make it at

Healthy Habit Swaps Your plate being 50% carbs, 40% protein, and 10% vegetables Simple Swap: Your plate being 50% vegetables, 25% carbs, 25% protein By increasing the portion of vegetables on your plate and taking smaller portions of carbohydrates and protein, you’re creating a better balanced, lower calorie, and highly nutritious plate.

home: Chop one frozen medium banana (extra ripe) and blend in a blender or food processor for five minutes until smooth and creamy. Top with 1 tbsp chocolate chips. Makes one serving.

9. 12oz orange juice (165 calories, 1g fiber, 29g sugar) Simple Swap: 1 large orange (87 calories, 4g fiber, 17g sugar) Studies show that chewing your calories instead of drinking them increases fullness and satiety and may help you eat less calories overall. When you choose the fruit, you’re getting more fiber to keep your blood sugar from spiking and cutting your calories and sugar intake by half.

10. Grande Vanilla Whole Milk Latte (290 calories, 6g saturated fat, 35g sugar) Simple Swap: Grande Skim Caffe Misto w/ 1 pump vanilla syrup (90 calories, 0g saturated fat, 15g sugar) Mimic your favorite morning latte by ordering a skim caffe misto, made of half milk and half coffee with one pump of vanilla syrup (instead of the 4 plus found in the latte.) You’ll still get a caffeine fix while ditching 200 calories, 6g of saturated fat, and 20 excess grams of sugar.

Making changes to your diet doesn’t have to be hard, it’s about taking the foods you love and making small changes, so you can lose the weight and more importantly, keep it off for good. You HPU UIJT t

Your 12” plate Simple Swap: 10” plate Research shows by downsizing your plate, you’ll eat an average of 22% less calories overall, leading to an average weight loss of 18 pounds a year.

Source: Wansink, Brian; Van Ittersum, Koert (2013). “Portion Size Me: Plate Size Can Decrease Serving Size, Intake, and Food Waste”. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied 19 (2): 320–332.

1 hour of steady state cardio on the elliptical Simple Swap: 20 minutes high-intensity intervals on the elliptical High intensity intervals can give you better results in half the time due to a process called EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). This afterburn effect has been shown to stoke your metabolism and increase calorie and fat burn for up to 48 hours post-workout.

Sources: Bersheim, E. and Bahr, R. (2003). Effect of exercise intensity, duration and mode on post-exercise oxygen consumption. Sports Medicine, 33, 14, 1037-1060 LaForgia, J., Withers, R. and Gore, C. (2006). Effects of exercise intensity and duration on the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. Journal of Sport Sciences, 24, 12, 1247-1264.

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Beauty Renewal

By Doris Day, MD eing a New Yorker from birth and having experienced many winters here, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve tried to teach myself to love every season, but the best part of winter has always been knowing that spring was patiently waiting on the other side. Each season has itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own unique, special effect and offering, not just in nature but with your skin, as well. It has itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own special light, angle and set of colors that I work to enhance with treatments and skin care products. Springtime in particular is a powerful time of renewal for your skin and hair. I see more shedding of hair and patients coming in panicked that they are losing hair when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really just a shift in the hair cycling process, much like trees shed and regrow leaves and animals shed skin or fur.

It helps to change the way you treat your hair, the less you process and touch or â&#x20AC;&#x153;checkâ&#x20AC;? on it to see if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shedding the better. For the skin, you also have to take special care and adjust for each season. I see the worst sunburns in the spring because everyone has cabin fever after being indoors all winter so that when the first warm and sunny days arrive everyone is out and about, spending as much time outdoors as possible. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think of sun protection as much as they should, or really at all in many cases. I submit to you that sun smart behavior is needed all year round. This means using sunscreen every day, even on cloudy days and even if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just going out for a short time. It also means wearing sun protective clothing whenever possible, wearing a hat and sunglasses as appropriate. I know, I can see from here how your eyes are glazing over, but know this: sun protection is the most powerful anti-aging gift you can give yourself. Over 90 percent of wrinkles and skin aging comes from exposure to ultra violet rays. For those who feel Vitamin D depleted, I highly recommend you opt for other natural sources of vitamin D, like fatty fish and nuts, rather than thinking the sun is the only or best source. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also one of the best times of year to eat high anti-oxidant fruits and vegetables, which give you extra protection from the inside and also add hydration since they are also usually packed with water. Berries are in or coming into season, lettuce and other vegetables are just coming into their prime.

Next on the list is to adjust skin care products. This means seeing your dermatologist, getting your annual skin cancer screening and reviewing your skin care regimen to optimize anti-oxidant, protective ingredients, and lighten up on the richness of the products to avoid clogging pores since thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now more moisture in the air and you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to provide as much barrier protection as needed in the cold dry winter months. You essentially lighten the load in every way. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a list of my favorite spring ingredients and treatments to get your skin looking itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very best for the bareskin summer months ahead: Chemical Peels These are treatments best done by your dermatologist. Depending

on the peel used, they can be done every 2-4 weeks and will leave your skin looking smoother, more even in tone, and feeling softer.

Clear and Brilliant Laser This is a step above a microdermabrasion/peel and is a gentle laser treatment that helps improve tone and texture of the skin.

Fraxel 1927 Laser Moving to the next level, this has about 3-5 days of flaking where your skin looks a little rough, but you can wear makeup and go out. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s designed to treat sun spots, also known as age spots, but are really caused by exposure to the sun, as well as fine lines and rough texture of the skin. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of the most popular treatments done today.

Ultherapy This is still the only device FDA approved to lift without surgery and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now also approved to treat the dĂŠcolletĂŠ region. It goes deep to improve and reduce skin aging and wrinkling with no down time and helps get you ready for summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bare-skin season coming up.

Skin Care Ingredients Look for ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid in your skin care products. These are two of my favorite ingredients and can be found in over-the-counter products, as well as cosmeceuticals from your dermatologist. They help reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles in the skin and also help even out skin tone, hydrate, and improve skin radiance. They are great to use along with in-office treatments.

Nutraceuticals Incorporate nutraceuticals into your diet. These are daily supplements that boost healthy, beautiful skin. Yes, there is such a thing. Stay tuned for next monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s article on my favorite ingredients and brands to look for.

Sun protection Did you think I would forget to mention this one? Not a chance!

This is your best, most important step to help your skin look itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best. Remember, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easier to avoid the damage than it is to fix it afterwards, but just by using sunscreen every day, you give your skin the most power to repair itself as well as help avoid further damage.

Light Emitted Diode (LED) You will be hearing more and more about LEDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s power of light without heat to heal and rejuvenate the skin. Yellow/Red are the colors for skin radiance and these are available in over-the-counter products, as well as through ZPVS EFSNBUPMPHJTU t Dr. Day, a dermatologist, is affiliated with NYU Langone Hospital.

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 65

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The Vegan Diet and the Fast-Paced New Yorker

By Devi Nampiaparampil, MD, MS (“Doctor Devi”)

ew Yorkers, commuters, and tourists from all walks of life hustle in and out of the new trendy The Pennsy food hall, recently constructed on West 33rd street.

Cinnamon Snail, nestled at the center of the festive scene, is the vegan establishment whose first incarnation was as a colorful food truck. Transformed into brick-and-mortar, Cinnamon Snail has made vegan dishes more accessible to New Yorkers — particularly commuters — traveling through bustling Penn Station.

“The whole point of why I had a food truck was to expose veganism to people who normally would not have been familiar with it,” Chef Adam Sobel explained. “Now [Madison Square Garden] itself draws out a rotating set of different demographics, various sports crowds who are getting exposed to veganism for the first time.”

Evidence suggests at least two percent of Americans are vegan. But is this fashionable diet healthy — or just a fad? People choose to be vegan for health, environmental, or ethical concerns. Vegans, like vegetarians, do not consume meat, fish or poultry. In addition, vegans also avoid animal products like eggs and dairy.

Advocating for the humane treatment of animals, many vegans also avoid wearing fur, silk, leather and wool, as well as using certain soaps and cosmetics developed through animal testing.

Vegan diets often incorporate legumes, which are high in dietary fiber and aid in digestion. Fiber also stabilizes blood sugars and lowers cholesterol, which can improve heart health. Citrus fruits rich in vitamin C, which bolsters the immune system and helps it fight infections are a common feature. Vitamin C also helps the gut absorb iron, a building block for various proteins including hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to all the organs and tissues.

Green leafy vegetables, loaded with folic acid, are a staple of healthy vegan diets. Folic acid plays a key role in cell repair and development. This is why pregnant women are often encouraged to take folate supplements early on.

Although a varied and carefully planned vegan diet can include protein, calcium, and B12, these nutrients are found in greater quantities in meat and dairy products; therefore, vegans may need to take supplements. In general, evidence suggests that a healthy vegan diet can be good for your heart and your overall health. But as Chef Adam Sobel noted, “You could have a terrible diet — of French fries and canned soup — and call yourself a vegan.” This is the trigger that started Sobel on his path. “Basically, I fell in love with this girl when I was a teenager and she later became my wife,” he recalled. “She was the first person I was close to who was a vegan.

She was vegan for ethical and environmental reasons. But she was

an unhealthy vegan. In order to know how to make food for this girl, I started working in a restaurant to learn cooking techniques.”

Sobel put himself in the place of the animals. “The more and more I watched the preparation of animal-based foods, it really turned me off. I was a vegetarian, and then after my daughter was born I started thinking about how cows and chickens feel about their child. The inhumanity became really evident. I became totally vegan.”

Sobel’s flavors appeal to vegans and meat-eaters alike. Although ‘healthy’ may not be the right word to describe them, the vanilla bourbon crème brulee donuts are delicious.

Sobel noted, “We are serving a much higher number of people who happen to be waiting for their train.

Random people.”

Cinnamon Snail’s location in a highend food hall enables vegans and non-vegans to socialize and dine together, a common challenge for mixed groups. “The people putting Pennsy together — Mario Batali, Pat La Frieda—were looking for attractive food concepts, not the usual cast of characters,” Sobel explained.

“When I initially launched the food truck, the menu was so different from what it evolved to. It was just before food trucks blew up as a trend. All the items were meticulously plated vegan entrees. I wanted an architectural look,” Sobel says then pauses with a laugh. “It was the not the type of food people want to eat on a paper plate during the lunchtime they have for half an hour.” He added, “Not to diminish the complexity or the flavor of the dishes, but they’re now more cost-effective for the customer.”

Irrespective of food philosophy, there are cardiovascular benefits to incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet and lowering your overall consumption of red meat. Sobel’s recipe book Street Vegan outlines how to prepare some of his signature dishes.

For Sobel, however, veganism is about more than just health. “It’s 2016. Our whole civilization is gravitating towards non-violence, both in the preparation of our food and in the way we live. I’m hoping other restaurants—others on the production side—take notice.”

Devi E. Nampiaparampil, MD, MS Director, Metropolis Pain Medicine PLLC Clinical Associate Professor, NYU School of Medicine Medical Contributor, Fox 5 NY 347-424-4996 www.doctordevi.com t Devi Nampiaparampil, MD, MS APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 67

Spring Back into Step with these Doctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tips

By Sana Butler

fter being covered by socks and stuffed into boots all winter, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to free your feet and spring into a new season. While buffing off dry skin is a rite of pampering at the nail salon, pedicures alone may not get your feet into top toe shape. A simple cosmetic problem can also lead to a medical issue requiring surgery if you let a condition go untreated for too long. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People should see a podiatrist regularly even if they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need surgery,â&#x20AC;? says Andrew Glass, DPM, podiatrist and podiatric surgeon in New York City (nymidtownpodiatry.com). â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most people in New York walk a lot or theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on their feet all day,â&#x20AC;? says Dr. Glass. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This makes it easy for the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weight to take its tool on feet.â&#x20AC;? Adding to that, more men now are suffering from bunions, as the latest male fashion includes the pointy shoe. Below are Dr. Glassâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tips for getting your feet ready to be shown off this season.

Bunions â&#x20AC;&#x153;By far the most common complaint in my patient population,â&#x20AC;? says Dr. Glass. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once you have a bunion, there is no going back.â&#x20AC;?

Until now, the only way to smooth the bump of bone on the side of the foot was to break it. Now, a new minimally invasive surgical procedure can fix it with two small 1-stitch incisions, followed by a quick recovery. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I do recommend orthotics post-operatively,â&#x20AC;? says Dr. Glass who suggests SOLS orthotics, which are made using 3D-printing technology.

Hammertoes This claw-like condition on the second, third, or fourth toe is usually a genetic problem in 10 to 20 percent of men and women. Daily exercisesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; such as gripping the floor with toes, toe crunches,

68 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

and strengtheningâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;may help improve tendon flexibility if the condition is new. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tendons could be lengthened through a 1-stitch incision as well, but sometimes bone removal is needed, depending on the severity of the condition,â&#x20AC;? says Dr. Glass.

Ingrown nails Tight shoes usually create the problem, as they encourage the nail to grow into the skin, but fungus can also be a cause. If you have the latter, treating the fungus should also get rid of the ingrown nail; and soaking in warm water with Epsom salt will help alleviate pain.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wear shoes or socks at home to allow your toes to breathe; and if there are signs of infection or if the ingrown toenail keeps coming back, see a podiatrist.

Corns If you ran on the treadmill a lot this winter then you can likely blame your sneakers. Some corns can be removed with the home treatment of a soak and pumice stone, as long as there is no tendon or bone causing the problem. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t recommend corn removers, as they contain acids, which can permanently scar and deform the skin,â&#x20AC;? says Dr. Glass.

Calluses These unattractive patches of thick, hardened skin caused by constant friction from shoes are usually painless. Conservative treatment can be done overnight with urea cream or exfoliating scrub wrapped in plastic wrap. However, to stop repeat occurrences seeing a podiatrist isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a CBE JEFB t Andrew Glass, DPM, podiatrist and podiatric surgeon.

How to Avoid Triggers that Could Ruin SelfImprovement Resolutions

By Dr. Nicholas Kardaras

t the start of each year, most of us make resolutions to lose weight, quit smoking, go to the gym more often or manage our money more responsibly in the months ahead. But according to statisticbrain.com, only 14 percent of adults are able to keep their resolutions and by this time of year, more than half of us have already failed at sticking to our plans.

Why do our annual self-improvement plans usually fail? Stress, exhaustion and frustration with how daunting the goal is all contribute to us “falling off the wagon” before we ever get on it.

So, how do we manage the stress and exhaustion, as well as anxiety and depression, all of which are triggers that impede success in making our improvement goals? At the Dunes, whenever we work with clients we embrace the notion that the problem lies not in the substance but within the person. That is to say if a person is feeling out of sorts or not in a good place, they are much more inclined to not only indulge, but also overindulge. This over indulgence can take on various expressions, not just alcohol or drugs—a person can over indulge in shopping, work, sex, or gambling. It can be almost anything.

Here are five tips to set and keep you on your road to self improvement.

1. Learn how to identify and manage your stress.

When you begin to feel yourself getting overwhelmed or stressed, learn how to push the “pause” button, then take 10 diaphragmatic breaths (breathe in as you expand your diaphragm/belly area, then breathe out while saying the word “relax” to yourself). You’ll be amazed by how this single method reduces the stress by lowering the cortisol levels in your system. At the Dunes, we practice breathing meditation both in the morning and evening.

2. Don’t overschedule your time.

We all try to juggle and multitask, but usually that only makes us less efficient in doing any one thing. It also raises the stress level.

Write a realistic schedule each morning for your day. List what you can really accomplish that day. If you can’t complete everything on your list, carry it over to the following day.

3. Schedule quality downtime or “me-time” every single day.

This can include taking a mindfulness walk or just sitting quietly with your thoughts in a peaceful area. Quality time can include reading a book, exercising, meditating or listening to music— without computer viewing or sensory overload. At the Dunes, we aim to take at least one nature walk a day.

4. Don’t let yourself be so hurried and harried that you forget to eat regularly.

Remember to eat small healthy meals five times a day. The worst thing you can do for your metabolism is be stressed or fatigued and then forget to eat for long stretches. Your body will slow down its metabolism in order to store calories because it thinks you’re entering a fasting period.

5. Get at least eight hours of sleep a night and use good “sleep hygiene”.

If you don’t get enough sleep, the stress hormone cortisol is released.

Before bedtime, avoid stimulants and eating too much. Exercise earlier in the day and no electronics in the bedroom.

Following these five tips will greatly reduce the triggers that impede our ability to be at our best and achieve our goals. t Dr. Kardaras is executive director at The Dunes East Hampton (theduneseasthampton.com), a unique and comprehensive luxury alcohol and drug rehab center located in East Hampton, New York.

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 69

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Going Organic

By Daniel J. Bollinger

xactly in time for spring harvest, I attended the Just Food Conference, which is sponsored by Just Food, a nonprofit organization that empowers and supports community leaders to advocate for and increase access to healthy, locallygrown food, especially in New York City neighborhoods. Just Food provides training and resources to community members, so they can launch projects like farmers’ markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) groups; educate their neighbors in fundamental cooking and urban farming skills; and advocate to make their corner of New York City a healthier place to live and eat. To learn more about what Just Food offers, visit their website at justfood.org.

At the conference, I met many groups and organizations that support organic and healthy eating programs. I’m a big believer in healthy eating. How great would it be if New York City wasn’t only known as the capital of the world and one of the most cultural and iconic cities, but also one of the most organic places on the planet? Visit some of the organizations and websites below and be part of the organic food revolution.

Farm School NYC Would you like to grow your own garden? Did you know that New York City has many urban gardens cultivating organic crops? Would you like to learn more? Then check out Farm School NYC’s website at farmschoolnyc.org.

Flushing Community Supported Agriculture Would you like organic vegetables from an organic farm just 70

miles from New York City delivered straight to your door weekly?

You can have this while supporting New York’s small farmers. Check out flushingcsa.com.

Hell’s Kitchen Farm Project Did you know that you can help with the New York City organic movement by having an organic rooftop garden? Let Hell’s Kitchen Farm Project give you a free consultation. Go to their website at hkfp.org.

Cook Play Live Have you wanted to eat healthily and nutritiously or are you interested in learning how to cook? Then contact Cook Play Live at cookplaylive@gmail.com.

City Harvest Would you like to help eradicate hunger across New York City and help with City Harvest’s Healthy Neighborhood programs? Visit cityharvest.org.

In addition to these organizations, I also met with a few organic farmers located in upstate New York who offered healthy food options to us city slickers. You can visit some of these farms, such as Katchkie Farm in Kinderhook (katchkiefarm.com) and Rise & Root Farm in Orange County (riseandrootfarm.com), and even take classes while there.

If going organic interests you, I recommend you also stop by the Green Festival Expo (April 15 – 17) at the Javits Center. You can learn more about this festival greenfestivals.org. t APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 71

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Organic Dining at its Best: Foragers Market

By Daniel J. Bollinger

oragers organic market has two exceptional locations: one in Dumbo, Brooklyn and the other in Chelsea, which I recently visited. Located on the southwest corner of West 22nd Street on 8th Avenue, Foragers in Chelsea consists of a fully stocked organic market, restaurant and wine store. The Market

offers artisanal foods, local dairy, pastured meats and free-range eggs, plus a wide selection of pantry staples and unique snacks.

During my visit, I had the most delicious brunch at their restaurant Foragers Table, which is located at the back of the market. The wine store carries a broad range of wines consisting of organic, biodynamic and natural wines, as well as a unique selection of small batch spirits.

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 73

Foragers has a three-acre farm in upstate New York and they source every product from farmers and producers they know, so all of the meats are free from antibiotics and hormones, their fish is sustainably harvested and their eggs, dairy and produce are grown using standards that go beyond organic. The freshness of these ingredients can definitely be tasted in everything they serve on their menu. I love the design of the store and restaurant. It’s an open layout with an industrial feel featuring exposed steel beams. I would describe it as “industrial-meets-farmers’ market”. They’re helping make Chelsea not only one of the chicest areas of Manhattan, but also one of the healthiest.

The restaurant offers organic house-made juices and a brunch menu divided into three categories: To Start, Savory and Sweet. I started with their blueberry, pear and cinnamon scone. Usually, scones are relatively hard and produce a messy pile of crumbs when eaten. This is not the case with Foragers’ scones. They’re baked fresh and served warm straight out of the oven. My scone was warm and soft in texture—completely opposite of what I expected. It was also served with homemade jelly and a crème fraiche that is something between sour cream and sweet cream, which really accentuated the sweetness of the scone. From the menu’s Savory category, I had the housemade Crepinette and Smoked Salmon Tartine. This dish is pastured pork with sunny-side up eggs, sweet and sour apple and rosemary potatoes. The meat is prepared like a latke or potato pancake, with 74 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

the outside perfectly crusted while the inside is moist and tender.

The entire dish compliments itself—the pork and the apples match and eggs and potatoes are a typical American breakfast staple. The Smoked Salmon Tartine dish is a sunny-side up egg with escarole, spinach, dill, crème fraiche and pickled shallot on Black rye bread.

The dish immediately impressed me. I noticed first off that there was a copious serving of sliced salmon on this dish. I always expect limited amounts of smoked salmon when dining out since it’s an expensive delicacy, so this was a treat. I was also expecting a slightly acidic taste from reading the ingredients, but this dish is sweet overall. The flavors combine well for a gentle and subtle sweetness.

The beautiful presentation and the effortlessness of eating these dishes also impressed me. The chef layers each ingredient equally, topping off these dishes with the sunny-side up egg. The meals are like little mountains of food served in bowls instead of on plates.

The dishes are saucy, so the bowls makes for cleaner eating. Neither meal fell apart while eating. Sometimes a dish looks so perfect when served, but after the first bite or once cut into it all the ingredients slide and the concoction collapses, forcing you to scoop a little of this onto your fork and then stabbing a little bit of that in order to get one mouthful of all the ingredients. These creations, even when I cut the pork with only my fork, stayed together, so that each mouthful had an equal amount of each ingredient. From their Sweet category, I sampled the pancakes. Foragers’ pancakes are orange blossom ricotta pancakes with candied orange served with Ioka

Valley Farm maple syrup. The pancakes are light, fluffy and sweet with the texture of an omelet. Cutting into the pancakes and looking at the inside you could easily mistake them for an egg omelet, but their melt-in-your mouth sweetness is all pancake. The ricotta makes them soft and fluffy, and the orange accents and maple syrup make for the sweet- ness. Some of the best pancakes that I have ever had were the lemon ricotta pancakes at Fredâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place in Sausalito, CA., but Foragers brings some of the best pancakes to the east coast.

I also had one side dish, the small fruit salad. Foragers did make one mistake by erroneously naming this a â&#x20AC;&#x153;small dishâ&#x20AC;? because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anything but. In addition to the generous portions and wide array of fruit including mango, kiwi, pineapple, blueberries, blackberries and honeydew, the pomegranate seeds are the additional ingredient to this colorful salad that makes it different than other fruit salads.

Where most fruit salads have that lone meager slice of kiwi as a topping, Foragersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; salad actually includes an equal amount of kiwi slices in theirs.

While enjoying all of these delectable dishes, I also sampled three of their organic house-made juices. I recommend the Hudson, which is made of pineapple, apple and mint. I liked how the pineapple didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overpower the other flavors. Pineapple by nature is quite acidic and strong, so it has a tendency to overpower other juice flavors in drinks. Foragers blends the Hudson so that the sweet flavor of

the apple is equal to the pineapple, and the touch of mint rounds out the beverage. The Brooklyn Kombucha is a tasty treat, as well.

Foragers sources its kombucha from a local Brooklyn manufacturer, so I suggest keeping it local and trying it. For those who can handle it, the Fire Cider is a winner. Consisting of apple cider vinegar, turmeric, cayenne and lemon juice itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not for the faint of stomach or for those who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t handle the heat. But donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only a shot. Foragersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; menu describes it as a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;traditional New England daily tonicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. I actually make apple cider vinegar a part of my daily routine, so I am fairly accustomed to its strong taste. This Fire Cider packs an initial sour bite (from the vinegar) and the heat from the cayenne sneaks up on you five seconds later. I suggest sipping this healthy tonic throughout your meal, as it will aide in digestion.

Foragers is a great place. Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for a unique wine, healthier food choices for home cooking or dining out, Foragers should be on your list of places to make part of your daily routine.

And you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go wrong by visiting either location, both of which are located in two of the best areas in New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; Manhattanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chelsea and Brooklynâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DUMBO. Sometimes we get lost in this city with all of its food choices, but Foragersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; can help center you with their GBSN UP UBCMF PÄ&#x152;FSJOHT t For more information, please visit: foragersmarket.com APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 75

Photos by Rey Rosa Photography

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Mr. Purple: Lower East Side Chic

By Daniel J. Bollinger

he Lower East Side is one of the hippest parts of New York City and Mr. Purple has matched the vibe of this area with a great restaurant and bar. Located at 180 Orchard Street on the 15th floor of Hotel Indigo in LES, Mr. Purple is one big open space with a long bar centered directly opposite the elevators. You have the choice of sitting at tabletops, bar stools, or couches in the dining area/bar. They have outdoor patios on both sides of the

restaurant—the left patio has tables and stool seating facing the great Manhattan views. This patio is available for private parties.

The larger patio has a pool, yes, a pool, lounge chairs, benches, and table tops. On a nice day in Manhattan this is definitely the place you want to spend the day dining outside. The views at Mr. Purple are unparalleled. You can view the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge and even the Verrazano Bridge. You will also see the “new” Brooklyn rising across the river and many construction projects going on all over Manhattan.

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 77

Mr. Purple’s brunch menu definitely matches the wonderful design and views of the space. I started off with an old fashioned made with Old Forester Bourbon 86, which was stirred 53 times to ensure that all the ingredients were properly mixed. They serve their drinks with an ice-block ice cube—one big fat square of ice, so that your drink will never get warm. From the bar menu, I had the tuna tartar with avocado, radish, harissa and wonton chips.

The presentation was beautiful. A perfectly circular culinary treat with the avocado on the bottom and diced tuna layered on top, sprinkled with sliced radishes and harissa sauce drizzled on the side. The wonton chips were crisp and light and provided a nice crunch to the light creamy texture of the tuna and avocado.

Mr. Purple’s brunch menu has a wide variety of selections.

There’s something on the brunch menu no matter what you are in the mood for and they source many of their foods from local 78 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

vendors in the area. For instance their lox is sourced from Russ & Daughters, a fish and specialty foods market located on the Lower East Side not too far from Mr. Purple. I have to specifically point out Mr. Purple’s Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Bacon side dish. The bacon is perfect—thick-cut slices with a meaty bite and cooked slightly crispy, exactly how bacon should be. And like their Beecher’s Baked Mac & Cheese, it is served in a cute little cast iron pan. Speaking of the Beecher’s Baked Mac & Cheese, I sampled that too. I’m not a huge mac ‘n’ cheese fan, but Mr. Purple has made me a believer. Served in a hot cast iron skillet, it was steaming hot; the pasta was cooked perfectly; the cheese was tasty and gooey; and the breadcrumbs on top provided a nice crunch. If you are a mac ‘n’ cheese fan, I highly recommend Mr. Purple’s take. The two other brunch dishes I enjoyed were their Greek Yogurt with Granola and Avocado and Spring Pea Toast. The Greek Yogurt with Granola was comprised of Greek yogurt, granola, blueberries,

blackberries, strawberries, walnuts, raisins, and honey. A perfect blend of each ingredient provided a sweet crunchy taste. I liked the fact that they use Greek yogurt. You can eat each spoonful of this with the spoon upside down without dropping a morsel of granola because of the Greek yogurt. Lastly, the Avocado and Spring Pea Toast was amazing. The big open-faced sandwich with avocado, spring peas, and cucumbers was creamy in texture and sweet. The thick-cut country toast it was served on proved a nice crunch to compliment the creaminess of the avocado, and the accompanying salad made an extra healthy side. The chefs at Mr. Purple have perfected making dishes of soft creamy textures with the right amount of crunch (i.e. the bacon, mac â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; cheese, granola, and avocado spring pea toast). I also had a pint of their signature beer, Mr. Purple IPA by Captain Lawrence located in Elmsford, NY. It is a light, crisp, refreshing brew and I recommend it on those hot sweltering New York City summer days.

Of course, brunch wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be complete without dessert. Mr. Purple offers a variety of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;chipwichâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; style ice cream sandwich-like desserts. I was torn between the Lovelet (Red Velvet meltcakes and cream cheese ice cream) and the Morticha. I had the Morticha, made of crackly chocolate cookies and malted chocolate rum ice cream. Not your typical desserts. Definitely try one of these after your brunch.

Overall, Mr. Purple is a cool spot located in one of the coolest parts of the city. The food, the drinks, the ambiance, the views, Mr. Purple has perfected the coolness factor. Kristen, the manager, tells me Saturday brunch is â&#x20AC;&#x153;a big insane party brunch with a DJâ&#x20AC;?. I visited on a Sunday and it was a mellow, quieter experience. Thank you Kristen, Kendra, and Sai for a wonderful CSVODI FYQFSJFODF t

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 79

Kola House: Pepsi’s

By Anthony Rapacciuolo hat Do You Get When Pepsi, Live Nation, Lenny Kravitz and hospitality group The Metric form a partnership?

Kola House, New York’s newest dining experience based on a caffeinated nut to cater to the city that never sleeps!

New York is known for many things including being the hub of corporate America, the home of some of the finest cultural institutions, and of course for its world-renowned restaurants and chefs. PepsiCo is looking to combine all of these elements into a new dining experience in its restaurant (yes, I said restaurant) located in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District.

Kola House, slated to open later this year, will be a 5,000-squarefoot venue featuring handcrafted cocktails and unique artisanal plates, and of course to keep with the theme, there will also be specialty drinks and culinary dishes inspired by the kola nut.

Originating in Africa, the kola nut is a caffeinated fruit whose extracts are used to create, you guessed it, Pepsi Cola.

New York Lifestyles Magazine had the pleasure of speaking with Lisle Richards and Eric Marx, Co-Owners of hospitality group The Metric, for an inside exclusive on what to expect from this seemingly unexpected dining venue.

What’s it like to partner with Pepsi on this concept?

80 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

We both believe that you need to find people that are smarter than yourself and partner with them, find people that are great at what they do and partner with them. We’re really excited that Pepsi reached out to us to partner up on this brand to help bring it to life. We’re focused on what we are really good at, which is food and drink and creating a great vibe. Pepsi has an amazing brand that means a lot of things to a lot of people, and I think they’re trying to enhance that by creating an authentic experience at Kola House.

We hope we’re able to help them add that layer.

We hear you’ve also partnered with Live Nation to host live musical showcases inside Kola House. What’s that experience going to be like?

It’s an intimate venue that holds no more than 225 people and it’s something really exciting when you get the level of talent they [Live Nation] will bring. It will be almost like a one-on-one experience.

We’re excited to add that layer, so to speak, of Live Nation to the restaurant.

Tell us about the space itself and how the finished product will look and feel, and who you think its clientele will be?

The venue was designed by Lenny Kravitz Design, Inc., and has a really great living space feel to it; it’s going to be very comfortable and inviting. There will be a living room area near the bar and wood throughout the space as well. If it makes any sense, the goal is to make it feel lived in and I think we’ve achieved that atmosphere. I think our clientele is going to be local New Yorkers

New Hip Restaurant in the real estate, finance, art and fashion crowd, but the restaurant has been created to be inclusive of everyone and have something to offer them.

In New York it’s all about location. Tell us about the decision to open in the Meatpacking District.

The Meatpacking District as a whole is a melting pot of different experiences. At one point it was known exclusively for its nightlife, but if you look at it now, there’s shopping, the Whitney Museum of American Art and great restaurants. I don’t think it’s viewed any longer as a specific destination for one thing in particular, but rather an area with many diverse offerings.

experience. He’s conscious of how the ingredients in his drinks will affect your body and what type of mood it may put you in. I don’t know of anyone else using the kola nut in their cocktails, so they will all be very unique.

How is the space going to complement the social media age?

The social media age is about a unique way of communicating and a unique way of visually organizing and sharing things, and I think it’s important to be aware of that. As a restaurateur, you need to be cognizant of the menu and the presentation of the plate and how “shareable” it is.

Give us some background on the kola nut and how it’s being used as an ingredient on the menu.

The menu is an American menu with some international flair to it.

The kola nut is derived from Africa and is the original base of Pepsi Cola, and it’s a very interesting ingredient to work with. It has rich, acidic and dark qualities to it. We aren’t at liberty to discuss the menu itself yet, but let’s just say it goes great in sauces, cocktails, and even candied on top of certain dishes.

How do you plan on marketing the venue when it launches?

I think there’s already a lot of interest and people are naturally inquisitive about these venues and the products they offer. I also think there’s going to be a lot of interest surrounding the music concept within the restaurant. Finally, there’s a lot of great partnerships involved—Pepsi, Live Nation, Lenny Kravitz—and that in and of itself will generate some buzz, and I feel that we are lucky to already have a strong following without our even being open yet.

Tell us about Alex Ott, your “alchemist” (Mr. Ott prefers not to be called a mixologist), who will be spearheading your beverage program.

Alex is a one-of-a-kind alchemist, and he is really focused on a customer’s total experience rather than simply the beverage

Tell us something they haven’t heard about Kola House from what’s been written already.

I can’t tell you anything in detail, but what I can say is that there is going to beautiful eye-catching pieces within the space, and also a MPU PG TVSQSJTFT t APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 81

Rarities: A Hidden Private Lounge in Midtown

By Daniel J Bollinger

ucked away on the mezzanine level of the Lotte New York Palace hotel on Madison Avenue is the hidden intimate lounge Rarities. Designed as a quiet getaway amid the Midtown bustle, Rarities provides members, select hotel suite guests, as well as the public by appointment only with an exclusive variety of spirits, such as exceptional cognacs dating back to the mid 1800s, 40 year-old scotch, and the best vintages of Champagne.

The interior, selection and service are all equally impressive at this 25-seat salon where invited guests have access to its private rooms accessed by a discreet entrance steps away from the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s courtyard.

The New York Evening Post owner and railroad magnate Henry Villard built this extravagant mansion in the late 19th century. The successful businessman enjoyed entertaining other industry magnates in his Villard Mansion. Most of the details have been kept intact in this landmarked building. The floor-toceiling wainscoting in the first room and the staircase are the original design, as are the ornate details on the banisters and the trim, the mantel over the fireplace, and the pocket door. You can tell that the pocket door window is original because it has bent due to time and the elements. The carvings on the deep-arched windows, the vaulted ceilings, and all the intricate woodwork make Rarities an extremely posh space.

You wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find a traditional bar in Rarities, as the lounge has a serving table in each room where your drinks are prepared. There are also numerous china cabinets throughout the lounge that house all of the inventory. Justin Lorenz, Raritiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wine and beverage director, gave me a tour throughout the space and pointed out all the unique and vintage bottles the establishment stocks.

Lorenz is a master of his craft. His knowledge of the hotel, Rarities, 82 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

and the history of the mansion is amazing; and his care and attention to service is unparalleled. I overheard him explain to the customer next to me and my guest that the label on the wine bottle was a little scuffed because it was a few decades old. Watching him take three deep inhales of the wine after opening the bottle to make sure it had not spoiled and was still of quality to be served was most impressive. He gingerly poured the wine into a decanter to properly aerate the vino.

Rarities has a huge array of bourbon, rye, whiskey, scotch, brandy, vodka, gin, rum, and wine; but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the rarity of certain bottles that makes Rarities what it is. For example, their Louis XIII De Remy Martin Rare Cask cognac is the only bottle in the world. There are so many unique vintages in the world at Rarities that I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go through all of them here, but I do want to tell you about the most interesting tequila I tasted. It was the Pierde Almas Mezcal Conejo Joven. If Justin had not told me it was tequila, I would not have known. The distillers hang a dead rabbit above the distillery process, and the heat of the process roasts the rabbit to allow the tequila to absorb the rabbitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gamey essence. Because of this unique distillery process, Pierde Almas has a gamey flavor and is intensely smoky in aroma. The smoky smell and taste is not like tequila at all. This has an extreme smoothness that I would compare to a good whiskey.

If you prefer your drinks on the rocks your drink will be chilled with quite a work of art here. Rarities uses spherical ice balls about the size of racquetballs, which are made by Shintaro Okamoto of Okamoto Studio in Long Island City, Queens. Shintaro even etches a crown into the middle of the ice balls, a befitting statement for such an elegant establishment as Rarities.

If you want to impress a client, are curious to sample the rarest spirits in the world, or want to experience true luxury in the heart PG .BOIBUUBO UIFO CF TVSF UP NBLF B SFTFSWBUJPO BU 3BSJUJFT t

On the Big Screen

By Pat Collins

The Jungle Book Rated PG Jon Favreau directs a live-action film inspired by the 1967 animated classic and based on Rudyard Kiplingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s classic tale of Mowgli and his adventures with Baloo, the laid-back bear. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;voiceâ&#x20AC;? cast includes Bill Murray, Idris Elba, Ben Kingsley, Lupita Nyongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;o and young newcomer Neel Sethi as the young hero.

The Jungle Book can be seen in Imax 3D in addition to other formats.

Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Rated PG-13 Director Gary Marshall who helmed Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day and New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve adds Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day to his list of holiday movies; and like Mr. Marshallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s previous films, this too has a large cast of popular stars. Jennifer Aniston, playing a divorced mother of 2, moves to a wealthy Atlanta suburb where the competition to keep up with the other parents is intense to say nothing of expensive. The romantic comedy reunites Julia Roberts with the director who made her a star in Pretty Woman and cast her as well in New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve and Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day. SNL alum Jason Sudeikis and Kate Hudson are also part of the able ensemble.

Barbershop: The Next Cut Rated PG-13 Twelve years have passed since Ice Cube and friends gathered at Calvinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shop for gossip and advice, and in the interim he made a major changeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the Chicago barbershop is now coed. Malcolm D. Lee directed this sequel to the 2004 movie; and Ice Cube, who is also the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s co-producer, shares the screen and the laughs with Cedric the Entertainer, Regina Hall, Common, Anthony Anderson and Nicki Minaj.

The Boss Rated R Melissa McCarthy, Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reigning queen of comedy, dresses in designer clothes and flashes major bling as Michelle Darnell, Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s richest woman until she is found guilty of insider trading and sent to the slammer. Upon her release, the friendless now bankrupt exbillionaire is forced to move in with one-time employee Kristin Bell. Hilarity ensues when Michelle creates a Girl Scouts Brownie-like empire and encourages her young sales force to use guerilla tactics in the battle of the baked goods. Melissaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s list of previous hits include: Bridesmaids - $170 million, The Heat $160 million, Identity Thief - $174 million, Spy - $111 million.

About Pat Collins

The Huntsman: Winterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s War Rated PG-13 Two highly-regarded actresses with bona fide action-movie credentials costar in a sequel that is also a prequel to Snow White and the Huntsman. Charlize Theron returns as the evil Queen Ravenna.

Emily Blunt plays her sister Freya who reigns over an ice-covered kingdom and possesses the power to freeze her enemies. Perhaps she and Frozenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chilly princess Elsa will join forces to halt global warming in another movie. Chris Hemsworth and Jessica Chastain are the star-crossed warrior lovers in Winterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s War.

Eye in the Sky Rated R The ethical issues that arise with the militaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s increased use of drone strikes are examined in a gripping and thoughtprovoking film with Helen Mirren and the late Alan Rickman. Ms. Mirren, playing the British Colonel Powell, is ready to green light a joint American and British mission in Nairobi, Kenya that will result in the capture of a radicalized English woman with ties to Al Shabaab terrorists. Surveillance video supplied by a cyborg bug shows her in a room with two suicide bombers preparing for an imminent attack on a large shopping center. Colonel Powellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capture mission is now a kill mission with little time to spare.

An unforeseen problem arises when a cheery 9-year-old girl arrives to sell bread from a small table located a few yards from the building housing the terrorists. Aaron Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s character, an American drone pilot, registers his objections to a strike that will surely kill the child while Alan Rickman, who outranks Mirren, attempts to get a strike-or-no-strike decision from his superiors and key politicians. The result is a classic case of pass-the-buck in London and Washington. I will not reveal the ending, but expect to experience one of the most tension-filled 15 minutes shown on a big screen. Kudos to director Gavin Hood for creating an intelligent film that asks what you would do if you were forced to decide between the fate of one little girl or the fate of thousands. Mr. Rickman, who died of cancer in January, delivers one of his finest performances and Ms. Mirren, in a role that originally was written for a male actor, is nothing less thanâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x20AC;â&#x20AC;ŹCSJMMJBOU t

Pat Collins is a three-time Emmy award-winning film, theater and entertainment critic/reporter. Her outstanding media credits include WCBS-TV, Good Morning America and WWOR-TV. She is a contributor to CUNY-TVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Arts and The City program and the host of several Broadway specials including Kinky Boots On Broadway, Fiddler On The Roof: Back On Broadway, and The Road To The Tonys.

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 83

April Broadway Review with Pat Collins

The Humans Helen Hayes Theatre The setting is a sparsely furnished, dimly lit, drab duplex in Manhattan’s Chinatown neighborhood. The Blake family has gathered there for a Thanksgiving dinner hosted by the youngest daughter Brigid (played by Sarah Steele) and her live in boyfriend Richard (Arian Moayed). Mom (Jayne Houdyshell), dad (Reed Birney) and wheelchair-bound grandmother “Momo”(Lauren Klein ) arrive from Scranton; and older sister Aimee (Cassie Beck), a Philadelphia lawyer, is there too. The familial setting with turkey and all the fixings is not a Norman Rockwell painting come to life. The hardworking middle-aged parents fear they may lose their jobs; Aimee announces she soon will be laid off; and Bridget, saddled with student debt, barely makes ends meet working as a bartender. In his extraordinary drama/comedy, playwright Stephen Karam addresses the fear and anxiety of middleclass Americans facing an uncertain economic future.

Behind the Scene at School of Rock Winter Garden Theatre An A+ cast in a first-rate family friendly Broadway musical suitable for children over the age of 8, Andrew Lloyd Webber composed the School of Rock score and Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes wrote the book for this stage adaptation of the 2003 Jack Black movie.

Recently, I went backstage to interview the show’s star Alex Brightman and some of the young cast members . The high-energy camaraderie theater goers see on stage does not end when the curtain comes down. Alex has a big brother relationship with his grammar school costars. He has attended 17 birthday parties so far. My behind-thescenes interviews with Alex and 3 young talents can be seen on CUNY-TV’s Arts and The City program airing April 4, 10 and 22 at 10am and 8:30pm. Channel 75 for New York viewers.

Under the direction of Tony winner Joe Mantello, The Humans is both poignant and laugh-out-loud funny. The members of this marvelous ensemble cast earn the standing ovation they receive at the end of every performance. Throughout the play, loud thumping sounds not unlike those in the Paranormal Activity movies appear to be coming from the second floor.

The Blake family is unconcerned about the origin of this mysterious disturbance.

They have bigger problems. The Humans is not only the best new play of the year.

It is also an essential experience for every theatergoer.

Where to see Hamilton The Richard Rodgers Theater Can’t get tickets to Hamilton? There is another way to connect with the first secretary of the treasury.

There are no lines at the Trinity Church Cemetery in Lower Manhattan where he is buried.

According to the New York Times, the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society conducts a memorial at the grave site every July on the anniversary of his death.

84 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

It is not only the best play of the year it is an essential experience for every theatergoer.

Blackbird Belasco Theatre Una, a pale fragile 20-something young woman (played by Michelle Williams), enters the break room of a pharmaceutical company to confront Ray, the 50-year-old man (Jeff Daniels) who seduced her when she was 12 and he was the 40-yearold suburban neighbor. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Unaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first meeting with Ray in the intervening years and a shockingly unexpected one for him.

He served jail timeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;perhaps not enoughâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;for statutory rape, changed his name, remarried, secured a good job and moved on.

Uma, bearing the emotional scars that come with being violated at a young age, expresses her rage in a torrent of dialogue that given its decibel level should draw the attention of Rayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coworkers, but only one unseen voice asks: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Is everything all right ?â&#x20AC;?. Indeed, it is not for Ray who fears Unaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appearance could jeopardize his tidy middleclass life. During the course of playwright David Harrowerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 80-minute play, Una admits she was in love with the man who sexually violated her. Does that declaration absolve him of the crime of conducting an unlawful relationship with an emotionally vulnerable minor? The playwright does not provide an answer. Not to nit-pick, but would the company Ray works for hire a convicted pedophile? Despite my lack of enthusiasm for Mr. Harrowerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s play, which was directed by Tony winner Joe Mantello, I recommend seeing Blackbird. Mr. Daniels delivers a solid performance, but it is Ms. Williams who shines.

Disaster!

Nederlander Theatre What Broadway creative team would choose the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;disasterâ&#x20AC;? as the title for its musical comedy? The answer is a clever and talented one with an affection for top 40 hits from the 1970â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Still the Oneâ&#x20AC;?, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hooked On A â&#x20AC;&#x153;Feelingâ&#x20AC;?, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Muskrat Loveâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;?I Will Surviveâ&#x20AC;?. The latter song especially suits the scene in which an unsafe floating casino turns upside down in the Hudson River leaving the survivors to sing, dance, drink, hook up and gamble until help arrives.

On board the fittingly named Barracuda, a dapper Roger Bart presides as the sleazy and disreputable casino owner who regards life jackets as an unnecessary expense. Kevin Chamberlain plays one half of a devoted married couple.

Jennifer Simard, whose character transforms from a singing nun to a gambling nun is a heaven sent sensation.

The show-stopping number belongs to Tony winner Faith Prince, who sends for help by tap dancing the Morse code.

Choreographer JoAnn Hunter deserves a Tony nomination for this, her 20th Broadway production. Singing along with the cast is generally not encouragedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t try it at Hamilton or Fiddler on the Roof, but who can resist joining the cast for â&#x20AC;&#x153;I Am Womanâ&#x20AC;?, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Knock On Woodâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Never Say Goodbyeâ&#x20AC;?, which in this situation means never having to say goodbye to your happy days in the 70â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Seth Rudetsky and Jack Plotnick co-wrote Disaster. Mr. Plonick is also the showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s director.

Disasterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scheduled last performance is July 3.

Waitress Brooks Atkinson Theatre The multi-talented Jesse Mueller who won a Tony award for playing Carole King in Beautiful returns to Broadway as the star of the much anticipated Waitress. The show, which is based on the 2007 movie enters the record books as the first Broadway musical with an all-female creative team: Tony winner Diane Paulus is the director, Jessie Nelson wrote the book, 5-time Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles composed the score and Lorin Latarro is on board as the choreographer. As the titular character, Ms. Mueller plays a small town pie maker in a sour marriage and dreams of beginning a new life and a new career with the support of her fellow waitresses.

Waitress is in previews prior to an "QSJM â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x20AC;â&#x20AC;ŹPQFOJOH OJHIU t APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 85

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Pat Collinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Picks of New Home Video Releases The Hateful Eight Rated R Tedious, pointless and interminable, The Hateful Eight further confirms my opinion that Quentin Tarantino has nothing new to say, but still commands the loyalty of top notch actors including Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Tim Roth, who are among the cast members in Mr. Tarantinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bloody western. The setting is Wyoming in the late 1860â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and two bounty hunters (Mr. Jackson and Kurt Russell) have separate missions, but both are dangerous men to be reckoned with. Russell travels via stagecoach to deliver a fugitive (Leigh) to the executioner.

Jackson, another passenger headed west, reminisces about his experiences as a former slave and a Union officer in the Civil War. Their destination is Minnieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Haberdashery, where the eight nasty characters of the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s title hunker down during a raging blizzard to drink whiskey and talk. So verbose is this group that all of them risk being talked to death before the shooting begins.

Tarantino deserves the criticism he received from critics and other commentators for a violent scene in which Ms. Leigh is a punching bag for the drunk and abusive male characters. The close quarters of Minnieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s store and a collection of disreputable characters prompted some critics to observe that Tarantino was influenced by Agatha Christie. Somewhere in the great beyond, Dame Agatha just dropped her Aynsley teacup and buttered scone.

The Lady in the Van Rated PG-13 Maggie Smith, whose portrayal of the Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey was one of the series many delights, moves to the other end of the economic ladder to play the homeless titular character in The Lady in the Van. She is stubborn, cantankerous and ungrateful and refuses to accept help. Director Nicholas Hytner repeatedly reemphasizes her independent streak without expanding the plot until the very end when this Van takes a wrong U-turn. The film is based on playwright Alan Bennettâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relationship with Margaret Fairchild aka Mary Shepherd (known only as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;ladyâ&#x20AC;? in the movie). Bennett allowed Ms. Fairchild to live in her van in his driveway in one of Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s posh neighborhoods for 15 years.

Son of Saul Rated R The Academy Award for best foreign language film was awarded in February to Hungaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entryâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the exceptional and gut-wrenching Son Of Saul, which is set inside Auschwitz in 1944. The title character played by GĂŠza RĂśhrig is forced to move bodies from the gas chamber to the pyres for burning.

One of those bodies is that of his young son. In his Oscar acceptance speech the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s director LĂŠszlĂł Nemes said â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even in the darkest hours of mankind, there might be a voice within us that allows us to remain human. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the hope of this filmâ&#x20AC;?.

The Revenant Rated R Leonardo DiCaprioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Oscar winning performance playing real life 19th-century frontiersman Hugh Glass is the one and only reason to spend two and half hours (it seemed longer) watching The Revenant. A Grizzly bear attack, which Glass barely survives, is but one of many bloody encounters in director Alejandro Iùårrituâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s film that combines fact and fiction.

According to a must read March 4 Hollywood Reporter article, Glass did not find shelter within a bearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carcass or father a son whose fate figures prominently in the plot. A story of revenge and survival against all odds is also one of endurance not only for Glass, but also for moviegoers.

VEEP - Season 4 Digital HD, DVD and Blu-ray There are few intentionally funny moments in the current election cycle, but my favorite fictional politician Selina Meyer and her West Wing staffers continue to provide laugh-out-loud political satire thanks to a team of clever writers and a first-rate cast. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who was the Veep of the title until she moved into the oval office, has four Emmys and several other awards on her bookshelf for her role on the show. The seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fourth season was an Emmy winner last year in the outstanding comedy series category.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Rated PG-13 The word â&#x20AC;&#x153;awakensâ&#x20AC;? is the right verb. Patient and often rightfully disgruntled, Star Wars fans endured sequels and prequels that varied in quality and ingenuity. Who can forget Jar Jar Binks? Director J.J. Abrams resuscitated the franchise with a seventh installment that rewarded fans for their patience. He reunited original cast members Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill; and introduced new characters played by Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Issac. The filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stated budget was $200 million; the global gross adds up UPâ&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x20AC;â&#x20AC;Źt

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 87

10 Steps to Becoming a Successful Entrepreneur

By Midge Leavey eing an entrepreneur involves hard work, sacrifices and a passionate mindset that is willing and determined to make it happen no matter the challenge. Make that dream of owning your own business a reality by following these 10 mogul-maker tips.

Set a Healthy Daily Routine “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” —Benjamin Franklin Getting a head start to conquer your day is the idea behind this 18th-century proverb; and modern science has shown that your daily routine can determine your yearly success. Research shows that the information you feed your brain before you go to bed determines approximately 67 percent of your sleep habits. Studies have also proven that proper sleep rejuvenates present cells and allows new cells to form structures of energy. So, planning your day the night before and getting a good night’s sleep not only helps you get a jumpstart the next morning, but also helps you be more productive. It’s about programming your mind at night and starting out early the next day with a healthy routine. One of the worst mistakes many entrepreneurs make is check their phone or respond to emails as soon as they wake up. These unhealthy mistakes create an immediate distraction to morning alertness and can burn you out even before you have a fresh crack at the day. Avoid or replace these poor practices by committing to at least 15 minutes per day to morning exercise followed by a healthy breakfast that includes high proteins and some oats to charge your cells into a state of focus. You’ll feel healthier and feel better about yourself.

Always Follow Up “Follow up and follow through until the task is completed, the prize won.” —Brian Tracy

88 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

Following up with clients and colleagues reflects heavily on your character as an entrepreneur. Statistically, 72 percent of sales people never follow up, which may let potential clients and partners slip through the cracks. Following up with people you network and connect with, whether it’s a sales call or a current client, shows that you have good business ethics and professional mannerisms.

When you keep a consistent line of communication, it shows the other person that they’re important. Another good tip to keep in mind is to get back to people as quickly as possible. Maintain a strict time schedule; when you say you’re going to do something for someone, be sure to do it and get it done before the time you originally stated.

Live Up to Your Word “Among the things you can give and still keep are your smile, a word, and a grateful heart.” —Zig Ziglar If there is one critical tip you should know, especially as an entrepreneur, it’s to live up to your word. Your reputation and actions should be inline with your word, as they define you as a professional. Keeping your word and sticking to your agreements will help you build good friendships and strong business relationships.

The main factor here is trust; clients and partners should feel confident in trusting you and your ability to keeping your word. Another thing to remember is to create impeccable time-management skills. People like it when you’re on time .

Think Positively “Change your thoughts and you change your world” —Norm Vincent Peale According to Joseph Mercado, inspirational speaker and author of The Undiscovered You: Healing Your Negative Thoughts Using the Law of Replacement, one of the greatest challenges you’ll face as an entrepreneur is the negative thoughts that come in and out of your mind. Thinking positively helps develop good habits and provides

you with the drive or energy to help you get there. Always believe in yourself and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t listen to the naysayers. Be confident in knowing that your methods of positive thinking will guide you to the result you need to achieve your goals in life.

Be Passionate â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your passion must come from the things that fuel you from the inside.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Randy Pausch Your level of passion is evident through your body gestures and voice tonality. A true entrepreneur eats, sleeps, and breathes his or her dreams. You should be passionate and love what you do.

Passion is passing the good energy from words to actions. When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re passionate about something, or someone, you react from your soul not only your mind. When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re passionate, you glow and people can see and feel your passion.

Set Aside Some Alone Time â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alone time is when I distance myself from the voices of the world so I can hear my ownâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Oprah Spending time alone enhances creativity and helps de-clutter the brain. As a mindful educator and entrepreneur, I have done research on myself as well as on others. My most creative moments tend to be in the morning hours after a restful sleep and morning meditation. It still amazes me how ideas are generated and flow through my mind and then lead to successful actions. Clearing

your mind and de-cluttering your brain takes practice. Clearing your head allows for more room for new, creative ideas and the ability to focus on one thing at a time. In fact, meditation should be a daily practice of 15 to 20 minutes, preferably in the morning hours when your thoughts are fresh.

Surround Yourself with Positive People â&#x20AC;&#x153;Surround yourself only with people who are going to take you higherâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Oprah A few years ago, I organized and launched my own networking group. My goal was to surround myself with like-minded, positive people, which I successfully did. We now meet once a month to discuss problems and concerns, as well as brainstorm and encourage each other. Surrounding yourself with positive people helps keep you motivated and excited to continue your journey to and beyond entrepreneurism.

Be Willing to Make Mistakes â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t carry your mistakes around with you. Instead, place them under your feet and use them as stepping stones to rise above themâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Anonymous Norman Larsen, founder of the oil WD-40, was willing to work through his mistakes. Working in a small lab in San Diego, it took him 40 attempts to get the water displacing formula worked out.

His persistence paid off because the original secret formula for WD-40, which stands for Water Displacement perfected on the 40th try, is still in use today. What if he gave up on the 39th try?

Failure is a steppingstone to success!

Take a Risk â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everything you want is on the other side of fearâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Jack Canfield Risk taking wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t only potentially benefit the career path youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re already on, it may actually open you up to a world of possibilities you have yet to consider. Taking risks shows that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a leader, not a follower.

Visualize your Future Success â&#x20AC;&#x153;Believe in what you want so much it has no choice but to materializeâ&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Karen Salmansohn Seeing your future as if it is already happening will help make it materialize. Creating a vision board will help this process along.

Cut out pictures of everything you want and envision it as though you already have them. Paste them on a board and hang it in a place where you will see it every day. Look at your board every night before bed. This will help these visions stay in your subconTDJPVT BOE NBLF UIFN CFDPNF SFBMJUZ t

APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 89

Selling Your Stuff Online

By Christal Young ’m sure you’ve heard it a million times: “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. It’s true, what you’re ready to throw away, just may be what someone else is looking for. From a vintage chair, to that perfect pair of fringed boots, right down to a discontinued lipstick, these days you can sell anything and trust me people do.

Spring has sprung and many of us are taking stock, cleaning up, and clearing out. It’s the perfect time of year to round up what you’re not using and make a few bucks. Now, just in case you’re thinking this process requires an advanced college degree and tons of computer savvy, let me assure you it’s pretty simple. If you’ve got “stuff ” and a smart phone you’re half way there.

You used to have just a few choices when it came to selling things online.

EBay was a pioneer in the field, launching its website back in the 90’s. Then came Craigslist. Nowadays you’ve got options, lots of them. Wallapop, ThredUP, Close5, Poshmark, Totspot. There’s a website out there that’s right for you, and most of them have apps you can easily download.

You start by deciding which site suits your needs depending on what you’d like to sell. Is it a pair of designer shoes, a crib, or a gold necklace? Do you want your potential buyer to pick up the item in person or would you prefer to mail it? Read the fine print that explains how each website works before you post. You want to make sure your item gets the biggest audience possible. You also want to check to see if similar items are being sold. If you can find something similar, it will give you an idea of how much to ask for yours.

Getting top dollar is key, you never want to undercut yourself, but you also don’t want to get too greedy and price yourself out of a sale. Even if you can’t find an item like yours, don’t assume no one will want it. I’ve seen people on eBay selling a half bottle of perfume (and yep, folks were bidding on it.)

Here’s a breakdown of how a few of the most popular sites work.

90 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

eBay EBay was and still is the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sell your stuff â&#x20AC;&#x2122; gold standard site. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be intimidated by the auction process. You can list an item with an opening bid of just a penny or, of course, go higher. You can also list things in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;buy it nowâ&#x20AC;? category. You can restrict or allow international buyers. You can accept returns or have a â&#x20AC;&#x153;no backsiesâ&#x20AC;? policy. You have all the control. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be afraid to take it. Most items on eBay are mailed to the buyer. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see yourself dealing with the post office on a regular basis you may want to choose the â&#x20AC;&#x153;pick it up locally â&#x20AC;&#x153;option or choose another website. Keep in mind that eBay has been around so long it has millions of potential buyers, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good thing. If you decide you like the way eBay works (and they do have great customer service) but you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to do any of the work, you can take advantage of eBay valet. You simply ship in your items, eBay sells them and you get up to 40 percent of the sale.Â

Totspot If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;re looking to unload kids items, Totspot is worth looking into. On this site, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find everything from maternity belts to baby cardigans. When you make a sale, Totspot deducts a 20 percent fee from your listing price, so you get 80 percent of your sale value. You can get cash back directly to your bank account.

This site also sends prepaid shipping labels.

Letgo Letgo has funny commercials that encourage you to part with the things you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want. It has categories like home and garden, electronics, cars, movies, and books. You can register via Facebook or email and see full profiles of potential buyers and sellers in your area.

ThredUP ThredUP is a digital marketplace that has a wide range of brands, everything from Gap to Gucci. You earn up to 80 percent on pieces selling for more than $60 and up to 40 percent on items priced below that.Â

Poshmark Poshmark lets you shop the closets of women across America and sell from yours, too. You take photos of your listing with your iPhone or android device then attend a virtual buying and selling party through the Poshmark app. This site also allows you to list together with your friends. And shipping is easy. No stamps, no problem. When you make a sale, Poshmark provides you with a prepaid, pre-addressed label. Once your sale has been packaged you can drop it in a mailbox or arrange for free at home pickup.

Close5 The motto of Close5 is: list, message, meet. This site also lets people in your neighborhood take advantage of the things you have up for grabs. You take a picture, list an item and unlike other sites, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even need to include an asking price. You message privately to discuss the price and your exchange. Then you meet in a public place like a coffee shop to coordinate your sale. Â Â Â Linda Lightman is a pioneer in online buying and selling. She started her company â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lindaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Stuff â&#x20AC;? 15 years ago after discovering how easy it was to sell her sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s used video games. Now she has more than 100,000 items listed for sale and does free pickups for anyone who wants to sell things hassle free. Lightman has these words of advice for potential sellers: take clear photos of each item and lots of them. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget good customer service. Answer every question quickly; and finally, ship fast.

So, does this new trend of selling your unwanted belongings mean the death of the yard sale or donations? Smart shopping expert Trae Bodge, doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think so. She believes you should only sell things that are gently used, everything else can be donated or given away for pennies.

Wallapop If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got home goods like a table or chair you may prefer sites like Wallapop, a virtual flea market that allows people in your neighborhood to come pick up items from you directly.

No matter what route you decide to go, keep in mind you have to put a little effort into the process in order to make a buck. But once you get started, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll probably wonder, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;why didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t I do this TPPOFS t APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 91

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Alliance for NYC’s Animals Presents Adoptapalooza Pet Adoption Event Celebrating the ASPCA’s 150th Anniversary on April 10th On Sunday, April 10, 2016, the Alliance for NYC’s Animals will present a special Adoptapalooza mega adoption event celebrating the ASPCA’s 150th Anniversary. The Alliance and the ASPCA are teaming up to bring New Yorkers a day filled with fun for the whole family, including the first-ever “NYC Paws Parade,” a huge Adoptapalooza adoption event at Union Square in Manhattan, and another family-friendly Adoptapalooza event at House of Vans in Brooklyn.

All New Yorkers – human and four legged – are invited to come out and watch the celebration kick off at 11:00 a.m. with a special parade to recognize the many groups who protect our city’s animals. Led by the NYPD Mounted Unit, the NYC Paws Parade will feature dozens of animal shelters, NYPD officers, rescue groups, veterinarians, giveaways, and plenty of dogs, including Charlotte/Pip, a canine cruelty survivor from Staten Island, who will help lead the parade with her new adopted parents!

Starting at Manhattan’s Madison Square Park (26th and Fifth Ave.), the parade will wind down Broadway into the North Plaza of Union Square and Adoptapalooza. Hosted by the Alliance, in partnership with Petco Foundation, Adoptapalooza will feature more than 300 homeless puppies, dogs, kittens, cats, and rabbits – all spayed or neutered and vaccinated – waiting to find forever families. The event runs from noon - 5 p.m. Adoption fees for all adoptions will be waived, thanks to a generous grant by Animal Planet.

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Adoptapalooza also offers dog tricks and training tips from a certified Petco trainer; a Dog Training Field sponsored by Merrick; a Kid’s Korner sponsored by Science Diet; dog licensing by the NYC Department of Health, microchips by Vetco (the first 50 are free!); emergency preparedness information from Ready New York / NYC Emergency Management; free pet photos and pet ID tags; and free sponsor giveaways. Donations of clean linens and pet toys for shelter animals will be accepted by Rock & Rawhide.

A simultaneous Adoptapalooza adoption event will take place at the House of Vans in Greenpoint, Brooklyn from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Dogs and cats will also be available for fee-waived adoptions, and plenty of other fun activities are planned. www.AnimalAllianceNYC.org The Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals® (the Alliance) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit charity that works with more than 150 partner rescue groups and shelters to offer important programs and services that save the lives of NYC’s homeless animals. The Alliance is supported entirely by donations from foundations, corporations, and individuals and receives no government funding. Since its founding in 2003, the Alliance has remained committed to transforming New York City into a community where no dogs or cats of reasonable health and temperament will be killed merely because they do not have homes.

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Laughter is Good Medicine

By Midge Leavey

pril Fools Day starts National Humor Month off just right by being the most popular day for pranks and laughter.

However, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and shouldâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;continue laughing all year round. Laughter is known to promote emotional and physical wellbeing, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to add humor to your everyday life.

Personally, I know firsthand how a humor-filled home can keep your family connected. Luckily, my life has always been surrounded by laughter. My dad, whose birthday falls on April Foolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day, was the biggest jokester around. When I reminisce about my childhood, the first thing I think of is all the crazy things my dad did to make us laugh. He would dress up in silly leopard shorts and prance around the yard or throw pots and pans down the stairs to scare us while we watched scary movies. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d even dress up in a trench coat and scratch outside the windows to freak us out. These silly antics kept the family connected not only at that moment, but also for hours or weeks later. We would later discuss over dinner how funny his prank was. His jokes and mischief always brought laughter into our day and sparked hundreds of family conversations.

You can bring more laughter into your home and keep your family happy by being a model for your children and rewiring your brain.

According to psychologist and happiness researcher Shawn Achor, we can rewire our brains to be happier people by following five simple habits: (1) think of three things youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re grateful for; (2) write about a positive experience from the past 24 hours; (3) exercise; (4) meditate; and (5) perform one random act of kindness. If you do 94 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

these every day, for 30 days it can change the neural pathways in your brain, making happiness second nature.

So, the big question is: Do you have enough laughter in your life and home right now? If the answer is no, try these simple ways to bring more happiness and smiles into your life: t 4QFOE UJNF XJUI PME GSJFOET BOE SFNJOJTDF BCPVU UIF TJMMZ UIJOHT you did way back when. t 5BLF 4FMÄ&#x2022;FT XJUI B GSJFOE PS ZPVS LJET XIJMF NBLJOH HPPGZ GBDFT t 4FOE ZPVS DIJME PS GSJFOE B UPUBMMZ SJEJDVMPVT 4OBQDIBU t 1MBZ XJUI B DBU PS EPH XIJDI IBT CFFO QSPWFO UP CPPTU NPPE

t +VNQ PVU PG ZPVS DPNGPSU [POF BOE USZ TPNFUIJOH OFX t 8BUDI B GVOOZ NPWJF t $BUDI TPNF TUBOE VQ DPNFEZ PO 57 t *OJUJBUF B SVOOJOH SBDF XJUI ZPVS DIJME PS ZPVS TQPVTF Science has proven that laughter is contagious. Dr. Sophie Scott, senior research fellow at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience said â&#x20AC;&#x153;It seems that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s absolutely true that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;laugh and the whole world laughs with youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve known for some time now that when we are talking to someone we often mirror their behavior, copying the words they use and mimicking their gestures. Now weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve shown that the same appears to apply to laughter, tooâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;at least at the level of the brain.â&#x20AC;?

One studyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s researchers played various sounds to volunteers while measuring their brain responses using an MRI scanner. Some sounds were positive, for example laughter or cheering, while

others were unpleasant, such as screaming or retching. All of the sounds triggered a response in the premotor cortical region of the brain, which prepares facial muscles to respond accordingly.

However, the response was greater for positive sounds, suggesting that these were more contagious than negative examples. The researchers believe this explains why we respond to laughter or cheering with an involuntary smile.

Is your sense of humor genetic? Some researchers do, in fact, believe there is a funny gene. However, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extremely hard to prove.

Therefore, there can be disagreements between humor nature vs. nurture. For example, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no telling how humor is engrained since an identical set of twins who share DNA and the same upbringing can have two totally different personalities. One can have a fantastic sense of humor and the other may not.

The powerful tool called laughter boosts the immune system, relieves stress, and alleviates pain. It can even increase blood flow, which protects the heart. Laughter is not only good medicine physically but emotionally, as well. Humor lightens your mood, connects you to others, and keeps you more focused by boosting the immune system and triggering the release of endorphinsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;known as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;happy chemicalâ&#x20AC;?, which promote emotional and physical well being.Â

I have found, however, more often than not, that humorous parents tend to raise humorous kids. My four siblings and I all have great senses of humor. We seemed to have inherited our dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love of antics and playing with our children. For example, oftentimes when my boys were younger, I would wait for them to get off of the school bus while wearing roller blades on my feet, hockey stick in hand, and nets set up outside the house ready to play. They would run towards me with excitement.

We would play a hardcore game of street hockey and eventually tumble on the grass, sweating and laughing from all the fun.

Humor has also been shown to benefit our wellbeing from our toddler years. Dr. Paul McGhee, PhD, president of The Laughter Remedy in Wilmington, DE and author of Humor: The Lighter Path to Resilience and Health said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Children who initiate humor have been found to show more social participation in activities. They also tend to be judged by their peers as being more sociable. This is true from the preschool years on through high school and into adulthood. Children who know how to use humor in social interaction are also better at putting others at ease. This creates an environment in which all communication is easierâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;an enormous benefit at all stages of life.â&#x20AC;? Kids who initiate humor more often have also been found to be seen as more likeable by other children. Thus, these kids tend to be more popular and have more friends. Humor also provides children with a socially acceptable means of expressing anger. This will facilitate the handling of conflicts in social situations throughout the developmental years.

Like my father, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been known to scare the daylights out of my kids, sneaking around corners and creeping up on them. I also liked leaving a chain of fun notes all over the house for them to find.

For instance, the first note would say â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love youâ&#x20AC;?; then the next one, set up in the living room, would read â&#x20AC;&#x153;Still loving youâ&#x20AC;?; the third note, on the bathroom mirror, would say â&#x20AC;&#x153;Guess what? I love you!â&#x20AC;?

And the last note, which Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d leave one on the door before they left the house, would say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I bet you thought I was done!â&#x20AC;? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d leave funny notes in their lunchboxes, as well, so I could bring a smile to their face even when I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t there.

Regardless of where our funny bone comes from, there is no better way to go through life than bringing, sharing and teaching IBQQJOFTT MBVHIUFS BOE KPZ t APRIL 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 95

Photo by Margery Harnick

15 Minutes with Sheldon Harnick

By Ivette Manners

ulitzer Prize-, Grammy-, and Tony Award-winning Broadway lyricist Sheldon Harnick is back on Broadway with two major productions, as well as working on a few other theatrical projects this spring. New York Lifestyles Magazine caught up with him during his busy schedule to find out whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on his mind these days and what he loves about New York.

1. How does it feel to have two simultaneous hits on Brodawayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; Fiddler on the Roof, one of the most famous and longestrunning musicals of all time back on stage again, as well as the well-received recent revival of She Loves Me? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s terrific. Fiddler, which opened last December, was a big hit for 8 years when it first debuted in 1964 and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wonderful to know itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s become so iconic. She Loves Me is a revival from its 1963 run.

It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t originally a hit, it only ran for 8 months. The Roundabout Theatre Company wanted a show for their 50th anniversary and director Scott Ellis chose She Loves Me. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know why he decided on this show, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m glad he did.

2. How long have you worked on Broadway?

I came to New York in 1950 and have been working on Broadway for 65 years. My first song was in a show called New Faces of 1952.

3. How has Broadway changed over the decades?

Over all, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think Broadway has changed that much. However, the look of the shows is more extraordinary, the set designs are much more detailed today. Designers now have a lot more tools to work with. When it comes to the score, a lot more rock music is incorporated, which isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a bad thing. What I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like is the tendency to use more obscenity on stage, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also with television and films. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not as much of it on stage as there is in television or films, but there is more now than it used to be.

4. What do you love about working in theater?

96 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | APRIL 2016

Broadway has the best actors, technical people, and costume designers. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re super professional. When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re putting together a Broadway show itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great to work with people of such high caliber.

5. What is your favorite spot in New York City?

The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just across the park from where I live, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to get there. I love the exhibits. I find the museum so inspiring.

6. What is your favorite New York City neighborhood?

The Theatre District. Broadway isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t only my profession, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my passion. I love going to the theater.

7. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re favorite New York moment?

When a new amazing show, such as Hamilton, comes to New York City. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so exciting and gratifying. New York has the best theater in the country.

8. What do you have planned for spring?

My wife and I are leaving tomorrow for a much-needed 2-week vacation in Hawaii. My daughter and her family will join us there.

Afterwards, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be in Texas for work and then back in New York on another project.

9. What important current event or issue interests you right now?

The presidential campaign. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m still trying to decide on whom Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll vote for. The issue that interests me the most is womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rights and the whole Planned Parenthood topic. I think that Planned Parenthood offers great services to women and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like how the Republicans are trying to demolish it.

10. You have a birthday coming up. What do you have planned?

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be 92 on April 30th. So far, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m planning on keeping it low-key. .Z XJGF BOE * NBZ KVTU HP PVU UP B HBMB EJOOFS BOE B TIPX t

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