Vol. 1 #5 | October 2015
Daryl Roth Broadway’s Powerhouse! Plus:
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Feature
6 Editor’s Letter 11 Daryl Roth: Broadway’s Living Legend 96 A Lifeline For First Responders
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Driving The Beautiful California Coast Chicago’s Art And Relaxation Sweet Home Alabama: A Taste Of Mobile Rocky Mountain High: By Train Kohler, An All-Around Destination Alaska: Still The Last Frontier
Spas & Health 45 50 54 58 62 94
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Table of Contents
Travel 16 20 25 30 36 39
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The Luxury Of Winvian Farm There’s An “Art” To Natural Beauty Mt. Airy Resort & Casino Nina’s, A European Spa In New York Celebs Flock To The Stein Eriksen Lodge & Spa Ski Season Is Coming : Get in Shape
Cover photo by: Jim Cox 4 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
Theater
91 The Truth About Clever Little Lies 92 Jim Kierstead’s Take On Hot, Upcoming Shows
Finance
76 How To Beat The Crowd And Outsmart The Herd 80 Money Talk With Kids
Dining
84 Top Chef Invades The James Beard House 87 Agnanti For The Best In Dining
Real Estate
83 Brooklyn, Hip And Trendy
New York, New York 64 NYC: As Many Jewish Sites As In Israel 68 St. Francis Food Pantries And Shelters 72 Life Gone By: The Tenement Museum
Editor’s Desk
“New York Lifestyles is da bomb. Such diversity of content - a mag that lives up to its nameplate.” ~ Rick Sylvain hen you receive a compliment from a person such as Rick Sylvain, it ranks as the highest form of praise. Rick is the recently retired head of Public Relations for Walt Disney World in Florida, a post in which he served with distinction for more than 20 years. In that position Rick dealt with the top publications and journalists from, literally, around the world. If anyone knows the business, it is Rick. He has always been highly respected because of his professionalism and kudos from him are the highest form of praise. Thank you, Rick. We will strive in every issue to live up to that level and do even better as we go along. Our cover story this month is Daryl Roth, one of the most prominent figures on the theatrical scene. In addition to eight Tony Awards, Daryl would need a U-Haul to move all the other awards she has been presented with for theater. And with it all, she has remained as nice and decent a person as you would ever want to meet. This issue focuses on health and well-being with articles on upscale spas and getting in shape for winter sports. We have an article on the Stein Eriksen Lodge Spa in Park City, Utah, arguably one of the most beautiful and desirable destinations in the country. Making his debut in this issue is Peter Schmaus, MD, an orthopedist specializing in sports medicine and rehab. For those of you contemplating a great ski season this year, check out Dr. Schmaus’ recommendations for getting in shape before you hit the slopes. Dr. Schmaus is a member of the Eastern Ski Writers Association. One of the most vexing problems families face is teaching their young ones about finance and how to handle money. Special contributor, Paul Golden, director of the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE), talks about the need to educate children on how to handle money. Broadway is getting set for an absolutely fantastic season with a number of highly anticipated shows about to debut on the Great White Way. Our Broadway columnist, Jim Kierstead, has the coming lineup and a preview of the best of what is to come. Daniel Bollinger, our resident real estate guru, has been looking around the Boroughs and found something amazing... Brooklyn is getting really hot. Of course there’s Queens and The Bronx, but they are sometimes afterthoughts. And who really thinks about Staten Island? That leaves Manhattan as the top dog followed closely by Brooklyn for both business and upscale residential opportunities. Travel isn’t forgotten either here with interesting articles on Alaska, a state so big it could almost consume Europe, and driving the coast of California. Irwin Nesoff (now there’s a familiar name) gives us his take on the Frozen State while Keri Zane, a top travel writer from the Left Coast, shares her take on driving California. We have articles on great chefs at the famed James Beard House and wonderful restaurants such as Agnanti; golfing in the Caribbean on St. Kitts and stories about Old New York. Come on along and enjoy.
Bob Nesoff Executive Editor 6 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
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Daryl Roth, A Major Theatrical Force By Bob Nesoff
fter a lifetime in journalism you get to meet many people in high places. There are politicians, business moguls, A-list entertainers and many more. After a while it becomes easy to see who the “real people” are and who have pretensions and breathe only rarified air. Then there are those who let their accomplishments speak for them and do not need to let you know “who they are.” Daryl Roth is such a person. Her list of theatrical accomplishments and awards could fill a directory by themselves. To transport her awards would necessitate a rather large U-Haul. But take the time to speak with Daryl and it immediately becomes apparent that she is your next door neighbor. She is relaxed, totally lacking in airs and as enthusiastic about theater as anyone with a pair of tickets to the opening night of what promises to be the hottest show in town.
That being said, Daryl can have any ticket she wants. She owns several of the top theaters on Broadway and is a major factor in the production of Off-Broadway shows; and she shows the same enthusiasm for both. Her hottest number on Broadway recently celebrated its first anniversary and in a field with a shorter lifespan than a new restaurant, it is still going strong. Kinky Boots, one of the more joyous shows to hit Broadway in years, is still a much sought after ticket. In fact, Daryl just returned from London where the show opened in the famed West End. “I’ve loved theater since I was a small child,” she says. “My parents introduced both me and my sister, Dale, to theater starting in New Jersey.”
Daryl and Dale were frequent theater-goers at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, about as far off-Broadway as you can get. But Paper Mill has always had a reputation for producing shows that eventually made the trek across the Hudson and onto Broadway. The quality of their productions, although on a somewhat smaller scale, was always set to extremely high standards.
OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 11
“I love Broadway,” she says with a smile. “But Off-Broadway is exceptional. The theaters are smaller and intimate. They bring you up close to both the performances and the performers. It is a most wonderful experience.” She’s passed that love of theater along to her son, Jordan, who is head of Jujamcyn (pronounce that Ju-Jam-Cyn) Theaters in New York. Jordan was tapped to present the Lilly Award to Daryl and commented: “One of the greatest perks of my gig is getting to present an award to my mother. Among her 90 productions over almost 30 years, my mother has produced a record seven Pulitzer Prize winning plays.” “And she has been fiercely devoted to all of them; from finding the piece, to nurturing the writer, to assembling the perfect team, to courting the investors, to bringing in the audience (sometimes one-by-one, by the hand.) She comes from the ‘whatever-it-takes school of producing.” 12 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
Daryl had two shows on Broadway this season: “Kinky Boots,” still going strong and “It Shoulda Been You,” which unfortunately had a truncated run. She’s been known to head for dressing room doors and knock on them, giving the actors a motherly hug for encouragement, a shoulder to lean on and an ear to listen to. “She comes from the…mothering school of producing. In fact, I think she invented that one,” smiles Jordan. Daryl has been named by Crain’s as one of the 100 Most Influential Women in Business…twice. She’s taken home eight Tony Awards for shows that she has produced. Most theater professionals hope and pray for one in a lifetime. She is currently producer of an amazing one-man play OffBroadway at the West Side Theater, “The Amazing Brightness of Leonard Pelkey,” a show that runs the gamut from sadness to laugh-out-loud humor to passing along a message of tolerance.
“I began my business in the late 80s and produced many OffBroadway plays,” she reminisced. “My first investors were family and friends. Their support was very valuable to me as I worked my way up and it made me fiscally responsible. They had placed their trust in me and I was very aware of that.”
“That show recently celebrated its silver anniversary and is still being seen around the United States as well as internationally,” she beams. “It was a great experience and one that I’ll always remember fondly as it began this new chapter in my life.”
“Today that is still very important to me. I always invest my own money along with that of investors.”
She comments: “I think the same things are true about my role now as they were when I first began. I value my relationship with the artists. That is of first and foremost importance.
She made a major leap in 1996 and purchased the former Union Square Savings Bank and created the Daryl Roth Theater, a multipurpose space home to a 299-seat main stage. The DR2, an intimate 99-seat theater offers new plays and programs for young audiences.
“I consider both Kinky Boots and The Normal Heart (by Larry Kramer) to be highlights of my career. Larry’s play had an enormous impact on the community. It was about the AIDS crisis and was met by the public with a magnificent response.”
Inside, the D-Lounge is a cozy setting that’s appropriate for cabaret and comedy performances.
“During a performance on June 24, 2011, the Marriage Equality Act was passed in Albany and at the curtain call we announced it to the audience. There was cheering and crying and was one of the most memorable nights I’ve had in the theater.”
Her first offering as Daryl Roth, producer, was “Closer Than Ever,” a song-cycle written by Richard Maltby and David Shire.
And her current runaway hit, Kinky Boots? OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 13
“I saw a screening of a small, independent English film by that name. I knew in my heart that the story had the DNA to become a major musical. It delves into subjects that are important to me and what I wanted to champion.” SPOILER ALERT: Kinky Boots deals with a troupe of drag queens who save a sinking shoe manufacturer and along the way shows the bigoted and macho employees that gays are as much human beings as anyone else. “The heart of the story is about how it takes a courageous person to make a journey of self-acceptance and the acceptance of other people.” With rights to the story in hand, Daryl reached out to Harvey Fierstein, a multi-talented entertainer who came out long ago. “I knew Harvey had the sensibilities to adapt this for the stage. I brought Jerry Mitchell in to direct and choreograph. The show needed uplifting staging and some glitter and glam and he was the
14 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
one to do it. I then reached out to a fellow producer, Hal Luftig, and brought him in as a producer (Editor’s Note: NYLM Broadway columnist Jim Kierstead, is one of the producers of the show) and then invited Cyndi Lauper to join our ‘dream team.’ What can I say, the rest is history.” Amazingly Kinky Boots recouped its investment in thirty weeks, almost unheard of in the business. Currently there is a national tour and the show went international last month with the opening in London’s West End. “We plan to be long-term residents of the Al Hirschfeld Theater, our Broadway home,” she predicts. It’s almost an impossibility to attempt to list all of her Broadway and Off-Broadway credits. Daryl has produced more than 90 award-winning shows. Some of the top, easily recognizable names include: Annie with Bea Arthur, A Catered Affair, Desire Under The Elms, Inherit The Wind, Driving Miss Daisy, A Raisin In The Sun, and You Can’t Take It With You.
Her list includes 33 Off-Broadway productions that include such familiar titles as: Love, Loss and What I Wore by Nora Ephron, My Name is Asher Lev and Defying Gravity. Not satisfied with putting shows on the boards, Daryl Roth ventured into filmmaking. Among her efforts are: A Very Serious Person with Polly Bergen, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and Albert Noble with Glenn Close. Daryl not only receives awards, she presents them. The Daryl Roth Creative Spirit Award annually goes to a theater artist or organization and provides them with financial support as they develop new works.
award, Broadway Association Visionary Leader Award, Stella Adler 2012 Harold Clurman Spirit Award and more and more. Daryl has been married for 46 years to her husband, Steven, head of the Vornado realty firm. They have two children, Jordan and a daughter, Amanda. There are also three grandchildren for whom she always makes time in her busy schedule. “I have an extended family,� Daryl notes. “With each production that I am involved in the actors and staff becomes family. I try hard to make it a warm and inclusive environment.�
She is an Honorary Trustee for the Lincoln Center Theater and was on the Board of Directors of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine as well as the New York State Council on the Arts.
Daryl, an attractive blond who could easily pass for one of the beautiful actresses in her plays, has a lilt in her voice that tells you immediately that she is enjoying life. And more than that, she enjoys sharing it with other people.
In addition to the Crain’s recognition, she has been named the Einstein Humanitarian Award winner by the Women’s Division of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the 2014 Living Landmarks
Both her immediate family and the extended members on and OffBroadway would be hard pressed to find a more warm and endearing QFSTPO UP XPSL XJUI t
OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 15
The California Coast
By Keri Zane
magine a leisurely drive up the California Coastline. Start at Coronado, the southernmost island off the shore and continue north until you reach the rugged sheep dotted cliffs at the Oregon state line. Add a touch of romance by spending 9 nights at a different unique boutique hotel every night. Put it all together with insider tips from the owners and managers of these establishments. And you’ve got yourself an awesome dream-cometrue travel getaway. 1. San Diego County Start off your adventure by visiting Coronado. Stay at the quaint Hotel Marisol Coronado, one short block from Silver Strand State Beach. The hotel offers free bicycles for exploring the island and riding the Strand. Or you can hop on a ferry and ride to San Diego. Once there, spend your day visiting the wild animals at the San Diego Zoo, then enjoy the nightlife in the retro-hip Gas Lamp Quarter. *DWKD tip #1. Take in the soft ocean breeze while enjoying your morning coffee on the hotel’s private courtyard. 2. Orange County The Retreat in Laguna Beach is a hidden gem in the heart of Laguna Beach. It has eight unique, luxury villas all with whitewater views. One of the most unique features is the 2-way mirror/ window between the bedroom and living room which allows you to see through the entire villa to the ocean. At its core is an art colony on the streets of downtown Laguna chock full of artisan dining establishments and art galleries. There are a lot of public art displays as well, from lamp post banner originals by local artists 16 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
to towering edifices and street corner art. Spend the day walking around and fill your world with color. DWKD tip #2 Book your stay starting in mid-September and enjoy half the rate and half the minimum stay (reduced from 7 to 3 nights). 3. Los Angeles County Right in the heart of South Bay’s Manhattan Beach is the 38-room Shade Hotel. Just a few blocks from the ocean, once you check in everything you’d ever want is walkable. You can take a bike ride on the strand using the complimentary beach cruisers or try one of the complimentary yoga classes. Live decadently and have one of Shade’s beach concierges arrange your beach set up on the sand; all you have to do is show up! DWKD tip #3 Shaunna McKelvey, GM of Shade suggests you book your stay on a Sunday. Rates are significantly lower and it’s easier to get a room as they are almost never sold out.
4. Santa Barbara County In the heart of Santa Barbara is Hotel Milo, a 122-room oceanfront property with friendly staff members who will hook you up with the inside scoop so you can navigate the town like a local. Discover new pinots on a Santa Barbara wine tasting tour. Wander through the galleries and pop-up cafés of the eclectic Funk Zone; meander through the State Street boutique shops or hop on a complimentary beach cruiser for a short ride to the wharf. Watch the sunset from your paddleboard. DWKD tip #4 The hotel offers a special 10% discount on Sunday thru Thursday arrivals and 8% off for Friday and Saturday arrivals.
Photo by Karlis Dambrans 5. San Luis Obispo County Paso Robles is the hub of California’s Central Coast wine country. It is a charming country town that’s exploded onto the wine scene in the last few years. And in the heart of the miles and miles of vineyard sits the JUST Inn, a small enclave of luxury guest suites on property at Justin Vineyards & Winery. The winery opened a newly renovated tasting room, guest suites and restaurant all on property late last year. It’s the only winery in Paso to offer all three. If you can’t stay away from the water, Moonstone Beach is a quick 20 minute drive west and right across Highway 1. The quaint town of Cambria offers loads of shopping and a variety of eating establishments.Â
Springs. You can also participate in cooking classes, morning yoga or a hike under the Golden Gate Bridge.Â
6. Monterey County For a unique family experience, stay at Holman Ranch in Carmel Valley. This 400-acre,10-room, family-run vineyard and olive grove, only plays host to large families and groups. No “onesieâ€? bookings here, but you can reserve the property for more than one night. You can elect from one of their all-inclusive specialized packages or create an a la carte experience for your family. Some of the more unique activities available include skeet shooting, beekeeping, archery, dummy cattle roping, square dancing, horticulture seminars and bonfires complete with s’mores. And, of course, there’s wine tasting as Holman Ranch is also an estate vineyard. All their wines use grapes grown on their property and they are fully sustainable and 100% organic.Â
9. San Francisco County Be one of the first to stay at the Axiom Hotel expected to open in the fall. The hotel is taking over the former Powell Hotel space in downtown San Francisco right near the famed cable car turnaround. The largest boutique property on the list, it features152 tech-forward rooms. In addition to complimentary Wi-Fi, smart TV, iPad and iPhone docking stations, it has lightning fast fiber optic Internet access. Of course it is accessible to all of the best sights the big bay on the left coast has to offer.Â
DWKD tip #5 Ask the staff to arrange for a wine picnic for you. They’ll even include a photographer to capture your family’s special visit. 7. Marin County Nuzzled in historic Fort Baker, Cavallo Point Lodge is a historic luxury resort located in Sausalito, California. With the backdrop of the rolling Marin Hills, each of the 142 rooms has a view of the San Francisco skyline and Golden Gate Bridge. Cavallo Point is perfect for couples seeking adventure. There’s hiking in Muir Woods, Angel Island, the ‘Jewel of the San Francisco Bay’, and Wilbur Hot
DWKD tip # 6 Enjoy the midweek special and receive 20% off any facial, massage, or body treatment. 8. Sonoma County Sea Ranch Lodge is a small secluded 19-room property, each with an ocean view and all were renovated in 2012. The property is petfriendly and located near 50 miles of hiking trails and a self-guided wildflower walk. Of course Sonoma is the best place to taste some of the finest “Cali� vintages.
10. Mendocino County In the remote town of Westport, population 60, you can rest your head in the northernmost property on Highway 1. It’s the six room Westport Hotel. While there visit Westport Union Landing State Beach for camping, beachcombing, tide-pooling or fishing. You can head south and stop in at MacKerricher State Park for hiking trails, tide pools, and wildlife viewing. Further south, Fort Bragg offers the Skunk Train which winds through the redwoods or you can explore the blooms and ocean views at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens and hunt for sea glass at Glass Beach. DWKD tip #7 Cross the street from the hotel and take the short trail along the edge of the bluffs and stairs to a secret beach below. %8,% %P XIBU ,FSJ %PFT t OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 17
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Chicago’s Art and Relaxation By Jodie Jacobs f the planets were in the proper alignment you would have a week to enjoy Chicago’s neighborhoods, museums, festivals and food (yes it has become a foodie town). However, when it is conferences and business meetings that bring you to the city, you need to know what to shoehorn in during your free time. De-Stress at the Peninsula Chicago Spa Treat yourself to a couple of hours at The Peninsula Chicago’s Asian and Ayurvedic inspired Spa because you deserve it. After a deep-tissue or bamboo massage at this luxurious spa, you can go back to meetings refreshed or even feel able to take on whatever the airlines have in store for you to fly back home. Arguable among the top spas in the Chicago area, the staff is knowledgeable and you can customize your treatments. Just as good, is that spa guests get to use the half Olympic sized 20 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
pool, workout equipment, steam room and sauna. The spa is on Floors 19 and 20 so you have wonderful views from the pool and relaxing rooms high above North Michigan Avenue’s Magnificent (Shopping) Mile. Food and drinks are allowed poolside, so you can take your time-out at lunch. Entry to the hotel is on East Superior Street, tucked, appropriately behind Tiffany and Company. chicago.peninsula.com/en/spa-wellness See Renzo Piano’s “Flying Carpet.” New Yorkers have recently been treated to Renzo Piano’s dramatic exhibition spaces at the new Whitney Museum, in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. To see how this award-winning architect dealt with light and design in Chicago, go over to the Art Institute of Chicago’s Modern Wing. The roof, a clever, light-defusing sunshade of computer-operated blades, is known as the “flying carpet.”
The Modern Wing’s 264,000 square feet made the Art Institute the second-largest art museum in the United States (next to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York). Pick up a guide for suggestions on what to see within your time frame but here are three tips. Tip 1: The place to eat in the Modern Wing, if you can get a reservation, is Terzo Piano, an upscale Mediterranean restaurant on the Wing’s third floor terrace. From there you see the skyline and Millennium Park. Relax over latte, soup or a cupcake and have a dramatic indoor view of the Modern Wing, stop at Caffé Moderno on Level Two. Tip 2: Art aficionados know the Art Institute has an exceptional collection of French Impressionism, Post Impressionism and Modern paintings. Less known is that downstairs in the main building are 68 Thorne Miniature Rooms. They are perfect period and cultural representations of European and American rooms down to the last candlestick. Tip 3: To top off your museum visit if in Chicago by Jan. 3, 2016, go to the Regenstein Hall to see “Gates of the Lord: The Tradition of Krishna Paintings.” It is the first major U.S. exhibit of works from the Hindu Pushtimarg culture.
Snap a photo at “The Bean” Millennium Park’s sculptures are photo moments. If walking the park’s Michigan Avenue sidewalk between Randolph and Monroe Streets, downtown Chicago, you’ll pull out the smart phone to snap a tall, white head by Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa and also capture his huge facing blocks that compose the Crown Fountain. That head and three brown ones are Plensa’s contribution to the 10th anniversary of his Crown Fountain, a permanent sculpture that spouts water from 1000 changing portraits of Chicagoans. The heads are up through December 2015. You need to go into the park to see the other three heads but you will want to do that anyway because you have to take a photo in front of or under “The Bean.” A huge (66 feet long by 33 feet high), highly polished steel elliptical sculpture by British artist Anish Kapoor, the work is really called “Cloud Gate.” It does reflect the sky but it also reflects the skyline and everyone who walks by. The billowing steel-ribbon seen above the trees is the top of the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the park’s popular music and festival stage and lawn. Go closer to see how its artistic, crisscrossed trellis extends over the lawn to support its remarkable sound system. For a really good photo of the park, Lake Michigan on the east and OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 21
the skyline, walk the Nichols Bridgeway designed by Piano when he did the Art Institute’s Modern Wing. It connects the Modern Wing 60 feet above Monroe Street with the Pritzker lawn.
winner Frank Galati who also directed “Grapes,” the show also brings back “Grapes” actors Francis Guinan, Tim Hopper and Alan Wilder.
It doesn’t matter if you’re in Chicago during the winter. The park still has sculptures, great views and its Michigan Avenue side has the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink (skates can be rented) from midNovember through early March.
Although co-founders Gary Sinise, Terry Kinney and Jeff Perry had gotten together in 1974, it was in 1975 that Steppenwolf incorporated as a non-profit, professional resident company and added John Malkovich, Laurie Metcalf, Alan Wilder, Moira Harris, Nancy Evans and H.E. Baccus to the ensemble. Of course, these names are now legendary in the acting community as are other ensemble members.
cityofchicago.org Catch a Steppenwolf production before it hits Broadway Try to snag a ticket to Steppenwolf Theatre’s “East of Eden” if in town before the show ends Nov. 15. If in town later, go to a show at Steppenwolf anyway. An internationally known ensemble theater, Steppenwolf sent New York such productions as “Grapes of Wrath” in 1989 and “August: Osage County” in 2007. “East of Eden” is likely to follow. “Adopted” by two-time Tony 22 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
So, if exceptional theater is high on the bucket list, go to Steppenwolf no matter what is on stage. It is a sure way to see fine acting with a message about a culture, a historic time or family interaction. Steppenwolf is on North Halsted Street in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. steppenwolf.org/Ensemble/
A is for Architecture Tourists quite often take an architecture boat tour on the Chicago River. By the way, even though the Chicago Architecture Foundation tour is most often touted, Chicago Tours and Wendella are also good and have knowledgeable guides. The boat tours are a fine way to hear about Chicago architecture but many significant buildings can’t be seen from the river. To really see most of downtown Chicago’s exceptional architecture you should walk. If you have to choose just one building, schedule a tour of the Auditorium Theatre in the downtown’s South Loop. “Loop” refers to buildings within the “L” tracks that circle some of the downtown and the periphery. The Auditorium’s entrance is on Congress Parkway in a building that wraps around the corner onto Michigan Avenue and houses Roosevelt University. Designed by Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan, it was the city’s tallest building when completed in 1889. Notice the arches that are Sullivan hallmarks. Listed on the National Register of Historic
Places and designated a National Historic Landmark, the building convinced President Benjamin Harrison and congress to have Chicago host the world’s Columbian Exposition in 1893. The country’s first multi-use building, it was designed to house offices, hotel and an auditorium that would be an opera house. Its acoustics are perfect. The Auditorium is gorgeous and full of surprises. It’s lit and decorated by 3,500 bare bulbs. Its tiered boxes can be closed and the building has an unusual floating raft foundation. architecture.org wendellaboats.com cityofchicago.org auditoriumtheatre.org &OKPZ $IJDBHP t
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Photo by JuralMS
A Taste of Mobile By Mona L. Hayden ike many vacationers, you may have traveled through Mobile on the way to the beaches of Florida or to New Orleans. However, this city definitely merits recognition as a prime destination for any traveler. From Mardi Gras and moon pies to architecture and monarchs, Mobile delivers big on entertainment, culture, and cuisine. Recognized for the original Mardi Gras celebration in 1703, Mobile continues to revel in the spirit of the season several weeks each year with crowd pleasing parades and floats, marching bands and lots of throws, including moon pies, the city’s adopted informal emblem. If you miss the actual celebration, you can always visit the Mobile Carnival Museum (www.mobilecarnivalmuseum.com) any time and climb aboard a rocking float to get a firsthand view as a masked rider.
Mobile serves up an architectural feast as well, as it was once a colony for France, Britain, and Spain during its first 100 years. The historical influence of each era continues to be prevalent throughout the city. Home to various art museums, a symphony orchestra, a professional opera, and a professional ballet company, Mobile is a designated cultural seat along the Gulf Coast. For nature enthusiasts, the 65-acre Bellingrath Gardens (www. bellingrath.org) is beautiful any time of year. It was declared the Top Public Rose Garden in the U.S. in 2004 and is still captivating visitors. Take the self-guided walking tour to explore the extensive gardens and the Bellingrath’s original 10,500 square foot home before taking the 45-minute cruise to bird watch and recapture the history of the Civil War. You may want to plan another visit to Mobile to witness the migration of the monarch butterflies as they pass right through on their journey to Mexico.
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DINING Don’t even consider visiting the Mobile area without enjoying a meal at the Bob Baumhower’s Compleat Angler Seafood Grille & Bar (www.CompleatAnglerGrille.com) where fresh, local and homemade fare comes straight from the Gulf. Dine on the deck to be dazzled by the beautiful bay and glorious sunsets with a plate of seafood, farm fresh vegetables and fruit, and possibly the best pina coladas on earth. Menu selections include temptations such as shrimp and grits, coconut cay fish, gator tail platter, conch fritters, grilled or fried pig, and the Hemingway filet. Top off your meal with fresh key lime pie or Bimini bread pudding. (FYI…From 1935-37, Ernest Hemingway was lured to Bimini and The Compleat Angler Hotel where he immortalized the island’s incredible fishing in his book Islands in the Stream.) If you time it just right, a delightful recurring Gulf Coast phenomenon not to miss is the ‘Jubilee’, where Mobile Bay residents and visitors anticipate the prospect of gigging hundreds of flounder or catching tubs of crabs and shrimp within just a few hours. This can encompass a 15-mile stretch or just a few hundred feet of beach and tends to occur on a summer morning, typically before sunrise with a gentle wind from the east, a calm and slick bat surface, and an overcast or cloudy day the previous day. Jubilees seem to occur only in Tokyo Bay in Japan and Mobile Bay in Alabama. In celebration of the Jubilee, the Compleat Angler Seafood Grill & Bar serves up the most incredible seafood platter. Now you understand why dining at The Compleat Angler should be on every foodie’s bucket list. Another dining experience takes place at Spot of Tea (www.spotoftea.com) on Dauphine Street. With a distinct flair reminiscent of New Orleans, this local restaurant has been serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner since 1994. A house favorite is their seafood bisque made with fresh blackened Mexican grouper in a light parmesan cream base. Special event parties and tour groups are always welcome and breakfast and lunch is served anytime. Bonus: With a full tummy, enjoy a leisurely stroll a couple blocks away and tour the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Construction of the cathedral began in 1835 and was completed in 1850. Notice the remarkable stained glass windows that were created in Munich, Germany and the crypt chapel for deceased bishops added in 1964. If visions of barbeque have been occupying your thoughts, head over to The Shed BBQ & Blues Joint (www.theshedbbq.com) where you’ll find some of the best smoked barbeque in the South. Unpretentious and entertaining, this place personifies the best of all the barbeque joints imaginable with makeshift décor, live music, and a lipsmacking menu that will have you coming back for more. BBQSuperStars.com recently ranked the Top 100 BBQ Sauces in the world and The Shed’s Sweet Baby Rays took 1st, the “shed spred” ranked 4th, their world famous Cattleman’s captured 7th, and the rubs placed 12th. Pretty convincing, I’d say, as the numbers don’t lie.
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For a dining experience like no other, drop by the original Wintzell’s Oyster House (www. wintzellsoysterhouse.com) on Dauphine, a Mobile landmark since 1938. With 12 locations, 11 in Alabama and one in Pensacola, and an enthusiastic staff that makes you feel like family, Wintzell’s serves up oysters any way you like them. Or as they like to say, “Fried, stewed, or nude – and now charbroiled”. Be sure to taste the West Indies Salad, made with lump crabmeat marinated in oil and vinegar for 24 hours, then blended with chopped onion and spices. Follow it with some seafood gumbo, buckhead beef steaks, chicken or fish. Of course, this is after you’d devoured oysters prepared every possible way! ACCOMMODATIONS Mobile boasts several world-class hotels owned by PCH Hotels & Resorts (www.pchresorts.com) associated with the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. These include the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Pt. Clear, the Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa, and the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel, both in Mobile. All have meeting facilities with advanced technology and of course, the gold standard of comfort and excellence symbolic with Marriott. The exquisite European spas, first-rate dining, and exceptional attention to every detail will make your stay unforgettable. The historical aspects of these properties are also noteworthy. For instance, the original Battle House dates back to 1852 and was built on the site of a military headquarters set up by Andrew Jackson during the War of 1812 and also served as a hospital during the Civil War. If time permits, request a guided tour to experience the whispering arch and more. The award-winning Grand Hotel, the undisputed Queen of Southern Resorts situated on 550 acres, dates back to 1847. Gentile and patriotic, the Grand offers a military cannon salute each day at 4pm, followed by afternoon tea. Mobile was founded by the colonial French in 1702 to serve as the capital of Louisiana and was named for the Native American Mobilian tribe in that area. As the only seaport in Alabama, it was initially a key trading center between the French and Native Americans and is now the ninth largest port in the country. Located just 23 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico at the fork of Mobile Bay and the Mobile River, this Southern charmer is sure to delight any guest. Pack your bags and plan to stay a while because the lure of Mobile is sure to satisfy any appetite! t
Photo by fisherbray OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 27
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Rocky Mountain Train By Jon Haggins Photos by Laurel Van Horn ancouver is a port city surrounded by water from where many ships arrive and depart. It’s also the third largest city in Canada. We stayed at the Fairmont Vancouver Hotel, a four star property with all the amenities, even a pillow boutique, where one can select a preferred pillow. The dining experience was exceptional with the freshest local produce and meats. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Garden sits in the heart of Vancouver. The park creates a peaceful environment with water lilies and a pagoda with the sound of a chime here and there. Gastown is the oldest part of Vancouver and harkens back to the days when street lamps were fueled by gas and an old steam clock blows its whistle on the hour. 30 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
The Aquarium has a collection of colorful sea life in large tanks. The dolphins in the outdoor pool were fascinating because they leaped out of the water like acrobats. It’s a perfect place to learn about sea life. The people of Vancouver make lots of usage of the waterways such as: yachting, kayaking, canoeing and ferries. Granville is just on the other side of the river and the Public Market has a number of cafes and shops that offer a variety of fresh produce, floras, meats and entertainment. Passengers are shuttled from one side of the river to the other in little Tea Kettle shaped boats. I happened to board the wrong shuttle boat where I met Carol, a local who said, “My friend is having a party on his yacht today and I’d like to invite you.” I quickly replied, “That’s better than Shakespeare”.
On board the Southmere yacht were two Russians, two Canadians, and us (two Americans). Let me not forget the flowing Vodka, sushi, and splendid company. We sailed along the river while the captain and owner, Wayne Wilkins, entertained us with his horn blowing and wild 80’s Russian disco music. Stanley Park is one of the largest Parks in Vancouver and offers the best view of the city and its harbor. There is a collection of colorful First Nation Totem Poles standing proudly in the park. Capilano Suspension Bridge was built in 1889 out of hemp rope. It spans 450 feet and is 230 feet high and has been known to terrorize some of those who try to walk across it over the very deep chasm. The park is surrounded by natural beauty and its wildlife is protected by a conservation project. Vancouver’s oldest attraction, Treetop adventure is seven suspended bridges 100 feet off the forest floor. They shake when you walk. It’s located in a rainforest and especially beautiful during the summer months. A sky lift to the top of Grouse Mountain offers a spectacular view overlooking Vancouver. The zip line is one of the featured adventures of the mountain. Several guests rode the zip line hanging
from their heels to show off their skills and dare devilishness. The next morning we boarded The Rocky Mountaineer Train. It has two classes of service: the Gold Leaf class and the Red Leaf Class. The Gold Leaf offers views of the Rockies in the upper dome with panoramic windows where one can observe a view of rolling glacial mountains, lakes, waterfalls and countryside. The cocktails never stop flowing. There are two separate dining seatings on the lower level. The Red Leaf Class serves meals at your seat. The chef on board offers local produce and farm-raised salmon and offers a large variety of Canadian red and white wines, and of course Ice Wines. You can also take photos from the open vestibule. The Rocky Mountaineer stopped for an overnight in Kamloops where we visited the First Nation archeological site. During the winter the First Nation people lived in a structure called Kick Willy. Kick Willy is dug into the ground and used by 40 to 60 people. The largest Kick Willy is used as a social hall. The Kick Willys are located next to the South Thompson River. The river is used as a means of transportation like a highway. During the summer they live in teepees on the side of mountains. OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 31
The Heritage Park consists of a beautiful trail along the South Thompson River that allows visitors to explore a 2000-year-old pit house and an ethnobotanical garden, which is filled with traditional Secwepemc plants. The First Nations Museum has four different galleries showcasing the cultural and traditional lives of the Secwepemc People. Dinner was in a super restaurant overlooking the river. After an overnight in Kamloops, we boarded the train for breakfast and onward to Banff passing gracious flowing water falls and unbelievable natural unspoiled scenery. Banff is a quaint little town at the edge of the Banff Mountains. The town of Banff sits in the middle of Canada’s first national park where there are a number of shops, dining and adventures. The park has limited expansion because they believe in protecting their spaces.
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Banff Gondola is open year round. It lifts you to the top of Sulphur Mountain, which is 7500 feet to the top for a panoramic view of the Banff Spring Fairmont Hotel and entire town of Banff. The Canadian Pacific Railway built the hotel 132 years ago to lure guests from around the world. The hotel sits in the middle of Banff National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site established in 1885 as Canada’s first national park. Beautiful mountain peaks at the convergence of the majestic Bow and Spring Rivers surround the hotel. Bow is perfect for canoeing. Let’s not forget the hot springs where one can relax in the outdoor pool overlooking the town. The hotel is styled after a Scottish Baronial castle and is known as the “Castle in the Rockies.” The chef prepared lots of dishes with local ingredients, such as wild fish, local fruits and vegetables. The Banffshire Club Kitchen offers 600 different wines.
The Fairmont Banff Hotel is a perfect getaway for couples, singles, honeymooners, and you can even bring your dog. The hotel offers a heavenly view of the mountains and glaciers. We arrived at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise Hotel by coach. I woke up the next morning, turned on the TV and low and behold, there was a film with Carmen Miranda at Lake Louise. I jumped out of my bed and rushed to the window where there was an unbelievable site of Lake Louise and the white glaciers. Later that day I hopped in a canoe and paddled along the peaceful, beautiful turquoise water. Rowing is the best exercise especially in this scenic environment of rolling glacial, aqua marine waters and clean air. British Columbia and the Rocky Mountains XBT B NFNPSBCMF FYQFSJFODF t
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MEDITERRANEAN MASTERPIECE | 12025 NW 78TH PL | PARKLAND, FL 33076 | $560,000
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Mahwah, NJ…$6,395,000 23 + ACRES! RIVERFRONT HORSE FARM 5 bedroom Hampton’s style shingle and stone residence offers high volume and expansive views. The 9-stall barn opens to a limestone jumping area, paddocks and trails. Above the stalls is a massive artist loft. Infinity pool, hot tub and patios.
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Kohler, a Golf, Spa & By Jodie Jacobs
tournament might have something to do with it.
magine playing at Kohler’s Whistling Straits on the Straits course that hosted 2015 PGA championship and will host the 2020 Ryder Cup. The famed Pete Dye course is just one clue that Kohler, WI is way more than a place that manufactures bathroom and kitchen fixtures.
If not able to snag a tee time on the Straits, which borders Lake Michigan, check out its sister, the challenging Irish Course across the road that has meandering streams and also in-your-face bunkers. With the Clubhouse’s Irish Pub, atmospheric dining room and stone out-buildings, you really feel as if you stepped onto a bit of the Auld Sod. The two Whistling Straits courses are nine miles northeast of The American Club, Kohler’s AAA Five-Diamond, Forbes Five-Star hotel.
A mere hour’s drive north of Milwaukee and two hours from Chicago, the town of Kohler, is a relaxing but sophisticated getaway from urban stress. Gorgeous in the fall, Kohler is also a great destination any season. But first, you should know more about Whistling Straits. Designed as an Irish-style links course it has challenging thick grass areas, hundreds of bunkers and spectacular views of Lake Michigan. It also has several Scottish Blackface ewes and you can’t ride a cart. Indeed, during a recent visit, a foursome from Mississippi said that it felt as if they walked 36 holes, not 18. That they had encountered a wind that was almost as strong as the one that delayed the PGA 36 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
Golf is just as memorable, though challenging in a different way, at Dye’s beautiful Blackwolf Run near the American Club. Golf Digest named it “Best new public course” when it opened in Kohler in 1988. Here, you play either The River or The Meadow Valleys. They take advantage of Wisconsin’s gorges and ravines. To prepare sore golf muscles for more activity do a deep tissue massage at the Forbes Travel Five Star award-winning Kohler Waters Spa. Or just book a time there because you deserve some
Dining Destination pampering. The spa is in The Carriage House which is part of The American Club. And no, you don’t have to play golf to enjoy Kohler. You have probably guessed that your accommodations have bathrooms you would love to have at home. If really into fixtures, you can take a free, three-hour factory tour or just go into the Design Center next to the Carriage House to see what’s new and get some clever, style ideas from its upstairs showrooms. So the next question when looking for an escape is about dining options. You don’t have to leave the American Club because it has the AAA Four Diamond, Forbes Four Star Immigrant Restaurant. In addition, the restaurant just received “Wine Spectator’s� 2015 “Best of Award of Excellence�. The Wisconsin Room has a delicious breakfast buffet and from-the-menu breakfast. The Greenhouse, an antique solarium of stained glass windows and plants, is the place to go for early morning espresso and afternoon ice cream. But when you want to explore your surroundings, you can take the
American Club’s shuttles (or drive) to several, really good dining spots. Cucina Italian Restaurant in an upscale mall on Wood Lake, has superb seafood. Do dessert there or go next door to the Craverie Chocolatier CafÊ. Even if you do your final course at Cucina, stop at the CafÊ to bring something back to the room. The golf courses also have good restaurants. So even if you don’t play Whistling Straits you can take the shuttle over there and dine on British and Irish themed dishes while looking over the course. Or go over to Blackwolf ’s rustic dining room for steak or Alaskan salmon with a great view of its course. Now you need to know where to go the next day to work off all the yummy food. Enter the Sports Core Health and Racket Club. Swim, play tennis, work out on machines, work with a personal trainer or take a fitness class. The Core, a 100,000 square foot facility on Wood Lake, is available free to hotel guests. The only problem with a Kohler getaway is having to leave to go CBDL UP XPSL t OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 37
Voted “Top Hotels in the U.S.” US News & World Report
CELEBRATE Medieval-Style Setting
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Only thirty minutes north of Manhattan, Castle Hotel & Spa sits majestically atop one of the highest points in Westchester County overlooking the Hudson River amid sprawling acres of manicured gardens and grounds. With over 100 years of history, the Castle is undoubtedly a sumptuous escape to the enchanted era of America’s Gilded Age. The Castle’s luxurious guestrooms, suites with woodrestaurant, Equus, features Auberge-style natural French cuisine based on locally sourced ingredients presented with innovative seasonal menus. Our newest addition to the property THANN™ Sanctuary Spa is known throughout Asia as an oasis of peace and tranquility offering a wide variety of luxurious spa treatments based on THANN’s art of natural therapy, where all the senses are awakened by the We invite you to experience the unparalleled service, comfort and amenities that continue to be the hallmark of hospitality at the Castle.
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Resident
The Last Frontier
Story and photos by Irwin and Paula Nesoff
s the state’s license plates proudly proclaim, Alaska is the “Last Frontier.” This vast state, one-fifth the size of the continental U.S., is larger than Texas, California and Montana combined. Because of its immense size and vast distances, most people who visit only see a very small portion of the state. With so much to see, Alaska beckons the adventurous traveler to step out of his comfort zone and experience the last frontier up close and personal. For the traveler who is willing to leave the luxuries of cruise ships and high-end lodges behind and go “native,” the rewards of this vast and rugged land are many. Having spent two weeks, and traveling 1,800 miles exploring south central Alaska, we have returned in awe of the 49th state.
Our journey began in Anchorage, a city that sits on the Cook Inlet. Anyplace else this would be the Cook Sea, but in Alaska it is merely an inlet. The first stop on our itinerary was Wrangell St. Elias National Park, a full day’s drive from Anchorage. Before you balk at the idea of so much time in the car, realize that is part of the experience. Seeing glaciers, snow capped mountains, glacial rivers, vast forests and huge valleys around each bend in the road, adds to an unforgettable experience. Breaking up the ride, the first stop was the Matanuska Lodge in Sutton, a two hour ride from Anchorage through the magical Mat-Su Valley. As you drive, the valley sprawls before you with a mountain tapestry for a backdrop, creating a true feast for the eyes, while below you the Matanuska River gurgles and churns as it races you to the next bend in the road. OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 39
Along the way, a short ride to Palmer on the Glenn Highway brings you to the Noisy Goose restaurant, a true Alaska experience and the perfect transition to this quirky land. Stepping onto the front porch, you are greeted by two carved bears, one longingly peering in the window. Once inside you come face to face with a full-size, stuffed grizzly behind glass. The food is refreshingly good, but the main attraction is the hundreds of placards on the walls, with humorous sayings that may prevent you from perusing the menu but remind you that you are in a land like no other. If the Noisy Goose is the epitome of Alaska quirkiness, the Matanuska Lodge takes quirk one-step further. Owner Brenda Goldberg has filled this beautiful log lodge to the rafters with the works of local artists and craftspeople. Every inch of this spacious B n B is filled with colorful and one of a kind objects. From the hand painted doors, to the expansive outdoor deck, the sumptuous breakfasts and awe inspiring views, the Matanuska Lodge is a must stop on your Alaska road trip. Brenda is extremely accommodating, providing a separate refrigerator and freezer for guests to store groceries. Another important amenity is the blackout curtains in the large, private rooms. The twenty-two hours of daylight that we experienced at the end of June, made these curtains a necessity, but one that was missing as we stayed in other accommodations.
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Brenda has created such a warm and inviting place that leaving was difficult, but we pushed on. Following the West Glenn Highway, the next stop is Wrangell St. Elias National Park; the largest and one of the least visited of the national parks. This wilderness gem is perhaps one of Alaska’s best-kept secrets. Wrangell St Elias sits at the end of a 47-mile long dirt road following an old railroad bed through beautiful scenery. At the end of the road, connected by a footbridge lies a wilderness with all the trappings of Alaskan folklore: an abandoned mine and a ghost town. Once you leave your car behind and cross the foot bridge, you can take a shuttle to McCarthy the former bustling mine town and further up the road is Kennecott, home to the abandoned Kennecott copper mine. Once home to hundreds of people with its own red light district, McCarthy now has twenty-three die-hard residents... and no Red Light District. There is no shortage of adventures to enjoy while here. There are two outfitters in Kennecott offering a full menu of activities
including half day to multi-day hikes, ice climbing and rafting. We went on the half-day glacier hike with Kennecott Wilderness Guides and then joined the Kennecott Mill Town Tour with the St. Elias Alpine Guides. After hiking about two miles to the Root Glacier, we stopped to put on crampons (a traction device attached to boots) for the next leg of the journey on the glacier. Our two guides Chris Brothers and Jack Teague were extremely personable and knowledgeable about the environment, the ecology and the glacier itself. Their ongoing narrative and willingness to share their knowledge and love of the environment helped to make this a special experience. If you have never hiked on a glacier before, this is a must do activity. While visiting Wrangell St. Elias we stayed at the Currant Ridge Cabins. These are a few miles away from the foot bridge leading to the park. These comfortable yet rustic cabins have a full kitchen and separate bedroom. The views from the decks are inspiring, as are most views in Alaska. The owners, Andy and Cynthia Shinder, are happy to share the bountiful produce they grow in two green houses on the property; an added bonus. If you plan to visit here, stop in Anchorage on your way to do some grocery shopping, because you will be deep in the Alaskan wilderness with no malls or stores to mar the landscape, or to provide necessities.
The next stop, Denali National Park, is a full day’s drive with an overnight stop along the way. If you are skittish about long drives, these are empty roads with beautiful vistas around each turn. Denali is one of the gems in the National Parks system, and not to be missed. Since cars are only allowed a short distance into the park, it pays to make reservations for a park bus to take you in. You can go as far into the park as you wish on the bus, which winds along a narrow mountain road, with steep drop offs that make you hope the driver is having a good day and did not have a fight with his/her partner before coming to work. If you are one of the lucky thirty percent, you may actually get to see snow covered Mt. McKinley now Mt. Denali) seemingly floating above the surrounding mountain ranges. The view is aweinspiring, even though the closest you can get by bus is seventy-five miles. They say that only fifty percent of people who attempt to summit Mt. McKinley actually make it and only thirty percent of park visitors see the mountain when it is not cloud enshrouded.
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There are numerous accommodations in and around the park. Depending on how long you stay, there are a variety of hikes, rafting trips, ranger programs and flightseeing trips to name a few activities. Next stop is the beautiful Kenai Peninsula and the town of Seward. On the way you pass through Anchorage where we highly recommend stopping at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, operated and staffed by members of the six indigenous tribes. Around a small lake are replicas of the different dwellings used by each of the tribes, with a knowledgeable docent from that tribe in each dwelling. Inside the main building there is a gift shop, museum and a stage for performances of native dances, games and folklore. The U.S. government has named the 127-mile Seward Highway an All-American Road. National Geographic describes the road in 42 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
equally glowing terms: “If you’re looking for whales and waterfalls, blue glaciers and sharp-toothed mountains, calm trout ponds and stormy ocean fjords, there’s enough visual overload here to fill a hard drive with digital pictures.” Neither description is an exaggeration. Once in Seward there is a variety of things to do including boat trips on Resurrection Bay, with a salmon luncheon on a private island. Travelling across the Kenai to Homer on Kachemak Bay takes you through beautiful countryside and the town of Soldotna, home to Natron Air. Tim Pope has been piloting his small sightseeing pane for twenty years and will take up to six passengers on fishing, hunting and bear viewing fights. He is laid back and knowledgeable about the area and where the wildlife is. Like every other guide that we met in Alaska, he exudes love for the place and its natural environment. I got to sit up front in the co-pilots seat, focused on not stepping on the two pedals in front of me, as Tim had warned
me not to touch them. That warning was all that I needed, I never asked what would happen if I did hit one of the pedals by accident. However, when relaying this story to my ten-year old grandson, he immediately asked if I was tempted. We landed on a beach and didn’t have to walk too far before coming across a grizzly bear with two more not too far off. Keeping a “safe� distance, we photographed and hung out with the bear for a while before heading back to the plane to fly over an active volcano. Tim never did reveal how he knew the bear would be there. But I was glad that it stayed where we found it. Two hours south of Soldotna is Homer, the halibut fishing capital of the world. The only way to get fresh halibut to eat here is to catch it yourself. It’s like trying to buy sweet corn in Iowa, where all the corn is grown for cattle feed. Here, all the commercial fish is frozen and shipped out or sold to restaurants.
A ten-mile boat ride from Homer brings you to the enchanted artist colony of Halibut Cove. Originally a fishing village that disappeared when the herring were overfished, the first gallery opened in 1968 featuring the work of Diana Tillion, who owned the land along with her husband. Today there are thirty-five artists who are based in the cove, with several galleries displaying their work. Diana’s artist daughter, Marian Beck, proudly oversees the galleries and the Saltry Restaurant serving sumptuous lunches and dinners. Marian also owns the Danny J ferry, piloted by her sister or niece, that makes the trip form Homer to the Cove daily. The day-trip to the Cove passes by a birding colony that is rife with a wide variety of birds, including puffins. Buildings in the cove are connected by a series of boardwalks, and it boasts one of the only floating post offices in the country. The enchanting Halibut Cove is the prefect XBZ UP ESBX B DMPTF UP BOZ "MBTLB BEWFOUVSF t OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 43
Global is the Difference
Mamaroneck, NY
Beautiful Orienta Mediterranean home. Waterfront views abound and offer resort-style living in this exquisite terracotta roofed home. An expansive deck, lap pool and deep water dock are ideal for entertaining. $2,498,000
Rye PO, NY
Sophisticated 6 bedroom Colonial on prestigious Westchester County Club grounds. Exquisitely renovated by renowned architect Louise Brooks. Spectacular yard with established plantings creates this private enclave on a quiet street. $3,799,500
Sula Pearlman Associate Real Estate Broker C: 914-393-4104
Harrison, NY
Designed for easy one-level living, this wonderful light-filled contemporary with open floor plan includes many doorways opening to an expansive large deck, green lawn and inviting pool. $2,250,000
Purchase, NY
Contemporary Estate with indoor pool/spa. World-class interior design by Jeffrey Bilhuber opens to three fabulous acres with gardens, terrace & serene backyard. $3,500,000
sula.pearlman@cbmoves.com sulapearlman.com O: 914-967-0059
PREVIEWSADVANTAGE.COM | COLDWELLBANKERPREVIEWS.COM Africa North America Central America South America Asia Australia Caribbean Europe Middle East South Pacific
Expect the Eclectic By Karen Feld
steam shower on the lower level surrounded by views of greenery.
he secured gates of Winvian Farm in lush Morris, CT., offered no clue as to what we’d find within this pristine and peaceful 113-acre sanctuary, a two hour drive from Manhattan. Upon arrival at the 18th century main house, tastefully restored with wood obtained from old barns on the property, we were greeted warmly, offered a chilled glass of Prosecco and directed down Meadow Lane to our cottage, aptly named, Stable.
But this cottage is not for everyone since comfort is pushed to the edge by the awkward layout and open hardwood stairs connecting the three levels. The bathroom was on the lower level while a king bed and outdoor patio graced the mid-level. Surprisingly the large tiled steam shower lacked a bench and soap dish. Legend has it that this cottage is haunted, but we didn’t encounter any ghosts during our stay.
Although it’s been many years since I rode a horse, this cottage recalled my equestrian days with its décor, including vintage boots, saddle and a stack of “Chronicle of The Horse” publications. The three-story loft-like structure built into the natural landscape provided views of nature from all sides, creating a world far from the city. I couldn’t wait to relax in the sunken whirlpool tub and
The property has space to roam, laden with vegetable and flower gardens where my two toy poodles romped. Three of the 18 cottages are designated as pet-friendly. Guests can swim in the 40- foot heated pool set in a large meadow, play volleyball or badminton, or sit quietly and read or paint. The property is surrounded by several thousand acres of parkland with trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding in the fall and cross-country skiing in the
OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 45
winter. Each cottage is equipped with bikes for guest use.
shower and the whirlpool tub fills from the ceiling.
When the Smith family purchased the estate in 1948, they renamed it Win-Vian, a combination of their first names. In 2007, current family members converted the historic property to a luxury hotel and spa. Juxtaposed against the traditional, the result is a unique, somewhat whimsical, collaboration of 15 architects. Each of the cleverly designed cottages adheres to a designated theme.
If your taste runs to the even more eclectic, book a stay in Treehouse, which is a childhood fantasy suspended from trees 33 feet off the ground with trains on the second story. Helicopter is built around a 1968 US Coast Guard Sikorsky HH37 Sea King Pelican used in rescue missions. The plane was discovered in an aviator’s graveyard and restored to look like the one used in the film, “Top Gun.” I’m not sure I’d want to awaken and see a 17,000 - pound helicopter in my bedroom, but a cozy futon, bar and entertainment center is welcoming inside the fuselage. To carry out that theme, helicopter service from White Plains is offered.
Charter Oak, the largest cottage, appealed to me from the moment I saw the large fruit-filled apple trees in front. It was built around a 300-year-old massive Charter Oak tree which stands in the center of magnificent stonework separating the living room from the bedroom. The cottage houses a silo and screened porch, perfect to catch a glimpse of deer snatching apples at dawn. I learned that during the Revolutionary War in Connecticut, soldiers hid their ammunition in the Charter Oak Tree. There’s also a water fall
46 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
Did you ever wonder what a beaver must feel like in his den? The cottage named Beaver Lodge is reminiscent of just that with views of Beaver Pond and woods. Appropriately named, Golf, offers eight holes of putt putt. Since I‘m an artist, I’m eager to stay at the Artist Cottage based on a 1920’s artist’s bungalow with a gingerbread exterior and stained glass windows. It is complete with an adjacent studio with easel and canvas so guests can engage their artistic
imagination in a perfect setting. More surprises! I never would have guessed that the luxurious spa was once the site of pigpens. Now the Berkshire pigs are kept elsewhere on the property. The spacious retreat offers couples massages and a sun-filled lounge overlooking a fountain and the well-manicured gardens. Jaylin massaged my tired muscles with a deep tissue massage before dinner. Susan pampered me with a REN Bespoke facial as she suggested to re-hydrate my skin. This included a relaxing hand and arm massage. The experience was one of complete relaxation. REN skin care, which originated in England, offers products for all skin types made from plant and mineral extracts. Executive Chef Chris Eddy, who trained under Alain Ducasse and Daniel Boulud, utilizes organic ingredients grown on the expansive gardens or nearby farms. His creative Prix Fixe menu offering three ($95) or four ($110) courses, changes nightly. I enjoyed an heirloom tomato salad with pressed watermelon balsamic reduction followed by a near perfect saffron risotto with
braised veal. The Chef ’s signature dish is an exquisite Peking Duck breast served seared with corn ragout, balsamic onion petals and bacon foam. The individual milk chocolate souffle with cardamom anglaise, was decadent. We were seated in the Green Room, one of three dining rooms in the main house. It felt a bit formal, but we were immediately welcomed with the smell of a wood burning fireplace. The look was sedate elegance with brocaded curtains, Oriental rug, forest green and dark wood walls. The fresh, local floral arrangement on each table was a bright touch. The extensive wine list (representing 13 countries and more than 500 labels) is varied, but pricey. Selections by the glass are limited. After dinner, we stopped downstairs to have a nightcap with the charming and amusing General Manager, Paolo Middei, who was lured from Italy nine years ago to run the property. He filled
OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 47
us in with challenging and colorful details. For example, part of the helicopter’s tail had to be removed to fit the cottage; the pigs were getting sunburned in the open fields so the five mamas and 14 piglets were moved to the forest. There are three full-time gardeners; and the chef pulls seeds personally from the garden. When we were ready to say good night and walk back to our cottage, Middei told us that there had been “a Black bear sighting with her cubs on the property,” so he arranged for one of the staff to drive us. We were only two hours from the city, yet it reminded me of when I was on safari in South Africa and the rangers had to escort us back to our cottage. Before departing the next morning, we enjoyed a full breakfast on the outdoor terrace overlooking the lush, manicured gardens. I was delighted to discover fresh figs on the menu along with truffle scrambled eggs, homemade pastries and Brioche French toast with real Maple syrup. Fresh juice was the only missing ingredient. Room service is available for an additional fee. 48 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
I’d recommend this property as an idyllic private getaway for those desiring quirky accommodations and calming spa treatments in a rural setting with magnificent fall colors. It’s even caught on as a popular spot for destination weddings. Although the unconventional accommodations may not be ideal for those with physical limitations or those who anticipate luxury in the traditional sense, it’s a delightful getaway for those who want to be pampered with luxe spa treatments and stay in an unusual and eclectic venue with high tech amenities juxtaposed with the ambiance of an historic country property. Rates for fall weekend nights including breakfast range from $799 to $1,499 plus tax. Winvian Farm 155 Alain White Road Morris, CT 860-567-9600 www.winvian.com t
IV Fluids (Detox) $125 (regular price $250)
· Restore your Bodies optimal functions · Restore energy levels · Recover from jet lag · Hangover cure PRP Hair Growth Treatment: $500 (regular price $800)
PRP therapy is used in hair restoration for natural looking results. With a thin needle, your own Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) is injected into the scalp. Then the growth factors in your blood cells do their job and hair growth is naturally stimulated. Laser tattoo removal: (3 sessions for a small area 2” by 2”) $385 (regular price $900)
picosecond laser, widely recognized for its technology leadership, unmatched clinical versatility and proven performance. This is the best laser for laser tattoo removal. Clients receive the fastest results in minimum sessions; it is the safest on the skin, and treats virtually all tattoos.
A premier medical spa offering the most innovative, effective, and revolutionizing treatments that are available in the industry.
www.ArtofNaturalBeauty.com BROOKLYN 239 Court Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 718-694-2200
Manhattan 127 East 56th Street, New York, NY 10022 212-832-8200
Art of Natural Beauty A Spa for the Mind & Body By Ellen Marra ith Brooklyn becoming a hot new destination for condos, restaurants and a host of activities, it stands to reason that most anything available in Manhattan is available in Kings County as well. The Art of Natural Beauty Center is a spa in the Cobble Hill section with a warm dĂŠcor. It brings its unique form of relaxation and medical spa treatments just over the bridge. In fact, the trip from Manhattan is just a short subway hop on the F train. The spa has won the Best of Brooklyn 2015 award and is looking to repeat that every year. This is the only medical oriented spa that specializes in laser treatments and weight loss programs.
50 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
CO2 Laser Resurfacing is the most advanced, customizable microablative laser skin resurfacing treatment available today. The treatment is customized to meet the individual patient needs and downtime requirements, treating a multitude of skin conditions and aesthetic imperfections. The treatment is ideal for tightening, even skin tone, skin texture and will significantly reduce wrinkles and provide healthier and younger layers to your skin. The hot trend in skin art is fading and many people, especially up and coming young executives who thought plastering the arms, chest and other more private body parts with colorful ink, was in keeping up with their peers. Today many of them are embarrassed by this artwork and seek to have it removed.
The Center uses the PicoSure® laser tattoo removal system. This is the world’s only Picosecond aesthetic laser that can remove virtually all tattoos. The technology provides significantly better clearance of the ink with fewer treatments. The typical treatment is every 4-8 weeks with each session lasting only a few minutes. I had an express facial that was done by a very experienced aesthetician. She first analyzed my skin so as to customize the facial. She then gave me a deep cleansing and applied a mask to hydrate my skin. After the treatment I was refreshed and my skin actually felt radiant. I felt energized. The facial was followed by a 60-minute Swedish massage with the aesthetician asking questions in order to determine which areas to focus on. She was very cautious and made sure that she was applying the right amount of pressure. I’ve had many such treatments over the years, but this was, without doubt, one of the best. The spa offers 10 laser medical machines that are all state of the
art and represent the most modern and advanced products on the market today. The Center offers CoolSculpting, a procedure that is the only FDA-cleared, non-surgical fat reduction treatment provided here. There is no downtime and you are able to resume daily activities immediately. The Art of Natural Beauty Center also offers sclerotherapy, laser vein and hair removal, cellulite treatment, laser stretch mark and scar removal, chemical peels and microdermabrasion. Massages include Swedish, deep tissue, hot stone, lymphatic drainage, shiatsu and more. For women there are both prenatal and postpartum massages. www.artofnaturalbeauty.com Art of Natural Beauty Center has two locations: 239 Court Street 127 East 56 Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 New York, NY 10022 (718) 3694-2200 (212) 832-8200
OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 51
COUNTRY CLUB PROPERTIES H I G H L A N D S C O U N T RY C L U B !
Distinctively elegant, this eight bedroom, eight bedroom, eight and one half bath home is a perfect family retreat. One of its unique features is the Blue Valley View in back and Whiteside Mountain in front. The elevator that serves all three floors has a glass wall to allow you to view the mountains. There are six fireplaces, a spacious entertaining kitchen with customcabinets, granite countertops and breakfast island. There is a game room and exercise room. Features include: Lutron lighting system, invisible dog fencing, extensive electronics system, alarmsystem, generator, Caradco doors and window and phantom screens. The main living area consists of a formal sitting room with glass front and back, a keeping room, formal dining, kitchen, master bedroom with fireplace and an office. In addition, there is an attached guest house at ground level. The grounds are beautifully designed with extensive rock work, cobblestone driveway and additional parking front and back. Membership at Highlands Country Club available subject toapproval. MLS# 65882. Offered at $3,900,000.
P R E S T I G I O U S B RU S H Y FA C E
Spectacular layered vistas await you from this lovely home, located on over 1.4 acres with usable yard in the desirable community of Brushy Face. The home features one level living with the living, kitchen, dining, master bedroom with ensuite bath, powder room, and laundry all on the main level. Great room design with lovely kitchen with breakfast bar, living room with stone fireplace opens onto a huge screened porch. Upstairs has 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, plus an office. Lower level has great storage with a kids room, 2 additional sleeping rooms, 2 full baths, and a family room with fireplace. Full propane furnace plus central air, whole house generator and a 2 car garage round out this wonderful opportunity. MLS #81498. Offered at $2,150,000.
K A L A L A N TA - B O W E RY R OA D
Main house has 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. Guest house has 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. Wonderful old Highlands charm with this 1880 Farmhouse located on desirable Bowery Road and sits on over 10 acres of unspoiled nature. Spectacular southerly views! Level, grassy yard for family get togethers. Outdoor BBQ area perfect for cool summer evenings. One car garage. MLS #80904. Offered at $2,400,000
W. Terry Potts Real Estate Broker Country Club Properties ccphighlandsnc.com
828-526-2470 Fax 828-421-3417 Cell ccp4info@frontier.com
Mt. Airy Resort & Spa By Ed Curtis
ew Yorkers, especially Manhattanites, tend to think of activities that they can easily get to by taxi or a five minute walk from their apartment or condo. What they don’t often realize is that there is a whole world of possibilities out there. Much of it is an easy ride from Midtown that will open up a host of activities or just plain relaxation. Mt. Airy Casino Resort is one of those destinations. Barely an hour and a half from Times Square-a straight run on Rt. 80 through New Jersey and into Pennsylvania-offers great accommodations, a fantastic golf course right on the grounds and across from the main entrance, and a world class spa to chase away all the worries of the world. Mount Airy Casino Resort (www.mountairycasino.com), Pennsylvania’s first AAA Four Diamond-rated casino, boasts a luxury 18,000 square foot spa, offering guests the ultimate in relaxation and beauty treatments, set against the picturesque 54 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
Pocono Mountains. Mount Airy Casino Resort created a 3 million dollar deluxe spa, to compliment the resort’s diverse guest offerings, including fine dining, golf, first class hotel accommodations and the ultimate in entertainment and gaming. The spa design reflects the diversity of European tastes that resort owner Lisa DeNaples acquired during her extensive travel through Europe. Blending international contemporary and colorful design palates with a touch of aqua, introduces a comfortable setting that puts guests at ease and amplifies the soothing and tranquil Pocono Mountain ambiance. When selecting the services the spa would offer, Lisa DeNaples created a diverse menu capturing many global cultures and tastes to ensure that there were amenities for all guest palates. Among the spa’s signature services are its intensely popular Swedish massage. The massage features organic, natural body butter utilizing a blend of shea, cocoa and mango butters, organic aloe juice, rose, vitamins E and C, organic black willow bark, lavender and orange essential oils to enhance your spa experience. Also
Relaxation at its Best highly popular with guests is the bamboo Lomi Lomi Massage, which combines the benefits of bamboo massage with the rhythmic flow of Lomi Lomi. This one of kind massage allows your body to melt away into pure bliss. Guests can also choose the spa’s detoxifying clay wrap - to eliminate toxins and excess fluids. The Shiatsu scalp and sinus treatment is designed to help clear congestion and ease headaches. Naturally, the spa’s beauty experts help guests look their most beautiful with customized skin care treatments for both men and women. The steam and sauna rooms are bliss for couples and singles. For invigorated and energized guests, the spa features a complete gym with state of the art weight and cardio workout equipment. And after a relaxing experience at the spa, Mount Airy continues to deliver excellence with its men’s and women’s spa lounges. The lounges boast sheer curtains for privacy, and an ornate hand crafted
mosaic ceiling – which allows light to softly filter in – completing the ambiance of bliss. After relaxing in the spa, try your hand in the casino. Mount Airy Casino Resort delivers the ultimate gaming experience with over 1,800 slot machines and 80 table games against the backdrop of Pennsylvania’s picturesque Pocono Mountains. Luxury hotel rooms and suites serve every need while guests discover a variety of signature restaurant options, including the recently opened Guy Fieri’s Mt. Pocono Kitchen and Bistecca by Il Mulino. This all-encompassing, full service resort destination for outdoor enthusiasts and gaming enthusiasts alike features an awardwinning, lakefront 18-hole golf course; a $5 million, luxury, indoor/ outdoor pool and entertainment complex – aptly called Get Wet; headline entertainment at Gypsies Nightclub and bar; banquet and conference center. t
OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 55
PORT WASHINGTON TWO FAMILY – Lovely home located just a
PORT WASHINGTON – Spacious bright and sunny 3 bedroom 2.5 bath home on pretty property. LR, FDR, large EIK plus Family Room. Lower level plus attached 2 car garage. Salem Elementary School.
PORT WASHINGTON – Fabulous renovated rocking chair front porch colonial. Entry porch, LR/fpl, FDR, huge renovated EIK w/island. Three bedrooms 2 baths plus full walk up attic. Lower level playroom
MINT, MINT, MINT! Totally renovated 4/5 bedroom 3 full bath home on extra deep private property. LR/skylights and gas fpl, FDR w/sliders to huge entertainment deck w/hot tub. Exquisite eat in kitchen. Separate
MANHASSET – PLANDOME – Traditional 4 bedroom 3.5 bath
MANHASSET – PLANDOME –Classic vintage Center Hall Colonial
space with 2 rooms and bath. Full basement, Detached 2 car garage.
From cottages to castles. Long Island’s North Shore offers the best of both worlds! Top notch schools, beaches, parks, golf courses, marinas, incredible shopping, restaurants and, best of all, just 35 minute direct train to the heart of Manhattan. Come check us out! ACCENTS ON REAL ESTATE 917 PORT WASHINGTON BLVD. PORT WASHINGTON, NY 11050 516.944.7171
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From Russia with Love By Jon Haggins Photos by Maybelle Webster
ina Kaylyakov arrived in America in 1979 from her native Russia with no money and unable to speak a word of English. She was only able to find work at menial jobs but decided she wanted to make a difference. She opened Nina’s Day Spa, 26 years ago and is still going strong. As you enter the spa there is a boutique displaying a collection of handbags, jewelry, lotions and creams. Beyond two columns, down a very long hallway, are several massage rooms. Two rooms are set up for couples; the other rooms are for singles. Nina’s Day Spa is exactly that, you can spend an hour, or several hours, being pampered by a variety of treatments for men and women. Nina said, “No one understands the true power of a spa 58 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
treatment better than the expert therapists of Nina’s Day Spa and Laser Center.” The spa offers the most advanced up-to-date laser technology including laser hair removal, laser skin rejuvenation for face and body and laser vein restoration. The spa also offers stress relief treatments, body and skin detoxification therapies, and European facials. You let the cares of the day slip away as you lie in the treatment room and the expert masseuse kneads the muscles in your back, thighs and legs. The treatment is as gentle or as firm as you prefer; just make sure to let them know in advance. Special attention is given to tension spots such as the base of the skull and neck. After an hour on the treatment table, you’ll be ready to face the world again. Some of the other treatments offered: aesthetic services, massage
therapy, rejuvenation and acne laser facial, body toning & anti cellulite, hand & feet treatment and waxing. There are also spa packages available such as: Sweet Surrender, Nina’s Signature European Facial, a relaxing Swedish massage, sea salt exfoliating treatment, manicure and pedicure. Also, the Happy Birthday – which is comprised of a deep pore cleansing facial, aromatherapy de-stress massage, hand and feet reflexology, spa manicure and pedicure. Nina’s European Day Spa and Laser Center offers high-end technology: FDA approved LPG Endermologie machines and precision sculpting lipomassage. LPG Lipomassage Endermologie is a non-surgical solution for stubborn fat, cellulite and loose sagging skin. Lipomassage was developed after many years of scientific studies and reduces the appearance of unsightly fatty bulges. It also promotes skin firmness and improves blood circulation resulting in beautiful skin.
I asked where do the customers come from? “They come from nearby offices and far away.� Nina said, “We have many repeat customers who enjoy the convenience of being in midtown.� The Spa serves Kanzen Water, which is the new craze. Several celebrities drink it, such as: Martha Stewart, Tiger Woods, President Obama, Steven Tyler, Bill Gates and Donald Trump. Nina invites you to come and relax for several hours and enjoy BOE FYQFSJFODF WBSJPVT USFBUNFOUT UIBU /JOB T %BZ 4QB PČFST t Nina’s European Day Spa and Laser Center 5 West 35th Street New York City 10001 212-594-9610 www.ninasskincare.com
Photo by Zenspa1
OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 59
Photo by Zenspa1
Photo by Nick Webb
OCTOBER FALL SPA INDULGENCES
SPA PACKAGES
PICK ANY 2 TREATMENTS FOR $99(reg $250)
SWEET SURRENDER
Deep Pore Cleansing Facial
Nina’s Signature European Facial Relaxing Swedish Massage Sea Salt Exfoliating Body Treatment
60 Minute Aromatherapy Massage Full Leg and Brazilian Wax
$185
LASER HAIR REMOVAL “Never Shave Again” New Clients Only Lip,Chin or Underarms $50(reg $200) Brazilian or Bikini $99(reg $300)
*** HAPPY BIRTHDAY Aromatherapy De-Stress Massage
LIPOMASSAGE Slimming and Detoxifying Body Wrap or LPG Cellulite Reduction $95(reg $135)
5 West 35th Street (off 5th Avenue) New York City, NY 10001
Spa Gift from Nina $230
212.594.9610 www.NinasSkinCare.com
FALL
in love
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
Destination for Stars By Ross Warren rriving at the Stein Eriksen Lodge during ski season is an experience by itself. There is no snow on the walks; heating elements have been laced into the concrete to keep them clear. If you are arriving by car, you can drive directly into an enclosed parking area and leave your vehicle just below your accommodations. Don’t worry about the weather, an elevator will take you to your suite. And while the Lodge guards the identity of its guests, we learned that Kevin Costner had just vacated our suite. He could have stayed and enjoyed the time with us and never crossed paths... the suite was bigger than our home. 62 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
Named for famed Olympic skier Stein Eriksen, the Lodge is arguably one of the most upscale and beautiful resorts in the country. But don’t let that fool you. The people here are real and anyone putting on airs would be a rarity. One of the treats following a day of skiing, horseback riding, hiking, or spending time in the quaint old mining town of Park City, is the absolutely wonderful spa at the resort. At 23,000 square feet with over 16 treatment rooms, the spa offers guests the ultimate in pampering and relaxation. Separate spacious relaxation rooms for men and women include access to a sauna, steam room and a hot and cold plunge.
Utah’s only Forbes Five Star Spa includes two couple’s treatment rooms, complete with private showers, tubs, and a shared private relaxation suite with a fireplace. Additional specialty rooms include two Vichy wet treatment rooms, manicure/pedicure stations and separate salon for hair and makeup. The Spa is doing a Gold & Diamond Facial that actually uses real gold & diamond dust for a truly unique facial that can be paired with any massage or treatment in the spa. EXCLUSIVELY MALE Each treatment is designed for complete relaxation and overall well-being. Always remember to discuss any physical concerns with your therapist in order to maximize massage benefits and avoid any problem. The Spa concierge will assist you in scheduling specific types of bodywork to complement your alpine activities. HAIR CARE Whether you are ready for a completely new look or are updating your current style, their Park City hair salon staff will work with you to create a look that compliments both you and your lifestyle. All hair services include access to the beautiful spa relaxation area, the option to change into a robe and slippers, a hair consultation,
customized finishing, and a make-up, touch up, as well as a signature hand treatment and warm towel wrap. Price adjustments will be determined during your consultation based on the length and hair density. Complimentary fitness classes for guests are also now available at the Verdandi Wellness Studio on-site at Stein Eriksen Lodge. Classes include pre and post-ski yoga as well as a number of cardio and toning classes. Complimentary use of the following additional amenities are included with every spa treatment: t Cardio fitness center t Relaxation lounges t Heated outdoor pool t Private lockers t Steam room and sauna t Whirlpool t Showers t Personal care products t Water, teas and tonics For more information, please visit: www.steinlodge.com t OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 63
NYC: As Many Jewish Sites as in Israel By Sandy Nesoff
he old saying indicates that “travel broadens one’s perspective,” but it often overlooks your own backyard. London is fabulous; Paris is romantic; Venice is exquisite, Rome is historic. Then there’s New York. Seasoned travelers will tell you that you often miss what’s in your own backyard. That’s never been truer than in the case of New York City. For anyone who has traveled to any extent, and especially to the cities named above, the knowledge that New York is perhaps the 64 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
most exciting city in the world is no secret. There is something for everyone from the bumper crop of ethnic restaurants to cultural festivals and heritage sites. The Jewish presence in the New York area burgeoned in the 17th century when Jews from Recife, Brazil emigrated north in search of religious freedom. The population, although on the decline today as more affluent Jews migrate to the suburbs, is still the greatest outside of Israel. There are some two million Jews here with 972,000 of Ashkenazi descent. New York is the focal point and headquarters for Hasidic communities of Satmar and Lubavaitch sects. Most in these communities keep to themselves, centered in various areas in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and live much as they did in European shtetls.
Interestingly there are an estimated 170 languages spoken throughout “The City” making it a veritable United Nations.
Mrs. Katz, or more likely one of her young children, would race down the stairs to take the call from the pay telephone in the store.
Again, interestingly, one of the fastest growing populations is Islam with an estimated 600,000. Prior to 1970 there were only about a dozen mosques in New York City. Today there are more than 100.
The American Jewish Historical Society, at 15 West 16th Street, is an example of what’s available. Founded in 1892 it is arguably the oldest national ethnic historical organization in the United States. It collection boasts more than 20 million documents, some 50,000 books, photos and artifacts that reflect the Jewish presence in the United States since 1654.
Sites of interest to Jews in New York City abound. There are museums, entertainment centers, restaurants, and monuments. Jews, as with other visitors to New York, may focus on sites of particular interest such as ethnic and heritage, but they do branch out to sample the vibrant feel of the city’s pulse. With the rich cross-section of ethnicity many people come for an ethnic booster shot or to bring their children for a first hand view of how their ancestors lived. The Lower East Side may not be as solidly Eastern European Jewery as it was in the last century, but there is still a strong presence with historic synagogues, eateries and merchants carrying on the old traditions. It’s easy enough to set up an itinerary for an ethnic visit to New York by simply going on-line and punching in to the task bar of Google “Jewish ethnic/heritage sites in New York City.” The results will cover more than you can in one or two visits. For the most part Jews settled in Lower Manhattan, congregating in the Lower East Side, brimming with tenements and walk-up apartments. Most couldn’t even afford a telephone and it wasn’t uncommon to hear someone step out of a candy store (are there any real ones still around?), yelling “Mrs. Katz, there’s a telephone call for you.”
One of the items in its collections is a handwritten copy of “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus, 1883. This notebook page is the only surviving copy of The New Colossus in Emma Lazarus’s own hand. She wrote the poem for a charitable auction in 1883 to raise funds for the Statue of Liberty pedestal. After her death the poem was inscribed on a plaque inside the base. The poem has become an iconic part of the statue’s legacy as a welcoming beacon for new American immigrants. For information on the AJHS go to www.AJHS.org/about. There are many ancient (for the United States) synagogues in New York City. During the last century it wasn’t uncommon for there to be such a place of worship every block or so outside of Midtown Manhattan. Little shuls abounded in the lower level of apartment buildings and catered to a very local congregation. But there were magnificent edifices as well. The Eldridge Street Synagogue, built in 1887, still stands today as glorious as it was in its heyday. The bold towers displaying the Mogen David proudly announce to the passing world what it is.
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The shul is decorated in a very ornate Moorish design as was common in Spain, Morocco and the surrounding area. Its congregants were primarily immigrants who came from that part of the world and had a strong desire to transplant their heritage.
But it is impossible to capture the sound, the smells, the feeling of walking down these crowded streets. These displays are not in museum cases, but rather in the minds and memories of people old enough to remember what it was.
For information on services and tours, www.eldridgestreet.org/ newcomers/.
A walking tour of the Lower East Side means a lunch stop at the iconic Katz’s Deli made famous in the movie “When Harry Met Sally.” The deli is also a d’rigeur stop for major politicians on tours of New York with a coterie of press in tow to photograph them chomping down on a hot dog or picking away at a knish.
One of the biggest draws for the predominantly Jewish Lower East Side were the streets filled with pushcart vendors. They long ago slid quietly into the pages of a near-forgotten history. Today there are still bargains to be obtained in those same streets, but in small storefront shops that may be quaint but can never recapture the panache of a street lined with pushcarts selling everything from tomatoes to work boots. There was the cacophony of the vendors calling out to promote their wares and the babble of languages and conversation as passersby eyes viewed the merchandise. Some things can never be recreated. You can show pictures of the tenements, of the pushcarts, of families dressed for shabbos services in the tiny shuls or those in resplendent finery walking to Eldredge Street. 66 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
It’s rare that the deli isn’t crowded with lines six or seven deep crowding the counter waiting for the thick sliced pastrami or corned beef. Getting a seat at a table is an adventure all its own. There are other kosher or kosher-style delis in New York from the famed Second Avenue Deli (now located at 162 East 33rd Street in Kip’s Bay) with its equally famed hot pastrami. It was forced to move from its decades long location on Second Avenue in a contretemps with the building landlord but appears to have maintained its loyal client base.
Further uptown near Carnegie Hall is the aptly named Carnegie Deli. Across the Street is Sam Ash’s Deli and a block away, the hangout of many theater and sports personalities, the Stage Deli.
the Ninth Avenue Food festival featuring a plethora of delicacies from virtually every corner of the world, to the Green Market at Union Square.
All of them serve their famously overstuffed sandwiches. One man, obviously a tourist, asked the grizzled old waiter, after looking at the overstuffed sandwich in the Carnegie, if they had a children’s menu. The disdainful look from the waiter was all that needed to be said.
Check out www.NewYorkStreetFairs.com for a comprehensive listing of what is going on during any particular day.
Anyone who has ever eaten at kosher or kosher-style restaurants knows that waiters received their training in a military boot camp and brook no silly questions and only provide service because they have no choice in the matter. Emily Post would have a heart attack in any of these establishments. No trip to New York City is complete without downing a pastrami or corned beef sandwich at one of these establishments. The main requirement is that you forget about a calorie count until the following day. New York City is a continuing festival of street fairs ranging from
If there is any downside to these visits to New York it is the parking problem. Taking mass transit is not always the answer because, although the subways and buses offer comprehensive routes, they are not always convenient to where you may want to go; especially if you are traveling to more than one section. There is obviously far more to New York City than can be easily covered in any one article. The black and Hispanic sections of Harlem that once were heavily populated with Jews are well on the way back with many interesting sites and eateries; China Town (and what would Jewish cuisine be without a traditional Chinese meal?) and the adjacent Little Italy still hold the charm they had decades ago. But check this sector out quickly because Chinatown is encroaching on Little Italy so rapidly that you may soon see 1J[[B MP NFJO PO B NFOV t OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 67
St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters By Dale Reynolds n an ever-increasingly affluent society the hard fact of life is that there are literally millions of our neighbors who have no home, no livelihood and far too little to eat. Government at all levels provides some of the basic needs, but the need is far too great. Filling that need increasingly falls to the private sector, much of that to faith-based organizations. St. Francis Pantries and Shelter has stepped into the breech by providing tens of thousands of meals, clothing, shelter and much more to help those in need in the Metropolitan area. “We feed more than 10,000 families a year,” commented Joe Sano, one of the founders of the charity. “We’ll provide food at one of our pantries; we offer food to take home as well as clothing in winter. If an appliance, such as a refrigerator, breaks down, we are there to help.”
and decided that something had to be done to lend assistance to those less fortunate individuals. Some were from families where parents or caretakers were not able to earn enough to properly care for them. Others simply had virtually nothing at all. The segment of working poor is rapidly growing. With the economy in not the best condition there are thousands of mothers and fathers who are employed but cannot earn enough to feed their families. This is where St. Francis can step in and help with the necessities and take some of the pressure off of them and help them to retain their dignity.. Annually St. Francis provides some 1.5 million meals, 10,000 cases of food and 7,000 Thanksgiving turkeys to those in need. There are other needs that often are missed and St. Francis seeks to fill that void as well: babies need diapers and many parents are hardpressed to afford them. For these families St. Francis provides more than 10,000 diapers a year.
If that appliance has seen better days, St. Francis will offer a grant so that the needy family can purchase a replacement.
Children in school present a special case. To avoid having them stand out as different from other students, the organization offers them backpacks filled with school supplies so they can learn on an equal footing.
Sano and Father Francis Gasparik saw the need some 17 years ago
“By providing educational support,” Sano said, “we help them to
68 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
Touching Lives with Loving Care and Dignity improve. Also, hunger is a major cause of illiteracy. When students are fed decently, they are more apt to be alert and learn.”
good personal appearance. The same holds true for students in school.
When you are hungry, learning is one of the last things on your mind.
“The shelters make the homeless feel comfortable and provide a safe place for them to sleep,” Sano commented.
Major corporations have come to participate in the effort and were responsible for making some 75,000 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for distribution. It’s a community effort.
St. Francis has come up with some innovative ways to serve its community. One of the favorites is “Thanksgiving in February,” where perhaps 900 clients come in and are served a great turkey dinner.
One of the fund raising activities is the “Celebrity Doodle,” where celebrities contribute a doodle art work that is then auctioned off. One of those to take part in this activity is NYLM Executive Publisher Ernie Anastos who has been active with St. Francis for many years. The organization is interested in feeding the soul as well as the stomach. Youngsters are often given tickets to sporting events and the theater so that they may have a respite from the rigors of daily life and develop an appreciation for the arts. Dignity is important in giving the clients of St. Francis an opportunity to develop self-worth. The organization operates “drop-in centers” where guests can get a hot meal, a shower and decent clothes. Looking for a job is easier when you can make a
“After the holidays the poor tend to be a forgotten group,” Sano said. “We try to remedy that.” “We are getting less and less government funding and that makes our mission more difficult. We need the private and business sector to step up and assist.” St. Francis provides for 40 pantries and soup kitchens, senior centers and thousands of individuals in New York City, Long Island, Westchester and New Jersey. For further information or to make a donation, go to: www.stfrancispantries.org. t
OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 69
When you care about New York‌
Saint Francis Food Pantries and Shelters...
They serve more than an million and half meals to needy families, each year... and help provide clothing, shelter and social services.
Helping NewYorkers... And you can be part of many charity, corporate and fundraising events including:
Reach us at: www.StFrancisPantries.org | 212-279-6171
Fun for All ages!
Authentic Historic American Farm in NYC!
real Americana!
Pick and Paint Your Pumpkin! Historic Tour!
Every Weekend in October!*
Corn Stalk Maze! Hay rides!
11 am - 4 PM
Visit the oldest Family Farm in NYC!
Farm Animals Fun food!
* Except Oct. 10th when we are celebrating Rome Through Richmond Town!
AMERICANA!
Sunday October 18, 2015 11-5 PM
Saturday October 10, 2015 12-5 PM These fun events are produced by Historic Richmond Town. All proceeds go toward our
In New York City!
to historicrichmondtown.org for more info.
historicrichmondtown.org!
FUN! Promotional support provided by the NYC & Company Foundation.
Life Gone by in NYC... By Stephanie & Jeff Sylva he year is 1883. You are 14 years old and recently arrived in a strange city in a new country. You live in a cramped, dingy one-bedroom apartment with your parents and five siblings. You are cold because there is no heat; you are hungry because the family shared a meager meal for dinner; you need to use the bathroom, but are reluctant to descend the four flights to visit the community outhouses in the rear of the building. Yet, you are happy – excited by the promise of a new and prosperous life in this land of freedom and hope – you are in America. The tiny, cramped, dark apartment, with no water and no heat located in New York City’s lower east side is home – home for The 72 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
German-Jewish Gumpertz family, and later the Italian-Catholic Baldizzi family. And at other times the Irish Moore family, and possibly a Polish or Ukrainian family, or any number of other immigrant families, making this tenement home a fixture of the “melting pot.” America’s history of immigration and its diverse cultures is often summed up in the term “melting pot.” And nowhere is the melting pot experience more evident than in New York’s Lower East Side, where, for more than 200 years, generations of immigrants faced monstrous challenges to survive as they attempted to fulfill their dreams of a better life in America. And the best way visitors to this iconic neighborhood can learn about the immigrant experience is with a visit to the Tenement Museum, located in the heart of the
the Tenement Museum Lower East Side at Orchard and Delancey Streets. Built in 1863 the apartment building at 97 Orchard Street, over the years, was home to nearly 7,000 working class immigrants from over 20 nations. Museum visitors have a variety of ways to experience 97 Orchard Street and relive the immigrants’ stories. Guided tours, led by well-informed and genuinely enthusiastic museum educators, reveal the restored apartments and businesses of past residents and merchants. We selected the “Hard Times” tour on our visit and enjoyed discovering how the Gumpertz family and the Baldizzi family survived economic depression and crowded living conditions. Armed with a wealth of specific details from painstaking research
in preparing the museum, educators presented an authentic and moving account of the residents’ struggles in this teeming neighborhood. We were amazed by the primary-source facts about these families garnered from authentic documents such as census, birth and immigration records and time-period photographs of some of the residents and neighborhood scenes. Even recorded audio accounts from actual residents such as Josephine Baldizzi, who shares her recollections as a child living in the building, helped us relive the immigrants’ experiences. Other guided tours, just as informative and engaging as the one we experienced, are sure to immerse visitors in the daily lives of the working families of 97 Orchard St. Tours of the building include “Shop Life,” “Sweatshop Workers,” “Irish Outsiders,” and OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 73
“Exploring 97 Orchard Street.” A highly interactive experience is the museum’s “Meet the Residents” tour, where visitors will go to the apartment of a Greek Sephardic family and talk with 14-year-old Victoria Confino (played by a costumed interpreter) who lived in the apartment in 1916. Visitors take on the role of newly arrived immigrants and ask Victoria questions about adjusting to life on the Lower East Side. Another “Meet the Residents” tour, “Tenement Inspectors,” will have you take on the role of housing inspectors in 1906. The Assignment: investigate 97 Orchard Street to see if the building is up to code, and interview actors portraying the building’s landlord and tenant to get both sides of the story. Come find out if 97 Orchard was in compliance, and delve into the broader questions of social justice and housing. 74 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
A third way the museum immerses visitors in the immigrant experience is with “Walk the Neighborhood” tours. “Storefront Stories” explores the neighborhood’s historic shopping district and its importance to New Yorkers, as well as a variety of other immigrant entrepreneurs in the past and present who have made – and still make – the Lower East Side a vibrant community of small businesses. Other walking tours include “Foods of the Lower East Side,” which includes wonderful tastes of ethnic foods and their importance in shaping American food. We experienced this tour in its indoor version, “Tastings of the Tenement,” which is offered on Thursday evenings, and enjoyed delightful tastes of pickles from the Pickle Guys, dumplings from Vanessa’s Dumplings, fried plantains from El Castillo de Jugua, and wonderful samplings from a number of other local favorite food establishments.
The Lower East Side Tenement Museum is excited about its expansion plans for new permanent exhibits exploring the stories of Chinese immigrants, Jewish holocaust survivors, and Puerto Rican migrants who began new lives on the Lower East Side after World War II. “Now more than ever, the Tenement Museum’s mission and work is deeply relevant,� said Museum President Morris J. Vogel. “The story of our nation’s immigrants is America’s defining narrative, and the joys and challenges of establishing new lives and new communities continue for present-day immigrants around the world. We’re proud and excited that we’ll soon be able to explore a wider range of these stories for a larger audience.� The Tenement Museum currently serves 200,000 visitors annually, but turns away many others due to space limitations. These new
exhibits, with a planned opening for 2017, will significantly expand the Museum’s capacity as well as its scope. The Lower East Side Tenement Museum is a National Historic Landmark and a National Trust Historic Site. The museum’s Visitor Center, located at 103 Orchard Street, offers a wonderful collection of books and artifacts for sale in its museum shop. A 30-minute, continuously-running movie is a great place for visitors to get an introduction to the Tenement Museum and the historical and cultural importance of the Lower East Side, America’s most iconic immigrant neighborhood. For more information on the Tenement Museum and its tours call 212.982.8420 or visit www.tenement.org t All photos courtesy of the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 75
How to Beat the Crowd: By Alain Grinspun
hen one of the world’s most successful investors offers to share his investment strategies, it’s likely to be a profitable read. When it’s Ken Fisher, it’s also likely to be an enjoyable one. Now, in “Beat the Crowd: How You Can Out-Invest the Herd by Thinking Differently” (Wiley, hardcover, $29.95), the best-selling author, billionaire, and Forbes “Portfolio Strategy” columnist brings his keen wit and keener intelligence to the art of being a contrarian investor. Contrarianism is an investment strategy premised on the empirical fact that following the herd is a good way to get slaughtered. “Few truths,” says Fisher, “are self-evident, but here’s one as close as they get: in investing, the crowd is wrong much more often than right.” There’s money to be made in being a contrarian. And the first step, not surprisingly, is tossing aside the conventional wisdom of what a contrarian is. Wall Street’s definition of contrarian investing is simplistic and wrong, says Fisher, one of 76 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
the most successful money managers in history; Fisher Investments controls nearly $65 billion in assets. True contrarianism isn’t merely doing the opposite of the crowd, it’s being smarter than the crowd—finding and leveraging valuable information that isn’t already priced into a stock. Therein lays a real contrarian, as opposed to the curmudgeonly caricature that does the opposite of the herd even when the herd is right.
The trick to being a real—and successful— contrarian investor is to think originally. And that means training your brain to battle the media, the crowd, your friends, and your neighbors. “Armed with a few basic principles, internal alarm bells and an instinct for independent thought, [anyone] can be a true crowdbeating contrarian investor,” along the way he offers clear, eye-opening, and amusing instruction on everything from spotting elephants in the room to why political gridlock and debt are actually good for the stock market.
By Rafael Matsunaga
Outsmarting the Herd Fisher, on the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans and one of the country’s largest investors, is a firm believer in the humbling power of the market—aka The Great Humiliator, or TGH. Markets are cruel, cold, and efficient. They think nothing of slicing our pride to ribbons, laughing at our hubris as they make mockery of our pretentions. You will be wrong, Fisher counsels. It will hurt and it could be costly. The good news is that in order to do fine you just need to be right more often than wrong. “Contrarians know that and accept it,” Fisher says. “A 60% success rate keeps you well ahead of most, if you’re right 70% of the time, you become an absolute living legend.” According to Fisher: t ćF OFYU NPOUIT BSF BMM NBSLFUT DBSF about t *U T JOWBSJBCMZ B HPPE JEFB UP JHOPSF UIF media when choosing stocks t 8IZ NPTU PG UIF UIJOHT XF UIJOL NBUUFS GDP, debt, inflation, even politicians—aren’t important for stocks Forbes columnist and best-selling author Ken Fisher is the founder, CEO, and co-chief
investment officer of Fisher Investments, a multi-billion dollar money management firm serving large institutions and high net worth individuals throughout most of the developed world. Known for his prestigious Forbes “Portfolio 4USBUFHZw DPMVNO ,FO IBT ZFBST PG high-profile market calls that make him the third-longest running columnist in Forbes history. His Forbes market forecasts are among America’s most accurate as measured by independent third-party CXO Advisory Group. Ken has also been published, interviewed and/or written about in numerous publications globally. He writes a weekly column for Germany’s Focus Money magazine and monthly columns in the UK’s Financial Times. “Beat the Crowd” is Fisher’s 11th book. Four, so far, have been New York Times bestsellers. For further information, visit: www.beat-the-crowd.com/default.aspx t
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Brooklyn, Hip & Trendy By Daniel J. Bollinger his month I decided to take the L train right outside of Manhattan to what I call the most popular borough in the world right now, Brooklyn. I toured a beautiful corner condo located at 1 Powers Street in the ultra-hip and very sought after neighborhood of Williamsburg. For me Williamsburg is one of the best places to live in the city for many reasons, some being: Williamsburg is one of the hippest and trendiest areas of Brooklyn with restaurants galore, unique shopping, a thriving artists’ scene, and its proximity (3-4 subway stops) to one the central hubs of Manhattan, Union Square. Brooklyn is undergoing more development than even Manhattan right now and Williamsburg has one of biggest chunks of that development pie. The apartment I viewed is a beautiful 1,000+ SF living space and is a great value for the list price of $1.195 million. The two-bedroom has an excellent layout with the bedrooms on opposite sides of the apartment for maximum privacy. The kitchen and living room separate these bedrooms and off of the living room there is a balcony. The kitchen is well designed to fit the space with an island that
includes the sink, which completes a perfect kitchen work triangle making it an efficient layout for those chefs who like to cook. The black and white color palette works seamlessly with the wooden floors (throughout). The salt and pepper kitchen motif really ‘defines’ the kitchen and does not detract from the living room but actually helps introduce it as you make your way through the apartment. The bathrooms are equally impressive. The one thing that I really want to point out is the design of the master bath. Three kinds of tile occupy the walls: Elongated subway tiles cover opposing sides of the bathroom which make the space feel larger and more ‘airy’. The tub’s façade is tiled with large square tiles giving it more than just a “that’s the tub” feeling. But the real piece de resistance of the master bath is the black tiling on the tub’s inside wall. Matching accents of the vanity countertop and toilet tie the whole bathroom together. Great views abound from every window of this condo and the balcony is situated perfectly over a main street. If people watching is your thing... there are many hours and hours of opportunity for that on the balcony of this condo. Overall this is a great apartment: the design, the location, the amenities, and the price make for a good investment if you are in the market. t OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 83
Top Chef Brings Florida By Paula Principle xecutive Chef Marc Kusche of the award-winning Hamilton’s Kitchen at The Alfond Inn has been invited to cook at the legendary James Beard House in New York City this month. Florida Farmhouse Flavor will be the theme of Chef Kusche’s inspired multi-course dinner on Friday, October 23, 2015. Chef Kusche and his team at Hamilton’s Kitchen in The Alfond Inn, the stylish boutique hotel that was voted the #2 hotel in Florida in the Condé Nast Traveler 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards, have been praised as trendsetters in Greater Orlando’s dynamic food scene. Chef Kusche offers a fresh take on Southern comfort food 84 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
and has a strong commitment to locally sourced ingredients from the lush and fertile farms of Central Florida. The rustic farmhouse atmosphere of Hamilton’s Kitchen is the ideal setting for his fare, and Chef Kusche has become both a figurehead and a supporter of the booming Central Florida food scene. Chef Kusche places his priority on freshness and he can be found most Saturday mornings at the Winter Park Farmers Market in the city’s historic old train depot, a few blocks from his restaurant, located at The Alfond Inn. He has close relationships with the family farms in the region, as well as purveyors of seafood from the nearby Atlantic Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. It is an honor to present a dinner at The James Beard House. Beard,
Flavor to James Beard House a cookbook author and teacher, was a champion of American cuisine. The mission of the James Beard Foundation is to celebrate, nurture, and preserve America’s culinary heritage and future. Each year only a select handful of chefs are invited to cook at the historic James Beard House, a narrow brownstone in New York’s Greenwich Village that served as Beard’s home for decades and until his death in 1985. The rooms, book collections and the quirky kitchen are all preserved as he left it. The preparation of Chef Kusche’s dinner will be live streamed via the Kitchencam@JBFKitchencam.org. At the Beard House, Chef Kusche and the Hamilton’s Kitchen team will prepare such dishes as Short Rib Pralines with Basil Crust and Balsamic-Onion Confit; Hamilton’s Kitchen Shrimp and Grits; Slow-Braised Lamb Neck with Pumpkin Risotto, Honey and
Rosemary-Glazed Parsnips and Mustard Seed Sauce; and Olive Oil-Poached Red Snapper with Caramelized Cauliflower, Caper Berries, Tomatoes, and Shaved Fennel. Chef Kusche has cooked in some of the finest kitchens in the world, including Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire, Donald Trump’s Mara-Lago Club, the Adlon Hotel in Berlin and Silversea Cruises. Redefining comfort food is at the heart of his culinary passion. Tickets to the event are $130 for James Beard members and $170 for the general public. They may be purchased at 212-627-2308, through the James Beard website or via OpenTable. t
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Agnanti Restaurant Story by Jon Haggins Photos by Maybelle Webster f you want a very special dining experience you have to visit Agnanti Restaurant in Astoria, Queens. The gracious owners are Maria Lambrianidis and chef Spiro Sidorakis of this special establishment. The restaurant offers a traditional Constantinople, Greek dining
experience. I felt as if I had landed in Greece, because the hospitality and friendliness of the owner and staff was very relaxed. Agnanti Restaurant is celebrating 13 years off the beaten path on a quiet street in Astoria. It’s a historical area, formally known as the land of movies. Quite a few celebrity guests have dined there such as: Patricia Field, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ivanka Trump, Gwen Paltrow and Greek Celebrity Anna Vissi.
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Maria’s daughter Faye dropped in and shared her enthusiastic personality. Agnanti chef Sidorakis and Faye have also cooked for Michael Bloomberg and appeared on Good Day New York with Rosanna Scotto as well as The Food Network. A visit to this restaurant is a most enjoyable day trip from Manhattan. I spent 4 hours tasting various tapas. Each dish was sensational. This was my third visit and on each occasion they have maintained the same high standards for their cuisine. We dined in the outdoor café, starting with Kafta, which is zucchini with feta cheese and a Greek Brochetta. Our lunch was accompanied with Kanenas, a red full body wine blended with a combination of Cabernet and Shiraz, a vintage Greek wine. They also have their own label wine. 88 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
The semolina cakes and seasonal fruit on Greek yogurt is always compliments of the house. Kesso yogurt is the best Greece yogurt. Chris Petsilas’ brother-in-law produces and sells it to the restaurant. It’s thick and it’s the best. The Chalvas cakes are grainy with almonds and raisins, most delicious. Maria said, “I offer the most authentic Greek cuisine that represents multi ethnic culture from different regions.” Our appetizers included Ntakos, (which is Cretan rusk), fresh tomatoes, feta cheese, olives, capers, oregano & olive oil. This was a fabulous traditional dish ($12.00). From the hot selection we encountered the best grilled octopus, fresh, soft and eatable ($14.00). We also had Fish Meze, a grape leaf stuffed twith Alaskan Salmon ($9.50) and Kolokythokeftedes Mykonos (zucchini & cheese croquettes $9.50). These were sensational dishes.
We sampled Katiki Agrafon, a fyllo dough spring roll filled with dried tomato and basil ($9.00). What a sensational dish. Other dishes brought to the table included: Horta steamed traditional seasonal greens, drenched with olive oil and lemon ($6.00) and Shrimp Kataifi (shrimp dipped in homemade mustard sauce and rolled in finely shredded pastry ($13.00). This dish was extraordinary. The main course, red snapper was ultra fresh and it’s served from the grill and priced by the pound. The Paidakia, grilled lamb chops ($25.00) were exceptionally tender. We topped off our lunch with a very small cup of Greek coffee that permeated throughout the restaurant. I felt as if I was on vacation away from the city. The restaurant is located on a street corner next to a park with the best view of the
east river. Imagine a clear sky, quiet breeze, sitting outdoors on a perfect day, totally relaxing with the best Greek cuisine and good friends. We waddled like ducks out of the restaurant because of the abundance of extraordinary food we had consumed. What could be better than that? I can’t wait to return for another fantastic dining experience. Agnanti Restaurant 19-06 Ditmars Blvd. Astoria, NY 11105 718-545-4554 agnantimeze.com t
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Clever Little Lies
By George Spelvin Photo by Matthew Murphy
roducers Joan Raffe, Jhett Tolentino, and Douglas Denoff have announced that George Merrick will complete the cast of two time Tony Award®-winner Joe DiPietro’s critically acclaimed new comedy Clever Little Lies. Opening night, originally announced for Wednesday, October 14th, is now set for Monday, October 12th at the Westside Theatre (Upstairs) (407 West 43rd Street). Clever Little Lies stars Emmy, Grammy, and Golden Globe Awardwinner Marlo Thomas with Greg Mullavey and Kate Wetherhead; directed by David Saint. A mother always knows when something is wrong. When Alice (Marlo Thomas) notices her beloved husband Bill (Greg Mullavey) has returned home on edge after a tennis match with their son, she grows suspicious and springs into action. Determined to piece together the puzzle, she invites her son, Bill Jr., (George Merrick) and daughter-in-law, Jane (Kate Wetherhead), over for drinks and dessert. Sidesplitting chaos ensues as Alice digs for the truth, resulting in even more honesty than anyone expected. Shattering and hilarious, Clever Little Lies is a story of long-term love and marriage... for better... and for worse. The design team for Clever Little Lies includes Yoshi Tanokura (Scenic Design), Esther Arroyo (Costume Design), Christopher J. Bailey (Lighting Design), Scott Killian (Sound Design & Composition) and McCorkle Casting (Casting). Marlo Thomas (Alice) is an award-winning actress, author and activist. She remains a constant presence on television and Broadway, most recently in Elaine May’s “George is Dead,” in the Relatively Speaking trilogy. Among her many honors, she has been inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame and in 2014 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the highest civilian honor—by President Barack Obama at a White House ceremony. Ms. Thomas burst onto the scene as television’s “That Girl” which broke new ground for independent women and which
she conceived and produced. Her pioneering spirit continued with her creation of Free to Be...You and Me, which became a platinum album, best-selling book and Emmy Award-winning television special. She has produced seven bestselling books. She serves as National Outreach Director of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which was founded by her father, Danny Thomas, in 1962. Greg Mullavey (Bill Sr.) made his Broadway debut opposite Mia Farrow and Tony Perkins in Bernard Slade’s Romantic Comedy. He also starred in Neil Simon’s Rumors and in the National Tour of The Sisters Rosensweig. Off-Broadway credits include last season’s Titus Andronicus for the Frog and Peach Theatre Company, A Christmas Carol for Origin Theatre Company, Exit Entrance at 59E59, White Woman Street at Irish Rep and The National Jewish Theatre’s The Soap Myth. Kate Wetherhead (Jane) originated the role of Jane in Clever Little Lies at the George Street Playhouse in 2013, reprising the role at Guild Hall in 2014. She is the co-creator, co-director, writer and star of the web series “Submissions Only” (www.submissionsonly.com). Kate is also the co-author of the children’s book series, “Jack & Louisa” published by Penguin Young Readers. Her Broadway credits include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Legally Blonde. George Merrick (Bill Jr.) most recently played several comic roles in the Broadway production of Honeymoon in Vegas. He also appeared in the acclaimed Lincoln Center revival of South Pacific as Lt. Buzz Adams. On Television he has guest starred on “Blue Bloods” and “As the World Turns” and will appear in the upcoming films The Intern (with Robert De Niro) and So Good to See You (with Sienna Miller). He has played roles regionally at The Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Sacramento Music Circus, Syracuse Stage, North Shore, and the Paper Mill Playhouse. Tickets can be purchased by visiting Telecharge.com. To order by phone, and for groups of 10 or more, call 212-239-6200. Tickets will be available at the Westside Theatre Box Office (407 West 43rd Street). For more information, visit www.CleverLittleLies.com.t
OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 91
Welcome to the Fall! By Jim Kierstead t’s that time of year when the barbeques and vacations wind down and life gets back to business as usual. But there’s something that we can all look forward to! And that’s the start of the new fall season on Broadway! As the leaves begin to turn color and a chill comes into the air, a whole new batch of musicals and plays is about to take over “The Great White Way” and I’d like to give you a preview! Let’s start with the plays... as usual; the stars are out in force for this bunch of plays new and old! t CHINA DOLL – (begins previews October 21st at The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre). This promises to be one of the hottest tickets in town! The incredible Al Pacino returns to the Broadway stage in David Mamet’s new play. It tells the story of a billionaire, Mickey Ross, who has just bought a new airplane for his young fiancée as he prepares to go into semi-retirement. As he is about to leave the office, he takes one last phone call... t MISERY – (begins previews October 22nd at The Broadhurst Theatre) For all of you Paul Sheldon fans out there (and Stephen King fans, as well!), the film adaptation of one of Mr. King’s most famous novels comes to Broadway starring Bruce Willis and Laurie Metcalf as Paul Sheldon’s “Number One Fan”... you know what happens next so don’t miss it! 92 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
t THE GIN GAME (previews began September 23rd at The Golden Theatre). This classic play returns to Broadway starring James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson. It tells the story of an elderly couple at a nursing home who plays an increasingly tense series of gin rummy games as they expose truths about their lives. t FOOL FOR LOVE (began previews September 15th at The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre) Directed by Daniel Aukin, this production that begins The Manhattan Theatre Club’s Fall season, comes directly from The Williamstown Theatre Festival. It stars the amazing Nina Arianda (VENUS IN FUR) and Sam Rockwell and tells the story of two former lovers holed up in a seedy motel on the edge of the Mojave Desert. They tell the deep secrets and dark desires of their tangled relationship in a ruthless struggle for identity. t SYLVIA (begins previews October 2nd at The Cort Theatre) Matthew Broderick is back on Broadway again... this time he stars in A.R. Gurney’s play about a man who adopts a sweet little puppy, Sylvia, only to find that she causes problems between him and his wife. The wonderful Annaleigh Ashford stars as “Sylvia” (originally played by Sarah Jessica Parker in 1995!) t KING CHARLES III – (begins previews October 10th at The Music Box Theatre). This is gonna be a good one, folks! For all of us anglophiles, the hit West End Olivier-winning play transfers to Broadway. It imagines a future where Britain’s Prince Charles takes over the monarchy from his mother Queen Elizabeth II.
t A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE – (begins previews October 21st at The Lyceum Theatre). Arthur Miller’s classic play returns to Broadway… again! (It was here not so long ago, but this revival transfers from The Young Vic and is supposedly stunning... so if you didn’t see it last time or if you just love this play, it could be worth checking out!). As you may or may not know, the story takes place on the Brooklyn waterfront and tells the tale of an older man who is unhealthily protective of his pretty young niece. Those should keep us all busy for a while! And now for the musicals! t SCHOOL OF ROCK – THE MUSICAL (previews begin November 9th at The Winter Garden Theatre) Based on the Jack Black movie of the same name, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber returns to Broadway with his newest endeavor. Down-on-his-luck rocker Dewey Finn poses as a substitute teacher to make ends meet. When he finds out that his students possess musical talents, he forms a rock band and the Battle of the Bands ensues! I’ve heard this one could be pretty special if they did all of the work they needed to do… you might want to get in early here before word gets out! t FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (previews begin November 20th at The Broadway Theatre). Another old favorite returns to Broadway this season with Broadway favorite Danny Burstein playing the classic role of Tevye. Bartlett Sher directs and this revival is sure to please fans of the show and make some new ones. How can you beat this score! t THE COLOR PURPLE (previews begin November 9th at The Jacobs Theatre). Another revival to look forward to! This one marks the Broadway debut of Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson (DREAMGIRLS) as it tells the inspirational journey of a young African-American woman from her childhood throughout her life as she discovers the power of the human spirit. t ALLEGIANCE (previews begin October 6th at The Longacre Theatre). This new musical, starring George Takei and Lea Salonga,
tells the tale of love, war, and heroism as it follows the story of a Japanese American family and their internment during World War II. The tag line for the show is “One Family, Indivisible.” Check it out... it seems very original and special! And of course if you are a Star Trek fan then it’s a no-brainer! t SPRING AWAKENING (previews began September 8th at The Brooks Atkinson Theatre) Granted, the original Spring Awakening ended not that many years ago, but in this new production, by the incredible folks over at Deaf West, the show is performed simultaneously in American Sign Language, as well as spoken English. And of course it will be a treat to see Marlee Matlin star on Broadway. It’s a strictly limited run so you may want to check it out soon, if it’s of interest. And of course there are more shows this fall, as well. This is just a little peek at what’s coming! No matter what your taste, there is something for everyone and I do hope you’ll check out some of these amazing productions! Until next time, break a leg! Editor’s Note: Jim Kierstead is well-known in theatrical circles as a producer. He has won several Tony Awards, not the least of which was for Kinky Boots. Jim began his career in smaller venues, producing shows for patrons who came to follow his ventures from club and cabaret to the major shows he is involved in today. Jim has recently returned from London where he traveled with our cover story personality, Daryl Roth, for the opening of Kinky Boots in that city’s famed West End. Jim brings a wealth of knowledge about theater to our pages. t OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 93
Snow’s Coming, Time By Peter Schmaus, MD
he evenings are becoming crisp, the days shorter, and skiing is no longer a distant memory. You check your equipment, perhaps a bit prematurely; check your edges, your boots, your goggles lens, and pull out the ski wax. Good preparation for your equipment... no doubt, but are you prepared? Your most important ski season preparation is getting in shape well in advance of that first day on the slopes. It’s best if you remain in shape throughout the year but realistically that does not hold true for all of us. But despair not-there is still hope! Core, stretching, and posterior chain may be overused words in 94 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2015
fitness but not when it comes to ski fitness. This combined with interval training, that is, short bursts of cardiovascular exercise make for the ideal pre-season program and lend themselves to the particular demands of snow sports.
Core, core, core, that’s all we hear about. Well for snow sports the word cannot be repeated too often. We are referring to the muscle groups that are truly at the core or center of the body: back extensors, obliques, and abdominals. Think of these as your natural weight lifting belt and lumbar support. They stabilize and support the spine in all planes and a strong core provides balance and the force required to carve a turn or navigate a field of moguls. Core muscles even support your spine when pulling off your boots at the end of the ski day. Think Swiss ball, back extension, modified crunches, planks and supermen-all can be
Photo by Gunnar Hildonen
to Get in Shape Now done in the home without elaborate gym equipment. Do not forget about the simple push up.
output, (provided you are cleared by your physician for strenuous cardiac activity. )
Your posterior chain refers to the gluteal muscles, the hamstrings as well as latissimus and back extensors. Think lunges, modified dead lifts, squats, kettle bells and burpees. If your bodyweight does not provide sufficient resistance, this is where you need to add a bit of weight, simple flat plates, kettle bells or even resistance bands will suffice. Then move on to side-to-side exercises, which simulate ski motion. Remember, we move in all four planes.
And while you’re at it, try some balance exercises on a balance board. Stand on the balance wobble board while holding two, light free weights. Go through your regimen while remaining balanced on the board. It is not easy, but the benefits of enhanced balance and stability are crucial on uneven terrain.
And don’t forget that skiing, while not an overly aerobic sport does require bursts of cardiovascular performance. That is aside from the long walk uphill through the parking lot with all your equipment. Think interval training, short bursts of maximum
Following a reasonable regimen in advance of the ski season will allow you to stay injury free and make those days on the mountain more enjoyable and stress free. See you on the slopes. t
OCTOBER 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 95
Don’t Dump Our Heroes
Photos and article by Bob Nesoff
was the merry-go-round he was in.
ince the terrible days of 911 many of those who spent hours, days and weeks on what was then called “The Pile,” have lost their lives because of the foul air they breathed. The paper masks given to them proved worthless and many of these heroes began coming down with lung disease, emphysema, cancer and more ailments than a medical dictionary could count.
They thought the problem was settled when Jim died. His little daughter found him lying on the bedroom floor, dead. That’s something she will carry with her for the rest of her life.
One of those was NYPD Detective Jim Zadroga. Jim came from a police family. His father, Joe, was a retired New Jersey police chief and serving the public came naturally to him. I know Joe and I knew Jim. I saw Jim pushing a stroller with his baby daughter in it while he was dragging an oxygen hose behind him. Those were his good days. Jim was off duty when the attack happened. He had just returned home when he heard about the events at what was to become known as Ground Zero. He kissed his wife goodbye, got back in his car and returned to Manhattan. He spent nearly 500 hours working on The Pile. Not long after that his body began to desert him. It fell apart piece by piece. He could barely breathe. His steps faltered. Instead of providing the support he so desperately needed, the NYPD virtually abandoned him. The Bloomberg Administration wanted nothing to do with him. Why? Financial reasons. If they admitted that was what was wrong with him, they would be responsible for the costs of pension and medical treatment. Jim’s wife passed away. He was convinced that she died because of the pressure he was going through. The Police Department demanded he return to work. Doctors sent him home as unfit for duty. The Department again demanded he return. That
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Jim was not totally unique. Many of the responders and those who worked endless hours on the pile began to develop serious symptoms. It finally got to a point where officials could no longer deny what was happening and legislation was introduced to help these brave people medically and financially. Congress passed legislation known today as the Zadroga Bill. But danger is on the horizon once again. The bill had a Sunset Clause; it terminates at a given date. Concerned people are demanding that their government officials keep the Zadroga Bill in affect. There are still too many who need the assistance and treatment. I was one of the lucky ones. I was at Ground Zero on 911 as a First Responder but got away without any ill affects. I volunteered there many times after but was never assigned to work The Pile. Those who did need our help now. Here’s a list of the members of Congress from New York City. Write to them and demand that the Zadroga Bill be continued for as long as necessary. You can address them simply at either the House (or Senate) office Building, Washington, DC. The members are: Sen. Chuck Schumer, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand; Rep. Gregory Meeks, Grace Meng, Lydia Velasquez, Hakeem Jeffries, Yvette Clark, Jerrold Nadler, Dan Donovan, Carolyn Maloney, Charlie Rangel, Joe Crowley and Jose Serrano. Ask them politely to continue authorization of the Zadroga Bill. -30-
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