Vol. 3 #9 | October 2017
DAVID HYDE
PIERCE A POWERFUL VOICE OF THE ACTORS FUND
DON’T MISS ERNIE ANASTOS PUBLISHER’S NOTE
NUTRITION HALLOWEEN TRICKS & TREATS
SPA SCENE OUR FAVORITES OLD & NEW
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FEATURES 10 12 13 18 44 48
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Publisher’s Note October Calendar David Hyde Pierce & The Actors Fund AtmosFX: Digital Magic Through The Lens with Annie Watt Joan Hornig: Fashion—More Than Catwalks
FASHION & BEAUTY 20 Fall Fashion Forecast 22 Think Pink! 25 Avanti Gupta: The New “It” Girl
TRAVEL 27 32 34 36 38 40 43
Fall Escapes: The Hudson Valley Adventures Away A Mermaid Tale Bright Lights, Big City A Cultured Pearl In The Sand Pocono Pleasures 5 Top Spots To See Fall Foliage
REAL ESTATE & HOME DECOR 51 52 54 57 61 64 67 69
Notes from DB 525 West 52nd Street 1399 Park Avenue Circa Central Park One Manhattan Square 329 Pleasant Avenue NYC’s Last Hidden Treasure Spotlight: Emir Bahadir
4 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
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72 HEALTH & WELLNESS 70 Best Foot Forward 72 Spa Scene 74 Halloween Tricks and Treats
DINING 75 Comedy Is Everywhere 76 Machiavelli Restaurant 78 A Pinot Noir By Any Other Name
76
THEATER & ARTS 82 On The Big Screen 84 Bill Bregoli’s Picks of Home Entertainment 86 Museum Happenings
NEW YORK, NY 88 90 92 94 96
NYPD’s Mounted Unit: All Roads Lead Home Paws Down, Tails Up Entrepreneur’s Corner: Patricia Napier -Fitzpatrick My New York Story: NYS Senator Jose Peralta 15 Minutes With Francine LeFrak
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Check us out on the web! Vol. 3 #9 | October 2017 President / Publisher Bill Mason
Read Any of Our Issues In Digital Format on:
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Executive Publisher Ernie Anastos
Editor at Large Nina Anastos Floyd
Vice President of Sales Lyle Seltzer
Director of Operations Kurt Nesheim
Marketing Director Phillip Anastos
Art Director Eric Duncan
Managing Editor Patricia Canole
Medical Editor Doris Day, MD
Arts & Entertainment Editor Pat Collins
Feature Editor Joan Hornig
Real Estate Editor Daniel J. Bollinger
Fashion & Style Editor Miki Makrillos
Contributing Editors Clint Brownfield, Ruth J. Katz
Chief Photographer Annie Watt
Contributing Writers Shari Bilt Boockvar, MS, RDN, Norah Bradford, Bill Bregoli Karen Feld, Lee Gabay, Judy Goss, Ann Grenier Karen Jacobs, Peter Kalellis, Gretchen Kelly, Lillian Langtry Ann Lawlor, Julie Menin, Griffin Miller, T.J. & Tina Mulqueen Patricia Napier-Fitzgerald, Olivia Owens, Jose Peralta, Anthony Rapacciuolo Anne Raso, Richie Realms, Baruch Shemtov, Miriam Silverberg, Bill Spadea Jeff & Stephanie Sylva, Gerrie Summers, Leslie Termuhlen Susan Traub, Lori Simmons Zelenko Internet Presence Scott Cuollo, Richard Austin Advertising BLUE VISTA 725 Sales Bill Mason Sr. - Director of New Business Development Brett Caldwell - Director of Integrated Sales and Marketing Janneta Abunda - Director of Sales - Health, Beauty and Travel John Miller - Director of Sales - Travel Michael Stulmaker - Director of Sales - Real Estate Francine Dingeman - Senior Sales Manager New York Sales Office (646) 259-2651
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All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue is expressly forbidden without permission of the publisher. Printed in the USA. New York Lifestyles Magazine is published 11 times annually. © 2017 New York Lifestyles Magazine
Cover Photo by Patrick James Miller
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE “New York Lifestyles Magazine is a continuation of my passion to share news, information and lifestyle about where and how we live. This commitment reflects a positive approach to offering compelling features with the highest quality presentation. As executive publisher, I am proud of our professional staff and my family who are helping to reshape the way you read and enjoy this exciting magazine.”
ARE YOU A CURIOUS NEW YORKER? iven all my years of reporting the news in this city, I can tell you that New Yorkers are the most curious people I know. Every night on my 6 PM news, I ask people on the street an interesting question about different subjects. I enjoy it because I’m curious. It’s so much fun to hear people’s opinions on current events, social issues, relationships, and lifestyles. Apparently, New Yorker’s enjoy expressing their views. I also know they enjoy asking questions because they’re curious. Some time ago, I ran across a terrific old book called, The Curious New Yorker. It was brimming with fascinating questions and surprising answers about our city that were compiled by the writers of the former “F.Y.I.” column in The New York Times. Many of the chapters still offer fun and informative background packed with hard-to-find facts and lighthearted humor. Check it out, if you’re curious! Ernie Anastos is a celebrated author and distinguished Emmy award winning TV news legend in New York. He is recognized as a champion for promoting more positive news and an influential voice in the world of media.
-Ernie Anastos
Executive Publisher New York Lifestyles Magazine “Our City, Your Life”
Ernie Anastos is a celebrated author and distinguished Emmy award winning TV news legend in New York. He is recognized as a champion for promoting more positive news and an influential voice in the world of media. 10 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
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OCTOBER 2017 CALENDAR 6TH TONY BENNETT AT 90 Hurry and get your tickets to this star-studded show celebrating Tony Bennett on the occasion of his 90th birthday featuring performances by Michael Buble, Diana Krall, k.d. Lang, Andrea Bocelli, Stevie Wonder and more. Of course, Tony will perform as well at Radio City Music Hall. radiocity.com
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6TH – 8TH THE BIG CHOCOLATE SHOW Meet chocolatiers, artisans, and chefs at this gathering in Chelsea, with demonstrations, master tasting classes as well as chocolate tastings. bigchocolateshow.com
7TH LITTLE RED LIGHTHOUSE FESTIVAL Here’s a chance to tour Manhattan’s only remaining lighthouse at Fort Washington Park. There will be plenty of food vendors and music to entertain. riversideparknyc.org
9TH COLUMBUS DAY PARADE Watch 35,000 marchers and 100 bands, floats, and contingents in this 88th annual parade which stretches from 47th to 72nd Streets. columbuscitizensfd.org
12TH – 15TH NEW YORK CITY WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL The annual event features cooking demos by celebrity chefs, seminars, classes, wine tastings, and celebrity dinners. Various locations throughout the city. nycwff.org
14TH – 15TH AVON WALK TO END BREAST CANCER Walk 2 days, 39.3 miles to end breast cancer. Doing so will mean you’re helping to power research and fund programs that support those in need. avon39.org/new-york
13TH – 15TH NEW YORK COFFEE FESTIVAL Learn how to brew the best cup of coffee, as well as participate in tastings, demos at the Metropolitan Pavilion. newyorkcoffeefestival.com
15TH HARVEST FEST & PUMPKIN PATCH Buy a pumpkin, take a nature walk, hear music, play games, do crafts, ride a pony, pet animals, shop from food & craft vendors and visit a beer tent—all in one day at the Queens Botanical Garden. queensbotanical.org
31ST VILLAGE HALLOWEEN PARADE The 44th annual parade will feature 53 bands, dancers, artists, puppets, and thousands of New Yorkers and out-of-towners parading up 6th Avenue from Spring Street to 16th Street. halloween-nyc.com
12 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
DAVID HYDE PIERCE &
THE ACTORS FUND By Pat Collins
ith a Tony Award (Curtains) four primetime Emmys (Frasier) and a record-setting 11 consecutive Emmy nominations, David Hyde Pierce is one of the most admired and popular actors of his generation. His long list of memorable roles includes Sir Robin in Spamalot; Vanya in Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike; Peter Patrone in The Heidi Chronicles; and currently Horace Vandergelder in Hello, Dolly! Behind the scenes, he is a stalwart supporter of The Actors Fund. We caught up with David to find out more about his long-time philanthropic commitment to the Fund. VIEW ACTORS FUND NY EVENTS Go to www.Reveel.it and snap a photo
Photo by Patrick James Miller
OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 13
You’re a longtime supporter of The Actors Fund, the national human services organization that helps everyone in performing arts and entertainment in times of need, crisis or transition. How did you first become involved with The Fund? I’ve always appreciated and supported The Actors Fund. I really got to know how much it has done when I was invited to perform in a benefit concert in 2005. A Wonderful Life—a musical version of the classic Frank Capra film—was a one-night-only event. As you know, it has beautiful music by Joe Raposo and lyrics and book by Sheldon Harnick. It was a joy being on stage for such a worthy cause with The Fund’s Chairman Brian Stokes Mitchell, Judy Kuhn, Karen Ziemba and a fantastic cast. Hurricanes were such a devastation for thousands this past year. I understand The Actors Fund provided help for the arts community? Yes, they were able to provide emergency financial assistance to actors, dancers, musicians and so many who work in arts and entertainment in the areas impacted by the disaster. The Actors Fund responds quickly when a crisis occurs, as they did with Katrina, Sandy, 9/11 and more. It’s a nimble human services organization that walks-the-walk in a remarkable way.
David Hyde Pierce speaks about his role as director of It Shoulda Been You. Access to affordable health care is such a hot topic these days. I understand The Fund opened The Samuel J. Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts at their main office in Times Square. And this past spring you appeared in promotional videos to help spread the word. Can you tell us about why The Fund is focused on health care for the arts community? Finding quality medical care can be confusing for anyone who isn’t covered by an employer or union health plan, which is often the case for people in arts and entertainment. So access to good, quality and affordable health care is a major focus for The Actors Fund.
Brian Hargrove, David Hyde Pierce, The Actors Fund Chairman Brian Stokes Mitchell at The Actors Fund Annual Gala in 2015. Photo: Anita & Steve Shevett
The Fund has provided our community with personalized health insurance counseling, guidance and enrollment support. 14 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
In fact, they’ve been ahead of the curve on health insurance enrollment for years. Since the late 90s, The Fund has provided our community nationally with personalized health insurance counseling, guidance and enrollment support, as well as referrals to health care resources. The Fund even operated a free medical clinic which has evolved into the primary care Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts. It’s right in the heart of Times Square and provides for continuity of care for those who cycle on and off their union plans and other types of insurance, allowing our community to stay with the same doctor. Also, it’s in partnership with Mount Sinai, so the care is top notch, and there are plans in place to add specialty services targeted to our entertainment community’s needs. One of The Fund’s best-known facilities is The Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey, which provides assisted living, skilled nursing and now short-term rehabilitation services to those who dedicated a major portion of their professional lives to arts and entertainment and their immediate families. The Actors Fund Home is in the middle of a major expansion and renovation. How’s that going? Well. They just finished the first phase of its expansion with the opening of The Shubert Pavilion. The ribbon cutting is October 6th. We had significant support from the Shubert Organization, The Walt Disney Company, the Waldman Foundation, and all the essential entertainment unions and hundreds of individual donors. This new wing houses a rehabilitation center and 25 subacute beds for people recovering from illness or surgery as they prepare for a safe return to their private homes. It even has a state-of-theart gym with physical, occupational and speech therapies and a hydrotherapy pool. I’m really proud of all these services available to our elders in the arts—those who worked on stage and screen, and behind the scenes. It’s a fitting tribute to their work that they have a safe and welcoming place to go for rehab services or to enjoy their “golden years.”
Christopher Calkins, Bebe Neuwirth and David Hyde Pierce at The Actors Fund Gala in 2015. Photo: Anita & Steve Shevett
Hello, Dolly! with Bette Midler The Actors Fund Home has a wing dedicated to providing care for those in the arts who are living with Alzheimer’s and many other services for seniors in the arts. I know you are passionate about Alzheimer’s awareness. Can you tell our readers about why it’s important to you? Well, it’s personal for me, just like it is for the estimated 5.5 million individuals who face this devastating health challenge. My grandfather was diagnosed when he was 85 years old, so I’ve seen first-hand how difficult it can be for families facing this challenge. And for many seniors in entertainment, they might have fewer support systems in place. Many left families and other support networks behind to come to the city and devote their lives to bringing joy to our stages and screens. So where do they turn when they need community? The Actors Fund does caring and compassionate work with seniors in arts and entertainment. They have amazing programs focused on health and wellness that keep seniors engaged with their communities and with each other. And their social workers provide support for individuals and families who face this diagnosis. In fact, The Actors Fund Home was just accredited by Comfort Matters, a nationally and internationally recognized dementia care program. It’s a philosophy of caring for these individuals holistically, all to improve the quality of care and
David Hyde Pierce and the cast of Spamalot quality of life for persons experiencing dementia. And it’s just par for the course for the kind of quality care The Actors Fund Home provides for everyone. I was privileged to attend The Actors Fund gala in the spring honoring Sally Field, Danny De Vito and Hal Prince. What events are on the calendar for October and the rest of the year? They have so many events, Pat! How can I choose? One exciting upcoming event is The Actors Fund’s Career Transition for Dancers Jubilee Gala on November 1st at the New York Marriott Marquis. It raises funds for services for the dance community. The one and only Bebe Neuwirth will be hosting, and they’re honoring dancer, choreographer and dance competition judge Carrie Ann Inaba, New York City Ballet principal dancer Robert Fairchild and the amazing Catherine Zeta-Jones. It should be an exciting night. The Actors Fund is there for everyone in performing arts and entertainment, including actors, dancers, singers, musicians and all those who work on set or behind the scenes. What advice do you have for young aspiring artists and arts professionals? One thing I’d say is to remember that The Actors Fund is there over the course of your career, not just in times of crisis. They have services around financial wellness, budgeting for a fluctuating OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 15
David Hyde Pierce at The Actors Fund Gala in 2015. Photo: Anita & Steve Shevett income (which is so important for people in the arts), preparing for a sideline or parallel career for leaner times, seminars on affordable housing and much, much more. There’s a community that is there to help you lay the groundwork for success in all facets of your life outside “the biz,” so you are better able to pursue your work as an artist. As Co-Chair, with Laura Linney, of The Actors Fund’s Artists’ Committee, you regularly give of your time and resources. Why, in your opinion, should people support this organization? The arts are essential to a healthy society. Orchestras, dance companies, film, TV, theatre—these art forms each sustain and transform people in so many positive ways. The Actors Fund is the organization that’s there to nurture these people that contribute to our nation’s culture. And on a separate note, here’s an insider’s tip. The Actors Fund has access to Broadway house seats for most shows. You can go to their website or call for details. So if you want great seats to Hello, Dolly! for you (or your cousin from Nebraska), The Actors Fund has your ticket. You’ve had incredible success in film, TV and theater, but many are not aware that the average salaries for actors or dancers are actually quite low, and many struggle to afford health insurance and basic living expenses,
let alone plan for the future. How does The Fund help artists navigate their finances? They have an entire program dedicated to Financial Wellness. They offer free classes and workshops on cash flow management, managing credit and debt, savings and investing, and financial planning. It’s great information for anyone really, but these classes are uniquely tailored to people who work in the arts and deal with fluctuating income and episodic work. No one understands this community like The Actors Fund. The organization has an incredible history, going all the way back to its founding in 1882. What’s next for The Actors Fund? The Fund is working on building and expanding their reach for the services they already provide—whether it’s emergency financial assistance, affordable housing, health insurance enrollment and support, or career counseling. The “Actors” part of their name is really a misnomer. They’re for everyone in show business. And did I mention they’re also opening a senior community center soon called the Waldman Living Room at one of their affordable housing facilities this fall, The Dorothy Ross Friedman Residence in midtown. It’ll be a safe space for seniors in the arts to gather and stay connected to each other and all these amazing supportive services. I love this organization. They really do it all! •
About Pat Collins Pat Collins is a three-time Emmy award-winning film, theater and entertainment critic/reporter. Her outstanding media credits include WCBS-TV, Good Morning America and WWOR-TV. She is a contributor to CUNY-TV’s Arts and The City program and the host of several Broadway specials including Kinky Boots On Broadway, Fiddler On The Roof: Back On Broadway, and The Road To The Tonys. 16 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
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DIGITAL MAGIC By Patricia Canole
e all remember how it was back then: Halloween decorations were a mere cardboard skeleton, a few hanging rubber bats, and a jack-o-lantern. Right? Well, fast forward to the 21st century, and everything is digitized—including holiday decorations. The biggest example of this is AtmosFX, a company that creates movie-quality digital decorations for your home. The AtmosFX DDK (Digital Decorating Kit) includes everything you need to set up your “otherworldly” scene—eliminating the usual mess and work of traditional decorations. The kit includes a highdefinition projector and tripod for projecting one of the pre-loaded scary scenes onto any flat surface. Some of the added scenes are “Zombie Swarm,” “Werewolf,” and “Stalking Startlers.” Also included in the set is a remote that allows you to change the view on the fly. AtmosFX DDK also allows you to work in some transparency to the display. A window film can be applied to any large window; it results in the right opaqueness for your projected images without shining straight through. It creates a fantastic effect, making it appear as if skeletons and ghouls are taking up residence in your home. The neighbors will love it!
HOW IT ALL BEGAN AtmosFX was founded by Pete Reichert and Pete Williams, two former animators, and producers in the entertainment industries. Inspired by the high-end video installations they were producing for amusement parks, the two shifted their focus to develop a product line of animated content for the consumer market. The idea was simple. By using a projector or television, consumers could display originally animated vignettes on walls, windows, and objects, creating an entirely new way to celebrate Halloween. Hence, the AtmosFX DDK which is now sold worldwide. We met with AtmosFX co-founder, Pete Reichert to find out more about this unique digital concept. 18 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
Does the AtmosFX DDK replace traditional decorations? We always saw the benefit of digital decorations as twofold. First, it takes about 10 minutes to set up on your window, wall or TV. Secondly, because they are animated decorations, they are unique. At first, we thought people would replace all their decorations with our digital decorations. We found that for Halloween people have created entire themes and parties based around one of our digital decorations, like a zombie ward or an aging ghost-infested manor, and then use whatever else they can find to support that theme. How does AtmosFX DDK enhance Halloween fun? Halloween has a reputation for costumes, candy, and scary things, but we’ve always seen it as a community event. People host fun parties. Neighbors roam from house-to-house, congregate in the streets and enjoy each other’s company. It gives everyone a green-light to have fun and express themselves in really creative ways. And it doesn’t matter what age you are to enjoy the spirit of Halloween. By using the AtmosFX DDK, there’s not question it will heighten that spirit and fun for all. Do you have plans to expand the brand into other areas? Other holidays? We are doing that right now! We certainly developed our reputation creating digital decorations for Halloween. That said, we learned pretty quickly that those people who decorate for Halloween are eager to decorate for other holidays, too. We started with Christmas and New Years a few years ago, and have since created digital decorations for holidays like Valentine’s and Easter. For you, what’s been the most favorite part of the AtmosFX journey so far? The people who decorate for Halloween aren’t doing it solely because they love that particular holiday, they’re doing it because they’ve found it to be a creative way to engage the community around them. We see people in neighborhoods engage with each other when they create these elaborate Halloween displays. They are totally amazing and very creative in how they use these digital decorations. For more information about AtmosFX DDK, visit atmosfx.com. •
ATMOSFX DDK
OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 19
FALL FASHION FORECAST By Miki Makrillos
his fall dress in rich autumnal earth tones of burgundy, brown and gold. Woven textured fabrics, and romantic detail adorn the classic suit. Floral print kimono styles add a touch of Asian elegance while shades of navy and metallics make a statement on separates and accessories. Chunky sweaters paired with stirrup pants are a stylish daytime anywhere look. Luxe fur details and accessorized clutches create a dramatic look for day or evening. The motto for this fall is more is more!
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GUCCI Metal Mix GG Marmont Small Leather Camera Bag, Mystic White ($1890)
JOHANNA ORTIZ Bellifolia Silk Kimono, Pink ($1995)
TANYA TAYLOR Adrienne Floral Silk Cold Shoulder Top, Plum ($395)
SALONI Sable Cady Pants, Carmine Red ($425)
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PRADA Fox Fur & Virgin Wool Cropped Cardigan, Navy ($1910)
ALTUZARRA Sandrin Wool and Silk Skirt, Garnet ($1195)
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LARISSA VELVET STRETCH BOOTIES Navy Blue ($228)
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SLEEVELESS SIDE TIE TUNIC SWEATER Countryside Grey Melange ($89)
STIRRUP LEGGING Black ($79)
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FLORAL FABRIC STATEMENT EARRINGS Navy Blue ($59)
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DRAPY LINEN FLOUNCE SLEEVE TRENCH Saffron Yellow ($198)
OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 21
THINK PINK By Ann Lawlor
ctober is Breast Cancer Awareness month. So take time to help fight for the cure in a meaningful way by purchasing products that give back. Here, 12 amazing beauty must-haves that support BCA. You’ll not only look good, but feel great too!
VENUS ET FLEUR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS COLLECTION Available in several sizes, this collection features a limited edition box with pink Eternity DE Venus Roses—which last for up to a year. During October, 20 percent of proceeds will be donated to City of Hope, a world leader in the research and treatment of cancer. Available at venusetfleur.com.
C.O. BIGELOW FREESIA CANDLE C.O. Bigelow gives 10 percent from each purchase to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (all year long!). Available at C.O. Bigelow (bigelowchemists.com).
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FLASH PHENOMENON FACE & BODY KALEIDOSCOPE This highlighting compact gives 30 percent of each product purchased to a local non-profit breast cancer organization. Available at Neiman Marcus (neimanmarcus.com).
RALPH LAUREN PINK PONY LIMITED EDITION In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Ralph Lauren Fragrances is proud to announce its Pink Pony Fund campaign to raise money and awareness with the sales of best-selling fragrances Romance, Midnight Romance, and Tender Romance. Profits—all 100 percent—from every bottle sold will go to the Pink Pony Fund, a global initiative in the fight against cancer with a mission to ensure that treatment is available at an earlier, more curable stage. Available at participating retailers and ralphlauren.com.
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ESTÉE LAUDER COMMEMORATIVE 25TH ANNIVERSARY PINK RIBBON PIN This lovely piece is a must for showing your support of BCA with 20 percent of the suggested retail price going to Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF) through June 2018. Available at all Estee Lauder counters nationwide (esteelauder.com).
ANGELO DAVID PINK WET-&-DRY HAIR BRUSH The perfect way to stay stylish and know that $4 of the proceeds will be donated to the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation (SWCRF). Available at Angelo David Salon (angelodavid.com).
GRANDE EYE OPENER DUO Use this serum for natural looking lashes all in one convenient package. A generous 20 percent of the price will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation (grandecosmetics.com).
SMASHBOX PHOTO FINISH FOUNDATION PRIMER RADIANCE This primer is loaded with hyaluronic acid and shea butter for all-day moisture. During October, $5 from the purchase of this primer will go to Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF), dedicated to advancing the world’s most promising research to eradicate breast cancer (smashbox.com).
BOBBI BROWN PINK PEONY ILLUMINATING BRONZING POWDER SET Bobbi Brown will donate $11 from the purchase of this product to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF) until March 2018. Available at Bobbi Brown Cosmetics counters nationwide (bobbibrowncosmetics.com). TORY BURCH LOVE RELENTLESSLY ROLLERBALL This new fragrance captures the feeling of falling in love. Tory Burch will donate 20 percent of the retail price to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF) through December 2017. Available at select Macy’s (macys.com) and Bloomingdale’s (bloomingdales.com) and toryburch.com.
LA MER LIMITED EDITION CREME DE LA MER La Mer will donate $17 of the purchase price to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF) through December 2017. Available at selected stores with the U.S. (lamer.com). • OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 23
TAME YOUR CURLS. BUY NOW. Go to www.Reveel.it and snap a photo
AVANTI GUPTA: THE NEW “IT” GIRL By Lillian Langtry
ocial media influencer Avanti Gupta, a leader in the new generation of “It” Girl trendsetters, has launched a beautiful new website for stylish women everywhere. Her Instagram fans already know Gupta as a go-to expert on all things fashion and entertainment. Now they have one more outlet to peruse her fabulous looks and exciting adventures. The website offers readers a glimpse into the social media personality’s life of beauty, travel, and high fashion as well as showcase Avanti’s work thus far. With seven years of expertise in the luxury fashion industry, Avanti curates strong visual images and works as an on-screen host with growing experience in creating video content. Her social media presence is strong and climbing, especially on Instagram, where she boasts 24.2k followers. Those fans will now find Gupta’s talents, interests, and top picks for the good life all in one place: AvantiGupta.com.
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Gupta has worked for Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo, Barneys, Lanvin, Versace, Louis Vuitton, and Fendi. Avanti also worked with a top stylist and assisted on shoots and content for Bally, Bergdorf Goodman, the New York Post, and Style.com Arabia. So just how did Gupta refine her impeccable taste and amass such a loyal following? It all started when her taste for fashion brought her to New York City, where she attended the prestigious Parsons School of Design. Gupta has worked for Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo, Barneys, Lanvin, Versace, Louis Vuitton, and Fendi. Avanti also worked with a top stylist and assisted on shoots and content for Bally, Bergdorf Goodman, the New York Post, and Style.com Arabia. Find out more about Avanti Gupta and what luxury fashion and lifestyle experiences she loves these days, visit avantigupta.com; Instagram @avantigupta. •
OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 25
“Straight Out of A Fairytale!” - The New York Times
...Happily Ever After!
THANN Sanctuary Spa
Award-winning Equus Restaurant
Where every occasion is special
www.castlehotelandspa.com | 914.631.1980 | 400 Benedict Avenue, Tarrytown, NY 10591
FALL ESCAPES: THE HUDSON VALLEY By Patricia Canole
id you know that New York State is home to some of the most incredible scenic driving routes and byways in the U.S.? Close to New York City is the Hudson Valley where Mother Nature reigns supreme. Explore the history of the state or ascend into the mountains, where commanding views of the Hudson Valley await you. So, pack up and get the wheels rolling. Here, some of our best suggestions for a fall getaway to learn, explore and enjoy the fall foliage season.
KINDERHOOK Located in Columbia County, is the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site, home and farm of the founder of the Democratic Party and the eighth president of the United States. The mansion is also where Van Buren managed two presidential campaigns and entertained politicians and celebrities during the turbulent
1840’s and 1850’s. Nearby stop by Chatham Brewing for some of the state’s finest selection of beers brewed in the British tradition—using the best hops and malts available. And for the action-packed among us, there’s Catamount Adventure Park. Here, you’ll find an aerial forest adventure with 12 courses including two 2,000-foot zip line (there are 50) courses. Children from 7 to adult are welcome.
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BEAR MOUNTAIN A must-see is the rolling hills and forested mountains of Bear Mountain State Park, where you’ll discover unforgettable views of the Hudson River Valley. A beautiful weekend can attract swarms of hikers who explore the wooded trails, which the park shares with adjacent Harriman State Park. This rambling wilderness of mountain peaks, dense forests, and beach-fringed lakes straddles the Orange-Rockland county line. A
21-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail, snakes through both parks, traversing nine peaks before crossing the Hudson River via the Bear Mountain Bridge. Nearby are the Revolutionary War Grounds, where American troops fought for and took control of two forts. If historic sites aren’t for you, the park also offers a wildlife center, camping, golf, boating, and the Bear Mountain Inn and Restaurant. It’s a beautiful place to appreciate the history and beauty of Bear Mountain and its surrounding area.
SLEEPY HOLLOW Sleepy Hollow is rich with history, and here you will find Philipsburg Manor, a landmark of the Underground Railroad. After meandering here and discovering how it must have been working on an 18th-century farm, hop the shuttle to Kykuit. Incredibly this was the country home of the Rockefellers and is considered the crown jewel of Hudson Valley’s mansions. And who can ever forget the site of the storied Legend of Sleepy Hollow at Old Dutch Church, where the headless horseman’s tale began next door to the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery and the burial site of the story’s writer Washington Irving. OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 27
WASHINGTONVILLE Located in Orange County, Brotherhood Winery is one of the oldest wineries in the United States. Underground cellars were established in 1839 by Jean Jacques to ferment the first vintage wine. Today these are some of the largest cellars still in use. It’s fun to explore the mysterious vaults and well over 175 years of history as well. Don’t leave with savoring the award-winning wines in the splendor of the 19th-century Grand Salon.
HYDE PARK Spend a day in Hyde Park, where history aficionados will want to stop at the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site. This Beaux Arts palace was built in 1898 by Frederick Vanderbilt, grandson of railroad magnate Cornelius. The estate is a monument to the wealth and success that made the Vanderbilts one of richest families in the 19th century. A bit less grand, but certainly more historic is the Hyde Park estate of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site. FDR, who served four terms as president, grew up in this Georgian colonial house—part of the family estate known as Springwood. The only home a president occupied from birth to death, it’s much like when FDR lived there. He entertained world-renowned guests Winston Churchill, King George and Queen Elizabeth, a first for sitting monarchs, and royalty exiled from Nazi-occupied Europe. The estate includes stables, trails, and the Rose Garden, where FDR was laid to rest in 1945 after deeding his beloved home to the American people as a National Park. Nearby sits the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, better known as ValKill, where Mrs. Roosevelt called home in her later years. Make your final stop in Hyde Park at Culinary Institute of America, the nation’s premier cooking schools and where many of today’s celebrity chefs have trained and learned their craft. You have a choice of four different restaurants; however, it is recommended you make reservations.
28 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
HEAVENLY HAVENS WEST POINT The Thayer Hotel is a national historic treasure located on the grounds of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Take in its commanding views of the Hudson from the hotel’s recently opened Zulu Time Rooftop Bar and Lounge, the only rooftop bar overlooking the Hudson River between Manhattan and Albany (the bar is open April through November). NEW PALTZ An award-winning National Historic Landmark Resort and Historic Hotel of America, Mohonk Mountain House is a grand 265-room Victorian castle. Owned by the same family since 1869, the resort has afforded guests recreation and renewal of body, mind, and spirit in a beautiful natural setting since it opened. In addition to the award-winning Spa at Mohonk Mountain House, the resort features a wealth of year-round recreation including a spectacular Skating Pavilion, rock climbing, and 85 miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking. Also on the sports menu are a nine-hole golf course, tennis courts, and horseback riding. The glacialformed Lake Mohonk is ideal for boating, fishing, and swimming.
GARRISON A must for history buffs, is a stop in Putnam County. Here you’ll find Boscobel, an early-19th-century neoclassical Georgian mansion, was rescued from government destruction (it was sold at auction for $35 in the 1950s). It was moved piece by piece to its current location from Westchester County, and meticulously restored thanks to the generosity of the co-founder of Reader’s Digest. The decorative arts of the Federal period that fill the house are indeed impressive, but they have a difficult time competing with the extraordinary river and gorge views afforded from the lawns, gardens, and orchards. Many activities are held here including dancing to big-band music in the fall, and pre-Victorian Christmas Candlelight tours.
POUGHKEEPSIE
COLOR YOUR WORLD
Take a stroll on the Walkway Over the Hudson which connects Ulster County with Dutchess County with links to the Hudson Valley Rail Trail. This is the longest elevated pedestrian walkway at 1.28 miles and is loved by hikers, bikers and all those who enjoy the outdoors. Scenic views of the Hudson River and surrounding fall foliage with great river views of the sunset await you. The Poughkeepsie State Park Entrance is located on Parker Avenue.
Unlike the rest of the country, the northeastern U.S. has a great variety of broad-leaved trees, which help give the region’s foliage a spectacular color range. In fact, New York State has almost as many acres of such trees as the rest of the Northeast combined. The change in color from the bright greens of summer to the brilliant hues of fall follows a predictable pattern across the state. It begins high in the Adirondack Mountains in early September, and spreads out and down across the hills and valleys of the state, ending on Long Island and in New York City in early November. It takes about two weeks for the colors to complete their cycles in any given area, with peak brilliance lasting three to four days in any one spot. During the fall season, I Love New York issues reports detailing the progression of colorful fall foliage across New York based upon information filed by the state’s officially designated “leaf peepers” who rate foliage color in their respective areas. For a full foliage report for the entire state of New York, visit ilovenewyork.com.
OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 29
RHINEBECK Enter into the genteel world of the Gilded Age where you will find the Village of Rhinebeck, with nearly 300 sites on the National Register of Historic Places. Check out the Beekman Arms, one of America’s oldest continually operating hostelries (it was built in 1766). You won’t want to miss the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, where resident Cole Palen created a World War I-style airdrome for his vintage collection of aircraft.
Starting with six derelict WWI planes, Cole made the Aerodrome into America’s first flying museum of antique aircraft and replicas, achieving worldwide fame. He believed, “It isn’t an airplane if it doesn’t fly,” and the non-profit Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum continues his work of collecting, restoring and exhibiting more than 60 aircraft of the Pioneer, WWI and Lindbergh Ages of aviation. For more information related to The Hudson Valley, you can visit travelhudsonvalley.com. •
THE APPLE OF YOUR EYE The Hudson Valley is known for its tasty apples, and this season has yielded a bumper crop. Now that apples are ripe for the picking, growers are opening their orchards to pick your own. The best part, you don’t hav e to travel too far—set your sights on Orange Country (in most cases it’s approximately an hour by car, depending on your final destination). There are more than 25 varieties of apples grown on over 1,000 acres, and the activities offered are just as vast. In the heart of Orange County’s apple picking country, the 3-day Sugar Loaf Fall Festival draws visitors from near and far. This year’s festival will be held on Columbus Day weekend, October 7th–9th. The event features food, craft vendors, live music, and lots of fun. Here, some favorite pick-your-own orchards in nearby Orange County: Pennings Orchard Pick your own apples and pumpkins daily. Activities include farm market, beer garden, pumpkin fields, hayrides, farm animals, and more (penningsorchard.com). Soons Orchard More than fifty varieties of apples, apple cider, and vegetables. Enjoy homemade pies, cookies, and donuts. Fall weekends include hayrides (soonsorchards.com). Apple Ridge Orchards Many varieties to pick while enjoying the breathtaking scenery. Tractor-pulled hay wagon rides, pet and feed friendly farm animals, and a corn maze (appleridgeorchards.com). Apple Dave’s Free wagon rides and a puppet sh ow. There’s a winery, picnic area, farm animals, herb and rose gardens. Relax by the ponds, or sample the latest creations of the distillery and Applewood Winery (appledavesorchards.com). Masker Orchards Drive right to the tree and bring your picnic gear for an idyllic day in the country. Live music, pony rides, country store. For the kids, there are barnyard baby animals, pony rides, and wagon rides (maskers.com).
30 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
Welcome to Harborside resort montauk
The Harborside Resort Montauk offers a pleasant, friendly atmosphere. On-premise pool and tennis, attractive rooms, studios, suites and efficiencies - each offering many amenities. Montauk is one of the beautiful resort destinations on the East Coast. Miles of breathtaking coastline, nature trails and preserves, varied watersports from famed surfing to water-skiing to whale watching.
World renowned fishing is found here, too as Montauk is well recognized as one of the top fishing capitals of the world. For beach lovers, we provide our guests’ access to Montauk’s finest ocean and sound beaches. And, golfers, bring your clubs and golf at the magnificent Robert Trent Jones designed Montauk Downs State Park located just one mile from the Harborside. You can enjoy the pleasure of
371 West lake dr. montauk, nY 11954 631.668.2511 montaukharborside.com
nearby horseback riding, being pampered at a marinotherapeutic spa, great shopping and a trip to our treasured beacon - the Montauk Point Lighthouse. Sample the gourmet delights of the finest restaurants, just a short walk or drive away. You will never be at a loss of things to do in Montauk - where a great vacation begins!
ADVENTURES AWAY By Olivia Owens
hese favorites offer the perfect excuse for an active weekend away from the hustle and bustle. WAKE UP & RELAX. BOOK NOW Go to www.Reveel.it and snap a photo
MONTAGE PALMETTO BLUFF Bluffton, SC It’s not hard to fall in love with the Montage Palmetto Bluff, situated along the May River. Once you arrive at this 20,000-acre community of Palmetto Bluff that has been transformed into a perfect replica of a small island town, complete with its clapboard church. The Low Country’s most luxurious resort sits within a nature preserve, ideal for an invigorating vacation. All accommodations are generously sized with a chic coastal décor. Your screenedin porch puts you immediately in touch with nature. For active travelers, there’s hiking and biking trails, guided boating tours, and an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus golf course. If you’d rather work out indoors, there’s also cardio- and strength-training equipment, along with a movement studio for spinning, yoga and Pilates classes. Accommodations consist of generously-sized cottages: The one-bedrooms boast a coastal-chic decor with more than 1,100 square feet of space. Enjoy sumptuous bedding, gas fireplaces, surround-sound home theaters, and marvelous bathroom suites with steam showers. The spa, among the best in the country, puts you close to heaven. Pampering treatments that utilize abundant elements sourced from the May River that are blended into a full body experience to rejuvenate. End the day in the relaxing River House Lounge, noted for its mix of delicious food and wines. For more information on Montage Palmetto Bluff, visit montagehotels.com/palmettobluff.
CHATHAM BARS INN Chatham, MA Chatham Bars Inn was originally developed in 1914, as a semiprivate hunting lodge for wealthy Bostonians. Decades later, the Inn has seen million dollar renovations that substantially transformed every inch of the hotel. The beachfront property accommodations in the Main Inn, cottages, and 12 luxe (adults only) spa suites complete with saunas, steam showers, and fireplaces. The decor follows the Cape Cod norm, with beige and blue sea motifs. The nautical color palette extends to the hotel’s guest rooms and cottages, which guests adore for their seaside views and large wrap around porches. The delicious New England-inspired fare served at the on-location dining venues have earned rave reviews and added to the list of reasons to return. Regular activities for guests include celebrity chef demos, Murder Mystery Weekends, and Gingerbread Workshops. Look for a Snow Barbecue on the Beach the day after Christmas. For more information on Chatham Bars Inn, visit chathambarsinn.com. 32 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
THE WHITEFACE LODGE Lake Placid, NY The Whiteface Lodge is located in the High Peaks region of the Adirondack Mountains, minutes from the village of Lake Placid. Evoking the splendor of the historic Adirondack Great Camps, the Forbes Four Diamond-rated Whiteface Lodge has a fitness center (natch), game room with air hockey, and shuffleboard, and even an ice cream parlor. There’s also a lakefront Canoe Club with boat rentals, biking, fishing, and whitewater rafting. The surrounding Adirondack Park— home to five golf courses—offers a little bit of everything including mountain and trail hiking, road and mountain biking, and fishing. Guests can take advantage of the lodge’s group fitness classes, indoor pool, as well as sauna and steam room. Especially inviting is the 8,000-squarefoot spa offering everything from a mud wrap to an Apple Cider Masque and Massage to an Outdoorsman Facial. The excellent Sports Massage helps improve circulation, and strength through muscle massage therapy. FYI: The Lodge was conceived and built by a former Olympian, and the hotel staff almost always include several Olympic hopefuls and recent Olympians. For more information on The Whiteface Lodge, visit thewhitefacelodge.com.
WOODSTOCK INN & RESORT Woodstock, VT Far from the main road but still on Woodstock’s gorgeous green, this resort has a hard-tobeat location. This grand hotel affords guests a contemporary and luxurious ambiance. Accommodations feature huge flat-screen TVs, country-chic furniture, and all-white bathrooms with subway-tile walls. Thoughtful touches include daily afternoon tea with homemade cookies. For pure relaxation, the state-of-theart, LEED-certified spa offers a wide array of services. Even if you don’t get a treatment, try the eucalyptus steam room, outdoor hot tub and cedar sauna (for a small fee). Dining options are exceptional: The Red Rooster serves an classic menu, and for more casual, there’s Richardson’s Tavern. For a unique experience, learn how to handle and fly hawks at The New England Falconry. Or perhaps take a hike. With more than 20 miles of trails in the nearby MarshBillings-Rockefeller Historical Park (Vermont’s only National Park), you’ll easily commune with Mother Nature. A big bonus: The resort owns and provides access to the Suicide Six ski area, a Nordic center, and a golf club. For more information on Woodstock Inn & Resort, visit woodstockinn.com. • OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 33
A MERMAID TALE By Gretchen Kelly
ermaids are mythical creatures that exist in folklore, our imagination—and in Norfolk, Virginia. Site of the massive Naval Station Norfolk as well as NATO’s military united, the Allied Command Transformation unit, this place has long ties to the sea.
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Sir Walter Raleigh sailed to these shores in the 1600s, searching for potential settlement areas (too bad he ended up choosing the ill-fated Roanoke Island in North Carolina). But by later Colonial days, Norfolk was firmly established as a strategic naval site and it has remained so to this day. Walking through the city, you’ll see all kinds of officers and enlisted men and women in their white formal uniforms—something that reminded me of the 1990s film, No Way Out, where Kevin Costner was similarly spectacularly attired. These historic ties to the sea led Norfolk to choose the mermaid as its mascot of a major urban renewal project 10 years ago. Over 100 mermaid statues were commissioned by local artists and you can now see them, “swimming” around the city and posing sirene-like in the most unexpected places, making a weekend trip to this Chesapeake bayside town a virtual mermaid safari.
HISTORY UP CLOSE My hotel, the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel (sheratonnorfolkwaterside.com) overlooks the beautiful Waterfront District, a walkable area of restaurants, bars and seasonal outdoor entertainment. Nearby, another mermaid was dwelling under a fountain of flowing water by Norfolk’s massive Nauticus Museum (nauticus.org), a combination aquarium and ocean science discovery center that sits next to the docked USS Wisconsin warship—a mighty battleship you can tour, marveling at how many men were quartered in such small places on such a huge ship. Commissioned in 1944, she was decommissioned in 1951. In 1991 we was decommissioned after serving in WWII through the Gulf War and received a Navy Unit Commendation for service. Touring her, you definitely feel her long years of active service—from the rivets in her steel hull to her massive outdoor deck. World War II buffs will want to visit the nearby MacArthur Memorial (macarthurmemorial.org), a museum, research center and also the mausoleum of General Douglas MacArthur, who is buried here with his beloved second wife Jean who passed away in 2000 at the ripe old age of 101. You can see the famed Jeep MacArthur rode around in (with corn cob pipe and aviators) as well as a wealth of other historical documents and items. The day I visited the attendant on duty at his tomb was a woman from Manila, a fact that the General himself would have been pleased about, given his love for those islands and his famed, kept promise, “I will return.” 34 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
The Waterfront District MacArthur Memorial
THE ARTS ARE ALIVE Some of the mermaids I saw in Norfolk were swimming around the city’s new NEON District, a vibrant arts community that has grown in an area that was formerly an abandoned industrial zone—(NEON stands for New Energy of Norfolk). The district also includes the Chrysler Museum and the Chrysler Glass Studio. The museum, founded by the car manufacturing family, is home to a treasure trove of art from ancient days through the modern era. The collection has a stash of over 30,000 pieces of art The New York Times says, “Any museum in the world would kill for” including European and American paintings from the Middle Ages to the modern era. It also houses one of the world’s finest collection of glass and works by the art nouveau master, Louis Comfort Tiffany. Given its emphasis on glass, the museum has an adjacent glass studio where a live demonstration of the art of glass gives you a glimpse of how strings and lumps of molten lava become beautiful, fragile art pieces. (I was even given a glass mermaid as a souvenir of my visit!). After a morning of maritime history and art, I lunched in the NEON district at the popular Field Guide (fieldguide. is), a down home eatery housed in a former warehouse that specializes in local, organic foods and flavors with a hearty emphasis on comfort feel. Tops on the menu: The catfish sandwich that would have made any mermaid sigh in contentment.
Chrysler Museum
LUSH GARDENS AND MORE After a satisfying mid-day break, my afternoon encompassed a visit to the Hermitage Museum and Gardens (hermitagemuseum.org) where this 1908 waterside house and 12 acres of gardens were being colonized by a temporary exhibit, Art of the Burning Man, the first installation exhibit of major works from the famed Nevada festival. I marveled at the intricacy of a strange tower festooned with images of Frida Kahlo that stood outside the house itself, as well as a massive shoe, featuring a winding staircase for scenic views of the surrounding lushness. Inside the house (once the home of textile magnates, Florence and William Sloan), a combination of the Sloan’s own collection of Asian art and decorative objects and smaller pieces from Burning Man stole the hours of the afternoon but there was still time to visit the Norfolk Botanical Garden (norfolkbotanicalgarden.org), just outside of town, a gorgeous 175-acre garden planted in 1938, largely by 220 AfricanAmerican WPA workers who are memorialized with an exhibit and a moving statue of a woman planter here. Ironically, the planters that built the garden were not able to visit them during Jim Crow-era segregation times, a fact that the Gardens does not skirt but discusses openly with a large educational component on those times and on the women who made the earth come alive here.
Hermitage Museum Oyster on the Halfshell
As mermaids drew me through the history, art and lush gardens of this Virginian landmark city, I ended the day back at the Waterfront District for dinner. Do you remember that scene in Splash where Daryl Hannah (the mermaid) munches happily on a lobster? That was me (only my crustacean of choice was Chesapeake she crab) at Todd Jurich’s Bistro (toddjurichsbistro.com) - a fixture of fine dining in downtown Norfolk since the 1990s. This elegant eatery has views of the waterfront and a cellar of great wines that pair beautifully with the self-taught chef ’s classic cuisine. (The Bistro has hosted many of visiting celebrity, Harrison Ford, most recently, who should know good food as his son is a chef himself). Once home, I thought of T. S. Elliot’s Line in The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock: “I have heard the mermaids singing each to each.” If you hear Norfolk’s siren song of history, art, culture and great food and let it lure you to her shores, you’re sure to want to return for more. • Gretchen Kelly writes on travel and hotels for The New York Post, TravelwithVal.com, Frommers. com, and many other websites and publications. She has appeared on FOX5’s Good Day New York, BBC Worldwide News and Bloomberg News. She’s been to over 80 countries. OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 35
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY By Norah Bradford
hen it comes to bright lights, New York’s Great White Way can’t hold a candle to the Vegas Strip, which has cornered the market concerning neon. Today, the former haunt of Sinatra and his Rat Pack is about more than just craps and roulette wheels. You’ll find everything from fantastic shows to fine dining. To get you started on an unforgettable getaway, here’s our hour-by-hour guide to what’s in store in American’s favorite city, Las Vegas.
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6 PM—CATCH THE FEVER Vegas provides great people-watching. Ease into your evening with cocktails at The Dorsey at The Venetian (venetian.com) which transports you from the gaming floors of Las Vegas to a sophisticated bar serving cocktails designed by Sam Ross of Milk & Honey. Sit amongst the library books and fireplace early evening and enjoy a pre-dinner drink, while viewing stunning digital art displayed on eight screens from well-known artists. Come back later and experience the DJ and music while finishing your night. Be sure to try the signature cocktail; The Penicillin is said to have curative powers.
The Dorsey Bar
7 PM—WINE & DINE
Buddy V's Ristorante
Giada
Vegas is a culinary dream come true with some of the world’s best restaurants within easy reach. For serious foodies, there’s TAO (taolasvegas.com), still the hottest spot on The Strip. An unbeatable combination of Asian-influenced food, exceptional service, music, and entertainment. LAVO (lavolv.com) provides a hip Italian-American dining experience with a vast menu of wines and cocktails. House specialties include Penne Seafood Alfredo and Fresh Spaghetti with Tomato and Basil. Beauty & Essex (beautyandessex.com) nestled in the Cosmopolitan (cosmopolitanlasvegas.com) blends the Lower East Side vibe of New York with the glamour of Vegas for an outstanding dining experience. Enter this speakeasy-style venue through a working pawn shop where dinner choices range from Alaskan King Crab Legs to Fish & Chip Tacos. But remember Vegas is the ultimate food destination. Other tasty options include worldfamous Carmine’s (carminesnyc.com), the perfect rendezvous to meet up with family or friends and share classic family-style Italian fare. A wide range of dishes coupled with warm and friendly service will put you in a relaxed state of mind. Buddy V’s Ristorante (buddyvlasvegas.com) is the brainchild of Buddy Valastro, the star of TLC’s Cake Boss. Here, it’s all about casual Italian dining in a sophisticated setting and of course, his deserts such as the famous Flake Cream-Filled Lobster Tails, Cannolis, and Italian Birthday Cake. At Giada (caesars.com/cromwell.com) enjoy the cuisine of award-winning, classical trained chef, Giada de Laurentiis. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by the views of The Strip. Think Italian cuisine with a Californian influence. Searsucker (searsucker. com/lasvegas) dishes up New American cuisine with hip music and a modern interior which adds up to sure-fire success. Try Chef Malarkey’s Drunken Skirt Steak with Beer Marinade and Grilled Crispy Potatoes. You won’t be disappointed.
36 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
WHERE TO STAY
Bellagio Bellagio (bellagio.com) The beautiful Italian-inspired architecture is a spectacle to be seen. Check out the lobby— especially the exquisite glass chandelier of 2,000 vibrant hand-blown glass flowers designed by Dale Chihuly. Request a room in the Spa Tower where you’re steps away from relaxing in a hot tub or a soothing couples massage.
9 PM—THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT There’s probably nothing on earth that can match the pure spectacle of a Vegas show. Marvel at the Baz—A Musical Mash-Up (palazzo. com/baz) at The Palazzo takes three of Australian Director Baz Lurhmann’s movies—Moulin Rouge, Romeo and Juliet, and The Great Gatsby—and combines them into a live music performance where the audience sits amongst the performer’s stage. Super songbirds Jennifer Lopez and Britney Spears continue their runs at Planet Hollywood (caesers.com/planet-hollywood).
Caesars Palace Caesars Palace (caesarspalace.com) The opulent entrance, fountains, Roman statuary, and roaming centurions all add up to the iconic, over-the-top Las Vegas hotel. Attracting superstar entertainers such as Rod Stewart, Elton John, Celine Dione, Mariah Carey and Jerry Seinfeld who wow audiences. Dining options read like a who’s who—Rao’s, Nobu and Mr. Chow is just the start. With accommodations including upgraded Caesars Suites and the addition of new luxury rooms at the Palace Tower it seems there are few excuses to postpone booking.
The Palazzo
BAZ - A Musical Mash-Up
11 PM—LET THE MUSIC BEGIN The city now shifts into high gear with more entertaining options and non-stop fun. Ultra - Lounges and clubs dot The Strip and heat up nightly. Are you ready? With hip DJs, unique cocktail menus, and a chic crowd, the top venues are packed every night of the week. At Bellagio, there’s The Bank (thebanklasvegas.com), the upscale club, is the place to be seen! Dress to thrill at the Cosmopolitan’s Marquee Club (marqueelasvegas.com) for top entertainment. With vast glass window-walls overlooking The Strip, you will enjoy an unforgettable nightlife experience.
The Palazzo (thepalazzo.com) In a city that thinks big, The Palazzo offers the largest standard size suite on the strip which is almost twice the size of the average hotel room in Las Vegas, providing a beautiful base from which to explore. The Palazzo creators have thought through the relationships needed to build a successful one-stop resort hotel in the center of Las Vegas, Canyon Ranch Spa, high-end retail and designer brands and, of course, a bustling casino.
The Wynn The Wynn (thewynnlasvegas) This resort is a playground for jet-setters, high rollers, and anyone who wants to feel like one. The Wynn and its sister Wynn Encore possess no fewer than thirteen Forbes Five-Star travel awards. Boasting an array of dining, shopping and entertainment options including a new nightclub, Intrigue. Last, but not least, you’ll find the only 18-hole golf course on the strip boasting arguably the highest green fee in the U.S.—one for the golfer’s bucket list.
Cosmopolitan’s Marquee Club
4 AM—CALL IT A NIGHT Time to pull the curtains closed, hang that “Do Not Disturb” sign and remember there’s a tomorrow. Set the alarm? Never. Remember this is Las Vegas—no one has a clock around here! • OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 37
A CULTURED PEARL IN THE SAND By Gerrie Summers
f the typical modern mega resort is not to your liking, there is a pearl in the sand, which provides the amenities of a large resort, yet the classic Old Florida/homey feel of a grand beach house. Located in Clearwater, Florida in the Tampa Bay area, The Sandpearl Resort sparkles on the pristine white sands of Clearwater Beach, ranked as one of the best beaches in the nation. The Sandpearl’s polished yet comfortable touch begins when you enter the reception area, aptly nicknamed “the living room” where you are greeted with a welcome glass of Champagne. Paintings, murals, mosaics, and artwork by Floridian artists can be found throughout the resort depicting the property’s history, including a collage of photos of Clearwater history displayed near the entrance of Caretta on the Gulf, the hotel’s signature restaurant. The history begins with a structure originally built as a private summer bungalow and later expanded into a boarding house and seasonal resort, even, at one point, housing a college. This building was demolished and replaced by the 6-story Clearwater Beach Hotel, a favorite spot for 17 years until it was rebuilt and opened as the Sandpearl in 2005. The resort has held on to many of the Clearwater Beach Hotel traditions. The wooden bar from the old hotel is at Tate Island Grill. The original dinner bell is rung nightly by one of the resort guests, usually a child, as the sun sets on the horizon signaling the start of dinner. The sunsets here are spectacular. Many guests watch the sun paint the sky in gorgeous hues at the resort’s fire pits, also a spot for enjoying s’mores on the beach and Tate’s inventive cocktails.
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RELAXING VIEWS The Sandpearl Resort has 203 guest rooms and 50 one- and two-bedroom suites. Rooms are open and cozy, designed with soothing earth tones and decor reflecting the beachfront atmosphere. Some rooms have large furnished balconies to soak it all in. Accommodations include flat screen TVs, in-room refrigerators, sitting areas, deluxe bathrooms with step-in showers and separate Roman-style tubs. Some rooms also have accessible features. For those who aren’t in one of the suites with a kitchen, microwaves are near the ice machines—a nice touch. Sandpearl is also eco-friendly. The resort was the first Silver LEED-certified resort and is a member of the Florida Green Lodging Program Clear the World, recycling leftover soap and shampoo to reduce waste while providing items to impoverished communities.
Gulf Side Suite Sunset
THE PERFECT SPA EXPERIENCE
Spa at Sandpearl Jacuzzi
Spa at Sandpearl Treatment Room
38 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
Guests can relax and rejuvenate at the 12,000 square foot, full-service Spa at Sandpearl, which has seven treatment rooms, a therapeutic whirlpool, and private relaxation rooms. There are over 50 treatments to choose from, including signature treatments like the Signature Perfect Massage, individualized to fit your needs to make a perfect restorative and relaxing massage for body and mind. The spa has a 24-hour gulf-front fitness center with cardiovascular machines and strength training equipment, as well as yoga, tai chi, and fitness classes.
GULF GASTRONOMY Sandpearl has two on-property restaurants. Caretta’s on the Gulf is the resort’s AAA Four-Diamond fine dining restaurant. Named for the areas’ loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta’s has indoor and outdoor seating with spectacular views of Clearwater Beach and the Gulf of Mexico. It has a ceviche and sushi bar, private wine and dining room, lounge and bar and boasts a seasonal menu, with fresh seafood, from delicious snapper and grouper to steaks. Selections have inventive flavor combinations, like Chilean Sea Bass with 7-Spiced Wehani Stir Fry. Tate Island Grill, named after an original settler of Clearwater Beach, offers casual dining, with a beachside setting and a menu of fresh fish and seafood, salads, burgers, sandwiches and tropical cocktails and signature beer. For quick bites and beverages, the Marketplace located in the lobby has coffee, grab-and-go-breakfast, sandwiches and snacks.
Caretta on the Gulf
Gulf Front King
Tate Island Grill
FLORIDA FUN For beach lovers, Sandpearl provides plenty of beach chairs, as well as umbrellas to rent on its private stretch of beach. If you’re more into relaxing by the pool, there is a lagoon-style, zero-entry pool with private cabanas and beach cocoons. Sandpearl is family friendly, yet single adults will not feel overwhelmed. Camp Ridley Kids Club, named after the native Kemp’s Ridley turtle, keeps kids busy with arts and crafts, wildlife programs and other activities. If you decide to leave the property, you can walk (or rent a bike) and visit nearby Caladesi Island. If you do an outing, book a Picnic in Paradise, with a gourmet basket-to-go from Caretta on the Gulf. The resort also partners with the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, a rescue and rehabilitation center for marine animals. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium was the backdrop for the Dolphin Tale movie and sequel and home to the film “stars” dolphins Winter and Hope and Ricky (Rufus in the movie) the Pelican. The Aquarium has kayaking eco-tours, stand up paddle board eco tours and sea safari boat cruises.
Family Chess Game Lagoon Pool
Nearby on Mandalay Street is a strip of boutiques, shops, and restaurants. One to try is the new Blinkers just a stone throw away (in the same building as the Sandpearl Residences) with steak, seafood, and pasta dishes. Or perhaps opt for the iconic Crabby’s Dockside (the locals call it Crabby Bill’s) where you can enjoy panoramic views of Clearwater Beach while trying alligator bites or more familiar burgers, chicken wings or the fresh Floridian grouper that the eatery is known for. During your stay be sure to walk the beach to Pier 60, which has a nightly sunset festival of music, crafts and street performers and other activities. For more information on the Sandpearl Resort, visit sandpearl.com. • Gerrie Summers is a freelance writer, specializing in travel, health, beauty spas and wellness. She was the Multicultural Beauty Expert for About.com. Her writing has appeared in Real Health, For the Bride, Luxury Living, FoxNews. com, and Everett Potter’s Travel Report. For more information on Gerrie Summers, visit gerriesummers.com. OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 39
POCONO PLEASURES By Jeff & Stephanie Sylva
asting memories are what you will take home after a visit to Skytop Lodge, a premier Pocono Mountain resort just two hours from Manhattan. As you explore, play, and relax at this 5,500-acre elegant country estate, you will revel in the splendor of the stunning natural surroundings and beauty of this historic hotel. Built in 1928, Skytop Lodge is a resort where first impressions become indelible images. The word stunning comes to mind and is the only way to describe your initial glimpse of the stone Dutch Colonial-style manor sitting atop the hill overlooking the lake. Skytop’s founders envisioned a building that would have the look of belonging to the mountains. Skytop Lodge is a year-round resort, and now is the perfect time to experience nature’s colorful changing foliage. Get acquainted with the resort and take the Estate Tour Hayride, where an activities counselor will show the resort’s facilities and tell of the various activities.
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NATURE’S BRILLIANT SHOW An excellent way to immerse yourself in Skytop’s autumn beauty is to set out on one of the resort’s 30 miles of hiking trails. One of our favorites was the famous Trout Stream Trail, which took us to the picturesque Indian Ladder Falls. From here we continued up the challenging Waterfall Ramble, where we climbed some very steep terrain alongside the falls using a series of ropes. Be sure to look for the guided hike of this trail by Skytop’s resident naturalist, Rick Koval, who will have you accomplishing things you never thought you could. Or maybe you want to get out and explore the miles of Skytop’s trails on a mountain or cruiser bike that are available for rent. For an even more exciting foliage encounter, try flying through the trees with the Treetop Adventure Course. A four-hour tour traverses over 3,000 feet of elevated obstacles including bridge ways to walk from one platform to the next, a cargo net to crawl, and a total of 16 different zip lines! Other options at the Center include Archery Tag using foam-tipped arrows, Paintball Adventure on three separate courses, and Rockwall Climbing on the 33-foot wall. You can appreciate nature’s beauty from the middle of the lake in a kayak, canoe or rowboat, or try your hand at fishing Skytop’s private trout stream or the lake. Fly casting lessons and guided trips are available. The vibrant fall colors are a perfect backdrop for a round of golf on Skytop’s highly-rated 18-hole championship greens—considered 40 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
one of the best in the East. The mountain-style course plays over rolling terrain with wide, tree-lined fairways and small greens for that extra challenge. A variety of Stay-and-Play golf packages and kids’ game programs are available. Tennis, including a variety of daily tennis clinics or private lessons, is another great way to get an invigorating outdoor workout. Still looking for other ways to appreciate the beauty of Skytop’s natural surroundings? Why not saddle up and take a ride at the resort’s riding stables? Or try your hand at the Skytop Outfitters 12-station Clay Shooting Range. Novices are welcome. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, there’s still plenty to do! Take a yoga, Zumba, or stretch class; or swim some laps in the indoor pool. Skytop’s Activities Staff organizes a variety of arts and crafts, trivia contests, and games, and also conducts a very popular Kids Camp.
HEAVENLY HAVEN…AND MORE Skytop offers a variety of accommodations: The Main Lodge features 124 rooms and suites in three signature themes—water, garden, and mountain-design—each reflecting the beauty of the natural surroundings. The Inn features 18 luxuriously appointed guest rooms each with a fireplace, private balcony, and built-in Jacuzzi. Other options are The Cottages and The Streamside Cottages providing seclusion in a peaceful setting. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner, you’ll not be disappointed in the options available. Serving traditional yet innovative cuisine in a classic setting, the Windsor Dining Room is the resort’s flagship dining venue. The seasonal menu features many locally-sourced ingredients. The Lakeview Restaurant offers spectacular views of the lake while the Tap Room features more casual dining in a bistro-style setting. Skytop Lodge, of course, has numerous activities to fill your day and evening. But it’s also important to take some time to relax and simply enjoy the beauty and splendor of nature. There are many quiet spots to kick back and find some peace. Choose a classic rocking chair on the back porch overlooking the beautiful gardens and South Lawn, or a quiet place on a bench with a view of Indian Ladder Falls. Roast some marshmallows as you sit around the evening campfire. Or for a more relaxing time, enjoy a spa service at the Skyview Spa. Skytop Lodge has seen many changes since it first opened, all of which are designed to continue the resort’s many traditions and high standards. This commitment to excellence is reflected in Skytop’s inclusion in Historic Hotels of America and its prestigious AAA Four Diamond Award. For more information on Skytop Lodge visit skytop.com. •
Skytop Lodge, of course, has numerous activities to fill your day and evening.
Jeff and Stephanie Sylva are retired English and Social Studies high school teachers who have been freelance travel writers for over 28 years. They’ve been publishing in many national publications and who love to write about the great outdoors and, of course, travel. OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 41
for escape
Kayak the Hudson, climb the Gunks, then sit for a moment and marvel at the epic stillness of nature.
SEEK FOR YOURSELF. ulstercountyalive.com
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5 TOP SPOTS TO SEE FALL FOLIAGE By Norah Bradford
ith lazy days at the beach a memory, along with the temperatures taking a quick dip and shorter daylight hours, there’s no question Fall is here in all its glory! But there is an upside to this story: The opportunity to experience the exquisite beauty of Mother Nature. And you don’t have to travel far to take in this phenomenon. Wherever you decide, seeing trees put on their dazzling annual display is awe-inspiring. Here, our picks on the best places to see Fall’s natural wonder.
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HAWKS NEST Sullivan County, NY Just northwest of New York City lies the Catskill Mountains and the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway. Drive North from Port Jervis on County Rd. 97 to experience the foliage and sights. Be sure to stop at the iconic Hawks Nest to see picture-perfect river views and forests on the winding road made famous in car commercials. Visit the small cozy towns such as Barryville for the River Market (iloveny.com)
HUDSON VALLEY On the National Geographic Magazine list of must-see places, a drive through the Hudson Valley is a welcome escape from the pressures of urban life. Make a weekend of it and drive from New Paltz through the Shawangunk Mountains Scenic Byway en route to Phoenicia—named one of America’s Top 10 coolest small towns (iloveny.com).
THE LODGE AT WOODLOCH Hawley, PA The Lodge at Woodloch encompasses 40,000 square feet of peaceful serenity and beautiful views. Luxurious is the word that comes to mind; it’s been named one of Travel + Leisure magazine’s top spa destinations. Just 90 miles from New York City, visitors enjoy a Pocono Mountain setting as well as the world-class spa with treatments and services customized to meet your unique goals (woodloch.com).
HITHER HILLS STATE PARK East Hampton, NY More than just Fall colors here; it’s sea air too! Take a drive to the Town of East Hampton and walk in the nearby Hither Hills State Park. Experience the Napeague Bird Conservation area and watch the variety of rare and endangered species in their natural locale. Afterwards why not stop and engage in one of the great Fall traditions of the Hamptons – pumpkin picking on the way home? (parks.ny.gov).
VAN CORTLANDT PARK The Bronx, NY Van Cortlandt Park in the northwest Bronx encompasses over 1,100 acres that include a beautiful lake and the first municipal golf course in the country (it opened in 1895). Why not participate on October 21st in the “Get Active Hiking” program. Take the #1 subway to Broadway and 242nd Street to meet up with Friends of Van Cortlandt Park. (vcpark.org). OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 43
THROUGH THE LENS Photography By AnnieWatt.com
ANDREW & THE “A” TEAM WALK WITH AUTISM SPEAKS POWERED BY LOVE
BUDAPEST ORCHESTRA AT JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER
Andrew Lyle and friends
Ivan Fischer, Sylvia Hemingway, Sergio Orozco, Gloria Fieldcamp
Andrew Lyle and his fellow walkers
David Tobey, Kathryn Livingston Forgan
The A Team at the Industry-Kitchen Restaurant
Jose Fardilha, Stephanie Stokes, Ivan Fischer
Eddy Veliz, Tracy Nixon, Executive Chef Braulio Bunay
Kati Marton, Elizabeth Jennings, Philip Tuniberg, Vera Blinken, Ambassador Donald Blinken
44 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
CAREER TRANSITION FOR DANCERS KICK-OFF RECEPTION
Douglas Ramirez, Ann Van Ness, Martine Van Hamel, Ann Marie DeAngelo, Anka Palitz, Christina Rose, Janice Becker, David Engelman
Joe Benincasa, Lisa Egan, Ann Marie DeAngelo, Marc Terlizzi, Douglas Ramirez
Barbara Davis, Christina Rose, Anka Palitz, Joe Benincasa
Joe Benincasa, Janice Becker, Ann Van Ness, Lloyd Knight
FOURTH ANNUAL CIGAR & BOURBON TASTING TO BENEFIT THE HOPE FOUNDATION FOR A BETTER TOMORROW
LAURA LYLE FAN CLUB AND THE 2017 NYC BUDDY WALK!
Laura Lyle Fan Club at the Buddy Walk for Downs Syndrome
THE WEDDING OF JORDANA ZIZMOR AND IAN FICHTENBAUM
Jordana Zizmor and Ian Fichtenbaum
Lou DiCocco, Ava Ferrigno, Brandon Loehle, Kathy DiCocco
David Noto, Ben Goldman
Mark Giorda, Kristy Rao, Henry Coons, Tanya Celadon, Kim Silva, Erica Mariani, Nicole DiCocco, Ben Goldman
Peter DiCocco table
Labor Day afternoon wedding at the Pierre Hotel
Laura Lyle
Barbara Nixon, Ted Nixon, Alison Nixon, Tracy Nixon
Lola Campagna, Laura Lyle, Katalina Nelson
Mary and David Dangremond, Jeff Hirsch, Alison Minton, Catherine Smith, Sam Dangremond
Mr. and Mrs. Ian Fichtenbaum
OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 45
AMERICAN THEATRE WING’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY GALA
Bobby Canavale and Norm Lewis
Brian Stokes Mitchell and Tonya Lewis Lee
Gala Co-Chairs Nadine Wong, CeCe Black, Nicole Eisenberg, Marva A. Smalls, Anki Leeds
Lea DeLaria
William Ivey Long, President & CEO Heather Hitchens
Wing Program Alumni and Tony Bennett
Evie Dolan, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Beth Malone Samuel L. Jackson, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Emilio Sosa
Leah Lane, President & CEO Heather Hitchens, BroadwayHD Stewart Lane, Bonnie Comley
Cast members of THE LION KING
Ingrid Rossellini, Isabella Rossellini, Pia Lindstrom
46 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
Performers from the evening, President & CEO Heather Hitchens, Chair David Henry Hwang, and Gala Co-Chair
COUTURE COUNCIL AWARD LUNCHEON HONORING FASHION DESIGNER THOM BROWN
Dr. John Mesa, Yaz Hernandez, Letcia Presutti, Susan Gutfreund
Martha Stewart, Dr. Joyce Brown, Thom Browne
Thom Browne, Whoopi Goldberg, Valerie Steele
Hilary Geary Ross, Luce Churchill
Norman McCarery, Emme, Sharon Jacob, Jack Lynch
Jamee Gregory, Linda Fargo
Ralph Rucci, Fern Mallis
Maria Fishel, Debbie Bancroft, Mark Gilbertson, Guest, Muffie Potter Aston, Kathy Prounis
Ranika Cohen, Yesim Philip, Felicity Kostakis, Kamie Lightburn
Ali Wentworth, Sharon Jacob, Brooke Shields
Ann Rapp, Geoffrey Bradfield, Jean Shafiroff
Deborah Roberts table
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OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 47
FASHION—MORE THAN CATWALKS By Joan Hornig
ust about every woman I know finds autumn to be a great time to consider adding to her fall and winter wardrobes. Store windows beckon us to think about the newest palettes and silhouettes, fashion ads are abundant and retailers (both online and brick and mortar) do all they can to highlight our “must haves” of the season. There’s also a renewed sense of getting back to business in the city, and New Yorkers and tourists alike provide us with an ever-changing fashion show 24/7 everywhere you go. Despite the return of traffic jams from summer respite, one of the highlights of the season is New York City Fashion Week. Fashion must be taken seriously, not just as self-expression or a celebration of creativity, but as a major source of employment in our city. And with world-class educational institutions devoted to it (think FIT, Parsons, Pratt), NYC is truly a capital of fashion with a leading role to play in deploying both stylistic and technological innovations globally.
A BOON TO THE CITY The world apparel market is valued at over three trillion dollars and accounts for two percent of the world’s GNP. And this includes only womenswear, menswear, luxury goods, children’s wear, sports footwear and bridal industries. You have to add the manicurists, hair and makeup stylists, photographers, producers, publicists, models, construction crews, real estate owners and brokers, security guards, and electronic security tag makers who benefit from the industry being here in NYC all year—not just during Fashion Week. Fashion Week in NYC was launched in 1943 by legendary publicist Eleanor Lambert as a response by America to counteract the established Parisian couturiers of the time. But it wasn’t until 1999 that NYC Fashion Week moved up from last place in the schedule of International Fashion Week events to first place. When it did, the tone clearly said to the world: American fashion is not a derivative version of European fashion, it leads the way! There were hundreds of NY Fashion Week runway shows this past September. Direct visitor spending was estimated to be in the reach of $500 million by the NYC Economic Development Corp., with $6 million going to hotels and each attendee spending $650/day on average during the 8-day event. 48 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
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INSTANT ACCESS While NY Fashion Week is an invitation-only event reserved for accredited members of the media, select VIPs and other fashion industry insiders, we all got an immediate view through social media and live streams. Instagram and Twitter provide us with designer’s curation of the newest offerings. For me, the kick off of NY Fashion Week began with the FIT Couture Council Luncheon at Lincoln Center. In its 12th year, this special event is the perfect kick-off to the fall benefit season. The Couture Council was created in 1969 to support the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (fitnyc.edu/museum). It houses a permanent collection of over 50,000 garments and accessories from the 18th century to the present, but is best known for its aesthetically and historically significant clothing, accessories, textiles and visual materials emphasizing contemporary avantgarde fashion. With Dr. Valerie Steel as the Director and Chief Curator, the exhibitions, publications and programs have received critical acclaim and many awards and sees nearly 100,000 visitors each year. And while admission to the Museum is free, everyone is invited to join for Couture Council of FIT for an annual fee and take advantage of private viewings, visits to designer’s ateliers and other special events; the fee also helps to underwrite FIT student education. Fashion and art are comingled in many museums in our City and around the world. Consider the many visitors drawn to the Metropolitan Museum of Art just for the Costume Institute, or exhibits all over the City using fashion to tell a story of our history and culture—The City Museum of New York. The New York Historical Society, The Cooper Hewitt and the Museum of Arts and Design all use fashion items to elevate our knowledge of our ever-changing culture and the aesthetics of various periods. But if you are an aspiring fashion designer or just devoted to supporting NYC designers, there are endless ways to be chic, knowledgeable and “au courant.” One of the most exciting things to develop on the NYC fashion scene in recent years is the
introduction of Made in NY: Fashion. More than a logo, it is a platform created in a joint effort by the Mayor’s Office and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). Made in NY: Fashion raises awareness of the economic as well as artistic impact of selecting clothing predominantly designed or manufactured in NYC. In just two years since its founding all kinds of opportunities to start and grow a fashion business have grown out of this initiative, with collaborative efforts by non-profits, governmental agencies, and industry trade associations including: • Documentary style videos, photography, social media and web content created to encourage NYC designers to join the Made in NY: Fashion community. • T h e c r e a t i o n o f N YC F a s h i o n P r o d u c t i o n F u n d (nycfashionproductionfund.com) which provides emerging designers with production loans. To date the fund has provided 30 loans amounting to $2.5 million. • A fashion manufacturing initiative in partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) created to nurture, elevate and preserve garment production in NYC through grants, a resource data base and collaborative opportunities. • Designers & Agents: Made in NY Collective supporting the participation of local designers at trade events during New York Market Week with full subsidies for exhibition space. Join me in celebrating one of NYC’s greatest assets—the fashion industry and all it does to enhance our daily lives. I for one look forward to making some of the newest styles my own this coming season and remain on the lookout for our home grown creative designers using the fantastic resources our city offers. It’s wonderful that every year Fashion Week offers a terrific kickoff to an ongoing and stimulating intersection of art and business which like our city—never sleeps! • Joan Hornig is a New York-based Jewelry Designer, Social Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist. She left a Wall Street career 15 years ago to create a jewelry line at Bergdorf Goodman, where 100 percent of her profit is donated to the charity of the purchaser’s choice. OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 49
DANIEL J BOLLINGER • New Development Expert • Knows NYC & Brooklyn • Relocation Specialist • Commercial Experience Contact Daniel for all of your real estate needs:
Daniel J Bollinger Licensed Real Estate Salesperson T: 646-677-0627 C: 718-662-9493 DJB@kwnyc.com 379 Broadway | New York, NY 10013
NOTES FROM DB By Daniel J. Bollinger
MARKET NEWS There is some conflicting news in the data on the New York City market. All of the market reports are splicing and dicing up as many layers of data possible to paint a positive growth picture. You can split the boroughs up, divide the luxury and affordable rental markets, and include—or exclude—the use of concessions but overall rental prices have flattened. It’s no surprise that rents have fallen mostly at the top end of the market, and have risen slightly at the bottom end of the market. Add to this all of the concessions that landlords have been offering and you can see that “change is in the air.” More interesting is that at least forty thousand new apartments are slated to hit the market in 2018, mostly luxury units. It is going to be an interesting ride going forward to see what happens in the NYC rental market. The sales side of the market isn’t much better. In the luxury sector, this summer was the worst on record since 2012. However you “slice and dice” the data it is not too optimistic. “Reality” is going to be setting in on the NYC real estate market in the near future. The sky is not going to fall; the market is not going to “tank,” “go belly up,” or “disintegrate.” We simply need to come back down to reality. To give some examples: Demi Moore originally listed her co-op in spring 2015 for $75 million and sold it two years later in Spring 2017 for $45 million. Steve Cohen just discounted his penthouse at One Beacon Court to $57.5 million, down from his original $115 million list price. Both of these are 40 – 50 percent discounts. These are the “off the charts” listings, especially for the luxury market. But a good example of reality is the recent purchase by Steve Madden in 252 East 57th St. Listed at $13.7 million it sold for $12.2 million, roughly a 9 percent discount. Now, this is a reality. I would love to run projections on all the current new development at a 10 percent listing price discount. I believe after I reviewed these reports, I would ask to run projections at 15 and 20 percent discounts. Many people are associating this stagnation with the typical summer slowdown in real estate, and they predict autumn will bring the luxury buyers back in full swing. To bring buyers back in full swing, we don’t need a change in seasons; we need a change to realistic pricing. But this isn’t as disheartening as what is happening in the real estate community itself.
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STREETEASY StreetEasy continues to monetize their listings with their Premier Agent system. It’s a terrible system that is hurting the brokerage industry and more importantly the consumer. There was some great pushback by the industry when REBNY created an RLS feed to compete. Unfortunately, StreetEasy refuses to connect with this feed because of so-called “data integrity,” which is completely false and misleading. The RLS feed is a reliable data source just as much as StreetEasy. The industry is still waiting for REBNY to figure something out. I would recommend to REBNY to completely cut their RLS feed to everyone, create their own forward facing website, and have the REBNY RLS feed connect only to its own website. This would catapult their website to a #1 ranking very quickly. After that REBNY can return to syndicating its feed to other websites. What is needed in the industry is for all brokerages to unite and come together with a plan to wrestle back control of our own industry from StreetEasy. The reason StreetEasy is so powerful is that our industry could not do that in the first place. This is going to be very difficult since some brokerages have already made their own backroom deals with StreetEasy.
BUT THERE IS HOPE At the time of this writing, REBNY and The New York Times have announced a new partnership whereby the Times is going to feature the REBNY RLS feed on its real estate section of its website. This isn’t an end-all for what is going on in the industry by any means. But it sets a good precedent to compete with StreetEasy. This new feed is supposed to be introduced early this month. Let’s hope it gains traction and becomes the most reliable source for online searches. • Daniel J. Bollinger Luxury Real Estate Expert Keller Williams Tribeca DJB@KWNYC.com danielbollinger.kw.com OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 51
525 WEST 52ND STREET By Daniel J. Bollinger
ead west to Hell’s Kitchen—one of the most changing neighborhoods in all of Manhattan. Here you’ll find 525W52, a new rental development brought to us by Taconic Investment Partners and Mitsui Fudoson America. The two tower development consists of 392 units of studios to two bedrooms. Count on sweeping views of Manhattan especially overlooking the Hudson River—with lots of amenities.
LIVING THE DREAM The apartments are well designed with good layouts. These rentals offer more “condo-like” finishes than a standard NYC apartment. White oak floors, integrated cabinets, and stainless steel Blomberg and Fisher & Paykel appliances are just some of the high end finishes you will notice. Then, there are the features that are not obvious to the naked eye: double paned windows with sound attenuation and trickle vents—allowing air flow into the apartment without opening a window. Air conditioning and heat are controlled by the tenant because of their vertical heat pump system. All the apartments offer something special, some units have terraces with great views, while the non-terraced apartments offer home office spaces. But all units have floor to ceiling windows with solar shades so every apartment offers a great view of the city. Bosch washer/dryer is standard in all units. Some of the design details that raise the standard at 525W52 are: The bathrooms have four medicine closets, all of them mirrored, one with a shelf. There are rain shower heads not only in the wet rooms but the handhelds have rain shower heads too! And important to all New Yorkers—plenty of closet space. The closets are built out with adjustable shelving to fit each tenants’ needs, and even the alcove studios have plenty of closet space. 52 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
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FINISHING TOUCHES The amount of amenities offered by new developments continues to impress me and 525W52 is no different. With four floors of amenities located on the Lobby Level, 2nd Floor, 15th Floor rooftop and Cellar, there is everything that you could ask for. • On the Lobby Level there’s full concierge services offered by LIVunLtd. They will get you reservations at any restaurant, tickets to that Broadway show, or even make an appointment with your hair stylist. • On the 2nd Floor there is a garden terrace designed by Future Green with BBQ’s, ping pong, outdoor yoga, bocce court, shuffle board, and a large gym with group classes and indoor yoga. There is also a huge party room with a full catering kitchen that opens out to the garden terrace. • The 15th Floor rooftop terrace offers a sundeck with outdoor misting showers, multiple cabanas, and an event space for private parties. • The cellar amenities include pool tables, a golf simulator, a 15 seat screening room, poker tables, and lots of TV’s. There is even a library that is curated by Strand Book Stores. • Bonus: In addition to all of this they also have a pet spa run by Throw Me a Bone, who also offers an on-site Vet, pet grooming services, and a doggie play room. The new 525W52 is a great new rental development helping make Hell’s Kitchen one of the hotspots to live in NYC. A higher level of design and finishes coupled with an over the top amenity package and competitive pricing on their units makes 525W52 a new building to definitely check out. For more information on 525W52, visit 525w52nd.com. • OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 53
1399 PARK AVENUE By Daniel J. Bollinger
ast Harlem has been going through a renaissance of new development for a few years now. It’s not quite “on the map” yet as other areas like Hudson Yards or West Chelsea, but with the new addition of 1399 Park Avenue, it’s time has cometh. The new Mondrianesque development is brought to us by Heritage Real Estate Partners and Hill West Architects. This 23 story cantilevered building consisting of 72 studio to four bedroom residences is sure to please.
EAST HARLEM LUXURY The building has some unique attributes. You will notice more setbacks than a typical NYC building. Combine the setbacks with a cantilevered section that stretches over the adjacent school building, and you have much more than the standard rectangular form most NYC buildings are. The lowest part of the building is perpendicular to its higher sections giving the buildings’ shape more depth and uniqueness. This lowest section made up of floors one through four still has yet to have a confirmed use, but it will either be a school, a doctor’s office, or a non-profit. On top of this section is the building’s amenity outdoor space made up of an outdoor terrace with barbecues. Another unique amenity is that there is a privately owned public park next to 1399 Park and residences will enjoy an easement that leads into this park made up of a basketball court, an organic garden, and children’s playground. The most valuable amenity that is offered is on-site parking. There is a children’s playroom with a ball pit and rock climbing wall and a state of the art fitness center as well. 54 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
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INTERIOR SURPRISES Whitehall Interiors have produced beautiful interiors. With all floor to ceiling windows, there are great Central Park, and downtown city views galore especially in the corner units. The powder rooms have unique features including a single slab floor to ceiling Honed Calcutta Manhattan Marble accompanied by a beautifully matching floor to ceiling mirror. The main and master baths follow suit with deep soaking tubs, waterfall shower heads, and custom watermark fixtures. Also impressive is the grand custom medicine cabinets. With huge mirrors, a nice shelf with outlets on both sides these medicine cabinets are impressive. The master baths have the same design but are twice as long to match his and her sinks. The kitchens are also impressive. Open layouts with generous amounts of counter space and a kitchen island provide plenty of room for entertaining a crowd or for hosting a more intimate gathering. Neutral tones consisting of Athens Silver Cream Marble countertops and backsplashes, Oak flooring with custom integrated Oak wood cabinetry create a warm ambiance. A Bosch appliance package with Thermador gas range oven and an Elica stainless steel hood complete the kitchen. A deep stainless steel Kohler sink with antique brass fixtures also compliment the kitchen.
ATTENTION TO DETAIL All residences are well thought out. Even the one bedrooms have a large study area and walk-in closets. The hallways have custom light fixtures. One other design detail that is impressive is the windows in this building are four paned and have sound attenuation insulation to buffer any outside noise. It’s a testament to the quality of the craftsmanship that is 1399 Park Avenue. As David West, founding partner of Hill West Architects explained to us, “The building is an authentic expression of New York City urban design traditions, merging zoning, function, and aesthetics into a singular sculptural form. Despite its height and size, the building has the ambiance of a boutique residence.” With a great location on of NY’s most iconic of avenues, the new building is an excellent addition to East Harlem. High ceilings, fantastic views, great floor plans/layouts and high attention to design detail all add up to a significant new development. But the prices here are the real attraction. I have not seen better value being offered for an opportunity such as this. For more information on 1399 Park Avenue, visit 1399park.com. • OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 55
Luxury
homes in
New Jersey
207 Jackson Mills Rd., Freehold, NJ Palatial colonial set on 6+ picturesque acres in desirable Freehold Twnshp was designed for lavish entertaining. Stunning Coffered ceilings,sweeping staircase custom woodwork throughout adds drama to 15 spacious rooms.2 master suits offers sitting areas,walkin closets steam shower chef kitchen,Home theater, maids quarters.
8 Lucas Lane, Millstone, NJ Inspired Craftsmanship Distinguishes this exquisite Georgian Colonial Home Built with Select Materials with the Highest Attention to Detail. This Home is the Pinnacle of Superior Craftsmanship. The 7000 SF of Bright 13 Spacious Rooms Brim with Sophistication and Comfort. 1St floor master bedroom Suit.
LARRY SOTO, REALTOR License #0565617
Member of Luxury Home Council CELL: (732) 429-2294 OFFICE: (732) 494-7700 EMAIL: larry.soto@cbmoves.com • www.LarrySoto.com
CIRCA CENTRAL PARK By Daniel J. Bollinger
n the northern border of the Upper West Side is a new development, Circa Central Park, located right on the traffic circle of Frederick Douglass Boulevard on 110th Street. Consisting of 38 units from one-to-five bedrooms in an eleven story structure it is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. The tiered profile of terraced residences cannot be missed as the façade is a glass curtain wall that matches the curve of Frederick Douglass Circle.
A GREAT LOCATION
SEE FLOOR PLANS & PRICES Go to www.Reveel.it and snap a photo
Central Park is your immediate neighbor with views galore from all residences. Morningside Park is one block away, and there are plenty of views of this park as well. All views are protected. Centrally located, subway lines are directly across the street; there is a plethora of shopping, cafes, restaurants, and cultural attractions in the area. FXFOWLE Architects continue to impress me. They designed this development to achieve LEED certification. An example of their brilliant work: They conducted a ‘sun shade study’ across the front of the building. This study resulted in the installation of colored aluminum fins across the façade of green and burnt orange. The green side of the fins deflect the sun’s rays during the day, and the burnt orange side create warm hues inside the apartment in the afternoons. Additional eco-designs inside the units include soundproofed energy efficient windows and energy saving heating/cooling and water consumption systems. This is a development to put on your touring list with a Central Park location and a 25-year 421a tax abatement in place.
OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 57
INTERIOR MAGIC The residences have sophisticated aesthetics within them. Starting with the kitchens, which are open and provide a seamless extension of the living and dining areas, they have a warm hue of Italian Teak integrated cabinets with “Lagos Blue” stone countertops. A Bosch appliance package is included with Sub-Zero refrigerator; LG washer/dryers are also standard. The Kohler split stainless steel sink is a nice design choice, and the garbage disposal is a unique feature for this NYC development. The bathrooms are well designed as well. Floor-toceiling porcelain tile adorn all secondary bathrooms. The floors have porcelain tiles made to look like wood floor planking—a very nice detail. The custom medicine cabinets with illuminated top and motion sensor light is also an excellent feature. All units feature deep soaking tubs and radiant floor heating. The master baths are a combination of porcelain tiles, honed limestone, and all with floor to ceiling white marble. Duravit vanities and Grohe fixtures all are standard. There are differing layouts for each line but all provide for great views with lots of light and air, and all are open plans. The A lines have great gallery style layouts while the G is laid out so that upon entering the residence one can see the entire span of the apartment. There are plenty of walk-in closets in all units. Some lines have terraces. The units have Nest Smart wiring available.
Kitchen
Living Room
Circa Central Park aerial view
Bathroom
EXCELLENT CONVENIENCES Balcony view
Playroom 58 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
Circa Central Park has the amenities you would expect in a new development, but the design and location of these amenities are unique. One amenity that is unheard of in Manhattan: Circa offers parking! Also, their resident lounge, located on the second floor, offers great views and features a kitchenette. Nearby is a fitness center (with views) and two child playrooms, one for toddlers and another for tweens. The rooftop lounge has seating, a full outdoor kitchen including BBQ grilling stations and an outdoor shower. A bike room with a sharing program and a dog washing station are also offered. Circa Central Park is a wonderful addition to the northern border of Central Park. Artimus Construction, the developer, and FXFOWLE architects have done a great job. Plenty of views of two parks, great open layouts with terraces, and great design details make Circa Central Park a development to put on your list. For more information Circa Central Park, visit circacentralpark.com. •
DUCK SOUTHERN SHORES KITTY HAWK KILL DEVIL HILLS NAGS HEAD SOUTH NAGS HEAD
Joe Lamb Jr. & Associates is a family owned company with nearly 50 years of experience in providing quality vacation rental accommodations and real estate services on The Outer Banks of North Carolina. You can trust the knowledge and expertise that come from choosing to do business with one of the first and most well-known companies on the Outer Banks. Our work ethic, dedication and strong community involvement awarded us the honor of 2016 Small Business of the Year by the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce.
Vacation Rentals We offer rental homes in all of the popular Outer Banks beach towns of Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Southern Shores and Duck. We understand the importance of your vacation and have carefully selected a wide range of homes to fit everyone’s needs and budgets.
Real Estate Sales Quite a few things have changed since 1968. One thing that will always stay the same is our commitment to you. Whether you are buying or selling property on the Outer Banks, open communication and team oriented decision making will guide you through the ins and outs of your transaction.
Open seven days a week 800-552-6257 or locally at 252-261-4444 joelambjr.com • joelambrealty.com
Saddle River, NJ
Palatial Masterpiece
$5,995,000
Grand brick manor situated in the heart of sought after Chestnut Ridge section of town offers every amenity. Elegant woodworking, theater, elevator, 6 car garage and more! Gated, waterfall, lagoon and full service cabana.
Saddle River, NJ
Brand New Construction
$5,258,888
Mahwah, NJ
23+ Acre Riverfront Equestrian Estate
$4,995,000
Stone & Stucco Manor on flat 2 acre+ double cul-de-sac. Elegant open floor plan & state-of-the-art Kuche+Cucina kit. Beautifully landscaped, pool & cabana.
5 BR Hampton’s style shingle & stone residence along the Ramapo River. 9-stall barn, limestone jumping area, paddocks & trails. Infinity pool, hot tub, generator.
Saddle River, NJ
Saddle River, NJ
Antique Dutch Colonial
$1,395,000
Beautifully restored & updated. 3.64 riverfront acres with guest house overlooking the river. Wide plank pine floors, beamed ceilings and over-sized English fireplaces. Picturesque antique barn and sizable guesthouse. 4 bedrooms, 5 baths.
Opulent Manor
$3,495,000
Gated French Manor with circular paver driveway, situated majestically on 2 manicured acres. 5 fireplaces, elegant woodworking, elevator to all floors and a 6-7 car garage. Pool/spa/large paver patio and veranda.
every Home is Special to us. office
Vicki Gaily realtor-associate®
201 934-7111 • cell 201 390-5880
•
founder
•
MarketinG director
VGaily@specialproperties.coM • specialproperties.coM follow us on instaGraM & facebook: @specialpropertiesnj •
information deemed reliable but subject to errors and omissions.
ONE MANHATTAN SQUARE By Daniel J. Bollinger | Photography by WORDSEARCH
xtell, one of the best developers in the city, continues to impress. With such projects as The Kent and The Carlton House it has done it again. At the edge of the East River on the Lower East Side, their new development, One Manhattan Square, cannot be missed. From the faรงade to the units to the amenities this is NYC history in the making. For example, this new development boasts the second largest private park in the city being second only to Gramercy Park. With 815 units, consisting of one-to-three bedrooms, this large development offers low monthly carrying costs and an anticipated 25-year tax abatement. Meyer Davis has designed the interiors which combine style, quality, and function to create some beautiful new condo offerings. GET PRICES & AVAILABILITY Go to www.Reveel.it and snap a photo
OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 61
ROOMS WITH A VIEW Located right on South Street and rising 800 feet this development offers dramatic 360-degree views. Overlooking the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges these river views indeed are protected. From Brooklyn and the Financial District to Hudson River and north, you will enjoy views from the oversized windows of your residence.
Open layouts, plenty of windows, lots of closet space— everything you have come to expect from an Extell development is here. One thing that sets Extell apart from competitors is they always give prospective investors choices of color palettes in their units, and One Manhattan Square is no different. This has come to be known as The Extell Choice. Two distinct finish packages are offered in the kitchens: a light scheme and a dark scheme. Both work, so it comes down to personal preference as to whether you enjoy a darker, warmer tone in your residence or a lighter, more neutral tone. All units have a Miele appliance package with Dornbracht fittings, integrated cabinetry, and some great design details. An example is the stainless steel mosaic backsplash and white glass wall cabinetry in the kitchens which work well with both the light and dark schemes. I especially like the stone which creates the breakfast bars and the back-channel with integrated storage earns a special call out. Between the kitchen counter and breakfast bar, there is a unique stainless steel channel that houses multiple storage compartments. This is a unique functional design detail that investors should note when choosing a residence. 62 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
ONE REALTOR FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTRY
Cheryl B Newton MOVING? RELOCATING? HELPING A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND?
ENDLESS AMENITIES The big draw for this development are the amenities. Over 100,000 square feet of amenities many of which are truly unique. This is a vertical village with top notch amenities covering sports, entertainment, recreation, spa, and services. There are simply too many to list, but all of the “standard” amenities like a children’s playroom, valet, bike storage, and fitness center are present. However, there are extras that include a full court basketball court, a 75-foot swimming pool, a private motor court, a two lane bowling alley, and squash court. The fitness center isn’t just a fitness center; it includes a weight room, cardio room, four multi-use fitness studios and there are plenty of cardio, dance and yoga classes. The spa is set around a sunken tranquility garden surrounded by private treatment rooms, an infrared sauna and Turkish hammam (steam bath). The garden and outdoor amenities are exceptional with all landscape design by West 8. These include an herb and birch garden, adult treehouse, relaxation lawns, fire pits, a putting green, a stargazing observatory, and a covered dog run. It is like having your own private estate. There will be plenty of activities for the children and family on rainy days or any day for that matter. One Manhattan Square is certainly history in the making. Extell has brought us another great new development in our great city. Beautiful interiors and exteriors, plenty of amenities, views to relish, all in a pocket of the Lower East Side and within steps of the South Street Seaport, Chinatown, and the bustling East River Esplanade. For more information on One Manhattan Square, visit onemanhattansquare.com. •
I belong to a nationwide network of trusted real estate agents. I can refer you to three professional agents in any area of the U.S. you get to interview each of them and choose one with whom to work. It’s that simple! Contact me when you’re ready.
431 W Lancaster Ave Devon, PA 19333 610.564.1144 M 610.647.0444 F cheryl.newton@foxroach.com
329 PLEASANT AVENUE By Daniel J. Bollinger
ou certainly cannot miss the modern façade of glass and mauve colors at 329 Pleasant Avenue. In the heart of East Harlem, on a tree-lined SEE PRICES & AVAILABILITY street, this boutique rental building consisting of 20 units from studios to two bedrooms is brought to us by HAP Investments and designed by Karim Go to www.Reveel.it and snap a photo Rashid. The Pleasantville area of East Harlem is still faithful to Old New York, with a lot of neighborhood parks and shops, and is also near to Costco, Target, a Planet Fitness, and the subway lines. Just as the exterior, the interiors have a cutting-edge flair as well. All of the units are terraced, and the ground floor two-bedroom gets exclusive access to a huge backyard. All rentals have custom tiled floors made of a German manufactured laminate. There are beautiful linear, angled lines on these tiles that are laid out to help the “flow” of each apartment. The all-white kitchens feature a Blomberg appliance package and Caesar Stone countertops. An Electrolux washer/dryer package is standard, and each unit has its own water heater. The bathrooms are the real star of these apartments. Super modern, open, and white, they possess some great design details. Pocket doors on both ends open to bedrooms and living rooms. The open shower concept is great, and apartments come standard with Grohe fixtures, rain shower heads, and even have a hand held. There are lots of closets in the units and large walk-in closets—even in studios. Video door buzzers also come standard in each apartment, and the units are Smart wired. There are some excellent amenities for a boutique offering including a bike room, additional storage, and a fantastic common roof. The views from the rooftop deck offer stunning 360-degree views of Manhattan along with seating/lounge chairs. East Harlem is an up-and-coming neighborhood in NYC, and 329 Pleasant Avenue is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. For more information on 329 Pleasant Avenue, visit 329pleasant.com. •
Sula Pearlman
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Purchase I Meandering drive and circular approach lead to a luxurious, beautiful crafted 15-room Federal Colonial manor, built in
2003 with all the amenities, a top-end chef’s kitchen with imported beams from South of France, a 4-car garage and generator. On 2.4 acres of lushly landscaped property with a pool. $5,695,000
Purchase I Magnificent Colonial, built in 2004 on a lovely one
acre property. 5 bedroom/5 bathroom, gourmet kitchen plus first floor suite for possible guest/office. Family room with fireplace and French doors leading to a rear-yard patio. $1,580,000 or rent $8,900.
Purchase I Contemporary mini estate combines elegance
and sheer beauty with 5 spacious en-suite bedrooms. The wall of windows and high vaulted ceilings of the indoor pool evoke awe-inspiring views of the serene backyard for a resort-like feel. $2,750,00
Sula Pearlman, Associate Real Estate Broker C: 914.393.4104 | E: Sula.Pearlman@Cbmoves.com www.SulaPearlman.com | 25 Purdy Ave, Rye, NY 10580
VIEW FEATURED HOMES Go to www.Reveel.it and snap a photo
2017 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All rights reserved Coldwell banker residential Brokerage supports the principles of fair housing act and the equal opportunity act. Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logo are registered and unregistered service marks owned by the Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate LLC. Property information supplied by seller and/or other sources and is not guaranteed. If your property is currently listed for sale, this is not intended as a listing solicitation.
Lakefront Living at PINES LAKE!
I Proudly Suppor Friends of Laurelwood A
I Proudly Support the “Lynn Carole Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum International Presid Top 1% World Carole Brescia Serenity, privacy & beautiful water views await you at every turn. Enter the 2 story foyer & you are immediately drawn to the walls of windows in the“Lynn” spacious room CallGreat Direct: 201.8 that overlooks the quiet waterfront cove“Lynn” with a dock.Brescia The spacious room with custom fireplace & beautiful wood floors is a wonderful space to unwind & enjoy the views. Carole International President’s Premier The kitchen is gorgeousSupport with top of thethe linePresident’s appliances, granite counters, huge islands & work space plus more. So much to see with 5 bedrooms, 5 full andwww.lynnbresc 3 half baths, International Premier Top 1% Worldwide II Proudly Proudly Support thewith fireplace, including a beautiful master suite gorgeous new bath, plus his and hers dressing rooms/closets. Vacation all year! Come See!
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Call Direct: 201.848.3202 www.lynnbrescia.com Carole “Lynn” Brescia
Carole “Lynn” Brescia
International President’s Premier Top 1% Worldwide International President’s Premier Call Direct: 201.848.3202 www.lynnbrescia.com Top 1% Worldwide
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BEAUTIFUL HOME ON NAVIGABLE WATER 1330 CHARTER CT, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32225
This gorgeous waterfront home was built by GBN Construction. Home has almost 5000 sq. ft., 4 bedrooms/4.5 baths. First floor master and one addtl bedroom on 1st floor. Enjoy lake view from front and navigable lagoon views from back of home. Home is very well appointed with great architectural detail, two story living room with views of the lagoon, gourmet kitchen very well apptd. Wet bar with wine cooler conveniently located in the home for great entertaining. Travertine flooring throughout the home. This home has its own private dock for parking your vessel behind your home in the unique ‘’fresh water’’ harbor found in few communities in the country. Lovely, large screened lanai with pool and spa, summer kitchen for great outdoor living.
$1,230,000
MLS#: 889664
SHARON MILLS, LUXURY REALTOR, GRI 4500 HODGES BLVD. JACKSONILLE, FL 32224
DIRECT: 904-534-6087 FAX: 904-339-9090 WWW.SHARONMILLSTEAM.COM
NYC’S LAST HIDDEN TREASURE By Faina Vitebsky
orningside Heights, the hilly terrain between Cathedral Parkway and West 125th Street, was largely undeveloped until the opening of Morningside Park in 1887. World-renowned scholars began to settle in shortly after that, and today the area is dominated by educational giants. Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University, and Barnard College form the cornerstone of this outstanding community. Two other structures stand out in the landscape: the massive still-in-progress of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine and the Riverside Church, Not to be overlooked is Grant’s Tomb, set high on a hill above the river. So, if you’ve been waiting for the Fall to get your best deals here is some info to help you stay head of the curve. Morningside Heights is a perfect place to live. With rents at an all-time high, New Yorkers are seeking to rediscover old neighborhoods to find a better bang for their buck, making it an attractive area to many. In fact, this place is one of the last areas in the city that was still able to retain that neighborhood feel. It is a beautiful blend of shopkeepers who are known by name and a place which encompasses a diverse political and economic demographic.
EXPLORE THE NEIGHBORHOOD Go to www.Reveel.it and snap a photo
NEIGHBORHOOD GEMS Broadway is the main drag and has seen many changes over the decades. Today, it’s welcomed new cafes, restaurants, bars, and boutiques. With this new scene, many New Yorkers are visiting this trending neighborhood. A neighborhood favorite is Oasis Jimma Juice Bar. Their story, however, began in Ethiopia, where the founder, Abdulsalam, worked in his father’s clinic treating patients with roots and herbs from their family farm. His passion for homeopathy remained with Abulsalam and after settling in the U.S. he was inspired to open Oasis Jimma Juice Bar. Here you can enjoy 100 percent natural fruit and vegetable juices, fruit smoothies, and foods to promote good health. Many celebrities have been spotted dining on the delicious cuisine. Another old-time favorite Symposium Greek Restaurant is a treasure. This family-run restaurant has been around since 1969. Who isn’t in the mood for a generously portioned, well-priced Greek dinner? A good choice is the Grilled Octopus, seasoned, marinated and grilled to perfection. Or perhaps the tender Oven Roasted Lamb served with flavorful homemade gravy. And don’t miss out on the Taramosalata, or Eggplant Dip, both incredibly delicious. Whatever your main course, however, leave room for dessert—the custardfilled Galaktoboureko is divine.
Morningside Park
Grilled Octopus
MOVING UPTOWN Living in the city with a lack of public transportation is a nightmare. This is not the case in Morningside Heights where it is a 16 minute (approximate) train ride to midtown Manhattan via the 1, 2 and 3 subways. Also, buses are frequent: there’s the M104 on Broadway, M5 on Riverside Drive, M11 on Amsterdam Avenue. So if you are looking for great value with that neighborhood feel, look no further. This is the place to be. The area offers excellent rental value offering all the modern amenities. And if that doesn’t make you want to pack up and move, the deal gets sweeter. The apartments are no fee, and the management companies give you a month’s free rent. Join the fastest growing community and see what all the buzz is about! •
Rental Apartments
Faina Vitebsky is a licensed real estate agent at Vanity Realty (163 West 71st Street; 917-434-6922). Visit yourvanityrealty.com or email at fv@yourvanityrealty.com. OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 67
Bill Gearhart aBr, Gri President, PrinciPal Broker 540.989.3311 office 540.989.6980 fax BGearhart@coldwellbanker.com www.bgearhart.com www.cbtownside.com
40 Liberty Ln $799,950
•
Mls#
827657
“Liberty Hill” circa 1825. One of the Seven Hills houses of Rockbridge County. Restored with updated kitchen and baths but featuring original wainscoting, moldings and floors. 11 fireplaces & 12.8 acres with barn for horses.
197 Huntingwood Ln $524,950
•
Mls#
833997
Fincastle, Virginia. Privately set on 22+ beautiful acres with mesmerizing views of the Blue Ridge and Appalachian mountains. This spacious 4BR, 4B home features include a large eat-in kitchen, a rec room with 2 sided fireplace, and multiple porches.
GO BLUE! BLACKSBURG OFFICE 540.552.6500 220 Professional Park Drive Blacksburg, VA 24060
ROANOKE OFFICE 540.989.3311 4005 Electric Road, Suite 100 Roanoke, VA 24018
Emir Bahadir
REAL ESTATE SPOTLIGHT By Daniel J. Bollinger
t just 26, Emir Bahadir has created a stand-out reputation for himself. He already runs a New York City-based brokering and development firm and is currently expanding to a lifestyle brand. Truly a modern day socialite, Emir uses his huge social media following to bring life to his various projects. Originally from Turkey, Emir moved to New York several years ago to study at New York University. After graduating, he received his real estate license and opened Bahadiring in New York. His impressive SAY HELLO TO UBER-LUXURY international education and year-round travels have helped him develop Go to www.Reveel.it and snap a photo clientele from all around the world and bring something new to the NYC real estate market. Tell us a little bit about your background. My family started one of the oldest development firms in Turkey, Bahadiring. Aside from Turkey, we build internationally, in such places as Qatar and Saudi Arabia. I was raised on real estate, so it came very naturally to me; it’s not something that I had to study. Growing up around people like my father and grandfather who possess so much knowledge about the industry, I was given an advantage by learning from the best. I wanted to expand my family’s legacy by being the first one to branch out to the United States. You have so much on your plate, what would say your “core” essence is? I am first and foremost a developer. I love the real estate business, especially here in New York City; it’s a fascinating city. My ultimate goal is to bring my expertise to the upper echelons of the NY residential market. I am proud of what I have been able to accomplish, and I am excited to see what we will be able to achieve next. I want to do things that have never been done before by bringing the uber-luxury amenities I have seen in residential developments overseas here to NYC. How many projects are you currently developing? I have three currently. One is a hotel conversion in Union Square. I also have a 25-floor condo development in the Meatpacking District and a mixed use condo with retail space on the Upper East Side. What is one of the biggest challenges that you have faced in NYC? Starting a business in the greatest city in the world without my family who are thousands of miles away. But, it was important to
me to build something for myself and create a legacy. Being a first generation developer in NYC has had its ups and downs, but I am paving the way for future generations of Bahadirs in the city. What is one of your biggest strengths to help you achieve this? As a businessman, I can see a ‘lack’ in a market, and I fill that need. Seven years ago, I saw the lack of luxury real estate and marketing in NYC. It was then I knew I wanted to be a developer. I like to take a different approach when it comes to development, rather than following the lead of the investors—to build around what I know my clientele will want. I want to provide people with luxury, quality, and amenities they will not be able to find in other developments. Do you have any particular design or architectural style? I try not to get boxed in with a particular style of anything. I believe that the architecture of a development should work with the neighborhood. Every project is different, and it’s important to understand the clientele and what they want. With the amount of new development in NYC these days, we don’t lose the essence and culture of the neighborhood. Instead, a good developer should add to that character and the community. How do you define success? Success to me is living a lifestyle that balances personal and professional. I work very hard, I have a lot of developments going on, and my biggest priority is building a successful brand. But at the same time, play hard. I see every person I meet as an opportunity, whether they are a potential client, collaborator, or someone who can teach me something in life. For more information on Emir Bahadir and Bahadiring, visit bahadiring.com. • OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 69
BEST FOOT FORWARD By Miriam Silverberg
t’s hard to believe there was once a time when women wrapped their feet in leather and went about their day. Much has changed since pre-historic times. Today, designers are daring women to climb to breathtaking new heights with styles that are just as high. Even if you’d never wear a pair of expensive Manalo Blahniks or Jimmy Choos, the styles seen in fashion shows have a trickle-down effect. What designers show on the runway certainly influence what’s seen on the streets of New York. And as the heel heights rise so do visits to the podiatrist for foot complaints. We all know wearing high heels are hell. Constant walking around in high heels can cause sprains and fractures; bunions, hammertoes, as well as tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, and ligament damage. Did you know that heels can also throw your body alignment out of whack? It’s true. It can also cause an increased curvature of your back. However, it doesn’t have to be this way according to Dr. Andrew Glass, a Manhattan podiatrist and foot surgeon who has developed a revolutionary new way of performing foot surgery with virtually no down time.
ONE STEP AT A TIME We spoke with Dr. Glass and learned about this exciting new way of treating bunions and other foot problems. The most important thing he emphasized is to wear proper shoes. High heeled shoes should be worn only on special occasions or at most once a week. He also recommends wear shoes with built-in arch support or orthotics. If you develop a foot problem, see a podiatrist sooner rather than later. Waiting will only create more of a problem, make it painful, and may require surgery. Amazingly, Dr. Glass has improvised a new way to correct bunions. A bunion forms along the joint where the big toe connects to the foot. With traditional surgery, the recovery time is as long as six weeks. But with Dr. Glass’ one-stitch procedure, you’re back up on your feet in no time. He shaves off that extra bone through one stitch. With this innovative method, there is less chance of infection due to the smaller incision and healing is much faster. It is cutting edge and minimally invasive. 70 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
Dr. Andrew Glass
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TLC GOES A LONG WAY A good percentage of Dr. Glass’ patients suffer injuries including sprains and stress fractures. He recommends women wear supportive shoes and to be aware of your surroundings. City streets are often uneven, have pot holes not to mention can be slippery at times. If you do suffer a foot injury, sometimes you just have to give it time to heel. That’s why Dr. Glass often recommends wearing sneakers or athletic shoes. They’re cushioned, and for extended walking, the best. With cooler weather, the skin tends to become dry—that includes feet. Dr. Glass suggests keeping feet moisturized. It doesn’t have to be expensive or even prescription. An ordinary body lotion or Vaseline will do just nicely. Another condition to watch out for is athlete’s foot. The good doctor says to see a podiatrist who no doubt will prescribe an anti-fungal medication. Heels are prone to crack in colder weather; it’s important to keep the heels moisturized. Often if left unattended, it may lead to infection. Feet take us from here, there to everywhere. It’s important to keep them in good health and remember this: Feet are not supposed to hurt. •
DR. ANDREW GLASS
Dr. Andrew Glass, one of the foremost podiatrists and foot surgeons in the U.S., is a graduate of George Washington University and New York College of Podiatric Medicine specializing in minimally invasive surgery. He works as a consultant to PediFix Medical Foot Care Company and Gravity Defyer Comfort Footwear Technology. For more information on Dr. Glass, visit nymidtownpodiatry.com.
Did you know that heels can also throw your body alignment out of whack?
Miriam Silverberg is the founder and president of Miriam Silverberg Associates, a publicity firm based in Manhattan. She has publicized many restaurants, doctors, fashion and beauty designers, spas and retailers and worked on the campaigns of Mayors Guiliani and Bloomberg. She has also worked with New York City Ballet. OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 71
SPA SCENE By Griffin Miller
nteresting month, October. Wedged between sun-drenched September (the last gasp of summer’s beachy allure), and holiday gatherings (where looking amazing is not optional), October has emerged as prime time for rejuvenation, starting from the neck up. As a result, Manhattan’s savviest spas—whether iconic, trendy or both—have stepped up their game when it comes to facials, peels and a growing array of the latest high-tech treatments.
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THE RED DOOR SALON & SPA In a dimly lit hallway where spa patrons and staff navigate from the lounge to treatment rooms, there’s a small, softly lit case displaying vintage bottles and jars. Upon inspection, you find they’re early designs approved by Red Door’s founder, Elizabeth Arden. A lovely sliver of history that meshes nicely with the ambiance of modern-day beiges with pops of Arden’s signature red blooming in well-placed vases. Red also makes a luxurious statement in other spa spaces, most famously the lipstick red sofa in the reception area. Arden would approve. As one would expect Red Door’s treatment menu is as expansive as it is luxe. In the area of facials alone, the spa offers a staggering 20 with the Elizabeth Arden Pro Renewal Facial chosen for me in advance. My aesthetician, Kate Sela, was a dream, ensuring my facial—designed to hone in on “elasticity, texture, tone, and clarity”—was perfect. And while there was a tinge of disappointment when the treatment ended, I perked up when the mirror confirmed that the Pro Renewal lived up to its “youthful glow” payoff. (An après-facial makeup application proved brilliant addition. Highly recommended.)
To address the broader picture of the flagship Red Door’s seasonal offerings, I called upon Angela Portella, Senior General Manager, The Red Door Salon & Spa New York. With changing seasons, she suggests a skin consultation with your aesthetician to address personal skin issues. “A favorite is often microdermabrasion which exfoliates, helps even skin tone, diminishes fine lines and preps skin for better product absorbency,” she says. For decades, The Red Door on Fifth Avenue has been a sanctuary escape, almost like a private club for all things beauty and wellness amidst the hustle and bustle of New York City. Today, it continues the legacy of over 100 years of skincare expertise. For more information on The Red Door Salon & Spa, visit thereddoor.com. 72 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
PARK AVENUE SKIN SOLUTIONS The Tribeca backdrop is perfectly in sync with the youthful vibe of Park Avenue Skin Solutions. And while the area may be a work in progress—scaffolding, hard hats, drilling and so forth— once you step off the elevator onto the 4th floor of 116 Chambers Street, all urban chaos dissolves. A subtle scent—possibly pine?—sets a laid-back mood as you make yourself at home in the Living Room—a comfy, sitting area with a contemporary take on Golden Age Hollywood—and a full-bodied view of Tribeca’s eclectic architecture from an impressive bank of windows. Since its founding 14 years ago by Board Certified Physician Assistant Lauren Abramowitz, a lot has changed with the practice, from locale to technology to treatment options to client demographic to online reviews (five stars being the going consensus). A tour of the suite (slated for expansion shortly) shows off pristine treatment rooms, Abramowitz’s office (more killer views of the sought after neighborhood), and her incredible staff, including Erica Walters, MD, Abramowitz’s Medical Director & Medicine Practitioner. Not surprisingly, with Abramowitz and Walters’ medical credentials Park Avenue Skin Solutions is a star player in the aesthetics arena offering a range of state-of-the-art injectables, fillers and “lasers, lights & devices.” Tantalizing options for medspa regulars but often scary for neophytes who would like to cross over to the invasive side but need a bridge as they weigh their choices. People like me whose dicey Botox experiment would have been sidelined had I employed Abramowitz in my skin/age/desired result consultant corner.
For individuals whose upkeep has never gone beyond a spa facial, a choice with no-downtime is the SkinMedica Illuminize Peel, (aka the Red Carpet Peel), that delivers radiant results regardless of skin type. “There are a variety of peels that we offer. The strength is dependent on its depth of penetration. The Illuminize Peel is one of the mildest chemical peels that we offer,” says Abramowitz, adding “this is a great peel for newbies. Eventually, most patients graduate to the stronger formulas [like] the Vitalize Peel, the Rejuvenize or the Vi Peels or pull the big guns out for the TCA Peel.” With all of their treatments, the key is a “hybrid approach” based on individual needs and age. Clients in their 20s are now regulars along with a growing number of metro males seeking skin repair and anti-aging solutions like the awesome Aquagold (the first of its kind utilizing micro-channeling technology). As for her overall philosophy—regardless of treatment—the message is straightforward: less is more. As for results, she’s equally succinct, “Look like yourself, only better.” For more information on Park Avenue Skin Solutions, visit parkaveskin.com. • Griffin Miller specializes in spa travel and New York theater. Her resume includes writing for The New York Times, For the Bride and Hotels. She also creates promotional materials for the Metropolitan Opera, BAM, and Guggenheim Museum. A member of The New York Travel Writers’ Association, she is a playwright and award-winning collage artist. OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 73
TRICKS & TREATS FOR HALLOWEEN By Shari Bilt Boockvar
s a child, I remember coming home from Halloween Trick or Treat and separating all of my candy into categories. I would tally every brand to see how my hard work had paid off. If my mom was lucky, she got my batch of Milky Way bars (not my favorite), but we did argue over who got the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Years later, I admit I still love Halloween and treating myself to my son’s goodies he’s willing to share. Whether you are eating your children’s leftovers or digging into your bowl of treats, you may be wondering which are the best choices. I have put together a list of some of the better options and a few “recipes” too. Remember, these are candy treats, not fruits and veggies, so understand these are my go-to’s that are portion controlled and lower in calories. Take a look at the chart below and see how your favorites stack up. Following are some fun and easy ways to add a bit of healthiness to your treats, and some you can incorporate into meals. You may even decide to use these tricks throughout the year!
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CANDY CALORIES AND FAT CONTENT
BERRY CANDY SUNDAE Think of your favorite sundae. Instead of ice cream, use berries as your base. Top with 1 or 2 chopped snack size bars such as Kit Kats and Twix Bars instead of sprinkles, chocolate chips or other toppings. STUFFED STRAWBERRIES These are colorful and easy snacks. Slice off the stems and scoop out a small hole in strawberries. Take an M&M or two and put them inside. SLICED “CANDY APPLES” Making candy apples can get messy, but this is much easier and tastier and simple to prepare—just slice or chop up a Snickers bar and place on top on of sliced apples. CANDY TOPPED ACAI BOWL Keep the healthiness of an acai bowl topped with fruit and nut butter. Instead of topping with honey, granola or other high-calorie items, chop up your favorite fun size bar and sprinkle on top.
CANDY TREAT 3 Musketeers Fun Size Almond Joy Fun Size Brach’s Candy Corn Treat Pack Dum-Dums Original Pop Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Snack Size Kit Kat Miniatures M&M’s Plain Fun Size Peeps Marshmallow Ghost (1) Snickers Fun Size Twix Minis York Peppermint Pattie Snack Size
CALORIES 67 80 53 20 63 42 63 37 80 50 60
FAT (g) 2 4.5 0 0 4 2 2 0 4 2 1
GREEK YOGURT CANDY BREAKFAST This is a fun option for the “morning after” Halloween. Mix a plain Greek yogurt with your favorite fruit and natural nut or seed butter. Top or mix in a few pieces of candy corn or a chopped fun size candy bar. Shari Bilt Boockvar, MS, RDN is a Nutritionist in New York and the TriState area. She specializes in nutrition counseling and consulting for weight CHOCOLATE BAR TOAST control and fitness. Shari can be found blogging on her favorite products Melt a Hershey’s snack size bar and drizzle over whole grain and recipes at Facebook.com/NutritionShari, Twitter.com/NutritionShari, toast or a whole grain tortilla topped with sliced bananas. • Instagram: @NutritionShari, and NutrifactsForYou.com 74 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
COMEDY IS EVERYWHERE By Bill Spadea
he old saying is that if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. This couldn’t apply more to the world of comedy. Comic legends like Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock came through the ranks in our great city, playing to crowds at the Upper East Side Comic Strip Live. It’s a place with tables and seats so close together you might say they were sharing the stage with the performers. There’s even an iconic brick wall behind the performers. I had never been to the Comic Strip Live before being invited to participate in a contest called New York’s Funniest Reporter. What’s funny about it is I’m not a reporter nor am I known to be very funny. I’m kind of the straight talk guy who hosts morning radio and mixes it up with reporters on our late night TMZ-style show on Fox 5, Chasing News.
MAKE ‘EM LAUGH
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It’s intimidating for the novice comic heading up to a stage where the mic sits alone on a stand in the center. When it’s crowded, it’s hard to navigate around the tables. If you’re making them laugh, TIMING IS EVERYTHING it’s hard to hear the wait staff taking drink orders. If you’re not, well that’s another story. It was soon after that Vinnie and my friend and podcast co-host, Jay Black pushed me to write some jokes based on my personal experiences. I’ve got a big head (seriously I am not a comic. Nor do I play one on TV. But I it’s how I got my TV job). I’m not always aware of what I’m saying in public, I did catch the performance bug a few months ago inadvertently have insulted a few people, plus I work out at three in the morning. All leading me to that famed stage at Comic Strip the ingredients for some fun and slightly off color humor to engage the audience. I Live. And now I’m hooked. My journey leading wrote a few minutes of material and pretty soon I’m performing on stage and learning me to the iconic scene on the Upper East Side timing and the rhythm of storytelling with punch lines. started with two muffins. That’s right! I met up with comedian Tommy Johnagin, and I asked him Let me tell you—it’s hard. My job of radio talk show host and TV host is easy by if people approach him regularly with material for comparison. Comics are up there all alone. No editing. No commercial breaks. his routine. “Street jokes? Yes, I get them all the Nothing. Just you and the judgment of the audience. And judge they do. Now I get cut time.” After I had asked him if any stood out, he a little slack for sure when people show up because of one of my broadcasts. But what shared with me the classic which would lead me about the comics who are entirely dependent and need to get the critical invitation to the stage in our great city. The Muffin Joke. It’s back? a terrible joke (if you can even call it a joke). It’s only a few lines, and I loved it. I took it on stage At Comic Strip Live, they call themselves a “Right of Passage” for new comics. They’re with my first performance and got a standing right. The bottom line is there’s a balance between making the comic earn the laughter five count from the audience. No kidding. It was and not treating them like trash. The first rule is no pity laughing. It doesn’t help the exhilarating. I learned from that moment that comic fine tune their material. And they know! Don’t heckle... don’t boo. And, please, part of comedy was building up tension and then stay off your phone. But as New Yorkers, you’ve got to make them earn it. Only laugh relieving the pressure with a punch line—or the if what they are saying is funny. There’s a comedy club in just about every corner of admission that a joke bombed. New York. Check them out. Don’t always look for the famous headliners. You’ll be surprised as to how many new comics are hilarious. Get them while you can still get Coming off stage after the Muffin Joke, Vinnie a seat—for under $20. See you on stage soon. • told me that the hardest part of comedy was handling a crowd that didn’t react. “You’ve got Bill Spadea is the top-rated morning drive host in New Jersey on NJ that down pat,” Vinnie explained barely holding 101.5 FM as well as the Ringleader/Host on Chasing News which airs back the smile. Now try this. He told me a joke weeknights on FOX5 and MY9 in New York. Before he got into TV and about a talking dog. I walked back up for the radio, he was a successful real estate executive, political strategist and next round and told the joke. Laughter ensued. served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. Spadea graduated Boston I got this. University and resides with his wife and two kids in Princeton, NJ. OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 75
MACHIAVELLI RESTAURANT By Patricia Canole
ating at Machiavelli is like stepping back in time to a Florentine village during the Renaissance. Murals inspired by “The Battle of San Romano” by Paolo Uccello—a 15th-century Florentine painter—adorn the walls, wrought iron chandeliers twinkle subdued light, hand-carved chairs are plush and inviting, and a feast that would satisfy Italian royalty. Machiavelli is the vision of owner Nathalie De La Fontaine, whose passion and inspiration derived from the time spent immersing herself in Northern Italy while living there, and her combined experience as manager and owner of popular Italian eatery La Focaccia in the West Village for 20 years. To make Machiavelli a reality, she commissioned the work of talented artisans, woodworkers, ceramicists, sculptors and blacksmiths for the art and décor of the restaurant.
A CREATIVE MENU De La Fontaine is joined by an attentive staff and Chef Gian Pietro Ferro, who has recaptured authentic Northern Italian cuisine and creates seasonal, marketdriven dishes. Ferro’s experience is legendary as executive chef at Osteria al Doge and head chef of Fiorello’s, where he was praised for bringing revitalized energy into the traditional restaurant. To begin this culinary journey, choose from fresh, made-to-order crescentines, traditional lightly fried flatbread, and a selection of Italian cheeses and meats. Leave room for the popular Sformato di Spinaci, a creamy and flavorful spinach and ricotta flan nestled beneath a truffle-scented cheese sauce, and elegantly dressed with swizzles of balsamic vinegar. Or perhaps a simple Broccoli di Rapa con Salsiccia will satisfy. Either way, you won’t be disappointed.
Owner Nathalie De La Fontaine
76 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
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PASTA & PIZZA Of course, the highlight of the Machiavelli menu is the show-stopping hand-made pasta dishes, such as Gnocchi Tricolore, made with the pillowy pasta in spinach, potato and beet renditions, tossed in a golden heirloom tomato sauce that is equal parts zesty and flavorful. The Farfalle Nere al Salmone features pasta, creatively dyed with squid ink for an eye-catching appearance, tossed with tender Canadian salmon in a creamy pink sauce. The Casunzei “Ampezzani” is a dish taken straight from De La Fontaine’s memory of visiting the Dolomite region of the Alps, made with mezzaluna pasta filled with red beets and ricotta and coated in a light butter and poppy seed sauce. For entrees, choose from Pollo alla Chichi, breaded free-range chicken breast served Milanese style with baby arugula, onions and grape tomatoes, or the Petto d’Anatra con Fichi al Moscato, sautéed duck breast prepared with dried figs and a Moscato wine sauce and served with roasted potatoes. The Zuppa di Pesce is a traditional Italian fish stew with mussels, clams, squid, shrimps, and scallops in a tomato wine broth. Various traditional vegetable side dishes are also offered, such as Funghi Trifolati, mushrooms sautéed with fresh herbs, garlic, and truffle oil. The day we visited, a pan-seared Trout was featured as a daily special. Served with potatoes and lightly seasoned vegetables it was incredibly delectable. The menu also features made-to-order pizza, prepared with a whole-wheat or traditional crust and extra-virgin olive oil, San Marzano tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Add various toppings and combinations to create tasty light meals; their legendary Machiavelli, with a black truffle cream sauce, mozzarella, and wild mushrooms, or the Macellaio, with caramelized red onion and sweet Italian sausage is a neighborhood favorite. To complete this feast, consider the Bongo Bongo, a whipped cream- or gelato-filled cream puff covered with warm Belgian chocolate, or the Budino di Pane con Gelato, a brioche bread pudding with bananas, chocolate, caramel, and walnuts, served warm with vanilla gelato. Chef Gian Pietro Ferro
VINO & SIGNATURE COCKTAILS The all-Italian wine list is also one of De La Fontaine’s creations, carefully curated to offer top-ranking wine selections by the glass and bottle. Selections include Livia Felluga Sauvignon Blanc from Friuli Venezia Giulia and Nebbiolo d’Alba Ochetti by Renato Ratti from Piedmont region. Various cocktails named after famous Italian artists are also offered, like the Paolo Uccello, made with Hornitos Reposado Tequila, Solerno blood orange liqueur, and fresh rosemary and thyme. Evenings are enhanced by a resplendent entertainment experience that features musicians and students from nearby Juilliard and Lincoln Center performing live music and opera. For more information on Machiavelli (519 Columbus Avenue at 85th Street); 212-724-26580, visit machiavellinyc.com.• OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 77
A PINOT NOIR BY ANY OTHER NAME By T.J & Tina Mulqueen
arly in our wine adventures, we took a tasting class upstate. Our instructor, B.J. Schwinghammer, who can be best described as a rock and roll sommelier, complete with gauged earrings, spiked hair, and a demeanor that conveys no pretenses, became a fast friend. He asked us about our palate. “I don’t know—as long as it tastes grapey and makes my brain feel funny,” said TJ. “I don’t like Merlot,” I said.
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B.J.’s response is something that we still remember today when we find ourselves shying from a particular grape: “Don’t hate the grape, hate the region,” he said. That is, a grape varietal in one region, say a Merlot from California, can be entirely different than that same grape in another region, say a Merlot from the Bordeaux region in France. As it turns out, I’m quite fond of French Merlot wines. So, this month, we thought we’d do a deep dive into one grape varietal to showcase a number of different expressions, as we glean insights about why the terroirs and climate produce the respective qualities in the wines. We hope you enjoy traveling vicariously with us to different regions that grow the popular, albeit fickle, grape, Pinot Noir. Burgundy, France—Louis Jadot Bourgogne, 2013 It’s fitting that we start our list with a region which makes some of the world’s most sought-after, expensive and exquisite wines. Burgundy, a relatively small wine region in central eastern France, is the paragon of Pinot Noir in Europe and, some say, in the world. The Louis Jadot we sipped from the Bourgogne appellation takes its grapes from many of the 300 communes throughout Burgundy. A swirl and a sniff of the wine takes you to the cool climate of eastern France with hints of fresh strawberries and cherries on the nose. A sip gives way to earthy notes and crushed cherries on the palate. Low acidity and well-integrated tannins make it an excellent table wine. Monterey County, Santa Barbara County, Sonoma County, California—Meiomi, 2016 Across the pond to sunny California where 90 percent of the United States’ wine is made, we arrive in a region which espouses innovation and bold experimentation in winemaking while maintaining consistency in offerings. California Pinot Noirs have become a dependable staple for wine drinkers—a sort of safe haven for those sensitive to aggressive wines. While their Burgundian brethren can be of really high or low quality with not much in the middle, California Pinot Noirs offer excellent varieties across the board. A favorite wine on restaurant wine lists, the Meiomi takes grapes from Monterey, Santa Barbara, and Sonoma County. A pungent barnyard earthiness on the nose is indicative of a California Pinot Noir. A sip reveals sweet red fruit and a tart cherry bite. Medium acid is rounded out with a finish of vanilla, chocolate, and spices. 78 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
Finger Lakes, New York—Hearts And Hands 2011 Whole Cluster Reserve Of course, New York is known primarily for white wines due to the cool climate in the Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes regions, but some of the state’s winemakers use both white varietals and Pinot Noir in sparkling wines. Pinot Noir red wines haven’t made as much of a showing due to the thin-skinned nature of the grape which fairs poorly in New York’s extreme annual temperature swings. However, some winemakers are daring to be different and going through great pains to produce wine from this fickle grape. According to our friend B.J., the Finger Lakes region is leading the way in Pinot Noir production with much fanfare. “NY is very much a haven for classic, cool climate Pinot (if you’re a wine geek),” he says. “Think of our climate like Germany, and our Pinot like a Spätburgunder—if made properly.” He recommended the 2011 Hearts and Hands Whole Cluster Reserve. A sniff yields the familiar earthy aroma while competing with strawberries and rose petals. The palate reveals raspberries, mushrooms and forest floor with a lingering finish. Willamette Valley, Oregon—Rex Hill, Sims Vineyard, 2014 The temperate Willamette Valley climate is ideal for Pinot Noir—in fact, it’s arguably the grape varietal that put Oregon on the wine map. Rex Hill is one of our favorite winemakers in the region. Located on a Newberg hillside overlooking a garden punctuated by sunflowers and luscious green trees, it’s worth a trip to the tasting room if you find yourself nearby. A “big brother” label to the widely distributed A to Z Wineworks, Rex Hill makes some fantastic Pinot Noir wines. We tasted a bottle of their 2014 Sims Vineyard. The bright red fruit and vanilla on the nose is typical of Pinot Noir. What differentiates Oregon, though, is the volcanic soil that lends a distinct earthy note you won’t get from California or France. This wine was fruit-forward, thanks to a warm year, with a good deal of complexity punctuated by subtle earth and spice.
New Zealand—Villa Maria, Marlborough, 2015 We wanted to find something fun and interesting, and have heard that, despite being known for exceptional Sauvignon Blancs, New Zealand produces some notable Pinot Noir wines. We tried a 2015 vintage of a celebrated label called Villa Maria and were first struck by vegetal notes, along with the typical red cherry and vanilla, on the nose. The bright burst of fruit and high acidity is indicative of the warm climate, and a hint of bell pepper is a sure sign of New Zealand wine. The bell pepper and remarkably high acidity are uncharacteristic of traditional Pinot Noir while the earthy tones, red fruit, and vanilla give away the varietal. From the Pacific Northwest to New Zealand, we’ve found some exceptional expressions of Pinot Noir with remarkable variation due to climate, age, vintage, and soil. Terroir has a significant impact, as well, giving Oregon its minerality and unique earthiness, California its barnyard flare, Burgundy its rich, old-world complexity and New Zealand its vegetal spin. Thanks to innovative winemakers in the Finger Lakes region, there are even unique expressions of Pinot Noir in our backyard. Regardless of where your travels take you, be on the lookout for wine lists touting local Pinot Noir. Dare yourself to experiment a little with a grape that is as varied as the countries that grow it. The expression might surprise you, and, even if you dislike it… it’s the region, not the grape! • TJ & Tina Mulqueen are the owners of Kindred PR, a full service public relations and marketing firm with locations in NY and Portland, OR. When they’re not telling their clients’ stories, they document their own— which often include wine. OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 79
Positively Ernie
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ON THE BIG SCREEN By Bill Bregoli VIEW TRAILERS Go to www.Reveel.it and snap a photo
ONLY THE BRAVE Rated PG-13 With fall upon us, headlines of the summer’s wildfires will fade. But Only the Brave seeks to immortalize the Granite Mountain Hotshots, an elite crew of firemen from Prescott, Arizona who battled a wildfire in Yarnell, Arizona in June 2013 that took a horrifying toll on their members. Josh Brolin stars as Eric Marsh, who seeks to turn his crew of fireman into a front-line unit, “hotshots.” He’s aided by the always welcome Jeff Bridges and his team consisting of Miles Teller, Taylor Kitsch, Geoff Stults and James Badge Dale. They go through training which includes plenty of hazing, male bonding, and pickup trucks. Luckily Jennifer Connelly is along to balance off the guys. Director Joseph Kosinski (TRON: Legacy) filmed in a very parched looking New Mexico and when the fires do come the audience is placed in the middle of a fierce confusing maelstrom. It won’t take long to understand what Vice President Joe Biden said when he visited the memorial to the Granite Mountain Hotshots: “All men are created equal. But then, a few become firefighters.”
MARSHALL Rated PG-13 Chadwick Boseman has made a cottage industry of portraying historical figures. He’s played Jackie Robinson in 42, James Brown in Get On Up, and Floyd Little in The Express. Now he takes on Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court Justice. But this is no biopic. Director Reginald Hudlin has focused on Marshall’s days as an attorney for the NAACP when he crisscrossed the country to defend African Americans wrongly accused of crimes, usually in the Jim Crow south. But this time he’s summoned to Connecticut for the trial of a driver (Sterling K. Brown) accused of raping a wealthy socialite (Kate Hudson). When the officious judge (James Cromwell) forbids Marshall from even speaking in court, he’s forced to take on as co-council local attorney Sam Friedman (Josh Gad) who has never even tried a criminal case before. Sparks soon fly in the courtroom as Marshall displays the tenacity which was so indicative of his later years. It may take place in history, but Marshall is certainly relevant today. 82 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
THE FOREIGNER Rated R When his daughter is killed in a terror attack by the Irish Republican Army, an unassuming restaurant owner named Quan (Jackie Chan), wants the killers’ identities. He seeks out Liam Hennessy (Pierce Brosnan), a former IRA member now working for the Irish government. When answers aren’t exactly forthcoming Quan puts his secret skills to use in a one-man campaign against the IRA and the double-dealing Hennessy. This is a much more serious side of Chan than audiences have ever seen, but he soon proves that even at 62 he fights like someone half his age. Director Martin Campbell, who helped reboot the Bond films with Casino Royale, knows how to keep even the dialog scenes moving at a breakneck pace. And Campbell’s action scenes scared some Londoners for real last year when a double-decker bus was blown up while filming on city streets. The plot, based on the novel The Chinaman by Stephen Leather, may get a bit complicated but audiences will enjoy watching two not-exactly-young actors go headto-head in a well-made action thriller. SUBURBICON Rated R Taking place in an idyllic 1950s suburb of the same name, Suburbicon’s neatly manicured lawns belie some nasty goings on. It’s written by Joel and Ethan Coen and directed by their frequent collaborator George Clooney, who, for the first time doesn’t act in a film he directed. Matt Damon stars as husband and father Gardner Lodge who must navigate the town’s dark underbelly of betrayal, deceit, and violence. Julianne Moore co-stars as Aunt Margaret who moves in after Gardner’s wife is murdered, while Oscar Isaac portrays a suspicious investigator. Although the film’s trailer has been generating lots of laughs, Clooney says calling it a comedy may be a mistake. “It’s very, very dark,” he told Indiewire. “It starts out feeling like a Disney film and, by the end, it seems like it takes a pretty dramatic, dangerous turn to like an acid trip of some form.” And to keep the movie on a dramatic footing, Clooney even cut a character played by Josh Brolin out of the film after test screenings revealed his comedic scenes diluted the film’s tone.
STRICTLY LIMITED ENGAGEMENT SEPT 22 THRU OCT 29
MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE Rated PG They’re on countless T-shirts and backpacks, and their TV show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, has been on for seven seasons, so a big-screen movie was inevitable. There is a plot: To stop a threat to the land of Equestria, Twilight Sparkle and her friends—Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Spike—embark on a journey beyond their home, meeting new friends and overcoming challenges in the process. Don’t worry; your kids will gladly tell you which character is which. It’s directed by Friendship Is Magic veteran Jayson Thiessen and features the TV show’s regular voice cast as well as celebrity voice overs by Emily Blunt, Kristin Chenoweth, Liev Schreiber, Taye Diggs and Zoe Saldana.
HAPPY DEATH DAY Rated PG-13 In this latest offering from the Blumhouse production company (The Purge, Get Out) a college student (Jessica Rothe) relives the day of her murder with both its unexceptional details and terrifying end until she discovers her killer’s identity. In other words, it’s as if Friday the 13th and Groundhog Day got together and had a horrible baby. But there’s no goofy weatherman, just a masked killer with a weapon and an entire campus full of suspects. It’s directed and co-written by Christopher Landon, who helped create the modern ultra-low budget horror genre with Paranormal Activity. Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine, Rachel Matthews and Charles Aitken round out the young cast.
BLADE RUNNER 2049 Rated R The original Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young and Edward James Olmos didn’t generate much sequel talk when it opened in 1982. Based on the Philip K. Dick novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? it eventually became a cult classic and continues to influence science fiction films to this day. And so here comes Blade Runner 2049. Ridley Scott is one of the producers this time out with Denis Villeneuve directing. He thrilled sci-fi audiences last fall with the surprise hit Arrival and proved he can combine action and character studies with Sicario and Prisoners. About all Warner Brothers has said about the plot is that it takes place thirty years after the events of the first film. There wasn’t any material from Philip K. Dick to base the sequel on, but fortunately, Hampton Francher who wrote the original’s screenplay wrote the story for the sequel. Original cast members Harrison Ford and Edward James Olmos reprise their roles with newcomers Ryan Gosling, Ana DeArmas, Robin Wright, Jared Leto, Dave Bautista, Mackenzie Davis and Barkhad Abdi. It will once again take place in a neo-noir Los Angles, As Villeneuve told interviewers “The climate has gone berserk—the ocean, the rain, the snow is all toxic.” Not a place you’d like to live in, but audiences will no doubt be lining up to visit. • Bill Bregoli has an extensive career in entertainment journalism. He’s an Emerson College graduate who started out in movie advertising. He then contributed to The National Lampoon and became a morning show producer at the legendary radio station WBCN in Boston. Now based in New York, Bill is an entertainment correspondent for CBS Radio News, and his daily entertainment reports can be heard nationwide.
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BILL BREGOLI’S PICKS OF HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASES PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES Rated PG- 13 In this fifth Pirates installment, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) searches for an ancient and powerful artifact, the Trident of Poseidon. Meanwhile, a crew of old rivals, the cursed Capitan Salazar (Javier Bardem) and his fellow ghost pirates seek to escape from their prison in the depths of the Devil’s Triangle and find the Trident of Poseidon for themselves and finally exact their plot of revenge against Captain Jack. Disney brought aboard Kon Tiki directors Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg to keep their leaky franchise afloat, and for the most part, they succeed. The plot is easier to follow than past Pirates adventures, and it’s also the shortest. New cast members Brenton Thwaites and Kaya Scodelario add some youthful zest, and Javier Bardem makes an engaging villain despite layers of CGI. But the albatross here is Johnny Depp who seems even more distracted than Captain Jack normally is. His energy level is so low he spends much of his time literally tied to the mainmast. THE WIZARD OF LIES Rated TV-MA It’s a story that still scares most New Yorkers. Bernie Madoff (Robert De Niro) promised his friends and clients they could get rich if they each invested millions through his Wall Street investment securities firm. But it was all a Ponzi scheme that cost many of his victims their entire life savings. Sure, it’s ripped from the headlines but what makes this fascinating is its ability to get under Madoff ’s skin. Oscar-winning director Barry Levinson elicits Robert De Niro’s most memorable performance in years, helping the HBO film earn four prime time Emmy nominations. Michelle Pfeiffer makes her return as Madoff ’s privileged wife Ruth with Alessandro Nivola and Nathan Darrow as sons Mark and Andrew Madoff, and a memorable Hank Azaria as Frank DiPascali, who was one of the few people in the organization in on the swindle. As far as the con goes, the film is short on the how but tries very hard with the why—the best scenes are simply De Niro going one-on-one with his costars. It’s great to know he can still send chills up your spine. BABY DRIVER Rated R Among the first of this year’s summer films to generate awards buzz, Baby Driver stars Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars) as Baby, a disaffected baby-faced getaway driver with ever-present ear buds and a limited vocabulary. An excellent driver with a knack for avoiding danger, Baby finds himself at a loss when he falls for a local waitress (Lily James). Suddenly, he realizes that there could be a life outside of crime for him. His boss, Kevin Spacey, doesn’t agree with this sentiment, nor do his boss’s underlings, John Hamm, Jamie Foxx and Eliza Gonzalez. Director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) has created a pure pop pastiche. Part genre movie, part music video, Baby Driver sets its sights on entertaining. It’s even fun enough that you’ll forgive the moments when it becomes a bit too self-aware, especially during the brilliant chase scenes that are cut to a diverse soundtrack. It’s the first action movie that will have you tapping your toes. 84 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
A BIG-BONED, SKINNY-ASS, ALL-YOU-CAN-LAUGH NEW PLAY.
PERSONAL SHOPPER Rated R After rocketing to stardom with the Twilight films, Kirsten Stewart has concentrated on honing her craft in smaller, independent films. Here she’s entrancing as Maureen, a personal shopper for Kyra, (Nora von Waldstatten) a spoiled celebrity. Maureen spends her days in an almost tranced-out state occasionally trying on some of Kyra’s wardrobe. When asked what she’s doing in Paris Maureen replies, “I’m waiting.” What she’s waiting for is some sort of sign from her recently deceased twin brother. Both had been born with a congenital heart defect, and the two had made a deal that whoever died first would attempt to send a message to the other one from the afterlife. Director Olivier Assayas (Clouds of Sils Maria) turns the viewer into a voyeur, following Maureen in her grief as she’s caught between worlds. Ms. Stewart seems detached, unwilling for attention, yet you can’t keep your eyes off her. What Mr. Assayas has cannily crafted is a supernatural thriller which is also a look at modern life and a study of overwhelming sorrow.
HOUSE OF CARDS (Season 5) Frank and Claire are planning for a political dynasty, but events of the past haunt them. And when it comes to manipulation newcomers Campbell Scott and Patricia Clarkson give the Underwoods a run for their money. Current events in Washington give this satire a new urgency.
VIKINGS (Season 4/Vol. 2) The great saga of the legendary Viking chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok continues and follows battles between Ragnar and Rollo in Francia, Bjorn’s raid into the Mediterranean, and the Great Heathen Army’s invasion of England. It’s also the end of an entire multi-year arc featuring Ragnar and Ecbert. •
written by and starring
LISA LAMPANELLI directed by
JACKSON GAY featuring
MARSHA STEPHANIE BLAKE (Orange Is The New Black)
NIKKI BLONSKY
(Hairspray - New Line Cinema)
EDEN MALYN (House Of Lies)
additional material by ASHLEY AUSTIN MORRIS
Photos by Jeremy Daniel
GIRLS TRIP Rated R Last summer’s surprise hit is the first film produced, written, directed by and starring African-Americans to cross the $100 million mark. It’s also a lot of fun. When entrepreneurial self-help guru Ryan (Regina Hall), is tapped to speak at the Essence Festival in New Orleans she invites three old friends (Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Tiffany Haddish) along for a weekend of relaxing, dancing, partying, drinking and female bonding in the Big Easy. Yes, there have been several movies trying to be distaff versions of The Hangover recently but what sets Girls Trip apart is that it’s more concerned with making its characters relatable. The women here have real concerns, such as nurturing intimate relationships and figuring out how to balance professional and personal obligations without going crazy. Director Malcolm D. Lee (The Best Man) makes his talented leads stay warm and wonderful rather than just wacky. That said, once you see the film, you may never look at a grapefruit the same way again.
Telecharge.com • 212-239-6200 Westside Theatre 407 W. 43rd St., NYC
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Tiffany Lamps
MUSEUM HAPPENINGS: NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY By Clint Brownfield
f you’ve never visited the New-York Historical Society at 77th Street and Central Park West, or if you haven’t visited it recently, then it’s time to experience firsthand one of New York’s most visitor-friendly cultural institutions. This is not your grandfather’s historical society… The Society was formed in 1804 as our city’s oldest museum and its present building was opened to the public in 1908. Two wings were added in 1938 and represented the last example of Beaux-Arts architecture completed in the city and the entire country. Today, you will have the unique experience of entering through the main doors on Central Park West and walking under an entirely preserved Keith Haring ceiling mural. It’s juxtaposed with a Charles Willson Peale portrait of George Washington, who was sworn in as the first U. S. President right here in New York City in April 1789, on the balcony of Federal Hall. These are just two of the items that adorn the first floor and pave the way for the treasures that await visitors on the museum’s four floors, which offer spectacular permanent and temporary exhibitions. This past spring the building’s fourth floor was reopened to the public after a total renovation. Before the renovation, art handlers packed and moved thousands of collection items. Now, more than 1,200 objects are on view. The North Gallery now features items rarely seen before—a reimagined installation of historic treasures from the museum’s permanent collection, which tells the American story through the lens of New York. The South Wing is now the Center for Women’s History, the first and only such space in a major museum in the country devoted to women’s history. In between these wings is a newly reconfigured two-story space that displays the Society’s unparalleled collection of Tiffany lamps. 86 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
North Gallery
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SOMETHING NEW According to the museum’s director, Margi Hofer, it was the Tiffany lamp collection that inspired the creation of the museum’s Center for Women’s History; it opened to the public earlier this year with the exhibition Saving Washington, which focused on Dolley Madison’s White House. The Center’s second and current special exhibit, The Duchess of Carnegie Hall: Photographs by Editta Sherman occupies the space and runs through October 15, 2017. Sherman was a longtime resident in one of the famed studios within the walls of Carnegie Hall where she made her living as one of the city’s preeminent portrait photographers. This exhibit features selected paintings representing a virtual who’s who of the 20th century’s most famous people. Ms. Hofer explained that in 2006 when the museum was preparing an exhibition of its Tiffany lamp collection, curators discovered the correspondence of Tiffany designer Clara Driscoll, whose letters revealed that women created many of Tiffany’s lamps. They called themselves “Tiffany Girls” and worked under the guidance of Clara Driscoll who was head of the Tiffany Studios Women’s Glass Cutting Department in New York City. Using patterns created from the original designs—some of which are featured in the Museum’s collection and are on view in the newly redesigned space, these talented, hardworking women selected and cut the glass for the famous lamps. Driscoll designed the majority of Tiffany Studios’ nature-themed shades, including the Wisteria, Dragonfly, Daffodil, and Peony. The Tiffany Lamps are on permanent display. According to Hofer, the time between the idea for an exhibition and its opening to the public can span a few months to several years. A good example is a recent exhibit, Tattooed New York, which explored New York’s 300-year history of inked body art. It took just 18 months to develop. We told you this wasn’t your grandfather’s historical society. For more information about The New-York Historical Society, its exhibitions and programs, visit nyhistory.org. •
Yul Brynner by Editta Sherman
Lillian Hellman by Editta Sherman
June Carter Cash by Editta Sherman
Joe Di Maggio by Editta Sherman
UPCOMING EXHIBITS AT THE CENTER FOR WOMEN’S HISTORY Hotbed (November 2017 – March 2018) Hotbed explores the vibrant political and artistic scene of Greenwich Village in the early 20th century, where men and women joined forces across the boundaries of class and race to fight for a better world. At the heart of the downtown radicals’ crusade lay women’s rights: to control their bodies, to do meaningful work, and above all, to vote. Immersive installations and more than 100 artifacts and images—drawn from New-York Historical’s archives and several private collections—bring to life the bohemian scene and its energetic activist spirit.
Saving Washington Clint Brownfield is a travel, food and beverage writer and has reported from all seven continents, more than 100 countries and 45 states. He is based in New York City—his favorite destination in the world.
Walk This Way: Footwear From The Stuart Weitzman Collection Of Historic Shoes (April – October 2018) Shoes in recent years have culturally transcended their utilitarian purpose of becoming an object of desire and deliberation, calling up abstract considerations—like the freighted meanings of femininity, power, domination, and aspiration—for both women and men alike. Walk This Way: Footwear from the Stuart Weitzman Collection of Historic Shoes highlights examples from the shoe designer’s extensive private collection, assembled over three decades. The exhibition will tell the story of the shoe with more than 60 pairs on view. The exhibition will explore larger trends in American economic history, from industrialization to the rise of consumer culture, with a focus on women’s contributions as makers, designers, and entrepreneurs. OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 87
Troop B Manhattan
ALL ROADS LEAD HOME By Lee Gabay | Photography by Mehmet Buyukdag
hen Pamela Bond first visited Times Square as a young girl, she was mesmerized by the sight of a policeman on horseback. “I didn’t know that there were any horses in the city, and having a cop on top of it made it even more amazing,” reminisces Bond. That childhood moment left her awestruck, and she credits it with helping formulate who she would eventually become and what she would do with her life. Today, she proudly sits ten feet high on horseback in the heart of the city, as an officer in the NYPD Mounted Unit.
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The Mounted Unit is a unique elite division of our city’s law enforcement, dating back to the 1860’s when many Calvary men returned from the Civil War to the city and joined the police force. The newly hired mounted officers tended to wear their yellow striped military riding pants, which soon became part of the uniform that continues to this day. During New York City’s pre-automobile era, the primary purpose of the 600-horse unit was to curtail “reckless galloping”—indiscriminate horse usage attributed to the reliance on horse-pulled wagons, trolleys, and carriages. Fast forward to 2017 and horseback riding in New York City is relegated to a niche hobby, dwindling the number of horses in the squad to fifty. Possessing the most technologically advanced policing equipment in the world, there are now 35,000 members of the New York City police force. Yet, with all of the modern innovations, nothing can quite accomplish what a set of spurs and a pair of riding boots can. The ten-foot patrolman can see over all pedestrians, handling crowd control and movement better than any other mechanism. They are particularly in demand during parades, protests and demonstrations as the bridle-led equines get to places safely and fast. Massive and occasionally menacing at 1000 pounds, an NYPD horse also gives the public a feeling of safety at large gatherings, also acting as a deterrent to criminals. “We are very visible and approachable,” offers Officer Bond. It’s clear that horses and their officers atop tend to give the public a feeling of joy. This positive effect is one of the many intangible dividends paid to both our city’s visitors and citizens. Deputy Inspector Barry Gelbman, equine expert and commanding officer of the Mounted Unit, explains this feeling vis-à-vis a Ronald Reagan quote, “There’s nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse.”
THE MANE INGREDIENT Today’s mounted unit consists of seventy members of law enforcement. Sergeant Gelbman explains, “We want the best cops, but we look for something even more. We need people with dispositions who can handle the continual public attention while also performing their daily police duties.” Police officers with five years of experience apply to the program, and if accepted, they attend a rigorous three-month long boot camp at the Remount Training School for Horsemanship in the Bronx. Here, the trainees are mostly selected for their social skills and learn how to handle horses as they refine (or are taught) their riding skills. Upon graduating from the program, each officer is assigned a horse. Soon after, both human and equine embark on a literal and figurative ride. Similar to her colleagues, Officer Bond is on street patrol five hours per shift and spends the remainder of the time feeding, bathing, grooming, dressing and caring for her horse’s well-being. 88 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
A STABLE ENVIRONMENT Using a criterion similarly described for their human partners, an NYPD horse is chosen based upon its strength, calm demeanor, ability to mingle with the public, and willingness to be pet. Until recently, the horses were all chestnut-colored Thoroughbred and Quarter horses, but the unit has abolished the military style uniformity to include diverse breeds, hues, and colors. Sergeant Gelbman’s “Fantan” and Officer Bond’s “Torch” are both Bay Draft Cross Mix breeds. The horses generally come from Pennsylvania Amish country and often have backgrounds pulling plows and carts. On average, a horse puts in 10 years of good service with the NYPD before retiring to a palatial private farm upstate or in New Hampshire. A number of the horses are named after fallen officers, including the recently retired “Russel,” named after Detective Russel Timoshenko, who was shot and killed on duty in 2007. Citywide, four units remain: Troop B in Manhattan, Troop D whose horses work and live out of Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, Troop F based in Cunningham Park in Queens, and Troop E in Brighton Beach. Manhattan’s Troop B stables are situated on the bottom floor of the West Side’s luxury Mercedes house residential building. Twentyseven separate horse stalls provide a healthy setting for the horses, replete with automatic fresh water feeders, two horse showers, and a riding ring. The climate is always kept within seven degrees of the outside temperature to maintain an ideal atmosphere for the horses as they transition in and out throughout the day. In addition to the horses and police, the Mounted Unit employs twenty civilian specialists. Each handler, artisan, and master craftsman is a vital component to the team, bringing a particular and sometimes rare skill set. Farrier Marcus Martinez shoes horses with tungsten-fortified custom horseshoes to meet the specific foot needs of the animals under his care. A leather worker tacks each saddle and bag to match the individual specifications of horse and rider. The full-time bridle and harness maker further maintains the foundation and legacy started with the Calvary years ago. These artisans have been passing along the knowledge of their tradecraft for generations.
PHOTO FINISH Pamela Bond’s favorite part of her job is saying hello to the people in the neighborhood whom she has gotten to know while riding with “Torch” on their daily beat. “When I’m with him, the city seems so small, and people always smile, wave and take pictures.” Part of the mission and core values of the NYPD is a caring partnership with the community they serve. Horses seem to bring out the best in all of us. We all sometimes need to be reminded of our humanity, and in the case of the NYPD Mounted Unit, it takes another species to help us to do so. • Lee Gabay is a doctor of Urban Education who teaches in Brooklyn, N.Y. He has written about education, incarceration, basketball and sneaker culture since 2006. His first book, I Hope I Don’t See You Tomorrow was published in 2016. He lives in the Lower East Side with his wife and daughter. OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 89
PAWS DOWN, TAILS UP By Lori Simmons Zelenko and Susan Traub
ith tech-obsessed pet parents on the lookout for the latest innovations to improve their lives with their pet, we thought we’d do a round-up of the most useful new ways our pets can live well, stay healthy and be safe.
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Kate Upton with Harley wearing the Link AKC collar
TRACKING YOUR PET City or country, any device that helps keep track of your pampered pooch or cared-for kitty is a good thing. What pet parent doesn’t want their mind set at ease with an easy to use and efficient means of keeping tabs on their fur baby? For the dedicated dog owner, among the most practical options is a sophisticated GPS smart collar, especially useful as it lets you not only track a lost dog but also allows you to monitor activity. It also helps you keep a potential pudgy pooch fit, log vet records, receive weather alerts (too hot for Fido? Or too cold for Fifi?) and much more. Looking to take a more informed and active role in managing your dog’s wellbeing? Needing to feel connected to your dog when you’re apart from each other? The LINK AKC Collar (linkakc.com) is the go-to choice of Kate Upton (known for her Sports Illustrated covers) and her dog Harley. “Everyone knows I am obsessed with Harley. When we’re together, the LINK AKC smart collar allows me to record and share our hikes and other adventures,” Kate says. “When Harley can’t be by my side, I can still feel connected to him through his smart collar, which tells me his location, environment and activity levels from anywhere right on my phone.” 90 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
SAFETY FIRST Do you find yourself walking your dog on city streets or country roads late at night or even at sundown? LED lights— bright and bold—are an excellent way to make sure your dog is in clear view. Royal Animals (royalanimals.com) puts safety first with their LED harness and leash, and they’ve expanded the collection to include an LED raincoat as well. As always combining fashion forward-style with practicality, Royal Animals has designed chic, accessiblypriced looks that resolve practical concerns. The LED lights are easily visible in the dark making it not only easier for you to see your dog but for other pedestrians and motorists as well to keep an eye out for you and your pet. Some dog owners, particularly in the country, take this a step further and wear LED vests of their own, making sure owner and pet are seen clearly at a distance.
Royal Animals LED Harness
MUSIC TO THEIR EARS
The iCalmPet
Do thunderstorms turn your dog into a nervous wreck? Or is city traffic a trigger? When hiding under the bed or even in the tub just isn’t making your pet feel secure there’s a solution in iCalmpet (icalmpet.com) which uses the power of sound like a “nutrient for the nervous system.” iCalm is music therapy for pets (there’s one available for dogs as well). There are music tracks, easy listening you could say, specially created to ease stress for dogs or cats. It’s a portable player that comes with different audio programs for all stages of your pets life and most environments/situations. This “simple sound” is psycho-acoustically designed to support your pet’s compromised nervous system. Under stress, your pet reacts by shutting down, not listening, and not observing. But to get your pet to be calmer as well more responsive, the “nutrients” of sound have proven to be helpful.
PET-STYLE CAM Pet parents with separation anxiety of their own may find that what calms them down is being able to watch their pet through what people parents dub a nanny cam (aka pet cam). Helpful for keeping tabs on a new puppy or for monitoring an older dog with health concerns or hey, let’s just confess, when you just have to be with your fur baby and are miles (maybe only blocks but it feels far) away. When it comes to pet cams our pick is The Kodak Video Monitor (available at amazon.com) for pets. It gives you a high definition picture, night vision, and through an app, you can talk to your pet and even capture the best moments of the day to see what your pet has been up to while you’ve been out. So separated or not, you’ll relieve your anxiety as a pet parent. Technology makes our lives with our pets safer, easier, calmer and all in all, more rewarding. Tech is evolving every day at breakneck speed improving and enhancing every aspect of our four-legged friends. Stay tuned to Paws Down, Tails Up for more installments on pets and how we are living smarter with them. PAWTechnologies
WANDERING ANIMALS It’s a good idea to leash your dog before you open the car door. And, of course, make sure your house cat stays in your home. However, if your pet does take off, there’s PAWtechnologies (pawtechnologies.com) to the rescue. Did you know that less than three percent of cats and twenty percent of dogs are ever reunited with their owners? PAWtechnologies functions as a massive word of mouth network by creating a flyer distributed via phone, email, social media and any other viable digital communication method to thousands of pet-centric destinations: local animal clinics, hospitals, rescues, veterinary offices and shelters within a 25-to-50 mile radius of your pet’s last known location. For more information and to register your pet, visit their website. Prices vary.
The Kodak Video Monitor
Lori Zelenko and Susan Traub have teamed up to reveal exclusive personal insights into the luxe life of pets in New York City and beyond. Each a devoted dog owner as well as an entrepreneur, Lori and Susan are mutually dedicated to improving the well-being of pets. To learn more, email lzelenko@gmail.com. ©2017 Lori Zelenko and Susan Traub, All rights reserved. OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 91
Patricia Napier-Fitzgerald
ENTREPRENEUR’S CORNER By Patricia Napier-Fitzpatrick
hen I moved to New York City from Washington, D.C. over 30 years ago, I had no idea what the city had in store for me. I only knew I wanted to live in a city where people never stopped learning or striving to be someone. A city where people walked and spoke quickly. A city filled with culture and style, and fabulous restaurants.
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Although I wasn’t trained for it, I would have loved to have gone straight to Broadway; but alas, my talent did not match my desire. So, I continued my career in advertising, where I spent nearly 20 years before leaving to raise my daughter, Kelly. Two of the companies at which I worked before leaving the corporate world—Estee Lauder and Bergdorf Goodman—were fabulous training grounds for learning how to prepare and present flawless presentations; and project a polished personal brand. I don’t think I would be where I am today if I had not worked at these companies. My degree in language arts and education from West Virginia University was certainly helpful but did not provide the polished skill set needed for success in a city like New York City. When I stopped working to raise my daughter, I started noticing the lack of good manners in not only the children but also in the adults I observed throughout the city. When I heard that one could have a career teaching etiquette, I was so excited. This is what I want to do, I decided. And although I didn’t set out to have a career in the etiquette field, it now seems inevitable. I had five younger brothers and sisters, and as the eldest helped my mother in raising them and teaching them good manners.
ALWAYS A PASSION Behaving properly, looking one’s best, being kind, and showing respect for others had always been a passion of mine. I now knew there was a need for teaching etiquette and social graces in the city, and I wanted to meet that need; thus, I founded The Etiquette School of New York in Manhattan. Since founding the school, I have had the pleasure of working with countless persons of all ages and all industries from all over the world. I’ve met with clients from such countries as Australia, China, Japan, India, Dubai, and South Africa. Everyone wants the same thing: to feel the confidence that comes from knowing that they are doing the right thing and that they are treating others with respect. As Emily Post once said, “Manners are a sensitive awareness of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners regardless of what fork you use.” Kindness toward others and mutual respect are at the heart of good manners. And nothing is more important than that. I love what I do. I prepare my students to enjoy life to the fullest by making them secure in life’s basic social graces. It is so gratifying to me that the work I do instills a healthy self-esteem in my clients, which enables them to confidently face life’s pleasures, as well as its challenges, with grace. The Etiquette School of New York is for anyone who wants to develop the confidence, poise, and polish they need to accomplish their personal and professional goals. We offer a comprehensive program of business and social etiquette training and international protocol seminars. We offer our life-changing, confidence-building, invaluable training programs to corporations, universities, and private persons. Once a month we offer an open-enrollment, one-day “Social Success Makeover— Finishing School for Adults” social etiquette and business protocol program in the city that is attended by people from ages 18 to 60 years plus who come from all over the country, as well as the world to participate in the class. 92 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
Iona College Seminar
A BEAUTIFUL WORLD My new book Proper, Poised, and Polished: The Power of You is a guide to transforming yourself to becoming your unique, personal best. I hope that this book will inspire and empower young and older women alike with its carefully curated selection of quotes from accomplished and iconic people, and actionable tips they can use to become the person they are capable of being so that they can be successful and enjoy their lives to the fullest. Although the book has many tips on proper decorum and good manners, it is not an etiquette book. It is so much more than that. It is an all-encompassing lifestyle book that shares the confidencebuilding advice, skills, and knowledge I have given my clients over the past 15 years. In the words of Nancy Reagan, former First Lady of the United States, “There’s a big, wonderful world out there for you. It belongs to you. It’s exciting and stimulating and rewarding. Don’t cheat yourself out of it.” Whatever you decide to do or become, the path will be much more assured if you are poised and polished. The power these three traits will bring you is undeniable. Knowing how to conduct yourself in the business and social arenas properly; being able to make polite conversation; dressing stylishly and appropriately wherever you go; carrying yourself with poise and confidence, and possessing polished social graces will give you the power to achieve your goals. I never made it to Broadway, but I have been on television numerous times—on some serious news programs and some not so serious reality shows. I’ve had an incredible life—and feel very fortunate to be living the New York life. •
Patricia Napier-Fitzpatrick is an internationally recognized etiquette expert. She is certified in Etiquette and International Protocol, and Adult and Corporate Etiquette by The Protocol School of Washington. For more information on Ms. Napier-Fitzgerald and The Etiquette School of New York, visit etiquette-ny.com.
SSM Class, September 2016
Charm School for girls
OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 93
Peralta and his contsituents
MY NEW YORK STORY By NY State Senator Jose Peralta
y New York Story is about running for public office, a story about improving the quality of life of New Yorkers by trying to make their lives better than before. One day as a child, I overheard my father debate passionately about how to change the problems that we, as Latinos and other minorities, faced. It was in the late 70s, and at that time, it was unheard of to have a Latino representative in the neighborhoods. It seemed that my father and his friends always had a solution to every problem that needed fixing. If it were only that simple.
TRY YOUR BEST My father’s activism and his business relations for the company he worked for led him to become a familiar figure in the community. This situation made him somewhat to be local celebrity where people would always approach him to ask him for advice or simply just to say hello. I remember a day when it took us more than fifteen minutes to walk from one corner of a block to another because of the number of people that stopped him just to chat. One day, I said, “Wow, Dad, everyone knows who you are.” His answer was absolute. “Not everyone knows who I am, just those who need help. It is important to assist those who need help. Always try your best to help them.” That was a New York moment for me. His answer struck me. The moment stuck with me, and ever since, I decided to be as helpful as I could be. The first real tangible consequence: I got involved in my local community board at age 18. However, from my high school days through my college years, I was involved in student government and activism, becoming the first Latino student body vice president. Later, I became the first Latino student body president. 94 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
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GETTING INVOLVED As years passed, I began to get involved in local political discussions. I remember participating in the same types of discussions and debates as my father, hearing similar arguments to solve everyone’s issues. Again, looking back I wish it were that simple. During those years in the early 90s, the Latino community in Queens was still looking for representation. Although we had achieved some level of representation in other places throughout the city, many at the time launched their political careers to pave the way for me. I am endlessly appreciative of those trailblazers, learning, not only from what they did right but also from their mistakes. I stand on their shoulders and represent my community, helping improve people’s lives. In 2003, I became the first Latino Assemblyman ever elected in the borough of Queens. I was there for almost eight years, fighting for issues ranging from education, immigration and affordable housing to senior issues and health care. In 2010, I decided to run for the State Senate and became the first Dominican American state senator in the history of the state, which then led the way for others to follow. Peralta pointing out a deteriorating subway
The State Senator meets up the media
MAKING A DIFFERENCE In the State Senate, I have continued to fight for all the issues that matter to my constituency. Previously as an assembly member, and now as a state senator, I am responsible for the passage of a state budget worth billions of dollars on an annual basis, while balancing the needs of all state agencies and keeping the government functioning.
Peralta with local college students
I am also responsible for approving landmark legislation, such as increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour, passing paid family leave, universal pre-K for all and creating a $10 million fund to defend immigrants, among others. I am also responsible for legislation that affects our daily lives. One example is my proposal to launch an educational campaign to educate pedestrians about the dangers of distracted walking. Now after 15 years in the state legislature and after paving the way for Latinos and minorities to get a foot in the door in public office, I attend local schools and colleges and give back by talking about my experiences on what it takes to be involved. I know and understand that public office is not for everyone, but believe me, it can get pretty exciting once the political bug bites you. The most ironic part of it all is that my life has come full circle because now as I walk down the streets with my own son, sometimes it takes me several minutes, sometimes half an hour, to walk from one end of the block to another. Now it is my son who says, “Wow, Dad, everyone knows you.” Now I tell him what I was taught, that one should always try to help people who are looking for assistance. No matter what field of work my son chooses, at least he can understand that the goal is always about making a difference in people’s lives. It will cement your own purpose. If you can make today a bit better for someone than what it was yesterday, you have improved the quality of life of that person, making this world a better place. As I continue to pass that along, I hope that it becomes contagious, and everyone will have their own New York story. • Jose Peralta has been a State Senator since 2010. He represents the 13th Senatorial District, which covers Jackson Heights, Corona, East Elmhurst, and parts of Astoria and Woodside. For more information on Jose Peralta, visit nysenate.gov/senators/jose-peralta. OCTOBER 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 95
15 MINUTES WITH FRANCINE LeFRAK By Baruch Shemtov
rancine LeFrak’s surname may be familiar, but the entrepreneur has indeed paved her own path, winning awards as a film, theater, and television producer. Then, nearly a decade ago, LeFrak came up with the idea for Same Sky (samesky. com), a brand that empowers and employs women around the world. The result is a line of jewelry that is both beautiful and impactful. What inspired you to create Same Sky? I met the women who would become Same Sky’s first artisans while producing a film about the Rwandan genocide. Getting to know these remarkable survivors, hearing their stories and seeing just how much they’ve risen above, was a life-altering experience for me. But many of the women I met were still spending each day in a struggle to survive, facing serious health issues as a consequence of the genocide. Most had no hope for financial stability or social mobility. I knew I couldn’t just turn my back on them. I’ve always believed that talent is everywhere, but an opportunity isn’t—and the talent of these women was incredible! So, together, we started Same Sky in 2008 with the mission of giving women the power to change their lives through employment. Same Sky began with just a handful of artisans making beautiful glass beaded necklaces and bracelets. Since then, our family of artisans has grown from tens to hundreds in Rwanda and the USA. How do the designs reflect the brand’s mission? The women Same Sky employs in Rwanda have an amazingly defined skill set—they weave gorgeous goods. When I saw the intricacy of their handicraft work, I could tell that they would be the perfect fit for making the sophisticated jewelry I was envisioning.
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And it’s all a result of the security and confidence she’s gained from having steady employment. Our artisans have gone on to form collectives for their craftwork, and many have even opened their own businesses. What our artisans receive from working with Same Sky, they give back to their communities. Why is this the best way to make a difference in these regions? The greatest philanthropy you can give is a good job—instead of the short-term relief of a handout, you’re giving a hand up into secure financial footing. Creating jobs and building bridges in the global marketplace is the most sustainable responses to poverty. When you work on the ground within impoverished communities to provide education, training, and employment, you’re co-creating a healthy, self-sustaining economic infrastructure.
The designs we create build our artisans’ skills, giving them unique challenges and meaningful work. The result is jewelry that’s just as beautiful as it is ethical. Same Sky wants to challenge the idea that artisan-made jewelry can’t also be couture quality. It’s our mission to make conscious consumerism the new standard by “elevating handmade.”
How does your jewelry empower the men and women who wear it? Ask any Same Sky supporter, and they’ll tell you that wearing our jewelry is a powerful experience. It’s such a beautiful feeling to be connected with the woman who made your favorite necklace or bracelet, to know that you’re wearing a piece of her story and sharing in her recovery every time you put it on. As believers in the power of looking good and feeling good while doing good, Same Sky is committed to giving jewelry lovers the ability to make an actual impact when they shop.
What impact does Same Sky make on the communities who craft the jewelry? Building a strong community starts with helping individuals build themselves up. When you give a woman the means to improve her status, you give her whole family the chance to flourish—and that improvement ripples out from one life to one household to entire communities.
What’s next for Same Sky? In 2018 we’ll be celebrating our 10th anniversary, and we’re hoping to extend our education and employment programs in Rwanda, the USA, and beyond! We’re also aiming to help our artisans sell their work locally, letting their talent and hard work shine even brighter within their communities. There are some inspiring events and partnerships on Same Sky’s horizon! •
Take Clementine, for example. She’s a survivor of sexual violence, an HIV+ mother, and she was one of the first artisans in our pilot program. Before working for Same Sky, Clementine was among the countless Rwandan women who couldn’t afford transportation to get the medication she needed to be healthy. Seeing how her life has changed over the past decade is astounding. She’s saved enough money from making jewelry to open her own bank account. Her children go to school each day and come home to their own beds each night. The change in her health is a miracle—even her doctors were amazed! Clementine even gave birth to an HIV-free baby. 96 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
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