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Table of Contents FOLLOW THE
32
Feature 10 12 15 48
15 52
Publisher’s Note September 2016 Calendar Sex and the City The Expressive Artist - Jan Dilenschneider
Fashion
20 10 Ways To Update Your Fall Wardrobe 22 Going Green
Travel 24 26 28 30 32 34 37
320 Guest Ranch Grounds For Sculpture A Diamond Discovered in Erstwhile Barracks Checking In at Corinthia Hotel London Grape Escapes Golf Perfection On The Island Of Kauai How to Beat Jet Lag
Real Estate & Home Decor 40 44 47 52
Sun.
A Sporting Club... & So Much More! The Kent - Exquisite Luxury Enjoying Stratton, Vermont The Grand at Sky View Parc
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Table of Contents PURSUE
66
70
84 Health & Wellness 54 56 59 61 62 64 66
70 Fish Tales From Grand Central 73 Raising the Bar
Theater & Arts
Move Over Cannes Punk Rock Is Alive and Well Culture On A Budget Stories Connect Us On the Big Screen September Broadway Reviews with Pat Collins 20 Questions to Increase Your Political Movie IQ
New York, NY 90 92 94 96
92
The Next Generation of Gluten-Free Eating Everyone Needs a Pediatrician - No Matter Your Age! The Key To Healthy Aging Fit Fun Skincare for this Season Easy Go-To Recipes… The NY Hotel Where Sleep Is The Defining Luxury
Dining 76 78 80 82 84 86 89
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Entrepreneurs Corner: Shy Iland A New Leash on Life My New York Story 15 Minutes with Joan Hornig
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Vol. 2 #9 | September 2016 President / Publisher Bill Mason Executive Publisher Ernie Anastos
Editor at Large Nina Anastos Floyd
Vice President of Sales Lyle Seltzer
Director of Operations Kurt Nesheim
Marketing Director Phillip Anastos
Art Director Eric Duncan
Managing Editor Patricia Canole Arts & Entertainment Editor Pat Collins
Fashion & Style Columnist Miki Makrillos
Real Estate Editor Daniel J. Bollinger
Chief Photographer Annie Watt
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Medical Editor Doris Day, MD Contributing Writers Joan Bauer, Shari Bilt Boockvar, MS, RDN Norah Bradford, Clint Brownfield, Sana Butler Kristen Carlucci, RD, Nicola Clayton, Emily Costa Karen Feld, Barbara Fight Gretchen Kelly, Wendy Knecht Dr. Heather Loenser, Denise Mattia Kelly McFarland, Mark Menolascino, MD, Denise Mercedes Cristyne Nicholas, Jeannie Pawlowski, Anthony Rapacciuolo Richie Realms, Baruch Shemtov, Jessica Shepherd, MD,MBA Neal Sroka, Patricia Stark, Jeffrey Stephens Jeff & Stephanie Sylva, Leslie Termuhlen Jamie Wells, MD, Christal Young, Dianne Zoppa Internet Presence Scott Cuollo, Richard Austin Public Relations/Marketing LMG Inc
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Sales Bill Mason Sr. - Director of New Business Development John Miller - Director of Sales - Travel Michael Stulmaker - Director of Sales - Real Estate New York Sales Office (646) 259-2651
Editorial/Sales Fax (212) 202-4888
For subscriptions, address changes or back issues, call: (646) 259-2651 newyorklifestylesmagazine.com Facebook: /NYLifestylesMag Twitter: @NYLifestylesMag Instagram: @NYLifestylesMag All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue is expressly forbidden without permission of the publisher. Printed in the USA. New York Lifestyles Magazine is published 12 times annually. © 2016 New York Lifestyles Magazine
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Publisher’s Note
This month’s cover story features New York and global personality Dr. Ruth Westheimer seen here with publisher Ernie Anastos. “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.” ne of my favorite interests is looking for positive quotes. It has been a true passion for most of my life. I do it because they are fun to read, they motivate me and I love to share them with others for the very same reasons. I certainly have my favorites. So, here is my choice for this month’s issue. “Surround yourself with positive people. When someone cares, it’s easier to speak, listen, play and work.” I have personally seen the enormous influence one person can make in any company or organization. It is as simple as good communication skills that attract people’s interest, motivation and involvement. One person, the leader, sets the tone. For instance, keeping your door closed can lead to problems, but keeping it open can lead to solutions. It’s a fact, a positive and happy environment produces good results. Remember, you can be the one who can make a difference at work, home or anywhere. Trust me, it feels great!
-Ernie Anastos
Executive Publisher
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 | SEPTEMBER 2016
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September 2016 Calendar 1
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US Open Tennis Championship Flushing, NY www.usopen.org
Labor Day Holiday The Great New York State Fair Syracuse, NY www.nysfair.ny.gov
5
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Kanye West Madison Square Garden (through 6th) www.thegarden.com
8
th
Fifteenth commemoration of the 9/11 Attacks www.911memorial.org
11
th
NFL Week 1: New York Jets at Home versus Cincinatti Bengals, NY Giants at Dallas Cowboys www.nfl.com
19
th
20
th
13 th 14 th 17 th
The NFL season commences with the kickoff game between Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers www.nfl.com New York Fashion Week (through September 15th) www.nyfw.com
The United Nations General Assembly opening brings the Worlds leaders to NYC (through 26th) www.un.org
Harlem International Film Festival www.harlemfilmfestival.org
German-American Steuben Day Parade Central Park
Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting 2016 (through 21st) www.clintonfoundation.org Singer Adele Madison Square Garden (through 26th) www.thegarden.com
“New Now” New York auction at Phillips www.phillips.com/auctions
12 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
30
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Sex and the City
By Anthony Rapacciuolo
EX!! There I said it. Now that I have your attention, riddle me this, what do you get when you combine a selfproclaimed “old-fashioned square” with a psychosexual therapist? Why Dr. Ruth Westheimer of course! This fiery 88-year-old New Yorker has dedicated her life to educating and counseling people of all ages about sex. In fact, over the years she’s managed to take a conversation that was once considered taboo, and has given it a global audience. Born in Germany, Ruth made what were humble beginnings riddled with hardships and immigrated to New York where she received her Master’s Degree in Sociology from the Graduate Faculty of the New School and Social Research and later her Doctorate of Education in the Study of the Family from the Columbia University Teacher’s College. Ruth went on to work at Planned Parenthood which was the
“spark” that made her further her education in human sexuality by studying under Dr. Helen Singer Kaplan at Cornell University Medical Center. She then taught at Yale, Princeton, Columbia University, West Point and others. While she was proud to be spreading “sexual literacy” in the world of academia, Ruth never pictured herself leveraging other means of communication to spread her message, but in 1980 that all changed with a fifteen-minute radio segment on WYNY-FM. That proverbial “fifteen minutes of fame” lead to her radio show, television shows, home videos, a play written about her life, a board game entitled Dr. Ruth’s Game of Good Sex, and newspaper columns. It even led to her line of wine and, of course, don’t forget the 41 books that she’s authored since that time. New York Lifestyles Magazine had the pleasure of speaking with the famed Doctor who told us about her journey, the importance of healthy relationships and families, and even what in her “expert opinion” is the biggest myth surrounding sex.
SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 15
Photo by Annie Watt
16 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
Photo by Annie Watt
Photo by Annie Watt
Photo by Annie Watt Top: Father Francis Gasparik, Joseph Sano, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Ernie Anastos Left: Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Laurie Tisch Right: Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Margo Catsmaditis
First off, can you tell our readers how you began this journey? I began as a professor at Lehman College training others how to teach sex education. I then furthered my education by enrolling in a program at Cornell to become a psychosexual therapist. I spent seven years there: two receiving training and five more training others in the school. One day we received a request to send someone to speak with a group of community affairs managers in the media about the need for sex education. There was no money attached to the request, so needless to say no one wanted to go. I, on the other hand, would have flown a balloon if I had to so that I could speak to the broadcasters about the need for sexual education to be a part of the media. After speaking with them, I thought I would maybe be a consultant for the program. You hear my accent it’s the same now as it was then. Never in my wildest dreams did I think they would ask me to do the show, but they gave me fifteen minutes on a Sunday night at a quarter past midnight that week and look what happened!
Explain to our readers what you mean by the term “Sexual Literacy.” When I say sexually literacy, I don’t only mean how a baby is born. When I say sexual literacy, I also mean the importance of relationships, because to have good sex you have to have a good relationship, and a good partner. Based on your history, it seems you’re able to educate people of all ages. Tell us how you would discuss the topic with children? When I speak with children, I don’t want adults there. I want them to ask questions that they would not ask when parents are present. We need parents to be able to talk to their kids when they have questions. I explain to children that there’s nothing to be embarrassed about when it comes to sexuality. How does that conversation change when you’re speaking with teenagers and young adults? SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 17
Top left: Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Billy Idol Bottom left: Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Burt Reynolds Top right: Dr. Ruth Westheimer, George Burns Bottom right: Scott Bakula, Dr. Ruth Westheimer I stress to them not to engage in any sexual activity just because they may think they have to or because others around them are doing it. I tell them not to let anyone or anything pressure them into doing something they are not ready to do. They need to have a relationship first, they must be sexually knowledgeable, and they must be familiar with the person. So how does the dialogue and sex itself change as people get older? Say after 50 and even after 80 years old? The book that I wrote Sex After 50 explains what sexual literacy means as you age. Men need to understand that their body doesn’t respond the same as when they were younger. Women need to take the proper measures to ensure there isn’t pain involved. I don’t want people to hurt when they are engaging in good sex. Older people also need to understand that as you age, the morning becomes the best time for sexual activity as opposed to the evening. New York is the city that never sleeps, does that hurt or help a 18 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
New Yorker’s sex life? I think New York is the best city for lovers. It has so many things for couples to do at every age and for every budget. Sometimes it seems to be an expensive city, but there are things you can do that are not so expensive. For example, take a ferry ride to Staten Island when the moon is shining. What’s the biggest myth or misconception related to sex? The general population thinks that a larger male organ is more pleasurable for a woman, and there are also many other misconceptions as well. In my way of teaching, the most important thing is when a couple looks at each other across the room with that little smile—that’s all that’s needed to have a good sexual experience. A man’s size has nothing to do with the pleasurable experience of sexuality. On a personal level, you’ve already done so much; you’ve authored books, created games, appeared on TV and radio, etc.
Photo by Annie Watt Left: Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Dr. Marianne Legato Right: Lauren Bush Lauren, Dr. Ruth Westheimer
Photo by Annie Watt
What’s next for Dr. Ruth? Fantastic question! Before this interview, I had a conversation with a TV producer at PBS about doing a new program based on my book Sex After 50 which won a Mature Book Award. Not bad for 88 years old! What’s the future of sex in your opinion? I think the future will be that more and more people will be talking about sex, and because of that people are going to become sexually more literate. What’s the best piece of advice you can give our readers? The best advice is to be optimistic. If you are lonely, go out to a concert or a movie and see who sits next to you and start up a conversation. Be sure, however, before going out that you aren’t sexually frustrated, to begin with. Otherwise, you’ll get sad if you don’t meet anyone.
Sound off! Tell our readers something they don’t know about you. What they don’t know about me is that I’m old-fashioned and a square. I also collect turtles, not live turtles! A turtle is safe if it stays in one place and nothing can hurt it. If that turtle wants to move it has to stick its neck out to take a risk. Otherwise, it cannot move. That also holds true for relationships of all ages. People have to take a chance to start new relationships so that they are not lonely and sad. I also like turtles because they carry their homes on their backs. I didn’t have a home from the age of ten and a half, when I left my parents in Germany because of World War II, until much later in life. Finally, I like turtles so much I wrote a children’s book recently called Leopold about a turtle who needs to take a risk and face its fears. It’s a parable that demonstrates to children that facing your fears can set you free. That’s a powerful message to be learned at a young age. •
SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 19
10 Ways To Update Your Fall Wardrobe
By Miki Makrillos
This fall, fashion has a feminine touch. Get the look with these stylish trends and a bit of creative mixing. All fashions and accessories from Ann Taylor, available at anntaylor.com. Give a stylish twist to a cardigan: Use an ANIMAL PRINT belt at the waist; wear with a full skirt and flats.
1.
Throw on a PONCHO in a cozy knit or blanket-style wool; or don a shouldercovering shrug to add evening chic.
DANGLING EARRINGS lend a touch of elegance for day or night.
3.
4.
Soften the look of menswear-inspired TROUSERS by adding a delicate top. A classic bag and heels complete the look.
Expand your horizons. Try a few COLOR COMBINATIONS such as ivory, bordeaux, and dark blue.
20 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
5.
2.
6.
Look for classically shaped accessories with updated touches, like a rich-hued BAG bedecked with gold hardware.
7.
Frills aren’t just for spring and summer anymore; indulge in a RUFFLED top for day into evening.
Use one piece of JEWELRY to make a style statement that is very personal and distinctive for either day or evening.
8. 10.
9.
Accessorize a low-key look with eye-catching jewelry, such as a knockout NECKLACE.
Buck tradition—contrast bone-colored SHOES with black opaque hose. Keep the rest of your outfit neutral too. • SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 21
By Patricia Canole
Going Green
nce upon a time, organic beauty products lined the bottom shelves at the local health food store. No more. The organic trend is widespread and its growth explosive. Beauty companies are reacting to consumer demands and what’s happening in the food industry. With most of us taking note of what goes inside our bodies, it’s raised the concern of what we put on the outside. Clearly, there’s never been a better time to be a naturally radiant. Today it’s easier than ever to find top-quality “green” skin, hair and makeup products. Here, some of our favorites to include in your daily routine. AFRICOLOGY USA This company specializes in a luxury line of face and body care products made in South Africa containing indigenous plants, including Rooibos, African potato, along with essential oils. The active ingredients in the skin care products are potent agents in repairing and restoring damaged skin (africology-usa.com) BEST BET Anti-Oxidant Serum contains vitamin A palmitate for increased collagen and DNA stimulation. Especially good for eyes and lips.
SHAMANUTI Based in Boston this modern skincare line is built on the rich botanical heritage of the Americas. Ingredients like North Atlantic kelp and blue-green algae are carefully formulated to create luxurious products which optimize skin function while calming, nourishing and hydrating (shamanuti.com). BEST BET Opt for Crème No. 1 to balance imperfections and shine while providing stimulation cell repair. The formulation also blocks against pollution and sun damage.
NEOCELL The firm specializes in collagenbuilding supplements designed to promote overall wellness and beauty with ingredients that include skin-plumping collagen, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C (neocell.com). BEST BET The chewable Beauty Bursts (30-day supply) are a delicious way to the radiant skin. A genuinely sweet way to being beautiful. 22 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
ME & THE GIRLS This brand creates products using certified organic cupuacu butter that is sustainably harvested from the Amazon rainforest. You’ll find a unique line of safe moisturizers and exfoliants that polishes and replenishes skin to silky-soft perfection (meandthegirls.com). BEST BET Bar Beleza, a solid stick consisting of capuacu butter, tanunu oil and coconut butter with vitamin E. This multi-use product can be a makeup remover, moisturizer and eye treatment.
JOHN MASTERS ORGANICS This company grew out of the desire to create a luxury beauty line that also respects the earth. The result: a culmination of work performed by people all over the world dedicated to growing and harvesting organic ingredients. With over 49 products to choose from, you could say it’s a real labor of love (johnmasters.com). BEST BET Try the BARE shampoo and detangler that leaves hair healthy and shiny. While you’re at it, indulge in body wash and body lotion for a head-to-toe luxurious feel. Each delivers superior results—scent-free!
ZAO ESSENCE OF NATURE This certified organic makeup line hails from Italy and uses essential minerals, antioxidants, amino and natural fatty acids to nourish and beautify (zaoorganicmakeup.com). BEST BET Zao Essence of Nature Lipstick goes on smooth—and lasts. Bonus: All lipsticks are refillable in bamboo packaging.
AURA CACIA Derived from simple, pure mineral and botanical ingredients produced by nature, Aura Cacia products are free of synthetic chemicals and sustainably sourced (auracacia.com). BEST BET The Nourishing Lavender Body Polish is amazing. Organic sugar granules lift away dull skin while creamy shea butter, coconut oil, and vitamin E restore skin’s vitality and radiance. The calming and relaxing aroma of lavender is a bonus.
EMANI These vegan cosmetics feature a luxurious line of makeup that beautifies your complexion. Emani provides a weightless, long-lasting wear without irritating even the most sensitive skin types. They maintain high-performance products for beauty enthusiasts and eco-conscious women who are as passionate about recycling as they are about Prada (emani.com). BEST BET Emani Flawless Matte Foundation is a blend of minerals, pigments and organic oils resulting in a natural matte finish. So good for your skin, the makeup brings out the best in your complexion. Hey, it’s almost like wearing no makeup at all! SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 23
320 Guest Ranch By Gretchen Kelly ity slicker that I am, whenever I think of Montana, I think of Brad Pitt. That’s because two films that feature Montana and Big Sky country feature Pitt: 1992’s A River Runs Through It (actually filmed in Bozeman and on the Gallatin River that does indeed, run through it) and 1994’s Legends of the Fall. So by the time I got a chance to visit Big Sky country, I expected Brad to be the one picking me up at Bozeman Airport. While Brad did not in fact come to pick me up, I felt the allure of his Montana films all around me as I checked into my personal log cabin lodge (complete with fireplace). Later, I strode outside to take in gulps of the fresh mountain air that surrounds this over 100-year-old property, which began life as a homestead in 1898 and welcomed its first guest as a ranch in 1905. 24 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
The phrase “Big Sky” is not just a tagline, it’s an actual description of what you’ll see arching over you the whole time you’re at the 320 Guest Ranch. Located in Gallatin Forest, along Brad’s famous Gallatin River, the 320 Guest Ranch is perched in splendid isolation in a landscape that brings out your inner cowgirl (or boy), no matter how citified you are. I quickly acclimated myself to replacing the sound of city traffic with birdsong and to the cool, clean air and natural beauty that is all around. And on my first night, when a bracing chill came to the 320 Guest Ranch, I warmed to the feel of an oldfashioned crackling fire in my wood burning fireplace like an experienced ranch hand. Rested and warmed, the next morning I woke up, put on my Montana-style cowboy cut jeans and went to meet horseman Marce Hoffman who was going to get me out on the trail, along with some of my fellow travelers and accompanying ranch staff.
Although I’ve had experience on a horse (in a Queens, NY stable of all places), I got into my Western-style saddle with a smidgen of nervousness (you just never know). But as Hoffman pointed out, the trail is easy and the horses calm and reliable—so much so that the 320 Guest Ranch often does “Tote” rides for kids. Children ride with a ranch hand and a family member on either side on flat ground with absolutely no fear. I felt excitement as I nudged my equine partner to start the ride out onto the flowercovered hills fringing the 320 Guest Ranch. Although we didn’t see any on this trip, Hoffman says that riders often spot elk, deer, eagles, moose, coyotes, bears and sometimes even a lone wolf or two (safely as the horses tend to intimidate the wildlife to a safe distance). After a bracing ride that was so smooth it felt like swimming through the clear, cool mountain air, we ended up back at the camp for a wagon ride to a riverside barbecue. As so much of my cowgirl references are cinematic, this part made me think of Oklahoma! (different state, I know) or Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. If you have one of those sparkled vintage cowgirl skirts and studded boots, this is the time to wear them! At the riverside, the smell of roasting elk and beef, chili, and (later) s’mores lured us all to the feedbag without much talk. The conversation was saved for later as we sat with cowboy coffee (roasted on fire) and listened to a local female storyteller in her boots, hat, and fringe, weave tales of cowgirls from times past. The ranch often brings experts to its riverside barbecues (this month, they have a Teddy Roosevelt interpreter—perfect for the 320 Guest Ranch’s proximity to Yellowstone). Although sleeping in was tempting (the beds are that comfy!), I had to get up early the next day for our trek to Yellowstone (happy 100th birthday National Parks!). The Park is only 36 miles from the 320 Guest Ranch, so there’s enough time to get there and see everything you dream of seeing. We saw Old Faithful gush (right
on time) as well as hundreds of local bison that wander the park freely. We also took some time to tour the Old Faithful Inn, the 1903 hotel that evokes Frank Lloyd Wright, Theodore Roosevelt and the early days of the love affair of America with its National Parks. That night my final meal at the 320 Guest Ranch’s restaurant was an elk carpaccio and an enormous hand-cut steak with a side of hand-cut fries. I rationalized the carbs as fuel for my ride the day before, and they were worth it! In the morning, as we drove toward the airport, my guide pointed out a stretch of the river where guests can fly fish just like in the movie and where the film, in fact, was made. In the shimmering afternoon sun, I swear I saw the Golden Boy himself, casting a line as delicate as a spider’s web and smiling in my direction. The lodge is open year-round, but some facilities (like the restaurant) have some seasonal closings so check with the property to find out what will be open when you stay. If you want to ride horses, bring boots or a shoe that has a heel on it—the best footwear for getting saddle-side. Also, make sure to bring sunscreen and bug repellent as you’re outside and in strong UV territory. For more information on 320 Guest Ranch, visit: 320GuestRanch.com. • Gretchen Kelly is a New York City-based freelance journalist and editor. SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 25
DEJEUNER DEJA VU Seward Johnson ©1994. Photo by Paula A Stoeke
Grounds For Sculpture By Jeff and Stephanie Sylva
rounds For Sculpture situated in Hamilton, New Jersey is the perfect destination for a family outing. Just a 75 minute trip from Bergen County, this 35-acre sculpture park and museum is located on the site of the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds. Grounds For Sculpture was established in 1992 to promote a greater understanding of and appreciation for contemporary sculpture. The landscaped grounds and historic, renovated buildings feature changing exhibitions throughout the year. We had a chance to visit Grounds For Sculpture following recommendations from several friends. Once there we opted to pick up some Sculpture Site Maps and a Self-Guided Tree Tour brochure to tour the grounds ourselves, but guided tours conducted by trained volunteer docents are also available. We were impressed with the outdoor exhibition space and museum facilities located in such a serene, landscaped setting. Seasonal exhibits, by established as well as emerging artists, are housed in two 10,000 square foot gallery spaces. More than 230 sculptures are sited outdoors. The sculptures range from lifesize to monumental in scale. The park is designed to provide an 26 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
arboretum-like setting, with more than two thousand rose bushes, rhododendrons ,other flowering shrubs, and over one thousand trees. Topographical contours and backdrops were excavated to display much of the sculpture.
Families will be most enthralled by the sculptures of J. Seward Johnson, who envisioned this public sculpture garden and museum back in 1987. Close to twenty of Johnson’s tableaus based on well-known nineteenth-century paintings are on view throughout the park. These life-sized three-dimensional works “allow an intimacy with the paintings that the paintings don’t allow themselves”, says Johnson. His three-dimensional play on a two-dimensional artwork piece brings paintings one step closer to real life. Johnson explains: “I use my art to convince you of something that isn’t real. You laugh at yourself because you were taken in, and in that change of your perception, you become vulnerable to the piece and intimate with it in a certain way”. We watched children delight in these life-size works as they touched the sculptures, posed for pictures with the figures, and compared the sculptures to renditions of the original paintings which were
Above: DORIAN, Bruce Beasley ©1986 Top right: The Terrace at Rat’s Restaurant Bottom right: SAGE, Magdalena Abakanowicz ©1988 displayed nearby. To be able to actually step into the scene of a painting is certainly a unique experience. Johnson is also known for his life- sized sculptures of ordinary people in contemporary life situations. These sculptures have been placed in public settings throughout the world – some right here in Bergen County! After visiting the Gardens For Sculpture, take your family to the Ridgewood Post Office to see “Special Delivery” – a postman standing outside sorting through his mail sack or to the Hackensack University Medical Center lobby to see “Between Appointments” – a man napping on a bench with the Wall Street Journal covering his face, and “After Lunch” – a man asleep in a chair holding an economics book. You may want to schedule a visit with your family to Gardens For Sculpture when a program from The Artist Lecture Series or a hands-on-workshop for children is being held. These experiences complement the seasonally changing exhibitions. In addition to the visual arts, special events include music, poetry, theater and dance. The park recently celebrated its 15th Anniversary of its formation as a non-profit charity. And because the facility is open year-round , special events are held and can be found at groundsforsculpture.org. They may include fun activities including glass-blowing demonstration, a
community quilt project for families and musical performances. When your family gets hungry, you can opt for casual fare at the Café in the Domestic Arts Building where you can dine indoors or outdoors in the courtyards. The Gazebo Cafe, housed in a two-story structure with an observation deck above and a lower deck overlooking the lotus pond, also features casual fare. If you’re looking for more upscale dining, you can visit Rat’s, the unique restaurant that makes guests feel like they are in a French village, complete with Claude Monet’s famous bridge over a lily pond. The name Rat’s originates from the character Ratty, from the famous book “The Wind In The Willows”, one of J. Seward Johnson Jr’s favorite books. The character Ratty had a delightful imagination and far-reaching dreams. We can all let our imaginations soar as we take in all the park has to offer. Helpful Advice Should You Go: • Grounds For Sculpture is open yearround Tuesday – Sunday. • Admission: Adults, $18; Seniors 65 and over, $15; Students 6 to 17, $10; Children 5 and under, Free. • Parking is free. • For more information call (609) 586-0616 or check the web at groundsforsculpture.org. • SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 27
A Diamond Discovered in Erstwhile Barracks By Karen Feld ilitary barracks were never so comfy as the Inn at Diamond Cove on the northern end of Great Diamond Island. The historic property, converted barracks to a two-story deluxe inn, is strategically situated on a small island in Casco Bay, a 45-minute ferry ride from Portland, ME. As we decompress on the ferry, I spot a Blue Heron perched in a small tree near the shore and an Osprey family nesting on the remains of an old granite barge. Will Nash, a college student who works as a valet on property, picked us up at the ferry landing in an electric golf cart and drove us the half mile to the inn. Cars are banned. The only vehicles are bicycles and golf carts. No sirens, no horns, no New York City sounds or traffic jams. We immediately felt a peaceful silence. Nash, describes it as the “quintessential Maine inn.” The Inn at Diamond Cove, the only inn on the island, is now in its second season. In a previous incarnation, it housed soldiers in the Spanish American War (1898) and World Wars I and II. Ft. McKinley was built as part of the Coast Artillery in the late 1800’s. The US Army abandoned the Fort in 1947 and passed it on to the US Navy in 1954. Many of the buildings, now restored, 28 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
are private homes. Ft. McKinley and Diamond Cove are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The island has a natural feel since no more than 20 percent of the land can be developed. A small museum on island tells the rest of the story. At the inn, take notice of the reminders of the past while experiencing warm and friendly service. Stay in one of the 44 spotlessly clean deluxe guest accommodations. Sleeping in former barracks is hardly on anyone’s bucket list, but the interior surprises with exposed old brick, beautiful hardwood flooring, high ceilings blended with stark modern bathroom and kitchen features, plush bedding, and a spacious living room with fireplace and terrace with lounge chairs. They retained architectural integrity while adding modern conveniences. A glass top wooden case in the lobby was originally located in the Fort McKinley Post Exchange, now the administration building adjacent to the hotel. The case still displays the Sugar Babies, Chocolate Moon Pie, Necco Wafers and Clark’s teaberry gum which was for purchase by the men housed in the barracks. The twin lane bowling alley is truly from a pre-war era. A handful
of kids were enjoying setting up the duckpins and then rolling the balls to knock them down. Not automated, not fancy, but genuine. Observers sit in wooden church pews. The indoor basketball court calls from another era as well. Fans, there, can watch as they collapse in the balcony on stuffed chairs or couches like those found in their grandmothers’ homes. This is part of the charm. No pretenses, just plenty of activities including a heated swimming pool and tennis courts with an on-site pro. There are miles of hiking trails, some with remnants of abandoned military installations, and a half dozen beaches to explore. My favorite is Pleasant Cove Beach –or Sea Glass Beach to the locals. It’s covered with small pebbles. As legend goes, soldiers smashed bottles during wild parties there. Now, it’s quiet and peaceful. But as with most Maine Beaches, the water is cold. The sea glass is a result of the Army’s waste disposal program in the mid 1900’s. Find a piece of colorful sea glass as a souvenir–there was a dish filled with shades of blue sea glass in our suite-- and leave the rest for the next generation. Across the bay, you have a clear view of Cow Island. In the late afternoon, open a bottle of wine, plop in an Adirondack chair on the grass and look out over the harbor from Sunset Beach to catch the brilliant sunset or watch the fog roll in. Former New Yorker, Karen Tucker, is one of the 30 or so year round residents – the summer island population rises to about 400. She moved there two decades ago and told me, “it’s really freeing” for her. “It’s forced simplicity.” She and her husband were having drinks at the lobby bar when we met. He first discovered the island on an archeological dig. Now a full time resident, he’s a lobster man. I took a restorative yoga class with another year round resident, Kate Hoffner, who enjoys the “peacefulness” of the island and describes it as “a place out of time.” The Inn has a casual indoor/outdoor restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. One can also opt for a short golf cart ride and sit on the deck or lawn overlooking the harbor for dinner at nearby Diamond’s Edge Restaurant. Whether you’re a meat or seafood eater, the signature “side” of lobster garlic smashed potatoes is rich and buttery and not to be missed. The Inn at Diamond Cove, situated on what was once called Hog Island, is a unique place to unwind and forget time – note that cell phone service is unreliable – Fall rates: $300 to $500 per night. •
Inn at Diamond Cove Great Diamond Island, Portland, ME 207-805-9836 www.InnatDiamondCove.com Karen Feld is an award-winning writer living in NYC and Maine. Her website is www.karenfeld.com SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 29
Checking In at Corinthia Hotel London By Norah Bradford
he Corinthia Hotel London is a luxury hotel nestled between the River Thames, the iconic structures of the British government, and 10 Downing Street. It’s a mere stroll to the art exhibitions at the National Gallery and fabulous dining near St. James and Mayfair. Corinthia Hotel London has an interesting historical pedigree. The establishment opened in the late-19th century with its brochure advertising its virtues which would not be lost on the modern visitor: “That the hotel’s location is particularly recommended to ladies and families visiting the West End during the Season; to traveler’s from Paris and the Continent, arriving from Dover and Folkestone at the Charing Cross
Terminus; to Officers and others attending the levees at St James; to Ladies going to the Drawing Rooms, State Balls, and Concerts at Buckingham Palace; and to colonial and American visitors unused to the great world of London.”
During the Second World War, the hotel’s location led it to be requisitioned by the British government to provide extra space for administrating the conflicts. Room 474 was the first headquarters of Winston Churchill’s secret army known as Special Operations Executive (SOE), what today is part of the Secret Intelligence Service of James Bond fame. After the building had been sold in the mid2000s, an extensive refurbishment took its history full circle back to its roots as a luxury
30 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
destination in the heart of London. Today, the hotel boasts 294 luxuriously furnished rooms, including 43 suites with Hypnos beds, Nespresso machines, and Loewe televisions. After seeing the sights of London, soothe the body and soul at the exclusive ESPA Life at Corinthia. The multi-level spa features 17 treatment rooms, a private spa suite, nail studio, indoor swimming pool, vitality pool, amphitheater sauna, and private sleep pods. The spa café complements the overall offering by serving light, nutritious refreshments. There’s also a 24-hour gym. Dining and entertaining options abound and are all first-rate experiences. Massimo Restaurant and Bar, a large open dining space with massive columns serves flawless Italian cuisine. The Northall
restaurant looking toward the River Thames serves International Culinary Director Garry Hollihead’s impeccable interpretation of classic British food. For afternoon tea or drinks the Lobby Lounge, illuminated by a custom chandelier by Baccarat, is an exquisite venue. For evening drinks the more intimate Bassoon Bar offers cocktails and classic drinks in replica Queen Victoria glassware. Regular live music underscores the theme and the name of this see-and-be-seen-in venue. This London outpost of the exclusive Corinthia Hotel chain is heaven-on-earth, with service that would make anyone feel like royalty. For more information on the Corinthia Hotel London, Whitehall Place, London, please visit: corinthia.com/hotels/london •
SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 31
By Patricia Canole
Grape Escapes
ike many, you’ve probably learned quite a bit about wines and Champagne over the years. How about bringing that new interest along with you on your getaway? And if you think you have to travel to Europe—France’s Provence or Italy’s Tuscany—think again. New York State and neighboring Canada have wine-producing regions where you can sample award-winning wines from red to whites, sparkling to sweet—even ice wine! Choose any one (or two) of these close-to-home destinations and you’ll have an array of cafes, bistros, and elegant restaurants to explore.
THE FINGER LAKES This upstate New York wine-making region (about four hours from New York City) is home to 11 long and slender lakes, collectively known as the Finger Lakes. In addition to quaint towns on the shores of such lakes as Seneca and Cayuga and vast apple and peach orchards, the area now boasts more than one hundred wineries. VINO TIME Along the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, visit Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars (lamoreauxwine.com), where you can sample the delicious sparkling wine. Try peach-infused Chardonnay at Caywood Vineyards (caywoodvineyards.com), whose centerpiece is an 1800s barn. Along the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail, pop into Swedish Hill Vineyard (swedishhill.com) for a tour and tasting. The Riesling with a floral aroma and a crisp finish is so good you’ll want to bring home a bottle (or two). OTHER ACTIVITIES Enjoy the lakes with activities like kayaking, canoeing, and swimming. History lovers will be astounded by the wealth of fascinating and well-preserved history in Cayuga County. Marvel at the Tiffany-designed stained-glass in the Willard Memorial Chapel (willard-chapel.org) and see where Harriet Tubman settled after her numerous trips on the Underground Railroad rescuing slaves. 32 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
WHERE TO EAT Have lunch at the Knapp Vineyard Restaurant (knappwine.com) on Cayuga Lake and be sure not to pass up the jumbo crab cakes. For fine dining, there’s Edgar’s restaurant at the Belhurst Castle (belhurst.com) where dinner is paired with Belhurst’s own wine. WHERE TO STAY On Cayuga Lake, Annie’s Guest House (aghaurora.com) welcomes families (yes, you can rent the entire house!). Blooming gardens and a picnic table are just a few shorts step from the back door. An inviting front porch has a breakfast table and rocking chairs. On Seneca Lake sits the intimate Geneva on the Lake (genevaontelake.com), which features grand marble fireplaces and carved wooden ceilings. There are also manicured gardens and a swimming pool. Also well-noted is The Stone’s Throw Bed & Breakfast (astonesthrowbnb.com) in the town of Interlaken. Here, you’ll enjoy a bountiful farm-to-table breakfast and incredibly delicious biscotti (it’s the real thing) and cappuccino in the afternoon. Pillow top beds help refresh and restore.
LONG ISLAND The North Fork of Long Island has quietly been emerging as one of the premier East Coast wineproducing areas. Today, there are more than 25 wineries to explore, as well as cozy nautical villages with white clapboard houses, romantic inns and farm stands selling delicious fresh produce. VINO TIME Bedell Cellars (bedellcellars.com) is located on 57 acres in the town of Cutchogue in the heart of the Long Island Wine Country. The vineyards produce varietals like Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc. Nearby, the Castello di Borghese Vineyard & Winery (castellodiborghese.com), owned by a descendant of the Italian Borghese, produces Pinot Noirs and Sauvignon Blancs. In Mattituck at Shinn Estate (shinnestatevineyards.com), you can find excellent Merlots. OTHER ACTIVITIES Go back to your childhood with a round of mini golf at Tick Tock Mini-Golf (drossosmotel.com) in Greenport Village, complete with kitschy windmills and lighthouses. Stop by the snack bar for frozen custard.
WHERE TO EAT One of the top restaurants in Greenport is the Frisky Oyster (thefriskyoyster.com), where a seasonal menu might include grouper with lobster potato hash and prosciutto-wrapped scallops. WHERE TO STAY The area’s newest luxury hotel, the Greenporter Hotel (thegreenporter.com), is a restored ‘50s motor lodge with rooms boasting Frette linens and mid-century chairs. In Jamesport is the Jedediah Hawkins Inn (jedediahhawkinsinn.com), a delightful inn in a restored mansion, whose six opulent rooms overlook picturesque flower gardens and rolling farmland. For more info on New York State, visit iloveny.com.
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, CANADA Technically, this wine-making region isn’t in New York State, but rather just over the New York/Canadian border in Ontario (one hour from Buffalo, two hours from Toronto). After a day of touring the wineries, explore the beautiful Victorian town on the shore of Lake Ontario. Plus, you’re just twenty minutes from the awe-inspiring Niagara Falls! VINO TIME Rent a bike with tour wineries like Reif Estate Winery (reifwinery. com), a 125-acre estate where you can order the cheese/wine sampler—a flight of four wines and local cheeses. Canada is known for its ice wine, and the most famous place to sample this unique wine (made from frozen grapes) is Inniskillin (inniskillin.com) whose tasting room is in a restored Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired barn. OTHER ACTIVITIES From April through November catch a play from George Bernard Shaw in local theaters as part of the Shaw Festival. And be sure to visit the mighty Niagara Falls—take the Maid of the Mist boat trip where you can get up close and personal with the thunderous falls. WHERE TO EAT Zee’s Grill (zees.ca) housed in an enchanting Victorian house with a white picket fence; the menu features pan-roasted Lake Erie pickerel. And join the crowd at Shaw Café & Wine Bar (shawcafe. ca) dinner for two $100), with a large statue of the Irish writer outside. Enjoy burgers or baguettes for lunch and roasted chicken with apricot couscous for dinner. WHERE TO STAY The 110-room Prince of Wales (vintage-hotels.com) dating from 1864 is a town landmark. Have tea in the Drawing Room, take a dip in the indoor pool and have a massage at the Secret Garden Spa. The Charles Inn (charlesinn.ca) housed in a Georgian mansion has 12 rooms (four poster beds, fireplaces, artwork) and a lovely verandah where you can relax with a glass of ice wine. For more info on Canada, visit canada.travel.com. • SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 33
Golf Perfection On The Island Of Kauai By Patricia Canole eauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but some places give beholders more reason to appreciate them than others. Take Kauai. This lush, 533-square-mile Hawaiian Isle enchants visitors for many different reasons. Whether your dream day is zip lining above treetops, careening over waves in a
sea kayak or horseback riding into Waimea Canyon—Mark Twain dubbed it the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”—the Garden Isle is for you. Beach lovers find its selection of strands irresistible, and divers can’t get enough of the warm waters off the shore. And for golfers—it’s simply paradise. Kauai is one of the world’s top golf destinations, with world championship courses.
ON COURSE Like Hollywood filmmakers who shoot here, golfers visit Kauai for the spectacular scenic backdrops. But they also enjoy a challenge. Here, courses are crafted with nature’s help and helped along by some of the game’s most talented architects. THE OCEAN COURSE AT HOKUALA This former 27-hole Kauai Lagoons course still captures the original Jack Nicklaus Signature design. The newly opened course received a major update in 2015 that shortened it to 18 of the best holes from the original layout. The course renovation still possesses the unique qualities of the original Jack Nicklaus Signature layout. The front nine starts out gently but steadily becomes more difficult. The first nine holes are set within lush foliage, and while the tropical scenery is stunning, it’s the coastal back nine that challenges best. The oceanfront views are unrivaled even in Hawaii where there is no shortage of beautiful scenery (hokualakauai.com/golf). Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa
POIPU BAY GOLF COURSE Nestled between the Haupu Mountain and the blue Pacific, this 7,123-yard, par-72 course with a links-style layout was once the home of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., this 18-hole course features undulating greens and water hazards on 7 of the holes. The par-4 16th hole has the coastline weaving along the entire left side. Occasionally, you might see rare Hawaiian monk seals, native nene geese, green sea turtles (poipubaygolf.com). The adjacent Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa offers special golf packages for guests (kauai.hyatt.com). 34 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
PRINCEVILLE MAKAI GOLF COURSE Nearly six years ago, a multi-million renovation reconfigured the greens from two 9-hole courses into one beautiful 18-hole course known as the Princeville Makai Golf Course. The Robert Trent Jones, Jr. designed course reshaped bunkers and added two new large practice tees. The 7,223 yard par 72 Makai Course’s signature holes includes the challenging par 3 third. Bali Hai and Hanalei Bay vistas provide golfers a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The golf club has a newly built clubhouse with large lanai where the Makai Grill is located, serving breakfast and lunch daily (makaigolf.com). Kiahuna Golf Club - Hole #13
KIAHUNA GOLF CLUB Nearly 32 years ago, the Kiahuna Golf Club opened as the first course located on the south shore resort area of Poipu. Since then it has undergone a renovation with added yardage. This Robert Trent Jones, Jr. par- 70 course pays homage to ancient Hawaii by incorporating a design around archeological and historical sites. Seven holes feature water hazards while a stream flows along the 12th fairway. Charming diversions include Joe’s on the Green restaurant for tasty delights (kiahunagolf.com). PUAKEA GOLF COURSE Imagine walking up to the first tee with a Pacific Ocean view in front of you and Mt. Haupu towering over you. It’s not a dream; this is Puakea Golf Course. Designed by Robin Nelson—Hawaii’s prolific golf course architect—the course plays around deep ravines and streams fed by fresh mountain rainwater. Bonus: This facility offers a complete schedule of clinics, private/group lessons. PGA professional instructors will help you master your game (puakeagolf.com). OFF COURSE Poipu’s sun-drenched strip of hotels on the southern coast offers the most man-made action on Kauai, and the widest range of accommodations. Poipu Beach-based Outfitters Kauai (outfitterskauai.com) will organize a hair-raising zip line tour that ends at Kipu Falls, where a rope swing sends you soaring 30 feet above a pond. On the North Shore, active types flock to this area for the two-hour hike along cliffs on the Na Pali Coast and take you from one breathtaking view to the next, eventually spilling out on Hanakapiai Beach. From there, it’s another two miles inland to gorgeous Hanakapiai Falls. Need more adventure? Then take a ride on a Blue Hawaiian ECO-Star helicopter, which boasts the only panoramic views of Kauai’s interior from every seat (bluehawaiian.com). • SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 35
The penthouse at Oyster Bay
The Penthouse at Oyster Bay is the premier unit at the Lighthouse at Oyster Bay Beach Resort. The unit features 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths and each with its own balcony. Each balcony slider folds completely into the wall, the screens retract fully as does the drapery making the opening to the room about 12 feet. The layout of the entire unit affords a vista from every room and you will love the quiet and privacy of this special location. Natasha Laurent | CIPS Sales Associate/Rental Specialist RE/MAX Island properties Cell: 721 524 0640 Office: 721 544 4580
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!
How to Beat Jet Lag
By Wendy Knecht
s a former flight attendant, one of the most common questions asked is, “How do you deal with all of those time zone changes?” It’s not easy. But I have developed my rules that seemed to have helped me overcome the worst side effects of jet lag. Although there’s no one panacea for everyone, a lot can be said about putting a few rules in place. WRIST CONTROL Change your watch to the local time of your destination before departure. Once you’re gone, that’s it—you have no choice but to adjust. Some may say it’s 9 PM at home, and noontime at your destination! A valid observation, but it’s just a source of frustration. There’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. So psychologically, just focus on the time zone at your destination. TAKE A NAP Once you arrive at your destination, do whatever it takes to get on a sleep schedule. As a rule, if you arrive at your hotel in the morning, you should most certainly indulge in a nap for no more than four hours. Forcing yourself to wake up can be the hardest thing, but "rest assured," you’ll be glad you did. You want to relax enough to be alert for the day, but still be tired enough to sleep at night. TAKE A WALK/RUN You’ll be so excited about being in a new place that it will be an easy effort to throw on your comfortable gear and get your blood flowing. Exposing yourself to the sunshine is to put your circadian rhythm flowing in the right direction. THE CLOTHESPIN CURE I promise this is the best advice you will ever receive. If you find yourself without a clothespin, a hair clip will suffice. Secure the drapes together to keep street/sunlight from entering the room. In desperation, you can manipulate one of the room chairs up against the curtain to keep them closed. Darkness is the best sleep aid, and early morning light can wake you up abruptly. Keeping the curtains shut will help you have the best chance of a good night’s sleep. CAFFEINE Drink coffee at the first possible moment when you arrive at your destination. That is, as soon as practical, if you are not napping or as soon as you wake up from your nap. Coffee is essential, so much so, I’m listing it before water. The worst, most insidious headache is caffeine withdrawal: a head-pounding headache that creeps up on you in the middle of the night in a hotel room. DRINK LOTS OF WATER The airplane environment is quite dry,
and can also be quite drying on your sinuses. Making sure that you stay well-hydrated is one of the best ways to avoid traveler’s headache as well. I am not against a glass of wine by any means, just make sure you don’t drink to excess (sip slowly!) and stay hydrated. The rule of thumb is six-to-eight ounces of water for every hour of flight time. And keep the hydration going once you arrive at your destination. FUEL UP Make sure you bring some of your favorite treats— small bags of nuts, protein bars, or buy a light snack along the way. Having snacks is essential to stave off hunger so you can wait until the local meal time. Whatever you do, take your mother’s advice: “Eat a little something.” SLEEP AIDS If you are not one of those people who can sleep anywhere, anytime, a bit of melatonin can make a difference. I prefer the “melts” or the liquid melatonin. In my experience, these work. For chronic poor sleepers, there are prescription drugs. Of course, don’t take anything without first consulting your doctor. Sometimes taking these at the beginning of the trip gives you a jumpstart on getting in the local time zone. GO WITH THE FLOW One important thing to remember is that it’s fine to skip a sight or an event in place of some much-needed sleep. It sometimes takes a day or two to adjust; some people have body clocks that change more quickly than others. If it’s 3 AM, and you’re wide awake and hungry, just go with it. Hopefully, your hotel has twenty-four hour room service or at the very least, a stocked mini-bar. Order that French onion soup, crack open a red wine, and put on the movie channel. Sit back, relax and enjoy. DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF If your trip is short, just a couple of days or so, don’t worry about adjusting to the time. Going to bed earlier, and waking up earlier—or vice-versa—keeps you right on schedule for your return home. There’s not enough time to adjust, and you will be better off in the long run. Disrupting your schedule just for a couple of days isn’t worth the trouble. All in all, these are savvy tips you can use to put jet lag in its place. However, an essential element of your success in dealing with it is not to give into it at all. Forge ahead, and enjoy the wonder of a new locale. You might just have to accept that you’ll be a little bit tired. Once you start to ensconce yourself in the wonderment of your surroundings, you'll forget you're tired. Or you'll just have to stop for a cup of coffee. • Wendy Knecht is the author of Life, Love and a Hijacking: My Pan Am Memoir. Visit her at WendySueKnecht.com.
SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 37
Grand Cayman
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www.theislandsclub.com.ky We offer 2, 3 or 4 bedroom suites, each with its own private patio or balcony overlooking world famous Seven Mile Beach. The Islands Club is located within easy walking distance of many fine restaurants, duty-free shopping, nightclubs, golf course, a large modern grocery store and water sports and activities. On the beach, large Casuarina trees provide shade from the sun as you relax in a lounge chair by the sea.
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Daniel J Bollinger. Commercial Real Estate Salesperson Azad Property Group Real Estate Editor New York Lifestyles Magazine For more information please contact. (718) 662-9493 Daniel@apgny.com
A Sporting Club… & So Much More! By Neal Sroka porting Clubs have long been one of the recreational pursuits of the privileged. Scenes of beautiful, well-dressed people running through the fields dressed in their designer best along with their even more beautiful dogs have filled the society pages for generations. That was then. Today, a new breed of the classic sporting club is becoming the trend, where shooting clay pigeons are important, but so is rock climbing, fly fishing, tennis, and golf. A prime example of this is under 2.5 hours from midtown Manhattan—The Preserve at Boulder Hills. Located in southwestern Rhode Island—just past the Connecticut State line— this retreat encompasses nearly one thousand acres right along Route I95; it’s approximately thirty minutes from Providence, oneand-a-half hours from Boston. Behind the gates sits a gorgeous private golf and sporting sanctuary dedicated to providing unique natural experiences to the exclusive few who choose to make this their home
40 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
away from home. The Preserve offers a wide variety of year-round activities in a secluded setting. A sportsman’s paradise, it features six stocked fly fishing ponds, five breathtaking waterfalls, and five rustic upland bird hunting fields nestled in a vast expanse of unspoiled natural habitat. When it comes to golf, veteran course developer and owner Paul Mihailides brought on the award-winning golf course architect Robert McNeil, to transform the rugged property into a worldclass 18-hole executive golf course, a sculpted work of art, carved out of the untamed beauty of nature. “The layout blends handpicked elements of the old course and the natural character of the site resulting in a routing that is meant to ignite a visual and strategic charge,” said McNeil. “When you think of Rhode Island, buffalo meandering in meadows is certainly not the first thought that comes to mind. Imagine eyeing a shot to a pin tucked on a high plateau protected by bulging rock and framed by meadow grasses when a group of bison passes along the high ridge in the distance!”
The property also includes clay and seasonal bird shooting fields designed by Jack O’Brian and Chris Batha. Other activities including rock climbing, camping, cross-country skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, mountain biking, swimming, tennis, zip lining, horseshoe pits, allow owners to enjoy outdoor recreation in a serene year-round setting. Due to its unique location and facilities, The Preserve has become the desired spot by brides and grooms who want to have an unforgettable dream wedding. The club boasts a professional food and beverage facility, and event planning providing outstanding cuisine and attentive service—all within a dramatically beautiful natural setting found nowhere else in the region. The Preserve at Boulder Hills is a tranquil retreat where homeowners can spend days enjoying the pristine wilderness of New England in a lush and unspoiled setting, and at night relax in their private lodge while experiencing world-class amenities at their doorstep. For more information, visit: ThePreserveRI.com • Neal Sroka is the founder of the Sroka Worldwide Team at Douglas Elliman Real Estate specializing in the global marketing of lifestyle development properties, SrokaWorldwideTeam.com. Contact him at SrokaTeam@Elliman.com.
SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 41
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The Kent – Exquisite Luxury
By Daniel J. Bollinger
he Kent is an Extell Development Company building located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan at 200 East 95th Street. From the two developments that I have seen I would say that Extell is among the top developers in New York City. I viewed the sales office of The Kent and from the model alone I can tell you The Kent is going to be an iconic architectural building in the years to come. The Kent offers 83 units ranging from 2-5 bedrooms of “refined magnificence and unparalleled design” in Art Deco-inspired architecture. The Upper East Side continues to be a coveted location offering access to the best schools in the city, many cultural institutions, restaurants, cafes, and shopping. It is also located conveniently close to the new 2nd Avenue Subway line which is slated to be completed December 2016 though of course this a government agency’s estimated completion date. There is plenty of wiggle room to coincide with The Kents’ 2018 occupancy schedule. The Upper East Side has not been overrun by chain stores (yet), walking along 2nd and 3rd Avenues you will still experience a “neighborhood” feel as there are many individually owned shops offering all the services you need. You also have the luxury of stores like Whole Foods being within close proximity. Some of the features that set The Kent apart from many other developments in the city are: Options ~ there is a degree of customization to personalize each residence including three 44 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
choices of kitchen cabinet color palettes, flooring options as well as a range of fine finish selections. Offering four and five bedroom units is rarer than many other developments that typically construct studio to three bedrooms. The corner location offers exceptional wraparound windows and views in select models. The layouts are thoughtfully designed. Most of the units are laid out in gallery style with the master bedroom set apart from the secondary bedrooms. The kitchen and family room is also laid out superbly with an open kitchen with chef ’s island which flows seamlessly to the family room. I love the size and scale of the “Great Rooms” (aka – living and dining room). They encompass roughly one quarter (25%) of the entire residences as they should since the “Great Room” is where families spend the most time together. Ten to fifteen foot ceilings create beautiful airy rooms and with floor to ceiling windows with oversized corner windows there is a plethora of natural light. The master bathroom exemplifies the superior design as it is literally draped in marble. Huge slabs of marble encompass the walls of the master bath and really reflect the “luxury” of The Kent. Some of the finer details of the master bath are in the technology and design. The five-fixture master bath, recessed cabinetry with integrated lighting, and a Kohler BubbleMassage Air Bath are impressive. The beveled edges on the custom double vanities impressed me. With the beveled edges you actually step into the sink instead of bending over to reach the faucets. The 21st-century toilet is ecofriendly with two flush options and a built-in bidet. Details such as these help define the exceptionally thought out design of these
residences. The Kent scores high in my “niche factor” rating as well. And what would an iconic luxury residence be without superior amenities? The Kent provides more than your usual host of amenities and also delivers each amenity to a higher degree. The amenities include The Lobby, The Drawing Room, an indoor pool, Camp Kent, The Garden Salon, and The Sound Lounge. The Lobby is an example of how Extell delivers even the most basic amenity of a building to a higher degree. The lobby has a double-height ceiling which overlooks the tree-lined 95th street. With beautiful Rosewood paneled walls, etched metal inlays, marble patterned floors and custom chandeliers you will know immediately upon entering that this is truly an iconic residence. The Drawing Room gives a proper first impression for residents to meet and greet guests with gold-leaf ceilings, a fireplace, and bar. The indoor pool is heated, luminated and a grand 55 feet. Camp Kent is a children’s paradise. The motif is “camping” and it is done playfully with a tree house, faux “campfire” with a picnic table and has an indoor and outdoor play area. The Garden Salon is another parlour for entertaining guests and includes fireplace, billiards table, library, and a catering kitchen which overlooks a courtyard garden. The most impressive amenity to me is The Sound Lounge. Designed by famed rock and roller Lenny Kravitz it includes a multisensory space for not only practicing musical instruments but also for screening motion pictures and includes a performance stage, a dance floor and multiple gaming consoles. I have only seen a music room in one other residence (138 Pierrepont Street). I am a huge fan of music rooms where children can practice their instruments in a quiet dedicated space with no distractions. The additional features of The Sound Lounge are just another example of how The Kent delivers a higher degree to its residences in all that they construct. The Kent is a superb residence that is setting a standard in luxury design and amenities. The price points for these residences are amazing for the product offered and the amenities that this building encompasses. This is definitely a value gem. If you want to see what defines luxury in New York City, you can find out more online at thekentnyc.com. •
SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 45
COLDWELL BANKER PREVIEWS INTERNATIONAL RYE P.O, NEW YORK
Fabulous light filled estate sprawling out on 2.2 acres comprised of a full tennis court, vast gardens wrapped around a beautiful outdoor pavilion and pool. Private gates open to a captivating Courtyard surrounding this contemporary 6 bedroom, 9.5 bath stately home. This one of kind home features unique architectural details at every angle.
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Enjoying Stratton, Vermont By Lyle Seltzer re you considering a permanent move to Vermont? If so, know that the Green Mountain state is the most exquisite, unspoiled piece of real estate in the U.S. Permanent residents are offered winter skiing, springtime blossom and greenery , summer hiking and water sports, and stupefying autumn foliage. It’s still primarily a rural state, and local lore has it that only recently have humans outnumbered cows. Vermont’s Holsteins seem more contented than bovines elsewhere—which is hardly surprising considering that they’re grazing near the Green Mountains.
One area prospective residents should explore is the luxury homes found within the Stratton community showcasing beautiful properties with views and, yet, with a short drive enjoy nightlife, great restaurants, and entertainment. It’s truly the best of both worlds. Because of its beautiful, mountainous terrain, Stratton is most beloved by avid outdoor-adventurers who are seeking the perfect location. Touring the stunning countryside and indulging in the state’s famous cheeses and maple syrup is just the beginning of your love affair with Stratton. •
Exquisite Str atton Vermont Home
Exquisitely designed home built with only the finest materials. Interior features include 5 bedrooms, 6.5 baths, 8,800 square feet of living space, 5 stone fireplaces, a care takers apartment, hot tub room, sauna, media room and wine room! Located on 18 private acres and bordered by thousands of acres of the Somerset Wilderness. Only 7 miles to Mount Snow, 9 miles to both Stratton & The Hermitage Club with Grout Pond recreational area just around the corner. Being Offered at $3,850,000. Adjacent to this is a 5B bedroom 4.5 bath, 5200 square foot home which can make this a premiere family compound for only $5,350,000.
183 Route 100, West Dover, VT 05356 | Office: 802-464-3055 / Fax: 802-464-2069 | Info@HermitageDVRE.com
Blue sky and golden trees (diptych)
The Expressive Artist: Jan Dilenschneider
By Patricia Canole
ome say art is a mirror. Some say it is decoration. To American Expressionist Jan Dilenschneider, it is the tool with which she can reach deeply into the viewer, make him think and react, and draw from her paintings a shared experience that transcends the material and temporal. “It’s how much I can get them to participate in that painting; how much I can get them to feel...,” the New York-born artist says. Dilenschneider, a city resident for more than 25 years, today takes cues from the inspiration-rich milieu of Long Island Sound in her waterfront home in Darien, Conn. Her studio, its glass walls inviting revelation from the confluence of land, sea and sky, is a window on the world, enriched by the energy and emotion she brings forth from canvas and pigment. In the short span of a few years, Jan Dilenschneider has gained notoriety in the art world, especially in Europe, where she exhibited 14 new works as part of her show entitled The Fourth Dimension, at the European Art Fair in Monaco in July. This 48 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
that exists already on the canvas, invite the viewer to participate emotionally through the depth and energy of the motion they convey. Dilenschneider employs gesture as an emotional beacon in many of the diptychs and triptychs she paints, noting that while these closely related series of two and three works can be hung together, they can just as well stand alone. Pointing to one diptych set, she notes, “Each has a gesture line, but not the same gesture.” She calls them “pairs” to indicate that each is complete and independent of the other. French newspaper Le Figaro wrote of her work in 2015, “She wields her brush with wild passion and tremulous elation, bringing trees, flowers, grass and reeds to calm, majestic life...The luminous Dilenschneider has placed landscapes side by side in what may or may not be diptychs – the viewer is free to decide. Indeed, freedom is the very theme that the artist has chosen to explore in her Paris exhibition following the January attacks.”
follows the prestigious Art Paris Art Fair, held this spring at the Grand Palais, where her works were shown by Galerie Pierre Alain Challier, which has hosted three Dilenschneider solo exhibitions in the summers of 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Following the European Art Fair in Monaco, Dilenschneider has been busy creating and selecting two dozen works for her exhibition in Old Lyme. Lieutenant River and Edgar Pond, both inspired by the local landscape, will be among them, as will Flora Against a Blue Sky. At least one of her commanding vertical triptych’s is also destined for the Sill House show.
“Pierre took a chance and gave me my first solo show in Paris,” Dilenschneider said, displaying the catalogs for her shows at the Galerie. “He has an incredible eye for the detail of the painting.”
In speaking about her paintings, Dilenschneider likes to quote Paul Klée, “One eye sees, one eye feels” – something that applies to the viewer as well as the artist, she feels.
In this country, she will exhibit October 7 through November 12 in a location vital to the history of American art, the Sill House Gallery at the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts, in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Old Lyme is known as the Home of American Impressionism.
“If you ask me the meaning of my paintings,” she said, “I don’t know. The only narrative is what the viewer brings to it. There’s a time at every exhibition when you have to speak about your paintings. I’m self-confident, and I have a lot to say. But if you could say everything, there would be no reason for the painting.” •
Dilenschneider has also shown her works at the Bellarmine Museum in Fairfield, Connecticut. Her connection with the viewer is a theme running throughout Dilenschneider’s work, whether capturing the kinetic frenzy of Superstorm Sandy on the Sound outside her home, or the placid floral beauty of golden lily pads in the Caribbean. It is also a defining element of her expressionism – her paintings go beyond representing an artist’s impression of reality, instead purposely enhancing it in a way designed to stimulate a response. “A good way to look at it is how can I excite someone’s eye,” Dilenschneider says. “The first is color. When I paint, I look deeply into the subject to see and experience the color.”
About Jan Dilenschneider After a successful career in New York with Estee Lauder and Revlon, Jan Dilenschneider returned to painting, selling her first canvas just three years ago. Since then, her studio doors opened to the world and she has had three successful solo shows in Paris at the prestigious Galerie Pierre-Alain, a solo museum show at Bellarmine Museum in Fairfield, Connecticut, and participated in ARTPARIS ART FAIR and European Art Fair in Monocao.
A wave of her arm calls attention to the waters of Long Island Sound out the window. “Some people look and say the water is blue. Some say green. But I see a lot of pink, and I would highlight that. Pink and green are complementary colors and that would excite.” “I will sometimes add color where it isn’t; I will paint green against the blue, highlight the purple,” Dilenschneider says. But just as important as the color is its application. “The other major thing is gesture,” she says. Dilenschneider approaches a canvas boldly, holding that the initial stroke of hand is key to the connection it will ultimately make with the viewer. “I make it a strong, emotional gesture,” she says. And indeed, the tools that she uses beyond the brush – sometimes a squeegee, sometimes her bare hands and forearms covered in pigment – to add color here and remove it there, to create a new texture atop one SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 49
Coco Bay Cottages - Green Turtle Cay - Abaco - Bahamas 3 options to purchase a sea to sea property. Opt 1 - Bayside - 3 cottages - 2bd, 2bth - 2 bd, 1bth - 1bd, 1bth - rec room- 165’ on Coco Bay - 0.856 acre. 1.4M. Opt 2 - 3 Atlantic beachfront homes starting at $899,000 - 3 bd, 2 bth - 3 bd, 2bth - 4 bd, 2.5 bth. Opt 3 - Entire Estate - dock . Possible Yoga retreat - bonefishing camp or private residence. Deeded Dock. Tax Breaks. Negotiable. #GTH1255
Serenity Bluff - Great Guana Cay - Abaco - Bahamas Custom CBS, 4 bed, 4 bth on two levels, 4,948 s.f. Immaculate, turn key, custom home, two living spaces with full kitchens and on both levels. Lower used for vacation rental, private deeded dock with lift, generator. Golf cart garage, workshop. #GTH1181 $1,050,000
Bluff Point - Green Turtle Cay - Abaco - Bahamas 2 bed, 3bth, 2,033 total s.f. inclusive of outside decks. 1,078 finished s.f., 132 s.f. gazebo, separate workshop. All set on a amazing 2 acre sea to sea waterfront property. 1,078 linear ft of Sea of Abaco frontage, 360’ Bluff Harbour frontage. Deeded 90’ dock. 1970’s era estate.
Turtle Cay House - Green Turtle Cay - Abaco - Bahamas Located at Leeward Yacht Club, spacious Key West style harbour front home. 2,442 sf under air, 3 bed, 3.5 bth, 1491 sf of wrap around covered decks over looking the 91’ private boat dock. The house is equipped with 240 sf golf cart garage. The land comprises of 11,202 sf or 0.257 acre with 66.15’ direct harbour water front. Turn key, great rental history. Pool, bar, tennis, prop. mgr. #GTH1252 $1,250,000
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Tel/Fax: (242) 365-4648 - Cell: (242) 577-8511 e.mail: cplummer@abacocaysrealty.com
www.AbacoCaysRealty.com
Saddle River, NJ
La Maison deRêves The House of Dreams
Gated, palatial estate on a 2 acre private enclave. Hand cut exterior stone facade, slate roof, copper enhancements and incredible architecture. Handcrafted woodworking throughout. Elevator, custom mahogany windows, custom home automation, pool, spa and pergola. Price upon request.
Saddle River, NJ Pool& Tennis $1,649,000 Brick colonial with elegant woodworking and great flow for entertaining. 6 bedrooms, vaulted family room with fireplace. Exterior amenities include a pool, cabana & tennis court. Multi-million dollar supporting value in immediate area.
Saddle River, NJ Prime Resort Setting $3,395,000 Grand Estate boasts exquisite finishes and superior craftsmanship. Library, private den and banquet-sized dining room. Gourmet kitchen, luxurious master bath & lower level all recently updated. Stone veranda, tennis court, pool & spa.
Saddle River, NJ Simply Elegant $3,495,000
Saddle River, NJ Brand New Hamptons Style
Incredible brick manor on 2 prime acres. 6 bedrooms, 7.2 baths, 5 fireplaces, fabulous woodworking and 5-car garage. Elegant stone veranda, heated pool & spa and lushly landscaped setting. Sought after multi-million dollar Fox Hedge area.
Sleek and stunning stone and cedar colonial at the end of a country lane in a 2 acre cul de sac setting. 6 bedrooms, 6 1/2 baths, theater area, wine tasting, elegant woodworking, wrap around mahogany porch, and more! Move right in!
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Every Home is Special to Us . • VICKI GAILY, REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® • MARKETING DIRECTOR
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The Grand At Sky View Parc
By Daniel J. Bollinger
op on the No. 7 subway to Main Street, Flushing and you’ll be whisked into a frenzy of Chinese, Korean, Thai, and other Asian dialects. Here is Queens, New York. What used to be an enclave of mostly Irish, Italian, German immigrant families is now home to Little Asia noted for its incredibly inexpensive restaurants offering everything from dim sum to eclectic dishes that will impress. It is also home to The Grand at Sky View Parc, the second phase of Sky View Center, the largest mixed-use development in Flushing, Queens. The development comprises three luxury glass towers containing 750 units housing studio-to-four bedroom residences which offer sweeping views
of the Manhattan skyline. There is no lack of transportation near The Grand: It’s a few steps to the No. 7, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), and major highways. This prime location is also close to some great parks and sporting institutions including CitiField, Flushing Meadows Park, and Arthur Ashe Stadium which hosts the U.S. Open. All this, plus minutes from LaGuardia Airport. Yes, Flushing is the place to be! The residences at The Grand at Sky View Parc shine with simple elegance: sleek lines and minimalism create timeless, classic interiors. Open kitchens with breakfast counters, gallery style layouts with floor-to-ceiling windows create modern, spacious apartments. Adding to the amenities, The Grand spares no expense
with Scavolini cabinets, Grohe faucets, Kohler tubs and Bosche appliances like a washer and dryer. Under cabinet lighting helps define the simple elegance these residences encompass. California Closets offers discounted closet customization for condo owners. Every unit has a glass balcony (corner units have wrap around balconies), so there are never-ending panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline. Sky View is a mixed-use development. Onex has built the residential portion of this development on top of a 785,000 squarefoot mall called Sky View Center. Sky View Center houses some large retailers including Target, BJ’s Wholesale, Nordstrom Rack, and Bed, Bath, & Beyond to name a few. But Sky View Center also has some stores that add to this community’s diversity including Sky Foods, a 33,000-square-foot Asian supermarket carrying many imported delicacies. Not to be overlooked are Flora Sweet House, Fay Da Bakery, and Coco for a large selection of sweets, smoothies, teas, and juices. All of your shopping needs are met right at the base of your residence. Another feature of The Grand is that you have private access to the mall via a keyed elevator.
peaceful, serene atmosphere. It is a rooftop oasis far above the dense, bustling atmosphere of Flushing. There is a reason why sales were strong in the first phase of this project. A selfcontained community is a rare find in New York City, especially of this scale and size. The quality of the design and construction, the magnitude of shopping right at your doorstep, the number of amenities offered—it’s a rare gem. The Grand at Sky View Parc is located at 40-26 College Point Blvd., Flushing, NY. You can visit thegrandsvp.com to learn more about the residential condos; visit skyviewparc.com to find out more about the development. •
Speaking of conveniences, Sky View offers six acres of rooftop space which houses a dog run, children’s playground, outdoor kitchen, barbecue grills, and a yoga studio. Also offered are two full-court tennis courts, a running track, and an outdoor swimming pool— not too many developments can boast these features. Still want more? They also have The Grand Club which consists of a fitness center, spa, and a residential lounge. Onex put equal emphasis on Life and Style in designing these amenities. For those whose lifestyle includes staying fit there are many activities available. Another unique comfort is private residential valet parking. After a day of shopping, who doesn’t dream of dropping your packages with a 24-hour concierge—and have your car parked, too? Helen Lee, Sales Director for The Grand, points out this six-acre rooftop amenity park is nearly silent—showcasing an almost SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 53
The Next Generation of Gluten-Free Eating By Emily Costa t’s become quite commonplace to see most restaurants and grocery stores offering gluten-free pasta. Makers of glutenfree items have become creative, using ingredients such as quinoa, corn, brown rice, chickpea flour and other items for a variety of delicious pasta for all to enjoy. For those who have chosen a gluten-free diet with the idea of eating lower carbs or losing weight, take a closer look. Let’s not just blindly switch over our pantry from “regular” items to “glutenfree” items. As with any diet, it’s always good to think about what you’re eating! After making a quick side-by-side comparison of quinoa-corn pasta next to semolina flour pasta it was found the gluten-free version was higher in carbs and lower in protein; not by much, but facts are facts! For those suffering from Celiac disease, gluten-free pasta is a necessity, but for those of us in search of a lower carb option, allow me to introduce veggie noodles. For purposes of this article, I’m focusing specifically on noodles made from zucchini. Gluten-free eaters can also enjoy the benefits of zucchini noodles and change things up a bit. To make these, all you need is a medium-sized green zucchini and a spiralizer. Veggie spiralizers are available in almost any kitchen supply store. You may be wondering “how do I transform zucchini into pasta?” Trust me, it’s easier than you think, the spiralizer is just about as simple to use as a potato peeler! To make one serving the prep time is less than five minutes. No exaggeration. Also, there’s no need to boil it—just toss in the pan with whatever topping you prefer. Let’s make a quick comparison of one serving of zucchini noodles, quinoa-corn pasta and semolina pasta. 54 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
Zucchini Noodles
Quinoa-Corn Pasta
Semolina Pasta
6 grams of Carbohydrates
46 grams of Carbohydrates
42 grams of Carbohydrates
33 Calories
205 Calories
200 Calories
Zucchini noodles can be enjoyed with marinara, pesto, or any other sauce that would normally be paired with pasta. My favorite is making an organic ground turkey Bolognese—it pairs wonderfully with the noodles. Mushrooms can easily replace ground turkey for vegetarian/vegan eaters. In comparison to other types of pasta, this is essentially guilt-free. No need for excessive measuring or portion controlling. Also, that uncomfortable feeling you experience after a huge bowl of pasta is mostly non-existent when you swap out old school spaghetti with veggies. Another bonus to making this switch is that all of the calories you are saving can be put towards some healthy gluten free treats. But that’s another discussion we can have next time! Stay up to date with My Sister’s Chef via social media (we’re on Instagram). We conduct cooking classes, on-site private parties, and cater corporate events. Our vision is to provide healthy food for everyone, regardless of his or her dietary limitations! Visit us at mysisterschef.com. •
Everyone Needs a Pediatrician No Matter Your Age! By Jamie Leigh Wells, MD, FAAP s a medical expert, I can attest pediatricians are the best. Full disclosure: I am a pediatrician. Since I believe in transparency and champion the phrase hypocrisy is my favorite, know that I am (and am not) biased. The world would be a happier and possibly healthier place if no one aged out of their pediatric provider. With that said, by the end of this article, you will appreciate why college students (and their families) so cherish this invaluable relationship and often fight the discharge from care. Additionally, you will be convinced, at the very least, no matter if you are 28 or 88 that befriending one may not necessarily secure longevity, but will certainly enhance your well-being, empower you to advocate for yourself, and assure you are seen as a whole person. Having a child is the grand equalizer. This fact traverses socioeconomic strata, ethnicities, sexual preference, gender identity, age at first parenthood and so on. Whether a CEO or circus performer from the USA to Bhutan, becoming a parent carries a weight of worry that was not previously known. These days, in the adult medicine world, allegiance to the primary 56 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
care physician can be fleeting with insurance changes and expanding regulations. It’s quite the opposite in pediatrics. With every patient, we garner at least an entire family. If they like you, then they do their best to remain. It is a tremendous responsibility and privilege to assume this role. It shapes the child’s lifetime view of health care and its delivery. If a parent trusts you with their child, then they tend to seek your guidance in their own, their spouses and extended families medical decisions often before consulting or proceeding with the recommendations of their actual physician! Often, they express the desire for you to become their doctor too. It is common for us to enter a patient’s sphere before delivery. It is our job to know struggles with infertility, eventful births, uneventful pregnancies and inheritable conditions. Mom and dad’s history is baby’s history. It is an era of “firsts” that we experience together. We know the first growth spurt—an inevitable reality for most patients. First successes and failures. First triumphs and losses. First puberty, periods and sexuality discussions. College admissions. Discoveries of one’s passions. We are present for all of the major milestones. We function from a place where all decisions are based on the best interest of the child. It allows adolescents, in particular, to have an objective third party in navigating challenging periods with parents. A third party that encourages
their autonomy as they mature to become self-reliant, adaptable and independent adults. A giant misperception about pediatrics is that we are exclusive baby doctors. Not so! To a significant degree, children can get what adults get. Personally, I trained at a Cystic Fibrosis Center where I cared for 30- and 50-somethings admitted to the pediatric ward since adult doctors were less knowledgeable of the ailment. Before treatment advances, those with this genetic malady didn’t survive into adulthood. We are experts in the development of all life stages from embryologic in the womb through the continuation of adolescence into young adulthood. Some pediatricians specifically continue in fellowships to shift their focus exclusively to neo-natals or young adults, but this is why when you are at your pediatrician’s office one room has a micro-premie while another is occupied with a 6-foot 4-inch college defensive linemen. As it happens, one office might cut off patients at 18, another at 22. This is typically a result of the hospital affiliation as the policies deviate between facilities. Continuity provides the highest quality of care. If a pediatrician admits a patient to a hospital where after midnight on his 19th birthday he is taken to the adult floor, then it is quite common the doctor cannot formally manage the patient in-house as he/she has privileges that only cover the pediatric floor. Therefore, his office may cut off at 19. Adolescence continues until the mid-twenties, in some instances even beyond. This is when bone density peaks as well as brain development transitions. Most groups tend to treat through college as this is a period of significant change. We are the stability in that change. In general, young adults tend not to seek medical care but are more inclined to go where they trust. They find comfort in the staff, the surroundings, the history of pranks pulled, laughter and tears shed. It is a community. Plus, even the few who were over being around babies and wanted to go to an adult doctor repeatedly returned when they realized hugs, lollipops, and handholding with shots were not the norm. Ultimately, this segment begged the most not to be kicked out at 22. Grownups are frequently resistant to change and less at ease with ambiguity and facing the unknown, should kids be any different? For the most part, however, the conversation regarding replacement occurs between patient and
doctor years before it takes place. Individual recommendations are offered to suggest who might be a good fit. But, despite the fact the Affordable Care Act allows children to remain on their parent’s insurance through 26, not all healthy young adults want to or can see certain providers. If they are at ease, then the option should exist as long as the doctor possesses the requisite expertise. Otherwise, they just won’t go. The adult health care system cannot immediately compete with the bond formed over years with an individual’s pediatrician. Many patients have wanted and continued to stay once they have had their children. I have signed yearbooks. I’ve been the talk of “My Doctor is Better than Your Doctor” Facebook feeds—only for the litany to discover they shared a physician. Attended surgeries to assuage fears. Dropped by birthday parties, celebrated Sweet 16’s, and done home visits. I’ve seen top executives out-debated by teenage sons and daughters. We hold their memories, witnessed panics, ridiculous scenarios, and accidents of all types while also consoling after traumas. We have a lot of patience. We know that we can cure an illness. Our training is about solving root problems, genuinely seeing the entire patient and discovering ways to facilitate the thriving of a family. I saw my pediatrician and pediatric dentist through medical school. I even tried to age-down at my final dental visit, unsuccessfully. Later in life, when I enforced the patient cut-off policy as a pediatrician, we further bonded over our mutual efforts to hold on and cajole. Bottom line: If you aged out and can’t see one, befriend one! I am currently the “unofficial” pediatrician of a few geriatrics and contemporaries. Additionally, if you don’t mesh with your doctor, then find one with whom you do. Only then will it be a therapeutic relationship that enhances and augments your life. • Jamie Leigh Wells, MD, FAAP is a Yale educated, Board Certified Pediatrician with over a decade of experience caring for patients. Follow her on Twitter @jamiewellsmd and check out getwellsmd.com. SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 57
The Key To Healthy Aging By Mark Menolascino, MD
ealthy aging is more than just looking good. Wellness is not just lack of disease and anti-aging is not just living to 120 years old! Optimal aging is achieving your best by age 50 and staying there. No longer be satisfied with the slow decline to the nursing home. My goal is to be hiking and skiing in Jackson Hole with my grandkids at age 90. Today, it’s possible to get a 360-degree look to optimize aging using personalized, precision medical testing; assessing nutritional deficiencies; toxicity; and hormone balance. So just how do we do this? Recently, knowledge of the interaction of your genetics and biochemical pathways for nutritional optimization, as well as toxicity damage or susceptibility, has opened the door to what may be the keys to aging well. I stress caring for the body using an inside-out and outside-in approach. By assessing the genetic vulnerabilities in each of us that cause free-radical damage to occur, we can better tailor our nutritional needs—both by food and dietary supplements. Called epigenetics, it speaks to how we can turn on healthy anti-aging genes by our lifestyle and food quality choices. Naturally, we can also make poor decisions and turn on “bad” genes that drive and accelerate aging pathways. We can learn how toxicity uniquely affects us so we can avoid it and shore up our defenses to not let oxidative stress do damage to our skin, our eyes, our brains, and hearts. At the end of the day, aging is truly about inflammation driving the oxidative damage, and we want to target any and all pathways to reduce that harm. It’s the key to looking good as we age as well. The ultraviolet damage and toxic damage we get from stress and environmental pollutants take a toll on our skin and the more we can do to protect this important layer—the largest organ in our body—the less it will age. There has been much written on hormones for men and women, particularly bio-identical hormones. Many people have benefited
from hormone therapy, and the real question to ask is why were the hormones low in the first place? By evaluating nutritional deficiencies, particularly vitamin D, we can provide an environment in the body for production of optimal hormones. Don’t forget: vitamin D is not a vitamin, it is a steroid hormone and every cell in the body needs vitamin D. Yes, it is good for your bone health, especially in women, yet may be more important for brain, heart, and immune health. Current recommended levels, in my opinion, are too low, and my recommendation is to search out a Functional Medicine Physician who can look at you in a personalized way and optimize your nutrition, reduce any deficiencies, get your systems back into synch so that you may not need hormones. Some people, however, do benefit from hormone therapy and each situation needs to be personalized and optimized with the lowest dose for the least amount of time to provide the best advantage; it’s my hormone therapy mantra. For the anti-aging benefits all around and in particular the skin one of my favorite foods is tomatoes and for nutritional supplements is lycopene. It’s the most potent free-radical scavenger to reduce oxidative stress throughout the body. For our skin, it acts almost as sun block from the inside. Lycopene also has benefits to the heart, and when combined with lutein, it appears to reduce macular degeneration to protect from the aging effects of vision loss. Lycopene also appears to have an anti-cancer effect with studies suggesting it may reduce prostate cancer. Also be sure to use very high-quality nutritional supplements. While high quality targeted nutritional supplements are very helpful, don’t forget to let food be your medicine as well and include 6-to-8 different colors of the rainbow in fruits and vegetables daily. • Dr. Mark Menolascino is key medical opinion leader at Lycored (lycored.com).
SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 59
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Fit Fun
By Cecilia Ruane
f the thought of warming up and working out leaves you cold, you’re not alone. When it comes to exercise, it’s hard to get and stay motivated. So we gathered the best information on how to perk up your workout routine. GET SET Don’t grab your gear and go just yet; do a little planning. First, set goals that are challenging but attainable. Understand the process of getting fit, so you don’t get discouraged and quit! Remember, you didn’t gain 50 pounds in three weeks, and you’re not going to take them off in three weeks either. Next, pick a specific time to exercise each day and stick to it. No matter when—morning or evening—you schedule your workout, treat it seriously. Finally, make sure you have a plan of attack, so your time at the gym is well spent.
JOIN A GROUP If exercising as part of a pair doesn’t boost your stick-to-itiveness, check out your gym’s schedule of classes, which can incorporate cardio or weight training into such activities as dancing, boxing or martial arts. In a class setting, you feed off the energy of others. You can also find group support through an exercise club. The Internet is a great resource for finding clubs in most cities, whether you want to run, swim, or walk. Most clubs will offer a training program for your fitness level and keep you committed and on schedule. GET OUTSIDE Of course you needn’t coop yourself up in a gym to get a full-body workout. Hit the trails with five-pound dumbbells and do strength exercises while you hike. If you’d rather gaze at the mountains, than climb them, you might like yoga. Not only does yoga allow you to chill for an hour, but it also makes the body look leaner, lighter and more toned.
CONSIDER A TRAINER Personal trainers aren’t only for the rich and famous. Signing up for a session or two with someone who will give you a new fitness plan can prove invaluable if you’ve been slacking off for too long. In fact, a trainer can help jump-start your workouts by assessing your level, teaching you proper training techniques, and showing you how your fitness should proceed. If paying for even half the cost of a training session seems like too much of a splurge, you can still join forces with a friend—it may be enough to keep you both on track.
Varying the kinds of exercises you do and the order in which you do them also keeps your workouts fresh, meaning you probably won’t be tempted to give up so easily. And in the end, isn’t that what turning flab into fab is all about? •
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Skincare for this Season By Dr. Doris Day s we move from summer to fall, it’s important to take stock of your skincare and diet routine to make sure you look your healthy best. When it comes to the skin, there are no shortcuts: beautiful skin means healthy skin which results in a healthy you. Autumn is my favorite time for skin health. The weather is starting to cool off from the summer’s high temperatures but not close to the winter lows. The days are still long but the sun is not quite as glaring, and the harvest foods are at their peak— which means we can feast on healthful foods for the skin. For optimum skincare results, review the products you’re using. As you know, in the summer you need to upgrade your sunscreen and downgrade moisturizers from creamy to lighter lotions or even gels. However, now that the weather is getting drier and cooler, it’s time to revert slowly to richer moisturizers at night since you lose more water from your skin while you sleep. You may also consider exfoliating more often since skin cells can slough off a little slower in the cooler months. Ingredients to look for skin perfection include Hyaluronic Acid and Retinol. Many people make the mistake of stopping the 62 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
use of Retinol in the summer thinking it makes them more sun sensitive. In reality, it’s fine to keep using year round, as long as you use sunscreen, which should be an automatic reflex every day of the year. If retinol has not been part of your routine, it’s time to consider making it a regular. It’s at the top of my favorite ingredients list because the more we know about it, the more we learn about the benefits. It’s one of the most highly studied and scientifically evaluated ingredients available with a fifty-year history of data. One of the more common myths about Retinol is that it thins out the skin. With the proper concentration and formulation, it makes the deep layer of the skin (where your collagen lives) thicker resulting in firmness giving skin a more youthful look. It also helps normalize skin cell turnover so those pesky dead skin cells sitting on the surface, called the stratum corneum, naturally slough off more appropriately. When the skin cells pile up on that outermost layer, they make the skin look dull, and make wrinkles appear deeper. By using Retinol regularly, your skin will be smoother giving it a more radiant, younger feel. Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is another ingredient that has excellent skin benefits. It is naturally found in your body and about 60 percent of the body’s Hyaluronic Acid is found in the skin. It has the
crucial job of holding water. When you drink water, the HA in your skin absorbs the water and gives your skin resilience. Aging and sun damage deplete HA, resulting in skin losing elasticity and looking saggy. Applying it to the skin will serve to improve hydration, however, it will not reach the deeper layers. For that, it is recommended you see your dermatologist who can advise you on such products as Voluma, Juvederm, and Restylane among other brands.
• Tomato Red is best, and it’s packed with lycopene. Lycopene can be very helpful in eliminating the skin-aging free radicals caused by ultraviolet rays. The good news is processed tomatoes are just as potent as fresh ones. So bring on the tomato sauce!
Don’t discount the importance of feeding and nourishing your skin from the inside. Everything you eat and drink has an effect on your skin, for better or for worse. Here are some of my top favorites for the skin:
• Pomegranate This is my favorite fruit. My dad used to buy it by the case when I was a child and we would roll and squeeze the fruit to soften and help the juice leak out of the seeds without breaking the shell. We would then make a hole in the fruit and drink fresh pomegranate juice every day while it was in season. This fruit can reduce your risk of most cancers. It contains polyphenols called ellagitannins, which give the fruit its color and which have unique protective and rejuvenating effects for the skin. • Sweet Potato This is one of the healthiest foods on the planet. It even counters the effects of secondhand smoke. It has nutrients like glutathione, an antioxidant that can enhance nutrient metabolism (think of it as a battery recharger) and immune system health. It’s also high in vitamin C, which helps smooth out wrinkles by stimulating and supporting collagen production. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggested that volunteers who consumed four milligrams of C (about half a small sweet potato) daily for three years decreased the appearance of wrinkles by 11 percent.
• Pumpkin This is not only good for carving and celebrating Halloween, but it can also help your eyesight, reduce your risk of cancer, lose weight and rejuvenate your skin. It has key ingredients like vitamin A, beta-carotene, and potassium, especially in cooked pumpkin And it contains an amino acid called Tryptophan which is essential for the production of serotonin (the happy hormone), so you will feel as good as you look. • Artichoke This is a fiber-rich plant that has more magnesium and potassium than any other vegetable. It leaves are rich in flavonoids and polyphenol antioxidants which help reverse damage from pollution and ultraviolet rays. It’s also packed with vitamin C. And, it’s fun to eat! Every season has its unique benefits to make you look and feel your best. Enjoy the season! Dr. Day, a dermatologist, is affiliated with NYU Langone Hospital.
SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 63
Easy Go-To Recipes... By Shari Bilt Boockvar, MS, RDN oes this sound like you? Your life has become so hectic that you frequently turn to a frozen entree or take-out for a quick meal. But is it satisfying? Probably not. But continuous meals such as this can not only be costly on your wallet—but health as well. So what’s the solution? As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, I am going to share my quick and easy “Go-To” recipes when there’s little time to cook. Most of these items you may already have in your kitchen or pantry! Just follow my simple formula, and you will be on your way to a tasty and nutritious meal.
SLIDER BAG MEAL You will need gallon-size plastic slider bags (like Ziploc or Hefty). • 1 lb. raw lean protein (chicken, shrimp, sirloin, tofu) • 4 cups fresh vegetables (if you like garlic, add lots of cloves) • ¼ cup olive oil • ¼ cup Parmesan or other grated cheese • Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, to taste • Optional: 4 cups cooked whole wheat pasta or other whole grain Make It Place protein, veggies, and olive oil into the bag and shake. Pour into a baking dish or pan. Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 to 30 minutes, tossing halfway through. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to oven and bake an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Gently stir and top with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve on top of whole grains, if desired. Makes 3 to 4 servings.
SUPER-SIMPLE PROTEIN SMOOTHIE You will need a blender like Vitamix or Nutribullet. • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt • 1 Tbsp. nut butter (peanut, almond are good.) • 1/2 to 1 cup frozen fruit • ¼ cup water • Optional: 1 Tbsp. cacao powder and/or handful of spinach Make It Blend all ingredients for about 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour into a cup and enjoy. Makes 1 serving.
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OLIVE OIL SPRAY MEAL You will need a large roasting pan or cooking sheet. • ½ to ¾ lbs. of raw lean protein (such as fish or chicken breast) • 2 cups fresh vegetables (such as zucchini, tomatoes, sliced onions, and mushrooms) • Olive oil spray • Garlic infused olive oil • Salt and pepper • Optional: ¼ cup crumbled cheese such as blue or feta Make It Spray roasting pan or baking sheet with olive oil. Place protein in pan/sheet and arrange vegetables around protein. Spray entire meal with olive oil. Broil for about 15 minutes, then toss vegetables. Continue to broil for another 10 minutes or until protein is thoroughly cooked. If desired, add crumbled cheese on top and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Top protein with veggies, drizzle with garlic olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 2 servings.
AVO-EGG-PROTEIN BALLS A tasty meal eaten alone or paired up with your favorite salad. • 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped • ¼ avocado, mashed • 1/8 to ¼ pound fresh sliced turkey breast, chopped • Garlic seasoning salt Make It Place all ingredients in a bag or bowl and mash together. Form three golf-sized balls. Sprinkle with garlic seasoning salt (or other desired seasoning). If desired, place on top of your favorite salad. Salad dressing optional. Makes one serving. • Shari Bilt Boockvar, MS, RDN is a nutritionist in New York and the tri-state area. She specializes in nutrition counseling and consulting for weight control and fitness and can be found blogging on her favorite products and recipes at: Facebook: NutritionShari, Instagram: NutritionShari2 NutrifactsForYou.com SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 65
The NY Hotel Where Sleep Is The Defining Luxury By Jessica Shepherd MD, MBA emember the commercials with someone falling back into a bed with fluffy pillows? The aftermath is supposed to be a long, peaceful sleep. Unfortunately many Americans do not get enough sleep. Sleep allows our brains to recharge and our bodies to rest and when we lack sleep we miss out on the benefits and also suffer from muscle repair and memory consolidation. Working and taking care of our families, friends, careers can often lead to sleep deprivation which affects memory, judgment and mood. And what about our health? Studies have shown that chronic sleep deprivation can contribute to obesity and high blood pressure. Stress levels also interfere with getting the amount of sleep needed to be in the best possible health.
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Kimpton Hotel Eventi in New York City has now taken the steps to make sleep a priority and partnered with the NYC Sleep Doctor, Dr. Janet Kennedy, Ph.D. She is a clinical psychologist and founder of NYC Sleep Doctor, a consultation and psychotherapy practice dedicated to treating sleep problems in toddlers and adults, she has been featured on Dr. Oz, CBS4 News, CBS This Morning and has
been quoted in Elle, Self, Shape, Men’s Health, Weight Watchers, Parents Magazine, NY Press, Redbook, Real Simple and the Encyclopedia Britannica website. This location of the Kimpton Hotel Eventi offers a “Sleep Soundly in the City Package” which allows you to enjoy sleep aiding amenities including calming room spray, soothing Atelier Bloem bath products, a plush eye mask, a sound machine, a choice of foam or feather pillow and exclusive tips from Dr. Kennedy to help you fall and stay asleep in the city that never sleeps. Guests can book the package by emailing packages@kimptonhotels.com. American adults report sleeping an average of 6.7 hours a night — less than the minimum recommendation of seven to nine hours. One of the sleep tips from Dr. Kennedy’s is “If you have been lying awake in bed for 20 minutes, get up”. Tossing and turning leads to frustration, which leads to wakefulness. Do something to distract your mind: reading, deep breathing exercises, crossword puzzles, coloring books, and even watching mindless television until you feel very sleepy. Then go back to bed. So when traveling for business or pleasure why not bank on getting a good night’s sleep. If you’ve ever found sleeping in a hotel bed tricky, this new sleep package may be just what you need to snooze soundly. •
Kimpton Hotel Eventi 851 Ave of the Americas New York, NY 10001 (212) 564-4567 www.hoteleventi.com SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 67
Photos by Rey Rosa Photography
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Fish Tales From Grand Central
By Patricia Canole
here is no place better to welcome travelers and commuters to the Big Apple than the gorgeous BeauxArts complex known as Grand Central Terminal. For the past century, the 44 platforms (the most of any train station in the world) have kept New Yorkers and visitors rolling in and out of Manhattan, with an estimated 750,000 commuters walking through its storied halls each weekday. Take a few minutes to glimpse this architectural wonder. While much of the 70-acre building seems like a throwback, it was considered a technological accomplishment when it opened 103 years ago as the first ever all-electric structure in New York. As you walk along the main concourse, stand near the iconic Terminal Clock and gaze up at the cathedral-like ceiling and admire the constellations. There’s much more to appreciate at Grand Central than clocks and stars! Deep in the belly of this station is the Oyster Bar—New 70 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
York’s seafood destination since 1913 (it opened the same year as Grand Central Terminal). Here is the place to experience the pleasure of fresh, unadorned seafood, such as lobster with drawn butter, grilled herring in season and, of course, oysters. The Oyster Bar was originally designed by Rafael Guastavino and was then as it is now, grand and magnificent, accented with arched vaulted ceilings covered in terracotta tiles. Because of the look of the space and the glamorous nature of the terminal, it didn’t take too long before the Oyster Bar soon became the most popular lunchtime eatery in New York City, serving all varieties of raw oysters and clams and became famous for their oyster pan roasts and fish stews. As the years passed, the Oyster Bar remained the place to be seen for travelers and Midtown workers, but eventually, the terminal and all that went with it fell into decline. By the 1950’s longdistance took a back seat to air travel, and plans eventually arose
to destroy the terminal and turn it into an office building. Decades later, with demolition looming in the ‘70s, the terminal was saved by activists—led by Jackie Kennedy Onassis—who succeeded in getting the station declared a National Historic Landmark in 1975. Throughout the good times and bad ones, too, the Oyster Bar has withstood the test of time. Today, the kitchen is led by Sandy Ingber, who began as a fish buyer and promoted to executive chef in 1996. During this period, Ingber says there was an increased interest in the oyster. “Suddenly we went from 8-to10 varieties to 30 almost overnight!” Ingber says. Meanwhile, when he began his tenure as executive chef, he made many menu changes scaling down the expensive items and halting their weekly fish and vegetables from overseas. “It was wonderful to have them but very costly.” He started adding new specials and struck gold with the lobster roll, still a bestseller. Ingber is still the number one fish purchaser and goes to Hunts Point every morning at 3 AM to select the freshest seafood from around the world. His keen eye and expertise have garnered him the reputation for getting the first catch of the season—from wild salmon to soft shell crabs. “Our loyal guests look forward to having seasonal seafood specialties as soon as they are available,” says Ingber. “Our seafood lovers want them at any cost, and I know I can get them what they want.” Step into the Oyster Bar today and incredible aromas of cream, spices, butter and seafood entice diners. The Oyster Bar offers a vast selection of the freshest and most seasonal seafood available, including 20-to-30 varieties of oysters daily. Other specialties include made-to-order seafood chowders, stews and pan roasts, and exquisite house-smoked salmon, trout, and sturgeon. Try one of the timeless classics like Arctic Char Filet with Red and Black Caviar and Beurre Blanc. You won’t be disappointed. Another crowd pleaser is the Cajun Grilled Louisiana Catfish with Bourbon Pecan Butter and Blue Corn Bread. If you’re dining solo step up to
the lunch counter and opt for a Whole Maine Lobster Roll with Cayenne Mayonnaise. Beyond the lunch counters can be found The Saloon where you’ll find Alex Dimitropoulos at the helm. Going from the equivalent of the second lieutenant in Greece to bartender at the Oyster Bar is an unlikely career path. Although he’s commanded his station at The Saloon with military precision for the past 38 years, Dimitropoulos displays a rather non-military character as he doles out advice and friendship to an ever-growing client list. “I always tell people to try to be happy,” he says. “Do everything in moderation.” Quite a change from his earlier life. After serving in the Greek military, he knew he wanted more. He came to America and his relationship with Oyster Bar soon began; the first 15 years was employed as a waiter and substitute bartender. Eventually, he was offered a full-time bartending spot in the bustling Saloon. He’s been a fixture there ever since. Dimitropoulos has become so wellknown, that out-of-town customers greet him by name as they settle in for a drink and sampling of oysters. Dimitropoulos has his memories: Hollywood’s elite including Robert DeNiro and Martin Scorsese have passed his way for a plate of Orient Points, Blue Points, or other raw selections. He favors sweet over savory oysters and makes sure his customers enjoy them with cocktail sauce and a dash of lemon. “I just love oysters,” he says. Certainly, Dimitropoulos may have been the second lieutenant in the Greek Army, but ask anyone who frequents The Saloon at Oyster Bar. He’s the major general of this iconic restaurant. And that isn’t about to change anytime soon. For more information on the Oyster Bar, visit oysterbarny.com. • SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 71
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Raising the Bar
By Denise Mattia
ith warm weather upon us, seasoned New Yorkers have been enjoying longer days at food festivals, outdoor performances in the park, and al fresco dining on rooftops. From trendy hot hotel perches to low-key people-watching hideaways, let’s take a tour around Manhattan for the best roof bars that are as unique in atmosphere as their location. Breathtaking views are only some of the perks you’ll find while you’re on top of the world.
THE PRESS LOUNGE AT THE INK48 A gorgeous 360-degree vista of New York as far as the eye can see mesmerizes most who call on this inviting garden space. Trees, plants, and a contemporary fireplace are on rollers and can be moved around to add ambiance and privacy for weddings and events, and an entire section can be closed off by a glass-paneled garage door during winter. Megan Boledovich cares for the foliage and hydroponic towers on the lounge and is the forager who purchases ingredients from local farms and regional suppliers. Signature cocktails are cleverly named for typographical fonts. Try the favorite; the Rockwell mixed with bourbon, ginger carpano Bianco and grapefruit juice. There is a good selection of wines by the glass and beers. Assorted Salumi plate, farmstead cheeses, hummus, olives, and nuts make up the small bite menu. Like the lounge, the Print restaurant is casual and elegant and specializes in a farm-to-table menu. The Press Lounge at the Ink48 Hotel 653 Eleventh Avenue 212-757-2224 thepresslounge.com SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 73
AZUL ON THE ROOFTOP AT THE HOTEL HUGO Colorfully painted walls with images of Cuban entertainers like the DeCastro Sisters and revolutionaries like Che Guevara and the gigantic water tower that stands at the bar greet guests as they enter this popular Soho hotspot. Open during warm weather months, Azul on the Rooftop features a breathtaking 360-degree view of New York’s Lower Manhattan as well as the iconic Empire State Building. On Sunday evening the Grupo Irek Cuban band is the crowd pleaser, as is the powerful Mojito, the Moonshine Negroni, and the Giggle Juice. Bocaditos (tiny sandwiches) are served from 5 to 11 pm as well as guacamole & chips, homemade soft-shell corn tortillas, and the lounges own Pico De Gallo & chips (salsa with fresh ingredients). Be sure to check out Bar Hugo located one floor below to enjoy its open terrace ambience and refreshing breezes. Azul on the Rooftop at The Hotel Hugo 525 Greenwich Street 212-608-4848 azulrooftop.com MR. PURPLE AT HOTEL INDIGO Passing oversized artwork created by Lee Quinones, the legendary subway graffitist, visitors ascend 15 floors and one flight up to Mr. Purple. The chic, lofty-look is evident by the use of wood, concrete, metal pipes and glass globe lights. The skyline is the art. The wide bar, tables and the contemporary leather banquette in the spacious room offer a view of the East Village. During warmer months, open doors lead to a narrow terrace where purple tables and chairs suit intimate gatherings. Lounge chairs, a bar, and an outdoor pool adorn the west side of the building. The famous Mr. Purple cocktail is created with Casamigos Reposado Tequila (George Clooney and business partner Rande Gerber’s creation in 2012), cranberry liqueur, allspice dram, apple and lemon. Beer on tap and bottles also available as well as sparkling wines by the glass or bottle. The extensive bar menu suits all tastes. Hummus, salads, burgers and flatbreads are featured. Try the specialties that include crispy fried calamari and tuna tartare with radish and harissa, served with wonton chips—all spectacular. Mr. Purple at The Indigo Hotel 180 Orchard Street 212-237-1790 mrpurplenyc.com 74 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
THE ROOF AT THE VICEROY HOTEL Located on the 29th floor of Midtown’s Viceroy Hotel, is The Roof, which offers movers and shakers spectacular views and a chance to unwind. Caramelcolored wood and leather define the space. Images by Montauk photographer Dalton Portella adorn the interior walls. The Roof ’s terrace is open year round. The menu features an extensive list of small-batch spirits, regionally brewed craft beers and global wine offerings. Rooftop Lemonade with Belvedere vodka, fresh squeezed lemonade and cucumber is the favorite summer thirst-quencher drink. The small plates include a delicious avocado toast with chili, lemon, and olive oil. The Roof at The Viceroy Hotel 124 West 57th Street 212-707-8008 theroofny.com
THE MET ROOF GARDEN CAFÉ & BAR When opened in 1987, critics deemed the bucolic setting, which overlooks Central Park, a detraction from the art. Still, this rooftop bar has become a popular favorite among those meeting for an after-work drink and light fare. Premium spirits and specialty cocktails like the ever-popular Cucumber Mojito are favorites. New on the drink menu is Red Barn Sangria, inspired by the latest rooftop installation, by Cornelia Parker, of the classic red barn and the Bates family’s sinister house from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. The Crime of Passion cocktail is fast becoming a favorite, too! Wines by the glass, beer, and spiked soda along with salads and sandwiches are also available. If you are a culture aficionado, meander through the exhibitions beforehand to fully appreciate all this museum has to offer (a suggested donation for admission). The Met Roof Garden Café & Bar 1000 Fifth Avenue 212-535-7710 metmuseum.org • Denise Mattia is a New York City-based writer and editor of Yum-Yum-Traveler.com. SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 75
Move Over Cannes
By Norah Bradford
he Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is the leading public film festival in Canada screening 300 films from 60 or more countries every September attracting global attention. The 2015 festival ran for ten days screening some two hundred and eighty-eight features. The red carpet was star studded and included A-listers Jennifer Aniston, Kurt Russell, Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves, Liam Neeson, and Mila Kunis promoting both the film industry and their projects. This 2016 Festival will feature new films from Bryan Cranston, James Franco and Jennifer Garner not to mention 2015’s local Canadian breakout star, Jacob Tremblay; it will open with Antoine Fuqua’s The Magnificent Seven and will close with The Edge of Seventeen. Since 1994, the TIFF organization has been led by Calgary-born Director & CEO Piers Handling. Under his stewardship, TIFF has grown into a major event in the global film festival calendar. He has also sat on the juries of film festivals across the globe. The TIFF organizers announced new additions to this year’s gala with a special presentation to include Cranston and Garner’s Wakefield, about a man who hides in his garage attic after suffering a nervous breakdown. Cranston also appears in In Dubious Battle, directed by James Franco concerning California migratory workers who rise against the landowners in a wage dispute. The cast includes Vincent D’Onofrio, Selena Gomez, Ed Harris, Sam Shepard and Robert Duvall. Canadian JacobTremblay follows up his star-making turn in Room 76 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
If You Go, Here’s Where To Stay: Shangri-La Hotel 188 University Avenue 647-788-8888 shangri-la.com/toronto The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Toronto 181 Wellington Street 416-585-2500 ritzcarlton.com The Four Seasons Toronto 60 Yorkville Avenue 416-964-0411 fourseasons.com/toronto
While Visiting, Here’s Where to Dine: Woods Restaurant 45 Colborne Street 647-490-2407 woodsrestaurant.ca 309 Dhaba Indian Excellence 309 King Street West 647-490-2043 dhaba.ca
Sigourney Weaver in (Re)ASSIGNMENT with Jordan Roberts’s Burn Your Maps, about an eight-year-old boy who thinks he is a Mongolian goat herder. The film also stars Vera Farmiga and Virginia Madsen. The Canadian film (Re)Assignment, directed by Walter Hill, is a revenge tale about a double-crossed assassin featuring Michelle Rodriguez and Sigourney Weaver. Potential Oscar contenders are jostling for position in the special presentation section. The category includes: Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival Garth Davis’ Lion (from the Weinstein Company) Jeff Nichols’ Loving J.A. Bayona’s A Monster Calls Mira Nair’s Queen of Katwe Lone Scherfig’s Their Finest Nate Parker’s The Birth of a Nation Damien Chazelle’s La La Land Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals For more information about the Toronto International Film Festival contact TIFF Bell Lightbox (888-599-8433, tiff.net). •
Brassaii 461 King St. West 416-598-4730 brassaii.com
Bryan Cranston in Wakefield
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Punk Rock Is Alive and Well Article and Photos by Denise Mercedes, Jeannie Pawlowski and Richie Realms arlier this year, Queens Museum was the host of the spectacular 40th Anniversary of the Ramones, and they’re self-titled first album which forever changed rock music and pop culture. The lifetime retrospective at the Queens Museum was a collaboration with Ramones Productions, Inc., JAM, Inc., and Silent Partner Management and showcased an extraordinary collection of archival memorabilia of every aspect of the band’s career. For the uninitiated, the Ramones were an American punk rock band formed in Forest Hills, Queens in 1974. They are considered the first group to define the punk rock sound. Although none of them were related, they adopted pseudonyms ending with the surname “Ramone.” They performed over two thousand concerts, touring virtually nonstop for 22 years. Then, in 1996, after a tour with the Lollapalooza Music Festival, the band played their farewell concert and disbanded. For those who missed the exhibition in NYC, the Hey! Ho! Let’s Go: Ramones and the Birth of Punk will be presented again on the west coast at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles from September 2016 through February 2017 (grammymuseum.org). Visitors to the Queens Museum exhibition were also treated to an exclusive Punk & Metal Flea Market. The one-day affair on June 25th brought artists, designers, and the like who all share a love of punk rock and who mirror the spirit of the music. The MUSICREALMS artists and designers are part of the upcycle movement; that is recycling usable items and re-fashioning them to various degrees—giving new life to the right things that might otherwise be discarded and stylishly turning them back into art.
Amanda K/Spotted Skin Designs This ubertalented jeweler features a selection of dazzling cameos and other miniature, animal-skull themed pendants. Dancing Pegasus, noble cats, a seated horned devil on his throne— and many other fantastical creatures adorn each elaborately framed wearable piece. In the artist’s words: “The rock & roll in our souls is only complemented by the heavy metal in our blood, and our works reflect this in subtle and not so subtle ways.” The once acclaimed German jewelry designer-sculptor-artist Axel met Amanda when she was a tattoo artist in 2002. He became her mentor, passing on his masterful techniques and tradition. Alex’s work can be seen in Guns & Rose’s November Rain video. As his protégée, Amanda continues the work, expanding her horizons in jewelry making and small sculpture. Info: SpottedSkinDesigns.com; Facebook.com/ SpottedSkinDesigns; Twitter and Instagram SpottedSkinDesigns Monica Rakocy and Michael Elardo/Rude Girl They put a totally bizarre and unique twist—with a wicked and highly irreverent sense of humor—on home goods and décor. These artists work with repurposed and upcycled items implementing wild decoupage techniques that mainly are incorporating early punk and hardcore flyers wildly affixed to their giant human-sized mannequins and large dog mannequin sculptures that also serve as standing lamps. These artists integrate a completely new imaginative expression to mannequins, large prayer votive candles, grandma’s china, and more. Monica is a college professor at an Upstate New York fashion school. She also embellishes tea sets and fancy dinnerware that one would not find in Martha Stewart’s china cabinet. Michael is a lifelong punk-hardcore enthusiast and historical archivist of the genre who helped create their unmistakable signature style in decoupage. He is always on the lookout for vintage flyers from that era. Info: Facebook.com/RudeGirlDesigns, Instagram.com/RudeGirlDesigns Shelby Cobra/Vicious Vesture Her mission is to help change the fashion industry through upcycling and hopes to see more independent designers thrive rather than just the mass production of “fast fashion”. She attended The Art Institute of Philadelphia and in her first year of college, enrolled in a fashion history course and learned about British Punk culture. That late ‘70s decade impacted her like a bolt of lightning. Shelby launched her company in 2013 immediately after graduation. As an upcycle artist-designer with a socially and environmentally conscious ethic, she believes using vintage and recycled clothing equals recycle-reuse-reborn and is
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her fashion approach. Ms. Cobra has custom outfitted members of Philadelphia’s Mananandgal, a death metal band, and Blend Mode, an Electronica group. Info: Facebook.com/Shelby.Arata, Instagram.com/Vicious_Styles Jahnny Vommit At 23, Jahnny is a spectacularly creative and busy artist-cartoonist—and rock singer—with brash humor and a bursting youthful energy. Educated at Fashion Institute of Technology and a School of Visual Arts graduate, Jahnny successfully merges her graphic images with razor sharp wit, charm and abandon. She began by making T-shirts in high school. Inspired by the Archie comics of her childhood, Jahnny has specialized in becoming a talented alternative cartoonist and illustrator. Her Special From Satan cookbook—a thin, collectible limited edition gem contains recipes with hilarious comments and advice, lifestyle, and grooming tips. Each page is illustrated from a folio of celebrity pictures Jahnny found in the street—which inspired the little book. She enjoys creating limited editions of “random collections of things”. Jahnny also creates the artwork for her Brooklyn-based band Heavy Negative in which she is the vocalist. Info: JahnnyVommit.com, JahnnyVommit.Storenvy.com, Facebook.com/HeavyNegativesBand Jenn Cortes/Alternate Empire Art She is a painter and mixed media artist with a BA in Studio Art and Art History, CUNY Hunter College. She specializes in stunning miniature framed paintings, many of them being tiny and glorious portraits of birds, animals, and creatures of her imagination which can also be worn
as jewelry. They are reminiscent of the pre-age of photography miniature portraits carried by loved ones for remembrance sake. In the artist’s own words: “My artwork is an act of reflection. I enjoy being absorbed in every detail, as it serves as a meditation for myself. I adopt themes used in religious art and combine that with the precious nature of biological specimens. When I began doing smaller works, I realized that they could be worn. Much like some jewelry, it is precious and alluring to the viewer and the wearer. Info:JennCortes.com Bubba and his friend Bubba/Lucky’s Unique Antiques Their interior décor creations have an almost prehistoric yet stylish and contemporary feel with their otherworldly version of home goods, bone-related sculptures and other appropriate oddities. A skillfully designed standing-upright goat skeleton lamp demanded everyone’s immediate attention. Only the boldest of customers of this “shock furniture” would venture to invite more reserved relatives over to the house for supper. Info: Instagram.com/LuckysUniqueAntiques, 215-278-5714 or 609-222-1550 Jonelle Greene This highly energetic and focused upcycle young designer, specializes in bleached apparel and home décor design. Jonelle is an artistic Bronx native who is a graphic designer and a professional design consultant; she recently returned from an assignment in Abu Dhabi as a high-level corporate arts event planner. Jonelle formerly worked as a screen printer in Philadelphia, but moved back to New York. Since 2013, after creating some of her first upcycled pieces involving bleach and hand-dyeing processes, she loved that the experiments with bleach created new forms with each textile experiment. She took some classes at Mood, the hit TV show Project Runway fabric supply shop to augment her skills. Jonelle revamps sweaters into clever pull-on hats and reinvents plaid shirts by bleaching them out for a new modern-day look with added materials stitched on for detailing. Info: Etsy.com/shop/FREELoadApparel The creative artists MUSICREALMS featured here are keeping true to their individual visions; most have also made upcycling the foundation of their expression. In their own way, these people are reinventing DIYPunk by breathing a new and exciting life into it for new generations to understand, appreciate and enjoy. Denise Mercedes is the founder/guitarist of The Stimulators and artist endorsed by Hagstrom Guitars of Sweden. She’s also the former lead guitarist of Girls Girls Girls (2006-2016) and Bible Black NYC. An original project in the works. Jeannie Pawlowski is staff writer of MUSICREALMS and has been published in New York Natives. Her early photos of the Bad Brains was most recently on exhibition in Subliminal Projects Gallery’s Banned in Babylon: The Art and Culture of the Bad Brains, Los Angeles, CA. Event organizers: Marielle Rebecca and Erin Terror For future events of NY Punk Rock- Heavy Metal Flea Market, please check their social media sites. Facebook: www.facebook.com/NYpunkmetalflea Instagram: NYpunkmetalflea Email: punk.metal.flea@gmail.com • SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 79
Culture On A Budget By Clint Brownfield
planning.
ew York is the undisputed cultural capital of the world and, here’s the good news--you can see lots of things around town for little cost or totally free if you do a little
Can’t find or afford a ticket to Hamilton? Well, you can visit his nifty little mansion—Hamilton Grange in St. Nicolas Park—for free. It’s one of 10 national parks and historical sites in the city, and all of them are free, except for, technically, the Statue of Liberty. There’s no admission charge, but you do have to pay to get there. Go to nps.gov for more information. And remember, the National Park Service is celebrating its centennial this year. Enjoy! Continue your Hamilton exploration by visiting the Museum of the City of New York and the New York Historical Society—lots of Hamilton, and more, at those gems. More Hamilton, at no charge, waits at the very beginning of Wall Street, way downtown, where tours are offered free at Trinity Church and its cemetery where Hamilton and his wife Elizabeth are laid to rest. Hamilton died on July 12, 1804, in a house on Greenwich Street, one day after his unsuccessful duel with U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr in Weehawken, NJ. Elizabeth lived until November 9, 1854, and is credited with founding New York City’s first orphanage. For tour times and information go to trinitywallstreet.org. Moving on uptown, and into to the Gilded Age, you can get an eye-opening glimpse of how the one percent lived at the turn of the last century. Visit The Morgan Library, The Frick Collection and the Cooper-Hewitt where JP Morgan, Henry Clay Frick, and Andrew Carnegie hung their hats and lived amidst their spectacular collections of art, objects, books and manuscripts. All can be viewed free of charge or on a pay-as-you-wish basis during certain times of the week. Today, New York continues to add to its cavalcade of culture. 80 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
Example: The High Line, the amazing elevated park that runs from 34th Street on the north end, down to Gansevoort St., on the south end. There is no charge to walk the High Line—but you may want to get off once in a while to get a closer look at what’s below. Stroll down 10th Ave. past the Clement Clarke Moore Park at West 22nd Street. Moore is widely credited with penning the poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. The little park/playground is located on a former farm purchased by Clement’s grandfather, Captain Thomas Clarke, in 1750. A retired officer of the British Army, Captain Clarke named his property “Chelsea” in reference to London’s Royal Chelsea Hospital for old soldiers. His daughter and son-in-law extended the acreage to what is now formed by West 19th St., Eighth Avenue, West 24th St., and the Hudson River. And that’s how the area got its name. One of Moore’s ancestors was rector of Trinity Church. On July 12, 1804, he was called in to administer the final rites to a man who was dying from wounds received as the result of a duel the day before. The dying man was Alexander Hamilton. The High Line ends (or begins) at Gansevoort Street in the West Village’s Meatpacking District, where you’ll find the spectacular Whitney Museum of American Art—the Renzo Piano-designed masterpiece that opened in May 2015; it’s considered the new home of this longtime staple on the American art scene. Friday evenings are pay-as-you-wish. The Whitney’s former building at West 75th Street and Madison Avenue is now home to the Met Breuer. As you plan your cultural budget for this coming fall, do remember, that even ‘big box’ museums such as The Met, the American Museum of Natural History and the Brooklyn Museum, which are all pay-as-you-wish, need all the funding they can get. So be as generous as possible. Consider becoming a member to receive additional cost-cutting benefits. For example, members of the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens not only get to enter free but they also get to attend a phenomenal amount of movies at no additional charge. Check it out. In all cases, contribute as much as you can, so New York City can remain The Culture Capital of the World.
Below is a sampling of New York’s cultural gems and what they have to offer to those on a budget. This information is subject to change, so log on or call to make sure places are open when you would like to attend.
Guggenheim Museum, Fifth Avenue at 89th St., Manhattan. Adult Admission: $25. Free Admission: Saturday, 5:45-to-7:45 PM; pay what you wish. Last ticket issued at 7:15 PM. Membership begins at: Global $75, includes admission to Guggenheim, Museums in New York in New York, Bilbao and Venice. Individual membership $85; 212-423- 3500; guggenheim.org.
American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St., Manhattan. Adult Admission: Suggested $22, pay as you wish. Membership begins at: $105; 212-769-5100; amnh.org.
Whitney Museum of American Art, 99 Gansevoort St., Manhattan. Adult Admission: $22 online, $25 day of admission. Free Admission: Fridays, from 7-to-10 PM, pay as you wish. Membership begins at: $85; 212-570-3600; whitney.org.
Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave. Queens. Adult Admission: $15. Free Admission: Fridays, 4-to-8 PM. Membership begins at: $75; 718-777-6800; movingimage.us.
New-York Historical Society, Central Park West at 77th St., Manhattan. Adult Admission: $20 Free Admission: Friday 6-to-8 PM. Membership begins at: $90; 212-873-3400; nyhistory.org.
Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn. Adult Admission: Pay as you wish. There may be an extra charge or fee to enter special exhibitions. (Check the website for details.) Membership begins at: $75; 718-638-5000; brooklynmuseum.org
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Fifth Avenue at East 91st St, Manhattan. Adult Admission: $16 online, $18 at the door. Free Admission: Saturdays from 6-to-9 PM pay as you wish. Membership begins at: $75; 212-849-8400; cooperhewitt.org.
Museum of the City of New York, Fifth Avenue at East 103rd St., Manhattan. Adult Admission: Suggested $14. Pay as you wish. Membership begins at: $75; 212-534-1672; mcny.org.
Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd St., Manhattan. Adult Admission: $25. Free Admission: Friday nights from 4-to- 8PM. Membership begins at $85; 212-708-9400; moma.org.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fifth Avenue at East 82nd St., Manhattan; Met Breuer, Madison Ave. at East 75th St., Manhattan; Met Cloisters, Fort Tryon Park, Manhattan. Adult Admission: Pay what you wish; Suggested admission for one adult, $25. Free Admission: Whatever you pay, that amount will let you enter all three Met locations, that day, at no additional charge. Membership begins at: $80; 212-535-7710; metmuseum.org.
The Morgan Library & Museum, Madison Avenue at East 36th St, Manhattan. Adult Admission: $20 Free Admission: Fridays from 7-to-9 PM. Admission to the McKim rooms only (Mr. Morgan’s Library, Study, Rotunda, and Librarian’s Office) is free during the following times: Tuesday, 3-to-5 PM; Friday, 7-to-9 PM; Sunday, 4-to-6 PM. Membership begins at: $75; 212-685-0008; themorgan.org
The Frick Collection, Fifth Avenue at East 79th St, Manhattan. Adult Admission: $22. Free Admission: Every Sunday from 11 AM to 1 PM. Membership begins at: $75; 212-288-0700; frick.org.
National Parks and Historic Sites Adult Admission: Admission is free to all ten parks in NYC. Noteworthy: Seniors may purchase a $10 ticket that will allow entry to all national parks free of charge, nps.gov. • SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 81
Stories Connect Us
By Joan Bauer
ear Mrs. Bauer: My teacher says we have to write to a living author and I’m hoping that you qualify. Nobody gets fan mail like a children’s and young adult author. I’ve been writing novels for young readers for over twenty years. A good part of most days, I look out my studio window in Brooklyn and try to think like a kid. It’s a crazy thing when you, an adult, seek to find the voice of a young person. Not just voice, the voice of angst, hope, humor, resilience, despair, anger, irritation—all the emotions kids experience. Adults have these feelings, too. Kids want what we want—to be loved and heard and cared for and celebrated and affirmed; to know there are people we can trust, no matter what. I try hard to create characters young readers will connect to. At a book signing, a girl said, “Mrs. Bauer: I just want to say—I always thought you’d be younger.” It took me a week to get over that, but once I did, I knew it was a compliment. I well remember when I was a nervous new writer hiding in the teacher’s lounge of a school where I was about to speak. The principal’s voice blared over the loudspeaker: “Students, please make your way to the auditorium for our special assembly...” I looked at myself in the mirror and gulped. Me? An assembly?
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“And let us not forget what happened last time,” she warned. “That behavior will not be tolerated.” Maybe I could hide in the stall. A knock on the door. The parent volunteer said, “Third-period assembly has the tough kids. We should get there first.” She was right about the tough kids. The thing was, I loved them! It’s such a colossally challenging world, but young people need stories. When I visit schools, I embrace my inner Oprah and go into the audience with a mic, and oh, these kids love to build characters from thin air. What kind of family is this character from? What’s he good at? What’s her dream? What’s the hardest thing he’s facing right now? Sometimes they sit on the floor when we do this character development exercise. Sometimes I don’t always pay attention when I move through the crowd which explains the email I got from a student. Hi Mrs. Bauer: It’s me. The boy you stepped on. Remember? Kids have stories packed inside them. Adults do, too. We are natural storytellers; it’s in our DNA. We meet at this beautiful threshold. Stories saved me when I was a young person. They gave me hope in the midst of my alcoholic dad’s struggles; they helped me see that people go through tough times and keep going. They gave me role models, like Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird;
“plus a war to focus on, plus the world was watching, and...” I lay in bed thinking about my grandmother. She never said, “I’m going to tell you a funny story,” she’d just tell a story and always found a way to poke fun at herself. She showed me the difference between laughter that hurts people and laughter that people can share. I wondered what she’d tell me now. Who showed up with a message was Ellie, a fictional teenage character elbowing her way through my creative soul. I could almost hear her talking—crazy, I know—and thought, well, I’m recuperating from intense trauma, on pain killers, and having characters show up might be what happens. Ellie didn’t go away. She was all the things I’d lost. She was funny and confident; she had a big dream. Ellie was going for it.
they made me laugh and cry and cheer. My grandmother was a professional storyteller and the greatest source of inspiration in my life. She always told me, “When you tell a story, always aim for the heart.” I didn’t start out writing for young adults; I wanted to be a standup comic, a comedy writer, a screenwriter. I took a screenwriting course with the great Ann Loring at the New School, and was swept into her weekly Friday night screenwriters group that met in her East Side apartment. That’s where I learned the number one rule of writing: Write when you feel like it, and write when you don’t. That’s where one night, Ann raised an eyebrow and said to me, “I think your screenplay’s going to sell.” She was right, almost. That screenplay was enough to get me a contract with a big New York talent agency. Four days after signing, however, I was in a car accident that injured my back and neck and required neurosurgery. I was a mother with a young child. My husband was wonderful, but I couldn’t focus. I couldn’t write. I couldn’t sit at my desk. Dreams have to adjust sometimes, but how do you change a dream so integral to who you are? In my early freelance days, I wrote magazine articles (for little money) on parenting. My desk was in the hall, and my baby Jean lay on a blanket on the floor next to me. When my writing was bad, I’d rip it out of the printer and hand it to her. “Bad paper,” I’d say as Jean ripped the paper to shreds. She had the soul of a writer. My husband showed me a quote from Winston Churchill: Never, never, never give up. “Churchill had a staff of people,” I mentioned,
I sat at my desk in so much pain; I could hardly stand it. But I began to write Ellie’s story, and as I did, I started to laugh. It was an amazing struggle, but I’m happy to say the laughter won. Ellie Morgan of Squashed put me on the long road back to wholeness. I learned to write young adult fiction, but I learned something deep about humor, too. It heals. Squashed won the Delacorte Prize for a First Young Adult Novel, and I was on my way. I began to explore the well of teenage and middle-grade voices that surprisingly were inside me. Teachers were teaching my books, and awards were coming—the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature, the Golden Kite Award, the Newbery Honor Medal, a lovely parade of state honors, the ALA’s Schneider Family Book Prize, two Christopher Awards. I’ve written thirteen novels for young readers. My latest, Soar, might be my favorite. It’s about a boy with a heart defect who loves baseball, but can’t play the game. In the midst of a sports scandal, he steps forward to help a town and a team get back in the game. I try to write with a mother’s heart, my grandmother’s hope, a young person’s passion, an eye out for teachable moments, and with all the truth that I can muster. I hope the result is that my books help kids find the hero they’ve got inside. When dark days come, I try to go back to that impossible time when everything hurt and laughter came in like fresh water to heal it. • New York Lifestyles is proud to announce Joan Bauer as a regular columnist starting in next month’s issue. She’ll be sharing everything and anything to do with books and reading. SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 83
On the Big Screen By Pat Collins
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Release: September 23rd Oscar winner Denzel Washington, star of more than 40 movies, has never appeared in a Western until now. He reunited with his Training Day director Anton Fuqua to play a bounty hunter and the outlaws’ leader Sam Chisolm. The film, which like the 1960 version with Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen, was inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai. Denzel, Chris Pratt, and Ethan Hawke are three of the seven hired by a young widow seeking revenge for her husband’s murder. The film will be released in conventional and IMAX theaters.
SULLY Release: September 9th Two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks adds another hero role to his filmography as Captain Chelsey ”Sully” Sullenberger. In January 2009, Captain Sullenberger, the pilot of a USA Airways Airbus landed a disabled plane in the frigid waters of the Hudson River. The lives of 155 passengers and crew were saved in what the New York media described as “the Miracle on the Hudson”. Director Clint Eastwood based his film on Sullenberger’s autobiography Highest Duty. Aaron Eckhart plays co-pilot Jeffrey Skiles and Laura Linney co-stars as Sullenberger’s wife, Lorraine. 84 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
THE BEATLES EIGHT DAYS A WEEK Release: September 15th Fab Four fans rejoice! Ron Howard’s documentary which covers the years (1962-1966) when the band circled the globe had the full support of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Olivia Harrison and Yoko Ono Lennon. One of the many nostalgic highlights is 30 minutes of the Beatles 1965 Shea Stadium concert. Two days after its theatrical release the film will be available on the streaming service Hulu.
DEEPWATER HORIZON Release: September 30th Director Peter Berg’s film is based on a New York Times article about the 2010 oil rig explosion off the Louisiana coast and the subsequent environmental disaster. Mark Wahlberg who starred in Mr. Berg’s Lone Survivor has the lead role as Mike Williams, one of the heroes who worked on the doomed rig.
MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN Release: September 30th Jacob Portman (Asa Butterfield), an American teenager grieving the loss of his beloved grandfather, unexpectedly finds adventure on an island off the coast of Wales. The island is inhabited by children who possess unusual powers such as invisibility, superhuman strength and controlling fire and air. Eva Green as the titular headmistress, who can transform into a peregrine, relies on Jacob to protect the orphans in her care whose lives are in danger. All adventures depend on a memorable villain and with Samuel L Jackson as the evil Barron, the movie has one of the best bad guys on the big screen this fall. Tim Burton’s highly anticipated movie is based on Ransom Riggs’ 2011 best seller which captivated young readers and older ones as well. The other grownups in the cast are Judi Dench, Allison Janney, Chris O’Dowd and Terence Stamp.
NEW HOME VIDEO RELEASES September 6th Money Monster Love & Friendship American Crime Story: The People Versus O.J. Simpson September 13th Captain America: Civil War The Conjuring 2 The Big Bang Theory: Season 9 September 26th Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows Free State of Jones Pele: Birth of A Legend
About Pat Collins
BRIDGET JONES’S BABY Release: September 16th Twelve years have passed since Bridget (Renee Zellweger), and Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) embraced in the dull sequel The Edge Of Reason. In the intervening years, Bridget achieved success in a new career as a television news producer. Her personal life, however, is upended when she receives the surprising news that she is pregnant. Is the dad her ex or her current lover, a successful American business person played by Patrick Dempsey? Hugh Grant said no to reprising his role.
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. SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 85
September Broadway Reviews with Pat Collins
THE CHERRY ORCHARD First Preview September 15th/Opens October 16th The divine Diane Lane has the pivotal role of Madame Ranevskaya in a highly anticipated revival of the Chekhov classic. Coincidentally Ms. Lane made her stage debut in the same play at age 12.The setting is the family’s estate in Russia where she and her relatives have gathered to discuss how to save the property from foreclosure. Ms. Lane’s stellar supporting cast includes three Tony winners: Joel Grey, Chuck Cooper, and John Glover. Steven Karam whose brilliant The Humans won the Tony in June for best play, adapted The Cherry Orchard for the Roundabout Theater Company’s production. The RTC offers a package deal for its three shows. You can buy tickets for The Cherry Orchard, Holiday Inn and Arthur Miller’s The Price for $277. For more information, visit roundabouttheater.org.
BLACK TO THE FUTURE September 12th-October 10th The Daily Show alum and King Of Rant, Louis Black, offers his take on the 2016 Presidential race and other provocative current events in his one-man shows at the Marquis Theater. Mr. Black appears on Monday nights when the cast of the hit show On Your Feet has the night off.
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS October 9th is the date the cast of the romantic musical bids “au revoir” to Broadway. The sublime production with a George and Ira Gershwin score received four Tony awards. A trip to the Palace Theater is the best alternative to a holiday in the City of Light—and a lot less expensive.
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HOLIDAY INN In Previews/Opens October 6th “White Christmas” and “Easter Parade” are among the memorable songs in Irving Berlin’s Oscar-nominated score. The musical at Studio 54 is inspired by the 1942 Bing Crosby-Fred Astaire movie about two buddies who convert a farmhouse into an inn and stage spectacular musicals. Bryce Pinkham who earned rave reviews for A Gentleman’s Guide To Love and Murder leads a cast of 27 including Lora Lee Gayer, Megan Lawrence and Corbin Bleu who starred in Disney’s High School Musical.
THE FRONT PAGE First Preview September 20th/Opens October 20th Good news! Nathan Lane is back on Broadway as ruthless Chicago tabloid managing editor Walter Burns in a revival of the 1928 Ben Hecht-Charles MacArthur comedy. Mad Men’s John Slattery plays his star reporter Hildy Johnson who plans to quit the rough-andtumble newspaper business, marry his long patient fiancée and begin a new life. The escape of a prisoner on death row and Burn’s persuasive powers lure Hildy back to the newsroom to pursue the big story. John Goodman, Jefferson Mays, Robert Morse, and Sherie Rene Scott costar. Jack O’Brien directs. The popular comedy was previously restaged in 1946, 1969 and 1986 and was made into a 1974 movie directed by Billy Wilder and starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.
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FALSETTOS First Preview September 29th/ Scheduled Opening October 27th Christian Borle, who earned Tonys for Something Rotten and Peter and the Starcatcher plays Marvin, a bisexual New Yorker dealing with his ex-wife, their teenage son, and the wife’s new lover who is also her psychiatrist. The revival of William Finn and James Lapine’s musical set is New York City in the late ‘70s is directed by Mr. Lapine. Andrew Runnells, who was Tony-nominated for The Book Of Mormon costars as Marvin’s significant other. Falsettos is scheduled to play a 14-week engagement at the Walter Kerr Theater. Variety theater critic Jeremy Gerard wrote the following in 1992: “To call Falsettos a musical about gay life in modern times is also to shortchange its tremendous appeal as a masterly feat of comic storytelling.” •
the story of edwin booth presented by
great circle productions, inc. music
marianna rosett
book & lyrics
eric swanson
director
christopher scott limited run september 4-18th theatre at saint clement’s 423 west 46th st. tickets TheStoryof EdwinBooth.com or 866-811-4111 SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 87
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20 Questions to Increase Your Political Movie IQ
By Pat Collins
ith a presidential election only weeks away, it’s time to test your knowledge of past movies about Washington, campaigning, Foggy Bottom scandals, real life Presidents and fictitious ones. All the movies cited here are available on home video. 1. Daniel Day-Lewis won a Best Actor Oscar in a 2012 Steven Spielberg film. What President did he play? 2. John Travolta and Emma Thompson were a Bill- and Hillary-like couple in this Mike Nichol’s 1998 dramedy. 3. Name the 1939 Frank Capra movie in which Jimmy Stewart as an idealistic young Senator challenges the corrupt politicians on Capitol Hill. 4. To divert the public and media’s attention from a potential White House scandal, a political fixer is hired to invent a fake war with Albania. Who are the two famous male stars of Wag The Dog? 5. Broderick Crawford won an Oscar as a tyrannical Huey Long-like Southern Senator in what 1949 Academy Award winning film? 6. Robert Redford bought the screen rights to a sensational best seller and co-starred with Dustin Hoffman in the movie version. Name the movie and the book’s authors? 7. When the President falls into a coma, a lookalike takes his place in the Oval Office. What actor played the stand-in POTUS in Dave? 8. Who wrote, directed and starred in the mockumentary Bob Roberts named for a fictitious right-wing folk singer running for President? 9. Identify the esteemed actor who played former President Richard Nixon in the movie version of Frost-Nixon.
10. Name the equally esteemed Welsh actor who was cast as Nixon in a 1995 movie.
11. What is the title of Sean Penn’s film for which he won an Oscar playing California’s first openly gay politician? 12. Director Rob Reiner’s The American President starred this actor as the widower Commander In Chief who falls for a pretty and smart lobbyist. 13. A flamboyant Texas Congressman initiates a fund to provide financial aid to the Afghan Mujahedeen during the Afghan-Soviet conflict in Charlie Wilson’ War. Who played Wilson? 14. Identify the movie in which Joan Allen as an Ohio Senator is publicly humiliated during her vice presidential confirmation hearings by a Republican Congressman. 15. Who played the titular role in The Candidate? 16. Who directed and starred in the 1998 political satire Bulworth? 17. Who directed JFK? 18. Alan Alda as a fictitious married Senator with a mistress faces both personal and political consequences in this film which co-starred Meryl Streep. 19. Identify the political thriller in which the Joint Chiefs of Staff plan a coup d’état to oust the President and the Cabinet. (Hint: Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas co- starred). 20. Lawrence Harvey’s character, Raymond Shaw, is a brainwashed veteran of the Korean War in this Cold War thriller. Frank Sinatra plays Shaw’s superior officer.
1. Lincoln; 2. Primary Colors; 3. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington; 4. Dustin Hoffman; 5. All the King,s Men; 6. All the King’s Men; 7. Kevin Kline; 8. Tim Robbins; 9. Frank Langella; 10. Anthony Hopkins; 11. Milk; 12. Michael Douglas; 13. Tom Hanks; 14. The Contender; 15. Robert Redford; 16. Warren Beatty; 17. Oliver Stone; 18. The Seduction of Joe Tynan; 19. Seven Days in May; 20. The Manchurian Candidate SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 89
Entrepreneurs Corner: Shy Iland By Daniel J. Bollinger e recently met with Shy Iland, owner of Nicaland Group, a leading design, development, and manufacturing agency. Nicaland maintains offices in New York City and China and produces top-quality handbags, belts, and leather goods for well known high-end and luxury brands. We learned a great deal about this exciting part of the fashion industry. What did you do before you started Nicaland Group? I was a part owner at Big Drop NYC, which is a mini-chain of boutiques for women’s fashion brands with outlets in NYC and Miami. During my eight years managing the company we were considered the best place in NYC for fashionable women and celebrities looking to obtain the trendiest designs from the hottest brands in the fashion world. When did you start Nicaland Group? In 2009 I parted ways with Big Drop NYC and started Nicaland Group. 90 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
What motivated you to start this business? During the economic crises of 2008, I was at Big Drop NYC and noticed that while sales were declining in most categories, handbags and accessories were doing well. I decided then to focus on this and created an agency that produces high-quality goods for better price points that fit the new economic reality. Realizing that the shopping habits of consumers were changing, I knew that I could create something that could be a part of this change. Tell us more about Nicaland Group? On top of developing and producing fashion bags and leather goods for fashion brands, We also design and develop two brands of our own that are sold in leading boutiques, chain stores and on websites all around the world. The two brands are Hylander, which is a luxury leather brand, and the lower price print brand, Daisy Rose, made of vegan leather and luxury fabrics. Do you have any particular design style in your collections? It changes from season to season; it depends on the trends and colors for the season.
The clasps on some of the clutches are unique. Did you design them yourself? Yes, we design and develop all of the hardware and materials in our collections, so it is high-quality and different from anything else out there. We noticed owl and eagle talons with pearls are predominantly displayed in your designs. Is there something special behind this ? In general, I gravitate toward and use wild animals in my designs. Aesthetically, I like pairing wild with classy. I think the contrast creates something new, unusual, and exciting. You do everything from design to manufacturing--anything else? We do development and production for some high-end brands as well. Some of our past and current fashion clients in the U.S. include Alice and Olivia, House of Harlow, Noir and Fashion TV. We’ve also done work for large corporations including Dell and HP. Our designs have been worn by Hollywood A-listers Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Richie, and Ashley Madekwe and featured in such fashions magazines as InStyle, Lucky, and Harper’s Bazaar. What does the future hold for Nicaland? We are always looking to add new clients but at the same time, we are also very careful with whom we partner. Nicaland is an exclusive agency not looking for lots of customers. We are targeting clients that are looking for a long-term cooperation with the view for growth. How do you define luxury? A higher level of style and comfort. What’s your advice for aspiring entrepreneurs? The most important thing is the product or service you offer; it must be good. There is no room for average in today’s’ world. The other things are patience and consistency. How can someone reach you for your manufacturing services? Visit our website nicalandgroup.com. • SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 91
A New Leash on Life By Barbara Fight
hoosing a leash for your dog seems like an easy, almost mindless exercise. Right? You just pick the length you need in a color that complements your canine, and it’s a done deal. Well, not exactly. Selecting the right leash is one of the most important decisions you can make since it directly affects your relationship with your dog. A leash should work as seamlessly as your most comfortable pair of shoes. If Fido is barreling up the sidewalk, lunging at the mail carrier, or refusing to move in the middle of the street, then that beautiful leash with the collar that matches the color you love might not be for you or your dog. The best way to choose a leash is to identify your dog’s issues... and your lifestyle needs. WHEN PULLING IS A PROBLEM Let’s face it: Dogs love to be outside as much as we do but their pace is usually much faster. It takes the right leash and a lot of practice to make the walk easy and fun. Pulling on the leash to restrain your dog not only derails the experience, but it can also damage his throat, trachea, and neck. So before you do harm to your pup, or pull your arm out of joint, try a leash that’s designed to curb pulling. The Walk In Sync Natural Dog Training System is a simple and safe way to train a dog of any age and size to walk easily on a leash. Holistic dog trainer Alecia Evans designed the system to create clear, calm, and consistent communication between a dog and its owner. The harness/ leash combo rebalances the behavior of a dog that pulls, jumps or lunges. The leash has two comfortable grips positioned at different lengths allowing you to control the boundaries of your dog’s movement. The harness has a front clip, so when the dog moves forward, he’s forced to push against the pressure. Once he realizes he doesn’t have the ability to power into his front legs, his behavior quickly shifts, and he stops himself from pulling. Many harnesses come with both front and back clips. Using the back clip defeats the purpose: it gives the dog permission to do what nature intended—Pull! Walk In Sync Harness Natural Dog Training System is available in red, black, turquoise, and chocolate brown ($52); dogwalkinsync.com DINING AL FRESCO Nothing’s sweeter than eating outdoors at your favorite neighborhood eatery with your pup at your feet. That is until the leash gets tangled in the table legs and he’s struggling to get free. Or worse? You lean over to give him a bite of your appetizer only to find him at the table next door begging for a better offer! That knot you tied in the leash just didn’t hold. The Snap Leash couldn’t be simpler. The single row of grommets makes tethering easy, and it’s a life-changing accessory if your dog runs errands with you or if the two of you spend time relaxing outdoors. Whether you’re reading the paper on a park bench or running into Starbucks, the snap hooks and grommets give you the flexibility to make the leash any length you want. You can even tether it to a fire hydrant or tree trunk. If you need to walk hands-free, the grommets ensure a perfect fit around your waist. A bonus? Attach a carabiner to the grommets to connect key chains and reflective lights. The Snap Leash available in black, blue, and red ($12.99$14.99); snapleash.com
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THE GREEN LEASH Why not walk your dog and reduce your carbon paw print at the same time? Leashes and collars from the earth-friendly company, Cycle Dog, are made in the U.S. from reclaimed inner tube rubber otherwise headed for landfills. The rubber-backed collars and leashes are antibacterial, dry quickly and resist getting smelly. They’re soft and cushy on your dog’s neck and your hands. The collars feature Cycle Dog’s Patented Pup Top bottle opener for securing your pet’s tags and leash. The leash also has the Pup Top opener, ideal for attaching poop bags. Cycle Dog Leash and Collar available in assorted fabrics, colors, and prints ($16-$29); cycledog.com
THE SOFT AND SPORTY LEASH You might not be luxuriating on the beach in Hawaii, but the HUNTER Maui Leash is the next best thing. Produced by the family-owned German company known for its high quality, beautifully designed dog, and cat accessories, it’s become a favorite. Crafted of a breathable, gently padded mesh material, this leash is impressively lightweight, sturdy, and easy to clean. An added plus is the “give” factor, especially if you suffer from arthritis or any type of hand or arm ailment. The Maui Collar is an ideal choice for pressuresensitive dogs and dogs plagued with skin problems. It’s also quick-drying, making it a top choice for dogs who spend time in the water. HUNTER Maui Leash and Collar available in black, blue, orange, red, and gray ($19- $29); tailuppetproducts.com THE LEASH THAT GIVES BACK Dogs purchased from breeders might get all the glory, but Found My Animal celebrates the rescue. Its mission is to raise awareness of the urgent need for adoption. The company is also passionate about the principles of good design. The three-strand nautical-inspired leashes and collars are hand-dyed, hand-sewn and hand-polished in their Brooklyn studio, and the marine-grade rope can withstand thousands of pounds of pull. Each leash comes with a solid brass tag bearing a numeral that represents the number of leashes the company has made: a constant reminder of how many pet owners have joined Found My Animal’s rescue mission. A portion of each sale goes to shelters that support animal rescue and adoption both nationally and internationally. Found My Animal Leash and Collar available in assorted colors ($50-$62); foundmyanimal.com You and your best friend deserve to spend relaxed, quality time together. If that’s not happening, maybe Fido is trying to tell you that the beautiful leash with the matching collar is not working! Take a hint and run with it—straight to the pet store! Sometimes, the simplest switch can be life-changing! • SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 93
My New York Story
By Cristyne Nicholas
lthough Lin-Manuel Miranda’s infamous lyrics for his smash Broadway hit Hamilton, were written about New York City in 1776, I think the words pretty much sum up how I feel about our city in 2016, “Look around look around... how lucky we are to be alive right now... In the greatest city in the world...New York.” Sometimes I still pinch myself at how lucky I am to be alive and work in the greatest city in the world—New York. True, it may not be perfect, but when it comes to the excitement and energy, I thrive on, New York is the place for me. My dad once told me that if you love what you do for a living, you will never work a day in your life. It is important to do what you love and love what you do. I credit being the youngest of five girls, none of whom are the shy type, with giving me the experience necessary for public relations. From the time I could speak, I knew I had to be heard. I also learned how important it is to choose your words wisely and carefully. I naturally gravitated to the field of public relations and served as a press secretary and spokesperson for members of Congress, a President, and a Mayor. Eventually in 2007, along with George Lence, I co-founded a boutique public relations firm, Nicholas & Lence Communications. Although it hasn’t been all fun and games—and there have been many times when it certainly felt like work—it’s the thought of 94 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
having so many clients that are rooted in the DNA of NYC that makes it more bearable even fun at times. Simply put, the art of public relations is the art of storytelling. It is helping someone or a business craft a message that will resonate. It is giving a voice to those who may struggle to get their message across. Sometimes, it’s getting clients in the news. Other times it’s getting them out of the news. Like New York City itself, public relations isn’t for the faint of heart. Clients want and deserve your full attention and on any given day, you may have to “drop everything” and manage a crisis. Luckily as the former spokesperson for Mayor Giuliani (1993-1999) during the days when the city was fighting crime, cutting a massive budget gap, putting out fires (literally and figuratively), dealing with protests, shootings, blackouts and other unfortunate events, the Mayor would sometimes hold multiple press conferences a day. Every day at City Hall was a lesson in crisis communications. That training came in handy earlier this summer on July 12th, when we got a call from Statue Cruises, the ferry company that transports roughly 4 million visitors annually to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. It was to alert us to a crisis that was unfolding in real time. Two fathers with their daughters were in a small, poorly constructed pleasure craft near Ellis Island when it capsized. Luckily Statue Cruises’ deck attendant Kevin Suarez witnessed the catastrophe and dove in to save the family and located the youngest girl, 5-year-old Myara, who was missing under the boat.
Kevin who is fluent in Spanish was able to calm the family in their native language and get them to safety with the help of the NYPD Harbor Unit. Kevin saved the day and the following week we held a ceremony on Ellis Island reuniting Kevin and the NYPD with the Fernandez and Rodrigues families. This was truly meaningful and also gave the NYPD the recognition it deserves during these tough times. Of our many successful PR initiatives, I am most proud when public relations can play a positive role and impact the lives of so many. Such was the case when Nicholas Lence secured a profile of our client the Big Apple Greeter (BAG) on CNN. At the time, BAG was in dire need of financial support. The story was broadcast nationwide, and luckily a wealthy heir to one of America’s oldest oil families saw the story while home in California. She was intrigued with BAG’s mission of matching volunteer New Yorkers with visitors to share their experiences by visiting their favorite neighborhoods. She went online, contacted the founder Lynn Brooks and later that week wired a large six-figure donation which allowed the organization to continue to operate. Whether publicizing the great work that is being done at the New Balance Track & Field Armory, hosting thousands of kids from all walks of life to train together “and keep on track” or putting a media spotlight on The Wendy Hilliard Foundation in Harlem that is grooming young gymnasts to pursue their dreams of becoming the next Olympians, it is a joy to share these amazing New York stories with others. I will end with one more. This past spring, a reporter called inquiring about the Port Authority’s plan to remove an overpass that was damaged from the September 11th attack to make way for the new and improved bridge being developed by our client Brookfield Properties. The reporter shared that some members of the 911 community may be distressed if they thought that the façade was going to be destroyed and discarded. When we shared this with Brookfield, which is also a member of the 911 community, they quickly got in touch with the September 11th Memorial Museum
and the FDNY, to arrange for both organizations to receive the historical artifact to be publically displayed as a reminder of those we have lost and never to forget. Although there will be days when work will feel like work, public relations allows you the honor and privilege of telling important stories. Again to quote Lin-Manuel Miranda from the closing song of Hamilton: “Who Remembers your Name…Who Keeps Your Flame… Who Tells your Story.” • SEPTEMBER 2016 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 95
15 Minutes with Joan Hornig
By Baruch Shemtov
esigner and philanthropist Joan Hornig is a true New York force. Her eponymous line of jewelry was founded in 2003, and is sold on JoanHornig.com as well as stores around the country including Bergdorf Goodman. Hornig’s designs have been worn by a long list of boldfaced names, from Jennifer Lopez to presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, but it’s the brand’s tagline that sums up the designer’s vision: “Philanthropy is Beautiful”. Describe the ethos of your brand. It’s about giving back. It’s about being noticed. It’s about the power of the purse. It’s a celebration of women caring. You certainly have a unique business model. How does every purchase of Joan Hornig jewelry give back? Whenever someone makes a purchase, I donate one hundred percent of my profits to the charity of the purchaser’s choice. So I become an agnostic donor, and the buyer becomes the lynchpin in making something good happen for a nonprofit. Why was it so important for you to create this model? I thought that it would get enough attention to make people stop and ask and think about it—and think what they could do. Everyone can do something. I also thought that social enterprise was critical and was crucial for the succeeding generations. What kind of impact has your line made? The impact can be measured in many ways. One way is in dollars. 96 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2016
Millions of dollars have been given away. Another way is in the range of organizations, so we’ve given to over nine hundred different organizations, some more than once. The third way is an inspiration to others to think of ways to give back. And finally, it’s changed the way some people look at retail and the way some people look at jewelry and luxury item purchases. What role does New York play in your brand? New York is the core of my brand because everything is made in New York. Everything is created by people who come from all different religions and backgrounds. How do your designs reflect your mission? The mission is about being noticed and caring, so the designs tend to be somewhat bold even if they’re small. What is the unique aesthetic of a Joan Hornig piece? Architectural, whether it’s feminine or hard-edged. Many of the designs reference buildings and gardens in New York. Almost everything has a combination of matte combined with something that sparkles. The idea is that it catches the light—and it moves. You’ve have had so many famous names wear your designs. Who were you most proud to see modeling a Joan Hornig piece? To me, everyone is equally important. Of course, it’s very exciting to me when a presidential candidate or a major celebrity wears my piece. But it’s not that much more important than when the person walking into a store says “This is so beautiful… and I want to think about the charity.” •