The local paper for Downtown wn A GUIDE TO CAMP
WEEK OF JANUARY-FEBRUARY
28-3
P.9 >
2016
back from FDR Drive by 16 to 17 feet and raise it one foot out of the flood plain, as well as reduce the height of the building from four stories to three. The refurbished building would sit atop newly restored pier pilings and contain a food market overseen by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The proposal also calls for the demolition of the Head House and Link Building, two dilapidated structures adjacent to the Tin Building in front of Pier 17. The joint Landmarks and South Street Seaport/Civic Center committees passed a resolution in support of the proposal, but requested of Howard Hughes a master plan for redevelopment at the Seaport as a whole, which would include the company’s
MOVING FORWARD ON THE TIN BUILDING, DESPITE CONCERNS NEWS Transparency concerns linger over Howard Hughes’ redevelopment plans for the Seaport BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS
The newly restored Tin Building, as envisioned in Howard Hughes Jan. 19 presentation to Community Board 1.
Recently announced plans by the Howard Hughes Corporation for the Tin Building at the South Street Seaport received preliminary approval from community-
board officials, but members expressed concerns that the developer’s vision for the Seaport is being released piecemeal instead of in one comprehensive proposal. Howard Hughes met with CB1’s joint Landmarks and South Street Seaport/Civic Center on Jan. 19 to unveil plans for the Tin Building, a four-story landmarked structure at the Seaport. According to the presentation, Howard Hughes is proposing to move the Tin Building
CONTINUED ON PAGE 19
THE SALT SHED’S SPOTLIGHT MOMENT NEWS Sanitation Dept. building, praised for its architecture, is pressed into service during the storm BY DEEPTI HAJELA
The building looks like a modern art painting come to life, all angles and edges, with concrete walls that can look bluish or grayish or whitish, or some combination of the three. It would be an unusual structure in any setting, but none more than the fairly prosaic function it was created for --- storing thousands of pounds of the rock salt that the city’s Department of Sanitation uses to deal with snowy streets.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
ART
LIVES HERE
Downtowner WEEK OF APRIL
SPRING ARTS PREVIEW < CITYARTS, P.12
FOR HIM, SETTLING SMALL CLAIMS IS A BIG DEAL presided over Arbitration Man has three decades. for informal hearings about it He’s now blogging BY RICHARD KHAVKINE
%TGCVKXG 9TKVKPI r &CPEG r /QVKQP 2KEVWTG #TVU r /WUKE r 6JGCVTG r 8KUWCN #TVU
is the common Arbitration Man their jurist. least folks’ hero. Or at Man has For 30 years, Arbitration court office of the civil few sat in a satellite Centre St. every building at 111 New Yorkers’ weeks and absorbed dry cleaning, burned lost accountings of fender benders, lousy paint jobs, and the like. And security deposits then he’s decided. Arbitration Man, About a year ago, so to not afwho requested anonymity started docuhe fect future proceedings, two dozen of what menting about compelling cases considers his most blog. in an eponymous about it because “I decided to write the stories but in a I was interested about it not from wanted to write from view but rather lawyer’s point of said Arbitration view,” of a lay point lawyer since 1961. Man, a practicing what’s at issue He first writes about post, renders and then, in a separatehow he arrived his decision, detailing blog the to Visitors at his conclusion. their opinions. often weigh in with get a rap going. I to “I really want whether they unreally want to know and why I did it,” I did derstood what don’t know how to he said. “Most people ... I’d like my cases the judge thinks. and also my trereflect my personalitythe law.” for mendous respect 80, went into indiMan, Arbitration suc in 1985, settling vidual practice
9-16
MANHATTAN'S APARTMENT BOOM, > PROPERTY, P.20
2015
In Brief MORE HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESS
The effort to help small seems to businesses in the city be gathering steam. Two city councilmembers, Robert Margaret Chin and Cornegy, have introduced create legislation that wouldSmall a new “Office of the within Business Advocate” of Small the city’s Department Business Services. Chin The new post, which have up told us she’d like to would and running this year, for serve as an ombudsman city small businesses within them clear government, helping to get through the bureaucracy things done. Perhaps even more also importantly, the ombudsman and number will tally the type small business of complaints by taken in owners, the actions policy response, and somefor ways to recommendations If done well, begin to fix things. report would the ombudsman’s give us the first quantitative with taste of what’s wrong the city, an small businesses in towards important first step fixing the problem. of for deTo really make a difference, is a mere formality will have to the work process looking to complete their advocate are the chances course, velopers precinct, but rising rents, -- thanks to a find a way to tackle business’ is being done legally of after-hours projects quickly. their own hours,” which remain many While Chin “They pick out boom in the number throughout who lives on most vexing problem. said Mildred Angelo,of the Ruppert construction permits gauge what Buildings one said it’s too early tocould have the 19th floor in The Department of the city. number three years, the Houses on 92nd Street between role the advocate She Over the past on the is handing out a record work perThird avenues. permits, there, more information of Second and an ongoing all-hours number of after-hours bad thing. of after-hours work the city’s Dept. problem can’t be a said there’s with the mits granted by nearby where according to new data jumped 30 percent, This step, combinedBorough construction project noise Buildings has data provided in workers constantly make efforts by Manhattan to mediate BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS according to DOB of Informacement from trucks. President Gale Brewer offer response to a Freedom classifies transferring they want. They knows the the rent renewal process, request. The city They 6 “They do whatever signs Every New Yorker clang, tion Act go as they please. work between some early, tangible small any construction on the weekend, can come and sound: the metal-on-metal or the piercing of progress. For many have no respect.” p.m. and 7 a.m., can’t come of these that the hollow boom, issuance reverse. owners, in business moving The increased beeps of a truck has generto a correspond and you as after-hours. soon enough. variances has led at the alarm clock The surge in permits
SLEEPS, THANKS TO THE CITY THAT NEVER UCTION A BOOM IN LATE-NIGHT CONSTR NEWS
A glance it: it’s the middle can hardly believe yet construction of the night, and carries on full-tilt. your local police or You can call 311
n OurTownDowntow
COM
Newscheck Crime Watch Voices
for dollars in fees ated millions of and left some resithe city agency, that the application dents convinced
2 City Arts 3 Top 5 8 Real Estate 10 15 Minutes
12 13 14 18
CONTINUED ON PAGE
25
Our Take HAPPY LITTLE SNOWFLAKES Remember Mayor Bill de Blasio’s first winter in his new job? What a difference a couple of years makes. Hit with a snowstorm shortly after taking office in 2014, the new mayor fumbled in a way that would come to define the first half of his term. Potholes went unfilled. Official warnings on the storm’s severity were muddled. Residents in neighborhoods that didn’t vote for de Blasio complained that their streets weren’t being plowed -- a suspicion that was later proven out by sanitation-truck GPS data. This time around, an entirely new de Blasio seemed to be in charge. Before the storm, he was forceful, but not panicked. Instead of jumping the gun and closing subways or schools, he waited for the storm to develop, then acted decisively. We even detected a sense of humor in it all. We don’t want to give him more credit than is due, but there was something about this storm that seemed to bring out the best of New Yorkers. On Sunday, the city felt like an alpine village. Cross-country skiers plied the parks, people in snow boots and parkas ordered hot chololates, kids came home with sunburned faces after a day of sleddding. There were pockets of discontent. Queens residents felt that the plow trucks bypassed them, and elected officials there said the schools should have stayed closed for another day. But overall, considering we had just endured the second-biggest snowstorm in our history, it was a lovely little chapter for the mayor and his subjects.
We deliver! Get Our Town Downtowner sent directly to your mailbox for $49 per year. Go to OTDowntown.com or call 212-868-0190
2
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MAKING NEWS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CITYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PENSION SYSTEM AT RISK The cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pension system is susceptible to â&#x20AC;&#x153;operational failure,â&#x20AC;?
according to The New York Times, which cited a report commissioned by the office of city Comptroller Scott Stringer. The nearly 400-page report, by a
Michigan ďŹ rm, said the system, which contains $160 billion in retirement funds, is burdened by understaffing and outdated tools, such as fax machines. More internal controls are also needed
to safeguard compliance by individuals, The Times reported. The ďŹ rm, Funston Advisory Services, did not uncover any bungling that might have led to a loss of money, but pointed to several potential problems that could cost the fund, the paper reported. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Operational risk is very high and an operational failure is likely,â&#x20AC;? The Times quoted the report as saying. The paper noted that Stringer, who oversees the pension funds, said that parts of the system were â&#x20AC;&#x153;hanging by a threadâ&#x20AC;? soon after he took office in 2014.
MIXED-USE PLANNED FOR ELIZABETH ST. GARDEN SITE The Elizabeth Street Garden will be demolished and replaced with affordable housing and retail by 2018, DNAinfo reported. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A 7-story building with about 12,000 square feet of ground-ďŹ&#x201A;oor retail and between 60 and 75 belowmarket rate apartments would stand on that lot by spring of 2020,â&#x20AC;? according to city Department of Housing Preservation and Development officials quoted by the publication. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been discussion of building senior housing on the lot, between Prince and Spring Streets, the publication noted. Officials, however, said that they are â&#x20AC;&#x153;fully committed to it being entirely affordable housing,â&#x20AC;? DNAinfo reported.
More than 100 people opposed to building on the site attended a meeting held by the department. Community Board 2â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chairman, Tobi Bergman, pushed for the department to consider building on a larger vacant lot on Hudson Street. The departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deputy commissioner, David Quart, gave no indication they would withdraw their plans for the site, DNAinfo said.
ARREST IN SLASHING A 28-year-old man has been arrested in connection with vicious slashing assault on East Sixth Street that left the victim in the hospital with 150 stitches ear to mouth, The Villager reported. At 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 16, Anthony Christian-Smith, a 30 year-old- social worker from Newark, N.J., was walking along East Sixth when the incident occurred. The attacker, Francis Salud, knocked Christian-Smith to the ground and cut him with an unknown object, The Villager reported. Salud had a history of psychiatric illness and was previously arrested on charges of assault and weapons possession, according to police quoted by the publication. Police believe it was a random attack. On Jan. 21, Salud was arrested near a family memberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home at 89 East Fourth St. and Second Ave and charged with assault, The Villager said.
20% OFF ALL STILL WINES Enjoy every day discounts. No coupons needed! No Limit - All Sizes
FREE DELIVERY TO MANHATTAN
15% OFF ALL LIQUORS Enjoy every day discounts. No coupons needed! No Limit - All Sizes
OUR GOAL IS TO ALWAYS OFFER THE LOWEST PRICES IN MANHATTAN
Please call or visit us online 212.772.3211 www.GarnetWine.com Open Mon-Wed 8am-9pm Thurs-Sat 8am-10pm Sun 12pm-7pm
GARNET WINES & LIQUORS 929 Lexington Avenue (Between 68th and 69th Sts) .BOIBUUBO t /FX :PSL t t 'SFF %FMJWFSZ
Your neighborhood news source
otdowntown.com
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
3
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG
WOMAN SLASHED ON 6 TRAIN
sitting across from the woman got up and slashed the left side of her face with an unknown object. They both got off the train when it stopped. The suspect fled on a southbound train and is still being sought. The victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital.
The NYPD says a 71-year-old woman is in stable condition after she was slashed on the face while riding a subway train in Manhattan. Police say the southbound 6 train was approaching Bleecker Street around 7:15 a.m. Monday when a man
A knife-wielding thug held up two people in a bodega. At 10:55 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12, a man entered the Ayouwan grocery store at 103 Church Street. Displaying a knife, he demanded a gold ring from a 53-year-old woman inside the store. She refused to give
BLADE DISPLAYED
up her ring, at which point the thief then demanded money. In response, a 61-year-old male employee of the store took $750 from the register and handed it to the suspect, who then fled the location on foot. The bad guy was last seen heading westbound on Chambers Street. Police searched the area but could not locate him.
STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 1st Precinct for Jan. 11 to Jan. 17 Week to Date
Year to Date
2016 2015
% Change
2016
2015
% Change
Murder
0
0
n/a
0
0
n/a
Rape
0
0
n/a
0
0
n/a
RIP-OFF
Robbery
2
1
100.0
4
1
300.0
Ever wonder if store cell-phone tethers deter thieves? Not this time. At 4:18 p.m. on Saturday, January 16, two men entered the AT&T store at 217 Broadway and stole three cell phones, ripping the security tethers out of the phones before fleeing the location on foot. The stolen phones were an iPhone 6S valued at $650, an iPhone 6S Plus costing $750, and a Samsung S6 Edge priced at $714, making a total of $2,114.
Felony Assault
0
0
n/a
0
2
-100.0
Burglary
0
3
-100.0
4
11
-63.6
Grand Larceny
25
17
47.1
60
46
30.4
Grand Larceny Auto
0
0
n/a
0
0
n/a
DELIVERANCE Police collared a bike thief. At 8:20 p.m. on Monday, January 18, a 40-year-old man working for the Fiat Café was making a delivery at 50 Greene Street. When he returned to his parking spot five minutes later, he saw a 44-year-old man riding away on his delivery bike. Robert Troche was later arrested and charged with grand larceny. The vehicle stolen and
You’ve Arrived at World-Class Care Right in the Neighborhood See a Weill Cornell Medicine physician at one of our comprehensive, multi-specialty locations in Lower Manhattan today
recovered was a black electric delivery bike valued at $1,500.
METROCAD One pickpurse would seem to be a public transit rider. At 2 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12, a 43-year-old woman had her purse on a stool next to her in the Starbucks at 233 Broadway. When she got ready to leave an hour later, she reached in her purse for her MetroCard and discovered that her wallet was gone. Five charges soon turned up on three of her credit cards. All the transactions made were MetroCard purchases.
ALDO LOW Did this ever happen to Carrie Bradshaw? At 12:45 p.m. on Friday, January 15, a 33-year-old woman was trying on shoes in the Aldo store at 181 Broadway. She left her bag zipped while she was trying on the footwear. When she returned to pick up her bag, she discovered that it was now unzipped and property was missing from inside. The items stolen were an Oroton wallet valued at $150, along with a green card, driver’s license, credit cards, and a motorcycle registration. The total stolen came to $150.
Weill Cornell Medicine. Care that Connects to you. 40 Worth Street 156 William Street
visit us at weillcornell.org to learn more
For appointments, call 1-855-WCM-4YOU Today
4
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
Useful Contacts POLICE NYPD 7th Precinct
19 ½ Pitt St.
212-477-7311
NYPD 6th Precinct
233 W. 10th St.
212-741-4811
NYPD 10th Precinct
230 W. 20th St.
212-741-8211
NYPD 13th Precinct
230 E. 21st St.
NYPD 1st Precinct
16 Ericsson Place
212-477-7411 212-334-0611
FIRE FDNY Engine 15
25 Pitt St.
311
FDNY Engine 24/Ladder 5
227 6th Ave.
311
FDNY Engine 28 Ladder 11
222 E. 2nd St.
311
FDNY Engine 4/Ladder 15
42 South St.
311
ELECTED OFFICIALS Councilmember Margaret Chin
165 Park Row #11
Councilmember Rosie Mendez
237 1st Ave. #504
212-587-3159 212-677-1077
Councilmember Corey Johnson
224 W. 30th St.
212-564-7757
State Senator Daniel Squadron
250 Broadway #2011
212-298-5565
Community Board 1
49 Chambers St.
212-442-5050
Community Board 2
3 Washington Square Village
212-979-2272
Community Board 3
59 E. 4th St.
212-533-5300
Community Board 4
330 W. 42nd St.
212-736-4536
Hudson Park
66 Leroy St.
212-243-6876
Ottendorfer
135 2nd Ave.
212-674-0947
Elmer Holmes Bobst
70 Washington Square
212-998-2500
COMMUNITY BOARDS
LIBRARIES
HOSPITALS New York-Presbyterian
170 William St.
Mount Sinai-Beth Israel
10 Union Square East
212-844-8400
212-312-5110
CON EDISON
4 Irving Place
212-460-4600
TIME WARNER
46 East 23rd
813-964-3839
US Post Office
201 Varick St.
212-645-0327
US Post Office
128 East Broadway
212-267-1543
US Post Office
93 4th Ave.
212-254-1390
Photo by Robyn Roth-Moise
SOCKED IN, DIGGING OUT
POST OFFICES
HOW TO REACH US:
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
212-868-0190 nyoffice@strausnews.com otdowntown.com
Include your full name, address and day and evening telephone numbers for verification. Letters that cannot be verified will not be published. We reserve the right to edit or condense letters for libel, good taste, grammar and punctuation. Submit your letter at otdowntown.com and click submit at the bottom of the page or email it to nyoffice@strausnews.com.
TO SUBSCRIBE: Our Town Downtown is available for free below 23rd Street in select buildings, retail locations and news boxes. To get a copy of downtown neighborhood news mailed to you weekly, you may subscribe to Our Town - Downtowner for just $49 per year. Call 212-868-0190 or go online to StrausNews.com and click on the photo of the paper or mail a check to Straus Media, 20 West Ave., Chester, NY 10918
NEWS ITEMS: To report a news story, call 212-8680190. News releases of general interest must be emailed to our offices by 12noon the Thursday prior to publication to be considered for the following week. Send to news@strausnews.com.
A wild snowstorm on Saturday -- the second-biggest dump in the city’s history -- was followed on Sunday and Monday with some of the nicest winter weather of the year. Our readers captured all of it in photographs. To submit your own, go to our web site and click on Submit Stuff or email us news@strausnews.com.
BLOG COMMENTS: We invite comments on stories at otdowntown.com. We do not edit those comments. We urge people to keep the discussion civil and the tone reflective of the best we each have to offer.
PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD: Call 212-868-0190. Classified ads must be in our office by 12pm the Friday before publication, except on holidays. All classified ads are payable in advance.
PREVIOUS OWNERS: Tom Allon, Isis Ventures, Ed Kayatt, Russ Smith, Bob Trentlyon, Jerry Finkelstein
CALENDAR ITEMS:
ABOUT US
Information for inclusion in the Out and About section should be emailed to hoodhappenings@strausnews.com no later than two weeks before the event.
Our Town Downtown is published weekly by Straus Media-Manhattan, LLC. Please send inquiries to 20 West Ave., Chester, NY 10918.
Photo by Rick Sayers
Photo by Robyn Roth-Moise
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
SALT SHED CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The shed, built on the Manhattan waterfront at the edge of the Tribeca district at a cost of $20 million, pleased architecture critics. Now a brutal winter storm has given the building and a new $250 million sanitation truck garage across the street their first winter tests. Getting the structures built was somewhat of a test, with celebrity neighborhood residents like actors James Gandolfini and John Slattery protesting and filing a lawsuit several years ago in efforts to stop the project. Who wants a big garage, with noisy trucks coming and going, built next door to their hip apartment? That was then, though. In the last few months, as the buildings have come into use, the general consensus is: How cool. “You pass it, and it’s like, `ooh, what’s that?’” said Erik Torkells, who runs the Tribeca Citizen website and has been following the shed’s progress. “Anybody who has seen it has to be happy with it,” said Tobi Bergman, chairman of Community Board 2, which covers the geographic area where the buildings are located. “It’s a real example of how these things can be done well.” The community board had been opposed to it at the time, Bergman acknowledged, a stance that “was just a mistake.” From the beginning, how the structures would look was a key component of the planning, said Claire Weisz of WXY Architecture, the firm that handled the project along with Dattner Architects. “Really, it’s an amazing opportunity for a piece of public architecture,” she said. The garage is for the maintenance and cleaning of sanitation trucks that cover three districts in Manhattan. From the outside, what goes on inside the 425,000-square-foot building is kept somewhat of a mystery, thanks to perfo-
5
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com rated metal panels lining the walls. At night, the floors glow in different colors, each representing one of the districts. The building also has a green roof, covered in plantings that add benefits like collecting rainwater that is used to wash the trucks. Then there’s the salt shed. Built to evoke the shape of a salt crystal, it has a single entrance facing away from the street that opens on to piles and piles of rock salt. Mayor Bill de Blasio conducted a weather briefing at the space before the weekend storm, saying, “Sanitation gets credit for being both very, very effective at keeping this city running, but also aesthetically pleasing at the same time.” That’s not just lip-service from city government. Architecture critic Michael Kimmelman praised both buildings as “not just two of the best examples of new public architecture in the city but a boon to the neighborhood.” “I can’t think of a better public sculpture to land in New York than the shed,” he wrote in The New York Times. Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia said it was gratifying to have the public embrace the structure, and that paying attention to design showed the department wants to be a good neighbor, and also wants to value its workers and the work they do by giving them a beautiful space. “The salt shed is just phenomenally gorgeous,” she said. “It gives us the opportunity to showcase what we do.”
BE THE SOMEONE
WHO HELPS A KID BE THE FIRST IN HER FAMILY TO GO TO COLLEGE.
newyorkcares.org Adirondack weekend getaway fare is here!
More neighborhood celebrations? neighborhood opinions? neighborhood ideas? neighborhood feedback? neighborhood concerns?
Email us at news@strausnews.com
6
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
If you like Our Town Downtown, you’re gonna love getting a personal copy of Downtowner! Everything you like about Our Town Downtown is now available delivered to your mailbox every week in Downtowner. From the very local news of your neighborhood to information about upcoming events and activities, the new home delivered edition of Downtowner will keep you in-the-know. And best of all you won’t have to remember to grab a copy from the box or the mailroom every week.
It’s your neighborhood. It’s your news. And now it’s delivered directly to your mailbox every week!
Out & About More Events. Add Your Own: Go to otdowntown.com
Thu 28 OBJECT LESSONS McNally Jackson Books, 52 Prince St. 7-8:30 p.m. Celebrating Bloomsbury and The Atlantic’s new Object Lessons series, with Alison Kinney, Lydia Pyne, e, and Kim Adrian. Moderatedd by Emily Firetog, of Lit Hub.. 212-274-1160. www. mcnallyjackson.com/event m/event
MUSETTE EXPLOSION XPLOSION
X
Yes! Start my subscription to Downtowner right away! 1-Year Subscription @ $49
Name
________________________________________________
Address _________________________________ Apt. #
________
New York, NY Zip Code __________ Cell Phone _________________ Email Address___________________________________________ Payment by
Check # __________
Money Order
Credit Card
Name on Credit Card (Please Print) ___________________________ Card # _______________________ Exp. Date
____ //____ // ____
Signature of Cardholder ___________________________________
Return Completed Form to: Straus News, 20 West Avenue, Chester, NY, 10918 or go to otdowntown.com & click on Subscribe
Birdland, 15 West 44th St. Doors 5 p.m. $25, plus a $10 minimum Three of New York’s most indemand virtuoso musicians, Will Holshouser, accordion, Matt Munisteri, guitar & banjo, and Marcus Rojas, tuba, a, explore and expand on Parisiann musette. www.birdlandjazz.com/ zz.com/
Fri 29 “QUICKSAND” D” The Kitchen, 512 2 West 19th St. 7 p.m., Through Feb. 6. $16/$20 An opera-novel for music, dance, and light, composed omposed from a novel of the samee name by the
late Robert Ashley 212-255-5793. www. thekitchen.org/event/robertashley-and-steve-paxtonquicksand
Other tickets can be purchased online. Parsons Dance returns its blend of sexy athleticism and stunning ensemble work for the New York premiere of Finding Center, David Parsons’ PARSONS DANCE ▼ collaboration with visual artist The Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Rita Blitt. 212-691-9740. www.joyce. Ave. org/ Fri, 8 p.m.; Sat, 2 & 8 p.m.; Sun 2 & 7:30 p.m. Startingg at $10 ((Call 212242-0800 for $10 tickets).
Sat 30
DOWNTOWN VOICES: AUDITIONS ▲ Trinity Church, Broadway at
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
7
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
Wall Street. Trinity Wall Street is looking for the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best chorale singers to join Downtown Voices, its new semi-professional choir. 212-575-4545. www. trinitywallstreet.org/ downtownvoices
MARBLEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S JAZZ INSPIRED WORSHIP
â&#x20AC;&#x153;FROM FREIGHT TO FLOWERSâ&#x20AC;? The High Line, Gansevoort Street entrance. Noon. Free, but space is limited Hear the story behind New York Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s park-in-the-sky on a special winter walking tour led by knowledgeable volunteer guides with an insiderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective. 212-206.9922. www. thehighline.org/
FRIDAYS
Great Music. Great Spirit. A perfect blend of jazz and the Word.
BOROUGH PRESIDENT GALE BREWERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S STATE NO REVOLUTION WITHOUT US: OF THE BOROUGH FEMINISTS OF THE BLACK PANTHER The New School â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Tishman Auditorium, 63 Fifth Ave. PARTY â&#x2013;˛
LUBA MASON AND MIXTURA 55 Bar, 55 Christopher St. 6 and 7:30 p.m. No Cover Luba and her band Mixtura present a musical blend of jazz and stylistic elements from other genres in her new musical format. www.55bar.com, www. lubamason.com
Mon 1 MARILYN NONKEN: SPECTRAL SALON (Le) Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker St. 7:30 p.m. Seated: $20 advance, $25 day of; standing: $15 advance, $20 day of. Pianist Nonken performs works by Tristan Murail and Hugues Dufourt and Americans inďŹ&#x201A;uenced by their attitudes towards sound and color. 212-505-FISH. lpr.com/
6:30PM
The Marble Loft (274 5th Ave)
Sun 31 2-4 p.m. Free Community event featuring panel led by Borough President Brewer on Manhattanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future. 917-960-1187. www. eventbrite.com/e/state-of-theborough-tickets-20528242526
AT
New York University, The Jerry H. Labowitz Theatre for the Performing Arts, : 1 Washington Place 6:30-8:30 p.m. In this public conversation, Salamishah Tillet, associate professor of English at the University of Pennsylvania, speaks with Lynn C. French, former Black Panther, attorney, and advocate for the homeless, about the ďŹ ght for gender equality within and beyond the Panthers. RSVP: gallatin.nyu.edu/ utilities/events/2016/02/ norevolutionwithoutus.html. 212998-7370
Tue 2 â&#x20AC;&#x153;WELL-FOUNDED FEARâ&#x20AC;? Fashion Institute of Technology, Pomerantz Center, Seventh Avenue, near 28th Street, room D207 6:30-8:30 p.m. As part of the Film and Media programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monthly ďŹ lm screening series, Shari Robertson and Michael Camerini will present their documentary about immigration struggles in the United States. news.ďŹ tnyc.edu/category/ events/
FASHION AND JAZZ Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm New School, Dorothy Hirshon Suite, Arnhold Hall, 55 West 13th St. 6-8 p.m. Alphonso McClendon, author of Fashion and Jazz, discusses the history of fashionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dialogue with African American art and style, from Billie Holiday to Louis Armstrong. 212-229-8900, to RSVP
Wed 3 OIL, POWER, PALESTINE AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF U.S. POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST New York University, Tamiment Library, 10th Floor, Bobst Library, 70 Washington Square South 6-7:30 p.m. Irene Gendzier, professor emerita in the Department of Political Science at Boston University, discusses her new book. events.nyu.edu/#view/day/ date/20160203
COMMUNITY BOARD 4 Fulton Auditorium, 119 Ninth Ave. 6:30 p.m. Full Board Meeting 212-736-4536. www.nyc. gov/html/mancb4/html/home/ home.shtml
1 West 29th Street / New York, New York 10001 / 212 686 2770 / MarbleChurch.org
NextAct Spring 2016 Semester Explore the catalog and register today: jasa.org/community/nextact What is NextAct? JASAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NextAct programs are designed for adults 55+ who want to explore interesting topics, meet peers, become activists and make an impact in their communities: r 4VOEBZT BU +"4" DPVSTFT BU +PIO +BZ $PMMFHF r "EWPDBDZ USBJOJOH UISPVHI UIF *OTUJUVUF GPS 4FOJPS "DUJPO *'4"
r -FDUVSFT BOE DPVSTFT UISPVHI UIF &MMJF BOE .BSUJO -JGUPO *OTUJUVUF PG +VEBJD 4UVEJFT r 7PMVOUFFS PQQPSUVOJUJFT We create the adventure and all you need to do is show up! Want to learn more? Attend the Sundays at JASA Open House 4VOEBZ 'FCSVBSZ r BN m QN John Jay College, North Hall, 445 West 59th Street, New York City 4QSJOH 4FNFTUFS %BUFT 4VOEBZT 'FCSVBSZ m .BZ r OFYUBDU!KBTB PSH *U T ZPVS UVSO UP HFU JOWPMWFE -FBSO 5IFO "DU *'4" 8PSLTIPQT -FBSO GSPN IJHIMZ BDDMBJNFE HPWFSONFOU OPO QSPĂ U BOE DPNNVOJUZ MFBEFST /BWJHBUF /FX :PSL 4FNJOBST *OTJEF UIF (PWFSONFOU 0GGJDFT UIBU .BLF /:$ 5JDL 'SFF "EWPDBDZ 3FTPVSDF 'BJS -FBSO BCPVU EP[FOT PG DPNNVOJUZ BEWPDBDZ WPMVOUFFS PQQPS UVOJUJFT 'PS NPSF JOGPSNBUJPO PS UP SFHJTUFS WJTJU KBTB PSH r r JGTB!KBTB PSH 'PVOEFE JO +"4" JT POF PG /FX :PSL T MBSHFTU BOE NPTU USVTUFE BHFODJFT TFSWJOH PMEFS BEVMUT JO UIF #SPOY #SPPLMZO .BOIBUUBO 2VFFOT BOE -POH *TMBOE +"4" T NJTTJPO JT UP TVTUBJO BOE FOSJDI UIF MJWFT PG UIF BHJOH JO UIF /FX :PSL NFUSPQPMJUBO BSFB TP UIBU UIFZ DBO SFNBJO JO UIF DPNNVOJUZ XJUI EJHOJUZ BOE BVUPOPNZ
8
Voices
Write to us: To share your thoughts and comments go to otdowntown.com and click on submit a letter to the editor.
My Story
LETTER
MAKING POT LEGAL To the Editor: Kudos to Brian Kelly for his strong support for legalizing medical marijuana (Letter, Jan. 14). However, he does not go far enough. According to the most recent national poll (October 2015), 58% of Americans favor decriminalizing marijuana entirely, including for personal use. This is up from 51% just a year earlier. Five states
have already decriminalized and/ or legalized marijuana, including Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and the District of Columbia. The trend here is similar to, though slightly slower than, the trend toward gay marriage, which is now legal under federal law in all 50 states. While it may have been true at one time, marijuana is no longer widely considered a “gateway”
SOW, SEW, SO WHAT There is the sowing that ensures The going on of the human race, Of animals and bird and fish And living things that share our
drug. (In fact, the #1 gateway “drug” is cigarettes.) Two remarkable facts. First, the country of Jamaica, with one of the highest marijuana consumption rates in the world, has one of the lowest lung cancer rates in the world. Yet China, with one of the lowest marijuana consumption rates, has among the highest lung cancer rates. Second, tobacco causes over 400,000 deaths annually in the U.S. alone; and if we include drunk driving, alcohol is responsible for another 200,000 deaths per year in the U.S. alone. Yet marijuana (and its active ingredient, THC) has never been listed as the cause of death in a single case in all of recorded history (unless the marijuana was “tainted” with another drug). Medical marijuana should absolutely be available in all 50 states, in any and all forms requested. But it is time to go further and decriminalize/legalize marijuana for personal use. People are going to use it recreationally in any case. So taking the “black market” aspect out of it would not only save money (spent on the “drug war”) – and even increase revenues, via taxes – but eliminate some of the violence involved as well. Ian Alterman
Of the seeds he plants in line, Hidden, but waiting to show off. Sowing with an ‘O’ takes time
POEM
Sewing cloth is satisfying And so is sowing seed. Engaging in these activities Is almost all we need.
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
space. Air and wind and water sow, So our universe is green And farmers sow so food will grow To give the pleasure of the meal. The careful gardener knows the colors
STRAUS MEDIA your neighborhood news source
Vice President/CFO Otilia Bertolotti Vice President/CRO Vincent A. Gardino advertising@strausnews.com
Sowing with an ‘O’ takes time For the hidden flower to bloom, But with an ‘E’ I sew a rainbow On one dull gray afternoon! -- Esther Lazarson
ARE YOU A POET? Send us your poems, whether they rhyme or not. Email them to news@strausnews.com
Associate Publishers Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth Regional Sales Manager Tania Cade
HELPING WITH THE BIG DIG BY BETTE DEWING
About those “worth a thousand words” photos, well much as I love the look of snow, and “nature appreciation,” it’s not those scenes we need to “get out” there nearly as much as people helping others in this Big Snow and now the massive dig out. (Of course we need photos of people helping people in general and not only in emergency situations.) My neighbors Susan E. and Susan S. photographed this all too typical one man “dig out” - removing a veritable mountain of snow from his car parked on East End Avenue. Four hours later, there’s still a way to go.
Gristedes always helps out And you think of all the able-bodied people living all around him and how we are so conditioned not to offer a helping hand. Susan E. also photographed Gristedes longtime comanager Joe shoveling out the 81st and East End crosswalk entrances. I might add that Joe and comanager, Ellen, and other longtime staff, always go the second mile for their customers and the neighborhood. And as most locals know, the six-story rental apartment building which also houses an open for breakfast, lunch and dinner restaurant, has been sold…if ever protests were needed to stop what many of us feel are unnatural disasters, disastrously affecting all five boroughs but especially the Upper East Side with the advent of a Second Avenue Subway.
Kids help with the dig-out etcetera Sort of got sidetracked, didn’t I, but it’s always on my mind, along with the employees of the endangered small stores and eateries which meet our everyday needs. But to stay with the shared Big Snow dig-out, I have a dream where say, those early teen boys who do skateboard stunts on the sidewalk instead of the park, would pick up a shovel and help the great dig out. Say, such thoughtful actions might help their acceptance at the school of their choice. But that’s rather cynical when so little in today’s culture is about “helping one another,” and so overwhelmingly much is about “selfie” devices and devotions. Dare I also say “sports”?
Emergency quarters needed Again, I got sidetracked, but it does relate. And during the storm I was reminded how most apartment house staff members don’t live in Manhattan, and how their work places should have comfortable
President & Publisher, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com Account Executive Editor In Chief, Kyle Pope editor.ot@strausnews.com Fred Almonte Director of Partnership Development Deputy Editor, Richard Khavkine Barry Lewis editor.dt@strausnews.com
Staff Reporters Gabrielle Alfiero, Daniel Fitzsimmons Director of Digital Pete Pinto
quarters for them to bunk in times of need. These people who do so much to make life safe, secure and neighborly for their residents, especially, but not only elder ones living alone, could not be more deserving. This also applies to those who have long worked, but don’t live in the nabe, like home-care workers and housekeepers, and longtime neighborhood store staffs like those at East End Gristedes – quarters might be found for them as well.
Lessons for everyday times I might add that the Big Storm made many TV stations fit to watch, you get the picture. And there are so many lessons for everyday times to adopt. Maybe first, we must remind the electeds and wannabees about neighbors helping one another so basic a need, and not only in emergency times. (Their most needed emergency advice did speak to that). I’d vote for anyone who… And those related photos need to get out there. It can be done if enough of us try. dewingbetter@aol.com
Block Mayors Ann Morris, Upper West Side Jennifer Peterson, Upper East Side Gail Dubov, Upper West Side Edith Marks, Upper West Side
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
9
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
CAMP GUIDE
2016
CAMP UNPLUGGED: CUTTING THE DIGITAL CHORD Camp should be one place kids aren’t glued to their screens BY CHRISTOPHER A. THURBER
Young people between eight and eighteen spend an average of 6.5 hours a day absorbed in media — much of the time is solitary. Electronic technology has done a lot to make life more convenient. Sadly, the 1950s dream of having robots and computers do most jobs so that adults could work 15-hour weeks never came true. In fact, the seductiveness of new technology probably contributes to most Americans’ working longer than 40 hours per week. For many people, checking their e-mail outside of work hours is habitual. Others keep their cell phone handy to make and receive calls during time off. This summer, I regularly saw parents “on vacation” at the beach checking their e-mail on handheld devices while their children splashed in the ocean.
Sure, these gadgets are convenient, but they easily blur the lines between work, play, and family time. Electronic technologies also provide a mixed bag — sorry, stream — of media. Television programs, DVD movies, Internet sites, and video games are entertaining, often educational. On the other hand, unsavory content and time absorption are the two most frequently cited problems associated with these media. Research last year by the Kaiser Foundation concluded that young people between eight and eighteen spend an average of 6.5 hours a day absorbed in media. Most of it is electronic and much of the time is solitary. So parents can be drawn into more work; children into more isolating, unwholesome screen time. Sound familiar? Probably. These are becoming such trendy laments in 21st century America that some of you may be tempted to stop reading here. But don’t, because the
rest of this article is about solutions. Not pro-technology or anti-technology, but pro-children, pro-camp solutions.
Password: Thoughtful Use Can there be any way out of the technology trap? Can there be uses of technology that connect, rather than disconnect people? What can save children from the (de)vices of the modern world? The answers, of course, are: Yes, yes, and camp. Is it really that simple? Indeed. All it requires is thoughtful application of intentionally selected technologies. Whatever the technology, it must meet one of four criteria: efficiency, connection, education, and entertainment. Electronic technologies are particularly welcome when they save us time, nourish our relationships, teach us something, or amuse us in healthy, wholesome ways. If your next use of a cell phone, computer, digital music player, or handheld hybrid meets one of these criteria,
without noticeably eroding one of the other criteria, then it has passed the “thoughtful” test. These days, every camp uses electronic technology of some
sort, from telephones to toasters. Even the most rustic and isolated camps use electronic technologies for safety (e.g., GPS units, walkie-talkies,
satellite phones) or publicity (e.g., Web pages). Evaluating a camp’s appropriate use of
CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
10
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com WE TRAIN BRAINS!
CAMP UNPLUGGED CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 technology no longer involves questioning whether it uses new technology, but how.
Famil-E-Values
DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T LET YOUR BRAINS CRAMP..
COME TO OUR SUMMER BRAIN CAMPS! S Brain Camps (Grades 4, 5 & 6) S SHSAT Spring/Fall Classes S SHSAT Summer Intensives S One on One Tutoring Packs: For everything from 4th Grade Enrichment to SATs & ACTs
$50 REBATE ON ALL SUMMER CLASSES AND PACKS WITH THIS AD. Use code: BRAINCRAMP
)YVHK^H` H[ [O [O :[Z c c PUMV'PIPKWYLW JVT c PIPKWYLW JVT
Camp y a D e A mplet As Co leepAs S y! Awa
Every family has different values and a different history with technology. For some, what camp offers is welcome relief from the burdensome yoke of electronic technologies. For other families, camp might offer tools that truly enhance interpersonal connections. As you consider each point, ask yourself what makes the most sense for your circumstances, your own familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s values and history, and your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development. â&#x20AC;˘ Telephones. Telephone calls are inexpensive, simple, and instantaneous. Nevertheless, some camps have a â&#x20AC;&#x153;no phone/ no callâ&#x20AC;? policy because they recognize that telephone calls exacerbate homesickness and erode childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s independence. Although parents and camp directors may have phone contact, campers are not typically permitted to make or receive calls. (Exceptions are made for family emergencies, of course.) Some seven- or eight-week
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016 camps allow scheduled weekly phone calls. Again, this policy reflects the belief that phone contact is not a treatment for homesickness, nor should it interfere with the growth in self-reliance most camps seek to promote. â&#x20AC;˘ E-mail. Many camps allow parents to send e-mails to their children which are sorted and distributed with the regular mail. Like phone calls, these e-mails are inexpensive and simple, but unlike a call, children and parents donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hear the sound of each othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; voices. As tender as real voices are in other contexts, such immediate contact while children are at camp reliably ďŹ&#x201A;ares campersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; homesickness (and parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;kid-sicknessâ&#x20AC;?). By contrast, e-mails have the advantage of being more like a traditional letter. They are written, not spoken, so they can be handled and reread at will. And until recently, campers replied using traditional letters â&#x20AC;&#x201D; most still do. â&#x20AC;˘ Facsimile. Faxes used to be the ugly duckling of the tech world. Today, plain paper faxes resolve images almost as well as photocopy machines, and some camps are using faxes to send campersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; handwritten letters to their eager parents.
Potentially, a parent could send an e-mail to their child in the morning and receive a faxed reply in the afternoon. Potentially, this also creates an unnecessary burden for parents, children, and camp staff. â&#x20AC;˘ Photographs. Since the 1920s, some camps have published photographic yearbooks. Of course, families had to wait until Thanksgiving to receive a copy. The advantage of such a long wait was that it forced children to recreate a verbal narrative of the experience. These narratives not only helped parents understand their childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s camp experience, they also helped children comprehend it, especially the parts that may have been challenging or confusing. Today, such narratives may be bypassed because camps are posting hundreds of digital photographs a day on their Web sites. Parents at home or at work can instantly view, purchase, and download photos of their child at camp. Of course, this can also create undue anxiety when your child is not photographed on a certain day, or appears not to be smiling in a certain snapshot. â&#x20AC;˘ Video Streaming. You thought photos captured the camp experience on your desk-
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016 top? What about live digital video using Web cams placed strategically around camp? Whereas some camps see this as the ultimate way to give parents a window into their child’s world, others see it as the ultimate way to rob children of an experience all their own. Even more so than the provision of photographs, this medium may create more anxiety than it was designed to quell and encourage children to bypass a truly interactive, personal narrative with their parents. Why write during camp or talk after camp when mom and dad already saw it all on their laptop?
Run the Diagnostics In your search for the camp that best matches your child’s interests and abilities, consider that the thoughtful application of electronic technology requires two things. First, it must meet one or more of the criteria of efficiency, connection, education, and wholesome entertainment without eroding any of the other criteria. Second, it must be in accord with the camp’s stated mission. If a camp hasn’t applied technology thoughtfully, consider other camps that have. Any camp that passes these diagnostic tests must now pass two tough parent tests: First,
does the camp’s application of technology match your value system? For example, the camp may provide live streaming video, thus providing a kind of connection and entertainment that is in accord with its stated mission of inviting parents to witness camp as it happens. But does this match your value system, which may include affording your child an opportunity to independently explore a new place and new relationships? Are you comfortable that someone could hack past the camp’s Web site password and view camp activities, or does that threaten your sense of safety and privacy? If the camp’s technology passes your values test, the second test is this: Does the camp’s application of technology give you an opportunity to take a break from full-time parenthood? As much as parents and children might miss one another, both say their relationship is stronger when they’ve had some time apart. However, if the camp’s use of technology makes more work for you, it diminishes one of the benefits of time apart: respite for you.
Worth the Wait Remember that camp is not the stock market or a breaking news story. It’s community liv-
11
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com ing, away from home, in a natural, recreational setting. Nothing needs to be transmitted at the speed of light. Plus, children are exposed to electronic technology all year. It’s nice for them to have a break during the summer. It’s also healthy for children and parents to talk with each other about their experiences after spending some planned time apart. Technologies should not crowd out the necessary psychological space for dialogue. The artificial needs created by new electronic technologies — to see and hear everything the instant it happens — are not always developmentally appropriate needs for our children. To wait a few days for a traditional letter to arrive, for example, gives parents and children alike the time to reflect, form new relationships, solve problems independently, and understand their emotions. In these ways, unplugging the digital umbilical promotes healthy growth and self-reliance. Christopher A. Thurber, a boardcertified clinical psychologist, is coauthor of The Summer Camp Handbook. Originally printed in CAMP Magazine, reprinted by permission of the American Camp Association
AMERICA’S OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY RUNNING CO-ED CAMP!
Affordable rates, 2,4,6 & 8 week sessions available. Beautiful 700 acre property with mile long private lake
Day camp for boys and girls ages 4-12
Enter code NEWS16 to receive a 10% discount
dwightsummercamp.org | 917.551.6430 2116 First Avenue, New York City director@dwightsummercamp.org
SLEEPAWAY AND DAY CAMP PROGRAMS AVAIABLE FOR CAMPERS AGED 5 TO 15. LOCATED IN BEAUTIFUL COASTAL CT.
Many activites to choose from including; Sports, Arts, Ceramics, Woodworking, Music Ropes Course, Culinary Arts & Waterfront options.
Spring open houses and tours available. Contact us for more info and a brochure. www.incarnationcamp.org - info@incarnationcamp.org - 860-767-0848
12
ART
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
LIVES HERE FIRST TIME AT CAMP? Prepping your kids for what to expect BOB DITTER
SUMMER ARTS CAMP June - August
Grades 3 - 12
Sending your child away to camp for the first time is a major milestone for most families, one that is often marked by excitement, anticipation, and perhaps even some anxiety. Though camp is certainly about making friends and having fun, it is also about being on your own and being a part of a community. One of the most important things you as a parent can do to help prepare your child for both these aspects of camp is to talk with your child about it before he/she goes. In fact, it may be better to have several occasional, shorter talks rather than one long conversation as children often absorb more when there is less to think about at one time. I also find that children do better with this sort of conversation if it is part of a more general conversation and if it is part of a pattern of talking, either at the dinner table or while riding in the car doing errands. The following will help prepare your child emotionally for their big adventure:
Friends
camp.interlochen.org %TGCVKXG 9TKVKPI r &CPEG r /QVKQP 2KEVWTG #TVU r /WUKE r 6JGCVTG r 8KUWCN #TVU
Camp is not anything if it is not about making new friends. If you are shy about meeting new kids, then learn to get to know others by being a good listener. Remember also that not everyone in your cabin, bunk, or group has to be your friend, and you don’t have to be everyone else’s friend. As long as you treat others with respect and they do the same with you, then having one or two friends
at camp is fine. If you have more, then that’s great!
Activities There are many exciting things to do at camp, many of which you may never have tried before. If your child tends to be a bit homesick or worried about being homesick, remind him/ her about the excitement of going to camp: Remember, when you first decided to go to camp, what made you so excited? You may not like all the activities, or you may be better at some than others. That’s normal. I, however, hope you are willing to try. The more you put into camp, the more you will get out of it!
Cooperating You, like every other camper there, will be part of a cabin, bunk, or group. As your parent, I hope you will cooperate with others and help out. That’s part of what makes camp so special — kids helping each other out. Most kids will help you if you are friendly and help them. Give yourself time. One thing about camp is that almost everything is new — the kids, the activities, the routines, the bed you sleep in, the bathroom. It takes a few days to get adjusted, so be patient with yourself. Most of the time you will be having so much fun you won’t mind all the changes, but if you do, remember that you will get so used to things that by the time you come home you will miss all those things!
Helping out Camp is about fun, but it also requires that you help out. Clean-up is part of camp. You do it every day! As your parent, I hope you will cooperate!
Getting help Everyone has good days and
bad days. If you are having a problem, your counselor is there to help you! You don’t have to wait to tell us if you are upset about something. After all, if your counselor doesn’t know what might be troubling you, he/she can’t help you. Be honest and ask for what you need. If your counselor doesn’t seem to be concerned or doesn’t help you, then you can go to the unit director, head counselor, etc. Parents should know who these “back-up persons” are and how their child will recognize them if they need to.
Being positive It’s a great thing to remind your first-time camper about his or her strong points. I would focus not just on what they do well, but their positive qualities as well, such as what makes them a good friend or the type of person other kids would want to know. Helping children identify their strengths can help them when they are having a setback — one of those inevitable growing pains all children have from time to time. Talking with your child about these kinds of issues is a great way to show support as your child gets ready to take this important step on the road to being more resilient and selfreliant. For you as a parent, it can give you more peace of mind as you allow your child to participate safely in a broader world. Bob Ditter is a child and family therapist living in Boston who consults extensively with people who work with children. Originally printed in CAMP Magazine, reprinted by permission of the American Camp Association
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
13
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
A CHECKLIST FOR PICKING THE PERFECT CAMP Considering a summer camp, but how to choose? Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a camp that is ideally suited for every child, providing a summer of growth and fun whether your child attends a day or overnight camp, a specialized or traditional camp. With a little help from the camp professionals at the American Camp Association, hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s some sound advice that helps parents sort through the choices and beneďŹ ts that camp delivers. As spring approaches, parents and children can look forward to planning for the futureâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a future that includes the opportunities for exploration and discovery that arrives with summer camp.
How to Decide When Your Child is Ready for Camp Children are ready for new experiences at different stages. Parents know their children best and these questions can help gauge whether this is the summer your child will start camp. What is your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age, and what is your perception of his or her readiness level? Children under 7 who have not had overnight experiences may do better with a day camp as their first camp experience. If you think your child might not be ready for an overnight camp experience, consider the day camp experience to prepare him or her for future overnight camp. How did your child become interested in camp? Does your child talk about camp on a sustained basis? How much persuasion is necessary from you? Has your child had positive overnight experiences away from home? Visiting relatives or friends? Were these separations easy or difficult? What does your child expect to do at camp? Learning about the camp experience ahead of time allows you to create positive expectations. Are you able to share consistent and positive messages about camp? Your confidence in a positive experience will be contagious.
A Camp for Every Childâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;The Perfect Fit Camp can last for just a few days or stretch to all summer
long. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well worth the trouble to investigate the variety of choices offered by camps before your child packs a backpack. These questions help you consider the options. Near or Far? Where do you want your child to go to camp? Locally or far away? While each camp experience has something unique to offer your child, this is an opportunity for families to assess what they value for their campers. BeneďŹ ts of Camp Nearby Easier to evaluate and visit Friends and family are likely familiar with camp Minimal travel costs Likely contact with classmates or children from same region BeneďŹ ts of Camp Far Away More choices Different experiences, different geography, e.g., mountains or oceansâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;even different languages Promotes independence, particularly for early and late adolescent campers Diversity of campers Chance for family to visit and vacation at close of camp
Session Length Offers Another Choice Camps offer widely varying options to help parents and children reach their goals for summer fun and exploration. Talking with your child about the goals you both share helps determine which choice is right for you. Benefits of Short Sessions (onethree weeks) First-time or younger campers have a chance to learn new skills Bonds develop with other campers and staff Great exposure to camp experience with less expense Minimizes homesickness BeneďŹ ts of Longer Sessions (fourtwelve weeks) Strong sense of belonging to camp community Chance to learn new skills Development of specialized skills Multiple opportunities for learning and enrichment
Lifelong friendships Opportunities to contribute to camp culture
Boys Only, Girls Only, or Co-ed? Now may be the opportunity to explore the choices and beneďŹ ts of all boys, all girls, or coed camps. BeneďŹ ts of Single Sex Camps Breaking gender stereotypesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;girls interact with women in position of authority and boys interact with men who act as nurturers More opportunities to â&#x20AC;&#x153;be yourselfâ&#x20AC;? without impressing or competing with the opposite sex Camp philosophy may be tuned into gender strengths and weaknesses Brother or sister camps may share activities BeneďŹ ts of Co-ed Camps Breaking gender stereotypesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;girls interact with women in positions of authority and boys interact with men who act as nurturers Mirrors and prepares campers for everyday living in a coed world Allows families with a boy and a girl to attend the same camp Offers diverse points of view Breaks through rigid divisions set up in school when campers participate in equal footing
A Camp for Every Childâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Traditional, Specialty, and Special Needs Choices abound when it comes to camp programs. One may highlight a wide variety of activities geared to campers of all ages and skill levels, others, because of their setting and expertise, may concentrate on one or two activities while providing traditional activities as well. Parents of children with special needs are pleased to learn about the range of camp activities that help kids be kids ďŹ rst. BeneďŹ ts of Traditional Camps Wide variety of activities Chance for campers to try new activities Exposure to more campers
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
YOUTH CLASSES AT THE FIELD HOUSE Spring Semester Now in Session ONGOING REGISTRATION
212.336.6520 chelseapiers.com/fh
14
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
SUMMER CAMPS los angeles
MANHATTAN & BROOKLYN CAMPUSES!
filmmaking
acting
dance
! Ages 13-18 ! Day or Residential ! 1-6 Week Camps
O
new york city
O
vermont
photography
music
SUMMER CAMPS 2016
SESSION SESSION SESSION SESSION
NYC Residents Get
1: 2: 3: 4:
JUNE 12 - JUNE 25 JUNE 26 - JULY 16 JULY 17 - AUG 06 AUG 07 - AUG 13
800.718.2787
5% Off Tuition!
socapa.org
Call Now: 800.718.2787
THE WORLD IS WAITING
LEARN A LANGUAGE ABROAD See the world, experience a new culture, make friends from 100 countries – and prepare for your global future. Start any Monday and study from two weeks to a whole year. t EF Summer Camp students 13-16 t &' -BOHVBHF $PVSTFT "CSPBE students 16 to adult t &' (BQ :FBS 1SPHSBNT students 16 to adult www.ef.com/language World Leader in International Education
Get the latest news! Get the best of Our Town Downtown delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletter at
otdowntown.com (click on subscribe)
PERFECT CAMP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
session Deepens knowledge and skill in particular area of interest or ability
and staff at varying activities Benefits of Specialty Camps One or two specialized activities (often combined with traditional offerings) Expectation for increased proficiency during camping
Chelsea Piers is home to 15 specialty sports camps for children and teens ages 3 to 17. For the past 20 summers, campers have enjoyed world-class facilities, expert instruction and the most exciting sports curriculum available- without leaving NYC! Camps include: Sports Academy (soccer, basketball, baseball & more), Elite Soccer, Basketball, Gymnastics, Golf, Performance Golf, Ice Hockey, Acceleration Hockey and Urban Adventure for teens (rock climbing, sailing, kayaking & more). For preschoolers, there are half-day Gymnastics and Ice Skating camps. Lunch is provided for all full-day campers. Transportation is available from major residential neighborhoods in Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn. An After-Care Program is offered from 4:30 – 6:00pm. Camps run June 20 through September 2, 2016. Campers may enroll for one, two or more weeks. Sign up by May 20th for Early Bird Pricing and save!
Benefits of Special Needs Camps Activities geared to campers’ abilities Knowledgeable staff with expertise to understand campers’ strengths and challenges Supportive and fun atmo-
sphere to share with others For more information about child development and the camp experience, please visit our family-dedicated Web site, www.CampParents.org or call our toll-free number, 1-800428-CAMP (2267). Originally printed in CAMP Magazine, reprinted by permission of the American Camp Association
World Leader in International Education Learn a language abroad! EF’s fun and interactive language immersion courses offer students and adults the chance to explore 12 of the world’s greatest cities. Flexible length courses start every Monday allowing you to make guaranteed progress in your studies with EF’s innovative learning method and personalized classes. From springtime in Paris to summer in Singapore – the choice is yours. After class, get to know your destination through unique culture activities and weekend excursions. Catch a local football game in Madrid or learn German slang in Berlin as you work towards fluency in a new language. Reside with a screened local host family or stay at EF’s international residence. Summer Camp (ages 13-15), Language courses (16 to adult), and Gap Year Programs (16 and up) are available. Learn more at www.livethelanguage.com
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
SWIM
15
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
SPORTS
TRIPS
ACTIVITIES
ARTS
BUS SERVICE
REGISTRATION OPEN. CAMP STARTS JUNE 29! UPPER EAST SIDE
555 East 90 Street (AT YORK AVENUE) th
BATTERY PARK CITY
212 North End Avenue (AT MURRAY STREET)
asphaltgreen.org • 212.298.7900
16
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
Dear Parents and Guardians, The Vanderbilt YMCA welcomes all of our returning and new campers to our 2016 Summer Camp Programs. We are excited to embark on another summer of fun and learning with you and your children. From sports and swimming to arts and culture, Vanderbilt Y camps span a broad range of interests, while focusing on developing young minds and bodies. In 2015, the YMCA of Greater New York served over 12,000 campers in communities throughout New York City. We are proud that in Midtown East, the Vanderbilt YMCA is able to engage your child in a summer of new friendships, skills and exploration. Thank you for choosing our Y summer camp. We look forward to getting to know your camper!
Located in coastal Connecticut, on 700 wooded acres surrounding a mile long private lake, Incarnation Camp is the country’s oldest co-ed camp. Since 1886, we have provided a fun-filled, traditional camp with hands-on learning and group living in the great outdoors. Our camps are amazing places to spend your summers – there is nothing quite like the bonds you build with your camp friends as you experience the adventures of summertime together. Campers participate in well-rounded and adventurous programs that develop an appreciation for nature and celebrate the uniqueness of each individual.
CAMP PEMBROKE -- FOR GIRLS Camp Pembroke welcomes girls 8-16 to spirited, Jewish sisterhood near Cape Cod! Give your daughter an outstanding, independent Jewish camp – and a special world just for girls. Since 1935, Camp Pembroke is New England’s only such camp, filled with fun, sun, visual arts, performance, sports, and Jewish living, and totally devoted to nurturing and empowering each young woman. Girls gain the freedom and self-confidence to be themselves, try new things, and cheer on others – on the water, field, court, and stage. Specialty programs include horseback riding, ice skating, and golf. New for 2016: two-week option! We are one of three Cohen Camps, led by three generations of steadfast family leadership, and capped by Dor L’Dor, an Israel leadership program for Cohen Camps teens. Sibling discounts and first-time camper grants available. ACA-accredited. Kosher. Tours all year. Just south of Boston; 4 hours from NYC. Airport pickup available. Learn s’more: CampPembroke.org 781.489.2070
Sincerely, Robin Nathaniel Summer Camp Director YMCA of Greater New York Vanderbilt YMCA 224 East 47th Street New York, NY 10017 Phone (212) 912-2500 Direct (212) 912-2559 Fax (212) 755-7579 rnathaniel@ymcanyc.org www.ymcanc.org/vanderbilt
CAMP RAMAQUOIS Camp Ramaquois, “A day camp as complete as sleep-away camp”, situated on 44 acres in nearby Rockland County. Only 30 minutes from the George Washington Bridge, via the Palisades Parkway. From adventurous activities to creative arts to athletic activities, boys & girls, ages 3-15 experience a traditional day camp program filled with a variety of stimulating activities. Facilities include group bunks, a 5-acre crystalline lake, 9 heated swimming pools, a splash park, aerial adventure park, tennis, basketball, volleyball & pickle ball courts, hockey rinks, ball fields, soccer fields, nature area with petting zoo, horseback riding, special events & much more. Optional Adventure Trip Program for grades 3-10. 10th Grade Leadership Program. Many air-conditioned buildings Ramaquois is a magical camp where children experience a sense of adventure, meet new challenges, create wonderful memories and make lasting friendships. Tuition includes Air-Conditioned Door-to-Door Mini School Bus Transportation, Hot Lunch (Nut Aware), Towel Service, 2 Camp Shirts, Snack, Camp DVD & Group Photo.
ibidPREP’s Brain Camps are a fun way to keep your students’ minds active and engaged during the summer months. Our classroom camps pepper kids with riddles, games and other mental challenges that teach them how to read better, think laterally and Remain Clam! under time and test situations. For older students, we offer SHSAT Intensive Summer Courses in addition to our Spring/Fall and Fall Intensive SHSAT Courses. All students are also invited to sign-up for our special one-onone summer packs. Skype sessions are always available - so take your tutor with you to the beach, mountains or on that European vacation!!
2328 Broadway at 84th/85th Sts. 212.787.0374 | info@ibidprep.com | ibidprep.com
Visit us at www.ramaquois.com or call 845-354-1600 for a personal tour. Accredited Camp, American Camping Association. Each year, Interlochen Arts Camp hosts 2,500 international students who come to study music, theatre, visual arts, creative writing, motion picture arts, and dance in the Michigan sun. The sprawling 1,200 acre campus includes 120 cabins, three cafeterias, two sandy freshwater lakes and over a dozen performance venues. Campers learn from amazing guest artists and industry-seasoned educators, and, working and living in age-appropriate divisions, they create projects with other students who share their passion for the arts. While at Interlochen, campers participate in and enjoy performances, concerts, readings and art exhibitions each week, and participate in traditional camp activities like swimming, canoeing, team games and crafts. With no classes on Monday afternoons, offcampus field trips to sights like the Sleeping Bear Dunes are camper favorites. Getting ready to start its 89th summer, Interlochen Arts Camp is a place to build friendships, create memories and ignite a lifelong passion for the arts.
campinterlochen.org
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
17
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
THE A.C.T. SUMMER CAMPS The A.C.T. Summer camp is one of the few in the ďŹ ve boroughs where campers enjoy spacious grounds, extensive indoor and outdoor facilities, an eight-week program, extended hours, themebased programming and a diverse community. Engaging ACTivities include trips, arts & crafts, sports, performances and entertainment. No need to bus your child away from your neighborhood for sun, shady trees and open spaces! Centrally located near public transportation, our 11-acre oasis in Manhattan brings the country to the city and allows children to: t (BSEFO NFFU PO UIF MBXOT QMBZ PVUEPPST t &BU VOEFS UIF TIBEF PG NBQMF USFFT BOE FOKPZ TOBDLJOH BU PVS DBOUFFO t 1MBZ JO UXP HZNOBTJVNT UXP PVUEPPS QMBZHSPVOET BO JOEPPS BSFOB BOE (B(B #BMM 1JU t $SFBUF BSU JO PVS TUVEJPT XIJDI BSF MP cated in various locations on the 11 acre property of The Cathedral of St. John the Divine
Dwight Summer Camp â&#x20AC;&#x153;ignites the spark of genius in every camper!â&#x20AC;? With a wide range of age-appropriate and customizable programs, Dwight offers fun, creative, action-packed activities and adventures for children ages 4-12. Campers make friends and enjoy well-rounded experiences in sports, the visual and performing arts, technology, and more. Campers can focus on one specialty in Spark Camps to develop a passion or ďŹ nd a new one. With daily swim instruction, great trips, theme days/weeks, and color war, the fun never ends! Choose from one to ten-week sessions; mix and match Spark Camps with Day Camp weeks to customize the experience for your camper. The more weeks your child attends, the more you save. Chaperoned bus transportation above 59th Street and below 125th Street on the East and West Sides of Manhattan is available, along with extended day options. Register at www.dwightsummercamp.org with code NEWS16 to receive a 10% discount.
Dwight Summer Camp 'JSTU "WFOVF /FX :PSL /: t 1IPOF &NBJM EJSFDUPS!EXJHIUTVNNFSDBNQ PSH t XXX EXJHIUTVNNFSDBNQ PSH
Bernie Wohl Center Camp (647 Columbus Avenue) offers 3 core activities: Yoga, Chess and Storytelling plus a variety of electives. Ages 6-10. Two sessions: 7/5/16-7/29/16 and 8/1/16-8/18/16. Sliding Scale Fees $750-$2,000; Info: 212-799-9400; mashe@goddard.org.
Call for a Tour & Brochure 212.316.7530 www.actprograms.org
Beacon Camp (154 W 93rd Street) offers youth activities in the performing arts, visual arts, STEM, business and sports. Community service stressed. Incoming 8th graders receive SHSAT exam prep and help with art portfolios for HS. Grades 6-9/Ages 11-14. 7/5/16-8/18/16. FREE. Info: 212-866-0009 or beacon@goddard.org.
Asphalt Green Summer Day Camp 2016 Get ready for the best summer ever! Ages: 4½ to 15 4XJN t 4QPSUT t "SUT t 'JFME USJQT t 4QFDJBM FWFOUT t 5IFNF EBZT "OE NPSF "SF ZPV SFBEZ GPS ZPVS DBNQFS UP FOKPZ B TVNNFS PG GVO m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
Performing Arts Camp (26 West 84th Street-*pick up application at 647 Columbus Ave*) will offer an exciting program of dance, vocals, music and theater arts. Local theater trips, sports, and outdoor activities included. Ages 8-13. One session, 7/5/16-8/18/16. Sliding Scale Fees $750-$2,000; Info: 212-799-9400; mashe@goddard.org.
647 Columbus Avenue 212.799.9400 http://www.goddard.org/
Middlebury Interactiveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Summer Language Academy for rising 8th-12th grade students is the perfect opportunity for teens to gain tangible language skills in Spanish, French, Chinese, German or Arabic. With locations in Vermont and three abroad in Beijing, Granada and Quebec City, the Academy offers a full-immersion environment for teens. Students speak their target language 24/7 throughout the four-week program, resulting in tremendous language acceleration. The Language Academy is an enriching summer program for motivated students who want to accelerate their language skills, while enjoying a pre-college summer camp experience with other like-minded teens. Besides language growth students will make lifelong friends, gain maturity and independence and become prepared for college and beyond. Whether you are an absolute beginner or advanced language speaker, you will dramatically improve your language skills at the summer Language Academy. Visit middleburyinteractive. com to learn more about this unique summer experience or to apply today.
The School of Creative & Performing Arts (SOCAPA) offers teens ages 13-18 summer intensives in Filmmaking, Acting, Music, Dance, Photography and Screenwriting with ďŹ&#x201A;exible course-lengths of one to three weeks. SOCAPA gives students who join us from across the country and around the world the opportunity to learn and grow as artists. Campers of all experience levels are challenged to advance their craft through hands-on learning with teachers who are leaders in their ďŹ elds. Our campuses in New York City, California, and Vermont each give students a unique experience of learning with other artists in a state-of-the-art setting. Along with the hard work of students and staff comes the best of summerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;SOCAPA schedules activities each night and weekend to give students the chance to enjoy time with friends and the wonderful sites surrounding our campuses. Please join us this summer!
800.718.2787
socapa.org
18
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
TIN BUILDING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 current approach to the controversial New Market Building site. “The committees adopted a resolution recommending approval of this application, but the resolution included language reiterating our objection to segmentation of the planning process and the need for transparency,” said CB1 chair Catherine McVay-Hughes. City and state environmental review laws require all components of a proposed project to be looked at collectively during an environmental impact review. Separating them is known as “segmentation” in development parlance, and is not permissible. “This is a serious concern to the community who want the master plan and not for this thing to be segmented,” said McVay-Hughes. “The community has asked for a master plan.” Chris Curry, Howard Hughes’ Senior Vice-President for Development, said the company is continuing to “explore a revised mixed-use development plan taking into account feedback from the community and elected officials.” “The Howard Hughes Corporation remains steadfast in our commitment to the revitalization of the Seaport District, making it once again one of New York’s premier destinations and a much needed community anchor for Lower Manhattan,” said Curry. “We’re pleased to have the community board’s support on our plans to reconstruct the historic Tin Building into a 21st century center for food and commerce at the Seaport in keeping with the neighborhood’s rich history.” The Seaport community has been waiting for a revised, comprehensive proposal for redevelopment at the Seaport since Howard Hughes’ plan for a 494-foot luxury residential tower on the New Market Building site was shot down by elected officials early last year. Redevelopment of the New Market Building, which sits just north of the Tin Building and Pier 17, is the main point of contention in the community. Elected officials and preser-
vationists maintain that any tower on the site would be out of step with the surrounding South Street Seaport Historic District (the New Market Building falls just outside the city’s historic district but is considered a historic site by state and federal agencies). CB1 isn’t the only entity in Lower Manhattan looking for a master plan while worrying about transparency and the future of the Seaport. Prior to the Jan. 19 board meeting, local preservation group Friends of South Street Seaport revealed the results of a Freedom of Information request they filed that found Howard Hughes and the NYC Economic Development Corporation had submitted draft plans last August for a hotel on the New Market Building site with the City Planning Commission - without informing the community. Howard Hughes has since said they’re abandoning those plans, but the opaque nature of their filing has stoked fears over transparency. “The members of the community were outraged [Howard Hughes] filed the plan without giving them to the community board or the Seaport Working Group,” said McVay-Hughes, referring to a coalition of elected officials and community organizations - of which Howard Hughes was part – formed to advise the redevelopment. The plans uncovered by FOSSS comprise what’s known as a “preliminary draft environmental assessment statement” and a “draft scope of work” for a forthcoming environmental impact review and statement. Due to their precursory nature, the documents aren’t subject to the same disclosure or public hearing requirements that occur during the environmental impact review process. It appears, however, that Howard Hughes and the EDC were not keen on public disclosure of the hotel plans, as they requested from the City Planning Commission, “confidential treatment under [the Freedom of Information Law]” for both documents. “They were filed confidentially and nobody was told, they were filed secretly, basically,” said Maureen Koetz, a landuse and environmental lawyer working on behalf of FOSSS.
19
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com A Howard Hughes spokesperson said the company is no longer pursuing the hotel plan. Those documents, said the spokesperson, “contained a conceptual-level plan for the New Market site that is not going forward at this time.” The documents indicate plans for a 10-story, 170,000 squarefoot hotel with approximately 185 rooms. An additional 25,000 square feet would be given over to restaurant and retail space, and the project would include a 35,000 squarefoot event space. The proposed building would have a maximum height of 160 feet and would be 10 stories tall. Plans for the Tin Building in the draft scope of work filed in August differ with those that were presented by Howard Hughes to CB1 earlier this month. According to the plans from August, the Tin Building would be dismantled during the pier restoration work and reassembled further away from South Street and FDR Drive, and instead of lopping a story off the top in accordance with their most recent plan, Howard Hughes would instead add a story onto the Tin Building. The August plans also call for the construction of five pavilions with retail and food uses under FDR Drive, which would total about 14,000 square feet. Howard Hughes maintains in their August filings as well plans for a 100-vessel marina between Pier 17 and the Brooklyn Bridge. Koetz said she believes Howard Hughes is seeking to segment the whole of their Seaport redevelopment project. “What I believe they’re doing now is to break the project down into parts,” she said. The Howard Hughes spokesperson said the company is engaged in an ongoing dialogue with the EDC, elected officials and community stakeholders for a plan at the New Market Building site. “Once a proposal for the New Market site is finalized, [Howard Hughes] will submit an application to the appropriate agencies and the proposal will undergo all required public review as well as community engagement,” said the spokesperson.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE! at OTDOWNTOWN.COM
DOWNTOWN IS OUR HOME Our Town Downtown is Your Paper
Since 1 972
VOL. ??,
ISSUE
NYPre
ss
? NYP RESS.C
OM
@NYPr
ess
SUBWA AT CRITICYASYSTEM JUNCTION L
Downt owner
WEEK OF
,$(( 201,
100 M 100K+5+ 80 Y FOR SHOW C+5M+5Y THE RED
FOR < LOCA SET IN M LS, P. 17 ATION BLK ON HE HERE
Politics upgradesthreaten to der infrastru and repairs ail critical to aging cture
In Br
R TV
ief
It’s an BY MEG HAN BAR endle om inous ssly in R ref mono the samrain, repeat SCHO ton e autom ed we are e: “Ladie BAN ENOL CELLPHON ahead delayed bec s and gentle ated DS TH ause of of me IS WEEE train tra n, Every us.” Good K ffic way to New Yorker news fornews for par who rid on the work each day es 1.1 million teachers: Neents, bad — all the submessa busiest day will be abl students oncw York City’s s — has 6 million, ge ech when oed ove hea school. e to bring cel e again a r loudsp rd that pected train car lphones eakers comes The to don’t halt. What to an schoolscellphone ban rea in had tied to lize is tha most commuunexcity been put former playin a contentio t those delays ters who feaMayor Michae in place by Transpg out over us political are with cla red they wo l Bloomberg, the Me fig capita ortation Au tropo ht knows sses. Bloom uld interfere l critical budget pla thority’s five-lita n impact something aboberg, who n, the cit improvem which wi year ways preof technolog ut the ent ll fun y’s y, wa scient: Right sprawling s and repair d ins tall since s in som tra now s ed, nsi , the MT find fun t system to and Ins texting and the ban wa e that $32 ding source A is struggli . teens’ tagram have Snapchat s be for billion pla s for about ng to parentslives, to the anntaken over ced n. hal and ors on to refund The agency f of The Gan But the educators oyance of money could sevoor . ast Sid expansion ban als to ultimately t Marke projec contrace access o had t, circa downsi ts like leading nnect projec Blasio 1899. des the Ma Photo cou and Cen Long Isla t — which the Parent to lift it as of yor Bill de , rtesy of wil nd tra New-Yo debate l Terminal Rail Road l absencs complainedMarch 2. rk Histori m now, isn’t resolv — if the budto to reache of phones mathat the cal Soc ed 18 iety. de it tou family emtheir kids, par month dergas MTA Chair gh week. t said at a man Thom s In additioergencies. ticularly in board as n, meeti a the ear or biz ban arre ng tw cellphonecottage ind created aid. “Bu o, we’re OK t parked babysitter ustry of th, we as you start ,” Prenderget charge outside of schs -- vans ave tha to the poi to get down nt t watch d students a ools that ontrac money, we canwhere we were in their phones daily fee to ’t aw n projects, we can’t award ard particu class. Some while they conr majorts.” larl par y fro neighb m les ents, way lin project at ris e ban imporhoods, coms-wealthy enue, that will runk is the pla ose Pre In ann d an unn ined the along e start ndergast From im sai ban, the ouncing the ecessary cos the Line no enue sub next pha d. left it up Department end of the t. to cool mense farme se 14th Str rth to and fashion would way? That of the rs’ to par ma inc eet to ents, of Education be up continues luding rke set and fro hu blocks on the would We m to evolveb, the district t can be the rules for whand principals table,” its rec east to Hudso the river thr st sponta use , rgast sai en ent life pho and fam d, and wh mecca as a go- n Street. Un ee sevoor neously cre ere. “Pa nes tself in d the agency , t Farme princip ilies should con ating ren Why worki it was for alm to high fas til tha BY tact the ts ng esn’t exp t position has informaal or parent coo ost 150 hion intGa nsevoort rs’ Market. the Ga nDistric is it called thePENELOPE BAR blood- market: ir yea Str EAU ere dirty, staine round ect it will bespecifi tion about the rdinator for packe t when there Meatpack gritty rs a origin sti ng his eet has a hap. d. For rs tor y its , and pretty ts the ally an confiscac cellphone use ir school’s 250? Ine there, do are only six ing ing fardecades it wa money elf riv Ind me tion . er, wn and It wa ian fol DOE’s we policy,” it nee Locate rtia, most like from ab at came mers from mis a market has tod low ing the footpath to s ds according out hostto PAGE 5 River, d on the sho ly. For the bsite. they do sell their les around the turies ay. In the 18t same rou the it’s a rel re wh wares it was te today talking moment, h and in Ma acr ativel of the Hudso , much o Kill, Gre kno 19th cenit nh n gat oss the cit in farmers’ usage about allowinno one is as A at Kill wn variou sevoor attan stretc y small dis ma y. hering sly as kil and Gre t Street hing fro trict likely wilin class. Studeng cellphone Old in the Fa rmers starkets in n—pronou from ove at the som nced at Kiln roa foot of m Ganrted their phol be allowed ts most rcrow 1860s, mi sou the Hig “n”—w e quarters at the time d. to use nes dur h Ga th. They setded markets grating des as an ove still wit and ing ign in lunch or nsevoo h farthe up at they’re ated areas. Oth the rt and r redthis case bu n or furnac a silent in rne Greenw corner of e, wh uce the studen supposed to beerwise, ich str m to mod oyster she ich t eets, lls rtar, an Good backpacks and kept in CONTINU essent to lockers. for und luck enforcing ial ED ON er-
MEATP PACKS IANCHKING MECCA ISTORY
HI ST OR Y
PAGE 4
photo-shathe-desk tex that. Look ting ring, sta rting this and week.
Now Get it Delivered to You by Mail
Just $49/year Downtowner - More Neighborhood News - More Local Events - More News You Need to Know YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS SOURCE
To Subscribe: Call 212-868-0190 or go online to otdowntown.com and click on subscribe
20
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS JAN 5 - 22, 2016
Caffe Vivaldi
32 Jones Street
A
The following listings were collected from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s website and include the most recent inspection and grade reports listed. We have included every restaurant listed during this time within the zip codes of our neighborhoods. Some reports list numbers with their explanations; these are the number of violation points a restaurant has received. To see more information on restaurant grades, visit www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/services/restaurant-inspection.shtml.
Karavas Pizza N Pita
108 7 Avenue South
A
Bruffin Cafe
52 Gansevoort St
A
Carma Asian Tapas
38 Carmine St
Grade Pending (41) Shellfish not from approved source, improperly tagged/labeled; tags not retained for 90 days. Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewageassociated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
Cappone’s Salumeria
52 Gansevoort St
Grade Pending (28) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.
Heermance On Gansevoort
52 Gansevoort St
Grade Pending (17) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.
Waverly Restaurant
385 6 Avenue
A
Trattoria Spaghetto
232 Bleecker Street
A
Baker & Co.
263 Bleecker St
A
Popbar
5 Carmine Street
A
Bar Bolonat
611 Hudson St
A
Brooklyneer
220 West Houston Street
A
Colicchio & Sons
85 10 Avenue
Grade Pending (18) Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
Slice & Co. Brick Oven Pizza
527 6 Avenue
Grade Pending (24) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
Golden Wok Chinese Restaurant
209 8Th Ave
Grade Pending (23) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.
Sushi Para 88
212 W 14Th St
Grade Pending (17) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
Trailer Park Lounge
271 West 23 Street
A
The Meatball Shop
64 Greenwich Avenue
A
Beyond Sushi
75 9Th Ave
A
Terremoto Coffee
328 W 15Th St
Not Yet Graded (5)
Moe’s Cafe
141 West 21 Street
A
Sodexo America
123 West 13 Street
A
Boston Market
273 West 23 Street
A
Prodigy Coffee
33 Carmine Street
A
Royal Siam Thai
240 8 Avenue
A
Patisserie Claude
187 West 4 Street
A
Stamina Grill & Juice Bar
80 Nassau Street
A
Wild
535 Hudson Street
Starbucks
135 John Street
A
Grade Pending (14) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
Cafe Patoro
223 Front St
Not Yet Graded - No violations were recorded at the initial nonoperational pre-permit inspection conducted on 01/11/2016, or violations cited were dismissed at an administrative hearing.
Bluestone Lane Collective Cafe
55 Greenwich Avenue
A
Brasserie Les Halles
15 John Street
A
The Doughnut Project
10 Morton St
A
Hale & Hearty Soup
111 Fulton Street
A
San Marzano
117 2 Avenue
Grade Pending (2)
Thai Sliders & Co. Llc
108 John St
Grade Pending (19) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
Japonica Restaurant
90 University Pl
A
Florian Cafe Tattoria & Bar
225 Park Ave S
A
Grade Pending (23) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
Lions Beer Store
104 2nd Ave
A
Iggy’s Pizzeria
173 1 Avenue
A
La Cololmbe
400 Lafayette Street
A
Madman Espresso
319 East 14 Street
A
Patacon Pisao
139 Essex St
A
Kings Kitchen
92 E Broadway
A
Happy Garden Palace
54 East Broadway
A
Shui Mei Cafe
67 East Broadway
A
Mcdonald’s
213 Madison Street
A
Hop Shing Restaurant
9 Chatham Square
Tacombi Bleecker St.
255 Bleecker St
A
Munchery
521 West St
A
The Riviera Cafe
225 West 4 Street
A
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
CHURCH AWAITS WORD FROM VATICAN Our Lady of Peace parishioners near $500,000 fundraising effort as appeal on closure is heard BY RICHARD KHAVKINE
Nearly every evening since August 1, people have gathered beside the stone steps of Our Lady of Peace Church on East 62nd Street and prayed the rosary. Friday night, ahead of a record snowfall, was no different. Five parishioners sat on folding metal chairs, huddled inside their winter clothes. They prayed for nearly 30 minutes. Several others joined by conference call. “It’s important to us that someone is here every night,” Tami Ellen McLaughlin, a church parishioner for 15 years said following the rosary’s conclusion, as temperatures dipped to below freezing. “If feels really good. It’s important.” Our Lady of Peace’s parishioners are in their fourth series of 54-day Rosary Novenas — uninterrupted sets of Hail Marys, the Lords Prayer and the Gloria Patri hymn — the first of which began the evening the doors to the nearly the 100-year-old Catholic church were locked shut by the Archdiocese of New York. Officially, Our Lady of Peace had merged with St. John the Evangelist Church, on East 55th Street, to create a brand new parish, with St. John’s designated the parish church. But the congregation has been steadfast in its efforts to reopen the church doors. McLaughlin likened the evening prayers to “a vigil.” A decision on the congregation’s appeal to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Clergy, pushed back three times already, could come as early as mid-February. A cornerstone of the appeal has been a fundraiser, with parishioners trying to raise $500,000 by next month, an amount that would pay church expenses for 10 years, said Shane Dinneen, the president of Friends of Our Lady of Peace, the nonprofit administering the fund. Nearly $400,000
has been collected so far, with Dinneen, a parishioner at the church for nine years, having contributed the first $250,000. The Archdiocese, as it did when it shuttered and merged dozens of churches in the city and across the region last summer, cited declining attendance, shifting demographics, financial constraints and a shortage of priests for the closure. Parishioners have disputed the Archdiocese’s rationale since November 2014, when the Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, released a statement announcing the mergers. Dinneen and others have sent the Congregation for the Clergy, which has the power to rescind the Archdiocese’s decree, several volumes of documents, including financial records, in the hopes of persuading the Vatican that the Archdiocese acted without merit. “We know attendance is increasing,” Dinneen, citing what he said were audited collection figures, said of Our Lady of Peace. He and other parishioners have said the church has no debt and no liabilities. “The building is owned outright,” he said. “The parish didn’t cost the diocese anything.” Dinneen said the church, by way of the annual Cardinals Appeal, has in the last five years contributed more to the Archdiocese than it has received. “We’re not a burden on the Archdiocese, we’re a resource for the Archdiocese,” he said. Despite the church’s closure, parishioners have continued their acts of mercy and other works, organizing a food drive, a coat collection and a toy giveaway. “We try to keep up with everything we did,” McLaughlin said following Friday’s rosary. On Sunday, dozens of parishioners commemorated the Jan. 24 Memorial Feast for Our Lady of Peace, one of the titles of Mary, the mother of Jesus, with a prayer service. They did so by teleconference. As on other special occasions since Our Lady of Peace was closed, parishioners asked the Archdiocese to open the church for the service. Archdiocesan officials, as they have several times since August, denied the request, parishioners said. (Officials did open the church earlier this month for a longtime parishioner’s funeral.) Jessica Bede, who has worshiped at Our Lady of Peace for more than 50 years, said the prayer services and the community works preserve the parish’s vibrancy and keep
21
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
Reach Manhattan’s Foodies
Parishioners at Our Lady of Peace praying the rosary on Jan. 22. Photo: Richard Khavkine the congregation from being “splintered.” “That’s the kind of things we’ve done to bring the community together in prayerful resistance,” she said. “It’s helped us. It’s been rather rewarding.” Bede had her first communion at Our Lady of Peace in 1959 and held funerals for her parents and one sister there. “Our Lady of Peace was more that than church for many of us; it’s also in its own way our memory book,” she said. Should the Congregation for the Clergy let the Archdiocese’s decree stand, the parishioners said they would challenge the Archdiocese’s decree before the Vatican’s Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, the Catholic Church’s highest judicial authority. A spokesman for the Archdiocese, Joseph Zwilling, said he could not discuss Our Lady of Peace’s appeal, but said Archdiocesan officials have been in touch with the Vatican. “We are responding to the appeals,” he said. “We are in the process of doing so.” For now, the Archdiocese has assured the church community that the building is being heated and otherwise cared for, Dinneen said. Dinneen, who said he would match further contributions toward the $500,000 goal, has attended services at a few other churches since Our Lady of Peace was closed, including, most recently at St. Francis Xavier Church, on West 16th Street. Although that parish has been welcoming, he said, “I still feel more at home on the steps of Our Lady of Peace.”
96%
of readers report eating out more than once a week
39% of readers report eating out
more than four times a week
n MAY
& Dr Food
1, 2014
ITICISM ME HARSH CR L TELEPAN SO SERVES BIL < PETE WELLS
r Tow
ink
14 Our Town MAY 15, found 2014 , Wells t of him rience, in fron dining expe es ofplaced dish the
e t were plates praise abou . While som d that “a the to nut cakeWells suggeste much ... none of his little , too d the coco almost ng and Wells expresse ” as a saved too little food e plates was g to imitate e ates eati emic fere be tryin e of som small-pl es.” And, whil lates epidl is site-spe- single tast l seemed to succeeding.” pan’s ntag “small-p h Loca not quite Bill TeleLoca l, adva ern with the of Telepan Loca tops whic Telepan and ew of table to the Red Lobster 22 revi ry Telepan Times conc le, his critique ll, crowded vated rware ll April The reno at In his ch Street eate New York mince who From the sma for his silve n too-sma ary, ofte c. ’t room South Wing his cifi nwi h Janu didn little in Gree on the at whic Wells Wells ost from Tavern opened which nt critic Pete new outp aurant left edictable rate Green. the restaurasuggesting West Side restbacks of unpr words, er of Upper t of the draw the own “offers mos Telepan,
24
Food
< JAMES BEA RD AWARD
Our
Town
R 2, 2014 OCTOBE
& Dri
nk
WINNERS AN NOUNCED
This year ’s Jam sented es Bear d Awa ceremonon Monday, rds May 5 yielded y at Lincoln during were preCity chefonly a handful Center, on a a black-tie Boston and Cali Times s and rest of awards fornight that outstanding fornia (incl aura uding the chef to repo chefs, own rted. Whi teurs, the New York ria Mozza in Nan Los Ang cy Silvertonaward for head New le top ers and achi eles), Apri of Pizz restaura awards wenYork in the chef and co-o e- with evement awa nts in New l Bloo Wes wne t to Orleans, best chef t Village, tookr at the Spo mfield, ator iconic rest rd for his near Dominiq aurant Le Sirio Mac in the five boro home the tted Pig RUSS AND Cirque. ly 40 years year’s ue Ans award cioni was ugh recogniz s, and 82-year- for mou outstanding el was hon Cronut creDAUGH s Spri The ored as past ed with old TERS CAF l is havin this a lifetime previous ng Street bakery chef for in largebage g a mom É OPENS part to the and Ang ly gone to Broo ry, an awa his eponyDam Black Seed ent ascu again, than buzz rd ela Pink ks came to s. At the time erton of Headley of that has Daughters on Elizabethy opening of bage ks Del Eleven ther operthe United Stat Allaham l shop East Hous , the 100-year-Street, and now Madison Posto Park. butcher ated one of es, his faand othe ton Street, serv old fish and Russ and shops in the r classic bage ing to resta classic coun the coun largest items at es bagels and l shop on uran try, lox, knish cozy vinyl and oper terto sellt and Café on I kept es booths and Orchard p at its new Russ Allaham ating a reta hotel clients hearing May 7, the Stre il from new café et. Opened to and Daughtersa school. visited ever shop, which othe operated r people , part y day afte the and fam “He used of prop enterprise now of the fami public on r to teac and we ily, cut that nod to rietors, features in its fourth ly-owned and h generatio just camhad to pick , how to clea me how to include its origins, Grub décor and dishe potato latke Street [from e s that n “How the meat,” Allan this, how crème fraic ). repo ndo rs ($16 and weSyria], . Dish he, open s served with rtedand good fromyou know the ham said. cape sandwich es -$54) are proportio -fac smoshalsalm lots on roe hearing,kept applies It was looking at quality is s ($18 apricots es and challah ed and fried ked efiplate SparksKosh ée‘Oh, ther entrer and cara larg sh andchef his wayn’t long befo it.” restauran d pudd The bageKaty il to the mel. brea is no suche g fae, and ing t with , usinbutc business back into re he found n tol detall onesand dried e carr owner ntio ately larg thing as whilher busisness ies on fam his brot . At age 21, the fam ily a same atteas to the sma ntive way ry reopens the good THE eate Alla The es ily f. ous kosher CRONU ham t kosher her opened nts in inve k for itsel simsteakhou Park’s fam T TURNS sizedardish Prime and butcher ome twis FACTS ingredie food spea ribed land that Cut, Central shop or a good se miliE and welc ON EROTH TAVERNture was ng good sells chic in Coney a ple, is descutrements BY GABR N BUNG prime restaura with a new IELLE ALFIE e dinstill letti ), for exam, and acco ken, lamb IsBY MEGA FINANCIA beef, amo onion nt.” ($18 RO food The struc e the threbooked as a beef and ng othe burger n or red e isLno s, and DISTRICT – whil p s ago, Tavr kosh grass-fed dar, baco 12-yearnow Alla doors or seats are diners built in 1870 old Albe Rese Ther In er the shee ply as it ons.ed Four year ved doors through its ths, p ched indo ld like rt Allaham2000, stea rve Cut, a high ham own a add-grat home for ed in Central ea s’ 345 ral mon r woufrom khou like shar de are extr bits. WEST SIDE its belo s his New n itnati emi-end dine and scorthe York UPPER Green closedto smash it to on ing roomthe next seve that graz trict that se in the Fina kosher Albe hup whe dow. City to ve Syria marmala as to how theg brot the park ss to for d led the rt Allah of ketc her in live with to Park’s mea ern on city proceede finally sett n, re- solid am in through bar, with acce Allahamopened in Septncial Dis- the dinin ed. Broo s questionand no offerin only stroll klyn lar chop . are needhis pork , leaving his ers and , 27, who has ember. and the rsday, the dustion renovatio ern can Reserve g room at urant first cooked, and neither sibli any time atmosphere ken, pare ntsdesat the circu u, a not mod four resta Cut Thu mill youn and chic ngs a e spot The . men on The brot before behi Last u. ger usiv full . The arrives, like roastedwell in 1934 nsive, $28 update thehisremaining he open sister, said hthe . men esnd, intobut kitchen’s the fusty, exclbori ng foodle, are opened tried the exte a refreshing ed that legacy Staples on round outFor tabl , unctab as sher for years to Reserve Cut, on Gone is infa mously featurfour gene g vege rn dele salm e business ners vealing cake risin with in Tave fi he e et and e nd a stea ing the ratio surp fam 8), whil velvwor ily tandns, The nam n is owned by classic. first night backaurateur part ng and plates ($9-1 enough to shar want “We’re k in the city. decent koouts the red or the ked as fen-Allaham’s serts push dini ll ldn’t and say, five boys t, like of rest butc hers On its the Greeof New York, we la, the ts sma , and only big But who wou ano ham, ‘what a spotlighted beets ($11) shaved fresh purview Jim Caio you of gues in saidused to go out , my family, . on. Serr the city restaurant and der the and you can’t get waste. How five tiny other pers . “We used ing roascheesecake withthe top ($11) ccaa lot,” the buzz ple, the Salama toast with a good come Alla go and the as a lled with , around thekling one David to com e, for exam and sage h is a longricotta orange gracing open and impeu feawere fi e back ham get a out? How comsteak when Street buil dly, men operates n of Central rooms neighborhoodld. The spar s all to shar d Gruyere e ($18 home good burg ding, the trad e you can’ ($18)) whic isticated, nel and ice is frien deviates cocktail out?’ I ve borcave-age caper sauc ition er whe soph concessio a license t from the s, and the wor n welcome The servthe décor. The each of the fi tasty, grilled ribe a Gree hearingalways wondere n you go bles and flooral thick, woo from is er anchovy-way to desc of the best Park, with borough rn on the ed for , or gh the g den taleng ble, as d. I kept ers sit at Past ks nam from being rathof Tavern fam ily, from other winded n-up version sandwich ever glass-topth linens; dinissued throurtment. new Tave e peop of loDominqury chef tures drin ction ple and with iride grow [from and we had p ry trio -cheese e Ansel oughs, and asid scent shel tables inla Parks Depa new dire it may be a little Syria], has Jack just the it had ham-and ate and savocitrus butter, e id cate city, mak year. Desp a good ing, ‘Oh, and we kept came play son, Pharrell ls, as Mich brunch will Spring Stre they indi n. Like the if you can bar or the delicscallops with ael over and hearthere Gree but Lunch and et bakery publicized shut ite a muchstarting in early is no ing rroom the din of Daft Punk cal sea on the y for some, of wine at the -to-bething able dow by such April the vast avail as s the , evid n be a Departme of his . hit it big , the owner too pric for a glas from the soon e will steakhougood kosher desire r to cate ence of Alla dinin 2013 nt of of Dominiqu later in May crois se.” wich not o the plac there. work, even th often founr to a younger ham’s is sant and with his now nceleb e Ansel Heal The 311m sand y window, be Gree to crea donu time Bake crow -trad the d ice Alla ham All in stea any t hybr et rated its ry ema d taurant, seat resll be glad takeawa area k joint rked Tavern onat 67th Stre bar said fi birth id,thethe year opened you, and you’ s. new Cron owners the secolocated on quality of the he wan ut. The West.marked withrstcan day onon, visit located ral Park the ome ted the and the be past USD r Sund welc mea ts nd hour past ry A neve is t, whic rvati floor of the ay, May -long prime and Cent e number (Ansel insti a rese lines ion can limit riesGues Seta i his b and sour h is all butc without the sect andt.a ratio 10, a Wal l 4. ). To celeb The phon 868Jam thattute dte even rate,iseAnse ning and dry- her shop, then ced from a twoes Beard prom .com 212-877-thegreen for al,priva who took per-customeof hand Awardd for on May ing rroom aged in the Cote De r home the in-house cut tavernon custome5, passclose ed out outstanding combine for no less glazed Boeuf with agthan Cipollini d Happy rs every time free Cronut holepastry chef of th the dini with the atm 34 days, onion and his Sprin versionsBirthday. The bake bone experien ng room, to osphere g Stre s to his The marrow ce that create flavors of the dessert ry concocteet shop playe ers w kosh an wou grassmascarpof the past year, in some of the d miniature d sher dineld want to briner customfed beef one and featu inclu rs g is so blueberry ding rose vanil red sourced to. Since all non-koburger lemon verb through the mea la, directly t ena. fig Prime Reserve from slaughte Cut kosher Cut has acce rhouses, mea ss is iin high t, which Alla to prime come by. demand andham said co hard to “Before United I even cam e the imagStates, peo to the ple had good,” e that kosh er is not Allaham in our butcher said. “Eve tthe sam n shop good?’” e issue. ‘How we had g is it so
BACK TO THEN TAVER RES TAU RAN
TS
& Food
Drink
Y RS UNHAPP G; NEIGHBO ALK SEATIN ADD SIDEW E PLANS TO ETT UD CLA <
icant “the appl e , saying garden spac the idea yard final esting use any back e is granted conity prot to... not .” If Claudett Avenue are ld not seek agreed café they wou were un- or sidewalk hbors on Fifth r reports. , neig inally said use they n, Eate rding nt orig ing beca y for it. Acco airs approval legal actio restaura walk seat ring Aff appl nt near to add side r ability to of Consumer went side aura thei 2nd and ity rtment encal restreceived ini- aware of mun the Depacafé permit July , has e, the Prov ing. ApEater, . 23. ComAuthorClaudettton Square Park walk seat t res- to ed off on the Kitchen on Sept or side Haven’s an ncil vote State Liqu tly wha the sign Washing oval to add is exac ised to the a City Cou will host s tial appr however, thisSuarez prom a state- to rd 2 wrote “east meet er as In Boa parently,owner Carloswouldn’t do. west” dinn ed the the Food e claim taurant ity board he part of New Claudett commun to Eater, Network’sWine and ment sent York City ival. Food Fest
In Br
ief
IN HIS PRIME
RES TAU RAN
“
TS
Pok of Pok p, Ricker nt Grou s, Andy e Boon so Restaura will all be of Uncl Gan Danzer shi Ono of ’s Slurp Shop ting chefs Ny, Tada Orkin of Ivan the collabora tough to of istently try some and Ivan ting. As all are cons to participaaurants that opportunity offer. has to run rest , this is a rare food the city get into pan-Asian of the best 101 h Ave. Making Sausage , October 18th ort St. at Nint Saturday ia, 48 Gansevo taught will be tMaceller , $95 making t of the Mea p.m. 12-1:30 cs of sausage iden and her i Pres The basi Bitci, the elleria . Bitc how to nts etta by Viol District’s Mac h participa properly to teac packing nt chef will of meat, how and will restaurathe right cuts stuff casings, The class e. and hom g, ia’s choose at ng Maceller the fillin grind ruction of curia tasting of give inst ed off with capp will be and wine. 101 Making sausages Biscuit website Presents St. at 18th check the Cookware ber 18th y #005 sure to Analon and be rday, Octo 873 Broadwa ts this to Satu ligh are 21+, updates. ios, ode ts high Stud , $95 even h sburg’s ntow n Home ts and -12 p.m. of Will iam hs, will teacof for ticke some dow 11 a.m. n’ Thig ntals San neh Here are ing Sara h cooking, Pie’s the fundame in many . by Ann Redd on and hosted be year southern long class eh has worked Marlow t Dinner er, Ivan Orkin r val will n ding Wes hou Sinn ts festi Rick inclu an ng. Room, East Mee Danzer, Andy citywide eateries Biltmore ry at uit baki downtow Network’s events to een bisc ble New York u Milk Bar, and MattOno ied past betw stud nota ofuk New St. The Food food and wine shi 17th , Mom Tada ry, and 16th-19th West 17th October & Sons nolia Bake nary Center. with bringing Friday, Kitchen, 109 Ave. October filled and Magrnational Culi nth en’s WN From lis already more deliHav Seve will NTO and chefs DOW , a metropog to get even City Wine The Inte Sixth Ave. , $250 York City et foods, York Cityeats, is goin ork New York d by Food t 7-10 p.m.y of skilled Newng Thai stre and Mat bini amazingThe Food Netws off. Presente ts, hands An arra er com Ann Redding a dinn cious as Festival kick des 100 evennal semicreate and izakaya. atio and Foodthe festival inclu and educ yone from ramen & Wine, experiences ng for ever rans. All ethi vete on food offers som industry nars, andal foodie to food the casu
E FOOD & WYOINUR FEST IN ORHOOD NEIGHB FES TIVALS
Advertise with Our Town Downtown! Call Vincent Gardino at 212-868-0190 The local paper for Downtown
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS SOURCE
22
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
Our To Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
DENIM THROUGH THE AGES The Museum at FIT traces its history, from work pants to the runways BY VAL CASTRONOVO
WHAT: “Denim: Fashion’s Frontier” WHERE: The Museum at FIT, Seventh Avenue at 27th Street WHEN: through May 7 www.fitnyc.edu/museum/
Claire McCardell, “Popover” dress, denim, 1942, denim, 1942, USA, gift of Bessie Susteric for the McCardell Show. Photograph courtesy of The Museum at FIT.
In 2000, Time Magazine crowned Levi’s 501 blue jeans the “Fashion Item j of the 20th Century.” The sturdy denim fabric, a cotton twill textile, has clothed California gold rush miners, prisoners, cowboys, sailors, actors, hippies, presidents (remember Barack Obama in “mom jeans”?), Brooke Shields j and, hilariously, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake on the red carpet at the 2001 American Music Awards. “You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing,” a 15-year-old Shields purred in that racy Calvin Klein ad in 1980. Klein was matterof-fact about the campaign: “Jeans are sex,” he said. “The tighter they are, the better they sell.” The ad appears on a small video screen here and, along with the famous jingle for Jordache Jeans j (“You’ve Got The Look”), functions as a kind of white noise at this very blue show, “Denim: Fashion’s Frontier.” The exhibit pays homage to the ubiquitous fabric’s history, while underscoring its high-fashion appeal and endless capacity for reinvention. “It is not just a history of blue jeans,” curator Emma McClendon said in an email, referring to the textile’s versatility. Inspired by research for a recent show on ‘70s fashion, when denim ruled, McClendon opens with a pair of classic Levi Strauss 501s from the ‘50s — the style of the company’s original,
patented, five-pocket riveted denim “work pants” from 1873—and concludes with couture riffs, such as Tom Ford’s $3000 feathered trousers for Gucci and Junya Watanabe’s evening gown for Comme des Garçons. In between there’s a decade-by-decade parade of cultural markers in the form of work shirts, walking suits, jackets, vests, uniforms, poodle skirts, jumpsuits, leisure suits, embroidered jeans, patched jeans, distressed jeans, bleached jeans, stonewashed jeans, photo-printed jeans, tight jeans, baggy jeans, short jeans, flared jeans, and denim bathing suits and clogs. Name a historical period from roughly the mid-19th century on and denim was there, adapting to, and reflecting, the times. McClendon, author of a forthcoming book on the subject due out in April, presents more than 70 outfits that reflect on the culture and symbolize aspirations, some lofty, some not. “One detail I hope visitors remember is that denim did not begin as a menswear textile only, and has in fact appeared in women’s clothing since the 19th century,” she said, referring to the 1850 woman’s work jacket at the beginning of the show. Fast-forward to the next century and to the war effort in the 1940s when some three million women went to work in factories and shipyards and wore denim jumpsuits (cue “Rosie the Riveter”). American designer Claire McCardell created the sensible “Popover” dress in 1942 for fashionable stay-at-homes, who did their own house-
Comme des Garçons (Junya Watanabe), dress, repurposed denim, spring 2002, Japan, museum purchase. Photograph by William Palmer. work and needed a practical, durable garment. The dress, with oven mitt for Mom, was advertised in “Harper’s Bazaar” with the slogan, “I’m doing my own work.” See it here. In the ‘50s, denim came to symbolize rebellion and delinquency — think Marlon Brando in “The Wild One” and James Dean in “Rebel Without A Cause.” Many school districts banned jeans as a consequence, and the industry responded with the formation of The Denim Council, which produced ads (“Right for School”) to counter the negative stereotype. In the next decade, denim was embraced by the counterculture, becoming an emblem of the hippies, who wore bell-bottomed “preowned” jeans with hand embellishments and antiestablishment defiance. The fabric morphed in succeeding years, representing the culture of consumerism (enter designer labels), punk, hip-hop,
prison, gang and luxury — more of it, in the 2000s. One of the most important developments in the industry over the last 30 years, the curator said, has been the introduction of “finishing” treatments (stonewashing, acid-washing, distressing and the like) and the subsequent “environmental fallout of these processes during the late 1990s and early 2000s, and then the search for more sustainable ways to create the same effects (through the use of lasers, ozone gas, etc.) in the 21st century.” Two of McClendon’s favorite pieces from the show: “Two pairs of jeans given to the museum by Francois Girbaud. One pair dates to approximately 1985, and the other is from about 2010. The earlier pair is stonewashed — a technique Girbaud was known for pioneering in the 1980s. The later pair is distressed with a laser.” Anthropologists Daniel Miller and Sophie Woodward have posited that almost half the population is wearing jeans each day. But the popularity of athleisure (sports wear that doubles as leisure wear) begs the question: Can denim survive the competition? The curator acknowledged the “challenge” for the domestic market, but maintains, “Denim has a cultural legacy … which athleisure cannot compete with. I also think denim has a global reach far beyond athleisure, to virtually every country and culture in the world.” Her hope is that visitors “will see both pieces they recognize and relate to, but also be surprised and learn something new.”
5 TOP
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND
FOR THE WEEK BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO OUR ARTS EDITOR
GALLERIES
“AMERICA: THE LEGACY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN PUBLIC SERVICE”
MUSIC
MUSEUMS
ARTURO O’FARRILL AND THE AFRO LATIN JAZZ ORCHESTRA
PETER FISCHLI DAVID WEISS: HOW TO WORK BETTER
Led by pianist and composer Arturo O’Farrill, the son of composer Chico O’Farrill, the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra debuts new compositions by O’Farrill, the orchestra’s founder, in tribute to the many musicians whose names might not sell tickets but who helped make music with celebrated Latin jazz artists. Jan. 29-30 Symphony Space Peter Jay Sharp Theatre 2537 Broadway, at 95th Street 8 p.m. Tickets $20-$40 To purchase tickets, call 212-864-5400 or visit symphonyspace.org
The retrospective of the joint work of Swiss artists Peter Fischli and David Weiss, who started creating together in 1979, reveals how the pair explored common elements of daily life. Included in the presentation of more than 300 sculptures, videos and other works is the early “Sausage Series,” a collection of artfully-composed photographs of deli meat. Feb. 5-April 20 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum 1071 Fifth Ave., near 89th Street Museum hours: Sunday-Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m.-5:45 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.7:45 p.m. Admission $25 For more information, call 212-423-3500 or visit guggenheim.org
Bang on a Can’s series at the Jewish Museum continues as Mivos Quartet performs works by composer Steve Reich. The performance includes Reich’s “Different Trains,” which was inspired by his repeated cross-country train trips many decades earlier to visit his parents during World War II. The Mivos Quartet Thursday, Feb. 4 Jewish Museum 1109 Fifth Ave., at 92nd Street 7:30 p.m. Tickets $18 For more information, call 212-423-3337 or visit thejewishmuseum.org
thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY
Ramzi Fawaz + Phil Jimenez
THURSDAY, JANUARY 28TH, 7PM The Strand | 828 Broadway | 212-473-1452 | strandbooks.com See your favorite super heroes in a whole new light, as a comic book scholar from the University of Wisconsin and a comic book artist parse the X-men, the Fantastic Four and others in terms of various psychological theories. (Buy a copy of The New Mutants or a $15 gift card)
Hester Street: 40th Anniversary | Carol Kane In-Person
Curated by the NYC Parks Ebony Society, “America: The Legacy of African American Public Service,” includes the work of 14 artists, with pieces that range from textiles to photography, and features a selection of comic books that depict civil rights leaders as superheroes. “America: The Legacy of African American Public Service” Now through Feb. 26 Arsenal Gallery Central Park Fifth Avenue at 64th Street, 3rd floor Gallery hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. FREE For more information, call 212-360-8163 or visit http://www.nycgovparks.org/art-and-antiquities/ arsenal-gallery
THE MIVOS QUARTET
23
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
THEATER “YOU ARE PERFECT” In White Horse Theater Company’s “You Are Perfect” about Charles Manson follower Susan Atkins, Atkins sits in her jail cell during the murder trial, struggling with whether or not to testify against her leader. Feb. 5-20 312 West 36th St., near Eighth Avenue Assorted show times To be included in the Top 5 go to otdowntown.com and click on submit a press release or announcement.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 31ST, 3PM Museum of Jewish Heritage | 36 Battery Pl. | 646-437-4202 | mjhnyc.org The challenges of immigration and assimilation of the movie Hester Street still resonate 40 years later. Catch a screening of the film, followed by a conversation between Carol Kane (she was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance) and director Joan Micklin Silver. ($15)
Just Announced | Secret Science Club North: What’s That Smell?
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH, 7:30PM Symphony Space | 2537 Broadway | 212-864-1414 | symphonyspace.org Regular subway riders probably will not be shocked to discover that humans can perceive more than a trillion different scents. Neuroscientist Leslie Vosshall explains how she discovered this number (it’s far more than previously thought) and runs down the latest in smell knowledge. ($20)
For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,
sign up for the weekly Thought Gallery newsletter at thoughtgallery.org.
,2015 ARY 12-18 5 FEBRU 12-18 ,201 Town n FEBRUARY
OurTow 12 Our 12
CHIELE, EGEGOONBNESLSCOHNIEDISLEISP, PLALAYY RREBE EL ON D
of public Peacock e, a charge rtrait with g, 1911Gouach in 1912 on ndin on paper, d in Self-Po cerated softicene , Waistcoat, Sta black crayon Vienna lity. of epubl and immora on ulargestyl Ploil, nment a char ercolor,Peac rd Ernst e, edgy, ang of his impriso tings watait in 1912 withon boaock ceratedHis th Portr nted h pain in Selfmou, Stand ing, 1911Gouach ned wit afterma style r, artists. a- tcoat softe pape ow thety. immorali n onfell lar ibit is rife ed, em Wais crayo ute and angu exh gat ent, , black ily a trib the edgy and g elon isonm r, His but Vienn of Ploil, hisgsimpr watercolo ed to fam Ernstd, decorative sents win resemblin vot math draof res tings on board h ted and the figupain -bronze sister, it pre tial, moun pywith is rife w after tra it wit emastron -kind shobut st Por exhib the Neu ed,ittrip ) A gold youngefello theciat elf-d, artists. ten gate to, very and (“S of elon demng d,” 1910 his ly andfigurewin an exis d. has n artist draw ings tofami Respondi rie-its Heang te k JaggerdesAbo vembli Galet-of its firs lf- d to rese e tribu Neue ther rativone silver-tone t vote the ed er (“Se Ausdtria y figur show and d,Mic iste extend yet ano with zed, deco trippTw stic demand, entsiniscen s-kin ce, this ’s motnst -of-it ciate Arm gold-bron ty spa lf-Po einrtrai rem r, it pres Any firstocla O itsicon (“Se nst tTRONOV ily entia siste The ma er nke emp of the l, artis 1910) trait ). eer gest ,” Jagg extended is rian Fra por youn 1910 k an exist Head Mick or , an his den Abov clastic Aust BY VAL CAS Heaed,” f-selfto tedit, him ic, gol gure in The fiwor cur(“Sel ed. r-ton of the icono artist Arm Twis Portratein’ hairanotherKlim t’s iconsilveer s mon the ster I” (1907), and y at yet ONOVO s that h gre of e, this one man kens Bau inisc ent traits of Thewit . dy BY VAL CASTR ist- y spac Bloch2nd floor g and line or eFranporHead empt ,” 1910) a dan ly rem eleeeri ank Wa and “Adis on the nin elf,coc g en rait reviews block, Neu Pea rait, tist e ope h hims adin port work t Port w rav ego wit resi The test artis sho ait the thatSchiele raits oflf-P the After are a ortr rently ic, gold grea),t hair of a new7), curand lines timed to n wsund d aro Klimt’s icon y with oferrevie ng,” 1911 ppe subject , April 2, uer I” (190 Neue edport t- -ref a dand its ist(“Se n itsk,Ego rave ndi the h-Ba and for self givebloc Afterwra ssWais ock erie onfloor and end egot ing film h it le Bloc Peac coat, Sta Gal dne nd the extele “Ade with fon the h2nd arouhas upcom - oug e andSchi Galerie —th with f-Portrait at Neueon wit testa theopen ing g Helen t to his wrapped its Egon , are ionaism himy residing exhibit, (“Sel a repriev ibit ,” 1911) w given stadrrin s men The has a new show ding nded itsartist’ d,”time e savedrentlsubjecoin surto il 20. ct ofcide and exh forpra exte self-r Galeriesho cticeferin Gol and coat, Stan the il Apr encefond l 2,Rey ness ieve nolds. Notof the unt t the thouels. on Apri repr us on it, with gh it the riean “Wom foc kind at to his exhib show arun Ryan on true tha The ming film, Neue Gale of its 20.ve lati andupco ng modd him t’s ment is exhib itionism— excllusi renthe first ny inatthe artis anApri n inspired the with andthe cost of hiri iele’s emu Helers run until save onthe its, ma tice arecideMir tures, is rtra e,coin starring prac yea traifocu ingly,,”Sch m.kind at ence sive the -po ly ativ por Gold seu who its pris that surself in ear of voc mu an exclu ini, is true The g models. . rst hisolds. Noter Klimt.” theman ster in U.Sfi “Wo is the re, or quite pro ndra Comat Columcost ngside a maj of hirin e silvof thefilled with maRyan Reyn“thation y in the portraitu e and the um.ssa l thesis , man to-en and nudport iker Mirr room aloares, and is raits ator Ale emul galleryired mon le’s Curmuse in a ocat Schie ive,tion Comini, who t s insp patrons and a major U.S. ionist’s selfuped prov ratora doc tonngly,the groquite sand prisi year ers sec e ’s adjacen m- e The Ales te her n Exp Coluress hot-but The 125 and wro ing his early ers and s at tria Curator gsid ibit the s and Lov thesi alon oralAus ma-er in “the r Klimt.” lly endear ed som nude ts of sitt the exhand X-ra on the tedmast hernist’s in a room respedEro ecia within striped biadoct gat essio portrai silve form wrote her Expr ons, the to- lery it iker grou sculptu ,mon rianhas is filled getherrs secti ry esp es an boy traits, s and125 ludgalle with all uttongal the ofadjac some porAust m, a and Love ent ting inc young bia on the ns and ered e. But pain (“Stand it’s hot-b in this of a patro museuEros gath The t g and sers exhib , has tures wings, n cor the ntinrs of the matrou display g 1910). A portrai raits pai dra ednd of sitte arinrt,” portraits pled floorsculp X-rat al on d and Austria gether form ende bla rum the tings y the teri port thir er a and all ls pain ciall and it um, t the Shi man ry, stea e, rath on with. But with an espe in Striped Germuse drawings, in stripedwh ich the forthe a tam this galle th thatof includes shir papercore seof floor lay’sin t onrian from young boy wifedEdi Aust a Boy zedl onisdisp rait showca mos nd- given over ing of m, and on the third ani port ks, (“Sta an iele ting roo teria a ers org wor is pain Germ Sch er blan side trous nates,. isA forThe with sic of gs, rare s the ucart. ause it of pape sma llled rump tame, rath stealbec showcase ntin w.Edith thatjust paion g ema t,” 1910) most shirt s,oil h reprod s ber Shir the mu is athe sho full andinSch 11 ed work wit nized h not oen m wife The is on, orga Strip just the wit roo h ele’s it olor art. , are Boy , Schi whic And ting in g in ais a exp e in pris tica lly, licit waterc his paintings , from ic of ntinuse g waf his tim mus it very ing nized over toroom . just 11 oilthema with theber ago e oil pai oen given beca smal the is msl ,side eman larg lly, le serving , albeit of old Sch wafting in the show not just zed Vi- is Arn ductions ofates,pletrepro ed whi t-siin thematica Edith Har enberg a room full urb ofAndr, it pain Scho enbergd. modes n, with tingon ss girl pap er.explicit, iele com in priso backgroun1890 in a sub el pailarge nte oil Arnold Scho nt in dle-clatoafte ce. rcolors very r Sch his time wate worksalbeittab pregna Vile, mid in izedten reb s, day sen rbaof Bor n in 24-agon pecEdit h Harm est-sized,resr. was background. ingehis mellow subu ,” the becam of the ried 1915 th serv in aiele tions the the while marass ter,agemod 1890 el and compAft er Edi a, Sch of his girl leted ielele-cl art-s on pape Born inenn e modSchie painted h a naked Dealnpain a rebe m Sch work h was es midd ut the whoble, longtim ele witle the abo , Sch iele ily,” e Jam l ecta his after nce. age,” in “th ingied 1918 sica histes resp enna, Schi sente nantwit ing a in 1915 of sta ay ”, charms the ard phy Fam r preg ly lter 24-d g e Dean ally disc me tou marr artes fine she kin le io , “Th the h beca er ow in Schie -in lover “W el and trio prim, Aftert Edit “the Jamaudstate mod mell abou could fath e at stri sbor whom time andthe ar and live (both died his long n ical painrted coll with phys garmen d ure n rethe at the pict a ele Dea ms rding ist, who s, ing rs mo fled audio tour nake ss, to Schi a char , disca e yea strik ruf (Ala bee dre a lanc 1918 with in e her“Wally”,striped, finelyof Jos eph’s boremb thre child. died Famllily,” of lover g ahas months il and y in (both ist, who rese ted er only “The sma terin liveil Apr shel ). Aft visions at dem unt delinear and sprim ce to Dean inst an ent trio, But six tractives Aca year stayer their 20s jure up could ruffled colla threevat resemblan a garm notfath er iously Set agamoth lendreer.) t con s and pictu con rs. ph’s ed dresys,colo ofcocher ’s conser After only to its strip e look - tha he pre (Alas , Edi ned, the re-th Schiele .tur e emy Acad seveated their 20s).Vienna ncy manns of Jose ’s wifsmal been tive l child her delin of and has gna iele t a . erva s–w visio le and pre coa l Sch up usly cons like , died Apri her std,anrather stay until ociochie ths void conjures -white prec16–S u and free Vienna’s Fine Art that of the Set again sixflmon notnipu- into nish But at age war off r.) –whered he sev-broke Spa y colores.and awk s later and sts lende looks ma e ocla man the pe its ractday of Fine Artsenrolle16–Schiel be wife to ed cont rup ed ee coat to icon ele’s e day as turn thr age Schi waiting ow brok y, dEdith doll,-lik kunstg -white void e free nanc l fellclast ishe r like a sthe Neu n thelesam31, 1918. enrolled ateraicono per . Schie her preg off —o ard, rathe ipu- into rionette died andlady maawkw ober formed unstgruppe ed the ish fleu ma the man ily hated like and eral fellow andthe Neuk Seceseral,ofOct the Span y, with later d. ing to be - same days Group). fun nna dolled Art wait le pro her fam er Ade prodig ade. a as thre onettelate and form (Newp). the Vies- 62day his wife’s 1918), shed y 28, same w dy— a dec Edith and h her dsist theonl tégé ofna Sece (18 mari the eperi was to shomala ed just A pro . Heon , wit (New Art Grou Vien Kli mt 8), mad e his 31, 1918. ly hate he hav same of the t last ber fami of’sthe tha Octo por-’s funecar herting Gusttav dide proiele lated n, ral,eer 2-191 d as one tury hy andpain the Sch h , with A protégé (186 alde Adel “W sion But r a , Edit ber igy, ized wife her Klim ingsiste dumb?” cen hission is prod av m his We testher he idol le made so to show he ais now sts de. last only n. with ting, of Freud, pain sion’s Gust whozed, of the inghave But28, was Schie a deca expresHe lookhe and adid tgenstei - “Wh dt just e did the age arti ern, idoli t. y her vap in Wit he laste porWeb elop nes rk the fi d, the ates the ng, and whom h But Schiele’s a careersthatgre env maage of Freu cho testi the of b?” ism. it wit g one n, Loos, lded of n is ale likenesis now hera so dum hinas plex, psythe genstein. man modern oneessio ury ir ngtra Witt mark in the Hoff se of hehis for pus her h looki , and ally comho- , wit d expr last caucent sidered se. ul fem Butof Loosemo tionlex, the of the convapi the ts cing psyc ges trait with ad-a cau finest. Hoffmann, Hislly r mas le’sterf van test”artis el with comp stages l use of one rged ima lope Schie greaiele t reband ofthe enve their earlyess y chaes, tha d Ano the entionaconsrba with ke the uallimag liken Sch ing m. idere onv le His emotiona in Ma ti sexged d push ernis , unc l use of nte fema itof of mastu her mast of Ger for m de- cause of mod t linetiona paierful liannven rtra es his roo the sexually char brilunco Anot stag d be- the ictions , “Po a cause. - lew early d in the vancing urbaand career rebel with r ands dep Schiele” of mastples brilliant line, dispilaye and in coloction painted Make that ian cou bedepi trait9),ofisGert room deld on fire er,r-“Por(190 lewd , lesb wor color and tion the les and art care inca in y coup the fl ayed an and set d on fire ior,worl ), is displ tion, lesbi havart d and brie arreste y incar- (1909 him on havior, set the gotted and briefl on 1915 Oil Oilss), got him arres s ped Dre Dress), 1915 ed dsNetherland iele in Strierlan le inthStrip Sch The Schie The Nethue, (Edithndin e, g (EdiHagu , Standing e, g, The Hag Sta Haag, The Wif Artist’s WifeArtist’s Den Haa m Den entemuseueentemuseum Portrait of the of the n Geme trait ectio canvasCollPor vasCollection Gem can
TIO NS EXH IBI strong IONS g to veryGal has EXH IBIT Respondin e g erie
Your Premier Arts Section
EVERY WEEK IN Downtowner
24
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
25
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
YOUR 15 MINUTES
To read about other people who have had their “15 Minutes” go to otdowntown.com/15 minutes
HARMONIC CONVERGENCE Crooners and rockers lay down tracks at Upper East Side recording studio BY ANGELA BARBUTI
Theresa Scotto never thought she would be running a music studio. But as fate would have it, her teenage daughter Gabriella started taking vocal lessons and, as Scotto sat waiting for her in the studio, she realized it would be the perfect setting for children’s birthday parties. Within just a few weeks, the company was running as a pop-up in Midtown. The response was overwhelming. “I would get calls every day. ‘My daughter can sing.’ ‘My son can play the drums. Do you have lessons?’” Scotto explained. “And the answer was always, ‘No,’ because I was just renting space.” That all changed after Charlie Walk, executive vice president of Republic Records, had Scotto host his daughter’s birthday party. “You need your own studio,” he told her. And with that, The Chord Club by Billboard was born. The state-of-the-art Upper East Side facility is complete with a recording studio. “The way I built it, Mariah Carey can come in and record an album. So this is a real, working studio. This not just a kiddie place,” Scotto explained. The studio is open to both children and adults, and offers everything from vocal coaching and DJ classes to drum lessons and songwrit-
ing instruction. Scotto still hosts her signature birthday parties, where kids are made to feel like real recording artists as they work with an engineer in the control booth and record a track using their own voices. She hadn’t anticipated that adults wanted in on all the fun too. “We’re getting a tremendous amount of interest now for adult parties, which we didn’t even factor in,” she said. They now throw not only birthday parties, but corporate team building events and bachelorette parties for that demographic. Besides the satisfaction she gets out of seeing her clients’ enthusiasm, Scotto finds joy in watching Gabriella learn the business alongside her. “I would have never been in this if it wasn’t for her. So on the nights that I’m working late, I do blame her for my being at the studio at 52 years old. But it’s all worth it.”
You started this business because of your daughter. At the time, Gabriella was 14 and she came to me one night and said, “I can sing. I want vocal lessons.” And my response was, “I’ve never heard you hum, nevertheless sing.” That year, I had done a benefit at her school, Sacred Heart, and someone had donated a recording session. So I contacted the girl who had given it, who’s a friend of mine, and she told me it was from a friend of her father who owns a studio on 26th and Park Avenue South. I
called him up and asked, “Can I bring her in and can you just tell me if she can sing? I don’t feel like spending money on lessons.” Long story short, I took her in and she came out, and he said, “She can sing.” So for seven weeks, I would take her to the studio once or twice a week and she would go into the booth and I would do my work. I’ve been selling corporate insurance for 25 years. One day, I said, “Imagine doing birthday parties for children in a recording studio.” I literally started it on a shoestring, and within three weeks, it was up and running. We called it Pop Star Parties. And we were sold out. So it’s all because of Gabriella. And she can sing. She writes her own music, performs at The Bitter End and wants to go to college for music.
How did your partnership with Billboard come about? Charlie put me in touch with Ian Behar, who is my partner now. And Ian is really quick when he thinks something is a good idea. So we met and he started looking for a space. In the interim, he happens to also be friends with the president of Billboard, John Amato, and we had all been out to dinner one night, and John heard what we were doing and was like, “This is such a great idea for Billboard to get their name out to the younger audience.”
Describe what goes on at a typical birthday party. For children who are seven and up,
Theresa Scotto runs an Upper East Side recording studio. Photo: Chris Macke we do a recording party. We give out welcome kits with VIP passes, glasses, glow rings. And then there’s a Step and Repeat that they take pictures in front of which has our logo and well as Billboard’s behind it. Our party counselors, we call them “Chord-inators,” take them into the recording studio. There’s an engineer in the control booth who works with them. They get headphones as if they were recording artists. We have dropdown screens so the words come down for them. They’re recording to a track, but it’s their own voices. And the birthday child gets to sing a solo. We have a great party space in the back where we can accommodate up to 80 people.
What’s the demographic of the adults who take classes there? We’re seeing that 29- to 42-year-old group come in with four to eight people and all do a class together. Then we’re seeing that younger market, which is more like 18 to 26. Everyone thinks they’re going to be the next Avicii. They’re coming in and they want to do this for a living. And the younger kids- the boys go crazy with the DJ-ing. And it’s so funny to see the difference. With the girls, it’s all about singing and with the boys, it’s all about DJ-ing and the Pro Tools.
Your husband Anthony Jr. owns Fresco by Scotto. What are the pros and cons to being the wife of a restaurant owner? We’re married 21 years, which, in this day and age, is pretty great. And we still really like each other. And we have two really cool kids, Anthony will be 20 in two weeks and Gabriella
will be 17 in April, who love to be with us. My husband Anthony works very long hours. He’s at the restaurant by 8 or 8:30 in the morning, and when he first opened, he would close and wasn’t home until 12 o’clock at night. So when we started having kids, one of the deals we made was that the kids and their schooling would fall on me. And it was my way or the highway. And he’s been really good with that. I’m sure there have been times when he wanted to question my decisions, but he never did. And I thank God that they turned out pretty good. But the business definitely has its pros and cons. It’s long hours, holidays. Christmas Eve it’s open; Thanksgiving it’s open. Fresco is a very well-known restaurant and he’s been there 23 years now. It’s a tough life, but Anthony loves the business. To me, he’s the best restauranteur there is in the city. It’s a lot of hours and a lot of being on. And you really have to love the business to be on that much. And he really does; it’s in his blood. It’s all he’s done since he’s 17 years old. The perks to being married to Anthony Scotto are pretty cool too because the restaurant is really well known. It’s a lot of good press because the restaurant is so great and they’re such a good family and he’s such a good guy. For more information, visit www. thechordclub.com
Know somebody who deserves their 15 Minutes of fame? Go to otdowntown.com and click on submit a press release or announcement.
26
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
“I WISH SOMEONE WOULD HELP THAT HOMELESS MAN.”
BE THE SOMEONE. Sam New York Cares Volunteer
Every day, we think to ourselves that someone should really help make this city a better place. Visit newyorkcares.org to learn about the countless ways you can volunteer and make a difference in your community.
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
CLASSIFIEDS PUBLIC NOTICES
27
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
EMPLOYMENT
MERCHANDISE FOR SALE
Telephone: 212-868-0190 Fax: 212-868-0198 Email: classified2@strausnews.com
POLICY NOTICE: We make every eďŹ&#x20AC;ort to avoid mistakes in your classiďŹ ed ads. Check your ad the ďŹ rst week it runs. The publication will only accept responsibility for the ďŹ rst incorrect insertion. The publication assumes no ďŹ nancial responsibility for errors or omissions. We reserve the right to edit, reject, or re-classify any ad. Contact your sales rep directly for any copy changes. All classiďŹ ed ads are pre-paid.
SERVICES OFFERED
Directory of Business & Services To advertise in this directory Call #BSSZ (212)-868-0190 ext.4 CBSSZ MFXJT@strausnews.com
Antique, Flea & Farmers Market SINCE 1979
REAL ESTATE - SALE WANTED TO BUY HELP WANTED
MASSAGE
CARS & TRUCKS & RVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S
NEED TO RUN A LEGAL NOTICE? Quick | Easy | Economical
Call Barry Lewis Today: 212-868-0190
East 67th Street Market
(between First & York Avenues) Open EVERY Saturday 6am-5pm Rain or Shine Indoor & Outdoor FREE Admission Questions? Bob 718.897.5992 Proceeds BeneďŹ t PS 183
ANTIQUES WANTED
TOP PRICES PAID
Chinese Objects Paintings, Jewelry Silver, Furniture, Etc. Entire Estates Purchased
800.530.0006
Singles, Families including LGBT Thinking of moving to New Jersey? Call Barbara Silber, RealtorÂŽ Direct: 973-280-6086 www.barbarasilber.com Office: 973-251-0100
SUBURBAN 4245 Town Center Way, Livingston NJ 07039
New York Traditional Acupuncture
Neck
Elbow
1BJO 3FMJFG t 'BDJBM 3FKVWFOBUJPO 8FJHIU -PTT t %FQSFTTJPO t *OTPNOJB 4USFTT t 4DJBUJDB t "SUISJUJT t "MMFSHZ
Hand
Free Consultation 212-355-2988
Knee Ankle
www.acupunctureon.com 30 E. 60th St, New York, NY (bet Park & Madison Ave)
Pain Relief
SOHO LT MFG
462 Broadway MFG No Retail/Food +/- 9,000 sf Ground Floor - $90 psf +/- 16,000 sf Cellar - $75 psf Call Farrell @ Meringoff Properties 646.306.0299
28
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 3,2016
Tired of Hunting for Our Town Downtown? Subscribe today to Downtowner News of Your Neighborhood that you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get anywhere else
Dining Information, plus crime news, real estate prices - all about your part of town
Cultural Events in and around where you live (not Brooklyn, not Westchester)
Now get your personal copy delivered by US Mail for just
$
49/Year for 52 issues
To Subscribe : Call 212-868-0190 or go online to otdowntown.com and click on subscribe