The local paper for Downtown wn
WEEK OF JUNE SEEING GREEN < P.16
22-28 2017
On the subway, June 2017. Photo: Andy Atzert, via flickr
NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND SUBWAY WOES As the MTA misery index reaches new highs, anguished straphangers take to Twitter — but #Don’tWorrySupervisionIsAware. A day in the life of subway tweets. BY DOUGLAS FEIDEN
It reads like the descent into the nine circles of hell in Dante’s Inferno. Actually, it may be more harrowing. It’s a day in the life of the New York City subway told in narrative form. There are hundreds of co-authors. They chronicle the subterranean torments they endure. And their work is as searing and visceral as any Florentine poet’s epic of sinful and wicked ways. The medium? Twitter, of course. The handle? @NYCTSubway. The date? June 15, one day after Mayor
Bill de Blasio left his SUV cocoon and ventured into the subway system for the first time in two months. The methodology? Simple: We read roughly 375 tweets covering the 24-hour period. Half were posted by anguished straphangers, half by unruffled MTA staffers who gamely minimized the horrors, offering rote reassurances that “supervision” had been notified. “The downtown 6/uptown BDFM elevator 329 at Broadway/Lafayette has a puddle of urine inside,” wrote @OneHotProcessor, whose real name is Sara Tabor, sled hockey player and novice ukuleleist. The boilerplate response from @ NYCTSubway: “Thanks for bringing this to our attention, supervision has been made aware.” Five miles away, @CiaranGBoyle – “husband, father, American” – was encountering a grotesquerie of his own, tweeting, “Can someone pow-
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Council Members Dan Garodnick and Vanessa Gibson (center) speak at a March press conference announcing legislation that would require increased police transparency. Photo: Michael Garofalo
POLICE PUSH BACK ON SURVEILLANCE OVERSIGHT BILL LAW ENFORCEMENT NYPD counterterror head calls oversight proposal “roadmap to terrorists” BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
A city council bill that would subject the New York City Police Department to increased public disclosure requirements regarding its use of surveillance technologies drew intense criticism last week from top NYPD officials, who claimed that the legislation would endanger officers and
members of the public. The Public Oversight of Surveillance Technology Act, introduced by Council Members Dan Garodnick and Vanessa Gibson in March, would require comprehensive public reporting of the police department’s surveillance capabilities, including disclosure of specific technologies used by police and internal policies regarding their use. Supporters say the bill will help citizens better understand the NYPD’s use of surveillance tools and allow for a more robust and informed public debate about the privacy and safety concerns they present. But at a contentious June 14 hearing at City Hall, John Downtowner
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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
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
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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
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Miller, the NYPD’s top counterterrorism official, said the legislation “would create an effective blueprint for those seeking to do harm.” In the years after the 9/11 attacks, the NYPD adopted a number of controversial surveillance tactics that later came to light through press reports and legal cases brought by civil liberties groups. In February 2016, the NYPD confirmed, in response to a Freedom of Information Law request, that it uses cell site simulators, also known as Stingrays, which allow po-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
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JUNE 22-28,2017
FINDING NEW REVENUE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS VIEWPOINT Repatriating U.S. profits from overseas accounts could help invest money in job-creating projects BY CONGRESSWOMAN CAROLYN B. MALONEY
For decades, America has been neglecting its infrastructure. Year after year, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) warns us that the costs of repairing the damage is skyrocketing. Every four years, they issue a report card, with the 2017 report estimating the cost of ďŹ xing our roads, dams, airports, and water and electrical systems at $4.6 trillion. While New York performed better than the nation as a whole, scoring a C- compared to the national grade of a D+, we still clearly have work to do to bring up our grade. The ASCE report is limited to the cost of repairing existing infrastructure without considering the costs of investing in the future. But, building anew is needed to beneďŹ t our economy, our commuters, and our city with projects like a new Hudson River tunnel, high speed rail in the Northeast
Corridor, and the full build Second Avenue subway. The Second Avenue subway is truly a success story that shows how important it is for us to expand our transportation. Since Phase 1 officially opened for business on January 1, 2017, ridership has risen 42 percent as people recognize how convenient it is to have a one-seat ride between the Upper East Side and Times Square, lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. It has also provided relief to the Lexington Avenue line where crowding has dropped by 26 percent overall and by 40 percent during the morning rush. None of this progress would have happened, however, without the $1.3 billion in federal funding that I am proud to have helped secure. If we are going to tackle our countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s huge infrastructure repair and do things like building the remaining three phases of the Second Avenue subway, then we need to ďŹ nd new ways for the federal government fund these investments. Unfortunately, most of the ideas coming out of the Trump administration seem to involve public/private partnerships, which are not the best way forward. The only public/private partnerships that work are those where a dedicated revenue stream
Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney with workers during construction of the Second Avenue subway. Photo courtesy of Congresswoman Maloneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office can be identiďŹ ed. Most mass transit systems operate at a deďŹ cit, so a great project like the Second Avenue subway will not qualify or get the funding it needs. But the Second Avenue subway, like many mass transit projects, is a public good, and the type of service that our government should be providing. We need another source of revenue. Right now, there is estimated $2.5 tril-
lion of American subsidiariesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; proďŹ ts sitting in accounts overseas because companies do not want to pay the 35 percent tax they would face if they brought this money into the U.S. We need to change that. One proposal from Martin Tuchman, a highly-successful entrepreneur, that Congress should consider would create a new incentive to invest this money in job-creating infrastructure projects.
For every dollar repatriated, 25 cents would be required to be invested for a period time in national infrastructure funds for projects across the country, ďŹ ve cents would go to the federal government as taxes and the company would retain the remaining 70 cents. A program like this would incentivize companies to bring back anywhere from $500 billion to $1.2 trillion for infrastructure. While this wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fix every problem, it is an important start and could give us a full-build Second Avenue subway. In 2004, Congress offered a one-time tax holiday to encourage companies to repatriate their overseas proďŹ ts; however, there was no requirement that those funds be used to create jobs. As a result, many companies took advantage of this lower tax rate, but few actually invested in job-creating projects. This time needs to be different. By requiring that a portion of any repatriated dollar be invested in infrastructure projects, we can find the revenue we need to start upgrading and expanding our countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s declining infrastructure. Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney represents the 12th Congressional District in New York.
De Blasio Affordable Housing Myth #4 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rent is the number one expense for New Yorkers. Unless we change the status quoâ&#x20AC;Ś hardworking families will be pushed out of their homes.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Mayor Bill de Blasio â&#x20AC;Ś â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to keep rents affordableâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (Source: City of New York Website)
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De Blasioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Housing Policies: Politics & Hypocrisy
JUNE 22-28,2017
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG PUTTING THE HURT ON HERTZ A young motorist is wanted by police, along with the rental car he hasn’t returned. At 5:31 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, a 20-year-old man rented a gray 2017 Subaru Impreza from the Hertz location at 20 Morris St. using what as later determined to be a fraudulent credit card. As of June 7 the vehicle had still not been returned but had been sighted by license plate readers throughout the 75th precinct in Brooklyn. The Subaru is valued at $20,200. Police are looking for Brady Bell-Derell.
HARDY BARGAIN The long arm of the law came down hard on a couple shoplifting from the John Hardy SoHo Boutique on Prince Street. At 10:02 a.m. on Thursday, June 8, a young couple was seen on surveillance video removing items, including a diamond 18-karat doublecoil ring valued at $7,900, which they apparently were not intending to pay for, police said. Michael Raftu, 24, and Breanna Bronson, 23, were arrested on June 8 and charged with grand larceny.
HOW RÜDES
BY HOOK OR BY CROOK
Police busted another shoplifter at another area boutique just one day before. At 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 7, a 22-year-old man removed an item off the shelf in the Jeffrey Rüdes clothing boutique on Greene Street. The item stolen and recovered was a jacket valued at $3,200. Peter Casillas was arrested June 7 and charged with grand larceny.
You could get hung up when you hang up your property in a bar or restaurant. At 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 8, a 33-year-old woman hung her purse up on a hook in the P.J. Clarke’s On The Hudson on Vesey Street. Her purse was gone when she went to retrieve it as she was leaving. Missing are her Kindle reader valued at $300, Ray-Ban prescription sunglasses priced at $300, a Blackberry listed at $300, a black Henri Bendel purse tagged at $350, other personal items and identification. In all, the stolen property came to $1,554.
STRAYED ARROW A Grubhub delivery man was undone in a bicycle “Grabnab.” At 1:15 p.m. on Monday, June 5, a 44-year-old deliveryman working for the popular food-order phone service locked his bike to a metal post in front of 40 Harrison St. After he made his delivery, he returned downstairs to find his bike gone. The man told police that witness had seen someone remove his bike and lock from the metal post. The stolen bicycle was a black Arrow valued at $1,450.
STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 1st precinct for Week to Date
Year to Date
2017 2016
% Change
2017
2016
% Change
Murder
0
0
n/a
1
0
n/a
Rape
0
1
-100.0
8
6
33.3
Robbery
0
0
n/a
26
26
0.0
Felony Assault
1
3
-66.7
32
34
-5.9
Burglary
2
7
-71.4
30
65
-53.8
Grand Larceny
23
19
21.1
402
475
-15.4
Grand Larceny Auto
1
2
-50.0
8
15
-46.7
photo by Tony Webster via flikr
ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND
thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY
Book Club with Shantrelle P. Lewis
THURSDAY, JUNE 22ND, 5PM Recess | 41 Grand St. | 646-863-3765 | recessart.org Shantrelle P. Lewis, an expert in the African diaspora (and a Lucumi priest of Sango) leads a discussion of Katrina Hazzard-Gordon’s “Mojo Workin’”: The Old African-American Hoodoo System, with a focus on the connections between landscape and spirituality. (Free)
Man’s Separation from Nature and Where to Go From Here
FRIDAY, JUNE 23RD, 7PM The Strand | 828 Broadway | 212-473-1452 | strandbooks.com Manuel Rodeiro looks at the Western philosophical canon and the competing schools of thought of differentiated and undifferentiated responsibility for the environment. He’ll present a synthesis with the potential for change. ($20, includes complimentary beer and wine)
C
YOUR FOOD SCRAPS at GREENMARKET
Drop off household fruit and vegetable scraps at select Greenmarkets citywide including Abingdon Square, Tompkins Square & Tribeca.
Just Announced | “The Pride of the Yankees” with Richard Sandomir
THURSDAY, JUNE 22ND, 7PM Bergino Baseball Clubhouse | 67 E. 11th St. | 212-226-7150 | bergino.com Find New York Times writer Richard Sandomir in conversation on the behind-the-scenes story of native New Yorker Lou Gehrig, Gary Cooper, and the making of the first great sports film. (Free, reservation required)
For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,
sign up for the weekly Thought Gallery newsletter at thoughtgallery.org.
For more information visit
GrowNYC.org/Compost 212.788.7964 Recycle@GrowNYC.org GrowNYC.org/Compost
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JUNE 22-28,2017
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
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
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230 E. 21st St.
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16 Ericsson Place
212-477-7411 212-334-0611
FIRE FDNY Engine 15
25 Pitt St.
311
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227 6th Ave.
311
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222 E. 2nd St.
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42 South St.
311
ELECTED OFFICIALS Councilmember Margaret Chin
165 Park Row #11
Councilmember Rosie Mendez
237 1st Ave. #504
212-677-1077
Councilmember Corey Johnson
224 W. 30th St.
212-564-7757
State Senator Daniel Squadron
212-587-3159
250 Broadway #2011
212-298-5565
Community Board 1
1 Centre St., Room 2202
212-669-7970
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
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BY PETER PEREIRA
JUNE 22-28,2017
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JUNE 22-28,2017
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
PLOTTING BROADWAY’S EMPTY STOREFRONTS BUSINESS Gale Brewer’s survey maps the ‘mystery’ of the street’s commercial vacancies BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
Broadway is perhaps America’s most iconic street, but according to Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, a glut of empty storefronts threatens to sap the famous corridor of its vitality. Brewer announced last week the results of a survey that found nearly 200 retail vacancies along Broadway. The survey was conducted May
21 by several dozen volunteers and interns from Brewer’s office. “Almost every neighborhood seems to have a storefront that’s been vacant for years,” Brewer said in a statement announcing the results of the survey. “It can be a mystery, but I’m interested in solving the mystery and rejuvenating our streetscapes. This data will be the starting point in finding policy solutions to this problem.” The survey identified 188 empty street-level storefronts along Broadway’s 244 blocks in Manhattan, 118 of which were located below 125th Street. The accompanying graphic shows which stretches of Broadway had the most — and least — commercial vacancies.
4
110th to 125th
The city’s health commissioner, Dr. Mary Bassett, seated at table and speaking, addressed a community meeting about an outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease in Lenox Hill. Photo: Bryse Ciallella
LEGIONNAIRES’ SICKENS 7, KILLS 1 HEALTH
16
To see the interactive map, read this article on otdowntown.com
11 11 6
14 6 15 14 10 9
96th to 110th
86th to 96th
72nd to 86th
59th to 72nd
34th to 59th
14th to 34th
Houston to 14th
Canal to Houston
Chambers to Canal
Below Chambers GRAPHIC: HEATHER ROLAND-BLANCO; MAP DATA: GOOGLE MAPS
Outbreak in Lennox Hill that began about June 5 appears to have ebbed, health official says BY BRYSE CIALLELLA
City health officials believe one of the Lenox Hill neighborhood’s 116 cooling towers is the likely source for an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease that has killed one person and sickened six others since June 5. All six people sickened either live or work in the neighborhood, as was the person who died, officials said. “There have been no new cases in the last five days,” the city’s health commissioner, Dr. Mary Bassett, said Monday night during a community meeting that addressed the outbreak. “For us in the health department, that is heartening but it’s too soon to tell you not to be vigilant.” City health officials urged those who live or work in the Lenox Hill area to be alert for symptoms of infection. “Right now, the most important thing we can do personally, is be alert to the symptoms, we want to get the message out about seeking care early. … Symptoms include fever, cough, headache, muscle aches – flu-like symptoms,” Bassett said. Legionnaires’ disease is a serious lung infection, which is caused by inhaling water droplets or aerosolized mist containing Legionella bacteria, which propagates in warm water. The Health Department tested all 116 cooling towers within a half-kilometer radius of where all seven persons living or working were infected, a department official said. Testing was concluded Friday, June 16, and samples were sent to public and private laboratories. Culture results are expected by the end of the month, the department said in a press release. Health care providers have been alerted to the outbreak. The department also ordered several building owners to increase the use of bacteriakilling biocides or to take other measures to mitigate bacteria growth.
Bassett assuaged concerns from some who attended the meeting, at the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House on East 70th Street, who expressed concern about tap water. “Shower, bath, wash your hands, drink your water, we are not concerned about the water pipes in buildings, what categorizes this cluster is a neighborhood exposure,” she said. “We have no evidence of any clustering within buildings. We are not concerned about people drinking the water, that’s why we have a big pitcher of tap water up here and we’re drinking it.” Bassett said the department suspected an outbreak when computer algorithms indicated that a number of people in Lenox Hill had Legionnaires’ symptoms. Health officials then conducted interviews with those who had fallen ill. “We interview them and try to figure out where they might overlap, because that means that we might come up with a single location, a common source. When we did this for the seven individuals that I mentioned, all that they shared was a neighborhood, a geography,” she said. “They didn’t share a building or a place where they all did their shopping. All they shared was a geography and when we see that sort of pattern, we begin looking at the cooling towers in that area.” People older than 50 are most at risk of contracting Legionnaires’, particularly if they smoke, have chronic lung disease or weakened immune systems. The seven people affected range in age from 65 to the person in their 90s. Symptoms usually appear two to 10 days after exposure, according the city Health Department. The infection, which is not contagious, is treated with antibiotics. Data from the federal Centers for Disease Control points to a more than fourfold increase in reported cases of the disease since 2000, when about .4 cases per 100,000 people were reported. That increased to about 1.8 cases per 100,000 people in 2015. In New York City, 269 cases were reported last year, down from 428 in 2015, according to Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright’s office .
JUNE 22-28,2017
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ACCIDENTS AND AFFORDABLE SUPERMARKETS I am puzzled by Kathleen McAnulty’s “Viewpoints” article in last week’s edition (“Where’s the Justice for Traffic Victims?” June 8-14), in which she discloses that the speeding motorcyclist who ran down and killed her father was not subjected to criminal prosecution, despite her efforts to enlist the aid of various officials. Is manslaughter no longer a crime? Also, concerning the lack of afford-
able supermarkets in Chelsea in the wake of the closing of Associated, I’d like to point to Trader Joe’s on Sixth Avenue and 21st Street, which should prove even more affordable than Associated. The Union Square Greenmarket, open four days a week, not only accepts SNAP benefits, but gives out $2 coupons redeemable in fresh produce for every $5 spent in food stamps. Both these sources are within walking distance, I believe, for most former customers of Associated. Diana Julian Chelsea
COMING TO TERMS WITH AGING I’m surprised that West Side Spirit would print one of the most depressing pieces I have ever read about aging written by Marcia Epstein (“Facing Finitude,” June 8-14.) I think most of us who are older try to come to terms with aging in ways that we can, but if aging is such a deep problem for Ms. Epstein, that she must get it off her chest with no matter how this will affect others — see a therapist, don’t hang it on others who have their own anxieties. Bunny Abraham Upper West Side
Voices
A WEST SIDE STORY
I write concerning your article about The West End (“The West End: Birthplace of the Beats,” June 1-7). I have lived on the Upper West Side for more years than I care to admit. In the very early 70s, I created a bar/restaurant at Broadway and 107th Street, directly across from Straus Park. The story behind it: a theater producer friend decided to buy the Olympia movie theater on the southeast corner of 107th Street and Broadway. He wished to redo the front of the building, which was just a bunch of crummy stores, and create a really nice restaurant. I agreed to rent those storefronts and construct a restaurant. This was a beautiful restaurant with
an outdoor cafe, very high ceilings, and a nice wooden bar against the wall. Our menu was described by the New York Times as a cross between an English pub and a French bistro. It was also my plan to bring classical music into the restaurant, and on Sunday brunch we had live string quartets. In 1979 came the most beautiful moment of my life, when I met my wife, who was studying at Juilliard and came to play with a string quartet. I never made any real profit at the restaurant so I gave up the lease. Many people in the area do not remember The Balcony. I wish to thank you so very, very much for bringing back to me those wonderful memories. Robert M. Ginsberg Upper West Side
THE PHONE CLEANSE LEX AND THE CITY BY ALEXA DIBENEDETTO
Exiting the subway at 14th Street isn’t part of my typical morning commute — Union Square is nearly 15 blocks from my office in NoMad. Each day, I shuffle onto a crowded L train to make the switch to the uptown N/Q/R line. With my headphones on and a medium coffee in hand, the routine has become almost robotic. I shift into autopilot as I wait for the caffeine to hit, snapping back to reality only once I’ve sat down at my desk. Today, I’ve chosen a more scenic route. I’ll be walking the second leg of my journey — an undertaking that, in my semi-sleepy haze, seems like a bit of an endeavor. Moreover, I’ve tucked my phone into the bottom of my purse. I’m making a deliberate effort to unplug. We’re jaded to cautionary articles about phone usage. Foreboding messages remind us how attached we’ve become to our handheld computers and the unlimited ability to consume media. If you’ve ever left your house without your phone, you can relate to the wave of unnecessary, stomach-
churning panic that hits once you’ve realized it’s missing. Moving through the day without it feels as though you’re operating without a limb. This is no attempt to preach — truly, I’m just as guilty of this addiction as anyone else. Rather, it’s an attempt to connect to a city that has so much alternative, authentic stimulation to offer. It’s a challenge to find equivalent entertainment in the ongoing performance that is New York City. It’s a search for inspiration outside of Instagram, a chance to tune in to the vivacious, visceral beat of urban life. In the spirit of much-loved New York wellness trends, let’s call it a cleanse. The first thing I notice is how quiet things seem. Union Square is not quiet, of course, but it feels nearly silent in comparison to the constant clamor of percussion and bass that trickles through my headphones without pause. Growing up in the city, you become so accustomed to honking horns and shouting pedestrians that the noise almost fades into the background. The weather is indecisive; my skin bristles with the chill of a sudden breeze and warms as the sun finally escapes from behind a cluster of clouds. Have my senses heightened?
Photo: FaceMePLS, via flickr It’s been just three minutes, and I wonder if I’ve achieved some level of superior awareness. Will food taste sweeter, scents be more fragrant? I carry onward. I stumble upon a coffee shop called Chalait. The interior is posh and picturesque: minimal with pops of color, signage with thin line-work. I’m a sucker for good branding. Whole-
grain pastries and matcha teas tease my empty stomach, and I decide that I deserve a small break from my journey. The café is cute, but the cups are even cuter. My brain ticks with the impulse to reach for my phone, to take a picture and edit it to post-ready perfection. I imagine the witty words I’d share besides hash tags and emoticons. If no
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one sees it, did I even drink it at all? I stop myself. “So cool,” I say aloud, since I can’t text a friend. If I had typed it, I’d have probably spelled it “kewl.” There’s a bench outside, so I sit down for some purposeful people watching. Across from me, two men set up instruments — a guitar, a snare, and a high-hat — to play some street-side tunes. The technical term is “busking,” something I learned only recently despite living in this city for nearly my whole life. Their song begins with the bluesy whine of the guitar; the drummer waits with anticipation for his entrance to the tune, a subtle rat-a-tat on the symbol that builds and builds until the two melodies erupt into a lively chorus. Cars roll past and bikers whiz past them. People yell and construction workers drill. Despite the noise, the musicians’ melody carries. The city pulsates with its own unique soundtrack. I’m five minutes late for work, but I’ll take another five. In a place that compels you to keep moving, to rush from one thing to the next at a constant rate, it’s hard to even understand that it’s OK to slow down. To stop and smell the roses, or the hot dog carts, or the hot summer garbage or the Balthazar croissants or the cologne of the handsome man that’s been walking ahead of you this entire time. I think I’ll do this more often.
Editor-In-Chief, Alexis Gelber editor.ot@strausnews.com Deputy Editor Staff Reporters Richard Khavkine Madeleine Thompson editor.otdt@strausnews.com newsreporter@strausnews.com Michael Garofalo Senior Reporter reporter@strausnews.com Doug Feiden invreporter@strausnews.com
JUNE 22-28,2017
PACE PRESIDENT CONCLUDES TENURE EDUCATION
REGISTERED NURSES REHABILITATION THERAPISTS MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKERS CERTIFIED HOME HEALTH AIDES
Your wife needs help after her stroke and she can’t even ask for it.
Stephen J. Friedman, who also served as dean of the law school, has been at the university for 13 years BY JAMES K. GALLOWAY
The seventh president to serve Pace University leaves at the end of June, concluding his second five-year term. As of May 31, Stephen J. Friedman had already begun packing away the office he has occupied for the last 10 years. “Moving is one of the great traumas in life,” Friedman said through laughter. “They list it along with divorces and deaths in the family.” Friedman, who turned 79 in March, said earlier this year that he does not intend to seek a third term as president, and instead spent the past few weeks fulfilling his remaining duties, and offering wisdom to incoming president Marvin Krislov, who himself served for the last 10 years as a university president, at Oberlin College in Ohio. “This, if done right, is a very demanding job,” Friedman said of the office he’s held since 2007. “I think I’d like to work a little less hard.” More importantly, he said, a decade-long tenure seems appropriate. “It takes seven to 10 years to really affect change in a place this size and this complicated,” he said. “Could I be effective for another two to three years? Sure. This is the most gratifying, and fun, and challenging thing I’ve ever done. On the other hand, I really think Pace would benefit from an infusion of new experience and new ideas.” Pace is a diverse school attended by many first-generation immigrant students, the chairman of the school’s board of trustees, Mark Besca, said. “And here’s Steve – coming, probably from the top university in the country – and when he came to Pace, he had a passion for our students second to none, just as much as I did coming from here,” Besca said. “And knowing that – being a first-generation student and getting help from Pace – really
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
Now what?
Stephen J. Friedman, Pace University’s seventh president, will leave the school at the end of June. Photo: Pace University changed my life.” Besca was referring to a Pace career service that helped him gain work in 1979. That approach to student mentoring is now referred to internally as the Pace Path, and seeks to pair Pace students with mentors in their chosen fields, and has grown under Friedman’s leadership. Moreover, in addition to growing enrollment and largescale renovations at Pace, Friedman is well-regarded by business and neighborhood boards around Lower Manhattan, according to Jessica Lappin, of the Alliance for Downtown New York. “President Friedman has been a fixture in Lower Manhattan over the past decade,” Lappin said. “He loves Lower Manhattan and actively worked with the community to improve our neighborhood.” Friedman earned his bachelor’s from Princeton in 1959 and, three years later, a law degree from Harvard Law School, where he received a Sears Prize for academic excellence and edited the Harvard Law Review. Since that time, he has witnessed radical changes, spurred on by technology, to the nature of jobs graduates are landing, including those from Pace.
“Evolutionary biology, which used to be all about bones and paleontology, is now all about DNA and massive computing power,” he said. “It used to be if you went to business school and didn’t like numbers, you majored in marketing, because that was all about words. Now it’s all about data analytics.” Friedman, who previously served as dean of Pace Law School, added that while Pace is not a trade school, it is the function of the university to prepare students for the changing workload of an increasingly technical world. Krislov, he said, is the right person to do that. “I have a very big investment in his success, because we really have accomplished a lot, and Pace is in a very different place than it was 10 years ago, or even 15 years ago,” he said. “And that’s a real springboard for further growth in stature and excellence, and rigor, and academic reputation.” Friedman said he would be available to Krislov and they have already discussed Pace leadership together. He declined to go into detail about any specific advice offered to Krislov. “Oh, I don’t think I would share that,” Friedman said, again through laughter. “It’s between presidents.”
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JUNE 22-28,2017
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Thu 22 Fri 23 READING FOR AIDS REMEMBRANCE
NYC AIDS Memorial, 200-218 West 12th St. 6 p.m. Free AIDS has become the focus of insistent, resilient writing and work that inspires countless other advocates. Hear from noted literary figures, poets and storytellers who have been indispensable in carrying forward stories of the movement. nycaidsmemorial.org
▲‘THAT WHICH REMAINS’ IRT Theater, 154 Christopher St. 7 p.m. $20 online, $25 door “That Which Remains” reimagines Shakespeare’s turbulent Titus Andronicus. Using movement as primary vocabulary, Improbable Stage tells the turbulent story of the Roman general’s heroic post-war return home after smothering the Goths. www.improbablestage.org
SWEDISH MIDSUMMER FESTIVAL Robert F. Wagner Junior Park, 20 Battery Place 5 p.m. Free Adults and children come together to picnic in the grass, decorate the midsummer pole, make flower wreaths, play traditional games and dance to authentic fiddle music. Food stands offer delicacies from New York’s finest Swedish restaurants and food purveyors. 212-583-2560. www. swedenabroad.com
‘CABARET’ The New School for Drama, 151 Bank St. 8 p.m. Free. Students from The School of Drama, The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music and Mannes School of Music will perform the multiple Tonyaward winning musical. 212-229-5859. newschool. edu
Sat 24 DRAW NOW The Drawing Center, 35 Wooster St. 10:30 a.m. $5 Explore how drawing operates in the world today by examining the early 20th-century drawing techniques of artists sketching for scientists in jungle and marine environments without the use of color photography. Coffee and art materials provided. 212-219-2166. drawingcenter.org
PUBLIC ART OPENING Seward Park, Essex Street & East Broadway 5:00 p.m. Free Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong’s “Constellation,” an architectural sculpture, performance and panel series that will activate the park’s underused plaza as a transformative community space. 212-639-9675. nycgovparks.org
JUNE 22-28,2017
Photo by mararie via Flickr
Sun 25 ▲UP CLOSE: MICHAELANGELO’S SISTINE CHAPEL
The Oculus at Westfield World Trade Center, 33-69 Vesey St. 10:00 a.m. $10 With special expertise and care, the ceiling paintings from the Sistine Chapel have been reproduced in their original sizes using state-of-the-art technology. Visitors can explore the artwork up close at a distance impossible to achieve in the Sistine Chapel. 212-284-9982. westfield.com
5:30 p.m. $10 As the national debate around tax policy intensifies, AIANY and ICAA host a discussion with architects, academics and preservationists to explore their particular perspectives on the historic tax credit. 212-683-0023. cfa.aiany.org
CHEESE CLASS: BLOOMY AND BLUE Le District, 225 Liberty St. 6:30 p.m. $35 An in-depth class on blue cheese and bloomy cheese, covering the cheese-making process, taste, texture and history. Taste and learn how to pair. 212-981-8588, ledistrict. com
EXHIBITION The South Street Seaport Museum, 12 Fulton St. “Millions: Migrants and Millionaires aboard the Great Liners, 1900-1914” explores the tensions between the extraordinarily wealthy first-class traveling passengers and thirdclass traveling immigrants sailing to America. 212-748-8600. southstreetseaportmuseum.org
Mon 26 WHAT WOULD HAMILTON DO? Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place
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Tue 27 ARTSY AFTERNOONS: ORBEEZ STRESS BALLS New Amsterdam Library, 9 Murray St. 12:30 p.m. Free Stop by the New Amsterdam Library’s auditorium for relaxing and creative afternoon full of fun to create artistic Orbeez stress balls. Sign up in person or via phone. Walk-ins welcome. 212-732-8186. nypl.org
AN EVENING WITH THE NEW YORK TIMES OPDOCS IFC Center, 323 Sixth Ave. 7 p.m. $15 Discover The New York Times’s Op-Docs, short opinion documentaries reflecting a wide range of styles and subjects, from contemporary life to historical themes. 212-924-7771. ifccenter. com.
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YOGA IN THE BATTERY Battery Park, The Woodland Lawn 6:30 p.m. $10 donation Pack your mat and practice yoga overlooking the Fountain, the blooming bosque and majestic Lady Liberty. It might be the most beautiful place to do yoga in the city. Proceeds benefit The Battery Concervancy. 212-344-3491. thebattery.org
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Hudson Park Library, 66 Leroy St. 12 p.m. Free Want to learn how to use a knifty knitter loom and learn some knitting skills? Join Hudson Park Library and AHRC NYC artists to explore your crafty side. All created items will benefit a local charity. 212-243-6876. nypl.org
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JUNE 22-28,2017
MODERN GIRL POWER MoMA culls from its permanent collection to feature post-World War II works by women BY MARY GREGORY
“Making Space,” MoMA’s exhibition focusing on women artists and postwar abstraction needs space, since the first piece pulls you from across the mezzanine and then knocks you back a few feet when you get to it. Grace Hartigan’s painting “Shinnecock Ca-
nal” (1957), towering at 7 and a half feet tall, announces that this isn’t a repository for dainty, docile, domesticated art. In Hartigan’s composition, flowing ocean blue crashes into lawn green and cloud white, punctuated with drags of paint and sharp black lines. It proclaims the Long Island landscape for which it’s named by references rather than reproduction, and it’s as strong as any gestural abstraction done anywhere at the time. These women could paint (or sculpt or pho-
Alma Thomas mosaic-like chips of brilliant color amplify the impact of her small collage included “Making Space: Women Artists and Postwar Abstraction.” Photo: Adel Gorgy
A dense, pendulous weaving by Magdalena Abakanowicz couldn’t be more different from Ruth Asawa’s floating forms, yet both were part of a movement to relocate fiber from the craft shelf to the art gallery. Photo: Adel Gorgy
tograph or whatever they put their minds to) and did so with as much passion, focus and force as their male colleagues. A small, perfectly balanced painting by Etel Adnan follows, and reveals that the exhibition, while tightly focused on the years between the end of World War II and the late 1960s, is international in outlook. Along with Adnan’s, look for works by stars like Yayoi Kusama (global by way of Japan), Brazilian Lygia Clark, and Cuba’s great export, Carmen Herrera, as well as by less familiar names such as Britain’s Bridget Riley and German-born Brazilian photographer Gertrudes Altschul. The pieces are all culled from MoMA’s permanent collection, and the exhibition is organized by curators Starr Figura and Sarah Meister, with Hillary Reder, curatorial assistant. “It’s part of an institutional commitment to improve the representation of women artists in the collection,” Meister said. “This show is not a beginning” Figura added. “It’s not an end. It’s one event in an ongoing process of looking at women artists and amplifying the way that they’re represented here at MoMA.” Some of the strongest statements in the show are made by women of Abstract Expressionism. Elaine de Kooning, Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell and Hedda Sterne are all represented by outstanding works. Lee Krasner’s 1966 painting “Gaea” claims an entire wall and a place in history, not because of who she was married to — Jackson Pollock — but because her work is vibrant, vigorous, expressive and engaging.
IF YOU GO WHAT: “Making Space: Women Artists and Postwar Abstraction’ WHERE: The Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street WHEN: Through August 13 www.moma.org/ While several of the women in “Making Space” were married to artists, all of them took it upon themselves to do what the title suggests. They found a way to make their voices part of the chorus of 20th century art. “It’s very difficult for women to find a place within the hyper-masculine world of Ab-Ex,” Figura said. “These women are trying to make space for themselves within a tradition of painting and sculpture that’s been dominated by men for centuries.” Like all artists, women made their work matter not by imitating but by innovating. We see that in Czech artist, Běla Kolářová’s “Five by Four” (1967), a witty, though serious and surprising composition. Here, the tiny, repetitive marks that form the gridded abstraction are actually metal paper fasteners affixed to the surface. They glisten, enlivening the work, and at the same time can be read as a wry commentary on the largely clerical role of women in offices at the time. Alma Woodsey Thomas’s collage of rainbow chips of color become a prism through which to view her ebullient spirit. Louise Nevelson’s towering construction, “Big Black,” is bold and insistent, claiming its own space, while Agnes Martin’s all-white
quietude speaks just as clearly. In the 1960s, a group of women made a new category for their work by reclaiming fiber, previously relegated to craft. Annie Albers wove fastidious studies in color and shape, and Sheila Hicks redefined how fiber can function. Rough, uneven surfaces and a sense of overwhelming weight drags Magdalena Abakanowicz’ s woven “Yellow Abakan” towards the floor, while across the room, Ruth Asawa’s airy, knotted sculpture, “Untitled,” hovers like a hummingbird. With about 100 works by more than 50 international artists, nearly half of which are on view at MoMA for the first time, “Making Space: Women Artists and Postwar Abstraction” will surprise almost everyone. Some, with the realization that women artists in the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s around the world were creating works equal to and, at times, better than those by male counterparts. Others will be surprised to discover so many wonderful artists they’ve not met before and question why, since these are all in MoMA’s collection. “By looking carefully at what we have, we become acutely aware of what we need to do,” Glenn Lowry, MoMA’s director, said. “The familiar is satisfying but less interesting ultimately to us than the unfamiliar ... which is what we have to find a way to foreground, so that those voices become part of a larger conversation.” It’s wonderful to get a glimpse at these works and a chance to consider them. It would be great to see space made for them to hang on permanent display amidst works by Rothko, Pollock, Hofmann, Rauschenberg, Johns, Warhol and the rest of the guys.
JUNE 22-28,2017
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
LOVE, RACE AND HISTORY THEATER Play commemorates the 50th anniversary of Loving v. Virginia BY MADELEINE THOMPSON
“How would you explain being mixed?” In “Loving and Loving,” this complicated question of race and identity is answered by both the past and the present. Central to the play is the story of Richard and Mildred Loving, whose then-illegal union in 1958 led the Supreme Court to overturn a national ban on interracial marriage on June 12, 1967. Woven into their tale are interviews with people of mixed backgrounds living in America today, broadcast from speakers set up in the corners of the intimate room of Stella Adler Studio where the play is being staged until the end of the month. Years ago, playwright Beto O’Byrne was searching for something that would “present the examination of the mixed identity as central” to Stella Adler’s mission, and Loving v. Virginia was a perfect fit. “As we began to think about the Lovings, and then we found out that the 50th was coming up, it just
felt like a lot of pieces started lining up,” O’Byrne said. “Because it is linked to, in a very tangible way, the legalization of the mixed body.” For O’Byrne and Meropi Peponides, co-creator and artistic director, the topic is a very personal one. Both identify as biracial and bicultural, as do many of their friends. When they first began putting the show together, Peponides said, they interviewed New Yorkers with mixed backgrounds about their experiences and found that many of them felt strong ties to the Lovings. “[The interviews are] an attempt to kind of expand on the legacy of the story and really look it at as an origin point for the legitimization of all kinds of different cross-cultural relationships,” Peponides said. The character of Maya, played by Caitlin Cisco, serves as the link between the Lovings and the modern lives they made possible. Richard, played by Pete McElligott, and Mildred, played by Tia James, are the only other characters in the show besides Maya, who plays multiple characters in the story while maintaining her role as somewhat of a narrator and outside observer. In contrast with the depth and breadth of the subject matter,
the set is relatively sparse, with a few benches, a table and some chairs rearranged into various configurations. There are some childrens’ blocks, a blanket and, most importantly, a radio from which Sam Cooke plays, as well as occasional news broadcasts of events such as the 1963 March on Washington. Crediting the “explicit theatricality” of O’Byrne’s writing, director Tamilla Woodard said the set design choices are an invitation for people to “make-believe” and “fill in the world” in which the show takes place. There is no need for more. The three actors’ evident passion for the story beams through like one of the overhead spotlights. And in a room only large enough for about 40 people, where some of the audience is seated on the stage, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the warmth of the narrative. After all, it is ultimately about two people in love. “The court case is a part of the plot but the real story is about discovering that it’s actually a love story,” Woodard said. “Mixed-race children are a real product of that and they have their own particular kind of narrative.” O’Byrne echoed the sentiment, saying “there’s something great
Tia James and Pete McElligott as Mildred and Richard Loving. Photo courtesy of Stella Adler Studio of Acting about a love story.” Something bold, too, Peponides added, especially in today’s political climate. “I think the play just resonates really differently than it did in the previous administration,” she said. “It feels a little bit more audacious now.” “Loving and Loving” gives and gives throughout its 90-minute running time. Only at the end does it ask some-
SUBWAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 er wash/clean the 110th st station 2&3 train, it’s always filthy and stinks of excrement.” “Regrets for any unpleasant conditions, we’ve made supervision aware of this matter,” the MTA wrote back. Meanwhile, a Q/B escalator was out all day, and as @NateFeder, the handle for a product manager and CPA, posted, “That’s 100+ steps for a non-able person to walk up. When will it be fixed?” A reasonable question. No reasonable answer. Only “regrets for any inconvenience.” Scant comfort for a rider with a disability. But happily, “supervision” is “aware of this matter.” “Hey @MTA/@NYCTSubway. Nb 6, car 1675 leaving 33rd st. NO AC. Adults, children and babies SWEATING in here. How can we remedy?” wrote @Chef _Gregorio. The MTA offered no remedy, just “regrets” for the unpleasantness, a “thank you” for the report, and yes, “supervision” knows all about it. It goes on and on: “What fresh hell is ‘BIE’ and why is it causing a 10-minute trip to take five times that long?” posted @mrb370, aka Maria Rocha-Buschel (also a contributor to this paper). While BIE is a potentially grave condition, the MTA tweet was positively cheery. “Hi, that stands for Brakes in Emergency, meaning the
Subway crowd. Photo: Mussi Katz, via flickr train’s brakes were activated,” the post said. The dispatches from the underground should be required reading for Governor Andrew Cuomo, who disingenuously claimed he “doesn’t “control” the MTA. In fact, he names six of its 14 board members, more than anyone else, and exercises control by handpicking a chairman and CEO, both serving at his sufferance. They should also be propped up on an exercise bike in a Brooklyn gym for perusal by de Blasio, who sanctimoniously said it would be “cheap symbolism” to fight global warming by
forsaking his chauffeured convoy and taking public transit to his Park Slope workouts. Not much empathy there. Surely by now Cuomo and de Blasio have heard that the MTA-macro-misery index has never been higher, and that 70,000-plus delays afflict the system each month, a mega-leap from 28,000 in 2012. Maybe, they’ve even learned that a typical subway car now breaks down every 120,000 miles. Five years ago, it was 200,000 miles. But there’s also a micro-misery index told in
thing of the audience: celebrate the space where you live, Maya requests. The in-between. What makes you special. Then, she asks everyone to get up and dance to Sam Cooke’s “Twistin’ the Night Away.” Everyone does. Madeleine Thompson can be reached at newsreporter@strausnews.com
the tweets. It, too, is unconscionably high. A governor who doesn’t understand that betrays his constituents. A mayor who can’t feel the pain of his flock disrespects it. A spat between the two harms everyone else. What follows are seven simple questions to which @NYCTSubway provided zero satisfactory answers. Can Cuomo and de Blasio do better? “Since when does the MTA care about schedules in the first place?” asked @JaimieDeth. Inquired @LadyOfSpain17, “Whereeeee is the uptown B/D at 7th Ave and why do I pay you people to get me nowhere at all?” Posted @urbanutopist, “Waiting time between A trains: 20 mins. 100s of people waiting! What’s up with your unacceptable service?” “Wouldn’t you know it, it’s hotter on r train car 5632 than it is outside. Seriously, why can’t these trains use AC?” queried @dpittelli. Asked @Morton411, “Do R trains just disappear in the tunnel? Is there a Bermuda Triangle underground we don’t know about? #wehateyou.” “What the heck did the conductor of my Manhattan-bound F train just say?” demanded @ sanspoint. The final outraged tweet goes to @jonauyeung, who in a fragment of a word summed up what everybody else was driving at: “wtf?????” That of course is the ultimate question for Cuomo and de Blasio. Is supervision really aware?
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JUNE 22-28,2017
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
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Shu Jiao Fuzhouese Cuisine
118 Eldridge St
Not Yet Graded (43) 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/ 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. Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist. Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
Tijuana Picnic
151 Essex St
A
Nakamura
172 Delancey St
A
Subway
229 Chrystie Street
A
Wah Fung 1 Fast Food
79 Chrystie Street
A
Insomnia Cookies
164 Orchard St
A
Piadina Restaurant
57 West 10 Street
A
Sammy’s Noodle Shop & Grill
453461 6 Avenue
A
The Lately
357 W 16Th St
A
Saikai
24 Greenwich Ave
Grade Pending (19) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
Barrys Bootcamp
135 W 20Th St
A
The Ringside Cafe
28 W 20Th St
A
New York Burger Co.
470 W 23Rd St
A
E.A.K. Ramen
469 6Th Ave
A
Volare Restaurant
147 West Fourth Street
A
The Red Lion
151 Bleecker Street
A
Masala Times
194 Bleecker Street
A
Food In Motion
214 Sullivan Street
A
Zinc
82 West 3 Street
A
Carbone
181 Thompson Street
Grade Pending (22) 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.
Charlie Bird
5 King Street
A
Om
204 Spring St
Closed By Health Department (53) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, crosscontaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. 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.
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. Duo Tian Bakery
118 Eldridge Street
A
Aaa Ichiban Sushi
283 Broome St
A
Vanessa Dumplings
118A Eldridge St
A
Bu Ice Cream
90 E Broadway
Not Yet Graded (29) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
Butcher Bar
146 Orchard St
Not Yet Graded (34) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
Chillhouse
149 Essex St
Grade Pending
Johnny’s Bar
90 Greenwich Avenue Grade Pending (17) 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. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
Mckenna’s Pub
250 West 14 Street
A
Xanadu Coffee
225 W 23Rd St
A
Subway
300 W 17Th St
Not Yet Graded (48) Harmful, noxious gas or vapor detected. CO ~1 3 ppm. No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment. 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.
Café Medi
L’estudio
107 Rivington Street
61 Hester St
Grade Pending (26) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Not Yet Graded (27) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food from unapproved or unknown source or home canned. Reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) fish not frozen before processing; or ROP foods prepared on premises transported to another site. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
Parkside Lounge
317 East Houston Street
A
Go Believe Bakery
239 Grand St
A
El Castillo De Madison
207 Madison Street
A
Sakura Sushi And Thai
273 Mott Street
A
Yi Zhang Fishball
9 Eldridge Street
A
Mott Corner
58 Kenmare Street
A
Tache Artisan Chocolate
254 Broome Street
A
Birch Coffee
71 W Houston St
A
Sauce
78 Rivington St
A
Cafe Angelique
6870 Bleecker Street
A
Marm Cafe
79 Clinton St
A
Think Coffee
1 Bleecker Street
A
JUNE 22-28,2017
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
NOT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD INDIAN RESTAURANT DINING With the sleek new aRoqa in Chelsea, chef Gaurav Anand offers a fusion of international flavors BY ESTELLE PYPER
A new contemporary Indian restaurant has opened in Chelsea, but if you’re looking for traditional chicken tikka masala, this is not the place for you. The interior design, menu and food presentation are far from your neighborhood Indian spot. You won’t find the word “appetizer” or “entrée” on the menu, and no, they will not deliver. A visit to aRoqa is a spectacle in itself — every element is meticulously crafted to give patrons a memorable experience, from the menu format to check presentation. Nestled between 22nd and 23rd street at 206 Ninth avenue, aRoqa is a sleek, modern space hidden behind a large wooden door. The interior, designed by Architecture Work Office, is all black and gold. Hexagonal lights hang low over the sleek bar, emitting just enough light to feel like you’ve entered a high-end hotel lounge at midnight. “This design is specifically for Chelsea,” said chef and owner Gaurav Anand. “It’s very sexy, very cool, very Chelsea.” Anand always wanted Chelsea to be the home of his new restaurant. A veteran of the food industry and a native of India, Anand also operates successful, traditional Indian restaurants aurants throughout Manhattan (including uding Bhatti Indian Grill and Moti Mahal ahal Deluxe). But this is his first in Chelhelsea, and so far, the south-western tern Manhattanites are his favorite. e. “We wanted to raise the bar ar in Chelsea. Chelsea has a very ry young, cool crowd,” he said. “I have a restaurant on the Upperr West Side, Upper East Side,, Downtown — all over the city y — I can tell you this is the bestt crowd I’ve ever seen.” And it seems the love is being g returned. Since their opening g on June 5, the reservation list reemains full and solid reviews from om media outlets continue to pour in, but what matters most to Anand nd is the staff-customer interaction.. “Our whole concept is: we’re e treating you as if you are coming into nto our house,” he explained. “We’re treating reating you as our guests. That’s our whole vision.” Even the name, aRoqa, reflects this vision. “Roqa” is an Indian term for a ceremony in which friends and family gather to celebrate a couple’s engagement over food and dancing. To
Flaming chicken chops served on a cart. Photo: Evan Sung
Chef and owner Gaurav Anand. Photo: Evan Sung Anand, A an An nd, d, the the he word word reprep ep--
Corn paddu p is served on a miniature bicycle. Photo: Evan Sung
resents se entss his connceptt perfectly: fect c ly: a fufu usion n off food foo od styles, styles st s, both h
ttous to u us conco onn ccepce p-tion ti on n of
Butternut squash kofte. Photo: Evan Sung Western and Indian, and the gathering of diverse people. The term also reflects the serendipi-
the restaurant. In 2015, Anand was asked to cater the wedding of a longtime fan and patron of his Indian
restaurants, Monica Saxena. They resta got to talking about Anand’s future endeavors, and when he mentioned end his dream of opening a restaurant combining Indian flavors with inco ternational foods, Saxena wanted te in and they became partners. The creation of the unique menu ttook well over a year, Anand reccalls. He and a team of people ffrom both India and the U.S. invented the recipes, researching ve each ingredient’s cultural history. ea ““We kept the food very authentic,” said Anand. “The only thing is used very international elements.” we us integrated things that wouldn’t be He int found in traditional Indian cuisine, such as asparagus and seafood. “I combine all these with Indian food comb and people are responding to it very well,” he said. The menu consists of “taste plates” and “shared plates,” emphasizing a communal experience. There are Indian tacos, wrapped in Indian flatbread and served in a little truck à la
neighborhood Mexican taco trucks. Their corn paddu consists of corn cakes served on a miniature bicycle, and the chicken chops are presented in a cart — each an homage to how the food is sold in India. There’s even a duck confit, but served with coconut curry, Indian-inspired dumplings and a tres leches cake. The in-house mixologist creates outlandish craft cocktails, some served in flame or with dry ice. The check comes served in a wooden box with a lid — something palpable you can engage with, Anand points out. “This is our concept. This food is not meant for delivery,” Anand said vehemently. “I can’t deliver this food. People don’t get it, but once they eat it they say, ‘Ah, now we know.’” Anand is proud of aRoqa, calling it, “the biggest risk I have taken in my life.” He eventually hopes to expand internationally, given the globally diverse menu. He’s now working on a brunch menu, which no doubt will also draw diners in Chelsea.
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
Business
SEEING GREEN Cannabis business takes center stage in Manhattan BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
New York City certainly isn’t the capital of the burgeoning American cannabis industry — that title likely belongs to Denver or Los Angeles — but it was clear at the fourth annual Cannabis World Congress and Business Exposition, held June 14-16 at the Javits Center, that marijuana is already big business in the Big Apple. A bustling convention floor featured all manner of cannabis-related products and services, from those one might expect — lights and other growing equipment, pipes bearing Grateful Dead insignia — to businesses that might seem novel to conventioneers unfamiliar with the “green rush” economy: financial services companies and investment firms specializing in the cannabis sector, or life-insurance brokers offering coverage for cannabis users at non-smoker rates. The only thing that didn’t seem to be on hand, at least not openly, was actual marijuana. More than half of all states, including New York, have legalized marijuana for medicinal use. Under New York’s medical cannabis law, which is among the strictest in the country, patients are only eligible for treatment if they suffer from certain specific lifethreatening or severely debilitating medical conditions identified by the state, which include ALS, cancer, epilepsy, HIV, chronic pain and multiple
sclerosis. Marijuana is not available to patients as dried herb (or “flower,” as it’s colloquially known these days), and must be consumed in smokeless forms such as edibles, vaporizable concentrates, or sublingual oils. Dr. Kenneth Weinberg practiced emergency medicine at Bellevue and other hospitals in the region for 30 years before founding Cannabis Doctors of New York with two other physicians after New York’s medical marijuana law passed. He now evaluates patients who may qualify for the program at the group’s Madison Avenue office, and met with others familiar with the industry at last week’s conference. “We’re seeing very sick patients, and most of them are maxed out on their medications,” Weinberg said. “A lot of times they come to us not even because they want to take cannabis, but because they know that nothing else works and they’re willing to get beyond all those myths that have been around for 80 years about ‘reefer madness.’” As of June 14 of this year, 21,760 patients had enrolled in New York’s program since the first dispensaries opened in January 2016 — a fraction, some experts say, of the total number of eligible New Yorkers who might benefit from medical marijuana treatment. Sluggish growth is often attributed to several factors, including high prices, a lack of awareness of the program among physicians, and the small number of dispensaries at which patients can access the drug. Medical marijuana is currently available at 20
Marijuana-related businesses were on show at the Javits Center last week. Photo: Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition (CWCBExpo) in New York dispensaries around the state. Manhattan has just one dispensary, on East 14th Street, and Weinberg said it’s unlikely the local market could support another at this point. Weinberg says the potential benefits available to patients under the program should be better publicized by the state, so that more doctors become familiar with the treatment. “When you see something that works and has very few side-effects — nobody’s ever died from an overdose in the 4,000 years that we’ve known about cannabis — you want to be able to make it available to as many people as possible,” he said. Near Weinberg’s booth for Cannabis Doctors of New York, SUNY Empire State College advertised an upcoming interdisciplinary course on medical marijuana that meets online and at the school’s Hudson Street location in Manhattan. “As educators, we have an
ethical responsibility to provide credible information on this topic, like we do for many topics that are controversial,” said Joanne Levine, one of the course’s instructors. Marijuana for recreational use is now permitted in eight states and the District of Columbia, and last week’s conference was, predictably, filled with advocates for full legalization in New York state. The road ahead is unclear (Gov. Andrew Cuomo said earlier this year he is “unconvinced on recreational marijuana”), and supporters advocated for a variety of approaches. One organization, Restrict and Regulate in New York State, called (while also soliciting suggested donations of $4.20) for New Yorkers to vote on November’s ballot in favor of calling a state constitutional convention, during which full legalization could be pursued. Others supported state Senator Liz Krueger’s Marijuana Regula-
ON THE SIDE STREETS OF NEW YORK GRADISCA — 126 WEST 13TH STREET There is no doubt that the pasta is homemade at Gradisca, for the Italian “mama” can be found stationed right up front making the dough. Caterina, the restaurant owner’s mother, travels to New York from Italy every few months to lovingly knead pounds and pounds of pasta for her son’s restaurant. What fun it is to stop by when she is there and
JUNE 22-28,2017
observe as she breaks dozens of eggs into the center of a large wall of flour and shapes the resulting dough for her well-known tortellini. However, she explained, she must always return home again so that she can prepare the same delicious meals for her other son who still lives in Italy. To read more, visit Manhattan Sideways (sideways. nyc), created by Betsy Bober Polivy.
Photo: Alex Nuñez Caba, Manhattan Sideways
tion and Taxation Act, which would achieve similar goals through more conventional means. In the meantime, though, many businesses at the expo focused on one sector of the cannabis industry that is currently available for consumption by the general public in New York: products featuring cannabidiol, or CBD, a non-psychoactive compound found in cannabis. CBD’s legal status is somewhat unclear and is still being litigated in federal courts; generally speaking, it is a non-controlled substance under federal law, as long as it is produced from non-flowering hemp plants, which contain only trace amounts of psychoactive THC. It is currently sold in various forms in a number vape shops and holistic medicine stores in Manhattan. Recent research has suggested that CBD may have benefits for patients suffering from Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, and brain trauma, and the substance is often anecdotally portrayed as something of a wonder drug. The convention floor was filled with companies selling CBD-based products, as representatives boasted of an array of supposed benefits — vape pen cartridges for pain relief, cosmetic lotions with anti-aging properties, gummy candies to treat anxiety, even CBD dog treats to ease older pets’ joint pain. Several exhibitors referenced anxiety over a potential federal crackdown on the industry under notoriously anti-pot Attorney General Jeff Sessions. But positivity and enthusiasm seemed to be in greater abundance as conventioneers took not-so-surreptitious drags on vape pens (containing CBD or perhaps something stronger) in the nominally e-smoke-free Javits Center and flocked to speeches by keynote speakers Jesse Ventura and Roger Stone.
JUNE 22-28,2017
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JUNE 22-28,2017
PREVENTING ELDER ABUSE AGING From physical harm to financial fraud: JASA conference offers warning signs, planning advice and technology tips BY ELISSA SANCI
While some people say they’ve always loved children, Liz Lowey says that for her, it’s always been older people. When she was 12, she and her mother would serve Meals on Wheels to the seniors in her town — and from there, her interest in the elderly community grew. So it was fitting that Lowey, former chief of the Manhattan DA’s Elder Abuse Unit, found herself giving the keynote address at the Jewish Association Serving the Aging’s 12th Annual Elder Abuse Conference at the New School on June 14. Elder abuse often goes underreported; the New York State Elder Abuse Prevalence Study indicates that out of 24 cases, only one victim of elder abuse will come forward. The reasons seniors keep their abuse under wraps varies, but most often, it boils down to shame and guilt — nearly 58 percent of the time, the senior is abused by a family member, leaving the victim less likely to report the abuse. Workshops at the conference high-
lighted six types of elder abuse: physical, psychological, sexual, financial, neglect and abandonment. These forms of abuse typically overlap, and JASA’s Manhattan District Director Martha Pollack finds there is almost always a psychological component to any abusive case. “A lot of our clients suffer from depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder because of this abuse,” she said. Signs of elder abuse include unexplained bruises and physical injuries; noticeable changes in daily patterns; unkempt appearance, poor hygiene and being inappropriately dressed for the weather; increased social isolation; and the sudden inability to pay bills. JASA, a non-profit agency dedicated to serving older adults across New York’s boroughs, has been providing services for seniors since their founding in 1968, and has created programs such as the Legal/Social Work Elder Abuse Program, to help individuals affected by abuse free of charge. The conference was conceived 12 years ago to further JASA’s dedication to serving seniors by educating those who work with them. “We realized we had this very special knowledge and expertise at the time that wasn’t really on anyone’s radar in New York City,” said JASA’s Attorney-in-Charge Donna Dougherty. “We had such a big turnout that we realized there was a thirst for this information. People
were really grappling with the issues and didn’t know where to go.” The focus of this year’s conference was on planning and prevention, which Lowey’s keynote addressed. Lowey has worked with victims of elder fraud for much of her career. In the Manhattan DA’s office, she oversaw the investigation and prosecution of approximately 800 elder abuse cases annually, including the prosecution of Brooke Astor’s son Anthony Marshall. Lowey now serves as General Counsel at EverSafe, a technology company focused on preventing elder fraud and identity theft. “Everyone loves to talk about what we should do after we believe that someone’s been victimized,” Lowey said. “That’s really important, but the truth is, I think that most of these cases would be resolved if people would just be more proactive before there’s a crisis.” According to the National Counseling on Aging, elder financial fraud costs older Americans $36.5 billion per year; because of their age, seniors are more vulnerable to fall victim to a myriad of scams and are less likely to report them. Scams that target the elderly include tech support scams, IRS scams and mortgage refinancing scams. Of the more creative scams is the “stranded grandchild scam:” a younger person claiming to be the senior’s grandchild calls to ask for money after doing
SURVEILLANCE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 lice to track the location of cellphone users and are capable, in some cases, of intercepting their communications. (NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Legal Matters Larry Byrne said at the hearing that the NYPD does not intercept the content of communications using cell site simulators.) The NYPD also uses x-ray vans known as “backscatters” that can be used to see through walls and vehicles, and which critics say may expose bystanders to harmful radiation. Byrne said that the NYPD is already subject to sufficient oversight performed under the auspices of the court system, the department’s inspector general, and court-ordered guidelines that require civilian monitoring, which were strengthened in recent years after it was revealed that the NYPD had targeted Muslims in a years-long surveillance program that, according to NYPD officials in court testimony first reported by the Associated Press, never resulted in a terrorism investigation or even a
NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said in March that a proposed police surveillance oversight bill “would not be helpful to anyone in New York City.” Photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
single lead. Much of the NYPD officials’ criticism centered on the bill’s definition of “surveillance technology,” which they said is overly broad and would require the disclosure of information that would be useful to terrorists and other criminals. As drafted, the bill defines surveillance technology as “equipment, software, or system capable of, or used or designed for, collecting, retaining, process-
ing, or sharing audio, video, location, thermal, biometric, or similar information, that is operated by or at the direction of the department,” and would require the NYPD to publicly disclose the capabilities of such tools and the rules governing their use. In practice, according to Miller, these requirements would be an “invaluable roadmap to terrorists,” who he said routinely adjust their plans based on their knowledge of law en-
Liz Lowey begins the 12th Annual Elder Abuse Conference with a presentation aimed at preventing elder fraud. Photo: Elissa Sanci something reckless and begs the senior not to tell his or her parents. According to the Associated Living Federation of America, financial exploitation is the most common form of elder abuse; Lowey believes the best way to combat fraud is through the utilization of new technology, which she addressed in her presentation. She mentioned companies like NomoRobo, a free service that prevents telemarketers from calling; Mojio, which tracks driving habits and can identify changes in driving behavior; and EverSafe. Marleny Garcia, a conference attendee who works with seniors at the Neighborhood SHOPP in the Bronx, was particularly interested to learn about elder fraud. But the most common form of abuse she’s encountered is verbal abuse. “I’ve found that it’s
forcement tactics and capabilities. “The way this bill is written right now, it would be asking us to, say, describe the manufacture type and capabilities of recording devices worn by undercover officers or other human sources who were in the middle of an ongoing terrorist plot,” he said. “That would be insane.” The POST Act was based, in part, on similar surveillance oversight legislation that is under consideration or has recently been passed elsewhere, including in Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Clara County, California. Miller, who described the NYPD as “the most transparent municipal police department in the world,” said that New York City’s situation warrants a different approach. “While legislation similar to this proposal has been enacted in other jurisdictions, it is fair to say that none of these jurisdictions are (sic) the number one target for terrorists worldwide,” he said. “This proposal would require us to advertise sensitive technologies that criminals and terrorists do not fully understand,” Miller said. “It would
most often family members,” Garcia said. Abuse occurs among family members and other caregivers for many reasons. The inability to cope with stress; depression; lack of support from other potential caregivers; and the decline in the elder person’s physical and mental health are all potential stressors that could turn a caregiver into an abuser. Elder abuse can be avoided; that much the conference proved. But if an elder has already become a victim, the situation must be reported. Call 911 if the senior is in immediate physical danger; otherwise, use 311 to report the elder abuse. You can also get direct help from local community organizations, like JASA and the NYC Elder Abuse Center.
require the police department to list them all in one place, describe how they work, what their limitations are that we place upon them and our use of them. In effect, it would create a one-stop shopping guide to understanding these tools and how to thwart them for criminal elements and terrorists across the nation or the world.” Garodnick suggested that rather than acting as a guide for terrorists, the increased disclosure required under the bill could have the opposite effect, discouraging potential criminals in the same way an officer on a street corner might. Garodnick expressed willingness to work with law enforcement officials to revise the legislation, but said that the proposal would not interfere with the NYPD’s ability to keep New Yorkers safe. “We carefully crafted the bill so that it does not require that the police department disclose operational details regarding when and where they employ its tools,” Garodnick said. “We need to be able to understand what technologies are being used in our name,” he said.
JUNE 22-28,2017
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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
NOURISHING WELL-BEING Founder of Savor Health provides cancer patients with the nutrition they need BY ANGELA BARBUTI
When Susan Bratton’s friend Eric was diagnosed with cancer, he was told nutrition was irrelevant and he could eat whatever he wanted. Having a background on Wall Street in healthcare, the Midtown resident had her doubts, so she did some research and found that nutrition did, in fact, matter for cancer patients. “Up to 80 percent of cancer patients experience nutritional issues. A third of all cancer deaths are due to severe malnutrition. And malnutrition is the number two secondary diagnosis in cancer patients,” she explained. In 2011, Bratton quit her job and two weeks later, started Savor Health with the help of doctors, nurses and oncology dieticians. The company provides nutritional counseling as well as a food delivery service that’s tailored to meet the specific needs of its clients. They take into account pre-existing health conditions, allergies and side effects as well as drug regimens.
Tell us how your friend Eric’s cancer inspired you to start Savor Health. When he was diagnosed, from the beginning, he was told nutrition didn’t matter and to eat whatever he wanted. And I was really struck by that, because granted, I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 18. ... So I came at this very much from the perspective that I’m a super healthy, clean eater. And it just struck me that that didn’t make very much sense. And it certainly blew in the face of everything I had ever read or believed in. But I had been a healthcare investment banker, so was experienced in the healthcare world. I knew that evidence-based literature is how we practice medicine. So I actually went to the evidence-based literature to just kind of understand
why he was being told that. And what I came away with was, in fact, that his experience wasn’t the exception, but it was the rule. And they’re being told that it doesn’t matter and they go to the internet and are all completely overwhelmed because if you type in “cancer nutrition” or “nutrition for cancer patients,” you get 200 million hits or something crazy like that. And so I said I wanted to start a company that helps people like my friend Eric because I watched him really kind of wither away over the five months from the point he was diagnosed until he died. And the issues that he was experiencing were around nutrition. He was losing a lot of weight and had mouth sores, so it was painful to eat and it was scary because he also had a hard time swallowing, so he was afraid that he was going to asphyxiate himself. So all this was around the nutritional issues and because of where his tumor was as well. So I just felt like somebody needed to do something about this problem that was obviously a big one.
What foods are cancer fighting and does it change based on the type of cancer and the anti-cancer drugs they are on? What’s interesting is there’s not a breast cancer diet or a prostate cancer diet, per se. It’s more about eating healthy, the principles of the Mediterranean diet, eating clean, lean proteins, grains, legumes, lots of fruits and vegetables. And then the way it works to actually make it appropriate for the patient is, you customize it around the side effects that they’re experiencing. So, for example, take Eric who had mouth sores. Our recommendations would be he get softer consistency food, no spicy food, things like that. Somebody who has diarrhea is going to get food that is high residue, things that counteract it. There are certain foods that interact with drugs that you have to know about, but by and large, it’s more about making
sure that they get the right amount of protein, calories and nutrients in a format that’s designed around what they’re actually experiencing. Because you can have two breast cancer patients who have the same treatment and they can still have different side effect profiles. So it really needs to be customized to what they’re experiencing. And also what they like to eat and what their food allergies are. Because again, if the goal is to get them to eat healthy, you also need to know what it is they like to eat.
My sister is a cancer researcher and wanted to know what kind of food patients like most when they’re undergoing chemotherapy. I think most people, when they’re going through cancer, go back to, what I would call, their comfort foods. And everybody’s comfort food is different, depending on your culture and how you grow up. But there’s this kind of feeling of wanting to go to the stuff that made them feel good when they were growing up. For somebody it could be mac and cheese and so, Jessica Iannotta [Savor’s COO] and I wrote “The Meals to Heal Cookbook” and we have a really healthy mac and cheese in there that has lots of broccoli and things like that, so they get not just the cheese and the fat, but actually something that’s more healthy.
Tell us some memorable stories about your patients. Gosh, there’s so many. Daniel’s a Navy SEAL. He’s about 35 years old. Diagnosed with cancer. He basically has said that he believes this has helped him get through the multiple treatments that he’s on. But what he does that just makes me smile every time he sends us an email is, he sends us all of his lab results, but he also has dogs because he’s part of a canine group. And he also sends us pictures of his dogs. And we’re helping him live that life that he wants to live. And I just recently interviewed him, but haven’t
Susan Bratton founded Savor Health to provide better nutrution for cancer patients. Photo: Peter Hurley put the video up yet. He lives in San Diego. And it was just so rewarding to meet somebody that you’ve helped. And who’s with us for two-and-a-half years, so he really feels like this helped him out and that makes me happy. And then there’s another guy we had who unfortunately had a very severe brain tumor and didn’t make it, but he was with us for a year and a half, and his mother actually called me after he passed away and said, “We wanted to let you know that he passed away, but we really believe that your meals and your service kept him alive longer than he ever would have been because he looked so forward to getting your meals every week.”
readmissions are 54 percent lower and their length of stay is two days shorter. So it’s keeping them out of the hospital is the point. There’s also a lot of evidence that shows that patients who are well nourished adhere better to treatment, have fewer complication rates, less treatment toxicity and less treatment suspension. All of which impact how well a drug works while the patient is on it, not to mention their quality of life. So there’s an overwhelming amount of evidence that shows that nutrition matters. Not that nutrition will cure cancer, but nutrition will help strengthen the patient so that they can fight cancer and have better outcomes.
What kind of medical evidence is there for your approach?
www.savorhealth.com
There’s the evidence that shows that nutrition intervention can reverse weight loss and improve mortality and morbidity rates. There’s research that shows that when patients are well nourished and receive nutritional intervention, that their hospital
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Directory of Business & Services To advertise in this directory Call #BSSZ (212)-868-0190 ext.4 CBSSZ MFXJT@strausnews.com
OFFICE SPACE
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300 to 20,000 square feet
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212 -447-5400 abfebf@aol.com
Antique, Flea & Farmers Market SINCE 1979
East 67th Street Market (between First & York Avenues)
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BE THE SOMEONE
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24
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
JUNE 22-28,2017
Nothing beats newspapers as the most reliable source of local news in print and online Recent studies show:
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Newspapers led online consumption for local news” Coda Ventures Survey August 18, 2016
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Local media users named newspapers as their “most relied on” source for deals across a range of goods and services.” Coda Ventures Survey August 18, 2016
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What accounts for print’s superiority? Print - particularly the newspaper - is an amazingly sophisticated technology for showing you a lot of it.”
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Local newspapers are still the top source of news about readers’ communities, including their branded Web sites and social media channels.” Publisher’s Daily - August 30, 2016
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Residents are eager for news about their own communities, which, increasingly, only local news organizations can provide” Editor & Publisher - June 1, 2016
Politico - September 10, 2016
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