Our Town Downtown - November 2, 2017 by OurTown Downtown

The local paper for Downtown wn ALONG THE LINES OF GREATNESS

WEEK OF NOVEMBER

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Recovery and resiliency efforts undertaken since Superstorm Sandy include steps to prevent tunnels like the Battery Park Underpass, pictured here during Sandy, from ﬂooding during future storms. Photo: Timothy Krause via Flickr

SANDY, 5 YEARS LATER Mayor Bill de Blasio and ﬁrst lady Chirlane McCray host Gracie Mansion Halloween dressed at Clark Kent and Wonder Woman on Friday, October 27. Photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

DE BLASIO AND THE VANISHING VOTER ELECTIONS As a lackluster mayoral campaign sputters to an end — with scant enthusiasm for de Blasio, Malliotakis or Dietl — fears abound that the city’s incredible shrinking electoral turnout could hit new lows on November 7 BY DOUGLAS FEIDEN

Once upon a time, most New Yorkers loved to vote. Exercising the franchise was a sacred rite of passage for immigrants and new arrivals. It was a civic, moral and even social obligation for citizens of long-standing, too. Not

anymore. Sadly, en masse voting is a relic of the past. And the evidence can be found in the campaigns of Bill de Blasio. Naturally, the diminution of the ballot box long pre-dates the incumbent mayor. But it hit record lows on his watch. In the 2013 mayoral race, barely one million of the city’s 4.2 million registered voters showed up as the then-public advocate battled the thenformer MTA boss Joe Lhota. In his triumph, de Blasio achieved a dubious honor: a 24 percent turnout, the most abysmal in city history. Flash forward four years. On September 12, the mayor clobbered Sal Albanese by a 74 percent-to-16 percent margin in the Democratic may-

oral primary, hailing a “resounding victory,” which indeed it was. What he didn’t say: Only 14 percent of Democrats trekked to the polls. Next up is the general election, which always draws more voters than a party primary. But don’t expect long lines on November 7 either. De Blasio posts mediocre favorable and job-approval ratings. His likability is low. That hardly adds up to a stampede. His two foes aren’t exactly voter magnets either. In fact, Republican Nicole Malliotakis and independent Bo Dietl, running on the “Dump the Mayor” line, are so little known that a

PLANNING Efforts to mitigate impact of future storms include improvements to transit, infrastructure and electrical grid BY MICHAEL GAROFALO

Five years later, Superstorm Sandy’s impact on New York City is still being felt. Ongoing efforts to recover from the storm, which caused 43 deaths citywide, including two in Manhattan, and an estimated $19 billion in damage, have encompassed virtually all aspects of the city’s crucial infrastructure, including hospitals, power supply, drinking water, roads and mass transit. “There is absolutely no question that the city is safer and more resilient since Sandy,” Jainey Bavishi, director of the Mayor’s Office of Re-

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covery and Resiliency, said at an Oct. 30 Community Board 1 meeting on the response to the storm. During Sandy, hundreds of openings to the subway system in Lower Manhattan, ranging from stairway entrances to manholes to vent bays, became entry points for ﬂoodwaters. “Since then, MTA has undertaken a massive investment program, funded primarily by the Federal Transit Administration, to repair and rebuild the damaged facilities and install resiliency measures on all of our vulnerable opening locations in the subway system,” said Branko Kleva, program executive for Sandy Recovery and Resiliency with New York City Transit. The South Ferry subway station, which was completely ﬂooded and reopened in June of this year following years of repair work, now has sealable vent bays and marine doors

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Restaurant Ratings 14 Business 16 Real Estate 17 15 Minutes 20

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

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 on the Over the past 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.” can’t come p.m. and 7 a.m., 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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for dollars in fees ated millions of and left some resithe city agency, that the application dents convinced

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ON THE SHOULDERS OF HISTORY SUFFRAGE On the centenary of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suffrage in New York State, a mission to inspire girls and young women BY MERIDITH MASKARA

On November 7, New Yorkers will have the opportunity to cast their votes in the New York City general election. All indicators show that turnout will be especially low, perhaps even below that of 2013, when just 29 percent of Manhattan voters cast ballots. This is a shame, especially since gaining the right to vote was a hardfought battle for so many, including

for us women. Monday, November 6, is the 100th anniversary of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suffrage in New York State. I believe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the duty of every woman to exercise our right to vote â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and teach our girls to do the same. Participation is so important because every day, we see the ďŹ ght for womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s equality is far from over. Look no further than the incoming City Council, where at best 12 seats, less than 25 percent, will be held by women. (In Manhattan, four of 10 current council members are women.) Or to Congress, where women representatives were recently excluded from the conversation on changes to the health care law. To continue pushing towards equality and ensure womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s issues are top of mind at City Hall, in Albany and in

Women parade for the vote in New York City on May 6, 1912. November 6 is the 100th anniversary of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suffrage in New York State. Photo: American Press Association, via Wikimedia Commons and the Library of Congress the halls of Congress, we must engage. Each time a woman chooses not to use her vote, we lose momentum. Let us think of the examples we want for our daughters. We need to teach girls to be civically engaged at a young age, so that when they grow up, they know how to use their voice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and their vote â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to further the rights and position of all women. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why the Girl Scouts just lau nched t he G.I.R.L. Agenda â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a nonpartisan initiative to inspire, prepare and mobilize girls and those who care

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about them to lead positive change through civic action. Building on our legacy of civic engagement, our programming now includes a civic action badge for girls as young as five. Girl Scouts across New York City, including the 4,300 served in Manhattan, will now have even more opportunities to get engaged and advocate for issues important to them. But this is just the beginning of what we can accomplish together: As a city, we need to join forces to equip all girls with the tools to use their voices and make a difference in their lives and communities. We need to empower girls to take action â&#x20AC;&#x201D; through service projects, testifying at City Hall,

or writing letters to their elected ofďŹ cials. We need to teach this to girls in schools, through after-school programs, in shelters, detention centers and housing developments. Today, we choose to remember the courageous women who fought for our rights, and we use this anniversary to remind women and girls everywhere that our voices are the strongest weapons we have as we ďŹ ght for our future. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to the next 100 years! Meridith Maskara is the CEO of the Girl Scouts of Greater New York and the mother of ďŹ ve girls.

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CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG BOYS ROBBED IN PARK Two youths had anything but play time at Vesuvio Park recently. At 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 18, two 15-year-old boys were approached at the park, at Spring and Thompson Streets, by three boys in their late teens, one of whom told the two younger boys, “This is a stickup,” while a second said, “Be quiet, or I’m going to punch you!” One of the teens then pushed one of the younger boys against the bathroom wall inside Vesuvio Park and took $50 out from one of the 15-year-olds. The older teens, one of whom gestured that he had a gun in his underwear, also took an cellphone, headphones and other property from the younger boys. The older boys then told their victims to stay in the bathroom until they left. One of the victims suffered a bruise on the left side of his face but refused medical attention at the scene.

LA MER TEAR Police arrested a woman attempting to purchase expensive makeup using a forged credit card. At 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 22, a 45-yearold woman used the credit card information of a 48-year-old woman to purchase items at the Saks Fifth

STATS FOR THE WEEK Avenue store located at 225 Liberty St., using a forged credit card. Store security personnel veriﬁed that the credit card was indeed fraudulent. The items stolen included 15 packages of La Mer makeup totaling $7,290. Marilyn Castro was arrested October 22 and charged with grand larceny.

ENTERING WITHOUT BREAKING At 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 22, a 34-year-old Brooklyn man parked his black 2017 GMC vehicle in front of 174 Spring Street. When he returned two hours later he found that property had been taken from the vehicle in an unknown manner. He told police that he had locked his vehicle, and there was no damage to the car. The items stolen included a laptop valued at $2,000, debit and credit cards worth $500, a cellphone priced at $200, chargers valued at $200, and keys worth $50, making a total stolen of $2,950.

some photos. Her jacket, an Yves St. Laurent creation valued at $5,000, was gone when she returned to pick it up ﬁve minutes later.

Reported crimes from the 1st district for Week to Date

Year to Date

2017 2016

% Change

2017

2016

% Change

CARDIGAN HOOLIGANS

Murder

n/a

At 3:40 p.m. on Thursday, October 19, three persons were arrested after acting in concert to shoplift a pricey cardigan from the Gucci shop at 200 Vesey St. Brian Colter, 46, Pennie Lynch, 30, and Danasia Lynch, 28, were arrested October 19 on grand larceny charges.

Rape

n/a

55.6

Robbery

0.0

18.0

Felony Assault

0.0

-5.8

Burglary

50.0

100 -44.0

Grand Larceny

-3.8

835 862 -3.1

Grand Larceny Auto

n/a

-74.4

GONE IN A SNAP At 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 15, a 19-year-old woman put her jacket down at the southeast corner of Broadway and Fulton Street to take Photo by Tony Webster, via Flickr

If the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (CCRA) passes Congress, carrying a gun into NYC from out of state will be easier than ever.

How a child learns to learn will impact his or her life forever.

City and Country School Keeping the progress in progressive education. Two-Year-Olds – 8th Grade

Open House: Thursday, November 16, 6:00 - 8:00pm 146 West 13th Street, New York, NY 10011 Tel: 212.242.7802

www.cityandcountry.org

Learn how you can help keep our city safe and stop the CCRA at &\9DQFH)RU'$.com Paid for by Cyrus Vance for Manhattan District Attorney

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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

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

212-844-8400

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CON EDISON

4 Irving Place

212-460-4600

TIME WARNER

46 East 23rd

813-964-3839

US Post Office

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212-645-0327

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RUNNIN’ DOWN A DREAM BY PETER PEREIRA

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Keep yourself injuryfree at any age. Attend our upcoming seminars to learn how.

Thursday, November 2: 7pm – 8pm

Thursday, November 9: 7pm – 8pm

Common Athletic Injuries in the Young Athlete – Prevention & Treatment

Preventing and Treating Injuries in the Active Senior

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These events are FREE and snacks and light refreshments will be served.

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INDEPENDENTS’ DAY? POLITICS Third-party and independent candidates hope to disrupt this week’s City Council elections BY MICHAEL GAROFALO

Though slightly more than 20 percent of active New York City voters are unaffiliated with either major party, those disenchanted with the twoparty system currently have no foothold in the 51-member City Council, which is currently composed of 47 Democrats

and three Republicans, with one seat vacant. But despite (or, perhaps, because of) the Democratic dominance of the local legislature, this year’s slate of City Council elections features a crop of independent and third-party candidates — seeking office on assorted party lines and platforms, and with varied reasons for running outside the major party establishment — hoping to break the two-party mold. Despite the Council’s current makeup, successful third-party Council bids are not unheard of. In 2003, to cite one notable recent example, Letitia James,

now the city’s public advocate and a Democrat, successfully ran for City Council on the Working Families line, defeating a Democratic rival in the general election.

A SINGLE VOTE FOR A SECOND CHANCE Not all third-party bids are premeditated. District 1 candidate Christopher Marte, who lost narrowly to incumbent Margaret Chin in the Democratic primary, was able to continue his campaign in the general election due to good fortune and the idiosyncrasies of New York election law. Marte, a ﬁrst time office-seek-

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Independence Party candidate Christopher Marte, running for the District 1 City Council seat, is among a few candidates seeking to upend the two-party system in the November 7 general election. er and Lower East Side native, ran for the Democratic nomination on a message of blocking overdevelopment and preserving affordability in the downtown district, but fell roughly 200 votes short of Chin, who is seeking her third term. Initial results were close enough to require a hand count of absentee and affidavit ballots at the Board of Elections. The hand count confirmed that Marte had lost the Democratic nomination, but also revealed that he had earned a second chance to challenge Chin in November as the nominee of the Independence Party. The Independence Party of New York boasts the largest membership of any third party in the state — due in part, critics have said, to significant number of voters mistakenly registering for the Independence Party while actually intending to be recognized as unaffiliated independents. The party didn’t field a candidate for the District 1 council seat this year, leaving the nomination open for registered members to write in their choices on the ballot on Primary Day. Marte emerged as the Independence Party’s choice — with ﬁve votes to Chin’s four. Though Marte said he remains “and will always be” a Democrat, he welcomed the unexpected nomination as “a miracle of an opportunity” to build upon his primary results. “It was a total fluke,” Marte told Straus News at an October press conference announcing his continued candidacy. “We didn’t know the party line was even open, and I believe many of those people who went to go vote thought they were Demo-

crats, but then realized that they weren’t and just wrote my name in.” Aaron Foldenauer, an attorney who ﬁnished third to Chin and Marte in the Democratic primary, is also continuing his campaign in the general election as a third-party candidate. Foldenauer will appear on the ballot on the Liberal Party line.

SHAKING UP CONVENTION Conventional wisdom holds that District 3 Council Member Corey Johnson will cruise to reelection in the Nov. 7 general election. Johnson didn’t face a challenge in the Democratic primary, and his general election campaign has attracted less attention than his bid to become the Council’s next speaker. But upstart candidate Marni Halasa hopes her bid to unseat Johnson will “shake New York City politics up.” Halasa’s resumé features many entries — lawyer, journalist and ﬁgure skating coach among them — but she is perhaps best known for her work as a “theatrical activist,” donning fanciful costumes to take part in what she describes as “crazy political performance art” at protests and rallies for progressive causes. “Protesting is a great way to spread the message, but I got a little bit tired of being on the outside,” she said. “People take you more seriously when you’re running to approach things from the inside. It’s new way of relating to people.” Halasa recently left the Democratic Party (“Because of how they treated Bernie Sanders,” she explained, referencing instances of alleged bias shown to the former presidential candidate by the Democratic Na-

tional Committee during the 2016 campaign) and is running for Council on the Eco Justice line, a party of her own creation with a platform that she says is modeled on that of the Green Party. “Given the obvious political dysfunction of the two-party system, voters want new ideas from new faces who can take things in a different direction by putting the community ﬁrst,” she said. Halasa, who criticizes Johnson for accepting campaign contributions from donors with ties to the real estate industry and not doing enough to curb gentrification in the West Side district, said that she hopes to take up the Small Business Jobs Survival Act and promote publicly ﬁnanced campaigns. She also hopes to create an infrastructure for other “activists and ordinary people on the outside” to run for elected office, rather than candidates drafted from political clubs. “It doesn’t have to be ‘the way it is,’” she said. “You can change it.”

FACING ‘INSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES’ District 6 candidate Bill Raudenbush initially planned to mount a primary challenge Democratic incumbent Helen Rosenthal for her Upper West Side Council seat, and even began collecting signatures from registered Democrats, but ultimately decided to run as an unaffiliated independent in the general election. “I was just about done with the conduct of the de Blasio administration and the Democrats in City Hall,” Raudenbush said.

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BEAUTY STREET AND FUTURE AVENUE EAST SIDE OBSERVER BY ARLENE KAYATT

Never got to say goodbye — Midafternoon call from friend Elaine did not bode well. Had to be uber important. Back and forth morning calls are the usual. But this was something else. News. Stop everything. Our favorite don’t-tell meet-up spot, Uno Grille, was gone. The East 86th Street location closed, shuttered, no more. The almost-all day happy hour, the big TV where only Elaine could get Chris the bartender to change the channel from forever sports to CNN despite

the overflowing sports watchers. Where you could order bar-priced appetizers at happy hour and have them brought over to the table where you were having dinner. The sign on the window saying goodbye sends the locals across town to the West Side Uno Grille on 81st and Columbus. Sorry. Not. Upper East Siders go to the West Side for Fairway Cafe and Zabars. Not Uno. Uno on 86th belonged to the East Side. And they’re not going west! Methinks the departure of Uno 86th is a sign of what’s happening on the south side of 86th between Second and Third Avenues. Looks like all the commercial space east of the Bromley residential high-rise on the corner of 86th and Third — City Cinemas, Burg-

er King, some storefronts, and maybe Fairway — are going to be razed along with the medical office building at 210 East 86th, and the homeless shelter between Burger King and another empty storefront. That assemblage would give way for a mixed-use commercial-residential high-rise complex similar to the one in progress on the northeast corner of 86th and Third and at the site of the old Gristede’s east of Second Ave. Looks like another bad hair day for the UES. With the new beauty corridor west of Third Ave — think ULTA, Sephora, L’Occitane and other big boxish stores in and coming to 86th Street — the UES is securely ensconced in Century 21 — er, make that the 21st century.

Going retro — Just when it seemed that it was all about grab and go, eat and run, no server in the world of fast casual food comes a sign that maybe, just maybe, it doesn’t always work. Several months ago, this column noted the people-less opening of a Horn & Hardart-style automated Eatsa on the southwest corner of 43rd and Third where you “pays your money and you gets your bowl” without seeing or being seen by a server or cashier. Can’t say I’m a fan of the concept or sorry to see it go. There’s something New York about being able to go into a restaurant, order and get what you want, and not have to say anything to anyone if you don’t want to. I mean how can you ignore nobody? Take that all away and you could be anywhere. Just not in New York. That being said, Eatsa locations in other states are also closing. An-

other sign perhaps that New York’s onto something? Michael No Moore — Michael Moore’s “The Terms of My Surrender” had its last breath late last month at the Belasco Theater. Moore’s two-hour one-man standup was an advocacy for standing up against our president with notables in attendance, either in the audience or on stage, as U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and the UES’s Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright along with other women in Moore’s life who he said have always stood strong for him, including two nuns from his Catholic elementary school in Flint, Michigan, and the New Jersey librarian who helped jump start his career way back in the ‘80s when she wouldn’t allow the banning of a book Moore had written. Here’s to more Moore.

MAKING MEMORIES GRAYING NEW YORK BY MARCIA EPSTEIN

On a Saturday earlier this month, John and I went to the West 104th Street Block Association Street Fair between Riverside Drive and West End Avenue. BAiP (Bloomingdale Aging in Place), our neighborhood all-volunteer senior community organization — what some might call our NORC (Naturally Occurring Retirement Community) — had a table there, as they do every year. It’s fun to meet and greet other BAiP members as they come and go, scanning the stalls, buying books and other items, and just having a pleasant Saturday outing on the Upper West Side. From there, we went to the HI New York City Hostel at Amsterdam Avenue and 104th Street, where local BAiP artists were showing some of their work in a clothesline show. BAiP has, among many other activities, a group for new and experienced artists. Their work was impressive, and once again we ran into BAiP friends and neighbors and had a chance to mingle and munch on crackers and cheese.

That same day the hostel was having one of its open houses and some BAiP members joined in to learn about the historic building. The sign engraved outside calls it a Home for Respectable Aged Indigent Females. Today it is part of Hostelling International and well known for its pleasant environment, large garden and front terrace. The Victorian Gothic structure, designed by one of the 19th century’s preeminent architects, Richard Morris Hunt, was built from 1881 through 1883 and operated as a residence for, as it says, aged and respectable aged indigent females. It was shut down in 1974 for many building violations, but in its interior was revamped in 1990 and it became a youth hostel. The building was designated a New York City landmark in 1983 and is the largest hostel in North America. Try to get the next tour date; the history of this amazing building is fascinating. To round out the weekend, we took a drive with some friends to my hometown, Croton-on-Hudson, hoping to visit the Van Cortlandt Manor, which unfortunately was closed for a private event. From there we drove to “my” house on Morningside Drive. It was my house from 1947 until I went to college, and remained my parents’ house until

“Sycamores, Riverside Park,” center, by Ruth Kozodoy, a Bloomingdale Aging in Place member, was among the works at a clothesline art show at the HI New York City Hostel last weekend. Photo: Caitlin Hawke I was in my 30s. But someone had the gall to paint it yellow. I’m just kidding, I guess. I am an old lady with my memories of a gray house with white trim. And why did it look smaller? And why did tears come to my eyes?

Of course I had to go and look at the high school, which has a new addition and some very young people hanging around outside. Then on to lunch at the Croton Diner and a peek at the upper village, which was all we had in

the way of shopping way back then. Nostalgia is ﬁne, but I was glad to get back to the UWS, where I live my real life. And in my mind, that house will be gray with white trim for as long as I live. So there!

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NOVEMBER 2-8,2017

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

NOVEMBER 2-8,2017

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Discover the world around the corner. Find community events, gallery openings, book launches and much more: Go to nycnow.com

EDITOR’S PICK

Sat 4 WORDS AND MUSIC: ROXANE GAY, AYA AZIZ AND BEN ARTHUR

oct 30-nov 12

$22.95 $32.95 LUNCH DINNER

Reserve now at over 200 restaurants! HudsonValleyRestaurantWeek.com

The Strand, 828 Broadway 4 p.m. $25 212-473-1452. strandbooks.com Make your way to The Strand to hear bestselling author Roxane Gay read from her short story collection, “Difficult Women,” accompanied by musical performances from Ben Arthur and Aya Aziz. The artists will play musical interludes, called “answer songs,” in response to Gay’s stories at this lively music and reading event. Gay, whose New York Times-bestsellers include “Bad Feminist” and “Hunger.” Gay is currently working on exciting book and television projects. Ben Arthur is a producer, writer and performer who is going on his eighth album, “American Castles.” Aya Aziz a performance artist, composer and writer, has won awards for her solo show at the New York Musical Festival.

PRESENTING SPONSOR

Photo by Andrew Willard

Thu 2 SACRED SCENTS AND MEDICINAL PLANTS WORKSHOP ► New York Open Center 22 East 30th St. 6 p.m. $55 Explore the medicinal and spiritual uses of some of the most powerful, exotic and renowned incense plants. This olfactory feast will feature fragrant woods such as sandalwood and juniper, purifying resins like frankincense and myrrh, and a rare selection of ancient temple incenses. 212-219-2527 opencenter.org

Fri 3

Sat 4

SHAKESPEARE’S VILLAINS

ROBIN SPIELBERG IN CONCERT

The Strand, 828 Broadway 7 p.m. $20 Ancient mythology had its share of gods, monsters and witches, but the modern supervillain has one single pure origin: Shakespeare’s Iago. Join Thinkolio for this lecture on how Shakespeare invented the modern villain, and how, from Cormac McCarthy’s Judge to Hannibal Lecter, they reap chaos for the sake of evil itself. thinkolio.org

BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers St. 8 p.m. $21 Enjoy an evening of piano and solo vocals with actress and musician Robin Spielberg. A founding member of the Atlantic Theater Company, Spielberg has acted in over 60 off-Broadway plays and radio dramas, including “The Soul of Christmas: a Celtic Music Celebration.” 212-220-8000 robinspielberg.com

NOVEMBER 2-8,2017

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

MARBLE COLLEGIATE CHURCH Sunday Worship at 11:00am Sunday Worship, led by Dr. Michael Brown, is the heart of the Marble Church community. It is where we all gather to sing, pray, and be changed by an encounter with God. Marble is known throughout the world for the practical, powerful, life-changing messages and where one can hear world class music from our choirs that make every heart sing. Busy? Live stream Sunday Worship with us at 11:00am at MarbleChurch.org.

WeWo: Wednesday Worship at 6:15pm

Sun 5

Mon 6

Tue 7

LOS LORCAS POETRY IN CONCERT

SHAWN COLVIN 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

TEACHING 9/11: HISTORY, MEMORY, AND MYTH ▲

Bowery Poetry 308 Bowery 3:30 p.m. $10 in advance, $15 at the door Vermont-bred troubadours Los Lorcas showcase their vibrant hybrid of sung poetry and poem-songs in the spirit of Federico Garcia Lorca. This passionate and surprising mash-up of music and poetry is a must-see. bowerypoetry.com/events

City Winery, 55 Varick St. 6 p.m. $68+ Shawn Colvin’s slyly sarcastic lyrics, mesmerizing guitar playing and effortless vocals make her an enduring talent in a crowded ﬁeld of singersongwriters. Join Colvin and special guests for “A Few Small Repairs,” her 20th anniversary tour. 212-608-0555 citywinery.com/newyork

National Sep. 11 Memorial and Museum 180 Greenwich St. 8:30 a.m. Free This full-day professional development conference features a keynote address about conspiracy culture in American history from Stephen Andrews, interim editor, Journal of American History, Sessions will address a wide range of challenging content areas. 212-312-8800 911memorial.org/events

Wed 8 THE DEAD DARLINGS SALON Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South 8 p.m. $10 suggested donation to beneﬁt Emily’s List Amanda Duarte, the cocreator of the #pussygrabsback graphic and trend last year, will host another Dead Darlings salon featuring comedian Josh Gondelman, playwright Mac Rogers and special guest Raquel Cion, cabarettista and breast cancer survivor. 212-477-0351 judson.org

Marble's weekly Wednesday Worship, lovingly nicknamed WeWo, is a service that blends traditional and contemporary worship styles, taking the best of both, creating a mixture that is informal and reverent, often humorous and always Spirit-ﬁlled.

Upcoming Events

Our Labyrinth Walks Labyrinth walks at Marble Collegiate Church are open to all: • First Sunday of each month: 1:00-3:00pm • Wednesdays before WeWo: 5:00-6:00pm (Please call the church to conﬁrm schedule) Our Labyrinth Facilitators will be available to help guide you and answer any questions you may have, while allowing you the space to walk in your own way, at your own pace.

Marianne Williamson in Partnership with Marble Collegiate Church Tuesdays 7:30pm - 9:00pm New York Times bestselling author, Marianne Williamson brings her weekly lecture series to Marble Church. The cost to attend is $20, however, no one is turned away for lack of funds. The evening is also available via Livestream by donation. Event listings brought to you by Marble Collegiate Church. 1 West 29th Street / New York, New York 10001 212 686 2770 / MarbleChurch.org Download the Marble Church App on iPhone or Android

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NOVEMBER 2-8,2017

ALONG THE LINES OF GREATNESS Master drawings by da Vinci, Van Gogh, Dürer and others at The Met BY MARY GREGORY

Leonardo da Vinci’s little drawing of a bear feels much bigger than it should. At only 4 x 5 inches, you have to step close to see its delicate silverpoint lines. But, once da Vinci’s got your attention, he holds it. It’s just a sketch, really, a few quick lines made by the point of a stylus dragged across a lightly buffed paper. But that’s where its magic lies. Those dashed off lines record thoughts, in this case coming from one of history’s great minds and

IF YOU GO WHAT: “Leonardo to Matisse: Master Drawings from the Robert Lehman Collection” WHERE: The Met Fifth Avenue WHEN: Through Jan. 7 www.metmuseum.org/ placed directly before our eyes. We see the pentimenti, the visible traces of earlier lines. They’re passages where the master rethought. Should the

In the charming “Study of a Ballet Dancer” (recto) and “Two Studies of Dancers” (verso) Edgar Degas utilized watercolor on prepared pink paper. Photo: Adel Gorgy

Rembrandt’s masterful strokes reveal the artist’s thoughts and second thoughts in “The Last Supper, after Leonardo da Vinci,” 1634-35. Photo: Adel Gorgy nose be this long, or a little shorter? How far apart should the back legs be? Once da Vinci had completed a bear, he drew an extra paw, just to focus on how it’s formed. As we stand almost nose to glass to see the work, on display in the Met Fifth Avenue’s Lehman Wing, we see an even fainter image. Between the head and paw of the bear is a barely visible sideways drawing of a woman’s or a girl’s head and the outline of her shoulders. Glance brieﬂy, or from too far away, and you’ll miss her entirely. Discoveries like these are part of the delight of looking at drawings. They offer an immediacy and intimacy that completed paintings or sculptures often can’t. They’re not just works of art, though those on display in “Leonardo to Matisse: Master Drawings from the Robert Lehman Collection” are spectacular creations. They’re also insights into the thinking and working methods of artists. In this exhibition of some 60 master European drawings, organized by curator Dita Amory with associate curator Alison Nogueira, they even allow insights into the mind of the collector. Robert Lehman began purchasing drawings in the 1920s, building on his father’s collection of paintings. Rather than sticking to one school or century, Lehman bought what he liked. Over the years, his tastes changed. After accumulating Renaissance works on paper under the guidance of legendary dealers like Bernard Berenson

and Joseph Duveen, he became interested in Modernism and bought directly from the studios of radical French artists. As a result, the collection spans Italian, Spanish, Northern European and French artists from the 14th to the 20th centuries and encompasses much of the progression of Western art. From Fra Bartolomeo’s 1501 landscape and Luca Signorelli’s c. 1490 “Head of a Man in Profile,” (which illustrates the scientific study of perspective but also the composure of a man deep in thought) to Henri Matisse’s 1945 blocky, simplified odalisque study, “Reflection in the Mirror,” each piece adds to the bigger picture. Leonardo comes back into the spotlight in Rembrandt’s drawing “The Last Supper, after Leonardo da Vinci,” the exquisite draftsmanship of which can only be experienced firsthand. Rembrandt, who never traveled to Italy, had only seen the da Vinci masterpiece in other artists’ reproductions. Ever inventive, he took it upon himself to re-imagine it. It’s a work of striking contrasts. On close viewing, the dark and light, quickness and surety of Rembrandt’s strokes are palpable. He dashes off faces of the apostles, like the figure at the far left with just five or six lines, yet we see the profile and the intense expression of a bald, bearded, muscular man. At the center is Jesus. At first, Rembrandt sketched him young and gentle with flowing curly hair. Then, he went back and drew over the original, chang-

ing to an older, more contemplative, downward-looking countenance. In the canopy backing the scene, the wood grain from Rembrandt’s table causes breaks in the lines, a glimpse of the artist’s studio. And at the bottom right is a small dog, a favorite Rembrandt addition. Dürer’s extraordinary self-portrait in pen brings across a curious artist, emphasizing his hand and eyes, the tools of his trade. The few curly hairs on his chin touchingly testify to his youth. On the back, six drawings of a rumpled pillow may have been studies for the complex draped fabrics so in vogue in Netherlandish painting. It’s joined by two other Dürer works on paper. Corot’s 1825 view of “The Palatine Hill, Rome” and the 1852 “Madame Félix Gallois” by Ingres are breathtakingly detailed. A beautiful early Van Gogh drawing, “Road in Etten” from 1881 hints at his later style. A pointillist drawing by Paul Signac shows his dedication to both his craft and vision in the ten thousand (or more) individual dots of varying tone that went into its making. Painting and color dazzle, seducing the eye. Black and white reveal. Pared down to basics, just lines — precise, impossibly controlled, and gloriously personal — they’re the handwriting of artists. “Leonardo to Matisse: Master Drawings from the Robert Lehman Collection” gives us a chance to peek into the diaries of some of the greatest.

NOVEMBER 2-8,2017

SANDY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 on each of its entrances that can be closed during storms, as well as pumping capacity to remove water that might leak through the new flood defenses. The pumps, Kleva said, are located above the floodplain so they can keep working even if water enters the system. Hundreds of thousands of Lower Manhattan residents lost power during Sandy, in some cases for days. The primary cause of downtown electricity outages was flooding at Con Edison’s East 13th Street substation, off the FDR Drive near the East River, where storm surge flowed above temporary barriers and damaged critical mechanical infrastructure. Since the storm, Con Edison has invested $1 billion to protect its systems from future storms, including $18 million in Lower Manhattan, said Darren Scarimbolo, a department danager at the energy company. The East 13th Street substation was fortified with new walls and flood barriers, and existing infrastructure was raised above the floodplain to protect it in the event that flooding does occur. Additionally, Con Edison has in-

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com stalled submersible equipment throughout its system, including 182 underground transformers in Lower Manhattan. The city’s Sandy recovery efforts are tied closely to its plans to mitigate the impact of climate change. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the city’s intention to adhere to the terms of the Paris Climate Agreement even if the U.S. withdraws, as President Donald Trump announced it would earlier this year. Under guidelines announced earlier this year, all new city construction and improvements to buildings and infrastructure must account for anticipated changes in temperature, precipitation, and sea levels. By 2025, all city buildings will be retroﬁtted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of taking 715,000 cars off the road, officials have said. “When we talk about flood protection, we’re not just talking about storm surge like we faced during Sandy, but we’re also talking about the effects of climate change, such as sealevel rise,” Bavishi said. Sea-level rise is a key concern in the Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency Project, which aims to strengthen the downtown waterfront to prevent future flooding. City

officials presented various potential design concepts to the public last spring, such as 10-foot berms along the Battery, raised esplanades along the Hudson near Battery Park City, and temporary ﬂoodwalls that could be deployed near the South Street Seaport prior to a storm. But concrete plans for the Resiliency Project remain in the planning stages, according to officials, who plan to present short- and long-term proposals to the public early next year. “We are moving as fast as we can,” Bavishi said. “We certainly recognize the urgency and we are completely committed to ensuring that Lower Manhattan is protected.” The city has invested $108 million in the Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency Project thus far, but additional sources of funding for the project, the cost of which is expected to far exceed that total, remain unclear. “It will require city capital, but we will also have to look to other sources of funding,” Bavishi said, noting the possibility that the city would seek federal grant money. “What we’re talking about is a first-of-its-kind coastal protection system,” she said. “It’s never been done before and it’s challenging.”

More neighborhood news? neighborhood celebrations? neighborhood opinions? neighborhood ideas? neighborhood feedback? neighborhood concerns? Email us at news@strausnews.com

NOVEMBER 2-8,2017

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS

Bibi Bubble Tea

65 W 8Th St

Not Yet Graded (33) 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. Toilet facility not provided for employees or for patrons when required.

Pokee

121 W 3Rd St

Grade Pending (27) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. 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. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.

Vin Et Fleurs

69 Thompson Street

Grade Pending (36) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. 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 contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Epistrophy Cafe

200 Mott Street

Grade Pending (24) 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 contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

OCT 14-20, 2017 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.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen

47 West 14 Street

New Legend

88 7Th Ave

Not Yet Graded (33) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. 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.

Five Iron Golf

138 5Th Ave

Hollywood Diner

574 6 Avenue

Pecorino

197 7Th Ave

Not Yet Graded (36) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. 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 not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Meatball Obsession

510 Avenue Of The Americas

Intelligentsia Coffee

180 10 Avenue

Rasa

25 W 8Th St

$1 Pizza $2 Beer

95 Macdougal Street

Mexicue

160 8Th Ave

Grade Pending (26) 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.

Minetta Lane Theatre

18 Minetta Ln

Summers

169 Thompson St

Grade Pending (25) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. 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. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.

Hello Saigon

180 Bleecker St

Not Yet Graded (8) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Cafe Belle

280 Mulberry St

Gino Sorbillo

334 Bowery

Not Yet Graded (18) Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Little Ruby’s

219 Mulberry St

Not Yet Graded (60) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. 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. Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

The Rail Line Diner

400 West 23 Street

Grade Pending (47) 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/ sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

Google-Truck Pit

111 8 Avenue

Papa Kebab

361 West 17 Street

Pizza Italia

307 W 17Th St

Grade Pending (39) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, crosscontaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. 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. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

Blue Bottle Coffee

450 W 15Th St

Hot N Juicy Crawﬁsh

243 W 14Th St

Not Yet Graded (19) 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.

NOVEMBER 2-8,2017

THE GREENING OF CHELSEA NATURE Corey Johnson allocates funds to plant trees in every viable pit in District 3 BY LIZ HARDAWAY

As the leaves begin to change, the urban jungle can look forward to a greener fall. Council Member Corey Johnson has allocated $300,000 to plant trees in every viable tree pit in District 3. Approximately 200 trees will be planted by the end of November in Chelsea’s 495 acres. “Street trees are pretty and nice to look at, but their benefits extend much further,” Johnson said. “They absorb pollutants and generate fresh air. They provide shade from the sun and food and shelter for birds and wildlife. They make our neighborhoods really feel like neighborhoods.” According to the NYC Parks & Recreation Department, 150 trees have already been

POLITICS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 “The real appeal about to running as an independent, I’ve always thought, is that you get to be a clear, moral voice,” he said. “You get to go to City Hall and say either I agree or disagree on a given issue. Your arm can’t be twisted as much, but it also puts you in a position of responsibility.” Though Raudenbush considers himself a Democrat, he said that the party is “just not that relevant” in local politics, especially in a body as dominated by one party as the 51-member Council. On the campaign trail, Raudenbush has found that most voters aren’t particularly concerned with party affiliation. “Only one out of every 20 or so voters asks what party I am,” he said. “People want to hear speciﬁc answers and solutions to speciﬁc problems.” More difficult, he said, have been “institutional challenges” that independents face, citing less media interest and fewer debates during the general election cycle as compared to the primary on the heavily Democratic Upper West Side. “The free coverage, like de-

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

One of many trees found in District 3. Photo: Liz Hardaway planted this year in District 3 as of Oct. 20. Only six were planted in 2016. Currently, the district has a total of 8,484 trees, according to the Parks’ 2015 street tree census, with a theoretical maximum planting capacity of 3,034 new trees.

bates, really matters,” he said. For those reasons, Raudenbush, who remains a registered Democrat, said he would probably run in the party primary if he could do things over, but maintain his “independent spirit.” Still, he said, running as an independent has been “an incredibly positive experience.”

CONTINUED MOMENTUM Rachel Honig ﬁnished third in the District 4 Democratic primary to winner Keith Powers, who will represent the party on the general election ballot. Honig, however, has continued her campaign to represent the East Side district as the nominee of the Liberal Party of New York. Honig sought out the Liberal Party line during the Democratic primary campaign and secured it after meeting with leaders of the party, which supports candidates “on the basis of merit, independence and progressive viewpoints regardless of party affiliation.” (New York is one of a handful of states that permit candidates to run on more than one party line. Rosenthal, for example, is the nominee of both the Democratic and Working Families parties in Council District 6.) “I could have not run in the

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“Young street trees face many challenges in NYC,” a representative from the NYC Parks & Recreation Department said, “including air pollution, drought and soil compaction.” In order to better care for these trees, residents need to water them once a week with 15 to 20 gallons during the summer, remove litter and weeds and prevent dog owners from leaving waste in the tree bed. Signage and tree guards can usually help keep trees healthier than if they are left without the extra help. The first round of funding came from participatory budgeting, with $100,000 going toward the NYC Parks and Recreation Department in the spring of 2016. This spring, Johnson’s camp decided to allocate $200,000 more towards the tree initiative from the FY18 budget. To get a tree pit filled, submit a tree service request at nycgovparks.org or e-mail district3@council.nyc.gov.

Democratic primary, but the way the system works, you would lose the opportunity for any exposure and momentum,” she said. One focus of Honig’s campaign has been attracting voters dissatisfied with Mayor Bill de Blasio, who she says has been “largely invisible” in the district. “There’s a real demand for a Democrat who’s not beholden to the mayor, who’s a more independent thinker,” she said. “I would tell the voters of District 4 that the most important vote is going to be for their City Council person,” Honig added. “Because the mayor is likely going to win, and the Council is designed to be a check on the mayor.” Powers and Honig will face Republican Rebecca Harary in the general election for the seat held by Dan Garodnick, who is prevented by term limits from seeking reelection. Though both Garodnick and his predecessor, Eva Moskowitz, are Democrats, the district elected a Republican Council member as recently as the 1990s. “There is an inappropriate presumption in New York that a Democratic nominee is as good as in,” Honig said.

otdowntown.com

ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND

thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY

Net Art Anthology: Distribution and Disappearance After 9/11

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD, 7PM New Museum | 235 Bowery | 212-219-1222 | newmuseum.org A panel gathers to discuss the conclusion of the online exhibition Chapter Two of Net Art Anthology, which featured works from the years 1999–2004. Presentations and discussions will look at the network culture that emerged post-9/11, and how it impacted artists ($15).

The Attraction Lab

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH, 7:30PM Caveat | 21 Clinton St. | 212-228-2100 | caveat.nyc Pull on a blindfold and experiment with attraction as Guerilla Science, You’re the Expert host Chris Duffy, and neuroscientist Ashley Juavinett team up for a night dedicated to exploring the neuroscience of desire ($20).

Just Announced | An Evening with David Hockney & Philip Haas

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH, 7PM Film Soc. Lincoln Center | 70 Lincoln Cntr Plz. | 212-875-5600 | ﬁlmlinc.org Legendary artist David Hockney joins ﬁlmmaker Philip Haas for a conversation and a screening of their rarely seen 1998 collaboration A Day on the Grand Canal with the Emperor of China, or: Surface Is Illusion But So Is Depth, which delves into a 17th-century Chinese scroll painting ($40).

For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

NOVEMBER 2-8,2017

Business

TWITTER’S NEW POLICIES POSE ENFORCEMENT CHALLENGES Company enacted rules for users, advertisers BY BARBARA ORTUTAY

Twitter is enacting new policies around hate, abuse and advertisements, but having rules is only half the battle — the easy half. The bigger problem is enforcement, and there the company has had some high-profile bungles recently. That includes its much-criticized suspension of actress Rose McGowan while she was speaking out against Harvey Weinstein, and the company’s ban, later reversed, of an ad from a Republican Senate candidate that mentioned “the sale of baby body parts.” Such twists and turns suggest that Twitter doesn’t always communicate the intent of its rules to the people enforcing them. In McGowan’s case, her suspension resulted from a straightforward application of Twitter privacy rules to a tweet that broadcast a private phone number. But the moderators who enforced the rules didn’t seem to take into account McGowan’s central role in speaking out against allegations of abuse by Harvey Weinstein. A widespread outcry followed, and the company reinstated her. Twitter has users “coming from lots of different parts of the world with different kinds of context,” said Emma Llanso, director of the Center for Democracy & Technology’s Free

tivists to ban Donald Trump from its service, Twitter is highly unlikely to do so, whether or not the president follows its rules against harassment.

Expression Project. “And it’s probably impossible to have just one set of rules that works all the time. There will deﬁnitely be mistakes.” The company said it will “be clearer about these policies and decisions in the future.”

GRAY AREAS

EARNINGS RESULTS Last week, Twitter reported a thirdquarter loss of $21 million, or 3 cents per share. Excluding one-time items, the company earned 10 cents per share in the latest quarter. The results exceeded Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of 12 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 6 cents per share. The company posted revenue of $589.6 million in the period, down 4 percent from a year earlier but in line with forecasts. Twitter had 330 million monthly users, up 1 percent from the second quarter.

CLEARER APPEALS To make things more clear, Twitter will give users suspected of abuse more information after they appeal a suspension verdict. Appeals themselves aren’t new, but now the company says it will provide “detailed descriptions” of rule violations as part of the process. The company said earlier this month that it will also email users when they

Twitter headquarters, on San Francisco’s 1355 Market Street. Photo: Caroline Culler/Wgreaves via Wikimedia Commons are suspected of account violations, and this month will post details about the different factors it weighs when enforcing its rules. Since mistakes will happen, Twitter needs “clear channels” so users can signal when something has gone awry, Llanso said. “If you don’t have a really robust appeals process, then you only have half of a process.” Of course, some things are unlikely to change. Despite calls by liberal ac-

Last week, Twitter also unveiled new rules governing advertisements, especially political paid messages that have come under scrutiny during investigations into alleged Russian interference with the U.S. presidential election. The rules require electionrelated ads by and about candidates to disclose who is paying for them and how they are targeted. Other advertisers will also have to provide more information, including how long ads have been running and information for users who are being targeted. But the stricter policy, which includes requiring the organization funding the ads to disclose its identity, along with how much money it is spending on each ad campaign, only applies to so-called “electioneering” ads This is a clearly deﬁned category that includes only those ads that refer to a candidate or a party associated with a candidate for an elected office. Twitter says it’s still working on a policy for “issue-based ads,” those often divisive messages on hot-button social issues such as immigration and race relations. Russian agents reportedly used many such ads on social media in an apparent attempt to exacerbate social divisions ahead of the

election last year. Neither Twitter’s new policies nor the “Honest Ads” bill introduced earlier this month addresses election meddling efforts outside of advertisements. Twitter, Facebook, Google and others are also dealing with spam and fake accounts that spread fake news and propaganda. And rules didn’t appear to stop outside actors from attempting to inﬂuence the U.S. election. It’s already against the law for a foreign entity to purchase election ads in the U.S., either directly or indirectly.

AUTOMATED, COMPLICATED It’s one thing to enforce advertising rules in a print newspaper or a TV station, where real humans can vet each ad before it is printed or aired. It’s a whole other thing in an online ecosystem, where automated, selfserve advertising platforms allow millions of advertisers — basically anyone with a credit card and internet access — to place an ad. “It’s a complex environment with a very low barrier to entry,” said Chris Olson, CEO of the Media Trust, a provider of online advertising analytics and security. That makes even identifying the buyers of ads challenging, as the system currently relies largely on self-disclosure for identiﬁcations. While many advertisers will do just that, Olson said, bad actors will not.

NEIGHBORHOOD SIDE STREETS MEET 14TH STREET

sideways.nyc

THE SPANISH BENEVOLENT SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 239 WEST 14TH STREET Unbeknownst to most New Yorkers, the area around West 14th (between Seventh and Eighth Avenues) was once “Little Spain.” The Spanish Benevolent Society was the heart of this thriving community, and today is one of the last remaining relics of this period. The club, founded in 1868, was created as a place to bring together Spanish and HispanicAmerican citizens of New York. Early on, the club provided Spanish immigrants with essential support and services. It later became more of a cultural hub for Spanish avant-garde artists and writers, and a meeting place for political revolutionaries during the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. It has played host to such greats as the artists Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali, the director Luis Buñuel, and the poet Federico Garcia Lorca. For more photos and side streets, go to sideways.nyc

NOVEMBER 2-8,2017

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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 recent Quinnipiac poll found 75 percent of voters didn’t know enough about them to form an opinion. Still, the mayor’s opponents got a big boost last week. Not from anything they did. But from tawdry new pay-to-play allegations that surfaced against de Blasio, who had dodged a near-death experience back in March when prosecutors announced he’d face no criminal charges in twin federal and state probes of his fundraising practices. Those storm clouds never dissipated, and in testimony on October 26 in a corruption trial in U.S. District Court in Foley Square, ex-donor-cumfelon Jona Rechnitz testified he bought favors, government action and access from the mayor, whose personal cell phone he often called. Will it make a difference in the race? Unlikely. Will it further depress turnout? Almost certainly. As a lopsided favorite, de Blasio is still expected to romp to a reelection landslide. So his less enthusiastic backers will stay home, believing they’re not needed. Faced with crushing odds and a looming blowout, so, too, will many never-de Blasioers. The bottom line as an underwhelming, dispiriting race limps to the end: More voters will sit on their hands. Turnout could bottom out anew. A depressing new record below 24 percent could be set. “Certainly, it’s a good bet that the rate could go lower than it was four years ago,” said Democratic political consultant George Arzt, who served as Mayor Ed Koch’s third-term press secretary in the late 1980s. “People have lost confidence in politics.” He cited a concatenation of factors. A weak competitive field. A sitting mayor 40 points ahead in the polls. Name recognition for Malliotakis so poor that “only people on Staten Island and Bay Ridge know her.” A GOP that’s largely uncompetitive. “No one knows there’s an election, there’s almost no advertising, it’s not bitterly fought, and you just don’t see posters or other evidence out there,” Arzt added. How things have changed. Consider the general election of 1953. Then-Manhattan Borough President Robert F. Wagner Jr., son of a great senator with

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio rides the Westbound M23 Select Bus Service and delivers remarks about improving bus service on Friday October, 20. Photo: Edwin J. Torres/Mayoral Photography Office the same name, had unseated incumbent Mayor Vincent Impellitteri in the Democratic primary and now faced Republican Harold Riegelman, the city postmaster, and Liberal Rudolph Halley, the City Council president. It was the closest the city ever came to European-style participatory suffrage. Roughly 2.2 million ballots were cast — a tally more than twice as great as in de Blasio’s 2013 race. An astronomical 93 percent of the electorate turned out, a record that’s never been surpassed. Wagner, who won handily, went on to serve three terms. Why did turnout go into a tailspin? Social disorder and political turmoil in the 1960s kept many voters at home, but the civil rights movement, minority empowerment and a white backlash brought others to the polls, so for a time, the vote count was high and stable. But a steep fall-off began in the 1970s, fueled by a fiscal crisis and the city’s near-bankruptcy, and accelerated in the 1980s, a decade that saw recession, white flight, economic dislocation and a stock market crash. The 1993 election, in which law-and-order challenger Rudy Giuliani prevailed in a racially tinged rematch against incumbent David Dinkins, the city’s ﬁrst African-American mayor, brought 57 percent of voters to the polls. It was the last time in a quarter-century that electoral turnout in a mayoral race topped 50 percent. In the past, the political machinery functioned well, says Democratic political strategist Hank Sheinkopf, who worked on Mark Green’s 2001 mayoral bid and cut his teeth on Herman

Badillo’s 1969 race. “Patronage oiled the political machines to turn out voters in a city where ethnic loyalty and getting your garbage picked up and your streets policed were part of the same equation,” he said. “Vote, you get the goodies. That’s the old days. Don’t vote, you still get the goodies. That is today’s mantra. There is no sanction, and thus, no fear,” Sheinkopf added. Indeed, for decades, the captains of Tammany Hall, whose power began to fade in the 1960s, would knock on doors and adeptly bring out the vote, Arzt said. Of course, there was a downside. “You also had repeat voters in the old days,” he added. It wasn’t only the fall of the clubhouse that shriveled the vote. The decline of church and family and even local haunts that once displayed campaign posters — the corner bodega, the candy store — also played a role. So did longer work hours and the rise of e-distractions. But there’s one more factor: A lack of political courage. Back in the winter, when it seemed then-U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara was poised to indict de Blasio, a handful of Democratic A-listers were readying campaigns to unseat him. But Comptroller Scott Stringer, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries — who would have enlivened the race, dispatching more citizens to the polls — all retreated when the mayor evaded legal peril. You can thank them for de Blasio’s inevitable coronation. Thank them, too, for the popular vote drop-off sure to accompany it.

NOVEMBER 2-8,2017

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

2017

BUILDING SERVICE WORKER

AWARDS

Thank You

To All Our Sponsors 32BJ President Hector Figueroa and Straus Media-Manhattan Publisher Jeanne Straus with the 2017 Building Service Award winners. Photo: Preston Ehrler/prestonehrler.com

CELEBRATING THE BUILDING SERVICE WORKER AWARD WINNERS CEREMONIES The 32BJ honorees were joined by friends, families, employers and local elected officials For the 11th consecutive year, Straus Media-Manhattan (publisher of Our Town, The Spirit, The Chelsea News and Our Town Downtown) joined forces with 32 BJ SEIU to recognize the accomplishments of 21 building service workers. Manny Teixeira, a doorman of 55 years, and Loretta Zuk, one of the few female supers in New York City, were among those receiving awards. Friends, family members and employers attended the award ceremony, hosted by NY1â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Juan Manuel

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. Photo: Preston Ehrler/ prestonehrler.com Benitez, in support of the honorees. Local elected officials including State Senator Brian Benjamin, State Senator Brad Hoylman, State Senator Liz Krueger, Public Advocate Leti-

tia James, Borough President Gale Brewer, Council Member Margaret Chin and Council Member Ben Kallos, stopped by to congratulate the honorees and present their awards.

Consultants and Actuaries to Collectively-Bargained Plans www.segalco.com

State Senator Brian Benjamin (center-left) and State Senator Brad Hoylman (right). Photo: Preston Ehrler/ prestonehrler.com

NOVEMBER 2-8,2017

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

CULTIVATING THE CITY’S VOICES Barbara Gustern on coaching Diamanda Galas, Debbie Harry, Taylor Mac and others BY ANGELA BARBUTI

Barbara Maier Gustern said it feels like she came out of the womb singing. As a youngster growing up in Boonville, Indiana, she would entertain her family by standing on a chair and belting out tunes. At 21, she moved to New York to get her master’s in psychology at Columbia University, but ultimately decided to pursue her vocal artistry. At 40, she sensed she had hit an impasse professionally and at the suggestion of a stranger at a party, went to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, gave her first trial lesson and was hired. Over the years, she has taught the likes of Debbie Harry, Justin Bond and Taylor Mac. Now 82, she still coaches in her apartment every weekday, with her first lesson at 10 in the morning and her last at 7:30 at night. She also teaches on the occasional Saturday. This year, with the help of her students, she hosted two beneﬁts in honor of her late husband, Joe Gustern, who passed away in April. It was through one of her ﬁrst jobs in New York that led her to meet Gustern, known for his more than eight-year stint in “Phantom of the Opera.” The 82-year-old is currently putting her expertise to paper, writing a book about vocal technique. When asked about her future plans, she said, “I’m going to teach until one day I am at the piano and my head drops down and that’s that. And I want to dance on the table again at Joe’s Pub.”

In high school you were in a jazz group, replacing Florence Henderson. Yes, in Tell City, Indiana. It was a little bit bigger than Boonville, but not much. When I was in high school, I got hired to sing on Saturday nights with this jazz group in one of those fraternal organizations, I don’t remember if it was the American Legion of the Elks. The band leader would come to my house with his wife and pick me

up and bring me back, so that was OK with my parents. I got paid and sang standards mostly. I took the job after Florence Henderson had left to come to New York. As a matter of fact, I followed two people in jobs. That was the ﬁrst one, and when I was here, Madeline Kahn was singing out on Long Island at a German place on Sunrise Highway. And I had known her because we were in an opera workshop together, and she was gonna quit because things were starting to happen for her. So she said, “Do you want to take this job?” And I said, “Sure.”

You met your husband through singing at a synagogue. Yes, I got a job singing in Adath Israel up in the Bronx, on the Grand Concourse. And I had never been in a synagogue in my life; I lied and got the job. A lot of the stuff wasn’t even written down, and somehow it was just as though I knew it. I mean I just took to it. My husband was substituting one morning for the bass and offered to take me home and I said, “No, the tenor always drives me home.” But then he called me that afternoon and asked me out. It turned out the next afternoon, we were singing at the same church out in Brooklyn. We went out after that and the rest is history.

How did you transition from singing to teaching? I hit a stumbling block when I was about 40 I guess. I wasn’t getting hired for leading ladies or ingénues. I was losing my mind and didn’t know what I was going to do. I had to do something; I was very unhappy. And coincidentally, one time at a party, I was talking to a woman I didn’t know, and this all came out and she said, “Why don’t you teach? American Musical and Dramatic Academy is always looking for good teachers.” Well, I never taught, but went over there and fed them my line and they said, “You have to do a trial lesson.” So I taught one, the ﬁrst in my life, actually. They didn’t know that. And they hired me. And I found out I absolutely loved it and have been totally dedicated ever since.

Barbara Maier Gustern. Photo: Albie Mitchell

You’ve been working with Diamanda Galas since the early ‘80s. Explain how that partnership came about. I was out last night in that storm to go to Brooklyn to hear her, and she’s the most incredible talent you ever saw in your life. In the early ‘80s, a friend of mine out in California said, “Diamanda Galas is coming to New York and she’s a friend of mine and I told her to look you up.” She called me and she was going to do a performance at one of the big Lincoln Center halls. And she came to see me and sang. And I told her she needed to see a doctor because she was hoarse. And she went to the doctor and got what she needed and started working with me. She’s totally unique. She does extended vocal technique, sings more than one note at a time. And is the most powerful pianist you ever heard.

It was through Diamanda that you started teaching Debbie Harry. Debbie was a fan of hers and she asked if she could come to a lesson. So Diamanda said, “Do you mind if Debbie Harry comes?” And I said, “I don’t care who comes. Anybody.” So Debbie

showed up one day and she was like a little girl and asked, “Do you mind if I sit and listen?” And after the lesson was over, she said, “Do you think you might have time for me?” And I said, “Are you kidding me? Of course I have time for you.” She was a wonderful student. She studied very diligently. She started in about 1999 when the band [Blondie] was getting back together and was going to tour. And she introduced me to Justin Bond and he started working with me. And then for the longest time, I knew Taylor Mac and we always met each other at events and then he called me and said, “It’s time, Barbara, because I’m doing this 24-hour thing and have to prepare.” I worked with him for four years on that, getting him ready to sing for 24 hours.

You give the lessons in your apartment. Explain how you make that work. Well, my neighbors aren’t terribly happy listening to the vocalizing, so I have a keyboard in the bedroom, because you can’t really hear that much from there. So I put it on my bed and we do the vocalizing there and then I

have a baby grand piano in the living room. To sing the songs, we come out to the living room, because they’re happy to hear the songs; they just don’t want to hear the vocalizing.

Explain why Joe’s Pub is so important to you and your students. My daughter died in November of 2003, and that March, I did a beneﬁt there in her memory. And I had been going there, because a lot of my students sang there, and I loved it. And Bill Bragin ran it at the time and I asked him if I could do this beneﬁt and they were so wonderful to me. It’s a beautiful room and they’re very professional and welcoming. All of the downtown acts love to be there. And now it’s run by Shanta Thake, who coincidentally grew up about 30 miles from my hometown, so I have that connection with her.

Know somebody who deserves their 15 Minutes of fame? Go to otdowntown.com and click on submit a press release or announcement.

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CROSSWORD

X O J W A X Y L O P H O N E R

T M E G C R U G S M F F J J U

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Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9X9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3X3 squares. To solve the puzzle each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult.

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SUDOKU by Myles Mellor and Susan Flanagan

by Myles Mellor

Downtowner 1

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NOVEMBER 2-8,2017

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

NOVEMBER 2-8,2017

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC AUCTION NOTICE OF SALE OF COOPERATIVE APARTMENT SECURITY PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: By Virtue of a Default under Loan Security Agreement, and other Security Documents, Karen Loiacano, Auctioneer, License #DCA1435601 or Jessica L Prince-Clateman, Auctioneer, License #1097640 or Vincent DeAngelis Auctioneer, License #1127571 will sell at public auction, with reserve, on November 8, 2017, in the Rotunda of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007, commencing at 1:00pm for the following account: Donald Weber a/k/a Donald A. Weber, as borrower, 64 shares of capital stock of 350-52-54 W. 12th Street Owners Corp. and all right, title and interest in the Proprietary Lease to 354 West 12th Street, Unit 1D, New York, NY 10014 Sale held to enforce rights of CitiBank, N.A., who reserves the right to bid. Ten percent (10%) Bank/Certified check required at sale, balance due at closing within thirty (30) days. The Cooperative Apartment will be sold “AS IS” and possession is to be obtained by the purchaser. Pursuant to Section 201 of the Lien Law you must answer within 10 days from receipt of this notice in which redemption of the above captioned premises can occur. There is presently an outstanding debt owed to CitiBank, N.A. (lender) as of the date of this notice in the amount of $334,865.63. This figure is for the outstanding balance due under UCC1, which was secured by Financing Statement in favor of CitiBank, N.A. recorded on April 26, 2007 under CRFN 2007000217862. Please note this is not a payoff amount as additional interest/ fees/penalties may be incurred. You must contact the undersigned to obtain a final payoff quote or if you dispute any information presented herein. The estimated value of the above captioned premises is $470,000.00. Pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code Article 9-623, the above captioned premises may be redeemed at any time prior to the foreclosure sale. You may contact the undersigned and either pay the principal balance due along with all accrued interest, late charges, attorney fees and out of pocket expenses incurred by CitiBank, N.A.. and the undersigned, or pay the outstanding loan arrears along with all accrued interest, late charges, attorney fees and out of pocket expenses incurred by CitiBank, N.A., and the undersigned, with respect to the foreclosure proceedings. Failure to cure the default prior to the sale will result in the termination of the proprietary lease. If you have received a discharge from the Bankruptcy Court, you are not personally liable for the payment of the

loan and this notice is for compliance and information purposes only. However, CitiBank, N.A., still has the right under the loan security agreement and other collateral documents to foreclosure on the shares of stock and rights under the proprietary lease allocated to the cooperative apartment. Dated: October 12, 2017 Frenkel, Lambert, Weiss, Weisman & Gordon, LLP Attorneys for CitiBank, N.A. 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 631-969-3100 File #01-080328-F00 #93221

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