The local paper for Downtown wn
WEEK OF DECEMBER
THE BEST OF MANHATTAN IN 2015,
17-23
SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE
2015
TECHIES FOR THE FUTURE
Our Take MAKE OUR SCHOOLS SAFE
Hands-on initiatives introduce city’s Girl Scouts to coding, in preparation for possible careers in computer sciences BY MAYA DANGERFIELD
At the downtown offices of The Girl Scouts of Greater New York Saturday morning, Najwa Khass, a 15-year-old Girl Scout, peered over the shoulder of a younger scout and scrutinized a line of symbols on a computer screen. “Make sure you put a semicolon here,” Khass said, pointing at the screen. “Or else the code won’t work.” Khass was among 100 elementary and middle school girls, scout leaders and volunteers from throughout the city dissecting the nuances of computer programming. Working in pairs under the supervision of older scouts like Khass, the scouts edited videos using JavaScript, a common programming language. In a partnership with Vidcode — a new woman-led startup that teaches coding to girls — the event was part of a wider observance of Computer Science Ed-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 29
WHAT’S BEHIND THE CITY’S CHRISTMAS TREE-FOR-ALL? A City Council loophole that legalizes sidewalk tree selling has created a booming market BY VERENA DOBNIK
Girl Scouts distil the nuances of programing languages at a TechJam event on Saturday. Photo: Maya Dangerfield
In New York City, even sidewalk space is coveted real estate. Street vendors sometimes spend a fortune or languish for years on waiting lists to acquire one of the permits that allow them to sell goods in tightly regulated locations. But once a year, there’s an exception, laid out in an artfully worded
city ordinance: During the month of December, anyone may sell “coniferous trees” just about anywhere, no license required. It’s a rare tree-for-all. Peddlers flock in from across North America. Big trucks carrying huge loads of trees arrive in the dead of night. Stands selling coniferous trees (some people, but not the city, call them Christmas trees) sprout everywhere. The annual tree ritual brings New Yorkers together on village-like cor-
ners abuzz with neighborly chatter amid twinkling lights. “I like to walk through the smell,” says Tim Albright, a customer taking a deep whiff of a cluster of trees this week. And then there’s that other special green attraction: the smell of money that comes with the right to operate tree stands 24-7, free of charge, no license needed. That lures hardy entrepreneurs like Tom Gilmartin,
This week’s threat against public schools in Los Angeles is terrifying. And it once again focuses attention on school safety in New York City, where more than 1 million kids attend school at 1,700 schools across the city. We’re not telling parents anything they don’t already know when we say that school safety in New York is patchy, at best. Some schools have guards, even metal detectors, others have none. The vulnerabilities seem particularly acute in elementary schools, where educators and parents are wary of rattling young kids. Parents are scared. Every time a new attack hits the news, principals hear from nervous parents who want to know why more isn’t being done. The fear dies down, somewhat, when the headlines fade. (Expect a new crest of phone calls this week, on the L.A. news and a bomb threat in New York that police dismissed.) It’s time for the city Department of Education, the NYPD and Mayor Bill de Blasio to make an aggressive move on school safety. The Paris and San Bernardino attacks prove that we have entered a new phase when it comes to “soft-target” attacks. A comprehensive plan for security guards, tough school-access rules, even reinforced entry doors is urgently needed. After 9/11, changes in air security quickly made it safer to fly in the U.S. Unfortunately, it took the most devastating terrorist attack in American history to make that happen. A similarly comprehensive plan is needed for our schools, and it needs to happen now.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 29 Downtowner
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Newscheck Crime Watch Voices Best of Manhattan
2 3 8 9
City Arts Top 5 Real Estate 15 Minutes
30 31 32 33
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 Over the past on the is handing out a record work perThird avenues. permits, there, more information of Second and an ongoing all-hours number of after-hours bad thing. of after-hours work the city’s Dept. problem can’t be a said there’s with the mits granted by nearby where according to new data jumped 30 percent, This step, combinedBorough construction project noise Buildings has data provided in workers constantly make efforts by Manhattan to mediate BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS according to DOB of Informacement from trucks. President Gale Brewer offer response to a Freedom classifies transferring they want. They knows the the rent renewal process, request. The city They 6 “They do whatever signs Every New Yorker clang, tion Act go as they please. work between some early, tangible small any construction on the weekend, can come and sound: the metal-on-metal or the piercing of progress. For many have no respect.” p.m. and 7 a.m., can’t come of these that the hollow boom, issuance reverse. owners, in business moving The increased beeps of a truck has generto a correspond and you as after-hours. soon enough. variances has led at the alarm clock The surge in permits
SLEEPS, THANKS TO THE CITY THAT NEVER UCTION A BOOM IN LATE-NIGHT CONSTR NEWS
A glance it: it’s the middle can hardly believe yet construction of the night, and carries on full-tilt. your local police or You can call 311
n OurTownDowntow
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Newscheck Crime Watch Voices
for dollars in fees ated millions of and left some resithe city agency, that the application dents convinced
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DECEMBER 17-23,2015
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
WHAT’S MAKING NEWS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SUBWAY FELONIES INCREASE An increase in assaults and robberies on the subway system has contributed to nearly 10 percent spike in felony crime recorded by law enforcement, amNewYork has reported. Citing police statistics, the paper reports that there were 2,241 felonies on the system between January and November, a 9.2 increase from the same period a year ago, when 2,053 felonies were recorded, the paper said. Reported rapes on the system were down significantly, however, declining by 80 percent, amNewYork reported. Still, reports of other sex crimes, such as lewdness and groping were up by about 100 incidents so far this year, with 699 instances of such crimes reported, the paper noted. City police and transit officials have campaigned to get victims to report sex crimes, and police have also been more aggressive in targeting offences, amNewYork said. “Many of these crimes to light when officers observe elements of a crime and intervene,” NYPD Deputy Chief Vincent Coogan was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
MURDOCH COMPANIES TO GET $43 MILLION WTC ENTICEMENT A portion Rupert Murdoch’s empire of
the Downtown Express. “As their leaders acknowledged prior to a unanimous vote today, the Port Authority will receive $500 to $600 million over the next four years in exchange for a modest adjustment to 21st Century Fox and News Corp’s long-term ground rent.”
WATERPARK NEEDS $1.5 MILLION TUNE-UP
Photo: untitled-14-5-2, via Flickr media companies will be paid $9 million to ensconce itself at 2 World Trade Center once it’s completed, Downtown Express has reported. The financial package, approved last week
by the board of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, which owns the WTC site, comes on top of a $15 million tax credit and other incentives totaling roughly $43 million offered to 21st Century Fox and
Now Get Real Time Bus, Subway & Alternate Side Parking Information Here
NewsCorp as enticements to move into the complex, the newspaper reported. “This is a deal that always made sense for the Port Authority,” the president of World Trade Center Properties, Janno Lieber, told
About $1.5 million in renovations is needed at the Chelsea Waterside Play Area, DNAinfo is reporting. A group of parents addressing a Community Board 4 committee meeting last week discussed a capital campaign to raise the money, which is needed to replace equipment and rubber surfacing, as well as to refurbish the playground’s water elements, the news site reported. The play area, across 12th Avenue from Chelsea Piers, also has drain issues that need fixing. “It’s starting to show its age,” said Greg Wasserman, a member of the ad hoc Friends of Hudson River Park Playground Committee and a Chelsea resident, who told the news site that he and his wife take their two children to the park on 23rd Street nearly every day. Chelsea Waterside Park opened in October 2000 following improvements to an existing park there, according to the city’s Department of Recreation and Parks. It is under the jurisdiction of the Hudson River Park Trust.
ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND
thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY
The Chrysler Building: Celebrating a New York Icon
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17TH, 6PM The Cooper Union | 41 Cooper Sq. | 212-353-4100 | cooper.edu Celebrate NYC’s ultimate symbol of Art Deco on its 85th birthday in this illustrated lecture, featuring hitherto-unseen vintage photos and a festive reception. ($50)
Talk with Diana Diaz, Daughter of Cuban Photographer Alberto Korda
MONDAY, DECEMBER 21ST, 7PM Sous Les Etoiles | 560 Broadway | 212-966-0796 | souslesetoilesgallery.net Photographer Alberto Korda is most famous for his iconic portrait of Che Guevara; his long career featured a decade with Fidel Castro. Hear from Korda’s daughter and check out a new exhibition of 60 black-and-white photographs from ’59/’60 visits to the U.S. (Free)
Just Announced | A Passion for Leadership: Lessons on Change and Reform from Fifty Years of Public Service
MONDAY, JANUARY 18TH, 6:30PM N-Y Historical Society | 170 Central Park West | 212-873-3400 | nyhistory.org otdowntown.com Your Neighborhood News The local paper for Downtown
Robert M. Gates looks at his experiences (heading the CIA, Texas A&M, the Department of Defense) and speaks with Charlie Rose about leadership’s role in serving the public. ($44)
For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,
sign up for the weekly Thought Gallery newsletter at thoughtgallery.org.
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG
FIRE AT CHELSEA POSTAL FACILITY Fire officials say six U.S. Postal Service trucks were damaged in a fire in a garage of a Manhattan postal facility. The blaze broke out around 10:30 p.m. Saturday at a postal facility on 11th Avenue in Chelsea. Dozens of firefighters responded, and the blaze was declared under control around midnight. The trucks were on the third floor of a parking garage. There are no reported injuries. It’s unclear if any mail was damaged. A U.S. Postal Service spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
CITI BILK A John Street woman said she returned a Citi Bike to the stand at Reade and Hudson Streets but was nevertheless charged for the bike after being told its docking was not registered. The 23-year-old woman said she brought the bike to the stand at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23, but received a call from City Bike two days later asking if she still had the twowheeler. Although she replied she had,
she was charged $1,200 for the bike and $100 for a holder’s fee. Citi Bike advised her to file a police report, which she did. The matter is unresolved.
POINT POORLY TAKEN Pickpockets abound in bars and restaurants, another instance of which came to bear on the afternoon of Friday, Dec. 4, at the Lazy Point bar on Spring Street, police said. Someone there removed a 30-year-old woman’s wallet from her bag, with the victim later telling police that her credit cards had been used in several locations before she able to cancel them. The items stolen included a green leather wallet, a blank unsigned check in the amount of $283, a phone charger and cords, a Metro Card, a New York State driver’s license, various credit and debit cards and other items. The total stolen from the wallet came to $475; the amount of the unauthorized credit card charges was not specified.
CLINTON CLIP A tourist had his walled stolen at the Clinton Hall bar at 90 Washington St. The man, a 35-year-old visiting from Waterford, Ireland, told police he was drinking at the bar on the early afternoon of Wednesday, Dec.
2, when a perpetrator took his coat, which contained a black Montblanc wallet worth $299, a 100 Euro bill, various credit and debit cards and other belongings. Including the man’s $1,200 coat, the amount of the stolen goods came to $1,499.
CROSSED-OFF CROSSOVER Another thief has zipped off with a Zip Car, this time with a black 2015 Mercedes GLK crossover. The perpetrator used a stolen credit card to drive off the vehicle from the Manhattan Parking Group lot, at the rear of 250 Rector Place, in the early hours of Friday, Dec. 4, police said. Officers searched the neighborhood but could not locate the missing ride. The car’s GPS, however, last showed the car driving in North Amityville in Suffolk County.
STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 1st Precinct for Nov. 30 to Dec. 6 Week to Date
Year to Date
2015
2014
% Change
2015
2014
% Change
Murder
0
0
n/a
1
0
n/a
Rape
0
1
-100.0
7
8
-12.5
Robbery
1
1
0.0
71
44
61.4
Felony Assault
1
1
0.0
84
69
21.7
Burglary
2
4
-50.0
118
140
-15.7
Grand Larceny
24
24
0.0
1,005
852
18.0
Grand Larceny Auto
0
0
n/a
20
31
-35.5
STOLEN BREAD A burglar made off with some bread of the negotiable kind from the Au Bon Pain store at 111 Fulton St. A manager arriving to open the store at 5:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3, checked the store’s safe and found that $4,500 in cash was missing. There was no damage to the store’s front door or the safe. Police are investigating.
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DECEMBER 17-23,2015
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
NYPD 13th Precinct
230 E. 21st St.
NYPD 1st Precinct
16 Ericsson Place
212-477-7411 212-334-0611
FIRE FDNY Engine 15
25 Pitt St.
311
FDNY Engine 24/Ladder 5
227 6th Ave.
311
FDNY Engine 28 Ladder 11
222 E. 2nd St.
311
FDNY Engine 4/Ladder 15
42 South St.
311
ELECTED OFFICIALS Councilmember Margaret Chin
165 Park Row #11
Councilmember Rosie Mendez
237 1st Ave. #504
212-587-3159 212-677-1077
Councilmember Corey Johnson
224 W. 30th St.
212-564-7757
State Senator Daniel Squadron
250 Broadway #2011
212-298-5565
Community Board 1
49 Chambers St.
212-442-5050
Community Board 2
3 Washington Square Village
212-979-2272
Community Board 3
59 E. 4th St.
212-533-5300
Community Board 4
330 W. 42nd St.
212-736-4536
Hudson Park
66 Leroy St.
212-243-6876
Ottendorfer
135 2nd Ave.
212-674-0947
Elmer Holmes Bobst
70 Washington Square
212-998-2500
COMMUNITY BOARDS
LIBRARIES
HOSPITALS New York-Presbyterian
170 William St.
Mount Sinai-Beth Israel
10 Union Square East
212-844-8400
212-312-5110
CON EDISON
4 Irving Place
212-460-4600
TIME WARNER
46 East 23rd
813-964-3839
US Post Office
201 Varick St.
212-645-0327
US Post Office
128 East Broadway
212-267-1543
US Post Office
93 4th Ave.
212-254-1390
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FIGHT OVER THE FUTURE OF A LOW-INCOME MAINSTAY NEWS Residents at Turin House on Columbus Avenue fear they will be forced out BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS
Residents of a low-income coop on the Upper West Side say an internal struggle between a majority on the board who want to privatize the building and long-time resident-shareholders who wish to maintain their subsidized status is just one chapter in a decades-old saga of mismanagement at the building. Turin House, at Columbus Avenue and 90th Street, is a 188unit low-income project that was formed in 1972 to provide affordable housing for residents in the neighborhood. The building is similar to developments that occur under the Mitchell Lama affordable housing program, where a project remains affordable for a certain number of years before revising their regulatory status and possibly going private -- which would allow shareholders to sell their units for much more than they originally purchased them for. One notable difference between the two programs, however, is that it’s much harder for developments like Turin to go private, and are considered Housing Development Fund Corporations whose sole purpose is to create low-income housing. According to the city’s Dept. of Housing Preservation and Development, there is no provision in the law for opting out as an HDFC or privatizing, even after their regulatory agreement has expired, which Turin’s did in 2012. An HPD spokesperson said that if Turin’s shareholders sought privatization the agency would “take appropriate legal action.” But that hasn’t stopped a majority on the eight-member board at Turin from seeking ways to privatize. So far they’ve retained one of the city’s top real estate law firms, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., to explore their options in privatizing and have embarked on a feasibility study with Metropolitan Valu-
ation Services, which takes into account things like market conditions and the physical condition of the building. An advisory memo from Adam Leitman Bailey downplays the likelihood of Turin House facing legal challenges should they attempt to privatize, calling such an assertion “speculative.” The memo argues there is no settled law concerning HDFC deregulation, and that laws governing Turin’s legal existence or an HDFC privatizing is “questionable” and “uncertain at this juncture.” Other residents in the building, including a current and former board member, say exploring a move that’s not provided for by law amounts to a wasteful boondoggle of shareholder funds. “This building is supposed to be middle to low income and it’s unbelievable what’s been happening,” said Evelyn Rivera, a current board member at Turin House. “We keep telling them we can’t [privatize] but they’re still doing what they want to do.” And residents aligned against privatization say Turin House is in need of extensive repairs, so that even if the board overcame a legal challenge, potential market-rate buyers would be foolish to buy a unit there. “Our building needs so many repairs, we need our hallways redone and the plumbing is shot,” said resident Maureen Minsky, who has lived at Turin since 1995 and is currently running for a spot on the board. “No one is going to drop down that kind of money.” There are also those, like former board member Christine Baronak, who wish for Turin House to remain affordable for future generations. “I was a child when I moved here in 1972,” said Baronak. “It was made for people of low income in the neighborhood to feel like they could own something. Why can’t someone have the same chance that my family had?” The other options available
to Turin’s residents are to renew or modify their regulatory agreement with HPD and maintain their regulatory status. Rivera said Turin’s elderly residents are concerned they won’t be able to afford to live there should the building go private, and wish to enter into an agreement with HPD. “I want HPD. If it goes private I won’t be able to afford to live there,” said Williams. “There’s a lot of people there like myself that have been in the building since it first opened up. And there’s a lot of people that have come in with illegal sublets and they’re trying to push us out.” Residents allege the building is rife with illegal sublets as well as affordable units that are occupied by friends and relatives of shareholders, who actually live elsewhere, in violation of affordable housing guidelines. Baronak estimates over 50 affordable units at Turin are either being sublet at market rates or are occupied by someone other than their owner. In general, affordable housing guidelines prohibit subletting of any kind of affordable housing units, or, in the case of affordable co-ops, for units to be occupied by anyone other than their owner-shareholders. But due to Turin’s regulatory agreement expiring in 2012, a stark lack of oversight appears to be contributing to a climate of uncertainty and rule bending at Turin, and it’s unknown if shareholders are currently restricted from subletting by affordable housing guidelines. According to the HPD spokesperson, the board at Turin House is responsible for enforcing business corporation law at the building, which along with PHFL, are the statutes governing Article XI Housing Development Corporation Funds. The HPD spokesperson said the agency has no oversight of any subletting at Turin, and declined to specify what sort of regulatory restrictions are still in place there. Baronak claims Turin has to follow guidelines laid out by the U.S. Dept. of
Housing and Urban Development (which was involved in Turin’s formation) concerning income restrictions and family composition, and the HPD has oversight of apartment sales and transfers. She is personally in favor of entering into a modified regulatory agreement with HPD that tightens restrictions on subletting. HPD said the agency has been negotiating with Turin’s board to offer new tax exemptions (which expired in 2009) and a regulatory agreement, but due to differences on the board and among shareholders, no agreement has been reached. Regardless of the legality of subletting at Turin, some residents are uncomfortable with the amount of unfamiliar faces traipsing in and out of Turin House due to short-term rentals. “People are walking around not knowing who’s next to them,” said resident Linda Burstion, who’s lived at Turin for 37 years and was a board member for five years. “People are really kind of scared, they don’t know what’s going on next door.” B a ron a k , M i n s k y a n d Burstion formed a group called “Keep Turin Affordable,” and have recently been pushing elected officials and city and state agencies to examine conditions at Turin House. Other allegations being lobbed in the deeply divided building include the board spurning internal and external waiting lists for Turin units and financial mismanagement of shareholder funds. The board is also facing a lawsuit in federal court alleging it has discriminated on the basis of race in selling apartments. The Office of the State Comptroller said it is aware of the complaints regarding Turin but declined to comment further. Councilmember Helen Rosenthal’s office said they were recently made aware of the complaints and are investigating.
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
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DECEMBER 17-23,2015
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
GIFTS WITHIN YOUR
RANGE
Out & About
Thu 17
THE HENRY BURBECK PAPERS: FROM THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION TO THE PRESENT Fraunces Tavern Museum, 54 Pearl St. 6:30 p.m. $7; seniors, $4; students & children, $4. An evening lecture on the Henry Burbeck Papers, taking individuals on a journey from the revolutionary war to present time. Reserve at development@ frauncestavernmuseum.org. 212-425-1778
APOCALYPSE
Deutsches Haus at NYU, 42 Washington Mews Exhibition of photographs by Hans Weiss. 212-998-8660. deutsches. haus@nyu.edu
Sat 19 CHRISTMAS IN ITALY Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, 566 LaGuardia Pl, 3 p.m. $47-$75 Celebrating 12 years of passionately preserving the Italian heritage with Italy’s best loved songs with Cristina
journey, similar to the path taken by the artist. 212-998-4900. events.nyu. edu/#event_id/81037/view/ event
Sun 20 “KNISH: IN SEARCH OF THE JEWISH SOUL FOOD” Village Temple, 33 East 12th St. 12:30-1:30 p.m. $5 for guests; free for members of JGS. Jewish Genealogical Society NY presents Laura Silver, author of “Knish: In Search of the Jewish Soul Food” in a celebration of ancestry, gastronomy and humble roots. 212-294-8326. www.jgsny. org
CANADIAN BRASS: HOLIDAY CONCERT
Great Gifts for the Golf Enthusiast Gift Cards for Golf Lessons, Beginner Schools Ball Cards, Simulator Sessions and more. Order your gift cards today at chelseapiers.com/golfgifts. THE GOLF CLUB AT CHELSEA PIERS Pier 59 | 18th Street & Hudson River Park | 212.336.6400
Trinity Church, 75 Broadway 1 p.m. Free Canadian Brass performs seasonal favorites along classical brass standards in a free performance at Trinity Church. www.trinitywallstreet.org
Fri 18 A CHRISTMAS CAROL AT THE MERCHANT’S HOUSE 29 East Fourth St. 7 p.m. $40-$60. Pre-show celebration: $25. Presented by Summoners Ensemble Theatre and directed by Dr. Rhonda Dodd. 800-838-3006. DickensinNewYork. brownpapertickets.com
Fontanelli’s Christmas in Italy. nyuskirball.org/calendar/ fontanelli2015
CLARITY, PASSION AND DARK INERTIA: PAINTINGS BY ERIC DEVER Kimmel Center for University Life, 60 Washington Square South Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.midnight; Sundays, noon-10 p.m. Free Anexhibition of 29 paintings that takes the viewer on a
ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH — NYCAASC GENERAL MEETING NYU’s Kimmel 7th Floor Lounge, 60 Washington Square South 2 p.m. Asian Heritage Month’s biggest event, the New York City Asian American Student Conference. NYCAASC invites students from all schools across New York to engage in dialogue on racial and sociopolitical matters. events.nyu.edu/#event_ id/87233/view/event
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
Mon 21 THE GAITS 2015: A HIGH LINE SOUNDWALK 820 Washington St. 5-6:30 p.m. Free A High Line Soundwalk is a free, downloadable smartphone martph application, view Make ake Music New York’s third annual nual Make Music Winter musical cal parades throughout the cityy on this first night of winter. Meet eet below the High Line at Gansevoort evoort Street. 212-206-9922. 2. cub. barrett@thehighline.org line.org
Wed 23 GREENWICH VILLAGE SHOWCASE: HOLIDAY EDITION
SHOP DANIELLE BERNSTEIN’S CURATED COLLECTION AT C21 EDITION 21 Dey St. Danielle Bernstein, style expert, social media maven and founder of internationally acclaimed fashion blog “We Wore What” will be curating a
GLITTERING G WORLD: NAVAJO JEWELRY Y OF THE YAZZIE ZIE FAMILY Smithsonian’s nian’s National Museum off the American Indian, 1 Bowling Green Noon. Free An introduction oduction to the story ory of Navajo jewelry by the Yazzi family of Gallup, p, NM. (Features over 300 00 contemporary jewelry examples) mples) www. americanindian.si.edu
Tue 22 CULTURAL PRESENTATION Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, 1 Bowling Green 2-4 p.m. Free Cultural Interpreter from Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian learn about Americas materials. 212-602-0800. www. americanindian.si.edu
FARM CANDY PRESENTS ELLEN BRADSHAW South Street Seaport, Pier 17, 181 Front St. Noon-6 p.m. New York, NY 10038-2109 Exhibition of oil paintings by Ellen Bradshaw, “Vision from the South Street Seaport.” www.southstreetseaport. com
32 Jones Street 7-10 p.m. No cover Enjoy up-and-coming singer/ songwriters iters in a small, musiccentered environment. 845-304-8086.www. greenwichvillageshowcase. com/caffe-vivaldi-holidayedition/
1,500-piece pop-up store inside C21 Edition. RSVP to C21Edition@C21Stores.com 212-227-9092. www.nyc. com/events/shop_danielle_ / vents/shop_danielle_ bernsteins_curated_collection_ ollection at_c21_edition.1299830/
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Write to us: To share your thoughts and comments go to otdowntown.com and click on submit a letter to the editor.
Voices Strawberry Fields, 35 Years On Reader Robyn Roth-Moise sent us this picture of Strawberry Fields in Central Park on the 35th anniversary of the death of John Lennon. Do you have a photo of a news event happening in the neighborhood? Send it to us at news@strausnews.com or go to www.otdowntown.com and click on Submit Stuff
ISIS AND THE ROUTINE OF SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL DIARY BY ZEKE BRONFMAN
I have friends who, every day for the last six years, have taken the same train to and from school. This week, they (saved up their allowances and) took cabs. A close family friend carries balloons in the Thanksgiving Day parade every year, but this year she watched on TV. In the wake of the haunting ISIS propaganda video that threatened New York, these are the subtle, yet impactful ways that our daily lives have been disrupted. As we walk into school every morning, we are greeted by cheery security guards with big smiles on their faces; they address us by name and tell us to have a good day, just as they did before the rise of ISIS. Yet, now the tension is palpable - somehow the security guards have transformed from being a friendly face who, when in a good mood, allow you to bend the rules and order in food, to a walking, talking reminder that the threat of terrorism is ubiquitous. There have been no credible threats against our city yet, and the NYPD is the finest anti-terror police force in the world. But the human mind, and especially the teen mind, is rarely governed by logic and reason. More often, it is ruled by fear and emotion. On the night of the Paris attacks, my phone was abuzz with angry and confused messages - some of them from friends who were ready to enlist and fight ISIS themselves,
some from friends who wanted to double bolt their doors and stay in bed, and some (from those who think more like I do) who were ready to run for Congress and protect their families through legislation. All of these messages were united by common themes - fear and a call to action. However, when the sun rose the next morning, reality set in: there is nothing we can do. Most of my friends are 15, too young to enlist, let alone run for Congress; locking the door doesn’t get rid of the voices in your head. What is most terrifying about terrorism is that it is arbitrary. There is nothing you can do to provoke it, and there is nothing you can do to avoid it. Despite this truth, people try to evade an unsubstantiated threat by putting their daily routines on hold. With that, ISIS wins. Their goal is to provoke irrational fear, disproportionate to the danger that exists in order to stop us from living our lives and expressing our freedom. The only way that a 15-year-old filled with rage and confusion can fight ISIS is by taking the subway, marching in a parade, and continuing to enjoy the liberty that they will never know. Zeke Bronfman is a high school student in Manhatttan. Have an idea for him? Email him at news@ strausnews.com
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
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Best of Manhattan
Art & Culture
Outdoors
Food & Drink
Pets
Health & Fitness
Services
Kids
Winter Road Trips
Movies
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MASTER OF ARTS IN PUBLIC MEDIA
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
Media with a Mission
Learn to tell stories that promote the public good • Work with top public media professionals • Study journalism or strategic communication • Build your audio, video, and web portfolio
One-Year Program Begins Fall 2016 | Learn more at fordham.edu/pmma eeo
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
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Kids
INDOOR FARMS THE ART FARM IN THE CITY
CREATIONS AND PAINTINGS COLOR ME MINE
Prices vary 92 Reade Street Mon. – Wed. 10a.m.-8 p.m.; Thurs.-Sat. 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. www.colormemine.com (212) 374-1710 Drop in to this lovely little pottery shop – but don’t drop the creations. Their slogan is: You pick it; you paint it; we fire it; you take it. Kids – and adults, too – can paint special items, including Hello Kitty, Snoopy and Marvel comic heroes. They have seasonal crafts, and kids’ night out where parents can drop off and leave the kids to paint, eat pizza and make friends. They also have adult events including a Ladies Night called Diva, complete with a variety of cheeses and chocolates.
MOMS, KIDS AND YOGA KARMA KIDS
Drop-ins $20 and up; Class packages generally from $350 to $600 25 W. 23rd St. Mon. – Fri. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sat. 8:45 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Closed Sunday www.karmakidsyoga.com (646) 638-1444 Karma Kids offers yoga, Pilates and more for new moms, babies from sixweeks and up, including challenging classes, restful exercises and moves even the youngest toddlers can do. There’s CircusYoga for kids 7 and up, offering a blend of the consciousness of yoga and the communal celebration of circus, with juggling, Devil Sticks, acrobatics, Flying Partner Yoga, Tightwire and Balance. Teens can take yoga classes featuring postures to build inner and outer strength, breathing exercises, flowing sequences, balancing poses and deep relaxation. There also are programs for children with special needs.
$20 drop-in fee. Classes, camps, programs available. 419 E. 91st St. (between York & 1st aves. www.theartfarms.org (212) 410-3117 Manhattan’s only indoor petting zoo boasts a variety of year-around activities. Their popular Mornings on The Farm allows kids oneyear-old and up a fun-filled two hours on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. to feed and snuggle with the farm’s animals, including rabbits, chinchillas, guinea pigs, s, and even an occasional pig or goat. The Art Farm has a variety ty of programs designed to teach kids ds about responsibility through caring, loving oving and being in the company of animals. nimals. There’s also a summer camp, preschool, various classes and space ace for birthday parties. Check the website bsite for more information and about programs ograms and fees.
ROCKIN’ THE EAST SIDE SCHOOL OF ROCK
Call for prices of lessons, packages. 439 E. 75TH St. Mon. – Thurs. Noon – 8 p.m. Friday Noon – 5 p.m.; Sat 11 a.m. – 6
Natura Disasters section looks at Natural earthquakes, volcanoes, tornadoes earthq and hu hurricanes. And of course, there’s always the dinosaurs – not to mention alway gift store that the kids will an amazing am you to skip. not allow a
URBAN TREEHOUSE U CITY TREEHOUSE C
p.m. Closed Sunday www.newyorkschoolof www newyorkschoolof rock.com rock com (212) 249-7625 This music school and its programs are geared toward kids and teens who want to learn to a play everything from guitar, to drums to horns of all kinds. There’s a strong emphasis on creating bands of friends and musicians. The Performance Program is designed for kids who know the basics of how to
play their instrument and are ready to take it to the stage. stage Students get ready for that by taking Rock 101 or private lessons.
EARTHQUAKES AND DINOSAURS THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
Free 79th St. and Central Park West Daily 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. www.amnh. org (212) 7695100 An amazing way to spend a cold or rainy day – or any day at all for that matter – among the exhibits that include a collection of information about the living things that have evolved from simple cells into an aweinspiring array of life forms over millions of years. The Science of
Trial class $20. Party packages start at $500. 129 E. 20th St. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily. www.citytreehouse.com (212) 255-2050 City Treehouse is a play and learning center aimed at children from 2 months to 8 years old. It has a treehouse-themed indoor play area, water play, classes and playdates. The two-story treehouse is great for climbing, sliding and crawling. There’s also a kaleidoscope, peek-a-boo holes and a see-through floor, sprinklers, water wheels and dump buckets. Membership is not required, but space is limited so you may want to call ahead to save a spot.
A MUSEUM – AND MORE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF MANHATTAN
$8 - $12 212 W. 83rd St. Sunday – Thurs. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Closed Monday. www.cmom.org (212) 721-1223 For more than 30 years, CMOM has been a destination and resource where families learn, play and grow together. From pre-school on, CMOM says it touches some 350,000 families a year, through top-notch exhibits, innovative programs and class performances. The emphasis is on making art and cultural programs accessible for kids and families from all walks of life.
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Food & Drink unimaginable. It’s got a dark, old-school ambience, but can get loud and crowded. In a town full of great steakhouses, this one stands out for its food and old-time feel.
SO SIT AND HAVE A BITE PASTRAMI QUEEN
1125 Lexington Ave. Daily 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (212) 734-1500 www.pastramiqueen.com
BEST RESTAURANTS ASIAN CONFUSION MACAO
311 Church St. Mon.-Weds, 5 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.; Thurs. – Sat. 5 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.; Sunday 5 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. (212) 431-8750 www.macaonyc.com This two-level restaurant with the feel of a casino and old-time opium den in TriBeca just below Chinatown serves an eclectic menu of Portuguese and Chinese food: Macao was once a Portuguese colony. The first level is mostly for dining; the lower level for more causal drinking and dining. The menu features such items as Char Siu barbeque spare ribs, Portuguese meatballs, African chicken and Malasadas, Portuguesestyle doughnuts. You can wash it all down with Tsingtao beer or Vinho Verde, which, if you want to pretend you’re Portuguese, is pronounced vin-yo verde.
JAPANESE DELIGHTS TAKAHACHI BAKERY
25 Murray St. Monday-Friday 7 a.m.- 7p.m. p.m. (212) 791-5550 www.takahachibakery.com This Japanese patisserie and bakery boasts a large selection of homemade macaroons and other sweet savory inventions. Owner Hiroyuki Takahachi specializes in matcha desserts like Mochi-An-Pan and Matcha crepes. They also feature traditional fare such aa strawberry shortcake, and imaginative creations like their Orange Wasabi Mousse and Shiso cream puffs – not to mention a variety of breads, rolls and baguettes. They also have an impressive list of coffees, teas and lattes to wash it all down.
IT’S ALL GREEK TO ME PERIALYI
35 W. 20th St.
(212) 463-7890 www.periyali.com This cozy high-end Greek restaurant in among the very best in New York, with excellent service, knowledgeable waiters and elegance with an unpretentious feel. Periyali, a Greek word for coastline, stresses seafood, but also serves meats, hearty salads, lots of sautéed veggies and a bountiful selection of full-bodied Greek wines. The Horitaki Salata is a delicious and filling blend of tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, olive and feta, and don’t miss the Paidakia Thedrolivano, baby lamb chops served with potatoes. Desserts range from tasty sugar cookies to Baklava swimming in honey.
MIAMI ON THE HUDSON CALLE OCHO
45 W. 81st Street in the Excelsior Hotel Dinner every day at 6 p.m., 5 p.m. on weekends. Brunch Saturday and Sunday (212) 873-5025 www.calleochonyc.com Latin food rules in this trendy spot in the Excelsior Hotel – everything from Cuban, Peruvian, Dominican, Spanish and Venezuelan to Costa Rican. Chefs use bold flavors to spice up everything from ceviche, tapas and empanadas to steak, duck breast and paella. Great cocktail list includes a variety of sangrias and a dessert list to die for. You’ll also find a bustling atmosphere and some hilarious house rules, but advance reservations are a must --- like three or four weeks.
SURF, TURF AND A BISSEL PASTRAMI YACHTING IN SOHO LURE FISH BAR
142 Mercer St. 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. (212) 431-7676
www.lurefishbar.com Owner John McDonald calls this a “little downtown power scene amongst the younger generation,” and the Wall Street Journal terms it a “sub-street-level urban yacht.” Executive chef Josh Capon has a killer seafood menu starting with oysters – from Long Island Blue Points to Kushis from British Columbia – to large sashimi combos, wahoo fish tacos, and lobster rolls. For the carnivores, there are thick, juicy burgers. The place is filled with large, comfortable banquettes that are perfect for a leisurely meal. Loud, crowded and fun, but the liquor bar is well-stocked so be careful if you decide to go a–tweeting.
STEAK STAKEOUT OLD HOMESTEAD
56 Ninth Ave. Lunch starts at 11 a.m. during the week and noon on weekends. Dinner 4 p.m. till 10:45 or 11:45. (212) 242-9040 www.theoldhomesteadsteakhouse.com Located in the heart of the old Meatpacking District since 1868, this place is legendary for its prime-aged USDA Texas-size (14-to-24ounce) steaks, Porterhouse, sirloin or filet mignon. They also serve huge shrimp, great tater tots and all the sides and desserts imaginable – and
Back in the day, when it was Pastrami King on Queens Boulevard, Jimmy Breslin would sit in a side room and talk out his column for the next day’s paper. Now, the king is a queen and it’s on the Upper East Side, but it’s still serving up overstuffed pastrami and corned beef sandwiches on rye with a little mustard and a pickle. There’s kasha and meat knish, chicken in the pot, stuffed cabbage, matzo ball soup, kreplach and for dessert, rugelach and apple strudel. It’s not cheap, but you’ll never leave hungry.
POWER PLACES POLS AND LONG LUNCHES CITY HALL RESTAURANT
131 Duane St. Monday-Thursday noon – 10 p.m.; Friday 4 p.m. - 11 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. -11 p.m. (212) 227-7777 www.cityhallny.com Housed in a landmark cast iron 1863 building that once served as a shoe factory, this elegant eatery combines the best of Old New York – the downstairs bar is carved out of bedrock from under the street -- and the latest trends in dining. Owner Henry Meer prides himself on using locally grown organic ingredients and regional seafood. One favorite among the pols, judges, bankers and bigwigs who lunch here is the “L.E.S. chicken soup” with matzo balls that float like grandma’s, and a range of oysters, shrimp, steaks, burgers, and the delights of a well-stocked bar.
CROWDS, COSMOS AND ‘SEX’ CAFETERIA
119 7th Ave. 24/7 (212) 414-1717 www.cafeteriagroup.com The waits are long and the crowds and can be loud and rowdy, but the food is great at this trendy Chelsea hotspot that never closes – and once was featured in “Sex and the City.” It gets locals in the morning, tourists during the day, hipsters at dinner and post-clubbers in the wee hours with a dazzling menu of good American comfort food. The goodies range from lemon ricotta pancakes to build-your-own omelettes, “classic” burgers, mac and cheese in all varieties and knock-your-socksoff desserts like red velvet Yodels, spiked sorbets and old-fashioned milkshakes.
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
PASTA AND PLAYERS FRESCO BY SCOTTO
34 East 52nd St. Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Dinner 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. (212) 935-3434 www.frescobyscotto.com This Scotto-family owned Tuscan restaurant is a favorite lunch and dinner place for many power brokers and celebrities looking for great food and ambience. Some refer to it as the ‘NBC Commissary” for its proximity to the network’s offices and popularity among its news and entertainment execs and staff. The menu includes lasagna, beef meatballs alla Toscana, poached Branzino, Fresco grilled sausage and risotto fresco. Power brokers have lunch here; lots of celebs on the menu for dinner. Heck, you might even run into co-owner Rosanna Scotto, the popular co-anchor of Good Day New York on Fox 5. Can’t get more New York than this.
BREADS, BRIOCHE AND COOKIES GALORE LEVAIN BAKERY
167 W. 74TH St. 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (212) 874-6080 www.levainbakery.com This cozy neighborhood bakery is popular with local regulars and tourists looking for some of the best baked goods in the city. Everything is baked on-site and they feature an array of rustic breads and a signature six-ounce chocolate chip walnut cookie. Founded in 1994 by two Ironman competitors who craved good, sweet carbs to replenish themselves, they’ve since opened another shop in Wainscott on Long Island’s East End and another store in Harlem.
BEST SPORTS BARS BASEBALL AND BEYONCE 40-40 CLUB
6 W. 25th St. 5 p.m. to 4 a.m. daily. (212) 832-4040 www.the4040club.com You can’t get much fancier – or sports-minded – than this glimmering 12,000-square-foot, topof-the-line A-list hangout co-owned by hip-hop
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mogul Jay Z. This Chelsea night spot features a 20-by-20 illuminated bar, more than 30, 55-inch flat screen TVs, and five VIP lounges ranging from fancy to super-fancy. The bar is amazingly well-stocked and its somewhat traditional menu features such sports bar staples as Buffalo Wings, huge shrimp, bone-in rib eye and a variety of sliders. Celeb’s galore, maybe even Jay Z’s main squeeze, Beyonce. Tip: Behave yourself, the bouncers are huge.
THE BASICS, PLUS DIVE BAR
732 Amsterdam Ave. (other locations on 76th and 101st sts. Noon to 4 a.m. daily. (212) 749-4358 www.diverbarnyc.com It’s not really a dive bar in the gritty true sense of the word, but it’s as down-to-earth as you can get in terms of well-rounded, well-stocked sports bars and restaurant. A popular neighborhood joint with lots of regulars, it also draws diehard sports fans from around the city. It features plenty of wide screen TVs, and boasts a huge array of beers on tap from Ace Hard Pumpkin Cider to Wittekerke Belgian Wheat. Typical pub grub list features wings, mozzarella sticks, tacos and quesadillas and, of course, mac and cheese. All three locations have nightly events, including trivia and games. Can get really loud, but, hey, it’s a sports bar!
IN THE NABE ALLIE WAY SPORTS BAR
410 e. 70TH St. Mon. – Weds. 11 a.m.-2 a.m.; Thurs.- Fri. 11 a.m. – 4 a.m.; Saturday noon – 4.m.; Sunday noon – 2 a.m. (917) 512-0397 www.thealliewayny.com A small unassuming joint with a little more than a dozen bar stools and some table tops, it’s a great place to catch a game, a brew and a burger. The prices are right, the bartenders are friendly, and a lot of the regulars work at two area hospitals – Cornell and Sloan-Kettering. Great burgers, Spanish food specials daily, Tuesday Trivia Nights, Thursday Karaoke and some good beers on tap, including Guinness, Angry Orchard and Delirium. No moguls or celebs, but a great place to kick back and hang out.
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Art & Culture HITCHCOCK UNHITCHED
39 STEPS
Tickets $20 - $105. Check box office for schedule. Dark Tuesday Union Square Theatre 100 East. 17th St. www.39stepsny.com (877) 250-2929 If you want to catch this hilarious spoof of the Hitchcock classic from 1935, you’d better hurry on over to the Union Square Theatre – a beautiful building that once housed Tammany Hall -- because the show closes Jan. 3. “39 Steps” is the two-time Tony Award-winning hit comedy that bills itself as playing “Just 39 Steps East of Broadway” and near fine restaurants, a regular farmers’ market and a spruced up Union Square Park. Four actors portray some 150 characters as our hero tries to clear his name and solve the mystery of The 39 Steps. And everyone in the audience gets a bright red “nosie.”
JAZZIN’ AROUND WINTER JAZZ FEST
Various venues around Greenwich Village Jan. 13 -17. 5-day pass $175; 2-day
Photo By: Jett Drollete
HAPPY HOLIDAYS from NYSNA Registered Nurses and Caregivers The New York State Nurses
We salute all RNs and special thanks to our NYSNA members:
Association is proud to celebrate
The New York State Nurses Association, New York’s largest
the role Manhattan nurses play
Bellevue Hospital Center/HHC
Metropolitan Hospital Center/HHC
union and professional association,
in delivering the highest level of
Gouverneur Healthcare Services
Mount Sinai Hospital
is committed to standing together
Gracie Square Hospital
NY Presbyterian Hospital
Harlem Hospital Center/HHC
NY Eye and Ear Infirmary
care.
HHC Health and Home Care
Mount Sinai St Luke’s
NYSNA: 37,000 frontline nurses
Jewish Home Lifecare
Mount Sinai West
turning our vision of healthcare
quality care to their patients.
for strength at work, our practice, safe staffing, and quality patient
for all into reality
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
pass $75; Single shows $25-$45 www.winterjazzfest.com The 12th season of the NYC Winter Jazzfest runs for five days, The most popular event, the Jazzfest Marathon will feature more than 100 groups performing over two days at various spots around The Village on Friday Jan. 15 and Saturday Jan.16.. Among the performers are Amir Elsaffar, Jose James, Takuya Kuroda, Marc Cary, Lakecia Benjamin and Sexmob – as well as jazz veterans Christian McBride and Dr. Lonnie Smith.
specializing in the work of self-taught artists like Henry Darger, Martin Ramirez, and Bill Traylor, among many others. Outsider Art gets a bad rap for being the purview of marginalized European artists: psychotics, mediums, and eccentrics. But its proponents and practitioners say they are simply artists who aren’ttethered to art history or art world trends. The works are fun and worth a look.
OUTDOOR ART
THE JEWISH MUSEUM
OUTSIDER ART FAIR 2016
Tickets $20 - $60 Metropolitan Pavilion 125 W. 18th St. www.outsiderartfair.org (212) 387-3338 The Outsider Art Fair gathers together galleries
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MARILYN, LIZ AND WARHOL Tickets range from $7.50 $15. Children under 18 free. 1109 Fifth Ave. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sat. thru Tues.; 11 a.m. – 8p.m.; 11a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. Closed Wednesday www.thejewishmuseum.org (212) 423-3200 The Jewish Museum is full of magnificent exhibitions you would expect to find in such a
museum – and one you might not. “Becoming Jewish: Warhol’s Liz and Marilyn” explores the conversions to Judaism of Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. Who knew? Though Taylor was open about her 1959 conversion, Monroe, who converted in 1956 upon her marriage to playwright Arthur Miller, was a bit more circumspect. Anyway, in this exhibit you can see Monroe’s brass Menorah and hear Taylor softly reciting a Jewish prayer. The museum’s café is closed for renovations: the famous Lower East Side appetizing shop Russ and Daughters will be moving in. Now thru Feb. 7.
MOVIES FOR KIDS ▲ NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S FILM FESTIVAL
Various venues Feb. 26 thru March 30, 2016. www.nyicff.org (212) 349-0330 Founded in 1997 to support the creation of thoughtful films for children and teens, the festival offers about 100 short and feature films, including full-length movies, six short film programs and 75 screenings of selected movies from around the
world. NYICFF also offers parties and red carpet events. The New York City Festival has grown from one weekend of films into the largest film festival for children and teens in North America. Winners of the Festival’s juried prizes are eligible for consideration at the annual Academy Awards.
BALLET AND BALANCHINE NUTCRACKER
Check website for ticket information David H. Koch Theater, 20 Lincoln Center Now through Jan. 3, 2016 www.nycballet.com (212) 496-0600 Once again the New York City Ballet presents George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker.” All 90 dancers, 62 musicians, 32 stagehands and two casts of 50 young students each from the School of American Ballet join forces to make each of the more than 40 performances magical. Tschaikovsky’s music, Balanchine’s choreography, Karinska’s sumptuous costumes, and Rouben Ter-Arutunian’s magical sets are an annual delight for kids from 9 to 99.
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Best Dentist on Upper West Side Dental 365, 212-799-7700; GoDental365.com. Dental365 provides high-quality, affordable dentistry while offering routine and walk-in emergency dental care 7 days a week. Their goal is to service the Upper West Side with the latest technology in oral healthcare and wellness. As an added convenience, their brand new, inviting office focuses on all areas of dentistry, including orthodontics, so patients never have to go elsewhere for dental treatment. Located at 211 W. 79th St., the office has been renovated to provide state-of-the-art equipment. Patient comfort was at the center of the office design and each exam room is complete with a flat-screen television. Dental365 accepts walk-ins with little or no waiting time for adults and children and offers everything from emergency extractions to routine exams, including cosmetic restorations and veneers, periodontal procedures and Invisalign all in a beautiful environment. For more information about Dental365 or to schedule an appointment call 212-799-7700 or visit GoDental365.com.
Health & Fitness
Best Winter Breaks The Southampton Inn, 91 Hill St. Southampton, 631-283-6500 Why load up your car with ski equipment and drive to Vermont or shell out the arm and leg it costs to fly the family to St. Lucia when you can go to the Hamptons only a 2 hour drive from Manhattan. The Inn hands out holiday stockings filled with coupons, a complimentary wrapping room, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ice skating, horse & buggy rides, craft fairs, childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programs, gallery openings, restaurant prix fix and so much more. The Southampton Inn offers an easy, affordable trip for the family. It is set in the heart of the Village of Southampton, providing an idyllic, year-round escape for bustling city-dwellers. In the winter, the hustle of the summer months is replaced by a Norman Rockwell-esque experience. The rates plummet, making weekend or week long trips a no-brainer. In December they even offer adjoining rooms for families at a further discount and through the holidays.
Best Book Store The Book Cellar, 212-288-5049 Located in the lower level of the Webster Branch of the NYPL on York Ave. between 77th & 78th St., is a unique book shop. Run by volunteers from the Friends of the Webster Library, all books are donated and proceeds benefit branch libraries of the NYPL. With thousands of books sorted into 50+ categories, you never know what treasures youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll discover. From the latest NY Times bestsellers to antique collectibles, from our huge Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Section to beautiful art books to our Mystery/Thrillers Room, there is something for everyone. The Book Cellar is open four days a week- Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12-5pm, Thursdays from 2-6:30pm, and Saturdays from 11am-4pm. Stop by and browse and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll discover why so many people call The Book Cellar â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;a hidden gem of NYCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Follow us on Facebook at The Book Cellar NYC.
Best Charter School Harlem Hebrew Language Academy Charter School, 147 St. Nicholas Avenue; www.harlemhebrewcharter.org Harlem Hebrew Language Academy Charter School is a free public charter school in Manhattanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CSD 3 that provides students with the foundation to successfully pursue advanced studies and achieve continued personal growth as global citizens. We have 2-3 teachers in each class. We offer a nurturing, rigorous curriculum featuring intensive instruction in the Modern Hebrew language. Our model includes Teachers College Readers/Writers Workshop and is designed to meet the needs of all learners. Our diverse student body develops social and civic responsibility through service learning. Our social studies curriculum explores Israeli history and culture and Harlemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history as a focal point of migration and immigration. Like all public schools we are non-sectarian and do not teach religion. All are welcome!
Best Comprehensive Care Close to Home and Work NewYork-Presbyterian/Lower Manhattan Hospital is committed to meeting the healthcare needs of lower Manhattanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diverse community 24 hours a day/seven days a week. In our ER, specially trained physicians, nurses and other health professionals provide world-class care to children and adults in all areas of medicine. Our Pediatric ER, which opened in 2013, provides a separate, child-friendly area staffed by pediatricians, pediatric emergency specialists, and skilled emergency nurses. In addition, the Hospital is making continuous improvements including a brand new inpatient unit and a state-of-the-art Natural Birth Center. Our physicians are all faculty of Weill Cornell Medicine. NewYork-Presbyterian/Lower Manhattan is a 911 receiving hospital, a designated stroke center and has one of the largest decontamination units in the city equipped to respond to individual and community-wide emergencies. The Hospital is located at 170 William St., two blocks southeast of City Hall. To find a physician, call 855-969-7564.
Best Real Estate Broker Brown Harris Stevens. Ellen Devens, NYRS Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker; 212-452-6240; C 646-425-5330 For 15 years Ellen Devens has been representing buyers and sellers in the sale of their apartments. Her real estate practice has been built on financial strategy, creative marketing and honest brokerage. Ellen views residential property as a home but equally important as equity in a portfolio where judgment and timing is critical for efficient selling and smart purchasing. Ellenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clients will tell you that she has an amazing â&#x20AC;&#x153;eyeâ&#x20AC;?, makes the process of selling or buying seem effortless and is diligent on their behalf. As a native New Yorker and third-generation New Yorker there is not a building or street in Manhattan she does not know. %FUBJMFE t 'PDVTFE t &YQFSJFODFE t .JOEGVM t &òFDUJWF $POTJEFS &MMFO UIF OFYU UJNF ZPV QVSchase or sell your home.
HOOPING IT UP KING HOOPS NYC BASKETBALL CLINICS
$325 for 11-week program. $35 per session drop-ins Saturdays from Dec. 5 Feb 7. Times vary according to levels and abilities Lehman Manhattan Prep 25 Greenwich St. www.kidsinthegame.com (212) 734-7262 If your little one wants to learn the basics of basketball or how to improve their game, King Hoops NYC Basket-ball is holding an 11-week youth basketball clinic starting Saturday, Dec. 5th. The clinic will be led by former NBA / Euro professional, Trevor Huffman, and former Columbia University coach, Michael Murphy. Times vary according to age and ability. King Hoops NYC is an affiliate of the JrNBA and accredited by USA Basketball.
SHAPE UP NYC GET IN SHAPE
Free Various times and locations. Check website for nearest one. http://www.nycgovparks. org/ programs/recreation/ shape-up-nyc Shape Up NYC offers free ďŹ tness classes every week at dozens of locations across Manhattan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the other four boroughs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all year around. Expert instructors lead the classes and know how to make ďŹ tness fun. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a cool video
on the website to give you a feel for the program. Class offerings are challenging, varied and include aerobics, yoga, Pilates and Zumba at all levels. Shape up NYC is a free program and you do not need to be a member of a recreation center to attend a class, but you should bring a lock.
HEALTH AND RACE WALKING WALK, DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T RUN
Free Central Park Conservancy North Meadow Recreation Center, mid-Park at 97th Street Saturday mornings. 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. www.centralparknyc.org 212-348-4867. The NY Walkers Club holds weekly moderate to brisk walks for people 18 years and older of at all ďŹ tness levels. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a low-impact ďŹ tness program and is perfect for those who want to get in shape, build muscle tone, strength and increase cardiovascular health while enjoying Central Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beautiful landscapes. No pre-registration required. Programs held rain or shine, except in extreme weather conditions.
KEEP THE KIDS FIT LITTLE GYM OF THE UPPER EAST SIDE
Check website for programs, memberships. 207 E. 94th St.
Monday thru Saturday. Hours vary. www.thelittlegym.com (212) 787-1124 The Little Gym of The UES runs a variety of programs, including gymnastics, sports skills, dance and karate for kids from ages 3 to 12. Instructors help kids build their skills in programs that are engaging, challenging and fun. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Children are encouraged to try their best, not be the best,â&#x20AC;? the website says. They offer birthday parties, seasonal camps and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Survival Nights,â&#x20AC;? where you can drop the kids off and catch a movie.
WINTER BEACH YOGA WINTER BEACH YOGA
Check website for pricing information The Sports Center at Chelsea Piers 20th St. and Hudson River Park. Monday mornings in Dec 7 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. www.chelseapiers.com 212-336-6000. Missing the beach this time of year? Well, you can cure the winter blues by hitting the â&#x20AC;&#x153;beachâ&#x20AC;? for a relaxing yoga class in the sand. Winter Beach Yoga classes are held on the Sand Volleyball Court every Monday in December. Beach towels will be used in place of yoga mats. Beach towels and bottled water provided by Dasani. Advance registration required and you must be a member.
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
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DECEMBER 17-23,2015
Winter Road Trips SKATING AND ICE-FISHING ON BEAR MOUNTAIN ▼
deer, raccoon, skunk, Canada goose, fox, swan, bobcat and rabbit. Check with Bear Mountain Office for Merry-Go-Round hours and availability.
BEAR MOUNTAIN STATE PARK
3006 Seven Lakes Drive, Bear Mountain, NY www.nysparks.com (845) 786-2701 Bear Mountain offers great outdoor adventures in the rugged mountains in the state park on the west bank of the Hudson River. Weather permitting you can hike, bike and climb the four mountain peaks. There’s also a public skating rink, ice-fishing at various lakes and a cross-country ski trail. One not-to-miss site is the Merry-GoRound at Bear Mountain State Park with its hand painted scenes of the park and hand-carved seats of native animals including black bear, wild turkey,
MOHONK MOUNTAIN HOUSE
Check website for rates and special packages 1000 Mountain Rest Rd., New Paltz, NY www.mohonk.com (855) 590-9829
HUDSON VALLEY RESORT/INN AT HOLIDAY VALLEY
6557 Holiday Rd., Ellicottville, NY www.holidayvalley.com (716) 699-2345 Holiday Valley boasts 13 lifts, 58 slopes, three base lodges, two hotels and more. The resort has become a leader in the ski industry and ranks among the favorites of skiers in the East. It has a lift capacity of 23,850 per hour, terrain parks, x-country trails, mountain coaster, snow tubing and an average winter snowfall of 180 inches
SMUGGLE IN SOME FUN
Photo Credit: Zoe
A SPA IN THE COUNTRY
HOLIDAY ON THE HUDSON
SMUGGLER’S NOTCH RESORT
Relax and unwind in a Victorian castle above Lake Mohonk, surrounded by landscaped gardens and pristine wilderness. The hotel features extensive woodwork, fireplaces made from Shawangunk stone and breathtaking views. Just 90 miles north of New York City, Mohonk Mountain House offers all-inclusive accommodations and year-round activities including seasonal hiking, snowshoeing and crosscountry skiing. It can be pricey to stay at the Mountain House, but they offer day passes for a variety of activities like skating ($17) and cross country skiing from $21 to $26
Call or go to the website for prices 4323 Vermont 108 south www.smuggs.com (802) 370-3186 It’s a six-hour drive up to this Green Mountain resort, but Smuggler’s Notch can be worth it if you love to ski, skate and then relax in a sauna, indoor pool or hot tub. Surrounded by 3,000 acres of forest, Smuggs has three levels of mountains for skiers of all abilities, including the East’s only triple black-diamond trail, The Black Hole, for the most experienced skiers and snowboarders. There’s cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobile tours. There’s also a FunZone and arts and crafts for the kids. Photo Credit: ML Heco
▼ SNOWMOBILES AND RELAXATION ALLEGANY STATE PARK
2373 ASP Route 1, Salamanca, NY www.nyparks.com (716) 354-2182
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
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This sprawling park has two campgrounds, 20 cabin trails and offers a total of 189 campsites and 230 cabins, 30 of them winterized. Each Fancher Cottage, located in the Quaker Area, has a bathroom with shower, refrigerator, counter-top range and microwave. The fully accessible cottages sleep six, are furnished and stocked with pillows, bedding, cooking utensils, dishes and coffeemakers. Activities include cross country skiing and snowmobiling.
is located roughly in the triangle formed by Watertown, Rome & Syracuse. Approximately 2,000 square miles, it is a prime area for many year-round recreational activities including cross-country skiing, hiking, fishing, hunting, canoeing, horseback riding, biking and dog sledding in a region that gets a lot of snow.
SKIS, SKYTRIPS AND MEMORIES WHITE MOUNTAIN SKI CENTER AND GONDOLA
5021 Route 86, Wilmington, NY www.whiteface.com (518) 946-2223 Whiteface Mountain, located in the Adirondacks, a fivehour drive from Manhattan, offers a variety of winter events, including bobsledding, ice-skating, the Cloud-Splitter Gondola Ride, snow-tubing, Zamboni rides, the Wee Ski program for kids aged two to four and a Yoga and Skiing Retreat for Women, every Wednesday. There’s also the Lake Placid Olympic Museum, located in the same building as the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey game in which Team USA defeated the USSR. And on Dec. 30, figure skater Ekaterina Gordeeva and a host of Olympic Medal-winning skaters present “From the Heart,” a tribute to her late husband and skiing partner Sergei Grinkov.
DOGSLEDDING DELIGHT TUG HILL AREA
317 Washington St., Watertown, NY. (315)785-2380 www.tughill.org (315) 785-2380 The Tug Hill Region, with its densely forested terrain,
Photo Credit: John Northrup
“Deliriously over-the-top” - The New York Times
CONCERTS AT CARNEGIE HALL AND LINCOLN CENTER TICKETS FROM $20 Visit WWW.DCINY.ORG/BESTOFNY for Discounts & More Changing Lives through the Power of Performance Iris Derke, Co-Founder and General Director | Jonathan Griffith, Co-Founder and Artistic Director
250 West 57th St., New York, NY 10107
Tel: (212) 707-8566
Email: Concerts@DCINY.org
www.DCINY.org
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DECEMBER 17-23,2015
OLD AGE MAY NOT BE THE ONLY REASON President and leading specialist at the Vascular & Endovascular Interventions of New York (VEiN,) Dr. Lev Khitin is board certified in general and cardiothoracic surgery, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a member of the American College of Cardiovascular Surgery, and a Fellow of the American College of Phlebology. Today, Dr. Khitin answers our readersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; questions. I have recently noticed that walking at a leisurely pace has become difficult for me. My legs and feet feel heavy, even numb, and I tire easily. I feel better after a brief rest, especially if I sit down, but as soon as I resume walking, the problem comes back. All of the specialists that I have consulted blamed my age as the reason. I think there may be another explanation. Could you advise? (Mark S., Manhattan)
CALL US TODAY!
Despite common belief, age is not the be-all and end-all explanation of our health problems. Decreased mobility is a result of abnormalities in circulation, such as superficial venous insufficiency, a frequent cause of the problem described above.
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Common complaints include difficulty walking or standing for a long period of time as well as heaviness, weakness and tiredness of the lower extremities. Other common complaints include cramping at night, swelling of the ankles, tingling sensations, often referred to as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;pins and needles,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; burning, and numbness. As the condition progresses, the patients see an increase in swelling, which causes periodic flare-ups of infection. Other complications may include thrombophlebitis, trophic ulcers and bleeding. A change in skin pigment to a blackish-brownish color is yet another sign of the condition. If you experience any of the above symptoms, please contact our clinic and we should be able to help.
Dr. Khitin is a cardiovascular surgeon, board-certified in general and cardiothoracic surgery, fellow of American College of Surgeons, member of American College of Cardio-Vascular Surgery, president, founder and a leading specialist of New York Vein Treatment Center.
My ankles swell excessively throughout the day. Early in the morning they seem OK, but as the day progresses, they swell so much that I need to go up a shoe size by the evening. Diuretics used to help a few years ago, but are useless now, regardless of the dose. Please help if you can. (Jennifer K., Long Island)
Lev M. Khitin, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Dear Jennifer, you are absolutely right. Diuretics do not help, since the problem is not an excess of water in your body, but the abnormal distribution of that water between your lower extremities and the rest of the body. Diuretics, unable to recognize the main cause of the problem, simply attempt to rid the body of that water entirely. Fortunately, your kidneys do recognize the problem and stop the diuretics from taking effect. Had the diuretics worked, swelling would have gone down, but you would have become dehydrated, jeopardizing your kidney function as well as other organs. The cause of your symptoms is centered in a specific area of the body, your legs and feet, so the solution should focus on that area as well. Prior to recommending any treatment, I urge you to get an accurate diagnosis. Most likely, you do have circulatory problems of the lower extremities and our clinic could identify the cause of the problem and help treat it.
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New York Vein Treatment Center
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
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Outdoors PARADE FIT FOR A KING THREE KINGS DAY PARADE
LAST MINUTE HOLIDAY SHOPPING
FREE OUTDOOR ICESKATING
UNION SQUARE HOLIDAY MARKET
THE RINK AT BRYANT PARK
14th St. at Union Square Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thru Dec. 24 www.urbanspacenyc.com (212) 529-9262 It’s not too late to run down to the Union Square Holiday Market to pick up some last-minute Christmas gifts – and get a bite to eat – at this perennial holiday mart. You can stroll the holly-lined aisles and pick up some handmade jewelry, gifts for kids, artwork, bowls, soaps, scarfs, shawls, pens, soaps, candles -- and of course some winter hats and gloves. Local food-sellers offer everything from hot chocolate to crepes and donuts.
PINING FOR PINOT PINOT DAYS
$75 Saturday, Jan. 23 City Winery, 155 Varick St. www.pinotdays.com Pinot Days is the largest gathering of Pinot Noir producers in the world. This year’s event at the City Winery will bring together 40 Pinot Noir producers from California, Oregon and New Zealand and true Pinto lovers from across the city. You can’t try them all but kick back and enjoy this beautiful little grape in many forms and styles. Organizers say the event is “for people who want to savor the good things in life.”
Free 40th to 42nd sts., at Fifth Ave. Daily 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. through March 6, 2016 www.nycgovparks.org (212) 661-6640529-9262 The Rink at Bryant Park, part of Bank of America’s Winter Village, is the only free outdoor skating rink in the city. For the most part, the atmosphere at the well-maintained 170-by-100-foot is rink relaxed and fun, though it can sometimes get crowded. The skating is free, but skate rental can run $15 to $19 and there’s a bag check fee. There are more than 100 kiosks and shops, and restaurants you can visit before -or after -- you take to the ice.
Free Jan. 6, 2016. 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. E. 106th St. and Lexington Ave. www.elmuseodelbarrio.org For more than 40 years, El Museo Del Barrio has been drawing thousands of people to the annual celebration of the three wise men. en. The parade route begins at 106th Street and Lexington Avenue and ends at 115th St. and Park Ave. After the parade, rade, you can celebrate at La Marqueta with some traditional Puerto Rican food and music and then back to El Museo for some live music by Pablo Mayor and friends, s, and free admission too Las Galerías.
ROCKIN’ THE HIGHLINE THE GAITS: A WINTER NTER SOUNDWALK
Photo Credit: NYC Parks Daniel Avila
Free The High Linee at Ganesvoort St. December 21,, 2015 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. www.makemusicnyc.org usicnyc.org Make Music New ew York’s third annual
Make Music Winter features 12 participatory, musical parades across the city on Dec. 21, the first night of winter. This one at the High Line uses a free downloadable smartphone app that features a score of electric guitar chords and Zen gongs. As participants walk the High Line, footsteps are turned into metallic sounds, dulcimer notes, water splashes and car horns. The walk begins at Gansevoort and Washington sts. and ends at West 30th.
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Best Funeral Home John Krtil Funeral Home; Yorkville Funeral Service Inc., 1297 1st Ave. ; 212-744-3084 Cobblestone streets, two-way horse drawn traffic on the avenue, this was 70th Street and First Avenue, Manhattan, circa 1885, the year that John Krtil Funeral Home came into existence. Since then, a John Krtil has always owned and managed John Krtil Funeral Home; Yorkville Funeral Service Inc. Our credo, “Dignified, Affordable, and Independently Owned and Operated since 1885”, has been fact since our inception. It is our adherence to these principles and our good reputation that gives us the ability to compete with both “name brand” or “budget” funeral firms. No matter the volume of work, we remain, in essence, that very professional yet personalized funeral home with a loyalty to our neighborhood and our clientele. To be in flux seems to be the norm in an ever changing Manhattan landscape. But we here at John Krtil Funeral Home Inc. have embraced a tried and true formula of service to families in need that will last another 130 years.
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
Movies
Best Sports Complex Chelsea Piers Sports and Entertainment Complex, West 23rd Street and Hudson River Park; 212-336-6500; chelseapiers.com Chelsea Piers is a 28-acre sports village located on three historic Hudson River piers, offering the city’s best sports programming for children ages 12 months to 16 years. Easily accessible by bus, subway or car (on-site parking available for a fee), Chelsea Piers features state-of-theart facilities and a wide range of sports including gymnastics, basketball, soccer, baseball, rock climbing, golf, ice-skating and hockey. Youth sports programs are available year-round, including after-school specialty classes, Saturday camps, school break camps and summer camps in 15 sports. Chelsea Piers is also a popular location for children’s birthday parties. For more information, call or visit the website.
Best Family Mediation Talking Alternatives Why can’t we just all get along? Family is everything. These are phrases we have heard from childhood through adulthood. Sometimes it’s just not that easy. Relationships are complicated and problems cannot always be resolved without help. Maybe it’s about communication, or the lack of it. Fractured relationships make it impossible to talk civilly. Mediation is an option and it works. Talking Alternatives is a family mediation firm that helps families get back on track through conversation, not confrontation. We are neutral third parties who work with you to restore or preserve family harmony. We specialize in Elder and Adult Family, Adult Family and Parent/Teen disputes. Maybe it’s the inability of adult siblings to make decisions about the care of an elderly parent. Or maybe it’s helping teens and parents learn how to listen and talk again. Call us (646-682-9319). We can help. www.talkingalternatives.net
Best Health Insurance Fidelis Care, Chinatown Community Office, 185 Canal Street, Suite 406; Monday-Friday: 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM; Saturday-Sunday: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM Inwood Community Office, 100-02 Post Avenue; Monday-Friday: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM; fideliscare.org; 1-888-FIDELIS (1-888-343-3547) Fidelis Care offers quality, affordable coverage for children and adults of all ages and at all stages of life, including products available through NY State of Health: The Official Health Plan Marketplace. Open enrollment for NY State of Health “metal-level” products runs until January 31, 2016. Fidelis Care also offers year-round enrollment for Medicaid Managed Care, Child Health Plus, and the new low-cost Essential Plan. Other products available to qualifying individuals include Medicare Advantage and the Managed Long Term Care plan, Fidelis Care at Home. Individuals can visit Fidelis Care’s Affordable Care Advisor tool on fideliscare.org to get a quick estimate of the price of health insurance, including any government subsidies and tax credits, and schedule an appointment with a Fidelis Care representative. Fidelis Care representatives make it as easy as possible to apply for enrollment, often meeting with residents in their homes or another location in the community.
Best Appraiser - Household Contents SLM APPRAISALS, 1441 Broadway; 917.701.8162; www.slmappraiser.com SLM Appraisals is a full service personal property appraisal firm, assisting clients with the appraisal, liquidation and resale of items inside the home such as art, antiques, jewelry and silver. Whether you are downsizing or moving; have inherited items; need cash; or just have too much stuff, we can help you determine best options. With our Roadshow At Home service, we come to your home and do a walk-thru- it’s like having your own private Antiques Roadshow™! UWS neighbor Sheri Mason, owner of SLM Appraisals, was a key member of the Kaminski Auction team, entrusted by Oprah to sell her personal property when she decided to downsize and sell the “Oprah Winfrey Collection.” We pride ourselves on treating each and every client with respect, and understand the importance of approaching every situation with sensitivity and discretion.
Best Oldest And Largest Youth Sports Organization Yorkville Youth Athletic Association, 212-360-0022; www.yyaa.org New York is the world’s greatest place to live. But if you’re a kid, it’s not always the easiest place to play. For almost fifty years, the Yorkville Youth Athletic Association has served the children and families of New York. From day one, our mission has been to give kids the chance to build skills, learn teamwork, make friends and have fun. Some of our players have gone on to earn scholarships and play in high-level Division I college programs. YYAA offers both recreational and competitive baseball, basketball, football, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, track, volleyball and more. Today, more than 6000 kids play on Yorkville developmental, house league and travel teams. Shouldn’t your child be one of them?
THE PARIS THEATER ▲ 4 W. 58th St. (212) 593-4872 www.theparistheater.com The Paris might be the best movie theater in town. Located across from the Plaza Hotel, this singlescreen movie house opened in 1948, with actress Marlene Dietrich cutting the ribbon. Its fare ranges from independent movies to foreign films -- mostly French of course -- to first-run flicks. It has very oldschool balcony seating. All of the nearly 600 seats are comfortable and roomy and the sound is great.
BOWTIE CHELSEA ▲ 260 W. 23rd St. (212) 691-5519 www.bowtiecinemas.com This newly renovated nine-screen theater has new luxury rocker seats, theater and reserved seating is available. It sells Jack & Harry’s gourmet flavored popcorn, runs classics on Thursday nights and has a monthly (almost) Kino & Vino series that offers special screenings and a cocktail reception. Tickets for those are $29 online and $35 at the door. The staff is helpful and friendly.
ANGELIKA FILM CENTER & CAFÉ 18 W. Houston St. (212) 995-2570 www.angelika.nycreadingrdi.com This downtown five-screen theater is the Mecca of art and indie film lovers – and it also squeezes in some quality first-run movies. The screening rooms are bigger than you would think and the sound and picture quality good. The best thing about it may be the comfy lounge in the lobby where you can hang out before the show and grab a quick bite from the cafeteria-style concession which carries coffees, teas and great cakes and
cookies. And the regular concession downstairs has great popcorn and drink refills are free.
CITY CINEMAS 1, 2 & 3 1001 Third Ave. (212) 753-6022 www.citycinemas.com Three screens, good movie selections – first-run indies, foreign films and some mainstream flicks -- and delicious popcorn. But the best thing about this theater is the seats. They have comfortable reclining leather Lazy-Boy style seats that make you feel like you’re watching the movie on a huge wide-screen TV in your apartment. Reserved seating is available online, and the theater this downtown 5-screen theater is the Mecca of art and indie film lovers – and it also squeezes in some quality first-run movies. The screening rooms are a bigger than you would think and the sound and picture quality good. The best thing about it may be the comfy lounge in the lobby where you can hang out before the show and grab a quick bite from the cafeteria-style concession which carries coffees, teas and great cakes and cookies. And the regular concession downstairs has great popcorn and drink refills are free.
REGAL BATTERY PARK 11 2 North End Ave. (844) 462-7342 www.angelika.nycreadingrdi.com This giant 11-screen theater is inside the Conrad Hotel in Battery Park City. It screens first-run movies in theater with comfortable seats. The concessions stand sits in a big lobby with great views of the area. The snacks are good and there’s even a Shake-Shack outside, not to mention the World Financial Center with its small restaurants and shops. Maybe the best thing about it though, is that because it’s a bit off the beaten track, it never gets too crowded.
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Pizzaâ&#x20AC;? -NYPress Best of Manhattan â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Pizza Restaurantâ&#x20AC;?NYPress Best of Manhattan Readers Poll â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Slice of Pizza (Below 42nd St.)â&#x20AC;? -NYPress Best of Manhattan Readersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Poll â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Deliveryâ&#x20AC;? -NYPress Best of Manhattan â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Pizza: Whole Pie Varietyâ&#x20AC;?-Best of Borough- OT/WSS
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FAST, FREE DELIVERY â&#x20AC;˘ WE DELIVER CONTINUOUSLY 32 Spring Street, New York City (Between Mott & Mulberry) Mon-Thur 11:30 a.m.- 11:00 p.m. â&#x20AC;˘ Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m.- 12:00 Midnight â&#x20AC;˘ Sun 11:30 a.m.- 11:00 p.m.
Pizza
white pizza
Our standard pizza is made with fresh mozzarella, a San Marzano tomato sauce and topped with romano and fresh basil.
mozzarella, ricotta, romano cheese and fresh garlic. No Sauce. large eight slice ........................................................................... $27.50 small six slices ............................................................................ $23.50
large eight slice ........................................................................... $24.50 small six slices ............................................................................ $21.50
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toppings
hand-shucked clams, oregano, fresh garlic, romano cheese, extra virgin olive oil and fresh ground pepper $35.00
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# 1
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$9.00 - Our house salad is a blend of organic mesclun greens, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, and our house vinaigrette. It is large enough for two.
Beer, Wine, Spirits i n
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Pets
Okimoto five years ago because while at work she was constantly concerned about the welfare of her dog at home. Unsatisfied with putting her pet in a kennel while she was away, she started a fullfledged nanny service for small breed dogs. This family-owned business provides dog-walking, training, grooming, walking and even a holistic clinic. They board dogs in a Murray Hill loft and private apartments in the city where they have the run of the place.
HAVE A HEART, SAVE A PET BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK
PETS AGAINST PESTS M&M PEST CONTROL
Prices vary 32 Orchard ST. www.mandmpestcontrol.com (212) 219-8218 Their team of insured, licensed and certified pesticide applicators are divided into pest specialties such as termites, bed bugs, rodents,
ants and cockroaches. They work with architects, lawyers and also businesses that provide comprehensive cleaning, sanitation, remediation, fumigation, moving and storage services. Their philosophy is that Pesticides are always the last alternative for eliminating pests. Their Integrated Pest Management (“IPM”) program includes changes to your pets’ living environment and frequent inspections.
POOCH NANNYS NEW YORK DOG NANNY
Check website for prices and info 126 Lexington Ave., and private spaces around the city www.newyorkdognanny.com (917) 261-7333 New York Dog Nanny was founded by Cynthia
Check website for information www.ny.bestfriends.org (347) 76ADOPT There may be 8 million stories in the Naked City, but there also are thousands upon thousands of stray, homeless or unwanted pets here, too. The Best Friends Animal Society has been operating in the New York City area for the past five years, hosting large-scale events like Super Adoption, Strut Your Mutt and other events. They work with city shelters, local animal welfare organizations and individuals to save the lives of pets in shelters in the tristate area. They host adoption and fundraising events and run a lifesaving foster program in partnership with Animal Care & Control of NYC.
are 23 anonymous reviews
really the smartest way
to FIND A GOOD ob/gyn? Visit nyp.org/lowermanhattan or call (855) 969-7564 instead. You’ll get top-ranked Weill Cornell specialists, just three blocks south of the Brooklyn Bridge.
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Best Vein Center style” pet-sitting company that offers its services in homes throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. They also provide private cat and dog boarding in host family homes through Peter’s Pets, a division of Katie’s Kitty. They generally board one pet in each home so the animal will not be locked in a cage, but have free run of the home – with bed privileges. Most of our pet sitters work from home, assuring round the clock supervision for your pet. All sitters are bonded and insured.
LEGGING UP FIDO ▼ PRICELESS PET SERVICES
PUPPY LOVE MANHATTAN PET SERVICE
Check website for dog-walking rates and other services. 224 Fifth Ave. www.manhattanpetservice.com (646) 727-0178 This all-purpose pet service features dogwalks from 15 minutes to an hour (GPS tracking available), home visits, pet-sitting, puppy visits to help with exercise and socialization and overnight stays with a minimum 10-hour guarantee. They also offer training based on techniques learned and perfected from more than seven years of animal training at SeaWorld San Antonio. Among the techniques are treats for good behavior and being ignored for bad behavior – just like your kids.
FELINE FUN KATIE’S KITTY
Prices vary 170 E. 83RD St. Daily 8 a.m. – 12 a.m. www.katieskitty.com (212) 288-5712 Katie’s Kitty bills itself as an “exclusive boutique
Call for prices 1 W. 100th St. www.pricelesspetservices.com (212) 933-4042 Located just steps from Central Park West, Priceless Pets offers itself as an alternative to big chains that care for pets. Services range from dog walks and cat visits to daycare. Their headquarters is a state of the art facility designed from the ground up with the pet in mind. There’s also an indoor dog park with Mighty Max Pet Grass, an indoor washable turf that’s great for your dog’s legs and joints during play.
▲ ROOM FOR ROVER ROVER.COM
Check website or call for prices Daily 24/7 www.rover.com (347) 943-7436 This major, nationwide chain has a network of 40,000 sitters in thousands of cities across the country that provide dog-walking, dog-sitting, drop-in visits, doggie daycare and more. The farflung service boasts that its sitters will treat clients’ dogs like family. It also claims that 92% of the population is within a short drive of a network sitter and that it gets 5-star reviews 95% of the time.
New York Vein Treatment Center, www.NY4VEIN.com; (212) 575-8346 New York Vein Treatment is a leading medical facility in NYC devoted exclusively to diagnosis, prevention and treatment of venous disorders. The treatments performed in our center are safe, effective, quick, painless and, most importantly, deliver permanent results. We offer advanced, in-office treatment options such as sclerotherapy, cryo-sclerotherapy, ultrasound guided sclerotherapy, endovenous laser ablation (EVLT®), ClariVein®, micro-phlebectomy, thrombectomy, FlexiPulse and Dornier® transcutaneous pulsatile laser treatment. Dr. Khitin, the founder and president of New York Vein Treatment Center, is a cardiovascular surgeon specializing in endovascular surgery. He is an acclaimed surgeon, board certified in general, cardio-thoracic and vascular surgery and is the author of numerous published journals, abstract and textbook chapters. He is an active member of the American College of Surgeons, American College of Cardiovascular Surgeons, American Venous Forum, American College of Phlebology and the American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery.
Best Bakery Glaser’s Bake Shop; 1670 1st Ave., 212-289-2562 Glaser’s Bake Shop has been part of New Yorkers’ celebrations for over 113 years! John Glaser and Herbert Glaser Jr. are the 3rd generation owners of this German Yorkville landmark. It was opened in its current location on April 2, 1902 by their grandparents John and Justine. Their son Herbert Sr. took over the business in 1933, and though his sons have now been in the business for over 40 years. Despite the ever-changing world outside its doors, one gets transported back to a different time upon entering Glaser’s with its mosaic-tiled floor, timeworn mirrored and milk glass panels, patterned tin ceilings, carved wooden display cabinets and striped string used to tie boxes. John and Herbert still continue making some of the delicious products that customers have come to associate with this neighborhood bakery – black and whites, brownies, birthday cakes and German holiday treats, including stolen, springerle and pfeffernusse. A family tradition lives on in Yorkville!
Best Bank on the East Side Flushing Bank has helped families, businesses and communities throughout the New York City metropolitan area for more than 85 years. At the heart of our community-based approach to banking relationships is the philosophy that we are “Small enough to know you. Large enough to help you.” Meaning we offer the same comprehensive set of products and services that the large commercial banks have, but we take the time to know you and provide the personalized attention you deserve. Flushing Bank now has two Manhattan locations. Our newest location is at 99 Park Avenue. Stop by for a visit and allow us to show you how we are a different kind of bank – one that cares. Flushing Bank, a New York State-chartered commercial bank insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The Bank serves consumers, businesses, and public entities by offering a full complement of deposit, loan, and cash management services through its 19 banking offices.
Best App for Shopkeepers to Save Time & Money Local business owners may be familiar with this situation: You’re expecting an important delivery and all of a sudden the street is blocked off for repairs. Or when you open the store in the morning, you find that a scaffold has been placed over the sidewalk out front. Don’t ever be surprised again. Award-winning Mind My Business™ will send you customized notifications to help you make informed decisions, saving you time and money while reducing risk and uncertainty. Just type in your address and get daily updates about upcoming street repairs, fine risks, building construction, 311 complaints, restaurant inspections, and so much more. You’ll also get tips to help you deal with each situation, and a list of free business courses around the city. We do the research so you don’t have to. Don’t risk not knowing. Download the app and get informed today! For more info, visit mindmy.biz/ourtown.
Best Camp Asphalt Green, www.asphaltgreen.org Kids unleash their sense of adventure at Asphalt Green’s Summer Day Camp, held on the Upper East Side or in Battery Park City. Asphalt Green’s facilities, curriculum, and experienced staff stand out. Kids have plenty of space to play sports on a 1.5-acre field (Upper East Side) or fullcourt gymnasium (Battery Park City), swim in a 50-meter (Upper East Side) or 25-yard pool (Battery Park City), do arts and crafts, and participate in other activities including gaga, theater, music, and gardening. The camp calendar is also packed with unique field trips and theme days. The best part about Asphalt Green’s Summer Day Camp is it maintains a low camper-toinstructor ratio, and all of the coaches and instructors specialize in the sport or activity they teach. There’s more: If your child can’t get enough of camp, Asphalt Green offers mini-camps that follow the same curriculum during school breaks and holidays!
Best Culture Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) is a producing organization known for “mounting choral music extravaganzas in world class concert halls with singers from around the world” (The New York Times). Partnering with some of today’s most honored and revered living composers (Sir Karl Jenkins, Christopher Tin, Eric Whitacre, Tarik O’Regan, Paul Mealor, Stephen Schwartz, Morten Lauridsen), DCINY regularly fills the halls with world premieres, an award winning orchestra, and a lively enthusiastic audience year round. Concerts events are typically held at Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center with tickets starting at just $20. For tickets, VIP deals and group sales visit www.DCINY.org or call 212-707-8566. Affordable, accessible and fun for the whole family, DCINY certainly represents the Best of Manhattan.
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Best Theatrical Dance Performance
Services
Noche Flamenca, West Park Presbyterian Church, 86th St. and Amsterdam Ave. Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca‘s Antigona returns to New York December 11–January 23. This visually arresting adaptation of Sophocles’ Antigone was declared a New York Times Critics’ Pick by Laura Collins-Hughes, who wrote that “a haunting, distant classicism coexists with sweaty, unmediated corporeality in this dance drama.” The New Yorker’s Joan Acocella declared: “Never, until I saw Santangelo’s ensemble, their heels stamping, their arms cutting through the air, had I seen a chorus whose physical force could support the fate-heavy songs that Sophocles wrote for his plays.” Antigona merges spoken text, live music, theatrical spectacle, and dance to create a production that propels the classic Greek play to new heights. The company brings the inherent theatricality of Flamenco to bear on this classical tragedy, reigniting the theatrical potential of the Greek chorus as the lyrical and rhythmic heart of the drama. Tickets on sale at nocheflamenca.com
Best Bank Ridgewood Savings Bank, www.ridgewoodbank.com. Ridgewood Savings Bank offers a full of array of retail banking and residential lending products and services. The experienced and attentive staff at Ridgewood’s two locations on the Upper East Side offer unparalleled customer service and personal attention. Branch Tech Specialists are available to demonstrate the Online and Mobile Banking features as well as remote deposit capture. A Tech Specialist is available to educate customers on the Bank’s portfolio of Digital Banking Products and Services. Ridgewood offers competitive rates on co-op and condo loans. Speak with a Mortgage Consultant to discuss current rates and terms. Ridgewood combines the level of personal service and attention to better understand customers’ financial needs with the convenience and speed of high-tech banking. Stop by either Ridgewood branch located at 1404 Second Avenue at 73rd Street or at 1646 First Avenue at 86th Street in Yorkville for all your banking needs or visit our website at www.ridgewoodbank.com. Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lending.
Best Fitness Center in Chelsea CrossFit, http://crossfitnyc.com/ 212-731-2165; 50 W 28th St, 2nd Floor CrossFit is leading a fitness revolution. It’s replaced boring machines and endless hours on cardio equipment with highly-effective, intense workouts that use natural and functional movements. CrossFit NYC was the first CrossFit in New York and has over ten years of experience training clients and helping them reach their fitness and sports goals. People come to lose weight, get stronger, do a better Tough Mudder, learn Olympic weightlifting, etc., and do it all with a great community of supportive, like-minded people. CrossFit NYC has high-level coaches in all aspects of CrossFit including kettlebell training, rowing, gymnastics, Olympic weightlifting, and more. Special attention is paid to getting new people comfortably up to speed, with careful instruction in the basics, and scaled workouts that challenge but don’t overwhelm. Over 300 weekly classes and various membership options make it easy to find the right mix for anyone.
Best Dining East Midtown Partnership, 2875 Third Avenue, Mezzanine, New York, NY 10022, 212.813.0030 With over 100 restaurants, East Midtown Manhattan has a menu for every palate and every budget. For decades, native New Yorkers and international visitors alike have recognized East Midtown as a culinary destination with few rivals. Dine in style at dozens of upscale restaurants, including Le Cirque, Harlow, The National, Amali, Le Colonial, Felidia, and Aquavit. Or grab a more casual (but no less delicious) meal at Bloom’s Tavern, The Carriage House, Pig ‘n Whistle, or the original P. J. Clarke’s. Better yet, when you carry a free East Midtown Passport card, you can get special cardholder benefits at almost 100 area businesses... including more than two dozen dining establishments! Visit www.EastMidtown.org/Passport for details.
Best Jeweler Murreys, 3rd Ave. bet. 79th & 80th Streets, 212.879.3690 Murreys Jewelers, a family business now in its third generation, has been serving loyal customers since 1936. Fully visible to clients entering the store Murreys onsite workshop is locally, nationally and internationally acclaimed. Murreys state of the art onsite workshop boasts 5 highly skilled jewelers, watchmakers, setter & stringer. Murreys bend over backwards service and superior workmanship - whether the staff are custom crafting diamond earrings for a discerning customer, or executing a minor repair to a cufflink - expect the best here in service, creativity and repair. The combined workshop talent boasts over 150 years of experience. Whether creating spectacular “event” pieces, repurposing out of date estate pieces or a simple repair it will always fall under Murreys motto of “finest quality”, great value and superior rapid service. The full line store features wonderful unique high fashion contemporary jewelry as well as timeless vintage estate treasures and time pieces.
Best & Only Community Owned Jewish Funeral Chapel Plaza Jewish Community Chapel, 630 Amsterdam Ave; 212-769-4400; www.plazajewish.org Plaza Jewish Community Chapel is the only communally owned and operated Jewish funeral chapel in the Metropolitan New York area; dedicated to the belief that the process of grief is not a business proposition but rather an emotional, human passage to be treated with dignity and conscience Plaza is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of clergy from all the denominations, community leaders and executives of social service agencies. We take pride in giving back to the community in a variety of ways. Our educational programs support those working in end of life care as well as students in religious schools and seniors in a variety of settings. We provide programming in hospitals, hospice facilities and have provided financial assistance to the community in various forms. Plaza Jewish is also a drop off site for gently used medical supplies to be distributed to communities in Africa and Haiti.
KEYED IN PARAGON SECURITY AND LOCKSMITH NYC
Prices vary 24 W. 8th St. www.paragonsecurityny.com (212) 620-9000 (store) (212) 671-1270 (24-hour emergency service) Paragon is a leading security and locksmith that provides 24-hour emergency locksmith service provider in the New York area. In addition to ‘round-the-clock service, they do alarm systems, cctv systems, intercoms, locks, safes, window gates fire escape doors and security consultation to residential and business sites of all sizes.
MAPPING IT OUT RIDE THE CITY
$95 A YEAR www.ridethecity.com
Okay, now that you have a Citibike – or one of your own – go to Ride the City to find the best, safest and most direct routes all over the city. Ride the City avoids roads that aren’t meant for biking, like highways and busy arterial streets – and it steers cyclists to routes that maximize the use of bike lanes, bike paths, greenways, and other bikefriendly streets. The website features an illustrated walkthrough and answers to lots of FAQs.
BIKIN’ AROUND CITIBIKES
$149 annual membership. 24-hour rides $9.95; $25 weekly pass. www.citibikenyc.com New York City’s bike-sharing system is still going strong and adding stations all over town. Their fleet of specially designed, sturdy, durable bikes that are locked into a network of docking stations, where you can rent, ride and return to any station in the city. At last count there were
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
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HAPPY GIFTS.
DONE RIGHT. FRESH DESIGN. STUFF. TOTAL SERVICE.
COOL
PAINLESS! SEND US YOUR LIST more than 7,000 bikes at some 400 stations; all are available 24 hours a day. And there’s an app for that.
MR. FIXIT ▲ BIG APPLE HANDYMAN
$80 minimum www.bigapplehandyman.com (917) 915-5732 NYC Handyman is an owner-run and operated company with over 10 years of experience serving Manhattan and Roosevelt Island. They do assembly of furniture, gym equipment and items from stores like Ikea, Home Depot, Crate and Barrel and many more. Big Apple Handyman will install your Plasma TV, hang your pictures and ceiling lights, put up your mirrors and install bathroom and kitchen fixtures.
TECH FOR SENIORS THE SENIOR PLANET EXPLORATION CENTER
Free. Donations accepted 127 W. 25th St., between Sixth and Seventh aves. Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.seniorplanet.org The country’s first technology-themed center for people 60 and up, the Senior Planet
Exploration Center in Chelsea offers classes, workshops, talks and all kinds of social events in a comfortable space and learn new ways to grow and thrive in the rapidly changing digital world. You must register for free courses and be a member to use the resources, but membership is free. There are plenty of scheduled and unscheduled events, and the center also has “Teksperts” who can fill you in on the latest gadgets.
WE’LL TAKE CARE OF IT
JEWELRY REPAIR MURREY’S
Prices vary. 1395 Third Ave. Monday – Saturday 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. www.murreys.com (212) 879-3690 The family-owned business – three generations since 1936 – has been fixing, restoring and selling bracelets, earrings, necklaces, watches and more. They have five highly skilled Jewelers, whose combined experience totals more than 150 years. Their watchmakers have decades of expertise and know-how and have worked on every imaginable type of timepiece, including pocket watches, automatics, battery-operated and quartz watches of all kinds and price ranges. They also do maintenance and appraisals.
BOTTLEROCKET.COM/GIFTS-BASKETS
BOTTLEROCKET.COM/GIFTS-WINECLUB
BOTTLEROCKET.COM/GIFTS-CARDS BOTTLEROCKET WINE & SPIRIT 5 W 19TH ST NEW YORK, NY 10011
212-929-2323
WWW.BOTTLEROCKET.COM
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SWIM SOCCER BASKETBALL FLAG FOOTBALL BASEBALL VOLLEYBALL TENNIS FITNESS MARTIAL ARTS ADULT & YOUTH LEAGUES AND TEAMS
Winter classes start JANUARY 4 • Registration is now open. UPPER EAST SIDE 555 East 90th St. • 212.369.8890
BATTERY PARK CITY 212 North End Ave. • 212.298.2900
asphaltgreen.org
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
TECHIES
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ucation Week, which encourages girls to pursue careers in science and technology. Women make up less than a quarter of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce, according to the Department of Commerce. The STEM gender gap is particularly prominent in computer science, where women hold just 27 percent of all computer science jobs. A study by the American Association of Women concluded that the number of female computer scientists in 2013 was nearly the same as it was in 1960. Correcting those discrepancies means starting early, according to Jill Scibilia, 42, vice president of philanthropy and external relations at GSGNY. “Girls are not seeing enough female role models in those (STEM) positions. Even though they have equal ability in math and science as boys do. Children are watching us. They’re watching adults and they’re asking — ‘Is this for me?’”, Scibilia said. To address the scarcity of women in computer science, a number of organizations like Vidcode, Girls Who Code and Black Girls Code have cropped up in recent years in the belief that early exposure and continual encouragement of girls in STEM will help close the gender gap. Khass became interested in coding after learning the basics in third grade. She’s continued to code in school and within the Girl Scouts. “When you sit there and code, you figure out the things you can do and you get surprised with what you can do,” Khass said. “You learn new things when you code.”
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The Vidcode program begins by introducing the scouts to the mechanics of coding language — gradually building skills that allow scouts to manipulate and then write their own lines of codes. The program allows scouts to apply a variety of filters and stylistic effects like text and music to a video. The girls then upload and share their final projects. The GSGNY’s Sara Pooley, 31, guided the scouts through the finer points of programming language. “For a lot of them this is expanding on what they’ve learned in school, for some of them they haven’t done it at all. A lot of them it’s the first time they’re seeing code. It just depends on the resources of the school,” Pooley said. Madeline Brown coded for the first time on Saturday. Along with the other elementary school scouts, her day began with a role-playing activity that emulated communication between a programmer and a computer. Students practiced giving clear specific instructions before tackling the video-coding tutorial. “It’s been going good,” Brown, 10, said about her progress. “I’m already on level six. I’ve never done it before but it’s easy. It makes sense.” The Girl Scouts of America partners with a variety of science and technology businesses, such as LEGO and Microsoft, to develop programming that engages with STEM subjects. The GSGNY hopes to expand the coding event into an after school program in 2016. After a morning troubleshooting coding problems, the teenaged scouts eventually withdrew into their mobile phones as the younger girls confidently worked their way through the modules. “The little girls are catching on,” Khass said.
TREE-FOR-ALL
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 a 62-year-old commercial fishing captain from Alaska. He rolled into town with his wife and 12-yearold son in a pickup truck with a red-and-green camper perched on the back. That’s where they’ll be sleeping for the next few weeks, parked next to the Manhattan stand they’ve operated every season for two decades. A giant Santa Claus standing on the truck’s roof helps lure customers. Gilmartin and his wife take turns doing 12-hour shifts and shower at a local hostel in return for a donated tree. They sell up to 500 trees each season, averaging an income of about $14 per hour. Their prize sale so far has been a 17-foot, $700 Fraser. Their son, Rory, earned $1,200 on a recent weekend delivering trees on a three-wheeled stroller. He gets $20 per delivery. “You can’t just sell trees,” Tom Gilmartin said. “You have to make friends. That’s what this business is all about.” They might not be in New York if it weren’t for the unlicensed vending, which has an intriguing history. In 1938, Mayor Fiorello La Guardia waged what became known as his “War on Christmas” -- an effort to keep mostly immigrant vendors off the streets by forcing them to obtain licenses. So few were issued that trees vanished, causing an uproar. That’s when the City Council enacted an exception allowing vendors free access to sidewalks once a year to sell Christmas trees, so
long as adjoining store owners give their consent and the operation doesn’t block pedestrians. The city later changed the text of the law to apply to coniferous trees, rather than Christmas trees, to avoid the appearance of giving special treatment to one religious group. There are a few other carve-outs in New York’s licensing schemes for street vendors, including an easing of some regulations for veterans and a waiver of permits, on free speech grounds, for people selling books. On the flip side, some hot dog pushcart owners paid the city $200,000 or more in concession fees for the right to operate in a prime spot in Central Park. For a two-year street vending license, the city charges $200 -- but they’re so scarce that legal permit holders often “lease” them out to other vendors for tens of thousands of dollars. Christmas tree sellers have an easier time, but they also hold on to their territory. Laura Miller has been working the same corner in Manhattan for a decade. The 40-year-old, who is five months pregnant, can be spotted from afar, her blonde hair cascading down her shoulders under a warm hat. The cold is no problem; she grew up in the Siberian city of Omsk, where she was a chorus conductor. Now a Florida resident, she does office work the rest of the year and stays with friends during her winter stint in New York. “I have a lot of competition now in New York, for sure, because just about every corner is trying to sell Christmas trees,” Miller said. “It can be so crazy.” But ever the saleswoman, Miller quickly touts the quality of her fine firs. “Basically,” she said, “I have the best.”
Answer holiday letters from New Yorkers in need. newyorkcares.org/winterwishes
The only holiday gift many New Yorkers will receive this year may be from you.
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Jackson Pollock (American, 1912-1956). “One: Number 31, 1950.” 1950. Oil and enamel paint on canvas, 8’ 10? x 17’ 5 5/8? (269.5 x 530.8 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Sidney and Harriet Janis Collection Fund (by exchange), 1968. © 2015 Pollock-Krasner Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
AMERICA’S DRIP MASTER AT MOMA The museum struts its collection of paintings, drawings and rare engravings by Jackson Pollock BY VAL CASTRONOVO
With the holiday season in full swing, there’s no shortage of exciting shows at the Museum of Modern Art — the Picasso sculpture exhibit notably comes to mind. And perhaps it is fitting that MoMA has chosen to showcase its stellar collection of works by Jackson Pollock too, another 20th century original and fervent admirer of Picasso. “Jackson Pollock: A Collection Survey (1934-1954)” brings together some 50 paintings, drawings and prints, including some rare engravings, in three galleries on the second floor. The show opens with an enormous blackand-white photo of Pollock (1912-1956) painting in his barn studio in East Hampton, with wife and fellow artist Lee Krasner looking on. The couple married in 1945 and bought the farmhouse and barn that same year with the help of a loan from patron Peggy Guggenheim, a passionate collector of 20th century modern art and special champion of young American artists. Guggenheim, niece of Solomon Guggenheim, founder of the museum on Fifth Avenue, gave Pollock his big break when she showcased his work at her cutting-edge gallery, Art of This Century, on West 57th Street. She offered Pollock his first solo show in 1943 and famously commissioned him to paint a mural for the entrance to her
new townhouse on East 61st Street, even giving him a contract so he could quit his day job. The 9-foot-by-20-foot canvas, “Mural” (1943), was a daring, all-over web of curvy lines and swirls. As art critic Clement Greenberg memorably said: “I took one look at it and I thought, ‘Now that’s great art,’ and I knew Jackson was the greatest painter this country had produced.” The piece — on Belgian linen, not the wall, so it would be portable — is now in the collection of the University of Iowa Museum of Art. The brash New York painter became the face of postwar, American abstract expressionism. The show here begins with the artist’s arrival in the city from Los Angeles in 1930, when he was 18 years old. He enrolled at the Art Students League and apprenticed with Thomas Hart Benton, who became a major supporter. Pollock would eventually eschew Benton’s social realist style, but his rhythmic arabesques and undulating lines became a part of his artistic vocabulary. The exhibit is neatly divided into three parts: the early infatuation with mythical, primitivist subjects (1934-43); the fusion of figuration and abstraction (1944-47); and the sublimation of all representation in favor of those purely expressive drip, splash and splatter works (1948-54), with the emphasis on materials, technique and process — not the subject matter of a painting but the physical act of painting.
To that end, Pollock in his “mature” years would forgo the easel for the floor, famously laying his canvases on the ground of the barn in East Hampton, where he could literally dance around the four sides as he flung paint with stiff brushes, sticks and punctured cans. He got down and dirty, physically and metaphorically — in some cases leaving actual hand prints on the paintings (as, for example, on the upper right of “Number 1A, 1948,” from 1948). Some of the markings were accidental, but as former MoMA curator
Carolyn Lanchner writes in a recent monograph about the artist, such random splatters “were accidental only in the moments of their occurrence; whatever survives of them in the final work represents Pollock’s considered decision.” “Gothic” (1944), on view here, bears the strong imprint of Picasso’s iconic brothel scene, “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” (1907), in terms of the arrangement of the figures and the “governing vectors of energy,” Lanchner states. Pollock was drawn to Picasso’s analytic cubism, which inspired him
Jackson Pollock (American, 1912-1956). “Gothic.” 1944. Oil on canvas, 7’ 5/8” x 56” (215.5 x 142.1 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Bequest of Lee Krasner, 1984 © 2015 Pollock-Krasner Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
to paint abstractly. But his influences were wide-ranging, harking back to Old Masters such as El Greco for his swirling forms, and to Native American artists for his mixture of sand with paint — in addition to his own subconscious. MoMA’s cache of Pollocks has earned the institution bragging rights. About half of the collection is on display, including such seminal works as “Stenographic Figure” (c. 1942), “The She-Wolf” (1943), “Shimmering Substance” (1946), “Full Fathom Five” (1947) and perhaps his greatest painting, “One: Number 31, 1950” (1950), a wall-size, drip tour de force that dramatically closes out the show. Per the organizers, “At different moments [it] can suggest the pulsating intensity of the modern city, the primal rhythms of nature, or the flickering forms and infinite depths of the cosmos.” Pollock’s battle with depression and alcoholism are well known. He died in 1956, at age 44, after crashing his car less than a mile from his home in East Hampton. In a nod to the last few years of his life when he reverted to painting quasi-figurative images but generally painted little, the museum has included the Matisse-inspired “Easter and the Totem” (1953) and acknowledged Pollock’s mercurial side. “I’m very representational some of the time,” he is quoted as saying shortly before he died, “and a little all of the time.”
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
FOR THE WEEK BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO OUR ARTS EDITOR
DANCE
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Does It Have The Apple Logo?
â&#x20AC;&#x153;ANTIGONAâ&#x20AC;? In â&#x20AC;&#x153;Antigona,â&#x20AC;? dance company Noche Flamenca adapts Sophoclesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Antigone,â&#x20AC;? with spoken word and ďŹ&#x201A;amenco dance. The production features live musical accompaniment, with Noche Flamencaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Soledad Barrio playing Antigone, the tragic heroine. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Antigonaâ&#x20AC;? Now through Jan. 23 West Park Presbyterian Church 165 W. 86th St., at Amsterdam Avenue 8 p.m., with a 3 p.m. show on Dec. 26 Tickets $25-$60 To purchase tickets, visit nocheďŹ&#x201A;amenca.com or call 212-352-3101
THEATER
MUSIC
â&#x20AC;&#x153;DOUBLE ITâ&#x20AC;?
AN IRISH CHRISTMAS: A MUSICAL SOLSTICE CELEBRATION
A mix of martial arts, acrobatics and dance, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Double It,â&#x20AC;? from theater and ďŹ lm director Chen Shi-Zheng, features music by composer and Gorillaz keyboardist Mike Smith (along with producer Lee Perry), who Chen worked with on the opera â&#x20AC;&#x153;Monkey: Journey to the West.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Double Itâ&#x20AC;? Through Jan. 18 Baruch Performing Arts Center One Bernard Baruch Way 25th Street between Lexington and Third Avenues Assorted show times Tickets $45-$125 To purchase tickets, visit baruch.cuny.edu/ bpac or call 212-352-3101
â&#x20AC;&#x153;HOW ALFO LEARNED TO LOVEâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;How Alfo Learned to Loveâ&#x20AC;? ďŹ nds the perpetually-single Alfo in a precarious romantic situation. His deceased grandfather, whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in purgatory (which, in the play, is the BrooklynQueens Expressway), must help him ďŹ nd romance in order to keep his Brooklyn bakery in the family and get a pass into heaven. â&#x20AC;&#x153;How Alfo Learned to Loveâ&#x20AC;? Dec. 16-Jan. 3 59E59 Theaters 59 E. 59th St., between Park and Madison Avenues Assorted show times Tickets $18 To purchase tickets, visit 59e59.org or call 212-279-4200
A diverse program not just rich with the familiar ďŹ ddles of Irish folk music, the Irish Arts Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seasonal celebration also brings ragtime, swing and music and dance from the Caribbean festival Junkanoo, to the stage. Presented in a casual, breezy format, the performance features accordionist Billy McComiskey and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Riverdance on Broadwayâ&#x20AC;? ďŹ ddler Athena Tergis, among others. Dec. 18-20 Symphony Space 2537 Broadway, at 95th Street Assorted show times Tickets $40-$60 To purchase tickets, visit symphonyspace.org, irishartscenter.org or call 866-811-4111
9G %CP (KZ +V #V 6GMUGTXG YG UWRRQTV CNN VJKPIU #RRNG Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re having problems with your iPhone, iPad, Macâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or any other Apple productâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;we can troubleshoot, Ă°[ LW RU VXJJHVW D FRVW HIIHFWLYH XSJUDGH RU UHSODFHPHQW
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FAMILY â&#x20AC;&#x153;SOLSTICE STARSâ&#x20AC;? In celebration of the winter solstice, the National Museum of Mathematics will create a seven-pointed star out of glow sticks, with angles close to 26 degrees, or the highest that the sun reaches on the shortest day of 2015. As part of 23 Days of Flatiron Cheer, Solstice Stars is also an opportunity to give, as guests are invited to bring non-perishables for a food drive. Tuesday, Dec. 22 Flatiron North Plaza 23rd Street between Broadway and Fifth Avenue 6:30 p.m. FREE To be included in the Top 5 go to ourtownny.com and click on submit a press release or announcement.
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DECEMBER 17-23,2015
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
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YOUR 15 MINUTES
To read about other people who have had their “15 Minutes” go to otdowntown.com/15 minutes
MARCHING TO THE BEAT OF THE NUTCRACKER Q&A Principal timpanist of the New York City Ballet’s orchestra on the role of a percussionist BY ANGELA BARBUTI
Behind every sugar plum fairy and wooden soldier is the New York City Ballet’s orchestra lending their talents to each performance of “The Nutcracker” this and every Christmas season. Ian Sullivan is an integral part of that orchestra as its principal timpanist, the sole player of the timpani or kettledrums. Since graduating with a master’s from Julliard in 2012, he has amassed an impressive musical resume, whose highlights include performing with Yo-Yo Ma, joining Carnegie Hall’s chamber orchestra and playing with the Metropolitan Opera.
How did you get started? Did you always know you wanted to be a musician? For me, it was kind of late, actually. I started in high school. I saw people playing drums and wanted to play. And as I went through high school, I had a really great music program and it introduced me to a lot of classical percussion instruments, which there is an unlimited amount of. As I got more into that, it took over really quickly for me.
You got your master’s from Juilliard. What was that experience like? It was great. It was a really intense two years, but very fun. It was amazing for me to come back because I had just come from Michigan for my
undergrad. It was really like getting thrown into the big city and having these big orchestra concerts. I went there primarily for my private lesson teacher. He was extremely strict, but really encouraging. It was all about studying with him, basically. I sometimes go back there because they do a mock audition every year and they bring in a guest to judge that. They asked me to do it last year and I got to be on the other side of the audition panel, listening to that.
You substitute at the Metropolitan Opera. What does that entail? Basically they have a certain number of percussionists and there are certain operas that require a lot more people. So we did the Shostakovich opera last year called “Lady Macbeth” and it required, I think, 10 percussionists and they only have four or five. So we came in. There’s a huge battery of percussion instruments that’s used for that opera. They play basically the whole time. It works out well because we have these offseason periods of time where we’re not playing at the ballet and it happens to coincidence with the time we are off from City Ballet.
What is the atmosphere like in “The Nutcracker’s” orchestra pit? It’s really exciting. It’s like we’re on this big sports team and we all have our different roles to play. It’s the same as it’s been since school, which is playing really great music with all of your friends. We have a conductor who we watch who gives most of the direction, but there’s also a lot of chamber music where we’re interacting between ourselves and making sure that we all line up and are representing the music in the right way.
You performed with Yo-Yo Ma. What was that like? That was great. I performed with him twice. Once was with a group that he is the artistic director of called the Silk Road Ensemble. People have played all these different instruments that are along the Silk Road, which are rarely played together, and they arranged music specifically for that group of instruments. That was a few years back, but then a couple of months ago, I had the opportunity to play in this group called The Knights, which is a chamber orchestra in New York that’s run by Eric Jacobsen. There’s a piece that was written for Yo-Yo by Golijov called “Azul,” and it had been played by him in the mid2000’s, but was never recorded. So in September we got to go through recording that entire piece, which was a big highlight for me.
You’ve played in so many iconic venues throughout Manhattan. Where are your favorite places to perform? The (New York City) Ballet is great. It’s such a beautiful theater. I really love the acoustics and the entire presentation. Before I worked here, I worked at Carnegie Hall. That definitely has a great history and the acoustic space is awesome, so it’s hard for me not to love that space as well.
So you’re still involved with Carnegie Hall, right? Yes, I was a member of Ensemble ACJW, their chamber orchestra, for two years before I worked here. Now, I function as an advisor to ACJW and as a teaching artist.
Tell us a funny story from your career. During an orchestra performance a few years back, one of the percussionists’ cymbal handles broke and the cymbal flew off and rolled all the way to the conductor during the performance.
What are your future plans? Do you want to stay in New York? I do want to stay in New York. We just got a new music director here at the Ballet and he has a lot of really exciting projects coming up. It would be really great to start a chamber music series here because we have a lot of really great musicians. I think there used to be a chamber music series in the past that really gets to feature these smaller groups in the orchestra, but it hasn’t been there for a while. That would be an awesome project.
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DECEMBER 17-23,2015
27th Annual
COAT DRIVE
November 17th - December 31st
Keep a New Yorker warm this winter. Start your own coat drive among friends, family, or colleagues. Sign up at newyorkcares.org
#CoatDrive Or text COAT to 41444 to donate and keep a fellow New Yorker warm this winter.* The Coat Drive is a program of New York Cares, New York City’s leading volunteer organization.
Photo: Craig Cutler © 2015 New York Cares, Inc. *Messaging & data rates may apply. Text STOP to 41444 to stop; Text HELP to 41444 for help.
DECEMBER 17-23,2015
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