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WEEK OF DECEMBER TREASURES FROM JERUSALEM < P. 12
NEW YORK AFTER THE ORLANDO SHOOTING A reporter reflects on the city’s vibrant LGBT communities
22-28 2016
THE FOUR TOP ZONING BILLS New legislation aims to regulate the Board of Standards and Appeals
BY ALEXANDRA ZUCCARO BY MADELEINE THOMPSON
When I first visited the West Village and Chelsea a few years ago, I stopped by the chic cafés, strolled along the cobblestone streets, and admired all the fantastic local artisans and galleries. I also walked through some iconic tourist destinations such as the High Line, the Whitney Museum, and Chelsea Market. Although I was impressed by these magnificent sites, when I stuck around for a little longer, I realized that there was so much more to these neighborhoods that I didn’t initially see. Chelsea and the West Village have historically been pivotal neighborhoods for the LGBT civil rights movement. Important gathering spots include the Chelsea Hotel and the LGBT Community Center. On Christopher Street, you can find Julius, one of the city’s oldest gay bars, and George Segal’s Gay Liberation installation is in Sheridan Square. The most significant location, however, has become the Stonewall Inn, which was officially named as a national landmark by President Obama last June. Over the years, this community and these landmarks have continued to be crucial elements of New York City’s vibrant culture. Right after the Orlando nightclub shooting in June, I stopped by the Stonewall Inn, where I saw something truly incredible. Masses of people were crowding around the landmark and leaving brightly colored bouquets and rainbow flags. The site was so impressive that I barely noticed all the NYPD of-
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A package of 10 zoning-related bills could give communities more power to fight decisions made by the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA). Variances that exempt developers from the zoning code and permits for things like after-hours construction are granted through the agency, sometimes despite vocal opposition from local residents and the community board. On Wednesday, Dec. 14, the City Council’s Committee on Governmental Operations discussed legislation that would, for example, slow the approval process for new developments in the BSA. Sponsored by Council Members Ben Kallos, James Van Bramer, Karen Koslowitz, Steven Matteo, Donovan Richards and Rosie Mendez, the legislation proposes to give communities more time and weight in BSA decisions. According to BSA executive director Ryan Singer, who testified at the hearing last week, the board has only 21 employees who use a “rigorous standard” to handle between 300 and 500 applications per year. Our Town spoke to committee chair Kallos about four bills that, if passed, would have the most impact.
Wurts Bros., 165 Broadway. The New Equitable Building, c. 1910. Modern print, Museum of the City of New York, Wurts Bros. Collection.
Steep fines for lying Sponsored by Kallos, Int. 1392-2016 would impose a $25,000 fine on anyone “who makes a materially false statement or causes a materially false statement to be made in connection with a zoning application.” Singer said last week that “the applicant community is by and large honest and careful, but we think
having these additional tools would be helpful.” Kallos said he was most proud of this bill, which is one of five he sponsors in the package. “That’s an error, an omission or an intentional misrepresentation in any part of the BSA application,” he said, adding that this is something he has experienced before. “CurDowntowner
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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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for dollars in fees ated millions of and left some resithe city agency, that the application dents convinced
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rently it is not illegal to have drawings and other representations that the community may rely on in making decisions that may be inaccurate because they haven’t been sworn to. This would change that. In addition, this
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DECEMBER 22-28,2016
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
SECOND AVENUE SUBWAY TO OPEN JAN. 1 Nearly decade-long, $4.4 billion project is first of four planned phases on East Side BY JAKE PEARSON
New Yorkers have become accustomed to waiting on the subway. But nearly 45 years? That’s how long it’s been since construction began on a much-needed subway line beneath Manhattan’s east side. But the completion of the project’s first phase is now on the near horizon: Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Monday that the line would open Jan. 1. Cuomo has been pushing the end-ofthe-year deadline set by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority hard in recent weeks, saying it’s become about more than the long-delayed Second Avenue subway — it’s about the faith people have in government. “Nobody believes it’s going to be done on time, nobody,” the Democratic governor said in a radio interview last week. But, he added, “if we can get it done on time. ... if we can open
that thing up at the beginning of the year, maybe people will start to say once again, “Wow. Maybe we can do something.” On Monday morning, Cuomo tweeted “We’re going to restore credibility,” in announcing the opening. The Second Avenue subway, seen as crucial to alleviating traffic on one of the world’s busiest transit systems, has been star-crossed since it was first envisioned by the city’s transportation board in 1929. Those plans were derailed by the stock market crash a few months later. It wasn’t until 1972 that ground was finally broken on the project. But again, a financial crisis in the nation’s most populous city in the 1970s put to a halt to work. In the 1990s, two powerful U.S. senators from New York were able to secure vital federal funds. But then there were years of bureaucratic hurdles: zoning changes, environmental studies and pre-construction work to clear the city’s underground of pipes and cables. In 2007, the major tunneling work began on the $4.4 billion project that’s
A rendering of the Second Avenue subway’s 86th Street station mezzanine. Courtesy of the MTA now set to open: a four-station, nearly 2-mile expansion of an existing subway line from Lexington Avenue and 63rd Street to 96th Street, with stops at 72nd and 86th streets in between. . It was supposed to be completed in 2013. “Quite frankly, it’s way overdue,” said Richard Barone, of the Regional Plan Association, a transportation research and advocacy group. “In the long run, does it matter if it’s a little late by weeks or months? No as long as it opens. But if the government says they’re going to do it at this time, people should have a reasonable expectation that they do.” Delays were due, at least in part, on
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the fact that construction is much different today than it was when most of the city’s subways were built. At the beginning of the 1900s, before certain worker safety protections were codified into law, New York subway construction was championed by the efficient so-called “cut and cover” method, where workers stopped traffic to dig up the streets, lay track and then covered up the holes again. During the Second Avenue subway construction, officials employed a 485ton, 450-foot-long machine that bored through 50 feet of bedrock daily. But the pace was slowed, in part, because of political concerns about noise from the work.
IWantToBeRecycled.org
About 5.6 million riders take New York City’s subways on weekdays, according to the MTA, the state entity that controls the transit system. Ridership on Manhattan’s only northsouth subway line on the east side has been surging, with overcrowded trains straining the system and causing delays that ripple throughout the city’s underground. Officials estimate about 200,000 daily commuters will take advantage of the new Second Avenue line, which is slated to expand north into Harlem. But officials haven’t yet set a date for when that phase of construction will begin.
DECEMBER 22-28,2016
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG NAVITIMER PRIMER
STATS FOR THE WEEK
One young gym-goer learned the hard way not to bring valuable property to the gym. At 6:55 p.m. on Dec. 5, a 29-year-old man went to the Equinox gym at 225 Liberty St. and left his watch in his locker before going to work out. When he returned to the locker at 8:15 p.m., his big-ticket timepiece was gone. The stolen watch was a blackand-silver Breitling Navitimer valued at $9,624.
Reported crimes from the 1st precinct Week to Date
NICE LEATHER WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE NABBING Leaving her jacket behind her is a habit one young bar hopper should probably put behind her. At 10 p.m. on Nov. 23, a 29-year-old woman placed her $5,000 jacket behind her in a lower Sixth Avenue bar. When she next turned around to look for her jacket, it was gone. It was a Saint Laurent leather jacket valued at $4,990.
Tony Webster, via ďŹ&#x201A;ickr
DANG GANG Apparently someone among a gang of construction workers stole tools from a gang box. At 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2, a construction worker locked his tools in a gang box inside a site on
the 47th ďŹ&#x201A;oor at 56 Leonard St. and left work. When he returned to work the following Monday, Dec. 5, his tools â&#x20AC;&#x201D; screw guns, a jigsaw, line lasers, and other items â&#x20AC;&#x201D; were missing from the box. He informed his construction manager, who lent him some company tools to use. At the end of the day the
worker put the borrowed tools into the gang box and locked it. Then when he came in to work at 7 a.m. the following morning, he discovered that the borrowed tools were also now missing from the gang box. All total, the missing tools are valued at $2,976.
Year to Date
2016 2015
% Change
2016
2015
% Change
Murder
0
0
0
0
1
-100.0
Rape
0
0
0
9
7
28.6
Robbery
3
2
50.0
58
72
-19.4
Felony Assault
2
1
100.0
74
84
-11.9
Burglary
0
1
-100.0
109
121
-9.9
Grand Larceny
21
24
-12.5
1,020
1,030 -1.0
Grand Larceny Auto
2
1
100.0
50
21
138.1
EX XTRACYCLE
NO FREE SAMPLES
A bicyclist probably regrets leaving her bike on the street overnight instead of taking it into her apartment. At 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 2, a 46-year-old woman secured her Xtracycle cargo bicycle with a lock in front of her apartment building at 100 Hudson Street. When she came out at 8 a.m. the following morning, her two-wheeler was missing. The bicycle is valued at $2,200.
Police busted two men who stole merchandise from a sample sale. At 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 9, two men â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one, age 49 and the other, 45 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; took clothing from the 260 sample sale inside 151 Wooster Street without permission or authority. Police later found Darren Roberts and Ricardo Reid to be in possession of stolen property and arrested them on a charge of grand larceny. The item stolen was a fur coat valued at $2,150.
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DECEMBER 22-28,2016
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
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The Hells Angels clubhouse at 77 East Third Street in 2011. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
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ANGELS-ONLY PARKING Shooting outside bikers’ East Third Street clubhouse follows argument over traffic cones BY TOM HAYS
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It’s conventional wisdom on a block in the East Village that the Hells Angels bikers at a notorious local headquarters there aren’t necessarily horrible neighbors — but just don’t do anything to disturb the bikes parked outside. A man from upstate New York learned that lesson the hard way last week when he tried to move one of the orange traffic cones the bikers used to hold curbside parking spots. The outsider ended up in the hospital with a gunshot wound, setting off the latest dust up between police and the motorcycle club. With the secretive group refusing to help investigators identify the shooter, patrol officers swept onto the mostly residential block last week and ticketed the tenement building it owns for petty offenses that had previously been ignored: installing an unauthorized bench, planters and a motorcycle ramp on the sidewalk out-
side the front door. All were removed the same day, with the New York Police Department saying it was merely responding to civilian complaints. And the cones? They were taken, too, tossed into the back of a police cruiser. “I don’t know how they got away with the parking thing in the first place,” Megan McNally, a 26-year-old paralegal from Brooklyn who once lived in the neighborhood, said a couple of days later as she walked by the club. “And then somebody has to get shot over it?” On this day, six motorcycles — three on each side — were parked in rows in front of the clubhouse, apparently legally. A “No Parking, Except for Authorized Hells Angels” sign remained posted on its red brick facade. Asked about the shooting, three merchants along the block mostly shrugged it off. They said that the Hells Angels kept to themselves and that their claim on one of New York’s rarest commodities — parking — had been quietly accepted for years. “It’s all about staying away from the bikes,” one said.
Still, all spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity for fear of running afoul of their neighbors at 77 East Third St. A reporter’s knocks on the door went unanswered at the apartment building the Hells Angels have occupied since 1969, an era when the East Village’s future as a high-rent district was unthinkable. Over the years, the tattooed, Harleyriding members gained a reputation for being the bullies of the block — hosting rowdy parties, harassing passers-by and clashing with authorities who tried to put it to a stop. In 1985, police raided the clubhouse, making 15 arrests on drug and other charges. The city used the case to try to seize the building in the early 1990s in a federal lawsuit, but a jury sided with the bikers. The Hells Angels countered with their own litigation, accusing police of illegally searching the headquarters in 1999 and again in 2000. The city agreed to settle the lawsuit by paying the club more than $800,000. Any mayhem that crops up these days is typically instigat-
ed by people who consider the clubhouse a tourist attraction instead of a private property, said attorney Ron Kuby, who’s represented the Hell Angels in multiple cases over the years. Some are “drunk or stupid or drunk and stupid and from out of town,” said Kuby, whose latest client is a biker accused of chasing someone down the block with a bat. In the shooting, police say 25-year-old David Martinez, of Spring Valley, was riding with some friends in a MercedesBenz at around 1 a.m. Dec. 11 when he got out to move a cone to get through some traffic. After a man believed to be with Hells Angels objected, a street fight broke out between Martinez and other men from the car and bikers, police said. Someone drew a gun and shot Martinez in the stomach, then vanished in what remains an unsolved case. Kuby said any lack of cooperation from the Hells Angels is consistent with their credo of not calling police for help — nor offering any to them. The Hells Angels, he said, “just want to be left alone.”
DECEMBER 22-28,2016
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
Seventh Avenue at Stonewall Place on June 13 during a commemoration of the lives lost in the mass shooting in Orlando. Photo: Isodro Camacho
REFLECT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ficers in their anti-terrorism vests surrounding the crowd. Most of the people there didn’t seem to notice the officers either, even though they had every reason to be concerned about another possible attack. According to data collected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, LGBT individuals are more likely to be the target of hate crimes than any other minority group. The Southern Poverty Law Center reported that between 2003 and 2015, there were 399 hate crime incidents affecting members of the LGBT community. Despite these statistics, during the week after the Orlando shooting, it wasn’t uncommon to see family members, friends, and couples out on the streets, embracing each other in solidarity. The longer I stayed, the more people I saw come and go on Christopher Street, fearlessly showing their support. This past fall during my time at Our Town, I had the opportunity to go back to these neigh-
borhoods and write about their stories. Most recently, I reported on a proposal to turn Chelsea and Meatpacking into an Arts District, and state Senator Hoylman’s vandalized apartment building. Perhaps the most interesting story I reported on, though, was the fight for LGBT veterans to get their state benefits. As I delved into this story and talked to advocates and veterans about how they’ve come together to fight for LGBT vets who have been dishonorably discharged based solely on their sexual orientation, I was reminded of the LGBT community that showed up at the Stonewall Inn to stand up for their rights after the Orlando shooting. The burden of being singled out based on sexual orientation for LGBT veterans brought people together who felt passionate about an issue they wanted to fight for. Although I had visited New York plenty of times with my family when I was younger, I had not spent much time with people in Chelsea and the West Village. But my reporting helped me get to know a spectacular community full of individuals who care about each other. Now, whenever I go back to these neighborhoods, I’m confident that this is what I’ll see.
“IF ONLY SOMEONE WOULD CLEAN UP THIS PARK.”
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
ANGEL RAMOS: SERVING UP ECLECTIC, VEGAN EATS ON THE UES You’re the head chef at Candle 79. What kind of food do you serve here? Everything is vegan and organic. We use wheat proteins, things like seitan and tofu to replace meat. Some of our seasonal dishes include a chickpea crepe, seitan picatta, and a grilled kale salad. We work a lot with local farmers, and learn about how the food grows and where it’s coming from. I go out myself to get fresh, local produce. We change the menu three or four times a year to keep seasonal produce. When did you get started cooking? I started at the café. We have
three restaurants: one on 75th and 3rd, one on the West Side, and this one on 79th and Lexington. So I started over there at the café as a runner, and I really liked cooking, so I started working on the line in the back. That was 19 years ago when I first got hired, and I’ve been with the company ever since. I was about 23 years old when I started. I really love what I do, and it’s reflected in the cuisine here. Are you vegan? I try different types of cuisines, but I eat mostly vegan—I’m here six days a week. Most of our customers, about 80% of them, aren’t vegan. They just like to try out different things.
What kind of food do you like to cook at home? I like to keep it light and simple: soups, salads, that sort of thing. When you’re cooking at work every day, it’s nice to go home and just relax. You’ve been with Candle 79 for so long. What has been the highlight of your career thus far? We’ve made three cook books, where we’re able to show people how to make traditional recipes vegan. A lot of the dishes in the second book and the holiday cooking one are my own recipes. Check out what Angel is serving up at The Art of Food by purchasing tickets at: artoffoodny.com
DECEMBER 22-28,2016
Berenice Abbott, “Seventh Avenue Looking North from 35th Street,” Dec. 5, 1935. Gelatin silver print. Museum of the City of New York, museum purchase with funds from the Mrs. Elon Hooker Acquisition Fund.
ZONING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 would also set specific pieces of information that the community would have to know.” For example, he said, that would include if hardships claimed by developers have been self-imposed and whether something they declare is unique about the site is found in other nearby locations.
Added accountability If passed, Int. 418-2014 would hold the BSA more accountable to communities when it makes decisions they disagree with. Sponsored by Koslowitz, this bill proposes that the BSA be required to submit a written explanation of any decisions that are made contrary to the local community board. The board already issues decisions, according to Kallos, though they are very brief. “They’re not writing judicial-style decisions that provide findings of fact or issues of law,” Kallos said. More detailed decisions would be easier for communities to appeal.
Directly addressing community concerns Int. 282-2014, sponsored by Van Bramer, would force the BSA to “establish rules for the consideration of arguments and evidence submitted by parties, and to refer to such arguments and evidence in final determinations.” Simply put, anything submitted by elected officials and community boards with
regard to a specific application would have to be addressed in the BSA’s written decisions. At the hearing, Singer said he was concerned that “because of the volume of comments received, we believe the result would be a resolution that is unwieldy and less straightforward and would require significant resources to exhaustively address.”
Mapping variances online Another bill by Kallos, Int. 1394-2016 proposes that the BSA create an interactive online map of all variants and special permits approved by the agency since Jan. 1, 1996. Allowing users to filter by multiple categories like borough, date and permit status, Kallos hopes the law will open up information to residents and communities affected by BSA decisions. The upper East 60s and lower East 70s in Kallos’s district particularly inspired this, as they have slowly been rezoned out of residential use almost exclusively for hospital use. “That would be reflected on the map, so people could actually say, ‘Wait, look, this entire area used to be one thing but BSA variances turned it into something else,” he said. Singer, however, told the committee at the hearing that such a map would be “expensive and challenging to maintain. Therefore, we do not support this bill but would be happy to sit down and discuss how we can best address these issues with the Council.” Madeleine Thompson can be reached at newsreporter@strausnews.com
DECEMBER 22-28,2016
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Voices Forget yoga, mindfulness, spinning, meditation, sweaty workouts and follow me. Take a comfy pillow or baby blanket, place it on the nearest window sill, lean on your elbows, and look out. (If you don’t have windows, forget this article — I can’t help you.) Look out at the sky, rain or snow, people walking, baby carriages or strollers being maneuvered, dog walkers with assorted charges, tired buses which should be retired. While you are in your relaxed position you may have noticed that your heartbeat has slowed and you are breathing on a regular basis. You may also become sleepy and decide to take a little nap. During my interlude staring out the window onto Second Avenue, I notice we have newly constructed little islands at intersections which the city has kindly installed. Is it to give us a rest while crossing the street? On closer look, I may have an answer. The little islands have space where I see black earth. I’m sure the city will plant either lilac bushes or trees, like what happened in that familiar book, “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.” So look out your window and see what happens when you feel stressed. If you get too relaxed and don’t do what is on your list, please don’t check Second Avenue windows looking for me.
IS THERE STRESS IN YOUR LIFE? BY MELITTA ANDERMAN
This is a question requiring no logical answer, especially this time of year. Look around you, wherever you may be: stress is your shadow, following you around as you attempt to entangle yourself from holiday input such as guests you haven’t heard from in ages but now remember you exist; buying gifts for grownups and kids who don’t need anything (you know I’m right); taking care of household and building staff; buying lavish wrapping paper and ribbons (I have it from a reliable source that Moscow has the most gorgeous paper). Need I continue? Yes, because I haven’t mentioned providing food. The choices really are the same from year to year, but oh that shopping, cooking, table-setting and cleanup. So you are probably wondering, where is this madwoman going with her stress? Not to worry.
Photo: Brad Clinesmith, via flickr
SPREADING LIGHT, AND CHEER BY BETTE DEWING
More than ever we talk about “bringing people together,” and we need to hear more, infinitely more, about one city Yuletide tradition which does just that, and so much more. It’s those balsam trees which magically light up Park Avenue every year from the first Sunday in December through Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. But many don’t know they are called The Park Avenue Memorial Trees and are there to honor all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in this nation’s wars. Imagine not knowing that! Or that this sacred tradition was begun in December of 1945 by Mrs. Stephen C. Clarke and several other Park Avenue Gold Star mothers who channeled their grief into planting and illuminating first just eight fir trees on the Park Avenue island, to honor their sons and all who gave their lives in World War II. And of course, in all this nation’s wars which so tragically continue. And the opening tree-lighting ceremony (Hawthorne bushes are there to honor Chanukkah,) has long been held in front of Brick Church, which celebrates its 250th birthday this year (A subject for another column). The Memorial Trees, however, are sponsored and arranged by the Park Avenue Fund citizens group, with
Brick Church planning the program of tributes and music that now attracts crowds, including families with children, with nearby blocks designated no-traffic zones for the occasion. The only problem is more elder and disabled people need help getting there and managing the crowded conditions (For yet another column). But about uniting people, Brick church’s minister, the Rev. Michael Lindvall, had this to say — and about the state of the city and world: “We gather together as a wonderful mix of God’s children — Christians of many denominations, Jews, Muslims, those who believe and those who struggle with belief, and those who cannot believe – know that all are welcome.” He spoke most, of course, about the meaning of the Memorial Trees, but also how “these lights celebrate the great city of New York, its neighborhoods, and our will to become a community in the anonymity and diversity of a huge city. Our gathering here defies all the forces of darkness which would divide us.” Not surprisingly, perhaps, I think of “community” lost, as local businesses (even supermarkets) that meet everyday needs and rent-regulated homes are driven out by luxury condo and business towers. And yes, healing and schools’ expansions also. So many
losses this past year and we must protest future losses of these community lifelines — big time! Shouldn’t faith groups get involved? I might add their own survival prospects might increase if they challenged these, dare I say, powers of darkness? But back to the Memorial Tree-lighting program. For me the most joyful and inclusive part is the carol-singing led by Brick’s music director, Keith Toth. Ah, singing together, rather than listening to professionals is one of so many drums I’ve been figuratively banging for a very long time. But, surely the most poignant part of the tree-lighting event is the playing of taps by trumpeter, Thomas Hoyt, to remind us of the Memorial Trees’ true meaning. Related are words from Reverend Lindvail’s concluding prayer: “Be with all this world’s leaders that at last we must beat all those spears into pruning hooks and swords into plowshares.” It’s up to us to remind them! Ah, but do experience Park Avenue after sundown this holiday/holy-day season. And may the able-bodied take along those who are not able to get there alone. Take them along wherever – also what the season is all about — all year. dewingbetter@aol.com
Photo: New York Social Diary
DECEMBER 22-28,2016
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News of Your Neighborhood
BIG HEARTS AND HARD TIMES Enriching encounters with the homeless in Chelsea BY MANUEL MARTIN
On the way to the local library to write about my experiences with the homeless in Chelsea, I receive an enthusiastic holiday greeting from an unfamiliar man walking by. “Heeyyy! Merry Christmas,” he shouts. I think he is the person I gave new sneakers to a few months ago. I answer his greeting with the same as we turn around smiling and waving at each other. He remembered me! The Coalition for the Homeless reports that “homelessness in NYC had reached the highest levels since the Great Depression of the 1930s.” On an August morning as I read the newspaper at a local shop, a tall man sat outdoors on the sidewalk with no shoes or socks and a ripped shirt. I inquired if he would like some breakfast. He asked for a croissant with egg and bacon and a black coffee with three sugars. As I gave this to him I asked if he would wait for me to return. I came back with a pair of shoes, socks, a shirt and a jacket. He hugged me so tightly I was nearly lifted from the ground, not an easy task as I am six feet five inches tall. With a tear in his eye he said, “I have some problems. Thank you, my brother.” Four months later I felt a familiar tight hug from behind. He remembered me with appreciation. In October 2016, there were 62,306 homeless people sleeping each night in a NYC municipal shelter.
For years an elderly lady “lived” across 25th street on a sidewalk in Chelsea. She was surrounded by her belongings covered by a tarp at the foot of a luxury condo building. A few days each week I handed her money, to which she always said, “Thank you very much.” When Thanksgiving Day came I reached over to give her some money. She said, “No, today it’s my turn. Happy Thanksgiving.” She gave me a gift-wrapped new black wallet. I said, “It’s my turn to say thank you very much.” I called and visited churches to see if there was help available. Soon after, she was gone. I was told she was taken away by ambulance with her belongings. I’m glad I was able to assist a bit and felt privileged to know her. I hope she’s ok. Over City Fiscal year 2016, more than 127,652 homeless men, women and children slept in NYC municipal shelters. The number of New Yorkers sleeping each night in shelters is 83 percent higher than it was ten years ago. Nearly each day there is a man standing in front of the bagel store I frequent with an empty coffee cup in his hand. He seems invisible to those who walk past him. When asked if he would like breakfast, he says he doesn’t want to take advantage. I tell him he’s not taking advantage, but he says no. I wish him well and he says, “I’ll buy you breakfast one day.” I answer, “We’ll have it together.” Research shows that the primary cause of homelessness, particularly among
families, is lack of affordable housing. Each night thousands of people sleep on streets, the subway system and other public places. One morning several months ago I was having coffee and reading the newspaper. A large man approached and asked if I knew where he could get some dry socks. He said he had walked miles in the rain and passed out asleep for a while. I gave him coffee and an egg on a bagel and some dry clothes to change into. As I did with others, I told him there was a nearby soup kitchen where he could get a warm meal and beverage. He was grateful for the food and clothes; we said goodbye. As I walked away he called out, “Hey man, I love you man!” About 58 percent of NYC homeless shelter residents are African-American, 31 percent are Latino, 7 percent white, 1 percent AsianAmerican and 3 percent of unknown race/ethnicity. These enriching encounters are but a few that this writer has experienced in the past few years. Each time I was rewarded by the appreciation that was shown. Each homeless person remembered me, in some cases months later. It was a pleasure to have known these good people with big hearts who have fallen on hard times. May each one find better times ahead and enrich the people they meet as they did with me. The information and statistics come from The Coalition for the Homeless. New York City Homelessness: The Basic Facts
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THE BEST HITS OF AMY WINEHOUSE CafĂŠ Wha?, 115 Macdougal St. 7:30 p.m.$15. Singer Jessica Carvo and her band performing some of the best songs of Amy Winehouse. 212-254-3706. cafewha. com
UNION SQUARE HOLIDAY MARKET Urbanspace, West 14th and Union Square. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Destination for unique gifts created by local craftsmen and artists; browse the winding aisles for an eclectic holiday
experience. 212-529-9262. Urbanspace.com
Fri 23 BACH AT NOON Grace Church, 233 Broadway. 12-1 p.m.Free. The keyboard works of Bach offered in 30-min. meditations by Patrick Allen, organist and master of choristers, and Mary Pan, organ scholar. 212-254-2000. gracechurchnyc.org
RED IN VIEW Whitney Museum, 99 Gansevoort St. 7-10 p.m.Pay-what-youwish. Artist mpa â&#x20AC;&#x153;raises questions of militarism and patriarchy, prompting one to examine our own, often subconscious, colonizing behaviors.â&#x20AC;?. 212-570-3600. whitney.org
WOOLWORTH TOURS Woolworth Building, 233 Broadway.
2-3 p.m.$30. 60-minute architectural tour of the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s magniďŹ cent vintage lobby with guide Nina Mende. 203-966-9663. woolworthtours.com
Sat 24 CANDLELIGHT MIDNIGHT MASS St. Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chapel, 209 Broadway. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.Free. Annual candlelight Christmas Eve Eucharist, with congregational carol singing, and special music by The Choir of Trinity Wall Street. 212-602-0800. trinitywallstreet.org
CHRISTMAS EVE CHORAL EUCHARIST AT TRINITY CHURCH Trinity Church, Broadway at Wall Street. 6-7 p.m.Free. This annual celebration of the Eucharist on Christmas Eve is designed for people who are looking for a traditional service.
DECEMBER 22-28,2016
212-602-0800. trinitywallstreet.org
CHRISTMAS EVE FAMILY EUCHARIST AT ST. PAULâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHAPEL St. Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chapel, Broadway and Fulton Street. 5-6 p.m.Free. A 45-minute service for families and children of all ages, featuring a Christmas pageant, brief childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sermon, hymns, and the Trinity Youth Chorus. 212-602-0800. trinitywallstreet.org
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE AND CAROLS German Lutheran Church of St. Paul, 315 West 22nd St. . 7-8 p.m.Free. Carols and hot chocolate on the steps of St Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. 212-929-1955. tgcchelsea. com
TREE LIGHTING AND HOLIDAY SONG Washington Square Park, 1 Fifth Ave. 5 p.m.Free. Celebrate the holiday with carols at the Arch; the Rob Susman Brass Quartet and revelers lustily sing familiar tunes. 212-252-3621. washingtonsquarenyc.com
Sun 25 BRYANT PARK HOLIDAY SHOPS Bryant Park, between 40th and 42nd Streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Food and artisanal boutiques offering ďŹ ne gifts: distinctive apparel, jewelry, decorative goods and local foods. 212-768-4242. bryantpark. org
CHRISTMAS DAY CHORAL EUCHARIST Trinity Church, 75 Broadway. 8 a.m. Free. Choral Eucharist in celebration with music by choir of Trinity Wall Street; congregational hymns and carols. 212-602-0800. trinitywallstreet.org
MOSHAV HANUKKAH PARTY Highline Ballroom, 431 West 61st St.
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
7 p.m. $15 Jewish music with a rock soundâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;elements of alternative rock, folk, funk, and reggae. 212-414-5994. moshavband.com
Ceramics, sculptures and paintings from three of Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major regional art institutions: Shanxi, Nanjing, and Nanjing Municipal museums. Thru Mar. 19th. 212-744-8181 chinainstitute.org
NEW YORK SUNDAY JAZZ BRUNCH CRUISES
â&#x20AC;&#x153;WORTH ITS WEIGHTâ&#x20AC;?
Pier 40, 353 West Street. 12-2:30 p.m.$74.95. Gather family and friends down at Pier 40 to enjoy brunch from a boat on the Hudson while listening to Jazz and enjoying the Manhattan skyline. 212-989-9536 www. hornblower.com/port/ overview/ny+jazz-cruise
Museum of American Finance, 48 Wall St. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.$5; $8. Unique and rare objects from public and private collections including the Smithsonian, Tiffanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and artists who transform everyday items into dazzling jeweled artworks. 212-908-4110. moaf.org
THIS WEEK AT THE RUBIN MUSEUM TAKE A PAUSE DURING THE BUSY HOLIDAY SEASON
Mon 26 Wed 28 OCCULUS HOLIDAY LIGHT SHOW WestďŹ eld World Trade Center, 185 Greenwich St. 3:30-11:30 p.m.Free. Artistic holiday light show projected onto the walls of iconic Santiago Calatravadesigned Oculus. 212-284-9982. westďŹ eld.com
WALKING TOUR LOWER EAST SIDE Museum at Eldridge Street, 12 Eldridge St. 1 p.m.$25 rsvp. Visit sites featured in The Jewish Ghetto in Postcards exhibition; hot cider, treats from The Pickle Guys and local vendors. 212-219-0302. eldridgestreet.org
Tue 27 CANDLELIGHT TOUR AND SOIREE Eldridge Museum, 12 Eldridge St. 7-9 p.m.$30. Celebrate the fourth night of Chanukah with tour of Synagogue; latkes and wine; light the menorah, and share holiday traditions. 212-219-0888. eldridgestreet.org
SIX DYNASTIES CHINA China Institute, 100 Washington St. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.$8.
COMEDY CLUB
Village Lantern, 167 Bleecker St. 10 p.m.No cover; 1-item min.; rsvp. Get a sneak peek at new material before it hits Comedy Central. 212-260-7993.
HOLIDAY LIGHT INSTALLATION Winter Garden, 230 Vesey St. 8 a.m.-10 p.m.Free. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Luminariesâ&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Touchsensitive â&#x20AC;&#x153;wishing stationsâ&#x20AC;? send a holiday wish as burst of color traveling through a canopy of lanterns above. 917-304-6213. brookďŹ eldplaceny.com
FEATURED EXHIBITIONS Sacred Spaces: Himalayan Wind Transport yourself to the high Himalayas through an immersive sound experience by Soundwalk Collective at the Rubin Museum. Hear WKH ZKLVWOH RI VWURQJ ZLQGV WKH Ă DSSLQJ RI SUD\HU Ă DJV DQG WKH FKDQWLQJ of blessings at some of the highest Buddhist monasteries in the world.
BEYOND WORDS: WHAT DO WE DO WITH GRIEF? SERIES
FREE K2 FRIDAY NIGHT
Pine Street School, 25 Pine St. 6:30-7:30 p.m.Free. For those dealing with loss or grief, Trinity Wall Street is offering a sanctuary for personal and spiritual support. 212-602-0800.
Enjoy free museum admission all evening, K2 Lounge happy hour from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., a special pan-Asian tapas menu, DJ, and featured programs.
LIVING WITH LOSS Trinity Church, Broadway at Wall Street. 6:30-8 p.m. Free/R.S.V.P. requested. Gatherings on loss and healing, facilitated by the Rev. Sarah Segal McCaslin of the Psychotherapy and Spirituality Institute, begin on Wednesday, October 19th and continue on Wednesdays through November 30th. 212-602-0653. trinitywallstreet.org
Monumental Lhasa: Fortress, Palace, Temple Closes January 9 Experience Tibetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most renowned architectural sites through historical and contemporary eyes with more WKDQ Ă&#x20AC;IW\ UDUH GUDZLQJV SDLQWLQJV and photographs that show how landmarks have shaped the identity of Lhasa for centuries.
Friday, December 23 6:00â&#x20AC;&#x201C;10:00 PM
Photograph by David De Armas
Sacred Spaces: Himalayan Wind is made possible through the generous support of Christopher J. Fussner, The Hoch 2009 Charitable Lead Trust, Rasika and Girish Reddy, and Audio-Technica. Additional support has been provided by Bob and Lois Baylis, Ashwini and Anita Gupta, Preethi Krishna and Ram Sundaram, William and Pamela Michaelcheck, Tulku Tsultrim Pelgyi, Manoj and Rita Singh, Venkat and Pratima Srinivasan, the Zakaria Family Foundation, and contributors to the 2015 and 2016 Exhibitions Funds. | Support for Monumental Lhasa is provided by the Ellen Bayard Weedon Foundation, Tulku Tsultrim Pelgyi, and by contributors to the 2016 Exhibitions Fund. Additional support is provided by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
THE RUBIN MUSEUM OF ART 150 WEST 17TH STREET NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10011 RUBINMUSEUM.ORG
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SAT/SUN
11:00 AMâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;5:00 PM CLOSED 11:00 AMâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;9:00 PM 11:00 AMâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;5:00 PM 11:00 AMâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;10:00 PM 11:00 AMâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;6:00 PM
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
DECEMBER 22-28,2016
JERUSALEM, THROUGH CURATORS’ EYES Treasures secular and sacred at The Met Fifth Avenue
votional works, sculptures, historical objects and architectural elements all reference and paint a picture of JeruBY MARY GREGORY salem close to a 1,000 years ago, when it was considered by many the spiri“Jerusalem 1000-1400: Every People tual, commercial and cultural center Under Heaven” on view through Jan. 8 of the world. How can we, in the technology drivat The Met Fifth Avenue is filled with treasures both secular and sacred, en 21st century, relate to these works along with explorations of history, from a distant past? In surprisingly ways, if evocations of mystery and an undeni- simple and straightforward straig we have the keys. able sense of awe. The The curators, Barbara Drake Boehm, exquisite exhibition Ba the Paul and Jill Ruddock Senior Cupresents 200 works R rator for The Met Cloisters, and Melagathered over the nie Holcomb, cur curator, Department of course of six years. Medieval Art and The Cloisters, who The manuscripts, deknow these works work on a deeply personal level, graci graciously provide their insights in into two remarkable works, hoping you’ll see in h them the same wonders t they do. do “I think thin the language that art a t works ar wo in is often things that we can completely still sti understand today — materials and color and emotion and stoan ries,” Holcomb said. ri “Something that was “So attempting to dazzle at back bac then, still dazzles today. And something tod that’s trying to take th you into a quiet and yo reflective place back re then can still do that the today. I w would love to say to don’t worry. ... You can people don see a mother mothe and child and not have to understand any of the und theological iimplications of that. Just look at the way that that mother interacts with that baby inter or the way that tha that finger kind of presses into the th plump skin of the baby. That’s something you can consom nect with now.” “I don’t think a anybody needs any training to fall in love with these objects,” agreed Boehm. An illustrated Bo page of the “Gospel Book of Queen “Gos Mariun” from 1346 depicts the “Jewish Wedding Ring,” gold, first half of Nativity as well as a much more evthe 14th century, Rhine River valley. On eryday experience. “It’s a beautiful loan from the Thüringisches Landesamt für book that belonged to an Armenian Denkmalpflege und Archäologie, Weimar queen, Queen Mariun, and we have
The Virgin and Apostle Capital. Early 1170s. Limestone. a. 24½× 28 ?× 13 ?in. (62 × 72 × 34 cm). b. 16? × 21 ¼× 18½in., 355 lb. (42 × 54 × 47 cm, 161 kg). Terra Sancta Museum, Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth. Image: © Marie-Armelle Beaulieu / Custodia Terræ Sanctæ it open to that page that shows the birth of Jesus. In one of those amazing medieval time travels, Queen Mariun, the owner of the book, the woman for whom the book was made, is present at the birth of Jesus. “In the same way that people go to a holy places to have that deeper experience, this image is like that kind of armchair travel. The page is an image of the birth of Jesus. She may not be in Bethlehem but she transports herself in her mind,” Boehm said. “In this particular bit of the subject the baby Jesus is about to have a bath and she, the queen, is pouring the water from a ewer into the little bathtub. The midwife is holding the baby, and she’s reaching out and touching the water. It’s quite clear she’s not entirely sure that that royal person has checked to make sure that the water isn’t too hot or too cold for the baby. It’s just a very human kind of moment. You don’t even have to know who that baby is. You just see that one woman is checking up on the other to make sure she got it right with the water. Anyone can understand that. If you
don’t know the stories,” she suggests, “you look for things like that.” Holcomb pointed out a group of Jewish Wedding Rings made in the first half of the 14th century in the Rhine River valley. “They are among the rarest of the rare. Precious things in gold and silver from this period ... some people estimate only 1 percent of it survives. Jewish art is also the rarest of the rare — a minority community — we have so very, very little.” “There are a half dozen of these that still survive, and we have three of them in the exhibition,” she added. “It truly does make them one of the stars of the exhibition.” “I thought they were so appealing because people got married then, and they get married now, and what was a beautiful and rare thing then, is similarly the case now,” she said. “Part of often what I find most dazzling is not necessarily lots of sparkles ... but that it’s this kind of miniature wonder. It’s as though you’re pulled into a little building that you just want to find a way to shrink yourself and get inside. It has that same marvelous quality
of anything teeny tiny. It seems like a wonder, a miracle. There are also wonderful and poignant ideas about the loss temple and the temple as the home, but the thing, in and of itself, is such a marvel. ... They represent little, tiny fluted columns, these little narrow apertures that make up the windows, the spires that kind of soar in their own little miniature worlds. They’re full of these details you can find on a grand cathedral, but they’re represented in such a way that you can hold it in the palm of your hand.” Though they were made near the Rhine, “We brought them to the show because,” Holcomb said, “we wanted to also get at the idea that the city was an inspiration for works of art even for those who might never get there, who have to imagine it from afar, who feel its emotional and spiritual tug even though it’s so far away.” To make them even more accessible to today’s audience, she added, “On one, there’s a little inscription on the roof that says ‘mazal tov.’ Talk about being able to jump between then and now. It’s right there. Isn’t that great?”
DECEMBER 22-28,2016
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Neighborhood association tracks restaurants, bicyclists’ adherence to regulations BY MADELEINE THOMPSON
Unsatisfied with the regulation of commercial cyclists, a group of Upper East Side residents took matters into their own hands. For a few evenings last month, members of the East 72nd Street Neighborhood Association stood in the lobbies of five Upper East Side buildings, monitoring the bike delivery persons that came and went. After evaluating the information they collected, they compiled a report card rating restaurants by their messengers’ adherence to laws and regulations. “Commercial cycling has been a real problem on the Upper East Side,” Valerie Mason, the association’s president, said. “There’s a real density of population. People do a lot of takeout, so these guys are very visible.” The neighborhood association’s survey took place on the evenings of Nov. 15-17, with the group noting whether delivery riders wore reflective vests, displayed identification or used electric bicycles. Delivery riders using electric bikes, which are illegal but nonetheless common, merited their restaurants an automatic F. In all, nearly half — 29 out of 64 restaurants — failed. Just four restaurants got A grades. Their delivery persons were wearing vests with proper identification and were using bikes without motors. Riders lacking vests and other safety features earned their affiliated restaurants B and C grades. Mason said the survey’s goal was to “come up with something that will make these cyclists obey the law.” The group also canvassed from 68th to 78th Streets between York and Third Avenues, noting restaurants that had electric bicycles stationed nearby. Mason said that residents in her Upper East Side neighborhood often complain that commercial cyclists are riding in the wrong direction and breaking other road rules. Because police can only dedicate so much time and manpower to ticketing lawbreakers, the neighborhood association decided to take on this project “to see if what we were seeing anecdotally we could really see analytically,” Mason said.
Photo: Jazz Guy, via flickr The city’s Department of Transportation declined to comment for this article. Cafe Evergreen received an F grade, but its owner, Frank Moy, denied that his First Avenue establishment employs delivery messengers who use electric bikes. “I have no idea what kind of a statement people make, but we’ve always been trying to comply with regulations,” Moy said, adding that his cyclists also have vests with proper identification. “We do the best we can.” Sophie’s Cuban, on East 68th Street, also received a failing grade, but its owner, Mike Mendoza, said he is careful to abide by the rules. “All my delivery guys have vests and have numbers,” Mendoza said. He acknowledged that two of his messengers have electric bikes, but said he has asked them both to remove the battery that powers the illegal motor. “I think one of them actually got pulled over by a cop and he came and told me what happened,” he said. “I didn’t get a chance to follow up with the precinct, but I said if that’s what the cop told you to, make sure that you do that. Both the folks with e-bikes don’t have the battery pack on the bike, so it’s essentially like a regular bike.” Mendoza and Moy said they have had their messengers attend workshops held by the Department of Transportation on proper commercial cyclist conduct. Council Member Ben Kallos, who represents the area, said some restaurants may count fines for e-bikes as part of the
cost of doing business. “I’ve made a very simple request going on two years now saying ‘I’d like [residents] to no longer accept deliveries from people who show up with e-bikes,” he said. “Ultimately I think that if a restaurant gets fined $100, that’s the cost of doing business but if they lose 100 customers in a night, that has an impact.” While his office did not assist in the data collection of data, Kallos said he fully supports the idea of the survey and would suggest it to other communities that feel they have a commercial cycling problem. “Hopefully other neighborhood associations in this district, as well as around the city, will see this as a model and start working so that instead of just complaining about e-bikes people are actually empowered to do something about it,” he said. Mason said her organization isn’t “against cyclists,” and was quick to say she didn’t want to resort to ending her patronage at the poorer scoring restaurants. Mason was recently hit by an electric bike in Queens, and wants everything possible to be done to increase her neighborhood’s safety. Ideally, Mason would like to see the Department of Health include adherence to commercial cycling rules in their letter grades for restaurants. “We’re hoping that the restaurant community will be responsive,” she said. “We want to keep the restaurants in business.” Madeleine Thompson can be reached at newsreporter@ strausnews
otdowntown.com ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND
thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY
Lies, Damn Lies, and Santa Claus
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22ND, 6PM Cornelia Street Cafe | 29 Cornelia St. | 212-989-9319 | corneliastreetcafe.com If we’re going to tell kids that Santa is real we’re going to incur some ethical imperatives. So argues Joseph Biehl, founder of the Gotham Philosophical Society, who will stump for expanding the spirit of the season (in opposition to that growing tide of Bah! Humbug!). ($10, includes 1 drink)
Letters to Andy Warhol
THROUGH MONDAY, DECEMBER 26TH Cadillac House | 330 Hudson St. | cadillac.com Rarely seen artwork and personal correspondence from The Andy Warhol Museum is joined by contributions from contemporary cultural icons at a special exhbition. (Free)
Just Announced | Nobel Prize-Winner Eric R. Kandel Discusses Art and the Brain
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19TH, 6:30PM The Cooper Union | 7 E. 7th St. | 212-353-4100 | cooper.edu Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Eric R. Kandel speaks on reductionism, applying his work with the neurobiological underpinnings of learning and memory to the world of art. (Free)
For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,
sign up for the weekly Thought Gallery newsletter at thoughtgallery.org.
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DECEMBER 22-28,2016
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS
Drexler’s
9 Avenue A
Grade Pending (34) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/ refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.
The Tang
120 1st Ave
A
Il Conte
310 W 14th St
Grade Pending (26) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
DEC 7 - 18, 2016 The following listings were collected from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s website and include the most recent inspection and grade reports listed. We have included every restaurant listed during this time within the zip codes of our neighborhoods. Some reports list numbers with their explanations; these are the number of violation points a restaurant has received. To see more information on restaurant grades, visit www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/services/restaurant-inspection.shtml. Vivi Bubble Tea
170 West 23 Street
A
Go Go Thai
144 West 19 Street
Grade Pending (18) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
Chuck And Blade Buns Bar
184 8th Ave
A
Casa Apicii
62 W 9th St
Grade Pending (30) Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
Luzzos Pizza
353 W 14th St
A
Merriweather
428 Hudson St
A
Amber
135 Christopher St
A
Murray’s Cheese Bar
264 Bleecker Street
A
Quality Eats
19 Greenwich Ave
A
Oramen
579 Avenue Of The Americas
A
La Ripaille Restaurant
605 Hudson Street
A A
37 7 Avenue
A
Crepe Sucre / The French Block
353 W 14th St
Subway Cafe Prague
2 West 19 Street
A
Hudson Cafe
628 Hudson St
Grade Pending (33) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
Google Chelsea Market
75 9 Avenue
A
Miss Lily’s
63 W 8th St
Grade Pending (27) Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
132 West Houston Street
A
Liquiteria
Fukurou
87 Macdougal Street
A
The Up & Up
116 Macdougal St
A
The Mercer Submercer
147 Mercer Street
A
Roasting Plant
81 Orchard Street
Grade Pending (7) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
Iguazu Grill Wine & Beer
26 Jefferson St
Grade Pending (5) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
Brazen Fox Kitchen And Bar
106 3rd Ave
A
Pinks
242 E 10th St
A
Tsurutontan Udon Noodle Brasserie
21 E 16th St
A
The Redhead
349 East 13 Street
A
Cheeky Sandwiches
35 Orchard Street
A
Brother Jimmy’s BBQ
116 East 16 Street
Grade Pending (18) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/ or non-food areas.
Les Ensants De Boheme
173 Henry St
A
Fahr Fresh And Hot Pizza
117 Orchard St
Grade Pending (24) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
Mizu
29 East 20 Street
A
Galeria
43 Clinton St
A
Durden
213 2nd Ave
A
Little Canal
26 Canal St
A
Cocoa
15 E 18th St
A
Heaven’s Hot Bagel
12 Saint Marks Pl
Grade Pending (19) Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
283 East Houston Street
A
Vspot Organic
Hester Street Cafe
235 Bowery
A
Alin Sushi II
55-59 Chrystie Street Grade Pending (19) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
Black Burger / Crave Espresso Bar / 5 Boroughs Pizza
386 Canal St
Grade Pending (24) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/ sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
Two Hands Tribeca
251 Church St
A
Hunan Bistro
96 3rd Ave
Grade Pending (2)
Pokevillage
250 E 14th St
A
Caffe Bene
208 Avenue A
Grade Pending (27) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
DECEMBER 22-28,2016
MARK STRAUSMAN: MAKING THE FOOD AT FREDS AS GOOD AS THE CLOTHES AT BARNEYS You were at the Art of Food last year. We were. We had a great time. It was really cool standing next to our art piece: Pablo Picasso’s Tête de Femme. It was a great evening of food and art. I used to be a partner in the restaurant in the Hamptons in the late ‘80s that had a lot of famous artists coming in. Artists really appreciate good food, and if you look at the history of art, especially the impressionists, they were hanging out in cafes and trading artwork for food. So there is this sympatico relationship between food and artists.
How did you get started? I have a degree in hotel management from New York City Tech in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. It’s something I always wanted to do--to be a chef. And back then, there were much less chefs, so it was an opportune time to come into the business. I started here in ‘96, I got
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Tell me about Freds at Barneys. It’s on the 9th floor of Barneys and we’ve been her for about 20 years. We try to make it the food mecca of the store: what Barney’s does in clothes, we do in food. We bring in the best ingredients, we do a lot of local, farm-to-table here. I mean, you can see it--the place is packed on a Friday at 3:30 in the afternoon.
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
BE THE SOMEONE Mark Strausman at the 2015 Art of Food event
picked to do this by the original family members. It seemed like a great fit. I’ve always been a fan of Barneys, I love their clothes, and the whole Barneys style and how they host things. What are some of your signature dishes? We were the first ones to do Belgium pomme-frites back in ‘96, I brought that to the menu. We were also one of the first ones to bring spaghetti and meatballs to our menu
back in the early 90’s. Our spaghetti and meatballs We are also famous for our chopped salads: The Madison Avenue Salad, Freds Chopped Salad.
WHO HELPS A KID BE THE FIRST IN HER FAMILY TO GO TO COLLEGE.
What’s your favorite thing to cook outside of Freds? Outside of work, my favorite thing is to be cooked for. See what Freds is serving up at The Art of Food this year by purchasing tickets at: www. artoffoodny.com
newyorkcares.org
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
DECEMBER 22-28,2016
DECEMBER 22-28,2016
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
Property ASK A BROKER I just lost out on an apartment to an all-cash buyer. Are there any strategies I should be aware of when I make my next offer? Great question! This one is paramount, especially in today’s robust under-$1 million segment of the market. “Making an offer is one thing, landing the apartment is another,” and that’s where having a good broker makes all the difference. First, all buyers that will be obtaining financing need to: • Obtain a mortgage preapproval letter (not a prequalification letter) from their lender • Make sure their finances are in order (pay off/reduce credit card loans) • Have a completed and up-
Photo: Spencer Means, via flickr
to-date financial statement handy • Make copies of your last two years of tax returns to have on hand If you currently own property that you’ll need the proceeds from to make your next purchase, this property needs to be in contract before you seriously start looking. When offers start coming in, no seller is going to be willing to wait and/or gamble with a buyer in this situation, would you? Once you have all your ducks in a row, the excitement begins! You need to take a deep breath and be prepared to either make an over asking price offer (I always recommend an odd number, such as $827,000, which will beat any offers of $825,000) and/or waive your mortgage contingency ... yikes! (In essence you’re striking the clause in the contract of sale
that releases the buyer from the deal if they’re unable to secure a mortgage). This step will trump another buyer obtaining financing that is unwilling to take the risk. Keep in mind that once you “lock-in this position”, you’ll have a good 7-10 days — during the time your attorney does their due diligence — to obtain absolute certainty from your lender that securing your mortgage is air tight. If not, you don’t sign the contract and they move on to the next buyer ... nothing lost. I’ve worked with several buyers, who were not in a position to lose their 10% deposit, who wound up putting themselves in the lead position and ended up with the property by implementing this strategy. Fast forward…years later when they’re ready to sell, they’ll tell you it was the best gamble they ever took!
WHERE THE HEART IS BY FREDERICK PETERS
What can a home do for us? Home can be the place where we begin our relationship with the world: increasing numbers of couples are bringing their babies home the day they are born, choosing in so doing to bring serenity and comfort into their post-partum experiences. Home can literally help us live longer: there is increasing evidence that gravely ill patients who return from hospitals to hospice care at home often live weeks or months longer than their prognosis would suggest. Home can enhance our mood, as anyone who returns there at the end of a difficult day can attest. And home is a shelter from the storm, the cradle to which we entrust our most authentic selves in the knowledge that we are safe to be who we truly are once we walk through that door. One of our Warburg agents, confronted recently with the loss of a beloved parent, confided to me that her father’s return home a few days before he died made a huge difference in that experience, changing it from an institutional into a spiritual departure. She suggested to me that the enormous resonance surrounding the concept of “home” deserves more
attention and should be the topic of another blog, and acknowledged that she herself felt a new appreciation for how important connection to place is during her recent experience. For this agent, it created an inspiring moment of rededication to her work and her industry. While I have written extensively on this topic in the past, I was inspired to revisit it in terms of its importance to many of life’s significant moments and transitions. For myself, I am never home more than a few minutes before I have changed out of my work clothes and into a T-shirt, flip flops, and sweatpants (preferably brightly colored); it signals the shedding out my “outside” persona to relax, cook things, chat with my family, listen to contemporary classical music on YouTube, and watch (bad) TV. Each evening is a little vacation between my long days at the office, a time when I can sit in my spot (does everyone have a particular perch to which they gravitate in their own home?) and review the day with my wife, open my mail, look at my art, or browse through a book I have picked up from the always overflowing bookshelves which seem to have crept into every nook and cranny of the place.
Photo: Eric Gross, via flickr Whatever your relaxation rituals may be, chances are they rely on feeling anchored in a sense of place. The job the best residential agents do, business details aside for the moment, requires a sort of channeling, enabling us to intuit what will work for a particular buyer. We need to hear the real story, often not fully understood or
acknowledged even by the buyer who is trying to impart it, as to where he or she will truly feel at home. Then we get to work sorting the different priorities, both articulated and not, into a coherent picture of where this person, or this family, will feel most at home. Where they can experience life’s joys and sorrows, which then somehow im-
bue the spaces with resonance which lingers like a patina in the memories of everyone who has lived there, no matter where they may go next. Frederick Peters is chief executive officer of Warburg Realty Partnership.
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
DECEMBER 22-28,2016
UP WITH — AND FOR — THE BIRDS NYC Audubon holds the 117th annual Christmas Bird Count BY GAIL EISENBERG
The weather outside looked frightful, but that didn’t stop the nearly 100 birders and nature enthusiasts who got up with — and for — the birds on Sunday morning to participate in the 117th annual Christmas Bird Count, the longest running wildlife census on the planet. “The count happens rain or shine or snow,” said Debra Kriensky, Conservation Biologist, NYC Audubon, who coordinated the Central Park event on Sunday, Dec. 18. “Rain is not ideal for birding, but our job is just to count whatever is there!” The longstanding winter tradition to count birds during the holidays rather than to hunt them was ornithologist Frank M. Chapman’s idea. Rachel Goldberg, Gerald Slevin and their daughter, Sparrow, who, at just fourteen months old, was on her second Count, drove in from Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, to help with the national conservation effort. Arriving at a name for their newborn came naturally for the bird lovers. Gerald, a musician, “would sing Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Sparrow’ to me
while I was pregnant,” said Goldberg. “At some point, we both thought ‘of course, that’s the baby’s name.’” The three were reunited with friends from previous Counts: Abby Goldstein and her daughter, Sadie, 12, who traveled uptown from Tribeca. Sadie, wearing owl socks for the occasion, got the birding bug after studying them in second-grade at P.S. 234—a class her older brother, who had to miss this year’s Count because of a hockey game commitment, had also taken. Expert and novice birders who assembled at the South Pump Station of the Reservoir chose one of seven sectors covering the park’s terrain, and each group designated someone to compile the numbers. For the Ramble, that was Goldstein. “You can’t spot and keep count at the same time, and they’re all better at birding than I am,” she said. Through the light drizzle and lifting fog, with Goldberg holding the wide-eyed baby Sparrow on what she knows will be a “fun treasure hunt,” the Ramble crew showed off their knowledge — exactly what the day called for. “Three titmice!” “One chickadee!” “One female hairy woodpecker!”
“Two northern cardinals!” “Got it, got it.” Abby assured the gang that their sightings were noted. “OMG, it’s a Fox Sparrow! It’s really cool. Wait, there are two!” Slevin yelled, and then directed Sadie to where he’d spotted them. This time of year is the only time you’ll see them, so you want to see them, explained Sgt. Jessica Correa, the group’s Urban Park Ranger escort. Four-plus hours, one perched juvenile hawk, and many tufted titmice and house sparrows later, the Ramble sector met up with the others at the Central Park Arsenal — one of two buildings that predate the park itself — for hot soup and even hotter data. Among comparisons to last year’s Count, there appeared to be nearly double the number of northern cardinals, about fifty additional blue jays, significantly more titmice, and way fewer house finches. “Changes from year to year are pretty common, so increases and decreases should be taken with a grain of salt,” said Kriensky. “What is more important are trends over the long term, which National Audubon is analyzing across the range of the Christmas Bird Count, and we keep track of for our Central Park Count.”
Participants during the 117th annual Christmas Bird Count on Dec. 18. Photo: Gail Eisenberg And then, perhaps the crème de la crème of bragging rights — rare sightings not on the list. Those unexpected visitors, as Kriensky called them, that people love to hear about and like to find even more. Mentions of the Killdeer, Iceland Gull, and American Wigeon elicited oohs and aahs that could rival those at a bridal shower.
IT’S NOT IN THE BADLANDS ANYMORE Among the Dakota’s denizens: Lauren Bacall, Leonard Bernstein, Roberta Flack, Judy Garland, Rudolf Nureyev and, of course, John and Yoko BY RAANAN GEBERER
Many people know the Dakota luxury co-op at Central Park West and 72nd Street mainly as the place where John Lennon lived with Yoko Ono for most of his last decade, and in front of which he was shot and killed in 1980. Others know it as the place where exterior shots of “Rosemary’s Baby” were filmed. The Dakota, however, has a fascinating history, has been home to many other celebrities, and — according to some — is haunted. When the Dakota was built in 188084, apartment houses that were not for the very poor were a relatively new concept in New York. The first middle-class apartment house, the Stuyvesant at 132 West 18th St., dated only to 1869. During the 1870s, the Upper West Side began to develop, but
the area’s hilly topography discouraged builders. Much of the area was dominated by wooden cottages and shacks, and these took a long time to disappear. An illustration of the Dakota from “Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper” published in 1889 shows several wood-frame cottages a stone’s throw from the grand apartment house, complete with goats and geese foraging nearby. The Dakota was built by prominent lawyer and businessman Edward Clark, a founding partner of the Singer Sewing Machine Co. He began building apartment houses several years beforehand, including the Wyoming, at Seventh Avenue and 55th Street. To design the Dakota, Clark commissioned Henry Hardenburgh, who later designed the Hotel Martinique, the Waldorf-Astoria and the Plaza Hotel. Andrew Alpern, author of “The Dakota: A History of the World’s Best Known Apartment Building,” says that the oft-repeated story that the Dakota was so named because it was in such a remote location that it “might as well be in Dakota” is prob-
The Dakota in 1890, six years after its completion. ably apocryphal. He points out that the story never appeared in print until 1933. The Dakota was indeed luxurious for its time. The building has central heating, and was built with elevators when these were still a new technology. It originally had its own power plant, at a time when gas lights were the norm. Since the Dakota was built around a central courtyard, apartments receive light and air from two directions. And when it was built, it had croquet lawns and a tennis court behind the building as well as a playroom and gymnasium under the roof. It also featured a large main dining hall, from residents could order meals and have them delivered via dumbwaiters.
According to Stephen Birmingham’s “Life at the Dakota: New York’s Most Unusual Residence,” early residents were mainly successful “solid-citizen” types: merchants, brokers, lawyers, corporate executives. Even then, however, people with a connection to the arts lived in the building, including the Steinways of piano fame; and music publisher Gustav Schirmer, whose dinner guests included Herman Melville and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. As years went by, the Dakota was basically thought of as a well-built, prestigious, high-end apartment house, but not that different than many other older luxury buildings on the Upper West Side. An article in the New Yorker from 1932, for instance, called
Our election process should be so organized. Go to http://www.nycaudubon.org/ christmas-bird-count for more information about NYC Audubon and the Christmas Bird Count. The Christmas Bird Count continues through January 5, 2017.
it “a solid, commodious, respectable building.” Its reputation as a residence for celebrities may have started when it became a co-op in the early 1960s. Besides Lennon and Ono, other celebrities who have lived in the Dakota included Lauren Bacall, Leonard Bernstein, Rosemary Clooney, Roberta Flack, Judy Garland, Rudolf Nureyev and Gilda Radner. However, not every celebrity can get in. It’s been reported that Billy Joel, Carly Simon, Cher and Madonna are among those who could not secure an apartment there. The Dakota is also famous for its ghosts. In an online compendium, “Ghosts of the Dakota,” Jessica Jewett mentions several. One, a little girl with long blonde hair and period dress who is bouncing a ball, has reportedly been seen by several residents. Another is a boy dressed in the style of the early 20th century wearing a Buster Brown haircut. Yet another ghost in the basement, whose appearance matches that of Dakota builder Edward Clark, has supposedly wreaked havoc, moving garbage bags around and throwing a heavy metal bar. But the most famous sightings are those of people who claim they’ve seen the ghost of John Lennon himself. Several residents claimed they saw him, starting in 1983. According to some reports, Yoko Ono herself saw him sitting at his white piano and reassuring her that things would be OK.
DECEMBER 22-28,2016
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Nothing beats newspapers as the most reliable source of local news in print and online Recent studies show:
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Newspapers led online consumption for local news” Coda Ventures Survey August 18, 2016
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Local media users named newspapers as their “most relied on” source for deals across a range of goods and services.” Coda Ventures Survey August 18, 2016
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Local newspapers are still the top source of news about readers’ communities, including their branded Web sites and social media channels.” Publisher’s Daily - August 30, 2016
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Residents are eager for news about their own communities, which, increasingly, only local news organizations can provide” Editor & Publisher - June 1, 2016
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USING THE CITY AS A CLASSROOM Science teacher Diana Lennon was recognized for her engaging teaching style BY ANGELA BARBUTI
This year, Diana Lennon was honored with a Sloan Award for Excellence in Teaching Science and Mathematics, given to seven New York City public high school teachers who foster a love of learning with creative lessons. Lennon teaches ninth grade biology and 12th grade environmental science at Columbia Secondary School, on 123rd Street in Harlem. The college preparatory school, which specializes in math, science and engineering, partners with Columbia University, and serves sixth through 12th grade students.
To keep students engaged, the Long Island-native uses a blended learning approach, which includes using New York City as her classroom. Trips to Morningside Park and the Bronx Zoo enhance ecology lessons, which Lennon finds extremely rewarding. “It’s kind of enlightening because you don’t realize that city kids don’t really have that experience with nature,” she explained. “Getting them to see that, even within the city, there is a natural landscape and a natural world that they can be part of and they can actually see, is really important to me.”
How did you get into teaching and why did you choose science as your subject? I’ve always been interested in science ever since I was a kid. I thought about being a vet. I always pursued science; I got a degree in biology. I decided to go into teaching after thinking about
what it was I wanted to do and feeling like I wanted to do something that was somewhat giving back to society. And I had said before that I owe it to my mom, because she’s the one who suggested that I go into teaching.
Tell us about CSS. What is the atmosphere like and how did you get your start there? I have been teaching there for six years. I was teaching on Long Island and basically got excessed during that economic downturn. I ended up looking for a job there and I really liked the atmosphere and what they were promoting. And it was a new school, so at the time when I got there, it was actually only about to have a tenth grade level. It started with sixth grade and added a grade level each year. When I started, it added tenth grade. So I thought it was really great to be getting in at a new school at the ground level and being able to actually influence policy, organization and how things are done.
As a science teacher, explain how you use the city in your lessons. It’s just great to have a park like Morningside across the way. Being from Long Island, I spent all my summers at the beach and went to school for biology out east in South Hampton. One of my favorite courses was field biology, where we would go out into the forest and our professor would identify trees and tell us their scientific name. And I loved it. So with my students, I take them out to Morningside Park and I do a little bit of that. We do ecology lessons out there, so we’ll talk about food chains and food webs and energy levels. And on the way, we’re always identifying the trees and animals.
You are known for your blended learning approach. What is meant by that?
Diana Lennon’s college environmental science class at the High Line. Courtesy Diana Lennon
In my mind, it just means you’re doing lots of different modes of instruction to reach as many kids as possible. We’ll do computer stuff. Right now, my environmental students are doing research into a particular country. Students are using Gapminder to create graphs with different variables about populations for various countries. And then we do project-based learning. In my ninth grade class, they have to do projects for every unit.
Diana Lennon, 2016 winner of a Sloan Award for Excellence in Teaching Science and Mathematics. Photo: Sarah Shatz So in the ecology unit, they had to design a zoo habitat. The twist is that it’s supposed to be real, like the animals really are supposed to eat each other, so you get through all the concepts of ecology. Right now, we’re doing body systems and they have to create a mini “House M.D.” episode. I give them a mystery illness and symptoms as we go. And they have to use the platform of “House” episodes. I got it from a colleague and it’s just worked. And going outside, of course. Like for the students who do the zoo projects, we go to the Bronx Zoo, so that they get to experience and see what the exhibits actually look like. And then hands-on labs, where we follow through with writing a lab report.
What are some of the challenges that you face in your job? The challenge is that the school is collocated right now with three other schools, so every single room is used. So the challenge is if you want to offer extra help, there’s no room that’s not being used, so it’s very difficult to do that. Class size is always an issue for teachers. And I’ve taught as packed a class as 34 kids. Like on Long Island, this was never the class size. There’s 34 kids in a class, and that’s even in a science lab. And that’s what New York City allows, but I wouldn’t say that it’s really sustainable. That’s 68 hands and I only have two eyes and two hands. To me, that’s probably one of the biggest challenges and obviously, the resources. And yet, we get by and do really great work, but that’s not to say it should be okay because of the
amazing work we do. The question is, “What could our children be doing if we had the equipment and the right class size?” Imagine what else. What could be the possibilities if we didn’t have these constraints?
What are the best parts of teaching? The best parts are the students, always. They just do amazing things and come through for you. Like when they do projects, you’ll be pleasantly surprised sometimes and be like, “Wow, I’ve never thought of that.” And even in the speech I gave at the award ceremony, one of the things I said was that I learn from them when they’re allowed to choose their topics. Like one group decided to do the Zika virus last year and we learned a lot from them. The other great thing is because I teach high school, the kids will come back from college or they’ll email and say that something that we did in class was so helpful for them. I have another student, the young woman who spoke for me at the Sloan Awards, who wrote me a letter and said, “I wouldn’t be going into my major without the things that you did in your class and how you inspired me with your trips and talks about your travels around the world.”
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