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COMMUNITY NEWS BELOW 14TH STREET
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ALSO INSIDE
INTERNET WEEK IN SOHO P.14
HEPATITIS SCARE AT VILLAGE BISTRO P.6
NEW COMMUNITY BOARD MEMBERS P.6
SAVING SEWARD PARK LIBRARY P.8
AUTHOR BRINGS EPIC FRENCH JOURNEY TO NYC P. 20
• APRIL 11, 2013
PAGE 16
The city may ban polystyrene - more commonly known by its trademark name Styrofoam - which would affect local restaurants By Joanna Fantozzi With additional reporting by Jessica Mastronardi
N
ew Yorkers may soon have to wave goodbye to plastic foam coffee cups and take-out boxes. Last month, during his final State of the City address, Mayor Bloomberg announced that he wanted to ban the non-biodegradable plastic foam substance known as polystyrene, a move that would follow the likes of west coast cities like Seattle, San Francisco and Portland. Environmental groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) applaud the mayor’s effort, saying that banning these substances could have a real impact on everyday urban living. “Bloomberg has a sensible proposal to keep our streets clean and dispose of our household waste as well as phasing out a petroleum based product that has a short, useful life but stays around for many decades,” said Eric Goldstein, the environment director for the NRDC. But it’s not easy being green, especially for businesses in New York concerned that alternatives to polystyrene could be expensive and really cut into small business’ pockets, as well as cost jobs of polystyrene manufacturers. Even big businesses like Dunkin Donuts could be hurt by the ban. The corporation released a statement of disapproval of the proposed ban: “A polystyrene ban will not eliminate waste or increase recycling, it will simply replace one type of trash with another.” “This is yet another mandate that government is imposing on a business when they’re already struggling to survive,” said Mike Durant, the New York director of the National Federation of Independent Business. “This will threaten jobs like any other mandate you see that comes from government.” In fact, a study released by the American Chemistry Council found that the proposed ban would actually cost the city $100 million annually. A Styrofoam cup, according to the New York Restaurant Association, costs seven cents, cardboard cups cost 15 cents, and a plastic cup could cost 45 cents per container. This may sound like only a matter of pennies, but according to the study, New York City restaurants could see a $57 million increase in costs. In addition, as many as 1,200 polystyrene Continued on page 7
NEIGHBORHOOD CHATTER Woman Killed by 1 Train at Canal Street The Daily News reported that a woman was killed Sunday after being struck by a 1 train near the Canal Street subway station. Officials said that the victim, a woman believed to be in her 30s, was found at about 1:15 p.m. She may have been struck hours earlier, and police sources told the News that she was wearing leather pants and heels and may have been out at a local club before the incident.
Chinatown Meat Cleaver Attacker Indicted District Attorney Vance has just announced the indictment of 28-yearold Ming Guang Huang for brutally assaulting his 23-year-old wife with a meat cleaver. Huang is being charged with attempted murder in the second degree, kidnapping in the second Degree, and assault in the first degree. “Domestic violence doesn’t just take place inside the home – it sometimes spills out onto city streets,” said D. A. Vance. “I thank the members of the FDNY responsible for stopping the
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defendant; their courageous act may have saved the victim’s life” He also encouraged victims of domestic violence to contact their Office’s hotline for assistance. According to the filed complaint, Huang was arguing with his wife at approximately 10:30 a.m. on February 24, 2013 on Canal Street in Chinatown where he proceeded to stab his wife with a meat cleaver repeatedly until two NYC firefighters intervened and restrained him. The wife was left bleeding with severe gash wounds, including two that penetrated both her skull and brain, and required serious surgical treatment. A.D.A. Steven Nuzzi will be the prosecutor for the case with the assistance of A.D.A. Tandy Gray.
Correction Last week, in our story “The Plot Thickens: Seaport Update,” we incorrectly reported that the South Street Seaport Museum is $22 million in debt. That figure actually refers to the total costs to repair the damage to the museum suffered from Hurricane Sandy and to upgrade its systems to prevent damage in future floods, which is estimated at $22 million.
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Community Board 2 Meetings State Liquor Authority #II meeting, Apr 11, 6:30 p.m., St. Anthony of Padua, 151-155 Sullivan Street, Lower Hall. Executive meeting, Apr 15, 6:30 p.m., CB#2 Board Office Conference Room, 3 Washington Square Village, ground floor. Landmarks & Public Aesthetics 2nd meeting, Apr 15, 6:30 p.m., NYU Meyer Building, 4 Washington Place, Room 102 (I.D. Required). 9th Precinct Community Council meeting, Apr 16, 7 Downtown Little League players celebrated the opening of the p.m., 9th Precinct Station Battery Park City ballfields, which were repaired after major House, 321 East 5th Street, damage from Hurricane Sandy. Speaker Silver threw out the first 2nd floor. pitch. Community Board 3 Meetings Community Calendar Parks, Recreation, Cultural Affairs, Landmarks Community Board 1 Meetings & Waterfront Committee meeting, Apr 11, 6:30 Landmarks Committee meeting, Apr 11, p.m., BRC Senior Services Center, 30 Delancey 6 p.m., Community Board 1 Office, 49-51 Street. Chambers Street, Room 709. Ethics, Bylaws and Procedures Task Force Seaport/Civic Center Committee meeting, Apr meeting, Apr 15, 7 p.m., Community Board 3 16, 6 p.m., Community Board 1 Office, 49-51 Office 59 East 4th Street. Chambers Street, Room 709. Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Executive Committee meeting, Apr 17, 6 p.m., Committee meeting, Apr 17, 6:30 p.m., Seward Community Board 1 Office, 49-51 Chambers Park Extension, 56 Essex Street. Street, Room 709.
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CRIME WATCH EXPENSIVE GRAB BAGS Apparently, this group wasn’t going to settle for some third-rate vinyl bags. On Saturday, March 30, a 33-year-old clerk told police that four unknown young men walked into a trendy clothing accessory store on Greene Street around 3 p.m. The clerk said that three of the men immediately caused a distraction in the store as the fourth man grabbed three Louis Vuitton Keepall duffel bags from a shelf. Something of a melee ensued as three men attempted to block the store’s security agents from getting to the man who had the unpaid merchandise. Security then locked the front door to prevent the men from leaving and that is when, according to police, two other black men, outside the store, broke the front door lock and allowed the four men inside to make their escape. According to police, all six men fled northbound on Greene Street. Police searched the area but didn’t find the men. Police said video of the incident was available and being viewed. The bags taken were valued at $6,210. Police are looking for all six men, described as ranging in age from 20 to 35, wearing blue jeans and multi-colored jackets and sneakers.
By Alan Krawitz
Fitness Club Coat Heist A 32-year-old man from Queens reported to police that he was working out at a Wall Street fitness club on Tuesday, April 2 when someone swiped his coat and other valuables from a coat rack. The man said he hung his coat up and then proceeded with his workout. But, when he returned, his coat was gone. The total value of the man’s stolen property was $1,700 and included his coat, a black wallet, a Tiffany’s key chain as well as credit cards and various forms of identification.
Fulton Street Flower Shop Hit Two men who walked into a Fulton Street flower shop on Tuesday, April 2 were looking for more than just floral arrangements. The clerk, a 57-year-old man, told police two men came into the shop at 5 a.m. and told him to go sit in the corner. He said the men then tied him up with tape as they took $538 from the cash register. They also managed to disable the store’s surveillance system before fleeing the store in an unknown direction. Police reported they discovered a surveillance tape left at the scene although there were no fingerprints.
Jersey City or Bust On Wednesday, April 3, a 28-year-old yellow cab driver told police he discharged a passenger at Exchange Place and Broadway around 5 p.m. But the passenger, a black
THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2013
woman about 5’8” and 150 pounds, wanted to continue the trip and asked the driver to “take me to Jersey City.” The driver had other plans and told the woman no. At that point, the driver told police the woman got back in the cab and now demanded she be taken to Jersey City. The driver said he again refused and leaned over the woman, opened her door and told her to get out of his cab. The woman finally got out and was last seen on Broadway. But, the driver reported that after the woman left, he discovered his wallet missing. The wallet had about $6 in cash along with credit cards and the driver’s identification. Police are looking for the woman who was last seen wearing black jeans, a black jacket and a cap.
Fake Weapon, Real Merchandise A clerk at a Wooster Street clothing store told police that two black men were in the store on Tuesday, April 2 and pretended to shop when one of the men distracted another sales clerk while the other man proceeded to take seven handbags from a display shelf. The clerk also said that as the men were leaving the store with the unpaid merchandise, one man displayed a dark object, which looked like a weapon. The suspects fled on foot southbound on Wooster Street, possibly using a dark, fourdoor sedan for their escape. The bags the men took, all Alexander Wang Rocco bags, were valued at $5,965. Police said there was no video surveillance. Police are looking for the two men, described as wearing blue jeans, multi-colored jackets and sneakers.
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NEWS
West Village Bistro Serves Up a Health Scare Alta, a high-end restaurant in the West Village, briefly closed down after a pastry chef was found to have hepatitis A By Alissa Fleck
H
ow do “dark chocolate liquid truffles� sound? They may sound a little less appetizing when they come with the risk of contracting hepatitis A. The chocolate truffles are just one of 11 items on the dessert menu at Alta bistro in the West Village, 64 W. 10th St,, a tapas
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restaurant now infamous for a recent health scare among patrons. A pastry chef reportedly discovered this week she had become infected with hepatitis A while vacationing in Mexico and may have infected diners who enjoyed dessert at the bistro between March 23 and April 2. Approximately 15 percent of patrons--or 450 people--consumed dessert in that time range, say restaurant owners. According to the New York Department of Health, hepatitis A is spread by fecal-to-oral contact. There is no treatment for the disease, which attacks the liver, but most who contract it recover without complication. Patrons who ate dessert at Alta during the timeframe are encouraged to get vaccinated against the disease or call 311 if they believe they are experiencing symptoms, which include jaundice, fatigue, nausea and diarrhea. The DOH has been
offering free vaccines at the Chelsea Health Center through Monday and attempting to reach out to all diners who may have been exposed. The earlier the vaccine is received, the more effective it is in preventing illness. While the restaurant is back open and serving up its decadent desserts, and the infected employee is no longer on the premises, some patrons may be
New Community Board Members Announced Downtown community boards welcomed new appointees last week
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- Marco Pasanella, owner of the Sandysurviving South Street Seaport wine shop Pasanella & Son, who has been active in various efforts to help rebuild the Seaport area. The former Parsons professor and Yale graduate has written a column for the New York Times and been featured in Vanity Fair, Vogue, and Food and Wine. - He is joined by fellow Yale alumni and Tribeca resident Elizabeth Lewinsohn, who is a member of the Jewish Community Project, Friends of Hudson River Park, and the Hudson River Park Mamas. Lewinsohn has a background in policy analysis and homeland security. - New member and longtime Battery Park City resident Kathleen Gupta, former Chief Development Officer of the Lower Manhattan nonprofit Henry Street
anhattan Borough President Scott Stringer appointed new additions to Community Boards 1, 2, and 3 on Monday, April
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understandably a bit wary. Others may find such scares par for the course when eating out in New York City. Emma Moody, senior deputy editor of markets and finance at the Wall Street Journal, tweeted Saturday that she was vaccinated after eating at Alta during the timeframe in question. Another patron told the New York Post while he doesn’t hold the restaurant accountable, he’ll probably never be able to eat there again. The restaurant’s website was down as of Monday morning which, despite their insistence everything is back to normal, may not bode well for the establishment in the short term. Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said in a statement: “This incident serves as an important reminder to always wash your hands thoroughly to prevent the spread of disease.�
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Settlement, is also the co-founder of Liberty Community Gardens in Battery Park City. She received the Battery Park City Community Service Honors Award last year. - Also appointed to CB1 were Tribeca resident Sarah Currie-Halpern and South Street Seaport resident Jason Friedman, an architect with Joseph Pell Lombardi & Associates.
Community Board 2 has added: - Katy Bordonaro, President of West Village Houses Tenants’ Association and CoChair of the Greenwich Village Community Task Force. - Nolita resident Daniel Ballen, a Junior Associate at MoMA, Committee Member at HelpUsAdopt, and vice president at investment firm Pine Brook Partners. - Greenwich Village resident Tom Connor, Chair of Caring Community Senior Center’s Senior Advisory Committee and Executive Member of the Village Independent Democrats. Connor is also a member of the borough Presdeint’s Senior Advisory Group.
Community Board 3 appointed: - East Village resident Justin Caroll volunteers with the YMCA running the “Youth and Government� program - a weekly program for teens to help build their understanding of state government, and was named one of the “Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40� by the LGBT Bar Association. He
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is also Vice Chair, Vanderbilt YMCA Board of Managers. - Teresa Pedroza, a lifelong LES resident, successfully campaigned to co-name Delancey Street in honor of her granddaughter, who was killed using the crosswalk. She is a housing advocate and member of Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES). - Shoshannah Frydman, Director of Family Violence Services at Met Council on Jewish Poverty. - Ayo Harrington, President of the All the Way East 4th Block Association. - National Labor Relations Board Senior Field Attorney Julie Ulmet. - Two Bridges resident Josephine Velez. - Former President of the Interagency Manhattan Borough-Wide Council on Aging Penina Mezei. - NYPD Citizens Academy Graduate and 10 Stanton Street Tenant Association President Alysha Lewis-Coleman. According to the Borough President’s Office, all of the city’s 12 Community Boards have become more diverse, and membership among LGBT, Latino, African American and Asian American communities has grown 40 percent. There are also more young people getting involved, as half of last year and this year’s new appointees were comprised of New Yorkers in their 20s and 30s.
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Rush to Protect Seward Park Library Advocates hope to preserve the historic Lower East Side building By Nora Bosworth
A
s several of Brooklyn’s public libraries face demolition, the Historic Districts Council is swiftly taking steps to protect Manhattan’s own branches. In March, the New York Times reported that the Brooklyn Heights library will be razed in the near future, only to be rebuilt a few years later on the ground floor of a high-rise apartment building. The plan is part of the New York Public Library’s controversial new financing model. The money-strapped organization has started selling the coveted land beneath its libraries to developers, with the understanding that the affected library will be reincarnated as the base of a modern residential complex. The library system adopted this business scheme to help raise the $230 million dollars it needs to repair its various branches. Libraries that are not designated landmarks have no protection against such development. While many laud the library’s innovative approach to raising money, other New Yorkers - especially those neighboring the affected branches - fear that the old, stone faces of the city’s libraries will eventually all recede into the
stands alone marking the eastern panorama of cement end of Seward Park. high-rises. They feel the In the Council’s statement they charm and diversity of lauded the branch not only for its urban landscapes will architectural significance but for decline when libraries the broader value of the public no longer look like library system. libraries. Local residents “The New York Public Library also worry that during is an institution that embodies the the interim between altruistic principle that education the destruction of the is the great societal elevator. It original library and was founded in the belief that the construction of the everyone should have access to new complex, their Seward Park Library 1911 Photo courtesy of NYPL the resources necessary for selfchildren will be without improvement.� a convenient library for While the Council’s Director of Preservation and several years. Research, Nadezhda Williams, stated clearly that the Seward With this latest trend in mind, last Tuesday the Historic Park building is not under immediate threat of development, Districts Council held a hearing at the Landmarks she added, “There’s been a lot going on in Brooklyn with Preservation Commission, advocating for the Seward their branch libraries.� She also emphasized that most Park branch’s official inauguration as a landmark. Such a people probably assumed the Seward branch was already a designation would offer legal protection against the threat of landmark since it is “in many development and immortalize the Renaissance Revival style people’s hearts,� and thus a formal designation would only building, erected in 1909. cement what the community assumes. The five-story limestone and brick library, designed Williams called the hearing “very positive� with about a by the firm of Babb, Cook and Welch, granted enormous opportunities to the immigrant population of the Lower East dozen speakers, including, “preservationists, folks from the neighborhood� and “library lovers.� Side over the last century, the Council wrote in the hearing’s The next step will be to put the library’s landmark status to announcement. The Seward branch is unique in that instead vote if the LPC agrees to calendar a hearing. of being tucked like a townhouse amid a crowded block, it
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manufacturing jobs could be lost with the enactment of a ban. But despite the alleged costs, the ban is backed by multiple legislators like the Upper East Sideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Senator Liz Krueger, who wants the substance banned statewide. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This would be a great step forward for our city, both for the environment and public health â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but we shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just stop at the city limits,â&#x20AC;? said Krueger last month after the State of the City address. So what is polystyrene? Usually called Styrofoam, polystyrene is a petroleumbased expanded foam plastic. The substance is often preferred by restaurants because it insulates hot beverages better than paper or cardboard. According to the American Chemsitry Council, most polystyrene nowadays is actually made from a combination of petroleum and natural gas. Those on the side of small businesses say that New York City should implement a recycling program for polystyrene. But according to NYC.gov, polystyrene is not recyclable because it is â&#x20AC;&#x153;very difficult to keep clean and separate from other types of plastic.â&#x20AC;? Because it is difficult to clean and extremely lightweight, polystyrene would be costly to ship to a recycling plant, according to NYC.gov, and would cost the city money. Alex Dmitriew, the commercial zero waste coordinator for San Francisco said that for similar reasons, the city of San Francisco also could not have a polystyrene recycling program, so the substance ended up as trash, and more often, litter. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Typically polystyrene never really goes away. It breaks down but never deteriorates, it can end up in our sewer system and on our streets,â&#x20AC;? said Dmitriew. San Francisco has had a polystyrene ban in place since 2007, and has been encouraging the usage of sugar cane and plant-based containers, known as PLA or bagasse products. According to the compostable container and utensil distributor worldcentric.org, these organic products biodegrade in 60 days. Whereas, according to the NRDC, most polystyrene and plastic products are nonbiodegradable, and stick around in the environment for thousands of years. An organic PLA hot beverage 8-ounce cup costs less than 10 cents on the worldcentric.org website, only three cents more than the American Chemistry Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s listed cost of polystyrene containers. But a 2006 study done by the Plastic Food Service Packaging Corporation found that despite being a petroleumbased substance, polystyrene actually uses less energy than organic substances, because the foam material is 90 percent air.
Eric Goldstein called foul on the results of this study. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The restaurant industry knows that for environmental safety reasons the city is moving in this direction of phasing out their policy, so they string together some arguments and throw around some numbers,â&#x20AC;? said Goldstein. San Francisco has actually found that the city is much cleaner since the implementation of the ban six years ago. According to Dmitriew, within two years of the ban, the city saw a 41 percent decrease in polystyrene litter. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Polystyrene is far from a perfect substance but it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean it wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seriously impact people who are having trouble making ends meet,â&#x20AC;? said Andrew Mozsel, a representative for the New York Restaurant Association. He mentions that smaller mom and pop restaurants as well as ethnic restaurants would most likely be affected. Dmitriew said that San Franciscoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s government was concerned about the impact on businesses, and admitted that polystyrene is the cheapest substance around. He said that the city issued an ordinance, saying that any restaurant can apply for a waiver if they feel that they will face economic hardship. In reality, he said, only two restaurants asked for a waiver, out of more than 4,500 food establishments citywide, and the city was more than happy to help the establishments out. We visited downtown restaurants to ask how an impending polystyrene ban may affect their business. Marcie, Manager, The Bowery Diner, 241 Bowery. Do you use Styrofoam products in your diner? M: Yes, we use them for the milkshakes to go. How would your business be affected if the city banned Styrofoam? M: We would just have to get different cups, not a big deal. Were there any benefits to using Styrofoam? M: Really, one of the only reasons we use them are in terms of people carrying them out of here so that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not super cold. [It is] easier to transport too. Styrofoam seems to be a dying breed. Ahmad, Manager, Dunkinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Donuts, East Houston St. Everyone is familiar with the iconic Dunkinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Donuts Styrofoam cups, how would the Styrofoam ban affect the franchise? A: Yes, we are still using Styrofoam cups and of course it would affect us. If there is any obligation, our committee would take action. We have to follow the rules. What is the appeal of the Styrofoam cups,
are they cheaper? A: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not that much cheaper. For each [plastic] cup maybe 10, 20 cents extra. [But] for a big company, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a big factor. Maura, Server, La Churreria, 284 Mulberry St. Does your shop have Styrofoam products? M: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been here for four months and I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen Styrofoam here. Do you find it advantageous to not use Styrofoam? M: I think the paper takes up less space which is good because we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have that much storage for stuff. Do you think there is any advantage to using Styrofoam cups? M: No. I think Styrofoam changes the
flavor of the coffee, and not in a good way. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know who has them anymore. We use a lot of plastic. Plastic rappers, plastic cupsâ&#x20AC;Ś Will, Manager, Phillyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cheesesteak, 191 East Houston St. Do you use Styrofoam products at your establishment? W: We use Styrofoam plates for here, aluminum plates to go. What changes would you make to meet the needs of the Styrofoam ban? W: I would use the foil ones. What are the advantages of the Styrofoam plates? W: We serve chicken fingers and wings. The paper plates are going to suck all the sauce [from the wings].
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The Brecht Forum, 451 West St., strikeanywhere.info, April 12th, 8 p.m., $35-$75.
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In honor of Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble turning 15, there will be an exciting event filled with performances, prizes, and food. The French Tour Soundpainting Orchestra and the Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble will wow you! Proceeds from the event will be put toward their educational programs and the production of SAME RIVER which focuses on an anti-fracking message.
Visit nypress.com for the latest updates on local events. Submissions can be sent to editor.ot@strausnews.com
Drawing Surrealism ◄ FREE: The Morgan Library and Museum, 225 Madison Avenue, themorgan.org, 7 p.m. This is the first major exhibition on one of the most important movements in twentiethcentury art, including works by Salvatore Dali. Also check out the free live music and the Friday night dinner special in the Morgan Café.
SATURDAY
FREE: The Saga of Luring Treats Barnes & Noble Union Square, 33 East 17th St., store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/ event/79646, 7 p.m. Michael Moss of The New York Times invites you to join him for a conversation on the rise of processed food and how it directly affects the rising epidemic of obesity. Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us is a cautionary tale of how such foods have lured us in, but on a hopeful note, also offers tips for resistance. Things to Remember: space opens at 5 p.m., limited seating, first-come, first-served.
Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical
You Can’t Resist Hot Peas N’ Butter
The Marquis Theatre, 1535 Broadway, jekyllandhydemusical. com, 8 p.m., $58-$151. Your favorite thrilling musical has returned to Broadway for a 13-week run! It stars Constantine Maroulis and Deborah Cox, and is directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun, who is also behind the hit, Newsies. Get tickets for the revamp on this timeless story before it’s gone again.
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, symphonyspace.org, 11 a.m., $15-$23. Hot Peas N’ Butter has been causing a stir since the year 2000. Winning the Parent’s Choice Awards in 2006, 2008, and 2009, the children’s musical group is in a class of its own. Don’t miss out on the incredible chance to hear their effortless blend of Latin, AfroCaribbean, jazz, folk, and rock sounds that greatly inspires to both children and adults! How often to do hear that?
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THURSDAY
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FREE: New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles
FREE: Downtown Literary Festival Housing Works Bookstore Café, 126 Crosby Street, & McNally Jackson Books, 52 Prince Street, housingworks.org/events, 10:00 a.m. Spend an entire day celebrating the literary culture of NYC. The festival allows you to take a tour of downtown through poetry and essays, and then enjoy a four course feast of stories from New York’s hottest chefs. Top off the day with happy hour and an after-party featuring Russian literature-themed cocktails.
Manny’s on Second, 1770 2nd Avenue, mannysonsecond.com, 8:05 p.m. Finally, baseball season is back in action! Come watch the New York Yankees take on the Baltimore Orioles for the 3rd consecutive day at Manny’s on Second. LET’S GO YANKEES!
◄ Spa Week
The Decision of a Lifetime New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 West 64th St., nysec.org, 1 p.m., $5. The issue of suicide is never an easy topic to cover, but the legality of it in Oregon is certainly easy to debate. How to Die in Oregon is an award winning documentary that allows to you meet terminally ill women and men that are debating whether or not to partake in physician-assisted suicide, a procedure made legal in Oregon after the state’s Death with Dignity Act was passed in 1994.
Making Room: New Models for Housing New Yorkers
Multiple Locations, spaweek.com, $50 Want to reverse all of the damage that winter has inflicted on your skin? Spas, salons, and fitness centers all over the city will be offering $50 spa packages to help revitalize you and prepare you for.
Ballet Hispanico
Museum of the City of New York, 1220 5th Avenue, mcny.org, 10 a.m., free-$10. Do you ever worry about the diminishing amount of space this city has? Well, you should- because by 2030 you’re going to have 1 million new neighbors. Learn all of the tips to help you maximize space, and trick everyone (including yourself ) into believing your studio is actually a one-bedroom.
The Joyce Theater, 175 8th Avenue, ballethispanico. org, 212-242-0800, 7:30 p.m., $10-$59. Hailed as the nation’s principal Latino dance organization since 1970, Ballet Hispanico is back at The Joyce Theater and ready to celebrate their 25th annual New York Season there. It promises to be as breathtaking as ever, if not more so!
FREE: The Art of Harvey Kurtzman
Everybody Do Your Share
Society of Illustrators, 128 East 63rd St., societyillustrators.org, 10 a.m. Are you a fan of MAD magazine? Check out original art and rare comics from the man who created it. Harvey Kurtzman has influenced generations of comic artists and was thought of as one of the most important figures in postwar America.
Children’s Museum of Manhattan, 212 West 83rd St., cmom.org, 11:15 a.m., free-$11. Cleaning may not be the most desired chore, but with a little creativity it could be! Clean-Up Together is an activity that enables children 4 years of age and younger to help CMOM Educators clean up the PlayWorks Lab with sponges, brooms, and tunes! In my day it was the Barney clean-up song echoing the halls, I wonder what songs they will play…
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NYC Young Professionals 2013 Red Ball
Making the Invisible Visible
Crimson, 915 Broadway, ahanewyork.ejoinme.org, 7:30 p.m., $150-$275. The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association Young Professionals are excited that their annual Red Ball fundraiser is rapidly approaching! With their mission being to raise awareness and prevention of heart disease and stroke, they would love all the support they can get. So grab that dress or suit and tie and head on down to Crimson for a night of dancing mixed with a cocktail reception and silent auction.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Avenue, metmuseum.org, 9:30 a.m., free-$25. One of the many fascinating things about art is the chance of always finding something new, different, or undiscovered. Conservators and conservation scientists did just that during their re-examining of the Museum’s Islamic art collection before re-opening its New Galleries for the Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia and Later South Asia in November of 2011. This exhibit serves to highlight not only what they found, but how they found it.
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THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2013
cityArts
Edited by Armond White
New York’s Review of Culture . CityArtsNYC.com
Built to Last Jackie Robinson and Hollywood make history again By Armond White
W
e are fortunate to have been spared Spike Lee’s take on the Jackie Robinson story, which surely would have been spiteful; emphatic about race grievance and loaded with other Spikey tangents. But Brian Helgeland has made a superb tale about Robinson’s groundbreaking desegregation of baseball through the machinations of Branch Rickey--and about American spiritual history and destiny. The issues and emotions have a beautiful clarity. 42, titled after Robinson’s player number (retired for all teams by the Major League Baseball association yet worn by players every April 15th--Jackie Robinson Day), commemorates Robinson breaking the game’s color bar in 1947 as the first Negro playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Helgeland depicts this world-changing risk as a cultural story--not simply one man’s life story. Instead of biographical depth, 42 sustains the same benevolence as the MLB’s memorial; its lively and vivid narrative goes through the arduous steps of a social and moral revolution. More than a baseball movie, 42 is a folktale touching on the spirituality evidenced in Robinson (played by Chadwick Boseman) and Dodgers’ General Manager Rickey (played by Harrison Ford). Seeing baseball as the medium of social change; its practice and rituals are understood as basic to America’s sense of capability despite prevailing social divisions. That explains Helgeland’s elastic sense of class. Robinson steps into the roughneck world of sport possessing higher personal principles. He and wife Rachel (Nicole Beharie) are already upwardly mobile; they need only the income and recognition that white Americans take for granted.
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Now let’s get rid of the narrow-minded complaint about Hollywood race stories always unequally pairing history’s black sacrificial figures with white cohorts. Helgeland’s even-handed vision of the Rickey-Robinson revolution enlarges it, taking in different aspects of America’s racial reality. Not merely the Jackie Robinson story, 42 relates tandem efforts and transformations by Rickey, Negro sports writer Wendell Smith (Andre Holland), assorted teammates (many brief, perfectly etched characterizations from Max Gail’s captivated retired manager, Chris Meloni’s virile Leo Durocher to Lucas Black’s affable Pee Wee Reese) and the crowds who fill the stands. All profiles in courage. The back office functioning behind America’s public face rarely gets shown but 42’s story fortunately reveals that it appropriate significance and appeal, primarily through Harrison Ford. Projecting established magnanimous decency, Ford puts Rickey’s risk-taking and persistent urging in perfect balance to newcomer Boseman who
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portrays Robinson’s circumspect heroism. This isn’t a timed, harmless Black man; he’s self-assured yet resentful of those who want to make him humble. (Jeffrey Wright has played this Poitier complex but Jamie Foxx, Denzel Washington never has). Boseman’s wary intelligence conveys deep pride, a forgotten aspect of black America’s gradual civil rights evolution. 42 revives it. The way Helgeland balances Ford/Rickey’s courage represents the modern audience’s guileless ignorance of history and the period era’s attitudes. The young black actors--all ebullient, optimistic, determined--represent Blacks’ hopes while the familiar Whites personify fears. When 42 explicates these details, it surpasses Steven Spielberg’s morally compromised Lincoln. Cinematographer Don Burgess makes 42 the most beautiful movie of 2013 so far. He photographs sunlight and water (when Robinson finally showers with his white teammates) with radiance. Nothing in Lincoln’s political contrivance is as resonant as Rickey confessing “Something was wrong at the heart of the game I loved and I had ignored it.” Kushner-Spielberg’s Lincoln never admitted such sorrowful complex. Lincoln pretended that political opposition was the essence of America’s moral progress when in fact it was only a power struggle; 42
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is deeper and more honest in its display of how Americans changed through accepting skill, humanity, sympathy. This is a better approach to history than George Lucas’ lame Tuskegee Airman tribute Red Tails. Helgeland has made a film totally without cynicism. Cynicism is what ruined Lincoln; cynicism was at the core of Kushner and Spielberg’s self-congratulatory arrogance--which was why liberals overrated it. Will Obama-era audiences appreciate 42’s richness with its deep understanding of how hard-won compassion has greater everyday effectiveness than the rule of law? The splendor of ball field effort? Or a silhouetted fatherly embrace? These images test fairness within the glory of nature without the falsity of The Natural or Field of Dreams like no movie since Robert Aldrich’s The Big Leaguer. I’d like to describe more of 42’s wonderful scenes such as the shots of Robinson rounding the bases, focused on his “42” uniform imprint like an existential Bressonian icon, but viewers should discover such beauty for themselves. Rickey and Robinson unite over the idea of being “built to last” by doing the right thing. Whether or not 42 conquers the box-office, it is built to last.
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CITYARTS THEATER
African Caesar LEON BOTSTEIN, MUSIC DIRECTOR
CLASSICS
DECLASSIFIED
WAGNER’S
PRELUDES Sun, Apr 21, 2013 at 4 PM From a vision of the Holy Grail to the longing for and redemption of love, Leon Botstein and the orchestra examine the themes behind some of Wagner’s most famous operatic works, in celebration of his 200th birthday. RICHARD WAGNER “Lohengrin” Preludes, Acts I and III RICHARD WAGNER “Tristan und Isolde” Prelude & Liebestod at Peter Norton Symphony Space, 95th St & Broadway
ALL SEATS $35!
AMERICANSYMPHONY.ORG OR 212.868.9ASO ASOrchestra ASOrch Hundreds of recordings now at iTunes and Amazon
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New take on Shakespearean politics at BAM By Valerie Gladstone “Julius Caesar” doesn’t usually get ranked as one of Shakespeare’s most exciting plays but last year theatergoers in England were given reason to change their minds after seeing the Royal Shakespeare Company’s revival, reset in modern Africa, with an all black cast. In its new incarnation, directed by Gregory Doran, the RSC’s artistic director, the political drama, concerning the conspiracy against the Roman dictator, his assassination and the defeat of the conspirators in battle, unexpectedly took on surprising relevancy. Such dramatic events are not uncommon in politically volatile Africa today or in the North African countries that were part of the Arab Spring. It comes to the Brooklyn Academy of Music April 10-28. Doran decided to move “Julius Caesar” from ancient Rome to modern-day Africa chiefly because he learned that it is the Shakespeare play most performed in Africa and that it is a particular favorite of Nelson Mandela’s. When Mandela and other inmates were imprisoned in South Africa during the apartheid years, they read what became dubbed the Robben Island Bible, a copy of Shakespeare’s complete works, which was smuggled into their jail. Now on display at the British Museum, it is signed with his name next to the lines from the play: “Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard. It seems to me most strange that men should fear; Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come when it will come.” In recent calls to London, members of the cast talked about their new Shakespearean experience. “People find it hard to believe that we are speaking Shakespeare’s lines and that none of the action has been changed,” says Ray Fearon, who has the role of Caesar’s ally and defender, Mark Antony. “The plot has taken on a very different feel; young people get it immediately.” For some of them, long
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associated with the RSC and hailing from the UK, US, Nigeria, Ghana, Jamaica and Trinidad, the situation portrayed in the drama echoes those they or their families experienced at home. “I grew up in Nigeria during the Biafran War in the late ‘60s,” says Cyril Nri, who plays Cassius. “I saw first hand what happens when there’s a power grab that leaves a vacuum.” Adjoa Andoh, who plays Portia, remembers reading the play in school and finding it “dull as dish water but then, she says, “when I saw what happened in my father’s country of Ghana, I suddenly looked at it differently. The characters talk of gods and ancestors, which seems quaint to us in the West but is truthful and current in Africa. African ceremonial dress is not unlike Roman togas. In such a male heavy production, I feel it’s important to show Portia as a strong woman for whom politics is a part of her DNA. I’m now so keen on the play that I visit schools and encourage kids to read it.” To further the African atmosphere, Doran added a musical score by Akintayo Akinbode that mixes African music with touches of jazz and the Caribbean. “There’s so much life in the drums and sax, flutes and bass,” Nri says. “It not only affects the mood but gives a sense of the African landscape and the beauty and danger of Africa. The rhythms make certain moments incredibly passionate and moving. We always include a chorus from the community. In New York, the chorus will be local volunteers. The stage gets so full. It’s a joy every night.” In the Times of London, Libby Purves wrote that this production, “shakes the heart.”
THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2013
OPERA CITY ARTS
Operatic Women Violeta and Sylvia on screen and barge By Judy Gelman Myers
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hen Salvador Allende first addressed his citizenry after winning Chile’s 1970 presidential election, he did so under a sign that read, “No Hay Revolución sin Cancion”: There is no revolution without songs. In this case, those songs would have been nueva canción, or “new song,” a quasipolitical artistic movement spearheaded by the explosive, self-destructive, magnificent Violeta Parra. Chilean director Andrés Wood’s examines Parra’s politics, art, and interior life in his new, lyrical biopic, Violeta Went to Heaven. As a child, Parra supported her mother and nine siblings by singing folk tunes in the plazas of small towns; as an adult, she crisscrossed Chile meticulously collecting and cataloguing indigenous folk material. When she moved to Santiago, Parra turned her musical talents to traditionally-based but highly innovative songwriting protesting North American cultural imperialism while
celebrating Chilean identity and the rights of workers and native populations. Like Searching for Sugar Man’s Sixto Rodriguez, whose idiosyncratic songs became a symbol of resistance for the white anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, Parra became an icon of social resistance in Chile and beyond. At heart, however, Parra was not a political revolutionary but an artist, and it’s this heart that Wood explores in Violeta. His two major challenges were capturing Parra’s music and private pain. By eschewing traditional linear narrative in favor of episodic storytelling that shifts back and forth in time, as interior worlds are wont to do, Wood created an elusive effect that fits his enigmatic subject. When it came to delivering Parra’s songs, Wood discovered that most of her original recordings were in such bad shape that they couldn’t be used for the film. Moreover, he wanted to create a soundtrack that had its own identity rather than being a copy. After casting the captivating Francisco Gavilan as Violeta, Wood held a casting call for voices. Gavilan showed up for the casting call, and Wood decided to let her sing, a move that proved decisive for both the actress and the film. Wood admits to feeling intimated by the idea of portraying the interior life of a
woman deemed Chile’s national cultural treasure, but he forged on nonetheless. “I didn’t think about my personal responsibility to the subject, because if I had, I wouldn’t have done the film,” he says. Violeta Went to Heaven is playing at the Quad and Lincoln Plaza Cinemas. For fifty-two weeks a year, four days a week, New Yorkers can find chamber music in all its forms—early, canonical, and contemporary—right under the Brooklyn Bridge. There, Bargemusic offers 220 concerts annually, even tendering weekly free tickets to groups and one free concert monthly in order to reach as many music lovers as possible. Normally Bargemusic presents chamber music, recitals, and quartets in their coffee-barge-turned-intimate-concert-hall, but on March 21 and 22, as part of their contemporary composers series, they took the unusual step of mounting an opera: Sylvia, a chamber opera in one act, for four voices and three instrumentalists. Based on the true story of a 13-year-old girl who is coerced by a friend of her parents’ into having an affair with him, the opera depicts the psychotherapy that ultimately brings Sylvia to psychic and emotional health. Mounted in concert form, Sylvia was one year in production before making its world premiere at Bargemusic. Simple but striking staging enhanced the inherent drama of a young girl on the verge of womanhood who is grappling not only with her own sexuality
but also with the psychological responsibility of being a second-generation Holocaust survivor: her seducer, like her parents, was born to parents who had survived the camps. Sylvia understands his pain; with the empathetic tenderness of youth, she wants to ease his suffering. With great clarity, composer and librettist Julia Adolphe encapsulates Sylvia’s dilemma in a plaintive cry: “What was it you needed? What did you think a thirteen-year-old girl would know?” Much of Sylvia’s seduction was played out at a Passover seder, so Adolphe incorporates a creepy Hebrew rendition of the first of the four questions, Why is this night different from all other nights? In one of the opera’s highlights, Sylvia sings her own response over the traditional, albeit altered, chant: “On this night I am different. I am disgusting. I thought I could give him freedom, so I became his slave. Oh God, pass over this house: There’s blood on the door.” With a degree in literary theory as well as multiple degrees in music composition, Adolphe shapes her musical phrases to emphasize the linguistic, rather than musical, content of words. Concomitantly, she employs the timbre of her instruments— clarinet, sax, cello, and piano—to bring out the interiority of Sylvia’s torment and ultimate redemption.
L I V E J A Z Z N I G H T LY ‘The Best Jazz Room in the City’ —Tony Bennett R E S E R VAT I O N S 212-258-9595 / 9795 JALC.ORG / DIZZYS
Violeta Parra
THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2013
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CITYARTS FILM
Internet Week Kicks Off in Soho
Girlfeminist in a Coma
The event’s preview party showcased some of the out-of-the-box thinking that’s in store
Blancanieves uses radicalism to ruin Snow White
By Helaina Hovitz
By Armond White
B
lancanieves is the most hilariously misunderstood movie since people took Haneke’s Amour to be a sweet love story. Is this peculiarity as simple as illiteracy or is it another case of cinematically illiterate critics who don’t know how to read what they see on screen? Spanish director Pablo Berger modernizes the Grimm Brothers’ tale Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as a feminist parable. It counters patriarchal custom by turning Show White into a female toreador who survives the murderous plotting of her evil stepmother, travels from corrida to corrida with a troupe of gay male dwarf clowns (including one tranny). Codes and transgressions are all over the screen yet reviewers have praised the film as a charming fairy tale and an innocuous parody of a silent movie like the inane French film The Artist of two years ago. Although I recognize the wishfulness of those who prefer to see Blancanieves as an enlightened divertissement, I can’t get past Berger’s grim solemnity. He has an obsession with fatality: Blancanieve’s father, a famous matador, paralyzed by a bull endures his wife’s death from childbirth; Blancaneive witnesses her grandmother’s grotesque Flamenco demise only to suffer her rapacious capitalist stepmother’s abuse. These are not Grimm facts of life but textbook radical feminist theory—from Snow White’s sexual ambiguity and her rejection of social indoctrination to her violation of bullfighting’s male tradition yet refusing to eat meat as confirmation of her asexual vegetarian diet. A male villain’s phallic fountain pin slowly rises to ensare Snow White. These ideas are less covert than the quasi feminism of last year’s Pixar movie Brave (which cartooned a more Grimmlike fear of Family and Matriarchy). It’s not right-wing paranoia to recognize these films’ political meanings but to deny them signifies real gullible ignorance. Beguiled by the preteen Snow White’s (Sofia Oria) pluck and cuteness and accepting adult Snow White’s (Macarena Garcia) butch passivity, critics approve a new product rather than analyze what perversions are actually being sold. (This means indulging the least beginning onscreen maturation since gorgeous teenage
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Jean Simmons turned into stuffy ladylike Valerie Hobson in David Lean’s Great Expectations.) Even the formerly radical Village Voice review failed to appreciate Blancanieves’ clumsy fanaticism. Blancanieves cannot be appreciated on its own bizarre terms. Imagine a Snow White without a happy ending: This Snow White falls victim to patriarchy, the impotent gay dwarf who loves her embodies pity for what the old ways make impossible. When Berger can’t figure out how to improve on the Grimms’ original he simply debases it. His mangled version feminism dictates that the old Disney chestnut “Someday My Prince Will Come“ won’t be sung in a movie that’s adverse to heterosexuality—not even as a joke. A radical feminist desecration of Snow White without a Prince Charming but a Snow White who ends up in a coma? Yeah, that’s right I “spoiled” it. It’s the same nonsense as Andrea Arnold’s recent unwatchable Wuthering Heights which saw fit to make Heathcliff Black so that he could be called “nigger” just to congratulate Arnold’s “smartness.” Problem is, Blancanieves is rather dumb; it doesn’t make the most of young Snow White’s cuteness, innocence, filial devotion, not even on a female bullfighter’s aptitude that might change people’s perceptions. This half-assed feminism proves Berger hasn’t studied his own revisionist film history. Blancanieves lacks the creativity of Neil Jordan’s 1985 A Company of Wolves, an adaptation of Angela Carter’s feminist fairytale revision. Instead, Berger emulates silent movie burlesque. His poor technique uses rushed TV-style montages without the complex meanings of Dmitri Kirsanoff ’s silent movie experimental editing principles in Menilmontant. The black and white photography is not lush or dimensional like Sternberg, Dreyer, Murnau, but flat digital imagery. Critics who call this film beautiful must never have seen a black and white silent movie. Whatever “progress” we have made sociologically, Blancanieves does not make artistically. Berger’s lack of political and artistic cred turns Blancanieves into yellow snow. Follow Armond White on Twitter at 3xchair
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L
ast Thursday, April 4, an Internet Week New York preview party was held at Design Within Reach’s newly renovated Soho Studio at 110 Greene Street. Eventually, 400 guests mingled easily as they sipped on ginger-flavored cocktails and Saporo beer, but those who arrived painfully on time at 7 p.m. were faced with an awkward, half hour free-for-all in the enormous space, not sure where to go or what to do, likely appearing, to those looking in, to be shopping for furniture. “I didn’t know what to expect or what to do when I got here. It feels really insider-y,” said Lisa Niedermeyer, whose nonprofit, Fractured Atlas, hopes to host a panel called Revenge of the Art Geek. “I think they kind of assume you were here last year.” Though it was never explained to the crowd trickling in, the main aim of the party was to get people to vote for the festival’s panel entrants, 228 in all (voting will remain open through April 10th at InternetWeekNY. com). Promising contenders include “Will The Internet Save the Publishing Industry?” “I’m Tired of Being So White” and “Combating Device Schizophrenia: Get Your Message Heard Across Screens.” A DJ spinning trippy futuristic songs eventually abandoned his post and joined the crowd shortly before 8:30 p.m., when a preview panel called Sex, Drugs, Drones, and Codes was set to begin. The panel was kicked off by Daniel Pinchback, editorial director of website Reality Sandwich and author of Breaking Open the Head, Pinchback briefly talked about the resurgence of the Internet in psychedelics, highlighting the ways in which the Internet is “fostering a psychedelic renaissance.” Next up was Matt Stinchcomb, former employee of Soho’s Rockstar Games and currently Etsy’s VP of Brand & Social Responsibility, who preferred to keep his Internet Week panel a secret but did his best to garner interest, saying, “I’m not gonna tell you what it’s about, but you guys are really gonna like it.” Brian Anderson, an editor for Motherboard, proceeded to give a speech on drones that honed in on the lack of attention given to the topic. “More people are losing sleep and commenting on articles about chocolate milk than non-consensual surveillance,” he said. “It’s compelling to see him so passionate about it, but at the end you’re like, what
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Photo by Stephanie Mei-Ling
exactly is a drone?” said one baffled audience member to her date. A drone is, by simplest definition, an unmanned aircraft or other floating device used for surveillance and bomb/missile launching, but can also be something like “that stupid little vacuum robot,” Anderson explained. Ears perked up during columnist Kelly Bourdet’s panel run-down, which will be, essentially, on pornography. “Everyone — well, many — people watch porn, and yet it’s not part of our every day conversation. The panel will discuss how the Internet proliferates porn and how it affects us,” she said, adding that the first picture to ever be uploaded to the Internet was a Playboy centerfold. “Iceland wants to make porn illegal. What do we want to do about this medium, as children, teens, and adults?” she posed rhetorically to the audience. Her panel will also discuss how technology affects our modern day relationships. Co-presented by Made in New York, the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment and Crain Communications, Internet Week is a weeklong event headquartered at the Metropolitan Pavilion (125 West 18th Street). There will also be Meetups, exhibits, screenings, parties, and more taking place at venues across the city. Vice Media will curate an expanded panel and classroom series exploring hot-button topics like sex, drugs, drones, pirating, and social media reporting from conflict zones. Flagship events like the 17th Annual Webby Awards, The Webutante Ball, and Time Inc.’s 10 NYC Startups to Watch will be joined by a roster of new partners participating in the festival for the first time. Big name speakers will include WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg, Executive Vice President of NBC Universal Lauren Zalaznick, and, for some reason, Joan Rivers. The event is expected to draw 45,000 people to 400 panels and will, hopefully, impress one of the panelists’ more critical members. “I think it’s silly to have a week where we talk about the Internet,” said Anderson after closing out the panel preview. “It’s what we do every day.”
THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2013
Well said, Mr. Buffett. We agree. In his annual letter to shareholders investor Warren Buffett explained why local newspapers matter. To The Shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.: ³'XULQJ WKH SDVW ¿ IWHHQ PRQWKV ZH DFTXLUHG GDLO\ QHZVSDSHUV DW D FRVW RI PLOOLRQ 7KLV PD\ SX]]OH \RX â&#x20AC;¦ Newspapers continue to reign supremeâ&#x20AC;¦ in the delivery of local news. If you want to know whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on in your town â&#x20AC;&#x201C; whether the news is about the PD\RU RU WD[HV RU KLJK VFKRRO IRRWEDOO ± WKHUH LV QR VXEVWLWXWH for a local newspaper that is doing its job. A readerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyes PD\ JOD]H RYHU DIWHU WKH\ WDNH LQ D FRXSOH RI SDUDJUDSKV DERXW &DQDGLDQ WDULIIV RU SROLWLFDO GHYHORSPHQWV LQ 3DNLVWDQ D VWRU\ DERXW WKH UHDGHU KLPVHOI RU KLV QHLJKERUV ZLOO EH UHDG WR WKH HQG :KHUHYHU WKHUH LV D SHUYDVLYH VHQVH RI FRPPXQLW\ a paper that serves the special informational needs of that community will remain indispensable to a VLJQL¿ FDQW SRUWLRQ RI LWV UHVLGHQWV« SDSHUV GHOLYHULQJ FRPSUHKHQVLYH DQG UHOLDEOH LQIRUPDWLRQ WR WLJKWO\ ERXQG FRPPXQLWLHV DQG KDYLQJ D VHQVLEOH ,QWHUQHW VWUDWHJ\ ZLOO UHPDLQ YLDEOH IRU D ORQJ WLPH :H GR QRW EHOLHYH WKDW VXFFHVV ZLOO FRPH IURP FXWWLQJ HLWKHU WKH QHZV FRQWHQW RU IUHTXHQF\ RI SXEOLFDWLRQ ,QGHHG VNLPS\ QHZV FRYHUDJH ZLOO DOPRVW FHUWDLQO\ OHDG WR VNLPS\ UHDGHUVKLS «2XU JRDO LV WR NHHS RXU SDSHUV ORDGHG ZLWK FRQWHQW RI LQWHUHVW WR RXU UHDGHUV « ZKHWKHU WKH SURGXFW WKH\ YLHZ LV LQ WKHLU KDQGV or on the Internet. 0DUFK Warren E. Buffett &KDLUPDQ RI WKH %RDUG Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
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PAGE 13
SHOPPING AROUND
DINING
Century 21 Yields Surprisingly Delicious Finds
The Final Frontier
The giant discount store offers up more than just inexpensive designer duds By Laura Shanahan
I
t looks like a very pretty, if extremely compact, version of a hatbox. But nestled within this sherbet-colorstriped box wrapped up with a satin grosgrain ribbon is – a drum-roll, please, to heighten the shock of the big reveal – 12 luscious Godiva Ice Cream Parlor Truffles. Included for your delectation is the Pistachio model, which combines (gird yourself for another shock) pistachio and white chocolate ganache enrobed in pistachio-bit-topped white chocolate. The Lemon Sorbet weds white chocolate ganache with lemon in a white chocolate shell. Pecan Caramel Sundae and Neapolitan are among the other tempting truffle concoctions in the selection. What would you expect to pay for all this ganache-y goodness? Its sticker says its value is $30, but since today we are at the vaunted discount department store Century 21, you need only pay “our price” of $17.97. (And I didn’t buy a box of this because why? Oh, right – once more – I am an idiot.) Truth be told, I’ve barely given C21 a thought since we discussed its debut on the corner of Broadway and 66th Street in 2011. The reasons are manifold: First, I think I harbored a resentment that it took over our beloved Barnes & Noble. Whoever thought we’d think of a chain store as
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beloved? But that particular location was, being not just another bookstore with a café, but a favorite meeting place for friends en route to Lincoln Center events. And also – let’s face it – a convenient, pleasant and hassle-free place to duck in from the cold. Too, perhaps like some of you, I’m not wedded to designer labels (not only that, I’m totally and blindly in love with the giganto H&M in the nearby Time Warner Center. Have you bought the $12.95 ballet flats I told you about yet? Most comfortable shoes ever – $12.95 per pair – I’ve got ‘em in 7 colors!). In fact, I was on my way to H&M, but as I passed C21, I decided to let bygones be bygones (though I’m heartily unhappy that C21 was reported to be among the many stores caught up in the faux furreal fur labeling controversy. I’m hoping you also read the excellent Q & A in this newspaper with Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, who is introducing legislation to increase fines for violating the properlabeling law she passed in 2007. Bless you, Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal!) Sooooo….in NON-fur news, here’s what I found notable in-store. Well, first the Godiva chocolates, available in various boxes and bars and packaging scattered throughout. A nice little pick-me-up for just $2.97 (“value $5”) is the 3.5-oz. package of the brand’s chocolate-covered caramel Gems. Speaking of gems, lower-case this time, among the charmingly whimsical, but always ladylike, Kate Spade handbags and carryalls, is the black-patent skinny-strapped big tote imprinted with a sprinkling of faceted gemstones – a real show-stopper for $79.97 (“value $148”). Standouts for men include Polo Jeans Company’s soft-like-“buttah” cotton-blend two-button-placket polos, complete with the RL “flag” embroidered logo, in a rainbow of hues, including the unexpected pumpkin; $21.97 (“value $44.50”). And speaking of jeans, popular kid-size Joe’s Jeans in a choice of washes, in skinny and relaxed fits, are $32.97 (“value $59”). And for parents shopping with their kids, may I paraphrase that famous quote by saying while liquor is quicker, candy is still dandy (no wonder the Godiva is strategically places throughout the store).
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On Avenue C, it’s still possible to watch Alphabet City reinvent itself By Regan Hofmann
A
s the old saying once went, “A you’re alright, B you’re brave, C you’re crazy, D you’re dead.” It’s not news that Alphabet City is no longer the minefield of socioeconomic misfortune it once was, but even today, when the focal point for gentrification outrage has migrated to Brooklyn neighborhoods like Bushwick and Crown Heights, there’s still a surprising amount of upheaval happening on the east side of Manhattan. Avenue A is as established as Central Park West (hell, even the rhyme couldn’t find anything negative to say about it). Avenue B, for its part, was once a pleasingly lawless strip – close enough to the safety of A for a quick escape but darker, studded with rowdier bars, velvet-curtained second-floor hideouts, and those mystery loft/storefront/ abandoned tenement spaces that drew band practices and parties. Now, that velvet-lined den is a well-marked, bowties-and-armgarters cocktail lounge and Tompkins Square Park is home to hipster hockey leagues. But even three short years ago, Avenue C was another story, a country unto itself where brand-name pharmacies and supermarkets still feared to tread. Between the Laundromats and bodegas were long stretches of rusting fire escapes, graffiti murals featuring neighborhood heroes, not rock idols, and families picnicking on their stoops. Since then, a smaller, more interesting kind of takeover has happened, one not led by kids looking for the next cheap buzz but by food and drink pioneers looking for a quiet space to do their own thing. At Bobwhite Lunch & Supper Counter (94 Ave. C; bobwhitecounter.com), that thing is a concept that, by all rights, should be old news. All fried chicken, all the time? Hold on a second, Dirty Bird, Hill Country Chicken, all five locations of BonChon and Charles’ Pan-Fried just called to invite you to 2008. But what Bobwhite has done is subtler, more exciting than simply lodging another vote in the brine-or-no-brine debate. They’ve built an old-fashioned lunch counter straight out of small-town Virginia in an elegant, modern space – no tired red plastic baskets and gingham to be found. Fried chicken
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dinners come with a buttermilk biscuit, honey, hot sauce or the mustardy relish called chow chow for customization; sides include Brunswick stew, a homely regional favorite that includes tomatoes, corn and pork. Edi & the Wolf (102 Ave. C; ediandthewolf.com) is another unexpected space, this one tying the nouveau industrial aesthetic of dark wood and iron to bright, big windows and bunches of side-of-theroad greenery dotting the communal table. Perhaps because Austrian cuisine’s reputation is still tied to hearty schnitzels and sausages, Edi’s food manages to be both authentic and innovative, depending on who you ask. The schnitzel is there, but so is a farmer’s cheese and pumpkin seed spread to share, and wild mushroom ravioli with grilled chard. And while cocktail atavism is big business on the LES and across Manhattan, with “original formulation” spirits and ungarnished Old-Fashioneds the only way to go, nobody is going as far, and having as much fun, as Evelyn Drinkery (171 Ave. C; evelynnyc.com). Skip way over Prohibition, past the Roaring Twenties and back into the late 19th century and you’ll find the phosphate, the soda fountain standby that added an acid tang to everything from cola to claret. Evelyn plays with these in a number of cocktails dispensed through a CO2 tank for light, fizzy refreshers that belie the complex combinations of bitters, spirits and house-processed juices underneath. For the New Yorker’s take on the soda fountain, there are also egg creams, made with infused milks and flavored syrups to take on not just the old classic (in which they rightly use Fox’s U-Bet rather than making their own), but Earl Grey tea, an Orange Julius, and the root beer float. Avenue C still feels like home for the families and the Laundromats, and in these heady days it’s easy to believe that the neighborhood will find its own balance, keeping out the cheap beer holes and encouraging the pioneers looking for a little room to express themselves. If not, there’s always Avenue D.
THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2013
Healthy y Manhattan Having a partner in fitness Pediatricians support yields many benefits same-sex marriage By Krisha McCoy, MS
Statement also recommends allowing adoption by single parents and co-parents
I
f you have a hard time getting motivated to exercise, enlisting a fitness partner may help. A fitness partner can encourage, challenge, pace you, and can make working out more fun. When you are trying to find the right person, there are some things that you should look for. Moreover, there are some fun ways you and your fitness partner can get some exercise. Having a fitness partner can motivate you to workout even when you do not want to simply because you know someone is counting on you. Exercising with a fitness partner is also a great way to socialize. Instead of dreading your daily workout, you will find yourself looking forward to catching up with your friend. Another benefit is that a fitness partner makes it less intimidating to join a gym, try a new class, or learn a new sport. Your friend can give you the courage to take that kickboxing class you have had your eye on or head to that hiking trail you have always wanted to try. Finally, it is safer to workout with someone. If you injure yourself on a run, for instance, your partner can find you the help you need.
Choosing a fitness partner While the right fitness partner can motivate you to accomplish your fitness goals, the wrong partner could squelch your efforts. When deciding which one of your friends or family members to recruit as your fitness partner, keep these things in mind: Choose a partner with a fitness level similar to yours. If you have not exercised for years, do not choose a fitness partner who runs four miles a day. Find someone who shares your fitness goals. That way, you can help motivate each other and share your triumphs. If, on the other hand, you are looking to gain muscle and your partner is looking to slim down, or if you want to lose 30 pounds and your partner only needs to lose five, you and your partner may become frustrated and be more likely to give up. Make sure you have things in common
THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2013
T with your partner, even outside of the gym, and you will find that workouts can be as socially fulfilling as they are physically challenging. Otherwise, you may not find yourself looking forward to your next workout.
Working out with a fitness partner Once you have found the right fitness partner, it is time to get moving. Get together with your partner—calendars in hand—and schedule when and where you will meet to regularly exercise. Then, set some ground rules and stick to them. Agree upon a cancellation policy, just as you would for a doctor’s appointment or hotel reservation. If one of you cannot make it for a scheduled workout, select a time limit (24 hours ahead, for example) that you will have to cancel in advance. Also, figure out how you will decide what activities to do. For example, you could design this week’s exercise schedule, and your partner could design next week’s, and so on. Now it is time to enjoy the benefits of a fitness partner. Besides having someone to chat with on your walking path, a fitness partner can encourage you to participate in workouts that you would not do otherwise. You can mix up your workout schedule by adding partner-focused activities such as tennis (it is not as much fun playing against a backboard), rock climbing (you will need someone on the ground for safety), or basketball (what is more fun than a game of one-on-one?). Ask your partner to teach you some activities she has mastered and share your skills as well. With a fitness partner, you can quickly add variety to your fitness routine, which will go a long way to keeping you motivated to become fit and stay that way.
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he American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) supports civil marriage for samegender couples — as well as full adoption and foster care rights for all parents, regardless of sexual orientation — as the best way to guarantee benefits and security for their children. The Academy's policy statement, “Promoting the Well-Being of Children Whose Parents Are Gay or Lesbian,” and an accompanying technical report will be published in the April 2013 Pediatrics and was published online in March. “Children thrive in families that are stable and that provide permanent security, and the way we do that is through marriage,” said Benjamin Siegel, MD, chair of the Academy's Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health, and a co-author of the policy statement. “The AAP believes there should be equal opportunity for every couple to access the economic stability and federal supports provided to married couples to raise children.” In a previous policy statement published in 2002 and reaffirmed in 2010, the AAP supported second-parent adoption by partners of the same sex as a way to protect children’s right to maintain relationships with both parents, eligibility for health benefits and financial security. The 2013 policy statement and accompanying technical report adds: Recommendations in support of civil marriage for same-gender couples; Adoption by single parents, co-parents or second parents regardless of sexual orientation; and Foster care placement regardless of sexual orientation. “The AAP has long been an advocate for all children, and this updated policy reflects a natural progression in the Academy’s support for families,” said Ellen Perrin, MD, co-author of the policy statement. “If a child has two loving and capable parents who choose to create a permanent bond, it’s in the best interest of their children that legal
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The normal development of children is affected by parental stress, economic and social stability, community resources, discrimination, and children’s exposure to toxic stressors at home or in their communities — not the sexual orientation of their parents. institutions allow them to do so.” A great deal of scientific research documents there is no cause-and-effect relationship between parents’ sexual orientation and children’s well-being, according to the Academy. In fact, many studies attest to the normal development of children of same-gender couples when the child is wanted, the parents have a commitment to shared parenting, and the parents have strong social and economic support. Critical factors that affect the normal development and mental health of children are parental stress, economic and social stability, community resources, discrimination, and children’s exposure to toxic stressors at home or in their communities — not the sexual orientation of their parents. According to the policy statement, the Academy “supports pediatricians advocating for public policies that help all children and their parents, regardless of sexual orientation, build and maintain strong, stable, and healthy families that are able to meet the needs of their children.” The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.
Online •American Academy of Pediatrics www.aap.org
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Healthy y Manhattan
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The Truth About Vein Care... Its Really Not About Being Vain Those bulging, inflamed and unsightly veins on your legs may be more then simply a cosmetic issue. In fact, veins that protrude from your skin like small sections of rope are really unhealthy veins that no longer function properly. Instead of acting as one-way valve that keeps blood moving toward the heart and lungs, varicose veins allow the blood to leak back down, away from the heart and lungs, and pool in the leg. This often results in fatigue, swelling, throbbing, heaviness, and aching in the leg. But there is good news...veins that are cosmetically unappealing or cause, pain or other symptoms are prime candidates for newly developed treatments. Minimally invasive techniques are now used by vascular PAGE 16
surgeons to effectively eradicate the symptoms and unsightly appearance of varicose veins. In fact, NYC Medical Center has recently established a full service Vein Treatment Center, the first of its kind in New York. Its faculty of surgeons has developed many procedures for simple and convenient vein care (most of which are covered by insurance) The NYU Vein Center is located 530 First Avenue, Suite 6D (at 31st Street)
For more information, contact the NYU Vein Center at 212.263.8346 (VEIN) or 877.834.6698
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The basics of good posture
4 ways to turn good posture into less back pain
M
ost of us get back pain at some point in our lives. It may be due to a sports-related injury, an accident, or a congenital condition such as scoliosis. But most of the time, upper or lower back pain develops during the course of day-to-day life. Repetitive activities at work or home, such as sitting at a computer or lifting and carrying, may produce tension and muscle tightness that result in a backache. Fortunately, there’s a lot we can do to prevent this sort of problem. General physical fitness and a healthy weight are important. But one surprisingly simple strategy can go a long way: Paying attention to your posture.
The basics of posture Posture is the way you hold your body while standing, sitting, or performing tasks like lifting, bending, pulling, or reaching. If your posture is good, the bones of the spine — the vertebrae — are correctly aligned. You can improve your posture — and head off back pain — by practicing some imagery and a few easy exercises: Imagery. Think of a straight line passing through your body from ceiling to floor (your ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles should be even and line up vertically). Now imagine that a strong cord attached to your breastbone is pulling your chest and rib cage upward, making you taller. Try to hold your pelvis level — don’t allow the lower back to sway. Think of stretching your head toward the ceiling, increasing the space between
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your rib cage and pelvis. Picture yourself as a ballerina or ice skater rather than a soldier at attention. Shoulder blade squeeze. Sit up straight in a chair with your hands resting on your thighs. Keep your shoulders down and your chin level. Slowly draw your shoulders back and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold for a count of five; relax. Repeat three or four times. Upper-body stretch. Stand facing a corner with your arms raised, hands flat against the walls, elbows at shoulder height. Place one foot ahead of the other. Bending your forward knee, exhale as you lean your body toward the corner. Keep your back straight and your chest and head up. You should feel a nice stretch across your chest. Hold this position for 20–30 seconds. Relax. Arm-across-chest stretch. Raise your right arm to shoulder level in front of you and bend the arm at the elbow, keeping the forearm parallel to the floor. Grasp the right elbow with your left hand and gently pull it across your chest so that you feel a stretch in the upper arm and shoulder on the right side. Hold for 20 seconds; relax both arms. Repeat to the other side. Repeat three times on each side.
•Practice these imagery and posture exercises throughout the day. You might try to find a good trigger to help you remember, such as doing one or more of them when you get up from your desk, or right before scheduled breaks and lunch. Soon it will become a habit. Source: Harvard Medical School
THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2013
15 1 4 7
re-use
ways to your newspaper old
Use it as wrapping paper, or fold & glue pages into reusable gift bags.
2
Add shredded newspaper to your compost pile when you need a carbon addition or to keep flies at bay.
5
Use newspaper strips, water, and a bit of glue for newspaper mâché.
8
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Crumple newspaper to use as packaging material the next time you need to ship something fragile.
Tightly roll up sheets of newspaper and tie with string to use as fire logs.
After your garden plants sprout, place newspaper sheets around them, then water & cover with grass clippings and leaves. This newspaper will keep weeds from growing.
Make origami creatures
Use shredded newspaper as animal bedding in lieu of sawdust or hay.
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Make your own cat litter by shredding newspaper, soaking it in dish detergent & baking soda, and letting it dry.
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Wrap pieces of fruit in newspaper to speed up the ripening process.
3
Cut out letters & words to write anonymous letters to friends and family to let them know they are loved.
6
Roll a twice-folded newspaper sheet around a jar, remove the jar, & you have a biodegradable seed-starting pot that can be planted directly into the soil.
9
Make newspaper airplanes and have a contest in the backyard.
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From companionship and meal preparation to round-the-clock skilled care, we will develop a personalized plan of care supervised by a registered nurse. We can often deliver that care in as little as 24 hours. Put an end to those middle of the night wake-up calls. For private, professional home care, call Partners in Care at 1.888.9.GET.HELP. You can also visit us on Facebook or at partnersincareny.org
Stuff newspapers in boots or handbags to help the items keep their shape. Dry out wet shoes by loosening laces & sticking balled newspaper pages inside.
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Was last night’s 3 AM call the one that made you realize Dad needs more help than you can provide?
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CELEBRITY PROFILE if I look at a donut I put on 10 pounds. I try to do other things. I do travel writing and other kinds of writing.
Tour de France Writer David Downie regales New York City with tales of the French countryside
What food memory stayed with you from your trip across France?
rejected. I was very fortunate; I had all my early work rejected.
You make it clear that this pilgrimage across France was not a religious journey. How would you describe your religious beliefs? I’m a skeptical skeptic.
By Angela Barbuti
D
avid Downie embarked on a journey most would only dream about — he walked across France, and wrote a book about it. Downie and his wife, photographer Alison Harris, took the 750-mile walk together, Downie armed with a notebook and Harris, a camera. What resulted is the memoir Paris to the Pyreenes: A Skeptic Pilgrim Walks the Way of Saint James, which will be released on April 15th. Although the route the couple followed is usually associated with a desire for spiritual awakening, Downie attributes it to a possible midlife crisis. Later this month, Downie and Harris will leave their home in France to begin their New York City book tour, with stops at McNally Jackson and La Boite en Bois restaurant.
You were born and raised in San Francisco, but you’ve lived in Paris for 27 years. Why did you relocate? I had the typical romantic notions that a young, aspiring writer has about living in Paris. I quit my day job and rented a maid’s room on the seventh floor. I moved in there and wrote a novel. Luckily it was not published. I think it’s a good thing for a young writer to have two or three novels
And your wife’s? She’s an agnostic. Her father was a Catholic; her mother’s a Protestant. She’s not an atheist.
Explain why you took this journey. There were so many reasons. I think something happens at a certain point in your life and you have this irrepressible need to walk or do whatever it is that you do. In my case, I’m a walk-aholic. I had this crazy drive to walk across France. I’m not sure where it came from. I’m still not sure, but I suspect that I just needed to think, unplug, regenerate, and feel better. I had some serious health issues. I was very fat and had liver failure. I also really needed to think about what I was going to do with the rest of my life. When you approach 50, this kind of thing can happen. I suppose you would call it a midlife crisis.
Did you feel fulfilled after it? I realized that your whole life is a pilgrimage. It’s not any different from getting up, getting ready, and commuting to work, or studying, or whatever it is that you happen to do. It is different in that you’re not working, you’re walking, thinking, and meditating. It’s really like walking meditation. When I finished my pilgrimage, I realized it was just life and that it was going to go on until I died. I feel, in many ways, I’m still on the pilgrimage. Writing the book was part of it, and now going on book tours. Talking to you is part of it.
During this pilgrimage, I think I had the best meal I ever had in France at Ferme la Chassagne. It was not at a fancy restaurant, but a farmhouse bed and breakfast — a place where you spend the night and have breakfast and dinner. Everything was grown or raised on the farm. Totally authentic, classic French country cooking. We had veal cooked in milk with mushrooms.
Before living in Paris, you lived in Milan. Now, you and your wife divide your time between France and Italy. We spend two-thirds of the year in France and one-third in Italy at this point.
You also just created an app on Paris.
What are the similarities and differences between France and Italy?
It’s a timeline of Paris. It’s the history of Paris from 8,000 B.C. to the present. All the key dates, people, places, and events.
Well they both have good food, good wine, beautiful landscapes, and wonderful cities. My favorite foreign cities are Rome, Genoa, and Paris. The difference is what Sophia Loren said, which may be apocryphal, “The French are Italians in a bad mood.”
You and Alison give walking tours in Europe. How long have you been hosting these? This will be the eighth year. Paris, Rome, Burgundy, and the Italian Riviera.
What are plans for your future? I’m working on another book about Paris — about romanticism and Paris today being the world’s most romantic city. It appears that most people believe it is. Whether they’re right or not, I’m not sure. That’s what I’m trying to figure out. In terms of walking, we’re still trying to figure out where we’re going to walk next. We might walk to Rome. To learn more about David’s work and New York book tour, visit www.davidddownie.com
What was the hardest part of this experience? Finding time to do it and breaking away from all the usual obligations — work, family, and friends. I think that was the biggest challenge.
Did you keep a journal along the way? I’m a pathological note taker. I have a notebook with me at all times and am always jotting things down.
You’re also a food writer. I wrote about food for many years. I wrote cookbooks, food and wine articles, and guidebooks. I do it a lot less now, in part because
PAGE 18
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New York City Department of Transportation Notice of Public Hearing The New York City Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing on Wednesday April 17, 2013 at 2:00 P.M., at 55 Water St., 9th Floor Room 945, on the following petition for revocable consent, in the Borough of Manhattan: Sprint Communication Company L.P. -to continue to maintain and use cables in the existing facilities of the Empire City Subway (Limited) (â&#x20AC;&#x153;ECSCâ&#x20AC;?) under certain streets in the West side. Interested parties can obtain copies of proposed agreement or request sign-language interpreters (with at least seven days prior notice) at 55 Water St., 9th Fl. SW New York, NY 10041, or by calling (212) 839-6550.
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PUBLIC NOTICES
ACCOUNTING PROCEEDING FILE NO. 2011-4341/A CITATION THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK TO:Unknown Distributees, Attorney General of the State of New York, Bettina Beresh, Joel M. Poch, Diana Suslak-Spriggs, Richard Poch, Samantha Maris Berdinka, And to the heirs at law, next of kin and distributees of Anne P. Hilco, a/k/a Anne Hilco, a/k/a Anne H. Hilco, if living and if any of them be dead, to their heirs at law, next of kin, distributees, legatees, executors, administrators, assignees and successors in interest whose names and places of residence are unknown and cannot, after diligent inquiry, be ascertained by the petitioner herein; being the persons interested as creditors, legatees, devisees, beneficiaries, distributees, or otherwise in the estate of Anne P. Hilco, a/k/a Anne Hilco, a/k/a Anne H. Hilco, deceased, who at the time of her death was a resident of 40 Waterside Plaza, New York, New York 10010. A petition having been duly filed by the Public Administrator of the County of New York, who maintains an office at 31 Chambers Street, Room 311, New York, New York 10007. YOU ARE HEREBY CITED TO SHOW CAUSE before the New York County Surrogate's Court at 31 Chambers Street, New York, New York, on May 21, 2013 at 9:30 A.M. in Room 503, why the following relief stated in the account of proceedings, a copy of the summary statement thereof being attached hereto, of the Public Administrator of the County of New York as administrator of the goods, chattels and credits of said deceased, should not be granted: (i) that her account be judicially settled; (ii) that the above named person(s) be cited to show cause why such settlement should not be granted; (iii) that a hearing be held to determine the identity of the distributees at which time proof pursuant to SCPA Section 2225 may be presented, or in the alternative, that the balance of the funds be deposited with the Commissioner of Finance of the City of New York for the benefit of the decedent's unknown distributees; (iv) that the Surrogate approve the reasonable amount of compensation as reported in Schedules C and C-1
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of the account of proceedings to the attorney for the petitioner for legal services rendered to the petitioner herein; (v) that the persons above mentioned and all necessary and proper persons be cited to show cause why such relief should not be granted; (vi) that an order be granted pursuant to SCPA Section 307 where required or directed; and (vii) for such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper. Dated, Attested and Sealed. March 20, 2013. (Seal) Hon. Nora S. Anderson, Surrogate, Diana Sanabria, Chief Clerk. Schram & Graber, P.C. Counsel to the Public Administrator, New York County 22 Cortlandt Street, 16th Floor New York, New York 10007 (212) 896-3310 Note: This citation is served upon you as required by law. You are not required to appear. If you fail to appear it will be assumed that you do not object to the relief requested. You have the right to have an attorney-at-law appear for you and you or your attorney may request a copy of the full account from the petitioner or petitioner's attorney.
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THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2013
H
EAVENLY MAIDENS, brave warriors, mischievous monks and, yes, even a flying pig! China’s 5,000 years of civilization have yielded an endless treasure trove of legends, myths and literary classics. Through the aweinspiring pageantry of classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun brings these stories to life in vivid detail. It’s a performance that not only entertains, but also, more broadly, educates and inspires. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL ... SO INSPIRING!”
—ROBERT STROMBERG, ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING PRODUCTION DESIGNER FOR AVATAR
SHEN YUN’S AERIAL MASTERS Throughout the 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, martial arts techniques—tempered on the field of battle—were incorporated into classical Chinese dance in what has become a vast repertoire of jumps, twists, spins and tumbling techniques. With Shen Yun’s aerial masters of classical Chinese dance, experience what dance can be.
EXQUISITE COSTUMES, STUNNING ANIMATED BACKDROPS Hundreds of gorgeous costumes inspired by China’s diverse dynasties and ethnic groups, along with dramatic animated backdrops, transport the audience to another time and place.
A UNIQUE EAST-WEST ORCHESTRA The Shen Yun Performing Arts Orchestra, with its unforgettable melodies by ancient Chinese instruments on top of a full Western symphony orchestra, is a one-of-a-kind musical experience.
APRIL 20–28 LINCOLN CENTER
DAVID H. KOCH THEATER
TICKETS & INFO: 800-818-2393 | ShenYun.com/NYC
In Recalling the Great Qin dance from 2011, Terracota Warriors came to life.
A
FTER enchanting royals in London, performing for packed houses across Asia and wowing soldout audiences throughout North America, Shen Yun is returning to Lincoln Center with an entirely new show for 2013. Eleven performances only!
“It was an extraordinary experience. The level of skill ... and the narratives were startling. It was exquisitely beautiful.” —Cate Blanchett, Academy Award-winning actress
AUTHENTICALLY CHINESE, MADE IN NEW YORK
“It’s superb. I am going to mention it on the news, because I think it is a great performance and people should see it.”
Shen Yun cannot be seen in China today, where traditional culture has been mostly destroyed under communist rule. Yet, based in New York, Shen Yun has become a global cultural sensation, bringing the virtues and wisdom of traditional Chinese culture to millions of people across five continents.
—Ernie Anastos, Emmy Award-winning news anchor
APRIL 20–28
DAVID H. KOCH THEATER AT
LINCOLN CENTER
Sat Sun Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
April 20 April 21 April 24 April 25 April 26 April 27 April 28
2:00pm 1:00pm 7:30pm 7:30pm 7:30pm 2:00pm 1:00pm
7:30pm 6:00pm
7:30pm 6:00pm
LAST SEASON SOLD OUT, BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW
CALL: 800-818-2393 VISIT: ShenYun.com/NYC
TICKET PRICES: $200, $180, $150, $120, $100, $80, $70