Our Town Downtown February 06th, 2014 by OurTown Downtown

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COMMUNITY NEWS BELOW 14TH STREET • FEBRUARY 6, 2014 P.9

Public Financing for Private Schools Under-the-radar agency helps exclusive schools raise hundreds of millions of dollars-- all while public schools scramble By Daniel Fitzsimmons A little-known program within the city’s Economic Development Corp. has become the chief vehicle by which private schools in Manhattan refinance their capital projects, funneling hundreds of millions of dollars to some of the priciest schools in the city. In 2013 alone, the Build NYC Resource Corp. brokered more than $439 million in low interest, tax free bonds for 24 private schools in Manhattan. The schools use this money

to pay down prior debt they incurred from bonds they took with the city’s Industrial Development Agency and commercial banks at higher interest rates, money they used for their initial expansions. On the Upper East Side, schools such as the Spence School, the Chapin School, and Convent of the Sacred Heart School have secured millions in low-interest bonds for their capital projects. On the Upper West Side, the Calhoun School received a bond of $34 million and the Studio School got an $8.8 million bond. Downtown, the Grace Church School used $40 million in city-brokered financing to cover expansions they made in 2006 and 2011. The city’s rationale for the program is that when these private schools expand, they create jobs and additional tax revenue for the city. BNYC’s stated goal is to act as a “conduit-bond issuer,” setting investors - banks - up with notfor-profit entities that use the money for

capital projects, which ultimately, the city says, will provide increased jobs and tax revenue. Through a spokesperson, the EDC said that BNYC merely acts as a conduit, or access point, for private schools and other entities to secure low-interest bonds, and the city does indeed benefit from such deals. “Build NYC is not loaning the city’s money capital,” said the EDC spokesperson. But the prevalence of exclusive private schools in these bond deals has some public school proponents wondering why the city is diverting resources to help these schools - many of which come with $40,000-a-year tuition - in the first place. Shino Tanikawa, president of the District 2 Community Education Council, learned of the program just as her Lower Manhattan district is bracing for a shortage of 1,000 elementary school Continued on page 5

A Dangerous Walk for Spruce Street Kids Parents worried about nearby traﬃc

Photo by Victoria Pickering

What Will Happen to the Horses? The city’s horse carriage industry may be coming to an end – but no one is quite sure where the animals will go By Megan Bungeroth The horses pulling carriages through Central Park aren’t aware that their working days are numbered, which is probably for the best, considering their uncertain future. Currently there are about 220 horses registered with the Department of Health as working carriage Continued on page 4

By Daniel Fitzsimmons

Photo by Dan Fitzsimmons

Elementary school students make their way to the Spruce Street School amid local construction and narrow, congested streets.

Parents of kids who attend the Spruce Street School in the Financial District say that since September, they’ve had to contend with narrow, congested streets, box trucks backing onto sidewalks, Continued on page 8

ALSO INSIDE THE REDNECK ONE PERCENT P.8

NEIGHBORHOOD CHATTER Village gathers to mourn Philip Seymour Hoffman In what has become a ritual of tragedy, residents of the West Village convened by the hundreds over the weekend in front of the

Puppy Mill Firestorm Our story on the providence of dogs sold in local pet shops (“That Doggie in the Window,” January 30, 2014) garnered dozens of online comments. Here are a few of them: “Why are we allowing people like [this] and other animal exploiters to get rich off pet sales when our city shelters are overflowing with unwanted animals??? From an ethical, fiscal or logical perspective, pet stores should not be allowed to sell animals in NYC.” Nicodemo Spadavecchia

Bethune Street apartment where actor Philip Seymour Hoffman died on Saturday. Police erected parade-style barriers to fence off fans and neighbors, who began to congregate almost immediately following news of the actor’s apparent drug overdose. Hoffman was often seen in the neighborhood with his three children. His regular presence

“While 4 million adoptable animals are put to sleep every year there is no such thing as a ‘responsible breeder.’ The term is an oxymoron as no responsible person would breed (or buy) during an overpopulation crisis with deadly consequences.” - Ed “Instead of keeping the vile puppy mills in business, and profiting off the suffering of these poor dogs, why doesn’t Citipups do something good, stop selling commercially bred puppies, and sell shelter or rescue dogs only.” - PL “The author of this article missed an important point. The Animal Welfare Act which is the law that governs large-scale

in the West Village -- along with his work with the LAByrinth Theater near Astor Place and his regular appearances on Broadway in midtown -- made his death that much more poignant for New Yorkers, who proudly embraced the Hollywood actor as one of their own. Hoffman’s death came almost exactly five

years after the overdose of Heath Ledger, another much-praised actor, and Hoffman friend, who died in an apartment on Broome Street. a few blocks away. Then, too, neighbors gathered in front of Ledger’s apartment, waiting to catch a grim glimpse of his body, gathered together to mourn the loss.

publish the list of breeders he buys from. Let us research his breeders through the USDA. Reputable breeders do not breed hundreds of dogs. Puppy mills breed for profit ONLY.” - jfisher

breeding facilities gives minimal protection to the animals. No reputable breeder or loving owner would allow their pets to live in those conditions. The fact that a breeder has a clean record means NOTHING. The dogs still live in cages for life, eat cheap food, lack GOOD vet care, excercise and mental stimulation - EVERYTHING that a good breeder/pet owner provides for dogs. There is no comfort in the USDA oversight as they overlook violations. See: The Inspector General’s Audit on Problematic Breeders 5/2010. A breeding facility with no violations is still the equivalent of solitary confinement for dogs. These are COMPANION animals folks and they deserve to be treated that way and not like a commodity. The owner of CitiPups should

“Pet stores that sell puppies are fueled by greed. No dog lover would buy a dog from a pet store, after they know the truth about the existence of the puppy’s parents. There are plenty of people that don’t care about the existence of the parent dogs, but there are plenty that do. The laws are changing in favor of ending puppy mills and thus ending dogs being sold in pet stores. We are evolving to go humane, the only way to go.” - DeeCas

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CRIME WATCH Barclay Bad Guy At 11 AM on Saturday, January 25, a man from 25 to 30 years of age approached the middle teller in a bank on Barclay Street and passed the teller a note reading, “Have gun. Do not want to use it. Give me $10,000.” The teller gave the robber $6,053 in cash before the robber ﬂed eastbound on Murray Street. Video is available of the robbery.

SoHo No-No Articles of clothing were stolen overnight from a SoHo boutique. Sometime early in the morning of Sunday, January 26, unknown perpetrators pried open the front door of a clothing boutique on Broome Street, entered the premises, and made off with seven women’s bags, two fur coats, and four jackets, for a total haul of $5,000. No video is available of the break-in. Police said that the crime was part of a recent pattern of overnight store break-ins in SoHo that they have been tracking.

Green Dot Plot A local café fell victim to the so-called Green Dot scam. At 6 PM on Thursday, January 9, a French café on Maiden Lane received the first of two phone calls from an unknown perpetrator claiming to be a representative of Con Edison. The caller told the café that the business owed the utility money and threatened to turn off their electric power unless the business purchased a Green Dot MoneyPak in the amount of $845 and read the authorization code of the card over the phone. In a subsequent call, the con artist asked the café to pay an additional $900 by the same method.

There’s More to the Charter School Story… “Both of our sons attend the Neighborhood Charter School of Harlem. Our youngest, Lucas, has Autism. Not only are both boys learning critical thinking and problem solving skills at a young age, but Neighborhood Charter School of Harlem has also provided Lucas with the additional social development supports he’s needed to grow and thrive. Thanks to our public charter school, both of our sons’ futures are bright.”

Learn more about NYC’s public charter schools and apply at

CharterNYC.org

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014

Hoard of the Rings

By Jerry Danzig

OUR TOWN DOWNTOWN

Someone made off with jewelry being delivered to a fashion photography shoot. On Thursday, January 16, a 35-year-old man entered a jeweler on Vestry Street to pick up valuable rings that were being rented for a fashion shoot. The jewelry was never delivered to the intended location. In all, thirteen rings went missing, valued at $33,000. No arrests have yet been made.

Watts Wrong A tourist’s property was stolen in a hotel. At 10:30 PM on Monday, January 27, a 44-yearold female tourist from Indiana was attending a meeting at a hotel on Watts street. She left her laptop, an iPad, and a wallet containing three credit cards and her driver’s license on a couch in the hotel meeting room. When she returned thirty minutes later, her property was missing. The total amount of the items stolen came to $4,100.

Watch Out! Someone stole a tourist’s Rolex watch. On Tuesday, January 28, a male tourist from Brazil laid his watch down on the bathroom sink of his Thompson Street hotel room. When he got home later, he realized that his watch was missing. The Rolex was valued at $5,000.

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Horses Continued from page 1

.com STRAUS MEDIA  MANHATTAN PRESIDENT Jeanne Straus EDITOR IN CHIEF Kyle Pope EDITOR Megan Bungeroth • editor.otdt@strausnews.com CITYARTS EDITOR Armond White • editor.cityarts@strausnews.com STAFF REPORTERS Joanna Fantozzi, Daniel Fitzsimmons FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS Alan S. Chartock, Bette Dewing, Jeanne Martinet, Malachy McCourt, Angela Barbuti, Casey Ward BLOCK MAYORS Ann Morris, Upper West Side Jennifer Peterson, Upper East Side Gail Dubov, Upper West Side Edith Marks, Upper West Side PUBLISHER Gerry Gavin • advertising@strausnews.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth, Kate Walsh ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Eliza Appleton CLASSIFIED ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Susan Wynn DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Joe Bendik OUR TOWN DOWNTOWN is published weekly Copyright © 2013 by Straus Media - Manhattan, LLC 212-868-0190 • 333 Seventh Ave, New York, NY. Straus Media - Manhattan publishes Our Town • The West Side Spirit • Our Town Downtown Chelsea Clinton News • The Westsider To subscribe for 1 year, please send $75 to OUR TOWN DOWNTOWN, c/o Straus News 20 West Ave., Chester, NY 10918 PREVIOUS OWNERS HAVE INCLUDED: Tom Allon, Isis Ventures, Ed Kayatt, Russ Smith, Bob Trentlion, Jerry Finkelstein

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horses in the city. If the city or state succeeds in banning the industry -- moves that now seem likely -- the question of what exactly will happen to these 220 horses is one that few people involved in the debate seem able to answer. But the issue is highly charged, evoking alternating images of slaughter houses or retirement sanctuaries, depending on who’s talking. Eva Hughes, who owns horses with her carriage driver husband Thomas, fears that the city will try to dictate the fates of their beloved animals even after a ban is instituted. “These people who are trying to put us out of business and who have crafted legislation that effectively seizes our private property, our horses, will get our horses when they pry them out of our cold and lifeless hands,” Hughes said. “We will never surrender them. We are fully prepared to suffer the consequences. Our horses will never be taken from us in that way.” While she and her husband, who have owned dozens of horses throughout their 16 years operating carriages and have found humane retirement homes for all of them, may not be able to fight back against the tide of opposition to their industry, they may be in the right, legally, on one point. “Unless there’s some incredibly obscure law that I don’t know about, I would find it extremely difficult to believe that anyone from the city could mandate who you sell your property to,” said New York attorney Steven Sladkus. “If you abolish the horse and carriage that’s one thing, but if I own my horse, nobody can tell me who I can or can’t sell it to. There’s a property right there that no one can interfere with.” Sladkus likened such a scenario to a law that bans car dealerships in Manhattan also requiring the dealership owners to give their inventory away when they close down. “I couldn’t see how a law like that could be upheld,” he said. Sladkus said that if the city instituted some kind of quid pro quo when renewing carriage licenses – giving operators a final year to run their carriages but with the provision that they sell their horses to pre-approved buyers at the end of that year, for example – that could hold up. But it would only work for those who chose to sign such an agreement. Those working to end the horse carriage industry say that there are many options for equestrian retirement. “The aim is to not have these horses work,” said Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal. She’s had a bill before

the state legislature for several years now that would ban the industry in the state. Known for her pro-animal protection work in the assembly – she’s written and passed laws cracking down on bear poaching, eating shark fins, selling unlabeled dog fur – Rosenthal’s reasoning has always been that the horses don’t belong in the city, clopping alongside trucks and buses and living in cramped quarters. But she can’t say, exactly, where the horses would go if they were kicked out of their Central Park routes and West Side stables. “It’s imperative that they not be brought to slaughter and that they not just be taken elsewhere to do the same… ‘job.’ I’d encourage the current owners to donate them to a sanctuary,” Rosenthal said. “I guess they can’t compel them to. I’m not sure about that. It’s a good question to ask.” It’s not that she hasn’t thought about it – her office has spoken to a number of horse sanctuaries who could take on some of the horses, she said, and her bill would require carriage horse owners to give to sell their horses to pre-approved sanctuaries or individuals, which the state would monitor. Rosenthal hopes that with concurrent support from Mayor de Blasio and the city council, the state law will establish the illegality of carriage horses and a city law could be written to address how the horse owners are to handle their horses. The next question, though, is how can two opposing sides, who both paint their opponents as the worst kinds of animal-haters, figure out what to do with 220 draft horses forced into sudden retirement? The animal activists maintain that the carriage horse owners carelessly send their horses off to slaughter when they outlive their usefulness, and that’s one of the reasons to stop the cycle of horses through the carriage industry. They also maintain that no horses need to suffer once they stop that cycle. The industry and its supporters scoff at the idea that their horses end up in Mexican and Canadian slaughter houses, the products of auctions in New Holland, Pennsylvania where buyers for these meat companies often get horses for a couple hundred bucks. Horse carriage owners say that they don’t need the state to tell them to humanely retire their horses; they do that already. The industry partners with Blue Star Equiculture, a sanctuary in Palmer, Massachusetts that supports both the idea that draft horses can and should be used for working purposes and that they should be well-cared for after they can no longer work. Eva and Thomas Hughes say they have placed horses there and regularly donate to

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the facility, as do many carriage horse owners. But their argument that there are plenty of places for retired horses to go is a tricky one – it can easily be used against them as just another reason their industry should be shut down. There are many horse sanctuaries who do regularly take in horses rescued from auction or seized by police under cruelty complaints – but few of them have ever seen retired carriage horses. Susan Wagner runs Equine Advocates in Chatham, New York. Her farm, which cares for about 85 equines, including donkeys, ponies and mules, became somewhat famous for rescuing a carriage horse, now named Bobby, from a slaughter auction several years ago. Bobby has become a symbol for those who seek to end the industry, an example embodying the worst and the best places a retired carriage horse could end up. Wagner said that she thinks all of the horses could end up in happy homes like her sanctuary – but not all at once. “We certainly could help but we couldn’t take 200 horses,” she said. “The problem is that the carriage horse owners call them business assets,” limiting the legal ability of rescue organizations to take the horses. Wagner said that the Humane Society and the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries have both pledged to help find homes for the horses, and that none of them should end up at a slaughter auction. “If they go to slaughter, it’s because [owners] sent them; they refuse to allow them to come to an organization like ours,” Wagner said. While there may be enough spots around the country for the horses, the accumulated cost of keeping 220 horses in a capacity where they aren’t making money is in the millions of dollars. Wagner said that on her farm, it takes roughly $4,800 per horse annually to cover the costs of hay, feed, bedding, hoof trimmings, and veterinary and dental bills. Draft horses can live to their late 20s, and many are retired as teenagers. Sanctuaries aren’t the only spots for carriage horses to go. While animal rights groups cringe at the possibility, owners could potentially sell their horses to operators in cities like Philadelphia and Atlanta that still have thriving carriage industries. But they could also sell them to people and institutions who simply want a calm, well-behaved horse – something carriage horses are known for. “My personal opinion is that each of the horses will be sold to someone that wants to use them as a carriage/driving or riding horse and not for slaughter,”

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014

said Lynda Roemer, who runs Equine Rescue, Inc. in Walden, New York and mostly takes in horses who have been confiscated by law enforcement when an owner is found guilty of animal cruelty. She’s never had to rescue a carriage horse in 18 years of operation. Roemer is well aware of the slaughter auctions but thinks that the carriage horses are too valuable to end up there. “Kill buyers don’t pay top dollar (they generally only pay .40-.50/pound - for a 2,000 pound horse that would be $800). The ‘allure’ of having been a NYC carriage horse will open many doors in the private sector and most likely bring a better selling price,” she said. Joanna Feffer, a lifelong horse competitor and equine attorney who lives on the Upper East Side, said that there is no shortage of organizations desperate to purchase retired carriage horses. She’s a horse-lover and strong supporter of the carriage industry. She also sits on the boards of six horse-related charities, including Horse Ability, a group that works with handicapped people and teaches them to ride, and a group that Feffer said is just one

example of the kind of non-profit that needs steady, sturdy, calm horses for its work. “Between colleges, universities, even companion horses for injured horses, because they don’t like to be alone - there are a lot of uses for retired horses,” said Feffer. Colleges often use older horses to teach students about horse anatomy and care, and that they will take horses in nearly any condition, she explained. “I ride in Old Westbury, and people there are always posting to buy retired horses. I could find a home for 100 horses today,” Feffer said – though she hopes she won’t have to. “All the friends who I grew up riding with are all on the committee [supporting the industry],” she said. “We support it because these horses were meant to pull carriages.” Eva Hughes said ending the industry won’t prevent more horses from being killed. “Instead of going down to [the] New Holland [auction] and buying the next 220 horses coming off the truck for slaughter,” she said, “they want to come take our horses.”

Public Financing Continued from page 1

a not-for-profit because it’s tax exempt financing.” Davison said the 2006 IDA bond was also tax exempt, but came with a flexible interest rate that adjusted every week. “Most everyone is fairly sure that we’re not going to get lower rates than we have now,” said Davison. “For what we were doing, fixing our rate for the next 10 years - which is what [the BNYC bond] allows us to do - makes much more sense in terms of our planning.” Davison said that during a two-week period in 2008, the flexible interest rate on the IDA bond whipsawed from 1 percent to 9 percent. While that swing is an aberration connected with the 2008 financial crisis, and it may be impossible to tell how much revenue the IDA bonds would have ultimately brought in, projections for that revenue seem non-existent in records kept by BNYC. In the case of the Birch Wathen Lenox School on the Upper East Side, which is in the process of securing an $8 million bond to refinance money it used to expand in 2004, the city estimates the school will generate $9.1 million in tax revenue over the course of a 15-year term. “So yes, this is in line with the mission of promoting economic and community projects, and it is not a ‘handout’ to a wealthy school,” said an EDC spokesperson. Tanikawa said she’d like to see some way in which public schools benefit from the city’s brokerage of finance deals to private schools. “I think the new mayor should be made aware of this,” said Tanikawa. “Perhaps the banks can be made to pay taxes on the interest and that revenue can go into the [School Construction Authority’s] capital fund. Perhaps the interest rate should be on a sliding scale based on the private school’s assets.”

seats. “I find it outrageous the city is essentially financing the expansion of private schools when our students in public schools are crammed into classrooms with as many as 38 students in a room, families are put on a wait list for their zoned school, asbestos and PCBs still linger in our older buildings and many schools are still not ADA compliant,” said Tanikawa. “The list goes on for what our public schools need while private schools are getting a sweetheart deal with the help of the city?” Private schools are not the only not-forprofits that BNYC helps with refinancing. The corporation has also brokered favorable bond deals for organizations like the American Red Cross and the American Cancer Society. One such bond was issued last year to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum in the amount of $8.9 million. But given the strains in the public-school budgets, it is the school financing that is likely to raise the most eyebrows. Grace Church School, for instance, secured a $40 million bond last May that it used to cover two previous bonds for expansions in 2006 and 2011. George Davison, head of the school, said the availability of these bonds is generally known in the private school community, and that it made more fiscal sense for the school to issue a bond through BNYC than to stick with the terms of their two original bonds. “Build NYC is designed for organizations just like us, who are creating jobs in New York City,” said Davison. “When the Build NYC vehicle came on line, it’s much more appropriate than a standard bank loan for

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OUT & ABOUT

Friday, February 7 Jewish Return to Poland: A Presentation Village Temple, 33 East 12th Street 6:45 p.m., $15 The rebirth of Jewish culture in postCommunist Poland will be explored in a presentation by Dr. Katka Reszke, researcher, lecturer and documentary filmmaker, following a special service. villagetemple.org.

Lost Child - Sayon’s Journey Rose Auditorium, 41 Cooper Square, Third Avenue and 7th Street 7 p.m., Free Abducted at the age of six, Sayon was exploited by the Khmer Rouge; his family life and education stolen. His recovery and redemption from unimaginable evil evolved as he transitioned from an orphanage in

a refugee camp to the home of a loving American family in Connecticut. The film follows Sayon on a healing journey to Cambodia, where he encounters family members who say they never forgot him, and forgives himself for his complicity as a Khmer Rouge child soldier. gardnerdocgroup.com; 212-279-5611

Saturday, February 8 New York Gallery Tours in Chelsea Meet at 526 W. 26th St. (between 10th and 11th Ave.) 1 p.m., $20 Visit seven modern art galleries in the world’s center for contemporary art. We find and explain this month’s most fascinating exhibits in painting, sculpture, electronic media and photography. nygallerytours.com

Olympic Fest Chelsea Piers 7 a.m.- 7 p.m., free A great opportunity for families to watch live coverage of the Games on Sky Rink’s large screen TVs, catch Olympic fever, skate, watch future hopefuls, sip hot chocolate and have a blast. chelseapiers.com/sr/special/2014/olympicfest.cfm

Sunday, February 9

Street 12:30 p.m., $15 Catch some teenage comics perform standup comedy about why Valentine’s Day is just the worst. Appropriate for ages 9 and up. http://gothamcomedyclub.com/show. cfm?id=288985

The School at Steps Pointe Shoe Workshop 2121 Broadway, 4th floor in Lofts II and III 6 :30 p.m., free The evening begins with a panel of experts discussing such topics as learning proper foot care, and pointe shoe fitting and maintenance. The panel includes podiatrist Dr. Brummer, pointe shoe fitter Mary Carpenter, master teacher Lisa Lockwood, and dancer Savannah Lowery, a soloist with New York City Ballet. stepsnyc.com/school

Monday, February 10 Kids ‘N Comedy Valentines Day Show Poetry & Revelry Gotham Comedy Club, 208 West 23rd Poets House, 10 River Terrace 6-9 p.m., Ticket prices vary Wild nights! A Dionysian feast to benefit Poets House. Begins at Poets House with bubbly toasts before walking over to Danny Meyer’s award-winning North End Grill where we’ll feast on Chef Floyd Cardoz’s ecstatic three-course dinner. Wine pairings by wine importer Neal Rosenthal, and readings by leading poets - Anne Carson and her partner Robert Currie, Eileen Myles and Kevin Young - will make this a dazzling evening. All proceeds benefit Poets House and help support programming and operations. Space is limited. For information and ticket prices, please contact Krista Manrique at 212-4317920 x1-2830 or krista@poetshouse.org.

Tuesday, February 11 Terence Gower in Conversation with Claire Bishop SVA Theatre, 333 West 23rd Street 7 p.m., Free Artist Terence Gower and writer and scholar Claire Bishop discuss their recent work. Gower presents work from his recent large-scale installations Public Spirit and Baghdad Case Study. Presented by the BFA Visual & Critical Studies Department. terencegower.com; clairebishopresearch. blogspot.com; sva.edu

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014

OUT & ABOUT Aﬀordable Health Insurance: Navigating the ACA 26 Federal Plaza, 6th Floor Conference Center on Duane Street 10 a.m., Free On-site navigators, information tables, personal and private assistance, topic presentations, and more. brownal@hra.nyc.gov

Thursday, February 13 Re-View: Onnasch Collection Hauser & Wirth 511 West 18th Street 4-6 p.m., Free The exhibition focuses on the period between 1950 and 1970, decades when New York’s cultural influence was unrivaled and some of the most important artistic movements of the 20th century were born. On view will be iconic examples of Pop Art, Fluxus, Color Field, Assemblage, Minimalism, and Abstract Expressionism. hauserwirth.com

Sean Perry Photographs 136 West 21st Street, Room 418F 7 p.m., Free Fine-art photographer Sean Perry presents an overview of his recent projects and shows images from works in progress. Perry has published two monographs of architectural photography, Transitory (Cloverleaf, 2006) and Fairgrounds (Cloverleaf, 2008). His talk is part of the i3: Images, Ideas, Inspiration lecture series, which features presentations by digital photographers, hardware and software developers and industry experts. Presented by the MPS Digital Photography Department. seanperry.comd; sva.edu

of government, and global human rights violations. Revived for the first time in New York with an all-male cast. femmefataletheater.com.

I Heart Ice Sculpture 220 Vesey Street 5 p.m., Free Renowned artisans from Okamoto

Studio transform ordinary blocks of ice into fantastic and beautiful Valentine’s Day themed sculptures. Enjoy live carving, wander through the installation, and join in the fun by taking your picture with a sculpture and sharing it on social media. artsbrookfield.com/event/i-heart-icesculpture/#.UtcdrWRDt-E

Wednesday, February 12 Wilde’s First Foray HERE Arts Center, 144 6th Ave (Enter on Dominick, one block south of Spring) 7 p.m., $15 A young woman assassin fights to overthrow an oppressive Russian regime in this first-ever New York revival of Oscar Wilde’s outlandish, acid-tongued first play, which feels right at home in our current times of ever-polarizing politics, distrust

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014

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cityArts

Edited by Armond White

New York’s Review of Culture . CityArtsNYC.com

Obliviots, or Deeper Into Solipsism Spike Jonze dehumanizes women and love in Her By Armond White

ntil Her, Spike Jonze was a favorite of the American Eccentrics. His brazen artiness was usually redeemed by youthful goofiness and the goofiness had a certain conceptual finesse--best demonstrated in his 2000 Weapon of Choice music video for Fatboy Slim where Christopher Walken’s song-and-dance pantomime jeteed into the surreal levitation of Brian DePalma’s The Fury, Ludacris’s 2004 Get Back music video or the 2010 short film I’m Here where the romance of robots uncannily expressed palpable human longings. But at the movies, Jonze’s eccentricity battles with featurelength narrative structures leading to the unfortunately non-satirical Her. Casting Joaquin Pheonix as electronic greeting card writer Theodore Twombly is immediate overstatement. After Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master, Pheonix is poster boy for creepiness even before he can develop the quixotic personality of a solitary divorce employed in drone-like work ((by BeautifulHandwrittenLetters. com !) to manufacture hollow sentiments for paying customers. (Theodore’s emotional prostitution embodies the thanklessness of grunt-jobs; former skater-boy Jonze conveys the hipster generation’s pampered alienation from the

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014

Joaquin Phoenix in Spike Jonze's Her workaday world.) This postmodern disaffection (carried-over from The Master’s facile agnosticism) makes Theodore’s eventual “falling in love” with an non-human--his computer’s operating system--all too expected. Given the film’s hushed tone, you knew something weird is coming: his OS has the feminine name Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansen). But there are no life-like surprises in either Theodore’s high-waisted nerd apparel or Samantha/ Johanssen’s sultry, teasing voice. The film’s oddly mannered visual style represents a slightly futuristic Los Angeles/Hollywood of Apple-

affluent sleekness--an air of undeniable consumerist elitism. With Jonze directing his first feature-length solo script, the movie is all concept and, frankly, it’s a terrible idea--not screwball farce but Eccentricity for its own sake. Jonze may get freaky in his contributions to Bad Grandpa, even playing an oddball clerk in The Wolf of Wall Street, but Her is a concession to the commercialism that even hipsters don’t realize they enjoy. Eccentricity Gets Tested: I’m Here premiered simultaneously with Zack Snyder’s visionary The Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole-a film whose projection of human

OUR TOWN DOWNTOWN

feelings onto other species ranks as a companion piece to Where the Wild Things Are. But neither Eccentric Masterwork (Owls and I’m Here) was a commercial blockbuster. So this time Jonze doesn’t risk asking audiences to extend their imagination toward anthropomorphism. Her pretends to confound human emotion and amatory attraction. Not an update of the Pygmalion and Galatea myth, Her merely reworks the premise of I’m Here. Theodore’s relationship to Samantha abstracts Love into something non-profound; it becomes a mystery that is illogical, anti-romantic--a safe confirmation

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of nihilism, commercialized negativity. Because Jonze’s instincts are very much au courant--more hipster-cool than avant-garde--lazy viewers are willing to accept the film’s trendy conceit as a challenge to virtues they already disavow. Her is a love story designed for those too scared to believe that love is possible and so are not offended by its mockery--an adolescent, skater boy bluff. Jonze doesn’t mock the idea of love so much as its human improbability. (This is where Her differs from classic Screwball which, like Shakespeare’s comedies, always perpetuated the need for human connection.) Theodore’s co-workers (Amy Adams as his heartbroken colleague, Chris Pratt as his fatuous boss) demonstrate the sadness and shallowness of romantic alliance and his ex-wife (Rooney Mara) confirms its impossibility, hidden in distrust and disloyalty. Humans are seen as uncommunicative and unrealiable-that’s why Theodore goes over to the other side. In Her, Jonze romanticizes the solipsism of obliviots, middle-class digital device idiots who lack the impulse to resent how technology damages their senses, limits their humanity. His scenes of Theodore alone on a beach or walking through snow drifts are shot ironically but lack a Chaplin or Keaton sense of humor. Jonze’s eccentricity should have saved him from indulgent solipsism, the snarky normalizing of digital era detachment, isolation and alienation. Her’s biggest shock is that Jonze loses his sense of funny; it’s unromantic yet is unacceptably sentimental.

PAGE 9

CITYARTS MUSEUM

Old School Into New School Out of Hand presents the Future in rebooted craft museum By Rania Richardson

C Untitled (Breezy Point) Queens, November 10, 2012 Photo by Deirdre Galvin

Perfecting the Storm Local photos memorialize the historic Hurricane Sandy By Valerie Gladstone dramatic shot by Harvey Stein shows the twisted and mangled Jet Star Roller Coaster in Seaside Hts., N. J., standing several feet in water. In another by Catherine Nance, desperate notices of lost cats are scribbled across a door in Staten Island, while Paul Moakley’s image of flooded streets, reflecting a few makeshift lights, resonates with a melancholy beauty. These are just a few of the 200 powerful photographs documenting the devastation and recovery efforts relating to hurricane Sandy in the riveting exhibition, “Rising Waters: Photographs of Sandy,” on view at the Museum of the City of New York through March 31. It also includes “Without Power,” shots taken by architectural photographer, Alex Fradkin, of the devastated and darkened streets of the Lower East Side. “Not long after Sandy,” says curator Sean Corcoran, “I decided we should do an exhibition of images that would tell the story of the storm and its repercussions. It was such an important historical event.” He put out an open call for images, at first planning to present the show six months afterwards. Then he realized that it was a developing story

PAGE 10

and that more photographs of the rebuilding should be included. In the end, he received 10,000 submissions and, in conjunction with curators from the International Center of Photography, selected 200 color and black and white images for the show, which opened on the anniversary of Sandy in October. They decided to arrange the images chronologically, dividing them by themes. “The exhibition had to have structure,” he says. “We imposed our own guidelines, among them that we would include amateurs and professionals and that the images had to be both aesthetically interesting and advance the story. We hoped to achieve a delicate balance between the look and the content. We have a section simply called `Home,’ which is a series of portraits of people working on their houses and facing their loss. Their faces reveal as much about what happened as the images of water engulfing the beaches and streets.” Corcoran not only wanted to document Sandy but also to remind viewers of what happened. “A lot of New Yorkers are still dealing with the effects of the storm,” he says. “It’s not really over. I’m hoping this will spark conversation about how we might have been more prepared and how we build in the future and provide an infrastructure better equipped for this kind of catastrophe. I also hope people can relate to it on a personal level.” “Rising Waters: Photographs of Sandy” at The Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Avenue, at 103rd Street, 212-534-1672, mcny.org.

OUR TOWN DOWNTOWN

olumbus Circle is as crowded as it ever was, but the past decade’s renovations with fountains, benches, and plantings make it a prettier place to be. The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) moved to the south side of the Circle in 2008, with a mission of being a creative hub and exploring the materials and processes of artists across disciplines. In short, it’s a reboot of the former American Craft Museum that was located across from MoMA. “Out of Hand: Materializing the Postdigital” comprises work by successful artists experienced with old-school methods, who are incorporating 3D printing and other digital tools to create museum quality pieces. Organized by curator Ron Labaco, the exhibition features work from 2005 to the present, including objects never presented before in the U.S. by Anish Kapoor, Maya Lin, Greg Lynn, Frank Stella, and many others. “Brain Wave Sofa” by Lucas Maassen and design studio, Unfold, is an example of computer numerical controlled (CNC) milling. The design of the polyurethane foam and felt sofa is the result of an electroencephalogram brain wave scan created by electrodes connected to Maassen’s head. By opening and closing his eyes, his neurofeedback data generates 3D landscape imagery. The resulting computer file is sent to a CNC machine that mills his brain waves

in foam for the foundation of the couch. With systems like this, the future is here as designers can fairly create a product with the blink of the eye. Many objects in the survey are breathtaking, regardless of their backstory. Modeling nature, Joris Laarman’s “Bone Armchair,” has a sinuous form reminiscent of Art Nouveau. Cast in a single piece, the marble resin furniture was fabricated using a custom developed 3D printed ceramic mold. Also dazzling in its beauty, is Marc Newson’s “Doudou Necklace,” a fractal-inspired ornament based on the Julia set, a geometric figure that repeats itself at ever smaller scales and looks the same at all zoom levels. The diamond, sapphire, and white gold piece was modeled digitally using rapid prototyping, then translated into hand drawings for traditional setting by French jewelry house, Boucheron. The necklace is accompanied by a colorful, hypnotic animation that demonstrates the formula discovered by mathematician Gaston Julia in 1915. A walk through the 120 varied works on display-- portraits, architecture, sculpture, clothing-- is an education in the eclectic range of digital tools. But will computer assistance eventually snuff out the spirit of art? According to curator Labaco, the soul in art lies in the maker, not the medium. “In capable hands one can create beautiful, compelling, delightful, and/or haunting works using digital technologies,” he says. “Out of Hand” at Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), 2 Columbus Circle through June 1. Follow Rania Richardson on Twitter: @ RaniaRichardson

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CITYARTS FILM

YOU READ IT HERE FIRST New York Post WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S UP WITH THAT?

Is the West Side Fairway Cheaper? A reader wrote asking why some groceries cost more at the Upper East Side location than the Upper West Side

can of Bumble Bee wild Alaskan salmon at the Fairway on East 86th Street is priced at $7.19 a can â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but the same exact product is only $5.49 at the Upper West Side Fairway on Broadway and 74th Street. J. Rubin, a local shopper, wrote to Fairway, and to us, to try to get to the bottom of this discrepancy. We decided to see for ourselves. We sent a reporter to compare prices for a host of products (see chart) at the West Side and East Side locations. Prices were checked on Thursday, May 23, and do not include any sales or specials. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what we found: While a few prices were indeed higher on the East Side (Frosted Flakes and Twinning tea will set you

.com STRAUS MEDIA ď&#x161;ş MANHATTAN PRESIDENT Jeanne Straus ACTING EDITOR Megan Bungeroth â&#x20AC;˘ editor.wssp@strausnews.com CITYARTS EDITOR Armond White â&#x20AC;˘ editor.cityarts@strausnews.com STAFF REPORTER Joanna Fantozzi FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS Alan S. Chartock, Bette Dewing,Jeanne Martinet, Malachy McCourt, Angela Barbuti, Casey Ward, Laura Shanahan PUBLISHER Gerry Gavin â&#x20AC;˘ advertising@strausnews.com

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he three best friends of That Awkward Moment, graphic artists Jason and Daniel (Zac Efron, Miles Teller) and medical intern Mike (Michael B. Jordan), are cynical about increasing their sexual activity, enjoying their young middle-class professional prerogative on the loose in New York City. Encouraging each other to keep a â&#x20AC;&#x153;rosterâ&#x20AC;? of conquests, these sitcom dudesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; attitude and talk are artificially raunchy--the language of contrived realism that attempts to match the new frank, unapologetic amorality made fashionable by TVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Two and a Half Men and Lena Dunhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HBO series Girls. The boy-men of That Awkward Moment donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t suffer the misgivings that show runnerstar Dunham embraces; their masculine humiliations are just frat boy braggadocio (penis jokes, fart gags, zero chagrin, alcohol). The lack of genuine humiliation and lack of depth keep That Awkward Moment from achieving the most redemptive quality of even Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; gross exhibitionism. The exhibitionism in That Awkward Moment is worse than a sitcom; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rank, calculated indie snark. By fortunate coincidence, I saw That Awkward Moment a day after watching Ernst Lubitschâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1941 That Uncertain Feeling which was a world away in style and feeling, where sexual awareness came cloaked in sophisticated allusion, wit more subtle than innuendo. Not even the vulgarity of That

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Awkward Moment could erase such Lubitsch gems as â&#x20AC;&#x153;A husband must be like a stranger; someone whose acquaintance you want to make everydayâ&#x20AC;? or the scene where Merle Oberon questioned a Surrealist portrait paintingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s symbolism: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the pedestal mean?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Greatnessâ&#x20AC;? answered a modest cocksman. Modesty is the least of what That Awkward Moment lacks. The three wannabe studs prove absolutely unlikable in their conceitedness and in smirky performance-by Jordan who, as token Black guy, resorts to drinking a 40-ounce; Tellerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unprepossessing pockmarked smugness; and Efronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s over-gymmed white pretty boy, petty-thief self-absorption. Efronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s confession to the literary star Ellie (Imogen Poots) he seduced and abandoned is the most unfelt movie monologue in ages. His baby-blueeyed â&#x20AC;&#x153;sincerityâ&#x20AC;? and peach fuzz manliness epitomize the triteness of writer/director Tom Gormicanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attempt at making a 21st century masculine sex farce. That Awkward Moment, titled for the uncertain feeling when a female asks a male where their relationship is headed, looks like an inept version of Breakinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; All the Rules and Chaos Theory, trenchant, underrated films by Daniel Taplitz our closest contemporary equivalent to Lubitsch. Taplitz, like Lubitsch, never separated sexuality from morality while Gormican poorly imitates Dunhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trendyconfused gender narcissism--in Jasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dirk Diggler routine, Danielâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smug exploitation of Chelsea (Mackenzie Davis) and Mikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ceaseless booty-begging. The result is awkward at best.

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back a couple extra dimes) there were also a few items more expensive on the West Side, like Chips Ahoy and Ghiradelli hot chocolate. Many prices, however, were the exact same. But what about that glaringly high mark-up on the salmon? Fairway did not respond to our email, but did respond to Rubinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s email, apologizing for what turns out to be a pricing error, which the store said they have since corrected. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The retail for the Bumble Bee Wild Salmon should be $6.49 at our 86th Street location, and $5.99 at Broadway, and these retails were corrected,â&#x20AC;? said a customer service representative in an email. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The difference in these retails is due to promotional pricing we received from our vendor at our Broadway location. We are sincerely sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you, and we thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.â&#x20AC;? It seems that Fairway is offering a fairly even grocery shopping experience for both the Upper East and West Sides.

NY Times Hunter, The Saddest Smartest School Around Elite East side high school ranks last in happiness study By Adam Janos

unter College High School, at 71st East 94th Street, is a school of superlatives. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regularly recognized as one of (if not the) most successful public schools in the city and nationwide, and is an ivy feeder, putting its graduates on the fast track to a life amongst the intellectual elite. Now, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been saddled with a less-stellar distinction: saddest spot in New York. A new study by the New England Complex Systems Institute

.com STRAUS MEDIA ď&#x161;ş MANHATTAN PRESIDENT Jeanne Straus

released August 20 took a measure of mood in the city using geo-tagged tweets. Twitter users are known for their informal, concise language, and tweets are frequently accented by the use of emoticons like â&#x20AC;&#x153;:)â&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;:(â&#x20AC;&#x153;). After researchers established a correlation between the emoticons and the words that would accompany them, they divided all the chosen tweets by location and mapped the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mood. Yaneer Bar-Yam, the studyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s principal investigator, notes that high-density traffic spots like the midtown tunnel are associated with more negative emotions, while Central Park and Fort Tyron Park â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the peaceful, green lungs of Manhattan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are associated with positive sentiment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We looked at the locations with strong positive or negative sentiment, and the results are intuitive, which is strong confirmation that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing the right thing,â&#x20AC;? he said. And, according to the study, in all of New York City, the most negative place to be is Hunter College High School. Several Hunter grads rushed to defend the institution. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had a really great time there,â&#x20AC;? Mynette Louie, an independent film producer from the class of â&#x20AC;&#x2122;93 says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happy about commuting over an hour to get to schoolâ&#x20AC;Ś but I had a good time, because I was surrounded by all these smart peopleâ&#x20AC;Ś it was pretty nerdy, but it was also just fun.â&#x20AC;? Caroline Friedman, class of â&#x20AC;&#x2122;06, thinks the atmosphere was

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intense, but never cutthroat competitive. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in law school now, and when I was applying Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d hear stories that at some law schools, people will rip out the relevant pages from the library books so other people couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t read it. It was nothing like that,â&#x20AC;? Friedman says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At Hunter, there was a lot of cooperation: people were sharing notes, people were copying homework.â&#x20AC;? Still, Friedman notes that there was limited sunlight in the classrooms (the students refer to the building itself as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the brick prisonâ&#x20AC;?), and advises current Hunter College High School students to, â&#x20AC;&#x153;go to the park during lunch. spend some time in the courtyard.â&#x20AC;? Other alumni are less glowing in their reviews of the Hunter community; Sachi Ezura, class of â&#x20AC;&#x2122;04, remembers high school as one of the most difficult times in her life. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One thing I remember, is that everyone would go home and write in their Xanga or their Livejournal [online blogs]. And this one kid, all the popular kids used to pass around his blogâ&#x20AC;Ś people reveled in each othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sadness.â&#x20AC;? Ezura herself spent considerable time in the nurseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office when she would get upset, and she notes that in her classâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yearbook, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a drawing of her crying on a page entitled, â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Day in the Life of the Senior Class at Hunterâ&#x20AC;?. Michelle Kang, class of â&#x20AC;&#x2122;02, thinks a large part of the stress was related to the high pressure of the school combined with the inherent stress of living in New York. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I mean, you think all the typical things American kids get to do in high school: driving around, going to football gamesâ&#x20AC;Ś I was in the middle of this dense, dirty place, trying to catch a train.â&#x20AC;? Kang has since moved to Seattle, and is getting her masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in architecture. Still, all Hunter alumni seem to agree that the experience, however painful or enjoyable, was indispensible. And when asked, all maintain that their closest friends in adulthood are people they met while at Hunter. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think if people can step away from [the academic pressure] and appreciate that this is the time in your life when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re surrounded by the most intelligent, special people, that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot to be gained by that,â&#x20AC;? Benjamin Axelrod, class of â&#x20AC;&#x2122;02 says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a really good group.â&#x20AC;?

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Village Halloween Parade Faces Obstacles in Comeback The Town & Village Synagogue

Churches and synagogues throughout Manhattan are ďŹ nding their ďŹ nancial plans thwarted by preservation eďŹ&#x20AC;orts By Megan Bungeroth

tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to argue against preserving the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic, soaring monuments to God. Churches and synagogues throughout Manhattan have been targeted by preservation enthusiasts since the city first created the Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1965. They have good reason: without landmark status protection, surely many of these places, which give religious congregations a home and neighborhoods an inimitable character and sense of history, would have been torn down

long ago. The side not often heard above the rallying cries of well-meaning preservationists, however, is that of the actual church or synagogue members. The landmark process, meant to protect and preserve historical assets that theoretically belong to everyone, can sometimes end up displacing the very people who hold the actual deeds to these properties and destroying the community that resides within the building in order to preserve its facade. On the Lower East Side, a well-known synagogue is hoping to avoid a landmark designation that some in the community are eager to obtain. The Town & Village Synagogue on East 14th Street has occupied a building for decades that has been technically calendared (meaning that a vote was already taken to schedule a hearing) by the Landmarks Preservation Commission since 1966, though a hearing was never Continued on page 8

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RESTAURANT HEALTH GRADES P.13

After its ďŹ rst cancellation in a three-decade history last year, the parade is struggling to ďŹ nd enough money to raise itself from the dead By Omar Crespo

he Village Halloween Parade has had quite the rough year. Last year, hurricane Sandy left the costumes, floats, and music inoperable. This year, organizers have been forced to turn to Internet crowd funding in hopes of keeping the event going. Sandy left the parade in dire need of donations and funding, which left its organizers in a state of limbo. Jeanne Fleming, the paradeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head coordinator for the past 33 years, is optimistic the event will come together for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Halloween. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We hope so,â&#x20AC;? she said. Because of the unintended shutdown of the parade last year, the event coordinators have had to try and recoup the losses suffered. The parade committee turned to the popular crowd-sourcing website

Kickstarter, which helps artists fund their creative pursuits through public monetary pledges. The Kickstarter campaign, which began on September 16, has been slowly making its way to the $50,000 green-light goal. If the full amount isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pledged by a October 21 deadline, the parade wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get any of the funds. Fleming said that compared to the hundreds of thousands of people who have attended and enthusiastically supported the parade over the decades, â&#x20AC;&#x153;the Kickstarter response has been lukewarm.â&#x20AC;? As of press time, the campaign had raised $41,975 from 732 backers, and five days left. The $50,000 collected this year will go to investment insurance for the businesses and individuals who donated last year but did not get a parade. Before this new digital venture, support for the parade came in the form of sponsorship from companies, businesses and TV licenses, as well as from grassroots-level funding such as children selling cookies or restaurants donating food. Recently, the Greenwich VillageChelsea Chamber of Commerce, which represents small businesses in the downtown area, announced that the Rudin Family Foundations and the Association for a Better New York will give a $15,000 matching fund if the parade Continued on page 8

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PETS

CAMP

With jerky unsafe, consider alternative pet treats NEW YORK — The controversy surrounding jerky treats for pets has resumed following an announcement that two major pet treat manufacturers will soon return their products to stores’ shelves. The treats in question had been voluntarily recalled, though members of the public were warned by the Food and Drug Administration through a report that approximately 4,500 dogs had reportedly gotten sick and nearly 600 dogs had died, allegedly from consuming jerky treats. Ultimately, an identifying cause of the illnesses and deaths was never found. Because of the cause for concern, veterinarians are offering a different approach. Instead of purchasing processed treats for pets, consider providing a

15 1 4 7

healthy alternative. “The most important part of treat time is the attention you give to your pet,” said Dr. Jennifer Welser, chief medical officer of BluePearl Veterinary Partners. “Consider giving your pet chopped vegetables or fruits, like carrots and apples, or giving them a piece of their own food, but emphasizing the same level of enthusiasm.” However, some human foods are toxic to pets. Onions, garlic, chocolate, raisins, grapes, macadamia nuts, the sugar substitute xylitol, and raw or undercooked food can create major problems for pets. “Most importantly, we suggest discussing treat options with your family veterinarian to determine what kind of treats would be best to give your furry friend,” Welser said.

re-use

ways to old newspaper

your

Use it as wrapping paper, or fold & glue pages into reusable gift bags.

Add shredded newspaper to your compost pile when you need a carbon addition or to keep ﬂies at bay.

Use newspaper strips, water, and a bit of glue for newspaper mâché.

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

Cut out letters & words to write anonymous letters to friends and family to let them know they are loved.

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.

Use shredded newspaper as animal bedding in lieu of sawdust or hay.

Make your own cat litter by shredding newspaper, soaking it in dish detergent & baking soda, and letting it dry.

Wrap pieces of fruit in newspaper to speed up the ripening process.

Make newspaper airplanes and have a contest in the backyard.

12 15

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.

a public service announcement brought to you by dirt magazine. PAGE 12

OUR TOWN DOWNTOWN

Camp’s Secret Weapon The buzz about emotional intelligence and your child By Posie Taylor Why consider summer camp for your child? Perhaps you hope to raise another Michelle Kwan or Tiger Woods. Maybe you are desperate for an alternative to a summer of day care, chauffeuring, and video games. There is an even more compelling reason to consider a high-quality summer camp, according to the child development experts at the American Camp Association. This reason, while it has been true for decades, is finally getting the attention it deserves. Children at summer camps are learning vital life skills that will help them grow – and will make their lives healthier and happier all along the way. It’s the new buzz word in educational theory that’s been at work in quality summer camps for years: Emotional Intelligence. Real Challenges Build Resiliency The best-kept secret in American education is that great camps have been teaching Emotional Intelligence since they began. Besides their long years of practice in this arena, camps have another edge. Because camps are free of the demands of curriculum and academic testing, camp professionals can focus on those intangibles that are part of the Emotional Intelligence cluster. Children away from home, with new friends and the new challenges of camp can learn much about themselves, their own strengths, and abilities. Perhaps the canoe doesn’t head where it should at first, or a cabin-mate is unwilling to be friendly. Away from the familiarity of home and school, campers can test their own perseverance, and, with caring and thoughtful help, build new life skills for themselves. Meeting these challenges brings true self-esteem, the kind that is earned, not empty words. Talking about self-esteem or trying to bolster it in kids does not work without real challenge in safe and supportive communities. Social skills, too, grow exponentially at camp. A campfire marshmallow roast is an exercise in sharing of sticks and the front row around the campfire. When campers take turns carrying the lunch to the top of the mountain, they learn firsthand how wonderful working together can be. A good counselor will gently remind her young hikers of this lesson, not later, but during the climb, when the message is fresh.

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Timing is Everything When Life Lessons Are Involved Counselors at camp teach archery or pottery or swimming while showing children the value of the varied skills and talents of their friends. And, with no formal “curriculum,” a lesson may be “interrupted” for a chat about sharing or about any of the Emotional Intelligence skills when the time is right. Parents are amazed at the clear progress their campers make during even a relatively short time at camp. Given that Emotional Intelligence is at the very heart of the camp experience, this progress is not surprising. A parent of a ten-year-old boy comments in a camp evaluation: “Living in such close quarters was not without its challenges for Roger, but he is much more able to handle social challenges at school since his return. And he came home just generally a nicer boy in all respects.” Another explains: “Of course I am glad my girls had fun and learned some new skills, but their newfound maturity and caring for each other was really what I had hoped would happen.” Teachable Moments at Camp When children find adult friends at camp who model perseverance, listening, teamwork, and appreciation of differences, they set new and high standards for their own behavior. When they feel appreciated and valued by these friends, they are surer of their ability to live happily away from home. Successful camp summers can help smooth the transition to college in later years. Camp is a key opportunity for growth, both for children who thrive at school and for those who struggle. Talented students develop their abilities to cooperate and share in a community where they don’t worry about grades and academic competition. Children whose school lives are difficult find real rewards in new opportunities to shine. Having a chance to practice being a leader may be a rare experience for them indeed! At summer camp, children learn from trained and thoughtful counselors. They talk about Emotional Intelligence every day and hone their skills in a safe and nurturing community. Children at camp know firsthand the value of cooperation and teamwork, and they practice listening, sharing, and waiting their turn every day. Posie Taylor serves as a board member-at-large of the American Camp Association. She is also the executive director emerita of the Aloha Foundation, Inc. Reprinted from CAMP Magazine by permission of the American Camp Association.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS

NEIGHBORHOOD REAL ESTATE SALES Reported January 27 - February 2, 2014

January 23 - 28, 2014 Neighborhood

Restaurant Grades

Address

Battery Park City 1 River Terrace

The following listings were collected from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s website on December 13, 2013 and include the most recent inspection and grade reports listed. We have included every restaurant listed during this time within the zip codes of our neighborhoods. Some reports list numbers with their explanations; these are the number of violation points a restaurant has received. To see more information on restaurant grades, visit www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/services/restaurant-inspection.shtml. Chelsea

Berkli Parc Cafe

61 Delancey Street

Allen St Pizza

84 Hester Street

The Fat Radish

17 Orchard Street

Blue Ribbon Sushi Izakaya

187 Orchard Street

Division 31 Restaurant

31 Division Street

Grade Pending (32) Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or nonfood areas. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.

Fortune Star Restaurant 84 Eldridge Street

T-Spot

99 Allen Street

Closed by Health Department (49) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Grade Pending (23) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable handdrying device not provided.

Rpm

266 Broome Street

Min Jiang Mini Cafe

67 Eldridge Street

Grade Pending (21) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Tobacco use, eating, or drinking from open container in food preparation, food storage or dishwashing area observed.

Nha Trang Restaurant

87 Baxter Street

Subway

174 Canal Street

Aamanns-Copenhgen

13 Laight Street

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014

E Village

Financial Distri

Flatiron

Fulton/Seaport

Gramercy Park

Apt.

Sale Price

#Rh2

$8,000,000

BR BA Listing Brokerage

1 River Terrace

#Ph31f

$1,915,000

Reaction

200 Rector Place

#20L

$625,000

Ccg Real Estate

1 River Terrace

#20A

$1,125,000

1 River Terrace

#8D

$2,125,000

Charles Rutenberg

1 River Terrace

#5C

$1,362,500

Charles Rutenberg

212 W 18 St.

#Ph1

$50,912,500

Douglas Elliman

127 W 15 St.

#3F

$475,000

Halstead Property

77 7 Ave.

#19L

$980,000

Corcoran

201 W 16 St.

#3G

$414,000

Halstead Property

212 W 18 St.

#8B

$7,173,571

345 W 14 St.

#6A

$2,908,770

Corcoran

Douglas Elliman

345 W 14 St.

#8A

$3,757,917

100 W 15 St.

#5I

$735,000

116 W 22Nd St.

$2,075,000

212 W 18 St.

#8A

$7,280,487

Core

210 W 19 St.

#6A

$1,035,000

Corcoran

305 W 18 St.

#2E

$390,000 2

Douglas Elliman

212 W 18 St.

#15C

$13,237,250

71 E 3 St.

#7/8

$625,000

274 E 7 St.

#3A

$250

307 E 4 St.

#3D

$37,623

125 E 12 St.

#3G

$1,400,000

226 E 12 St.

#7D

$245,600

Argo Residential

75 Wall St.

#37J

$804,417

Douglas Elliman

15 Broad St.

#1426

$1,375,000

Douglas Elliman

20 Pine St.

#613

$547,341

88 Greenwich St.

#1207

$1,565,000

Douglas Elliman

15 Broad St.

#2300

$1,960,000

Douglas Elliman

123 Washington St.

#36E

$1,262,630

The Marketing Directors

56 Pine St.

#5A

$640,000

Charles Rutenberg

4 W 21 St.

#8B

$2,225,000

Corcoran

7 E 14 St.

#21R

$965,000

1.5

Douglas Elliman

108 5 Ave.

#10B

$2,175,000

Sotheby's International

131 Fifth Ave.

#501

$2,195,000

Halstead Property

59 John St.

#3F

$1,400,000

Room Real Estate

99 John St.

#706

$1,247,356

Nestseekers

111 Fulton St.

#610

$820,280

Charles Rutenberg

340 E 23Rd St.

#6K

$899,000

Citi Habitats

230 E 15 St.

#2J

$390,000

Owner

210 E 15 St.

#6P

$415,000

Douglas Elliman

305 2 Ave.

#723

$1,476,462

Cantor And Pecorella

205 3 Ave.

#12Vw

$1,940,000

Stribling

1 Irving Place

#G24a

$1,212,000

One Irving Place Realty

1 Irving Place

#V16i

$675,000

One Irving Place Realty

1 Irving Place

#V24b

$1,650,000

One Irving Place Realty

StreetEasy.com is New York’s most accurate and comprehensive real estate website, providing consumers detailed sales and rental information and the tools to manage that information to make educated decisions. The site has become the reference site for consumers, real estate professionals and the media and has been widely credited with bringing transparency to one of the world’s most important real estate markets.

OUR TOWN DOWNTOWN

www.nypress.com

PAGE 13

CELEBRITY Q AND A

Chronicling A Mother’s Long-Distance Love tell you that you still can, once you go there, say “no.” I knew that would not be an option for me. It would push all the buttons in me where I’d been rejected. I also knew I couldn’t go by a picture.

In her new play, Upper West Sider Corinne Chateau goes to the Republic of Georgia to bring her baby home

So you went to Georgia to see the baby. What was that like?

By Angela Barbuti Mothers say that holding their children for the first time is the ultimate example of immediate unconditional love. Corinne Chateau felt that deep connection when she held Cali, only he wasn’t her son, but a baby she had seen in a picture and traveled a great distance to meet. A career- driven actress, Chateau had waited to have children, and finally decided on adopting internationally. I met her at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater just before a dress rehearsal for her play, The Sun Shines East, which tells of her tumultuous, yet incredible path to becoming a mother. “One thing about being a mother is not giving up. There were so many opportunities where we could have,” she said.

In your thirties, you were focused on your career and hadn’t thought about a family. My whole life was acting. That was my obsession, and what I cared about. I was an only child, and didn’t have the kind of mother who was around too much. The important thing in my life was to do something, not so much be a wife or mother. And then, in my late 30s, I came to a kind of existential moment when I said, “What am I doing with my life? Is it just about getting an acting job? It’s got to be more than that.”

When you came to the realization that you wanted a child, were you married? I was living with my future husband, Brian Hickey, who I met at The Actors Studio. We had been living together for four years and then we married. That was after my first pregnancy, which was a miscarriage, and then I had a second one a few years later. I was perfectly healthy, and never anticipated miscarrying.

How did your interest in adoption begin? The famous Swedish actress Bibi Anderson was in New York. It was the time of the Bosnian war and she was dedicated to helping

PAGE 14

The actress with her son Cali artists and people suffering in Sarajevo. I met her through a friend and helped her fundraise. Her dedication to helping these people who were under siege really moved me. After hearing about all the orphans, I ended up calling the UN and asking if people were adopting them. They said that they were not allowing foreign adoption. Somehow, that just triggered something in me.

How did you decide on the Republic of Georgia? I knew I wasn’t going to do a domestic adoption. I mean, that’s great, but I was pulled to something distant, but it was also east. And my mother’s side, which I didn’t know very much about, comes from the East. My mother was born in Warsaw and escaped with her mother and grandmother during the War. Something about the Republic of Georgia - the Golden Fleece, the high mountains -there was some kind of mystique for me, like a spiritual pull to that place. I also think the process had to be difficult for me to know that I really wanted to do it, that I wasn’t just going to change my mind tomorrow.

You knew you wanted an infant, right? Yes, that was the other thing. I did investigate Russia, but I heard it was impossible to get babies under a year old. It was very important for me to get as young as possible. I knew, somehow instinctively, the younger the better because of what happens in all those months that the baby is not getting the love, attention, and stimulation he or she needs.

You got a picture of Cali ﬁrst. With international adoption, they have a coordinator here and one in that country. Our son was relinquished in a hospital. I got the picture, and could say “yes” or “no.” And they

OUR TOWN DOWNTOWN

Within three days, my husband and I knew for sure. Cali was three months old at the time. It was not a good situation in Georgia at the time, because they had just come out of civil war. There was no heat, electricity, nothing in the stores. Unbeknownst to us, the president of Georgia’s wife, Mrs. Shevardnadze, was on this very fierce campaign against Georgian orphans leaving the country. She was trying to make it so that people could not adopt children, even if they were languishing and dying, which they were. The year that we adopted our son, 20 babies died in the orphanage.

You came back to America without him, and learned there was a moratorium on adoption. We got on our own campaign to write to senators, congressmen, the Pope, anybody who we thought might feel passionate about helping this child. Our adoption person in California wanted to change us to another program because she had experience with these countries that would go on with the process forever. But we had seen Cali and held him in our arms. In the photo we took, I really felt he was telling me, “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for you.”

Then you decided to go back to Georgia. I started to read up on the effects of emotional deprivation on children, and that every day is so crucial in the life of a baby. I was terrified that if it took too long to get him, maybe he’d have attachment problems. After three months, I told Brian we couldn’t wait any longer. Our case became very political. My husband knew a man who knew Congressman Gilman of upstate New York. By chance, Congressman Gilman had relations with the Republic of Georgia. He managed to get a verbal promise for the release of our baby. All we needed was this signature from the Minister of Education. It wasn’t easy to get the visas, but we ended up going to Georgia for two months.

What did you do there for two months?

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We stayed with this fantastic family. We slept on the floor. Every day, we’d be driven to the hospital and spent about five hours with Cali. Brian went over first and warned me, “Be prepared when you see him, he’s a little depressed.” The miracle of the whole thing was that every day that we were there, Cali got better. The Minister of Education didn’t speak a word of English, and I had to go through a translator. I was shaking like a leaf, trying to communicate. He kept saying, “We’ll try. We’ll see what we can do.” And then three days later, he gave his word.

How did you turn this story into a play? I felt that the story had been so miraculous, so I wanted to share it. I had an image of the long hallway in the hospital - dank, cold, and dark. And as I was walking toward the end of it, where I was going to see this baby for the first time, it was like a near-death experience. Your whole life flashes in front of you. I first wrote it as a short story, then I created a one-woman show. I then brought it to the Actors Studio and performed it in little theaters. I went back to the studio to do it as an improvisation. Ellen Burstyn, the artistic director of The Actors Studio and the moderator that day, said, “Why don’t you try to make a play of this?”

Your husband was by your side though the entire process. How is he represented in the play? In the play, the husband goes along with it because he loves his wife and wants to be supportive. But once he sees the baby, he completely changes. Then he does everything, writing all the letters, day in and day out, that were absolutely necessary. He becomes so intense, that he’s almost the one who has to push his wife and say, “Are you going to give up?”

Cali is now 17 and looking at colleges. Has he seen the rehearsals? He hasn’t. He’ll go see the play. I’m nervous about him seeing it. Even though it’s based on real events, the play is fictionalized. I made the baby a girl, because I wanted to have a little distance, for his sake. The Sun Shines East is playing until February 16th. For tickets, visit https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/ pr/931176 Follow the show on Twitter: @SunShinesEast

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014

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NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, PURSUANT TO LAW, THAT THE NYC DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON Wednesday, February 12, 2014 AT 2:00 P.M. AT 66 JOHN STREET, 11TH FLOOR, ON A PETITION FOR PEE WEE & TYSON, LTD TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN, AND OPERATE AN UNENCLOSED SIDEWALK CAFE AT 242 MOTT STREET IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN FOR A TERM OF TWO YEARS. REQUEST FOR COPIES OF THE REVOCABLE CONSENT AGREEMENT MAY BE ADDRESSED TO: DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, ATTN:FOIL OFFICER, 42 BROADWAY, NEW YORK, NY 10004.

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VOLUNTEERING IN THE ARTS

MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE ART CAPITAL OF THE WORLD! Tuesday, February 11, 2:00-4:00 pm The All Stars Project 543 W. 42nd St (Subways A,C & E to 42nd St)

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OUR TOWN DOWNTOWN

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PAGE 15

SNAP A PHOTO OF YOU AND YOUR DOORMAN