Our Town Downtown August 21st, 2014 by OurTown Downtown

The local paper for Downtown wn WEEK OF AUGUST MANUAL TYPEWRITERS, PUBLIC ART, P. 6

FIGHTING BACK NEWS Rent regulated tenants in the East Village sue landlord over alleged harassment BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

EAST VILLAGE The lawsuit reads like a legendary New York housing horror story. In the Supreme Court filing from Aug. 6, there’s the building’s infestation of rodents and vermin, the perpetually unlocked front door, and the drug addicts who routinely roam the halls, according to the complaint. There’s a lack of light in the public areas, and the intercoms are broken. The complaint says that the building’s façade is covered with vines and is home to a horde of wasps, bees, ants and mosquitos that live just outside the windows. The building, at 309 East 8th Street, is owned by Prince Holdings 2012, LLC, one of mega-landlord Steven Croman’s real estate companies, which is named as a defendant in the

SCHOOL IS BACK. WHERE DOES YOURS RANK? SPECIAL REPORT Like everything else in New York, education is something of a competitive sport. What are the best high schools and how do you get into them? Where do you need to live if you want to give your kid a decent kindergarten? How do you tell one private school from another? What about schools for adults? These are some of the questions we sought to answer with this year’s Report Card on Fall Education, a 16-page section that starts on p. 13. Instead of offering up generic

advice on how to help your kids study or ways to understand the mind of an adolescent (we’d need a lot more than 16 pages for that!), we went to the heart of the matter: Once you cut through the clutter, what’s the best school for my kid or even for me? Our lists are based on a combination of city data and outside ranking services, and look at everything from attendance and test scores to diversity. That’s been combined with our own reporting, from listening and working in the neighborhood where you live. So dig in. School starts in a week. -- The Editors

lawsuit. Croman owns around 100 residential buildings in Manhattan. He’s currently under investigation by the State Attorney General’s office for tactics that some tenants suspect are aimed at forcing rent-regulated residents out of their apartments. Some of his tenants have even formed the Croman Tenants Alliance to share information and resources on alleged harassment they’ve suffered. Shawn Dahl has lived at 309 East 8th Street for about 10 years, and said that since Croman bought the building in 2012, she and other tenants have sought to work with the landlord to resolve the building’s problems. But after what she said was a series of broken promises and a lack of progress, she and another rent regulated tenant in the building, James Peterson, decided to ﬁle a lawsuit alleging harassment. “It really hit home with me at one point when I just kind of sat down and went through all my emails and text messages and looked at the calendar and did a timeline of all the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

21 2014

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In Brief JUDGE ASKED TO STOP COOPER UNION’S TUITION PLAN Students and faculty at one of the nation’s few free colleges asked a judge to block the school’s plan to start charging undergraduate tuition, a move the school calls a financial necessity but opponents say will alter the culture of a storied institution. With the first set of Cooper Union tuition bills already coming due, the fight is “about the whole foundation of the school,” incoming freshman Claire Kleinman said outside the hearing on a lawsuit she and other students, alumni and professors brought to try to keep the school free. A judge didn’t immediately rule. Cooper trustees point to operating-fund deficits ranging from $13 million to $23 million in the last four years. “Dire financial realities required us to make tough decisions to preserve Cooper for future generations,” spokesman Justin Harmon said in a statement. “The long-term survival of The Cooper Union was dependent on making this difficult change.”

COMPTROLLER FAULTS CITY’S CARE OF ITS TREES New York’s chief ﬁscal officer accused his city of endangering residents by failing to maintain many of the 650,000 trees lining streets. Comptroller Scott Stringer says contractors hired to care for the urban greenery have pruned trees that didn’t need it and neglected those that required attention. In addition, there are questions about charges and record-keeping. “Tax dollars are wasted, property is damaged and, worst of all, people are sometimes injured or killed,” said Stringer, who held a news conference on a sidewalk in the Chelsea neighborhood. He blames the city agency for a mismanaged pruning program that has cost millions.

Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS CHECK signiﬁcantly behind white and Asian students in test scores. In addition, city kids continue to lag their counterpart in the rest of the state in their scores, even factoring in the most recent gains. Despite all of that, Mayor de Blasio touted the numbers as evidence that the tide is turning when it comes to the performance of city kids on standardized tests, though he conceded there is a “very long road ahead.” AP

TRIBECA CINEMA PAYS TRIBUTE TO ROBIN WILLIAMS As a tribute to the late beloved actor and comedian Robin Williams, who died last week, Tribeca Cinemas screened his 1990 ﬁlm “Awakenings” on Tuesday and all proceeds were donated to a mental health organization, reported DNAinfo. In the 1990 Academy-award nominated ﬁlm, Williams plays a doctor along side Robert De Niro. Tickets were priced at $15 and donations were made to The National Alliance on Mental Illness. DNAinfo.com

SWIMMER FOUND IN EAST RIVER The Post reported that a naked swimmer was found holding on to a buoy a couple of hundred feet northwest of Governors Island this Thursday. Queens resident Claudio Colome decided to go for a dip near is home at around 4 a.m. The courant was very strong, though, and swept him about 8 miles down the East River. A crew member of the Staten Island Ferry spotted a ﬁgure

bobbing in the water and called the coastguard. When the NYPD Harbor Cops recovered him, he was naked and had been in the 74 degree water for nearly three hours. NY Post

TWO UNCONSCIOUS WOMEN SAVED FROM BLAZING FIRE Two women were rescued from an early Sunday morning East Village apartment fire, the Post reported. Three firefighters were required to break down

the door to an apartment on St. Marks Place off of 1st Avenue. When they entered, the room was so empty that you could barley see six inches in front of you. The firefighters found two unconscious women in the apartment, and were able to get them out alive. It is still unclear as to what caused the fire, but there are signs suggesting that it was from smoking. NY Post

SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT IN CITY SCHOOL TEST SCORES

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The number of New York City students passing statewide math and reading exams rose in 2014, a gain touted as a victory in light of tougher Common Core standards. According to the data the number of students in the city passing the reading exam increased to 29 percent, from 27 percent, while in math, pass rate jumped about four percentage points from last year. The city said that while test scores of Black and Hispanic students improved, they remained

STOP AND FRISK NUMBERS CONTINUE TO DROP DNAinfo reported that stop and frisk numbers have continued to plunge this year in Manhattan. This quarter of a year reported 13,400 stop and frisks, which is a signiﬁcant drop from the last quarter of 2013, at 44,688 stop and frisks. That being said, it has also been reported that this years number of shootings has spiked 12 percent. DNAinfo.com

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AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG FRAIL SAFE A local restaurant was burglarized and its safe removed. At 5 AM on Sunday, August 10, a 42-year-old male employee arrived to open the Union Bar and Kitchen at 300 Spring Street for the day. He found that someone had forced entry into the office in the basement and ripped out the restaurant safe. The unknown perpetrator had also removed the establishment’s digital video recorder containing security footage. Otherwise, there were no signs of forced entry into the establishment, which had been properly secured and locked up the night before. Police hoped that a surveillance camera in an adjoining building might have secured an image of the intruders. As it happened, the stolen safe contained no money at the time of the robbery, but the stolen digital video recorder was valued at $2,000.

TOOL FOOL A man assaulted a coworker during a dispute on the sidewalk at Sixth Avenue and Spring Street. At 5:20 PM on Saturday, August 9, a 39-year-old man was having a verbal argument with a male co-worker over work tools when his coworker took a metal clipboard and hit the man above his right eye, causing a laceration. The assailant ﬂed

the scene while the victim was taken to Lenox Hill hospital by an EMS team. Police are looking for the assailant, Juan Cortez.

1ST PRECINCT Report covering the week 7/28/2014 through 8/3/2014

OREGON DONOR A pickpocket made unauthorized charges on a tourist’s debit and credit cards. At 4 PM at Friday, August 8, a male tourist from Portland, OR was walking around the fountains in the World Trade Center area opposite 180 Greenwich Street when he discovered that his wallet was missing from his back pocket. Before he managed to cancel his debit and credit cards, unauthorized charges showed up at Urban Outﬁtters, The Ultima Shop, Starbucks, RadioShack, and Daniel Express totaling $1,235. The man had last seen his wallet in a shoe store near 81 Broadway. In addition to the debit and credit card, other items contained in the stolen wallet included $25 in cash, a driver’s license, and a health insurance card.

SWIPED=STOLEN A dishonest coffee shop employee was arrested after attempting to steal a customer’s credit card information. At 3:15 PM on Saturday, August 9, a 51-year-old man purchased coffee at the Starbucks at 38 Park Row and

Week to Date

Year to Date

2014 2013

% Change

2014

2013

% Change

Murder

n/a

Rape

n/a

-28.6

Robbery

-100

-39.5

Felony Assault

n/a

-10.9

Burglary

-60

125

-22.4

Grand Larceny

-33.3

547

644

-15.1

Grand Larceny Auto

-100

-69.6

paid with a credit card. He asked for a receipt and observed a store employee swipe his card again, into a device in the palm of his hand. The employee claimed that the action was necessary

to produce a receipt. The customer asked for the store manager, who said the store uses no such device to obtain payment or issue receipts. Video is available of the incident. The swiping

device was recovered at the scene, and the perpetrator, 19-year-old Brian Fernandez, was arrested August 9 and charged with grand larceny.

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Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

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Civic-minded teens laud bill allowing them to serve on community boards BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

Before he was appointed to Community Board 4, Austin Ochoa said more of his peers would be applying to serve if they knew they had a shot at getting on the board. Ochoa, age 19, was appointed by Borough President Gale Brewer in April. She’s been working for the past four years to pass a bill allowing 16 and 17 year olds to serve on the board, and last week that work paid off with the passage of a state bill allowing it. Ochoa, who was 18 at the time of his application to CB 4 in Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen, wasn’t sure if he would be approved. Now, three months into his tenure, he said he’s fitting in just fine and his fellow board members have helped him get up to speed with issues in the board’s territory. He is, by far, the youngest on the board. “There are some members in their 20s, but at the end of the day it’s easy to forget about who is younger than who because it’s such a collegiate atmosphere,” said Ochoa. Ochoa sits on CB 4’s Housing, Health and Human Services Committee as well as the Quality of Life Committee, and has no shortage of enthusiasm for a new initiative by the board to bring over 11,000 affordable apartments to Chelsea and Hell’s kitchen. “This plan is truly historic and the first of its kind,” said Ochoa. “I’m really proud that our board has taken the lead on such an important issue to our neighborhood, and I’m really hoping that this plan will set the precedent for all future housing development city-wide.” Ochoa said teens have the ability to bring a perspective to the board that isn’t often found in local government. “I think it is a good way to bring a new generation into the fold,” said Ochoa. “Many young people can add a great deal to the community board discussion, particularly in the areas of education, housing and park space.” Going forward with the new bill though, he would attach a mentorship program where younger members fresh to the board would be advised by an older and more experienced member. “Such a program will not only allow them to better understand the issues and potential solutions, it should also serve as a mechanism to protect these new board members from being overly susceptible to the influence of local politicians or more senior board members,” said Ochoa. Do fellow board members take him seriously? “Having the ability to contribute to discussions on the board about issues that I’m passionate about such as housing and education really brings a sense of

Austin Ochoa, age 19, sits on Community Board 4’s Housing, Health and Human Services Committee, and the board’s Quality of Life committee. fulfillment that my presence isn’t being overlooked,” he said. “I really feel that my voice is being heard and I’m representing and defending the values that got me to this point.” Ochoa said he plans to apply for a second term when the time comes. Quentin Dupouy was 17 when he applied to Community Board 7 on the Upper West Side. He wasn’t approved, possibly because the law that would have allowed him to serve wasn’t yet on the books. He applauds the new bill and actually worked to spur its passage, though it won’t help him next time he applies to CB 7 as he’ll be 18. Knowing this, he lobbied the state legislature for its passage anyway as vice chair of the NYS High School Democrats. “A number of us actually worked to lobby our state legislatures by calling their offices to notify them of our support and the efforts to pass this law,” said Dupouy. He also agrees with Ochoa’s assessment that community board service is a great first step for younger New Yorkers looking to get into public service. “It is an important step in building a base of future young leaders in our communities, showing youths that they can have a say and giving them valuable experiences,” said Dupouy. “This law will improve representation of our communities and better serve our city’s youth.” Dupouy said teens have direct experience with many issues in the district, and their insight shouldn’t be squandered. “I think there is serious value in getting youths’ perspectives on neighborhood issues, particularly ones related to education, youth programs, transportation and park development, which most directly affect us,” said Dupouy. “I cannot stress enough how valuable it would be in a discussion about local schools to actually have someone currently in the system.” Although he wasn’t eligible to serve on CB 7 when he applied earlier this year, Dupouy wonders whether he’d now be a board member had the law been enacted

a few months earlier. “While I might have had a fighting chance if the law had already been enacted, it’s impossible to know if I would have been appointed, particularly faced with the challenge of a 17-year-old’s inherently more limited resume being compared to those of older applicants,” said Dupouy. “Nonetheless I believe in the next round of appointments, some formidable, highly active young applicants will surely appear, and will be able to show what a powerful asset they can be to the community.” Brewer supports this assessment, and said she was contacted by some prospective teen community board members before the bill was even passed. “I’ve already gotten emails from at least two people that I’ve seen saying, ‘Gale, I’ll be 16 soon!’” said Brewer. “They’re very excited. The governor hadn’t even signed the bill and they’re telling me they’ll be [eligible] soon.” She expects a number of teens to apply to community board in the next cycle. “These 16- and 17-year-olds are so intelligent, so grown up, and I don’t know if it’s because they’re in New York, but they can really keep up with the adults,” said Brewer. “Not all, but many. And anybody that says otherwise just doesn’t know this group of 16- and 17-year-olds.” The bill was sponsored and passed at the state level by Senator Andrew Lanza and Assembly member Nily Rozic. City Council member Ben Kallos joined forces with Brewer to introduce a resolution calling for the measure at the city level, and Brewer credited council member Mark Levine with pushing for teens to be allowed to serve on community board when he was still a district leader. “We’ve been working on this for about four years,” said Brewer. Do you think teens should be allowed to serve on community boards? Email news@strausnews. com and your comment may appear in print next week.

AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

FIGHTING BACK CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 occurrences of various things, and it was just like, ‘wow, no wonder I’m so stressed out,’” said Dahl. In addition to the building’s condition, the suit alleges that renovations being done in the units above Dahl and Peterson’s apartments have caused both of their ceilings to collapse. It also says a man named Anthony Falconite, who Dahl and Peterson’s lawyer believes is an employee of Croman’s, has regularly harassed them and sought to gain access to their units under false pretenses. Falconite, an ex-cop, made the news recently after being slapped with a cease and desist order from the State Attorney General’s office for allegedly doing just that. Dahl and Peterson say the lack of upkeep and harassment is part of a larger campaign to force them from their rent regulated units. Their lawyer, Robin LoGuidice, of Grimble and LoGuidice, LLC, said in the complaint that the renovations on the ﬂoor above Dahl’s have caused flooding, turning her kitchen into a cess pool.

“There are constant sewer backups in the kitchen, causing foul, sewer contaminated water to ﬂood the kitchen and make the apartment uninhabitable,” said LoGuidice in the complaint. The construction has caused Peterson’s ceiling to collapse, and his unit’s wood floor is coming up and splintering, according the complaint. Records from the Dept. of Housing Preservation and Development indicate there are currently 18 open violations at the property. A spokesperson for 9300 Realty, another of Croman’s real estate companies, said since taking ownership of the building in December of 2012, Prince Holdings, LLC has improved 309 East 8th Street and that the allegations made in Dahl and Peterson’s suit are unfounded. “Since taking over the property, we have made signiﬁcant improvements to the building and removed over 120 [Dept. of Housing Preservation and Development] violations associated with the prior ownership.” The spokesperson said the

building was long neglected by the former landlord, and Prince Holdings is working on closing other violations, many of which were levied against the prior owner. “The tenants behind the recent suit have a long history of litigation with the prior landlord and we will vigorously defend ourselves against what we consider to be unfounded accusations by these individuals,” said the spokesperson. But Samuel Himmelstein, a lawyer with the tenant-exclusive ﬁrm Himmelstein, McConnell, Gribben, Donoghue and Joseph, said he’s litigated a number of cases involving Croman and his companies, and that he’s not surprised at the circumstances surrounding 309 East 8th Street. “We’ve tangled many times,” said Himmelstein. “I represented many of the tenants at 12 East 72nd Street where he brought eviction cases against 23 rent stabilized tenants on the grounds that he wanted to live there. Those cases were settled, and I have a couple of

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cases which are in litigation now.” Himmelstein said Croman’s M.O. is to bring frivolous eviction cases against his tenants. According to LoGuidice’s ﬁling, Croman’s company has alternately refused rent payments, refused to give over receipts for rent payments, and has added “inexplicable fees and charges to rent bills in order to cause [Dahl and Peterson] emotional distress.” The complaint is seeking monetary damages and an immediate end to the alleged harassment. Dahl said she rarely leaves her apartment for fear that something catastrophic will happen while she’s out, such as when she was out of town and came back to a collapsed ceiling and flooded kitchen. “I’ve turned down work in order to be there,” said Dahl. “In their minds they think they can just get me out. I want to live there, I like the neighborhood, I like my apartment.”

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Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

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TAPPING OUT THE HIDDEN PSYCHE OF THE CITY ART INSTALLATIONS A public art project offers up typewriters for the masses BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

GOVERNOR’S ISLAND The note was anonymous. Typed in lowercase on a scrap piece of lined notebook paper, it was addressed to ‘dearest matthew.’ “i have had a wonderful day with you,” the note read, and continued: “what if i hate your friends” Nicholas Adamski and Stephanie Berger, co-founders of the Poetry Society of New York, found the note on Governor’s Island, crumpled up in the small wooden booth of their new art installation the Typewriter Project, a pilot in a sitespecific public art series. The society aims to introduce similar booths throughout the city, each outﬁtted with a typewriter and a 100-foot role of paper. “We can look back at the New York School or the Beats and these were the people who were writing, whose work survived,” said Adamski. “Or they were famous, or literary magazines published them, but this is super egalitarian. Anyone who wants to can just sit down and write something.

“Like, what the fuck?” he continued, holding up the letter to dearest matthew. “This is amazing.” Adamski and Berger met as MFA students at the New School, and founded the society as a means of making poetry inviting and accessible. They started with the Poetry Brothel, a series of events that combines elements of theater and performance, staged in a mock bordello where each poet assumes a character and presents intimate readings for cash. “We’re literally rebranding poetry,” said Berger as she braided her long red hair. “Poetry has this bad rap. You imagine a super old dude in a wingback chair smoking a cigar. Love that dude, but some people ﬁnd that dude completely out of touch. Or they imagine a young kid smoking too many cigarettes and starving.” Adamski, who keeps his long dark hair in a bun and a toothpick casually in his mouth, built the booth at a friend’s barn upstate. Crafted from reclaimed wood, the booth isn’t much larger than a closet, and is outﬁtted with a vintage Smith Corona typewriter, a stool and a scroll of blank paper, and smells like the hay Adamski and Berger used to cushion the piece during transport. The

booth has a view of lower Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty and Jersey City. The Staten Island Ferry frequently passes by. The 2010 introduction of “Play Me, I’m Yours,” a global project by British artist Luke Jerram that introduced 60 working pianos throughout the city’s public spaces, acted as inspiration. Once Adamski and Berger launch their project in full—they’re applying for grants through the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council while looking for corporate sponsors to fund production, and hope to partner with the Department of Parks and Recreation—they plan to collect the scrolls as a record of the city’s subconscious. Eventually, they’d like to take the booths on the road. “Somebody might not think to sit down in their own home and write a poem,” Adamski said. “Their kids are running around and need to be fed, or their computer is over there and their TV is over there and their Xbox is over there and their phone is over there, but if you’re on your lunch break and you’ve got 20 minutes to kill and you see this thing, and there’s something written there and it’s interesting, you start pecking it out. It’s supposed to be an inviting place.”

AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

At the typewriter booth on Governor’s Island, people are encouraged to channel their inner poet. Below, an anonymous note. Photos by Stephanie Berger and Jaclyn Molloy

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You Never Forget Who You Grew Up With. The rough touch of tree bark, the scent of freshly mowed grass, the gentle hum of pollinating bees as a flower blossoms — green spaces touch lives and all five senses. Green spaces are a vital part of growing up — they enhance lives, make memories and connect people with their neighborhoods and communities. Be a part of preserving and enhancing green spaces where we live, work and play. To volunteer, to learn how to help your community and to donate, visit ProjectEverGreen.org or call toll-free (877) 758-4835.

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Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

Voices

<WHY SAVE THE RESTAURANTS? What’s with all the recent angst in your publication and others regarding restaurants losing their leases to greedy landlords like it’s a new phenomenon in the city; hundreds and hun-

Feedback

dreds of businesses, including my own, and not just restaurants, have lost out to greedy landlords over the years. Why are restaurants getting special attention? And what about major landmarks like Roseland and others being closed down to make way for greedy developers? If there’s one thing I’ve learned over my now-49 years in New York, is that you just cannot stop change in this city; it runs rampant like a steamroller, especially

when the almighty dollar is worshipped by so many. Just in case you haven’t noticed (and I know you have), the only businesses that can now afford Manhattan rents are major chains and banks. And there’s not a thing anyone can do to stop what’s happening. Money talks and the rest of us walk. John Elari, the Upper West Side

LETTER

A SHOW NOT TO BE MISSED

THE NEVERENDING FIGHT FOR PARKING I tried the impossible last Sunday: finding a free parking space near the World Trade Center. After looking for about 25 minutes, I spotted one on a one-way street but had to go around the block to get to it. By the time I got there, a man was standing in that space, illegally “holding” it for a friend. I told him to get out because that’s illegal; the first CAR to arrive is entitled to the spot. He refused. I told him I was going to call 911 and did so. But when the 911 operator asked me where the dispute was, I was unable to tell her because THERE WERE NO STREET SIGNS ON THAT INTERSECTION!! Meanwhile, a van showed up ready to claim his “reserved” space, which I had blocked with my car. The driver at first begged me to give it up because he had kids in the car; I said, first come, first served, and told him police were on the way. e then screamed vicious, obscene insults at me and drove away with his friend. I took my spot, but stayed there a while to make sure he didn’t come back and vandalize my car. There are at least three lessons here for city government:

Comment from the web on our story “Showcasing the Artistry of Sports,” August 7, 2014: “I work across the street and have been in to see Neil’s exhibit several times. Today I brought my daughter there (also a big sports fan) and watched again the reaction of awe as Neil described some of the stories that his pieces tell. Its beautifully created and exhibited and is surely a history lesson as well as a trip back to some memorable sports moments. Deﬁnitely not to be missed!” Brian F.

SPREADING JOY FOR COOKING Comments from the web on the column Community Kitchen column “Recipes for Better Lives,” August 14, 2014, by Liz Neumark. “What a beautiful article by Liz Neumark. It explains West Side Campaign Against Hunger’s chef training program with such color and energy. I hope it inspires everyone to look at their community to see how they might help or where they can go for training and assistance. Blessing to all.” Diane Painter Velletri “Hey it’s Sade Broner from chef class and I just want to say thanks you so much for writing about my class! P.S, Love the photo!” Sade Broner

STRAUS MEDIA-MANHATTAN President, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com Group Publisher - Manhattan Vincent A. Gardino advertising@strausnews.com

Publisher, Gerry Gavin Associate Publishers, Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth Sr. Account Executive, Tania Cade

Account Executive Sam R. McCausland Classified Account Executive, Susan Wynn

Editor In Chief, Kyle Pope editor.ot@strausnews.com Editor, Megan Bungeroth editor.otdt@strausnews.com

1. You have, under the last mayor, outrageously betrayed the rights of car-owners by eliminating free parking for the beneﬁt of schools, churches, and especially for Citibike racks, by the thousands, thus encouraging angry jousting for the remaining few free spots. 2. By not informing drivers that it is illegal to stand in a parking space or “reserve” it [by putting cones, chairs or other objects there], you have made drivers like me into “pseudo-cops”, as I was that day. Not surprisingly, I was unable to win the argument by simply citing the law. You could attach signs to lampposts explaining this law, as you do with thousands of other signs, and it wouldn’t take more than a few hundred to do that. 3. Probably most outrageous, when I called the police to report trouble, I was unable to do so because there were no street signs, neither north-south nor east-west. I want an investigation made into this and any other street corners without street signs. Such places are a big danger to anyone who is stalked, attacked or threatened on the streets of NYC. J.B., E. 89th Street

Staff Reporters, Gabrielle Alfiero, Daniel Fitzsimmons Block Mayors, Ann Morris, Upper West Side

Jennifer Peterson, Upper East Side Gail Dubov, Upper West Side Edith Marks, Upper West Side

AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

My Story

The myth of New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retiree exodus

BY LENORE SKOMAL ack in April, my husband stood in the middle of his companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lunchroom and addressed the packed room of his staff and colleagues. He launched his heartfelt ďŹ nal thanks and goodbye over a spread of white cake and coffee. The next day, we drove away from the state weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d called home for 12 years -- and landed in New York City to enjoy the best years of life together. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve read the glut of doom and gloom news stories lately, indicating retirees are in mass exodus out of this city and state, we are the exception to the trend. According to the experts from AARP, Money Magazine, Forbes and Crainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, armed with their studies and analyses, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re an anomaly, because the evidence points

to what they steadfastly conclude is the immutable truth: Retired New Yorkers canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get out of here fast enough. And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an epidemic. Beware experts bearing statistics. As a rule, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t trust studies because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re only as reliable as their random sampling and their questions. And to my way of thinking, when it comes to positing that retirees are scrambling to get the heck out of Dodge, unless the sample is a massive cross-section of all retireesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; weighted for socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, religious and even health factors and differencesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;I say itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a true picture. I trust experts even less. What exactly is an expert, anyway? Like the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;genius,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;expertâ&#x20AC;? has become so commonplace, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lost its true, rareďŹ ed meaning. Listen, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not saying that retirees arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leaving the area. Of course they are. And I say, let â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;em leave. Go wherever it makes them happy. But whereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that? Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where the collection of experts break ranks and the argument comes apart like a homemade sweater made from loose yarn. They canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t agree. Studies, it appears, are conďŹ&#x201A;icted. Some experts point to Florida, the Carolinas and Arizona, which makes senseâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re warm places. Others say Portland (Maine) and Pittsburgh. I say, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not convinced thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a Promised Land drawing away hundreds of thousands. Migrating retirees is neither speciďŹ c to New York nor epidemic. They move away for the same reasons folks all over the world pick up and leave when they hang up their working spurs. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re

tired of living where theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve lived; they want to be closer to family; they hate the cold; they want to downsize and lighten their ďŹ nancial loads. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a no-brainer that better climate, lower taxes and state of the art medical facilities attract old people. But who says retirees are old? My husband is 67 and in the best health of his life thanks to a spanking new pair of knees and a colossal change in his quality of life, called stressfree because he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work. Heck, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a study junkie, I can even point to several that prove 60 is the new 40. Retirees are young enough to more than just obsesses about the best early bird special. The majority are active, contributing and engaged in their communities and need intellectual stimulation. And they have the time to enjoy it. Which is why we, crazy radicals that we are, sold our house, cars and material assets and traded up to live here. Each day provides uncountable experiences and options, from hitting the new exhibit at the Met, to taking the train to Coney Island to roaming the lesser-known streets of neighboring boroughs. Our former small city had virtually no culture, no public transportation, mediocre health care, the most brutal winters in the continental U.S. and a growing, aging population thanks to a major inďŹ&#x201A;ux of retirees. Yes, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right. The experts there call it an epidemic. And there are studies to prove it. Lenore Skomal is the awardwinning author of 17 books. She can be reached at www. lenoreskomal.net

Not where we want to be.

YOU READ IT HERE FIRST The local paper for the Upper West Side

SOUP BURG CLOSED AFTER RENT INCREASE SAVING SMALL BUSINESS Venerable Upper East Side restaurant to be replaced by a TD Bank branch BY CATHERINE ELLSBERG

Soup Burg has served up its last bowl. The restaurant, which had called its Lexington Ave. and 77th Street location home for the past 10 years, was ďŹ nally forced to call it quits June 29 after the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s landlord tried to raise the rent exponentially. Unable to pay the higher rent, Soup Burgâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s owner, Jimmy Gouvakis, had to make the difficult decision to close the restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a family-owned business since 1963â&#x20AC;&#x201D;to make way for the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new tenant, TD Bank. Gouvakis has had the difficult news hanging over him since April; since then, his customers have showered him with support -- as well as a healthy dose of outrage. Many neighborhood fans and long-time customers see the closing of Soup Burg as part of a sad, and larger, epidemicâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the ousting of small businesses, and the rampant excess of banks and chain stores that replace them. Nikki Henkin, who lives above the Soup Burg and who has been a devoted customer from the beginning, described the restaurant as a favorite local hangout. Located directly across the street from Lenox Hill Hospital, Soup Burg has long â&#x20AC;&#x153;served a neighborhood function,â&#x20AC;? says Henkin, catering to the hospital staff, neighborhood doormen, and â&#x20AC;&#x153;just people.â&#x20AC;? The restaurant, which was open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., represented a neighborhood spirit for many people, including Henkin, who describes such small restaurants as â&#x20AC;&#x153;(necessities) in every community.â&#x20AC;? Other Soup Burg patrons have taken the restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s closing as a particular blow and, to a degree, a sign of a wider decay:

â&#x20AC;&#x153;How far can we go with this? Are we just going to end up with a lot of banks?â&#x20AC;? added Henkin. Joie Anderson, another local devotee, chastises Mayor de Blasio, who in her eyes has allowed everything to â&#x20AC;&#x153;turn into a Duane Reade and a TD Bank.â&#x20AC;? For Anderson, these â&#x20AC;&#x153;mom and pop stores give characterâ&#x20AC;? to the area, and are welcome remedies to the ubiquitous Starbucks or Panera chains. At places like Starbucks, Anderson complains, there are different workers there every time you visit; Soup Burg, on the other hand, promises personalized attention, regularity, and consistency. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You go into Soup Burg and they act like youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re their favorite customer,â&#x20AC;? Anderson says, noting that such local joints keep â&#x20AC;&#x153;New York from being a suburban shopping mall.â&#x20AC;? But as angry as Henkin, Anderson, and a slew of other customers are, Gouvakis, has

been equal parts levelheaded and nostalgic. Recognizing that â&#x20AC;&#x153;a lot of people are upset,â&#x20AC;? Gouvakis acknowledged that this is â&#x20AC;&#x153;all part of business; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing personal against us.â&#x20AC;? Gouvakis, who owns Soup Burg with his two partnersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;his brother John and his brother-in-law Timmyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; plans on relocating to somewhere else on the Upper East Side, an area they love and are now long familiar with. In the meantime, Gouvakis spent Soup Burgâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ nal day serving up last meals, to people and dogs alike. Joking that in his next life heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d â&#x20AC;&#x153;rather live with dogs than most humans,â&#x20AC;? Gouvakis has been known to hand out bits of ham to neighborhood pets. Gouvakis also made one of his famous cheeseburgers for his mother. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a pleasure being here for ten years,â&#x20AC;? Gouvakis told me: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This was my second family.â&#x20AC;?

July 3, 2014

July 6, 2014

The local paper for the Upper East Side

UPS tells employees to lie, overcharge customers: suit

U.P.S.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SECRET MANHATTAN PROBLEM One of the Hagan brothersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 11 Manhattan UPS stores, now closed.

â&#x20AC;&#x153; Employees in virtually every Manhattan (UPS

BUSINESS

Store) location were so comfortable with the practice of â&#x20AC;Ś lying about expected delivery dates, withholding accurate price quotes and overdimensioning boxes to trigger higher retail billable rates, that they would gladly engage in conversations on the topic.â&#x20AC;? A former UPS franchisee

A former franchisee accuses the shipping giant of routinely gouging customers throughout the city BY KYLE POPE

Last month, when nearly a dozen UPS Stores across the city closed down in a single day, the initial focus was on the customers put out by the shutdown: dozens of people found themselves unable to access their rented mailboxes, while others complained of packages lost in the The UPS Store believes shuffle. On the West Side, a blog surfaced the allegations made against to swap information about the fate of a store on West 57th Street. it and UPS ... to be false. What none of these customers knew at The UPS Store customer service team is doing all we the time, though, was that they had uncan to assure the customers wittingly become part of a much bigger in the Manhattan store area â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and at times bizarre â&#x20AC;&#x201C; dispute involving affected are taken care ofâ&#x20AC;? the franchisee who until the shutdowns

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

What can Brown screw from you? Two former UPS franchisees accuse the worldwide delivery service of telling employees to lie about the size and weight of packages in order to jack up prices on unsuspecting customers. Brothers Robert and Thomas Hagan, who owned and operated 11 UPS stores in Manhattan, claim in a federal lawsuit that a typical scam was to â&#x20AC;&#x153;add inches to the sides of measured boxes,â&#x20AC;? as well as an â&#x20AC;&#x153;enhanced declared value,â&#x20AC;? which allowed clerks to charge customers more. For example, a package with a length, width and depth totaling 26 inches would cost $106.85 to overnight from New York to Pittsburgh, but a 29-inch package would cost $117.19. In some cases, customers were overcharged as much as 400 percent, legal papers allege. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretty ugly,â&#x20AC;? said Steve Savva, the Hagansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; attorney. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It seems to be systematic, and the customers have no way of knowing.â&#x20AC;? The Hagans allege in court filings that The UPS Store, a subsidiary of the publicly traded United Parcel Service, was responsible for violating â&#x20AC;&#x153;the covenant of good faith and fair dealingâ&#x20AC;? by: t 5FMMJOH DVTUPNFST UIBU HSPVOE EFMJWFSZ DPVME OPU CF HVBSBOUFFE BOE XPVME take longer than it actually would, in order to entice them to buy expensive, guaranteed air delivery. t $PODFBMJOH UIF DPTU PG DIFBQFS TIJQQJOH TFSWJDFT t $IBSHJOH DVTUPNFST GVFM TVSDIBSHFT GPS BJS EFMJWFSZ FWFO XIFO QBDLBHFT XFSFO U shipped by plane but by truck. Videotapes offered as evidence show UPS Store employees cheating customers,

UPS, and their right to operate a UPS store was revoked. But, in an effort to clear their name, the Hagans have ďŹ led an extraordinary claim against UPS in Federal Court that lays out, over 200 detailed pages, what they say is a systemic effort by UPS to rip off its Manhattan customers. The Hagans, UPS franchise owners since 2008 whose business grossed $6 million a year at its peak, even brought in a private investigator to secretly document the abuses they say occur at every UPS store in the city. Among their claims: Customers are routinely duped into paying more than necessary for shipping Employees are encouraged to lie about the weight and dimensions of packages to result in a higher bill Customers are told that one method of shipping is the cheapest, when often it is not The Hagans, in their lawsuit, says the deception is so widespread at UPS in

May 1, 2014

May 11, 2014

The local paper for Downtown

Our Town MAY 8, 2014

From Vandals to Artists: Time Rouses More Appreciation for Graffiti

THESE WALLS CAN TALK ART Current exhibits explore NYC streetsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; past and present BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

Last November, one of New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most iconic art exhibits was uncermoniously whitewashed. Outdoor art space 5Pointz, a destination in Long Island City where graffiti writers from all over the world came to leave their mark, was covered over with white paint last November at the behest of the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s owner, Jerry Wolkoff. When the vast walls of colorful graffiti were covered, Long Island City resident Jeffrey Leder took notice. Wolkoff had allowed graffiti writers to legally create work on his property for more than a decade, but now plans to demolish the building and construct residential high-rises after winning legal disputes with the 5Pointz artists. Leder, who operates an art gallery a block away, joined forces with Marie Cecile-Flageul, a member of the 5Pointz community who also manages its press, to curate â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whitewash,â&#x20AC;? an exhibition responding to the destruction, featuring work by nine artists who once painted at 5Pointz. Included in the exhibit are paintings by Meres One, the longtime curator of 5Pointz as well as prints

Leder about the debut of the exhibit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a celebration 5Pointz of the life of 5Pointz and also showed that there mourning its death.â&#x20AC;? was a need for While â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whitewashâ&#x20AC;? is a di- graffiti culture rect response to the recent as a tourist events at 5Pointz, the Jeffrey destination spot, Leder Gallery is not the only and so therefore local space exploring graf- any gallery or art fitiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presence in New York institution that City. In February, Museum of can provide people the City of New York opened with their graffiti â&#x20AC;&#x153;City as Canvas,â&#x20AC;? an exhibi- ďŹ x will do so.â&#x20AC;? tion of 1980s graffiti art. City Gregory J. Lore, a non-proďŹ t organiza- Snyder, author tion that preserves and pro- of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Graffiti motes folk and grassroots Lives: Beyond arts movements, opened its the Tag in New new gallery space in April Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Urban Undergroundâ&#x20AC;? with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Moving Murals,â&#x20AC;? a photographic display of graffiti-covered subway cars shot by photographers Henry Chalfant and Martha Cooper during the 1970s and early 1980s. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Graffiti is so emblematic of the way people can be creative in their own environment,â&#x20AC;? said Steve Zeitlin, founding director of City Lore, who noted that, while graffiti still exists in the city, painted train cars are rare. In August, Gothamist reported that a tagged 4 train was spotted in the Bronx, though Zeitlin said it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stay in public view for very long. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They never make it out of the train yard,â&#x20AC;? Zeitlin said. While graffiti is more policed now than in the 1970s and 1980s, street art has become a more accepted public display in urban areas, thanks in no small part to the international celebrity of clandestine British street artist Banksy, who completed a month-long â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;residencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on New York Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s streets in October. Gregory J. Snyder, a sociologist and professor at Baruch College whose book â&#x20AC;&#x153;Graffiti Lives: Beyond the Tag in New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Urban Undergroundâ&#x20AC;? resulted from a decade of immersive research into graffitiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s subculture, makes a distinction between the two forms. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of what we consider street art was antici

Above, a train mural from the City Lore exhibition. Photo by Henry Chalfant

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Left, Henry Chalfant and graffiti writer SHARP at the City Lore exhibition opening. Photo by Fernanda Kock

the early 1990s stared deďŹ antly at Mayor Rudy Giulianiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cleanup efforts. Snyder also acknowledged the open tension between graffiti writers and street artists. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Street artists do not necessarily have to answer for their vandalism the same way that graffiti writers do,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Graffiti is thought to break windows, where street art is just, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hey, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m putting up art.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; So itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a little bit easier in the public mind to be a street artist than to be a grafďŹ ti writer, and I think both of those subcultures like it the way it is.â&#x20AC;? Abby Ronner, director of the City Lore gallery, echoes Snyderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sentiments. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re totally different aesthetics,â&#x20AC;? Ronner said, noting that the City Lore exhibit explores an era when graffiti was transitioning from pure vandalism to legitimate expression in the art worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s view. Graffitiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presence in galleries and museums isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t new, Snyder said, nor is its alignment with ďŹ ne art. Brooklyn Museum exhibited graffiti in 2006 and included some of the same artists as the Museum of the City of New York show which

sent artists rooted in graffiti and street art. Many artists who were part of graffitiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s halcyon days have gone on to professional art careers, including Barry McGee, also known by his tag name Twist, and Steve Powers, known as ESPO, who are now successful studio artists. Still, Ronner notices a recent uptick in public interest. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In New York City, the cost of living is increasing so signiďŹ cantly and quickly, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so much commercial development,â&#x20AC;? said Ronner. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of people feel New York is being lost. The very deďŹ nition of New York and the character of it are lost. People are seeking old New York City culture.â&#x20AC;? Snyder suggests that Banksyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mainstream success and the current popularity of street art renewed some interest in graffiti art and its culture, though he wonders if the recent events at 5Pointz affected gallery and museum attention. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Curators have a good sense of the moment,â&#x20AC;? said Snyder, who said that, though 5Pointz became a prestigious space for graffiti writers from all over the world it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily home to

May 8, 2014

May 13, 2014

FIRST IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD The local paper for the Upper East Side

The local paper for the Upper West Side

(212) 868-0190

The local paper for Downtown

Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

G N I W O R G s â&#x20AC;&#x2122; t See Wha tate! Up S

t g r ma i d

Out & About transports Dorothy and her dog Toto from the safety of Kansas to the magical land of Oz. Dorothy joins the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion on an adventure down the Yellow Brick Road to persuade the Wizard to help her ďŹ nd her way home. Free popcorn. hudsonriverpark.com

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

ne azi

22 23

LIGHTSHIP FAMILY BOOK EVENT

TAKE DIRT MAGAZINEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S KITCHEN GARDEN TOUR! 4FQUFNCFS t BN QN Reception to follow 6pm-8pm at Mohawk House, Sparta, NJ

RESTAURANT

BIG CITY TASTE IN A COUNTRY ESTATE

Enjoy locally sourced beer, wine & hors dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oeuvres made with ingredients from local farms. Tour many unique and creative vegetable gardens in Orange County, NY and Sussex County, NJ.

South Street Seaport Museum, 12 Fulton Street 2 p.m.; $12 adults, $8 students/seniors Join South Street Seaport Museum and author, artist, and illustrator Brian Floca as he shares his award winning story Lightship right where he was inspired to write it! Sitting aboard the 1907 Barque PEKING you can see Lightship AMBROSE in all her glory and hear Brian Flocaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wonderful tale about her.He will explore the bookmaking process and how an idea becomes reality (and fantasy) in a book!Be sure to bring a hat, sunglasses and some sunscreen as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be outside for this event! southsreetseaportmuseum. org

Meet the gardeners & learn different techniques.

Buy Your Tickets Today! Early Bird Special Purchase before August 30 $20 (after August 30 $25)

Kids Under 16 $10

TRIBECA SATURDAY GREENMARKET Greenwich Street (btwn Chambers and Duane Streets) 8 a.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3 p.m.; free The loyal community of neighborhood residents who shop at the Tribeca Greenmarket show up each Wednesday and Saturday year-round to get their

ďŹ x of locally grown produce, sustainably raised meat, seafood, sheepâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s milk cheese and yogurt, orchard fruit and berries, herbs, live plants and cut ďŹ&#x201A;owers. Cooking demonstrations, raffles, and educational activities make the market a hands-on experience for shoppers of all ages. grownyc.org

RECESS NEW YORK

Purchase online at www.kitchengardentours.com

Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Island, Colonelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Row 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5 p.m.; free

HUDSON RIVER PARKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S RIVERFLICKS FAMILY FRIDAY Pier 46 (Cross at Charles Street) 8:30 p.m.; free Featuring the 1939 classic, The Wizard of Oz. A tornado

Itchy for bocce anyone? Join RECESS for a day of outdoor fun in the sun as 32 creative organizations put their lawn skills to the test, rolling and knocking off each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bocce balls on the makeshift grass courts on Colonelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Row. Festivities include free bike rides, food vendors, a beer/wine tent and guest deejays. A few courts will also be open to the public. recessnewyork.com

24 HUDSON RIVER PARK WILD! Meet at the Christopher Street Fountain, north of Pier 40. Cross at Christopher Street.

9 a.m.; free Enjoy a meandering waterfront walk while viewing and learning about the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ&#x201A;ora and fauna, including some of the 85 different species of birds identiďŹ ed within Park boundaries. Peek into some of our many gardens to discover butterďŹ&#x201A;ies, dragonďŹ&#x201A;ies and other interesting insects. Get to know the native plants that thrive in unexpected places in and around the riverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edge. Each nature walk is unique and offers a one-of-a-kind treasure huntlike experience. Please wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for the weather hudsonriverpark.org

SUMMERSTAGE PRESENTS: CHARLIE PARKER JAZZ FESTIVAL Tompkins Square Park, 500 East 9th Street 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7 p.m.; free In the early â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;50s, Charlie Parker made his home in

AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

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Barnes and Noble, 33 East 17th Street

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PEANUT BUTTER & CUPCAKE STORYTIME

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people arts events real estate arts news food people news places business food places events

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The Pavilion in Union Square Park 3 – 5 p.m.; free Union Square Park’s playground isn’t the only place kids can have fun in the park! Bring your little ones to The Pavilion in the North Plaza every Tuesday at 3 p.m. to explore fun new topics every month PRESCHOOL PLAY through arts and crafts (coloring, assembling foam picture frames, Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park, 20 food bracelets etc.) with Baby Loves Disco (a Summer in the Battery Place Square favorite)! There is limited 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.; free THURSDAY TODDLER space available. Registration is Join other toddlers, parents, required. TIME and caregivers for interactive play on the lawn. Toys, books (212) 677-7818; and play equipment provided. nycgovparks.org Seward Park Library, 192 East Broadway at Jefferson bcparks.org Street 12:15 – 12:45 p.m.; free WORLD HISTORY Special fifteen to twentyFILMS minute program of simple fingerplays, songs and board New Amsterdam Library, 9 books geared to babies and Murray Street (btwn Church pre-walkers up to 18 months old Street and Broadway) FRONT/ROW CINEMA – with their parent or caregiver. 12 – 2 p.m.; free FROZEN SCREENING Program begins promptly at Let’s travel back in time and 12:15 p.m. watch some of the events that have occurred throughout South Street Seaport, 199 nypl.org the years! Join us in the New Water Street Amsterdam Library to watch 8 p.m.; free A MIDSUMMER documentary films about World In this Disney classic, fearless NIGHT’S DREAM War I & II, history from different optimist Anna teams up with cultures, and discoveries that Kristoff in an epic journey, Holley Plaza in Washington changed the world. First come, encountering Everest-like Square Park, Southwest Corner first served. conditions, and a hilarious 8 – 10 p.m.; free snowman named Olaf in a race nypl.org Come enjoy this fantastical to find Anna’s sister Elsa, whose Shakespeare comedy, presented icy powers have trapped the by Gorilla Repertory Theater. kingdom in eternal winter. Gorilla Repertory Theater Company, Inc.’s mission is to southstreetseaport.com provide the highest quality productions of classical dramatic ¡ARRIBA! DANCE material with the flavor of PARTIES AT THE HIGH contemporary immediacy to LINE people where they are for free. 14th Street Passage on the nycgovparks.org

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TUESDAYS AT THE PAVILION: ARTS & CRAFTS

High Line 7 – p.m.; free Inspired by the guajiro musical rhythms of Cuba, Nu D’Lux of New York City offers a funky mix of son montuno, rumba, danzon, and timba styles to close out the ¡Arriba! series. Enjoy dinner and dessert after dancing under the stars. On the High Line between West 15th and West 16th Streets you will ﬁnd tacos, gelato, ice pops, and more seasonal treats from our food vendors, as well as Terroir at The Porch, a full-service, open-air café serving beer, wine, and small plates with sweeping views of the Hudson River. No RSVP required. thehighline.org

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11 a.m.; free Join us for a back-to-school Storytime in our 2nd ﬂoor Children’s Department, featuring Peanut Butter & Cupcake by Terry Border. Listen to stories and participate in activities celebrating new friendships. barnesandnoble.com

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Alphabet City, and though Bird has been gone a long time now, the neighborhood hasn’t forgotten him. The block he lived on was renamed Charlie Parker Place in 1992, and the next year the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival made its debut in Tompkins Square Park, right across the street. Pianist Kenny Barron anchors the lineup at this year’s festival. Featuring performances by Cindy Blackman Santana, Brianna Thomas and Craig Handy & 2nd Line Smith. nycgovparks.org

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Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

Clarinetist Sol Yaged, 91, comedian Fyvush Finkel, 91 and composer Irving Fields, 99, left to right, pose for photos after a rehearsal at the Baruch Performing Arts Center. AP Photo/Richard Drew

I’m only 99, and well, I hope I live to be 109. I am so fulfilled when I play your favorite song.” Musician Irving Fields

MUSIC KEEPS THEM YOUNG MUSIC 90-year-old musicians played a concert at Baruch College BY MESFIN FEKADU

A recent concert at Baruch College had nothing to do with students. The performers are in their 90s, and one is even older than the school founded in 1919. Pianist and composer Irving Fields, who turned 99 last

week, performed a show Monday night dubbed “90 and Going Strong” at the college along with Emmy-winning entertainer Fyvush Finkel and clarinetist Sol Yaged, both 91. The concert celebrated their passion and commitment to music and live performance despite their age. “I call myself 99 years young. Age is just a number,” Fields said in an interview. “Music keeps me younger. ... I play 10 notes, I’m 40 years younger. I

play a whole concerto, I’m like Benjamin Button!” The trio’s concert was their second in a month at the 175seat Engelman Recital Hall in the Baruch Performing Arts Center. Tickets cost $35. “It was so successful. It was jam-packed,” Fields said of their ﬁrst show. The performers have played music since their teenage years and enjoyed success by writing songs and appearing on television, in films and onstage. Fields, who recorded many albums, has written songs recorded by Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Shore. He also composed “Miami Beach Rhumba,” which was used in Woody Allen’s “Deconstructing Harry.” During a rehearsal Friday afternoon, the men were chatting away, sipping coffee and eating bagels. They have known one another for years and say

their passion for music remains strong. “What key are we in?” Yaged, holding his clarinet, says to Fields. “I said D! I’ll give you my hearing aid. I have an extra one,” he replies as Finkel laughs. Later, while performing together, Fields speeds up on piano. “I’m not ready for your tempo yet!” Yaged yells. “I love you, but you drive me nuts,” Fields replies. Despite some tense moments, there was a sense of love -- for one another and for music -which was evident once they tightened their lips and played their instruments. Yaged, who was heavily influenced by Benny Goodman, performed with a five-piece band during the “90 and Going Strong” concert. During rehearsals, he was playing a

clarinet he remembers buying in 1935 for $125, which he earned from shining shoes. He charged customers a nickel. Finkel, too, recalls his first paying gig at a Jewish theater in Brooklyn when he was 9. “A dollar a night. I was the hero of the family,” said the actor, singer and comedian, who will open the show Monday. Finkel earned an Emmy Award in 1994 for his role in the CBS drama series “Picket Fences.” He has appeared in various ﬁlms and television shows, including “Boston Public.” They want audiences to not be fooled by their age -- they say they feel stronger than ever in their 90s. When asked how different performing today is compared to their earlier years, Finkel said: “Big difference. I’ll tell you the difference.” “We get paid now,” Yaged chimed in.

“Our least interest is to get paid. But to get on we get such a thrill,” Finkel added. “In fact, we do things better now than we did before. To me every show is an opening night.” Fields, who performs regularly at Nino’s Tuscany in New York City, echoed Finkel’s sentiment. “I’ve lived longer. I’ve seen more of life,” he said. “I take chances now on things I couldn’t do, and it works.” Fields is working on a documentary about his career and has penned a song honoring the Statue of Liberty called “Here’s to the Lady,” which he planned to perform Monday. He says he doesn’t plan to slow down in his career. “I’m only 99, and well, I hope I live to be 109,” Fields said. “I want to at least get to 100. I am so fulﬁlled when I play your favorite song.”

A REPORT CARD ON

Fall Education

The top public high schools The best elementary schools in your neighborhood The biggest private school selling points The latest in continuing education

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Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

EDITOR’S NOTE World Politics: Cold and Hot Wars Ralph Buultjens

Center for Global Affairs presents

A Free Preview Lecture NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts Thursday, September 11, 2014 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Public school or private? This elementary school or that one? Arts or science focus, charter or not? When did the process of getting into school become as tough as the subjects taught inside it? While this education guide isn’t big enough to answer all those questions -- we’d need an encyclopedia for that -- we hope that it can at least get the process started.

By culling city and other data and talking to people in the neighborhood, we’ve listed the best public elementary and high schools in the area, and looked at how the local private schools pitch themselves. There’s also a list of continuing education options, for things to do while the kids are away, and a ﬁrst-person column by a teacher listing the things parents should be doing to help their little ones learn. In a way, deciding where to send your kid to school in New

York -- probably one of the most important decisions you’ll make -- has never been more complex or contentious. But we’ve also never had such choice -- or such a deluge of information available to help make the choice a smart one. We’re here to help as you begin the process of navigating it all. So pull this section out and set it aside somewhere, as you go out and enjoy the one week of summer left. -- Kyle Pope, Editor in Chief

Not since the 1970s have global tensions and conflict reached such intensity. The U.S. and Russia almost seem to be replaying the Cold War. Disputes between America and China have escalated. The Middle East is in turmoil, as internal and cross-border wars rage from Libya to the Persian Gulf. Will these conflicts grow? Does peace have a chance? How will America’s world position be affected? Who will be the winners and the losers? Are we beginning a new era of global disorder? Join, Ralph Buultjens historian, author, recipient of the Toynbee Prize in Social Sciences, and longtime faculty member of the NYU School of Professional Studies Center for Global Affairs (CGA), who will provide insight and a special preview of his popular course “World Politics.” This lecture, part of the Center for Global Affairs 10th anniversary celebrations, will probe the critical global issues of the day and will offer a taste of the thought-provoking and significant topics covered in CGA classes.

Seats are limited. Register today! Visit scps.nyu.edu/cga/worldpolitics01 or call 212-998-7150

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VISIT IONA.EDU/STRAUS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MONTHLY GRADUATE PROGRAM INFO SESSIONS

AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

THE BEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS DOWNTOWN RANKINGS In one sense, ﬁnding a public elementary school for your child is easy in New York: you go to the school you’re zoned for. The reality, of course, is not easy at all. The sad truth in the city is that most neighborhoods still suffer from a shortage of top-notch elementary schools, despite improvements in recent years. That has sent families scrambling to find housing in one of the desired school zones, sending real estate values in those neighborhoods soaring. Many have been priced out.

Lower Manhattan is a lucky exception. Downtown is home to a number of top-notch elementary schools, giving parents unusual choice. Think of it as yet another perk of living in one of New York’s best neighborhoods. We’ve drawn up a list of the best of the best, as an aide to parents trying to decide where to settle in advance of their kids starting kindergarten. All of the schools on our list have been given an “A” by the city’s Department of Education, as part of its impressively rigorous own grading system. We’ve combined city data with numbers compiled by sites like Greatschools.org and Schooldigger.com, and we’ve talked to parents and educators in the neighborhood eneighb

P.S. 40 Augustus St.Gaudens 320 E. 20th Street

P.S. 276 Battery Park City 55 Battery Place

P.S. 3 Charrette School 490 Hudson Street

P.S. 11 William T. Harris 320 W. 21st Street

P.S. 130 Hernando De Soto New Explorations Into Science, Technology and 143 Baxter Street Math 111 Columbia Street

about which schools we recommend. We looked at test scores, attendance numbers, and diversity stats to draw up our alphabetical list. (We limited this list to public schools, meaning that private schools -- of which there are many in the neighborhood -- weren’t included in the list, nor were charter schools.) Think of this as we did, which is as one piece of the elementary-school puzzle in New York. How the pieces ﬁt together will depend on your family and your kids. -- The Editors

The East Village Community School 610 E. 12th Street

P.S. 41 Greenwich Village 116 W. 11th Street

P.S. 184 Shuang Wen 327 Cherry Street

P.S. 150 334 Greenwich Street

Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

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Discover the four Continuing Education Programs at Hunter College: Continuing Education offers a wide range of certificate programs, professionaldevelopment courses and personal-enrichment courses. The International English Language Institute offers English as a Second Language courses designed to make you fluent in English â&#x20AC;&#x201C; whatever your native language. Parliamo Italiano offers courses in Italian at all levels. The Writing Center-CE offers workshops in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting and screenwriting, and sponsors popular literary events. Come to Hunter for the best in Continuing Education.

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AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

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AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

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Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

THE TOP 20 PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS In many ways, by the time your kid has made it to high school in New York, the hard part is done. Gone are the debates over which neighborhood you should live in or how you’re zoned. By high school, it pretty much comes down to the application. NYC high schools aren’t zoned by neighborhood. Instead, kids can, and do, go to any school in the city, based on their application (which explains the crush of teenages on the subway at 3:30 in the afternoon). Some of the top schools base their admission on tests, as well, while a smaller number require auditions. So – unlike with the elementary-school list – we’ve paid less attention here to where these schools are located, and much more to how they stack up versus their peers. (That said, we limited our pool to Manhattan and to public schools.) Suffice it to say that all of these schools are excellent. Admission to all of them is incredibly competitive. The teachers are, for the most part, terriﬁc. So consider yourself (or your kid) lucky to get into any of them. As with the other lists, our slice is subjective, based on our reporting, on the Department of Education ranking system (every one of these schools was given an “A” grade by the city), by other ranking services like SchoolDigger. com, US News & World Report and GreatSchools.org, and by our innate horse sense of living and reporting in the neighborhoods where these schools are based. There are more than 400 public high schools in our city. However you go about deciding where you or your child should go, this list is a good place to start the processing of whittling it all down. Happy hunting. - The Editors

BARUCH COLLEGE CAMPUS HIGH SCHOOL 55 E. 25th St. Enrollment: 432 Average class size: 30.3

BEACON HIGH SCHOOL 227-243 W 61st St. Enrollment: 1,162 Average class size: 30.5

CENTRAL PARK EAST HIGH SCHOOL 1573 Madison Ave. Enrollment: 445 Average class size: 23.6

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL 411 E. 76th St Enrollment: 507 Average class size: 27.7

FIORELLO H. LAGUARDIA HIGH SCHOOL OF MUSIC, ART AND PERFORMING ARTS 100 Amsterdam Ave. Enrollment: 2,605 Average class size: 31.9

FOOD AND FINANCE HIGH SCHOOL 525 W. 50th St. Enrollment: 433 Average class size: 23.5

HIGH SCHOOL FOR DUAL LANGUAGE AND ASIAN STUDIES 350 Grand St. Enrollment: 353 Average class size: 21.4

HIGH SCHOOL FOR MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING AT CITY COLLEGE 240 Content Ave. Enrollment: 406 Average class size: 22.7

LOWER MANHATTAN ARTS ACADEMY 350 Grand St. Enrollment: 336 Average class size: 20.1

MANHATTAN BRIDGES HIGH SCHOOL 525 W. 50th St. Enrollment: 541 Average class size: 24.1

MANHATTAN/HUNTER SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL 122 Amsterdam Ave. Enrollment: 453 Average class size: 22.4

MANHATTAN INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL 317 E. 67th St. Enrollment: 325 Average class size: 20.6

MANHATTAN VILLAGE ACADEMY 43 W. 22nd Enrollment: 429 Average class size: 20.1

MILLENNIUM HIGH SCHOOL 75 Broad Street Enrollment: 626 Average class size: 29.8

NEW EXPLORATIONS INTO SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MATH SCHOOL 111 Columbia St. Enrollment: 544 Average class size: 26.5

NEW YORK CITY LAB SCHOOL FOR COLLABORATIVE STUDIES 333 W. 17th St Enrollment: 579 Average class size: 30.1

NEW YORK CITY MUSEUM SCHOOL 333 W. 17th St. Enrollment: 436 Average class size: 26.7

SCHOOL OF THE FUTURE HIGH SCHOOL 127 E. 22nd St. Enrollment: 380 Average class size: 24.6

STUYVESANT HIGH SCHOOL 345 Chambers St. Enrollment: 3,297 Average class size: 31.4

VANGUARD HIGH SCHOOL 317 E. 67th St. Enrollment: 444 Average class size: 20.7

AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

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Open House Tours each Thursday at 9.45am from September 18 to December 18 or by appointment

THE PRIVATE SCHOOL X-FACTOR For many Manhattan parents, getting their children into a top-tier private school is an endeavor that starts before the kids are even born. Wading through the rankings, reputations and educational standings to decide where to apply is just one step in the long process, and entire companies exist just to rate these schools and assist families in getting admitted to their top choices. We wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t step on their (very profitable) toes here - our list is designed to give a snippet of information on the private schools in your neighborhood. Our aim is to showcase the one or two things that set each of these schools apart from the pack. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all academically rigorous and educationally presitigious, and most are similar in cost. But where might you look to send your bright young aspiring chef whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just as interested in food science as history, or the promising athlete who might have a shot at the 2026 Olym-

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259 Tenth Avenue 212-935-5000 www.avenues.org N-9 (10th -12th grades planned for following years) Enrollment: 1300 students Tuition: $43,400 Founded in 2011, Avenues is part of a planned international system of for-proďŹ t school that all plan to be part of one integrated â&#x20AC;&#x153;learning community,â&#x20AC;? with planned campuses in China, India, Latin and Central America, South Africa, Europe, the Middle East and the PaciďŹ c Rim.

BLUE SCHOOL 241 Water Street 212-228-6341 www.theblueschool.org N-5 Tuition: $30,100 - $36,900 The Blue School is known for its association with the Blue Man Group. The school was founded by members of the theater troupe and is known for its progressive education â&#x20AC;&#x201C; there are no books or tests, no set curriculum and no start time.

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THE CITY & COUNTRY SCHOOL 146 West 13th Street 212-242-7802 www.cityandcountry.org N-8 16:1 student to faculty ratio The City & Country School is known for being the developer of the principle of the unit block

pics as well as the Ivy League? One of the beneďŹ ts of private school is that the small size allows the schools to offer specialties, something that sets them apart from their peers, and which will hopefully allow their students to do the same. Our list was compiled by researching information provided by the schools as well as recent news coverage. We included, where available, stats on student population and tuition, too. We chose the most well-known private institutions downtown. Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re right in the middle of the private school application mire or thinking about where to send your still-hypothetical future offspring, we hope our list will give you a fresh perspective and allow you to learn a few fun facts about the schools that make up a signiďŹ cant part of your neighborhoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s educational landscape.

(also known as building blocks), by founder Caroline Pratt, as a way for young children to express their creativity through dramatic play. They recently celebrated their centennial anniversary of 100 years downtown.

CORLEARS SCHOOL 324 West 15th Street 212-741-2800 www.corlearsschool.org N-4 Enrollment: 146 students Tuition: $23,365 - $34,685

Corlears is known for its multi-age classrooms where, varying from day to day, students of all ages work on math and reading skills with students older or younger than themselves, establishing what Corlears belives to be an inclusive community.

FRIENDS SEMINARY 222 East 16th Street 212-979-5030 www.friendsseminary.org K-12 Enrollment: 754 students Tuition: $38,300 Owned and controlled by the New York Quarterly Meetings of the Religious Society of Friends, the Friends Seminary is known for its emphasis on a Quaker education.

GRACE CHURCH SCHOOL 86 Fourth Avenue 212-475-5609 www.gcschool.org

N-8 Enrollment: 646 students 5:1 student to faculty ratio Tuition: $39,200 The Grace Church School is known for its innovations in the use of technology in education. Courses such as 3-D Animation, Arduino/Robotics and Game Design are integrated into the curriculum. The school recently expanded with an addition of a high school in Cooper Square.

LĂ&#x2030;MAN MANHATTAN PREPARATORY SCHOOL 41 Broad Street 212-232-0266 www.lemanmanhattan.org K-12 Tuition: $39,200 LĂŠman is known for its emphasis on creating â&#x20AC;&#x153;global classrooms,â&#x20AC;? strongly encouraging its students to learn and debate about complex global problems through its Touchpoints program and partake in international travel trips organized by the school.

LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE AND ELISABETH IRWIN HIGH SCHOOL 40 Charlton Street 212-477-5316 www.lrei.org N-12 Enrollment: 650 students 7:1 student to faculty ratio Tuition: $39,449 LREI is known for placing a great emphasis on progressive

AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

education, learning within the community, integrating ďŹ eld trips and volunteering into their curriculum, as well as an emphasis on diversity. Last year, alumnus Dina Hampton published a book, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Little Red: Three Passionate Lives through the Sixties and Beyond,â&#x20AC;? highlighting the lives and accomplishments of three students who graduated from the school in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;60s and went on to impact America in different ways.

socioeconomic status, and ethnicity.

VILLAGE COMMUNITY SCHOOL 272 West 10th Street 212-691-5146 www.vcsnyc.org K-8 Village Community School is known for its interaging of Lower School classrooms in ďŹ ve new groups each year: ages 5/6, 6/7, 7/8, 8/9, 9/10. VCS believes that this gives students the ability to ďŹ nd both a comfort level and a challenge to grow.

ST. LUKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SCHOOL 487 Hudson Street 212-924-5960 www.stlukeschool.org N-8 Enrollment: 203 students Tuition: $37,500 - $38,250 St. Lukeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is known for its stress on diversity. Despite its roots in the Episcopal Church, the school offers chapel services celebrating diverse faiths. The schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hosts a Faculty Diversity Committee and Diversity Committee of the Parents Association to further the

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communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s understanding of diverse age, gender, sexual orientation, ability, race, religion,

44 East 2nd Street 212-600-2010 wclacademy.org N-5 Tuition: $26,750 - $36,850 The World Class Learning Academy is known as the only school in New York that follows a Nord Anglia Education, which is a curriculum based on the National Curriculum of England that emphasizes high performance learning.

Learn, meet, greet, explore, advocate, grow, discuss, volunteer â&#x20AC;Ś and we just got started. 76 million â&#x20AC;&#x153;boomersâ&#x20AC;? are starting to edge towards their retirement. Savvy individuals, even by age 55, are planning for their â&#x20AC;&#x153;next act.â&#x20AC;? For boomers, older adults, and those on the edge of retirement, there is now time to once again participate in JASAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s continuing education programs. The mind is refreshed, social connections are invigorated, and interests, new and old, are stimulated. Volunteering and political advocacy are also meaningful sources of energy for those looking to make a difference in society. Founded in 1968, JASAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is to sustain and enrich the lives of the aging in the New York metropolitan area so that they can remain in the community with dignity and autonomy. JASAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NextAct programs are designed speciďŹ cally for adults 55+. Some are retirees, some are thinking about retirement; the one thing everyone has in common is that they are all interested in learning. Hundreds of participants come back year after year drawn by the selection of courses we offer and the quality of the programs, which include: t 4VOEBZT BU +"4" o DPMMFHF MFWFM DPVSTFT BU +PIO +BZ College t "EWPDBDZ 1SPHSBNT o XFFL *OTUJUVUF GPS 4FOJPS Action Training Course t 7PMVOUFFS 0QQPSUVOJUJFT o HJWF CBDL UP UIF DPNNVOJUZ t "OE NVDI NPSF Find out about all these possibilities and moreâ&#x20AC;Ś

Sundays at JASA Fall Semester Open House on 4FQUFNCFS UI GSPN BN UP QN BU UIF North Hall of John Jay College, 445 W. 59th Street JO .BOIBUUBO -FBSO BCPVU DPVSTFT o SBOHJOH GSPN Shakespeare to Laughter Yoga - and register for the Fall TFNFTUFS XIJDI SVOT GSPN 4FQUFNCFS TU UP %FDFNCFS TU 'PS JOGPSNBUJPO PS UP SFRVFTU B 'BMM DBUBMPH DPOUBDU sundays@jasa.org or 212.273.5304. Advocacy Programs o -FBSO 5IFO "DU +PJO +"4" T *OTUJUVUF GPS 4FOJPS "DUJPO *'4" GPS XFFLT PG IBOET on training in advocacy and social action. Learn from highly acclaimed government, non-proďŹ t, and community MFBEFST 1SFTFOUBUJPOT CZ ""31 "M[IFJNFS T "TTPDJBUJPO &MFDUFE 0GmDJBMT *OEFQFOEFOU #VEHFU 0GmDF -FBHVF PG 8PNFO 7PUFST /:$ /BUJPOBM $PNNJUUFF UP 1SFTFSWF 4PDJBM 4FDVSJUZ BOE .FEJDBSF /:$ %FQBSUNFOU GPS UIF Aging, Volunteers of Legal Services, and more Tuesdays, 4FQUFNCFS o /PWFNCFS BN o QN +"4" 8FTU UI 4USFFU .BOIBUUBO 'PS NPSF JOGPSNBUJPO or to request an application contact ifsa@jasa.org or 212.991.6572. Volunteer - JASA offers many opportunities for individuals to make a difference in the community. To learn more contact volunteer@jasa.org, 212.273.5291. For more information on all JASA programs visit jasa.org or call 212-273-5200.

ew School Explore The N se ate Open Hou u d ra rg e d n U at our 14

tember 27, 20 Saturday, Sep 0 p.m. 11:00 a.m.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2:0 e, NYC embers. 63 Fifth Avenu ts and family m school studen Open to all high

go to n and to RSVP, o ti a rm fo in re For mo ol.edu/nyc16 www.newscho

Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

N O I N U R E P O O C E H T

CONTINUING EDUCATION

FALL 2014

CALLIGRAPHY AND TYPOGRAPHY COLLAGE AND MIXED MEDIA DRAWING AND PAINTING PHOTOGRAPHY AND PHOTOSHOP WRITING CONTEMPORARY ART NYC ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORY 3-D PRINTING AND DIGITAL DESIGN

COURSES START IN OCTOBER INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION AT WWW.COOPER.EDU/CE OR 212.353.4195

DO YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO COME OUT ON TOP IN THE NYC PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM? REGISTER ONLINE NOW! AT BEINGSPECIALNYC.COM Learn about INFORMATION AND PROGRAMS that only NYC Public School “Parent Insiders” know about. Discover tips on how you can change your child’s success in school and life - for both general and special education students. Taught by Hazel Adams-Shango, General/Special Education Advocate, Former NYC Borough Enrollment Oﬃcer; Parent Engagement Oﬃcer. Hazel has the information you need to know!

2014 BACK TO SCHOOL PARENT BOOT CAMP Saturday, October 18, 2014 (9am – 12 noon) Early Bird Special- $25.00 until September 18th includes Continental Breakfast, Presentation and Open Q&A Lehman College – 250 Bedford Park Blvd., Bronx NY

BACK TO SCHOOL, NOT JUST FOR KIDS In New York, the options for learning are endless, even after you’ve aged out of traditional school paths. For those who want to change careers or bolster their resumes without undertaking a full-time degree program, the city’s many prestigious universities offer an array of options.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION Morningside Heights Campus, 203 Lewisohn Hall, MC 4119, 2970 212-854-9666 ce.columbia.edu Applied Analytics Seminar The business world is more complex than ever before—this course will teach one how to make efficient business decisions by utilizing data. Using interactive studies, this course focuses on many different

Often, these adult education offerings reﬂect the changing job market and provide skills to stay competitive. To that end, we’ve highlighted some of the newest courses from top schools’ continuing education programs.

aspects of business such as technology, leadership and managerial skills. The course is taught by Filippo Passerini, a Columbia University Executive and 33-year veteran of Procter & Gamble. Environment, Peace and Security Executive Seminar This fall, Columbia University will be offering a 5-day intensive seminar on the environment, peace and security. This course will teach business owners how to overcome challenges that may arise due to the changing environment. After this course, students will be well versed in

skills such as assessing conflict, applying conflict analysis, communicating in conflict settings, developing project planning approaches to mitigate risks and staying ahead of the knowledge curve.

FORDHAM SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL AND CONTINUING STUDIES Lincoln Center Campus, 113 W. 60th Street 212-636-7333 pcs.fordham.edu Digital and Social Media Professional Certiﬁcate

AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

Program These continuing education courses will teach students how to further their business through digital technology. Within this subject, students can pick from a number of more speciﬁc topics they would like to focus on, such as Social Media Marketing, Cybersecurity and Search Engine Marketing. Courses take place in the evening and on Saturdays, and are a total of 12 hours. Classes are designed for peoples of all ages in the business world.

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF CONTINUING AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES 7 East 12th Street 212-998-7150 www.scps.nyu.edu A Culinary Tour of Hell’s Kitchen This off-campus course allows students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with one of Manhattan’s great culinary neighborhoods. The course is designed as an eating and walking tour of Hell’s Kitchen, and is lead by Liz Young who is the owner of Culinary and City Tours. English to Spanish

Pharmacology and Pharmacy Translation This 10 session online course focuses on translating speciﬁc phrases one might encounter in the pharmacy world. Students will learn and practice by translating documents and studying distinctive terminology. By the end, students will have built a glossary for future reference. Doing Business in China, India and Other Emerging Markets This course will teach students the fundamental tools that are needed to operate small businesses in China, India and other countries with emerging markets. By analyzing opportunities in a number of different ﬁelds, students will leave the course feeling prepared to expand business ideas to abroad markets. NYU has a number of other new courses for this fall, all of which can be found on their School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES 119 W. 31st Street 212-652-2869

sps.cuny.edu Urban and Community Studies CUNY will now be offering a Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban and Community Studies. This course is designed to help students advance their careers in public service and social advocacy by exploring “urban problems, public policy and the delivery of human service to diverse urban populations.” Students will leave this course with a better understanding of both the problems and opportunities that may arise from living in a city by studying city dynamics in an economical, political and social context. Online B.S. in Nursing CUNY has started to accept applications for their online Bachelor of Science Degree in nursing for the spring of 2014. This program will offer already registered nurses the opportunity to advance their career by expanding their knowledge in speciﬁc ﬁelds. By helping one develop and demonstrate competency in areas such as health assessment, nursing research, care of culturally diverse people, and many other topics, nurses will be enables to excel in moving up to leadership positions or obtain positions in long-term care facilities.

ͻ ,ĂƌůĞŵ ,ĞďƌĞǁ ŝƐ Ă ƚƵŝƟ ŽŶͲĨƌĞĞ ƉƵďůŝĐ ĐŚĂƌƚĞƌ ƐĐŚŽŽů ĨŽĐƵƐŝŶŐ ŽŶ ĂŶ ŝŵŵĞƌƐŝŽŶ ĂƉͲ ƉƌŽĂĐŚ ƚŽ DŽĚĞƌŶ /ƐƌĂĞůŝ ,ĞďƌĞǁ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ƐƚƵĚǇ ŽĨ /ƐƌĂĞůŝ ĐƵůƚƵƌĞ ĂŶĚ ŚŝƐƚŽƌǇ͘ ͻ ,ĂƌůĞŵ ,ĞďƌĞǁ ŚĂƐ ƚǁŽͲƚŚƌĞĞ ƚĞĂĐŚĞƌƐ ŝŶ Ă ĐůĂƐƐƌŽŽŵ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ĚĂǇ͘ ͻ ,ĂƌůĞŵ ,ĞďƌĞǁ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞƐ ŝƚƐ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ ǁŝƚŚ ŽƵƚƐƚĂŶĚŝŶŐ ŝŶƐƚƌƵĐƟ ŽŶ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ Ăůů ĐƵƌƌŝĐƵůƵŵ ĂƌĞĂƐ͘ KƵƌ ĐƵƌƌŝĐƵůƵŵ ŝƐ ŝŶĚŝǀŝĚƵĂůŝǌĞĚ͕ Ěŝī ĞƌĞŶƟ ĂƚĞĚ ĂŶĚ ĚĞƐŝŐŶĞĚ ƚŽ ŵĞĞƚ ĞĂĐŚ ŝŶĚŝǀŝĚƵĂů ĐŚŝůĚ͛Ɛ ŶĞĞĚƐ͘ ͻ ,ĂƌůĞŵ ,ĞďƌĞǁ ƵƐĞƐ ƚŚĞ dĞĂĐŚĞƌƐ ŽůůĞŐĞ ZĞĂĚĞƌ͛Ɛ ĂŶĚ tƌŝƚĞƌ͛Ɛ tŽƌŬƐŚŽƉ DŽĚĞů ,ĂƌůĞŵ ,ĞďƌĞǁ ŝƐ ůŽĐĂƚĞĚ Ăƚ ϭϰϳ ^ƚ͘ EŝĐŚŽůĂƐ ǀĞŶƵĞ͕ ďĞƚǁĞĞŶ ϭϭϳƚŚ ĂŶĚ ϭϭϴƚŚ ^ƚƌĞĞƚƐ ŝŶ DĂŶŚĂƩ ĂŶ͘ K ǇĞůůŽǁ ďƵƐ ƚƌĂŶƐƉŽƌƚĂƟ ŽŶ ŵĂǇ ďĞ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ĨŽƌ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ ůŝǀŝŶŐ ƵŶĚĞƌ ϱ ŵŝůĞƐ ĨƌŽŵ ,ĂƌůĞŵ ,ĞďƌĞǁ͘ ͻ tĞ ĂƌĞ ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚůǇ ĂĐĐĞƉƟ ŶŐ ĂƉƉůŝĐĂƟ ŽŶƐ ĨŽƌ ϮϬϭϰͲϭϱ ĨŽƌ <ŝŶĚĞƌŐĂƌƚĞŶ͕ 'ƌĂĚĞ KŶĞ ĂŶĚ 'ƌĂĚĞ dǁŽ͘ ͻ >> Z t > KD ͊͊

&Žƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟ ŽŶ Žƌ ƚŽ ĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞ ĂŶ ĂƉƉůŝĐĂƟ ŽŶ͕ ǀŝƐŝƚ ŽƵƌ ǁĞďƐŝƚĞ Žƌ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ ƵƐ͊ ;ϮϭϮͿ ϴϲϲͲϰϲϬϴ ͻ ŝŶĨŽΛŚĂƌůĞŵŚĞďƌĞǁĐŚĂƌƚĞƌ͘ŽƌŐ

ǁǁǁ͘ŚĂƌůĞŵŚĞďƌĞǁĐŚĂƌƚĞƌ͘ŽƌŐ ϭϰϳ ^ƚ͘ EŝĐŚŽůĂƐ ǀĞŶƵĞ͕ EĞǁ zŽƌŬ͕ Ez ϭϬϬϮϲ

Institute of American Language and Culture Fordham University’s English as a Second Language program

Fall 2014 semester: September 8 - December 12 ■ ■ ■

New York City’s premier English as a Second Language program Language development for life in and outside of the classroom Lincoln Center campus: one block west of Columbus Circle

Call 212-636-6353 to schedule a free English proficiency exam 33 West 60th Street NY, NY www.fordham.edu/esl esl@fordham.edu

Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

Op - Ed

Walk through our doors, into your future.

LOVE MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;LL DO THAT FOR YOU!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; BY BETH PEREIRA

Becoming more academically excellent, open to growth, religious, loving, and committed to doing justice.

Loyola School admissions@loyolanyc.org 1BSL "WF t /FX :PSL /: t t XXX MPZPMBOZD PSH

Fall Festival & Open House October 12, 10 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4 pm High School Open House November 1, 10 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 pm

Nurturing living connections... early childhood through grade 12 Situated on a 400-acre Biodynamic farm in New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hudson Valley, Hawthorne Valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s integrative Waldorf curriculum helps young men and women grow academically, artistically, and socially into the creative individuals needed in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s complex world.

%BZ BOE #PBSEJOH 1SPHSBNT t "DDFQUJOH "QQMJDBUJPOT 518-672-7092 x 111 info@hawthornevalleyschool.org WALDORF SCHOOL | www.hawthornevalleyschool.org 330 County Route 21C, Ghent, NY 12075 | 518-672-7092 x 111

In one of my favorite versions of a New Yorker-style cartoon by Aaron Bacall, a doctor scans a chest x-ray while a female patient waits patiently for the results. The caption reads some variation of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your heart is slightly bigger than the average human heart - but that is because you are a teacher.â&#x20AC;? While it may not be medically true, elementary school teachers are typically a caring bunch. You can spy our compassion in a wink, a smile, or a word of encouragement. Sometimes, however, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more subtle and even covert. For instance, I have a secret teacher confession: I wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tie your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shoelaces. While it may not seem so, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s truly because I do care. Of course, I will never allow your child to be unsafe, or trip, or drag untied shoelaces through puddles. In teaching, nurturing means more than hugs and kissing boo boos. It means empowerment, building selfesteem, and fostering indepen-

dence, too. When developmentally ready, your child will be able to do things that are age appropriate (like tying shoelaces). The mere expectation that they can do it or will be able to do it soon makes them feel good. I teach them how, stand by and encourage as they try (never to the point of frustration) and ďŹ nally, ask if they need help. If I always tie your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shoe, how will they know when they are able to do it on their own? This guiding principle cultivates a sense of ownership, responsibility and autonomy. Visitors to our class are always astounded when they see how independent our students are. Our mini-MacGuyvers can fold a painting tablecloth as a team, open a milk container or Go-Gurt without an explosion, clean a table, pack up papers, open Pop Chips or know where the scissors are to cut the bag open. We relish these real-life teaching experiences tucked into our academic environment. Sure, it helps me out (parents too!) when students

can do things on their own (Can you imagine packing 27 backpacks?) but the true, lasting beneďŹ ciary is the self-sufďŹ cient, conďŹ dent, self-assured child. Before you rush off to buy your child Velcro sneakers, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll tell you one of my favorite teaching memories involving a kindergartener Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll call Carrie. Carrie was a bright light and a hard worker with cute freckles and some challenges. Carrie initially needed me turn the water fountain knob for her. I showed her how it worked and then I stood next to her and asked her to try. Everyday for months, Carrie tried and then I would do it for her. Until ďŹ nally, she tried and the water spouted! Carrieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surprised face lit up with pride. She was so happy; I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even think she had her drink! With water fountains, tying shoelaces and the like, the magic happensâ&#x20AC;Śif you let it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Back-to-Schoolâ&#x20AC;? sales are now in full swing. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve read The Kissing Hand and Wemberly Worried and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re about to set your child off to the ďŹ rst of school. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re like most parents, you are hoping for a teacher who is regimented yet flexible, supportive and kind yet firm, funny yet academic, vibrant, enthusiastic, loving and an extremely temporary replacement of yourself. Like parents, teachers wear many proverbial hats from nurse to mediator to instructor to etc. etc. etc. While it can be emotionally difficult to entrust your precious child to a new teacher, know that our hearts are big. Sometimes you just need some x-ray vision to see whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on underneath. Beth Pereira, M.S.T., is public school teacher and private tutor on the Upper East Side. She has over 15 years of early childhood experience and is the 2014 OTTY East-Sider of the Year award winner for Education. Contact her at LearnWithMeinNYC@gmail.com.

AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

HOW YOU CAN HELP BUILD INDEPENDENCE AT HOME

â&#x20AC;˘ Post a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Did I Packâ&#x20AC;Ś? Sheetâ&#x20AC;? on your front door with days of the week and what to bring that day. For instanceâ&#x20AC;Ś PE sneakers on Mondays, art clothes that can get mussed on Tuesdays, reading log on Friday etc. Let

â&#x20AC;˘ Have patience. Teach first, let them try, encourage and then help. â&#x20AC;˘ Google â&#x20AC;&#x153;how-toâ&#x20AC;? videos and watch together. Model and have your child try immediately after. S/he may only be able to do part of the process independently at first. â&#x20AC;˘ Offer words of encouragement: Keep trying! Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get it. Great try. I can see youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re getting it! â&#x20AC;˘ Always, listen to thoughts, feelings and opinions. You may not always agree but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s empowering. â&#x20AC;˘ Practice tearing toilet paper and pump soap dispensers in unfamiliar bathrooms. Surprisingly, this can sometimes be frustrating. â&#x20AC;˘ Allow your child to choose his/her own outfit. Start from three choices. Soon they can try to choose and dress themselves. Ignore mismatched clothes when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not important. Get excited about looks you love. â&#x20AC;˘ Allow your child to set the table. Forgive mistakes but do teach where things go. â&#x20AC;˘ Let your child grab items from shelves at the market under your direction. â&#x20AC;˘ Check off steps in a morning or bedtime routine. Choose your battles. Maybe youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll want to make sure the back teeth get brushed but you can live with the strand of hair outside the hair band.

your child pack up! â&#x20AC;˘ Cut, use paperclips, staplers and different materials whenever possible to gain practice. â&#x20AC;˘ Encourage your child to order in a restaurant after a discussion. â&#x20AC;˘ Learn and practice how to zip/button coats. â&#x20AC;˘ Clean up bedrooms and common areas. You can make it fun by playing a favorite song and dancing and cleaning for the length of the song. Put things away and put garbage in the trash bin. â&#x20AC;˘ When your child shows off his/her artwork asking if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;goodâ&#x20AC;? first ask, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What do YOU think?â&#x20AC;? Then celebrate with oohs and ahhs and wowee kazowees once they have self-affirmed. â&#x20AC;˘ Offer positive reinforcement. You can include a reasonable reward. Try an independent behavior chart. Work on one or two behaviors at a time and make it easy to initially achieve success. The behavior chart should evolve and/or disappear over time.

NEXTACT FALL 2014 SEMESTER Explore the catalog and register today: jasa.org/community/nextact WHAT IS NEXTACT? JASAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NextAct programs are designed specifically for adults 55+. These dynamic individuals are looking for interesting and fun ways to be engaged, learn, meet peers, and make an impact in their communities. r 4VOEBZT BU +"4" DPMMFHF MFWFM DPVSTFT BU +PIO +BZ $PMMFHF r *OTUJUVUF GPS 4FOJPS "DUJPO *'4" XFFL BEWPDBDZ USBJOJOH QSPHSBN r 0OF UJNF PS POHPJOH WPMVOUFFS PQQPSUVOJUJFT 8"/5 50 -&"3/ .03& Attend the Sundays at JASA Open House 4VOEBZ 4FQUFNCFS r BN m QN John Jay College, North Hall, 445 West 59th Street, New York City 'BMM 4FNFTUFS %BUFT 4VOEBZT 4FQUFNCFS m %FDFNCFS Â&#x2021; QH[WDFW#MDVD RUJ -&"3/ 5)&/ "$5 +0*/ *'4" 10 weeks of hands on training in advocacy and social action. Learn from highly acclaimed government, non-profit and community leaders. 5VFTEBZT 4FQUFNCFS m /PWFNCFS r BN m QN JASA, 247 West 37th Street, New York City Â&#x2021; LIVD#MDVD RUJ

-$6$ +HDGTXDUWHUV :HVW WK 6WUHHW Â&#x2021; 1HZ <RUN 1< Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; MDVD RUJ )RXQGHG LQ -$6$ÂśV PLVVLRQ LV WR VXVWDLQ DQG HQULFK WKH OLYHV RI WKH DJLQJ LQ WKH 1HZ <RUN PHWURSROLWDQ DUHD VR WKDW WKH\ FDQ UHPDLQ LQ WKH FRPPXQLW\ ZLWK GLJQLW\ DQG DXWRQRP\

I Want e d a Quality Degre e Clos e t o Home Gina Barrios - Class of â&#x20AC;&#x2122;13

BA Political Science Brooklyn Law School - Class of â&#x20AC;&#x2122;16

Small College. Big Dreams. 2 3 4 5 A C B D F R

FALL SEMESTER: Begins Sept. 3 rd - ENROLL NOW!

sfc.edu

Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

From the age of two, your child will begin learning a new language. From age three, your child will discover reading. And from the age of four, they will learn a musical instrument. Imagine what your child will achieve by age 12. We are part of a successful network of international schools where studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; accomplishments rank among the highest in the world. Students from our schools have been accepted to the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most renowned colleges and universities, including Harvard, McGill, MIT, Oxford, Princeton, and St Andrews.

To find out more, call to schedule a private tour.

World Class Learning Academy, New York An International School for Children Ages 2 to Middle School. Inspired. Successful. Empowered.

www.wclacademy.org + 212.600.2010 + 44 East 2nd Street + New York, New York 10003 + infowcla@wclacademy.org

5 TOP

AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

FOR THE WEEK BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

OPPORTUNITY Motivated and talented low-income public high school students are eager to go to college but can’t afford SAT prep.

MUSIC

PATRICIA KOPATCHINSKAJA JA As part of the Mostly Mozart Festival’s val’s intimate, late-night performance series es at Lincoln Center, Moldovan violinist Patricia tricia Kopatchinskaja, whom Strings Magazine zine dubbed “the most exciting violinist in the world,” performs Bach’s “Chaconne,” along with Bartok’s sonata. Thursday, August 21 Lincoln Center Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse 165 West 65 St. 10 p.m. Call 212-721-6500 for availabilityy

IMPACT

GALLERIES

KIDS

“TOMORROW’S WORLD”

MAD. SQ. KIDS EXPLORE!

Commemorating the 50th and 75th anniversaries of the New York World’s Fairs in Flushing Meadows, this exhibition at Central Park’s Arsenal Gallery includes previously unseen vintage photographs from the Parks Department’s photo archive, which show the evolution of Corona Park. Through August 27 Central Park Arsenal Gallery Entrance at Fifth Avenue and 64 Street Gallery Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. FREE

All of Madison Square Park becomes a child’s playground in this program, which allows children to lead themselves on a self-guided tour and scavenger hunt, in which they’ll learn about the park’s monuments and ﬂora and fauna. Thursday, August 21 Madison Square Park Playground Entrance at Broadway and 23 Street 10 a.m. FREE

FILM “AMELIE” Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s 2001 film “Amelie” screens for free at the South Street Seaport Front/Row screen. The film stars Audrey Tautou as a waitress at a Paris café who dedicates her life to helping others find happiness. Part of the Seaport Film and Food Festival, the screening begins with a tasting a French food and drink. Thursday, August 21 South Street Seaport at Fulton and Front Streets 7 p.m. tasting, 8 p.m. screening FREE

Every year, New York Cares brings its Kaplan SAT Prep program to public schools throughout the city. In 2012, volunteers worked in 40 schools and helped 1,000 students get into the colleges of their choice, including several admissions to Cornell and New York University.

OPERA SUMMER HD FESTIVAL: “MOONSTRUCK” AND “LA BOHEME” The Metropolitan Opera presents its free summer screenings of its most popular Live in HD presentations, kicking off with a viewing of director Norman Jewison’s 1987 ﬁlm “Moonstruck,” in which the lead characters attend a performance of “La Boheme” at the Metropolitan Opera House. The Franco Zeffirelli production of the Puccini opera screens the following evening. Friday, August 22 and Saturday, August 23 Lincoln Center Plaza Columbus Avenue between 62 and 63 Streets 8 p.m. FREE

Volunteer or Donate at newyorkcares.org.

New York Cares is New York City’s leading volunteer organization.

Photo credit: Lauren Farmer

Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

Food & Drink

< YELP REVIEWERS SUE FOR WAGES Elite Yelp reviewers want to get paid to publish their reviews on the site, and some are taking legal action against the company. Led by plaintiff Lily Jeung, reviewers ﬁled a federal class action suit, alleging that Yelp’s failure to pay its reviewers violates the Fair Labor Standards Act. While Elite Yelp members with

A FROZEN FEAST FOOD TRENDS New store brings gourmet frozen cuisine to the neighborhood BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

It’s 9:30 p.m. on a Thursday, after a late day at the office, and I’m sitting down to a three-course dinner that begins with a hot bowl of velouté and a crusty roll, and will end just 30 minutes later with airy chocolate soufflé. No cab ride home from a restaurant, no expensive check. No plastic takeout containers. No prep, food processing, or dirty dishes. Instead, this impromptu weeknight meal came courtesy of Babeth’s Feast, a gourmet frozen food shop on Third Avenue, between 80th and 81st Streets that opened on August 6, where busy Upper East Siders can grab a full, multicourse meal in a pinch, or enough ﬂashfrozen mini quiches, crab cakes and pigs in a blanket for a no-fuss cocktail party. Dreamed up by Elisabeth de Kergorlay, a Paris transplant and investor in Le Pain Quotidian, Babeth’s Feast sells frozen food, and only frozen food— save a small selection of crackers and other dry goods for accompaniment with frozen meats or dips—from appetizer to entrée to dessert. Feast in I visited Babeth’s the late

morning eight days after it opened to meet de Kergorlay. A very tall and elegant woman with blonde hair knotted in a bun, de Kergorlay is both thin and athletic-looking, hardly the image of a woman who enjoys eating frozen dinners packaged in plastic trays. Echoing the concept of French chain Picard, a frozen food grocery popular in Paris, de Kergorlay hopes to redefine frozen cuisine in New York. “Over here, you don’t shop for frozen food out of choice,” said de Kergorlay, who leaned on frozen food when she hosted weekly Sunday brunches while living in Paris. “You shop out of necessity, and that’s what we want to change.” Babeth’s Feast carries around 360 different flash-frozen products, many French-inspired, and over half are Babeth’s Feast’s original creations, developed by American chef Susie Cover. The pristine store is neat and almost sparse, with the aesthetic of a frozen yogurt shop and the organization of an office supply store. Strolling from case to case, de Kergorlay pointed out breakfast foods, including a variety of croissants sold in quantities appropriate for brunch entertaining, French-leaning entrees such as chicken Provencal, and individual chocolate lava cakes, mini éclairs and petits fours. I asked her to help me select a few dinner items and listed my dietary res restrictions (a shellfish allergy and a desire d for something healthy). Cover C recommended the chicken chi Provencal, and de Kerg Kergorlay picked out a spinach soup with little cream. I also walked away with a bag of assorted dinner rolls, r chocolate soufflés and a a tomato crumble, a FrenchFre inspired side similar to a savory cobbler, all of which were packed into a silver, space space-age cooler bag for easy commuting. commut “Happy cooking!” de Kergorlay Kerg said as I walked out the door. Babeth’s Feast is not alone in pro-

prolific outputs receive benefits from the company, including exclusive parties, they aren’t paid for what the lawsuit deems a “service” to the site. Meanwhile, a different class of reviewers, called “scouts,” writes for new areas on the site and receives financial compensation for their reviews, a benefit that the elite reviewers

believe they deserve. According to the complaint, the disgruntled elites “perform the exact same work” as the paid reviewers, and the lawsuit demands that the company “provide the wages to all writers of Yelp and not just the ones which Yelp, Inc. chooses to pay in wages.”

THE MENU Spinach and Fava Bean Velouté Cooking time: About 8 minutes in microwave, stirring every few minutes Servings per container: 2 Calories per serving: 105 Price: $5.99 Tomato Crumble Cooking time: 45 minutes in conventional oven Servings per container: 2.3 Calories per serving: 440 Price: $10.99 Poulet a la Provencale Cooking time: 45 to 60 minutes in conventional oven Servings per container: 4.5 Calories per serving: 160 Price: $19.99 Chocolate Soufflés Cooking time: 20 minutes in conventional oven Servings per package: 2 Calories per serving: 270 Price: $8.99 Total cost: $45.96 Overall cooking time: 1 hour and 20 minutes Cleanup time: 2 minutes Spinach and fava bean veloute from Babeth’s Feast, which could serve as a light meal or an appetizer course, served with thyme and olive rolls. viding a service that lets home cooks present composed dishes without much preparation. Services like Blue Apron—which delivers a step-by-step recipe and all ingredients to customers’ doors—and Fresh Direct allow us to maintain the illusion that we’re cooking, but without much mess or a trip to the neighborhood grocery. I arrived home with my frozen goods at 8:30 p.m., having told my ﬁancé that dinner was “taken care of.” Up to that point, frozen dinner was a last resort for me, occupying a lower rung on the food ladder than boxed macaroni and cheese. I saw frozen food as a convenience, an answer to an empty belly rather than eager taste buds. But this evening, frozen food was a choice, not a solution, and not much of a quick ﬁx: the chicken Provencal and tomato crumble required at least 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven. As my main course ‘cooked,’ I microwaved the spinach and fava bean velouté, which, frozen, resembled a green

brick, though once ladled into bowls took on the color of cut grass and the consistency of condensed tomato soup. Though the portions barely came to the halfway mark in my bowls, served with earthy thyme and olive dinner rolls, it could pass as a light meal. As I scooped up the last of the surprisingly spicy soup, the timer on my oven went off and I retrieved the chicken and tomato crumble from the oven and let them cool on top of the stove. The chicken could easily pass as homemade cacciatore, but would benefit from some white rice or spaghetti. The hearty crumble tasted like a meeting of tomato soup and baked macaroni and cheese with a Ritz cracker topping, which is not to say bad at all. The crumble was intensely rich and I could only manage a few bites, which was just as well: one serving contains 440 calories and 32 grams of fat—nearly half the recommended daily intake. At $19.99, the chicken Provencal was comparable in cost to the ingredients

I’d need to cook a similar dish from scratch, and at an hour in the oven, didn’t save much time, but life’s a tradeoff. Instead of laboring over a hot stove in the middle of August, I watched a rerun of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” while my dinner heated. I was full after the main course, and should have stopped there, but I was most curious about the soufflés. After twenty minutes on 375 degrees, they delightfully puffed up like the timer on a Thanksgiving turkey. Served in dainty ceramic ramekins, the soufflés might work well at a dinner party. The meal was over in half an hour, but the cooking time wasn’t much shorter than my typical weeknight meal from scratch, though it did give me three courses. But the star of the evening was the cleanup. Aside from the utensils, soup bowls and dinner plates, all other trays and prep gear went into the trash, not the sink, and I went back to my re-runs instead of facing a stack of dirty dishes.

AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS JULY 30 - AUGUST 16, 2014

Sahara East Restaurant

184 1 Avenue

Grade Pending (30) Food Protection Certiﬁcate not held by supervisor of food operations. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas. Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.

China Wok

199 East 3 Street

Grade Pending (26) Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

Pinkberry

24 St Marks Place

Chloe's Soft Serve Fruit Co. 25 East 17 Street

Fraiche Maxx

213 Park Avenue South

Grade Pending (38) 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. 2) Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment. 3) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. 4) Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

Bull Mccabes

29 St Marks Place

Wcou Radio / Tile Bar

115 1 Avenue

Queen Vic

68 Second Avenue

Salt & Pepper

239 1 Avenue

Grade Pending (32) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Cherin Sushi

306 East 6 Street

Grade Pending (31) Toxic chemical improperly labeled, stored or used such that food contamination may occur. Evidence of rats or live rats 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.

Momofuku Milk Bar Ev

251 East 13 Street

Grade Pending (18) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

Bar Primi

325 Bowery

Paradis To Go

114 4 Avenue

Royal Bangladesh Indian Restaurant

93 1 Avenue

Grade Pending (22) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Live roaches 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.

Big Arc Chicken

233 1 Avenue

Grade Pending (16) Live roaches present in facility's food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewageassociated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or nonfood areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewageassociated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

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

176 1 Avenue

Miss Lily's 7A

109 Avenue A

Grade Pending (19) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Dirt Candy

430 East 9 Street

Nai Tapas Bar

174 1 Avenue

New Tasty King

534 East 14 Street

Grade Pending (25) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility's food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

Two Boots Pizzeria

42 Avenue A

Starbucks Coffee

286 1 Avenue

Physical Graffiti

96 St Marks Place

Maiden Lane

162-64 Avenue B

Le Jardin

115 Avenue C

Grade Pending (37) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/ refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/ refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Nino's Pizza

Odessa

131 Avenue A

119 Avenue A

Closed by Health Department (109) Food not cooked to required minimum temperature. Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. 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. Filth flies or food/ refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/ refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Insufficient or no refrigerated or hot holding equipment to keep potentially hazardous foods at required temperatures. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution. A

CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

L.A. Burdick Chocolates

5 East 20 Street

Blossom Du Jour

259 West 23 Street

Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin Robbins

269 8 Avenue

Beyond Sushi

75 9 Avenue

Hollywood Diner

574 6 Avenue

Tia Pol

205 10 Avenue

La Carbornara

202 West 14 Street

Blt Fish

21 West 17 Street

Boqueria

53 West 19 Street

Grade Pending (22) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food Protection Certiﬁcate not held by supervisor of food operations.

Jamba Juice

238 7 Avenue

New Venus Restaurant

252 8 Avenue

Slice & Co. Brick Oven Pizza

527 6 Avenue

Haven’s Kitchen

109 West 17 Street

Grade Pending (17) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Thai Plus

208 7 Avenue

Gym Sports Bar

167 8 Avenue

Mokbar

75 9 Avenue

Mansions Catering

4042 West 8 Street

Chelsea Cottage

206 9 Avenue

Grade Pending (25) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food Protection Certiﬁcate not held by supervisor of food operations. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Grade Pending (27) Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Gradisca Restaurant

126 West 13 Street

Grade Pending (20) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/ refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/ refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

Studio Cafe 59

Pier 59 Chelsea Piers

Grade Pending (23) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.

Wood And Ales

234 West 14 Street

Gezunte Bagel

121 West 19 Street

Grade Pending (26) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Filth flies or food/refuse/ sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/ sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Domino’s Pizza

170 West 23 Street

A Salt & Battery

112 Greenwich Avenue

O Cafe

482 6 Avenue

Boston Market

273 West 23 Street

Asuka Sushi

300 West 23 Street

Grade Pending (19) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Cho Cho San Japanese Restaurant

15 West 8 Street

Ryehouse

11 West 17 Street

Grade Pending (23) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Manhattan’s Paradise Pizza, Inc

12 West 18 Street

99 Cent Fresh Pizza

388 6 Avenue

Toasties

214 7 Avenue

Closed by Health Department (58) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewageassociated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/ sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Ootoya Japanese Restaurant

8 West 18 Street

Sticky’s Finger Joint #1

31 West 8 Street

Rhong-Tiam Express

166 8 Avenue

Grade Pending (22) 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. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.

Salam Cafe & Rest

104 W. 13Th St. (Unit One)

The New School

55 West 13 Street

La Maison Du Macaron

132 West 23 Street

Petite Abeille

44 West 17 Street

Cafe Prague

2 West 19 Street

Lenny’s

66 West 9 Street

Highline Ballroom

431 West 16 Street

Grade Pending (42) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

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 worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Joe: The Art Of Coffee

405 West 23 Street

Bell Book & Candle

141 West 10 Street

AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

Ghandi Cafe

283 Bleecker Street

Revel Itm Garden

10 Little West 12 Street

The Little Owl

90 Bedford Street

Mr. Dennehy’s

63 Carmine Street

Monument Lane

103 Greenwich Avenue

Akira Japanese Cuisine

152 7 Avenue South

Oscar’s Place

466 Hudson Street

Not Graded Yet (23) 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. Filth flies or food/ refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/ refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Grade Pending (20) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Cc’s Cafe

496 Hudson Street

Grade Pending (19) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Clarkson

225 Varick Street

Grade Pending (24) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Cowgirl Hall Of Fame

519 Hudson Street

Hudson Diner

468 Hudson Street

Subway

228 West Houston Street

Smalls Jazz Club

183 West 10 Street

Aperitivo Di Palma

30 Cornelia Street

Bluestone Lane Collective Cafe

55 Greenwich Avenue

Tartine

253 West 11 Street

Bus Stop Cafe

597 Hudson Street

Two Boots To Go West

75 Greenwich Avenue

Think Coffee

73 8 Avenue

Prime 135

135 7 Avenue South

Not Graded Yet - No violations were recorded at the initial non-operational pre-permit inspection conducted on 08/01/2014, or violations cited were dismissed at an administrative hearing.

Trattoria I Malatesta

649 Washington Street

Grade Pending (20) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Dublin 6

575 Hudson Street

Popbar

5 Carmine Street

Grade Pending (20) 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.

Subway

170 7 Avenue South

CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

Real Estate Sales Neighborhd

Address

Price

Bed Bath Agent

Greenwich Vill 20 E 9 St.

$825,000

Corcoran

Tribeca

38 Warren St.

$2,195,000 2

Battery Park City21 South End Ave.

$450,000

Regatta Ny Realty

Greenwich Vill 45 W 10 St.

$466,250

Corcoran

Tribeca

37 Warren St.

$12,728,125

Battery Park City1 River Terrace

$1,600,000 2

William B. May

Greenwich Vill 63 E 9 St.

$950,000

Tribeca

395 Broadway

Chelsea

300 W 23 St.

$445,000

Patrick Quagliano

Greenwich Vill 160 Bleecker St.

$349,000

Town Residential

Tribeca

415 Greenwich St.

Chelsea

85 8 Ave.

$450,000

Citi Habitats

Greenwich Vill 63 E 9 St.

$1,090,000 1

Halstead Property

Tribeca

Chelsea

130 W 19 St.

$3,400,000 3

Sotheby's International

Greenwich Vill 51 5 Ave.

$1,175,000

Tribeca

200 Chambers St.

$960,000

Chelsea

318 W 15 St.

$899,000

Greenwich Vill 125 W 12 St.

$860,000

Two Bridges

148 Madison St.

$400,000

Chelsea

328 W 17 St.

$685,000

Corcoran

Greenwich Vill 250 Mercer St.

$1,215,000 1

W Chelsea

Financial District75 Wall St.

$1,140,000 1

Corcoran

Greenwich Vill 60 E 9 St.

$740,000

Financial District15 Broad St.

$1,970,000 2

Douglas Elliman

Greenwich Vill 13 W 13 St.

$730,260

Financial District3 Hanover Square

$450,000

Corcoran

Lower E Side

504 Grand St.

$430,000

Financial District40 Broad St.

$1,430,000 1

Corcoran

Lower E Side

210 E Broadway

$735,000

Financial District15 Broad St.

$1,612,500 2

Douglas Elliman

Lower E Side

530 Grand St.

$377,000

Financial District20 W St.

$670,000

Pog Real Estate, Inc.

Lower E Side

133 Essex St.

$10

Financial District56 Pine St.

$665,000

Skygroup Realty

Noho

718 Broadway

$1,750,000 1

Financial District15 Broad St.

$10

Nolita

256 Bowery

Flatiron

32 W 20 St.

$775,000

Soho

Flatiron

41 E 19 St.

$1,885,000

Flatiron

23 E 22 St.

$4,785,775 2

Flatiron

35 E 20 St.

$5,950,000

Flatiron

11 E 22 St.

$3,725,000

Flatiron

260 Park Ave. South

$1,450,000 1

Douglas Elliman

Warburg

$1,650,000 1

Warburg

$5,150,000 3

Town Residential

Meerae Realty Corp

E Coast Realty Nyci

447 W 18 St.

$2,400,000 2

Urban Compass

W Chelsea

455 W 20 St.

$3,971,175

W Chelsea

447 W 18 St.

$2,305,000 2

Douglas Elliman

W Chelsea

454 W 23 St.

$515,000

Toby Berkowitz

W Village

6 Bedford St.

$7,235,000

W Village

155 Perry St.

$3,200,000 2

Brown Harris Stevens

W Village

99 Bank St.

$750,000

W Village

20 Bethune St.

$815,000

$1,920,000

W Village

421 Hudson St.

$1,527,375 1

Corcoran

40 Mercer St.

$4,700,000

W Village

421 Hudson St.

$2,189,237 1

Corcoran

Tribeca

44 Walker St.

$1,950,000

Tribeca

200 Chambers St.

$1,035,000 0

Douglas Elliman

Tribeca

74 Reade St.

$2,950,000 2

Urban Compass

Tribeca

66 Leonard St.

$1,960,000

Corcoran

Halstead Property

Loho Realty

Corcoran

$474,498

St.Easy.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 AUGUST 21, 2014

John’s Pizzeria

278 Bleecker Street

Prodigy Coffee

33 Carmine Street

Kumo Sushi

282 Bleecker Street

Grade Pending (19) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/ or non-food areas.

Bar 1849 Grill

183 Bleeker Street

Emack & Bolio’s

73 West Houston Street

Great Jones Juice Bar

29 Great Jones Street

NY Baburchi Indian Restaurant

90 West 3 Street

Il Buco Vineria

53 Great Jones Street

Grade Pending (23) Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food not labeled in accordance with HACCP plan.

The Wren

344 Bowery

Carbone

181 Thompson Street

Bruno Bakery

506 La Guardia Place

Grade Pending (38) Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Ruby’s

219 Mulberry Street

Grade Pending (22) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

Cafe Espanol

172 Bleecker Street

The Butcher’s Daughter

19 Kenmare Street

Frozen Peaks

154 Bleecker Street

Le Pescadeux

90 Thompson Street

Grade Pending (27) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

Meskerem

124 Macdougal Street

Negril

70 West 3 Street

Grade Pending (25) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, crosscontaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

OPPORTUNITY Motivated and talented low-income public high school students are eager to go to college but can’t afford SAT prep.

IMPACT Every year, New York Cares brings its Kaplan SAT Prep program to public schools throughout the city. In 2012, volunteers worked in 40 schools and helped 1,000 students get into the colleges of their choice, including several admissions to Cornell and New York University.

Volunteer or Donate at newyorkcares.org.

New York Cares is New York City’s leading volunteer organization.

Photo credit: Lauren Farmer

CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

food business real estate

people

news

arts

food events people arts places news real estate business

neighborhood food arts real estate people

business places news

New Yo u r ^ N e i g h b o r h o o d N ew s S o u rc e

places

food

business

events

arts

news

people news

real estate

Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

The Pothole Project

If this pothole at 47th & Park Ave. looks like any of the potholes in your neighborhood, send us an e-mail with the exact location and we’ll go take a photo or

Von

3 Bleecker Street

Grade Pending (19) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Cafe Angelique

6870 Bleecker Street

Grade Pending (20) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

The Buthcher’s Daughter Market

166 Elizabeth Street

Grade Pending (21) Filth flies or food/refuse/sewageassociated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/ sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.

Dojo Restaurant

10 West 4 Street

Grade Pending (40) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. 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. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

15 1

re-use

ways to your old newspaper

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

send us a photo with the location to news@strausnews.com

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

We’re compiling locations to inform the City & improve our neighborhood

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

The local paper for Downtown

New Your Neighborhood News Source ^

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.

5 8

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.

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.

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.

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.

AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

YOUR FIFTEEN MINUTES

HELPING WOMEN CLIMB THE LADDER to take advantage of every invitation you get and go for it.

Q&A West Side resident Lynette Lewis holds speaking engagements around the city to help empower young women in their careers BY ANGELA BARBUTI

Lynette Lewis has delivered around 200 speeches in her career so far. She’s done it all from corporate keynotes, to global webcasts, to coaching women on being single in the city. After graduating from Oral Roberts University, a Christian university in Oklahoma where she’s originally from, she started working at the school as a fundraiser and was asked to speak as a volunteer at women’s conferences. Her talent as a public speaker was quickly realized and she was invited to talk at churches and nonproﬁts as well. In her late 30s, she moved to New York to work at Deloitte and Touche, and it was there that she truly launched her profession, and began getting paid to impart her wisdom on larger venues. Her newest project, Love Your Life, consists of networking events for women around Manhattan, which she described as a “forum for women to come together and have strategic networking moments.”

Who are some women you look up to in New York’s corporate world? Cathy Benko, who is vice chairman at Deloitte. I worked for her when she led their national women’s initiative. She’s been a real mentor to me and an innovator in the work force. She’s someone I greatly admire as a very devoted mom and wife. My other mentor would be author and speaker Carole Hyatt, a renowned New Yorker who started leadership forum seminars for women. Her “Getting to Next” workshop set me up for living my dreams.

You also work for George W. Bush Presidential Center Women’s Initiative. How did your role there come about? Two young women who attended one of my very ﬁrst book signings worked for Laura Bush. One of the women ended up starting the women’s initiative and remembered hearing me

speak and asked me to serve as one of the mentors for the program. The learning lesson is you never know how people you meet and the impact you make will bear fruit for your own life later on.

You also wrote a book. How would you sum up “Climbing the Ladder in Stilettos?” The tagline is “10 Strategies for Success and Satisfaction at Work.” I’m big on fulﬁllment and maximizing the season you’re in in your life and career. And I think there are real strategies to doing that. I don’t think fulﬁllment happens naturally. If you look at the statistics, they usually run that about 85 percent of people a re not

How did you get started in motivational speaking? When I worked for Deloitte, that’s what got me in the city 17 years ago when I transferred from Oklahoma. I worked for eight years in a senior marketing role downtown in the World Financial Center. That’s what kind of launched me more into my speaking career, and I got invited to speak at larger, paid venues. I had always done Christian faith-based talks in churches and women’s retreats, but now have a parallel track in the corporate world where I do conferences. I don’t just speak to women. I’ve been doing it full-time for the last eight years, but, before that, had been doing it off and on for 25 years. My advice for emerging speakers is

Lewis’s book focuses on strategies for women to ﬁnd success and satisfaction at work.

that fulfilled in their career. I think that there are techniques to use to deepen your fulﬁllment w it hout having to switch careers or make big job changes. When my book got published, that opened up a much broader audience for me. A lot of people read the book and heard about my work.

You went to a Christian college and although you wanted to get married, you

started speaking on being single. I was raised in a Christian family and faith has always been a big part of our lives. I went to Oral Roberts University, and got nurtured in all of that. A lot of pastors and pastors’ kids attend there, and they started a women’s conference on campus. They asked me to come and speak, and the title was “Contentment in Singleness.” And it’s so funny because I really wanted to get married. So I’m thinking to myself, “This is not good because if it goes well, I’ll probably get stuck being single and speaking on this topic.” And I actually did end up speaking on being single for a lot of years.

the church and became friends with him, never thinking there would be a future there. But it ended up being a great match, and we got married when I was 42.

How do you integrate religion and God in the workplace?

You met your husband at Every Nation Church here in the city.

That’s a great question. The way I would describe it is integrating your faith with your work. That is deﬁnitely something I focused on. I think that the best way to do that is through relationships, friendships you make in the work force. When you’re friends with someone, you can really sit down and have great conversations about faith and religion. I’ve worked with people of all faiths and have had fascinating discussions on those topics.

I did. I met him in New York, right after September 11th. He came to the city three days after 9/11 to start a church in Times Square. I started attending

To learn more about Lynette and her events, visit www.lynettelewis.com and www. facebook.com/LoveYourLifeNYC

Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

Directory of Business & Services

To advertise in this directory Call Susan (212)-868-0190 ext.417 Classified2@strausnews.com

ATTORNEY

ANTIQUES WANTED

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AUGUST 21, 2014 Our Town

CLASSIFIEDS

REAL ESTATE - SALE

Classified Advertising Department Information Telephone: 212-868-0190 | Fax: 212-2868-0190 Email: classified2@strausnews.com Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm | Deadline: 2pm the Friday before publication ACCOUNTING/FINANCIAL SERVICES ALLSTATE INSURANCE Anthony Pomponio 212-769-2899 125 West 72nd St. 5R, NYC apomponio@allstate.com

ADOPTION ADOPT: A loving, established couple with close family dream of a home ﬁlled with the sounds of a child. Please contact 855-884-6080; jennandjonadopt@gmail.com www.jennandjonadopt.info Expenses paid. ANIMALS & PETS

North Shore Animal League AnimalLeague.org 1-877-4-SAVE-PET Facebook.com/TheAnimalLeague ANNOUNCEMENTS

GrowNYC.org Recycle@GrowNYC.org 212-788-0225 ANTIQUES/COLLECTIBLES

Antique, Flea & Farmers Market, East 67 St Market (bet. First & York Ave). Open every Saturday, 6am-5pm, rain or shine. Indoor & Outdoor, Free Admission. Call Bob 718-8975992. Proceeds beneﬁt PS 183. AUCTIONS

Buy or sell at AARauctions. com. Contents of homes, businesses, vehicles and real estate.Bid NOW! AARauctions. com. Lights, Camera, Auction. No longer the best kept secret.

CAMPS/SCHOOLS Alexander Robertson School Independent School for Pre-K through Grade 5 212-663-2844, 3 West 95th St. www.AlexanderRobertson.com Boys & Girls Harbor “A vibrant hub for education and the arts.” 1 East 104th Street, 212.427.2244 www.theharbor.org German Classes for Children NY State Accredited Language Program. No previous experience necessary. www.German-AmericanSchool.org. 212-787-7543 GRF Test Prep Classes We prepare students to take the SHSAT! 120 W 76th St, New York, NY 10025 201) 592-1592 www.grftestprep.com Huntington Learning Center Your tutoring solution! UWS. 212-362-0100 www.HuntingtonHelps.com

CAMPS/SCHOOLS Learn Something New Today! Free computer classes at The New York Public Library LEARN MORE nypl.org/LearnToday 917-ASK-NYPL Success Academy Charter Schools “A proven record of excellence…” We are applying to open new schools in Manhattan and encourage your input! www.SuccessAcademies. org /NewSchools

CARS & TRUCKS & RV’S 2012 Chrysler 200 S, $15,984. 17,700 miles. Stock #N1049 MSRP $18,486. Nielson Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, 175 Route 10, East Hanover, NJ 877-3931692 www.nielsendodge.com 2012 Chrysler Town & Country Touring $22,738. 22,030 miles. Stock #F41178P1. MSRP $26,880. Nielson Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, 175 Route 10, East Hanover, NJ 877-3931692 www.nielsendodge.com 2012 Dodge Caliber SXT $13,860. 24,324 miles. Stock #U8316A. MSR $16,888. Nielson Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, 175 Route 10, East Hanover, NJ 877-393-1692 www.nielsendodge.com Donate your car to Wheels For Wishes, benefiting Make-AWish. We offer free towing and your donation is 100% tax deductible. Call (855) 376-9474 CLEANING SERVICES/LAUNDRY

Impeccable Cleaning Done With Care. Licensed, Referrals. Green Products, Steaming. Free Consultation. Discount for 1st time clients. Spotless Castle. 718-865-8583. www.spotlesscastle.com

POLICY NOTICE: We make every effort to avoid mistakes in your classified ads. Check your ad the first week it runs. We will only accept responsibility for the first incorrect insertion. Manhattan Media Classifieds assumes no financial responsibility for errors or omissions. We reserve the right to edit, reject, or re-classify any ad. Contact your sales rep directly for copy changes. All classified ads are pre-paid. ENTERTAINMENT

Carino on Second Blending traditional Italian favorites with contemporary accents. 1710 2nd Avenue (bet. 88th & 89th) NYC 212-860-0566 www.carino2nd.com Chirping Chicken - We Deliver & Cater! Mon/Sun 11am-11pm 1560 2nd Ave,(212)517-9888-9 Ask about our daily Greek specialty dish! LIPS The Ultimate in Drag Dining & Best Place in NYC to Celebrate Your Birthday! 227 E 56th St., 212-675-7710 www.LipsUSA.com Mohegan Sun Why D rive? For info call Academy: 1-800-442-7272 ext. 2353 - www.academybus.com Need to know about everything that’s happening in lower Manhattan? DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE, www.downtownny.com or just download our mobile app onto your cellphone and go! HEALTH SERVICES

Alternative Medical Center of New York since 1985. Holistic health services including Swedish Massage, Acupuncture, Acupresure, Colon Hydrotherapy & High Enemas. Shaving & grooming. 7 days, 11 am - 8 pm. Free Consultation. 176 W 94 St - 212.222.4868 and 235 E 51 St-(212)751.2319 Are you HIV positive? ASCNYC is here for you. Call or visit today! 212-645-0875 www.ascnyc.com Carnegie Hill Endoscopy 212-860-6300 www.carnegiehillendo.com

COUNSELING

Non-trad therapist, 40 yrs exp, formerly w/Casriel Inst & Daytop Village. Help raise self-esteem, overcome insecurities. Hazel James, 212-645-3135

Psychotherapy Services: Addiction/Recovery; Depression/Anxiety; Relationship Issues; Lesbian & Gay Issues; Approved provider for DWI Offenses; Some Insurance Accepted. Private, convenient UWS ofﬁce. Laura-Ann Robb, LCSW CASAC, 646-753-2879, robb.lauraann@gmail.com

Weill Cornell Medical College Department of Psychology Barbara Milrod M.D. 212-746-5868

Columbia Doctors of Ophthalmology - Our newest location at 15 West 65th Street (Broadway) is now open. www.ColumbiaEye.org 212.305.9535 NYU Langone Medical Center Introduces the Preston Robert Tisch Center for Men’s Health. 555 Madison Ave bet. 55th & 56th, 646-754-2000 PELVIC/TRANSVAGINAL MESH? Did you undergo transvaginal placement of mesh for pelvic organ prolapse or stress urinary incontinence between 2005 and the present? If the mesh caused complications, you may be entitled to compensation. Call Charles H.Johnson Law and speak with female staff members 1-800-535-5727

HELP WANTED

$8,000 COMPENSATION. EGG DONORS NEEDED. Women 21-31. Help Couples Become Families using Physicians from the BEST DOCTOR’S LIST. Personalized Care. 100% Confidential. 1-877-9-DONATE; 1-877936-6283; www.longislandivf.com AIRLINE CAREERS begin here Get FAA approved Aviation Maintenance Technician training. Financial aid for qualified students – Housing available. Job placement assistance. Call AIM 866-296-7093 FULLER BRUSH COMPANY DISTRIBUTORS NEEDED. Earn up to 46% profit servicing people in your area. No Investment. Call 1-800-683-2002 HOME IMPROVEMENTS

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LEGAL AND PROFESSIONAL Anthony Pomponio, Allstate 212-769-2899 apomponio@allstate.com REAL ESTATE CLOSINGS Buy/Sell. Expd Attorney, Real Estate Broker, ESTATES/ CRIMINAL MATTERS Richard H. Lovell, P.C., 10748 Cross Bay, Ozone Park, NY 11417 718 835-9300. www.LovellLawnewyork.com Rick Bryan, Attorney & Counselor at Law. Wills, Living Trusts, Probate, Elder Law, Guardianships, Legal Advice. Home Visits Available. We honor all AARP and Legal Service Plan Discounts, 237 1st Ave, 2nd Fl, S.W. Corner of 14th St and 1st Ave, New York, NY 10003, 212-979-2868.

MASSAGE

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Imperial Fine Books & Oriental Art - Rare & ﬁne books, Chinese ceramics and art from the Ming to Qing Dynasties. 790 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor New York, New York 10065 (212)861-6620 www.imperialﬁnebooks.com

MERCHANDISE FOR SALE

Pandora Jewelry -Unforgettable Moments412 W. Broadway · Soho, NYC 212-226-3414 PAINT & WALLPAPER

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GLENWOOD - Manhattan’s Finest Luxury Rentals Uptown office 212-535-0500 Downtown office 212-4305900. glenwoodNYC.com LET US FIND YOUR DREAM APARTMENT! 1BR/1BA Harlem - $1,750 2BR/1BA Ft. Tryon Pk - $1,725 2BR/1BA Inwood - $2,200 2BR/2BA, Dining Room, Harlem - $1,900 CALL OR TEXT TODAY! 917-689-2944, Tim Heath, The Homefinder, Lic R.E. Agent Tim@Bohemiarealtygroup.com Bohemia Realty Group Now Leasing! SHARED OFFICES Park Avenue 212-231-8500 www.410park.com OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND. Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/ partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Real Estate. 1800-638-2102. Online reservations: www.holidayoc.com REAL ESTATE - SALE

FARMLAND SELL- OFF! 8/23! 1 DAY ONLY! 5acres- $19,900 15acres- $29,900 19acres$39,900 Trout streams, ponds, springs, valley views, apple orchards, pine forest, stonewalls! 3 hours NY City! Owner terms! Cash discounts! Call: (888)905-8847 newyorklandandlakes.com PROFITABLE OPERATING BUSINESS HIGHMARKET INN & SPORTS! Restaurant, Tavern, Snowmobile/ATV Service Center, Home. $349,900. Lewis County. John Hill, RE Salesperson 315-657-5469. NY LAND QUEST nylandquest.com Sebastian, Florida Beautiful 55+ manufactured home community. 4.4 miles to the beach, Close to riverfront district. Pre-owned homes starting at $35,000. New models available. 772-581-0080, www.beach-cove.com

Victor Ferrer , Licensed Real Estate Agent, Douglas Elliman Real Estate. 347-573-3882 / 212-712-6083 - victor.ferrer@ elliman.com SERVICES OFFERED

CARMEL Car & Limousine Service To JFK… $52 To Newark… $51 To LaGuardia… $34 1-212-666-6666 Toll Free 1-800-9-Carmel Event & Salon Hair Stylist 347.243.3170 for appointments www.sharimelisabeauty.com Frank E. Campbell The Funeral Chapel Known for excellence since 1898 - 1076 Madison Ave, at 81st St., 212-288-3500 Hudson Valley Public Relations Optimizing connections. Building reputations. 24 Merrit Ave Millbrook, NY 12545, (845) 702-6226 John Krtil Funeral Home; Yorkville Funeral Service, INC. Independently Owned Since 1885. WE SERVE ALL FAITHS AND COMMUNITIES 212-744-3084 Marble Collegiate Church Dr. Michael B. Brown, Senior Minister, 1 West 29th St. NYC, NY 10001, (212) 689-2770. www.MarbleChurch.org New-York Historical Society Making history matter! 170 Central Park West www.nyhistory.org (212) 873-3400 Riverside Memorial Chapel Leaders in funeral pre-planning. 180 W 76th St (212) 362-6600 SPORTS CENTER at Chelsea Piers ChelseaPiers.com/SC 212-336-6000 TEKSERVE NYC’s Store For Technology Apple Repairs & Services Business Support 119 W 23rd St www.tekserve.com (212) 929-3645 Vamoose Bus Providing premium bus service between: NYC|MD|VA www.vamoosebus.com

VACATIONS Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises HIDDEN HARBOR TOURS For tix, visit: www.circleline42.com/hiddenharbor or call 1-855-382-0397 Dutchess County Tourism Make plans for an easy weekend escape at www.DutchessTourism.com, 800-445-3131 WANTED TO BUY

ANTIQUES WANTED Top Prices Paid. Chinese Objects, Paintings, Jewelry, Silver, Furniture, Etc. Entire Estates Purchased. 800-530-0006. CASH for Coins! Buying ALL Gold & Silver. Also Stamps & Paper Money, Entire Collections, Estates. Travel to your home. Call Marc in NY 1-800959-3419

Our Town AUGUST 21, 2014

NOMINATE Best Doorman ƥ ƥ Best Super

Do you know a great doorman, porter or ǫ ƥ ǡ ƥ worker who helps make life a little easier at ǫ ǡ ǡ ǫ Join Our Town, The West Side Spirit, Our Town Downtown and 32BJ SEIU, the property workers union, in honoring the running smoothly. We’ll be writing about some of the people you nominate. So tell us, who’s gone above and beyond to make residents’, tenants’ and New Yorkers’ lives better?

BUILDING SERVICE WORKERS

Best Porter Best Maintenance Person

AWARDS PRESENTED BY

BUILDING MAINTENANCE SERVICES

The local paper for the Upper East Side

The local paper for the Upper West Side

The local paper for Downtown

Go To: bsw-awards.com Nominate today for advertising opportunities 212.868.0190 or advertising @strausnews.com