Our Town Downtown January 1st, 2015

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The local paper for Downtown wn PICASSO & JACQUELINE < CITY ARTS, P. 10

WEEK OF JANUARY

1-7 2015

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2015 PEOPLE TO WATCH

LOOKING TO A NEW YEAR The beginning of the new year is a time to take stock and size up what - and who - is ahead. To ring in 2015, we picked a group of people we think will have a big impact on our community. They’re not all household names -- in fact, some of these people may be new to you -- and we know they’re not the only people who will make a splash in 2015. But we expect to hear a lot from them, and know you will, too. Happy New Year! - The Editors

REVIVING THE ART WORLD DOWNTOWN MUSEUMS Adam D. Weinberg, Director of the Whitney Museum of American Art BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

After more than three years of construction, the wait for the new Whitney Museum of American Art is nearly over. And no patron of the arts may be more eager than the museum’s director, Adam D. Weinberg. “I’m very excited to see how the works look in the space,” Weinberg said. “We’ve been imagining [it] for the longest time.” The museum, which inhabited its hulking Marcel Breuer building on Madison Avenue and 75th Street for nearly 50 years, is preparing for the opening of its new Renzo Piano-designed home in the Meatpacking District that will double the museum’s exhibition space. The 220,000-square-foot building on Gansevoort Street between Washington Street and the Hudson River (next to the popular High Line park) will open to the public on May 1 with a massive exhibition of its permanent collection, which has grown from 2,000 works in 1966 to

more than 21,000 today. Museum curators have spent the past two years studying the enormous collection. “So much [of the permanent collection] has not been in public view,” said Weinberg about the inaugural exhibition. “This is a chance to showcase work that has never been seen or rarely been seen, and show off what we have.” The path to the new space has been a lengthy one. The museum first signed a letter of intent with the city to acquire the Gansevoort Street lot in 2006, after failed attempts to expand at the Upper East Side space, the New York Times reported in 2010. The Whitney broke ground on the new lot in 2011, around the same time museum officials announced that the Metropolitan Museum of Art would present programming in the uptown building once the Whitney vacated. For Weinberg, who’s served as director of the institution for the last 12 years, the move downtown represents a return to the museum’s roots. Sculptor Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney founded the museum on West Eighth Street in 1930, after presenting contemporary art in her Greenwich Village studio for

15 years. “We feel really excited to be back in the neighborhood,” Weinberg said. “It feels right because, I think, while the Whitney is an international museum, it’s a museum deeply grounded in its location and history. We are a museum of American art and a museum that feels profoundly connected to the city of New York and actually to the Village.” Piano’s design nods to the neighborhood’s industrial history, Weinberg said, with recycled timber floors, salvaged factory beams, limestone and concrete, and incorporates elements of the nearby High Line—horticulturalist Piet Oudolf, who worked on the development of the elevated park, is collaborating on the Whitney’s landscape design. “It doesn’t pretend to be a factory,” Weinberg said of the design. “On the other hand, it doesn’t try to be overly refined.” They also hope to be the city’s first LEED-certified museum. The Whitney had long ago outgrown the uptown space, Weinberg said, adding that the new building will mod-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

In Brief GOVERNORS VETO BILL TO REFORM PORT AUTHORITY The governors of New York and New Jersey jointly vetoed legislation Saturday aimed at overhauling the Port Authority and proposed instead a series of reforms they said would go further in bringing accountability to the agency. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced their vetoes of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey legislation in a joint statement. “While neither governor is approving the legislation as passed, they are urging their respective legislators and the Port Authority to work with them,” the statement said. The bill — which had the unanimous support of the New York and New Jersey legislatures — would have overhauled the troubled agency by requiring an independent annual audit, creating an inspector general’s office, restricting lobbying and creating a whistleblower protection program. It also would have required Port Authority board members to swear they’ll act in good faith. The Port Authority, which had a $2.9 billion operating budget in 2014, oversees airports, bridges and tunnels in New York and New Jersey, including John F. Kennedy International Airport, the George Washington Bridge, the World Trade Center sites, the Holland Tunnel and Newark airports. The bill was designed to clean up an agency long known for dysfunction and scandals, including most recently the lane closures at the George Washington Bridge that ensnarled Christie’s administration.

FUNDS SECURED FOR EAST RIVER ESPLANADE Whitney Museum of American Art’s director Adam Weinberg. Photo by Marco Anelli. © 2013 Marco Anelli

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, City Council Member Ben Kallos, Manhattan Borough

2 Our Town Downtown JANUARY 1-7 ,2015

TROUBLE FOR DE BLASIO IN NEW YORK AND ALBANY

Mayor Bill de Blasio Delivers Remarks at NYPD Promotions Ceremony. Credit: Demetrius Freeman/Mayoral Photography Office.

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The New York Times highlighted Police Commissioner Bill Bratton’s role as mediator between the NYPD’s rank and file and City Hall by drawing attention to his criticism of officers who turned their back on Mayor Bill de Blasio during a recent police funeral. The support comes at a time when the mayor is facing increasing pressure both at home and in Albany going into the New Year. “He is the mayor of New York,â€? Bratton said on the CBS program “Face the Nation.â€? “He is there representing the citizens of New York to express their remorse and their regret at that death. It was very inappropriate.â€? Despite that rebuke, the Times noted, Bratton later said, “At the same time, it is reective, unfortunately, of the feelings of some of our officers at this juncture.â€? On Dec. 20 two officers were killed by a gunman who later took his own life. In social media posts before the attack, which police officials characterized as an assassination, the perpetrator made reference to his planned killings as being retaliation for the deaths of Michael Brown in St. Louis and Eric Garner on Staten Island. Officer Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were killed when gunman Ismaaiyl Brinsley opened fire on them while they were sitting in their squad car in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. The Times characterized Bratton’s role as a “peacemakerâ€? amid strained relations between his officers and de Blasio. The paper noted that Bratton had come to the mayor’s defense several times after de Blasio was criticized by Patrolman’s Benevolent Association

REVIVING THE ART WORLD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ernize the visitor experience. In addition to increased exhibition space, which includes 13,000 square feet of outdoor galleries, the new building includes classrooms, two theaters, a conservation lab and two Danny Meyer eateries. With the new space comes

President Pat Lynch, who after the attack on officers Ramos and Liu said City Hall had blood on its hands. The NYPD has been dealing with a wave of demonstrations against police brutality after a grand jury declined to indict the officer responsible for Eric Garner’s death by chokehold, which was ruled a homicide. In the wake of the grand jury’s decision, de Blasio expressed sympathy for the Garner family and concern over the troubles his own son, who is bi-racial, could face at the hands of the NYPD. The comments led some officers to label de Blasio a traitor. The Times concluded their piece by noting that Bratton said the bad relations between City Hall and the NYPD, “is probably a rift that is going to go on for a while longer.â€? On Monday de Blasio spoke at the NYPD’s inauguration of 884 officers at Madison Square Garden. News reports said a half-dozen audience members turned their back on de Blasio while a handful of others heckled him. The Times said applause for the mayor’s remarks was “tepid.â€? “We have a responsibility to you. We have responsibility to you to keep you safe,â€? said de Blasio, amid other comments. “We ask you to selflessly protect others, but it’s our job to protect you.â€? De Blasio also praised Bratton as “a legendâ€? and said the commissioner has “literally done more to reduce crime than anyone walking the planet today.â€? The New York Daily News, in an article Monday before the inauguration, wrote that de Blasio’s allies in Albany are hoping he keeps a low proďŹ le in 2015 and regard him as “toxicâ€? in the state legislature after his failed bid to help Democrats retain their majority in the senate. The News quoted one of de Blasio’s Democratic ally’s as saying he “just has no political capital and only political

enemies.�

expanded opportunities for performance, artist collaboration and outdoor work both within the building’s fold, in the nearby Hudson River Park and on the adjacent High Line, which itself offers collaborative opportunities. “It will inject culture and artists among the six million visitors we have at the High Line,� said Cecilia Alemani, director and curator of the High Line’s art program. Collaboration with the Whit-

ney isn’t new for the park, which worked with the museum on an installation by artist Richard Artschwager in 2012 and a new billboard near the southern end of the park by artist Alex Katz, which is visible from the Whitney. Alemani looks forward to having one of the city’s renowned art institutions as a very close neighbor. “The Whitney is going to bring an amazing venue for culture,� she said, noting that

MAN MURDERED ON LOWER EAST SIDE Police are searching for a killer who gunned down a man on the Lower East Side on Sunday. The victim, 31-year-old Rashaun Nicholson, was crossing Catherine Street in the Two Bridges area around 7 p.m. His brother later told reporters that Nicholson was on his way to deliver Christmas gifts to his four children at the time. He had been working in North Carolina and was back to visit his kids for the holidays. Nicholson was shot in the head by an unknown assailant, who ed the scene. Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on their website, by phone at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or by texting a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All tips are conďŹ dential. CBS New York / AP

CITY HOSPITALS FINED FOR POOR INFECTION GRADES Lenox Hill, NYU Langone and MonteďŹ ore are among the 17 hospitals in the city that will lose federal funding for their failures to prevent patient infections. Each hospital is graded on a scale of one to 10 for their prevention of patient ailments such as bed sores, collapsed lungs and blood infections caused by inserted tubes. The Affordable Care Act requires that hospitals that are graded poorly are subject to ďŹ nancial penalties, and these underperforming hospitals will lose millions of dollars of Medicare reimbursements due to their inabilities to curb preventable illness and infection. Kings County Hospital in East Flatbush and Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in Brownsville, both Brooklyn neighborhoods, earned the lowest scores. CBS New York

JANUARY 1-7 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 3

CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG

THREATS TO NYPD PROMPT ARRESTS, PRECINCT SECURITY Police have increased security at some stationhouses and made at least four arrests over threats made since the deadly shootings of two officers last weekend, and the mayor vowed Wednesday to protect officers. Emergency Services Unit officers were providing additional protection at two Brooklyn precincts, where they were stationed starting Tuesday. Police said Wednesday they were remaining vigilant while investigating the origin of the threats, which they didn’t detail. Meanwhile, an 18-year-old was facing charges of making a terroristic threat after authorities said he put up a menacing photo and message online on Saturday hours after the afternoon ambush of Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos by a gunman who had signaled his plans on social media. Teenager Devon Coley posted a photo on his Facebook page Saturday night of a gunman shooting at a patrol car, symbols showing a gun pointed at an officer’s head and a caption with his local precinct’s number and “next,” according to a court complaint. Officials said they had assessed hundreds of online postings and calls to emergency lines, initiating about 40 threat probes, with about half of those being closed or referred to other agencies. The police department said one 52-year-old man had been arrested after walking into a Manhattan stationhouse and saying: “If I punch you in the face, how much time will I get?” and refusing to leave. In addition, two Staten Island residents were arrested in separate incidents on Tuesday. A 16-year-old was arrested on a charge of making a terrorist threat and a 46-year-old man was charged with making a false report. Mayor Bill de Blasio denounced the various threats and said the city “will protect the men and women who protect us.” “New York City stands with our police officers in this time of tragedy, as we do every day, and our city will not be intimidated by those spouting hateful, violent messages,” he said in a statement.

YOU READ IT HERE FIRST

1ST PRECINCT Report covering the week 12/15/15 through 12/21/2015 Week to Date Murder

Year to Date

The local paper for the Upper East Side

2014 2013

% Change

2014

2013

% Change

0

n/a

0

0

n/a

0

Rape

0

0

n/a

8

12

-33.3

Robbery

3

1

200

47

65

-27.7

Felony Assault

1

1

0

71

87

-18.4

Burglary

3

1

200

141

172

-18

Grand Larceny

15

24

-37.5

880

1,042 -15.5

Grand Larceny Auto

0

0

n/a

31

26

BLUE RIBBON PURSESNATCHING On Friday, December 12, a 38-year-old woman was dining in the Blue Ribbon restaurant at 97 Sullivan Street after having placed her purse on the back of her chair. When she got up to leave at 11:30 p.m., she noticed that her purse was missing. Video may have recorded the incident. There were no charges on her stolen credit cards. The other items taken were a VBH handbag valued at $3,850, a pair of Tom Ford sunglasses priced at $600, a Prada wallet tagged at $590, an iPad Mini worth $529, a Mont Blanc pen valued at $460, a The Row tank top tagged at $280, an iPhone costing $199, a diary priced at $160, $120 in cash, an iPad case worth $69, a New York State driver’s license, and various credit and debit cards. The total amount stolen came to $6,857.

EEK ST. LAURENT Shoplifters hit the same St. Laurent store twice in two days. At 6:20 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17, a 25-year-old man entered the boutique at 80 Greene Street and removed various items of merchandise without paying for them. The items stolen were a black varsity jacket valued at $1,790, a blackand-white striped sweater tagged at $1,190, and a black card case holder priced at $225. The total stolen amounted to $3,205. Then at 5:31 p.m. on Friday, December 19, an unidentified man entered the same store, removed a purse off a display shelf ten feet away from the main entrance of the store, and left the shop without paying. The item stolen was a Sac De Jour black bag valued at $2,750.

VANISHED VINO At 6:05 p.m. on Saturday, December 20, a 55-year-old

19.2

man entered the Tribeca Wine Merchants store at 40 Hudson Street, removed a bottle off the shelf, placed it under his jacket, and exited the store without paying for the bottle. Video is available of the theft. The hoitytoity hooch was a 1982 bottle of Petrus wine valued at $3,500.

November 5, 2014

April 17, 2014 The local paper for the Upper West Side

LACKING LAPTOPS A reminder to New York City residents: it is a good idea to lock your front door, even when you are home! At 2:30 a.m. on Friday, December 19, a 22-year-old woman living at 90 Fulton Street discovered that her laptop was missing. She conferred with her 22-year-old female roommate about the missing laptop at 1 p.m. the following day. The roommate then realized that her laptop was also missing. The two women were unsure if they had locked their front door before the burglaries or not. There were no signs of forced entry. Police searched the building, but could not find the missing laptops. The laptops stolen were a 15-inch MacBook Pro valued at $1,800, and a 13-inch MacBook Pro priced at $1,200, making the total stolen $3,000.

PLANET DISTRESS Think a locked locker will safeguard your valuables in the gym? Think again! At 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, December 18, a 30-year-old man returned to his locker inside Planet Fitness at 25 Broadway, only to find that his lock had been removed and his property stolen. He canceled the stolen credit cards, but one unauthorized charge of $31 did turn up at an unknown location. His phone was tracked to 173rd Street and Audubon Avenue, but police could not find the phone in that neighborhood. The items stolen from the locker included a 13-inch MacBook Pro valued at $2,200, a Nexus 5 cell phone priced at $250 and $60 in cash, The total stolen came to $2,561.

LOST DOG TALE, WITH A TWIST LOCAL NEWS

A family hopes that Upper West Siders will help bring their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel back home Upper West Side For the past week, Eva Zaghari and her three children from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, have been papering the Upper West Side with over 1,300 flyers asking for information on their beloved dog Cooper. ?We are devastated, please return our dog,? the sign implores. The catch though, is that Cooper didn?t technically get lost, or even stolen. He was given away. When she explains the story, sitting at Irving Farm coffee shop on West 79th Street before heading out to post more flyers around the neighborhood, Eva and her kids are visibly distraught. About a month ago, on September 5th, her husband Ray had arranged to give the dog away, via a Craigslist ad. He mistakenly thought that removing a source of stress from his wife and kids ? walking and feeding and caring for a dog, tasks which had fallen mostly to Eva ? would make everyone happier

October 2, 2014

October 8, 2014

The local paper for the Upper East Side

A CENTURY OF SEX TALK ON THE EAST SIDE MILESTONES Shirley Zussman, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday, worked with Masters and Johnson, and still sees patients as a sex therapist BY KYLE POPE

UPPER EAST SIDE Some people’s life stories write themselves, and Shirley Zussman, the 100-year-old sex therapist of the Upper East Side, is one of those people. She was born in 1914 at the start of World War I (less than a month after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand), lived in Berlin at the height of the Cabaret era, became a protege of the original Masters and Johnson, and, now into her second century, continues to see patients in an office in the ground floor of her apartment building on E. 79th Street. Last month, more than 50 people crowded Yefsi restaurant, a Greek place

August 7, 2014

August 20, 2014

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4 Our Town Downtown JANUARY 1-7 ,2015

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Howard Hughes’ revised proposal includes a 494-foot, 42-story tower on the north side of Pier 17, at the same site on the New Market building as their previous Seaport proposal.

THE PUBLIC FACE OF A SEAPORT FIGHT Chris Curry, senior vice president, The Howard Hughes Corp.

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BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

Chris Curry is Howard Hughes’ point person with the community when it comes to the developer’s plans for the South Street Seaport. As such, he’s borne the brunt of much of the community’s angst over the proposal to build a 500foot luxury tower on the south side of the Brooklyn Bridge, just north of Pier 17. Curry, a senior vice-president with the Texas-based developer, is no wallflower. He can’t afford to be. In an exchange recently with a member of the Seaport Working Group about the rent that Howard Hughes will be paying to the city for use of the Seaport for the next 60 years, Curry pointed to the $300 million community benefit investment the company was making as part of their proposal. When the work-

2015 PEOPLE TO WATCH

ing group member criticized Curry’s answer, he shot back, “I gave you an answer, just not in the way you wanted me to.” Howard Hughes wants to build a middle school, establish a green market, create around 70 units of affordable housing, build a public esplanade, move and preserve the Tin Building and save the ailing South Street Seaport Museum. Problem is, say many in the community, the developer wants to pay for all of this with the luxury tower. That plan, said Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, would be like placing a residential tower in Colonial Williamsburg. Brewer, along with sev-

eral other elected officials, is part of the working group that formed to advise Howard Hughes on their Seaport plans. She expressed disappointment with the company when they released a revised plan this fall that still included a luxury tower in the same site as their previous proposal, albeit with a 100-foot reduction in height. The SWG guidelines, formed over months of discussions between the company and stakeholders in the community, recommended that, “alternatives to the proposed 50-story tower should be sought and any building on the New Market site should be contextual with the buildings within the South Street Historic District.” Their revised plan flouted that recommendation by about 35 stories. And so going into this next stage of the process, the planning commission’s public review procedure, Curry and Howard Hughes have their

work cut out. Brewer, as borough president, gets to submit a recommendation to the planning commission. If the commission approves the project, it will then be subject to review from the city council. Council member Margaret Chin, like Brewer, questioned Howard Hughes’ latest proposal. “I can’t support the proposed tower in its current form, and I can’t support the development proposal overall in its current form,” said Chin in November. “There’s still a lot of work to be done to make sure this plan truly serves the Seaport community, and we must strongly consider alternatives to the proposed tower.” The upcoming public review procedure, which is in many ways a showdown of sorts between Howard Hughes, their supporters, and critics of the plan, has landed Chris Curry on our list of People to Watch for 2015.

JANUARY 1-7 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 5

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JOHN ZORN’S END OF THE YEAR IMPROV WEEK

Cross Harbor Freight Program PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) have released a NEPA Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to evaluate alternatives to improve the movement of goods in the region by enhancing the transportation of freight across New York Harbor. The Cross Harbor Freight Program (CHFP) DEIS evaluates both near-term and long-term improvements to the regional freight network. Public Hearings provide an opportunity for the public and agencies to comment on and provide input on the DEIS. Public Hearings for the CHFP will be held at the New York and New Jersey locations listed below: Friday, January 23, 2015 • 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Baruch College / CUNY • William and Anita Newman 151 East 25th Street • H750 & Faculty Lounge • New York, NY 10010 Wednesday, January 28, 2015 • 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Suffolk County Legislature • W.H. Rogers Legislature Building 725 Veterans Memorial Highway • Smithtown, NY 11787 Thursday, January 29, 2015 • 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Queens Borough Hall 120-55 Queens Boulevard • Room 213 • Kew Gardens, NY 11415 Tuesday, February 3, 2015 • 4:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m. Brooklyn Borough Hall 209 Joralemon Street • Brooklyn, NY 11201 Thursday, February 5, 2015 • 4:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m. Bronx Borough Hall 851 Grand Concourse • Bronx, NY 10451 Tuesday, February 10, 2015 • 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority One Newark Center • 17th Floor • Newark, NJ 07102 Tuesday, February 10, 2015 • 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Mary McLeod Bethune Life Center 140 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive • Jersey City, NJ 07305 The DEIS is available to download at www.crossharborstudy.com. Hardcopies are located at numerous repositories throughout the region. A complete list of repositories can be found on the project website. Your comments are encouraged and may be provided in writing either at the public hearing or by mail to Cross Harbor Freight Program, c/o InGroup, Inc., PO Box 206 Midland Park, NJ 07432 or via email to feedback@crossharborstudy.com. The public comment period will remain open until 5:00 p.m. on February 27, 2015. All public hearing dates, times and locations are subject to change due to inclement weather conditions. An informational recording regarding any change in the hearing schedule will be available at (201) 820-2170 at least two hours before the scheduled start time of the hearing. The public hearings are accessible to people who are mobility impaired. Sign language interpreter services or other translation services are available, upon advance request. To make arrangements for such services, please contact the Port Authority’s outreach consultant at (201) 612-1230 or via email at feedback@crossharborstudy.com no later than three (3) days before the hearing for which the services are being requested. For more information about the Cross Harbor Freight Program or to download a copy of the DEIS document, please visit the project website at www.crossharborstudy.com.

2 THE IMBIBLE: A SPIRITED HISTORY OF DRINKING Soho Playhouse, 21A Clinton Street btwn E. Houston and Stanton Sts. 8 p.m., $29, includes 3 cocktails. Join world-renowned mixologist and raconteur

Anthony Caporale for a boozy romp through the history of alcohol. Cocktails and comedy combine for an utterly unique musical theatre experience. 917-972-9394. sohoplayhouse.com

THE POLAR EXPRESS 4-D EXPERIENCE Central Park Zoo, 64th St @ Fifth Ave. 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., $7 with Museum Admission. If you are still feeling festive, head to the Central Park Zoo and

The Stone, Avenue 2 and Second Street. 8 p.m., $25. Saxophonist John Zorn gathers a rotating crew of musicians to perform impromptu concerts this week, all benefiting The Stone performance space. Check the website for each night’s line-up. 212-473-0043. thestonenyc.com

FRIDAY PRO-SHOW Stand-Up NY, 236 W. 78th St. 7-9 p.m., $15 with 2 drink min. Each week, a rotating lineup of up-and-coming professional comics, including Comedy Central and The Tonight Show regulars take the stage. 212-595-0850. www. standupny.com

JANUARY 1-7 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 7

4 “CLASSICAL NUDES AND THE MAKING OF QUEER HISTORY” Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, 26 Wooster St. btwn Canal and Grand Sts. 12-6 p.m., Free. In an exhibit curated by Jonathan David Katz, LeslieLohman traces the origins of queer art in the Western world, from the Renaissance to the modern era. 212-431-2609. leslielohman.org

Lafayette St. btwn Astor Pl and E. Fourth St. 8 p.m., $25. Trinity Wall Street, Broadway “A (radically condensed and at Wall Street. expanded) Supposedly Fun 6-8 p.m., $25. Thing I’ll Never Do Again.” Part verbal sporting event and part Trinity Wall Street hosts the theatrical séance. Annual Festival of Early Music with daily performances. This 212-967-7555. week, a performance of vocal publictheater.org music by Grammy-winning octet Roomful of Teeth. TALK: GENDER 212-602-0800. www. SENSITIVITY IN WORLD trinitywallstreet.org

TWELFTH NIGHT: ROOMFUL OF TEETH

OF WARCRAFT

6 INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION Tibet House, 22 W. 15th St. btwn Fifth and Sixth Ave. 7 p.m., Suggested donation $10. Learn the basics of meditation with spiritual teacher Sharon Salzberg. 212-807-0563. tibethouse. org

Dixon Place, 161A Chrystie Street btwn Delancey and Rivington. 7:30 p.m., $12. New media artist Angela Washko discusses feminism through the lens of World of Warcraft. Before the chat, enjoy a live show by performance artist Nathaniel Sullivan. 212-219-0736. dixonplace. org

8

Erectile Dysfunction (E.D.) When the “Magic Pill” isn’t so magic What do men do when Erectile Dysfunction pills aren’t effective? Don’t like the idea of expensive penile injections, suppositories, and vacuum pumps? Get the facts on an inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP): a permanent solution—covered by many insurance plans—which allows an erection as often as you like, for as long as you wish. Attend a FREE seminar sponsored by Coloplast Corp. to educate men and their partners about an advanced, DRUG FREE treatment for E.D. FREE REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED Featuring: Dr. J. Francois Eid A board certified urologist who specializes in the treatment of E.D.

The New York Marriott East Side Morgan B Room 525 Lexington Ave. at 49th St. New York, NY 10017

Also featuring: A patient who permanently corrected his E.D. Wednesday, January 7, 2015 Refreshments available at 6 p.m. Presentation begins at 6:15 p.m.

To reserve your space or for more information about this FREE seminar, please call: (866) 233-9368.

PARTNERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND An educational series, sponsored by Coloplast Corp., designed to inform and empower. www.ColoplastMensHealth.com

“THE ALL-KNOWING BUDDHA: A SECRET GUIDE” The Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W. 17th St. at Seventh Ave. 11 a.m., $15. Behold 54 intricate 18thcentury paintings from China designed in the style of autumn leaves. Created for meditation practice honoring ancient Tibetan Buddhist Sarvavid Vairochana; their first U.S. presentation. 212-620-5000. RubinMuseum.org

5 COMMUNITY BOARD 1 LANDMARKS MEETING Diker Pavilion, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, 1 Bowling Green. 6 p.m., Free. Special Landmarks Committee Meeting to consider a resolution regarding Landmarks Preservation Commission application by Howard Hughes Corporation for the Tin Building, Pier 17 and other Seaport areas. 212-442-5050.

HARD TIMES: TOUR AND DISCUSSION Tenement Museum, 103 Orchard St. btwn Broome and Delancey. 2 p.m., $20 student/senior; $25 adult. Spend extended time inside the Gumpertz and Baldizzi apartments and join in a discussion about themes arising from the tour. Share your experiences, thoughts and family histories with fellow visitors. 212-982-8420. tenement. org

7 DAVID FOSTER WALLACE, IN 90 MINUTES Public Theater, 425

MARILYN MAYE: BY REQUEST Metropolitan Room, 34 W. 22nd St. btwn Fifth and Sixth Ave. 7 p.m., $40 plus 2 drink minimum. “Marilyn By Request,” in which Maye and her Billy Stritch-led band will create a new show based on audience requests, marks her return to her downtown stomping ground. 212-206-0440. metropolitanroom.com

BIG AND BIGGER: DESIGNING FOR SCALE Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, 2 East 91st St @ Fifth Ave. 6:30-8 p.m., $15. Join Cooper Hewitt curator Matilda McQuaid as she moderates a panel discussion about the role tools play in largescale projects. 212-849-8400.

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.

projectevergreen.org (877) 758-4835

8 Our Town Downtown JANUARY 1-7 ,2015

Voices

A Letter to Our Readers OCTOBER

2, 2014 Our

13

all m S g n i v Sa Business

Here’s a little story I like to tell everyone who asks what it’s like to edit a neighborhood newspaper in the middle of Manhattan: For about a decade, well before arriving in these offices, I worked at The Wall Street Journal, in a series of jobs from Texas to London to New York. Despite the fact that the Journal has a global readership in the millions, over those 10 years, I probably heard directly from only a few dozen real live readers. (I’m not counting PR people or executives with a beef about something I’d written about their company; this was also in the days before Twitter and online comments, so people who wanted to talk to me had to send an email or pick up the phone.) Today, I work at a place with a readership that is, let’s say, somewhat less than the Journal’s. And yet, I now hear from more of our readers in an average week than I did in a 10-year career there. Social media and our web sites have helped. But over the course of this year, I’ve also heard from dozens and dozens of you by phone, email, and via more hand-written notes than you would expect (copies of the paper edited with pencil are a particular favorite). I love hearing from you. And the fact that you feel welcome, even compelled, to reach out is what makes this kind of newspaper, and this kind of journalism, so unique, at a time when so much of the rest of our media seems based more in the cloud than in any real place. We don’t work that way. We’re here, in your neighborhood, writing about the issues you care about. We depend on you to keep us focused and to keep us honest. And we’re happy to say that it seems to be working: At a time when so many other media outlets are struggling financially, we’re profitable, and growing. In 2014, we devoted a lot of our time and space to covering two issues you told us were critical: the crisis facing small businesses in Manhattan, and the tragedy of pedestriantraffic deaths on our streets. In our series Saving Small Business, we chronicled dozens of businesses forced to close or relocate as a result of soaring rents. That effort culminated in September in a special section, in which we listed the neighborhood businesses we had lost, and at a forum at Baruch College. There, we gathered political and economic leaders, small business owners, and our readers to talk about the causes of the problem and to brainstorm solutions for possible fixes. While we didn’t come up with any instant fixes, we did brainstorm some ideas that could help. You’ll be reading more about those in the months ahead. On the pedestrian-safety front, we carried way too many stories about our dangerous streets and the deadly toll on our neighbors, too many of them children. Those stories were capped by “The Tragedy After,” a ground-breaking look at the problem by Jill Abramson, the former executive editor at The New York Times and herself a traffic-accident victim. Jill will be joining us on Jan. 21 at the Society for Ethical Culture for a Town Hall-style meeting on pedestrian-traffic deaths and what can be done to stop them. I’ll be moderating a panel that also will include victims’ families, elected officials and others. Please join us from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. As to our focus for 2015, we await your input. While we don’t plan on letting up on the issues that mattered to us last year, and have some ideas for where to focus our energies now, we also depend on you to guide us. If recent months are any guide, I’m betting you won’t be shy. You should also, if you haven’t done so already, check out our updated and redesigned web and mobile sites, which have everything from searchable event listings to real-time bus and traffic updates. We’re proud of how far they’ve come and are planning much more for 2015. Ultimately, papers like this one are about a conversation, an idea that seems radical in 2015. In these pages, and in their digital counterparts, we talk to each other about what matters to us, who’s important, what makes us laugh and what keeps us up at night. We go out into the neighborhood and talk to people and report on events and investigate problems. You get back to us on what we missed or what we should have done better. Nobody shouts. We’re all better for the effort. Here’s to a great 2015.

The local paper for Downtow wn n

4-10

WEEK OF DECEMBER

VIOLIN LESSONS FOR LITTLE ONES

< CITY ARTS, P. 12

2014

OTDOWNTOWN.COM

OurTownDowntown @OTDowntown

HORSE-BAN VOTE COULD COME NEXT YEAR

In Brief MAYOR HIGHLIGHTS LATEST CRIME STATS

NEWS

THE TRAGEDY AFTER

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s long-delayed plans to ban the city’s horse are finally moving forward carriages with that phases out the industry a bill by 2016 and dangles a carrot for the soon-tobe unemployed drivers: a career driving a taxi. That measure was set to be introduced at a City Council meeting next week but it already drew fierce opposition from the 400 drivers and stable hands who say it was an insult to suggest they could be satisfi ed with another way of life. “We want to stay in business, and the horse is our business, “ said Christina Hansen, a carriage horse driver who claimed de Blasio is ill-informed on the issue. “The mayor still hasn’t been to the stables.” During his bid for mayor a year ago, Bill de Blasio repeatedl y told supporters that “on Day One” he would end what he saw as the inhumane practice As many as 260 pedestrians of the colorful coaches are clip-clopping expected to die this year on their way through Central New Park and York City streets. But almost the surrounding streets. none of the drivers involved in those City Council Speaker Melissa MarkViverito confirmed that cases will be prosecuted -- adding the bill currently being drafted with to the nightmare for the families the mayor’s of support would likely be the victims. voted on early next year, and de Blasio said he would not be in favor of further delays. “We think it’s time to end BY JILL ABRAMSON horse carriages in this city and it’s time to act on it,” he said. ofia Russo was 45 minutes Under the bill, the industry late for her appointment be phased out by the middle would with of 2016, justice. But she didn’t miss with exceptions made for film sets much. On Nov. 20, Judge and some parades. The Gregory bill would ofCarro swiftly pushed off fer job training classes until and the waiver January the sentencing of nearly all the fees associated of Frankwith lin Reyes, the teenager the license to drive a green who ran taxi, which over and killed Russo’s predominantly pick up 4-year-old passengers daughter, Ariel. outside the heart of Manhatta So, as she did on this day, “We’re in the tourist field, n. Russo, a not the teacher, will find someone to cover for her class next month CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 when she returns to court again, hoping to

INVESTI GATION

S

see Reyes punished for Ariel’s death, sterdam Avenue in an attempt to now more than a year and flee a half ago, from cops who had seen him driving in June 2013. erratically and ordered Russo said in an interview him to pull that she over. The chase finds cruel irony in the ended with the fatal fact that she crash on 97th Street. teaches history to boys the same age Originally, by giving him as Reyes, who was 17 bail and when over Ariel and her grandmothe ran charging him as a minor, Judge her in Carro was giving a Nissan Frontier SUV in Reyes a chance to front of the avoid having little girl’s preschool on a public criminal rethe Upper cord. But on Sept. 3, Reyes was West Side. stopped for driving recklessly again This is why she initially , withthized with Reyes. “The sympa- out a license. This time, in speeding majority away, Reyes of my kids are 16 and 17, dragged the cop 100 including a feet and then lot of troubled boys. This could have chase, hittingled police on another been one of my students,” a car and almost inshe juring a parking attendant But empathy has hardenedsaid. before he into was arrested. This rage in the months since the acci- to Rikers Island, time, he was sent dent. Although Reyes where he has been had flee the scene, backing up tried to ever since, except for a visit to a city so violent- hospital for ly he pinned Ariel and chest pains, after which her grand- he again ran away from the police mother to a nearby restauran t’s and had to be chased metal grating, he was down. (In the treated leni- months before that arrest, Reyes ently, charged as a minor and freed was charged on bail. This despite the with petty larceny for fact crash that killed Ariel was that the stealing from an apartment buildthe result ing where his father was the super.) of another crime: Reyes was without a license, speeding driving up Am- CONTINUED ON

Mayor de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bratton announced the city’s latest crime numbers and outlined the administra work this year to strengthention’s the relationship between police and community. De Blasio and Bratton also announced that the NYPD body camera pilot program will begin this week, starting with the training of three commands where stop-and-frisk rates have been the highest: PSA 2, 40 Precinct, and the 120 Precinct. The mayor announced that overall index crime is down 4.4the percent at the end of November , and that homicides in New City have decreased by 6.8 York percent; robbery is down 14.4 percent; and rape is down 2.9 percent from already historically low numbers. The four month period of August through November has had the lowest number of shooting incidents and homicides compared prior August through Novembertoperiods since 1993.

MOTORCYCLIST DEAD AFTER HIGHWAY CRASH A motorcyclist is dead after he crashed on a Manhattan highway and was thrown in front of a moving minivan. Police responded to the accident Saturday night on the Henry Hudson Parkway near West 72nd Street. When officers arrived, they found the 44-year-old victim on the roadway, unconscious lying and unresponsive. He was declared dead at the scene. Minutes police say the man was on earlier, motorcycle heading south a passing lane. He struck thein the median, flew off the bike andcenter landed in a northbound lane the minivan struck and killedwhere The driver remained at the him. scene until police arrived. The name of the motorcyclist was not released pending family notification.

PAGE 6

Kyle Pope Editor-in-Chief

STRAUS MEDIA-MANHATTAN President, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com Vice President/CFO Otilia Bertolotti Vice President/CRO 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 Susan Wynn

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

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

JANUARY 1-7 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 9

MAKING WAVES, ONE AUDIT AT A TIME Comptroller Scott Stringer discusses his priorites for the coming year. Photo by Daniel Fitzsimmons

POLITICS Scott Stringer, New York City Comptroller BY MEGAN BUNGEROTH

When asked how he’s decided where to direct his office’s firepower over the past year, Comptroller Scott Stringer has a simple rely: “That’s the comptroller’s job.” He’s right, of course. But the job of the comptroller has traditionally been a thankless one, rarely making headlines and mattering little to New Yorkers who don’t concern themselves with how the city is investing its massive $160 billion pension fund. Stringer had expected to run for the position unopposed, and it wasn’t until former governor Eliot Spitzer jumped into the race that voters, and the media, began asking, “What does the comptroller do, exactly?” Stringer has spent the past year in office answering that question -- and vastly expanding his definition of the role. The result has been a highprofile perch for Stringer, and early talk about higher office in the next election. Stringer’s broader-than-usual definition of the comptroller’s job brings back memories of Rudy Guiliani’s headline-making tenure at the U.S. Attorney’s office -- which led to his election as mayor -- and even Spitzer’s early take on the AG’s job. For instance, the comptroller’s office launched ClaimStat, a seemingly wonky tool that could have a big impact on the city government’s efficiency and budget. ClaimStat tracks, analyzes and makes public where claims against the city come from, providing data that Stringer said can be used to reform agencies to avoid costly claims in the future. One example, he explained, would be if there were a series of lawsuits decided against a particular NYPD precinct for similar infractions, Stringer could hand this data over to Commissioner Bratton, who might see fit to retrain some of his officers or install new leadership, to avoid similar claims in the future. ClaimStat also provides another way to track pedestrian injuries and deaths that result from collisions with

city-owned vehicles, which dovetails with Mayor de Blasio’s efforts on Vision Zero to reduce traffic fatalities. It’s these real-world examples – ones that coincide with issues stirring the city at the moment – that make Stringer’s version of city comptroller stand out. Stringer said that he doesn’t just want to issue reports, he wants to offer solutions. After his office concluded an audit of the troubled Citi Bike system, finding “poor maintenance”

and “shoddy oversight” of the program, he also recommended that the program expand to serve more neighborhoods. “You want to have an impact,” he said, in an interview just before the holdiays. “Part of looking at these issues is to get a result. The old way of implementing Citi Bike was very problematic. We did an audit while also advocating for an expansion.” The comptroller’s office also peered into the depths of the

Department of Education – what Stringer calls “the least transparent city agency” – as well as the finances of the New York City Housing Authority, and found that both agencies left hundreds of millions of dollars in available federal money on the table in 2013. The DOE lost $300 million in funds for computer training for students, for example. NYCHA pushed back against their audit, calling it “seriously flawed,” but Stringer stands

behind the audit’s recommendations and hopes to see some of them implemented. “I’m not trying to do this just to say ‘gotcha,’” he said. But he isn’t shy about wading into controversy. When asked why he’s chosen to begin a year-long audit of several of the city’s charter schools, including the powerful Success Academy run by former city councilwoman Eva Moskowitz, Stringer said, “I’m supposed to.”

2015 PEOPLE TO WATCH

By that he means that he’s acting at the strong behest of New York State’s First Deputy Comptroller Pete Grannis, who late last year wrote a letter to Mayor de Blasio urging more fiscal oversight of charter schools. A similar plea made last year to the agencies that are supposed to monitor charter schools – the city’s Department of Education, the New York State Education Department, and the State University of New York – by Grannis fell on deaf ears. Now Stringer is picking up the slack. It doesn’t escape him that entering the charter school debate will make a splash. “I don’t look at it as a political fight with Eva Moskowitz, or anybody,” Stringer said. “No one likes an audit. It’s just part of government.” The charter school audit won’t be finished for months. In the meantime, Stringer plans to continue his path with “more hard-hitting audits” and also hopes to refinance the city’s debt again to take advantage of low interest rates – the unsexy but traditionally crucial role of the comptroller. He’s also hopeful that the city budget will have an easier time passing this year, since the mayor has settled over 70 percent of outstanding labor contracts that had been looming over the city’s finances. Stringer wants to go even further, though, “beyond four-year spending,” he said. It’s about the city’s long-term economy. “My goal is to create a platform for the traditional, aspirational city that we live in,” he said. “Children of lowincome parents should aspire beyond the minimum wage.” It’s a tall task for any elected official, especially for one without the high-profile role of a mayor or council speaker. But Stringer is confident, and he hopes to tackle the city’s big problems methodically, one audit at a time. “I’m not the guy you want at the party,” Stringer said. “But that’s my job.”

10 Our Town Downtown JANUARY 1-7 ,2015

PICASSO’S FINAL MUSE EXHIBITIONS

IF YOU GO

Pace hosts a two-part show on the artist and his second wife BY VAL CASTRONOVO

It mu st b e t he law of rep et ition. There a re cu rrent ly t h ree shows in t he cit y featu r in g P ica sso, a r g u ably t he 20 t h cent u r y ’s most i n f luent ia l a r t i st: “Cubism: The Leona rd A . Lauder Col lec t ion” at t he Met, “ P icasso & t he Ca mera” at t he Gagosia n Ga ller y (closing Ja n. 3), and “ Picasso & Jacqueline: The Evolution of St yle” at t he Pace Ga ller y’s M idtow n a nd Chelsea locations, now through Ja n. 10. The latter is a sprawling, blo c k bu s te r of a n e x h ibit de vo te d to t h e a r t i s t ’s wor k i n t he last t wo decades of h is life when he wa s i n a relat ion sh ip w ith Jacqueline Roque, who beca me h i s se cond w i fe i n 1 9 61 . Pablo P ica sso (1881-1 973) wa s 70 when he met t he 25-yea r-old sa leswoma n i n 1952 at a cera m ics st ud io i n Va l lau r i s, on t he French R iv iera. They were ma r r ied i n a secret civ i l ceremony at t he tow n ha ll, w it h h is law yer a nd a c lea n i n g wom a n a s w it nesses, cr it ic Ba rba ra Rose w r ites i n t he show ’s lavish ly illustrated cata log. P ica sso gave t he br ide a h i l lto p m a n s i o n n e a r C a n n e s a s a we dd i n g g i f t a n d f a mou s ly p a i nte d he r to com m e m or ate t h e o c c a s i o n . “J a c q u e l i n e Dressed as a Bride Fu ll Face, I” (1 9 61), a de l ic ate aq u at i nt , i s on loa n to t he Pace Ga l ler y i n M idtow n f rom t he Met rop ol it a n Mu seu m a nd i s one of t he show ’s si g n at u re work s. The e x h ibit ion a s a whole i s compr i sed of some 14 0 pa i nt i n gs, sculptures, ceramics and works on paper, m a ny on d i splay for t he f irst time, w it h Jacqueline the recurring motif. Call it “A ll Jacqueline, A ll t he Time.”

WHAT: “Picasso & Jacqueline: The Evolution of Style” WHERE: The Pace Gallery in Midtown (32 E. 57th St.) and in Chelsea (534 W. 25th St.) WHEN: Now through January 10 www.pacegallery.com She wa s P ica sso’s model a nd h is “most con sistent ” muse, p e r t h e s h o w ’s i nt r o d u c t io n , t he i n s pi r at ion for s ome 4 0 0 p or t r a it s a nd a key pl aye r i n numerous other works in his f ina l yea rs. But she ra rely posed for P icasso. (A n exception: h is por tra its of her in Tu rk ish cost u me.) P ica sso hated por t ra it sit t i n g s a nd t y pica l ly worked f rom memor y. He wou ld imagi ne Jacq ue l i ne a nd t he n comm it h is v ision to t he ca nvas. T wo yea r s a f ter P ica sso met Jacquel i ne a nd emba rked on a new a r t i s t ic jou r ney, h i s l i fe was tu rned upside dow n by a not her si g n a l event: t he deat h of h i s idol , He n r i M at i s se, on November 3, 195 4. A s P ica sso w o u l d l a t e r s a y o f h i s r i v a lt u r ned-f r iend , “ he lef t h i s oda lisques to me as a legacy.” He t herea f ter emba rked on a r e i n t e r p r e t a t io n o f c l a s s ic work s by t he Old Ma sters, notably E u gène Delac roi x ’s 18 3 4 “ Wo m e n o f A l g i e r s i n T h e i r Apa r t ment ,” a T u rk i sh h a rem p a i n t i n g t h a t P i c a s s o r e -i nvented in honor of Matisse, inf usin g it w it h t he colors, decorat ive pat ter n s, abst rac t ion a nd oda lisques so cha racter istic of h is late hero. Jacqueline pl ay s a prom i ne nt role i n t he ser ies, sta nd i n g i n for a da rkha ired f igu re on t he right side of D e lac roi x ’s fa mou s ca nva s. Sixteen items from the “ Women of A l g ie r s ” s e r ie s a re on d i splay in t he Chelsea ga ller y. P ic a sso wa s complete ly consu med i n h i s l ate r yea r s w it h

Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 18811973) Jacqueline aux Fleurs (Jacqueline with Flowers), June 3, 1954 Oil on canvas, 45 11/16 x 34 13/16 in. (116 x 88.5 cm) Private Collection Photograph by Claude Germain ©2014 Estate of Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

copy i n g a nd r i f f i n g t he E u rop ea n m a s te r s—D e l ac roi x , but a lso El Greco, Velázquez, Rembra ndt, Luca s Cra nac h a nd, i n a b ow to t he mo de r n i s t s, Cé z a n n e , M a n e t a n d Va n G o g h . He wou ld cover h is wa l ls w it h projected images of Rembrandt pa i nt i n gs. A s Rose w r ites, he w a s “ t h e f i r s t a p p r o p r i a t io n a r t i s t ,” p o r t r a y i n g J a c q u e l i ne “i n t he g u i se of beaut i f u l women f rom a r t h istor y.” Cases in point, bot h on v iew here: “Jacqueline w ith a Black Scarf ” (O c tober 1 1 , 1 95 4), a n hom a ge to E l G r e c o ’s “ L a d y i n a F u r Wrap” (1 577-79), a nd “Jacquel i ne ” (O c tob er 6, 1 9 5 5), a h attip in colored pencil to Ma net’s f la menco d a ncer, “ L ola of Valence”(1862). Equa l ly fascinating a re t he

doze n s of photo g r aph s t a ke n by P ica sso con f ida nte Dav id D ou g l a s D u nc a n t h at l i ne t he e n t r a n c e to t h e C h e l s e a g a ller y. Here we see a ba re-footed, sh i r t less P ica sso teac hi n g Jacq ue l i ne a Cat a l a n fol k da nce, Picasso com mun ing w it h Jacqueline in a lace ma ntilla, and Picasso taking a bath. I n t he cata log, Rose d iscu sses t he s p e c i a l a f fe c t ion P ic a s s o had for h is last pa r tner, noting t h at , i n h i s a r t , “she i s neve r disfigured or destroyed like his ea rlier lovers.” On t he cont ra r y, be prepa red fo r a n u n a b a s h e d lo ve f e s t— a n apot heosis, in fact. We see Jacqueline ever y wh ich way at Pace: i n exot ic at t i re, i n pr i m attire, in wedd ing attire, erotic i zed . We see her i n prof i le,

in f u ll face, a nd in bot h prof ile a nd f u ll face in bif u rcated portra its. S a d l y, t h e w o m a n i m m o rta l ized i n cou nt less ways i n cou ntless pa intings, pr ints a nd s c u lpt u re s by t he worldfa mous a r tist cou ld not endu re l i fe a f te r P ic a s s o. Fol low i n g years of alcoholism and depression , Jacq ue l i n e shot he r s e l f w it h a revolver 1 3 yea rs a f ter h e r h u s b a n d ’s d e a t h i n 1 9 7 3 . She was on ly 59 a nd was buried a lon gside h i m on t he g rou nd s of h is beloved Chateau de Vauve n a r g ue s ne a r Mont S a i nte Victoire. Her beaut y a nd t heir time toget her live on in t h is exqu isite show.

JANUARY 1-7 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 11

FORGING A NEW PATH FOR A STORIED MUSEUM 2015 MUSEUMS

Ian Wardropper, Director, The Frick Collection

BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

The Frick Collection’s current temporary exhibition “Masterpieces from the Scottish National Gallery” has been received favorably by critics, including the New York Times’ Karen Rosenberg, but the East 70th Street museum’s loudest reviews of late are of its proposed addition, not the shows in its galleries. Following the June announcement of a planned expansion to the landmark museum that includes a new, six-story building, opposition from critics and community groups has swelled. New York Times’ architecture critic Michael Kimmelman denounced the plan in July, as have preservationist groups. Unite to Save the Frick, a coalition opposing the addition, has garnered more than 3,100 signatures to date to an online petition. This cacophony of opposition hasn’t lessened the resolve of museum director Ian Wardropper, who told this publication in October that he expects approval from the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, a requirement for any exterior change to the landmark building in the Upper East Side’s historic district. One of the chief concerns amongst the proposal’s detractors remains the loss of the museum’s viewing garden on East 70th Street, which would serve as the site of the new building. Unite to Save the Frick writes in its petition that “The Frick Collection’s Russell Page Viewing Garden is an important work of art— and an essential component of the museum’s cultural landscape—which must not be destroyed.” Though architects with Davis Brody Bond, the firm behind the National September 11 Memorial Museum and the Frick Collection’s own portico gallery, are still revising the addition’s design, Wardrop-

PEOPLE TO WATCH

Jeff Zalaznick and chefs Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi, owners of Major Food Group restaurant company.

A CULINARY TRIO TO WATCH RESTAURANTS Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi and Jeff Zalaznick, Major Food Group BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

Ian Wardropper, Director of The Frick Collection, in the Oval Room at the museum. Photo by Michael Bodycomb per believes the strength of the proposal will impress at the upcoming LPC hearing. “I’m fully confident that we will get it through—we’ve given a lot of time for this,” Wardropper told Our Town during an October interview. “[LPC] will fully scrutinize this plan, but we feel this is a very good, strong plan, and it’s something that Landmarks will appreciate.” Wardropper is no stranger to institutional changes, having worked on renovation efforts at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, though he’s never been at the fore of an entire museum’s contested expansion. Those opposed to the project may have to wait several months to learn if their ef-

forts have been successful. Museum officials are planning for a nine month to one year approval process, beginning with a presentation to Community Board 8, which museum officials don’t expect until at least February, with a formal hearing with LPC coming later in the winter or early spring. So far, the museum has not revealed a price tag for the addition, though Wardropper expects to announce the anticipated cost once LPC approves the project, and, if all goes as he hopes, construction will begin in 2017. Frick officials expect to remain open throughout the threeyear project, with an opening date sometime in 2020. That is, of course, if the city approves the plan in 2015.

Last March, Jeff Zalaznick told the New York Times that 2014 was “the year of Major Food.” Zalaznick, along with business partners and chefs Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi, operates Major Food Group, the company responsible for six of the city’s hottest restaurants, and he wasn’t wrong. It seems as though 2015 might also be a productive year for the owners of Mulberry Street favorites Torrisi and Parm, as well as Thompson Street hot spots Carbone’s and ZZ’s Clam Bar. While the group ushered in new ventures in 2014, including Dirty French in the Ludlow hotel on the Lower East Side, which opened in September, and a new Parm outpost on Columbus Avenue and 70th Street that debuted last month, there’s more on the horizon from this burgeoning empire. New York natives Carbone and Torrisi both trained at the Culinary Institute of America. They first partnered in 2010 with the opening of the lunchtime deli meets evening tasting room Torrisi (the

deli component became the stand-alone Parm a year later) and have been redefining and elevating Italian-American cuisine along with business partner and fellow New Yorker Zalaznick ever since, and with a range of diners in mind. Carbone, which opened in 2013 in the former home of Italian joint Rocco Restaurant, offers a $65 veal parmesan, while a chicken or meatball sandwich at Parm costs diners $8. While the group seems dedicated to revamping classic, gut-busting Italian-American food—three additional Parm locations are in the works, including one in Battery Park City’s Brookfield Place complex—obvious diversions from the concept continue. Dirty French is the group’s first departure from Italian cuisine,

and Torrisi will close Jan. 1, the New York Times reported, making way for a new fine dining restaurant the group will open come spring, with Torrisi running the kitchen. Major Food is also planning a bagel shop called Sadelle’s. The most high-profile opening for the trio may come as early as January; the New York Times reported that the group expects to open Santina, its restaurant on Washington Street, under the High Line and near the new Whitney Museum of American Art building, sometime this month. Craigslist advertisements for an opening team at the new restaurant, which Zalaznick told Grub Street would focus on healthier fish and vegetable dishes, with little meat offerings, popped up in mid-December.

12 Our Town Downtown JANUARY 1-7 ,2015

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS DEC 22 - 26, 2014

Subway

223 Avenue B

A

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.

Ogawa Cafe

36 East 4 Street

Not Graded Yet (33) 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. 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.

The Roost

222 Avenue B

A

M & J Asian Restaurant

600 E 14Th St

Grade Pending (35) 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. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Eleven B

174 Avenue B

A

Giano

126 East 7 Street

A

Louis 649

649 East 9 Street

A

Sake Bar Satsko

202 East 7 Street

A

Lenz’s

514 East 20 Street

Grade Pending (16) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

Pieces

8 Christopher Street

A

Bleeker Street Pizza

69 7 Avenue South

A

Zampa

306 West 13 Street

A

IFC Center

323 6 Avenue

A

Joy Burger Bar

361 6 Avenue

A

Pig Guy NYC

52 Gansevoort St

A

Cotenna

21 Bedford Street

Grade Pending (20) 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.

La Bottega

88 9 Avenue

Grade Pending (19) 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.

Chelsea Papaya

171 West 23 Street

A

Gelato Giusto

164 9 Avenue

Not Graded Yet (12) 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.

Barcade

148 West 24 Street

A

Famiglia Of Chelsea Piers

0 Chelsea Piers/Pier 61

A

Giovanni Rana Restaurant

75 9 Avenue

A

Panya/The Barrel

810 Stuyvesant Street

A

Crif Dogs / Please Don’t Tell

113 St Marks’s Place

A

Cha-An Teahouse

230 East 9 Street

A

Glaze Teriyaki Grill

139 4 Avenue

A

Wine Bar

65 2 Avenue

A

Dbgb Kitchen & Bar

299 Bowery

A

The W Hotel Banquets

201 Park Avenue South

A

Red Rooster

29 2 Avenue

A

Joe’s Pizza

150 East 14 Street

A

Bowery Meat Company

9 East 1 Street

Not Graded Yet (34) 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. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Rosa Mexicano

9 East 18 Street

A

Argo Tea Cafe

75 University Place

A

Milk & Cookies Bakery

19 Commerce Street

A

Jebon

15 St Marks Place

Grade Pending (19) 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.

Grand Sichuan

15 7 Avenue South

Korilla East Village

23 3 Avenue

A

Bar 13

35 East 13 Street

A

Grade Pending (36) 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. Live animals other than fish in tank or service animal present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Florian Cafe Tattoria & Bar

225 Park Avenue South

A

The Village Lantern

167 Bleecker Street

The Bean

824 Broadway

A

Kingston Hall

149 2 Avenue

A

Grade Pending (20) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. 2) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

The Third Man

116 Avenue C

A

La Esquina “The Corner”

106 Kenmare Street

A

Gimme Coffee

228 Mott Street

A

JANUARY 1-7 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 13

Real Estate Sales Neighborhd

Address

Price

Bed Bath Agent

Greenwich Village

30 E 9 St.

$1,155,000

2 1

Warburg

Battery Park City

99 Battery Place

$499,000

0 1

Greenwich Village

20 E 9 St.

$1,705,526

1 1

Corcoran

Battery Park City

333 Rector Place

$640,000

Greenwich Village

25 W 13 St.

$575,000

0 1

Citi Habitats

Battery Park City

70 Little W St.

$1,155,000

1 1

Core

Greenwich Village

156 W 13 St.

$15,000,000

Battery Park City

30 W St.

$2,350,000

2 2

Douglas Elliman

Greenwich Village

39 E 12 St.

$1,350,000

1 1

Halstead Property

Battery Park City

300 Rector Place

$15,000

Greenwich Village

39 5 Ave.

$1,557,000

1 1

Corcoran

Chelsea

155 W 20 St.

$565,000

Little Italy

176 Mulberry St.

$3,158,333

3 2

Centric Property Group

Chelsea

223-231 W 21 St.

$500,000

Lower E Side

575 Grand St.

$885,000

3 1

Loho Realty

Chelsea

319 W 18 St.

$520,000

1 1

Buchbinder & Warren

Lower E Side

154 Attorney St.

$1,560,000

Chelsea

212 W 18 St.

$40,730,000

5 5

Douglas Elliman

Lower E Side

118 Suffolk St.

$397,500

1 1

Corcoran

Chelsea

151 W 21 St.

$911,333

Noho

43 Great Jones St.

$3,162,500

2 2

Core

Chelsea

151 W 21 St.

$1,807,393

Noho

62 Cooper Square

$4,780,000

2 2

Halstead Property

E Village

544 E 11 St.

$710,000

Noho

644 Broadway

$1,995,000

2 1

Corcoran

E Village

115 E 9 St.

$844,000

Noho

30 Bond St.

$5,350,000

3 2

Core

E Village

808 Broadway

$1,096,000

1 1

Douglas Elliman

Soho

475 Broadway

$3,690,000

E Village

315 E 12 St.

$820,000

2 1

Corcoran

Soho

45 Crosby St.

$3,700,000

E Village

227 E 7 St.

$1,527,375

Soho

105 Wooster St.

$6,550,000

Financial District

90 William St.

$1,200,000

2 2

Halstead Property

Soho

152 Wooster St.

$4,650,000

2 2

Town Residential

Financial District

130 Water St.

$955,000

2 2

Sotheby’s

Tribeca

101 Leonard St.

$7,636,875

4 4 Douglas Elliman

Financial District

21-23 South William St.

$765,000

1 1

Kg Properties

Tribeca

7 Hubert St.

$4,400,000

Flatiron

69 5 Ave.

$1,295,000

1 1

Argo Residential

Tribeca

101 Warren St.

$1,690,000

1 1

Douglas Elliman

Flatiron

69 5 Ave.

$975,000

1 1

Argo Residential

Tribeca

101 Warren St.

$2,595,000

2 2

Town Residential

Flatiron

5 E 22 St.

$1,650,000

2 2

Halstead Property

Tribeca

101 Leonard St.

$2,347,066

2 2

Douglas Elliman

Flatiron

21 E 22 St.

$1,075,000

1 1

Flat Iron Real Estate

Tribeca

101 Leonard St.

$1,905,962

Fulton/Seaport

117 Beekman St.

$723,500

1 1

Bond New York

Tribeca

101 Leonard St.

$3,462,050

3 3

Douglas Elliman

Fulton/Seaport

99 John St.

$799,326

Tribeca

101 Leonard St.

$3,156,575

3 3

Douglas Elliman

Gramercy Park

200 E 16 St.

$820,000

Two Bridges

142 Henry St.

$2,537,500

2 2

Corcoran

Gramercy Park

160 E 22Nd St.

$2,555,797

W Chelsea

447 W 18 St.

$9,388,888

Gramercy Park

160 E 22Nd St.

$2,810,359

2 2

Toll Brothers

W Village

366 W 11 St.

$1,300,000

1 1

Douglas Elliman

Gramercy Park

312 E 23 St.

$1,010,000

2 2

Halstead Property

W Village

69 Perry St.

$2,650,000

2 2

Douglas Elliman

Gramercy Park

232 E 18 St.

$1,675,000

2 2

Stribling

W Village

20 Jane St.

$315,000

0 1

Corcoran

Gramercy Park

4 Lexington Ave.

$613,050

1 1

Douglas Elliman

W Village

799 GREENWICH St.

$2,510,000

2 2

Corcoran

Gramercy Park

145 E 15 St.

$630,000

1 1

Douglas Elliman

W Village

100 BANK St.

$1,250,000

Gramercy Park

160 E 22Nd St.

$2,698,352

2 2

Toll Brothers

W Village

299 W 12 St.

$3,750,000

2 2

Sotheby’s

Greenwich Village

24 5 Ave.

$1,395,000

2 2

Douglas Elliman

Greenwich Village

290 6 Ave.

$650,000

Greenwich Village

35 E 10 St.

$435,000

0 1

2 1

1 1

0 1

Douglas Elliman

Corcoran

Halstead Property

Halstead Property

Halstead Property

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14 Our Town Downtown JANUARY 1-7 ,2015

YOUR FIFTEEN MINUTES

THE TIN MAN TAKES SHAPE OFF-BROADWAY Q&A Producing director of “The Woodsman” talks about The Jim Henson Foundation, playing a magician and the charm of the Upper West Side BY ANGELA BARBUTI

Jason Ralph made the transition from a struggling New York City artist to a successful one in an impressively short time. Although he only moved here in 2010, the Texas native is already enjoying an accomplished career in the theater. In

2013, he made his Broadway debut in “Peter and the Starcatcher” after understudying for five of the show’s roles. The theater company that he started with his classmate, Strangemen & Co., has grown and now produces a variety of plays with the talents of a dedicated team. Their newest project, “The Woodsman,” is based on Frank Baum’s “Oz” stories. It tells the tale of a man who is under a spell where he loses a limb with each swing of his axe. On stage, the body parts are replaced by tin until the beloved character of the Tin Man is created before our eyes. The play, which has a

limited run at 59E59 Theaters from January 13 until February 22, is unique in that there is no dialogue, only life-sized puppets being moved to music. Ralph, who serves as its producing director, discussed the show, his life in the city and his career aspirations.

of storytelling and wanted to see if it were possible for us to tell a complicated, emotional and funny story without using any dialogue. With only using movement, music, song and puppetry to kind of convey all those complicated plot points and emotions.

How did your company get the idea for “The Woodsman?”

How are the puppets used on stage?

It’s from several passages from the entire “Oz” series. Our company member James Ortiz, who’s a cofounder, has always had an affinity for the “Oz” stories. We had been interested in exploring different types

They’re life-sized puppets in Bunraku style. The story of the Tin Man is that he’s this young man in love and there’s this witch who is trying to stop him from loving the woman he loves. To stop him, she enchants his axe so that it will murder him essentially. And it does so by cutting off each of his limbs one at a time. So in our play, as each limb gets hacked off, it’s replaced by a life-sized tin one, until his entire body is replaced with tin parts. We have a 6’5” tin puppet on stage representing this man, which is operated by 4 people.

The play received a grant from the Jim Henson Foundation. That was really extraordinary. It’s a really marvelous organization that supports young artists and young theater companies who are pushing the boundaries of using puppetry to tell stories. It’s not just The Muppets. They seem to be very interested in how you use puppets to tell an emotional story. We had some of the Hensons come and see the play and they were very supportive and seemed to really enjoy it. So that was a really special moment for us to get to meet them.

The Woodsman uses life-size puppets that move along with the actors. Photo by Hunter Canning

Jason Ralph is the producing director of Strangemen & Co. theater company.

and suddenly we had a theater company. From there, it’s grown exponentially. We have a lot of people involved who love it very much and to whom it means a lot. We’ve done plays ranging from puppetry pieces about Oz to political commentary about prisoners of wars.

You made your Broadway debut in “Peter and the Starcatcher.” What was that experience like? Making my Broadway debut was something I’ll never forget. The most terrifying and joyful experience of my life. It’s amazing to cram all those emotions—of fear and excitement and the feeling that this is what I was meant to do—into one tiny moment.

When did you create Strangemen & Co.? How did you meet your fellow cofounder, James Ortiz?

Why did you choose to live on the Upper West Side? What are you favorite neighborhood spots?

In 2010. James and I have known each other for almost 10 years now. We went to community college together in Texas and then we both got into the Acting Conservatory at SUNY Purchase in the same year. We graduated from there and were in New York City as two struggling actors and we started creating plays. The first play we did was a retelling of “The Little Mermaid,” in a similar style to what “The Woodsman” is right now. We needed a name, apparently, so we came up with one, made a website,

I moved to the city in 2010. I was in Astoria, then I was in Brooklyn and then I met the love of my life and we moved to the Upper West Side, where we are so happy. We chose the Upper West Side because the neighborhood is quiet and beautiful and still has that romantic old-school New York feel. And it’s secluded while also still being only a 20-minute train ride to anywhere you need to go. I think our favorite thing about it is that we’re so close to the park and the Natural History museum. We have

two dogs, so being that near to the dog park as well, because it’s honestly where we spend most of our time. [Laughs]

How did you meet your girlfriend? We met doing a movie together a couple of years ago. She’s an actress as well.

You landed the lead role in a new Syfy series, “The Magicians.” How did you prepare to play a magician? It was a pilot that we made for Syfy based on Lev Grossman’s novel. We just finished that at the end of the December and are waiting to see if we get picked up. It was the first role I’ve ever done where I actually had to learn practical things as well as act and learn my lines. So I learned card tricks and a couple of disappearing coin tricks. But mostly, how to handle cards and coins competently. That was really fun and a skill that I will have forever now, which is exciting.

What are your future plans? Well, hopefully I get to keep producing with Strangemen and Co. We’ve got a couple of more plays in the works that we’re really excited about. Also, I really hope we do “The Magicians.” For more information on the play, visit www.thewoodsmanplay.com.

JANUARY 1-7 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 15

CLASSIFIEDS 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: 12pm the Friday before publication ADOPTION ADOPTION: Unplanned Pregnancy? Caring licensed adoption agency provides financial and emotional support. Choose from loving pre-approved families. Call Joy toll free 1-866922-3678 or confidential email:Adopt@ForeverFamiliesThroughAdoption.org ANTIQUES/COLLECTIBLES

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16 Our Town Downtown JANUARY 1-7 ,2015

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