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Residents fear a 790-unit luxury tower will upend a historic slice of the L.E.S. BY PANYIN CONDUAH
Residents of the Two Bridges housing complex on the Lower East Side sit down with developers this week to air their concerns about a 68-story luxury building slated for construction in their neighborhood. Extell Development bought the
former Pathmark Supermarket site at 250 South Street for $150 million and plans to build 790 units of market-rate housing. The project has raised a host of gentrification-related issues, including concerns about where residents in the area will be able to buy affordable groceries, now that Pathmark is out of the picture. Once Pathmark closed, other nearby supermarkets raised their prices, prompting complaints from the neighborhood. Some residents say they now are forced to go as far as East Harlem to get
Trever Holland, one of the residents concerned about Extell’s new tower. Photo by Panyin Conduah
DE BLASIO IN ALBANY, WITHOUT THE HELP OF SPEAKER SILVER NEWS The mayor pushes rent control, public education to a wary Albany BY DAVID KLEPPER
Rent control. A higher minimum wage. The Dream Act. Greater investments in public education. Mayor Bill de Blasio headed to Albany with a sprawling agenda and no shortage of political challenges. De Blasio’s visit comes at an unusually turbulent time in the Capitol, one that could prove pivotal to
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the same quality of food at the same price. Victor Papa, president of the Two Bridges Neighborhood Council, created the NeighborFood grocery guide last year for residents to help them find smaller affordable stores around the area. But affordable food is only one of the concerns residents cite about changes in a neighborhood that has proudly embraced its status as an often-popular, if gritty,
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
26-4 In Brief
OLD CLASHES WITH THE NEW IN TWO BRIDGES DEVELOPMENT
FEBRUARY - MARCH
the always fractious relationship between City Hall and the Capitol. Democrat Sheldon Silver - long the city’s key advocate, particularly for residents of the Lower East Side - is out as Assembly speaker, consumed by a corruption scandal. New Speaker Carl Heastie of the Bronx could be a formidable ally for de Blasio, but his leadership is untested. While they profess their friendship, the mayor and Gov. Andrew Cuomo often don’t see eye to eye. De Blasio’s relations with Senate Republican leaders are even frostier, with many in the GOP linking de
Blasio to an agenda that they see as too liberal, too expensive and too urban. The tension isn’t new. Albany has long been the arena for bruising sparring between mayors, lawmakers and governors contending for power, influence and budget allocations. The stakes this year may be especially big - not only for the city but for de Blasio, Cuomo and Heastie. The state laws governing the city’s rent stabilization rules are set to expire in June. The rules regulate the rents of 1 million apartments occupied by more than 2 million city residents. Lawmakers could vote to strengthen, weaken, or simply renew the rules _ which to progressives like de Blasio represent a key way of ensuring the city
City officials rolled out an unusually ambitious plan to tackle pedestrian traffic deaths in the city. The plan, outlined by Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg and Police Commissioner William Bratton, targets dozens of areas and intersections that account for a disproportionate number of fatalities, and proposes street sign, enforcement and engineering solutions to make them safer. The hope is that by zeroing in on trouble spots -- similar to how the NYPD used data to focus its efforts on highcrime areas -- some progress can finally be made. That’s the good news. What’s depressing is that, in laying out its plan, the city is forced to chronicle the scale of a problem that is worse in Manhattan than in any other borough. Nationwide, for instance, pedestrians account for about 14 percent of all traffic fatalities. In Manhattan, the number is 58 percent, and as high as 73 percent in walking-centric areas like midtown. Even worse: while seniors account for only 14 percent of Manhattan’s population, they represent 41 percent of its pedestrian fatalities, an astonishing disparity. “Over the past 30 years, we have made tremendous progress in traffic safety,” Trottenberg and Bratton write in their introduction. “Motor vehicles, however, continue to seriously injure or kill a New Yorker about every two hours.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
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2 Our Town Downtown FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015
WHAT’S MAKING NEWS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD COP FINALLY GETS BENEFITS AFTER WORKING AT GROUND ZERO Annmarie Sheldon, a police officer who was at Ground Zero on Sept. 11, 2001 and for weeks after the attack on the Twin Towers, finally won disability retirement benefits after a seven-year fight with the NYPD, according to the New York Post. Sheldon, 41, was exposed to burning metal at the site and later tested positive for heavy metal poisoning and, eventually, also for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. A five-judge appeal panel changed Sheldon’s status with her applications
after being denied twice by the NYPD’s medical board. Sheldon will receive $2,500 dollars a month in addition to her pension. New York Post
MIRROR FALLS OFF WALL AT SOHO RESTAURANT A large mirror fell off the wall at Balthazar restaurant and injured one person. The mirror toppled onto diners at Balthazar, a French brasserie in Soho, on during breakfast time Friday, Feb. 20th. A spokesman for the Fire Department of New York said one person was transported to Bellevue Hospital with minor
injuries following the incident, about 10 a.m.. The restaurant declined to comment. AP
COURT: NO INFLATION PAY FOR MADOFF VICTIMS A federal appeals court ruled that thousands of victims of Bernard Madoff’s multibilliondollar fraud are not entitled to interest or inflation when they get a share of recovered funds. The Securities and Exchange Commission said publicly in 2009 and again before a bankruptcy judge that Madoff’s victims should get an inflation adjustment. But the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said that was inconsistent with the SEC’s position in other cases. The SEC declined to comment on the ruling, issued Feb. 20th. Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison in North Carolina for presiding over a Ponzi scheme that cost investors about $20 billion over several decades. AP
NYPD SEEKS BRAZEN ATM THIEVES
The New York Police Department is looking for a gang of brazen thieves who have stolen at least 73 ATMs from around the city. Police say the group struck first in 2013. The thieves have used crowbars and other tools to yank the doors off the cash machines. They have robbed ATMs in every borough except Staten Island. The New York Post reports that the gang struck last week at a midtown Manhattan ATM that’s right around the corner from a police station. The thieves struck a pizzeria in the West Village on the same day. Nineteen stolen cars have been used in the thefts. The cars are often abandoned nearby afterward. New York Post
HOMELAND SECURITY CHIEF: GIULIANI’S WORDS ARE “REGRETTABLE” Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson says he’s disappointed in former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani for saying he doesn’t think President Barack Obama loves the United
States. Johnson tells CNN’s “State of the Union” that Giuliani’s words are “very regrettable.” Johnson notes that he was once hired by fellow New Yorker Giuliani as a federal prosecutor and that more recently, the two visited fire stations and police precincts in Lower Manhattan on the Sept. 11 anniversary. Johnson says he’s admired Giuliani’s response to the 2001 attacks but says he’s sorry to see the former mayor make his recent statements. At an event in New York last week, Giuliani said: “I know this is a horrible thing to say, but I do not believe that the president loves America.” AP
NY KEEPS SPENDING MORE ON AGING HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES New York has steadily increased spending on highways and bridges over the past decade, including more federal funds in the past five years while that support lagged in most states, according to federal data analyzed by The Associated Press.
Total state spending on its aging highway system rose from $6.6 billion in 2003 to $8.5 billion in 2013. That includes construction, maintenance, administration, bond payments, grants to municipalities, law enforcement and safety. That’s up 29 percent over the decade, though only 2 percent when adjusting for inflation. Meanwhile, Federal Highway Trust Fund outlays to New York rose from $1.6 billion to $2 billion. That aid was up 21 percent for the decade and also up 11 percent the last five years compared with an overall national drop of 7.3 percent. New York was one of only two states that saw an increase in inflation-adjusted federal highway money during that span. Now the Cuomo administration proposes boosting infrastructure spending in the fiscal year that starts April 1. Budget plans include a $3.5 billion Transportation Department capital program and using $1.285 billion from windfall bank settlements for Thruway investments, including the new Tappan Zee Bridge. AP
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DIVERSITY SERIES: REMEMBERING, REFLECTING, RECONCILING
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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.
Admission: $20, at door; $15, seniors/students.
Save $5 when ordered in advance. Tickets available at www.MarbleChurch.org/Yungchen or contact Siobhan Tull, STull@MarbleChurch.org. Dr. Michael B. Brown, Senior Minister 1 West 29th St. NYC, NY 10001 (212) 686-2770 www.MarbleChurch.org
projectevergreen.org (877) 758-4835
FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 3
CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG
EX-NY ASSEMBLY SPEAKER SHELDON SILVER INDICTED ON 3 CHARGES Former New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was indicted Thursday on three charges after his arrest in a federal bribery case. The indictment was returned in Manhattan federal court, where he appeared brieďŹ&#x201A;y last month when he was freed on bail just a day after sharing the stage with Gov. Andrew Cuomo during his State of the State address. The indictment doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t add to the charges against Silver when he was arrested, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a critical step that provides a legal roadmap for prosecutorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; presentation of evidence at trial. Two conspiracy charges contained in a criminal complaint were not included in the indictment, though no explanation was offered. Silver will now have to enter a plea at an arraignment scheduled for Tuesday to charges that include two forms of honest services fraud, plus extor-
STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 1st Precinct for Feb. 9 to Feb. 15 Week to Date
Year to Date
2015 2014
% Change
2015
2014 % Change
Murder
0
0
n/a
0
0
n/a
Rape
0
0
n/a
0
1
-100
Robbery
0
0
n/a
4
4
0
Felony Assault
2
1
100
5
13
-61.5
Burglary
1
3
-66.7
21
18
16.7
Grand Larceny
12
18
-33.3
92
104
-11.5
Grand Larceny Auto
1
0
n/a
1
1
0
tion under the color of official duties. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our client is not guilty. We can now begin to fight for his total vindication. We intend to do that ďŹ ghting where it should be done -- in court,â&#x20AC;? Silverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lawyers, Joel Cohen and Steve Molo, said in a statement. Silver has said he is conďŹ dent he will be exonerated.
Silverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arrest came after he had led the Assembly for over 20 years, becoming one of the most powerful and savvy figures in New York state politics. But prosecutors said there was a dark side to his reputation as a potent backroom operator who played a major role in state budgets and laws, controlling which lawmakers
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sat on which committees and what bills got a vote. The government said he had collected nearly $4 million in bribes and kickbacks since 2002 and disguised the proceeds as legitimate income. The Democrat has since resigned as speaker but has said he intends to keep his Assembly seat.
EX-SUBURBAN NEW YORK POLICE OFFICER, 2 DAUGHTERS FOUND DEAD A retired suburban New York police officer and his two teenage daughters were found dead at their home Saturday afternoon in what police are calling â&#x20AC;&#x153;an unfathomable tragedy.â&#x20AC;? Police responded about 3:50 p.m. to a report of â&#x20AC;&#x153;a suspicious incidentâ&#x20AC;? at the residence in the Westchester County village of Harrison, about 20 miles northeast of Manhattan, Harrison Police Chief Anthony Marraccini said in a videotaped interview at the scene, posted on The Journal News. Marraccini did not provide any details on the circumstances surrounding the deaths. He said police found Glen Hochman, 52, and two teenage girls dead. He said police donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe Hochmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife and the coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest daughter were home at the time of the deaths. The White Plains police de-
partment, where Hochman had worked for 22 years before retiring recently, also provided no information on the circumstances surrounding the three deaths. White Plains Police Commissioner David Chong said in a statement: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The department is shocked and horrified by the news of this unfathomable tragedy. We can only pray for the family. Officer Hochman served this department and the city of White Plains with honor and integrity.â&#x20AC;? Hochman last year won his departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life-saving award for keeping an unresponsive man alive until paramedics arrived. On the Harrison Central School District website, Superintendent Louis N. Wool said the district mourns the deaths of high school senior Alissa Hochman and her younger sister Deanna Hochman â&#x20AC;&#x153;both lost to incomprehensible tragedy.â&#x20AC;? Neighbors of the Hochmans described the family as kind and helpful. Howard Hollander told The Journal News that Alissa once worked at Powell Catering in Harrison. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were both sweet girls,â&#x20AC;? Hollander said.
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ACTIVISTS TAKE AIM AT SHADOWS Activists are hoping to get zoning changes for the area around Central Park South to prevent more mega-towers from being built. Photo by Megan Bungeroth
The Committee for Environmentally Sound Development has launched a fight against mega-towers that would cast more shadows on Central Park BY MEGAN BUNGEROTH
Olive Freud is rallying the community again, and the activist is willing to do whatever it takes – including following the lead of the late icon and preservation advocate Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis – to call attention to her cause. In 1987, Onassis teamed up with the Municipal Art Society and joined with over 800 fellow New Yorkers to demonstrate against office towers planned for Columbus Circle. To show the potential effect of the proposed 68- and 58-story buildings, the protestors, stretching from Columbus Circle to Fifth Avenue, opened hundreds of black umbrellas in a wave, symbolizing the shadows that would engulf the south end of Central Park. “One would hope that the city would act as protector of sun and light and clean air and space and parkland,” Onassis said at the time. “Those elements are essential to combat
THE PETITION The Committee for Environmentally Sound Development is sending a petition out to people in Manhattan asking for their support in a campaign to stop mega-development near Central Park. Its demands are: 1. Limit height. 2. Requare an Environmental Impact Study on buildings over 25 stories (no as-ofright). 3. Consider existing density and congestion on neighborhood streets. 4. Require operable windows. 5. Adhere to the Public Trust and Open Space Doctrine 6. Prohibit tall residential buildings in low-lying areas subject to sea rise and storm surges. 7. Contain a Sunshine Clause that prohibits shadows in parks caused by new development. 8. Designate landmarkworthy sites and ensure contextual zoning in Historic Districts.
the stress of urban life.” While Onassis and her fellow activists succeeded in bringing attention to their cause and ultimately limiting the scope of the buildings, it’s clear that hers was only the first volley in an ongoing fight to preserve the city’s public spaces. Now Freud, who lives on the Upper West Side and serves are president of the Committee for Environmentally Sound Development, is prepared to take up the mantle, and said she’s thinking of recreating the umbrella stunt. She’s successfully led grassroots campaigns against what she and fellow advocates single out as irresponsible – and, she says, sometimes illegal – development. Her latest victory, which she shared with fellow West Sider Cleo Dana and parks advocate Geoffrey Croft, among others, came when Fashion Week was escorted out of tiny Damrosch Park in Lincoln Center. The city agreed to settle the lawsuit brought by Freud and her allies when it became clear to a judge that the city’s agreement with the organizers of Fashion Week violated a state law protecting park space. Now Freud is taking aim at the more nebulous but no less urgent matter of shadows, and the gargantuan buildings casting them into Central Park. While she’s not the first person to gripe about the effects the current and planned mega-towers in midtown, Freud wants to muster robust support and get major zoning changes approved. Many critics have focused on the skyhigh prices these condo units fetch – many cost tens of millions of dollars – creating pock-
ets of mega-wealthy residents. Freud, though, seeks to stir outrage against the environmental effects of the buildings themselves. “Developers want to build and the mayor wants more housing. There isn’t anybody who seems to be thinking about the environment,” Freud said. “When you put one of these buildings in, all these trucks have to come through. [There’s an impact on] traffic, infrastructure, sewers, the garbage system. Nobody talks about that. The developers run this city, there’s no doubt about it.” Freud hopes that focusing on the environmental impacts – of congestion, traffic, noise, diminished sunlight – generated by the towers will draw enough support to push city officials to alter zoning regulations that allow many of these residential buildings to be built without a public review process. “There’s a strong element in this city that doesn’t like what’s going on [with these developments],” Freud said. “I think you can catch people’s eyes and attention with the shadows.” While the shadows may certainly affect people’s enjoyment of the park, a spokesperson for the Central Park Conservancy said that current and future shadows cast by buildings would have no negative effect on flora and fauna. On a recent frigid weekday afternoon in the park, several people said they don’t much notice particular shadows from buildings, but would still be in favor of limiting development around the park. The full petition (see side-
bar) includes eight specific demands and asks that people sign and forward it to their appropriate city councilperson – Dan Garodnick on the East Side and Helen Rosenthal on the West Side – or to Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. Kate Wood, president of the preservation group Landmark West and a signatory of the petition, said that many people in the city don’t realize that these super-tall towers can be built as-of-right, which is why it’s important to draw attention to the issue before construction starts. “What we’re seeing now is an unprecedented scale of development in the city, and what some people thought was confined to midtown in terms of mega-development is beginning its creep up the Upper West Side,” Wood said. Wood pointed to a pair of 400-foot high residential towers built on Broadway between 99th and 100th streets, in 2007. The Ariel East and West towers, as they were called by developer Extell, shocked nearby residents so much that they rallied for local zoning changes to limit the height allowance on Broadway, and got them. Activists are now hoping to stir up the same outrage and action to get results for the whole of Manhattan, before more towers are built. “This is really a grassroots effort of citizens who want to save their city,” Freud said. For more information on the petition and the campaign, contact Olive Freud at 212-877-4394 or elfreud@aol.com.
FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 5
OLD CLASHES WITH THE NEW IN TWO BRIDGES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 magnet for immigrants, first from Europe, then Latin America, and now China. In 2003, the Two Bridges Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Now, residents fear the loss of other affordable retailers and services, as the neighborhood moves upscale, and the erosion of the area’s historic feel. Because the Extell property is deemed an as-of-right development, residents have no guarantee that their suggestions will be considered. “We know they’re as of right and we understand that, but there still can be some political pressure placed on these developers because they’re getting tax breaks to build this,” said resident Trever Holland. Other residents said the development of 250 South Street, combined with plans announced for a separate, affordable-housing tower next door, at 239 Cherry Street, will strain transit infrastruc-
ture in the area, which already is limited to the F train and the M15 bus. Many of the residents are hoping to voice their concerns through the various community organizations they are part of, in addition to their shared group, TUFF-LES, or Tenants Fighting For Lower East Side. Resident Vayalateena Jones said it is hard to make one problem a priority when developments are happening so quickly. “How do you pick one? It’s all happening at the same time so It’s like while we’re organizing and this is happening and you need to have a voice right now,” she said. Jones says although working as a group is beneficial, residents voicing their opinions individually adds power to the cause. Jones also explained that community organizations sometimes have trouble getting attention for their causes, at a time when so many similar projects are popping up around the city. “We are a resident group so we’re not a group that’s seeking funding as much as we’re seeking to keep our apartments,” she said.
DE BLASIO IN ALBANY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 remains affordable at all income levels. De Blasio also supports letting New York City raise its minimum wage to $13. Cuomo has suggested raising the statewide minimum to $10.50 and letting the city raise it to $11.50. Republicans have dismissed de Blasio’s proposed increase as too large and a Cuomo spokeswoman called it a ``non-starter.’’ Affordable housing is another top de Blasio priority likely to be featured in his address to lawmakers Wednesday. His vision focuses on Sunnyside Yards, a 200-acre rail yard in Queens where de Blasio wants to put thousands of affordable housing units. The idea got a cold reception from Cuomo. De Blasio and Cuomo may also be at odds over Cuomo’s proposed educational reforms, which include allowing more charter schools in New York City and an overhaul of the teacher evaluation and tenure system. Last year, the governor and mayor clashed over de Blasio’s plan for universal prekindergarten. In the fall Cuomo instituted a new Ebola quarantine policy for the city’s airports - without
telling the mayor. Last month Cuomo gave the mayor a few minutes’ notice before he announced an unprecedented shut down city subways in advance of an approaching snow storm. Despite Cuomo’s occasional cold shoulder, de Blasio endorsed Cuomo’s re-election bid last year and worked to mend the governor’s damaged ties to the Democratic left. But the frequent roadblocks imposed by the governor have made de Blasio’s team resolved to be less conciliatory and deferential in this year’s budget process, according to City Hall officials. De Blasio may have a new ally in Heastie, who was elected Speaker this month after Silver resigned following charges that he took nearly $4 million in kickbacks and payoffs. Heastie said he has to represent the interests of the entire state, but acknowledged that ``a large number’’ of the Assembly’s Democratic majority comes from the city. ``It’s always been the Assembly Democrats who make sure the city of New York - and the rest of the state - are looked after,’’ Heastie said. Jonathan Lemire contributed to this report.
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Workers Need Opportunity, Not Credit Check Roadblocks Stuart Appelbaum, President Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union
F
ar too many New Yorkers are struggling to survive, and are desperate for jobs so they can support themselves and their families. But nowadays, applying for a job can mean an invasive credit check, and prospective employment can hinge on an applicant’s credit history. It’s not only an invasion of privacy, it’s a form of discrimination that affects job-seekers in black and Latino communities. And, it perpetuates a cycle of unemployment, poverty, and debt. By tying job applicants’ hopes to their credit history, those who need employment the most are being denied the opportunity to build better lives. That’s why there is legislation currently being considered by the New York City Council that would ban credit checks on job applicants by employers. It has strong support in the City Council, and it has our support as well. Banning credit checks across all industries, without exemptions except where required by law, would be a key move in helping build stronger communities and reducing unemployment. Credit history doesn’t determine job performance, and it isn’t a true arbiter on whether or not someone will be a good or trustworthy employee. Just having debt can lower someone’s credit score – whether it was accrued to pay for an education, medical bills, or unforeseen events. Debt Credit checks on is a part of life for many of us, and it’s not fair to hold that job applicants against people who are trying are an invasion to get a job. Denying people who are trying to repay their of privacy and debts the opportunity to often a form of work defies logic.
“
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discrimination. With the current crisis of income inequality and the need to make our economy work again for working people, the last thing working people need is to be slammed by credit checks from potential employers. New York has been a place of opportunity, hope and upward mobility for generations. By passing credit check legislation, we can help keep it that way. :H DUH D SURXG PHPEHU RI WKH $VVRFLDWHG 3UHVV DQG WKH 1DWLRQDO 1HZVSDSHU $VVRFLDWLRQ
Denying people who are trying to repay their debts the opportunity to work defies logic. Visit us on the web at:
www.rwdsu.org
6 Our Town Downtown FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015
Out & About More Events. Add Your Own: Go to otdowntown.com
BE THE NEW YORKER WHO REALLY DOES KNOW IT ALL.
A LECTURE SERIES PRESENTED BY THE LAURA AND ISAAC PERLMUTTER CANCER CENTER. WEBINAR: RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY OPTIONS FOR WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER. Breast reconstruction can help restore the look and feel of the breast after mastectomy. Learn the facts about the many surgical options available. In collaboration with SHARE: Self-Help for Women with Breast or Ovarian Cancer. Date: Friday, March 6, 1:00pm – 2:00pm. Presenters: Deborah Axelrod, MD, FACS; Jamie Levine, MD. Info: For more information and registration, please visit bit.ly/SHAREreconstruction
UNDERSTANDING YOUR RISK OF DEVELOPING A SECOND CANCER. The American Society of Clinical Oncology has indicated that second cancers occur much more frequently, representing 19% of all new cancer diagnoses. This lecture will look at both pediatric and adult cancers, strategies to reduce a recurrence, and how a second cancer is treated differently. Survivors will share their stories. Date: Tuesday, March 10, 6:00pm – 7:30pm. Presenters: Sharon Gardner, MD; Marleen Meyers, MD. Location: NYU Langone Medical Center. 550 First Avenue at 31st Street. Alumni Hall B.
Info: To attend call 212.263.2266 or visit nyulmc.org/cancer-rsvp
These lectures are free and open to the public, but you must RSVP. View past lectures at youtube.com/nyulmc
27 I CAN LOVE YOU BETTER Shin Gallery, 322 Grand St. and Allen St. 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Kenny Rivero showcases recent paintings and sculptures in a solo show. 212-868-0190. www.shingallery.com/exhibitions.php
NEIGHBORHOOD MOVIE NIGHTS AT ST. PAUL’S St. Paul’s Chapel, Broadway and Fulton St. 7-9 p.m., Free and open to the public. Once a month, St. Paul’s Chapel hosts free Friday night movies.
212-575-4545. http://www. trinitywallstreet.org/events/
28 BENJAMIN FREDRICKSON Daniel Cooney Fine Art, 508 W. 26th St. 11 a.m., Free. This series uses the artist’s candid Polaroids to explore the male sex industry in the Midwest. 212-255-8158. danielcooneyfineart.com
HARLEM IS... THEATER NY Library of Performing Arts - Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman center, 40 Lincoln Center Plaza and 66th St. 12-7 p.m., Free. This multimedia exhibition illustrates 200 years of black theatre in Harlem. Memorabilia, photos and film will take you back to the 1960s explosion of black theatre productions. 917-275-6975. www.nypl. org/events/exhibitions/harlemtheater ◄
1 DISGRACED GREENWICH VILLAGE ORCHESTRA CONCERT Washington Irving High School Auditorium, 40 Irving Pl. and 17th St. 3 p.m., $15. The Greenwich Village Orchestra will perform Mahler’s Symphony No. 5. Barbara Yahr conducts. 646-341-0993. www.gvo. org
HAYES GREENFIELD GIVE ME SOUND 13th Street Repertory Theatre, 50 West 13th St. and Union Square. 11 a.m.-12 p.m., $15. Children ages 3-7 years old will enjoy this interactive show of imaginative sound sculptures. 212-868-0190. www.13thstreetrep.org/
2
FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 7
Need Help Paying For Your Medicare Costs?
▲ MICHELE PRED: CHOICE Nancy Hoffman Chelsea Gallery, 520 West 27th St. Dr. between 10th and 11th Ave. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Pred’s art explores how the personal is political. 212-868-0190. www. nancyhoffmangallery.com
◄ BIG PONY SHOW Leftfield, 87 Ludlow St., between Broome and Delancey sts. 8 p.m. Comedians Molly Austin, Mike Brown (Adult Swim), Rojo Perez (NYCF) and Shak Standley (MTV) take the stage. 212-677-1100. www. bigponyshow.tumblr.com
3 COMMUNITY BOARD 7 NEGIN SHARFIZADEH: STORY OF A CURSE Soho 20 Chelsea Gallery, 548 W. 28th St. and 10th Ave. 5-8 p.m. Sharfizadeh’s exhibit, inspired by her relationship with her mother, explores the theme of motherhood. 212-367-8994. www.soho20gallery. com/
through fun experiments. This week, kids will make a lemon battery. 212-673-6344. www.nypl.org/events/ calendar?location=15
4 BAYSIDE THE MUSICAL Theatre 80, 80 St. Marks Pl. between First and Second aves. 8 p.m., $45. Take a trip back to the 90’s with this musical, a spin off of TV show “Saved By the Bell.” 212-388-0388. www. baysidethemusical.com
▼ PURIM CARNIVAL West End Synagogue, 190 Amsterdam Ave. and 69th ST. 5-8 p.m., $5 for 10 tickets, $10 for 10 tickets at the door. Come celebrate Purim with this fun carnival. Buy tickets in advance to participate in games and enjoy events. 212-579-0777. www. westendsynagogue.org
5 QUIT THE ROAD, JACK TheaterLab, 355-357 West 36th Street. 8 a.m., $18. Two parents search for their runaway son and run into North American Free Trade Agreement issues. By Jerry Polner, whose comedy is frequently seen in NYC. Directed by Jonathan Warman. 718-965-0486.
JAZZ CONCERT AND CD RELEASE PARTY: MARK WADE TRIO Somethin’ Jazz Club, 212 E. 52nd St., Third Fl. 7-8:30 p.m., $12 cover (cash only). The Mark Wade Trio - (Wade, bass; Tim Harrison, piano; Scott Neumann, drums) performs selections from the critically acclaimed debut CD “Event Horizon,” featuring Wade’s jazz compositions. 212-371-7657. www. markwademusicny.com
We can help you apply for programs that may help you save money on prescription drugs and other Medicare costs. Our experienced HIICAP counselors are available by appointment or telephone for free Medicare counseling.
For more information call 311 and ask for “HIICAP” or visit our website www.nyc.gov/aging
SCIENCE EXPERIMENT FOR KIDS Chatham Square Library, 33 E. Broadway and Madison St. 3:30 p.m., Free with admission. Come to Chatham Square to learn some basic science
Department for the Aging
8 Our Town Downtown FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015
Voices
Write to us: To share your thoughts and comments go to otdowntown.com and click on submit a letter to the editor.
LETTER
MORE SUPPORT FOR THE HOMELESS To the Editor: I am a 10-year-old Girl Scout and I read your article, “Helping the Homeless.” I think that what DHS is doing about homeless people is a very good idea. A call that could take less than five minutes but possibly save a life is something that more people should be doing each day, especially considering the amount of individuals and families that are homeless. Our leaders (the mayor, the city council, the government) could get involved only by publishing, posting, or televising ANYTHING about this issue. Our leaders should help or join DHS and publicize it. As long as we get more people to help, lives coud be spared and there wouldn’t be such a staggering amount of homeless individuals in New York City. Clementine, Girl Scout Troop 3463
Left to right, Loren Pretsfelder, Phoebe Rice and Chloe Trentalancia.
IN FAVOR OF STREET ART To the Editor: We are fourth graders. We are from Girls Scouts troop #3463. We just read the article “Transforming Streets Into Gallieries.” We think:
* Public art is cool because the community gets to see what the artist chose to paint * It tells people about the neighborhood * It’s no money, totally free
* A plain wall can be turned into a masterpiece In conclusion, because of these reasons, we support the 100 Gates project and we are glad that the city just gave $30,000.
We hope the project continues to get support from more people in more communities. Loren (Pretsfelder), Phoebe (Rice) and Chloe (Trentalancia)
STRAUS MEDIA-MANHATTAN President, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com Vice President/CFO Otilia Bertolotti Vice President/CRO Vincent A. Gardino advertising@strausnews.com
Associate Publishers, Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth
Sr. Account Executive, Tania Cade Account Executive Fred Almonte, 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
FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 9
www.otdowntown.com Your Neighborhood News
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10 Our Town Downtown FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015
DUBUFFET’S EARLY, EARTHY WORKS EXHIBITIONS A new, ground-up view of the artist at MoMA BY MARY GREGORY
We in New York have been lucky to have had ample opportunities to get to know the work of Jean Dubuffet. The French artist’s monumental sculptures have been on public display many times throughout the city. Chase Manhattan Plaza, downtown, is home to Four Trees, a permanent exhibit of an enormous black and white representation of abstracted trees that give the sense of almost drawings or paper cut-outs. Late in his career, starting in the 1960’s, Dubuffet created a series of works he titled “L’Hourloupe.” They’re distinctive, flattened, cartoonish visions of an imagined reality. Comprised of black outlined shapes, filled with white and sometimes patches of red or blue, they’re bright and bold. The Museum of Modern Art is presenting a whole different view of Dubuffet, and it’s one that may surprise many visitors. Dubuffet’s earlier work was quite different. Senior curator of prints and drawings, Jodi Hauptman, and associate curator, Sarah Suzuki, have drawn together a fascinating group from the museum’s own collection that show the depth and complexity of Dubuffet’s vision, focusing on works from the 1940s and 50s. In these paintings, drawings, lithographs and sculptures one senses tremendous energy, creativity and imagination, along with a good sized dose of irreverence and humor. Perhaps the most striking thing, though, is to witness the artist’s incredibly inventive use of materials. Dubuffet experimented relentlessly. He pushed the envelope on how to make art. In the works in Soul of the Underground, Dubuffet gave new meaning to the word “earthy.” He made pictures built of leaves and dirt, sand and gravel, crumpled aluminum foil and lots of other unidentifiable
bits of detritus. The truly astonishing thing, though, is how beautifully they compose into serious works of art. Soil Ornamented with Vegetation, Dead Leaves, Pebbles, Diverse Debris, a 1956 work of oil and all of the above on canvas, is a complex and lyrical abstraction, on par with works being done by contemporaries like Jackson Pollock, Mark Tobey, or Cy Twombly. It’s a classic example of all-over painting, in which foreground, background and perspective are abandoned, and a calligraphic, flattened abstraction fills the frame. It’s worth putting your nose as close as you can to see what went into the making of these uniquely creative works. Dubuffet wrote, “Art must be born from the material,” and his materials were integral to his art. He mixed dirt and sand into his paints and then gouged into them with palette knives and brush handles, as did Rembrandt a few hundred years earlier. But, where Rembrandt sought to create a perfect image of reality, Dubuffet was after the thing, itself. His landscapes are created from pieces of land. They’re plowed and planted with the very elements they depict – soil, twigs and leaves. Dubuffet’s art was constantly challenging notions of beauty. His portraits, of which there are several in the exhibition, are filled with exaggerations, grotesqueness, and wit. Portrait of Henri Michaux, made of oil, putty, pebbles, and sand on canvas, shows the face of a man dwarfed by his ears. His buttons define his body and arms and hands swerve wildly about him. Another portrait, Carrot Nose, is even funnier than it sounds. In a series of lithographs, in which Dubuffet also introduced astonishing innovations in material, a charming little bird perches atop a wall of massive squares, and hilarious faces peek out from behind beards run amok. They show the artist’s interest in both surrealism and naïve art, or as he termed it, “Art Brut.” The pieces in the exhibition have a an undeniable roughness to them, as
Jean Dubuffet (French, 1901–1985).Bird Perched on the Corner of the Wall (Angle de mur à l’oiseau perché). 1945.Lithograph, sheet: 14 3/8 x 11 in. (36.5 x 27.9 cm)The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph F. Colin, 1965.©2014 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York /ADAGP, Paris.Photograph by Thomas Griese Dubuffet tried to bring across his vision through the materials he thought best expressed it. “Mud, rubbish and dirt are man’s companions all his life; shouldn’t they be precious to him, and isn’t one doing man a service to remind him of their beauty?” he once asked. It was through these rough elements that Dubuffet created remarkable things.
In Soul of the Underground, MoMA’s exquisite exhibition, Hauptman and Suzuki have revealed the soul of the artist. He was constantly challenging, questioning, and, they point out, provoking. But it was always a kind eye, one feels, that he turned on his subjects. They may be rough, but they’re lovingly presented and always with warmth and humor.
The exhibition runs through April 5th. See it by yourself or with an adult and you may see a wrinkled brow, as schools and influences and materiality all raise questions. But a child, through whose language the works seem to speak—or the child within you—is more likely to react with a smile.
5 TOP
FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 11
The Mirror Visions Ensemble The Mirror Visions Ensemble
FOR THE WEEK
SubCulture
BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO
45 Bleecker Street, downstairs
OUR ARTS EDITOR
GALLERIES
Dual photography and painting exhibitions at separate Gagosian galleries explore the private world of artist’s studios. At the Chelsea gallery, paintings from the mid16th through 20th centuries depict studio spaces and the relationships between models and artists, with work by Thomas Eakins, Pablo Picasso, Diego Rivera and nearly 40 additional artists. Uptown, more than 150 photographs, including work by Cindy Sherman and fashion and portrait photographer Richard Avedon, uncover the intimate nature of the studio setting, as well THOMAS EAKINS as the aesthetics of a space that is both William Rush Carving His Allegorical Figure of the Schuylkill River, 1876–77 professional and domestic. Through April 18 Gagosian Gallery 980 Madison Avenue and 522 West 21st Street Gallery hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. FREE
MUSIC NYU SYMPHONY Berlin-born conductor Jens Georg Bachmann leads the New York University Symphony Orchestra with a program that includes NYU graduate student Weiwei Miao’s original composition “Inksplash,”which won the school’s 2015 orchestral composition competition, as well as scores performed to film. The orchestra closes with a rendition of Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite.” Friday, Feb. 27 Symphony Space 2537 Broadway at 95th Street 8 p.m. FREE
ROMANTIC PIANO QUARTETS Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s artistic directors, cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han, reunite with violinist Daniel Hope and violist Paul Neubauer for a program of both bright and frenetic quartets by Mahler, Schumann and Brahms. The group will tour the program following its Lincoln Center engagements. March 1 and March 3 Lincoln Center Alice Tully Hall, Starr Theater 1941 Broadway, on 65th Street 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets $30-$82
KIDS ELSA AT THE STRAND
As temperatures flirt with negative integers and snow blankets the Northeast, Princess Elsa from Walt Disney Pictures’ 2013 blockbuster phenomenon “Frozen” blows into Strand Books for a meet-and-greet, read-aloud and craft hour with her young fans, before the city thaws out. Feb. 28 and March 1 Strand Books 828 Broadway at 12th Street 2 p.m.-3 p.m. FREE
THEATER SCREENING OF “DAMES OF BROADWAY” WITH KRISTIN CHENOWETH In a screening of an original show developed for Lincoln Center, Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the role of Glinda in “Wicked” and also had turns in television’s “The West Wing” and “Glee,” pays tribute to Broadway’s female show-stoppers—and recounts her own trials as a hustling actress. Following the screening, theater critic and historian Peter Filichia discusses the roles for women in theater. Thursday, March 5 Jefferson Market Library 425 Avenue of the Americas, at W. 10th Street 6:30 p.m. FREE To be included in the Top 5 go to otdowntown.com and click on submit a press release or announcement.
Tuesday, March 10 at 7:30pm $20 (GA), $15 (students) www.mirrorvisions.org www.subculturenewyork.com
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“IN THE STUDIO”
12 2 Our Tow To T Town own wn D Downtown FEBRUARY owntown FEBRUAR 26-MARCH 4 ,2015 ow
Food & Drink
< FOOD NETWORK STAR INA GARTEN SUES FOOD COMPANY FOR SELLING LOOK ALIKE PRODUCTS Ina Garten, the host of Food Network’s show “Barefoot Contessa,” filed a lawsuit against California food company OFI Imports, Inc. for selling unauthorized frozen dinners that resemble Garten’s brand of frozen prepared foods, Newsday reported. Garten, who hosts her cooking show from her home in East
In Brief YELP SUING STARTUP Earlier this month, Yelp filed a civil lawsuit against Los Angeles-based startup Revleap, Ars Technica reported. The startup claims that it can help businesses earn positive Yelp reviews while deterring negative feedback, which prompted Yelp’s vice president of communications Vince Sollitto to announce the suit in a blog post, stating that the company is “taking a stand to protect business owners from falling prey to these misleading companies...” The suit, which accuses Revleap of a host of infringements including trademark violation and breach of contract, suggests that the startup uses software that helps businesses generate positive reviews. Sollitto’s post also suggests that Revleap solicits a business’ customers for positive reviews by enticing them with gift cards. Since Yelp’s lawsuit hit, Revleap has launched a crowdsourcing campaign on GoFundMe in an attempt to raise $100,000 for legal fees.
MEATBALL SHOP NOW OFFERING DELIVERY
Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow’s popular chain the Meatball Shop, previously only an eat-in and take-out operation, now offers delivery options for its meatballs and fixins, Bowery Boogie reports. The restaurateurs announced on the Meatball Shop’s web page on Feb. 19 that couch-bound diners can now order online through food delivery service Caviar, which features user-friendly photographs of each menu option on its site, and can pre-order large platters of meatballs, sliders, cookies and sides for entertaining. Delivery is available from all five Manhattan outposts, which includes its Ninth Avenue and W. 22 Street location in Chelsea and its Greenwich Avenue spot in the West Village.
Hampton, filed the suit with the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, claiming that OFI failed to stop selling its look-alike products once she requested that the company cease sales. The look-alike frozen foods, labeled Contessa Chef Inspired, are sold in nearly identical packages to the Barefoot Contessa brand of frozen din-
ners, which prompted customers to complain to Garten’s company who said they purchased the products because they believed they were of the Barefoot Contessa line. Garten, who claims intellectual property infringement, seeks damages from OFI, including profits from the sale of its imitation products.
VEGAN SPOTS FLOURISH IN CHELSEA RESTAURANTS A handful of eateries in the neighborhood thrive with vegan-only menus BY MICKEY KRAMER
Within a span of a few blocks in Chelsea, one can savor wild mushroom risotto, zucchini rollatini, a chocolate-peanut butter shake, and Betterfinger bar (yes, a vegan Butterfinger) at one of the four all-vegan eateries only blocks apart in Chelsea. Blossom (187 Ninth Avenue between 21st and 22nd streets) will be celebrating its tenth anniversary in October. “The goal was to offer delicious vegan food in a chic setting, and to offer people the idea of considering a vegan lifestyle,” said co-owner Pamela Elizabeth. Elizabeth counts the seitan scallopini, served in a lemon caper sauce with truffle mashed potatoes and sauteed kale, and tiramisu as her favorites. On a recent Saturday during brunch hours, Ben Razavi and Donzelle Richardson enjoyed tofu florentine and the country breakfast (tofu scramble, French toast, sausage, and salad). Razavi, who eats a gluten-free, vegetarian diet, is strongly considering a vegan diet and said “going to places like this helps.” Ben Clark, who came from Brooklyn, called Blossom’s tofu BLT “the best in the city.” Blossom Du Jour (259 West 23rd St. between 7th & 8th avenues) is the “grab and go” sibling of Blossom, and outposts blanket Chelsea, midtown and the Upper West Side. “Du Jour was created out of a need for vegan quick serve and grab-and-go cafes,” Elizabeth said. Especially in New York, where so many health-conscious
people reside and work, healthy, fast food that is free of animal products needed to be available.” Beth Greenfield and her sixyear-old daughter Lula were recently lunching on the unchicken avocado wrap and a Skyscraper (soy burger with bacon, non-dairy cheese, onion rings, lettuce, tomato and special sauce). “She’d been thinking of the Skyscraper for a long time,” Greenfield said about her daughter’s sandwich of choice. She said she likes going to all-vegan restaurants because “it’s so exciting to be able to order anything on the menu.” Other menu favorites include the karmic kale wrap, and chickpea quinoa and naked burrito salads. Five years ago this month, Terri (60 West 23rd St., near 6th Ave.) opened. “I wanted to show how eating a healthier diet didn’t need to be a sacrifice,” said owner Craig Cochran. “Healthy food should not be a luxury but accessible and affordable to everyone.” MacKenzie Ogrodnick, who isn’t vegetarian or vegan, goes to Terri’s at least weekly and calls the green power smoothie her “all-time fave.” She also loves the hummus avocado and breakfast scramble wraps. Friends Daniela Flores, Caitlin Bailey, and Doug Sklar were dining there on a recent Saturday. First-timer and non-vegetarian Flores enjoyed the “very savory” Thai chicken wrap, while Sklar, who describes himself as “almost vegan” said that the quesadilla is “a little spicy but tastes great.” Baily, who’s vegetarian, said, “the Thanksgiving sandwich tastes just like ‘real’ turkey, but this way is much friendlier.” Blossom Bakery (174 Ninth Ave. between 20th and 21st streets) re-opened for retail this past fall. Along with the usual cakes,
Red velvet cupcakes from Blossom Bakery
cupcakes, cookies, and pies, the bakery recently started selling the aforementioned Betterfinger. Head baker Quinn Ventura calls it her favorite item to make, while noting the chocolate-chocolate cake as her favorite to eat. Visiting from New Jersey, Mike and Casey Easterling, along with their 20-month-old son Noel, picked up hot chocolate, red velvet cake and a harvest cookie for dessert after having brunch at Blossom across the street. “Noel loves the French toast and we talk about the tofu scramble all the time. We love it,” Casey said. In 2014, New York was named by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) as the Most-Vegan Friendly City, in part for the great influx of vegetarian and all-vegan restaurants. “It’s encouraging to see the increase of vegan places in the city,” said Terri’s general manager, Tomer Versano.
Blossom’s Elizabeth said she’s happy to see an increase in the number of vegan eateries. “I think it’s great, and it’s of course mirroring what people want.”
VEGAN EATERIES DOWNTOWN Angelica Kitchen - 300 E. 12th St. between 1st & 2nd avenues Beyond Sushi - 229 E. 14th St. between 2nd & 3rd avenues Caravan of Dreams - 405 E. 6th St. between Avenue A & 1st Ave. Quintessence - 263 E. 10th St. between Avenue A & 1st Ave. Rockin’ Raw - 171 Sullivan St., north of Houston Sacred Chow - 227 Sullivan St. between Bleecker & West 3rd streets
FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 13
RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS FEB 17, 2015
YOU READ IT HERE FIRST The local paper for the Upper East Side
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. Classic Coffee Shop
56 Hester Street
A
Wa Lung Kitchen
557 Grand Street
A
Downtown Iggy’s
132 Ludlow Street
A
Big Hing Wong Restaurant
300 Grand Street
Grade Pending (31) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
Golden Forest
353 Grand Street
A
Fools Gold
145 East Houston Street
A
Clinton Square Pizza
201 Clinton Street
A
Mazeish Grill
137 Rivington Street
A
Comfort Diner
399 Grand Street
Grade Pending (26) 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.
Charrua
131 Essex St
Grade Pending (19) 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. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
Hop Kee Restaurant
21 Mott Street
A
Giorgione
307 Spring Street
A
Max Restaurant
181 Duane Street
A
Subway
137 Hudson Street
A
12 Corners Coffee
121 Mott St
A
The Mill
75 Varick St
Not Graded Yet (18) 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.
November 5, 2014
April 17, 2014 The local paper for the Upper West Side
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
Roll And Go $1 Pizza/Black Burger
386 Canal St
A
Go Go Curry
12 John Street
Grade Pending (39) 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.
Noodle Q
2 East Broadway
Grade Pending (30) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
Ruthys Bakery & Cafe
415 West 15 Street
A
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
FI R S T I N YOU R N E I G H BO R H O O D
(212) 868-0190 The local paper for the Upper East Side
The local paper for the Upper West Side
The local paper for Downtown
14 Our Town Downtown FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015
Real Estate Sales Neighborhd
Address
Price
Bed Bath Agent
Greenwich Village
67 E 11 St.
$490,000
0
1
Bond New York
Greenwich Village
125 W 12 St.
$1,100,000
2
Greenwich Village
13 W 13 St.
$858,333
2
1
Town Residential
Battery Park City
300 RECTOR PLACE
$1,930,000
Greenwich Village
160 BLEECKER St.
$480,000
Chelsea
305 w 16th St.
$1,215,000
Greenwich Village
211 THOMPSON St.
$724,206
1
1
Halstead Property
Chelsea
165 W 18 St.
$1,795,000
Chelsea
181 7 Ave.
Chelsea
1
Douglas Elliman
1
1
Corcoran
Greenwich Village
35 W 9 St.
$1,401,000
1
1
CORE
$675,000
0
1
Douglas Elliman
Greenwich Village
45 W 11 St.
$1,305,750
2
1
Town Residential
130 W 20 St.
$1,250,000
1
1
Nestseekers
Greenwich Village
24 5 Ave.
$305,000
0
1
Keller Williams NYC
Chelsea
205 W 19 St.
$3,650,000
3
3
Corcoran
Greenwich Village
24 5 Ave.
$379,000
0
1
Barkoff Residential
Chinatown
17 ORCHARD St.
$1,775,000
2
2
Douglas Elliman
Lower E Side
210 E Broadway
$860,000
2
1
Corcoran
E Village
126 E 12 St.
$853,000
2
1
Corcoran
Lower E Side
473 FDR DRIVE
$735,000
E Village
808 BROADWAY
$1,025,000
1
2
Compass
Lower E Side
210 E Broadway
$890,000
2
1
Halstead Property
E Village
114 E 13 St.
$1,760,000
1
1
Halstead Property
Lower E Side
417 GRAND St.
$850,000
2
1
Halstead Property
E Village
333 E 14 St.
$490,000
0
1
Halstead Property
Lower E Side
210 E Broadway
$1,700,000
Financial District
15 Broad St.
$1,400,000
2
2
City Connections Realty
Lower E Side
210 E Broadway
$570,000
Financial District
15 WILLIAM St.
$1,904,127
2
2
Douglas Elliman
Lower E Side
473 FDR DRIVE
$470,000
Financial District
15 WILLIAM St.
$1,220,881
1
1
Douglas Elliman
Lower E Side
210 E Broadway
$540,000
1
1
LoHo Realty
Financial District
15 WILLIAM St.
$1,120,075
1
1
Douglas Elliman
Soho
7 WOOSTER St.
$6,000,000
3
3
Douglas Elliman
Financial District
15 WILLIAM St.
$885,877
1
1
Douglas Elliman
Soho
472 BROADWAY
$1,670,000
Financial District
15 WILLIAM St.
$1,140,000
1
1
Prodigy International
Tribeca
92 LAIGHT St.
$5,000,000
3
3
Douglas Elliman
Financial District
20 Pine St.
$760,000
0
1
Compass
Tribeca
101 LEONARD St.
$2,026,317
2
2
Douglas Elliman
Financial District
75 WALL St.
$1,275,000
1
1
Corcoran
Tribeca
50 FRANKLIN St.
$1,170,000
Financial District
40 Broad St.
$1,310,000
1
1
Corcoran
Tribeca
155 FRANKLIN St.
$5,520,000
3
2
Compass
Flatiron
30 E 22 St.
$355,000
W Chelsea
456 W 19th St.
$3,170,000
2
2
Compass
Flatiron
22 W 15 St.
$2,075,000
W Chelsea
421 W 22 St.
$661,862
Flatiron
650 6th Ave.
$2,075,000
1
2
Stribling
W Chelsea
421 W 22 St.
$610,950
Fulton/Seaport
99 JOHN St.
$1,642,500
3
3
Capital Realty Investors, Inc
W Village
33 GREENWICH Ave.
$970,000
1
1
Douglas Elliman
Gramercy Park
200 E 16 St.
$1,232,500
W Village
2 HORATIO St.
$1,500,000
1
1
Citi Habitats
Gramercy Park
305 2 Ave.
$1,425,550
1
1
Cantor and Pecorella
$1,200,000
2
1
Compass
323 E 21 St.
$390,000
1
1
Douglas Elliman
Gramercy Park
295 3 Ave.
$100
something
have
Do
StreetEasy.com is New York’s most accurate and comprehensive real estate website, providing consumers detailed sales and rental information and the tools to manage that information to make educated decisions. The site has become the reference site for consumers, real estate professionals and the media and has been widely credited with bringing transparency to one of the world’s most important real estate markets.
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FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 15
A SPECIAL PLACE FOR ADOPTED KIDS CAMP Local parents founded a camp for adopted children in honor of their late daughter, Clio BY MICKEY KRAMER
On the final day of Camp Clio’s inaugural 2012 season, campers found an eastern painted turtle hatchling – an omen that reminded the camp’s founder of her late daughter, Clio, for whom the camp is named. “Clio loved turtles,” said Sandy Kuhach, Clio’s mother. “I really believe the turtle – a rare sighting in that locale – was a sign from Clio telling us she would’ve loved the camp.” Camp Clio enriches the lives of adopted children, while offering comfort to Kuhach and Pete Axilrod, following the death of their seven-year-old adopted daughter. In August 2009, when the family was vacationing in Maine, Axilrod and Clio were swept out into the ocean as a rogue wave
ins, though, are where only adopted children, and the counselors, who are adopted as well, get to bunk and bond together. The fact that the counselors are all adopted is a big draw for Camp Clio. This unique feature always scores high marks in their end of summer survey. “These kids, nine, ten, eleven
crashed into a large group gathered CONTINUED ON PAGE 17 to view the pounding surf at Acadia National Park. Axilrod was rescued by the Coast Guard and sustained serious injuries, but Clio drowned. Soon after Clio’s passing, Kuhach considered what to do next. “You have to have something to occupy your mind after such a tragedy, and it just hit me – let’s do a camp,” she said. Clio had enjoyed two summers at a Korean culture camp – she was born in Korea – and only a week before she died had attended Camp Claire, a traditional day camp in Lyme, Connecticut. “Camp Claire would be perfect if all the kids were adopted,” Kuhach thought at the time. Camp Clio is a “camp within a camp” as it shares its 11-acre space with Camp Claire. The children participate together in kayaking, swimming, campfires, crafts, sports and more. The cab- The Camp Clio logo is based on a drawing that Clio made on her first day of first grade.
A Special Camp for the
Special Child Our Victory Day Camp Dobbs Ferry, New York Learning and/or Attention Difficulty Boys and Girls - Ages 5 to 13 Fred and Iris Tunick, Directors t 1SPGFTTJPOBM 4UBGG t 4NBMM (SPVQT NBYJNVN
t UP $BNQFS UP 4UBGG 3BUJPO t 4PDJBM 4LJMMT 1SPHSBN t 4QFDJBM 5FFO 1SPHSBN t "DBEFNJDT JG SFRVJSFE
t 5SBEJUJPOBM %BZ $BNQ "DUJWJUJFT BEBQUFE UP UIF /FFET PG 0VS $BNQFST Transportation Available From Most Areas
7 Weeks
June 29 - August 14, 2015
On Site Interview In Dobbs Ferry Required For Enrollment
For Further Information: Call: (203) 329-3394 www.ourvictory.com E-MAIL: OurVictory@aol.com
16 Our Town Downtown FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015
SCHOLARS access to success LUAT T. VUONG Assistant Professor of Physics Queens College National Science Foundation Career Award
E
very year, hundreds of thousands of students choose The City University of New York for a multitude of reasons that can be summed up as one: opportunity. Providing quality, accessible education has been CUNY’s mission since 1847, a commitment that is a source of enormous pride. The powerful combination of quality academics, remarkable affordability, financial support and 24 modern campuses spanning the five boroughs of New York – the world’s most exciting city – makes CUNY a singular value in higher education. That’s the CUNY Value. — James B. Milliken Chancellor
cuny.edu/welcome
FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 17
CAMP CLIO CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 years old, get to see kids a few years older who are cool, fun, smart, well adjusted…it’s a huge plus, and it was all Sandy’s idea,” Axilrod said. “Getting to know other people who are adopted, including the counselors, it’s been one of the best experiences of my life,” said one camper, Griffin, who’s 14 and will be a Leader in Training this year. Spence-Chapin, a New York City adoption agency that’s been operating for over a century, got involved with the camp last year. Once a week, at a picnic lunch held exclusively for the Camp Clio campers, social workers from SpenceChapin come to help provide a relaxed atmosphere for the children to explore their feelings and experiences with issues like identity and curiosity about their birth parents. Camp Clio began as a oneweek camp in 2012. “I figured, how badly could we screw up in one week?” Kuhach joked. This season will run for three weeks from June 28-July 18. Families can register for one-, two-, or three-week sessions. All the registration fees go to Camp Claire; Camp Clio relies solely on donations. Julie Shannon, whose son will be in his fourth year, calls the camp “a great opportunity for Daniel to interact with other adopted children without it being the sole focus. There are so many fun activities, but it [fellow adoptees, including counselors] is there if he needs it.” Daniel, 12, loves all the sports,
and for the upcoming summer, actually had to choose between Camp Clio and a trip to Vienna with his school chorus. “It was a tough choice as I’d love to go to Vienna, but [Camp Clio] is such an amazing experience that I want to savor every moment,” Daniel said. “When I started the camp, I did so as, ‘what kind of camp would Clio like to go to?’” said Kuhach, who mentions Carnival Night as one of her favorite moments. “Pete and I get in a
dunk tank. They love to dunk us.” Kuhach and Axilrod used Clio’s love of turtles when deciding on the camp’s logo. It features three red hearts and a turtle drawn by Clio on her first day of first grade. “The impact on the kids’ lives is obvious,” Axilrod said. “Frankly, it has worked beyond our wildest dreams.”
Ignite a lifelong passion for the arts
To register, donate, or for more information: www.CampClio.org
SUMMER ARTS CAMP June - August
SOCIAL MEDIA FOR MOMS AND DADS Want to know what your kid is reading online? Start here If you are looking to follow your teen on Facebook these days, better try Twitter or Instagram instead. “Facebook is for moms and grandma ladies,” says high school junior Kate Lattimer. “That’s where moms show their vacation pictures and grandmas show off their grandchildren.” Kate predicts that Facebook will go the way of MySpace.
“They (MySpace) tried to make a comeback but nobody was having it,” she said. Zoe Frishberg agrees that Facebook is no longer popular among young people since their moms and grandmothers discovered it. She feels it is a useful tool for her classes at school. Zoe says that her teacher at school knows that if he or she forgot to tell the class something, he or she can find the Facebook group for the class and get the message to everybody at once. Also, the
group can discuss what was covered in class and nobody has to miss out entirely if they miss a class. But she adds, “it’s definitely
Grades 3 - 12
camp.interlochen.org %TGCVKXG 9TKVKPI r &CPEG r /QVKQP 2KEVWTG #TVU r /WUKE r 6JGCVTG r 8KUWCN #TVU
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
18 Our Town Downtown FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 out because older people found it. Statuses are very UN-cool, only cool on Twitter.” So if Facebook is old, what is new? Twitter: Kate says it’s been around “before I was ever social.” It allows you to follow your favorite famous people, connect with them and know that it’s really them because Twitter will verify. While you can post photos and videos, it’s mostly used for text. You have to sign up for Twitter and at first glance, it gives the same appearance as Facebook. There’s a large background photo across the top and smaller identity photo in lower left side of it, but the news feed looks slightly different. If people follow you on Twitter, your tweets will also show up on their Facebook pages. There is also a maximum of 140 characters on a tweet. Instagram: Instagram is now an app and is a news feed where you can upload photos. You can put captions and comments on photos but no statuses. Zoe says that whatever you post on Instagram, if someone follows you, your photos will appear on Facebook just as text will with Twitter followers.
You can post videos but only fifteen seconds. Samantha Lombardo, a middle school student, adds that you have to get a certain amount of “likes” to keep it [your photo] up. “It’s become a competition.” She also mentions that putting a # symbol in front of a word is called a hashtag that brings all images of the word that you put with the symbol. This can be done on Twitter or Instagram. GroupMe: GroupMe is like a chatroom on your phone. It is a texting app for group chats. Zoe says that it is more convenient than trying to do a group chat on a text. If all your friends get the app and you form a group with your friends then all get to see the messages. Vines: People post six-second videos of an event they’re at. Kate likes it because if you want to see what an event was like, such as Oktoberfest, or Fashion Week, you can see everybody’s video on that event and know what it was like. “Viners” are famous people on Vines. Zoe says that Vines used to be a lot more popular. Snapchat: According to Zoe, people who don’t use it think it’s “pretty unnecessary.” It is a form of social media where teens post “selfies” with text
to whoever you want. A person then goes on the app and can choose to see it but it only shows for 10 seconds and then you can’t see it again. Samantha says that they have things like “Mancandy Monday and Womancrush Wednesday” and that even though photos can only be seen for 10 seconds people can capture the image and save it. Ask and Kik: Ask is a social media app where anyone can ask anyone a question or describe something and it is an anonymous venue. The person you ask doesn’t know your identity. Samantha says that because of that, people often say mean things to people who will never know who was being mean to them. “It’s ridiculous what they ask.” Kik is a messenger where you can talk to people on other devices than your phone. How do parents find people on these other venues? To find someone on any of these social media venues, google the person you want to follow on the specific social media and click on follow. The major difference is that if you driend someone on Facebook, it is instantly mutual. On Instagram and Twitter it’s not. It can be one sided. All are free.
ARE YOU A HELICOPTER PARENT? One m mom wonders if she’s crossed the line from involved to overbearing involv BY MOLLY WHILESMITH
A few days ago I watched as a bus pulled up to my town and 37 children between the ages of 12 and dis 14 disembarked. They were exchange students, visiti from Lyon, France. I had to ask myself, visiting is the there any way that I would ever be able to put my 14 14-year-old on a bus and send him to another contin continent without seeing a background check on the en entire family that my child would be visiting? I th think not. I never thought that I would qualify as a helicopter parent. N None of us intends to be a helicopter parent; cer certainly the French mom who has entrusted me with her child is not. Many of my friends and I are guilty in one way or another. Take my pal wh who just sent her daughter off to a prestigious unive university. The bright spark called her mom on her w first weekend to ask how to do her laundry. The d I was showing my son how to separate next day light colors and darks. lights,
FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 19 One of my guy friends never, and I mean, never misses his sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football practice. He is that guy screaming expletives on the sidelines. Speaking of practices, what happened to car pooling? It seems like every individual parent drops off and picks up each individual kid. I approached another mom last week and asked if she was passionate about always driving to and from practice, every night. Happily we were able to strike a deal. Our generation is deďŹ nitely more involved in our childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives than our parents. As a teenager in the 70s and 80s I had a curfew. Where I was and what I was doing didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really concern my parents as long as I stayed out of
trouble. My children understand that if they move from one location to another, they need my permission. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t imagine not knowing where they are or what they are actually doing. I absolutely insist that if I call my child, they answer the phone. I have explained to them that there is no upside to my hubby and I paying their phone bills if we cannot reach them when the need arises. My husband has seen them dive across furniture to get to the phone, in case I was calling. Although I do not allow the children to have a Facebook page, they do have Instagram accounts. I monitor their postings in that they must show me their intended post
before I allow it. Sometimes kids need a little help in determining what is appropriate and what is not appropriate. I hope to help them to ďŹ gure this all out. I have begun to realize that there is a ďŹ ne line between being a concerned and interested mom to being overbearing and â&#x20AC;&#x153;hovering.â&#x20AC;? When I want to jump in and do something for them I try to ask myself, if I do this for them, am I increasing the chances that they will be still living at home and jobless at age 25? Or am I helping them ďŹ nd their wings? I have a great deal to learn from my exchange studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mom.
CAMP RAMAQUOIS
Communicate in a new language this summer at Middlebury-Monterey Language Academy, a pre-college, residential language program based on Middlebury Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famed Language Schools! Learn Spanish, French, Chinese, German or Arabic in a supportive environment designed for teens in 8th-12th grades. At both the locations in the US and abroad in Granada, Beijing and Quebec City, students commit to speaking in language 24/7 during the four-week program, resulting in tremendous language acceleration. On average students gain a yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth of language learning during the four-week program. Through the full-immersion experience, students become linguistically proďŹ cient and culturally versed, gaining the language skills and awareness to succeed in college and beyond. Commit to starting on the path to language proďŹ ciency this summer! Financial aid is available for US-based programs and is awarded on a ďŹ rst-come, ďŹ rstserved basis. Website: mmla.middlebury.edu Email: mmla.info@middil.com Phone: 888.216.0135
STRIVE Trips offers unique, safe, and fun international community service programs in Peru and Kenya speciďŹ cally designed for student-athletes of all levels. STRIVE allows participants to experience international travel and community service with an additional Spanish Language Immersion week in Peru - all without sacriďŹ cing the desire to be active. Program highlights: Community Service: Get to know the community, through work in local schools and after school programs in small, friendly communities in Peru and Kenya, with ofďŹ cial certiďŹ cation for volunteer hours. High-Altitude Athletic Training: Train in the breath-taking mountains - with a plan tailored to your speciďŹ c needs and abilities by our professional staff and receive guidance and mentoring from our team of college interns. Adventure: Explore your host countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural beauty during the culmination of your journey â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a safari in Kenya or a hike to Machu Picchu in Peru.
A day camp as complete as sleep-away camp. Situated on 44 acres in nearby Rockland County, we are only 30 minutes from the George Washington Bridge. Boys & Girls experience a traditional camp program ďŹ lled with a variety of stimulating activities, including swimming, boating, cultural and art activities. Facilities include group bunks, a 5-acre crystalline lake, 9 heated swimming pools, tennis, basketball & volleyball courts, pickleball, hockey rinks, ball ďŹ elds, soccer ďŹ elds, aerial adventure park and much more. Special Teen Events â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Evening Dinner/Dance, Sports Clinics & Leagues, Co-ed Activities and Pizza Parties. Good group sizes. Optional Trail Blazers Trip Program. Day trips planned for grades 3-10; Overnight trips planned for grades 5-10. Lots of Spirit and Bonding. 10th Grade Leadership Program. Optional Equestrian Program.
t www.strivetrips.org
Visit us as www.ramaquois.com or call 845-354-1600 for a personal tour.
Are you looking for a unique camp experience for your TEEN or TWEEN? Are you looking for the best alternative to sleep-away camp? If you answered YES to either of these questions, then cross the bridge to THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF CAMP RAMAQUOIS.
OUR VICTORY DAY CAMP When he started Our Victory Fred Tunick wanted a camp where each child could grow, by â&#x20AC;&#x153;creating valueâ&#x20AC;? in their lives. A place where acceptance and nurturing, would encourage the growth of ego and self esteem. Calling upon his experience in Special Education (1963-1997), as a Speech Pathologist, Child Study Team Chairman and Special Education administrator, he developed a program where â&#x20AC;&#x153;Each Child Could Achieve Success, Regardless of Ability.â&#x20AC;? Where traditional day camp activities, could be geared to the needs of each summers population. This is accomplished by: 1 Utilizing mature staff working in or currently studying special education and/or related ďŹ elds. (Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language, Social Work, Counseling etc.) 2 In addition to the group staff, ďŹ ve Specialists, with knowledge of our population, provide Art, Sports, Music, Drama and Movement. All activities are geared to the needs of each seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population 3 Small groups of nine with three staff members per group and a maximum enrollment of 63 campers. 4 All prospective campers have an intake interview to determine if the program is the right one for them. 5 In May, Parents submit a detailed â&#x20AC;&#x153;needsâ&#x20AC;? history, including school, psychological and social information and a photograph. Pertinent information about each child is then shared with the entire staff prior to the ďŹ rst day of camp. With this approach, the staff is familiar with each campers needs on the ďŹ rst day and allows for the start of a successful summer experience. Parent: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thank you, a million times, for the amazing, wonderful, happy, place that OVDC is. I have never seen him so happy and eager to explore each day, with so many friends and adults that can see his special qualities. He has already informed me that he will be returning until he is 13. Thank you for being special people with a very special staff.â&#x20AC;?
For Further Information: Call: (203) 329-3394 www.ourvictory.com E-MAIL: OurVictory@aol.com
Interlochen Arts Camp is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier summer arts program for aspiring artists in grades 3 through 12. Located in northwest Michigan, the Camp attracts students, faculty and staff from all 50 U.S. states and more than 40 countries. These 3,000 artists ďŹ ll Interlochenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s northwoods campus with an explosion of creativity. Studentartists learn from world-class instructors and produce hundreds of presentations each summer in music, theatre, creative writing, dance, ďŹ lm and visual arts. Those interested in learning more about Interlochen can visit interlochen.org, call 800.681.5912 or email admission@interlochen.org.
20 Our Town Downtown FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015
SUPER TEEN IS SUPER TIRED
Burnout is a big danger for over-achieving teenagers Does this sound familiar? Natalie trained all summer to compete in triathlons with her family. When school started she began training for volleyball. She’s active in her church and takes weekly guitar lessons which require practice. Her grades are important to her too, and she needs to earn money to help pay senior year high school expenses. She struggles to make it all work and still keep in touch with her friends. Kids can’t just be kids anymore. It’s a lot harder than it used to be. If you know one of these “super” teens, or are one, chances are you’re super tired. Dr. Tashman of Middletown Medical sees many stress-related illnesses on the rise. Many teens today do not get the 8.5 - 9.5 hours of sleep necessary to replenish the body on a normal basis. To get up at 6:00 a.m. to get ready for school, you’d need to go to bed at 9:30 p.m. “I once told a student who had swimmer’s ear that they had to stop swimming for at least a week,” said Tashman. “The student and parents both said ‘no way, there is a meet this week.’”
Where does the pressure come from? Kids today are raised with the idea that they have to try to be the best, by parents, teachers, the media and from themselves. “There is a lot of pressure to get good grades and do extracurricular activities to be well rounded on their college applications and there’s lots of competition. They can’t just play, they have to excel,” says Dr. Tashman. He adds that kids are doing homework in the car on the way to their next activity. Claiming to be guilty of it himself, parents want to give their kids the best they can and help them to be the best. If you play baseball or softball, it is no longer acceptable to just show up. There is the pitching coach. Cheerleaders have to attend tumbling classes to make the team. Volleyball players have to do strength training. And if you sign up for sports, the high school play, gymnastics, Science Olympiad, Odyssey of the Mind, dance, or music, it requires almost complete commitment or you don’t get to play, compete or perform. And if you perform you want the lead role or to be in the top chairs. Something has to give.
What is the price of participating full force in so many activities? There is an old saying that goes, “you can’t burn the candle at both ends because there will be nothing left in the middle.” Dr. Tashman explains that everyone has their individual tolerances, but that trying to do too much and depleting the body over the course of time leads to a weakening of the immune system, depression and anxiety. When this happens, the body is more susceptible to illness. Some of the symptoms that can be red flags that it’s time to cut back are when teens start experiencing chronic stomach aches, chronic muscle pains or cramps all the time, irritable bowel or headaches. They may see a decrease in their grades, suffer from exhaustion, and not be able to think straight. If a teen is too stressed to have friends come over and they stop enjoying the things they used to like to do, it is time to cut back. Some teens experience dizziness, moodiness and in extreme cases start cutting themselves or contemplate suicide to escape. Dr. Tashman says he sees an increase in anxiety and cases of depression every year.
Other extreme symptoms By doing too much and not giving the body enough time to rest and depleting physical resources, he has seen patients with increased heart rates, those who have extreme feelings of doom, patients who
experience intense sweating, don’t want to leave their home, stop wanting to go to school or be around friends. Phobias and trouble sleeping may develop as a result of stress. When teens try to do too much, they often don’t eat the right foods or drink enough liquids leading to constipation or other ailments.
Not just teens Dr. Tashman says that elementary students as well as middle school and high school students are going to the nurses’ office more frequently, complaining of symptoms that are most often stress related. A lowering of the immune system due to not enough sleep, means more vulnerability to colds, flu and other chronic illness. And stomach aches due to chronic stress can lead to stomach ulcers. He has seen a lot of heartburn and stomach aches.
The key to coping Dr. Tashman says there is no replacement for sleep. It is important to know your limits and watch for the signs and symptoms that you are doing more than your body can really handle. It’s important to have a release, such as reading or being with friends. Don’t skip meals. Eat right, drink enough liquids, get enough sleep, know when to take a break and take it. Decide which activities you really are passionate about and let some of the other ones go for another time.
FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 21
Immersive Summer Language Programs for Teens Communicate in a new language this summer.
middlebury
monterey language academy
JOIN US June 21 – July 16
™
The Middlebury-Monterey Language Academy, a four-week summer language program for 8th-12th grade students, utilizes the same immersion pedagogy as Middlebury College’s famed Language Schools. Through the immersive experience, Academy students become linguistically proficient and culturally versed, gaining the language skills and global awareness to succeeed in college and beyond.
LANGUAGES
US LOCATIONS
STUDY ABROAD
STUDENTS
Spanish, French, German, Arabic, Chinese
Green Mountain College St. Michael’s College
Québec City, Canada Beijing, China Granada, Spain
US: 8th-12th Grade Abroad: 10th-12th Grade
mmla.middlebury.edu | 888.216.0135 | mmla.info@middil.com
22 Our Town Downtown FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4 ,2015
YOUR 15 MINUTES NUTES
she’s already raised $20,000. When asked about her future plans, she said, “To me, life is really about the difference you make in the lives of others, and if I can even impact a few lives for the better whether in the field of PT or within the MS community, then I will consider it a great success.”
It was two weeks after my 25th birthday, so it was a nice little birthday present. I realized I couldn’t see out of one eye. It was completely blurred. And then my right thigh was numb, so it sort of tipped me off to something being off. It was my last semester of PT school, and actually, in class, because it was our neuro curriculum, we were learning about neurologic diseases. I remember it really vividly. So I was starting to think in my head, ‘These are kind of weird signs.’ But also, I’m pretty stubborn and I’ve never really had anything wrong with me, so I was just kind of like, ‘It will pass, no big deal.’ And probably like three weeks into not being able to see out of one eye, and people really bugging me, like my family, to do something about it, I saw a neurologist. He immediately put me in the hospital for five days, and then everything kind of escalated pretty fast after that.
You work at Lenox Hill. What does your job entail?
How has your life changed since and how has it stayed the same?
I graduated PT school in May and started working at Lenox Hill in June. It’s an acute care inpatient setting with the goal of improving functional mobility enough to safely leave the hospital. In terms of physical therapy, it’s right at the start of the continuum of care, seeing patients at their weakest. Following my diagnosis, I feel inordinately lucky to be in this field because I know what it’s like to be in their shoes. I am able to bring a level of empathy and compassion to patient care that PT school could not teach.
I think when I was first diagnosed, I had this, again, stubborn mentality that nothing was going to change, thinking, ‘I can dictate what happens here. I’m tougher than this.’ That element of strength is important, but, you know, your life changes. It’s a disease where stuff is always coming up, so it’s made me more flexible and on my toes to things. But I would say it’s changed in that it’s given me a lot of perspective. I realize so wholeheartedly the importance of the people and the quality of the people I have surrounding me. It’s also helped me in being able to ask for help, which is not something that I did in the past. I went into a profession like PT because I’m driven to help people. And you take care of patients all the time and you never think you’re going to be the patient. It changes things, but for the good and the bad, and I think that I’ve learned a lot and come pretty far. You learn to slow down, because you don’t want to exacerbate what’s going on, but still accomplish all the goals you set out to.
A CLIMB WITH HIGHER PURPOSE Q&A Leigh Kaplan on living, working and evoking change with multiple sclerosis BY ANGELA BARBUTI
Leigh Kaplan completed her doctorate in physical therapy this May. In June, she began working at Lenox Hill Hospital, where she helps patients improve their functional mobility. This job takes on a deeper meaning for her because she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) just as she was studying about neurologic diseases in her last year of PT school. On March 1st, the 26-yearold will be participating in the National MS Society’s Climb to the Top, where she will walk up the 66 flights of stairs at 30 Rockefeller Center to the Top of the Rock Observation Deck to raise funds and awareness for the disease. With her team, named Kapniss, which is a combination of her last name and the Hunger Games heroine,
When you were diagnosed, did you have symptoms?
How are you involved with the National MS Society? Last year, in the fall, a month after I was diagnosed, I had three close friends who said to me, ‘Leigh, we really want to do something. We hate seeing you in this situation and not being able to help, so we signed up for this event, the Climb. You don’t
To read about other people who have had their “15 Minutes” go to otdowntown.com/15 minutes
ve to do anything. We’re gohave ing to do it. We want to do it for u.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, no, if you.’ u guys are doing it, I’m absoyou ely doing it.’ So I signed up lutely o and sent out emails and also all these donations started ming in. It was a blessing coming in disguise, because you n’t have any control over don’t thiss disease. It operates w it wants to operate, but how ng the Climb was this doing azing thing that made amazing me feel like, ‘This is how I’m ng to make a difference. going Thiss is how I can help people his situation and help myin this f.’ self.’
So how are you prepping for the Climb? So o I’m an active person, but a major thing with MS is durance. And that’s been endurance. eal battle for me in a lot of a real ects of life, but especially aspects s, because 66 flights is a this, lot for anyone. So I’m pracng; I live in a 35-story ticing; lding, so that’s halfway building, ough. It’s also a fundraisthrough. ing event, and I’m super proud he team I put together last of the yearr and this year. Last year, we raised $18,000 and, individly, I raised close to $12,000. ually, d this year, we’re almost at And 0,000, which is amazing. $20,000,
Whoo does your team consist of? Another nother thing with, well I n’t want to call it ‘getting don’t k,’ because I don’t see mysick,’ selff as sick, but it really brings ether so many people from together my life. People I didn’t necesily think would show up sarily for me. I think that’s the best y of putting it. So it’s comway sed of family, and I can’t prised say enough about my family, y’re amazing, good friends they’re m high school, college and from d school, extended family, grad so many people from all different sectors of my life.
Yourr group has about 30 members. s. You don’t walk the stairs together, ether, right? Your whole team climbs together, but it’s a stairwell so they can’t send all 30 up at the same time because that’s a bit of a safety hazard. You go in individually, but everyone finishes close to each other. I was having a really difficult time last year, and there were a couple of people right by my side the whole time.
Why did you choose Kapniss as your team name? I’m a huge Hunger Games fan. And the lead character, Katniss, is maybe someone I relate to. She’s headstrong, tough and
conquers challenges. So my last name is Kaplan, and my mom put the two together and started calling me Kapniss. It was cute, and I went with it. It makes her happy.
What are your future plans? Physical therapy, even before being diagnosed, was a huge dream of mine. It’s exactly what I want to be doing and it’s very fulfilling work. So I hope to continue progressing in my career with the goal of helping as many patients regain physical function and improve quality of life as possible. I know that my life now is a bit more challenging than before, so I hope to continue meeting adversity with a strong positive attitude and a smile, and from that perspective, assist my patients in doing the same. In terms of future plans within the MS movement, I would like to continue raising awareness for this ever-worthy cause. I think major strides have al-
ready been made and I am truly hopeful that, in my lifetime, a cure will be found. I am grateful to play any part in evoking change in this area. To learn more about Climb to the Top, visit eventnyn. nationalmssociety.org
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