Our Town March 15, 2012

ROGERS: Twitter, the urban front porch page 23 March 15, 2012

Since 1970

cuts force homeless onto uPPer east siDe streets P. 6

homeless Get the colD shoulDer Best Bets for st.

Patrick’s Day P. 11 ancient cultures of the ues P. 10 east siDe author’s novel on the 1st female PresiDent P. 4

DewinG: the way to a carinG, safer city P. 23

Photo by Andrew SchwArtz

GuiDe to local csas P. 12

tapped in

Notes from the Neighborhood Compiled by Megan Bungeroth and Grace Ragi

HOSPITAL APPOINTS LGBT HEALTH LEADER Beth Israel Medical Center announced this week the appointment of nationally recognized LGBT health expert Barbara E.Warren, PsyD, as director of its newly established LGBT Health Services program.

Warren will work to develop partnerships between the hospital and local LGBT organizations and continue to advance Beth Israel’s nationally recognized efforts to meet the health care needs of New York’s LGBT community in a respectful and compassionate environment.

“Beth Israel Medical Center has embraced a unique opportunity to lead the way in establishing and sustaining LGBT affirmative hospitalbased and outpatient care,” Warren said in a statement.

Warren served most recently for two years as director of the Center for LGBT Social Services and Public Policy at Hunter College. Prior to that she served for almost 20 years in progressively responsible positions at the LGBT Community Center in the West Village, the last seven as director of government relations, planning and research. She also consults on a number of federal, state and citywide initiatives to eliminate LGBT health disparities and to establish health equity throughout the health care system.

One of Warren’s principal assignments in her new position at Beth Israel will be to develop and implement ongoing, inhouse educational programs to ensure that the hospital staff is attuned to the particular health care needs of the LGBT community.

rape her. A passerby helped tear Whitaker away from his victim, but police were still able to collect DNA evidence they used to achieve a conviction. Whitaker was sentenced to 22 years in prison, followed by 15 years of post-release supervision.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY AT CARNEGIE HALL This Saturday, March 17, Carnegie Hall will host a St. Patrick’s Day concert featuring Irish band The Chieftains with Paddy Moloney accompanied by folk-rock band The Low Anthem. The six-time Grammy Award-winning ensemble will be performing as part of their Voices of the Ages 50th anniversary tour. As Ireland’s musical ambassadors, The Chieftans are credited with bringing traditional Irish music to the world’s attention. The event will take place in the Stern Auditorium/ Perelman Stage at 8 p.m. Tickets are from $29 to $88, and are available by calling 212-247-7800 or visiting carnegiehall.org or the Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 W. 57th St.

SENIOR ROUNDTABLE ON CARETAKING The next session of State Sen. Liz Krueger’s senior roundtable discussions will be held Thursday, March 22 from 8-10 a.m. at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House.

The topic, “Beginning the Conversation: Redefining Aging and How We Care for our Elders,” will cover how seniors can begin asking questions about their future care and planning who might be able to help care for them if the time arises when they need assistance.

Alice Fisher, Krueger’s community outreach director, and Frederic Riccardi, director of programs and outreach at the Medicare Rights Center, will be on hand to lead the discussion and answer questions. A light breakfast will be served. 331 E. 70th St. RSVP required at 212-490-9535 or by emailing doremann@gmail.com.

GROCERY STORE AIDS TORNADO VICTIMS All Fairway locations are continuing a donation and matching drive through this Sunday, March 18 to aid those affected by recent violent storms in the Midwest. At any Fairway in the city (the Upper East Side store is at 240 E. 86th St.), customers can make cash donations of $1, $3 or $5

or purchase a case of water to aid families devastated by the tornadoes that ripped through Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, North Carolina, Illinois, Nebraska and Missouri. Fairway will match all money donated up to $25,000 and coordinate shipping truckloads of water, canned goods and other nonperishable items to distribution centers in the affected states.

CATHEDRAL HIGH STUDENT VIES FOR POETRY PRIZE Cathedral High School student Dionne Muyalde is among the top 10 finalists in the Poetry for Peace contest, a competition that has used the power of social media to gauge the power of student poetry. The contest asked students to respond to the stories of atomic bomb survivors from Japan, known as hibakusha, by writing verse poems. In the monthlong competition, 741 poems were submitted and people voted for their favorites on social media sites.

Muyalde’s poem, entitled “Hiroshima Hibakusha,” was selected as a finalist based on criteria, including the poem’s connection to a hibakusha testimony, its relaying a message of peace, the structure of the verse, the overall impact of the poem and the number of “likes” the poem received.

YOUNG STRATEGIST

UES RAPIST SENTENCED TO 22 YEARS IN PRISON

2

•

O UR TOW N

•

March 8, 2012

Hai ZHang

Kentrel Whitaker, 33, was sentenced this week for the assault and attempted rape of a 73-year-old woman on the Upper East Side. Whitaker attacked the victim last summer as she was walking on the East River promenade near East 111th Street at 6:40 a.m. He approached her from behind, threw her to the ground and hit her repeatedly before attempting to

Ahigial Lee Zhou plays chess at the P.S. 6 Chess Tournament 2012 on March 11.

N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS TIMELY IRA OFFER! Enjoy A Shorter Term!

Bump-Up For A Better Rate!* 3 YeaR Bump-up IRa CD

1.35%

apY**

5 YeaR Bump-up IRa CD

18 month tRaDItIonal IRa CD

1.00%

1.85%

apY**

apY**

Minimum deposit is $500 When you open an IRa oR CoveRdell eduCatIon aCCount WIth $1,500 oR MoRe befoRe apRIl 17th, you May Choose eItheR a stylIsh Men’s oR ladIes’ WatCh, oR ReCeIve 100 ReWaRd poInts*** RedeeMable foR exCItIng gIfts lIke those shoWn!

I39605 CHICAGO POWER TOOLS®

I76375 HAMILTON BEACH®

I69478.07 SUNBEAM®

i25218 PROCTOR-SILEX®

ITOOL0276 SUNSCOPE®

IWF308 WEATHERX®

Wet/Dry Portable Vacuum

Compact Grill

Surecut Extra-Tall Can Opener TM

28-Piece Tool Set

Durant 7-Piece Cutlery Set

Radio Flashlight

Visit www.ridgewoodbank.com

* You have the one-time option, at any time during the term of this CD, to change the interest rate to the rate then offered by the Bank for the same term for the balance of the original term. **Annual Percentage Yields (APYs) are effective February 1, 2012 and are subject to change without notice. Other terms and rates available. FDIC regulations apply. Minimum deposit is $500. There is a substantial penalty and IRS penalty for premature withdrawals. Offer may be withdrawn at any time. ***Limit 100 Reward Points per IRA account. Check www.RidgewoodRewards.com for latest rewards item selection. All items subject to change. The Bank has the right to substitute gifts of comparable value and quality. Offer available for IRA contributions only. Offer is good through April 17, 2012. Minimum deposit to qualify for Reward Points or Watch is $1,500 and CD term must be at least one year.

Member FDIC

GETAWAY DESIGNER AND BUILDER OF UPSTATE COTTAGES $300,000 - $500,000 - LAND INCLUDED Sullivan county, WOODSTOCK, SAUGERTIES, bearsville, stone ridge...

O u r T o w n N Y. c o m

Visit either our Manhattan or Morristown office: New York, NY 530 First Avenue, Suite 6D 1-877-VEIN-NYU (834-6698) Morristown, NJ 95 Madison Avenue, Suite 415 1-973-538-2000

March 15, 2012

•

OUR TOWN

•

3

news

Your company insurance changed again?

Another reason to call.

You want an outstanding doctor and we can connect you with one who’s right for you. Whether near your home or office, doctors affiliated with Continuum Health Partners hospitals – Beth Israel Medical Center, Roosevelt Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital, New York Eye & Ear Infirmary – are conveniently located throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. Our doctors participate in all major insurance plans.

Need a great doctor?

Call (866) 318-8759. w w w. c h p n y c . o r g

4

•

O UR TOW N

•

March 15, 2012

East Side Author Envisions Rise of Female President that he has used in his book. After spending some time on the battlefront, David began writing for Stars and Stripes, which prepared him for his life in the private sector.

“In civilian life, I was a magazine editor, then president of radio’s marketing arm, the Radio Advertising Bureau,” said David. ”After a long time running RAB, it was said that I and my team had “saved” radio so that it survived and prospered despite the growth of TV, which many had thought would kill radio.”

After many years of working in advertising, David retired Miles David and his wife Florence in their Upper East Side to write books, using his life experience apartment. and keen observaBy Sean Creamer tion of current events to place Massey Miles David is by no means an ordi- in a binding political position that easily nary writer. A resident of the Upper rivals Obama’s current problems.

East Side, David has recently complet“When Margaret Massey is elected, ed Saving the President, a novel about dictators think she will let them get Margaret Massey, a fictional U.S. presi- away with things no man as president dent who takes the reins of the country would tolerate,” David said. during a period that oddly parallels the David said he found great joy in current Obama administration. Massey writing an alternative reality story, faces some issues that are ripped especially since this story involved him straight from the headlines, such as a predicting future events that rival situworsening economic crisis, along with ations that the current president deals other crises that are pulled from alter- with. nate reality, such as China drilling for “I’m fortunate that I anticipated trends oil off the coast of Florida and trying to in politics before they happened, so the construct a military base in Cuba. story is timely and fresh,” David said.

“She has the drive and sharp tongue “I anticipated that Putin, from Russia, of a Sarah Palin but she has acquired would be getting desperate with his some presidential gravitas,” David declining popularity in Russia; that’s why said.

I have Putin in my book renting a Russian David began his writing career after submarine to Somali pirates who capture serving with the U.S. Army combat an American cruise ship and hold it for a engineers in Europe during World War billion-dollar ransom.”

II. His time in the service gave him an Saving the President can be purintimate knowledge of the military chased on Amazon.com.

N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

+

No Appointment Needed

+

Emergency Room Doctor On-Site

+

Serving Children & Adults

+

Most Insurance Accepted

+

Ready:

365 Days a Year 8am-10pm Weekdays 9am-9pm Weekends

NOW OPEN! +

Upper East Side 336E 86th St 212-772-3627

+

Upper West Side 2465 Broadway 212-721-2111

COMING SOON!

NOW OPEN!

+

Columbus Circle 315W 57th St 212-315-2330

+

Flatiron District 37W 23rd St

www.CityMD.net O u r T o w n N Y. c o m

March 15, 2012

•

OUR TOWN

•

5

feature

Homeless Left Out in the Cold With city and state programs cut, more homeless flood East Side streets

By Megan Bungeroth

I

“We can’t just scoop people up, stick them in temporary housing, kick them out, move them somewhere else. It just doesn’t work.

It’s not really a compassionate or practical approach,” said Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal. for the homeless have differing views on what has caused these high numbers as well as the best ways to address them.

“Setting aside the economy, which certainly has contributed, one of the biggest factors is the policies of the Bloomberg administration, particularly cutting off homeless families from receiving federal subsidies,” said Giselle Routhier, policy analyst for the Coalition for the Homeless.

“Right now, for the first time ever, there is actually no housing assistance whatsoever to help homeless families get out of the shelter system.”

She’s referring to the administration’s

6

•

O UR TOW N

•

March 15, 2012

andrew schwartz

t’s no shock that a still-struggling economy, an ever-more-expensive city and a continually burgeoning population have combined to produce record-high rates of homelessness in New York. What may shock some, however, is how difficult it is for the city to help its homeless population. In a time of fiscal cutbacks, the subsidies, grants and programs in place to help these most vulnerable people have all but dried up, leaving advocates on all sides scrambling to find solutions to keep New Yorkers off the streets and out of shelters.

According to data from the most recent available census of homeless people in the municipal shelter system, conducted Dec. 31, 2011, there were 39,787 individuals in the system, including 8,530 families with children. An Oct. 31 count found 16,934 homeless children in the shelter system, an all-time high number.

And these numbers don’t take into account homeless people living on the street or outside the shelter system. The Homeless Outreach Population Estimate survey, conducted across the city earlier this year, aims to approximate those numbers, but results are still being processed.

Last year, it counted 2,648 individuals.

City officials, legislators and advocates

decision in 2004 to stop giving homeless families priority for federal housing subsidies like Section 8. That decision, based on the idea that continuing to do so would give people incentives to use the shelter system as a sure path to landing cheap housing, has been loudly criticized in recent years as the homeless population grows.

Seth Diamond, commissioner of the Department for the Homeless (DHS), said in an interview that bringing back that prioritization program wouldn’t be the panacea that some groups claim.

“The reality is that there are very long waiting lists for the available programs,” Diamond said. “The Section 8 program has a waiting list of 140,000 or more. For public housing, the chairman of NYCHA [the New York City Housing Authority] just testified, the waiting list is 160,000.

There is a seven-year waiting list for public housing.”

Diamond also spoke about how DHS has prepared for the effective end of the Advantage program, which previously provided rent subsidies for formerly homeless families for up to two years.

When the state cut funding for the program last year, the city determined that it could not sustain the program without the roughly $68 million in state and federal aid they had lost.

The city was still paying subsidized rents for about 16,000 formerly homeless families and individuals up until last month, however, as a lawsuit brought by the Legal Aid Society was ongoing. A judge recently ruled that the city could stop paying its portion of these rents, and the fate of the families who had been benefiting is unclear.

“We have been preparing for this for a while,” Diamond said. “We’ve done a lot of outreach to people who are Advantage recipients to help prepare, to talk to them about their individual situations. Most people have been in the program for at least a year. People have had time to establish themselves, look for options, see what’s coming.”

Diamond said that close to 85 percent of those who took part in the Advantage program have not come back to the shelter system and that it has been successful.

She pointed to a Department for the Aging program that pairs seniors facing eviction with legal counsel as one way the city can step in.

“Maybe your landlord tried to evict you because you’re a hoarder,” she said, naming one example of the cases seniors might face.

“Sometimes what happens with older people is they stop paying their bills because they get confused about what bills they’ve paid.” All of these problems are fixable with the right help, Lappin said, but it requires outreach on the part of the city.

Many advocates echo the call to focus on keeping people in their homes and providing more affordable housing options. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer A homeless person pan handless on the UES. said in an email that the high numBut others dispute that characterization bers of homelessness are “directly linked and say that the city and state need to not to scarcity of affordable housing.” He only provide more assistance programs cited a study his office conducted in but expand on the Advantage model to 2007 that found 2,228 vacant properties offer more long-term solutions. in Manhattan he says could be used to “We can’t just scoop people up, stick build more affordable housing, as well as them in temporary housing, kick them his suggestion that the city convert foreout, move them somewhere else. It just closed properties into affordable housing. doesn’t work. It’s not really a compassionStringer also contested the adminisate or practical approach,” said Assembly tration’s rescinding of priority status for Member Linda Rosenthal, whose Upper homeless families for public housing.

West Side district contains several of the “Each year, approximately 5,313 NYCHA city’s shelters as well as housing for for- units are vacated; many of these units merly homeless individuals. Rosenthal have more than one bedroom and can said that one current priority in the accommodate families,” Stringer said.

Assembly is to restore funding to several “By reinstating priority for the homeprograms that have been axed this year, less on the NYCHA waiting list, even if it all designed to provide emergency assis- was only done on a temporary basis, the tance or intervention for families facing city could take immediate steps toward homelessness. placing a substantial percentage of its City Council Member Jessica Lappin, homeless population into permanent who recently chaired a hearing of the housing,” he said.

Committee for the Aging on the alarmWhile the city works to address the ing number of elderly New Yorkers facing immediate needs of the city’s homeless homelessness—up 18 percent between population—New York has a right-to2010 and 2011 for people over 65—said shelter law that requires the city to prothe best thing the city can do to curb vide a bed for every homeless person—it homelessness is to help people before also has to work on preventing and reducthey’re out of their homes. ing their numbers.

This is especially true, she said, of oldIt’s a problem that won’t be going away er people who may have extra difficulty any time soon, and some say we won’t surviving in a shelter due to health issues. see any effective changes until the next “The most important thing for that popu- mayoral administration takes over. lation is to try to get them the services “Homelessness is a national probthey need as quickly as possible, to try to lem,” said Rosenthal. “But New York City, help them remain in their home as long as which has grappled with this problem for possible if that’s the right thing for them,” so many years, really ought to have some Lappin said. new ideas about how to deal with it.”

N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

PRIME OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE 813 SF - 2,885 SF A B Suite 603 813 RSF

Suite 507 2,885 RSF

Suite 507 Division Option

Suite 302B 2,050 RSF

Suite A = 1,475 RSF Suite B = 1,410 RF

CONTACT

Ross Spitalnick Senior Vice President (718) 263-3800 x 371 • ross@muss.com • www.muss.com

O u r T o w n N Y. c o m

March 15, 2012

•

OUR TOWN

•

7

news

Roosevelt’s Island of Vice

What drew you to Roosevelt’s time as police commissioner of New York?

I didn’t start out as a Roosevelt expert; I came to the story through the vice

angle. I was researching the 1890s and New York and stumbled upon Roosevelt as police commissioner. I was stunned to discover that it really didn’t go according to the fairy tale version that came out later— you know, he came in as police commissioner and reformed the whole city and stopped crime and cleaned up the police department. It was a much more interesting story than that.

In your mind, did Roosevelt’s time as police commissioner end in failure?

I wouldn’t say outright failure. I would say it was kind of a noble effort. He never backed down. It’s extraordinary—the will and the nerve of the man to continue to keep trying right up until the last moment to rout out all kinds of corruption, to try to clean up the saloons and the brothels and the rest of it. But you know, the city was just overwhelmingly oriented

were spent picnicking with the family instead of the husband and father going off to the saloon and getting drunk.

kristine y. dahl

By Courtney Holbrook Whether he’s researching the strange methods of 19th-century scientists or on the trail of 17th-century pirates, author, historian and journalist Richard Zacks has an eye for the juicy bits in history.

Now, the bestselling author of The Pirate Hunter: The True Story of Captain Kidd and three other books has a new tale about Theodore Roosevelt and the seedy world of 1890s New York.

Island of Vice: Theodore Roosevelt’s Doomed Quest to Clean Up Sin-Loving New York (Doubleday) follows Roosevelt in his years as New York’s police commissioner and his struggle to change Lower Manhattan.

towards vice. And the fact that he succeeded pretty well for around eight or 10 months is just extraordinary.

Was Roosevelt’s decision to reform the city a product of ambition or morality?

I think the morality motive was really strong. I think he really thought it would be a better life for everybody if Sundays

What will you be presenting at your talk at the Tenement Museum?

I’m excited to give these talks, because it allows me to go and pull 50 photographs from the 1890s. I just love New York City scenes, like the streetcars with the horses pulling them and the men in hats and the women in the corseted dresses to the ground. It’s time travel—they’re just really great images. I also have some really great naughty and slightly risqué images that I just couldn’t resist putting in.

Richard Zacks will speak about Island of Vice at the Tenement Museum, 103 Orchard St. (betw. Delancey & Broome Sts.), www.tenement.org, March 20 at 6:30 p.m.

Going to the Airport?

1-212-666-6666 “Absolutely incredible!”

– WABC Radio

“Mesmerizing…”

To JFK . . . . . . . . .$48 To Newark . . . . .$47 To LaGuardia . . .$33 Tolls & gratuities not included.

Prices subject to change without notice.

12/31/12

54

12/31/12

52

“We’ll Be There For You!”

– The LA Times

“Dead on.”

– The NY Times Toll Free 1-800-9-Carmel

Downstairs Theater 221 W 46th Street

Delivered to your inbox once a week.

TICKETS: MySinatra.com • OvationTix 212-352-3101 PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Wed thru Sat 7:30pm & Sun 3:00pm Like us on f or follow us on t for more information SCAN THIS QR CODE FOR WEBSITE AND TICKETING 1 8 MYS_OurTown.4.917x3.541_BW.indd • O UR TOW N • March

15, 2012

1/10/12 12:15 PM

www.CarmelLimo.com

Great Tips on... Parenting,

Shopping, Activities and more!

Visit newyorkfamily.com to learn more about the best parenting e-newsletter in the city.

N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

news

Passing the Buck MTA claims fare hikes are unavoidable

O u r To w n NY. c o m

deal was reasonable.

“I think that we’re in a little better financial situation than we have been in the past, but then of course we want assurance from the MTA that if we do it—what does that mean and what are they coming to the table with insomuch as their resources and their revenue?” Vacca said. Those questions, however, remain to be answered.

Patricia Voulgaris

By Mike Vidafar with additional reporting by Andrew Rice When representatives for the MTA were summoned to a New York City Council Transportation Committee hearing Tuesday, March 6, officials hoped to learn how the transit authority plans to spend its money over the next two years.

And while some may have held out hope for improvements to the city’s subways and buses, members of the public were once again left disappointed.

During the hearing, the MTA revealed that next year’s proposed 7.5 percent fare hike, which is estimated to bring in an additional $400 million in revenue, would be used to cover rising employee pensions and health care benefits, according to testimony by Hilary Ring, director of the MTA’s government affairs department.

“Essentially, the fare increase and the toll increase is almost dollar-for-dollar being eaten up by our increase in pension and retiree health care costs,” Ring said.

This information came as a disappointment to many commuters (including committee members), who had hoped that some of the revenue would be used to service the MTA’s subway cars and buses or to reopen routes that had been closed in 2010.

Council members such as Transportation Committee Chair James Vacca had difficulty digesting the news. “It’s hard for me to believe that we’re going to have that type of an increase and we’re going to have no restoration and no improvements in services,” he said.

The MTA cannot address maintenance or service issues while remaining within its current financial constraints. To its credit, the authority has not been stagnant and has explored other revenue sources like leasing or selling real estate it owns.

Still, without drastic reductions to its costs, the MTA’s board is expected to vote in favor of the increases this December, according to Ring’s testimony. If that happens, and if the board votes to raise fares again in 2015, the MTA will bring in an additional $900 million—its budget currently sits at around $12 billion.

Counteracting these gains, however, is the estimated $810 million in pension and health care costs over the same period.

This leaves just one financial resource left to aid the MTA: the city. Speaking to reporters, Vacca seemed open to considering adding to the roughly $882 million the city is expected to contribute to the MTA’s New York City transit service, if the

The MTA is likely to raise fares by 7.5 percent in 2013.

To The PARENTS of New York CiTY:

Thank You FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Despite attacks by Mayor Bloomberg and his allies, tens of thousands of New York City public school teachers go to work every day to make their students’ lives better.

Thank you for your continuing support for the work our teachers do.

Michael Mulgrew President United Federation of Teachers

March 15, 2012

•

O U R TO W N

•

9

news

The Art of the Nomad at ISAW

By Vatisha Smith When the word nomad is mentioned, what usually comes to mind is a group of people moving from place to place to hunt or find fresh grass for their livestock. On March 6, the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (ISAW), at 15 E. 84th St., kicked off a new exhibit called Nomads and Networks: The Ancient Art and Culture of Kazakhstan to focus on the rich cultures that thrived in the nomadic groups of ancient times. The show is dedicated solely to the nomadic culture and history of ancient Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan is a relatively new country, established in 1991 after the fall of the Soviet Union, but was the home of ancient civilizations stretching back thousands of years. The country is northeast of China and southeast of Russia.

The idea for the exhbit came about two years ago, when Kazakhstan Ambassador Erlan A. Idrissov traveled to California and visited the Getty Museum with his colleague, General Counsel Steven Jaffe.

The ambassador was so impressed with the institution he began formulating ideas on how to have his countrymen’s art fea-

(Top) Diadem made of gold and turquoise, (left) plaque of perched raptor made of gold and turquoise, two of the many artifacts on display at the Ancient Art and Culture of Kazakhstan at ISAW.

tured in the United States.

Nomads and Networks is the manifestation of this idea. The exhibit focuses on the art of the people of this region from the 8th to 1st centuries BCE. Various items on display range from beautiful carvings to pottery, jewelry, brass stands and decorative ornaments.

Chief curator Jennifer Chi said, “This art is representative of the network created through the nomadic people’s interaction with the various other cultures they came into contact with throughout their distinct patterns of movement.”

The show also features a presentation detailing the excavation process that uncovered the artifacts. Everything, from the dig to the transportation of artifacts to the preservation process, is on display.

ISAW, with the assistance of Idrissov, negotiated with four other national museums to borrow the many items on display.

“It [the artifacts in the show] is only a

small part of what we have,” he said.

Given the lack of tools at the time the objects were made, it’s interesting to see how they were inspired by the natural elements surrounding them. Intricate carvings of dragons, wolves and horses speak much about the abilities of these nonsedentary people. Chi said the mission statement of her curatorial team is to “enable us to look at ancient worlds and recognize how they communicate with each other and how that communication is expressed in art.”

The show will run from March 7 to June 3.

NETSvs HORNETS SATURDAY MARCH 17, 8PM 800.4NBA.TIX 10

•

OUR TOW N

•

March 15, 2012

NBA.COM/NETS N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

news

Where to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on the Upper East Side

By Sean Creamer There are plenty of Upper East Side watering holes where you can hoist a pint in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. We’ve gathered together some of the best neighborhood specials and checked out some on the other side of the park for Saturday’s celebration.

A shamrock sculpted into the foam of a pint of Guinness.

Swig Bar 1629 2nd Ave. (betw. 84th & 85th Sts.), 212-628-2364 Swig Bar is a down-to-earth pub and restaurant on the Upper East Side where soccer games on TV and good cooking are the norm. Besides a massive selection of Irish beers, Swig caters to those looking to enjoy delicacies such as homemade shepherd’s pie, $12, or the restaurant’s own Swig ale-battered cod and chips.

McKeown’s 1303 3rd Ave. (betw. 74th & 75th Sts.),

The Parlour 250 W. 86th St. (betw. Broadway & West End Ave.), 212-580-8923 This traditional Irish pub and restaurant is hosting St. Patrick’s Day Week.

Thursday, March 15 is “St. Paddy’s Beer Pong Mania,” with 10 full tables of beer pong and a $10 burger and beer special.

Friday will have a corned beef sandwich and beer special for $12, coupled with a U2 tribute band warm up later that night. On Saturday, The Parlour’s kitchen will open up at 8 a.m. to serve up a traditional Irish breakfast. Following that will be a live rugby game at 1 p.m.,

Ireland vs. England, sure to heighten the fighting Irish spirit. At 3 p.m. will be Thirsty Paddy’s Irish Rebel band, followed by Ultra Violet. Saturday night, the U2 tribute band will play for all you drunken Irishfolk ’til the wee hours, then on Sunday morning you can nurse your hangover with another round of Irish breakfast at 8 a.m. during the Paddy’s Sendoff. At 10 a.m. that day will be the Scottish Communities Cup Final, Celtic vs. Kilmarnock. Right after the game will be a live stream of The Druids, a fourpiece Irish rebel band, performing in Ireland.

How St. Patrick’s Traditions Got Their Start

By Megan Bungeroth The St. Patrick’s Day parade that takes over Fifth Avenue has been around longer than the United States itself; it began 251 years ago, when Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through Lower Manhattan.

“The massive parades started after the Civil War,” said William Hurley, the library and archive curator at the American Irish Historical Society. “If you look at [the] period, that was really when the people who had been oppressed came to more power. The Irish became a cohesive voting bloc.” Political dissidents in Ireland like Daniel O’Connell, who fought for Irish independence from Great Britain in the early 19th century, also spurred increased interest in Irish heritage across the pond and made parades more popular in America.

And what of the daylong drinking fests that seem to engulf the city streets?

Many Irish people shudder at the representation of their history in slurred speech and sloppy antics, and point out that it’s Americans who have infused the day with special alcoholic meaning.

the Upper East Side. They’re selling $12 tickets to a day of food, music, dancing and visits by Irish celebs and dignitaries.

“There’s no cultural aspect to it that demands that you have to drink on St. Patrick’s Day at all,” said O’Hanlon. He said he continually runs stories in the Echo debunking the harmful stereotypes of the drunken Irish and calling out retailers like Urban Outfitters who sell cheeky T-shirts with slogans like “Irish I Were Drunk.”

Jeff Cleary, the executive director of the Irish American Heritage Museum in Albany, said he has sensed a shift in recent years away from the inebriated revelry and toward a keener interest in Irish heritage.

“People want to learn more about their heritage and they want to celebrate more,” Cleary said.

Cleary said he hopes New Yorkers will use the day to remember and celebrate the contributions of Irish Americans to the city and taking advantage of events like parades, lunches and ceremonies honoring Irish heritage.

“There’s so much more than just sitting in the Irish bar and listening to ‘Danny Boy,’” he said.

“When I was growing up in Dublin, we had a day off school. If you were Catholic, you went to Mass. It was a very low-key day, in fact,” said Ray O’Hanlon, editor of the Irish Echo. “In a way, Ireland is oddly mimicking America now; the celebration has become much more American in that regard.”

andrew schwartz

Mad River Bar & Grille 1442 3rd Ave. (betw. 81st & 82nd Sts.), 212-988-1832 Mad River Bar & Grille will begin the festivities at 9 a.m., serving “Kegs and Eggs,” which includes bacon, eggs, bagels and beer! After noon, the real party starts; Bushmills whiskey shots will be $3 and green St. Patty’s Day shots will cost $5.

The day will also be complimented by waitresses serving jello shots.

212-452-2011 McKeown’s on the Upper East Side is the place to be if you’re looking for a night of great Irish cooking. The dishes range from Gaelic steak, a 12-oz. sirloin coated in peppercorns, pan-seared with mushrooms and onions in a Jameson Irish whiskey sauce and served with a choice of potatoes or rice and steamed vegetables, to Irish-style chicken curry, chicken breast and fresh veggies cooked in an Irish curry sauce served over white rice. McKeown’s is definitely the place to check out if you’re looking for a taste of true Irish culture.

Saint Patrick’s Day parade.

Some, in fact, are opting to forgo drinking of any kind this year.

“What we’re doing is introducing a whole new event for St. Patrick’s Day that really focuses on the culture and heritage and not the alcoholic element,” said Maura Kelly, one of the organizers of the first annual Sober St. Patrick’s Day on

JOHN KRTIL FUNERAL HOME; YORKVILLE FUNERAL SERVICE, INC. • Direct Cremations $2250 Complete • Direct Burials • Expert Pre-Planning Available

$2850

212-744-3084

1297 First Ave (69th & 70th St.) • John S. Krtil Owner/Manager Newly Renovated & Enlarged • www.krtilfuneralhome.com Each cremation service individually performed by fully licensed members of our staff. We use no outside agents or trade services in our cremation service. We exclusively use All Souls Chapel and Crematory at the prestigious St. Michael's Cemetery, Queens, NY for our cremations unless otherwise directed.

O u r To w n NY. c o m

PARK AVENUE

Dignified, Affordable and Independently Owned Since 1885 WE SERVE ALL FAITHS AND COMMUNITIES

SHARED OFFICES Your PARK AVENUE office. Ready when you are.

Great offices. Great reception team, IT & secretarial support.

The BEST answering service. 50MB High speed internet.

Fully flexible plans - expand or retract as you like.

Private Offices from $1,450/month (Promo code 138) Business Address Service $90/month • • • •

• • • •

Single Offices Office Suites Business Address Virtual Offices

Conference Rooms Corporate Setting Instant Activation Ferrari Building

city.office

®

The smart shortcut

Park Avenue • 212-231-8500 • www.410park.com 410 Park Avenue, Floor 15, New York, NY 10022 March 15, 2012

•

O U R TO W N

•

11

Dining

A Field Guide to Your Local CSA

The vegetables aren’t the only foreign creatures you have to learn to love when you join a CSA

By Regan Hofmann As the season turns and the prospect of edible things growing from the ground begins to seem less like a crazy fantasy, CSA membership drives are gearing up.

CSAs work with a particular farm and use member dues to fund their farmers up front so they’re covered for the expense of the start of the growing season, rather than starting out in debt and racing to catch up with produce sales later in the year. In return, members get a share of the farm’s bounty, typically weekly; a box of whatever’s ready that day starting May-June and stretching through October.

Though the upfront commitment is heavy, membership is generally a great value compared to the cost of heading out to the farmers market every week.

The only drawback is that you don’t get to choose the veg you take home, and you may end up with some things you’ve never seen before or something you’ve always hated—oh, and, as with any community organization, you’re going to have to deal with people you’d think

twice about giving directions to on the street, let alone giving them your time and money.

The C in CSA doesn’t just mean the community you build with the farmers, it’s also the community of veggie-loving neighbors who are in this thing with you.

Volunteers run the pickups, volunteers collect the money, volunteers argue with the farmers—and you’re expected to volunteer to earn your keep. But though they may be completely alien to you, fear not! Here’s a handy guide to the CSA types you’re likely to encounter, their likes, dislikes and tricks for staying on their good side.

The evangelical food politician.

Will corner you for 20 minutes to force raw food recipes on you; may carry laminated magazine clippings or a dirty notebook just for this purpose. Brings the same plastic bag she’s been washing and reusing since 1998 to the pickup every week; says it’s carbon-negative, unlike those industrially made canvas tote bags you’re carrying. Likes composting. Hates people who drive to the

pickup. Tip: Avoid even suggesting that you might eat some of these vegetables alongside meat.

The clueless parent. Only in it because Dr. Oz told him organic food was best for developing minds. Doesn’t know or like most vegetables. Will bring his kids to the pickup and let them rampage, offering them a “healthy snack” like a radish when they throw a tantrum over candy. Will eventually give them candy. Likes carrots, anything familiar his kids will eat. Hates new things.

Tip: Hang around the swap box when he goes through his weekly share, offer to trade him your potatoes for the precious scapes/broccoli rabe/rhubarb he wouldn’t dare bring home because “nobody will eat it.”

The adorably out-of-touch hippie. Leans over the box every week and takes a deep inhale before looking at what’s inside—she just loves being so close to the earth! Has a great recipe that will use all of the vegetables from your box; it only takes three days to make and requires nutritional

yeast, texturized vegetable protein and Bragg’s amino acids. Likes anything that still has dirt on it. Hates prepackaged, pre-cut “convenience” veg.

Tip: Express an interest in her canning techniques and she’ll bring you jar after jar of surprisingly delicious homemade jam.

The know-it-all. Will hang around the pickup on days the farm sends an unfamiliar vegetable, hoping someone will wonder aloud, “What do you do with this?” so he can casually toss off the cultural significance, genetic lineage and culinary properties of everything in the box that week. Will shake his head sadly when the swap box is full of kohlrabi. Likes explaining. Secretly hates beets but would die before letting anyone else know it. Tip: Mention that your Hungarian grandmother used to make a traditional lovage soup and watch his eyes light up.

Most New York City CSAs are now accepting applications for the 2012 season. To find the one closest to you, visit justfood.org/csa. ©2012 ASPCA®. All rights reserved.

Your best buddy can’t tell you what’s wrong... but we can.

compassionate care. affordable excellence.

There is nothing more heartbreaking than when your buddy is miserable, and you don’t know how to help. At ASPCA® Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, our dedicated staff—including 21 veterinarians—can determine the nature of the illness, and the best course of treatment.

Bergh offers advanced diagnostic procedures, including ultrasound, endoscopy, and laparoscopy, performed by board-certified specialists.

ASPCA ® Bergh MeMoriAl AniMAl hoSPitAl 424 E 92nd St. | New York, NY 10128 | 212-876-7700, ext. 4200 | www.aspcacares.com

12

•

OUR TOW N

•

March 15, 2012

N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

The Secret to Being a Sommelier The building blocks of pairing good food and wine It was my friend Brian’s housewarming get-together, and I knew I could always count on a meticulously planned event from him. This time, he had hired caterers to pass around finger foods and corresponding glasses of wine with each food choice. The first two were tremendous: a sparkling wine with a fried oyster and aioli appetizer and a sauvignon blanc with a goat cheese and onion tartlet.

Then came the third pairing. It was a spicy chili-rubbed chicken skewer with a Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon. I looked around the room and watched as the guests ate and drank; one by one, every single guest registered the exact same look.

My wife, always the most polite person in the room, said it best when she whispered to me, “I don’t think he meant to do this.”

But why not? What difference does it really make if you have spicy food with a heavy red wine? Drink and eat what you like, right?

Absolutely. That is my motto 100 percent of the time. But I guarantee that if you eat a truly spicy food and drink a highly tannic red wine right afterwards, you will not like what you taste. These are the basics of wine and food pairing.

Sommeliers and chefs are not an elitist class of jerks (most of us aren’t, anyway) who are trying to puzzle their diners with strange combinations; the pairings are there because they just work, in the

By Josh Perilo most fundamental way possible.

The secret to these basics are pretty… well, basic. I’m going to share the building blocks with you so you can understand them as well.

The first principle is the idea of like tastes working together. This is best exemplified by the goat cheese and onion tartlet and sauvignon blanc pairing. Both fresh goat’s-milk cheese and sauvignon blanc have a high level of acidity, so they both have a somewhat tart taste. On their

own, people tend to either love or hate these two menu items.

It would seem that if you put the two together, you would have an unappetizing, mouth-puckering experience. Your taste buds don’t work that way, however.

What happens when both flavors combine in your mouth is almost an overload of the acidity sensors; instead of magnifying, they cancel each other out. Once the tartness falls away, you will taste other, more subtle flavors in both the wine and the cheese that you would have missed if you had eaten or drunk them independent of each other.

The second principle is the idea of opposite tastes working together. I know, I know. You’re saying “like tastes and opposite tastes—doesn’t that cover everything?” Not really. I’m not talking about dissimilar tastes, like tannic and spicy. I’m talking polar opposites, like salty and sweet. Ring any bells?

In the wine world, the most classic example of this is pairing a salty cheese with a sweet wine. Port and blue cheese is

Dining a common one, but a lighter, salty French cheese and a Sauternes is just as classic. The idea is that the two flavors come together to form a third flavor in your mouth that would not otherwise exist. It is this simple alchemy that explains why salted caramel is the go-to high-end flavor of the moment.

The third principle has less to do with taste and more with texture: the idea that opposite textures work together. Does wine have texture? You bet it does! A silky merlot, a light pinot grigio and a dense cabernet sauvignon each have a distinct textures—as does sparkling wine. Pairing sparkling wine with a fatty or creamy-textured food is one of my favorite food and wine experiences, hands down.

In the example from the party, the creaminess from the oyster and the fat content of the fried breading coat your tongue, then the sparkling wine swoops in and cleans it all away for a perfectly balanced taste experience.

So the next time you’re planning a gettogether with friends, remember the three basics of wine and food pairing. You’ll make it a memorable evening and your guests probably won’t even realize why!

Follow Josh on Twitter: @joshperilo.

Happy Happy St. Patrick’s Day! St. Patrick’s Day

SERVING THE EAST SIDE SINCE 1976 Free wine or draft beer with dinners

3 Star Diner Full Bar O u r To w n NY. c o m

Free dessert for children with meal

1462 FIRST AVENUE Corner of 76th Street Free 24 hour delivery

TEL: 212-861-7500 Open 24-Hours!

March 15, 2012

•

O U R TO W N

•

13

our Bus Cops and Blotters is your Best Bet. arts

Looking behind the scene of the crime

ROUND TRIPS TO MOHEGAN SUN fROM MANHATTAN

$40 BONUS PACKAGE VALUE! $15 Meal/Retail Credit Two $10 free Bets & One $5 free Bet Call for details and pick-up schedules

Use your $15 meal credit every Tuesday & Wednesday for a full buffet*

Greyhound 1.800.231.2222

Metro-North Railroad 212.532.4900

www.greyhound.com

Click on “Deals & Getaways” at www.mta.info Package includes discount rail fare

*Meal credit offer for full buffet is only valid for March/April 2012. Bonus packages are issued to individuals 21 years of age or older. offer subject to change without notice. mohegansun.com

14

•

OUR TOW N

•

March 15, 2012

Leonard Freed / MagnuM photo

PROTECT YOUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET YOUR “REAL ESTATE”

By Kate Prengel of rubble around abandoned buildings.

In 1972, the photographer Leonard But Freed ’s photos are primarily porFreed set out to document the daily traits of the police, with the city acting lives of New York City police officers. as background.

He wanted to humanize the police force, An officer with a fatherly smile points arguing that “if we do not concern our- a gun at two suspects whose faces are selves with who the police are—who they to the wall. Two young policemen chat really are…we run the real risk of finding while a prostitute, again with her back to that we no longer have public servants the camera, lounges across two chairs. who are required to protect the public.” Another photo shows a young policeman Freed’s work is on view at the Museum in the station house, putting on a bulletof the City of New York in an exhibi- proof vest. He looks alert and excited; tion titled Police Work: Photographs by an eager young hero. The caption reads, Leonard Freed, 1972-1979.

“We’re going to pick up a murder susUnfortunately, Freed, in this collec- pect.” But what about the suspect he’s tion from a period apprehending? in New York’s most What does he look dire and corrupt like and what does era, didn’t bother to he want to say? humanize the New Nobody can do Yorkers who dealt it all, and I wouldn’t with the police every blame Freed for day. The result is a neglecting the city’s series of compelling civilians if it wasn’t but oddly cartoonfor his desperate ish photos of the city urge to get cute. in its crime-ridden There are some heyday. goofy photos here, Freed is at his for example of a best when he shows tall woman kissus the police on their ing a short cop on own territory. I linthe cheek (“Isn’t gered over a series he cute?” the capof off-duty cops: a tion reads) and a policewoman sits on policewoman playher motorcycle with ing Duck Duck her little boy and girl Goose with chilnext to her; a policedren. The Museum man dressed in Leonard Freed, “New York City, From In- of the City of New full Civil War rega- side a Police Auto. Police Check Autos for York, which somelia stands with his Wanted Man,” 1978. times looks at New daughters and their York City through dolls. Freed doesn’t give us a location, but Mickey Mouse glasses, shares some of the both photos look like they were taken in blame for choosing to include this kind of the semi-rural suburbs, at a healthy remove schmaltz in such a small show. Still, the from the crumbling city. exhibit is well worth seeing. Look over the Looking at them is like looking through policemen’s heads, past the images that the wrong end of a telescope into a neat, Freed wants to show you, and focus on the private little world. Even Freed’s group city itself. portrait at a station house has this selfcontained look. The officers stare calmly Police Work: Photographs by Leonard at the camera, giving nothing away. If Freed, 1972-1979 there is any anger in their hearts or any Through May 6, Museum of the City of sorrow, Freed hasn’t captured it.

New York, 1220 5th Ave., 212-534-1672, When the cops go out to the streets www.mcny.org. they are confronted with a dirty, dangerous city. Some of that dirt and danThis article first appeared in the ger comes across in the photographs. March 7 issue of CityArts. For more from There are corpses lying in stairwells, New York’s Review of Culture, visit www. men showing off their scars and fields cityartsnyc.com.

N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

Peaceful Parenting

new york family

As the go-to mom, Kimberley Clayton Blaine has popularized ‘emotion coaching,’ which favors empathy and relationship building, to address classic childhood challenges like tantrums and going to sleep

By Elizabeth Raymond

A

fter honing her skills as a trauma counselor for young children and having two sons of her own—ages 4 and 9—Kimberley Clayton Blaine quickly jettisoned into the world of professional parent coaching. As the executive producer of the popular Go-To Mom series, a web-based show that launched in 2006, the LA-based Blaine is on a mission to help families with kids 0-7 years navigate the winding web of growing up.

Here, Blaine discusses her latest book, The Go-To Mom’s Parents’ Guide to Emotion Coaching Young Children (Jossey-Bass, 2010). In the reader-friendly volume, she provides practical suggestions for parents of young children, discussing everything from tantrums to pacifiers and even making the case for placing importance on the development of your parent-child relationship over the act of discipline. Find out how to turn your kid into a socially adept and responsible young person.

Describe what it means to emotion coach a child.

[It] means assisting your young child to be more responsive and responsible, as opposed to reactive. The easy steps to coaching are acknowledging your child’s feelings and teaching him/her to recognize and express them and [how to] stand up for themselves.

The inspiration from your book came from working as a social worker, specializing in trauma. How does this

Hot Tip of the Week

Namaste for Free Check out free yoga classes for kids at Yogi Beans on the Upper East Side this month.

The new studio on Lexington Avenue has just opened and is offering its classes— from babies to teens to parents—free of charge through March 31. Stop by Yogi Beans’ new home to say “namaste”!

For more information, visit yogibeans. com. And for even more family fun, visit newyorkfamily.com.

O u r To w n NY. c o m

intersect with emotion coaching?

Developing communication skills in very young children allows them to maneuver [within] society without getting in trouble. Society expects us to sit still and be good, but not all children can do that. And they do it at different ages.

What’s the difference between a “hands-off” parent and a parent who emotionally coaches?

The emotion coach is an observer, a Sherlock Holmes. The hands-off parent believes that the child is going to develop and get their skills by themselves, [but this] really does a child a disservice. A child needs to know that there are boundaries and social etiquette in life.

Are there any red flags for parents that indicate that their parenting style isn’t working?

If your child’s doing the same thing over and over again, you need to take a different road with that behavior. Second, I would say that if you’re always finding it’s a complete struggle [to] discipline, it might mean your issues are overriding your child’s. As parents, we have to hold back some of our needs. If you find that you’re always heated during most of interactions with your kids, you need to revamp.

In your opinion, what would you say is the No. 1 mistake parents today make in raising a child?

Thinking that the way you were raised is the right way. History tends to repeat itself.

There is a ton of pressure on parents to be the first to wean their toddlers off the binky or thumb-sucking, but you write about how these phases are actually fundamental to child development and should not be rushed.

I think rushing things that aren’t detrimental to children just endangers your relationship with them. You have to pick your battles—if it’s not a detriment to their development, [you] don’t have to battle it.

Many parents struggle with the question of “How much TV is too much?”

You touch on this in your book.

Children 2 and under do not need TV and DVDs. It’s not a requirement

Kimberley Clayton Blaine and her two sons. for a healthy, developing child. But we’re not perfect and parents need a respite sometimes. I believe if you’re going to show your child—at any age— something, be sure it’s benign. [At our house], we love PBS KIDS, Disney and Nick Jr.—the stuff that’s got a really sweet message.

You talk a lot about the need for parents to have complete control over their own emotions in order for them to effectively parent. What are a few suggested techniques for moms and dads who are feeling at the end of their rope?

First, walk away for a few minutes so you don’t get overheated. Second, call on

resources to remind us that parenting is amazing. And third, it’s really important that, once you’ve made a mistake, you let your child know you didn’t mean to do it.

As our children grow older, does the emotion coaching part of parenting move on, too?

Emotion coaching is for people of all ages. You’re always going to respect and deal with the emotional side of your relationship with your children. As they get older, we adjust. But you are always coaching.

To win a copy of Kimberley Clayton Blaine’s book, visit our Contests & Giveaways tab on newyorkfamily.com.

Local Resources for Emotion Coaching Looking to ignite your quest to becoming an emotion coach for your child? Consider these local resources. seedlingsgroup: This group of experts can instruct and guide you on exactly what to expect at every stage of your child’s development (and how to cope)—from ER trips to imaginary friends. seedlingsgroup.com.

The Bernard L. Pacella Parent Child Center: This Upper East Side center offers classes on positive discipline for

parents of children ages 3-6, one-on-one meetings with developmental specialists and a new program just for stay-athome fathers. 247 E. 82nd St., 212-6656309, theparentchildcenter.org.

The New York Open Center: This holistic nonprofit hosts a five-part daytime lecture series focused on positive parenting that began Wednesday, March 7; interested parents can sign up for the whole program or an individual lecture. 22 E. 30th St., 212-219-2527, opencenter.org.

March 15, 2012 •

O U R TO W N

•

15

Q01244 FEC-Personal Planning:Layout 3

1/30/12

11:50 AM

Page 1

The Dignity Memorial® Personal Planning Guide, is a valuable tool that allows you to record financial and personal information that your family will need during and after your final arrangements.

Preplanning puts your family first by making your wishes known and removing the burden from loved ones.

To receive a complimentary Personal Planning Guide or to learn more about preplanning options, call or visit us.

H

FRANK E. C AM PB EL L T H E

F U N E R A L

C H A P E L

K n o w n for Ex c e l l en c e since 18 9 8

1 0 7 6 M a d i s o n A ve n u e

at

81s t S t re e t

G e o r g e M . A m at o ~ p r e s i d e n t

212 . 2 8 8 . 3 5 0 0

Dominic Carell a ~ vice president

Owned by A Subsidiary of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, TX 77019 (713) 522-5141

331 East 70th Street, New York, NY 10021 212-744-5022 • www.lenoxhill.org 16

•

OUR TOW N

•

March 15, 2012

Burlesquing Media Mel Ramos’ sexy variations

By Maureen Mullarkey the barracks and of Madison Avenue with It is when a cigar is not just a cigar that a sly humor that earns his stylized females it is really fun. Mel Ramos understood that a permanent place in 20th-century cultural from the get-go. The playful, bawdy, brash history. retrospective selection at Bernarducci His series of vacant studio models Meisel Gallery testifies to the gamesman- conforms to the Playboy paradigm while ship that has made Ramos—and pop art, seeming to mock it. These gals have all for all its flaws—so popular. In material the tactile appeal of inflatable dolls. and cultural terms, much has changed, Separated from the iconic logos that bind disappeared or made an about-face since the work to media postures, his figures pop’s heyday in the 1960s and ’70s. What become ciphers in search of a purpose. is left grants this condensed survey a cer- Nudity notwithstanding, they cannot be tain piquancy. called sensual, a quality distinct from Born in Sacramento in 1935, Ramos grew nakedness. up in the confident post-World War II era.

Inherent in Ramos’ early burlesques America was flush with moral and military vic- is recognition of media’s dependence on tory over two lethal enemies. Manufacturing female props for pumping everything from was at a peak; we were still an export nation. clothes and cosmetics to cars and, today, Consumer culture stretched across the coun- TV news. Absent that real-world link, with try like Route 66, the Mother Road of growing its wry undertone, the tour de force flattens; prosperity. there is less to compel attention. Even so, Ramos’ hallmark bawdiness drew equal- it is hard now to fault Ramos for providing ly from the pinup queens of the war years an accurate barometer of vulgarity’s rise to and Hollywood’s postwar invention, the sex popular stature. goddess. His pictorial chicanery, particuIn retrospect, Ramos’ steamy female larly in the first two decades of his career, superheroes, his Ketchup Queen (as in the drew its vitality from an association with images that kept to the naughty-but-nice side of a cultural line between erotica and pornography—a divide that no longer exists.

Ramos’ D-cup sweetie, holding on to a mammoth spark plug and smiling over her shoulder, is the air-headed descendent of a leggy Betty Grable, whose image, back to the viewer in swimsuit and heels, was reproduced on the noses of hundred of bombers. From Fort Sill to the Siegfried Line, tens of thousands Mel Ramos, Giant Panda, 1971, oil on canvas, 52 x of pilots, sailors, GIs and marines 60 inches. kept themselves company with photos of the wartime bombshell. Even a 1963 “Ketsup Kween”) and all her fey sistest version of the atomic bomb was named ters, stand in witness to a cultural moment “Rita” and carried Rita Hayworth’s picture. that coarsened with our consent. “We’d live Jane Russell, her back against a haystack, the life we’d choose…For we were young was the sultry predecessor of “Lucky Lulu and sure to have our way.”

Blonde” (1965), its bare-breasted girl rampant on a pack of Lucky Strikes.

Mel Ramos: Selections from the The step down from real women in coy Retrospective poses to Ramos’ vacuous counterfeits is Through March 31. Bernarducci Meisel exquisitely tuned to the temper of its age. Gallery, 37 W. 57th St., 212-593-3757, When selling the war effort had run its www.bernarduccimeisel.com. course, selling brand names rushed in to fill the vacuum. The shift from sacrifice and This article first appeared in the service to gratification and consumption March 7 issue of CityArts. For more from was hardly an even trade. Ramos picked New York’s Review of Culture, visit www. up on the disparity between the ethos of cityartsnyc.com.

Image courtesy of BernarduccI meIsel gallery.

LENOX HILL NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE

arts

N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

HIGHEST PRICES PAID ANTIQUES WANTED Paintings, Jewelry, Silver, Porcelain, Lighting, Furniture, Oriental Rugs, Tapestries etc.

WE ALSO BUY ENTIRE ESTATES

212-751-0009 WHAT ARE YOUR KIDS DOING THIS SUMMER?

New Site.

New Content.

Newly relevant.

SATURDAY, MAR 31, 2012 Upper East Side St. Jean Baptiste School 173 E. 75th St. 12PM - 3PM

SUNDAY, APR 1, 2012 Upper West Side Congregation Rodeph Sholom 7 W. 83rd St. 12PM - 3PM

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, PURSUANT TO LAW, that the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs will hold a Public Hearing on 3/28/2012 at 2:00 p.m. at 66 John Street, 11th floor, on a petition from Artaki Corp. to continue to, maintain, and operate an unenclosed sidewalk cafe‘ at 1606 First Avenue in the Borough of Manhattan for a term of two years.

REQUESTS FOR COPIES OF THE PROPOSED REVOCABLE CONSENT AGREEMENT MAY BE ADDRESSED TO: DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, ATTN: FOIL OFFICER, 42 BROADWAY, NEW YORK, NY 10004.

NewYorkFamilyCamps.com

m @ .co or LE howe do SAikesat th ON b 0 X am $2 TI newline, w. on ww$15

PRESENTED BY:

The Hamptons AreTh Always e Hamptons in Season

Are Always in Season

Visit year-round at www.danshamptons.com

MANHATTAN MEDIA’S ANNUAL BIKE-TASTIC EVENT RETURNS!

Visit year-round at www.danshamptons.com

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, APRIL 28 TH & 29 TH , 2012 SKYLIGHT SOHO, 275 HUDSON STREET, NYC 10AM-7PM SPONSORED BY: THE BEST OF ROADBIKES, DUTCHBIKES AND SWEET RIDES NYC RIDESTYLE FASHION SHOW • ACCESSORIES • BICYCLE GIVEAWAYS • FAB FOOD GUEST SPEAKERS & BLOGGERS @ BIKELANDIA • BEER GARDEN BY GROLSCH LAGER O u r T o w n N Y. c o m

March 15, 2012

•

OUR TOWN

•

17

Matty, a very handsome Russian Blue mix is friendly, but timid and sensitive. He’s ideally suited for an experienced, calm, and gentle family with cat-savvy children over age 5. This 6 year old sweetheart is sure to cozy up to you once he feels safe and comfortable!

Max is an adorable little 3 year old, 15-pound Chihuahua/Terrier mix. Max is very sweet and sensitive, and he is fearful around strangers.

He should go home with a calm, gentle family with kids over age 12. Once he warms up to you, Max becomes playful and affectionate and will cuddle up on your lap! We are sure that he will bond strongly to his new person.

animal people for people who love animals ®

Mitchell’sNY The World’s Finest Delivery Services

Beverages Delivered to your Door in New York

Free Manhatta Delivery!n Conventional, Unique and Hard to Find Brands Over two thousand varieties of bottled water, iced tea, soda and more delivered straight to your door!

OUR TOWN READER SPECIAL!

Receive

Wh hat’s on sale?

25 OFF $

00

your next online order* www.mitchellsNYbeverage.com enter promo code bevnyot25 *Limit one per household. $60 minimum purchase required.

May not be combined with any other coupon or offer. at checkout

has a weekly www.mitchellsNYbeverage.com | 800-662-2275 ext 5 e-mail blast!

Sign up at

OurTownNY.com

has a weekly e-mail blast!

Sign up at

18

•

OUR TOW N

•

March 15, 2012

OurTownNY.com

to receive your weekly dose of East Side news and be entered to win FREE theater tickets!

Dog (and Cat) Breath Smells Like Bigger Problems Ahead

By Robin Brennen Why do two-thirds of well-meaning pet owners often ignore their veterinarian’s recommendations for proper dental care? I suppose we all hate going to the dentist, so maybe there is a bit of anthropomorphizing going on. But the fact is the American Veterinary Dental Society reports that 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3. That’s nothing to smile about.

Fido’s and Fifi’s funky breath can be an early sign that something is afoul; halitosis is often a consequence of periodontal disease. Just as in humans, bacteria in the mouth helps form plaque. Left to accumulate, tartar forms and plaque and tartar can infect the gums and cause gingivitis.

The gums appear red and swollen and can bleed easily. Once plaque takes hold below the gum line, the structure of the tooth can be affected. Infection can form around the root and spread into the surrounding bone.

This can result in tooth and bone loss.

Sound painful? It is. However, dogs and cats often suffer silently and will continue to eat despite considerable discomfort. Pain isn’t the only issue. Bacteria that overcolonize in the mouth can enter the blood stream through the diseased and bleeding gum tissue. The bacteria are then free to lodge in the heart, liver and kidneys, resulting in damage to those organs and serious health problems.

Signs of oral disease can include bad breath, red gums, drooling, difficulty chewing, food bowl avoidance, dropping of food and facial swelling.

In the wild, the canine and feline species rip and tear apart their prey, which actually helps keep their teeth and gums healthy. Domestication and manufactured diets have removed nature’s built-in dental care. Therefore, your pet needs human intervention to ensure proper oral health.

Regular dental checkups should be part of your pet’s annual maintenance program.

Routine dental cleanings may be suggested by your veterinarian as a prophylactic measure, or your pet may be in serious need of a deep cleaning that may include tooth extractions.

Owner reluctance often stems from the fact that animals need to be put under anesthesia in order to perform the dentistry properly and safely. When I think about it, I wish I had that option! I would probably visit the dentist more often.

As we all know, tooth cleaning is not a pleasant experience. If the gums are inflamed, it can be downright uncom-

Rennett Stowe/FLICKR

Call 866-262-8133 or visit Bideawee at 410 E38th street and let the experienced Matchmakers introduce you to Matty, Max and all of the other animals in need of a forever home.

pets

Proper dental hygiene is important with pets. fortable. Fortunately for our pets, they are happily asleep during the procedure.

This allows for all sides of the tooth to be cleaned properly with the use of an ultrasonic scaler, as well as deep cleaning below the gum line. In addition, the teeth can be polished adequately and a thorough assessment of the oral cavity performed.

Your veterinarian can take many steps to ensure that the anesthetic procedure is as safe as possible. A pre-anesthetic exam and blood work can help assess risk and allow for the proper choice of anesthetic agents tailored to the individual pet’s health status. Intra-operative patient monitoring and fluid administration enhance the safety and pain medications are often prescribe to make the recovery and post-dental period more comfortable.

Dental care should begin at a young age. Home care is an important part of overall dental health. Daily brushing should be incorporated into your routine.

There are many videos on YouTube on how to get your pet acclimated to brushing. Your veterinarian may also recommend a dental diet specially formulated to help remove plaque, if your pet is prone to periodontal disease. There are chew toys on the market that also help massage the gums and remove plaque.

Nothing beats in-home monitoring.

Flip up a lip and take a peek inside your pet’s mouth. If you see something, say something! Don’t brush aside your pet’s oral health.

If you want to give your pet a dental health checkup, the animal hospitals at Bideawee have a variety of dental health care packages for dogs and cats.

Robin Brennen is chief of veterinary services & VP of operations at Bideawee.

N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

WHAT’S So WRoNG WITH

FALLING IN LoVE

WITH YoUR PATIENT?

It’s trust. It’s a familiar face. It’s a vet who treats you and your pet like family. That’s the comfort of the Animal Hospitals at Bideawee. State-of-the-art facilities and highly trained veterinarians are part of the services and support we bring to help pets and the people who love them build lasting relationships. Get to know our animal hospitals, and all we offer at bideawee.org or call 1.866 -262- 8133.

animal people for people who love animals ®

O u r T o w n N Y. c o m

March 15, 2012

•

OUR TOWN

•

19

CLASSI FI E DS Classified Advertising Department Information Telephone: 212-268-0384 | Fax: 212-268-0502 | Email: advertising@manhattanmedia.com Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm | Deadline: Monday 12 noon for same weeks’ issue

sERvICEs

PROF. sERvICEs

Manhattan ExPrEss DElivEry Moving & Delivery Servicing NY/ NJ/ CT $10 OFF Furniture Delivery $100 OFF Moving Jobs over $800 Call: (646) 509-8181

PROFEssIONAL TYPIsT!!

25 years experience in typing Professional Documents and School Papers; Screenplays in Final Draft; Legal and Psychiatric Transcription; Writing, Formatting Résumés

PrOFEssiOnal DrivEr looking for driving postion. Will drive to the airports,the Hamptons, etc. Non-smoker, very reliable. 917-734-4676 nEED a tutOr? Tutoring and Test Preparation All Subjects and Grade Levels Call Prima Tutoring at 212-920-6897

Document Design & Creation, 212-988-4630

FREE TAX PREP Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Our IRS-approved students offer NYC residents free Federal and State tax help. VITA supports those who can’t prepare their own taxes or afford the services of a paid preparer.

• E-file is available at all locations in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn • Chinese, English, Korean, Russian, and Spanish www.baruch.cuny.edu/vita

20•

OUR TOWN

•

March 15, 2012

EMPLOYMENT niGht POrtEr 5 Nights A week, 6pm to 3am Upscale Gay Sports Bar in Chelsea, $11 / hr. No exp. necessay. will train. References required. Send your name, contact info & references to: lee@boxersnyc.com sEniOr sOFtWarE DEvElOPEr (Princeton Information, Ltd./New York, NY): Responsible to perform various software development activities including, interact with Business users for requirement gathering and prepared Use cases. Reqmts: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field & 5 yrs progressive exp in job offered or related occupation, to incl 5 yrs exp in Java, J2EE development tools, and SQL; 5 yrs exp with Spring; 5 yrs exp with Sybase/Oracle; 1 yr exp in continuous integration and automated testing (Junit); and familiarity with Sunguard GMI Downstream Systems/ Future Systems. Exp may have been gained concurrently. Interested individuals apply online at www. princetoninformation.com using keyword "Senior Software Developer."

COOrDinatOr, Traffic at SIRIUS XM Radio Reconciles Sirius XM Talk Channels to ensure spots are aired correctly. Manages daily format changes so prophet logs match traffic logs. BA preferred. Min. 2+ years of traffic exp. req’d. Apply at https://careers-siriusxm. icims.com/jobs/6332/job.

PrODuEr, Cosmo Radio position at Sirius XM Radio. Book and preinterview guests, increase listenership, develop and maintain relationships with publicists, and enhance subscriber satisfaction. Minimum two years experience in news/talk radio. Apply at https://careers-siriusxm.icims.com/ jobs/5875/job assOCiatE PrODuCEr, Opie & Anthony at SIRIUS XM Radio Supports creative processes, content development and production on The Opie & Anthony Channel. Bachelor’s preferred.

Proficiency with audio editing software required. Apply at https://careerssiriusxm.icims.com/jobs/7156/job assOCiatE PrODuCEr, Ron & Fez at SIRIUS XM Radio Supports creative processes, content development and production on The Opie & Anthony Channel. Bachelor’s preferred.

Proficiency with audio editing software required. Apply at https://careerssiriusxm.icims.com/jobs/7151/job

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

Is Your Computer Running Slow Or In A Coma?

Don’t Throw Out Your Old Computer!

Save Your MoneY! Save The PlaneT!

leT uS reSTore Your old coMPuTer for aS liTTle aS $195

CARD gAMEs

Canasta Enjoy lunch at a lovely neighborhood restaurant and for dessert ....CANASTA! For info call Shelli Leifer 212 472-2000 or email CanastaLadies@aol.comCan’t wait to get started! Lessons available.

REAL EsTATE

thinkinG OF MOvinG tO COnnECtiCut? Full-time and Vacation homes. 15 years exp. selling in Fairfield County, CT. Rob Grodman, Realtor. The Riverside Realty Group. 203-952-6117 www.RobGrodman.com email: westportagent@hotmail.com

Your computer Will Be re-newed & run @ lightning Speeds

M.e. TechnoloGieS 212.758.9280

♥ hEalth CarE aDvisOR ♥ Prevent being alone during a medical emergency.

Call JaCQuElyn at 646645-7616 to discuss putting an affordable 24 hr. personal Medical Alarm System for protection in your home and through your cell phone. (Nationwide Distributor)

CustOM DEsiGn FurniturE

Furniture to meet your needs. modern design and fabrication. Call Omid 646-258-8203

BUY/sELL Place your ad here. 212268-0384 CARPET CLEANINg

CarPEts & uPhOlstEry professionally steam-cleaned. 20 years experience. JP Carpet. 212-831-1189

HAvE A sERvICE TO OFFER?

Place your ad here.

212-268-0384

LOOKINg TO BUY

WE Buy EstatEs, WE Buy Partial anD EntirE COntEnts OF aPartMEnts. We buy art and antiques, collectibles and jewelry, modern design and vintage clothes.

We buy all kinds of collections and curious things. We are professional, experienced and knowledgeable, and yes we pay more. Call 212-260-1851 or visit www.brooklynbridgebuyers.com

PARK AVENUE – SHARED SPACE Interior, exterior and corner offices.

Conf. rooms. Secretarial & IT support.

Flexible plans. Private offices $1450/up.

Virtual offices $90/month. www.410park.com Call 212-231-8500 BAYSIDE, BEll BlvD medical center, (directly opposite Bay Terrace shopping center) Furnished & Equipped.

PErfEct for: DDS, MD, psych, other professionals. On-site valet parking. P/T & F/T. Signage!

Location! 718-229-3598

TRACK BY JACK

TRACK-LIGHTING SPECIALITSTS

INSTALLATION • SALES UPDATE OLD CANS W/SMALL, EFFICIENT, LOW-VOLTAGE HALOGENS. WHOLESALE BULBS DELIVERED

917-74 TRACK 917-748-7225

NEWS YOU LIVE BY

100s of SPANISH Singles 18+ Try it FREE!

212-965-8484 CLASSI FI E DS 646-502-0044 EHEALTH sERvICEs BODYWORK 718-663-8566 yOu Will kEEP COMinG BaCk! ***hiv/stD tEstinG*** IMMEDIATE RESULTS! LOWEST FEE. Discreet. Expert Genital Wart Treatment & STD Treatment. Dermatology. www.CentralParkMedicalAssociates.com Call now. 18+ 212-246-0800

Real hook ups, real fast.

Talented, trained bodyworker does amazing Swedish and Shiatsu work on a table in a beautiful Chelsea Try it guy FREE! apartment.

Friendly who will focus on your specific requests. Very high repeat clients because you will like it!

Call 646-734-3042

ALL LOCAL CHAT!

212-812-1212 646-825-4444 MAssAgE 718-928-4444 BODy Wax & DEEP tissuE

hEalinG MassaGE By dual-licensed, experienced male therapist. Deep Tissue massage, men’s facial & body wax. Private. Shower available.

W 55th St NYC. Also in L.I.C. Queens.

718-612-1719 MaGiC tOuCh Exceptionally relaxing touch by European ladies. Private, 24/7.

E 30th St 212-661-6407 E 60s St 212-705-7068 E 40S St 212-576-1025

Free TRY FOR

MAssAgE

SWEDISH/SHIATSU ChinEsE Guy Expert masseur. Swedish & Shiatsu.

Therapeutic & relaxing.

Private. 52nd St & 3rd Ave. Stephen: 646-996-9030

646.429.1300

sEnsual BODyWOrk -young, handsome, smooth, athletic Asian. In/ Out. Phillip. 212-787-9116

Local #s: 1.800.926.6000 www.livelinks.com Ahora en Español 18+

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT Ask About Our Special Couples Deals

MAssAgE

Male Masseur Available

sExy latina — J.lO Midtown Loc. West 40’s Incalls only.

845-332-1891 Ask About Specials.

No Blocked Calls.

ExPEriEnCE OriEntal BODyWOrk

By CHIRSTY 10am to 6pm W. 86th St. Appt. Only 212.496.0888

BUY/sELL Place your ad here. 212-268-0384

LIVE CHAT for large & lovely Women

Voted #1

By New York Locals

& the Men Who Adore them Dating, casual Encounters, Matching and more!

CALL: 646-507-5110 718-280-0011 201-708-6148 732-510-2999 908-376-1999 516-471-5056 973-867-7930 You must be an adult over 18 years of age to use this service and fully understand that APC, Inc., DBA Plus Preferred does not prescreen callers and anyone using this service hold APC, Inc. harmless with regard to any interactions with other callers occurring as a result of using this service.

O u r T o w n N Y. c o m

ENJOY THE BEST

FULL BODYWORK STRESS...GONE

by Stefan Upper West Side

646-496-3981

HAvE A sERvICE TO OFFER? Place your ad here. 212268-0384

GrEat BODyWOrk

By EurOPEan Open late, Midtown East 212-813-0083

Sensual Body Work Private Dancing & Light Fetish/ Domination w/Beautiful Girls 917-463-3739

Body&Spirit

NYC

The Sensual & Tantric Experience 212- 768-1930 34th St. & 5th Ave. Outside Appts. Available www.BodyandSpiritNYC.com

March 15, 2012

•

OUR TOWN

•

21

open forum President/CeO

Tom Allon tallon@manhattanmedia.com CFO/COO Joanne Harras jharras@manhattanmedia.com grOuP PuBLisHer Alex Schweitzer aschweitzer@manhattanmedia.com direCtOr OF interaCtive Marketing and digitaL strategy Jay Gissen jgissen@manhattanmedia.com

editOriaL

exeCutive editOr Allen Houston ahouston@manhattanmedia.com sPeCiaL seCtiOns editOr Josh Rogers jrogers@manhattanmedia.com staFF rePOrter Megan Bungeroth mfinnegan@manhattanmedia.com PHOtO editOr/editOriaL assistant Andrew Schwartz aschwartz@manhattanmedia.com Featured COntriButOrs Alan S. Chartock, Bette Dewing, Jeanne Martinet, Malachy McCourt, Josh Perilo, Christopher Moore, Regan Hofmann

advertising

advertising@manhattanmedia.com PuBLisHer Gerry Gavin ggavin@manhattanmedia.com direCtOr OF new Business deveLOPMent Dan Newman assOCiate PuBLisHers Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth advertising Manager Marty Strongin sPeCiaL PrOjeCts direCtOr Jim Katocin seniOr aCCOunt exeCutives Verne Vergara, Mike Suscavage direCtOr OF events & Marketing Joanna Virello jvirello@manhattanmedia.com Marketing Manager Liza Connor exeCutive assistant OF saLes Jennie Valenti jvalenti@manhattanmedia.com

Business adMinistratiOn

COntrOLLer Shawn Scott Credit Manager Kathy Pollyea BiLLing COOrdinatOr Colleen Conklin CirCuLatiOn Joe Bendik circ@manhattanmedia.com

PrOduCtiOn

PrOduCtiOn Manager Ed Johnson editOriaL LayOut and design Monica Tang advertising design Quarn Corley

OUR TOWN is published weekly Copyright © 2012 Manhattan Media, LLC 79 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor New York, N.Y. 10016 Editorial (212) 284-9734 Fax (212) 268-2935 Advertising (212) 284-9715 General (212) 268-8600 E-mail: editorial@manhattanmedia.com Website: OurTownNY.com OUR TOWN is a division of Manhattan Media, LLC, publisher of West Side Spirit, Our Town Downtown, Chelsea Clinton News, The Westsider, City Hall, The Capitol, The Blackboard Awards, New York Family and Avenue magazine.

To subscribe for 1 year, please send $75 to OUR TOWN, 79 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10016 Recognized for excellence by the

New York Press Association

Member

22

•

OUR TOW N

•

March 15, 2012

Redistricting Plan a Game of Mirrors Only a nonpartisan solution accurately reflects the voting public

By Liz Krueger Two years ago, I committed to vote against any redistricting plan unless it was developed through a nonpartisan redistricting process. I stand by that commitment, and not just because our current process is flawed. Not surprisingly, both houses’ majority parties are pushing their own partisan plans, despite the fact that every Republican senator and a majority of Assembly members made the same pledge I made: to vote against partisan redistricting and support real reform. It is now up to Gov. Andrew Cuomo to veto the plan and allow

make no mistake, the lines Albany’s partisan leaders have drawn are bad. They are designed for one purpose: benefiting the majority parties in each house at the expense of equal voting rights and rational representation for communities and neighborhoods.

The proposed state Senate lines are particularly egregious, but that’s to be expected; it is much harder to draw lines that protect Republican senators in New York because Liz Krueger. our state has been trending Democratic for years. To protect their To protect their vulnerable majority, the vulnerable majority, the Senate Republicans’ proposal gives New Senate Republicans’ proYork City one less district than the census posal gives New York City figures warrant and adds an additional 63rd one less district than the census figures warrant District upstate. They manage this—in and adds an additional spite of the fact that the state’s population 63rd District upstate. They has shifted downstate over the last 10 manage this—in spite of years—by once again putting many more the fact that the state’s population has shifted people in New York City and Long Island downstate over the last 10 districts than in upstate districts. years—by once again putting many more people in a federal court to draw districts without the New York City and Long Island districts interference of self-interested legislators. than in upstate districts.

Some have argued that instead of sendIn addition, the plan once again creing the matter to the courts, Cuomo should ates Senate districts that systematically allow a bad map this year in exchange split the African-American and Latino for the promise of a better redistrict- communities on Long Island, despite draing process in 2022. Unfortunately, this matic growth in these communities over can’t work. Albany leaders have already the last 10 years. Dividing, or “cracking,” welched on promises of reform—as the these communities into multiple districts New York Times asked, “How can we is a tactic clearly aimed at protecting the trust this gang?” nine Republican incumbents who repreEven if we could be guaranteed a bet- sent Long Island in the Senate. ter system a decade from now—which I The argument for accepting these believe is hardly certain—a decade is a maps is that we will fix the problem in the long, long time to wait for reform. And future. But the proposed constitutional

Healthy Children

To the Editor: It is ironic to believe that the Army Corps of Engineers could care more about fish in the East River than the Bloomberg administration cares about the health of the children who would be playing an arm’s length away from 30 garbage trucks an hour rumbling by if the MTS is built.

The residents of Yorkville and East Harlem deserve the same legal public health protection as all other New

amendment is simply too weak to work.

The amendment would set up a commission appointed by politicians whose work could be edited or even rejected by the legislature.

Even worse, the commission would be susceptible to deadlock and political pressure.

Furthermore, we would be accepting these bad lines on a promise, since the constitutional amendment would have to pass the legislature again next year before the voters could consider it. Since so many legislators have broken their promises on this subject already, I don’t understand why we are so sure they will keep their promise and vote for an amendment again next year, when the pressure is off.

Compare the Legislature’s political machinations, last-minute announcements and strategic heel-dragging to the work of magistrate judge Roanne Mann, the special master already overseeing our congressional redistricting after the Legislature failed to develop congressional lines in time to prepare for a June congressional primary. Judge Mann has announced clear deadlines, has openly named the experts she will be consulting and has articulated legitimate, explicit criteria for the maps she will produce. She has set a standard for what New Yorkers should expect in redistricting, a standard the Legislature has refused to meet.

Newsday’s editorial board stated it perfectly: “New York could still get fair political boundaries this year, but for it to happen, the special master, the judges and Cuomo are going to have to stand tall and make the difficult, proper decisions.”

Liz Krueger is a State senator who represents the Upper East Side.

LET T ER S

Yorkers. The purpose of 16 RCNY § 4-32(b)(1)(ii), requiring a 400-foot buffer between any new transfer station and a residential district or public park, is to protect the health of New York City residents and should be enforced.

—Veronica Stolt Upper east side

Compassion for All

Assemblywoman Linda B. Rosenthal

is a great champion for all beings (“Assembly Member’s ‘Animal’ Instinct to Protect Wildlife,” March 1). As Rosenthal said, “Animals mean a lot to many people...It’s not trivial to push animal bills; it’s part of a larger outlook.” Her compassion and intelligence make for a public servant all others should aspire to become.

—Mickey kraMer east 75th street Letters have been edited for clarity, style and brevity.

N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

Dewing Things BeTTer

Trails that Need Following The way to a safer, caring city

By Bette Dewing CBS News radio says the “taxi of tomorrow” has a partition that softens the blow to passenger’s heads when drivers make an emergency stop. An emergency room surgeon reported, “Every week, at least two such facial injuries occur.”

Who knew? Not this “traffic safety trailblazer” (Rep. Carolyn Maloney called me that in a 2006 tribute) who only takes cabs in an emergency and says that what’s needed—besides safe drivers—is a cab that won’t move until its passengers are seat-belted. Until then, let’s all tell the driver, “Don’t drive off until my seat belt is fastened!” And, please, won’t somebody up there (Rep. Maloney?) follow my life, limb and money-saving trails?

Ah, but 19th Precinct Officer Liam Lynch did say at the Community Council meeting on traffic safety that the flashlight I have attached to my cane “should be patented.” But how to light up every

walker after dark? All-out enforcement of the bike head- and tail light law would give us a fighting chance. As usual, citizen traffic laments at the meeting were often about scofflaw biking, and a number of people attended because the subject was traffic safety.

Among them were 20th Precinct Community Council president Ian Alterman and traffic safety activist Susan Siskind, who shared fears and solutions. Alterman and Siskind are both great letters-to-the-editor writers, and Siskind speaks out most effectively at civic meetings. If only more people did.

Though a bike rider, Alterman is greatly opposed to the law-breaking kind. So here’s to the 19th and 20th Precinct people blazing some trails together to stop all crimes of traffic— kamikaze biking and walking and, the most lethal, motorists failing to yield

when turning into crosswalks.

I gave Alterman a copy of Charles Komanoff’s trailblazing manual, Death

by Automobile, with statistics and tragic stories to back up this claim. We must never forget how longtime 19th Precinct volunteer Alberta Kenny was killed by a school bus’s illegal turn at York and 79th Street.

Lynch also warned the East 79th Neighborhood Association about bicyclists who swoop in and steal iPhones. Police and civic activist Joy Zagoren also alerted us to covering our cards when using an ATM or bank machine because of a recent string of PIN thefts.

Infinitely more must be learned about the planned replacement of the staircase that connects John Finley Walk with the river walk before the 18-month-long work on it starts next spring. The “staging area” is the 81st Street cul de sac where 45 East End’s service entrance

and 33 East End’s front entrance are located.

Loretta Ponticelli, who called attention to heedless kid scooter riders, was able to attend the meeting because Community Council officer Mary Ford could escort her there. The able-bodied helping those who are not is surely a trail to be followed. Photos help, like one of Ponticelli and Ford walking safely together, and of younger Council member Christine Donavan offering me her arm as we crossed Third and Second avenues on the way to our mutual bus stop.

The community relations officer said police will try to keep things “quiet” on St. Patrick’s Day. Helping one another not drink more than two a night is a trail in urgent need of following. And information about open-to-the-public A.A. meetings is an education everyone needs, especially after reading this paper’s story about pub-crawling’s appalling excesses.

Intervention is another trail to be widely followed.

Some trailblazing hopes and prayers— not only for St. Patrick’s Day or the Lenten and Passover season. dewingbetter@aol.com

ironic hopes

Twitter, the Urban Front Porch Bringing neighbors together over potential and real dangers

By Josh Rogers Maybe Twitter is turning New York City into a bunch of Small Town USAs. The thought popped into my head not long after my wife started looking out the window at the helicopter circling our Chelsea neighborhood Monday night. The chopper kept shining a light on a few buildings near 24th Street and Seventh Avenue. My wife works at a national news desk and saw nothing about it in her emails.

We both figured it was a police helicopter, but naturally, our concern heightened as the circling persisted—it lasted about 45 minutes.

I searched Twitter for “helicopter,” but this was complicated because a little while earlier, the last finalist on The Bachelor had just been dumped on national TV after flying in a helicopter O u r To w n NY. c o m

to the man she hoped to marry. (Gee, I wish I could have used the word “apparently” in that last sentence, but even though I have no idea who was competing on the show, I admittedly saw the TV helicopter for myself because I was flipping channels.

Might as well come clean fully: Some years ago, I did follow a few seasons of The Bachelor.)

I also called 311, since it did not seem to be a 911 emergency.

The service has some pluses, but I should have known this was not a smart call. The operator kept asking if I wanted to make a complaint. Since I assumed it was for legitimate police activity, I resisted. Finally I said, “if a chopper is just joyriding or doing something worse, yes I’d like to file a complaint, but if it’s for the police, no.”

It was clear she was not going to endeavor to find out what the problem was, so I said I’d call 911. She didn’t

encourage or discourage me.

I left my name and number with 911, but thought that waiting by the phone or even flying to police headquarters like a hopeful Bachelorette would not get results—it didn’t work for her.

I went back to Twitter for answers, but saw more questions about the “#ChelseaHelicopter” the hashtag I tried to spread as a way to organize neighbors I didn’t know. I then called my local precinct. The officer who answered said police were looking for a suspect but gave no other info.

I tweeted away, letting concerned neighbors know the little I knew. Some thanked me. It was the least I could do for all of them—including singer Roseanne Cash, daughter of the Man in Black, Johnny Cash, who continues to entertain me.

Probably a few hundred thousand people, if not more, have read articles I’ve written over the years, but seldom

have I felt more energized professionally than I did when communicating to a small handful of people. I thought of film actors who always say how exciting it is to perform on stage, where audience reactions are immediate.

My neighbors, whom I will probably never meet, came together for a brief moment around something in the community, the same way I imagine people talk to each other on their front porches in small towns.

It’s a given that Facebook and Twitter have the ability to unite people around the world like left-handed Tiddlywinks players, but these forums can also bring neighbors together.

Police tell me the suspect was arrested. I’m still waiting to hear why. Next time, tweet me, officer.

Josh Rogers, contributing editor at Manhattan Media, is a lifelong New Yorker. Follow him @JoshRogersNYC. March 15, 2012

•

O U R TO W N

•

23

Responsibly Green, Elegantly Glenwood

The finest Manhattan rentals in the neighborhood of your choice.

Near the Best NYC Schools • Unparalleled Service • Fitness Center • Children’s Playroom & Swimming Pool • 24-Hour Doorman • Magnificent Lobbies • Landscaped Gardens • Exciting City Views • Spacious Layouts • Building-Wide Water Filtration Systems • On-Site Parking Garage UPPER EAST SIDE

1 Bedrooms from $2,795

Convertible 2 Bedrooms from $3,995 3 Bedrooms from $5,995 MIDTOWN & UPPER WEST SIDE

1 Bedrooms from $2,995

2 Bedrooms from $4,695

3 Bedrooms from $7,995

TRIBECA & FINANCIAL DISTRICT

1 Bedrooms from $3,295

2 Bedrooms from $5,395

Convertible 3 Bedrooms from $5,495

GLENWOOD BUILDER OWNER MANAGER

212-535-0500 DOWNTOWN LUXURY LEASING OFFICE 212-430-5900 UPTOWN LUXURY LEASING OFFICE

Open 7 days, 10AM-6PM • NO FEE Free parking while viewing apartments

glenwoodnyc.com 24•

OUR TOWN

•

March 15, 2012

Equal Housing Opportunity

NEWS YOU LIVE BY