Our Town August 25, 2011

40 ANNIVE

RS

Alternative Healthy Manhattan: Reiki & other healthy careers Page 18

A RY

August 25, 2011

Putting History On the Map

Back to 2 School ANNIVE

P.4

O’Neil, a Different Kind of Finishing School

P.6

RS

A RY

City and church in talks for UES school; smart apps for kids; a look at life coaching and other continuing ed programs.

P.12-17

Armond White on Our Idiot Brother

P.23

The Our Lady of Good Counsel site may continue as a long-term public school space.

Open 365 days a year • No appointment needed We accept most major insurances

Call 212.772.DOCS (3627)

336 East 86th St (Betw 1st and 2nd Ave)

Visit us at www.CityMD.net and see inside page 19 for more information.

Since 1970

express

Tapped In

there,” said Robert Konzen, the father.

“Those three benches have been first, second and third base for as long as I can remember.”

Konzen admitted that he may have overreacted in his treatment of Molese, but

Notes from the neighborhood Compiled by Megan Finnegan

Still Looking to Trash the Plan Opponents of the 96th Street waste transfer station rallied once again on Saturday in an attempt to stop the project, even though it has already been passed in the city’s capital budget. The plan to construct a brand new marine transfer station on the site, which has raised the ire of local residents and elected officials but has been bolstered by environmental justice advocates, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Council Speaker Christine Quinn, is currently under review by the Army Corps of Engineers to gauge the environmental and structural impact of the facility as well as the city’s mitigation plan.

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Assembly Member Micah Kellner and Council Members Dan Garodnick and Jessica Lappin spearheaded a last battle cry against the transfer station, calling on residents to submit their comments denouncing the plan to the Army Corps during the public comment period, which closed on Aug. 24.

In a letter to the Army Corps, Maloney laid out specific issues with the station related to various types of wildlife, including striped bass—the famed fish that helped kill the Westway project 25 years ago—and the black-crowned night heron. She called the mitigation plan “woefully inadequate” and wrote, “It woefully underestimates and overlooks much of the fish population at the site, its proposals for mitigation are insufficient and it ignores the impact of likely flooding on the fish given the presence of the facility in a hurricane flood plain.”

Maloney called on the Army Corps to reject the city’s plan in its entirety, but it’s unclear whether the Corps has the power to fully halt the new transfer station.

Senior Prevails at Ruppert Park Last week, Our Town, along with several other news organizations, reported on the seemingly sympathetic story of an elderly woman, Harri Molese, who was escorted out of Ruppert Park by the police after she complained that a gang of

2

•

O UR TOW N

• Augus t 25, 2011

Calling themselves Friends of the East River Greenway, the group is putting the (so far) friendly screws to lawmakers to reach an agreement with the city about a proposed plan for the esplanade by the October 10 deadline.

iSLand PoST office PRoTeST

U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney joined Assembly Member Micah Kellner, Council Member Jessica Lappin (obscured) and other elected officials and postal workers to protest the closing of Roosevelt Island’s only post office.

Wiffle ball-playing hooligans were invading her space. The cops tried to diffuse the situation, but in the end had to ask the woman to leave, since the Parks Department sign at the entrance indicates that no adults are allowed in the park unless they accompany children.

While the Parks Department has since changed the signage to clarify that the “no adults without kids” rule applies only to the playground area, and has specifically outlawed ball playing, the father of one of the young boys who sparked the kerfuffle is irate that one woman has driven local kids away from their community park.

“I’m born and raised in the neighborhood; I was there before the park was

said that she deliberately got in the way of an innocent game and refused to move when the boys asked her politely.

Now the kids, who he said have been playing there all their lives and are responsible and respectful, are banned from playing ball in the park. Konzen calls this a gross injustice at the instigation of one crabby parkgoer.

“She really is a sweet looking little old lady, and she’s winning because of that,” Konzen said.

“It’s not really fair.”

Moses & the River Upper East Siders and a slew of nonprofit organizations have formed a new coalition aimed at fostering public participation in the city’s efforts to rebuild the crumbling East River Esplanade.

The plan involves the city approving a Memorandum of Understanding that lays out its parameters for approving a land swap deal with the United Nations, executed at the state level. If the city and state agree on the terms, the deal would offer the land on which Robert Moses Playground currently sits to the U.N. to expand its campus, while allowing the city to sell another portion of land, resulting in millions of dollars that could fund the esplanade repair.

The new coalition, which includes prominent groups like Transportation Alternatives, the New York League of Conservation Voters and the Lower East Side Ecology Center, as well as more locally focused groups like the Kips Bay Neighborhood Alliance, unveiled a glossy new website at eastrivergreenwaynyc. org. They are encouraging people to get involved in supporting the development of a contiguous East River greenway.

N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

Why We’re on Strike As a doorman at Whitehouse Estates in Midtown on East 52nd Street, Pierre has been loyal to his tenants and dedicated to his employers for over 15 years. Despite Pierre’s hard work, his employer William Koeppel is demanding he and his co workers give up their family healthcare coverage and pensions or be kicked to the streets. In addition, these workers have filed charges against Koeppel with the National Labor Relations Board for forcing them to choose between their union membership and their jobs.

Since June 6th, we have been on the picket lines trying to get Koeppel to bargain fairly.

Meanwhile, we have lost health care coverage for ourselves and our families.

32BJ SEIU 101 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013 • 212.388.3800 • www.seiu32bj.org Local 32BJ has dispute with XXXXXXXXXXX. No dispute with any other employer. This is not a request to cease work, deliveries, or services.

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

August 25, 2011

•

OUR TOWN

•

3

news

Bringing New York History to Life

By Megan Finnegan As the world moves toward digitalization, brick and mortar historical societies and museums could seem quaint in comparison with the wealth of (semi-reliable) knowledge available to anyone with an Internet connection. Some companies and historians, however, are taking strides to make historical information widely available and interactive in new ways.

At the Museum of the City of New York on the Upper East Side, the archival team is working with a nonprofit company called We Are What We Do, who is collaborating with Google to facilitate their Historypin project.

“We Are What We Do is creating fun, interesting tools for people to use that bring positive social behaviors,” said content manager Rebekkah Abraham.

“Historypin grew out of their work on intergenerational issues, getting communities and generations together to share history.”

The website takes historical imag-

es and pins them to maps, allowing users to add stories, comments and other photos. Zoom in to the street view and you can see an image of Dr. Wasson’s dentistry office in 1932 on the southeast corner of East 85th Street and Third Avenue, where the Highlands Café now sits. That image, along with hundreds of others, comes from the Museum of the City of New York.

Lacy Schutz is the director of collections access at the museum. She came aboard in 2009 to oversee the grant-funded process of digitizing the museum’s collection—so far they have put 62,000 images online. Schutz has been working with Historypin to select the photos that they can use; there are currently 1,500 images from the museum available, dating back to the 1840s with the bulk of the collection from between the 1890s and 1940s.

“We talked about different neighborhoods and what collections would be good, just based on my experience working with these photographs,”

said Schutz. “We have a lot of collections that really are just street views of the city, where we represent the copyright or they’re just out of copyright, and they were able to find a lot of stuff.”

In the brightly lit basement of the museum, a team photographs and catalogues much of the extensive collection by section, one yellowed photograph, map or pre-Colonial artifact at a time.

Right now they’re working through a box containing postcards of boats.

There are hundreds of them, and each one will be made available to the public in the online library.

“So far, we’ve shot 90,000 images.

We’ve done a lot of the photography collection and we’ve been working lately with the prints and the drawings and the maps,” said Schutz.

Across the park at the New-York Historical Society, which while preparing to unveil a brand new physical facility in November is also at work fostering an online community and making their information techfriendly. They’re creating buzz with

their Facebook page (4,428 Likes) and Twitter updates (9,774 followers) and developing new ways for New Yorkers to engage with history through smartphone apps, interactive paintings and blogs, hoping to create an online presence as compelling as their renovated building site.

“People are seeing what’s online, getting a taste and then wanting to come in and see everything,” said Laura Washington, vice president of communications at the society.

On their blog, the historical society writes about everything, from quirky items from the collection to “this day in history” updates to the story of their collections manager riding across the country in a truck, accompanying the Tiffany collection to an exhibition in New Mexico and sharing a seat with the driver’s dog the entire way.

“Most cultural institutions want to get their collections out to the largest possible audience,” said Schutz.

“People expect to be able to find things online now. It’s kind of like, if it’s not online, it doesn’t exist.”

Ready To Lead the 73rd Assembly district • Vote September 13 “Dan Quart is exactly the type of leader we need to join the

Governor in his effort to reform our state government. He will go to Albany to secure funding for school construction, ensure access to quality health care and be an elected official we can — Rep. Carolyn Maloney all be proud of.”

My wife Miriam, my son Samuel and I love our community. I have spent my entire adult life here. That is why, after graduating from St. John’s Law School, I committed myself to helping others, including those who could not afford legal representation. This commitment, combined with the clear necessity for reform on a statewide level, is why I am running for the State Assembly.

I will go to Albany to work with Governor Cuomo on comprehensive ethics reform, passing critical legislation, and making sure state government works for all our families. On September 13th, I hope to have your support.

— Dan Quart

danquart.com • 646-481-7138

ENDORSEMENTS: US SENATOR CHARLES SCHUMER • US SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND • CONGRESSWOMAN CAROLYN MALONEY • MANHATTAN BOROUGH PRESIDENT SCOTT STRINGER • STATE SENATOR LIZ KRUEGER • NYC COUNCILMEMBER DAN GARODNICK • NYC COUNCILMEMBER JESSICA LAPPIN

4

•

O UR TOW N

• Augus t 25, 2011

N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

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

August 25, 2011

•

OUR TOWN

•

5

block party

From Start to Finish

By Lisa Chen

Our Town: Who was Isabel O’Neil?

Beth Mahaffey: Isabel O’Neil was an artist who studied at Skidmore and Yale. At that time, in the 1940s, there was nothing about the painted finish published in the United States, so she went to Europe and did lots of research on the topic.

Eventually, she developed her own finishing techniques. When she came back to New York, she worked for James Amster, who convinced her to start teaching. So she began the Isabel O’Neil Studio in 1955.

Elizabeth Paul: When she published all

of her research in her book [The Art of the Painted Finish] it became a sort of bible on the painted finish. I don’t think she expected the studio to continue after her death; she didn’t choose any successors when she passed away in 1981. But a group of students banded together and continued the school through the Isabel O’Neil Foundation.

What is the art of the painted finish?

Paul: Humans seem to have a need to decorate their surroundings, and so various forms of finishes have emerged throughout time and become more and more popular. The painted finish dates back to Mycenaean and Egyptian times.

In China, it goes back to the beginning of lacquer work, and in medieval times it was used mainly in churches. During the Renaissance, it became popular for people who couldn’t afford furniture made of real precious stones. They began to paint finishes to imitate them. That’s how it started and it spread throughout Europe.

Mahaffey: We’ve had only 30 masters since 1964. The idea is that each course builds on the next; it’s all in sequence. You bring all that you’ve learned in each class with you.

We’re part of the “slow movement”—we don’t offer instant gratification. But what we make is gratifying for years.

How does Isabel O’Neil’s legacy live on?

Mahaffey: We still work with all of the unique finishes that Isabel O’Neil cre-

What do students walk away with?

Mahaffey: Other than the technical skills that they learn, discipline. You have to be

disciplined and very neat because you’re developing a craft, becoming an artisan.

And patience.

Paul: And perseverance. You don’t need to be an artist to do this, but if you work hard and follow the steps, you can create these beautiful finishes. And everyone finds a finish that they love. There was a student who fell in love with gilding. Having done it, she went home and gilded everything— including the toilet seat. (laughs)

daniel s. burnstein

Among the upholsterers, gilders and other artisans of the Upper East Side is the Isabel O’Neil Studio Workshop at 315 East 91st Street. Since 1955, the studio has offered weekly instruction in the art of painted finish to an eager and devoted following of students. The studio stresses that no prior art experience is needed to create the many beautiful finishes that O’Neil invented herself. We recently visited with Executive Director Beth Mahaffey and board member Elizabeth Paul to discuss O’Neil’s influence and the art of the painted finish.

ated herself, and we still use all of her notes and techniques. And we use the Renaissance guild system, which she implemented.

Paul: You start as an Artisan, and after you take about 12 beginner classes and exhibit 8 pieces, our committee promotes you to the position of Journeyman. To become a Master, you must study for several more years and create your own finish.

Elizabeth Paul, left, and Beth Mahaffey.

Subscribe for the best discussion of the arts in New York City

What do you find most fulfilling about the art of the painted finish?

Mahaffey: For me it’s just so satisfying to do this work. It’s very meditative— you sand and sand and sand and you’re quiet and it’s time to be still. It’s a place to come, turn off your cell phone, get lost for three hours and expand your mind and your creative being.

Paul: Once you’re here, you’re hooked.

I’ve been here for 31 years. There’s something about the camaraderie, about the sense of achievement, the encouragement. All of our teachers are volunteers who have come through our programs and classes, so there’s a special feeling about this place, where people are willing to give up their time to come here.

For more information, visit www. isabeloneil.org.

JAN. 12-JAN. 25, 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1

CityArtsNYC.com Our e-newsletter delivered to your inbox once a week IN THIS ISSUE: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

The Met’s La traviata has JAY NORDLINGER seeing Decker.

JOEL LOBENTHAL refutes Black Swan backstage behavior.

Marina Poplavskaya starring in the Metropolitan Opera’s production of La Traviata.

LANCE ESPLUND praises Noguchi renovation & show.

www.cityarts.info | 212.268.8600 6

•

O UR TOW N

• Augus t 25, 2011

N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

Dining

The Many Tastes of Spain Northern regions are rich with red variety

T

here is a common understanding now among foodies that there is no such thing as “Italian food” as such. Thanks in large part to Mario Batali, the understanding of Italian food is of a cuisine that digs into what is local and available and makes the absolute best possible food from those resources.

The idea of a homogenous Italian identity has become passé and quaint.

That idea has always been understood here in the United States with our own regional cuisines, but it has taken us a while to acknowledge that the same is true abroad—not only with cuisine but with wine as well. The ultra-specificity of regional wines from around the world has become almost obsessive.

One of the best examples of the variance between wine regions within a country is the always undervalued Spain.

Spain has and always will be a treasure trove of amazing, undervalued wines.

But beyond that, the difference in style from region to region is astounding.

Southern Spain is famous first and foremost for its Sherries, but also pro-

duces some serious dry reds and whites.

Today, however, I’m going to focus on the north and look at three red wines from three regions from a band that runs across the top of the country. This should give you just a glimpse into how different these relatively close regions can be.

Tempranillo, which is the reigning king of Northern Spanish red wine grapes.

Here, however, it tastes very different than it does in, say, neighboring Rioja.

On the nose there is a massive amount of cedar and cherry compote. On the palate there is more cherry, this time a tad underripe. A lacing of vanilla balances out the middle, but the main event here is the gripping tannic structure. It finishes with a quick, spicy grind from the pepper mill.

A little to the east and north is

By Josh Perilo one of Spain’s most popular regions, Rioja. While there are many subreStarting just a tad west of dead cen- gions that vary somewhat within Rioja, ter in Northern Spain is the Ribera del the entire region as a whole has a far less Duero region, named for its position extreme climate than Ribera del Duero. straddling the Duero River. The growing A nearby mountain range protects the area is situated entirely on an elevated area from a good deal of the inclemplateau with desert-like weather. Despite ent weather coming from the Atlantic, this, however, it produces some amazing and the climate tends more toward the wine. A great example of the region’s temperate. A good example of a typical style is the Mibal Ribera del Duero red wine from this area is the Calma Tinto 2008 ($13 at Yorkshire Wines Rioja Crianza 2008 ($15 at 67 Wine, and Spirits, 1646 First Ave. at 85th St., 179 Columbus Ave. at 68th St., 212-724212-717-5100). This wine is 100 percent 6767). Also made almost entirely from

Tempranillo (with 10 percent Graciano grape added for blending), it starts on the nose with rose petals and cigar box scents. The body of the wine is much lighter on the palate, with signature cherry fruit notes, but the tannins are less astringent and the finish is milder and earthier than the Ribera del Duero.

Even further east, going into Catalonia, is the Priorat growing area.

This region has undergone a major transformation in the last couple of decades and now produces some of the more adventurous red wines that Spain has to offer. The Bodegas La Cartuja Priorat 2009 ($16 at Beacon Wines and Spirits, 2120 Broadway at 74th St., 212-877-0028) uses a blend of Garnacha, Mazuelo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah to produce this intense and hedonistic wine.

Tar, cinnamon and clove jump right out of the glass and give way to tastes of plum tart and vanilla bean. A velvety mouthfeel through the middle gives way to a big, structured finish. This wine has body, but not so much that you couldn’t drink it on its own.

There are many more regions in the Spanish north. Try them all and see for yourself the incredible variance in this amazing country’s great regional wines!

Follow Josh on Twitter: @joshperilo.

Summer 2011

SHARED OFFICES PARK AVENUE

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

Introducing Our New Bar & Lounge

227 E 67th Street, New York, NY 10065 [212] 794-4950 WWW.LABSINTHE.COM

Join us for our happy hour M-F, 5 to 7 (6 @ $8) 6 Appetizers, 6 specialty cocktails & 6 house wines each for $8

city.office

®

The smart shortcut

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

A loving couple hoping to adopt a newborn We’re Rebecca and Mark, a loving, energetic, fun, and financially-secure couple. We live in a suburban area near good schools and parks. We’re hoping to adopt a baby to raise in a home filled with love, laughter and learning.

Expenses paid. Call toll-free at 800-816-6311 or www.markandrebecca.net or email us at rebeccaandmark2005@gmail.com O u r To w n NY. c o m

Stop by L’Absinthe with your family and friends and sample our fresh, seasonal and classic menus amidst our authentic turn-ofthe-century Parisian decor with the same focus on simple food that is skillfully prepared and served.

JM & his team offer a promotional 3-Course Lunch Menu at $27.50

L’Heure Verte To start or finish your meal, enjoy a glass of absinthe served in the traditional manner.

L’Absinthe Gift Certificates are available for any amount.

DINNER 7 DAYS A WEEK LUNCH MoNDAY-SAtURDAY

Make your reservation today!

A u g u st 2 5 , 2 0 1 1

•

O U R TO W N

•

7

Bless Their God-Fearing Hearts Beth Grant leaves no prop unturned in a dark new Southern drama

Carol rosegg

By Mark Peikert Some critics may accuse Tony Georges’ new play Tricks the Devil Taught Me, set among the kind of serious churchgoers who buy protective cases for their Bibles in a West Texas town, of going over the top. As a refugee of churchgoing Texans myself, I can attest that the sugary trash-talkers of Georges’ first act are all too real—and he even steers clear of the usual stock phrases like “The higher the hair, the closer to God.” Women like Betty (Beth Grant) and her friend Lorraine (Jodie Lynne McClintock) can start drinking at breakfast and pepper their conversation with “Christ” and “goddammit,” then go to Bible study without giving it a second thought. And women like Renee (Mary Testa) and Kim (Julie Jesneck), who insist that God struck down their former pastor’s wife for having the audacity to bless a meal instead of waiting for her husband, really do exist. What is harder to swallow is Georges’ sudden, seemingly unconscious detour into high camp with Betty’s scheming son (TJ Linnard) and husband (Peter Bradbury), who have been siphoning money out of Betty’s secret stash for months in order to...do something.

An explanatory breakdown of the fractured chronology inserted into the program is never an indication of a well-written play, but Georges’ confusing shifts back and forth in time are manageable for the play’s first act.

Cutting back and forth from the harddrinking, perpetually angry Betty and her younger self, still sweetly in love and blinded to her husband’s shifti-

The good Christian belles of Tricks theORDER Devil Taught Me. Art INSERTION - Email

Ceilfrom Ainsworth ness, transforms Betty an amus- band, over margaritas at a restaurant Manhattanversion Media (the play’s tipping point) and finally ing virago—a Southern-fried of Who’s Afraid of63Virginia Woolf’s with a gun in her face. Yet Grant never West 38th St. Martha—into a tragic figure.

But then New York NY 10018feels false, even as everything around Georges inserts flashbacks to the pre- her turns obvious and cheap.

(212) 284-9724 Fax: (212) 268-0502 vious night or the morning of the first An explosive performance from an email: production@manhattanmedia.com scene, and the whole enterprise feels always-welcome actress is not, howlike gimcrackery. By play’s final, ever, enough to forgive Georges either cc:the cainsworth@manhattanmedia.com violent scene, Georges’ clenched fist his faults as a playwright or his faults of a play has turned campy Southern as a director. Kinesis takes the place of 4.917”W x 2.687”H, 1/8 page Gothic, complete with a mad scene that dramatic cohesion here as he plasters RuntoAdlook on Thursday: is so embarrassing Please one wants over his 08.25.11 script’s rough patches with away from Grant. bizarre directorial choices (the oddThat’s the only time we can take est of which is a marble zipping down our eyes off of Grant; for the majority a maze at the top of the dilapidated of Tricks, she’s roaming the stage like set). Testa has some nice moments as a cornered animal, giving her props at a Southern version of her usual charleast as much attention as she gives acters, and Bradbury is a smoldering, Georges’ dialogue. Eventually, she will dangerous presence as Betty’s unpredrunkenly rage at her son, at her hus- dictable husband, but the play’s cli-

JOHN KRTIL FUNERAL HOME; YORKVILLE FUNERAL SERVICE, INC. Dignified, Affordable and Independently Owned Since 1885 WE SERVE ALL FAITHS AND COMMUNITIES • Direct Cremations $2250 Complete • Direct Burials • Expert Pre-Planning Available

$2850

212-744-3084

1297 First Ave (69 & 70 St.) • John S. Krtil Owner/Manager Newly Renovated & Enlarged • www.krtilfuneralhome.com th

th

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.

8

•

O UR TOW N

• Augus t 25, 2011

max, as cathartic as it is, feels painted by numbers.

In the play’s final moments, Georges is guilty of indulging in pandering to our worst instincts: putting sassy, bruised Southern magnolias into jeopardy and watching them triumph against the odds, then adding a twist to the ending to mitigate its basic theatrical pleasure.

Tricks the Devil Taught Me was a scarier, more thrilling play when the danger didn’t come from guns or violence but from women genteelly sipping iced tea while spreading vicious, slanderous gossip about their friends.

Tricks the Devil Taught Me Through Aug. 28, Minetta Lane Theatre, 18 Minetta Ln. (at 6th Ave.), www.ttdtm.com; $66–$80.50.

Posh Pets & North Shore Animal League America

ADOPT A PET

TD BANK

74th & Broadway • New York, NY SAT AUG 27 • 12 noon - 5PM A cooperative adoption program of North Shore Animal League America

www.AnimalLeague.org 1.877.4.SAVE.PET N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

Tr

rIM TrIM

TrIM

plugging appliances into a power strip...

©2011 Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. Ad: Arnell Group

over-drying can waste a lot of energy and damage clothing. the best way to avoid over-drying is to…

a. makes them more powerful

a. check the dryer every 10 minutes

b. take the clothes out while still damp

c. use the moisture sensor on your dryer

b. makes it easy to turn them all off to save energy c. uses less energy because it all comes from one outlet

answer: c

©2011 Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. Ad: Arnell Group

what’s the largest energy user for homes in our area?

answer: b

showers use less energy than baths because... a. they require the water to be less hot than a bath does b. the acoustics are better for singing c. they use about half as much hot water

a. lighting

b. heating

c. electronics

d. toasters answer: b

answer: c

for 100+ energy saving tips visit conEd.com or find us on Facebook at Power of Green TrIM

r IM

August 25, 2011

•

OUR TOWN

•

9 Tr IM

TrI M

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

200 Varick Street Suite 600 New York NY 10014 212 343 5700

seniors

Hearts Aflutter

A racing heart can be a sign of more than just infatuation

By Fred Cicetti

Q.

Whenever I drink a little too much wine, I find that I wake up at night and my heart seems to race for a while. Can wine do that?

A. The short answer is yes. But first, it sounds as if you haven’t told a doctor about this. You should—immediately.

What you’re describing could be atrial fibrillation. The risk of atrial fibrillation increases with age, particularly after 60.

Atrial fibrillation—also called AF or A-fib—is the most common form of irregular heartbeat. It is an abnormal heart rhythm originating in the atria, the upper chambers of the heart. The rate of impulses through the atria can range from 300 to 600 beats per minute.

Because the atria are beating rapidly and irregularly, blood does not flow through them as smoothly. This makes the blood more likely to clot. If a clot is pumped out of the heart, it can travel to the brain, causing a stroke. People with AF are five to seven times more likely to have

a stroke than the general population.

Infrequent and brief episodes of AF can be triggered by overindulgence in alcohol, caffeine and food. Doctors sometimes call AF “holiday heart.”

However, some of the most common causes of AF are high blood pressure, a variety of heart problems like coronary

The Healthy Geezer artery disease, chronic lung disease and pulmonary embolism, which occurs when an artery in your lung becomes blocked.

In at least 10 percent of AF cases, no underlying heart disease is found. In these cases, AF may be related to alcohol or excessive caffeine use, stress, certain drugs, electrolyte or metabolic imbalances or severe infections. In some cases, no cause can be found.

Among the commonly used tools to diagnose AF are the electrocardiogram (ECG); Holter monitor, a small external recorder usually worn for one to three days; and a portable event monitor

that enables a patient to record an AF episode.

Many people live with AF, problemfree, for years. However, chronic AF can cause problems. Besides stroke, there is the danger that clots can travel to other parts of the body (e.g., kidneys, heart, intestines), causing damage. AF can decrease the heart’s pumping ability by as much as 25 percent and AF, combined with a fast heart rate over a long period of time, can cause heart failure.

AF symptoms include a racing or fluttering heart, fatigue, dizziness, feeling faint, chest discomfort and shortness of breath. However, you can have AF without experiencing symptoms.

Initially, medications are used to treat AF. There are also medications to prevent blood clots. In addition to taking medication, there are lifestyle changes you can make to prevent AF from occurring, including quitting smoking, limiting alcohol and caffeine and avoiding activities that seem related to your irregular heart rhythm.

If initial remedies don’t correct or control AF, a procedure such as electrical cardioversion may be necessary. In this procedure, an electrical shock is delivered to the chest wall to restore the heart’s normal rhythm.

Then there are devices such as an implantable atrial defibrillator, which delivers low-dose therapy to convert AF to a normal heart rhythm.

Patients with chronic AF not relieved by medication or procedures are candidates for surgical treatment. Many of these approaches can be performed with minimally invasive endoscopic, or “keyhole,” surgical techniques.

If you would like to read more, order a copy of How to be a Healthy Geezer at www.healthygeezer.com.

The only dedicated Assisted Living Facility in New York City specializing in Enhanced Memory Care.

Ensconced in the landmark neighborhood of the Upper East Side, Residents continue to enjoy the heart and soul of this incomparable city they have always loved.

• Beautiful Upper East Side Environment • Each floor a “Neighborhood” with Family Style Dining & Living Room • 24-hour Licensed Nurses & Attendants specially trained in dementia care • Medication Management • Around the clock personal care, as needed • Housekeeping, Linen & Personal Laundry • Courtyard & Atrium Rooftop Garden • Chef prepared Meals Nation’s first recipient of AFA’s Excellence in Care distinction.

80th Street Residents in Central Park with the Essex House Hotel peeking from behind.

10

•

OUR TOW N

430 East 80th Street, New York, NY 10075 Tel. 212-717-8888 www.80thstreetresidence.com

• Augus t 25, 2011

A remarkable force at The 80th Street Residence, Lola Stephens, Recreation Coordinator, is but one shining example of the workers that makes this Alzheimer’s and dementia community so unique. No matter what the task, she exudes compassion and understanding.

Lola never says no and helps anyone who needs a hand — be it a Resident having a bad day or a Family Member who needs a hug.

She often spends an hour or two of her own time with a Resident frustrated by the Effects of Alzheimer’s or dementia and is dedicated to providing a rich activity program day in and day out. Never leaving without checking on those not having a good day, Lola will sit and encourage a Resident in her own special manner and then be on her way. While this alone is daunting work, her day does not end here.

Upon returning to the home she shares with her Mother battling Alzheimer’s disease, she eagerly accepts the responsibility of caring for her, her devotion evident. Although most would find this vocation enough, Lola brings yet endless love and energy back to all at 80th Street even on days that she has gotten little sleep caring for Mom. Lola is a gem, and The 80th Street Residence knows that it is “that something special within” each of its exceptional Staff members that makes this assisted living community so intimate and special.

430 East 80th Street, New York, NY 10075 • 212-717-8888 • www.80thStreetResidence.com N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

Quality Home Care

for your loved one

Peace of Mind

for your family

646-214 -2086 www.seniorhelpers.com

Personaility Matching Flexible Schedules Medication Reminders Errands & Transportation

®

Meals & Housekeeping

Welcome to our family.

Isabella House

Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care Senior Helpers locations are independently owned & operated. ©2009 SH Franchising, LLC

Welcome to our family.

Independent Living for Older Adults

Elder Care Attorney Focusing on Wills, Trusts, Medicaid Planning, Estate Administration/Probate, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Proxies and Guardianships.

• Personal Service • Reasonable Rates • Happy to Make Home Visits • Will Review and Refer Personal Injury Cases Law Office of Peter Aronson, PLLC Peter Aronson, Esq. 11 Broadway (Ste 615) New York, NY 10004 Tel: 212-600-9531 paronson@peteraronsonlaw.com www.peteraronsonlaw.com

Join us at our

Open House

Saturday, September 17th 10:00am-2:00pm 525 Audubon Avenue at 191st New York, NY 10040 For additional information, please call:

212-342-9539

OUR AMENITIES INCLUDE: • Spacious studio and one-bedroom apartments starting at $2,000 • Spectacular views • Lunch and Dinner served daily in our dining room • Basic Cable TV and all utilities included • 24-Hour Security • Education and art programs, exercise classes, computer training and much, much more • On-site visitor parking

LAWYER ADVERTISING

We’ve thought of everything to enrich and enhance your life.

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

Call us and come visit, we have special Fall pricing.

www.isabella.org August 25, 2011

•

BAYARD OUR TO WN

•

ADVERTISING AGENCY, INC

JOB #:

B011205600

11

feature

East Side Makes Room for the West With P.S. 151 opening, hopes rise for new school in church space

By Megan Finnegan Upper East Side schools are learning to do the shuffle. As the school year approaches, the Yorkville Community School, P.S. 151, will be moving out of its temporary home at the Our Lady of Good Counsel school and into its brand new facilities. At the same time, the neighborhood is preparing to host the West Side students of P.S. 51, the Elias Howe school, who normally go to school across the park about 45 blocks south. They eventually hope to see a brand new elementary school spring up in the very same spot.

The Elias Howe school on West 45th

Click And Learn

By Gavriella Mahpour

Street? Now everyone’s favorite place is easily accessible via this kid-friendly app.

Elmo must catch a lost puppy in this fully illustrated, original Sesame Street story.

The app includes a coloring book, Elmo’s Everyday Words and Big Bird’s Big Ideas, which teaches your little one new vocabulary. Ages: 4 and up

General app Sesame Street’s The Playground: Can you tell me how to get to Sesame

SpellinG appS Alphabet Animals: This fully animated, interactive app is perfect for toddlers who are just beginning to learn their ABCs. Each

•

OUR TOW N

• Augus t 25, 2011

A P.S. 151 student in the Our Lady of Counsel space last year. The school is moving into a permanent home in two weeks. The building, left photo, will host P.S. 51 this year, and advocates believe the city is close to a deal for a new school in the church building. a deal is close for a new school space.

Fran Davies, associate superintendent for communications and marketing for the archdiocese, said they cannot comment on the ongoing negotiations, but did say that the archdiocese is only seeking to lease the property, not sell it to the city, as some have speculated.

Community members involved in the negotiations are hoping for a 20-year lease, which would enable the DOE to renovate the school building and introduce a brand-new elementary school.

Council Member Jessica Lappin has been working with the DOE to provide space for the estimated 145 additional kindergarten students per year in the district.

Michelle Feldman, a spokesperson for

Lappin, said the council member has been “very involved” in finding space at Our Lady of Good Counsel.

“Now that we have it, she’s working to make sure we don’t let it slip away,” Feldman said. “We’re happy to accommodate the children of P.S. 51 on a temporary basis and even happier to know it will be a local school in the long run. We still desperately need elementary school seats.”

The community board estimates that, based on studies of 2010 census data, the district will need an additional 870 elementary seats in the coming years. They named several schools currently being burdened with waitlisted students from other nearby schools.

Educational Apps That Inspire Curiosity And Learning

In today’s fast-paced, tech-driven world, savvy parents have turned to mobile apps to entertain (read: occupy and distract) children.

However, apps can also serve as learning tools. In the spirit of on-the-go enrichment, we’ve come up with our top 15 educational apps for children.

12

andrew schwartz

Street has been under construction, and parents rallied the Department of Education to move the students during the renovations for health and safety reasons—they asserted that their kids were coming home with cases of skin rashes,

eye irritation, headaches, nosebleeds and exacerbated asthma. While the logistics of busing kids almost five miles away from their zoned school building have yet to be tested, parents celebrated the DOE’s decision to relocate the student body as a whole, rather than split it up.

Upper East Side education advocates say they are happy to help out their West Side brethren, but the real coup will be achieving a sorely needed new elementary school for the district. Many are hoping this will be the end result of the city’s negotiations with the Catholic Archdiocese of New York to secure space in the Our Lady of Good Counsel building on East 91st Street. Community Board 8’s Youth and Education Committee recently passed a resolution urging the DOE to finalize negotiations over long-term use of the space, citing the dire circumstances of the overburdened schools in the area.

The resolution states that “districtwide overcrowding is a serious problem and plagues the majority of our elementary schools and middle schools,” and warns that current schools do not want to give up their cluster spaces, pre-K and G&T programs to accommodate the influx of kindergarteners.

When the DOE struck its original agreement with the archdiocese, they signed a two-year lease to rent space for the Yorkville Community School. With their new permanent home at 421 E. 88th St. ready ahead of schedule, the DOE was able to move the students of Elias Howe into Our Lady of Good Counsel for the second year of the lease. They will need to reach a new agreement with the archdiocese, however, to remain there after this school year ends. Local advocates believe

letter of the alphabet features a colorful animal flashcard that moves and makes sounds.

Alphabet Animals is an easy way to teach tots their letters, while monkey-ing around. Ages: 3 and up WordGirl Word Hunt: By Scholastic Inc., this hunt builds children’s vocabulary skills in a new and exciting way. In this creative

app, evil villains have taken over the city and your child must save the day by collecting the correct words. With 20 WordGirl stories and over 100 definitions to learn, this vocab tester is sure to challenge. Ages: 4-8 Math appS Tally Tots: Teaches toddlers how to count to 20 in an easy-to-use format.

Each number is explained using sound and animation. The number 7 is introduced with a sevN EW S YO U LIV E B Y

Unity Center

ation r t s i g e R w! o n s t r a st eats available

of New York City

Practical Spirituality/Inclusive Community

S -5. es Pre K in grad

Sunday Services at 11:00 a.m. • Mediation & Lectures on Practical Spirituality Weekday classes on Meditation & Metaphysics

August Programs • Meditation Service: Wednesday’s 12:00 Noon and 6:15 PM, led by Justin Morley • “Women in Unity”: Wednesday’s 6:30 PM,Support Group of Sharing and Meditation led by Sandra Pugh and Ann Stenson • Acting Class: Friday’s 6:30 PM, led by Carolyn Maye Middleton

Small Classes...Big Difference ••Zone

Free••

•••••• Visit our Metaphysical Bookstore • Books on mysticism, metaphysics, world religions & practical spirituality • Tapes of lectures by Eric Butterworth, author of Discover the Power within You For information on our “Health & Wellness Program,” classes on meditation, prosperity, & spiritual healing also Acting Class with Carolyn Middleton - Visit our website, unitynewyork.com VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ALL OUR CLASSES, SERVICES & ACTIVITIES: UNITYNEWYORK.COM

Marion A. Gambardella, Director 213 West 58th Street • (212) 582-1300 unitynewyork.com

Free

After School Program 121 E 3rd Street between 1st Ave & Ave A

Meet Our Tutors Junior year can be extremely demanding: clubs, sports, theater, AP exams, and more pull students in every direction.

That’s why it’s important to plan your year early and be realistic about when you can spend time studying for the SAT or ACT. At The Princeton Review we understand how valuable your education is and how little free time you have.

We also know how important it is for you to have the information necessary to make the best decisions for your future.

Meet our Tutors is an intimate event which will provide you not only with the details of our programs, but also with the opportunity to meet our tutors and experience first-hand how their dynamic personalities and specialized knowledge excite students to achieve their goals.

We invite you to join us for an exclusive sneak-peek into what makes our tutors and tutoring programs so popular.

Come and meet our tutors on:

Wednesday, September 14 or Thursday, October 6 7:00pm-8:00pm 317 Madison Avenue, Suite 415, New York, NY Advanced registration is recommended. Please RSVP to InfoNY@Review.com, call 800-2Review (800) 273-8439 or online at PrincetonReview.com.

Students and Parents are welcome. Refreshments will be served.

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

August 25, 2011

•

OUR TOWN

•

13

feature en-layered sandwich, the number 2, by two racecars speeding on a racetrack. Guaranteed to keep little ones occupied for hours!

Ages: 3-6 Park Math: Teaches pre-school through first grade children basic arithmetic skills, like sequencing and addition, via seven entertaining animalbased games in the great outdoors. This app features two stages of difficulty (three for iPad users) so kids can play at their own skill level. It also includes the music of popular nursery rhymes like “This Old Man” and “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush.” Ages: 3-7 Writing Apps Super Why!: Based on the hit PBS kids show, this versatile app includes a variety of literacy games. Kids can choose from selections such as Wonder Red’s Rhyming Time, in which Wonder Red must find the missing rhyming words from her basket, and Super Why’s Story Saver, where children can help Super Why select words that complete the sentences in the story. Players are rewarded with virtual stickers that can be collected in

their very own “sticker book.” Ages: 3-6 iWriteWords: Kids can improve their handwriting with this unique game. Using their finger to trace the dotted lines of 70 words and 20 numbers, iWriteWords enhances writing skills and coordination. For added interactive fun, turn your iOS device and watch as the current word slides off the screen to reveal the next one. Ages: 4 and up science Apps 8 Planets Pro: Outer Space never looked so good. 8 Planets Pro lets little scientists explore space without leaving the couch. They can choose from an array of activities like placing the planets in their correct order and filling in the missing letters in each planet’s name. Parents can also view a report card detailing their child’s “out of this world” progress. Ages: 5 and up National Geographic Kids: Introduce your kids to the worlds of natural science and world culture. Purchasing this app gains access to National

Ready to run.

Ready to fetch.

Ready to lounge.

Ready to love.

When you adopt from the ASPCA®, our Meet Your Match® program will help you find the pet that fits your personality and lifestyle perfectly. And, your new pet comes spayed or neutered and up-to-date on all vaccinations.

We also include a microchip and free follow-up vet exam. So stop by our Adoption Center and take your new best friend home today.

Visit: www.adoptaspca.org or call (212) 876-7700 x4120 for additional information.

© 2011 ASPCA®. All Rights Reserved.

14

•

OUR TOW N

• Augus t 25, 2011

Geographic Kids magazine and its fascinating articles. But the fun doesn’t stop there!

There are “weird-but-true facts,” games, puzzles, jokes and quizzes for the whole family. Ages: 6 and up History Apps American Museum of Natural History’s Dinosaurs: Watch dinosaurs come to life!

In the app’s Dinosaurs Mosaic section, children can view more than 800 images from the museum’s extensive fossil archive.

Each photo includes information about the paleontologist who unearthed the fossil, as well as facts about individual dinosaurs.

In the Stories section, kids can listen to tales detailing even more dino-ventures. Ages: 8 and up Revolutionary War: Combining historic paintings, multimedia presentations and first-hand accounts, this app takes kids back in time to the days of the American Revolution. A “revolutionary” new app with sections like Causes of the War, Ma-

jor Battles and Events, and Myths and Stories, it also has 200 biographies of the key players. Plus, you and the kids won’t want to miss your peek at the past, reading letters between John and Abigail Adams.

Ages: 12 and up Foreign LAnguAge Apps Global Roos Elementary Translation: A great learning tool for children who are becoming familiar with a second language.

The app features 10 fundamental phrases in 8 languages, including French, German, Korean and Sign Language. Budding linguists will be able to learn key words like “hello,” “goodbye,” “thank you” and “friend.” Ages: 4 and up Immersive Spanish: This app will have your child speaking español in no time. Advanced phonetic spelling technology allows students to learn the proper pronunciation of words and sentences. Immersive Spanish is made up of progressive units so kids advance at their own pace. ¡Perfecto! Ages: 5 and up

Stay Connected with the East Side

is now on +

Follow us for breaking news, contests and everything East Side.

On Twitter: Twitter.com/ourtownNYC

Become a fan on Facebook: Our Town East Side Manhattan N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

Learning How to Sell Real Estate

By Alan Krawitz As a profession, real estate has typically drawn New Yorkers from all walks of life, from professionals to career changers, investors and those seeking to earn extra income in their spare time.

And while Wall Street and the nation’s economy continue their roller coaster ride of ups and downs, many real estate professionals have maintained a sanguine outlook on the industry as a whole and its potential to generate a good income.

Some of the more popular real estate courses include those that lead to becoming licensed as a real estate broker, a real estate salesperson, home inspector, property manager, appraiser or mortgage broker.

Requirements for becoming a salesperson and broker are set forth by the state of New York. In order to obtain a real estate salesperson license, an applicant must complete a 75-hour salesperson qualifying education course in real estate in addition to passing a qualifying examination, according to the Department of State website. The initial training can usually be completed in about two weeks.

To become licensed as a real estate broker, applicants need at least two years of experience as a licensed real estate salesperson or at least three years of general real estate experience, such as buying and selling your own property or managing property owned by an employer. Broker candidates also need to have satisfactorily completed both the qualifying salesperson course and an additional 45-hour real estate broker course.

The difference between a real estate salesperson and a broker is that a broker is responsible for the supervision and

Fees for becoming licensed as a real estate salesperson or broker can run up to several hundred dollars. In New York, good places to start a search include the Real Estate Board of New York, the real estate trade association, and the New York Real Estate Institute, which offers continuing education training as well as licensure in a variety of areas, from home inspection and property management to commercial real estate.

Bond NY is a rental and sale residential brokerage with six offices in Manhattan and 450 agents. It offers free basic training to newly licensed and Real estate executives say an outgoing personality helps make affiliated agents at its the sale. corporate headquarters conduct of the real estate brokerage busi- at 1776 Broadway. Zev Keisch, who heads ness whereby he or she applies for and the training program for Bond in the city, holds the license on behalf of the broker- said “We teach agents to take pictures age. This person is the “representative and proper agent behavior, as well as how broker.” to manage their time and their emotions.”

A real estate salesperson works for and Keisch said the training helps keep the is supervised by the broker. Salespersons company’s turnover rate low and contribact as the representative broker’s agent, utes to a higher quality of agent. meaning that all listings, though potenManhattan-based Halstead Properties tially negotiated by a salesperson, are also offers its own brand of in-house accepted by the broker. Salespersons are training to its affiliated brokers on everynot permitted to operate independently. thing from legal compliance to pricing

Education

properties. “This is a people business, and people who can build a network of contacts will always do well,” said 15-year veteran Michael Goldenberg, executive director of sales for Halstead on the West Side.

Goldenberg said quiet, shy types need not apply. “The real estate business is not for the introverted,” he said. “You have to be aggressive and you have to put yourself out to the public.”

Some Manhattan real estate course locations: Real Estate Board of New York. 570 Lexington Ave. www.rebny.com. Real Estate trade association that offers real estate education, continuing education and free seminars to members and non-members.

New York Real Estate Institute.

Provides in-person and online courses for real estate salesperson and broker licensing. Also provides job placement assistance. www.nyrei.com. Manhattan Branch: 132 W. 36th Street, 2nd floor (between Seventh Ave. and Broadway).

212-967-7508.

Real Estate Training Center. Offers courses to train as a home inspector, reappraiser or mortgage broker. www.retc. com. 718-321-9600.

Real Estate Academy. Offers real estate courses, training for salespersons and broker licenses. www.realestateacademy.com. 212-262-2662.

NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate.

Offers master’s program and certificates in real estate development and construction management. www.scps.nyu.edu/ areas-of-study/real-​estate. 212-998-7200.

If Life’s Going Well, How About Coaching Others?

By Paulette Safdieh A city characterized by its overachieving and career-driven population, New York’s need for life coaching—both in private and corporate settings—is on the rise. For those individuals looking to put their good listening skills, patience and nurturing to use, programs at NYU, Columbia and other educational institutions offer programs in this relatively new, increasingly popular field.

Coaches assist clients with everything from improving prioritization skills to discovering a new career path, always striving to optimize the client’s potential for success in achieving certain goals.

O u r To w n NY. c o m

Coaching helps professionals communicate effectively and be better managers— as a result, classes appeal to everyone from yoga teachers to CEOs. “Because coaching draws creativity and resourcefulness out of people, students come simply to add coaching skills to their tool box,” said Richard Michaels, a program leader for the International Coaching Federation’s New Jersey branch.

Additionally, many students choose to turn life coaching into a career in its own.

Based on the positive psychology movement of the late 20th century, life coaching can seem rather foreign and ambiguous. “It’s a problem with educat-

ing the public,” said Ellen Ades, a full time, NYU certified, ICF accredited coach who practices out of New Jersey.

On the surface, life coaching has a fair amount of crossover with psychotherapy.

However, “people don’t turn to coaching when they’re in need of a healing intervention that therapy might provide,” said Michaels. While therapy gives weight to the ways in which family origins and past experiences have affected the client, coaching concentrates on the present and how the client can move forward. “It’s the action orientation and the focus on the client’s own wisdom that sets it apart,” said Michaels.

Michaels has been teaching a nine-

month Coaching for Transformation program at the New York Open Center in Midtown for seven years, and finds interest in the field has grown consistently.

“When we first started, we were running one class a year, and now we’re at two,” said Michaels. His program trains 36 people in each class, in addition to one- and two-day seminars that draw about 25 people twice a year. Designated as an Accredited Coaching Training Program by the ICF, Michaels’ course, which he teaches along with two others, is designed to accommodate the lives of busy, working professionals. continued on page 16 A u g u st 2 5 , 2 0 1 1

•

O U R TO W N

•

15

Education

PUBLIC NOTICE

LOST BEARER SHARE CERTIFICATE

Notice is hereby given that Bearer share certificates no’s 1 and 2 representing a total of 6,000 common shares of the par value of USD $1.00 each and in the capital of Sixty Seven Corp. N.V.; a limited liability company, existing under the laws of Curacao, having its statutory seat in Curacao and principal place of business at Schottegatweg Oost 44, Willemstad, Curacao, and registered with the Curacao Chamber of Commerce & Industry with file number 60259 (hereinafter referred to as the “Company”) were reported lost on about September 30, 2010.

Anyone with a knowledge of the present whereabouts of the share certificates is requested to contact the Company’s Managing Director at the address mentioned below as soon as possible but no later then September 9, 2011 If no information is received by September 9, 2011, the Company’s Managing Board proposes to cancel the above-mentioned certificates. After the cancellation of the above-mentioned share certificate no’s 1 and 2, no rights can anymore be derived from the original share certificates towards Sixty Seven Corp. N.V. Curacao Corporation Company N.V. Schottegatweg Oost 44 Curacao Telephone : (599-9) 732-2555 Fax: (599-9) 732-2500

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING The NYC Board of Standards and Appeals has scheduled a public hearing on the following application: Variance (§72-21) to permit the expansion of a (UG 3) community facility (The Spence School) contrary to lot coverage (§24-11) and rear yard equivalent (§24-382). R8B zoning district.

Address: 20-22 East 91st Street, South side of East 91st Street, 62.17 ft. westerly from the corner formed by the intersection of the southerly side of 91st. Street & the westerly side of Madison Avenue., Block 1502, Lot(s) 59 & 12, Borough of Manhattan.

Applicant: Friedman & Gotbaum, LLP, for The Trustees of The Spence School, Inc., owner.

Community Board No.: 08 Manhattan This application, Cal. No.: 58-11-BZ has been calendared for Public Hearing on Tuesday, September 13, 2011, 1:30 P.M. session, 40 Rector Street, 6th floor Hearing Room “E”, Borough of Manhattan. Interested persons or associations may appear at the hearing to present testimony regarding this application.

This notice is published by the applicant in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the Board of Standards and Appeals.

Dated: August 11, 2011 Friedman & Gotbaum, LLP, Applicant

Going to the Airport?

1-212-666-6666 To JFK . . . . . . . . .$48 To Newark . . . . .$47 To LaGuardia . . .$33 Tolls & gratuities not included.

Prices subject to change without notice.

12/31/11

“We’ll Be There For You!”

12/31/11

Toll Free 1-800-9-Carmel 16

•

OUR TOW N

• Augus t 25, 2011

53

51

www.CarmelLimo.com

Coaching

continued from page

15

“ICF is the only globally recognized school within the profession,” said Ades.

“They’re at the forefront of championing the science.” In addition to the ICF, iPec is another organization striving to further the profession based on scientific data.

Both offer training in Manhattan and across the country.

Since “anyone and their grandmother” can call themselves a life coach, education is becoming of greater importance to gaining legitimacy within the profession. “A good coach draws their personality and knowledge into their work,” said Ades, who applies positive psychology and neuroscience to her coaching—two aspects that piqued her interest at NYU’s coaching certification program.

Students at NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies can choose to specialize in personal/life coaching or organizational/executive coaching as part of the leadership program and are required to complete seven classes for certification.

Mandatory instruction focuses on decision making, communication and motivational skills and may be complemented with courses in marketing and human relations. “Even now, after I’ve gone to so many other classes, the quality of that program is unbelievable,” said Ades.

On the Upper West Side, the Teachers College at Columbia University and Columbia Business School together offer

the Columbia Coaching Certification program. Students focus on learning guiding principles such as ethics, core competencies that help establish successful relationships with clients and the mechanics of the coaching process. Columbia offers five-day intensives for individuals looking to establish life coaching as a profession (external coaching), and for those looking to incorporate it in their existing jobs (internal coaching). Students have the option to continue on to a coaching practicum, a semester of in-field coaching work and an advanced coach intensive, a five-day wrap-up session, to earn certification in coaching. The program can be completed in as little as eight months, although schedules can be stretched out over longer periods of time.

“It takes dedication and money. You have to continually learn and better yourself and constantly strive for excellence,” said Ades. “Everything is changing so fast, it’s incumbent on every professional to continually get better at what they do.”

No matter your career, taking life coaching classes may help get you there.

Where to become a life coach: Columbia Coaching Certification Program, 525 W. 120th St., 212-678-8240; $900–$8,700.

Coaching for Transformation at the New York Open Center, 22 E. 30th St., 212219-2527; classes begin Sept. 10, $5,485.

NYU SCPS, 7 E. 12th St. #923, 212-9987100; $895–$995.

Be on the Giving Side of Tech Support

By Jana Kasperkevic In today’s technology-dependent world, information technology professionals and computer technicians can be a godsend—just think of the Geek Squad or those geniuses at the Apple Store’s genius bar—who can cure whatever ails your computer before you have a chance to go into withdrawal. Now, with a growing number of courses in computer technology on offer from different institutions in New York City, you too can become a member of the computer doctor elite. The only question you have to ask yourself is this: Do you have the computer savvy to learn the secret methods to battle glitches like the spinning circle of death?

In order to enroll in a program to become a computer technician, you

should already have a working knowledge of how to operate a computer. You should know how to create different types of documents, browse the Internet and compose an email. A healthy curiosity about “how the PC works internally and what it takes to deal with its common problems” is also a plus, according to the program description for a computer technician course at Hunter College.

Most often, people who enroll in such courses are pursuing a career as an IT professional or are already in the PC repair business. These courses cover basic knowledge about the workings of the computer, software/operating system variants, networking, the Internet, assembly and disassembly of the PC, malfunccontinued on page 17 N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

Education

Tech Support continued from page 16 tions, viruses, troubleshooting and customer support. Many of the areas covered are those that aspiring technicians will be tested on when taking CompTIA certification tests. CompTIA, the information technology industry association, offers a variety of certifications within the field, the most common and basic of which are the A+ and Networks+ certifications.

“CompTIA A+ measures the necessary competencies of an entry-level IT professional with a recommended 500 hours of hands-on experience in the lab or field.

It tests for technical understanding of computer technology, networking and security, as well as the communication skills and professionalism now required of all entry-level IT professionals,” reads a statement on the CompTIA website.

A+ certification is proof of competence in areas such as installation, preventative maintenance, networking, security and troubleshooting. The two requirements for CompTIA A+ certification are the A+ Essentials and Practical Application exams. CompTIA Network+ certification proves knowledge of networking features and functions and is the leading vendor-neutral certification for networking professionals. All certification exams are 90 minutes long and consist of 100 questions.

There are a few different courses and programs offered in New York that you can take to prepare for these exams and become a computer technician or IT professional. City University of New York offers a number of computer technology courses in its continuing education programs at Hunter College, New York City College of Technology and Medgar Evers College. A high school diploma or a GED is required for entry in these courses.

O u r To w n NY. c o m

The computer technician certificate program at Hunter College consists of two courses and introduces students to the basic concepts and mechanics of PC support, with a emphasis on concepts at the first level and on mechanics at the second level. Classes meet in the evenings and the full certificate program package costs $1,300—separately, each level costs $700.

New York City College of Technology offers classes geared specifically toward preparation for CompTIA exams. The A+ certification test prep course costs $790, with an additional $120 for textbook and personal tools. The Networking Technologies course also costs $790, with $70 for textbook expenses. The Computer Technology Institute at Medgar Evers College offers courses in the basic computer programs you should be familiar with before enrolling in the more advanced classes, though they not actual prerequisites. CUNY courses are offered every semester and tuition can be paid either at once or on a set payment plan.

PC Tech vocational and technical school in New York City offers a variety of computer classes, both part time and full time. Among them is a part-time CompTIA A+ class that meets over the course of four weeks, either two nights a week or on Saturdays, and costs $399 for 28 hours. A full-time CompTIA A+ class meets Monday through Friday mornings for three weeks and costs $750 for 54 hours.

Other centers offering courses and training in computer and information technology are NetCom Information Technology, Ace Computer Training and Technology Career Services. And if you cannot afford to pay for such courses, the Per Scholas Institute for Technology in the South Bronx offers free intensive technology training to people in low-income communities. Per Scholas covers the cost of both tuition and books and even offers job placement services for students.

A u g u st 2 5 , 2 0 1 1

•

O U R TO W N

•

17

Healthy Manhattan

a monthly advertising supplement

DREAMSTIME

Thinking About Becoming a Reiki Practitioner?

I

BY GERRY GAVIN f you have ever considered a career in the healing arts and feel drawn toward alternative or complementary health care, Reiki may be the perfect way to start your new career path.

Reiki (pronounced “ray-key”) is a therapy tracing back more than 2,500 years to ancient India and Tibet, and there are some who believe it has its roots in the healing arts of the Egyptians. Reiki was handed down by a lineage of practitioners until it was rediscovered in Japan in the early 1900s by Dr. Mikao Usui. It is used to complement traditional medical treatment and in the alternative healing arts.

Reiki uses “chi”—also known as “ki” or “pranna”—in other cultures, the natural life force that is found in all living things. The

18

•

OUR TOW N

• Augus t 25, 2011

concept of chi is best known in the martial arts, where it is called upon to do things that might otherwise seem impossible, like breaking through concrete blocks with bare hands.

With Reiki, an individual can harness that same power but for profound healing purposes, both physically and emotionally.

In knowing how to tap into the universal life force, Reiki practitioners maintain that they can not only improve their own personal health and well-being but help others as well. Reiki masters are handed down techniques to teach people how to tune in to the powerful healing forces of chi through a process called “attunement.” This is how you start down the path to a career in Reiki.

Beginning Reiki students start by taking a first-degree Reiki certification program.

The cost generally ranges from $125 to $250 for a one- or two-day program. During that time, students receive up to four attunements from the teacher to open them up to receiving the frequency of Reiki energy.

Following that class, students will be able to perform Reiki on themselves as well as family or friends, but it is not advised that they begin to do it professionally.

To work professionally, students need to take the second-degree Reiki certification course. This is generally a weekendlong program that provides all of the basics for a career in Reiki as well as several additional attunements. This course certifies the student as an Advanced Reiki Practitioner.

Reiki is one of the few alternative energy healing techniques that can be self-adminis-

tered as well as performed on others—it can even be used on pets.

The majority of professional Reiki practitioners start their careers part-time while they are still employed in their current positions. Reiki practitioners are generally paid per session, with most sessions lasting about one hour and ranging in price from $45 to $75. The practitioner’s earning potential is therefore dependent upon the number of hours he can devote to the practice.

Reiki is currently used in the complementary medicine departments of many tristate hospitals and as a palliative care technique at many hospices. It is even taught at some accredited secondary colleges, such as New York College for Health Professions. For more information, visit www.reiki.org.

N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

CityMD...your health is important AND so is your time.

Walk In’s Weclomed Most Insurance Gladly Accepted

212.772.3627 Visit us at www.CityMD.net and follow us on Stay Connected with the East Side

Tired of waiting days, even weeks to see a doctor?

Call us toll free at 855-MDTODAY to see a board certified physician TODAY or at a convenient time for YOU! With 2 convenient locations on the Upper East Side (East End Ave/84th St) and Midtown Manhattan (Madison/33rd)

is now on

We offer: Same day appointments || Open 6 days per week including Saturdays 2 Convenient Locations || Primary care visits, Sick visits, annual physicals, cardiac consultations || Most Insurance plans accepted Let us help fit your healthcare into your day. Please call us to schedule an appointment in a private office setting.

Call us toll free at 855-MDTODAY. We are in your neighborhood!

+

Follow us for breaking news, contests and everything East Side.

On Twitter: Twitter.com/ourtownNYC O u r T o w n N Y. c o m

Become a fan on Facebook: Our Town East Side Manhattan August 25, 2011

•

OUR TOWN

•

19

20•

OUR TOWN

•

August 25, 2011

NEWS YOU LIVE BY

Healthy Manhattan

a monthly advertising supplement

Long Island School Finds a West Side Alternative Riverside Church will host classes for New York College of Health Professions

BY LISA ELAINE HELD fter Pedro Sanchez, a 27-year-old Brooklyn resident, completed his occupational studies associate’s degree in massage therapy this summer, he decided he wasn’t finished.

“The last two trimesters, we go to the clinic,” said Sanchez. “When you treat the people and see them getting better, the reward is so great, it’s almost kind of addictive.”

He wanted to broaden his holistic healthcare résumé, but there was one part of studying at New York College of Health Professions that he wasn’t willing to commit to again—the commute to its campus in Syosset, Long Island.

As it turns out, he’ll be working towards a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree in acupuncture this fall at the same school, but much closer to home.

On Aug. 29, classes will start at the New York College of Health Professions’ brand new site inside The Riverside Church on the Upper West Side .

“They’re clearing space out for us and I’m literally configuring the classrooms, just trucking stuff in,” said Lisa Pamintuan, president of the college.

The school was founded in 1981 as The New Center for Wholistic Health Education and Research. Since then, it has expanded its programming to include coursework in massage therapy, acupuncture, Oriental medicine, holistic nursing and Asian bodywork.

It also offers degree levels from certificate programs to master of science, and is currently in the final stages of implementing a doctoral program in Oriental medicine.

Classes take place at the school’s main campus in Syosset and at a 35-acre medical facility in Luo Yang, China. But recently, they decided it was time to expand.

The Riverside Church site currently has about 50 students preparing to start this month, with new students continuing to enroll on a daily basis.

“One of the things is the demand,” said Pamintuan. “We’ve had a lot of requests from people asking us to open in Manhattan or the tristate area. We’ve been looking at different locations throughout, and we were selective in making sure it was a good academic environment.”

One of the reasons the school has had so much success in the holistic health world,

A

O u r To w n NY. c o m

Pamintuan explained, is that, while there are many programs in New York that provide the training required to take the state licensing exam in massage or acupuncture, New York College offers a higher level of education.

“We offer a degree program that incorporates the required licensing but at a college credit degree level,” she said.

At the Riverside site, students will be able to take advantage of that high level of training in all of the same degree programs that are offered at the Long Island Campus.

They’ll have to complete just one credit in Syosset during their time at the college.

Pamintuan believes the demand for what New York College of Health Professions has to offer is skyrocketing and will continue to grow. The Riverside Church site is just one step the college is taking as it works to meet

that demand, moving to even more locations and expanding its degree programs.

“The overall plan is to start with this location and make sure that the students who are enrolled there have everything they need,” she said. “Then, open up in other locations.”

For students like Sanchez, the expansion couldn’t have come at a better time.

“You learn so much about yourself and the people you’re treating, so it’s a reciprocal learning experience,” he said of his time in the massage therapy program. “I trust the acupuncture program will do the same for me.”

He’s looking forward to the easy commute and to exploring the community of holistic practitioners on the Upper West Side.

Pamintuan is thinking about Sanchez and the others who will be sitting next to him as she arranges furniture in the school’s first New York City home.

“It’s important that wherever we go, we have to have the best of the best for our students and for the community,” she said.

Magnetic {energy}

World-class nursing care comes from unmatched skill, dedication and a human touch. That’s why NYU Langone Medical Center has again received the prestigious Magnet Award for Nursing Excellence, given to only 6% of hospitals in the country.

www.NY UL MC.org Find a Doctor • 888.769.8633

A u g u st 2 5 , 2 0 1 1

•

O U R TO W N

•

21

The summer jusT goT a liTTle hoTTer

joiN NoW duriNG our SuMMer SALe.

21st & Park Water/Whitehall St. 13th & Fifth Cooper Sq. & Astor Pl. 23rd & Sixth 45th & Lexington 50th & Madison 56th & Sixth 76th & York Great Neck

TM

888.777.9740 nyhrc.com 22•

OUR TOWN

•

August 25, 2011

NEWS YOU LIVE BY

film

ruining Paul rudd

Our Idiot Brother is The Small Lebowski; Serge Gainsbourg is rescued from the hipsters by a new biopic; By armOnd WhIte

Our IdIOt BrOther

Directed by Jesse Peretz Running time: 95 min.

C

ount Our IdIOt Brother among Paul Rudd’s poor choices—a select group of dumb to unbearable films including the Shape of things, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and dinner for Schmucks that waste the actor’s estimable gifts.

Rudd’s commitment to playing off-center characters who combine nerdiness with idiosyncratic charm has made him a new kind of romantic comedian. He takes the Cary Grant mantel into the post-feminist era, where masculinity shades easily into non-aggressive, quasi-gay traits— the hallmarks of Rudd’s best characterizations in I Love You Man, role Models, diggers and Clueless.

But the role of ned in Our Idiot Brother falls short of Rudd’s usual new Male insights. As the slacker brother to three sisters who represent different contemporary anxieties (sexually confused Zooey Deschanel, careerist Elizabeth Banks and hausfrau Emily Mortimer), ned is a kind of rebel. He dates a hippie chick farmer and loves his dog, named Willie nelson. (“I’ve got a wonderful future behind me,” the real Willie nelson warbles on the soundtrack.) ned is such an anti-hipster he even sells weed to a cop, which lands him in jail and prompts his confrontation with stern social realities. that’s right, ned is either retarded or just a hopeless indie movie conceit. It’s obvious that director Jesse Peretz has asked Rudd to do a Lebowski. He has the Dude’s long-haired, bearded pothead look, and Rudd’s performance in Our Idiot Brother should have been as great a characterization as Jeff Bridges’ in the Big Lebowski. But Bridges and the Coen Brothers conceived an original figure.

Here, nedrick Rockland is a vapid conceit: He annoys some, charms others.

He’s pointedly not a hippie but his innocence makes him an anachronism, a fool. (“Dude, do you have tourette’s?” a perturbed character complains.)

Rudd coasts on charm—and a blatant Bridges homage—because ned lacks social roots. Peretz (directing a script co-written by his wife Evgenia Peretz and David Schissgal) uses ned to absolve middle-class guilt by fatuously spoofing its vanity in contrast to ned’s vague virtues. (Peretz writes for Vanity Fair, a detail satirized through O u r To w n NY. c o m

Banks’ character.) ned says, “If you put your truth out, there people will rise to the occasion,” but his faith is vague, a ruse. It contradicts his lovable uncle act (“He’s just a little boy. Little boys fight.

It doesn’t mean he’s going to grow up to be a frat-boy rapist”). the Peretzes try creating a modern icon without risking any genuine moral principles. ned represents a specious P.C. saintliness that Rudd only occasionally pulls off, as in his characteristic show of chagrin when ned apologizes for his inability to please a bisexual couple. (Later he’s assured, “Just because you’re straight doesn’t mean you’re homophobic.”) this film’s “doesn’t mean…” bromides prove the Peretzes’ sneaky moralizing; they don’t challenge bourgeois complacency, as Jean Renoir and scruffy Michel Simon did in the 1932 Boudu Saved From drowning. Rather, ned is smugly privileged. When the sisters rally and overstate his cause (“nobody loves anything as unconditionally as ned!”), the zero philosophy equals narcissism. usually movies this slick and contrived have a shiny, Hollywood look, but Our Idiot Brother’s unslick look is dreadful. It lacks the professionalism of mumblecore. Frowziness is only acceptable if there’s greater realism and depth. not only is Rudd’s charm wasted, Yaron orbach’s smudgy images make everyone look grimy.

In more ways than one, Our Idiot Brother is an eyesore.

GaInsBOurG: a herOIC LIfe

not only does Sfar celebrate Gainsbourg’s brashness—from a homely horny boy’s advances rejected on a beach to an adult playboy who beds and makes music with 1960s sex sirens—he defends it. Sfar’s political, cultural and ethnic defense embraces what Scorsese and todd Haynes were afraid to when it came to Bob Dylan. (Growing up during the nazi occupation of France, little Lucien insisted on wearing the stigmatizing yellow star—the beginning of his impudence that extended to his controversial late career appropriation of “La Marseillaise” for a Reggae update as “a rebel song.”)

Sfar rescues Gainsbourg from hipsters’ self-satisfied claims. this idiosyncratic biopic uses animation and puppets—especially large “Mug” facial puppets—to represent Gainsbourg’s self-consciousness. It also asserts Sfar’s own artistry. the puppet alter egos resemble despicable Me (as does Eric Elmosnino’s lead performance) with a caricaturist’s whimsy and candor.

Sfar gets cinematic frisson though com-

bining animated effects with live-action adult sexuality and politics. the key moment of Gainsbourg’s career unites the former child prodigy with Brigitte Bardot (their “Bonnie & Clyde” recording broke ground for the later scandalous “Je t’aime... moi non plus” with Jane Birkin). Sfar visualizes this sexual-artistic summit through Laetitia Casta’s stunning entrance as La Bardot. She lives up to the legend as an actress and as eye candy. A later pan across Casta’s nude body provides a worthy homage to Godard’s appreciation of Bardot in Contempt. Sfar knows his stuff. not merely a biopic, this is a fantasia on Gainsbourg’s themes of ethnic selfconsciousness, sex, art and romance, mixing musical numbers with fantasy and biographical chronology. Sfar’s visual wit subsumes Gainsbourg’s egotism and narcissism into cinema as wonderfully chic and sexy as ’60s album covers.

Sfar has innovated a fresh defense of the artistic ego.

“ONE OF THE MOST VITAL DOCS TO EMERGE ABOUT THE FINANCIAL CRISIS IN AMERICA .”

- THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

“RIVETING!” - Pete Hammond, BOXOFFICE MAGAZINE

“GRIPPING!” - Doris Toumarkine, FILM JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Directed by Joann Sfar Running time: 122 min.

G

RAPHIC ARtISt JoAnn Sfar makes a bold directorial debut with Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life by bringing his own artistic personality to bear upon this tribute to Serge Gainsbourg, the French recording artist/roué who has become a hipster icon. For Sfar, Gainsbourg (born Lucien Ginsberg) is foremost an icon of French Jewish identity. one of the first of the film’s many animated sequences is “tHE JEW AnD FRAnCE” poster announcing Sfar’s underlying theme, as in his graphic novel the rabbi’s Cat. this immediately distinguishes Gainsbourg as a work of powerful, personal imagination.

UNFORTUNATELY,

CHASINGMADOFFMOVIE.COM EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENTS

AMC LOEWS LINCOLN SQUARE 13 B’WAY & 68TH ST. 888-AMC-4FUN

BASED ON A TRUE

STORY.

© 2011 Cohen Media Group All Rights Reserved.

CITY CINEMAS CINEMA 1, 2, 3 3RD AVE. AT 60TH ST. 800-FANDANGO #2705

CITY CINEMAS ANGELIKA FILM CENTER COR. HOUSTON & MERCER STS. 800-FANDANGO #2707

START FRIDAY, 8/26 IN PERSON FRIDAY: MADOFF WHISTLEBLOWER HARRY MARKOPOLOS & DIRECTOR JEFF PROSSERMAN • For details, check Facebook.com/chasingmadoff OUR TOWN THE SPIRIT

1/4 Pg (4.917” A x 5.541”) WEDS u g u st 2 5 , 2 0 1 1 8/24 • O U R TO W N •

23

+

+ +

PRESENT PRESENTTHE THE

BUILDING BUILDINGSERVICE SERVICE OF THE YEAR PRESENTWORKERS THE

WORKERS OF BUILDING SERVICE WORKERS OF THE YEAR

THE YEAR

Nominate Nominate Your favorite doorman,

Your favorite doorman, Your favorite office or school cleaner!doorman,

office or school cleaner! office or school cleaner!

Do you you know a great doorman, porter or “handy-man” where you live?

Do know a great doorman, porter or “handy-man” where you live? Is there an Is there an office cleaner, security officer maintenance worker whowho helps offi ce cleaner, security officer or or maintenance worker helps make life a little make life little easier work? How about a school, theater, or easier atawork?

Howatabout a school, theater, eventevent or stadium cleaner who you Do you know a great doorman, porter or “handy-man” where you live? stadium who you believe deserves some extra recognition? believecleaner deserves some extra recognition? you know a great doorman, porter orservice “handy-man” where you Is there an office cleaner, security officer or maintenance workerworkers wholive? helps Once again this Do year, Manhattan Media and 32BJ SEIU, property workers Once again this year, Manhattan Media andthe 32BJ SEIU, the property service union–is honoring the workers who keep the city's commercial, residential and other

life little easier work? aboutoramaintenance school, theater, event or union–is honoring the workers who keepatthe city’sHow commercial, residential and otherwho buildings Ismake there anaoffice cleaner, security officer worker helps

buildings running smoothly. This fall in a special awards ceremony on October 21st, we will running cleaner smoothly.

This fall a special ceremony, we will featuretheater, buildingevent service stadium who you believe deserves extra make life ainlittle easierawards atsome work?

Howrecognition? about a school, or feature building service workers who go above and beyond to make tenants’, residents’ and workers who go above and beyond to make tenants’, residents’ and New Yorkers’ lives better. again this year, Manhattan Mediasome and 32BJ SEIU, the property service workers stadium cleaner who you believe deserves extra recognition?

New Once Yorkers’ lives better.

union–is honoring workers who keep the and city's32BJ commercial, and other Once again thisthe year, Manhattan Media SEIU, theresidential property service workers

GO TO: WWW.OURTOWNNY.COM TO VOTE

GO TO: WWW.SEIU32BJ.ORG TO VOTE buildings running smoothly.

This fall in a special awards ceremony on Octoberand 21st, we will union–is honoring the workers who keep the city's commercial, residential other feature buildingDeadline service workers who go aboveSeptember and beyond to15th. make tenants’, residents’ and Nomination Wednesday, buildings running smoothly.is This fall in a special awards ceremony on October 21st, we will For more information contact Jessica Christopher at 212.268.8600; jchristopher@manhattanmedia.com, New Yorkers’ lives better. feature building service workers who go above and beyond to make tenants’, residents’ and or Kwame 212.388.3676; For morePatterson information contactKPatterson@seiu32bj.org Jasmin Freeman at 212.268.8600; jfreeman@manhattanmedia.com.

New Yorkers’ lives better.

Nomination Deadline is Tuesday, September 6th, 2011.

24•

GO TO: WWW.SEIU32BJ.ORG TO VOTE

OUR TOWN

•

August 25, 2011

NEWS YOU LIVE BY

Community Pages Manhattan Antiques

OPENING FOR 2 HAIRSTYLISTS.

Buys for Cash

Paintings, Silver, Jewelry Bric-a-Brac, Pottery, Furniture Anything Old

UPPER EAST SIDE SALON

CALL GEORGE’S 212 249-7161

212-406-6969

REAL ESTATE

EMPLOYMENT

PARK AVENUE – SHARED SPACE

COORDINATOR, PROMOTIONS, EVENT MARKETING & TALENT RELATIONS AT SIRIUS XM RADIO Administrative support for the Talent Relations, Promotions, & Event Marketing departments including answers phones, takes messages, manages daily calendar, etc. BA/ BS preferred. Min 1-2 yrs work exp.

Apply at https://careers-siriusxm. icims.com/jobs/6561/job.

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

REPORTER, HOWARD 100 NEWS AT SIRIUS XM RADIO Will generate ideas for which events to attend, conduct interviews and produce news packages to air on the Howard Stern Channels. Will sometimes appear as talent on Howard Stern Show live to discuss recently attended events, etc. BA/BS preferred. Apply at https://careers-siriusxm.icims. com/jobs/6568/job.

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

MERCH ANDISE

YOUR PLEASURE IS OUR TREASURE Come and get your thrift on. Valley Thrift Store if you catch our grift. 949 Amsterdam Ave. (Bet. 106 & 107 St.) 212-222-2600 Valley2600@aol.com Mon.-Fri. 10am – 5pm. Sat. Noon – 4pm.

Summer hours: Closed Saturdays 7/4 through Labor Day. No donations Monday.

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER, TALK PROGRAMMING AT SIRIUS XM RADIO Assists w/ production, execution, guest bookings & topic development of Original Talk content in the Whatever Show on the Martha Stewart Living Radio Channel. Responsible for day of show board operation, audio editing, and/or call screening.

Min 2 yrs radio production exp.

Apply at https://careers-siriusxm. icims.com/jobs/6512/job

TECHNICIAN, BROADCAST OPERATIONS CENTER AT SIRIUS XM RADIO Responsible for monitoring the quality, routing and scheduling of AV content for SIRIUS XM’s channels. First point of contact for large volumes of calls from call center personnel. BS/BA in Technical Communications preferred. Min 1+ yrs exp as radio broadcast engineer or network broadcasting operations. Apply at https://careers-siriusxm.icims. com/jobs/6405/job.

COMPUTER

REFURB SPECIAL We Will Completely Refurbish Your Old Computer

for the unbelievable price of

AVON REPS Enroll in Person or Online JACKIE 917-673-9625

SITUATIONS WANTED

Deadline: Monday 12 noon for same weeks’ issue

GENERAL

A LOVING COUPLE HOPING TO ADOPT A NEWBORN We’re Rebecca and Mark, a loving, energetic, fun, and financially-secure couple. We live in a suburban area near good schools and parks. We’re hoping to adopt a baby to raise in a home filled with love, laughter and learning.

Expenses paid. Call toll-free at 800816-6311 or www.markandrebecca.net or email us at: rebeccaandmark2005@gmail.com

AFTER HOURS

INSTRUCTION

SENSUAL BODYWORK -young, handsome, smooth, athletic Asian.

In/Out. Phillip. 212-787-9116

SALSA FUNdamentals Beginner Level 1-This class will get you moving to the captivating rhythms of today’s hottest dance. Have FUN while learning basic salsa footwork, partnering skills, and essential turn patterns from a highly experienced professional.

CALL GLENDA 917-723-2370

SWEET YOUNG ASIAN GUY Exotic, sensual, Oriental Bodywork

By Licensed, Elegant Male. In/Out 24/7 w/table.

Upper West Side.

CALL JAY @ 646-639-3310 SEXY LATINA — J.LO Midtown Loc. West 40’s Incalls only.

845-332-1891 Ask About Specials.

No Blocked Calls.

Abe Buys Antiques

Silver, Chandeliers, Paintings, Rugs, Brick-a-Brac, Estates & All contents from homes.

718-332-9709

LIVE CHAT

For Plus Sized Ladies & The Men Who Adore Them

TRACK BY JACK

TRACK-LIGHTING SPECIALITSTS

INSTALLATION • SALES

meet real women tonight

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

917-74 TRACK 917-748-7225

YOUR AD HERE

CALL:

646-507-5110 718-280-0011 201-708-6148 732-510-2999 908-376-1999 516-471-5056 973-867-7930 Voted #1

By New York Locals

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.

YOUR AD HERE

212-268-0384

try for

212-268-0384

most local singles

free

646.507.5500

Professional Music Instruction

More Local #s: 1.800.210.1010 Ahora en Español 18+ www.livelinks.com

CTA Spa 212-730-9556 S

30 W. 48th St. (bet 5th & 6th Ave.)

Su ay and nday Spe urd ci at $40/1hr Bodywork

al

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

Email: advertising@manhattanmedia.com

Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

212 -758-9280

MUSIC

Studio: 646-476-4410 Mobile: 678-467-5136 www.suzannedgrant.com

Telephone: 212-268-0384 Fax: 212-268-0502

$149

Classifieds Work For You Call 212.268.0384

Voice Piano Vocal Coaching Accompanying

Classified Advertising Department Information

Experts In Understanding and Handling Seniors’ Computer Issues Call IT Doc NYC Today!

TRAINING I teach Computer Science (A+, MS Office), Music (guitar, trumpet) and Fitness (NASM). Call for scheduling. 646-241-9279.

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. The Yellow Directory 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.

$30/session

Suzanne D. Grant Music Specialist

Table Scrub

FULL BODYWORK STRESS...GONE

ENJOY THE BEST

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

by Stefan Upper West Side

646-496-3981 August 25, 2011

•

OUR TOWN

•

25

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 Finnegan mfinnegan@manhattanmedia.com PHOtO editOr/editOriaL assistant Andrew Schwartz aschwartz@manhattanmedia.com Featured COntriButOrs Nancy J. Brandwein, Alan S. Chartock, Bette Dewing, Jeanne Martinet, Malachy McCourt, Lorraine Duffy Merkl, Josh Perilo, Thomas Pryor

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, Rob Gault, Mike Suscavage direCtOr OF events & Marketing Joanna Virello jvirello@manhattanmedia.com Marketing COOrdinatOr Stephanie Musso Marketing assistant Jessica Christopher 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 Quran Corley assistant PrOduCtiOn Manager Jessica Balaschak production@manhattanmedia.com OUR TOWN is published weekly Copyright © 2011 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, New York Press, 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

Design Engineering School to Include More Women & Minorities

By John C. Liu The mayor’s recently announced plan to build a government-sponsored engineering and science campus in New York challenges us to deliver training and jobs to the many talented young men and women of color that our economy has left behind. It is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.

Mayor Bloomberg is to be commended for launching the ambitious Applied Sciences NYC initiative, which seeks to partner with a top-tier engineering school.

The Bloomberg administration projects that the new institution will generate billions of dollars of economic activity and create nearly 30,000 jobs. This addition will only reach its full potential, however, if it directly addresses the glaring opportunity gap facing women, African-Americans and Latinos in science and engineering.

According to the National Science Foundation, just 6 percent of graduate engineering students are AfricanAmericans or Latinos. Women hold just 24 percent of the jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics—a shameful statistic that has not budged in a decade.

It is encouraging that the mayor has included some conditions to support the involvement of women and underrepre-

sented minorities. But the initiative as it is proposed presents a rare chance to level the playing field even more.

The institutions applying to build a science campus here should be measured on their track record with minorities and women in areas such as student recruitment; graduation rates and jobplacement; their hiring and promotion of faculty and staff; and their success

Only 6 percent of graduate engineering students are African-Americans or Latinos.

in turning academic breakthroughs into spin-off companies owned by minorities and women.

Schools should also provide detailed plans for outreach and partnership with underrepresented communities moving forward.

The city should consider appointing more underrepresented minorities, as well as more women, to the advisory committee for the Applied Sciences NYC initiative. Currently, the committee has nine members but no African-Americans or Latinos.

The advisory committee should hold public hearings, applicant submissions should be accessible to the public and scoring criteria should be publicized. The better informed and involved the public is in this process, the more successful it will be.

Aggressive support for the science, technology and engineering sectors is critical to diversifying the city’s economy, which has relied heavily on the volatile financial sector in the past few decades. But as a government-sponsored initiative, Applied Sciences NYC has a responsibility to provide all New Yorkers with greater opportunities to acquire new skills and find jobs in emerging industries. If we are not fully utilizing more than half the talent in our city, we are not going to get close to realizing our full potential.

Fairness, diversity and opportunity should be the values that drive our economic development and job creation programs. Bringing diversity to this project—and all of New York’s economic development—will keep our city on top for the 21st century and beyond.

John C. Liu, the city’s comptroller, graduated from the Bronx High School of Science and SUNY Binghamton, where he studied mathematical physics.

Our Town Goes Downtown To the Readers: Hello, uptown residents of Manhattan! Manhattan Media, our parent company, announced last week that they are bringing back Our Town Downtown, a newspaper focused on all of the arts, news and culture happening below 14th Street.

The publication was last published in 2007, but has returned and will merge with the New York Press. Our Town Downtown offers a spin on the traditional newspaper and is more of a hybrid newsmagazine for Lower Manhattan.

Catering to the 25- to 40-year-old set, Our Town Downtown will focus on education, real estate, arts and culture.

The first issue will launch Sept. 1 and the second issue will feature a 9/11 anniversary special section. We encourage you to take a peek. You might live uptown, but let Our Town Downtown be your guide to Lower Manhattan.

Marissa Maier Managing Editor, Our TOwn DOwnTOwn

New York Press Association

Member

26

•

OUR TOW N

• Augus t 25, 2011

N EW S YO U LIV E B Y

Moore ThoughTs

Broadway Closing Leaves a Hole Bygones to H & H Bagels, beloved bookstores & others

By Christopher Moore There’s an old joke about how a city living veteran might give directions. The old-timer says: “You go four blocks north until you hit where the coffee shop used to be, then head west, three blocks past where the department store was, and then just keep going until you get to the intersection where the gas station once sat.” Live here long enough and the old joke is no joke at all.

New Yorkers know to hang on tight during transitions and never invest too much in one place to begin with. Still, alterations to the landscape remain disorienting. We tear things down, usually with the naive faith that what’s coming will be better than what was there. But, when storefronts sit empty, it sometimes looks as if nothing is coming at all.

Change can come on a small scale but still feel like a big deal. We pay keen attention to what’s happening month to month

and year to year, especially in commercial districts. “New York is different from the rest of America because it is the last bastion of storefronts,” Kenneth Jackson, an author of The Encyclopedia of New York City, told the New York Times two summers ago. “You don’t live in a city of eight and a half million people. You live in a city of neighborhoods. We feel a loss when a store is gone.”

The loss can be a bitter one, especially when it involves bagels.

In a sad summertime story, H&H Bagels recently closed up shop on Broadway at 80th Street. At press time, there’s a big “For Rent” sign in its window. One morning last week, a street cleaner wielded a broom at the site, sweeping the sidewalk in front of the store—an improvement over days before, when a homeless man slouched against the doorway. Passersby were right to look and wonder and worry about the future of the intersection’s southwest corner.

That doorway used to be a bustling

one, with patrons lining up for the no-frills bagel outlet. This was not a place where they buttered an everything bagel for you.

Still, there was the requisite media hysteria when it was almost over. The local Fox News outlet, among others, reported live from the site, interviewing customers wary that their way of life could be ending. One man said he had bought his apartment partly because of its proximity to H&H Bagels.

About a month later, a person in need of housing had replaced the people in need of bagels. The customers now faced a nearly 30-block northward walk to Absolute Bagels to near—but not quite match—the H&H experience, unless they were willing to head to Midtown’s far West Side, where the heavenly headquarters remains. There are those who never liked H&H Bagels; these people have no taste and deserve little sympathy. For the rest of us, Broadway and 80th is a sadder spot. At least the corner has many other empty storefronts to keep it company.

Along the bad stretches, it can look a little like a ghost town, or at least a ghost block, which may be fitting for those who live with the vivid memories of urban spaces gone by. Like the department store champion who has missed Gimbels for several decades now. Or the sports junkie who actually liked eating at the ESPN Zone in Times Square. Or, as of last month, the bookstore junkies who appreciated the knowledgeable service and accessibility of Bookberries on Lexington Avenue. Bookberries was even better than bagels. Now all you can do is dial its number, 212-794-9400, and get the message that it’s been disconnected. Indeed, disconnected is an appropriate word for how many of us feel as the streetscape changes in our commercial districts.

The retail landscape matters because we want to carve out, close to home, our own perfect little town in the big city.

Jackson was right that we feel a loss when a store is gone. But what, exactly, can we do with those feelings?

Christopher Moore is a writer who lives in Manhattan. He can be reached by email at ccmnj@aol.com and is on Twitter @cmoorenyc.

ciTiqueTTe

The Good, the Bad and the Oblivious I can only forgive some people who block the way when I walk

By Jeanne Martinet Combine one part self-absorption, one part 21st-century apathy and one part urban burnout and what do you get? You get a way-blocker.

If you want proof that courtesy is on the wane, all you have to do is to observe the increasing number of pedestrians who fail to notice when there is someone else endeavoring to use the same sidewalk as them. Whether it’s a clump of people who have chosen the middle of the sidewalk to hold some kind of social gathering, a person walking at a snail’s pace because he is on the phone or a family of four who have decided they need to walk abreast, their arms entwined in an impassable human chain, it appears as though New Yorkers are more and more oblivious to the fact that there are others behind them who may actually have somewhere to go.

To different types of way-blockers we can assign varying degrees of culpability. Awe-struck tourists who stand in the middle of the sidewalk looking up may be irritating when you are late for work, but O u r To w n NY. c o m

may perhaps be forgiven for their dazed and dazzled condition. Pet owners who are focused on their pooping poodles, to the temporary inconvenience of passersby, may be annoying but are ultimately understandable.

Parents who block store aisles and crosswalks with their superduper-deluxe double strollers do sometimes appear to have a sense of entitlement about their procreative right to slow up the world, but still, one has to take a deep breath and let them off the hook.

(We must always remember that most of them are majorly sleep-deprived.) Even people who are talking on cell phones, impervious to all human movement around them, can be seen as distracted more than destructive. Slow walkers, people who are window shopping or lost, people with poor shopping cart control— these are minor obstructers who can be frustrating, but for whom we all have to muster a little patience.

However, there is one form of offender

who, in my book, cannot be acquitted, or even, for that matter, comprehended: the person who stands smack in the middle of a doorway.

What can these people be thinking? To me, the act of standing still in a public doorway of any kind is a complete mystery, except in case of the imminent threat of an earthquake. I mean, a doorway is like a faucet, a highway or a digestive tract. You can’t just stand, unmoving, in a passageway without being aware of the fact that you might be causing some kind of a stoppage. And while the blocking of subway doors is probably the worst form of door blocking, I admit I am also perplexed by the people who stand around chatting away in the doorways of apartment buildings and stores. (Let’s not even talk about folks who hold up the elevator while they chat. I may get mad and press the emergency button.)

Of course, because a doorway is a transitional space, it may seem to some to be a

desirable place to have a “short-term” conversation, a noncommittal exchange. After all, you are ostensibly on your way in or out, so you don’t have much time to talk, right?

You can be on the brink, with the words “OK, gotta go” on the tip of your tongue. You are in a great escape position. Who cares if someone else is trying to get by?

As a society, we are becoming less and less considerate about the needs and feelings of the others around us (and yes, I am so often on this particular bandwagon I am eligible for Frequent Complainer Miles). But way-blockers seem to me to be an especially obvious symptom of this deterioration. Why must I go through my day saying “Excuse me, excuse me!” when it’s not me who needs to be excused?

Maybe I am not seeing things from the blockers’ point of view. After all, there are always two sides to everything. Maybe I need to slow down and chill out; not judge people so harshly. I mean, stopping to chat in a doorway is really not such a big deal.

On the other hand, it’s also not such a big deal to just get the heck out of the way.

Jeanne Martinet, aka Miss Mingle, is the author of seven books on social interaction. Read her blog at MissMingle.com.

A u g u st 2 5 , 2 0 1 1

•

O U R TO W N

•

27

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 $2,495

2 Bedrooms from $4,495

Conv 3 Bedrooms from $5,495

MIDTOWN & UPPER WEST SIDE

1 Bedrooms from $3,295 Conv 2 Bedrooms from $4,395 3 Bedrooms from $8,495 TRIBECA & FINANCIAL DISTRICT

1 Bedrooms from $3,195 2 Bedrooms from $5,495

3 Bedrooms from $7,895

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 28•

OUR TOWN

•

August 25, 2011

Equal Housing Opportunity

NEWS YOU LIVE BY