Our Town October 13, 2011

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October 13, 2011

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Last week’s deadly crash renews call to limit helicopters over city Page 4

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Tapped In Notes from the neighborhood Composed by Megan Finnegan and Natasha Martin

EMERGENCY PREP FOR 2ND AVE. SUBWAY The FDNY Center for Terrorism and Disaster Preparedness will conduct a trial exercise at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 19 in the Second Avenue Subway tunnel construction area. The exercise will last for 90 minutes and will not, according to the community relations official who briefed Community Board 8 on the event, interfere with the community or construction activities, as it will take place during the construction workers’ lunch break. The street above will stay open to traffic as personnel from ConEdison, MTA Capital Construction, the FDNY and EMS conduct the exercise. According to an email from the center explaining the drill, the objectives are to “observe contractor evacuation protocol and ascertain employee accountability and the contractor’s ability to infuse representation to the incident command structure.” The drill will also monitor emergency personnel’s ability to navigate underground and see how ConEdison and FDNY staff work together to “control stored electrical and gas energy sources.” The exercise will be based on a scenario of rescuing workers injured on the track level from falling debris and a worker burned on a catwalk while trying to extinguish a fire.

Did you eat out much during your childhood? Eating out was a rare thing in those days. The only time we ate out was when we went to a function, like a wedding or a christening. Was their food inferior to your mother’s? Oh yes. She was from the old country and she cooked authentic Greek meals. There was magic in those pots and pans. Today in a restaurant, it’s hard to find something close to Mom’s cooking. What’s your favorite restaurant in your old neighborhood? We found a restaurant called Greek Kitchen, on 58th Street and 10th Avenue, and I’ll tell you, it was absolutely delicious. I had chicken and my wife had lamb. It reminded me of the old-fashioned tradition.

FROM PARK AVENUE TO BEIJING The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony will embark on their first international concert tour this December, taking the orchestra to China to play in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou and Wuhan. “In addition to being a huge honor, this tour is a major milestone for the orchestra,” said music director David Bernard in a statement. “Music is a universal language and we look forward to a rewarding cultural exchange with a new audience across the globe.” The Upper East Side symphony is in its 12th year and has already developed a strong following. It took first place at The American Prize in Orchestral Performance for 2011.

RE-IMAGINE THE EAST SIDE WATERFRONT CIVITAS will sponsor a lecture by Phillip Lopate, award-winning author, on his book Waterfront: A Journey Around Manhattan at 7 p.m. Oct. 26, in the

Veterans Room, Park Avenue Armory, 643 Park Ave. The lecture is part of the “Reimagining the Waterfront” competition for the East River Esplanade (60th to 125th Street). The cost to attend the event is $10 and there is no charge for CIVITAS members. Space is limited and registration is required. RSVP at info@civitasnyc.org or 212-996-0745. More information about the “Reimagining the Waterfront” competition is available at www.reimaginethewaterfront-civitas.com.

OCD AWARENESS CONFERENCE AT MOUNT SINAI The Mount Sinai ObsessiveCompulsive Disorders Treatment Center, International OCD Foundation and OCDNY will host an OCD Awareness Week conference from 12:45 to 9 p.m., Oct. 15, in the Icahn Building of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 1425 Madison Ave. Registration for the conference is $15 for students, $25 for IOCDF members, $35 for non-members and $50 for families. To register, call 212-659-8823.

Celebrating Hepburn’s iConiC role

GREEK HISTORY LESSONS

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andrew schwartz

In his memoir Growing Up the Greek Way in Manhattan, Midtown native Mike Pappas recounts his Greek upbringing against the backdrop of a changing city. Pappas’ pedigree is the strongest you’ll find this side of Greece—it’s no wonder he can’t find porgies to rival his mother’s. You grew up in a Greek family in a tight-knit Greek community. How did that insular community work in Midtown Manhattan back then? The traditions in those days were very strict. We all spoke Greek when we got together, we stayed within our limits and rules. We lived together as a family and we learned to respect other people and respect our elders. You talk about how excellent your mother’s home-cooked food was.

(L-R) Latrisa Harper, Sofia Samrad and Michelle Monachino dress as Holly Golightly, Audrey Hepburn’s character in Breakfast at Tiffany’s in celebration of the movie’s 50th anniversary. Lookalikes gathered at Nino’s Restaurant for prizes, breakfast and Tiffany’s themed cocktails.

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October 13, 2011

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news

Deadly Crash Reignites Call to Ban Tourist Helicopters ridors, which would include the rivers and harbors. “Yet another terrible tragedy involving a helicopter should send us a clear message in flashing neon lights,” said Nadler in a statement. “Sightseeing and nonessential helicopters are dangerous, unnecessary and not worth it. We have been calling for more oversight of our air corridors for years, with only modest improvements to assuage our fears.” Officials latched on to the fact that the tour was a private, nonessential helicopter trip, citing the crash as another reason to completely ban tourist helicopters. City Council Member Gale Brewer said she wants a ban “just for tourism—I’m not talking about press or police or commuting between airports. It’s a quality-oflife issue that doesn’t need to exist. It’s unbelievably noisy and there are health concerns and safety concerns.” Brewer has been battling the noise and disruption created by helicopters for years; she worked to restrict helicopter flights over Central Park and recalled a press conference she held a few years ago at the 30th Street heliport to demon-

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By Megan Finnegan After a deadly helicopter crash in the East River that left one person dead and several critically injured, some local elected officials are renewing their call to restrict tourist helicopter flights over Manhattan. Last Tuesday, a helicopter ferrying four tourists took off for a sightseeing jaunt over the East River but crashed almost immediately into the water below, leaving one woman, Sonia Marra of Australia, trapped in the inverted cab of the helicopter unable to escape. Marra died, while her partner, father and mother, as well as the pilot, were rescued. While the National Transportation Safety Board begins the investigation into the cause of the crash, which pilot Paul Dudley initially reported as engine trouble, local officials have jumped on the incident as an example of what can happen when airspace goes largely unregulated. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, along with other state and city officials, immediately issued a call for a complete ban on helicopter tourism in New York City’s air cor-

Earlier this week, the Associated Press reported that the FAA allows some sightseeing helicopters to fly through the airspace corridor over the Hudson River, which is supposed to be off-limits to local air traffic. Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal has also been working to regulate helicopters flying over the city for years. She pointed out that another problem is how pilots navigate. “It’s all by sight,” she said. “So the pilot judges just by looking if he’s too close to a building or not.” The FAA’s exemption for some tourist helicopters to fly in the otherwise restricted corridor over the Hudson River exacerbates this problem, Rosenthal said, because other A copter crash that killed a woman last week has local electpilots aren’t expecting ed’s pushing for a ban on tourist helicopters. to see them flying there. strate the nuisance at which a helicopRep. Carolyn ter flew overhead literally every minute. Maloney has also advocated for changes Brewer recently filed a formal petition at the federal level to the regulation of the with the Federal Aviation Administration city’s airspace. (FAA) to require helicopters to display “There have been at least 28 helicoplarger registration numbers in easier-to- ter crashes in our city over the last three read locations on the aircraft so residents decades,” Maloney said in a statement. can report rogue pilots who fly too low “Federal transportation officials should and disregard regulations. But after the investigate not only the causes of this recent crash, Brewer said that such small crash but also whether it is safe to have measures are no longer enough to ensure such a high volume of helicopter traffic public safety. over our densely populated city.” Brewer said it was lucky only one perAny legislative attempts at the city levson died in the accident. “There’s a ferry el to ban tourism flights are likely to be boat that goes over there—if he had hit vetoed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. At them when they were packed, or God a press conference last week, Bloomberg forbid if he had hit something on land, [it said he wouldn’t support any restrictions. could have been disastrous]” she said. “This is a city that has to be open to The FAA regulates airspace, includ- business and open to tourists,” said ing over New York, so while the City Bloomberg. “Helicopters are a very safe Council could theoretically ban heli- way to travel, if you look at the number copter sightseeing tours from taking off of miles that they fly and the number of from New York City heliports, it could trips that they make. We’re not just going not prevent helicopters from elsewhere to ban helicopters.” from flying into the space. The city’s Brewer said the argument for tourEconomic Development Corporation is ism just isn’t necessary. “If there wasn’t responsible for regulating how closely anything else to do in New York, I could helicopters can fly to the ground and understand it,” she said. “If you want to other specifics, but they don’t control see the Statue of Liberty, you can take a the airspace. ferry.” N EW S YO U LIV E B Y


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Some Parents at Meeting Say No Thanks to More Schools By Megan Finnegan At last week’s Community Education Council (CEC) meeting on the Upper East Side, concerned parents flocked to the auditorium of P.S. 158, decked out in kid-painted posters for past musicals and plays, to hear a Department of Education (DOE) representative explain how a new zoning proposal will affect them. The expected elements of frustration over overcrowding and advocacy for their offspring were present among the parents, but the alternative that many offered—put more students into schools, not fewer—was a surprise. The DOE’s proposal aims to address the overcrowding at P.S. 290 Manhattan New School, which had a 64-student wait list for this school year, and P.S. 158 Bernard Taylor, which was forced to create six kindergarten classes this fall, as well as increase the capacity of Yorkville Community School. This would be achieved by adding another school to the district and rezoning the existing schools, spreading out the student population in the same geographic area between four schools instead of three, theoretically easing crowding and ensuring seats for future students. “Our schools are bursting at the seams,” said Eric Goldberg, co-chair of the CEC zoning committee. “There is no sense of stability or security that you’re going to be enrolled at the school you’re zoned for.” Goldberg outlined the problems plaguing the Upper East Side—more families are moving to and staying in the area, schools are enrolling way more kindergarteners than they will be able to reasonably support as they move up through the grades—and explained the process of CEC approval for the rezoning proposal. But half a dozen parents and one prin-

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cipal raised objections to the Elizabeth Rose, the DOE rezoning plan, agreeing that representative at the meeting, something needs to be done said that according to DOE but suggesting that reducstudies, the most urgent need ing the number of students at for the Upper East Side is an each school could result in immediate increase in elemenreductions in funding for those tary school seats. Rose also schools, which would lead to surprised many parents when staff and program cuts. she explained that the deciSharon Hill, the principal sion to open a new elemenat P.S. 290, which would see tary school in the Our Lady of a drop in kindergarten enrollGood Counsel building on East ment by about 50 students 91st Street, which they leased under the rezoning plan, said from the Catholic archdiocese, she rarely involves herself in rests with a vote by the Panel the inner workings of the CEC on Education Policy (PEP). but felt it was crucial to speak The CEC has the authority to up in this case. approve or reject the DOE’s “One of the most critiproposal, which would make cal conditions is not having the school at Our Lady of Good enough seats for students in Counsel a zoned school in the our zone; another is having district, but it has no control enough students to fund critiover whether or not the school cal programs,” Hill said. She opens at all, which it could do worries about cuts to vital as an unzoned school. Rose intervention services and spealso said that the archdiocese cial programs for the kids, as refused to lease the property to well as staff cuts that would the DOE unless it was only for necessitate larger class sizes. elementary, not middle school, “My fear is that if enrollseats. ment is decreased, the viability The PEP will vote in of our school will be seriously November on the new school; impacted,” said Hill. She asked meanwhile, the CEC will debate that the DOE consider expandand gather community feedback ing current schools to accomon the DOE’s rezoning proposal modate more students, and DOE’s proposed changes to current UES school zones. The and could offer revisions before many parents agreed. a final vote. Judy Schneider, conew lines are in yellow. George Janes, a P.S. 290 parchair of Community Board 8’s ent, pointed out that overcrowding is “a already have. education committee, urged parents to problem we want to have,” because it “A 21st-century education requires a spread the word about their upcoming means the Upper East Side is a highly 21st-century facility, and P.S. 290 is decid- meeting so that more could voice their desirable place to live and raise children. edly not a 21st-century facility,” Janes opinions on the record. He said the DOE shouldn’t solve the said. “We hope to pass a very strong resoluproblem by opening another outdated Other parents said the DOE should tion and pass it on to the CEC,” Schneider school facility, but rather invest money look ahead to finding more middle school said. “This is going to be a problem for into modernizing the buildings they seats, not just elementary. everyone.”

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news

East Side Greenway Vision Materializes By Megan Finnegan East Siders are one step closer to enjoying a continuous esplanade along the river. Following a recent swell of public support, State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Mayor Mike Bloomberg, in the presence of almost every elected official on the Upper East Side, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) required by state legislation that kicks a series of complicated actions into motion, with the eventual result of funding the East River greenway. Elected officials gathered in the Governor’s Room at City Hall last Wednesday to announce the historic agreement, beating the Oct. 10 deadline. The MOU outlines the provisions for the alienation of Robert Moses Playground, a park on First Avenue between 41st and 42nd streets, in order for the city to sell the land to the United Nations Development Corporation. When and if the UN purchases the land and constructs a new building, many UN staffers will decamp from their current offices, leased from the city, at 1 and 2 UN Plaza, allowing the city to sell those buildings and use that money, an estimated $200 million, to fund the repair

and construction of the esplanade. “This is a major victory “People on the East Side have some of over the unfortunate earlier the lowest access to parks and public spacera of urban planning that es in the entire city,” said Bloomberg. “They did not value the waterhave been cut off from the waterfront and front and open space,” have looked to their neighbors to the west Kavanagh said. “Because and watched with envy as the spectacular the FDR Drive and the variHudson River Park takes shape. Now they ous properties go right to are going to get a spectacular waterfront the bulkhead, we’re going park right on their doorstep.” to have to build much of Silver thanked the elected representhis greenway over the tatives present, including Rep. Carolyn river. So today really repMaloney, State Sen. Liz Krueger, Assembly resents an extraordinary Members Micah Kellner, Brian Kavanagh Mayor Mike Bloomberg and City Council Member Dan accomplishment in both Garodnick sign the memorandum of understanding and Dan Quart and Council Members Dan funding and engineering to which will help set in motion the funding of the East Garodnick and Jessica Lappin, and said get this done.” River greenway. State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver that as a resident of the Lower East Side, The officials lauded the and State Sen. Liz Krueger look on. he was delighted to sign the MOU. fact that the esplanade will “Historically speaking, it’s a giant step that which we’re giving up.” be made possible with little expense to forward from a community that has been Kavanagh pointed out that the funds taxpayers. Several also noted that the dominated by the sights and sounds of from the sale of the city-owned buildings MOU calls for opportunities for public slaughterhouses to an open public green will be available not solely for a greenway input as construction on the esplanade space, filled with the beauty of nature,” but for park space in general on the East gets underway, and that the UN construcsaid Silver. “I appreciate how difficult it Side. One of the elements of the MOU on tion will go through the standard ULURP is to part with a portion of Robert Moses which the community specifically insisted process, which also allows for public Park, but I am convinced, under the is for the city to designate and create a comment. While it’s too early for anyone NEC Vertical QuarterPg2011_Layout 1 6/8/11 9:39 AM Page 1 terms of the memorandum, that the ben- hard-surface play area to replace what will to give a timeline for the greenway’s comefit will come from extending the East be lost at Robert Moses before the sale pletion, many have estimated that it will River Esplanade and it will far outweigh goes through. take 10 to 15 years to finish.

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When Charles Petersheim left the city for the upstate county of Sullivan, he sought, like many new arrivals, to renovate his own historic home. Although he was a builder by profession, Petersheim soon learned the process took time – and money – a realization that was reinforced when he did the same for others. Petersheim realized that while typical buyers craved the aesthetic of a centuries-old building, there might be a market for new properties, if he could capture the same atmosphere. In 2003, he founded Catskill Farms – a designer and builder of new single-family homes that are customized for buyers, mostly Manhattan residents looking to stretch their legs. His typical customer is a 30to 45-year-old, many in a design or creative industry, who have been sheltered from layoffs or a plummeting 401(k).

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By using classic materials like cedar, local stone, plank walls and ceilings and salvaged barn wood, the company not only emulated older neighbors, but exceeded them with energy efficient utilities and features. Spray foam insulation and high efficiency gas boilers reduce the costs of heating and cooling. “Our homes have a sense of history and style to them,” said Petersheim. “And as importantly, they work.” The company has completed over 100 homes with around $32 million in sales. And although the recession has stymied virtually all new construction outside of major cities, Petersheim continues to churn along, finishing a home every three weeks, at prices comparable to the peak. Homes are sold for around $290,000 to $420,000, starting at 1,300 square feet on five acres of land. Prices have stayed stable, with slight increases due to additional features like security systems, surround sound speakers and on-demand hot water. “I think the real marvel is that our prices have held our own,” said Petersheim Although construction labor prices have lowered slightly, materials remain about

the same. The key to the company’s profits is its organization. Catskill Farms takes a comprehensive approach to development, with in-house land acquisition, construction management, architectural design and relationships with local banks that provide financing for building, and occasionally buyers as well. Having been in business for eight years, Catskills has developed relationships with such lenders, and while underwriting standards are tougher, the company’s buyers are all well qualified for mortgages. One of the developer’s first tasks, after securing a buyer, is locating a sprawling parcel of land. And while upstate doesn’t have the furious density of Manhattan, an ideal plot is still elusive. “There is a real challenge of marrying good land with the right house,” said Petersheim. But Catskills saves the buyer the headache of searching, and it assumes the risk of construction by assuming ownership over a project until it is completed, after which it is sold to the buyer. Catskills also managed to shift one ubiquitous profession in-house: real estate brokerage.“We found brokers couldn’t sell our homes,” said Petersheim. Instead, the company uses digital and social media marketing, connecting directly with buyers. Catskills has grown from three employees in 2008 to 14, occupying a historic steel building that has been converted to an office loft. It is now expanding to the neighboring Ulster County, and its pace of development has made it a small, but steady job creator and economic engine for the area, said Petersheim. The new arrivals also contribute thousands to the county in property taxes. Although he’s carved a niche for himself in upstate, and has experience in constructing commercial buildings in the city earlier in his career, don’t expect to see Petersheim breaking ground in Manhattan. “We’re happy to visit,” he said.

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Bard Graduate Center Gallery presents

Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones in the Main Gallery through April 14, 2012

American Christmas Cards, 1900–1960 in the Focus Gallery through December 31, 2011

Hats: A Field Guide Gallery Talk with milliner Melinda Wax Thursday, November 10, 6 pm

HE GRADuATED MAGNA CuM FETcHIE. HE GRADuATED MAGNA CuM FETcHIE.

Hats-in-Progress: A Study Day with milliners Gretchen Fenston and Rodney Keenan Friday, November 11, 10 am–4:30 pm

The Surrealist Hat

Lecture by fashion curator Dilys Blum Thursday, November 17, 6 pm

“With Every Christmas Card I Write” Concert of American Holiday Songs, 1900–1960

with Robert Osborne, Katie Geissinger, and Richard Gordon Sunday, December 11, 2 pm

The Hatmaker’s Muse: A Conversation with New York Milliners

Lola Ehrlich, Albertus Swanepoel, and Patricia Underwood. Moderated by costume and textiles curator Phyllis Magidson Thursday, December 15, 6 pm

Women Designers and Greeting Cards of the Arts and Crafts Movement

Lecture by historian Anne Stewart O’Donnell Thursday, December 1, 6 pm

For complete information and tickets please visit bgc.bard.edu or e-mail programs@bgc.bard.edu

Stephen Jones for Christian Dior Haute Couture. ‘Olga Sherer inspirée par Gruau’ Hat. Autumn/ Winter 2007/2008. ©Christopher Moore/ Catwalking.

Gallery Hours Tuesday through Sunday from 11 am–5 pm Thursday from 11 am–8 pm The Main Gallery and Focus Gallery are both located at 18 West 86th Street, between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue, in New York City.

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Protesters Hit Wall Street Where It Lives the “millionaires’ tax,” an income tax surcharge for those making over $200,000 that will expire at the end of this year after Gov. Cuomo chose not to renew it. In Fiscal Year 2011, the tax brought in about $5 billion, which prompted several protestors to hoist oversized fake checks made out to the billionaires in that amount. Dave Taylor, 70, recently retired, lives on the Upper West Side and has been making visits to the Occupy Wall Street camp to lend support and donate medical supplies. He came to the march holding a sign that read “We are the 99 percent,” to express his frustration with recent cuts to services in the city. “I spent 10 years building the first housing program in New York for grandparents raising grandchildren,” Taylor said. The state funded the program, which also offers counseling and after-school programs, but it is now facing a $300,000 cut, said Taylor. He wants the governor to reinstate the millionaires’ tax in order to get back critical funding for the program and others like it. Joanna Cole, an Upper West Side resident in her sixties, came with her daughter and a handmade “Tax Me” sign. “I think all of us pay too few taxes in the

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United States,” she said to explain her sign. She said that while not all people should pay higher taxes, she believes many should. “The highest marginal tax rate should be at least 70 percent,” she said. “The more money you make, the easier it is to pay practically nothing in taxes, and that’s just criminal.” “I’m here for an equitable tax system,” said Joan Sabba, 61, a massage therapist from Brooklyn. “That trickles down to inequality in a lot of different areas.” Not all of the marchers were from New York. Ryan Halas, a 24-year-old team building activity facilitator from Asheville, N.C., said he was there to call attention to the fact that the United States isn’t doing enough to offset global warming, that the two-party system isn’t giving people enough options and that power and wealth are unfairly distributed in this country. “We’re now in this stage where Marchers from Occupy Wall Street came to the UES on Oct. 11 to air their grievances we’re building as much publicity as about the expiration of the “millionaires’ tax” possible,” Halas said. in the state. That goal, at least, seemed attainable; television reporters from Germany, online reporters surrounded the march, France and many U.S. stations followed snapping photos and interviewing the protestors as dozens of print and participants. andrew schwartz

By Megan Finnegan The Occupy Wall Street movement that began a month ago with a few dozen people camping out in Zuccotti Park downtown took its protests to the Upper East Side this Tuesday. Convening at the southeast corner of Central Park, several hundred people turned out for what organizers called a “Billionaires Walking Tour,” marching up Fifth Avenue to visit the homes of prominent wealthy residents. The group first stopped at 834 Park Ave., chanting for News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch to “come out and face the people [he] left out.” The group also planned to pay visits to the Upper East Side homes of David Koch, executive vice president of Koch Industries, who has supported conservative causes; hedge fund manager John Paulson; real estate developer Howard Millstein; and Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan Chase. While the group’s anger was outwardly directed at the billionaires themselves, many individuals participating in the march said they want the government to hold the wealthy accountable and make them pay their fair share. Many were specifically protesting the expiration of

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City arts

Puccini’s Tosca at Dicapo Opera Theatre By Parker Woolf Dicapo Opera Theatre opens its 30th anniversary season with Puccini’s Tosca, and does so with admirable simplicity and grace. A small venue in the basement of the Saint Jean Baptiste Church, Dicapo creates the closest thing to chamber opera available in New York City. And for $50 a ticket in an intimate setting akin to sitting in the third row of the orchestra at the Met, the occasional glitch in quality becomes part of Dicapo’s charm. New York operagoers who witnessed Luc Bondy’s 2009 production of Tosca at the Met will be relieved to see a production of the opera that does not seek to upstage Puccini’s score or the vocal performances therein. Michael Capasso has staged his Tosca with a meat-and-potatoes sort of clarity that honors the narrative without interrupting the music. John Farrell’s set design is rickety and distractingly flimsy at times (a rotating central set was the source of mechanical failure and excessive movement), but much is made of both the limited budget and space, a reminder that opera need not be a mul-

timillion-dollar affair to achieve its dramatic ends. As the title role, Kristin Sampson brings a good deal of petulance to her characterization, which imbues the first act with a wonderful comedy and playfulness that are often missing but ultimately hinders her delivery of the final act. She’s a soprano of excellent phrasing, and while she may lack vocal depth, she has sufficient breadth to satisfy in the role. As her lover Cavaradossi, the tenor Paolo Buffagni sang the first two acts with accuracy and fervor, but began to flail in the final act at “O dolci mani,” with seeming fatigue at the moment

when passion is most necessary. Baritone Gustavo Ahualli sang a consistently chilling and rich depiction as the evil Scarpia; his “Tre sbirri” at the end of the first act brought goosebumps to more than one arm. The only possibly lessthan-charming element of the evening was the stage director (and general director of the theater) sitting in the audience of the 200-seat hall, audibly murmuring unprintable expletives when all of the elements onstage were not executed to his liking. We’re our own worst critics, it would seem.

Puccini’s Tosca runs through Oct. 16 at the Dicapo Opera Theatre in the basement of Saint Jean Baptiste Church.

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City arts

The New SONiC Youth A new music festival for the under 40 takes over Manhattan Bermel described today’s fest as “a window into the vast and diverse worlds that musicians are exploring today. There are no more aesthetic or stylistic barriers out there; SONiC is offering a whirlwind showcase for the boundless creativity of our contemporary composers.” The events are as diverse as the music. Highlights include “Extended Play,” an all-day marathon event on Sunday, Oct. 16, that begins at noon at Columbia University’s Miller Theatre. Critically acclaimed modern-day string quartet JACK Quartet will play the role of both host and performer during the 12-hour event, along with performances from Talea Ensemble, The New York Virtuoso Singers, Dither, Imani Winds, PRISM Quartet, Young People’s Chorus of New York City and NOW Ensemble. For a taste of the new vanguard of contemporary ensembles, check out eighth blackbird, the Grammy-winning septet with the self-described “energy of a rock band,” when they perform Fractured Jams Oct. 15 at the Miller Theatre. Either/ Or, a cutting-edge ensemble, will perform

the U.S. premiere of smear, Jonny Greenwood’s classical piece, on Monday, Oct. 17, also at the Miller. On a shoestring budget? Check out the free closing night concert “American Pie” on Saturday, JACK Quartet will host and play at the “Extended Play” event Oct. 22 at the World at Columbia University on Oct. 16 as part of the SONiC Music Financial Center Festival. Winter Garden, featuring the world premiere of St. Carolyn enced Grindhouse, Andrew Norman’s by the Sea by The National’s Bryce loop-based energetic Unstuck and Dessner, who will perform the adaptation Suzanne Farrin’s site-specific, resonant of Jack Kerouac’s Big Sur with his broth- Infinite Here. er Aaron on electric guitar backed by a Tickets for SONiC events range from full symphony orchestra. Commissioned free to $50 and are available for purby the American Composers Orchestra, chase at participating SONiC venues. You it’s sure to be a little bit classical and a can also buy a SONiC pass for $25 that little bit rock ‘n’ roll. provides at least 20 percent off all tickThe program also includes the world ets, along with other perks. For more premieres of Paul Yeon Lee’s Ballade, information and a full schedule and lineRuby Fulton’s alt-kitsch Road Ranger up, visit www.sonicfestival.org or call Cowboy, Ryan Gallagher’s B-movie influ- 212-977-8495. Stephen poff

By Anna Margaret Hollyman If the words “composer” and “orchestra” conjure up images of stodgy concert halls replete with white-gloved conductors in tails and orchestra pits full of faceless musicians in black formal wear, this year’s SONiC (Sounds of a New Century) Music Festival will shake those associations up, introducing audiences to the most talented, cutting-edge composers, ensembles and orchestras working today. Making its debut as a festival of 21stcentury music, SONiC will take over 11 venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn from Oct. 14 through Oct. 22, hosting over 100 composers and ensembles from across the world, all of whom are 40 years old or under. Co-curated by composer Derek Bermel and pianist Stephen Gosling and produced by the American Composers Orchestra and the Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University, the festival is loosely based on the Ditson Festival from the 1940s and ’50s. That fest—which predated CMJ by a few decades—showcased premieres from the likes of Charles Ives and Aaron Copland.

Let’s Talk Union Square — at Flushing Bank’s Newest Location! On Tuesday, October 11th, Flushing Bank opened its newest location at 225 Park Avenue South at 18th Street. To celebrate, a variety of Opening Day promotions and limited-time offers are now available. From Queens to Brooklyn to Manhattan, smart New Yorkers have always known that Flushing Bank is committed to serving the community, providing authentic neighborhood banking, and reaching out to individuals, families and businesses with its own special brand of personal attention. Now this dedication to one-on-one service is located in the heart of Manhattan’s Union Square, with the great products and services, competitive rates, and special promotions that Flushing Bank customers have come to expect. It’s no wonder that Flushing Bank has become known throughout the City as the bank that’s, “Small enough to know you. Large enough to help you.” Customers at the newest Union Square

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location will find everything that makes Flushing Bank a true neighborhood bank, and much more. As part of its Opening Day Celebration, Flushing Bank is offering a host of special programs, products and promotions to welcome area residents to its newest location. In addition to its trademark BestRate and Totally Free Checking accounts, Flushing Bank in Union Square will mark the celebration with special rates on a 29-month CD, opportunities to win free gifts, several limited-time offers, and an array of incentives. Stop by for your Scan and Win flyer and see what you’ve won! Visitors to the newest Flushing Bank location will enjoy a host of extras, offers and attractions that will make it a local favorite within the neighborhood. At the new Park Avenue South location, customers will find paperless ATMs and free wifi. They’ll also be treated to a fourminute video chronicling the history of the Union Square neighborhood —

produced expressly for the Opening Day Celebration. For generations the Union Square area has been a citywide destination for shopping, entertainment and family life, and emerged as an important focal point for civic and social change. Labor groups and trade unions all converged on Union Square to call attention to their cause. Today the area is a vibrant, eclectic, thriving neighborhood, with Union Square Park at its center. From all across the globe, students, artists, professionals, entrepreneurs and families converge on Union Square to work, study, create, conduct business, raise children, and enjoy the best that the neighborhood has to offer. As part of the Bank’s commitment to the community, visitors who log on to FlushingBank.com/parkavenue can watch the video, and download a free audio walking tour of historic Union Square and it’s surroundings.

Flushing Bank is a full-service community bank that has served New York families and businesses for over 80 years. Visit Flushing Bank’s newest location and talk to a representative about your banking needs or call 212.477.9360.

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10/11/11 9:18 AM


new york family

You’ve Got to Move It

The School at Steps

From ballet and ballroom to tap and jazz, class instruction can teach children how to dance while fostering confidence and important life skills

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ittle ones often showcase their first dance moves—swaying, bouncing and clapping their hands—before they take their first steps. As they grow, many kids show a further interest in exploring dance, whether it be classical ballet, modern dance, tap, jazz, hip-hop or ballroom. But with so many worthwhile extracurricular activities available, why choose dance? Why Dance? Dancing positively influences children’s lives in many ways. In addition to gaining self-confidence and learning to express themselves through creative movement, kids develop proper posture, strength and flexibility, they learn to work well with others and cultivate a sense of musicality. In fact, dancing even prepares children for the classroom, as one of the first things small dancers learn is to “focus and pay attention to the teacher,” said Virginie Mécène, director of the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and Artistic Director of Graham II. Grooving also does great things for multitasking. “Dancers are organized individuals who can juggle their academic and dance classes,” said Kate Thomas, director of The School at Steps. Through dance, “kids develop patience as they wait for their turn and improve their memory as the sequence of steps gets longer,” said Hanne Larsen, artistic director of Downtown

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October 13, 2011

Dance Factory (DDF). In terms of creativity, “dance fills your spirit,” Diana Byer, founder and artistic director of New York Theatre Ballet and Ballet School NY, said. “Young children studying dance acquire learning skills, observe how their behavior affects others in the room, and develop concentration and a healthy body awareness. They learn to recognize music styles.” Moreover, Shelley Grantham, school coordinator and Peridance Youth Ensemble director at Peridance Capezio Center notes that children’s dance class is also about

teachers who have a warm and positive approach to teaching, a well-equipped facility and, if possible, live accompaniment,” said Julia Dubno, director of Ballet Academy East (BAE). Consider the teaching method as well; Renata Celichowska, director of the 92nd Street Y’s Harkness Dance Center, recommends a lyrical and storytelling approach for teaching creative ballet. Most of all, says Jo Matos, Director of Children’s Programming at Joffrey Ballet School, look for a great teacher. “The teacher’s background is more important than state-of-the-art facilities,” Matos added. “Observe a class—see how teachers relate to

Ballet Academy East

Photo by Rosalie o’ConnoR

By Cristina Dimen

“learning how to use their bodies as a form of expression. Whether it’s through modern or ballet or hip-hop or jazz, it’s a way to get their artist voice out through movement.” What to Look For After deciding to enroll in dance, finding the right class that suits your child is the next hurdle to clear. “When I’m talking to parents, I always ask for a little bit of feedback on the child: what do they do at home, are they really active, do they sit quietly and color for a while, do they bounce off the walls?” said Grantham. “I try to get some personality traits to help place their child into the appropriate class, the appropriate style and the appropriate level.” When considering classes, “parents should look for a school with experienced

their students. Ensure that they’re in control of the class while being caring and loving.” “The instructors from the school should teach the class rather than give the class,” Byer recommended. “Since each child is constructed differently both physically and temperamentally, the instructor should correct each child as an individual and not only give general instruction to the class as a whole.” Most schools offer a range of programs for different age groups, from Mommy & Me classes for 2- and 3-year-olds to pre-ballet classes for 3- to 6-year-olds to more intensive pre-professional classes for kids 7 and up, many of which require auditions for admittance and placement. Enrichment classes are available for nonvocational students of all ages.

Getting Serious Dance can begin as soon as a child is able to move, but formal instruction for some genres may not be appropriate until a later age. “Children should not study serious ballet before the age of 7 or 8,” said Byer. “[But] they can begin learning simple folk dances as young as 3.” As a child’s casual interest in dancing transitions into a more serious pursuit, parents should expect an age-appropriate increase in commitment in terms of time and focus. “By 11 or 12 years old, students committed to dancing take classes four to five days a week, plus rehearsals for performances,” said Matos. Yvette Campbell, director of the Ailey Extension, noted, “Serious 13-year-old dancers take one to two classes a day. At this point, dancing could be their only activity outside of school.” Supporting Your Dancer “Dance is a great thing to teach your child whether they’re going to be a dancer or not,” Grantham insisted. “If you think about it, in the 1400s, 1500s and 1600s, dance was a part of society and everyday life. Whether it was tribal dance or folk dance, it was something that everyone in the community did to celebrate…It was something that was used as a form of expression and as a form of storytelling.” While young dancers today immerse themselves in a world of pirouettes, snazzy jazz steps or the enticing beat of West African drums, parents can nurture their interest by asking children to demonstrate their latest moves, attending student performances and taking them to live productions. Finally, “parents should dance—if kids see their parents dancing, it will encourage them,” Celichowska said. So go ahead, boogie down with your kids and revel in the joy of creative expression together. N EW S YO U LIV E B Y


DINING

Red Badge for Barolo

Piemonte Region produces some of the best wines in the world

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or the most part, I try very hard to stay true to the “Penniless” part of my moniker. There are times, however, when opportunity presents itself and wines appear that are so amazing they must be reviewed and shared with the public, no matter the expense. That is the case with Barolo. Made exclusively from the nebbiolo grape, Barolo is from the Piemonte region of northwestern Italy. Like many other old world wines, Barolo’s name comes from its place of origin—in this case, a village in Piemonte near Alba. There are actually over half a dozen townships and subregions within Barolo itself that pinpoint exactly where each wine is from, sometimes down to the kilometer. Why so much fuss over a bottle of wine? A lot of it has to do with tradition. The wines from Barolo have been made in the same way, producing the same

intense, garnet-hued red wine, since the mid-19th century. The townships that have perfected this style of wine wear it as a badge of pride—not only that their hills and countrysides are the best in the world for growing this grape (which, arguably, they are) but that their techniques for handling this specific grape are well-honed. Barolo is traditionally a wine meant to age considerably before drinking, but more By Josh Perilo and more producers are attempting to make wines that can be available without shoving a bottle away for 10 to 15 years. Some look at this as forward-thinking; others as heresy. The results are, as with all wines, mixed. I have been lucky enough to try many Barolos over the last several months. Most were great but there were a handful that were truly spectacular—worth the extra splurge. There are as many styles of Barolo as

there are subregions that make the wine itself. One of my favorites is the more floral style of Barolo. The Serralunga Barolo d’Alba 2007 ($29.99 at Beacon Wines and Spirits, 2120 Broadway at 74th St., 212-877-0028) is a terrific and affordable example of this style. Rosewood and fresh-cut violets burst out of the glass and into the nose, and the palate has even more to offer. A pungent bo uquet of wildflowers up front leads to a bracingly tannic middle, with sour black cherry on the finish. This is bang for your buck Barolo! One of the great, venerable producers of Barolo that comes through year after year is Vietti, and their Vietti Barolo Castiglione 2007 ($49.95 at SherryLehmann, 505 Park Ave. at 60th St., 212838-7500) is no exception. If this wine were a piece of furniture, it would be your favorite old leather recliner—the one everyone fights to sit in. The nose is rife with familiar smells from an English study: cedar, old leather and aged hardwood. The palate unleashes a tannin monster. Beware: While I recommend decanting all Barolos, I might even double decant this one. Once the wine has been

given a little time to relax and open up, there is layer upon layer of complexity— bitter chocolates, underripe berries and wisps of pipe smoke, to name a few. On the subtler, lighter side of Barolo there’s the G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe 2006 ($27.99 at Union Square Wines, 140 4th Ave. at 13th St., 212-675-8100). Scents of mild earth and shaved white truffles waft from the glass. Whispers of baked cherry lead to a middle with chalky tannins and an earthy, tightly wound finish. While this one is drinking well now, it’s a great example of a wine that will continue to improve over the next decade. Then there is the Elio Grasso Barolo Rüncot 2004 ($130.69 at Morrell & Company, 1 Rockefeller Plaza, 212-6889370). To quote Peter Boyle’s Frank Barone, holy crap. The nose is intense and sweet, with cedar, pine, and other sweet wood scents. The palate starts with flavor notes of caramelized sugar which morph into molasses then lead to baked fig. The tannins balance the fruit flavors with a pleasant, espresso-like bitterness. The finish is stoic. Elio Grasso has long been one of my favorite producers from this region and they have outdone themselves with this offering. An absolute masterpiece. Follow Josh on Twitter: @joshperilo.

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When in Rome, my friend says pizza is THE thing to eat. When in Rome, you crowd the counter, using your fingers to show how large a slice. When in Rome, you fold the pizza and the olive oil drips down your hand—and that’s a good thing. She doesn’t think the Roman-style pizza at Farinella quite matches up. Yes, it’s pre-sliced and not as oily. Yet, in New York we tweak the foods from other lands to create something wholly new. In this case I’d say “holy,” because my rectangular prosciutto slice ($4.75) inspired something like religious ecsta- Superb ingredients, chewy, thin crusts sy. Generous layers of quality prosciutto and an array of quintessential Italian toplay dappled with mozzarella and I’d say pings make Farinella worth trying. I also just enough oil, salt and pepper. I had appreciated the mini calzoni, puffy packmy piece cut into thirds ets of ricotta, mozzarella to prolong the experiand tomato ($2.50). ence and share with And speaking of tweakmy friend, who ordered ing: the smiling-faced 1132 Lexington Ave. that nod to summer, the Farinella logo looks like Caprese ($4.75), with Coney Island’s “Tillie (betw. 78th & 79th Sts.) mozzarella, basil and Face.” When in New York… 212-327-2702 tomato. It turns out the www.farinellabakery.com bakery was awaiting a —Nancy J. Brandwein shipment of buffalo mozzarella that would have turned the Caprese Got a snack attack to share? into Farinella’s “DOC”—drug of choice. Contact nancybrandwein@gmail.com

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Free Health Education Seminars All Lectures are FREE and Open to the Public

THE MYRA MAHON PATIENT RESOURCE CENTER

RONALD O. PERELMAN HEART INSTITUTE / THE WOMEN’S HEART PROGRAM 5:30 to 7 pm / Doors open 5 pm Griffis Faculty Club 525 East 69th Street (York Avenue), New York, NY 10065 TO REGISTER: 1-877-NYP-WELL (1-877-697-9355) Registration required. Light refreshments will be served.

LUNG CANCER SEMINAR SERIES

TIME:

LOCATION:

TIME: LOCATION:

TO REGISTER:

Wednesday, October 12, 2011 Go Active and Stay Active! Physical activity not only reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke, it improves your mood, your waistline and your memory. Learn how to enjoy a more active life. Gail L. Flanagan, MS, RD

Wednesday, November 9, 2011 Have a Heart: “Let Go” of Your Anger Learn about anger management and the importance of stress reduction before you head into this holiday season. Robert Allan, PhD

Wednesday, December 14, 2011 You Are What You Eat Learn how to make healthier choices in your diet and learn shopping tips to fill your home with healthier foods. Heidi Skolnik, MS, CDN, FACSM

Wednesday, January 18, 2012 Living a Healthy Life!

Thursday, November 3, 2011 Lung Cancer Explained: Advances in Treatment and Technology Nasser K. Altorki, MD, Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, David B. Skinner Professor of Thoracic Surgery Katherine Novak Parker, MD, Assistant Professor of Radiology

Thursday, November 10, 2011 What’s New in Drugs for Lung Cancer? The Importance of Translational Research: From the OR to the Research Lab Lorraine J. Gudas, PhD, Chairman, Department of Pharmacology Brendon Stiles, MD, Assistant Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Thursday, November 17, 2011 Lung Cancer: Advances in the Diagnosis, Current Management and Future Treatment Mark W. Pasmantier, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine Daniel M. Libby, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

It is January—time to make important changes in your life. Take easy steps to improve your health. William Borden, MD

IRIS CANTOR WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTER TIME: LOCATION:

TO REGISTER:

6:15 to 7:15 pm • Q & A following Weill Greenberg Center 1305 York Avenue at East 70th Street, Second Floor New York, NY 10021 212-821-0971 or EMAIL: womenshealth@med.cornell.edu

Monday, October 24, 2011 Robotic Surgery in Gynecology: Is It Really Better for the Patient? (Live Robotic Demonstration) Tirsit Asfaw, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology; Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery Divya Gupta, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gynecologic Oncology; Assistant Attending, Gynecologic Oncology Kevin Holcomb, MD, Director, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology; Associate Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology; Associate Attending, Gynecologic Oncology

6:15 to 7:15 pm • Q & A following Weill Greenberg Center 1305 York Avenue at East 70th Street, Second Floor New York, NY 10021 646-962-5721 or EMAIL: mmprc@med.cornell.edu

HEALTH EDUCATION SEMINARS TIME: LOCATION:

TO REGISTER:

6:15 to 7:15 pm • Q & A following Weill Greenberg Center 1305 York Avenue at East 70th Street, Second Floor New York, NY 10021 646-962-5721 or EMAIL: mmprc@med.cornell.edu

Thursday, December 1, 2011 What You Need to Know About PSA Screening: An Update for Men and Their Partners Michael P. Herman, MD, Instructor in Urology

Tuesday, December 6, 2011 New Advances in Cosmetic Surgery David M. Otterburn, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery (Plastic Surgery)

Thursday, December 8, 2011 Winter Skin Care Cynthia L. Chen, MD, Assistant Professor of Dermatology

Thursday, December 15, 2011 Healthy Eating During The Holidays Rachel Neifeld, RD, CDN, Clinical Dietitian

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, located in Manhattan on the Upper East Side at York Avenue and 68th Street, comprises NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College.

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NEWS YOU LIVE BY


October 2011

NEWSLETTER

ORNELL

Dr. Steven J. Corwin Named CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital; Dr. Robert E. Kelly Named President The Board of Trustees of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital announced that it has named Steven J. Corwin, MD, as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital. Dr. Corwin succeeds Herbert Pardes, MD, who has retired as head of the Hospital and is now Executive Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

Carlos Rene Perez

Brad Hess

environment to enhance patient care, to The Board also announced that Robert strengthen the Hospital’s financial stability E. Kelly, MD, has been named President and to promote community health. They of the Hospital, reporting to Dr. Corwin. will continue NewYork-Presbyterian’s The new appointments follow a national commitment to advancing quality care for search by a committee of the Board patients and their families.” of Trustees and became effective Mr. Mack and the Board of Trustees, September 6, 2011. Steven J. Corwin, MD including vice chairs Frank A. Bennack Jr., John J. Mack, Chairman, Board of Charlotte M. Ford, Peter A. Georgescu Trustees, said: “I am delighted to make and Jerry I. Speyer, paid tribute to the this announcement about the new leadextraordinary service rendered by ership at NewYork-Presbyterian. Steve Dr. Pardes during his 11-year tenure. Corwin is uniquely qualified to chart a “We all owe Dr. Pardes a tremendous course through the opportunities and debt of gratitude for his outstanding challenges ahead for this great hospital. Robert E. Kelly, MD leadership. He has transformed NewYorkHe is a thoughtful and bold leader who Presbyterian into a national leader has already made a significant mark on amongst academic medical tcenters, making the NewYork-Presbyterian. He and Dr. Kelly 1997 merger of The New York Hospital and The represent the next generation of leadership for Presbyterian Hospital a success, raising the this remarkable institution. They, along with the worldwide profile of the Hospital and ensuring rest of our senior executive team, have exceeded its strength into the future,” Mr. Mack said. ambitious objectives in a very challenging

John Abbott

Dr. Laurie Glimcher Announced as New Dean at Weill Cornell Medical College

Laurie Glimcher, MD

Dr. Laurie Glimcher, one of the nation’s leading physician-scientists and researchers, has accepted the offer to become the new Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medical College and Cornell Provost for Medical Affairs. The Irene Heinz Given Professor of Immunology at the Harvard School of Public Health and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Glimcher was chosen from a field of 51 candidates. Her appointment was unanimously approved by both the Weill Cornell Board of Overseers and the Executive Committee of the Cornell Board of Trustees. She will assume the new position effective January 1, 2012. Dr. Glimcher will succeed Dr. Antonio M. Gotto Jr., who has served with great distinction as Dean and Provost since 1997 and who will become Co-chair of the Board of Overseers and Cornell University Vice President.

For general information, call (212) 746-5454. For information about physicians and patient programs, call (877) NYP-WELL. www.nyp.org • weill.cornell.edu Produced by the Department of Public Affairs of NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell, (212) 821-0560.

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Healthy Manhattan

a monthly advertising supplement

Forty is Still the New 40

Many breast cancer experts say it’s the right age to begin mammograms By Laura shin

Dr. Dara Richardson-Heron was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 34. She said it was breast self-awareness and a mammogram that saved her life. “My doctor initially said, ‘You’re too young to get a mammogram and you’re too young to have breast cancer,’ but I insisted on having a mammogram and it turned out that I had breast cancer,” said Richardson-Heron, a 14-year cancer survivor and CEO of the Greater New York City Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. There is no universal set of guidelines when it comes to mammograms. In fact, changes to some mammogram guidelines in recent years have stirred debate, leaving many women confused about when and how often they should get mammograms. “I think the confusion has led to a complacency among women,” said Richardson-Heron. “Since they don’t know what to do, many of them are just not doing anything. My concern is that these women will be diagnosed later, and a later diagnosis is far more difficult to treat.” Richardson-Heron recommends women begin receiving annual screening mammograms at age 40—earlier if the woman has higher risk factors such as a strong family history of the disease, like she did. The American Cancer Society, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, The Mayo Clinic and Susan G. Komen for the Cure all currently support a set of guidelines that recommends routine mammograms beginning at age 40

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‘I think the confusion has led to a complacency among women,’ said Dr. Dara Richardson-Heron. for women at average risk. But in 2009, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a group of health experts that reviews research and makes recommendations on preventive health care, revised their guidelines to include a recommendation that screening mammograms should be done every two years beginning at age 50 for women at average risk. The task force reported that the benefits of screening mammograms do not outweigh the harms for women ages 40 to 49. Potential harms include false positive results that could lead to unneeded biopsies along with anxiety and stress. There are, however, some issues with the task force’s findings, said Dr. Laurie Margolies, chief of

breast imaging at Mount Sinai Medical Center. “The studies they looked at were very old, and there are several problems with that. One is that they’re all on analog mammography,” Margolies said. Analog mammography takes images on film, whereas most mammogram machines sold now are digital, she said. Digital mammography finds more cancers in younger women than analog. Even the disputed report emphasized it was not suggesting that women ages 40 to 49 not have mammograms at all, but rather that they should not be done routinely and should be conducted based on a woman’s values regarding the risks and benefits of mammography. Margolies acknowledges that there are instances of false positives in screening mammograms and there are some associated harms, but she believes the risks do not outweigh the benefits. “Anxiety is painful and having a benign biopsy is not great, but I would rather have a benign biopsy than die from breast cancer,” she said. While women in their forties have a lower overall incidence of breast cancer, younger women tend to have more aggressive types of breast cancer, said Richardson-Heron. “If you wait to diagnose these women, you potentially decrease the chance of detecting the cancer before it is spread to different parts of the body,” she said. “The most compelling stories are the women who tell me that they were diagnosed on their first screening mammogram at age 40, so I shudder to think what would’ve happened to them if they had waited to age 50 to get a mammogram,” she said. In addition to beginning regular mammogram screenings at age 40, it is also important to get a mammogram every year as opposed to every other year, said Mary Gemignani, MD, a surgeon at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. “Yearly screening may potentially decrease the risk of interval cancers, cancers that occur between screenings, which occur more commonly in younger women,” Gemignani said. Mammography has been proven to save lives, said Margolies. “The death rate from breast cancer has decreased 30 percent since 1990, and that’s predominantly due to mammography screening,” she said. Richardson-Heron encourages women to know their family history and to be able to identify changes in their breasts. As far as mammograms go, she hopes women can move toward one set of guidelines. “I want to cut through the confusion altogether. Don’t even think about it. Get a mammogram at age 40 or earlier if you have any risk factors that make you more likely to get diagnosed with breast cancer,” she said.

N EW S YO U LIV E B Y


Healthy Manhattan

Seeking Advanced-Stage Cancer Patientswith Anxiety For Research Study Seeking Advanced-Stage Cancer Patients with Anxiety For Research Study We are looking for volunteers to participate in a scientific study exploring the effects of spiritual or mystical states of consciousness on anxiety and emotional distress associated with a diagnosis of advanced cancer ___________________________________________ A person receiving a diagnosis of advanced cancer is faced with multiple and severe physical, emotional, and spiritual or existential challenges. Often, the feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, and questions around meaning and spirituality contribute to more overall suffering than physical symptoms. It is now widely believed that issues related to meaning, spirituality, anxiety, and depressed mood are at the core of the suffering that patients with advanced cancer may experience. Researchers at New York University School of Medicine and Bluestone Center for Clinical Research are conducting a scientific study using a novel drug, psilocybin, a psychoactive agent found in a specific type of mushroom and used for centuries for religious and spiritual purposes. Entheogens, the class of plants and chemicals that includes psilocybin, have been used for thousands of years as sacraments to induce mystical or spiritual states of consciousness as part of spiritual and healing observances. Volunteers who participate in this study will receive careful medical and psychological screening, preparation, and educational materials about the details of the study. The study will consist of two study sessions. Additional meetings will involve preparation and supportive counseling to assure comfort and safety throughout the study. Questionnaires and interviews will be used to evaluate the effects of the study drug on mood and quality of life. This research study is fully approved by and adheres to the strict regulations of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Raynaud’s Disease: Cold Feet Not Related to Weddings Symptoms include numb fingers and toes, particularly for younger women By Dr. Cynthia Paulis

Red, white and blue may be patriotic colors, but when they occur on your fingers it may be a sign of something known as Raynaud’s disease. The condition is characterized by a vasospasm and in some cases can be associated with autoimmune diseases such as lupus or scleroderma. O u r To w n NY. c o m

Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 76, have received a diagnosis of advanced-stage cancer, and be experiencing anxiety or mood changes secondary to their diagnosis. Further information regarding eligibility is available upon inquiry. Strict confidentiality will be maintained on all persons inquiring or participating in the study. If you, a family member, or someone you know is interested in this study, please call Krystallia Kalliontzi, M.Sc., Clinical Research Coordinator, at (212) 998-9252. Version Date – 1/20/09

NYUSOM IRB APPROVED 2/2/09

In Raynaud’s, areas of your body such as your fingers, toes, the tip of your nose, ears and, on rare occasions, tongue will feel numb and cool in response to cold temperatures and stress. Smaller arteries that supply blood to the skin narrow and go into spasm, causing the numbness. The symptoms experienced depend on the severity, frequency and duration of the vasospasm; the first ContinueD Pg 20 October 13, 2011

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Healthy Manhattan continued from pg 19

thing a patient notices is that the area, usually the fingers, turns white due to inadequate blood flow. As oxygen is depleted in the tissues they turn blue, and when the spasm stops and blood returns, the skin turns bright red and can be tingling or painful. The attack can last from less than a minute to several hours. Dr. Robert Dickerson, a rheumatologist in Manhattan, said Raynaud’s often affects women between the ages of 17 and 25. “The problem with trying to diagnose the disease is that they look very normal,” he said. “The first line of treatment is to give the patient an understanding of the event, because that reassures them and [helps them] understand the triggers that will cause this problem.” The two most common triggers are cold temperatures and stress. In both cases the body’s normal response is to preserve core temperature—in people with the disease, this response is exaggerated. Dickerson also stressed that other triggers that can cause the event are “smoking, caffeine, estrogen-based birth control pills, occupations where vibrations are constant, such as working with

a jackhammer” and perhaps vinyl. “I once had a patient many years ago who was a disc jockey. She was working with vinyl records and developed symptoms of Raynaud’s disease,” said Dickerson. Certain over-the-counter medications that contain pseudoephedrine can also act as triggers. Beta blockers used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease such as Lopressor, Toprol, Corgard, Inderal and Innopran XL have also been know to trigger Raynaud’s disease. The problem with Raynaud’s is that if attacks increase in frequency, poor oxygen supply to the tissues can cause the tips of the fingers to ulcerate and become infected. With a continued lack of oxygen, gangrene can occur—although this is very rare, it does happen. When an attack occurs, Dickerson advises, “Warm your hands by putting them in warm water. If that’s not available, gently massage your hands or, if it’s your feet, wiggle your toes. Make wide circles like a windmill with your arms or place your hands under your armpits to warm them up.” Prevention is the best way to mini-

mize the attacks. In cold weather wear gloves, a hat, a scarf and boots. Dickerson advises, “Wear socks and gloves to bed. If you are drinking a cold drink, use a napkin or insulator around the glass to keep your hands warm.” If you are taking food out of the refrigerator or freezer, wear gloves or oven

‘I once had a patient many years ago who was a disc jockey. She was working with vinyl records and developed symptoms of Raynaud’s disease,’ said Dr. Robert Dickerson.

T:10”

mitts to keep the cold from your hands. Air conditioning may trigger the attack, so set the temperature higher to prevent attacks. Dickerson reassures patients that

“80 percent of people will do well with prevention and avoidance of the triggers that cause the attacks.” The most common drugs used for treatment are calcium channel blockers such as Adalat, Procardia, Norvasc and Plendil. They work by relaxing and opening up the small vessels in your hands and feet, thereby decreasing the frequency and severity of the attacks. They also can be used to heal ulcers on the fingers and toes. Another class of medication used is alpha blockers, which counteract the effects of the hormone norepinephrine, which constricts the blood vessels. Minipress and Cardura are commonly used alpha blockers. Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, has been used to treat the problem and biofeedback has been used to cope with stressful situations. One of the more unusual treatments is Viagra, which is a potent vasodilator. Raynaud’s disease can’t be cured, but its symptoms can be minimized by eliminating the triggers that cause it—cold, stress ( easier said than done), smoking and caffeine. So, the next time you feel inclined to go for the 60-ounce cup of coffee, think about switching to green tea instead and maybe booking a nice trip to Hawaii in December.

Heroes

T:5.541”

{ in action }

88-year-old World War II D-Day survivor Ralph Goldsmith and his doctor, Mark Adelman, MD, Chief of Vascular Surgery, both know what it means to save lives. The nationally recognized team of specialists at the NYU Langone Cardiac and Vascular Institute use the most advanced techniques to treat aortic aneurysms at New York’s largest aortic disease center. To find an NYU Langone aortic disease specialist, call 888.769.8633 or visit www.NYULMC.org/findadoc.

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THE BREAST CENTER NEW YORK DOWNTOWN HOSPITAL Dr. Robbi Kempner, Chief of Breast Surgery at New York Downtown Hospital, will sponsor our Hospital’s first Mammogram-a-thon at its new Wellness & Prevention Center, on Thursday, October 27th, from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Please call (212) 312-5179 on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to schedule your screening mammogram appointment for that day. Most insurance plans will be accepted.

Women’s Healthcare Services Returns to Tribeca Following the closure of St. Vincent’s Hospital, many physicians came to New York Downtown Hospital so they could continue to serve their patients on the West Side. With the opening of a new Center on 40 Worth Street, we are pleased to welcome two exceptional physicians back to the community. They will be working in collaboration with physicians from Weill Cornell Medical Associates.

In 2010, an estimated 207,000 U.S. women were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. In 2010, there were more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. “A mammogram takes ten minutes and can save your life. If problems are found early, new treatments can be most effective.”

Early detection saves lives! For an appointment with Dr. Kempner, please call (646) 588-2578

WELLNESS & PREVENTION CENTER

Dr. Zhanna Fridel and Dr. Vanessa Pena are board certified obstetricians and gynecologists utilizing leading diagnostic and treatment methodologies across a broad spectrum of women’s health issues. • Normal and High Risk Obstetrical Care • Complete Well Woman Care • Diagnosis and Treatment of Gynecologic Conditions • Laparoscopic Surgery • Osteoporosis Detection and Treatment • Urogynecology (female urology) • Cord Blood Banking • Cervical Cancer Vaccination • Menopausal Management • Contraception

For an appointment with Dr. Fridel and Dr. Pena, call (212) 238-0180

170 William Street, New York, NY 10038 Telephone: (212) 312-5000 www.downtownwellness.org O u r T o w n N Y. c o m

40 Worth Street, Suite 402, New York, NY 10013 www.downtownhospital.org October 13, 2011

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Healthy Manhattan

A Tough Cancer to Treat Pancreatic cancer is often detected late because symptoms do not seem serious By Ashley Welch

Last week, pancreatic cancer took the life of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Several days earlier, Dr. Ralph Steinman, winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize for medicine, died from the same cancer, just days before the award was announced. The National Cancer Institute estimates that there will be 44,030 new cases and 37,660 deaths resulting from pancreatic cancer in the United States this year. The American Cancer Society says pancreatic cancer patients have only a 20 percent chance to live at least one year after diagnosis, and fewer

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than 4 percent will be alive after five years. Many doctors agree that the reason for such daunting numbers is that pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to treat. Why is this and what is it about its nature that makes it so deadly? Pancreatic cancer begins in the tissues of the pancreas, a six-inch-long organ located horizontally behind the stomach in the abdomen. It secretes enzymes that aid in digestion and produces hormones that help regulate the metabolism of sugars. Cancer occurs when cells begin dividing uncontrollably and form lumps of tissue, which become tumors and interfere with the main functions of the pancreas. The first reason pancreatic cancer is difficult to treat is that it is often goes undetected until it’s in its advanced stages. This is because the early signs of pancreatic cancer are varied and are common with many other, less serious

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died last week from pancreatic cancer, which continues to have one of the lowest cancer survival rates, 4 percent after five years.

health conditions. “Most of the time, pancreatic cancer presents very nonspecific symptoms that do not necessarily give any indication of a serious disease,” said Dr. Chandan Guha, a professor and vice chair of

radiation oncology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center. These early symptoms include bloating, nausea, indigestion and abdominal continued pg 26

N EW S YO U LIV E B Y


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) 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!

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UES 336 E 86th St (Betwn 1st and 2nd Ave.) 212.772.3627 UWS - Opening Mid October 2465 Broadway (Btwn 91st and 92nd) 212.721.2111

Caring for a loved one?

Overwhelmed?

Stressed?

COME...SHARE YOU ARE NOT ALONE THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OUTREACH MINISTRY of The Unity Center of New York City Marion A. Gambardella, Ministry Director

Presents:

A Group Support Meeting for the

“Care for the

Columbus Circle New location coming end of November

Family Caregive r” Saturday, 17 that at 1:00 Saturday, September October 15th 1:00 pmpm at The Unity Center 213 West 58 th Street, New York, NY 10019 [Between Broadway & 7th Avenue]

This important meeting will offer self-care programs and support

•No appointment needed • Experienced Emergency Room Doctor On-Site •Open 365 Days A Year •Servicing Children & Adults •Most Insurance Gladly Accepted

for the Family Caregiver, providing guidance, healing, and hope on how to make the most of the experience without losing yourself in the process. Caregiving presents considerable challenges: physical, emotional, and economic. Stop trying to do it alone. We are here for you! You will receive valuable information on resources available to help you meet the challenges of a Caregiver with a new strength and vitality, helping you provide better care to your loved one and help you protect your own health and well-being. Each meeting includes a Creative Visualization Guided

WWW.CITYMD.NET

Relaxation Meditation and Stress-Release Self-Healing Exercises. Presented on a Love-Offering Basis For More Information, Call Marion A. Gambardella at: (212) 582-1300

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Take Charge Of Your Fertility For anyone a diagnosis of cancer is overwhelming. And while it may be difficult to think about, it is critically important that you take steps to preserve your fertility before, during and after life-saving cancer treatments. The doctors at the Fertility Preservation Program at the Center for Reproductive Medicine stand ready to help both male and female patients have a baby after cancer.* If you or someone you know is of child- bearing years and has been recently diagnosed with cancer, please contact us at (646) 962-5450.

We can help. *IRB approved protocol

T h e R o n a l d O. P e r e l m a n a n d C l a u d i a C o h e n

CENTER

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o f We i l l C o r n e l l M e d i c a l C o l l e g e

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Turning Patients into Parents www.ivf.org

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NEWS YOU LIVE BY


Turning Patients into Parents

The Fertility Preservation Program at the Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine of Weill Cornell Medical College gives cancer patients the greatest chance of having a baby. Infertility is often a by-product of life-saving treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. And whether you’re newly diagnosed about to begin treatment, in the middle of that treatment or in remission, our team stands ready to expedite the process and support you through this challenging time. For many women, the path to fertility preservation begins with freezing eggs or embryos. Before beginning cancer treatment, women can undergo a cycle of ovarian stimulation. The eggs are then removed and either frozen or fertilized with available sperm. Both frozen eggs and embryos can be used after cancer treatments are completed. Women who cannot delay their treatments and take the time for an IVF cycle can have their ovarian tissue frozen.

Using a state-of-the-art minimally invasive technique, surgeons can remove tissue from the ovary and freeze it. After cancer treatments are complete, the tissue can be transplanted back into the woman. Men who have been diagnosed with cancer can choose to have their sperm or testicular tissue frozen prior to treatment. And for men who have no sperm after cancer treatment, surgeons can perform microscopic sperm recovery. Any sperm found in the testicular tissue is then used to fertilize eggs. By using these cutting-edge techniques, our doctors try to minimize the effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatments and preserve your ability to become a parent in the future.

If you or someone you know is of child-bearing years and has been recently diagnosed with cancer, please call us at (646) 962-5450.

T h e R o n a l d O. P e r e l m a n a n d C l a u d i a C o h e n

CENTER

FOR

REPRODUCTIVE

MEDICINE

o f We i l l C o r n e l l M e d i c a l C o l l e g e

www.ivf.org

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Healthy Manhattan

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FOSAMAX

FEMUR INJURIES

continued from pg 22

pain, things Guha said people may often ignore because they are minor ailments that they expect to experience in their day-to-day lives. By the time more serious symptoms, such as severe weight loss and jaundice (the yellowing of the eyes and skin), occur, the cancer has often reached advanced stages and has most likely spread outside the pancreas. At this stage, the cancer is almost impossible to remove because it often spreads to vital blood vessels that are in close proximity to the pancreas. “The pancreas lives in a very protected location,” said Dr. Steven Standiford, a surgical oncologist and chief of staff at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Philadelphia. “A small tumor in the pancreas can involve the portal vein, the major vein that drains the intestine into the liver, the hepatic artery, the artery to the liver, or the mesenteric artery, which is the main artery to the intestine, making the cancer inoperable at that point.” Doctors must then turn to radiation and chemotherapy for treatment. Yet, according to Standiford, although some progress has been made in treating pancreatic cancer with these methods, they do not yield the same dramatic results as for other types of cancer, such as breast cancer and Hodgkin’s disease. The reason for pancreatic cancer’s weak response to these methods, he said, is not known. “It could be that we haven’t found the right drugs,” he said, “or is it that the tumor is just that resistant, that it’s much

harder to find the right drugs.” Such limited treatment options, coupled with late detection, are the main reasons for the low life expectancy and high mortality rate associated with pancreatic cancer. So what hope is there for the future treatment of this deadly disease? Scientists are working all over the country on different ways to extend the lifespan of pancreatic cancer patients and possibly find a cure. Some methods under development include trying new chemotherapy drugs and improving the delivery of the drugs to the cancer site. Others are experimenting with “targeted therapy” drugs, which would attack the unique aspects of cancer cells while causing little harm to healthy cells. Still other doctors, including Guha at Einstein Medical College, are working on vaccines for pancreatic cancer. Though vaccines are typically thought of as a means to prevent a disease, this type of vaccine would help treat an existing cancer by strengthening the body’s natural defenses against it. Guha said this is essentially done by “trying to educate the body’s own immune system to consider the tumor as dangerous and to fight it.” He is studying whether a vaccine, coupled with chemotherapy, would improve overall survival and induce strong tumor-specific immunity in patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer. Though this vaccine is still in experimental trials, Guha said he has hope that such treatments will soon make for more positive outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients. N EW S YO U LIV E B Y


Effortless, Upright, Balanced Posture A Class for Adolescents

Students Will:

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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

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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, Our Town Downtown, Chelsea Clinton News, The Westsider, City Hall, The Capitol, The Blackboard Awards, New York Family and Avenue magazine. To subscribe for 1 year, please send $75 to OUR TOWN, 79 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10016 Recognized for excellence by the

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October 13, 2011

A Kipling-Sized Hole in My Heart By Jeff Nichols I am a Hungerford; yes, I wince when I volunteer that this is my middle name, but I feel I must to make a point. Only a Hungerford who lives on Park Avenue (qualifier: I took over the rent-controlled apartment from my mother and share it with a 52-year-old Sleepeezee mattress salesman) would have a complete (26 volumes) signed collection of Rudyard Kipling’s works (Bombay edition, leather bound) accumulating dust on a shelf. I had only a vague notion of who Kipling was and it was mostly negative: an imperialist and racist famous for stating that educating third-world countries was “the white man’s burden.” So I certainly did not cherish the collection. In fact, I’ve always been slightly embarrassed by being a WASP (imperialism, elitism, George W. Bush to name a few), so when my mom told me I could sell the collection she had left behind, I jumped at the chance. The whole experience took only a day, but I can say now that selling books that you inherited is demoralizing, while impulsively selling them for one-tenth of their value is downright gut-wrenching. The guy who showed up from WEBUYrareBookS4cash.com was good—real good. I instantly wanted him to like me, that’s how good he was. I knew I could probably get more money, but I wanted this cool, sleek chap to get the business. As he surveyed the rare books, punching relevant numbers and dates into his iPhone, I mused. Maybe we could become friends and he would invite me to literary events around town? Granted, I was also desperate for money. I needed to get my cell phone turned on again. So, in the end, I took $1,900 for the complete Kipling set. Cash can be so seductive. As soon as the door shut behind the salesman, who, within two minutes of meeting me had the books bundled safely in bubble wrap, the storm clouds of regret started rolling in. What had I done? When my mother had suggested I sell the books, I thought only of quick cash! I had once picked up and read part of one volume, Tales From the Hills, and found it depressing. The story, as I recall, is about an imperialist Brit who never returned to India for his Indian bride as he had promised he would after she nursed him back to health. But now I longed for Kipling.

The sentimental value of the books had never registered, but with the haggler gone and the initial thrill of easy money dissipating, I was deflated and left with remorse. I had just sold a part of English history, possibly a priceless collection, to pay off a cell phone bill! If I may mount a meager self-defense, I had done some due diligence before the salesman came over and undertaken a superficial Google search for the value of the collection. But I failed to include one critical word: “Bombay.” I saw what looked like a similar collection going for $4,000, signed, but the books were not as rare as the Bombay collection. I did come upon an auction house in Texas that had sold four of the books from the Bombay

After I had counted the $1,900 and he had left, I did another search—this time with the word Bombay in it—and saw my exact collection going for $23,000! I literally felt like falling on a knife. collection for $7,000. Using this as leverage with the salesman, I ultimately got more than he had planned to fork over, but for him my information was a mere bump in the road. “Yes, but they look like the 15-inch edition, the bindings look tighter, you never know what will happen at auction,” etc. (true). The day before, I had also lugged three of the volumes, including the one signed by Kipling, to Bauman, the high-end rare book buyer on Madison Avenue, where I was told they had sold a similar collection for $8,000. They said my signed volume was in relatively bad shape and needed $500 worth of work on the binding. Either way, I would have to leave one book with them and come back and talk to the final decision-maker. Yes, a pleasant academic Brit added, they were indeed looking for a Bombay collection, their last had sold for $8,000, but of course, they could not pay that price. Still, this was encouraging information. I figured I could get $3,500 from the good folks at Bauman. I was about to leave the book when I remembered I had an appointment with the WEBUYrarebooks4cash.com guy, so I told her I had to shop it around a bit.

The next day, as I was pushing the sales guy out the door after he had doubled his initial offer of $600, his parting words were, “Yes, you might get $2,000 but you know the big retailers will make you pay taxes on that money!” I did some quick figuring in my head and let him slither back through the door. The rest is history. After I had counted the $1,900 and he had left, I did another search—this time with the word Bombay in it—and saw my exact collection going for $23,000! I literally felt like falling on a knife. Other collections were more modestly priced at $16,000 and $18,000. It was a small relief to see a similar set for $6,000 on eBay, but they were not leather bound. In the following days and weeks, my depression worsened. I romanticized; I had a very clear image of browsing the wonderful Jungle Books (among Kipling’s most famous) with my grandchildren (at the moment I’m 46 and have no kids). I had a picture in my mind of the books prominently displayed in a big red room with mahogany shelves. Perhaps we would call it the “Kipling room,” tucked inside a wonderful. warm townhouse. We might have “Kipling nights” or “Kipling parties.” For a spell I became obsessed with Kipling. I read everything I could about the man. He was an impressive writer, remarkably prolific—a literary titan— and he did capture an era. In a time when there was no video or TV, he brought India (then under colonial rule) to the British through books, not iPhones. Pathetically, I read one of his most famous novels, Kim, online next to the empty bookshelf that used to store his dust-covered collection. Some advice: If you have rare books (and by the way, don’t mistake old for rare; most old books are just that—old) and need/want to sell them, that’s fine. But for Christ’s sake, they have been sitting there for years—take a month and have fun getting different offers and finding out what they are worth. If they are first editions from a distinguished author, you have the power; someone wants those books no matter how bad the recession is. Cherish this fact. First edition signed books do not depreciate. Jeff Nichols’s memoir, TrainWreck, was made into a film. He can be reached at www.Jeff-nichols.com N EW S YO U LIV E B Y


Dewing Things BeTTer

Learning When to Repent Our ageist society rears its ugly head again and again By Bette Dewing If my Yom Kippur column had to be bumped from the last issue, I’m glad it enabled more apartment building workers space to be honored, because we tenants often take their services, which are so indispensable to everyday life, for granted. Here’s a radical and daring idea. To tell one another (very tactfully) what the other ought to repent for. It can be right helpful for each of us to recognize our faults, and the scriptures do claim: “Better the sharp reproof than the love that will not speak.” Now, where’s Dr Ernest Campbell’s great related sermon—oops, I mean essay about “speaking the truth in love,” not the in spite kind often found in cyberspace. Repent that! We’d all be better off believing, as doorman Jose Temprano does, that “a church or temple is the best place to lose a wallet because people there are usually

honest.” This was said after I attended the Epiphany Church on York Avenue’s annual Blessing of the Animals service and left feeling hopeful at the frequent smiles exchanged—thanks to the doggie presence. I didn’t even know my wallet was missing until the minister telephoned later to say it had been found on the church floor. Although a frequent critic of religious groups (i.e., too few smiles exchanged and age groups segregated with the younger ones favored), I do so believe in the inestimable good that faith can do. Indeed, I behave better when in touch with repentance, atonement and “love one another” ideas. And I worry a lot about society’s waning interest in faith—even on the High Holy Days. Consider that Andy Rooney might not have said he “feared dying—a lot” in his final 60 Minutes appearance if he’d had some of that faith. As for his “hating

old age,” there’d be less to hate if he’d denounce society’s aversion to growing and being old—and “looking it,” above all in the custom and view-shaping media where older men patch or dye their hair and women must be model-pretty. It would sure help to hear more about Rooney’s large family as a natural support system, not only in old age! But who will take Rooney’s place? Well, I’m available, but my long crusade against ageism and age apartheid may over- or disqualify me. But with real repentance, CBS would want someone who needs a cane and maybe a walker or wheelchair in the future. Someone who needs a hearing aid (make them affordable!) and several new teeth (make them affordable!) and looks their age! And they won’t have to mind an elder social critic demanding “Full speed back to G-rated TV fare!” Or who is gung-ho for low-speed, safe traffic conditions and lawful traffic behaviors you never see on the tube.

But for now, dear safety-first walkers who have long lamented safety-last-type bicycling, you must turn out big-time (like two-wheelers do) for Community Board 8’s full board meeting at 6:30 p.m, Wednesday, Oct. 19 at Marymount College, 221 E. 71st St. Urge the board to approve a bike licensing bill. And call Jackson Heights-based State Assemblyman Michael DenDekker (718457-0384), whose aide, David Shoreland, informed CB8’s Transportation Committee meeting of another bill to stem two-wheeled scofflawry. Heedless scootering? Shush—first things first! But a mass repentance by all traffic law-breakers, including the two-footed kind, is long, long overdue. It’s especially needed by the foot-pedaling kind before the invasion of the Bike Share Program’s 10,000 silent fast-movers for any who have the price of the rental—no experience needed. Help! Help! And more help! dewingbetter@aol.com

new york gal

Watch this Fashion Trend Ahead of the curve on sleepwear as streetwear By Lorraine Duffy Merkl I never really thought of my 16-yearold son, Luke, as a fashion bellwether. He looks like every other teen on the Upper East and West sides, with his uniform that consists of T-shirts with logos—from his school’s crest to The Mets to Bob Marley’s face—and a hoodie to complete the above-the-waist ensemble. Below, he alternates between jeans and khakis, when he’s not in his prized possession: a pair of pajama pants. (Contrary to popular belief, they don’t all dress like the dandies on Gossip Girl.) So imagine my surprise when the latest designer fashion trend touting sleepwear as streetwear revealed that Luke is not only chic, he’s ahead of his time. Luke acquired his PJs over a year ago, during a lengthy break between games at a baseball tournament in Mystic, Conn. We, along with my husband Neil and daughter Meg, went browsing in town. Luke isn’t much of a shopper, so I was O u r To w n NY. c o m

taken aback when he led me into a store and showed me a pair of flannel pajama bottoms decorated with lobsters. “Can I get these?” he asked. Because Luke’s always ready with a good joke or a prank, I was wary that I was being “punk’d.” I walked away and over my shoulder yelled, “Oh, stop it.” Then we went to lunch. Luke was unusually pouty during our meal. Thus began the litany of “mom” questions one has to ask to feel as though one is doing her maternal duties: “Do you not like the food? Are you feeling OK?” And because Luke was his team’s catcher, there was the understandable, “Do your knees hurt?” In return, I got the teenage boy’s version of “No, no, a thousand times no”—the eye roll. Afterward, as we walked toward the parking lot, it finally dawned on me. “You were serious about those pants, weren’t you?” And with his

quirky smile that substituted for a “Yes,” we went back to the store. As Luke paid the cashier and her coworker/daughter wrapped them up, the girl made a face at her mother that clearly asked, “He’ll actually wear these?” Her mother shushed her with, “Boys are just…it’s what they do.” While they questioned Luke’s taste, I took an unexpected pride in his silly-looking purchase. (Did I mention that the pants are a very light blue and the lobsters all over them are a very bright red?) I was even uncharacteristically silent when he wanted to wear his new clothing acquisition not just to bed but out and about. Sans embarrassment. He has always acted confident, but this showed me it was more than false bravado. Luke liked what he liked. So when he entered the hotel’s game room to play pool and his teammates met him with a

sarcastic “Nice pants,” he shook them off, the way his pitchers often do to his signals. Each time he gets a perplexed or disdainful look from a fellow New Yorker, particularly on the subway, he just smiles and shrugs. We all got a good laugh in Montauk when a passerby actually did a double take. Now though, with everyone readying to jump on the night-clothes-for-day bandwagon, he’ll not want to be seen as one of the crowd and will probably delete from his wardrobe the “lobsters,” as they came to be known in our house. And believe it or not, I will miss them, because for me, they have become a symbol of his self-assurance. I hope Luke always wears his confidence the way he wore those pants. Lorraine Duffy Merkl’s debut novel Fat Chick, from The Vineyard Press, is available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. October 13, 2011

O U R TO W N

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WHEN IT COMES TO RETHINKING EDUCATION, EIGHT HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE.

MEET THE AVENUES EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP.

Benno Schmidt Chairman Former President of Yale

Gardner Dunnan Academic Dean & Division Head: Upper School Former Headmaster, The Dalton School

Tyler Tingley Co-Head of School Former Head of Phillips Exeter Academy

Robert “Skip” Mattoon Co-Head of School Former Head of The Hotchkiss School

Sarah Bayne Director of Educational Design Former Head of Hillbrook School

Nancy Schulman Division Head: Early Learning Center Former Director, 92nd Street Y Nursery School

Libby Hixson Division Head: Lower School Former Middle School Head, The Dalton School

Tom Bonnell Division Head: Middle School Former Associate Head of School and Middle School Head, The Dalton School

WWW.AVENUES.ORG TO MEET THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AT OUR UPCOMING INFORMATION EVENTS, VISIT AVENUES.ORG OR CALL 212.935.5000.

ManhattanMedia_Pix.indd 32 • O U R T O W1 N

October 13, 2011

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