The local paper for the Upper er East Side OF CLARITY AND CLASS
WEEK OF FEBRUARY
4-10
VOICES P8 >
2016
PEDRO CASTILLO IS INNOCENT Journalist’s new drama is based on real-life story of man wrongfully imprisoned for 18 years BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO
THANK YOU, MISS MCTAGUE THE CAEDMON SCHOOL COMMUNITY
Ask any alumni of The Caedmon School between the years 1971 and 1995 and they are sure to tell you about their love for early childhood teacher Marilyn Ann McTague. Before teaching, Miss McTague briefly considered a career in acting, and though it was something she still pursued,
CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
Fernando Bermudez, left, with reporter and playwright Claude Solnik.
OurTownEastSide
O OURTOWNNY.COM @OurTownNYC
Newscheck Crime Watch Voices Out & About
2 3 8 10
City Arts Top 5 Real Estate 15 Minutes
12 13 14 18
Pedro Castillo, a man wrongfully convicted of murder, has just lost his appeal while serving time in prison for the crime he didn’t commit. Pedro, the title character in Claude Solnik’s latest play, is based on the true story of Fernando Bermudez, who served 18 years in prison for a Greenwich Village killing he did not commit. Witnesses who had implicated him recanted and he was finally exonerated in 2009. “This story is just the next step in bringing to the consciousness this problem we have in the world,” Bermudez said. Now an accomplished public speaker who has lectured at colleges across the country and internationally, he will also lead a talk with the audience on opening night, Feb. 4 at the Theater for the New City. At the time of Bermudez’s arrest, Solnik was a reporter for The Villager newspaper, when he saw a flier taped to a telephone pole on 14th Street. The flier was part of a search effort for the actual killer, and included a phone number. Solnik ripped it down, went back to his office, and dialed. He reached Bermudez’s family, who told him that Bermudez, 22 at the time of his arrest, was innocent. Solnik reported on the case, and eventually became an advocate for Bermudez. “They very quickly convinced
me that this guy had not done anything,” said Solnik, now a reporter for the Long Island Business News. “It didn’t take them very long, which is one of the scariest things about this.” “Pedro Castillo is Innocent” stems from the many conversations Bermudez had with Solnik while he was incarcerated, which they often had while sharing chicken wings. After his visits, Solnik would return to the prison parking lot and scribble down notes. Though some aspects of the play are fiction, what isn’t is the character’s innocence, and that his incarceration changed his life and the lives of his wife and their children. “It makes you assume the guy’s innocence,” Solnik said of the play. “You look at what it’s like for him, what it’s like for his family, how the family’s cheated. You look at the life in prison, you look at the lawyers. You see a little bit what the human side is, not just the information.” John Torres, who plays the fictional Pedro Castillo, hadn’t read or heard about the wrongful conviction, but related to the character. Like the character, Torres is Hispanic. As a father,
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 Jewish women and girls light up the world by lighting the Shabbat candles every Friday evening 18 minutes before sunset. Friday February 5 – 5:00 pm. For more information visit www.chabaduppereastside.com
We deliver! Get Our Town Eastsider sent directly to your mailbox for $ $49 per year. Go to OurTownNY.com or call 212-868-0190
2
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
WHAT’S MAKING NEWS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD STATE OF THE CITY More than 600 attended Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer’s 2016 “State of the Borough” event on Sunday. Elected officials, community board members, nonprofit leaders, educators and residents received a brief update from Brewer on her office’s work over the past year, including passage of eight pieces of legislation, ongoing and completed rezoning work across the borough, and more than a dozen town halls and community forums on issues ranging from the LGBT community in northern Manhattan to small business owners’ concerns throughout the borough. Then, as she did at last year’s event, Brewer hosted a panel discussion with Manhattanbased chef and restaurateur Marc Murphy, Young People’s Chorus director Francisco Nunez, Brotherhood/SisterSol co-founder Khary Lazarre-White, and Coalition for Asian-American Children and Families policy fellow Dr. Sumie Okazaki, who addressed issues at the intersection of youth development, culture, creativity and entrepreneurship. The event also featured dance and vocal performances by local student artists. Marla Louissant, a
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. Photo: UN Women,via Flickr
nationally-recognized young actor and singer and recent graduate of Manhattan’s Beacon high school, sang to kick off the afternoon’s program, and served as the event’s master of ceremonies. Ms. Louissant was followed by Kr3ts (“Keep Rising to the Top”), a 25year old dance company serving kids and young adults in East Harlem and across the city, led by Violeta Galagarza.
HISTORIC GARAGE UP FOR SALE A five-story parking garage located on 73rd St., used in the early 20th century by wealthy car owners, is on sale for the asking price of $42.5 million, DNAinfo reported. Charles Hoppe designed the garage, near Lexington Avenue, in 1906 for the Automobile Realty Company. The garage is reportedly the only “carriage house” of its time not built for horses, but for wealthy auto owners instead. DNAinfo noted a real estate agent said that this garage could be repurposed into a mansion with tall ceilings, a 40-foot-wide façade, enormous windows and more than 17,000 square feet in space. The garage holds the landmark of the curb cut, which was created
to make it easy for cars to travel in and out of the building. The building would be perfect for anyone with “magnificent cars,” DNAinfo quoted the real estate agent as saying.
LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION COMES TO UES For the first time ever, Chinatown’s Lunar Year Celebration will kick off on the Upper East Side on Madison Avenue, DNAinfo reported. The parade, on Feb. 6, will begin at Madison Avenue and East 76th Street and travel down Madison, stopping at several shops along the way down to East 54th Street. At noon, when the parade reaches East 54th Street, several indoor and outdoor Lunar New Year-themed programs will begin. Programming will include face painting, a photo booth, calligraphy demonstrations, as well as, performances from the New York Eastern Chamber Orchestra and Les Ballets de l’Opera Chinois de New York. DNAinfo said that Matthew Bauer, president of Madison Avenue said for those who never celebrated, this is a “great introduction” and for those that have, this is a new opportunity.
Great rates like ours are always in season. 24-Month CD
30 1.
%
APY1
$5,000 minimum deposit
60-Month CD
80 1.
% APY1
$5,000 minimum deposit
To qualify you must open a Flushing Bank Complete Checking Plus account. Get the complete access and control you desire with a competitive interest rate and banking on-the-go with our Flushing Bank Mobile2 app. For more information and to find out about our other great offers, visit your local Flushing Bank branch, call 800.581.2889 or visit www.FlushingBank.com. 1 New money only. APY effective January 19, 2016. Annual percentage yield assumes principal and interest remain on deposit for a full year at current rate. Minimum deposit balance of $5,000 is required. Funds cannot be transferred from an existing Flushing Bank account. Premature withdrawals may be subject to bank and IRS penalties. Rates and offer are subject to change without notice. A new Complete Checking Plus account with a $5,000 minimum initial deposit is required to receive the CD with the advertised rate. Certain fees and restrictions may apply. For new IRA and rollover accounts, the minimum deposit balance is $5,000. A new checking account is not required for IRA accounts. Speak with a Flushing Bank representative for more details. 2 Flushing Bank Mobile Banking is available to all Flushing Bank online banking users. Flushing Bank is a registered trademark
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
3
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG STATS FOR THE WEEK
SLASHINGS BRING GUARDIAN ANGELS TO SUBWAY A series of slashings on the subway and in various neighborhoods has been drawing increased attention from police and citizens alike. The latest attack occurred Jan. 31 on a Harlem station platform around 3 a.m. when a 27 year-old man waiting for the No. 2 was cut on his face. The victim was arguing with a woman and when she asked another man for help, he slashed the victim and fled. The attacks prompted the Guardian Angels to begin patrolling the subway system, WABC-TV reported. As ever, the Guardian Angels’ main role is to report any unusual events, providing the authorities with increased watch and presence in the system. Slashings have also occurred on the streets in the East Village, Chelsea and
Reported crimes from the 19th Precinct for Jan. 18 to Jan. 24 Week to Date
Brooklyn. While suspects have been identified in all cases, authorities are still looking into possible connections or evidence of copycats since the slashings started in October. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton has also increased officers’ presence in the stations and has been looking into prevention methods for these crimes. He told WABC-TV that they have been watching people who commit many subway crimes, suggesting that the slashings are being done by recidivist criminals and mentioned possible legislation that will prevent them from
using the subway as a condition of their parole. The city is encouraging all citizens to “see something, say something,” and to put the slashings into perspective, six in January in a system that serves millions.
26 AIEEEE! How do you know when the smart phone market is slowing down? When thieves show a preference for electric bikes instead. At 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 25, a man locked up his electric
Feeling Your Best Shouldn’t Be Your Last Priority. See one of our world-class physicians today and get back to being a better version of you.
visit us at weillcornell.org to learn more
Year to Date
2016 2015
% Change
2016
2015
% Change
Murder
0
0
n/a
0
1
-100.0
Rape
0
0
n/a
0
1
-100.0
Robbery
6
2
200.0
9
7
28.6
Felony Assault
5
2
150.0
7
7
0.0
Burglary
1
6
-83.3
11
8
37.5
Grand Larceny
17
25
-32.0
77
81
-4.9
Grand Larceny Auto
0
0
n/a
1
4
-75.0
bicycle outside 2290 Broadway. When he returned, he discovered that his scooter had scooted. It was a 26 AE, valued at $1,305.
A LULU One shoplifter failed to benefit from the redemptive powers of yoga. At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 19, a man ran into the Lululemon Athletica store at 2139 Broadway and made off with thirteen pairs of pants, valued at $1,664.
BIKEMAN TAKES A HIKEMAN
like the wind recently. At 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 14, a 22-year-old man left his electric bike unlocked and unsecured outside 102 W. 73rd street. Needless to say, the vehicle was not there when he returned. It was a Bikeman valued at $1,300.
MAC ATTACK Apparently, some thieves just cannot get enough mascara. At 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 15, a woman entered the MAC cosmetics store at 148 Columbus Avenue and made off with a drawer filled with mascara valued at $2,886.
Yet another electric bike was gone
Weill Cornell Medicine. Care that Connects to you.
For appointments, call 1-855-WCM-4YOU Today
4
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Useful Contacts POLICE NYPD 19th Precinct
153 E. 67th St.
212-452-0600
159 E. 85th St.
311
FDNY Engine 39/Ladder 16
157 E. 67th St.
311
FDNY Engine 53/Ladder 43
1836 Third Ave.
311
FDNY Engine 44
221 E. 75th St.
311
FIRE FDNY 22 Ladder Co 13
CITY COUNCIL Councilmember Daniel Garodnick
211 E. 43rd St. #1205
212-818-0580
Councilmember Ben Kallos
244 E. 93rd St.
212-860-1950
STATE LEGISLATORS State Sen. Jose M. Serrano
1916 Park Ave. #202
212-828-5829
State Senator Liz Krueger
1850 Second Ave.
212-490-9535
Assembly Member Dan Quart
360 E. 57th St.
212-605-0937
Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright
1365 First Ave.
212-288-4607
COMMUNITY BOARD 8
505 Park Ave. #620
212-758-4340
LIBRARIES Yorkville
222 E. 79th St.
212-744-5824
96th Street
112 E. 96th St.
212-289-0908
67th Street
328 E. 67th St.
212-734-1717
Webster Library
1465 York Ave.
212-288-5049
100 E. 77th St.
212-434-2000
HOSPITALS Lenox Hill NY-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell
525 E. 68th St.
212-746-5454
Mount Sinai
E. 99th St. & Madison Ave.
212-241-6500
NYU Langone
550 First Ave.
212-263-7300
CON EDISON
4 Irving Place
212-460-4600
POST OFFICES US Post Office
1283 First Ave.
212-517-8361
US Post Office
1617 Third Ave.
212-369-2747
HOW TO REACH US:
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
212-868-0190 nyoffice@strausnews.com ourtownny.com
Include your full name, address and day and evening telephone numbers for verification. Letters that cannot be verified will not be published. We reserve the right to edit or condense letters for libel, good taste, grammar and punctuation. Submit your letter at ourtownny.com and click submit at the bottom of the page or email it to nyoffice@strausnews.com.
TO SUBSCRIBE: Our Town is available for free on the east side in select buildings, retail locations and news boxes. To get a copy of east side neighborhood news mailed to you weekly, you may subscribe to Our Town Eastsider for just $49 per year. Call 212868-0190 or go online to StrausNews. com and click on the photo of the paper or mail a check to Straus Media, 20 West Ave., Chester, NY 10918.
NEWS ITEMS: To report a news story, call 212-8680190. News releases of general interest must be emailed to our offices by noon the Thursday prior to publication to be considered for the following week. Send to news@strausnews.com.
BLOG COMMENTS: We invite your comments on stories and issues at ourtownny.com. We do not edit those comments. We urge people to keep the discussion civil and the tone reflective of the best we each have to offer.
PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD: Call 212-868-0190. Classified ads must be in our office by 12pm the Friday before publication, except on holidays. All classified ads are payable in advance.
PREVIOUS OWNERS: Tom Allon, Isis Ventures, Ed Kayatt, Russ Smith, Bob Trentlyon, Jerry Finkelstein
CALENDAR ITEMS:
ABOUT US
Information for inclusion in the Out and About section should be emailed to hoodhappenings@strausnews.com no later than two weeks before the event.
Our Town is published weekly by Straus Media-Manhattan, LLC. Please send inquiries to 20 West Ave., Chester, NY 10918.
The Downtown Manhattan Heliport, just east of the Battery. Photo: Eric Salard, via Flickr
HELICOPTER TOURS TO BE CUT IN HALF Agreement also calls for a halt to Sunday flights BY EMILY TOWNER
Residents along the Hudson can look forward to quieter Sundays. City officials earlier this week announced a longsought agreement that will curtail helicopter traffic and the accompanying clamor and pollution over Manhattan while maintaining the helicopter tourism industry. Within a year, tour operators will be required to reduce flights from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at Pier 6, from where all of the city’s helicopter tourism flights take off and land, by 50 percent, according to the agreement, which was outlined in a release from the New York City Economic Development Corp. In addition, flights will not be permitted on Sundays or over Governor’s Island. According to the agreement,
tourism flights will decline by 20 percent from 2015 levels starting June 1 and by 40 percent in October. By January 2017, nearly 30,000 flights a year will have been eliminated, the Economic Development Corp. said. Sunday flights will cease April 1. Saker Aviation, the concessionaire for the downtown heliport, will also be required to provide monthly written reports verifying their activities as well as establish a system to monitor and report air quality. “As Council Members, we are proud to have pushed forward legislation that helped give our constituents a voice and a rallying point in the fight to reduce noise and air pollution caused by the increasing number of tourist helicopter flights,” Councilmembers Carlos Menchaca, Helen Rosenthal and Margaret Chin said in a statement. The monitoring components are critical to
keeping the industry’s accountable, they said. Not everyone is satisfied with the agreement. Adrian Benepe, senior vice president of City Park Development at Trust for Public Land said, “Sadly this will still mean 175 flights a day — or 350 fly-bys — over our neighborhoods and parks.” Although Benepe is still calling for a ban on “polluting, noisy helicopters,” a 50 percent reduction “is a start,” he said. Stop the Chop NYNJ, a nonprofit grassroots organization that has long campaigned against the tours, was also critical. “The so-called deal to cut some tourist helicopter flights is nothing more than an industry PR ploy & is unacceptable,” a release from the organization said. Rosenthal said a council bill that would have banned the tours outright was being held “in abeyance, for now.” Still, she called the agreement
a victory. “After decades of getting nowhere — residents will now get some relief. We will monitor assiduously,” she said. In the face of the complete shutdown spelled out in the council bill, Sam Goldstein, deputy director of the Helicopter Tourism and Jobs Council, was understandably pleased with the deal. “This agreement will allow tour operators to continue providing hundreds of good jobs for New Yorkers and more than $50 million in annual economic impact to the City,” he said. Many question the industry’s economic impact on the city, however. According to Saker Aviation’s annual report, the city collects between $1.2 and $1.7 million each year as part of the concession agreement, or less than .003 percent of the mayor’s proposed 2016-17 budget of $81.7 billion. Among other provisions, the agreement calls for the curtailment of idling by tour helicopters and for active research by the concessionaire for technologies that minimize noise and emissions and promote fuel efficiency. NYCEDC President Maria Torres-Springer praised the deal calling it a “triple win” for residents, the tourism industry, and the city’s transportation infrastructure.
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
5
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
THE TEMPLE EMANU-EL SKIRBALL CENTER R AB B I DANIE L GOLDFAR B
Discussion, Demonstrations, Film Clips and Lunch
Critical Situations, Tough Decisions
Here Comes Hummus the Bride
A 9-Week Special Series
The US premiere of a stunning exhibition displaying the artistry and traditions of Jewish wedding gowns from around the world.
A Concert & Conversation
February 9 - April 5 $99
All About
February 16 | 7:00 PM $25
Opening:
February 17 | 6:30 PM Free
February 21 | 10:30 AM $45
February 21 | 10:30 AM $60 The Hartman Manhattan Community Collaborative LECTURE SERIES
DR. DONNIEL HARTMAN
Telling Your Story: The Art & Craft Of Memoir Writing A 6 Week Class
Feb 29 -w March 28 $240
Matchmaking: Live, Up-Close & Personal
A Discussion with the Author
February 25 | 6:30 PM Free
with Tova Weinberg (For Singles Ages 35-50)
March 14 | 7:30 PM $36
March 16 - 20
April 11 | 7:00 PM Free
March 6 $125
March 7 | 7:00 PM $18
March 8 | 7:00 PM Free AN EVEN IN G WIT H
SOLD OUT
TEMPLE EMANU-EL IS GOING TO CUBA!
James Snyder and the Israel Museum
March 2 Free
A Matinee & Talkback with Cast Members
DANIEL LIBESKIND
Lord Carey of Clifton Former Archbishop of Canterbury
March 29 | 7:00 PM $36
March 30 | 7:00 PM Free
April 7 | 7:00 PM Free
The Jewish Ghetto of Venice Film Screening & Discussion The Book, the Life, the Afterlife with Francine Prose
An Evening with
Gloria Steinem April 13 | 7:00 PM $36
A loving look back at the Catskills through photos, ďŹ lm and food.
April 14 | 7:00 PM Free
April 17 | 10:30 AM $60
May 3 | 6:30 PM Free UNI TE D STATE S SUPRE M E CO URT J USTI CE
An Evening with Performing an All Vivaldi Program
Natan Sharansky
RUTH BADER GINSBURG AVIVAH ZORNBERG
Becoming Abraham May 13 | 3:00 PM Free
May 16 | 7:00 PM $36
May 23 | 6:30 PM Free
May 25 | 7:00 PM Free
One East 65 Street, NYC 10065 | 212.507.9580 | EmanuelSkirballNYC.org
September 21 | 7:00 PM $36
6
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
PETS NEED WINTERIZING TOO BY NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE AMERICA
Dogs and cats can withstand cooler weather when certain conditions are met. Some breeds are even known to develop heavier coats for colder climates. There are, however, some breeds that are not equipped to handle drastic changes in temperatures. Pet owners need to use common sense in order to protect their pets during colder seasons. If you and your pet enjoy the winter months and wish to spend time out of doors, the following information can help you protect your pet from the cold. All pets need to be inside. Never leave your pet outside for extended periods of time in the cold, even in a doghouse. When the temperature drops, your pet can get frostbite or even freeze to death. If you notice a pet being locked outside in the winter, be sure to report it to your local law enforcement and humane officers. Keep an eye on your pet’s water dish to ensure it doesn’t freeze. Short-coated dogs are especially vulnerable to the cold
and shouldn’t be outside unattended or for too long. Pets should not be left in the car. Most people know not to leave their pets in a car in the summer, but the same goes for the winter. A car interior can get as cold as an ice box and a pet can easily freeze. Check your dog’s paw pads for ice balls. If your dog is lifting his feet a lot or seems to be walking strangely, his feet are probably too cold or ice may be forming which can cause frostbite. Antifreeze is poisonous to your pets. Make sure to wipe up any spills and keep these and other harmful chemicals out of your pet’s reach or path. Feral and stray cats often take winter refuge under cars and can sometimes even make their way under the hoods. Make sure the coast is clear before starting your car. Be sure to wipe your dog’s feet (and stomach in small dogs) after a winter walk. Rock salt or other ice melting chemicals can cling to your pet’s fur and he can ingest these harmful chemicals when cleaning himself.
Keep your pet groomed. Believe it or not, knotted or matted hair doesn’t insulate properly. Brush your dog’s hair regularly in the wintertime especially. Adjust your pet’s diet as necessary. If your dog spends a lot of time outside, he may need more calories in the winter to produce body heat. If your dog spends most of his time indoors and has a decrease in activity, he may require fewer calories. When in doubt, always ask your vet about seasonal diet changes. If, despite these precautions your pet suffers from exposure to the cold, wrap him up in a blanket and go to your veterinarian as soon as possible. Do not immerse your pet in warm water and avoid heating pads that may cause thermal burns. *If you notice a pet being locked outside in the winter, be sure to report it to your local animal control facility. To learn more about keeping your pets safe and healthy at all times, visit www.animalleague.
OUTREACH PHYSICAL AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AND SPEECH REHABILITATION, PLLC OUTREACH is a new rehabilitation clinic in your area that focuses on physical therapy, hand therapy along with speech and swallowing difficulties (speech and language pathology).
K9 KASTLE, IN OUR HANDS RESCUE & NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE AMERI
860 Broadway @ E. 17th St. . . 860 Broadway @ E. 17th St. . . Home of the Mut utt tt-i--gre reeÂŽ animalleague.org rg . 516.883.7575 25 Davis Av Ave enue . Port rt Wa Washingto on, NY
Photos By Ellen Dunn
Adopt A Pet
Please call for more information about our services and how we can be of assistance.
1110 2nd Avenue( between 58th and 59th street: Northeast corner on 58th) 1IPOF t FNBJM info@outreach-rehab.com website: www.outreach-rehab.com
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
7
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Visit the Animal Hospitals at Bideawee this February or March to receive $50 off a dental cleaning for your pet. Savings for you. Dental health for them. That’s something to smile about. Bideawee understands pets, and the people who love them, so trust your pet’s care to the Animal Hospitals at Bideawee. Open to all pet owners, call 866.262.8133 and make an appointment today.
animal people for people who love animals ® Manhattan · Westhampton · 866.262.8133 · bideawee.org
8
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Voices
Write to us: To share your thoughts and comments go to ourtownny.com and click on submit a letter to the editor.
Senior Living
FOOL FOR THE CITY
OF CLARITY AND CLASS BY MARCIA EPSTEIN
Do you remember when movie stars were men and women, not crazyhaired boys and skinny, mumbling girls? Tyrone Power, William Holden, Humphrey Bogart, Richard Widmark and Robert Mitchum, among many others. Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor, Ingrid Bergman, Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren. Real women, women who dressed the part and had some flesh on their bones. Men and women who spoke clearly and didn’t mumble unintelligibly at each other. Stars who, even in their 20s, behaved and were perceived as true adults. The men wore suits and fedoras, and the women dressed in fitted suits and lovely dresses and not like my 12-year-old granddaughter. OK, so I’m an old fogey, but I miss those days, those stars. I don’t see any of the current shoot-em-ups, or the dystopian (whatever that is) movies currently in vogue. Mostly I see foreign films (subtitles are great for bad hearing, but to me the films are just better). The only American movie I saw last year with “mature” content was “See You In My Dreams” with Blythe Danner and Sam Elliott. What a pure pleasure that was. It didn’t stick around long. It showed that older people could still live and love and partake in life. Plus, the characters spoke clearly and distinctly, as I think adults should. I’m tired of the mumbling the young and not-so-young have adopted in the past few years. In 2014 I saw “Still Alice” because the topic interested me and it had mature stars. The only one I couldn’t understand was the daughter, played by Kristen Stewart. Mumble, mumble. I’m not the only one of my pals who talks about this. Even the ones with pretty good hearing talk about it. What happened to enunciation? It’s both funny and not so funny to pick up a magazine for women these days and read about beauty tips “for all ages.” Except those ages end by 50 or 55; it’s as if everyone else were dead or at the very least not worth talking about. Do we suddenly not care about how we look after a certain age? I don’t think so. Couldn’t we oldsters
STRAUS MEDIA your neighborhood news source
BY MELITTA ANDERMAN
use some beauty tips too? Yes, I think so. At least we shouldn’t be ignored or treated as expendable. Or worse, nonexistent. Perhaps we really don’t exist in the minds of the young, or of the magazine editors. But here we are, most of us still caring at least a little bit that we look presentable when we step out of our homes. Let me end with a pet peeve. I’m sure Starbucks makes a lot of money; otherwise, they wouldn’t be all over the place, in city after city. However, I do wonder how they manage to make this money when they allow people (overwhelmingly young) to sit at the tables and stools for hour after hour on their laptops with one cup of coffee in front of them, probably long gone cold. How many times have I spotted a Starbucks and thought “I’m going to get myself a coffee and sit for a while and rest my back?” Well, maybe not. As I said, finding an empty place to sit is nearly impossible at any hour in Starbucks. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a time limit for those computer users who seem to have no home or office? Is this Starbucks’ unwritten policy (and why?), or is it young people with a sense of entitlement? Or am I a grouchy old lady? Could be all three, or none of the above. I am genuinely curious and open to what the answer might be. It seems senseless as business policy, and self-absorbed as personal behavior. Any thoughts, anyone?
Vice President/CFO Otilia Bertolotti Vice President/CRO Vincent A. Gardino advertising@strausnews.com
Associate Publishers Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth Regional Sales Manager Tania Cade
Retire where? While being examined by my gynecologist, the doctor told me how unhappy her mother was living in Florida after her father retired. She said the best place to live after people stop working is in a big city. I totally agree because this happened to me. For years I lived in Fort Lee, New Jersey, the first place you hit when you cross the George Washington Bridge. I worked in Manhattan, ate in great restaurants, all my doctors were in the 20 blocks from 96th street to 76th Street and most of my friends lived in New York. So what was I doing in New Jersey, you ask. This requires a different story line and another feature. Our living destination, after many searches, turned out to be Yorkville. The journey was fraught with anxiety branching out to every aspect of a life changing move after forty years of a laidback existence in a
swimming pool/tennis playing community across the George in New Jersey. My husband was content with these activities but I was an ex-administrator with the Metropolitan Opera House who was now demoted to being a hausfrau. My big excursions consisted of going to the public library, where I chatted with the adorable lady librarians from India and Egypt and but were I also had the dubious pleasure of listening, among the stacks, to well-dressed men trying to convert immigrants, there to seek knowledge, to some unreliable way of thinking. I reported these conversations to the appropriate library folks and these practices were abolished. Among my other accomplishments were going to local markets and to Costco. I shopped, and went to movies, once combining the two by going to a mall where a decent international film was being shown. One of my biggest frustrations was trying to
drive across the bridge at when the tolls were highest. Needless to say, our rate of visitors from the state of New York dropped year by year. You want to know about retirement to the big city? Life is great and enriching in so many ways. Buses and subways travel to all parts of the borough and beyond. I live within four blocks of Museum Mile; I can pick and choose any country’s cuisine from among my neighborhood many eateries; my library is across the street; nearly every corner has fruit and veggie stands. (Need I continue?). We keep a car for occasional forays into areas of glorious foliage, manicured lawns and quiet nights and days but where there’s hardly a soul around. The pastoral delights of living in suburbia now scare me. Nights are too dark, days too lonely. I realized, as we neared the end of my exam, that I’m a city woman, and that the only good reason for being away from the city is on vacation.
Photo: Patty M., via Flickr
President & Publisher, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com Account Executive Editor In Chief, Kyle Pope editor.ot@strausnews.com Fred Almonte Director of Partnership Development Deputy Editor, Richard Khavkine Barry Lewis editor.dt@strausnews.com
Staff Reporters Gabrielle Alfiero, Daniel Fitzsimmons Director of Digital Pete Pinto
Block Mayors Ann Morris, Upper West Side Jennifer Peterson, Upper East Side Gail Dubov, Upper West Side Edith Marks, Upper West Side
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
A LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION! Madison Street to Madison Avenue Saturday, February 6, 11am-3pm
For the first time in NYC history, the Chinatown Partnership, Confucius Institute for Business at SUNY, East Midtown Partnership, and Madison Avenue Business Improvement District are hosting a free celebration of Lunar New Year on the Upper East Side and East Midtown, including: Lion Dancers entertaining the crowds and visiting participating retailers along Madison Avenue between 54th & 76th Streets Lunar New Year-themed family entertainment and musical performances at the Harman Store and 527 Madison Avenue (at 54th Street) including calligraphy demonstrations, face-painting, a photo booth, a performance by the New York Eastern Chamber Orchestra, and traditional Chinese face-changing A historic ceremony celebrating the partnership of the Madison Avenue BID and the Bund Association for Promotion of Commerce & Trade, Shanghai, China Madison Street to Madison Avenue is presented with the generous support of Harman, Harper’s BAZAAR China, and Vornado Realty Trust.
For more information about store promotions and a schedule of the day’s events visit:
www.eastmidtown.org/LunarNewYear
9
10
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Out & About More Events. Add Your Own: Go to ourtownny.com Michael Brown, piano; Jerome Lowenthal, piano; Nicholas Canellakis, cello; Rihab Chaieb, mezzo-soprano. 212-535-7710. www. metmuseum.org/events/ programs/met-live-arts/ schastey-piano-series1?eid=148717
Complimentary heart health screenings tomorrow
ETHICS IN FILMAWAKENINGS (1990) ◄
Join Lenox Hill Hospital for no-cost health screenings and the chance to speak with some of New York’s top health care specialists. Everyone is welcome.
Go Red for Women health fair Friday, February 5 11 am – 3 pm Einhorn Auditorium at Lenox Hill Hospital 131 East 76th Street (between Lexington & Park)
Free, no-appointmentnecessary screenings, information and consultations include: – Cholesterol/HDL – Glucose – Blood pressure – Vascular – Body mass index (BMI) – AED demo – Hands-only CPR instruction – Pharmacy – Physical therapy – Stress management – Nutritional counseling and heart-healthy snacks
For heart health information, visit Northwell.edu/loveyourheart
EŽƌƚŚǁĞůů ,ĞĂůƚŚ ŝƐ ƚŚĞ ŝƟĞƐ 'Ž ZĞĚ ^ƉŽŶƐŽƌ
19941b-01-16
©2016 American Heart Association, also known as the Heart Fund. ™Go Red trademark of AHA, Red Dress trademark of DHHS
Thu 4 “A HOLE IN THE HEAD” ▲ 96th Street Library, 112 East 96th St. 2 p.m. In this 1959 feature, Tony Manetta is a widower living well beyond his means in Miami, and raising his young son, Alvin. with FRANK SINATRA, EDWARD G. ROBINSON, 212-289-0908
Roderick Williams, baritone; Jenny Agutter, actress; Susie Allan, piano, Schwanengesang, D 957 (”Swan Song”) 212-616-3930. www. armoryonpark.org/programs_ events/detail/recital_series_ roderick_williams
Fri 5
Sat 6
CHILDREN’S BOOK AND CHASTEY’S STEINWAY: FAIRY TALE-THEMED MUSIC OF THE GILDED TOURS ► AGE ▼
Metropolitan Museum of art, 1000 Fifth ave. 7 p.m. $75.00 “Something Strange: Park Avenue Armory, 643 The American Parlor Meets Park Ave. Thu, 7:30 p.m. Fri. 8 p.m. $45 the French Avant-Garde,”
ALL-SCHUBERT PROGRAM
New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 West 64th St. 7-9:15 p.m. Suggested donation, $5 Screening of film starring Robin Williams as a research physician who uses an experimental drug to “awaken” victims and Robert De Niro as his first patient. Post-film discussion led by Christ Everett. 212-874-5210. wwW.nysec. org/calendar-date_nysec/ month/2016-02
Tour meeting place, 972 Fifth Ave. 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.$35. Two tours in Central Park include sites inspired by or featured in classic children’s books and fairy tales, like the
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
boat pond from “Stuart Little� and stops that are “Enchanted.�. 917-513-4081. etccustomevents.com
HUNTER PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL: TREIF Frederick Loewe Theatre, Thomas Hunter Hall, Ground Floor, 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065 2–4 p.m. Lindsay Joelle’s “Treif, Directed by May Adrales 212-772-5148. http://www. hunter.cuny.edu/theatre
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free with museum admission. Visit the exhibition “Activist New Yorkâ€? and then make a paper doll activist and prepare it for a Civil Rights march. For children 6-12 212-534-1672. www.mcny. org/event/outďŹ tting-new-yorkcity-activism-1
2-3 p.m. Learn basic ballet steps and experience the joy of dancing in a class that combines ballet and exercise speciďŹ cally for older adults. No experience necessary. Instructor Jennifer Grambs, trained in both ballet and exercise for older adults. 212-734-1717
Mon 8
FRENCH CINEMA WITH OLIVIER BARROT â–˛
19TH PRECINCT COMMUNITY MEETING
FIAF, Tinker Auditorium, 22 East 60th St. 12:30 p.m. $45 From Renoir to Godard, discover some of the 20th century’s most iconic French ďŹ lms in this special cinĂŠ club led by French journalist 646-388-6621. www.ďŹ af. org/events/winter2016/2016olivier-barrot.shtml
Wed 10 HOW TO TALK ABOUT PLACES YOU’VE NEVER BEEN Albertine, 972 Fifth Ave., at 79th Street 7 p.m. A Conversation with Pierre Bayard and Paul Holdengräber 646-771-5749. http://www. albertine.com/
Sun 7 WORLD POLITICS FORUM 92nd Street Y, Kaufmann Concert Hall, Lexington Avenue at 92nd St 5 p.m. $32.00 With Ralph Buultjens: The Far East/Asia PaciďŹ c is now a vortex of current and potential crises. 212-415-5500. www.92y. org/Event/The-Far-EastChina-vs-Japan
OUTFITTING NEW YORK CITY ACTIVISM Museum of the City of New York, 1220 FIFTH AVE
153 East 67th Street, New York, NY, 10065 7 p.m. 212-452-0615
DONALD KAUFMAN: THE ART OF CUSTOM PAINT COLORS
New York School of Interior Design Auditorium, 170 East 70th St. 6 p.m. $12; seniors, ASID members, non-ASID students, Lenox Hill Neighborhood $10. Free for NYSID students, House, 331 East 70th St. faculty, and staff are free. 6:30 p.m. A discussion with master 212-758-4340. cb8m.com/ events/landmarks-committee-69 colorist Donald Kaufman, joined by interior designer Carey Maloney to discuss past collaborations and the impact of architectural color. 212-472-1500. www.nysid. edu/news-events/publicprograms BALLET EXERCISE
COMMUNITY BOARD 8, LANDMARKS COMMITTEE
Tue 9
CLASS FOR ADULTS 67th Street Library, 328 East 67th St.
NextAct Spring 2016 Semester Explore the catalog and register today: jasa.org/community/nextact What is NextAct? JASA’s NextAct programs are designed for adults 55+ who want to explore interesting topics, meet peers, become activists and make an impact in their communities: r 4VOEBZT BU +"4" DPVSTFT BU +PIO +BZ $PMMFHF r "EWPDBDZ USBJOJOH UISPVHI UIF *OTUJUVUF GPS 4FOJPS "DUJPO *'4"
r -FDUVSFT BOE DPVSTFT UISPVHI UIF &MMJF BOE .BSUJO -JGUPO *OTUJUVUF PG +VEBJD 4UVEJFT r 7PMVOUFFS PQQPSUVOJUJFT We create the adventure and all you need to do is show up! Want to learn more? Attend the Sundays at JASA Open House 4VOEBZ 'FCSVBSZ r BN m QN John Jay College, North Hall, 445 West 59th Street, New York City 4QSJOH 4FNFTUFS %BUFT 4VOEBZT 'FCSVBSZ m .BZ r OFYUBDU!KBTB PSH *U T ZPVS UVSO UP HFU JOWPMWFE -FBSO 5IFO "DU *'4" 8PSLTIPQT -FBSO GSPN IJHIMZ BDDMBJNFE HPWFSONFOU OPO QSPĂ U BOE DPNNVOJUZ MFBEFST /BWJHBUF /FX :PSL 4FNJOBST *OTJEF UIF (PWFSONFOU 0GGJDFT UIBU .BLF /:$ 5JDL 'SFF "EWPDBDZ 3FTPVSDF 'BJS -FBSO BCPVU EP[FOT PG DPNNVOJUZ BEWPDBDZ WPMVOUFFS PQQPS UVOJUJFT 'PS NPSF JOGPSNBUJPO PS UP SFHJTUFS WJTJU KBTB PSH r r JGTB!KBTB PSH 'PVOEFE JO +"4" JT POF PG /FX :PSL T MBSHFTU BOE NPTU USVTUFE BHFODJFT TFSWJOH PMEFS BEVMUT JO UIF #SPOY #SPPLMZO .BOIBUUBO 2VFFOT BOE -POH *TMBOE +"4" T NJTTJPO JT UP TVTUBJO BOE FOSJDI UIF MJWFT PG UIF BHJOH JO UIF /FX :PSL NFUSPQPMJUBO BSFB TP UIBU UIFZ DBO SFNBJO JO UIF DPNNVOJUZ XJUI EJHOJUZ BOE BVUPOPNZ
11
12
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
Fernando Bermudez speaking at Western Connecticut State University in 2014.
PEDRO CASTILLO IS INNOCENT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 he’s also faced parenting challenges, though never from prison. Scenes with Samantha Masone, who plays Pedro’s daughter, Kaela, explore those challenges when each visit is timed and the next is weeks away. “Those moments, it doesn’t feel like acting, I just feel like I want to cry,” Torres said. In the play, the family finds coping mechanisms to get through a situa-
tion that director Danielle C. N. Zappa said becomes their “new normal.” Pedro’s young daughter pretends he doesn’t exist. His wife imagines he’s at war. Pedro finds comfort in books, Zappa said. While in prison, Bermudez received associate’s degrees in business and behavioral science. He read classic literature and taught Latin American history to other prisoners. He always kept a book in his pocket, he said. His studies also gave him tools that helped him obtain lawyers. “I said to myself, when I’m in prison, I’m going to get a rich man’s education on a poor man’s budget,” he said.
Since his release, Bermudez, now 46, has worked to reveal the effects of wrongful convictions, knowing that his circumstances weren’t unique. He has written extensively — Solnik called him a “gifted writer” — and plans to publish a book about his experiences with the criminal justice system. A documentary about his work as an advocate and lecturer is also in the works. “I wanted to distinguish myself as an exoneree, because after all the publicity with each exoneration, you have to find something to do with yourself aside from relishing that moment in the spotlight,” he said. “I want my
story to be known, to help perform criminal justice worldwide. Solnik hopes that his play reveals not just an individual’s story but also its implications. “To look at each individual case makes it look like they are exceptions,” said Solnik. “They’re not. They’re results of procedures that happen over and over again that lead to putting the wrong people in jail.” Since his exoneration, Bermudez won a $4.75 million settlement from the state of New York. His suit against the City of New York is ongoing, he said. He’s currently investing in real estate after moving from Connecticut
to North Carolina, and establishing a scholarship fund in his name for winners of an essay-writing contest on combating wrongful convictions. His speaking engagements are less frequent these days, he said, but he doesn’t mind spending time at home with his children. His 14-year-old daughter wants to be a lawyer, he said. “When I wake up now and I look at my home, I’m like ‘Thank you God for taking me from a 6-by-9 foot cell to a 6,000-square-foot home,’” he said. “I’m just blessed.”
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
13
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Central Park
An interactive show for the entire family!
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE PARK Central Park Winter Fun: Now that snow has finally made an appearance, it’s the perfect time to bundle up and explore the Park. Where else in Manhattan will you see kids sledding and people cross-country skiing to work? Stop by the Zoo and watch the grizzly bears playing and enjoying the snow, go ice skating at Lasker or Wollman Rinks, make a snowman on the Great Lawn, or look for the great horned owl lately spotted in the Ramble. For a list of activities, visit centralpark.com/guide/activities. Taking a Tour: The Park is full of wonderful history, and one of the best ways to learn about it is with a guided tour. Choose from all types — You can walk, bike, jog, pedicab, or horse & carriage through much of the park. More information is at centralpark.com/guide/tours.
COMING UP THIS WEEK CENTRAL PARK ICE FESTIVAL 2016
Event listings and Where in Central Park? brought to you by CentralPark.com.
BASED ON THE BOOK BY SYLVIA A. ROUSS
92nd Street Y, Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street, NYC
Sammy Spider’s First Mitzvah, Copyright ©2014 by Sylvia A. Rouss, illustrations by Katherine Janus Kahn, is used with the permission of Kar-Ben Publishing, a division of Lerner Publishing Group. KARBEN.COM
MARBLE COLLEGIATE CHURCH Do you know where in Central Park this photo was taken? To submit your answer, visit: www. centralpark.com/ where-in-centralpark. The answer and names of the people who correctly identify the site will appear in the paper and online in two weeks.
ANSWER TO THE PREVIOUS QUIZ:
it as well in his description of Central Park in 1864. The original cast-iron railing only remains on the east side of the drive. The railing on the west
BY REBECCA SCHOFFER & JOEL ESHER
“PJ Library®” and “PJ Library logo” are registered trademarks of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. All rights reserved.
WHERE IN CENTRAL PARK?
laymates Arch, so named because it connects the Dairy and the Carousel, is one of the most prominent features of the Children’s District. The arch carries the Center Drive and was built between 1861 and 1863. It is made of Philadelphia pressed brick, Milwaukee yellow brick and granite, leading some visitors to nickname it the “tricolor archway.” This is what Frederick B. Perkins called
A STORY OF LOVE AND CARING FOR OTHERS
SUN, FEB 14, 4 PM TICKETS ONLY $5.00 VISIT 92Y.ORG/SAMMY
LITTLE RED’S HOOD The classic tale is the newest show at the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, on the west side of the park at about 80th Street. Like
THE MUSICAL!
side was destroyed by a car crash, and replaced with a duplicate castiron railing in 1989. This was part of the overall restoration of the Arch by the Parks Department. Cast-iron railings, readily available in 1863, are now regarded as unique, surviving ornaments. Congratulations to Robyn Roth-Moise, Gregory Holman, Juergen Kadel and Candi George for answering correctly.
ORGAN CONCERT SERIES Thursdays at 12:30pm in the Sanctuary FREE ADMISSION February 4 Gregory Zelek organ student, The Juilliard School February 11 David Hurd concert organist February 18 James Kennerley organist/choirmaster, St. Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church
February 18 James Kennerley organist/choirmaster, St. Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church February 25 Mark Jame Pall organ student, Westminster Choir College March 3 Christopher Creaghan associate organist, The Riverside Church
Take a 30-minute lunch break for your soul
1 West 29th Street / New York, New York 10001 / 212 686 2770 / MarbleChurch.org
An agency of UJA-Federation
Celebrate Valentine’s Day weekend and your love of Central Park at the fifth annual Ice Festival. During the day, watch ice-carving artists at work, and at nightfall revel among the colorful lights as the Mall turns into a silent disco. Saturday, Feb. 13, from 3
to 7 p.m. at the Naumburg Bandshell and the Mall (midPark at 72nd Street) Visit centralpark.com/ events for more information.
many of today’s children, Little Red is a smart, young city slicker who is too focused on her smartphone to notice her surroundings. The schedule varies. Visit centralpark.com/events for times.
14
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
SUPPORT GROWS FOR BATTERY PARK SHAKEUP Dissatisfaction among residents with Authority’s board prompts legislation BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS
Calls for increased community representation on the Battery Park City Authority board have gained momentum amid growing discontent from residents with the authority’s decision-making and communications process. Assemblywoman Deborah Glick and State Senator Daniel Squadron have introduced legislation in their respective houses mandating that a majority of the authority’s sevenmember board be drawn from within the boundaries of Community Board 1 (recent news reports erroneously claimed the bill stipulates a majority of the board to be made up of Battery Park City residents). The timing for proponents of a board shakeup is ideal. The seven-member board currently has two vacancies and another board member’s term is expiring this month. Community Board 1 also passed a resolution at the end of January calling on the governor to appoint more BPC residents to the board. BPC residents and CB1 members who spoke to Our Town Downtown say the community has been at odds with the authority over a lack of transparency and consistent failure by the board to consult with residents on important decisions. The board, for instance, recently decided to enter into contract with private security firm AlliedBarton for the use of private “security ambassadors” to patrol BPC. Many residents opposed the deal during a town hall-style meeting in December, saying that private security officers are generally directed not to step in during situations that threaten public safety. Residents also expressed frustration that they weren’t consulted on the AlliedBarton contract in the first place, and that the board refused to provide clear answers on the future of the Parks Enforcement Patrol, who are sworn peace officers with arrest powers that have historically handled security at BPC. Since then, the authority announced Jan. 30 that they’ve declined to renew the contract with the PEP, which ended Jan. 31. In a statement on their web-
Battery Park City. Photo: WikiMedia Commons site, Battery Park City Authority Chairman Dennis Mehiel said the decision to end the PEP contract was informed “in large part” by feedback from residents, “who expressed their desire to seek a more effective alternative to the service provided by [PEP].” However, in terms of effectiveness, it’s unclear what Mehiel is referring to as just one day after the AlliedBarton contract went into effect, two BPC teenagers were assaulted — one seriously — as an AlliedBarton security person stood by, according to several news reports. The authority said in the aftermath of the attack that the AlliedBarton employee notified city police of the assault. Police subsequently made two arrests. An authority spokeswoman said AlliedBarton personnel are “an enhancement” to city police presence in the neighborhood. “While the addition of AlliedBarton is the latest improvement to Battery Park City’s security arrangement, we continue to evaluate addi-
tional ways to build upon our existing security footprint that will best serve the needs of our dynamic community,” she said in a statement. In his letter, Medial touted AlliedBarton’s 1,000-plus workforce in Lower Manhattan, “ensuring a continuity of service we lacked with PEP.” Pat Smith, a 13-year resident of Battery Park City who is active in the community, contradicted Mehiel, saying of the residents, “nobody wanted to get rid of the PEPs.” Smith has called for Mehiel’s ouster and said the chair has turned the authority into an opaque and autonomous body with little regard for the community since his tenure began in 2012. Smith said he supports CB1’s resolution and the recently introduced legislation from Squadron and Glick. “The community board has now spoken on this and the local electeds have introduced this legislation,” he said, noting his belief that momentum is gathering in the community for a shakeup on the board. The authority did not respond
to a request regarding their decision to end the PEP contract. Authority spokesperson Robin Forst, however, did offer comment on the recently introduced legislation. “We are fortunate to have a board of devoted and well accomplished individuals with diverse professional backgrounds who have consistently served the authority well,” said Forst. “The choice of candidates for the board is entirely within the purview of the governor with a confirmation process in the [state] Senate. We have complete confidence that Governor Cuomo will continue to select members of the highest caliber.” Other stress points between residents and the authority have surfaced in the last two years, such as the future of North Cove Marina, which was handed over to mega-developer Brookfield Properties last year at the expense of a popular sailing school and yacht club that was a favorite at the marina for many years. There’s also concern about an opaque RFP system that some-
times ushers in major changes without the community’s knowledge, as in the case of the contract with AlliedBarton, and conflict over the use of the Downtown Little League ball fields at BPC. There also remains friction over the sudden and fraught departure last year of BPC Parks Conservancy head Tessa Huxley, who according to news reports was forced out of the position she held for 27 years by the authority. Glick told Our Town Downtown that there’s been a growing sense of disenfranchisement among BPC residents, which led her to introduce the legislation in the Assembly. “There are many individual instances that one could point to, but taken as an aggregate, it’s reached a point where there’s a lack of faith in whether or not the board is currently sufficiently in touch with the needs of people on the ground, and I think that’s the motivation,” she said. The bill’s language confines appointments to Community District 1 — as opposed to BPC
residents exclusively — because policies governing BPC also affect the community at large, she said. “The concerns of residents of Battery Park City are not exclusive to those who reside within Battery Park City, but also impact residents who live in the community board area itself,” said Glick, mentioning specifically the use of athletic fields, park space, and P.S. 89. Squadron said calls for the board to be comprised mostly of BPC residents predate the present friction between residents and the board. “There have been ongoing concerns about transparency and community engagement recently, but the push for a local voice started before that and exists because it’s the right thing to do,” said Squadron. “When you look at the frustration that’s boiled over more recently, I think it’s another reminder that a local voice makes sense.” “It’s a way to create a permanent community voice on the authority board,” he added.
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
15
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS JAN 8 - 30, 2016 The following listings were collected from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s website and include the most recent inspection and grade reports listed. We have included every restaurant listed during this time within the zip codes of our neighborhoods. Some reports list numbers with their explanations; these are the number of violation points a restaurant has received. To see more information on restaurant grades, visit www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/services/restaurant-inspection.shtml. Asian Gourmet
1509 Lexington Avenue
A
Las Panteras Negras Restaurant
2130 2 Avenue
A
Starbucks
1491 Lexington Avenue
A
Joosed By Lloyd’s
1555 Lexington Ave
Grade Pending (52) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.
Malii
2028 2Nd Ave
A
Bally Total Fitness
1915 3Rd Ave
A
Milk Burger Express
2051 2 Avenue
A
Bawarchi Indian Cuisine
1546 Madison Ave
A
Monique’s Lounge 108
181 East 108 Street
A
Cascalote Latin Bistro
2126 2Nd Avenue
A
R & J Lounge
109 E 116Th St
A
The Guthrie Inn
1259 Park Avenue
A
Maison Kayser
1294 3 Avenue
A
Come Prima
903 Madison Ave
Not Yet Graded (21) Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
Subway
1427 York Ave
A
Latin Bites
419 E 70Th St
Not Yet Graded (40) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewageassociated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
Sant Ambroeus Cafe At Sotheby’s
1334 York Ave
Grade Pending (23) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewageassociated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
Open for Lunch, Brunch, Dinner, Happy Hour - Monday All Night!
Call Us For Your Catering
Rosina’s Gift Certificates - The Perfect Gift! Wood Fired Pizza, Fresh Pasta Seafood, Organic Salads, Natural Free Range Chicken 1690 York Avenue near 89th Reservations: (212) 288-4400 Delivery: (212) 288-4408
www.Rosina.nyc
Now Free Delivery Lunch & Dinner
16
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
In Brief
Business
CITY REACHES CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AGENTS Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced his administration has reached a tentative contract agreement with Communication Workers of America – Local 1182 Traffic Enforcement Agents, which covers over 2,100 agents that serve the city. The agreement includes both Level 1 Traffic Enforcement Agents, who write summonses, and Level 2 Traffic Enforcement Agents, who direct traffic. The agreement, which conforms with the civilian pattern established with other municipal unions, means that settlements have been reached with 95 percent of the workforce. “Our traffic enforcement agents keep our roads moving and our pedestrians, bikers and drivers safe. This agreement means they’ll get the fair wages they deserve, while protecting New York City’s fiscal health,” de Blasio said. “With 95 percent of our workforce under contract agreement, compared to 0 percent when we took office, we’re continuing to restore a productive and respectful relationship with the men and women who serve our city.” Syed Rahim, president of of CWA Local 1182, also touted the agreement. “I am thrilled that a landmark tentative agreement has been reached between New York City and traffic enforcement agents,” Rahim said . “This contract builds the foundation to adequately compensate my members who contribute so much toward the greatness of this city.” De Blasio said the agreement conforms with the pattern that has shaped every civilian labor contract the city has settled, and also incorporates “unprecedented healthcare savings” agreed upon with the Municipal Labor Committee, ensuring that these raises are affordable and responsible for the city and its taxpayers. The seven year, nine month, 21 day proposed contract provides for 10 percent in raises and includes a one-time $1,000 ratification bonus. It will begin, retroactively, on March 10, 2010 and expire on December 30, 2017. The contract would create new step pay plans for traffic enforcement agents, providing a path for employees to ultimately reach maximum pay rates for their respective levels. The step pay plans fit within the pattern, and are funded by the contract’s nine-month, 21 day extension. The city and Local 1182 have also agreed to create an annuity fund in the amount of $261 per year for each full-time employee, also funded by the contract extension, and to begin gainsharing discussions. In total, the Municipal Labor Committee and the city have agreed to secure $3.4 billion in health care savings through fiscal year 2018, starting with $400 million in FY 2015 and building up to $1.3 million in FY 2018, and $1.3 billion in recurring savings every year thereafter.
CITY ‘AGGRESSIVELY’ INSPECTING AND FIXING SHELTERS As part of the effort to improve conditions in homeless shelters, Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced a “shelter repair scorecard” to publicly report on the conditions of homeless shelter facilities and track progress made by the expanded repair program to address sub-standard conditions. Data shows that increased inspections have been finding more violations than ever before, and that city and shelter providers have cleared more than 26,000 violations over the last two years. “We are determined to give every family and individual in a homeless shelter decent living conditions. We have been increasing inspections to identify problems, and we now have a scorecard to track our progress in addressing them,” de Blasio said. “Many of these violations are long-standing problems stemming from a lack of funding. We are increasing our repair work for all shelters and have increased our funding for not-for-profit shelter providers. We won’t rest until every shelter meets standards.” The new shelter repair scorecard defines the scope of the problem by listing conditions at all homeless shelters in New York City that do not meet applicable regulations, and makes it possible to track progress in dealing with them. According to the Mayor’s Office, city data says the 357 non-cluster city homeless shelters had 6,983 open violations at the end of 2015, before the new Shelter Repair Squad 2.0 began work. Of these 357 shelters, 190 sites had ten or fewer violations, 92 of those sites had five or less. The 265 cluster shelters, which house only 20 percent of the total shelter population, had 14,418 violations, or 70 percent of the total. Cluster shelters are groups of individual apartments in larger buildings, and the violation total includes all the violations in each building, not those solely relating to the cluster units. Last month, the administration announced a plan to phase out the use of cluster shelters – where the majority of the violations are found. As the city ends the use of cluster shelters, returning them to the market so that the apartments can serve as low-rent housing, it will insist that building owners bring their buildings up to code, and will work to ensure that they remain part of the city’s rent-regulated stock or enter an affordability program.
Photo: Thomas8047, via Flickr
CARPE DIEM BY FREDERICK PETERS
The movements of the stock market can be hard to fathom. The recent swoon in market value, triggered at the New Year by no apparent event, has accelerated into correction territory as pundits try to rationalize after the fact: oil, China, ISIL, refugees, Greek debt — any one could be driving the market down. Or not. These market fluctuations tend to assume a life of their own, as program traders, pension funds and anxious individuals short stocks or keep pushing the “Sell” button. Real estate both is and is not impacted by this ebb and flow. Like major art and jewelry, real estate tends to be both an emotional purchase and an investment. The savvy buyer recognizes opportunity in a turbulent market and capitalizes on it. At the same time, the emotional buyer frequently panics when the stock market seems to be faltering and decides not to pull the trigger on an otherwise wellpriced real estate purchase. The
problem of course lies in the fact that the savvy investor and the emotional buyer are frequently housed in the same individual! Don’t get me wrong; there can be compelling reasons to re-evaluate a purchase in the light of a major stock market drop, chief among them the need to raise a down payment from the sale of depreciated assets. But beyond that, economic fundamentals remain the key to assessing whether to buy or fold. And to me these fundamentals still look quite good for the American economy. These underlying strengths, however, can be masked by the smoke screen of stock market activity. Since the world is now replete with people who check their portfolios online every half hour, the concept of longerterm investing to which I adhere has lost its luster. When you are glued to every quiver in your portfolio, it’s easy to overreact. Hence the volatility of the last few weeks. At Warburg we have seen this
play out in two different ways over the past couple of weeks. On the one hand one buyer is committing to purchase an apartment in the mid-$4 million range because it is just the size and location he wants and he has recently received his bonus for last year. He does not seem overly concerned about timing the market or waiting to see if the market is up or down tomorrow. He has confidence that this purchase makes sense for both IQ and EQ reasons. Conversely, we saw another buyer withdraw today on a larger purchase because stock market terror set in. Never mind that the property had the potential to be an excellent buy and possesses a number of hardto-duplicate features. The leap of faith simply became too great for this buyer to attempt. It’s hard to feel confident when other people are scared. And this jumpy stock market is still a new phenomenon. But environments like this, with a roller-coaster ride above but a relatively stable economic base below, can present genuine opportunity to the smart buyers who can conquer their fear. Frederick Peters is president of Warburg Realty
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
17
18
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Photo: Joshua Farewell, via Flickr
CAMP’S LONGLASTING BENEFITS THE AMERICAN CAMP ASSOCIATION
Camp has become a part of the fabric of America — conjuring special memories of hiking, swimming, friendships and adventure for generations. When children go to camp, they’ll likely come home gushing about the lifelong friends they’ve made, and the exciting adventures they had. What they probably won’t tell you about are the life lessons camp has given them — those skills that, if nurtured at home after camp, translate into a lasting self-confidence, an awareness of the importance of kindness and a greater comfort in voicing their opinions. For more than 150 years, camp has been changing lives — allowing all children to feel successful, especially those who may struggle with traditional educational settings. Camp is full of fun and excite-
ment, but it is so much more — developing children who are better equipped to lead in the twenty-first century with skills such as independence, empathy, the ability to work as part of a team, and a broader world view. • Camp is a safe and nurturing environment that enhances social skills. Camp is for everyone, so children and youth have the opportunity to meet and interact with peers from outside their school environment. • Camp supplements traditional education. Camps use intentional programming to create a balance of experiential learning opportunities that are physical, emotional and social. • Camp provides experiences that promote self-confidence and future academic growth. American Camp Association® (ACA) independent research shows that parents and camp
staff, as well as the campers themselves, report significant growth in several areas, including leadership, independence, social comfort, and values and decisions. • Camp encourages a respect and love of nature. Children are able to learn about the natural world. Camp also gives them a chance to “unplug.” More and more experts are advocating the value of time spent in nature for children — and camp is a perfect place to do that. • Camp provides the opportunity to stay physically active. Camp is the ultimate outdoor experience with programs that offer physical activities and sports that enhance health and teach self-confidence. Camp is a natural extension of the classroom. Research indicates that by participating in strategically planned, structured summer experiences, children reduce summer learning loss. Camp challenges children, keeps them engaged, develops creativity and their talents, and expands their horizons. Reprinted with the permission of the American Camp Association. ©2015 American Camping Association, Inc.
SUMMER CAMPS MANHATTAN & BROOKLYN CAMPUSES!
filmmaking ! Ages 13-18 ! Day or Residential ! 1-6 Week Camps NYC Residents Get
5% Off Tuition! Call Now: 800.718.2787
acting
los angeles
dance
O
new york city
O
vermont
photography
music
SUMMER CAMPS 2016
SESSION SESSION SESSION SESSION
1: 2: 3: 4:
JUNE 12 - JUNE 25 JUNE 26 - JULY 16 JULY 17 - AUG 06 AUG 07 - AUG 13
800.718.2787
socapa.org
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
19
20
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Primary and Multispecialty Care on the Upper East Side
THANK YOU, MISS MCTAGUE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Exceptional and comprehensive care for all your medical needs, in your neighborhood: 234 East 85th Street Services and Specialties X
Cosmetic Dermatology
X
Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
X
General Dermatology
X
Obstetrics and Gynecology
X
Ophthalmology
X
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
X
Pediatrics
X
Primary Care
X
Rhinology and Sinus Surgery
234 East 85th Street New York, NY 10028 www.mountsinai.org/east85
she found her true calling after learning about the Montessori teaching method. She started working at Caedmon in 1971 as an assistant teacher in the school’s Early Program, and within a year was promoted to head teacher. Over her 30year tenure at the school, she taught, guided and cared for countless of New York City’s young children. We are saddened to announce her passing. Miss McTague died Jan. 2 in Jefferson City, Missouri, after a long, fulfilling life as a dedicated teacher, administrator and dear friend. We felt it ďŹ tting to share more details about her tenure at our school in honor of her generous spirit and the gifts she has be-
stowed upon our children and community. Miss McTague is most remembered for her in-depth knowledge of each individual student, and delighted children with her classroom menagerie of bunny rabbits, baby chicks and even a lizard. Wise and sensitive, she possessed a gentle and soft-spoken manner, and an occasionally ďŹ rm hand. “At first sight, she seemed to embody everything that a preschool teacher should be,â€? one parent remarked. Art specialist Kristina Bakker said, “She was viewed by the children as a wonderful great aunt; by the teachers and staff, a grande dame. She was the Queen Mother of the school.â€? In 1995, Miss McTague transitioned from the classroom into an administrative role and became the coordinator of the Early Program. As a way of honoring her career as a teach-
er, the school inaugurated The Marilyn Ann McTague Fund to BeneďŹ t Teachers. As part of our annual giving campaign, parents and supporters can contribute in Miss McTague’s name to the professional development of Caedmon faculty. As she has said of her devotion to teaching and children, “You love them. You’re happy to see them develop. Years later they stop by Caedmon, or I am invited to their college and law school graduations. Then one day they send pictures of their own children. All the while, you have shared so many beginnings and precious memories with them. It’s extraordinary.â€? We are honored to have worked with such a caring and dedicated individual and thankful for the ways in which her talents have enhanced and shaped our school community.
JOHN KRTIL FUNERAL HOME; YORKVILLE FUNERAL SERVICE, INC. Dignified, Affordable and Independently Owned Since 1885 WE SERVE ALL FAITHS AND COMMUNITIES 5 )/'&1 /'+$1)-,0 $2250 -+.*'1' 5 )/'&1 2/)$*0 $2850 5 4.'/1 /' *$,,),( 3$)*$%*'
1297 First Ave (69th & 70th & + # " $& )" $ " $ ) * "#( & " $ + ))) $& '" $ #! #! Each cremation service individually performed by fully licensed members of our staff. We use no outside agents or trade services in our cremation service. We exclusively use All Souls Chapel and Crematory at the prestigious St. Michael's Cemetery, Queens, NY for our cremations unless otherwise directed.
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
21
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
CARING FOR LOVED ONES WITH ALZHEIMER’S Safety and comfort for the patient are paramount, but so is support for oneself
ZOOM! WHITENING® How white? How Fast? In 45 minutes Zoom Whitespeed technology will whiten your teeth up to 8 shades in office or at home
setting up a schedule and daily routine. Keep snacks and water easily accessible and place mats by the bed as an extra precaution against falls.
BY JENNIFER LEEFLANG
Many family members who care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s don’t think of themselves as “caregivers.” For them, it’s just caring for a parent – a role they are happy and proud to take on. Yet, providing round-the-clock inhome care for someone with Alzheimer’s can be a full-time job that requires patience, understanding and vigilance. When bringing a loved one with Alzheimer’s into your home, finding simple ways to create a space that’s both welcoming and safe can go a long way in reducing stress over the long haul. As a registered nurse and the leader of Partners in Care, a licensed home care agency that specializes in private care nursing and certified home health aide services for individuals who need assistance with the activities of daily living, my colleagues and I work closely with the elderly and their family caregivers to ensure that they are living safely and independently in the comfort of their own homes. For someone coping with Alzheimer’s, the familiar surroundings of home can be comforting and emotionally stabilizing. Professional in-home care can help someone experiencing memory loss or dementia to maintain independence and reinforce closeness with family who are likely taking on extra burdens as primary caregivers. One of the services clinicians and para professionals can provide is to help families scope out the home environment, identify potential “danger zones,” and provide realtime reminders and assistance to help navigate routine daily activities that others may take for granted. Reviewing potential home hazards with family caregivers helps reinforce safe daily routines and keep accidents and upsets at bay. Here are a few guidelines that our experts in the field recommend to help ensure that your home is the safe and comfortable sanctuary that you and
THE FASTEST WAY TO WHITER TEETH WITH
We cover all aspects of aesthetic dentistry from general hygiene visits to fillings, crowns, veneers and implants.
Install Safety Measures
Photo: David Robert Bliwas, via Flickr your loved one with Alzheimer’s know it to be.
Bring Safety and Comfort Into the Home Walk around the house and view each room through the eyes of someone with Alzheimer’s. Is there adequate lighting? Are the light switches easily accessible? Are everyday necessary objects clearly in view? Check the rooms for loose objects that can cause falls and cover any unused electrical outlets and exposed wires. If possible, make sure all stairs have handrails, are carpeted and have safety grips. If balance is an issue, consider a protective gate across the stairway entry. Keep in mind that “safe” doesn’t mean “boring.” Rooms filled with family photos, keepsakes and mementos are not only inviting, but can help someone with Alzheimer’s stimulate memories and allow them to reminisce about happy times in their life.
Simplify Activities of Daily Living Individuals with Alzheimer’s or dementia may forget to turn off appliances such as coffee makers, irons, ovens, stoves, etc. To ensure their safety and lower the risk of fire hazards, consider using appliances that have an auto shut-off feature. Installing gas valves and circuit breakers in ovens can also keep loved ones from accidently turning them on. Anticipating the needs of someone with Alzheimer’s can also go a long way. Minimize late night trips to get food, water or use the bathroom by
In some cases, it might be necessary to install locks on outside doors and windows. Within the home, ensure that medications are properly locked and labeled, and alcohol and any other potentially toxic plants or chemicals are removed or locked away. Also, check to make sure fire alarms are properly installed with working batteries.
INTEREST-FREE FINANCING FOR COSMETIC TREATMENTS
Book Today Through ZocDoc at www.stevendavidowitz.com
Or Call 212.759.7535
DR. STEVEN DAVIDOWITZ 328 East 75th Street www.LuxuryDentistryNYC.com
Ask for Help and Support It’s crucial to have a strong network of support when caring for someone with Alzheimer’s. When you notice signs of extreme stress or burnout, take a step back to reflect on your own health and wellbeing. This may be a time to consider home health care resources that could support you—even for just a few hours a day. Look for a licensed home care agency with experts in Alzheimer’s and dementia related care. The agency should provide you with a registered nurse who will help assess your needs and work with you to develop a Customized Plan of Care tailored to your individual needs, and match you with a compatible home health aide who will provide the individualized personal care and assistance you need. The most important thing to keep in mind is that caregivers aren’t alone. There are support groups and valuable resources in the community that can create a safety net when things become overwhelming, as they often do. Remember, there’s no shame in asking for help, and by taking advantage of the resources offered in your community, the whole family benefits and thrives. For more information on services available to caregivers and individuals with Alzheimer’s and dementia, call 888-735-8913 or visit www.partnersincareny.org/. Jennifer Leeflang is senior vice president at Partners in Care
We work to make your smile dreams come true.
ISABELLA HOUSE
Independent Living for Older Adults
OUR AMENITIES INCLUDE: , Spacious studios and one-bedroom apartments starting at $2,400.00 per month , Complimentary Lunch and Dinner served buffet style , Basic Cable TV , All utilities included , 24-Hour Security , Weekly linen service , Visitor parking , Pastoral services , A wealth of programs, activities and trips , Conveniently located near medical, physical therapy, occupational therapy and psychiatric services , On-site beauty salon, library, gift shop, laundry, checkcashing facilities and visitor parking , Moderately priced lodging for overnight guests
We’ve thought of everything to enrich and enhance your life. For more information and to schedule a private tour, please call: 212-342-9539 525 Audubon Ave. at 191st Street. New York, NY
www.isabella.org
fb.com/IsabellaOrg twitter.com/IsabellaOrg youtube.com/IsabellaOrg
22
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Photo: Arturo Pardavila III, via Flickr
THE END OF WINTER BY DAVE SWEENEY
ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND
thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY
Peter Fischli in Conversation with Hans Ulrich Obrist
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7TH, 4PM Guggenheim Museum | 1071 Fifth Ave. | 212-423-3500 | guggenheim.org Artist Peter Fischli speaks the exhibitions director of London’s Serpentine Gallery about Fischli’s three-decade-long collaboration with the late multimedia master David Weiss. ($15)
The Wind in the Bamboo: Survival of Asia’s Ancient Indigenous Peoples
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH, 6PM The Explorers Club | 6 E. 70th St. | 212-628-8383 | explorers.org Delve into the life of an Asian tribe known as the Negritos, who have survived slavery, disease, volcanoes and Victorian doctors, in this illustrated lecture by explorer Edith Mirante. ($20)
Just Announced | Closed Worlds: Encounters That Never Happened
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, 12PM The Cooper Union | 41 Cooper Sq. | 212-353-4100 | cooper.edu In conjunction with a Storefront for Art and Architecture look at self-sustaining environments (think space capsules, subs, and ofďŹ ce buildings), catch a discussion touching on the likes of Buckminster Fuller, Jacques Cousteau and Walt Disney. (Free)
For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,
sign up for the weekly Thought Gallery newsletter at thoughtgallery.org.
I’m on Amsterdam and 86th walking on the West Side. Its twilight and people make a happy stride. You see its 55 degrees after many days of a hard, cold freeze. Winter no longer has us questioning our mental strength to endure and swear under our breath that this hideous cold could lead to an unnatural death. But the upside is bright and daylight savings will give us more light. Each new day will give us more hope to play without heavy jackets, umbrellas, and thermal body elastics. People can enjoy the grass green and begin to preen the trees and actually get on their knees. In January and February it’s like a cemetery. Everything is cold and bar-
ren. People are mentally swerving; catching a bug. It might be better to get mugged! But not now, the end of winter is near and never to be thought again until next year. But wait, not so fast, ass! It’s a week later and we’ve been hit by a snowy alligator. Bitten hard, iced in. Damn it, these sunny forecasts never seem to win as we try on a few more cyclical winds. More ice and snow; really, that is a low blow. It’s the middle of March and winter has taken away all of my starch. Nevertheless I keep marching on. Winter’s time is running out. Go ahead, dissipate slowly and let me shout. April showers bring those May owers! Two weeks later winter’s back and I’m ready to have a heart attack. Blow wind, snow! No, no! It’s
a winter jeer and I feel like frail King Lear. It’s April ďŹ ve and that dreaded season just won’t die! Get a stake, drive it through the heart; make winter slaying a new art. But it’s killing me instead even though it’s all in my head. Let it be, let it be, let it be said the Beatles. But I can’t handle these prolonged frozen needles! Can’t I see? This is really not a catastrophe. Say what? Its 29 degrees and we are in another deep freeze and it’s driving me nuts! Quit, stop being a putz! What do you say? Wait until May? I dare you to come then! Even nature can’t create another snow in. Wait; how about global freezing? Stop it! You’ve got me sneezing!
Huge Selection of Bibles Fiction/Non-Fiction Children’s Books Greeting Cards .VTJD t (JGUT Original Art Events and More! Hours: M-F 10am-9pm 4BU BN QN t 4VO QN QN
:PSL "WF #UXO SE UI 4U t www.logosbookstorenyc.com
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
23
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
ICONIC GREEK PRIEST AT WTC CHURCH DIES BY JOSEPH M. CALISI
The Rev. Father John Romas, the iconic Greek Orthodox priest who helped lead the effort to rebuild the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at the World Trade Center, passed away Jan. 24 at White Plains Hospital. Father Romas had been diagnosed with pancre-
atic cancer. Father Romas followed his calling later in life becoming ordained and presbyter in Greece in 1984. Following his return to the United States in 1987, His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos assigned him as the Proistamenos, or priest, of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox
Church in downtown Manhattan. Father Romas continued at St. Nicholas Church until the September 2001 terrorist attacks, which destroyed the church. A priest for almost 32 years, Father Romas served with zeal and dedication, and indeed was the heart and soul of the St. Nicholas Church, es-
pecially after its destruction. He labored tirelessly for the rebuilding of the church and anxiously awaited the completion of his beloved St. Nicholas, taking much pride in its designation as a National Shrine of our Archdiocese. Father Romas led the Blessing of the Waters Ceremony
Father John Romas releases a dove at the conclusion of the annual Greek Orthodox ‘Blessing Of The Waters/ Diving For The Cross’ at Battery Park. Photo: Joseph M. Calisi
held annually at Pier 1 in Battery Park on the first Sunday of January after the Epiphany. During the ceremony, swimmers dive attempt to retrieve a gold cross that is thrown into the water with a tether. The ceremony is symbolic of Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River by St. John. The swimmer who retrieves the cross hoists it in the air and swims back to a city Fire Department boat. For his efforts, he is rewarded with a small cross, personal blessing from the priest to ensure good luck for the coming year. The ceremony is concluded with the release of a white dove which symbolizes the Holy Spirit which appeared that day in the sky. Father Romas was born on April 10, 1929, to Demetrios and Vasiliki Rambaounis in Dorvitsa, Nafpactias, Greece.
BARRY LIEBMAN,
Upon completion of his high school education, he went on to complete a four-year program at the Hephaestus School of Mechanics, in Athens. He came to United States in 1952, and later that year married Lorraine (Ourania) Papachristou in Mt. Vernon, N.Y. “He was a real people person. He’ll be missed,” Papachristou said of her husband, to whom she was married for 64 years. Funeral services were held at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Sts. Constantine and Helen, Brooklyn, NY, where he assisted following the 9/11 attacks. The family asked that donations be made in memory of Father Romas to the St. Nicholas Rebuilding Fund or for the St. Nicholas kouvouklion used for the Good Friday Epitaphios.
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Millions of dollars recovered on behalf of injured clients
Personal Injury Auto Accidents Slip, Trip & Fall Accidents
445 Park Avenue, 9th Floor New York, NY 10022
Medical Malpractice Construction Accidents Other legal matters
Free Consultation (212) 935-6535
Email: negligencelawyer@outlook.com No fee unless we win your case (accident cases only) Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
NOTICE OF JOINT PUBLIC HEARING, FEBRUARY 8, 2015: INTENT TO AWARD AS A CONCESSION THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF A FOOD, BEVERAGES, AND MERCHANDISE CONCESSION AT THE DELACORTE THEATER, CENTRAL PARK, MANHATTAN TO THE NEW YORK SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, INC. D/B/A THE PUBLIC THEATER ("THE PUBLIC THEATER" OR “LICENSEE”) NOTICE OF A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING of the Franchise and Concession Review Committee and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to be held on Monday, February 8, 2016 at 253 Broadway, Borough of Manhattan, commencing at 2:30 p.m. relative to: INTENT TO AWARD as a concession the operation and maintenance of a food, beverage, and merchandise concession at The Delacorte Theater, Central Park, Manhattan, for a potential seventeen (17) year term, to The New York Shakespeare Festival, Inc. d/b/a The Public Theater. Compensation to the City will be as follows: In lieu of a license fee, Licensee shall use any revenue it receives from the operation of the concession to offset the cost of free events at The Delacorte Theater and the cost of operation and maintenance of The Delacorte Theater. A draft copy of the agreement may be reviewed or obtained at no cost, commencing January 25, 2016 through Monday, February 8, 2016, between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm, excluding weekends and holidays at the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, located at 830 Fifth Avenue, Room 313, New York, NY 10065. Individuals requesting Sign Language Interpreters should contact the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services, Public Hearings Unit, 253 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10007, (212) 788-7490, no later than SEVEN (7) BUSINESS DAYS PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING. TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICE FOR THE DEAF (TDD) 212-504-4115
24
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
WINTER WONDERLAND
Do You Know Someone Who Deserves Recognition?
is seeking nominations for the 2016 OTTYs The OTTYS are the Annual “Our Town Thanks You” Awards that the paper awards to deserving New Yorkers who have made a difference to the Upper East Side and the city. Tell us who you want to nominate and why Send your nominations to nyoffice@strausnews.com before February 10, 2016
Help Us Celebrate Our 45th Birthday! Photo: Val Castronovo
We’re looking for old copies of Our Town (from the 1970s and 80s), Photos of Our Town and memories of the paper from days gone by. Send To, Our Town 333 Seventh Ave, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10001 Or via email To 1\RI¿ FH#6WUDXVQHZV &RP.
“Flakes,” a new site-specific exhibit of hand-cut, origami paper snowflakes by Chelsea Hrynick Browne, is on view at the Sprint Flatiron Prow Art Space — a tiny, see-through gallery on the ground floor of the Flatiron Building. The artist likens New Yorkers to the flakes, each colorful sliver “unique, interpretive, elusive, quirky, beautiful. We are all flakes!” Through March 16.
HAVE THE
Kitchen of Your Dreams
for a fraction of the cost of a full renovation! t ,JUDIFO $BCJOFU 3FGBDJOH
If You’d Like Your Material Returned SOHDVH EH VXUH WR LQFOXGH D UHWXUQ VHOI DGGUHVVHG envelope (we’ll pay for the postage).
t $PVOUFS 5PQT BOE 5JMF 8PSL
M E N T I O N T H I S A D F O R A 10 % D I S C O U N T 1460 Lexington Ave | Bet 94th & 95th St. | 212.348.9100 | www.trufacers.com
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
25
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
YOUR 15 MINUTES
To read about other people who have had their “15 Minutes” go to ourtownny.com/15 minutes
Jacquelyn Ottman hauling a bookcase she found on the street.
REFUSING TO WASTE Jacquelyn Ottman reclaims the recycling mantra
BY ANGELA BARBUTI
Each week, the average New Yorker throws away nearly 15 pounds of waste at home and another nine pounds at work, which comes to a staggering 868 pounds per person per year. This is the kind of information gleaned at one of Jacquelyn Ottman’s workshops. A native New Yorker whose family goes back five generations, Ottman has made it her mission to teach others how to adopt a zero-waste lifestyle. J. Ottman Consulting, which she started out of her studio apartment in 1989, advises companies like Kraft, Toyota and Nike on how to market environmentally sound products to consumers. Her expertise is sought after worldwide and she’s been asked to advise the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Agriculture. All this work first starts at home. At her building on the Upper East Side, she started a library in the laundry room
with the superintendent using a bookcase they found outside in the trash. Ottman carries this mindset to the office as well. “Another thing I do is write on the backs of paper,” she explained. “That’s all I ever use in the office. I haven’t bought a pad of writing paper in the 25 years I’m in business.”
Give us the stats on New York City waste. We produce 10,000 tons a day of residential solid waste which comes to 3 million tons per year. And there’s another 3 million tons a year of commercial waste. The average New Yorker throws away almost 1,000 pounds per year and that represents 2.2 million tons of carbon generated with greenhouse gases to truck the stuff all over. Some of our waste goes down as far as South Carolina. We’re spending upwards of $300 million a year of New York City tax dollars on waste disposal. And we’re only recycling 16 percent of the waste, which is collected by city workers, which is only half of what the average is in the US. And a lot of people don’t know this, but
we’re incinerating 15 percent.
Tell us about your background in zero waste and green marketing. When I got out of college, between 1977 and 1988, I worked in advertising agencies on Madison Avenue. At one of those agencies, I was asked to do research on a trend that was hot for consumer goods’ marketers. And we picked the environment. So we went to San Pellegrino, for example, and said, “People are concerned about water quality. In the future, they’re going to be ordering bottled water in restaurants. Why don’t you branch out from Italian only to all restaurants? And while you’re at it, introduce San Pellegrinobranded ice cubes because why would you put dirty ice cubes into clean water?” After doing this work for this ad agency for a year and a half, I just said, “I don’t want to do anything else anymore but this.” I had found my calling.
Explain how Mayor de Blasio is planning to achieve zero waste to landfills by 2030. Zero Waste is a diversion goal.
It doesn’t mean you stop generating trash. It just means that whatever you do create, you try to divert it from ending up in a landfill or an incinerator. You want it to keep cycling through the economy in the form or recyclables and compost. So there are a few possible goals for a zero-waste plan. Zero Waste to landfill, Zero Waste to incinerator or Zero Waste to landfill and incinerator. The latter is the ideal. Incineration creates pollution. And though some forms of it produce energy, when you burn garbage that contains recyclables, it becomes a very expensive fuel. So you want to really avoid incinerating garbage if you can. DeBlasio’s plan is a Zero Waste to Landfill plan. It really can’t be a Zero waste to Landfill or Incineration plan right now because we have a long term contract now with Covanta to incinerate part of our city’s trash. Technically, if you have a Zero Waste to Landfill plan you can achieve your goal if you incinerate 100 percent of it. We could do that, like tomorrow, right? Right. But in talking to the DSNY [Department of Sanitation] folks, they say they recognize this, but they really want to achieve the zero-waste goal in the right way, which would be to minimize incineration and to do as much as possible to divert from landfill and incinera-
tion. So their big strategy is to make it as easy as possible for New Yorkers to recycle, which includes composting, so that we capture higher rates of our trash for recycling and composting, hence, curbside recycling and composting pickups, curbside e-waste, clothing pickups and an initiative to look at single stream recycling. Longer term they hope to initiate some kind of ‘Save as you throw’ system to give all New Yorkers an economic incentive to stop throwing away so much trash in the first place and to recycle and compost what they do generate. In a ‘Save as you throw’ plan, typically it would cost residents to put trash at the curb for pickup, but no cost to leave recyclables at the curb. So after these plans go into effect, a lot of folks will start doing a lot more recycling.
Highlight some things you do to reduce and reuse. First of all, I try to run as close to a zero-waste household as I can. So that means that I take my composts to 82nd Street to my local greenmarket. I take all kinds of still-usable items to a thrift store, my local Housing Works. I recycle everything that I can. I try not to bring plastic and non-recyclables into the house. I carry a Ziploc bag with me at all times and that’s what I use as a dog-
gie bag in restaurants so they don’t have to give me all those containers. And whenever I’m at any kind of a party, I take out that doggie bag and bring food home with me and encourage others to do the same.
What are some things that a New Yorker can do who’s never even thought along these lines? First of all, they can learn what goes in the green bins and what goes in the blue ones. They can recycle their waste because we’re only capturing 41 percent of recyclables now. We can increase that. Another thing they can do is bring their own lunch to work and not order takeout. They can get a reusable coffee mug and get 10 cents off at Starbucks if they fill it up. Or they can order coffee to stay, and the coffee will arrive in a real coffee cup. They can also take clothes to a thrift shop. A lot of people think that if an item of clothing is missing a button or has a stain on it, the thrift shop doesn’t want it, but that’s not true. WeHateToWaste.com
Know somebody who deserves their 15 Minutes of fame? Go to ourtownny. com and click on submit a press release or announcement.
26
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
“I WISH SOMEONE WOULD HELP THAT HOMELESS MAN.”
BE THE SOMEONE. Sam New York Cares Volunteer
Every day, we think to ourselves that someone should really help make this city a better place. Visit newyorkcares.org to learn about the countless ways you can volunteer and make a difference in your community.
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
CLASSIFIEDS
CARS & TRUCKS & RV’S
MERCHANDISE FOR SALE
VACATIONS
Telephone: 212-868-0190 Fax: 212-868-0198 Email: classified2@strausnews.com
POLICY NOTICE: We make every eort to avoid mistakes in your classiďŹ ed ads. Check your ad the ďŹ rst week it runs. The publication will only accept responsibility for the ďŹ rst incorrect insertion. The publication assumes no ďŹ nancial responsibility for errors or omissions. We reserve the right to edit, reject, or re-classify any ad. Contact your sales rep directly for any copy changes. All classiďŹ ed ads are pre-paid.
NEED TO RUN A LEGAL NOTICE? Quick | Easy | Economical
Call Barry Lewis today:
212-868-0190
EMPLOYMENT
REAL ESTATE - SALE
BE THE SOMEONE
WHO HELPS A KID BE THE FIRST IN HER FAMILY TO GO TO COLLEGE.
HELP WANTED
MASSAGE
27
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
SERVICES OFFERED
newyorkcares.org
Directory of Business & Services To advertise in this directory Call #BSSZ (212)-868-0190 ext.4 CBSSZ MFXJT@strausnews.com
ANTIQUES WANTED
TOP PRICES PAID
Chinese Objects Paintings, Jewelry Silver, Furniture, Etc. Entire Estates Purchased
800.530.0006
Antique, Flea & Farmers Market SINCE 1979
East 67th Street Market (between First & York Avenues) Open EVERY Saturday 6am-5pm Rain or Shine Indoor & Outdoor FREE Admission Questions? Bob 718.897.5992 Proceeds BeneďŹ t PS 183
Singles, Families including LGBT Thinking of moving to New Jersey? Call Barbara Silber, RealtorÂŽ Direct: 973-280-6086 www.barbarasilber.com Office: 973-251-0100
SUBURBAN 4245 Town Center Way, Livingston NJ 07039
New York Traditional Acupuncture
Neck
Elbow
1BJO 3FMJFG t 'BDJBM 3FKVWFOBUJPO 8FJHIU -PTT t %FQSFTTJPO t *OTPNOJB 4USFTT t 4DJBUJDB t "SUISJUJT t "MMFSHZ
Hand
Free Consultation 212-355-2988
:H DUH D SURXG PHPEHU RI WKH $VVRFLDWHG 3UHVV DQG WKH 1DWLRQDO 1HZVSDSHU $VVRFLDWLRQ
Control Your Own Future ne
sbor E. O
h Smit
Opportunity to BUY Established Real Estate Brokerage Firm with a rich history in serving Greater New York Area since 1887!
*OWFTUPST t 7FOUVSF $BQJUBMJTUT t 4VDDFTTGVM #SPLFST w
No l l Ca
212-986-7644 www.eosbornesmith.com to take the next step into your future!
Knee Ankle
www.acupunctureon.com 30 E. 60th St, New York, NY (bet Park & Madison Ave)
Pain Relief
SOHO LT MFG
462 Broadway MFG No Retail/Food +/- 9,000 sf Ground Floor - $90 psf +/- 16,000 sf Cellar - $75 psf Call Farrell @ Meringoff Properties 646.306.0299
28
FEBRUARY 4-10,2016
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
COME HOME TO GLENWOOD
MANHATTAN’S FINEST LUXURY RENTALS
453*,*/(-: *.13&44*7& ".&/*5*&4 "/% 4&37*$&4
INCLUDING FULL SIZE WASHER/DRYER IN SOME RESIDENCES UPPER EAST SIDE 1 BR FROM $2,895, 2 BRS FROM $4,895, 3 BRS FROM $6,995
MIDTOWN & UPPER WEST SIDE #3 '30. t #34 #"5)4 X 8"4)&3 %3:&3 '30. t #34 #"5)4 '30.
TRIBECA & FINANCIAL DISTRICT #3 '30. t #34 X 8"4)&3 %3:&3 '30. t #34 #"5)4 X 8"4)&3 %3:&3 '30. '3&& 1"3,*/( 8)*-& 7*&8*/( "1"35.&/54 01&/ %":4 ". 1. t /0 '&& 61508/ -&"4*/( 0''*$& %08/508/ -&"4*/( 0''*$&
GLENWOODNYC.COM
Builder | Owner | Manager
Equal Housing Opportunity.