Our Town - March 17, 2016

Page 1

The local paper for the Upper er East Side A ST. PATRICK'S HOUSE TOUR < TO DO, P.13

WEEK OF MARCH

17-23 2016

THE NAME OF THE ROSA IN DISPUTE Rosa Mexicano restaurant chain threatens court action against Selena Rosa Mexicana BY BRYTNIE JONES

The proprietors of a Second Avenue Mexican restaurant have been threatened with court action if they don’t change its name, which the owners of an international chain of eateries claim is “confusingly similar” to theirs. In a “cease-and-desist” letter sent earlier this month, a lawyer for the Rosa Mexicano chain wrote that Selena Rosa Mexicana, on Second Avenue near 89th Street, “unauthorized use” of a trademark is “extremely damaging” and “constitutes trademark infringement and unfair competition.”

Selena Rosa Mexicana’s owners and management say a restaurant chain’s threatened legal action over the Second Avenuen eatery’s name could cost them $100,000. Photo: Brytnie Jones

The letter says that the cuisine and drinks on offer at the two restaurants is furhter cause for confusion to potential customers. It demands that Selena Rosa Mexican stop using the name and update websites and social media accounts to reflect the change. Selena Rosa Mexicana’s owner, Sammy Musovic, who runs the restaurant with his two sons, Sammy Jr. and Johnny Musovic, said that the March 7 letter caught him by surprise and that he is confounded as to why such a “high-end” chain would take such severe action against what he characterized as a “mom and pop shop.” “We have Rosa Mexicano asking us

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MAKING A GAME OF LEARNING At The Caedmaon School, teachers and students use Minecraft across the curriculum BY BRYTNIE JONES

At The Caedmaon School, pupils and students use Minecraft as part of math, social studies, language arts and science curriculums.

OurTownEastSide

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Newscheck Crime Watch Voices Out & About

“Hi, welcome to Caedmon School,” said Dylan Fingeroot. Dylan, a kindergartner, has been his class’ ambassador at the East 80th Street school for the past few weeks. He takes great pride in that responsibility. Caedmon, a Montessori-inspired pre-school and elementary school where students are made to feel at home and as if they could accomplish nearly anything, is incorporating video games into their teaching — at the suggestion of students. Nolan Crohn, a science and technology specialist, heard about Minecraft from his students. After

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City Arts To Do Property 15 Minutes

12 13 16 21

wondering what they were talking about, he played, and discovered, on his own. After taking a liking to the adventure game, Crohn concluded that it could be a useful teaching tool. Shortly after his discovery, librarian and technology specialist Mary Beth Vrazel, who has had less experience in Minecraft, also decided took the challenge of incorporating Minecraft into her classroom. After just two weeks as part of class lessons, the game became the subject of much conversation among staff, students and even parents. Several students are supremely excited about playing the game in school; just as importantly, teachers are thinking through the

Our Take AFFORDABLE, AND UNAFFORDABLE, HOUSING Good news from oppostive ends of the income divide. As we reported last week, there are finally signs that the market for ridiculously tall, ridiculously expensive superscrapers is slowing. CityRealty, the real estate data firm, says sales at the ultra high end are slowing as the China economy sputters and regulators crack down on the use of the buildings as super-sized money-laundering machines. Two of our elected officials deserve credit: Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney has focused people’s attention on the role of anonymous real estate deals in terrorism financing and tax evasion, and Councilmember Ben Kallos led the fight against a skyscraper in Sutton Place on the Upper East Side. That deal fell apart after the developer behind the scheme scuttled into bankruptcy. We’re happy to see things slow down. We’re also happy to finally see some progress on affordable housing. The City Council is expected to vote next week on a plan that would require many developers who want approval for their projects to include affordable units. Neither development will solve our deep divide. But they mark a beginning. Jewish women and girls light up the world by lighting the Shabbat candles every Friday evening 18 minutes before sunset. Friday March 18 – 6:48 pm. For more information visit www.chabaduppereastside.com.

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WHAT’S MAKING NEWS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, pictured in 2014, will lead the council’s likely approval of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s rezoning plan later this month. Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Authority

MAYOR’S ZONING REVISION WINS BACKING A contentious and sweeping rezoning plan proposed by Mayor Bill de Blasio is likely to receive city council approval later this month following some revisions, thereby clearing its most signiďŹ cant hurdle, The New York Times reports. Some council members had previously said the rezoning plan as originally put forth would not have provided sufficient and needed housing for poor residents of the city, The Times said. Following revisions, though, council members said the rezoning plan now includes provisions for new construction to include more units that would be affordable to poorer residents. “Our work has resulted in a plan that addresses the magnitude of our city’s affordability crisis by encouraging smart, sustainable affordable housing production,â€? The city council speaker, Melissa Mark-Viverito, following a city council meeting this week. “The focus of these changes is to provide affordability, one, and two, economic integration.â€? As originally proposed, de Blasio’s plan was criticized by some council members, as well as at the community board level, the newspaper noted.

Is his tech taking over his life?

The mayor and his allies said the plan would have long and far-reaching impact. “Years from now, we will look back on this as a watershed moment when we turned the tide to keep our city a place for everyone,� de Blasio said in a statement.

WOMAN HIT, KILLED IN INTERSECTION A woman was hit and killed by a sanitation dump truck as she crossed First Avenue near 92nd Street early Tuesday morning, the New York Post reported. The 56-year-old was in the crosswalk when she was hit by the truck about 4:20 a.m., according to police officials quoted by the newspaper. The privately owned dump truck was turning onto northbound First Avenue from eastbound 92nd Street, according to sources cited by the paper. The woman was initially thought to have minor injuries but died at New York Presbyterian Hospital about two hours after getting hit. Officials told the paper that the truck’s driver stayed at the scene and was not expected to be charged. The intersection is a dangerous one, according to neighborhood residents quoted by the paper.

NEW AVIAN NEIGHBORS Birds of a feather are ocking to East 83rd Street. A neighborhood resident has in recent weeks put up nearly two dozen birdhouses on the block between York and East End Avenue, attracting both birds and curious two-legged mammals, the New York Post reported. “They add character, but I have no idea who put them there!â€? says Guiditta Scordino, 39, who lives on 83rd. The birdhouse builder, though, was put in touch with the newspaper through a note at a local cafĂŠ, the Yorkafe. “I just want people to enjoy it,â€? the man, who identiďŹ ed himself as “Woodyâ€? told the Post. He told the paper that built the bird abodes from driftwood gathered from local beaches and put them up in the trees under cover of night. The bird homes houses are occasionally inscribed. A couple read “reposeâ€? and “peace,â€? the Post wrote. Another reads “Louise,â€? in memory of a resident who lived on the block for at least 50 years. “New York can be such a tough place,â€? Alexandra Diaz of the Yorkafe told the newspaper. “[Woody] wants everybody to see the beautiful stuff in life.â€?

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CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG

SMUGGLED STATUE SEIZED FROM CHRISTIE’S Two Indian statues that are more than 1,000 years old were seized from Christie’s auction house after investigators discovered they had been smuggled out of the country, eventually landing in New York. The antiquities were to be part of an auction next week. Both are made from sandstone. One statue called “Stele of Rishabhanata” depicts a cross-legged teacher flanked by standing attendants. It is valued at about $150,000 and dates from the 10th century. The second is a rare representation of an equestrian deity,

Revanta, worth $300,000 from the 8th century. Christie’s said in a statement that it would never knowingly offer a stolen work of art and it was cooperating with authorities. “Christie’s devotes considerable resources to investigating the provenance of all objects we offer for sale. This is one of the difficulties the art market faces in vetting antiquities, which is why Christie’s very much values building strong relationships with and between countries of origin, law enforcement, archeologists, and the collecting community,” the statement read. According to a yearslong, ongoing investigation by federal agents and the Manhattan district attorney’s office, the Rishabhanata statue was sold in 2006 or 2007. The Revanta panel contained a piece that had been perfectly broken off to be sold by smugglers after the sale of the main sculpture.

PREVIOUS AND DEVIOUS Police collared one rotten Apple picker. Shortly after noon on Feb. 27, a 43-year-old man

entered the Apple Store at 1981 Broadway and made off with $600 worth of merchandise. He was recognized as a previous trespasser in the store, and police later arrested him on burglary charged.

STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 20th district for 19TH PRECINCT - UES Week to Date 2016 2015

% Chg

2016

2015 % Chg

Murder

0

0

N/A

0

1

-100.0

Rape

0

0

N/A

0

1

-100.0

Robbery

0

2

-100.0

18

17

5.9

Felony Assault

1

4

-75.0

24

24

0.0

Burglary

1

3

-66.7

42

26

61.5

Grand Larceny

24

27

-11.1

220

221

-0.5

Grand Larceny Auto

0

0

N/A

5

4

25.0

BENCHED A dancer learned the hard way about leaving her property unattended. At noon on March 9, an 18-year-old woman placed her bag containing her wallet on a bench in the locker room of the Steps dance studio at 2121 Broadway. When she next looked for her bag, it was gone. Including the bag, cash and credit cards, the total stolen came to $400.

MORE HARD KNOCKS AT EQUINOX Experienced thieves can pick gym lockers in no time at all. At 3:30 p.m. on March 3, a 54-year-old man left his wallet in a locked locker in the Equinox Sports Club at 160 Columbus Avenue. When he returned from his workout, his wallet was missing, along with cash and credit cards totaling $124.

Year to Date

COSMETIC TAKEOVER Pricey cosmetics make tempting targets for shoplifters as well. On Feb. 27, a shoplifter entered the MAC Cosmetics store at 148 Columbus Ave. and made off with 32 bottles of mascara and 35 cosmetic

brushes with a total value of $1,667.

SHRINK FINK The NYPD had just the prescription for one drugstore suffering from shrinkage. On Feb. 26, a 46-year-old man

entered the CVS store at 200 West End Ave. and made off with $2,237 worth of merchandise, concealing it in his jacket. The long arm of the law caught up with him, however, as he was later arrested and charged with grand larceny.

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MARCH 17-23,2016

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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

Photo by Madeleine Thompson

RESIDENTS WORRY ABOUT CHAPIN CONSTRUCTION NOISE NEWS Work on the project expected to ramp up in April BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

HOW TO REACH US:

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Upper East Side residents met Monday to voice their concerns about noise and other disruptions relating to Chapin School’s plans to add three stories, including a glass-encased gym, to its existing eight-story building at East End Ave. and E. 84th Street. Chapin’s initial proposal in January 2015 was rejected by Community Board 8 due to concerns about the construction schedule, traffic congestion and the look of the new addition, but the private school went ahead with the process and was approved to proceed by the city’s Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) in November. They have also been granted variances by the Department of Buildings (DOB) that will allow them to work late at night and on weekends. In order to finish the expansion by the fall of 2018 and avoid disrupting Chapin’s academic activities, construction will take place on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. with after-hours

work until midnight, and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with no after-hours work. “If we didn’t work evenings and if we didn’t work weekends … we felt that it could add two years to the construction schedule,” Allen Frost, vice president of IBEX Construction, told the community meeting on Monday. Residents are most concerned about the working hours, and a lawsuit was filed in early February by the board of directors at a neighboring condo building at 90 East End Ave. to rescind the BSA’s approval of the project and the DOB’s after-hours work permits. A spokesperson from Chapin declined to comment on the lawsuit due to ongoing litigation. Many community members would strongly prefer that the project take longer and be less intrusive. “Take as long as you want,” said Yorkville resident Lisa Paule, who has organized community feedback to the project. “I’m sorry to be skeptical, but just because they say trucks will not idle in front of the co-op at 523-33 [East 84th Street] doesn’t mean that’s the reality. Our experience has shown the opposite.” Paule’s

top request was to have no work on Sundays and more limited work on Saturdays. During Monday’s hour-long meeting, Frost did his best to address community complaints such as workers smoking in the nearby Carl Shurz Park and excessive noise, but the presentation was peppered with passionate expressions of frustration by residents who say they have been awakened by the sound of idling trucks long before the weekend start time of 9 a.m. and have heard inappropriate language used by workers in the park where their kids play, among other issues. Frost said the construction team was taking everyone’s complaints seriously; he mentioned that several workers had already been removed who had not adhered to proper behavior. “We’re on the guys all the time,” Frost said. Noise was by far the most common complaint. “Any noise on the street is too much noise,” one resident said. “Make some progress.” Frost said the workers would be using a quieter electric hoist instead of the loud construction elevator residents complained about during Chapin’s last expansion

in 2008. Though groundwork and excavation has already been underway, construction will pick up in earnest toward the beginning of April. Every two weeks, construction schedules will be sent out to residents who will then be able to discuss them with Chapin and IBEX at monthly community meetings. In a statement, Chapin expressed its appreciation for the “productive dialogue” that took place at the meeting. According to the statement, “the school presently is reviewing and taking under consideration all of the comments it received, including those pertaining to the construction schedule.” Frost encouraged residents to use the construction hotline set up several months ago that logs complaints and notifies construction managers, who he said will be diligent about calling back if no one answers. A spokesperson for Chapin indicated that they would be open to sharing the hotline’s data with residents in order to better engage with community complaints. The hotline can be reached at (212) 606 3225, and residents can also email the school at project@chapin.edu.

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Councilmember Ben Kallos and honoree Mallory Spain

NY1’s Roma Torre, who was the evening’s emcee

TOASTING THIS YEAR’S OTTY WINNERS AWARDS Our Town last week celebrated this year’s crop of OTTY winners at a party and awards ceremony at Mt. Sinai on the Upper East Side.

Honorees included Cardinal Timothy Dolan, 79th Street Neighborhood Association President Betty Cooper Wallerstein, Logos bookstore owner Harris Healy, and others. The event was hosted by Straus News President Jeanne

Straus and Editor-in-Chief Kyle Pope, who, in addition to the honorees, also welcomed Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, State Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright, New York City Public Advocate Letitia James, Manhattan Borough

President Gale Brewer and City Councilmember Ben Kallos.

From left, Public Advocate Letitia James, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, and Straus News President Jeanne Straus

To see photos and profiles of all of the winners, go to www. ourtownny.com

Welcoming remarks by John S. Winkleman, a Mt. Sinai trustee. Photos by George Cade

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Central Park

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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE PARK It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Spring! Signs of Spring are popping up everywhere in Central Park, and while what we consider spring technically begins on March 20, meteorological spring started March 1. You can start to see shoots popping up and owers blooming and hear robins and bluebirds singing, especially around areas such as Shakespeare or Conservatory Gardens. To see which owers bloom in the Conservatory Gardens check out centralpark.com/guide/conservatorygarden-owers. Take a Tour: What a great time to book a tour and learn new things about Central Park. Whether you want to rent a bike, or have a tour guide take you around, check out centralpark.com/guide/ tours.

COMING UP THIS WEEK PUBLIC ART FUND: ISA GENGKEN’S TWO ORCHIDS

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

Isa Genzken’s “Two Orchids,� which rise 34 and 28 feet

No better way to celebrate spring than by visiting the newest Public Art Fund work: artist Isa Genzken’s “Two Orchids,� which rise 34 and 28 feet and appear delicate and willowy, despite their stainless steel construction. When: through August 21. Where: Doris C. Freedman Plaza, located at the corner of 60th Street and Fifth Avenue. For more info visit: centralpark.com/events

CENTRAL PARK ZOO: ICE AGE: NO TIME FOR NUTS 4-D: This fully immersive, high energy show runs 9 minutes. Geared for children ages 6 and up. Location: Central Park Zoo When: Every day between 10 a.m. & 4 p.m. For more info visit: centralpark.com/events

Event listings and Where in Central Park? brought to you by CentralPark.com.

ANSWER TO THE WHERE IN CENTRAL PARK? PREVIOUS QUIZ We invite the community to join us for

NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH Come and Sample Healthy Treats Each week we will cover a different topic and provide prizes and healthy food samples to participants.

Wednesdays March 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30 12 noon – 2 pm

Location Main Lobby, Gracie Square Hospital 420 East 76th Street between First and York Avenues

Do you know where in Central Park this photo was taken? To submit your answer, visit centralpark.com/wherein-central-park. The names of those who answer correctly will appear in the paper and online in two weeks.

Located in the park off of Fifth Avenue near 61st Street, the statue of Thomas Moore is made out of bronze, and sits on a Conway green granite base. It was sculpted by Dennis Sheahan. The statue was commissioned by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, and was unveiled in 1880 on the 101st anniversary of Moore’s birth. Thomas Moore was considered the national bard of Ireland in the early 19th century. He was known as a poet and as an author of lyric songs. Congratulations to Gregory Holman, Joe Ornstein and Bill Ferrarini for answering correctly.

MARCH 17-23,2016

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ANOTHER GROCERY STORE ON THE BRINK

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). Please call for more information about our services and how we can be of assistance.

NEWS Rent at the Associated Supermarket on 14th Street is set to more than triple BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

In what is becoming a recurring ritual in the city, a crowd of customers, nearby residents and elected officials gathered to protest the closing of a local grocery store, this time the Associated Supermarket on W. 14th St. The Sunday protest was led by Councilmember Corey Johnson, and comes as grocery stores throughout New York are being squeezed by rising rents and competition from national chains like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. The closure of a Food Emporium due to bankruptcy sparked protests in Turtle Bay last November, and the eviction of another Associated Supermarket location in Washington Heights was postponed last month after community action. According to Glen Bruno, co-owner of the Associated in Chelsea, the store was informed at the end of January by landlord Pan Am Equities, Inc. that its rent would more than triple, to over $100,000 from $32,000. The supermarket, which has been at that location since 1989, can’t afford to stay, he said. “No one can pay that,� Bruno said. “We thought since we’ve been here a long time that everything would be a lot smoother, but it just doesn’t end up that way.� Bruno said there was no prior indication that the rent would be so dramatically increased, and that he would do the best he could for his employees. “A lot of these people have been here since we started,� Bruno said. While the area around 14th Street and 8th Avenue is hardly lacking in grocery stores, he noted that several other long-time stores in the area have closed recently, as lower-priced stores are replaced by luxury stores catering to the ever-gentrifying neighborhood. Bruno said his other location in Stuyvesant Town, the only

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1-212-666-6666 ;V 1-2 ;V 5L^HYR ;V 3H.\HYKPH Protester Linda Jobe. Photos by Madeleine Thompson other store he owns. had seen much better luck with rent negotiations and would continue to serve the community there. Residents that share the building with Associated are worried they could end up with similar increases. Gary, who declined to give his last name due to his own ongoing negotiations, has lived in the building and shopped at Associated for 30 years. “We have no options,� he said. “This is a horrible loss.� Marc Felix, who lives nearby on Horatio Street, has been shopping at Associated for many years. “It’s the closest, and the prices are definitely cheaper than D’Agostino’s and these gourmet places that open up,� he said. The closest alternatives to Associated include a Westside Market a block over, a Trader Joe’s roughly nine blocks away and a Fairway a block from the Trader Joe’s. But those who gathered to protest are loyal to Associated. “I can find things here that I can’t find anymore — that I was eating as a kid,� said Linda Jobe, who carried a large sign with the word “GREED� crossed out. Outside the store, Johnson led a crowd of at least 50 people in chants of “Save Our Supermarket!�

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One Coupon per Trip. Expires12/31/13 12/31/16

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“We’ll Be There For You!�

WATCH THE PROTEST For video of the supermarket protest, go to our web site, www.ourtownny.com “What you will see over and over again is empty storefronts where previous small businesses existed,â€? Johnson said. “All of these places are vital for the health and well-being and economic diversity of our neighborhoods ‌ This is happening all over the city.â€? Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer also addressed the protesters; “When we lose the pharmacies and the bodegas and the supermarkets, we’re losing the heart and soul of our neighborhood,â€? she said. State Senator Brad Hoylman and Public Advocate Letitia James were among the other elected officials there to show their support. After thanking the crowd, Johnson encouraged attendees to sign a petition for the store at Change.org and said protests against Pan Am would continue. Pan Am officials couldn’t be reached for comment, as of press time.

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Voices

Write to us: To share your thoughts and comments go to ourtownny.com and click on submit a letter to the editor.

Letter

A scene from the HBO series “Vinyl,” set in New York in 1973

LET NEWSPAPERS POLICE THEMSELVES To the Editor:

The New York State ethics board wants to require public relations employees to register as lobbyists if they talk to newspaper editorial boards, editorial writers, or if they write an op-ed piece about public policy issues. This is outrageous on many levels. Newspapers act as the fourth branch of government – one that is essential to a functioning democracy. The First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees press freedom, but carries with it a responsibility to be a watchdog for the people. If newspapers acts as lapdogs to PR hacks, then newspapers don’t deserve the freedoms afforded by the First Amendment. But newspapers by and large take seriously their mission of being the watchdogs and the educators in the communities they serve. And as such, they don’t need PR people to be required to register with the government before they can talk to editorial boards or write an op-ed piece regarding public policy issues. Thank you very much, ethics board, but we’ll do our own fact checking; we’ll talk with our own independent sources, and we’ll make up our own minds on editorial positions. We don’t need the New York State ethics board to put a chill in the air by requiring people to register as lobbyists before talking with their local newspapers about public policy. Influencing public policy by talking directly to policy makers is one thing. Influencing public policy by educating and informing the public in the pages of an independent third-party newspaper is quite another. And if members of the public are then inclined to contact public officials, isn’t that how things are supposed to work? Members of the public (readers) aren’t lobbyists – they are citizens who are entitled to have a voice in their government. Sincerely. Michelle Rea Executive Director The New York Press Association

STRAUS MEDIA your neighborhood news source

REMEMBERING THE BAD OL’ DAYS, FONDLY OP-ED A new TV series takes me back to a scary NYC, which is fine with me BY LORRAINE DUFFY MERKL

Sam Goody stores. Telephone booths with hinged doors. And graffiti that was at once intimidating and mesmerizing. Less than half a dozen episodes into HBO’s “Vinyl,” which is set in 1973, and I’m nostalgic for the dirty, gritty New York City of my youth. No, I am not looking to bring back the good ol’ bad ol’ days, and am relieved that I raised my children in a kinder, gentler Manhattan. But growing up in what I considered my boring outer borough of the

Vice President/CFO Otilia Bertolotti Vice President/CRO Vincent A. Gardino advertising@strausnews.com

Bronx, the danger of “downtown” as we called it, only added to its allure. I spent sophomore year of high school (and a few years after that) wishing my life away, anticipating the day I would be old enough -- and cool enough -- to go to Max’s Kansas City, the Felt Forum, and this new club that opened called CBGB’s, which the much older brothers of my friends talked about. It was the year that the World Trade Center changed our city’s skyline, and I took my first walk on the wild side. I went to Lord & Taylor for a cardigan sweater I’d seen in Seventeen magazine. (The rest of the world was a fashion mishmash of vintage, rock, punk, glam, disco, ‘60s holdovers, or preppy a la Ali

Associate Publishers Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth Regional Sales Manager Tania Cade

MacGraw in Love Story.) It was also the style of the day – at least in high school – to wear Danskin brand ballerina leotards under pullovers and shirts. The department store’s helpful salesgirl told me there was a Capezio nearby in the 40s on Seventh Avenue, in Times Square. I lost track of how many neon signs blinked GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS, how different the people looked from those in my middle class nabe, and how seedy it was. Yes, I was nervous, but that emotion was eclipsed by energy. That was the most exciting place I had ever been in my life. Before I made my way to Madison Avenue to pick up the express bus home, I

called my mother from one of the aforementioned phones on the street so she’d know when to expect me. If I close my eyes and the room is totally silent, with a little concentration I can still hear the sound of her hysterical voice screaming through the earpiece, “Get out of there now!” She also had a hate bag on for high-crime Central Park, where they had free concerts like Carole King and The Eagles. I wasn’t allowed to go to concerts, regardless of where they were. My mother insisted someone would try to slip me drugs, and even if that didn’t happen, she was sure I’d get trampled by the crowd. I feel ya, mom, now that I myself am a mother. I can pretty much guarantee that back then, though, I rolled my eyes. Her trepidations were confirmed by an upperclassman boy, who wanted to impress me by taking me on an afternoon date in NYC. Since neither of us had any money to actually go anywhere or do anything, he decided to just show me the sights. We got off the D train on

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

West 86th Street. The goal was to end up on the Upper East Side so he could point out 1049 Park Avenue, the building where The Odd Couple lived. Today the obvious way to get there would be to cut through the park, but he said it would be safer if we trekked down to Columbus Circle, across Central Park South, and then up Fifth Avenue. We walked and talked all the while, like a couple in a Woody Allen movie, even though at the time I didn’t know who Woody Allen was. A fond memory indeed. Four decades ago, the struggle here was really real; the city was a very unforgiving place, and yet fertile ground for creativity with punk, disco and hip hop emerging simultaneously. To paraphrase Bobby Cannavale’s “Vinyl” character describing how he feels about music, New York City made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, made me want to dance, or go out and kick somebody’s ass. It still does. Lorraine Duffy Merkl is the author of the novels FAT CHICK and BACK TO WORK SHE GOES.

Block Mayors Ann Morris, Upper West Side Jennifer Peterson, Upper East Side Gail Dubov, Upper West Side Edith Marks, Upper West Side

MARCH 17-23,2016

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THE SENIOR DATING SCENE GRAYING NEW YORK BY MARCIA EPSTEIN

I’ve been wanting to write a column about senior dating, but I haven’t had much success in ďŹ nding people who are doing it, or at least talking about it. Since I mostly hang out with women, I’ve heard a few tidbits from them I ďŹ nd interesting. Many of my older women friends are widows, and none of them are interested in marrying again. “I already took care of a sick husbandâ€? is the mantra I hear most often. I occasionally hear stories about women who’ve unexpectedly found love at an older age, and it usually involves money, nice homes and travel. I do hear stories about women who’ve found fulďŹ lling lives for themselves; women who might like a part-time partner but don’t want to cede their space anymore; and women who opine that the available men in their age group are not appealing and in any case the men want younger women. This last “factâ€? comes from friends who had tried the dating scene, Internet or otherwise, and found it awful for our age group. The men, no prizes themselves, were dis-

missive and sometimes even rude. There were no call-backs. These women soon went back to their single lives, determined to make them even better than before. I’m sure men have their own stories, but I do have a few male friends and the overall theme is they want attractiveness, youth and the wish for women to cater to their desires and wishes. Needless to say, these men get my hackles up. I ďŹ nd their attitudes hard to tolerate. I know very many terriďŹ c, accomplished and delightful older women who may not look like “the girl of their dreams.â€? I hope I don’t get angry mail for this column, and I admit this is purely personal experience, but none of it is invented. Limited, true, but not made up. I’d love to hear more on the topic, especially from men. Maybe I’m being unfair. If so, I’d sure like to hear about it. Email me at news@strausnews.com. What about sex? Well, some are and some aren’t and some ain’t saying. An older couple I know have “virtual sex.â€? I assume that means that it’s all in their minds and memories. Some of my older friends have actual sex, but not very often. Most of my really older friends don’t have partners and say

they don’t miss sex. In fact, the idea causes incredulous laughter. The few honest conversations I’ve had have a few themes. No partner, no interest, or much less interest than when young (with some regret mixed in about that). Partnered women often don’t open up much about this. I remember many many years ago when my childrens’ 90-year-old grandfather was in a nursing home. His son (their father) was told that the old man was “still sexually active.� I remember laughing my head off. But I know from a friend who was a social worker in a nursing home that it’s true for many old folks, really old folks. For some, the need and desire for sex never dies. So, as with anything else human, it varies. But, sadly, the urgency of youth does wane considerably, even in sexually active seniors. Hormones wind down for men and women. Menopause causes its own problems. Like everything else with old age, acceptance is the key. I may never snorkel again. I certainly won’t climb a mountain. For others, adventure travel may be over, though a nice beach will still beckon. Sexually speaking, that nice beach may be hugging and affection, or the affectionate sex of a long-time partnership. Or not. Nothing is going to be as it was, and that includes sex. It may or may not disappear entirely from one’s life, but the urgency of youth is gone. Sometimes sex and arthritis or the other conditions of old age don’t mix. Anything good on TV tonight?

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Out & About More Events. Add Your Own: Go to ourtownny.com

Thu 17 THE ARTS OF MUSIC The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave. 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. .m. Free with museum admission Highlighting connections between musical traditions of different people, places and time periods. 212-535-7710

PICTURE BOOK K STORY TIME 67th Street Library, ry, 328 East 67th St. 4 p.m. Free Enjoy a story with friends. 212-734-1717

Fri 18 ART IN THE ROUND OUND Guggenheim Museum, seum, 1071 Fifth Ave. 2 p.m. Free with museum admission Focused on artwork ork by Vasily Kandinsky and freeing ng shape, line and color 212-423-3500. www.guggenheim.org/ org/ new-york/calendar-and-andevents/2016/03/18/art-in-the8/art-in-theround-kandinsky-tour-19/21574 our-19/21574

CAST MEMBERS FROM ‘FIDDLER ON THE ROOF’ ▼ Barnes & Noble. 86th & Lexington Avenue, 150 East 86th St. 4:30 p.m. Free Celebrate the release of “Fiddler on the Roof” with Danny

Bursting and lyricist Sheldon Harnick and performances by cast members 212-369-2180. stores. barnesandnoble.com/ event/9780061765385-0

Sat

19 CAROUSEL OF CAR IDEA IDEAS ▲ Albertine, 972 9 Fifth Ave. 11 a.m., 1 a.m., a.m. 4:30 p.m. Free w/RSVP An inventive and creative to space for young audiences a mind and body. exercise both min 212-650-0070. www. 212-650-0070 albertine.com/events/aalbertine.com/eve carrousel-of-ideas/ carrousel-of-ideas

SKETCHING N NEW YORK LIVES Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave. A 11 a.m.-2 p.m. FFree and Try pencil sketching sketc practicing with live liv models to create your own New York portraits. 212-534-1672. www.mcny. 212-534-1672 org/event/sketching-neworg/event/sketc york-lives-0

MARCH 17-23,2016

Sun 20 THE POP UPS FAMILY CONCERT 1109 Fifth Avenue at 92nd St, Scheuer Auditorium 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Adults/children, $18/$13; adult members/children, $15/$11 212-423-3200. thejewishmuseum.org/calendar/ events/2016/03/20/familyconcert-the-pop-ups-3.20.16

NYC HALF 2016 Central Park, 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue 7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Join the Central Park Conservancy team and help them run the Park all year long. Guarantee your spot in this exciting race and support their mission to restore, manage, and enhance Central Park by raising 1,000 in honor of the Conservancy’s 35th Anniversary. www.centralpark.com/ events/

Mon 21 CB8 COMMITTEE MEETINGS Lenox Hill Hospital, 130 East 77th St., Aron Board Room

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6:30 p.m. Free Joint Zoning & Development and Transportation Committees meeting 212-758-4340. cb8m. com/events/joint-zoningdevelopment-andtransportation-committees

‘ELLING’ Neue Galerie, 1048 Fifth Avenue, Cafe Fiedermaus 4 p.m. Free Petter Naess’ 2001 feature. 212-994-9492

Tue 22 ELLEN FELDMAN The Corner BookStore, 1313 Madison Avenue at 93rd St. 6-7:30 p.m. Ellen Feldman reads from her new book “Terrible Virtue.� 212-831-3554. cornerbookstorenyc.com/event/ ellen-feldman-reads-from-hernew-book-terrible-virtue/

Easter Treats

death. 212-415-5500. www.92y. org/Event/Shakespeare-Goesto-Hollywood

Egg Shaped Cake Cupcakes with Chicks Easter Butter Cookies Bunny Shaped Bread

Wed 23 CONFLICTS, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE IN AFRICA Hunter College. Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute, 47-49 East 65th St. Room 204 1:15-2:45 p.m. Free Student-faculty roundtable discussion, in which Professor Jill Rosenthal, will address conicts human rights issues, and resistance of many African states to prosecutions by International Criminal Court 212-396-7948. www.hunter. cuny.edu/calendar/#/?i=1

REMEMBERING WOMANHOUSE â–ź

National Academy Museum, 1083 Fifth Avenue at 5 East ‘A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS 89th St., Assembly Hall 6:30-8 p.m. Free DREAM’ A panel featuring original Womanhouse artists Mira Schor 92nd Street Y, Lexington and Faith Wilding, along with Avenue at 92nd Street curator, writer, and gallerist Kat 2 p.m. From $30 Film historian Philip Harwood Griefen. 212-369-4880. www. discusses and presents nationalacademy.org/ screenings of classic ďŹ lm remembering-womanhouseadaptations of Shakespeare’s panel-discussion/ plays in honor of the 450th anniversary of the playwright’s

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Frank Stella, “The Honor and Glory of Whaling,” Hollis Taggart Galleries Photo by Adel Gorgy

A haunting woodblock print by Edvard Munch at the Armory Show 2016 Photo by Adel Gorgy

GLOBAL VISIONS, ONE ADDRESS AT THE ARMORY ART SHOW The massive art fair isn’t just for billionaires BY MARY GREGORY

Tired feet were a small price to pay for the chance to see the latest art from 36 countries in one weekend. The Armory Show, in its 22nd year,

filled Piers 92 and 94 from March 3rd through the 6th with over 200 galleries and thousands of works by contemporary and modern artists. For a few days each year, those who make the art world hum come to New York to create new buzz. The Armory Show’s galleries brought blue chip names, breakout artists, and new discoveries to tempt moguls, movie stars, and millionaires (billionaires,

too) and lots of other art lovers. If you missed the Frank Stella show at the Whitney, you had a chance to pick one up here. If you loved the Munchs at the Neue Galerie, there was a whole wall for sale at John Szoke. While the opening night featured glitterati-studded, paparazzi-flooded parties, after that, it was still packed, but sane. Collectors, museum directors and curators make their lists and scout for deals the way many of us shop at department stores. Price tags ranged from under $1,000 well into the millions. Polite, knowledgeable gallerists were happy to discuss artists and works and answer questions. There were cubist faces by Picasso and bold, proud portraits by contemporary artist Kehinde Wiley. Ruth Asawa’s sculptures were delicate and airy. Alma Thomas is an underappreciated African-American abstractionist whose paintings beam with color and joy. One of Alice Aycock’s masterful, swirling sculptures recalling paper caught in the wind from the series that graced Park Avenue in 2015 was presented at New York’s Marlborough Gallery. Stockholm’s Wetterling

Emil Nolde’s radiant sunset “Schwüler Abend” ca. 1946 Photo by Adel Gorgy

Gallery brought a selection of David Hockneys, Robert Rauschenbergs and James Rosenquists. Federico Herrero’s “Barco,” 2015, at Sies + Höke, Düsseldorf, had the simple geometry and muted tones of a Morandi, but inflated to monumental size. You could find gorgeous Morandis at Galleria d’Arte Maggiore. Emil Nolde’s lush sunset in red at Galerie Ludorff drew me from across the room, despite its modest dimensions. So did a pairing of two de Kooning abstractions at DC Moore. Donald Ellis Gallery presented an astonishing collection of Plains Indian ledger drawings that were an eloquent, evocative surprise. There were portraits, landscapes, still-lifes, photographs, sculptures, installations, a pink rocket ship, dolls and political comments made in paint, paper, marble, steel, fabric, comput-

ers and even lint. The Armory Show features a curated section each year; this year’s was a focus on contemporary artists and galleries from Africa. Fourteen galleries and dozens of artists and curators made the journey. Echo Art, from Lagos, Nigeria, presented a series of large photographs by Namsa Leuba that merge aspects of portraiture, dance and fashion into colorful, arresting images. New York is the cultural capital of the world. Every artist on the planet wants to figure out how to get to Carnegie Hall. More than 200 organizations brought their best right to us. If you haven’t been to an art fair, you might think they’re not for you—too elitist, too perplexing. But they’re not. They’re great, condensed ways to see new things, think new thoughts, and enrich your world.

MARCH 17-23,2016

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ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND

thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY

Fast Food: The Good, Bad and Hungry

THURSDAY, MARCH 17TH, 6:30PM Mid-Manhattan Library | 455 Fifth Ave. | 212-340-0863 | nypl.org Culinary writer Andrew F. Smith will be on hand for a talk centered on the fast food industry and the often unethical reasons for its wild success. (Free)

How Japanese Cars Changed the World: An Insider’s Look

TUESDAY, MARCH 22ND, 6:30PM Japan Society | 33 E. 47th St. | 212-832-1155 | japansociety.org A paint conservator found that the servant bedroom was painted a light blue, perhaps to reflect light in the room, which was without the gas lighting present in the rest of the house. Photo courtesy of the Merchant’s House Museum.

A ST. PAT’S HOUSE TOUR TO DO BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

For those interested in a taste of bygone city life, the Merchant’s House Museum on Fourth Street offers a glimpse at urban dwelling in the 19th century. Built in 1832, the preserved home was occupied by the affluent Tredwell family for almost a century and is still outfitted with the family’s furniture. It’s also haunted, some say. Emily Wright, the museum’s communications and programs manager, shares the history of the family, the home and the Irish women who worked in the house and are the subjects of an upcoming St. Patrick’s Day tour.

THE HISTORY The Erie Canal opened in the 1820s and it was transformative for New York; it helped turn New York from a small port city into a thriving metropolis. You could send goods up the Hudson and out the Erie Canal to the rest of North America, and it changed the face of New York. It brought a lot more people to New York, and a lot more money. Young men who entered this new merchant class of importing and exporting made a tremendous amount of money. So Seabury Tredwell was born on Long Island and he came to New York as a young man and made his fortune as a hardware merchant. In the 19th century,

hardware meant anything made out of metal. Not just hammers and nails but also things like picture frames or pots and pans, buttons, anything that might be made of metal. He moved his family to Fourth Street here in 1835. A lot of members of the merchant class were leaving the congested seaport area downtown and moving up to this neighborhood at this time.

THE STAFF When New York really started to change and members of this new merchant class began making money, they developed a strong need for servants. Families who just a couple generations before never would have been able to dream of having live-in help all of a sudden could afford to have servants living and working in their homes. The Tredwell’s are no exception. We know from census records that they always had four women in residence on Fourth Street. And the census also tells us that these women primarily were Irish immigrants. It was extremely common to have Irish women working as servants in your home. It was actually so common that Bridget, a traditionally Irish name, became a slang term. Instead of talking about the maids you had in your house you might talk about the Bridgets you employed.

THE WORK The thing that was surpris-

IF YOU GO: Merchant’s House Museum 29 E. Fourth St., near Lafayette Street Museum hours: Thursday, noon-8 p.m.; Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, noon-5 p.m. Admission: $13 St. Patrick’s Day tours included with general admission For more information, visit merchantshouse.org or call 212-777-1089 ing to me in developing the [St. Patrick’s Day] tour was the amount of agency servants developed because there was such a demand for servants. If you were particularly skilled and you had experience, you really had a surprising amount of say in how much you were paid and time off and things like that…Social life in the 19th century, there were interesting nuances. You would have dinner parties and there were specific rules about how you would serve the food, so you needed a servant who was sort of savvy in that way, who was up on what the trends were so when you were entertaining your friends, your servants would be able to carry it all off without a hitch. And so as a servant if you really knew what you were doing that gave you a surprising amount of power.

Tokyo-based motor journalist and host of the international car show Samurai Wheels Peter Lyon examines the highlights of Japan’s car industry, and looks at the latest technologies including artificial intelligence, pedestrian safety and autonomous driving. ($13)

Cabaret Series: Textile Tests | The Future of Textiles in Design

TUESDAY, MARCH 29TH, 7PM Storefront for Art and Architecture | 97 Kenmare St. | 212-431-5795 | storefrontnews.org Brick, metal and plastic aren’t the only means to forms and spaces. Hear about the future of textiles in design from a panel of experts that includes masters of weaving, 3D printing and 3D embroidery. (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.

MARBLE COLLEGIATE CHURCH

EASTER 2016 Sunday, March 27 Services at 9:00 & 11:00am For a full listing of Holy Week events, visit MarbleChurch.org

Dr. Michael B. Brown, Senior Minister 1 West 29th Street New York, New York 10001 212 686 2770 MarbleChurch.org

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MARCH 17-23,2016

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RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS FEB 16 - MAR 9, 2016

Noglu New York

1266 Madison Ave

Not Yet Graded (19) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.

Amor Cubano

2018 3 Avenue

Grade Pending (19) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Moon House Chinese Restaurant

1810 3 Avenue

Grade Pending (16) Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.

El Nuevo Caribeno Restaurant

1675 Lexington Avenue

Grade Pending (24) Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Steak And Hoagies

1657 Madison Ave

Grade Pending (38) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Best Lexington Pizza

1634 Lexington Avenue

A

China House Chinese Restaurant

1624 Madison Avenue A

Double Dragon 88

2037 1St Ave

A

Thai Wok

1406 Madison Ave

Grade Pending (29) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food worker does not wash hands thoroughly after using the toilet, coughing, sneezing, smoking, eating, preparing raw foods or otherwise contaminating hands. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Hamza Pizza

1976 3Rd Ave

Not Yet Graded (15) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Mamagyro

165 E 106Th St

Not Yet Graded (33) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Megasun Restaurant

1773 Lexington Avenue

Grade Pending (39) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.

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 www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/services/restaurant-grades.page. Bistro Le Steak

1309 3 Avenue

A

Butterfield Market

170 East 70 Street

A

Zucchero E Pomodori

1435 2Nd Ave

A

Nino’s Restaurant

1354 1 Avenue

A

Persepolis

1407 2 Avenue

Grade Pending (22) 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. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Corrado Bread And Pastry

960 Lexington Avenue A

Mile 17

1446 1St Ave

A

The Green Bean Cafe

1413 York Avenue

A

Creative Cakes

400 East 74 Street

A

Delizia Ristorante

1374 1 Avenue

A

Beach Cafe

1326 2 Avenue

A

The Allie Way Sports Bar

413 East 70 Street

A

Shoga-Sushi & Oyster Bar

1698 2 Avenue

A

Via Quadronno

1228 Madison Ave

A

Falafel Off The Corner

1764 1St Ave

A

Enthaice

1598 3 Avenue

B

Vinus And Marc

1825 2Nd Ave

Grade Pending (32) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.

Auction House

300 East 89 Street

A

Libertador

1725 2 Avenue

A

Kaia Wine Bar

1614 3 Avenue

A

Glaser’s Bakery

1670 1 Avenue

A

Domino’s

200 East 89 Street

A

Parlor Steak And Fish

1600 3 Avenue

A

Hughes Tavern

1682 1 Avenue

A

Manny’s On Second

1770 2 Avenue

Grade Pending (22) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Evidence of rats or live rats 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. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Jj Brown Cup

1707 2Nd Ave

A

Thais New York

1718 2Nd Ave

A

MARCH 17-23,2016

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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

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Why Drive? For Information Call: Academy 1.800.442.7272 ext. 2353 www.academybus.com Much of Chelsea Waterside Play Area is in disrepair. A $1.5 million capital campaign, organized by the Friends of Hudson River Park, is underway. Photo: Jeffrey Kopp

WATER PARK GETTING MAKEOVER $1.5 million capital campaign aims to refurbish Chelsea’s Waterside Play Area BY JEFFREY KOPP

During a recent warm spell, the city’s parks were bustling as New Yorkers shed a few layers and looked to embrace spring’s imminent arrival. The Chelsea Waterside Play Area, long a popular spot in a neighborhood devoid of children’s parks, would typically be among those teeming spots. But with the play area in desperate need of some TLC, the playground at 11th Avenue and West 23rd Street was nearly empty of visitors on a recent Thursday. Its rubbery surface, designed to be safer than concrete, has chunks missing, and climbing equipment has been cordoned off because it has become unsafe. But with much of the park’s drainage system damaged or blocked, it’s the park’s water features — where children splash around during warm days from spring through fall — that will perhaps be most missed this year. Friends of Hudson River Park, the nonprofit that oversees that park as well as Waterside, has begun a capital campaign to fund renovations. The plan is to completely renovate the play area. “We could do a Band-Aid, quick fix for these problems, but that’s sort of ignoring the fact that the park is already 15 or 16 years old. Or we could just do a full repair and rebuild the whole thing,” said Greg Was-

serman, who co-chairs the capital campaign with his wife, Melissa. “Fifteen years ago it was cutting edge and we want to make sure we do that again today.” The campaign hopes to raise $1.5 million, of which Councilman Corey Johnson office has already contributed $170,000 a nd com m itted a not her $650,000. “It’s hard to overstate the importance of parks and playgrounds,” Johnson said in a statement. “Successful cities provide their residents with access to open space, to greenery, light and air, places for human interaction and places where kids can be kids.” Signe Nielsen, the landscape architect for the project and a longtime New Yorker, is in charge of redesigning the park. In January, she and her staff organized a design charrette that drew about 25 residents, including children. Nielsen said the overwhelming sentiment was to keep the water features a central part of the park. “Everyone felt that the fundamental character of the playground and what it’s known for should remain the emphasis of the new design,” she said. But because the park is relatively small, she said the challenge is “balancing fun and imagination and exploration of children with safety,” as well as making sure that the park is enjoyable during winter, when the water features are turned off. Nielsen and staff are still working on a theme, which

would involve both visual elements and objects for children to play on. Eileen O’Brien, a midtown resident who visits the park regularly with her granddaughter, Isla, praised the park and looked forward to when it would be fully functional again. “In the summertime [the water features] are great, it gets so hot and people can really enjoy it,” she said. But she also would like the park to include some traditional amenities. “I wish there were some swings,” she said. More shade for those who aren’t splashing around, such as herself, would be nice too, O’Brien said. Donations to the capital campaign made until March 31 will also be matched by the Philip & Janice Levin Foundation, which has made similar contributions to other city parks, including Central Park and the High Line. “This project is really parents who are taking this on themselves with the guidance of Friends of Hudson River Park,” said Gregory Boroff, the executive director of Friends of Hudson River Park and also a Chelsea resident. “I’m surprised and amazed by the time they’re spending and everything they’re doing – they’re leaving their own jobs to go to meetings and putting so much personal effort into this. This is an opportunity where people are really walking the walk.”

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MARCH 17-23,2016

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

Property In Brief BICYCLE LANES CONSTRUCTION SET TO BREAK RECORD Bike lanes similar to this one could be added to several Upper East Side crosstown streets. Photo: Helen K, via flickr

The Department of Transportation announced that 2016 would see a record breaking number of protected bike lanes built in the city. Protected bike lanes are those that use a barrier of some sort—such as planters, parked cars or posts—to separate bikers from vehicle traffic. The DOT said in their statement that 12 miles of protected bike lanes were built last year, and that more than 15 miles are in the works for 2016 in all five boroughs, as part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s “new $115 million investment in street redesign and traffic-calming measures on key thoroughfares citywide.” According to WNYC, protected bike lanes average at around $600,000 per mile, bringing the price tag for 15 miles of bike lanes to $9 million. DOT officials said the federal government would be able to reimburse them for much of the cost. The initiative will surely be met with praise by areas like Community Board 7, which has repeatedly voted in favor of a protected bike lane on Amsterdam Ave., but Community Board 18 district manager Dorothy Turano told the Brooklyn Daily that the board would “never, in any way, endorse bike lanes on Flatbush Avenue” due to the dangerous traffic flow. Flatbush Avenue is slated to get a protected lane connecting it to Marine Park.

CITY SEES ALL-TIME HIGH IN JOB GROWTH The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) announced that 249,000 jobs were added between the time Mayor de Blasio took office in January 2014 and December 2015—the most growth in a two-year period in the city’s history. There are now 4.29 million jobs total, with the strongest employment gains in healthcare and social services. “These numbers reflect what we’re seeing on the ground. More businesses launching and growing here in New York City. More New Yorkers finding good jobs in all five boroughs,” NYCEDC President Maria Torres-Springer said in a statement. According to the New York Times, the 58 percent of the city’s population that is employed is its highest rate in “at least four decades.” The population itself, at roughly 8.5 million, is also at a high, along with the record-breaking 58.3 million visitors of 2015. NYC & Company, the city’s marketing agency, forecast that 59.7 million tourists will visit this year—a 2.4 percent increase.

CLOSING TIME FOR LOCAL BARS NEWS Sports bars, home brewing cuts into business BY JOYCE M. ROSENBERG

Taps are running dry and doors are closing at neighborhood bars across the country. That has left the remaining ones to try to find ways to stay afloat. One in six bars closed between 2004 and 2014, according to market research firm Nielsen. More than 600 close each month, with just 334 opening. The neighborhood bar closures are happening as more people are getting their alcoholic drinks from restaurants, cavernous sports bars with scores of TV screens, brewpubs and at home. Besides the increasing competition, neighborhood bars also are contending with other challenges, including rising costs for expenses such as rent. For instance, when the rent doubled seven years ago at Mumbles in New York City, running a neighborhood bar became more difficult for owner David Feldman. Online reservation and order-taking services took more bites out of his profits. At the end of January, after 22 years, Mumbles closed. “It’s getting harder and harder. The bigger corporate restaurants have tons of money, that seems to be the way things are going,” says Feldman, who still has two restaurants in Manhattan, one of which will now employ one of Mumbles’ bartenders. The number of neighborhood bars has declined as drinking habits have changed, says Lester Jones, chief economist with the National Beer Wholesalers Association, a trade group. Tougher laws on underage drinking and drunk driving have cut into consumption. The growth of in-home pay TV services has also had an impact; when relatively few

homes had cable in the early 1970s, sports fans went to bars to see games that weren’t on broadcast TV. There were nearly 10 million cable subscribers in 1975 and close to 100 million pay TV subscribers last year, including cable, satellite and telephone companydelivered services, according to research firm SNL Kagan. People don’t need the corner bar. When consumers do go out, they have a rapidly growing number of choices. Restaurants including national chains have bars and advertise their beverages as much as their food. They’re also the kind of place where parents can take their kids and have a beer with their meals. And the chains are growing; the number of Buffalo Wild Wings locations has tripled from 370 in 2005 to 1,136 by the end of 2015. Rising costs also have hurt neighborhood bars. Rent increases, in particular, are typical of areas that are trendy or have high real estate taxes. Urban areas where residents have big incomes have

seen the largest increases in rents for retail space, which includes bars, says Ryan McCullough, a senior economist with CoStar Group, a real estate information provider. Rents in those areas nationwide are up an average 9.4 percent since the high they reached before the recession. But in areas where demand for real estate is particularly high, rent increases can be substantially higher. Rents on a trendy stretch of Broadway in Manhattan not far from Mumbles soared 42 percent between the fall of 2014 and this past fall, according to the Real Estate Board of New York, a trade group. Other cities see similar increases: In Miami, retail rents rose an average of nearly 33 percent from 2011 to last year, with rates in the hottest areas climbing at a higher pace, according to Cushman & Wakefield, a real estate services company. In addition to higher rent, neighborhood bars have to contend with other rising costs. Larger companies with mul-

tiple locations can buy beer, liquor and food at lower prices because they get bigger discounts -- the New York State Liquor Authority mandates a 40 percent discount on purchases of 50 cases, compared to 20 percent on five cases. A higher minimum wage and rising insurance costs also sap profits, says Tess Collins, who runs McGeary’s in downtown Albany, New York. But Collins brightens as she talks about McGeary’s customers. The bar draws a regular after-work crowd and people visiting the state capital on business. Families show up on weekends. There are seven TVs in the main bar and two in a back room, but Collins finds her customers are more interested in talking to each other than watching a game. “I have an awesome community here,” says Collins, whose bar is nearby Recovery Sports Grill, a sports bar and restaurant that has 35 screens and is part of an 11-location chain. “Everybody knows each other.”

MARCH 17-23,2016

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

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MARCH 17-23,2016

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

Chapter 2

Everything you like about Our Town is now available to be delivered to your mailbox every week in the Eastsider From the very local news of your neighborhood to information about upcoming events and activities, the new home delivered edition of the Eastsiderwill keep you in-the-know.

Illustration by John S. Winkleman

EVE, AGAIN

And best of all you won’t have to go outside to grab a copy from the street box every week.

Welcome to the second installment of our firstever serialized novel. If you missed Chapter 1, you can find it on the web, at www. ourtownny.com BY ESTHER COHEN

It’s your neighborhood. It’s your news.

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Eve had the kind of beauty you know you’ll remember forever. Some faces just fade, minutes after you see them, and then there are others, those faces that hold something unexpected, something you’ve just never seen before. Like wonder. Or tragedy. Or deep surprise. When I saw Eve the first

time, we were both in a college class – it could have been Milton, it could have been Keats – that’s how much I paid attention. She was across the room, looking out the window as though she could see something the rest of us just could not. We lived in the same megadorm where people crammed into every cranny, and there, we became friends, inseparable for a while. We both had the Living in New York idea. She grew up in a small town in the south, NoWhereville, she called it. I was from the same kind of place, a New England factory town with a thin crooked river dividing the town in two. After graduation, we each found our apartment, a sixth floor walkup in a building where more than one of the inhabitants juggled. More people juggled then. Our apartment was small, but there was a couch, one of those deep velvet Goodwill

couches that many people had, where visitors lived for weeks on end. Eve was an only child. Her mother was a southern lady who’d call each morning and ask her the same question: How are you, honey? She meant ‘Are You Married Yet?’ After her first futile fiancé, Eve decided she’d get a job while she studied acting. One week in class she was even Blanche DuBois. Her first job was selling Lancome perfume and makeup on Bloomingdale’s first floor. The first floor is always a party, and everyone who walks through is invited. That idea suited Eve. So did the free bags and many samples. Before long we had a lifetime supply. On the perfume floor, handing out her samples, wearing a dress that made her look like Good Witch Glenda, an adult version of a tutu really, she met Contender Number Two, a man named Barry.

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Chapter 3

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Mrs. Irsael Mrs. Israel, far more proper than anyone else in our building, many of us are would-be jugglers, she even carried a handbag matching her shoes, sometimes navy, sometimes black, never ever brown, Mrs. Israel, her hair from another time and world, although she would never say, exactly, where she was born, always polite, always vague, Mrs. Israel was the ďŹ rst to invite Eve and me into her apartment, for biscuits and tea. We are both coffee types, though not tea adverse. I wanted to be a painter then and envisioned large canvases emblazoned with words. For a while, I even made some: cantaloupe, written in Indigo blue, one of my most successful canvases. Eve intended to be her version of Kim Stanley, an actress who could make any part her own. We worked, both of us, in any jobs we could. I was an Office Temp, tying my Big Hair into a semi-respectable knot. Unfailingly polite, Mrs. Israel introduced herself in the elevator one day. She even shook our hands. “You’re new,â€? she said. “Can you both come for tea this Saturday afternoon?â€?

Her voice was as clipped as an English grammar teacher. “Please do,â€? she added. Our building, ungentriďŹ ed Upper West Side Ramshackle, has a particular kind of illogical charm. The lobby looks a little like a well-lit subway stop, and the walls are a color that’s almost yellow. Old fashioned grey trim borders the hallways, mild effort at decoration. Walking into Mrs. Israel’s apartment was an unexpected surprise. It’s always hard to tell what’s behind any door but a country cottage studio was not a logical option: oral drapes, a cabbage rose couch, painted china tea cups, porcelain tea pot for guests. First she shook our hands, as though we were at a reception, and she repeated her name for us to memorize: “Mrs. Israel.â€? No hint that a ďŹ rst name existed. Although we had never made what might be called polite conversation before that afternoon, weather talk (she even raised the price of tomatoes – they’d been cheap once, and now they weren’t) there was something reassuring about the back and forth, simple sentences between neighbors. “Tell me where you both were born,â€? she said. “New England,â€? I replied.

“I’m a Southerner,â€? said Eve. “Aha,â€? was all she answered. “And you,â€? I asked. “What about you?â€? “My parents,â€? she paused, maybe to be dramatic, “they came from Eastern Europe. A while ago,â€? she said. “But I was lucky enough to be born right here.â€? “Where’s right here?â€? I asked. An innocent question, really. “Near enough.â€? More than that she would not say. Propriety seemed to be her predominant characteristic. Her hair was more than neat. It was an immovable helmet that looked painted on. Ageless, her body was hidden away by an actual navy suit. She even wore a pin on her lapel, a small tasteful ower. We were thrift store ironic. Not entirely unfamiliar. We all sat awkwardly across from one another, a small table connecting us. She had matching sugar and creamer and tea pot, lightly owered in yellow and pink. She poured with familiarity and grace. “I’ll tell you who I am, “ she said. “But gradually. Don’t think I don’t have my secrets. I do.â€? She spoke softly. For more on Esther Cohen, go to esthercohen.com

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MAKING A GAME

THE NAME OF THE ROSA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

game’s permutations and how those can be further assimilated into the school’s mission. Crohn and Vrazel hope to become “Minecraft ambassadors” by the end of the school year and, in turn, help teachers incorporate the game into math, social studies, language arts and science lesson plans. “The enthusiasm that the teachers have for it, and the kids clearly have for it, is indication of a true learning experience. I think every learning experience should be fun and there should be joy, and working with young kids is all about joy and experience and discovery,” Caedmon’s assistant head of school, Lisa Oberstein, said. Oberstein had heard of Minecraft from her nephews, but when she heard about the game’s educational version and the experiences that Crohn and Vrazel had with their students, she became all the more intrigued about the teaching possibilities. “Looking at digital citizenship as being digital leaders and recognizing that when you are doing something online, it’s a real reflection of who you are in real life,” she said. “So, giving kids opportunities to try things out in ways that are not just like Facebook or Instagram ... but really integrating education into something that they’ve already been studying is super powerful because the kids already love it.” Minecraft was created by a Swedish video game programmer in 2009 and eventually grew into a multilayered venture that invites players to work together to create complex, imaginative worlds. Recently, a version of the game expressly designed for use in the classroom, MinecraftEdu, has provided an educational remix to the already popular game. MinecraftEdu, composed by teachers for teachers, provides already created worlds and lesson plans. But the site gives teachers free range to create their own worlds, lessons and even rules to the game. Some lessons include learning about volume, recreating stories or settings from novels, crisis management and coding, just to name a few. Crohn uses the game during a lesson he created about the Inca. Via Minecraft, students are challenged to inhabit the Inca’s day-to-day lives in the pre-Columbian empire. The students are set assignments and usernames at the beginning of the class, which, depending on the lesson, change often. Fifth-grader Karolina Kocica said that she particularly enjoyed the game’s “infinite amount of possibilities. “ “You’re not just learning, you’re learning about nature and the environment. For example, they take the forest so you can access it in your school and you can learn about it like you’re there,” she said. “I look at it as a white canvas that you can fill with any color and do anything with”. Another fifth-grader, Camille Norman, said she was discovering things about Minecraft she had no idea that one could do within the game. “Mr. Crohn has created a world for us to go and live like the Incas and it’s fun and creative,” Camille said. Crohn says that there are so many possibilities and parallels that match students’ interest in Minecraft that the learning aspect sneaks up on them. During a recent third-grade lesson, Vrazel’s pupils were hard at work building longhouses to complement their social studies lesson on Northeastern Native Americas when one was set on fire. An initial moment of chaos and panic turned into a lesson in problem solving and crisis management. “Some of the things the kids come up with, it’s like, ‘well, that’s a clever way of doing it.’ It’s really fun. You never know what’s going to happen, it’s sort of like a real life experience in a virtual world,” Vrazel said. The game can provide a sense of community for students, who interact with one another inside the classroom as well as within the game’s universe. It also inspires teamwork, with students taking different roles and responsibilities within their Minecraft worlds. Crohn said that when students leave the Caedmon School and further their education elsewhere, the biggest lesson he hopes that they take with them is about digital citizenship and digital community building. “What you do technologically can effect people just as much if not more as what you do in interpersonal relationships. My hope is that when they are on social media, or texting, or commenting on anything else, that it’s not a faceless or anonymous thing,” said Crohn said. “It’s just like it is if you’re working together on Minecraft, there is a real person behind the computer.” MinecraftEdu proves itself as an easy, fun and exciting learning experience, not only for the students, but for staff. It is a combination of creativity and learning, with few restrictions or limitations. Minecraft could just be the game changing answer to a real learning experience.

to change our name and we really don’t want to do that because we’re hot right now and we want to continue to stay in business. We have 30 workers who we want to keep their jobs and be able to support their families,” Musovic said. His son, Sammy Jr., suggested the legal action threatens the eatery’s existence. “We’ve been catering to the neighborhood for a while now. For the last two years, we haven’t had any interruptions in our business, but our recent successes has bought us attention,” said Sammy Jr., whose family took over the restaurant two years ago from its former owner and changed its name from Cilantro to its current incarnation. “We’re hoping we can get through it because it’s putting

MARCH 17-23,2016

a lot of us in financial jeopardy. We’re a family-run business but our workers are family as well, and we hope to also keep them happy.” Rosa Mexicano’s flagship establishment, on First Avenue near 58th Street, opened in 1984. There are 16 other Rosa Mexicano locations, including three in New York. Other restaurants under the banner operate in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Atlanta, Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C., Dubai and elsewhere. Armando Martado, Selena Rosa Mexicana’s manager, and Cilantro’s for years before that, said the food at the two eateries is very different. “It doesn’t make sense. It’s a totally different name. Your name is Rosa Mexicano and ours is Selena Rosa Mexicana. Very different!” Martado said. The Musovics said it took two years to build their brand and clientele, and to

start over with advertisement, menus, logos and a website would be a huge setback. Complying with the letter’s orders would ultimately cost more than $100,000, they said. A lawyer for Rosa Mexicano did not return messages seeking comment. Martado and Sammy Musovic Jr. said they would reach out to their counterparts at Rosa Mexicano to try and reach some sort of compromise that permits them to keep their name. “We have to tell them, “Look, we’re not doing anything wrong. We’re a totally different restaurant,’” Musovic said. “We just want to stay in business and continue doing what we’re good at. We’re following the American dream here, we have a place and just want to run it and be successful.”

Sports ASPHALT GREEN SWIMMERS WIN

Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics (AGUA) claimed the Metropolitan Junior Olympic Championships with a score of 3328 points, beating Long Island Aquatic Club, which scored 2680.5. AGUA’s win marked Long Island Aquatic Club’s first defeat in more than a decade. The meet is the regional championship for swimmers ages 14 and under.

MARCH 17-23,2016

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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

A HOLOCAUST TALE, SET TO MUSIC Q&A How a heroic story made its way to the musical stage BY HEATHER STEIN

Written by and starring Shira Ginsburg - whose day job is as a Cantor at a Manhattan synagogue -- “Bubby’s Kitchen” is a one-woman musical about Ginsburg’s grandparents. The show chronicles their work as resistance fighters against the Nazis as they survived for years in the forests of Belarus during World War II. More than 30,000 Jews emerged from the forests at the end of the war, and the show details their fight against the Nazis, their liberation, and their eventual move to America. Ginsburg talks about the show -- scheduled for the Manhattan JCC in April -- and what it means, along with musical director Rick Bertone and lyricist Jonathan Comisar.

What is Bubby’s Kitchen about? Shira Ginsburg: Bubby’s Kitchen is about the most special place on earth to me – my grandparents’ home and kitchen, a little brick house on a little sweet street. On the outside, it was nothing particularly unique, but on the inside was the center of my world, and the Jewish world of Troy, N.Y. It’s about the journey of learning how to process all of the people, stories and experiences swirling around you when you’re a child and how those things synthesize in you as you figure out how to become your true self. It’s at once poignant, lighthearted, heartbreaking and hilarious. Rick Bertone: Bubby’s Kitchen is a glimpse into the family of holocaust survivors and how that life experience shaped future generations of the Ginsburg family. To me, it is a story of hope, love, and faith set against one of mankind’s darkest moments. Jonathan Comisar: It’s about Shira Ginsburg’s special relationship with the women in her family, emphasizing the influence her remarkable bubby Yudis Ginsburg has had on Shira’s life. As Shira tells us in one of

IF YOU GO What: Bubby’s Kitchen When: April 28 - April 30, 7:30 p.m. Where: Manhattan JCC, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th Street For more info: www.bubbyskithcen.com her monologues, all the lessons of life and love and Jewishness, she learned in her grandmother’s kitchen.

How did the show take shape? Ginsburg: As soon as I decided I would tell this story, it basically wrote itself. Choosing just a few stories to highlight out of the hundreds that I had swirling in my mind was the challenge. Directly after the first performance, audience members came up to me telling me how much it resonated for them, and asked if I would come perform in their communities. In that moment, Bubby’s Kitchen took on a life of its own and has traveled to over 25 communities, entirely on word of mouth. Bertone: I came on board in 2013 with the previous director, a colleague of mine from

“Spamalot” and a classmate of Shira’s from undergrad. Comisar: Shira and I met through the Cantor world. I too am an ordained Cantor. Shira had an inkling that my musical backgrounds and composition style would be good fits for the show she was developing. When Shira approached me and asked if I would consider writing original music for this, I gave her an open-ended response: ‘Let’s sit together in a room with a piano and see if we can come up with something together. Let’s see if the chemistry is there.’ And after we wrote our first song together, we both were proud of our collaboration and realized we were a match.

What message in the show is critical for a New York audience to hear now? Ginsburg: We are so polarized as a nation politically, I think it is crucial that we take time to appreciate that the diversity of our neighbors and our ability to live together in such close proximity of each other in such a peaceful way is precisely what makes us so great. New York City is exemplary in so many ways. I hope we can serve

as a model to our nation of tolerance and unity as we stand at this crucial political precipice. Comisar: New York is a Jewish city, over 10% of the city is Jewish ... And whether you are Jewish or not, Jewish ethnicity, humor, and food are part of the lifeblood of this city. The genre of the musical is a New York phenomenon. New Yorkers of all races and ethnicity can step into the world of Bubby’s Kitchen and feel right at home.

What was most challenging about working on Bubby’s? Bertone: Being raised Catholic, grasping some of the musical styles definitely came as a challenge in the beginning. Now, the challenge lies in having the strength to access these dark moments in history for each performance. Comisar: The most challenging thing for me has been striking the right tone in the creating of the music and lyric-writing. A musical that involves the Holocaust is a huge challenge. How does one write music that touches the darkness without wallowing in it? How to be poignant without crossing over to maudlin? It is a balancing act. And knowing that the show has

moments of darkness, how do we find the right places to bring in comedy and levity.

What part of your own background fed into this story? Ginsburg: I grew up on my grandparent’s dairy farm in Troy, N.Y., and spent every day of my life in their home. It was an incredible gift. As a grandchild of Holocaust survivors, my cousins and I were brought up as if we were siblings. We are an incredibly tight-knit, close, and wildly colorful family that has been brought up to value the bonds and connections to family, friends and community as the most valuable thing in life. Professionally, I have my BFA in drama from Syracuse University and was a professional actress, singer and songwriter here in New York before going back to Hebrew Union College for my Master’s Degree and Cantorial Ordination. I just celebrated my tenth year as Cantor at East End Temple in Gramercy, and I have been traveling Bubby’s Kitchen around the country for the last five years. Marrying my two greatest passions in life and being able to work as both Cantor and actor car-

rying forth the same messages and missions from two different platforms has been more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. Bertone: I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and studied music at NYU. I am a professional musician working in the theater industry in NYC and have played keyboards and/or conducted for numerous shows either here in town or on tour. Comisar: I am not the grandchild of a Holocaust survivor, but the stories of the Shoah were hauntingly formative to me in my growing up years. I have distant relatives who were murdered by the Nazis, so the stories of the partisans are not immediately familiar to me personally. But my consciousness of the Holocaust and the imperative of memory and storytelling are at the very core of my Jewish self.

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