The local paper for the Upper East Side THE ENDURING LEGACY OF A MASTERPIECE ◄ P.12
WEEK OF MAY-JUNE
30-5 2019
INSIDE
MAPPING LGBT HISTORY
DON’T LET JOINT PAIN WEAR YOU DOWN Strategies and treatments for dealing with the most common form of arthritis. P. 6
SOCIETY Historic sites project highlights key NYC landmarks for activism and culture BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
As New York City prepares to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising this June, one group is seeking to bring attention to the often underappreciated past of the city’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual community through a focus on historic landmarks. The NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project, launched in 2015 by a group of historians and preservationists, has set out to document the breadth and diversity of New York City’s LGBT culture in an interactive online map featuring research on an evergrowing list of significant sites that currently features over 150 entries. The Stonewall Inn — site of the 1969 clashes between gay New Yorkers and police that helped spark the LGBT rights movement in New York City and across the country — is, of course, included on the map, as are a number of other prominent Greenwich Village sites that have made the neighborhood a hub of LGBT culture and activism for decades. But part of the project’s goal is to broaden the public’s understanding of LGBT history to encompass sometimes overlooked sites that also played key roles in shaping activism and culture.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
HUNDREDS PROTEST ABORTION LAWS Demonstrators gathered in downtown Manhattan to oppose anti-abortion legislation. P. 5 A rendering of the gymnasium to be built on the sixth floor of a new pre-k facility near Eleanor Roosevelt High School. Image: NYC SCA
A GYM TO CALL THEIR OWN SCHOOLS City announces plans to build new gymnasium space for Eleanor Roosevelt H.S. BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
A longstanding wish of students at Eleanor Roosevelt High School will soon be fulfilled. City officials have announced plans to build a new gymnasium for the East 76th Street high school, which has long held physical education classes in an undersized dance studio and relied on neighboring schools’ gym spaces
OurTownEastSide
O OURTOWNNY.COM @OurTownNYC
Crime Watch Voices NYC Now City Arts
We have some very talented athletes at this school, so I’m very excited and thankful that they’ll have the opportunity to have their own gym.” Sadie Wenger, senior member of ERHS girls basketball team
to host its sports teams. The new gym will be located just down the street from ERHS, on the sixth floor of a new pre-kindergarten facility at 355 East 76th St. slated open in September. Work on the $6.5 million gymnasium project will begin in December of this year and is expected to be completed by 2021. The May 23 announcement of the project marked the culmination of a multi-year campaign for new gym space that brought together students, parents, staff and elected leaders.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
3 8 10 12
Restaurant Ratings 14 Business 16 Real Estate 17 15 Minutes 21
JOE NAMATH: THE HEART OF A CHAMPION The Hall of Fame quarterback is still much loved by fans, and with good reason. P. 14
WHEN ANDY SACHS MET DON DRAPER Office sabotage is the subject of a novel that places “The Devil Wears Prada” in the “Mad Men” era. P. 8 Jewish women and girls light up the world by lighting the Shabbat candles every Friday evening 18 minutes before sunset. Friday, May 31– 8:02 pm. For more information visit www.chabaduppereastrside.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
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR On bikers and street safety, summer camp and a fur ban Caring About Pedestrians So sad about another death by bicycle and so many other serious injuries in the past (“A Death by Bicycle.” May 9-15). For many years, beginning in 2006, I have been an advocate for license plates for bikers who routinely disobey every law by going through red lights, against traffic and on the sidewalk. I had many frights including an almost heart-stopping experience. When I was walking out of my building, a man wearing a business suit and helmet rode right past me on the sidewalk. Had I been rushing out I may not have survived. I never stopped writing letters to officials; some were printed in the West Side Spirit, but no one cared. Former Mayor Bloomberg and former DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan loved bikers and bike lanes but did not give much thought to the protection of pedestrians. I always believed that if you hit them where it hurts, in their pockets with fines, some may change their mind-set.
Even that did not appeal to anyone although it would also have brought in funds for the city. How does one find an elected official to care enough about all of us, bikers and pedestrians? Bunny Abraham Upper West Side
I have been a regular reader of Bette Dewing’s column in Our Town and I want to compliment her. I have been very concerned about the illegal ways that bicycle riders ride and have spoken to numerous police officers about it, but no relief. I am a senior citizen and it is becoming more difficult to get out of their way when they come barreling at you all over the city. I work in Brooklyn and it seems to be worse over there, believe it or not. I welcome Dewing’s thoughts and any special remedies she could suggest. Doug Leeds Upper East Side
The Value of Summer Camp As we head into the last few weeks of school, parents are beginning to
think about summer plans for their children. I firmly believe that children need summer camp now more than ever before to become successful and independent adults. Today’s children are tech-addicted, spending an average of sevenand-a-half hours a day engaged in media, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation study. Young people need a place where they can disconnect and camp happens to be one of the last remaining environments where they are screen-free. Camp allows campers to live in the moment, communicate face-to-face, fully participate in new activities, form true friendships and put anxiety-inducing social media aside for a few weeks. Children are also overscheduled during the school year, with many parents afraid that their child won’t be successful if their schedule isn’t packed with private lessons, team sports or tutoring. This leaves children with very little time to just play. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, play is an important part of children learning 21st century skills they will need, including creativity, communication,
NORTHERN MANHATTAN STUDY OF METABOLISM AND MIND
NOMEM
Photo: Josue Armando Serrano via Flickr
problem solving and collaboration — all skills practiced at camp. Perhaps one of the greatest aspects of camp is the independence children gain. At camp, children learn to make their own decisions and solve problems on their own, which leads to confidence and trust in themselves. Susie Lupert American Camp Association, NY & NJ Midtown
Support for Proposed Fur Ban The proposed ban on sales of new fur in New York is a long time coming. The fur industry is not only by definition violent and abusive. It’s an industry that specializes in cost-effective cruelty — prolonged, merciless, institutionalized cruelty
perpetrated on 100 million animals every year. Victims are feeling creatures unable to defend themselves against the sophistication, organization, and machinery of its barbarity. And every piece of fur sold helps underwrite that barbarity. Shockingly, some claim a ban on fur would somehow violate our freedom. The argument is obscene. Does anyone really believe we have the right to inflict a lifetime of desolation, fear, and pain on a sentient creature just because we want to? Or that one’s desire to flay another being for a “status” garment should be honored in the name of freedom? Common sense and decency scream No. Kathryn Casey East Side
Give the Graduation or Wedding Gift that Lasts Books and Vintage Prints make amazing and thoughtful gifts.
The purpose of NOMEM is to learn more about how blood sugar and other factors relate to the brain and mental abilities of persons living in Northern Manhattan. We are seeking your help to conduct this study. You are eligible to participate if you: x Live in Manhattan or the Bronx x Are between 60 and 69 years of age x Are able to do an MRI and a PET scan of the brain Participation will include these activities: 1. Questionnaires 2. Blood tests 3. A brain MRI 4. A brain PET scan with contrast We will compensate your time for participating in these 4 activities with $350. We will also give you the results of important blood tests.
PLEASE CONTACT US @ 212-305-4126, 646-737-4370, LS960@CUMC.COLUMBIA.EDU
Argosy Book Store Come in and browse!
NYC’s Oldest Bookstore
116 East 59th (Next to Lexington Ave. Subway Station) www.argosybooks.com | 212-753-4455 Open Mon-Sat 10am-6pm
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
3
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG WOMAN ATTACKED IN DELI A man and woman attacked a 28-year-old woman inside the Blue Moon Deli at 1773 First Ave., stealing cash and a phone and causing injuries that required a trip to the hospital, police said. The incident, at 2:50 a.m. on Tuesday, May 21, reportedly started when the victim asked a male customer if she could buy him something. According to police, the man replied, “Bitch, I don’t want you! I got a girl, and don’t look at me.â€? A woman who was with the man then punched the victim in the face, police said, and the male suspect began to strike her continuously with a large bottle of orange juice. The two suspects took the victim’s cell phone and $250 cash and ed north on First Ave, police said. The victim had visible injuries and complained of pain to her head. She was transported to Metropolitan Hospital for treatment. The items stolen included an iPhone XR valued at $1,200 and the cash, making a total of $1,450.
$7,000 PHONE SCAM Police remind the public that any time you get a call from someone you don’t know requesting payment in gift cards, you’re likely being scammed. At 3 p.m. on Monday, May 20, police said,
STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 19th precinct for the week ending May 19 Week to Date
Photo by Tony Webster, via Flickr
a 70-year-old woman living on East 71st St. got a call from an unknown person claiming to be calling from AppleCare. The caller told her that she had pornography on her computer and to get rid of it she needed to pay a fee, using GameStop and Google Play
cards as remuneration. The woman complied, buying four GameStop cards and ten Google Play cards worth a total of $7,000, and providing the scammer with the codes necessary to use the cards.
546 34,6 (6 0/040.$6 122( /6",35/ 6)514#20.$6 /6%25'0526+3--5+403.63)6+3')3241 -56)334!512 . 3(6%52/3.1-0 5*6/52 0+56)23'64210.5*6/,3565 %524/ 1- 63#46!04,616+#/43'0 5*6 4 1.*6(3#26)5546)55-0.$6" 6$33* --64,0/61464,56/1'56%20+561/64,563.-0.5625410-52/
&& 6 231*!1(6146 2*6"425546& & 66 & 122(/ ",35/ +3'6 6 %5.6 6 1(/
Year to Date
2019 2018
% Change 2019
2018
% Change
Murder
0
0
n/a
0
1
-100.0
Rape
0
0
n/a
11
6
83.3
Robbery
1
5
-80.0
46
59
-22.0
Felony Assault
4
2
100.0
49
52
-5.8
Burglary
1
2
-50.0
76
69
10.1
Grand Larceny
28
28
0.0
558
534
4.5
Grand Larceny Auto
1
0
n/a
6
11
-45.5
ONE LAPTOP GONE
ANOTHER LAPTOP GONE
At 2:30 p.m. on Monday, May 20, a female employee of the Ballet Club at 328 East 61st St. was preparing for class when she left her MacBook laptop unattended in her office. When she returned less than an hour later, the laptop was gone. She checked surveillance footage and saw a man enter and leave her office at the time her MacBook disappeared. She told police that her office door had been closed but not locked. The stolen laptop was a pink MacBook valued at $1,200.
A student learned the hard way that a college library is no place to leave a valuable laptop unattended. At 4:56 p.m. on Saturday, May 11, an 18-yearold woman who was using her laptop in the Hunter College library at 695 Park Ave left it unattended for more than half-an-hour. When she returned at 5:30 p.m. the laptop, a MacBook Pro valued at $1,800, was gone.
4
Useful Contacts
Drawing Board
POLICE NYPD 19th Precinct
153 E. 67th St.
212-452-0600
159 E. 85th St. 157 E. 67th St.
311 311
1836 Third Ave.
311
221 E. 75th St.
311
211 E. 43rd St. #1205 244 E. 93rd St.
212-818-0580
State Sen. Jose M. Serrano State Senator Liz Krueger Assembly Member Dan Quart Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright
1916 Park Ave. #202 1850 Second Ave. 360 E. 57th St.
212-828-5829 212-490-9535 212-605-0937
1485 York Ave.
212-288-4607
COMMUNITY BOARD 8 LIBRARIES
505 Park Ave. #620
212-758-4340
Yorkville 96th Street 67th Street Webster Library
222 E. 79th St. 112 E. 96th St. 328 E. 67th St. 1465 York Ave.
212-744-5824 212-289-0908 212-734-1717 212-288-5049
100 E. 77th St. 525 E. 68th St.
212-434-2000 212-746-5454
E. 99th St. & Madison Ave. 550 First Ave. 4 Irving Place
212-241-6500 212-263-7300 212-460-4600
1283 First Ave. 1617 Third Ave.
212-517-8361 212-369-2747
201 Varick St. 128 East Broadway 93 4th Ave.
212-645-0327 212-267-1543 212-254-1390
FIRE FDNY 22 Ladder Co 13 FDNY Engine 39/ Ladder 16 FDNY Engine 53/ Ladder 43 FDNY Engine 44
CITY COUNCIL Councilmember Keith Powers Councilmember Ben Kallos
212-860-1950
STATE LEGISLATORS
HOSPITALS Lenox Hill NY-Presbyterian/ Weill Cornell Mount Sinai NYU Langone
CON EDISON POST OFFICES US Post Office US Post Office
POST OFFICES US Post Office US Post Office US Post Office
HOW TO REACH US: 212-868-0190 nyoffice@strausnews.com ourtownny.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 212-868-0190 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:
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.
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.
To report a news story, call 212-868-0190. 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.
PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD:
CALENDAR ITEMS:
PREVIOUS OWNERS:
Information for inclusion in our calendar should be posted to nycnow.com no later than two weeks before the event.
Tom Allon, Isis Ventures, Ed Kayatt, Russ Smith, Bob Trentlyon, Jerry Finkelstein
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Include your full name, address and day and evening telephone
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
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.
ABOUT US Our Town is published weekly by Straus Media-Manhattan, LLC. Please send inquiries to 20 West Ave., Chester, NY 10918.
BY MARC BILGREY
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
5
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
HUNDREDS PROTEST ABORTION LAWS ACTIVISM More than 500 demonstrators gathered in downtown Manhattan to oppose anti-abortion legislation passed in other states
By banning abortions, we’re only banning safe abortions.” Protester Rene Jameson, 19
BY NICOLE ROSENTHAL
Hundreds of people gathered in Foley Square on Tuesday evening to protest the restrictive abortion legislation enacted in Alabama and other states in the South and Midwest. The rally, organized by the New York City chapter of Planned Parenthood, included keynote speakers such as New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, women’s rights attorney Gloria Allred and Laura McQuade, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood. “By banning abortions, we’re only banning safe abortions,” said protester Rene Jameson, 19, who came from Boston to attend the demonstration. “I don’t think it is fair to force people with uteruses to result to dangerous and hazardous prac-
tices to get basic health care and support themselves.” More than 500 similar protests occurred throughout the country during the “National Day of Action to Stop the Bans”, a response to the near-total ban on abortions recently passed in Alabama. Similar laws are near passage, including a ban on abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, in Mississippi, Kentucky, Ohio and Louisiana. “I’m here today because 51 percent of our population is women and we just don’t have that kind of representation in government,” Jameson said. “I’m hoping that young people who care about women’s rights will show up [at the protest] and run for government and pursue activism.” Waving signs, flags and coat hangers in the air, the crowd chanted
through the evening in solidarity with women already affected by the legislation in the South. “Abortion is health care and abortion is a fundamental right,” said Stringer, a proponent of the New York Abortion Access Fund. The fund supports those who are living or traveling to New York and cannot afford abortion care. “We need to put our money where our mouth is. There is more the government can do.” Opponents of the new abortion laws in Alabama and other states fear that the restrictive legislation could trigger a domino effect and lead to new, similar laws across the country. Eventually, the legal battle could end up in the Supreme Court and result in the overturn of Roe v. Wade, the historic 1973 decision that made abortion legal in the U.S. “There’s an emergency and a war against women that has been going on and on,” said Upper East Side resident Pam Zimmerman, 45. “It feels like it’s the worst it’s been in my lifetime. As somebody who was born right after Roe v. Wade. I can’t have my daughter growing up in this.”
Photo: Nicole Rosenthal
Planning is an important part of life.
JOIN US FOR A COMPLIMENTARY MEAL AND SEMINAR!
WHY PLAN AHEAD? In life, we plan for many important events – vacations, tuition, weddings – so it also makes sense to plan for the inevitable. Making funeral arrangements now, before the time of need can help to spare your loved ones from guessing what you would have wanted and protect your family from unnecessary financial stress.
Thursday, April 25, 2019 @ 5:30 pm
FRANK E. CAMPBELL THE FUNERAL CHAPEL 1076 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10028 (212) 288-3500 www.frankecampbell.com Kindly RSVP to William Villanova at 212-288-3500 or Email: william.villanova@dignitymemorial.com New York state law mandates that all contracts for prearranged funeral agreements executed by applicants for or recipients of supplemental social security income or medical assistance be irrevocable. Owned and operated by a subsidiary of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas 77019. 713-522-5141.
6
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
DON’T LET JOINT PAIN WEAR YOU DOWN HEALTH Here are some strategies and treatments for dealing with the most common form of arthritis BY PRIYA CHOKSHI, MD
Osteoarthritis — chances are either you have it or you know someone who does. It is the most common form of arthritis, affecting 30 million Americans. We are more likely to get diagnosed with it as we get older, especially after age 40. In fact, about 1 in 2 people will develop osteoarthritis of the knee and 1 in 4 people will develop osteoarthritis of the hip. As May is Arthritis Awareness Month and the weather is getting better, it’s a great time to be discussing treatment options so you can get going and keep moving! After all, that’s what New Yorkers do!
What is osteoarthritis? Joints in our body have a special cushioning for support called cartilage. Cartilage is a gel-like tissue that sits between the bones in our joints and allows for smooth movement and protection of the joint. When this cartilage breaks down, it can lead to damage of the joint and surrounding tendons, ligaments, muscles, and tissues — this is called osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is sometimes referred to as the “wear and tear” of joints.
What are the symptoms of osteoarthritis? Symptoms can include joint pain, usually worse after movement or with touch, stiffness or locking, swelling, cracking/grinding noises with joint movement, and changes in the shape or structure of the joint over time. This can lead to decreased function and inflammation. Any joint in the body can be involved, including the hands, knees, hips, and spine. One or more joints can be involved at one time.
Am I at risk for getting Osteoarthritis? As we get older, all parts of our body experience the wear and tear of age, use and overuse. The same goes for our joints and the risk of osteoarthritis increases for everyone with age. Some people have a genetic risk or underlying health condition, such as diabetes, that puts them at
increased risk. Some people who are born with a deformed joint, such as bowleg or knocked knees, are more prone to getting arthritis in the affected joint. Another risk factor is being overweight. The extra weight can add stress on the joints. Excess fat tissue can cause inflammation in the body. Lastly, previous injury or repetitive stress on the same joint, such as with work tasks, sports activities, or accidents can also put added stress on a joint over time and lead to osteoarthritis.
When should I see a doctor, and which specialists should I see? If the joint pain or stiffness is persistent or affecting your ability to complete daily routines, you should discuss it with your doctor. They may refer you to a rheumatologist — a doctor who can diagnose and treat arthritis of different kinds and can tell if your pain is from osteoarthritis or some other cause, such as gout, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Lupus, or from an underlying musculoskeletal injury. An orthopedics referral would be helpful if there is severe bone damage requiring surgery or joint replacement. Physical and occupational therapists can help create a dedicated therapy plan for patients to continue following on a regular basis. Pain management specialists may offer additional treatment options when pain is debilitating. Often, these specialists work together to care for someone with arthritis.
What tests can be done to diagnose Osteoarthritis? A doctor usually makes a diagnosis based on a combination of methods, including medical history, physical examination, blood tests and imaging studies. Laboratory tests can be done for inflammation and to look for other causes of arthritis. If you have swelling in the joint, your doctor may also perform an arthrocentesis to drain the fluid and send it to the lab for analysis to check for infection or inflammation. Imaging studies such as x-rays, cat scans, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans can check for the location and extent of damage as well.
What is the treatment for Osteoarthritis? Unfortunately, once the joint dam-
If the pain is severe, your doctor ver may recommend ma such a procedure pr as a corticosteroid injection or roi lubrication injeclub tion of hyaluronic acid directly into the joint. These injections may proinject pain relief and vide p with the swellhelp w and mobility. ing a can discuss with You ca doctor which your d approaches to osteoapproa arthritis managearthri are right for you. ment ar
age from osteoarthritis o cc u r s, it cannot be reversed. However, the symptoms can be managed and progression of the arthritis can be delayed with appropriate care. Your doctors may suggest multiple approaches to managing your joint pain – including lifestyle changes, medications, injections, therapy, or surgery. The goal of treatment is to reduce pain and improve function.
What if I’ve tried everything but still everyth have signifi sig cant pain? If the jjoint pain is seand there is sigvere an nificant damage or nifican function, you cannot can you may ma need a joint surgery or replacement. An A orthopedic surgeon surgeo will decide if surgery is right for surg you b based on your history histor and imaging studies. studi
What lifestyle changes can I make? Weight loss and exercise are important parts of the treatment plan for osteoarthritis. Excess weight puts stress on the joints, such as the knees and back, which are not designed to carry the extra load. For every 10 pounds of weight lost over 10 years, the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis decreases by up to 50 percent. Eating a healthy diet low in fat and sufficient in Vitamin D and calcium can help you maintain an adequate weight and prevent co-morbidities that predispose to bone disease. Exercise — specifically low impact activities such as walking, swimming and biking — helps to strengthen the muscles surrounding the joint, and keep the joint from stiffening and becoming dysfunctional over time. “But I can’t even bend my knee, how am I supposed to exercise?” patients sometimes ask. Physical therapists can be helpful in designing a treatment plan for osteoarthritis that is right for you. There are also many other forms of therapy aside from exercise. These include stretching, yoga, acupuncture, massage, heat/ice application, electrical stimulation, or even relaxation and stress management techniques to reduce muscle tension and pain. It may help to try more than one approach to maximize the benefits. Occupational therapists may also provide devices to help you maximize function and perform routine activities. Examples include supportive braces or orthotics, shower
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
Are there th any other non-medical or nonnew ttreatment modalities in the mod pipeline? pipe chairs, canes, or even special utensils for eating. You can also make changes with how you bend, lift and carry objects. Consider using ergonomic devices at work or around the house so you can continue performing your daily activities in the best way possible.
Which medications can I use? There are many different medications that can help with the pain of osteoarthritis. The two most common types of medications include: acetaminophen (i.e. Tylenol) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (i.e. ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil, Aleve, etc.). Many of these are available over the counter, and your doctor may prescribe stronger formulations. It is important to take these as per prescription instructions as they may have side effects. Your doctor may also recommend other types of pain control medications such as duloxetine, gabapentin or muscle relaxers if they feel your pain may be related to other underlying conditions related to the osteoarthritis. Topical treatments such as capsaicin, nsaid gels, and lidocaine patches may provide localized relief.
Many patients use remedies that do not have enough scientific evidence to be recommended or prescribed by the doctor but still seem to provide relief for them. These can range from taking omega-3 fatty acid “fish oil” supplements to turmeric pills to mud baths to CBD oil to platelet rich plasma treatment. The patient has to understand the risks and benefits of trying these options. Scientists are also currently doing research to look for new treatments that may prevent or cure osteoarthritis in the future. Osteoarthritis is a very common and painful disease with the potential to cause severe disability. However, you can take an active role in preventing and managing the symptoms and health care professionals can provide guidance, support and treatment options. Research shows that people with osteoarthritis who take part in their own care report less pain, make fewer doctor visits and enjoy a better quality of life. And a happy, healthy and active life is the ultimate goal! Priya Chokshi, MD is an assistant professor of medicine (Rheumatology) at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai West
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
LGBT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “The LGBT rights movement didn’t just start at Stonewall,” said Ken Lustbader, codirector of the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project. “Stonewall was a key turning point, but in New York City there was definitely already a very active and effective movement” organized through such early LGBT rights groups such as the Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis. “We really want people to understand New York City, in all the boroughs, had a rich LGBT past,” Lustbader continued. “People lived their lives while under oppressive conditions, but there were moments of joy and celebration, where people connected with community in public spaces or in controlled commercial spaces.”
A Bar and a Bathhouse One such commercial space highlighted in the group’s research is the Fifth Avenue Bar, which emerged as a popular gathering place for gay men in the 1940s and 1950s. The bar — which was
7
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
AIDS activists at a 1988 Pride March in New York City. Photo: Eugene Gordon/New-York Historical Society Library
located not on Fifth Avenue but on the Upper West Side, within a cafeteria in the Dorilton building on Broadway — was shut down by the New York State Liquor Authority in 1953 after a plainclothes officer reported “indecent” activity and men behaving in a “female way.”
The bar’s owners sued, leading to a court decision that limited the SLA’s power to revoke the licenses of bars that catered to LGBT clientele, which the authority had considered de facto disorderly. “In the future, the SLA was required to prove that the gay men or lesbians present in a
bar had engaged in conduct that was actually disorderly (not simply their presence), and that the establishment had acquiesced in that behavior,” the project’s entry on the Fifth Avenue Bar states. “This court decision was cited in many subsequent cases, but in reality, the SLA and the police mostly ignored it, and harassment of establishments attracting a gay clientele continued for another two decades.” Twenty years later and a block north, another of Broadway’s grand old BeauxArts buildings housed another establishment with an important place in LGBT history. The Continental Baths, opened in 1968 in the former Turkish baths in the basement of the Ansonia Hotel, became a center for the gay community that would achieve legendary status during the post-Stonewall era. The bathhouse was an allencompassing facility that included not just a pool and saunas but also food, hundreds of private rooms, a dance floor, an STD clinic and, famously, a cabaret that hosted the likes or Bette Midler and Barry Manilow. (The lounge acts
became a mainstream attraction and, to the displeasure of some clients, eventually came to overshadow the bathhouse experience.) “It was an opportunity to meet and have your own liberation after so many people had been oppressed,” Lustbader said. “The timing was perfect because it became a place to explore one’s sexuality outside of the shame and isolation that was the norm for so many people.” Though the police raids continued and the Continental Baths closed by the mid1970s, the bathhouse had an enduring effect on New York City culture. “It had such an impact, because everybody went to the baths — it was known far and wide,” Lustbader said. “The baths played not just a sexual role but also an important political and social role, and it’s something that should be recognized.”
Artists and Activists The NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project’s mission to “make invisible history visible” also extends to individual residences where LGBT
artists and activists lived and worked — like the West 92nd Street apartment of writer Joan Nestle that was also the original home of the influential Lesbian Herstory Archives, and the East Side residences of Jerome Robbins and Andy Warhol — and public spaces where important events in LGBT history took place, such as Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center, which hosted the first AIDS Walk fundraiser in 1986. In connection with this year’s Pride festivities, the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project will host a guided walking tour of historic Upper West Side sites June 4 in partnership with the NewYork Historical Society, which recently opened a Stonewall 50 exhibition. “We want people to understand that LGBT history is American history,” Lustbader said. “We are really trying to make the case that it’s not just self-referential. We want to show people that the community had such a big influence on American and New York City culture.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
Are you experiencing stress or anxiety? Our Behavioral Health program supports people dealing with the effects of vision loss* and their emotional health. Our team is also here to help people of all ages cope with: ï Depression ï Trauma ï $GGLFWLRQ
Summer Softball! 0HQōV Ř &RHG Ř 3OXV
/HDJXHV )RUPLQJ 1RZ ysaleagues.com/softballnyc 914.962.8390 ext 10
ï Post-traumatic stress GLVRUGHU 376'
ï $Q[LHW\ GXH WR
vision loss multiple medical issues family crises chronic illness
/LJKWKRXVH *XLOGèV %HKDYLRUDO +HDOWK SURJUDP LV WKH RQO\ SURJUDP RI LWV NLQG LQ WKH 86 WKDW KDV VSHFLDOL]HG H[SHUWLVH LQ YLVLRQ ORVV We are a Medicare and Medicaid provider and accept many insurance plans. :H DUH OLFHQVHG E\ WKH 1<6 2IĆ FH RI 0HQWDO +HDOWK 20+
Located: :HVW WK 6WUHHW EHW $PVWHUGDP :HVW (QG $YH
Call us for an appointment 212-769-6263
lighthouseguild.org
@LighthouseGuild @LighthouseGld @LighthouseGuild
8
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
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.
WHEN ANDY SACHS MET DON DRAPER Office sabotage is the subject of “Park Avenue Summer,” a historical novel that places “The Devil Wears Prada” in the “Mad Men” era BY LORRAINE DUFFY MERKL
As colleges wrap up spring semester, our graduated native sons and daughters will be returning to the Upper East Side; some to strictly paycheck positions (“Would you like to hear our specials for this evening?”) while they seek F/T employment, and others to positions in their chosen fields. The timing is perfect for Renée Rosen’s new neophyte-in-the-city novel, which places “The Devil Wears Prada” in the era of “Mad Men.” “Park Avenue Summer,” historical fiction set in the magazine publishing world of 1965 Manhattan, introduces us to Alice Weiss. The budding photographer has
arrived from her flyover state and lands a job assisting the new, controversial editor-in-chief of a major woman’s magazine. Except reporting to Cosmopolitan’s Helen Gurley Brown, author of the scandalous bestseller “Sex and the Single Girl,” is not a job that a million girls — or guys — would kill for. Alice, whose home base is an efficiency at 75th and Second Avenue, enters just as editors and writers exit in protest. Those who stay engage in office sabotage, a la Oh, you mean I wasn’t supposed to show anyone that confidential memo? When the office Don Juan, with a Park Avenue lair and eyes for Alice, tries to seduce her into a scheme to take down HGB, the newly minted Cosmo Girl has some decisions to make. As I began reading, I harkened back fondly to my own humble beginnings, but the story also reminded me of the time when I too was manipulated into an office
A MYSTERY ON THIRD AVENUE EAST SIDE OBSERVER BY ARLENE KAYATT
Dancing girls — Who would think that Domino’s Pizza’s footprint would be filled — or followed — by dancing girls? Could happen, if you believe the rumor and trust your seeing eyes. At least a year ago, maybe more, the Domino’s Pizza located on Third Avenue between 88th and 89th Streets vacated the commercial space belonging to the condominium at 200 East 89th Street (located on 89th between Second and Third Avenues) and, if I recall correctly, moved to a location on Second Avenue in the 90s. The vacant space showed no sign of a new occupant until recently, when one of the workers readying the place for a
new tenant offered, in response to a woman’s query, that “dancing girls” were coming. The shaken woman wanted to know more, but the man kept walking. Ensuing chatter among several passersby speculated about what would happen when these “dancing girls” arrived. Late night hours? Loud music? Liquor license? Dancing indoors and maybe on the street? And then the wait was over. One afternoon, some time in midto late- April this year, the entrance to what was once Domino’s was left open, literally, for all to see, and hear. Music came blaring out onto the street. Inside, dancing in place, were pre-teen, teen, and some postteen girls, in a studio-cum-gym-like setting, in front of full-length mirrored walls, with an adult instruc-
imbroglio orchestrated by a supervisor trying desperately to get his boss’s job via misinformation, passive-aggressive behavior and ignored direct orders. I have to admit, as scurrilous as our manager’s behavior was, my colleagues and I were all in awe of how he played politics with aplomb and seemed to be winning; each victory, we assumed, pushing our boss’s boss out of his corner office. Then came the day when our superior suggested strongly we go to the head of HR and let her know how much we would all rather see him in the creative director’s chair. When I told this to my attorney husband Neil, who was my boyfriend at the time, I almost went deaf from his explosion of, “Don’t do it,” screamed into the phone. Although in my heart I knew he was right — especially since the organizer of the plan was not joining us, claiming he had set up his
tor leading them. The back wall displayed trophies spread across a shelf. Queries to the adults on the premises were met with mute silence. There were no signs indicating what type of facility it was. Only an address — 1581 Third Avenue. Could it be a permanent gym? A dance studio? A combination gym/dance studio? Or was it a lone pop-up awaiting a full-time tenant? Or another pop-up in a line of pop-ups to come? All that was known, at least to yours truly, was that the workman wasn’t fudging when he said that “dancing girls” were coming. But will they stay or will they go? Only time, or some other workman, will tell. Steppin’ on up — I don’t know if participatory budgeting contemplates awards for making repairs to damaged library steps so that the public can safely enter and exit. Whether it does or doesn’t make such awards, some public, private or governmen-
Photo via amazon.com
own appointment — my more senior colleagues deemed the situation “one for all and all for one.” Honestly, I didn’t have the Henry Fonda in “Twelve Angry Men” wherewithal to stand up to my more practiced co-workers. We marched en masse into the VP of HR’s office, and after getting the gist of why we were there, she cut the meeting short by equating our actions with students complaining about the teacher. Then she announced that if we didn’t like who was in charge, we should
tal entity should take on the task of seeing to the repair of the dangerous, damaged, decrepit stairs leading to the Yorkville Library on East 79th Street. They are an accident waiting to happen — to say nothing of their being an eyesore and a blatant sign of disrespect for the relevance and importance of the library as an institution. In addition to the condition of the stairs, there is no accommodation for disability access. The library, which is surrounded by brownstones, old and recently-constructed luxury housing, as well as nearby Eli’s Tasting Table, deserves care, attention, and upgrading, and must be prioritized for immediate funding. Reader readback — Here are some reader responses to a recent column that lamented sidewalk congestion caused by some unenclosed sidewalk cafes. The comments first appeared in Our Town’s online edition. From Jules: No one ever mentions
all go get new jobs elsewhere. As we left, I could hear Neil in my head saying, “I told you so,” on a loop. When confronted, our ever-soslick supervisor stressed that no one had been coerced into going to HR, even though his instruction had carried a veiled threat about continued employment. He also added that, given the reaction we got, he would probably be cancelling his own meeting, which I never believed he’d had in the first place. (FYI: He and his boss were both eventually fired.) Throughout the novel, I rooted for Alice to have the backbone that I once lacked. To be fair to my young self though, the book’s heroine had the benefit of a trailblazing mentor like the late Helen Gurley Brown, who not only turned Cosmopolitan into a successful publication still sold on newsstands today, but empowered single women everywhere to have it all. Lorraine Duffy Merkl is the author of the office-setting, comic novel “Back to Work She Goes.”
the fact that ‘sheds’ take up a lot of room and there’s one on every block on the West Side. (Almost none on the East Side.) No construction is being done on the buildings above them? Why aren’t landlords being made to fix whatever it is that needs work? Very unsightly. Old buildings in Europe and the rest of the world don’t have this issue. If pointing or alterations have to get done, go for it, or pay a very large fine. From Oxymoronic: Here’s an idea. Let’s widen the sidewalks and get rid of another lane of traffic. Plenty of space for both cafe and pedestrians. There is no need for a highway to be running through the neighborhood. This is not new. For example, we should restore Fifth Avenue to its pre-1909 status, when 15-feet of sidewalk was removed to make room for more cars! I’m sure there were similar moves to reduce the sidewalk widths for other avenues, too.
President & Publisher, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com
STRAUS MEDIA your neighborhood news source nyoffice@strausnews.com 212-868-0190
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
Account Executives Fred Almonte, David Dallon Director of Partnership Development Barry Lewis
Editor-In-Chief, Alexis Gelber Deputy Editor David Noonan
Senior Reporter Doug Feiden Staff Reporter Michael Garofalo
Director of Digital Pete Pinto Director, Arts & Entertainment Alizah Salario
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
9
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
LGBT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 Several historic sites included in the project appeared poised to soon gain official recognition from the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. The LPC voted in May to hold public hearings regarding the possible designation of six sites as individual landmarks, including the LGBT Community Center in Greenwich Village and the West 71st Street home of James Baldwin. The activists behind the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project, who have advocated for the LPC designations, believe that increasing public awareness of these buildings’ past is much more than a symbolic exercise. “The recognition of this tangible heritage also has intangible benefits relating to identity, community and continuity,” Lustbader said. “It helps current and future generations reduce shame and isolation.” “Someone who is young, coming out, can go look at this information and not feel so different,” he continued. “By knowing that there are other people in the past who have walked in your shoes, so to speak, you can really have a better understanding of who you are and not feel so alone.”
Students, elected leaders and city officials gathered at Eleanor Roosevelt High School May 23 to celebrate the announcement of plans to build a new gym for the school. Photo: Office of Ben Kallos
GYM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Council Member Ben Kallos credited two high schoolers for bringing the issue to the fore last year at a town hall meeting he hosted with Mayor Bill de Blasio at East Side Middle School on East 91st Street — one of only two public school gyms in the district, Kallos noted, that could accommodate such a gathering. ERHS students Amanda Cavaliero and Sophie Scherer appealed directly to the mayor at the event to request funding for the gym project. Cavaliero, who graduated last
year, recalled the challenges of waking up on school days for volleyball and basketball practices that started at 6:30 a.m. — the only time space was available at other schools’ gyms. “It was really difficult to deal with,” she said. “Me and my friend Sophie just decided that we needed to go and tell someone else how we were feeling.” Students later helped organize a petition to build a new gym for ERHS that was hosted on Kallos’s website and received over 5,000 signatures. “It’s actually the most signatures we’ve ever gotten on a petition, and I think that is something that caught
the attention of the School Construction Authority,” Kallos said. Lorraine Grillo, the president and CEO of the School Construction Authority, lauded Cavaliero’s efforts. “Amanda brought this up to me at a town hall meeting, but she didn’t stop there. I received more emails from Amanda advocating for this, and I thought if I don’t do something I’ll never ever be left alone,” Grillo joked. “The students at Eleanor Roosevelt deserve this, the community deserves this, so we’re really, really excited,” Grillo added. The gym funding is part of the de Blasio administration’s $385 mil-
lion Universal Physical Education Initiative to provide designated phys ed space for the roughly 200 city schools that do not currently have gymnasiums. Sadie Wenger, a senior member of the ERHS girls basketball team that went undefeated during the regular season last year, said she’s happy that future student-athletes won’t have to deal with the scheduling difficulties that arise from using other schools’ gyms. “We have some very talented athletes at this school, so I’m very excited and thankful that they’ll have the opportunity to have their own gym,” Wenger said.
The Board of Directors of the 60-86 Madison Avenue District Management Association, Inc. cordially invites you to attend the
2019 Annual Meeting of the Madison Avenue Business Improvement District Wednesday, June 5, 2019 at 8:30AM Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College 47-49 East 65th Street (between Madison and Park Avenues) Kindly RSVP by June 3 by contacting us at 212-861-2055 or information@madisonavenuebid.org To learn more about the Madison Avenue BID, visit our web site at
www.madisonavenuebid.org
10
$UH \RX IHHOLQJ GHSUHVVHG"
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
,V \RXU DQWL GHSUHVVDQW WUHDWPHQW QRW ZRUNLQJ DV ZHOO DV \RX KRSHG LW ZRXOG"
,I \RX DUH \HDUV RU ROGHU \RX FRXOG EH HOLJLEOH IRU D IHGHUDOO\ IXQGHG UHVHDUFK VWXG\ DW WKH &ROXPELD 8QLYHUVLW\ 0HGLFDO &HQWHU WKDW SURYLGHV
Calendar NYCNOW
Â&#x2122; $ IUHH HYDOXDWLRQ Â&#x2122; 7UHDWPHQW ZLWK )'$ DSSURYHG PHGLFDWLRQ
Discover the world around the corner. Find community events, gallery openings, book launches and much more: Go to nycnow.com
Â&#x2122; &RPSHQVDWLRQ RI XS WR Â&#x2122; $ PRUH DFWLYH DQG IXOILOOLQJ OLIH
&DOO WKH &OLQLF IRU $JLQJ $Q[LHW\ DQG 0RRG 'LVRUGHUV DW QRZ WR VHH LI \RX DUH HOLJLEOH 3DUD VHUYLFLy HQ HVSDxRO OODPH DO
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.
EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PICK
Sat 1 MUSICIANS EMERGENCY FUND (MEF) Junior/Senior Concert series Alice Tully Hall 1941 Broadway 3 p.m. $25 Free tickets for seniors, students and military personnel who present valid ID lincolncenter.org 212-875-5456 This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edition of MEFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Junior/Senior Concert series pairs keyboard virtuosos Micah McLaurin and Adam Golka in works by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Mily Balakirev, Alexander Scriabin and Nikolai Medtner.
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
FILM - BALL OF FIRE (1941)
FIERCE FRIDAYS: AN EVENING WITH MASHA GESSEN AND RABBI AMICHAI LAULAVIE ON EREV PRIDE
LOOPHOLE OF RETREAT FILM PROGRAM
96th St Library 112 East 96th St 2:00 p.m. Free Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper star in this ďŹ lm about a stripper-mob girl who is interviewed by a nerdy professor for a book on slang. And when she needs a place to hide, she turns to him. nypl.org 212-289-0908
92y 1395 Lexington Ave 7 p.m. $36 Shabbat dinner, and activist and National Book Award-winning author, Masha Gessen, is joined in conversation with the Founding Spiritual Leader of Lab/Shul, Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie. Come together to reďŹ&#x201A;ect where we are in the ďŹ ght for queer liberation globally in commemoration of Stonewallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50th Anniversary. 92y.org 212-415-5500
The Guggenheim 1071 Fifth Ave 3:00 p.m. Free with Museum Admission This ďŹ lm program features the premieres of a new iteration of Simone Leighâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s video work â&#x20AC;&#x153;Untitled (M*A*S*H)â&#x20AC;? (2018â&#x20AC;&#x201C;19) and two shorts directed by Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich. guggenheim.org 212-423-3500
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
11
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
NEIGHBORHOODâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BEST To place an ad in this directory, Call Douglas at 212-868-0190 ext. 352.
ART
GADGETS
25%USEOCOFDFE 9 SNYC1
MON-SAT 10:30AM-6PM | SUN 12PM-6PM
SERVING 2,000 + WORLDWIDE CUSTOMERS
www.the-maac.com Come visit the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest art & antiques center featuring 100 galleries and over 40 categories. Enjoy time on our 3 ďŹ&#x201A;oors of antiques, ďŹ ne art, and every category in-between Buy or sell, we welcome your visit 7 days a week.
1050 2nd Ave. bt. 55th & 56th Sts.
Sun 2
Mon 3
Tue 4
â&#x2013;˛ STATUES AND MONUMENTS TOUR
UTA HAGEN: â&#x20AC;&#x153;A PARTICIPANT IN SOCIETYâ&#x20AC;?
FOLK ART REFLECTIONS TUESDAYS
Library for the Performing Arts 40 Lincoln Center Plaza 6:00 p.m. Free Uta Hagenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life and career will be explored through images from the libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collections and rarely seen footage of Hagen, her work, and her colleagues. The program will feature excerpts from Hagenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unpublished diary, read by her daughter and granddaughter, as well as memories of Uta presented by colleagues who worked with her on her ďŹ nal New York performances. nypl.org 917-275-6975
The American Folk Art Museum 2 Lincoln Square 1 p.m. Free This interactive and discussion-based program for individuals with Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and their family members or care partners brings the world of folk art to life through conversation. Museum admission and program are free. Registration is required. Stools are provided. folkartmuseum.org 212-299-7777
Central Park In front of the Samuel F. B. Morse statue (inside the Park at 72nd St and Fifth Ave) 2:00 p.m. Free Take a tour with Conservancy staff and learn about the history of Central Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s statues and monuments and how the Conservancy cares for them. centralpark.com 212-310-6600
212.355.4400
KONSMARTGADGETS.COM
HOME CARE
LOCKSMITH
Symphony Space 2537 Broadway 7:30 p.m. $26 The New York Times best-selling author of â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Interestingsâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Wifeâ&#x20AC;? celebrates the paperback release of her latest novel, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Female Persuasion,â&#x20AC;? a timely examination of ambition, mentorship, and womanhood. In conversation with Amy Rose Spiegel. With a reading from the novel by Maggie Siff (Billions). symphonyspace.org 212-864-5400
SKY LOCKSMITH & HARDWARE
PERSONALIZED HOME CARE
NOW OFFERING FULL SERVICE PAINT COLOR MATCHING & MIXING
$5 OFF $5 OFF COUPON COUPON
34 Years Experience Call 24/7 for a free consultation!
(877) 212-4222
toll-free
CUSTOMIZED CARE DEMENTIA TRAINING FOR THE AIDES SOCIAL WORK SERVICES INCLUDED Visit cohme.org or email referrals@cohme.org
1-GALLON 1-GALLON VALSPAR VALSPAR PAINT PAINT ANY ANYCOLOR COLOR STORE ONLY VALIDVALID IN IN STORE ONLY USE BY 06/19 USE BY 06/19 1-GALLON PER COUPON 1-GALLON PER COUPON
Store Locations: 1574 1st Ave / 2212 Broadway 24/7 EMERGENCY LOCKSMITH SERVICE 212-288-7773
PROPERTY FINANCING
Wed 5 â&#x2014;&#x201E; THALIA BOOK CLUB: MEG WOLITZER, THE FEMALE PERSUASION
THE LATEST TRENDING GADGETS AT COMPETITIVE PRICES
Michael McGovern
Licensed Mortgage Loan Originator NMLS# 114132 - NY, FL
PSYCHOTHERAPY
t "MM GPSNT PG 3FTJEFOUJBM BOE $PNNFSDJBM 1SPQFSUZ 'JOBODJOH t 0WFS :FBST &YQFSJFODF PG /:$ $PPQ BOE $POEP 'JOBODJOH t 3FMBUJPOTIJQT XJUI &WFSZ -FOEFS JO UIF .BSLFUQMBDF UP FOTVSF ZPV HFU 'VOEFE
www.prudentialb.com NNDHPWFSO!QSVEFOUJBMC DPN t $BMM %JSFDU
REAL ESTATE KARPOFF AFFILIATES Senior Move Manager Real Estate Broker
KARPOFF AFFILIATES is your single stop for senior life transitions and real estate brokerage needs. Compassionate Senior Move Manager & Expert Real Estate Broker
Marilyn Karpoff www.KarpoffAfďŹ liates.com mkarpoff@karpoffafďŹ liates.com 212.358.8044 290 Third Avenue, Ste 26C, NYC 10010
SPIRITUAL
WINDOW TREATMENTS
Upper West Manhattan Church of Christ 80 YEARS!
Meeting at 891 Amsterdam Ave. @ 103rd St. In Hosteling International For more information: Call 212-729-8356 www.uwmchurchofchrist.com
Draperies Shades Shutters Blinds Motorization Window Film Upholstery Fabric & Trim Flooring Paint
SEMI-ANNUAL CUSTOM DECORATING SALE GOING ON NOW! UPPER WEST SIDE 469 AMSTERDAM AVE. 212.501.8282 WINDOWFASHIONS.COM
12
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
THE ENDURING LEGACY OF A MASTERPIECE An ancient Japanese tale has been inspiring artists for a thousand years BY MARY GREGORY
Countless people have read “The Tale of Genji.” the renowned classic of Japanese literature, but a show at the Met, running through June 16th, is the first exhibition in the United States devoted to artworks the story has inspired. Over 120 paintings, screens, calligraphic works, lacquer wares, book covers, and even kimonos that depict, respond to, protect, and celebrate the epic tale are on view. Many are on loan from important international collections and haven’t been seen in New York before. Two have been designated as National Treasures in Japan.
Japan’s Shakespeare When Murasaki Shikibu, a Japanese noblewoman of the early 11th century, penned her tales of court intrigue, love, loss and life, she did many things no one had done before, which is why “Genji” is considered the world’s first novel. She created an art form that redefined literature. She fashioned characters and scenes that would be loved for a thousand years. She, a woman, authored one of the most enduring, influential works of art in human history. No one told her she couldn’t or shouldn’t. And, as seen in the works on view at the Met, which span from the Middle Ages to the 21st century, she inspired generation upon generation of artists.
IF YOU GO WHAT: The Tale of Genji: A Japanese Classic Illuminated WHERE: The Met 1000 Fifth Ave WHEN: Through June 16 Lady Murasaki is, in a way, Japan’s Shakespeare. Her masterpiece “Genji” is an epic poem, so grand that the paperback translation on our bookshelf clocks in at close to 1100 pages. Its 54 chapters illuminate aspects of court life, political machinations, human love and yearning, and Buddhist world views. And, as with Shakespeare, more people knew her stories than may have actually read them. The archaic language is difficult for modern readers. But the tales are so known and loved that Murasaki and her characters have been portrayed by the preeminent Japanese artists of every era since their debut. Japan’s equivalent of Rembrandt painted references to Genji, as did its Picassos. Patrons who wished to align themselves with aspects of the tale, perhaps a nobleman in exile, or a lady of refinement, commissioned elegant artworks for their homes to proclaim their similar natures.
“Portrait-Icon of Murasaki Shikibu,” by Tosa Mitsuoki, 17th century. Lent by Ishiyamadera Temple, Otsu, Japan. The pensive author is joined by lines of poetry that convey Buddhist precepts. Photo: Adel Gorgy
A Woman at Work One of the delights of the exhibition is the number of portraits of Lady Murasaki on view. She sits, alone at her desk, tirelessly writing, through the seasons or under moonlit skies. Murasaki’s
Robe (Furisode) with Maple Tree, Bamboo Fence, and Characters from “Little Purple Gromwell” (Wakamurasaki), late 17th century. Lent by Tokyo National Museum. The calligraphic characters spell the name of one of the heroines of “The Tale of the Genji.” Photo: Adel Gorgy
great-grandfather and grandfather were poets. Her father was both poet and scholar of poetry, and her diary recounts lessons for her brother where she would listen and then surpass him. Writing and education for women were encouraged in Heian culture, and Murasaki’s erudition, diligence, and passion carried her to the court of Empress Shōshi, who surrounded herself with women writers and scholars. Today’s artists still find inspiration in the author and her tale. Yamato Waki, a contemporary groundbreaking woman manga artist articulates Genji themes through the idiom of shōjo manga (girl’s comics). Selections from Waki’s multi-volume “Dreams at Dawn,” as well as a video showing her painting, are presented. And “Murasaki’s Moon,” a new opera commissioned by the Met, was performed last week in the Astor Court.
A Garden of Delights The exhibition, curated by the Met’s John T. Carpenter and Monika Bincsik, along with Melissa McCormick, a professor at Harvard, and Kyoko Kinoshita, professor at Tama Art University, plots a journey through the ages of Genji. It offers a gorgeous immersion into a fusion of Japanese arts, where literature, calligraphy, poetry, painting, sculpture, prints, textiles, decorative arts, music and video blossom individually, but together, to become a garden of delights. From important spiritual works from Ishiyamadera Temple (where legend has it Murasaki began the novel), to masterworks of calligraphy, to Noh theater costumes, to 19th century woodblock prints and 21st century comic books, the lasting legacy of Lady Murasaki’s creation is breathtaking.
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
13
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Your Neighborhood News Source
BEYOND BROADWAY - EAST SIDE The #1 online community for NYC theater:
www.show-score.com
NOW PLAYING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD FROM $68
FROM $49
FROM $25
ENTER LAUGHING: THE MUSICAL
ACCIDENTALLY BRAVE
FERAL
108 REVIEWS ENDS JUN 30
26 REVIEWS ENDS JUN 09
110 REVIEWS ENDS JUN 16
82
82
86 Based on Carl Reiner’s novel, this comic musical careens through the misadventures of a star-struck and stagestruck teenager in 1930s New York.
An autobiographical story of perseverance and hope from a woman who found her marriage, family, and values tested by the unthinkable.
An innovative piece of visual theater that combines puppetry, film, and live sound to create and destroy a world in front of its audience’s eyes.
YORK THEATRE - 619 LEXINGTON AVE
DR2 THEATRE - 103 E 15TH ST
59E59 THEATERS - 59 E 59TH ST
WHAT’S TRENDING ACROSS NYC
COMING SOON
FROM $50
FROM $61
JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK 50 REVIEWS ENDS JUN 21
LIFE SUCKS PREVIEWS START JUN 04
Aaron Posner’s reimagining of Chekhov’s timeless classic “Uncle Vanya” returns in an encore staging from Wheelhouse Theater Company.
86
THEATRE ROW - 410 W 42ND ST
A devastating portrait of wasted potential in a Dublin torn apart by the chaos of the Irish Civil War. FROM $25
IRISH REPERTORY THEATRE - 132 W 22ND ST
SQUARE GO PREVIEWS START JUN 05
FROM $50
THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 39 REVIEWS ENDS JUN 22
Direct from the Edinburgh Festival comes this raucous and comic new play about playground violence and myths of masculinity.
59E59 THEATERS - 59 E 59TH ST
85 FROM $30
IN THE GREEN PREVIEWS START JUN 08
Sean O’Casey’s 1926 drama centers on a young woman fighting to keep her family afloat, as Ireland stands on the brink of revolution. IRISH REPERTORY THEATRE - 132 W 22ND ST
Lincoln Center’s new musical offers the origin story of one of medieval history’s most powerful and creative women: Hildegard von Bingen.
FROM $50
OCTET 91 REVIEWS
CLAIRE TOW THEATER - 150 W 65TH ST
ENDS JUN 30 FROM $39
[VEIL WIDOW CONSPIRACY]
82
PREVIEWS START JUN 08
Content provided by
This chamber choir musical from Tony-nominee Dave Malloy explores addiction and nihilism within the context of 21st century technology.
This new work probes the slipperiness of “truth,” where reality and fiction each have an angle, and no metaphor comes without an agenda.
PERSHING SQUARE SIGNATURE CENTER - 480 W 42ND ST
NEW YORK THEATRE WORKSHOP - 83 E 4TH ST KEY:
14
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS MAY 15 - 21, 2018 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. Columbus Citizens Foundation
8 East 69 Street
A
B Cafe
240 East 75 Street
A
Caravaggio
23 East 74 Street
A
Shanghai Chinese Restaurant
1388 2 Avenue
A
Le Pain Quotidien
1131 Madison Avenue
A
Heidelberg Restaurant
1648 2 Avenue
A
Bailey’s Corner Pub
1607 York Avenue
A
Inase Sushi Restaurant
1586 1 Avenue
A
83 1/2
345 East 83 Street
A
Al Vaporetto
168 E 81st St
A
PQR
1631 2nd Ave
A
The Writing Room
1703 2nd Ave
A
New Fresh Wok
1777 1st Ave
Grade Pending (16) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.
Mitz (Mellow Yellow Coffee & Vibes)
1729 1st Ave
Grade Pending (18) 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.
Yura
1350 Madison Ave
A
The London Irish Pub
355 East 116 Street
A
La Fonda Restaurant and Tapas Bar
169 East 106 Street
CLOSED (43) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. 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/ sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
Subway
1392 Madison Avenue A
La Chula
137 E 116th St
A
La Preciosa China Restaurant
163 East 116 Street
A
Il Gnocchi Restaurant
118 East 116 Street
A
La Shuk
1569 Lexington Ave
A
Frenchy Coffee NYC
129 E 102nd St
A
VISIT OUR WEBSITE! at OURTOWNNY.COM
JOE NAMATH: THE HEART OF A CHAMPION PUBLIC EYE The Hall of Fame quarterback who led the Jets to their lone Super Bowl win 50 years ago is still much loved by fans, and with good reason BY JON FRIEDMAN
Joe Namath is still a champion. And he doesn’t need to make good on a g guarantee or flash g his ring from Super Bowl III to o prove it. Even t hou gh Na mat h played his last game as a New York Jet quarterback in 1976, he clearly has still got “it” in this his town. Call it star power. Or charisma. Or duende, even. ven. Just judge by the hundreds of people who flocked to o 92Y on the evening of May 21 to watch an interview with the he most legendary figure on the he New York sports scene in the he last 50 years. You read that right. Yes, we revered Jeter, Mariano, Seaver, Frazier, Reed, Reggie, Guidry, Messier, LT, Doc and Darryl, O’Neill and Keith, Simms and Eli and so many others. But Namath was, and is, loved — and there here is a difference. Oh, and, by the way, I am a lifelong New York Giants fan.
A good number of otherwise seemingly sensible middleaged men proudly showed off their replica Namath/Jets’ jerseys (No. 12, of course) and unabashedly chanted the fans’ war cry of “J-E-T-S JETSJETSJETS!” And Joe, whose new biography is entitled “All the Way: My Life in Four Quarters,” saluted them back. He didn’t quite guarantee that the Jets would eventually topple the Patriots dynasty. But he was unabashed in his affection for the Jets fans. “We’ll get them, we’ll get them, he insisted. It was easy to see why Namath, who turns 76 on May 31, ha s
held this city in the palm of his hand all these years, even though he never won a playoff game after leading the Jets’ to their still-stunning upset victory over the Baltimore Colts. The Colts were favored by 18-1/2 points, on Jan. 12, 1969 — and, Namath mused, “We really didn’t like that.
The Defiant Guarantee Then, a few nights before the big game, Namath defiantly, if insanely, guaranteed the victory. y Loudly y and clearly. And in public. He confesses that it “didn’t seem like such a big deal at the time.” But his old-school coach Weeb Ewbank — what a great name! — greeted him the next day in practice and asked, alarmed, “What did you do?” Weeb (!) knew that Namath’s brazenness would fire up the Colts. Not that the ever-confident Namath fretted about it. He suggested at 92Y that if the Jets and the Colts had played 10 times, ”they might have won one!” It must have seemed like yes-
A City in the Palm of His Hand It was quite a scene cene at 92Y, where Namath w a s i n t e rv iewed by ESPN TV and radio host Mike Greenberg. If the he Jets fans ans in attendance could ould have tailgated inside hall, ide the hall they would have.
Namath turns 76 on May 31. Photo: Courtesy Little, Brown and Company
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
15
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
SIP THE BLACK DIRT dirt
The Namath brothers, Christmas 1962. Left to right, Sonny, Bobby, Frank and Joe. Photo: Courtesy Joe Namath personal collection
terday to Namath when he talked about leaving the field that day with his index fire pointing to the sky, as if to say, “We’re No. 1!” “I never did that before!” he marveled anew. Namath, he of the quick wit, white football shoes, endless endorsements, colorful nickname (“Broadway Joe”) and array of lovely young dates,, was the first anti-es-tablishment footballl player. Only Muham-mad Ali had a higher profile among sports stars in the 1960s. Namath signed a pro contract for the then-enormous sum of $427,000 before his rookie year, in 1965. That was huge news in itself, and the amount proceeded to shake the economics of team sports. But it wasn’t all laughs and fun. Namath revealed another side of fame — how “lonely” he was when he first came to New York City. The starstruck kid, who hailed from Beaver Falls, Pa., and had played college ball at the University of Alabama, couldn’t believe meeting the
likes of Yankees icons Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford and Billy Martin.
Hard-Earned Wisdom Namath spoke well and looked healthy at 92Y, but it has been a rocky ride. His most poignant moment during the interview came when he calmly discussed his longtime drinking problem, which
In his new book, book Namath is candid about his struggles with alcohol. Photo: Courtesy Little, Brown and Company
has caused him embarrassment. “I had let down a lot of people,” he said. (He made it clear, too, that he has worked hard to address the drinking.) He didn’t shy away from talking about the time on national television when he hissed at sportscaster Suzy Kolber, “I want to kisssss you.” (“I hurt Suzy Kolber,” he acknowledged and then again apologized to her). Namath reminded the audience that they were not alone in their struggles and cautioned them that, if you think you m i g ht h ave a drinking problem, “you p do!” His find est moments e at 92Y came a when he urged w tthe audience m e m b e r s to deal with their d demons and not d be afraid to seek b help. h If you follow the career and th after-football life af of Joe Namath, you’ll encounter yo someone with so the heart of a th champion. h And yes, I guaran-
SATURDAY, JUNE 22
Hop on the bus and sample brews, spirits, and wines from the historic black dirt region — famous for its exceptionally fertile soil.
Tickets Limited… Reserve Yours Now!
95
$
Tickets
pour-tour.com or
845-469-9000
16
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Business
Gia, Stephanie and Eva and past staff, which are too many to name for making Gael one of the friendliest bars on the UES.”
Awilda Sosa and Maria DiCairano in their shared space on the Upper West Side. Photo: Jason Cohen
A Lifetime in the Business
UNLIKELY PARTNERS NEIGHBORHOOD How two different businesses thrive under one roof on the Upper West Side BY JASON COHEN
Can an optical store and an accountant succeed in a shared office? Well, two people on the Upper West Side are showing this can be done. Angel Eyes Optical and MID Tax Service, located at 2662 Broadway at 101st Street, have proven over the past decade that two different businesses can thrive under one roof. Awilda Sosa of Whitestone and Maria DiCairano of Westchester County met in 2008, while considering the same vacant space for their respective businesses and decided to join forces. “We didn’t know each other at all,” DiCairano said. “We just knew we both needed the space.” DiCairano, who has been doing taxes since 1986, expanded her business to the city in 2008. Working at a small office, which has since closed, she decided she liked it so much she wanted to remain in Manhattan. Meanwhile, Sosa has been an owner of Angel Eyes for 17 years. She had an office on 95th and Broadway and then bought herself out of the franchise and moved to 99th and Broadway. When they decided to share an office space, many people thought it was a crazy idea. However, the two single moms
have grown close, learned about each others’ trades and ultimately created more business for each other. “To me I enjoy it,” Sosa said. “First of all I admire her as a business person. I’ve been in this business for so long; everyone thought I was going to fail.” “People thought I should share a space with other accountants or a lawyer,” DiCairano added. “But I thought why?” DiCairano explained that during the off-season for taxes she only comes in into the office twice a week. Now, with Sosa there six days a week, DiCairano’s clients can drop forms off or pick them up. And clients of one person have now become clients of the other. “It’s a blessing because we’re helping each other when we need it,” Sosa said. The women stressed that another perk of sharing an office is being able to split the rent. Sosa noted that the landlord has been a client of hers for many years and he had no issue with the arrangement. “We share it so we can keep our profitability and still keep the clients happy,” DiCairano said. Ultimately, the two women never imagined working together, but are happy things turned out how they did. “I never wanted a business partner, but it felt right,” Sosa said. “She didn’t even know what a Dominican was. Now she knows about tostones.”
The chalkboard tells the story. Photo: Jason Cohen
THE GAEL IS GONE CLOSINGS Another popular UES establishment loses its home and shuts down to make way for new development BY JASON COHEN
After nearly 15 years on the Upper East Side, the Gael Pub shuttered its doors Sunday. Located at 1465 Third Avenue, the bar, along with six adjacent buildings, will be knocked down to make way for new construction. “I am sad to have to announce Gael Pub will close its doors ... after almost 15 amazing years,” owner Gene Lennon announced on Facebook on May 4. “Apparently we can’t stand in the way of progress, as they add yet another high rise to the UES skyline. It’s been a great journey and we must thank all of our customers, most of whom are friends now as a result, for supporting us over the years.”
Lennon, 58, said he realized his business was endangered when the building was sold seven years ago and other buildings in the area were being flipped. “I kind of figured it was going when they were buying up the property,” he said. He continued to ask the new building owners if his lease would be renewed and was told a year ago that it would not.
Customers Became Friends While this past weekend was the last hurrah for the bar, the last 14 years have been memorable, Lennon recalled. Gael Pub, he said, had become a “community bar,” where the bartenders and patrons knew each other quite well. It held weekly Tuesday trivia nights, featured live music, was a Chicago Bears bar since 2006 and, every February, several customers along with the staff would go skiing in Vermont. Lennon even attended some of his customers’ weddings
and was often involved in charity efforts, including recently, when the bar raised money for a regular who suffered a stroke. “The fact that it’s such a community here, and we’ve built a lot of good friends and customers here, that for the last 10 days since we announced we’re leaving, it’s just been overwhelming,” he said. “The customers that we have here are very loyal.” From texts, social media and reminiscing in the bar, it was obvious how people felt about the place, he said. Lennon told Our Town that Gael Pub was successful because of its staff. He explained that anyone can make drinks, but connecting with customers is what matters. “We hire bartenders based on their personality, not their experience,” he stressed. In his Facebook post, made a point of “our present staff / partners Rory, Niall, Tony , Joan, Eoin, Ignacio, Conall,
While Gael Pub may have closed, Lennon’s career as a bar owner is not over. He grew up in Ireland and began working in bars around the age of 13. His uncle, Barney O’Donnell, owned a popular watering hole in Collinstown, County Westmeath, where he would often visit and eventually worked from age 13 to 17. It was there where he developed his love for the industry. “I looked at how [Barney] did things and how he ran his place,” Lennon said. From age 17 to 24, Lennon he did an apprenticeship at a bar in Dublin, Ireland. With a goal of opening his own place in New York, he and his then girlfriend and now wife, Patricia, moved to the city in 1985. He worked briefly at a now shuttered nightclub on 84th Street, and from 1987 to 1994 he bartended at Fitzpatrick’s Bar and Grill on Second Avenue. It was there he developed passion for the UES. “At that time, the Upper East Side was a place where everybody went,” Lennon said. In 1995 his dream of owning a bar came true when he purchased Trinity Pub at 229 East 84th Street. Trinity actually helped him launch Gael Pub. In 2005, one of his customers told him about a sushi restaurant on Third Avenue that was looking for a new owner. Lennon quickly seized the opportunity and, with partner William Ferguson, turned it into Gael Pub. This past November he also expanded to the East Village when he bought Juke Bar at 196 Second Avenue. . As he looks to the future, Lennon hopes to relocate Gael Pub to a new location on the UES. “It’s a question of, if it’s a good deal,” he said. “I’m 58-years-old now, I don’t want to go into something where I’m having sleepless nights. This neighborhood has been more or less my home for the last 30 years.”
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
17
18
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
‘I LOVE THE KIDS’ People have a lot of ideas about how to make schools safe, especially in the age of school shootings. There’s a reflex to install metal detectors, add guards and put up armor. But for 43 years, school safety agent Candi Rodriguez has used a different approach — one grounded in love, empathy and inclusion. It’s how she’s kept the Joan of Arc School Complex on the Upper West Side — which houses Manhattan School for Children, Lafayette Academy and the Community Action School — one of the city’s safest. It’s how she’s become beloved by generations of students, parents and staff. And it’s how she caught the attention of the Fund for the City of New York, which is honoring Rodriguez with the Sloan Public Service Award for 2019.
Honoring a Lifetime Commitment “They say it takes a community to raise and educate a child. In this instance, it takes a community to keep this school community safe,” said Georgia Boothe, who sits on the Fund’s awardee selection panel and serves as the vice president for Child Welfare and Family Services, during
A Role Model and a Friend One after another, principals, teachers and students from the three schools spoke about Rodriguez and what her presence has meant in their lives and the lives of
She is a familiar, friendly face ... her kindness and her warmth are infectious.” Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer
School safety officer Candi Rodriguez, right, receives a check for $10,000 from Paula Olsiewski, program director, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Photo: Emily Higginbotham
those in their school community. They painted the mother of three, and grandmother of three, who started at the complex in 1975, when it was just one school, as a professional who knows how to be stern when she needs to be and builds trust and respect through personal interaction with the students and staff. “She is a familiar, friendly face welcoming young people who might be nervous about coming to school,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. “Her kindness and her warmth are infectious.” The speakers talked about how Rodriguez makes every-
one feel included, whether they be an outsider or someone with different needs. Community Action School teacher Thomas Chickery recalled his first time walking through the doors of the complex. He was nervous about his interview, and nervous, as boy from Dutchess County, at the prospect of teaching at a New York City public school. “People from the city are mean,” he joked. But Rodriguez put Chickery at ease. “She made me feel like this was the right place for me before I even went into the interview,” Chickery said. Greta Baier, a fifth grade
Do
student at Manhattan School for Children who uses a motorized scooter to get around, said Rodriguez always makes her feel good. “We have a little joke where I might be coming from the elevator or going home from school and she’ll say, ‘Beep, beep!’ and I’ll,” Greta said, pausing to hit the horn on her scooter, mimicking the ‘beep, beep.” Other students talked about Rodriguez as a role model, teaching them about hard work and dedication. Lafayette Academy student Zoe De Bernardo said Rodriguez shows what it means to be
something
passionate about your work, and to do it with enthusiasm. Community Action School student Merveille Bollou said that thanks to Rodriguez she’s learned two lessons: to be grateful and take advantage of opportunities when they arise, and to take pride in her work. Closing the ceremony, Rodriguez thanked the many people she’s worked with over four decades, especially the students. “I love the kids. That’s the only thing that has kept me here for 43 years,” she said. And with a smirk, she added, “Parents, I don’t know.”
us to
?
into
BY EMILY HIGGINBOTHAM
like
A school safety officer with more than 40 years on the job is recognized for her dedication and warm-hearted approach
a ceremony at the complex Thursday morning. “Candi understands that. She understands that at the heart of how to do that is the ability to build relationships.” Rodriguez was one of six city employees — out of work force of 300,000 — to be honored with the service award last week. The group included Gesille Dixon, New York Public Library; John Gallagher, New York City Department of Correction; Keith Kerman, New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services; Joseph Marcellino, New York City Health and Hospitals; and Renee Parham, New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development. “Think about the odds. Six out of 300,000. We got it right,” said Mary McCormick, the president of the Fund. “In my time in charge of the Fund, I’ve seen that this city depends on people like Candi; people who are passionate, committed and caring.” With the award, Rodriguez was presented with a check from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for $10,000. “I don’t know what to say,” said Rodriguez, wearing her warm trademark smile, which was mentioned by many at Thursday’s ceremony. “It has been 43 wonderful years.”
have
COMMUNITY
you You’d look
Email us at news@strausnews.com
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
19
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Neighborhood Scrapbook
Seniors applaud volunteers from the military at the Carter Burden Luncheon Club. Photo courtesy of the Carter Burden Network
DURING FLEET WEEK, HELPING HANDS FOR A SENIOR LUNCH Twenty active duty service men and women, in town for Fleet Week, dropped by the Carter Burden Luncheon Club & Senior Program on Thursday, May 23, 2019 to volunteer their time, prepping and serving lunch at the Club and delivering meals to homebound Upper East Side senior citizens. Represented in the group were members of the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard stationed mainly in North Carolina, DC, and Maryland. This is the third year that military volunteers stopped by the Luncheon Club, a program of the Carter Burden Network, for a day of community service. William Dionne, Executive Director of
Service members at the Carter Burden Luncheon Club. Photo courtesy of the Carter Burden Network
Service members prepare lunch at the Carter Burden Luncheon Club. Photo courtesy of the Carter Burden Network
the Carter Burden Network, said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every year on Memorial Day, the nation stops to remember fallen members of the military who gave their lives so we can live in freedom. But, the visit to our Luncheon Club by these active service members from the Marines, Navy and Coast Guard gives us the chance to thank these brave men and women â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in person â&#x20AC;&#x201D; for their service to our nation. Their volunteer work, compassion and caring will long be remembered.â&#x20AC;? The service men and women received a rousing round of grateful applause from more than 150 older New Yorkers who participated in Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lunch program.
Join the Celebration
75 Years of
ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND
thoughtgallery.org
No-Kill Action and Compassion A D O P T
A
P E T
NEW YORK CITY
T O D AY !
Brenda Wineapple on Andrew Johnsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Impeachment
A C O O P E R AT I V E A D O P T I O N E V E N T:
MUDDY PAWS RESCUE, LOUIEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LEGACY & NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE AMERICA
PETSMART
PETCO
1107 Broadway @ W. 25th St. ( New York, NY SATURDAY ( JUNE 1 ( 12 PM - 5 PM
860 Broadway @ E. 17th St. ( New York, NY SUNDAY ( JUNE 2 ( 12 PM - 3 PM
&CXKU #XG 2QTV 9CUJKPIVQP 0; r animalleague.org r r 44
FOLLOW US ON:
MONDAY, JUNE 3RD, 6:30PM Graduate Center, CUNY | 365 Fifth Ave. | 212-817-7000 | gc.cuny.edu Wineapple talks about her new book, The Impeachers: the Trial of Andrew Johnson and the Dream of a Just Nation, which speaks of a president who behaved like a king until Congress put a stop to it. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s joined by Columbia history professor and author Eric Foner (free).
This Land Is Our Land: Suketu Mehta with Molly Crabapple
TUESDAY, JUNE 4TH, 6:30PM Stephen A. Schwarzman Building | 476 Fifth Ave. | 917-275-6975 | nypl.org
Your neighborhood news source
Pulitzer Prize ďŹ nalist Suketu Mehta (Maximum City) argues that the West isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t being destroyed by immigrants, but by its fear of them. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll speak on his new book, which notes the climate change and civil strife making migration an ever more-pressing matter (free).
Just Announced | Michael Wolff with Graydon Carter: A President Under Siege
THURSDAY, JUNE 13TH, 7PM Temple Emanu-El | 1 E. 65th St. | 888-718-4253 | emanuelnyc.org
OurTownNY.com
Michael Wolff talks about his follow up to Fire and Fury, a fresh look at the investigations, family entanglements, and post-Mueller fallout as it hits the Trump White House ($36, includes book).
For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,
sign up for the weekly Thought Gallery newsletter at thoughtgallery.org.
20
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Don’t go out into the cold. GET YOUR LOCAL NEWS DELIVERED It’s your neighborhood. It’s your news. And now your personal copy is delivered directly to your mailbox every week!
THE M NEW ET'S MODE
CITYAR RNISM TS, P.2 > 4
2
0 1 6 OTT Y AWA
RDS
His Eminence Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan
Dr. Maura D. Frank Gustavo Goncalves
Just $49
James Grant Paul Gunther
Harris Healy
Susan H enshaw Jones
Mallory Spain
CELEBR BEST OF ATTHING THE EAST SIDE E UPPER Dr. David Thomas
Bett y Cooper Wallerstein
IS THE LUX SLOWING DURY MARKET OWN?
OUT OF GA S
IN VE ST IG
UP TH NG MET'SE TEMPL E
, ma fen t The Am lands ke up the groPark, amon ders cap g erican BY GABRIELLE Histor Hilderbr e archit up. The pro othALFIER Mu y ec O hood for is tapping seum of Na ings, wh and will tu re fir m ject’s int also att Reed ich be that wi a communit o the neightural “It en gin portionll weigh in on y working bor- wo ’s always be on March d meet4. rk with group en where of Theodo the redesignCITY the com our inten AR the TS re ob the tion to munit jectiv museu Roosevel of a wo , P.1 quartery to t uld lik2 > es of wh m at the achieve e to do posed acre of gre pla ns to Park, the mu us expan en spa ne sion. ce for e a as thi eds of the and make su seum Frien a procom re s profit ds of Roose Dan Sli project mo munity are that vel ves for met the cit that manage t Park, the ernme ppen, vice wa y’s presid rd,” said nt relati mu seu Parks De s the park non- thi ent of on nk pa wi m, s tha rtm at th all govthe mu t what with the wi ll co y sol -chair ent and the we’re seu museu the gr m. Blo we alw idifying, in doing now m. “I ou ck ass a ays int is ociation p ended.”way, efforts res, CO that NT
TRINITY COMES INTOWER FOCUS TO
idents as ites estSide paris hioners Spirit well as froinput m
Cell Phone ________________________________
Newsche Crime Wack Voices tch Out & Ab out
2 Cit y 3 Th Arts ings to Do 8
ake
GE 25
WEEK OF FE BRUARY-MAR CH
25-2 2016
to hav e is the sixthin the city. past thre been hit by a person car in the to The ee days alone. least 20New York Tim According cyclists pedestrians es, at have bee and thr accidents ee n kill more tha so far this ed in traffic VOL. 2, yea n ISSUE been inju 900 pedest r, and 08 rians hav It’s demred. e of victim oralizing. If fam s, ilies heighten a devoted mayor and a dent in ed awarenes the proble s can’t ma Amid the ke m, wh at can? New Yor carnage, Immedia kers once agathough, hit, bys tely after Da in rallied. A CASI group tanders ran to uplaise was MANH NO IN managof them, workin try to help. in hopesed to flip the carg together, A < BUSI ATTAN? of NESS, on res its cuing Unfor sid P.16 She wa tunately, it didDauplaise. e, Bellevues pronounced n’t work. The a short wh dead at citizensefforts of our ile later. fell to hearten save a str ow us, despit anger sho recklessn uld e who con ess of a danthe continued a place tinue to makegerous few THE SE of traged our street y. OFsOU COND DISG
Downt owner Our T
12
ake
SHELTER HOMELES RACE S RS
First, obvious: let’s start wit condition h the city’s hom s inside thi disgrace. eless shelte rs are as A ser one mo ies of terrible (includinre horrible tha crimes, month g the killing n the last of ear lier this daugh a woman has higters in Statenand her two hlighted Island), living con the the ma ditions for shameful cities inrgins of one ofpeople at Blasio, the world. Ma the richest wh yor o has bee Bill de his app from theroach to homn halting in has final beginning elessness proble ly begun to of his term, from thim, but years ofaddress the others, s administra neglect, tion and will take But years to correct. recent none of that exc office grandstanding uses the appareof Gov. Andrew by the Cuomo, he can’tntly sees no iss who In the try to belittl ue on which attempt governor’s late the mayor. officials at a hit job, est sta compla then pro ined te Post, abomptly to the to the city, homele ut a gang New York alleged ss shelter, purape at a city VOL. 77 had tim event before blicizing the , ISSUE pol e 04 As it turto investigate ice even ned out, it. never hap the officials pened, infuriaincident media hitwho called it ting city a ” “po aim the mayor ed at em litical . More cha barrassin counter-c rges and g THfolElow the me harges Dicken antimeA , of cou ed. In Tditrse men, wosian livingR OionF, the con in New men D kidsIM s for Yor andEN Here’s k goe s on. in shelters CITY ARTS, leadershi hoping tha t som P.2any eday our as intere p in Alb 0 as it is in sted in helpinwill become back fro agains scoring pol g them t sit itical poi 17 fee m FDR Drour ive byting mayor. nts t 16 to out of and raise
IN CEN KIDS AGTARIAL PARK, WEIGHI NST DOCNAl NG LiDnTtRo UMnP WEEK OF JA NUARY-FEBR UARY 28-3 MOVING FO R A GUIDE TO CAMP
NE W S
BUILDING, WARD ON THE DESPITE C ONCERNTSIN 3 Top Arts 8 Re 5 10 15 al Estate Minutes
Voices Out & Ab out
12 13 16 21
PAGE 9
it on the floo as red d plain, e foot uc building e the heigh as well three. from four t of the storie HAPP s to The ref urbishe would SNOWY LITTLE d sit FLAKES pier pil atop newl bu ild ing y food ma ings and restored Reme board co Transpa officia sio’s fi mber Mayo Jean-G rket overseenntain a expre ls, but rst r Bil eorge linger ov rency concer by sse me W ch Th s Vong hat a winter in his l de Blaef mbers e pr ns develop d concern dif fer redeveloper Howard Hu new years the de oposal also erichten. er ’s vis s that the ence Se ma molit ca lls a coup job? Seaport ment plans ghes’ pieapor t is be ion for th Ho ion for Hit wi kes. le of for the ing e tw use and Lin of the He ceme after th a snow ad o dil k Bu compre al instead relea sed sto tak new ma ing off ice rm shortly of in on adjacen apidated str ild ing, hensive Howa BY DAN t e in pro uc The new would yor fumble in 2014, th IEL FIT front ofto the Tin Bu tures CB1’s rd Hughes posal. d in a wa ZSIMM e co Jan. 19 ly restored me Pie ild joi ONS Re half of ing r 17. to The joi cen Tin presen South nt La nd mamet with his ter define th y that nt La nd tation Building, as by the tly announ Stree un So rk e m. to Comm fi ut fir s lle envisio ced Ho h ma Ce Po an t Seap st d. Stree nter d Ce plans poration ward Hu ned unity Bo storm Official wa tholes we t Seap rks and nter gh pla ns on Jan. 19 or t/Civic nt ’s ard 1. in Howard Hu at the for the Tin es Corfor th to unve Residen severity wernings on the a resolucomm ittee or t/Civic ghes a fou e s passe re mu ts in ne re ce iveSouth Stree Building r-s tory Tin Build il the pr tion in did dd igh d n’t led t supp structur ing bo op prov al d preli mi Seaport plaine vote for de rhoods tha . e at thelandm arke , of Howa osal, but req or t of na co d from being that their strBlasio com-t comm ry ap - Hording to the Seaport. Acd pla n for rd Hughes uested plo un ity a was lat wed -- a eets weren - ing wa rd Hu gh presentation - the Seap redevelopmmaster su ’t es ort , wo to mo tion-trucer proven spicion tha ve the is propos uld inc as a whole ent at ou t Tin Bu , wh lude the This k GPS data. t by sanitailding compa ich new detime aroun ny’s CONTINU d, ED ON ch arge Blasio seem an entirely PAGE 5 was for . Before th ed to be Sanitati e storm in ceful, Ins on bu tea , t no he d architect Dept. build closin of jumpin t panicke d. g g storm ure, is press ing, praised waited subways or the gun an ed into for d service its then ac for the storm schools, he during detectedted decisive to develop the , We do a sense of huly. We even n’t wa mor in The bu cre nt it all dit tha to give BY DEE to life ilding looks him mo . someth n is due, PTI HAJ , all re bu ELA ing can loo angles an like a mode t there about seeme rn d wa thi d nation k bluish or gra edges, with art painting New Yo to bring ou s storm tha s t rkers. t the be in any of the three. yish or wh concrete wa come On Su itish, or settin lls st of functi g, but It would be some that alpine nday, the cit an no on pounds it was cre ne more tha unusual str combiskiers vil lage. Cr y felt like an ate uc of the n rock sal d for --- sto the fairly pro ture snow plied the pa oss-cou nt ry rin t bo sai tha rks g CONTINU c tho t the cit hot ch ots and pa , people y’s De usands of ED ON ololat rkas ord in partm PAGE 29 wi es, th su ered kid ent of of sledd nburned fac s came home es after ding. There a day tent. Qu were pock ets the plo eens reside of disco nand elew trucks by nts felt th at the sch cted offici passed them, als closed ools should there sa id for ha But ov another da ve stayed %TGCVKX just en erall, consid y. G 9TKVK PI r &CPEG snows dured the secering we ha r /QVK torm in d QP 2KE lovely our his ond-biggest VWTG # litt TVU r and his le chapter tory, it was /WUKE a for the subjects r 6JG mayor CVTG r . 8KUWC
NE W S
THE SALT SPOTLIGH SHED’S T MOMENT NE W S
Email Address_________________________________________ Signature______________________________Date _______________
ART
LIVES HERE
Return Completed Form to: Straus News, 20 West Avenue, Chester, NY, 10918 or go to strausnews.com & click on Subscribe
FOR PARK REDESIGN
Bu On Sa 13 10 15 siness BY EM ILY TOW parishioturday mo Minutes 16 NER rn and low ners, comm ing, archit 19 ered in er Manhatt unity me ects, mb vision St. Paul’s Ch an residents ers for Tr ap gat el hto discu inity Ch building ss urch’s The ex . new pa the rish Place acr isting bu ild been cle oss from Tr ing, on Tr inity inity Ch ared for 1923, urc de it the chu no longer sermolition. Buh, has tower rch and the ves the ne ilt in wi com ed The we ll be built in munity. A s of new in a ser ekend me its place. eti — collabies of commu ng was the needs orative for nity “charr fifth an um ett the low d wants of s to addre es” a whole er Manhatt the church ss the and an com . “In ou munit of r y initial as about charr buildinghow we wa ettes we talked for the to be a homented th is pa hood,” homeless an for the spi rish rit fer, Tr said the Re d for the neigh ual, v. Dr. Wi ini bor“We tal ty Wall Street lliam Lu ked ’s prector What ab . they wo out minis try act look,” uld be ivi Lu marke pfer said. , how they ties. wo t underst study in ord“We condu uld cte desires and neighbo er to objec d a dream as well as rhood needtively s.” parish s and He sai hopes and sion em d the churc tality braces a ph h communit The can tha ilo ride in coming t is “open sophy for y’s viCe carouseldidate’s owne ho , flexibl .” On the ntral Park. “We wa e and spifamilia puts New Yo rship of the wela white wall next to nt it street r bind rkers in , access to be visiblP.9 > that rea placard wi the entrance a Gemm ible to e from the com and Re ds, “Trum th red letter is well, a Whitema the CONTINU p Ca munit gulat ing who we n and ind It’s y, BY DAN Engla ED ON Joel Ha re on lat icatio ions” -- rousel Ru PAGE 6 weekd e afternoon IEL FITZSIMM presid ns that Do one of the les day, nd and rode vacation uxONS ay, an on only sai the en fro nald a mi tial d lining opera bearing d they notic carousel Mo m up to pakids and tou ld winter tes the candidate, J. Trump, ed the Trum ntially ow car ris y Tr $3 for “It p’s ns an placar New Yo a qu ts are see um p’s po ousel. d ma was in my name. OurTown d rk mo lit ics ping int n, he ment: intesenDowntow wh ad o the car have be 20gav a carou weigh 16 e he en asked ,” said Wh n gu sel an aft a deep ernoo ousel, as rid n in En r pause. “H if the realiz iteOTDOW O n esc ly divisiv gla ati ers e’s NTOW like, ‘Do nd, so in my not very lik on e candid ape again N.COM st he ed I want ate. Newsche to give ad I was a bit ck money @OTD CO Cri me Wa NTINU to this owntown 2 Cit tch ED ON y
Address _______________________________ Apt. # ________ New York, NY Zip Code _____________
Our T
THE ST
PAGE 5
WESATS serID iesEof for SPIRne ums on IT.w paMh build the fro COris ing inv church’s @W m res
Name ______________________________________________
AT IO N
Accor DOB, Coding to sta STREETORY OF OU tis R agency nEd report tics provid S ed by over 20 in 2015, a ed 343 shutoff the The 40 Ruby BY DAN trend 14’s 67 shu 0 percent s to the New Yorworst and the IEL FIT ey on Mak has been ap toffs. increa ZSIMM takeo An So far pears to be Monday k were both best of ONS ut tha spending mid-d in 2016 increa d the upwa se on displa mo mo issert n acc mid a the sin re rd docto ording y town. rning on 36th mong eve re ha ation is worki Street in ng at lea , and her ne rate stude “Since to the DO ve been 157 n more: Ca rol “A lot nt B. Da shu w rice st as uplaise, toffs, noticing the spring owner cooker to eat of it is just ou hard. the a no gas, a lot of pe of last year crossingof a jewelry com 77-year-o cook at lot more,” t of pocket, op we sta going rted water either cookin le coming Street Madison Av pany, was ld steam home it’s jus said Mak. “W ,” out in ing an said Donna g gas or he that had when a during the mo enue at 36th cally.” things with t a rice cooker hen we at livery-cab rning rus it, or ma Ameri d commun Chiu, direct and hot cor . You can ner h dri ity or can La st Se and hit ke rice, her. ver turned the Chiu cal s For Equa ser vices forof housptemb The basihundred er Asian said AA led the inc lity. arresteddriver of the car no natur s of others her bu ild ing ing an FE is worki rease “freak pedest for failing to was joi ned an ins al gas, cut across the d pe off town almost a dong with Ma ish,” and been citrian, and cop yield to a Building ction blitz by Con Ed city with an ser vic d the Lowe zen others k’s buildtraffic vioed for at leasts say he had a month s that bega by the city’sison after es. 10 oth lations advocat And Ch r East Side in ChinaIt sin wa East Vil after a fat n last April, Dept. of iu, lik ce 2015. er es, ha al ga e ma to restor exp les litany ofs but the latest lage tha s t claim s explosion s than lon loitation by witnessed ny housinge that hav traffic deaths in a sad ed two bu g servic in the a lives. e interr ilding owne pattern of Mayor e lingered on, and injuries rs wh uptions curb traBill de Blasio’s despite CONTINU in an eff o proffic crashe efforts ort to ED ON Da to uplais s PA
MUSEUM T APS NEIGH BORHOOD GROUPS
Yes! Start my $49 subscription right away! Plus give it to a friend for just $10
CITY WIN FO APPLE R
2 Cit y 3 To Arts Do 24 8 Foo 25 10 15 d & Drink MinuAtes 26 surge s shu rent-stabof ga29 ilized tentoffs, particu larly for ants
NE W S
Clinton
Wests ider
3-9
Newsche Crime Wack Voices tch Out & Ab out
INUED ON
accuse capita d of overleve l. very James Beninati anraging invest lions aftCabrera, we d his partn or re BY DAN Antar er the firm sued for mier, The Ba IEL FIT es ZSIMM condo uhouse Gr assets was stripp ’s collapse, lONS and ou ed of mo in p’s 90 the lat project on A rep the late-a st of its 0-foo Sutto n Place t the Ba resentative ughts. velopmeest lux ur y res for uhouse fundin nt to suffer idential is a req Group Beninati an ue de g, fro did st for d - tim as inv ingly comm not return estors m a lack of e. wary ent by are inc of fin at the Sto press rea ler an top a surpl end of the cing projec s- Deal ne also spok outlookus in inven market du ts a notic wspaper las e to the Re tor e will ma on whether y and a tep to ap ar tmeable decre t month ab al ase out affluent terialize id lig en News buyer hted ma t sa les, whin high-end down of s the roa the 80 rke ich hig squa re avera d. -st ge nu t data tha hmb April, foot propo or y, 260,0 t apart ments er of days said the an 00 squat d sent the sa l broke las spent in new for-sa neigh and sleepy comparative t perce on the marke developme le VOL. 42 bo nt munit rhood int Sutton Pla ly and the between t increased nts , ISSUE o the y 47 en 09 tions, Board 6 vo a panic. Co ce “E very d of last yea end of 20 man ice 14 on d r. d Council e’s a its ob Kallos Stoler lit jec the bu came out str member Be - $2,50 told TRD. “W tle worri ed ilding 0 ’s heigh ongly again n lende [per square ith anything ,” plicat ions. rs are t and soc st at foo t] ver or But it Stoler ial imtold thi y cautious.” more, opposit wa sn’t jus s ne wspape house ion workingt commun CONTINU r that ED ON Mi aelprincipal Jo against Baity PAGE 5 seph u20ch Sto ne r16 at the ler, a mana Beninati. Jewish invest ging pa son Re wome me n and the wo backg alty Capital, nt firm Ma rtgirl rld by rou lighting s light up candle tares Inv nd also plasaid Beninatidis every the Sha yed bbat Friday 18 min a role. ’s Benin estment Pa eve utes bef < NEW An ati co Friday ore sun ning -foundertners, the fi schoo S, Ma set. l rm P.4 For mo rch 11 – 5:4 boast classmate thad with a pre 1 pm. re info ed $6 rm www.c billion t at one po p habadu ation visit int in ass pperea ets, wa stside.co s m.
WEEK OF MAR CH
AMNH electe d transpo working gro and pa officials, Co up rtation, park reds to focus on of Teddrk advocacy mmunity Board group y Roose esign LIGHTI 7, ers De vel
WestS ideSpirit
>
NE W S
53 Lud low Str mom, hav eet, Fitzsim e been witwhere a dozen mons hout coo ten king gas ants, includ since las ing Ruby Mak and t Septe mber. Pho her to by Dan iel
Westsider
S, P.4
Concern high en s about a glu t at the d
OurTown EastSide
Eastsider
AN EN D "BR TO WINDO OKEN WS"? NEW
2016
MORE THAN SCREATHE M
@OurT ownNYC
VOL. 2, ISSUE 10
10-16
Our To wn ha The pa s much 2016, per celebrat to be thank an OTTY d this we es its 45th ful for. ek Award anniv made ersary winnershonors its a un lat The OT ique differe , noting pe est group in ople wh of nce on You -- TY award the o ha s ha munit ve always -- short for OuUpper East ve Sid be y strong. service, an en a reflect r Town Th e. d this anks year’s ion of deep Our ho list is parti combusiness norees inc cularly owners lude co heroe mm an s. Cardi We’re also d medical anunity activi na tak fall’s wi l Timothy ing a mome d public saf sts, Franc ldly succes Dolan, who nt to recog ety is. nize sheph sful vis Kyle Po In his interv erd it iew wi to the city ed last pressi pe, Dolan by th Our ref ng Town Pope warning issues sti lects on thaCI Editor ll TYit, ARon movin s he receiv facing the t vis TS, g to Ne city,2 an>d on the w York ed from his P.1 Read nine his profile, seven years friends be the OT TY an fore ag Thom awards d the profi o. pso les of the oth We are n, in the spe by repor the wi proud to bri cial sectio ter Madelei er nners n ne part of ng it to you inside. our com , and pro ud to cal munit y. l
OURTOW O NNY.C OM
Eastsi der
WEEK OF MAR CH
N #TVU
Our T
ake
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
21
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com To read about other people who have had their “15 Minutes” go to ourtownny.com/15 minutes
YOUR 15 MINUTES
OF SOLES AND SOUL Upper Westsider Noah Waxman on the “very old art” of designing shoes BY MARK NIMAR
A pair of shoes is a basic part of everyday life: to traverse concrete and asphalt, New Yorkers need them to get from A to B. Shoes, of course, can mean more than just protection for your feet. They can give you the confidence to step into that big job interview, walk down the aisle at your wedding or even just enhance the simple pleasure of going to the grocery store on a lazy Sunday morning. No one knows this truth better than Noah Waxman, a proud Upper Westsider who owns his own shoe store on Perry Street in the West Village. After studying the craft of shoemaking in Holland for 10 years, Waxman moved back to New York and launched his eponymous store in 2013 where he makes classic, comfortable shoes for men and women. We sat down with him last week to talk about the ancient craft of shoemaking, his own design process, and why he loves the Upper West Side.
How did you get into designing shoes? I had an interesting path into designing shoes. I was living in Holland and when I was there working in film and television, I was riding around on my bicycle and I saw this guy’s window with a lot of really interesting shoes in it. I wanted to know their story, and how they were made. I could tell they were handmade shoes. So I knocked on the door and I met
the guy who lived there and sure enough, he had made the shoes himself. He had a workshop inside where he made shoes and I was really fascinated by it. I asked him, “I’m really interested in shoes and how they’re made. Could you teach me?” He said he couldn’t teach me, but he studied at this little school in the next town over called Utrecht, and he would take me there and introduce me to everybody. So we made an appointment for the following week and took the train there together, and I met everybody there and it was a really cool little school. I really fell in love and decided to enroll there. And I started a multi-year study at the school learning how to design shoes, build shoes from the bottom up.
What is your design process like? How do you approach the shoemaking process? Shoes are still built in a similar fashion to the way they were built hundreds of years ago. Even though today there are ways that the process has become more modern, it’s still the same basic thing where you start with an idea of what you want it to look like, you sketch it out, you pull together the colors and materials, and then you begin to make it into a shoe. I have always approached it with a sense of wonder, with a sense of awe. And it is an amazing thing building a shoe, because it is so complicated. We stand in them, we walk on them, we demand so much of our shoes. This is a very old art, and it’s something that’s beautiful. [When] I grew
Designing comfortable shoes for men and women. Photo: Noah Waxman Studio
up my family was in the furniture business and there’s a lot of similarity between shoemaking and furniture making. So I have an appreciation for creating things someone is going to use in a very intimate way, and trying to get it right.
How do your customers change and affect the shoes you design? Customers come back and tell me about moments they’ve worn my shoes that have meant a lot to them. I’ve had people come in and buy shoes for their wedding, or a job interview. What I always felt was important was that even though shoes are beautiful and well made, I think there’s an element of just lifting up the everyday when you put on a really great pair of shoes.
What do you love about the Upper West Side? Why did you choose to make your home there?
Noah Waxman believes in building shoes “from the bottom up.” Photo: Patrick James Miller
I used to live down the block here in the West Village a long time ago, and when I lived here I thought, this was my neighborhood; I really loved it. And then when I moved back to New
York from Holland after ten years, that’s when I settled on the Upper West Side. Somehow that neighborhood just feels like home and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. Shoemaking’s kind of an old world thing, and I’m kind of an old spirit in a way. The Upper West Side has that same kind of quality of old New York. It really appeals to me. It’s still one of those neighborhoods where you can go to your neighborhood green grocer and people kind of know each other. And there are things that just have been there for a long time, like Barney Greengrass and places like that I think make it a special neighborhood. Even though you do see things changing and places going out of business, I still feel like it has that old soul of New York which really appeals to me. I also feel like it’s one of the greenest neighborhoods of the city. New York can be a tough city to live in, because it’s really fast-paced, it’s very concrete — and there’s a lot of people. I always joked that the Upper West Side is the suburbs of
Manhattan, because it’s a lot leafier, it’s a little slower paced, there are a lot of nice parks around there, and I like that.
If you could make a pair of shoes for anyone from history, dead or alive, who would it be? Maybe I should just say Noah from the Bible. There’s a lot of rain, he’s on a boat — there’s a lot going on — and I’d imagine that he’d need a good pair of shoes for that.
What do you hope for someone to get out of wearing a pair of your shoes? I guess just a simple joy. I feel like it can just be really simple, and that’s the best. This interview has been edited for clarity and space.
Know somebody who deserves their 15 Minutes of fame? Go to ourtownny.com and click on submit a press release or announcement.
22
Eastsider 7
8
12
13
14
15
16
17 20
23
24
8
5
6
4
6
1
Level: Medium
3
8
7
1
6
45
I O C C A S I O N E F N L U T
59
T P R E E O U N B M T Z D W E
E O M C C N C Y U B Z Z C F N
R C D O O O B K B F U T U R E
V H N T N S N R S M G G U R R
A G I J W T R D M O Y P T R A
L M K Q F A H H S D S Y R X T
E I S Q V K X S U R E I L B I
G N V Q W F L R D A Y E A G O
P S H S G Y A G R C K W B V N
I T W X X T M S E A S O N S L
N A K P I B F J R V C D A Y S
Z N Y O G I W V R K Z E T F K
The puzzle contains the following words. They may be diagonal, across, or up and down in the grid in any direction.
Q T N C H R O N O L O G Y T I
Chronology Clocks Days Duration Epoch Future Generation Instant Interval Months Occasion Seasons Seconds Time Years
ANSWERS A
R
T
T
N
E
A
B O
E
N
O
H
A
L
L
B O
52
53
54
E
P
Y
M
45 42 38 34 28
29
30
E T
G A R
E
S
A
C I
B
A 3
B
E
4
L
S
L
13
5
41
A
A
R
A M B 6
7
I
P
D 50
L
I
D
L
36
I
37
T
U
33
D
20
K
49
E T
51
T P
24
I
16
U
H
A
L
O 2
O
P
32
23
19
D
12 1
22
B
L A
31
O
57
S
E
35
D
D
56
48
O
R
I
I
44 40
D
55
H
R
M A W
15
O 47
43
39 21
18
Z T
46
N
A
H
25
B 26
I
S E E L
27
L
B
U
17
S
C
U
14 8
S
9
P
E R A
10
D E R
11
I O C C A S I O N E F N L U T
N E S D L C P E Y E A V B H G
T P R E E O U N B M T Z D W E
E O M C C N C Y U B Z Z C F N
R C D O O O B K B F U T U R E
V H N T N S N R S M G G U R R
A G I J W T R D M O Y P T R A
L M K Q F A H H S D S Y R X T
E I S Q V K X S U R E I L B I
G N V Q W F L R D A Y E A G O
P S H S G Y A G R C K W B V N
I T W X X T M S E A S O N S L
N A K P I B F J R V C D A Y S
Z N Y O G I W V R K Z E T F K
Q T N C H R O N O L O G Y T I
6 4
8 9
3
1 3 6 5 4 7 2
7 1 2 8 9 5
2 5 7 8 9 4 1 3 6
7 3 5 1 4 8 2 6 9
4 8 6 9 2 7 5 1 3
1 2 9 6 5 3 7 8 4
3 7 2 5 8 9 6 4 1
9 1 4 2 7 6 3 5 8
5 6 8 4 3 1 9 2 7
27. Greek sandwiches 29. 60’s drug 30. Live on the edge of existence 31. Martini ingredient 37. Yes, to a captain 38. Bench locale 40. Skip 41. Circular measurement 43. Cold, at Starbucks 44. Dock 45. Kooky 46. Plant product 47. Marauding Khan 48. Boy toy? 51. Evidence 52. “Silent Spring” subject 53. Nine-sound signal
N E S D L C P E Y E A V B H G
D
49. Intel org. 50. “What are the ___?” 54. Middle-___ 55. Sundown in Scotland 56. Disentangle 57. Glazier’s item 58. Dull 59. Edges a hankie Down 1. Abbr. after a comma 2. Reseller for short 3. Historic time 4. Jamaican jazz 5. Hand-me-down 6. Long cut 7. Publicity build-up 8. Cram for a test 9. Hair piece 10. ___ in one 11. Thickness 19. Either’s partner 20. Hoopla 21. Widespread 22. Grand 23. Jostle 25. Drive to action 26. Civil rights org.
WORD SEARCH by Myles Mellor
E
58
53
S
56
52
L
55
51
H
50
60
49
63
Across 1. Always 5. “Yuck!” 8. Change 12. Weight of a vehicle without cargo 13. Express aloud 14. Cultivate 15. Rock that stands out 16. Psychic’s claim 17. “___ Betty” show 18. Divinity 21. Bedim 24. Petering out 28. Lung noise 29. Young builder’s dream 32. 5th is special for Latinos 33. Sphere 34. Downhill sport 35. Golfer’s target 36. Long ___ 37. Yeman seaport 38. Art style 39. US philosopher, John 41. Inexpensive magazines in the 30s and 40s 42. German city 46. Japanese liquor
2
A
57
7
4 3
3
N
54
44
9
7
I
48
8
3 4
I
47
2
7
41 43
1
E
46
5
38
40 42
9
S
39
2
35
37
4
A
36
32
3
R
34
31
6
59
33
30
27
5
62
29
26
2
E
28
25
Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9X9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3X3 squares. To solve the puzzle each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult.
L
22
11
U
21
19
10
G
18
9
A
6
D
5
E
4
H
3
SUDOKU by Myles Mellor and Susan Flanagan
by Myles Mellor
58
2
CROSSWORD
61
1
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
23
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
CLASSIFIEDS PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
Telephone: 212-868-0190 Email: classified2@strausnews.com
POLICY NOTICE: We make every effort to avoid mistakes in your classified ads. Check your ad the first week it runs. The publication w only accept responsibility for the first incorrect insertion. The publication assumes no financial responsibility for errors or omissions. reserve the right to edit, reject, or re-classify any ad. Contact your sales rep directly for any copy changes. All classified ads are pre-pa
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
ANNOUNCEMENTS
MERCHANDISE FOR SALE
REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE MASSAGE
Remember to: Recycle and Reuse
Discover the world’s best walk-in bathtub from 5 Reasons American Standard Walk-In Tubs are Your Best Choice 1 2 3
Includes FREE American StandardRight Height Toilet
NEED TO RUN A LEGAL NOTICE? Quick | Easy | Economical
Call Barry Lewis today at:
Limited Time Offer! Call Today!
4
888-609-0248
5
Receive a free American Standard Cadet toilet with full installation of a Liberation Walk-In Bath, Liberation Shower, or Deluxe Shower. Offer valid only while supplies last. Limit one per household. Must be first time purchaser. See www.walkintubs.americanstandard-us.com for other restrictions and for licensing, warranty, and company information. CSLB B982796; Suffolk NY:55431H; NYC:HIC#2022748-DCA. Safety Tubs Co. LLC does not sell in Nassau NY, Westchester NY, Putnam NY, Rockland NY.
Backed by American Standard’s 140 years of experience $ Ultra low entry for easy entering and exiting Patented Quick Drain® fast water removal system Lifetime Warranty on the bath AND installation, INCLUDING labor backed by American Standard 44 Hydrotherapy jets for an invigorating massage
1,50
SAVING0S
FREE IN-HOME EVALUATION!
ABUSED by CLERGY in NEW YORK?
212-868-0190 NEW LAW! ACT NOW. If you are a survivor i off child hild sexuall abuse, b N New Y York law allows you to take action against the perpetrator and institution that protected him or her.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE!
Begin your journey of healing today. Contact us now about the NEW YORK CHILD VICTIMS ACT.
at OURTOWNNY.COM 646-493-1850
57 West 57th Street, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10019
24
MAY 30-JUNE 5,2019
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
MANHATTANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FINEST RENTAL RESIDENCES IN YOUR FAVORITE NEIGHBORHOOD
9 9 9 9 UPTOWN 212-535-0500 DOWNTOWN 212-430-5900 OPEN 7 DAYS, 10AM-6PM Live the Glenwood lifestyle in these ďŹ ne neighborhoods: TriBeCa ¡ FiDi ¡ Battery Park North ¡ Fashion District ¡ Lincoln Square ¡ Murray Hill ¡ Midtown East ¡ Upper East Side
All the units include features for, and Glenwood provides reasonable accommodations to, persons with disabilities, as required by FHA.
GLENWOOD GLENWOODNYC.COM
Equal Housing Opportunity