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12-18 2018
TWEET WELCOME FROM THE FED SOCIAL MEDIA A “DearJohninNYC” campaign gives the new boss from San Francisco a crash course in New York — and proves central bankers can have a sense of humor BY DOUGLAS FEIDEN
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is best known for formulating monetary policy, regulating depository institutions, redeeming billions in Treasury securities and serving as the banker of the U.S. government. But it isn’t all macroeconomics or post-crisis supervisory stress testing at the Florentine-style palazzo at 33 Liberty Street downtown: The Fed, it turns out, has been conducting a crash course in New York City 101. The principal pupil is Sacramento native John C. Williams, a 55-yearold economist who started his new post as 11th president of the New York Fed on June 18 after seven years as president of the San Francisco Fed. Williams had never worked on Wall Street. He’d never called the city home. So the Fed’s digital team decided to welcome him and advise him on mastering life in New York — by launching a playful new social media campaign, #DearJohninNYC. “John has never lived in New York, he’s coming from San Francisco, and we thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cute if we told him a little bit about New York City,’” said Christine Sommo, an officer in the digital-strategy unit. Soon, a call went out seeking volunteers at the 3,000-employee central bank, and in no time, economists, statisticians, researchers, regulators, software engineers, information technologists and staffers in
John C. Williams, the new president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. A Sacramento native and ex-president of the San Francisco Fed, he was welcomed to the city last month by Fed staffers who launched a social-media campaign. Photo courtesy of Federal Reserve Bank of New York outreach, administration and communications had raised their hands. “The campaign gave us the opportunity to humanize the institution,” Sommo said. In a series of two dozen short video tweets, acted out by about 30 bankers and other staff around Manhattan, Williams is visually instructed in how to become a New Yorker. One woman demonstrates the proper angle at which to flag down a passing cab above a caption reading, “The taxi hail is all about the lean.” A man displays the “pizza fold” as he consumes a slice, an art form that “might take practice, but is worth it.”
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A cyclist crosses the 59th Street and Second Avenue intersection using the bus lane. The Department of Transportation plans to install a new bike lane at the dangerous crossing, near the entrance to the Queensboro Bridge. Photo: Michael Garofalo
SECOND AVENUE TO GET BIKING UPGRADES STREETS DOT plan calls for new dedicated lane, pedestrian island at Queensboro Bridge intersection BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
For Manhattan cyclists, the busy section of Second Avenue approaching the Queensboro Bridge often makes for a white-knuckle ride. “I have long since come to the conclusion that if I get killed on a bike, that is where it’s going to happen,” said
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Jeremy Posner, an Upper East Side resident who navigates the area frequently using Citi Bike. High traffic volumes and lacking bike infrastructure have long made the 10-block stretch of Second Avenue south of 68th Street one of the most treacherous places to bike in Manhattan — particularly at the complicated intersection between 60th and 59th Streets where vehicles enter and exit the Queensboro Bridge, which one recent study found was the most dangerous crossing in the entire borough. A new proposal from the city’s Department of Transportation, present-
ed the plan to Community Boards 6 and 8 earlier this month, calls for improved bike lanes on Second Avenue and an overhaul of the Queensboro Bridge intersection, improvements
CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 Jewish women and girls light up the world by lighting the Shabbat candles every Friday evening 18 minutes before sunset. Friday, July 13 – 8:09 pm. For more information visit www.chabaduppereastside.com
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INTERVIEWING FOR DOGGY DAY CARE PETS At the newly rebranded AKC Canine Retreat, every animal gets a behavioral evaluation BY SUSHMITA ROY
In a crowded, bustling city, often the only friendly interaction you might have is with a four-legged animal that many New Yorkers adore. A dog to most people is a companion that pulls them out of loneliness. But can such a companion ever be judged not amiable or social enough in certain situations? At AKC Canine Retreat, a dog gets a
free comprehensive evaluation and is judged ďŹ t or unďŹ t for day care based on social interactions with other dogs. “The question really is: is your dog social? Is it a young puppy with no exposure or is it an older dog with bad past experience?â€? said James Tysseling, COO of American Kennel Club (AKC) Pet Care LLC. “Every dog is judged on their own behavior and it isn’t just that we throw them into a playroom to see if they ďŹ t; it’s a long procedure,â€? he said. AKC Pet Care LLC acquired all of SPOT Canine Club’s locations last year and after a year-long rebranding process officially announced its expansion to ďŹ ve more locations in Manhat-
At the AKC Canine Retreat launch. Photo courtesy of AKC Canine Retreat.
tan in May. The rebranding involved a behavioral management system led by Eva Loomis, an animal behaviorist whom they hired as their dog-care manager. “We re-trained all our employees to better understand dog behavior,â€? Tysseling said. “It is easier in child care centers because a child can tell you what they feel, but if your [dog is whining] in a corner, there has to be a reason and often it’s not easy to understand.â€? Before a dog is admitted to day care, their owners, or parents — as they often like to be called — are ďŹ rst interviewed about their dog’s likes, dislikes and behavioral insights. The dog is then introduced to another dog in a private space. Based on that interaction, the dog is either deemed suitable or unsuitable for being let into the playroom with other dogs. “We do tell people your dog’s not ďŹ t in terms of their social interaction with the rest of our dogs. For example, if the dog is very anxious, we recommend jogging and running services ‌ over a social environment like day care,â€? Tysseling said. The AKC offers a program called Running Paw that Tyselling claims is the ďŹ rst dog jogging and running service in the country. The service hires collegiate athletes who are also dog
for
German Lessons Children
Toys and snacks. Photo courtesy of AKC Canine Retreat lovers. They are then trained in dog jogging and running before being certiďŹ ed and licensed to carry out the service. But this too doesn’t come without an extensive interviewing procedure. Dogs go with a runner on a jogging interview. The runner observes the dog’s behavior to see if they pull away from the jogger when they pass other dogs or are oblivious to other dogs. Based on the dog’s interaction and capabilities, a suitable running distance and time is calculated and put in the databases. “They are married to the right athlete and they always have the same one,â€? Tysseling said. “The dog and athlete are a team.â€?
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Owners may not always be able to follow the recommendations due to time or cost constraints. A yearly unlimited day care package costs $8,085, though additional dog discounts are available. A 30-minute jogging session costs $40 a day and $625 a month. Tysseling, who owns eight basset hounds himself, wears a band inscribed with paws along with his engagement ring. “After the rebranding, we have turned dogs away that were clients before,� he said. “We recommend parents to enroll their dog in personal training ... that could bring the dog back to us.�
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CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG ROBBERY ARREST
STATS FOR THE WEEK
At 11:11 p.m. on Monday, June 25, a 30-year-old man entered the CVS store at 1172 Third Ave., concealed merchandise in his backpack and walked past all points of sale without paying, police said. A 39-year-old male store employee attempted to stop the alleged shoplifter, who then punched the employee in the stomach before walking out of the store. The items stolen and recovered were five bottles of Ensure valued at $54 and one Flex Tape worth $13, making a total of $67. Jason Perez was arrested and charged with robbery.
Reported crimes from the 19th district for the week ending July 1 Week to Date
PUSHER MEN Another local shoplifting incident turned violent. At 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 3, two men carrying white shopping bags entered the T.J. Maxx store at 407 East 59th St. and concealed two bed sets in the bags. One of the men tried to return a bed set as if he had previously bought it, police said. The pair went to leave the store, but a female employee interceded to stop them. One of the men pushed her as he pulled his friend out of the store, according to police. The bed sets have a value of $220. Photo by Tony Webster, via Flickr
Year to Date
2018 2017
% Change
2018
2017
% Change
Murder
0
0
n/a
1
0
n
Rape
0
0
n/a
7
6
16.7
Robbery
2
0
n/a
78
63
23.8
Felony Assault
4
2
100.0
69
68
1.5
Burglary
6
7
-14.3
107
103 3.9
Grand Larceny
34
28
21.4
715
686 4.2
Grand Larceny Auto
2
0
n/a
25
15
66.7
CRIME ON CAMERA
POOL TRESPASS
A man was arrested on July 2 after surveillance video apparently showed him taking a bicycle from a basement storage area at 315 East 77th St. in midMay, police said. The man, 22, is shown entering the building through the front door, taking an elevator to the basement, a storage area, pushing open a window to the storage area and then leaving through a side door with a $500 Priority bike, police said. Officers caught up to the alleged thief, identified as Henry Francisco, and arrested on Monday, July 2, and charged with burglary.
A young man was caught in a place he should not have been, with a weapon he should not have carried. At 12:48 a.m. on Tuesday, July 3, a police officer assigned to the 19th Precinct responded to a radio report of a trespassing incident in progress. Apparently, a witness had observed a 16-year-old male youth hop over a fence into the John Jay pool at 77 Cherokee Place. As the officer arrested the youth he recovered a box cutter from the young man’s pocket, and the suspect was charged with criminal possession of a weapon.
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BY PETER PEREIRA
JULY 12-18,2018
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WELCOME CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 What’s up with the New York accent? “Fuhgetaboutit. No such thing.” That fabled span across the East River? “Fair market price or not, the Brooklyn Bridge is not for sale.” Meanwhile, a fast-moving walker appears stymied on video as he tries to get by three slow-footed pedestrians on the sidewalk. Capturing the frustration of the true New Yorker, the caption declares, “Slow walkers and large groups keep to the right. (C’mon, people.)” “We’ve got more than 8 million stories,” one post proclaimed. “We’re glad you’re now one of them. Welcome John!” “Wow!” Williams tweeted back on the day he started at his new job. “When my new colleagues told me about their #NYCtips, that’s when I knew that I could not refuse. Thank you for the warm welcome as I join you at the New York Fed — and as an official New Yorker,” he added. Sommo wrote the text to accompany the videos, each of which repeats in a loop and lasts just two or three seconds. She says the final product reflects the personalities of the individual Fed employees. “We wanted to make the videos playful, but with a little bit of that New York sensibility,” Sommo said. “We were hoping to highlight some of the unique aspects of New York City, and what makes it the place that it is, and it was very important to get the tone right. “New York may be confusing to newcomers, it has this reputation as being hard to figure out, but it’s a lot more welcoming and friendly than many people may know,” she added. Unfortunately for Williams, one tweet posted at #DearJohninNYC offered a bit of rather glum news: “Sorry, we can’t get you @HamiltonMusical tickets” it said. “We hear even @Lin_Manuel can’t get them these days.” invreporter@strausnews.com
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TELEMEDICINE IN THE CITY HEALTH How virtual connections to medical professionals can help New Yorkers deal with certain health issues The concept of telemedicine — a doctor-patient consultation conducted remotely via technology — was once thought of as a solution for providing rural communities with health care. Telemedicine has come to include phone calls, text messages, and video and audio components, explains Innovations Manager Jessica Zhang at NewYork-Presbyterian. Now telemedicine is enabling NYC residents to deal with questions about health issues in innovative ways: • In the ER — For non-lifethreatening situations that may bring people into emergency rooms, telemedicine can reduce waiting time. As an example, Zhang said, someone who gets a cut from a pedicure can be seen quickly in the ER using telemedicine. By zooming in on a patient with a hi-res camera, physicians on site or at a related hospital can make a recommendation for treatment. • Urgent care — Telemedicine could replace certain types of visits to urgent care locations.
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5 WAYS TO BEAT THE HEAT ■ Avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, caffeine, soda or fruit juice, which contribute to dehydration. ■ Check in on your elderly or debilitated neighbors. People at extremes of age — the very young or very old — are more prone to heat-related illness and dehydration. ■ Limit exercise and other forms of exertion to cooler periods of the day, either early morning or in the evening. ■ Be aware that some medications may make you more vulnerable to dehydration from heat exposure. ■ If the air temperature is more than 95 degrees Fahrenheit, fans may be ineffective at cooling. Use air conditioning instead. Tips from Dr. Alexis Halpern, Emergency Medicine physician at NewYorkPresbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
Telemedicine via NewYork-Presbyterian’s ED Express Care is offered in the emergency room at NewYorkPresbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Photo courtesy of NewYork-Presbyterian Some conditions that physicians can examine visually – eye problems, rashes — people can do from home through an app. “I used it for myself in February when I thought I had the flu,” said Zhang. “A physician asked me to describe my pain, asked me to push on certain areas and did the entire exam virtually.” The doctor was then able to prescribe medication for her through the app. In January and February
2018, NewYork-Presbyterian started a kiosk program with Duane Reade/Walgreens in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The program was “rolled out in phases,” said Zhang. There are now six such kiosks, equipped with an HIPAA-compliant internet connection, high-definition video cameras, forehead thermometers, blood-pressure cuffs and pulse oximeters that measure the amount of oxygen in the body. The busiest kiosk,
at 40 Wall Street, has had 5060 consultations to date, according to Zhang. (All patients who use NewYork-Presbyterian’s telemedicine platform, NYP OnDemand, are evaluated and treated by board-certified emergency medicine physicians.) At this time of year, telemedicine kiosks may be helpful for dealing with heat-related illness or dehydration in young children and the elderly that
can be addressed remotely by board-certified ER doctors (see box). For more information about kiosks: www.nyp.org/ondemand/urgent-care-kiosk • Virtual visits — includes primary care as well as outpatient follow-up visits after surgery or hospitalization. Patients can have a FaceTime visit with physicans without leaving home. • Second opinion program — The program reviews medical charts and puts patients in touch with NY-Presbyterian specialists. “We found that some of these cases result in a different course of treatment,” said Zhang. Zhang also mentioned other ways in which telemedicine can help patients. In emergency rooms in outer NYC boroughs that may not have a full complement of specialists — where one would otherwise, for instance, “have to wait for a psychiatrist to come on site,”
says Zhang, “now we can connect that emergency room with a specialist” remotely. And for critical cases involving mobile stroke units — ambulance vans with CT scanners — telemedicine can “connect stroke patients with neurologists to decide [whether] to administer medications while you’re en route to the hospital,” says Zhang. “Time is of the essence” in treating strokes, she adds — “you can get a quick physician consultation before the patient gets to the hospital. You can make that decision about a life-saving treatment.” There are medical emergencies for which telemedicine is NOT recommended — chest pain, trouble breathing, severe abdominal pain, heavy bleeding and other symptoms that require an immediate visit to the emergency room or calling 911. For a full list of medical emergencies, see www.nyp. org/ondemand/urgent-care/ faqs-about-digital-urgent-care
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DUSTUPS, POLITICAL AND OTHERWISE EAST SIDE OBSERVER BY ARLENE KAYATT
No can do — CB8’s chairwoman broke the cardinal rule of keeping politics out of governmental meetings by allowing a then-political candidate challenging U.S, Rep. Carolyn Maloney for her Congressional seat in the recent Democratic primary to address the board. The candidate spoke against the Marine Transfer Station, a hot-button issue for many Upper East Siders. Someone at CB8’s monthly meeting disputed the candidate’s seemingly newfound advoca-
cy against the facility and reminded him that, when he was out campaigning, he said that the MTS was “a done deal” and “to get over it.” As the wannabe congressman backtracked, he was cut off by another audience member, not by the chairwoman, who later acknowledged knowing the speaker was running for political office when he spoke. Political candidates are not allowed to campaign at Community Board meetings. Let’s keep it that way.
Diner down — Timothy’s on York Ave opposite Asphalt Green bit the dust. Is no more. With the bus stops along the avenue and the busy
sports facility, seems a likely spot for a casual food place. On second thought, brick-and-mortar food business in remote locations are not high priority — remote, of course, being relative. The corner of York has a great deal of foot traffic but is not a dining destination per se. Another food spot, The Vinegar Factory around the corner from Timothy’s, left the block about a year ago.
Changing spaces — first they’re out, then they’re in — Domino’s Pizza, a stalwart for some years on Third and 89th, has moved to First and 95th. In the last year Roma’s Pizza on Third and 88th moved several
storefronts north to a larger space. Kind of like musical stores — but at least they are still in business and staying local. Panera’s on East 86th Street is gone. No local replacement. Just a notice saying see us in our other locations. Will do.
Conflict of ads — interesting ad, or faux pas — the Metropolitan Republican Club’s e-blast for former TV Judge Jeanine Pirro’s new book, “Liars, Leakers, and Liberals” came with an events calendar promoting Pirro’s tome and upcoming events, including a launch party and town hall meeting for a local State Senate candidate Pete Holmberg. Interestingly, the blast included a link with ads for Democratic primary (November election) candidates. And there was Pirro, President Trump cheerer-in-chief, appearing along-
side Democratic candidates Alessandra Biaggi (running for Assembly in the Bronx) and Liz Handidge (running for office in Pennsylvania). The Dem ads were in the section of the email under “other events you may be interested in.” Interesting, maybe. Odd, for sure.
Street protest — When are the city streets in Manhattan going to finally be finally paved? For weeks, months — not yet years — the street have been tarred and peebled but hardly paved. Walking and traversing the streets — to say nothing of the bumps and grinds that result from cars and buses and bikes as they ride the pavement — is a dangerous daily activity. Come to think of it, the sidewalks with all the scaffolding and boarding up to accommodate new construction also are no comfort.
WHY I’M NOT ASHAMED TO MOVE BACK IN WITH MY PARENTS BY MATT ROSENBLUM
I didn’t grow up in NYC, but my parents moved to West 96th Street from Livingston, NJ, a few years ago while I was in college. Most people are amused that my parents moved into the city after living in the suburbs for 20 years. Don’t most families follow the opposite trajectory? My parents have always been very active people, and while the suburbs were a great place for me and my siblings to grow up, there wasn’t a lot left for them to do there after we went to college. My little brother was still in high school when my parents moved to NYC, but he wanted to transfer to the Rudolf Steiner School in NYC. It was always my parent’s intention to come to the city after we all went to college, but my little brother’s desire to change schools sped up the process. After graduating from Hampshire College, I worked as a freelance writer and parttime debate teacher to save up some money to move out of my parents’ place. It took me six months after college to get all
the finances together, find a place and roommates to be able to move out. Six months was a little longer than I planned it to be, but it could have been much worse. At the time, I really wanted to live on my own in the city more than anything. My parents actually liked that I was home since I had been away for four years. Fortunately for me, they are nothing like the Syracuse, New York couple who sued their 30-year-old son in an effort to get him to leave. At first, I found that being home, as an adult, was very annoying. I was working non-stop managing blogs for clients from my laptop. Having my mom nagging me to put the dishes away, clean up clutter or walk the dog during my work hours made it a lot harder to focus. I tried working from nearby cafes and coffee shops, but finding space is always competitive, and the WiFi at Whole Foods on 100th and Columbus is not reliable (I hope management is listening). After six months, I moved to 124th Street in Harlem, and it felt good to rent my first apart-
Matt Rosenblum with his mother. Photo: Lena Rosenblum
ment in the city and take a step forward with my adult life. I was living with three random roommates — we found each other on the roommate matching app Diggz and the NYC Facebook Gypsy Housing group. One of these roommates became one of my best friends, but the other two didn’t work out for various reasons. What I’ve learned over the past two years is that if you’re not friends or friendly with your roommates, it will lead to a toxic living environment. A lot of people say you don’t need to be friends with your roommates, but I disagree. If you’re friends with your roommates and have healthy boundaries, everything about your living situation becomes so much more enjoyable. Having neutral roommates or worse makes going home a lot less fun. After a year and a half of living in Harlem and Bushwick, I’m actually excited to move back home with my parents. By moving home, I get more money to invest in my business and creative projects. If anything, my social
life gets enhanced because I have more to spend on going out in the city. And I don’t lose privacy. I had just as much privacy living at home in the city versus not living at home in the city. My room in Bushwick didn’t even have a door. I’ve learned that I don’t need privacy as much as I think — and I’m a pretty introverted person. If I do need privacy, there’s a million places I can go, other apartments to stay at, and hotels I can rent. I’m glad I moved out when I did, but I’m a lot more patient with myself — and my parents — now that I’m returning home. Living at home simply gives me the best chance to succeed with my business, personal and creative goals. I’ve even found a coffee shop to work at that always has space (it’s a secret). I’m truly grateful my parents are happy to have me stay with them. Matt Rosenblum is the owner of Advanced Life Coach Marketing, which helps life coaches grow their practices, create online courses and more.
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212.355.4400 A rendering showing the Department of Transportation’s proposal to add a bike lane and new pedestrian crossing to the Queensboro Bridge intersection, on Second Avenue between 60th and 59th Streets. Image: NYC DOT
BIKING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 DOT officials say will make the area safer for bikers and pedestrians alike. From 105th Street to 68th Street, Second Avenue currently features a southbound protected bike lane, which is separated from vehicle traffic by a lane of parked cars. (Ridership on the avenue has nearly doubled since the protected lane was finished in late 2016.) But below 68th Street, the protected lane ends; bikers must share a lane with vehicles in the often heavily congested approach to the Queensboro Bridge entrance. Second Avenue would be reconfigured to include a new dedicated curbside bike lane under the DOT’s plan. During off-peak hours, bikers will be protected from traffic by a loading and parking lane. During peak hours, the parking lane will become a fifth travel lane and bikers will be distanced from moving vehicles by a 3-foot painted buffer. In its current configuration, the Queensboro Bridge intersection is exceedingly perilous for cyclists, who must avoid vehicles turning left onto the bridge entrance ramp in order to continue south on Second Avenue. Rather than risk a collision with a left-turning car in the shared lane, bikers often opt instead to cross several lanes of traffic to ride in the bus lane along the opposite curb. Four cyclists and one pedestrian were injured at the intersection last year.
SKY LOCKSMITH & HARDWARE
BIKE PLAN INCLUDES NEW UES CROSSTOWN ROUTES The DOT also plans to install new crosstown bike lanes on 65th and 66th Streets between Fifth Avenue and York Avenue and on East 84th and 85th Streets between Fifth Avenue and East End Avenue. DOT officials presented the proposal to Community Board 8’s transportation committee on July 9. Community boards play a nonbinding advisory role in the transportation planning process. DOT installed two pairs of painted crosstown bike lanes on 70th and 71st Streets and 77th and 78th Streets in 2016 over the objections of Community Board 8, which voted against the proposal. —Michael Garofalo The DOT’s proposed makeover would install a safer crossing dedicated to cyclists at the intersection, including a new island that will shorten the crossing distance at 59th Street. The plan would also add pedestrian crosswalks on the east side of Second Avenue (currently, pedestrians can cross 60th and 59th Streets only on the avenue’s west side). The bicyclist and pedestrian advocacy organization Transportation Alternatives has called for the city to improve safety along this portion of Second Avenue for years. Chelsea Yamada, the group’s Manhattan community organizer, said the changes are “much needed” and “will do a much better job than what’s currently on the street. But, she said, a full-time protected lane north of 60th Street would be preferable to the DOT’s proposal for the bike lane, which would be shielded by parked cars only during off-peak hours. “The rush-hour design raises a lot of concerns, especially for our most vulnerable riders,”
Yamada said. “There’s no time when protection isn’t valuable to a cyclist.” Posner said that the lane should be parking-protected at all times. “I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve almost been hit in that bike lane during rush hour,” he said. Posner said the proposal represents “a major step in the right direction,” but is concerned that the new bike lane and crosswalk at the Queensboro Bridge exit ramp will often be blocked by oversized trucks turning left onto Second Avenue. The obstruction of bike lanes by cars, often owing to congestion issues, is endemic across the Upper East Side, Posner said, adding that violations are rarely enforced. “A real comprehensive solution requires not just a redesign of the intersection but a rethinking of traffic enforcement in Manhattan in general,” he said. The agency hopes to implement the changes by early 2019. Michael Garofalo: reporter@ strausnews.com
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EDITOR’S PICK
Tue 17 ‘DAVID WOJNAROWICZ: HISTORY KEEPS ME AWAKE AT NIGHT’ 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave. Noon, $29 212-415-5500. 92y.org The Whitney’s new exhibition is the first major, monographic presentation of the work of David Wojnarowicz in more than a decade. Join co-curators David Breslin and David Kiehl for a talk about Wojnarowicz’s life and work, drawing upon recently available scholarly resources and the Whitney’s extensive holdings.
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Thu 12 Fri 13
Sat 14
‘MARC CAMILLE CHAIMOWICZ: YOUR PLACE OR MINE...”
▲ THE MAGIC OF HANDWRITING: THE PEDRO CORRÊA DO LAGO COLLECTION
The Jewish Museum 1109 Fifth Ave. 6:30 p.m. Free with museum admission, RSVP recommended At this exhibition walkthrough, artist Chris Domenick will share his insights on Chaimowicz’s work in painting, sculpture and installation, which blurs the boundaries between art and design. “Marc Camille Chaimowicz: Your Place or Mine ...” is the artist’s first solo museum exhibition in the United States. 212-423-3200 thejewsihmuseum.org
METFRIDAYS: VINTAGE BOXING The Met, 1000 Fifth Ave. 7:30 p.m. Free with museum admission Join Met Museum curator Allison Rudnick and editor-inchief of “The Ring” magazine Doug Fischer in conversation as they explore the history of boxing and famous matches represented in 19th- and 20th-century boxing cards. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition “On the Ropes: Vintage Boxing Cards from the Jefferson Burdick Collection.” 212-535-7710 metmuseum.org
The Morgan Museum and Library, 225 Madison Ave. 10 a.m. Free with museum admission For nearly half a century, Brazilian author and publisher Pedro Corrêa do Lago has been assembling one of the most comprehensive autograph collections of our age, acquiring thousands of handwritten letters, manuscripts and musical compositions, as well as inscribed photographs and more. See this evocative exhibition on display at the Morgan through Sept. 16. 212.685-0008 themorgan.org
JULY 12-18,2018
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The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, East 68th Street between Park & Lexington Avenues 8 p.m. $20 Founded by Mannes School of Music alumnus and faculty member Jerome Rose, this annual festival features performances by worldrenowned pianists, master classes and symposia. This concert will showcase faculty and guest artists performing the works of Beethoven, Schumann and Liszt. 212-772-4448 hunter.cuny.edu
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Mon 16 Tues 17 Wed 18 OPENING: NEW YORK WOMEN IN WAR Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden, 421 East 61st St. 6 p.m. $8, reservations requested Rosie the Riveter would be so proud. “New York Women, War & Patriotism, 1812-1918” explores the role of women in the war effort throughout our nation’s history, with a special focus on the War of 1812 and World War I. Meet the descendents of Hildreth Meière, mural artist, designer and member of The Colonial Dames of America, at the opening of this timely exhibition. 212-838-6878 mvhm.org
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MOVIES UNDER THE STARS: ‘BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD’ Blake Hobbs Playground East 102nd St. and Second Ave. 8 p.m. Free Faced with both her hottempered father’s fading health and melting ice caps that flood her ramshackle bayou community and unleash nowextinct aurochs, 6-year-old Hushpuppy must learn the ways of courage and love. “Beasts of the Southern Wild” is even more magical under the stars. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. 212-360-1430 nycgovparks.org
▲ ‘U BOAT ASSAULT ON AMERICA’
Yorkville Library 222 East 79th St. 5:30 p.m. Free Author Ken Brown will discusses his book, “U-Boat Assault on America: Why the U.S. Was Unprepared for War in the Atlantic.” Brown explores how the United States responded to deadly assaults by German U-boats on both merchant and U.S. naval vessels along America’s east coast, and the steps that the Navy Department took to defeat the Germans. 212-744-5824 nypl.org
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Sun 15 BASTILLE DAY 60th St., from Fifth Avenue to Lexington Avenue Noon, Free Celebrate Bastille Day and all things French at a fun and festive afternoon of food, wine, culture and entertainment.
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JULY 12-18,2018
OPULENCE ON DISPLAY A virtual visit to Versailles BY MARY GREGORY
No plans for a trip to Paris this summer? The Met’s “Visitors to Versailles (1682–1789)” offers a sense of French travel and time travel as well. The expansive and innovative exhibition brings together close to 200 works of art, costume, architecture, jewelry and furnishings from more than 50 international collections, including the Palace of Versailles, to give a sense of the history, aesthetic and grandeur of the French royal court. Versailles, just 12 miles outside of Paris, was a hunting lodge — a kind of weekend home in the Poconos for the kings and queens of France — until Louis XIV (1638–1715) transformed it into a dazzling, glittering spectacle unlike any other. From 1682, when the Sun King moved himself and his court out of Paris and into the palace at Versailles, it was the center of political power and a destination for visitors from around the world. The magnificent gardens, exquisite architecture and over-the-top opulence announced to all the elegance, taste and power of the French. Versailles was open to royals and ambassadors from abroad, as well as artists, writers, scientists, philosophers, socialites, tourists and day-trippers from Paris. One of the facts the exhibition brings out is the rare accessibility of the king. The royal court at Versailles was open to all who cared to make the trip hoping for a glimpse of Louis XIV — with one stipulation. Like those lining up outside Studio 54 in the ‘70s, visitors had to be deemed fashionable enough to get in. So, suits and gowns start the show. Gorgeous garments for men and women in silk and brocade, with textiles lavishly adorned and punctuated by silver buttons and dazzling embellishments, greet visitors to the exhibition. They’re accompanied by a special audio guide, available at no cost. It’s billed as a 3-D tour (actually it’s stereo) and features music, birdsong, background noises and actors with European accents delivering dialogue about what it was like to visit the royal palace, what they hoped to see, and how they prepared. It may bring the sense of a “visit” to life for some. For others, it might get in the way, making
IF YOU GO WHAT: “Visitors to Versailles (1682–1789)” WHERE: Met Fifth Avenue WHEN: through July 29 the experience more like watching an episode of “Outlander” than a chance to see objects of artistic and historical import. But there’s no wrong or right way to enjoy a Met exhibit, so go for it, if it sounds fun. Subsequent galleries highlight various aspects of the palace and life at court. There are portraits, porcelains and fans, three-cornered hats, tapestries and rugs. One section presents the famed gardens, with statuary placed in small bays in front of flowery backgrounds (here, the audio includes the sounds of fountains and actors talking about the palace’s menagerie of exotic animals). Paintings portray parties held on the magnificent grounds designed by André Le Nôtre in the 1660s. Royal hunts, visiting dignitaries, the private apartments and their furnishings are all presented. There’s an astonishing architectural model of the Ambassadors’ Staircase, made by Charles Arquinet in 1958 so detailed it calls to mind Alice’s magic potion. If you could just shrink temporarily, you could pop in for an ersatz visit. Busts of Louis XIV, XV and XVI, all in a row, gaze down from an imposing height just a few feet away. Some of the most dazzling objects in the exhibition give a sense of sumptuousness of gifts from foreign kings and queens. A tiny golden throne from Thailand and a fabulous Ottoman jeweled hunting quiver with an emerald the size of a walnut are particularly stunning. All this lavishness came at great cost, both literally and politically. In 1789, King Louis XVI had to leave a Versailles in deep decline and put upon by angry protestors. In 1792, the monarchy was abolished. The king was beheaded in January 1793, with Marie Antoinette following several months later. The last thing on display is a reproduction of a notice announcing “Ventes de meubles et effets, à Versailles” or an auction to sell off the contents of the palace. Rather than just shining baubles, the exhibition offers a final bite to chew on in another time of significant wealth disparity.
Model of the Ambassadors’ Staircase, by Charles Arquinet, 1958, from the collection of the Musée National des Châteaux de Versailles. Photo: Adel Gorgy
Lavish needlework on a man’s suit, like the type worn at Versailles, from about 1780. Photo: Adel Gorgy
A “grande robe à la française” in silk brocade on loan from The Kyoto Costume Institute. Photo: Adel Gorgy
JULY 12-18,2018
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RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS
Mad River Bar & Grille
1442 3 Avenue
Grade Pending (22) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
Barking Dog Luncheonette
1678 3 Avenue
A
Shoga-Sushi & Oyster Bar
1698 2 Avenue
A
New Sunny East 88 Restaurant
1680 1 Avenue
A
Marinara Pizza
1376 Lexington Ave
Grade Pending (22) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Toilet facility not provided for employees or for patrons when required. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
A-Jiao Sichuan Chinese
1817 2nd Ave
Not Yet Graded (21) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.
A Taste of Seafood
1980 3rd Ave
A
Wing Gong Restaurant
2109 1st Ave
A
Blue Coco
153 E 106th St
A
Green Cafe
1324 Lexington Ave
Grade Pending (24) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
El Chevere Cuchifritos Bakery
2002 3rd Ave
Grade Pending (23) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
Maxwell’s Bar & Restaurant
1325 5th Ave
Grade Pending (27) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
JUN 27 - JUL 2, 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.
Neil’s Coffee Shop
961 Lexington Avenue Grade Pending (20) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
Javelina
1395-1397 2nd Ave
A
NYC Health Bar
1319 2nd Ave
Grade Pending (24) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/ or non-food areas.
Jean Claude French Bistro
Gina La Fornarina
Juice Generation
1343 2 Avenue
1016 Lexington Ave
1486 3 Avenue
Grade Pending (22) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. 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. CLOSED (57) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. 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. A
NEED TO RUN A LEGAL NOTICE? IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO INVEST IN A GOOD THING. Introducing Better FuturesTM —a whole new kind of investment with a greater return than money. When you invest, it helps kids go to college. Because a mind is a terrible thing to waste but a wonderful thing to invest in.TM Invest in Better Futures at UNCF.ORG/INVEST
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JULY 12-18,2018
CRAFTING A KENNEDY LEGACY THEATER
ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND
thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY
A new play about a proposed sculpture of JFK and his son sparks debate about art history and historical accuracy
Undiscovered Italy: Sicily
TUESDAY, JULY 17TH, 7PM 92nd Street Y | 1395 Lexington Ave. | 212-415-5500 | 92y.org Food expert and author Francine Segan talks about Sicily, where elements of Europe, Africa, and Asia come together. The evening includes a tasting of Sicilian pastas, cheeses, chocolates, sodas, and other specialty foods ($45).
BY MARC B. BOUCAI
What responsibility does an artist have when representing a cherished historical figure? What standards of “authenticity” must the work achieve in order for a community to support local public art? When the lauded figure in question is none other than former President John F. Kennedy, the answers can often be controversial and contestable. Claude Sol n i k ’s f i nely wrought new play, “A Walk on the Beach,” billed as a “Kennedy story you haven’t heard,” tells the story of retired plumber turned sculptor and Hyannis native David Lewis, and the over eight year-long battle he fought to build and fund a statue imagining JFK and his son walking arm in arm down the beach as adults. Solnik’s play is based on extensive interviews with David Lewis, the play’s protagonist, who, circa 2000, began sketching various possible images for a bronze sculpture commemorating both JFK and his son JFK Jr. After garnering initial support from Caroline Kennedy and Ted Kennedy, Lewis’s sculpture project hit a few snags when the local paper in Hyannis began to accuse the artist of changing history and tarnishing JFK’s legacy. Other members of the community cited that, just a few years after the tragic plane crash that took the life of JFK Jr., the statue could be seen as an insult, not a tribute. It is precisely the importance of JFK’s legacy that is at stake in both Lewis’s statue and Solnik’s play. The playwright stressed the importance of JFK as symbol, both real and constructed: “If this was a statue of anyone else, I don’t think people would have such strong feelings. Many feel like the Kennedys are part of their family — or they are part of the Kennedys. The passions are very strong ... He became an icon. He made many, many mistakes. And yet, people think of him as an idealist ... Our view of JFK to begin with is imagina-
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It’s Not Always Depression
WEDNESDAY, JULY 18TH, 6:30PM Mid-Manhattan Library | 455 Fifth Ave. | 212-340-0863 | nypl.org Psychotherapist Hilary Jacobs Hendel explains Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) and methods for moving into better states of mind. She’ll be in conversation with Diana Fosha, author of The Transforming Power of Affect: A Model for Accelerated Change (free).
Sculptor David Lewis (played by Jack Coggins, right) has a private moment with JFK (played by James Earley) in his thoughts. Photo: Claude Solnik
IF YOU GO Where: Theatre for A New City, 155 First Ave. When: July 5 - 15, 8 p.m. weeknights, Sat. 3 p.m. & 8 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. Price: $15.00 - $18.00 tion as much as actual events.” It is this line between history and artistic liberty, between truth and imagination that gives “A Walk on the Beach” its dramatic momentum. The tension between sculpture as representing historical “truth” and artistic interpretation come to a head when the editor of the local paper begins to accuse Lewis of tainting JFK’s memory. Solnik explains how, “at least in the play, the media does everything it can to turn the statue into an issue. The local paper writes editorials and articles questioning the idea of ‘imagination’ rather than history as the basis for a sculpture. It appears that the publication favors negative letters rather than those that support it. The voices of those opposed to things can be louder than those in favor. That’s the way media operates frequently.” The play’s most heated scene occurs between the sculptor (played by Jack Coggins) and the local paper’s editor (John Carhart). Lewis tells the editor (and the audience) that “art can be about imagination, changing reality. You can use art to
imagine a different world. You can try to stop the bullet. You can try to put John John’s plane back in the air.” Solnik empathizes with Lewis’ position, noting that as an artist, “you don’t have to be a reporter. You can recreate the world and imagine it differently.” Though set in a pre-social media landscape (Cape Cod between 2000 and 2007), Solnik’s play touches on contemporary issues around the role of the artist, the activist and the citizen journalist. It demonstrates how an artist, simply by sticking to their creative ideas, can inadvertently stir up a local dialogue about the role of art in civil society. In the case of Lewis, his initial sculpture was never fully produced. A miniature of the JFK/John John piece is on display at the JFK Museum, and recently, a life-size sculpture of JFK alone designed by Lewis opened in front of Kennedy’s memorial in Hyannis. Solnik, a reporter by profession, uses the ear of a journalist and the heart of a poet to make clear how questions of art and accuracy, history and truth, memory and slander can be summoned up by one image. Although technically a story about the Kennedys, “A Walk on the Beach” is about the role of art in everyday life, and the way the act of creation can be a political, civic act, one that “can try to stop the bullet” and imagine a better, more just world.
Just Announced | The Science of Pleasure: Why We Like What We Like
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15TH, 2PM The Schafler Forum | 7 W. 83rd St. | 212-362-8800 | onedayu.com Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Yale Paul Bloom leads an intensive seminar providing insight into quirks of pleasure like the appeals of ISIS and celeb memorabilia ($95).
For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,
sign up for the weekly Thought Gallery newsletter at thoughtgallery.org.
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ALL IN THE FAMILY Inside Motel Morris and The Commons, two Chelsea restaurants owned by Sam Nidel with the help of his relatives BY MICHAEL DESANTIS
Sam Nidel graduated from college in 2009 thinking he’d spend his years working in the family business of real estate. Instead, Nidel helped launch another type of family business: food. Nidel, 31, now owns two businesses on Seventh Avenue — a coffee shop cafe called The Commons, and Motel Morris, a comfort food restaurant. With the help of his family, Nidel achieved his goal of bringing two food establishments to serve the Chelsea community. Now that they’re here, Nidel and the rest of his team are hoping to not only survive, but thrive, in a city that has a track record of being tough on small businesses. Nidel worked for his uncle’s real estate company, Paley Management, for three years after graduation. During that time, he helped his brother, Brett, and an old friend with their hot cocoa stand on the High Line. Brett Nidel and his friend had won a competition that led to them to open a winter stand when the High Line was just starting to venture into food and beverages. “I helped them out during that venture and I really loved it,” Sam Nidel said. The trio opened a second location in Hudson River Park’s Christopher Street, which was an all-day cafe. Nidel helped manage that on weekends. From there, he fell in love with service and interacting with people seeking food and coffee. Nidel quit his real estate job in 2011. Later that year, he, his brother a family friend Matthew Mogil transformed
The Commons’ hot cocoa. Photo: Michael DeSantis
an old shoes store into The Commons. From then on, it was a family affair. Nidel the opened Motel Morris in April 2017 after signing a lease for it in 2016. With the help of his family, Nidel was able to get the businesses off the ground. Sam, along with Brett and Mogil, is the co-owner of both The Commons and Motel Morris but focuses on the former venture. Brett is the “brains” of the behind-the-scenes work that includes venting, electric and plumbing. Brett’s wife, Tamara McCarthy, is the business’s graphic designer and designed the Motel Morris bathroom. Nidel’s cousin, Jessica Corr, designed the restaurant’s furniture and lighting. Mogil takes care of a lot of the company’s finances. Arlene Novick, Sam and Brett’s mother, bakes a dessert called Arlene’s Special. And their father, Richard Nidel, is a lawyer for their business. In fact, Nidel and at least a dozen of his family members live in the apartments above Motel Morris. Though the building essentially serves as a motel, that’s not how it got its name. Morris Paley, the Nidel brothers’ late grandfather, served as part of the motivation. Mogil’s greatgrandfather was named Morris Minsker. The way Sam described growing up with his family evokes his passion for food. “Every day growing up, I was lucky enough to have two parents who loved to cook,” he said. “There wasn’t a day where I wasn’t obligated to come home and have dinner with my family. My brother and I used to hate it when we were little because we weren’t able to go out and be with our friends all the time. Our mom would kind of be like, ‘You have to come home for dinner.’ But now I definitely think that was a major contributing factor too for our love of food and this industry.” The Commons serves roughly 30 drink options ranging from coffee and tea to hot cocoa and cocktails. Foodwise, it offers egg sandwiches with bacon or sausage, scrambled eggs,
The bacon, egg and cheese sandwich at The Commons. Photo: Michael DeSantis
JULY 12-18,2018
Business
Sam Nidel, co-owner of Motel Morris and The Commons, sits by a wall of family photos inside Motel Morris. Photo: Michael DeSantis mushroom or avocado toast, a variety of sandwiches and more. “It started off as something that we thought the neighborhood needed desperately,” Sam Nidel said of his motivation to found The Commons. “Being that we live [in Chelsea] and there weren’t any coffee shops, really. Or places to get a good, quick breakfast. The need of the neighborhood really drove that.” Eileen Millan, 67, who has lived in Chelsea for 40 years, only began going to The Commons this summer. She said she now goes twice a week after falling in love with the sausage, egg and cheese sandwich. “It was one of the best egg sandwiches I’ve had,” Millan said. Motel Morris, where Nidel takes more of a backstage approach, is run by a dating couple, Bill McDaniel and Jamie Steinberg. They serve as the head chef and general manager, respectively. McDaniel, 49, is responsible for putting the Motel Morris menu together. Under his lead, the restaurant offers American comfort food. “The whole idea about American food is that they’ve taken things from everybody’s culture,” McDaniel said. “I feel as though being a chef in the United States is a great opportu-
nity because you get to just pick all the great things.” Lunch items include soups, salads, chili, a burger with cheddar, bacon, onion rings and black garlic barbecue sauce, a noodle bowl and a crispy fried chicken thigh sandwich (a personal favorite of McDaniel’s). Dinner features skirt steak, roast chicken, chicken fried buttermilk pork chop, grilled trout or roasted salmon. If diners still have room, they can have dessert: butterscotch banana pudding pie, a chocolate s’mores sundae, or Arlene’s Special, which rotates. McDaniel, who grew up in Arizona and has been cooking for 32 years, said he tried to take as many individual preferences into account as possible when creating the menu. “The American cuisine now has really developed through understanding the diversity of people and what they need,” McDaniel explained. “Restrictions, likes, dislikes, gluten issues, allergies. It is, to a different degree, a new way to write menus.” Steinberg, 44, also runs the beverage program. Motel Morris serves about 10 different cocktails, dozens of wines and a handful of different craft beer selections. Between The Commons and Motel Morris, Sam Nidel heads a well-oiled
machine. However, there’s always the risk of dealing with rent and wage increases. New York City isn’t the easiest place to run a small business. Millan said she’s seen numerous restaurants and other long-time mom and pop shops leave Chelsea in her 40 years of living there. “The problem with Chelsea is that it wasn’t always expensive and it wasn’t always as hip to live here,” Millan said. “It’s gone through a gentrification. Most of the mom and pop shops are gone.” Nidel’s restaurants are doing well with rent and the owners have a good relationship with the landlord, but he feels he may need to make some changes with the minimum wage set to increase to $15 on December 31. “I love that our workers can make more money and that’s what we want for them,” Nidel said. “But we’re going to have to raise prices most likely.” Nidel is concerned that restaurants around the city having to raise their prices could scare off customers. Millan has a feeling that Nidel’s family business will be able to manage and that the community will stick with them. “I think they’ve gotten their customers,” she said. “The buzz is out about them. The food is really, really good.”
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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
“To Life” — “L’Chaim” in the Yiddish production of “Fiddler.” Photo: Victory Nechay / ProperPix.com
IT TAKES CHUTZPAH CULTURE Joel Grey directs a Yiddish version of “Fiddler on the Roof” BY KAREN MATTHEWS
It might seem meshuga — crazy — to stage a beloved musical in a language that most of the audience won’t understand. But Tevye the dairyman and his family will speak Yiddish in an off-Broadway production of “Fiddler on the Roof” directed by Oscar and Tony winner Joel Grey. Previews started Wednesday for the show, which will be the first-ever U.S. production of “Fiddler” in the language its characters would have spoken. “I always knew what this play was about and that’s how I had the chutzpah to tackle it,” Grey said during a rehearsal at the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, which is housed at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in lower Manhattan. “We work in English first on the scenes so that everybody understands the characters, and the third or fourth time we do it in Yiddish, and we just keep at it.” There will be supertitles in English and Russian for theatergoers who don’t know their schmaltz from their schmutz. “Fiddler on the Roof” opened on Broadway in 1964 starring Zero Mostel as Tevye and ran for eight years. It has been a favorite of schools and community theater groups ever since and has been revived on Broadway four times. Its songs including “Sunrise, Sunset” and “If I Were a Rich Man” are familiar even to people
who’ve never seen the show. Based on stories by Sholom Aleichem originally written in Yiddish, “Fiddler” is set in 1905 in a Jewish village in czarist Russia. A Yiddish version of “Fiddler” translated by actor and writer Shraga Friedman as “Fidler afn Dakh” was performed in Israel in 1966 but was never staged in the United States until now. In the Yiddish version of the show, the song “To Life!” doesn’t have to be translated from “L’Chaim!” — It’s just “L’Chaim!” “If I Were a Rich Man” becomes “Ven ikh bin a Rotschild,” from a story by Aleichem about a man who imagines he were as wealthy as a member of the Rothschild family. The new production shows how decades of work to preserve Yiddish by organizations including the Folksbiene — Yiddish for World Stage — have paid off. “For more than a generation we’ve had an explosion of contemporary Yiddish arts and culture by musicians, poets, theater makers, scholars and writers who have studied the language and its history and its incredible volume of modern literature and eclectic music,” said Alisa Solomon, the author of “Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof,” published in 2013. Solomon said “Fiddler” is “free to just kind of be itself in a way that 50 years ago it couldn’t be in some circles because there was an absence of that vibrant Yiddish culture.” Yiddish, which is based on German with elements taken from Hebrew and other languages and is written with the Hebrew alphabet, was once spoken by millions of Eastern
European Jews but fell victim both to the Holocaust and the pull of assimilation. Isaac Bashevis Singer, who won a Nobel Prize for his stories written in Yiddish, famously said the language “has been dying for a thousand years, and I’m sure it will go on dying for another thousand.” Immigrants to the United States built a thriving Yiddish theater scene that launched the careers of famed acting teacher Stella Adler and stars such as Edward G. Robinson. The Folksbiene was founded in 1915 and was once one of more than a dozen Yiddish theater companies on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. It presents plays from the Yiddish theater canon as well as new work and adaptations of Yiddish literary works such as “Yentl,” based on Singer’s story “Yentl the Yeshiva Boy.” Grey’s father, Mickey Katz, was a musician and actor who performed Yiddish comedy songs, but Grey said he doesn’t speak much Yiddish himself and has been learning while rehearsing. Grey watched as the actors rehearsed the tavern scene from “Fiddler” in which Tevye agrees to let the butcher Lazar Wolf marry his eldest daughter. To a non-Yiddish speaker, the most easily understood words were schnapps and vodka. The 86-year-old is best known for his role as the master of ceremonies in “Cabaret,” a musical that improbably turned the rise of Hitler into popular entertainment. “He brings a whole other dimension in terms of his theatrical knowledge and sense,” said Zalmen Mlotek, the Folksbiene’s artistic director. “It’s an experience.”
West Park Presbyterian Church, at Amsterdam Avenue and West 86th Street on the Upper West Side, needs massive infrastructure repairs and is transitioning to a cultural center. Photo: Courtesy of New York Landmarks Conservancy
SANCTUARIES ARE FOR SAVING PRESERVATION Two hallowed houses of worship on the UWS are getting a new lease on life with funding from a landmarks advocacy group BY DOUGLAS FEIDEN
It is the stuff of ecclesiastical nightmares: A piece of masonry breaks off and falls from a church bell tower high above Broadway. The cast-stone strikes a man on the sidewalk below. Miraculously, his injuries are light. The Broadway Presbyterian Church at West 114th Street first opened for prayer service in 1912. Galvanized by near-tragedy in 2016, it set out to upgrade its century-old infrastructure and meet escalating capital costs. And that’s where the New York Landmarks Conservancy comes in. The nonprofit provided an initial $7,500 grant in 2017 to help underwrite architectural drawings for urgently needed masonry restoration work. The seed funding gave the project
instant credibility, allowing church elders to leverage other funders. Soon, bid documents were drawn up to guide repairs. But additional cash was needed to undertake the job. Now, the Conservancy, which funds restoration projects that protect and preserve the city’s architectural heritage, is awarding a $30,000 “sacred sites” matching grant to help pay for exterior-envelope work. Again, it’s just the beginning. But Broadway Presbyterian has already met the $30,000 challenge, received the funds, attracted other donors — and kicked off a comprehensive $1.2 million repair project to protect its neighbors and parishioners and shore up its structure to last through the 21st century. “Failure can be the red light that triggers all the actions that come next to make everything safe,” said Ann-Isabel Friedman, director of the Conservancy’s sacred sites program, which was launched in 1986 to aid religious organizations statewide in preserving historic properties.
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They’re building something that goes far beyond themselves and the needs of their own congregations.” Peg Breen, president of New York Landmarks Conservancy
Broadway Presbyterian Church, at West 114th Street in Morningside Heights, is shoring up its century-old facade after a chunk of tower masonry fell to the sidewalk. Grants from the New York Landmarks Conservancy are helping to fund the renovations. Photo: Courtesy of New York Landmarks Conservancy
NO MORE PATCH AND PRAYER Over 32 years, the program has awarded more than 1,400 grants to roughly 780 congregations tallying more than $12 million, sums that churches and synagogues are typically required to match in a process that’s helped leverage $740 million-plus in restoration projects. The grants help professionalize what is often known, in the lingo of the overseers of religious buildings, as the “patchand-prayer method,” by which they refer to seemingly haphazard renovation work. The English Gothic Revivalstyle church isn’t the only Presbyterian institution on the Upper West Side whose infrastructure has been battered by gales off the Hudson and 100plus years of intensive use. West Park Presbyterian Church, 28 blocks to the south at Amsterdam Avenue and West 86th Street, has structural problems and issues with multiple building elements — including its roofing, skylights, windows, frames, doors, steps, gutters, chimneys, stonework, access ramps and tower masonry. Finished in 1890 and designated a city landmark in 2010, the boldly-massed Romanesque Revival-style church complex has been swaddled in scaffolding for years — its sanctuary damaged by water, its numerous angled roofs rotting, its deep-red sandstone façade eroding. “Ultimately, it’s a $20 million project,” said J. Pat O’Connell,
chair of the building committee at the Center at West Park, a cultural nonprofit that stewards the church’s restoration and manages building facilities. But first things first: The initial phase of a planned fourphase, multi-year rehabilitation is the replacement of a roof in the community house, the oldest portion of the church campus, a project O’Connell pegs at $100,000 and expects to begin later this year. Again, the Conservancy is stepping up. It just awarded a $10,000 grant that West Park has to match, on top of $2,500 it provided in 2017 for technical advice and roof-repair management services. Before that, it worked with the church for 20 years, pitching in when it had neither heat nor a boiler and congregants had to attend services in winter coats. Past grants include $7,000 for roof drainage and masonry repairs in 2014 and $2,000 to survey plaster cracks in 2011.
REDEFINING THE SACROSANCT Old age and creaky bones, as it turns out, are not the only things that Broadway Presbyterian and West Park have in common. Both houses of worship have welcomed an array of nonprofit tenants and charted new directions that go far beyond their traditional pastoral callings. “They serve thousands of people — and they’re building something that goes far beyond themselves and the needs
of their own congregations,” said Peg Breen, president of the Conservancy. “You don’t have to be religious to know that these churches are part of the city’s heritage, they reflect the city’s architectural styles, and they provide a tremendous amount of social services and support to the communities around them,” Breen added. Indeed, Broadway Presbyterian, which has around 300 worshippers and doubles as the home of the oldest Korean Methodist church on the East Coast, serves about 18,000 people a year with numerous social-service programs, Friedman said. Its walk-in food pantry feeds 100 people a week. It serves 35,000 meals a year to the needy. Its homeless shelter houses 13 men. Its nursery school teaches 45 students. Meanwhile, West Park, with a dwindling membership of around 30 that uses a small chapel instead of its large sanctuary, has repositioned itself as a community cultural center and showplace for the arts. Its 74-seat Balcony Theater is a venue for puppetry, readings, classes and Off-Off Broadway shows, while its 420-seat Sanctuary Theater is a stage for dance, opera, concerts and Off-Broadway productions. It is also home to the Furnace Festival, which calls itself a “forum for incendiary new plays.” “Broadway Presbyterian is typical of mainline Manhattan churches that have successfully reinvented themselves for the 21st century,” Friedman said. “West Park is in the process or reinventing itself by ramping up its arts program and functioning more as an arts center than a church.” Adds O’Connell, “It is no longer really just a Presbyterian church anymore. It’s a valuable cultural asset for the community. And not only for the immediate neighbors — it is for everyone on the Upper West Side in the 70s and 80 and 90s and 100s.” invreporter@strausnews.com
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YOUR 15 MINUTES
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IN THE PITS, ON BROADWAY The clarinetist Todd Palmer has accompanied performances of “South Pacific,” “Sunset Boulevard,” “The King and I” and now “My Fair Lady” BY MARK NIMAR
Todd Palmer is no stranger to Broadway. Having played clarinet in “South Pacific” with Kelli O’Hara, “Sunset Boulevard” starring Glenn Close and “The King and I” with Ken Wantanabe, he has become a veteran clarinetist in orchestra pits across the Great White Way. This spring, he joined the “My Fair Lady”’ orchestra, and is currently accompanying — and appearing in — the show at Lincoln Center eight times each week. Palmer sat down with us to dish about the show’s offstage shenanigans, glamorous party scene and his favorite post-show cocktail.
How did you get the job playing in the orchestra of “My Fair Lady”? Well, as it is with most things in life, it’s about who you know. I knew Ted Sperling, “My Fair Lady’s” music director, from doing jobs around the city, and 10 years ago, he asked me to do “South Pacific” at Lincoln Center. That gig led me to do “Sunset Boulevard” with Glenn Close, “The King and I” again at Lincoln Center, and now “My Fair Lady.” I knew all the orchestra members of “My Fair Lady” before
Lerner & Loewe’s “My Fair Lady” at the Lincoln Center Theater. Photo: Joan Marcus we started rehearsals. Lincoln Center likes to rehire their musicians. It’s a family affair, really.
Do you have a favorite moment in the show? In the show, the orchestra has a 10-minute cameo onstage. For the party scene, all 30 of us come onto the stage in our white tuxes and white ties. We get to watch Eliza Doolittle come down the staircase in an exquisite ball gown. We play on a big bandstand, which a giant machine pushes up and down. The audience always applauds when the platform descends.... It’s all very grand.
How do you keep the show fresh and interesting for yourself while playing it night after night?
Todd Palmer, a veteran clarinetist, joined the “My Fair Lady”’ orchestra this spring. Photo courtesy of Todd Palmer
Well in the show, there are long, eight-minute stretches of dialogue on stage where we have no music to play. And to ease the boredom, there ARE some shenanigans that go on in the pit. We throw sock puppets at one another, read magazines or stand up and play to keep ourselves entertained. I’ll even go out into the hall and exercise while the show is going on. Of course, the audience sees none of it, because we are in the pit below the stage. It is also cool to see how the actors deliver their lines night after night. The dialogue is so well crafted and witty,
and they deliver it a different way each night, depending on the audience’s energy, applause or the actors’ moods. The actors also forget their lines, and improvise. Or sometimes, someone in the orchestra comes in at the wrong time, and there’s lots of laughter. It’s live theatre; you never quite know what’s going to happen. That is what makes the show different and fresh every time, and makes it interesting for us night after night.
With the ongoing #MeToo movement, “My Fair Lady” has generated controversy in the press. How has the show’s creative team addressed elements of the show that some perceive as misogynistic? I think Eliza is a much stronger character in this revival. In the Hollywood film, Eliza stays with Henry Higgins, even after he mistreats her. But at the end of our show, Eliza is ambivalent; she ends up running off the stage. You’re not really sure what she is thinking: is she in a moment of indecision, or not? Bartlett Sher was very aware of not making this revival a reincarnation of a museum piece. He knows how to dust stories off, and make them relevant in this day and age. I think that’s one of the reasons why Bart wanted to do this show. It hasn’t been seen on Broadway in 25 years, and a lot has happened since
then with women in the workforce and at home. For many years, we were lying to ourselves, saying that women were equal. But now, in this unique time that we are living in, change is in the air. And I know Bart Sher is trying to convey that in his staging.
What do you do after the show to decompress? Good question! Well, I make a cocktail before I go to the show every night. I mix Amsterdam vodka, triple sec, fresh lime juice and a delicious mango mixer. It’s not a cosmo; I call it a ‘Tozmo.” Before I leave, I put it in the freezer, and it is sitting there waiting for me when I get back home at 11:30. And when I get home, it is frozen to perfection. I nurse my cocktail, and sip it slowly instead of downing it all at once. And then, I watch reruns of “Modern Family” on my couch. It is the perfect way to decompress after a three-hour show.
How did you start playing the clarinet? Well, I grew up in Hagerstown, Maryland. I went to the local elementary school and played trumpet in the fourth grade. But my sister played the clarinet, and would leave her clarinet in her closet. And I would sneak into my sister’s room, and take it out. And I would teach the fingerings to myself while she wasn’t home; I was com-
pletely self-taught. I one day went to my band teacher, and told him that I would be switching from trumpet to clarinet. And that was that.
Do you still practice? I still do warm up exercises. I was doing them as I was watching Wimbledon this morning.
As a young musician, did you ever think you would have all this success? At 19, I moved to New York. I came here, bright-lights-big-city, and made a career out of this. If I had gone to a fortune-teller back when I started, and had they told me things would work out the way they did, I would not have believed them. I feel so blessed to have had this career. Because of music, I have played in China, have swum in the Aegean Sea. Growing up, my family would never travel farther than a car would take us.... So without music, I never would have done any of this. So I am very appreciative of the things that have come my way.
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Eastsider COLOR THE EAST SIDE by Jake Rose
19th Precinct Building The 19th Precinct Station House on East 67th Street between Lexington and Third Avenues was conceived in 1883 by Nathaniel Bush as the home of the 28th Precinct – which covered the area from East 58th to 79th Streets, from Central Park to the East River and Roosevelt Island.
Scan or take a picture of your work and send it to molly.colgan@strausnews.com. We’ll publish some of them. To purchase a coloring book of Upper East Side venues, go to colorourtown.com/ues
CROSSWORD by Myles Mellor
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JULY 12-18,2018
CLASSIFIEDS MASSAGE
MERCHANDISE FOR SALE
REAL ESTATE - SALE
23
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
which was secured by Financing Statement in favor of Citibank, N.A. recorded on September 16, 2005 under CRFN 2005000517302. Please note this is not a payoff amount as additional interest/fees/penalties may be incurred. This sale is subject to a first lien held by Astoria Federal Savings and Loan. You must contact the undersigned to obtain a final payoff quote or if you dispute any information presented herein. The estimated value of the above captioned premises is $1,050,000.00. Pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code Article 9-623, the above captioned premises may be redeemed at any time prior to the foreclosure sale. You may contact the undersigned and either pay the principal balance due along with all accrued interest, late charges, attorney fees and out of pocket expenses incurred by Citibank, NA. and the undersigned, or pay the outstanding loan arrears along
with all accrued interest, late charges, attorney fees and out of pocket expenses incurred by Citibank, NA, and the undersigned, with respect to the foreclosure proceedings. Failure to cure the default prior to the sale will result in the termination of the proprietary lease. If you have received a discharge from the Bankruptcy Court, you are not personally liable for the payment of the loan and this notice is for compliance and information purposes only. However, Citibank, NA, still has the right under the loan security agreement and other collateral documents to foreclosure on the shares of stock and rights under the proprietary lease allocated to the cooperative apartment. Dated: June 29, 2018 Frenkel, Lambert, Weiss, Weisman & Gordon, LLP Attorneys for Citibank, NA 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 631-969-3100 File #01-080833-F00 #95226
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 will only accept responsibility for the first incorrect insertion. The publication assumes no financial responsibility for errors or omissions. We reserve the right to edit, reject, or re-classify any ad. Contact your sales rep directly for any copy changes. All classified ads are pre-paid.
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC AUCTION NOTICE OF SALE OF COOPERATIV APARTMENT SECURITY PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: By Virtue of a Default under Loan Security Agreement, and other Security Documents, Karen Loiacano, Auctioneer, License #DCA1435601 or Jessica L Prince-Clateman, Auctioneer, License #1097640 or Vincent DeAngelis Auctioneer, License #1127571 will sell at public auction, with reserve, on August 1, 2018, in the Rotunda of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York NY 10007, commencing at 12:45pm for the following account: Eric Goldberg and Lisa Goldberg, as borrower, 144 shares of capital stock of 310 East 70th Street Apartment Corp. and all right, title and interest in the Proprietary Lease to 310 East 70th St, Apt. 6E, New York, NY 10021 Sale held to enforce rights of Citibank, NA, who reserves the right to bid. Ten percent (10%) Bank/Certified check required at sale, balance due at closing within thirty (30) days. The Cooperative Apartment will be sold “AS IS” and possession is to be obtained by the purchaser. Pursuant to Section 201 of the Lien Law you must answer within 10 days from receipt of this notice in which redemption of the above captioned premises can occur. There is presently an outstanding debt owed to Citibank, NA (lender) as of the date of this notice in the amount of $292,521.80. This figure is for the outstanding balance due under UCC1,
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